Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA) has completed both the gut renovation and interior design of a 2,800-square-foot prewar apartment on Park Avenue for a young New York family. Architect : Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA) Location : New York, USA Year : 2017 Design Team : Natasha Harper, project lead; Michael Chen, Braden Caldwell, Justin Snider, Robinson Strong, Julian Anderson General Contractor : Think Construction Styling : Cristina Sonneman Photography : Brooke Holm From the architect: The renovation concentrated on maximizing the already wellproportioned formal spaces, including a generous entrance gallery, formal living room and dining room; while converting the dark and crowded storage and service areas into functional contemporary living elements. Because the historic layout was quite segmented, MKCA set out to create enlarged openings to increase circulation between spaces. MKCAs selection of furniture, finishes, and unique art and design objects played a large part in maximizing natural light, visual interconnectivity, and playfulness throughout. Drawing from our experience designing micro apartments, we start every project, large or small, looking for a very flexible spatial organization, where spaces can slip into and overlap with one another. Not only is that how most of our clients actually live, but its a way to make sure that every space in a project is utilized, says Michael K. Chen, founder and principal of MKCA. Off of the gallery, MKCA created a powder room and cloak room duet. The sleek and moody new powder room inhabits a former closet, and is lined from floor to ceiling in handmade metallic black tiles from Heath Ceramics and features a floating custom console of barely pink Rosa Aurora stone, lacquer, and smoke mirror, conjuring images of nightclub naughtiness. In contrast, the generous new cloak room across the gallery boasts powdery pink lacquer built-ins, integrated LED lighting, and puffy flamingo wallpaper, projecting a sunny and playful disposition. The cloak room absorbs baby strollers, shoes, and coats for the family and their guests in crisply detailed millwork compartments. In the living and dining rooms, a tiny door opening was substantially enlarged and infilled with a black metal and glass sliding partition creating a generous portal between the two spaces. Facing the doors, a grey onyx and bronze fireplace mantel is flanked by turquoise glass sconces with a vintage Fontana Arte mirror above. A massive circular custom sofa designed by MKCA is upholstered in a bright blue synthetic textile from Maharam. The round form was so useful, says Chen. We intended the sofa to be the centerpiece of the room, and be large enough for the whole family to plop down, and to transition between intimate conversation and full-blown party mode, which is does really well. A sculptural chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and poufs upholstered in shaggy mohair surround a vintage brass table. A bone console, sculptural stainless steel shelving unit by Francois Monnet, and linen wrapped game table complete the room. A painting by artist Ilona Savdie, and drawings by Karin Haas hang adjacent to the fireplace. A carpet by MKCA is made from joining two shapes of broadloom synthetic silk together. The dining room is shrouded in a desaturated pink paint and anchored by an eleven-foot custom table in high gloss lacquer, steel, and gold leaf from Los Angeles designers Alex Drew and No One, show stopping yet visually very light. The table is surrounded by vintage Joe Colombo dining chairs in their original well-worn fabric, and a pair of voluptuous leather and steel lounge chairs are used by the family to have coffee in the morning and to read after dinner. A massive vintage chinoiserie panel, chosen by the client at Housing Works, hangs above the vintage Henry Glass sideboard from Converso, beautifully integrating all of the colors of the room. The very best kinds of client collaborations are when we are asked to push the clients a little past their comfort zone, and when they do the same to us, Chen says of the juxtaposition. To create a light-filled kitchen where there was only one window facing a courtyard, Chen relied on high-contrast materials. The lacquer and ebonized oak pantry links the dining room and kitchen, which is lined in glossy three-dimensional tile from Ann Sacks, and pale iridescent wall covering from Flat Vernacular. We wanted to catch as much light as we could with the glossy molded tiles, says Chen, There is always a play of light and shadow along the wall because of the three dimensional texture. The rear wall of the kitchen was removed and replaced with a sliding acid etched glass partition, which picks up the ambient light from windows in the service entrance beyond and glows all day long, replaced at night by an even glow from the overhead fixtures that bathe the partition in light. Overhead upper cabinets were banished in favor of multiple voluminous full height cabinets in the pantry where the majority of service-ware and dry goods are stored. Plentiful drawers below the white marble countertops provide ample storage for everything else. Under the glass partition, a thick counter of striped Kenya Black marble adds to the material contrast, and doubles as a bar top and work surface when the glass partition is slid away. An Enzo Mari gorilla print overlooks the dining table, flanked by fabric sconces by Erich Ginder. Overhead an array of fixtures by Michael Anastassiades, from The Future Perfect provides ample task lighting. When we are working in space without abundant natural light, we do everything we can to create a feeling of illumination without having to resort to visible fixtures. Every surface is considered for its properties relative to light. We tend toward contrast in both color and sheen to keep the spaces feeling visually lively, and we make ample use of LED strips that provide focused illumination where it counts. An inky blue-green back hall leads to three bedrooms. In the couples daughters room, the tropical motifs from the front of the apartment mingle with Scandinavian sensibilities. Sheepskin pillows dominate a CB2 daybed with a custom cushion, upholstered in a Josef Frank botanical print. A vintage teak rocker by Finn Juhl, tall shelving from Hem, and a coterie of animal-cum-footstool pieces from Kinder Modern surround the daughters play and drawing table. The master bedroom and bath were touched lightly, with the addition of custom millwork his and hers closets, and new finishes and fixtures in the master bath. A vintage shelving unit by Frederick Weinberg sourced from eBay holds vintage ceramics and books that the couple collect, and the couples bed is flanked by vintage nightstands by Luigi Caccia Dominioni for Azucena, sourced from Compasso Gallery; and custom sconces by Allied Maker. YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: New Children's Library at Concourse House by MKCA YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Apartment in New York by Reutov Dmitry YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Small apartment with moving wall by MKCA In addition to the fact that limousine travel is very glamorous, it is also the most comfortable trip you can... Gamal Essam El-Din reviews the concluding discussion in parliament on the final draft of the proposed constitutional amendments After a 10-week debate, parliaments Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee on Sunday approved the final draft of proposed amendments to Egypts 2014 constitution The draft, formulated by a seven-member subcommittee, was finalised on Sunday morning and approved by parliament on Tuesday. Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said the constitutional amendments will not be the last in Egypt. I think we will need to write a completely new constitution within the next 10 years, said Abdel-Aal, also indicating that the subcommittee responsible for releasing the final draft was keen that it was in line with internationally recognised constitutional principles and world conventions which Egypt signed in this respect. Al-Ahram Weekly obtained a copy of the final draft of the proposed constitutional amendments. House of Representatives Article 102 (first paragraph): The change aims to reduce the number of elected MPs in the House of Representatives (Egypts lower house of parliament) from 596 to 450 MPs, with at least 25 per cent of seats (112 seats) to be reserved for women representatives. This change was objected to by many MPs who argued that it violates the principle of equality and that it could be ruled unconstitutional. Other MPs said that only 10 per cent of seats should be reserved for women. In response, Abdel-Aal said the rules of the Inter-Parliamentary Union state that women should be allocated 30 per cent of seats in world parliaments. But we think that this quota will be too much and that 25 per cent is very reasonable and logical, Abdel-Aal said. There are currently 90 female MPs (12 per cent) in parliament, the highest in Egypts history. Article 102 (third paragraph): The law regulating the performance and election of the House of Representatives is to be changed to be in line with the above article. The law should observe the equitable distribution of population and governorates and allows that either the individual candidacy or the party list system be adopted, or a combination of the two. President of the Republic Article 140 (first paragraph): The president of the republic shall be elected for six (instead of four) years, beginning on the day next to the end of his predecessors term, and he/she cannot remain in office for more than two consecutive terms. Transitional Article 241: The term of the sitting president (Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi) will end following the date of declaring him an elected president of the republic, and he can be re-elected for another six-year term. Abdel-Aal also indicated that he and several MPs affiliated with parliaments Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee had rejected a proposal that would allow President Al-Sisi to run for office until 2034. There was much division among MPs on this point, and we rejected a proposal by some that the sitting president be allowed an additional 12 years [in office] until 2034. We chose a middle-of-the-road option that will allow the sitting president to remain in office until 2024, and then he will be allowed to run for another six years, said Abdel-Aal, indicating that this way, I can say that the amended constitution still does not lead to any kind of inheritance of power or perpetuation of rule. Vice president Article 150: The president of the republic shall be authorised to name one or more than one vice president, underline his/her roles, exempt them from their post, and accept their resignation. The constitutions articles 141, 144, 145, 148 and 173 will govern this respect. Article 160 (first paragraph): If a temporary obstacle makes the elected president unable to perform his duties, he will be replaced by a vice president or prime minister if there is no vice president. Article 160 (last paragraph): If a caretaker president takes office, he shall not be entitled to amend the constitution, dissolve the House of Representatives or Senate, or dismiss the government. The caretaker president will also not be allowed to run for president. Judiciary Article 185: Each judicial authority will take charge of running its own affairs, and it will be consulted on laws regulating its own business. The president of the republic shall appoint heads of judicial authorities from among five who will be nominated by its higher councils, and their term of office will be four years. A higher council for judicial authorities will be created and the president of the republic will be its head. The council will take charge of discussing the affairs of judicial authorities. In case of the presidents absence, a head of a judicial authority will be delegated by the president to consider the conditions of appointing members of judicial authorities and their promotion, and he will be consulted on laws regulating their business. Judicial authorities will also have their own independent budget. A law to be issued to regulate the roles of the higher council for judicial authorities and its decisions are to be taken by consensus of its members. Article 189 (second paragraph): A prosecutor-general who will be responsible for the body of prosecution-general will be named by the president of the republic from among three candidates to be nominated by the higher council for judicial authorities. The prosecutor-generals term in office will be four years. Article 190: The State Council will be exclusively authorised with settling administrative disputes, disciplinary cases and appeals, and revising draft laws and decrees. A law in this respect shall be issued to describe the roles of the State Council in detail. Article 193 (third paragraph): A chairman of the Supreme Constitutional Court will be named by the president of the republic from among the courts most senior deputy heads. The panel of the courts commissioners will also be named by the president only upon a recommendation from the courts chairman and after taking the opinion of the courts general assembly, and in line with the law regulating this respect. Commenting on the above four articles, Abdel-Aal said they do not violate the independence of the judiciary or infringe upon its powers. It gives the president the right to appoint heads of judicial authority only upon nomination of its members and their general assemblies, Abdel-Aal said. Armed Forces Article 200 (first paragraph): The Armed Forces are the peoples arm, and its job is to protect the country, safeguard its security and the integrity of its land, preserve the constitution and democracy, and maintain the basic pillars of the state and its civilian nature, and the gains of the people, and the rights and freedoms of individuals. The state will be exclusively authorised to create such a force, and any other individuals, authorities, or groups will be banned from forming military or paramilitary organisations and militias. Article 204 (second paragraph): Civilians can face trial before military courts only in cases of assaulting military establishments, military camps, military zones and borders, military equipment, vehicles, weapons, ammunition, documents, secrets, funds and army factories. Trials also cover crimes related to recruitment and drafting, and assaulting officers and personnel affiliated with the Armed Forces and while they are performing their duties. Article 234: The minister of defence will be named upon the approval of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF). According to Speaker Abdel-Aal, the amendments do not in any way push the Armed Forces into politics. The articles only state that the main role of the Armed Forces is to protect the state and its authorities, and that civilians will face trial before military courts only in crimes related to assaulting its establishments, and that this is the norm in all countries of the world, Abdel-Aal said. Adequate representation Article 243: The state shall guarantee that workers and farmers are adequately represented, and in line with the law regulating this aspect. Article 244: The state shall guarantee that youth, Christians, the physically challenged and Egyptian expatriates are fairly represented in line with laws regulating this aspect. The Senate Article 248: The Senate has the authority to study and propose what it deems to be the basis of democracy, the promotion of social peace, the basic elements of society and its supreme values, rights, freedoms and public duties, and the deepening and expansion of the democratic system. Article 249: The opinion of the Senate shall be taken on the following: - Proposals for the amendment of one or more articles of the constitution. - Drafting general plans for social and economic development. - Treaties of reconciliation and alliance and all treaties relating to the rights of sovereignty. - Drafting laws supplementing the constitution referred to the Senate by the president of the republic or the House of Representatives. - Matters referred to the Senate by the president regarding the general policy of the state or its policy in Arab or foreign affairs. Article 250: The Senate shall be elected within the 60 days preceding the expiry of its term. The Senate shall comprise 180 members at least, and its term will be five years. Two thirds of the Senate members shall be elected in a secret ballot, and a third will be appointed by the president. Article 251: A Senate member should be Egyptian, not less than 35 years old, have a university degree and legally allowed to exercise his/her civilian and political rights. The law shall specify the conditions of the other candidates, the electoral system and the division of the constituencies to take into consideration the equitable representation of the population and the governorates. The individual or existing electoral system may be introduced or combined in any proportion between them. Article 252: A Senate member cannot be a member of the House of Representatives at the same time. Article 253: The prime minister, his deputies, ministers and other members of the government shall not be held accountable to the Senate. *A version of this article appears in print in the 18 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The final draft Search Keywords: Short link: By Online Desk Do doctors ever get to take a vacation without work coming in the way? When Nitin and Neeta Zabak, a doctor-couple from Kalyan, Maharashtra decided to go on a vacation to Australia, they had had no idea that they would be saving a strangers life. After their holiday had ended, the Indian couple took a flight from Perth, Australia to Singapore. Less than an hour after take-off, the flight attendant made an announcement seeking help from medical professionals on the flight. Annie, a 63-year-old Australian woman, had fallen unconscious after sweating profusely. Both Nitin and Neeta rose to the occasion and started treating the woman immediately with the aid of an emergency kit available on the flight. Dr Neeta administering CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) helped Annie regain consciousness. However, the pulse was feeble. So she had to insert an IV line into the patients arm. Dr Neeta managed to do that successfully with just a mobile phones torchlight aiding her. Equipped with very few medical supplies and no knowledge about Annies medical history, both the doctors were treading on dangerous ground. Despite that, they managed to save Annies life and monitored her pulse until the flight landed at the destination. Right after reaching the Changi Airport in Singapore, a medical team took Annie to the hospital where she was diagnosed with Hypoxia. The Indian couple received a standing ovation from both the passengers and the flight crew and the airlines gave them gift vouchers to express their gratitude. By PTI AHMEDABAD: Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by an unidentified man while addressing a poll rally on Friday in a village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district. The incident was captured on cameras of news channels covering the rally in the district, around 130 km from here. As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him. The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by Congress workers, who also beat him up and took him away from the venue. #WATCH Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Surendranagar,Gujarat pic.twitter.com/VqhJVJ7Xc4 ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 The unidentified man was later handed over to the police. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Congress candidate for the Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat, Soma Patel, was present on the dais when Hardik Patel was assaulted. Congress leader Hardik Patel files complaint with police after he was slapped during a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ioZNWMjZy2 ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 According to Surendranagar SP, Mahendra Bagadia, the man is yet to be identified. "We are yet to investigate who the man was and why he slapped Hardik. No one has lodged a complaint with us yet. We are investigating the matter," said Bagadia. By PTI GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused on the security of the country just before the elections though terrorist attacks have increased 177 per cent during the past five years, senior Congress leader Mukul Sangma said Friday. The central government's approach has aggravated the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern region, Chhattisgarh and other states, claimed Sangma, chairman of the North East Congress Coordination Committee. Modi has failed to deal with security of the nation effectively, the former Meghalaya chief minister alleged. According to data placed in the Rajya Sabha, there has been 177 per cent increase in terrorist attacks during the last five years, but the government has responded to the situation only before the election, Sangma told reporters. ALSO READ | Fielding Pragya a reply to those who called Hindu civilisation terrorist: PM Modi "War is being fought daily in Jammu and Kashmir, North East, Chhattisgarh and other states but the government's approach has aggravated the situation. It created more problems, alienated more people which is reflected in more people joining insurgent outfits," he added. The BJP has been trying to project that it is the only one capable of taking care of the nation's security, he said. "Modi and his team does not have the in-depth understanding to tackle the complexities and challenges of security problems," he said. Terming the saffron party as anti-Northeast, he said the BJP's insistence on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill bears testimony to it. Without naming anyone, Sangma said a senior minister in BJP-ruled Assam has gone on record saying if the party returns to power at the Centre, the bill will be implemented by June or July this year. "They are trying to push the people against the wall. Any agenda that goes against the sentiment of the people will obviously have a natural repercussion. There will be chaos and a nation cannot flourish amid chaos and disorder," he added. The bill seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who fled because of persecution, even if they do not possess any document. The indigenous people of the region are apprehending that if the law is enacted, it will endanger their livelihood and identity. The Modi government has withdrawn special status of NE states, suspended the North East Investment Promotion Policy, and changed the Look East policy to Act East policy without any visible action being taken, Sangma claimed. About the Assam government, he said it lacks the focus to deal with the problems arising out of updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in which 40 lakh people have been left out. He accused the BJP of betraying the people of Assam saying it had promised to solve the problem of illegal immigration but failed, and it appears that they are not interested in solving it. By PTI SRINAGAR: Several security forces personnel, including two officers, were injured in stone pelting incidents during polling for the Srinagar parliamentary seat, an official spokesman said here Friday. Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar had on Thursday said the polling remained peaceful and incident free. "As the polling for Srinagar parliamentary constituency was going on yesterday (Thursday), several incidents of stone pelting on security forces and polling staff were reported from different areas," the spokesman said. He said during the election process, the security forces came under severe stone pelting from miscreants at various places. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "However, the security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order problem," he said. The spokesman said several police and security forces personnel, including two deputy superintendents of police, were injured due to stone pelting at different places. "In one such incident at Hyderpora, a civilian driver identified as Mohammad Yaseen Dar, 22, sustained critical injuries in his head. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital and is stated to be critical," the spokesman said. He said the administration has appealed to the general public to cooperate with the officials discharging the poll duty in a peaceful manner and the elements involved in such unlawful activities would be strictly dealt under law. By Express News Service BAGALKOTCHIKKODI: Hinting at a change in government in Karnataka post the May 23 Lok Sabha results, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in Bagalkot on Thursday, A big change will happen in state politics after May 23. The alliance government will come under immense pressure as soon as BJP gains a majority in the Lok Sabha polls. The statement, meant to put the coalition on edge, succeeded in creating a buzz in the 40,000-strong audience, which had braved sizzling temperatures to attend the Vijay Sankalp Yatra in Bagalkot. He said the change will give coalition partners Congress and JD(S) sleepless nights, and exuded confidence that the BJP would do well in Karnataka. Modi was addressing voters of Vijayapura and Bagalkot on the outskirts of Bagalkot. Surprisingly, Modi echoed the statement made by state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa, who had said the alliance would collapse after parliamentary election. While it is clear that the PM meant the BJP would make another bid to form the government in the state, he didnt go so far as to say that the government would fall, instead saying that they would come under pressure. Labelling the coalition corrupt and unstable, Modi accused the government of suppressing development of Karnataka in the past year. Congress and JD(S) are in a hurry to loot as much as possible, as they dont have a guarantee that the alliance will complete its five-year tenure, he said. Taking a jibe at JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda and his family for turning emotional, Modi said, It seems the emotional drama of Deve Gowda and his sons will never end. In every programme, emotion runs in this family. The people of Karnataka never thought they would have a weeping CM. Reaches out to Chikkodi farmers Addressing a huge rally in Chikkodi, Modi announced that all farmers in the country would be covered under the Centres Kisan Samman Yojana, which was earlier meant only for those who had minimum five acres. We will remove the rule which earlier said the yojana will be applicable to only those having a minimum of five acres. Every farmer in the state who is in a crisis due to the policies of the state government, will now benefit, said Modi. Questioning the state government on why it was not implementing the loan waiver scheme for farmers, Modi said the central scheme had been launched and 3 crore farmers had benefited. However, the Karnataka government had sent the list of a few farmers under the yojana, with an intention of preventing its effective implementation. S Anil and Sovi Vidyadharan By Express News Service As electioneering reaches a crescendo, with polling day barely hours away, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is confident of the LDF netting a rich haul. And he believes the ruling combine will indeed improve its tally, reports of a strong anti-LDF wave over the Sabarimala issue notwithstanding. In an exclusive chat with Express Chief of Bureau Anil S and Chief Reporter Sovi Vidyadharan, Pinarayi feels Prime Minister Narendra Modi should desist from acting like a mere RSS pracharak and definitely not resort to blatant lying. Clearly unhappy with Rahul Gandhis candidature from Wayanad, the CPM strongman says Rahuls utterances are meant to justify his political blunder in Wayanad. Q: Sabarimala is emerging as a major issue in the final leg of the election campaign. In this backdrop, what is the LDF's assessment of the situation? The situation in the state is currently in favour of the LDF unlike what is being presented through surveys or during the campaign by rivals. As far as Sabarimala is concerned, it is one of the biggest places of worship in the state. We have only taken steps to strengthen Sabarimala. The problems that arose was due to the Supreme Court verdict. The BJP is out to destroy constitutional institutions. They have no qualms in publicly threatening even the Supreme Court, as we have seen in the Ram temple issue. The stance the Central government took after the Supreme Court verdict in no way matches the current stance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP president Amit Shah. The Centre told the state to ensure that the Supreme Court verdict is implemented and to clamp prohibitory orders if required. They even promised Central forces. Any government at the Centre can take only such a stance. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Just because Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister, the Centre can't declare that the Supreme Court verdict will not be implemented. However, those opposed to the verdict did things that are unbecoming of devotees. They forcibly prevented other devotees from offering 'kaanikka' (coin box offering) leading to a slump in the temple's revenue. To tide over the situation, the LDF government gave more funds to Sabarimala in the previous budget. Many devotees were detained and attacked at 'sannidhanam'. All this was done to turn Sabarimala into a conflict zone. Then they unleashed false propaganda against the state government. But due to strong police presence, untoward incidents were avoided. What the miscreants wanted was a fierce clash with the police. But despite huge provocation, the police thwarted such moves. Now, after the Sabarimala season, a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary has been constituted to chalk out development projects for the shrine and to complete it in a time bound manner. We do not have any anxiety over Sabarimala. The propaganda unleashed by the Sangh Parivar will not be accepted by the devotees. Q: BJP is raising Sabarimala as a major poll plank. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said devotees in Kerala have to bear lathi blows to protect their faith. The BJP believes the issue will help them in at least one or two Lok Sabha seats. Modi referred to Sabarimala only in an indirect manner maybe because he didn't want to cut a sorry figure before Keralites who know the reality. He is the Prime Minister of India and he should speak only on the basis of facts. While speaking at election rallies, he shouldn't turn into an RSS pracharak, which is his former self. Nobody expects such blatant lies from the Prime Minister. He said one will land in jail if one utters the word 'Ayyappa'. He also said a candidate has been put behind bars. Yes, there has been action against people who indulged in criminal activities such as attacking women, detaining devotees and fomenting trouble at 'sannidhanam'. In the states ruled by the PM's party, atrocities are being carried out in the name of cow or due to hatred towards minorities. But the perpetrators enjoy state protection. Maybe Modi expects a similar scenario in Kerala. But he should realise that in Kerala, whoever breaks the law will face action. Regarding the candidate, he was jailed on the basis of the attacks he carried out on women devotees. It is the court which remanded him to judicial custody. A person holding the Prime Minister's office should have welcomed it. Instead of doing that, he is spreading falsehood, which is unbecoming of the Prime Minister's stature. Q: Thiruvananthapuram, where BJP candidate Kummanam Rajasekharan is contesting, is one constituency where the BJP is using the Sabarimala issue to the hilt. The BJP says that with Kummanam all set to win, the LDF may trade votes in favour of Congress candidate Shahi Tharoor to prevent that from happening. How do you view this charge of the BJP? BJP has proven expertise in terms of vote trading. Previous elections have shown that. Finally, the party leadership decided that the shameful practice should be stopped. But that hasn't changed the situation. The BJP prides itself by opening an account in Kerala during the previous assembly election. How did that happen? It was not BJP's influence alone but votes from Congress that helped that party win. The Congress did that to ensure its win in another constituency with BJP's support. On the basis of its vote trading experience with Congress, BJP is trying to defame others. Our stand has always been clear. We firmly oppose the BJP. For the sake of a few votes or positions, we have made no arrangement with any party anywhere. In this election, LDF candidate C Divakaran is sure to win with a comfortable margin from Thiruvananthapuram. Q: But BJP is very confident of opening an account either in Thiruvananthapuram or Pathanamthitta. They say the people will give a befitting reply to the Pinarayi government on Sabarimala issue. How do you see BJP's chances in Kerala? BJP cannot open an account here at any cost. Kummanam will finish third in Thiruvananthapuram. In Pathanamthitta, Surendran is not even an acceptable candidate. In fact, it's a direct battle between UDF and LDF there. Q: Rahul Gandhi during his campaign in the state reiterated he is not going to criticise the Left. He also said the Left has never done anything like what the RSS is doing in the country. Do you see a trap in the Congress' new-found love towards the Left? Rahul Gandhi is giving out a message that the Left should be destroyed in the country. In the current national context when communalism has reached its peak, it is the Left which firmly and consistently resists the BJP. How can you justify Rahul Gandhi's arrival with the sole aim of destroying the Left? Rahul Gandhi's new utterances should be seen as an attempt to justify the political blunder he has committed. Q: The Congress has come up with a NYAY scheme which assures Rs 72,000 per year to five crores poorest families in the country. Congress believes this is a game-changer. But the Left is not impressed. Do you think it's a revolutionary scheme or just another poll gimmick? Haven't we seen similar gimmicks from the Congress earlier too? Have they properly implemented any election promise they made? We should understand that people friendly schemes - be it Right to Information Act or Forest Rights Act - were implemented during the UPA-I government only due to the Left's pressure. Q: Due to Sabarimala issue and the expected erosion of upper caste Hindu votes, the Left banks on minority votes. But with Rahul Gandhi's entry, won't there be a consolidation of minority votes in Congress' favour? Rahul Gandhi is not a newly-emerged leader. He has been a Congress leader for quite some time. No matter wherever he contests in India, he is a Congress leader. It's the Congress that the people will assess. In that assessment, Rahul Gandhi is not at all a factor and no minority consolidation is going to happen (in Congress' favour). If you ask the people, you will realise there is no anti-incumbency against the LDF government. The only straw the opposition clings on to is Sabarimala. Q: Congress leader A K Antony says Congress should get maximum seats in a post-poll scenario to form the government. His argument is that the Left will anyway not be able to form the government and there is no use voting for it? It's very important to ensure that the Left remains a significant force in Parliament. If the Left presence is significant in Parliament, many unhealthy practices can be resisted and prevented. In 2004, the Left decided to support the Congress to keep BJP at bay. This despite the fact that majority of the seats the Left won was wrested from the Congress. The Left was able to intervene in many issues effectively. In the previous election, though we didn't have as many MPs, we intervened in many issues such as triple talaq and citizenship bill. Strengthening the LDF is crucial in determining the direction the nation takes. Q: The Left believes this election will be a repeat of the 2004 parliament election. If such a scenario emerges, will the Left support the Congress in a post-poll scenario? In 2004, the LDF won 18 out of 20 seats. This time we expect an improved performance. The UPA - I government earned all-round appreciation for the many people-friendly policies it undertook, thanks to the Left's intervention. But UPA - II functioned without the Left and implemented a number of anti-people policies. In 2014, people were hell-bent on unseating the UPA and so the NDA government came to power. The NDA government also followed the same policies of the UPA. Now, in 2019, people's woes have only increased. They are now thinking of unseating the NDA government due to its anti-people rule borne out of neo-liberal policies. BJP will definitely lose this election this time and a secular government will emerge. Such a government should strive towards mitigating the woes of the people. However such discussions on government formation will have relevance only after the election. Q: The UDF is very confident of a stellar performance this time. They have devised a '20/20' slogan to wrest all seats. How do you view the resurgent UDF? This slogan is due to a mindset that is unable to come to terms with reality. Congress and its leaders in Kerala are not able to gauge the decay within themselves. They are pursuing policies which are anti-people and are facing isolation. We, on the other hand, are achieving more support of the people. Q: Will the upcoming election be a referendum of the LDF government? During a general election, the performance of the respective state government will be assessed by the voters. If you look at the state, you can see change all around as opposed to the five-year misrule of the previous UDF government. Definitely, the benefits of that change will prove helpful for the LDF this time. Besides, a large section of people, who were not with us in 2016 have united with us. That's why we are confident of improving the 2004 tally of 18 seats. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has assured to bring in a legislation to reinstate the ban on women of menstrual age at Sabarimala temple if Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister. "The political interests of the BJP and the CPM worsened the issue. But I categorically state that if the Rahul Gandhi-led UPA government comes to power at the Centre, we will enact a legislation to preserve the customs and traditions of the temple," he told reporters here on Friday. Chennithala said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was shedding crocodile tears on the issue while he had every opportunity to enact a legislation and protect the temple's customs. "The BJP viewed it as a golden opportunity for electoral gains. The CPM stood for lifting the age bar not because of progressive thinking but for weakening democratic forces," he said. Chennithala said that the Congress and the UDF opted for Constitutional and legal options after the SC verdict came lifting the age bar. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "We convened a meeting of former TDB presidents and members. As decided by the meeting, former TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan was assigned to file a review petition which was submitted through Manu Abhishek Singhvi, eminent lawyer and Congress leader," Chennithala said. "While Narendra Modi and Pinarayi Vijayan took harsh steps hurting the believers, we stood for preserving the temple's customs. UDF legislators staged satyagraha at the Assembly for 11 days to revoke the prohibitory orders clamped at Sabarimala," Chennithala added. S Mannar Mannan By Express News Service COIMBATORE : Polling in Western Tamil Nadu went off peacefully on Thursday, with Namakkal witnessing the highest turnout in the State as 79.75 per cent of voters exercised their franchise according to figures as of 9pm. However, five elderly citizens, who went to cast their votes, died at polling stations at Coimbatore, Salem and Erode districts. In Coimbatore, retired Directorate of Town and Country Planning deputy director K Balakrishnan (81) died at a polling booth in Gandhi Maanagar while 85-year-old Ayyammal died at a booth in Eachanari. In Salem, 74-year-old Krishnan died at Vedapatti in Omalur and 68-year-old Chandrabose died at Annathanapatti in Salem while waiting to cast their votes. In Erode, S Murugesan (65) died at a booth in Sivagiri. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE In few places like Venkitapuram in Palladam, Tiruppur constituency, Animoor near Thiruchengode in Namakkal constituency, Ekkalnatham near Veppanahalli in Krishnagiri constituency and Chinnapudur near Sulur, Coimbatore constituency, residents boycotted the polls for a variety of reasons. Of the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies the AIADMK is contesting from in this Lok Sabha election, seven are in Western Tamil Nadu, from which Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami hails. The party has banked on this region over traditional stronghold of South Tamil Nadu, from which deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam hails. It had also given two key constituencies to its allies with the BJPs CP Radhakrishnan contesting from Coimbatore and PMKs Anbumani Ramadoss from Dharmapuri. As far as the DMK front is concerned, former union minister A Raja is contesting from Nilgiris while in Erode MDMK has fielded A Ganesamurthy in the lone seat allotted to it. Many voters Express spoke to in the region said they were voting for change. VV Balakrishna By Express News Service As Telangana gears up for Zilla Parishad, Mandal Praja Parishad elections for the first time since districts were reorganised, Express takes a look into the power dynamics among civic bodies; according to experts, the Panchayat Raj institutions are no more than toothless, powerless bodies HYDERABAD: The Lok Sabha elections concluded just about a week ago, and Telangana is already gearing up for its next polls. For the first time since the government reorganised the districts into 33, the Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Mandal Praja Parishad (MPP) elections will now be conducted across the State. But to what avail, exactly? A proper analysis of the situation would indicate that the ZPs and MPPs have no financial resources to take up any work. In fact, they do little more than supervisory works. In fact, with some ZPs being as small as they are now, their financial viability is doubtful as well. These small ZPs without enough funds will not be viable, says BJP State vice-president S Malla Reddy. Once, the Karimnagar Zilla Parishad had up to 57 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTC). After the reorganisation, the number has come down to 15. The ZPs, more or less, look like big MPPs at the moment. As the urban areas in and around Hyderabad have increased considerably, there are currently only four ZPTCs in the Medchal-Malkajgiri district. After the members are elected from these four constituencies, two of them would become the chairperson and the vice-chairperson, leaving just two more members. The number of ZPTCs is below ten in just three districts - Medchal-Malkajgiri (4), Warangal Urban (7) and Mulugu (9). On the other hand, Nalgonda district stands at the highest number of 31 ZPTCs. In the end, however, these ZPTC and MPTC member posts are just ornamental. Except attending general body meetings with voting rights, the members do not have any powers or duties. The government is however paying `10,000 and `5,000 to ZPTC and MPTC members respectively as monthly honorarium. Except for a supervisory role, the ZP chairpersons too have little power. Yet, even in smaller ZPs, the chairpersons draw a monthly honorarium of `1 lakh. At one stage, the State government had decided to change the existing five-tier system to three-tier, by eliminating these powerless representatives. However, this would have required an amendment to the Constitution, due to which it did not work out. Now, however, these posts are being used as an opportunity to provide employment to village and mandal-level politicians. To add to the matters, the newly-constituted ZPs or MPs do not even have own buildings to conduct meetings. There is no staff to discharge their work. Several officials are clueless even as to how to convene the first general body meeting of the newly elected ZP representatives, once the elections are over. Transfer of functions Experts point out that Telangana ranks 18th (in ascending order) across the country with regard to the devolution of funds and functions to local bodies. As listed in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution, the State government is supposed to transfer 29 functions to them, but there have been orders to transfer only around 18. Even so, their implementation is near to nil in these institutions. Even tribal States like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Bihar have bagged better ranks when it comes to transferring the three Fs - funds, functionaries and functions - to the local bodies.We have no powers, no big duties to discharge. We are all on ventilators, lamented a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a ZP, when the newly-constituted State Finance Commission (SFC) held a meeting with the local bodies a few months ago. Several CEOs are of the view that their role would be further reduced in smaller ZPs. But the complaints seemed to have fallen on deaf ears. The State is not serious about empowering Panchayat Raj (PR) bodies, an official said. Even the candidates contesting for the ZP chairperson post are disappointed with the existing system, which gives them no power to serve the people. If the State government does not provide us funds or functions, we have nothing to do except take the honorarium, a ZP chairperson aspirant said. Kerala, Karnataka lead the way In Karnataka, the ZPs have been implementing as many as 300 schemes. All departments work in close coordination with the ZPs. In Kerala, the Kudumbashree, which is a Kerala State Poverty Eradication Mission launched in 1998, has an office in every gram panchayat. In Telangana, however, the line departments do not work in association with the gram panchayats. CPM senior leader Sarampalli Mallareddy alleged that the ZPTC and MPTC posts were intended only to provide political employment to some leaders. The local bodies have become pocket institutions of the TRS. It is imperative that the government transfers the departments like agriculture, sanitation, education, health, etc. to local bodies, he said. He further alleged that the TRS government had failed to implement the Constitutional amendments to local bodies. BJP State vice-president Malla Reddy, who worked as a sarpanch in late 80s, demanded that the State transfer all the 29 functions mentioned in the Constitution to the local bodies. The government should also share GST, excise, MV Tax and other revenues to Panchayat Raj institutions, he added. Without income and powers, the PR institutions would remain ornamental pieces, he said. On the other hand, many TRS candidates express high hopes for the future of PR bodies. Kova Lakshmi, TRS candidate for Asifabad ZP elections, said that the PR bodies would function extremely effectively in the coming years. Lakshmi, who is also a former sarpanch and a former MPP member, felt that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would allocate sufficient funds for the PR bodies in the Budget. As far as Asifabad is concerned, we will get funds from SCCL. Our income will be better than any ZP, she averred. She added that the ZPs and MPPs may also receive funds from MPs, ministers, etc. KCR is with us, says Tula Uma Karimnagar ZP chairperson and forum leader of ZP chairpersons Tula Uma opined that the CM was determined to provide more powers to the representatives of ZPs and MPs. Contrary to Malla Reddys opinion, she felt that the small ZPs, in fact, would be most viable for governance. When the districts are very big, the ZP chairpersons are unable to tour across all the villages. Now, in small districts, the ZP chairpersons can visit all the villages during their tenure, she said. She noted that this would be an opportunity to meet the people directly. The new set-up would help them monitor closely how government schemes are being executed at the ground level, she observed. She, however, admitted that the Kerala or Karnataka model of local governance was lacking in Telangana. What researchers say According to some professors who have been researching on PR institutions across the country, the ZPs and MPs are currently considered toothless and powerless bodies.If the State government is unwilling to strengthen them, there is no use continuing them. In the five-tier system, the role of ZPTCs and MPTCs is zero. But according to the political party leaders, these representatives were useful politically. Without their presence, the local MLA or the party will not survive, admitted the leader of a political party, on the condition of anonymity. Telangana lags behind An expert pointed out that though the Telangana State stands number one in many aspects like the tax revenues, implementation of Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima schemes, collection of seigniorage, paddy procurement, etc., it lags behind in terms of strong local governments. The ruling TRS has been demanding the transfer of some departments from the concurrent list of the Central government to the State governments list. The State has been voicing for a higher tax devolution. The same rule is applicable for the Panchayat Raj institutions as well. Though the State did enact a new Panchayat Raj Act last year, it is more or less same as the old one. No powers have been transferred to the institutions through the new Act, the expert said. Did govt strengthen local bodies? During his presentation at the 15th Finance Commission in February, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said: We have taken decisive steps to strengthen the local bodies and make them more accountable. We have enacted a new Panchayat Raj Act and increased the number of Gram Panchayats from 8,368 to 12,751. Similarly, the number of municipalities has gone up from 74 to 142. We request the Finance Commission to significantly increase grants to rural as well as urban local bodies. After meeting the representatives of the Panchayat Raj institutions in Hyderabad in February, the 15th Finance Commission made a few observations. Accordingly, first, to strengthen the local self-governance in the State, the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018 was enacted. The commission also observed that only 10 out of the 29 functions envisaged in the Eleventh Schedule of the Constitution were actually devolved to the Panchayat Raj institutions. Education under the ZPs According to sources in the State government, the Chief Minister is currently contemplating the idea of giving more supervisory powers to the ZPs in the coming days. If sources are to be believed, the responsibility of supervising the Zilla Parishad schools and Anganwadi Centres is likely to be given to ZP representatives. Currently, the District Educational Officers or Deputy Educational Officers are inspecting the schools. The CM is thinking of strengthening the ZPs. Once a policy decision is taken, the local ZPTC member will inspect the ZP schools and Anganwadi centres and subsequently give a report to the Zilla Parishad, the source said. Schedule likely to be issued on April 20 The schedule for Zilla Parishad and Mandal Parishad elections is likely to be issued on April 20 by the State Election Commission (SEC). State Election Commissioner V Nagi Reddy on Thursday held a meeting with the District Collector and SP, regarding the preparedness of the officials for the ensuing Panchayat Raj polls. According to sources, the polling for 535 ZPTC members and 5,857 MPTC members will be held in three phases, likely to be on May 6, May 10 and May 14 respectively. After the results of these polls are out, the ZPTC members will then elect the Zilla Parishad chairperson and the MPTC members will elect the Mandal Praja Parishad president. The SEC is planning to conduct elections for as many as 212 ZPTCs and 2,365 MPTCs in the first phase, for 199 ZPTCs and 2,109 MPTCs in the second phase, and for 124 ZPTCs and 1,343 MPTCs in the third and final phase By PTI NEW YORK: An Indian student has pleaded guilty to intentionally causing damage of over USD 58,000 (Rs 40.23 lakhs) to more than 50 protected computers of a college in New York state capital Albany by using a "USB Killer" device. Vishwanath Akuthota, 27, residing in the United States on a student visa, has been in custody since he was arrested in North Carolina in February this year. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to USD 250,000 (Rs 1.75 crores) and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to three years. United States Attorney Grant Jaquith said that he pleaded guilty this week to causing damage to computers owned by The College of St Rose. Akuthota, who will be sentenced in August, admitted that on February 14, he inserted a "USB Killer" device into 66 computers, as well as numerous computer monitors and computer-enhanced podiums, owned by the college in Albany. The "USB Killer" device, when inserted into a computer's USB port, sends a command causing the computer's on-board capacitors to rapidly charge and then discharge repeatedly, thereby overloading and physically destroying the computer's USB port and electrical system. Akuthota admitted that he intentionally destroyed the computers, and recorded himself doing so using his iPhone, including making statements such as "I'm going to kill this guy" before inserting the "USB Killer" into a computer's USB port. He also admitted that his actions caused over USD 58,470 in damage, and has agreed to pay restitution in that amount to the college. By AFP NORTH LONDONDERRY: A journalist was shot dead during riots in Northern Ireland in what police Friday were treating as a terrorist incident following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region. "Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said in a statement. McKee had earlier posted an image that appeared to be from the riots in the Creggan housing estate in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight.Absolute madness." Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles. "A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee," said Hamilton, adding that police believed the gunman was a "violent dissident republican. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry," he added. Journalist Matthew Hughes earlier identified the dead woman as one of his friends. "I just received the heartbreaking news that my friend @LyraMcKee was murdered tonight in a terrorist incident in Derry," he wrote on Twitter. McKee had written for The Atlantic magazine and Buzzfeed News and was named by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of their "30 under 30" outstanding figures in media, according to her literary agent Janklow & Nesbit. Leona O'Neill, a reporter with the Belfast Telegraph, said she saw McKee get hurt. "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight," she tweeted. Thursday's unrest raised memories of past decades of violence in Northern Ireland. I would like to express my sincere condolences to Lyras family, her partner Sara and her friends. Our solidarity also goes out to the people of Derry and to the entire journalism community. Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 19, 2019 "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." PM @theresa_may UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 19, 2019 In Brussels, a European Commission spokesman condemned the "terrible incident". "We condemn such violence, and we are confident that the UK authorities will ascertain the exact circumstances of this tragic event," he said. The violence came in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to the British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on a dissident paramilitary group. Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned the killing. Joint statement from the Party Leaders on the murder of Lyra McKee pic.twitter.com/4ouQACrRjr Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) April 19, 2019 Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favour of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news". Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. https://t.co/77JO3YSYOB Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) April 19, 2019 The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles". Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict - many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Police have blamed a group called the New IRA for the flare-up in violence in recent months. Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit. Londonderry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds. A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings. By PTI HOUSTON: Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci's muse for the iconic Mona Lisa painting may not have suffered from hypothyroidism as suggested by recent studies, scientists say. Michael Yafi, from The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) in the US, noted that the painting doesn't match the countless other depictions of goiters or enlargements of the thyroid gland. The painting of Lisa Gherardini has captivated millions since it was created in the early 1500s, including experts in the medical community. For years, scientists and physicians have studied the discoloration of Gherardini's skin, the thickness of her neck, and her enigmatic smile to hypothesise about her health during the Renaissance time period. The most recent published theory suggests she suffered from severe hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. The researchers cite her yellow skin, the enlarged appearance of her thyroid gland, and lack of eyebrows as symptoms to support his theory. They also noted that her mysterious smile may represent a hint of resulting psychomotor retardation and muscle weakness. "I felt a personal responsibility to defend the Mona Lisa and the fascinating lady the painting portrays," said Yafi in a statement. "She has inspired thousands of people over the past few centuries. I couldn't have the public thinking she had hypothyroidism, when it seems to me she was euthyroid, meaning her thyroid was normal. So, I decided to give her a fresh 21st-century medical opinion," he said. Yafi's research, published in Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, explains that the documentation of thyroid disease is well known in art history, and this painting doesn't match the countless other depictions of goiters. "Artists often depicted what they saw in society. Sculptures from the ancient Andean and Egyptian civilisations recorded endemic goiters in areas of environmental iodine deficiency, like the Tuscany region where Gherardini lived," said Yafi. "Ancient Greek art represents this symptom as well, as do several poetic works and even Shakespearean literature. If Gherardini had a goiter from iodine deficiency, it would have been severe and more clearly demarcated in the painting like the other historical representations; a talented painter like da Vinci would have had no problem expressing it," he said. Yafi also points out that many of da Vinci's paintings depict women without eyebrows, so it's not conclusive to attribute that feature to underactive thyroid. He said the yellowing of the skin only develops after a long duration of the disease. Typically, having long-term hypothyroidism would have severely affected fertility, but Gherardini is known to have given birth to five children, including one only months before sitting for the painting, said Yafi. "The discoloration could simply be attributed to the age of the artwork, as well as the varnish applied by the artist. Furthermore, the painting was stolen and then hidden away for almost three years, and someone also once vandalized it with acid in an act of sabotage," he said. "Making a diagnosis of hypothyroidism on the basis of subtle and vague features in an old painting is, needless to say, risky," Yafi said. "Hypothyroid myopathy, or muscle tissue disease, manifests in muscles that are closer to the body's midline. It is usually severe, which means that it would have prevented Gherardini from posing with a straight back. Moreover, there are plenty of people who have an asymmetric smile, but this does not necessarily mean that they are hypothyroid," he said. By AFP DOHA: Hopes for a breakthrough in a push to end Afghanistan's gruelling conflict suffered a major setback on Friday after a key summit between the Taliban and Afghan officials was indefinitely postponed. The so-called intra-Afghan dialogue, due to take place in Doha this weekend, fell apart at the last minute in a row over the large number of delegates Kabul wanted to send. The collapse comes at a critical time and amid continued bloodshed. The Taliban now control or influence about half of Afghanistan and 3,804 civilians were killed there last year, according to a UN tally. Washington, which is leading an effort to end the war, signalled its disappointment and urged both sides to return to the table, though organisers provided no hint about when the conference might be rescheduled. Sultan Barakat, who heads the group that was to host the event, said in a statement the postponement was "necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate". "Clearly the moment is not yet right," added Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. President Ashraf Ghani's administration had on Tuesday announced a list of 250 people from all walks of Afghan life, including government figures, who it wanted to send to Doha. But the Taliban poured scorn on the lengthy list, saying it was not "normal" and that they had "no plans" to meet with so many people. The conference is "not an invitation to some wedding or other party at a hotel in Kabul," the Taliban said this week. Though the insurgents insisted they would only talk to Ghani officials in a "personal capacity", any contact between the two parties in Doha would have been hugely signficant, especially at a time when Afghanistan is being ripped by fresh violence after the Taliban announced their annual spring offensive. Ghani officials blamed the Qatari government for the summit's derailment. In a statement, the presidential palace said Qatar had rejected the long list of delegates and suggested a shorter one which was "not acceptable". Analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington said the breakdown illustrated the tough path ahead for peace. The conference "mess and its dysfunction amplifies just how much of a long, hard slog a reconciliation process will be," he told AFP. "If an event billed as a mere informal ice-breaker causes so many problems, imagine what could happen when it's time to put something more formal together." Even some of those Ghani said would attend dropped out, slamming the guest list as rigged to politically strengthen the president, who faces delayed elections in September. The Doha summit was separate from ongoing direct talks between the Taliban and the US. While the insurgents did meet with Afghan politicians outside the government in Moscow in February, they have steadfastly refused to meet with Ghani and his administration, which they view as a puppet regime. US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said he was "disappointed" the summit had been postponed. (2/2) Dialogue is and always will be key to a political roadmap and lasting peace. There is no alternative. I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans. I stand ready to help if our help is needed U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) April 18, 2019 Barakat said both parties had undertaken "tireless and well-intentioned" efforts to find a way to a way for the summit to proceed, but ultimately a "shared understanding on how to achieve inclusivity couldn't be reached." After US-Taliban talks in February, Khalilzad announced a "draft framework" for a peace deal, though he warned major hurdles remain. St Joseph - Troy, New York Holy Name - Providence, Rhode Island Basilique Notre-Dame - Fribourg, Switzerland (FSSP) The video begins with the last doxology of Terce, which is sung before the High Mass on every Sunday and major feast. Note that the antiphon Pueri Hebraeorum is sung in a polyphonic setting by Victoria, written to be used when the same text is sung at the distribution of the Palms. Following one of the most beautiful musical customs of Holy Week, the parts of the Passion of St Matthew which represent more than one speaker are sung by the choir in polyphony, also by Victoria. The Ordinary is Byrds Mass for Four Voices; the motets are Improperium exspectavit by Orlando de Lassus and O Jesu Christe by Jacquet de Mantua. Old St Patrick Oratory - Kansas City, Missouri (ICKSP) St John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church - Minneapolis, Minnesota Divine Liturgy of Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday Palm Sunday St Marys Oratory - Wausau, Wisconsin (ICKSP) Tradition will always be for the young! Mater Ecclesiae - Berlin, New Jersey Ukrainian Greek-Catholic National Shrine of the Holy Family - Washington, D.C. For our third (but still not final!) Palm Sunday photopost, we start with two examples of the ceremony celebrated according to surviving medieval Uses. The first was done at the church of St Joseph in Troy, New York, by members of the Calced Carmelite Order, which preserved its ancient Use after the Council of Trent. The second was at Holy Name in Providence, Rhode Island, where Palm Sunday is traditionally celebrated according to the proper liturgical Use of the See of Braga. (For a more detailed explanation, see this post from last year , which explains why, and gives details of the ceremony.) We also have two celebrations in the Byzantine Rite, and a video of the complete ceremony from the Basilique Notre-Dame in Fribourg, Switzerland (staffed by the priests of the FSSPs generalate house), which has a really remarkable choir.There will be one more photopost of Palm Sunday before we start in the ceremonies of the Triduum; more contributions are always welcome. (Send to photopost@newliturgicalmovement.org ; please see this post for some guidelines to help with the process.) Like many medieval Uses, that of Braga has a station in the middle of the procession, at which the antiphonis sung three times, and everyone kneels before the Cross. Here we see the celebrant also scattering olive leaves while the antiphon is sung; similar customs were also very common according to the various Uses. Khalifa Haftars march on Tripoli could cost the country its unity, as the death toll rises amid ongoing infighting After more than two weeks, violent fighting continues in the southern suburbs of the Libyan capital Tripoli between the Libyan National Army led by General Khalifa Haftar and troops of the internationally-recognised consensus government led by Fayez Al-Sarraj. Although the latter deployed a security cordon around the capital and international efforts continue to end battles that have killed many and displaced thousands of families on the frontlines, the war continues. Fighting has pulverised the countrys dilapidated infrastructure and compounded grave humanitarian conditions, according to the UN and international humanitarian groups. Last week, Haftar visited Paris, Rome, Moscow and Cairo to garner support for his military campaign on Tripoli, but it is not yet clear if warring factions can definitively win the battle since the country has returned to square one of civil war. On Haftars last visit to Cairo, he met with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi who told him that Egypt is keen on Libyas unity and stability, and reiterated Cairos support of efforts to combat terrorism and radical militias in order to achieve security and stability for all citizens across Libya, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency issued after the meeting. In an interview with senior BBC correspondent Lyse Doucet, UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame said the government of national accord in Tripoli, which is recognised by the world community, wants certain preconditions for negotiations. First, a ceasefire, and second, for Haftar to return to his positions before fighting began on 4 April. Salame said that Haftar agreed to the first condition, and refused the second. He continued: I believe we are still in the mobilisation phase by both sides, not the negotiations phase. First, both camps must realise they are in military limbo so talks can begin once again, but if one side is convinced that they can win single-handedly, then we will never reach negotiations. Salame expected foreign allies to continue supporting Haftar and was concerned that the war by proxy in Libya will expand and more advanced weaponry will reach the multitude of combat zones in southern Tripoli. A new player has entered the fray: Saudi Arabia promised to fund Haftars war to take control of Tripoli, according to The Wall Street Journal. Libyan sources told Al-Ahram Weekly that Saudi Arabia pledged $500 million to Haftar to continue fighting, after the presidential council pledged one billion dinars for combat operations. Although major and regional powers constantly issue statements condemning military operations, the fighting continues to expand to new areas in western Libya. War tactics practiced across Libya have so far failed in Tripoli, which means humanitarian conditions will worsen. On Monday, the President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani called on the government of Italy and France to end the arm twisting between them and reach a solution to achieve stability in Libya. Tajani warned that if conditions continue the way they are, all that will be left are the dead and refugees trying to flee to our European shores. He further warned there is a pressing need for immediate intervention in Libya, noting that the EUs duty is to bring the French and Italians together to reach an agreement. The French have made mistakes, but Italys presence is very weak and ineffective, he was quoted by Italys news agency ANSA as saying. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte told a news conference with Qatars foreign minister in Rome Monday that Haftar must withdraw his troops, and military operations by all sides must end so the UN humanitarian truce can be implemented to ease the suffering of civilians and comply by international law. He hoped for an immediate return to the negotiating table to restart the political dialogue for a comprehensive and permanent solution under UN auspices, according to a statement on the government website. Until Al-Ahram Weekly went to print, the US had not changed its position and reiterated through statements by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and its embassy in western Tripoli that fighting must stop, urging all sides to return to their previous positions and restart the UN-sponsored political dialogue. Haftars eagerness to take Tripoli blindsided his regional and international backers after he rushed a power grab in a fragmented country. The crisis will worsen as mobilisation for the war continues and young fighters are recruited by provoking regional and tribal prejudices. This means the conflict will become an extended social one that will be difficult to negotiate, especially since it affects the structure of domestic values. The attack on Tripoli delayed holding the National Conference that could have resulted in a new political agreement. It could have also guaranteed Haftar a senior position in power, overseeing security and defence issues, and a substantial share of oil revenues, according to Salames report to the UN Security Council. What is certain, so far, is that Libya has gone past the point of no return, and during this prolonged war each side and its foreign allies will try to deplete the other through fierce combat. The danger is that a chaotic Libya will become an arena for an arms race that threatens the Mediterranean, North Africa and the entire coast, especially as regional and international forces that support local factions continue to assist their partners to the end. Already, there is a steady flow of arms and military equipment to battlefields. While Sarrajs government relies on Italy to pressure the White House to urge Haftar to end his military campaign on Tripoli, Haftar depends on his allies not to abandon him following all his achievements in past years when he was generously supported. The UN cannot begin a new dialogue process since its efforts were upended by the war on Tripoli, and one can only wait and see how international and regional positions align towards the parties in the Libyan crisis. This will be decided by the battle for Tripoli that will lead to a major shift in the balance of power, and domestic and foreign players. Intelligence Online website expects the first one to leave the fray will by Salame, whose mandate ends in July, after growing criticism by local and foreign parties to the crisis. Haftar or Sarraj may also exit the scene, depending on who wins the war that is costing Libya its unity. *A version of this article appears in print in the 18 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: What next for Libya? Search Keywords: Short link: Champaign, IL (61820) Today Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 38F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 35F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Chief Executive Carrie Lam today released to the public the report she submitted to the Central People's Government (CPG) on the prohibition of the operation of the Hong Kong National Party by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The report was submitted to the CPG on April 16 and its content includes the case background and summary of the process. The CPG issued a letter to the Chief Executive on February 26 in support of the HKSAR Governments actions to prohibit the operation of the Hong Kong National Party in accordance with the law. It also requested the Chief Executive to submit a report on the matter. Upon the Department of Justices advice, the report released to the public contains the main body of the report to avoid affecting any possible future legal proceedings. Click here for details. Chief Executive Carrie Lam will lead a high-level Hong Kong Special Administrative Region delegation to the second Belt & Road Forum for International Cooperation that will be held in Beijing from April 25 to 27. The forum will open up discussion on development policy co-ordination, infrastructure connectivity, sustainable development and other topics of common interest. Twelve thematic forums will be held including those focusing on policy, infrastructure, trade and regional co-operation. The Hong Kong delegation comprises senior government officials and representatives from numerous sectors. Mrs Lam said Hong Kong's participation in the forum will enhance its role and position as the prime platform and a key link for the Belt & Road Initiative, and foster integration into the overall development of the country. She will deliver the opening keynote address at the sub-forums on financial connectivity and regional cooperation. Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Algeria demonstrated for a ninth straight Friday against the country's leadership amid calls for the departure of the powerful military's chief of staff. With police forces deployed across the city, protesters gathered in the morning at the main post office in Algiers the Grande Poste which has been a landmark during the weeks of protests that have already forced former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to stand down. By the end of the afternoon, the boulevard joining the main post office to the Audin square and adjacent streets were crammed with protesters. In a peaceful atmosphere, the protesters mostly youngsters shouted slogans including "Down with the System!'' or "You ate the country, you bunch of thieves.'' Some vented their anger, while others took selfies. Conversations about the ongoing political transition took place in a sea of people and Algerian flags. Earlier this week, interim President Abdelkader Bensalah appointed a new head of Algeria's Constitutional Council after the former chief, Tayeb Belaiz, quit under pressure from protesters. Belaiz was one of three figures in the interim government whose removal has been demanded by pro-democracy protesters. They are seen as part of the discredited regime of Bouteflika, who resigned April 2 after six weeks of nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to his two-decade rule. The new council president is Kamel Feniche, a magistrate. Belaiz's departure has not helped calm protesters. An Associated Press reporter covering Friday's demonstrations heard protesters criticizing Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, the military's chief of staff. Mustapha Bouchachi, a veteran lawyer and human rights activist, told the AP that " the peaceful mobilization should continue until the departure of all the system's faces. The movement should remain united to achieve the dream of a democratic Algeria with equal rights for all. " Earlier this week, Gaid Salah called on Algerians to show patience during the political transition ahead. A presidential election has been set for July 4 to choose the successor to Bouteflika. Search Keywords: Short link: As the driver, a security officer, tried to explain, he was assaulted by members of the public who later took him to Bulawayo Central Police Station where it emerged that he was taking the children to their father, his boss. And the main threat really is if you are a poultry breeder and you are producing day-olds and you cannot access maize at affordable prices, you may have to cut production. If you are into piggery, with imported breeding stock, like a lot of our medium and large-scale producers, when you cannot feed pigs you may have to scale down or kill some of them to convert into pork. WHEN Mai Patai, a gospel musician from Gweru, was announced as the National Arts Merit Awards (Nama) Peoples Choice winner last weekend, many quizzed how an artiste, whose brand and music was not known by many, had won. Research, however, has shown that Mai Patai (real name Respina Patai), an almost forgotten musician who this year became the first woman to make it into the Coca-Cola Radio Zimbabwe Top 50 top three, was making strides in the music industry with her Punish the Devil album. With her song Anokomborera, Mai Patai, who most will remember from the early 2000s for the Mazambara hit, beat heavyweights Jah Prayzah and Winky D to win the Peoples Choice Award. The question most have been asking as a result is how on earth did she beat these two artistes who fill venues and have thousands of followers on social media? Well, for a start, Mai Patai said she was popular because of her songs which people can relate to as they are about the struggles people face. She said through her songs, people find healing, peace and love. Im proud that Im the first woman to win this award. Im not surprised by how people are debating about it (Nama win) because they forget that the winner is determined by votes (and not just popularity on the streets or social media including the amount of airplay one receives on radio), she said. My songs are popular among many Zimbabweans whore facing challenges because of the unstable economy and natural disasters (Cyclone Idai). Through my songs, people find peace and comfort, thats why I became their choice. The 40-year-old, whose Anokomborera track garnered 49 487 votes, said the debate around her victory also reflects the gender stereotypes which are affecting female musicians in the local music industry. My fellow female artistes should never lose hope because people out there judge us. Some say we dont deserve to be on top because were women but I say, women should keep doing their thing, she said. Asked how she mobilised her fans to vote for her, Mai Patai, who is a member of the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) in Zimbabwe, said like any other artiste, she used social media. She said she never asked the church to vote for her, contrary to what most people have been saying. I asked my fans to vote for me on social media and if theres anyone from my church who voted for me, its because they love my music not because I asked for votes from the church, she said. My strategy was using platforms like Whatsapp fan groups, Facebook and Instagram. Every day, I made sure I reminded people to cast their votes. The musician said having many followers on social media does not equate to votes, something that most people do not seem to understand. To those whore saying I didnt deserve to win because Im not popular (on social media), my answer is Im not popular to those who dont like my music because normally people follow what they want. She said God qualifies the unqualified and her victory is a sign that it is God who determines who wins a battle. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Sudanese protest leaders have announced plans to unveil a civilian body to take over from the ruling military council as demonstrators thronged Friday outside army headquarters and Washington said it would send an envoy to encourage the transition. The military council, which took power after ousting longtime leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11, has so far resisted calls from protesters to quickly make way for a civilian adminstration. The Sudanese Professionals Association, which has been spearheading the protests, said in a statement that it would name members of the council at a news conference at 1700 GMT on Sunday outside the army complex, to which foreign diplomats are also invited. "We are demanding that this civilian council, which will have representatives of the army, replace the military council," Ahmed al-Rabia, a leader of the umbrella group of unions for doctors, engineers and teachers, told AFP. Friday marked four months to the day since the government tripled the price of bread, sparking the first protests which escalated into widespread rallies demanding Bashir's departure. Access roads were packed, with crowds flocking to huge square outside army headquarters to offer the weekly Muslim prayers. "This government should be a representative of all the people and their aspirations," said prominent cleric Sheikh Mater Younis as he addressed thousands of protesters after the weekly Muslim prayers at the army complex. "It should include all Sudanese people and shouldn't exclude anyone." Protester Yasser Dahab said all who had committed crimes against the Sudanese people be put on trial. He said he wanted to see a civilian council with a prime minister and a government led by technocrats. "This government can then prepare for free elections in two years with participation from all parties," Dahab told AFP. "The military should stay away from political life." Activists have called for large crowds to gather after weekly Muslim prayers, as on previous Fridays. On Thursday, activists mobilised huge crowds outside the army complex through social media to keep up the pressure on the military council, now led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. "Power to civilians, power to civilians," protesters chanted through Thursday night. "I won't leave until Burhan transfers power to a civilian government," said Wali Aldeen, who has camped outside the complex since the day Bashir fell. 'Military out of centre-stage' Following Bashir's ouster, demonstrations targeted General Awad Ibn Ouf, the first head of the military council, seen by protestors as a tool of the old regime. Ibn Ouf stepped down in less than 24 hours and was replaced by Burhan, who so far has appeased protesters by lifting a night-time curfew and vowing to "uproot" Bashir's circle. The United States on Thursday praised orders by Sudan's new military leader to free political prisoners and end the curfew. It also dispatched Makila James, a deputy assistant secretary of state, on a mission to Khartoum this weekend. The United States will "calibrate our policies based on our assessment of events", State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said, but said talks on delisting Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism remained suspended. She welcomed the release of political prisoners but urged the military to "show restraint, avoid conflict and remain committed to the protection of the Sudanese people." "The will of the Sudanese people is clear: it is time to move toward a transitional government that is inclusive and respectful of human rights and the rule of law," she said. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington's short-term goal was to "get the military folks out of centre-stage" and "back to being responsible for security, nothing else." The official called for transitional authorities to prepare the way for "a truly democratic government that will reflect the will of the Sudanese people," he said. The official did not specify whom James would meet in Khartoum, but said: the US engages with everyone." Search Keywords: Short link: 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. Over the past couple of years, the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Washington have been the occasions for much lauding of Egyptian economic policy-makers. The spring meetings for 2019 held from 9 to 14 April in Washington were no different. Egypt has delivered under its programme, IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde told the opening press conference of the meetings in comments on Egypts $12 billion Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the IMF. Jihad Azour, director of the IMFs Middle East and Central Asia Department, said [Egypts] programme so far was very well implemented during a press briefing on the Middle East and Central Asia economic outlook. Egypts three-year programme, which began in November 2016, is now nearing completion. A fifth review is scheduled for June, when Azour said an IMF mission was expected to have detailed discussions with the government. A mission would be in Egypt in the next few weeks, he said. We very much hope that the next review will be completed satisfactorily, Lagarde said, adding that she had received assurances from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi that they [Egypt] will stay committed in order to complete the programme and in order to deliver on their commitment. Lagarde met President Al-Sisi while he was in Washington for a meeting with US President Donald Trump last week. Egyptian officials reiterated their commitment to reform while in Washington for the spring meetings. However, they denied an intention to pursue another programme or to request further IMF loans. Speaking to the state Middle East News Agency (MENA) in Washington, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) governor said on Friday that Cairo was not in need of a new loan programme from the IMF. However, Lagarde said she had assured Al-Sisi that the IMF remained available to continue to help in order to maintain stability and to make sure that growth continued to create more jobs. At the same time, Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait showcased improvements in the economy in a meeting with top investment banks when he said that Egypt was targeting GDP growth of 5.9 per cent in the upcoming fiscal year as well as a primary budget surplus of two per cent. Egypts GDP growth for the current fiscal year is expected to be 5.5 per cent. The minister added that the government was making tremendous efforts to sustain economic growth rates and improvements in the financial indicators by maintaining the downward trend of the budget deficit and debt as a percentage of GDP. He said that economic growth in Egypt was based on growing activity and the growth of most economic sectors, reflecting the ability of the economy to meet all its challenges. He added that public debt had fallen from 108 per cent of GDP to 98 per cent currently. He said he expected it to fall to 93 per cent in June this year and 89 per cent in fiscal year 2019-2020, according to a Ministry of Finance press release. Lowering the debt is one of the main objectives of the governments reform programme. Azour said it was now very important to continue investing in the digital economy and education and in ensuring that the stability of the economy would continue. He also said it was important to focus on structural reforms that would help the economy to grow faster and be led by the private sector. The key reform area will be how to improve the business environment, he said. The private sector was the main engine of growth and job creation in Egypt because of its dynamism and because the public sector could not create more jobs, he added. Between 700,000 and one million new jobs are needed annually. In that framework, Lagarde said she had raised the issue of youth entrepreneurship with President Al-Sisi, adding that young people needed space and the freedom to operate in order to contribute to economic development. Similar points were raised by Mahmoud Mohieldin, senior vice president of the World Bank for the 2030 Development Agenda, in a speech he gave to the second annual conference organised by economic news outlet Hapi. He stressed the importance of attracting investment and highlighted the importance of exports. Both were needed to sustain the growth to create jobs, he said. The proportion of exports to national income is lower than that in Egypts counterparts, Mohieldin said, pointing out that while the ratio of exports to national income in Egypt is 15 per cent, in Vietnam it reaches 101 per cent. Other factors important for sustainable development included the creation of a database to monitor performance and guide policies and institutions to achieve sustainable development goals, he said. These should be more focused on local development or the localisation of development, he added, saying that this was what made people in different villages, districts and cities feel the impacts of economic growth through improved education, healthcare and basic services. Growth also needed to take place while protecting the most vulnerable sections of the population, and Azour stressed the importance of directing more money to social protection. He acknowledged that vulnerable sectors had benefited from social-protection programmes such as the Takaful and Karama welfare programmes that have softened some of the negative impacts of the reforms. Seventy per cent of the beneficiaries were women who had no skills or were illiterate, Azour pointed out. These programmes provide a minimum level of dignity. Continuing them is important, since people will feel that the reforms are now paying off, he added. *A version of this article appears in print in the 18 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: The economic way ahead Search Keywords: Short link: Inspector Daniel Ojo who shot dead one Adaobi Ifeanyi and wounded another, Emmanuel Akomafuwa, in Ajegunle area of Lagos last Saturday, ha... Inspector Daniel Ojo who shot dead one Adaobi Ifeanyi and wounded another, Emmanuel Akomafuwa, in Ajegunle area of Lagos last Saturday, has been dismissed from service and declared wanted.The Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Zubairu Muazu, disclosed this while addressing journalists at the Lagos State Police Command headquarters, Ikeja, on Thursday.Inspector Ojo together with five other policemen had on April 13 accosted their victims during when he shot Ifeanyi who died on the spot.The five policemen were however subjected to orderly room trial while Insp. Ojo escaped.On April 13, 2019 at about 7:00am, police officers attached to Trinity Police Station who were suspected to be involved in the shooting of Adaobi Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Akomafuwa at Akpiri Street, Olodi Apapa, were arrested and detained, he saidMuazu gave their names as Insp. Adamu Usman, Sgt. Adeyeye Adeoye, Sgt. Kashim Tijani, Sgt. Lucky Akigbe and Sgt. Paul Adeoye.Inspector Dania Ojo who escaped immediately after the shooting was declared wanted. The other police officers were subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings at the command headquarters Ikeja.Investigation revealed that Inspector Dania Ojo unilaterally carried out the shooting without consideration to laid down procedures on the use of firearm.He is therefore, found guilty of abuse of power, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority.He is thereby dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force and declared wanted. Upon arrest, he will be charged to court for murder. the CP said. Having a relationship built on lies and misconception can hurt deeply, and planning your future with a married man who pretends to be si... Having a relationship built on lies and misconception can hurt deeply, and planning your future with a married man who pretends to be single could be more heartbreaking. These red flags will tell you if he only wants a side chick while he stays married; Hes always busy Married men are busy men. If your partner always has an excuse to turn down every fixed appointment with you, then he might just have a greater commitment at home. Even if his reasons are valid and reasonable, dont just ignore this sign, especially when it becomes a habit. Wedding band line When married men want to cheat, by instinct they take off their wedding bands. However, one thing that gives them away is a visible wedding band line on the ring finger. If your partner is not a divorcee and has this line, then you should get suspicious. He never invites you to social events Social events are places you get to mingle with his circle of friends and maybe family. A married man would want to reduce public outings with you as much as he can to keep his little secret. Weddings and parties are also places where a good number of men would love to show off their woman, but if hes not proud enough to have you around him, then he probably has a wife who should accompany him to outings by default. He hordes his phone and ignores you on social media A man who is sneaky with his phone may not only be concerned about privacy, he could just be hiding a secret about his family from you. If he constantly changes his passwords, deletes your text messages and pictures on his phone, then you should be wary. Also, social media is one of the fastest ways romantic partner communicate when apart, but if he refuses to associate with you on social media then you have a red flag. You cant visit him at home While he has free access to your apartment, he tells you not to bother visiting him. If he only plans romantic getaway to hotels and distant resorts but never to his home, then you should get sceptical. Mr Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa state Governor-elect on Friday, pledged to implement the new minimum wage, after sworn in as the governor. ... Mr Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa state Governor-elect on Friday, pledged to implement the new minimum wage, after sworn in as the governor.He made the pledge in a statement signed by his media aide, Alhaji Sanusi Aliyu in Lafia on Friday.The governor-elect applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the New Minimum National Wage Bill into Law.Buhari on Thursday signed the bill into law.Sen. Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.According to him, the signing of the new national minimum wage bill into law will usher in a new dawn for workers.The presidential aide also said that the signing into law of the new national minimum wage bill showed that the president was willing to take every necessary step to motivate the workers toward greater productivity and improve their welfare.Sule also said that the action of the president was a testament to the fact that, Our patriotic and beloved President prioritises the welfare of Nigerian workers.That he is always ready to ensure the right conditions are in place for them.This step will not only go a long way in assisting workers in meeting certain needs, but will also strengthen the relationship between employers and employees and motivate improved productivity.Sule assured the state workers that he would follow the footstep of the president by implementing the new wage structure for them.The governor-elect said: This is an opportunity to reassure workers in the state that, Nasarawa state will also enjoy the new national minimum wage signed into law by the President.Other welfare issues, pensions, gratuities and so on will be adequately attended to.Workers should take advantage of this by redoubling their efforts toward achieving our collective goals and making Nigeria a better place for all."The Senate had on March 19, approved N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage with an appeal to the Federal Government to expedite action on its assent and implementation.(NAN) The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called all employers of labour to commence the process of imple... The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called all employers of labour to commence the process of implementing the new minimum wage of N30,000 as passed by President Muhammadu Buhari. The unions also lauded President Buhari for signing the bill into law. Peter Ozo-Eson, General Secretary, NLC and Bobboi Kaigama, the President of TUC in a separate interview with NAN on Friday in Abuja, described the action as laudable. Ozo-Eson said that the NLC and Nigerian workers appreciated the swift response of Buhari, adding that such move would assuage the feelings of Nigerian workers. According to him, we hope that all employers of labour will commence the process of implementing the new minimum wage of N30,000 as passed by Buhari. He commended the National Assembly for not playing politics with the Nigerian workers by given the minimum wage bill a speedy passage. Ozo-Eson said that the NLC would work with all agencies and other bodies responsible for the implementation of the new minimum wage. On his part, Kaigama, commended the president for assenting to the minimum wage bill, while describing it as laudable and timely. According to him, the Presidents response has always been labours position, adding that we in TUC want to appreciate the President for not jettisoning the path of honour. He congratulated Nigerian workers for the new minimum wage, adding that no stone would be left unturned to see that Nigerian workers get a living wage. Buhari, on Thursday, signed the minimum wage into law which mandates employers of labour to pay workers a minimum of N30,000 monthly wage. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a swipe at the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adam... The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a swipe at the national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for insisting that the party will not share chairmanship of House of Representatives and Senate Committees with opposition parties in the 9th Assembly. The party described as unfortunate, the statement credited to Oshiomhole, adding that there is no way the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate would emerge without the support of lawmakers elected on the platform of the PDP. A statement yesterday by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Diran Odeyemi, said the PDP has a joker it is keeping close to the chest. He warned that when the chips are down, both Oshiomhole and the APC will be shocked. Odeyemi said: We wonder why Adams Oshiomhole will continue to display a clear lack of understanding of how the leadership of the federal parliament emerges. It seems he believes that his choice of Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila for the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively will see fruition without the support of our lawmakers. We have our own strategy and at the right time, both him (Oshiomhole) and the APC will be shocked. As a party still learning the ropes, having only won elections in 2015, APC can be forgiven for thinking the leadership of the National Assembly is its own to determine. On the chairmanship of the committees, the publicity scribe counselled Oshiomhole not to be in a hurry, stating that very soon, the chairmen will emerge in a way he would find difficult to understand. The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has said Nigeria is under siege. In a statement ... The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus has said Nigeria is under siege. In a statement on Friday, on the occasion of Easter by his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, Secondus said Nigerians must intensify prayers for the nation. Secondus said Nigerians should not allow the prevailing hardship in the country and the unjust outcome of 2019 election affect their spirit of love, brotherliness and peaceful co-existence. He added that the period of Easter provided a good opportunity for Nigerians to pray more to God to send succour to alleviate their sufferings. We must allow the spirit of this season embedded in love, charity and forgiveness to control our thoughts and actions as we seek Gods face for our country. Nigerian Christians must allow the solemnness of the last 40 days of fasting and prayers to influence their thoughts and actions in relating with one another, he said. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make public, asset dec... The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has written to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make public, asset declaration submitted to the bureau by successive presidents and governors from 1999 to 2019. This comes after the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) found Walter Onnoghen, suspended chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), guilty of false declaration of assets. In a freedom of information (FoI) request signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAPs deputy director, the civil society organisation asked the CCB to urgently provide information on asset declaration submitted by the public officials. While we welcome the judgment by the Code of Conduct Tribunal on Justice Walter Onnoghen, we now urge the CCB to extent its mandates to enforce constitutional provisions on asset declarations by public officers to cover elected officers and to vigorously pursue the prosecution of any such officers who use their powers either as presidents or state governors over public funds to enrich themselves, the letter read. While judicial corruption is bad, the level of corruption involving many politicians since 1999 and the entrenched culture of impunity of perpetrators is equally appalling. Publishing the asset declarations of elected public officers since the return of democracy in 1999 to date would improve public trust in the ability of the Bureau to effectively discharge its mandates. This would in turn put pressure on public officers like presidents and state governors to make voluntary public declaration of their assets. SERAP is concerned that many politicians hide behind the fact that members of the public do not have access to their asset declarations to make false declarations, and to cover up assets illegally acquired in corruption or abuse of office. The CCB can use the opportunity presented by the Onnoghen judgment to increase the accountability of politicians through the asset declaration provisions if it is not to be accused of witch-hunting the judiciary. SERAP is specifically seeking information on details of asset declarations by successive presidents and state governors between 1999 and 2019, including details of declarations made immediately after taking offices and thereafter, and for those who have left public offices, at the end of their term of office. Standing on the provisions of the FoI act, 2011, SERAP said it would take appropriate legal action against CCB if it fails to provide the information within 14 days. It is not clear if the act establishing the CCB mandates it to make publish asset delegation of public officials, there are provisions, however, for the bureau to take and retain custody of assets declarations. The chairman of Wukari local government area in Taraba state, Mr Adi Daniel has raised alarm over fresh attacks by the Tiv militia in Wu... The chairman of Wukari local government area in Taraba state, Mr Adi Daniel has raised alarm over fresh attacks by the Tiv militia in Wukari town. He told newsmen via a telephone interview that the militia from Benue state had launched attacks Friday morning in Wukari and burnt down over 28 houses and shot many people before they were chased away. The chairman who expressed shock over the attacks said this came barely three days after deputy governors of Benue and Taraba states including their traditional rulers and other key stakeholders met and signed a peace accord. He with the peace accord signed it was expected that both sides in the crisis would lay down their arms. He said the militia invaded Wukari with heavy arms and started shooting and setting houses ablaze. They invaded Wukari at about 6am and burnt down 28 houses and wounded many people, the chairman said. The chairman of the Tiv cultural association in Taraba state, Mr Goodman Dahida said it was the Jukun militia that first launched an attack on Kywo town which is a Tiv community at about 10pm Thursday. Mr Dahida stated further that the Jukun militia who attacked the Tiv community were chased and ran into Wukari town Contacted, the police public relation officer Taraba police command, DSP David Misal said the command is waiting for the report on the incident from DPO Wukari. History was made when Walter Onnoghen, embattled chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), entered the dock at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT... History was made when Walter Onnoghen, embattled chief justice of Nigeria (CJN), entered the dock at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). He was charged with false assets declaration exactly two years after the CCT discharged and acquitted Saraki of similar charges. In the heat of the trial, Onnoghen turned in his resignation but that did not save him from the hammer of the tribunal. On Thursday, Danladi Umar, CCT chairman, found him guilty of the six counts preferred against him by the federal government. The tribunal chairman ordered that he be removed from the office and also prevented from holding public office for 10 years. He also ordered that the money in the five bank accounts of Onnoghen that he did not declare be confiscated. In this piece, we look at how some prominent Nigerians fared when they walked this path. BUKOLA SARAKI In September 2015, the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) filed an 18-count charge of false asset declaration against Saraki at the CCT. The trial, which commenced in March 2016, lasted 1,018 days before he was let off the hook. In June 2018, the CCT dismissed the charges against Saraki on the grounds that the prosecution, with its four witnesses and 49 exhibits tendered, only led to hearsay evidence. However, the federal government filed an appeal and a month later, the supreme court ruled that Saraki had no case to answer at the CCT. You can read how his trial played out here. GODSDAY ORUBEBE Godsday Orubebe, former minister of Niger Delta affairs, was slammed with a one-count charge of false declaration of asset by the federal government in 2016. He was accused of failing to declare a property known as plot 2057, Asokoro, Abuja, while he was a public officer. Orubebe had told the tribunal that the property was no longer his as of the time he went into public service. He said he had sold the property to his creditor; hence he saw no need to declare what was not his. But the tribunal convicted him on the premise that the title deeds of the property still bore his name. Umar found him guilty of the charge and ordered a seizure of the property. However, an appeal court overturned the judgment of the CCT in 2017, ruling that it was clear that Orubebe sold the property even if the title deeds still had his name on them. Orubebe came into limelight when he tried to disrupt the collation of the 2015 presidential election results in Abuja. SYLVESTER NGWUTA Sylvester Ngwuta, a supreme court judge, was first arraigned before the CCT on an 8-count charge bothering on false assets declaration in 2017. Ngwuta is one of the federal judges whose residence was raided by the Department of State Service (DSS) in October 2016. The secret police had claimed that it uncovered huge sums of money in various denominations. On February 10, 2017, the office of the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) filed a 10-count charge against Ngwuta at the tribunal. In May of the same year, the CCT quashed the false asset charges and discharged Ngwuta. The tribunal said Ngwuta could not be tried before it unless he had been subjected to disciplinary processes of the National Judicial Council (NJC). Onnoghens lawyers had raised this before the CCT but Umar waved it aside. BOLA TINUBU Bola Tinubu, ex-governor of Lagos was arraigned before the CCT in November 2011 for allegedly operating foreign bank accounts, contrary to the constitution. Tinubu was accused of operating 10 foreign accounts during his tenure as governor between 1999 and 2007 in the charges filed against him by CCB at the tribunal. However, the three-man panel of the tribunal dismissed the case at the second appearance of the former governor at the court. It held that there is no significant basis to proceed against Tinubu as the charges were defective and shoddy. The tribunal held that the charges did not disclose a prima facie case against the accused person as there was no proof of evidence attached to the charge. Umar said the charges against Tinubu did not show that the accounts were held by the accused persons. Some (of the foreign accounts) even bear female nameshow can the accused be made to answer such charges? he said. IKE EKWEREMADU In March 2018, Festus Keyamo, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), filed a suit on behalf of the federal government seeking the temporary forfeiture of alleged undeclared assets traced to Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president Twenty-two properties were reportedly traced to the deputy senate president, nine in Nigeria, two in the UK, eight in Dubai and three are in the US. Following the purported discovery, Abubakar Malami, attorney general of the federation (AGF), had filed a false declaration of assets charge against Ekweremadu before the CCT. Ekweremadu was said to have failed to disclose the foreign assets in his declarations to the CCB. In October 2018, the federal government filed charges against Ekweremadu and Bassey Akpan, senator representing Akwa Ibom north-east district, for alleged failure to declare their assets. He was billed to be arraigned before the CCT in March 2018 but that never saw the light of the day. The deputy senate president denied all the allegations, saying he has no case to answer. Before President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis latest visit to Washington, Egyptian opposition groups had placed their bets on a confrontational meeting between El-Sisi and US President Donald Trump over issues of human rights and democracy in Egypt. Trump made no mention whatsoever of the two subjects when he received El-Sisi, much to the disappointment of Egyptian opposition blocs as well as US pressure groups, local and international rights groups, publications and research centres with affiliations to countries hostile to Egypt that had bet on the same game. Contrary to their expectations, Trump commended El-Sisis policies, saying bilateral relations were at their best. These groups cited three incidents in their futile attempt to proveEl-Sisis visit to Washington was a failure. The encounter between the Egypt and US delegations was said to have lasted only 17 minutes; Reuters claim that it had received affirmation from its sources that the Egyptian president refused to join the Arab alliance known in the media as the Arab NATO that the US is trying to establish to challenge Iran, thus explaining why the meeting between the two presidents was short; and statements made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a few hours after El-Sisi left Washington. Pompeo told the US Senate that Cairo could face sanctions under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act if the Sukhoi Su-35 order was completed. Cairo agreed to purchase more than 20 aircraft and weapons from Russia worth $2 billion at the end of 2018, part of a broader policy to diversify the sources of weaponry used by its Armed Forces. Supposing this Arab NATO project does exist, there are no official details regarding its nature from neither the Egyptian nor US sides. Presidential meetings to discuss strategic projects such as an alliance against Iran are usually held after joint teams reach a unified vision as to the specific, minute details of the points of agreements and differences of the projects goals, means to establish it and the responsibilities shouldered by each party. Therefore, it is illogical to build on the said timeframe that Egypt and the US differed on one or more points related to the project. It is also difficult to fathom that El-Sisi travelled to Washington just to inform Trump of his rejection of that alliance. The Egyptian president could have delivered his disapproval via diplomatic media. Furthermore, it is incomprehensible that El-Sisi hid his intentions to refuse the project from Trump, making the US president believe his visit to Washington was to declare his approval, and implicating him in issuing positive statements on close Egyptian-US ties. Leaders may lie to their peoples, but they dont lie to each other, wrote John Mearsheimer in his book Why Leaders Lie: The Truth About Lying in International Politics. Most probably the El-Sisi-Trump talks in Washington focused on subjects they shared in common, particularly amid Middle East tensions of concern to the two countries. As far as disagreements on issues such as the Palestinian cause, the US stance on the Golan Heights and Jerusalem and the fate of the deal of the century are concerned, bilateral communication is held around the clock on all levels. Such issues can only be resolved when Trump officially announces his plan for peace between the Palestinians and Israelis. Hence, there is no need to try to build biased expectations or hastily read between the lines of the one-on-one meeting. Regarding Washingtons objection to Egypts weapons deal with Russia, the subject was the only issue invoking an official statement on the part of Pompeo. It is important to note, though, the statement was made after El-Sisi wrapped up his US visit, not while he was in Washington. This is a clear indication the Trump administration was careful not to spoil the visit. Another point worth noting: Pompeo said Cairo could face sanctions, indicating a potentiality within the context of US laws related to general cases, and not specific to Egypt. We will have to await the interpretation of US legislation regarding this matter and whether it applies to Egypt. Meanwhile, we will observe moves by Congressmen to read into how the Russian weaponry deal will affect the multi-faceted Egypt-US relations, taking into consideration that arrangements between the White House, Congress and the Pentagon always pave the groundwork for minimising tension in Egyptian-US relationships. This is likely to happen in the near future. *A version of this article appears in print in the 18 April, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Illogical arguments on Egypt, US Search Keywords: Short link: 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. WEPA Group Takes Over Arjowiggins Recycled Pulp Mill in France The Greenfield Mill, located in Chateau-Thierry, France, has the capacity to produce about 130,000 tons per year of deinked pulp. April 18, 2019 - WEPA Hygieneprodukte GmbH, headquartered in Arnsberg, Germany, has been awarded to take over the business activities of the Arjowiggins Greenfield Mill in Chateau-Thierry, France. The decision was taken by the commercial court of Nanterre on Friday, 29 March 2019. The Greenfield mill is part of the Graphic Paper division of the French Arjowiggins Group and filed insolvency together with two sister companies in January 2019. With 74 employees, the plant has a yearly production capacity of approx. 130,000 tons of deinked pulp for various applications such as graphic paper and tissue. Martin Krengel, CEO of the WEPA Group, says, As a family business we have an overall sustainable orientation and the use of recovered paper is an essential component of our raw material strategy. With the takeover of the Greenfield mill we further strengthen our position as a European private label tissue specialist and as a market leader in the field of recycled papers. In addition, we ensure our long-term supply with de-inked pulp. The WEPA Group ( www.wepa.de ) is the third largest supplier in the European tissue market with an annual turnover of approx. EUR 1.2 billion. The family business employs around 3,800 people at twelve locations throughout Europe, including two plants in France with about 700 employees. By integrating the Greenfield site, WEPA expands its capacity in the processing of recovered paper and further optimizes its supply chain ensuring to meet the high demand for recycled and hybrid (a combination of recycled and pure pulp) tissue products on a high quality and sustainability base. SOURCE: WEPA Group About Greenfield Mill Greenfield Mill was built in 1997 and acquired by Arjowiggins Graphic in 2008. Greenfield is the European leader in premium quality recycled pulp production, the mill is FSC certified and also certified by the French Water Agency for effluent and waste management. Source: Arjowiggins. Every year, a small gated community in Fort Lauderdale, Florida hosts a beauty pageant with just one overriding sentiment: to empower young women with disabilities. Traditionally, beauty pageants have been rooted in able-bodied representation (and a very specific type of body at that). But upon watching an HBO documentary about a pageant for girls with special needs in Iowa, Jessica Rodriguez, the Chief Marketing and Development Officer of Arc Broward (a non profit based in Fort Lauderdale), marched into her boss' office the next day with a plan. "I said, 'You know, these girls down here deserve the same opportunity, and it's a beautiful way to celebrate them. So we need to do something similar,'" Rodriguez said. Today in its seventh year, the Miss Arc Broward Pageant receives applications from all over South Florida. "We put out the applications for families in our community in the summer and it's open to any young woman with a disability between ages six and seventeen. We've had girls come from Miami to all the way to West Palm beach," Rodriguez says. Once the contestants are chosen (on a first come first serve basis), a number of events like ice cream socials and yacht parties are organized in order for the girls to get to know each other and build bonds. These events run for close to three months leading up to the pageant, on the Veteran's Day weekend in November. The events are mainly designed to promote self-esteem and confidence amongst the girls. "You wouldn't believe how many of these families that I've gotten to know through this process talk about bullying," Rodriguez said. "These girls experience really hard situations at school. So it's nice for them to just come together for these few months and just feel celebrated and safe." She adds that ultimately, the goal is for the girls to feel comfortable and have fun. So, in the event that a contestant is too nervous to get out on stage on the day of the pageant, they're simply encouraged to try again later. "This is not an event where we're dragging your child on stage. We'll text you and say, 'Hey, Bella didn't wanna go out this time, but we're going to encourage her for the next round.' Usually, by the second round, they get that burst of self-esteem and confidence to go out," she says. "It's truly mind-blowing and such an inspiration to watch them takeover the stage and continually conquer and overcome fears that most of us who don't even have a disability aren't able to do." Much like a traditional pageant, the girls go through a series of different rounds that test their talents and personalities, where contestants can pick anything they like for their chosen talent. These include standard pageant fare like singing, dancing, cheerleading and showcasing artwork or playing a musical instrument. But in the end, there are no rules. "It can be anything! If they just want to walk onstage in a fun outfit and call it their personality, we're fine with that, too," Rodriguez says. This is followed by an 'interview round' where the girls are posed fun questions, like their favorite color and their motivation to win the pageant. "It's really just about questions that will set these young women up for success," Rodriguez explains. "Some of [the contestants] are non-verbal. One year we had a contestant who used a talking device, so we had to prepare the questions ahead of time in order for her to press the buttons to answer them. We will work with the contestants to help make all of it a relaxed experience, of course, but you're always surprised by that one contestant who blows your mind literally we've had girls take the microphone from the MC to just start talking." Despite an overall supportive environment, going on stage can still be nerve-wracking, as is losing to the other contestants. "We really look at who they were and what really stood out over the entire pageant season. Every single contestant wins a unique award and it's given at the end and it celebrates who they are. So think of it as almost like a superlative," says Rodriguez. "These range from 'Most Likely to Be the Next Beyonce' to 'Most Likely to Be the Next President.' We do have the judges pick one 'Miss' and one 'Little Miss' depending on their age and that individual represents all of the girls in the pageant as a whole at various events in our community throughout the next year to continue pushing out this message of empowerment and inclusion." Still, aren't there times when the girls are disappointed when they weren't selected as the Miss Arc Broward? "Absolutely. But isn't that part of life? Don't we all need to learn how to handle disappointment?" Rodriguez says. "That to me is what we as an organization promote and do with our participants. It's like we want to help you reach your goals, we want to help you reach your full potential, but we also want to prepare you for what life is." An inspiring and important sentiment. But beyond all the glitter and fun surrounding the event, what remains is the actual logistics and financial onus of an event of this scale. "We tell the families first and foremost we do not want this to be a financial burden for you, so if you need help buying the clothes or anything let us know and we will make that happen," Rodriguez says. As a non profit, Arc Broward is responsible for not only supplying clothes and makeup, should the girls need it, but also finding sponsors and fundraising. Luckily, members of the community, from local shop owners to just empathetic patrons, have been generous in lending their support. "Our local mall gives them all money to go shopping and buy their dresses. Their whole bag is filled with nail polish and things are donated from beauty supply companies down here." There are also partnerships with pageants like Miss Florida and Miss USA. "It's truly mind-blowing and such an inspiration to watch them takeover the stage and continually conquer and overcome fears that most of us who don't even have a disability aren't able to do." "We'd love to have a brand like Essie or just someone big who'd want to donate to explore this with, because it is only 20 girls that participate every year but we have 800 people that came out last year, so it is a pretty big audience down here in South Florida," Rodriguez says. Rodriguez isn't ashamed of asking for help, but the motivation for any big brand to put money into remains limited, especially since there isn't much publicity surrounding the event. Despite it's surface efforts, much of mainstream beauty and fashion continue to fall behind in efforts to make inclusivity and equal representation a true priority. But perhaps an event that's entirely rooted in celebrating equality and inclusion may just be a starting point. "Women are constantly dealing with insecurities, constantly asking. 'Am I pretty enough?' 'Am I good enough?' It doesn't matter if you have a disability or not, we are all seeing that, feeling that and struggling with it every single day so I am proud of that fact that being a part of this event gives these young women that moment to feel like, 'I am beautiful, I am important, I have a voice, and I have a purpose in this world,'" Rodriguez says. "Our pageant does celebrate these girls for their overall personalities and talent but it also takes into account all the things that have spun to my mind about beauty and getting dressed up and makeup and hair and celebrates it," Rodriguez said. "It's not something that then the next day they're like, "Oh I'm not pretty anymore because I don't have a hair stylist here to do my hair.' They just remember how fun it was that moment that they had it." To donate, participate, volunteer or simply get involved with Miss Arc Broward pageant, click here. Bells Atlas is a psychedelic pop band whose sound is located somewhere between heaven's gates and the inside of a video game. This kind of contradiction is their calling card. On the five-piece's new album The Mystic, which PAPER is sharing an early stream of, Bell Atlas strips Afro-pop, jazz, hip-hop, electronic and ambient music for parts, using them to build a softly colored soundscapes that are equal parts angelic and mechanical. Moments on Bells Atlas' new album feel like drifting in space or the sea, but don't make the mistake of thinking their submersive music is watery. Intricate instrumental detail is hidden under a guise of ambience. The band expertly crafts meditative grooves worthy of Solange, but lace them subtly with off-kilter, kaleidoscopic discord, reminiscent of a band like tUnE-yArDs or Dirty Projectors. Woven into the body of each glowing song, is dissonance: glitchy synths and beeping, guitar wails, muscular bass-lines and propulsive drums. The effect doesn't put you to sleep, but rather, dissolves you and transports what's left to new world. This gravity-defying, yet snug, intimate universe is built through vocalist and lyricist Sandra Lawson-Ndu's both deeply personal and expansively philosophical storytelling. Lawson-Ndu is a Nigerian-American woman raised in the Bay Area on Christianity and science fiction. However, her life became increasing shaped by mystical spirituality and discourses of mental illness particularly at the influence of one friend, whose struggle with mental health inspired much of The Mystic. Lawson-Ndu sings about hurt and hope with remarkable compassion, in an abstract spiritual language that draws on prayer, ghost stories, science fiction and self-care. As far as the style and method of their music, Bells Atlas have much in common with pop experimenters like OSHUN and Ava Luna, but Bells Atlas' irreverent embrace of contradiction ambience and discord, spirituality and science, one woman's intimate experiences and five people's musical synergy is all their own. PAPER chatted with Sandra Lawson-Ndu as well as guitarist Derek Barber and bassist Doug Stuart about The Mystic's inspirations and coming up in Oakland. What is the story you want to tell on The Mystic? What ideas or experiences were you processing on it? SANDRA LAWSON-NDU: The Mystic is inspired by a connection to the person in my life who sparked my love for storytelling and interest in both the mystical and the fantastical. In my eyes [this person] embraces intangible realities in beautiful ways. When they began to struggle with their mental health, they held that magic as a truth-seer and a storyteller. This narrative exists in some of the songs, but it's really the questions that resulted that are the basis of many of the stories here: what expressions needed a diagnosis? What caused pain versus what was the result of a different way of interpreting life and offering new paths of seeing? What was clinical vs mystical? How do we make space for each other's beliefs and varied lenses of experience? How do you navigate the ideas/visions/experiences of a 5-person group Is there one principal songwriter? DOUG STUART: A lot of the songs on this record started from a drum loop, and the basic framework was built on top of these loops, by 2 or 3 of us in a bedroom studio. From there, we made sure to get everyone's instrumental voice as an overdub on top of the framework that was already there. Often times, there was something added that significantly changed the course of the song. It would either inspire a new section or bring a different mood, or color, to the song. It's a very collaborative process that demands an open mind and makes you look forward to what the song could be, rather than being attached to what it was. Although the instrumental components of this record are very collaborative, the lyrics are written by Sandra. I think this helps make the sound and vision both cohesive and fresh. How did coming up in Oakland influence you as artists? DOUG STUART: One of the things that make the Oakland scene so great, is that it's truly diverse. It's home to so many different types of artists that all play and attend each other's shows, but there's rarely any imitation. So we're constantly being inspired by a lot of different sounds and styles, without the pressure of having "fit in" to any kind of box. It makes for some really unique and inspired work. What are the ingredients of your sound? Technically, and as far as your influences. DOUG STUART: A big part of the sound of this record is in due to the process of writing over drum loops that were recorded on a phone, and that often sounded completely blown out and distorted. These raw drum sounds were a starting point for the palette of each song and inspired us to take chances with the synth, guitar, and vocal tones. A lot of the influences for this process and these sounds are rooted in hip hop production. MF Doom and Knxledge are two artists that I can point to as strong influences on the sounds that we were working with for this album. Tell me about the phrase "Confident. Open. Persistent but Daily," sung over again on "Rogue Dream." Is that a mantra for you? SANDRA LAWSON-NDU: The song is about trying to pull a loved one out of a dark place. You want to acknowledge their strength while you try to somehow help them through, realizing that it's not always in your power to shift things. This is all laid out in a dream like quest that travels between small victories and disappointments. The mantra represents a tool (or spell) for keeping that determination afloat. There's a part of it that can be grounding but there's also a part that's weighted with that hope and expectation of fixing things How does spirituality play into the album? SANDRA LAWSON-NDU: I was baptized Methodist, and grew up drifting between Baptist, Non Denominational and Nigerian Anglican churches all the while attending Catholic school. So albeit a very, very Christian lean, I was already in a mix of some contrasting ideas of what was "true" and what was not. Not to mention there was that whole other side that delighted in the possibility that some parts of Philip Pullman's trilogy "His Dark Materials" HAD to be true! Today, I connect to different ideas of spirituality. Some of these appear in contrast to each other, but in my eyes they also share beautiful common threads that depict very human desires to connect, find grounding, and feel supported. I sometimes find myself praying or sending some hope outward to something that exists beyond me. I use Tarot as a means to organize my thoughts. I refer to things as magic and think that a few people in my life are truth-seers. Who's to say what's right or how truth manifests? The record returns to dreams and sleep a lot, there's sort of a tension between quiet and chaos. How were you navigating that? "As a Nigerian American woman, I wanted to create something in this genre because growing up there were so few reflections of black people in the sci-fi fantasy worlds." SANDRA LAWSON-NDU: When sleep comes up in the songs it's often a symbol of peace of mind, often to say "it's ok to rest from all of this." Dreams and fantasy play different roles throughout, but overall they are not there as a means to escape a daunting reality, instead there's an idea of moving through all of it at the same time, the mystical and fantastical with the recognizable and tangible. Similarly, how do you navigate ambience and dissonance sonically? The record uses both so effectively. DEREK BARBER: There is something really satisfying about consonant melodies/harmonies matched with elements of dissonance almost as if they create a sound that is far more interesting then if they lacked their counterparts. We strive to create our own sonic worlds with the intention of being inhabited by listeners. I think ambience and dissonance are just two of the tools which help bring about these musical worlds. A press release called The Mystic a "sci-fi fantasy." How did and which science fiction influenced this record? SANDRA LAWSON-NDU: I think it's beautiful to use these imaginative genres to observe our own realities. For me, the best [sci-fi] has the potential to create a sense of openness to what is possible, to help us depart from acceptable norms. I wanted to talk about mental health and I felt like this kind of mystical imagery was a way to enter the conversation from a different angle. As a Nigerian American woman, I wanted to create something in this genre because growing up, there were so few reflections of black people in sci-fi and fantasy worlds. That exclusion was in a way saying that black people were neither a part of the magic nor held a place in the future. When you listen to this record, imagine that so many of the folks here are black and brown. This is just one representation of "Our" current state of magic. As far as books, the most memorable were the stories from Garth Nix, Sharon Shinn, and Phillip Pullman. What came later was Octavia Butler, Ursula Le Guin, Ben Okri and Akwaeke Emezi, not all classified as Sci-fi fantasy but presenting stories of alternate ideas of reality. "We want people to feel like they unknowingly took psychedelic drugs, but rather than reacting with fear or stress, they gave in to the experience." What do you want people to experience with and take away from The Mystic? DOUG STUART: We want people to feel like they unknowingly took psychedelic drugs, but rather than reacting with fear or stress, they gave in to the experience, and it turned out to be beautiful, transformative, and opened their mind and heart to new experiences and sounds to come... or something like that. Charlize Theron was recently confronted by a Daily Mail reporter curious about her seven-year-old child's gender identity, and handled the whole thing admirably. Theron "briskly" explained to the tabloid that Jackson, who she adopted in 2012, is biologically male but has been living as a girl since the age of three. Theron has another daughter, August, adopted in 2015. After paparazzi photos showed Jackson wearing dresses and skirts, the Mail asked Theron to clarify the situation. "I thought she was a boy, too," she replied. "Until she looked at me when she was three years old and said: 'I am not a boy!'" She continued: "So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive. They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide." That's that on that. Theron has actually referenced having two daughters in previous interviews. In an "Actors on Actors" discussion with Michael B. Jordan for Variety, she explained having an emotional reaction to Black Panther, as a white person who came of age in apartheid South Africa who is now raising "two young beautiful, Black, African-American girls." She also referenced apartheid when speaking to the Daily Mail about respecting Jackson's wishes to be raised as a daughter: "I grew up in a country where people lived with half-truths and lies and whispers and nobody said anything outright, and I was raised very specifically not to be like that." 800-year-old Notre Dame Cathedral fell amidst large and uncontrollable flames, the entire world mourned. No one could believe that one of the most famous sites in the world would be in jeopardy of being burned to ashes on an otherwise regular Tuesday afternoon. We weren't sure if the descriptions of Notre Dame would now be confined to those of Victor Hugo, Sigmund Freud, or our personal and collective memories. What would happen to the artwork, the artifacts, or the iconic stained glass rose window? Would Paris, still reeling from the 2015 terror attacks that killed 130 people the deadliest since World War II be the same again? Miraculously, Parisian firefighters saved many of the prized artifacts artworks and relics housed in the church, including what some believe to be the Crown of Thorns worn by Jesus and they only had 66 minutes to do so. But nevertheless, Notre Dame needed to be restored as soon as possible. Approximately thirteen million people a year visit Notre Dame, and therefore its damage is both a cultural and financial blow to French tourism. In less than 72 hours, France's three richest families, including the Pinaults, the Arnaults and the Bettencourt Meyers pledged $650 million for its restoration. This goodwill of international outpouring would have been astounding, if the news had not been embittered by the fact that three historically Black churches were burned in a southern Louisiana parish in a suspected hate crime over a 10 day period in March, to which initially very little mainstream media attention was paid. The overlap in burning churchesone grown out of racial hatred and the other an accident and the quick attention and giving to the latter reopened a deeply entrenched colonial wound, reminding us once again the world is less sympathetic to Black people and our institutions. Related | Fashion Houses Are Pitching in to Rebuild Notre Dame Yes, Notre Dame is a world famous site and it generates millions for France. No, millions of people do not travel to Opelousas in St. Landry Parish to snap selfies and attend the services at Greater Union Baptist, St. Mary Baptist, and Mount Pleasant. But these churches are still sacred. Even as donations pour in to Notre Dame, the French government body created a fundraising campaign to accrue more money for its restoration. According to Krupali Krusche, Associate Dean at the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture and expert on historical preservation, the nearly $800 million from donations would provide for a "good" preservation while an expert one could potentially demand a billion dollars. Just yesterday, April 17, the New York Post reported that the pledges from companies such as Apple and magnates from L'Oreal, Chanel, and Dior, alongside Catholics and those around the world have led to the amount of money rising to $995 million. Why then does the French government still have their fundraising campaign live? France is one of the world's largest economies with a nominal GDP of over 2.5 trillion dollars. The Vatican, which bankers estimate to be worth somewhere between 10 to 15 billion dollars, also agreed to help with the efforts. Online, many pointed out that France received compensation for the Haitian revolution: in order for Haiti, a former French colony, to maintain its independence and freedom from slavery, its people had to pay France what would be worth $21 billion back in 1825. No standing French president has opened up the possibility to repay Haiti for this injustice. While France remains wealthy, Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western hemisphere. The three historically Black churches that burned in Louisiana (another formerly French territory) were almost eclipsed by the news of Notre Dame. President Trump gave his condolences to Macron and offered help to restore Notre Dame yet has not made one public announcement about the hate crimes brewing in Opelousas. Given that he rose to power by capitalizing on the fears and racial animus of white Americans, his silence is unsurprising, but the optics are still damning and painful. President Macron also hasn't given any condolences to the historic churches that burned in Louisiana. Like Notre Dame, those three churches were also sacred places full of collective memory. Much of their history was lost, including a sixty-year-old Bible and "handwritten sermons, financial records, and documents" that are well over 100 years old. Much African American history has been passed down from generation to generation through oral histories and storytelling; any documentation of such a vulnerable yet surviving people of our society is important to maintain. Right there in Opelousas, those archives have been scorched a void in our historical memory is now in its place. Fortunately, donations of well over a million dollars have been reached for the historic Black churches. Many outlets have reported that the Notre Dame Cathedral burning inspired the spike in fundraising. However, these church burnings happened several days prior to Notre Dame, the last one on April 4. France was able to receive close to a billion within three days. St. Landry Parish received a .001% of that in two weeks. The disparity between who and what gets the most sympathy, media attention, and charitable giving is glaring. Compounded with the lack of parallels between how one religious site takes precedence over another when its very existence is in jeopardy, the quickness with which a billion dollars can be raised sheds light on other issues: world hunger, insurmountable student loan debt, homelessness, food deserts. Currently in France, members of the Yellow Vest Movement are protesting against rising social and economic inequality. No one can tell any person who or where to spend their money, but the pattern of prioritizing Western art and architecture in predominantly white spaces with capital and sympathy is consistent. Though the three Black churches in Louisiana are nowhere near as large as Notre Dame and therefore won't demand as much money for its restorative processes, the immediate worldwide response to support Notre Dame cathedral from laymen to heads of state, was like a roar against a whisper of the Louisiana church burnings. The cumulative benevolence carries a dark side, that Black history in public landscapes can be destroyed and close to forgotten. There needs to be a constant awareness of the racial bias towards who and what deserves our time, energy, and mourning and why these elements maintain a hierarchy in which white people and their institutions remain at top of the caste system. Fans of RuPaul's Drag Race are freaking out over the Lip Sync For Your Life from last night's "Snatch Game" episode of the show. Every second of the bottom queens' performance was packed to the brim with wig reveals, roundoffs, splits, and back-bends, and audiences around the world were left in total shock. Frontrunners Brooke Lynn Hytes and Yvie Oddly were fearful for their fates towards the end of the episode based on their performances in the challenge, a cheeky take on the classic show, "The Match Game." Hytes chose to impersonate Celine Dion for the challenge, while Oddly performed as Whoopi Goldberg. Neither performance was particularly funny, or even eye-catching, and both queens were anxious during their critiques on the runway. Dedicated fans were aware, however, of both queens' lip syncing capabilities. Hytes is a trained dancer, who even attended the National Ballet School of Canada, and Oddly has already wowed fans with her performances popping up online. When RuPaul herself announced that the two queens were in fact going to be lip syncing to stay on the show, fans knew the resulting battle was about to be a showdown of epic proportions. The queens started off sensually performing to Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry," but when the chorus of the song erupted, so did they; Oddly revealed a wig underneath her wig while doing some sort of hyper-aerobic roundoff, while Hytes twirled ferociously into a dip. These queens were ready. Upon a spectacular finish, complete with more dips, twists, and flips, RuPaul decided that both queens would remain in the competition based on their gravity-defying efforts. Many fans and fellow queens, jaws still agape at the performance, took to Twitter to discuss the show. Many claimed that the lip sync was one of the best ever in the show's 11-year history, and even lip-sync assassin Tatianna chimed in. Iranians Push Back as Officials Threaten to Block Instagram in Retaliation for Banned IRGC Accounts 04/19/19 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Some Iranian officials have responded to Instagram's decision to remove accounts it has associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by pushing for a nationwide ban on the popular social media app. Many Iranians have responded by calling not only for Instagram to remain unblocked but also for the government to rescind bans on other widely used apps. Facebook, which owns Instagram, announced on April 17, 2019, that it had shut down the Instagram accounts of an unspecified number of Iranian officials with ties to the IRGC, an elite branch of the Iranian military. A spokesperson for Instagram told the BBC Persian Service: "We are acting within limits set by US sanctions' laws. We are cooperating with relevant government officials to make sure we are abiding by our legal obligations, namely regarding the designation of the Revolutionary Guard." The Trump administration designated the IRGC as a "foreign terrorist organization" on April 8, 2019. As of April 16, Instagram had taken down approximately 20 accounts that were mostly under the names of former and current IRGC commanders but also judicial and government officials. The blocked accounts include Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force; IRGC Commander in Chief Mohammad Ali Jafari; IRGC Ground Forces Commander Mohammad Pakpour; Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri; Human Resources Division Commander Mousa Kamali; Expediency Council Member and former IRGC Air Force Commander Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf; Member of Parliament from Qom and former IRGC Cultural Affairs Commander Ahmad Amirabadi Farahani; Expediency Council Member and former IRGC Commander in Chief Mohsen Rezaei; former head of the IRGC's Shahid Bagheri missile production plant Ezzatollah Zarghami; Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's foreign affairs adviser Ali Akbar Velayati and Judiciary Chief Ebrahim Raisi. The accounts under Velayati and Raisi's names were back up as of April 18 without explanation. The identities of the account owners are unknown. The public relations office of Iran's Armed Forces General Command issued a statement denying that Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri had "any page in cyberspace and social media." Iranian Officials Urge Retaliation Instagram's decision to ban the accounts has nevertheless rekindled calls by some Iranian officials to block access to the app. "...[W]e should always be aware that if there is only one bridge through which the enemy can attack and enter the country, we should either strengthen that bridge to prevent harm, or be smart and cut it off as a last resort," Javad Javidnia, the deputy prosecutor general in charge of cyberspace, told the IRGC-affiliated Fars News Agency on April 16. "Filtering is the ultimate step." "Therefore," he added, "under these circumstances we declare that there's no other way but for the government to take the necessary step to filter Instagram." Twitter was blocked in Iran in 2009 and the Telegram messaging app in 2018, but Instagram remained accessible throughout the country without the use of censorship circumvention tools (such as virtual private networks), resulting in millions of Iranians, including state officials, businesses and celebrities, heavily relying on the app to reach their audiences. cartoon by Taravat Niki, Iranian daily Ghanoon It is unknown exactly how many people use Instagram in Iran but according to figures published by the online statistics research site Statista, it had 23 million users in the country as of October 2018. If those figures are correct, it would make Iran the country with the eight highest Instagram usage. Hardline member of Parliament (MP) Nasrollah Pejmanfar, who co-sponsored the pending Managing Social Messengers Bill that would hand over control of the internet to Iran's military establishment, has strongly criticized the minister of the Information Communications Technology Ministry (Telecommunications Ministry), Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, for not encouraging the growth of Iranian-made alternatives to Instagram. "Before discussing filtering Instagram, first we have to ask the president and the telecommunications minister what they have done to create suitable communication platforms to meet people's needs?" he said. He added: "Why have you allowed the people to turn to foreign social media? If we had taken steps in the early days to provide suitable modes of communication, we wouldn't have needed to discuss filtering social media today." The Supreme Cyberspace Council (SCC), Iran's top decision-making body related to the internet apart from the supreme leader, issued a statement condemning Instagram for blocking the accounts of Iranian officials, but did not threaten retaliation. "Blocking the accounts of Iranian members on social media, such as Twitter and Instagram, and restricting access to scientific and research materials and services due to US sanctions, is a clear act of censorship and a violation of the free flow of information as well as human rights," said the April 17 statement. Iranians Push Back Iranian officials' threats to block Instagram were widely condemned by Iranian users on social media. Mobile app developer Mostafa Alahyari tweeted: "Isn't it against human rights to destroy businesses and startups [in Iran] by filtering their communication platforms and carrying out all sorts of embezzlement schemes?" "Amin," an Iranian user on Twitter, commented: "Doesn't the SCC believe that blocking half of the entire internet and imprisoning people for writing a couple of sentences on Twitter or other places are more obvious examples of censorship and breaches of free speech and human rights?" Tech reporter for the daily newspaper Iran, Mohammad Karbasi, wrote: "Instagram is the only global social media network that is still operating in Iran. Instead of filtering this last remaining network and separating us further from the world, it would be better to un-filter Twitter!" Journalist Reyhaneh Tabatabai tweeted: "War conditions are the best gift to governments that have no interest in expanding civil society and political freedoms. They can silence opposition voices and crush freedom seekers with the backing of the masses by claiming wanting to preserve national solidarity and security in a time of crisis." Iranian-Made Alternatives to Instagram? The launch of Iran's National Information Network (NIN) internet service, which systematically filters key words and phrases and sends users to sites that deliver only state-approved and sometimes fabricated content, was preceded by a push within the Rouhani government to support the growth of domestic companies focused on developing apps and websites that could replace their non-Iranian versions. However, Iran does not have a widely used alternative app to Instagram. Tech journalist Arash Parsapour tweeted on April 17, "When I spoke to officials at Hoorsa and Jikopic [Iranian apps resembling Instagram] they said they have no desire to become replacements." Software entrepreneur Majid Avaj commented sarcastically: "Now is the time for a dear Iranian compatriot to receive big loans to build a native version of Instagram. Opportunists must hurry!" In recent years, Iranian officials have also encouraged domestic and foreign app companies to transfer their data to servers inside Iran. This effort was largely successful in dealing with Iranian companies that were lured with promises of lower costs and faster service, but foreign firms have stayed away due to the state's extensive censorship policies and ongoing practice of monitoring private user data. In April 2018, Iranian authorities blocked the widely used Telegram messaging app after it had repeatedly refused to move its servers to Iran. Now Iranian officials are calling on Instagram to transfer its servers to Iran and comply with state censorship policies. Javidnia told Fars on April 17, 2019, "All cyber apps and their data bases should be transferred inside the country and they have to make a pledge to respect our laws, otherwise they will not be permitted to operate." He also criticized the Rouhani administration for failing to make the call, "This should have been coordinated by the Telecommunications Ministry but unfortunately nothing has been done to impose Iran's legal control in this field." Since traditional means of advertising such as commercials and billboards are largely inaccessible to the public in Iran due to their high costs and many content rules, Telegram and Instagram are widely used by business owners to promote their products and services. According to Tehran MP Mohammad Reza Badamchi, the state's decision to block Telegram adversely affected some 200,000 Iranian jobs, forcing many to move their operations over to Instagram. If Instagram is blocked, many businesses in Iran would find themselves without a cheap and effective means of advertising. IT expert Ardavan Sijani tweeted: "There are several million people who are engaging in business and advertising activities on Instagram. Now you want to shut it down because a few pages belonging to IRGC commanders and officials have been blocked? Isn't it important to protect the business activities of our people?" Some Iranian companies meanwhile owe their existence to sanctions that block Iranians from purchasing advertising services on foreign apps. These companies own pages on apps with large networks of followers in Iran, and can be paid to product services and products to them. For example, Iranian marketing firm Adsensor charges between 430,000 tomans and 715,000 tomans (approximately $100-170 USD) to advertise on Instagram during a 24-hour period. 12 Conservationists Detained Without Counsel in Iran's Kurdistan Province 04/19/19 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Twelve of the 20 environmental conservationists arrested in Iran's Kurdistan Province in January and February 2019 remain in detention centers run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Ministry of Intelligence in the city of Sanandaj, the provincial capital, without access to legal counsel. A local conservationist identified the detainees as Farhad Mohammadi, Hadi Kamangar, Issa Fayzi, Rashed Montazeri, Hossein Kamangar, Armin Asparlous, Avat Karimi, Edris Mohammadi, Farzad Hosseini, Homayoun Bahmani, Sirvan Ghorbani, and Jalal Rostami. "A number of lawyers have volunteered to defend the prisoners but the judiciary's office in Sanandaj has rejected their representation and denied them access to the case," a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI). "They have not had any visitation and we don't have any information about them," added the source. "Every few weeks, they have made short phone calls to their families but they don't utter anything about where they are being held." The source continued: "In addition to these twelve, several other detainees have been released on bail set at between 500 million tomans (approximately $118,681 USD) to 700 million tomans ($166,154 USD). Their phones and computers have been confiscated and they have been ordered to stay silent. "But I was able to speak to one of them and learned that all of them are involved with the environment in some way or another and they have been accused of propaganda against the state, acting against national security and contact with opposition groups," added the source. On April 9, 2019, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network reported that after detainees Edris Mohammadi and Avat Karimi were interrogated, they were moved from the Intelligence Ministry's detention center in Sanandaj to the IRGC's Shahramfar Detention Center. Some of the detainees are members of the Kurdish branch of the Iran National Unity Party (INUP), which has been licensed to operate in the country by the Interior Ministry. Eight conservationists working for a licensed Tehran-based non-profit organization, the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF), have been detained in Iran since January 2018 under false espionage charges. The detainees-Niloufar Bayani, Tahbaz, Houman Jowkar, Taher Ghadirian, Sepideh Kashani, Amir Hossein Khaleghi, Sam Rajabi, and Abdolreza Kouhpayeh-are currently being tried based on forced "confessions"extracted under extreme physical and psychological pressure, according to the testimony of Bayani. Three major state agencies in Iran, including the country's highest security body, have stated that they did not commit espionage. The detainees' colleague Kavous Seyed-Emami, an Iranian-Canadian conservationist and the former managing director of the PWHF, died under suspicious circumstances while held for interrogations in Tehran's Evin Prison. The authorities claimed Seyed-Emami committed suicide but refused to allow his family to conduct an independent investigation or an independent autopsy. No Visa Charge for Iranian Visitors To Iraqi Kurdistan, Says Official 04/19/19 Source: Radio Farda Iranian official news agency IRNA on Friday April 19 quoted the Iranian Consulate General in Sulaymaniyah as having announced that the "Iraqi Kurdistan Region has underlined its commitment to Baghdad decision to lift charges on visa for Iranian nationals." According to IRNA, Earlier, the Iraqi Council of Ministers passed a bill on March 27 to lift visa charges for Iranians. The Iraqi Prime Minister's office announced in a statement earlier that "the Council of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has ratified a bill to lift visa charges for Iranian if Iran also reciprocates." A visa charge waiver was announced by Iran and Iraq during a recent to Baghdad by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Iranians visiting Iraqi Kurdistan needed to pay 25,000 dinars ($20) as visa charge. Over seven million Iranians and Iraqis visit each other's country every year, mainly for pilgrimage. However, visits to the Iraqi Kurdistan takes place mainly for trade and tourism. The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) Foundation has constructed and handed over 10 boreholes with hand-pumps to communities and schools in three Municipal and District Assemblies in the Upper West Region. Five of the boreholes are located in Sissala East Municipal, three in Wa Municipal and two in Nandom District to supply potable water to school children and residents who before then relied on unwholesome water sources for drinking and other domestic purposes. We are grateful to GNPC for extending this as part of your corporate social responsibility to the Upper West Region and Sissala East Municipality, Deputy Regional Minister Amidu Issahaku Chinnia in Jijen where one of the boreholes was commissioned. He urged teachers and community members to take good care of the facilities to ensure constant supply of water to the localities, especially school children. Access to safe water and sanitation remain a fundamental challenge for many under-served Ghanaian communities and as our contribution to supporting efforts by Government to improve living conditions of Ghanaians, Dr Dominic Eduah, Executive Director of GNPC Foundation said at Sojadauyiri, where he commissioned one of the boreholes. He expressed the hope that the gesture would improve sanitation and ensure that school children stayed in school, and thus help curb the phenomenon where many pupils abandoned school in search of drinking water. Mrs Patience Lartey, the Foundations Head of Environment and Social Amenities, said GNPC Foundation has constructed 100 boreholes across the country, out of which 40 were in the Northern Region and 10 each in Upper East and Upper West regions. She added that 20 of them were constructed in the Western Region and 20 sited in various communities across Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and Central regions. (Before creation of the new regions). We do not want to come in the next five to six months and find out that the boreholes working today are no longer working, she said: We want the assemblies to maintain the boreholes and put them to good use. The Sissala East Acting Municipal Director of Education, Alhaji Mutawakilu Fasasi, described the handing over of the water facilities as timely intervention. "This will help sustain our children in school during instructional hours and also prevent movement and loss of contact hours when in school," he said, and appealed to the Parent and Teachers Association to maintain the boreholes. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has said that Ghanaians need to live in harmony regardless of one's religious or political affiliation to ensure sustainable development. Alhaji Bawumia made this remark in a Facebook post when he felicitated with his Christian compatriots on the commemoration of Easter festivities. He and his family wished Christians well and encouraged them to pray for Ghana. "My family and I wish our Christian brothers and sisters a happy Easter." "As you commemorate this special festivity which marks the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we encourage all to continue to pray for the country, live in harmony with one another and do our best to help make Ghana the cherished land we all wish to live in." he said. He also wished all Ghanaians a fruitful holidays and prayed for the blessing of God for mother Ghana. "We wish everyone happy holidays. May God bless our homeland Ghana." Vice president Bawumia concluded. 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 A Kadjebi Magistrate Court has remanded Muftaw Yakubu, a commercial motorcycle operator at Koto Nkwanta in the Kadjebi District to 21 days in police custody for sanitation related offences. He was remanded for refusing to construct a home latrine, assaulting sanitation officer, and obstruction. The court heard that on January 11, 2019, Yakubu threatened one Flora Kortorsi, an Environmental Health Officer with a cutlass when the latter engaged him on the need to construct a home latrine. The Officer caused the arrest of Yakubu and he was on April 08, 2019 remanded to serve three weeks in police custody and to pay a fine of GHC 560. The Ghana News Agency (GNA) was told that a week after his release from police cells, Yakubu built a personal latrine, and took up a sanitation natural leader position in his community. GNA learnt Yakubu was now supporting Environmental Health field facilitators in the community and contributing towards the community's attainment of ODF status. Madam Saviour Kumahor, the District Environmental Health Officer said Yakubus prosecution was serving as a wakeup call to other communities in the District. He said the Koto Nkwanta community was triggered in 2012 but was yet to be declared ODF. She noted, however, that following the court action, 15 household latrines had been completed and 11 more were under construction, and was hopeful that the community would attain ODF status by April ending. Madam Kumahor said homes without latrines would be hauled before law courts beginning July 2019 and asked homeowners to take note. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video JOYNEWS has expressed regret for the inconvenience caused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo due to the broadcast of its recent documentary on vigilantism in the country. JOYNEWS, a member of the Multimedia Group, appears to be attributing the accusation that President Akufo-Addo was promoting vigilantism to its listeners after it wrongly created that impression in its documentary titled, Militia In The Heart Of The City, by Manasseh Azure Awuni, a reporter of the station in March. Latest Twist Myjoyonline editor, in a commentary aired on the Joy FMs Super Morning Show on Monday, April 15, said I think its appropriate at this juncture to talk about the misconstruction of the documentary which we put out, detailing some untoward activity happening at the Castle of some vigilante group engaged in some activity there, there were those who on the back of that documentary kind of thought that or created the impression that the President, whilst he was condemning vigilantism, was also nurturing this group at his own backyard. According to him, Our documentary did not create any such impression, and I think its important to stress that point. All our documentary did was to report on what was happening the only thing our documentary mentioned was that the person who was leading this group was a former bodyguard of the president when he was not president. He added that He (Nana Akufo-Addo) was an ordinary citizen, a candidate of a political party. Our documentary actually pointed out that this person had been sacked so the unfortunate impression created that the president was nursing these guys while at the same time condemning this was not on the basis of our documentary, and its important to state that any such impressions or inconvenience caused the president is regretted. Militia Documentary The documentary said that a company called De Eye Group, whose leader was a former bodyguard of the President, was training militias at the Christiansborg Castle, a former seat of government in Accra with the tacit support of the Akufo-Addo administration. JoyNews linked the leader of the De Eye Group called Nana Wereko Addo, aka Choman, to President Akufo-Addo. The documentary was aired at the time the Justice Emile Short Commission of Inquiry was probing the violence that characterised the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election at the Osu Christiansborg Castle in Accra. De Eye Group has since sued JoyNews for defamation and the case is yet to be heard in court. In the ensuing heat, the government, through the Minister for Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, condemned JoyNews documentary and said there was no militia training at the Castle which had placed the facility under the control of the Museums and Monuments Board. The government insisted that De-Eye Group was involved in helping unemployed young men and women find jobs. According to the government, JoyNews only put together conjecture, malice, mischief, sensationalism and invalidated suspicions which contains significant misrepresentations and misleading impressions. Insistence When the government urged JoyNews at the time to admit its error, the station remained adamant, compelling the government to lodge a complaint with the National Media Commission (NMC) against the network. Government subsequently boycotted JoyNews programmes, and the media outlet has since been holding its political talk shows with virtually members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, claimed in a leaked tape that the party has JoyNews in its pocket. 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 Former President John Dramani Mahama has asked christians and Ghanaians to love each other for the greater good and prosperity of every Ghanaian. The former President made this remark in a Facebook post when he felicitated with his Christian compatriots on the commemoration of Easter festivities. "I believe through this renewal, we shall learn to love one another for the greater good and prosperity of every Ghanaian. Let us also remember to drive safely and ensure an accident-free Easter,the statement added. Below Is The Post On His Facebook Wall. ITS GOOD FRIDAY. The day our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. May the cross of Jesus Christ and the power in his resurrection strengthen and renew us, as we strive to build a better nation. I believe through this renewal, we shall learn to love one another for the greater good and prosperity of every Ghanaian. Let us also remember to drive safely and ensure an accident-free Easter. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/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 Mr Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament (MP) for Adaklu has stated his resolve to banish ignorance in Adaklu through superior knowledge. He said it was only through superior knowledge that the District could develop rapidly, hence, his continued investment in education. Mr Agbodza said this at the commissioning of a three unit classroom block with an office and a store, a six-seater water closet toilet and two urinals for the Adaklu Kodzobi District Assembly Basic School. The three unit classroom block is for the kindergarten, which was also given 98 chairs and 23 tables with 34 desks going to the primary school. The project was funded by Pencils of Promise (PoP), an education-based non-governmental organization (NGO) with support from the MP who provided sand and chippings with the community providing communal labour. Mr. Agbodza noted that the most important investment any parent could make in his or her ward was education and encouraged them to support their wards in that direction. He expressed joy that Adaklu was gradually regaining its glory in education but said more needed to be done to remain at the top. The MP was hopeful that the institution of a District Best Teachers' Award would yield positive results and urged parents to encourage their children to learn. Mr Agbodza said he was working with the Road Ministry to fix some roads including the Vodze-Dzakpo-Helekpe and Waya town roads, all awarded on contract. Mr Anthony Quashigah, Project Manager, PoP said the Kodzobi project was the 158 educational infrastructure intervention by PoP in the Volta, Eastern and Oti regions and commended the community for completing the project on schedule. Mr Samuel Bruku, an official at the Adaklu District Directorate of Education praised PoP for the support and said the interventions were changing the face of education in the District. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Minister at a recent town hall meeting in the U.S. justified the decision to truncate the prosecution of Aisha Huang, a Chinese national known for her exploits in illegal mining. A participant at the meeting wanted to know why Aisha, popularly known as 'Galamsey Queen' was only deported after she was arrested by authorities. The Senior Minister answering this question suggested that there are better things to talk about than the issue of the 'Galamsey Queen' and her deportation. "So, when there are these kinds of arrangements, there are other things behind the scenes. Putting that lady (Aisha) in jail in Ghana is not going to solve your economic problems, he said. This response has however been described as a blow to the fight against galamsey. Some Political pundits and critics on social media have taken the Senior Minister to the cleaners especially as his government is still fighting illegal mining in the country Messaging is so important. The message that comes from what the Senior Minister has said is a fatal blow to the fight against galamsey. It is very demotivating to everyone who is involved in this" the Media Coalition Against Illegal Mining said. Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini says the Senior Minister must be 'called to order'. He ought to be called to order and the president ought to make a pronouncement...I dont think the president will say he subscribes to what he said. Meanwhile, the office of the Senior Minister has clarified what he said. A post on social media read: What he meant was that the matter of prosecution had been dealt by a court of competent jurisdiction and that Ghanaians should focus on the economic gains of the government and how best we can consolidate the gains. The Akufo-Addo's government is highly committed to the fight against GALAMSEY to the extent of establishing an inter-ministerial committee to deal with the worrying situation. "However, there are pertinent issues we should be looking at as a nation such as creation of employment for our teeming youth, industrialisation, infrastructural deficit, domestic revenue mobilisation, emphasis on technical not gramarian education and how to sustain funding for governments policies and programmes. These were the issues Senior Minister was emphasising instead of limiting the town hall meeting to the discussion of Aisha when the matter had been determined by the court. May God help us! Another post read The simple and straight forward message is that, how long should Ghanaians go on ranting and groaning on this issue of the Chinese woman who has been deported whiles there are huge economic challenges to deal with.. The government is working tirelessly to bring development to the people of Ghana and this issue must not drag us back.. This was the simple logic and explanation provided by the Senior Minister at the forum.. Sadly, some media outlets believe twisted news which they call "bad news" sells and so they latch on it, couch their own understanding and allow discerning minds to rain insults on great people in Ghana who have seen it all and pushed Ghana to the level we found ourselves now... It took the Vice President, as Chair of the EMT, the Senior Minister as Vice Chair, the members of EMT, Ministers of State and others to work towards the growth rate, Ghana exiting from the IMF among other innovative ideas being executed under this regime.. Ghana needs to move forward and no past issues should drag us back.. Let's say no twisted media commentary and move forward as a nation. Development of Ghana is key on the agenda of the President, the Vice President, and the Senior Minister is in full support and working towards that agenda.. May God help our Homeland Ghana.. Happy Easter to all.. Watch Osafo-Maafo below 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 For the first time in 28 years, Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, has a working cinema, the AFP news agency reports. Congolese movie goers were last able to see a film on the big screen in 1991, the year the National Film Board went bankrupt, AFP says. The empty cinemas have since been turned into shops or places of worship, it adds. The new 300-seat cinema was built with money from the Bollore group, a French firm, and includes an outdoor stage for cultural events. "We would like Congolese films to be screened... not just Western films," young Congolese filmmaker Massein Pethas told AFP. Congolese channel Vox TV reported in French on the opening of the new cinema Source: BBC 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 Ashley Wright speaks to reporters Friday, April 19, 2019, in Walterboro, S.C., about her daughter, 10-year-old Raniya Wright, who died two days after a fight in her 5th grade classroom. Authorities say an autopsy found the girl died of natural causes after blood vessels affected by a birth defect ruptured in her brain. The girlAos family says the school fight was more serious than authorities have portrayed it and they still have unanswered questions. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum) 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 Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Home Regional News East 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. Armed forces: Army secures three strategic fronts in Dhalea [19/April/2019] SANAA, April 19 (Saba) - The armed forces on Friday confirmed that the heroes of the army and the popular forces were able to secure three strategic fronts in Dalea province in a qualitative military operation coinciding with the first anniversary of the martyrdom of President al-Samad. The armed forces in a statement obtained by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba) affirmed that the three fronts include the front of Al-Awd, al-Khashabah Front and the front of Hamakk with a total area of 250 square kilometers, covering as well more than 100 villages and dozens of military sites. The attack, which lasted 96 hours, was launched from the strategic camp of Sour towards the Awd Triangle, where the army managed to control the triangle and cut enemy supply lines from Qatuba and Al-Oula to Awd and launch from the Triangle of Oud towards an offensive on enemy positions from three tracks. The first track starts from the Awd Triangle towards the Khamis market, where the supply lines of the enemy were cut off and the market and dozens of sites and villages were secured. The second track starts from the Awd Triangle towards Najd Sinanf and the surrounding sites, where more than 30 sites and villages were secured, especially Awd mount overlooking over a number of areas such as al-Khashabah and al-Nadra, and many areas and sites, he said. He added that the third track was towards the al-Khashabah, where the strategic mountain of Yabar and more than 25 sites and villages, including camps have been secured. The statement confirmed the death and injury of dozens of mercenaries, including leaders during this operation, while some groups are still besieged in addition to the destruction of a number of military vehicles and weapons of mercenaries and the seizing of a large quantity of weapons. The statement pointed out that this operation left a state of confusion and panic among the ranks of mercenaries, indicating that the intelligence confirms that there is an exchange of charges of treason among the ranks of mercenaries, noting that the operation was widely welcomed by citizens. The General Command of the Armed Forces called on those who are still besieged to surrender themselves and their weapons and they will be in safe and can return to their villages. It praised the role of the sheikhs and the citizens and tribes of Dalea in general and the Awd in particular on their stances in support of their brothers in the army and the popular forces to secure and liberate their areas. The General Command of the Armed Forces confirmed its determination to secure the entire territory of the Republic of Yemen. AA Saba A turnout of 66 per cent was recorded in 95 Lok Sabha constituencies across 12 states and a Union Territory on Thursday in the second phase of polling which was marred by stray incidents of violence in West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and EVM glitches in seven states. Srinagar constituency in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the lowest polling at 13. 43 percent while the highest was recorded in Puducherry at 80 per cent. "The preliminary figure for polling percentage in the second phase polls is 66 per cent. It was 69.62 per cent for the second phase polling in 2014," Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha told reporters here. An electorate of 15.7 crore sealed the fate of 1,606 contestants in the fray. Except for some incidents of clashes between stone pelters and security forces, polling ended peacefully in the Srinagar while eliciting overwhelming voter turnout in the Udhampur constituency. Clashes broke out between security forces and stone pelters who tried to disrupt the voting process in Batmaloo area of Srinagar city, Pandach area of Ganderbal district and at four other places in Badgam district in the Srinagar seat, officials said. One civilian and four policemen, including two officers, were injured in these clashes but the security forces said they exercised maximum restraint to ensure that the violence did not overshadow the voting in Srinagar. However, in Udhampur, 66.67 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise, including a newly-married couple who turned up in their wedding finery. Polling in all other places was reportedly peaceful although complaints of glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs) came from several states, briefly halting the electoral process. Over 76 per cent of the electorate, including a 90-year-old woman, cast their votes in the three northern West Bengal constituencies in the second phase in the state, amid several incidents of violence including an attack on CPI-M MP and candidate Mohammad Salim in Raniganj and the smashing of an EVM in a clash inside a polling booth in Darjeeling. Unfazed by the summer heat and dust, voters turned out in large numbers in Karnataka. There was over 67 per cent polling in 14 of the state's 28 parliamentary constituencies, that went to polls in the first phase with the main fight between the ruling Congress-JD-S alliance and the BJP. In Tamil Nadu where people elected 38 of 39 Lok Sabha members -- voting in Vellore has been postponed -- and 18 members to the state Assembly in bypolls, the turnout was 72 per cent. In neighbouring Puducherry's sole Lok Sabha seat, the poll percentage was 80 per cent. After initial dull moments, the voting picked up dramatically in Odisha, which is electing five Lok Sabha and 35 Assembly members, to reach around 64 per cent. In Bihar, 62.52 per cent voting was reported in five of 40 Lok Sabha seats that went to polls in the phase. According to officials, polling was peaceful, save a reported incident of a paramilitary trooper at a polling booth opening fire and clashes between supporters of different parties. People in about a dozen villages in all five constituencies boycotted the elections to protest against lack of development. Uttar Pradesh's voting percentage was 62.3 per cent in all eight constituencies: Mathura, Hathras, Amroha, Agra, Fatehpur-Sikri, Aligarh, Nagina, Bulandshahr. After a dull start, voting zoomed in Maharashtra to elect 10 of the 48 Lok Sabha members to 62 per cent. A voter smashed the EVM while casting his vote in the state's Akola Lok Sabha constituency. The voter, Shrikrishna Ghyare, was taken into custody. The motive behind the action was not immediately known, police said. However, the EC official said that Ghyare had only broken the ballotting unit and the control unit or the VVPAT, placed a foot away with the election officials were safe. In Chhattisgarh, Mahasamund, Rajnandgaon and Kanker, which went to polls on Thursday, recorded nearly 71 percent turnout. Polling was largely peaceful, save in Kanker where an assistant school teacher who was on election duty at Antagarh booth died of cardiac arrest. Maoists made a failed attempt to disrupt polling at Mohla area in Rajnandgaon by triggering an IED blast. In five seats in Assam which went to polls in the second phase, the turnout was 73.32 per cent, and in Manipur, it was 74.3 per cent. Hardik Patel slapped during rally in Surendranagar Congress leader Hardik Patel was on Friday slapped at a public meeting in Surendranagar district in Gujarat by a man who alleged Patel was playing politics with the sentiments of the community. Patel was addressing an election rally described as a 'Jan Aakrosh Sabha' at Baldana village when a man identified as Tarun Gajjar from Kadi town in North Gujarat climbed up the stage and slapped him. An angry Gajjar was heard saying that 14 Patidar youngsters had been killed in 2015 during Hardik Patel's agitation for reservations to the community but now the latter was playing politics over it. Gajjar is a BJP worker and is known to be close to Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. IANS is in possession of a soft copy of an invite sent by Gajjar for a function which was to be attended by Nitin Patel. Gajjar was later overpowered by Congress workers who thrashed him and took him away from the venue of the rally. Hardik Patel, who later lodged a complaint at the Wadhvan police station, said: "This was the handiwork of the BJP, and the party may someday send someone to shoot me but our fight will continue." Patel, who had launched his agitation in 2015, joined the Congress last month and has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, which has allotted him a helicopter to tour Gujarat and hold election rallies. On Thursday, he had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district in central Gujarat when farmer Vinay Patel on whose field the helicopter was to land refused permission on the same reason that Hardik Patel was "playing politics over those killed". Patel later travelled by road to Lunawada, some 100 km from Ahmedabad for his election rally. Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday attacked the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), saying they are scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they caused immense damage to the state during their rule. Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi targeted Modi on a range of issues including jobs and problems faced by farmers. He said the Congress used self-description of Modi as "chowkidar" and people responded to it with "chowkidar chor hai" slogan. "But the leaders of SP and B SP don't utter such words because they are scared of Narendra Modiji. We speak openly. If Narendra Modiji is a thief, then Congress and Rahul Gandhi will openly say in every meeting," he said. "SP, B SP and BJP have done immense damage to Uttar Pradesh. Once UP used to lead other states but these three parties devastated this state," he said, adding that party leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Jyotiraditya Scindia are spreading the ideology of Congress in UP to pave the way for formation of a Congress government in the state in the next Assembly polls. "We shall give such an outstanding government in UP that the whole country will look at it as model," he said. He accused Modi government at the Centre and Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh of not fulfilling their promises. "What has changed during the past five years? Modij had spoken lies to the people and today the reality has come before the people of the country," he said. Gandhi referred to Nyay scheme of the party that seeks to provide Rs 72,000 every year to the poorest 20 per cent of families. He said that 15-30 industralists benefited due to waiver of loans by the government. "The chowkidar took away money from your pockets by bringing in demonetisation and implementing Gabbar Singh Tax and put this money into the pocket of Anil Ambani," he alleged, adding that the Congress will put the money in the pockets of the poor. He accused the government of not arresting economic fugitives like Nirav Modi, Mehul Chowksi and Vijay Mallaya. Gandhi said there are "two Indias", with industrialists not being sent to jail for non-payment of outstanding loans. The Congress government will take a decision that no farmer will be sent to jail on account of non-payment of dues, he said. "We want one India where everyone should treated in same manner and get Nyay," he stressed. Gandhi talked about the Congress promise of filling 22 lakh vacancies in the government sector in one year and said 10 lakh youth can be given employment in panchayats in the country. He said the Congress has also promised that any youth wanting to start business can do so for three years without government permission. "Whosoever creates employment in UP, the government banks would open their gates to him." Referring to Modi making elaborate speeches on national security and nationalism, he said the biggest issue concerning national security is unemployment but the BJP leader does not address it. Gandhi also said that nobody will go scot-free in Rafale deal controversy. "The manner in which swift action was taken for farm loan waiver in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, similar swift action will be taken in the Rafale scam and after due investigation, nobody will be spared. "The moment an investigation is held in the Rafale scam, only the names of two chowkidars will surface -- Anil Ambani and Narendra Modi," he said. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Moscow's interference in 2016 elections did "not establish that members of the (US President Donald) Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities" but left enough ammunition for Democrats to pursue charges that the president tried to interfered with it. The 448-page, two-volume report prepared after 22 months of investigations by Mueller was sent on Thursday to Congress on CD-ROM disks and released online. While it may have quelled allegations of Russian collusion, it dropped several hints that Trump tried to interfere with the investigations, which have the potential of developing into criminal charges of obstruction of justices. The report said that it could neither confirm nor rule out "that no criminal conduct occurred" on the obstruction of justice allegations, explicitly acknowledging that Congress could have jurisdiction over the matter. The report said that Trump had phoned then-White House lawyer Don McGahn and asked him to tell Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein that Mueller was conflicted and should be removed. It added, however, that McGahn refused to do that. Democrats vowed to pursue the obstructions allegations. House of Representatives Judicial Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a Democrat, said he would order Mueller himself to appear before his panel before May 23 to explain his findings. "It is clear Congress and the American people must hear from Special Counsel Robert Mueller in person to better understand his findings," he tweeted. On the focus of the probe, the report said: "While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges". While the report said "the evidence uncovered in the investigation did not establish that the President or those close to him were involved in the charged Russian computer-hacking or active-measure conspiracies, or that the President otherwise had an unlawful relationship with any Russian official", it tantalisingly added: "But the evidence does indicate that a thorough FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) investigation would uncover facts about the campaign and the President personally that the President could have understood to be crimes or that would give rise to personal and political concerns". This seemed to be mainly about the business dealings Trump had in Russia. The report sketched out the Russian meddling in the elections, which started in 2014, in great detail. It detailed Russian military intelligence agency GRU's hacking of e-mails of Democratic Party and it leaders that were leaked to WikiLeaks and sowed dissensions within the party. It also said "the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company with close ties to the Russian government, to sow social discord among American voters through disinformation and social media operations". Mueller's report said, "Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and. worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." The report also gave an inside look at the Trump's inner circle gleaned from officials it interviewed with juicy tidbits like Trump exclaiming after the Mueller inquiry was established, "This is the end of my Presidency. I'm (expletive)". It enumerated ten instances where Trump could have potentially interfered with the Mueller probe through intimidation in the media or attempts to end it or pressuring officials. Before releasing the report, US Attorney General William Barr told reporters that "all Americans can and should be grateful to have confirmed" through Mueller's investigation that the Russian "schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign -- or the knowing assistance of any other Americans for that matter". He blacked out portions of the report because they relate to confidential intelligence matters, to testimony that is secret under the law or to innocent individuals or to ongoing investigations or court cases. He said that he would show Congressional leaders the redacted parts of the report that he legally could. Demanding the release of the report in full, Democratic Senator Kamala Harris tweeted: "Americans deserve the unvarnished truth". "The American people deserve the truth, not a sanitised version of the Mueller Report approved by the Trump Admin", Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted from Ireland, where she is on a visit. In his theatrical style, Trump reacted with tweet of a picture of him like a movie poster proclaiming, "No Collusion. No obstruction. For the haters and the radical left Democrats a Game over", and tweeted on Thursday morning his consistent position on the inquiry: "The Witch Hunt has been a total fraud on your President and the American people! It was brought to you by Dirty Cops, Crooked Hillary and the DNC (Democratic National Committee)". Democrats assailed Barr for holding a news conference before releasing the report. Harris tweeted: "Barr is acting more like Trump's defense attorney than the nation's Attorney General. His press conference was a stunt, filled with political spin and propaganda." During his news conference, Barr defended his controversial decision to not pursue obstruction of justice charges against Trump after Mueller had not come to a conclusion about it and had left it Barr to decide if a prosecution was warranted. Barr said Mueller had looked into ten instances where there could have been interference by Trump to impede the investigation but he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that there was not enough evidence to launch a prosecution. Barr dismissed culpability of the Trump campaign in disseminating emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton that were hacked by Russians and proved embarrassing to the Democratic candidate's campaign. He explained that "publication of these types of materials would not be criminal unless the publisher also participated in the underlying hacking conspiracy" and "the special counsel's report did not find that any person associated with the Trump campaign illegally participated in the dissemination of the materials". This is a defence used by news media in publishing material hacked by others like WikiLeaks -- that they themselves did not break the law by hacking. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- The automotive industry includes a number of companies involved in the conception, design, manufacturing, marketing and sales of automobiles. It is one of the world's most important industries, particularly in countries like Japan, South Korea and Germany. Additive manufacturing, also called 3D printing is a manufacturing technique which uses a process called layering to create products of that material. It was first invented in the 1980's and is beginning to see widespread adoption in the 21st century. 3D printing in the automotive market can be truly transformational in its application. It can be used to print car parts, accessories, create new concept vehicles and even fine-tune vehicles to a customer specific requirement. Until very recently, 3D printing could only be used to print certain parts of the car and was only used for rapid prototyping. Now, it is possible to create an entire vehicle from scratch in less than 2 days! Get Free Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/11445 3D printing in the Automotive Market Drivers One of the main drivers of 3D printing in the automotive market is supply chain optimization. 3D printing dramatically improves market responsiveness of automobile companies to changing customer tastes and preferences. It enables them to produce multiple product variations with very little cost increase. It substantially reduces scrap, material usage and helps manufacturers reduce their carbon footprint. This is absolutely critical for an industry which unfortunately creates too much of both air and noise pollution. Greater pressure put on companies by the government to go green will also spur adoption of 3D printing in the automotive market. Intense competition amongst manufacturers to create lighter, smarter and more fuel efficient vehicles will also play a major role for implementing 3D printing in the automotive market. 3D printing helps companies create customer specific automotive products, which will be key to maintaining their loyalty in the future. 3D printing in the Automotive Market Restraints There are several restraints pertaining to 3D printing in the automotive market with a major one being cost. The automotive industry is capital intensive with substantial investment required for designing, developing, testing and selling automobiles. Hence, companies look to reduce their overheads wherever possible. 3D printers cost millions of dollars for each unit, which can pose a major roadblock to domestic and smaller players in the industry. Another problem is the limited materials used in additive manufacturing. Conventional manufacturing allows automobile companies to experiment with a wide variety of metals and alloys. However, 3D printing has not yet evolved to that level and these materials are also extremely expensive at present. Parts produced through 3D printing in the automotive market sometimes show variability due to thermal stress or other voids. This is a major issue in an industry which needs to mass-produce components with the highest standards of quality and reliability. 3D printing in the Automotive Market Key Regions The largest automotive manufacturers in the world today are China, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Germany and India. The U.S. is currently the largest market for 3D printing in the automotive market due to the oversize presence of Detroit in shaping the global automobile industry in the 21st century. There is also an awareness of new technologies and an eagerness to adopt them. However, the EU and countries like China and India are expected to surpass the U.S. within the next decade because of the reduction in costs, increasing awareness of 3D printing and also a strong focus on automobile manufacturing by the respective governments. Thus, the scope for 3D printing in the automotive market seems very bright indeed. Request For TOC Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/11445 3D printing in the Automotive Market Key Market Players Some of the key players involved in 3D printing in the supply chain market are 3D Systems, Koenigsegg, HP Development Company, Local Motors, Safran Turbomeca, Audi, Blade, Honda, Hankook Tires, Ai Design, Optomec , and Stratasys. 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 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 re-search 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. 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 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Hybrid fabric consists of more than one type of fabric in varying proportions. It offers numerous benefits such as non-corrosiveness and high strength, and is available at a lower cost than carbon fiber. Owing to these characteristics, the hybrid fabric market is estimated to grow exponentially during the forecast period. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hybrid-fabric-market.html The forthcoming Transparency Market Research report offers insights on the current market dynamics and growth opportunities. It analyses the factors driving the market's growth and talks about the probable hindrances in the market. Further, it provides information about the market segmentation and competitive landscape. It also sheds light on the geographical distribution of the global hybrid fabric market. Global Hybrid Fabric Market: Drivers and Restraints Hybrid fabric has properties such as high flexibility, non-conductivity, and low maintenance. This has led to an increase in the use of hybrid fabric in end-use industries such as automotive and transportation, consumer goods, aerospace and defense, and others. This is one of the major driving factors behind the global hybrid fabric market and has led to a tremendous surge in the market. Furthermore, the technological advancements in the hybrid fabric segment are perceived to boost the applications of hybrid fabrics. This will result in an increase in its demand, thus leading to an expansion of the hybrid fabric market. In addition to this, an increasing installation of wind turbines in major countries has led to a rising demand for lightweight materials such as hybrid fabrics. This has further contributed to an expansion of the global hybrid fabric market. In recent times, there has been an increase in large automotive manufacturing leading to a rise in the need for reinforced material. This has caused manufacturers to increase the production of hybrid fabric to meet the growing demand, thereby propelling the hybrid fabric market. Additionally, the grown awareness and use of hybrid fabric in developed countries such as the U.S. and Germany has contributed to the growth of global hybrid fabric market. On the downside, along with the drivers, there are a certain restraining factors that may pose a threat to the market's growth. A high manufacturing cost and labor intensive manufacturing process may hamper the hybrid fabric market. Nonetheless, researchers are working on developing technologies to ease the manufacturing processes and improve the durability of hybrid fabrics. This will result in an improved sustainability and performance, thus contributing to the industry's growth. Such factors are surely expected the actions of most restraints driving in the market. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=62955 Global Hybrid Fabric Market: Geographical Distribution Europe contributes to the highest share in the global hybrid fabric market owing to the presence of automotive industries. A high demand from Germany has also the driven the market's growth in Europe. Asia Pacific is estimated to growth at the highest rate during the forecast period. The growth in this region can be attributed to an increasing demand from end-use industries. China and Japan dominate the market in this region. Global Hybrid Fabric Market: Competitive Analysis Major players in the global hybrid fabric market comprise SGL Group, Hexcel Corporation, Textum Inc., Arrow Technical Textiles Pvt. Ltd., Solvay, Exel Composites, and BGF Industries. These companies are focusing on product innovations to strengthen their position the market. They are also adopting strategies such as collaborations, and mergers and acquisition to increase their revenue shares in the market. Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Automotive Accelerator Pedal Module Market: Introduction Over the past few years, the automotive industry across the globe has significantly suffered to meet stringent emission standards. With rising awareness, governments across the world are forcing automakers and component manufacturers to step towards ecofriendly automobiles. This has led to an increase in the adoption of lightweight components, which reduce the overall weight of vehicles and increase efficiency. Thus, manufacturers are focused on developing lightweight components such as accelerator pedal modules. The accelerator pedal module is a component that uses sensors to detect the amount of pedal depression and transfer the signal to engine ECU. The ECU reflects the driver's intention to accelerate the vehicle. The module accurately controls the engine to reduce exhaust emissions without sacrificing the driving performance. Automotive accelerator pedal modules are available in two different types, suspended pedals and floor mounted pedals. Get Free Exclusive Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1244 Global Automotive Accelerator Pedal Module Market: Dynamics Drivers: The increasing use of sensor-based accelerators is expected to be a major driving factor for the growth of the automotive accelerator module market during the forecast period. Moreover, the increasing demand for accelerator pedal modules from passenger and commercial vehicle OEMs is also anticipated to give traction to the growth of automotive accelerator pedal module market over the forecast period. The growth of the automotive industry will further add to the growth of market in the near future. Increasing focus on emission standards will force automakers to invest more in R&D to develop products that meet stringent emission standards. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the accelerator pedal module market over the forecast period Restraints: Complex design and functional issues are expected to hamper the growth of the automotive accelerator pedal module market over the forecast period. Trends: The shift towards lightweight materials is anticipated to be a latest trend gaining momentum in the automotive accelerator pedal module market over the forecast period. Lightweight materials reduce the overall weight of vehicles, thereby increasing efficiency. Global Automotive Accelerator Pedal Module Market: Regional Outlook Asia Pacific and North America are expected to witness significant growth in the automotive accelerator pedal module market due to estimated growth in the automotive sector in emerging economics, such as the U.S., China and India over the forecast period. Germany is expected to be the leading automotive and automobile market in Western Europe. Hence, the region is estimated to grow with a substantial CAGR during the forecast period, owing to the high demand for automotive accelerator pedal modules in the growing automotive sector in the region. Latin America, in particular, is projected to upkeep the growth of the accelerator pedal module market due to the growing usage of automotive parking heaters in passenger cars and commercial vehicles in the region. Japan is expected to support the growth of the automotive accelerator pedal module market over the forecast period, owing to the increasing number of automotive manufacturers in this region. The MEA region is expected to witness relatively slow market growth as the region accounts for limited new vehicle production. Request TOC of the Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=1244 Global Automotive Accelerator Pedal Module Market: Key Participants Examples of some of the market participants identified across the value chain of the global automotive accelerator pedal module market include: KSR International Co. CTS Corporation Robert Bosch GmbH Denso Corporation ComeSys Ltd. HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA Donghee Rotary Electronics Magna International Mikuni Corporation F-Tech Inc. Buy This Market Research Report @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1244/S 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/ Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- "Big Data" originally emerged as a term to describe datasets whose size is beyond the ability of traditional databases to capture, store, manage and analyze. However, the scope of the term has significantly expanded over the years. Big Data not only refers to the data itself but also a set of technologies that capture, store, manage and analyze large and variable collections of data, to solve complex problems. Key players in details: Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, Amazon Web Services, IBM Corporation, SAP SE, SAS Institute, Dell, Inc, Teradata Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Palantir Technologies, Inc, Cloudera, Inc, Hitachi, Ltd, Guavus, Inc, Microsoft Corporation, Splunk and Others. The worldwide market for Big Data is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly xx% over the next five years, will reach xx million US$ in 2024, from xx million US$ in 2019, according to recent research. Register for free sample copy of this report here: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=34552&mode=BRG10 Big Data market report comprises key factor which can be useful for any new player in the industry. It is possible due to comparative analysis and overview that is provided in the report. By focusing on all the details in the report, it is more than enough for any newcomers entering the industry so that they can get a better knowledge and study the market before making any strategic decision. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with Sales, Sales, revenue, Market Share (%) and Growth Rate (%) of product in these regions, from 2019 to 2025 (forecast), covering United States, North America (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), RoW (Rest of World). To know more about this report: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/global-big-data-market-size-and-forecast-to-2025/?mode=BRG10 Table of Contents: 1 Introduction of Global Big Data Market 2 Executive Summary 3 Research Methodology 4 Global Market outlook 5 Global Big Data Market Overview 6 Global Big Data Market by Type 7 Global Big Data Market by Application 8 Global Market by Geography 9 Global Market Competitive Landscape 10 Company Profiles 11 Appendix Avail Discount for this report at: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=34552&mode=BRG10 About Verified Market Reports Verified Market Reports is part of the Verified Market Research which offers premium reports from over hundreds of top publishers worldwide. It has the most widespread collection of market research reports, analysis & forecast data for businesses and governments. We update and improve our repository routinely to deliver instant online access to the world's most comprehensive and current database of expert insights. Contact Us: sales@verifiedmarketreports.com | +1 (704) 266-3234 New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- The market report, Bopp Laminating Film market uses qualitative and quantitative research techniques to showcase competitive landscape for the forecast period, 2019 - 2026.Besides this, the report further blends in primary and secondary research techniques to assess, interpret, the segment as well as forecast the total revenue generated by the industry across various regions. Business owners/stakeholders can chalk-out expansion plan by leveraging statistics on market share, size, sale volume, growth rate and return over-invest discussed in the study. Most importantly, the study enables business owners to understand and make better business decisions by pinpointing the current demands and needs of the consumers. The collection of data with an aim to offer clarity on consumer behaviour in a particular region where the Bopp Laminating Film market players operate makes the report more valuable. Apart from this, the study evaluates the competitors in a specific country. Another critical aspect that is covered by this literature on Bopp Laminating Film market is the effective assessment of small marketing campaigns. To get Free Sample Report Copy click here @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/35955 The major manufacturers covered in this report: Beijing Kangde Xin, FLEX, IPAK, DEPROSA, GBC, Transilwrap, GMP, COSMO, Mondi, D&K Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering - North America - Europe - China - Japan - Southeast Asia - India The research further holds ample information to enable stakeholders in their decision-making process, especially associated with problem identification, finding the best solutions as well as opportunities in the Bopp Laminating Film market for the forecast period, 2019 to 2026. The study further document marketing benchmarks that a business owner is expected to complete in order to sustain in the highly saturated market. Besides, the marketing efforts and constant improvements introduced to the marketing strategy by major vendors' forms an important part of the study. To Purchase this Report click here @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/35955 The report not only empowers companies and individuals to understand the key characteristics of the target market but also the communication preferences. The audience can get the estimated size according to the number of sales in a specific region. By offering access to insights about the profit margin the study aims at improving the communication between the companies and potential customers. Armed with all required information on the recent development in the competitive landscape such as a joint venture, collaboration, acquisition and merger and product launch the study enables business owners to build a strong profile of their best buyers. In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Bopp Laminating Film are as follows: History Year: 2014-2019 Base Year: 2019 Estimated Year: 2018 Forecast Year: 2019 to 2026 The study objectives of this report are: - To analyse and study the global Bopp Laminating Film capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2014-2019) and forecast (2019-2026); - Focuses on the key Bopp Laminating Film manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future. - Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyse the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis. - To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region. - To analyse the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks. - To analyse the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments. - To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyse their growth strategies. There are 13 Chapters to thoroughly display the Bopp Laminating Film market. This report included the analysis of market overview, market characteristics, industry chain, competition landscape, historical and future data by types, applications and regions. Chapter 1: Bopp Laminating Film Market Overview, Product Overview, Market Segmentation, Market Overview of Regions, Market Dynamics, Limitations, Opportunities and Industry News and Policies. Chapter 2: Bopp Laminating Film Industry Chain Analysis, Upstream Raw Material Suppliers, Major Players, Production Process Analysis, Cost Analysis, Market Channels and Major Downstream Buyers. Chapter 3: Value Analysis, Production, Growth Rate and Price Analysis by Type of Bopp Laminating Film. Chapter 4: Downstream Characteristics, Consumption and Market Share by Application of Bopp Laminating Film. Chapter 5: Production Volume, Price, Gross Margin, and Revenue ($) of Bopp Laminating Film by Regions (2014-2019). Continue Read more @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/bopp-laminating-film-market About MarketExpertz Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges. Contact Us: John Watson Head of Business Development Market Expertz | Web: www.marketexpertz.com Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052 E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com News: www.marketexpertz.com/market-news Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has recently updated its massive report catalog by adding a fresh study titled "Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Opportunity Assessment till 2028". This business intelligence study encapsulates vital details about the market current as well as future status during the mentioned forecast period of 2028. The report also targets important facets such as market drivers, challenges, latest trends, and opportunities associated with a growth of manufacturers in the global market for Brain Monitoring Systems. Along with these insights, the report provides the readers with crucial insights on the strategies implemented by leading companies to remain in the lead of this competitive market. The report features unique and salient factors that may have a huge impact on the development of the Brain Monitoring Systems market during the forecast period. It can help the players to modify their manufacturing and marketing strategies to envisage maximum growth in the Brain Monitoring Systems market in the upcoming years. The report provides detailed information about the current and future growth prospects of the brain monitoring systems market in the most comprehensive way for the better understanding of readers. To Get Sample Copy of Report, Click here @ https://www.mrrse.com/sample/19047 Chapter 1 Executive Summary The report commences with the executive summary of the Brain Monitoring Systems market, which includes the summary of key findings and key statistics of the market. It also includes the market value (US$ million) estimates of the leading segments of the Brain Monitoring Systems market. Chapter 2 Market Introduction Readers can find detailed taxonomy and definition of the brain monitoring systems market in this chapter, which will help readers to understand the basic information about the Brain Monitoring Systems market. Chapter 3 Market Opportunity Analysis This chapter explains the key macro-economic factors that are expected to influence the growth of the brain monitoring systems market over the forecast period. Along with macroeconomic factors, this section also highlights the opportunity analysis for the brain monitoring systems market. It helps readers understand the market opportunity, based on which they can plan their strategies. Chapter 4 Market Background This chapter highlights the key dynamics of the brain monitoring systems market, which include the drivers, restraints and trends. The supply-side drivers as well as the demand-side drivers of the brain monitoring systems market are explained well in this chapter. This chapter is expected to enable readers to understand the factors that are propelling the brain monitoring systems market, as well as those that are likely to hamper the growth of the brain monitoring systems market. Moreover, readers will understand the key trends followed by the leading manufacturers in the brain monitoring systems market. Chapter 5 Global Economic Outlook This section highlights the healthcare spending of the top countries in each region. This section also explains the global and regional healthcare market outlook. The regional healthcare market focuses is analyzed in depth to assess the political, economic and business environment outlook of the respective region. Chapter 6 Key Inclusions This chapter highlights the key inclusions of brain monitoring systems market report, which include regional pricing analysis, installed base scenario by region, regulatory guidelines and list of manufacturers. Chapter 7 North America Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 This chapter includes detailed analysis of the growth of the North America Brain Monitoring Systems market along with country-wise assessment including the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, regulations, and market growth based on product type, end user, modality and countries in the North America market. Chapter 8 Latin America Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 Readers can find detailed information about factors such as, incremental opportunity, Y-O-Y growth and regional trends that are impacting the growth of the Latin America Brain Monitoring Systems market. This chapter also includes the growth prospects of the Brain Monitoring Systems market in leading LATAM countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Rest of Latin America. Chapter 9 Western Europe Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 Important growth prospects of the Brain Monitoring Systems market based on its product types, end user, and modality in several West European countries, such as EU4, Spain and Rest of Western Europe are included in this chapter. Chapter 10 Eastern Europe Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 A detailed information about factors such as, incremental opportunity, Y-O-Y growth and regional trends that are impacting the growth of the Eastern Europe Brain Monitoring Systems market. This chapter also includes the growth prospects of the brain monitoring systems market in leading Eastern European countries such as Russia, Mexico and Eastern Europe. Chapter 11 Asia Pacific excluding China and Japan Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 India, Australia and New Zealand are the leading countries in the APECJ region that are the prime subject of assessment to obtain growth prospects of the APECJ Brain Monitoring Systems market in this chapter. Readers can find thorough information about the growth parameters of the APECJ Brain Monitoring Systems market during the period 2018-2026. Chapter 12 China Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 Important parameters which provides huge impact on the growth of the brain monitoring systems market in China based on the market segmentation, during the forecast period. This chapter also provides the overview of drivers, restraints, and trends in the china brain monitoring systems market. Chapter 13 Japan Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 Readers can find important factors that can make a huge impact on the growth of the Brain Monitoring Systems market in Japan based on the market segmentation, during the forecast period. Readers can find thorough information about the growth parameters of the Japan brain monitoring systems market during the period 2018-2026. Browse Complete Report with TOC @ https://www.mrrse.com/brain-monitoring-systems-market Chapter 14 MEA Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 Important growth prospects of the brain monitoring systems market based on its product types, end user, and modality in several West European countries, such as GCC Countries, South Africa and Rest of MEA is included in this chapter. Chapter 15 Forecast Factors: Relevance and Impact This chapter highlights the key factors taken into consideration which forecasting the market value of the global brain monitoring systems market. The impact of this forecast factor in different regions is also mentioned in this chapter. Chapter 16 Forecast Assumptions This section provides the relevant factors and their impact on the market, which were taken into consideration to build the market for the current year 2017 and make the market forecast (20182028). It will help the readers to be more informative and know which factors play key role in shaping the present and future of the market. Chapter 17 Market Structure Analysis This section explains the tier structure of the global brain monitoring systems market, which helps readers understand the percent share of the market based on the tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 players in the brain monitoring systems market. This section also explains the company share analysis for the brain monitoring systems market, which helps readers understand the market share held by the key players of the Brain Monitoring Systems market. Chapter 18 Competition Analysis In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of all the leading stakeholders in the brain monitoring systems market along with detailed information about each company, including company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments. The players featured in the report include Nihon Kohden Corporation., Electrical Geodesics, Inc. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.), Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Hitachi Ltd Natus Medical Incorporated, Medtronic plc. Compumedics Ltd, Neurosoft, EB Neuro S.p.A, and Ricoh Company Ltd, among others. Chapter 19 Global Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028, By Region This chapter explains how the Brain Monitoring Systems market will grow across various geographic regions such as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APECJ), China, Japan and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). Chapter 20 Global Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028, By Product Type Based on the product type, the Brain Monitoring Systems market is segmented into Based on product type, the brain monitoring systems market is segmented into fNIRS, EEG Systems, MEG Systems, and MRI Systems and other brain monitoring systems. In this chapter, readers can find a detailed analysis of the brain monitoring systems market by different product types and their expected growth over the forecast period. Chapter 21 Global Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028, By Modality Based on the Modality, the Brain Monitoring Systems market is segmented as can be classified into portable/handheld systems and standalone systems. This section helps readers understand the penetration of different modality in the brain monitoring systems market over the forecast period. Chapter 22 Global Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 2013-2017 & Opportunity Assessment 2018-2028, By End User Based on the end use, the global brain monitoring systems can be classified into portable/handheld systems and standalone systems. In this chapter, readers can understand the market attractive analysis based on the end user. Chapter 23 Global Brain Monitoring Systems Market Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182028 This section explain the global market analysis and forecast for the brain monitoring systems market. It also highlights the incremental opportunity for the brain monitoring systems market along with the absolute dollar opportunity for every year between the forecast periods of 2018-2028. Chapter 24 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the report. Chapter 25 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers to understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, important qualitative information, and quantitative information about the brain monitoring systems market. Enquire about this Report @ https://www.mrrse.com/enquiry/19047 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. MRRSE's 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 Us State Tower 90, State Street Suite 700 Albany, NY - 12207 United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559 Email: sales@mrrse.com Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Transparency Market Research (TMR) has published a new report titled, "Cast saw devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20182026". According to the report, the global cast saw devices market was valued at US$ 150 Mn in 2017. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4% from 2018 to 2026. The report suggests that growing burden of osteoporosis and rise in incidence of non-fatal injuries are anticipated to boost the global cast saw devices market from 2018 to 2026. North America and Europe are expected to dominate the global cast saw devices market in the next few years, owing to new product launches, demand for technologically advanced cast saw devices, and prominent surgery rate in these regions. They also enter into distribution agreements to strengthen their footprint across the globe. Key distributors include Atlas International, a distributor for cast removal device manufacturers, such as Stryker, Oscimed SA, Hebu Medical, and De Soutter Medical, in the U.S. McArthur Medical Sales, Inc. is the sole distributor for BSN Cast Removal product line in Canada. In Asia Pacific, players such as BSN medical (acquired by Essity Aktiebolag) and De Soutter Medical sell their cast removal products either directly or through distributors, or other players. In markets such as India, Australia, and New Zealand, BSN medical sells its products through its own sales force. BSN medical also acts as a distributor for De Soutter cast saws, such as CC4 cast saw. De Soutter Medical sells its products including CC4 and CC5 cast saws in countries such as Australia through distributors such as Smith & Nephew. Oscimed SA sells its products in Japan through its distributor, Muranaka Medical Instruments Ltd. Request a PDF Sample - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=53604 Electric saw without vacuum segment to expand at significant growth rate The report offers detailed segmentation of the global cast saw devices market. Based on saw type, the electric saw without vacuum segment is likely to expand at a significant growth rate during the forecast period. Expansion of the electric saw without vacuum segment can be attributed to the utility as well as cost associated with the device, which is significantly lower, as compared to that of the other saw types. The battery operated saw segment held relatively minor share of the market in 2017. It is anticipated to lose market share by the end of 2026, due to rise in demand for electric saw with vacuum cast saw devices. Fiberglass cast removal segment to expand rapidly In terms of application, the fiberglass cast removal segment is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. This segment is likely to exhibit significant market attractiveness in the near future. Expansion of the fiberglass cast removal segment is attributed to the increasing preference for fiberglass cast over traditional plaster of Paris cast among patients as well as doctors and orthopedic cast technicians. Hospitals segment held lion's share In terms of end-user, the global cast saw devices market has been divided into hospitals, clinics, and ambulatory surgery centers. The hospitals segment held a notable share of the market in 2017, as most trauma cases and those related to fractures are handled by hospitals. Additionally, increasing investments in hospitals across the globe is expected to further boost the segment during the forecast period. Clinics is anticipated to be the second-most lucrative segment and is expected to exhibit a significant attractiveness index during the forecast period. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=53604 Asia Pacific market to be driven by rise of geriatric population in China and India In terms of revenue, North America dominated the global cast saw devices market in 2017. The cast saw devices market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a considerable pace during the forecast period. Major factors attributed to the large demand for cast saw devices in Asia Pacific are high frequency of road accidents and injuries and ever-growing population in South Asia and China. According to the Australian Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics, there were an estimated 5.08 deaths per 100,000 due to road accidents in 2015. Japan recorded an increase in number of deaths due to road accidents, around 4,117 deaths in 2015; as reported by the National Police Agency of Japan. BSN medical and Stryker Corporation dominated the market The report also provides profiles of leading players operating in the global cast saw devices market. The cast saw devices market is largely consolidated, with top two players accounting for around 50% market share. Market players such as BSN medical and Stryker Corporation dominate the global cast saw devices market. BSN medical (acquired by Esssity) accounted for a prominent share at of the market, in terms of value and volume, in 2017. The company dominated the market due to its wide product portfolio and extensive presence in diverse geographies. The company sells its products through its own salesforce in major markets and through distributors in select geographies. Stryker Corporation followed BSN medical, in terms of share of the cast saw devices market, in terms of value. Other players such as De Soutter Medical, HEBU Medical, OSCIMED SA, and smaller regional players with presence in select regions accounted for the remaining share (value and volume) of the global cast saw devices market. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease affecting humans and animals caused by parasitic protozoan belonging to the plasmodium family. Malaria is typically transmitted from human to human through the bite of an infected Anopheles (female) mosquito. Symptoms of malaria include fever, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhea, anemia, and vomiting. Severe malaria can cause yellow skin, seizures, coma, or death. Cerebral malaria is a form of severe malaria. Cerebral malaria has high mortality rate and can cause various complications in the neurology. Cerebral malaria causes CNS manifestations which includes any degree of impaired consciousness, abnormal neurological signs, delirium, and focal and generalized convulsions. Causes of neurological manifestations in cerebral malaria are due to high-grade fever, anti-malarial drugs, hypoglycemia, hyponatremia, and severe anemia. Patients of cerebral malaria exhibit symptoms such as nystagmus, seizures, or fall into coma. Artemisinin derivatives are used for the treatment of cerebral malaria in children. The global Cerebral Malaria Therapeutics Market has been segmented based on drug class, distribution channel, and region. In terms of drug class, the market has been categorized into anti-malarial, tetracycline antibiotics, anti-rheumatics, anti-arrhythmics, and analgesics & pain relievers. The anti-malarial segment holds the largest share of the cerebral malaria therapeutics market due to increasing incidence of malaria globally. The tetracycline antibodies segment is likely to witness high growth in the next few years driven by effective treatment/killing of the parasite causing malaria. Based on distribution channel, the market has been classified into hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, drug store, online pharmacies, and others. The hospitals pharmacies segment held the largest share of the market due to easy access for outpatient department (OPD) patients to buy medicines. Online pharmacies are likely to witness lucrative growth during the forecast period due to increasing online purchase by patients and various discounts offered by online stores. Request to View Brochure of Report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=20519 Geographically, the cerebral malaria therapeutics market has been segmented into five major regions: North America (U.S. and Canada), Europe (Germany, France, U.K., etc.), Asia Pacific (Australia, China, Japan, India, etc.), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, etc.), and Middle East &Africa (GCC Countries, South Africa, etc.). North America is the leading market for cerebral malaria therapeutics drugs in terms of revenue, followed by Europe. The U.S. holds the largest share of the market in the region. Asia Pacific and Latin America are emerging markets, which are expected to witness strong growth during the forecast period from 2016 to 2014. Strong growth in these regions is attributed to increasing incidence of malaria, rising health care industries, and increase in government investment to develop health care infrastructure. The cerebral malaria therapeutics market in countries such as China, India, and Brazil is projected to expand at high growth rate during the forecast period due to increase in awareness among the population about malaria disease and its treatment. Other factors that drive the cerebral malaria therapeutics market are rising prevalence of cerebral malaria, increasing novel drug treatment, convenience of direct purchase, affordability of drugs, high adoption and acceptance in developing markets, and innovations and developments in drugs. The market is also experiencing certain restraints such as stiff competition among existing players, high possibilities of substance abuse and addiction, complications and severity involved in taking wrong medications due to misdiagnosis or incorrect self-diagnosis, and lack of awareness among the rural population in developing and underdeveloped economies. Request to View ToC of the report https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=20519 Major players operating in the cerebral malaria therapeutics market include Quepharma, Cipla, Inc., Ipca Laboratories Ltd., Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Guilin Pharmaceutical (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., Novartis AG, Mylan Labs, Ajanta Pharma, Sanofi, and Astra Zeneca plc. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Arecent study published by FMI states that the companion animal vaccine market is likely to register an attractive CAGR of 6.8% in terms of revenue during the forecast period 2018-2026. The companion animal vaccines market is likely to witness significant growth in developed markets by 2018 due to the increasing awareness regarding various infectious diseases that affect pet animals. The easier availability of vaccines and diagnosis of diseases spreading patterns are creating attractive demand opportunities in Asian markets. The FMI study covers the entire macroeconomic and microeconomic spectrum influencing the companion animal vaccines market. Request to Download the Sample of This Report, please: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1427 Routine vaccine programs for companion animals have eliminated some of the chronic scourges from developed countries. The improved focused on vaccination campaigns and the higher awareness regarding pet care are fuelling the demand for companion animal vaccines. Attenuated live vaccines is, by far, the largest revenue generating segment, accounting for over half the revenue generated across the globe due to faster action and lower number of required doses. To boost the sales as well as benefits of vaccination, leading vaccine manufacturers are trying to improve vaccine quality by minimizing vaccine load. The industry is witnessing a phase of consolidation in order to set up a technically-superior facility and remain competitive. The companion animal vaccine market in APEJ is expected to witness significant growth due to the increasing awareness and increasing focus towards the adoption of pets, inspired by western countries. In developed countries, there is an increasing tendency to vaccinate pets so as to induce "herd immunity". In this regard, more and more companion animals are being brought under the coverage of at least the core vaccines. Further, re-emerging concept of 'One Health' has also impacted on the field of vaccinology especially the management of infectious diseases through the collaborative interaction of agents involved and provide a rational and cost-effective solution. This aims at provision of at least core vaccines to companion animals across the involved countries. It has been worth noting the animal health industry is one of the most lucrative revenue generating industries as well as innovative too. The route map of the animal health industry is innovative too "Prevent Treat End". The industry is said to have invested US$ 960 Mn in research and development in the US in 2016. Authorities have reportedly noted that administration of adequate companion animal vaccines keep families safe from health issues. The largest exported of animal biologics is the U.S. accounting for over 40% of total global exports. In such a scenario, manufacturers of animal biologics in the U.S. and other developed EU markets are facing a windfall in demand generation. Request to Browse Report Customization @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-1427 Industry players are on a consolidation spree to remain profitable and sustain profits in the long run. Manufacturers of companion animal vaccines are also emphasizing on collaborative manufacturing in the absence of direct manufacturing presence to grab a greater share in high potential untapped markets such as China and Africa. The Japan-based animal healthcare company, Sumitomo Corp., revealed plans to market vaccines in China in November 2015 through an undisclosed investment in a leading local Chinese drug manufacturer. The company is currently in discussions regarding the establishment of a local vaccine production set up. Further, support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Japan could aid regional expansion in other Asian economies. These type of collaborations are new and could actually boost local manufacturing presence in less developed economies of Asia. External partnerships in research and development and provision of funding are shaping the development of the companion animal vaccines market. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global Contact Center Market 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 Contact Center Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Teleperformance, Alorica, Convergys, Atento S.A, Sykes Enterprises, Arvato, Serco Group, Acticall (Sitel), Transcom, TeleTech, Concentrix (SYNNEX), HKT Teleservices & Comdata Group. Contact Center Market Overview: If you are involved in the Contact Center 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 Telecommunication, BFSI, Government and Public Sector, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Retail and Consumer Goods, On-Premise Type & Cloud-based Type 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. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1770682-global-contact-center-market-16 Contact Center 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. 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: On-Premise Type & Cloud-based Type Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Telecommunication, BFSI, Government and Public Sector, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Retail and Consumer Goods Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Teleperformance, Alorica, Convergys, Atento S.A, Sykes Enterprises, Arvato, Serco Group, Acticall (Sitel), Transcom, TeleTech, Concentrix (SYNNEX), HKT Teleservices & Comdata Group You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1770682-global-contact-center-market-16 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 Contact Center 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1770682 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 Contact Center 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 Contact Center market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1770682-global-contact-center-market-16 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Contact Center market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Contact Center market, Applications [Telecommunication, BFSI, Government and Public Sector, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Retail and Consumer Goods], Market Segment by Regions North America Country (United States, Canada), South America, Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea), Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy) & Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC); 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 regional segmentation[North America Country (United States, Canada), South America, Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea), Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy) & Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC) ], 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 Contact Center 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) -- 04/19/2019 -- The television and broadcasting sector has been undergoing significant technological and structural changes, which have given consumers access to a great variety of broadcasting services. The existing Analogue TV Transmitters in world serve about 66% of world population. Constrained by limited frequency capacity, the analogue terrestrial television platform needed a new & more efficient transmission system to meet the demands of the future and to allow for the launch of new services. Whole world has adopted DVB Standard for its digitalization of terrestrial network. In today's growing market for electronic devices, Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) with advanced video and audio features are in constant demand. High definition video quality and voice clarity are a few of the major parameters that are needed for new Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) broadcasting allows the transmission of about 10 or more digital services in a single frequency channel, depending on the technical parameters used and the quality of services desired. For More Info, Get Sample Report Here: https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/12008 - Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market: Drivers and Challenges The major growth drivers of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market include increasing demand of smart TVs and recent technological advancements in telecom and broadcast industry. In addition, Growth of smart residential properties will drive the growth of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market. Increasing penetration of internet has led to growth of the Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) across the globe. Worldwide financial uncertainty and macroeconomic situations such as currency exchange rates and economic difficulties are some of the major factors which are hindering the growth of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Market. - Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market: Segmentation Global Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Market can be segmented as: Segmentation on the basis of By Channel: On the basis of product type Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market is segmented into audio standard definition channel and video high definition channel. Segmentation on the basis of end-user: Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) are widely used in residential and commercial. Residential segment is becoming the prominent segment in global Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market. - Competition Landscape Key contracts Key Contracts in Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market are as: - In September 2015, Intelsat S.A., United States based communications satellite services provider entered into partnership with Sentech, a South Africa based broadcasting signal distributor. In order to Delivers Direct-to Home and Digital Terrestrial Television Services. Key Players Some of the major players in Global Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) Market are Humax Co., Ltd., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Kaonmedia Co., Ltd., Technicolor SA, ADB (Advanced Digital Broadcast) SA, Sagemcom SAS, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., ARRIS Group, Inc., EchoStar Corporation, Intelsat S.A., Sentech and others. Get Complete TOC and List of Figures of the Report at: https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/12008 - Regional Overview North America is holding the largest market share for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market due to adaptation in residential segment. Due to increasing demand for HD video channels Asia Pacific will hold maximum market share for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) in near future. Europe is fastest growing market for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). Sturdy economic progress, driving the growth of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market in MEA region. The Demand for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market has risen dramatically over the past 18 months globally. The report covers exhaustive analysis on: - Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market Segments - Market Dynamics of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market - Historical Actual Market Size, 2012 - 2016 - Market Size & Forecast 2017 to 2027 - Value Chain of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market - Market Current Trends/Issues/Challenges - Competition & Companies involved - Market Drivers and Restraints Regional analysis for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) market includes development of these systems in the following regions: - North America - Latin America - Eastern Europe - Western Europe - Asia Pacific - Japan - Middle East and Africa 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. About MarketResearchReports.biz MarketResearchReports.biz is a seller of syndicated market studies, featuring an exhaustive collection of research reports from leading international publishers. Our repository is diverse, spanning virtually every industrial sector and even more every category and sub-category within the industry. We also provide consulting services to enable our clients have a dynamic business perspective. Contact Us State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Toll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-Canada) Tel: +1-518-621-2074 Email: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Pune, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- This report studies the Duty-Free Retailing market. Duty-free shops (or stores) are retail outlets that are exempt from the payment of certain local or national taxes and duties, on the requirement that the goods sold will be sold to travelers who will take them out of the country. Which products can be sold duty-free vary by jurisdiction, as well as how they can be sold, and the process of calculating the duty or refunding the duty component. Key players in details: Dufry, Lagardere Travel Retail, Lotte Duty Free, LVMH, Aer Rianta International (ARI), China Duty Free Group, Dubai Duty Free, Duty Free Americas, Gebr. Heinemann, JR/Group (James Richardson), King Power International Group (Thailand), The Shilla Duty Free and Others. The worldwide market for Duty Free Retailing is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly xx% over the next five years, will reach xx million US$ in 2024, from xx million US$ in 2019, according to recent research. For More information Register free sample copy of this report here: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/download-sample/?rid=46688&mode=BRG10 Market is segmented on the basis Type, Application and Region: Global Duty Free Retailing Market segment by type: Perfumes, Cosmetics, Alcohol, Cigarettes, Others. Global Duty Free Retailing Market Segment by Applications: Airports, Onboard Aircraft, Seaports, Train Stations, Others. Scope of the Report: Asia Pacific ranks the top in terms of global market size of Duty-Free Retailing, it consists of 26.1% of the international market in 2016. North America comes the second, with 22.4% of the global market. Middle East and Africa together consist of 16.2% of the Duty-Free Retailing market in the same year. Dufry ranks the first in terms of revenue share in Global market of Duty-Free Retailing, occupies 22.29% of market share in 2016; While, Lotte Duty Free, with a market share of 12.07%, comes the second; All the other manufacturers which are not included in the report together only consist of approximately 5.60% of the global market in 2016. Duty Free Retailing Market report comprises key factor which can be useful for any new player in the industry. It is possible due to comparative analysis and overview that is provided in the report. By focusing on all the details in the report, it is more than enough for any newcomers entering the industry so that they can get a better knowledge and study the market before making any strategic decision. To know more about this report: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/product/global-duty-free-retailing-market-2019-by-company-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2024/?mode=BRG10 Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with Sales, Sales, revenue, Market Share (%) and Growth Rate (%) of product in these regions, from 2017 to 2024 (forecast), covering United States, North America (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), RoW (Rest of World). There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Duty Free Retailing market: Chapter 1, to describe Duty Free Retailing Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Duty Free Retailing, with sales, revenue, and price of Duty Free Retailing Market, in 2016 and 2017; Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017; Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Duty Free Retailing, for each region, from 2013 to 2019; Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the Duty Free Retailing Market by countries, by type, by application and by manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions; Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2013 to 2019; Chapter 12, Duty Free Retailing market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2019 to 2024; Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Duty Free Retailing Market sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source Avail Discount for this report at: https://www.verifiedmarketreports.com/ask-for-discount/?rid=46688&mode=BRG10 About Verified Market Reports Verified Market Reports is part of the Verified Market Research which offers premium reports from over hundreds of top publishers worldwide. It has the most widespread collection of market research reports, analysis & forecast data for businesses and governments. We update and improve our repository routinely to deliver instant online access to the world's most comprehensive and current database of expert insights. Contact Us: sales@verifiedmarketreports.com | +1 (704) 266-3234 New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2019 -- Growing number of disorder and medical conditions are requiring precise measurement of body temperature for deciding the treatment options. Diseases such as swine flu, dengue, and malaria can be diagnosed primarily by observing body temperatures is expected to boost the demand for the electronic medical thermometer. It is important to take accurate body temperature. Nowadays accurate and cost-effective alternatives thermometers are available over mercury-based thermometers. The electronic medical thermometer is the technologically advanced measurement option available over mercury-based thermometers to measure body temperature. Electronic thermometers provide quicker, more appropriate measurements and also eliminate the environmental hazards associated with mercury. Probe and ear electronic thermometer are the most common type of electronic thermometer. Many governments worldwide have banned or reduced the use of mercury thermometer. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are taken regulatory steps that would limit the use of the mercury-based products. Restriction for the use of the mercury-based thermometer is fueling the higher adoption of the newer range of electronic medical thermometer. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/24124 Increasing healthcare expenditure, lifestyle changes and healthcare awareness among general population will boost the growth of electronic medical thermometer market. The medical application such as pediatric monitoring, continuous physical parameter monitoring for pregnant women and patient for under emergency is the high demand area for electronic medical thermometer market. Increasing awareness regarding fitness is one of the key drivers for electronic medical thermometer market. High adoption of gadgets for measurement of body parameters at home will provide the high growth opportunity for electronic medical thermometer market. Increasing prevalence of diseases such as malaria and dengue is also increasing the demand for electronic medical thermometer market. Increasing demand for electronic medical thermometer over mercury thermometer will boost the demand of electronic medical thermometer. The global electronic medical thermometer market is segmented on basis of measurement point, product type, end user and region: Segmentation by Measurement Point Anal Ear Forehead Oral Axillary Ambeint Segmentation by Product Type Disposable Thermometer Basal Thermometer Continuous Monitoring Thermometer Wireless Thermometer Others Segmentation by End User Hospitals Clinics Home Care Settings It is important to take accurate body temperatures in emergency medical condition and critical care condition. A large number of the new electronic medical thermometer is available in the market. Wireless electronic medical thermometer and continuous electric monitoring thermometer demand are expected to boost in the future with high adoption of technology advanced physical parameter monitoring devices. Increasing uses of noncontact electronic medical thermometer such as an infrared thermometer will fuel the growth of electronic medical thermometer market. Regionally, the global electronic medical thermometer market is segmented into six key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding China, China, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to lead the global market owing to high awareness among people regarding regular physical parameter monitoring. Europe also shows the second largest market in the electronic medical thermometer market due to lifestyle changes and adoption of the technologically advanced medical device for home-based care. The electronic medical thermometer market in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness significant growth rate in coming years due to increasing prevalence of disorders such as malaria, dengue, and swine flu. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC)@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/24124 Some of the players operating in the global electronic medical thermometer market are Omron Healthcare Inc., Terumo Corporation Inc., Exergen Corporation, 3M Company, Citizen Systems, Innovo Medical, Amico Corporation, Besco Medical, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Fairhaven Health, LLC, Radiant Innovation Inc., Contec Medical Systems, Eocene Systems and other. Electronic medical thermometer industry is accomplished with the larger number of small players operating in different regions. Maharashtra, India -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Nano Paints Market trends and opportunities 2019-2023 The Global Nano Paints Market report encloses vital statistical data of sales and revenue based on leading segment such as type, regions, applications, technology, and elite players in the global Nano Paints industry. The report aims at historical (2013-2018) occurrences, talks about the present status of the industry and also provides valuable forecast information up to 2023. A comprehensive analysis of contemporary trends, demand spectrum, growth rate, and key region-wise Nano Paints market exploration has also been embodied in this report. There are speculations about Global Nano Paints Market to strongly dominate the global economy with a substantial growth rate in the coming years. Promptly developing industry infrastructure, increased product commercialization, and drifting demands of the Nano Paints are strengthening Nano Paints industry's footholds to become more influential and significantly contribute in international revenue generation. Look insights of Nano Paints market research report With 30 mins free consultation! @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/request_sample/441403 The Global Nano Paints Market studies based on the company profiles and regions as follows: Leading Vendors , BASF SE, Akzo Nobel, Beckers Group, PPG Industries, Valspar, Evonik, Buhler GmbH, Wacker Chemie, DuPont, Henkel Corporation, Yung Chi Paint & Varnish, Dura Coat Products, Nanovere Technologies, I-CanNano, CG2 NanoCoatings, Tesla NanoCoatings, , Market Analysis by Types: Nano-SiO2 Nano Silver Nano-TiO2 Nano-ZNO Industry Segmentation Healthcare Aerospace Marine Industry Electronics Construction Market segmentation by Zone: North America (USA, Canada, Mexico) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Russia, etc.) South America (Brazil, Argentina, etc.) Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Iran etc.) Africa (Egypt, South Africa, etc.) Furthermore, the report provides the core knowledge of the market by analyzing end user's consumption tendency, Nano Paints market driving factors, ever-changing market dynamics, and rising development patterns in the market. Besides, the report focuses on the leading contenders in the Nano Paints industry and delivers an all-inclusive analysis considering their market share, production capacity, value chain analysis, size, sales and distribution network, import/export activities, cost structure, and product specification. Due to the changes in world business policies, it is recommended to be always aware of the facts and data about this market. Read Full Report with TOC @ https://www.reportsmonitor.com/report/441403/Nano-Paints-Market The objectives of the Market Research Explore report on the Global Nano Paints Market are: To study, analyze and forecast the Global Nano Paints Market by segmenting it based on types, application, inventions, time-based performance, and end user. The report by Market Research Explore analyzes various macro and microeconomic factors impacting the Global Nano Paints Market. To come up with insights into the major factors affecting the global Nano Paints Market around the world such as Its drivers, hurdles, opportunities, and challenges. To notify about the dominant players along with their strategies, products/services, research, and development plans. Conclusively, the report helps a reader to get an absolute understanding of the Nano Paints industry through details about the market projection, competitive scenario, industry environment, growth constraining factors, limitations, entry barriers, the provincial regulatory framework as well as upcoming market investment and opportunities, challenges and other growth promoting factors. This report will provide you a clear view of each and every fact of the market without a need to refer any other research report or a data source. Our report will provide you with all the facts about the past, present, and future of the concerned Market. For more information regarding Nano Paints market, Contact Us @ sales@reportsmonitor.com Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Overview Gas pipeline infrastructure helps in transporting a gas via a system of pipes to the destination for consumption. It is the most cost-effective to transport the gas through land at the destination that are far away. It is massively used in onshore as well as offshore sectors. DOWNLOAD FREE PDF BROCHURE @ http://bit.ly/2KNW5ak Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Growth Factors Paradigm shift toward clean energy sources along with massive penetration of natural gas across myriad sectors such as power generation, chemical, manufacturing and residential & commercial will accelerate the gas pipeline infrastructure market growth. With renewable energy and energy conservation becoming catch phrases of the twenty-first century, governments across the globe are enforcing stringent regulations for curbing GHG emissions and this will proliferate market demand in the coming years. In addition, decommissioning of existing gas transportation routes along with high government funding for replacing it with effective conduits will augment the business space. Burgeoning demand for hydrocarbons as a result of rapidly inflating population will further drive the market trends in the ensuing years. Rapid urbanization witness across the globe is anticipated to favorably impact the business environment in the forthcoming years. Exploration of shale gas reserves along with immense potential of numerous untapped oil & gas reservoirs across the globe will propel gas pipeline infrastructure market trends in the near future. Recovery of oil & gas costs coupled with massive focus on exploration & production activities across countries with abundant shale reserves will improve the industry frame of reference. Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Segmentation The global gas pipeline infrastructure market can be classified based on application, operation, equipment, and diameter. On the basis of application, the market is sectored into onshore and offshore applications. Based on the operation, the market is segmented into transmission and distribution. Equipment wise, the market is divided into pipeline, valves, and compressor station. Diameter wise, the gas pipeline infrastructure market is divided into less than 16 inch, ranging between 17 to 24 inches, 25-36 inches, and more than 36 inches. Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Regional Analysis Based on regions, the global gas pipeline infrastructure market can be divided into five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Massive rise in the gas connected end-users coupled with upgradation of unreliable conduit systems is likely to boost the growth of gas pipeline infrastructure market in the countries such as the U.S. and Mexico of North America. Mexico gas pipeline infrastructure market is anticipated to surge over the coming years, subject to large gas exports via national pipeline. Middle East & African market is predicted to witness a lucrative growth in the coming years with countries such as Iran contributing massively towards the regional market share in the coming years after UN lifted sanction on the country. Massive exploration & production activities in newly discovered oil fields in the Middle East region will steer the market growth in MEA in the near future. Get FREE Sample Research Report @ http://bit.ly/2XlCgbB Massive gas demand in the countries such as India and China as a result of rising population will contribute notably towards Asia Pacific gas pipeline infrastructure market size in the years to come. In addition, Latin America and Europe are anticipated to be lucrative business destinations in the near future. Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Competitive Players Some of key players in as pipeline infrastructure market are Enbridge, Europipe, Gazprom, CRC Evans Pipeline, APA Group, Snam Rete, General Electric, Redexis, Technip, Saipem, MRC Global, DCP Midstream, Chelpipe, Welspun, Engas, National Oilwell Varco, GAIL and Perusahaan Gas Negara. Global Gas Pipeline Infrastructure Market: Regional Segment Analysis North America The U.S. Europe The UK France Germany The Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil The Middle East and Africa GET FREE PDF BROCHURE @ http://bit.ly/2KNW5ak What Reports Provides Full in-depth analysis of the parent market Important changes in market dynamics Segmentation details of the market Former, on-going, and projected market analysis in terms of volume and value Assessment of niche industry developments Market share analysis Key strategies of major players Emerging segments and regional markets Testimonials to companies in order to fortify their foothold in the market. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2019 -- Dicing Blades are expendable tools used with dicing and cutting saws to groove, cut, and dice silicon, compound semiconductors, glass, ceramics, crystals, and almost any other material.Dicing Blade is mainly classified into the following types: Hub Dicing Blades and Hubless Dicing Blades. These two types take up about 96.6% of the total in 2017 in Global. DISCO has a certain amount of production of steel core blades. Dicing Blade is mainly used for cutting Semiconductors, Glass, Ceramics, Crystals, etc. Different applications need different sizes of Dicing Blades.The Dicing Blade industry concentration is very high; only a few companies in the world are producing Dicing Blades, such as DISCO, ADT, K&S, UKAM, Ceiba, Shanghai Sinyang, etc. The giant manufacturer DISCO has a long history and unshakable status in this field which occupies 72.90% of the total revenue in Global in 2017. China is one of the largest consumption countries of Dicing Blade in the world in the past few years and it will keep the same position in the next few years. Other main consumption countries are Japan, Korea, USA, etc. The market size of Europe is much smaller.In the international market, the marketing channels characteristic differ from company to company. The international leading companies such as DISCO prefers setting up factories directly into aimed market, and taking own sales department to expand market. Other giant companies are more likely to set their own big agents in some major countries and regions taking charge of regional business building their international market position. The global Dicing Blade market was 290 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 350 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 2.9% between 2019 and 2025. Access PDF Version of this Report at : https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1091314/global-dicing-blade-market This report studies the Dicing Blade market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Dicing Blade in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) Click to view the full report TOC, figure and tables: https://www.qyresearch.com/index/detail/1091314/global-dicing-blade-market The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include DISCO ADT K&S UKAM Ceiba Shanghai Sinyang By the product type, the market is primarily split into Hub Dicing Blades Hubless Dicing Blades Other By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Semiconductors Glass Ceramics Crystals Other Get Full Report Now at USD 3,350 : https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/1e9d5fdcba6fe3c61f6cffd108d183e2,0,1,Global%20Dicing%20Blade%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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 is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. QYResearch also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- This recently published report examines the global Logistics Industry AGV market for the projected period of 6-years, i.e. between 2019 and 2025. The report highlights the accomplishments and opportunities lies in the market throughout the forecasted period. The report offers the thorough information about the overview and the scope of the global Logistics Industry AGV market along with its drivers, restraints, and trends. It also classifies the market into different segments such as by type, by applications and by-product. In short, this report comprises of all the necessary details of the global Logistics Industry AGV markets such as value/volume data, marketing strategies, and expert views. The comprehensive information about distribution channels such as suppliers, dealers, wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors, and consumers have also given in this report. The report represents the statistical data in the form of tables, charts, and info-graphics to assess the market, its growth and development, and market trends of the global Logistics Industry AGV market during the projected period. QY Research has used a framework of primary and secondary research to make this report a full-proof one. Get PDF sample copy of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1111205/global-logistics-industry-agv-market This report studies the Logistics Industry AGV market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Logistics Industry AGV in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Rocla Daifuku Aethon JBT DS Automotion Meidensha Seegrid Aichikikai Yonegy Toyota Ek Automation AGVE Group Atab KSEC By the product type, the market is primarily split into Automated Forklift Type Unit Load Type Tugger Type Others By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Warehouse Production Line Buy Full Logistics Industry AGV Market Report Now, Report delivery time within 24 hours @ https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/b05acacd5efd4e3d95bde2917ce248d2,0,1,Global%20Logistics%20Industry%20AGV%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application About QYResearch QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), expert's resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics Market Research Report 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 (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Daon Inc., Gemalto N.V., Safran Electronics & Defense SAS, NEC Corporation, Aware, Inc., Thales SA, BIO-Key International, Inc., Secunet Security Networks AG, Precise Biometrics AB & Fujitsu. Global (, European Union and China) Government Biometrics Market Overview: If you are involved in the Global (, European Union and China) Government Biometrics 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 Border Control, Public Safety, Voter Registration, National ID, E-Passport, Latent Print Matching, Healthcare and Welfare & Others, , Fingerprint Recognition, Face Recognition, Iris/Retinal Recognition, Palm Recognition, Signature Recognition, Voice Recognition & Vein Recognition 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. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1769627-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-government-biometrics-market Global (, European Union and China) Government Biometrics 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. 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: Fingerprint Recognition, Face Recognition, Iris/Retinal Recognition, Palm Recognition, Signature Recognition, Voice Recognition & Vein Recognition Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Border Control, Public Safety, Voter Registration, National ID, E-Passport, Latent Print Matching, Healthcare and Welfare & Others Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Daon Inc., Gemalto N.V., Safran Electronics & Defense SAS, NEC Corporation, Aware, Inc., Thales SA, BIO-Key International, Inc., Secunet Security Networks AG, Precise Biometrics AB & Fujitsu You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1769627-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-government-biometrics-market 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 Global (, European Union and China) Government Biometrics 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1769627 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 Global (, European Union and China) Government Biometrics 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 (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1769627-global-united-states-european-union-and-china-government-biometrics-market There are 15 Chapters to display the Global (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics market, Applications [Border Control, Public Safety, Voter Registration, National ID, E-Passport, Latent Print Matching, Healthcare and Welfare & Others], Market Segment by Regions United States, China, European Union & Rest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia); 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 regional segmentation[United States, China, European Union & Rest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) ], 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 (United States, European Union and China) Government Biometrics 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]. Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Headliner Market: Insights Realizing high stiffness and light weight in automotive headliners has become the new normal among auto component manufacturers, which has emphasized studying arrangement in thickness direction and GF content. Increasing expansivity of automotive headliner is a key agenda behind these efforts. Recently developed ultra-light material (UL grade) has enabled realization of high elastic slope, while illustrating excellent dimensional stability and moldability. Such developments have further aligned well with weight reduction focus in automotive headliner. Demand for automotive headliner rides the coattails of automobile manufacturers' focus on improving the marketplace competitiveness, by equipping vehicles with full range of safety devices and convenience. Rising emphasis on reducing environmental footprint has resulted in weight reduction of auto components, and headliner is no exception. Get Free Exclusive Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=502 Headliner substrate materials have witnessed continuous evolution over the years, for catering transforming demands of the automotive industry with regard to structural requirements, design flexibility, acoustics properties, and aesthetics. Novel composite materials have been developed for headliner using long chopped glass fiber and polypropylene, which have been formulated for meeting application needs in automotive interiors. These new composites offer reduced environmental impacts, and better end-of-life recyclability compared to polyurethane substrates. Such new developments and automotive lightweighting trends will continue to impact development and demand for headliner in the upcoming years. A composite material which is generally stick to inside area of roof of yachts or automobiles is called as headliners. Headlines are generally made of fabric with foam or nonwoven backing. The multilevel composite material used in headliners carried various functions together such as stiffness, look, sound reduction and feel, which is required in cars. Headliners are typically adjusted with the head impact counter measures. They can also assimilate extra lighting film made of LED behind the fabric. To provide soft and comfortable touch and a similar appearance, headliners are mostly made of tricot knit fabric. Due to heat and humidity, headliners can fail from the roof. This failure was common in cars which was produced in 1970s. Request for table of content on this report visit @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=502 Headliner- Drivers The use of nonwoven headliners has increased in last few years as they are very easy to handle during the process of assembling. Safety and good performance are two factors which are required while making a car or any other automotive vehicle and headliner provides these features. With the help of headliner automobile makers can make lightweight vehicles. Headliners give comfort and also offers cutting-edge insulation, resistance to water, fire, and fuel retardancy in case of extreme abrasion and temperature. Headliners can be lined, printed and coated, heat formed and are tailor-made in their operations. Owing to the various benefits that are attached to headliners and due to their skillfulness, headliners are widely used in construction and designing of various other transportation and vehicles such as spacecraft, aeroplanes, boats, satellites and trains. In short, headliners are responsible in making the vehicles attractive, sustainable, safer, cost-effective, and attractive. All these benefits which are associated with the use of headliners are fuelling the growth of headliners market. Headliner- Restraints The replacement process of headliner is very lengthy which includes, removal of present headliner, removal of fabric of old headliner, fitting of headliner repair kit and then application of adhesive and reinstallation. The headliner kit is expensive. The bigger the size of the vehicle, the cost of the headliner kit increases. Regardless of the precise mode of production, an automotive headliner produced from slabstock foam suffers from the disadvantage of requiring many productions steps and resulting the in the production of relatively large amounts of scrap foam which can be difficult to discard. These are the few factors which are hampering the growth of headliner market across the globe. Headliner- Regional Outlook Asia Pacific leads the headliner market in the years to come. As there is increasing demand from China for SUVs and other premium vehicles, Asia Pacific regions is likely to develop at a very rapid rate during the projected period. In Latin America region, the sales of automotive is moderate due to slow pace of growth in Latin American countries like Mexico and Brazil. However in US the demand for SUV and premium cars is continue to grow and it will contribute to higher revenue share in the headliner market. Headliner- Key Players Adient, Lear Corporation, Heartland Automotive, IAC Group, Dienetics, Motus, Futuris Automotive, Group Antolin and Daehan Solution Alabama are some of the top manufacturers of headliners across the globe. Buy This Market Research Report Now @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/502/S 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/ Rockville, MD -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Bedpan Washer Disinfectors Market: Insights Rapid increase in demand for high-performance technology in order to cater to the hygiene care standards is expected to drive the sales of bedpan washer disinfectors. Paramount need for health and occupational safety is anticipated to further drive the demand and sales of bedpan washer disinfectors. Key players and manufacturers in bedpan washer disinfectors market are taking immense efforts in developing wide-ranging containers, thereby catering to the needs of disinfection and cleaning cycles. Hospitals are expected to significantly contribute towards the revenue growth of bedpan washer disinfectors market owing to rapidly increasing spreading infection cases. Rapidly increasing need for reducing bioburden will further drive the demand and supply of bedpan washer disinfectors. Stringent protocols for usage and packaging of instruments is anticipated to continue driving the demand and supply of bedpan washer disinfectors. Get Free Exclusive Sample Copy of This Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=993 Chemical disinfection mechanism is expected to gain significant traction in bedpan washer disinfectors market in the forthcoming years owing to growing awareness regarding the compatible wide-ranging materials. Growing need for environmental protection concerns by minimizing the amounts of chemicals used holds the potential to gradually restrain the use of bedpan washer disinfectors with chemical disinfection mechanism. Manufacturers in bedpan washer disinfectors market are focusing on integrating cutting-edge and patented technology in their product portfolio. Bedpan washer disinfectors are devices intended for emptying, flushing, cleaning and disinfecting reusable human waste containers by a variety of means such as chemical, thermal and others. Bedpan washer disinfectors are an integral part of hospitals, which result in greater hygiene and prevent from infection transmission. Bedpan Washer Disinfectors Market: Drivers and Restraints The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and growing number of immunocompromised patients coupled with the concurrent growth of hospitals and health infrastructure are the prime drivers of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market. The need for better hygiene and ethical superiority of bedpan washer disinfectors over the manual process are the other drivers for the growth of the market. To prevent the risk of infection and transmission of deadly ailments such as blood borne diseases and viral hepatitis, among others, the demand for bedpan washer disinfectors is growing. The Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP), under the aegis of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010, financially penalizes hospitals for readmissions and takes them into account while calculating reimbursement. The provisions of this act is driving a significant market adoption owing to the financial penalty of readmissions. Thus hospitals are investing in sanitary facilities to avoid the steep penalties. The market potential can be gauged from the falling beneficiary readmission rates, which suggest that healthcare facilities have adopted measures to avoid the penalties proposed under the HRRP. The technological drivers of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market are the growing efficiency and effectiveness of the bedpan washer disinfectors owing to advancements such as automation, fast cleaning and disinfection cycles, air and water parameter control systems such as temperature, humidity, filtering and others. However, the factors restraining the growth of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market are lack of awareness, high cost of installation and maintenance. Lack of legislations concerning hygiene and working conditions, especially in poor regions of Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa, may hamper the growth of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market. Ask For Customized Report @ https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RC&rep_id=993 Bedpan Washer Disinfectors Market: Overview The global market for bedpan washer disinfectors is fragmented with a large number of players operating in the market. The global bedpan washer disinfector's market trends include a definite shift in favor of developing regions of Asia Pacific, such as India, and China. Regulations provide a avenue for the growth of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market. Bedpan washer disinfectors Market: Regional Outlook The global bedpan washer disinfectors market is segmented into regions viz. North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America is expected to account for a large share in the global bedpan washer disinfectors market owing to large presence of key market players, regulatory factors favoring the market, and growing healthcare expenditure. The Asia Pacific excluding Japan bedpan washer disinfectors market is expected to grow at a high CAGR owing to growth in healthcare expenditure and volume of hospitals. China and India are expected to account significant share in the global market owing to growing healthcare sector and per capita income. Whereas, China has emerged as a large manufacturing base for medical equipment. Europe led by Germany, France and the U.K. is expected to account second large share in the global bedpan washer disinfectors market. The Middle East and Africa bedpan washer disinfectors market is expected to be skewed in favor of the gulf economies of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar. A large part of the global bedpan washer disinfectors market is captive, which necessitates close collaboration between players and organizations including governments and hospitals, especially in the developing regions. Bedpan washer disinfectors Market: Key Players Examples of some of the established vendors operating in the global bedpan washer disinfectors are MEIKO Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, AT-OS, Stanbridge Ltd, DDC Dolphin, Steelco S.p.A., TBT Medical, Dentalcon Ltd (Orphanos Group of Companies), and Evocare Australia Pty Limited., among others. You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.factmr.com/checkout/993/S 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/ Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Co-fired ceramic devices are monolithic, ceramic microelectronic devices where the entire ceramic support structure and any conductive, resistive, and dielectric materials are fired in a kiln at the same time. Typical devices include capacitors, inductors, resistors, transformers, and hybrid circuits. The technology is also used for a multi-layer packaging for the electronics industry, such as military electronics, MEMS, microprocessor and RF applications. High temperature Ceramic Substrates means that the sintering temperature is around 1,600 C (2,910 F). In the short term, Japan, United States and Europe will have an unshakable status in HTCC ceramic substrates; China will play an more important role in future, driven by the strong demand from consumer electronics, aerospace & military, automobile electronics and LED market. The global HTCC Ceramic Substrates market was 110 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 130 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 2.3% between 2019 and 2025. Get PDF Report Template @ https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1092393/global-htcc-ceramic-substrates-market This report studies the HTCC Ceramic Substrates market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of HTCC Ceramic Substrates in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Kyocera Maruwa NGK Spark Plug SCHOTT Electronic Packaging NEO Tech AdTech Ceramics Ametek ECRI Microelectronics SoarTech Semiconductor Enclosures Inc(SEI) By the product type, the market is primarily split into Al2O3 HTCC Substrate AIN HTCC Substrate By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Consumer Electronics Aerospace & Military Automobile Electronics LED Market Get Full Report Now at USD 3,350: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/782d393f782c9589bf6e1eed00d48ed0,0,1,Global%20HTCC%20Ceramic%20Substrates%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) also known as hypromellose is a hydrocolloid and derivative of cellulose. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is viscoelastic, inert polymer majorly used as ophthalmic lubricant. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is also used as an excipient in pharmaceutical industry. HPMC finds applications in various end-user industries such as buildings & construction, food & beverages, paints & coatings, personal care and adhesives among others. HPMC acts as rheology modifier and controller, thickening agent, stabilizing agent and emulsifier in various applications. HPMC is known to be major substitute for animal gelatin. The market for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was driven by various factors such as high demand from low fat foods due to its performance and increasing demand from pharmaceutical applications. Huge demand from pharmaceutical industry is driving the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose market in past few years. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is used as excipient in tablet formulations. In addition, HPMC finds major application in ophthalmology, where it acts as a lubricant. HPMC helps to reduce eye irritation and provides more lubricant time. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is used in various food industry related applications such as bakery, dairy products, dessert and toppings and sauces among others. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose also finds application in paints and coatings where it is used as rheology modifier, thickener and stabilizing agent. However, stringent regulations related to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose especially, in personal care, food & beverages and pharmaceutical industry coupled with threat from various substitutes can acts as a major restraint for the HPMC market in next few years. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose-market.html In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose market. Asia Pacific is likely to be one of the fastest growing markets for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose due to increasing demand from food & beverages and pharmaceutical industry. China had the highest demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in Asia Pacific region and is likely to follow similar trend over the forecast period. Emerging countries such as Japan, India, Indonesia and South Korea are anticipated to exhibit more demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in next few years. Asia Pacific was followed by Europe where demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is high owing to rising consumption of HPMC from end-user industries such as personal care, food & beverages and paints & coatings among others. Germany led the demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in Europe in 2012. Other major countries such as France, Italy, Spain and Sweden are likely to offer potential market for HPMC in upcoming years. However, food regulations related to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose industry is likely to hinder the growth of the market in this region. North America had the third-largest demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose in 2012. Increasing demand from pharmaceutical industry was driving the growth of the HPMC market in this region. The U.S. had the largest demand for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose owing to huge demand from food & beverages personal care market. Rest of the World market is forecasted to show huge potential for the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose market in near future. Latin America and the Middle East are likely to show fastest growth for the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose market in this region. The demand for HPMC is huge due to increasing demand from paints & coatings and mining applications. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=4781 The market for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is highly concentrated and is dominated by global manufacturers. Some of the key manufacturers in the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose market are Ashland Inc, Samsung Fine Chemical Company, The Dow Chemical Company and Zhejiang Kehong Chemical Co. Ltd among others. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Image recognition is a technique for acquiring, processing, scrutinize, and sympathizing images. It gathers high-dimensional data from the real world in order to generate numerical or symbolic information. Image recognition uses disentangling of representational information from image data using replica created with the help of geometry, physics, statistics, and learning theory. Image recognition (biometric-based recognition) technique has emerged as the most promising alternative of card based recognition for identifying individuals in recent past. Image recognition is used for verification (one to one matching) and identification (one to many matching) of individuals. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/3210 Image recognition technologies include identification based on physiological distinctiveness of the people such as facial patterns recognition, fingerprints recognition, hand geometry recognition, hand veins pattern recognition, finger geometry recognition, palm recognition, iris recognition, retina recognition, and voice recognition. Image recognition also identify the behavioral uniqueness of the individuals such as gait, signature and keystroke dynamics The recognition based on passwords and PINs are trailing in popularity mainly due to the fact that they are hard to remember and cannot be stolen, duplicated by the intruders. Moreover the risk associated with misplacing of cards, tokens, keys and the like is also lend a hand in wide acceptance of image recognition as an alternative of traditional access control systems. On the basis of technology the global image recognition market can be broadly categories in five different market variants namely, optical character recognition (Ocr), pattern and gradient matching, object recognition, barcode/Qr code recognition and facial recognition. On the basis of the different component use in the image recognition equipment the overall market can be broadly categorized in three segments namely, hardware, software, and services. Based on the end user application the image recognition market can be further categories in eight different classes namely, government and defense, banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare and life sciences, manufacturing or industrial, consumer goods and retail, information technology and telecommunications, transport and logistics and others. The growing use of face recognition technology in smart phones, tablets and personal computer owing to the advancement in size and accuracy is propelling the market for face recognition technology. Moreover increasing governmental budget towards homeland security and defense is further driving the market in developing countries such as India, China, and Russia. Increasing use of facial recognition access system over card based access system in industries and residence is providing new market opportunities for the facial recognition technology. North America is the largest market for facial recognition in the world. It is then followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. The U.S. is the largest market for facial recognition in the North America. Chinese and Japanese are the major user of image recognition technology in Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is one of the rapid growing markets of image recognition where the market is growing in double digit. High threat prospective from terrorist attack couples with trend towards e-governance is contributing to the high growth rate in this region. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC)@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3210 Some of the major companies operating in global image recognition market include, Catchoom, Honeywell, LTU Technologies, Panasonic Corporation, Toshiba, Hitachi Ltd, Itraff Technology, NEC Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, and Wikitude Gmbh Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Oil spill accidents are common and significant threat to aquatic life and the marine environment. Dispersants are chemical agents (similar to detergents) used to breakdown the layer of oil into small particles and dilute the oil slick to mix with water. In other words, oil spill dispersants are liquids that are sprayed on spilled oil on the sea to disperse the oil into the water column. Dispersants have lipophilic and hydrophilic ends, which have an affinity for oil and water. Oil droplets disperse with wave energy, then repel each other and usually do not coalesce. Corexit 9500 is a dispersant that is widely used in the Deepwater Horizon Spills. Accidental spills can also occur beneath the sea surface due to blow outs of oil exploration wells such as BP Gulf of Mexico disaster in 2010 caused by pipeline ruptures, and shipwrecks. Oil leaking from a pressurized underwater does not easily come to the surface which leads to exposure of harmful contaminants to plankton. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/oil-spill-dispersants-market.html Global Oil Spill Dispersants Market: Trends & Demands Historically, 47,000 tons of oil lost between 2010 and 2017 caused by 53 oil spills. More than 80% of this lost amount was occurred by only 10 major incidents from total 53 spills during the same period. In 2017, approximately 7000 tons of oil was lost to the environment. Two large spills recorded in 2017. The first large spill occurred in June when a tanker sank in the Indian Ocean with over 5000 tons of oil on board. The second incident involved the sinking of a tanker off the coast of Greece in September. It spilled about 700 tons of oil. These incidents results increased the demand for efficient dispersants. However, there are many regulations and prior permission to be sought before using dispersants on spilled oil on water. Use of dispersants on spilled oil in water depths of 20 meters is only allowed after permission has been granted. Implementation of rigid regulations and lack of efficient dispersants are anticipated to restrain the market during forecast period. Global Oil Spill Dispersants Market: Segmentation Based on application, the global oil spill dispersants market can be bifurcated into onshore and offshore. In terms of type, the market can be divided into surfactants and solvents. Surfactants are majorly used oil spill dispersants owing to effective dilution of oil through water. Global Oil Spill Dispersants Market: Regional Outlook Based on region, the market can be segregated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. Europe accounted for a dominant share of the global oil spill dispersants market in 2017. Europe and North America cumulatively accounted for more than 70% share of the global market in 2017. In terms of value and volume, the market in Asia Pacific is estimated to expand at a rapid pace during forecast period owing to huge oil spills in the East China Sea. China and Japan are key countries of the market in the region due to high number of oil spills requiring the use of oil spill dispersants. In January 2018, the sinking of oil tanker 'Sanchi', 160 nautical miles off Shanghai, which was carrying 136,000 tons of condensate oil, was the world's largest marine pollution incident since the March 1989, Exxon Valdez oil spill off the coast of Alaska, in the U.S.A. Oil spills of 10 tons to 50 tons were common, accounting for 122 incidents and there were five spills of over 1,000 tons. Five oil spills of over 10 tons took place near the coasts of Japan and South Korea in 2017. The market in Europe is anticipated to expand at a considerable pace during the forecast period. Increasing demand for oil spill dispersants in Europe can be attributed to the rapidly growing sea-based transportation and business. North America is an emerging region for the oil spill dispersants market. Expansion of the market in the region can be attributed to the presence of numerous manufacturers in the region. The U.S. is a major country of the oil spill dispersants market in North America. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=63795 Global Oil Spill Dispersants Market: Key Players Key companies operating in the global oil spill dispersants market include Canadyne Technologies Inc, SAF-RON INTERNATIONAL, Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL), and Elastec. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2019 -- Global Key Management as a Service Market Insights by Application, Product Type, Competitive Landscape & Regional Forecast 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 Key Management as a Service Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are CipherCloud (United States) , Gemalto (Netherlands) , Google (United States) , IBM (United States) , Oracle Corporation (United States) , Microsoft Corporation (United States) , Thales e-Security (France) , Amazon Web Services, Inc. (United States) , Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (United States) and Box (United States). Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1583700-global-key-management-as-a-service-market-1 Market Trend - Increasing Availability of Encryption Keys - Organizations' Increasing Focus on Improving Operational Efficiency Market Drivers - Fueling Demand of Cloud in Key Management as Service - Rising Dependency of Data Encryption by the Organizations Challenges - Lack of Skilled Professionals in Companies Opportunities - Rising Demand in BFSI Industries Major Market Developments: On 27th March 2018, KeyNexus Inc. the leader in Universal Key Management (UKM) and P6R are patterned to deliver complete KMIP solution for businesses deploying KMIP-compliant cybersecurity solutions. On 29th November 2018, Cryptsoft and Gemalto a global leader in digital security are patterned to offers the widely installed KMIP C Server SDK, to improve Gemalto's SafeNet KeySecure, the company's centralized encryption key management platform. Key Management as a Service 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/1583700-global-key-management-as-a-service-market-1 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: Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are CipherCloud (United States) , Gemalto (Netherlands) , Google (United States) , IBM (United States) , Oracle Corporation (United States) , Microsoft Corporation (United States) , Thales e-Security (France) , Amazon Web Services, Inc. (United States) , Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (United States) and Box (United States). 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 Key Management as a Service 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1583700 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 Key Management as a Service 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 Key Management as a Service market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1583700-global-key-management-as-a-service-market-1 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Key Management as a Service market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Key Management as a Service market, Applications, Market Segment by Regions South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America) , Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) , Europe (Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Rest of Europe) , MEA (Middle East, Africa) , North America (United States, Canada, Mexico); 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 regional segmentation[South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America) , Asia Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) , Europe (Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Rest of Europe) , MEA (Middle East, Africa) , North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) ], 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 Key Management as a Service 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]. Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning returns to Qingdao, China after Pacific drill, January 13th, 2017. [Photo/CRI] A press center opened on Wednesday in Qingdao of Shandong province for the upcoming multinational naval activity to honor the 70th birthday of the People's Liberation Army Navy, according to the Navy. The center, at Huanghai Hotel, has two parts one for Navy officials to hold press conferences and the other for journalists to work. It offers free access to the internet to reporters. Senior Captain Zhong Kuirun, deputy head of the Navy's publicity bureau, said the multinational naval activity will start soon and will include a joint sea parade, high-level symposiums, military music performances as well as other cultural exchanges. He said that naval delegations from more than 60 countries will take part in the event. The PLA Navy was founded on April 23, 1949, in Baimamiao township, Jiangsu province. In 1989, April 23 was designated as the Navy's foundation day. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Movable imaging display or mobile c arm is a medical imaging device based on X-ray technology and are used for a vast number of diagnostic imaging and minimally invasive procedures. Mobile imaging systems are an important part of hospital infrastructure. Specialists in fields of surgery, cardiology, orthopedics, traumatology, vascular surgery make use of C-arms for intraoperative imaging. View Report- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/movable-imaging-displays-market.html The devices offer high-resolution X-ray images in real time, which allows physician to monitor progress at any point during the operation so that they can immediately make corrections that may be required. Subsequently, the treatment results are better and patients recover more quickly. Mobile imaging displays are increasingly becoming popular due to rising demand for minimally invasive surgical procedures and the advent of hybrid and integrated operating rooms. The global movable imaging displays market is segmented on the basis of technology, application, end user and region. On the basis of technology, the movable imaging displays market can be segmented into LED and OLED. In terms of application, the movable imaging displays market can be divided into radiology, mammography, surgery, digital pathology and others. On the basis of end user, the movable imaging displays market can be segregated into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, diagnostic centers and others. In terms of region, the global movable imaging displays market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Request Brochure- https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=55839 The movable imaging displays market is likely to experience strong growth during the forecast period despite the slow acceptance rate of these products in developing countries. Developed markets (the U.S. and some countries in Western Europe) are increasingly adopting these movable imaging displays due to the advent of integrated and hybrid operating rooms. Technological advancements have led to the development of high tech booms that have centralized control and helped physicians control lights and other equipment from a single location. These additional benefits are anticipated to drive demand in high tech hospitals and clinics, not only in the developed nations, but across the world in the near future. In terms of region, North America accounts for a leading share of the global movable imaging displays market, in terms of revenue. Technological advancements, developed healthcare infrastructure, high disposable income and presence of major movable imaging displays market players in the region can be attributed to the high market share of the region during the forecast period. Availability of private and public funding for the purchase of movable imaging systems is a major driver of the market in North America. Moreover, regional governments have taken the initiative to modernize hospitals in their respective regions. Request for TOC containing Tables and Figures: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=55839 This has resulted in increase in demand for movable imaging systems such as C-arms in the region. Europe is projected to be the second largest market in terms of revenue. Factors such as continued technical advances in operating room equipment leading to development of integrated operating room suites, large geriatric population, and rising number of surgical procedures owing to increasing incidence of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Moreover, rising demand for minimally invasive surgical techniques has also contributed to the growth of the movable imaging displays market in the region. The movable imaging displays market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a significant pace due to increasing penetration of market players operating in the medical device industry in emerging countries, such as China and India. Moreover, significant investments in health care by government agencies in developing countries and rising geriatric population in China, India, and South Korea are fueling market growth. In India, multispecialty hospitals such as Apollo Hospitals, Wockhardt Hospitals, and Fortis Healthcare drive demand for mobile imaging displays by aggressively adopting hybrid operating rooms and increasing the number of facilities across the country. Rapidly evolving medical tourism industry in countries such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and South Korea is encouraging major health care providers to equip themselves with the latest technology. Other regions, such as Middle East & Africa and Latin America, are expected to be lucrative markets for movable imaging displays in the near future due to the high rate of adoption of advanced medical devices, coupled with the rapidly developing health care industry in these regions. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Non-silicone Release Liner is that paper or film coated on one or both sides with a special non-silicone release coating. In the coming years there is an increasing demand for Non-silicone Release Liner in the regions of United States and Europe that is expected to drive the market for more advanced Non-silicone Release Liner. Growth in government budgets in the principal countries, increasing of electronic fields expenditures, more-intense competition, launches in introducing new products, retrofitting and renovation of old technology, increasing adoption of Non-silicone Release Liner will drive growth in United States and Europe markets. The product average price declined in the past few years due to the technology development, the average price will keep the trend in the few future years due to increasing mature manufacturing technology and lowing cost of raw materials. The impact on the cost and availability of raw materials and certain components is uncertain due to potential supply changes. The costs of raw materials have a significant impact on the level of expenses. If the prices of raw materials and related factors such as energy prices increase, and if new companies cannot pass those price increases on to customers, their results of operations and financial condition would suffer. The global Non-silicone Release Liner market was 110 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 150 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 3.8% between 2019 and 2025. This report studies the Non-silicone Release Liner market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Get PDF report template @ https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1092060/global-non-silicone-release-liner-market Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Non-silicone Release Liner in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Loparex Lintec 3M Saint-Gobain Siliconature Oji F-Tex Fujiko Formula Mitsubishi Polyester Adhesives Research The Griff Network By the product type, the market is primarily split into Paper Film By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Labels Tapes Electronic Medical Others Get Complete Report in your Inbox within 24 hours @ https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/a2dfc89d2ef705e62d4ca3242867b8c1,0,1,Global%20Non-silicone%20Release%20Liner%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- As the name suggests, the off-grid hybrid power system generally consists of two or more renewable source of energy used together to provide energy off the grid. Off grid refers to "not depending or using electricity available via main grid or generated via main infrastructure for power". Off-grid hybrid power system has the ability to fulfill power demands through local generation of power without relying on centralized stations of power. Mini-grids (providing electricity to multiple customers) as well as stand-alone systems (for individual users/appliances) are the off-grid systems. Off-grid hybrid power system is also used in case of shortage of capital fund & the geographical area makes it hard to install a main-grid connection. Normally, off-grid areas are powered by fossil fuel generation but environment matters, and sustainability in terms of capital has created the urge for alternate solutions. A hybrid system that is a combination of two or more power sources, such as renewable and diesel generated, is an attractive option. The system harnesses the abundance of renewable sources that are freely available to generate electricity, and when combined with the diesel generator it displaces the fuel consumption. Thus, it reduces the cost and the emission related to diesel power generation. The hybrid systems can also be combined with other technologies such as battery storage to improve its effectiveness. Get Free Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/11426 Off-grid Hybrid Power System Market: Dynamics Increased consumption of energy, rapidly increasing population of world, and depletion of natural resources have increased the sale of the off-grid hybrid power system. Particularly, it's very much in demand in isolated communities and areas which are not likely to be electrified in the near future. However, off-grid hybrid power system are also used by people who reside near the grid and choose to obtain independence from main power provider and demonstrate a responsibility to no-polluting energy resources. Portable off-grid hybrid power systems is the trend and its market revenue will grow in the coming years. Solar-wind off-grid hybrid power system is another energy source having great tendency in the market growth. Off-grid hybrid power system has high installation cost compared to other power generating sources, which is restraining the market, if made more cost-effective than the market of off-grid power system can be improved to some extent. Also, the market is moving with a sluggish speed as the demand is less because they have long life. Off-grid Hybrid Power System Market: Segmentation The off-grid hybrid power system market can be segmented based on system type, resource type and application. By system type, the off-grid hybrid power system market can be segmented as: -Wind-diesel hybrid system -Wind-diesel-battery hybrid system -PV-diesel hybrid system -PV-diesel-battery hybrid system -Wind-PV-diesel-battery hybrid system By resource type, the off-grid hybrid power system market can be segmented as: -Gas -Diesel -Hydro -Wind -Solar PV -Biogas/bio diesel to power -Biomass cogeneration By application, the off-grid hybrid power system market can be segmented as: Stand-alone -DC- DC solar lighting Kits, DC Solar Home Systems. -AC AC solar home systems, single facility AC systems Grids -AC/DC- Nano-grid, Pico-grid, micro-grid, mini-grid -AC- Full-grid Off-grid Hybrid Power System Market: Regional Outlook Asia Pacific owns sizable global market of off-grid hybrid power systems and according to statistics it is expected to continue the dominance in the upcoming years as there is huge demand of micro-grid hybrid power system. The well-known contributor after Asia is Japan in the off-grid hybrid power system market. In Middle East and Africa, the off-grid hybrid power system market is fueled especially due to huge development in the economy. Request For TOC Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/11426 The compulsory application of the national-wide policy on backcountry electrification over regulatory agencies, national electricity industries and commissions, rural electrification capital, and rural electrification associations across South Africa has served a major driving force. In inclusion to this, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank in Africa provide funds to various off-grid hybrid power proposals for the implementation of PV arrays in existing diesel power plants Off-grid Hybrid Power System Market: Key Players -Belectric -Schneider electric -Siemens -SMA -Danvest -Electro Power system -Elgris Power -Heliocentris -Outback Power -Solgen 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 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 re-search 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. 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 Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global Online Bus Ticketing Service Market Insights by Application, Product Type, Competitive Landscape & Regional Forecast 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 Online Bus Ticketing Service Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Busbud (Canada) , BusOnlineTicket.com (Singapore) , GoEuro (Germany) , GotoBus.com (United States) , MakeMyTrip.com (India) , Redbus (India) and Goibibo (India). Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1540803-global-online-bus-ticketing-service-market-1 Market Drivers Increasing demand for online booking due to easy accessibility Availability of mobile applications for booking of private and public transportation Market Trend Increasing number of promotional activities companies are providing attractive discount Restraints security threats for money transactions Unawareness in emerging countries Opportunities Growing tourism industry and Increasing preference for online banking transactions Online Bus Ticketing Service 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/1540803-global-online-bus-ticketing-service-market-1 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: Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Busbud (Canada) , BusOnlineTicket.com (Singapore) , GoEuro (Germany) , GotoBus.com (United States) , MakeMyTrip.com (India) , Redbus (India) and Goibibo (India) 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 Online Bus Ticketing Service 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1540803 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 Online Bus Ticketing Service 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 Online Bus Ticketing Service market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1540803-global-online-bus-ticketing-service-market-1 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Online Bus Ticketing Service market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Online Bus Ticketing Service market, Applications, Market Segment by Regions North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc; 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 regional segmentation[North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc ], 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 Online Bus Ticketing Service 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]. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Pancrelipase is a combination of three enzymes (proteins): lipase, protease, and amylase. These enzymes are normally produced by the pancreas and are important in the digestion of fats, proteins, and sugars. Pancrelipase is used to replace these enzymes when the body does not have enough of its own. Certain medical conditions can cause this lack of enzymes, including cystic fibrosis, chronic inflammation of the pancreas, or blockage of the pancreatic ducts. Pancrelipase is a combination of three enzymes (proteins): lipase, protease, and amylase. These enzymes are normally produced by the pancreas and are important in the digestion of fats, proteins, and sugars. According to the type, it would be made into capsule and tablet, and the capsule is the main type in the world and takes 55.92% of the global production in 2016. According to the different age stage, it can be used by children and adults. Access PDF version of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1091371/global-pancrelipase-cas-53608-75-6-market UAS is the biggest manufacturing region in the world for Abbott is the biggest manufacturer in the world with the main factory based in USA. Europe also is a main manufacturing region for the famous company Janssen manufactures pancrelipase in Europe. Japan becomes the main manufacturing region for Abbott has its factory in Japan and some years ago Mylan signed an agreement with Abbott about Creon and other brands to expand Japanese market. The market concentrate is high and in the world there are mainly four companies such as Abbott , Janssen, Aptalis and DCI. Abbott is the biggest manufacturer in the world and produced 185.97 K Units, taking 37.26% of the global production. The global Pancrelipase (CAS 53608-75-6) market was 930 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 1260 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.3% between 2019 and 2025. This report studies the Pancrelipase (CAS 53608-75-6) market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Pancrelipase (CAS 53608-75-6) in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Shuanghui Jinluo Yurun New Hope Group Chu-ying By the product type, the market is primarily split into Capsule Tablet By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Adult Children Get this report now at USD 3,350: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/fe9c58d967868c7aa9a6491053eaa5cd,0,1,Global%20Pancrelipase%20(CAS%2053608-75-6)%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Paraquat is a highly toxic pesticide that is widely used as an herbicide (plant killer), primarily for weed and grass control. It is a toxic chemical which repeatedly causes damage to health and deaths among workers and farmers. So it is banned in Switzerland and the European Union, as well as some African and Asian countries. Paraquat is banned in Switzerland and the European Union, as well as some African and Asian countries. It is restricted for use only by licensed technicians in the United States. In July, 2016, the production and use of paraquat in China is unavoidably banned from market. So the production of paraquat in recent years is decreasing. In the past few years, the biggest export destinations for Chinese paraquat were Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil, Malaysia and Australia. In the future, global market is expected to witness significant decrease of production, so in the next few years, paraquat production will show a trend of steady decrease. In 2022 the production of paraquat is estimated to be paraquat 39.4 K MT. On product prices, the slow downward trend in recent years will maintain in the future. The global Paraquat market was 130 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 60 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of -9.5% between 2019 and 2025. Access PDF version of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1091479/global-paraquat-market This report studies the Paraquat market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Paraquat in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Nanjing Redsun Syngenta Shandong Luba Chemical Hubei Sanonda Willowood USA Solera Sinon Corporation Shandong Lufeng Kexin Biochemical Zhejiang Yongnong HuBei XianLong HPM Qiaochang Chemical Shandong Dacheng By the product type, the market is primarily split into Paraquat Aqueous Solution Paraquat Soluble Granule Paraquat Water Soluble Gel Others By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Farms Plantations and Estates Non-agricultural Weed Control Others Get this report now at USD 3,350: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/527bfeecdf394ba38101f5898de4c3de,0,1,Global%20Paraquat%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Pipelines are flow lines that carry fluids which may be in a liquid or gaseous state. At times, they are laid in harsh and hazardous conditions and areas; hence, fostering a need for accurate pipeline monitoring systems to detect leakages, damages and other pipeline failures, which may lead to serious ecological and economic consequences. For example, a small water pipeline bursting or leaking is a small scale problem and will not affect the environment and ground water reservoir largely. However, if a crude oil or natural gas or chemical pipeline gets damaged and leaks, it may lead to severe ecological consequences. Sometimes, the working conditions of the pipeline itself can induce damage or additional wear. Such pipelines need to be closely monitored from the data collection center or control room for exact pressure and temperature conditions inside the pipeline, to ensure effective operation of the whole plant. Pipelines are susceptible to internal and external corrosion, cracking, manufacturing flaws and third party damages. Thus, it has become crucial to closely monitor and control hazardous fluid carrying pipelines with pipeline monitoring systems to effectively and safely operate a plant. In order to sustain safe operation of a pipeline, remote, real-time and continuous assessment and monitoring of the pipelines is necessary. There are various underground and underwater pipelines being laid around the globe; hence, pipeline monitoring systems have become essential in the rapidly industrializing world. Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2902 In pipeline inspection and monitoring, the foremost objective is to locate and identify the exact damage area, followed by formulating an accurate solution; so maintenance personnel can take effective corrective action. Damaged pipelines, if not serviced on time, can create several operational problems, which will amount to a heavier cost eventually. An operation known as pigging is employed to remove blockages from long pipelines; herein a large sphere is introduced in the pipeline and eventually removed from pigging stations located at suitable checkpoints. Nowadays, industries are using intelligent pigs, which comprise sensors and electronic devices helpful in calculating the pipe's thickness as well as in detecting damages and defects while travelling inside the pipeline. Electric readings are recorded for effective and accurate location of defective areas inside the pipelines. Such advancements and increasing automation in pipeline monitoring systems are expected to boost the overall pipeline monitoring system market in the coming future. Pipeline Monitoring System market dynamics: Large scale research and development divisions are invested in the pipeline monitoring system technology in oil & gas industries; thus, making pipeline monitoring systems significant tools in the petrochemical sector. Another essential factor facilitating growth of the pipeline monitoring system technology is the rising use of electronics and sensors in pipelines which will monitor and control operating conditions and thus, reduce damage from internal factors such as nozzle stress, corrosion, etc. The pipeline monitoring system market has evolved over the years to feature a multitude of advantages such as cost effectiveness, good longevity, enhanced reliability, and ease in maintenance. Pipeline Monitoring System market segmentation: The pipeline monitoring system market can be segmented by pipe type, technology, application and end use. The pipeline monitoring system market can be segmented on the basis of pipe type as: Metallic Cast steel pipe Stainless steel pipe Aluminum pipe Other metal pipes (cast iron pipe, corrugated steel pipe, copper pipe) Non-metallic Plastic pipe Glass pipe Other pipes Concrete pipes Asbestos cement pipes The pipeline monitoring system market can be segmented on the basis of technologyas: Ultrasonic testing PIGs Smart ball (intelligent pigs) Magnetic flux leakage technology Others (beta foil technology, leo technology, fiber optic test) The pipeline monitoring system market can be segmented on the basis of end use as: Petrochemical industries Oil Natural gas Biofuel Water & wastewater treatment plants Chemicals industries Others (beverages & food, process , automobile) Pipeline Monitoring System Market: Regional Outlook: The pipeline monitoring system market can be divided into seven different geographical regions/divisions such as North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America, Europe and MEA regions have vast oil fields and chemical industries, hence long pipelines are required for the transportation of fluids here. Owing to this, the pipeline monitoring systems market is forecasted to grow in all the above regions. In the Asia-Pacific region, countries like India and China have increased the use of pipeline monitoring system technology in the petrochemical industry for human safety and comfort. Based on the above factors, the pipeline monitoring system market is forecasted to grow with a high CAGR over the forecast period. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC): https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2902 Pipeline Monitoring System: Key Players Siemens AG Honeywell International Inc. BAE Systems Perma Pipes TransCanada PipeLines Limited PSI AG Pure Technology Orbcomm Inc. Huawei Pentair PLC. Atmos International Clampon AS ABB Group Future Fibre Technologies Senstar Inc. Syrinix New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2019 -- Rectal pressure monitoring catheters are used to measure pressure inside the rectum and large intestine for evaluation purposes. Rectal pressure monitoring is often done to evaluate the strength of the muscles of the rectum, anal sphincter, and large intestine. It is commonly performed in people suffering from fecal incontinence, constipation, and Hirschsprung's disease in children (blockage in the large intestine). Fecal incontinence is known as loss of voluntary control of bowels. Fecal incontinence often occurs in the elderly as well as in case of damage during childbirth. The test involves the insertion of a rectal pressure monitoring catheter through the anus, which passes through the sphincter and into the rectum. A small balloon is attached to one end of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter that is inserted into the rectum. It swells inside the rectum and squeezes the muscles and nerves in the anus and rectum. The other end of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter is attached to a machine to measure the pressure created during the relaxation and contraction of the balloon. Request For Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/24058 Increasing prevalence of abdominal diseases that lead to conditions affecting bowel movements is expected to drive the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. In addition, global increase in geriatric population that suffers from fecal incontinence is expected to propel the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Moreover, increase in the prevalence of damage associated with childbirth is expected to contribute to the growth of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Rectal pressure monitoring is a high-resolution process and gives high-end evaluation. In addition, awareness about the management of conditions, such as fecal incontinence and constipation, among the general population is expected to propel the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Constipation is a general phenomenon in the U.S., which affects approximately 20% of the general population and is more common in the elderly population as compared to the younger population. This is also driving rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Thus, rectal pressure monitoring provides important diagnostic insights in determining the type of treatment to be followed, which is another important factor driving rectal the pressure monitoring catheter market. However, fluid-filled rectal pressure monitoring catheters are more expensive, which is likely to restrain the growth of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Though fluid-filled rectal pressure monitoring catheters stay in position for a longer period, they are likely to cause necrosis or erosion. Rectal pressure monitoring cannot be performed in patients with diarrhea or bleeding, which is another factor hampering the growth of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. The global rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is segmented on the basis of product type, end user and region. Based on the product type, the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is segmented into: Double lumen rectal pressure monitoring Double lumen rectal pressure monitoring with silicon balloon Double lumen rectal pressure monitoring with latex balloon Single lumen rectal pressure monitoring Based on the end user, the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is segmented into: Hospitals Specialty Clinics Diagnostic labs Worldwide increase in the number of people suffering from constipation and fecal incontinence is expected to contribute to the growth of the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. The introduction of advanced technology in rectal pressure monitoring catheters helps in better diagnosis. Since constipation affects the elderly population more as compared to the younger population, the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is expected to grow steadily. By product type, the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is expected to be dominated by double lumen rectal pressure monitoring catheters with silicon balloons, since catheters with latex balloons can cause irritation to the wall of the anus and rectum. By end user, the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is expected to be dominated by the hospital segment owing to higher adoption. Rectal pressure monitoring catheter manufacturers are focusing on spreading awareness and on mergers & acquisitions to improve their market footprint. On the basis of geography, the global rectal pressure monitoring catheter market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is the dominating the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market due to widespread awareness and high prevalence of conditions such as constipation and fecal incontinence among the general population. Europe is the second most lucrative rectal pressure monitoring catheter market. Asia Pacific is consider an emerging rectal pressure monitoring catheter market owing to the large population coupled with increasing awareness about treatment options. Middle East and Africa remains the least lucrative rectal pressure monitoring catheter market due to low treatment-seeking rates. Request For Report Table of Content (TOC)@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/24058 Major players in the rectal pressure monitoring catheter market include Mediplus, Cook Medical, SNA-MED, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Gaeltec Devices Ltd., The Prometheus Group, and Ashlar Medical, LLC, among others. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Semen analysis is a test performed to check health, quality, and viability of sperms. It is performed by couples unable to conceive naturally or in animal research and breeding centers. The basic parameters checked during the test include semen volume, sperm concentration, sperm motility, sperm morphology, presence of white or red blood cells, percentage of immature sperms present in the sample, and presence of anti-sperm antibodies in the sample. It is the first line investigational test performed on the male partner when a couple is unsuccessful in conceiving for more than a year. According to the University of Utah Health Sciences Center, male infertility accounts for 40% to 50% of unsuccessful conception. Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/semen-analysis-market.html Increase in prevalence of male infertility, changing lifestyles, rise in awareness about advanced fertility methods such as IUI and IVF, surge in spending capacity, and high adoption of advanced semen analysis methods such as computer assisted semen analysis (CASA) by diagnostic laboratories are the factors expected to boost the growth of the global semen analysis market during the forecast period. Moreover, increase in number of pet animals, surge in demand for animal food, and rise in animal research centers are expected to propel the global semen analysis market during the forecast period. However, high cost of assisted reproductive technology, low awareness in economically poor countries, and stringent tax rules on medical devices in the U.S. are expected to restrain the global semen analysis market. Request Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=43514 The global semen analysis market can be segmented based on product type, by application, end-user, and region. In terms of product type, the market can be categorized into semen analyzers, software, centrifuges for sample preparation, semen counting chambers, semen test kits, and semen analyzing disposables and accessories. The semen analyzers segment can be bifurcated into manual semen analyzers and automated semen analyzers. Based on application, the global semen analysis market can be classified into human application and veterinary applications. In terms of end-user, the market can be divided into hospitals, fertility centers, diagnostic centers, cryobanks, home care settings, research centers, and animal breeding centers. The diagnostic centers segment is expected to hold maximum market share of the global semen analysis market by 2026. Increase in number of new launches of home-based semen test kits is expected to drive the home care settings segment during the forecast period. In March 2008, ContraVac, Inc. announced approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for SpermCheck Vasectomy, a diagnostic kit useful to confirm men's post-vasectomy sterility. In terms of region, the global semen analysis market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global market owing to high awareness about advanced fertility methods, high per capita disposable income, and increase in number of new product launches in the region. Europe is expected to be the second largest market for semen analysis. Asia Pacific can be considered as an emerging market for semen analysis. The market in the region is expected to expand at the highest CAGR during the forecast period, attributed to increase in awareness about available fertility methods, rise in number of fertility centers, economic growth, and rise in spending capacity of the population. Request for TOC @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=T&rep_id=43514 Key players operating in the global semen analysis market include Hamilton Thorne, Inc., Medical Electronic Systems, LLC, MICROPTIC, Biophos SA, ContraVac, Inc., MMCSoft, SwimCount, MotilityCount ApS, and Projectes i Serveis R+D S.L. 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. 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 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 Sarasota, FL -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- With the presence of a large pool of participants, the global smart agriculture market is displaying a highly competitive business landscape, finds a new research report by Zion Market Research (ZMR). Ag Leader Technology, Inc, AGCO Corporation, Ag Junction LLC, Raven Industries Inc., Precision Planting LLC., and SemiosBio Technologies Incorporation are some of the key vendors of smart agriculture across the world. These players across are smart agriculture market 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 smart agriculture market study. DOWNLOAD FREE PDF BROCHURE @ http://bit.ly/2UoBn07 Citing an instance, on August 15, 2018, Cambridge University held a smart agriculture summit. Reportedly, the world's leading scientists gathered at AgriFood Robotics Workshop and Hackathon in Cambridge University's engineering department. Experts are of the view that such initiatives will not only promote the Industry-Academia collaborations, but also provide impetus to growth of smart agriculture market over the years to come. As estimated in this report, the global smart agriculture market stood at US$ 5,098 million in the year 2016. Witnessing a tremendous rise during the period from 2017 to 2025, the revenue in this market is expected to reach US$ 15,344 million by the end of the forecast period. The main types available in this smart agriculture market are precision farming, livestock monitoring, fish farming, smart greenhouse, orchid, forestry, and horticulture. Among the three, the demand for precision farming is relatively higher and the trend is anticipated to remain so over the next few years, notes the smart agriculture market research report. Mounting Need To Acquire More Crop Produce To Enhance Market Trends "Escalating requirement for monitoring crop yield, milk harvesting, water management, farm labor management, crop scouting, animal tracking & navigation, and breeding management will further spur smart agriculture market in the coming years," says the author of this smart agriculture market study. Apart from this, smart agriculture market is projected to garner a humungous growth over the next few years with the mounting use of advanced cloud-based software in smart farming techniques offering remote access & monitoring of day-to-day agricultural activities. Huge Food Demand To Support APAC's Regional Dominance Regionally, Asia Pacific has been leading the worldwide smart agriculture market and is anticipated to continue on the dominant position in the years to come, states the smart agriculture market study. Escalating demand for food and other dairy items is the main factor behind the dominance of the Asia Pacific smart agriculture market. The dominance can also be attributed to rapidly swelling population in countries such as India and China along with growing food requirement in these regions. In addition to this, the rural economies of the countries in the APAC region are agriculture-based and this will further drive the demand for advanced techniques in farming to get more crop harvest, thereby supporting the smart agriculture market trends. Get FREE Sample Research Report @ http://bit.ly/2VSKfws The global smart agriculture market is segmented as follows: By Agriculture Type Precision Farming Automation and Control Systems Displays Guidance and Steering GPS/GNSS Systems Drones/UAVs Handheld Mobile Devices/Handheld Computers Flow and Application Control Devices Others Sensing and Monitoring Devices Yield Monitors Soil Sensors Water Sensors Climate Sensors Others Livestock Monitoring RFID Tags and Readers Sensors Transmitters & Mounting Equipments GPS Others Fish Farming GPS/GNSS Sensors Others Smart Greenhouse HVAC Systems LED Lights Sensors Others Others (Orchid, Forestry, and Horticulture) By Software Type Web Based Cloud-based Software As A Service (SaaS) Platform As A Service (PaaS) By Service-Type System Integration and Consulting Support and Maintenance Connectivity Services Managed Services Farm Operation Services Data Services Analytics Professional Services Supply Chain Management Services Climate Information Services Others By Solution Type Network Management Agriculture Asset Management Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Logistics and Supply Chain Management Smart Water Management Others By Application Yield Monitoring Field Mapping Crop Scouting Weather Tracking and Forecasting Irrigation Management Farm Labor Management Financial Management Feeding Management Milk Harvesting Breeding Management Fish Tracking and Fleet Navigation Water Quality Management HVAC Management Others By Region North America The U.S. Europe UK France Germany Asia Pacific China Japan India Latin America Brazil The Middle East and Africa GET FREE PDF BROCHURE @ http://bit.ly/2UoBn07 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. Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) state media said on Thursday that their leader Kim Jong Un "supervised and guided a test-fire of a new-type tactical guided weapon loaded with "a powerful warhead" on Wednesday. Kim has reportedly complimented scientists and workers that there is no weapon impossible to make when they are determined to. Republic of Korea's (ROK) defense ministry avoided giving a detailed comment on this during its briefing, saying that they are "investigating it closely." While no missile launch was detected by the U.S. Northern Command and Strategic Command, ROK's military officials reportedly said that the weapon is likely to be a surface-to-surface precise guided missile (PGM) or tactical guided weapon with low altitude, short aviation range. However, military analysts in Seoul also suggest possibilities that the "new" weapon might be something similar to Spike missiles or a multipurpose cruise missile as well, according to ROK's Yonhap News Agency. This happened only a day after state media reported that Kim Jong Un went on an impromptu visit to oversee military drills by DPRK's air and anti-aircraft force in charge of defending Pyongyang. This was Kim Jong Un's first on-site inspection of the military drill after his speech at the Supreme People's Assembly. Although many of the media reports suggest that this was to send a message to the U.S. amid a deadlock in denuclearization talks after Hanoi Summit, it seems it is targeted more primarily to the domestic audience and elites. The test-fire was reportedly accompanied by DPRK's army officials such as Kim Su Gil, Ri Yong Gil and No Gwang Chol while Kim Jong Un was referred to like his new title, "supreme commander of the Armed forces of the DPRK" unlike in the past when he was called "supreme commander of the Korean People's Army" by state media. DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (C) attends a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) at the office building of the Central Committee of the WPK in Pyongyang, DPRK, April 9, 2019./VCG Photo KCNA's quotes of Kim Jong Un at the test-fire of new tactical guided weapon seem to be focused on combat power via conventional weapons system "of our own style," emphasizing DPRK's self-reliant defense capacity in accordance with their Party policy focusing on science technology. Inheriting power as a successor to Kim Jong Il who gained legitimacy through his military-first policy, Kim Jong Un recently moved on to a policy line putting "economy first," moving away from his original Byeongjin policy that promoted parallel development of nuclear weapons and the economy. Looking at this larger picture of power consolidation, Thursday's move logically makes sense as Kim Jong Un would have felt the need to assure the domestic audience and elites that their "high-tech" conventional weapons system remains strong to defend the country and that the leader is not sidelining the importance of military prowess despite deciding to give the U.S. another (or the last, with an "end-of-year" deadline) chance on nuclear negotiation after failed Hanoi Summit. With no pictures of the weapon or the test-fire itself dispatched via state media and with a low possibility that it was a test-fire of a ballistic missile, it seems that the test was carefully calibrated not to upset Washington too much or derail denuclearization talks, while still mildly reminding the U.S. about DPRK's continued investment in military. DPRK has not tested ballistic missiles since they test-fired Hwasong-15 ICBM in November 2017. President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea (ROK) boards the plane to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, hoping to pull the breakdown of talks between Washington and Pyongyang back from brink, April 11, 2019./VCG Photo Although the test was primarily targeted to the domestic audience, it is still expected that U.S. President Donald Trump's reaction to this would be important. Notably, Trump recently said that he is not in a rush and that "as long there is no testing, we're happy." It would be desirable if he interprets the test-fire not as a provocation but as a gentle reminder that DPRK is capable of seeking a "new way" if the U.S. does not come up with more persuasive terms of negotiation, despite his good personal relationship with Kim. Although not directly mentioning the test-fire of tactical guided weapon, DPRK foreign ministry's statement via state media on the same day explicitly speaks to Trump about where the aforementioned 'persuasive terms of negotiation' can start: dropping Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as a top negotiator. Kwon Jong Gun, a director general of the foreign ministry's Department of American Affairs said that Pompeo engaging in the talks again will make the talks "lousy" once again. "Even in the case of a possible resumption of the dialogue with the U.S., I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but another person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us," Kwon said. The U.S. can take this as an opportunity and empower Biegun instead, who is set to visit Moscow this week to discuss DPRK denuclearization. It was recently reported that Kremlin is about to offer their support in easing UN sanctions against DPRK. With Kim Chang Son also spotted in Vladivostok, likely preparing for Kim Jong Un's upcoming first summit with Putin, the U.S. gesturing to show their willingness to continue the working-level dialogue through more flexible counterparts would be a timely move with no serious risk. Editor's note: Jeongmin Kim is a DPRK analyst based in Seoul. She previously worked at the Reuters Seoul bureau and CSIS (Center for Strategic International Studies) Korea Chair. The article reflects the author's opinion, and not necessarily the views of CGTN. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- This study focuses on the production side and consumption side of Smart Greenhouse, presents the global Smart Greenhouse market size by manufacturers, regions, type and application, history breakdown data from 2013 to 2018, and forecast to 2025. In terms of production side, this report researches the Smart Greenhouse capacity, production, value, ex-factory price, growth rate, market share for major manufacturers, regions (or countries) and product type. In terms of consumption side, this report focuses on the consumption of Smart Greenhouse by regions and application. The key regions like North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Central & South America, Middle East and Africa etc. Smart greenhouse is based on the vision of a greenhouse that would maintain a perfect micro-climate for a particular crop being cultivated inside. It would be perfectly tailored to the vegetation inside to maximize its efficiency. In some regions, smart greenhouse is also the best choice for water saving due to the advanced irrigation system. In recent years, people also access to electric power through solar-photovoltaic technology. Smart greenhouse has cognitive abilities to sense its surrounding environment and either use or block certain features to maintain the micro-climate. Such environment variables that are most important for crop are air temperature and soil humidity level. Control systems get information through specific sensors and compare it with set value to judge whether or not to change the state of HVAC system and irrigation system. Generally, a smart greenhouse should have several components like control system, HVAC system, irrigation system, growing light and others. With these systems, smart greenhouses are widely applied in the cultivations of Vegetables, Flowers & Ornamentals, Fruit Plants, and Nursery Crops. Smart greenhouse is based on the vision of a greenhouse that would maintain a perfect micro-climate for a particular crop being cultivated inside. It would be perfectly tailored to the vegetation inside to maximize its efficiency. In some regions, smart greenhouse is also the best choice for water saving due to the advanced irrigation system. In recent years, people also access to electric power through solar-photovoltaic technology. Smart greenhouse has cognitive abilities to sense its surrounding environment and either use or block certain features to maintain the micro-climate. Such environment variables that are most important for crop are air temperature and soil humidity level. Control systems get information through specific sensors and compare it with set value to judge whether or not to change the state of HVAC system and irrigation system. Get PDF template of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/718050/global-smart-greenhouse-industry-research-report-growth-trends-and-competitive-analysis-2018-2025 Generally, a smart greenhouse should have several components like control system, HVAC system, irrigation system, growing light and others. With these systems, smart greenhouses are widely applied in the cultivations of Vegetables, Flowers & Ornamentals, Fruit Plants, and Nursery Crops. At present, in United States, Israel and Netherlands, the smart greenhouse industry is at a more advanced level, the world's most advanced enterprises are mainly concentrated in these regions. These foreign companies have more advanced equipment, strong R & D capability, the technical level is in a leading position. But foreign companies' manufacturing cost is relatively high, compared with Chinese companies, the manufacturing cost is a competitive disadvantage, as the Chinese smart greenhouse production enterprise technology continues to improve, their share in the international market is increasing, competitiveness in the international market gradually increase. Now the production and consumption are basically done locally, the import and export is not huge in each region. In the past, some companies and governments import product from the companies in Netherlands and United States, but due to the design, environment and climate factors, the product was not working well in these regions. Therefore now import and export remains at a low quantity level. The Smart Greenhouse market was valued at 860 Million US$ in 2017 and is projected to reach 1070 Million US$ by 2025, at a CAGR of 2.8% during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Smart Greenhouse. This report includes the following manufacturers; we can also add the other companies as you want. Schaefer Ventilation Delta T Solution Modine Trueleaf Coolair ... Market Segment by Product Type Non-Hydroponic Smart Greenhouse Hydroponic Smart Greenhouse Market Segment by Application Vegetables Flowers & ornamentals Fruit plants Nursery crops Others Get Complete Report in your Inbox within 24 hours: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/931152aeb0cff7bcf2ee0122fef429bf,0,1,Global%20Smart%20Greenhouse%20Industry%20Research%20Report,%20Growth%20Trends%20and%20Competitive%20Analysis%202018-2025 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. Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global Social Media Market Insights by Application, Product Type, Competitive Landscape & Regional Forecast 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 Social Media Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, YouTube, We Chat, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype, Viber, LinkedIn, Google+ and Meet up. Social Media Market Overview: If you are involved in the Social Media 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 Application (Customer service, Public relations, Promotions and Advertising), by Type (Enterprise social media and Consumer Social media) 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. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1563213-global-social-media-market-3 Social Media 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. 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: Enterprise social media and Consumer Social media Major applications/end-users industry are as follows: Customer service, Public relations, Promotions and Advertising Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, YouTube, We Chat, Instagram, Snapchat, Skype, Viber, LinkedIn, Google+ and Meet up You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1563213-global-social-media-market-3 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 Social Media 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1563213 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 Social Media 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 Social Media market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1563213-global-social-media-market-3 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Social Media market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Social Media market, Applications [Customer service, Public relations, Promotions and Advertising], Market Segment by Regions North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc; 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 regional segmentation[? To provide in-depth information regarding major influencing factors affecting the growth of the market (trends, drivers, restraints, opportunities, and industry-centric and regional challenges), North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc ], 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 Social Media 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) -- 04/19/2019 -- Strontium nitrate is a salt of strontium metal, which is the 15th most abundant element in nature. Strontium nitrate is widely utilized in pyrotechnic applications. Strontium burns with a bright red flame, and there are no other alternative materials with performance at par with that of strontium. Among all the strontium compounds, such as strontium carbonate, strontium oxalate, strontium sulfate, and strontium chlorate, strontium nitrate is extensively employed in pyrotechnic applications. Strontium nitrate is a solid comprising white or light yellow crystals that are soluble in water. Strontium nitrate has oxidizing properties. It is produced by reacting strontium carbonate and nitric acid. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/strontium-nitrate-market.html Global Strontium Nitrate Market: Key Segments Pyrotechnics is the prominent application of strontium nitrate. These devices can be further divided into end-uses spanning across military and non-military applications. In military applications, pyrotechnic devices are used in tracer ammunition, military flares, and marine distress signals etc. Among non-military applications, pyrotechnics are utilized in warning devices and fireworks. Other non-military pyrotechnic applications for strontium nitrate include glass for liquid crystal displays and automotive. Pyrotechnic is expected to remain the dominant segment of the global strontium nitrate market during the forecast period. It is projected to expand at a rapid pace in the near future. Strontium nitrate is also utilized in numerous other applications such as refrigeration, steelmaking, and sugar beet processing. Strontium compounds have the ability to impart red color to substances and hence, they are also used as colorants. Global Strontium Nitrate Market: Regional Outlook China, Mexico, and Spain are major producers of strontium nitrate in the world. This can be attributed to the vast strontium natural reserves in these countries. Finland, France, Germany, and Switzerland are other key producers of strontium compounds worldwide. In terms of region, the global strontium nitrate market can be divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Asia Pacific is a major market for strontium nitrate, globally. Demand for strontium nitrate is high in the region, due to the expansion of electronics and automotive industries in the region where strontium nitrate is used for pyrotechnics. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Countries such as India, China, and South Korea are estimated to drive the strontium nitrate market in the region. North America and Europe are also projected to be the key consumers of strontium nitrate. The market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is anticipated to offer lucrative opportunities to strontium nitrate manufacturers during the forecast period. Brazil and Mexico are expected to contribute significantly to the expansion of the market in Latin America. Request to view Sample Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=63837 Global Strontium Nitrate Market: Key Players Key players operating in the strontium nitrate market include Solvay, BassTech International, Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Ronas Chemicals Ind. Co. Ltd., Celtic Chemicals Ltimited, Mintchem Group, Furun Chemicals, Big Dragon Group, Wenzhou Chemical Material Factory, and TQ Chemicals Inc. Los Angeles, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/18/2019 -- Almond oil is the oil extracted from almonds. It is a kind of pale yellow oily liquid with minimum odor at room temperature. It is mainly used for food, cosmetics and others. In this report we main static the almond oil that not contain any additives. California produces 82% of the globe's almonds, harvesting about 1000,000 acres of the tree nut across a 400-mile stretch from northern Tehama County to southern Kern County. Fueling the boom is robust foreign demand, particularly from emerging consumer markets like China and India, where the industry has been promoting almonds as a healthful snack. Most of almond is consumed as food. Almonds production and price trend will directly affect the industry. Due to the strong demand in the cosmetics industry, sweet almond oil is rapidly developing as a further processed product of almond. As we know, the world's leading cosmetics companies L'oreal, Beiersdorf, SHISEIDO and Estee Lauder are direct downstream clients in this industry. The United States is the world's largest producer of sweet almond oil. Every year, 60%-75% sweet almond oil of United States manufacturer exports to Europe and Asia Pacific. In Europe, especially France and Germany, is the world's largest consumption region of sweet almond oil, which hold 58% global sales market share. The world's major consumption regions are the France, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan and the United States. Cosmetic companies are the world's major downstream customers. Despite the presence of competition problems, due to the global recovery trend is clear, investors are still optimistic about this area. Consumption in China and many developing countries is very small, and there still have great potential in these markets. Get PDF template of this report: https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/1092089/global-sweet-almond-oil-market The global Sweet Almond Oil market was 160 million US$ in 2018 and is expected to 160 million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of -0.1% between 2019 and 2025. This report studies the Sweet Almond Oil market size (value and volume) by players, regions, product types and end industries, history data 2014-2018 and forecast data 2019-2025; This report also studies the global market competition landscape, market drivers and trends, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis. Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share and growth Rate of Sweet Almond Oil in these regions, from 2014 to 2025, covering North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam) South America (Brazil etc.) Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries) The various contributors involved in the value chain of the product include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in this market include Caloy NOW Foods La Tourangelle Plimon Natural Oils International Alqvimia Mountain Ocean Provital Group AAK Natural Oils ESI Oliofora| U?urluo?lu Vegetable Oil K. K. Enterprise By the product type, the market is primarily split into Nonpareil Almond Oil California Almond Oil Mission Almond Oil Others By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Cosmetics Food Others Get Complete Report in your Inbox within 24 hours: https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/04f99b1604600711283472a0444dd72c,0,1,Global%20Sweet%20Almond%20Oil%20Market%20Report,%20History%20and%20Forecast%202014-2025,%20Breakdown%20Data%20by%20Manufacturers,%20Key%20Regions,%20Types%20and%20Application 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. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Calcium Chloride Market Snapshot Calcium chloride, an ionic compound of calcium and chlorine, is highly soluble in liquid. It is commercially available as anhydrous and di hydrate flakes, pellets and powder, or 30% to 45% solution. Calcium chloride is produced by refining naturally occurring brine, neutralizing hydrochloric acid with calcium carbonate, or as by-product from the Solvay process of synthetic sodium carbonate production. Solvay and HCL processes are the widely used manufacturing processes of calcium chloride. The Solvay process involves chemical synthesis of high purity limestone and salt brine solution to produce soda ash and calcium chloride as end products. A wide range of concentrations of high grade liquid and dry form calcium chloride can be produced through this process. The HCL process primarily entails a reaction of hydrochloric acid (HCl) and limestone to produce calcium chloride. Other processes include natural brine, strengthened brine, and brine purification. Read Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/calcium-chloride-market.html Calcium chloride is primarily used as a de-icing agent. Liquid calcium chloride of up to 35% is used with rock salt for snow and ice control. Calcium chloride reduces the frequent and repetitive application of salt by 40%. It also remains active for longer duration, thereby preventing ice from bonding with the road or pavement. Demand for calcium chloride is anticipated to be stable due to the heavy snowfall in countries such as the U.S., Canada, and Japan. This is estimated to drive the calcium chloride market during the forecast period. Calcium chloride is hygroscopic; therefore, it absorbs water from the air. This can result in corrosion at lower levels and long durations of relative humidity. Furthermore, salts influence the ability of water to carry a current and speed up the corrosion process. The calcium chloride liquid causes corrosion of tire rims in tire weighing applications. Therefore, it is less attractive as tire ballasting agent. Request Report Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=3239 In terms of revenue, the global calcium chloride market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2018 to 2026 to reach US$ 2406.4 Mn by 2026. The global calcium chloride market has been segmented based on product type and application. Based on product type, the market has been segregated into flakes 77%, flakes 94%, prills 94%, pellets 94%, liquid grade, and others (flakes 83%-87%, pellets 90%, powders 90% etc.). In terms of volume, the prills 94% segment is expected to expand significantly during the forecast period. The flakes 77% segment held major share of the global calcium chloride market in 2017. Its share is anticipated to increase substantially by the end of the forecast period. Based on application, the global calcium chloride market has been classified into de-icing, dust control, drilling fluids, industrial processing, construction, and others. The others segment includes tier weighing, water management, and food. Calcium chloride has the lowest freezing point of all types of other deicers including sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, potassium chloride and urea. Therefore, it is an ideal de-icing agent to be used in winters. In terms of volume, the drilling fluids segment accounted for leading share of the global calcium chloride market in 2017. It is likely to remain a dominant segment throughout the forecast period. In terms of value and volume, the dust control segment is estimated to expand at a rapid pace between 2018 and 2026, followed by the industrial processing segment. North America dominated the global calcium chloride market with more than 40% share in terms of volume and value in 2017. It was followed by Asia Pacific and Europe. The U.S. constituted key share of the calcium chloride market in North America in terms of volume and revenue in 2017. Presence of major manufacturing plants of calcium chloride and increase in demand for de-icing, led by recent climatic changes in the country, are driving the demand for calcium chloride in the U.S. The calcium chloride market in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. On the other hand, the calcium chloride market in Latin America and Middle East & Africa is likely to expand at a sluggish pace during the forecast period. However, Middle East & Africa held significant share of the global calcium chloride in 2017, due to the high usage of calcium chloride in construction, drilling fluids, and dust control applications in the region. Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Transdermal Skin Patches Market: Overview Transdermal skin patches are medicated patches that are attached to the skin which facilitates the transfer of drug from the patch into the patient's body over a period of time. It is a viable alternative for patients who are averse to takings drugs via pills or injections. This report analyzes the current and future prospects of the transdermal skin patches market based on product type, application, distribution channel and geography. Report Overview @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ksa-transdermal-skin-patches-market.html The market report comprises an elaborated executive summary, which includes market snapshot that provides information about various segments of the market. It also provides information and data analysis of the market with respect to market segments based on product type, application, distribution channel and geography. The market overview section of the report analyzes market dynamics such as drivers, restraints and opportunities that influences the transdermal skin patches market in the current and future scenario. The report also provides value chain analysis of the market that describes the sequence of activities involved, from identification of the market need to their final reach to the end users. Furthermore, the report provides Porter's five force analysis that studies five factors and their impact on the transdermal skin patches market. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Transdermal Skin Patches Market: Research Methodologies The research is a combination of primary and secondary research, conducted for understanding and arriving at trends, used to forecast the expected revenue of transdermal skin patches used in hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, online pharmacies, etc. in the near future. Primary research formed the bulk of our research efforts with information collected from in-depth interviews and discussions with a number of key industry experts and opinion leaders. Request A Sample Copy @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=26171 Secondary research involved study of company websites, annual reports, press releases, investor presentations, analyst presentation and various international and national databases. The report provides estimated market size in terms of US$ Mn for product type, application, distribution channel and geography for the period 2017 to 2025. The revenue generated from product type was calculated by considering the adoption rate of transdermal skin patches in Saudi Arabia and also in other geographies, the number of product launched, average cost of products, trends in industry, and distribution channel trends, among others. Market share analysis among the market players is analyzed to signify the contribution of these players in the market in terms of percentage share. All these factors will help the market players to decide about the business strategies and plans to strengthen their positions in the Saudi Arabia market. Request Brochure @ https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=26171 Key Players Mentioned in this Report are: The report also profiles the major players in the market and provides various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, business strategies, and recent developments. Major companies profiled in the transdermal skin patches market include Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Mylan, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Luye Pharma, Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, Purdue Pharma, and Mundipharma. 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 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 Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Water softening system is used to soften water by cleaning the minerals. The system eliminates constituents such as calcium, magnesium, and various other metal cations present in hard water. Soft water reduces the requirement of soaps and detergents for laundry and cleaning purposes. It also prolongs the life of appliances such as water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers. Rise in environmental concerns is encouraging consumers and manufacturers to seek nature-friendly and sustainable products. This is expected to fuel the demand for these products. Increase in awareness regarding hard water and growth in disposable income of the people are also driving the market. Furthermore, increase in the demand for ultra-pure water in food & beverages and health care industries is propelling the water softening system market. Water Softening System Market: Key Segments The water softening system market can be segmented based on type, technology, application, and region. In terms of type, the market can be bifurcated into salt based water softeners system and salt free water softeners system. Salt based is a highly effective type of systems for removing hard water. The segment is expected to expand significantly during the forecast period owing to its relatively low price and easy availability. Get Free Sample Copy of this report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/6987 In terms of technology, the water softening system market can be divided into electric water softening system and non-electric water softening system. The electric water softening system segment is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Fully automatic water softening systems are classified under the electric water softening system segment. Such softening systems do not require labor to operate and consist of timers and motors. Electric type water softening system is gaining more traction in developed countries such as the U.S., Germany, and the U.K. due to its efficiency in converting hard water into soft water. Based on application, the water softening system market can be segregated into residential, commercial, and industrial. The residential segment dominates the water softening system market. It is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Increase in awareness about harsh effects of hard water is augmenting the installation of treatment systems in the residential sector. The commercial segment is also likely to expand significantly during the forecast period primarily due to the rise in adoption of such systems in hotels, hospitals, and malls, among others. Water Softening System Market: Regional Outlook In terms of region, the global water softening system market can be split into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to lead the water softening system market primarily due to the high usage of water softeners in households, industrial establishments, and water distribution authorities. The U.S. contributes significantly to the water softening system market in the region as well as across the globe. However, the water softening system market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during forecast period. High growth in industrial and infrastructure sectors leads to water pollution. Municipal corporations in countries such as India and Indonesia do not treat hard water effectively due to infrastructural bottlenecks. Thus, residential consumers have started picking point-of-entry equipment such as softeners. This is driving the water softening system market in these countries. China, Japan, India, and Indonesia are the key countries of the water softening system market in Asia Pacific. Water Softening System Market: Key Players Major companies operating in the global water softening system market include Kinetico Incorporated, 3M Company, Culligan International Company, Pelican Water Systems, Aqua Filsep Inc., Envicare Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Marlo Incorporated, Monarch Water Ltd., EcoWater Systems LLC, BWT Aktiengesellschaft, and Harvey Water Softeners Ltd. Request For TOC Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/6987 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 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 re-search 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. 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 Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/19/2019 -- Global Wireless Connectivity Market Insights by Application, Product Type, Competitive Landscape & Regional Forecast 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 Wireless Connectivity Market. Some of the key players profiled in the study are Broadcom, Murata, Qualcomm Atheros, Mediatek Inc., Intel Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., Atmel Corporation, Stmicroelectronics N.V., NXP Semiconductors N.V. and Marvell. Wireless Connectivity Market Overview: If you are involved in the Wireless Connectivity 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 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. Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1463520-global-wireless-connectivity-market-11 Wireless Connectivity 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. 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: Some of the key Manufacturers Involved in the Market are Broadcom, Murata, Qualcomm Atheros, Mediatek Inc., Intel Corporation, Cypress Semiconductor Corporation, Texas Instruments Inc., Atmel Corporation, Stmicroelectronics N.V., NXP Semiconductors N.V. and Marvell You can get free access to samples from the report here: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1463520-global-wireless-connectivity-market-11 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 Wireless Connectivity 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) Buy this research report @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1463520 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 Wireless Connectivity 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 Wireless Connectivity market growth? What are the recent trends in the regional market and how successful they are? Read Detailed Index of full Research Study at @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1463520-global-wireless-connectivity-market-11 There are 15 Chapters to display the Global Wireless Connectivity market. Chapter 1, About Executive Summary to describe Definition, Specifications and Classification of Global Wireless Connectivity market, Applications, Market Segment by Regions North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc; 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 regional segmentation[North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific etc ], 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 Wireless Connectivity 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]. When the Universe was still very young, only a few kinds of atoms existed. Astrophysicists believe that around 100,000 years after the Big Bang, ionized hydrogen and neutral helium atoms combined to make the helium hydride ion (HeH+) for the first time. This molecule should be present in some parts of the modern Universe, but it has never been detected in space until now. A team of researchers from the United States, Germany and France discovered its signature in NGC 7027, a planetary nebula located approximately 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, using NASAs Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). HeH+ was lurking out there, but we needed the right instruments making observations in the right position and SOFIA was able to do that perfectly, said Dr. Harold Yorke, director of the SOFIA Science Center. Today, the Universe is filled with large, complex structures such as planets, stars and galaxies. But more than 13 billion years ago, following the Big Bang, the early Universe was hot, and all that existed were a few types of atoms, mostly helium and hydrogen. As atoms combined to form the first molecules, the Universe was finally able to cool and began to take shape. Astrophysicists have inferred that HeH+ was this first, primordial molecule. Once cooling began, hydrogen atoms could interact with HeH+, leading to the creation of molecular hydrogen the molecule primarily responsible for the formation of the first stars. Stars went on to forge all the elements that make up our rich, chemical cosmos of today. The problem, though, is that scientists could not find HeH+ in space. This first step in the birth of chemistry was unproven, until now. The lack of evidence of the very existence of HeH+ in interstellar space was a dilemma for astronomy for decades, said Dr. Rolf Guesten, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Germany. In 1925, chemists were able to create HeH+ in a laboratory by coaxing the helium to share one of its electrons with a hydrogen ion. Then, in the late 1970s, astronomers studying NGC 7027 thought that this environment might be just right to form HeH+. UV radiation and heat from the aging star create conditions suitable for HeH+ to form. But their observations were inconclusive. Subsequent efforts hinted it could be there, but HeH+ continued to elude detection. In 2016, scientists turned to SOFIA for help. Flying up to 45,000 feet (13.7 km), SOFIA makes observations above the interfering layers of Earths atmosphere. But it has a benefit space telescopes dont it returns after every flight. Were able to change instruments and install the latest technology. This flexibility allows us to improve observations and respond to the most pressing questions that scientists want answered, said SOFIA deputy project scientist Dr. Naseem Rangwala. The study was published in the April 11 issue of the journal Nature. _____ Rolf Gusten et al. 2019. Astrophysical detection of the helium hydride ion HeH+. Nature 568: 357-359; doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1090-x http://vv.chinamil.com.cn/asset/category3/2019/04/19/asset_355998.mp4 On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of China's navy, ships from all over the world will participate in the naval parade in Qingdao, hosted by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. Russia will also send two of its naval ships to take part in the joint maneuvers with the PLA Navy. The two Russian destroyers were seen entering Manila port for a drill with the Philippines Navy earlier this month, just days before they arrive in the Chinese port of Qingdao on the Shandong Peninsula for the naval exercises. It was another show of the might of Russia's resurgent navy. Rising from the ashes of USSR Russian naval ship Admiral Vinogradov enters the port of Manila, the Philippines, April 8, 2019. /Reuters Photo Just years ago, because of a crippling state of its vessels and lack of funding, the Russian Navy was confined only to areas near its territorial waters. In 2012, a decision was made to spend over 770 billion U.S. dollars on the massive military rearmament program. Since then, a good portion of that money has poured into the upgrading of the Russian Navy. The aim is to protect and deter any possible threats coming from abroad, particularly from its Soviet-era rival, the U.S., which boasts of having the world's largest navy. As Davor Domazet, retired Admiral of Croatian Navy told CGTN, Russia had to be creative [as] with limited funds they have to balance U.S.'s superior maritime power. "They cannot build aircraft carriers as a symmetric response to the U.S. Navy. So, they've chosen an asymmetric response, to develop a system that can destroy U.S. aircraft carrier strike group anywhere. And that did happen." Admiral Domazet said. Davor Domazet, Retired Admiral of Croatian Navy. /CGTN Photo Systems in question are the new hypersonic missile Kinzhal and Kalibr cruise missile, Poseidon underwater drone and several new types of submarines. The Russian submarine fleet has existed since Soviet times and regarded as the most crucial element of the navy. Today, Russia continues that tradition, which is based on the unique tasks its naval forces have to accomplish, the most important of which is to have a strategic nuclear deterrence. Strength through collaboration In the Barents Sea and the White Sea, Russia's latest submarines can be often seen conducting their trials as well as testing new weapons systems. Also, the pace of upgrading Russia's naval might is unprecedented. According to analysts, the Russian Navy is focused on flexing its muscles because of new challenges it currently faces. One of which is the need to control and protect the so-called North Sea Route, that opened in the Arctic due to global warming. In the face of rising global threats, Russia is keen on closing the ranks with China's PLA and its Navy. In Moscow, CGTN spoke with Igor Korotchenko, a retired colonel of the Russian Army and the head of Center for Analysis of Global Weapons Trade, about this crucial partnership. Russian and Chinese soldiers shaking hands after finishing a joint military exercise during "Joint Sea 2016" military exercise. "Our military contacts are developing successfully and dynamically. We have good relations between our two defense ministers just as between the presidents of our countries. In that aspect, I think that in the area of joint missions where Russian Army and the Chinese PLA can complement each other, our mutual collaboration has a great future." Korotchenko said. Russian Navy's participation in Qingdao naval parade is one more example of that collaboration. In February this year Cosco Shipping Bulk signed ship design contract with Shanghai Merchant Ship Design & Research Institute (SDARI) for the development of 210,000 dwt bulk carriers. The vessels will meet the latest requirements on emission control and energy saving with fuel consumption of 45.3 tonnes per day. The bulk carriers will be deployed for bauxite transportation for Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco). Chalco launched its first overseas bauxite project in Boffa, Guinea last year. The project will see an annual bauxite output of 12m tonnes in the first phase. Cosco Shipping Bulk, headquartered in Guangzhou, was established in 2016 and operates a fleet of over 400 bulk carriers. "None other than the Prime Minister of India specifically says in an interview that his Government has recovered more money than I allegedly owe PSU Banks and the same Banks claim otherwise in English Courts. Who does one believe? One or the other is lying" he tweeted. Fugitive Businessman Vijay Mallya on Thursday cited a statement made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while taking a dig at him as well as banks over contradictory statements made in British courts regarding recovery of money he owed PSUs. In an interview to Republic Bharat news channel on March 29, Modi had expressed satisfaction over the fact that Mallya's extradition process was in the last stage and the government has recovered money from him. "We brought in a law that enabled the Indian government to confiscate the property of fugitives in any part of the world. You must've seen in the case of Vijay Mallya. He owed banks Rs 9000 crore but the government has confiscated his properties worth Rs 14,000 crore from across the world. Now, he is in trouble because we are taking double the amount," the Prime Minister had said in an exclusive interview to Republic Bharat news channel's Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami. Mallya, who is facing trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore, is currently facing trial at a London court. On April 8, a United Kingdom court had denied permission to the liquor baron to appeal against his extradition order to India to face trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. By Wang Jinyan Fighting has resumed in Libya after the Libyan National Army (LNA), a military force in the east of the country, advanced on the capital Tripoli on April 4 to fight with the Armed Forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA). The Gaddafi regime was overthrown in 2011, resulting in two rival administrations. Since then, Libya has been in a chaotic situation of political division, economic hardship and social unrest.The Government of National Accord and the armed forces hold a position in some parts of Western Libya. The General National Congress and the LNA led by Khalifa Haftar formed an alliance and established another government in eastern Libya. Facing the current chaos, many countries including the Western powers, have condemned the use of force and called for an immediate ceasefire to resolve the issue in a peaceful manner. However, such countries have their own plans because of their different interests in Libya. The UK called on the UN Security Council to hold an emergency meeting, arguing that the responsibility for resolving the Libya crisis should be shared by the UN and global major powers. Russia said that it had been working hard for a political solution in Libya for many years. The US called for a ceasefire and temporary withdrawal of some US troops from Libya due to deteriorated security situation. The EU member states have different voices. Italys Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on April 11 that the EU was going to issue a statement on the Libyan war and accuse the attack against Tripoli by Haftars LNA of jeopardizing the safety of civilians. However, the statement was rejected due to French opposition. He stressed that although France blocked the statement for its own sake, Italy would not stand by idly. From 2011 to the present, every Western intervention in Libya has been for their own interests, rather than for stabilizing the situation in Libya. The egoism of the western countries has undoubtedly not only worsened the situation in Libya and the lives of the Libyan people, but also made them shoot themselves in the feet, as they have been plagued by refugee crisis and terrorist attacks for a long time. Over the past eight years, Libya has been trapped in the struggle of various domestic forces with raging armed conflicts and countless civilian casualties. Not only did the Libyan people fail to gain the long-awaited democracy, but their living conditions were deteriorating every day. Hundreds of thousands of people became refugees and they risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea to flee to Europe. At the same time, extremist organizations such as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) seized the opportunity to take root in Libya, making Libya an important stronghold. On the one hand, ISIS recruits and trains extremists in Libya and sends them to neighboring African and European countries to carry out terrorist attacks. Several countries such as France, UK, Egypt and Tunisia are victims of serious terrorist attacks launched by extremists who sneaked in after receiving training in Libya. On the other hand, extremist groups, including ISIS and al-Qaeda, have intensified the European refugee crisis to some extent by profiting from helping refugees enter EU. Under such circumstances, western countries such as the US, UK, France and Italy have provided economic, military and even personnel support in order to strengthen their control over Libya, in the name of battling terrorism. Their stop gap measures are not for the best interest of Libyas national economy and peoples livelihood, but for their own self-interests. Such practice by western powers is not conducive to helping Libya restore stability. (The author is from the Institute of West-Asian and African Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences) http://vv.chinamil.com.cn/asset/category3/2019/04/19/asset_356012.mp4 For a long time, replenishment and logistical support was a bottleneck that kept the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) from open water missions. Increasing far sea operations means the fleet needs to be logistically self-supporting. The permanent facility at the Djibouti base is only the beginning of its overseas logistics system support. Additional replenishment warships will be built, along with increased civil-military integration. More than a hunk of steel "Replenishment during flotilla maneuvers has been regularized. With the increase in blue-water training, the ships are sailing farther and farther and must be replenished," says Wang Sheqiang, Commander of the Fleet Training Formation. Being embedded on a training mission, we got a chance to see how things are done. Wang told us the multi-ship, horizontal and vertical replenishment method is now normal practice and a major subject in their training. Practice is one thing, sufficient support is another. So the PLAN is now prioritizing supply ships in its expansion plans. Dou Jichao talks with CGTN reporter Han Bin at the power control room of 052C type destroyer Changchun. /CGTN Photo "Heart" of the ship "A ship is a systematic chain with tight coordination. If one link is broken, it can ruin the whole task," says Dou Jichao, Diesel Propulsion team leader of the PLANS Changchun. We were given access to the "heart" of the Changchun, China's 052C type destroyer. Dou works at the bottom of the ship the power control room. The generation equipment supplies power to ships, including some safeguards for living facilities. He says his job is hidden from the crew, but it's key for the mission. A replenishment training during flotilla maneuvers at the East China Sea. /CGTN Photo 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(0x7f3feaa27440)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe9f80888)', '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(0x7f3feaa27440)') 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(0x7f3fe9f80888)') 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(0x7f3feaa33650)') 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(0x7f3fe9f80888)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe9f80888)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe9dbaae8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3feaa586e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3feaa586e0)') 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(0x7f3fea3385f8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fea31b6d8)', '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(0x7f3fea3385f8)') 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(0x7f3fea31b6d8)') 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(0x7f3fea322cd0)') 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(0x7f3fea31b6d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fea31b6d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe99b25c8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fea322370)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fea322370)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Wuhan's Public Security Bureau is setting up a brand-new police team to serve the thousands of foreign nationals expected to descend on the city for the 2019 Military World Games this October. Hu Yiwen, a local policewoman working in the Exit and Entry Administration Department of Wuhan's Public Security Bureau, was appointed to this special branch after being voted one of the city's top 10 performing police officers last month. Since then, her duties have included writing information and training manuals for police officers in five languages, and opening visa-free passages for foreign athletes at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. Hu also gave training to receptionists in hotels assigned for foreign athletes to ensure quality service and accommodation. She also helped set up a coordinated mechanism to provide temporary assistance and medical treatment for foreign visitors. Hu is just one member of a new police team created to assist the tens of thousands of overseas athletes attending the 7th Military World Games to be held in Wuhan this October. This all-new team consists of 100 police officers who have mastered more than two languages, and are said to have plenty of experience in dealing with foreign affairs, with some having conducted overseas peacekeeping operations. Members of this special police team will be easily identifiable by their distinctive blue armbands and are currently in the middle of an 18-week language training course. According to event organizers, over 10,000 athletes from 105 countries and regions are expected to attend the 2019 Military World Games. Coming soon to China: the car of the future Shanghai, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 Global automakers are positioning for a brave new world of on-demand transport that will require a car of the future -- hyper-connected, autonomous, and shared -- and China may become the concept's laboratory. With ride-hailing services booming and car-sharing not far behind, the need for vehicles tailored to these and other evolving mobility solutions is one of the hottest topics among global automakers gathered for this week's Shanghai Auto Show. Nearly all agree that there is no better proving ground than China: its gigantic cities are desperate for answers to gridlock and its population is noted for its ready embrace of high-tech new services. To take advantage of this, manufacturers are competing not only to sell conventional and electric vehicles in the world's biggest auto market, but also to develop new technologies and even specific interiors designed for the on-demand world. "We cannot just develop electric cars. They will have to be smart, interconnected and of course shared," Zhao Guoqing, vice president of Chinese auto giant Great Wall Motors, said on the auto show's sidelines. Discussion of China and ride-hailing inevitably involves Didi Chuxing, the country's omnipresent answer to Uber. The eagerness of Chinese travellers to hail rides with a smartphone click has unleashed a colossal market: on-demand transport reached $28 billion in turnover in China last year, or about half of global volume, and is expected to double by 2022, according to data firm Statista. Didi accounts for about 90 percent of the Chinese market. - 'Enormous potential' - The on-demand potential is bringing automakers and service providers together. Last year, Didi unveiled an alliance of Chinese and foreign manufacturers including Renault, Toyota and Volkswagen, dedicated to exploring ways forward. And in February, Chinese technology giants Alibaba and Tencent joined hands with several manufacturers to develop a future platform for on-demand transport. "We can no longer be a conventional manufacturer, we must offer mobility solutions, connectivity," Stephan Wollenstein, director of Volkswagen China, told reporters. Although a relative newcomer to China's automotive market, French brand Renault is plunging ahead: its local joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Brilliance Auto delivered 600 personal minivans to Didi in February. "Didi wants to develop such vehicles with many carmakers, which are more adapted to (Didi's) business, redesigned around the passenger," said Michael Dong, vice president of Renault-Brilliance-Jinbei. For one thing, most passenger cars today are designed to squeeze in a family, and thus feature limited space in the back because that's where the kids normally sit, said Lawrence Petizon, an analyst with AlixPartners. But for ride-hailing or car-sharing, more space is needed in the back to accommodate grown-up passengers. "The family car is not the right answer," he said. Didi drivers typically supply their own vehicles, but Chinese authorities are encouraging service firms to build their own fleets, partly to spur the industry and push forward the futuristic transport concept. Some manufacturers are even dipping their toes into ride-hailing, with Germany's BMW offering a high-end service in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, and Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz doing so in Shanghai. "Admittedly, the volumes ordered are still insufficient for mass production but the potential is enormous," says Dong. - Robot-taxis - The idea is not confined to China. Daimler and BMW announced in February they would jointly invest "more than one billion euros" to deepen cooperation between their Car2Go and DriveNow services in Europe, in which cars are available for short-term point-to-point use. One thing that seems to certain to eventually change is how cars are bought and sold. "Car manufacturers will no longer provide customers with cars via a one-time sale, but rather with a brand that connects them to the users on a daily basis through the mobility services they offer," said a recent report by Eurogroup Consulting. This automotive evolution is expected to accelerate development of autonomous vehicles, which are already viewed as the future of overall car transport, but seem especially suited for urban car-sharing services. Valeo, the French manufacturer of ultrasonic sensors, cameras, and navigational technology, said it received orders totalling one billion euros last year related to the development of "robot-taxis". Francois Marion, president of Valeo China, said the global advent of driverless cars is just around the bend. "They will hit the road in carefully charted urban environments, with dedicated lanes on the streets, connected infrastructures guiding them, and programmed itineraries," he said of the futuristic vision. "And the companies operating them will always be able to intervene if anything happens to one of the vehicles." Valeo also is working with Meituan, China's leader in meal deliveries, to develop a robotic vehicle. bur-jug/dma/lth/rox/gle VALEO Tencent VOLKSWAGEN Alibaba DAIMLER GREAT WALL MOTOR COMPANY TOYOTA MOTOR Renault Ransomware 'hero' pleads guilty to US hacking charges Washington, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 A British computer security researcher once hailed as a "hero" for helping stem a ransomware outbreak and later accused of creating malware to attack the banking system said Friday he pleaded guilty to US criminal charges. Marcus Hutchins, whose arrest in 2017 stunned the computer security community, acknowledged in a statement pleading guilty to criminal charges linked to his activity in 2014 and 2015. "I regret these actions and accept full responsibility for my mistakes," the 24-year-old Hutchins, known by his alias "MalwareTech," wrote, noting that the charges related to his activity prior to his work in security. "Having grown up, I've since been using the same skills that I misused several years ago for constructive purposes. I will continue to devote my time to keeping people safe from malware attacks." Hutchins in 2017 found a "kill switch" to stem the spread of the devastating WannaCry ransomware outbreak, prompting widespread news reports calling him a hero. Months later he was arrested after attending the Def Con gathering of computer hackers in Las Vegas. The case drew fire from critics who argued that researchers often work with computer code that can be deployed for malicious purposes. A federal indictment unsealed in Wisconsin accused Hutchins and another individual of making and distributing the Kronos "banking Trojan," a reference to malicious software designed to steal user names and passwords used on online banking sites. According to the indictment, Hutchins was part of a conspiracy to distribute the hacking tool on so-called dark markets. He was released on bail while awaiting trial, allowing him to continue working for a security firm. He had maintained his innocence and won support from many others in his profession. US prosecutors did not immediately respond to an AFP query about the case. But court documents published by the news site ZDNet showed Hutchins could face up to one year in jail on each of the criminal counts along with financial penalties. Other counts in the indictment were dismissed, according to the court papers. rl/ska Peace hopes suffer setback as Taliban-Afghan talks derailed Doha, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 Hopes for a breakthrough in a push to end Afghanistan's gruelling conflict suffered a major setback Friday after a key summit between the Taliban and Afghan officials was indefinitely postponed. The so-called intra-Afghan dialogue, due to take place in Doha this weekend, fell apart at the last minute in a row over the large number of delegates Kabul wanted to send. The collapse comes at a critical time and amid continued bloodshed. The Taliban now control or influence about half of Afghanistan and 3,804 civilians were killed there last year, according to a UN tally. Washington, which is leading an effort to end the war, signalled its disappointment and urged both sides to return to the table, though organisers gave no hint about when the conference might be rescheduled. Sultan Barakat, who heads the group that was to host the event, said in a statement the postponement was "necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate". "Clearly the moment is not yet right," added Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. President Ashraf Ghani's administration had on Tuesday announced a list of 250 people from all walks of Afghan life, including government figures, who it wanted to send to Doha. But the Taliban poured scorn on the lengthy list, saying the conference is "not an invitation to some wedding or other party at a hotel in Kabul". Though the insurgents insisted they would only talk to Ghani's government in a "personal capacity", any contact between the two parties in Doha would have been hugely significant, especially at a time when Afghanistan is being ripped by fresh violence after the Taliban announced their annual spring offensive. Kabul blamed the Qatari government for the summit's derailment. In a statement, the presidential palace said Qatar had rejected the long list of delegates and suggested a shorter one which was "not acceptable". On the Taliban side, the militants complained Friday that it was "not fair" Ghani had wanted to send such a large delegation, and that "negotiations with the powerless Kabul administration is a waste of time." - US disappointment - Analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington said the breakdown illustrated the tough path ahead for peace. The conference "mess and its dysfunction amplifies just how much of a long, hard slog a reconciliation process will be," he told AFP. "If an event billed as a mere informal ice-breaker causes so many problems, imagine what could happen when it's time to put something more formal together." Even some of those Ghani said would attend dropped out, slamming the guest list as rigged to politically strengthen the president, who faces delayed elections in September. The Doha summit was separate from ongoing direct talks between the Taliban and the US. While the insurgents did meet with Afghan politicians outside the government in Moscow in February, they have steadfastly refused to meet with Ghani and his administration, which they view as a puppet regime. US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said he was "disappointed" the summit had been postponed. "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy wrote on Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." Barakat said both parties had undertaken "tireless and well-intentioned" efforts to find a way for the summit to proceed, but ultimately a "shared understanding on how to achieve inclusivity couldn't be reached." After US-Taliban talks in February, Khalilzad announced a "draft framework" for a peace deal, though he warned major hurdles remain. H-6 Bomber By Zhang Zhaozhong According to Taiwan media report on April 15, Taiwan authority has confirmed that the KJ-500, H-6K, Y-8, Su-30 and J-11 aircraft of the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) had been cruising around Taiwan, with Taiwan troops scrambling F-16 fighter jets for interception. The spokesperson of PLA Eastern Theater Commandsaid that the Eastern Theater Command recently dispatched its naval and air forces, including ships, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, to cruise around the Taiwan island and conduct necessary training and drills, testing the capability of multi-service integrated joint operations. The spokesperson stressed, The troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command always keep in mind their missions and tasks, strive to enhance their capability of winning battles in the new era, and resolutely safeguard Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity. This long-range drill coincides with events to mark the 40th anniversary of the so-called Taiwan Relations Act between the US and Taiwan. There are two profound meanings behind the restart ofisland patrols. Firstly, to deter Taiwan independence Tsai Ing-wen began to gradually move closer to the US after Taiwans Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) had suffered a humiliating electoral defeat in 2018. Tsai has publicly hyped the Chinese mainland threat theory in Taiwan, and rapidly warmed up relations with the US. Tsais moves are reminiscent of Chen Shui-bian, whotried to promote Taiwansde jure independence in 2005 and ended up being jointly controlled by the mainland and the US. Later, DPP was out of power for eight years after losing the election. Today, our navy is far stronger than it was in 2005. A stronger military means that we are more confident and have a bigger say. Restarting the island patrol is an important display of a clear change in Chinese mainlands approach towards Taiwan, aiming to deter the Taiwan independence forces led by Tsai Ing-wen with the strong military power.It is also a statement that the PLA has the strength to protect our country. As far as Im concerned, it is very likely to be normalized. Secondly, to warn the US not to intervene in Chinas domestic affairs The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has approved to renew a $500 million training program in the US for Taiwan F-16 pilots and maintenance crews on April 15. The US Statement Department also claimed that the move would help improve the security and defensive capability of the recipient. The special timing of the approval for the latest arms sales to Taiwan unveils the evil intentions of the US. On the one hand, it has its own strategic considerations. The US pursues the policy of using Taiwan to contain China and wants Taiwan to become part of itsIndo-Pacific Strategy. On the other hand, the US wants to maximize its own interests. As Chinas military strength grows, the US should have been aware of its gradual weakness on the Taiwan question. The US wants to maximize its interests when there is still chance. By restarting the island patrol,China lays bare its strategic postureon the USinterference in Taiwan question. As President Xi Jinping emphasized while delivering a speech at a gathering to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Message to Compatriots in Taiwan in January, The Chinese peoples affairs should be decided by the Chinese people.The Taiwan question concerns China's core interests and the national feelings of the Chinese people.No outside interference is allowed. Island patrol is a legitimate and justified arrangement. When asked about recent cruise around Taiwan, the spokesperson of the Taiwan Affairs Office of China responded: Taiwan authority, led by the Democratic Progressive Party, made use of the drill to deceive and mislead the residents of Taiwan and to provoke and escalate cross-Straits confrontation. Any attempt to undermine cross-Strait relations and the peace and security of the region will not succeed. Nobody should underestimate our adamant resolve and ability to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. (The original article is published on mil.news.sina.com.cn. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online) US, Japan meet amid standstill on North Korea Washington, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 Top leaders of the United States and Japan gathered for talks Friday amid a standstill in diplomacy aimed at reaching a deal with their mutual adversary North Korea. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed Foreign Minister Taro Kono for talks ahead of a planned expanded session with the two allies' defense chiefs. The meeting comes nearly two months after President Donald Trump walked away from a summit in Hanoi with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as the United States presses for the authoritarian state to eliminate its nuclear program. With no visible progress since then, North Korea this week demanded that Pompeo be excluded from future negotiations after he apparently encouraged Trump to stand firm. The regular "two-plus-two" dialogue is one of a flurry of meetings between the allies, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe due in Washington next week. Trump and his wife Melania will then travel to Japan in May as the first state guests following the enthronement of Naruhito as emperor. Japan has publicly backed Trump's drive to make peace with North Korea but has been cautious on chances for success. Abe built his political career demanding tough action against North Korea over its abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies. Pompeo says he's still in charge on N. Korea, works with Japan Washington, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he remained in charge of negotiating with North Korea despite the regime's demands to exclude him, as he voiced guarded hope with Japan on securing a deal. Pompeo led four-way talks in Washington of the US and Japanese foreign affairs and defense chiefs, the latest in a flurry of major meetings scheduled between the close allies. Amid a standstill with North Korea, Pompeo brushed aside an angry statement this week in which Pyongyang called the top US diplomat "reckless" and immature and demanded that he be removed from future negotiations. Pompeo is believed to have encouraged Trump, who has admitted to having a soft spot for Kim Jong Un, to hold firm with North Korea's young authoritarian leader during a summit in February in Hanoi that ended in deadlock. "Nothing's changed. We're continuing to work to negotiate. I'm still in charge of the team," Pompeo told a joint news conference, while adding that Trump is "obviously in charge of the overall effort." Pompeo, who traveled four times last year to Pyongyang as he eased once soaring tensions, said he was still hopeful for an agreement that would solidify Kim's promises to give up the nuclear arsenal which his dynasty has built over decades. "I'm convinced we still have a real opportunity to achieve that outcome and our diplomatic team will continue to remain in the lead," Pompeo said. - Japan backs diplomacy - Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Kim and last month blocked the imposition of tough new US sanctions on North Korea, saying he wanted to preserve the relationship despite Pompeo's vow to keep up maximum pressure. Japan, which closely aligns its foreign policy with the United States, has publicly backed Trump but is seen as deeply cautious. Conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe built his political career campaigning for tough action on North Korea over its abductions of Japanese civilians in the 1970s and 1980s to train the regime's spies. Foreign Minister Taro Kono nonetheless reiterated after the talks in Washington that Abe was willing to meet Kim "if there is a chance." "Japan is ready to normalize its relationship with North Korea when these missile, nuclear and abduction issues are taken care of," Kono said. Abe will visit Washington next week to meet Trump, with whom he has built a friendly rapport. Trump and his wife Melania will then head to Japan next month as the first state guests after Naruhito is enthroned as Japan's emperor. Japan will also hold a summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka in June, although Trump has not yet confirmed his attendance. - Expanding defense pact - In its latest effort to enlarge the security umbrella for Japan, the United States said that cyber attacks against its ally could trigger a response from Washington. In a joint statement, the four ministers said that "a cyber attack could, in certain circumstances, constitute an armed attack under Article V of the US-Japan Security Treaty." Article V declares that an assault on Japanese territory would trigger action by the United States, which guarantees its ally's safety under the pact imposed after World War II, when Japan was stripped of its right to maintain a military. Japanese officials have increasingly worried that hacking, especially by rivals China or North Korea, could be a more immediate threat than any traditional military operation. Pompeo also renewed the US stance, dating from former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, that Article V covers the Senkakus, Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea that Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu. Poroshenko, 53, has cast himself as the only Ukrainian politician who can take on Russia's Vladimir Putin and settle the war, which has claimed 13,000 lives. He said Thursday that because of the conflict with Russia it would be "very risky to experiment with the post of the president and commander-in-chief." Polls show Zelensky, a 41-year-old standup comic and television star, sailing to victory in Sunday's second-round vote. The latest survey on Thursday showed him winning 73 percent of the vote against only 27 percent for Poroshenko. His rise has stunned Ukraine's political elite, who have struggled to revive the economy, root out corruption and put an end to a war with Moscow-backed separatists in the country's east. In a dramatic televised address, Poroshenko pleaded with voters to support him over Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian with no political experience who has surged ahead in the polls. "I once again ask you to forgive me. What did not work out hurts the most," Poroshenko said. Ukrainian leader Petro Poroshenko begged for forgiveness and a second chance Thursday as polls showed him facing all-but-certain defeat three days ahead of a presidential vote. He also warned that Ukraine risked defaulting on its debt after a Kyiv court on Thursday ruled that his government's 2016 decision to nationalise the country's biggest lender was illegal. The bank, PrivatBank, was owned at the time by Igor Kolomoysky, a controversial tycoon who owns the channel that broadcasts several of Zelensky's television shows. Poroshenko said a default would mean "tens of millions" of people would lose their money and suggested the ruling was linked with Zelensky's campaign. He called an emergency meeting of his security council, while Kyiv's international partners including the EU, Washington and the World Bank said in coordinated statements they were closely monitoring the situation. Ukraine's government has spent nearly 160 billion hryvnyas (around $6 billion) on recapitalizing the lender to cover the losses caused by the withdrawal of money from the bank and poorly-secured loans. "You see they just cannot wait," Poroshenko said. "They've already started implementing their plans." Supporters credit Poroshenko, who took power in 2014 after a popular uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed leader, with implementing important economic reforms, rebuilding the army, securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia and winning visa-free travel to Europe. But Zelensky has seized on continued economic hardship and corruption, as well as his popularity as the star of sitcom "Servant of the People," in which he plays a school teacher who becomes a president. Anticipation has been building ahead of a presidential debate scheduled for Friday in a 70,000-seat arena, the first and only one of the presidential campaign. "Preparations for the debate are in full swing. You will see the results tomorrow," a Zelensky spokeswoman told AFP. The comic suggested he would have an easy time in the debate given Poroshenko's record. "I don't want to call anyone names, insult anyone or engage in mud-slinging," he told local media. "After what has been done over the last five years I believe I can simply keep mum." In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was hoping to watch what was likely to be a "curious spectacle." Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who was knocked out in the first round of voting last month, said it was time to accept that Ukraine was facing a new political reality. "Mathematics already tells us that Volodymyr Zelensky will win the second round," she said in a video address. "This is objective reality. It's time to think of how to live with this." Poroshenko has fought hard to recover lost ground in a bruising campaign after Zelensky leapfrogged the political establishment in the first round of voting on March 31. Over the past few days the candidates traded insults on television and in social media. In a campaign that has become increasingly sensational, both men even underwent drug tests at Zelensky's insistence. 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. The North Korean regime believes imports are "urgently needed" to stem a potential food crisis in the renegade country, according to a leaked document. The country's grain production fell about 10 percent last year, according to the North Korean Foreign Ministry memo obtained by NK News last week, and there is an "urgent need" for imports and a plan to increase production. Last month, North Korea's Ambassador to the UN Kim Song sent a letter to international agencies pleading for food assistance. By some estimates the North's remaining foreign currency, oil and food reserves will not last a year. "The North's economy shrank 3.5 percent in 2017 and five percent in 2018 and will likely shrink even further this year," said Cho Han-bum at the Korea Institute for National Unification. "It seems that they're trying to stock up food to hold out until late this year." But there are no signs yet of a massive famine, and grain prices seem stable in the North's open-air markets. Kwon Tae-jin of GS & J Institute, an expert on North Korean agriculture, said, "Food prices are probably stable only because people's overall purchasing power has declined as a result of international sanctions," so traders cannot hike prices. Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry here on Thursday said Seoul will cooperate with Pyongyang to prevent African swine fever, which is raging through China, Vietnam and Mongolia, from spreading to South Korea. But it has not been confirmed whether the disease has broken out in the North. ASF is a highly contagious viral disease that kills nearly 100 percent of the pigs it affects. The U.S., South Korea and Japan are scrambling to identify a "tactical guided weapon" that North Korea tested on Wednesday in a launch that seems to have taken all three by surprise. Experts said it was probably a short-range missile, which would mark the end of North Korea's moratorium on nuclear and missile tests. "We are closely analyzing what the new weapon was," a military spokesman here said without elaborating. North Korean state media said leader Kim Jong-un watched the launch of the "new tactical guided weapon" and said the renegade country's scientists "can make any weapon if they set their minds on it." The North halted tests after firing a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017. Hyundai's sales in China in the first three months of this year were even worse than during an unofficial boycott in 2017 and the lowest first-quarter figures in 10 years. Hyundai said Thursday that it sold just 132,678 cars in China from January to March of this year, down 18.4 percent on-year. Sales of key models like the Elantra compact (sold as the Avante in Korea) and Tucson small SUV were both slow. Sales of commercial buses and trucks were even the worst ever at just 1,210 vehicles, so the division was forced to eat into its capital reserves to stay afloat. Hyundai has decided to halt production at its oldest Beijing plant with a capacity for 300,000 cars a year and started drastic downsizing. Affiliate Kia will also halt production at one plant in Yancheng next month. Industry watchers believe more downsizing will be needed as local rival are in the ascendant. Chinese carmaker Geely rose to the No. 3 spot after rolling out cheaper cars with high-tech functions, while Japanese rivals Honda, Nissan and Toyota are also seeing sales grow in the luxury segment due to their solid image. "We can't afford to give up on the Chinese market," a Hyundai executive said. "We will implement adequate restructuring and adjust output while rolling out new models that appeal to Chinese consumers." Kathmandu, April 19 Nepals national flag carrier NAC has stopped servicing the debt it raised to finance the procurement of two wide-body jets. After the NAC stopped servicing its debt, lenders Citizens Investment Trust and Employees Provident Fund approached the government to secure the repayment of their loan. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation is learnt to have discussed the issue with representatives from the NAC and the funds. According to sources, NAC officials say that they are not in a position to service the debt. They are demanding that the government provide a grant of Rs 20 billion to the company if it wants the NAC to stay afloat. The NAC still owes the Employees Provident Fund Rs 1.12 billion and the CIT around half a billion. Ministry Joint Secretary Suresh Acharya said that the NAC is facing a cash flow problem. We have told the management to introduce reforms, cut down on unnecessary expenses, he said. If the problem persists, the government might lend some money to the NAC or provide cash in return for equity, he aded. Image: Textron Aviation The Flight Inspection Center (CFIC) of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed an agreement with Textron Aviation joint venture Cessna-AVIC Aircraft for eight new Cessna Citation XLS+ business jets on Tuesday. Textron says the aircraft will be outfitted with special flight inspection equipment for missions including inspection and certification for the communication, navigation, radar and flight programs of newly built airports, as well as regular flight inspection missions for airports already in operation. The new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered between 2019 and 2021. The successful purchase of these aircraft is only possible with the great support for flight inspection operations from the Party Group of Civil Aviation Administration of China, which is significant to the fleet construction of CFIC and ensuring civil aviation transportation safety, said CFIC Director Xiong Jie. CFIC currently operates a fleet of eight 560 XLS/XLS+ jets to assist with its inspection and certification missions. According to a plan issued jointly by CAAC, Chinas National Development and Reform Commission, and Ministry of Transport, China intends to complete work on 30 airports, begin work on 44 new airports, reconstruct and expand 139 airports, relocate 19 airports and conduct 51 additional civil aviation projects over a five-year period beginning in 2017. Three mountaineers presumed dead in Canada avalanche Montreal, April 19 (AFP) Apr 19, 2019 Three world-renowned professional mountaineers -- two Austrians and an American -- were missing and presumed dead after an avalanche on a western Canadian summit, the country's national parks agency said Thursday. American Jess Roskelley, 36, and Austrians Hansjorg Auer, 35, and David Lama, 28, went missing Tuesday evening in Banff National Park, according to media reports. Authorities launched an aerial search the next day. The three men were attempting to climb the east face of Howse Pass, an isolated and highly difficult route, according to Parks Canada. They were part of a team of experienced athletes sponsored by American outdoor equipment firm The North Face, the company confirmed to AFP. Rescuers found signs of several avalanches and debris consistent with climbing equipment, Parks Canada said, leading them to presume that the climbers were dead. Poor weather conditions have increased avalanche risks in the mountainous area on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, with the search halted for safety reasons. It is unlikely the three men survived, John Roskelley, father of missing Jess Roskelley, told local media in the US state of Washington. "This route they were trying to do was first done in 2000. It's just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare," he told the Spokesman-Review. Himself considered one of the best American mountaineers of his generation, John Roskelley climbed Mount Everest with his son in 2003, making then 20-year-old Jess Rosskelley the youngest person to have conquered the summit. Image: Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation Japans Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation has begun certification flight test activities for its Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ), according to a company announcement on March 27. Mitsubishi says flight testing is being conducted in Moses Lake, Washington, as well as at Floridas Eglin Air Force Base for extreme environment certification tests. The company is working concurrently with both the FAA and Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) on certification processes. Obviously, as a Japanese aircraft manufacturer, we are working very closely with the JCAB, said head of Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporations certification management office Andrew Telesca. With our flight test center located in the United States, and since the United States is one of our largest target markets, having the FAA on board at the same time as the JCAB makes things much more efficient. In October 2018, Bombardier filed a lawsuit against Mitsubishi alleging that the company had recruited Bombardier employees and stolen trade secrets in order to assist with the certification and testing process for the MRJ. Mitsubishi filed a countersuit in January 2019 asserting that Bombardier had engaged in illegal anticompetitive behavior with the intent to impede the development and certification of the aircraft. Both cases remain open. The MRJ is the first airliner to be completely designed and built in Japan since the NAMC YS-11, which stopped production in 1974. The MRJ90 versionthe first variant up for certificationwill seat 88 passengers in its typical configuration and be powered by Pratt & Whitney PW1217G engines. The jet is expected to have a maximum range of approximately 2,000 NM and will be equipped with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system. It is currently scheduled to enter service in 2020 with launch customer ANA Holdings. Seventy- and 100-seat versions of the MRJ are in the works as well. Whom Pike Bolkia? This is a question that more than one person on social media asked himself when he learned the history of being considered the richest footballer in the world at the age of 23 (there are more speculations April 12-18, 2019 Pearls and diamonds shone this week in the world of royal jewels dont forget to vote for your favorites in the poll below! Arthur Edwards WPA Pool/Getty Images 15. For the Royal Maundy service at St. Georges Chapel in Windsor on Thursday, Princess Eugenie of York wore a simple pair of hoop earrings. Royal Hashemite Court via Getty Images 14. Queen Rania of Jordan wore a bright pendant necklace on Wednesday as she toured the Jabal Al-Luweibdeh neighborhood of Amman. Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images 13. Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom wore her usual daytime pearls but no brooch! for the racing at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday. (Which brooch would you have paired with this outfit?) 12. On Tuesday, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark wore blue stud earrings as she celebrated her 79th birthday in Aarhus. 11. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark wore pearl drop earrings to celebrate her mother-in-laws birthday on Tuesday. PATRICK VAN KATWIJK/AFP/Getty Images 10. On Thursday, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands wore bold black statement earrings for an event with the National Institute for Budget Information in Utrecht. EUGENE HOSHIKO/AFP/Getty Images 9. Empress Michiko of Japan wore silver jewels for a visit to Kodomonokuni, a childrens amusement park, on Friday. ( More here! TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images 8. On Saturday, Empress Michiko wore a floral brooch with pearls, including a lovely station necklace, to view the imperial carriage at a department store in Tokyo. ( More here! PATRICK VAN KATWIJK/AFP/Getty Images 7. Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands also chose a pearl station necklace as she visited an exhibition of work by Ad Dekkers in Bergeijk on Saturday. PATRICK VAN KATWIJK/AFP/Getty Images 6. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands made a statement with bold silver jewelry for the Kings Day Concert in Amersfoort on Monday. ( More over here! ISSEI KATO/AFP/Getty Images 5. Empress Michiko wore pearls and a silver brooch as she embarked with the Emperor on a visit to the Ise Jingu shrine on Wednesday. KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images 4. On Thursday, Empress Michiko wore pearls and a gorgeous diamond brooch after the imperial visit to the Ise Jingu shrine. PATRICK VAN KATWIJK/AFP/Getty Images 3. Amethysts, diamonds, and pearls were Princess Beatrixs accessories of choice for Monday evenings Kings Day concert. ( More here! PATRICK VAN KATWIJK/AFP/Getty Images 2. Queen Maxima dazzled in diamond earrings from the grand Stuart Tiara for the Kings Day Concert on Monday. ( Much more, including close-ups, over here! Arthur Edwards WPA Pool/Getty Images 1. The Australian Wattle Brooch sparkled on Queen Elizabeth II for the Royal Maundy Service in Windsor on Thursday. ( More on the Queens Royal Maundy brooches over here! . , - . , . . , . , 1000 , ... By Zoe Fruchter fruchter@grinnell.edu It looks as though the days of buffering videos, dropped credit card transactions and endless spinning wheels may be no more as the Chamber of Commerce and City Government of Grinnell look towards the installation of fiber-optic internet throughout Grinnell through a possible partnership with Mahaska Communications Group (MCG). Its a move years in the making, according to Chamber of Commerce director Rachael Kinnick, but only recently entered the realm of concrete possibility through the involvement of MCG, a division of Musco Lighting in Oskaloosa, Iowa. After convening community member focus groups over two years ago to set new goals for Grinnells downtown and to ensure that existing capital projects were being utilized, the Chamber and City government identified accessible, reliable Wi-Fi as a need to be addressed. Weve really spent the last part of two, two and a half years meeting with various providers to better understand what they currently have in the community and what theyd be willing to put into the community in terms of infrastructure, and what that might cost, said Kinnick. Fiber-optic cables send information coded in a beam of light down a glass or plastic pipe. This technological innovation allows them to carry information with less signal loss, no interference and high bandwidth, and also makes the cable installation process more expensive. No concrete plan emerged from these meetings as most providers werent willing to put fiber into the community, or were content only to offer their existing services. Those who were interested in installing fiber either required a large investment from the city or only served commercial or residential entities. Although Kinnick is the director of the Chamber of Commerce, a body that primarily serves the community through engagement with local businesses, her goal was always to get fiber-optic internet that could be accessed by the entire Grinnell community. Kinnick said many individuals work from home, or continue their work at home, blurring the lines between business and residential use of Wi-Fi. Enter MCG. Four months ago, MCG reached out to the Chamber of Commerce and the City, offering a solution to this problem. Although Grinnell stakeholders had previously spoken to MCG about Wi-Fi six years ago, the Group had spent those years developing their business model and expanding from a sole base in Oskaloosa to New Sharon, Montezuma and Lake Ponderosa in 2018. In the plan proposed by MCG, the company would fund the cable installation themselves and be reimbursed via the purchase of plans and packages. Im sure that they would love that in the future if we were able and willing to do that, Kinnick said, but that has not been a contingency of them coming. They want to largely know that there is a market that will be supportive of them coming to the community. MCG, aided by the City and Chamber, is currently surveying Grinnell community members to identify the extent of that market. Looking at the comment section on the Chambers website, the town would seem to be in favor of fiber. We would love fiber optic internet! We have [four] kids who all have devices plus we do some of our work from home and running streaming for cable. Our internet gets bogged down and slow, wrote Melinda Chandler on April 5. If the city goes ahead with MCG, the cable would be installed neighborhood-by-neighborhood, beginning in 2020, possibly extending into 2021. Although currently the plan includes only those within the city limits of Grinnell, Kinnick is looking towards implementing fiber outside of the city limits, in the more rural locations of the greater-Grinnell area. She said she encourages those who live outside of the 50112 zip code to take the survey as well, as MCG will develop the project based on community feedback. Public Wi-Fi is also something that has been discussed in the Citys meetings with MCG. Traditionally when people thought of economic development they thought of brick and mortar and the actual infrastructure of a particular building. Now were thinking more community-development based, things that make [a community] attractive for people to want to take jobs at your companies, Kinnick said. This more holistic view of economic development is present throughout many of the Chambers projects in recent years, including commissioning the childcare accessibility report released last month. Access to fiber and broadband is one of the new elements of development present at the local, state and federal level, in policy and politics, with programs like the USDAs Community Connect Grants which subsidize broadband internet for communities who dont attract the private sector for Wi-Fi. Fiber is really important as we move forward, Kinnick said. Of course, with technology changing and adding more need and dependency on technology, I think well just continue to see that need increase. By Abraham Teuber teuberab@grinnell.edu While fans of public art at Grinnell College can look to the quotes and drawings that decorate bathrooms in Burling Library and Bobs Underground, two student groups on campus are bringing more formalized mural projects to the walls of the College and other schools in Grinnell. Over the course of the spring 2019 semester, the Student Alumni Council (SAC) and service-based group Connecting Grinnellians have worked to implement public art projects that celebrate the Grinnell community. SAC members first conceptualized their mural project at a meeting earlier this semester as a possible addition to I Heart GC week, a yearly event which the group hosts to deepen student and alumni connection with the College, as well as raise funds. However, the members learned that the only way to get a mural approved on campus is through an SGA student initiative, which requires student body approval to pass. SAC members intend the mural, which will be three by nine feet and located in an East Campus dorm basement, to feature a variety of designs done by student groups that will celebrate the diversity of communities present at the College. Student groups interested in painting a square in the mural should submit their designs to sac@grinnell.edu. Emily Zaffiro 19, one of the co-presidents of SAC, encouraged student groups to participate in public art on campus. Its a really great way to show your mark on Grinnell. Theres not that many opportunities, especially with Bobs being closed, to actually make a mark on Grinnell, said Zaffiro. This is a permanent way, and also a great way to show that you really care about the school and youre proud of the student groups that youre a part of. The mission of Connecting Grinnellians is to increase the support for community service opportunities for Grinnell College students. Last semester, the organization set up Invisible Closets in Grinnell schools, stocked with donations of food, clothing and hygiene products available to students who need them. This semester, the group is in the midst of planning the installation of multiple murals for the Grinnell-Newburg middle school and Davis Elementary school buildings. Grinnell-Newburg school nurse Lisa Leris contacted Connecting Grinnellians about several walls needing painting at the school. The organization, along with several unaffiliated student-artist volunteers, will create seven murals between the two schools, using the designs of Grinnell-Newburg superintendent Janet Stutz, while also incorporating their own ideas into the project. Connecting Grinnellians program representative, Carlos Piedrasanta Jr. 20, said that funding for the project will likely come from a variety of sources like SGA, local business donations and a potential grant. He also emphasized how the project will connect Grinnell College to the other schools in the community. I think the murals will be a physical representation of a reunification or beginning of a new friendship between Grinnell College and the school system. Im huge on providing service and using the resources we have to support anybody in any way and I think the murals intersect with our goals because well be able to use student interest and money to make the school a little more appealing for students, as well as families, Piedrasanta said. These proposed murals are just the latest additions to an impressive array of public art accessible to all members of the Grinnell community. In 2010, Grinnell Colleges Student Organization of Latinxs (SOL) worked with children in the community to paint art on the west side of the Midwest Counseling building to celebrate diversity and learning. The mural primarily features a tree sprouting from a book, surrounded by other symbols and the handprints of those who painted it. Several other murals are accessible throughout downtown Grinnell. On the backside of Village Decorating Studio is Teeth-rex, a mural by local artist Ryan McGuire featuring a giant green dinosaur brushing its teeth at a sink. Painted just a block over, on the side of Grinnell Railway Express, is Eclipse, Grinnells very first mural. The piece was painted in 2000 by muralist Dave Loewenstein. Other murals are located inside of McNallys and on the side of the University of Iowa Dialysis Unit. As for the latest additions to Grinnells mural scene, SAC and Connecting Grinnellians projects should be completed before the end of the academic year, continuing the legacy of public art in Grinnell. By Esther Hwang hwangest@grinnell.edu Communities are responding to sexual assault with a fire hotter than ever this year. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center is leading Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the campaign theme I Ask, championing the message that asking for consent is a healthy part of everyday interactions. Perhaps you first thought about consent from trainings in New Student Orientation, led by Jen Jacobsen 95, director of wellness and prevention and Title IX deputy for prevention. Or perhaps you were exposed to the concept on the Internet or in sex-education programs prior to attending the College. Changing norms around consent is a major step in the right direction to legally protect survivors of sexual assault and to teach the next generation how to communicate desires and boundaries. Before the concept of affirmative consent, led by Antioch College in 1990, questions around sexual assault often veered into accusatory questions to the survivor, questions like But did you say no? Grinnell College was praised for implementing its own affirmative consent standard in 2012, requiring a verbal and willing yes in sexual activities. Yet there are many issues around definitions of rape that have limited Grinnells ability to protect survivors. Tyler Kingkades 2015 Huffington Post article, Why Even Small Progressive Grinnell College Has Trouble Dealing With Sexual Assault on Campus, reported on a male student accused of sexual assault and who was charged with sexual misconduct on the evidence of text messages, pictures of bruising and what the survivor believed to be a confession from the accused. Yet he was not found guilty for rape, and his punishment for nonconsensual penetrative intercourse was limited to conduct probation. The most disturbing passage from Kingkades article was a quote from the accused, which illustrates the failure of the college to align its affirmative consent standards with formal definitions of rape: If the school really thought that I was guilty of this, I shouldnt be here; if my case was as serious as Anna made it out to be, I shouldnt be here right now, he said, adding, Im grateful it hasnt changed my views on how I saw rape Im not questioning every single woman that said that it happens to them. The perpetrator did not believe he has committed an act of violence, and the Colleges decision to find him not guilty of rape confirmed his views that he did nothing wrong. The accused in this 2012 case was allowed to remain enrolled in school and continue to engage in harmful behaviors. In other cases covered by Kingkade, survivors were placed on academic suspension while the perpetrator was allowed to stay. In most cases, Grinnell College issues no-contact orders in an attempt to remedy the hostile environment. The practicality of these no-contact orders has been criticized by many, including administrators of the College, because of the small size of campus. Michelle Risacher 17, co-founder of Dissenting Voices, spoke on the issue of when your rapist is on campus or in the same classes as you: Title IX is all about equal opportunity to education. And its like, youre constantly re-experiencing your trauma in a classroom, how can you be expected to have the same opportunity to learn? Dissenting Voices, a feminist group created to hold the Title IX office accountable for protecting survivors of sexual assault, has highlighted fallacies in Title IX policy from the experiences of survivors themselves. Dissenting Voices has pushed the administration to make concrete policy changes that prioritize the mental and emotional wellbeing of the survivor over the perpetrators. These policy changes include providing leniency in academic standing considerations for survivors, establishing a culturally-sensitive point person for international and undocumented students, implementing the option of exit interviews for students who have gone through conduct hearings, forbidding the inclusion of discriminatory information in official investigation reports and defining minimum outcomes for each type of sexual violation the College recognizes, among many others. From the perspective of current faculty, there are simple changes that can be made to facilitate professors ability to support their students. Assistant Professor Stephanie Jones, education, called on her experience in high school education to propose a system for professors to come together to support a student struggling through personal issues. If I noticed something going on with a student in my class, it should not be difficult to find out who else they are taking [courses with] on campus. I dont see that information unless youre my advisee. I dont know what other professors you have. But if I could email those professors and have us get in a room and figure out how to support you if youre going through something, kind of like a collective family approach, right? To be like were all here to support you, you dont have to go one by one and figure this out, she said. In the history of sexual assault cases, mens rights activists have upheld an accused persons rights to a due process hearing. This has been demonstrated in the hours-long hearing of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his ability to walk away from his accusation due to a lack of evidence beyond a reasonable doubt. Colleges have lower evidentiary standards to expel a student than federal courts to imprison a defendant. This makes sense, because the impacts of expulsion from college are exponentially less severe than a criminal record. On a campus as small as Grinnell, this means we have to take seriously the recommendation to expel perpetrators of violence or suspend them until the survivor graduates. Due process hearings give accused perpetrators a chance to tell their side of the story. Perhaps our society needs to shift away from prioritizing both sides of the story equally and instead recognize that there are power dynamics affecting whose story will be believed. Theres still this stereotype of he said/she said, regardless of the gender of the two people involved, of like, oh theres one story and then theres another story and well never know whose story is fact. But the fact is that one story is always privileged, and most perpetrators are men. Systemically and historically were always going to privilege the mans story, Risacher said. By Montserrat Castro castromo@grinnell.edu Vivienne Kerley 20, a political science major, spends most of her hours outside of class working for the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS) and Immigrant Allies. She works in the Service and Social Innovation Office at the CLS, where some of the work involves helping students get oriented around the idea of service, as well as helping them find different ways in which they can get involved in the Grinnell community and do service responsibly. One of Kerleys jobs is coordinating with students who do service learning work-study positions at community partner organizations, which is how she became connected with Immigrant Allies (IA). Now I wear both hats. So like, through my work at Service and Social Innovation, I heard about this job. And so then I got really excited about it and kind of like, threw myself into that, said Kerley. IA formed in Marshalltown in 2006 after an ICE raid fractured the towns immigrant community. Their main goal is to create awareness within the community about their immigrant population. In Marshalltown, immigrants make up at least 23% of the community. One of the most important things about [IA] is that theres a rapid response team which works so if theres ever an ICE raid that happens, they are the first people on the ground to help the immigrants. They make sure people know their rights and make sure there are lawyers there, that its not just ICE taking whoever they want, Kerley said. Kerley has participated in a variety of events organized by Immigrant Allies that have taken place both in Marshalltown and Ames. The most recent event, which took place in late March, was an ID drive for the immigrant population of Ames. This is an initiative through a North Carolina organization called Faith Action, which recognized the need for people, especially immigrants, to get IDs. Whether thats elderly people who dont drive, people who lost their documents in a tornado, immigrants, new people coming to Marshalltown that maybe dont have access to transportation to get to other places in Iowa it helps a lot of people, Kerley said. After receiving instructions from Faith Action on how to do it, Kerley, with Immigrant Allies, secured a source to produce the cards, and consequently collected the information necessary to print these IDs and give them to each person in need of one. In addition, IA partnered with law enforcement so that they will recognize these IDs as verifiable. Over a hundred people received these forms of identification in Ames. IA will be doing the same in Marshalltown in mid-June, which Kerley said she believes will have much higher attendance. Before the community ID drives, IA also worked closely with the community after the tornado in Marshalltown last July. Among the worst-affected areas was a Latinx neighborhood. People in the town donated boxes of food, but for this neighborhood, many of the ingredients they received were not things they knew how to cook with. Over winter break, IA led an initiative to encourage people to donate Latinx products to the food box in order to direct their help more usefully. Kerleys role with the organization is a mixture of on the ground and logistic and administrative work. She works as a Spanish translator to make interactions easier between community members. She drives within the state as needed, including a weekly visit to Marshalltown, and serves as a liaison for Marshalltown when her supervisor is unable to attend. I like being on both ends of it, because its kind of fulfilling, and it makes you get to see kind of how these things happen, but also how they affect people, Kerley said. Im definitely one of the people who is very committed to seeing this come to fruition and be a really viable resource for people. Kerley is interested in exploring social justice issues in a rural space, which contrasts with her experience of living ten minutes away from the United States border with Mexico in San Diego. She hopes to continue working with IA through to her graduation, and, additionally, hopes to attend law school in the future and direct her work to advocating for immigrants in the United States. By Brendan Hyatt hyattbre@grinnell.edu Camille Hall 19 is the recipient of this years Global Scholars Fellowship, a Grinnell College grant up to $30,000 for one Grinnell College student to conduct a year of independent study. To apply for the Global Scholars Fellowship, a student must create a detailed, year-long plan to study in three sites around the world. Applicants create a project intended to address a global issue or to explore a set of questions. According to the Colleges description of the fellowship, the winning student is selected based upon their academic achievement and plans for the year, among other criteria. Hall, a biology major, submitted a proposal to produce a series of accessible documentary films about environmental issues around the world. Her first stop will be working with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Hall said, People think of environmental issues as something happening somewhere else, but human impacts are everywhere. Next, she will travel to the Turks and Caicos islands in the Caribbean to work on a project about coral reefs. She will then travel to Cozumel Island in the Gulf of Mexico to study how ecosystems have shifted over time in response to fishing activity. Hall is currently investigating the possibility of extending her trip by adding further international stops, but does not currently know how it will work out. Discussing her project, Hall said, [I want to reach out to] those who dont have a background in STEM. I think one of the big issues with the STEM world is that information gets stuck in loops, Hall said. Researchers publish papers but those papers only get fed back into other researchers in STEM. Even if someone finds out something really exciting, it only gets seen by other researchers in that same field. No one really sits down to read research outside of academia. Through my project, I wanted to make information more accessible to people. Halls intention to make her films accessible is rooted in a desire to spread awareness about environmental issues. I think now more than ever it is important to focus on environmental issues. Climate change is more important than ever. We use things in such excess and many everyday behaviors contribute to larger issues. I want to give people the information that they need to learn about environmental issues and hopefully the mitigation of those issues via environmental action. Im hoping that people will fall in love with sustainability. Hall said her attraction to filmmaking stems from the influence of media in [her] own life. She said, I noticed that people are on their phones all the time and generally dont want to sit down and read something about science. She intends to create short, engaging videos in order to spread awareness among younger audiences specifically. Hall will return to Grinnell to share her work with the Grinnell community. In the meantime, she intends to start an Instagram account to record her trips. By Emily Barber barberem@grinnell.edu The Grinnell College Deans Office Student Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Symposium took place this week, showcasing Grinnellian research and scholarly pursuit through poster sessions, moderated panels, paper presentation and performance art. According to the Deans Office, the event aims to celebrate students who have engaged in deep research or scholarly work as a means of both personal discovery and educational enhancement and give them a platform to present their work. Panel titles included Global Health, US History from Past to Present, and The Human Figure in Art History. While some students presented projects and papers they had written for classes, others showcased independent research they pursued through MAPs or grants. Farah Omer 19 falls under the second category: during a panel entitled Religion in a Global Age, Omer presented a project thats been in the works for the last two years. Confronting Hate: Muslim Americans Fight Against Islamaphobia grew out of a summer Mentored Advanced Project (MAP) that Omer started after her second year at Grinnell. However, shed been doing research with the Digital Humanities project for some time: Professor Caleb Elfenbein, religious studies, hired her to build a data set mapping instances of Islamaphobia in the United States for the website Mapping Islamaphobia. Omer then began work on a companion website that aimed to tell the stories of the people behind the data sets. Omers MAP, in tandem with a Grinnell grant she won for summer research, was an offshoot of the original project through which Omer was able to explore her interests in the project more deeply. Omer said she felt passionately about her work on the website. Because the website is meant for public consumption, and highlights stories of struggle and hope of individuals affected by Islamaphobia, Omer said it represents a type of meaningful and responsible scholarship: As a student who is interested in going into academia, Omer said, this type of scholarship is the best example I can have of the type of thing scholarship can make possible for others. Its scholarship that takes time and it is analytical, but at the same time it has a public face and a public component and is for a larger audience. Omers participation in the symposium helped her to remember the importance of the work she was doing. When you spend a long time on a project you have an intimate knowledge of it, and it gets difficult to step back and see what the story I am trying to tell is. The symposium was a way to step back. It helped me refresh my mind of what were the central questions of the project, what I was trying to do and why it was important. Having to explain it to someone else reinforces it and makes you recommit to the project. Dylan Welch 19, who presented a paper entitled Reclassifying Islamist Organizations: A Multidimensional Typology of Political Islam, felt similarly about the value of presenting research. He lauded the importance of making research consumable for people not necessarily knowledgeable in the topic area. Welchs research, which aims to clear up the muddy waters of discourse on political Islam, came out of a spring and summer MAP with Professor Danielle Lussier, political science. Welchs research culminated in his co-authorship of a book chapter with Dr. Lussier. He felt his research was important for news-conscious Grinnellians who hear about Islamist organizations but dont necessarily know the nuances of their politics and objectives. Welch found the symposium to be a nice finale to research on which he had worked hard. I had friends come who knew how hard I had worked on it and finally got to hear me talk about it, and my mom came. I liked sharing it with Grinnell, and being able to talk about it when Im not in the middle of it. It was like a celebration of a finished project. By Katherine Moody moodykat@grinnell.edu According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10,874 people died in 2017 in motor vehicles crashes involving drivers with a BAC, or blood alcohol concentration, of .08 g/dL or higher. Those 10,874 people amounted to almost one third of the traffic deaths in 2017. That more than 10,000 preventable deaths occurred is a tragedy, but the number also reflects the success of a decades-long national effort to reduce alcohol-impaired driving. In 1983, Utah and Oregon became the first states to lower the legal BAC from .10 to .08. In 2000, Congress followed suit and required states to adopt the .08 standard by 2004 or lose federal highway funds. By 2005, all states had instituted the .08 limit. But more can still be done. The risk that drivers with a BAC between .05 and .079 will be in a fatal single vehicle crash is seven times that of drivers with no alcohol in their system, and NHTSA has endorsed further lowering the legal BAC to .05. It cites research that shows that lowering the legal BAC from 0.10 to .08 resulted in a 10.4% reduction in alcohol-related crash deaths and research that estimates that lowering the legal BAC to .05 would result in an 11.1% reduction in fatal alcohol crashes. Utah has repeated history by becoming the first state to lower the legal BAC to .05. The law took effect on December 30, 2018. The legislation caused controversy when Republican Representative Norm Thurston proposed it. The most outspoken opposition came from the restaurant industry. The American Beverage Institute, a trade group that lobbies on alcohol-related issues for restaurants and breweries, has been particularly vocal in its objection; the Institutes website proclaims it is leading the fight against 0.05. Critics of a lower legal BAC limit often allege that it will hurt the economy and waste police resources, and that the policy is evidence of the ever encroaching nanny state. Members of the restaurant industry worry that a lower legal BAC will cause people to drink less or deter them from drinking entirely when they go out, hurting their bottom line. However, NHTSA notes that while lowering the legal BAC to .08 was associated with fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths, there was no observed change in alcohol consumption. NHTSA also points out that many countries have .05 or lower BAC limits and fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths even though their alcohol consumption per capita remains similar or greater than that in the United States. The recent proliferation of ridesharing platforms like Uber and Lyft should also reassure those in the hospitality industry. Its never been easier to go out, drink, and get home safely. There doesnt seem to be much evidence that a lower BAC limit will deter people from drinking in their local bars and restaurants. As Thurstons website says, the law is not about drinking; it is about separating drinking from driving. And that separation doesnt require people to change their level of alcohol consumption, just their way home. Critics of the lower BAC limit also argue that the law will waste police resources and draw police attention away from those drivers who pose the most threat to public safety, the drivers with a .15 BAC or higher. Police in Utah dont seem concerned. Troopers and officers in Utah are already arresting based on evidence of impairment says Sgt. Nick Street of the Utah Highway Patrol in an NPR report, that standard is not going to change. Street believes the law has already begun to work by keeping impaired individuals who might otherwise drive off the road. The specter of the nanny state has also been invoked by some in opposition to the law. But is a lower BAC limit really government overreach? Ultimately, I dont think so. While I think its prudent to be wary of the expansion of government power, I think Utah is acting appropriately in its attempt to save lives and that other states should follow its lead. The fact of the matter is at .05 BAC, you are impaired. According to the NHTSA, a 160 pound man who has three drinks in an hour will likely reach a .05 BAC. At that level, drivers have, among over things, difficulty steering, reduced ability to track moving objects and a reduced response time to emergency situations. Why are we so comfortable with letting people hurtle down highways driving 4,000 pound cars at this level of impairment? We shouldnt be. You have every right to go out and have several drinks with dinner, but the facts say that if you choose to drive home, youre likely a danger to yourself and others. Why should that be your right? By Carlos Piedrasanta Jr. piedrasa@grinnell.edu This past week I was walking to the JRC after class when I ran into someone that I had met a few days ago. We began chatting, asking how each others days were going, even though it was only 10 a.m. and I had woken up an hour ago. I dont remember how we got on the topic, but somehow we began talking about Posse. I told them what it was, who was in my Posse, and my experiences so far. Then, right as they crossed 8th Avenue to go to class in Noyce, they asked me, whats it like being the only white person in Posse? Unable to answer, I pretended not hear them amid all the noise and walked into the JRC. I immediately began to feel an emotion I was all too familiar with, so I frantically began to look for a distraction, repeatedly telling myself dont let it happendont let it get you but it was too late. Desperate to regain control, I reached into my pocket and grabbed my phone. With blurred vision and trembling hands, I quickly tried to call my father. Voicemail. I try again. One ring. Please pick up. Three rings. Please, dad. Five rings. Pause, and a second later I hear my fathers familiar greeting, Hola, Carlitos. We proceeded to have a conversation we have become far too acquainted with; one that concerned not only the consequences of my parents decision to bring me into this world, but also a challenge they raised me to confront. I have talked about my racial ambiguity with my parents quite often, and every conversation ends with the same piece of advice: Dont ever let the need to fit in keep you from being proud of who you are. I often forget my parents simple words and allow myself to get stranded in the ebb and flow of my racialization, lost in the thought that I will never be Latino enough or white enough. But the point is not to find where I belong or seek a group that will accept me. Rather, I am responsible for giving voice to the complex history of my family that is often masked by my ever-racialized skin color. My father is the eldest son of two and lived most of his life in Retalhuleu, a small town in Guatemala. My mother was born and raised in rural New Hartford, Connecticut. She is a middle child of five, and lived with her two parents on an apple orchard for much of her life. Both my father and my mother overcame the financial and educational hardships they faced growing up and accomplished their dreams of becoming the first people in their families to go to college. After finishing her Masters degree, my mother joined the Peace Corps and was placed in Guatemala. It was during her time in Guatemala that she would meet my father and eventually get married, despite everyones disapproval. Around their mid-30s, my father received an award to study at Cornell University, so my parents temporarily moved to Ithaca, New York and lived there for two years before returning to Guatemala. It was during these two years that I was born, and it was only be a few years later until my brother, Stefan, was born in a small hospital in Antigua, Guatemala. My family lived in Guatemala for six years before moving to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where we would live for two years. After these two years, we all moved to Maputo, Mozambique, where we would stay for two and a half years before moving to the United States in 2009. After years of hard work, underserving support, and a little bit of luck, I became a Posse scholar and actualized my dream to go to college. Yet, I was unaware of how challenging Grinnell was going to be. Semester after semester, I struggled to endure the pain as my familys story and sacrifices, which I so proudly carried on my back, were violently stripped away by the relentless grip of racialization. Grinnell College often feels like a place strangled by race a force that disguises inequality and racism by dominating the way we perceive the world and each other. Its like a coloring book, where we try to fill in each picture day by day, disregarding the nuance and importance within each page. However, my skin color speaks little for my lived experiences. As long as you racialize my existence, you will forever fall short of getting the answer you so desperately want. I guess thats why I frantically try to escape anytime someone tries to categorize my existence; I want to hold onto to the story of my family and the sacrifices they made to give me this opportunity. I dont fulfill the illusion of race that filters your perspective, but Im tired of feeling like I must. Next time Im walking with you to the JRC, look at the picture before you start coloring it in, or better yet, put down the crayon and just listen. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. 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. Abigail Sampsell, 15, holds the gold medal and certificate she won at the 2019 State Leadership Conference for FCCLA. She is now raising money to compete at the National Convention to be held in California this summer. Beyontec, a global insurance information and technology solutions provider, said it has been selected by Gulf Insurance Group Kuwait (gig-Kuwait) to implement its core solution, Beyontec Suite, across the company's general, group life, finance and ERP modules. A major player in Kuwait and the Middle East region, Beyontec said its global insurance experience and proven delivery proposition will help gig-Kuwait to improve the companys operational efficiency, customer service satisfaction, and profitability. The gig-Kuwait is one of the largest insurance companies in Kuwait in terms of written and retained premiums in general life, medical and motor segments. Established in 2007 as a subsidiary of Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), gig-Kuwait was the first and only local specialized life and health insurance Company in Kuwait. It maintains its competitive edge through prudent underwriting and product innovation, and the implementation of cutting-edge information technology initiatives where it holds many firsts in the region, said the statement from the company. After a thorough due diligence across products and vendors, gig-Kuwait selected Beyontec as its technology partner to implement its core insurance platform the Beyontec Suite. The Kuwait group will implement Beyontec Suite, a workflow driven, highly configurable core solution designed to meet the end-to-end operations of its insurance business. "Our vision is to be the most admired insurance company in Kuwait. We will accomplish this by investing in people, practices, process and technology, in ways that will add value to our clients," observed gig-Kuwait CEO Tareq Al Sahhaf. Implementing Beyontec Suite with its fully integrated modules across underwriting, claims, billing, re-insurance, accounting, and queries will enable gig-Kuwait to elevate its operations to become truly digital while enhancing overall customer experience. he added. Vivek Sethia, Co-founder at Beyontec Solutions DMCC, said: "We are delighted to have been chosen as gig-Kuwaits transformation partner, which is another great endorsement of our drive to help clients lay the foundations of a successful digital enterprise." "The transformation roadmap we will develop for gig-Kuwait will enable it to become a true digital enterprise, supported by best-in-class technology and customer services delivery," he added.-TradeArabia News Service On the last day of his state visit to Turkmenistan, President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in and President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov visited Balkan province, where they viewed a polymer plant in the village of Kiyanly on the Turkmen coast of the Caspian Sea. This plant for production of polyethylene and polypropylene was built by South Korean companies LG International and Hyundai Engineering in cooperation with Japanese company TOYO Engineering on the orders of State Concern Turkmengaz. The heads of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea met with staff of the polymer plant, as well as builders who took part in the construction of this gas-chemical complex. As Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted in his speech, over the years, the Korean companies have made a significant contribution to the development of the chemical and energy industry of Turkmenistan. The launch of the gas-chemical complex for production of polyethylene and polypropylene is evidence of close cooperation and friendship between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea. The promising Turkmen market will be happy to welcome representatives of Korean business, big companies that build facilities using the most advanced technologies, taking into account the environmental component, train qualified personnel and demonstrate interested in effective, sustainable and long-term partnership, the President of Turkmenistan said. In his turn, the President of the Republic of Korea noted that the consortium of Hyundai Engineering and LG International had successfully implemented a number of projects in Turkmenistan that helped establish trusting relations between the business structures of the two states. According to the South Korean leader, this is only the beginning of bilateral economic cooperation, the full potential of which will be realized through the diversification of the gas and chemical industry of Turkmenistan and establishment of industries that manufacture high added value products. Addressing the meeting participants, the distinguished guest stressed that their efforts and work would be remembered as a great achievement in the history of friendship and prosperity of the two states. The Presidents of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea joined the staff of the plant for a group photo for memory of their visit. Then, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President Moon Jae-in viewed the major technological installations and engineering facilities of the plant and a pavilion exhibiting polymer products manufactured in Turkmenistan. Later on, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and President Moon Jae-in visited the national tourist zone Avaza and the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port. Upon completion of his state visit, the South Korean leader left home. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Days of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Turkmenistan kicked off at an official ceremony in Ashgabat. Heads of cultural organizations and cultural workers, art groups and craftsmen of Saudi Arabia arrived in the Turkmen capital to participate in the cultural event to strengthen the Turkmen-Saudi contacts in the humanitarian sphere. Days of Saudi Arabian Culture opened with a gala-concert of artists of the friendly country. The concert program included the performances by folk groups who sang folk songs. The program of Days of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Turkmenistan features an exhibition of engravings and a photo exhibition. The Saudi guests will also view the museum exhibitions, go on a sightseeing tour of Ashgabat and visit the State Historical and Cultural Reserve Ancient Merv. TURKMENISTAN.RU, 2021 Michael Dillon to Give UW Faculty Senate Speaker Series Talk April 25 University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology Associate Professor Michael Dillon (left) and Wang Yong, a graduate student at Sichuan University, study bumblebee flight near Balangshan Pass in southwest China. Dillon was selected to give the spring Faculty Senate Speaker Series lecture April 25. (Robert Dudley Photo) Michael Dillon, University of Wyoming Department of Zoology and Physiology associate professor, will give the spring Faculty Senate Speaker Series talk Thursday, April 25. Dillon, also the director of the UW-National Park Service Research Station in Grand Teton National Park, will discuss A bugs life at extremes: how the humble bee thrives from deserts to mountain tops at 4:10 p.m. in Room 133 of the Classroom Building. Dillon says native bees are crucial pollinators in agriculture and in wild ecosystems, but recent documented declines in bee populations may have dramatic and far-reaching effects. Determining the causes of these declines and how to address them requires research on the basic ecology and physiology of native bees, he says. Dillon will discuss how bees cope with environmental and other challenges, and how they can persist everywhere from the deserts of Southern California to the high mountains of western China. But, this remarkable adaptability has limits, forcing us to contemplate a world without the humble bee, he adds. Dillon has studied the physiology and ecology of insects, particularly bees, for more than 20 years across the western United States, China, and Central and South America. His students currently work on diverse topics, including distributions of threatened bees; effects of wind farms on insects; flight and thermal physiology of bumblebees; and overwintering of native bees. He recently published a field guide to the native bees of Wyoming with UW colleague Lusha Tronstad, a UW zoology and physiology adjunct assistant professor. The guide engages the public in understanding, appreciating and protecting native bees. Roberts to Give Buchanan Lecture at UW April 26 Phil Roberts Longtime University of Wyoming history Professor Phil Roberts has been selected to give UWs 2019 Buchanan Lecture Friday, April 26. Roberts, now professor emeritus of history and American studies, will discuss 14 Booms and 13 Busts: What We All Think We Know About Wyoming at 1:30 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Center Ballroom. His talk is free and open to the public. The lecture was established to honor Tom Buchanan, who retired in June 2013 after serving as UWs 23rd president since 2005. The lecture is delivered annually by one of UWs most accomplished retiring faculty members. The lecture offers members of the university community the opportunity to hear distinguished UW faculty members distill a life of inquiry, reflection and service into important guidance for successive generations. Roberts, a native of Lusk, was educated in public schools in Lusk, Torrington, Thermopolis, Worland and Cody. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he graduated from UW and the UW College of Law. He holds a Ph.D. in history from the University of Washington. In 1990, he joined the faculty in the UW Department of History, where he taught courses in Wyoming history; history of the American West; and public, legal and environmental history for 28 years. He has been active in history organizations statewide and regionally, and he served as editor of the history journal Annals of Wyoming. The Office of Academic Affairs sponsors the Buchanan Lecture, selects the speaker and provides a monetary award. For more information, call the Office of Academic Affairs at (307) 766-4286. 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. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 'The first influencers': New exhibit showcases Chicago's mark on 1930s and '40s fashion Google has banned virtual private network (VPN) product adverts in China because of local legal restrictions. The action, however, seems to lend credence to the rumors that Google plans on re-entering the Chinese market with a censored search engine to work around Chinas Great Firewall. Following policy or helping censorship efforts? Under its new policy, Google has stopped displaying advertisements of two Chinese VPN review websites, VPNMentor and Top10VPN. In an email sent to VPNMentor, the search engine company says that it is currently Google policy to disallowed [sic] promoting VPN services in China, due to the local legal restrictions. Top10VPN also received the same email after months of displaying ads through Google. The move, however, isnt entirely a new development from Google. After reaching out to the tech giants spokesperson, ZDNet reported that Google banning VPN ads in the East Asian country has been happening for several years. We have long-standing policies prohibiting ads in our network for private servers, in countries where such servers are illegal. All advertisers have to comply with local law, the spokesperson said in a statement (ZDNet). Such a move aggravates foreign businesses, tourists, and locals since surfing the net with VPN bypasses Chinas Great Firewall. UN special rapporteur David Kaye has denounced Google for depriving Chinese citizens of a way to find uncensored information. The ban might be Googles way of cozying up to the Chinese government, according to reports. Back in 2010, Google severed its relationship with China amid constant cyberattacks and periodic censorship. But now, the company has made a 180-degree turn on its policies. Mark Natkin of Marbridge Consulting sees the VPN block as Googles way of making amends with the Chinese regime in order to access the domestic market. Chinese University of Hong Kong associate professor of law Lee Jyh-An agreed. In his own words, this is the multi-billion dollar companys signal to show kindness towards the Chinese government. Google hasnt clarified whether the ban on two websites is their own decision or actually a request from Chinese officials. But they maintained that it has nothing to do with the allegations of re-entering China. As weve said for many months, we have no plans to launch Search in China and there is no work being undertaken on such a project. Re-entering the dragons den Suspicions over Google wanting to enter the Chinese market at any cost stem from a recent inside leak. Employees believe that they have found evidence that Dragonfly, a censored search engine aimed for China, is still in development. This search engine will filter any content that the Chinese government blocks. The blocked contents will then be removed from the first page of search results and be replaced with a disclaimer disclosing the censorship. As for contents blacklisted by the government, no search results would be available for them. With a system like that, Google is allying itself with the Chinese governments censorship efforts, allowing the global company to get back to the countrys market. According to employees, they found hundreds of changes to Dragonfly-related code in December and January, which point to the fact that its development is still underway. Google denied such claims, saying that speculations are wholly inaccurate and progress in the search engine is non-existent. If Dragonfly turns out to be active, the fear of Chinese human rights community will come true dark days for Internet freedom. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly email By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 19, 2019 | 10:35 AM | PADUCAH The 35th annual American Quilters Society Spring QuiltWeek is next week, and organizers have something new planned for the event that is expected to bring more than 25,000 people to Paducah.Paducah Main Street Director Katie Axt says her organization partnered with Must Stitch Emporium to create a kind of quilt "scavenger hunt". During the event, attendees can visit participating downtown businesses to collect 35 different instructions to create each block of a quilt that commemorates 35 years of QuiltWeek."It's kind of this scavenger hunt where quilters who are coming to Paducah get to experience downtown, support local business, and also take a piece of Paducah home with them," Axt said. "When they patronize the business, they are able to collect each shop's unique block. There are 35 blocks, for the 35th anniversary of the quilt show. Then the quilters will be able to go to Must Stich and get the fabric for the quilt, and then go home and make it themselves."Participating vendors and businesses will display a sign that reads "2019 Quilt Block Merchant Participant". Axt said some vendors will also be allowed to temporarily open up "pop up shops" in vacant downtown storefronts for the show.Axt said crews have been busy getting ready for the show, cleaning up the downtown area. She added that local restaurants and shops will be offering special items only available during QuiltWeek."Last week we had our downtown spring spruce up, in which we cleaned up our planters and planted flowers so we're ready to go to welcome the quilters," Axt said. "Many of the shops have merchandise that's specific to quilting and Paducah and art, to celebrate our UNESCO designation. And then some of the restaurants are doing specific menus and promotions that are unique to quilting."QuiltWeek runs 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 24-26, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 27.Visit the link below for more information about QuiltWeek. On the Net: By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 18, 2019 | 05:42 PM | PADUCAH Another vehicle was southbound, and had stopped in the on-coming lane to make a left turn onto Clay Street, as well. A car driven by David T. Johnson was behind the oncoming vehicle in the inside lane. As Strohmeier turned left, Johnson moved his car into the outside lane to avoid having to stop for the vehicle turning left. In doing so, his car hit Strohmeiers cruiser in the passenger side. Johnson and his passenger, 40-year-old Trenia Wren-Kortz, of Paducah, were taken to Baptist Health Paducah for treatment of injuries. Officer Strohmeier did not seek medical treatment. Two people sustained reported minor injuries Thursday morning in a two vehicle collision involving a Paducah police cruiser.Officer Matthew Strohmeier said he was northbound on Joe Clifton Drive and had stopped to make a left turn onto Clay Street. Marshall County traffic stop leads to search of home; drug trafficking charges for two Advertisement By Rep. Chris Freeland Apr. 19, 2019 | BENTON By Rep. Chris Freeland Apr. 19, 2019 | 02:24 PM | BENTON Veterans a Major Focus during 2019 Session - Representative Chris Freeland I am still taking time to reflect on many of the measures passed during the 2019 Legislative Session. I also reflect on that last day. As the hours stretched into the evening, I got a unique perspective on an event that was being prepared for the next day. March 28, 2019 was the last day of Session, but March 29 would see Vietnam Veterans and their families visit the Capitol in honor and remembrance of Vietnam Veterans Day. As I left that last night, I saw the Kentucky-specific traveling exhibit of the Vietnam Memorial Wall display on the second floor of the Capitol Building. It was late, but I stopped to look at that wall and reflect on the 1,105 Kentuckians who were killed in action, imprisoned or missing in action during that war. We can never do enough to recognize the sacrifices they made and that men and women continue to make here and on battle fields around the world. However, I am pleased with the action we took to provide more economic and educational opportunities for our veterans, even in what is considered a short session. All of these bills were the result of work done by the Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, which was created specifically to address these issues. Four bills that we ushered into law will help improve the quality of life for our military families, making it easier for them to transition to civilian life or active duty service at a post in our Commonwealth. HB 356 ensures that military college students retain Kentucky resident status even in the event they are transferred or are required to move out of state. This means that they will always pay more affordable, in-state tuition rate and applies to dependents who are using the GI bill to pay for college. Meanwhile, we approved legislation that allows military families to pre-enroll their children in our public elementary, middle and high schools before they move here. Since reassignments are often released during the summer, military children often miss the enrollment period. HB 399 will help relieve some of the stress associated with reassignments and help our schools by providing a more accurate picture of enrollment. Another strong piece of pro-veteran legislation, HB 323, would allow for reciprocal licensure for military spouses who are seeking employment. For example, if someone has a dental hygiene license in good standing from Virginia, the license would also apply in Kentucky. Making it easier to gain employment is another way we provide more economic opportunity to our military families this session. HB 338 removes the veterans civil service entrance exam language and requirement. The bill requires that for an interview to take place, the veteran or spouse applicant must meet the minimum requirement set forth in the job posting. It allows for interview preference to be given to military men and women and their spouses. I also joined my colleagues in approving legislation aimed at helping our veterans, particularly the oldest and most vulnerable. We approved SB 55 which creates a Green Alert designation to be used within the Golden Alert System when trying to locate and assist a missing veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder or is otherwise at-risk. While often difficult to talk about, a significant number of veterans deal with PTSD or other mental health issues associated with their service and this is another simple step that expands the use of a system we know works. We passed HB 296 to assist in recruiting nurses to work at one of four nursing homes under the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs (KDVA). It creates a KDVA nurse loan repayment program for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. The bill specifies loan maximums of up to 25 percent and $10,000 for each consecutive year of full-time employment, not to exceed $40,000 and four years per person. We want to make sure our retired service members get the best medical care available, and anyone who has had a loved one in a nursing home knows that qualified and caring nurses are the key to quality care. These are just a few examples of legislation that we passed to provide a simple, common sense approach to making the lives of our military members and dependents better. If you are a veteran or are currently serving our country, I would like to hear from you regarding your interest in any of these issues, or other issues you think should be addressed. Please contact me with your thoughts and ideas on topics we may address in the interim and during the 2020 legislative session. I can be reached here at home anytime, or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. If you would like more information, or to e-mail me, please visit the legislature's website www.legislature.ky.gov. Chris Freeland is from Benton in Marshall County. He was elected in November to his first term in the Kentucky Legislature. Freeland serves on the following committees: Economic Development and Workforce Investment, Tourism & Outdoor Recreation, Small Business & Information Technology, Economic Development and Workforce Investment, Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology. By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 18, 2019 | 09:11 PM | OBION COUNTY According to KYTN, the Obion County Sheriffs Office reports that 29-year-old Antwain Valdez Porterfield was taken into custody on the charge of rape of a child less than 13 years old. Sheriff Karl Jackson said due to the case involving a minor, details are not being released. Porterfield was booked in the Obion County Jail on a $100,000 bond. A Fulton man has been arrested for child sex charges in Obion County. Tania Romualdo (third, L), Patty Chen (third, R), and Litia Salavuki Tagicakibau (second, R) are amazed by traditional Chinese paper cuttings. [For Women of China/Han Xianbin] Three foreign diplomats from Cape Verde, Suriname and Fiji were invited by the All-China Women's Federation to inspect the grassroots of Zhengzhou and Luoyang cities in central Chinas Henan Province, on April 7 -10. They are Patty Chen, ambassador of the Republic of Suriname to China, Tania Romualdo, ambassador of the Republic of Cape Verde to China and Litia Salavuki Tagicakibau, spouse of ambassador of the Republic of Fiji to China. During their stay in Zhengzhou, they attended the 13th China Henan International Investment & Trade Fair, which opened on April 8 and attracted exhibitors and businesspeople from all over the world. They attended business matchmaking for women's projects and communicated with workers at women's federations and outstanding women representatives. Tania Romualdo said it was her honor to witness the great changes in China, especially the tremendous achievements China has made since its reform and opening-up 40 years ago. China has established cooperation with Cape Verde, Suriname and Fiji, she said, adding that it was important to maintain and enhance friendly and cooperative relations. She believed that only by uniting women's organizations in various countries, learning from each other and enhancing exchanges could her country truly achieve the goal of promoting the construction of a human community with a shared future put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The diplomats all agreed that with the development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), more and more countries have benefited from it and the positive influence brought by the initiative was bound to benefit women's development. The positive influence involved not only economic and trade cooperation, but also cultural exchange, Tania Romualdo said in an interview. The BRI offered a platform for the countries involved to learn from each other and carry out exchange activities and have dialogues, she stated. She hoped to strengthen communication and exchange with Chinese women's federations and launch such organizations to organize similar activities to connect the women in her country. Yu Hongqiu, Deputy Secretary of CPC Provincial Committee of Henan Province, and Mu Hong, Director-General of the Liaison Department of the ACWF, attended an exhibition aimed at promoting women's economic power and development. A group of seven speakers, including Meng Man, Part-time Vice-President of the ACWF and professor at Minzu University of China, gave lectures on women's needs, women economy, women's role in cultural tourism, the health industry, e-commerce business, innovative consumption modes, legal service and sports, at a forum during the trade fair. A cheongsam show at the trade fair. [For Women of China/Han Xianbin] Tania Romualdo gives an interview. [For Women of China/Han Xianbin] A staff worker demonstrates a handicraft at the trade fair. [For Women of China/Han Xianbin] (Women of China) Yuanshe Tea Bar is a creative idea of the Yuanchanghou Teahouse, which serves tea-themed cocktails and traditional deli foods in Beijing. [China Daily/Jiang Dong] In the daytime, Yuanshe Tea Bar is a place where customers can drink a pot of biluochun tea made before the Grain Rain day the last term in spring among the 24 solar terms of the Chinese lunar calendar talk with friends or just sit and watch the flow of traffic from the window. But after 6 pm, the wall of tea caddies behind the bar counter turns into a wall of liquors. And, with the lights dimmed, the room changes into a bar. Located in the Fuxingmen area of Beijing, Yuanshe Tea Bar is a creative idea of the Yuanchanghou Teahouse, which has a history of more than 100 years. Before its redecoration as the tea bar, the Fuxingmen branch was a traditional tea shop with counters. The brand was founded by Sun Huanwen in Hebei province in 1912 and was originally called Yongluyuan Teahouse. It moved to the capital in 1930 and changed its name to Yuanchanghou. It was listed among China's time-honored brands in 1993 and is now owned by Beijing Tianfuhao Foods Co. It has six branches in Beijing. According to Wang Yan, deputy general manager of the company, Yuanchanghou Teahouse is famous for its blended tea, but its jasmine tea is the most popular. Speaking about why the company is trying something new, he says: "We have regulars that buy our tea. But every day, there would be no more than 20 people walking into the teahouse, and only around half of them would purchase anything. "We have five salespeople in each branch." Most regular clients are elderly people living in the neighborhood. Wang wanted to make some changes to attract more young people. Wang hit upon the idea to change after talking to Gao Wenjie and three other friends during a diving trip in Yonaguni, Japan, last February. Then, the five friends, who were born in the 1980s, decided to work together to rebuild the Fuxingmen branch and turn it into a tea bar. After several months of work, the teahouse reopened at the end of 2018 with a new name - Yuanshe Tea Bar. Gao, who flies to Beijing from Nanjing to manage the tea bar, says: "We live in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing and Singapore. But we are friends because we all love diving, and now we are partners. "The diving link is why we have many small decorations that are related to the pastime, such as the painting of the humpback whale on the wall that's based on Wang's underwater photo." The partners all bring their strengths to the tea bar, not only when turning the teahouse into a cozy tea room with modern Chinese style but also when designing new products with modern packaging. According to Wang, while regular clients accept the new packaging and buy tea, young customers come in to enjoy tea and spend an afternoon there. "Our bar is also sometimes full at night as college students nearby see this place as a new leisure haunt," says Wang. The tea bar now has four staffers, who sell tea in the daytime and make cocktails at night. The tea bar also has an afternoon tea set with their signature tea and traditional Chinese pastries, such as peach-blossom crisps, flower cakes and egg-yolk puffs. Five themed cocktails were also launched in March - Dream in Yonaguni; Peninsula of Yucatan; Red Sea; Lembongan Island; and Boracay Island. All are based on popular diving destinations. Dream in Yonaguni is a special treat, not only because it's named after where the five partners first met, but also because it features six tea cups containing drinks with different flavors. The base tea is oolong, and each cup has different liquors, including vodka, gin, peach liqueur and amaretto. The snacks paired with the cocktails include Tianfu Spanish Ham made using pork produced in a suburb of Beijing and processed just like Iberian ham. The sliced sauced beef is made by Tianfuhao, which is a popular traditional deli in the capital. "The switch by a time-honored brand seems to be successful. Our first quarter's sales surpassed the sales of last year, and we will continue to develop more products to revive the traditional tea culture, "Wang says. Yuanshe Tea Bar is a creative idea of the Yuanchanghou Teahouse, which serves tea-themed cocktails and traditional deli foods in Beijing. [China Daily/Jiang Dong] (Source: China Daily) A girl is anxious that she has to finish reading so many books.[Tuchong] Counseling and psychological support are in short supply nationwide, according to the country's first blue book report on mental health in 2017-18, released by the Institute of Psychology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences on Feb 22. The report said more than 10 percent of Chinese have mental health problems, and 74 percent of those surveyed complained about difficulty accessing support services. Many young people said that from age 12, when they entered middle school, their mental health became more fragile as they approached 18, the age most go to university or college. The problem is exacerbated by China's regimented education system, which leaves children little time for leisure activities as they are constantly moving between their homes and school, and, for many, extracurricular classes. For the majority, that process only ends when they enter college, obtain a degree and join the workforce. "That means youngsters hardly get time to explore the different aspects of life or the real world. Therefore, when they are suddenly exposed to the outside world at college, many experience heightened anxiety," said Gao Wenbin, a researcher at the CAS Institute of Psychology, adding that many people who seek praise on kuakua groups may fall into that category. "Kuakua groups can be seen as support units, whose members help each other. It's good to see they are prepared to take embarrassment, even anguish, in a lighter vein." To ease the issues affecting children, mental health services should be introduced at middle schools, and youngsters should be taught to seek help voluntarily, Gao said. Fu Xiaolan, head of the institute and chief editor of the blue book, said mental health issues have been rising across various demographic groups for the past three decades. Physical and psychological pressures have been intensified by the accelerating pace of life and work in the information society, resulting in more social problems and a heavier burden on healthcare services, the report said. Mental health is attracting greater attention, with 88 percent of respondents saying psychological health services are important. In November, 10 ministries and other official bodies introduced a pilot program to explore ways of establishing a national system of mental health support services. (Source: China Daily) (Chattanooga, TN) - Hutton, a Chattanooga, Tennessee based real estate development and investment company, announced today the opening of a 190,000 square foot grocery-anchored shopping center at Cypress Creek Town Shopping Center. The recently opened center is anchored by Burlington, Hobby Lobby, HomeGoods, Five Below, Dollar Tree and Earth Fare, with the remaining tenants scheduled to open by late Spring 2019.Prior to Hutton's investment in the grocery-anchored shopping center phase of the project, the company completed three previous projects at Cypress Creek Town Center - through a 26,000 square foot multi-tenant development that includes retailers such as Mellow Mushroom and Men's Warehouse, an adjacent 8,000 square foot Chuy's, and a 16,000 square foot multi-tenant building that includes industry-leading restaurants and retailers such as Blaze Pizza, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Verizon and Sleep Number.J. Robert Sierra, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Properties stated, "The Developers of Cypress Creek Town Center envisioned a special place with a residential appearance and lush landscaping that allows families to relax as they enjoy and engage in shopping and dining. Initially, these ideals were part of a master plan which identified architectural goals and established a theme for landscaping to enhance the quality of the exterior experience. Hundreds of palms and tropical plant varieties were coupled with native plant materials and integrated with a project wide pedestrian pathway network. The result is a walk to enjoy as guests meander from one destination to another."Included in the Cypress Creek Town Center development is the bustling Simon Premium Outlets and Costco; nestled in the fastest growing segment of the Tampa-Clearwater-St. Petersburg metropolitan statistical area. This property is in the retail bullseye of the new Tampa market with over 60,000 cars per day."It is with great excitement that we announce the opening of the Cypress Creek Town Center shopping center in the heart of Lutz, Florida," noted Hutton President and Chief Executive Officer, Karen Hutton. "The remarkably landscaped and walkable shopping center, which fills a clear need in the community, boasts a lineup that includes a high-quality health and wellness supermarket and a number of notable retailers and services. We would like to thank our partners, including Pasco County, the numerous retailers who enthusiastically supported this development, Berry Construction Inc., Sierra Properties and the Lutz and Wesley Chapel communities for their ongoing support." Hutton congratulates Jamey Flegal, Kevin Jennings, Ryan Slattery and Cody Mora on the execution of this development; backed up by 80-team members at the home office in Chattanooga, TN.Hutton is a fully integrated, self-managed real estate development and investment company, primarily focused on acquiring, developing, constructing and managing high-quality single and multi-tenant, junior anchor shopping centers, multi-family and self-storage properties across the United States. In addition to acquiring and developing properties for its stabilized portfolio, the Company also provides capital investments, development, construction and asset management services to its third-party clients. Over the past 20 years Hutton has completed over 1,050 projects for 100+ retailers across 40 states. Award for outstanding work of Wrexham midwife who provides breastfeeding support to new mums This article is old - Published: Friday, Apr 19th, 2019 A specialist breastfeeding midwife has won the Betsi Star after winning the award for her work with new mums at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Rhian Houseman was nominated by mum Nerys Sidall, from Bala who was struggling to breastfeed after the birth of her daughter Miriam. Rhian provided Nerys with specialist support after noticing that Miriams mouth had not yet finished developing meaning the baby was finding it difficult to feed. Nerys praised the midwife for going out of her way to provide outstanding support. I wanted to nominate Rhian because I just wanted to say a huge thank you, explained Nerys. She gave me the emotional support to persevere at a time when I could have very easily given up. Through visiting Rhian at the hospital many times and with her continued help I succeeded in breastfeeding for over a year. Rhian spoke of her delight at the award. She said: Im so pleased for her family. Nerys worked really hard to help baby Miriam breastfeed. Miriam had lost a lot of weight initially within the first few days so they both needed a lot of support but they were so determined to do it and with a lot of hard work she got there and continued to breastfeed for well over a year so shes done a great job. Chief Executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Gary Doherty added: Its fantastic to hear about the support Rhian was able to provide for Nerys and her family. We know its not always easy and not always straightforward to breastfeed, but with Rhians help and specialist expertise she was able to do it. (Click for large) Be egg-ceptionally kind to the sewers this Easter, says Hafren Dyfrdwy This article is old - Published: Friday, Apr 19th, 2019 With the Easter break now here, local water company, Hafren Dyfrdwy, is asking its customers to be egg-ceptionally kind to the 500km of sewer pipes that take away the regions waste. The water company clears hundreds of sewer blockages each year and these can happen more often during holiday periods, like Easter. Around 70 per cent of blockages are caused by the wrong things being put down the sink and toilet. Things like fats, oils, and grease (commonly known as FOG) being rinsed down the sink with the washing up or sanitary products like wet wipes, being flushed down the toilet. When these items enter the sewer network, they can often form congealed lumps called fatbergs, that block the pipes leading to sewers overflowing and potentially causing damage to homes and the environment. Hafren Dyfrdwys sewer blockages strategy lead, Grant Mitchell, explains: Easter is often a time when families get together and celebrate over a meal. So, if youre sitting down to a traditional roast lamb lunch for example, dont forget to scrape pots, pans and plates into the bin, before washing up. And always leave leftover cooking oil to cool, before throwing it away. And, if your little uns have got mucky from their chocolate Easter eggs, put the wet wipes, if thats what youve used to clean them up, into the bin, not down the loo. He added: While many people will be tucking into their Easter eggs, well have people in our call centres and field teams ready to fix burst pipes and clear sewer blockages. So if you have an urgent water or sewage issue at any time, especially over the Bank Holiday weekend, well be here, ready to deal with it. Please tweet us @hafrendcymru, visit our website hdcymru.co.uk or give us a call on 0800 085 8033 and well be happy to help. For more information on how to avoid nasty blockages over the Easter holidays and beyond, visit the Hafren Dyfrdwy website. (Click for large) Petition launched against Countess of Chesters decision to bar patients from Wales This article is old - Published: Friday, Apr 19th, 2019 A petition has been launched against the Countess of Chester Hospitals decision to bar patients living in Wales. Earlier this month, the Trust responsible for running the English hospital said it would no longer accept new patients from over the border except for in emergencies or maternity cases. Senior figures blamed the move to prohibit outpatient referrals on an ongoing funding row with the Welsh Government after claiming it was not being paid enough to look after them. However, the move has been greeted with anger, particularly in Flintshire where thousands of people are affected. Plaid Cymru politicians have now set up a petition demanding that the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust reverses the move. A spokesperson said: The unilateral ban on Welsh patients is unethical and goes against the values of the NHS. There is a financial dispute that needs to be resolved urgently between various NHS bodies and they must act immediately to end this stalemate. In the meantime we demand that patients are allowed to access services at the Countess of Chester Hospital. It is understood that payments made by Welsh trusts for operations are currently lower than those made by their counterparts in England. However, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is said to be up to date with its installments based on scales which are set at a national level. Last week, the Welsh Governments health secretary Vaughan Gething has said it was unacceptable for the hospital not to accept certain patients living in Wales. It comes as negotiations regarding tariffs are ongoing between various government and NHS bodies on both sides. Mr Gething said: I have been very clear that the action taken is unacceptable and not in line with the statement of values and principles agreed between the NHS in Wales and NHS in England that we will act in the best interest of patients at all times. Residents in Flintshire have a long history and relationship with the hospital. In light of the decision taken by the Countess of Chester Hospital I immediately asked officials to engage with the UK Government Department for Health and Social Care. We have requested it takes action to de-escalate the position and I will be following this up directly with ministers in the UK Government. A copy of the Plaid Cymru petition can be found at https://www.wrexhamplaid.cymru/countess_of_chester By Liam Randall BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme). (Click for large) Theatre students perform educational safari play for local nursery This article is old - Published: Friday, Apr 19th, 2019 A group of students have helped entertain an audience of toddlers as part of their Theatre in Education work. The performance, held in the Techniquest Glyndwr science theatre at Wrexham Glyndwr University, was part of the Drama in the Community module on the Universitys BA (Hons) Theatre, Television and Performance degree. The play was centred on a shop on an ocean safari, with its crew looking for treasure and the animals they met throughout their journey. Senior Lecturer in Theatre, Television and Performance, Elen Mai Nefydd, explained: Each year, a group of our students works together with the Little Scholars Nursery which is also based on our university site to put on a play. They speak to the nursery, work out a list of themes, and develop and tailor a play based on these themes. This years play, Ocean Safari Ahoy!, was very well received by its audience and it gave the students a chance to perform in a community setting. Community and education work is just one of a wide range of ways our students can apply their studies once they graduate. During their course, the same students who performed in front of the nursery pupils today will be asked to test their skills in all sorts of ways, from applied theatre in a medical setting to one-man shows. Giving students that breadth of experience not only helps sharpen their skills it can open up whole new avenues for them to apply those skills to once they graduate. This performance is a great opportunity for students to work to a professional brief and for a professional client and they can expect more opportunities like this throughout their time with us. Manager at Little Scholars, Catrin Davies, said: This has been another successful performance by the Theatre, Television and Performance students and we were very pleased with the resulting performance I know all the children who came along had a great time. More information about the Universitys BA (Hons) Theatre, Television and Performance degree can be found here. (Click for large) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-18 01:50:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SANAA, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday strongly criticized a veto by U.S. President Donald Trump on a congressional resolution calling for an end to the U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition's fighting in Yemen. "Trump's veto proves the U.S. complicity in the massacre against the Yemeni people and unjust siege," Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Twitter. The veto "approves that the United States was not only involved in the aggression on Yemen, but also the decision maker of the war while the others follow its decision," Abdulsalam added. A day earlier, Trump vetoed the Congress' resolution to end Washington's support for the Saudi-led war on Yemen. The resolution, approved by the Senate in March in a vote of 54 to 46 and the House of Representatives in early April in a vote of 247 to 175, directs the president to remove U.S. forces from hostilities affecting Yemen within 30 days unless they are fighting al-Qaeda. Neither the House nor the Senate vote was enough to override the veto. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council said on Wednesday that Trump's veto means "more bombs and weapons will only mean more suffering and death" on the Yemeni people. "The United States is deepening and prolonging a crisis that has immediate and severe consequences for Yemen, and civilians are paying the price," the international charity said in a statement. Notably, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), main partner of the Saudi-led coalition, welcomed on Wednesday Trump's veto. "Trump's assertion of supporting the Arab coalition in Yemen is a positive signal of the U.S. resolve toward its allies," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter. Frustration is growing in Yemen's rebel-held north as the prolonged war and commercial blockade are deepening pains of the residents. The military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa. The United Nations is struggling to save a peace deal between Hadi's government and Houthi rebels, seen as a hope to end the country's four-year civil war, which has pushed more than 20 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 00:05:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ZHENGZHOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A direct air route was launched Thursday between Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province and Osaka, Japan's second-largest city. The route, operated by Spring Airlines, uses an Airbus A320 aircraft and has three flights per week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The flight departs from Zhengzhou at 2:55 p.m. Beijing time and arrives at Osaka at 6:55 p.m. local time. The return flight departs Osaka at 10:20 a.m. local time and reaches Zhengzhou at 1:55 p.m. Beijing time. The maiden flight, welcomed by passengers, was 97 percent full, as spring often sees a large number of Chinese visiting Japan, according to Henan Province Airport Group. Over 8 million Chinese tourists visited Japan in 2018, up 13.9 percent year on year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 00:26:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian House of Peoples' Representatives (HoPR), the Ethiopian parliament's lower house, on Thursday approved the appointment of Gedu Andargachew as the new foreign affairs minister of Ethiopia. Andargachew, who was the former president of Ethiopia's second largest regional state of Amhara, was appointed as the new foreign affairs minister, replacing Workneh Gebeyehu. Andargachew's appointment followed the appointment of Gebeyehu, a veteran Ethiopian politician, as the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month. In addition to the appointment of Andargachew as the new foreign minister, the HoPR also on Thursday approved Lemma Megersa, the current president of Ethiopia's largest Oromia regional state, as the new Ethiopian minister of defense. It has also approved the appointment of Aisha Mohammed, Ethiopia's former defense minister, as the Housing Development and Construction Minister. The Ethiopian parliament's lower house approved the appointment of the incoming three ministers upon the endorsement of the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Chala Lemi, Deputy Government Whip, while addressing members of the Ethiopian parliament, said the appointment of the three ministers would help strengthen the overall administration platform. The HoPR, in October last year, had approved a draft motion that downsized the number of cabinet members to 20 in a major government overhaul, down from 28 previously. Apart from the cabinet restructure, Ethiopian government's cabinet of ministers also marked a record number of female members, who take up half of seats. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 00:41:13|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) serves as a new driving force in Sino-Ethiopia relations, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian said on Thursday. Speaking to the press on the premises of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Tan said the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled to take place by the end of this month in China is another impetus to further partnership forged between the two countries. The East African country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is among the leaders who will participate in the upcoming BRI forum, whereby China with other forum parties will take stock of what has been achieved and draw a blueprint to further enrich cooperation on the initiative. Cooperation on Belt and Road Imitative is not a talk shop, but an action-oriented initiative that delivers tangible outcomes, he said, adding that the participating parties attending the forum would build on successful practices and jointly develop multi-tiered cooperation framework with more real results of still higher quality. The 2nd Belt and Road forum is expected to produce a full range of deliverables, including governmental cooperation agreements and initiatives, as well as concrete cooperation projects involving participation of the business sectors, Tan said. Reiterating that the Belt and Road Initiative is guided by the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits, the ambassador said the upcoming forum would serve as an important platform to further bilateral relations between the two countries. "China and Ethiopia are close and friendly brothers and comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. Cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative is the new driving force in China-Ethiopia relations, following the FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) mechanism," he added. Ethiopia is one of the 124 countries that have signed Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents with China, the ambassador said, reiterating China's commitment to supporting Ethiopia to play an important role in jointly advancing the initiative in Africa. "Ethiopia is among the first batch of African countries who signed cooperation documents concerning jointly building the Belt and Road, and China supports Ethiopia in playing a bigger role as a bridge and a link for jointly advancing the BRI in Africa," he said. The ambassador further stated that the comprehensive strategic partnership forged between China and Ethiopia would continue to be at the forefront of Sino-African relations and serve as a model in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 01:41:55|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VILNIUS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus on Thursday endorsed economist Gitanas Nauseda in the country's presidential race. "I think he is best prepared for this duty, he has all the necessary skills and sufficient standing," Adamkus told Lithuanian news website vz.lt. Adamkus, 92, served as the president of Lithuania in 1998-2003 and 2004-2009. "I am very grateful to Valdas Adamkus for his support, it is very important to me," Nauseda told local media in response. "I see Adamkus as my mentor, I share many of his principles and I'd like to bring them back to Lithuanian politics," said Nauseda. Nauseda, 54, is leading in the public polls on the upcoming presidential elections. According to the latest survey by Spinter Tyrimai, Nauseda is supported by 27.9 percent of the country's residents, Former finance minister, MP Ingrida Simonyte and the country's current Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis ranked second and third with respectively with 24.8 and 14.5 percent. In total, 9 candidates are running for the President's seat. According to political analysts, Adamkus' endorsement could help Nauseda gather support from undecided voters. Lithuania's incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite, who will leave the Office after finishing her second term, had said she would refrain from direct support to any of the candidates in the presidential race. Lithuania, a small Baltic country with a population of 3 million, holds its presidential election on 12th May with the second round scheduled for May 26. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 01:57:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Photo taken on April 9, 2019 shows U.S. Attorney General William Barr testifying before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, in Washington D.C., the United States. The U.S. Justice Department on April 18 released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report on the Russia probe. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report on the Russia probe. The 448-page report is the culmination of Mueller's nearly two-year inquiry into whether Donald Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. presidential election and whether the president had obstructed justice. The release came nearly a month after Attorney General William Barr penned a four-page summary of the report's "principal conclusions," which stated there was no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow. According to the redacted report, Mueller said his team was unable to clear Trump on obstruction. "The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred," the report said. "Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," it added. Barr, who held a press conference at the Justice Department shortly before the report's public release, said Mueller did not make a "traditional prosecutorial judgement" regarding allegations that Trump had obstructed justice. Instead, the special counsel recounts in his report 10 episodes involving the president and "discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offense," according to Barr. Barr said that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein disagreed with some of Mueller's "legal theories" about obstruction of justice and concluded that the special counsel did not have "sufficient" evidence to establish that Trump committed an obstruction of justice offense. Trump told an event at the White House on Thursday that he's "having a good day." "It's called no collusion, no obstruction," he said. "This should never happen to another president again." Trump's re-election campaign claimed in a statement on Thursday that the president "has been fully and completely exonerated yet again." "Now the tables have turned, and it's time to investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation into President Trump," said campaign manager Brad Parscale. Mueller, whom Rosenstein appointed in May 2017, took over the investigation after Trump abruptly fired former FBI Director James Comey, a move that raised questions about his potential obstruction of justice. According to the report, Trump was frustrated by the special counsel's appointment. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it runs your presidency," Trump said, cited by the report. "It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me." Trump also had tried to seize control the Mueller's investigation and force his removal after media reports indicated that the special counsel was looking into whether the president had obstructed justice, the report revealed. In June 2017, Trump reportedly directed then White House Counsel Don McGahn to call a Justice Department official and say that Mueller "had conflicts of interest and must be removed," which McGahn refused and threatened to resign. "The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," Mueller wrote in the report. Rudy Giuliani, Trump's lawyer, defended the president when speaking to Fox News on Thursday, saying that he "did not have a guilty motive." The special counsel also wrote that he had the authority to issue a grand jury subpoena in order to interview Trump but decided against doing so because it would delay the investigation. He said his team "had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the president's testimony." Trump did provide written testimony on "certain" Russia-related topics, but not on "obstruction topics," said the report. Democrats have demanded the full report, which Barr has said is redacted to protect grand jury material, sensitive intelligence, matters that could affect ongoing investigations and damage to the privacy rights of third parties, be made public to get a clearer picture of Mueller's investigation and conduct Congressional oversight. Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said Thursday that his panel has formally invited Mueller to testify on the investigation. "The public deserve the facts, not Attorney General's political spin," the California Democrat tweeted. Barr said Thursday that he has "no objection" to Mueller testifying before Congress about his investigation. Mueller took over the investigation after Trump abruptly fired former FBI Director James Comey, a move that raised questions about his potential obstruction of justice. The wide-ranging inquiry led to felony charges against 34 people, including six Trump associates and advisers, and three entities. According to Mueller's report, the special counsel referred 14 investigations to other U.S. attorney's offices. Russia has denied any meddling in the U.S. election. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 03:17:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- More than 305,000 children in Mozambique have had their education interrupted because of damage caused by Cyclone Idai, UNICEF said Thursday. Over 3,400 classrooms were damaged or destroyed in cyclone-affected regions. In some cases, schools require extensive rehabilitation after being used as emergency shelters, said UNICEF in a press release. It urged humanitarian partners to continue working together to implement solutions, like establishing temporary learning centers, to get children back in school as quickly as possible. Any prolonged interruption in access to learning could have devastating consequences for children over both the short and long term, it warned. In addition, education is essential for helping children return to a sense of normalcy following a traumatic event, like a major cyclone, and for their long-term development and prospects, it said. UNICEF expressed concern that damage to education infrastructure could compound what were already low rates of school enrolment and learning achievement in Mozambique. Across the country, less than 20 percent of secondary-school-aged children are currently enrolled. Dropout rates could increase if families whose property or livelihoods have been negatively affected by the cyclone are forced to send their children to work to make ends meet, it said. UNICEF is proposing short-term financial support for teachers affected by the disaster to help them rebuild their lives, so they can get back to teaching. UNICEF is providing educational supplies and early childhood development kits, establishing temporary learning centers, distributing school tents, making repairs to school water and sanitation facilities, cleaning and disinfecting schools, and training teachers on psychosocial support for children, said the press release. The needs in Mozambique remain massive, with 1 million children in need of assistance. UNICEF has launched an appeal for 122 million U.S. dollars to support its humanitarian response for children and families affected by the storm and its aftermath, in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi over the next nine months. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 04:08:06|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIEV, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's state-run energy company Naftogaz and China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation, also known as Sinosure, have discussed prospects for their cooperation, the press service of the Ukrainian company said on Thursday. During a meeting in Kiev, Sinosure president Wang Tingke and Naftogaz chairman Andriy Kobolyev exchanged their views on the directions of future cooperation between the two corporations. During his visit to the Ukrainian capital, Wang also got acquainted in detail with the activities of the Naftogaz group. Earlier this month, Naftogaz said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinosure to get an insurance quota of 1 billion U.S. dollars, which could be used for attracting loans and investment from China into Ukraine's oil and gas industry. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 04:28:21|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close Students perform during the Chinese-Language Comedy Competition for Egyptian College Students in Cairo, Egypt, on April 18, 2019. The 5th Chinese-Language Comedy Competition for Egyptian College Students was held on Thursday in the Confucius Institute Theater of Cairo University. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo) CAIRO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The 5th Chinese-Language Comedy Competition for Egyptian College Students was held on Thursday in the Confucius Institute Theater of Cairo University. Students from 10 Egyptian universities, including Cairo University, Suez Canal University and Ain Shams University, took part in the contest, which attracted an audience of more than 200. "Things happened during the Dragon Boat Festival," a short comedy written and performed by students from the Confucius Institute of Cairo University, won the first place. The story told an interesting process of foreign friends learning the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday. Amira Nasr, a sophomore majoring in Chinese at Helwan University, won the Best Actress Award for her performance in the comedy "For the Children," where she, as the mother of a high school examinee, had to cover up the conflicts with her husband in order to give her child a tranquil study environment. "I've searched many classic Chinese comedy sketches online, imitated the moves and facial expressions from other female actresses to better present the character. The preparation took me two weeks," Nasr told Xinhua. She said she plans to study in China and become a Chinese-language teacher in Egypt after return. "I want more Egyptians to know the charm of Chinese language and its culture," the Egyptian student explained. Wang Enjie, the Chinese dean of the Confucius Institute at Cairo university, said this year's competitors "touched on more topics and showed more divergence." "The pronunciation of Chinese language appeared to be more accurate," Wang added. He pointed out that Egyptian students tend to add other interesting parts in combination with their own culture during their performance of Chinese comedy, which is a good way to better introduce Chinese culture to foreign countries. "The ultimate goal of the competition is to enhance Egypt students' motivation and confidence in learning Chinese through entertaining activities," Wang said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 04:48:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RABAT, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1.59 million tourists visited Morocco in the first two months of 2019, up 7.6 percent year on year, Morocco's Tourism Ministry said Thursday. The number of foreign tourists rose by 9 percent, while the arrivals of Moroccans living abroad climbed 5 percent in the first two months, showed the statistics released by the ministry. The growth was mainly driven by the continued rise in the tourists from the traditional European markets. Specifically, the statistics showed an increase of 12 percent in French tourist arrivals, 11 percent for Italian tourists, 10 percent for British tourists, and 9 percent for Spanish tourists. In 2018, 12.28 million tourists visited Morocco, up 8.3 percent from 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 05:13:38|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces (C, Front) addresses a high-level meeting on Juncao technology at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 18, 2019. Espinosa on Thursday praised the support of China's technology of Juncao, famed as a "miracle" grass, for the achievement for the UN sustainable goals. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces on Thursday praised the support of China's technology of Juncao, famed as a "miracle" grass, for the achievement for UN sustainable goals. "I am pleased to learn that the Juncao technology is emblematic of the China's Belt and Road Initiative," Espinosa said in her opening remarks at a high-level meeting on Juncao technology. The technology is making an important contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals set in the 2030 Agenda, from poverty eradication to clean energy, gender equality to preserving biodiversity, she said. Juncao, meaning "the herbal plant for growing edible mushrooms" in Chinese, has worked miracles for Chinese scientists who are cultivating it as a substrate for growing edible and medicinal mushroom or forage for livestock, as well as using it as green barrier to stop sand dunes from moving. Espinosa said in small island developing states, Juncao is improving resilience to climate change, and that it is helping to fight land degradation by producing cattle feed and minimizing soil erosion. She also noted the technology is making a difference where it matters most at the local and community level to the lives of farmers, women children and persons with disabilities. Thursday's one-day event, entitled High-Level Meeting of Juncao Technology: Concrete Contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative towards Synergies with the 2030 Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, is being co-organized by the Chinese government and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 05:28:50|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A UN envoy on conflict-related sexual violence has expressed the hope that the Security Council will set up a formal mechanism to tighten accountability and monitor compliance. Pramila Patten, special representative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on sexual violence in conflict, made the plea on Thursday in the context that Germany, which holds the Security Council presidency for the month of April, is working on a draft resolution concerning the issue of conflict-related sexual violence. She was briefing reporters on Guterres' latest report on the issue, which will provide the basis for a Security Council high-level open debate and a possible adoption of the German-drafted resolution on Tuesday. She emphasized the importance of closing the protection and compliance gap and wished for the adoption of such a resolution. "My office is very much supportive of seeing the council endorsing a formal mechanism that would achieve these goals. We want the resolution to be operationally oriented, and we do hope that on Tuesday there will be a unanimous adoption of the resolution." In terms of the form that the mechanism could take, her office has recommended a working group of all members of the Security Council, said Patten. "It will be a formal working group... that will really focus on compliance of state and nonstate actors." She said the working group will have the power to impose sanctions for noncompliance. But she cautioned that it is not a done deal as the proposal is under consideration by the Security Council, which is engaged in the final phase of negotiations, she said. Patten said a formal mechanism is essential for her office to carry out its mandate. Without such a formal mechanism, her office cannot engage with nonstate actors. With member states, she currently cannot bring information about compliance or noncompliance to the Security Council so that the council can respond and act accordingly, she said. "For me, a formal mechanism would serve to put more pressure and to scrutinize compliance." Patten also wanted the Security Council to endorse a survivor-centered approach, including the delivery of quality gender- and age-appropriate multisectoral services, such as sexual and reproductive health services. There are recommendations that urge member states to recognize the distinct needs of women and girls and their children born as a result of sexual violence because there is a huge policy gap when it comes to children born of rape, she said. Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, who shared the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict, wrote a letter to all Security Council members to demand the inclusion of the measures in the resolution, said Patten. The two Nobel Peace Prize laureates will brief the Security Council in Tuesday's debate. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 07:04:27|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Airstrikes, artillery barrages, rocket fire and other heavy weapons are now part of the assault on the Libyan capital city of Tripoli and its outskirts, a UN spokesman said Thursday. In total, 79 civilian casualties, including 18 deaths, have now been verified since the start of this recent round of violence, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. "The number of civilian casualties, and attacks on civilian property and infrastructure are worryingly on the rise," Dujarric told a regular briefing, adding that the toll was only of cases that could be verified. "We think there could be more casualties." "The secretary-general is closely following developments in Libya, where airstrikes and sporadic clashes continue in southern Tripoli," the spokesman said. The UN team in Tripoli is actively helping in the evacuation of civilians from conflict-affected areas wherever possible, he said. It is encouraging with "even limited humanitarian truces to allow for evacuations of civilians and wounded as an immediate priority." The United Nations is also deeply concerned about reports of clashes between the two parties at the Tamanhint airbase near Sabha in the south and the potential for widening confrontations in other areas of the country, the spokesman said. "We're frustrated at the continued fighting that we are seeing on the ground in Libya," Dujarric said. "The Libyan people once again are on the front lines of suffering, being hit by indiscriminate shelling, by use of heavy weapons in Tripoli." Moving civilians out of conflict-affected areas remains a challenge, with nearly all main roads reportedly blocked and there being a high risk of being hit in crossfire, he said, adding that nearly all local trade has stopped in the areas affected. The latest violence began April 4 when Gen. Khalifa Haftar's Libya National Army advanced on Tripoli, the seat of the internationally recognized government, striking the outskirts of the capital city. Dujarric said 2 million U.S. dollars from the United Nations' Central Emergency Response Fund has been released to help civilians caught up in the fighting. The money will help hospitals get the surgical and trauma kits they need, and provide food and other items to people uprooted by the fighting, he said. "They will also help safely relocate vulnerable migrants and refugees from detention centers in areas where airstrikes have been reported." Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock, chief UN humanitarian aid coordinator, has urged all parties "to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and allow unimpeded access for humanitarian workers." There is an urgent need to evacuate more of the most vulnerable people, Lowcock said. Among the most vulnerable people are migrants from other countries in Africa stopped in Libya from their quest for a life in Europe. They have been held in detention centers on the heavily hit southern outskirts of the capital city. The UN Refugee Agency and its partners have been relocating the migrants -- including women and children -- to sites closer to the more secure center of Tripoli. "But we are not able to get to everyone we need to get to," said the spokesman. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 07:09:29|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Photo taken on April 18, 2019 shows a memorial service at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, the United States. About 1,000 people gathered on Thursday for a memorial service to celebrate the life of retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" E. Cole at an Air Force base in southern Texas, the United States. Cole, who was the final surviving member of the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II, passed away in San Antonio, about 310 km west of downtown Houston, on April 9 at the age of 103. U.S. Air Force held a memorial service at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph on Thursday, April 18, the 77th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid led by then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, with whom Cole copiloted. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) SAN ANTONIO, the United States, April 18 (Xinhua) -- About 1,000 people gathered on Thursday for a memorial service to celebrate the life of retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" E. Cole at an Air Force base in southern Texas, the United States. Cole, who was the final surviving member of the famed Doolittle Tokyo Raiders of World War II, passed away in San Antonio, about 310 km west of downtown Houston, on April 9 at the age of 103. U.S. Air Force held a memorial service at the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph on Thursday, April 18, the 77th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid led by then Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, with whom Cole copiloted. "Our family is profoundly saddened by the loss of our Dad. Beyond his place in history, he was a father that relished his family and husband that deeply loved our mom," Lt. Col. Cole's son Rich Cole said. "We witnessed his sacrificial love every day as he poured himself into our family. He taught us how to laugh and see joy in almost all of life's circumstances." Several Air Force leaders including Heather Wilson, Secretary of the Air Force, and General David Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, attended the memorial. In a show of honor prior to the memorial, hundreds of Airmen lined Harmon Drive, the main entrance to the base, to salute the Cole family as they entered base. The national flags were flown at half-staff at all Joint Base San Antonio locations. At the memorial, Aaron Cole, a grandson of the late Lt. Col. Richard Cole sang the national anthem. In addition to this tribute, there were the missing man formation and serval static aircraft on display. The Doolittle Raid, planned and led by U.S. Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle on April 18, 1942, was an air raid by the United States on seven Japanese cities including capital Tokyo during World War II, as retaliation for the attack on U.S. Pearl Harbor. The Pearl Harbor attack was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States' formal entry into World War II the next day. Being one of the 80 U.S. Air Force personnel who took part in the Doolittle Raid, Cole was Jimmy Doolittle's co-pilot in the lead plane that bombed Tokyo. Running out of fuel on their return, they ditched off the Chinese coast, and were later helped by Chinese troops. The last Doolittle Raider will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, a U.S. military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 07:19:33|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close CHICAGO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chicago welcomed over 57.7 million visitors to the third biggest U.S. city in 2018, generating more than 16 billion dollars in overall tourism expenditures, according to official data released on Thursday. The annul tourism report, compiled by the mayor's office and Choose Chicago, the city's tourism promotion agency, revealed that 2.4 million more people, domestic and international, visited Chicago during 2018. This increase was the result of a continued focus on growing overnight and leisure visitors to Chicago, who tend to spend more and stay longer. "By continuing to set new tourism records and bring millions more people to Chicago every year, we are generating economic opportunities that reach every Chicago neighborhood," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. Choose Chicago has set up tourism promotion offices in several big Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu. The agency has also resorted to Chinese social media platforms, such as Weibo and Wechat, to attract more Chinese visitors to the city. A previous report indicated that 2.1 percent more Chinese visited Chicago in the first 11 months of 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 07:39:41|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Pramila Patten (R), special representative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on sexual violence in conflict, speaks to journalists during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, April 18, 2019. Pramila Patten has expressed the hope that the Security Council will set up a formal mechanism to tighten accountability and monitor compliance. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A UN envoy on conflict-related sexual violence has expressed the hope that the Security Council will set up a formal mechanism to tighten accountability and monitor compliance. Pramila Patten, special representative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on sexual violence in conflict, made the plea on Thursday in the context that Germany, which holds the Security Council presidency for the month of April, is working on a draft resolution concerning the issue of conflict-related sexual violence. She was briefing reporters on Guterres' latest report on the issue, which will provide the basis for a Security Council high-level open debate and a possible adoption of the German-drafted resolution on Tuesday. She emphasized the importance of closing the protection and compliance gap and wished for the adoption of such a resolution. "My office is very much supportive of seeing the council endorsing a formal mechanism that would achieve these goals. We want the resolution to be operationally oriented, and we do hope that on Tuesday there will be a unanimous adoption of the resolution." In terms of the form that the mechanism could take, her office has recommended a working group of all members of the Security Council, said Patten. "It will be a formal working group... that will really focus on compliance of state and nonstate actors." She said the working group will have the power to impose sanctions for noncompliance. But she cautioned that it is not a done deal as the proposal is under consideration by the Security Council, which is engaged in the final phase of negotiations, she said. Patten said a formal mechanism is essential for her office to carry out its mandate. Without such a formal mechanism, her office cannot engage with nonstate actors. With member states, she currently cannot bring information about compliance or noncompliance to the Security Council so that the council can respond and act accordingly, she said. "For me, a formal mechanism would serve to put more pressure and to scrutinize compliance." Patten also wanted the Security Council to endorse a survivor-centered approach, including the delivery of quality gender- and age-appropriate multisectoral services, such as sexual and reproductive health services. There are recommendations that urge member states to recognize the distinct needs of women and girls and their children born as a result of sexual violence because there is a huge policy gap when it comes to children born of rape, she said. Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, who shared the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict, wrote a letter to all Security Council members to demand the inclusion of the measures in the resolution, said Patten. The two Nobel Peace Prize laureates will brief the Security Council in Tuesday's debate. Patten said the situation with conflict-related sexual violence remains "very bleak." It is difficult to ascertain the exact prevalence of sexual violence in conflict as a result of under-reporting, she said, noting that the data in the secretary-general's report is based on UN-verified information, which has a very high threshold. "While there is significant normative progress in recent years through (Security) Council resolutions, amongst others, but clearly words on paper are not quite yet matched by facts on the ground, and wars are still being fought very much on and over the bodies of women and girls." "In some countries we see increase, in others we see that the figure stabilizing itself but remaining high," said Patten. In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the UN peacekeeping mission documented 1,049 cases of sexual violence in 2018, compared with 804 cases in 2017. In South Sudan, the figures grew from 196 in 2017 to 1,291 in 2018. While in the Central African Republic, the cases of sexual violence in conflict dropped from 308 in 2017 to 259 in 2018, she said. Patten saw "a disturbing trend" that young girls were increasingly targeted. Of the 330 victims in Somalia in 2017, 329 were girls; of the 271 victims in 2018, 250 were girls, 20 were women, 1 was a boy. The majority of the violations were perpetrated by nonstate actors, making accountability almost impossible, she said. "We have no traction when it comes to nonstate actors. Out of the 37 nonstate actors (listed in the report), 36 are acting under the perception that it is cost-free to continue to rape, that there will be no consequences," she said. In addition, most incidents of mass rape continue to be met with mass impunity, said Patten, noting that only two important convictions have been upheld on appeal in 2018 -- one in the DRC, the other in Guatemala. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 08:27:47|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Musicians perform during the annual festival of Baghdad School for Musical and Expressive Arts in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 18, 2019. Under the slogan "It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness," Baghdad School for Musical and Expressive Arts on Thursday held an annual festival, including ballet dancing and music performances, at the Iraqi National Theater. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 09:05:08|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAMAKO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his government have submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday following a motion of no confidence over the brutal violence in a village of the country, according to the presidential office. "The president accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the government members," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said, giving no reason for the departure. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:15:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, April 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 14 people, mostly security personnel, were shot dead early Thursday by unidentified gunmen who hijacked passenger buses in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province, amid intensified security operations against militants in the country. Security sources in Quetta, capital city of the province, told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that 11 security personnel, including nine from Pakistan navy, one from Pakistan coast guards, and one from Pakistan air force, were among the victims whereas identities of the remaining three victims had not been determined yet. The sources added that around 20 armed men wearing the attire of security forces stopped up to five passenger vehicles at Buzi Top on the Makran Coastal Highway and checked identity cards of the passengers. The militants forcibly removed 14 people from different buses heading towards the southern port city of Karachi and allowed others to leave. After receiving the information of abduction, security forces rushed to the site but militants had already managed to flee away after killing all the abductees. Later on Thursday, Baloch Raaji Aajoi Sangar, a militant group, claimed the attack on its unverified social media account, but officials did not confirm it. The security forces have cordoned off the area and launched an extensive operation against the culprits. Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack, saying that such cowardly attempts to spread disunity in the country could never succeed and the nation was united and steadfast in its fight against terrorism. Khan sought investigation into the incident and directed the departments concerned to make every possible effort to identify and bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice, a statement from the Prime Minister Office said. Since the start of April, Pakistan has witnessed a slight surge in terrorist attacks in different areas of the country. Thursday's incident is a major terrorist attack during the past 18 days. On Friday last week, a suicide bomber attacked a fruit and vegetable market in Balochistan's provincial capital of Quetta and killed 20 people while leaving dozens of others wounded. During his visit to Quetta to condole grieved families on Tuesday, President Alvi vowed to speed up the ongoing campaign against terrorism to eliminate the menace for peace, stability and progress of the country. Pakistan army, police and paramilitary forces claimed to have accelerated their intelligence-based operation to eliminate the terrorists and arrest their aids hiding in the rural as well as in the urban areas. On Tuesday, Pakistan army and police conducted an operation and killed five terrorists of Pakistani Taliban hiding in a house in Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan. According to security forces, the terrorists were planning to attack some targets in the province as a huge cache of weapons and explosive devices was found from them. Director of Islamabad Council for International Affairs Saeed Chaudhry told Xinhua that the ongoing wave of terrorism was very dangerous because the peace the country achieved after a long struggle was under threat now. "During last three weeks, we saw a strange and meaningful trend of terrorism when all the terrorist groups look involved in different acts. We feel that the current acts of terrorism are being conducted by the coordination among different groups," said Chaudhry. Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has already told media that the government had reliable reports about some possible terrorist attacks in April. Analysts urged the government as well as law enforcement agencies to form a comprehensive policy and start a new operation against militancy and extremism across the country. In December 2014, the Pakistani parliament passed a National Action Plan against terrorism and extremism after around 150 people were killed in a terrorist attack at a school in Peshawar. According to local reports, Khan is likely to visit Quetta on Sunday to look into the security situation of the province following two deadly attacks in one week. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:25:52|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a positive program that will contribute significantly to addressing the important issue of the regional infrastructure gap, a well-known U.S. expert on China has said in a recent interview with Xinhua. "It's definitely a plus for the recipient countries," said Stephen Roach, senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. He added that in the long haul, the initiative will be "a plus for China" as well. The BRI refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. China is to host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing later this month, six years after the inception of the initiative and almost two years since the inaugural forum was held in the Chinese capital. Noting that the BRI was perceived as a "pretty broad and all-encompassing pan-regional infrastructure program" when Chinese President Xi Jinping first announced it in 2013, Roach said the initiative now is "showing up in countries well outside of the original BRI corridor," especially including such a key member of the European Union as Italy. A former chief economist at Morgan Stanley and ex-chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, Roach is regarded as one of Wall Street's most influential China watchers. Despite his 73 years of age, he still shuttles between the United States and China on a frequent basis. Regarding the notion that the BRI creates "debt traps" for some countries, Roach said he doesn't agree. "I don't think that's a serious, broad risk associated with this particular program." The scholar, however, did caution against potential negative impacts on BRI projects caused by political instability and corruption in certain countries along the Belt and Road routes. He said he found it "somewhat disconcerting" that some of the BRI countries "at least in my opinion are vulnerable to political and corruption risk," adding that it is important for China and other participating countries to be mindful of that. According to the latest statistics, the total trade volume between China and its BRI participating countries was more than 6 trillion U.S. dollars in the 2013-2018 period, during which more than 244,000 jobs were created for the locals. China's direct foreign investment in those countries has exceeded 80 billion dollars till now. China's import from and export to BRI participating countries totalled 300 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2019, up 7.8 percent year-on-year and occupying 28.6 percent of the country's total foreign trade volume in the period. With respect to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Roach said he expects the bank to forge closer partnerships with key regional and international development institutions, such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. In operation since 2016 with an authorized capital of 100 billion dollars, the AIIB was founded by China to fund infrastructure investment in Asia and beyond. Progress is underway toward materializing what Roach has envisaged. The ADB and the AIIB on March 21 signed the Cofinancing Framework Agreement for Sovereign Operations, a document that will guide the overall cofinancing arrangements between the two entities. Additionally, according to World Bank President David Malpass, he and AIIB President Jin Liqun talked about "ways that there can be cooperation that achieves very high-quality lending programs" in "very good conversations" on the sidelines of this year's World Bank-International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings. Roach said he is optimistic about the leadership of Jin, who he said is a friend of his. Denouncing the criticism that China uses the BRI to achieve geopolitical goals, Roach said addressing "the significant and real infrastructure gap" is "entirely within China's purview." "It's in China's best interest as the world's largest trading nation to make certain that the infrastructure in the region is up to speed in terms of global standards," Roach said. "And China has a lot of expertise and experience in building high-quality, state-of-the-art infrastructure." Asked whether it is possible that Beijing and Washington can cooperate on the BRI, Roach said "there's always a possibility," citing the example of Caterpillar Inc., the U.S. construction machinery and equipment company that has already participated in BRI projects in 20 countries as of 2018. Caterpillar's endorsement of the BRI, as well as construction-related activities by other U.S. companies under the BRI framework, "will happen on its own due to the natural attraction of construction projects," Roach said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:51:22|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAMAKO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his government submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday following a motion of no confidence over the brutal violence in a village of the country, according to the presidential office. "The president accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of the government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said, without specifying a reason for the departure. Legislators from the ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday offered a non-confidence vote against the government as it failed to handle violence and restore stability in the central region, especially a recent bloody attack in the village of Ogossagou that killed over 130 people. According to the statement, a new prime minister will be named soon and a new government will be formed after consultations with all political forces of the African country. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:51:24|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close YANGON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's regional military headquarters in Rakhine state has come under attack by ethnic insurgent group, the Arakan Army (AA), a release of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services said late Thursday. The AA launched the attack on southern and southeastern parts of the regional military headquarters as well as security post-2 in Baungdote village near Mrauk U township on Wednesday night, Myanmar's traditional new year day. The onslaught which carried out from inside the village forced the military to retaliate. The AA, with small and heavy weapons, had attacked a police headquarters in Mrauk U on April 9, in which two police and one police family member were killed with seven other police members being missing. In that clash, seven family members of the security forces including three children were also taken away by the insurgent group. Meanwhile, 23 AA members, who fled to the nearby villages, were captured by the military column after the clash. The AA ethnic insurgent group launched frequent armed attacks in Mrauk-U and Yathedaung townships during March and April. The government forces vowed to continue security operation to ensure that rule of law prevails in the areas. Meanwhile, a two-month dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed on five more townships in the state by local authorities since April 2 following a series of attacks on the government forces by insurgents which resulted in casualties and destruction of civilian houses. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:51:30|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KAMPALA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a decision by the Constitutional Court that the country's parliament did not err in the removal of the age limits for one to run for presidency. "By a majority decision of 4 to 3, the decision of the Constitutional Court is upheld and this appeal therefore fails," said Chief Justice Bart Katureebe in a ruling that was broadcast live. In December 2017, the Constitutional Court judges ruled 4-1 that the parliament's removal of the age limit of 75 years as maximum and 35 years as minimum for one to run for presidency did not contravene the constitution. Opposition legislators, civil society organizations and Uganda Law Society filed an appeal at the Supreme Court to challenge the judges' decision. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:56:37|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his United Arab Emirates (UAE) counterpart on Thursday urged the warring parties in Yemen to honor the ceasefire agreement reached in Stockholm last year, the State Department said. According to a statement after the meeting between Pompeo and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the two diplomats "agreed that the warring parties in Yemen must honor commitments they made in Sweden." The two also discussed various regional issues, including the importance of stability in Libya and Sudan, it added. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sanaa and ousted the government of President Abd-Rabbuh Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. Last December, parties to the conflict accepted a plan for the redeployment of forces under a ceasefire deal that offered the best hope in years of moving toward an end of the war. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 10:56:39|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close VIENTIANE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Lao exports to China are expected to increase to 1,510 million U.S. dollars in 2019, while imports will decline to 985 million U.S. dollars, according to the latest projections from the Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce. In 2018, Laos planned to earn 1,478 million U.S. dollars from exports to China but achieved only 1,406 million U.S. dollars, and expected to spend 945 million U.S. dollars on imports but the final figure was 1,381 million U.S. dollars. Laos' main exports to the northern neighbor are ore sand, rubber and rubber products, copper and copper products, bananas, maize and fertilizers. In turn, Laos imports electrical appliances, vehicles and spare parts, mechanical and electronic equipment, steel and steel equipment, local daily Vientiane Times on Friday reported. China is now the biggest foreign investor in Laos and the country's second largest trading partner. In 2016, Laos exported about 1,133 million U.S. dollars worth of goods to China which rose to 1,233 million U.S. dollars in 2017. The increasing number of Chinese investors in Laos and cooperation projects by both governments is a major reason for the increase in imports from China. The China-Laos railway, the launch of Laos' first satellite, hydropower development and other projects funded by China have helped to promote connectivity between the two nations. The government is optimistic that exports to China will rise this year in view of increasing trade and economic cooperation. Agriculture is seen as an important sector to bolster Lao exports to China especially bananas, rubber, fertiliser, cassava and corn. The Lao Ministry of Industry and Commerce has asked China to consider a rice import quota of 50,000 tons along with accepting other industrial goods as part of efforts to bolster trade. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:01:43|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Mexican authorities seized a small plane loaded with 429 kg of marijuana in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, the Attorney General's office (FGR) said Thursday. Police and soldiers found the abandoned plane in the coastal municipality of Angostura while patrolling between the towns of Baturi and Playa Colorada on the northern coast of Sinaloa, according to a statement from the FGR. Images released by the FGR show that officers located the plane in a vacant field on a dirt road similar to secret runways. The FGR said its personnel in Sinaloa opened an investigation for crimes of drug trafficking after agents found 47 packages of marijuana totaling 429 kg inside the aircraft. Mexican authorities have previously said that drug traffickers use small aircraft to transport drugs produced in the mountains of Sinaloa, which are adjacent to the states of Chihuahua and Durango, an area known as the "Golden Triangle." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:21:48|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Liu Zhenmin (L front), United Nations Under-Scretary-General for Eeconomic and Social Affairs, addresses a a high-level meeting on Juncao technology, at the UN headquarters in New York, April 18, 2019. Speaking at a high-level meeting, Liu Zhenmin said Juncao helps preserve and protect the environment and the fragile ecosystems. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's technology of Juncao, which is famed as a "miracle" grass and has found its way into over 100 countries, is contributing to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), said a senior UN official here Thursday. Speaking at a high-level meeting, Under-Scretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Liu Zhenmin said Juncao helps preserve and protect the environment and the fragile ecosystems. For example, from China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yellow River Basin, to the upstream riverbanks of the Nile River and the South African Plateau, Juncao technology has been used to combat land degradation and desertification, conserve water, and restore and maintain soil fertility, Liu said. Jun means fungi, or mushroom, and Cao means grass. These two ordinary components put together give rise to an extraordinary means of production and means of sustainable livelihoods, as well as a powerful tool for ecosystem protection, he said. Juncao grass has been used for mushroom production, for animal feed, and for biomass fuel, contributing to progress in achieving SDG2 on sustainable agriculture, SDG6 on water, SDG7 on sustainable energy and SDG15 on ecosystems, Liu said. The overall economic benefits help advance progress on SDG1 on poverty alleviation, SDG8 on growth, and SDG10 on reducing inequality, as many users of the Juncao technology are smallholder farmers, among whom many women farmers, he said. There are also considerable social benefits from the application of Juncao technology, said the official, as experience shows that the use of Juncao technology helps reduce conflicts over natural resources, as Juncao grass reduces the requirements for fuelwood from forests and pasture land for grazing, thereby contributing to social harmony among local communities. Juncao technology, developed by Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University of China under the leadership of professor Lin Zhanxi, "is a small idea with proven big potentials," Liu said. "Through South-South cooperation and SDG17 partnership, we can help scale up and disseminate this technology and its multiple concrete benefits," he added. The High-Level Meeting of Juncao Technology: Concrete Contribution of the Belt and Road Initiative towards Synergies with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is being co-organized by the Chinese government and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:26:50|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close CARACAS, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Thursday said he plans to denounce what he deemed to be "crimes against humanity" committed by the United States against Venezuela. The U.S. economic and financial sanctions that impact the whole nation represent human rights violations on a grand scale, said Arreaza via Twitter. "They enjoy making decisions that block economic processes and affect an entire country. These actions that they boast about clearly constitute crimes against humanity. We will take action," Arreaza said. The statement came a day after U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton announced that Washington will impose new sanctions, this time against the Central Bank of Venezuela (BCV). The latest sanctions aim to restrict the BCV from carrying out transactions with the United States and cut off its access to U.S. dollars. Washington, which backs the Venezuelan opposition's campaign to topple the government, said the BCV has played a major role in keeping President Nicolas Maduro in power. Maduro called the move "illegal and immoral," and vowed the bank will "cope and overcome" the sanctions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:26:52|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close QINGDAO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A frigate of Singaporean navy arrived at Dagang port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on Friday morning to attend the multinational navy event to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. This is the first foreign naval vessel to arrive for the four-day commemorative event which is to start on April 22. Navy delegations from more than 60 countries and vessels from more than 10 countries were invited to participate in the multinational navy event. With a displacement of 3,200 tonnes, an overall length of 114.8 meters and a beam of 16.3 meters, the Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart of the Republic of Singapore Navy has a maximum speed of 27 knots. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:36:55|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close by Mao Pengfei, Nguon Sovan KAMPONG CHAM, Cambodia, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Sum Meyle, a mother of five children, was on cloud nine when she heard that a Chinese medical team, under the Belt and Road Cataract Blindness Eradication Campaign, was on a mission to provide free cataract surgeries here. Could not afford a surgery cost, the 36-year-old mother had lived with cataract on her left eye for years. Recently, however, her eye condition got worse and forced her to quit a job as a security guard in Phnom Penh. "A cataract surgery on my left eye would cost 350 U.S. dollars in Phnom Penh," she told Xinhua, "I don't have any savings and can't afford it." Meyle divorced her husband almost six years ago because of domestic violence, and a injury to the eye was the cause of her cataract. Poverty has forced her two teenage daughters to make a living by working respectively in a hair salon and a noodle shop in Phnom Penh, and her two sons to live in an orphanage in Prey Veng province. She is currently living with her six-year-old daughter in a tiny rented room that costs her 15 U.S. dollars per month. To this single mother, the news of Chinese doctors providing free cataract surgeries in Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital was like a beam of light in the dark night. Wearing her hair in a thick long braid, Meyle was in a dark blue shirt with white dots. "I came here for the examination and luckily had the surgery on the same day," Meyle told Xinhua at the hospital. She came to see the Chinese doctors the day after the surgery to remove the eye bandages. "I got up at 4 o'clock with both worry and excitement." Her fears had disappeared after the bandages were removed. Her eyesight was restored. BELT AND ROAD PROJECT TO ERADICATE CATARACTS In Cambodia, cataracts are the main cause of blindness, said Por Norin, head of the ophthalmology unit of the Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital, adding that, according to a national estimate, about 0.32 percent of the country's 16 million people have cataracts. "Our country's weather is hot, so for our people, especially farmers, who work under sunlight, they are more vulnerable to cataracts than those whose jobs are not exposed to sunlight," he said. Meyle was one of thousands of Cambodian patients who were attracted to Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital by this free cataract surgeries project -- the Belt and Road Cataract Blindness Eradication Campaign. The campaign, launched in Cambodia in May, 2018, by several Chinese entities and with cooperation of Cambodian Ministry of Health, will offer an 18-month free surgery for all cataract patients in Kampong Cham province, which was estimated at around 8,000. Under the project, China had sent groups of ophthalmologists, along with two large vehicles equipped with modern medical equipment, to the Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital for cataract surgeries. The latest group of three doctors and three nurses, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University (FAHGMU), China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, was the fourth team providing free surgeries in Cambodia under this project. From dawn to dusk, the Chinese doctors, in cooperation with their Cambodian counterparts, work relentlessly to provide eye consultation, examination and surgeries on dozens of cataract patients every day. Liang Hao, an ophthalmologist from FAHGMU and the leader of this team, told Xinhua that in order to provide better medical treatment to local patients, she visited Cambodia last year to prepare for this mission. "Many patients in rural areas in Cambodia cannot afford this surgery, and have no choice but to live with cataracts or even in darkness for years. They cannot work and some think themselves as burdens of their family," Liang said. "Mission is not complicated, since cataract surgeries are not very difficult. But we are proud of joining this project because we can help Cambodian patients restore their eye-sight and pursue a better life," she said. According to Norin, if a patient seeks a surgery service at private hospitals or clinics, the cost for a surgery on one-eye cataract is between 300 U.S. dollars and 500 dollars. "For our people, this project is very good because they can have their cataracts operated free of charge. Moreover, the Chinese doctors have high skills and use modern equipment to remove cataracts, and the result of post-cataract surgeries is good," he said. KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND FUTURE COOPERATION "We are here not only for the patients, but also for the local ophthalmologists," said Liang. She said that knowledge sharing and skills training had been a very important part in this project. "We work together with local doctors and nurses and show them how to use the equipment in this mobile eye-clinic, so that even after this project is finished, they can still do cataract surgeries for local patients with those modern equipment," Liang said, adding that they also prepared a series of lectures for the local counterparts. Yin Sinath, director of the Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital, said, "Currently, our doctors are learning from the Chinese doctors and practicing surgeries at the same time, so I think that 18 months are enough for our doctors to learn on how to use those pieces of medical equipment." He said the equipment will be handed over to the hospital when the project is completed, and their hospital also needs China's assistance in the fields of emergency rescue and surgeries on various diseases. "As the director of the Cambodia's Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital, I want cooperation between Chinese hospitals and the Kampong Cham Provincial Hospital in the field of emergency rescue because our hospital is a bit far from the capital city," he said. "We want China to help establish an actual emergency rescue unit that is properly equipped with modern medical equipment," he added. Besides, the hospital also sought cooperation with Chinese hospitals to set up a well-equipped surgery unit to serve the surgeries of various diseases such as stomach, bone, bladder, brain and so on, Sinath said. FURTHER STRENGTHENING PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE BONDS In Cambodia, the Belt and Road Initiative is not only driving the economic and infrastructure development, but also promoting more projects like this to improve common people's life. Kimsour Phirun, director of the Kampong Cham Provincial Health Department, expressed his profound gratitude to the government and people of China, especially the Chinese medical team, for sparing no efforts to help restore sight for cataract patients in the province. "We think this project is crucial for our people, especially the poor in rural areas," he said. "Such a project is really helpful to promote closer relations between Cambodian and Chinese peoples." "We hope that from now until the end of 2019, all cataract patients in Kampong Cham province will have their cataracts removed," he said. "This project is important to prevent blindness for rural people and reduce poverty in Cambodia," he said, adding that with better eye-sight the patients will have chances to find better jobs, make more money and better support their families. After over one month in Cambodia, Liang told Xinhua that she was deeply impressed by the friendship between China and Cambodia. "They trust us. Although I cannot speak Khmer, I can feel it. When we visited their home, their hospitality was beyond our expectation. We hope to do more for our Cambodian friends." After the surgery, Meyle came up with a new plan. "I will try to find a new job in garment factory. The surgery is like giving me a new life because with my eyesight, I can go to earn money to feed my children and maybe in the future I can build a small house for us," she said. "I have nothing to give back, but to say thanks to the doctors for their surgery to regain my vision." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 11:52:03|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close HAVANA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel spoke by phone on Thursday with his counterparts in Kenya and Somalia about negotiations for the release of two Cuban doctors abducted a week ago in Kenya. Diaz-Canel said via Twitter that he spoke with Kenya's Uhuru Kenyatta and Somalia's Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed "as part of our efforts to secure the return of our two kidnapped doctors." Six days ago, doctors Assel Herrera and Landy Rodriguez were ambushed by armed men who were suspected members of Al-Shabaab, on their way to work in a Kenyan community near the border with Somalia. In the attack, one of the police officers escorting the doctors was shot dead. The doctors are part of a brigade of some 100 Cuban healthcare workers who provide medical services mainly to residents of remote communities, in this case Mandera county. Attacks by Al-Shabaab fighters are frequent in the area as the rebels try to pressure the Kenyan government into withdrawing its troops from Somalia. According to the head of the Cuban Medical Mission in Kenya, the rest of the brigade is safe and security measures have been stepped up, especially in areas bordering Somalia. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 12:36:15|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close The Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft lifts off from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Wallops Island, Virginia, the United States, on April 17, 2019. A U.S. rocket was launched on Wednesday from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia's Eastern Shore, carrying cargo with the space agency's resupply mission for the International Space Station (ISS). The Antares rocket built by Northrop Grumman lifted off at 4:46 p.m. EDT, carrying the Cygnus cargo spacecraft to the ISS. The spacecraft successfully separated from the rocket about nine minutes after the blastoff, flying on its way to the space station, according to NASA's live broadcast. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the space station early Friday morning. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 12:16:48|Editor: Lu Hui Video Player Close VIENTIANE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is designed for the global community, in particular, countries committed to globalisation and free trade, a Lao newspaper said in an opinion article on Friday. China has committed itself to global trade as it views the multilateral platform as capable of bringing benefits to China and all countries of the world, according to the Vientiane Times. The Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, is aimed at building trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. According to a report from Chinese authorities, since its inception, the initiative has been welcomed with strong support from 124 countries and 29 international organizations. It is not surprising that this China-led initiative has received such substantial international support, given that it is not just designed for China, but the global community, the Lao daily noted. Countries lying along these trade routes will benefit from the initiative which is particularly advantageous at a time when the world economy is slowing, and some states are promoting protectionism. For China, the BRI is part of its economic vision of promoting its opening-up policy and active international cooperation. China views it as essential for all countries to work together to fight against isolationism and protectionism. China does this to ensure that multilateral trade platforms remain open so that all countries can secure benefits based on a win-win approach, the newspaper said. The global initiative is designed to embrace the trend towards an interconnected world, economic globalization, cultural diversity and stronger IT application to uphold the global free trade regime in the spirit of open cooperation. It also aims to promote the orderly and free flow of economic factors, highly efficient allocation of resources and deep integration of markets. In addition, the initiative encourages countries along the Belt and Road to achieve economic policy coordination and carry out broader and more in-depth regional cooperation to higher standards, according to the Vientiane Times. Apart from that, the initiative aims to create conditions for the participating countries to develop an open, inclusive and balanced regional economic cooperation architecture that benefits all. "The initiative is open for cooperation and is open to all countries, and international and regional organizations for engagement," the Lao daily said. One of the unique characteristics of the BRI is that it is harmonious and inclusive. It advocates tolerance among civilisations, respects the paths and modes of development chosen by different countries, and supports dialogues among different cultures on the principles of seeking common ground while shelving differences and drawing on each other's strengths so that all states can coexist in peace for shared prosperity. One of the strengths of the initiative is that it follows market operations. It will abide by market rules and international norms, give play to the decisive role of the market in resource allocation and the primary role of enterprises, and let the governments perform their due functions, the Lao newspaper noted. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 12:16:50|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close Photo taken on April 9, 2019 shows U.S. Attorney General William Barr testifying before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, in Washington D.C., the United States. The U.S. Justice Department on April 18 released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report on the Russia probe. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The much-anticipated report by special counsel Robert Mueller on the Russia probe has been made public, but the fight over the probe will unikely end. Though the Justice Department redacted certain information, it still provides a clearer picture of the nearly two-year investigation that has cast a shadow over the White House and torn Washington apart. The 448-page report states that there was no evidence that Donald Trump's campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 U.S. presidential election but didn't conclude if the president had obstructed justice. Mueller instead recounts 10 episodes in his report involving Trump and discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offense. It is Attorney General William Barr and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, who concluded that the special counsel did not have "sufficient" evidence to support a charge. For Trump and his political allies, the report is enough for exoneration, while for Democrats the lengthy document has raised a lot of questions and fueled their concern. "The report is generating very different reactions on the various sides of the political aisle," Darrell West, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, told Xinhua. "Republicans think it exonerates the president, while many Democrats believe it is incomplete because Trump didn't answer all the relevant questions," West said. "The release is not likely to quiet the partisan divide on how people respond to Trump." The president's testimony to Mueller showed that he repeatedly responded to inquiries with brief denials or lack of recollection on wide-ranging topics, saying more than 30 times he did not recall, remember or recollect. Mueller wrote in his report that he had the authority to issue a grand jury subpoena in order to interview Trump but decided against doing so because it would delay the investigation, citing that he team "had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the president's testimony." That might be one of the areas that Democrats will examine on their own, as they are pressing for the entire Mueller report and the underlying evidence in order to conduct Congressional oversight. Jerry Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Thursday that he'll be issuing a subpoena for the full report, reportedly as soon as Friday, though the Justice Department has promised to provide a group of bipartisan lawmakers a less-redacted version in the coming two weeks. Barr is scheduled to testify before the House panel in early May, set to be grilled over his handling of the Mueller report. Nadler has also asked Mueller, who has kept a low profile since Rosenstein appointed him as the special counsel in 2017, to testify before the panel by May 23. It is not yet clear where those efforts will lead but any impeachment proceeding initiated by Democrats won't go far for one thing that Republicans have a majority in the Senate and for another that Democratic leaders have downplayed the prospect. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgement," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a New York Democrat, told CNN. Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua that it's too soon to tell how damaging the report is to the White House, as "perceptions of Trump in the public at large and among other Washington players are pretty much set at this point." He predicted that the White House would "try to distract voters from this" and the president would send a storm of tweets in the coming days. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 13:17:03|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SANTIAGO, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has offered to donate copper and wood to help reconstruct France's iconic Notre Dame Cathedral, his office said on Thursday. "Pinera got in contact with the President of France Emmanuel Macron this afternoon to express his solidarity over the serious damage to heritage suffered by the people of France due to the fire at Notre Dame cathedral," the statement said. Macron "appreciated" the gesture, Chilean president office added. The monument was severely damaged by a raging fire on Monday that destroyed the cathedral's spire and roof, which caved in after the blaze continued for several hours. Controlling the fire was difficult because of the building's delicate state and prized art collection, most of which was safely evacuated. Macron on Tuesday vowed to rebuild the cathedral within five years and nearly a billion dollars have been reportedly pledged by donors from across the world. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 13:22:05|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close HOUSTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The latest U.S. manufacturing and trade statistics, released on Thursday, show that business inventories for February hit 2.02 trillion U.S. dollars, up 0.3 percent from the previous month's data. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, manufacturers' and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of 2,017.4 billion dollars, up 0.3 percent from January 2019, and were up 4.9 percent from February 2018. The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments for February, adjusted for seasonal and trading day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at 1,446.8 billion dollars, up 0.1 percent from January and was up 2.4 percent from February 2018. The total business inventories-to-sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data was 1.39 at the end of February, unchanged from January and up 0.03 from the same month last year. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 13:22:10|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will travel to Japan at the end of May as the country's first state guests to meet the newly enthroned emperor, the White House said late Thursday. "The President and First Lady will also travel to Japan from May 25 to 28, 2019, as the country's first state guests following the enthronement of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito on May 1, 2019," a statement said. During the visit, Trump will also have a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to "deepen the close bonds between the American and Japanese people," it added. The White House also noted that Abe would first pay a visit to Washington on April 26-27 to discuss with his hosts recent developments regarding the Korean Peninsula, trade and other issues. The U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting, known as "2+2" talks, will kick off here on Friday. The two countries' senior officials will discuss their coordination on the evolving regional security environment including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and enhancement of the alliance's capabilities and the continued realignment of U.S. armed forces in Japan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 13:37:21|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BAMAKO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Malian Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his government submitted a letter of resignation on Thursday following a motion of no confidence over the brutal violence in a village of the country, according to the presidential office. "The president accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of the government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said, without specifying a reason for the departure. Legislators from the ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday offered a non-confidence vote against the government for its failure to handle violence and restore stability in the central region, especially a recent bloody attack in the village of Ogossagou that killed over 130 people. According to the statement, a new prime minister will be named soon and a new government will be formed after consultations with all political forces of the African country. Mali has experienced massive attacks by armed groups since Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the country's restive north since 2012. On March 23, several attacks took place in the Fulani village. According to local Malian officials, the attacks were carried out by Dogon hunters who accused the Fulani villagers of having ties with jihadists. Thousands of people staged protests in Bamako early April, urging the government to stop the surge of violence. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 14:12:40|Editor: Liu Video Player Close SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The 7th China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair (CSITF) opened on Thursday, a national-level professional fair focused on international technology trade. With an exhibition space covering 35,000 square meters, the fair has five exhibition areas including professional technologies, technological innovation, and trade services. Nearly 1,000 companies and organizations are attending the fair, including more than 20 companies and organizations from the British city of Liverpool. Research centers from Germany displayed their air filters and other latest technologies. The CSITF has become an important showcase for the latest technologies worldwide since 2013 when the first exhibition was held. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 14:22:47|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The following is a list of shows, concerts, exhibitions and other events in China on Friday. -- Concert "Artie's Piano Trio" Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: Tianjin Grand Theatre, Tianjin The concert features six programs, including "Kaddish" by Maurice Ravel and "Miniature Viennese March" by Fritz Kreilser. It will be presented by three veteran performers, namely pianist Emmanuel Christien, violinist Mathilde Borsarello Herrmann and cellist Gauthier Herrmann. It has made 65 tours in 14 cities over the past 10 years, selling more than 40,000 tickets in total. -- Drama "The Visit" Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing This drama tells the story of billionaire Lady Claire's revenge when she returns to her hometown offering money to citizens for killing her former lover Anton. The tragicomic play was written by Swiss dramatist Friedrich Durrenmatt in 1956 and brought to the stage by Beijing People's Art Theater in 1982. -- Dance "White Water and Dust" NCPA Time: 7:30 p.m. Location: National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Beijing A rare double bill by Taiwanese choreographer Lin Hwai-min, it consists of contrasting two performances. "White Water," set to a piece of piano music, flows like a movable celebration of life, while "Dust" evokes a memory of Goya's Black Paintings, embodying the tininess and vulnerability of humanity. -- Swingin' the Popular Song: Willie Jones III Quartet featuring Christie Dashiell Time: 7:15 p.m. Location: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Shanghai Born in Los Angeles, Jones' earliest exposure to music was through his father Willie Jones II. With an unparalleled style of rhythmic expression, drummer Willie Jones III is one of the world's leading jazz drummers. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 14:32:57|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has provided over 1.8 billion yuan (about 268 million U.S. dollars) for Belt and Road (B&R) science and technology projects since the B&R Initiative was proposed in 2013, said CAS President Bai Chunli on Friday. Bai made the remarks at a press conference on the science and technology cooperation between China and B&R countries. The Alliance of International Science Organization (ANSO) was launched in the Belt and Road Region last November. According to Bai, ANSO members recently clarified its vision and mission, pledging to make it an international organization with great influence in promoting, organizing and carrying out Sci-tech innovation. The first 37 ANSO members have formed the ANSO Action Plan for 2019-2020. It plans to set up awards, scholarships, industry associations and joint training projects, in order to build a great mechanism and platform for sci-tech cooperation, meet common challenges and promote sustainable development. Meanwhile, the CAS has trained for B&R countries and regions nearly 5,000 high-level Sci-tech talents including more than 1,500 with Ph.D. or master degrees in science and engineering. Many of them have returned home and become a new force in building the B&R. Bai said the CAS, based on the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration, has built nine overseas science and education centers in B&R countries and regions and the tenth center is currently in the works. He noted that the overseas centers have become significant platforms to carry out scientific collaborative projects, helping to resolve livelihood issues in those countries and regions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 15:43:31|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and another sustained serious injuries when a leopard attacked a group of laborers inside Sri Lanka's Kumana National Park, located in the southeast of the island country on Thursday evening, local media reported Friday. Police said the leopard attacked the men when they were resting under a tree after attending to a road construction. The leopard had dragged away one of the workers into the jungle while another worker had sustained serious injuries. Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, M.G.C Sooriyabandara said that a rescue team had been dispatched into the jungle and had recovered the body of the victim. Police are conducting further investigations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:08:51|Editor: ZX Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, April 19 (Xinhua) -- China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) aligns well with the Cambodian government's Rectangular Strategy Phase IV, a Cambodian commerce official has said. BRI, a reference to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was initiated by China in 2013 with the aim of building a trade, investment, and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. Speaking at a Cambodian and Chinese (Sichuan) entrepreneurs meeting here Thursday, Cambodian Commerce Ministry Under Secretary of State Bun Chanthy said the BRI is based on five cooperation priorities, namely policy coordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and relationship of culture and people. While Cambodia's Rectangular Strategy Phase IV has given priorities to human resource development, economic diversifications, private sector and job market development, and sustainable and inclusive development. For the economic diversifications, Chanthy said Cambodia has concentrated on improving the logistics system and enhancing transport, energy and digital connectivity, and promoting development of banking and financial sector. "With this comparison, we see that the BRI and the Rectangular Strategy Phase IV have aligned well with each other," he said, adding that linking between the BRI and the Rectangular Strategy would further boost development in the two countries. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:18:58|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is keen to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for partnership on humanitarian assistance, a senior ICRC official has said. Jacques Pellet, personal envoy of the ICRC President for China, spoke to Xinhua ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to be held from April 25 to 27 in Beijing. Stating that China's global influence was growing very fast, Pellet said the ICRC wanted to connect more with China, not only in Beijing, but also in other places where it works. "The ICRC has been working in many countries along the Belt and Road. When we first learned about the initiative, we found it very important to look at," he said. Pellet said that the ICRC was also eager to bring its perspectives and working experiences in humanitarian assistance into countries affected by conflicts along the Belt and Road. "My wish is that, by working together, by focusing on development, and by supporting humanitarian assistance, we can step by step overcome humanitarian challenges faced by these countries," he said. Pellet also commends China for its greater responsibility in carrying out UN peacekeeping missions globally. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China today participates in global affairs "in many places, including places where conflict and violence exist and where the ICRC is working," he said. China first participated in UN peacekeeping missions in 1990, when five military observers were sent to Syria. Since then, China has contributed the largest number of troops to UN peacekeeping missions and the second largest share to the UN peacekeeping budget. "We see the efforts China has spent in peacekeeping is growing very fast, and we want to strengthen our cooperation with Chinese peacekeepers," he added. The BRI, which refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe, Africa and beyond. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:29:08|Editor: ZX Video Player Close HOHHOT, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 100 great bustards have been seen in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region recently, local forest police said Friday. Great bustards are a Class A protected animal in China and are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The huge birds, amongst the heaviest living flying animals, were found staying and foraging near lakes and farms in Tuquan County, the Hinggan League. The number of great bustards has gradually increased in recent years along with improvement of the ecological environment in the Hinggan League, said Shen Zhihong, head of the county's public security bureau for forestry. The adult male great bustard can range in weight from 15 to 20 kg. "They fly slow and look clumsy because they are heavy," said Shen, adding great bustards are very vigilant. They flew away when police officers spotted them 1 km away. The local forest police said better air quality, improved water quality and increased forest coverage have attracted more rare animals to the league. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:34:10|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The peak body representing Australian farmers has warned that an ambitious emissions reduction target would hurt the agriculture industry. Tony Mahar, president of the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) told News Corp Australia on Friday that the Opposition Australian Labor Party's plan for a 45 percent emissions reduction target would make Australian farmers less competitive in international markets. "If it means more costs in the supply chain then we have to have ways where the competitiveness on Australian agriculture products are not compromised," Mahar said. "We export two-thirds of what we produce. So we have got to maintain our competitiveness while doing out bit for climate change," Mahar said. "The cost of 45 percent in emissions target is likely to mean there are extra costs in the supply chain and we want to understand what that means for agricultural products both here and overseas and we haven't got that level of detail yet," Mahar added. Under Labor's proposal, which was announced by party leader Bill Shorten in November 2018, the party will legislate 45 percent emissions reduction target by 2030 based on 2005 levels if it wins the general election on May 18. It also plans to introduce a 50 percent renewable energy target. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:44:18|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close SEOUL, April 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in has received U.S. President Donald Trump's message to Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), a well-informed diplomatic source said Friday. Moon received the message from Trump, who called for the South Korean president to convey it to the DPRK leader, during their summit meeting in Washington last week, said the source who declined to be identified because of sensitivity of the matter. It was not concrete suggestions, said the source, who declined to comment on what the message was. The Moon-Trump summit came after the second summit between Kim and Trump ended with no agreement in late February in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. Following the Washington trip, Moon said he would prepare and push for his fourth summit with the DPRK leader. The leaders of the two Koreas met three times last year. The source said the Moon-Trump summit in Washington helped revive need for top-down approach in negotiations to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, while confirming that Seoul and Washington were on the same page. Moon and Trump came up with a lot of things, including what should be done, during their meeting, but what they came up with cannot be unveiled yet, the source noted. He expressed hope that the fourth inter-Korean summit, proposed by Moon, can lead to another DPRK-U.S. summit as seen in the past, saying South Korea tried to revive the dialogue momentum between Pyongyang and Washington. Moon and Kim first met in April last year at the border village of Panmunjom, followed by the first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit in June last year in Singapore. The third Moon-Kim summit was held in Pyongyang last September, and the second Kim-Trump summit was held in February in Hanoi. Regarding the DPRK leader's policy speech marking the First Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the source said it was taken as a very positive signal as it confirmed Kim's willingness to continue negotiations. Kim said in the SPA speech last Friday that he was willing to hold one more summit with Trump "if the United States adopts a correct posture and comes to the third DPRK-U.S. summit with a certain methodology that can be shared." Following the meeting with Moon in Washington, Trump said "smaller deals" could happen "step by step" between the DPRK and the United States, though his country and South Korea were focusing on the "big deal" which Trump said is to "get rid of the nuclear weapons." The source said something should happen whether it is a small deal or a big deal, noting that it should be a good-enough deal to both Washington and Pyongyang. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:54:25|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- China has been prioritizing environmental protection in recent years, and the development of a circular economy has created a huge market for global investors, according to French environmental services giant SUEZ. "We will not invest with our own cash in all the markets we are in, but China is one priority. The market's business is good, and the government is supportive and transparent," Steve Clark, CEO of SUEZ Asia, told Xinhua on the sidelines of the IE Expo 2019, an annual exhibition featuring the latest developments in the environmental protection technologies and services. Clark, who has been doing business in China for 20 years, said the awareness of green development has been rising fast. Local government officials used to pay more attention to GDP growth, but now they like to talk about the environment, he said. "The emphasis and priority on environmental protection are stronger and stronger." Clark said the wastewater treatment, which has big impact on people's lives, has improved river water quality in China. "I can see the rivers in Beijing and other cities are clearer than before," he said, adding that the introduction of the "river chief" mechanism, which assigns officials to be directly responsible for local river environmental protection, has proven fruitful. SUEZ NWS, a joint venture between SUEZ and Hong Kong-based NWS Holdings Ltd. to operate SUEZ Greater China business, has been in China for over 40 years. The joint venture has built more than 260 water plants and wastewater treatment plants in the Greater China area and now offers professional environment management services to 13 mainland industrial parks such as the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. Its managed revenue reached 1.3 billion euros in 2018. Clark said when entering the Chinese market about two decades ago, foreign investors might prefer big cities like Beijing and Shanghai out of operation concerns, but now "the implementation of standards is more consistent across the country." The development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area is creating fresh business opportunities for SUEZ. SUEZ NWS has just won three water management and waste recovery contracts in the Greater Bay area for a total of 250 million euros. The company has been working with the Ministry of Ecology and Environment to provide its expertise for managing hazardous waste disposal facilities since 2014. It aims to launch two projects in hazardous waste treatment in China each year, according to Clark. "We are confident in the Chinese market and will continue to invest in China's environmental transition," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:54:27|Editor: ZX Video Player Close CHANGSHA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- At the departure hall of the Changsha Huanghua Airport, milk-white bracelets, necklaces and chopsticks were placed on an azure velvet table. However, there were no price tags. Instead, a blackboard next to them indicated that they were ivory crafts seized by customs authorities. As curious passengers walked by, customs officers handed out free stickers and keychains marked with "say no to ivory products," attached with educational brochures. The display then put up a luggage-sniffing demo by a Labrador retriever to show how hidden wildlife products could be easily detected. Li Xingzhou, an official with Changsha customs, considered the event a big success against the ivory trade. "In the past, we mainly relied on ads and press releases to spread our message. Now we are trying out new and more effective methods." Similar activities are bringing customs closer to the public in other Chinese cities like Guangdong and Shanghai, offering a glimpse into China's enhanced publicity campaigns to deliver on its promises on environmental protection. In Shanghai, customs officials not just deliver brochures at airports, but also hold exhibitions about endangered species at the Shanghai Natural History Museum to reach the public. China, which completely banned domestic ivory sales at the turn of 2017 and 2018, has been ratcheting up crackdowns on wildlife trafficking. In 2018, Chinese customs seized 25,671 items of endangered species and their products, including ivory items. On March 30, China cracked a cross-border smuggling ring with a seizure of 2,748 elephant tusks weighing 7.48 tonnes, the biggest volume busted by Chinese authorities in recent years. But customs officials warned that as the country grows richer and sends out more tourists, their luggage becomes a major channel for ivory to enter the country. Changsha, capital of central Hunan Province, for instance, saw an uptrend in customs seizures of wildlife products in recent years. Since the beginning of this year, the local customs have confiscated 42 items of endangered species and their products, including 25 ivory items. "More Chinese tourists are going abroad, including an increasing number of elderly people who receive less information than the younger generation," said Li, who said banned wildlife products are now mainly seized from those aged between 40 and 60. Young travelers, meanwhile, are rarely found to unwittingly violate the laws. The good news is that the enhanced customs' publicity is generally welcomed by Chinese tourists, many of whom are supportive of the country's tougher wildlife policy. Wen Ping, a tourist from Zhengzhou who was transferring at the Changsha airport before flying to Thailand, was impressed by the publicity video made by the customs. "Many tourists have no idea what souvenirs cannot be brought into China. They think goods sold at stores overseas must be legal," she said. "That's where the line of the video 'the souvenirs you bring back may serve as proof of your crime,' strikes a chord." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:59:32|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close by Mao Pengfei, Nguon Sovan PHNOM PENH, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is crucial for Cambodia to further expand cooperation with China and other participating countries, a Cambodian expert has said. The forum will be held from April 25 to 27 in Beijing, and Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen will be among the foreign leaders taking part in the forum. Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, said the forum is expected to review the progress made since the first one in May 2017 and to set targets for implementation in the next phase. "It will provide a good opportunity for Cambodia and all countries participating in the BRI to further expand their cooperation," he told Xinhua in a recent interview. "For Cambodia, it will be an opportune time to discuss and consult with China on how to expand cooperation and to align between the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) and the Cambodia's Rectangular Strategy." The expert said after the first forum, the BRI has brought many iconic projects to Cambodia such as the first-ever Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville expressway, a new Siem Reap international airport, among others. "These large projects, along with the (Chinese-invested) Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, will bring a lot of benefits to Cambodia and her people," he said. "These will help spur the development of Cambodia by assisting Cambodia from a lower-middle income country to an upper-middle income country by 2030," he added. FRUITFUL OUTCOMES EXPECTED Chandarith foresaw that a number of agreements on hard and soft infrastructure development will be signed at the upcoming forum. "I hope to see more agreements signed between Cambodia and China, focusing on the development of Cambodia's rural infrastructure, soft infrastructure, and logistics system so as to help connect rural Cambodia with the urban areas, the region and the world," he said. The expert said for the next phase, the BRI should focus on institutional capacity building, good governance, and local community participation in order to ensure that the benefits generated from investments are fairly and sustainably distributed. He said countries participating in BRI cooperation should also initiate projects that focus on enhancing people-to-people connectivity. Commenting on the BRI's role in promoting connectivity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Chandarith said the BRI is expected to strongly support ASEAN in promoting sustainable economic growth through regional infrastructure development. "The BRI has been providing great benefits to ASEAN, which needs a large amount of capital to realize its Master Plan on Connectivity," he said. "I think the BRI will help to accelerate the development of connectivity infrastructure in ASEAN, and this will surely contribute to further enhancing the relations between China and ASEAN," he said. BRI NOT TO CREATE DEBT TRAP Chandarith said the BRI has provided enormous socio-economic benefits to all participating countries, but because local people have not been well informed of the BRI, it is easy for them to get fabricated misinformation. "I think Chinese investments in infrastructure such as roads, rails, ports, airports and special economic zones are not to create a debt trap; instead, those projects provide huge benefits for socio-economic development in a long term," he said. The expert said to make people get the right information about BRI benefits, all countries participating in BRI cooperation should work together to give more information to the people about the projects and their benefits. PROMOTING BRI, SINO-CAMBODIAN TIES Founded in January 2018, the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center aims at conducting research on BRI in three important areas, namely political and security issues, economic and financial matters, and socio-cultural issues, Chandarith said. "So far, the center has conducted six research projects covering the three areas, and research results will be published soon," he said. "Our research will give policy recommendations to policy makers in Cambodia on BRI related issues." The director said the center also gives lectures on BRI to Cambodian government officials and university students, and to date, the center has promoted the BRI to some 5,000 students. The center also organizes regional conferences on BRI and promotes the relations between Cambodia and China by helping Cambodian researchers and scholars understand more about China and Chinese culture. Sharing his view on the Cambodia-China ties, the expert said the bilateral relationship was elevated to the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2010, and since then, more reciprocal high-level visits have been made and inflow of Chinese investments and tourists has remarkably increased. "Cambodia-China close ties not only benefit the two countries, but also contribute to maintaining peace, security and prosperity in the region," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 16:59:34|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 Fortune 500 companies have signed up for the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to the organizer. A total of 20 out of the leading 30 companies in the medical equipment industry worldwide will attend the expo scheduled in November in Shanghai, according to Sun Chenghai, vice director of CIIE bureau. "We are working on plans to extend the exhibition period of national pavilion of the second CIIE for about 10 days, as an answer to the overwhelming enthusiasm towards the CIIE of Chinese citizens," says Shang Yuying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. Shanghai Customs is working on measures to support the second CIIE, including introducing a big data platform and supporting the establishment of year-round bonded exhibition areas. Volunteer recruiting will start soon, with more international volunteers from Belt and Road countries and regions expected. More than 1,800 companies have signed up for the expo. Over 900 companies from 77 countries and regions, including 17 Group of Twenty (G20) members countries and over 30 countries along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative, have confirmed participation as exhibitors. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 17:04:38|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close HANOI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnams export of tuna to China surged by 771 percent in the first two months of this year, making the market the fifth largest importer of Vietnamese tuna after the United States, the European Union, Israel and the ASEAN, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). Between January and February, Vietnams exports to China accounted for 94 percent of the countrys total tuna export value, the VASEP said, predicting that Vietnams export of the seafood, including new fresh and frozen tuna products, to China will continue to rise in 2019, Vietnam News Agency reported on Friday quoting the VASEP. Because frozen tuna fillets from Vietnam and other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are exempted from tax in the Chinese market, Vietnam became the leading provider of frozen tuna fillets to the market with over 65 percent of the market share last year. According to the VASEPs vice chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, Vietnams total tuna exports are forecast to top 1 billion U.S. dollars this year, 350 million U.S. dollars higher than last year. Vietnam earned nearly 1.1 billion U.S. dollars from exporting seafood, mainly prawns and catfish in the first two months of this year, posting a year-on-year increase of 2.3 percent, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The country has targeted seafood export turnovers of 10 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 17:04:40|Editor: ZX Video Player Close Residents attend a spring plowing ceremony in Shannan, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, March 16, 2019. Since 2004, China has invested more than 3 billion yuan into Tibet. That was directed at more than 450 projects in 10 categories related to agriculture and animal husbandry unique to the region, such as highland barley, yak-breeding and traditional Tibetan medicine. (Xinhua/Purbu Zhaxi) LHASA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Hearing from his mother that the first plowing day had been set, Dainzin Losang left Lhasa for his home village, just like he did every year. This year, however, was special. When rivers thaw and willows turn green in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibetans, dressing in traditional wear, hold a ceremony to mark the beginning of spring plowing. The exact date varies each year, but this year, it fell on Losang's birthday. So the 26-year-old painter was the first person to till, a move believed to guarantee a good harvest. On the morning of this special day, Losang, wearing traditional costume, was set to become the village's best farmer. Leading two decorated yaks, Losang headed into the farmland while a veteran farmer controlled the plow and a young woman planted seeds. That, however, is the traditional farming method. Huge tractors roared into the field to finish the job. The village, located about 20 km from Lhasa, the regional capital, has been witnessing a revolution in the local farming style over the past decade, and so has the rest of Tibet. "Machines are now used on most farmlands, while yaks are only needed in ceremonies," said Wangdui, 51, who was elected secretary of the village committee of the Communist Party of China in 2015 and is making efforts to modernize farming life of the village. "My mother can now finish all her farm work alone," said Losang. Sent away to learn Tibetan architecture painting at the age of 13, Losang has made a name for himself locally. He earns more than 60,000 yuan (about 8,940 U.S. dollars) a year. Like Losang, villagers are no longer bound to their croplands and now live a diversified life. They work in construction, transport and have even opened factories to process roasted barley flour. But unlike many villagers who choose to migrate to the cities to earn a better income, 41-year-old Zhaxi Benba has chosen to stay with his crops. "This is our ancestors' way of life," Benba said. Located in Shannan Prefecture, his village boasts "the earliest farmland" in Tibet. Legend has it that about 2,100 years ago, grains were planted here to begin the history of farming on "the roof of the world." Despite his desire to preserve tradition, he has given in to modernization. He now uses a tractor to replace yaks' role in the spring plowing ceremony, just like the majority of villagers. They even decorate their machines with hada (a traditional Tibetan ceremonial scarf). Benba also rents out his land to a farming company, earning him more than 13,000 yuan in extra money per year. Along with changing farming lifestyles in the region, crop yields in Tibet have stabilized at just above 1 million tonnes a year. Compared with 2017, the per capita disposable income of Tibet's rural residents grew about 13 percent in 2018. Since 2004, China has invested more than 3 billion yuan into Tibet. That was directed at more than 450 projects in 10 categories related to agriculture and animal husbandry unique to the region, such as highland barley, yak-breeding and traditional Tibetan medicine. Last year, 180,000 people in Tibet were lifted out of poverty. The regional government vows to lift the remaining 150,000 people out of poverty and eradicate absolute poverty this year, when Tibet marks the 60th anniversary of democratic reforms in the region. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 17:14:50|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Two heart-shaped commemorative coins, one gold and one silver, have been issued by China's central bank. Chinese characters Jixiang, meaning auspiciousness, dominates the obverse of the two coins, while the reverse sides are decorated with traditional patterns such as a dragon, phoenix, lotus, jade and pearls, all symbols of auspiciousness and fortune. Weighing three grams and 30 grams respectively, the gold and silver coins have a face value of 50 yuan (about 7.46 U.S. dollars) and 10 yuan separately. Apart from the pair, the new set of commemorative coins featuring China's auspicious culture also includes five round coins. One silver coin, with a face value of 20 yuan and decorated with the patterns of pomegranates and chubby kids, symbolizes a big and prosperous family. Another pair bearing the patterns of a cat, a butterfly, stones and auspicious flowers indicates longevity, while the other pair decorated with the images of magpies and plum flowers, symbolizes a joyful life. The maximum circulation of the coins range from 5,000 to 20,000, and the set is available for sale since Thursday, according to a central bank statement. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 17:34:59|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close HANGZHOU, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight will connect Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province and Rome, Italy, announced Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport Friday. Starting on June 12, the air route operated by Air China will be the fourth direct flight linking Hangzhou and Europe, which will provide more choices for tourists, according to the airport. Round trips are going to be operated three times a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with Airbus A330-200 aircraft, taking about 12 hours, the airline said. Over seven centuries ago, the young Italian merchant and explorer Marco Polo embarked on a trailblazing journey along the ancient Silk Road that led him to Hangzhou, and it means a lot that we are now building an air route linking the two sides, read a statement released by the airport. Hangzhou serves as an important city in China's Belt and Road Initiative. So far, it has launched regular direct flights to 32 cities in countries and regions participating in the initiative. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 17:55:03|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close YAOUNDE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Cameroon president, Paul Biya met with the Executive Secretary of UN Economic Commission for Africa Vera Songwe on Thursday to discuss prospects of ratifying the African Continental Free trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, according to a statement from the presidency. "Delighted to discuss on the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) and the development of the digital economy with Cameroonian-born Vera Songwe," Biya twitted Thursday evening after the meeting. Songwe said, she discussed with the president about the possibility of Cameroon's diversified economy attaining a 10 growth rate, if it becomes part of the trade deal. "Cameroon is such an important economy in Central Africa when we look at the overall region with peace and stability, and I think that the AfCFTA is an important part of the equation to reach emergence," Songwe said. "Other countries will be celebrating the AfCFTA ratification in July and we encourage the Government of Cameroon to join the party and also ratify," she added. The statement from the presidency did not indicate whether or not Cameroon, which was among the first African countries to sign the deal last year, will ratify the trade agreement. Twenty-two African nations have already ratified the agreement, the minimum number expected to approve the deal among the 55 members of the African Union. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 18:20:22|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close LONDON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A journalist was shot dead in the border city of Londonderry in Britain's Northern Ireland during rioting that police are now treating as a "terrorist incident," local media reported on Friday. Lyra McKee, 29, was named as the victim after shots were fired, petrol bombs thrown and cars torched during rioting in Creggan area of the city on border with the Republic of Ireland. The assistant chief constable, Mark Hamilton, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said a murder inquiry had been launched after the woman's death late Thursday evening. "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry," Hamilton said. The Irish border area was a flashpoint during the decades of conflict that cost over 3,600 lives after the 1960s. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) waged a campaign for the reunification of the island, leading to 30 years of what is known as "the Troubles." It laid down its guns in favor of pursuing a political solution in 1998. Thursday's violence broke out after police were carrying out a search operation looking for firearms that may have been used over the Easter weekend, which marks the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said the "intolerable actions" of those behind Ms McKee's murder were "rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 18:30:28|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Two female de-mining workers were severely injured when a landmine accidentally exploded in Muhamalai, Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lankan on Thursday evening, local media reported Friday. The workers, working for a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), were involved in landmine clearing operations when a landmine accidentally exploded, causing severe injuries to their heads and chests. The workers were rushed to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital in the north and are receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The workers are 25 and 26 years of age. The police are conducting further investigations. Following the end of the country's 30-year civil conflict between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009, the Sri Lanka Army together with some local and international de-mining organizations have been engaged in de-mining activities in the north and east of the country. According to the army, a total of 2,064 acres of land in the country, mostly in the north and east, remains to be cleared from landmines and explosives. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 18:45:39|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close LONDON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S tech giant Facebook has permanently banned accounts of a number of British far-right groups and their leaders for violating its "dangerous individuals and organisations policy." Having come into effect at midday on Thursday, the ban includes some of Britain's most prominent far-right groups and figures, with some of those advocating their political stances through violent or hateful speeches or acts. "The individuals and organizations we have banned today violate this policy, and they will no longer be allowed a presence on Facebook or Instagram," the tech company said in a statement, adding that the ban would extend to content that "expresses praise or support" for the cited individuals and groups. Facebook has been taking measures to "manage problematic content" in recent years, and the latest move came a week after the British government released the Online Harms white paper which aims to build the country a safer place to go online. According to the white paper, social media platforms such as Facebook should be held accountable not only for removing illegal content, but also for removing content which is "harmful but not necessarily illegal." The tech giant's ban on far-right content was welcomed by British officials including Yvette Cooper, a member of the country's main opposition Labour Party, who described the company's action as "long overdue." "For too long social media companies have been facilitating extremist and hateful content online and profiting from the poison," she was quoted as saying by the British Broadcasting Corporation. "We all know the appalling consequences there can be if hateful, violent and illegal content is allowed to proliferate." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 18:45:40|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close KABUL, April 19 (Xinhua) -- At least five militants were killed following an airstrike in Afghanistan's eastern province of Nangarhar on Thursday, the command of Afghan special forces said on Friday. "About five Taliban militants were killed as a result of an airstrike conducted by the Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps (ANASOC) in Achin district, Nangarhar province," the corps in a statement. The security forces and civilians have not suffered damage during the raid in the province, 120 km east of the country's capital of Kabul, according to the statement. The Afghan security forces, backed by the NATO-led coalition troops, have increased ground and air offensives against militants within the past few months as spring and summer known as the fighting season is drawing near in the country. The militant group has not made a comment on the report so far. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 18:55:47|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Over the last six years, cooperation under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has seen major progress and been proven more fruitful than expected, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian said. The initiative has laid its groundwork and entered the stage of all-round growth, bearing fruits that will create more opportunities and cooperation for countries, he said to the press Thursday on the premises of the Chinese embassy in Addis Ababa, capital of the eastern African country. He underlined that the BRI is not a talk-shop, but an action-oriented initiative that delivers tangible outcomes, and the second BRI forum to be hosted by China in late April will serve as an important platform to drive further cooperation under the BRI. A total of 125 countries and 29 international organizations have so far signed BRI cooperation documents with China. The upcoming BRI forum will also create an important platform, whereby China along with other parties takes stock of what has been achieved and draws a blueprint of future cooperation, Tan said. "The BRI is an important initiative for international cooperation to enhance China's cooperation with global partners. The BRI represents a major breakthrough in both theory and practice, and it carries far-reaching significance," he said. The world is experiencing profound changes with uncertainties and destabilizing factors, while the BRI demonstrates China's commitment to sharing development opportunities and outcomes with more countries, the ambassador noted. "The BRI is guided by the principles of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits. It represents an approach to international cooperation featuring mutual respect, justice, equity and cooperation for win-win outcomes. And it is a commitment to multilateralism and an open global economy," he said. Representatives from over 100 countries, including at least 37 heads of state or government, have confirmed attendance to the second BRI forum in Beijing later this month. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:21:05|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (C) speaks during a press briefing for the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing, capital of China, April 19, 2019. The second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held from April 25 to 27 in Beijing, Wang Yi announced Friday. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) to be held from April 25 to 27 in Beijing, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced Friday. Leaders including heads of state and government from 37 countries will attend the forum's roundtable summit, Wang told a press briefing. Wang said 12 thematic forums and a CEO conference would be held on April 25, the opening ceremony and a high-level meeting on April 26, and the leaders' roundtable on April 27. Xi will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech. He will also chair the leaders' roundtable and brief media from home and abroad about the outcomes after the roundtable, Wang said, adding that Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan will also hold a welcoming banquet for the leaders and representatives. According to Wang, the 37 countries are Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam. The secretary-general of the United Nations and the managing director of the International Monetary Fund will attend the forum, Wang said, adding that senior representatives of France, Germany, Britain, Spain, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the European Union will also participate. Noting that the BRF is the top-level platform for international cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang said the conference next week would be of landmark significance. The theme of the second BRF is "Belt and Road Cooperation, Shaping a Brighter Shared Future." Wang said the main purpose is to promote the high-quality development of Belt and Road cooperation, which is the common aspiration of countries participating in the initiative. Speaking highly of the fruitful results yielded since the initiative was launched in 2013, Wang said the second BRF was greatly welcomed worldwide with some 5,000 participants from more than 150 countries and 90 international organizations having confirmed their attendance, covering areas from five continents and different walks of life such as government, civil society, business and academia. According to Wang, this year's forum will have 12 thematic forums, twice of that during the first forum in 2017, and the CEO conference will be held for the first time. A joint communique will be released after the leaders' roundtable and other consensus reached during the forum will be issued in a report. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Xi in 2013, aims at enhancing all-around connectivity through infrastructure construction, exploring new driving force for the world economic growth, and building a new platform for world economic cooperation, according to Wang. Stressing that Xi and leaders from other countries blueprinted the initiative in 2017, Wang said the progress in the past two years shows that the initiative conforms to the trend of the times featuring peace, development, cooperation and win-win and accords with the common aspiration of openness and joint development of all countries. "As the host country, we will maintain close communication and coordination with all parties to prepare for the forum with openness, inclusiveness and transparency, upholding the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits," Wang said. He said the forum would voice the firm support for multilateralism and an open world economy, enrich the principles of cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative, build a network of partnership, and establish more mechanisms for high-quality development. Bilateral, trilateral and multilateral cooperation has been reinforcing each other under the initiative, laying a solid foundation for a closer and more wide-ranging partnership, he said. Wang said China will showcase the outcomes and introduce the measures of its reform and opening-up to the world, adding that this will allow China to share the dividends of its economic growth, promote the Belt and Road Initiative, and bring more opportunities to the development of all countries as well as the building of the Belt and Road. "I believe that the forum will inject stronger impetus into the world economy, open even broader horizon for the development of the countries, and contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, " said Wang. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:41:16|Editor: ZX Video Player Close TIANJIN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Trade between China and Russia reached 164.8 billion yuan (24.2 billion U.S. dollars) in the first quarter of this year, up 9.8 percent compared with the same period last year, according to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC). It is expected that bilateral trade between the two countries will keep momentum in 2019, according to Luo Weidong, director of Eurasian Affairs Department of the MOC, at the China Tianjin International Fair for Investment and Trade. Chinese investment in Russia has expanded to infrastructure construction, equipment manufacturing, oil and chemical industry, and information technology, Luo said. Russian companies are eager to tap in to the huge Chinese market. At the investment and trade fair which opened Thursday, 16 Russian companies brought their products to China, including food, beverage, grain, oil, and handicrafts. Kozlovskaya L.M., head of a Russia export company, said her company had set up a duty-free shop in Manchuria, a city in north China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. "Though transaction volume is still relatively small, the shop is a channel for further bilateral cooperation and exchange," the Russian businesswoman said. Trade between China and Russia reached 107.06 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, up 27.1 percent year on year, according to the MOC. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:41:18|Editor: ZX Video Player Close A tiger and her baby are seen at the Hengdaohezi Siberian tiger park in Hailin City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, April 18, 2019. There are more than 400 Siberian tigers living in the park and twenty cubs have been born here since the end of February this year. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei) HARBIN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 20 cubs have been born so far this year at the world's largest Siberian tiger breeding center in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The China Hengdaohezi Feline Breeding Center is expected to welcome around 100 cubs by the end of this year, according to the center. Most of the cubs were born from March to June, said Qiu Hongkun, a senior official with the center. "To ensure the survival rate, the cubs of first-time moms have to be fed egg yolks and milk by staff," Qiu said. The cubs live indoors at around 18 degrees Celsius and are only allowed to enjoy the sun outside when they are at least two months old, she added. China has intensified protection efforts for the tigers in recent years, which has led to rising numbers of the big cat. The country established the breeding center in 1986. There are more than 1,000 Siberian tigers at the center, compared with only eight in 1986. Siberian tigers, otherwise known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, mainly live in eastern Russia, northeast China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:41:21|Editor: ZX Video Player Close by Victoria Arguello BUENOS AIRES, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Argentine experts have expressed the belief that the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation can yield more concrete steps for collaboration between China and Latin America. Members of the Asian Affairs Committee at Argentina's Council on International Relations (CARI), a leading think tank, spoke with Xinhua in the lead-up to the forum, which is expected to be held in Beijing later this month. "I believe China's presence (in Latin America) is very welcomed. We think it would be very interesting to take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to take a more active role in infrastructure matters," the head of the committee, Eduardo Sadous, said. "In that sense, I think China is a very important strategic partner for Argentina," Sadous said at CARI's offices in Buenos Aires. "China's presence in Latin America is highly valued," with the bilateral relationship strengthening in the last decade, not just through closer political and trade ties, but also through greater integration between the two peoples, said Sadous. "I think the two economies are very complementary. Argentina is a major producer of the food (that) China needs and we also have mineral products that China's economic development might require," said Sadous. During this year's forum, a conference will be organized specially for the business community for the first time. Jorge Malena, head of CARI's working group on China, said that the forum, the second of its kind, is expected to see agreements between business sectors of Latin America and China that are likely to further consolidate ties. The agreements between governments are needed to create right political and legal frameworks. "It's also very important to have the business owners, who are the ones to concretize the deals, get together to dialogue about the opportunities," said Malena. The initiative's emphasis on infrastructure building is especially relevant to the region, he said. "One of the main characteristics of this initiative is to promote the development of connectivity. In that context, infrastructure specifically is a central element, and it is essential for Latin America to achieve a greater rate of economic growth," said Malena. In Argentina, cooperation with China in infrastructure development has helped to renovate cargo railways and transportation networks, and generate renewable energy. "I think the eventual creation of joint ventures to develop the agricultural industry is important. We all know Argentina is an agricultural powerhouse that has yet to add enough value to its production," Malena said. Economist Carola Ramon-Berjano, a member of the working group on China, believed that the BRI offers Latin America an opportunity to constructively reflect on its future development. "Latin America has a lot to gain (from the BRI), but we have to have a very clear local and regional development strategy, and think about how to forcefully insert ourselves in the world," said Ramon-Berjano. The forum will be the perfect opportunity to flesh out these ideas, she said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:46:23|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The award ceremony of a Chinese essay competition for Mongolian high school students was held here on Friday. The competition was organized by the state-owned news agency Montsame to celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mongolia. "The 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and China coincides with the 90th anniversary of our agency's weekly Mongolian News in Chinese. So we co-organized the essay writing competition with the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia and the Chinese Cultural Center in Ulan Bator," said Badamdorj Ganchimeg, director-general of Montsame, at the award ceremony. Mongolian News in Chinese is the only newspaper published in Chinese in the country. Ganchimeg noted that the essay writing competition aims to promote Mongolian students' Chinese writing skills and discover their views on Mongolia-China friendship. "I am confident that the essay writing competition will encourage Mongolian students to learn the Chinese language deeply and increase their knowledge about China," said Li Wei, cultural counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia. The first edition of the annual essay writing competition, under the theme of "Mongolia-China Friendship through My Eyes," had attracted around 50 students across the country. Top six participants of the competition were awarded certificates and cash prizes respectively. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 19:51:26|Editor: ZX Video Player Close WINDHOEK, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Relations between Namibia and China have solidified economically, politically and socially, Namibia's central Khomas Regional Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua said on Friday. She was speaking at the signing ceremony of the letter of intent between Namibia's Khomas Regional Council and China's Jiangsu Province in Namibia's capital Windhoek. The two sides intend to cooperate more on mutually beneficial relations. "China and Namibia have remained all weather friends. sharing a new type of close cooperation at national and provincial levels." "Both China and Namibia have always had a strong desire to further develop bilateral relations between the two countries down to provincial or regional levels." "This exchange between Jiangsu Province and Khomas Region is therefore one of the excellent models to bring our long standing mutual desire for cooperation to a logical fruition, " she said. The Khomas Regional Governor called on the Chinese investors to tap into investment opportunities in the region. The investment opportunities discussed include agro-processing, manufacturing, and financial sectors. China's Jiangsu Province sent a delegation to Namibia to formalize the regions' intent on cooperation and to improve relations in the future. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 20:16:35|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close TRIPOLI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of 213 people have been killed and 1,009 others injured in the fighting between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based army in and around the capital Tripoli so far, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Friday. "Tripoli toll is now 213 dead and 1,009 wounded. WHO medical teams continue assisting surgical staff at local hospitals," WHO tweeted earlier Friday. "Two more ambulances have been damaged. WHO calls on all parties in Libya to protect civilians, health workers and health facilities," WHO demanded. The east-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Tan Jian (R), Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia hands over a scholarship grant agreement for 220 post graduate students during a Chinese Government Training Program Fellowship Reception at the Sheraton Hotel in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Aug. 24, 2018. The Chinese government has provided more than 1,450 scholarship opportunities to Ethiopians in various academic and training areas during the first eight months of 2018, the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia revealed. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) ADDIS ABABA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) serves as a new driving force in Sino-Ethiopia relations, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian said on Thursday. Speaking to the press on the premises of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Tan said the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation scheduled to take place by the end of this month in China is another impetus to further partnership forged between the two countries. The East African country's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is among the leaders who will participate in the upcoming BRI forum, whereby China with other forum parties will take stock of what has been achieved and draw a blueprint to further enrich cooperation on the initiative. Cooperation on Belt and Road Imitative is not a talk shop, but an action-oriented initiative that delivers tangible outcomes, he said, adding that the participating parties attending the forum would build on successful practices and jointly develop multi-tiered cooperation framework with more real results of still higher quality. The 2nd Belt and Road forum is expected to produce a full range of deliverables, including governmental cooperation agreements and initiatives, as well as concrete cooperation projects involving participation of the business sectors, Tan said. Reiterating that the Belt and Road Initiative is guided by the principle of consultation and cooperation for shared benefits, the ambassador said the upcoming forum would serve as an important platform to further bilateral relations between the two countries. "China and Ethiopia are close and friendly brothers and comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. Cooperation on Belt and Road Initiative is the new driving force in China-Ethiopia relations, following the FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) mechanism," he added. Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia Tan Jian addresses journalists in Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, Aug. 23, 2018. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde) Ethiopia is one of the 124 countries that have signed Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents with China, the ambassador said, reiterating China's commitment to supporting Ethiopia to play an important role in jointly advancing the initiative in Africa. "Ethiopia is among the first batch of African countries who signed cooperation documents concerning jointly building the Belt and Road, and China supports Ethiopia in playing a bigger role as a bridge and a link for jointly advancing the BRI in Africa," he said. The ambassador further stated that the comprehensive strategic partnership forged between China and Ethiopia would continue to be at the forefront of Sino-African relations and serve as a model in the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 20:41:53|Editor: ZX Video Player Close SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 Fortune 500 companies have signed up for the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to the organizer. A total of 20 out the leading 30 companies in the medical equipment industry worldwide will attend the expo in November in Shanghai, according to Sun Chenghai, vice director of the CIIE bureau. The booth area for businesses at the second CIIE will be expanded to 300,000 square meters, said Sun, adding that new technologies such as AR and VR, self-driving cars and the Internet of Things will make an appearance. More than 1,800 companies have signed up. Over 900 companies from 77 countries and regions, including from 17 G20 members countries and over 30 countries related with the Belt and Road Initiative, have confirmed participation. LVMH, the world's biggest luxury goods company, announced its participation in March. Taking part is "a clear testimony of our confidence in the long-term vigor of the Chinese economy and our friendship for its people," said Antoine Arnault, a senior LVMH executive. Other new attendees include companies such as Shiseido, Estee Lauder and Bombardier. Kentaro Fujiwara, CEO of Shiseido China Region, expressed hopes that the company will showcase its image to the whole world at the expo. L'Oreal, one of the first international companies to sign up for the inaugural CIIE, has started preparing for this year's event to debut new products and innovative ideas, said Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of the company. "We shared our experience during the CIIE bureau's promotion tour in Paris for this year's CIIE, and convinced other French companies to attend as well," Agon said. "We are working on plans to extend the exhibition period of national pavilion of the second CIIE for about 10 days, as an answer to the overwhelming enthusiasm towards the CIIE of Chinese citizens," said Shang Yuying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. Shanghai Customs is working on measures to support the second CIIE, including a big data platform and supporting the establishment of year-round bonded exhibition areas. Volunteer recruiting will start soon, with more international volunteers from Belt and Road countries and regions expected. A total of 172 countries, regions and international organizations and more than 3,600 enterprises participated in the first CIIE, held Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai, the world's first import-themed national-level expo. Deals for intended one-year purchases of goods and services worth 57.83 billion U.S. dollars were signed at the first CIIE. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 21:12:16|Editor: ZX Video Player Close LISBON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Ma Biao, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visited Portugal from Tuesday to Friday at the invitation of the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic. Ma, who is also the president of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD), met with President of the Assembly of the Republic Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues, Vice President of the Assembly of the Republic Teresa Caeiro, and Portuguese Group for Friendship with China. The two sides held in-depth exchanges of views on the bilateral relations, parliamentary and people-to-people exchanges. Ma also attended a seminar on "Promoting People-to-People Ties and Co-Building 'the Belt and Road'", co-hosted by the delegation of CPAPD and the Chinese Embassy to Portugal, and delivered a keynote speech. The Chinese delegation also had conversations with the representatives from Multi-Secular League of Friendship between Portugal and China, Friends of the New Silk Road, and Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation, among other organizations. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 21:22:19|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIRUT, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Fadi Gemayel, president of the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, said on Friday that Chinese companies are invited to start industrial businesses in Lebanon. "This will be of great help to the economy because it will create lots of job opportunities for the Lebanese youths," Gemayel told Xinhua in an interview. Gemayel called upon authorities to invite Chinese companies to open factories in Lebanon by manufacturing products that are not yet produced by Lebanese industrialists. The industrialist told Xinhua that Chinese companies have multiple opportunities to produce different kinds of products that are necessary for the reconstruction of Syria. He added that Chinese companies' expansion to Lebanon is of mutual benefit for both countries. "We have a business-friendly environment compared with other countries in the region," he said. Creating industrial businesses will also provide job opportunities in other sectors such as services, banks, insurance and transportation, Gemayel pointed out. He explained that Lebanon suffers from a high unemployment rate burdened by Syrian refugees. "We have an unemployment rate between 25 percent and 36 percent among young people," he said. Gemayel noted that there are two main problems facing the industry sector in Lebanon: the high cost of energy and the smuggling of products from nearby countries competing with local products. "The government has promised us to handle these issues. We are waiting for anti-dumping measures to be implemented by the government," he said. Another problem, Gemayel added, is the operation of illegal factories at low costs. Lebanese industrialists announced less than two months ago a state of industrial emergency in Lebanon, calling upon officials to take quick measures to save the sector from further deterioration. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 21:27:25|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close DAR ES SALAAM, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities said on Friday they have planned to spend some 651,000 U.S. dollars in launching a black rhino tourism that will enable visitors to watch the endangered wild animals at close range. The tourism promotional stint using the black rhino will be the first of its kind to be done in Tanzania, said Abel Mtui, the assistant conservation officer in the Mkomazi National Park, northeastern of the east African nation. Currently black rhinos are being used in South Africa for tourism promotional venture. Mtui said the Mkomazi National Park was in final stages of erecting an electric fence with a 1,000-square km-area where the black rhino will be kept, adding that tourists will be able to watch rhinos at close range beginning July this year. He said increased poaching of black rhinos in the 1980s forced Tanzania to transfer some of its black rhinos to South Africa and the Czech Republic for their safety. "Most of the rhinos were returned to Tanzania after concerted efforts to fight poaching paid dividends," said the official. "After we had realized that most of the tourists wanted to see rhinos at close range we came up with this arrangement," said Mtui. The 3,500-square-km Mkomazi National Park is located in northeastern Tanzania on the Kenyan border, in Kilimanjaro and Tanga regions. It was established as a game reserve in 1951 and was upgraded to a national park in 2006. File Photo: Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito (R) and his wife Crown Princess Masako wave as they see Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko (not pictured) off at Tokyo's Haneda airport Nov. 30, 2013. (Xinhua/REUTERS) WASHINGTON, April 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will travel to Japan at the end of May as the country's first state guests to meet the newly enthroned emperor, the White House said late Thursday. "The President and First Lady will also travel to Japan from May 25 to 28, 2019, as the country's first state guests following the enthronement of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito on May 1, 2019," a statement said. U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and first lady Melania Trump depart the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 18, 2019. (Xinhua/Ting Shen) During the visit, Trump will also have a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to "deepen the close bonds between the American and Japanese people," it added. The White House also noted that Abe would first pay a visit to Washington on April 26-27 to discuss with his hosts recent developments regarding the Korean Peninsula, trade and other issues. The U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting, known as "2+2" talks, will kick off here on Friday. The two countries' senior officials will discuss their coordination on the evolving regional security environment including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and enhancement of the alliance's capabilities and the continued realignment of U.S. armed forces in Japan. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 21:52:38|Editor: ZX Video Player Close BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Civil Affairs of China on Friday released a circular warning the public against unauthorized events that recycle worn clothes in the name of charity. Civil affairs administrations and the public across the country have recently filed reports on such events, where unqualified organizers would collect used items such as clothes from the public, and would then sell them for profit, according to the circular. Public donation events, according to the country's Charity Law, can only be held by registered and qualified social organizations, the circular noted. The unqualified events violated the Charity Law, infringed on the rights of the donors and tainted the image of charity, the social organization management bureau of the ministry said in the circular, asking the public to better identify and report such fraudulent acts in time to civil affairs administrations. Before taking part in charitable donations, people can check on platforms such as "Charity in China" (http://cishan.chinanpo.gov.cn) if the organizers and sponsors of the events have the qualifications for public donations, according to the circular. If they are not qualified and seek profits in the name of charity, people can file reports to public security organs, the bureau added. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 21:57:47|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close BAGHDAD, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A total of 12 Islamic State (IS) militants were killed, including four of the group's leaders, in two operations in northern and western Iraq, the Iraqi military said on Friday. The Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service carried out two operations in Hawijah area in northern province of Kirkuk, and in west of the town of al-Rutba in western province of Anbar, Yahya Rasoul, spokesman of the Iraqi Joint Operations command, said in a brief statement. The two operations resulted in the killing of 12 IS militants, including four leaders, and destroying weapons and ammunition, the statement added. The security situation in Iraq was improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:02:49|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close ANKARA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Turkey arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Friday. Istanbul prosecutors have launched a probe into the two alleged intelligence officers' links to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the agency said citing judicial sources. Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. Riyadh initially denied any knowledge of the journalist's whereabouts, but later admitted that Khashoggi had been killed and his body dismembered. Saudi authorities have charged 11 people with the murder, while Ankara demands that the accused be extradited to Turkey, and Riyadh reveal where the journalist's remains can be found. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:02:53|Editor: Xiaoxia Video Player Close GAZA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli tanks stationed on the border between eastern Gaza Strip and Israel struck on Friday a military post belonging to Islamic Hamas militants with no injuries reported, local media in Gaza said. The reports quoted security officials as saying that the Israeli tanks targeted a military lookout post stationed close to the border with Israel, causing severe damage to the facility. There has been no immediate Israeli comment on the shelling. Israeli media reported that an Israeli army force patrolling near the fence of the border with Gaza was subjected to gunfire from the Gaza side. The Israeli shelling came shortly before hundreds of Palestinians joined the weekly anti-Israel protests, better known as the "Great March of Return." The highest commission of the "Great March of Return" called on earlier Friday the Palestinians to join the rallies and marches in eastern Gaza Strip. The rallies, protests and marches, which started in late March last year, are calling on Israel to end 12 years of a tight blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:18:03|Editor: ZX Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam has hailed partnership with Chinese firms for helping the air carrier to achieve impressive growth. Speaking to Xinhua in a recent interview, Gebremariam said Chinese firms have constructed modern airport facilities in Ethiopia as well as helped Ethiopian Airlines get a strong foothold in the Chinese aviation market. "Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has constructed a luxury five star hotel in Addis Ababa, and China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) has constructed an expansion project at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, highlighting the strong partnership between Ethiopian Airlines and Chinese firms." "ET is also planning to have a joint venture with AVIC to operate small Chinese built airplanes that are expected soon to operate in Ethiopian domestic flights," Gebremariam told Xinhua. He also said Ethiopian Airlines has partnered with Chinese air carriers to give top quality services to customers in ET's Chinese flight destinations. "Ethiopian Airlines wants to thank Shenzhen Airlines, Air China for the support they have given to ET. ET is also currently in negotiations with China Southern Airlines to develop a hub between Guangzhou and Addis Ababa." "ET wants to add more frequencies in China and in particular is eager to receive permit from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to add the southern Chinese high tech hub of Shenzhen as its latest Chinese destination," Gebremariam told Xinhua. Ethiopia's national carrier currently operates daily passenger flights from Addis Ababa to Guangzhou and Beijing, and three-times-a-week passenger flights to Chengdu, as well as daily passenger and cargo flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai. "China today is the biggest source of our aviation market. This shows how much ET is strategically aligned and integrated with China," said Gebremariam. The ET CEO further said his airlines is planning to build on its current successful partnership with Chinese firms to make it a long term partnership. "ET is planning to build a new airport 38 km from Addis Ababa and we intend to develop the new airport together with Chinese firms," said Gebremariam. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:33:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SKOPJE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- North Macedonia's Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski welcomed on Friday the approval of the new four-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for North Macedonia by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors, which incorporates projects amounting to around 420 million U.S. dollars. According to Tevdovski, the funds will support projects that will improve the living standards of the citizens and achieve fair growth. "This will be realized through investments in better infrastructure, business environment, education and other projects that will generate higher economic growth," Tevdovski said. According to the World Bank press release, the objective of the CPF is to support the fast, inclusive, and sustainable growth of North Macedonia. "The strategy aims to support North Macedonia's government program and medium-term strategy by creating greater opportunities to improve citizen's living standards and accelerate income convergence with the European Union (EU)," reads the press release. On Thursday the World Bank Board of Executive Directors endorsed the CPF for North Macedonia for the period between January 2019 and June 2023. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:38:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TOKYO, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese baby born weighing just 258 grams, the tiniest recorded in Japan so far, survived healthily in a hospital in central Japan's Nagano Prefecture, local media reported Friday. The baby boy is likely to break a record previously set by a child born in Tokyo last August by 10 grams, the Nagano Children's Hospital said. Ryusuke Sekino, the baby boy who is currently around five months old, will soon be able to leave hospital as doctors are confident in his health condition, according to the hospital. Doctor Takehiko Hiroma said at a press conference that he was "very happy" that the care provided for the baby boy has successfully nurtured him to a healthy 3.37 kg. "There have been difficulties in the treatment because, immediately after his birth, his blood vessels were too thin to administer intravenous drips," he said. In Japan, about 90 percent of babies born weighing less than one kg are able to survive, but the rate for babies less than 300 grams remains low, especially in the case of baby boys. According to Japan's Keio University Hospital, 25 babies worldwide were born weighing less than 300 grams and survived, six of whom were boys. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:38:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TIRANA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Two missing tourists from Belgium were found in southern Albania after search, police announced in a press release on Friday. The tourists were declared missing on Thursday evening in a remote mountainous area in Himara region in southern Albania. Police sources said that the Belgian couple called the police operation office in Vlora on Thursday afternoon, saying they got lost on the way. More than 15 police officers and local people were engaged in the searches for around 20 hours. The two tourists were found between the villages of Iljaz and Vranisht. They said they were hiking when they found out they got lost in the difficult terrain. The two tourists are reported to be in good health conditions. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 22:53:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Minister of State for Information Technology Adel Afiouni announced on Friday that China's Tsinghua Holdings is interested in helping the Lebanese government in its digital transformation project. "Tsinghua Holdings expressed great interest in helping us in digital technology transformation. They have expertise in the area since they did a lot of similar projects for governments around the world," Afiouni told Xinhua. His remarks came during the visit by a delegation from Tsinghua Holdings to Lebanon to discuss ways to boost cooperation. Afiouni said that he discussed with the delegation the potential of creating a research and development center given the talents available in universities in Lebanon. "Our aim is to attract Lebanese research centers to support the capabilities of our youths," he said, adding that discussions with the Chinese company were very positive. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 23:18:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) announced on Friday that the national carrier has launched direct scheduled services to Changsha, China, effective on April 16, 2019. "We are pleased to introduce Changsha, the capital city of Hunan province, to our growing network of scheduled flights to China. With this new route, Changsha will support the airlines network development and strategic objective of adding more capacity from key source markets," RBs CEO Karam Chand said. RBs flights to Changsha will be initially once a week and the frequency to be increased to twice weekly from June 29, 2019. "Expanding into China is a key focus for RB in line with our business plans. Not only are we proud to provide more direct flights and connectivity options for our guests, Changsha further strengthens RBs presence in one of the largest and fastest growing markets in the world. We warmly welcome our Chinese and other guests onboard our flights to enjoy the seamless connection and signature RB service on our game changing A320 NEO aircraft," Karam Chand said. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 23:18:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close NANCHANG, April 19 (Xinhua) -- A two-day training and emergency exercise on travel safety concluded Friday in the city of Shangrao, east China's Jiangxi Province, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The event aims to increase the ability of culture and tourism authorities and travel agencies across the country to deal with emergencies while maintaining a safe and stable tourism market, the ministry said in a statement. The attendees were lectured about tourism safety, security management in popular scenic areas, as well as safety of Chinese tourists overseas. Exercises included scenic cableway rescue and emergency evacuation in scenic spots. Participants agreed that roads and firefighting facilities should be enveloped in a vast dragnet of security overhaul, adding that joint supervision by multiple departments should be strengthened. Officials and representatives of major travel agencies in charge of travel safety attended the event. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 23:28:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close TBILISI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze on Friday appointed Natia Turnava as the new minister of economy and sustainable development. Giorgi Kobulia, who served as the economy minister from July 2018, was dismissed earlier on the same day. Bakhtadze announced the decision and endorsed the new minister to the public at a briefing in the Georgian capital city of Tbilisi, saying that he believed Turnava will succeed in fulfilling her duties. "Natia is a high-level professional with impressive experience. Today we need quick decisions, fast decision-making, to serve the public, and the interests of entrepreneurs," said the prime minister. Turnava had been the Deputy Minister of Economy since September 2018. Before that, she worked as the deputy chief executive officer of the Partnership Fund, a major state-owned investment fund. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-19 23:49:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee on Friday issued a subpoena for the full Mueller report, as it seeks to uncover more damning evidence against U.S. President Donald Trump. "I have issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full version of the Mueller report and the underlying evidence," Democratic Congressman Jerrold Nadler said in a statement, while setting May 1 as the deadline. The move came one day after the U.S. Department of Justice released a redacted version of the report which was met with skepticism from the Democrats. "I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability," Nadler said. Doug Collins, a Republican member of the panel, criticized Nadler for issuing the subpoena, saying that the request was unreasonable. "Today's subpoena is wildly overly broad. It commands the department to provide Congress with millions of records that would be plainly against the law to share because the vast majority of these documents came as a result of nearly 2,800 subpoenas from a grand jury that is still ongoing," Collins said. The redacted Mueller report, 448 pages in length, was the result of a 22-month-long investigation into whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential election, and if Trump, after his inauguration, obstructed efforts to probe the alleged collusion. While the report was definitive in stating that there had been no collusion, it offered a murkier conclusion in regard to the obstruction allegations, listing and analyzing 10 episodes involving Trump but stopped short of suggesting a formal charge. The Trump administration hailed the report as a major victory and Trump repeatedly touted on social media that he had been "completely exonerated," while his critics called for a further probe to be launched. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-20 01:34:37|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close Palestinian medics carry a wounded man during clashes with Israeli troops on the Gaza-Israel border, east of southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on April 19, 2019. At least 48 Palestinians were wounded on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said. (Xinhua/Khaled Omar) GAZA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- At least 48 Palestinians were wounded on Friday during clashes with Israeli soldiers in eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said. Ashraf al-Qedra, the Health Ministry spokesman in Gaza, said in a press statement that among the casualties were five paramedics and four local photojournalists, adding that dozens were treated in the field after inhaling tear gas. The clashes on Friday were part of the weekly anti-Israel protests, better known as the Great March of Return, which started at the end of March last year. The Highest Commission of the March of Return had earlier called on the Gaza Strip population to join the weekly activity in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. The demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and held posters of Palestinian prisoners. They threw stones at the soldiers, who fired live gunshots, rubber bullets and tear gas canisters. Health officials in Gaza said that since the marches and rallies had started, the Israeli army has killed 272 Palestinians and injured 16,700 others. The rallies, protests and marches, which started in late March last year, urge Israel to end 12 years of tight blockade that had been imposed on the coastal enclave which has been ruled by Hamas movement since 2007. Although, Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar are mediating a calm understanding between Israel and Hamas-led factions, the Commission said that the protests will go on every week until the Israeli blockade is lifted. Earlier Friday, Israeli army tanks stationed on the border struck with tank shells a military post that belongs to Islamic Hamas militants. No injuries were reported, according to local media reports in Gaza. There has been no immediate comment from Israeli army on the shelling, however, Israeli media reported that an Israeli army force patrolling near the fence of the border was subjected to gunfire that came from the Gaza side. File Photo: A government soldier prepares his weapon in southern Tripoli, Libya, April 8, 2019. The Libyan government has launched a military campaign against the eastern-based army of Khalifa Haftar that attacked the capital Tripoli, said a spokesman. (Xinhua) WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over phone with Libyan army commander Khalifa Haftar on Monday, discussing "ongoing counterterrorism efforts," said the White House on Friday. The two also discussed the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya and the war-torn country's "transition to a stable, democratic political system," according to a White House statement. The White House did not explain why it released the statement days after the phone call took place. The east-based army, led by Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Libya's capital city of Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. A total of 213 people have been killed and 1,009 others injured in the fighting between the Libyan government and the east-based army in and around Tripoli so far, the World Health Organization said Friday. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-20 06:15:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close YAOUNDE, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Local authorities in Cameroon's troubled English-speaking region of Northwest said Friday that 31 armed separatists have laid down their weapons and begun re-integration process into society. "We have 31 ex-fighters who have already dropped their weapons and have come to the re-integration center. Twenty-five boys and six girls. We have been informed that three others are at the general's office pending transfer to the center," Sixtus Gabsa, Northwest regional director of the National Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Committee (NDDRC), said during an evaluation meeting in the town of Bamenda. Officials said the initiative provided a "dignified" way out for ex-combatants and prospects for social reintegration, and should pave the way for a return to calm and normalcy. "I call on each and everyone to mobilize and ask our young people who are still in the bushes to come to the disarmament center. They will be well received, trained and will face no legal charges," said Adolphe Lele Lafrique, the Northwest region's governor. The NDDRC was created by President Paul Biya last year "to avoid the use of extreme measures" and supervise and manage the disarmament and reintegration of ex-combatants of Boko Haram and armed groups in the Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest. Clashes between government forces and armed separatists are escalating in the English-speaking regions of the country since November 2017. The minority English-speakers of largely French-speaking Cameroon want to create a nation they called "Ambazonia." Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-20 06:40:57|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close KIGALI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand on Friday became the first country to hand over archives related to the 1994 genocide to Rwanda. Of all the countries having historical ties with Rwanda that were requested to share archive documents in their possession, New Zealand is the first country to respond positively, Rwandan Foreign Minister Richard Sezibera briefed journalists after receiving the documents. Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives Trevor Mallard handed over the text-based documents such as correspondences related to the genocide to Sezibera after a meeting with a New Zealand delegation of lawmakers. Sezibera thanked New Zealand for spearheading this process and requested others to do the same. The text-based documents related to the genocide help deepen understanding of the genocide and are important in preserving its memory, he said. The delegation is in the central African country for a five-day working visit starting Wednesday. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide which claimed the lives of more than one million people, mainly ethnic Tutsis. Duminica, 26 decembrie 2021: Concert de Craciun la Palatul Cultural Blaj Tiberiu Soare, unul dintre cei mai apreciati dirijori ai lumii, va fi prezent alaturi de Orchestra Filarmonica de Stat din Sibiu la Concertul de Craciun de la Palatul Cultural Blaj, care va avea doua reprezentatii in a doua zi de Craciun, duminica 26 decembrie [citeste mai departe] Pesach is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance Open source Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the Jewish religions most sacred and widely observed holidays. Pesach begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan. It is the first of the three major festivals with both historical and agricultural significance According to the Holy Scripture, God, in order to free the chosen people, sent ten plagues to the Egyptians: turning the water of the Nile into blood, the appearance of a myriad of frogs, hordes of lice, wild animals, the death of cattle, ulcers, the destruction of the harvest from hail and locusts, continuous three-day gloom and finally the death of the firstborn. Before sending the last of ten plagues to Egypt, God ordered the Jews to slaughter the lambs and mark the doors with their blood. On the night of the 14th of Nisan, the Highest passed the houses of the Jews, on which marks were made, and in the other families, all the firstborn died. After that, Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt. Open source One of the most important Passover rituals for observant Jews is removing all leavened food products (known as chametz) from their home before the holiday begins and abstaining from them throughout its duration. This evening, four responsibilities should be performed: eat matzo, talk about the Exodus from Egypt, drink four glasses of wine and eat maror (bitter greens). People put the best dishes (preferably new) and silver on the table. You cannot start the Seder before the stars appear, however, it is worth setting the table in advance and preparing everything necessary. The main participants of the Seder are children. The story of the exit from Egypt is intended primarily for them. Open source In the seventh or eighth days of Pesach, as in the first two days, any work is prohibited, and the fire can be lit only from an already burning fire. On the eighth day of the feast, Yizkor, a memorial prayer is pronounced during the morning. A person praying must give himself a promise to make a donation after the holiday in honor of the deceased According to custom, while uttering Yizkor those with both parents alive must leave the synagogue hall. One whose parent died less than a year ago remains in the synagogue but does not pronounce Yizkor for this parent. According to Hassidic tradition, on the last day of Pesach they arrange a special Mashiach meal - eat matzo and drink four glasses of wine. Open source The only bread allowed on Pesach is matzo. These are unleavened loaves of wheat flour. The whole process of baking matzo from the moment of adding water to flour should not exceed 18 minutes. Flour is allowed to use from one of five kinds of cereal: wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelled. Matzo is a reminder that the Jews, having finally received the permission of Pharaoh to leave the country, left Egypt in such a hurry that they had to bake bread from a dough that had not yet come up. In addition to matzo, the essential ingredients are bitter greens (basil, horseradish, lettuce), symbolizing the bitterness of slavery; a mixture of grated apples, dates, nuts, and wine, which resembles clay, from which the Jews in slavery made bricks. Food is dipped in salt water (a symbol of tears and the sea, which the Jews crossed during the Exodus). Three symbolic components that are not eaten are also put on a special dish (keare): roasted lamb with a bone (sacrifice), a hard-boiled egg (memory of temple services), a piece of any spring vegetable. Open source Chicken soup with matzo dumplings, stuffed fish and baked meat are often included in the Easter meal. The meal is ended with the words of greeting: Next year in Jerusalem! How is Passover different from Christian Easter? Christian Easter is dedicated to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is associated with the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt only symbolically; in the form of corresponding biblical texts, read during the Christian Easter service. The sacrifice of the Passover lamb is considered in Christian theology as a type of the voluntary self-sacrifice of Jesus in the atonement of the sins of the world. Read the original text at 112.ua. Now Volodymyr Zelensky has gone from playing that accidental president to almost becoming him in real life, all the while staying diligently in his role and retaining the same intonation and facial expressions as his on-screen character Ukraines presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky, 2019 RBK-Ukraine In Ukraine, life really does imitate art. Since 2015, a Ukrainian TV channel has broadcast a series depicting an earnest history teacher who, almost by chance, becomes a candidate in the presidential elections. To everyones surprise, this representative of the ordinary people wins. He goes on to dismantle the corrupt system from within, getting into both humorous and tragic situations along the way. Now Volodymyr Zelensky has gone from playing that accidental president to almost becoming him in real life, all the while staying diligently in his role and retaining the same intonation and facial expressions as his on-screen character. And just like his alter ego, he has promised to sever the unholy bond between the authorities and oligarchs in Ukraine, even though one of those oligarchsthat same TV stations majority owner, Ihor Kolomoiskyis widely believed to stand behind the popular actor. Although Servant of the People was filmed and shown during the war in Donbass, the conflicton which Zelenskys rival, incumbent President Petro Poroshenko, has staked everythingbarely features in it. Instead, it focuses on the embezzlement of state funds; abuse of authority; poverty and inequality; a nonindependent, biased justice system; and officials privileges and mansions. Its not that Poroshenko has ruined the economy. Rather, he has failed to deliver the success that matches peoples hopes, which were inflated by the 2014 Maidan revolution. To get re-elected, he marginalized other nationalist candidates and is campaigning as the head of an unofficial party of war. In other words, Poroshenko is running as the head of the party of foreign achievements and Zelensky as the leader of the party of domestic issues. This difference is obvious in the behavior of the television characters. Oligarchs try to bribe the ministers freshly appointed by Zelenskys young and honest president. The ministers accept the boxes containing millions of dollars in cash but then use them to pay backdated wages. The TV president forgoes an official residence, cortege, security detail, stylists, and personal psychologist-motivator and moves the government offices and parliament into a more modest location. Ukraines main enemy in the series is not outside but inside the country and does not constitute separatism or Russian influence but oligarchs, corrupt civil servants, and even the simple folk who dont pay taxes. Looked at from this angle, Poroshenko is Russian President Vladimir Putins double, the countrys protector from external threats and its avenger. He is Mars, the god of war. But Ukrainian society prefers Mercury to Mars. Now his defeat will be a defeat for the war party, and a victory for Zelensky will mean victory for a measured, more pragmatic vision of Russian-Ukrainian relations. Ukraines elections are coming as a surprise to those who only watch the country from afar. Elections are a time when the reticent, underrepresented parts of society speak outthe kind of people who are as little studied in Ukraine as they are in Russia. They dont take part in discussions on social media. They watch television but dont appear on it. They are less likely to come into contact with Western journalists. Recent surveys show that more than half of Ukrainians actually have a positive attitude toward Russia. Even back in conflict-ridden 2017, the same number of Ukrainians named Russia as a military ally as they did the United States. All this gives us a picture of a rather different Ukraine to the one Poroshenko was appealing to with his triple patriotic slogan, Army! Language! Faith! There is much less public enthusiasm for Ukraines five-year war with Russia. Servant of the People shows that language is more important for the intelligentsia, who have overseen the countrys emancipation from the Russian language for a century, than it is for ordinary people. The characters in Servant of the People, which was filmed for the domestic market, speak Russian but watch the news in Ukrainian or switch to Ukrainian in official situations. Finally, Ukraine is more religious than Russia, and many were pleased to finally get their own independent Orthodox Churchbut ultimately, the final part of Poroshenkos slogan, faith, is still less important to most than economy, medicine, or transport might have been. So is all this good news for Russia and Putin? Yes and no. There were expectations in Russia that Ukrainian public opinion would cool down after the Maidan revolution and get over the damage inflicted by Russia when it annexed Crimea and supported separatism in Ukraines Donbass region. The hope was that Ukraines silent majority would find their voice at the secret ballot. The winner would not be a pro-Russian party nor the party of peace (this is tricky as long as there is no end in sight to the conflict in Donbass) but the party of geography. These are people who believe that Ukrainian politics should be built more on the countrys geographical position than on idealist aspirations. You can do everything possible to be European and as far from Russia as possible, but those wishes wont magically transport Ukraine next door to Austria or Belgium. It will stay just where it is, next to Russia. That change of mentality will be welcomed in Russia. Yet, in the longer run, Zelensky could prove a much less convenient opponent for the Kremlin than Poroshenko is. Putin projects himself as the leader of global populism, but at home he increasingly lacks the popular touch. Surrounded by circumspect technocrats and a close circle of billionaires, the president is the object of populist derision. Unknown spoiler candidates are already winning regional elections in Russia, and demand is building for a peoples candidate at the federal level. Poroshenkos Ukraine, a hostile country that has turned its back on Russia to look toward NATO, was a useful bogeyman for Russian domestic politics, an example of what route not to follow. Under a President Zelensky, Ukraine would go from being a foreign-policy problem for Russia to becoming a domestic one. An amiable, fresh young president with a sense of humor, who is focused on domestic issues, would becomein the eyes of an indeterminately large proportion of Russiansan alternative to Putin. To ward this off, Putin will have to attack Zelensky from the same positions that his enemy Poroshenko has taken: as a comedian, the oligarchs stooge, an inexperienced politician. But attacking him wont be so easy. After all, the man likely to be Ukraines next president is the favored choice of the Russian-speaking voters, who are tired of the enmity between Ukraine and Russia. The venue is heavily guarded; the National Guard fighters are in position, too NSC Olimpiyskiy preparing to political debates between Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky Facebook Ihor Zhdanov The security measures in the area of NSC Olimpiysky stadium are clearly enhanced, as the day of presidential debates came. A lot of law enforcers gathered near the arena, guarding public order, a correspondent of 112 Ukraine reports. Cars with law enforcers surround the stadium; the reporter counted 20 vehicles by one side of the stadium alone. The National Guard recently arrived, too. Law enforcers do not let the car owners park on the adjacent streets. Those who come to watch the debates will be let inside after 4 p.m. Special filtration points with metal detector frames are being set. All items resembling weapons will be seized. Ploshcha Lva Tolstoho and Olimpiyska, the two stations of Kyiv underground will be temporarily closed for entry and exit on April 19. The reason is the presidential debates slated for late April 19. The press office of the underground reported that, explaining that the stations will be closed for entrance from 6 to 7 p.m. After the event is over, both will be closed for the exit. Russia refuses to take upon itself any commitments in terms of safety guarantees, - Ukraine's envoy in the group Iryna Gerashchenko Parties to the Minsk talks group could not come to terms regarding the Easter ceasefire. Iryna Gerashchenko, the representative of Ukraine in this group posted that on Facebook. 'The Skype conference of the Trilateral Contact Group and the security subgroup, where we discussed the initiative of Easter ceasefire. The talks have just finished. No deal', she wrote. Gerashchenko reported that Russia refused to support Ukraine's initiative to announce the ceasefire for the holiday, denying to accept the responsibility for silence in Donbas. She added that Russian envoy Boris Gryzlov never showed up, and there was another diplomat instead of him. According to Gerashchenko, Russia categorically refused to take upon itself any commitments in terms of safety guarantees, once again repeating the typical statements about the 'civilian war and internal conflict' and 'the necessity of direct dialogue with Donetsk and Luhansk regions'. The Press Secretary of Putin Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian leader will probably have time to watch the event on the weekend Petro Poroshenko, the current President of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, the leader of Russia, and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky 24tv.ua Russias representatives stated that the debates of Ukrainian presidential elections Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko will be recorded for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as Unian reported referring to the Press Secretary of Putin Dmitry Peskov. We will watch it, the colleagues have not recommended the platform yet. Anyway, we will try to record it and pass to the President, maybe he will have time to watch it on the weekend. Of course, we will include it into our digests, Peskov said. The debate preparation process started on April 3, when Zelensky replied to Poroshenko's invitation to participate in debates and put forward his conditions. He wanted to hold debates at Olympiysky Stadium. Poroshenkos team said, the President does not perform at stadiums. A few hours later Poroshenko changed his mind and agreed to participate in the debates. On April 7, Poroshenko stated that he waited for Volodymyr Zelensky on April 14 at Olympiysky Stadium. In his turn, Zelensky stated he wanted to hold the debates with Poroshenko on April 19 at Olympiysky Stadium. On April 10, Olympiysky Stadium reported that it got two applications for holding debates from two presidential candidates Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko. Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky reported that free tickets for the fan zone at NSC Olimpiysky stadium were available. Thus, some viewers will be able to watch the debates between Zelensky and the incumbent president Petro Poroshenko on the stadium for free. Later it was reported that Olympic NSC would not sell tickets for the debates of the presidential candidates Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko. Related video: Delivery of the fuel to Danish polar station Nord by Ilyushin Il-76 was the main task of the operation Ukrainian aircraft returns from Greenland after Northern Falcon - 2019", April 19, 2019 Air Forces Command in FB Military-transport aircraft of Ukraines Air Force returned from Greenland to Ukraine. It participated in a joint Ukrainian-Danish operation Northern Falcon - 2019, as the press office of Air Force Command reported. Delivery of the fuel to Danish polar station Nord by Ilyushin Il-76 was the main task of the operation. As it was reported, Serhiy Artemenko, the chief inspector-pilot of the Aviation Administration, led the Ukrainian group this year. Military pilots spent over 100 hours in the air and performed 44 flights from Thule Air Base of the U.S. Air Forces to the Danish polar station Nord and backward. They transported over 600 tons of fuel and around 20 tons of another cargo. Ukrainian aircraft returns from Greenland after Northern Falcon - 2019", April 19, 2019 Air Forces Command in FB We had performed two flights per day. The conditions of the flight and preparation differ from those in Ukraine. The visibility here is almost always reduced, weather conditions change fast, the number of navigation means is restricted. Maintenance of the aircraft is rather complicated when the temperature is extremely low. It requires a lot of efforts, experience and skills, he noted. Artemenko added that this year five representatives of the ground staff and four servicemen of the flight personnel had been involved in the task in Greenland before. The U.S. will work with any president the Ukrainians elect The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch named three priorities for Ukraine after the presidential elections. She delivered a speech at ENEMO briefing in Kyiv, as Hromadske reported. She noted that for the U.S., the following three things are at the top: the end of Donbas war, economic growth and government which treats Ukrainians with equality and sees every citizen equal before the law. The Ambassador added that the U.S. would work with any president the Ukrainians elect. Yovanovitch called the first round of the elections competitive, she noted it was held in compliance with the Ukrainian legislation and international standards. In 2014 I have been to Berdyansk and I can compare that these elections differ from the others, she said comparing the presidential elections in 2019 with special ones in 2014. As it was reported, The U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch told who the U.S. would support on the presidential elections in Ukraine. Runs through 05/18/2019. Named after the wounded Fisher King of Arthurian Legend, A Prairie Fisher King espouses the notion of home as both a site of idealization and a locus for wounding. Drawing from memory, a narrative is woven in the form of photographs and text of the rural Iowa countryside where my family has lived for generations. A Prairie Fisher King is an ongoing body of work reflecting on the nature of familial hardship and generational connection through the lens of place. An undertone of violence embodies the emotional distress accumulated with age as well as a looming threat posed upon the landscape. Initially conceived as a bittersweet love letter to home, A Prairie Fisher King considers the various myths we construct in order to survive in the face of inevitable change. Through the accumulation of intimately described detail a search for reconciliation becomes palpable. I assume the role of reluctant hero and return to seek the damaged king, to seal old wounds and to salve the land. __________________________________________ Chelsea Darter received her MFA at Columbia College Chicago in 2018 and her BFA from The University of Iowa in 2013. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, and featured online by Light Leaked, Aint-Bad, and Fraction Magazine. Her personal work explores themes of place attachment, class, familial connection and local mythologies. She lives and works in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Artist Robert Stowkowsky presents a book version of his immersive art installation. structures [ albuquerque ] is a public art project by Robert Stokowy. It consists of eight performative sculptures, located on Albuquerques Open Space Land (Sandia Foothills, Manzano Four Hills, Los Poblanos Fields, Rio Grande Nature Center, OSVC, Calabacillas Arroyo, Elena Gallegos and Golden Open Space). Stokowy combined elements of Sound Art, Land Art, Poetry & Conceptual Art to create text-based interventions from which the artwork emerges. The reader becomes the performer & sole spectator of imaginary sounding, visual or sensory sculptures that one creates from, with & through the installations surroundings. The result is an imagined, ever-changing entity that is constructed anew by each individual as well as time, weather and season. Since the locations chosen for this installation are not accessible for those who have trouble walking or people with disabilities, Stokowy created a book version of the installation. The book is in no way inferior to the Open Space Installations. It contains seven performative pieces in more urban areas of the city, such as Albuquerque Museum, Broadway Blvd, UNM Campus, Central, Gold/7th, Rail Yards & Atrisco Vista Blvd. All installation sites are easily accessible by car, are in close proximity to parking spots & only require minimal walking. The project is supported by the City of Albuquerque Parks & Recreation Open Space & Berlin Senate Department of Culture and Europe. About the Artist: Robert Stokowy is an artist, composer & artistic researcher from Cologne, Germany. His works are experimental compositions, text-based interventions, audiovisual performances and (radical site-specific) installations. All projects are framed by an overarching artistic research process, focussing on inner structural characteristics of sonic environments. With his work the artist wants to explore the epistemic and creative potentiality of his sonic surroundings. His aim is to give access, to experience new perspectives in our environment, by exploring the potentiality of sonic and visual structures in our urban surroundings. Emphasis is put on the aspect of the audible visuals as well as visual potential of sound. Using an interdisciplinary approach, his works investigate modes and possibilities of sonic accessibility. In short sound is used as a tool to understand ones environment and the human condition. www.robert-stokowy.de Subject Quick Links Click on any of the badges below to see posts from that subject area. This is just a quick way to search for all posts with these labels using one click. 16:30 | Lima, Apr. 19. As is known, Peru's Lava Jato Case Prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez on Thursday decided to maintain the 36-month preventive detention request against Kuczynski , and not to change this petition for house arrest, as it was previously informed. At court, Perez informed the medical certificate submitted by the Legal Medical Institute (IML) indicated the former Head of State's health "is clinically unstable" and that he has uncontrolled high blood pressure. However, the prosecutor pointed out, this condition "does not mean a serious illness or a permanent physical incapacity" that could prevent the justice from complying with the petition. As for Kuczynski's personal secretary Gloria Kisic and driver Jose Luis Bernaola , the Judiciary dismissed the preventive detention request but issued summons to them. Kuczynski did not attend the hearing as he is currently hospitalized at a Lima-based clinic. Preliminary detention According to the Prosecutor's Office, during his tenure as Minister part of former President Alejandro Toledo's administration (2001-2006), he had approved regulations to favor the Brazilian corporation Likewise, Kuczynski is accused of money laundering offenses , acting within the framework of a criminal organization, due to the events that took place when he was Economy-Finance Minister and Prime Minister between 2002 and 2006. Restos del expresidente Alan Garcia son trasladados a la Plaza 2 de Mayo Foto: ANDINA/Nathalie Sayago YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Serbia will not impose any sanctions against Russia despite pressure, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Izvestiya newspaper. "The friendship between Russia and Serbia is already a tradition. Now our relations are at the level of strategic cooperation. That's why Serbia never has and never will impose sanctions or other restrictive measures against Russia despite the pressure exerted on Serbia," Dacic said during the interview according to TASS. The foreign minister stressed that Serbia's plans to become part of the European Union will not hamper development of relations with Russia. He noted that Moscow helps Belgrade defend its national interests, including on the issue of Kosovo. "It would be incorrect, to put it mildly, to follow Western countries in imposing sanctions," he added. Earlier Russian FM Sergei Lavrov had said that Serbia is under pressure from Western countries, but is withstanding it and continues conducting an independent foreign policy. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. According to the decision of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Amalya Yengoyan has been relieved from the position of Head of the Department for Relations with the National Assembly of the PMs staff, the PMs Office told Armenpress. Yengoyan was serving in this position since 2000. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of the Russian Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko announced that President of Russia Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan may hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the session of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council which will take place in Kazakhstan on May 29, RIA Novosti reported. The political partnership between Russia and Armenia has a very constructive, dynamic course. The leaders of our countries met seven times last year, they are in constant contact and hold telephone conversations. There will be a meeting within the frames of the EAEU Supreme Economic Council session on May 29 in Kazakhstan, and an event is also scheduled on October 1 in Yerevan where the leaders of our states will have an opportunity to hold meeting, Valentina Matviyenko said during the meeting with Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The peacekeeping brigade of the Armenian Defense Ministrys Military Police will carry out a peacekeeping mission in Syria soon, the Military Police said in a news release today. The announcement was made today during an awarding ceremony when officers of the brigade were bestowed with medals. Military chaplain Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan delivered a mass during the ceremony in the Yerablur military cemetery. May the cross always support and protect Armenian officers and soldiers, he said. As April 18 is Maundy Thursday, a Washing of the Feet ceremony took place afterwards. The Bishop carried out the rite on a symbolic number of soldiers, 12. These soldiers will soon carry out a peacekeeping mission in Syria. 14:15 - UPDATED: Defense Ministry spokesperson Artsrun Hovhannisyan clarified to ARMENPRESS that the 12 servicemen are being dispatched as a substitution for 12 other security personnel who are currently deployed to Syria as part of the humanitarian de-mining and medical personnel of the Armenian Center For Humanitarian De-Mining and Expertise. The military police peacekeepers are serving as security personnel for the de-miners and medics. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan BEIJING, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The 2nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in China from April 25-27, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said at a press conference on April 19. The Forum will be attended by representatives of 150 countries, including 37 heads of state. Representatives of 90 international organizations will also take part in the summit. 4000 media representatives, including correspondent of ARMENPRESS state news agency Karen Khachatryan, will cover the Forum. The Armenian Embassy in China informed that Armenian minister of nature protection Erik Grigoryan will arrive in China to attend the Forum. The Forum is the most important international diplomatic event for China. The Forum will focus on the construction of single belt and road and the discovery of beautiful future, the Chinese FM said. The opening ceremony of the Forum will be held on the first day, which will be followed by a round-table discussion with the participation of leaders of countries, as well as thematic discussions and forums with the participation of businessmen. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan sent a letter of condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the tragic tourist bus crash that occurred in Portugals island of Madeira, claiming numerous lives, the PMs Office told Armenpress. I have learnt with a deep sorrow about the tragic incident in the island of Madeira which claimed nearly three dozen lives. I extend my deepest condolences and support to you, the families and relatives of the victims, wishing tenacity and patience in order to overcome this pain. I also wish speedy recovery to the injured, reads the Armenian PMs letter. At least 29 people have died after a bus carrying German tourists plunged off a road and overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira, BBC reported. Another 27 were injured in the accident near the town of Canico. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The Ministry of Education and Science of Armenia has accepted the recommendation of the Ministry of Emergency Situations to add Civil Defense in the national school curriculum, Minister of Emergency Situations Felix Tsolakyan told a news conference. Students are taught military training, which is insufficient for entirely possessing civil defense. Our recommendation includes for this subject to be taught by an expert, a graduate of our academy or a veteran. We are thinking about progress, we have an objective of changing the emphases. Today, the Minister of Emergency Situations is more of an aftermath eliminator, but we want to increase its role in prevention, Tsolakyan said. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, 19 APRIL, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 19 April, USD exchange rate down by 0.54 drams to 482.31 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 0.89 drams to 542.36 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate stood at 7.54 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 1.24 drams to 627.00 drams. The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals. Gold price down by 24.48 drams to 19781.8 drams. Silver price down by 0.96 drams to 231.9 drams. Platinum price up by 46.65 drams to 13800.9 drams. YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan met with the members of the Public Council of Armenia on April 19. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, the PM congratulated on the occasion of the establishment of the Public Council, emphasizing that it can play an important role. In general, our country has a very important and serious agenda and challenges and I am confident that the solutions to all the issues exist in our united minds, the PM said, highlighting the role of the Public Council for finding and joining different opinions through public debates. Thanking the PM for the meeting, President of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan noted that from April 5 a new constitutional institution, the Public Council, started operation in Armenia. According to him, individuals with high reputation and great experience in various spheres are involved in the works of the Public Council. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The Montreal City Council passed a resolution (statement) on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide at its special session on April 15. In the text of the resolution it is particularly mentioned that the 1915 Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century during which two thirds of the Armenian nation fell victim. As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MFA Armenia, about 50 thousand Armenians living in Montreal are actively involved in the cultural, economic and political life of the city. April 24, 2019 will be declared Armenian Genocide Commemoration Day in Montreal. The municipality will deliver a special address on this day, paying tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide and expressing its support to the Armenian people. Mayor of Montreal Valerie Plante, members of political parties and non-governmental organizations presented at the city council, as well as representatives of the Armenian Embassy in Canada and the Armenian National Committee of Canada participated in the special session. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan Latest generation of tactical and armored vehicles for Special Forces presented during the SOFINS Special Forces Operations Equipment exhibition that was held in France from the 2 to 4 April 2019. Today, modern Special Forces units need new combat vehicles to perform long-range patrol missions offering a high level of mobility, protection and firepower. Test drive and review Special Forces vehicles at SOFINS 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition) At SOFINS 2019, many new vehicles were showed for the first time or configured to be used by soldiers of Special Forces units. In this article, Army Recognition editorial team presents a detailed analysis of the vehicles displayed at SOFINS 2019, including Sabre 4x4 Special Forces vehicle from ARQUUS, Titus 6x6 armored APCV from Nexter, Hawkei 4x4 protected vehicle from Thales Australia, Fortress tactical vehicle for SWAT team from Centigon, VPS 2 from Technamm, 6x6 logistic tactical vehicle base on Toyota chassis from Technamm, Dagor A1 4x4 All-Terrain Vehicle from Polaris, Booxt Assault Buggy from BOOXT, tracked Toyota Land Cruiser with mortar system from Thales and Technamm, and the Unmanned Ground Vehicle Barakuda from Sharc Robotics. Sabre 4x4 Special Forces vehicle designed and manufactured by the French Company ARQQUS. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Sabre is the export version of the PLFS (Heavy Vehicle for Special Forces) designed and manufactured by the French Company ARQUUS, able to conduct long-range patrols and intelligence-gathering missions with a high level of mobility and firepower. The Sabre is based on an open-top architecture with two seats at the front and a cargo area at the rear that can be equipped with four individual seats. A ring mount weapon station is mounted on the roof of the vehicle which can be armed with 12.7mm heavy machine gun. The Sabre is motorized with a Deutz 1013 or MD5 4 cylinder Diesel engine coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission. It can run at a maximum speed of 110 km/ with a maximum cruising range of 800 km. Titus 6x6 APC Armored Personnel Carrier vehicle designed and manufactured by the French Company Nexter. (Picture source Army Recognition) The TITUS 6x6 manufactured by the French Company Nexter was showed in APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) configuration. The layout of the Nexter TITUS is very similar to MRAP category vehicle with the engine at the front, the crew compartment in the middle and the troop's area at the rear. The APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) version of the TITUS Nexter has seating for ten dismounted troops, a commander station, and a gunner and driver in the front. The Nexter TITUS can be equipped with any kind of Remote Control Weapon Station from 7.62mm to 20mm, and 40mm Grenade Launchers as well, depending on the level of threats and type of missions. The Nexter Titus is motorized with a 440hp Cummins engine bit it can be fitted in option with a 550 hp engine. It can run at a maximum road speed of 110 km/ h with a maximum cruising range of 700 km. Hawkei 4x4 light protected vehicle designed and manufactured by Thales Australia. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Hawkei is a 4x4 light protected vehicle designed and developed by Thales Australia for the Australian Department of Defences Land 121 phase 4 program that aims to replace the Australian Armys Land Rovers. The layout of Hawkei 4x4 light protected vehicle is conventional, with the engine at the front, crew and troops compartment in the center and a large cargo area at the rear. It incorporates high levels of blast and ballistic protection in a light, highly maneuverable and readily air transportable vehicle that has been engineered for peak performance. The Hawkei 4x4 light protected vehicle is motorized with a six-cylinder, 3.2 liter direct injection diesel engine rated at 225 kW and producing maximum torque of 680 Nm at 2,000 rpm. It can run at a maximum road speed of 115 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 600 km. Fortress SWAT vehicle produced by the French Company Centigon (Picture source Army Recognition) The Fortress 200 is a SWAT team vehicle based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 200 designed and manufactured by the French Company Centigon. The vehicle offers a protection Level B7 against firing of small arms. It successfully passed a side blast of 15kg TNT charge detonated at 2m, 6kg TNT under the front wheel (STANAG 2a), a mine explosion (one DM31 mine) under the floor, and the explosion of two DM51 hand grenades simultaneously detonated on the roof. The rear double doors, the ballistic removable flanks and the roof hatch act as a shield to protect the occupants under fire. Certified to circulate in France, the Fortress 200 Intervention can also be used in external operations theatres. The FORTRESS 200 Intervention is specially designed for Police Special Forces and is in service with the GIGN, French Gendarmerie SWAT Team. VPS 2 Light Tactical Vehicle for Special Forces produced under license in France by the Company Technamm. (Picture source Army Recognition) The VPS 2 is based on the British Fox Long Range Patrol Vehicle developed and designed by the British company Jankel, and manufactured under license from Jankel by the Technamm facility located in Southern France. According to the French Special Forces, the vehicle is an urgent requirement while waiting for the delivery of the VLFS (Vehicule Leger pour Forces Speciales - Light Vehicle for Special Forces) which is under development by the French company Arquus. The VPS 2 will remain in service for a maximum period of 10 years. The VPS 2 can accommodate up to 6 soldiers. The vehicle is designed to perform long-range missions over long periods. Its platform firepower, maneuverability, and supportability make it a highly versatile vehicle, ideal for many roles, both in rural and urban situations. The vehicle offers highly mobile fire support and tactical force protection platform and caters for a range of weaponry with configurable mounts at locations around the platform. The VPS 2 is based on a 4x4 Toyota all-terrain chassis. It has an open top configuration without side doors, a requirement from the French Special Forces. The vehicle has a gross weight of 4.2 tons with a maximum payload of 1,700 kg. The VPS 2 can reach a maximum road speed of 170 km/h, with a maximum cruising range of 1,500 km. Tactical vehicle based on Toyota 6x6 chassis designed by the French Company Technamm. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Technamm, 6x6 is a new logistic vehicle based on Toyota chassis. This new 6x6 vehicle benefits from increased payload and capacity whilst maintaining the mobility and tactical fighting capability already well-proven with the 4x4 configurations. The Technamm 6x6 tactical vehicle has a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 6,300kg and offers a significant and configurable payload of up to 3,000kg. The increased vehicle length also delivers additional user payload and operational space. Both the 6x6 and 4x4 FOX variants carry as standard a crew of 3 or 4 and can achieve speeds of up to 155 km/h at maximum GVW. Dagor A1 All-Terrain vehicle from the American Company Polaris Defense. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Dagor A1 is an ultra-light tactical vehicle designed and manufactured by the American Company Polaris Defense. The DAGOR A1 provides exceptional off-road mobility, payload and transportability carrying up to nine warfighters and their gear, for a total payload of up to 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms) on the DAGOR A1. An increased ride height even at full payload provides better obstacle clearance and improves off-road mobility. DAGOR A1 maintains air-drop, sling-load and internal tactical air transportability on CH47 and CH53 helicopters from the original ultralight vehicle platform. And DAGOR has successfully completed hot weather trials in the Gulf Region. Booxt Assault Buggy from the French Company BOOXT. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Booxt Assault Buggy is designed by the French Company BOOXT, it is a light buggy of 1,000 kg that can handle a payload of 700 kg and have a speed up to 160 km/h, with a cruising of 800km. Transportable by air, it has 2.0L DIESEL 180HP/400Nm engine and a 6 speeds low ratio manual gearbox. This modular platform could fit all requirements: special operations, recognition, surveillance, rescue, etc. It comes with optional equipment, such as light armored shield door, airless Michelin tires, Pilar V shot detection (GPS point), weapon arms up to 7.62 mm. Masstech vehicle with tracked system and Thales mortar mounted at the rear of the vehicle made by the French Company Technamm. (Picture source Army Recognition) The Toyota tracked vehicle is based on a modified Land Cruiser wheeled vehicle chassis, the wheels were removed and replaced by tracks systems designed by the Company Mattracks. The front of the vehicle is fitted with an enclosed cabin with two seats, the rear part of the vehicle has a cargo area equipped with a Thales Scorpion 81mm mortar system. Scorpion is an integrated automated mobile mortar platform, capable of target acquisition, onboard fire control, and automatic laying of the mortar tube. Mounted on a single palletized platform, it fires from the back of a vehicle in less than 15 seconds. This is made possible through ballistics calculations, orientation methods and recoil absorption. The Scorpion can operate in day or night conditions. It boasts direct and indirect fire capabilities with high accuracy (pointing and positioning), improved responsiveness and rapid target switching (shoot, shift, shoot). It has a high first round hit probability and is digitally connected to the battlefield. Barakuda 4x4 wheeled Unmanned Ground Vehicle UGV from the French Company Shark Robotics (Picture source Army Recognition) The Barakuda is a 4x4 wheeled Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) manufactured by the French Company Shark Robotics. The Barakuda is powered by an electric four 3,000 watts engines offering the vehicle to run at a speed of 15 lm/h during 10 hours. It can carry up to 1,000 kg of payload and has a traction capacity of 2,000 kg. The legacy of a woman who passed away from cancer continues to live on through the words of her self-penned obituary, which is being read by people around the world. Photo: Julia Carrigan The legacy of a woman who passed away from cancer continues to live on through the words of her self-penned obituary, which is being read by people around the world. 35 years may not seem long, but damn it was good! Bailey Matheson, who was born in Canada, started the sentimental missive where she thanked friends and family for their support through her last few years. In January 2017, Matheson was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma a rare cancer that affects smooth muscle tissue and later found out that it was terminal. But when she was told that she only had two years left to live, Matheson decided to make the most of that time, which meant forgoing any treatment. To my parents, thank you for supporting me and my decisions throughout my life, the only child wrote. My parents gave me the greatest gift of supporting my decisions with not going through chemo and just letting me live the rest of my life the way I believed it should be. I know how hard that must have been watching me stop treatment and letting nature take its course. But when she was told that she only had two years left to live, Matheson decided to make the most of that time, which meant forgoing any treatment. Photo: Julia Carrigan It wasnt only her parents that were by her side. She gave heartfelt thanks to her friends, who she often refers to as her chosen family, as well as her boyfriend, Brent Andrews, who she had met on a dating app just three months prior to her devastating diagnosis. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into when you swiped right that day, Matheson joked. However, Mathesons best friend, Julie Carrigan, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the people in Mathesons life never felt that their friends diagnosis was a burden. Instead, they all felt lucky to have been a part of her journey. Her deciding not to go through with treatment was completely her decision, because its her body and her life, Carrigan says. She wasnt giving up by not doing treatments, she was creating a better quality of life for herself. Her happiness was the most important thing. According to Carrigan, Mathesons happiness had long come from traveling, which is what she set out to do in the time that she had left. Story continues It wasnt only her parents that were by her side. She gave heartfelt thanks to her friends, who she often refers to as her chosen family, as well as her boyfriend, Brent Andrews, who she had met on a dating app just three months prior to her devastating diagnosis. Photo: Julia Carrigan With her loved ones by her side, Matheson went to 13 countries, including Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Ireland. She even did a group girls trip to Chicago with 13 of her closest friends. We all got heart tattoos while we were there, that Bailey drew, so we would always have her heart with us wherever we go, Carrigan says. For Matheson, these experiences seemed to make her feel at ease when the rest of her life was no longer in her control. I never thought I could love my friends more than I did, she wrote, but going through this and having your unconditional love and support you have made something that is normally so hard, more bearable and peaceful. With her loved ones by her side, Matheson went to 13 countries, including Portugal, Spain, Greece, Croatia and Ireland. She even did a group girls trip to Chicago with 13 of her closest friends. Photo: Julia Carrigan Just a few days after Mathesons passing on April 5, Andrews posted a sweet tribute to his girlfriend of nearly three years on his Facebook page with a photo from one of their special trips. And although he wrote that Matheson would be cringing at all of the attention, he and Carrigan agree that the viral recognition has been amazing and humbling. She was one of the most caring, genuine, selfless people I had the honour of knowing, Carrigan said. I think I can speak for all that love her when I say we arent surprised that she would touch so many across the world with her words that are straight from her heart. As for how Carrigan and friends will continue to honor Mathesons legacy, her friend said that shell be taking Mathesons advice when she wrote, Dont take the small stuff so seriously and live a little. Got a story tip? Send it to lifestyle.tips@verizonmedia.com Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Or sign up to our daily newsletter here. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday called for progress on a stalled buffer zone deal around jihadist-dominated Idlib region ahead of fresh talks aimed at ending his country's eight-year war. Assad met envoy Alexander Lavrentiev from key ally Russia in Damascus to discuss the negotiations due April 25-26 in Kazakhstan. Iran and Russia are the major supporters of the Syrian regime, and along with rebel backer Turkey have sponsored repeated rounds of talks in the Central Asian nation. Moscow and Ankara in September inked a buffer zone deal to prevent a massive regime offensive on the Idlib region, near the Turkish border. But the deal has unwound as former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham took full control of the region in January, and the area has come under increasing bombardment. Assad insisted at the meeting Friday that "obstacles" blocking the full implementation of the deal be removed, the presidency wrote on Facebook. He said the main aim of the accord was to "eliminate terrorist groups", as jihadist fighters have failed to pull out of the specified areas. The UN has expressed concern over escalating violence in Idlib, warning that the flare-up is threatening aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need. More than 86,500 people fled their homes in February and March as a result of the surge in violence, it said. Assad has managed to claw back some two thirds of the country since Russia launched a military intervention in 2015, but Idlib remains beyond regime control. Syria's Al-Watan newspaper reported that Lavrentiev had delivered to Assad a "positive Saudi initiative" after visiting the kingdom, but gave no further details. Syrian officials made no comment on the report. Riyadh has been a key opponent of Assad, but following the regime victories on the battlefield there has been a warming up of relations between Damascus and some of its Arab neighbours. The Russian foreign ministry said that the meeting with Assad discussed "ensuring long-term political regulation" and "Syria's post-conflict reconstruction and normalisation of Syria's relations with Arab countries". Syria's war has killed more than 370,000 people and displaced millions since the conflict began with the repression of anti-government protests in 2011. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (pictured February 2019) met an envoy from key ally Russia in Kazakhstan to discuss negotiations for the stalled buffer zone The UN has expressed concern over escalating violence in Idlib, warning that the flare-up is threatening aid deliveries to some 2.7 million people in need Iraq will host senior officials from neighbouring countries including regional arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran on Saturday, as it carves out a role as a mediator in the deeply divided region. The one-day summit will bring together parliament heads from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Kuwait, a parliamentary spokesman told AFP. Iran, one of Iraq's closest allies but a fierce foe of Saudi Arabia, will be represented by a "senior official," the spokesman said. The conference will be hosted by Iraq's youngest-ever speaker of parliament Mohammed al-Halbusi, 38, who said Friday Iraq was "honoured by the presence of its neighbours in Baghdad." Hours earlier, he had welcomed Syria's parliament chief Hammudeh Sabbagh, who landed in the Iraqi capital on Thursday night with a large delegation. Iraq has long been at the centre of a struggle for influence between regional and international powers, notably neighbouring Iran and the United States. But more recently, Baghdad has sought to fashion itself as a mediator among rivals in the Middle East and beyond. Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi recently returned from visits to both Riyadh and Tehran, who are at odds across the region and whose officials rarely attend the same events. Turkey and Iran have also backed opposing sides in Syria's war, which since 2011 has isolated Damascus diplomatically. As part of its new regional role, Baghdad has sought to bring Syria back into the Arab League. Iraq's Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi (L) has met the leaders of both Saudi Arabia and its regional arch-rival Iran this month A chorus of street vendors' pitches ring out on a hot spring day in downtown Los Angeles. "Avocados, avocados from Michoacan," one man shouts with his foot on top of a box filled with the fruit. "Agua fresca!" "Tacos!" call out others. Shaded from the burning Californian sun by awnings and rainbow-colored umbrellas, customers advance slowly along a sidewalk crammed with stalls that burst into life every morning before being packed up and stashed away at night. Some 50,000 street vendors, the majority of whom are women, are estimated to work in Los Angeles. The sector, which has roots that stretch back more than a century, is estimated to be worth some $500 million a year and is today a vital lifeline for the undocumented workers who have made the city their home. But despite being found across this vast metropolis, it is a form of work that long remained illegal. Vendors were at the mercy of police who had the power to seize their goods, fine and even arrest them. That changed on January 1 when the Safe Vending Act went into effect in California, decriminalizing the activity and leaving to municipalities the power to establish permits, sanitation and security issues. The move has been hailed by some even as it has created new hurdles. On the one hand, say vendors, they feel freed of the stigma of working illegally and the constant sense of insecurity that entailed. Instead, however, they now have to worry about having to abide to health regulations, permits and zoning regulations. - New challenges - Pinata District in downtown Los Angeles is a good example of how legality won't be so easy for some. Here, street vendors pay a monthly fee between $1,000 and $5,000 to formal business owners to set up in front of their stores. Moises Benitez, 35, is one of them. Twenty years ago, like his Biblical namesake, he trekked a vast desert -- then rode the infamous "Train of Death" that carries migrants across Mexico before being dumped by people smugglers in the US. "We cannot pay both the city and the owner of the portion of the road," he told AFP. "And if we move two blocks, where we don't have to pay, we won't have customers after 2:00 pm either. We're in limbo, it's not that easy." The Los Angeles County, the largest in California and the United States, has set a year to negotiate with vendors the terms on which the law is going to be applied. The county issued a municipal ordinance that designates specific areas where the vendors must operate. But, crucially, it does not include crowded and touristy areas like the Memorial Coliseum, the Staples Center, Dodger Stadium, Rose Bowl Stadium and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Though he is glad the new law came to pass, Benitez said authorities must do more to ensure vendors don't go out of business as an unintended consequence. "The city must also give up a little bit, not twist our arms completely, because if not we are not going to be able to do it," he said. - Women-owned businesses - But for Natalia Munoz, who has been cooking and selling walnut bread and gorditas de nata -- griddle cakes made with clotted cream -- for 17 years in the Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights, the new law affords her a life of greater dignity. Women represent 80 percent of street vendors in the city, most of whom emigrated decades ago from Central and South America. "This is my business, I manage it, I work with it and with this I have been able to move forward, give an education to my children," said Munoz, a single mother of five children. "I have always paid taxes, fulfilled my obligations, and paid a permit to work on my own," she added. "Maybe the earnings are less, but it's okay as long as we're regulated, I'm willing to pay if they let me work quietly and earn an honest living." Street vending has roots that stretch back more than a century, is estimated to be worth some $500 million a year and is today a vital lifeline for the undocumented workers who have made Los Angeles their home Shaded from the burning Californian sun by awnings and rainbow-colored umbrellas, customers advance slowly along a sidewalk crammed with stalls that burst into life every morning before being packed up and stashed away at night Women represent 80 percent of street vendors in the city, most of whom emigrated decades ago from Central and South America A man makes a miniature face sculpture of a woman in front of the Chinese Theatre on the Hollywood Walk of Fame "This is my business, I manage it, I work with it and with this I have been able to move forward, give an education to my children," said Natalia Munoz, a single mother of five children North Macedonia holds the first round of its presidential election on Sunday, the country's first vote under a new name as it struggles with enduring economic problems, cronyism and corruption. The vote for the largely ceremonial post comes less than three months after a deal with Athens on Skopje's name change came into force, ending a decades-long identity dispute between the neighbours. The spat was sparked by the country's independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, when it declared that it wanted to be called Macedonia, over the objections of Greece, which has a northern province of the same name. Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras last June reached a deal to add "North" to Macedonia's name, ending the 27-year dispute. The agreement was finalised in January after a long political battle and fierce opposition from nationalists on both sides of the border. In exchange for the name change, Athens said it would stop thwarting North Macedonia's bid to join NATO and the European Union. While European leaders celebrated the name deal, ordinary people struggle to share their enthusiasm. Skopje hopes to open accession talks with the EU in June -- but analysts say the country's 1.8 million-strong electorate are more concerned with bread-and-butter issues. "I hear only about NATO, the European Union and this name story," sighed Vera Smajlovska, a Skopje hairdresser. "No one cares about the way people live. They care only about power, what remains to be grabbed in this poor country," the 47-year-old told AFP. The average monthly salary in North Macedonia is 400 euros ($450), and the official unemployment rate exceeds 20 percent, according to the national statistics agency. - Low turnout? - Many voters, called to choose among three candidates, will want to "send a message to those who do not want to hear it," said political analyst Arsim Zekolli. "Citizens feel manipulated by everyone and are dissatisfied," said Meri Jordanovska, an investigative reporter. "We cannot continue to serve them the story of EU and NATO forever," she told AFP. Even among those who have accepted the name change, many have done so reluctantly, convinced by the promises of rapprochement with the EU -- a shift they hope will bring prosperity and strengthen the rule of law. The candidate of the ruling Social Democrats (SDSM) Stevo Pendarovski, 56, insists on a EU agenda. "Voting Stevo Pendarovski means voting for a European education, European wages, a European standard of living," PM Zaev said. If Pendarovski loses, or if the turnout is lower than the 40 percent required for the vote to be valid, Zaev would suffer a body blow. Such an outcome could lead to early parliamentary elections and spell new instability in the volatile Balkans country. - 'Empty country' - Pendarovski's challengers are the right-wing Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, backed by the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, and Blerim Reka representing ethnic Albanian minority. Reka, a 59-year-old law professor, has sought to cast her net beyond her base of ethnic Albanians, who account for 20 to 25 percent of North Macedonia's population of about two million. Pendarovski has a slight lead in voter surveys in the race for a successor to incumbent nationalist Gjorge Ivanov, who is barred from standing again after two five-year terms. But the polls -- though widely considered unreliable -- forecast a second round, due on May 5, between Pendarovski and Siljanovska-Davkova. The latter, a 63-year-old lawyer opposes the country's new name but had said she would "respect" the deal if elected. Siljanovska-Davkova has another angle of attack. "Youths are leaving the country only because of corruption, because we have people in power who think only about jobs and the future of their own children at the expense of the state budget," she told a rally in the central town of Veles on Sunday. Reka also warned that the "fatigue of institutionalised corruption, nepotism" was prompting emigration. "If we fail to build a republic based on the rule of law, we will end up in an empty country," he told an electoral rally on Sunday. The family of 50-year-old plumber Janko Velkovski illustrates the risk. His son has emigrated to Germany, while his daughter, a nurse, wants to join him. "When I hear the candidates talking about the future of youth, it literally turns my stomach," said Velkovski, who lives in a Skopje suburb. North Macedonia lost a quarter of its population between 2000 and 2015, according to the World Bank. Supporters of North Macedonia's ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia party rallied in Skopje on Sunday The name-change agreement was finalised in January despite fierce opposition from nationalists on both sides of the border. In this image from January, riot police stood guard outside the Greek parliament as protesters threw flares Zoran Zaev and his Greek counterpart Alexis Tsipras hugged at a joint April 2 news conference in Skopje marking the end of the dispute "Youths are leaving the country only because of corruption, because we have people in power who think only about jobs and the future of their own children," opposition candidate Siljanovska-Davkova told a rally on Sunday Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo attended church services Friday in tribute to 29 German tourists who died when their bus tumbled down a slope and crashed into a house on the island of Madeira. Investigators are still trying to determine why the vehicle crashed off the road before ending up mangled on the side of a hillside near the town of Canico on Wednesday. Portuguese public TV RTP reported Friday that the bus's accelerator was thought to have been stuck and that the driver might have tried to stop the vehicle by hitting a wall. Advancing another theory, a German holidaymaker in his 60s who escaped with a broken rib told Portuguese television: "I think the brakes were gone, I cannot imagine another reason" for the crash. His wife said some passengers were "ejected through the windows" when the bus began to roll over. Sixteen injured people, of whom 14 were German, remained in hospital in the regional capital Funchal. "They are all in a stable condition," said the deputy clinical director of the hospital, Miguel Reis. A medically-equipped aircraft was waiting to repatriate the injured once they are able to be moved, the German foreign ministry told AFP. Most of the dead were aged in their 40s and 50s, local authorities said. Seventeen were women and 12 were men. More than one million tourists visit the Atlantic islands off the coast of Morocco each year, attracted by their subtropical climate and rugged volcanic terrain. German tourist Maritza Klef was in a group that had waited for a second bus to take them to a restaurant for dinner, and thus escaped the crash, which took place just a few metres (yards) away. "When I think about it, it's horrible," she told RTP. Rebelo visited the accident site Friday and then walked to the nearby hotel where the bus had started its journey, AFP reporters saw. He voiced his "solidarity with the victims" and thanked the emergency services. He later visited survivors in hospital and attended separate masses at a Presbyterian church and at the cathedral in Funchal. "Today we are gathering together because the survivors and relatives of the victims, more than ever, need our attention and support," German pastor Ilse Berardo told AFP. Portugal's government on Thursday decreed three days of national mourning. Drone footage showed the wreckage of the tourist bus that crashed on Wednesday on the Portuguese island of Madeira A teenage student has been burned to death after she filed a sexual harassment complaint against her head teacher. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 19 from Feni, a small town 160km south of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, was called to the head teachers office at her Islamic school on March 27, before he allegedly touched her inappropriately, the BBC reported. She fled in horror before taking the matter to local police a move rarely considered by victims of sexual abuse over fears of judgement from family and the public. Officers filmed her statement as she tried to cover her face, with the video later leaked to local media. The headmaster was later arrested by police, however, strong support for the teacher began to emerge on the streets, with a protest arranged by two male students. It is understood some politicians attended. Nusrat Jahan Rafi says a headteacher at her school sexually harassed her. Source: BBC, family handout Despite the resistance to her claims, Nusrat attended the school 11 days later on April 6 to sit an exam. She was taken to the school by her brother but on their arrival he wasnt allowed to enter the school. "I tried to take my sister to school and tried to enter the premises, but I was stopped and wasn't allowed to enter," brother Mahmudul Hasan Noman told the BBC. When she arrived she was told a friend of hers was being beaten on the schools roof and was taken up there by a student. According to a statement Nusrat made to police shortly before her death, she was met with four of five people wearing burqas who allegedly tried to get her to withdraw her claims against the headmaster. Protestors have taken to the streets of Bangladesh over the 19-year-old's death. Source: Getty Refusing to do so, she was allegedly set on fire. She was rushed to hospital, but later died from her injuries. Doctors in the hospital said she suffered burns to 80 per cent of her body. While in the ambulance she reportedly recorded a message on her brothers phone about the initial alleged assault. "The teacher touched me, I will fight this crime till my last breath," she said, according to the BBC. Story continues Her death has since sparked outrage across Bangladesh, with protests and resistance online from the public. Fifteen people have been arrested by police, with seven accused of being involved in her murder. The headteacher remains in police custody. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. Jenny the Arabian horse has been taking herself on a morning walk through her sleepy town every day for for 14 years. The 22-year-old mare walks the same route through Frankfurt, Germany, greeting locals and collecting pats and treats along the way, Upworthy reported. She is owned by local man Werner Weischedel, 79, who used to take her out himself prior to becoming immobile. Now he opens the stable gate for her instead. The friendly white horses halter contains a note telling people she is not in trouble, but simply out for some exercise on her own. Jenny's owner attached a note to her halter telling people "My name is Jenny. I didnt run away, Im just walking. Thank you". Source: YouTube/Equine Stories Im called Jenny, not a runaway, just taking a walk. Thanks, the note said. The short message is fixed to the side of her red halter to keep police from receiving calls from concerned members of the public. Facebook user Keith Anderson posted Jennys story to Facebook on Wednesday, with it now having been shared more than 300,000 times. The 22-year-old Arabian appears in healthy condition, perhaps due to her daily walks. Source: YouTube/Equine Stories They are very familiar with the horse and the owner, and there have been no incidents in 14 years, the post read. A local veterinarian gives her routine checkups and continues to find her to be healthy and showing no anxiety about her unique lifestyle. Heartwarming photos shared to Facebook showed the gentle animal having a sniff of a baby in a pram, and happily strutting along a pebble road. Jenny happily walks the same route after being let out of her stable in the morning. Source: YouTube/Equine Stories Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. A chilling recording of an emergency call made by a teenager locked inside the House of Horrors has emerged. In the audio obtained by ABC News in the US, a 17-year-old girl in a childlike, quivering voice details years of abuse she and 12 siblings suffered at the hands of their parents. My two little sisters are chained up right now ... theyre chained up to their bed, the teen says. Louise and David Turpin pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges. Source: Getty In February David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges in a deal prosectors said would likely keep them in prison for the rest of their lives. The couple was arrested in January 2018 after their 17-year-old daughter jumped out a window of their home in the US state of California and called 911. The Turpins will be sentenced on Friday. ABC reports the girl told the dispatcher she and her siblings had not showered in a year and they lived in filth. The home where 13 malnourished children allegedly chained by their parents were found in Perris, California, US. Source: Getty/file Sometimes I wake up and I cant breathe because of how dirty the house is, she said. A lawyer for some of the children held captive said in February the children were relieved after their parents pleaded guilty to torture and other abuse. Lawyer Jack Osborn said they could now move on with their lives without the stress a trial would have involved. He said the children had been living together, attending school, getting healthy and leading normal lives. Anybody with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a report online. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. A rescuer has revealed how a brave father snatched his toddler son from the jaws of a dingo which had dragged him from a campervan. The 14-month-old boys parents awoke to him crying on Thursday night after the dingo entered their campervan on Queenslands Fraser Island as the family slept. Lifeflight pilot Frank Bertoli told reporters the father chased after the dingo as it attempted to drag the boy into the bush. He apparently grabbed around the back of the neck area and dragged him away, he said. The boy's father ran outside and fought off several dingoes to rescue his son from the dog's jaws. The parents have been praised for saving the boy's life. Source; RACQ LifeFlight Rescue If it wasnt for the parents fighting off the dingo he could have had much more severe injuries, Mr Bertoli said. The toddler has been airlifted to a Brisbane hospital with a fractured skull and cuts to his head and neck following the attack. "The parents awoke with the toddler crying and heard the crying getting further away from the campervan," paramedic Ben Du Toit said. Paramedics treated the boy for two deep cuts on his neck near the back of his head and some minor cuts on his head before he was airlifted to Hervey Bay Hospital about 3am. He was found to also be suffering a fractured skull and at about 8am the boy was transferred to Queensland's Children's Hospital in Brisbane. The Queensland Department of Environment and Science told Yahoo News Australia in a statement the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service was investigating. The boy was flown to a hospital in Brisbane with a fractured skull. Source: RACQ LifeFlight Rescue Rangers are increasing patrols and visiting campsites to remind visitors to be dingo aware and remain vigilant at all times, a spokesperson said. Rangers are attempting to identify the dingoes involved. Once further details about the attack are known, QPWS will consider any other measures necessary to ensure visitor safety. How to prevent dingo attacks Mr Du Toit warned visitors to Fraser Island to heed rangers' advice and stay away from dingoes. "Just stay well clear of them, keep all food sources well locked up and away from dingoes, and never walk alone, always walk in groups," he said. Story continues The DES spokesperson said adults should stay within arms reach of children and young teenagers. People are advised to always walk in groups, camp in fenced areas where possible and never feed dingoes. Food should be locked up and never stored in tents. People are also not advised to run as it can trigger negative dingo interaction. The incident comes just months after a six-year-old boy was attacked by a dingo on the island. Just weeks later in February, a mother and son were mauled by a pack of dingos nearby. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoos daily newsletter. Sign up here. The New York City Department of Health closed four yeshivas and issued summonses to three Brooklyn parents whose children were exposed to measles but still not vaccinated as of an April 12 deadline imposed in certain Williamsburg and Bedford-Stuyvesant zip codes, officials said Thursday. The parents could face an $1,000 fine if the summons is upheld, or $2,000 if they dont show up to court. United Talmudical Academy of Williamsburg-Yeshiva Torah VYirah, UTA Beth Rachel School for Girls, United Talmudical Academy, UTA Beth Rachel School for Girls were all forced to close for not fully complying with orders to provide immunization records regularly so as to assure unvaccinated children were being excluded from classes, according to city health officials. The United Talmudical Academy pre-school on Ross Street in Williamsburg, which the city closed earlier this week, has been allowed to reopen. Although with Passover beginning Friday, all yeshivas will be closed Friday and the following week. Since October, New York City has seen 359 measles cases mostly in unvaccinated children, with 25 hospitalizations and six admissions to intensive care. The numbers represent the largest outbreak of the virus in nearly 30 years. The emergency order mandates vaccination for anyone who lives, works or goes to school in the zip codes 11205, 11206, 11211 and 11249. On Thursday, a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by several parents of unvaccinated children who were seeking to halt the city's mandatory vaccination. A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire, Judge Lawrence Knipel wrote in his ruling. Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion. "We're disappointed," said Robert Krakow, the families' attorney. He added that his clients were considering their legal options. Before the ruling, anti-vaccination activists celebrated what they saw as an early victory, when city attorneys revealed in court that the Health Department had backed off the most severe penalty it sought for not vaccinating. The citys first emergency order, announced on April 9, had listed imprisonment as a potential penalty, But the language was removed after the order was extended indefinitely by the citys Board of Health at a public meeting on Wednesday. We think they went way beyond what's necessary with this order, Krakow said before a cheering crowd of roughly two dozen supporters. That was proven today when they pulled back and they pulled back very quickly once we filed the lawsuit. Krakow said the citys latest order appears to allow the city to fine non-compliant parents per day, instead of the one-time fee the city has publicized. Wouldnt you say that their failure to highlight that is sort of pulling a fast one on the people of the city of New York? I think so, Krakow said. We dont think there should be any fines at all, he said. The citys Health and Law Departments did not immediately respond to requests for comment. UPDATE: As part of a clarification, the story has been revised to state that the judge dismissed the case against the city brought by several families of unvaccinated children. Turkey has arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates and is probing whether they are tied to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, Anadolu state news agency said on Friday. The two were formally detained by Turkish authorities on Friday as part of an investigation by Istanbul prosecutors into alleged spying by the Gulf state, Anadolu reported. It did not say when they were arrested or name the two men. A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered. The pro-government Turkish newspaper, Yeni Safak, reported that the two suspects were arrested on Monday in a joint operation by Turkish police and the MIT intelligence service. The pair, both UAE citizens, had been in contact with an individual who was under surveillance in the Khashoggi case, the paper reported. After first denying Khashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia later said rogue agents had carried out the operation. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. Much of the case remains unclear, including the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman. The CIA has concluded that the Saudi operation was likely directed by the powerful crown prince, but the White House has sidestepped that finding amid denials by Riyadh, a key US ally. The journalist's murder stirred international outrage and considerably hurt the image of the crown prince. Turkey has delicate relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the Arab states that imposed a blockade on Qatar, one of Ankara's close allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he would keep investigating Khashoggi's death and has criticised the lack of cooperation from Riyadh. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October Oxfam has warned that war-torn Yemen risks a "massive resurgence" of cholera, with around 195,000 suspected cases of the disease recorded so far this year. "Fears that the world's worst cholera outbreak could be set for a massive resurgence are growing," the relief organisation said Thursday. It said aid agencies were struggling to reach suspected cases. In a statement, Oxfam pointed to "fighting and restraints on access, including checkpoints and permit requirements imposed by the warring parties", and warned the coming rainy season was likely to accelerate the spread of the disease. The water-borne bacterial infection has claimed more than 3,000 lives in Yemen since the outbreak began in 2016, according to Oxfam. At a medical centre for the displaced in the government-held western town of Khokha, Qassem Suleiman had brought his son Alaa for tests after a serious case of diarrhoea. Doctor Wadah al-Tiri told AFP that several patients had been transferred to Aden while others had been treated at the Khokha centre. He said a tent was to be set up for suspected cases. The doctor said Yemen badly needed international aid to combat the epidemic. The UN's humanitarian coordination office OCHA said last month that children under the age of five make up nearly a third of this year's cases. The spike, which comes two years after Yemen suffered its worst cholera outbreak, was concentrated in six governorates including in the Red Sea port of Hodeida and Sanaa province, both combat zones, it said. Yemen's conflict, which pits Iran-linked rebels against a regional pro-government alliance led by Saudi Arabia, has left some 10,000 people dead since 2015 and pushed millions to the brink of famine. Aid groups say the actual death toll could be five times as high. The war has created the perfect environment for cholera to thrive, as civilians across the country lack access to clean water and health care. Children under five make up nearly a third of new Cholera cases in Yemen this year, according to the UN The months-long dispute between the state and Charter Communications appears to be over. The state Department of Public Service announced a proposed agreement with Charter that would allow the company to remain in New York. It would require Charter, which operates as Charter Spectrum in New York, to expand broadband service. Under the terms of the proposed deal, Charter would expand broadband service to 145,000 businesses and residences in upstate New York by Sept. 30, 2021. Charter would provide $12 million for broadband expansion, primarily for unserved and underserved properties. "If approved by the Public Service Commission, the proposed agreement will allow the parties to move forward with the critical work of expanding access to broadband," said John Rhodes, CEO of the Department of Public Service. The agreement followed the escalation of a dispute between the state and Charter last year. The Public Service Commission initiated proceedings that would've prevented Charter from operating in New York. The state's main complaint was that Charter failed to deliver on its pledge to expand broadband service, especially in pockets of upstate that lack access to high-speed internet. Gov. Andrew Cuomo repeatedly criticized Charter, even as the Public Service Commission engaged in discussions with the company about a possible resolution. In October, Cuomo said Charter "has not lived up to their representations" to expand broadband service. With the agreement announced Friday, Charter Spectrum said in a statement that it would invest more money than it originally planned to expand broadband access. "Charter and the department believe that this action is an important step forward in making high-speed broadband available to all New Yorkers," the company added. "It allows the parties to move forward with the critical work of expanding access to broadband, by resolving their disagreements without the need for costly litigation." There will be a 60-day public comment period for the state to collect feedback. The agreement must be approved by the Public Service Commission. 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 3 Francis Conole is off to a fast start raising money for the 24th Congressional District race. Conole, D-Syracuse, announced Thursday that he has raised more than $100,000 in the first four days of his campaign. He launched his campaign for Congress Monday. The Iraq War veteran revealed that a majority of the contributions were small-dollar donations. In an email to supporters earlier this week, he pledged to not accept donations from corporate political action committees. "I'm deeply humbled by the outpouring of grassroots support in these first few days of our campaign, and I'm dedicated to using my experience, growing up in our community and serving our country, to find real solutions that support the people of central New York," Conole said. Conole is one of three Democrats seeking the party's nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. John Katko, a three-term Republican. The other candidates are Dana Balter, who challenged Katko in 2018 and launched her second campaign for Congress Tuesday, and Roger Misso. Misso, like Conole, is a Navy veteran. The 24th district is comprised of the western towns in Oswego County and all of Cayuga, Onondaga and Wayne counties. Katko, R-Camillus, will run for re-election in 2020. He raised more than $284,000 in the first quarter of 2019, according to his campaign finance report published on the Federal Election Commission website. Conole has made campaign finance reform a top issue in his nascent congressional bid. Along with the pledge to refuse corporate PAC money, he supports overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision and a public financing system that would provide matching funds to candidates who receive small-dollar donations. As a candidate and if elected to Congress, Conole said he will advocate for getting big money out of politics. "Corporate interests have been buying elected officials for too long," he told The Citizen this week. "It has led to more and more policies which gut the middle class and leave working families struggling." Without reform, though, fundraising will remain a key factor in determining a candidate's viability. Balter's campaign received more attention outside central New York when she raised $1.5 million in a quarter last year. She set a record for most money raised in a quarter by a Syracuse-area congressional candidate. With Conole raising a six-figure sum in a four-day period, his campaign views it as a strong show of support from 24th district voters early in the election cycle. "Fundraising numbers like these in just four days is a clear indication that people believe it is time for new leaders in Washington and are ready to join Francis Conole's mission to rebuild central New York's middle class," said Will Van Nuys, Conole's campaign manager. Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Syracuse University supports the construction of a community grid to replace the Interstate 81 viaduct in the city, Chancellor Kent Syverud announced in an email Friday. Syverud sent the email to university faculty, staff and students. He explained the school's process for determining which of the three alternatives a street-level grid, rebuilding the viaduct or constructing a tunnel is best. He participated in conversations with state and local officials, as well as business and community leaders, about the project. The evaluation of the project included other factors, such as the cultural, economic and social impacts. "Given what we have learned through the process, it is now appropriate for Syracuse University to publicly endorse the community grid as our preferred option to replace the existing I-81 viaduct," Syverud wrote. Syverud believes the community grid will benefit the university because of several factors, including access to the highway and University Hill, connecting University Hill with downtown Syracuse and the minimal impact construction will have on businesses and housing in the city. The grid, Syverud added, is "best positioned to drive meaningful transformation across our community, and in the heart of our city." The university's endorsement comes as central New York officials await the state Department of Transportation's draft environmental impact statement. The document, which will analyze each of the proposed alternatives, is expected to be released early this year. State Sen. Rachel May said last week that she believes it will be released this month, but there has been no announcements from the state Department of Transportation about when the draft statement will be available. The community grid is supported by several Syracuse-area officials and groups. Proponents say it will help the city and region by opening up more economic development opportunities. If the grid is selected, Interstate 481 would become the new I-81. The viaduct would be torn down and street-level improvements would be necessary. Almond Street would become a major north-south thoroughfare through the city. Few support rebuilding the viaduct, but there is a core group of central New York businesses and leaders who prefer the tunnel. An independent study found that a tunnel would be "technically feasible," but would require street-level improvements. Supporters of the tunnel argue that it would be the best option because it would maintain I-81 as a north-south highway through Syracuse. The cost of the project would depend on which alternative is chosen. The grid will cost $1.3 billion. A tunnel would cost more than $3 billion. Once the draft environmental impact statement is released, the state will commence a public comment period and hold hearings on the report. After gathering feedback from the public, the state will issue a final environmental impact statement with its preferred alternative for the project. Here is the email Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud sent to faculty, staff and students Friday: For many years now, the future of Interstate 81 has been one of the most discussed and debated topics within the City of Syracuse, and throughout Central New York. This is because the I-81 replacement decision represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fundamentally transform the physical infrastructure that connects people and institutions, within and across our community. To date, Syracuse University has not taken a formal position related to a specific I-81 replacement option. We were reluctant to endorse a specific replacement option because efforts to study and assess the implications of the various optionsby New York State and numerous other stakeholder groupswere still in progress. Much of that work is now complete. Over the past year, I have engaged with city, county, state, business and community leaders related to the myriad of factors that could potentially inform Syracuse Universitys position on the future of I-81. Further, I have solicited and received thoughtful input on this complex issue from faculty, staff and students representing the Syracuse University community. After careful consideration of the options, I believe we have met our obligation to rigorously investigate and evaluate the social, economic and cultural implications associated with each of the potential I-81 replacement options. Given what we have learned through this process, it is now appropriate for Syracuse University to publicly endorse the Community Grid as our preferred option to replace the existing I-81 viaduct. It is my view that the Community Grid option most strongly aligns with the attributes and outcomes that Syracuse University previously endorsed as central to any I-81 replacement option. These critical attributes include multiple access points to the highway and to University Hill; a robust connection between University Hill and downtown; enhanced public transportation and public space options; environmental and financial sustainability; and minimal disruption to housing, businesses and jobs, both during and after construction. The Community Grid is best positioned to drive meaningful transformation across our community, and in the heart of our City. I thank all members of the Syracuse University and broader Central New York communities who shared their perspectives with me, as the University carefully assessed this complex issue. Sincerely, Chancellor Kent Syverud Online producer Robert Harding can be reached at (315) 282-2220 or robert.harding@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @robertharding. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 8 Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy AUBURN In two separate resolutions, the Auburn City Council called on the state Legislature for city assistance. The council passed a resolution Thursday requesting Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature to consider bills that would adjust the reimbursement rate for maintenance on the Arterial roadway. Currently, the maintenance reimbursement rates for Auburn sit at 85 cents per square yard and 95 cents for every elevated square yard. These rates haven't increased since 1987, despite rising costs. These bills, introduced by State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and State Sen. Timothy Kennedy, would set a new reimbursement rate of $1.87 per square yard and an additional 20 cents for elevated yardage. The bills would also allow the rates to be adjusted annually, consistent with the percentage change in the consumer price index. In March, Auburn Mayor Michael Quill joined a coalition of 34 other New York mayors to call for higher reimbursement rates. The rates have been "sitting stagnant since 1987 and nobody at the State has addressed the matter," Quill said in a news release. "This is the fourth or fifth resolution we've passed in support of this," said Councilor James Giannettino Thursday. "The budget process in Albany is if I had to pick one word I think I'd use 'ridiculous' ... every year," he added. "I think this year it's a new level of ridiculousness, if that's even a word." Giannettino then expressed disappointment when he slammed the state for working on a plastic bag ban rather than providing "necessary funding" to Auburn. "It really is beyond a point of comprehension," he said "I hope that they're listening to us." Auburn council to vote on requesting increased highway reimbursement The Auburn City Council will consider a resolution at its Thursday meeting to request an inc The council requested the state take additional action Thursday through another resolution. This resolution announced Auburn's support of a separate bill that would amend the state's real property tax law. The bill, according to a memo sent by the New York Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials, would shorten the redemption period for tax delinquent properties that have been abandoned and "establish a procedure for certifying that a property is abandoned." The memo added that "If adopted, this legislation would prevent further deterioration of abandoned properties, thereby mitigating the impacts on surrounding properties and the communities in which they are located." In other news The intersection at Lansing and North Lewis streets will convert from a two-way-stop intersection to a four-way one. Auburn Police Chief Shawn Butler said the conversion is "long overdue" for safety reasons. Staff writer Dan Orzechowski can be reached at (315) 282-2239 or dan.orzechowski@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @OrzechowskiDan. Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 3 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. Three Cayuga County-area school districts have been ranked among the nation's best communities for music education. The Auburn, Jordan-Elbridge and Skaneateles school districts were among the 623 districts recognized as the best communities for music education in 2019 by the National Association of Music Merchants, according to a news release and list of all of the schools on the association's website. As state lawmakers mull a series of rent reform bills to stem the growing affordability crisis, rents across the city climbed to record highs, reflecting a strong economy and more New Yorkers opting out of the buyers market, according to the latest Streeteasy report. Median Manhattan asking rents rose to $3,217, the highest for any first quarter, while median rents in Brooklyn and Queens reached all-time highs of $2,608 and $2,173, respectively. Only one area saw a decline in rents, that of North Brooklyn, which is still struggling amid an inventory surplus because of the anticipated L train shutdown. Median rents there slipped to $3,061, a dip of 0.5%. In January, many real estate experts predicted that the canceled shutdown would give the North Brooklyn rental market a bump, but that has yet to materialize, possibly due to continuing uncertainties about the train line as well as an impending partial slowdown. Grant Long, a senior economist at Streeteasy, described rising rents as a consequence of the citys growing economy. New York is in the midst of a decade long expansion, according to a February analysis by Comptroller Scott Stringer. During the last quarter of 2018, employment in the city grew at its fastest quarterly rate in the last four years, adding 34,000 private sector jobs. However, more than half of those jobs were in low-wage industries, a consistent trend. Its putting more money into pockets of some folks and helping to push rents up, Long said. For people able to participate in that, it can work out. He said that the rent increases, which are under 3%, are not terribly dramatic. But for some people who havent enjoyed the same type of wage increase, it exacerbates the affordability crisis, he added. The surging rental market comes as the buyers market, especially the luxury condominium sector, continues to struggle. Jonathan Miller, a real estate appraiser, described wary prospective buyers as choosing to camp out in the rental market. In Manhattan, for example, prices on the top 20% of listings fell below $4 million for the first time since 2013, according to Streeteasy. Luxury prices were down 4.7% to $3,982,868. To spur sales at One Manhattan Square, developer Extell has made an unprecedented offer to waive up to 10 years of common charges for new buyers. The luxury condo, which is located on the Lower East Side but appears omnipresent across downtown in its advertising, has 815 units starting at $1.2 million. Not surprisingly, concessions for renters are evaporating, according Streeteasy. Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens all saw a significant reduction in the percentage of units where landlords offered cuts on the asking rents. In Brooklyn and Queens, the median markdown was 3.4%, the smallest ever recorded. In Manhattan, it approached an all-time low of 3.9%. Long predicted that rents will go up between 2% to 3% this summer, when there are typically more units, but also more people moving into the city. SAN FRANCISCO NakedSword Originals' latest offering is a two-part DVD series that tests the lengths to which a man will honor family ties. Released today and available on the Falcon Studios Group Store, Five Brothers: Family Values is a dark, intense, and sexy thriller about a group of misfits brought together by a life of crime, sex, and drugs. Shot and directed by NakedSword's mr. Pam in both Miami and Las Vegas, the release features Falcon Exclusives Alam Wernik, Aaron Savvy and Woody Fox, along with Nic Sahara, Sean Duran, Blake Ryder, Jay Dymel, JJ Knight, Trevor Northman, and trans star Danni Daniels in her return to porn! After Nic Sahara loses his dad, he finds himself lost and drunk in Las Vegas. As soon as his estranged family gets word that he's in trouble, his Aunt Danni sends for him. Jay Dymel, just released after five years in a Vegas prison, is instructed bring Nic home to Miami by any means necessary. Nic finally arrives in Florida, but he's torn. Does he spend the rest of his days a lush like his father or join his family in their life of crime? Will he or wont he sacrifice everything for his brothers? This new series is so damn hot I can hardly stand it, says director mr. Pam. We have one of the hottest casts ever, and locations these hot guys fuck in is the cherry on top! I'm very proud of this one. President of Falcon Studio Group and The NakedSword Network, Tim Valenti says of the new project, We're all super excited about Five Brothers. It's sexy, suspenseful, and somewhat salacious, just the way we like it. It's our first two-part mini-series, and it's beautifully filmed with a perfectly cast group of guys who bring this thriller to life. This is NakedSword Originals at our best!" For DVD wholesale purchasing, contact John Gunderson ([email protected]). A new bill passed overwhelmingly by Russias parliament, the Duma, would allow Russia to cut its entire domestic internet off from the rest of the world, allowing President Vladimir Putins government total control over the flow of information online, according to a report by the Associated Press. The bill, which still requires passage by the upper house of parliament as well as a presidential signature, has raised fears of new, iron-fisted censorship measures by Putins government. The new bill was passed on Tuesday, less than a month after Putin signed a new law into effect that makes it a crime to show disrespect toward Russian society or to insult Putin and other government officials in online posts, as AVN.com reported. But the new bill goes beyond simply criminalizing content the government doesnt like. Instead, the bill would require that all Russian internet service providers route online traffic through domestic, Russian servers, which would allow the government to intercept and monitor all internet communications, according to the tech magazine ZDNet. But even more chilling, the technology would allow the Russian internet to run independently of the global online infrastructure. Backers of the new bill say that it is designed to allow Russias internet to remain operational even if a cyberattack by the United States, or another Western power, tried to shut it down from outside the country, according to Forbes. Skeptics of the law, however, say that a Russian internet that runs independently of the rest of the global net could also choose to cut itself off, allowing the government total control over what information Russians are able to access online. In a country where most traditional media outlets are owned by or loyal to Putins government, the internet has become a valuable source of information for political dissidents and opponents of Putin. The new law could end the net's effectiveness as an alternative source of information and communication. But top Russian officials have tried to calm fears of a new, totalitarian system of internet control. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has specifically disavowed Chinese-style regulations on the internet, and Alexander Zharovhead of Russias Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media (also known as the Roskomnadzor)compared the proposed new law to a nuclear weapon that should always remain in sleep mode. Photo By Premier.gov.ru / Wikimedia Commons PARIS, FranceIn their continuing efforts to support women everywhere, EXSENS USA has extended for another year its partnership with international non-profit Population Services International (PSI). Since January 2018, French intimate cosmetics brand EXSENS has contributed a portion of every sale to PSI. We strongly believe in putting our money where our mouth is, explained North-American Brand Manager Rebecca Pinette-Dorin. Yes, we make safe, quality products for women. And yes, we try and support women every day in our branding, through our web content and in the workplace, but frankly, it is not enough to play lip-service to the cause. Women the world over need support that they are not getting. Here at EXSENS we are proud that our financial commitment to PSI will be a part of the effort to change that. 214 million women in developing nations do not have access to the contraception they deserve. Without the power to plan when and how many children to have, women across the world struggle to feed their families, drop out of school, and face a more significant risk of complications during pregnancy. Population Services International makes it easier for women in the developing world to lead healthier lives and plan the families they desire. For almost 50 years, PSI has tackled health challenges globally, focusing on five health areas: family planning, sanitation, malaria, HIV/TB, and non-communicable diseases. Just last year, PSI saved the lives of 11,600 mothers, prevented 4.87 million unintended pregnancies, 253,000 new HIV infections, and 135,000 deaths due to malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia. 93 cents of every dollar PSI spends goes directly to program expenses. EXSENS is proud to once again donate a percentage of all North American sales to PSI in 2019. To learn more about PSI and their work, or to make a donation, please visit psi.org. Made in the South of France from European ingredients, EXSENS manufactures a full line of vegan, body safe, paraben free, fun and pleasurable products including arousal gels, organic massage oils and intimate care products. All packaging is sourced in Europe and is BPA free. A 26-year-old cyclist was killed in Brooklyn on Wednesday after he was struck by the driver of a passing truckand once again, police seem to be blaming the victim for their own death. Pedro Tepozteco, a Sunset Park resident, was biking westbound on 47th Street in Borough Park when he was run over by the driver of a box truck. Authorities found the victim lying in the roadway near the intersection of 17th Avenue with severe body trauma. He was transported to Maimondes Hospital at around 5:30 p.m., and was pronounced dead soon after. The investigation into the fatality is ongoing. However, within hours of Tepozteco's death, police had determined that "the bicyclist fell into the side of the truck" as the driver was passing him. It's unclear how such a conclusion was reached. A spokesperson for the police department could not say whether investigators viewed surveillance footage or spoke to witnesses before sharing their determination. "Investigations are fluid in nature," the spokesperson explained. It's far from the first time that the NYPD has pushed a shaky narrative in the aftermath of a cyclist's death. In 2017, after a box truck driver killed 31-year-old cyclist Kelly Hurley in the First Avenue bike lane, a police spokesperson told the Village Voice that she "slipped off her bike," only to later reveal that the driver was committing a moving violation at the time of the collision. A few months later, the NYPD claimed that Citi Bike rider Dan Hanegby had "swerved" into the path of a charter busan account that was contradicted by security camera footage obtained by Gothamist. "Whatever happened to 'courtesy, professionalism, respect?'" asked Joseph Cutrufo, a spokesperson for Transportation Alternatives, in response to the NYPD's most recent statement. "We wont be surprised if a video surfaces and proves this officer wrong." After last year's record-low of ten cyclist fatalities, Tepozteco is now at least the seventh person to be killed while riding a bike in New York City this year. Only one driver has faced charges in those deaths. Take Advantage of Your University's Resources Alumni Networks On-Campus Incubators Reach Out to Other Honeypots Events on Campus Local Accelerators Venture Capitalists Trade Organizations Friends Take Time Off from School to Work Most people go to college to get a job.Recreation is an added benefit on top of getting a job. Education comes second to recreation in terms of hours spent studying.That is the great secret of a college education. It's the secret everybody within the walls of the university knows but isn't allowed to really say. It's the topic that's covered over drinks at the campus bar, and it's what the "cool" professor tells students in class.Whether or not university marketers and employees want to believe this secret is irrelevant. Maybe universitiesbe a place for liberal enlightenment, bright civic discussion, and a robust environment for becoming a better citizen.But the reality is that students see college differently. It's a career-enhancement tool first and foremost, a status tool second, and a recreation tool third. And if education is gained along the way, great.Even when we look at realistic measures for college graduate employment, universities do a poor job. Just this past week, I sat down with an Ivy League computer science grad who was struggling to find a job.they said.When I was a student at the University of Pennsylvania, I distinctly remember on-campus recruiting because Goldman Sachs and McKinsey would come to campus. My classmates would spend weeks preparing for the recruiting events and hope they got invited to those companies' mixers.But few companies can do this. Your high-growth, young startup certainly can't (a startup is any early stage, high-growth company, not just tech companies). Students who want to work at a company with growth opportunities outside a typical career are left in the cold. That's because most companies don't hire on a tracked path like Facebook or Google. They hire based on relationships, internal referrals, and on your ability to break through the noise and signal value to them quickly.Here's how to land yourself a job you love at a startup you're excited about, even if your school hasn't taught you how.Most hires are made based on referrals - especially for startups where the cost of hiring a bad employee is significantly higher than at Big Tech Inc or Big Bank Inc. So networking does matter.As a student, you're already paying a lot of money, mostly for administrative overhead. While on campus, use all the resources you can that connect you to the outside world.Most universities have a few basic tools that, if you use them, help you start talking to companies. The trick is: You have to take advantage of them. In larger schools in particular, the left arm isn't talking to the right hand, so you may have to aggressively search out these resources.In all of these cases, use your student email address. Most people like helping students, especially students at their alma mater or university.Keep your email brief (I have 12 email scripts that you can use). Tell them why you're reaching out. Make it easy to reply to. Most people will be happy to talk.University alumni networks are as valuable as the work you put into them. If you just post a resume in a LinkedIn group or attend an alumni networking event, you'll probably be frustrated by your prospects.Instead of approaching strangers with resumes and business cards, find the regional alumni representative for the city where you want to work. Email them and tell them you're currently a student at their alma mater and that you want to meet. Most will agree to do so.When you meet with them (try to do this in person instead of over the phone-it will make a better impression), tell them exactly what kind of company you want to work for and. Even better, come prepared with a list of local alumni you looked up on LinkedIn and ask if they can introduce you to a few of them.Once you land these introductions and conversations, don't just show up saying, "I want to work for you!" Tell the person on the other side of the table what, exactly, you can do to help them, and why you want to help them. If you have a portfolio of past work, bring that.Most universities have some form of an incubator or entrepreneurship center (sometimes both). These places can get you introductions to startup founders and investors.In this case, reach out to the director of the incubator and try to meet. Follow a similar approach as with the alumni representative. Offer to send along a short "blurb" - a description about yourself and what you're interested in - and ask if they can forward it to incubator-connected companies.Not all college incubators are created equal, so don't be surprised if this doesn't generate great results. If you're at a school known for technology or entrepreneurship (e.g., Stanford University, University of Illinois, Carnegie Mellon University), you'll have better luck.If not, you may want to devote more of your time to pursuing other options.Anywhere you can find people likely to hire you or refer you to somebody who can is called a "honeypot." You want to spend your time around honeypots because that's how you'll make useful connections.Most honeypots aren't networking events or happy hours. They're events with another primary purpose or an organization or group that has an incentive to help people get hired at great companies.Stay on top of campus events. Look for interesting visiting speakers who are founders, investors, or advisors to startups.Go to their events and try to meet them afterward. Introduce yourself and tell them you're looking to work for a specific kind of company like those to whom they're connected. Ask for their contact info so you can send a follow-up email.If you're in a large city you're near an accelerator. These organizations take in startups, invest in them, give them office space and training, and then try to make a profit by helping them raise more money and then get acquired by a bigger company or go public. Here's a list of incubators and accelerators. Every accelerator is like a venture capital fund in the sense that it has a portfolio of companies that it wants to succeed. A big part of succeeding as an early-stage company is hiring the right people. So if you go to an accelerator and pitch them on connecting you to specific startups in their portfolio, they'll probably at least listen to you.A word of caution: Most accelerators aren't very good. Y Combinator is the platinum standard in terms of exits. TechStars and 500 Startups are also quite good. Others may be better for their specific sector (e.g., AlphaLab Gear does a good job for hardware companies). Just be sure to check out how much a company is still growing after it's gone through an accelerator.Like accelerators, venture capitalists have a portfolio of companies they want to succeed. You can approach a venture-capital firm and ask to be connected to specific portfolio companies. If you have a compelling portfolio and signal the right traits, this can be a fast-track to great positions at high-growth companies.When you reach out to the VC firm, don't just send an email saying,That makes it hard for the firm to know who they should send it to, if at all, and makes it hard for them to know whether you'll make them look good.Instead, choosecompanies you want to talk to, have ain mind, and make it ridiculously easy for them to forward your email along.You can also reach out to local trade organizations with a similar approach. These organizations tend to be hit or miss, but if you have a clear ask and have done your research (i.e., you look at the contact's network on LinkedIn), you can usually get a few introductions from it.One of the (few) things universities are really good at is putting a lot of smart people in the same place. Ask your friends if they know people who are hiring. Don't ask in an open-ended fashion. Put together a list of characteristics you'd like to see in a company and ping three or four friends if they know anybody at companies with those characteristics.You may even have friends and former classmates who have started their own companies. Be sure to ask them - if the company is growing, they are hiring.The best thing you can have on a job search is work experience. You don't have to wait until graduation to get experience. There's no legal requirement stopping you from applying the above techniques when you're a sophomore or a freshman. Job requirements are "wish lists." Just because a company says they want to see a degree doesn't mean that you actually need that degree.If you find a job opportunity you can't pass up while still in school, talk to your university about taking a leave of absence. Most universities are good at letting you do this without compromising financial aid (Universities: If you aren't good at this, get with the times or face extinction like these peers ).That experience will take you further than a credential without experience ever could.Generally speaking, people like helping students, so take advantage of the fact that you're a student when reaching out. Play up this fact. Back it up with a portfolio or evidence of your ability to get work done and you'll be in a strong position to get a startup job. It's up to you to do for your career what your college can't. A 7-year-old boy was killed on Wednesday after stepping off a school bus just a few blocks from his home in Far Rockaway, Queens. According to police, Cameron Brown was crossing Gipson Street near Healey Avenue behind the yellow school bus when he was struck by the driver of a van. He was rushed to St. John's hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead. Both drivers remained at the scene, police said, and an investigation is ongoing. According to the Daily News, the boy was known affectionately as "Nino," and adored by his family. "Nino was so smart, his 19-year-old sister told the outlet. He wanted to know everything. He was spelling from the moment he could talk. I already knew who was the man of the family. He was good at math, he was on the honor roll. He was on top of everything. Brown's death represents at least the 60th pedestrian or cyclist fatality on New York City streets this yeara more than 45 percent increase from this time last year. Pedestrian deaths nationwide are the highest they've been in three decades. "This crash could have been prevented, but until drivers understand the weight of speeding and illegally passing a school bus, they will act with impunity and continue to put our children in danger," said Joseph Cutrufo, a spokesperson for Transportation Alternatives. On Thursday night, advocates with TransAlt and Families for Safe Streets will gather outside of the Manhattan Community Board 9 meeting to demand a redesign of a dangerous stretch of Amsterdam Avenue, where 26-year-old Erica Imbasciani was killed by a hit-and-run driver last month. The community board opposes the proposed safety improvements, and Mayor Bill de Blasio has so far refused to circumvent the body. Today marks the 30th anniversary of the rape of Trisha Meili, the white female jogger who was at the center of the infamous Central Park Five case, in which five teenagers of color were convicted of a rape they did not commit. And Netflix decided to release the first trailer for Ava DuVernay's upcoming four-part miniseries about the case, which she co-wrote and directed, today. You can watch the official trailer for When They See Us, which will be released on May 31st, below. "In 1989, five black and brown teen boys were wrongly accused of a crime they did not commit and branded The Central Park Five, a moniker that has followed them since that time. In 2019, our series gives the five men a platform to finally raise their voices and tell their full stories," DuVernay said in a press release. "In doing so, Korey, Antron, Raymond, Kevin and Yusef also tell the story of many young people of color unjustly ensnared in the criminal justice system. We wanted to reflect this perspective in our title, embracing the humanity of the men and not their politicized moniker." The series will follow the story of the five menAntron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wisefrom 1989, the year they were falsely convicted by the media and the courts for the rape of Meili in Central Park, through their exoneration in 2002, and up until 2014, the year their convictions were officially overturned and their names cleared. In a previous statement, DuVernay noted, "In their journey, we witness five innocent young men of color who were met with injustice at every turnfrom coerced confessions to unjust incarceration to public calls for their execution by the man who would go on to be the President of the United States." In 1989, Trump repeatedly condemned the innocent teenagers and even took out full page newspaper ads calling for the death penalty to be reinstated in New York, something that can be spotted during the trailer. Jovan Adepo, Jharrel Jerome, Chris Chalk, Justin Cunningham, and Freddy Miyares will portray the Central Park Five. The rest of the cast includes Michael K. Williams, Vera Farmiga, John Leguizamo, Niecy Nash, Joshua Jackson, Kylie Bunbury, Felicity Huffman, Adepero Oduye, Storm Reid, Blair Underwood, and Famke Janssen. Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Melli was murdered. Court documents filed by Chanel Lewis's defense team claim that at least three members of the jury who voted to convict the 22-year-old for murder and sexual abuse earlier this month acted improperly. Lewis was convicted of murdering and sexually assaulting Karina Vetrano, a 30-year-old speech therapist who was killed in 2016. Lewis's first November 2018 trial ended in mistrial with a hung jury, after his defense team argued that Lewis was coerced into giving a confession. Lewis was scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday, but the sentencing was postponed after his attorneys filed a motion alleging juror misconduct. The Queens Daily Eagle obtained the affidavit and motion, which describes how one juror, the foreman, allegedly said he thought Lewis was guilty early on in the trial, before deliberations: "Well I have my mind made up, and I hope you do too." The behavior of two other jurors was cited. From the Queens Daily Eagle: Two other jurors, labeled Juror C and Juror D, injected special knowledge into deliberations and pressured their peers based on their previous experiences, Juror A said. Each claim could constitute misconduct. Juror C had previously served on the jury of a rape trial and Juror D said she was a victim of sexual assault, the juror said in the affidavit. Both Juror C and Juror D applied information from those experiences to the case in order to find Lewis guilty of sexual abuse and pressured fellow jurors to do the same, Juror A said. Juror A said he did not think the prosecution made a strong case for the sexual abuse charge. The first-degree murder charge hinged on whether Lewis was found guilty of sexual abuse. (A juror who reached out to the Eagle the day after sentencing described similar issues in an exclusive interview. The affidavit is redacted and thus the Eagle cannot confirm whether it is the same juror.) Lead prosecutor Brad Leventhal told the jury during trial that Lewis had his way with Vetrano after strangling her and that Lewis had inserted his fingers into Vetranos vagina and anus. But Juror A questioned why Lewis DNA was not found on Vetranos vagina or anus, according to the affidavit. Juror D, the alleged rape survivor, responded that the vagina acts like a sponge or vacuum and had absorbed the male DNA, according to the affidavit. Youre just a man, Ive been raped, Juror D allegedly said, according to Juror As affidavit. Juror C said, This is what the body looked like in my prior case, that guy was guilty of rape, according to the affidavit. The Queens District Attorney's office say the juror misconduct allegations are without merit. Before the end of the trial, the defense received a letter from a person claiming to be a police officer. The letter contained accusations that the investigation was racially motivated, including how the police were initially looking for two white suspects in the case, until the department began a large DNA dragnet of black men in Queens. The DNA evidence used to link Lewis to the crime scene is considered by some experts to be misleading and inconclusive. A hearing for the motion is scheduled for Monday. There are very strong links between the Queens DA's office and the Queens court. New York Law Journal reporter Colby Hamilton told WNYC, "Here in Queens, you have a system that's been in place three decades, going through some of the most horrific time periods of crime in the city in recent memory. And there's a concern that some of the practices that animated that office and the judges...they still have a part of themselves that is part of that culture that people now are looking at and saying 'that's old. That's out of step with a more fair and more just criminal justice system.'" In 2017, a 28-year-old law student named Lina Khan turned the antitrust world on its ear with her Yale Law Review paper, Amazon's Antitrust Paradox, which showed how Ronald Reagan's antitrust policies, inspired by ideological extremists at the University of Chicago's economics department, had created a space for abusive monopolists who could crush innovation, workers' rights, and competition without ever falling afoul of orthodox antitrust law. Now, Dina Srinivasan, a self-described technology entrepreneur and advertising executive who trained Yale Law School has done it again, with a magesterial, deftly argued paper for the Berkeley Business Law Journal called The Antitrust Case Against Facebook. It's one of the most invigorating, significant contributions to a new theory of antitrust for the digital age that I've ever read, ranking with Khan's 2017 paper. Srinivasan's paper is especially important in light of Shoshana Zuboff's Surveillance Capitalism thesis, which dismisses the idea that monopoly is the reason that Big Tech is able to control our behavior so thoroughly Zuboff posits that machine learning creates devastating behavior modification tools that allow tech companies to manipulate us so thoroughly that we're in danger of losing our free will. But Srinivasan shows how Facebook came to dominate our online discourse through activities that would have been prohibited under pre-Reagan theories of antitrust, and how, prior to these monopolistic tactics, Facebook was not able to conduct surveillance on its users, having to contend with multiple, bruising PR disasters and user revolts when it tried to do so. Moreover, Facebook's monopoly has enabled a series of moves that worsened its impact on our democracy and our markets: once Facebook became the dominant means by which people learned about the news, media companies were forced to use Facebook to promote their work, and to put Facebook tracking beacons (AKA "Like buttons") on every article, giving Facebook the power to build ever widening dossiers on 2.3 billion users. And since Facebook also became the dominant means by which users discovered many kinds of products, merchants also put Like buttons and engaged in other surveillant integrations with Facebook, allowing Facebook to monopolize intelligence about ad performance that is, when an click on a Facebook ad yielded up a sale, Facebook often knew about it and this allowed the company to charge more for ads, and to tighten its grip over the ad marketplace. Srinivasan's history of Facebook's surveillance rollout makes link between monopoly and surveillance clear. For its first ten years, Facebook sold itself as the pro-privacy alternative to systems like Myspace, Orkut, and other competitors, repeatedly promising that it wouldn't track or analyze its users activity. As each of Facebook's competitors disappeared, Facebook advanced its surveillance technology, often running up against user resistance. But as the number Facebook alternatives could go declined because Facebook crushed them or bought them Facebook's surveillance became more aggressive. Today, with Facebook as the sole dominant social network, people who leave Facebook end up joining Instagram, a Facebook subsidiary. So there's plenty of reason to think that Facebook's surveillance could be disciplined by competition. After all, Facebook's sole credible competitor is Snapchat: a company whose main value pitch is its privacy enhancements. There's also plenty of reason to link surveillance with Facebook's monopoly power: after all, the last major push to block surveillance in browsers was the W3C's Do Not Track standard, which was sabotaged by a group of monoplistic Surveillance Capitalism companies led by Facebook, whose market dominance has made the W3C dependent on their largesse a dynamic so toxic that it led to the W3C greenlighting a DRM system after explicitly rejecting proposals to safeguard security research that would reveal covert tracking and surveillance through browsers. Srinivasan's paper is a sprightly and readable thing, but it clocks in at 80-some pages, so you may prefer her summarizing article for the Institute for New Economic Thinking. Either way, take note of the legal maneuvers she makes, which go even farther than Khan did: Srinivasan makes a solid case that even the nearly useless Reagan version of antitrust law can be stretched to fit Facebook, in light of the case she lays out. As for me, I'm less interested in the idea that Reaganite doctrine prohibits Facebook's activities: not when Srinivasan makes such a good case that if antitrust doesn't ban Facebook's activities, then antitrust law is failing to secure our freedom, our markets, our right to self-determination, our competition, and our fundamental rights. This is an outstanding paper and it's the kind of thing that gives me hope for a better future, one in which Facebook finally faces the penalties for decades of wrongdoing, lying, spying and destructive, strongarm tactics. Levels of user privacy weren't only relevant to Facebook's market entry; they were at the crux of the Facebook-user bargain from 2004 through 2014. Facebook consistently promised consumers it would not track their digital footprints off of Facebook itself. Facebook tried to renege on this promise in 2007 but the market was competitive enough, and had enough consumer choice, to thwart that attempt. Consumer pushback forced Facebook's retreat. Then, when the company launched its "like" buttons in 2010, consumers were concerned that Facebook might leverage the buttons to conduct surveillance. Facebook placated consumers by assuring them that "like" buttons would not be used for tracking. Facebook's conduct from 2004 through 2012, provides the benchmark of qualityat least with respect to commercial surveillancethat the restraining forces of competition demanded. Competition didn't only restrain Facebook's ability to track users. It restrained every social network from trying to engage in this behavior. Speaking on behalf of then-competitor MySpace, owned by News Corp., one analyst commented on this dynamic: "News Corp. and Fox recognize the importance of allowing people to be alone with their friends, so they do not feel like they are being looked at by Big Brother. They understand how many competitors they have nipping at their heels right now, so they are doing everything they can not to alienate users." In other words, competition protected people from today's Orwellian practices. While competition ensured that the market produced something that was good for consumers, the exit of competition greenlit a change in conduct by the sole surviving firm. By early 2014, dozens of rivals that initially competed with Facebook had effectively exited the market. In June of 2014, rival Google announced it would shut down its competitive social network, ceding the social network market to Facebook. The Antitrust Case Against Facebook [Dina Srinivasan/Berkeley Business Law Journal] Can Antitrust Law Rein in Facebook's Data-Mining Profit Machine? [Dina Srinivasan/Institute for New Economic Thinking] (via Naked Capitalism) Earlier today, Donald Trump's attorney general William Barr released this redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. * You can read the full text of the Mueller report here. The House Judiciary Committee plans to subpoena the full report. Here are 20 questions the redacted Mueller report raises: 1) When did Donald Trump first decide to have James Comey fired? 2) When did Donald Trump decide he needed a pretext for the firing of James Comey? 3) When did Donald Trump decide to stay silent about Michael Cohen's false testimony to Congress? 4) When did Donald Trump first decide to try to have the Special Counsel removed? 5) When did Donald Trump first decide to discredit the Special Counsel report, which he had not yet read and could not have read, because it did not yet exist. 6) When was Donald Trump first informed that Wikileaks was working with the Russian government's military security service known as GRU? 7) When did Donald Trump first decide to fire Don McGahn? 8) When was Donald Trump first informed that Michael Flynn would not share information about the investigation into Flynn's crimes? 9) When did Donald Trump first learn that Michael Flynn was told that Donald Trump considered Flynn's refusal to share information with Trump as 'hostile'? 10) When did Donald Trump first decide that he would not sit for an interview by the Special Counsel? 11) When did Donald Trump first recognize that sufficient damning facts existed such that if a Special Counsel were to be appointed, that would constitute, as Trump put it, "the end of his presidency"? 12) When did Donald Trump first decide to attack publicly the FBI, NSA, CIA, and other security services of the United States that were providing him with Confidential information? 13) When did Donald Trump first decide to try to limit what would be publicly disclosed about his son Donald Trump Junior's meeting with the Russian lawyer? 14) When was Donald Trump first informed that he had met with the Russian lawyer? 15) When did Donald Trump first decide to lie about the purpose of the meeting with the Russian lawyer? 16) When did Donald Trump first learn that Paul Manafort intended to share internal campaign data with a Russian? 17) When did Donald Trump first learn that recusals cannot be reversed? 18) When did Donald Trump first become aware of multiple contacts between his campaign and Russia? 19) When did Donald Trump first learn that George Papadopoulous was not an "excellent guy," as Trump said, who belonged on Trump's national security team? 20) When did Donald Trump first decide to claim that Robert Mueller had conflicts of interests? Below, read the full text of the Special Counsel's report, as redacted by William Barr. [Prepared with the assistance of an actual, real live attorney. Photoshop by @Xeni, source via Reuters] Millions of patient records for drug and alcohol rehab were leaked, in a data breach that affects an estimated 150,000 individuals, CNET reports. "Records for potentially tens of thousands of patients seeking treatment at several addiction rehabilitation centers were exposed in an unsecured online database, an independent researcher revealed Friday." Here's the security researcher's source material, from rainbowtabl.es. Here's an excerpt from CNET's report: The 4.91 million documents included patients' names, as well as details of the treatments they received, according to Justin Paine, the researcher. Each patient had multiple records in the database, and Paine estimates that the records may cover about 145,000 patients. Paine notified the main treatment center, as well as the website hosting company, when he discovered the database. The data has since been made unavailable to the public. Paine found the data by typing keywords into the Shodan search engine that indexes servers and other devices that connect to the internet. "Given the stigma that surrounds addiction this is almost certainly not information the patients want easily accessible," Paine said in a blog post that he shared with CNET ahead of publication. Paine hunts for unsecured databases in his free time. His day job is head of trust and safety at web security company Cloudflare. The find is the latest example of a widespread problem: Any organization can easily store customer data on cloud-based services now, but few have the expertise to set them up securely. As a result, countless unsecured databases sit online and can be found by anyone with a few search skills. Many of those databases are full of sensitive personal data. A leak of health care data is a significant problem that can trigger requirements under federal law to notify patients of the problem. Paine said he has no indication that patients have been notified of the database exposure and that Steps to Recovery, the Pennsylvania rehab center whose data makes up the bulk of the leak, didn't respond to his messages telling them of the exposure. Black women have long complained that they get flagged for secondary screening at TSA checkpoints after passing through a full-body scanner; after years of complaints, the TSA has admitted that its scanners struggle to with curled hair, and are prone to flagging anyone wearing an afro, twists, locks, braids, or other hairstyles predominantly found among Black travelers (though white travelers with long curly hair have also reported being flagged for secondary screening). Black women complain that the TSA's secondary screening of their hair is invasive and humiliating, and also leaves carefully maintained hairstyles in disarray. The TSA has officially asked the scanner manufacturers to suggest ways to modify their products "to improve screening of headwear and hair in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act." Propublica's excellent story on the problems with the machines quotes an anonymous TSA screener who admits that the body scanners also struggle with turbans and wigs, singling out people who wear them for additional screening. The TSA will not say whether it has ever found a dangerous object in a traveler's hair. The TSA is one of the US government's most diverse agencies; many TSA screeners are people of color. Nevertheless, the number of complaints alleging racial profiling in hair searches has increased sharply in recent years, rising from 73 in 2017 to 105 in 2018. The TSA also maintains the right to search travelers' hair even if nothing suspicious appears on scans, leaving who to search and how to search them up to screeners' discretion. Black hair particularly Black women's hair has long been a locus of discrimination, profiling, and racist shibboleths about "hygiene" and "professionalism." When Jazzmen Knoderer traveled by plane for the second time in her life, in 2012, TSA officers at Dayton International Airport in Ohio asked her to step aside for a full-body pat-down. It happened again the next time she took an airplane and went through security, at an airport on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2013. And again, for her fourth plane trip in 2014, at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The first time Knoderer's hair was searched, it was short and styled in two-strand twists. The second time, she had an Afro. The third time, her Afro was no more than 3 inches long, she said. Knoderer said she didn't go through a body scanner or metal detector before she was searched. "It doesn't feel random when it happens three times in a row. It doesn't feel random when you see that all the people around you, who don't look like you, aren't asked to step aside," Knoderer said. "I don't want to change the way my hair grows out of my head." TSA Agents Say They're Not Discriminating Against Black Women, But Their Body Scanners Might Be [Brenda Medina and Thomas Frank/Propublica] (Image: L3) (Image: Paul M Walsh CC-BY-SA) If these people follow our verbal commands, we hold them until Border Patrol comes. Border Patrol has never asked us to stand down. "A right-wing militia group operating in southern New Mexico has begun stopping groups of migrant families and detaining them at gunpoint before handing them over to Border Patrol agents, raising tension over the tactics of armed vigilantes along the border between the United States and Mexico," writes Simon Romero at the New York Times. They post videos to Youtube of themselves abusing migrants. Here is one such video. We knew the armed volunteer mobs would do this. We knew Trump's incitements would encourage this. It's not by accident. The group calls itself United Constitutional Patriots, and they've been around a while. The videos include what look like official government vehicles used by Border Patrol agents. Are federal agents collaborating with lawless armed men to abuse the protected human rights of these people seeking asylum at our southern border? From the report: Members of the group, which calls itself the United Constitutional Patriots, filmed several of their actions in recent days, including the detention this week of a group of about 200 migrants who had recently crossed the border near Sunland Park, N.M., with the intention of seeking asylum. They uploaded videos to social media of exhausted looking migrant families, blinking in the darkness in the glare of what appeared to be the militia's spotlights. Professed militias have long operated along the border with attempts to curb the flow of undocumented migrants into the United States. But targeting the recent influx of families, who are legally allowed to request asylum and often quickly surrender to Border Patrol agents, is raising tension with human rights activists in this part of the West. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the militia's actions in a letter on Thursday that asked New Mexico's governor and attorney general to investigate the group. The A.C.L.U. said the militia had no legal authority under New Mexico or federal law to detain or arrest migrants in the United States. "We cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum," two lawyers for the A.C.L.U., Maria Martinez Sanchez and Kirsten Greer Love, said in the letter. In a statement, Hector Balderas, New Mexico's attorney general, said: "These individuals should not attempt to exercise authority reserved for law enforcement." "We're just here to support the Border Patrol and show the public the reality of the border," the racist group's leader says. [HT: @DoualyX] Guess used Burger King grease is the new copper wires nowadays. The Associated Press social media editor who composed this little beauty below deserves some kind of a prize today. A whopper of a haul: Police say a Virginia man stole hundreds of gallons of used cooking grease from a Burger King. But he couldn't give police the slip. https://t.co/lAK49gjwVQ #odd AP Oddities (@AP_Oddities) April 19, 2019 So does the headline writer. From "Grease is the way we are stealing in northern Virginia" Alvaro Mendez Flores of Richmond admitted to the April 4 theft. Court documents state Mendez Flores backed up his box truck to the grease dumpster at the Annandale Shopping Center and used a hose to begin siphoning the used oil into a 1,600-gallon tank. So, apparently the used cooking grease this guy stole can be resold to make biodiesel fuel. The suspect, one Mr. Alvaro Mendez Flores, told police he would get paid 25 cents a gallon for the stolen oil. From the local news report at WJLA: A group of elected officials are demanding that the Department of Investigation look into allegations that NYPD Vice cops are assaulting sex workers. The NYPD Vice Squad is a traditional hotbed of corruption, began a letter to the DOI and the NYPDs Inspector General dated April 5th and signed by State Senator Jessica Ramos, City Councilman Ritchie Torres and State Assemblymembers Dan Quart and Ron Kim. The letter alleges that for decades, undercover police officers have solicited sex for a fee, took advantage of unsuspecting sex workers, engaged in sexual activity, and then radioed in their squad to make arrests. While the lawmakers pointed to three high profile incidents of abuse to help make their case, they asserted that we are not dealing with one or two bad apples. These recurring incidents point to not only a culture of corruption and misconduct, but a consistent exploitation, endangerment, and victimization of sex workers by the NYPD, the letter states. With vast institutional issues and contradictory directives, its a citywide department deserving of scrutiny. The letter credits the criminal defense attorneys at the Legal Aid Society with identifying this alleged trend of humiliation and abuse. Attorneys with the Legal Aid Societys Exploitation Intervention Project first made the call for an investigation into the Vice division in an op-ed in AM NY in October, saying their clients who are arrested for prostitution frequently report being taken advantage of by the police. Our clients describe undercover officers exposing themselves, as well as grabbing clients breasts and buttocks, showing them pornography, calling them after arrests, and forcing them to dance provocatively while removing clothing, the lawyers wrote in the op-ed. They also report being provided alcohol, and most disturbingly, having consensual and non-consensual sex with officers. The lawyers added that they and others in the field had reported misconduct to the Internal Affairs Bureau, the DAs, and Inspector Jim Klein, Commanding Officer of the Crime Prevention Bureau. The NYPD has refused our requests for transparency about its ethical guidelines, they wrote. An NYPD spokeswoman came to the Vice divisions defense, saying in a statement that sweeping generalizations do a real disservice to dedicated Vice cops. Part of what Legal Aid lawyers hope to uncover in an investigation is what is actually allowed when an officer goes undercover. Can officers remove their clothes? Can they ask others to remove their clothes? Can they drink alcohol? Can they buy people drinks and give them alcohol? Legal Aid attorney Abigail Swenstein told Gothamist, ticking off a list of unanswered questions. Paperwork often says our clients are debriefed for human trafficking, Swenstein added. What does that entail?" Theres a misconception that individuals who have been trafficked know to identify that theyve been trafficked, said Aya Tasaki, manager of advocacy and policy at Womankind, a service provider whose clients include people who have been arrested for prostitution and are mandated to receive counseling by the citys Human Trafficking Intervention Courts. It just takes so much trust-building for us to get to a place where a client or survivor actually says, Yes, I have been trafficked, Tasaki said. Sometimes the police conduct raids of illegal massage parlors with service providers in tow, but when the police are present, Tasaki said, theres no trust. Of course, some of that mistrust likely comes from the simple fact that prostitution is still illegaleven if those arrested are often able to get charges dismissed by going through diversion programs. In their letter, the politicians criticized the directive for the division, which lumps prostitution together with human trafficking and internet crimes against children as victim-based crimes. All of the letters authors support legislation in Albany to decriminalize sex work, but they also stressed that legislative changes take time and will not fully address existing tensions between the police and the sex worker community. The NYPD said in its response that the authors of the letter blatantly mischaracterize the successful work the NYPD does every day to forge deeper bonds of partnership with the communities we servewhile keeping crime in New York City at record low levels. Some who are pushing for a probe into the Vice division are hopeful that it would help fill in the blanks about what happened to Yang Song, a sex worker who fell or jumped from the balcony of a Flushing massage parlor in late 2017 while being pursued by Vice officers. Family members say she talked about being pressured by police officers to become an informant and being assaulted by a man who said he was a law enforcement officer in the months leading up to her death. "Yang Song's family returned to China last month, one-and-a-half years after Yang Song's death, with no answers, said Nina Luo, an organizer with Vocal-NY and a member of the DecrimNY coalition to decriminalize sex work. The NYPD never even gave her possessions back to the family. It begs the question, what are they hiding? Assemblyman Quart also said he wants to know what the NYPD is doing to prevent similar cases in the future. Since the death of Yang Song, what internal policies has the NYPD adopted to prevent Vice officers from harassing and exploiting sex workers? he asked. Police officials have pointed out that Queens District Attorney Richard Brown already conducted his own investigation into Yang Songs death and found no evidence of misconduct. The citys Department of Investigation told the Daily News it doesnt discuss whether its conducting a particular investigation. You can read the full letter below. Vice Squad Investigation Letter by robbinscm on Scribd The redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the two-year-long investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election includes an interesting revelation about the first known incident of Russia attacking our political process. They did it through Facebook. A rally of 'Confederate' patriots was promoted on Facebook. The rally was to take place in Houston in November 2015. The partly redacted Mueller report released Thursday states that this was the "earliest evidence" that Russians attempted to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. The Special Counsel's report says that an Instagram post on an account called 'Stand For Freedom', later linked to online Russian operatives, tried to organize a white supremacist demonstration in Houston. "Good evening buds!" the post read, according to the Mueller report. "Well I am planning to organize a confederate rally in Houston on the 14 of November and I want more people to attend." From the Houston Chronicle: It is unclear if the protest ever happened. "(We) identified dozens of U.S. rallies organized by (Russia's private Internet Research Agency)," the report said. "The earlier evidence of a rally was a 'confederate rally' in November 2015. The IRA continued to organize rallies even after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The attendance at rallies varied. Some rallies appear to have drawn few (if any) participants, while others drew hundreds." Read more here. The complete screenshot of that Facebook post, provided by the Houston Chronicle, is below. It is important to remember that Facebook has admitted that many such posts were paid for in rubles by accounts later revealed to effectively be front entities for Russia's military interests abroad. Facebook was a primary vector for the Russian attack on America. And they were paid for some of it in rubles, by their own admission. Boggles the mind. News / Local by Methusi Ncube AN angry mob severely assaulted a security guard suspected of kidnapping five children in Bulawayo today.Angry residents hauled the bloodied guard to Bulawayo Central Police Station but left in fear of arrest when it turned out the man was just transporting his boss's children in a company van.The guard whose name could not be established was- according to police sources- taking the children to meet their parents.He was parked near the market along 4th avenue when someone shouted that there were kidnapped children in the vehicle.Vendors ganged up immediately and started banging on the car demanding the release of the "captives."A witness told Bulawayo24.com that the crowd shouted that children had been disappearing in the city and the security company could be a syndicate responsible for the disappearances."The driver got out of the vehicle to explain and the crowd descended on him with kicks and punches. If someone had not suggested that they should take him to the police, he could have been killed."Zimbabweans are a dangerously angry lot nowadays, probably due to a failed government and growing poverty. They are capable of killing if they get a chance to vent their emotions," said the witness.The witness said scores of vendors boldly marched into the police station like they expected a civic award for bravery or something."The way they sneaked out quietly was worthy of any comedy reel. The father of the children came to clear up the issue and suddenly everyone realised they could be arrested for their vigilante actions on an innocent man. A 'quiet' stampede started for the door and the charge office was cleared within minutes," said the witness who preferred anonymity. News / National by Reuters Zimbabwe will in coming weeks name two new investors who will develop separate platinum mining projects west of the capital as the country ramps up mining output in an attempt to ease a severe dollar shortage, the mines minister said on WednesdayThe southern African nation has the second largest platinum deposits after South Africa and hopes to transform its economy by boosting investment in the mining sector.Winston Chitando said the two investors would be confirmed in the next few weeks, joining a sector where Anglo American Platinum and Impala Platinum already operate.Chitando, who was speaking at a function in Mhondoro Ngezi, 100 km west of Harare, where Cypriot Investor Karo Resources was giving an update on its $4.2 billion mining project, declined to give details.Zimbabwe has been introducing investor-friendly policies as part of President Emmerson Mnangagwa's ambitions to transform the country into a middle-income economy by 2030.Last month, the government said it would scrap the controversial indigenisation law under which foreign companies are restricted to owning only 49 percent of their Zimbabwean operations.The mines ministry is also in talks with the Chamber of Mines about reviewing and streamlining mining taxes to make them more competitive, the president of the industry body said last week.Chatando said Zimbabwe expected mining export revenues to rise by nearly a third to $4.2 billion this year, stepping towards a target of $12 billion by 2023.The two new mining ventures would be situated in the Mhondoro-Ngezi platinum belt where Karo intends to start production next year and where Implats has the country's biggest mining operation, Chitando said.Phoevos Pouroulis, CEO of Karo, said at the same function that exploration work was ahead of schedule and the company expected to confirm the underground platinum resources by the end of the year.Pouroulis is also CEO of South African miner Tharisa, which last year bought a 26.8 percent stake in Karo and a majority holding in a Zimbabwean chrome operation.Zimbabwe's platinum is found on the Great Dyke belt, which stretches for more than 500 kilometers and contains an estimated 96 million ounces in platinum group metals, including platinum and palladium. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu Leader of Christ Voice Of Restoration Prophet Tom has prophesied that President Emmerson Mnangagwa will be removed through violent protests that will be implemented by citizens in a similar fashion to Algeria and Sudan.Speaking during a Prophetic service during this week Tom said Mnangagwa has refused to listen to prophetic words that have been told to him to correct the wrongs that he has done since he effected a coup that ousted former President Robert Mugabe.Tom who is based in the United Kingdom prophesied in January that Mnangagwa will pay a high price if he does not make his way right with Mugabe and also repent from his ways.Watch the full prophecy below: News / National by Staff reporter The opposition MDC will conduct town hall meetings and council debates for all party members nominated to contest for positions at its congress slated for next month.The campaign season, according to the MDC, will allow party members to make informed choices ahead of the crucial congress which could either make or break the opposition party, 20 years on from its formation.MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said all candidates would be subjected to scrutiny by party members before they could be elected at congress."We then go to the next stage, which is caucuses, for campaigning because we are creating a new future. There is going to be town hall meetings at provincial and district levels to present to MDC members the leaders who have been nominated to a particular position," he said."They will be campaigning and telling people what they have to offer because you can be nominated, yet you are clueless. So we want to make sure that informed decisions are made. We want to know your say, your way and what you are offering to the party and the people."The MDC, in an effort to revamp its fortunes, has also set up thematic committees aimed at cleaning its constitution to avoid internal conflicts."The thematic committees were on organisational transformation and renewal, constitutional review, strategies and tactics reform, administrative and financial reform, leadership ethics and values. We must change the leadership culture in the party and country, international diplomatic relations," Chamisa said."We must have a global footprint as a party. We are not just a national institution, but a global institution that must provide leadership and perspective in shaping of global perspectives." News / National by Staff reporter THE government says it is taking concrete steps to revive the country's health sector by engaging India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to help resuscitate fallen pharmaceutical giants CAPS Holdings and Bulawayo-based Datlabs.This comes as both public and private hospitals are struggling to source adequate stocks of vital medicines due to the biting shortages of foreign currency currently being felt across all the sectors of the economy.Zimbabwe needs about US$400 million per year to meet its full drug requirements for the health services sector.Health and Child Care minister Obadiah Moyo said yesterday that the government was negotiating with Indian companies who had expressed an interest in reviving CAPS and other drugs companies."We want to revamp and capacitate our manufacturing industry, starting with CAPS and companies that are there like Datlabs, Plus Five and Varichem."We want to create a situation where these local manufacturing companies are rehabilitated, strengthened and are able to produce adequate and appropriate essential medicines for the country," Moyo said.He added that revamping CAPS was important as it was a good company which was being held back by its antiquated equipment."We have identified companies in conjunction with the ministry of Industry and Commerce for India to come and improve."CAPS has 200 registered formulae which means they can be able to supply 200 different types of medicines at any one time if they are fully functional," he said, revealing that Zimbabwe was buying 80 percent of its drugs from India.Moyo also said government was looking to the UAE which had also offered to support its programme to strengthen its public health system.Last year, an Indian pharmaceutical company, Ajanta Group, took over operations at Caps and pledged to bring in new machinery and introduce new technologies.Zimbabwe's health delivery system is battling a myriad problems, primarily as a result of the worsening economic climate in the country and the government's incompetence in many instances.As a result, major referral hospitals have often had to suspend many critical services because of collapsing infrastructure and the shortage of drugs, including painkillers.At the peak of its economy, Zimbabwe did not import most of its drugs due to the then healthy state of its pharmaceutical industry, which was dominated by CAPS.At its peak, the struggling drug manufacturer accounted for 75 percent of the local healthcare products market - and was involved in the manufacture, wholesale, distribution and retail of pharmaceutical, consumer and veterinary products.Today, the company is only operating one of its four plants in the capital Harare as a result of lack of funding - leaving the country's health institutions with no option but to procure medicines, including intravenous drip water, from outside the country. News / National by Staff reporter MDC Bulawayo province surprisingly pushed down Welshman Ncube to the secretary-general post instead of the vice presidency where other provinces have nominated him for.Most people had though that Bulawayo, which is Ncube's home city would nominate him for the VP post.The election which was reportedly marred by reports of election rigging and manipulation ran from 10am up to 2am the following day.MDC president Nelson Chamisa, however, further extended his lead in the party's presidential race after the province nominated him. The nomination means that Chamisa now has nine nominations out of 13.Chamisa also turned up during the elections in the company of the national leadership where some of the irregularities were highlighted to him.Morgen Komichi, Lilian Timveous and Tendai Biti were nominated as his deputies.Thabita Khumalo was nominated for the national chair post with Job Sikhala being her deputy. Makokoba MP James Sithole was nominated for the provincial chair beating Nketa MP Phelelela Masuku.Deputy mayor Tinashe Kambarami was nominated for the provincial youth chair ahead of the incumbent Mlandu Ncube.MDC provincial spokesperson Edwin Ndlovu yesterday confirmed the new list of nominees but said: "If any programme is conducted by the national leadership it becomes national and the national spokesperson is the right person to talk to."Sources who spoke to this publication, however, believe the election was a circus."The Bulawayo provincial congress was a circus whose script was written in Harare."All structures where Cobra (Chamisa's nickname) was not visible were not allowed to vote or only few of them were. Some people had to go back home imagine the meeting started at 10am but voting for youth and women only started around 5pm."And people were still locked out by the security which were given instructions by one Tsepiso and this was brought to the attention of Chamisa when he came around 7pm but he did nothing," said the source.Another source added: "Imagine having all the provincial leadership in three wings which does not have regional balance."Imagine Ncube also failed to get a nomination for vice president in his home province."But MDC spokesperson Jacob Mafume yesterday dismissed the allegations of vote manipulation saying everything went well."Everything went on well, the attendance was huge, the delegates were happy, to see their president, they voted their new provincial executive led by Sithole."Everything went smoothly, yes there might be issues here and there on two or three districts but in the end they managed to vote."We can't really talk of manipulation when the votes tallied, we had an electoral college so how can one manipulate votes in that way?" said Mafume. News / National by Staff reporter AS Zimbabwe yesterday celebrated 39 years of self-rule, analysts and activists in Matebeleland still feel the region has lagged behind in terms of development.Political analyst and MRP president Mqondisi Moyo said the years of the so-called independence have been hell for Zimbabweans particularly from the southern region."Zimbabwe independence brought us the genocide of 1982 to 1987 which claimed thousands of lives. The 39 years of the so- called independence has been a thorn in the flesh where we have seen the Zanu PF government to this date depriving our people of their freedom, social justice, political and economic benefits," Moyo said."Our people continue to be marginalised in all the benefits from, employment, business opportunities, cultural, educational, we continue to be treated as second class citizens in a country that Zipra and Zapu fought so hard to liberate but it's unfortunate their sacrifice was in vain," he said.Moyo further noted that it was unfortunate that about 60 percent of the resources that sustain Zimbabwe are generated from Matebeleland and Midlands whereas the Zanu PF government continues to destabilise and give us crumbs instead of a fair share of the national cake.MDC Alliance national chair Abednico Bhebhe also felt there was nothing to talk about on yesterday's annual historic day as it had been turned into a mere Zanu PF event."The Independence Day is worth noting for historical context, but it has become meaningless and is now just like any other day on the calendar. The hope and promise of 18th of April 1980, has turned into despair and hopelessness to all right-minded citizens."For many, independence is now a Zanu PF sympathisers' day marked by emotions of anger, disillusionment and violations of human rights. Many Zimbabweans question whether it's worth celebrating anything in a country that went from being the breadbasket of Africa to a basket case," Bhebhe said.The former Nkayi legislator also said the post-independence was also characterised by marginalisation of the Matebeleland region."There is generally underdevelopment in both Matebeleland and Mashonaland in post-independence, but the lasting impacts of Gukurahundi on Matebeleland's society affected the region through noticeable lack of development resulting in deep-seated resentment that has culminated in the creation of pressure groups condemning the Zanu PF government for underdevelopment caused by the genocide that took place between 1981 to 1987."Political analyst Dumisani Nkomo said the economic and political situation in the country does not signify a country that has been independent for almost four decades now."All the things that were fought for have not been attained and economically to all intents and purposes the country has regressed to pre-federation days. Talk of the economy, there is no better living conditions, no jobs and there is no housing social and economic justice."It's very sad especially when you compare us to Botswana and Swaziland; they have made headway although at independence we were far ahead of them," Nkomo said. News / National by Staff reporter PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa and top government officials, particularly Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga and Agriculture minister Perrence Shiri, are scared stiff of personal criminal responsibility in the current process to resolve the emotive Gukurahundi massacres which took place in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions between 1982 and 1987, the Zimbabwe Independent has been briefed.Senior government officials and civil society participants in the ongoing national healing initiatives revealed this week that Mnangagwa was anxious to ensure Gukurahundi is resolved and the chapter is closed, but without him or his lieutenants assuming individual criminal responsibility. About 20 000 civilians were killed in cold blood.Melwa Ngwenya walks around mass graves of people killed during Gukurahundi massacres in the mid-1980s near Tsholotsho. Pic: Reuters."From the victims' perspective, the Gukurahundi healing and reconciliation process is designed to address the situation, and ensure healing and closure for victims. The idea is to reach out to the victims through individuals, families and communities to come up with compensatory packages and measures, hence the implementation matrix announced by government," one of the officials involved told the Independent this week."The Matabeleland Collective wants victims and truth to be central to the process. They also want reparations and compensatory measures. This is contained in the detailed document, the Matabeleland Collective Compendium, done by Dr Dumisani Ngwenya, Dr Nqobizitha Dube, Dumisani Sibanda, Dr Sibonokuhle Ncube, Ntandoyenkosi Dumani, Thando Gwinji and Jennifer Williams. Dumisani Nkomo and the convener Pastor Trevor Masuku also contributed a lot. Justice is, however, the missing link in their documents."The official added: "However, from the perpetrators' point of view, the process must address the situation and close the chapter. The bottom-line for them is that the atrocities must be addressed and buried without truth and justice. The overriding agenda, though, for Mnangagwa and top government officials implicated is that, whatever happens, there must not be any personal criminal responsibility on their part."Showing official sensitivity to individual criminal responsibility, Mnangagwa's spokesperson George Charamba this week told our sister paper, The Standard, in reaction to the accusation that his boss was the architect of the killings: "Not for the edification of political careerists and in any case, I hate the word architect because it suggests personal liability. They were part of the government of the day which reported to a commander-in-chief, which reported to a president (Mugabe)."You cannot suddenly make the junior much more accountable than the person who was in overall charge."Mnangagwa has previously defended himself saying he did not carry a gun to kill anyone and demanded Gukurahundi must be a closed chapter, saying Zimbabweans must let bygones be bygones, and not dwell in the past. His demands were widely rejected.Leeds University criminal law professor Elies van Sliedregt, who wrote the book titled Individual Criminal Responsibility in International Law, says individual criminal responsibility includes violations of international law, that is aggression, genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.The Gukurahundi atrocities fit into this category - crimina juris gentium - covered by the Rome Statute and International Law.The concept of personal criminal responsibility - which Mnangagwa and fellow perpetrators fear so much, according to official sources - has a long history; from the Hagenbach trial in 1494 through the Nuremberg and Tokyo Tribunals and the former Yugoslavia and Rwandan hearings in 1994. It rejects the pretext that perpetrators killed victims on "superior orders from above".Gukurahundi touches bigwigs in the top echelons of power.Various literature, reports and documents available show former president Robert Mugabe as the architect of the massacres, Mnangagwa the enforcer and military commanders and their troops as the executioners.Shiri commanded the crack North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade unit which went on a killing rampage in the Ndebele-speaking south-western and Midlands regions between 1982 and 1987.Co-Vice-President Retired General Constantino Chiwenga - then using his liberation war name nom de guerre Dominic Chinenge - commanded the Bulawayo-based 1 Brigade, while his counterpart Kembo Mohadi was a victim.Mohadi was detained and tortured, alongside former senior opposition PF Zapu leaders and ex-Zipra commanders like Dumiso Dabengwa and Lookout Masuku who died in hospital due to detention anguish. Although acquitted by the courts, Dabengwa remained detained under state of emergency orders for five years.Gukurahundi - characterised by mass beatings, maiming, starvation, looting, burnings and killings - a North Korean-inspired scorched earth policy - left a trail of wanton destruction of property and infrastructure, broken individuals, families and communities, as well as choking bitterness.Its impact still vastly poisons Zimbabwe's political and socio-economic relations and discourse. In every election, the Gukurahundi shadow and toxic debate always loom large.As part of measures to drive the national healing agenda, Mnangagwa met members of the Matabeleland Collective at State House in Bulawayo last month.The group had held a meeting at the Bulawayo Large City Hall in December 2017 where its leadership was tasked with making key demands to the state. These included addressing Gukurahundi and national healing, devolution of power, economic recovery, social inclusion and development equalisation.The outfit then met in February 2018 where it produced a compendium with an advocacy roadmap. The roadmap included popularisation of the compendium, meetings with chiefs, engagement with the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and engagement with Mohadi and Mnangagwa.The group then wrote a letter to Mnangagwa requesting a meeting and, on March 19, Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda informed the outfit the president was willing to engage.Mnangagwa then met 120 civil society leaders from 60 organisations - two representatives from each group - at State House in Bulawayo on March 21, where national healing, devolution and social inclusion were on the agenda.The group made three presentations through Dumisani Maqeda Ngwenya (Gukurahundi and National Healing), Dumisani Nkomo (Devolution and Compensatory Development), Sikhathele Matambo (Gender Equality).On national healing, several issues were raised, including acknowledgement of Gukurahundi as a genocide, decriminalisation - so that people talk freely about it and are not arrested, the issuance of death certificates with actual cause of death and the issuance of birth certificates for descendants of victims (special waivers to be granted).Ngwenya also highlighted the need for decent reburials after requisite forensic processes have been done and through the affected families as well as access to treatment, both medical and psycho-social, for victims of Gukurahundi.On devolution, Nkomo called for the speedy implementation of devolution, including harmonising local governance legislation and ensuring that line ministry activities are devolved. He also demanded devolving of tender processes to ensure that Matabeleland businesses and people benefitted.Nkomo added resource governance should ensure locals benefit from their resources, while also calling for locals to be prioritised in employment. He further urged promotion of local languages, especially in education where children are taught by teachers who do not speak their mother tongue.Nkomo also said immediate allocation of resources for the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project and alternative funding models were critical and must be addressed urgently.On gender equality, Matambo said women survivors of Gukurahundi should have ease of access to documentation and access to health and education. After that Mnangagwa said he had come to the meeting with an open mind and accepted the presentations.Mnangagwa, state security minister during the Gukurahundi genocide, has always been in the eye of the Gukurahundi storm.An article dated March 5 1983, published by the state-owned Chronicle, quoted Mnangagwa justifying the Fifth Brigade clampdown."Likening the dissidents to cockroaches and bugs, the minister (Mnangagwa) said the bandit menace had reached such epidemic proportion that the government had to bring in DDT (Fifth Brigade) to get rid of the bandits," the Chronicle quoted Mnangagwa as saying at a rally in Victoria Falls."Cde Mnangagwa said in the campaign against dissidents, it was necessary to destroy the infrastructure that nurtured the bandits," the Chronicle reported.Seemingly blaming some people in the region for allegedly harbouring dissidents, Mnangagwa was also quoted by the newspaper as saying dissidents would only survive where there was fodder for them."Have you ever asked yourself why there are no dissidents in any places in Mashonaland?" he said.Mnangagwa was also quoted as querying why people who were complaining of attacks and killings by the Fifth Brigade never complained to the government about acts of banditry by dissidents.According to the Chronicle, he further said: "The Fifth Brigade's sole mission in Matabeleland North was to get rid of the dissidents and their helpers for the people in the region to enjoy the fruits of independence like their counterparts elsewhere in the country."Mnangagwa was also further quoted on April 4, 1983 as saying: "Blessed are they who will follow the path of the government laws, for their days on earth will be increased. But woe unto those who will choose the path of collaboration with dissidents for we will certainly shorten their stay on earth."Kevin Woods, a former Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative, who was also an apartheid spy or double agent, implicated Mugabe, Mnangagwa, Chiwenga and Shiri in his book The Kevin Woods Story - In The Shadow Of Mugabe's Gallows.In his book, Woods states: "I remember at some point after getting information about the brutality of the Fifth Brigade from my men, I forwarded the reports to the CIO Headquarters. I was then told by the CIO provincial commanding officer to report what was going on to JOC (Joint Operations Command) Commander Brigadier Chinenge."When I told Chinenge that things had gone wrong in the curfew area, he was not perturbed with my news. He told me not to worry, but to include those aspects in my normal weekly briefings which the next one will be attended by Mugabe, CIO minister Mnangagwa, CIO political affairs bigwig Edison Shirihuru, Perrence Shiri and the ZNA Chief-of-Staff General Gava (the late Vitalis Zvinavashe)."I met Mugabe many times and would give him security briefings at 1 Brigade in Bulawayo. Dominic Chinenge, who was the 1 Brigade commander, Perrence Shiri and Shirihuru would interrupt if I was saying things they did not want me to talk to Mugabe about. Things like how the Fifth Brigade was going around murdering people."They would say, there is nothing like that chief this is all propaganda and stuff like that. But Mugabe knew because I would write reports and would be told that this is not my war, I should not worry. Mnangagwa, Shiri, Shirihuru and Chinenge supported Gukurahundi and patted Fifth Brigade commanders on the back."Charamba said Gukurahundi was "a war". But Matabeleland Collective officials this week rejected this, saying if it was then the perpetrators also committed serious war crimes. The Unbelievable True Story Of Mata Hari, The Original Femme Fatale Mata Haris life has blockbuster written all over it. Honestly, its Oscar bait at its finest: ADVERTISEMENT A SMALL TOWN GIRL FINDS INTERNATIONAL FAME AS AN EXOTIC DANCER AT THE TURN OF THE 20TH CENTURY. SHE TAKES LOVERS FROM ACROSS EUROPE AND IS PRIVY TO SECRETS OF GLOBAL SUPERPOWERS. BUT HER GLITTERING WORLD COMES CRASHING DOWN WHEN SHE IS DISCOVERED TO BE A GERMAN SPY. SHE IS CAPTURED, IMPRISONED, AND TAKES HER FINAL BOW IN FRONT OF A FIRING SQUAD IN A SMALL CORNER OF FRANCE. Its Hollywood gold dust! A blockbuster biopic in the making (seriously, someone give Baz Luhrmann a call), but is it actually true? ERRR, KINDA, BUT NO. Born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in 1876, Mata was raised in the Netherlands. Her dad made some incredibly canny investments which allowed Mata and her siblings a very comfortable and happy childhood. Everything was great! and then her dad lost all his money, and a year later Matas mom died. via Giphy Things were already pretty shit when Matas dad decided to reveal himself as the literal worst. As soon as the funeral was over, he shrugged off his old family and started a new one, sending Mata far away to live with a godfather she barely knew. At just 15, Mata was on her own. But she picked herself up and decided to take on a profession: training to be a teacher. Unfortunately, when it rains it pours, and the headteacher of her school had a thing for teenage Mata and he wasnt taking no for an answer. The affair was quickly discovered. The headmaster kept his job (naturally) and a shamed Mata was sent packing, returning to her severely pissed-off godfather. Ugh. Okay, so the job hadnt panned out, but work wasnt the only thing that could get a girl money and the hell out of dodge. So Mata turned to the Lonely Hearts pages. Aged 18, Mata married Rudolph John MacLeod, an officer in the East Indies Army twice her agewho was also almost constantly drunk. I think youve probably guessed after that description, but Rudolph was a notorious dick. Great mustache. Still a dick. Rudolph was jealous (despite constantly sleeping with anything that moved) and an all-around abusive drunk who regularly beat his wife. Despite these numerous issues, the couple had two children, Norman and Non, and the whole family moved to Indonesia where Rudolph was now based. As with everything until this pointtragedy soon struck. Seriously, it's going to be a never-ending stream of shit. via Giphy. In 1899, Mata awoke one night to the sound of screams. Immediately, she ran to check on her children, only to find both Norman and Non convulsing in intense pain. A doctor was called, but it was to late for Matas eldest: two-year-old Norman died in front of her. The cause of Normans death was shrouded in mystery. Locals theorized that the boy had been poisoned either by a soldier that Rudolph had ruthlessly beaten or by the childs own nanny (who Rudolph endlessly harassed). A more modern theory is that the children were being treated for syphilis (caught from dear daddy Rudolph) and were accidentally given an overdose of medication. It always comes back to Rudolph. The couple was barely hanging on by a thread and just couldnt continue after Normans death. Rudolph drank even more and blamed his wife for their sons death. Mata descended into a deep depression, struggling just to get through each day. Yet somehow, she clawed her way back to life and found the strength to finally leave her husband. Don't get too excited, it's all about to go to shit again. via Giphy But Rudolph wasnt done being a monumental asshat just yet! Mata had custody of Non, but (of course) Rudolph wasnt paying his half in full. This was pretty shitty behavior, escalated dramatically when Rudolph never returned Non after a scheduled visit. Mata didnt have the connections or funds (after all, shed essentially been a single mum) to fight for her daughter. Worse, when she confronted Rudolph, he came at her with a bread knife; Mata narrowly escaped the encounter with her life. It was one knock too many and Mata lost her will to fight. So she gave up. Hoping that Rudolph would do right by their daughter, Mata did what felt like the only option left to her she ran away. I THOUGHT ALL WOMEN WHO RAN AWAY FROM THEIR HUSBANDS WENT TO PARIS. Surrounded by the glittering lights of Paris, Mata worked to reinvent herself. She joined the circus, entertaining the masses as a horse rider. With the circus not paying much, Mata needed to earn extra to support herself, so she made up the rest by posing as an artists model and dancing on the side. And it was this dancing that would be her making. When asked, she told audiences that when shed lived in Indonesia, she had trained with local dancers, and it was these exotic moves she bought to Paris. Presenting Mata Hari Mata Hari was born and Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was all but dead. Mata was a princess of noble Indian birth, raised in Indonesia and trained from childhood in the ancient art of dance. Her near-naked dances werent for titalation they were sacred religious acts. Now, this is obviously entirely horseshit concocted by Magaretha. But damn, it sold tickets! Soon Mata was an independently wealthy woman, a huge achievement in this period. via Giphy With money came men. Dazzled by Matas beauty and mystery, Europes most powerful men flocked to her side. With the ability to speak multiple languages, as well as a fast wit and ambitious streak, Mata had her pick. She chose military men. Girl apparently had a type. As WW1 dawned, Mata was reaching her late thirties. With younger imitators snapping at her heels, she slowed down on the dancing and instead supported herself as a courtesan, sleeping with some of Europes military mights. She hopped from country to country, living a lavish strings-free life. But when wartime hit, this had to change. WELL.IT SHOULD HAVE CHANGED. Mata continued flitting from country to country (thanks to her neutral Netherlands passport). She slept with high ups from across Europe, no matter what side they fell on. Now I think we can all agree: this was not a smart plan. via Giphy Okay, now heres the thing: this next part is a bit of a clusterfuck. See, some historians think Mata was a spy, some dont, and some think she was passing on information on the odd occasion but wasnt a spy. See what I meanclusterfuck. So lets just focus on the concrete facts here! We know that Mata had access to all kinds of information from pretty much every major player in WW1 (because she was in the bed of pretty much every military higher-up). In 1916 Mata was detained during a jaunt to London and taken to Scotland Yard for questioning. The British had been tipped off by French Authorities that Mata was a German spy, an accusation she refuted under interrogation. Extract from Mata Haris interrogation (released in 2016. You can find the whole thing in the National Archives.) But Britain and France werent convinced and at such a delicate time in global politics, these werent exactly people you wanted gunning for you. Though not concrete, there was anecdotal evidence to support the spy theory. In 1914 the Germans supposedly offered Mata money in return for secrets of those she bedded, and the French had put forward a similar offer. So was Mata a spy? A double agent? Just trying to see what she could get? Who knows at this point? There are so many different theories and strings to keep track of! So with the spy theory still hanging over her, Mata was released from Scotland Yard. Free? Sadly, no. The heat was too much and Europes political powerhouses from all sides were keen to get their hands clean of the embarrassing tangled web that had become Mata Hari. The French intercepted a (almost definitely purposefully leaked) German message detailing the actions of spy H21. The French figured this spy was Mara Hari and so, on February 13, 1917, French officers marched into her Paris hotel room and arrested her. I AM INNOCENT.SOMEONE IS FOOLING ME. Mata Haris trial was, at best, a joke. At worst, a formal slut-shaming exercise. Mata admitted to taking German funds to spy, but argued that she hadnt actually carried out these acts. She just took the money. The French werent having this and claimed that her actions directly resulted in the deaths of up to 50,000 men. I think its worth noting here that at this point the war was not going well for the French. They were suffering massive losses and their men were turning against them. The French needed a fall guy. So they created the ultimate villainess. Not only was Mara Hari on trial for spying, but her lifestyle was on trial. Her accusers claimed she regularly bathed in milk at a time when there wasnt enough for French children to drink. Her bed-hopping and sensual dancing proved her lack of morals, which itself was proof she would be happy to spy. There was never going to be a good outcome of this for Mata. And there wasnt: she was sentenced to death. Picture of Mata Hari whilst incarcerated. On October 15, 1917, Mata Hari woke at dawn in a small corner of France. She wrote two letters; one to her daughter Non. Then, she dressed and was led outside to where a firing squad were waiting. Mata refused a blindfold and stood unbound, staring directly at her executioners. Shots were fired and she fell. Her final curtain call. (pic) Mata Haris story is one that shows just how easily manipulated history can be. Once held up as an example of loose morals and villainy, documents released to tie in with the WW1 centennial show a very different story, one that is still being pieced together. Personally, I dont think she was a spy. I do think she was privy to a silly amount of information from all sides, and I think she occasionally leaked this information to whatever side she was with at the time. But this isnt Hollywood. Mata Hari wasnt a master spy. She was just a person who had flaws and made some really shitty choicesones that she paid the ultimate price for. This article originally appeared on F Yeah History and is reprinted here with permission. More from BUST This Comic Book Shows Why The Story Of Mata Hari Is More Relevant Than Ever Josephine Baker: Secret Agent Woman How China's First Female Emperor Schemed Her Way To The Top Written by Natasha Tidd, Sara Westrop, and Helen Antrobus, F Yeah History is dedicated to unearthing history that's just too good for history class. From historic hangover cures to unsung historic heroes, all told with a healthy does of gifs and somewhat terrible jokes, it's history...just not as you know it. Follow F Yeah History on FYeahHistory.com and on Twitter @F_yeah_history. Following Amazon's dramatic reneging on a deal to open a new corporate campus in Queens, another Content Giant is rolling into town, with its eye on those sweet tax credits: Netflix. Governor Andrew Cuomo's Office announced on Thursday that the streaming platform would become a bigger part of New York City, adding 127 content, marketing, legal, publicity, and production development jobs at 888 Broadway in the Flatiron District. Netflix also promises to bring production jobs to the city with the opening of new sound stages in Bushwick. New York City already has a significant presence within Netflix's on-screen roster, physically and psychically. The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is inextricable from Greenpoint, where the show often filmed. Lest we forget that the East Village is as much of a character in Russian Doll as the cast itself. Other Netflix shows, including Orange Is the New Black, already film many of their scenes at Kaufman Astoria Studios, in Queens. This latest move could expand Netflix's repertoire of shows filmed, and set, in New York City. But in order to reap those $4 million in tax credits, Netflix has to make good on creating and retaining 127 jobs within the next five years, along with the 32 office jobs they already have, according to the announcement. New York's contentious film tax credit program has been extended through 2024, despite ongoing questions about New York's hefty motion picture production subsidy program. Netflix's new sound stages will take up 161,000 square feet at 333 Johnson Avenue, just a few blocks from the beloved vegan diner Champs, watering holes including The Well and Tradesman, and the infamous party squat/artist cohort the McKibbin Lofts. - T. S. Eliot Thoughts After Lambeth "The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide." Business accounting concept, Business man using calculator with computer laptop, budget and loan paper in office. Back in late 2018 I discussed stocks that were targeted by short sellers. At the time the TSX was just starting to enter the throes of one of the worst market spells since the financial crisis. Today investors are staring at one of the hottest starts for the market in decades, but that doesnt mean that you should eschew caution in the spring. Today we are going to look at two stocks that have performed well to start 2019. However, one has reached far into overbought, while the other has room to run. Lets see why it may be a good play to take profits and reinvest in the other stock today. Badger Daylighting (TSX:BAD) Badger Daylighting was one of my top recommendations in late October, as it was targeted by short sellers. The stock has erupted since releasing its third-quarter results for 2018 in early November. Shares had surged 32.8% in 2019 as of close on April 17. The stock hit an all-time high of $43.48 this month. Badger Daylighting released its 2018 numbers in March. There were many positives to glean as total revenue rose to $615 million over $496 million in the prior year and adjusted EBITDA climbed to $161 million compared to $125 million in the prior year. Badger projects that adjusted EBITDA will increase to a range of $170 million to $190 million in this fiscal year. Badger is a fantastic long-term hold, but the stock is ripe for a pullback in the spring. Shares had an RSI of 67 as of close on April 17, which puts it just outside of overbought territory. Shareholders who are thinking of taking profits in Badger should consider reinvesting their gains in the second stock we will look at today. Canada Goose (TSX:GOOS)(NYSE:GOOS) Canada Goose stock has climbed 18% in 2019 as of close on April 17. Shares had increased 62% from the prior year. The stock suffered a sharp plunge in late 2018, as its growth prospects in China were seemingly in jeopardy. Fortunately, the opening of its Beijing store was received very well in the face of boycott threats. Story continues In March Id asked whether Canada Goose stock could reach the century mark in 2019. The stock came close in late 2018, reaching an all-time high of $95.58 before succumbing to the bad news and broader market pressures. The company had a very strong third quarter for fiscal 2019, and is expected to release its fourth-quarter and full-year results in early June. Canada Goose is planning six new store openings in Alberta, Ontario, the United States, and Europe. The company has intelligently navigated the modern retail environment, focusing on e-commerce growth while strategically expanding its brick-and-mortar footprint in key markets. The launch of a spring line shows that Canada Goose is aiming to broaden its horizons, offering up its unique mix of utilitarianism and high fashion beyond winter clothing. Shares are currently trading at the middle of its 52-week range. The stock had an RSI of 61 as of close on April 17, which means that patient investors may want to wait for a pullback before its next earnings release. In any case, Id like Canada Goose to challenge its all-time highs before 2019 concludes. More reading Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Badger Daylighting is a recommendation of Stock Advisor Canada. 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 By Steve Holland WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that President Donald Trump spoke by phone earlier in the week and discussed "ongoing counterterrorism efforts" with Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar, leader of a military assault on the capital Tripoli in opposition to the internationally recognized government. In Libya on Friday, two children were killed by shelling in the southern Tripoli suburb of Qaser Ben Ghasher, residents said. Officials could not immediately reached for comment. A White House statement said that in the phone call on Monday, Trump "recognized Field Marshal Haftars significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system". It was unclear why the White House waited several days to announce the phone call. Europe and the Gulf have been divided over a push by Haftar's forces to seize Tripoli. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said "a military solution is not what Libya needs." He said he supported Haftar's "role in counterterroism" and that Washington needed Haftar's "support in building democratic stability there in the region." Asked whether Trump contacted him before calling Haftar, Shanahan said the Pentagon and the White House "are well-aligned on Libya." At least seven people had been killed as of Tuesday, a day after Trump's call to Haftar. The current death toll is not known. At least 2,000 people protested on Tripoli's central Martyrs' Square on Friday against Haftar and his offensive. Some protesters criticized Trump's call to the commander. "The call has no meaning but we will respond to it," said Abdelrizaq Musheirib, a protester. Ahmed Mismari, spokesman for Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), said Trump's call showed the pivotal role of the LNA in fighting terrorism, Sky News Arabia reported. CEASEFIRE CALL On Thursday, both the United States and Russia said they could not support a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time. Also on Thursday, mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of Tripoli, almost hitting a clinic, after two weeks of an offensive by Haftar's eastern troops on the capital. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his LNA advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. The United States did not give a reason for its decision not to support the draft resolution, which would also call on countries with influence over the warring parties to ensure compliance and for unconditional humanitarian aid access in Libya. The country has been gripped by anarchy since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011. White House national security adviser John Bolton also spoke recently to Haftar. Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute international relations think-tank in The Hague, said the Trump phone call was tantamount to supporting Haftar's operation and thus creates "an environment where a military intervention by foreign states, like Egypt, is likelier". "One reason behind Trumps phone call is that Haftars army has revealed itself less powerful than the Libyan strongman had claimed," Harchaoui said. Haftar was among officers who helped Gaddafi rise to power in 1969 but fell out with him during Libya's war with Chad in the 1980s. Haftar was taken prisoner by the Chadians and had to be rescued by the CIA after having worked from Chad to overthrow Gaddafi. He lived for around 20 years in the U.S. state of Virginia before returning home in 2011 to join other rebels in the uprising that ousted Gaddafi. (Additional reporting by Phil Stewart in Washinton, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Ayman al-Warfalli in Benghazi and Ulf Laessing, Ahmed Elumami and Hani Amara in Tripoli and Hesham Hajali in Cairo; Editing by David Gregorio and Gareth Jones) Welcome! I blog about science fiction and fantasy books for kids and teens, with a smattering of other genres. Feel free to contact me at charlotteslibrary at gmail dot com.And feel free to check out my book, Rhode Island Shipwrecks The man arrested for bringing cans of gasoline, lighter fluid, and butane lighters to St. Patrick's Cathedral is a philosophy PhD student at CUNY, and also taught classes at Lehman College and Brooklyn College. Marc Lamparello, 37, was stopped by a security guard at the Fifth Avenue house of worship just before 8 p.m. on Wednesday, roughly 48 hours after a fire partially destroyed the historic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris, France. During the conversation, some of the gasoline was spilled onto the church's floor, but Lamparello left, according to police. Authorities say that the guard told NYPD officers on Fifth Avenue, and the officers caught up with Lamparello, who claimed that his car had run out of gasoline. When they checked his minivan, which was parked on Fifth Avenue, police said it was not out of gas. Lamparello was charged with attempted arson, trespassing, and reckless endangerment. It turns out he was also arrested at a Newark church on Monday night. NBC New York reports: Two days before the St. Patrick's incident, sources say Lamparello had a confrontation with police after refusing to leave the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. When an officer told him it was closed, Lamparello said, "If you want me to leave tonight, you're gonna have to handcuff me and arrest me tonight and take me to jail," law enforcement sources tell News 4. He still didn't leave. Other officers arrived, at which point Lamparello threw himself onto a pew and yelled, "No!" then scuffled with police who tried to apprehend him, sources say. As he was being taken out of the cathedral, Lamparello told police he wasn't leaving. "God wants me to be here. I know all the sins the priests have committed," he said, according to law enforcement sources. Lamparello was charged with resisting arrest, defiant trespassing and interfering with the administration of law for the Newark incident. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric exam on Thursday, the Daily News reports. Lamparello has been a part-time philosophy professor at Lehman College, and was previously an adjunct at Brooklyn College. A Lehman College spokeswoman Sarah Ramsey told the Post, "We are taking the appropriate steps to terminate the individuals employment with the college." Police outside St. Patrick's Cathedral (Seth Wenig/AP/Shutterstock) Lamparello is due in court today. He reportedly lives with his parents in Hasbrouck Heights, NJ. His father, Leonard Lamparello, told the News his son's behavior was "Extremely out of character... Hes a brilliant professor. His writings other professors cant even understand his writings. Something happened, we dont know. As for St. Patrick's, the Post notes that the church "installed state-of-the-art fire alarms and smoke detectors inside the iconic building" during its 2015 renovation... The attic, which like Notre-Dames is made of wood, was outfitted with a high-fog misting system and is monitored 24/7 using cameras, according to experts who worked on the project." The construction projects in India are witnessing a tremendous growth not just in size, but in complexity and incorporation of newer materials and concepts. Yet the current Project Management Consulting (PMC) industry in India lacks standardization of services and quality levels, while being posed with high competitiveness and cost pressure. Along with the presence of a wide variety of scope across the PMC realm, the new players witness low barriers for entry, thereby creating stiff competition for the well-established players. Therefore, there is a dearth of high-quality PMC service providers in India who can handle critical & landmark projects and there are few service providers who can deliver integrated, end-to-end project management services.Facilities And Building Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (FABS) is one such rare gem and a pioneer in crafting integrated and end-to-end PMC services with high quality, and bagging consistent outcomes since 2005. Be it resolving the present challenges or anticipating the future issues and risks, FABS stands at the forefront with proactive project management practices, and not restricting itself to only reporting the imminent issues or risks. The firm analyzes probable risks in every project, categorizes them based on their gravity, informs the clients on the same and accordingly crafts solutions that can manage these risks in time.Not only does the top management review potential risks every month, FABS project teams stay abreast of the problems that might transpire in the upcoming months along with the formulation of accurate remedial measures. For instance, during one of the clients projects, the firm carried out a thorough analysis and strictly advised them to elevate the complete level of the project by around 4.5 meters beside explaining them on the costs and benefits. Essentially, FABS project stood tall with no devastation while the entire surroundings of the project were flooded due to an unexpected one in 50 years rain event within just five months of the project being completed. One can only imagine the devastation and production loss if the flood water, mud, and muck would have got onto the factory floor. There are ample examples of such proactive thinking and solutions which FABS's clients have come to appreciate. The company also takes utmost care during project delays by identifying the requisitetechnology/method that can speed-up the process, and taking the clients into confidence on the overall advantages along with the impact of additional costs & time. Further, all the essential changes required to cope-up with the project delays are implemented with timely delivery, safety, and good quality.FABS shines as a partner of preference and true business partner for many reputed customers, while seamlessly expanding its customer base. The company pledges to provide excellent services with value for money across all project stages right from design and procurement, master scheduling & budgeting, to site management, commissioning and handover. Speaking on the companys way of work, P.S.Somasunder, Managing Director, FABS, articulates, Right from the moment we undertake our clients job, we put ourselves in their shoes and imbibe their essential values. He adds, We also ascertain their areas of concern at the earliest, provide a roadmap to address them and demonstrate action on the ground to give them the comfort that they are dealing with the right professionals of the right integrity and services of high-quality standards. For its MNC customers setting-up industrial projects, FABS undertakes the total Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) management role, including a selection of vendors as per their global audit standards. For the other market sectors that FABS operates in, it provides PMC services based on the scope choice of its customers. The flagship service offerings of FABS are Project and Construction Management (PMCM) and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM). "We are extremely proud that we have been able to work on projects across India with several renowned and globally reputed giants" Birth of FABS Kickstarting his career as a Management Trainee in 1982 at L&T, Somasunder soon became the Regional Project Manager at L&T in 1996 for Karnataka region. He later worked for a year at Doha-Qatar and then joined Bovis Lend Lease in 1999. While he was heading the Indian operations at Bovis Lend Lease, the company moved out of India due to certain strategic reasons. He then established FABS by in February 2005, and has not looked back since. During its journey of 14 years till date, FABS has successfully seen through two recessions in the industry, the significant changes in business environments created by Demonetization, RERA, and others successfully. The company today stands poised for further growth and expansion in the years ahead. FABS Strengths & Key Differentiators FABS has a powerful core team with accumulated experience of various geographies, sectors, and types of projects. Its members are directly involved as project directors or overseers in all projects, thereby assuring knowledge transfer to the ground teams and ensuring uniform work culture and ethics. The integration of all works or trades such as civil & structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, water treatment, effluent treatment, and others, besides adopting what the company calls inside-out design approach, enables the firm to comprehend its customers critical needs and accordingly devise integrated services. Process integration at FABS further ensures that the project infrastructure is fully integrated with the customers final requirements of their facilities, be it production, IT/ITeS services or others. Process integration and 'inside-out' design being our focus areas, we understand them clearly and work for the clients not as their external service providers, but true business partners/stakeholders, remarks Somasunder. Proven management systems and tools based on a person-independent process, committed and motivated teams & constant tracking and maintenance of time-cost-quality-safety spectrum gives FABS the edge in the market. Understanding Clients Visions Understanding clients business drivers, visiting their existing facilities and extensive interactions with their plant teams or similar businesses are vital for the firm to stay completely in tune with the customer requirements. Coupled with these aspects, the local & international exposure of the team members helps FABS in bringing the best practices to suit the local conditions of the clients projects. Clearly, the company holds the capability to transform the visions/aspirations of its clients into real facilities meeting all code Mumbai Realty developer K Raheja Corp and Mafatlal Group company Standard Industries have called off the deal for 62.25 acre of land parcel in Navi Mumbai's Ghansoli locality. In September 2016, K Raheja Corp had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire this plot for Rs 355 crore. As part of the agreement, Standard Industries, or the erstwhile Standard Mills, with interests in the textile business, was expected to transfer and assign its leasehold rights for the property at Trans-Thane Creek Industrial Area in the villages of Ghansoli and Savali. The transfer, assignment and consideration was subject to fulfillment of various conditions, including approval from Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation. However, both the parties have decided to terminate the agreement as some conditions have not been met yet. It could not be ascertained as to which conditions have not been fulfilled and has triggered the termination of this agreement. The plot was expected to be acquired by Feat Properties, a subsidiary of K Raheja Corp. According to property consultants, the land parcel has a total development potential of about 8 million sqft. ET's separate email queries to both K Raheja Corp and Standard Industries remained unanswered till the time of going to press. Standard Industries has already made a regulatory filing with regard to both the parties' mutual decision to cancel the transaction. Standard Industries, as part of its strategy to liquidate non-operating assets, has been disposing some of its immovable properties over the past few years. It may be recalled that Standard Industries had transferred and assigned its leasehold rights for a 30-acre plot, adjoining the said land parcel, to LOMA IT Park Developers, which is a 49% owned associate of Singapore-based CapitaLand, in April 2008. Kailash Babar, Economic Times, Mumbai Two years following the passage of a landmark law which gave low-income tenants facing eviction the right to a free attorney, a new bill has been introduced in the City Council to mandate city funding to tenant organizing groups so they can educate people on their legal rights. In 2017, New York became the first city in the nation to adopt the right-to-counsel law. But advocates say that most low-income tenants still do not know that they are entitled to a lawyer during eviction cases. Its about making them aware and having them exercise this right, said Lauren Springer, a tenant organizer in Queens who works with Catholic Migration Services, a nonprofit legal services provider. The right-to-counsel law is currently being rolled out by zipcode. To date, 345,000 households in the city are covered. Citywide implementation is expected by 2022. Prior to introducing the bill on Thursday, Council members Mark Levine and Vanessa Gibson held a press conference where they were flanked by tenant organizing groups from across the city. We are in an arms race with unscrupulous landlords, Levine said. We need to up our game to fight back against these evolving tactics. Gibson described the bill, which would require the city's Office of Civil Justice to work with and fund organizers, as taking the right-to-counsel law to the next level. The bill does not specify a funding amount. A spokesman for Levine said a budget could arise after City Council hearings. In 2018, as a result of the right-to-cousel law, the city spent $78 million in tenant legal services program. That amount is expected to ramp up each year until it reaches $155 million in 2022. Until recently, the percentage of tenants with legal representation in eviction cases has been tiny only 1 percent in 2013. But as a possible sign of the growing awareness of tenant rights, during the last quarter of 2018, 34% of tenants who appeared in eviction cases in Housing Court citywide had a lawyer, according to a 2018 Office of Civil Justice report. Of that total, 4% had received legal advice or other assistance through the city's tenant legal services programs. Both council members also urged the City Council to pass a related bill they introduced last year known as Right to Counsel 2.0, which would significantly expand the number of low-income New Yorkers covered under the law. Currently, only tenants making below 200 percent of the federal poverty line roughly $25,000 for a single individual and $50,000 for a family of four qualify for free legal representation. The Right to Counsel 2.0 bill would double those income limits by increasing the income eligibility to 400 percent of the federal poverty line. Evictions in New York City have been on the decline, a trend that the de Blasio administration has credited in part to the availability of free legal services required by the right-to-counsel law. In 2018, there were roughly 18,000 evictions by court marshals, a drop of 37 percent since 2013. Two other cities, San Francisco and Newark, have recently passed their own right to counsel laws. The Cleveland City Council is currently considering such legislation. New Yorks law had been three decades in the making, according Larry Wood, the director of the organizing law project at Goddard Riverside, a community organization in the Upper West Side. The push for the law stemmed from a critique that the city's housing court, where landlords are represented by a lawyer in 90 percent of cases, was serving as a de facto rent collection agency. It was an eviction mill, Wood said. In 2012, Community Action for Safe Apartments, a Bronx-based tenants rights group, began campaigning to reform the Bronx Housing Court, culminating in a groundbreaking report that compiled a list of recommended improvements, including the right to counsel. Because the city is being asked to provide greater funding, Wood said he expected there to be some debate over the new bill. But ultimately, he said, these measures are cost-effective for the city. It keeps people out of the shelters and it saves affordable housing, he said. Madras High Court has dismissed two writ petitions filed against the Presidential decision to rescind the Lok Sabha poll notification for the Vellore parliamentary constituency in the wake of complaints of large-scale distribution of cash to voters. Why the Lok Sabha Polls in the Vellore Constituency was cancelled? Lok Sabha election to the Vellore constituency was cancelled following the recovery of a huge amount of cash allegedly from a DMK candidates office. The Election Commission had decided to cancel the polls after the district police had filed a complaint against the accused, Kathir Anand (DMK Candidate from Vellore) as well as two party functionaries on the basis of a report from the Income Tax department on April 10. Observation made by the Madras High Court Writ petitions were filed by AIADMK candidate A.C. Shanmugam and independent candidate K. Sugumar, who sought a direction to the Election Commission (EC) to conduct polls for the Vellore constituency along with 38 others in the State on 18th April. The Supreme Court rejected the petitioners claim that the Constitution does not confer upon the President any power to countermand an election and, therefore, a gazette notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice notifying the decision of the President to rescind the poll notification should be declared ultra vires. The High Court pointed out that it was the EC that had made the recommendation for countermanding the polls to the President by exercising powers conferred on it under Article 324 of the Constitution, Section 21 of the General Clauses Act of 1897 and other enabling powers aimed at ensuring the conduct of free and fair elections. It was the President who had notified the polls on March 19 on the basis of a recommendation made by the EC and by exercising powers conferred on him under Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act of 1951. Hence President was right in rescinding the notification on the basis of ECs subsequent recommendation. From 1095 to 1291, Christian invaders fought against Muslim armies to claim the Near East in a series of religious wars that is now known as the Crusades.The armies of the Crusades were led by nobility, but the soldiers who took part in these historic invasions were ordinary men.Crusaders Buried In PitA new study, however, now offers a glimpse of the lives of these Crusaders soldiers and how they mixed with the locals.Chris Tyler-Smith, a genetics researcher at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and colleagues extracted DNAfrom the 13th-century remains of nine medieval crusaders. The remains were found in a mass burial pit near a crusader castle in Sidon, Lebanon.All nine men were killed violently, possibly in battle as suggested by the blunt force injuries found on their skulls and bones. The shoe buckles and a coin found with the remains helped researchers date the skeletons back to the time of the Crusades.DNA Analysis Sheds Light On Lives Of CrusadersSmith and colleagues then compared the newly extracted DNA from those of modern-day people and ancient individuals by analyzing mitochondrial DNAand Y-chromosomes.They found that only three of the individuals from the pit were from western Europe.Four of the remains were also found to be genetically very similar to modern-day Lebanese people, which suggests these men were from the area.Two of the men have a mix of European and near-east ancestry, which suggests they may have been the offspring of earlier crusaders or other Europeans who traveled and then settled to the region."We show that all of the Crusaders' pit individuals were males; some were Western Europeans from diverse origins, some were locals (genetically indistinguishable from present-day Lebanese), and two individuals were a mixture of European and Near Eastern ancestries, providing direct evidence that the Crusaders admixed with the local population," the researchers wrotein their study.Settling In Newly Established Christian StatesThe findings suggest that some of the soldiers who traveled from Europe to fight stayed in the newly established Christian states where they married local women and had families. Genetically diverse armies intermixed with the local population, had families, and even recruited them to their cause."Genomics gives an unprecedented view of the past and shows the Crusaders originated from western Europe and recruited local people of the near East to join them in battle. The Crusaders and near Easterners lived, fought and died side by side," Smith saidThe findings were published in the journal American Journal of Human Geneticson April 18. A 29-year-old woman has been killed after shots were fired and petrol bombs hurled amid riots in Northern Ireland, with police treating it as a 'terrorist incident'.Police appealed for calm as masked attackers threw bricks, bottles, petrol bombs and other debris at police vehicles in Londonderry on Thursday.Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said a murder investigation had been launched into the woman's death.'Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed,' he said.'We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry.'Irish nationalist Creggan is a large housing estate in the city of Londonderry.Freelance reporter Leona O'Neill said she was standing next to the shooting victim.'I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry,' O'Neill tweeted.'I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight.'O'Neill had earlier posted videos of police vehicles being pelted with what she said were dozens of petrol bombs, bricks, bottles and fireworks.The videos showed two vehicles were left in the middle of the street and lit on fire.Local media reports the violence erupted after police raids on houses in the Mulroy Park and Galliagh areas.The Police Service of Northern Ireland earlier said on Twitter: '(We) are appealing for calm after a number of shots have been fired and petrol bombs thrown in the Creggan area of Derry.'The BBC reportsdissident republicans are being blamed for the killing.The unrest comes ahead of the Easter weekend where republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Sky News in the UKsaid tensions have been building.Political leaders in Northern Ireland condemned the killing.Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of the republican Sinn Fein party, said 'this was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement'.Mark H Durkan, Social Democratic and Labour Party Member of the Legislative Assembly for Foyle, said he was 'angry at the senseless loss of a young life'.The detonation of a large car bomb outside a courthouse in Londonderry in January highlighted the threat still posed by militant groups opposed to a 1998 peace deal that largely ended three decades of violence in the British-run province. No one was injured in the blast.US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a congressional delegation to the city earlier on Thursday, as part of a trip to show support for the peace agreement politicians in Washington helped to broker.The leaders of Northern Ireland's two largest political parties, the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party and pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), both condemned the killing.'Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back,' the DUP's Arlene Foster said on Twitter.- With AAP. Bangladesh: Blue economy of Bangladesh by SHAHED SIDDIQUE April 19,2019 | Source: The Independent BD With Bangladesh still lagging behind in tapping the potential of the blue economy, France-based companies have shown interest in developing a holistic system for Bangladesh to make use of the blue economic potential. CLS, a specialist company in developing tracking systems, wants to map the fisheries resources and deploy a monitoring and tracking network for over 68,000 small and medium fishing trawlers in the country. The French company is a subsidiary of the French space agency CNES. For over 30 years, CLS has been supporting select, sustainable and responsible fisheries management. It recently showed interest in developing a comprehensive solution for Bangladesh, which it considers to be one of the richest countries in the world in terms of aquatic resources, especially after the country got an expanded area in the Bay of Bengal after the settlement of maritime dispute. Bangladesh settled its maritime boundary disputes with Myanmar in 2012 and with India in 2014 through arbitration. It is estimated that Bangladesh has acquired 118,813 square km in the Bay of Bengal. The areas of resources include 200 nautical miles of exclusive economic zone and over 354 nautical miles of resources on seabed (continental shelf). It is estimated that Bangladeshs marine resources constitute 81 per cent of it land resources. Experts believe within the jurisdiction of Bangladesh, the sea is endowed with immense and precious natural resources, living and non-living. Experts say that fish alone has 500 varieties besides snails, shell-fish, crabs, sharks, octopuses and other animals. Bangladesh is estimated to catch only 0.70 million tons of fish every year out of the total of 8 million tons of fish available in the Bay of Bengal. The World Bank in last October approved a $240 million Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project, which it thought would help improve fisheries management, expand marine-culture and strengthen aquaculture bio-security and productivity. Hasan Mahmud, Project Director of Sustainable Coastal and Marine Fisheries Project told The Independent recently that the project implementation will start within this year and that would be one of the important project for fisherman, fish stock and blue economy as well. We know our fishermen dont have any device to protect themselves from natural incidents and any other attack. One the other hand, we dont know how much fish stock there is in the Bay of Bengal. If we implement the project, we will be able to get a clear picture and to protect our fishermen, the project director added. We hope to start fully by 2020 and for that we are developing a policy, said Ahmed, adding that they would welcome the CLS initiative. Sources said the fisheries department was finalizing the draft of a project profile to get World Banks approval. A World Bank study said that the ocean contributes more than billions Dollar annually to the Bangladesh economy and has the potential to generate more income. At present, boats and trawlers are only able to reach as far as 70 km of the 660 km distance freely available for fishing, leaving more than 80 per cent of the total waters unexplored. Fish beyond 100 m depth are also not being harvested. France-based CLS has found that there is no data on stock assessment. Also, there is no data available on the entry of illegal fishing vessels and poaching inside the exclusive economic zone of Bangladesh. CLS experts say that to protect Bangladeshs fisheries resources, the country must track fishing vessels and the catches, and the company can provide solutions for both. Talking to the The Independent, Phillippe Roques, Chief Digital and Operations officer of CLS, said they were very interested in developing tracking solutions for the fishing trawlers of Bangladesh. The Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) developed by the CLS is the most modern and isequipped with the state-of-the-art technology, said Roques. Its installation in registered fishing trawlers and ships would help monitor their movement and protect marine resources, he added. He said their VMS devices were designed for small vessel needs and were equipped with SOS safety alert and weather alerts. They are also solar-powered. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has not finalized any plan for blue economy. Only a small administrative cell, Blue Economy Cell (BEC), was created in January 2017 under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, according to official sources. Golam Shafiq Uddin, Chief of BEC, told the Independent, We have failed to plan for our blue economy for the last seven years, although we got an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Bay of Bengal. We have not been able to approve any format to legalize the blue economy cell. But he said the blue economy had a great prospect for Bangladesh and countries like France were keen to extend their help to develop the potentials. For the last few years, the government has been trying to procure two research vessels to assess the fish and other potential of the countries exclusive economic zone in the Bay of Bengal. Frederic MONCANY de SAINT-AIGNAN, president of the France Maritime Cluster, an association of 430 companies involved in marine business in France, told reporters last month in Paris that the management of blue economy is important as the sea is rising, illegal and over fishing are a threat to the sea. But we have a plan to keep the fish stock intact and we have achieved that. In reply to a question he said, If Bangladesh needs any help to develop the blue economy, we are ready to share our experience in this regard. Maldives: MP withdraws Fishermens Bill to make amendments April 19,2019 | Source: Raajje The Fishermens Bill, which seeks to regulate the local fishing industry, has been withdrawn. The bill was proposed by Alifushi MP Mohamed Rasheed Hussain on behalf of the government. The bill has faced public criticism for requiring parties to seek the ministrys permission before pursuing any recreational fishing. After withdrawing the bill, MP Hussain said that he plans to make amendments in accordance with the public as he does not wish to propose any bill that hinders fishermen. Speaking to RaajjeMV, Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed said that she will meet with the Attorney General to discuss making the necessary amendments. Currently, parties need to get a license if they aim to export their catch but no license is required if they wish to sell it locally. However, the bill proposes that parties also seek a license before selling their catch in the Maldives market. The current Fishermens Act is now 31 years old and dictates the fines to be issued for illegal fishing, but the bill has not set any fines. The bill will allow the ministry to take fees before granting permission for any recreational or competitive fishing and the parties will only receive the permission for 14 days. - The bill has faced public criticism for requiring parties to seek the ministrys permission before pursuing any recreational fishing - MP Hussain said that he plans to make amendments in accordance with the public - Fisheries Minister Zaha Waheed said that she will meet with the Attorney General to discuss making the necessary amendments In the early morning of April 5, 1984, a prison vehicle brought me from the execution chamber to the front gates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, where I promptly bent over in the dark and threw up. I had just witnessed a man electrocuted to death at the hands of my state. His killing was a legal act, declared so by the U.S. Supreme Court. About 80 percent of Louisiana citizens supported it, and few church leaders publicly protested it. I was soon to learn it was not that our citizens' inherent vengefulness that led to popular support for the death penalty. The truth was that in the late 1970s, violent crime was on the rise, fear was palpable, and tough on crime politicians misled us into thinking that some criminals were so evil that only death was a fitting punishment. And surely, with the best system of justice in the world, the chances of condemning an innocent seemed negligible. Today, with 30-plus years of state executions and a whole lot of mistakes under our belts, we are beginning to see things differently. Per capita, our state has wrongfully condemned more people to death than any other state. Consider Glenn Ford, who was exonerated after almost 30 years on death row, then died one year later of lung cancer. Or ask John Thompson, who spent 18 years in prison, 14 on death row, because a prosecutor had hidden blood evidence ultimately used for Thompsons exoneration. Or ask Manuel Ortiz, a courageous man whose innocence I believe in and whose spiritual adviser I am privileged to be, accompanying him and fighting for his release as he agonizes through 27 years in the hell hole of Louisianas death row. Louisiana is not alone in its wrongful convictions. As of April 2019, 165 wrongfully convicted death row prisoners have been exonerated. When you look at the practice of the death penalty, mistakes are inevitable. Some 98 percent of people tried for capital murder are poor and cannot hire crackerjack defense lawyers, which means that the truth often does not come out at trial. Death penalty cases are expensive to prosecute, too, because the penalty is final, and trials and appeals are complicated. Those convicted spend 19 years, on average, on death row, forcing victims families to endure years of appeals under a public spotlight. What if we took the millions of dollars spent on a handful of capital cases and funded support services for victims instead? Or redirected resources into educating and mentoring at-risk kids to help prevent violent crimes from happening in the first place? As we conclude Holy Week, we have for the third year bipartisan bills to repeal the death penalty before the House (HB 215) and Senate (SB 112). Louisiana has the chance to become the first Deep South state to end the death penalty. And now, for the first time, an initiative is being launched for the full force of Catholic young people across the state to join forces with their bishops through larepeal.org to turn Louisiana from a death state to a life state. As we have seen with young people from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida seeking to end gun violence, and with the million students from 120 countries who marched to address climate change, when young people, our future, are on the move, theres hope. Holy Week: What a perfect season to turn death to life in Louisiana. Source: theadvocate.com , Sr. Helen Prejean, April 18, 2019. Sister Helen Prejean, a Baton Rouge native and member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, is an internationally recognized opponent of the death penalty. She's authored three books, including "Dead Man Walking" and the forthcoming "River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey." She writes at sisterhelen.org | 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 first time Nusela Harun saw her son after his arrest, he had cigarette burns all down his neck in geometric patterns. It was as if they enjoyed drawing on his neck," she told Middle East Eye. The nerves in his hands were damaged because of how he was hanged from his wrists during interrogations - Nusela Harun, mother of Ahmed el-Shal Harun, a lawyer, has already lost one son. Her eldest, Khaled el-Shal, was killed by Egyptian security forces along with nearly 1,000 others during the Rabaa massacre in 2013. Now shes worried shes about to lose another son, Ahmed el-Shal, who has been condemned to death on the back of an apparently false confession extracted from the 30-year-old through torture. He would join the 15 young men executed in Egypt since the beginning of 2019, convicted in trials the United Nations has poured doubts on and in a process described by one rights group as a human rights crisis. Alongside Shal, nearly 50 others face imminent execution. Ahmed disappears Shal and Haruns ordeal began on 28 February 2014, when they visited Khaleds grave in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura where the family lives. Tending Khaleds grave had become a weekly ritual ever since he was shot dead in Cairos Rabaa al-Adaweya Square, as security forces cracked down on supporters of toppled president Mohamed Morsi following a 2013 military coup. News from friends and neighbours on returning home, however, would upend that routine completely. Abdullah Metwalli, the bodyguard of a judge who controversially tried Morsi in a trial condemned by Human Rights Watch as badly flawed, had been shot dead earlier that morning. According to reports, Metwalli had been riding down the Mansoura motorway, when a gunman apparently pulled up beside him and shot him in the head. 3 days after the murder, the state security prosecution issued arrest warrants to 18 people accusing them of forming a militant cell to kill Metwalli. A week later, on 6 March, Shal disappeared on his way to the nearby university where he was studying. Shal never hid his opposition to the military coup or Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, the general who led it before becoming president. He and his friends took part in regular, peaceful sit-ins to protest Morsi's ousting. But he never resorted to violence, even after his brother was killed in Rabaa, Harun told MEE. Shal, now 30, had just finished medical school and was doing an extra year of practice. He dreamed of being a paediatrician. He was planning to travel to the US to continue his studies, Harun said. Hours after Shals arrest, security forces raided Haruns home without a warrant. They searched the house and turned everything upside down, she said. They attempted to extract confessions from me that Ahmed was intending to kill police officers in retaliation for the killing of his brother in Rabaa, Shals mother recalled. It seemed like deja vu. Following Khaleds killing, authorities had arrested and tortured another of her sons, Osama. Osama managed to flee Egypt, fearing for his life. This time, Shal wouldnt be so lucky. Televised 'confession' From that moment on, Shals judicial process has been irregular and highly problematic. It has also been violent. Almost exactly a year after he was arrested, a sober-looking Shal appeared on television beside two co-defendants. As a microphone was passed between them, the youths confessed to Metwallis murder. Shal, with dark rings around his eyes, said he shot at the judges bodyguard 6 times from the back of a motorbike. Interspersed with the confessions is footage of a table covered with arms the 3 allegedly possessed. Assault rifles, handguns, knives, a shotgun and piles of ammunition. It was the first time Harun had seen her son since he was arrested. "I was about to lose my mind," she said about watching the footage. "I felt I didn't recognise him as my son. When we met later after the video, he told me, 'I had to do this for your sake' because they threatened they would rape me if he didn't confess." 10 days passed until she got word of him again, when a lawyer told Shals family that he was being held in the notorious maximum security Scorpion Prison on the outskirts of Cairo. They threatened to rape me in front of him. This is when he agreed to recite their confession on tape - Nusela Harun, Ahmed el-Shal's mother Eventually, three months later, Shal and 23 others were referred by the prosecution to the criminal court on charges of joining the banned Muslim Brotherhood group that Morsi was a prominent member of. Some of the defendants were accused of premeditated murder and others faced charges of being accomplices. After a three-year trial, in June 2017, Egypts highest appeals court upheld the death penalty for 6 defendants: Shal, Basem Mohsen Elkhorieby (also known as Bassem Mohsen), Khaled Askar, Mahmoud Mamhouh Wahba, Ibrahim Yahia Azab and Abd Elrahman Attia. All but one were students . Shal is the main defendant in what became known as the Mansoura Guard Murder case, accused of shooting Metwalli. The other 5 were convicted of being his accomplices. Slapped, stripped and strung up According to Harun, however, the conviction was primarily based on false confessions drawn out of Shal through deadly torture. After being electrocuted and raped with a stick, Shal still refused to tell his torturers what they wanted to hear, Harun said. It was then that they threatened to rape Harun in front of him, she said. "This is when he agreed to recite their confession on tape. After recording the confession, Shal was transferred to the national security agency headquarters blindfolded. An officer threatened to torture him again if he ever retracted his confession, his mother said. Harun said she read her sons torture testimony six months after it was taken. When Harun received a copy, the lawyer immediately filed a complaint with the attorney-general, but no investigation was ever conducted. Shal told his mother that he attended a hearing with the attorney-general on 21 March, without a lawyer, and told him that he was innocent and forced to confess. This was also ignored, she said. Middle East Eye has obtained an official copy of Shals testimony during an interrogation, noted down by his legal representatives. In it, Shal describes in detail abuse meted out by security forces. Ahmed el-Shal's torture testimony I deny all the charges, because I was not fully conscious when I said what I said before. When I was arrested, I was taken to the Mansoura police headquarters, blindfolded, slapped on my face, electrocuted, and hung on a door from my underarms. When I was arrested they blindfolded me, and someone started kicking me, but I dont know who he was because I was blindfolded. "Then someone electrocuted me on my face, then I was taken to the room of an officer, who stripped me of my trousers and hung me from my hands and feet on a stick; then someone started inserting a stick into my anus repeatedly, and he turned it, and another one started electrocuting me on my legs and neck. "Then they removed the blindfolds and I saw an officer whose name is Sherif Abu el-Naga. This was the same officer who asked me to take off my trousers then asked me to put them on. Afterwards they hung me on the door from my underarms. When they took me down, I felt that my hands were paralysed. I dont know who raped me with a stick, because my head was on the other side. I have bruises on my shoulder and neck, and burns because they burnt it with cigarette butts. He says he was slapped, stripped, strung up and electrocuted. According to Shals testimony, Egyptian authorities also raped him using a stick. Someone started inserting a stick into my anus repeatedly, and he turned it, and another one started electrocuting me on my legs and neck, Shal recounts in his testimony. All the defendants in Shals case have recanted their confessions. 'Arbitrary deprivation of life' The confession that Shal says is false and was forced out of him has not only condemned him, but gravely affected his due process as a defendant. It has been used by the prosecution to justify questioning Shal without the presence of legal representation. Meanwhile, the airing of the defendants confessions on national television ahead of their trial has been condemned by the Geneva-based rights group Committee for Justice, which said it violated the principle of the "presumption of innocence". It said the prosecutors were aware that torture took place in national security agency offices, but failed to uphold impartiality towards the defendants as it overlooked the torture testimonies. There is no accountability where trials are characterised by a myriad of irregularities, including torture - Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur In addition to confessions, the prosecution primarily relied on the testimony of an Egyptian intelligence officer, Ahmed Khedr Abulmaati, who cited secret sources as the source of his information. Meanwhile, much evidence used in the trial was marred by major inconsistencies, according to a letter to the Egyptian government from independent UN experts. The bullets collected from Metwallis body did not match the rifle that was said to have been confiscated from Shal and supposedly used to kill the bodyguard. Moreover, the motorbike said to have been used in the murder was a different colour to the one described by state security officers at the time. And a crime scene report indicated that the killer must have been standing near the victim at the time of the crime, rather than riding a motorbike. Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, and one of the UN experts tasked with investigating the case, told MEE that the Egyptian government insisted in responses to her letters that the sentences were imposed in the context of Egypts war against terrorism. She condemned the death sentences imposed in the case, criticising the international community for its deafening silence towards the growing number of executions in the country. Those responsible for attacks and killings must be held accountable for their crimes. But there is no accountability where trials are characterised by a myriad of irregularities, including torture, she said. Death sentences in such cases amount to arbitrary deprivation of life. 'Barely surviving' Shal is not well. Harun said her son had two brain surgeries to remove tumours, affecting his balance. Though he dreamed of riding horses, he was never able to, Harun said. He couldnt ride motorbikes for that reason either, she added pointedly. Shals lawyers said during the trial that his condition would prevent him from firing accurately at any target, let alone a moving one from the back of a motorbike. Its impossible, Harun added. Now Shal is being held in Wadi Natroun prison, in a tiny cell only just long enough for him to stretch out to sleep, Harun says. He is allowed to leave his cell for 1 hour a day. They have no toilet. They use bags and buckets to relieve themselves, Harun said. Things are tough at home too, as Harun and her family are caught in limbo, fearing the worst. Life is very difficult after the death of Khaled and the arrest of Ahmed. We are barely surviving. | 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 middleeaseeye.net, Staff, April 18, 2019 FOCUS ON DEFENSE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND OCEANIA 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 Tara Haelle's new book, Vaccination investigation made her a natural for the TED talk above, which focuses on the vaccine hesitancy and vaccine refusal that has been increasingly erupting into unpredictable disease outbreaks that are difficult to contain. her goal was to explain what underlies the irrational fear, that is being adopted by the anti-Science Party (AKA- the Republicans). Trump, for example, likes to carry on in public about crazy and disproven conspiracy theories linking vaccinations to autism. Can we really blame this new threat on the GOP? You better believe it ! Arthur Allen reported foryesterday evening that "most Republicans are rejecting Democrat-led state bills to tighten childhood immunization laws in the midst of the worst measles outbreak in two decades, alarming public health experts who fear the nation could become as divided over vaccines as it is over global warming. Democrats in six states-- Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, New York and Maine-- have authored or co-sponsored bills to make it harder for parents to avoid vaccinating their school-age children, and mostly faced GOP opposition. Meanwhile in West Virginia and Mississippi, states with some of the nations strictest vaccination laws, Republican lawmakers have introduced measures to expand vaccine exemptions, although its not yet clear how much traction they have." A handful of Republican physicians are trying to combat this lunacy-- including Bill Cassidy (LA), Phil Roe (TN) Michael Burgess (TX) and Brad Wenstrup (OH), but they're not getting anywhere. All states have mandatory vaccination laws, but they vary in how liberally they dispense exemptions on religious or philosophical grounds. Thats getting scrutiny as measles spreads. Democrats present bills tightening the loopholes as science-based and necessary to fight disease, while sometimes demeaning their foes as misguided or selfish anti-vaxxers. Republicans portray themselves as equally enthusiastic about the life-saving virtues of vaccines, but many are loath to diminish the right of parental control over their childrens bodies, and yield that power to the government. ...Fed by major epidemics in Israel and in Europe, measles has punctured the U.S. barrier of immunity at multiple points of entry in whats shaping up to be the worst year for the disease since 1993, with 555 cases through early April. Outbreaks in six states include hundreds of cases in ultra-Orthodox communities in Brooklyn and Rockland County, N.Y. And the numbers are growing. What if God forbid someone dies? said Jeff Dinowitz, a Bronx assemblyman whose bill to limit religious exemptions has nine Democratic co-sponsors-- but no Republican backers-- in the New York Assembly. Andrew Raia, ranking Republican on the New York Assemblys health committee, said he wouldn't support the bill. While not totally convinced by constituents who link their childrens autism on vaccines, and unaware of any real religious injunction against vaccination, he said, Im not a religious leader, and Im not a scientist either, so its my job to weigh both sides. ...Since becoming president, Trump has dropped the subject and scrapped a plan to create a commission led by Kennedy Jr. to investigate a supposed coverup of vaccines supposed harms by public health officials. But officials worry they are three Trump tweets away from an even more polarized situation, noted MIT political scientist Adam Berinsky, who has studied communication around politicized public health and scientific issues. In Texas, the Tea Party and related groups created an anti-vax PAC in 2015. It hasnt yet gotten its chosen candidates elected, but the very existence of a vaccine-oriented political action committee shows the political salience is growing. Influential voices on the right, including Rush Limbaugh, Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones, have all raised suspicions about vaccines. Theres a credulity gap between the parties in regard to science that wasnt there 25 years ago, Berinsky said. And Trump could easily inflame the vaccine skepticism, should he weigh in. For a large share of the highly polarized U.S. population, at the end of the day its not the arguments people are making, but who is making them, Berinksy said. ...A century of vaccination laws has shown that states with the strictest ones have lower burdens of vaccine-preventable disease. Scourges including smallpox, polio and diphtheria have been eliminated. Rules generally get tighter following big outbreaks of disease, and groups like the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics have used the measles outbreak to push for an end to state laws that allow people to refuse vaccination of their kids on religious or philosophical grounds. In 1972, during a measles epidemic in Los Angeles, public health authorities kept 50,000 children out of school until their parents could prove they were vaccinated. The success of that effort led to a nationwide push for stricter laws and more enforcement. After 89 people, mostly children, died in a 1990 measles epidemic, millions of dollars were poured into expanding vaccine availability for the poor, and in 2000, the disease stopped circulating in the United States. Since then, every case has been linked to visitors from overseas-- although the virus has then spread here among the growing pockets of vaccine shunners. Short version: Russia helped Trump and Trump welcomed their help. Whatever Barr and Trump cooked up for Fox and Trump's dumbbell 35% of the country, Mueller's report is a cornucopia of collusion and obstruction-- every damn thing you ever thought he and his treasonous enablers might have done. Mueller's got it all in there-- except for the pee-tape and a confession from Trump and his family of grifters. Soon after he read the report, Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, stated flatly: "Whether these acts are criminal or not, whether the obstruction was criminal or not, or whether these contacts were sufficiently illicit to rise to the level of criminal conspiracy, they are unquestionably dishonest, unethical, immoral, and unpatriotic." He left off one word: impeachable. Next move is Pelosi's. Mueller certainly found that Putin was gung ho on making sure Trump would become president. He kept in touch and his gang and Trump's gang occasionally worked together to further the same ends, which Trump had Cohen continue with the Trump Tower Moscow project-- while overtly lying about it to the voters. There's no doubt that Mueller believed Kushner-in-law and Junior were both committing criminal acts. Mueller makes it clear that there was very active coordination in regard to the stolen DNC e-mails and that Trump personally knew what was going on before anything happened. Manafort appears to be a key intermediary and went as far as targeting Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania for the Kremlin's attention. And on top of that-- lot and lots and lots of obstruction of justice-- and really blatantly so. The first thing he did when he heard Mueller had been appointed Special Counsel was to say his "presidency is over." I guess he wasn't counting on a risk-adverse Nancy Pelosi letting him off the hook. Trump dangled pardons in front of every one of his enablers and co-conspirators. Wired-- Garrett Graf's take for-- The Mueller Report Is Much Worse For Trump Than Barr Let On -- makes the point that if Trump isnt guilty of obstruction of justice, who ever could be? Mueller's report outlined spent well over 100 pages outlining how Trump "reacted to and fumed over the Russia probe, seeking to undermine it, curtail it, and even fire the special counsel himself." Barr's behavior since getting his hands on the report has been an integral part of the cover-up and p.r. campaign to give Trump cover. Barr misrepresented Muellers reasoning for not making a "traditional prosecutorial decision" on the obstruction half of his investigation... "Moreover, Mueller makes clear that part of the reason he couldnt find a prosecutable conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia was because he was stymied by lies, obstruction, and evidence deleted by his investigative targets. 'The Office cannot rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on (or cast in a new light) the events described in the report,' Mueller wrote. In one specific example, Mueller says he was unable to reconcile the purpose of a long-mysterious meeting in the Seychelles because two key figures, campaign chair Paul Manafort and Blackwater founder Erik Prince, had deleted their exchanges about the meeting." Barr should resign or be impeached The attorney general has implied that Mueller left that choice to Barr. In truth, the report makes clear that Mueller felt constrained by the Justice Department policy that a sitting president could not be indicted. Dont mistake lack of prosecution, in other words, for absence of wrongdoing. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president did not obstruct justice, we would so state, Muellers report says. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Mueller then points to Congress, not the attorney general, as the body appropriate to answer the question of obstruction. As Mueller wrote in what seems to be all but a referral for impeachment proceedings, The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the Presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balanced and the principle that no person is above the law. That the contents of the Mueller report diverges so sharply from Barrs portrayal has long seemed possible, based on his initial summary and subsequent appearance before Congress. Barr was appointed, after all, after writing a memo casting the Mueller investigation as illegitimate. In the hours leading up to the reports release, that suspicion increased sharply. Ninety minutes before the public had a chance to read the report, Barr held an odd and at times curt 22-minute press conference in which he re-summarized his views, presenting an argument that made him sound more like the presidents personal defense attorney rather than the nations chief law enforcement officer. The special counsel found no collusion, said Barr. Thats the bottom line. Barr went on to stress how frustrating the Russia probe was to the president, asking reporters to consider Donald Trumps emotions and mental state. Barr further praised Donald Trump for fully cooperating, ignoring the presidents refusal to sit for an interview with Muellers investigators, along with the fact that Trump tried at least once to fire the special counsel, consistently attacked the legitimacy of the investigation in public, and openly encouraged witnesses not to cooperate. Barr also never mentioned that a half-dozen of the presidents top campaign aides-- including the former campaign chairman, deputy campaign chairman, national security advisor, and personal lawyer-- have all pleaded guilty to crimes stemming from the probe. The true scope and implications of Muellers work didnt sink in until over an hour later, when the report itself was posted to the Justice Departments website. It quickly became clear that the report didnt line up with the rose-colored glasses with which Barr had presented it over the preceding month. The contrast was especially stark in the matter of obstruction. The 10 episodes the report details include a Trump lawyers attempt attempt to keep national security advisor Michael Flynn from implicating the president, and Trumps attempts to pressure White House counsel to cover up or stall the investigation of national security advisor Michael Flynn in the opening days of the presidency, and Trump instructing White House counsel Don McGahn to deny that Trump had ever ordered him to fire Mueller. Trump also, the report says, complained that McGahn kept notes of their meetings. There was, Mueller also concludes, good reason for the president to attempt to obstruct the ongoing FBI probe. The evidence does suggest indicate that a thorough FBI investigation would uncover facts about the campaign and the President personally that the President could have understood to be crimes or that would give rise to personal or political concerns, Mueller wrote. After reading through the numerous episodes, it seems almost nothing short of a miracle that Muellers probe appears to have wrapped up on his own terms, though not for lack of effort on Trumps part to derail it. Instead, Mueller paints a picture of a commander-in-chief who fought back in private and public against the probe, but was ultimately saved from his worst instincts by aides like McGahn, who cooperated extensively with Muellers probe and testified for some 30 hours before his team. The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, the report reads, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Hoyer was whining immediately afterwards, telling CNN's Dana Bash that "based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgement." Even CAP disagrees: their Moscow Project insists that "the Mueller report, like the Watergate roadmap, should be considered an impeachment referral ." Pelosi and Hoyer and the timid members of their always timid caucus need to get it through their skulls that "The parallels between the Watergate roadmap and Muellers report could not be clearer. Like Jaworskis report, the story Mueller tells is incredibly damning. His report describes a concerted effort by the Trump campaign to further an unprecedented attack on American democracy, followed by a years-long attempt to cover up their actions." If Pelosi and Hoyer can't do their duty, they should both resign already. McKinsey is a worldwide management consulting firm which conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis to evaluate management decisions across public and private sectors. Their clientele includes 80% of the world's largest corporations. McKinsey's culture has often been compared to a religion or a cult because of the influence, loyalty and zeal of its members. McKinsey's fingerprints can be found at the scene of some of the most spectacular corporate and financial debacles of recent decades, from Enron, the 2008 financial meltdown and ICE to authoritarian regimes in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Ukraine. Peter Pumpkinhead came to town Spreading wisdom and cash around Fed the starving and housed the poor Showed the Vatican what gold's for But he made too many enemies Of the people who would keep us on our knees Hooray for Peter Pumpkin Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead? Oh my! Peter Pumpkinhead pulled them all Emptied churches and shopping malls Where he spoke, it would raise the roof Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth But he made too many enemies... Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame Governments who would slur his name Plots and sex scandals failed outright Peter merely said Any kind of love is alright But he made too many enemies... Peter Pumpkinhead was too good Had him nailed to a chunk of wood He died grinning on live TV Hanging there he looked a lot like you And an awful lot like me! But he made too many enemies... Hooray for Peter Pumpkin Who'll pray for Peter Pumpkin Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead Oh my oh my oh! Doesn't it make you want to cry oh? - One of Andy Partridge's crazier songs Alas, a lot of people I know tell me they like Mayor Pete. I'm not going to called him "Mayor Pete" any longer. I'll stick to Pete Buttigieg, now that I can spell it, or McKinsey, Pete since it describes him better, in my mind, than "Mayor Pete." It was easy to persuade my youngest sister to forget about Pete. I asked her to read this so we could talk about his candidacy apart from the sharp and apparently very effective p.r. initiatives by the magical Lis Smith. My sister, I'm happy to relay, is back on Team Bernie and persuading everyone she knows that McKinsey Pete needs to be as well-investigated as Beto was before everyone she knows dropped him too. But my sister is easy. Next week I'll be speaking to a roomful of evangelical-pastors-for-Pete. That's going to be a much harder not to crack; many are absolutely smitten. At one time folks who are falling for Pete, were falling for Jim Messina-- not the musician, the other one-- for the same reasons. I think Messina's fallen for Pete too. Just a hunch. Although someone seems to have dug up fellow management consultant Messina to spread a little Bernie-hate around this week. Jonathan Karl wasn't satisfied that every poll shows Bernie beating Trump and he wanted to ask Pete-doppleganger Messina the burning question on his podcast Messina: No Karl: Why? Messina: "I think if you look at swing voters in this country they are incredibly focused on the economy. I think today you look at it and say that Bernie Sanders is unlikely going to be able to stand up to the constant barrage that is Donald Trump on economic issues." Huh? Obama was lucky Messina managed the re-elect campaign, not the election. Although, notably, the first time through, Obama 69,498,516 won (52.9%) to 59,948,323 (45.7%) with 365 electoral votes, and the Messina time he only won 65,915,795 (51.1%) to 60,933,504 (47.2%), with 332 electoral votes. wait to work with Baucus' guy Messina, aka- "the fixer." After utterly ruining OFA, he opened his own lobbying firm, the Messina Group (although claims he doesn't personally lobby, only consults) and became a consultant to the British Conservative Party, helping them successfully beat the Labour Party in 2015 and then lose the Brexit vote soon after. (He was also a consultant for Spain's far right prime minister, Mariano Rajoy and, later, very unsuccessfully for Theresa May.) I remember Messina when he was Max Baucus' guy, when Baucus was a super-conservative Dem in the Senate, right up there with Joe Lieberman and Joe Biden, fucking up the country from his perch as chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, where he was able to prevent Medicare-for-All, while taking immense bribes from the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries-- something he now says he regrets. He also prevented DC from getting statehood, helped get the U.S. into war with Iraq and pass Bush's tax cuts, spread, ironically , his Messina-inspired homophobia , and was able to make sure Biden's anti-working family bankruptcy bill passed. What a legacy! Obama couldn'tto work with Baucus' guy Messina, aka- "the fixer." After utterly ruining OFA, he opened his own lobbying firm, the Messina Group (although claims he doesn't personally lobby, only consults) and became a consultant to the British Conservative Party, helping them successfully beat the Labour Party in 2015 and then lose the Brexit vote soon after. (He was also a consultant for Spain's far right prime minister, Mariano Rajoy and, later, very unsuccessfully for Theresa May.) A couple of years ago, Alex Nichols nailed him as a case study in political failure-- How did a Much-Hyped, Highly Paid Political Consultant Amount To Nothing? He exposes him and other "consultants, strategists, and data wonks" like him as "grifters and frauds" Messina was a favorite of wonks until relatively recently. A 2012 Bloomberg profile titled Obamas CEO provides a perfect distillation of Messinas carefully cultivated image, comparing his storytelling abilities to TED Talks and praising him for learning from the executives at Google, Facebook, and Zynga. The article goes: Messina is convinced that modern presidential campaigns are more like fast-growing tech companies than anything found in a history book and his own job is like that of the executives who run them. This may have been the last time anyone was positively compared to Zynga, the mobile gaming giant that lost 85 percent of its value that year, but it was eerily prescient. While Messina pushed Obama and Congressional Democrats to satisfy the every whim of corporate lobbyists, he took the opposite approach to the grassroots activists who propelled Obama to victory in 2008. Messina convinced Obama to stall his campaign promise to repeal Dont Ask, Dont Tell for nearly three years before he finally capitulated to increasingly furious progressives in 2010. Messina was designated the liaison to the Common Purpose Project, a coalition of progressive groups like Planned Parenthood and the Center for American Progress. Members of these groups complained that during meetings, Messina used his influence to try to stifle any criticism of Baucus or lobbying by progressive groups that was out of sync with the administrations agenda. An anonymous Democratic strategist told The Nation in 2011 that There is not a bone in [Messinas] body that speaks to or comprehends the idea of a movement and that grassroots energy. To me, thats bothersome. In hindsight, the string of spectacular failures Messinas career has wrought seems inevitable. His successes were not exactly successes; he rose to prominence as the campaign strategist for a senator who had unlimited corporate funding and no opposition. Obamas victories with Messina, it would appear, were the result of his remarkable charisma and speaking abilities, which Al Gore, John Kerry, and Hillary Clinton sorely lacked. The grassroots support that Obama garnered in 2008 existed despite Messinas campaign strategies, not because of them. In 2008, Obama was aided by Bushs abysmal approval rating, Iraq War fatigue, the worst economic downturn since 1929, and Sarah Palin. In 2012, the GOP made the terrible decision to ignore the surge in grassroots anti-government hysteria and instead run a flip-flopping coward. The candidates in those elections won or lost mostly because of their individual qualities, not because of gifted strategists or lack thereof. Messinas disastrous failures are not his alone. The cottage industry of political consultancy is built to swindle campaigns. The expensive strategies recommended by top consultants bring to mind a mechanic selling a series of unnecessary repairs and upgrades to a car-illiterate customer. Everyone gets the premium windshield wipers -- the stock ones snap like a twig. Campaign in Labour strongholds rather than defending your own seats. Working-class voters will turn out if you promise to bring back the ivory trade and legalize fox hunting. But, like any form of embezzlement, this kind of salesmanship works best during an economic bubble, and when the bubble pops, everyone suddenly starts paying closer attention to the budget. Faced with the possibility that they may never win again, establishment politicians have no choice but to clean house. If even a faint shadow of meritocracy still exists in London and D.C., the closest Jim Messina will ever get to politics again is if the Capitol Building hires him as a janitor. Unless the Establishment is able to make another soulless consultant, the doppleganger, win. Harry Enten for CNN : "Buttigieg's core support may position him to seem more popular to national media than he actually is... Buttigieg does best among wealthier Democrats. Take a look at recent polling from California ( Quinnipiac University ), Iowa ( Monmouth University ) and nationally ( Quinnipia ). In all three cases, Buttigieg's support more than doubles as one goes from voters making less than $50,000 to greater than $100,000. The jump is rather dramatic in the Iowa poll, which had Buttigieg at 7% among those earning less than $50,000 and at 15% with those earning more than $100,000. The national media tends to live in the wealthiest areas. The New York City and Washington, DC, metropolitan areas are both in the top 3% for per capita incomes among metro or micropolitan areas. Buttigieg also seems to be doing his best among white Democrats. His support among white Democrats in the Quinnipiac poll of California and nationally stood at 8% and 6% respectively. Among the nonwhite crosstab listed in those places (Hispanics in California and African-Americans nationally), it was at 2% and 0% respectively." not? I bet he's even better than Trump at it. Just what we need in a president! But he sure understands the power of branding and marketing . How could you come out of McKinsey and? I bet he's even better than Trump at it. Just what we need in a president! Apart from being flavors of the week that no one knew anything about, Beto and Pete have something else in common: two gentrifiers. Reporting from South Bend for BuzzFeedNews , Henry Gomez wrote that Pete's gentrification plan included knocking down hundreds of homes in black and Latino neighborhoods. "Buttigieg, the improbable, suddenly upper-tier Democratic contender, treats the initiative as an unfailing example of his executive leadership and one that shows why the mayor of South Bend, Indiana (population 102,000), deserves a promotion to the White House. Buttigieg gave himself a nice, round-numbered goal and an urgent deadline: 1,000 vacant and abandoned houses bulldozed or repaired within 1,000 days. Then he finished ahead of schedule." In some ways, it was a classic example of data-driven management paying off, Buttigieg writes in his recent political memoir. But the most important impact of the effort was unquantifiable. Hitting such an ambitious goal made it easier for residents to believe we could do very difficult things as a city, at a time when civic confidence had been in short supply for decades. But the story of what happened in between-- of an ambitious white leader literally plowing ahead before addressing concerns in the community of color-- is not the story Buttigieg, 37, tells. You wont read about that part in his book. You likely wont hear about it when Buttigieg, who would be the youngest and first openly gay president, preaches intergenerational justice, or Sunday, when he's expected to officially launch his campaign from the city's revitalized downtown. The fallout from his approach to urban redevelopment has relevance in a primary where candidates promote economic and racial equality. The 1,000 Houses in 1,000 Days program promoted neither, at least not at first, in the minds of critics who spoke to BuzzFeed News. ... The mayors data-driven approach, which he nurtured in his twenties as a consultant for the global management firm McKinsey & Co., has impressed the council president. Theres a lot of concern sometimes to try new things, Scott said. Pete was really good about trying new things. He always has data. To others, the Buttigieg way is often too rigid, and devoid of the human touch. If youre going to argue with him, you better have some good data, said one critic, who requested anonymity for fear of political retaliation in a city where Buttigieg easily won reelection in 2015. But hell still tell you he has better data. One thing before we get to Type O Negative. When Messina told Jonathan Karl that he feels Bernie can't beat Trump because if you just "look at swing voters in this country they are incredibly focused on the economy [and] Bernie Sanders is unlikely going to be able to stand up to the constant barrage that is Donald Trump on economic issues," there was virtually no sense at all being made. And Karl didn't challenge him. Did they not watch the Fox News town hall from Bethlehem, PA, Trump-country? Everyone else seems to have been watching it . According to Nielsen it was the most-watched town hall of the 2020 campaign so far (2.5 million viewers), totally beating MSNBC and CNN town halls, for Bernie and for all of the other candidates. It brought in 489,000 viewers between the ages of 25 and 54-- a key demographic for cable-news advertisers-- trouncing CNNs 281,000 tally and MSNBCs 208,000. So... McKinsey Pete's handlers are already negotiating with Fox for his own town hall. Who was in that audience that wound up chanting "Bernie, Bernie, Bernie" by the end, that audience where it looked like everyone was ready to tear up their private insurance card and sign on for Medicare-For-All on the spot? Looks like someone's gettin' a lane Bethlehem is a small city of around 75,000 that spans the border between Leigh and Northampton counties, just east of Allentown. Charlie Dent had represented the area since 2004 but he retired and Democrat Susan Wild beat Republican Marty Nothstein to replace him. In 2016, Hillary beat Bernie in both counties during the primary and then in the general, Hillary beat Trump by just over 4 points in Lehigh County and Trump beat Hillary by around the same margin in Northampton County. There were lots of Trump voters and Hillary voters and they don't seem to have the same problem with Bernie that the consulting class does. OK, you earned it-- Type O Negative, goth from Brooklyn. (Spoiler: they changed Joe to Pete in the song, not because of Buttigieg but because the lead singer is Peter Steele.) Big Tobacco was once a much bigger player in congressional politics than it is now. As recently as 1990, the sector was handing out hefty bribes on a bipartisan basis. That year the tobacco companies gave $1,139,125 to Reoublicans and $1,012,249 to Democrats.That year the two top tobacco bribe takers were Senators Mitch McConnell ($60,650) and Jesse Helms ($57,280). Of the top 120 House members gobbling up money that allowed Big Tobacco to continue causing a cancer epidemic only ONE is still in the House: the stinking of corruption Majority Leader Steny Hoyer ($6,450). Almost 2 decades later and it's a different picture. Now over half the Tobacco bribes go to Republicans. In 2018, they gave Republican campaigns $1,667,780 and Democrats just $628,839. In the House all their top bribery recipients were Republicans until you got down to the 12th biggest sleaze-ball, Kyrsten Sinema. So for last cycle only, here's the who's who whores of Big Tobacco in the House: George Holding (R-NC)- $57,755 Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)- $48,350 Tom Cole (R-OK)- $32,565 Mark Walker (R-NC)- $30,100 Robert Anderholt (R-AL)- $30,000 Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)- $28,821 Kevin Yoder (R-KS)- $28,773 David Rouzer (R-NC)- $28,100 Steve Scalise (R-LA)- $27,805 Patrick McHenry (R-NC)- $27,500 Pete Sessions (R-TX)- $26,850 Kyrsten Sinema (Blue Dog-AZ)- $26,800 The only other Democrats willing to inflict cancer-for-cash on their constituents by taking big Tobacco bribes were Henry Cuellar (Blue Dog-TX), Cedric Richmond (New Dem-LA), James Clyburn (D-SC), Richard Neal (D-MA), Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Scott Peters (New Dem-CA), Val Demings (New Dem-FL), Don McEachin (New Dem-VA), Collin Peterson (Blue Dog-MN), Lou Correa (Blue Dog-CA), Jim Costa (Blue Dog-CA), Charlie Crist (Blue Dog-FL) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS). No other Democrats took over $6,000. In the Senate, these were the 10 top players tobacco bribees: Tim Kaine (D-VA)- $63,963 Thom Tillis (R-NC)- $57,850 Mark Warner (R-VA)- $41,650 Mitch McConnell (R-KY)- $34,600 Bill Nelson (D-FL)- $28,705 Marco Rubio (R-FL)- $24,500 Joe Manchin (D-WV)- $23,042 Bob Casey (D-PA)- $20,095 Luther Strange (R-AL)- $19,000 Jon Tester (D-MT)- $16,950 Raise your hand if you notice a correlation between corruption and conservative politicians. In terms of the whole period from 1990 to 2018 the half dozen biggest recipients of Tobacco bribes still in the House today: Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)- $190,850- $190,850 Sanford Bishop (Blue Dog-GA)- $179,800 James Clyburn (D-SC)- $163,700 Hal Rogers (R-KY)- $154,802 George Holding (R-NC)- $153,782 Steny Hoyer (D-MD)- $143,400 And in the Senate, the big 6: Richard Burr (R-NC)- $695,185 Mitch McConnell (R-KY)- $640,075 Mark Warner (D-VA)- $270,167 Mitt Romney (R-UT)- $194,766 Lamar Alexander (R-TN)- $157,700 Roy Blunt (R-MO)- $146,257 New Republic last month, Politico, that McTurtle is running around saying raising the age to 21 for tobacco buyers is now a " If you read Alex Pareene's exhaustive piece on McTurtle in thelast month, Nihilist In Chief , you already know that McConnell stands for nothing at all other than money. That's it-- just money. Nothing but money. That's who he is; what he is. Big Tobacco's not as big as it once was. So... time to throw them overboard. Yesterday, Burgess Everett reported for, that McTurtle is running around saying raising the age to 21 for tobacco buyers is now a " top priority ." He's even going to introduce the bill himself when they get back from spring break. There's no doubt that this wasn't polled and focus-group-tested back in Kentucky where he will face the voters next year. In fact, his move comes one day after he announced his reelection campaign and shows the changing politics of tobacco. While tobacco has long been a key industry in his home state of Kentucky, McConnell said he wants to change the law to discourage vaping and teenage nicotine addiction and improve Kentuckys public health." Their vaping products these young people may not know what chemicals they are putting in their bodies, McConnell said in Louisville, Ky. Far too often, 18-year-olds in high school can legally buy vaping devices and share them with their classmates. The move shows a tack toward pragmatic legislating for McConnell, who as Senate leader has primarily focused on confirming President Donald Trumps nominees in recent weeks. But he said he will move to fast-track his new proposal, which mimics new state laws across the country that raise the tobacco purchasing age, and said his bill is part of moving the Bluegrass State away from the tobacco culture on which it was so dependent, for so long. I hope and expect this legislation to get strong bipartisan support in the Senate. As you know, Im in a particularly good position to enact legislation and this will be a top priority, McConnell said. The GOP leader also said there will be an exception for members of the military. That's sweet, but Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Donna Shalala (D-FL) beat him to it on Tuesday with their Reversing the Youth Tobacco Epidemic Act on Tuesday, which raises the age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Also on Tuesday, PBS did a story on the culpability of Big Tobacco in the ruination of health from a social perspective. "For state Medicaid plans, though, which pay a heavy price for tobacco-related illnesses, [tax day] can be a shot in the arm of sorts," wrote Charles Betley. "April 15 is also the day when the five largest tobacco companies pay $9 billion dollars to state governments, each and every year, forever, because of a 1998 legal settlement meant to compensate states for the costs of tobacco-related illness such as cancer, emphysema and heart disease. Actual payments made by the tobacco companies vary year to year because of adjustment factors written into the settlement; each of the states payments varies as well. Payments from tobacco companies, as well as tobacco taxes, help to support health care and other services for low-income people served by state Medicaid programs. Even though the federal government supports each states Medicaid program by paying at least half the costs, many states have difficulty finding revenues to pay the remaining share." Call me crazy, but I always thought that it shouldn't just be tobacco companies' shareholders paying for this. They should pay plenty, of course. But senior management at these companies should be held personally liable as well-- especially since they all knew and covered it up for so many years-- and the politicians, like McConnell, who took so much in bribes to help with the coverup. Call me crazy. All the Big Tobacco executives lied to Congress, under oath. So why didn't any of them go to prison? An average of 2,000 children a year suffer from violence and/or abuse and need help and intervention. Photo by Shutterstock/HTWE Out of 1,600 cases of child abuse last year, 80 percent involved sexual assault, according to the Ministry of Public Security. In a report the ministry filed at a conference Thursday, it said that, in 59 percent of child sexual abuse cases reported to the national hotline for child protection, the perpetrators were neighbors or acquaintances of the children. Twenty one percent were relatives and six percent were teachers and other school staff. Nguyen Thi Nga, deputy head of the Child Department under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, attributed the prevalence of child sexual abuse to gender inequality, economic inequality, poverty, and social prejudices related to violence and abuse. Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha said an average of 2,000 children a year suffer from violence and/or abuse and need help and intervention. Many cases of abuse occur in places considered safe such as home and schools, and abusers are people close to the victims like fathers and teachers, she lamented. Lesley Miller, deputy head of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Vietnam, said the country has recently witnessed serious cases of child abuse ranging from sexual abuse to school violence. It is an urgent necessity to have a national plan for child protection, she said. It is also imperative for Vietnam to strengthen regulations and make amendments to the Law on Children so that all children under 18 are protected against violence and abuse, she added. Several cases of child sexual abuse recently came to light. Last month a primary school teacher in Hanoi was accused of touching several 5th graders in "inappropriate places." Earlier this month camera footage showed a former government prosecutor molesting a child in an elevator in Saigon, wrapping his arms around her neck and kissing her. There were over 18,500 law violation and school violence cases involving teachers and students between 2011 and 2018, and more than 11,800 fights resulting in injuries, according to both the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Public Security. A 2014 survey of 3,000 Hanoi students showed that 80 percent of students faced gender-based violence at least once and 71 percent faced school violence in the six months preceding the study. Man arrested with 6.5 kg of heroin on Vietnam border with Golden Triangle Giang A Cau is caught with 6.5 kilograms of heroin in Son La Province on April 17, 2019. Photo courtesy of Son La Police Police in the northern Son La Province arrested a local man Wednesday for allegedly smuggling drugs in what is considered Vietnams drugs epicenter. At around 4:40 p.m. officers and border guards in Long Luong Commune, Van Ho District, on an anti-drug operation, spotted Giang A Cau, 38, driving a motorbike and acting suspiciously. As they approached him, he sped up and escaped into a forest along National Highway 6. After more than an hours search they captured him and seized around 6.5 kg (14 pounds) of heroin and nearly 200 synthetic drug pills. Long Luong, which is on the Laos border four hours west of Hanoi, is a hideout for more than 60 criminals, 30 wanted for drug-related crimes. Last June it came into the national limelight when two drug lords, Nguyen Thanh Tuan, 34, and Nguyen Van Thuan, 35, were shot dead in a four-day shootout involving more than 300 officers. Vietnam is a key trafficking hub for narcotics from the Golden Triangle, an intersection of China, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar and the world's second largest drug producing area behind the Golden Crescent in South Asia. Drug trafficking and consumption have persisted and worsened in Vietnam though it has some of the worlds toughest laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin face the death penalty. S Korea to open HCMC visa office next month on surge in application numbers People wait to apply for South Korean visas outside the South Korean embassy office in Hanoi, April 9, 2019. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy South Korea will open a consular office in Ho Chi Minh City early next month to handle the increasing demand for visas. The office at 5 Cong Truong Me Linh Street in the central District 1 would have 15 booths for visa applications, Jeong Woo Jin, the Korean deputy consul general in the city, said on Thursday. But Lee Bok Hang, consul in charge of visa, said the office would only handle normal visas and people requiring emergency visas would have to come to the consulate on Nguyen Du Street, which is 15 minutes away. A similar office will open in Hanoi on April 25 at Discovery Building, 302 Cau Giay Street. The proposal to open the two offices followed a sudden increase in demand for visas in Vietnam. Last December the Korean government started issuing C-3 visas to permanent residents of Vietnam's three biggest cities, Hanoi, Saigon and Da Nang as part of its "New Southern Policy." C-3 visa holders can stay in South Korea for up to 30 days with no restrictions on the number of visits for a period of five years. Following rumors Koreas visa policy could change any time, thousands have been thronging the countrys embassy in Hanoi since last month. Many have queued up from 2-3 a.m. to get a token number and await their turn. Most are from outlying districts in Hanoi and north-central provinces such as Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Thanh Hoa, traditionally a big source of labor for South Korea. The consular department only issues 300 tokens a day, but around 3,000 people are estimated to queue up daily. The surge in visa applications has been causing problems with many travel companies having to cancel tours because visas are not coming in time, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) office in Vietnam. South Korea is one of the largest labor export markets for Vietnam. There were 45,398 Vietnamese workers in that country as of last June. It is also one of the most popular destinations for Vietnamese tourists. The KTO said over 100,000 Vietnamese visited Korea in the first three months this year, up 30 percent from the same period last year. The total number last year was 457,000. Three jailed in Vietnam for livestreaming monkey slaughter on Facebook Six men stand trial in Ha Tinh Province for killing an endangered monkey and livestreaming the slaughter on Facebook, April 17, 2019. Photo of VnExpress/Duc Hung Three people in the central province of Ha Tinh were jailed Wednesday for killing an endangered monkey and livestreaming their slaughter on Facebook. Thai Kim Hong, 51, got 15 months, and Phan Van Hoi, 33, and Thai Dinh Quy, 58, got 12 months each while Phan Trong Son, 45, Thai Vinh Quang, 59, and Thai Van Sang, 41, received suspended sentences of nine months each from the Huong Khe District Peoples Court. They were charged with "violating regulations on the protection of precious and rare wild animals." Last December Son sold a monkey to Hong who then invited him, Quy, Sang and Hoi to butcher and eat it and livestreamed it on his Facebook account. Authorities later determined the monkey was a red-shanked douc, an endangered species in the International Union for Conservation of Natures Red List. Its hunting and trade is prohibited under Vietnamese law. The animal, native to Cambodia and Vietnam, is threatened by hunting and habitat loss due to human activities such as construction and agriculture. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc (L) of Ho Chi Minh City and her three sons, born with deformities due to the effects of dioxin, as shown in a photo at an exhibition opened last year at the Thua Thien Hue Historical Museum in central Vietnam. Photo by Vo Thanh Wheres the justice for Vietnamese victims being destroyed every day by (Monsantos) toxic chemicals, asks a senior Vietnamese official. Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange and Dioxin and president of its Ho Chi Minh City branch, has sent a letter asking a U.S. court to reverse its earlier ruling in an Agent Orange case. Tho cited the jury's ruling in the U.S. federal court of San Francisco on March 19, 2019, which decided that Monsanto's weed killer Roundup causes cancer. It ordered Monsanto to pay around $81 million to 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman of California, who has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The major general also cited another case where a San Francisco court in August 2018 awarded a compensation of $289 million by Monsanto to Dewayne Johnson after he was diagnosed with cancer resulting from long-term exposure to Roundup and herbicide Ranger Pro produced by the company. While U.S. victims of Agent Orange have been compensated, "where is the justice for Vietnamese victims who are being destroyed every day by the toxic chemical?" Tho asked, Vietnam Plus reported. Tho further asks in his letter: "Is all the scientific evidence, with people as living proof, and Vietnams environment ravaged by Agent Orange used by the U.S. in a meaningless war from 1961-1971 still not convincing?" Vietnam has been seriously devastated by wars and accompanying hazards including Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. The defoliant, which its makers said were not toxic while knowing otherwise, contained dioxin, a dangerous chemical linked to cancers, diabetes, birth defects and other disabilities. Monsanto is one of 37 companies that produced Agent Orange. Thos letter mentions that Vietnam currently has more than 4.8 million Agent Orange victims in Vietnam, many with hideous deformities and disabilities, and many dying a slow death of cancer and other lethal diseases. The toxin also affects the offspring of the infected, leading to successive generations being cursed with its impacts. Dioxin has deprived people of their right to live. Their children, if they are still alive, are either physically handicapped, deformed, or in a vegetative state, becoming a source of agony and burden on their family and society, Tho said. Agent Orange has not only had a catastrophic effect on Vietnamese citizens, it has also wreaked havoc on the environment. Tho said research conducted by international scientists, including many Americans, has proved this fact. Theyve gone on field trips and interacted with witnesses, and verified dioxin hotspots in Bien Hoa, Phu Cat, Chu Lai and Da Nang for cleanup operations. He reminded the U.S. trial of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims lawsuit against 37 US chemical companies, notably Monsanto and Dow Chemical, who provided the U.S. army with the defoliant. The plaintiffs demanded that the companies accept responsibility and assist in overcoming the damage suffered by them and the environment. However, the lawsuit was dismissed for "lack of evidence." The Vietnamese victims have suffered a grievous blow to their confidence and self-esteem as the U.S., in particular Monsanto and Dow Chemical, among 37 chemical companies, have not accepted their responsibility, the letter noted. Tho expressed his desire that the U.S. court be fair not just to U.S. citizens, but also Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. He requested the court that the 2004 lawsuit filed by Vietnamese plaintiffs against Monsanto and Dow Chemical, among others, is revisited. "I hope the scale of justice is always balanced," he wrote. Between 1961 and 1971, the U.S. Army sprayed some 80 million liters of Agent Orange over 78,000 square kilometers (30,000 square miles) of southern Vietnam. Dioxin contained in the defoliant stays in the soil and at the bottom of lakes and rivers for generations. It can enter the food chain through meat, fish and other animals, and has been found at alarmingly high levels in human breast milk. In May last year, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Air Defense Air Force Service under the Vietnamese Defense Ministry signed an agreement for a $390-million project for dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa airport, including nonrefundable aid of $189 million from the U.S. government and counter capital from the Vietnamese government. The campaign to decontaminate Bien Hoa is part of a bilateral cooperative effort that started in 2000 to resolve humanitarian and wartime legacies while continuing to strengthen economic, cultural and security ties. However, to this day, no compensation has been paid to Agent Orange victims by Monsanto and other companies. British Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell leads the protest outside the Dorchester Hotel London to repeal the laws of death by stoning to homosexuals in Brunei in London, England on April 6, 2019. Photo by Shutterstock/Caron Watson The European Parliament on Thursday strongly condemned Brunei for introducing "retrograde" Islamic laws that punish gay sex and adultery with death by stoning. The Muslim-majority sultanate has drawn global condemnation from the United Nations, governments and a host of celebrities for introducing the latest stage of Sharia laws on April 3. It began rolling out the Islamic criminal laws in 2014. Along with stoning for sodomy, the laws impose the death penalty on rapists and punish thieves with amputation. The resolution adopted by the European Parliament "strongly condemns the entry into force of the retrograde Sharia Penal Code; (and) urges the Bruneian authorities to immediately repeal it." The measure was passed on a show of hands, the parliament said in a statement. The lawmakers also called on the EU to consider asset freezes and visa bans on the Southeast Asian nation, and to blacklist nine hotels owned the Brunei Investment Agency, including The Dorchester in London and The Beverley Hills Hotel in Los Angeles. Naqib Adnan, the second secretary of Brunei's embassy to the European Union, declined to comment when reached by phone and said no other officials would comment. In a letter to MEPs before the vote, Brunei said it "does not criminalise nor has any intention to victimise a person's status based on sexual orientation or belief, including same-sex relations". The letter said that stoning to death and amputations could only happen if "men of high moral standing and piety" had witnessed the alleged crime beyond all doubt. A copy of the letter was obtained by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. 'Horrible setbacks' Previously homosexuality was illegal in Brunei and punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, but human rights groups said the changes would allow whipping and stoning for Muslims found guilty of adultery, sodomy and rape. Brunei has said it would only impose the new penalties when it had strong evidence and that its primary aim was prevention rather than punishment. "The Brunei government ... tries to play down the horrible, horrible setbacks for human rights," Barbara Lochbihler, an MEP and the lead author of the parliamentary resolution, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "We cannot exclude the possibility that they start implementing this." Federica Mogherini, the EU's representative for foreign affairs, said the penalties could not be defended. "No crime justifies amputation or torture, let alone the death penalty," she told parliament as the resolution was debated on Thursday. "No person should be punished for loving someone." Mogherini added that the EU expected Brunei to maintain its de facto moratorium on the death penalty and that it would put pressure on the sultanate bilaterally and at meetings in August. Backed by the four generations of legacy in the field of education IIEBM, Indus Business School Pune was established with a vision of imparting affordable, quality and value based education to groom students and professionals to make a mark in the dynamic business environment. Approved by AICTE, Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India for PGDM Program, the institute functions on the core value of commitment to education, which remains unparalleled in its offering, thanks to the reinforcement by the IIEBM Trust and its experience in the education sector since 1951.IIEBM was established in Pune in 2000, and is ingrained with the core values of ASPIRE AAttitude (Positive Attitude), SSelf-Discipline, PPerseverance, I Intelligence, RReliability & Resource fulness, and EEthical. It is no wonder that IIEBM is guided by Chief Patron, Sharad Pawar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, and Patron, Shrimant Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, Chairman Maharashtra State Legislative Council.The PGDM course curriculum has been designed in a very scientific manner and is intended to be thought - provoking, challenging& comprehensive with a meticulously engineered educational expertise & holistic approach methodology that provides every student an opportunity to equip oneself with the right knowledge and tools to be competent for the high expectations of the dynamic business environment.The faculties adopt a progressive teaching methodology & pedagogy that stimulates the young minds to think laterally using cases to help them better comprehend live situations that they might encounter while in the corporate world and how they could use their learning to tackle such issues. Here,the institutes unique skill enhancement module comes into play. Every student is trained & This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. ORPC, Inc., in the business of improving people's lives and their environment through sustainable energy solutions, unveiled its first commercial RivGen Power System today (4/18) with the help of Governor Janet Mills before a crowd of over 150 people gathered at Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Association's Brunswick Landing, in Brunswick, Maine. Attendees toured the RivGen device, learning about various sub-components of the marine renewable energy system from ORPC engineers, followed by Governor Janet Mills receiving a personal tour of the RivGen device by company officials. The RivGen device will be shipped to Igiugig, Alaska, for installation and operation in the Kvichak River this summer to provide electricity to the remote community of Igiugig there, offsetting the community's diesel fuel use by up to one-half and moving it closer to using diesel fuel for emergency-backup only. "ORPC is a shining example of how we can harness innovation to grow our economy and create a clean, sustainable energy future," said Governor Mills. "I am proud of ORPC's continued exploration and growth and look forward to the leaps and bounds they achieve in markets around the world and here at home in Maine." "ORPC's RivGen Power System is the future of sustainability for 2 billion people mostly indigenous people around the world, 700 million of whom who currently rely on diesel fuel to power their homes," said ORPC Chairman, Co-founder and CEO, Chris Sauer. "ORPC provides a marine renewable energy solution that combines our patented power systems with smart grid electronics and energy storage to build the no-carbon microgrids of the future." ORPC President and COO, John Ferland, praised the Maine talent and workmanship that has been integral to all of ORPC's work, noting 280 partners, contractors, and service providers from 14 of the state's 16 counties have participated in helping to create ORPC's innovative technology. ORPC recently achieved over $500,000 raised from a growth capital offering in progress via Netcapital. ORPC feels strongly that democratizing investment in early stage, growth companies aligns with ORPC's core values, and a portion of the raise is reserved for Main Street investors, though primarily directed at impact and institutional investors under the SEC's Crowdfunding rules adopted under the JOBS Act. Worldwide, ORPC is the only company to have built, operated and delivered power to a utility grid from a renewable tidal energy project (in Maine), and to a remote community grid from a renewable river project (in Alaska). ORPC remains firmly committed to its founding principle of working collaboratively with all stakeholders and local contractors to create economic development opportunities. In addition to its Portland, Maine, company headquarters, ORPC has offices in Montreal (ORPC Canada) and Dublin (ORPC Ireland), an operations center in Eastport, Maine, and a project office in Anchorage, Alaska. For more information, please visit www.orpc.co. This project is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) under the Water Power Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE0007348 to the Igiugig Village Council. Contact Susy Kist MANAGER MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS ORPC, INC. 254 Commercial Street, Suite 119B Portland, ME 04101 207-772-7707 OFFICE 207-272-8615 MOBILE New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 80F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 64F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has sent six trucks of humanitarian aid (for a total weight of 19,3 tonnes) through the Novotroyitske checkpoint to the certain districts in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, known also as ORDLO, the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported on Friday. "Six trucks of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) passed through the Novotroyitske checkpoint into the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territory. A total of 19,3 tonnes of humanitarian aid, namely construction materials, were sent to the population of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the message said. Denationalization of PrivatBank linked to need to return UAH 155 bln to national budget The decision of Kyiv's district administrative court to declare illegal the nationalization of PrivatBank, which the Finance Ministry of Ukraine intends to challenge, will be rather difficult to execute, Ukrainian Finance Minister Oksana Markarova said at a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) late on Thursday. "Its execution should envisage the return of over UAH 155 billion of the national budget funds, which were spent on the capitalization of this bank, in some way," the minister said. She recalled that during the additional capitalization of PrivatBank the state issued government domestic loan bonds for the amount of UAH 155.3 billion, and only small part of them was monetized, while the interest is paid on the rest of the bonds. "This is one of the elements of the bank's profit," Markarova said. "We at the Finance Ministry are counting on the return of these funds from profitable operations of the bank and its future privatization," the minister said. Henkel Bautechnik (Ukraine) plans to invest around EUR 400,000 in the modernization of plants in Vyshgorod (Kyiv region) and Balakliya (Kharkiv region). "The automatic line will be modernized at the plants in Vyshgorod and Balakliya from May of the current year, resulting in increased effectiveness and safety. The quality of product packaging will also improve. The amount of investment is about EUR 400,000," Director General of Henkel Bautechnik (Ukraine) Olha Stupina told Interfax-Ukraine. According to her, the company's turnover in 2018 amounted to UAH 2 billion, forecasts for 2019 are positive, growth is expected. The company has significantly increased its financial performance compared to 2014, despite the loss of a quarter of the sales market. "We estimate the results of last year as good. For the second time, Ukraine became the best company in the world in the Henkel adhesive division by consolidated financial indicators. I believe that in the conditions in which Ukraine is located relative to other countries of Europe and the world, this is a very big achievement," Stupina said. The total production capacity of the four factories of Henkel Bautechnik (Ukraine) is about 600,000 tonnes of products per year. Kyiv's District Administrative Court on April 18 overturned the decision of the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) of December 13, 2016, which determined the list of individuals and legal entities related to PrivatBank, the NBU's website reports. "The claimant's requirements regarding the cancellation of the decision of the National Bank dated December 13, 2016 (No. 105), which determined the list of individuals and legal entities related to PrivatBank, were satisfied. This decision of the National Bank is one of the main decisions in the process of withdrawing insolvent PrivatBank from the market in December 2016 with the participation of the state," the report says. During the process of withdrawing the bank from the market, a bail-in procedure was carried out, including the exchange of funds of the persons related to the bank for the bank's shares with their subsequent sale to the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine. "The National Bank is concerned about the quality and results of court proceedings in Ukraine, which may lead to the loss of taxpayers' funds and risks for the country's banking and financial stability. This could lead to the fact that people related to the former shareholders of PrivatBank will have grounds for recovering funds from the bank that were returned by the state to the bank's capital in the process of its nationalization," the head of the claims division of the NBU legal department, Viktor Hryhorchuk, said. Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky has called for finding an alternative to Russian oil and petroleum products due to export restrictions imposed by Moscow. "I do not have a profound knowledge of this issue; I have yet to study it. I am not ashamed to say so. I believe it is always necessary to consider every option in every mission. As for this mission, I think we should find an alternative," Zelensky said in the Pravo na Vladu (Right to Power) talk show on Thursday. "Perhaps, we should find it in Western countries," Zelensky said in response to the question what Ukraine could do considering Russia's restrictions on supplying oil and petroleum products to Ukraine. The team of presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky will provide a professional voluntary army and will bring in military officers to the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, security and defense expert of Zelensky's team, Ivan Aparshin, has said. "The security and defense sphere is the responsibility of the president. Security and defense decisions will be responsible and thoroughly substantiated. The Ukrainian army will be professional and voluntary. It will be strengthened by a modern system of territorial defense and an active reserve. We will involve those who are capable of winning and, most importantly, of preserving the life of a soldier," he said during the presentation of the members of the team of Zelensky on the Right to Power talk show on the 1+1 TV channel. Aparshin stressed that the state defense order and finance of the Ministry of Defense will be as open as possible. "In real time, you will be able to control the use of every penny that you and we together allot to defense and security. I guarantee you that," he said. Aparshin pointed out that the soldier would be "armed, motivated and prepared." "The level of pay service for servicemen will be increased due to austerity of resources," he said. Earlier, Aparshin was proposed for the post of Minister of Defense by presidential candidate of Ukraine, leader of the Civil Position Party Anatoliy Hrytsenko. Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky has said that he told the host of the Pravo na Vladu (Right to Power) talk show he would not be listening to Ihor Kolomoisky's advice on state governance in case of his election president. He confirmed the existence of his media business partnership with Kolomoisky but said he intended to quit. "I am withdrawing from business. I am withdrawing from Kvartal 95 Studio. I will not be doing it for five years, unlike a certain person was withdrawing from a factory business. I will stop being anyone's partner," Zelensky said. He also pledged to resign as the president if he ever breaks the law. As reported earlier, the Ukrainian government backed the proposal of the National Bank and former PrivatBank shareholders and nationalized the biggest bank in Ukraine on December 18, 2016. Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholyubov had a majority of shares in PrivatBank as of that moment. Kyiv's district administrative court proclaimed the bank's nationalization illegal on April 18, 2019, as demanded by Kolomoisky. The National Bank and the Finance Ministry said they would appeal the ruling after it was officially posted and insisted on the correctness of the privatization decision. Quarter million ballots were intentionally spoiled in the first round of the Ukrainian presidential election on March 31, according to Ukrainian Central Elections Commission Chairperson Tetiana Slipachuk. "Nearly quarter million ballots were pronounced invalid in the March 31 vote due to [...] unlawful actions of citizens. Those ballots were spoiled on purpose," Slipachuk wrote on Facebook. Voters who repeatedly breached the Law on Ukrainian Presidential Elections and posted photographs of completed ballot papers on the Internet breached the vote secrecy, she said. "It is a personal decision whether to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate. If you come to polls, you should not break the law but make a conscious choice," Slipachuk said. Zelensky presenting Ze!Team: They will come with me to Presidential Administration, later occupy official positions Showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky has presented his team (Ze!Team) on Thursday evening on the Right to Power program aired by the 1+1 TV channel. "These are the people with whom we will build Ukraine, a strong powerful free Ukraine, which is not Russia's younger sister and is not a corrupt partner of Europe, but an independent Ukraine," Zelensky said. "This is my team, professional people, specialists, young bright smart people who will go with me to the presidential administration. We do not distribute portfolios, positions. The best of them will be appointed to government posts," he said. Zelensky said all members of his team would go to the presidential administration. They will then go through an obligatory check by Ukraine's SBU State Security Service and anti-corruption agencies, and, only then, will be appointed to government posts. Ze!Team members are: Ruslan Stefanchuk - an ideologue who is responsible for reforming state and legal institutions, legislative work Ivan Bakanov - head of the Servant of the People Party and the head of Ze!Team's election headquarters responsible for relations with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Dmytro Razumkov - domestic policy issues Oleksandr Danyliuk - international relations, economics, finance and banking policy Ruslan Riaboshapka - law enforcement and anti-corruption policy Halyna Yanchenko - an expert on anti-corruption policies and digital solutions for the state Denys Monastyrsky - responsible for referral to law enforcement agencies Serhiy Ionushas - justice authorities Iryna Venedyktova - responsible for reforms in the judicial system Ivan Aparshin - security and defense expert Danylo Hetmantsev - economics, finance and taxation Viktoria Strakhova - banking Mykhailo Fedoriv - head of the Ze!Team's digital operations Oleksnadr Merezhko - expert on issues of international relations and democracy Oleh Bondarenko - heads the direction of environmental policy Maryna Bardina - responsible for the implementation of gender equality policy Serhiy Kalchenko - an expert on electoral legislation and European standards in the field of human rights Andriy Gerus - energy, housing and communal services and antitrust regulation Serhiy Babak - an expert on education and science Dmytro Komarovsky - advisor to Zelensky on medicine and public health. Russian influence on elections in Ukraine and on the candidates for the presidency of Ukraine has become one of the dominant topics in the preelection debate, according to results of media monitoring of the second round of presidential elections. "Elections were again a priority topic, which was covered by both TV channels and online media, and the second most highlighted topic was the issue of presidential debates and the non-participation of one of the candidates (for both TV channels and online media). The media also continued to highlight Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine," says the report, titled "Who Ukrainian Media Elected," presented in Kyiv on Friday. The report says showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky did not give interviews, communicate with the media or take part in televised debates. "Despite the fact that Petro Poroshenko received more coverage than his competitor on all but one channel and on all but one online media, the difference in the total amount of coverage between the two rivals was not significant," the report says. TV channel 1+1 provided almost the same amount of coverage to candidates. According to the study, 15% of the channel's coverage of incumbent President Petro Poroshenko was negative, and 85% was neutral, and on Zelensky, 98% was neutral and 1% was positive. The media monitoring project was conducted from April 1 to April 12 by the public organization Commission on Journalist Ethics, Platform for Human Rights, Ukrainian Institute of Media and Communications and StopFake, with the support of the Council of Europe. Rally in support of Poroshenko begins in downtown Kyiv A rally in support of presidential candidate incumbent Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is taking place in Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) in downtown Kyiv on Friday. About 1,500 people have gathered on the square and traffic on Khreschatyk Street has been partially blocked, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. Organizers have installed a stage with Poroshenko's election slogan "We Are Going Our Own Way. Petro Poroshenko." Many of the participants in the rally are carrying state flags. Ada Rohovtseva, Dmytro Pavlychko, Culture Minister Yevhen Nyschuk, and Andriy Parubiy spoke from the stage. Poroshenko himself arrived at the country's main square, where he is expected to make a speech. Additionally, the procession, which began in Mykhailivska Square, is expected to arrive on Maidan. Ukraine is threatened by revenge, which will throw it into the past, incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and presidential candidate has said. "From the statements of my opponent and from the presentation of his team, unfortunately, the image of Little Russia is emerging. Today, our Ukraine is threatened with revenge, which can throw the entire state into the past, discard the ideas of freedom, dignity and a European future," Poroshenko said, speaking to supporters on Kyiv's Independence Square on Friday. The president said there are high stakes in the presidential elections whether Ukraine could continue its path to the European Union and NATO or these efforts will be "deflated." "And another very important question: will Ukraine allow revenge? Can we resist the Kremlin's attempts to conquer Ukraine again and make it a part of the Russian Empire, if not part of it," Poroshenko said, adding that all Ukrainian citizens should think about saving the country. Poroshenko said the main task of the head of state is not to make Russian President Vladimir Putin laugh, or to "fall to his knees, as some may think, and not to go fishing with him." He said the president must act firmly and decisively to protect Ukraine's national interests and the security of every citizen. "If my opponent was scared to go to the debate with Poroshenko, where will he get the strength to deal with Putin?" he said. Poroshenko said "Putin will face failure" in Ukraine five years from now if he is re-elected. "We, dear friends, our team, will pass the point of no return, and no one will ever again see Ukraine in the embrace of Russia and we will enter the European Union. Now the issue of national security is more important for us than ever to resist the Russian scenario "We need firm political will, firm ideological principles, diplomatic skills and experience, an experienced commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces," he said. Kyiv's District Administrative Court Chairman Pavlo Vovk views Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's statements regarding the court as interference in the work of judges. "As the head of an 'unreformed' court, I cannot remain indifferent to the statements of the country's leadership, which yesterday called to accelerate the qualification assessment of judges in order to relaunch the District Administrative Court of the city of Kyiv, which had made a decision on PrivatBank," Vovk wrote on his Facebook page on Friday. "The Security Service and the Prosecutor General's Office were also tasked with 'evaluating whether there are grounds to initiate a criminal case against the judges' for a miscarriage of justice 'after the conclusion of all necessary judicial procedures.' [...] These statements, especially while the court ruling has not entered into effect, are effectively a threat to certain judges and a kind of a signal to the others, who will revise it, of what awaits them in the future," he said. "The form and the format of the statement" on the reloading of the court aims at influencing this process "with a subsequent result desirable for the author," Vovk said. According to Vovk, the judges must "report interference in their activities in the administration of justice to the law enforcement agencies and the High Council for Justice." "Yes, one should not expect any immediate response right now. However, in time, undoubtedly, a relevant evaluation will be given to illegal actions of 'the authors' of these loud statements," Vovk said. "A good fixation of one's own illegal actions always facilitates the process of holding 'the authors' of such statements responsible," he said. "Such statements and actions of the head of state only increase the applicant's chances of winning the case at the ECHR. And it clearly doesn't appear to be the stance of the state," Vovk said. In the evening of April 18, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked the heads of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office and the Ukrainian Security Service at a session of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council to look into the possibility of holding the judges of Kyiv's District Administrative Court responsible for declaring that the nationalization of PrivatBank was illegal. The president also said that the qualification evaluation of the judges of the Kyiv's District Administrative Court should be held as soon as possible. As reported earlier, the Ukrainian government backed the proposal of the National Bank and former PrivatBank shareholders and nationalized the biggest bank in Ukraine on December 18, 2016. Ihor Kolomoisky and Hennadiy Boholiubov had a majority of shares in PrivatBank as of that moment. The Kyiv District Administrative Court proclaimed the bank's nationalization to be illegal on April 18, 2019, as demanded by Kolomoisky. The National Bank and the Finance Ministry said they would appeal the ruling after it was officially posted and insisted on the correctness of the privatization decision. PrivatBank ranked first among 77 banks active in the country as of January 1, 2019 in the amount of total assets (UAH 525.248 billion), according to the National Bank of Ukraine. Ukraine has finally welcomed the FIDIC PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES GUIDE in Ukrainian language. The publication was initiated by the Interstate Consultants Engineers Guild (ICEG). The initiators state that applying the Guide in Ukraine will help mitigate corruption risks, improve the construction quality, and ensure funds saving through cost engineering during implementation of investment projects. The edition was presented on April 19 in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center during a round table International practice on the consulting services in construction market in Ukraine, which was attended by representatives of leading national and foreign engineering companies, international financial institutions, international and national projects, and FIDIC accredited trainers. International experts believe that a weak link in implementing investment projects on the Ukrainian territory is absence of an extensive network if consulting organizations able to resolve difficult issues professionally at various stages of project implementation. To confirm such conclusion, the round table participants spoke about a low level of using IFIs credit resources when fulfilling infrastructure projects in this country. As an example, they cited results of analyzing 26 investment projects totaling to USD 2.5 billion and EUR 5.0 billion, which have been fulfilled in Ukraine together with IFIs. By June 30, 2018, the credit funds disbursement level has accounted for: approximately 48% for projects of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), 27% - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and 16% - European Investment Bank (EIB), while scheduled deadlines of project completion are not met. As experts say, such challenges should be even more actively faced by an organized professional community that continuously performs functions of the most dynamic branch of public administration in countries with developed market economies. Ukraine is also seeing some shifts in this field. In particular, initiating amendments to the legislation and developing a methodical basis to create civilized conditions for the engineering services market functioning in Ukraine can be considered an achievement of professional non-governmental organizations. Engineering in construction is a commercial business, and the service qualification level depends directly on the remuneration level. At the same time, inflexible procurement system that we currently have in this country makes the prospective contractors resort to dumping, mostly at the cost of quality. Experts emphasize that this situation must be rectified. In their opinion, it makes sense for Ukraine to introduce the global best practice of works and services procurement in construction. That is why ICEG initiated and published the Ukrainian translation of FIDIC Procurement Procedures Guide a practical guidance for employers, consulting engineers, contractors, financiers, and lawyers to be used in investment projects fulfillment. The book contains globally recognized comprehensive and progressive techniques which will promote holding transparent tender procedures and concluding quality contracts. The Guide embraces procurement of engineering and construction works for projects of any scale and complexity. It includes recommendations for fundamental concepts and philosophy of procurement, and also defines the role of planning needed for sustainability and successful implementation of a project. The edition also contains detailed instructions for each stage of the tender procedure for all types of projects and provides general guidelines to select a relevant FIDIC standard form of contract. Publication of the FIDIC Procurement Procedures Guide in Ukrainian is a landmark event in a row of our Guilds consecutive actions. In the near future, we are also going to publish a translation of the FIDIC Contracts Guide. Earlier, three methodical guides on engineering in construction were printed. We are currently working on a draft law On public procurement. Basically, while others are talking about creating a favorable investment climate, we put in practice. Development of consulting in construction requires two interrelated drives: introducing the expertise of technically advanced countries and enhancing the role and activity of professional non-governmental organizations in construction. Unlike making trouble in construction, getting out of it requires professionalism, Oleksandr Nepomnyashchyy, ICEG President, pointed out. For reference: FIDIC - International Federation of Consulting Engineers, operating since 1913, represents interests of over a million professionals and 40 thousand firms in more than 100 countries. ICEG - Interstate Consultants Engineers Guild, has been representing interests of the consulting engineering industry in Ukraine since 2015. It embraces over a thousand economic operators. In a meeting with military commanders of Iran on Wednesday, April 17, the Islamic Republic Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Any action that makes the enemy angry is appropriate and correct; whereas, any move that makes them more aggressive and stronger in spirit must be avoided." Referring to Washington's recent decision to designate the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist group, Khamenei maintained, "The gesture of fraternity between the Army and the IRGC that came after the U.S. blatant act against the IRGC, was exquisite." After years of deliberation, President Donald Trump decided on April 8 to designate the IRGC as a foreign terrorist group. In a statement on April 8, Trump announced that he had designated the IRGC as a "Foreign Terrorist Organization," adding that the Iranian paramilitary forces' designation "makes crystal clear the risks of conducting business with, or providing support to, the IRGC. If you are doing business with the IRGC, you will be bankrolling terrorism." Several Army and IRGC commanders have so far strongly condemned Washington's move against the paramilitary entity. Khamenei was meeting with senior Iranian military commanders ahead of the National Day of the Army. During his speech, Khamenei did not miss the chance to express his dissatisfaction with France, calling it a dictatorship. While praising the Iranian regular Army as "elements of national power", Khamenei asserted, "Of course, in many countries, even in the countries that claim to advocate freedom and human rights, the armed forces are agents of dictators authority, and confronting the nations, an example of which can be seen in the case of Saturdays in Paris [the Yellow Vests anti-establishment movement in France]." Iranian Plant Protection Organization (IPPO) warned on Thursday, April 18, that if the necessary budget for fighting desert locusts is not provided within two weeks, nothing could be done, and a locust breakout turns into a new crisis, alongside the flash floods. According to the government's official news agency (IRNA), desert locusts from Saudi Arabia have penetrated the provinces of Bushehr, Fars, Hormozgan, Kerman, Khuzestan, and Sistan -Baluchestan. IRNA has cited the head of IPPO, Mohammad Reza Dargahi, as admitting that 200,000 hectares of agricultural lands in Iran are still at the mercy of desert locusts. "Only 40,000 hectares of farmlands in six southern provinces of Iran have so far been prepared for fighting the attacking swarms of desert locusts," Dargahi has lamented. Furthermore, Dargahi has cautioned that failure in controlling the locusts will jeopardize 1,250 trillion rials (approximately $30 billion) of agricultural products. Locusts attacking southern provinces of Iran has forced FAO place Iran from "yellow" in the "orange" category, IRNA reported. FAO's decision means Iran should remain vigilant and seriously conduct field surveys, and conduct controlled operations. The IPPO has demanded 120 billion rials (approximately $3 million) credit line for combating the outbreak, but Iran's Crisis Headquarters has only allocated 100 billion rials for the fight. Earlier, the local news outlets had reported that IPPO applied for the credit last February, but President Hassan Rouhani's Administration has not yet approved the request. Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan have been placed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in the group of countries where crops face the threat of desert locusts. To keep the world informed of the seriousness of the current locust situation, FAO's Locust Group uses a color-coded scheme; green for calm, yellow for caution, orange for threat and red for danger, FAO says on its website. The desert locust is potentially the most dangerous of the locust pests because of the ability of swarms to fly rapidly across great distances. Plagues of desert locusts have threatened agricultural production in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia for centuries. The livelihood of at least one-tenth of the world's human population can be affected by this voracious insect. In 1961, desert locusts attacked agricultural lands in Iran and damaged nearly 2.5 million hectares of farms across the country. Since desert locusts fly over the Persian Gulf, they are also known also as "Marine Locusts" among Iranians. In its official website, FAO warned two weeks ago that desert locusts have attacked 80,000 hectares of lands on both sides of the Red Sea in March, and because of the drought, they have migrated to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. FAO's report, at the same time, had warned Iran of a locust outbreak, saying that soon swarms of the locusts would also reach the southern parts of the country. These locusts are capable of flying 200 kilometers (approximately 125 miles) per day. The greedy creatures that swiftly multiply destroy all the vegetation on their way. Meanwhile, several local news outlets have warned of a "famine" breakout in Iran. The state-run Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) has also quoted the deputy head of Agriculture Jihad Department in Bushehr, southern Iran, Khosro Omrani, as saying, "The second wave of attacking migrant locusts is expected to commence sometime in next May." Regardless of Dargahi's comments on the possibility of repelling the locusts, Omrani believes that the migrant insects will remain for at least four years in Iran, and a well-prepared plan is needed to contain them. According to IRNA, a swarm of desert locusts can easily cover 1,000 square kilometers (roughly 390 square miles), and they can consume 100,000 tons of vegetation per day. Two members of the Majlis (Iranian parliament) have bitterly protested the deployment of Hashd al-Shaabi (Iraqs Popular Mobilization Force or PMF) in the oil-rich province of Khuzestan, southwest of the country. Foreign military forces may enter Iran only if the government or parliament issue an entry visa for them, the MPs have argued. The presence of the Iraqi paramilitary force in Khuzestan has triggered angry reactions among Iranian social media users and also the ethnic Arabs in the Province. "PMF members were invited by the Chief Commander of Qods Force, IRGC Major General Qassem Soleimani, to help Iranian relief operations, " ultraconservative daily Kayhan reported. A senior commander of PMF, Au Mahdi al Muhandis, had earlier announced that he has entered Iran's Khouzestan Province alongside a number of the forces under his command. Meanwhile, the pro-reform MP of the city of Naqadeh, Abdolkarim Hosseinzadeh has insisted that the presence of foreign forces in Iran without the permission of the government or Majlis is in contrast with the Islamic Republic of Iran's Constitution. "Didn't the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Army have sufficient forces? Have we called people for help, and nobody stepped in? Is that why Hashd al Sha'abi and Fatemiyoun (Afghan Shi'ites) forces entered the flood-hit areas? Even if that's the case, why have they entered Iranian soil without obtaining permission from the government or Majlis? And why the government and Majlis were not informed about the case?" Hosseinzadeh has tweeted. Also the pro-reform MP of Shiraz, Bahram Parsaei, has tweeted that "The countries borders are respectable, and passage of foreign military forces through them, without prior permission, is inadmissible." In the meantime, another pro-reform MP, Alireza Rahimi, has called upon the Ministers of Interior to deliver an official report on the case. He has also demanded "clarifications" from the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Rahimi has cautioned that he will officially summon the Interior Minister to Majlis if the parliament finds his report not convincing. However, the Chairman of the influential Majlis' National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Hashmatollah Falahatpisheh has vociferously supported the presence of Hashd al-Shaabi in Iran, and without any elaboration, Falahatpisheh has asserted that PMF forces have entered Iran through legal channels. "As a matter of routine, such moves are coordinated with Irans Interior Ministry, Falahatpisheh has insisted. On Thursday, April 18, a picture was published depicting the Chief Commander of the IRGC's extraterritorial force, Major General Qassem Soleimani, attending a session of Khuzestan's Crisis Management Headquarters alongside PMF's senior commander, Abu Mahdi al- Muhandis. Maj. Gen. Qassemi is currently visiting flood-hit areas in the oil-rich province, while he is in charge of commanding the IRGC's Qods forces exclusively in operations outside Iran. AIranian official news agency IRNA on Friday April 19 quoted the Iranian Consulate General in Sulaymaniyah as having announced that the "Iraqi Kurdistan Region has underlined its commitment to Baghdad decision to lift charges on visa for Iranian nationals." According to IRNA, Earlier, the Iraqi Council of Ministers passed a bill on March 27 to lift visa charges for Iranians. The Iraqi Prime Ministers office announced in a statement earlier that "the Council of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi has ratified a bill to lift visa charges for Iranian ifIran also reciprocates." A visa charge waiver was announced by Iran and Iraq during a recent to Baghdad by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Iranians visiting Iraqi Kurdistan needed to pay 25,000 dinars ($20) as visa charge. Over seven million Iranians and Iraqis visit each other's country every year, mainly for pilgrimage. However, visits to the Iraqi Kurdistan takes place mainly for trade and tourism. Four Iranian republican parties and political organizations have condemned the presence of foreign militia, including the Iraqi Hashd al-Sha'bi in flood stricken areas of Iran and have called for deporting them from the country. The four groups, namely the Union of Iranian Republicans, The National Front of Iran, the Solidarity of Iranian Republicans and the Leftist Party of Iran (Fedayeen-e Khalq), said in a joint statement on Thursday April 18 that the reason for the presence of Iraqi Hashd al-Sha'bi and Al Nojaba as well as the Afghan Fatemiyoun groupsis political, and that they are not in Iran for humanitarian reasons. The statement added that these are guerrilla groups that "have been accused of committing war crimes," adding that their presence in Iran "threatens the country's national interests." The statement added: "While the Islamic Republic of Iran has imposed limitations on the voluntary participation of Iranian people, athletes, and civil society in relief efforts and in some cases has even arrested relief workers and generally obstructed independent relief work, inviting groups that have no experience or capability in flood relief is questionable." Meanwhile, speaking to Radio Farda, Homayoun Mehmanesh, a foreign-based member of the National Front of Iran said: "the presence of foreign forces in Iran is unusual and has objectives other than humanitarian relief work." However, he added that this means the Islamic Republic and its revolutionary guards have not been able to help the flood-hit people. Mehmanesh added that the Islamic Republic is at the same time paving the way for using the foreign militia in its confrontation with the people in case dissent escalates and anti-government protests start in the flood-hit areas. He reminded that as Iran's policies in Iraq and Syria have failed, Iran has withdrawn the militia from Syria and Iraq and brought them to Iran. Earlier, hardline daily Kayhan, which is close to the office of the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, reported that IRGC Qods Force Commander Qassem Soleimani has invited Shiite militia from Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan to come to Iran's Lorestan and Khuzestan provinces. Foreign militia's presence in the two provinces has elicited a wave of criticism in Iran. This comes while the militia's commanders say they are in Iran to help with relief efforts in flood-hit areas. At the same time, even some of the members of Iranian Parliament including MPs from Khuzestan Province have said they do not know how they have arrived in Iran and where are they based. According to Iranian laws, inviting foreign forces to Iran requires special permissions from the Parliament (Majles) and the Supreme National Security Council. There has been no report yet about the issuance of any such permission. Ehsan Hosseinzadeh, an Iranian lawyer based in France told Radio Farda, "There is nothing in the charter of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps that would allow the IRGC to invite foreign forces to Iran," adding that inviting Hashd al-Sha'bi and other militia groups to Iran was "illegal". Meanwhile, Iranian analyst Saeed Bashirtash said in an interview with Radio Farda that there were no humanitarian reasons for the foreign militia's arrival into Iran, adding that they do not specialize in relief efforts. He further added that the Islamic Republic is preparing public opinion to accept more widespread presence of these forces in Iran. Hajigabul, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade, Elnur Baghishov Trend: Iran has offered Azerbaijan to create a committee to address the issues related to joint projects. This proposal was made by Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani during his visit to Azerbaijan, Trend reports on April 19. In an interview with journalists, the minister stressed that the creation of such a committee would be the next step in enhancing relations between the two countries. Rahmani thanked Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev for holding a high-level meeting. Speaking about that active development of relations between the two countries in various fields, he expressing confidence that they would be strengthening. The investments in joint projects will bring big benefits to both countries, Rahmani added. He particularly underlined the importance of commissioning the Qazvin-Rasht-Astara railway within the North-South International Transport Corridor. During the two-day visit of the Iranian minister, the issues concerning transport and transit relations, cooperation in the energy sector including oil and gas industry, and bilateral trade relations were discussed. Together with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Rahmani participated in the opening ceremony of a joint Azerbaijani-Iranian bus and truck production plant on April 19. Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 Trend: Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 19, 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, April 19 Trend: Upon the instructions of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, activities on improving the control system and bringing it up to the level of high technical standards are being carried out as part of the modernization of Azerbaijan's Air Force, Trend reports referring the Ministry of Defense of the country. On April 18, the Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and the leadership of the Ministry visited the Aviation Repair Plant. The Minister of Defense was informed about the current activities carried out at the production facilities for the repair of assemblies, engines and gear cases of aircraft and helicopters, aviation and radio-electronic equipment, and aircraft weapon. The minister inquired about the preparation of aviation assets, the current repair work of assemblies and the scheduled operations. Then the Defense Minister took part in the opening of Training Centre of the Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets. Colonel General Zakir Hasanov visited the premises of aviation engineers, aircraft weapon, flight control, flight analysis, watched the preparatory training of military pilots and gave relevant instructions. He was also informed that that the simulators installed at the premises allow providing a flight of two or four aircrafts simultaneously. The high-altitude work accessories and equipment provided for flight personnel were also demonstrated. After getting acquainted with the conditions created in the Centre, the Defense Minister held a meeting with military pilots and assigned specific tasks for them. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend: Armenian falsification is the wing of Nazism, and Nazism won in Armenia, said Fuad Akhundov, head of the public and political affairs department of the Presidential Administration, Trend reports. He was speaking at a conference Ancient texts and classical sources expose the falsifications and speculations of Armenians dedicated to April 23, the World Book and Copyright Day. He said that Adolf Hitlers plans were implemented by Armenia. Hitler wanted to create a mono-ethnic state, but failed, however the Armenians succeeded, Akhundov noted. Hitler wanted to change the names of cities, but he couldnt, however the Armenians changed the names of Azerbaijani cities. If fascism was defeated in Germany and Italy, then in Armenia, Nazism gained victory over the entire humanity, and this should be spoken openly. Akhundov reminded that ex-president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said that Armenians and Azerbaijanis cannot coexist. As a president, he said this in Strasbourg, and the moderator of the meeting was surprised, saying that such thing is heard for the first time, and how can a president speak like this, Akhundov said. Then his wife during the opening of the Blood Center said that it was necessary to make sure that only Armenian blood was kept there, Akhundov noted. These words came from the first lady of Armenia. Another ex-president, Serzh Sargsyan, said that Azerbaijanis thought that the Armenians wont be able to do it, but we killed civilians in Khojaly, we did it. They themselves admitted it. Thus, it becomes clear that Armenia is a Nazi state. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 Trend: The Closing ceremony of the First Students National Scientific Conference dedicated to the 96th anniversary of the National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev was held at Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS). The BHOS management, academic staff, and representatives of BHOS partner companies such as SOCAR Complex Drilling Works Trust, SOCAR Polymer, Huawei, Maire Tecnimont, ABB, Microsoft, Emerson Process Management and Avandsis Group joined the event, which brought together students and young promising researchers from various universities who shared their ideas during the contest. In his welcoming speech, BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov underscored the importance of the First Students National Scientific Conferences and informed that, within three broad headlines - Perspectives in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Quality Energy, Quality Service and High Technologies Innovative Applications, the conference served as a unique venue for 177 students and young researchers and scientists representing various higher educational institutions and Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS) who expressed their interest in participating in the conference. Winners of the contest were awarded the BHOS certificates and special gifts presented by the partnering national and transnational companies. The BHOS Rector thanked the conference participants, expressing his confidence that the young researchers and scientists will follow their passion for science, and extended his best wishes in their further professional development. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 Trend: In Almaty Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) held a presentation of its new regular Baku-Almaty-Baku route for travel operators and agents of Kazakhstan, Trend reports with reference to the press service of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines. Head of the AZAL Marketing and Production Department, Fuad Yusifov made an opening speech. He noted that the new destination of the National Airline was very successful, and with each new flight there is an increase in load on both directions. According to him, Baku-Almaty-Baku flights are operated twice a week. Departure from Baku is on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from Almaty - on Wednesdays and Sundays. AZALs general partner in Kazakhstan is Nur Ai & Co tourism company. Representative for Almaty of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Kazakhstan Ramil Rzayev and the head of the Azerbaijani Diaspora in Kazakhstan Abulfaz Khamedov also spoke at the event. In their speeches, they streesed that the opening of the new destination will contribute to the development of tourism and bilateral relations between the two countries. In his presentation, manager for AZAL route network development, Ruslan Abdullayev spoke about the benefits for passengers and travel agents. Azerbaijans tourism opportunities were presented by Fidan Akhundzade, regional manager for the CIS countries of Azerbaijan Tourism Bureau, as well as by Narmina Aghayeva, specialist on domestic tourism of Silk Way Travel tourism company. Deputy Director of the Heydar Aliyev International Airport Elnur Zulfugarov spoke about the possibilities and advantages of the main airport of Azerbaijan, calling on other airlines of Kazakhstan to open direct flights to Baku. It should be noted that with its stands Azerbaijan Airlines, Heydar Aliyev International Airport and SW Travel tourism company were also represented at the KITF-2019 tourism exhibition in Almaty from April 17 to 19. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 19 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: French aircraft manufacturer Airbus will provide 34 helicopters to Uzbekistan, Trend reports via Uzbek media. Yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov received a delegation from France led by the co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation and Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Baptiste Lemoine. "These are helicopters will help strengthening the sovereignty of Uzbekistan and also allow equipping services with transport, for example, for medical evacuation," Lemoine said. The helicopters will be of Ecureuil ("Squirrel") model. This helicopter is adapted for operation in high mountains and hot climate. The helicopter, according to the manufacturer, is used for a wide range of tasks, including fire suppression, power line monitoring, cargo lifting, crop pollination, aerial video shooting, parachuting and geological prospecting. The cost and delivery time of the helicopters has not yet been announced. Moreover, Lemoine said that with the support of France, a project to develop an integrated hydropower plant management strategy will be implemented at the Charvak hydroelectric station in the Tashkent region. "This will be the first project of this kind in Central Asia," he said. "It will be aimed at modernizing this hydropower plant to ensure its integrated management." The French Development Agency will take part in financing the project for the modernization of the Charvak HPP. The agency will invest 13 million euro directly to Charvak HPP, while the sum of investments in the cascade of three hydroelectric power stations in this complex will amount to 60 million euros. Nowadays, Uzbekistan and France is implementing 17 agreements worth over 3 billion euros. There are 15 projects being implemented with the participation of foreign direct investment including, the cooperation with the French company Suez in the field of managing the Tashkent city water supply system worth 150 million euros. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Tehran, Iran, April 19 Trend: Two controversial bills related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), namely the convention against the funding of terrorism (CFT) and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (known as Palermo bill in Iran), have already been approved by the lawmakers in the Iranian Parliament and need to gain the approval of the Expediency Council after they were rejected by the Guardian Council. A Member of Iranian Parliament told Trend that the FATF's adoption cannot lower the price of the currency and that foreign currency fluctuations are more domestic. "Foreign exchange disruptions in the country are more rooted in internal factors than foreign ones," he argued. Referring to the severe exchange rate fluctuations in December, the MP said that at that time, when the sanctions had not yet been imposed, controlling these factors could have an effect on lowering the exchange rate. "Recently, the Foreign Minister and his deputy explicitly informed that they could not commit the massive changes after the approval of the FATF or promise to lift sanctions and, in total, to improve the overall economic situation," Naser Mousavi Laregani said. "So it cannot be expected that the adoption of these bills would take the burden out of the country." In his words, given that FATF is a kind of self-sanctioning, the adoption of the bill could close all the ways of Iran's escape from the sanctions. FATF has given Iran an extended June deadline to complete the reforms necessary for joining the international body. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Matanat Nasibova - Trend: Ismayilli Sharab, an Azerbaijani manufacturer of alcoholic beverages, located in the Ismayilli district of the country, plans to increase the volume of wine exports to the Russian market, a source in the company told Trend. The company plans to increase the manufacture volume of wine products until the end of this year, according to the source. "The companys wine products are in great demand in the Russian market, therefore, as part of our opportunities, we plan to increase exports," said the source. The manufactured products have a certificate of conformity issued by the State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents and a hygienic certificate issued by the Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology of the Ministry of Healthcare of Azerbaijan. The company has equipment of Italian and French production. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MatanatNasibova Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: In January-March 2019, 789 Turkish citizens visited Russia to find jobs through the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR), which is 42.2 percent more compared to the same period of 2018, ISKUR told Trend on April 18. Turkish citizens also prefer to visit Saudi Arabia which ranks 2nd after Russia to find jobs. "During the reporting period, 701 Turkish citizens visited Saudi Arabia to find jobs through ISKUR, which is 28.3 percent less compared to the same period of 2018," ISKUR said. In January-March 2019, 122 Turkish citizens visited Uzbekistan to find jobs through ISKUR, which is 40.8 percent less compared to the same period of 2018. In January-March 2019, 5,300 Turkish citizens visited foreign countries through ISKUR, which is 9.2 percent less compared to the same period of 2018. Presently, the Turkish population is 82.3 million people. Some 50.2 percent of the Turkish population account for men, 49.8 percent - women. Some 7.7 percent of the Turkish population live in villages, while 92.3 percent - in cities. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 Trend: Iran has invested $3.4 billion in the Azerbaijani economy, and more than 1,000 Iranian companies have been registered in Azerbaijan, co-chairman of Azerbaijan-Iran State Commission for Economic, Humanitarian and Trade Spheres, Azerbaijans Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev said, Trend reports with reference to Azerbaijans Economy Ministry. He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation led by Irans Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani. As Shahin Mustafayev informed, within joint Azerbaijani-Iranian projects, a car plant is successfully operating in the Neftchala Industrial Park. Last year, over 1,000 cars were produced and sold, and 360 cars were produced and sold in the first quarter this year, he added. At the meeting, it was reported that a joint pharmaceutical plant to be built in the Pirallahi Industrial Park and the foundation for a bus production plant would be laid in the Hajigabul Industrial Park. Mustafayev emphasized that last year the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Iran increased by 74 percent and added that this year the growth trend continues. In January-February 2019, the trade turnover increased by 4.5 times, compared to the same period last year, he said. In his words, the bilateral relations are developing in many areas including, among others, energy, industry, agriculture, transport, cargo transportation, trade, water management and humanitarian sphere. In his turn, Rahmani pointed out that the negotiations held at the meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev would play an important role in the further expansion of bilateral relations. In recent years, Iranian-Azerbaijani relations continued to develop and reached a high level, Iranian minister said. Rahmani continued by adding that the presidents of both countries attach great importance to the development of Iranian-Azerbaijani relations and created favorable conditions for expanding the economic partnership and political relationship. In his words, Iran provides advantageous conditions for entrepreneurs and Azerbaijani businessmen can use these opportunities. The meeting participants exchanged views on expanding cooperation in the industrial, agricultural, trade sectors and in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises, and discussed prospects of other joint projects. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: The third Global Forum on Health Tourism will be held in Baku city, a source from the National Confederation of the Entrepreneurs (Employers') Organizations of Azerbaijan (ASK) told Trend. The delegates of the Forum, which is dedicated to the development of health tourism in the country, will discuss strategic issues and challenges in the tourism industry, the source from ASK said. The forum will be held under the slogan "Global Health for All." The source commented, "This is a large-scale event aimed at supporting health tourism. Some 150 representatives involved in the tourism industry and business are expected to attend the Forum. As expected, MPs as well as managers and experts from various state organizations representing Azerbaijan will deliver speeches at the event." Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Kheyraddin Nasirzade - Trend: Azerbaijani-Iranian relations are developing intensively, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev told reporters in Baku,Trend reports April 19. He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the Azerbaijani bus and truck production plant in Hajigabul Industrial Park. He particularly noted the high level of bilateral humanitarian ties, successful cooperation in the transport and transit sphere, as well as energy, oil and gas, trade sectors. Speaking about joint projects, Mustafayev noted the car plant, which is successfully operating in the Neftchala Industrial Park. More than 1,000 cars were produced and sold last year, he said. He added that as part of the visit by Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade of Iran Reza Rahmani to Azerbaijan, meetings are held where issues in the fields of industry and trade are discussed. On April 19, the Hajigabul Industrial Park hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the joint Azerbaijani plant for the production of high-quality buses and trucks. The project cost is 10 million euros. At the first stage, the production capacity will be 500 buses and trucks per year, while at the second stage the production capacity will increase to 1,000 buses and trucks. The bus and truck production plant will be focused both on the local Azerbaijani market and on exports to neighboring countries. The plant will employ over 100 people. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @1nasirzade Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Kamala Seyidova Trend: Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan (SCC), Customs Service Lieutenant-General Safar Mehdiyev met with the Iranian delegation headed by the Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani, Trend reports referring to the committee. Mehdiyev noted that, Azerbaijani-Iranian relations have been developing and turning into a fruitful business cooperation in recent years. The economic relations, according to him, have also become strengthened, and the trade turnover is growing. It was noted that the location of both countries on strategic international trade routes further strengthened the ties of cooperation. Speaking about the reforms carried out in recent years in the customs sphere of Azerbaijan, Mehdiyev stressed that, along with the applied innovations having contributed to the development of the country's export potential, having simplified customs procedures and ensured transparency, they also created favorable conditions for simplifying and accelerating international trade. In turn, the Iranian minister said that his country is always interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan, and expressed satisfaction with the mutual cooperation in all areas, including customs. Emphasis was made on the further intensification of joint activities. Speaking about the successes of the Azerbaijani customs, Reza Rahmani assessed the recent reforms as successful steps aimed at improving the business environment and facilitating trade. Then the delegations of the customs services of Azerbaijan and Iran exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh was also present at the meeting. Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 19 By Fakhri Vakilov Trend: Uzbekistan and South Korea signed an agreement for more than $12 billion within the framework of the visit of Korean President Moon Jae-In to Uzbekistan, Trend reports via Uzbek media. President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyeyev and Moon Jae-In signed a joint declaration on a special strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and South Korea. Following the talks, which took place on Friday at the Kuksaroy residence in Tashkent, documents were signed between governments and ministries on the promotion and mutual protection of investments, the exploration of space for peaceful purposes, cooperation in science, technology and innovation and the creation of the Uzbek-Korean health cooperation center. During the visit, agreements on the implementation of programs and projects in the field of trade, economic, investment and financial and technical cooperation worth more than $12 billion were signed as well. Our talks have demonstrated that cooperation between Uzbekistan and South Korea in the political, trade, economic, investment, cultural, humanitarian and other fields fully meets the long-term interests of our peoples, as well as the proximity of positions on regional and international issues, security and stability. The Joint Declaration on a Special Strategic Partnership that was signed today testifies that relations between our countries have reached a completely new level, " Shavkat Mirziyoyev said. I express my deep respect to the President of Uzbekistan. The world's attention is riveted to Uzbekistan today. Shavkat Mirziyoyev with his reforms in all spheres - politics, economy, social life - leads Uzbekistan to a new era of development. Today we have given bilateral relations the status of a special strategic partnership. We discussed the mechanisms for its implementation, new areas of cooperation, reached promising agreements," Moon Jae-In said. The parties agreed on the creation of joint ventures in leading sectors of the economy, free economic and small industrial zones of Uzbekistan, the development of "electronic government", and training of personnel for the innovation and social spheres. Moon Jae-In invited Shavkat Mirziyoyev to visit South Korea at a convenient time for him. --- Follow author on Twitter:@vakilovfaxri Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: ASPI AGRO LLC producing wine in Azerbaijans Gabala city intends to export wine to more countries, Aygun Atayeva, chief sales manager, told Trend. Presently, the companys products are sold domestically and exported to the EU countries, she said. "The companys products under Savalan brand are supplied to several European countries and our task is to further popularize the Azerbaijani products to promote the Made in Azerbaijan brand on the European continent, Atayeva said. Of course, we need the state support for more sustainable propaganda of our wine outside the country." She stressed that presently, small volumes are supplied to Europe, but these supplies are stable. "Every year the company produces a million bottles of wine, while a certain part of this volume accounts for the export of wine to Europe," Atayeva said. ASPI AGRO LLC was founded in 2007. The company uses the experience of Italian specialists in the wine production. The modern Italian equipment produced by Della-Toffola company is used in the company. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: BP, the operator of the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) block of fields, has suspended production at Central Azeri platform for technical maintenance, Tamam Bayatli, the Head of Public Relations Department of the company, told correspondents in Baku, Trend reports. The platforms work has been suspended since April 15, and the technical maintenance will last for two weeks, she said. It is then planned to suspend the operation of the West Chirag platform from October 15, Bayatli added . The technical maintenance work on this platform will also last for two weeks. The contract for developing the ACG field was signed in 1994. A ceremony of signing a new contract on development of the ACG block of oil and gas fields was held in Baku Sept. 14, 2017. The new ACG participating interests are as follows: BP - 30.37 percent; AzACG (SOCAR) - 25 percent; Chevron - 9.57 percent; INPEX - 9.31 percent; Statoil - 7.27 percent; ExxonMobil - 6.79 percent; TP - 5.73 percent; ITOCHU - 3.65 percent; ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) - 2.31 percent. Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend: Over 25 years, $36 billion have been invested in the development of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field, said President of Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev, Trend reports. He was speaking April 19 at the ceremony of signing the contract on the approval of the Azeri Central East (ACE) project. Abdullayev noted that the ACE project is the first major project after the extension of the Contract of the Century. This is a project worth $6 billion, and its implementation will create 8,000 jobs, he said. The ACE project is centered on a new 48-slot production, drilling and quarters platform located mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms in a water depth of approximately 140 meters. The project will also include new infield pipelines to transfer oil and gas from the ACE platform to the existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines for transportation to the onshore Sangachal Terminal. In addition, there will be a water injection pipeline installed between the East Azeri and ACE platforms to supply injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities. The contract for developing the ACG field was signed in 1994. A ceremony to sign a new contract on development of the ACG block of oil and gas fields was held in Baku Sept. 14, 2017. The new ACG participating interests are as follows: BP - 30.37 percent; AzACG (SOCAR) - 25 percent; Chevron - 9.57 percent; INPEX - 9.31 percent; Statoil - 7.27 percent; ExxonMobil - 6.79 percent; TP - 5.73 percent; ITOCHU - 3.65 percent; ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) - 2.31 percent. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: Axpo company, based in Switzerland, will purchase French photovoltaic company, Trend reports with reference to the companys website. In the course of its targeted growth strategy, Axpo has entered into exclusive purchase negotiations with the owners of the French photovoltaic company Urbasolar. With the acquisition, Axpo intends to further expand its leading position in the area of renewable energies. Urbasolar plans, constructs and sells photovoltaic systems, said the company. The owners chose Axpo in an extensive selection process from a field of high-ranking bidders. In a next step, French law stipulates that Urbasolar employee representatives must be consulted before the sales contract is concluded. Urbasolar has initiated this consultation process. The two parties have agreed not to disclose any details on the intended purchase. Axpo holds 5 percent of shares in the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). It owns and holds interests in power plants and have long-term energy supply contracts with electricity and natural gas producers. In addition, Axpo is involved in important power plant and supply projects. The Axpo Group produces, trades and sells energy in over 30 European countries. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Leman Zeynalova Trend: The decision to add one platform to Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of oil and gas fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is contributing to Equinors international strategy, Trend reports with reference to a message on the Norwegian companys website. The remarks came on the occasion of the decision to approve $6 billion worth Azeri Central East (ACE) project, the next stage of development of the giant ACG field. "Equinor has been creating significant value in Azerbaijan over many years, and we are excited to reach this milestone. Together with operator BP we are eager to contribute to safe operations that will provide cash flow to Equinor for many years," says Torgrim Reitan, Executive vice president for Development & Production International (DPI) in Equinor. In addition to the ACG ACE decision Equinor said it is pursuing other opportunities in Azerbaijan. Equinor and partner SOCAR are planning to drill an appraisal well later this year in the Karabagh license, a discovery from 2000, said the company. Following the drilling in Karabagh, the plan is to drill the Aypara exploration well in the Ashrafi, Dan Ulduzu, Aypara licence, according to Equinor. Azerbaijan is an important country for Equinor and over the last few years we have been able to develop new growth opportunities in the region. The decision to add one platform to the ACG field is contributing to Equinors international strategy," says Reitan. Equinor has been in Azerbaijan since 1992. The Steering Committee for the development of the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water portion of the Gunashli (ACG) field (including SOCAR, BP, Chevron, INPEX, Equinor, ExxonMobil, TPAO, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh) has announced the sanctioning of the Azeri Central East (ACE) project, the next stage of development of the giant ACG field in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. The $6 billion development includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to achieve first production in 2023 and produce up to 300 million barrels over its lifetime. ACG participating interests are: BP (30.37 per cent), SOCAR (25.0 per cent), Chevron (9.57 per cent), INPEX (9.31 per cent), Equinor (7.27 per cent), ExxonMobil (6.79 per cent), TPAO (5.73 per cent), ITOCHU (3.65 per cent), ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) (2.31 per cent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 19 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Republic of Korea will help Turkmenistan with the commercialization of 5G mobile communications, Trend reports referring to a joint statement by the presidents of the two countries. South Korean President Moon Jae-is who is on a state visit in Turkmenistan on April 16-18, held talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The parties expressed their wish that, with the Republic of Korea sharing the worlds first experience in commercialization of 5G mobile communications, the parties may successfully respond to the challenges arising from the fourth industrial revolution use of the opportunity for inclusive innovation growth in the long run, the document says. It was remarked that science, technology and information and communication technologies are the key driving force for economic and social progress, and for the development of innovations in both countries. The parties also highlighted the need for a joint response to the new technologies' on people, industry and society. As was reported earlier, Turkmenistan's national mobile operator Altyn Asyr (TM CELL) purchased 100 base stations with its own funds for deploying mobile communications in the territory of Ahal, Balkan and Dashoguz regions of Turkmenistan. This year, the base stations will be purchased using a credit line allocated by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Within the framework of the large-scale "Development of telecommunication networks of Turkmenistan" project, Altyn Asyr plans to ensure widespread introduction of this type of communication in Turkmenistan including 3G, 4G and, in the near future, 5G-speed Internet and other services. To this end, it is planned to purchase more than 600 units of broadcasting equipment. More than 120 base stations will be set in the capital city, Ashgabat. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Matanat Nasibova Trend: An exhibition of handicraft will be organized within the forum dedicated to the tourism development in Azerbaijan to be held in the countrys Gabala city on April 20, where handicraft of people with disabilities will be demonstrated, Sakina Babayeva, head of the Azerbaijani Association of Women Entrepreneurs, told Trend. The organizer of the event is Tourism Lab LLC, she said. "The forum will be held in the Gabala Congress Center, Babayeva added. The issues related to the development of the tourism industry, as well as the expansion of women's entrepreneurial opportunities in the countrys districts are expected to be discussed at the forum. Moreover, the event is aimed at supporting and assisting people with disabilities for them to show their handicraft and sell them there. She stressed that representatives of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, experts in the tourism industry, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and other spheres will deliver speeches at the forum. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, April 19 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held seminars in Bratislava on border security, border control and introduction of biometrics, Trend reports with reference to State Migration Service of Turkmenistan on April 19. The event was attended by authorized representatives of Turkmenistan, the news report said. At the seminar, issues of regional cooperation to eliminate border risks were discussed and presentations on software technologies and biometric information in border management were made. Representatives of Turkmenistan also participated in the meeting on combating human trafficking conducted by OSCE in Vienna. China will maintain policy support for the economy, which still faces downward pressure and difficulties after better-than-expected first quarter growth, the Communist Partys top decision-making body said on Friday, reports Trend citing to Reuters The statement from the politburo came two days after China reported had steady 6.4 percent annual growth in January-March, defying expectations for a further slowdown, as industrial production jumped sharply and consumer demand showed signs of improvement. While fully affirming the achievements, we should clearly see that there are still many difficulties and problems in economic operations, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping. The external economic environment is generally tightening and the domestic economy is under downward pressure. China will implement counter-cyclical adjustments in a timely and appropriate manner, while the pro-active fiscal policy will become more forceful and effective, and the prudent monetary policy will be neither too tight nor too loose, it said. For this year, the government has unveiled tax and fee cuts amounting to 2 trillion yuan ($298.35 billion) to ease burdens on firms, while the central bank has cut banks reserve requirement ratios (RRR) five times since early 2018 to spur lending. Further policy easing is widely expected. On Friday, the politburo reiterated that the government will effectively support the private economy and the development of small- and medium-sized firms. Authorities will strike a balance between stabilizing economic growth, promoting reforms, controlling risks and improving peoples livelihoods, the politburo said. China will push forward structural deleveraging and prevent speculation in the property market, it said. We should adhere to the orientation that houses are used for living, not for speculation, the politburo said, reaffirming a city-based approach in controlling the property sector. Chinas economic growth is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2 percent this year, a Reuters poll showed last week, as sluggish demand at home and abroad weigh on activity despite a flurry of policy support measures. The French interior minister warned on Friday that violence could flare up on the 23rd Saturday of yellow-vest protests, as authorities banned marches around the fire-gutted Notre-Dame cathedral, reports Trend with reference to Reuters The warning comes after weeks of relative calm, with the marches attracting declining numbers as yellow-vest protesters waited for President Emmanuel Macrons expected response to their various demands which include lower taxes and more government services. Christophe Castaner, the interior minister, said domestic intelligence services had informed him of a potential return of rioters intent on wreaking havoc in Paris, Toulouse, Montpellier and Bordeaux, in a repeat of violent protests on March 16. That day, hooded gangs ransacked stores on Pariss famed Champs-Elysees avenue, set fire to a bank and forced Macron to cut short a ski trip in the Pyrenees. The rioters will be back tomorrow, Castaner told a press conference. Their proclaimed aim: a repeat of March 16, he said. The rioters have visibly not been moved by what happened at Notre-Dame. Castaner said that planned marches that would have come near the medieval church on the central island on the Seine river had been banned, while one march from Saint-Denis, north of Paris, to Jussieu university on the Left Bank, had been authorized. The catastrophic fire at Notre-Dame cathedral on Monday, one of Frances best loved monuments, prompted an outpouring of national sorrow and a rush by rich families and corporations to pledge around 1 billion euro ($1.12 billion)for its reconstruction. That has angered some yellow-vest protesters, who have expressed disgust at the fact their five-month old movement, which started as an anti-fuel tax protest last year, has not received the same generous donations by Frances elite. Im sorry, and with all due respect to our heritage, but I am just taken aback by these astronomic amounts! Ingrid Levavasseur, one of the yellow vests most recognizable public faces, said on her Facebook page. After five months on the streets, this is totally at odds with what we have seen, she said. The yellow vest movement poses the biggest challenge so far to Macrons authority two years into his presidency. The French leader was due to unveil policies to quell the grassroot movement on Monday, before the blaze at Notre-Dame forced him to cancel the speech. He has yet to set a new date for the announcements. The police prefecture of Paris said it had prohibited yellow vest demonstrators from holding a protest on the coming Saturday near the Notre Dame cathedral that has suffered from a massive fire, Trend reports citing Sputnik. "Marches, demonstrations and rallies, mentioned in the first clause are also prohibited near Notre Dame de Paris," the police prefecture said in a statement on Thursday. The ban has been introduced due to security concerns and in the wake of a security operation and collection of evidence on the territory of the cathedral, according to the statement. One of the activists of the movement told Sputnik earlier this week that the protesters did not plan to cancel their 23rd weekend rally due to the Notre Dam fire. Fire swept the Gothic cathedral this Monday and burned much of its roof and the spire before being extinguished in the early hours of Tuesday. The yellow vest demonstrations initially started in November over the planned increase in fuel taxes and subsequently grew into a nation-wide campaign against the governments social policies. The demonstrations often result in looting and riots in Paris and other cities. Japan will invite US President Donald Trump to visit Japan May 25 to 28, its top government spokesman said on Friday, Trend reports citing Reuters. Trump will meet Japans new emperor and empress as well as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Ankara hopes that US President Donald Trump will visit Turkey, said Ibrahim Kalin, Press Secretary of the Turkish President, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media. He said that Ankara repeatedly stated its readiness to receive Trump and that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself invited the US President to visit the country. In his words, the administration of the US President also does not exclude Trumps visit to Ankara in 2019. Touching upon the issue of the procurement of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, Kalin said that the relevant decision by Ankara was made on the basis of national interests. Russian S-400s do not pose a threat to NATO, and the US knows it very well, he added. Earlier, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that the US believes that Turkey would be unable to have both American F-35 fighter-bombers and Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems at the same time, as this is technically impossible. According to Pentagon sources, it is impossible to launch the F-35 in the space where the S-400 is operated, he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the country may receive the S-400 missile systems earlier than scheduled. In his words, Turkey expects to receive the first supplies of the S-400 missile systems in July 2019. The President noted that despite appeals from the US, Turkey will not abandon the purchase of S-400. "This issue has been already resolved by Turkey," Erdogan added. Initial reports about negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the supply of S-400 appeared in November 2016. The signing of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on September 12, 2017. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the S-400 air defense systems would be deployed starting from October 2019. The supply of the S-400 air defense systems to Ankara cost $2.5 billion, Head of the Rostec state corporation Sergey Chemezov informed in December 2017. Turkey is the first NATO member country, which will receive the S-400 air defense systems from Russia. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Twelve militants of the Islamic State (IS) terrorist organization were detained during a special operation conducted by the provincial police in the country's Izmir province, Trend reports via Turkish media. The operation to detain terrorists was carried out in three locations in Izmir. All detainees are Turkish citizens. Firearms were also seized during the operation. On Nov. 5, 2018, a major operation was carried out against members of the "Islamic State" in 11 provinces of Turkey. Some 24 people, who were engaged in raising funds for terrorists in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Libya, were arrested. Also, cash money of more than $500,000 and more than two million Turkish liras were confiscated during the operation. Syrian citizen Riad Haji Osman, one of the IS executioners, was detained during a special operation in Turkeys Adana Province on Apr. 13. Kifah Bashir Hussein, the so-called minister of health of IS, was detained in Sanliurfa in southeastern Turkey on Jan. 24. On Jan. 12, the Turkish police detained the so-called minister of agriculture of IS, Tarik Ahmet. In December 2017, a 28-year-old terrorist nicknamed Mahmud, one of the IS executioners, was detained in Turkeys Hatay Province on the border with Syria. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Alipay and WeChat Pay are illegal, officials say, but they have no idea how to control it Under Nepali law, any outbound transaction from the country must be first approved by Nepal Rastra Bank, the countrys central bank. When people use these platforms, the transaction is made from one Chinese account to another which means the money technically doesnt enter Nepal. Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: The US did not respond to Turkeys offer to establish a joint commission to check the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. In his words, the US must understand that Turkey is in dire need of defending its airspace. The Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems do not pose a threat to NATO and the US, the Minister noted. On April 11, Cavusoglu said that specialists from the US and NATO could come to Turkey to make sure that the Russian S-400 air defense systems do not pose a threat to NATO. "Although the US urges Turkey to abandon the purchase of Russian S-400 air defense missile systems, it does not guarantee that it will sell us Patriot air defense systems," he said . As US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced earlier, the US believes that Turkey will not be able to have both American F-35 fighter-bombers and Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems at the same time, as this is technically impossible. According to Pentagon sources, is not possible to launch the F-35 in the space where the S-400 is operated, he said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed Turkey may receive the S-400 missile systems earlier than scheduled. According to the President, it was expected that Turkey would receive the first supplies of S-400 missile systems in July 2019. He noted that despite appeals from the US, Turkey will not abandon the purchase of the S-400. "This issue has been already resolved by Turkey," said Erdogan. Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, April 19 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Two agents of the United Arab Emirates' intelligence services have been detained in Istanbul, Trend reports via Turkish media. Reports noted that the detained agents were involved in the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the building of the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul. So far, the Turkish authorities have not confirmed this information. On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi, known for his critical statements about the policy of Riyadh, disappeared when he visited the Consulate General of Saudi Arabia in Istanbul, where he came to receive documents for registering marriage with a Turkish citizen. After several days, the Turkish police launched an investigation into his disappearance case. The Saudi authorities said on October 20, 2018 that Khashoggi was killed as a result of a conflict in the consulate general. The Attorney General of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Saud al-Muadjib, said that 18 nationals of the country are under investigation, whose identities have not been revealed. He also announced the dismissal of the adviser to the crown prince, General Ahmad Asiri, who held a high position in the intelligence services of the Kingdom, and Saud al-Qahtani, the adviser to the royal office in the rank of minister. Commenting on the case, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey has gathered many new facts about the murder of the Saudi journalist, but Ankara considers it premature to disclose all available information. The Turkish president said that the killing of Khashoggi is not a regular crime, noting that 18 people are suspected of the killing, and that the Saudi authorities should investigate it. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Turkey condemn French President Emmanuel Macron's reception of PKK terrorist group's Syrian affiliate People's Protection Units (YPG)-led so-called "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) members, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hami Aksoy said in a statement, Trend reported citing Daily Sabah. "This is a wrong move aiming to legitimize terrorist groups, and one that goes against the relations between two allies," he added. "We remind once again that Turkey will not hesitate to take precautions needed to ensure its national security that it deems necessary and that the agendas that aim to harm Syria's political unity and territorial integrity," Aksoy concluded. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday that he will continue to lead nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, dismissing the regime's call for his replacement, Trend reported citing Yonhap. Pompeo's remark comes after a North Korean official accused the top U.S. diplomat of failing to understand Pyongyang's position and called for his replacement with a "more careful and mature" negotiator. "Nothing's changed," Pompeo said in a press conference after meeting with his Japanese counterpart and the two countries' defense chiefs. "We continue to work to negotiate, still in charge of the team. President Trump's obviously in charge of the overall effort, but it will be my team, Special Representative (Stephen) Biegun, we'll continue to lead the U.S. efforts to achieve what Chairman Kim committed to do back in June of last year, which was to denuclearize," he said. At their first summit in Singapore in June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to work toward complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in exchange for security guarantees for Pyongyang. Kim and Trump held a second summit in Vietnam in February, but failed to reach any agreement due to differences over the scope of the North's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S. Amid the deadlock, North Korea test-fired what it called a new "tactical guided weapon" this week under the supervision of its leader Kim, and also mounted an attack on Pompeo. The secretary said he is convinced there is still a "real opportunity" to achieve the North's denuclearization and that his diplomatic team will remain in the lead. To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. Dupa inscrierea pe site-ul HotNews.ro, poti deschide sectiunea MyHotNews ca sa completezi sau sa schimbi profilul de utilizator. Atentie! Logarea pe site se face cu adresa de email, nu cu nickname-ul. Adresa ta de email va ramane confidentiala si nu va fi niciodata data unor terte persoane sau institutii. Inainte de a te inscrie pe site te rugam sa parcurgi termenii si conditiile atasate unui cont HotNews.ro. KYODO NEWS - Apr 19, 2019 - 11:35 | All, Japan Mt. Aso in the southwestern Japanese prefecture of Kumamoto had a minor eruption Friday following a similar event observed earlier this week, the weather agency said. The eruption occurred at 8:24 a.m. at the No. 1 Nakadake crater, the same area as Tuesday's eruption, spewing smoke as high as 400 meters, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to local police. The agency maintained Mt. Aso's volcanic alert level at 2 on a scale of 5. This restricts entry to areas around the crater as even a small volcanic eruption can be dangerous, possibly spewing large flying rocks and causing pyroclastic flows. The eruption on Tuesday was the first at the volcano since October 2016. Local municipalities have restricted entry to areas within one kilometer of the crater. "As eruptions continue ahead of a big holiday, it is regrettable that tourists cannot visit the crater on the mountain," said an official of the city of Aso. This year's "Golden Week" holiday in Japan starting on April 27 has been extended to 10 days to celebrate the upcoming imperial succession. Indian School of Hospitality enters agreement with At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Asias Premier Culinary School based in Singapore. The two institutes will collaborate to offer joint culinary programs, starting with the Diploma in Culinary Arts The partnership has been established to develop academic exchanges and co-operation in teaching and research in culinary arts to promote global learning experiences. Students will have the option to pursue a three-nation culinary pathway New Delhi, April, 2019: The Indian School of Hospitality (ISH), a hospitality college that has set out to transform the educational landscape within the country, has announced the signing of an agreement with Singapore based At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy, Asias premier culinary institute. This is the second international tie-up for hotelier-entrepreneur and industry leader, Dilip Puris higher education institute, with the school also holding the official academic accreditation of world leaders in hospitality education Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland. This is the first academic partnership At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy has entered into within the Indian market. At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy is an EduTrust certified institution offering open access pathways into nationally-recognised diplomas, with the vision to advance foodpreneurship, culinary arts and the F&B profession with integrity and meaning. Founded in 2001, the institute has been cultivating global chefs and F&B professionals in an experiential environment of culinary authenticity, best-fit apprenticeship and innovation for the last two decades. With an internationally experienced faculty and staff, state-of-the-art facilities and strong industry partnerships, the Academy deliver skills and knowledge in the East and West, Old World and New World Cuisines, Herbs and Spices and Innovation and Technology, and holds accreditations from The Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications, SkillsFuture Singapore and The World Association of Chefs' Societies (WACs). It was also the first culinary school to be awarded the EduTrust 4-year certification from the Committee for Private Education (CPE) This agreement envisages a collaboration which will see the two institutes working together to bring new standards of excellency to culinary education within the country and bring more awareness towards the potential of pursuing careers in the culinary world. Through this collaboration, the two schools will engage in student exchange programs, knowledge transfer, articulation, internship and placement opportunities, and guest faculty exchange for special masterclasses and workshops. In addition to this, the second phase of the partnership will see a collaboration between the two institutes on a cross-disciplinary start up lab for food entrepreneurs as well as a digital learning platform for culinary training. The first step of this collaboration is an 18-month programme, of which students will spend the first 9 months within the Indian School of Hospitality, before completing the rest of their studies in At-Sunrice along with 6 months of overseas industrial attachment within Singapore itself, earning a Singapore Workforce Skills Qualifications (WSQ) upon graduation. They will then further have the opportunity to continue their studies at partner universities in Hong Kong, Australia, the United Kingdom and America and obtain a degree qualification. Renowned as Singapores leading culinary arts institute, students of At-Sunrice learn from international and experienced faculty and benefit from some of Asias most prestigious placements. Students of the 18 month programme will be learning how to master Asian and Western cuisines under the guidance of At-Sunrice multi-ethnic faculty and will go on to join an alumni and industry network that boast renowned culinary entrepreneurs and Michelin Star studded chefs. Speaking on the partnership between the two schools, Dilip Puri, Founder & CEO, ISH, commented, Im delighted to have our institute join hands with At-Sunrice an institution with learning philosophies, excellence and accomplishments we greatly respect and admire. We look forward to this collaboration contributing immensely to the education of students from both schools and help them learn more about the cultures and culinary diversity of both countries and the larger ASEAN region. Dr. Kwan Lui, founder At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy added, Culinary education incorporates science, arts, craft, gastronomy, profession and business which are today more than ever driven by design, technology, cultures and sustainability. With ISH, we are very pleased to offer an integrated international opportunity for young and passionate Indian culinary students to pursue high level skills and work experiences in Singapore, a world food capital. New Delhi: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday slammed Pakistan PM Imran Khan and said that it would be better that Imran Khan keeps off Indian elections. Backing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's theory that Congress might be plotting with Pak PM, Speaking to ANI, Madhav said, "Who will be the prime minister of India will be decided by the people of India. We are wise enough; we don't need advisers from across the border. When we come back to power, we know how to deal with our neighbours. We don't need advisers or suggestions from across the border." Asaduddin Owaisi calls Narendra Modi a Liar for fielding Sadhvi Pragya Singh Sitharaman had told ANI that she believes that Khan's statement on peace talks between the neighbours and resolution to the Kashmir issue would be a possibility if BJP is voted back to power, as merely a ploy by the grand old party to oust PM Modi-led government. Earlier, Pak PM had reportedly said that "there might be a better chance of peace talks with India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the upcoming elections". Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad choice Responding to a question on whether there is a deliberate attempt to politicise the country`s armed forces, Madhav said, "We are doing so. It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions. He said, "They are not questioning the government but the very credentials of the Army itself. Committee files motion to vacate Supreme Court ruling on Sudhir Basnets housing project The Problematic Cooperatives Asset Management Committee filed a motion to vacate before the Supreme Court on Monday requesting it to annul its March 29 interim order allowing promoter Sudhir Basnet of troubled Oriental Cooperative to complete his Vegas City housing project to pay off his creditors. In Pulwama terror attack, 40 Central Reserve Police Force security personnel lost their lives after their convoy was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber crashed into the convoy. Pakistan-based Islamist militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed took the responsibility of the attack. Following that, tensions grew between India and Pakistan which resulted in counter strike from the Indian Air Force in the PoKNow, to commemorate the memory of those fallen soldiers, Bollywood stars Ranbir Kapoor, Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan have collaborated with the CRPF to do a tribute song for them martyrs. 'Stay away from Indian election' Ram Madhav slams Pakistan PM Imran Khan The paramilitary force tweet shared photos of the three actors from the songs behind-the-scenes footage. The song will be called Tu Desh Mera. Aamir, Amitabh Bachchan and Ranbir are seen in white outfits as they shot for the song. Probably a symbol of peace and mourning as we can expect the tribute song to be emotional and heartfelt. The Tweet reads, "Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs." This 4/20 will be a lot different than last year. Image: Getty The Black Friday for cannabis is expected to be bigger than ever this year. A lot has changed since last years 4/20 holiday, celebrating the plant first popularized for its psychoactive chemical THC. For one, the U.S. passed the 2018 Farm Bill removing industrial hemp from the list of Schedule I drugs. Canada fully legalized recreational adult cannabis use. To date, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized adult use cannabis, while 33 states and D.C. have approved medical marijuana. According to Denver, Colorado-based software company Flowhub, cannabis companies should prepare for heavy sales, especially given that this year the holiday falls on a Saturday. This will be the biggest 4/20 in history, Flowhub wrote in an email to Yahoo Finance. Anne Fleshman, Flowhubs VP of Marketing, said the industry has seen amazing year-over-year growth for the holiday. The origin of 420 The concept of 4/20 is widely accepted to have begun as an inside joke among a group of San Rafael, California, high school students in the 1970s, who chose 4:20 p.m. as a time to meet after school and look for what they believed to be mythical crop of hidden cannabis. Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, which plays a role in 420 history. Image: Getty They never found the mythical plant, Darren Karasiuk, Aurora Cannabiss Chief Commercial Officer, told Yahoo Finance about the story. From there it became a much broader way to celebrate cannabiss history and legacy. The codeword later made its way into mainstream vernacular after members of the band the Grateful Dead who were acquaintances several steps removed from the students and an editor at a cannabis culture publication began using the term. 420" is now widely accepted as a reference to cannabis consumption, and its calendar designation has become the de facto holiday for users across the globe. On 4/20, purchasing trends in states tracked by Flowhubs database including Alaska, California, Colorado, Michigan, and Oregon have historically shown an increase of 51%-61% over typical weekday sales, Flowhub said. Dispensary visits on the holiday have shown to jump as much as 59%. And holiday sales year-over-year increased 30% in 2018. Socrates Rosenfeld, founder of Jane Technologies and iheartjane.com, an online marketplace for cannabis products, predicts 4/20 sales will center on CBD, edibles, pre-rolls (joints) and topicals. Story continues CBD will be big this year, particularly when it comes to how much customers are willing to spend, a company spokesperson said in an email to Yahoo Finance. Our data shows people buying CBD spend 50% more than a shopper looking for THC. Which products are popular? Rosenfeld said Americans are increasingly purchasing edibles, particularly to satisfy a sweet tooth, as well as topical lotions and balms. Over the last six months, Rosenfelds sales of sweet edibles such as candy and ice cream have grown 50%. Topical lotions and balms have jumped more than 150%. A person uses a Pax Labs Inc. Era cannabis vaporizer in this arranged photograph taken in Berkeley, California, U.S., on Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018. Photographer: Cayce Clifford/Bloomberg via Getty Images As for traditional joints, Rosenfeld said pre-rolls maintain a solid spot as cart toppers, meaning shoppers tend to add them to their online shopping carts when theyre shopping for at least one other product. Pre-rolls are in at least 10% of overall baskets when bundled with at least one other product, he said. Cannabis flower products, which have recently been losing some market share to faster-growing categories like vapor, generally see a resurgence around 4/20, Greg Schoenfeld, vice president of operations for market research firm BDS Analytics, told Yahoo Finance. Thats because many participants in the event tend to be the long-time connoisseurs and hard-core consumers of cannabis as opposed to new users, who may be seeking out cannabis for other reasons including wellness, he said. Its a temporary reprieve to that ongoing trend of a loss of share for flower, Schoenfeld said of the holiday. When we actually look at 4/20 sales, it resembles a little bit more the cannabis industry of the early years. That was more dominated by flower, pre-rolled joints and even what we call our dab-able concentrates. BDS Analytics predicts that dispensary sales on 4/20 will grow to $55 million this year combined between Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada and Oregon states which Schoenfeld said comprise about 55% of the U.S. cannabis market. Thats up from $41.5 million sales on 4/20 in 2018, which had been the single largest day of sales for the year. But while the day is a good opportunity to boost sales, move some inventory and potentially draw in a few new customers, it does not necessarily make or break revenues for most dispensaries, Schoenfeld added. 4/20 is certainly the biggest day of the year, but when you put it into perspective, it represents just seven-tenths of a percent of annual sales for dispensaries, he said. For a typical dispensary, its going to be a little bit greater than two times a busy Friday or Saturday. Whos using? Josh Segal, CEO of cannabis adtech platform AdLoop, said the walk-up to this years 4/20 has been marked by an uptick in advertising toward women, helping move the event away from what he considers to have been a largely male-driven experience in past years. One of the growing trends over the last couple years has been that the female market has become a significant purchasing power, Segal told Yahoo Finance. A lot of brands recognize that. According to a recent AdLoop study, 60% of a typical advertisers budget has been allocated toward marketing to women around 4/20 in 2019, versus 40% for a male audience. This marks a 20% rise over last year in brand spending on ads toward women. Millennial women comprise about 40% of the total cannabis marketplace, AdLoop estimates. The study added that women tend to favor more high-end and health-specific products than men including CBD topicals and sativa flower, contributing to the expected boom in CBD product sales around 4/20 this year. Segal added that brands AdLoop has worked with this year have by-and-large tried to steer away from traditional stoner imagery and messaging in their advertisements, broadening out the potential market for new users. This May 9, 2018 photo shows a billboard for MedMen, a marijuana dispensary, at an intersection in Los Angeles. MedMen recently rolled out an ad campaign that featured photos of 17 people including a white-haired grandmother, a schoolteacher, a business executive, a former pro football player and a nurse, being splashed across billboards, buses and the web. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) 4/20 has traditionally been known as a stoner holiday. And I would say 99% of the companies we work with, they dont want to be associated to that stigma, Segal said. A lot of our clients that come in want polished, mainstream advertising. U.S.-based cannabis company MedMen, for instance, previously launched a campaign depicting imagery of doctors, lawyers, accountants and other pedestrian archetypes to help change some earlier associations with cannabis culture, Segal said. Its moving beyond that Venice beach surfer dude and putting it out there that this is the new normal, he said. The Big Tickers Some of the worlds biggest cannabis players have 4/20 plans of their own. Canadian medical and recreational cannabis cultivator and brand conglomerate Canopy Growth (CGC), the first publicly-traded cannabis company in North America and the first cannabis-producer listed on the New York Stock Exchange, will host an open-to-the-public party at its Smith Falls, Ontario headquarters. The headquarters is home to Canopys flagship retail store. At retail locations across Canada, Canopy plans to host games, and offer tea and coffee at local retail stores. Our flagship retail store where we dont have a license to sell cannabis is basically like a cannabis museum, Canopys Corporate Communications Manager Caitlin O'Hara told Yahoo Finance. We decided to re-open the visitors center once home to Hersheys chocolate...now visitors can view seed growing rooms, production and our own chocolate factory. FILE- In this May 31, 2018, file photo the logo for Canada's Canopy Growth Corp. appears on a screen above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Investors are craving marijuana stocks as Canada prepares to legalize pot next month, leading to giant gains for Canada-based companies listed on U.S. exchanges. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) On Thursday, Canopy announced an agreement giving it the right to acquire 100% of Acreage Holdings, Inc. (ACRGF) once cannabis production and sales become federally legal in the U.S. Global medical and recreational cannabis grower and producer Aurora Cannabis (ACB) is commemorating the day with activities at retail stores across Canada and is set to launch a new retail store in Toronto, Ontario with its partner Nova Cannabis. A retail regulation framework in Ontario went into effect April 1, permitting expansion of the companys retail footprint. The company is also supporting a Toronto film screening of Breaking Habits in support of Campaign for Cannabis Amnesty, which advocates for expungement of criminal records resulting from cannabis convictions. (Invitation can be found here). The recreational market didnt exist last year so we expect an increase in points of sale ... and for consumers to have greater access to high-quality cannabis, Auroras Karasiuk said. Cronos Group (CRON), a producer and distributor of cannabis products across five continents, and the first company dealing directly in cannabis to be listed on a U.S. exchange, plans to kick off Canadas first-ever legal 4/20 celebrations by giving away a 2019 Polaris Sportsman 570 All-Terrain Vehicle with an approximate valued at CAD $7999.00. The contest runs from 11:00 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Cronos added to its growth in February with the announcement of a $1.8 billion investment from Philip Morriss parent company Altria (MO). The deal gave Altria an approximate 45% interest in Cronos, making it the companys largest shareholder. A spokesperson for Altria told Yahoo Finance that the company is currently observing a quiet period during which it is not conducting interviews. MedMen, a cannabis dispensary operator and grower, is offering discounts at its retail locations. Customers who spend $100, for example, receive $15 off purchased between 4/17 and 4/20. Deeper discounts are applied for larger purchases. The fact that its going to fall on a Saturday while it might condense sales into a few shorter days as opposed to being a full week-long event dispensaries are certainly ramping up the promotions, Schoenfeld said. Alexis Keenan is a New York-based reporter for Yahoo Finance. She previously worked for CNN and is a former litigation attorney. Follow on Twitter @alexiskweed. Emily McCormick is a New York-based reporter for Yahoo Finance. She previously wrote for Bloomberg News in New York and Washington, D.C. Follow on Twitter @emily_mcck. Crypto exchange Bakkt is stepping up its game in becoming a serious player in the bitcoin exchange business. The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) backed venture announced on Monday that it acquired Digital Asset Custody Company (DACC), a custodian of digital assets, per a Medium post by Bakkt COO Adam White. The post Bakkt acquires custodian DACC as it builds out its own solution for storing cryptocurrencies appeared first on The Block. Afghanistan and Tunisia are looking into issuing a sovereign Bitcoin bond, Asia Times writes. The countries central bank governors believe state crypto bonds could help them with obtaining investments. They both spoke at the annual Spring Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund in Washington last week. Governor at the Central Bank of Afghanistan Khalil Sediq said a crypto bond could help the country raise some of the US$5.8 billion that Afghanistan needs for its mining, energy and agriculture industries. Since the country is subject to restrictions on non-concessionary borrowing, issuing bonds and metal futures could be a way to access international markets. The country is hoping to leverage its vast lithium reserves, whose value is estimated at over $3 trillion. It is also aiming to become a significant player in the lithium mining business. Tunisia, on the other hand, has created working groups that are investigating the issuance of a sovereign Bitcoin bond. The country already has its own digital currencythe e-dinarand accepts digital payments through a Poste Tunisienne. PARIS, April 18 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that Pope Francis would at an undetermined time visit France, a country plunged into sorrow this week by a catastrophic fire at the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral. "I spoke to the Pope yesterday by telephone. I obviously invited him to come over, and he will come at a time of his suiting," Macron said. Earlier this week, Pope Francis expressed his sorrow over the blaze and thanked rescuers who put their lives at risk to salvage the centuries-old cathedral and its priceless artefacts. He said he was eager to see it restored. The Vatican has said it is willing to offer restoration expertise to help rebuild the fire-damaged landmark. (Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Richard Lough) Firms involved in supplying two A330s given one-week summon extension The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has given five international firms involved in supplying two wide-body Airbus A330 jets to Nepal one more week to appear before the anti-graft agency. Amazon is shutting down its domestic e-commerce marketplace business in China. The U.S. firm said it will focus on "cross-border" selling to Chinese consumers. Amazon has faced stiff competition from Chinese e-commerce giants Alibaba and JD.com. It's also been less visible in terms of marketing, and its differentiating factors have diminished. Queenie Liao, an office worker in Guangzhou, China , shops online several times a week. Alibaba's BABA Taobao and JD.com JD are her go-to platforms, but it wasn't always that way. "I used to use Amazon a few years ago. Amazon AMZN was one of the first online shops in China and a lot of friends told me that the things from Amazon were much more trustable. That's why I used it," Liao told CNBC. "Taobao and JD have more items now." Her shift in attitude underscores one of the major reasons why Amazon is thought to be struggling in China. The U.S. e-commerce giant now plans to close its domestic marketplace business in China. "We are notifying sellers we will no longer operate a marketplace on Amazon.cn and we will no longer be providing seller services on Amazon.cn effective July 18," the company said in a statement, referring to its Chinese-language site, according to the Financial Times. "Over the past few years, we have been evolving our China online retail business to increasingly emphasize cross-border sales, and in return we've seen very strong response from Chinese customers. Their demand for high-quality, authentic goods from around the world continues to grow rapidly, and given our global presence, Amazon is well-positioned to serve them," the company added. Customers in China will still be able to buy items from the U.S., Germany, Japan and the U.K. through Amazon's global site as it focused more on cross-border sales into the world's second-largest economy, according to an earlier Reuters report . Amazon's cloud business will reportedly continue to operate in China. Story continues Cross-border market Amazon entered the Chinese market in 2004 through the acquisition of Joyo, a domestic online shopping market. Joyo was rebranded to Amazon China in 2011. It enjoyed success in the early days with market share of over 15 percent in 2011 to 2012, according to China-based analyst Choi Chun of iResearch. That has now plummeted to less than 1 percent, according to another China-based market research firm, Analysys. As Liao mentioned, Amazon had a reputation in the early days of its China operation for being a site that would have legitimate products and so was trusted by Chinese consumers. Chinese players like Alibaba struggled with policing fake items on their sites. Chinese e-commerce players, however, have been taking proactive measures to fight counterfeit goods. Not only is Amazon trying to compete with e-commerce giants like JD and Alibaba, who are often able to deliver goods to Chinese customers faster, but smaller domestic like Pinduoduo and VIP.com are also offering a challenge. The U.S. giant has also not been as aggressive on the marketing front as some of its rivals. Alibaba and JD both do huge sales promotions and big advertising campaigns on Nov.11 each year, known in China as Singles Day . Amazon said in its statement that it is emphasizing cross-border trade. While that may have been a unique part of the business in the past, China's domestic players have put a big focus on that in recent years. In November, Alibaba announced plans to help global businesses sell $200 billion in goods to China in the next five years. However, analysts said Amazon can still compete for now. "JD and Alibaba are better positioned because they have larger traffic and consumers trust these two platforms (relatively to other platforms). But one thing I need to point out is that cross-border e-commerce in China is not as consolidated as regular domestic e-commerce, online shoppers go to different platforms for different overseas merchandises," Chun told CNBC. "Therefore, Amazon's cross border e-commerce is still very competitive." Chun said Amazon's cross-border business is "not insignificant," but the U.S. firm "doesn't realize their problem in the Chinese operation and doesn't want to catch up." "I don't rule out the possibility that Amazon's cross-border business will follow the same path of Amazon's China domestic e-commerce business," Chun said. In its statement Amazon said its "commitment to China remains strong." More From CNBC In the 19th century, a few pioneering entrepreneurs set out to make a tropical fruit the most popular in the U.S. They succeeded, and the banana is still Americans' favorite fruit. In the last decade, the U.S. imported an average of $2.2 billion worth of bananas each year, largely from Central and South America. Most of this business is done by three major companies: Chiquita, Fresh Del Monte FDP and Dole. But their businesses and Americans' eating habits are under threat as bananas face an existential crisis. Since the mid-1980s, a deadly fungus has spread from Southeast Asia to Australia, the Middle East and Africa. It causes Panama disease, which can wipe out entire plantations of bananas. Watch this video to learn about Panama disease, as well as how Chiquita's predecessor, United Fruit, industrialized bananas in the first place. Watch more: Chicken nugget demand is flatlining here's what happened Gap bets the spin off of star performer Old Navy will sharpen its focus Why 'Star Wars' is a global phenomenon in just about every country except China More From CNBC BancFirst (BANF) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.96 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.92 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.94 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 4.35%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this Oklahoma financial services holding company would post earnings of $0.93 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.98, delivering a surprise of 5.38%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates four times. BancFirst, which belongs to the Zacks Banks - Southwest industry, posted revenues of $98.90 million for the quarter ended March 2019, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.41%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $93.15 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates four times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. BancFirst shares have added about 11.8% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 15.7%. What's Next for BancFirst? While BancFirst has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Story continues Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for BancFirst was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.92 on $99.47 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $3.76 on $402.73 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Banks - Southwest is currently in the bottom 37% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. 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 BancFirst Corporation (BANF) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. NextEra Energy, Inc. NEE is likely to beat earnings estimates when it reports first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 23, before the opening bell. This utility delivered a negative earnings surprise of 1.32% in the last reported quarter. Nonetheless, the company delivered average positive earnings surprise of 2.52% in the last four quarters. Why a Likely Positive Surprise? Our proven model shows that NextEra Energy is likely to beat on earnings in the to-be-reported quarter because it has the right combination of two key ingredients. A stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Earnings ESP: The company has an Earnings ESP of +1.95% as the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at $1.99, higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.95 per share. Zacks Rank: NextEra Energy currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. The combination of NextEra Energys Zacks Rank #3 and +1.95% ESP makes us quite confident of an earnings beat in the quarter to be reported. We caution against Sell-rated stocks (#4 or 5) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is witnessing negative estimate revisions. NextEra Energy, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise NextEra Energy, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | NextEra Energy, Inc. Quote Factors at Play NextEra Energys first-quarter earnings are expected to get a boost from strong Florida economy. Consistent expansion of its customer base is likely to have a positive impact on demand and the upcoming results. The addition of Gulf Power will further boost performance of the company. Addition of renewable sources and contribution from natural gas pipelines will also have a positive impact on the companys quarterly performance. NextEra Energys high-quality services and low utility bills continue to attract more customers and in turn drive performance. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter earnings of $1.95 per share and total revenues of $4,109 million indicate an improvement of 0.5% and 6.4%, respectively, from the year-ago reported figures. The year-over-year improvement can be attributed to the companys renewable focus and ongoing expansion of the customer base. Other Stocks to Consider In addition to NextEra Energy, investors can also consider the following players from the same industry that have the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat in the to-be-reported quarter. American Electric Power Company AEP is anticipated to release first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 25. It has an Earnings ESP of +5.81% and a Zacks Rank #3. Alliant Energy Corporation LNT is expected to release first-quarter 2019 numbers on May 2. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.92% and carries a Zacks Rank #2. Dominion Energy D is anticipated to release first-quarter 2019 results on May 3. It has an Earnings ESP of +0.78% and a Zacks Rank #3. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Is your investment advisor fumbling your financial future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get your free report. American Electric Power Company, Inc. (AEP) : Free Stock Analysis Report NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Dominion Energy Inc. (D) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Boston Scientific Corporation BSX is scheduled to report first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 24, before the opening bell. In the last reported quarter, the companys earnings per share beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 5.41%. Moreover, it delivered positive earnings surprises in each of the trailing four quarters, the average being 8.85%. Lets see, how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Key Catalysts Alike the prior reported quarter, we are upbeat about strong contributions from Boston Scientifics Cardiovascular business group, which comprises Interventional Cardiology (IC) and Peripheral Interventions (PI). In the last reported quarter, the company generated around 38% of its total revenues from this highest revenue generating segment and registered 8.6% growth on an operational basis. We are optimistic about the IC business that will help the company maintain impressive global growth, courtesy of an innovative portfolio and robust commercial teams. Complex PCI (percutaneouscoronary intervention) products within IC are growing strongly on the back of successful global expansion efforts. The recent U.S. launch of Eluvia has been a growth driver within this segment. This apart, the company is showing a solid uptick in Ranger DCB and interventional oncology. Meanwhile, the companys integrations of both VENITI and BTG should ring in the desirable synergies post closure of the acquisitions. Within IC, the company is demonstrating continued strength in structural heart with WATCHMAN, ACURATE, SENTINEL as well as in both complex PCI (percutaneous coronary intervention) and PCI guidance portfolios. We expect these upsides to contribute to the companys top line in the upcoming quarterly results. Boston Scientific Corporation Price and EPS Surprise Boston Scientific Corporation Price and EPS Surprise | Boston Scientific Corporation Quote More specifically, the company is highly optimistic about a promising start to 2019 within its IC and PI business, banking on its plans to launch a number of products. In this regard, the company received a CE Mark in March and initiated a limited market release of the next-generation WATCHMAN FLX Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device in Europe. Story continues This apart, the company expects to see a consistent growth momentum in WATCHMAN this year, riding on the growing adoption by its existing customers and geographic expansions wherein both Japan and China represent a significant opportunity of strength. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for IC revenues is pegged at $689 million, indicating an increase of 6.8% from the year-ago reported figure. In recent quarters, the PI business steadily demonstrated a solid uptrend across segments like peripheral arterial disease, venous and interventional oncology. In the last reported quarter, the company commenced the launch of Eluvia in the United States. Per Boston Scientific, Eluvia has a substantial market potential owing to the large addressable patient population, a differentiated, sustained-release technology and the superior clinical outcomes with reduced need for reintervention. We believe, this launch will be accretive to the companys first-quarter results. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter PI revenues stands at $305 million, suggesting a 5.9% rise from the prior-year reported figure. Other Factors at Play Among the other segments, MedSurg is estimated to demonstrate a stable performance led by endoscopy. Urology and Pelvic Health are also projected to surpass the market levels, driven by investment strategies in the key international geographies. Within endoscopy, the company is expected to display sturdy results, driven by a promising performance within itshemostasis franchise in infection prevention and strong pathology. Urology and Pelvic Health business should also continue to maintain its growth momentum on the back of a robust global performance. Boston Scientifics recent acquisitions added several products (though many are under development) with immense potential to its portfolio. The buyouts of NxThera and nVision in Urology and Pelvic Health, EmCision in Endoscopy and Securus in EP deserve special mention. The company is gradually fortifying its presence in the emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). In the last reported quarter, business from these markets registered 20% growth, attributable to a commendable progress in China and Latin America. Boston Scientific is gaining traction in India as well. It is currently targeting about 10 emerging markets to lay emphasis on its growing footprint. The company is also pinning hopes on its core cardiology segment, which is gradually attaining stability with growth in the BRIC nations. This trend is expected to sustain in the to-be-reported quarter as well. However, the ongoing tensions between the United States and China regarding the imposition of tariffs on imports have raised concerns for major MedTech players as this might affect their top-line numbers in the coming quarters. Overall, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for total revenues of $2.54 billion implies growth of 6.57% from the prior-year quarters reported figure. Also, the consensus estimate for earnings of 36 cents indicates a 9.1% rise from the year-ago quarter's reported figure. What Our Quantitative Model Predicts Our proven Zacks model clearly shows that a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has high chances of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Boston Scientific has a Zacks Rank #3, which increases the predictive power of ESP. However, the company has an Earnings ESP of -0.38%, which leaves surprise prediction inconclusive for the stock this reporting cycle. Stocks Worth a Look Here are a few medical stocks worth considering from the same space as these comprise the right mix of elements to surpass expectations this time around. Cerner Corporation CERN has an Earnings ESP of +1.05% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. TMO has an Earnings ESP of +0.26% and a Zacks Rank of 2. GW Pharmaceuticals plc GWPH has an Earnings ESP of +8.33% and is a Zacks #2 Ranked player. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Is your investment advisor fumbling your financial future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get your free report. Cerner Corporation (CERN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (TMO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) : Free Stock Analysis Report GW Pharmaceuticals PLC (GWPH) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (This March 28 story corrects to reflect that annual sales estimate includes iron ore pellets in the first and sixth paragraphs) By Marta Nogueira and Roberto Samora RIO DE JANEIRO/SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian miner Vale SA on Thursday estimated selling up to 75 million tonnes less iron ore and pellets this year, after several mines were halted following its second deadly dam burst in less than four years. The estimate, which is 20 percent below its prior forecast, is the latest blow to Vale from the collapse at Brumadinho, which killed some 300 people and forced the world's largest iron ore exporter to fire its chief executive officer earlier this month. Chief Financial Officer Luciano Siani said in a call with analysts that under the most optimistic scenario, 2019 sales would decline about 50 million tonnes. "Resuming production isn't the company's priority - the priority is the safety of its operations, of people and of communities, but I have the duty of sharing some estimates with you," he said during a conference call the day after Vale disclosed quarterly earnings. The worst-case sales outlook under a 75 million tonne reduction would still leave 2019 sales at 307 million tonnes. That would represent a substantial decrease from the company's 382 million tonne sales forecast for this year, also disclosed on Thursday. That would be well below the company's 2018 sales volume of 366 million tonnes of iron ore and pellets. Vale shares, which opened higher, were down about 1 percent after the conference call. Analysts at Credit Suisse said in a research note that Vale's cautious approach signalled that the impact on production and sales from the disaster could surpass market expectations of 50 million to 60 million tonnes. Siani expressed confidence that a deal will be reached with authorities in the coming weeks on restarting Brucutu, one of its largest mines in the state of Minas Gerais, where both the January dam burst and another similar one in 2015 happened. Story continues In a reminder of the continued tense atmosphere in the state, Vale on Wednesday night activated alarms in areas below three tailings dams due to an elevated risk of rupture. In addition to setting many communities on edge, the disaster has also taken a toll on Brazil's economy, the country's Central Bank said on Thursday, citing the collapse as one of the factors behind a reduction in its 2019 gross domestic product growth estimate. (Additional reporting and writing by Christian Plumb; editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Steve Orlofsky and Richard Chang) MedMen store in Las Vegas. MedMen opening in Las Vegas. Photo: Denise Truscello/Getty Images for MedMen The general counsel and chief operating officer of Los Angeles-based cannabis retailer MedMen have resigned, according to a press release put out by the company Friday morning. The company announced that Lisa "LD" Sergi Trager tendered her resignation along with the companys chief operating officer, Ben Cook. According to her LinkedIn profile, Trager became the companys general counsel in April 2018. Prior to becoming the companys legal leader, she worked as a tax principal at Deloitte. According to a press release announcing his hiring in October, Cook had previously worked as the senior vice president of supply chain for Sam's Club and has held similar roles at Target and Apple. Cook and Trager could not be reached for comment Friday. LD Sergi Trager. LD Sergi Trager. We appreciate the contributions of all current and former MedMen team members as we work to build the worlds leading cannabis company, and I have the utmost confidence in the management team, MedMen CEO Adam Bierman said in the press release. "Their expertise, skill set and experience sets the standard of excellence for the industry. Dan Edwards, the companys senior vice president of legal affairs, will keep his title and lead the legal team. He will report directly to Bierman, according to the press release. MedMen also announced the hiring of Ryan Lissack as its chief technology officer Friday. It is not clear if the company is searching for a new general counsel. A spokesperson declined to comment beyond what is in the press release. Tragers departure comes almost three months after the companys former chief financial officer, James Parker, filed suit against the company claiming he was unduly stripped of his powers as CFO and unable to do his job. In his suit, he describes the culture at MedMen as "racist" and "homophobic." He claims the working conditions at the company are "intolerable. The suit is pending in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. In February, Bierman said in a company blog post that the claims are malicious and designed to get attention for what is a meritless lawsuit. MedMen operates in California, Nevada, New York, Arizona and Illinois. Earlier this month, the company projected third-quarter revenues of $36.6 million. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong. Courtesy photo. Connecticut's Attorney General, William Tong, who was elected to the office last November, has released an open letter to constituents marking his first 100 days in office. The former state representative and litigator with the law firm Finn Dixon & Herling in Stamford has made health-care issues and civil rights centerpieces of his policy initiatives in office. The full text of his letter follows. Dear Connecticut, Today marks 100 days since I first took the oath of office as your 45th Attorney General. The issues that the office is confronted with on a daily basis are challenging and complex. Families across Connecticut are feeling squeezed and threatened by powerful forces outside of their controlthe cost of healthcare, the loss of privacy in an increasingly digital world, and cruel and draconian federal policies that have left many in our state fearing for their safety. The Office of the Attorney General has the opportunity and responsibility to be the firewallto stand between families and those powerful forces and to defend what is right and fair. As Attorney General, that is what I strive to do each and every day. I wanted to share with you some of the top priorities and actions of our office since January 9, and some major news to follow in the weeks and months ahead. Holding Purdue Pharma and the Sackler Family Accountable for the Opioid Epidemic This month, we will file an expanded, amended complaint in our lawsuit against Purdue Pharma and members of the Sackler family. Our complaint will detail new allegations regarding the specific, illegal conduct by Purdue and the Sackler family within Connecticut to push opioids and profit from pain and addiction. Connecticut is taking strong, aggressive action against Purdue, as well as its owners, managers, and directors for their role in the opioid epidemic that has caused devastating harm to the people of this state. This is an ongoing investigation and Connecticut is a leader in the multistate investigation and negotiation team. Our actions seek to hold those responsible accountable and secure resources for long-term treatment and recovery. Taking on the High Cost of Generic Drugs We are preparing to file a second complaint against additional defendants in our ongoing, expanding investigation into alleged industry-wide price-fixing in the generic drug industry. Connecticut is leading 49 states and territories in what we believe to be the largest antitrust cartel case in the history of the United States. It is hard to overstate the impact this case could have on our economy and healthcare system. The United States generic drug market accounts for over 90 percent of all prescriptions filled. Skyrocketing prescription drug prices have created enormous pressure on our insurance premiums, and have driven up taxpayer costs for our publicly-funded healthcare programs. Preserving Access to Healthcare The Trump Administration has declared war on the American healthcare system, and we have joined states across the nation in multiple actions to protect millions here in Connecticut and across the country whose health and lives are at risk. We are in court in Texas alongside 20 sister states defending the Affordable Care Act. In Connecticut alone, approximately 85,000 individuals receiving federal-subsidized insurance could lose that assistance. Connecticut stands to lose billions of dollars in Medicaid expansion funding. Tens of thousands of young people under the age of 26 would be kicked off their parents' insurance. Insurers would once again be given license to discriminate against half a million Connecticut residents with preexisting conditions like cancer, heart disease and diabetes. We are also seeking an injunction to block the Trump administration from decimating Title X, our nation's preeminent reproductive healthcare program. In Connecticut, over 45,000 patients receive care through Title X, the vast majority at Planned Parenthood health centers. Should Planned Parenthood be forced to no longer participate in the Title X program as a result of the Trump administrations new unlawful conditions for participation, other providers in Connecticut will not be able to cover the demand for reproductive health care from individuals with low incomes. Protecting Civil Rights in Connecticut On April 8, the Judiciary Committee passed legislation to strengthen the Office of the Attorney General's ability to enforce civil rights laws in Connecticut. The measure now goes to the full legislature for their consideration. House Bill 7222, "An Act Concerning the Duties of the Office of the Attorney General," formally recognizes the Attorney General's role in combating hate and defending civil rights. It brings Connecticut into line with its sister states by formalizing the ability of the Attorney General to investigate and where the evidence warrants bring civil rights lawsuits to stop large-scale, systematic violations of existing constitutional and statutory rights. This is about leveraging the unique expertise and capacity of Connecticut's largest law firm to protect and defend our residents. We are working hard to encourage both houses to pass this legislation in the coming weeks. Defending the Rule of Law Connecticut has joined 19 other states in a lawsuit seeking to block the Trump Administration's unlawful attempt to divert $1.6 billion in federal funds to build a border wall. There is no basis for the President to declare a national emergency. We have a constitutional crisis and a broken immigration system that a border wall will do nothing to address. The President is hell-bent on fulfilling a campaign promise motivated by racism and hate, and we will not allow him to trample on our constitution to achieve that. Connecticut is at risk of losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for law enforcement we receive through the Treasury Forfeiture Fund and other sources of funding. The Office of the Attorney General is ready to do what it takes to protect our interests. Tackling Climate Change The Trump Administration is actively dismantling a system of environmental protection that we have built up over generations. With Congress seemingly unable or unwilling to take action on climate change, it falls to the statesand attorneys generalto take action to protect our future. As both a coastal state and a "down-wind" state at the end of the tailpipe of our nation's exhaust fumes, the actions of our country's heaviest polluters have severe consequences for public health here in Connecticut. In my first 100 days, Connecticut joined with states across the country in a lawsuit aimed at forcing further controls on smog pollution blowing into Connecticut and other states, on an amicus brief in support of San Francisco and Oakland, California in their efforts to hold BP accountable for the cost of sea level rise, and a joint comment letter to the EPA opposing plans to weaken emission standards for new or modified coal power plants. We are taking a hard look right now at all avenues for further legal action to defend against harmful actions by the fossil fuel industry, and expect to have news to share this year on that front. Protecting Connecticut Consumers We receive calls, emails and letters every day from constituents who have been cheated and scammed and the Office of the Attorney General is here to help. When a consumer purchased a new car with serious safety and electric problems, our office was able to get that car replaced. When parents were scammed out of thousands of dollars by a travel agency that abruptly cancelled a promised on a trip for their children and failed to provide refunds, our office was able to get their money back. When an elderly woman was scammed into purchasing a used car despite not being able to drive, our office was able to cancel her loan. This year, we are looking to revamp our Consumer Affairs Unit to improve our ability to track complaints and better assist consumers. Our doors and phones are always open to consumers in need of assistance. The Office of the Attorney General has returned more than $5.5 billion to the State of Connecticut and its residents over the last ten years24 times our cost in the last year alone. This does not happen by accident. It happens because of the hard work, dedication and talent of the attorneys and staff here, widely regarded among the best in the nation. One hundred days into this job, I feel tremendously fortunate to lead this team. Sincerely, William Tong Attorney General Former lawmaker Yadav, RJP-N leader Mandal held for forgery Saptari police has arrested BP Yadav, former lawmaker of then Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal, and Hari Narayan Mandal, central member of Rastriya Janata Partyp-Nepal, in a forgery case. ConocoPhillips agrees to sell UK subsidiaries for $2.675 billion to Chrysaor E&P, a company focused on producing oil and gas from the North Sea. The deal is largest sale in the exploration and production space outside the U.S. this year. The sale continues ConocoPhillips' asset divestments and makes Chrysaor one of the biggest UK North Sea producers. ConocoPhillips COP on Thursday announced it has struck an agreement to sell its UK oil and gas operations for nearly $2.7 billion, setting up its exit from the North Sea. The Houston-based driller will sell its ConocoPhillips United Kingdom subsidiaries for $2.675 billion to Chrysaor E&P, a company focused on producing oil and natural gas from the North Sea. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2019. The deal is the largest transaction in the exploration and production space outside the U.S. this year, according to investment bank Jefferies, which acted as Chrysaor's financial adviser. Shares of ConocoPhillips were slightly higher in morning trading. ConocoPhillips has been marketing the assets for several months. The company will retain its commercial trading business in London and its roughly 40% interest in the Teesside oil terminal. It will also continue to operate the terminal, which receives oil and gas from the North Sea fields. "We are extremely proud of the legacy we've built in the U.K. over the last 50 years and are pleased that Chrysaor recognizes the value of this business," ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance said in a statement. "This disposition is part of our ongoing effort to hone our portfolio and focus our investments across future low cost of supply opportunities." Earlier this year, Conoco Chief Operating Officer Matthew Fox said the company's major portfolio restructuring was essentially complete, with the exception of the North Sea sale. The company earned nearly $1.1 billion on dispositions in 2018. Story continues The deal makes Chrysaor one of the largest producers in the UK North Sea. Chrysaor will pick up offshore assets that produced about 72,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. That increases its pro forma 2018 output to about 177,000 boepd of oil and gas. The company will take control of two major offshore production hubs, Britannia and JBlock, and ConocoPhillips' stake in the Clair Field area. "This significant acquisition reflects our continuing belief that the UK North Sea has material future potential for oil and gas production," Chrysaor CEO and former Hess executive Phil Kirk said in a statement. The transaction continues a trend of major oil companies exiting the North Sea and placing the region in the hands of private equity-backed independent drillers. More From CNBC Wall Street expects a year-over-year decline in earnings on lower revenues when Illinois Tool Works (ITW) reports results for the quarter ended March 2019. While this widely-known consensus outlook is important in gauging the company's earnings picture, a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price is how the actual results compare to these estimates. The stock might move higher if these key numbers top expectations in the upcoming earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 25. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This equipment manufacturer for the transportation, power, food and construction industries is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.80 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -5.3%. Revenues are expected to be $3.64 billion, down 2.9% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.22% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that an aggregate change may not always reflect the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Story continues Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Illinois Tool Works? For Illinois Tool Works, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -0.02%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Illinois Tool Works will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue? While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Illinois Tool Works would post earnings of $1.82 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.83, delivering a surprise of +0.55%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times. Bottom Line An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. Illinois Tool Works doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. 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 Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Cadence Design Systems Inc. CDNS is set to report first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 22. Notably, the company has surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in the trailing four quarters, recording a positive earnings surprise of 11.4%. Cadence had delivered robust fourth-quarter 2018 results, wherein both the top and bottom line outpaced the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate. The figures also were higher than managements respective guided ranges and increased on a year-over-year basis. For first-quarter 2019, Cadence expects total revenues under ASC 606 in the range of $565 million to $575 million and non-GAAP earnings in the band of 48 cents to 50 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for first-quarter earnings is pegged at 50 cents, unchanged for the last 30 days. This reflects an increase of about 25% from year-ago earnings. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly sales stands at $567.1 million, suggesting an increase of 9.6% year over year. Lets see how things are shaping up prior to this announcement. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Cadence Design Systems, Inc. Quote Factors At Play Robust adoption of Cadences digital and signoff, custom and analog, IP solutions and expanding customer base are expected to influence first-quarter results. Further, increasing investments on emerging trends like IoT, AR/VR and autonomous vehicle sub-systems are expected to support its earnings in the first quarter. . Moreover, Cadence is focusing on providing end-to-end solutions, which rapidly reduces the time required to introduce a semiconductor product in the market. In this regard, the company's frequent product launches and enhancements are expected to be a tailwind in the to-be-reported quarter. Cadence recently rolled out LPDDR5 IP solution utilizing Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Companys 7-nanometer (nm) FinFET (Fin Field Effect Transistor) process technology. The robust adoption of its PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express) and DDR products in the IP segment will aid the companys first quarter segmental revenues. Story continues Moreover, the company is leaving no stone unturned to assist customers in reducing time-to-market by accelerating their system-on-chip (SoC) design processes. We believe that incremental adoption of the offerings will favor financial performance of IP segment in the quarter under review. The company collaborated with Northrop Grumman in the first quarter to develop advanced-node SoC projects, in order to offer high-quality and high-performance SoCs. The deal is anticipated to have aided the companys functionality related to digital and signoff and IP solutions in aerospace and defense industry in the quarter to be reported. Further, traction witnessed by Xcelium Parallel Simulator and Palladium Z1 drove revenues in System Design and Verification solutions in the last reported quarter. We believe the innovative cloud-ready solutions broaden the companys portfolio in an effective manner. The significant number of customer wins, strong collaborations and other repeat orders are expected to bolster the top line in the soon to-be reported quarter. What Our Model Says According to the Zacks model, a company with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) has a good chance of beating estimates if it also has a positive Earnings ESP.The Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) are best avoided. Cadence currently has a Zacks Rank #1 and an Earnings ESP of +0.50%. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Stocks with Favorable Combination Here are some stocks that are worth considering as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to deliver an earnings beat in the upcoming releases. Xilinx, Inc. XLNX has an Earnings ESP of +1.75% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Veritex Holdings, Inc. VBTX has an Earnings ESP of +0.58% and a Zacks Rank #2. Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT has an Earnings ESP of +4.16% and a Zacks Rank #3. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> 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 Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (CDNS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Xilinx, Inc. (XLNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Veritex Holdings, Inc. (VBTX) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research * Arbitration claims against Ashgabat piling up * Companies from Belarus, Germany, Turkey, Russia have sued * Some see financial difficulties as reason for non-payment * Manat worth less than a fifth of official rate on black market ALMATY, April 17 (Reuters) - A deal for Russia's Gazprom to resume buying gas from Turkmenistan came not a moment too soon for the Central Asian state because it is so short of foreign currency that a number of foreign companies have taken it to court over unpaid bills. Turkmenistan's economy had boomed until 2015, supported by high energy prices and gas exports, and the government awarded megaproject contracts for new factories and highways. After energy prices crashed and Russia, one of the two main gas buyers, halted all purchases from Turkmenistan, foreign contractors started complaining about non-payments. Now, some are taking the government of President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov to arbitration in an attempt to collect money they say is owed to them by the nation of six million people. Turkmenistan's foreign ministry, which handles media relations on behalf of the government, has not replied to requests for comment on the lawsuits. Persistent foreign currency shortages, caused by a drop in export revenue have caused many international businesses which had previously flocked to Ashgabat to stay away. The official exchange rate of the Turkmen manat is 3.5 per dollar. On the black market - the only place where one can realistically buy foreign currency - the greenback trades at 18.6 manat per dollar. Although small and short-term, the Gazprom deal could be a sign larger sales may be negotiated that will provide badly needed hard currency to purchase equipment and materials for Turkmenistan's industrial megaprojects. POTASSIUM PREDICAMENT Belgorkhimprom, a state-owned company from fellow autocratic ex-Soviet republic Belarus - the world's third-biggest producer of potash fertiliser - said last month it had filed a lawsuit for more than $150 million against Turkmenistan. Story continues Belgorkhimprom said in a statement Ashgabat had failed to pay in full for the construction of the Garlyk potash factory completed in 2017 and seized equipment worth over $7 million. Turkmenistan, in turn, has filed its own lawsuit to the same arbitration institute in Stockholm, accusing the Belarussian firm of not meeting its contract obligations, according to government statements. The factory which was supposed to help diversify Turkmen exports produced just 2.3 percent of the planned volume in the first nine months of 2018 and both sides blame each other for a failure to reach the designed capacity. A Belarussian government source said Minsk believed Ashgabat's actions reflected its financial situation. "We understand all the difficulties our partners are having, but we do not understand why on earth Belarus has got to pay for those difficulties," said the source who was not authorised to comment publicly. "NOT RATIONAL" Among other parties suing Turkmenistan are insolvency administrators of German contractor Unionmatex, who say it went bankrupt because Ashgabat had not paid it 32 million euros, and several Turkish firms. The two most recent arbitrations, from Unionmatex administrators and Turkey's SECE Insaat ve Ticaret A.S., were registered last October, with proceedings in early stages. The German firm's administrators said after trying for years to settle the matter out of court, it seemed there was no prospect of convincing the Turkmen government to pay voluntarily. The lawyers said that while Turkmenistan's finances may be dependent on commodity prices, its financial situation was never mentioned as a reason for a refusal to settle out of court. "Turkmenistan's decisions are not rational, they depend on the mood of the president and the economic situation comes on top of that," the lawyers said. Another plaintiff, Russia's top mobile phone operator MTS , this month doubled its estimated losses from a long-running dispute with Turkmenistan to $1.5 billion. It was forced to suspend services in the country in 2017 after the state telecoms provider cut it off from its network. A source close to the company told Reuters it had also experienced difficulties with repatriating profit due to restrictions on foreign exchange purchases and it took a long time to secure permissions from the Turkmen authorities. (Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov and Mariya Gordeyeva; Additional reporting by Caroline Copley in Berlin, Marat Gurt in Ashgabat and Andrei Makhovsky in Minsk editing by David Evans) Government to administer vitamin A, deworming tablets to over 2.6 million children As many as 2.6 million children aged six months to five years are expected to be administered with vitamin A supplements and deworming tablets as part of a nationwide campaign to be held on Friday and Saturday. (Bloomberg) -- Google began prompting Android users in Europe with the choice of downloading an alternative to its own Chrome web browser and search engine, in a bid to fend off antitrust scrutiny by European competition regulators. Starting Thursday and following a software update, users in the EU opening Googles mobile app store will be presented with a choice of alternatives to Google search and Chrome. The Alphabet Inc. unit said options will vary by market, but Microsoft Corp.s Bing and Norways Opera are notable competitors in the European search and browser market respectively. The changes could help Google avoid additional fines after being scrutinized by the EU for almost a decade. The European Commission, the blocs antitrust body, last year fined Google 4.3 billion euros ($4.8 billion) for strong-arming device makers into pre-installing its Google search and Chrome browser, giving it a leg up because users are unlikely to look for alternatives if a default is already preloaded. The EU ordered Google to change that behavior and threatened additional fines if it failed to comply. In a statement, FairSearch, a group that includes Czech search engine Seznam.cz and Oracle Corp., rejected the changes as insufficient. "It does nothing to correct the central problem that Google apps will remain the default on all Android devices," the group said. FairSearch filed one of the first complaints to the EU on Android. The search giant announced in March that it would roll out the changes. "Weve been listening carefully to the feedback were getting, both from the European Commission, and from others," Google Chief Legal Officer Kent Walker said at the time. "As a result, over the next few months, well be making further updates to our products in Europe." Thursdays implementation of the browser selection screen is the first major manifestation of that guarantee, and closely resembles the approach Microsoft took a decade ago to appease European regulators for a similar reason. The Redmond, Washington-based company agreed in 2009 to present Windows users with a choice of a dozen web browsers when setting up the operating system, downgrading its own Internet Explorer from being the controversial default to just an option among many. Story continues At the time, analysts saw the accord between Microsoft and the EU as a smart way of dissolving the antitrust issue and avoid further fines. But it arrived as Internet Explorers dominance was being eroded anyway by Mozillas Firefox and Googles Chrome, and was deemed unlikely to have contributed significantly to its eventual demise. Chrome on Android is in a very different position, however. The Google-made browser is used by 89 percent of Android users according to research firm NetMarketShare. Alternatives, such as Firefox or Opera, can only stand to benefit in Europe by being given greater visibility. (Updates with FairSearch reaction.) --With assistance from Stephanie Bodoni. To contact the reporters on this story: Nate Lanxon in London at nlanxon@bloomberg.net;Natalia Drozdiak in Brussels at ndrozdiak1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Nate Lanxon, Anthony Aarons For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Heartland Express, Inc. (HTLD) announced today financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Three months ended March 31, 2019: Net Income of $17.3 million, Basic Earnings per Share of $0.21, Operating Revenue of $139.5 million, Operating Income of $20.8 million, a 61.0% increase from March 31, 2018, Operating Ratio of 85.1% and 83.0% Non-GAAP Adjusted Operating Ratio (1) , Cash Balance of $176.3 million and a Debt-Free Balance Sheet. Heartland Express Chief Executive Officer Michael Gerdin, commented on the quarterly operating results and ongoing initiatives of the Company, "We are excited to report our results for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Our operating results were strong in terms of profit and overall operating efficiency despite general freight environment and weather challenges during the quarter. Our operating ratio improved from the first quarter of 2018 at 91.7% to 85.1% during the first quarter of 2019 and improved from 91.0% to 83.5% for the trailing four quarters ended March 31, 2018 and 2019, respectively. Our net income grew from $13.4 million in the first quarter of 2018 to $17.3 million during the first quarter of 2019, a 29.5% increase. As expected, our cash balance increased to $176.3 million at the end of the first quarter of 2019 from $105.0 million at the end of the first quarter of 2018 and increased $14.9 million as compared to $161.4 million at the end of 2018. Our operating revenue results during the first quarter of 2019 were challenged by severe weather over multiple weeks which included safety shutdowns for our drivers and impacted customer operations and shipping patterns. In addition, we have experienced general softness in the overall freight environment during the first quarter of 2019 as customer demand to date in 2019 has been less than that over the same period of 2018. However, we have been successful with our driver recruiting and retention efforts which have resulted in organic growth during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the quarter ended December 31, 2018. We continued to refresh our fleet of tractors and trailers as well as several of our terminal locations as we look to provide the latest equipment and terminal amenities to our professional drivers while remaining debt free. I am pleased with our drivers, our team that supports our drivers, and our financial results for the first quarter of 2019." Story continues Financial Results Heartland Express ended the first quarter of 2019 with net income of $17.3 million, compared to $13.4 million in the first quarter of 2018, an increase of $3.9 million (29.5%). Basic earnings per share were $0.21 during the quarter compared to $0.16 basic earnings per share in the first quarter of 2018. Operating revenues were $139.5 million, compared to $156.7 million in the first quarter of 2018, a decrease of $17.2 million (11.0%). Operating revenues for the quarter included fuel surcharge revenues of $17.0 million compared to $21.5 million in the same period of 2018, a $4.5 million decrease. Operating revenues decreased 9.4%, excluding the impact of fuel surcharge revenues(1), primarily due to fewer miles driven during the first quarter of 2019 as compared to the same period in 2018. Although revenues were down quarter over quarter, operating income for the three month period increased $7.9 million primarily due to improved operating margins. The Company posted an operating ratio of 85.1%, adjusted operating ratio(1) of 83.0%, and a 12.4% net margin (net income as a percentage of operating revenues) in the first quarter of 2019 compared to 91.7%, 90.4%, and 8.5%, respectively in the first quarter of 2018. Balance Sheet, Liquidity, and Capital Expenditures At March 31, 2019, the Company had $176.3 million in cash balances and no borrowings under the Company's unsecured line of credit. The Company had $89.3 million in available borrowing capacity on the line of credit at March 31, 2019 after consideration of $10.7 million outstanding letters of credit. In addition to the current borrowing base of $100 million, the Company has the ability to increase the available borrowing base by $100 million, subject to normal credit and lender approvals. The Company continues to be in compliance with associated financial covenants. The Company ended the quarter with total assets of $832.9 million and stockholders' equity of $631.8 million. Net cash flows from operations for the three months of 2019 were $35.8 million, 25.6% of operating revenue. The primary use of net cash generated from operations during the three month period ended March 31, 2019 was $20.5 million for net equipment transactions, and $1.6 million for dividends. The average age of the Company's tractor fleet was 1.4 years as of March 31, 2019 compared to 1.5 years at March 31, 2018. The average age of the Company's trailer fleet was 3.5 years at March 31, 2019 compared to 4.9 years at March 31, 2018. The Company currently anticipates a total of approximately $80 to $100 million in net capital expenditures for calendar year 2019. The Company ended the past twelve months with a return on total assets of 9.5% and a 12.6% return on equity. The Company continues its commitment to stockholders through the payment of cash dividends and repurchases of common stock. A dividend of $0.02 per share was declared and paid during the first quarter of 2019. The Company has now paid cumulative cash dividends of $479.0 million, including three special dividends, ($2.00 in 2007, $1.00 in 2010, and $1.00 in 2012) over the past sixty-three consecutive quarters. During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company purchased no shares of our common stock but purchased 71,894 shares of our common stock for $1.3 million during the three months ended March 31, 2018. Our outstanding shares at March 31, 2019 were 81.9 million shares. A total of 6.1 million shares of common stock have been repurchased for $113.8 million over the past five years. The Company has the ability to repurchase an additional 6.9 million shares under the current authorization which would result in 75.0 million outstanding shares if fully executed. Other Information During the first quarter of 2019, we continued to deliver award-winning service and safety to our customers, as evidenced by the following awards received: Quaker/Gatorade - 2018 Carrier of the Year (Central West Region) Quaker/Gatorade - 2018 Carrier of the Year (Southwest Region) Operating revenue excluding fuel surcharge revenue and adjusted operating ratio are non-GAAP financial measures and are not intended to replace financial measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. These non-GAAP financial measures supplement our GAAP results. We believe that using these measures affords a more consistent basis for comparing our results of operations from period to period. The information required by Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Regulation G under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including a reconciliation to the most directly comparable financial measure calculated in accordance with GAAP, is included in the table at the end of this press release. This press release may contain statements that might be considered as forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such statements may be identified by their use of terms or phrases such as seek, expects, estimates, anticipates, projects, believes, hopes, plans, goals, intends, may, might, likely, will, should, would, could, potential, predict, continue, strategy, future, outlook, and similar terms and phrases. In this press release, the statements relating to reducing unnecessary or unproductive costs, operational improvements, progress toward our goals, and future capital expenditures are forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's belief or interpretation of information currently available. These statements and assumptions involve certain risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Actual events may differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying such statements as a result of numerous factors, including, without limitation, those specified in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak as of their respective dates. Contact: Heartland Express, Inc. (319-626-3600) Mike Gerdin, Chief Executive Officer Chris Strain, Chief Financial Officer HEARTLAND EXPRESS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (In thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 OPERATING REVENUE $ 139,536 $ 156,695 OPERATING EXPENSES: Salaries, wages, and benefits $ 53,796 $ 62,009 Rent and purchased transportation 2,412 6,125 Fuel 23,180 28,940 Operations and maintenance 5,845 7,865 Operating taxes and licenses 3,891 3,952 Insurance and claims 4,789 4,224 Communications and utilities 1,223 1,870 Depreciation and amortization 22,227 25,601 Other operating expenses 5,171 6,030 Gain on disposal of property and equipment (3,841 ) (2,869 ) 118,693 143,747 Operating income 20,843 12,948 Interest income 1,145 342 Income before income taxes 21,988 13,290 Federal and state income taxes 4,670 (88 ) Net income $ 17,318 $ 13,378 Earnings per share Basic $ 0.21 $ 0.16 Diluted $ 0.21 $ 0.16 Weighted average shares outstanding Basic 81,936 83,309 Diluted 81,956 83,349 Dividends declared per share $ 0.02 $ 0.02 HEARTLAND EXPRESS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except per share amounts) (unaudited) March 31, December 31, ASSETS 2019 2018 CURRENT ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 176,303 $ 161,448 Trade receivables, net 53,279 48,955 Prepaid tires 10,521 9,378 Other current assets 13,171 12,551 Income tax receivable 170 Total current assets 253,274 232,502 PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT 621,771 603,670 Less accumulated depreciation 211,516 200,550 410,255 403,120 GOODWILL 132,410 132,410 OTHER INTANGIBLES, NET 13,892 14,494 DEFERRED INCOME TAXES, NET 4,774 4,535 OTHER ASSETS 18,330 19,152 $ 832,935 $ 806,213 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY CURRENT LIABILITIES Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 16,586 $ 10,552 Compensation and benefits 22,659 22,558 Insurance accruals 21,123 22,130 Other accruals 11,552 9,449 Income taxes payable 2,010 Total current liabilities 73,930 64,689 LONG-TERM LIABILITIES Income taxes payable 5,317 5,577 Deferred income taxes, net 73,795 71,041 Insurance accruals less current portion 48,066 48,934 Total long-term liabilities 127,178 125,552 COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Capital stock, common, $.01 par value; authorized 395,000 shares; issued 90,689 in 2019 and 2018; outstanding 81,943 in 2019 and 81,930 in 2018, respectively 907 907 Additional paid-in capital 3,424 3,454 Retained earnings 775,940 760,262 Treasury stock, at cost; 8,746 in 2019 and 8,759 in 2018, respectively (148,444 ) (148,651 ) 631,827 615,972 $ 832,935 $ 806,213 (1) GAAP to Non-GAAP Reconciliation Schedule: Operating revenue, operating revenue excluding fuel surcharge revenue, operating income, operating ratio, and adjusted operating ratio reconciliation (a) Three Months Ended March 31, 2019 2018 (Unaudited, in thousands) Operating revenue $ 139,536 $ 156,695 Less: Fuel surcharge revenue 17,016 21,530 Operating revenue, excluding fuel surcharge revenue 122,520 135,165 Operating expenses 118,693 143,747 Less: Fuel surcharge revenue 17,016 21,530 Adjusted operating expenses 101,677 122,217 Operating income $ 20,843 $ 12,948 Operating ratio 85.1 % 91.7 % Adjusted operating ratio 83.0 % 90.4 % (a) Operating revenue excluding fuel surcharge revenue and adjusted operating ratio as reported in this press release are based upon operating expenses, net of fuel surcharge revenue, as a percentage of operating revenue excluding fuel surcharge revenue. By Ankit Ajmera (Reuters) - Honeywell International Inc is evaluating the revenue potential from supplying parts to Boeing's next major aircraft programme, which is likely to be finalised by late 2019 or early next year, Chief Financial Officer Greg Lewis told Reuters. Boeing has signalled that the proposed new mid-sized jetliner, known as NMA, will accelerate its drive to diversify beyond airframes and into services such as repairs and maintenance, where parts suppliers make much of their revenue. The trend by Boeing and other planemakers to encroach on the business models of their suppliers has already fuelled an industry power battle that analysts say could reach a critical point during supplier negotiations for the NMA. "If Boeing decides to move forward on the NMA ... we feel like we have got some very competitive offerings that we could provide on a platform," Lewis said. "But it would have to be done in a way where it's a good project for Honeywell and we are able to protect our intellectual property, and still be able to have a good economic revenue and income stream come from that." Boeing's proposed jet will serve a niche market falling between narrow- and wide-body aircraft and is expected to reshape competition with arch-rival Airbus SE, which dominates the top end of the medium-haul sector. Honeywell supplies parts such as auxiliary power units, cockpit avionics and flight management systems as well as aircraft wheels and brakes for a range of aircraft. Lewis also said Honeywell remained interested in China's C919 passenger jet programme, manufactured by Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd (COMAC), as the company was already supplying parts to the upcoming narrowbody jet. The C919, which will compete directly with Boeing's 737 and Airbus' A320 aircraft, was reportedly having problems with its flight deck design, raising concerns that the new jet would miss its target of entry into service by 2021. "We are bullish on how that's (the C919 programme) going. Our equipment has performed well. As far as we can tell, they are on track for that 2021-22 type of entry into service date," Lewis said. (Reporting by Ankit Ajmera in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Anil D'Silva) Health insurance fails to attract Baitadi folk The Health Insurance Board of Nepal envisions improving the overall health situation of Nepali people through universal health coverage by increasing access to, and utilisation of, necessary quality health services. DUBLIN (Reuters) - An influential U.S. congressman has warned the European Union that any Brexit arrangement that undermines Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement could endanger a proposed EU-U.S. trade deal, the Irish Times reported on Friday. The European Union last week said it was ready to start talks on a trade agreement with the United States and aims to conclude a deal before year-end. "If America wants a trade agreement with the European Union, which I think is very desirable I want it at the same time you are back to the same issue on the border if you do anything that dampens or softens the Good Friday Agreement," Democratic Congressman Richard Neal was quoted as saying. Neal is visiting Ireland with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who on Wednesday said the United States would also not agree to any trade deal with Britain if future Brexit arrangements undermine peace in Ireland, reiterating comments made by the congressman in February. The European Union has insisted it will not accept any British withdrawal agreement that results in any infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, something that would anger Irish nationalists and could become a target for militants. But some British politicians have called on Brussels to soften this demand to get a deal done. Neal, chairman of the Congressional committee overseeing trade, said any Brexit deal must maintain the sanctity of the peace agreement, the Irish Times reported. How to keep EU-member Ireland's 500km (350 mile) border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit is proving the most intractable issue in Britain's tortuous efforts to leave the EU. British Prime Minister Theresa May's government is in talks with the opposition Labour Party to build support for a Brexit divorce deal that parliament has already rejected three times, potentially delaying the UK's departure date from the European Union until the end of October. Much of the opposition to May's deal within her own party is centred on fears that it would not provide a clean enough break to allow the United Kingdom to forge new trade deals around the world, especially with the United States. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) Digital Realty Trust DLR is scheduled to release first-quarter 2019 results on Apr 25, after the market closes. The companys results will likely display year-over-year growth in funds from operations (FFO) per share and revenues. In the last reported quarter, this San Francisco, CA-based data-center real estate investment trust (REIT) delivered a positive surprise of 0.60% in terms of funds from operations (FFO) per share. Results were supported by growth in revenues. Over the trailing four quarters, the company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all four occasions the average beat being 1.56%. This is depicted in the graph below: Digital Realty Trust, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise Digital Realty Trust, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise | Digital Realty Trust, Inc. Quote Lets see how things are shaping up for Digital Realty prior to this announcement. Factors to Consider Solid fundamentals of the data-center market are likely to have helped Digital Realty ride on its growth curve in the to-be-reported quarter. In fact, with growing popularity of cloud computing, Internet of Things and big data, as well as the use of third-party IT infrastructure by several companies, demand for data center spaces has been rising. Also, the estimated growth rates for the artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicle and virtual/augmented reality markets will remain robust over the next five to eight years, resulting in an upbeat outlook for data centers in the future. As such, in the top-tier data center markets, demand is outpacing supply and despite enjoying high occupancy, these markets are absorbing new construction at a faster pace. Amid these, Digital Realty is banking on strategic acquisitions and development efforts, which are expected to boost its top-line growth. This January, the company announced the expansion of its Singapore-connected campus with a new facility. Further, during the Dec-end quarter, it completed the acquisition of Ascenty, a data-center provider in Brazil, for roughly $1.8 billion. Moreover, the company has fortified its presence in Europe, Australia and Asia in recent years through strategic acquisitions and development of high-quality facilities. In addition to the above, Digital Realty has consistently strived for attaining operational excellence. In February, the company announced that it has achieved "five nines" of uptime, surpassing 99.999% availability throughout 2018, for the 12th consecutive year. It reflects the data-center REITs efficiency in developing and delivering data-center solutions. This operational excellence has been achieved despite growth of the companys portfolio over the years, which has expanded from 74 data-center suites at the beginning of 2007 to more than 800 by the end of 2018. Amid these, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the first-quarter total revenues is nearly $795.5 million, indicating 6.9% year-over-year growth. Also, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for FFO per share of $1.65 projects an increase of nearly 2.5% from the prior-year reported figure. However, competition has intensified, given the solid growth potential in the data-center real estate market. This is likely to have resulted in aggressive pricing pressure in the quarter under review. In addition to this, interest-expense burden remains a concern, with the company having a substantial debt position. Here is what our quantitative model predicts: Digital Realty has the right combination of two key ingredients a positive Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) or higher for increasing the odds of an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before theyre reported with our Earnings ESP Filter. Earnings ESP: The Earnings ESP for Digital Realty is +1.27%. Zacks Rank: Digital Realty carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), currently. A positive Earnings ESP is a meaningful and leading indicator of a likely beat in terms of FFO per share. This, when combined with a favorable Zacks rank, makes us reasonably confident of a positive surprise. Stocks That Warrant a Look Here are a few stocks in the REIT sector that you may want to consider, as our model shows that these have the right combination of elements to report a positive surprise this quarter: Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. ARE, scheduled to release first-quarter earnings on Apr 29, has an Earnings ESP of +0.3% and a Zacks Rank #2. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Simon Property Group, Inc. SPG, slated to release earnings on Apr 30, has an Earnings ESP of +0.50% and a Zacks Rank of 3. Public Storage PSA, set to report quarterly numbers on May 1, has an Earnings ESP of +0.88% and a Zacks Rank of 3. Note: Anything related to earnings presented in this write-up represents funds from operations (FFO) a widely used metric to gauge the performance of REITs. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Is your investment advisor fumbling your financial future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get your free report. Simon Property Group, Inc. (SPG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Public Storage (PSA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Senator Mitt Romney said Friday he was sickened by President Donald Trumps dishonesty as described in Special Counsel Robert Muellers report and appalled that people working for Trumps campaign welcomed help from Russia. I am sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President, Romney said in a statement. I am also appalled that, among other things, fellow citizens working in a campaign for president welcomed help from Russia including information that had been illegally obtained; that none of them acted to inform American law enforcement; and that the campaign chairman was actively promoting Russian interests in Ukraine. Romney of Utah called reading Muellers report a sobering revelation of how far we have strayed from the aspirations and principles of the founders. It was the most critical statement yet from a Republican senator on what Trump on Friday called the Crazy Mueller Report. But the former Republican presidential nominee didnt sound eager to delve further. It is good news that there was insufficient evidence to charge the President of the United States with having conspired with a foreign adversary or with having obstructed justice, Romney said. The business of government can move on. Actually, Mueller found evidence of multiple instances of possible obstruction of justice but declined to make a traditional prosecutorial decision, leaving it to Congress. Attorney General William Barr stepped in, declaring that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein found insufficient evidence that Trump obstructed justice. (Morning News Call - Canada edition will not be published on Friday, April 19, as markets are closed for Good Friday) To access a PDF version of this newsletter, please click here http://share.thomsonreuters.com/assets/newsletters/Morning_News_Call/MNCGeneric_CA_04182019.pdf You can read Morning News Call Canada via TOPNEWS Canada page. If you would like to receive this newsletter through your email, please register at: http://solutions.refinitiv.com/MorningNewsCallENsubscriptionpage ECONOMIC EVENTS 0830 Retail sales mm for Feb: Expected 0.4 pct; Prior -0.3 pct 0830 Retail sales ex-autos mm for Feb: Expected 0.2 pct; Prior 0.1 pct COMPANIES REPORTING RESULTS April 18: Rogers Communications Inc (RCIb). Expected Q1 earnings of 95 Canadian cents per share April 19: No major companies are scheduled to report for the day. CORPORATE EVENTS 0800 Rogers Communications Inc (RCIb). Q1 earnings conference call 1100 Rogers Communications Inc (RCIb). Annual Shareholders Meeting 1300 Africa Oil Corp (AOI). Annual Shareholders Meeting EX-DIVIDENDS Olympia Financial Group Inc (OLY). Amount C$0.23 For Morning News Call U.S. -- a preview of market-moving news for the trading day: - type US/MNC in a news browser if you are an Eikon user, or type RT/US/MNC in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For The Day Ahead -- a recap of the day's events and preview of the next trading day: - type DAY/US in a news browser if you are an Eikon user or type RT/DAY/US in a news browser if you are a Thomson One user For an index of our newsletters click on Robert Mueller arrives to speak to employees at FBI headquarters in Washington in April 2009. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/Bloomberg Special Counsel Robert Mueller III found evidence suggesting President Donald Trumps public comments during the prosecution of Paul Manafort were intended to encourage his former campaign chairman to not cooperate with the governmentand possibly to also sway the jury that would find Manafort guilty of financial fraud, according to a 448-page report released Thursday summarizing the Russia investigation. Muellers team closely examined Trumps public statements, whether uttered aloud to reporters or typed on Twitter, as part of its investigation into whether the president obstructed justice. In the report, Muellers team identified numerous instances in which Trump offered praise not only for Manafort but also his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and in some cases raised the possibility of a pardon as they faced prosecution on charges arising from Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. With respect to Manafort, Muellers team wrote, there is evidence that the presidents actions had the potential to influence Manaforts decision whether to cooperate with the government. The president and his personal counsel made repeated statements suggesting that a pardon was a possibility for Manafort, while also making it clear that the president did not want Manafort to flip and cooperate with the government. Mueller ultimately declined to make a recommendation whether Trump tried to obstruct the Russia investigation. U.S. Attorney General William Barr, in concert with Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general, said the evidence Mueller marshaled did not amount to obstruction. The results of the investigation are a total victory for the President ... it is clear there was no criminal wrongdoing, Trump's defense lawyers said in a statement Thursday. Muellers report highlighted, among other things, statements Trump made during Manaforts trial in Alexandria, Virginia. Trump called the prosecution a terrible situation and hoax that continues to stain our country. Trump also described Manafort as a Reagan/Dole darling who had been convicted of nothing but was nonetheless serving solitary confinement. According to Mueller's report: Story continues Some evidence supports a conclusion that the president intended, at least in part, to influence the jury. The trial generated widespread publicity, and as the jury began to deliberate, commentators suggested that an acquittal would add to pressure to end the special counsels investigation. By publicly stating on the second day of deliberations that Manafort happens to be a very good person and that its very sad what theyve done to Paul Manafort right after calling the special counsels investigation a rigged witch hunt, the presidents statements could, if they reached jurors, have the natural tendency to engender sympathy for Manafort among jurors, and a factfinder could infer that the president intended that result. The report acknowledged alternative explanations for Trumps statements, including that he genuinely felt sorry for Manafort. Mueller also noted that Trump might have intended not to sway the jury but rather to influence public opinion. But, the report said, the presidents comments could have also been intended to continue sending a message to Manafort that a pardon was possible. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, center, arrives for sentencing at federal court in Washington, with attorney Robert Kelner, right, Dec. 18, 2018. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ NLJ Regarding Flynn, who has pleaded guilty to lying to authorities during the Russia investigation, the special counsel noted statements in which Trump praised his former national security adviser as a wonderful man and fine person. Trump, after Flynn resigned, also privately asked advisers to pass messages conveying that he still cared about him and urging him to stay strong. The special counsel scrutinized conversations between a personal lawyer for Trump and Flynns defense counsel at Covington & Burling. Neither lawyer is identified in the report, but Covington & Burling partner Robert Kelner has led Flynns defense. Muellers team scrutinized conversations between the lawyers after Flynn withdrew from a joint defense agreement with Trump, signaling a possible pivot to cooperate with the government. Trumps personal lawyer responded to the move by reminding Flynns defense lawyer of what the Mueller described as the presidents warm feelings for his former national security adviser. That still remains, Trumps lawyer said, according to the report. When Flynns defense lawyer reiterated that he could no longer share information under a joint defense agreement, the presidents personal counsel stated that the decision would be interpreted as reflecting Flynns hostility toward the president, the report states. Trumps lawyer said he planned to inform his client of that interpretation, the report adds, with a footnote attributing that information to Flynns defense counsel. Citing attorney-client privilege issues, the special counsels office said it did not seek to interview Trumps lawyer about the extent to which he discussed his comments to Flynns attorney with the president. Kelner declined to comment Thursday. In evaluating the dialogue between Trumps and Flynns lawyers, the special counsels office appeared to run into an obstacle. That sequence of events could have had the potential to affect Flynns decision to cooperate, as well as the extent of that cooperation, Muellers office wrote. Because of privilege issues, however, we could not determine whether the president was personally involved in or knew about the specific message his counsel delivered to Fynns counsel. Read more: Barr Defends Trump at Pre-Report Press Conference, Sans Robert Mueller Here Is the 448-Page Mueller Report DC Judge Dismisses 'Plea for Leniency' While Imposing Manafort Sentence Judge Emmet Sullivan Delays Flynn Sentencing After Threatening Prison ICYMI: Here are our top stories from Friday, April 19 Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (April 19, 2019). Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was released to the public Thursday and drew no conclusion that President Donald Trump committed a crime but said he is not exonerated. Muellers investigation, outlined in a 400-plus page document, found that Russia interfered in the election and found numerous links between the Russian government and Trumps campaign. Despite that, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the report said. It's not clear whether Trump broke the law, the report said. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state ... however, we are unable to reach that judgment, the report said. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Highlights The report outlined several cases in which the president and others sought to protect Trump from the investigation. The probe found multiple acts by the president that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations. Among those were efforts to remove Mueller and to influence testimony of witnesses. The president engaged in a series of targeted efforts to control the investigation, the report said though none apparently reached Muellers definition of prosecutable criminality. Trumps efforts to end the probe werent successful because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. For example, former FBI Director James Comey refused to end an investigation of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn; White House Counsel Don McGahn didnt, as directed, tell the attorney general that Mueller should be removed; and other officials refused to deliver some of Trumps messages dealing with the probe. Similarly, the lack of collusion between the campaign and the Russians doesn't appear to be for lack of trying. The report said Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos worked with two Russian nationals to arrange a meeting between the campaign and the Russian government, though no such meeting ever took place. Since some people refused to testify, some destroyed document and some lied to investigators and were criminally charged for it Muellers report said investigators couldnt rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on questions of obstruction or collusion. Related Links: Story continues No Collusion: AG Barr Says Russians Interfered In Election, But Without Help From Trump, His Campaign The Mueller Report: What We Know And What It Means Going Forward Photo credit: Emily Elconin See more from Benzinga 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. The epic report that doesn't exonerate the president. Special counsel Robert Mueller didnt recommend that US president Donald Trump be charged with obstruction of justice. However, Muellers just-issued report also doesnt say that Trump didnt obstruct justice. Basically, in four points that lay out the almost comical logic Mueller followed, he concluded that charging Trump criminally would be a bad move. Because a sitting president cannot be tried in criminal court for an offense, Trump is only subject to prosecution via congressional impeachment proceedings while in office, according to the Department of Justice. Its a position Mueller doesnt necessarily agree with but accepted. And because having a criminal charge over his head until hes a common citizen again would leave Trump without his constitutional right to a speedy trial, Mueller made no traditional prosecution determination and no explicit recommendation. In other words, Mueller didnt even decide whether Trumps actions constitute a crime. He declined to consider the criminality of Trumps actions. However, the special counsel also stated that lack of a charge is not synonymous with innocence. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, Mueller writes. In fact, Mueller specifically says that he cannot clear Trumps name based on the investigation, though he would have done so if the facts supported such a finding, explaining: If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Story continues Essentially, Mueller is saying that he wasnt able to recommend charging the president with obstruction for technical reasons. And he wasnt able to clear Trumps name for factual reasons. Some commentators, like Yoni Applebaum at the Atlantic, are thus interpreting the Mueller Report as an impeachment referral. Applebaum argues that Mueller is suggesting that congressional representatives initiate action to try the president. There is support for this contention. The report challenges the legal basis that the DOJ used to argue that Trump couldnt be charged criminally and notes that he could face prosecution once he is out of office. It also argues that congress has the authority to investigate obstruction of justice by the president and that Trump could be charged criminally once out of office. In doing so, Mueller makes clear that his findings were intended for independent evaluation by Congress, or by future prosecutors, Asha Rangappa, a lawyer, former FBI agent, and senior lecturer at Yale, tells Just Security. Whatever Muellers intentions, its certainly true that his report is not exactly a ringing endorsement of Trump or his actions. The factual conclusions in the obstruction of justice section of the 448-page report are damning, noting that Trump lied to the public about his involvement with Russia, misled reporters about his sons activities on behalf of his campaign, and bullied the attorney general, FBI, and White House counsel in efforts to thwart or control Muellers work, and privately expressed concern that the investigation would end his presidency. According to the report, when Mueller was appointed to act as special counsel, Trump responded by saying, Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. And while the investigation hasnt yet unseated the president, his assessment of the state of affairs sounds just about right. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: Notre-Dame Cathedral seen at sunrise following a major fire on Monday on April 17, 2019 in Paris, France. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Frances digital minister said that the government would consider backing bitcoin donations to the restoration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Im not sure every bitcoin player can do it but, anyway, we are open to the discussion, Cedric O, Frances Minister for the Digital Economy, told a press conference on Wednesday. People should be able to make donations through whatever means they want to use. Paris historic Notre-Dame Cathedral was devastated by a huge fire on Monday evening, the cause of which is still unknown. Gregory Raymond, a journalist with Frances Capital magazine and a crypto advocate, set up a bitcoin fund on Tuesday to try and raise funds to help with the restoration. O was asked on Wednesday whether the government would bless these efforts and allow the bitcoin fund to donate to four official restoration organisations that have been chosen by the state. Ive been meeting with the platforms yesterday, O said. As far as youre able to ensure first that you dont take any money that is transferred to the foundation, second that you collect the information that is needed for tax deduction, and third that youre transferring the funds to the four foundations that have been chosen to rebuild Notre Dame, I think we can have a discussion in order to convey the message that people can make donations on your platform. As of Wednesday, almost $1bn has been pledged toward the restoration of the Notre Dame cathedral. The majority came from French billionaires, as well as other wealthy individuals such as Apple CEO Tim Cook. Le Fondation du Patrimoine, an independent non-profit heritage group, said it is still too early to estimate the cost of the damage to the Paris landmark. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pledged to rebuild a more beautiful Notre Dame within 5 years. Os comments about potential bitcoin donations came during a press conference on the sidelines of the Paris Blockchain Week summit, a two-day event showcasing France as a place to do business for blockchain and cryptocurrency businesses. READ MORE: Crypto price crash actually good for business, say entrepreneurs Urges Shareholders to Vote "FOR" All Three of Companys Nominees on the WHITE Proxy Card PDC is Successfully Executing its Operating Plan Focused on Capital Discipline, Profitable Growth and Free Cash Flow Generation DENVER, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PDC Energy, Inc. (PDC or the Company) (PDCE) today announced that it has filed definitive proxy materials with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (2019 Annual Meeting), scheduled for May 29, 2019. PDC shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 1, 2019 will be entitled to vote at the 2019 Annual Meeting. The Company is also mailing a letter to shareholders. Highlights of the letter include: PDCs Board and management team have successfully repositioned the Company as a focused player with strong core positions in the Wattenberg Field in Colorado and Delaware Basin in Texas. The Company is successfully executing its plan and advancing its financial priorities, which include: Sustainable free cash flow; Financial and operational discipline; and Profitable growth. PDCs plan is working and resulted in strong 2018 financial and operating results, underscoring the value of the Companys high-quality portfolio. The Company has provided a differentiated multi-year outlook and expects to build upon its proven track record of delivering on commitments. PDCs three incumbent directors standing for reelection PDCs Chief Executive Officer Bart Brookman, and independent directors Mark E. Ellis and Larry F. Mazza are highly-qualified and have critical operating, industry and regulatory expertise to drive the Companys plan forward. Kimmeridges nominees have no significant public company board, large-scale operating or technical expertise, and they lack Colorado regulatory experience. The PDC Board believes Kimmeridge is undertaking this proxy contest as part of an effort to use PDC as a vehicle to pursue its own M&A agenda. The full text of the letter can be viewed here http://www.pdce.com/annual-meeting/PDC-Energy-Letter-to-Shareholders.pdf Story continues EVERY SHAREHOLDERS VOTE IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, NO MATTER HOW MANY SHARES THEY OWN. Shareholders who have questions or require any assistance voting their shares should contact PDC Energys proxy solicitor: MacKenzie Partners, Inc. Stockholders may call toll-free: (800) 322-2885 Banks and Brokers may call collect: (212) 929-5500 About PDC Energy, Inc. PDC Energy, Inc. is a domestic independent exploration and production company that acquires, explores and develops properties for the production of crude oil, natural gas and NGLs, with operations in the Wattenberg Field in Colorado and the Delaware Basin in Reeves and Culberson Counties, Texas. PDCs operations are focused in the horizontal Niobrara and Codell plays in the Wattenberg Field and in the Wolfcamp zones in the Delaware Basin. NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") and the United States ("U.S.") Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding our business, strategy, the 2019 Annual Meeting, and potential nominees for the board of directors. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in and incorporated by reference into this report are "forward-looking statements." Words such as expect, anticipate, intend, plan, believe, seek, estimate and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements herein. Although forward-looking statements contained in this press release reflect our good faith judgment, such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known to us. Forward-looking statements are always subject to risks and uncertainties, and become subject to greater levels of risk and uncertainty as they address matters further into the future. Because such statements relate to events or conditions further in the future, they are subject to increased levels of uncertainty. Further, we urge you to carefully review and consider the cautionary statements and disclosures, specifically those under the heading "Risk Factors," made in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 28, 2019, and our other filings with the SEC for further information on risks and uncertainties that could affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, which are incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. We caution you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance occurring after the date of this press release or currently unknown facts or conditions or the occurrence of unanticipated events. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PDC has filed a definitive proxy statement and WHITE proxy card with the SEC in connection with its solicitation of proxies for the 2019 Annual Meeting. PDC SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (AND ANY AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ACCOMPANYING WHITE PROXY CARD AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain the proxy statement, any amendments or supplements to the proxy statement and other documents as and when filed by PDC with the SEC without charge from the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Investors and shareholders can also obtain, without charge, a copy of the definitive proxy statement and other relevant filed documents from PDCs website at http://investor.pdce.com/sec-filings. CERTAIN INFORMATION REGARDING PARTICIPANTS PDC, its directors and certain of its executive officers may be deemed to be participants in connection with the solicitation of proxies from PDCs shareholders in connection with the matters to be considered at the 2019 Annual Meeting. Information regarding the identity of potential participants, and their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the proxy statement and other materials to be filed with the SEC. These documents can be obtained free of charge from the sources indicated above. Contacts: Investors Michael Edwards Senior Director Investor Relations 303-860-5820 michael.edwards@pdce.com Media Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher Andy Brimmer / Andrew Siegel 212-355-4449 Miami Valley Hospital(DAYTON, Ohio) -- Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, is about to turn it up to 11. Eleven nurses in the hospital's labor and delivery unit are pregnant at the same time. The due dates for the nurses, one a gestational carrier, span in time from early May to late October. All 11 of the nurses plan to deliver at their employer, Miami Valley Hospital, which oversees about 4,000 deliveries per year. "Knowing that our coworkers are going to be there when we deliver is very comforting," said Lindsey Highley, who's due with her third child in May. Jessica Piddock, due in July, described the baby boom at the hospital as "completely crazy," while Charlotte Phillips, due in May, called it "really exciting." All three nurses said they and their pregnant coworkers are comparing notes, sympathizing with each other through difficulties and mostly just looking ahead to having 11 more kids on board. "I think we all just really look forward to watching each other's children grow and getting motherhood advice as well," Highley said. The baby boom at the Ohio hospital comes just weeks after nurses in Maine, teachers in Kansas and firefighters' wives in North Carolina each made headlines for the same thing: A large group of coworkers expecting babies at the same time. Earlier this year, a group of eight nurses in one obstetrics unit made headlines for giving birth over a span of five months. Last year, five coworkers at a doctor's office in Ohio were all pregnant at the same time too and, in Kentucky, seven dads and one mom in a police department welcomed new babies at the same time. Some may be wondering: Can there really be something in the water at these employers? Is there some way to medically explain the phenomenon? The answer, doctors say, is no. "More likely, I think it's people who are around the same age, going through the same thing, and they see people getting pregnant and being able to handle it," said Dr. Joanne Stone, director of maternal-fetal medicine at Mt. Sinai Hospital. "It's more of an atmospheric thing than there's any medical reason for it." Stone said baby booms are more likely a sign that the women and men's employers are doing something right, in providing a positive workplace environment for expectant parents. "Unfortunately, there are some where [pregnancy] is looked down upon," she added. Dr. Richard Beckerman, chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C., agreed with Stone. "I don't think it's a medical marvel as much as it's a really neat and fun-loving incident," he said. "It's a great human interest story and a nice thing to see." And scientific or not, it's still beneficial for the expectant mothers, Stone and Beckerman added. "I think it's always nice," Stone added, "to get that support and to be able to share how you feel and to feel validated -- to not feel so bad if you're tired and you need to put your feet up for a moment. Everyone understands. It's a positive feeling." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Inside the ugly world of Nepali restaurants in Finland Nepali workers say if anyone goes to the police or authorities to complain about working conditions, the owners would make it difficult for them to find work again in any Nepali or South Asian restaurant. Nepali restaurants in Finland, like this one in Kamppi neighborhood of Helsinki, are owned by a small group of businessmen. Photo via Facebook NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OAKVILLE, Ontario, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saint Jean Carbon Inc. (Saint Jean or the Company) (SJL.V) with reference to the previous press release dated March 19th of this year, wishes to announce that it placed an aggregate of 4,277,500 units (Common Units) at a price of $0.035 per Common Unit for gross proceeds of $149,712.50 (the Offering). Each Common Unit consists of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (Common Share) at a price of $0.035 per Common Share and one (1) common share purchase warrant (Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one (1) additional Common Share at an exercise price of $0.05 per Common Share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. In connection with the closing of the first tranche of the Offering, the Company paid cash finders fees in the aggregate amount of $6,853.88 to an arms length finder. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering to preserve the Companys existing operations and for general corporate and administrative purposes. Assuming that the Offering is fully subscribed, the breakdown of the intended use of proceeds for the ensuing 6-month period is shown in the table below. Purpose Amount Payment of outstanding payables $ 82,000 Operating costs $ 55,000 General working capital $ 240,000 Private placement expenses $ 23,000 Gross proceeds $ 400,000 Although the Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering as described above, the actual allocation of net proceeds may vary from the uses set forth above, depending on future operations or unforeseen events or opportunities. If the Offering is not fully subscribed, the Company will apply the proceeds of the Offering to the above uses in priority, and in such proportions as the board of directors and management of the Company determine in the best interest of the Company. All securities issued as part of the Offering are subject to a four month and one (1) day hold period. Story continues About Saint Jean Saint Jean is a publicly traded carbon science company, with specific interests in energy storage and green energy creation and green re-creation, with holdings in graphite mining and lithium claims in the province of Quebec in Canada. For the latest information on Saint Jeans properties and news please refer to the website: www.saintjeancarbon.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Saint Jean Carbon Inc. Paul Ogilvie, CEO and Chairman Information Contact: Email: info@saintjeancarbon.com Tel: (905) 844-1200 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, concerning Saint Jeans business and affairs. In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, intends budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements include those with respect to the Companys intention to use the proceeds of the Offering as working capital to fund the continued development of the Companys business. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and are naturally subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances that may cause actual results to differ materially. The forward-looking statements in this news release assume, inter alia, that the conditions for completion of the Offering, including regulatory approval will be met. Although Saint Jean believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that these expectations will prove to be correct. There are risks which could affect Saint Jeans ability to complete the Offering, including that required consents and approvals from regulatory authorities will not be obtained. Statements of past performance should not be construed as an indication of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors, including those discussed above, could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date of this press release, and Saint Jean assumes no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required under applicable securities legislation. The Pennsylvania State Capitol Building, in downtown Harrisburg. A bipartisan duo in the Pennsylvania Senate has introduced a bill that would establish a family and medical leave insurance program. Sens. Maria Collett, D-Montgomery, and Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, on April 18 outlined their Family Care Act, which would allow workers to make small contributions from their weekly earnings to the insurance program, which would be administered by the Department of Labor and Industry. Workers could then utilize the funds when they need themto care for themselves or a close family member in the event of a serious health condition, to care for a new child, or to care for a member of the military in qualifying circumstances. The program is needed because family leave policies at many employers are unpaid. No one should have to choose between caring for a sick family member and keeping their job, Collett said. This legislation will help provide the flexibility and financial security that hard-working Pennsylvanians deserve. Laughlin added the program would provide a basic safety net. In times of crisis, especially when it involves a serious health issue, families have enough to be concerned about without having to worry about how they are going to pay their bills, he said. Addition of Global M&A Advisory Firm Solidifies Stifels Leadership in Technology ST. LOUIS, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Mooreland Partners, a leading independent M&A and private capital advisory firm serving the global technology industry. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Mooreland Partners, with a team of nearly 60 professionals, operates out of offices in Silicon Valley, New York, London, and Frankfurt. Since its founding in 2003, the firm has successfully completed more than 250 M&A and capital raising transactions for mid-market clients principally in North America and Europe, across all major verticals in the technology ecosystem. Mooreland Partners has built a strong reputation with the private equity and venture capital community as a collaborative firm with deep domain knowledge and a strong track record of completing domestic and cross-border M&A transactions. On a combined basis, Stifel and Mooreland advised on more technology M&A transactions valued under $1 billion than any other firm during the period 2010 through 2018. Technology is a sector that has been, and continues to be, a cornerstone of Stifels investment banking platform, said Brad Raymond, Global Head of Investment Banking at Stifel. Through this combination, we are doubling the size of our overall technology practice and significantly enhancing our presence in Europe and Silicon Valley. We share the same passion as the Stifel team for the technology sector, said Patrick Seely, Managing Partner at Mooreland Partners. Stifels capabilities across a wide-range of investment banking solutions will give us the opportunity to deliver a broader set of financial products to the entrepreneurs, private equity funds, and venture capital investors we have been serving in North America, Europe, Israel, and beyond. We see multiple synergies and believe that, together with Stifel, our combined technology practice is poised for significant growth. Story continues After the closing of the transaction, Patrick Seely will become Co-Head of Stifels Technology Investment Banking group, alongside Stifels current Head of Technology Investment Banking, Cole Bader. This combination is an excellent cultural fit, said Thom Weisel, Co-Chairman of the Board of Stifel. Stifel and Mooreland take the same collaborative, client-centric approach to ensure consistently successful outcomes for our clients. We look forward to welcoming the Mooreland team to Stifel. Over the last 20 years, Stifels Technology Investment Banking team has completed more than 300 M&A transactions representing approximately more than $100 billion in aggregate transaction value and more than 650 capital markets transactions totaling more than $150 billion in value. Stifel Company Information Stifel Financial Corp. (SF) is a financial services holding company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, that conducts its banking, securities, and financial services business through several wholly owned subsidiaries. Stifels broker-dealer clients are served in the United States through Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, including its Eaton Partners business division; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc.; Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC; Century Securities Associates, Inc., and in the United Kingdom and Europe through Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The Companys broker-dealer affiliates provide securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, professional money managers, businesses, and municipalities. Stifel Bank and Stifel Bank & Trust offer a full range of consumer and commercial lending solutions. Stifel Trust Company, N.A. and Stifel Trust Company Delaware, N.A. offer trust and related services. To learn more about Stifel, please visit the Companys website at www.stifel.com . Mooreland Partners Company Information Founded in 2003, Mooreland Partners is a leading independent M&A and private capital advisory firm serving the global technology industry with offices in New York, Silicon Valley, London and Frankfurt. Mooreland's team of nearly 60 professionals delivers deep industry domain knowledge and extensive transaction expertise across all major technology sectors including enterprise software and services, electronics and applied technologies, communication technologies, digital media and marketing, consumer content and e-commerce as well as fintech. Our success can be attributed to a culture that fosters collaboration on a global scale, a keen sector focus that supports in-depth understanding of trends and innovations impacting our clients, years of experience structuring and negotiating complex transactions, and a dedication that comes from a team that knows first-hand the responsibilities of being an investor and entrepreneur. To learn more about Mooreland Partners, please visit: www.moorelandpartners.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements The information contained in this press release contains certain statements that may be deemed to be 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. All statements in this report not dealing with historical results are forward-looking and are based on various assumptions. The forward-looking statements in this report are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the statements. Material factors and assumptions could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Media Contact Neil Shapiro, (212) 271-3447 shapiron@stifel.com Enriched website offers new Creativity Center, expanded institutional training, hundreds of no-cost tools to enhance quality of life for families, community organizations, nursing homes MILWAUKEE, Wis., April 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As our bodies and minds change with age, and frailty and memory loss threaten to separate us, the TimeSlips creative storytelling program offers hope by showing how creativity and imagination can re-connect us. To spur a creative care revolution, the newly re-launched TimeSlips.org website provides more than 300 free resources and activities in the newly expanded Creativity Center to make meaningful engagement a reality for people living with Alzheimers disease and other dementias, their families and caregivers, and people serving them in community-based organizations and residential care facilities. Making up stories together is at the heart of the TimeSlips concept. By providing users with playful photographic and verbal prompts and questions to guide the creation of an original story, TimeSlips releases people living with dementia from the pressure to remember and replaces it with the freedom to imagine. At TimeSlips, we believe that even in our latest and most frail moments, we are capable of creating beauty and meaning, says Anne Basting, PhD, the founder and president of TimeSlips, a professor of theater at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and a MacArthur Fellow. By making so many new resources widely available, we hope to spark a creative revolution in care, offering people a joyful opportunity for connection, even in the midst of the stress and pain that are often part of living with dementia. Beautiful Questions and more than 300+ other no-cost resources The new resources in the TimeSlips.org Creativity Center include: Beautiful Questions, such as, What is the most beautiful sound in the world? or What is something you could teach someone? Gentle Conversation prompts that inspire simple sensory responses. The classic TimeSlips prompt Imagine a Story, using a whimsical, comic, or vintage photograph and open-ended questions to inspire elders and their companions or caregivers to make up an original (and often freewheeling) story together. These fun, low-pressure approaches allow people with dementia to connect with one another and with caregivers and family members, and to express themselves through storytelling without worrying about embarrassing memory lapses or wrong answers. See a video of TimeSlips in action here. Story continues One TimeSlips participant put it this way: It makes you feel like you can just fly anywhere go anywhere you want to with this. And you feel good about it happy and pleased. How the revolution got started Anne Basting first envisioned TimeSlips in 1996 when she tried (and failed) to use theater workshop techniques to engage nursing home residents. Rather than giving up, she improvised, showing the group a magazine ad of the cowboy-like Marlboro Man and tossing out questions about him (What should his name be?), then recording the crowd-sourced responses (His name is Fred! Fred what? Fred Astaire!) To her amazement, even people who had been nonverbal in previous sessions began to participate, singing and laughing along with nursing home staffers. It felt like a miracle, Basting recalls. A proven approach that can work in any setting TimeSlips creative approaches are used around the world in care communities, museums, libraries, senior centers, and individual homes, and are delivered and taught by formally credentialled creative facilitators and Master Trainers in 47 states and 19 countries. Training is available for organizations interested in joining the creative care revolution by becoming certified as Creative Communities of Care. TimeSlips models true person-centered care and has been shown to increase the quality and quantity of engagement between staff and residents in nursing homes and lead to enhanced verbal skills, positive behavioral changes, more communication, and less confusion in people living with dementia. Reflecting the strength of its evidence base, TimeSlips is featured on the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ) Innovations Exchange. Meeting a tremendous need in an unexpected way Around the world, 47 million people live with dementia, affecting 190 million close family and friends. There is no cure for Alzheimers disease or other related dementias, and the number of people affected is expected to rise as the population ages. Partners The massive expansion of the TimeSlips web platform was supported by Bader Philanthropies, the Retirement Research Foundation, and an anonymous donor. The site was designed and developed by Igicom.com, with design consulting from Lafayette American and illustrations by Violeta Noy. The new online training was developed by Hadiya Nuriddin with Focus Learning Solutions. About TimeSlips TimeSlips is a non-profit alliance of artists and caregivers bringing meaning and joy to late life through creative engagement. Our core improvisational storytelling method is evidence-based and has been replicated by Certified Facilitators in 47 states and 19 countries. Our Creative Communities of Care training infuses creativity into organizations serving elders including skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, senior centers, memory cafes, and museums. We believe every human being deserves to feel meaning and purpose, and that growth and expression is possible all the way through the end of our lives. Learn more at https://timeslips.org. Media Contact Elliott Walker ewalker@aboutSCP.com Sen. Bernie Sanders is making Democrats nervous. But some supporters say it's not because he can't win in 2020. It's because he can. The Vermont independent may have surprised the party's establishment with his strong performance so far. He's polling second, behind only former Vice President Joe Biden who has yet to enter the race, and he has raised more than other Democratic contenders. "All their power is in giving money to politicians and controlling them. Bernie Sanders doesn't want their money. They are going to fight Bernie Sanders harder than any Republican will," progressive pundit Cenk Uygur says. Sen. Bernie Sanders is making mainstream Democrats nervous. But some of the presidential candidate's supporters say it's not because they're worried Sanders can't defeat President Donald Trump in 2020. It's because he can, they say. The Vermont democratic socialist may have surprised the party's establishment with his strong performance so far. He's been polling second, behind only former Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to enter the race. Sanders also took the lead in an Emerson poll released Tuesday . He raised more than $18 million in the first quarter of 2019, the most money of any Democratic contender. And his base of loyal followers, who made him a force in the 2016 primary, has not gone anywhere. "Bernie right now has a better chance of winning than the rest of field combined," said Cenk Uygur, founder of progressive news network TYT and host of "The Young Turks," who supported Sanders in 2016. Uygur has not decided whom he will back in 2020, but says he likes Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Uygur said the establishment's concerns about Sanders raised in a New York Times article on Tuesday , will only make Sanders stronger. The article quotes party insiders who fear that Sanders' campaign will complicate efforts to defeat Trump. Their goal is to stop him from gaining more ground and certainly to thwart his chances of becoming the Democratic 2020 nominee. Story continues David Brock, a political consultant, told the Times: "There's a growing realization that Sanders could end up winning this thing, or certainly that he stays in so long that he damages the actual winner." Brock told the paper that he has had discussions with other operatives about an anti-Sanders campaign and believes it should commence "sooner rather than later." The Sanders campaign was not available for comment. The Democratic National Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Already, a fight has erupted between Sanders and the Center for American Progress , a think tank that has ties to Hillary Clinton. But Uygur sees another reason for the establishment's concerns about Sanders: "The big Dem donors are not worried he's going to lose the general election, they're worried he's going to win," he tweeted on Tuesday. Tweet Uygur's point is that big money donors who back mainstream candidates will lose their positions of power in the face of a Sanders win. A political system corrupted by corporate cash and influence, he said, will finally fall if the democratic socialist who has proposed "Medicare for All," free college education and a $15 minimum wage is elected. "The people with the most money will lose all power, they will not be rewarded," he said. "All their power is in giving money to politicians and controlling them. Bernie Sanders doesn't want their money. They are going to fight Bernie Sanders harder than any Republican will." That could be a dangerous game: Attacking Sanders will "force everyone to rally around him," Uygur said. "That's why Bernie has always stood an excellent chance of winning. They can't take away a small donor base. The more they attack him, the more he will raise." Indeed, the Sanders' campaign is already fundraising on the party conflict, dashing off a pitch this week that read in part : "The Democratic establishment and high-dollar donors are already planning how to stop our campaign. They are terrified of our movement - as they should be." Ryan Grim, Washington bureau chief for progressive news site The Intercept, a former contributor to MSNBC and a contributor to the Young Turks Network also believes that establishment Democrats are afraid a Sanders win could upend the entire system they operate within. "They couch that fear in claims that they're worried he'll lose," he told CNBC. "Change is scary." Margo Baldwin, president of Vermont-based Chelsea Green Publishing, called the Democratic establishment "part of the power elite in bed with the banks and the moneyed interests." The company published " Rules for Revolutionaries " by former Sanders' campaign staffers Becky Bond and Zack Exley, as well as " Essential Bernie Sanders and his Vision for America " by Jonathan Tasini. "They don't like Trump, but they don't want to see real change," Baldwin added. She joked that the party doesn't seem to like winning either, adding that they "can trot out Biden and they will lose." But Markos Moulitsas, founder and publisher of liberal blog Daily Kos said it's not fear, "it's frustration" that party insiders are feeling. He said in an email that Sanders is "a divisive person" who "roils the party." "As for the big donors, the best way to fight them is to build a small dollar machine that will power candidates at all levels of office," Moulitsas said. He added, "But even if we succeed in building an entire party of small dollar donors, weep not for big corporate money. They'll always have Republicans to buy." It's certainly too early to tell where the race will end up, but for Sanders' supporters, a replay of the infighting that happened in 2016 will not go over well. "There will be no end to the fury," Uygur said. More From CNBC Oil prices have soared since the start of the year, supported by ongoing OPEC-led supply cuts, escalating fighting in Libya and U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. Energy analysts tend to agree that a flurry of intensifying risk indicators in the oil market is a cause for concern. But, when it comes to identifying potentially the most disruptive risk event, the consensus ends. As global supply stocks lessen, oil industry experts are agreed that the crude market is becoming ever more sensitive to a sudden or unexpected disruption. However there appears to be little agreement on what the current biggest risk actually is. Oil prices have soared since the start of the year, supported by ongoing OPEC -led supply cuts, escalating fighting in Libya and U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela . International benchmark Brent crude and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude have risen by approximately 30% and 40% respectively since the start of the year. The primary reason for the run-up is simple: The market is tightening. That means a global oversupply of crude is draining, bringing supply and demand into balance and putting the market at risk of flipping into shortage. Energy analysts tend to agree that intensifying risk indicators in the oil market is a cause for concern. CNBC rounds up what oil traders and analysts view as potentially the most disruptive event. Libya unrest "For me, the current major risk event for the oil market is the unrest in Libya," Stephen Brennock, oil analyst at PVM Oil Associates, told CNBC via email. "Oil production in the country has yet to be disrupted however I suspect it is a matter of when not if. General Haftar and his eastern Libyan forces are determined to seize Tripoli and with it comes the inevitable risk of supply outages," Brennock said. Libya's eastern military leader, General Khalifa Haftar, ordered an offensive two weeks ago on Tripoli , which is held by the internationally recognized government, increasing the chaos that has plagued the OPEC nation since 2011. Story continues The ongoing conflict has exacerbated fears that open war could soon break out between the main political factions in a key oil-producing nation. Iran sanctions "The market is very constructive, it's fairly tight and we think it's going to be in the $70 range through the second quarter and into the third quarter depending on what happens. And there's a lot of variables between now and then," Edward Morse, the global head of commodities research at Citi Group, told CNBC in Dubai earlier this month . One variable is whether the President Donald Trump administration will extend sanctions waivers on eight countries importing Iranian oil and he has until May 2 to decide. Morse believes that the focus for the U.S. will be sanctions and Venezuela and this would likely see "kinder" actions on those importing Iranian oil. Brent traded at around $71.75 on Thursday afternoon, up around 0.2%, while WTI stood at $63.94, around 0.3% higher. "I would say I am most worried about the role U.S. sanctions will play against Iran It is the most important issue on the supply side and, of course, an incredibly complex one," Cailin Birch, global economist at The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), told CNBC via telephone. The "unpredictable nature" of U.S. foreign policy means there is a "major risk" the Trump administration will remove waivers against Iran next month, Birch said. On May 2, President Donald Trump must decide whether to extend waivers that allow several countries to import oil from Iran, which is under wide-ranging U.S. economic sanctions. While the Trump administration has a " maximum pressure " policy towards Iran, the president says he issued waivers to eight countries in November in order to prevent oil prices from soaring. The exemptions are also seen as a way of managing relationships with foreign countries, most of whom oppose Trump's Iran policy. To be sure, analysts doubt Trump will refuse to extend the waivers , despite administration officials repeatedly invoking the administration's goal of driving Iran's oil exports to zero. Black swan event "Expectations are rife that Washington will tighten the sanctions screw on the OPEC nation in line with its ultimate goal of reducing Iran's oil exports to zero. Needless to say, the oil market is currently experiencing a supply deficit and any further reduction in supplies from Libya and Iran would cause the market to overtighten and prices to overshoot," PVM Oil Associates' Brennock said. "This may turn out to be a black swan event as it would force the OPEC+ alliance to reopen the oil spigots," he added. OPEC+ refers to the energy alliance between OPEC and non-OPEC members, which is trying to keep 1.2 million barrels per day (b/d) off the market through June, following a collapse in crude prices at the end of 2018. "When you think about what we've learned over the last year OPEC has shown its ability to increase production very high, reduce production substantially, so a lot of flexibility there," Jeff Currie, Goldman Sachs' head of commodities research, told CNBC in Dubai earlier this month . "What have we learned about China? They can stimulate, and they can de-lever. We've seen a big stimulus in January, but de-levering last year. What have we seen with the U.S.? They've gone hawkish and they've gone dovish." "What that starts to do is take out your tail risk both to the upside as well to the downside," Currie continued. "So, your question is: Where does the risk in the system go? If we think about it, if it's the policymaker swinging policy back and forth, that is where the risk really needs to start to reside, it goes in the sovereign balance sheets ... So, if I look at it, a black swan event, more likely than not it's probably going to come out of one of the sovereigns." CNBC's Tom DiChristopher and Natasha Turak contributed to this report. More From CNBC The criminalisation of legitimate journalism should not be taken lightly This governments penchant for controlling information and muzzling the press is particularly disappointing, since the KP Sharma Oli-led administration has repeatedly touted its commitment to transparency. WASHINGTON, April 18 (Reuters) - The Trump administration on Thursday estimated that its new North American trade deal will create 76,000 automotive sector jobs within five years as automakers invest some $34 billion in new plants to comply with the pact's new regional content rules. The forecasts from the U.S. Trade Representative's office were released ahead of an independent trade panel's hotly anticipated analysis that economists expect to show little or no U.S. gains from the new U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement. A USTR official told reporters that the jobs and investment estimates are based on plans disclosed by automakers to the trade agency for compliance with the new agreement's tighter rules of origin. These require 75 percent of a vehicle's content to be produced in North American, with 40-45 percent produced in high wage areas, namely the United States or Canada. A senior USTR official told reporters that none of the 15 automakers producing vehicles in North America intend to opt out of the agreement to pay U.S. tariffs instead and move production overseas, as some critics of the deal have suggested. "They have verbally committed to us that they intend to comply with the rules," the official said. "And they have told us that this is not going to have significant upward pressure on vehicle prices." The estimates include about $15.3 billion investments previously announced by Fiat Chrysler, Ford Motor, General Motors Toyota Volkswagen and battery maker SK Innovation. (Reporting by David Lawder Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) A new trade agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada would add $68.2 billion to the U.S. economy and create 176,000 new jobs, according to a study from the International Trade Commission released on Thursday. While the 0.35 percent growth to GDP and 0.12 percent increase in employment in the first six years after implementation is relatively modest growth, White House officials were more concerned with the actual release of the study, which was a necessary step before Congress can act. "The model estimates that the agreement would likely have a positive impact on all broad industry sectors within the U.S. economy," the report says. "Manufacturing would experience the largest percentage gains in output, exports, wages, and employment, while in absolute terms, services would experience the largest gains in output and employment." The so-called United StatesMexicoCanada Agreement would also increase U.S. exports to Canada by 5.9 percent to $19.1 billion, and shipments to Mexico by 6.7 percent to $14.2 billion. Imports from Canada and Mexico would rise by 4.8 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively. The ITC estimated the deal would create 28,000 new jobs in the auto sector, a much smaller amount than the 76,000 that the Trump administration predicted. The Office of the United States Trade Representative also declared in a report released earlier on Thursday that new automotive provisions would not lead to increased costs on consumers, a claim the panel refuted. The agreement would "lead to a small increase in the prices and small decrease in the consumption of vehicles in the United States," the report reads. The analysis from the ITC serves as a launchpad for Congress to now formally examine the trade deal, intended to serve as an update to the North American Free Trade Agreement, and will influence how some members vote on the measure. In a statement, Sen. Chuck Grassley -- chairman of the Senate Finance panel, which has jurisdiction over trade matters -- said he was "glad to see the report recognized USMCAs new economic benefits" but noted some advantages and their impact on GDP have been "inherently difficult for economists to measure." Story continues "Many of the significant improvements in USMCA are reducing non-tariff barriers and implementing rules and fair practices that will help U.S. workers, jobs and businesses tremendously over the coming years," the Iowa Republican wrote. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP After the release of the study, key industry groups expressed their strong support for the deal. The USMCA is a win for manufacturers. This agreement will level the playing field for manufacturers in the United States and support the 2 million American manufacturing jobs that depend on our exports to Canada and Mexico, said Linda Dempsey, vice president of international economic affairs at the National Association of Manufacturers. Related Articles The ITCs report analyzing the effects of USMCA found that new requirements in the deal would increase employment in the U.S. auto industry by more than 28,000 full-time jobs. REUTERS/Norihiko Shirouzu The U.S. International Trade Commission says the new North American free trade deal would increase jobs in the U.S. automotive sector but lead to a decrease in consumption due to higher vehicle costs. The ITCs report analyzing the effects of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) found that new requirements in the deal, including increased automotive rules of origin, would increase employment in the U.S. auto industry by more than 28,000 full-time jobs. At the same time, the report found that the changes may increase the costs of new vehicles, leading to a decrease in sales in the U.S. According to the ITC, prices for vehicles in the U.S. would face a modest increase that ranges from 0.37 per cent for pickup trucks to 1.61 per cent for small cars. As a result, vehicle consumption in the U.S. would fall by more than 140,000 vehicles. USMCAs requirements are estimated to increase U.S. production of automotive parts and employment in the sector, but also lead to a small increase in the prices and small decrease in the consumption of vehicles in the United States, the report said. Under USMCA, vehicles must contain at least 75 per cent North American content in order to qualify for duty-free access to the Canadian, American and Mexican markets, up from the current 62.5 per cent requirement under NAFTA. The new agreement also adds wage requirements and a more complicated process for qualifying automotive, steel and aluminium products for duty-free status. The ITC analysis also found that U.S. imports of small cars from Canada will decrease by approximately 7,700, or 2.15 per cent, as a result of the changes under USMCA. However, imports of mid-to-full sized cars from Canada to the U.S. will increase by 3,000, or 1 per cent. While U.S. administration on Thursday estimated that USMCA would create 76,000 jobs in the automotive sector as automakers invest $34 billion in new plants to comply with the new regional content rules, the ITC report disputes that figure. This estimate is larger than the Commissions estimate, which predicts an increase of 28,000 jobs, the report said. According to the ITC, this discrepancy could be in part due to the fact that the government found an increase in vehicle manufacturer jobs while the ITC found a decline. The administration also included a multiplier to cover supply chain effects, which the commissions estimate did not do. Story continues A Scotiabank Economics report from last year found that administrative and higher wage requirements introduced in the deal could raise the price of vehicles in North America. It also said USMCA could reduce competitiveness and lead to some automotive production shifting overseas. Moderate gain to U.S. GDP The report also found that the new trade deal would lead to a moderate real GDP increase in the U.S. of $68.2 billion, or 0.35 per cent, while employment would increase by 175,700, or 0.12 per cent. Imports from the United States into Canada are also expected to increase by nearly $19.1 billion, or 4.8 per cent. The model estimates that the agreement would likely have a positive impact on all broad industry sectors within the U.S. economy, the ITC said. Manufacturing would experience the largest percentage gains in output, exports, wages and employment, while in absolute terms, services would experience the largest gains in output and employment. The report also said the new trade deal would lead to small increases in U.S. exports to Canada of dairy products, poultry, meat, eggs, and egg-containing products, as well as wheat and alcoholic beverages. At the same time, the report notes that U.S. imports of sugar, sugar-containing products and dairy products from Canada would also increase. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Per a media release,Xcel Energy XEL forwarded a request to undertake the construction of Cheyenne Ridge Wind Project tothe Colorado Public Utilities Commission of Colorado. The project is valued $743 million and has a capacity of 500-megawatt (MW). Initially, Tradewind Energy Inc. was in charge of constructing the wind project. Post its completion the project was planned to be sold to Xcel Energy. However, it kept delaying the project due to financial constraints. The delays might have hampered Xcel Energys ability to collect federal tax credits for owing the wind project. Hence, Xcel Energy decided to take over the project development. Post approval, Xcel Energy will utilize its expertise on the development of the Cheyenne Ridge Wind Project. Incidentally, in 2018, the company completed a 600-MW Rush Creek wind farm project in Colorado, on time and under budget. Shift to Wind Projects Xcel Energy is focusing on the shift in its general portfolio with more priority provided to wind and solar projects by 2025. Moreover, it purchased Hale Wind Project in Texas from NextEra Energy Resources, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy NEE.The Hale Wind Project has a capacity of 478 MW. The shift towardwind energy will enable the company to benefit from The Production Tax Credit, a federal incentive to produce electricity from renewable sources. High Adoption of Wind Energy As the adoption of emission-less energy production has increased in the past few years, utility companies are shifting focus to alternative energy sources. This has reduced the usage of fossil fuels for electricity generation. Wind, biofuel, hydro, solar and geothermal sources are commonly used as alternative energy. However, per a recent forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in United States wind will surpass hydro as largest renewable electricity generation source in 2019. We believe that the company will benefit from its wind projects in the forthcoming years.Utility players like WEC Energy Group, Inc. WEC and NiSource NI are also focusing on wind. Story continues In January, 2019, WEC Energy acquired 80% ownership of the 97-MW Coyote Ridge Wind Farm at $145 million. The company will have all tax benefits from the acquisition.In February, NiSource sought approval from IURC for the development of three wind farms with a capacity of 800 MW in Indiana. Price Movement In the past 12 months, shares of Xcel Energy have gained 20.6% compared with the industrys rise of 11.3%. Zacks Rank Xcel Energy has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Zacks' Top 10 Stocks for 2019 In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 finest buy-and-holds for the year? Who wouldn't? Our annual Top 10s have beaten the market with amazing regularity. In 2018, while the market dropped -5.2%, the portfolio scored well into double-digits overall with individual stocks rising as high as +61.5%. And from 2012-2017, while the market boomed +126.3, Zacks' Top 10s reached an even more sensational +181.9%. See Latest Stocks Today >> Is your investment advisor fumbling your financial future? See how you can more effectively safeguard your retirement with a new Special Report, 4 Warning Signs Your Investment Advisor Might Be Sabotaging Your Financial Future. Click to get your free report. NiSource, Inc (NI) : Free Stock Analysis Report NextEra Energy, Inc. (NEE) : Free Stock Analysis Report WEC Energy Group, Inc. (WEC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Anup Ojha is a reporter for The Kathmandu Post primarily covering social issues and human interest stories. Before moving to the social beat, Ojha covered arts and culture for the Post for four years. Pakistan has warned that an escalation in hostilities could derail U.S.-led peace efforts in Afghanistan, although it apparently refrained from condemning Taliban insurgents for unleashing their annual spring offensive in the neighboring country. The Taliban announced the new offensive on April 12 amid expectations their ongoing direct peace talks with U.S. interlocutors would discourage the insurgent group from going ahead with this year's spring operations, which mark an intensification in the Afghan war, now in its 18th year. U.S. chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad swiftly condemned the insurgent move, saying it would not advance Afghan peace efforts. He also called on Pakistan, Qatar and other nations to do the same. The two countries, along with Russia, China and Iran, are known for maintaining ties with the Taliban. On April 18 Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal responded to Khalilzads remarks. He noted that chances of peace in Afghanistan have become brighter in the wake of direct U.S.-Taliban talks. But he avoided denouncing the insurgent offensive. Pakistan believes that all sides must give peace a chance and continue the dialogue, which is the only way to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan. There is a danger that any increase in hostility has the capacity to derail the peace process, Faisal told a weekly news conference in Islamabad. The spokesman noted that Pakistan has arranged the ongoing U.S.-Taliban talks by bringing the insurgent group to the negotiating table. "This has been acknowledged by the U.S., he added. Islamabad has long maintained that continued use of military force against the Taliban or attempts to treat the insurgent group as a "non-Afghan entity would not help find a political settlement to years of bloodshed in Afghanistan. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, while testifying before a Congressional committee last week, defended the Trump administrations dialogue with the Taliban. With respect to why we are talking to the Taliban, they control a significant amount of resources. And to get the reconciliation we need, to take down the violence level, the Taliban are going to have a say, Pompeo said. U.S. and Afghan officials have until recently blamed Pakistan alone for covertly sheltering Taliban leaders and helping them in sustaining cross-border insurgent activities in Afghanistan charges Islamabad denies. In recent years, however, Moscow, Beijing, Doha and neighboring Iran have increased their contacts with the Taliban. Afghan officials have also regularly accused Tehran in recent years of arming the insurgent group. Russia hosted an international conference last November where it also invited Taliban delegates and representatives of the Afghan government. Moscow claimed the event as a major success for its diplomacy because it was the first time insurgent officials appeared in a public gathering since a U.S.-led foreign military coalition ousted the Taliban from power in 2001. -- Reported by the Voice of America Death, taxes, the progression of time all unavoidable facets of life. Or are they? Artist Janet Echelman thought they were until she stumbled upon the work of Richard Gross, a scientist in NASAs jet propulsion laboratory who studies fluctuations in the Earths rotation. She contacted him, and theyve been conversing over the past decade about their shared passion. A day isnt fixed, Echelman said. Its actually shifting and modulating. We just couldnt measure it before. That tantalizing morsel of information inspired Echelmans Earth time series. Her first piece, 1.26, premiered in Denvers Civic Center in 2010, titled as such due to the global effects of the 2010 Chile earthquake, which resulted in the 1.26-microsecond shortening of a day. Echelmans installation 1.8 Green Mountain Falls will debut July 4 during the Green Box Arts Festival in Green Mountain Falls and remain up through August. The title refers to the microseconds that the Earths day was shortened due to the earthquake and tsunami that hit Tohoku, Japan, in 2011. Details Green Box Arts Festival, with music, dance, hikes, cooking classes, Fourth of July block party and more, July 4-13, Green Mountain Falls, most events are free, online registration is required for many classes and events; 719-219-5144, greenboxarts.org Something else: Artdesk Conversation with Janet Echelman, noon July 6, Church in the Wildwood, 10585 Ute Pass Ave., Green Mountain Falls Her work has been displayed on five continents, including in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics and at San Francisco International Airport, Portugal, Beijing, Boston, New York and London. Shes the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and was named Architectural Digests 2012 Innovator for her work. More than a million people have watched her 2011 TED Talk Taking Imagination Seriously. The work, in a larger sense, is about embracing change and becoming more aware of the impact of one part of the world on another, and of human action on the cycles of nature around us, said Echelman, wholl be in the state this summer to install the work. For me its also stepping back to see a larger scale in time and place as human beings. Though the installations location hasnt been finalized, Echelman said the aerial project likely will be suspended over Gazebo Lake. The project spans 250 feet, and the sculpture is about 100 by 45 feet. It consists of structures and high-tech materials, including fishing net, atomized water particles and the same fiber NASA used to tether the Mars Rover, that respond to the forces of nature, including wind, water and light. It is a soft, fluidly moving, adapting sculptural form, Echelman said. When one point in the sculpture moves with the wind, every other point is affected and changed where they lie in space. The shape of the sculpture is always in flux, a reminder to us of our fluid place in the physical world. The arts festival began as an artist-in-residency program featuring acclaimed choreographer Larry Keigwins dancing troupe, and it grew into an event that now attracts 750 to 1,000 attendees. The 10-day celebration features nationally known music and dance acts, the culinary arts, and other classes and activities including yoga, silversmithing and stargazing. Contact the writer: 636-0270 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. Roads, stormwater drainage and wildfire threats arose as key issues in a new study of land use around El Paso Countys five military bases. The four-year study released Friday could spur changes, thanks to a $500,000 Pentagon grant awarded to the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments to push implementation of the documents recommendations. Years of community meetings for the study brought together military brass, local officials, community groups and residents. More and more people are recognizing how important this issue is, said Brian Potts, who led the effort for the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments. The Pentagon paid for the study, which addresses worries for local bases, including zoning that can put neighbors in the path of flight training or loud artillery fire. Potts said working with the military to establish buffer zones around bases and coordinating with local governments to address zoning can alleviate encroachment that threatens military missions. Roads are another concern for bases. While much work has been done in recent years to improve access to Fort Carson, for instance, one gate near Butts Army Airfield still must be accessed on an unpaved road. Adequate transportation will affect development and services for military installations and drive adjacent land uses that can affect their missions, the study found. The regions wildfire danger is ongoing, as illustrated last spring when Army training sparked a blaze that ravaged the countys southern end. Fires affect buildings and infrastructure and damage watersheds and other natural areas, the study said. This can also result in flash flooding and mudslides. And stormwater drainage has been a perpetual headache, most recently with Colorado Springs trying to negotiate its way out of a lawsuit brought by the Environmental Protection Agency and state health department over the citys inadequate drainage system. The study identifies problems but doesnt offer firm solutions. Instead, it suggests partnerships that can attack problems to help the military and wider community. Potts said the next step is to create a committee of military and community leaders who can collaborate on plans to address issues. Working to maximize the effectiveness of coordination across multiple military installations, local jurisdictions, community organizations, and residents is crucial to effectively address ... challenges, the study found. The study has its origins in the budget-cutting Obama years, as the Pentagon cut billions and downsized the Army and Air Force. Pushed by local military boosters and U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, the study was designed to fix issues before the Pentagon could use them as a reason to cut troops in the region or close local bases. But it also could come in handy as Pentagon budgets grow under the Trump administration, with military spending targeted to hit $750 billion in 2020. The show of cooperation between bases and local authorities also is crucial as Colorado Springs battles to house the new U.S. Space Command. The unit is being formed here, but the Pentagon will pick from six finalists to determine the long-term home for the 1,400 troops who will oversee the space work of all military branches. Colorado Springs is home to three of the six finalists: Schriever and Peterson Air Force Bases and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and Alabamas Redstone Arsenal round out the finalists. Potts said the yearslong study process allowed local leaders and military brass to forge bonds that will result in initiatives putting the regions bases on better footing. There is more reason for optimism, he said. The Air Force Academy will implement the Pentagons ban on transgender troops starting with the new crop of cadets coming to the school June 27. The move comes nearly two years after President Donald Trump ordered the ban with an early morning Twitter post that shocked the militarys top brass. The ban has been delayed by a series of lawsuits and what some called Pentagon foot-dragging. But courts cleared the Pentagon to begin the ban this month. And the Air Force Academy said in an email that it will implement the new Pentagon policy. Incoming cadets selected for entrance into the U.S. Air Force Academy before April 12, 2019, will be responsible for meeting all accession and retention standards and requirements under the 2016 policy, the academy said in an email. After April 12, 2019, cadets are admitted under the new DoD policy rules. The new Pentagon policy resembles the dont ask, dont tell rules that were embraced by the Clinton administration. Transgender people may serve in their biological sex, as long as they are meeting all standards associated with their biological sex, the academy said. The policy has been bashed by groups including the American Military Partner Association, which advocates for gay, lesbian and transgender troops. With the implementation of this transgender military ban, our nation is once again shamefully forcing brave American heroes to hide who they are in order to serve, association president Ashley Broadway-Mack said in an email. The new policy does more than keep transgender troops in the closet. It also forbids their pursuit of transgender therapies. Troops and cadets are banned from service if they have undergone transition therapy or are seeking gender reassignment. They also are required to prove they have had three years of stability, which the Pentagon defines as the absence of gender dysphoria. That means those who think their body doesnt represent their gender are banned. Even those who meet the stability requirement could still be barred from service. The Pentagon policy prohibits those who have had hormone or gender reassignment treatments to serve in the military. The academy has been open to transgender cadets since 2016. But the Trump administrations moves to ban transgender troops have had an impact. A transgender Air Force cadet who graduated in 2017 was denied a commission. And groups say transgender people have shied from military service because of the policy fight. The Trump policy, however, still faces legal fights. Although a retraining order that halted the ban was lifted, several lawsuits are seeking to overturn the ban on civil rights grounds. Thousands of transgender service members and qualified recruits are willing to risk their very lives for our nation, and we will not stop fighting to reverse this unconscionable ban until they are once again able to serve openly and authentically as they deserve, Broadway-Mack said. Contact Tom Roeder: 636-0240 Twitter: @xroederx WASHINGTON Colorados representatives in Congress expressed concerns about Russian influence in the 2016 election described in the redacted Mueller report released Thursday, but disagreed along party lines about whether it vindicated President Donald Trump. The report from special counsel Robert Mueller concluded that the Russian government interfered in the election, largely by disseminating information that favored Trump on social media. The report also confirms what we already know, Russia interfered in our election, Republican Sen. Cory Gardner said in a statement. I will keep up the pressure on the Putin regime and pursue additional sanctions they cannot go unpunished. Gardner, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been critical at times of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, there was no evidence in the Mueller report that Trump directly colluded with the Russians, only that members of his campaign had links with them. Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet said, The redacted report makes clear that the presidents behavior, and that of his team, should deeply concern every American. The report documents the presidents failure to cooperate with the special counsel, efforts to mislead the American people, and troubling interactions with Russia, a foreign adversary. The report said the evidence was inconclusive on whether Trump tried to obstruct the investigation by hiding evidence or intimidating accusers. Mueller suggested that Congress continue to investigate the obstruction of justice allegations. Members of Colorados delegation split on the extent that the Mueller report accused the president of misbehavior. After nearly two years, the Mueller report is now available to the public and it shows no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, Colorado Springs Republican Rep. Doug Lamborn said in a statement. It is time to move away from the false collusion allegations that stem from the Democrats and the media. Democratic Rep. Jason Crow of Aurora said Attorney General William Barr had gone too far in trying to protect the president during a news conference Thursday before the release of the redacted report. Barr told the media Trump took office under suspicion of cooperating with the Russians to help his election campaign. At the same time, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the presidents personal culpability, Barr said. Yet, as he said from the beginning, there was, in fact, no collusion. On the allegations that the president had attempted to obstruct the investigation, Barr said there was no evidence of a crime, only that Trump was frustrated and angered by his sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency. Crow said Barr had acted improperly in defending Trump. The role of the attorney general is to uphold the rule of law, not to be the personal lawyer for President Trump, Crow said. This mornings press conference was deeply troubling and made clear that Attorney General Barr would rather serve the political agenda of the president than provide the American people with an independent and transparent assessment of the facts. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Denver Democrat, echoed Crow, disputing Trumps and Republicans claims that the report exonerated the president. The report released today paints a very different picture than what the president and attorney general had hoped the American people would see, DeGette said. Rep. Ken Buck, a Greeley Republican and recently elected chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, criticized Democrats for continuing their attacks on Trump. For two years, Democrats misled the American people with countless attacks on [Trump], Buck said in a Twitter message. Today, we can confirm there was no collusion and no obstruction of justice. Despite Muellers findings, it seems nothing will stop Democrats from trying to baselessly attack the president. A Colorado Springs police officer was justified in fatally shooting a 48-year-old man who rammed a stolen truck into a police cruiser and threatened an officer with a hatchet, the 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office ruled Thursday. Officer Brock Lofgren, who joined the department Feb. 12, 2014, acted reasonably when he shot Bill Akes on Jan. 12 and will not face criminal charges, the DAs Office said in a news release. After responding to a reported disturbance at Elevate Apartment Homes, 340 Crestone Lane, about 4 a.m., Lofgren began running license plates in the parking lot because he was aware that the complexs parking lot often contained stolen vehicles, the release says. He spotted a man sleeping in a gold GMC pickup with no front license plate and a blanket covering most of the windshield. The truck bed was full of property, the cab was full of backpacks and the keys were in the ignition. According to the DAs Offices account: A check of the trucks VIN revealed it had been reported stolen in Fountain. When backup arrived, Logren and Sgt. Shawn Peterson boxed in the truck with their vehicles and attempted to take the sleeping man later identified as Akes into custody. Lofgren opened the passenger-side door, grabbed Akes left arm and ordered him out. Instead, Akes started the truck. With both officers inside the door, Akes backed up and rammed Lofgrens cruiser. Peterson, concerned that he would be dragged under the truck if the suspect tried to back up again, reached over and turned off the truck, then removed the keys and threw them into the parking lot, the release says. Lofgren tried to use a Taser on Akes, but was unable to get a good impact stun. Akes tried to take the Taser away, but Lofgren threw it out of the truck. When Akes raised a hatchet or ax in the air, threatening Peterson, Lofgren shouted, Ax, ax, ax, then fired what he believed were three shots. Four shell casings were found, and a hatchet was recovered from the truck. An autopsy showed that Akes had methamphetamine in his system. Both officers were wearing cameras, but at some point during the struggle, the audio was muted. Keeping up with the worlds largest Passover Seder in Kathmandu On April 19, nearly 2,000 Jewish people from across Asia will gather in Kathmandu for the annual Passover festival, one of the most important Jewish holidays. El Paso Countys canine residents have two new reasons to wag their tails. This spring, the county is welcoming pets and their owners to a pair of new dog parks at Fountain Creek and Falcon regional parks. The grand opening for the 10-acre dog park in Falcon will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at 11050 Eastonville Road. The fully fenced park features a loop trail system and a 2-acre section for small dogs, according to Jason Meyer, a project manager for the countys Community Services Department. The Falcon addition, which cost $60,000, was paid for with a grant from Great Outdoors Colorado and excess revenues that the county was able to retain thanks to a 2017 ballot measure, Meyer said in a recent interview. The other new dog park, 3 acres with 1,600 feet of trails, is south of Fountain Creek Nature Center off Duckwood Road, said county Park Planner Ross Williams. Crews are still finishing a 22-car parking lot for the park and expect to finish in a few days, Williams said. Some signage also needs to be added, but residents can use the park as long as construction isnt blocking the gates, he said. The county is using excess revenues and regional park fees to pay for the $98,000 project, Williams previously told The Gazette. This is just going to be an added bonus for dog owners in that area, he said. Both parks will have bag dispensers for owners to pick up after their four-legged friends. The new parks will give pet owners the chance to let their dogs roam free, despite a leash law that the county recently re-instituted. Due to the rule change, which took effect last month, county regional parkgoers now face fines if their animals are unleashed outside of designated dog parks. The county has two other dog parks, the well-known Bear Creek Dog Park and a smaller one in Fox Run Regional Park. 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 I know we can climb it. Given time, the tank could go to the top of the world. Cpl. Howard Brewer wasnt simply being macho. After a reconnaissance ride April 11, 1919, Brewer was sure his 14-ton Whippet tank could climb to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. Another member of the team, Sgt. A.H. Worrell, told The Gazette that he had driven tanks over trees and trenches on the western front and I am betting we get to the top. The mountain-climbing mission came at the nexus of money and morale the U.S. Treasury Secretary was to announce a final Victory Liberty loan drive, starting April 21, to get Americans to buy $4.5 billion of government bonds to close out the countrys final bills from World War I. The Navy immediately announced a supporting campaign. A Victory Ship would depart from San Francisco, bound for New York, and would travel each day at the reported rate Americans bought the bond. The Navys incentive scheme was speed. The Armys was height. It would send a tank to the top of Americas Mountain. Odds were against success. The Gazette reported local wagers gave the tank a 50 percent chance of reaching treeline (at about 12,000 feet), a 5 percent chance of reaching the summit, and even money the trip would include at least one casualty. Its not hard to see why. The road wasnt paved and had been finished for only three years. The weather was rough. A nearby weather station recorded 4 feet of snow at 10,000 feet. Plus, tanks featured new technology (and new drivers) in those days. Brewer had only been driving tanks for six months and yet would handle the British-made Whippet, slightly larger than todays 15-passenger vans, with a top speed of 8 mph. On April 14, 1919, a crowd of nearly 1,000 watched the chairwoman of the citys Victory Liberty loan committee, W.H.R. Stote, bash a bottle of local artesian Manitou Mineral Water on the tank and she said: I christen thee Little Zeb (after Lt. Zebulon Pike). I charge you with making the trip to the summit. As the Victory Loan shall not fail, you must make it to the top! The tank started strong April 15, leading a 20-car entourage two hours ahead of schedule for most of the day. At the seven-mile mark (9,500 feet) of the 20-mile road, 100 people stood by to watch the battle between the tank and a 10-foot snowdrift. The tank won. Two miles later, the tank punched through 20-foot drifts. There was so much snow that the cars had to stop at mile 11. Then, just before mile 13 (at 11,440 feet), with the first days objective in sight thats when the track-plate snapped and Little Zeb was stuck atop a 10-foot snowdrift. Repairs were difficult. Workers had to clear the snowpack under the tank to get to the engine. The cars carrying spare parts and oil were two miles away, and the temperature was often below freezing. They set up a tent to protect their lead mechanic and his helpers from the weather, and they worked through April 16. We go ahead, the overall mission director declared, and Brewer told the press he wanted to make it even if it means abandonment of the rest of the stops on the loan drives schedule. Once the repairs were complete, Brewer and Worrell climbed back into the tank and started again for the top, and progress came easy. Unfortunately, around midday, the team received orders from the Victory Liberty loan state chairman to discontinue the ascent of Pikes Peak so the tank tour could continue in other Colorado towns and cities. The crew turned around and arrived in Manitou Springs at 7:15 p.m., in time to park the tank for dinner at the Cliff House. Brewer had to stay at the hotel for the night with a light attack of pneumonia, while Worrell drove to a garage in Colorado Springs after dinner to store the tank prior to loading it on a train for its next stops in Buena Vista, Leadville and Denver, among others. Though the tank didnt reach the summit, the assault on Americas Mountain was a successful failure. Economist Richard Sutch notes that 20 million Americans bought bonds, which paid for more than two-thirds of the total war bill. The rest of the war was financed through taxes, an impressive accomplishment of fiscal discipline and patriotic support. More than a stunt, Little Zebs mountain trek tested technology by breaking the elevation record for tanks (astoundingly, climbing higher than most airplanes of the day). It also set the record for continuous tank operation, and Little Zeb ascended higher than any other motorized vehicle at that time of year. Fifty years before we put an American on the moon, we put a tank on Americas Mountain a confident step forward for the country and a part of the interesting and impressive military history of the Pikes Peak region. -- Lt. Col. ML Cavanaugh, PhD, is a non-resident fellow with the Modern War Institute at West Point, and co-edited, with author Max Brooks, Winning Westeros: How Game of Thrones Explains Modern Military Conflict, from Potomac Books. Palpa local units implement plan to turn private schools into community bodies In a bid to reform the school sector, two local units in Palpa have begun implementing their plan to close all private schools and turn them into community schools in their administrative areas so that children from all backgrounds can have access to an education. The U.S. and China are circling ever closer to a trade deal. They just need to agree on how to make it mean something a year or two from now. In the weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to postpone the March 1 spike in tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods, enough progress has apparently been made that both sides are eyeing a signing summit between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping by June. This cautious optimism is fueled by several factors, from Beijings offer to nudge down the trade deficit by binging on U.S. energy and agriculture products, to new laws set to be approved this week that include expanded protections for foreign investors. Trumps barely concealed urgency to give markets a boost by calling off the dogs is probably furthering hopes in Beijing. But ending the trade war still appears to mean something quite different to each side. China, naturally, wants to put this whole unpleasantness behind it and to turn its full focus to its staggering domestic headaches, and is reportedly demanding that all tariffs be lifted immediately. The U.S., naturally, is wary of Chinas history of backsliding on rigorously negotiated deals, and presumably aware that it would take Beijing years to implement some of the structural reforms Washington is demanding. Washington needs to hold on to at least some leverage to ensure that the Chinese follow through. As a result, the U.S. is reportedly offering only to lift tariffs incrementally (while Chinese counter-tariffs would be lifted immediately). Whats more, the U.S also wants snapback mechanisms in place to further discourage Beijing from backsliding. In other words, the focus of the talks has evidently moved to the thorny issues of implementation and enforcement. This speaks to a core problem bedeviling U.S. aims in the matter: Given that U.S. tariffs are only one of many problems weighing on Beijing, can the U.S.-China trade dispute really be negotiated away? Keeping to a Deal Whether the U.S. has any real urgency beyond political interests to wrap up a deal depends on whether it believes its broader strategic aims merit the costs of the trade war . The U.S. economy is at the peak of the business cycle and will eventually come back to earth. And the diminishing returns of a tool as blunt as tariffs for forcing China to make systemic changes are starting to become clear. Already, according to the Institute of International Finance, Chinese counter-tariffs are costing U.S. exporters more than $3 billion per month. The higher cost of imports is falling primarily on U.S. consumers, with losses expected to approach $70 billion this year, according to two new authoritative studies. None of this is devastating to the U.S., but Washington cant ignore the ghost of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff which raised duties on 20,000 imported items and contributed to the severe economic deterioration of the Great Depression. Meanwhile, theres no evidence suggesting Beijing is preparing to make the sweeping structural changes demanded by the U.S. To get everything it wants from Beijing, the U.S. would have to keep up the pressure for years likely well into an economic downturn, and certainly during a key election year. Moreover, even if annual Chinese growth plummets to 3-4 percent, it will still be adding hundreds of billions of dollars in new consumption. The opportunity cost to U.S. exporters is steep. If the U.S. deems the costs necessary to stunt Chinas rise, then no deal is imminent. Otherwise, the U.S. has an interest in settling for quite a bit less up front . By agreeing to a limited deal, pairing relief from specific tariffs with implementation of select concessions by Beijing, Washington can gradually ease the burden on the U.S. entities hurting most exporters, firms with supply chains routed through China, firms dependent on lower-cost Chinese inputs, and consumers. And it will still have other tools like export controls, investment restrictions and the embattled but still potent World Trade Organization dispute settlement courts with which to protect U.S. firms and target Chinese practices that pose the biggest long-term threat, particularly in the race for technological supremacy . Whether or not the current negotiations produce a substantive deal, U.S. pressure in these areas isnt going away. But to trade hawks in the Trump administration, the sense of urgency to get a deal risks undermining efforts to address the very real problem of post-deal implementation and giving Beijing incentive to try to run out the clock on what it sees as an impatient president. (Beijing would be foolish to think the next U.S. administration will be fundamentally more dovish, but its reasonable to think political and economic complications in the coming years will weaken U.S. appetite for a sustained offensive.) China has a mixed history, at best, of implementing deals. If it had fulfilled all of its WTO obligations, after all, it wouldnt be in this position in the first place. Beijing is trapped between oft-conflicting imperatives: economic dynamism and social stability . Under Xi, it has routinely prioritized the latter, deepening state domination of the economy in ways that have provoked the U.S., but that also helped maintain steady employment and manage Chinas immense internal financial risks. Tariffs are a far smaller problem for China than internal dysfunction. But the duties are making Beijings tightrope walk of internal reform ever more precarious. In all likelihood, China will agree to whatever it deems necessary to make the tariffs go away. But if keeping order necessitates cheating on its commitments and risking a backlash, Beijing wont hesitate. What the U.S. Can Do U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is trying to make it harder for Beijing to backslide in a couple ways. The U.S. is insisting that concessions from Beijing be as explicit and quantifiable as possible. (Lighthizer says the agreement will exceed 110 pages.) The easier it is to identify cheating, the greater the reputational costs for Beijing and the easier it will be for Washington to make the case to the U.S. public and allies that pressure be revived. There are two main problems here: One, the Chinese system is exceedingly opaque, especially given the dominance of state-owned enterprises. Two, implementation progress on the biggest issues forced technological transfers and cyber theft, for example cant easily be quantified or monitored. Thus, the U.S. is also demanding the right to independently assess whether China is living up to what it considers the spirit of the deal and to unilaterally reimpose tariffs, without retaliation, if it concludes Beijing is falling short. Still, these sorts of measures can do only so much. Trade deals, like most international agreements, last only as long as each side is willing to comply, which is why they tend to work only when they are truly in both sides interests . Either way, its really hard to make them binding. There wont be any trade cops to make arrests when theres a violation. The U.S. isnt going to threaten war to enforce this sort of deal. Nor can the U.S. really take too much reassurance from measures like Chinas new foreign ownership law, which would ostensibly help address the issue of forced technology transfers . The new law is vague, and Beijing has only so much ability and interest to enforce it at a granular level. (Trade lawyers say tech transfer typically happens willingly, often by foreign firms that are desperate for funding or that simply failed to adequately protect themselves under existing Chinese laws.) And when it comes to core technologies Beijing deems critical for initiatives like next-generation military applications, all bets are off. Law in China is applied only to the extent that it serves the Communist Partys interests. This isnt to say China wont have reasons beyond the lure of tariff relief to continue to comply. A lot of what Beijing will likely concede is fairly low-hanging fruit. For example, its expected to pledge to refrain from artificially weakening its currency ( currently, its trying to keep the yuan from collapsing ) and to buy more U.S. goods (items it needs to import anyway). Its measures to improve intellectual property protections, meanwhile, are needed to reassure spooked foreign investors, ease discontent among domestic private firms fed up with their state-owned counterparts, and further erode the U.S. business communitys support for the trade war. Countries often use trade agreements to bring recalcitrant domestic players obstructing needed reforms into line. And Beijing has a real need to repair its image abroad. The trade war has triggered a slow-motion stampede to the exits by foreign firms in the country , while also intensifying the spotlight on internal practices, deterring new investment. Itll be dealing with the fallout of this for years and has ample reason to let the U.S. lose interest. But structural reforms like ending industrial subsidies and scaling back the states role in the economy would be an order of magnitude trickier for Beijing to implement. These issues also happen to be at the heart of U.S. grievances. Even if the U.S. can pressure China into including concessions in these areas in the deal, it will be an exceedingly wobbly deal, however many pages it runs. The UTSA track and field teams will travel to Houston for the 16th annual J. Fred Duckett Twilight on Saturday, April 20, at Wendel D. Ley Track and Holloway Field on the Rice campus.The Roadrunners will line up against athletes from Angelo State, Cameron, Dallas Baptist, Houston, Houston Baptist, McNeese State, Prairie View A&M, Rice, St. Edward's, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas Lutheran, Texas Southern, UIW and UTRGV in the non-scored meet.Saturday's action will get underway with field events beginning at 9:30 a.m. Running events are slated to start at 3:45 p.m. Live results will be available at http://www.flashresultstexas.com/2019/jfduckett19/ UTSA last competed at the Texas A&M Invitational last weekend in College Station.cleared a personal-best height of 3.88 meters (12-8 ) to win the women's pole vault, whileleaped to a runner-up mark of 7.24m (23-9) in the long jump to headline action for the men.The Roadrunners collected five gold medals at last year's J. Fred Duckett Twilight, including wins byin the men's 800m andin the men's 110m hurdles.UTSA enters Saturday's meet with several of the top marks in Conference USA.For the women,owns the top triple jump in the league with a 13.36m (43-10) measurement a mark that ranks eighth in the NCAA from her winning performance at the Roadrunner Invitational last month.leads the league in the 400m hurdles with her 1:00.12 clocking at the UTSA Invitational in March, whileposted the top heptathlon point total on the circuit with 5,001 points at the Roadrunner Invitational. Bellows stands second in the pole vault with her 3.88m (12-8 ) winning clearance at last week's Texas A&M Invitational andhas clocked the third-fastest time in the 100m (11.65).On the men's side,continues to lead the conference in the 400m hurdles with his 52.51 clocking from the Roadrunner Invitational.owns the second-fastest time in the 110m hurdles with a 13.98 at the UTSA Invitational in March, whilehas the second-best decathlon total in C-USA with his 6,648 points posted in winning the Roadrunner Invitational.boasts the third-best triple jump (15.44m/50-8) in the league andranks third in the hammer throw (59.46m/195-1). Grand Old Partisan salutes James Rollins, born in Kentucky on April 19th 1812. Graduating from Indiana University, he relocated to Missouri and fought in the Blackhawk War. He then studied law at Transylvania University. The young attorney twice saved African-Americans from lynch mobs. Returning to Missouri, Rollins edited a Whig newspaper. Over the years, his business activities extended from farming to railroads and mines. He served in both legislative houses and lost twice for the governorship. It was his idea that the state university be located in whatever central county raised the most money. Thanks to his donations and fundraising, the University of Missouri is located in Boone County, at Columbia. Though a slaveholder, he opposed expansion of the 'peculiar institution' as well as secession. In 1860, as a Unionist, Rollins won the first of two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He supported a transcontinental railroad and funding of state agricultural colleges. A personal request from President Lincoln brought about his critical vote for the constitutional amendment to ban slavery. Rollins backed the Democrat presidential nominee in 1864, then returned to both legislative houses. His support helped the University of Missouri recover from wartime destruction. In 1878, favoring its economic policies, he joined the Republican Party, remaining in the GOP for the rest of his life. Here is a Video Version of this article on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lOx_Gw2mffo 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" " " Dr. John Elliott of Sydney, Australia, holds the hand of his wife, Anjelika, as he attempts to rise from his hotel room bed in Zurich, 26 hours before he ended his life through physician-assisted suicide, in 2007. Fairfax Media/Fairfax Media via Getty Images In 2014, Brittany Maynard was a vibrant 29-year-old trying to start a family with her new husband when debilitating pain began gripping her head like a vise. The diagnosis: brain cancer. Despite two surgeries to stop the tumor's growth, it roared back more aggressively than ever, and she was soon given a mere six months to live. Faced with a treatment plan of full-brain radiation, which wouldn't cure her yet would burn her scalp, and possibly developing morphine-resistant pain, personality changes and cognitive losses, she opted for medically assisted suicide. To achieve the death she wanted, Maynard had to relocate from California to Oregon, one of the few states that allows medically assisted suicide. During her final weeks of life, Maynard created a six-minute video about dying with dignity that ignited passions in the U.S. She died as she wished, after taking a lethal dose of sedatives and respiratory system depressants provided by her physician, on Nov. 1, 2014. Less than a year later, thanks to her video and activism, her home state of California passed aid-in-dying legislation. In addition, death-with-dignity legislation was rapidly introduced in half of the states [source: The Brittany Maynard Fund]. Advertisement Medically assisted suicide generally means a physician prescribes lethal medication to a patient, who ingests the medicine herself. Euthanasia, in contrast, typically refers to a physician administering the lethal medication to the patient. The notion of medically assisted death is hardly a new one. It's been around since ancient times, and goes by various names medically assisted suicide, physician-assisted dying and euthanasia, although as just noted, the latter is not an accurate term. Yet despite its longevity, it's been largely spurned around the globe in the modern era. It wasn't until 1940 that Switzerland approved the practice, and nothing much happened after that for decades. More recently, the practice got some traction when Colombia approved physician-assisted death in 1997, followed by the Netherlands and Belgium in 2002, Luxembourg in 2009, England and Wales in 2010 (via a prosecution policy statement) and Canada in 2016 [sources: Assisted Suicide, BBC]. Thanks partly to Maynard, a 2015 Gallup poll showed 68 percent of Americans support the practice, a 10 percent increase from the prior year [source: Dugan]. Yet there's always a bit of unease around legalization the percentage of Americans who support actual legalization dips to about 50 as some fear the practice could be abused [source: Quill and Greenlaw]. Let's look at what, exactly, is involved in physician-assisted death. Strike disrupts life in Sudurpaschim Normal life was affected in various districts of Sudurpaschim Province on Thursday due to the banda called by the Netra Birkam Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal. " " Cave Replicas Let Visitors Inside a Trove of Buddhist Art The Wall Street Journal Not many Western travelers make their way to China's western desert regions, but those who do like Marco Polo traversing the Silk Road centuries ago might encounter fantastic troves of ancient artwork secreted away in cliffside cave shelters. For the rest of us, we've had to make do just photos of the Buddhist statuary, frescoes and manuscripts that decorate the Mogao Caves, a series of 492 man-made grottoes located near the city of Dunhuang. But if you can't take yourself to China's northwestern Gansu Province on the edge of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts, you bring China's northwestern Gansu Province on the edge of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts Desert to you. And that's just what's happened with "Cave Temples of Dunhuang: Buddhist Art on China's Silk Road," a new exhibition currently showing at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. Advertisement Built between the 4th and 14th centuries, the caves served as waypoints for travelers, merchants and pilgrims. Artwork accumulated over a millennium as travelers added to existing murals and statues in an effort to spread the religion and as an act of devotion. Spanning centuries, the artwork displays numerous evolving manners of dress and religious tradition, and reflects contributions from different cultures and artistic styles. The exhibition, created by artists and preservationists from the International Dunhuang Project, recreates the actual caves in exacting detail. The process took multiple years, involving pencil drawings, photographs, drawings on mulberry bark paper mounted on wooden cave interiors, all to the exact dimensions of the caves in China. And while ancient tech was used in recreating much of the work, the exhibition embraces a state-of-the-art approach; immersive 3-D glasses and stereoscopic technology let visitors examine the interior of Cave 45, an 8th-century highlight that exemplifies artwork of the High Tang period. The preservationists even use the same pigments and techniques as original paintings. But the aim is to transport visitors through space, but not time "Cave Temples of Dunhuang" shows areas of loss and deterioration to depict how the caves look right now, rather than how they originally appeared. The "Cave Temples of Dunhuang" at the Getty runs through September 4, 2016. If you can't make it to L.A., take a more in-depth look at the process of recreating the caves in this video: Now That's Cool Over the centuries, entrances to many of the Mogao Caves were obscured by sand or otherwise hidden. Around the year 1900, a Taoist priest named Wang Yuanlu, who acted as caretaker of the caves for decades, noticed a hidden door that opened into a chamber containing thousands of ancient documents and manuscripts describing early Chinese Buddhism; the room was nicknamed the Library Cave. bell hooks (1952-2021) passed away yesterday at age 69. She was one of the leading Black feminist thinkers in the US. She was not just anti-sexist, but ant... 23 hours ago Uber and Lyft especially Lyft want you to think that they are partners of public transit, eager to help more people get to rapid transit stations. Lyft and Uber have both created partnerships with transit agencies to provide last mile service. When people talk about the last mile problem of access to transit (a problem that exists mostly in suburban areas or late at night) Lyft and Uber are eager to seem part of the solution. I would like to believe this. Here are two reasons I dont. Uber/Lyft Drivers Dont Want Short Trips First, no Uber or Lyft driver really wants to offer a last mile because a mile is too short a trip to make sense to them. The hassles of each trip are constant regardless of the trips length, so long trips are always preferred. In the old days of taxis, whenever I booked a taxi ride to a transit station, the driver always pitched me to give me a ride all the way to my destination. And if I approached a long taxi queue at a suburban rail station and told the driver I wanted to go a mile, hed be unhappy to say the least, because he spent a lot of time waiting for my fare. Thats why the partnerships between Uber/Lyft and transit agencies for last mile service inevitably involve public subsidy, which means that they compete with other kinds of transit service for those funds. (This can be OK if transit agencies have really decided that this is the best use of funds given all of their other needs.) 2. Uber/Lyft Drivers Cant Find Transit Station Entrances Uber and Lyft drivers mostly use mapping software that cant find many transit station entrances. If connecting with transit were a critical part of their business, this would have been fixed by now. The nearest rapid transit station to my home in Portland (Bybee Blvd) looks like this: This is a typical suburban arrangement (although this is not really suburbia). The station is alongside a highway (labeled McLoughlin Blvd.). The pedestrian access to the station is from the overpass. The little roofs are the elevators and stairs. But the mapping apps think that the station entrance is on the highway. So it is impossible to call Uber or Lyft to this station, because the software tells the driver to go down the highway, where all theyll find is a fence. I can text them to correct it, but not all drivers pay attention to texts (nor should they, while driving.) And even if I correct it, Ill then wait an extra 10 minutes as they get themselves turned around and navigated to the right spot. This is the example I deal with all the time, but Ive found many suburban rail stations in many cities where drivers dont have clear directions about station locations. For example, call Lyft or Uber to Van Dorn Metro Station in Alexandria, Virginia, and you can expect the driver to wander all over the adjacent interchange. Some people clearly need to go to work accurately coding the location of every entrance to every transit station, but its clearly not being done. Why not? It must not be that important to these companies. So Do Uber and Lyft Want to Go to Transit? It makes sense that Uber and Lyft would want to do long trips to rapid transit, more than a few miles. For example, in San Francisco, Uber and Lyft do a good business to regional rapid transit stations (BART and Caltrain) but since each system has only one line in the city, these can be trips of several miles (often competing with the abundant local bus and light rail system). And Uber and Lyft certainly want to be subsidized to do more last mile work, via partnerships with transit agencies. But the drivers inability to find transit station entrances and the fact that this problem has been tolerated for years is what really decides it for me. Companies that really want to connect with transit would have made sure that they can navigate a driver to any entrance of any rapid transit station. But they dont. Prahlad Rijal is a business reporter at The Kathmandu Post, focusing on the energy sector. Before joining the Post, Rijal was an online reporter at The Himalayan Times. 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 A museum opened its doors on IUs campus in 1943, and although it collected and displayed items to the public, it would be two decades before faculty members insisted it be formally chartered through the university. In 1963, it was officially named the Indiana University Museum and, two years later, the museum showcased its first exhibit under the directorship of Wesley R. Hurt. Their mission was - and still is - dedicated to preserving and promoting the knowledge of cultures from around the world. As the museum collections grew, the staff knew a larger facility would eventually become necessary, and by 1971 their application for accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums was approved. A plan was set in motion to relocate and rebuild this new space. Ten years later, the groundbreaking ceremony was held and the Indiana University Museum was renamed the Mathers Museum of World Cultures. This was to honor the death of William Hammond Mathers, the son of IU chemistry professor Frank C. Mathers. Frank was the principal donor of the museums new facility. He had attended IU and even met his wife Maud there before accepting a faculty position in the chemistry department. Together, they had two sons who also became students at the university until 1938, when their youngest son, William, lost his battle with cancer. Support For Indiana Public Media Comes From In 1983 the building was dedicated, and for the first time in the museums life, it had a place solely dedicated to the careful keeping of its artifacts collected from around the world. That year, Dr. Geoffrey W. Conrad accepted the directorship position and under his leadership the cultural exhibits grew and thrived until his departure in 2012. The following year the vacancy in the directorship was filled with the recruitment of Jason Jackson. Jacksons museum work began during his time as a student at IU and continued when he joined on as a faculty member in 2004. 2013 not only marked Jacksons first year as Mathers Museum Director, but it also marked the 50th anniversary of the museum itself. Those anniversary moments cause you to think about the past and about the future, Jackson said. So the timing was, for me personally, a fortuitous one. You get a chance to talk about the big picture in a way thats hard to do at year 47 or 53 so I felt lucky that the timing worked out that way. Thinking about the past, present and future is what the Mathers Museum of World Cultures is all about. As a part of the Office of the Vice Provost of Research, the museum specifically focuses on engaging in activities designed to enhance or support the work of the university and all of campus. One of our roles is to help foster research, Jackson explained. For us that would be in the area of world cultures. We work with faculty, students and outside researchers all the time and we are also a research center, which means that we ourselves do research. The type of research that the museum conducts and participates in relates to not only the diversity of peoples and cultural histories of the worlds, but also to the commonalities in the human experience. This is demonstrated in the museum through the recreation of a 1967 dwelling. The amount and types of goods within the dwelling speak of that cultures values, restrictions and freedoms. The museum faculty supports scholarly research at all levels. Whether it's undergraduates tackling a project for the first time, graduate students working actively in the research sector or even those studying the museum's collections - inside the building and out - the Mathers Museum tries to be both an educational and human resource. The Mathers Museum has also been known to partner with IU faculty who have had research underway all around the world - from Oaxaca, Mexico, to parts of Africa and Europe. The doll pictured below was a manufactured toy made in Japan. As a public museum, we care for our collections for a number of purposes, Jackson said. One of which is to preserve and make them available for research by anyone who has an interest in learning from the collections as part of their research. An ongoing example of that is from the museums vast holding of photographs related to the Native American peoples of the United States. Its possible that the majority of the Native communities are represented in these holdings. The museum receives daily phone calls and emails asking about old relatives or friends. The Mathers Museum is interested in connecting with their audience. As a university museum, one of their roles is to facilitate the richness in the educational experience of students. They have done that this year through the exhibit, Mexico Indigena. Sponsored by the IU Arts and Humanities Council program Mexico Remixed, Mexico Indigena explores the different indigenous peoples of Mexico featuring their innovations, as well as artistic traditions. Marcos Bautista, from Teotitlan del Valle in Oaxaca, Mexico, grew up learning his familys weaving business. Now a resident of Indiana, he will be visiting the museum to demonstrate his art at the standing loom on April 27th and 28th. With over 127 million people and a vast geographical landscape, Museum goers are encouraged to learn about the indigenous peoples of Mexico through objects that have been retained, remade and revised for the 21st Century. The exhibit will continue through January 26, 2020. A placard in the Mathers Museum might sum up its mission best: Culture doesnt reach a conclusion, but is a process - a means, not an end... All thoughts, things and theories are shaped by cultures and over time, these cultures will be maintained or altered - subtly or dramatically - by individuals, families and societies as they live out their lives. Find out more by visiting the Mathers Museum - Open Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 4:30pm. Admission is free. To view more images from the museum, visit our gallery here. These Resistance Units are part of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK) and they are concentrating on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that has just been designated as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) by the United States. In central Iran, Resistance Unit 315 set fire to a poster of Regimes Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the city of Khansar. Resistance Unit 802 has been very active and videos are circulating on social media showing some of their activities. In Mashhad, in the northern part of the country, the unit set an IRCG Basij base on fire. The unit members were heard shouting Hail to the National Liberation Army of Iran. Reports indicate that they also set fire to another one of the Basijs bases in the area. Resistance Unit 855 in the province of West Azerbaijan in the north-western part of the country burned a picture of the Supreme Leader too, while shouting Death to Khamenei Hail to Rajavi [Massoud Rajavi the opposition leader and President of the National Council of Resistance of Iran Maryam Rajavi]. The Resistance in Iran is growing stronger and stronger thanks to the support of the PMOI / MEK. The people are determined for regime change because they know that the mullahs will never change. For the past month, the people of Iran have been dealing with the consequences of some very serious flooding and they are disgusted at the regimes negligence and incompetence. Instead of providing the people with much-needed help, the regime has left the people to fend for themselves. Flooding could have been much less serious in some areas if the regime had acted to put preventative measures in places. Once again, the people, and especially the young people of Iran including children, have rallied around and helped in their communities. Protests have already broken out in several places and the regime is very concerned that they will spread further across the country. For this reason, it is posting armed security agents in towns across Iran to dissuade people from protesting. The Resistance in Iran in unrelenting. For decades it has remained steadfast in its goals of freedom, democracy and human rights. So many members of the Resistance movement have been killed executed by the brutal regime simply for standing up for what is right. The people of Iran will be the force behind regime change. Every single Resistance Unit in Iran is making a difference and the conditions in the country are evolving all the time. The network of Resistance Units is spread across the whole country, with support for the PMOI / MEK in every province. They are giving the people the strength to continue fighting for what is right. Since Maryam Rajavi gave her explanation, the US State Department did add the IRGC to their list of FTOs. In this article, we will look why Maryam Rajavi argued for the IRGC to be designated as a terror group by the US, how she feels following the designation, and what the US (and, indeed, the rest of the world) can do next. First, why Maryam Rajavi believes that the IRGC should be designated as a terror group. Maryam Rajavi explained that the Iranian Resistance has long been demanding that the suppressive IRGC be designated as a terrorist group in order to improve security, peace, and stability in the Middle East and end war and terrorism across the region and the world. She described this as an urgent and necessary step. Maryam Rajavi noted that the IRGC was an important pillar of the velayat-e faqih regime (absolute clerical rule) because it serves as the main apparatus of repression and the primary driver of war and export of terrorism. The IRGC also controls the vast majority of Irans economy and is responsible for pursuing nuclear weapons and missile projects, so it is no wonder that the Regime, its apologists, and its mercenaries were terrified about the designation of the IRGC. Maryam Rajavi said that the disastrous appeasement policy had given the mullahs and the IRGC a free pass to repress its own people and wreak havoc across the Middle East, specifically Iraq, Syria. Lebanon, Yemen and Afghanistan. Now, when the IRGC was officially designated as a terror group on Monday, Maryam Rajavi welcomed the move, calling it long overdue, but she could not rest on her laurels. Instead, there was more to be done. What should happen next? Well, Maryam Rajavi has got a list of actions that need to be taken in order to fully tackle the problem of Iranian terrorism, with the ultimate solution for the Iranian people and their resistance to rise up and remove the Regime that threatens the world. Heres how Maryam Rajavi believes the world can help: The EU and other nations should join the US in placing the IRGC on the terror watch lists Place the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) and other organs of suppression, the export of terrorism, and fundamentalism onto the US FTO, the EU terror watch list, and the terrorism lists of any other country Recognise that the Iranian people and their Resistance have the right to overthrow the Regime and establish a free, democratic state Expel Iranian agents from the MOIS, Quds Force, and other malign bodies from the US, EU, and other countries Refer the dossier on the Regimes human rights violations (inc. the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners) to the United Nations Security Council and the International Court of Justice Expel the Regime from the UN and recognise the Resistance as the true representative of the Iranian people Evict the Regime and its proxies from Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon and Afghanistan Researchers at the Oxford Internet Institute recently examined Arabic Twitter accounts linked to the Iranian government and found that they engaged in synchronized manipulation and misinformation campaigns against several Arab states, including Saudi Arabia. Their report even found that Iranian interference in Arab countries became more obvious after the Arab Spring of 2011. While not explicitly stated by the researchers, this interference was likely Iran trying to take advantage of power vacuums across the Middle East to create their Shiite Crescent. This is yet another example of Iran relying on soft power, such as the use of social media, to make up for its lack of hard power or military might. Now, it would be difficult for Arab people to detect these fake accounts because the Iranian Regime used false names and locations, in order to pretend to be based in Arab countries, and was communicating in fluent Arabic. It also makes it harder for news organizations to provide accurate coverage about social, political and cultural landscapes in the region because the views they share may not be the opinions of an actual Arab person. And, of course, Twitter is not the only site that the Regime uses to do this. The Atlantic Councils Digital Forensic Research Lab found that Iranian Regime-linked Facebook accounts were designed to increase views in line with the Iranian governments strategic narratives. Why would the Regime do this? The mullahs benefit immensely from intentionally misleading Arab audiences. They can change public opinion in favour of the Regime and the mullahs policies and create antagonism toward Arab governments and officials. This helps the Regime get more power. They can also spread fake news that supports their malign policies, like that the Bashar Assad dictatorship in Syria is legitimate or that Iranian militias are in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen for humanitarian purposes or to fight terrorist groups, rather than to take control for themselves. Dr Majid Rafizadeh wrote: To counter the Iranian regimes malignant activities, awareness should be raised among the public regarding the accuracy of the information they view on social media and the role that the Iranian regimes agents may be playing in distorting the facts and hiding the truth. In addition, it is imperative that the powers in the region cooperate to set up a joint platform, through which they can effectively detect and reverse engineer the Iranian regimes destructive behaviour. Tracing the ups and downs of the Nepal-India relationship The collection of US state department cables published by Wikileaks allows us to chart one such period between 1974-1976, when events in Sikkim that led to the former Himalayan kingdom being integrated into India as a state resulted in tensions between Nepal and India. About Me William Kelly I am a freelance writer, journalist and historian whose major interests are music and history, with a special emphasis on the assassination of President Kennedy. View my complete profile Blog Archive UN letter on transitional justice process puts government in a bind A letter from the United Nations addressed to Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali in relation to Nepals transitional justice process has put the government in a bind, as officials said the agency should have waited for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to acknowledge the receipt of the missive before it was put into the public domain. Thomas Heaton is a food and travel reporter for The Kathmandu Post. Before working in Nepal, he spent five years in New Zealand, most recently as a food writer for Cuisine magazine. Heaton is content trawling through markets, sampling sundry skewers of offal and getting into uncomfortable situations while travelling. Journalist charged under electronic transaction act for reporting about financial fraud An editor of a weekly was detained in Pokhara on Monday for publishing a story online about a local businessman, under laws intended to authenticate electronic transactions and discourage cybercrime and not related to journalists or media. 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 Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Why is this night different from all other nights? Because, tonight I'll get to kibitz with family and friends at the Passover seder, watch my kid search for his first afikomen and eat uncomfortable amounts of homemade brisket, matzo ball soup and this mind-blowing chocolate-covered coconut cake (I've consumed an entire one in a single sitting). I'll also be expected to eat what is, basically, kosher cat food -- aka gefilte fish. For those who have never had the stuff, gefilte fish is, in its most basic form, a fish ball. It's traditionally made from whitefish and it's not easy to prepare, so many Jews who eat it, buy it pre-made in jars. Come dinner time, my aunts will dutifully make the rounds, offering up these pungent, greyish fish torpedoes, which jiggle as they're pulled from their jelly and plopped down, waiting to be eaten with horseradish and matzo. Jars of Gefilte Fish sit on the shelves at McCaffrey's Passover Store in Yardley, Pennsylvania on April 2, 2004. (William Thomas Cain/Getty Images) One or two cousins will claim to enjoy it. I assume this is part of our long Jewish obligation to suffer, much like our ancestors did when they fled Egypt thousands of years ago. I've never understood the appeal. But gefilte fish has been around for generations and we're still eating the stuff, so I figured, maybe I'm missing something. When it comes to food, context counts for a lot. I know nothing about the history of gefilte fish or why we eat it. All I know is that it had only ever shown up on my dinner plate pulled from a cold jar. I wouldn't eat a cheeseburger from a can, why would I do it with with gefilte fish? Where'd It Come From? The basic gefilte fish recipe calls for mashing up whitefish, mixing it with onions, eggs, salt and matzo meal, forming it into quenelles and poaching it in broth. Which doesn't sound so bad. But then there's the stuff in the jar. "I remember growing up having Passover seder with little rounds of Manischewitz gefilte fish and thought it was horrible," says Joan Nathan, author of King Solmon's Table: A Culinary Expedition of Jewish Cooking from Around the World. "And then I got married into an Eastern European Jewish family where we always had homemade gefilte fish. And I have to tell you, I love it." Nathan, the queen of home cooked Jewish food, tells me that gefilte fish wasn't always bland and canned. It likely has roots in the Spain and possibly the Middle East. Jews probably used grouper, sea bass and other species found in those areas. Spices like coriander and ginger also probably made their way into the mix. As Jews fled to Eastern Europe during the Spanish Inquisition, the dish evolved, Nathan says. It lost many of its spices and people began making it with commonly found whitefish, pike and carp. Horseradish also made its presence known, a reflection of the cuisine in the region. Gefilte fish from Mansichewitz. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) Exodus 20:10 "Jewish food is based on regionality and, of course, on the guidelines of Kashrut," Nathan says. By kashrut she means kosher laws. The dictum that observant Jews shouldn't work on the sabbath also comes into play. "The whole concept of a fish ball is, number one, you don't have to work at eating it," she says. "You know, this whole concept of borer, which would be work, or picking. You don't want to do that on the sabbath." Traditionally, the fish was deboned, wrapped in its own skin, poached in a light fish broth and put aside for later. Since you're not allowed to cook on the sabbath, that meant eating it cold. Mixing in matzo meal or bread crumbs helped stretch it out. By the time the technology for jarred and canned food rolled around during World War I, people no longer had to make it themselves. "Every immigrant to every society, on the one hand, wants to hang on to the foods of the past. But they also want to adapt, to the society in which they're living," Nathan says. As Jews from Eastern Europe established themselves in the United States in the early 1900s, they found a market for their food. Gefilte fish from Wexler's. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) Is Homemade Better? "If you make it, there's no question it tastes better," Nathan says. I wasn't convinced. I remain traumatized by decades of jarred gefilte fish. But I decided to take her up on the challenge. I tried to find restaurants that make gefilte fish here in Los Angeles. It was surprisingly hard. Many of the most famous delis in the city don't make their own. When I questioned Jews in the area, I was often asked, "Why would you want that stuff anyway?" I'm sure I'm missing some spots (please tweet at me to let me know), but two places stepped up. The first was Wexler's Deli, which told me that they make theirs out of whitefish. It's studded with bits of carrots and dill -- and it's phenomenal. It tastes delicate and vegetal, a little like whitefish salad and not overly fishy. I could eat an entire plate. Then there was the recently opened Eleven City Los Angeles. Gefilte fish from Eleven City Los Angeles. (Chava Sanchez/LAist) Owner Bradley Rubin's gefilte recipe is a trip. Passed down from his bubbie, who survived the Holocaust, it's heavily peppered but fluffy and light and wrapped in onion skin. Also phenomenal. I can't believe it has taken me more than three decades to taste real gefilte fish. My whole life, I've been missing out. I also have a better understanding of the dish's history, what it says about the Jewish people, our traditions and our adaptability as we've been booted from place to place. "When I first made gefilte fish, I made it with my mother in law, and her mother had died in the Holocaust," Nathan says. "So my mother in law used to make the fish and then she'd sigh. I always knew what that sigh was as she put carrots in the eyes for the fish, and raisins in for the mouth of the fish. And when she sighed, she thought about her mother dying in a concentration camp. Just for that, I like to do it every year." Some cooks, rather than sticking to tradition, are updating Ashkenazi food to make it more palatable to a modern audience. In 2016, self-described "culinary lab" Gefilteria released The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods, a book that delivers exactly what it promises -- modern takes on classic fare. I'm glad somebody is keeping history alive and showing us that even the throwaway mashed fish parts can be delicious. If you're up the challenge and want to make your own gefilte fish, Nathan has graciously allowed us reprint a recipe from, Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook. Gefilte fish. (Mussi Katz/Flickr Creative Commons) ZAMOSC GEFILTE FISH "Make your fish Lithuanian or Polish, with sugar or without, but just remember--it's the carrots and horseradish that really count!" she writes. "I have been making this recipe since the mid-1970s. The only difference is that I cook the fish for twenty minutes. My mother-in-law cooked it for two hours!" STOCK 4 stalks celery, cut in 4-inch slices 3 onions, sliced* 6 carrots, sliced on the bias 8 cups water, or enough to cover bones with 1 inch to spare (use less rather than more) Bones of fish (and heads, if desired) 1 tablespoon salt 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper 1 tablespoon sugar FISH 3 pounds carp (meat) 1 1/2 pounds whitefish, pickerel, or rockfish (meat) 1 1/2 pounds yellow pike or buffel (meat) 6 onions* 2 tablespoons salt, or to taste" 6 eggs 3 tablespoons sugar 1/2 -1 cup matzah meal 3/4 cup water 1 teaspoon almond extract or cup ground almonds (optional) 1 1/4 teaspoons pepper Horseradish (bottled or fresh) *If desired, the onion skins can be reserved and added later to the stock to flavor and darken it. Note: The ratio of fish can be adjusted according to taste and availability. The less carp and the more whitefish, the more delicate the flavor and the lighter the dish. Each fish market will have its own suggestions for the most flavorful and economical mix. Today most markets will grind the fish for you and give you the heads, bones, and skins in a separate package. Place all the stock ingredients in a large kettle with a cover. Bring to a boil, then partially cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. While waiting for the pot to boil, begin preparing the fish. In a wooden bowl, add to the ground-up fish all the other ingredients listed under Fish, carefully chopping very fine and blending. You can also use the grinder on a mixer. Wet your hands and form the fish into fat, oval-shaped patties, carefully sliding each into the simmering stock. Simmer over a low flame slowly for 20 to 30 minutes or for 2 hours. Allow to cool in the pot and carefully remove all the patties, placing them on a platter. After the fish has been removed, strain off the cooking liquid. This stock should then jell when chilled; if it does not, simply add a package of unflavored gelatin, following instructions on the package. Serve the chilled gefilte fish with the jellied fish stock, horseradish, and of course the carrots." Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Cal State Dominguez Hills signed on last fall to be the test site for Charge On, a program that uses students' online social gaming skills to guide them to academic, financial, and wellness help. Texts from the Charge On freshman support program at CSU Dominguez Hills. Nearly a third of this campus' freshman class signed up for the program. Many of them had serious struggles during their first semester. "I thought there was nobody to go to or I was just basically alone," said freshman Evelyn Montes, a graduate of Fremont High School in South L.A. who is majoring in psychology, hoping to work as a student counselor. The difference between the academic expectations of high school and college was too much. "I felt too overwhelmed and I was, like, maybe this isn't for me," she said. She considered dropping out. But then she found Charge On. She earned points by reading about the benefits of getting a good night's sleep and tips on how to reduce stress, among other topics and she received texts each week encouraging her and reminding her about deadlines. She's racked up 15 badges and 30,000 points, and has become one of the top players in the program. BADGES, BADGES AND MORE BADGES Charge On uses points and badges that are a lot like FarmVille and other online social games, to reward users and keep them engaged. Players earn rewards for learning about how to adapt to college's academic, financial, and social challenges. At first glance, the platform looks like a regular web page, but click on the "I Ain't Stressing" section and you'll see a list of eight tasks that will each earn you a badge. One of the tasks is to watch "3 Youtubers Who Can Help You Destress," which is worth 25 points. To earn the "Raise Your Grades" badge, you'll have to read the "3 Study Tips To Trick Your Brain" article for 25 points. Completing all of the "I Ain't Stressing" tasks brings in 1,000 bonus points. "Completing more badges means getting more points -- the more points you gain, the more prizes you can get. So that was the other general idea that made it fun as well," said Angel Salvador, a political science major. Salvador has read most of the Charge On posts. That's earned him more than two dozen badges and 40,000 points. As top players, he and Montes were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship last week by Charge On's creators who visited the campus. Salvador had a big smile as he held the oversize check in front of the student union building at Dominguez Hills. THOUSANDS DROP OUT EACH YEAR Salvador and Montes could have been two of the hundreds of freshmen who drop out of Cal State Dominguez Hills each year. In 2017, 364 dropped out, representing 21.8% of the freshman class. Throughout the entire 23-campus Cal State system, 10,630 students dropped out in 2017 -- that's 16% of the freshman class. Drop out rates for black and Latino freshmen are higher. Administrators say students' reasons for dropping out vary, but most have to do with money and academic problems, as well as struggles to connect with the college culture. "I was a recent graduate from high school, and I wasn't used to being in such a wider area with new friends, and people," Salvador said. One of the problems, he said, is that he commutes 21 miles to the campus from his parents' house in Anaheim. Legislators as well as Cal State and campus administrators are spending millions of dollars each year to retain students like Salvador and lead them to graduation. "It's definitely in the public interest because there are economic benefits to a college education, both for individuals and for the state," said Cal State Sacramento education researcher Colleen Moore. Charge On is not part of the Cal State system's $75 million a year initiative to reduce the number of dropouts and increase graduation rates. However, the program's use of students' digital engagement to help their college careers appears to be complementing the work of university administrators. "Where I might be concerned is wanting to see [that] the institutions using these approaches are not just adding a layer of technology that tries to feed students some information, or direct students to resources on campuses without examining the effectiveness of those resources," Moore said. CSU Dominguez Hills freshman Itzel Rivas won a gift card for playing Charge On. (Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist) Dominguez Hills administrators say they hired four full-time advisors this year and 12 part-time peer mentors to help struggling students. USC School of Education Professor Zoe Corwin is the lead researcher behind Charge On. She said the project is producing a lot of data and her team is looking at how effective those resources are. SOCIAL GAMES FOR SOCIAL GOOD Charge On reached a milestone last week. On a quarterly visit to the campus to talk to students who signed up and reward them for using the platform, the program's researchers said initial data suggests positive results. "We are showing that if students participated in the online campaign, they had higher rates of persisting to the next semester," Corwin said. She believes many of the policy discussions about improving college student graduation rates in Sacramento or within the CSU system office lack consideration on the personal skills students can use after graduation. Corwin believes Charge On's resources help students learn those skills. "Are they thriving, are they feeling happy on a college campus and then are they able to make connection to the next step?" Corwin said. Your tax-deductible gift today powers our reporters and keeps us independent. We rely on you, our reader, not paywalls to stay funded because we believe important news and information should be freely accessible to all. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe By John Horn with Jonathan Shifflett and Andrea Gutierrez To most people, the Mueller report isn't exactly funny. But for the three hosts of the podcast "Mueller, She Wrote," there is plenty of time for laughs -- between bursts of outrage. Trump: Everything is fine! Mueller Report narrator: Things were not fine... Jaleesa Johnson (@tweetjaleesa) April 18, 2019 Yesssssss. Are there any GIFs? https://t.co/XTrdjEskr0 Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) April 19, 2019 The podcast has been tracking the special counsel's investigation since the first major indictments in the fall of 2017, and in a strange coincidence of timing, had scheduled a live recording of its latest episode for Thursday night at Largo. Of course, Mueller's redacted report was released publicly just hours before curtain call, giving the live show an unusual sense of urgency. "It literally changed 20 minutes before we got here," AG, one of the show's three hosts, said. "We've had the same structure for live shows that we've been doing. I was like, we can't just act like it's a normal day!" Unlike the hosts of most other political and legal podcasts, the women behind "Mueller, She Wrote" are neither journalists nor lawyers. Instead, they share a common connection as stand-up comedians. Hate corrodes the container its carried in. pic.twitter.com/kq7eTq2Jtm Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) February 7, 2019 But their passion for covering all things Mueller is no prank -- AG (as the lead host calls herself), Jaleesa Johnson and Jordan Coburn might sometimes play a fantasy sports-like game about which member of Trump's inner circle will next be indicted, yet they can also cite federal statutes and quote plea agreements... and separate spin from facts (even though they have a clear liberal bias). AG is currently a federal employee (she can't say what her job title is, specifically). By using just her initials for the show, she is complying with the Hatch Act, which regulates the political activities of federal employees. Despite this precaution, AG said that she may soon not be working in her job anymore -- and it won't be her choice. "I've been in service, including my Navy service, 13 years. It means a lot to me, but I've got to do what I've got to do," AG said," And I can't do what they won't let me. So that's where I'm at." At Thursday's live show, the three hosts scrambled to put together a new podcast that reflected the day's huge news. As is often the case on "Mueller, She Wrote," the analysis was a hybrid of reporting and commentary, much of it laced with caustic put-downs. When we drafted Don Junior to our fantasy indictment team, we were clearly overestimating his intelligence. Thats our bad. According to the report, he wasnt smart enough to be aware of his own wrongdoing. Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) April 18, 2019 "To take these traumatic and important events and spin them into humor," AG said, "it helps us get through it. It's kind of like, if you don't laugh, you'll cry." Listen to this segment on KPCC's The Frame podcast. By Ritah Kemigisa. Lawyers have described last evenings Supreme Court ruling as a betrayal of Ugandans. Last evening, president Yoweri got what some referred to as an arly Easter gift after the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional Court decision that retained the amendment of the presidential age-limit law. The Chief Justice Bart Katureebe concurred with the 3 justices of the Constitutional Court that the amendments were lawfully made and dismissed the Appeal with orders that each party bears its own costs. On a 4:3 majority judgment, court essentially gave president Museveni a thumbs up to contest for the 2021 general election and beyond if he so wishes. Now the Director-Center for Constitutional Governance Sarah Bireete says the ruling shows betrayal of Ugandas constitutionalism and rule of law. Related Stories. #AgeLimitPetition Attorney General defends age limit law Film Review: The Mustang Roman Coleman (Matthias Schoenaerts) has too quick a fuse to think before he acts. Thats why hes done a dozen years and counting in a maximum-security prison for impulsively delivering a brutal beating that left his victim permanently brain-damaged. Even while incarcerated, Romans never learned to control his temper. Consequently, hes voluntarily spent the bulk of his time in solitary confinement. A shot at rehabilitation finally arrives when Myles (Bruce Dern), a salty, old horse whisperer, offers Roman a spot in his program pairing inmates with wild mustangs. The hope is that each participant will learn to tame his own raging inner soul while bonding with his stallion. ADVERTISEMENT Roman grudgingly accepts the invitation, before being assigned to work with a bucking bronco he names Marcus. Under the watchful eye of the sage trainer, con and colt do gradually take to each other, although not without its share of fits and starts. Marking Laure de Clermont-Tonnerres nonpareil directorial debut, The Mustang is a character-driven masterpiece co-starring Matthias Schoenaerts and Bruce Dern. The two generate considerable chemistry in the course of delivering powerful performances against a variety of visually-captivating backdrops, ranging from the vast expanse of a barren, Nevada desert to the claustrophobic confines of one of the States penal institutions. An emotionally-engaging meditation on redemption inspired by a real-life program helping inmates turn their lives around. Excellent (4 stars) Rated R for profanity, violence and drug use ADVERTISEMENT Running time: 96 minutes Production Companies: Legende Films / Cine+ / Canal+ Distributor: Focus Features To see a trailer for The Mustang, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2a-KSOCIeY Sudanese Demands for a Civilian Government Remain Firm Protests that began over the skyrocketing price of bread and shortages of food and fuel have accomplished what few people believed was possible in a country ruled by a leader with an iron fist. A Sudanese peoples movement was born on the streets of Khartoum. Hundreds of thousands of women and men hunkered down and braved attacks by anti-riot police. The scale of the protests is unprecedented, Shawgi Mahadi Mustafa, a Sudanese journalist based in Qatar, marveled. Troops that once turned back opponents with ease were unable to clear a sit-in outside army headquarters in Khartoum. ADVERTISEMENT This month, the hardline president, Omar al-Bashir, was forced to step down after three decades in power but a tough military man was put in his place. Demonstrators held the line, saying they would continue the rallies until a civilian leadership was installed. The protesters are demanding a quicker move than the militarys announced two-year transition to an elected government. One demonstrator, Alaa Salah, told the Voice of America she was skeptical that the military would hand over power. When Bashirs regime came to power, she recalled, it was under similar circumstances. They gave promises that they didnt fulfill, she said. We need proof, not only talk, and were staying until our demands are fulfilled. The militarys transitional leadership has changed twice since it said Bashir had been placed under house arrest. Among those detained are his former interior minister Abdelrahim Mohamed Hussein, and former head of the ruling party Ahmed Haroun. The three men are all wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes related to atrocities in Darfur. Last week, the military council appointed Hashem Abdel Muttalib as army chief of staff, and said the move was aimed at changing the military. Hashem was appointed by Bashir in February as vice-chief of army staff. ADVERTISEMENT But the protesters appear determined to remain in the streets, unconvinced that the military is fully on their side. The main protest organizer, the Sudanese Professionals Association, has called for more people to join the demonstrations and the demands for civilian rule. Wednesday, April 17, 2019 We just wrapped the final class for the Spring 2019 iteration of the Community Justice Clinic. At the close of its fifth year, Im feeling reflective, maudlin, and proud. I joined the law faculty at Pepperdine in July 2013, took a year to take the bar and get a California license. For Fall 2014, I had the rare gift of launching a new clinic from scratch. I had thirteen years of experience in civil litigation, trial, and appellate practice in various forms and venues, and I was ready for a change. Through our curricular processes, we saw a need for a clinic that was not seated in litigation and for a practice that was not focused on advocacy for individuals. This process resulted in the Community Justice Clinic. The Community Justice Clinic was an exciting departure for me professionally. The Clinic serves as general counsel for nonprofits, NGOs, religious and community organizations that are dedicated to human rights, social justice, and community economic development. We focus on clients who are part of the communities they empower or who have deeply rooted, cultural sophistication and humility among the people they serve. Our Clinic provides corporate legal services (incorporation, governance, tax exemption), policy and legal research and advocacy (studies, surveys, and projects in the field), and general legal services (leases, contracts, IP, internal policies, problem solving). Most of our clients are at work in Southern California, but several are national. At least a third of our clients are NGOs at work globally. Our work with our clients have touched communities in Ecuador, Uganda, India, Nepal, Rwanda, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Nicaragua, Germany, China, and the United Kingdom, so far. Our policy research has addressed another dozen nations. As clinical professors, our greatest gift is practicing law alongside brilliant, eager, creative students. They make me a better lawyer and better teacher. At the launch of the Community Justice Clinic, I started a tradition to build a monument to the students who would join this work. Being new to the West Coast and excited about our prospects, I bought a California state flag and asked the students to sign it. I confessed to them (and all the rest to come) that it might be corny and sentimental, but I wanted to mark our commitment to our community, to build a reminder of their work and our collaboration together. I wanted to remember them, and I wanted them to remember this work, these clients, their causes, and their profound power in the world as lawyers. In their moments of professional crisis, I wanted the students to be able to spot a symbol that reminds them of their commitments and capacity. Here is the flag tonight, bearing the signatures of students across five years and ten semesters, nearly a hundred students in the Community Justice Clinic. They have served at least fifty clients on multiple matters around the world and in our neighborhood. The flag also bears the signatures of twenty more students who served several score clients in the Disaster Relief Clinic. Im proud to be their teacher and to practice law with them, playing a small role in their education and helping launch them into the world to serve and lead. They have done mighty work to empower our clients to make the world better. I'll post an update in Spring 2024. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/clinic_prof/2019/04/five-years-in-the-community-justice-clinic.html It is a new beginning of a life without her, a sad life without her, said Caceres. There isnt a day that I havent thought about her.When Raboin turned to the family to apologize for what had happened, Gilberts other brother flipped him off. Raboin said he takes full responsibility and that what happened to Gilbert was absolutely horrific. Raboins attorney reminded the judge that he has no prior allegations of domestic violence and no felony convictions. He stated Raboin has a history of sleep terrors, which he described as worse than bad dreams and more like an unconscious attack that he was unaware was happening. The University of Arizona School of Anthropology remembered the victim. (Mike Frisch) Friday, April 19, 2019 Post-suspension crimes have led to the license revocation of an attorney by the Iowa Supreme Court Anthony R. Johnson is an Iowa lawyer in Ankeny. He was employed as an accountant for Saxton Motors, LC. In August 2016, Johnson entered an Alford plea in the Iowa District Court for Polk County to the felony offense of fraudulent practice in the first degree. The charge was supported by evidence that Johnson embezzled substantial sums of money from his employer by making false entries in the records of the business for over a year. Essentially, Johnson funneled income from the business into two secret, unauthorized business accounts he established to receive the funds. In October 2016, the district court sentenced Johnson to a suspended ten-year term of incarceration and placed him on probation. The sentence also imposed a fine and ordered him to pay restitution. Johnson engaged in multiple instances of unethical conduct in the past. His license was suspended in 2009 for abandoning his legal practice in Ankeny. His license was never reinstated, and he has not engaged in the practice of law since that time. The criminal conduct In this case, each factor supports the conclusion that Johnsons criminal activity, resulting in the conviction of first-degree fraudulent practice in violation of Iowa Code section 714.8 (2016), reflected adversely on his fitness to be a lawyer. Johnson made false entries in or alterations to his employers business records by concealing deficiencies resulting from his misconduct. See id. 714.8(4) (providing a person is guilty of a fraudulent practice when they [m]ake[] any entry in or alteration of any public records, or any records of any corporation, partnership, or other business enterprise or nonprofit enterprise, knowing the same to be false). Over the course of a year, he deposited the proceeds of automobile sales and insurance payouts belonging to his employer into unauthorized bank accounts for his own use. Additionally, he overpaid himself in excess of $6500.5 His deliberate and repeated acts resulted in the fraudulent acquisition of funds belonging to his employer. His actions were systematic, targeted, and prolonged and not the result of mere carelessness or misinformation. They demonstrated a clear disrespect for Iowa law and were contrary to the expectations, duties, and responsibilities of a legal professional. Sanction While Johnson has not practiced law for nearly a decade, his dishonest and criminal conduct as an accountant now compels us to revoke his suspended license to practice law. The stain he imposed on the profession while he practiced law has now been darkened by his actions as an accountant, and the time has come for the remaining thread that tethers him to the legal profession to be severed. The legal profession is, and must always be, one of justice, honor, civility, and service. It is a profession that requires lawyers to discharge their duties faithfully and ethically. See Iowa Code 602.10110. These words are not hollow or superficial utterances for lawyers as they enter the profession. Instead, they are the basic precepts that bind all lawyers together and serve to sustain lawyers throughout a career. Our profession expects no more of lawyers, but demands no less. Here, Johnson not only gave less, his actions revealed him to be unfit to be an Iowa lawyer. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2019/04/post-suspension-crimes-have-led-to-the-license-revocation-of-an-attorney-by-the-iowa-supreme-court-anthony-r-johnson-is-an.html Thursday, April 18, 2019 Yesterday, I talked about the Service's assertion that Panera Bread Foundation, Inc.'s tax exempt status should be revoked because the Foundation violates the commerciality doctrine. The second basis for revocation, according to the Service is that Panera Bread Foundation violates the private benefit doctrine. I probably overstated the case by asserting that the Service has the private benefit doctine "hopelessly wrong." Its wrong on commerciality but there is a legitimate private benefit concern, even if the revocation letter cited no authorities and didn't bother to better explain the fundamental concern. Private benefit is one of those doctrines that is sometimes easily recognized but always difficult to define. In other contexts, I have written that private benefit exists when an exempt organization's invariable secondary benefits are reserved for a small group of non-charitable beneficiaries. John Colombo has written on the topic. I think he harbors a certain disdain for the theory but in an effort to make sense out of the doctrine he asserts that when a tax exempt entity wastes -- or "fails to conserve" -- its assets (usually by paying too much or receiving too little in contracts with non-charitable vendors), private benefit exists and tax exemption is not appropriate. I might be over-simplifying his thesis so I recommend you read his article. Anyway, it is axiomatic that private benefit is always necessary to achieve public benefit. Hospitals have to hire and pay doctors, Universities graduate students. Charities exist in capital markets and they have to pay market price to profit seekers to get goods and services to charitable beneficiaries. Even a soup kitchen has to pay rent and bills. There is an invariable "secondary benefit" -- the phrase used in American Campaign Academy -- but when that secondary benefit is reserved or intentionally directed towards a specific non-charitable person or entity, it might be that the tax exemption is being used to fund that specific person's profit. In those cases, it might also be safe to assume that the tax exempt entity's real purpose is therefore private benefit. The Service cited no cases or rulings when it said that Panera Bread Foundation's purpose was to benefit Panera Bread, the for-profit entity that controlled Panera Foundation. But the clear implication is that Panera Bread Foundation's primary purpose was to somehow benefit its for-profit fiduciaries, perhaps through the generation of goodwill and brand recognition. Consider the facts in KJ's Fund Raisers, Inc. v. Commissioner: Kristine Hurd and James Gould are the sole owners of KJ's Place, a lounge where alcoholic beverages are served. The term KJ is obviously derived from the first initials of the first names of the owners, Kristine and James. In 1992, Kristine and James created petitioner, KJ's Fund Raisers, Inc. They had petitioner incorporated as a Vermont Non-Profit Corporation on October 12, 1992. They also had petitioner file a Form 1023, Application for Recognition of Exemption Under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code on November 11, 1992. Petitioner's business is selling Lucky 7 or other break-open (or lottery or rip) tickets. The lottery tickets are sold exclusively at KJ's Place; no other locations were considered. The tickets are sold during regular business hours by the owners and employees of KJ's Place. Petitioner was organized purportedly to "raise funds for distribution to charitable causes". Petitioner expects the majority of its funds to come from the sale of lottery tickets and does not plan to solicit public donations, but will accept any donations offered. There is no evidence in the record that any such donations were ever offered or received. When petitioner was organized, Hurd and Gould were both officers and directors. She was president; he was vice president, secretary, and treasurer. The third member of the board of directors was Karen Gould, a relative of James Gould. In April 1993, petitioner replaced its board of directors. Of the three new members, two were related to Hurd or Gould. The board has been altered since then. The current board has two members unrelated to Hurd or Gould; the third is Kristine Hurd's sister. In a letter to the IRS, petitioner indicated that it would further revise its board so that none of the members were related to the officers of KJ's Place. However, that change has never been implemented. In 1993, petitioner paid Hurd and Gould compensation of $6,000 each for bookkeeping, accounting and managerial services. Petitioner also paid $6,000 in rent to KJ's Place. The measure of compensation was determined by Hurd and Gould. On July 1, 1994, changes in Vermont's gambling laws took effect. In accordance with these changes, petitioner stopped paying rent to KJ's Place and stopped paying wages to Hurd and Gould. Currently, there are no business dealings between petitioner's directors and the owners of KJ's Place, and petitioner's books are kept separate from the accounts of KJ's Place. So the organization operated exclusively out of the for profit bar operated by the organization's fiduciaries. The court also suggested that the fact that the exempt organization's board members were all owners (or family members of the owners) of the for profit bar meant that the entity was not free to operate without benefiting the for-profit "parent." KJ's Fund Raisers purchased all its inputs from the for-profit parent and fundraisers (sale of lottery tickets) were made exclusively at the bar during business hours and under circumstances when purchasers of lottery tickets were also expected to order and pay for food and libations. In addition, all media exposure for the exempt organization was associated with the for profit bar. So, for example, if the organization made a big to do when it made donations, the pictures of the check presentation always included a picture of the for-profit bar. The opinion concludes: Before July 1, 1994, Hurd and Gould received wages and KJ's Place received rent from petitioner. Although those practices ceased and are not in issue here, the current board of directors is composed of at least the majority of the same members who allowed those amounts to be paid. This strongly suggests that Hurd and Gould are free to set policy for their own benefit without objection from the board. Nothing in the record since July 1, 1994, indicates otherwise. Petitioner also contends that KJ's Place actually lost money, since patrons preferred to buy lottery tickets rather than use their money to purchase beverages. Thus, petitioner argues, there was no actual benefit. While all facts must be accepted as true for purposes of a declaratory judgment, Rule 217, conjectural statements such as the one above are entitled to no such consideration. Petitioner has presented no evidence that KJ's Place lost money. More important, KJ's Place has benefitted from the publicity surrounding donations given by petitioner. In four of six newspaper articles or picture captions in evidence, KJ's Place is pictured or mentioned, along with Hurd or Gould, who are identified as the owners of KJ's Place rather than officers of petitioner. Petitioner argues that the clippings are not paid advertising and do not indicate the receipt of an actual benefit by KJ's Place. We find, however, that the publicity, which KJ's Place would not have received but for petitioner's exclusive association with the lounge, is a significant benefit. Moreover, the record discloses that there were other "clubs" or lounges in the area where comparable gambling took place. It is thus a fair inference that one of the real purposes of establishing petitioner in the first place was to induce customers with a proclivity for this type of gambling not to desert KJ's Place in favor of other clubs or lounges. As a result of petitioner's formation, KJ's Place, far from losing revenue, may indeed have prevented at least a portion of its business from being taken elsewhere. Petitioner engaged in the exempt activity of raising money for charitable purposes. Petitioner also operated for the substantial private benefit of KJ's Place and its owners. There are other cases that exemplify how an exempt organization can operate so closely with its for-profit "parent" that the organization's inevitable secondary benefit flows almost exclusively to the parent and therefore the determination that its real purpose is private benefit is not an unreasonable conclusion. Est of Hawaii v. Commissioner is a good example but I won't prolong this post with a long discussion. But having identified the principle, we can see the problem that Panera Foundation faces. First, the facilities from which it operated look almost exactly like the Panera Bread stores we are all familiar with. So Panera Foundation invariably generates good will for Panera Bread. The menu items for Panera consisted of select items available from Panera Bread (at least according to the menu in the record). Most of Panera Cares employees were also Panera Bread employees, though Panera Foundation listed as one of its purposes the employment and training of at-risk or disadvantaged young people. In addition, Panera Cares' board was comprised entirely of Panera Bread folks. This might be an indication that Panera Cares might not be so inclined to act in ways that do not benefit Panera Bread directly (rather than by association with a good cause). Thus, there was some private benefit accruing to Panera Bread from Panera Cares' pursuit of an indisputable public good (feeding poor people). Still, this case seems more like "no good deed unpunished." It just doesn't feel like KJ's Fund Raiser or Est of Hawaii. Suppose, for example, that instead of a separate look alike facility, Panera Bread prepared menu items for delivery to tax exempt soup kitchens. Presumably it could take a charitable contribution deduction even if it touted its good deeds far and wide. Or suppose Panera Bread donated its menu items -- complete with packaging that said "courtesy of Panera Bread" -- to soup kitchens. It could take a charitable contribution deduction in that case as well. But in the spirit of social entrepreneurship, it sets up Panera Cares and does the same thing except directly rather than through a separate exempt organization. Yes, the goodwill and brand impact is higher in the latter instance, but as long as Panera Cares is really "charitable" (I think I made the case yesterday that it is and unlike KJ's Fund Raiser and Est of Hawaii, Panera Cares lost money, indicating a donative intent), why should it be denied tax exempt status simply because of the more obvious goodwill value generated by its explicit relationship to the for profit "parent" and in the absence of any indication that the for-profit parent is financially exploiting the exempt organization. I suppose a prophylactic rule is easier to administer and this case certainly might be easier, as Russ Willis pointed out to me yesterday, if Panera Cares' logo and facilities did not look almost exactly like Panera Bread's logo and facilities. But private benefit is necessary to public good; somebody has to get paid if everybody is going to get paid! In the end, I think this case ought to be decided from a policy standpoint rather than from a strict application of the prophylactic rule. Do we want to categorically preclude profit making restaurants from doing what Panera Bread is doing simply because Panera Bread is getting some good press from what seems like an honest effort at charity (which is more than can be said about KJ's Fund Raisers or Est of Hawaii). Or is the goodwill accruing exclusively to Panera Bread so intolerable that we will only provide exemption when a soup kitchen has no explicit connection to a for-profit sponsor? Darryll K. Jones https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/nonprofit/2019/04/the-service-has-commerciality-and-maybe-private-benefit-hopelessly-wrong-in-panera-bread-foundation-.html Learn what physical therapy assistants do and what qualifications you need to become one. Read about the topics you will cover during your studies and get to know some of the colleges in Pennsylvania with physical therapy assistant programs. View Schools The increased health needs of an aging population, and especially the baby-boomer generation, is leading to a higher demand for physical therapy services and physical therapy assistants. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of physical therapy assistants is expected to grow by 33% from 2019 to 2029, which is far higher than the average expected growth of 4% for all occupations during this period. Read on to see what the job of a physical therapy assistant involves. What Does a Physical Therapy Assistant Do? Physical therapy assistants work with physical therapists and their patients. They are involved in the direct care of patients and help them to recover from injuries and illnesses. They also assist patients in managing pain and regaining movement. Under the supervision of a physical therapist, physical therapy assistants observe the status of patients at various stages of the treatment process and report their findings back to the physical therapist. They assist patients with prescribed exercises and educate patients on post-treatment issues. Physical therapy assistants are also sometimes involved in treating patients with various techniques, including stretching and massaging. What Qualification Do I Need to Become a Physical Therapy Assistant? If you want to become a physical therapy assistant, you will have to obtain an associate's degree from one of the colleges or universities accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education. All states have this requirement. In Pennsylvania, there were 20 such accredited programs as of April 2019. Physical therapy assistants should not be confused with physical therapy aides. The latter fulfill a different role and only need a high school diploma and some on-the-job training. What Will I Learn During My Associate's Degree Program for Physical Therapy Assistants? The associate's degree program for physical therapy assistants typically takes two years to complete. The program consists of classroom study and clinical work. In the classroom, you may expect to cover topics such as anatomy, physiology, algebra and English. Clinical work includes hands-on skills such as basic life support, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and general first-aid. Students may also earn certifications in various clinical skills. Which Schools in Pennsylvania offer an Associate's Degree for Physical Therapy Assistants? The physical therapy assistant programs at the following schools in Pennsylvania are all accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education: Butler County Community College, in Butler, offers a Physical Therapy Assistant, Associate in Applied Science program. Central Penn College, in Summerdale, lets you qualify as a physical therapy assistant with their Associate in Applied Science program. Harcum College, in Bryn Mawr, offers its associate's degree for physical therapy assistants as a full-time or part-time option. Lackawanna College, in Scranton, also has an associate's degree program for physical therapy assistants as part of its Allied Health Programs. Mercyhurst University offers an Associate of Science degree program for prospective physical therapy assistants at its North East campus. The University of Pittsburgh at Titusville has an Associate of Science degree program for physical therapy assistants. Do I Need a License to Practice as a Physical Therapy Assistant in Pennsylvania? Like in most other states, to get licensed to practice as a physical therapy assistant in Pennsylvania you have to pass the National Physical Therapy Exam for physical therapist assistants. It is administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy. You also have to take a course, required of all healthcare practitioners in the state, on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. Pennsylvania also requires physical therapy assistants to take continuing education courses to ensure that they stay up to date with advancements and new developments in the field of physical therapy. Arturo Balbino works as a builder in Texas. On a recent day, he walked into the U.S. consulate in the northern Mexican border town of Ciudad Juarez for his visa interview. He was not fearful of the process. He felt good. Balbino, a 33-year-old Mexican national, entered the United States illegally 14 years ago. He believed he had a strong chance of receiving a spousal visa. His wife and children are all U.S. citizens. His wifes father promised to support him financially, if necessary. His employer wrote a letter promising him a job. The interview process was the final step to legalization. He hoped it would lead to a better life for him and his family. Instead, the consular officer denied him a visa, saying he might possibly need money from American taxpayers to survive. That decision left Balbino in Mexico indefinitely. Reporters with the Reuters news agency examined the documents related to Balbinos case. More and more immigrants, especially Mexicans, are being denied visas. The denials are based on decisions by the U.S. State Department that they might become public charges. A public charge is someone who is dependent on the government for support. Official information, research, and interviews with lawyers for some immigrants say consular officers are denying visas even when migrants fulfill legal requirements proving they have enough money to support themselves. The refusals can trap people for months or even longer --outside the United States. This means they are separated from their American spouses and children. And, it means they must restart the long and difficult process of requesting a visa. One reason for the rise in denials is little-known changes made to the State Departments foreign affairs manual last year. The changes gave diplomats greater power to deny visas using the public charge reason. Some critics say the new manual permits diplomats to tighten immigration policy without considering public opinion. The State Department is trying to bypass public comment and implement changes to public-charge (policy) all on its own, said Charles Wheeler, a lawyer with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. The State Department would not comment, saying it is fighting legal action against the new manual in courts. Fewer visas for Mexicans Immigration lawyers said the public-charge denial happens a lot at the U.S. consulate in Ciudad Juarez. That is where all Mexican immigrant visa requests are processed. Mexicans received 11 percent fewer immigrant visas in 2018 compared to 2017. In the past, the State Department usually accepted a letter signed by an American citizen offering to act as a sponsor for the immigrant as proof of financial support. In Balbinos case, his wifes father provided that letter. But Balbinos request was still denied. Trapped in Mexico Balbinos wife, Darlene, is considering moving with all of her children to Balbinos hometown, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. She does not work and is struggling to pay her familys living costs. We cant make it on our own anymore, she said. Because the family is so poor, two of the couples five children, have already been sent to live with Balbino. The children have found the move difficult. Theyve spent their whole life in the United States, Balbino said. They dont speak much Spanish. Today, Balbino is considering the possibility that his family will be apart for years. At times I want to think that everything will be okay and Ill be able to be with my family again, he said. It is very difficult to think that I wont be able to return to watch my children grow up. Im Susan Shand. The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story consulate n. the building where a consul lives and works spousal adj. having to do with one's wife or husband manual n. a book of instructions implement v. to begin to do or use sponsor n. someone who takes the responsibility for someone or something Jordan Peele is an African American filmmaker. His newest movie, "Us," is the second-most popular movie released in 2019 so far. The first movie he directed, "Get Out," won an Academy Award in 2018. Critics and movie watchers say the black horror films that he creates show us examples of social, economic and racial injustice. "Us" explores the monster hiding within ourselves in the form of the evil doppelganger, or double. Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o plays two characters in "Us." One is Adelaide Wilson, a middle-class mother and wife. The other character is Red, her troubling double. Nyong'o says that her character, Adelaide, cannot explain the trouble she faced in her childhood, but it still causes problems for her. The character thinks that something bad is going to happen at the family's summer home. Her feelings come true when four people appear at the house and terrible events begin. Peele says his work uses the idea of the shadow self: "..which comes up in many cultures, many mythologies. And it tends to be this sense that there is a darker self that we suppress, and we suppress it because we are afraid of what it means. It holds our guilts, and our evil." Peele said the horror movies permit him to talk about race relations and the growing social and economic divisions in America. His earlier horror film "Get Out" was about wealthy, old white people extending their lives by having their brains moved into young black people. "Us" is about how poor Americans relate to wealthier Americans. Sean McKittrick is a producer of "Us." "It's more about what we've become as a country," he said, and shows punishment for how people act to each other. It is "all centered around how a family deals with being attacked by themselves." Nyong'o said that often: "We feel that the monster is from outside of ourselves, they're from outside our borders, and you know, and outside our homes. But in this story, the monster is really within our very selves, and it's about embracing that or at least recognizing it." Minority actors in lead roles Horror film expert Andrew Scahill said Peele represents black horror movies today. "I think we are at an incredibly exciting time for horror right now." For example, in George Romero's famous 1968 horror movie "Night of Living Dead," the monsters killed black actors within the first 10 minutes or the black actors stayed alive long enough to save white leading characters. Now, he said, Peele includes black actors as the main characters who are here to stay. "Jordan Peele does not plan on casting a white actor in a lead role from here on out because that movie has been done." Young people's worries Scahill said the idea of the monster within is very old and so is using horror to talk about social issues. Scahill added that in the horror films young people are making today, the actors cannot easily identify the deadly force or control it. He said the ideas we find in "Us" suggest that young people worry about losing control of their social, economic and environmental well-being. In addition, they have trouble trying to change the system. Peele is involved in another project, an update of a 1960s television series, The Twilight Zone. This series is on the CBS web-streaming service. Peele is the host of the series and tells the stories as a narrator. The Rotten Tomatoes movie rating website says, "The Twilight Zone explores the strangeness of the modern world." Im Jill Robbins. Penelope Poulou reported on this story for VOA News. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. _________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story horror - adj. intended to cause feelings of fear, dread, and shock monster - n. a powerful person or thing that cannot be controlled and that causes many problems doppelganger n. someone who looks like someone else; a double; in literature, an "evil twin" characters - n. a person who appears in a story, book, play, movie, or television show cast - v. to assign roles for (a play or movie) to actors host - n. a person who talks to guests on a television or radio show narrator n. a person who says the words that describe what is being seen or heard as part of a movie or television show Have you ever met someone who looked just like you? What did you say or do? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. The United States Attorney General William Barr released most of a special government report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election Thursday. The report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller said that while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him on the issue of obstruction of justice. The report also found there were many contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia. But, it said, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges. During the Thursday morning event with wounded military veterans, President Donald Trump said, Im having a good day. He declared, Its called no collusion, no obstruction. The Mueller report said the presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Barr read a statement and answered questions from reporters shortly before he ordered the release of the 448-page, redacted report Thursday. He said the redactions are needed to protect grand jury information, intelligence secrets, ongoing investigations and the privacy rights of others. The attorney general added that a report with fewer redactions will be made available to a small group of Congressional leaders. Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler of New York is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He called Barrs decision to withhold the full report regrettable. Nadler said in a statement, The report concluded there was substantial evidence that President Trump attempted to prevent an investigation into his campaign and his own conduct. He then asked for Mueller to testify before Congress by May 23. Robert Mueller was named special counsel on May 17, 2017 to investigate Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 election and related matters. The appointment came after Trump had dismissed Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey and told Russian officials that the pressure had been taken off. Obstruction of justice The report said that, when Trump learned of the appointment, he said, This is the end of my Presidency. The report examined 11 actions by the president related to the obstruction of justice investigation. Trump was said to be concern that the Russian interference investigation might lead the public to question the legitimacy of his election. It said the president directed White House lawyer Don McGahn to dismiss Mueller but he refused. The president then pressured McGahn to deny news reports about it. News reports of a meeting at Trump Tower in New York City on June 2016 became known in the summer of 2017. The report said that, when the report became known, Trump directed his staff to say the meeting was about adoptions of Russian children. The meeting, attended by his son and top campaign officials, was to receive damaging information about the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton. Trump declined to answer questions from the special counsel in person. Instead, he provided written answers in November 2018. The report said, the President stated on more than 30 occasions that he does not recall or remember or have an independent recollection of information called for by the questions. Trump denied any knowledge of the Trump Tower meeting before it took place. He said his claim that he hoped Russia would find missing Clinton emails was not serious. The presidents lawyers have also claimed that the president is not subject to obstruction of justice laws because of his constitutional position as head of the Executive branch. Mueller, however, said in the report that Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice. Attorney General Barr has already agreed to appear before Congressional committees to talk about the report. Im Jonathan Evans. Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story exonerate v. to prove that someone is not guilty of something obstruction n. the act of blocking something collusion n. a secret cooperation for an illegal or dishonest purpose accede v. to agree to a demand redact v. to edit or prepare writing so it is ready for the public legitimacy n. permitted or acceptable under the law occasion n. a special event, time or instance authority n. the power to give orders or make decisions integrity n. the quality of being honest and fair The Financial Supervisory Service building in Yeouido, Seoul / Korea Times file Based on my dataand Im fairly confident I have the most comprehensive data available on cases in which a man has been beaten with his own prosthetic leg by an angry girlfriendthis happens approximately once every seven years. This phenomenon first came to my attention way back in 2005, when it happened in Michigan. See Man Beaten With Own Leg by Leg-Wielding Girlfriend (Aug. 17, 2005). I was then, as I am today, sensitive to the fact that despite the alignment of the parties, this sort of thing is still domestic violence, something that is not funny except in extremely limited circumstances. In that case, I listed one of the required criteria as the leg is a spare one, so he can still flee and thus avoid serious injury. As you will see, I later decided that one isnt absolutely required, but the circumstances are still pretty limited. Almost exactly seven years later, a second case occurred in Florida. See Second Man Beaten With Own Leg by Leg-Wielding Girlfriend (Sept. 12, 2012). In that one, the gentlemans ex-girlfriend (still counts) showed up at his home demanding custody of their two-year-old son, of whom he likely had custody because she was a convicted felon. And she plainly had not become less felonious since their relationship ended. She grabbed the boy out of a window and put him in her car, and when the man leapt into the back seat to recover the child, he unwisely left his legs sticking out of the door. This allowed his ex to seize the weapon thus presented and commence beating him with it. He really should have known better, because as he told reporters, this was not the first time she had beaten him with his own leg. Probably two or three times shes done it, he said. Just a way to get the upper hand, he continued, apparently in all seriousness. Unlike the previous victim, this gentleman managed to recover his leg from the assailant, but she then escalated the matter significantly by producing a shotgun. Consistent with the criteria mentioned above, the humorous part of the incident ends at that point. But happily, no one was seriously injured, and police quickly located and returned the boy. The most recent incident is a few months ahead of schedule, which Im going to attribute to global warming rather than some flaw in my seven-year-cycle theory. This one takes us to Louisiana, where last week a 58-year-old woman was charged with aggravated battery of a boyfriend with the boyfriends prosthetic leg, or maybe those are the aggravating circumstances rather than a definition of the offense. According to the report, the two had been engaged in an off-and-on relationship for several years, and it appeared to be on for the evening of February 11. The couple went to the womans home, where they began drinking gin. At some point, police said, the man told her that he wanted to end their relationship and date another woman. He then decidedand this decision can only be explained by ginto go to sleep in a bedroom of the home belonging to the angry, intoxicated woman with whom he had just broken up, presumably after removing a roughly club-shaped prosthetic appendage and leaving it next to the bed where someone who came in to glare at his unconscious form could easily see it. Did he later wake up with injuries? Yes he did. But he woke up, which to be honest is probably more than a man who has made such a poor decision has any right to expect. I was a little concerned for my seven-year theory upon finding this article, in which the author lists 10 other incidents between 1998 and 2014 in which prosthetic limbs had been used as weapons. But after reviewing them, I was relieved to find that none of them meet my criteria. In fact, most of them involved someone using his or her own prosthetic limb as a weapon, or at least trying to. And while one of the incidents sounds pretty funnyat least if you think a drunken Scottish woman angrily swinging her artificial leg around in the cabin of a plane after the crew refused to give her a parachute is funny, and I dothats still a different category. We will discuss this subject again in 2026, assuming I am still the official chronicler of such incidents at that time. Papers Being Accepted for the Thirteenth Amendment and Racial Justice Conference Wednesday, April 10, 2019 Chicago-Kent College of Law at Illinois Institute of Technology is hosting the Thirteenth Amendment and Racial Justice Conference on November 910, 2019. The conference focuses on the ways that the Thirteenth Amendment can be used in legislation and litigation, or in the context of social movements, to promote racial justice in the United States. The conference organizing committee invites Thirteenth Amendment scholars from all disciplinesincluding law, politics, and history, as well as practitioners and activists in the field of racial justiceto submit papers that interrogate the relationship of race and other markers of identity such as class, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, and immigration status; to forms of subordination both past and present; and strategies for challenging them. The committee is interested in international perspectives and invite scholars from beyond the United States to participate. This conference will be the third event of the Thirteenth Amendment Project, an interdisciplinary association of scholars of labor, class, race, caste, and poverty at law schools and universities throughout the United States and the wider world. For more information about the Thirteenth Amendment Project, please visit its website at scholars.law.unlv.edu/amend13/. The committee is seeking publication opportunities in a variety of outlets for papers presented at the conference. It extends a special invitation to scholars new to the field (including junior faculty and senior scholars) to submit proposals for works in progress. Senior scholars who have written extensively in this field will provide feedback and detailed commentary for planned publication. To submit a paper for consideration, please email an abstract of no more than 300 words by May 15, 2019, to 13thamendproj@gmail.com. The conference organizing committee will notify applicants of its decisions by June 30, 2019. A preliminary program will be posted by September 15, 2019. Information about registration and hotel costs will be provided at the time that the organizing committee selects the papers for the conference. Please email the committee with any questions at 13thamendproj@gmail.com. Conference Organizing Committee William M. Carter Jr., University of Pittsburgh Ruben Garcia, University of Nevada, Las Vegas Maria Ontiveros, University of San Francisco James Pope, Rutgers University Cesar F. Rosado Marzan, Chicago-Kent College of Law Aviam Soifer, University of Hawaii at Manoa Lea VanderVelde, University of Iowa Rebecca Zietlow, University of Toledo Conference Location Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law 565 West Adams Street Chicago, IL 60661 A fire broke out at a storage unit at Travessa de Sao Domingos yesterday morning. Firefighters spent nearly one hour extinguishing the fire. Residents from 10 households took the initiative of evacuating themselves. The fire spread across an area of approximately 150 square feet. According to the Fire Services Bureau, the fire may have been caused by an electrical malfunction. Local student hospitalized after being slapped by teacher A case of a student being slapped was revealed earlier this week, one month after the incident took place. The identity of the school remains undisclosed. However, according to the Public Security Police Force, which revealed only some of the relevant information under media scrutiny, the victim was a male primary school student and was slapped multiple times by the suspect, a teacher. The student required hospital treatment. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau has only said that the concerned teacher had been removed from his/her position. Proposal to build leisure space in Hac Sa village Choi In Tong Sam Association has asked the government to use some spare land in Coloane Hac Sa village to build an integrated leisure zone for children and families. The land occupies an area of 70,000 square meters and was recovered by the local government in November 2018. The association says that the piece of land consists of a mountain and a green area, and should not be used for large-scale construction. In particular, the association hopes that the government will build a farm, a leisure and vacation center, and adventure facilities for children. 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 Legislative Assembly President Ho Iat Seng yesterday confirmed he is putting himself forward as the first declared candidate in the race to become Macaus next Chief Executive, but first he says he needs authorization from Beijing. Long expected by the public, Ho made the formal announcement yesterday after the governments policy address at the Legislative Assembly. The veteran legislator said that as he currently holds a seat on the National Peoples Congress, he is technically ineligible to run for Macaus top post. Hence, he has submitted his resignation and if that is approved he will likely run. Though, he is yet to formulate a platform for his campaign, Ho indicated that his two primary objectives would be to improve peoples livelihoods and promote the integration of Macau into the Greater Bay Area. Ho Iat Seng has long been touted as a likely replacement for Chui. Steve Vickers, CEO of specialist political and corporate risk consultancy Steve Vickers and Associates, told the Times earlier this month that there is a sense that this election will break from a long-term reliance on the three families [] that it would be the Ma familys turn, after Ho and Chui. However, a recent endorsement from Chui Sai Cheong, the Chief Executives brother and current Legislative Assembly vice president, suggests to me that it is in the bag for Ho, said Vickers. Ho said that one factor leading to his decision to become a candidate in the fifth Chief Executive election was his friends. According to Hos account, his friends wanted him to use his experience from his time at the Legislatively Assembly and the National Peoples Congress to run Macau. Emphasizing this experience, the Legislative Assembly president brushed aside comments yesterday about his lack of administrative experience within the executive branch of government. These comments were likely made with incumbent Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong in mind. Leong dropped an overt suggestion in February that he would contest the upcoming Chief Executive election. According to Vickers assessment, Leong has done a sound job implementing Chui and Beijings wishes and his administrative experience would be an advantage. Nevertheless, Vickers regards Leong as less likely to win than Ho. Other possible candidates according to Vickers include one of the Ma family clan and Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak, though even Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tams name has been dropped by others. Wong has ruled out running for the role making him a less likely contender, but Alexis Tam has not provided a definitive answer as to whether he is considering a shot at the top post. Chief Executive Chui Sai On will formally step down in December 2019. His replacement will be decided in August, when an electorate of 400 will convene to select Chuis successor. It is not unusual for Chief Executive candidates in Macau to run unopposed. Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. intends to deploy Airbus SE A321neo planes scheduled for delivery starting 2020 on Chinese routes, part of a plan that will help the carrier manage costs while expanding and upgrading its network. Through the use of data technology and more fuel-efficient aircraft, Cathay has managed to increase its revenue per seat mile by about 7 percent, Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said in an interview with Bloomberg News Wednesday. Its cost per seat mile has also been contained, he said. Cathay has stated we will make ourselves more productive and keep that cost flat, Hogg said in Beijing. Thats roughly what we did last year. The new aircraft which are more fuel-efficient and will help lower operating costs will replace older A320 and A321 aircraft at Cathays sister airline Cathay Dragon. The Hong Kong carrier has faced immense pressure from Chinese airlines rapidly adding direct international routes, a development that has diminished the citys importance as a hub and led Cathay in 2016 to record its first full-year net loss in eight years. Cathay is on the last leg of a three-year transformation program thats seen the carrier cut at least 600 jobs, improve service offerings including meals, and keep a tight lid on costs. The airline has also become what Hogg calls smarter in the way it works. It has invested in data technology to improve productivity, such as making sure its flights are on time more often and there are fewer missed connections, he said. Last month, Hogg said Cathay is mining customer data to track flying behavior and aspirations to help the carrier understand their likes and dislikes. Bloomberg Yesterday, a group of five buyers of the former Pearl Horizon project delivered a petition to the Liaison Office in Macau asking its director to help them recover their never-completed properties. Led by the leader of the Pearl Horizon Condominium Owners United Association, Kou Meng Pok, the group wants the Central Government to help them. We sincerely beg the Liaison Office to help with the disaster and to help with the difficulties, the groups slogan read. The occurrence of the Pearl Horizon cases has harmed the legal and reasonable rights and interests of more than 3,000 buyers. It indeed represents a miscarriage of justice, argued the group in the petition submitted to the director of the Liaison Office. The Pearl Horizon Condominium Owners United Association submitted letters to the Liaison Offices directors begging for a meeting where we could express our grievance, the letter reads. However, we feel deeply helpless that we did not receive the Liaison Offices help. The purpose of this petition is also to beg to the Liaison Office to help [], and to protect the Basic Law and protect private property. We hope that the Liaison Office can urge the Macau government to solve the Pearl Horizon case, as well as urge [them] to completely solve the case within this [administration], the letter reads. According to Kou, in the past, the group submitted their requests to the three previous directors of the Liaison Office. In recent years, the group has been organizing multiple demonstrations requesting the government to recover their commercial properties. However, the former Pearl Horizon land is being recovered by the government for the purpose of building public housing that may not reflect the initial Pearl Horizon project. It is really difficult to talk to a dishonest and irresponsible government, Kou told the media. This year marks two anniversaries [the PRC anniversary and the Macau handover anniversary], and Macau is a harmonious place, said Kou. We hope that this year we will not need to organize too many demonstrations, and that we can all celebrate the two anniversaries together, even celebrating the fifth election of the Chief Executive. On May 1, Labor Day, Kous association will organize a demonstration. Our slogan is really strong. It calls the main principal officials to step down from their positions. It will definitely influence Macaus image, said Kou, adding that we dont want that, but we have no other way, we are forced. We cant tolerate it anymore. We want to solve the problem peacefully. The Administrative Court ruled earlier this month that there was no legal grounds for the Pearl Horizon unit buyers to sue the government for the property price and stamp duty paid on apartments from the controversial and never- completed project. A strong earthquake shook eastern Taiwan yesterday afternoon, causing scattered light damage in the capital and along the eastern coast. The 6.1 magnitude quake was centered northwest of the city of Hualien at a depth of nearly 19 kilometers, Taiwans Central Weather Bureau said. Water pipes at the citys train station burst and rail traffic was briefly suspended. Schools along the east coast were evacuated, with students holding their backpacks over their heads for protection. TV news showed at least one landslide in a lightly populated area. Two hikers in the famed Taroko Gorge national park, including one from Malaysia, were injured by falling rocks, the Hualien government reported. Traffic through the gorge has been halted while drones and helicopters check for damage, Premier Su Tseng-chang said. If it rains, [retaining walls] could fall down, so we urge people not to get close, he said. Su said schools, worksites and water, power and transit lines had also been checked for damage. While no major problems were found, cracked road surfaces on the east coast could become a problem if rain falls soon, he said. In Taipei, about 115 kilometers from the epicenter, people felt buildings shake, and one multistory building was leaning against its neighbor after its foundation shifted. The citys subway system suspended service. At the leaning building in downtown Taipei, area resident Ayumi Lin said the earthquakes force was considerable. It was really scary, Lin said. The quake shook strongly twice. The owner of a travel agency in the adjacent building, who gave only his surname, Huang, said all his employees evacuated safely from their seventh floor office. No one was hurt, Huang said. People in Chinese cities close to the Taiwan Strait dividing Taiwan from mainland China reported on social media that they also felt the quake. Taiwan is on a string of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean known as the Rim of Fire and is frequently rocked by tremors, including a 1999 quake that killed more than 2,300 people. The government has set up an elaborate system of alerts, inspections and recovery measures to cope with the frequent quakes. Hao Yilin, an exchange student from China studying at Chinese Culture University in Taipei, said he received a notice on his cellphone seconds before the ground began to shake. I wasnt scared because an earthquake like this is very common and the shaking was tolerable. So I didnt think of going outdoors and continued to eat lunch while watching a TV series, Hao said. AP Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The number of 18- to 26-year-old students who report suffering from anxiety disorder has doubled since 2008, perhaps as a result of rising financial stress and increased time spent on digital devices, according to preliminary findings released Thursday by a team of UC Berkeley researchers. The percentage of all students nationally who reported being diagnosed with or treated for anxiety disorder climbed from 10 percent in 2008 to 20 percent in 2018, according to the findings by a research team led by Richard Scheffler, a professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy and School of Public Health. Rates of anxiety disorder grew at higher rates for students who identified as transgender, Latinx and black, and they increased the closer all students got to graduation. "It is what I am calling a 'new epidemic,' and that the data supports using that term, on college campuses," Scheffler said. "We need a heightened national awareness of this very serious epidemic." Scheffler and his team examined nine years of data from the annual student National College Health Assessment survey and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youthtwo nationwide examinations of student well-being. The group also conducted 45-minute interviews with 30 UC Berkeley students who identified as suffering from anxiety. While Scheffler said he cannot firmly establish the causes for the rise in anxiety, he found strong correlations between anxiety disorder and financial instability, the amount of leisure time spent on digital devices and the level of education attained by a young adult's mother. "The correlations and the data are pretty powerful," he said. Specifically, the findings show that: Young adults who come from families that have trouble paying bills are 2.7 times more likely to have anxiety than students who come from families that have no difficulty paying bills. Young adults who spend more than 20 hours of leisure time per week on digital devices were 53 percent more likely to have anxiety than young adults who spend fewer than 5 hours a week on digital devices. Young adults with mothers who had at least an undergraduate degree had a 45 percent greater chance of having anxiety than young adults whose mothers had less than a college degree. The surveys used in the analysis did not ask about the fathers' level of education. Scheffler also found that anxiety is associated with other serious problems beyond the overwhelming feelings of worry or nervousness associated with the disorder. A student with anxiety is 3.2 times more likely to abuse alcohol or drugs, the findings show. Other negative outcomes correlated with anxiety included increased probability of having been sexually assaulted or attempting suicide. All factors being equal, Scheffler also found that between 2008 and 2014, young adults with anxiety earned 11 percent less than those without anxiety. "Anxiety has really very dire consequences for these students," Scheffler said. "That's a lot of pain and suffering." Scheffler, who joined Berkeley's faculty in 1981, said he first began thinking about student anxiety 10 years ago, when he looked out at the 100 students in his lecture hall and saw faces stricken with worry. "More than half the students were not looking at me, they were looking at their phones or their computers," Scheffler said. "I told everyone to turn their phones off and put their computers away. I had four or five students who were so addicted, they could not do it. I actually had to go and take their phones away from them." "I said to myself, 'You know, something's going on here,'" he added. "That was the beginning. And then I watched for several years." While Scheffler doesn't make policy recommendations in his preliminary findings, he said the first step in dealing with the rise in anxiety is increasing awareness among faculty and college administrators. "I want the faculty and the university leadership here at Berkeley and across the country to know that this epidemic is out there, and they need to understand it," he said. "The students need help." To that end, the Berkeley Institute for the Future of Young Americans, a research center affiliated with the Goldman School of Public Policy, is hosting a panel discussion on the findings Thursday afternoon that will feature Chancellor Carol Christ, student leaders and UC Berkeley health system administrators. "We know that Millennials and GenZ are experiencing anxiety like no previous generation," said Sarah Swanbeck, the executive director of the institute. "While there's a lot we still don't know about what's causing the spike in anxiety disorder, this report highlights that the problem is actually getting worse. It's an important signal to college administrators that much more must be done to tackle this issue." Scheffler will present his findings and hopes the audience of deans, counselors, students and program coordinators will take his message to heart. Explore further Social anxiety disorder may increase risk of alcoholism Credit: CC0 Public Domain Abraham Degarege Mengist is making malaria his mission. A doctoral student in public health with a concentration in epidemiology, Mengist came to the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work from his native Ethopia to acquire training in epidemiological research methods from renowned faculty and a curriculum that would give him the research skills to advance health at home and globally. Globally, an estimated 435,000 deaths were attributed to malaria in 2017. Most malaria deaths are due to severe Plasmodium falciparum infection. Studies have shown that various genetic factors may affect susceptibility to severe P. falciparum infection. Mengistin collaboration with Stempel College researchers Merhawi T. Gebrezgi, Gladys Ibanez and Purnima Madhivanan as well as Mats Wahlgren of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Swedenconducted a meta-analysis study examining the effects of blood type on susceptibility to severe malaria and related morbidities. The study showed that individuals within blood group A, B and AB are more susceptible to severe P. falciparum infection, while those in blood group O have a protective effect. "This finding makes a number of meaningful clinical and research implications, [which are] useful for the control of severe malaria," Mengist says. "Now that we are starting to understand the mechanisms of how blood type can affect the progression of the disease, we are exploring various options that can one day help people in the regions where malaria is endemic." As blood group A, B and AB could facilitate progression to severe malaria, transfusion of blood group O to P. falciparum infected patients seeking blood transfusion might be preferable to reduce the progression of the infection to severe malaria and, possibly, help patients avoid further complications or deaths. In addition, the study recommended production of antimalarial drugs that can disrupt rosette formationthe binding of malaria-infected red blood cell to uninfected ones, which is prominently seen in blood group A and Bfor treating severe cases of malaria. "By better understanding how blood groups interact with malaria infections, we open doors for the development of treatment options and antimalarial vaccines," Mengist says. "The study has also given way to evidence of evolutionary selection of blood group O individuals in regions where severe malaria is common. This [could possibly answer] why there's an increased proportion of individuals with blood group O in malaria endemic sub-Saharan African countries as compared to non-endemic regions like Europe and the U.S." The findings were published in the high impact journal Blood Reviews, which helped Mengist win the UGS Provost Award for Graduate Student Outstanding Paper or Manuscript. "I am honored to be selected by the provost as a recipient of this award as it helps highlight my work and the need for continued malaria research," Mengist says. "I am grateful to my major advisor Dr. Madhivanan for all her support during the work." Since beginning his Ph.D., Mengist has published more than 22 papers on the topics of malaria, helminth and the HPV vaccine. Explore further Parasites from patients with cerebral malaria stick preferentially in their brains More information: Abraham Degarege et al. Effect of the ABO blood group on susceptibility to severe malaria: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Blood Reviews (2018). Abraham Degarege et al. Effect of the ABO blood group on susceptibility to severe malaria: A systematic review and meta-analysis,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2018.07.002 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Dog owners are estimated to be four times more likely than non-dog owning adults to meet recommended physical activity guidelines, according to new University of Liverpool research. The findings, which are published today in Scientific Reports, highlight the role that dogs may have in helping to keep humans healthy. It is recommended that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week. However, this is achieved by only 66% of men and 58% of women in England and fewer than 50% of adults in the USA. Dog ownership is expected to encourage physical activity, but it has been unclear whether this effect occurs in all members of a dog-owning household, or whether dog walking replaces other forms of exercise. Dr Carri Westgarth and colleagues assessed the self-reported physical activity of 385 households in West Cheshire, UK (191 dog owning adults, 455 non-dog owning adults and 46 children). Dog owners walk more frequently and for longer periods than non-dog owners, the results show. Moreover, dog walking in this population is undertaken in addition to, and not instead of, other physical activities. The effects of dog ownership on physical activity levels in the UK reported in the present study are greater than those reported in previous studies of North American and Australian populations. For example, 64% of dog owners in the new UK study reported that they walk with their dogs for at least 150 minutes per week, compared with only 27% in a USA study. The study suggests that these discrepancies may be due to social and climatic differences, such as a higher proportion of outdoor (and self-exercised) dogs in the USA and Australia than in the UK Dr Westgarth said: "Our findings provide support for the role of pet dogs in promoting and maintaining positive health behaviours such as walking. Without dogs, it is likely that population physical activity levels would be much lower. The health benefits of dog ownership should be recognised and facilitated through the provision of dog-supportive walking environments and pet-friendly housing; failure of planning and policy makers to provide these may significantly damage population levels of physical activity." Explore further Research finds dog walkers motivated by happiness, not health More information: Carri Westgarth et al. Dog owners are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than people without a dog: An investigation of the association between dog ownership and physical activity levels in a UK community, Scientific Reports (2019). Journal information: Scientific Reports Carri Westgarth et al. Dog owners are more likely to meet physical activity guidelines than people without a dog: An investigation of the association between dog ownership and physical activity levels in a UK community,(2019). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41254-6 (HealthDay)Almost 20 percent of refugee children have elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs), according to a study published online April 15 in Pediatrics. Clelia Pezzi, M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues analyzed the prevalence of EBLL among refugee children aged 6 months to 16 years who received a domestic refugee medical examination between Jan. 1, 2010, and Sept. 30, 2014. EBLL prevalence was assessed by predeparture country; changes were examined during follow-up among children rescreened three to six months after initial testing. The researchers found that during the time period of the analysis, 12 sites provided data on 27,284 children representing nearly 25 percent of refugee children. During the initial testing, the prevalence of EBLL was 19.3 percent. There were correlations for EBLL with younger age, male sex, and overseas examination country. The prevalence of EBLL was 22.7 percent among 1,121 children from five sites with available follow-up results; correlations were seen for younger age and predeparture examination country with higher follow-up BLLs. "Refugee children remain at risk for EBLL, despite declines in prevalence over time," the authors write. "Although domestic BLL increases were more likely to occur in younger children, our data suggest that older children and adolescents also experience increases in BLL after arrival." One author disclosed financial ties to the biotechnology industry. Explore further Pediatricians missing elevated blood lead levels in U.S. Copyright 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Tragically, one of every three American women will experience intimate partner violence during her lifetime. Victims suffer not only physical injuries but are at increased risk of mental disorders. This violence is often unpredictable, which may be its worst trait. Not knowing what will come next is sometimes a stronger predictor of a woman's health outcomes than violence frequency and severity, UT Health San Antonio research suggests. "We expect severity and frequency to be the major driver to patient outcomes, but in some cases it isn't," said David Katerndahl, M.D., professor of family and community medicine in the university's Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. "The nonlinearity, or unpredictability, of the violence is much more of a driver." In the team's most recent research article on the subject, Dr. Katerndahl and coauthors Sandra Burge, Ph.D.; Robert Ferrer, M.D., M.P.H.; Johanna Becho, M.S.; and Robert Wood, Dr.P.H., all of UT Health San Antonio, present a 10-item scale designed to reliably estimate violence unpredictability. The Violence Nonlinearity Dynamics Scale may be a useful research tool in future studies of intimate partner violence, Dr. Katerndahl said. Researchers currently face the hurdle of obtaining sufficient valid data to measure nonlinearity, he said. Family stress The team's latest study enrolled 143 women who recently experienced violence. The research was advertised as a family stress study at six San Antonio family medicine clinics, including two in the UT Health Physicians practice and four in the University Health System. Non-pregnant women ages 18-64 were screened in exam rooms while waiting for appointments. If husbands accompanied them, they were not screened. Participants were assessed concerning the abusive behavior they faced and the violent environment around them. Other evaluations examined their level of hope and coping mechanisms. These assessments, paired with self-reports of the women over the eight-week study period, informed development of the Violence Nonlinearity Dynamics Scale. Family therapist Johanna Becho interacted with the women on a weekly basis. "My role was to receive phone calls from each woman to track day-to-day events occurring in her life: the loss of a job, birth of a baby or loss of a child, and other things of that nature that can impact the dynamics of a relationship," Becho said. "I also helped them to process their emotions after an incident occurred," she said. "It was very delicate dialogue, not something one shares with just anybody. It has to be with a trusted confidant, and that's what I became over the course of the eight weeks." Enough freedom to decide A certain amount of unpredictability was actually healthier for women than having their days uniform and tightly controlled. "Women who have what we call 'optimal nonlinearity,' which means they have some nonlinearity but it's not extreme, actually did better in the study in general," Dr. Katerndahl said. "Some spontaneity allows us to mine for solutions," Becho said. "Whereas one woman might be open to counseling, another might be open to legal action, and another might be ready to start thinking about steps to exit the relationship. Leaving is a process." Participant safety was the highest priority during the study. "We were able to set up safety measures that are not typical in everyday life, at least not in the life of a woman experiencing violence," Becho said. "For example, if a woman missed a phone call, we would place an outbound phone call to a safe number to try to reach her. Part of the study entry criteria was to provide a safe number for us to call if she couldn't reach us." Enrollment also included a safety assessment. "If a woman was in an extremely violent relationship, we just thought it was too risky for her to try to be in the study," Dr. Katerndahl said. "If there was a gun in the house, or he previously caused her to be hospitalized because of the violence, or another situation like that was occurring, we considered it to be too risky." These women were referred to community resources such as the Bexar County Family Justice Center, the Battered Women's Shelter and local community counseling. Warning signs During calls with the women, Becho constantly looked for an indication that the violence had spiked to a level requiring action. These women were also referred to resources. Of the 143 participants, analysis was conducted only of the 120 English-speaking women. These women included 94 Hispanics and 80 with at least a high school education. Sixty-two reported a household income of less than $20,000 annually. The mean duration of their relationships was 13.8 years and the mean duration of violence was 9.7 years. The study was published April 4 in the journal Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. More information: David A. Katerndahl et al, Psychometrics of the Violence Nonlinear Dynamics Scale, The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders (2019). David A. Katerndahl et al, Psychometrics of the Violence Nonlinear Dynamics Scale,(2019). DOI: 10.4088/PCC.18m02404 Ryusuke Sekiya will be released from Nagano Children's Hospital in central Japan over the weekend The world's smallest baby boy, who was born in October in Japan weighing as much as an apple, is now ready for the outside world, his doctor said Friday. Ryusuke Sekiya was delivered via emergency Caesarean section, after 24 weeks and five days of pregnancy as his mother Toshiko experienced hypertension. At 258 grams (9.1 ounces) he was even lighter than the previous record holder, another Japanese boy who weighed just 268 grams when he was born last year. That baby was discharged from a Tokyo hospital in February. When Ryusuke was born on October 1, 2018, he measured 22 centimetres (8.66 inches) tall, and medical staff kept him in a neonatal intensive care unit. They used tubes to feed him, sometimes taking cotton swabs to apply his mother's milk to his mouth. Nearly seven months later, the boy has grown 13 times in weight, now weighing over three kilogrammes. He will be released from Nagano Children's Hospital in central Japan over the weekend. "When he was born, he was so small, and it seemed as if he would break with a touch. I was so worried," his mother Toshiko told reporters. "Now he drinks milk. We can give him a bath. I am happy that I can see him growing," she said. Ryusuke weighed just more than an apple when he was born The smallest surviving girl was born in Germany in 2015 weighing 252 grams, according to a registry put together by the University of Iowa of the world's tiniest surviving babies. The survival rate for tiny babies is substantially lower for boys than for girls. 2019 AFP In filings to the state Supreme Court late Thursday, both the Florida House and Senate said they oppose the petition-driven ballot initiative that would reform how consumers purchase electricity in Florida. The proposal, put forward by the Citizens for Energy Choices political committee, calls for the customers right to choose and would loosen the grip of private utility monopolies like Florida Power & Light, Gulf Power, Duke Energy and Tampa Electric Co. It would allow customers to pick their electricity providers from a competitive market or give them more options to produce solar energy themselves. Attorneys for the House wrote that the initiative would have a "deleterious effect" and they consider this change to the state's constitution an "abuse of the initiative process." They wrote that instead of altering the state's constitutional language, this proposal essentially aims to legislate by amendment. "The current initiative proposes to add what essentially is a legislative policy to the Constitutionrather than address a structural or rights feature of the current charter," they wrote. Senate President Bill Galvano argued that the initiative violates the single-subject rule found in the state's constitution, which allows voters to know what an amendment does and how it will affect the Constitution. He wrote that if passed, the amendment would "dramatically affect" the functions of multiple branches and levels of government, and would force voters to choose among numerous different policy choices. Galvano also took issue with the ballot summary and language, which he said fails to touch upon the "sweeping effects" it would have. He also added that if passed, the language would require the Legislature to "upend the entire electric utility regulatory framework." The language aims to protect customers against deceptive or unfair practices and establish an independent market to make energy sales competitive, the Alachua-based committee says. Last month Attorney General Ashley Moody weighed in against the amendment, describing it as a veiled attempt to eliminate the states investor-owned utilities, such as Florida Power & Light. Although it sells itself as a pro-consumer choice measure, Moody wrote that the amendments undisclosed chief purpose is actually the opposite. The amendments language, she argued, requires creating a law prohibiting investor-owned utilities from owning, operating, or even leasing any facilities which generate electricity. The result, she wrote, would prevent those utilities from competing in the new electric utility market. The title and this statement give the misleading impression that investor-owned utilities would still be able to sell electricity to customers, competing with additional, new providers, Moody wrote. But the actual text of the amendment forbids such activity. Several other groups have filed petitions in opposition to the proposal, including investor-owned utility companies, municipal electric groups and electric cooperatives. The petitions come at a time when several bills by Republicans are moving through the Legislature to significantly alter the amendment process. One bill makes it far more difficult to gather the signatures needed to get constitutional amendments before Florida voters. Another bill would raise the vote threshold for an amendment's passage from 60 percent to two-thirds. A third bill aims to abolish the Constitution Revision Commission, a 37-member body that meets every 20 years to review and proposes changes to the state constitution. The fight has turned into a partisan one, as progressives locked out of power in Tallahassee over the last 20 years have seen their policies passed by voters who approved amendments like protecting environmental lands and restoring voting rights to felons. Alex Patton, chairman of Citizens for Energy Choices, said his group has "far more respect" for voters than utilities and the Florida Chamber of Commerce, who have lobbied heavily against the proposal and in favor of legislation to limit the process. He said while he can't comment on the specific briefs, the committee is confident in their legal footing and look forward to having their day in court. "I do hope I at least receive a thank-you card from all the white-shoe firms hired by the utilities and their political buddies for their increase in billable hours," Patton said in a text message. "Truly unprecedented." Oral arguments on the proposal are currently scheduled for Aug. 28, 2019. 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/ " " What do companies really do with the information on employee engagement surveys? aldomurillo/Getty Images Answer this: Money or recognition, which do you prefer? Check the box that applies. Employees around the nation are regularly asked questions like this in an effort to ensure they're happy and productive, not disgruntled and ready to quit. But do these surveys work? Not according to some experts. Many employees don't bother to take them, for one thing. The industry standard response rate for web-based employee surveys is just 50 to 60 percent. Employees may decline to participate because they feel the surveys are useless that nothing will change no matter what the results show. Or they may fear retaliation if the boss sees their responses. Advertisement One study showed that 48 percent of people in the senior management group found employee engagement surveys very valuable while only 19 percent of other respondents felt the same. Worse, most managers didn't know how to use the data to improve performance. A lot of that has to so with design. One common question on engagement surveys is, "Would you recommend this organization to friends and family members as a good place to work?" Whether someone answers "yes" or "no" doesn't really matter, since neither answer reveals why the person answered the way he did. Thus the manager has no idea what to continue doing or to fix. A better question is a statement like the following, which an employee ranks on a scale of 1 to 10: "My manager takes timely corrective action with employees who are not performing well." This type of question is more specific. And if an employee can give a high score on something like this, he will likely be inclined to tell others his firm is a good place to work. Companies have been measuring employee engagement since 1990, when Boston University professor William Kahn first coined the term. Engaged employees are motivated, involved and productive, plusses for both employees and business owners. But when they become disengaged which multiple surveys show is generally due to poor management they often mentally check out or quit, something companies want to prevent. Hence the surveys. Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a business psychology professor at University College London and CEO of Hogan Assessment Systems, a personality assessment firm, argues that while no method is perfect, engagement surveys shouldn't be scrapped. "The data are quite clear that engagement scores predict future job performance at the individual, team and organizational level," he says, via email. But, "It's not enough asking people once a year how they feel, and then not acting on it." Alternatives to the Yearly Survey Some companies eschew annual employee engagement surveys in lieu of the newer "pulse surveys". These are short, frequent online quizzes that can give managers a heads-up that something is amiss before a minor issue morphs into a major one. Pulse surveys can contain targeted work questions; e.g., "The last time you accomplished a large project, did you receive any recognition?" But they can also be lighthearted: "Did you ever have a bad haircut as a kid?" Such fun questions boost camaraderie and spark conversation, some managers say, although others warn frequent surveys quickly become annoying. Google relies on people analytics to assess its employees. In 2008, the company hired statisticians to comb through data from performance appraisals and past employee surveys (and to conduct interviews with highly rated and low-rated supervisors) in an effort to see whether a management level is necessary for good employee performance. The resulting analytics ended up proving that well-ranked managers were essential for highly productive teams. The insight was not to get rid of supervisors and managers but for them to stay away from tactics (like micromanaging) that turned employees off. Google uses this information for training new managers. Another strategy might be "engagement conversations." These are (usually) weekly chats where the manager individually checks in with each employee for about five minutes. "These conversations allow managers to receive feedback directly and in a more timely and relevant way," emails Rick Gibbs, a performance specialist and human resources expert with Houston-based Insperity, a human resources outsourcing firm. "Also, providing and discussing business goals with employees is extremely important because people who are engaged feel their efforts are tied to the company's overall performance." If your company is one that conducts surveys yet never changes anything, that doesn't mean you're helpless. "Volunteer for tasks that are interesting, stop working with toxic colleagues, seek feedback and training, be a constant learner [and] find a mentor," says Chamorro-Premuzic. "Although managers are largely to blame for their employees' disengagement, we cannot make them fully responsible." NOW THAT'S INTERESTING A January 2016 poll by Gallup showed only 32 percent of American employees were engaged at work (meaning they were happy and committed to their jobs). That might seem low, but in other countries, only 13 percent of workers were engaged. Data from relocation company CapRelo compares the average annual wage around the world, including the average salary of a software engineer. The group looked at the average job salaries around the world by country and how they fared across a number of common fields, relying on self-reported salary information supplied by workers from each country. One of the metrics compared by CapRelo was the average minimum wage salary paid around the globe. It pointed out that several countries such as Norway and Sweden do not have federally mandated minimum wages, and instead rely on other processes such as union negotiations within each industry to set standards. In those cases we have listed a minimum wage as N/A, CapRelo said. South Africa is also listed as n/a. South Africas National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018 came into effect on 1 January 2019, ensuring that every worker is entitled to a wage of at least R20 per hour. On a minimum wage, South Africans can earn R42,000 ($3,000) annually, far below fellow Brics countries Brazil ($3,818), and China ($4,400), but ahead of Russia ($1,276). Australia takes the top spot on this list, with an average minimum wage salary of $28,768, ahead of New Zealand ($25,521) and the UK ($21,813). Software Engineer Salaries With technology playing the prominent role it does in modern society, CapRelo also evaluated general software engineer salaries. Unsurprisingly, given the prominence of Silicon Valley to the American economy, this was the job with the highest salary in the United States of all the professions we evaluated in this study, it said. The $85,000 average salary for an American software engineer was the second highest in the world, trailing only Switzerlands $94,567. In South Africa, the average salary drops to $25,704 (R360,790), which is well below the global average of $40,690 (R571,139). Many South Africans look abroad to further their careers, with the likes of Australia, Ireland, the US and the UK all being popular destinations. It is important to note that while cost of living is not taken into account, software engineer salaries in these countries are on average significantly higher than they are in South Africa. Now read: South African Internet speeds vs The World Napa attorney Alan Charles Chuck DellArio has been honored by the California legal press as one of its California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year. Known as a CLAY award, the honor acknowledges the most significant contributions to law and justice by California lawyers in the previous year, said a news release. Engel & Voelkers announced that Philippa Ward has joined its expanding shop in St. Helena. Ward brings with her a distinguished and varied real estate background, said a news release. Raised in St. Helena, Ward graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara and began her real estate career in the Napa Valley. After nine years of brokering estate homes, vineyard land and wineries (her familys winery, Saintsbury, is in Napa), Ward moved to Manhattan, where she focused exclusively on the townhome and co-op markets. She then relocated to South Carolina as president, commercial industrial division, at Strategic Real Estate Advisors in Charlestons tri-county area. "Our St. Helena shop is excited to have her as a collaborative partner," said Will Densberger, manager of the Engel & Voelkers St. Helena shop. Dear Len and Rosie, My parents are in their 60s and had the idea of putting my sister or me on their checking accounts to be able to write checks and take care of their accounts if something should happen to them. My concern is that if my name is on their accounts, and I was to be sued for some reason and they go after all my assets, they could go after my parents accounts too. How can I protect my parents money if they were to put my name on their accounts? I would sure hate for something that happened to me to cause them to loose all their money just because Im looking out for them. Tim Dear Tim, Your parents have a good idea. You do not have to worry about your creditors going after their money. If they put you on their checking account as someone who can sign checks with the banks own power of attorney forms, the money is not yours and is not subject to the claims of your creditors. Even if your parents add you and your sister to their accounts as joint tenants, the money will still be protected. Money in a joint tenancy account belongs to the person who put the money into the account, and is not actually owned equally among the joint tenants, although each of them have legal access to the money. Even if your parents have a trust, it is a good idea for them to put a family member or loved one their day-to-day checking account, rather than putting that account into the trust. Even though a trust names successor trustees to take over the management of the trust if the initial trustees become incapacitated or dies, transferring the trust assets to the new trustees is not an automatic process. You would first have to obtain death certificates or letters from doctors stating that your parents are incapacitated. That can take weeks. Then you have to visit the lawyer to have the paperwork prepared, and then you have to come back to sign it. After that, you can get your name added to your parents trust accounts at the bank. The whole process could take a month or two. If you are on the checking account now, youll have immediate access to enough money to pay their day-to-day bills. Your parents should not rely on their durable general powers of attorney to enable you to write checks on their bank accounts if they become incapacitated. Banks are notorious for refusing to respect the validity of perfectly good powers of attorney, even though they are required to do so under the law. Youll have an easier time taking care of your parents when they need help if they put you on their checking account now. Len and Rosie Len Tillem and Rosie McNichol are elder law attorneys. Contact them at 846 Broadway, Sonoma, CA 95476, by phone at 707-996-4505. A car drove at an American Canyon Police Department sergeant early Wednesday morning, beginning a pursuit that ended in Contra Costa County, the Napa County Sheriff's Office said. The Sheriff's Office received a call around 4 a.m. that someone may be trespassing on a lot in the 100 block of Camino Oruga, said spokesperson Henry Wofford. Responding American Canyon officers and Sheriff's deputies heard a noise like cutting pipes, which suggested that catalytic converters were being removed, he said. Shortly after, an American Canyon officer heard a car start. He had to jump out of the way when the vehicle came within 15 feet of him, Wofford said. The officer began a pursuit. Meanwhile, a second person fled on foot into an adjacent parking lot. Pleasant Hill resident Jason Michael Medina, 41, was apprehended there and arrested on suspicion of three felony charges related to grand theft, vandalism and conspiracy, according to Wofford and jail records. He was also arrested on suspicion of a misdemeanor charge of resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer, jail records show. The pursuit took officers from the Sheriff's Office, American Canyon Police and California Highway Patrol east on Highway 12, south on Interstate 680, west on Highway 4 and onto surface streets in Contra Costa County. At times, the pursuit was moving as fast as 115 mph, Wofford said. It ended after the driver got back onto Highway 4, driving the wrong way. Officers discontinued out of concern for the public's safety. The driver was not identified, but appeared to be alone in the car, Wofford said. The investigation is ongoing, but anyone with information is asked to contact Napa Valley Crimestoppers by texting 274637 or visiting napavalleycrimestoppers.com. 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. Bunny Foo Foo at Hall Winery in St. Helena is celebrating Easter with his own giant egg. The 35-foot tall, stainless steel rabbit, created by Lawrence Argent, has often appeared in holiday apparel, including a witchs hat and Santa hat, and has also been known to flourish a light saber when a new Star Wars movie is released. The more credible challenges are raised against their claim that vaccines cause autism and other problems in children, the more aggressive becomes the anti-vaccination camp in California. During the same week that Danish researchers released a study of 650,000 youngsters over 10 years that found no association between autism and vaccines for diseases from polio and measles to whooping cough and hepatitis, the anti-vaccine camp again raised claims there is such a link. That contention often repeated by Americas most visible anti-vaxxer, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is based on a thoroughly debunked British study from early in this century. Nowhere are the anti-vaccination folks more active than in California. In the last two months theyve gone after Democratic state Sen. Richard Pan of Sacramento, co-author of the states newest law demanding vaccination as a condition of public school registration, and attacked a legislative effort to prevent a repeat of a deadly hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego. The bill by Democratic Assembly members Todd Gloria and Lorena Gonzalez, both from San Diego, doesnt mention vaccinations, but would demand that local authorities take any action the health officer deems necessary to control the spread of (a) communicable disease. Anti-vaxxers responded that this could allow county health departments to order adults vaccinated, not just schoolchildren. This is a pretty scary bill if they dont make any amendments to it, anti-vaccination activist Denise Marie said in a Facebook video that got thousands of views. Denise Marie does not provide her surname. Her video was one factor inducing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to promise the social medium will remove false anti-vaccine information from its service. Other anti-vaxxers are at least as vocal. The Voice for Choice activist group released a public statement attacking Pan for invading the doctor-patient relationship. Early this year, Pan, the Legislatures only pediatrician, complained that some doctors are falsely writing medical exemptions from vaccination for their young patients in exchange for payments of about $300. Pan also wrote the U.S. surgeon general reminding him that compulsory vaccinations are a longstanding American tradition. George Washington mandated smallpox inoculation of his army during the Revolutionary War to ensure our countrys freedom, he said. I call on you to protect our right as Americans to be free of preventable disease All this came against the background of a major outbreak of measles in counties in southern Washington hosting wealthy suburbs of Portland, Oregon. More than 55 cases were recorded just west of Vancouver, Washington, an area where vaccination rates had lately fallen below 90 percent. When those rates drop below about 95 percent, vulnerable persons can be more easily infected by others who unknowingly carry the disease. But outbreaks of hepatitis in San Diego and measles among Disneyland patrons, New York residents and Portland-area suburbanites dont deter the anti-vaccination campaigns. They dont acknowledge it, but theyre putting their unfounded fears ahead of the possibility of deadly disease outbreaks. Pans 2015 bill ending the religious objection exemption to vaccination for new public schoolers mostly kindergarten pupils was supposed to stop the debate. It had the reverse effect, firing up opponents who now turn out in significant numbers for legislative hearings here and around the nation. It also expanded the doctors recommendation market that began with the 1996 Proposition 215 allowing medical marijuana use with such a note. The bottom-line fact in all this is that measles can kill, while vaccines never have. Not even when a few persons have had strong reactions to them. Heres what has to happen: Lawmakers must stand up to the anti-vaccination crowd, a small minority according to every poll. They must pass the Gloria-Gonzalez bill for starters. They also ought to create and pass a new law requiring more than a mere doctors note claiming potential ill effects in order to exempt a child from vaccinations. Perhaps a requirement for some sort of laboratory tests demonstrating a vaccine allergy would be appropriate along with a doctors note. Anything short of this leaves the door open for evasion of the vaccination requirements needed to once again make California free of diseases that formerly plagued the entire world, but are now under control except in areas with low vaccination rates. Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column. He is author of the book, The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It. South Africa has been producing wine for more than 350 years. It is one of the most prominent wine producing countries in the southern hemisphere and is the ninth-largest producer of wine in the world. One can think of South African wine as the Old World meeting the New World. Despite is long history, South African wines have only recently begun to become more prevalent in the U.S., with double-digit volume growth in the past few years. One of the most prominent grapes grown in South Africa is Chenin Blanc, their signature white grape. Originally from the Loire Valley in France, Chenin Blanc makes up 18 percent of the plantings in South Africa. South Africa has the most plantings of Chenin Blanc outside of France, and also grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and their own red grape, Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. As we begin to see more and more South African wines in the market, here are a few wines to look out for. Chenin Blanc Chenin Blanc was first brought to South Africa in the 1600s, where it was known as Steen. It is the perfect wine if you are looking for something between Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Chenin Blanc is known for its diversity as it can be used for sparkling wine, still wine and dessert wine. Spier Chenin Blanc 2017, Swartland Founded in 1692, Spier is one of the oldest wineries in South Africa. The Chenin Blanc is sourced from Swartland in the Western Cape. About 50 percent of the wine is in stainless steel and 50 percent is in wood. The resulting wine has notes of apple, lemon and tangerine and delicate acidity that settles on the sides of the tongues. Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc 2017, Stellenbosch ($16) Ken Forrester began producing wine in 1994 and is at the forefront of the Chenin Blanc revival. The Old Vine Chenin Blanc comes from 38-year-old vines in sandy soils in the Stellenbosch region. The wine is barrel and tank fermented and spends nine months on the lees. The golden-hued wine has a bright nose of candied lemon, white flower and mineral notes. On the palate, it is full bodied with delicate acidity. This is a wine that has enough body for Chardonnay lovers, the intense aromas for Sauvignon Blanc lovers, and the freshness for Pinot Grigio lovers. Mullineux Old Vines White 2016, Swartland ($33) Chris and Andrea Mullineux established Mullineux Family Wines in 2007. Based in Swartland, the Old Vines White is made from 62 percent old vine Chenin Blanc blended with 15 percent Grenache Blanc, 11 percent Viognier, 8 percent Clairette Blanche, and 4 percent Semillon Gris. The wine has a soft elegant nose of citrus fruit and flowers and on the palate, it is textured but fresh with mineral notes. Sparkling wines South Africa produces traditional-method sparkling wine under the name Methode Cap Classique (MCC). This term was adopted in 1992 in response to the ban on the use of the words Champagne and Champenoise for anything other than the wine from the Champagne region in France. Methode Cape Classic wines are produced in different regions in South Africa and they are liberal about the grapes used in the blends. Backsberg Estate Cellars Kosher Brut 2017 ($25) Backsberg is one of the leading producers of kosher wine around the world. The family, Lithuanian Jews, arrived in Cape Town at the beginning of the last century. Owner Michael Backs grandfather bought the property and beginning in the 1920s, the family produced bulk wine. From the 1950s-1960s, they shifted their focus to quality wine. The Kosher Sparkling Brut MCC 2017 is a blend of 52 percent Chardonnay and 48 percent Pinot Noir and spends 12 months on the lees. It is fresh and lively with delicate fruit notes. Cool climate red wines Pinot Noir makes up 1.4 percent of the grape planting in South Africa. It is found in cool climate regions where there is a coastal ocean influence, such as the Elgin Valley, Walker Bay and Hemel-en-Aarde Valley in the Cape South Coast. Boschendal Appellation Series Elgin Pinot Noir 2016 ($36) Founded in 1685, Boschendal is one of the most historic wine estates in South Africa. The Pinot Noir comes from one of the highest planted vineyard sites in Elgin Valley. It is a light-bodied wine with bright fruit notes of raspberry, red cherry and cranberry that carry from the nose to the palate. B Vintners Black Bream Pinot Noir 2016, Walker Bay ($25) A second label by Stellenbosch-based cousins Gavin Bruwer and Bruwer Raats, B Vintners is a brand that explores the vines within the Cape Winelands. The Black Bream Pinot Noir comes from Walker Bay and has aromas of tart cherry, wild strawberry, violets and cloves. On the palate, it has cool acidity and fine grain tannins. Storm Ignis Pinot Noir 2015, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley Located 75 miles from Cape town, Hemel-en-Aarde means Heaven and Earth in Afrikaans. The Ignis Pinot Noir is grown in a vineyard with round pebbles and granite and produces a wine with raspberry, wild strawberry and spice notes Sweet wine Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2014 ($99) Vin de Constance is a historical wine and South Africas most iconic wine. A sweet dessert wine made from Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains (Muscat de Frontignan), it rivaled Yquem, Tokay and Madeira in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries until phylloxera wiped out the vineyards in 1861. The land, an amphitheater with constant wind, was reinvested in 1980. This gorgeous late harvest wine is a bright yellow gold with a rich nose of citrus, apricot, ginger and baking spices and a creamy mouthfeel and zesty finish. There is a lot of wine to discover in South Africa, a place where the Old World meets the New World. The cost of these wines is also a great value, which is an added incentive to seek them out and try them. Allison Levine is owner of Please The Palate, a marketing and event-planning agency. A freelance writer, she contributes to numerous publications while eating and drinking her way around the world. Allison is also the host of the wine podcast Wine Soundtrack USA. Contact her at allison@pleasethepalate.com. Sole candidate is elected Yerevan State University rector Opposition Prosperous Armenia Party candidate is elected mayor of Abovyan Armenia ruling party candidate is elected mayor of Talin town Earthquake hits Armenia-Georgia border zone Demonstrators march to Armenia Prosecutor General's Office Aliyev, Overchuk discuss Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan trilateral commission activities Armenia MFA on discussions of granting Azerbaijan observer status in EEU: That issue requires consensus decision Protest against recent arrests being held outside Armenia Supreme Judicial Council building Karabakh President receives Armenia Investigative Committee chief US official lauds Armenia participation in Summit for Democracy Armenia new ombudsperson candidate matter debated on in parliament committee Yerevan State University electing new rector, protest being staged at main building Ned Price: US welcomes Armenia PM-Azerbaijan president meetings in Brussels Large number of police forces on duty in Armenias Talin Yerevan city council opposition Luys Faction to not join no-confidence motion against mayor 193 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World gold prices going up Russia peacekeepers in Artsakh take anti-Covid measures at observation posts World oil prices dropping Armenia Security Council chief in US, meets with analysts at Atlantic Council event Newspaper: Armenia natural increase drops, mortality increases Newspaper: Mayor Marutyan negotiating with Yerevan city council members Yerevan Mayor: I have never met with ex-President Robert Kocharyan 5 Australia schoolchildren die after falling from bouncy castle Armen Ashotyan: No provision on use of force against Armenia, Artsakh in Eastern Partnership Summit resolution "My Step" faction of Yerevan Council of Elders nominates deputy mayor to replace Hayk Marutyan Stratfor: Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations will essentially increase Turkey's influence in the region Head of ruling faction of Yerevan Council of Elders: Mayor left Civil Contract Party a year ago Armenia Parliament Speaker announces end of second sitting of 8th convocation of National Assembly Armenia-Russia Interparliamentary Committee holds 33rd session, regional issues touched upon as well US releases about 1,500 John F. Kennedy assassination documents Armenia government to pay salaries and benefits of employees of Nairit Factory Armenia government to provide assistance to citizens having lost property in Shurnukh and Vorotan for 5 more months Armenia Deputy PM Hambardzum Matevosyan receives Russia Ambassador Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker discusses return of POWs, Artsakh status with Poland Ambassador Armenia citizen tries to approach PM, apprehended Mayoral candidate of Armenia's Vanadzor Mamikon Aslanyan is arrested NEWS.am daily digest: 16.12.21 Armenian MP: Armenia accepts as a basis the map of 1926, but Russia offered the one of 1974 to stabilize situation Armenia PM arrives at Civil Contract Party's headquarters to meet with ruling faction of Yerevan's Council of Elders Armenia President receives Belarus ambassador Armenia representative in ECHR: UN court did not equate Armenia and Azerbaijan Armenia PM congratulates serving, first Kazakhstan presidents Vanadzor residents hold rally in defense of arrested mayor Ameriabank signs $20M loan agreements with responsAbility and Global Climate Partnership Fund Garo Paylan: Armenian-Turkish relations will be normalized more quickly than expected Dollar continues losing value in Armenia Armenia representative: European Court is considering lawsuit against Turkey participation in last year's war Opposition 'Armenia' Faction secretary accuses ruling majority of violating Constitution Armenian army's General Staff deputy chief sacked Armenian NGO head Narek Samsonyan is released Armenia Ombudsman discusses with UNDP Representative return of Armenian POWs, their treatment Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte elected Westbrook City Council president Macron: Armenia, Azerbaijan, together Russia official: Observer status in Eurasian Economic Union will be beneficial for Azerbaijan Wings of Tatev named winner of World Travel Awards in World's Leading Cable Car Ride 2021 category Haberturk: There will be new Armenian-Turkish roadmap, corridor will be key issue Armenia premier receives Artsakh President Azerbaijans Aliyev pleased with absence of criticism from Armenia at Eastern Partnership Summit Armenia PM to meet with members of ruling faction of Yerevan's Council of Elders soon Armenia economy minister: Ruling power has no consensus yet on opening borders with Turkey Armenia official: $1.2bn will be spent on construction of 2 sections of railway with Azerbaijan Overchuk: Active work being done to unblock transport communications in South Caucasus 25 new cases of coronavirus reported in Karabakh Armenia MP released from custody calls on releasing other heads of communities of Syunik Province in parliament Armenia President, China diplomat discuss regional security, stability Deputy of opposition 'Armenia' Faction Mkhitar Zakaryan takes oath after release from custody Russia peacekeepers help deliver 10 tons of humanitarian aid to Artsakh children Armenias Pashinyan: We agreed with Azerbaijans Aliyev to continue contacts Armenia PM: Yeraskh-Julfa-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadis railway will be built 180 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Macron: We will never abandon Armenians Yerevan mayor signs petitions for purchase of 100 more new public transport buses, 100 elevators Turkey considering airlines bids for Istanbul-Yerevan flights US National Security Adviser expresses concern over tensions between Armenia, Azerbaijan Armen Grigoryan, Jake Sullivan discuss security environment around Armenia Newspaper: Western-funded public sector of Armenia becomes active with new topics Azerbaijans Aliyev calls talks with Armenias Pashinyan in Brussels productive and pragmatic EU to provide 2.3bn to Eastern Partnership countries, including Armenia EU welcomes recent signature of common aviation area agreement with Armenia US embassy in Armenia issues travel update EU remains committed in its support to territorial integrity within their internationally recognised borders EU, Eastern Partnership countries leaders call Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Brussels very positive step Armenia PM, Cyprus President exchange views on developments in South Caucasus Pashinyan-Macron-Aliyev trilateral meeting held in Brussels Irakanum.am: Armenia PM to meet with members of ruling faction of Yerevan's Council of Elders tomorrow French Senate to set up group for Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia PM attends 6th Eastern Partnership Summit Turkey's ex-Ambassador to US to be appointed special envoy for normalization of relations with Armenia Aliyev on Armenian POWs: We returned them to Armenia, and they were detained there Aliyev claims that Baku has managed to convince Yerevan about 'inevitability of opening of road to Nakhchivan' Zelensky offers to host summit of leaders of Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Turkey in Kyiv Armenia Security Council Secretary to meet with National Security Advisor to US President Jake Sullivan Democratic Party of Artsakh members meet with representatives of Republican Party of Armenia Armenian army generals submit recommendation letter for release of detachment commander Ashot Minasyan Mitsotakis: Turkey's financial crisis presents danger for stability in the whole region Germany declares two officials of Russian Embassy persona non grata Armenia justice minister discusses sector-specific meetings with Croatian, Irish, Greek counterparts Ruling faction of Yerevan's Council of Elders launches procedure to express lack of confidence in mayor Moldova's special services arrest and conduct search against founder of Wargonzo Semyon Pegov Username: Password: or Register Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Thread Rating: 3 Vote(s) - 3.67 Average 1 2 3 4 5 Page: 1 2 Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC entropy Bird Truther. User ID: 476071 04-19-2019 11:54 PM Posts: 2,857 Post: #1 Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Advertisement Damnrod Pull my finger User ID: 196953 04-19-2019 11:57 PM Posts: 7,609 Post: #2 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery"...Thomas Jefferson "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it"...Thomas Jefferson LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 498139 04-19-2019 11:57 PM Post: #3 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Sorry, but supporting bernie is like being a met fan. You can always hope but really know they aren't going to do anything for you. Sorry, but supporting bernie is like being a met fan.You can always hope but really know they aren't going to do anything for you. LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 497823 04-20-2019 12:06 AM Post: #4 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Communists suck! Damnrod Pull my finger User ID: 196953 04-20-2019 12:26 AM Posts: 7,609 Post: #5 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC reel it in or suffer a worse fate than camps reel it in or suffer a worse fate than camps "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery"...Thomas Jefferson "I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it"...Thomas Jefferson LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 497750 04-20-2019 12:27 AM Post: #6 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC No thanks, lame post entropy Bird Truther. User ID: 476071 04-20-2019 12:28 AM Posts: 2,857 Post: #7 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Manosteel Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:26 AM) reel it in or suffer a worse fate than camps spo snouou Vocem sine nomine audivit! User ID: 350320 04-20-2019 12:44 AM Posts: 67,593 Post: #8 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Manosteel Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:26 AM) reel it in or suffer a worse fate than camps Convergence Convergence Is Worse Than Collusion Code: This is an operational unit of information terrorists helping to transform the way Americans consume news in the age of Trumpsome of the central nodes that give order to the information deluge and around which bot armies and human amplification networks can be organized, wiped out, reconstituted, and armed for attack. Because that is what they do: attack. Many reporters who cover this phenomenon have themselves been swarmed by attacks and harassment from the digital insurgency that these information terroristscall them the cadrecommand. Information terrorism is not a term I apply lightly. But if you accept the core definition of terrorism as "the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims," then there are few terms more apt to describe what this group has unleashed against their fellow Americans. The cadre coalesced and sharpened its edge starting in 2014 with Gamergate before throwing in with then-candidate Trump. It has promoted toxic conspiracies like Pizzagate and QAnon, and was ever-present around movements from Unite the Right to #releasethememo. This same information architecture was used to attack Blasey Ford and exonerate Kavanaugh. The attacks on Blasey Ford aimed to discredit and silence her using the same tactics that have been deployed to discredit and silence others over the past few years. As others have come forward to accuse Kavanaugh of wrongdoingincluding Deborah Ramirez and Julie Swetnickthey have been similarly harassed and smeared by the same machinery and themes. Some call this trolling, but that term is far too mild. These are not the proverbial hoodied losers in some basement, engaging with other humans only via videogames and 8chan. This cadre has hundreds of thousands of followers and devotees on Twitter, Instagram, Gab, and other social media, many of whom will post and amplify their views even after the personalities themselves are kicked off the platforms for threats and rules violations. The network also takes advantage of affiliations with increasingly mainstream partisan media outlets that will subscribe to any argument that suits their current agenda. Ultimately, the followerswho are real people, not botsare cultivated and activated: They dont need be told to threaten or harass whoever the new enemy is because they already know their part in the play. https://www.wired.com/story/information-...e-america/ The illustrated triangles above, perhaps the best known in psychology (with emotions well identified) may furnish a better idea of how the game is played. They clearly show how each party uses negative emotions to create a situation with no resolution, a catch-22, switching roles and a thankless, pointless nonsensical cycle. The last one shows how to get out of the Karpmans triangle to recover ones mental health. more: https://cornerstone.ac.za/article-of-the...opolitics/ Russia, Reflexive Control, and the Subtle Art of Red Teaming To understand the Russian approach to strategy and conflict, we must first understand something about the concept of reflexive control. Initially developed and championed by Vladimir Lefebvre, its a uniquely Russian view on stratagem and deception that repackages and reframes much of what we usually associate with Sun Tzu. If we expect deception and stratagem from China but not from Russia, weve set yourself up to be surprised. Wed be foolish to assume that the Russians are not currently employing reflexive control against the West. By definition, reflexive control is a means of conveying to a partner or an opponent specially prepared information to incline him to voluntarily make the predetermined decision desired by the initiator of the action. In other words, when employing the theory of reflexive control, you paint a picture of the world, that, if successful, your opponent accepts. This false picture compels your opponent to act in your favor. A close term in the U.S. lexicon is perception management, although the tone of reflexive control is arguably broader and more Machiavellian. Examples of the types of reflexive interactions include transfer of an image of the situation, creation of a goal for the opponent, transfer of a decision, formation of goal by transferring an image of the situation, and transfer of an image of ones own perception of the situation. These types (and others) suggest that when employing reflexive control, an opponent manipulates not just our perceptions but also our decision algorithms. more: https://redteamjournal.com/2016/10/reflexive-control/ Many people think that universal healthcare is socialism. It is not. Many people think that public schools and free college education are socialism. They are not. Many people think that welfare is socialism. It is not. Many people think that police and roads are socialism. They are not. And many people now think that a federal Job Guarantee is also socialism. It is not. http://elliswinningham.net/index.php/201...overnment/ THE "SKELETON HOLDING THE SMOKING GUN" IN THE GOP CLOSET Quote: Constructive Ambiguity, what you dont know will hurt you! In Hyper-normalisation other than the namesake there are two methods identified; firstly, Constructive ambiguity,[3] a technique used by Kissinger whereby current allies are not directly lied to but led to believe that one strategy or outcome is being pursued while the exact opposite is in fact being pursued this requires a kind of managed non-committal set of activities open to interpretation in this way the public facing officials or politicians are able to say they have not openly lied, maintaining appearances while their intentions or subterfuge is achieved never the less. more: http://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/hyper-...ropaganda/ Quote: The information offered relieves emotional stress. Trust to the source of information offering the solution is formed. Based on this trust, the new information is accepted easily. This method creates physiological changes in the brain. Recovery takes special treatment. The thinking patterns are altered and conventional logical arguments fail to deliver facts. On the contrary, the victims of brainwashing develop acute negative emotions to opponents, evidence or facts. Their behavior becomes aggressive and can lead to violence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_warfare https://www.wired.com/story/information-...e-america/ The illustrated triangles above, perhaps the best known in psychology (with emotions well identified) may furnish a better idea of how the game is played. They clearly show how each party uses negative emotions to create a situation with no resolution, a catch-22, switching roles and a thankless, pointless nonsensical cycle. The last one shows how to get out of the Karpmans triangle to recover ones mental health. more: https://cornerstone.ac.za/article-of-the...opolitics/ To understand the Russian approach to strategy and conflict, we must first understand something about the concept of reflexive control. Initially developed and championed by Vladimir Lefebvre, its a uniquely Russian view on stratagem and deception that repackages and reframes much of what we usually associate with Sun Tzu. If we expect deception and stratagem from China but not from Russia, weve set yourself up to be surprised. Wed be foolish to assume that the Russians are not currently employing reflexive control against the West. By definition, reflexive control is a means of conveying to a partner or an opponent specially prepared information to incline him to voluntarily make the predetermined decision desired by the initiator of the action. more: https://redteamjournal.com/2016/10/reflexive-control/ Many people think that universal healthcare is socialism. It is not. Many people think that public schools and free college education are socialism. They are not. Many people think that welfare is socialism. It is not. Many people think that police and roads are socialism. They are not. And many people now think that a federal Job Guarantee is also socialism. It is not. http://elliswinningham.net/index.php/201...overnment/ THE "SKELETON HOLDING THE SMOKING GUN" IN THE GOP CLOSET more: http://www.trebuchet-magazine.com/hyper-...ropaganda/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_warfare spo snouou Vocem sine nomine audivit! User ID: 350320 04-20-2019 12:44 AM Posts: 67,593 Post: #9 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-populism/ President Trump Posts Altered Photos to Facebook and Instagram That Make Him Look Thinner The original photo was taken by a White House photographer on January 14, so you know that the original hasnt been altered by anyone in the so-called fake news media to make Trump look heavier. It sounds silly to even have to say that, but many Trump supporters believe that the media is involved in a coordinated conspiracy against him. Allegations about this conspiracy often have anti-semitic overtones. As you can see in the comparison above, Trumps right shoulder has been slimmed down and his face is looking thinner. Hes also gotten a haircutwell, a digital one anywayand in one of the strangest alterations, Trumps fingers have been made slightly longer. Seriously. Donald Trump, an unindicted co-conspirator whose own lawyer admits that the president was trying to secure a real estate deal in Russia as late as November of 2016, has been somewhat sensitive about the size of his hands ever since journalist Graydon Carter described Trump as a short-fingered vulgarian. Carter was writing for the now-defunct Spy magazine in the 1980s when he made the observation and the insult has reportedly bothered Trump for decades. more: https://gizmodo.com/president-trump-post...09849?IR=T Familism in the personality cult Familism is a type of collectivism in which the one is expected to prioritize the needs of the greater society or family over the needs of the individual. This plays out on a large scale in North Korea, where the Great Leader Kim Il-Sung is Father and the Worker's Party is Mother. Thus, not only are the people expected to cherish their birth parents and treat them with all the respect demanded of traditional Confucian filial piety, but they must cherish and adore the ruling Kim family and the Mother Party even more so. Familism in North Korea stems from a combination of the traditional East Asian Confucian value of filial piety, the communist system of collectivism, and the Kim cult of personality. As a traditional East Asian and Confucian value, the importance of family has come to resonate through all aspects of North Korean life, from politics to the economy to education and even to interpersonal relationships between friends and enemies. When the Soviet Union first entered North Korea in 1945 to start its occupation, it had to start almost from scratch in establishing a communist base in the capital region of Pyongyang.[95] In fact, the Soviets' ideologies of communism and socialism were likely as foreign to the Koreans of Pyongyang as the Soviets themselves. However, by emphasizing family and a father-child relationship between the Soviet Union and Korea, and later between Kim Il-Sung and the North Korean people, Kim not only managed to apply Western Marxism to an Asian state, but also to secure his own personality cult, thereby constructing a sense of unquestioning loyalty toward him amongst the North Korean people when North Korea was at its most vulnerable to unwelcome western influences. However, in the late 1960s after the establishment of Juche as official North Korean ideology, through the cult of personality North Korea began to prominently focus the family ideology more on the North Korean nation itself, with Kim Il-Sung himself as the new pater familias.[citation needed] The cults of personality also promote the idea of the ruling Kims as a model family. In grief over the death of his second son, Kim Pyong-Il in 1947, Kim Il-Sung returned to the very same spot a decade later with a Korean shaman to perform rituals to "assuage his loss and pain."[96] There was particular stress on the Confucian filial love of the son for his parents. After their deaths Kim dedicated monuments to his father and mother, respectively. However, biographer Dae-Sook Suh doubts the sincerity of Kims displays of reverence of his parents. In considering Kims relatively independent childhood, Suh does not believe that Kim held any special love for his parents that would necessitate separate museums and statues for each. Instead, Suh says that "his purpose, rather, seems to be more self-serving: an effort to build his own image as a pious Korean son from a revolutionary family."[84] By publicly portraying himself as a loyal son who loved his mother and father, Kim positioned himself to demand the same filial loyalty from his subjects. Likewise, in celebration of his father's 60th birthday, Kim Jong-Il produced three operas for him,[citation needed] built three monuments, including North Korea's Arch of Triumph, for his 70th birthday in 1982,[97] and upon Kim Il-Sungs death in 1994, Kim Jong-Il declared three years of mourning before fully claiming leadership of North Korea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Kore...im_Il-sung The presidents remarks at a recent rally inflating his wealth illuminate how his particular brand of populism works. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...sm/564116/ You have a vision of people defending democratic rights and values and systems as this unfocused , disjointed extremist collective like yourselves because you are groomed to attack all that defend democratic principals as communists. The people defending democracy from your populist extremism are not communists ,who if you look at history follow authoritarian personality cults and demagogues that consolidate power for an elite class. They have defended democracy against the likes of you before. Defending democracy means defending mixed economy capitalist society, public purpose spending , NOT crony capitalism, corporatism or plutocratic oligarchy that you represent... Our democratically elected left officials in western democracies are not a even anywhere close to a personality cultists ie. communists and fascists , Trump supporters on the other hand represent a much closer example of this type of totalitarian extremism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolae_Ce...ersonality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Il-sun...ersonality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin%27s...mass_media attacks on the free press and journalism is an unmistakable hallmark of this particular political activity https://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/center...index.html From Memes to Infowars: How 75 Fascist Activists Were Red-Pilled https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas...ed-pilled/ The original photo was taken by a White House photographer on January 14, so you know that the original hasnt been altered by anyone in the so-called fake news media to make Trump look heavier. It sounds silly to even have to say that, but many Trump supporters believe that the media is involved in a coordinated conspiracy against him. Allegations about this conspiracy often have anti-semitic overtones.As you can see in the comparison above, Trumps right shoulder has been slimmed down and his face is looking thinner. Hes also gotten a haircutwell, a digital one anywayand in one of the strangest alterations, Trumps fingers have been made slightly longer. Seriously.Donald Trump, an unindicted co-conspirator whose own lawyer admits that the president was trying to secure a real estate deal in Russia as late as November of 2016, has been somewhat sensitive about the size of his hands ever since journalist Graydon Carter described Trump as a short-fingered vulgarian. Carter was writing for the now-defunct Spy magazine in the 1980s when he made the observation and the insult has reportedly bothered Trump for decades.more:Familism is a type of collectivism in which the one is expected to prioritize the needs of the greater society or family over the needs of the individual. This plays out on a large scale in North Korea, where the Great Leader Kim Il-Sung is Father and the Worker's Party is Mother. Thus, not only are the people expected to cherish their birth parents and treat them with all the respect demanded of traditional Confucian filial piety, but they must cherish and adore the ruling Kim family and the Mother Party even more so.Familism in North Korea stems from a combination of the traditional East Asian Confucian value of filial piety, the communist system of collectivism, and the Kim cult of personality. As a traditional East Asian and Confucian value, the importance of family has come to resonate through all aspects of North Korean life, from politics to the economy to education and even to interpersonal relationships between friends and enemies.When the Soviet Union first entered North Korea in 1945 to start its occupation, it had to start almost from scratch in establishing a communist base in the capital region of Pyongyang.[95] In fact, the Soviets' ideologies of communism and socialism were likely as foreign to the Koreans of Pyongyang as the Soviets themselves. However, by emphasizing family and a father-child relationship between the Soviet Union and Korea, and later between Kim Il-Sung and the North Korean people, Kim not only managed to apply Western Marxism to an Asian state, but also to secure his own personality cult, thereby constructing a sense of unquestioning loyalty toward him amongst the North Korean people when North Korea was at its most vulnerable to unwelcome western influences.However, in the late 1960s after the establishment of Juche as official North Korean ideology, through the cult of personality North Korea began to prominently focus the family ideology more on the North Korean nation itself, with Kim Il-Sung himself as the new pater familias.[citation needed]The cults of personality also promote the idea of the ruling Kims as a model family. In grief over the death of his second son, Kim Pyong-Il in 1947, Kim Il-Sung returned to the very same spot a decade later with a Korean shaman to perform rituals to "assuage his loss and pain."[96] There was particular stress on the Confucian filial love of the son for his parents. After their deaths Kim dedicated monuments to his father and mother, respectively.However, biographer Dae-Sook Suh doubts the sincerity of Kims displays of reverence of his parents. In considering Kims relatively independent childhood, Suh does not believe that Kim held any special love for his parents that would necessitate separate museums and statues for each. Instead, Suh says that "his purpose, rather, seems to be more self-serving: an effort to build his own image as a pious Korean son from a revolutionary family."[84] By publicly portraying himself as a loyal son who loved his mother and father, Kim positioned himself to demand the same filial loyalty from his subjects.Likewise, in celebration of his father's 60th birthday, Kim Jong-Il produced three operas for him,[citation needed] built three monuments, including North Korea's Arch of Triumph, for his 70th birthday in 1982,[97] and upon Kim Il-Sungs death in 1994, Kim Jong-Il declared three years of mourning before fully claiming leadership of North Korea.The presidents remarks at a recent rally inflating his wealth illuminate how his particular brand of populism works.You have a vision of people defending democratic rights and values and systems as this unfocused , disjointed extremist collective like yourselves because you are groomed to attack all that defend democratic principals as communists.The people defending democracy from your populist extremism are not communists ,who if you look at history follow authoritarian personality cults and demagogues that consolidate power for an elite class. They have defended democracy against the likes of you before.Defending democracy means defending mixed economy capitalist society, public purpose spending , NOT crony capitalism, corporatism or plutocratic oligarchy that you represent...Our democratically elected left officials in western democracies are not a even anywhere close to a personality cultists ie. communists and fascists , Trump supporters on the other hand represent a much closer example of this type of totalitarian extremism.attacks on the free press and journalism is an unmistakable hallmark of this particular political activityFrom Memes to Infowars: How 75 Fascist Activists Were Red-Pilled (This post was last modified: 04-20-2019 12:48 AM by spo snouou .) udis Philosopher User ID: 498200 04-20-2019 12:46 AM Posts: 32,916 Post: #10 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC Does Anyone Really Thing BERNIE Gives 2Shits About People! Love that Red Porsche and New Beach House Bernie! WAY to Sell out! This Claim Is Disputed Pending Fact Checkers. udis The Ministry Of Thought Crime. Does Not Approve Of Your Thoughts! LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 481809 04-20-2019 12:46 AM Post: #11 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC BROWN ACID BERNIE LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 481809 04-20-2019 12:47 AM Post: #12 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC udis Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:46 AM) Does Anyone Really Thing BERNIE Gives 2Shits About People! Love that Red Porsche and New Beach House Bernie! WAY to Sell out! oh vey they know oh vey they know LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 497823 04-20-2019 12:49 AM Post: #13 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC spo snouou Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:44 AM) link to image: http://i.imgur.com/Fe0ctBh.gif [img=250x300]https://i.imgur.com/dUg4T5N.gif http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-populism/ President Trump Posts Altered Photos to Facebook and Instagram That Make Him Look Thinner The original photo was taken by a White House photographer on January 14, so you know that the original hasnt been altered by anyone in the so-called fake news media to make Trump look heavier. It sounds silly to even have to say that, but many Trump supporters believe that the media is involved in a coordinated conspiracy against him. Allegations about this conspiracy often have anti-semitic overtones. As you can see in the comparison above, Trumps right shoulder has been slimmed down and his face is looking thinner. Hes also gotten a haircutwell, a digital one anywayand in one of the strangest alterations, Trumps fingers have been made slightly longer. Seriously. Donald Trump, an unindicted co-conspirator whose own lawyer admits that the president was trying to secure a real estate deal in Russia as late as November of 2016, has been somewhat sensitive about the size of his hands ever since journalist Graydon Carter described Trump as a short-fingered vulgarian. Carter was writing for the now-defunct Spy magazine in the 1980s when he made the observation and the insult has reportedly bothered Trump for decades. more: https://gizmodo.com/president-trump-post...09849?IR=T [img=500x500]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQl9WvTf2bIb7WUmle_Z96FFEH2S2SoJyclcAyQByx3v5wAYJph [img=500x500]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFSJiT_r4eNea1WOVfgIkP6wLCiFaR_T2pHjDt0HhOfIVc4ce- [img=500x500]https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTUCEn-bTk_v1ne49EM92Nw-qTbcxLfoAWEuHczO1XAP_D98MyP [img=500x500]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/9d/74/07/9d7407e3eb721cd9d9a308affdc3eba6.jpg link to image: https://pics.me.me/thumb_when-you-photos...042555.png Familism in the personality cult Familism is a type of collectivism in which the one is expected to prioritize the needs of the greater society or family over the needs of the individual. This plays out on a large scale in North Korea, where the Great Leader Kim Il-Sung is Father and the Worker's Party is Mother. Thus, not only are the people expected to cherish their birth parents and treat them with all the respect demanded of traditional Confucian filial piety, but they must cherish and adore the ruling Kim family and the Mother Party even more so. Familism in North Korea stems from a combination of the traditional East Asian Confucian value of filial piety, the communist system of collectivism, and the Kim cult of personality. As a traditional East Asian and Confucian value, the importance of family has come to resonate through all aspects of North Korean life, from politics to the economy to education and even to interpersonal relationships between friends and enemies. When the Soviet Union first entered North Korea in 1945 to start its occupation, it had to start almost from scratch in establishing a communist base in the capital region of Pyongyang.[95] In fact, the Soviets' ideologies of communism and socialism were likely as foreign to the Koreans of Pyongyang as the Soviets themselves. However, by emphasizing family and a father-child relationship between the Soviet Union and Korea, and later between Kim Il-Sung and the North Korean people, Kim not only managed to apply Western Marxism to an Asian state, but also to secure his own personality cult, thereby constructing a sense of unquestioning loyalty toward him amongst the North Korean people when North Korea was at its most vulnerable to unwelcome western influences. However, in the late 1960s after the establishment of Juche as official North Korean ideology, through the cult of personality North Korea began to prominently focus the family ideology more on the North Korean nation itself, with Kim Il-Sung himself as the new pater familias.[citation needed] The cults of personality also promote the idea of the ruling Kims as a model family. In grief over the death of his second son, Kim Pyong-Il in 1947, Kim Il-Sung returned to the very same spot a decade later with a Korean shaman to perform rituals to "assuage his loss and pain."[96] There was particular stress on the Confucian filial love of the son for his parents. After their deaths Kim dedicated monuments to his father and mother, respectively. However, biographer Dae-Sook Suh doubts the sincerity of Kims displays of reverence of his parents. In considering Kims relatively independent childhood, Suh does not believe that Kim held any special love for his parents that would necessitate separate museums and statues for each. Instead, Suh says that "his purpose, rather, seems to be more self-serving: an effort to build his own image as a pious Korean son from a revolutionary family."[84] By publicly portraying himself as a loyal son who loved his mother and father, Kim positioned himself to demand the same filial loyalty from his subjects. Likewise, in celebration of his father's 60th birthday, Kim Jong-Il produced three operas for him,[citation needed] built three monuments, including North Korea's Arch of Triumph, for his 70th birthday in 1982,[97] and upon Kim Il-Sungs death in 1994, Kim Jong-Il declared three years of mourning before fully claiming leadership of North Korea. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Kore...im_Il-sung The presidents remarks at a recent rally inflating his wealth illuminate how his particular brand of populism works. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...sm/564116/ You have a vision of people defending democratic rights and values and systems as this unfocused , disjointed extremist collective like yourselves because you are groomed to attack all that defend democratic principals as communists. The people defending democracy from your populist extremism are not communists ,who if you look at history follow authoritarian personality cults and demagogues that consolidate power for an elite class. They have defended democracy against the likes of you before. Defending democracy means defending mixed economy capitalist society, public purpose spending , NOT crony capitalism, corporatism or plutocratic oligarchy that you represent... Our democratically elected left officials in western democracies are not a even anywhere close to a personality cultists ie. communists and fascists , Trump supporters on the other hand represent a much closer example of this type of totalitarian extremism. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolae_Ce...ersonality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Il-sun...ersonality https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalin%27s...mass_media attacks on the free press and journalism is an unmistakable hallmark of this particular political activity https://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/center...index.html From Memes to Infowars: How 75 Fascist Activists Were Red-Pilled https://www.bellingcat.com/news/americas...ed-pilled/ Wall of Text Moron, nobody believes or reads any of the propaganda you post. Wall of Text Moron, nobody believes or reads any of the propaganda you post. spo snouou Vocem sine nomine audivit! User ID: 350320 04-20-2019 01:37 AM Posts: 67,593 Post: #14 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC LoP Guest Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:49 AM) Wall of Text Moron, nobody believes or reads any of the propaganda you post. Yeah , I know sad , isn't it. Everyone believes in populist psychics like you, it would seem All seeing, all knowing existentialist narrative gaming fuckheads, that all seem to know what 'everybody' and 'nobody' thinks. Take a bow ,lowinfo moron personality cult shill.. ^read the fine print Yeah , I knowsad , isn't it.Everyone believes in populist psychics like you, it would seemAll seeing, all knowing existentialist narrative gaming fuckheads, that all seem to know what 'everybody' and 'nobody' thinks.Take a bow ,lowinfo moron personality cult shill.. (This post was last modified: 04-20-2019 01:37 AM by spo snouou .) LoP Guest lop guest User ID: 497823 04-20-2019 02:16 AM Post: #15 RE: Bernie Sanders Rally Live in Greenville, SC spo snouou Wrote: (04-20-2019 01:37 AM) LoP Guest Wrote: (04-20-2019 12:49 AM) Wall of Text Moron, nobody believes or reads any of the propaganda you post. Yeah , I know sad , isn't it. Everyone believes in populist psychics like you, it would seem All seeing, all knowing existentialist narrative gaming fuckheads, that all seem to know what 'everybody' and 'nobody' thinks. Take a bow ,lowinfo moron personality cult shill.. ^read the fine print Advertisement Back to Forum Reply to This post Post New Thread Mali's Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his entire government have submitted their resignations to the president of the country Ibrahim Boubacar Keita who accepted them, news.com.ua reported. "By letter dated April 18, 2019, Prime Minister Mr Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga presented to the President of the Republic his resignation and that of the members of the Government, in accordance with article 38 of the Constitution," President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita tweeted. Article 38 of the Constitution of Mali assumes that the president of the country must accept the resignation in the event of the departure of the prime minister and his government, and also appoint a new prime minister and members of the government. It is reported that the President accepted the resignation of the Prime Minister and thanked him and members of the government for the work done. According to the statement, the name of the country's new prime minister will be announced shortly after consulting with representatives of all political forces. The resignation of the government took place several weeks after the death of at least 134 people as a result of an attack in the country. The Armenia Ministry of Emergency Situations intends to appeal to the Yerevan Mayors Office regarding numerous violations of town planning norms, Armenian Emergency Situations Minister Felix Tsolakyan told reporters on Friday. He referred on barriers installed without permission by residents and tenants of offices, construction of buildings close to each other, as well as on lack of fire-fighting measures. Asked to comment on shelters, the minister said that there are nearly 300 shelters in the republic, most of them are in an unusable condition, and some are generally privatized. The Ministry of Emergency Situations proposes not to take away the acquired property from the owners, but to oblige them to start reparation works in order to allow it to be used on condition that it is released upon first demand. The US is ready to support the Armenian leadership in the implementation of democratic reforms in the country, the US ambassador to Armenia, Lynne Tracy said on Friday within the launch of the School of Local Democracy in Armenia. According to her, there is a transition period in Armenia, while the youth played the crucial role in the changes. She noted that there is a long way to go to validate the achievements that were recorded last year. The US ambassador noted that she was encouraged to see such a large number of young people who are eager to take an active part in the development of their communities so that the efforts of the municipal authorities would serve to fulfill their expectations. According to her, the school of local democracy will help to master such abilities that will allow young people to become leaders of their generation. As reported earlier, the school of local democracy was opened on April 19 in the village of Aghveran, Armenias Kotayk region. The initiative is funded by USAID (United States Agency for International Development). I agree with the Prime Ministers statement that state official with shoulder cant be indifferent to the national flag. This is what Armenias Minister of Emergency Situations Felix Tsolakyan said during an April 19 press conference. I agree with the Prime Minister and believe that we Armenians need to treat our national emblems normally, just like people in other countries. For instance, Armenians still dont have the culture of placing the national flag in their yards like the Americans do. I agree with the Prime Minister, but I believe he has to be coarser in some regards. If were talking about a person who has committed an offense, it is not right to show a mild attitude towards that person, he stated. While touring the automobile customs house of Noragavit, Nikol Pashinyan entered one of the offices of the customs house and demanded the employees resignation after seeing that there was a dirty national flag in a corner of the room. All.me social media platform was in the focus of the 2019 Global Business Forum Latin America (GBF) which was held from April 9-10 in Panama City. The forum hosted with over 7,650 attendees, 12 heads of state, 90 ministries, and dignitaries, distinguished speakers from 65 countries. Mr. Artak Tovmasyan, Board Member and Chief Development Officer of all.me digital network was among the participants and presented new solutions of the platform, All.me told Armenian News-NEWS.am. All.me mobile application is digital ecosystem rooted in blockchain technology that combines a social network, soon to be a trading platform, and payment service. Panama has a great potential in becoming one of the worlds leading IT podiums, and its not a secret that international giants such as Dell, Ericsson and others are putting down roots here. At all.me we can see this potential as well, with over 84% of the population having access to the internet where WhatsApp, Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram are among top used platforms, I believe the market is ready to accept the innovative solutions of all.me, says Mr. Artak Tovmasyan when assessing Panamas potential in becoming a high-tech industry leader. Among the number of important meetings and negotiations, Mr. Tovmasyan also had a meeting with the President of the Republic of Panama H.E. Juan Carlos Varela. Collaborations discussed within the framework of the GBF had the goal of providing additional benefits for citizens of such countries and ushering national businesses into the new digital economy. What is all.me and why is the platform attractive? What makes all.me unique is the well-thought and universal use of the platform: 1. Social network (meNetwork) empowers active users and rewards with digital assets (ME tokens) based on their social activity. Building a relationship between the users and the platform, it establishes a mutually beneficial and fair sharing of advertising revenue. all.me users can receive up to 50% of ad generated revenue. 2. E-commerce platform (meMarket) (to be launched shortly) is a trading platform users can buy and sell items both from each and from known brands; 3. Payment service (mePay) (under development) is a FinTech solution that brings together blockchain technology, digital assets, electronic money, as well as classic payment services. With the internal billing system, transfers can be performed instantly without commissions within the network. 4. Decentralized system (meBlockchain) (under development) will allow all.me to create a transparent mechanism for users and advertisers. Follow us on all.me Today the Speaker of the National Assembly Ararat Mirzoyan, who had left for Saint Petersburg to take part in the IPA CIS 49th Plenary Session met with the Speaker of the RF Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko. Thanking her colleague for organizing the works of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly at best Ararat Mirzoyan noted that through several years the IPA CIS had been an effective platform for the dialogue of the member states parliaments. The Speaker of the National Assembly highly assessed the level of the Armenian-Russian strategic partner relations, which is assured by frequently taking place contacts and visits at high level. According to Ararat Mirzoyan, the parliamentary format is an important part of the Armenian-Russian relations. In this aspect the Head of the legislative body noted that already formed Committee on the Armenian-Russian Parliamentary Cooperation would be a good platform for the active work of the two states parliamentarians. Welcoming Ararat Mirzoyan in the IPA CIS format with the Speaker of the RF Federation Council of the Federal Assembly Valentina Matviyenko once again highlighted the implementation of the shift of power in Armenia without violence and through democratic processes, reaffirmed the commitment of the Russian Federation to support and develop the partnership relations with Armenia. Touching upon the inter-parliamentary relations, Valentina Matviyenko noted with satisfaction that the contacts and the works of the Armenian-Russian Parliamentary Cooperation had already begun. Mrs Matviyenko also called on the Speaker Mirzoyan and the Armenian delegation to the IPA CIS to actively use the format of the IPA CIS for deepening of the legislative reforms and bilateral cooperation. On the same day, Ararat Mirzoyan met with the Speaker of the Senate of Kazakhstan Dariga Nazarbayeva. The Speaker of the National Assembly congratulated Mrs Nazarbayeva on being elected in the post of the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and wished her success in the implementation of the responsible state activity. Ararat Mirzoyan expressed hope that they would give new impetus with joint efforts to the Armenian-Kazakh inter-parliamentary cooperation for the benefit of the two states and friendly peoples. Regarding the level of the Armenian-Kazakh economic relations the Speaker of the National Assembly has noted that there is positive dynamics of bilateral goods turnover growth, and its volume in the last year, 2018 has increased 2.5 times compared with 2017. At the same time he has noted that the potential of the trade-economic relations is much bigger, and it is necessary to work for its full use. In this context Ararat Mirzoyan underlined the important role of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), which could become an effective structural order of further coordination of the economic relations. The Head of the parliament expressed conviction that the dynamic development of the inter-parliamentary relations also would create a favourable basis for multi-lateral cooperation between Armenia and Kazakhstan. Ararat Mirzoyan has informed his colleague that the Friendship Group with the parliament of Kazakhstan has already been in the National Assembly of the seventh convocation, where all parliamentary factions are presented. Congratulating Ararat Mirzoyan on being elected in the post of the Speaker of the National Assembly Dariga Nazarbayeva has noted that the centuries-old friendship and effective cooperation is characteristic to the Armenian-Kazakh relations. The Speaker of the Senate has recorded with satisfaction that the Armenian community in Kazakhstan is actively and successfully involved in different spheres of the countrys economic, cultural and public life. Stating Armenias registered successes in the development and use of high technologies, Dariga Nazarbayeva proposed to activate the cooperation in this sphere and undertake concrete actions with Kazakh partners for the exchange of experience in Armenian way. Mrs Nazarbayeva has also presented that at present it is a transitional historical period of power in her country, as well as has expressed hope that in June of this year the elections designed in her country will be democratic, free, independent and transparent. Ararat Mirzoyan in his turn reaffirmed the readiness of the Armenian side to deepen the cooperation with Kazakh colleagues, including the exchange of experience in the sphere of high technologies development. Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan will be answering questions from citizens live on his Facebook page today. Earlier, he had posted a status urging citizens to ask him questions in the comments section. Dear compatriots, I will answer your questions live on my Facebook page on Friday at 8 p.m. As in the past, Ill answer the questions with the most Likes. I understand that this is not appropriate, but I still dont have another option to choose from the hundreds and sometimes even thousands of questions. Please, write your questions in the comments section or Like the questions you like the most. Thank you. We meet on Friday, April 19 at 8 p.m. I wish you the best, wrote Pashinyan. Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis says he is concerned with Turkeys purchase of Russian-built S-400 air defence system, Ekathimerini reported. According to him, the acquisition of this system by Ankara will completely change the situation in terms of control over the airspace over the Aegean Sea. At the same time, he stressed that Greece needs to purchase F-35 fighter jets or other aircraft to enhance its air defense in order to ensure a balance of power. Turkey, he said, is always makings claims and has problems with its neighbors, the EU and the US. Greece is not Turkeys first problem, he said, adding that its claims with regard to Greece have to do with domestic policy reasons due to the presence of a far-right party in the government. Turkey's claims, he said, have no legal support. The attorneys of former Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Armen Gevorgyan have addressed Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan to restore the violated rights of Armen Gevorgyan, report Armen Gevorgyans attorneys. The extensive letter states that imposition of attachment on all the assets of Armen Gevorgyan is a violation of his rights. We find that the imposition by criminal prosecution bodies of an attachment on all the assets of Armen Gevorgyan has disproportionately restricted his right of ownership guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia and the European Convention; thus, in addition to the instrumentation reserved by criminal procedure law, a need has emerged to address the Ombudsman to perform relevant actions to restore the violated fundamental rights of Armen Gevorgyan. The letter also states that the attorneys dont understand why an attachment has been imposed on all the assets of Armen Gevorgyan. Armen Gevorgyan is charged under point 2 of part 4 of Article 311 (receipt by an official of a bribe in particularly large amounts), point 1 of part 3 of Article 190 (money-laundering committed in particularly large amounts) and part 1 of Articles 38-300.1 (assisting in overthrow of constitutional order) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. Issues on cooperation between the State Revenue Committee of Armenia and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia were discussed during the visit to Georgia. As reported the Department of Information and Public Relations of the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, during the visit to Georgia, Deputy Head of the State Revenue Committee Rustam Badasyan had a meeting with Deputy Ministers of Finance of Georgia Leri Barnabishvili and Lasha Khutishvili and discussed issues on cooperation between the State Revenue Committee of Armenia and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia. After the meeting, the Investigative Service of Georgia hosted Badasyans meeting with the leadership of the Investigative Service. During the meeting, an agreement was reached to sign a memorandum of cooperation for operative exchange of information as provided for by international agreements and cooperation over issues of mutual interest. The parties also touched upon all the disputed issues that emerge during the investigation of economic crimes, particularly tax crimes. During a live broadcast on Facebook, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan responded to a users request to pardon the customs officer who was fired during the Prime Ministers visit to a customs house for disrespecting the Armenian national flag. I analyzed my actions and my reactions and, to be honest, I have to admit that I reacted the right way. In reality, I didnt know the particular customs officer. For me, he was simply a state official who disrespected the national flag, he said. He also touched upon the criticism that he had talked to the customs officer informally, saying that there are things that are said informally to make a statement. He was also criticized for telling the customs officer to stand straight when seeing the Prime Minister and said that not only state officials, but also citizens need to stand straight when they see the Prime Minister. One of the users criticized Pashinyan for demanding that the employee resign, when he should have dismissed the head of the State Revenue Committee from office. Based on this logic, I should have resigned on the spot since the flag was disrespected by an employee of a body adjunct to my government. Every citizen has a relationship with the flag, Pashinyan said. Nikol Pashinyan rejected the users request, explaining that the most harmful leader is a weak leader and that he would apologize, if he believed he was wrong, but hes certain that he has done the right thing. Im very sorry that I cant fulfill your request, but Im certain that I made the right decision and did the right thing. Im probably the Prime Minister of Armenia who has publicly apologized the most, and I dont know if any of my predecessors have ever apologized or not, but even if they have, they havent apologized as much as I have. If I make a mistake, I have to be convinced that I have made a mistake and then apologize to you, he said. In todays Armenia, people with disabilities need to feel better because there are two ministers with disabilities in the Government of the Republic of Armenia. This is what Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan declared live on Facebook today, answering a Facebook users question on people with disabilities and their pensions. If Im not mistaken, the fact that there are two ministers with disabilities in Armenia is unprecedented. This also shows how the government perceives people with disabilities, he stated. However, Pashinyan remembered that people with disabilities had once corrected him and said that raising their pensions wont solve the problem globally. I remember talking to the current minister Batoyan and other people with disabilities as a deputy and being told that the increase of pensions wont solve their problem. They said that the government has to make sure that people with disabilities are fully integrated in society and that education, employment and public transport are accessible for them. Im glad that Mrs. Batoyan now has the chance to solve those problems as minister. Pashinyan stressed that the government has to create an opportunity for people with disabilities to feel like full-fledged citizens. This is a very important issue because people have the wrong perceptions of people with disabilities in Armenia. People with disabilities need us to treat them as full-fledged citizens, and each of them has that opportunity, he said. Touching upon the financial assistance for people with disabilities, Pashinyan recalled that this year, the government has increased the benefits of those people with disabilities whose benefits are lower than the consumer basket. We need to continue our social policy, but we also have to create an opportunity for those people to be able to use their talents, just like Stephen Hawking did, he said. The requested page is currently unavailable on this server. Back to [RTHK News Homepage] A group of faculty at Southern Illinois University recently received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities that will help broaden the perspective of students who are involved in STEM studies by attracting them toward the humanities. The effort also will result in a new, unique minor in ancient practices, which will help students appreciate and apply the wisdom of such classical cultures from around the world. SIU faculty involved in the effort are, bottom row left to right: Ken Anderson, professor geology, co-principal investigator; and Mont Allen, assistant professor of classics and art history in the Department of Languages, Cultures and International Trade, principal investigator. Middle row: Frances Harackiewicz, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Lynn Gill, senior lecturer of animal science, food and nutrition; Matthew McCarroll, professor of chemistry and director of the Fermentation Science Institute; Gretchen Dabbs, associate professor of anthropology. Top row: Robert Hahn, professor of philosophy and Jon Davey, professor of architecture. (Photo by Russell Bailey) NEH grant will combine STEM, humanities in new minor at SIU by Tim Crosby Modern computers and mathematical modeling can precisely describe the shape, size and color of a tulip. Chemical-sniffing noses might even describe its aroma. But none of these high-tech approaches can capture the way it feels to see the flowers emerge as spring reanimates the land following a long winter, let alone articulate what it has meant to cultures present and past. Thats a job for poets and essayists, for philosophers and historians, for classicists and such. Thats a job, in short, for the humanities. Ancient people, new minor A group of faculty at Southern Illinois University Carbondale recently received a grant that will help broaden the perspective of students who are involved in objective disciplines such as science, engineering and technology and mathematics by attracting them toward the humanities. The effort also will result in a new, unique minor in ancient practices, which will help students appreciate and apply the wisdom of such classical cultures from around the world. Starting this summer, the Humanities Connections Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will bring $100,000 to SIU to formulate a few new, highly interdisciplinary courses to complete the offerings for the minor. The grant, which was one of only four funded nationwide by the NEH out of 51 proposals, will run for three years. The minor officially wont be available until next fall, but once its approved, current students can apply courses they are taking right now to the minor. To earn the ancient practices minor, students will take three lecture courses nine credit hours from among a diverse selection of those offered by the eight participating faculty, as well as a capstone project, typically as seniors. The capstone project will be from a subject within their major, but on a topic that is relevant ancient practices. For instance, an engineering student might choose to build a catapult, or geology student might conduct a project on optical geology, studying so-called sun stones the Vikings used to navigate on the ocean. The program will emphasize learning through experience and may include a study abroad component, as well. Diverse group of faculty spearhead effort Mont Allen, assistant professor of classics and art history in the Department of Languages, Cultures and International Trade, is leading the effort as its principal investigator, along with Ken Anderson, professor geology, who is the co-principal investigator on the grant. Along with Allen and Anderson, six other faculty from diverse backgrounds will ensure programs interdisciplinary flavor. They include: Frances Harackiewicz, professor of electrical and computer engineering; Gretchen Dabbs, associate professor of anthropology; Lynn Gill, senior lecturer of animal science, food and nutrition; Matthew McCarroll, professor of chemistry and director of the Fermentation Science Institute; Jon Davey, professor of architecture; and Robert Hahn, professor of philosophy. Balancing STEM with humanities These days, with so much emphasis placed on so-called STEM education, the humanities and the important lessons it teaches about values, the human condition and culture can get lost in the shuffle. The ancient world, where the roots of such studies lie, still has much to teach us, Allen said. For one thing, its a reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same with humans. We share a deep continuity with all humans back through time, he said. Also, and maybe diametrically opposed to that notion, is how radically different our approach to the world is and their approach to it was, as well as their perceptions of their environment and the ways they interacted with it. The ancient Greeks, for instance, made almost no distinction between making an everyday appliance, such as a cup or a bowl, and a work of art. They used the same word for both: techne, which essentially meant the act of making something. That became the root of our word, technology, Allen said, but the word could just have be translated as art-ology. Humanities develop important skills Anderson said studying the humanities develops skill sets and habits of mind that society needs and employers seek out, even among workers in technical fields. The critical and creative thinking, writing and communication skills, these are valued by all disciplines, Anderson said. Students who get only technical training dont necessarily develop such skills as well as they could and should. Same challenges, different millennia The effort also is aimed at showing students how the ancients approached the day-to-day problems and challenges of living without the vast array of technology and machinery available to todays societies. People back then had to solve all the same problems we do: food, shelter and such. And they solved them with very clever solutions, Anderson said. Two, three, four thousand years on, they are still impressing us. From the pyramids to the acropolis to basic hygiene and even brewing beer, the effort seeks for students to understand the creative thinking that arose from the ancients understanding of their world, Allen said. I would like our students to be really astonished and gobsmacked with what they learn, he said. How did the Romans make concrete? How did they make concrete that would set underwater, which allowed them to make the first massive artificial harbors? Historical and cultural context is key, as well, Allen said. We want students to get a sense for how such advancements would have resonated in the culture back then, he said. So its essential to understand Roman social structure, and how it was they were able to do things, such as press gangs of slaves into service. Wisdom for todays world Such lessons are critically applicable in todays world, Anderson said, where the danger exists of societies losing appreciation for culture, the fine arts and philosophy while the technologically savvy gain untoward power over those who are less so. A balance is needed, he said. Physics makes the world go round, its true. But art, music, culture these make it worth the ride, Anderson said. By the same token, if youre a humanist and you think your cell phone works by magic, youre making a serious mistake. (Adds Congress comment, detail) By Abhirup Roy MUMBAI, April 19 (Reuters) - A spokeswoman for India's main opposition Congress party quit on Friday and joined a group allied with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ruling party, complaining that misbehavior towards her by male Congress members was ignored. The resignation of Priyanka Chaturvedi, a regular on prime-time TV debates, is an embarrassing setback for Congress in the middle of a general election, and again raises the contentious issue of the treatment of women in India. "A serious incident and misbehavior against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections," Chaturvedi wrote in the letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, and posted on Twitter. Chaturvedi told a news conference she had joined Shiv Sena, a Hindu nationalist group allied with Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Her resignation is another problem for the former ruling Congress party, which is facing a confident BJP, buoyed in part by Modi's tough stand against old rival Pakistan, despite concerns about farm incomes and a lack of jobs. India's staggered general election began on April 11 and will end on May 19. Votes will be counted on May 23. A #MeToo movement in India gathered momentum last year with numerous complaints of sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct leveled against prominent journalists, actors, movie directors, comedians and others. The Congress in its election manifesto has promised measures to improve the safety and security of women, provide more job opportunities for them and increase gender equality. 'MATTER OF PAIN' Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter her services were "not valued" in the party and she had "reached the end of the road." She said the male party members she accused of misbehavior were reinstated this week after being suspended. Story continues A senior Congress source, who declined to be identified, defended the party's decision to lift the members' suspension after "due procedure." Another top Congress official, Randeep Surjewala, asked by reporters about Chaturvedi's departure, said he wished people who looked for career progression well. "Every time a member of the Congress family, every single worker who leaves, it's a matter of pain for us," he said. Neither Chaturvedi nor the party have given details about the behavior of the men. However, Chaturvedi told Gandhi in her letter that party members were not behaving in the way he urged men to. "What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party," she wrote. She denied newspaper reports, citing Congress sources, suggesting she was angry with the party after it did not let her stand in the election for a seat in Mumbai. "That was never the reason," she told her news conference, saying the point was that people who spoke about empowering women and enhancing their safety should keep their word. (Reporting by Abhirup Roy; Additional reporting by Nigam Prusty and Rajendra Jadhav Edited by Martin Howell, Robert Birsel) In Kenya, Chinese company Kaishan Renewable Energy Development has signed procurement, engineering and construction (EPC) agreement to build a $65 million geothermal power plant. The project called Menengai III geothermal is located in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. Nairobi-based Sosian Energy, an independent power producer (IPP) is in charge of the development of the project. The project will produce 35 MW. Kaishan will also operate and maintain the future Menengai III geothermal power plant for a period of 14 years, according to a separate agreement. The three geothermal power plants under development will produce 105 MW. This energy will be sold to Kenya Power, the company that supplies the electricity utility. The African Development Bank (AfDB) has already announced a $29.5 million loan to support geothermal projects in the East African nation. The Climate Investment Fund (CIF) has also committed $20 million. Geothermal resources in Kenya are located within the Rift Valley with an estimated potential of between 7,000 MW to 10,000 MW spread over 14 prospective sites. As of 2019, Kenya has 690 MW of installed geothermal capacity. Kenya was the first African country to build geothermal energy sources. Expansion of geothermal power is a major component of Kenya nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to global climate change mitigation and integral to the countrys ambition to become a middle-income country based on a climate-resilient green economy. (Adds details) By Hesham Hajali CAIRO, April 18 (Reuters) - Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Nigeria-based Boko Haram in 2016, has carried out a series of attacks in the last few months. In its newspaper Al-Nabaa, IS said its fighters killed a number of African coalition soldiers in attacks on a military barracks, a military post and a town in northeastern Borno state and the Lake Chad region. It said its fighters detonated explosives on Saturday on a tank of the African alliance near the town of Tomer in Niger, killing all soldiers on board. ISIS did not specify the number killed. The militants said over the past week troops from Nigerian and Cameroon were either killed or injured, without providing details. A Nigerian military spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. Boko Haram has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria which has killed around 30,000 people and forced about 2 million to leave their homes. (Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha Editing by Leslie Adler) * One of the suspects arrived days after Khashoggi murder * Khashoggi killed in Istanbul by Saudi operatives in October * Suspects confessed to working for UAE intelligence (Adds court rules to keep suspects in custody, details) By Orhan Coskun ANKARA, April 19 (Reuters) - Turkey has arrested two suspects who confessed to spying on Arab nationals for the United Arab Emirates, and is investigating whether the arrival in Turkey of one of them was related to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a senior Turkish official said on Friday. One of the two men arrived in Turkey in October 2018, days after Khashoggi was murdered inside Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul, the official said, adding the other had arrived later to help his colleague with the workload. "We are investigating whether the primary individual's arrival in Turkey was related to the Jamal Khashoggi murder," said the official, adding the person had been monitored for six months before the arrests in Istanbul on Monday. "It is possible that there was an attempt to collect information about Arabs, including political dissidents, living in Turkey." A Turkish court ruled on Friday evening to keep the two suspects in custody on international, political and military espionage charges, state-owned Anadolu news agency reported. State broadcaster TRT Haber published photos of the two suspects in custody, standing in front of the Turkish flag. They also released photographs, apparently taken previously and covertly, of the two men walking down a street together. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in the consulate on Oct. 2 by a team of Saudi operatives, provoking an international outcry. The CIA and some Western countries believe the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, ordered the killing, which Saudi officials deny. The Saudi public prosecutor has indicted 11 unidentified suspects, including five who could face the death penalty on charges of ordering and committing the crime. Story continues A representative of the UAE's foreign ministry could not immediately be reached for comment at the weekend. A spokesman for Turkey's interior ministry declined to comment. An Istanbul police spokesman confirmed it was involved in the operation. As part of the counter-intelligence investigation, Turkish officials seized an encrypted computer located in a hidden compartment at what the official told Reuters was the spy ring's base in Istanbul. The official, who requested anonymity, said statements by the detained men suggested their intelligence operation targeted political exiles and students. "We have extensive evidence of the individuals' covert activities on Turkish soil," the official said, calling it an "airtight" case. "They also confessed to have been employed by the UAE's intelligence services." The suspected spies said they had recruited informants and paid them for information, the official added. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has urged the United States to put its weight behind the investigation into the killing of Khashoggi and not to set the matter aside because of its ties with Riyadh. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun; Writing by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Daren Butler and David Evans) Most Americans arent yet paying a lot of attention to the 2020 presidential campaign. The same cant be said for Russian spies. Aides and advisers to the vast field of Democratic hopefuls are ringing alarm bells, telling their bosses they should assume that Moscow is laying the groundwork to disrupt, if not derail, their campaigns, just as Russian intelligence did to Hillary Clintons in 2016. But interviews with the campaigns show cyber security is a secondary concern, with most of the campaigns contacted by TIME say they have not finalized their tech plan or hired a security chief. The biggest problem is money. Every campaign focuses vast amounts of effort raising money to compete on ground troops, ads and campaign offices in key locations. Spending precious cash on cyber tools, whose successful deployment results in a non-event, is hard to defend. Theres nothing sexy about it, says Mike Sager, the chief technology officer at EMILYs List, a group that works to elect women who support abortion rights. But, he says, the folks who have been through it, who know what happens when you dont do this, get it. Nobody disputes the threat. Russias larger goals remain the same as they were in 2016: making American democracy look bad. It is about the legitimacy of democracy and about the trust people have in their democracy, said Eric Rosenbach, a former Pentagon chief of staff who now heads Harvards Defending Digital Democracy program. Unfortunately, there are a lot of different ways in the information age that bad actors and nefarious nation-states can undermine that. Cyber security officials say other countries, like China, Iran and North Korea, have shown the capability to meddle in U.S. elections as well. Defending a campaign properly requires starting right at the launch. Youre starting a business and you have to have all those little things: they need email addresses, phones, computers, payroll, video conferencing tools, says Sager. How that is started when you give out computers to everyone, theres a lot of those decisions in the very, very beginning that have a very significant impact the further you go, he says. Story continues Harvard Universitys Belfer Center in 2017 released what many campaigns consider the gold standard if still aspirational playbook for campaign cyber security that includes planning in case your security is compromised, almost resigning itself to that as an inevitability. The Democratic National Committee in February rolled out a one-page checklist for nascent campaigns to consider, from making sure software is updated every 30 days to having a cell phone password at least six characters long. In March, the DNC moved up a briefing for campaign staffs about email security after an analysis from security advocacy group Global Cyber Alliance reported just four of the 14 declared major candidates had secured email systems. Many would like to hand the problem off to the government. But the feds have their hands full defending the physical vote; keeping tabs on the security of 20 early campaigns is a low priority. The Department of Homeland Security has turned aggressively toward protecting the integrity of state and local election infrastructure. Matthew Masterson, a senior adviser for the Department of Homeland Securitys cybersecurity unit, has been in touch with states to build relationships that simply werent in place in 2016. Forty-six states are using DHS intrusion detection system, and it appears all of the states are heeding experts recommendations to use paper ballots. But its the P.R. value of even one hack of a campaign that can outweigh the success of security measures elsewhere. What I fear the most, and what I think is most likely to happen, is that there will be a hack in which one of these [foreign] intel agencies plants some information, pulls out enough information to make a bogus claim of fraud and then goes public with that in a way that is intended to undermine trust in the outcome of the election even if there really wasnt enough of an intrusion to change the outcome, said Harvards Rosenbach. Read More: Russia Wants to Undermine Elections. Heres How Rhode Island Is Fighting Back Even as campaigns struggle to address the dangers of 2016, the threats are becoming more sophisticated. The 2020 presidential race is likely to be known as the first deepfake race, in which highly realistic falsified videos can portray candidates as saying anything. Leaders have been warning of this reality for years. Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate spy panel, last year used a turn keynoting a journalism award dinner to warn about the threats facing elections. Lawmakers have asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to make this a priority. The Pentagon is funding research into the medium. And former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who is leading a transatlantic coalition to defend Western elections, has been showing one real and two faked Trump videos to audiences to hammer home the potential danger of such deepfake videos. Foreign meddlers can amplify divisions in the country by raising divisive issues. Time and again we have seen that, Rasmussen tells TIME. Its a never-ending struggle, and, I think, we should also be aware of the fact this is not a new thing. You saw exactly the same during the Cold War. But the technology has been developed so that now you have new communication tools. This deepfake threat, in part, explains why aides inside presidential campaigns have taken to recording every utterance of the candidates if not themselves during public appearances and interviews. The same is true for emails. Whereas previous cycles inboxes were sometimes archived and sometimes not, the hacking of 2016 laid bare the importance of an internal archive. There was no easy way to verify which of the thousands of stolen emails posted on Wikileaks site were real and which may have been fabricated or altered. Outside advisers are urging candidates to establish firm document-retention policies and punish staffers who dont comply. And its not just work email accounts, either. Half of the spearphishing emails cited in the Special Counsels indictment of Russian hackers targeted campaign officials private accounts. So using a Gmail account will not spare high-profile campaign aides the trolls and bots persistence. Not every campaign is defenseless, and many insist theyre preparing. Sen. Kamala Harris campaign team requires two-factor authentication for its staffers, who are also deploying encrypted messaging systems to add another layer of security. But with everything moving so quickly inside campaigns, it is tempting to forego protocol and leave laptops open during that quick run to the kitchen. The problem is, because of campaign culture, security tends not to be top of mind, says Dave Leichtman, who is both Microsofts Defending Democracy program director and the Democratic Party of Virginias vice chairman for tech. They may actually be more vulnerable to these kinds of attacks because theyre not paying attention. The Russians, however, almost certainly are. On 4/20, the day of the year that unofficially celebrates cannabis culture, Ben & Jerry's is giving away free ice cream to people who buy pot. Yes the Burlington, Vermont-based premium ice cream maker is encouraging its consumers to use marijuana, which is still illegal in 17 states. Before you go line up, the deal on its Half Baked ice cream is only available in California, which was one of the first states to legalize the medical use of the plant in the '90s. If you didn't know, the Half Baked flavor is a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream infused with pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough and fudge brownies. The weed dispensary Caliva and Ben & Jerry's join forces to support criminal justice reform through ice cream. The ice cream giant teamed up with Caliva, a San Jose-based cannabis dispensary, to offer a free pint to people who place orders with the weed company on Friday and Saturday. Specials for 4/20: Specials for 4/20: Here's a 'high' priority list of munchie deals including at Pizza Hut Burger joints are celebrating: Carl's Jr. will have a special $4.20 CBD burger. Here's where to get it. Free Ben & Jerry's supports 4/20 campaign It's all in the name of criminal justice, according to the ice cream company. The partnership is to raise awareness about inequalities between the people who use pot and those who get incarcerated for doing so. This 4/20, we're getting real about cannabis justice. Learn more about who's making $$$, who's being penalized, and why it matters: https://t.co/DPCcqND0SI pic.twitter.com/GxFFzMnuB1 Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) April 19, 2019 "In states where pot is legal, and even though Black people and white people use pot at similar rates, Black people are still arrested way more often than whites," Ben & Jerry's says on its website. Story continues "The country as a whole has shifted its perspective on legalization over the years, with 60% of the public now in favor. Whats troubling is that the criminal justice system hasnt kept up with the culture." As more states move toward legalizing marijuana, it's unclear whether Ben & Jerry's will extend the unofficial holiday offering beyond California in the future. The frozen yogurt maker wants people to sign a petition on its website to get Congress to expunge prior marijuana convictions. The campaign currently has over 19,000 signatures. Caliva is donating 4.20% of the total "National Weed Day" sales to the non-profit Code for America's Clear My Record Program, an opt-in service for people seeking to clear pot possession related convictions. "Knowing that Caliva is challenging the status quo of bogarting human rights of non-violent offenders and providing these communities a second chance is exactly the 420 effort we want to support," said Ben & Jerry's marketing manager Justin Gural in a statement. "We want to have some fun with fans on the holiday with the delivery surprises, and supporting Clear My Record is no doubt the cherry on top," he said. Follow Dalvin Brown on TwitteR: @Dalvin_Brown This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: For 4/20, Ben & Jerry's is encouraging marijuana usage for a cause and free ice cream 71-year-old Lanni Johnson protested outside the Washington state capitol building to raise awareness about starving orcas. (Credit: Lanni Johnson) The sight of a black and white killer whale emerging from the depths of the Pacific Ocean used to be an iconic sight in Washington state but not anymore. Thats why a 71-year-old Washington woman went on a 17-day hunger strike to raise awareness about the starving orcas. From April 1 to April 17, Lanni Johnson fasted in solidarity with the orcas at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia alongside a fellow advocate in an orca suit. Killer whales are the apex predator of the ocean. They are to be cared for and respectednot to be starved, Johnson tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Theyre starving to death and we need to get food to them. It was the only way that I could think of to get peoples attention. And thats exactly what she did. Johnsons documented her strike on social media and garnered the attention of local news outlets and the internet alike as she camped in the lobby of the state legislature building or outside of it. With a sign that read, Fast in solidarity with the starving Southern Resident Orcas Johnson also kept an updating counter indicating the number of days she had been on strike. She says people would give me a thumbs up, smile, or ask me questions. One Seattle woman saw a local news segment on Johnson and drove all the way to talk with the orca activist. While Johnson believes she successfully achieved her goal, the act of solidarity was no easy feat. I was so weak I couldnt carry my own things or walk very far. I was short of breath. I couldnt function without help, Johnson tells Yahoo Lifestyle. The 71-year-old consumed nothing but water and pink Himalayan salt for 17 days the same number of days a local orca named Tahlequah carried her dead calf last summer, which was the moment that sparked her activism. The last Monday and Tuesday were incredibly difficult. My body was yelling at me to eat. That was hard But I didnt. The deadline was on Wednesday and I just wanted to finish. Johnson wasnt always a die-hard orca activist. It was only after watching the 2013 documentary Blackfish that she was turned on to the plight of the orca population in Puget Sound. Story continues I realized what a treasure they are and that they should be protected. I didnt realize how endangered they were, says Johnson, who said news about Tahlequah alerted her to the direness of the situation. I assumed they were being taken care of and that people were doing what they need to do to fix this. The population of orcas in Washington has been plummeting in recent years. The annual census of Puget Sound's resident orcas found only 75 killer whales, a precipitous 30-year low. Experts say orcas are essentially starving due to a decline in the chinook salmon population, their primary food source, and are on the verge of extinction. According to Johnson, the solution to the declining salmon and orca populations rests on breaching four dams on the Lower Snake River that are blocking salmon from accessing the finest fertilizing streams. Since the salmon is the touchstone of the ecology of the entire northwest, if were ready to let them and were ready to let the killer whales go to support the economy of those in the area, that would have to be our choice, says Johnson. I just want people to know that that is the choice that they are making. While Wash. state representatives say the dams are necessary for farmers, energy and jobs, Johnson says the arguments are founded on misconceptions and that the economic costs of breaching the dams could easily be mitigated. There is very little argument for keeping the dams beyond the economies in that area will be impacted. Once the chinook are able to return and spawn, it will be fruitful, says Johnson adding that breaching the dams could attract other economic outputs such as salmon, rafting and more. While the state has Washington Gov. Jay Inslee assigned an orca recovery task force and agenda, Johnson felt that the states efforts were not enough.Their solutions are years down the road. The southern residents may not be there then, says Johnson. Scientists say theyre balancing on a pin head towards extinction. Johnson hopes that her hunger strike will serve as a call to action to residents of Washington to urge the state to get rid of the dams and do more to care about the southern resident orcas. This is where we are. If you want to save it, you have to do something. You have to let politicians and decision makers know. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Police officer responds to 5-year-old's emergency 911 call: 'Can you bring me McDonald's?' 20-year-old college student says Uber driver left her on side of the road when he found out she was getting an abortion This girls insistence to dress up as aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman led her to meet her idol's great niece Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. This article originally appeared on InHerSight.com, a website where women rate the female friendliness of their employers and get matched to companies that fit their needs. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines age discrimination as when an employee over the age of 40 is treated less favorably because of his or her age. A few years ago, the San Francisco Federal Reserve released one of the largest-ever studies on age discrimination in the workforce. After strategically submitting more than 40,000 fake applications to low-paying jobs often held by older workers (administrative assistants, janitorial staff, etc.), they found that young and middle-aged applicants had higher callback rates than older ones, and older female applicants fared far worse than their male counterparts. An older woman sits at a table, working on her laptop Image source: Getty Images. Such findings are grim, but probably not surprising to older workers. Despite the protections in place to guard against ageism, age discrimination continues to pervade American companies: The AARP says that among workers ages 45 to 74, 72% of women and 57% of men have experienced age discrimination. Hiring isn't the only time it crops up, either. Age discrimination happens at every stage of employment -- hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, benefits, etc. -- and oftentimes, it's relatively subtle and hard to prove. Here's how to spot age discrimination in your workplace, and what to do if it happens to you. What age discrimination looks like "I'm not sure you've heard of this modern invention called email" -- If your employer is taking shots at your age (using nicknames, implying you don't understand recent technology, purposefully excluding you from conversations about current events or pop culture), this is considered harassment, and they could be trying to get you to quit because they can't legally fire you. All the new hires are young -- Does your company hire only 25-year-olds to fill open roles, even if they're mid-level positions? They might not be shifting business practices to lure millennials; they could be discriminating. Your promotion goes to someone else, a much younger someone else -- You're the most qualified person for the job, but somehow, Jenny, who's been out of school for a year, snags the new role. Your employer starts to "lighten your load" -- When an employer does this, it's often an attempt to phase older workers out of certain projects, and it's masked as a benefit to you, which makes it all the more frustrating. Removing you from meetings -- Employees who feel isolated don't usually stick around, so by leaving you out of company conversations, your employer might be trying to make you feel like you no longer belong. Encouraging you to retire -- This is pretty blatant and hard to turn down, but sometimes companies offer older employees retirement packages to force them to "amicably" leave. You're being unfairly punished -- You have a history as an awesome employee, but your boss just put you on an improvement plan or is reprimanding you more harshly than a younger employee. Red flags here indicate they're trying to find grounds to fire you or force you to leave. Laying off everyone over a certain age -- If everyone in the last round of layoffs was age 40 and up, you have a good age discrimination lawsuit on your hands. Harder to prove are situations with younger employees in the mix, which is something companies do to hide age discrimination. Your job title disappears -- You might get laid off if your company says it no longer needs your role, but if a new younger person takes on your old tasks under a new job title, that's grounds for age discrimination. What you can do about age discrimination in the workplace Story continues Know your rights -- Workers age 40 and up are protected by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), which forbids employers from treating applicants or employees less favorably because of their age through all aspects of employment. This does not protect employees under age 40, though some states have laws that do. ADEA also protects employees from harassment and from any employment policies that, specifically, have a negative impact on employees 40 or older. Remove proof of age -- ADEA cannot keep employers from asking your age or your graduation date; that's still legal. But you can do things to avoid that conversation: Limit your resume to one or two pages by deleting job experience that's more than 15 years old, and proactively remove dates from your resume and LinkedIn profile. Keep a record -- When you start to think you're experiencing discrimination, keep a careful record of what's happening, including emails and written descriptions of meetings you've had where discrimination occurred. Be sure to keep track of who was in those meetings to bolster your case. Take action -- Think you've been discriminated against? File a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), or work with a lawyer to file a lawsuit. If you're worried about money, consider using your company's grievance system to air your concerns. How you can fight age discrimination -- even if you're under 40 Be mindful of what you say -- If it's around you all the time, it's easy to unintentionally contribute to a culture of age discrimination. Start paying attention to how you might be making an older co-worker feel uncomfortable in the office, and change your behavior. Advocate for inclusivity -- You might have a normal lunch crew, but it's always a good idea to open up your group to people of different ages and backgrounds. Get to know people who are older than you. Not only have they likely been in the workforce longer and have more life experience, but they're also people with interesting lives outside the office. Offer your help -- Stereotypes about older employees not understanding new technology run rampant, and they're often not true. But in cases where a co-worker doesn't understand the latest update or model, share what you know. Technology changes so consistently that we're all (yes, even you) constantly learning, so it's understandable that someone might need help now and again. Talk to HR -- Specialists in human resources are trained to deal with issues like age discrimination, so if you see something, don't be afraid to report it. This could be an opportunity for your team or company to do diversity training, which, in the end, helps everyone. More From The Motley Fool The Motley Fool has an ownership interest in InHerSight. Motley Fool CFO Ollen Douglass serves on the board of directors for InHerSight. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Mueller report has convinced her that Donald Trump must be impeached. The Congresswoman said she had resisted calling for the president to undergo investigation, and that she would rather work on other priorities, but that the behaviour detailed in the newly released report had forced her to back calls for his removal. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said she took "no pleasure" in the discussion, "but the report squarely puts this on our doorstep". The stance puts her at odds with more senior Democrat colleagues. House speaker Nancy Pelosi last month said impeaching Mr Trump would "divide the country" and that he is "not worth it". But Ms Ocasio-Cortez claimed the report clearly pointed to wrondoing on the president's part and that Congress must investigate. "Muellers report is clear in pointing to Congress responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the president," she wrote on Twitter. "It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution. "As such, Ill be signing onto Rashida Tlaib's impeachment resolution." She acknowledged the proceedings were likely to run into problems with objections from the Senate and elsewhere. But she said she was unable to justify backing the investigation all the same. "While I understand the political reality of the Senate and election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate." She wrote on Twitter that she would rather be working on other priotities but that she had no choice but to give it her backing. "Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didnt campaign on it, and rarely discuss it unprompted. "We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for All, tackling student loans, and a Green New Deal. Story continues "But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep." Fellow new Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also said she had been convinced to back the impeachment of Donald Trump. "Impeachment is part of our constitutional responsibility," she wrote on Twitter. We have an obligation to investigate whether the President committed impeachable offenses", pointing to "obstruction of justice, violating the Emoluments Clause, collusion, and abuse of power" as possible avenues for investigation. For Londoners who have been in the city for years, the change is obvious. Not long ago, the southeast neighborhood of Peckham was the heart of Londons Nigerian population. But over the last few years, youre more likely to see white middle-class hipsters in their twenties and thirties posing in the pink stairwell of Franks, the local rooftop bar. Like Brooklyn in New York, most came to the area for the lower rents and stayed because of the burgeoning creative scene. The other side of Peckham lives on though, among its West African population. On a typical Sunday afternoon, Old Kent Road a nearly two-mile stretch of chicken shops, cafes, barbers, and grocery stores is crowded with worshippers from the Aladura Spiritualist churches dotted across the neighborhood. Theyre easy to spot: the entire congregation wears distinct white clothing (known as aso-ebi in Yoruba). With roots in Nigeria, these white garment churches have increasingly sprung up in London, where there is a large West African diaspora. Inside the boldly-named Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim church, men stand with outstretched hands, while women kneel on the floor in prayer. Children run around playing at the back. In front of a grand arch made entirely of balloons, two women wearing ivory satin bonnets pose for a selfie. Its as stylized as it is spiritual. Hannah stands on the street holding her baby cousin whilst members of the Congregation greet each other and chat in the background of the street. | Sophie Green In the U.S., nearly 80% of black Americans identify as Christian, compared to 70% of white Americans. But the British public are quickly falling out of love with the church. More than half of the U.K. population identifies as having no religion and in England, less than 5% of the population attends church. But despite the decline among the broader population, the last U.K. census showed a 100% increase in black people identifying themselves as Christians. White garment churches help shed light on why this religious community is growing against all odds. Over the past 2 years, Peckham-based photographer Sophie Green, and I were invited in to observe this community. In London, the number of black Africans jumped by over 50% between 2001 and 2011, the time of the last national census. As more families settle from countries like Nigeria, they bring their faith and practices with them. Neighborhoods in South London have become the epicenter of this revival; the Southwark area now has 250 African churches, the highest concentration outside the continent. Story continues With a strong faith in divine healing and the power of prayer, these Aladura (or white garment) churches have their origins in a movement in Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State in 1918, when a Pentecostal approach emerged out of Anglican traditions. They splintered into different denominations as founders established churches across the country and set upon missions through the countryside and in neighboring Ghana. The distinct clothing style is inspired by a verse in the Bible (Revelation 19:8) that says fine, clean, white linen is the righteousness of saints. Beatrice Newman, a 30-year-old fashion designer who attends the Beneficial Veracious Christ Church on Peckhams busy high street, Rye Lane, says the color code shows unity and is a way to remember culture. Josiah, Bukky and Lauren stand outside church on childrens anniversary service wearing clothing that reads Money, Child, Peace as they collect donations from their fellow congregants for charity. | Sophie Green Remembering that culture is a key reason why theres barely an empty seat at these church services. The services feel steeped in Nigerian customs. For me its like history, says 27-year-old Michael Euba, a local DJ. Im at home. Most of the sermons and hymns are in Yoruba, one of the three main languages spoken in Nigeria, and the pastors and elders of the church are often first generation immigrants. In true Nigerian style, the schedule isnt exactly strict. Unlike the shorter Anglican services consisting of a few hymns and readings, in a white garment church, the service usually begins at 10 a.m. and continues into the late afternoon. At one church, Nigerian meat pies were handed out in the final hour as worshippers sung Yoruba spiritual songs, as if to give them a boost of energy for the final act. What people going through a hard time really need, says Newman, is to be uplifted through song. Some families even travel from outside London to feel part of this community. At the end of one service, the Celestial Church of Christ serves fried rice, jollof rice, and beef stews to those dedicated enough to stay to the end. But white garment churches are coming under increasing pressure. Oluwakemi House, a church tucked in a cul-de-sac just off Old Kent Road, is surrounded by cranes stretching high, to build new apartment blocks. With them will come new neighbors. Because black majority churches tend to use unconventional spaces for services, some share their buildings with other organizations. The Beneficial Veracious Christ Church, for instance, doubles up as a daycare center. When youre working with different organizations there are going to be periods where it can get a little bit messy and so everyone just has to find a way to work with each other, Newman explains. The Holy Pentecostal Church Oke Anu in the now trendy Copeland Park in Peckham is now sandwiched in between the Bussey Buildinga multi-level nightclub and cultural spaceand a bar-cum-record store. In 2017, that church congregation found themselves at the center of a controversy after a white couple opened a new yoga studio in the Bussey Building complained to a newspaper that African churches and their ghetto blasters were ruining their classes. It was just one example of the challenges these congregations face amid an influx of white newcomers into historically immigrant neighborhoods. Members of the congregation worship at an outside altar. | Sophie Green Western influences are increasing pressures on the inside too. While the churches have a strong tradition of celebrating African heritage and spirituality, it doesnt always appeal to the second or third-generation immigrants who have grown up here in the U.K. A lot of the young people who come (to white garment churches) were born in it, says a 25-year-old woman at the annual harvest, an all-day festival hosted once a year at the Celestial Church of Christ in Peckham. She reveals shes been made to sit outside the church because shes on her period, which is why she preferred not to give her name. Thats a common practice at the church, and women who have just given birth must wait for seven days to attend again. When you were born here, or even your parents were born here, the services are harder to understand, she says, speaking of the difficulty of relating to the language or sermon. White garment churches are home to a community of people caught between two worlds, trying to keep their faith and traditions alive in a Western and increasingly secular country. Still for now, the bright white robes are a reminder of this joyful celebration of African culture and spirituality, an act of resistance against the forces of gentrification. Sophie Green is a freelance social documentary and portrait photographer based in London. Her book Congregation is out from April 25, published by Loose Joints. Follow her on Instagram @sophiegreenstudio Kemi Alemoru is a journalist based in London and the features editor at gal-dem, a publication written by women and non-binary people of color. Follow her on Instagram @kemstagramx Dilys Ng, who photo edited this essay, is a photo editor at TIME. Follow her on Instagram @dilysng LONDON Police blamed the fatal shooting of a journalist during rioting Thursday night in Northern Ireland on the "New IRA," a dissident paramilitary group that rejects the Good Friday peace agreement between the British and Irish governments. Lyra McKee, 29, was wounded by shots fired toward police amid unrest that included dozens of Molotov cocktails and two hijacked cars. She died on the way to the hospital early Friday. Londonderry police are treating the incident as a "terrorist" act. The 1998 Good Friday accords brought a political solution to long-running violence between Catholic and Protestant communities that claimed more than 3,700 lives. "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died," Leona O'Neill, a journalist for The Belfast Telegraph, and eyewitness, tweeted. "Sick to my stomach tonight." This undated family photo issued by Northern Ireland Police shows journalist Lyra McKee who was shot and killed when guns were fired during clashes with police Thursday night April 18, 2019, in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Police are investigating the shooting death of the 29-year-old. Halloween Brexit: EU delays Brexit until Oct. 31, saving Britain from messy EU exit McKee was an editor and reporter for Mediagazer, a California-based publication that writes about the media industry. She had also written for The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News. She recently signed a contract to write two books and had risen to prominence in 2014 with a blog post describing the struggle of growing up gay in Northern Ireland. "McKee's passion is to dig into topics that others don't care about," Forbes magazine wrote in 2016 as it named her one of its "30 under 30" notable media figures. Her book "The Lost Boys," stories of disappearances during the decades of violence in Northern Ireland known as "The Troubles," was due to be published next year, according to the literary agency Jannklow & Nesbit, McKee's literary representatives. British Prime Minister Theresa May called McKee's death "shocking and senseless" and Ireland's leader Leo Varadkar said "we cannot allow those who want propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past." Story continues A murder investigation has been launched. At the time of her death, McKee was covering violence that had broken out in the Creggan area of Londonderry, also known as Derry, as police raided houses and searched for weapons ahead of weekend events marking the 1916 Easter Rising. The botched, but historically significant, rebellion against British rule is one of the most important dates in modern Irish history because although the uprising failed more than 450 people were killed and 16 of the revolt's leaders were executed it led to a series of events that ultimately gave Ireland its independence in 1922. 1916 Easter Rising: What is it, and why is it important to Ireland? Police in Northern Ireland were conducting the raids in Derry out of concern "New IRA" dissidents could be planning attacks timed for the commemorations. They take place each year in Northern Ireland and Ireland during Easter Week. Republican dissidents in Northern Ireland have traditionally sought an end to British rule and want to re-unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland. O'Neill, the journalist who witnessed McKee's death, said a gunman appeared to fire indiscriminately toward police vehicles as McKee stood on the street with residents, including teenagers and younger children, who had come out of their homes on a crowded housing complex in Creggan to observe the riots. Only hours before her death McKee tweeted a photo of the riot. She captioned it with: "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Dissident activity by the "New IRA," whose members are predominantly Catholic, while British loyalists are majority Protestant, has been increasing in recent months as Britain has struggled to ratify a divorce agreement Brexit with the European Union. The stumbling block for British lawmakers is largely related to fears Brexit could damage Northern Ireland's fragile peace deal because it could lead to a return of the hard border between Northern Ireland (part of the UK) and Ireland (part of the EU). May and the EU have devised an insurance policy, known as the "backstop," designed to prevent this but it has so far failed to appease concerned British lawmakers. The issue caught the attention of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when she visited Derry on Thursday. She said if Britain leaves the EU in a way that jeopardizes the Good Friday accords it will also affect Britain's ability to negotiate a post-EU trade deal with the United States. "That's just not on the cards if there's any harm done," she said. McKee's death follows swiftly on the heels of a report this week from Reporters Without Borders, whose World Press Freedom Index revealed that the number of countries around the world where journalists can work safely is declining. McKee is the 7th journalist murdered while doing their job in 2019, and the first in the UK. The UK ranked 33rd on the Paris-based watchdog's press-freedom index. The U.S. came in at 48th. The best-performing countries were in Scandinavia. At a vigil in Derry on Friday, Sara Canning, McKee's partner, said that her dreams had been "snuffed out by a single barbaric bullet." Canning added that she had been left without "the woman I was planning to grow old with." Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, described McKee as "one of the most promising journalists" in Northern Ireland. He said he was shocked by the murder of a journalist "of courage, style and integrity." Cars pass murals in Derry, Northern Ireland, on March 13, 2019. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'New IRA' blamed for fatal shooting of journalist Lyra McKee in Northern Ireland Los Angeles Times, in an editorial: "Its true that the special counsel didnt establish that Trumps campaign criminally cooperated with Russia in its efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential campaign. Instead, the report provides evidence that a Russian organization with ties to the Kremlin tirelessly promoted Trump and bashed Hillary Clinton on social media with the (evidently) unwitting aid of Trump campaign officials and Trump himself. It also notes several overtures by Russians to supply stolen emails and other dirt to the Trump campaign, drawing interest rather than alarm from campaign officials. But the report absolutely does not clear the president of the more serious accusation that he tried to obstruct justice through a variety of efforts to abort or interfere with the Russia investigation." James Robbins, USA TODAY: "The Mueller report and other investigations into Russian meddling show that Moscow remains committed to using every means at its disposal to sow discord in American politics. These efforts continued into the 2018 midterm elections, and we can assume that there will be a prominent effort to generate chaos during the 2020 election cycle. ... Russian political warfare seeks not so much to rig individual elections as to achieve lasting and destabilizing psychological effects. Russia sought not to determine the outcome of the 2016 race, but to make Americans question the legitimacy of our system of government. The growing chaos in the political sphere shows that this psychological effect has taken hold with a vengeance." Special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election is photographed Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Washington. The photos in the report show George Papadopoulos and others in meetings. Harry Litman, Washington Post: "The most important day concerning the 22-month inquiry by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III quickly became deeply unsettling Thursday, laying bare grave failures by nearly all of the institutions and officials to which the country has been looking for answers to public questions of surpassing importance. First and most obviously: Attorney General William P. Barr, who presented a plainly slanted prebuttal of the Mueller report and stood up for the presidents conduct, and did so with a pugilistic swagger that almost dared opponents to take issue with him." Story continues Chris Truax, USA TODAY: "Whether Trump committed an actual federal crime does not completely answer the question we must decide. As the report points out, ultimately, it is up to Congress to sanction a sitting president and that determination is more than just a question of whether the president is an actual felon. For example, one of the reasons Barr believes the president did not commit obstruction is that the presidents efforts to interfere with the investigation were not motivated by 'corrupt intent.' Rather, he said, Trump was personally upset and believed the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. Assuming that is so and that interfering with an investigation for political reasons doesnt qualify as corrupt intent a big assumption that still does not necessarily absolve the president." Noah Bookbinder, New York Times: "Crucially, the report explicitly rejects many of the most prominent defenses of the president that have been articulated by the presidents lawyers and Attorney General Barr. First, the special counsel rejects the notion that the Constitution forecloses scrutiny of a presidents use of his own constitutional powers to impede investigations. Instead, it says, 'The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law.' Second, obstruction of justice cases do not require that the most prominent underlying crime being investigated in this case conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia be proven. To the contrary, the report states that 'obstruction of justice can be motivated by a desire to protect noncriminal personal interests, to protect against investigations where underlying criminal conduct falls into a gray area, or to avoid personal embarrassment.' As the report repeatedly details, the motivation behind Mr. Trumps obstructive conduct seems most likely to have fallen into one of these categories." Jason Sattler, USA TODAY: "The Republican Party and Barr have made their decision to let Democrats carry this burden alone. They know the responsibility to impeach a president will be a distraction for a party that just took over the House by campaigning on issues voters care about, like health care and corporate tax cuts. But with an attorney general willing to do almost anything to protect this president, the question isn't 'What's politically advantageous?' It's what will be left of our democracy if Congress doesnt do its job." Ramesh Ponnuru, Bloomberg: "The report is also an episodic portrait of the administration, and what it shows is a president who is untrustworthy, who has untrustworthy advisers, and whose advisers do not respect him. Mueller has not destroyed Trumps presidency, as Trump feared. But he has shone a light on whats weakening it." Scott Jennings, USA TODAY: "Democrats have two options impeach the president or win an election. With their hopes dashed that Mueller would kick in the White House door and frog march the president to jail, Democratic remedies for getting rid of Trump are purely political: impeach the president for obstruction of justice, or work as hard as possible to win the next election. The House Democratic leadership was having trouble tamping down impeachment talk before, and it wont get any easier now given the relentless focus on the obstruction section of the report. The bloodthirsty among them will grow even thirstier and calls for impeachment are likely to increase. Can Speaker Nancy Pelosi stop them? I have my doubts that she can herd her impeachment cats away from their hyper-partisan impulses." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Mueller report absolutely does not clear the president': Opinionline The Government of Malawi has signed a partnership agreement with IFC InfraVentures for the development of the Mpatamanga hydroelectric project in the southern African nation. IFC InfraVentures the IFC Global Infrastructure Project Development Fund helps develop public-private partnerships and private projects for infrastructure in the poorest countries for the World Bank. The partnership with the government of Malawi will allow the Washington-based fund to participate in all decisions relating to the development of the hydroelectric project. Other partners of the project include SN Power, a company based in Oslo, Norway, and Power Africa, a company that invests in numerous energy projects in Africa. The World Bank has already financed the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and Feasibility Study for the hydroelectric dam. It will be built on the Shire River. Note that Malawi is in the midst of an energy crisis. For the past four years, the 10 percent of the country thats connected to the energy grid has been facing frequent power outages that last two to three days at a time. An estimated 90 percent of the population is not connected to the grid and the government has turned to China for $600 million in funding to invest in a coal-powered electricity plant that will generate about 300 MW of energy. Malawi currently has the installed capacity to generate some 439 MW of energy, most of which comes from hydropower. In the middle of the night Tuesday, United Constitutional Patriots, an armed civilian group patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border in the Sunland Park area, detained more than 300 migrants who illegally crossed the border. The group, who claim they are at the border to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, is patrolling the desert near Sunland Park searching for migrants. In a video livestreamed April 16 on Facebook by one of the United Constitutional Patriots' members, the group is seen detaining a group of about 300 migrants, including children. The video starts in the middle of the incident with U.S. Border Patrol vehicle and agents already at the scene. In the video, the member repeatedly says, This is an invasion and it is never, never ending referring to the large number of Central American migrants crossing into the U.S. to seek asylum. The group claims on its website that it is not violating any state or federal laws. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico disagrees with the group calling their actions, unlawful. In a letter sent to New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas, ACLU officials request they investigate an armed vigilante group currently engaged in the unlawful detention of hundreds of migrants near New Mexicos southern border. MORE: El Paso and Las Cruces continues to see drop off of migrants by Border Patrol The letter states, an armed fascist militia organization describing itself as the United Constitutional Patriots arrested nearly three hundred people seeking safety in the United States, including young children, near Sunland Park, New Mexico. Other videos appear to show arrests in the past few hours. The vigilante members of the organization, including Jim Benvie, who posted videos and photographs of the unlawful arrests to social media, are not police or law enforcement and they have no authority under New Mexico or federal law to detain or arrest migrants in the United States. Story continues It continues, Their actions undermine the legitimate efforts of our states law enforcement officials to keep New Mexico families safe and they erode community trust. The Trump administrations vile racism has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to flagrantly violate the law. This has no place in our state: we cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum. We urge you to immediately investigate this atrocious and unlawful conduct. MORE: Border Patrol: Agents rescued migrants abandoned in Sierra Blanca desert ACLU concludes their letter stating, The Trump administrations vile racism has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to flagrantly violate the law. This has no place in our state: we cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum. We urge you to immediately investigate this atrocious and unlawful conduct." United Constitutional Patriots leaders could not immediately be reached by phone or through social media for comment Friday. United Constitutional Patriots members have posted dozens of videos of the group patrolling and detaining migrants they find in the desert. The videos show men and women wearing camouflage military-like uniforms with assault rifles scooping the border looking for migrants. The group records videos on its Facebook page in order to document the situation with migrants at the border and to show the truth to the American people, United Constitutional Patriots New Mexico Border Ops spokesman Jim Benvie told the El Paso Times in a past interview. The truth isnt being told about this crisis," Benvie said. "A lot of people are accusing President (Donald) Trump of manufacturing a crisis and I think the videos we are down here producing, which isnt left or right, is providing evidence that this is a crisis. MORE: Border Patrol: Smugglers fly drone scout over border in El Paso region New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement that the group should not act as law enforcement agents. My office has been informed that this week, an armed group has detained nearly 300 people near Sunland Park, New Mexico, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said in a statement. These individuals should not attempt to exercise authority reserved for law enforcement. MORE: CBP chief visits El Paso border, says immigration system at 'breaking point' U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The El Paso Sector covers West Texas and all of New Mexico. A United Constitutional Patriot who goes by Stinger prepares to leave one of the camps trailers for a patrol along the border in Anapra, New Mexico. Group's leader says they're providing Border Patrol support, former CBP commissioner said they did not need citizen patrols In a March visit to El Paso, former U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan, who is now acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, briefly addressed armed civilian groups patrolling the border. In terms of partnering with NGOs and the faith-based community that's a critical aspect of caring for migrants after their release from Department Homeland Security custody, McAleenan said at a March 27, 2019 news conference along the border in the Chihuahuita neighborhood in Downtown El Paso. He continued, We are not asking for civil society groups to provide border security assistance. We work very closely with citizens who see issues in their neighborhoods or in their areas, and we respond to that. But we do not need citizen groups to help patrol the border. MORE: Border Patrol migrant drop-offs in Las Cruces accelerate with no end in sight Benvie said in the past interview that the group is made of up of volunteer military veterans and retired law enforcement who want to help protect the border. We came down here not as a militia, but as a group of Americans to help protect the border from the crisis going on down here, Benvie said. This is a national security issue. Obviously, Border Patrol is part of this as well and we are trying to assist them as far is in the overload where there are areas right now that the Border Patrol cant cover because we have too many people coming through the border claiming false asylum. The group states that they have members across the U.S.-Mexico border including in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. "Viper" of the " United Constitutional Patriots-New Mexico Border Ops, patrol where the bollard fence in Anapra, New Mexico ends. The group has been camped out on the border for a few months helping Border Patrol watch this section of border. MORE: El Paso detained nearly 8,000 more migrants in March than February The El Paso Sector has seen a large influx of migrants crossing seeking asylum in recent months with the area becoming the second-busiest location for apprehensions along the Mexican border. U.S. Border Patrol has made more than 71,000 apprehensions this fiscal year in the El Paso Sector, compared with about 11,000 at the same time a year ago. U.S. Border Patrol officials said that 1,800 migrants were detained on Tuesday, with half of those in the El Paso metro area. It leaves all this open to the cartels and people that want to smuggle drugs, human trafficking and all the other illegal criminal elements that you can imagine, Benvie said. Those are the numbers you dont hear about. You only hear about the numbers everyone catches, you dont hear about what gets through the border that isnt recorded." Human rights group: 'They have no authority' Fernando Garcia, executive director of the Border Network for Human Rights, said armed civilian groups have no rights to arrest anybody and only create a dangerous situation. We have raised concerns over this in the past about the dangers and risks of having armed civilian groups at the border trying to enforce immigration laws, Garcia said. It is very clear these armed civilian groups do not have the authority to detain or question anybody because they are not law enforcement agents and are not part of a law enforcement agency. They have no authority. He added that armed militias have caused dangerous situation in the past, including members of an armed civilian group shooting and killing a father and daughter in Arizona. They are using weapons to stop immigrants from coming across and this could end up in a tragedy, Garcia said. We already had an incident a few years ago in Arizona where one of these armed civilian groups killed a father and a daughter, so that could happen again. If no law enforcement is taking these groups seriously and monitoring their actions, we could see a situation like that again. Minutemen American Defense militia members Shawna Forde, Jason Eugene Bush and Albert Gaxiola were convicted in connection with the 2009 home robbery in Arivaca, Arizona, The Arizona Daily Star reported. The group allegedly went to the home disguised as law enforcement officers to rob Raul Flores, 29, who Forde believed was a drug smuggler, in order to get money to fund the Minuteman American Defense border organization. The group fatally shot Flores and his 9-year-old daughter Brisenia Flores. Forde and Bush were sentenced to death for their roles in the slayings, the Associated Press reported. Gaxiola was sentenced to life in prison. Garcia claimed that the armed civilian groups embrace a racist agenda and bring hatred to the community. These groups say that they are coming to the border because they are answering the call of President Trump to protect the border, Garcia said. It is clear they embrace a racist ideology and an anti-immigration agenda, the combination of all of this creates a very explosive situation. We are calling for an investigation into these groups and asking for our law enforcement community to look at these groups to see if they are violating peoples rights and bringing a racist agenda to our community. Garcia said that no migrants he has talked to has raised any issues they have had with the group. As the group remains on the border, Garcia said his organization is looking at putting people near the group to monitor and record their actions. We are going to start a closer look and monitoring their actions, Garcia said. We are going to have people going into the area where they are at which is the Southern New Mexico area to observe their actions and see if they are violating anyones personal rights. Aaron Martinez may be reached at 546-6249; aamartinez@elpasotimes.com; @AMartinez31 on Twitter. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Armed civilians are detaining migrants at the border. The ACLU wants them investigated By Jan Wolfe and Nathan Layne (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has portrayed himself as a champion of a free press, but the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to charge him with conspiring to hack government computers limits his ability to mount a vigorous free speech defence, some legal experts said. The charge unsealed in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Thursday said that in 2010 Assange agreed to help Chelsea Manning, a former U.S. Army intelligence analyst then known as Bradley Manning, crack a password to a U.S. government network. At the time, Manning had already given WikiLeaks classified information about U.S. war activities in both Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as Guantanamo Bay detainees, prosecutors said. The scheme would have allowed Manning to log in to the network anonymously and avoid detection, the indictment said. Robert Chesney, a professor of national security law at the University of Texas, said that the case did not implicate free speech rights because it turned on the idea that Assange tried to hack a password. "The charge is extremely narrow and that's by design," said Chesney. U.S. prosecutors could still add charges against Assange, legal experts said. The indictment, which was made secretly last year and released on Thursday, does not charge Assange for publishing classified material. WikiLeaks released the classified war information on its website in 2010 and 2011. There is no mention in the indictment of WikiLeaks' publication of emails damaging to 2016 Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton that U.S. intelligence agencies have said were stolen by Russia in a bid to boost Republican Donald Trump's candidacy. British police carried Assange out of Ecuador's embassy in London on Thursday after his seven-year asylum there was revoked. The U.S. Department of Justice said Assange, 47, was arrested under an extradition treaty between the United States and Britain. Story continues Barry Pollack, a lawyer for Assange, suggested in a statement that the indictment could chill press freedom, saying journalists should be "deeply troubled" by the "unprecedented" charges. "While the indictment against Julian Assange disclosed today charges a conspiracy to commit computer crimes, the factual allegations against Mr. Assange boil down to encouraging a source to provide him information and taking efforts to protect the identity of that source," Pollack said. Assange has long said WikiLeaks is a journalistic endeavour protected by freedom of the press laws. In 2017, a U.K. tribunal recognised WikiLeaks as a "media organization." The Justice Department debated for years whether prosecuting Assange and WikiLeaks would encroach on First Amendment protections, according to former officials. The department under President Barack Obama made a conscious decision not to bring charges against Assange on the grounds that WikiLeaks' activities were too similar to what conventional journalists do, the former officials said. The charge against Assange of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion minimized concerns that freedom of the press would be undermined and made it more difficult for him to argue that his free speech rights were at stake, some legal experts said. "A lot of the broader legal and policy implications have been alleviated by how narrowly tailored this indictment is," said Bradley Moss, a national security lawyer in Washington who represents whistleblowers and journalists. Free speech advocates had worried that Assange would be prosecuted for publishing classified information he obtained from Manning in violation of the Espionage Act. It is not unusual for journalists to publish classified material they obtain from sources and such a prosecution against Assange would have raised concerns that reporters could face similar charges, according to Steve Vladeck, a professor of national security law at the University of Texas. Assange is likely to argue that the conspiracy charge was a pretext and the government really is prosecuting him for the publication of classified documents, lawyers not involved in the case said. David Miller, a former federal prosecutor in New York and Virginia, said Assange's defence would likely face "an uphill battle" assuming the government's proof of communications and contacts with Manning is strong. Prosecutors will emphasise that cracking a password is far outside the realm of what respectable journalists do, Chesney at the University of Texas said. "All of this turns on the idea that Assange tries to hack a password," Chesney said. "That's not journalism, that's theft." Manning was convicted by court martial in 2013 of espionage and other offences for furnishing more than 700,000 documents, videos, diplomatic cables and battlefield accounts to WikiLeaks. Obama, in his last days in office, commuted the final 28 years of Mannings 35-year sentence. (Reporting by Jan Wolfe and Nathan Layne; additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Noeleen Walder and Grant McCool) By Kate Ryan NEW YORK, April 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A female astronaut is due to set a record for the longest spaceflight by a woman, the U.S. space agency said on Wednesday, the same astronaut who was to have been in the first all-female spacewalk scrapped over lack of a right-sized spacesuit. Astronaut Christina Koch, who completed the space walk with a man instead of a female colleague last month, will remain in orbit on board the International Space Station until February, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said. Part of NASA's study of the effects of long spaceflights on the human body, Koch will spend 328 days in space. The 40-year-old astronaut has been in orbit since last month. "One month down. Ten to go," Koch wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. "Privileged to contribute my best every single day of it." In late March, NASA canceled what would have been the first all-female spacewalk with Koch and astronaut Anne McClain due to a lack of a spacesuit in the right size for McClain. The walk was would have occurred during the final week of Women's History Month. On board the orbiting space station, astronauts work on a range of experiments in biology, biotechnology, health, earth, space and other sciences. The typical stay for astronauts is six months, NASA said. "NASA is looking to build on what we have learned with additional astronauts in space for more than 250 days," said Jennifer Fogarty, a chief scientist for NASA's Human Research Program in a statement. Astronaut Peggy Whitson holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, staying in orbit 288 days in 2016 and 2017, NASA said. "It's my honor to follow in Peggy's footsteps," Koch said in a video from the International Space Station, orbiting over 200 miles (322 km) above earth. Of the more than 500 people who have traveled to space, fewer than 11 percent have been women. Story continues But Koch graduated from NASA's 2013 class of astronauts that was 50 percent women. The overall NASA record of 340 days, set in 2016, is held by astronaut Scott Kelly in an experiment to compare his physical and mental health to his identical twin Mark Kelly, who remained on earth. Mark Kelly is married to former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and gravely wounded in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and wounded 13 others in a supermarket parking lot. (Reporting by Kate Ryan, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst In this 2016, file photo Rev. Patrick Conroy, chaplain of the House of Representatives, delivers an interfaith message on the steps of the Capitol in Washington for the victims of the mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando. In the federal appeals court Friday, the atheist didn't have a prayer. A U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit sided with Father Patrick Conroy, the House chaplain, in ruling that he could not be ordered to allow a self-described atheist to offer a secular prayer to the House of Representatives. The case was brought Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation and a former minister, against Conroy, in his official role as the House chaplain. Barker alleged Conroy improperly rejected a request to have him serve as guest chaplain. The lower court had dismissed Barker's claim that his rights had been violated under the Establishment Clause in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits the establishment of religion by Congress, but offered its own take on the issue. In the decision released Friday, the appeals court's three-judge panel sidestepped the legal question of whether Baker was being prevented from offering a prayer because he was an atheist, and focused instead of the content of the prayer. Writing for the panel, Judge David S. Tatel said that the court "need not decide whether there is a constitutional difference between excluding a would-be prayer-giver from the guest chaplain program because he is an atheist and excluding him because he has expressed a desire to deliver a nonreligious prayer." "Even though we accept as true Barkers allegation that Conroy rejected him because he is an atheist,' the Houses requirement that prayers must be religious nonetheless precludes Barker from doing the very thing he asks us to order Conroy to allow him to do: deliver a secular prayer, he wrote. The court noted that Conroy, during the litigation, had changed his explanation for blocking Barker from his initial argument that he was not a recognized or ordained religious figure. Instead, the Court noted, "Conroy has taken a different position: that Barker could not serve as guest chaplain because he sought to give a secular prayer.." Story continues "More important," Tatel wrote, "the House of Representatives itself, through House counsel, has now ratified that position. Both in briefing and at oral argument, House counsel represented to this court that the House interprets its rules to require a religious invocation. In other words, the court ignored the issue of an atheist as a guest chaplain by finding that an atheist's prayer would not, by definition, be a religious prayer. House rules have authorized daily prayers as part the body's official proceedings since William Linn, a Presbyterian, was named the first chaplain in 1789. It was not Conroy's first brush with controversy. In 2018, then-House Speaker Paul Ryan forced Conroy to resign after questioning whether the chaplain was delivering sufficient pastoral services to the entire House. Some lawyers had complained that the Catholic priest's prayers has been too political Ryan quickly reversed course Thursday in a showdown that included Conroy's allegation of anti-Catholic bias by Ryans chief of staff. Daniel Barker, v. Patrick Conroy, chaplain by Doug Stanglin on Scribd This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Atheist prayers can be denied by House chaplain, appeals court rules WASHINGTON William Barr knew that he was stepping into a firestorm when he accepted President Donald Trumps nomination late last year to replace the attorney general Trump angrily pushed aside. As special counsel Robert Muellers sprawling investigation wound down, it would be up to Trump's new attorney general to manage the politically fraught job of deciding which of its conclusions could be revealed to the public when and how. He did it both quickly and in a way that has thrust him squarely into a harsh public spotlight. He first revealed a summary of Mueller's conclusions last month that included quotations favorable to the president while omitting more damaging material that had been part of the same passages. Just before the report's release Thursday, he echoed a favorite Trump talking point "no collusion" in affirming that the president would face no criminal charges as a result of an all-consuming 22-month investigation, though the special counsel pointedly did not use that word. Now, the attorney general who entered office walking a political tightrope between a mercurial White House and congressional Democrats skeptical of his intentions has raised fresh questions about the independence of the Justice Department. In Barr, Democrats increasingly believe, that Trump has found an attorney general who will protect him after bitterly complaining that former Attorney General Jeff Sessions had abandoned him by recusing himself from the Russia probe. Just hours after Barr released the 448-page document, which did not recommend criminal charges against the president yet chronicled Trump's repeated efforts to stifle Mueller's inquiry and a series of steps by his aides to benefit from Russian efforts to help him win the presidency, Democrats threw down a marker highlighting their distrust, issuing a subpoena demanding that the attorney general release a complete version of the report. Story continues My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice," House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said Friday. Justice spokeswoman Kerri Kupec Friday called the subpoena "premature and unnecessary," adding that the report released Thursday contained "only minimal redactions." Still, Nadler's action served to underscore a deepening suspicion Democrats have expressed for Barr, who some lawmakers once saw as a stabilizing force for a department that Trump publicly castigated for its support of the Russia investigation. They focused in particular on a press conference Thursday in which he stressed that Trump had not committed a crime and argued the president had acted out of anger and frustration. He delivered that absolution hours before releasing a report describing conduct that Barr had told lawmakers he would not tolerate as attorney general. During his confirmation hearing in January, Barr vowed that he would "resign rather than follow an order to terminate the special counsel without good cause." One episode detailed in Mueller's report showed that Trump had asked his aides to do just that, one of a series of actions Mueller's office examined in which the president sought to intercede in the investigation that loomed over his presidency. In many cases, according to the report, White House Counsel Don McGahn, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and adviser Corey Lewandowski, ignored his orders, possibly saving the president from criminal obstruction charges. More: William Barr sworn in as attorney general, takes charge of investigations of the president More: Attorney general nominee William Barr says he would resign rather than fire Mueller 'without good cause' Democrats had been skeptical of Barr's handling of the report since March, when he announced its central findings. But lawmakers said their suspicions hardened when they saw the details the attorney general had kept secret for nearly a month. In a bare-bones March 24 summary of Mueller's major conclusions, the attorney general revealed that he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein made the final determination that Trump's conduct did not constitute a crime of obstruction. Barr said he acted because Mueller's inquiry did not reach a conclusion. Within that summary, Barr also offered only partial passages from Mueller's report that appeared to present the conclusions in a way that favored the president, including the central finding that "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference campaign." The more complete conclusion, however, was contained in Mueller's fuller report Thursday: "Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." Barr raised more eyebrows last week when he told a Senate panel that Justice is reviewing whether federal authorities improperly spied on Trump's campaign during the early stages of Russia investigation. "I think spying did occur," Barr told lawmakers. "The question is whether it was adequately predicated." The remarks were immediately embraced by Trump and some Republican lawmakers who have long pushed for such a review because of their suspicions that the FBI and the Justice Department had actively worked against the president's campaign. "There is a hunger for this to happen," Trump said after learning of the attorney general's testimony. Democrats said Barr's choice of words suggested he was courting the favor of a president who has frequently attacked the investigation and the people who conducted it. "I don't trust Barr; I trust Mueller," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told the Associated Press following Barr's testimony. But it was the attorney general's stirring defense of the president Thursday, just prior to the report's release, that has thrust him right back into the public spotlight. "President Trump faced an unprecedented situation," Barr told reporters, addressing the Mueller inquiry. "As he entered into office, and sought to perform his responsibilities as president, federal agents were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office and the conduct of his associates." Offering an explanation for Trump's attempts to thwart the investigation, Barr said that there was "substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks." Republicans largely defended Barr's performance, asserting that the attorney general acted appropriately to underscore the special counsel's findings. "He's done everything he should do, and nothing that he shouldn't," said former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who served under President George W. Bush. "The bottom line is that nothing got obstructed." Mukasey also said that Barr was justified to make the final determination that Trump's conduct did not rise to obstruction. "Hell, yes!" Mukasey said, endorsing Barr's intervention. "Somebody had to make the decision." Robert Ray, a former federal prosecutor who investigated the Clinton-Whitewater scandal, also supported Barr, claiming that any criticism is politically motivated. I think that efforts to disparage the attorney general and his conduct while in office are despicable," Ray said. "Its unfortunate that there are those who are attempting to undermine both his integrity and the integrity of his office for political purposes. It comes from... many lawyers and former federal prosecutors, who know better and are doing it anyway for political purposes, which I think is, again, despicable. Kupec, the Justice spokeswoman, said that the White House had nothing to do with staging Thursday's briefing, adding that Barr wanted to provide an overview of the report and explain the process for making it public. Democratic leaders, however, blasted Barr, claiming that he "deliberately distorted" Mueller's findings. Special Counsel Muellers report paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior," according to a joint statement issued by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pelosi. Recriminations also have followed from six Democratic House committee chairs who claimed that Barr had "mis-characterized" Mueller's findings. Three Senate Democrats supported Barr's February confirmation as part of the 54-45 vote Joe Manchin of West Virginia; Doug Jones of Alabama; and Krysten Sinema of Arizona but as of Friday none have publicly indicated that they were reconsidering their votes. While Pelosi has played down any effort to impeach the president, she nonetheless vowed that Congress would act. "Congress will not be silent," she said. Attorney General William Barr leaves his home in McLean, Va., on Monday, April 15, 2019. Barr told Congress last week he expects to release his redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's Trump-Russia investigation report "within a week." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Attorney General William Barr faces a political firestorm after release of the Mueller report A father rescued his son from a dingo's jaws after the infant was dragged from a campervan at an Australian tourist island, authorities said Friday, in the third such attack this year. Paramedics said the family was on a remote part of Fraser Island off the Queensland coast late Thursday when the parents heard their child crying. "The parents awoke with the toddler crying and heard the crying getting further away from the campervan," Fraser Island paramedic Ben Du-Toit said. "The dad got out of the campervan to investigate and found the dingo dragging the toddler away from the campervan. He also spotted several other dingoes in the... immediate vicinity. "He immediately ran up and grabbed his son and chased some of the dingoes off." The boy, reported 14 months old, was treated for two deep cuts to the top of his neck near the back of his head, and for minor cuts to his scalp, Du-Toit said. He was taken by helicopter to a nearby hospital for further treatment. The attack is the third this year on World Heritage-listed Fraser Island, the world's largest sand island and a popular tourist destination. Two dingoes were put down in March after a French mother and son were mauled on the island. In January, a six-year-old boy was mauled by the native animal after as he ran up a dune on the island. Authorities have warned visitors in the past that dingoes are wild animals and need to be treated with caution. Native to Australia, dingoes came under the spotlight with the disappearance of baby Azaria Chamberlain at Uluru, or Ayers Rock, in 1980 for which her mother Lindy was convicted of murder and her father, Michael, of being an accessory. The convictions were overturned in 1988 after the chance find of a piece of Azaria's clothing near a dingo lair. A court ruling in 2012 found that a dingo snatched their baby from a tent. Oxygen Rosie Essa thought shed catch a last-minute movie with her sister when she hopped into her SUV and headed down the Gates Mills, Ohio streets to the theater. Rosie a nurse married to a successful emergency room doctor had what some might consider the ideal life: financial security, a large family home, two beautiful children, and plans for a third baby. But Rosie would never make it to the movies that day. The 38-year-old mom of two suddenly began driving erratically, hit another car in a mi Washington (AFP) - Joe Biden will announce next week he is running for president, likely grabbing pole position in a crowded Democratic field eager to take on President Donald Trump in 2020, US media reported Friday. Biden, the veteran politico who has sought the White House twice before and served as Barack Obama's vice president, will make it official with a video to be released Wednesday, according to several outlets. NBC News and other American media reported that the long time Delaware senator's decision was all but a formality -- after he sat out 2016 as he mourned the death of his son Beau from cancer. Biden, 76, will join the race as its predominant centrist at a time in which many in the Democratic Party's progressive wing, including rivals for the nomination, have embraced liberal policies like universal health care. Several strategists see Biden as the down-to-earth Democrat with star power who connects with working class voters like those who abandoned Hillary Clinton for Trump in 2016. In a Real Clear Politics poll released Tuesday, Biden led with 31 percent support among people asked about who they like in the Democratic primary elections, followed by self-declared democratic socialist Bernie Sanders at 23. Some way behind, Kamala Harris of California, young Texas upstart Beto O'Rourke and rising star Pete Buttigieg were battling it out for third place -- with nine, eight and seven percent respectively. Biden has been leading in other polls too in recent days. William 'Bill' Ackman, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Pershing Square Capital Management, speaks during the Sohn Investment Conference in New York City, U.S., May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Activist investor Bill Ackman, the billionaire CEO of hedge fund Pershing Square Capital, is making a huge comeback and he credits it to an insight he gleaned from years of studying his mentor Warren Buffett. After several years of underperformance, Pershing Square is up more than 40% year-to-date. Yet Ackman isn't actively raising capital, even after four years of the funds consecutive negative returns and significant investor redemptions. He may have the Oracle of Omaha to thank. Speaking at the 13-D Active-Passive Investor Summit this week in New York, Ackman said "one of the most instructive things" from his career has been reading the legendary investors letters from the Buffett Partnership, the fund he ran before Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-A, BRK-B), and became a world-class authority on making money. In May 1969, after several years of outperformance, Buffett told his investors that he would close the partnership, pointing to an investing environment that had become "more negative and frustrating." In the letter, he offered the partners the option to take their cash out, or keep their investment for shares in the textile company Berkshire Hathaway. "A bunch of people wanted cash and spent another 50 years seeing their therapists for one of the dumber decisions that they made," Ackman said this week. He added that it was "a pretty interesting decision" for Buffett to transition from managing a hedge fund to running a publicly-traded company. "And he's done quite well, obviously. Since 1969, Berkshire is one of the greatest investments of all time," Ackman said. "I think it's instructive. And, I think what Mr. Buffett realized in 1969 is that being a longterm investor with short-dated capital is just ultimately going to lead to a bad outcome at some point in time, the hedge fund manager said. Rough patch Ackman explained that like Buffett, the mission at Pershing Square is to have a permanent capital structure. He said they took a step at that direction, launching a publicly-traded fund in 2014 with the long-term plan to have a majority of capital in that vehicle. Story continues He attributed a string of poor performance at Pershing Square to a couple of bad investments. Those mistakes that led to significant investor redemptions, or what Ackman calls a "rough patch." Pershing Square Holdings, the public vehicle, is now 80% of the firm's capital. He said that part of the reason we made that mistake is when you start as a hedge fund manager you start as an investor, particularly if you're an activist investor. When you get to $20 billion in assets, you become the CEO of an assessment management business, something I never really aspired to be. At that size, investors will "appropriately" take a piece of your time. "Because Mr. Smith who gave you $250 million wants to say, 'Hello, Ackman said. Those little breaks over the course of the day really interfere with your ability to dig in, read a 10K, etcetera, he added. We just made the decision we are going to stop marketing. We are certainly going to answer those calls and keep our investors informed." He said he's returned to a strategy that had been successful, investing in simple, predictable, cashflow positive companies. Some of Pershing Squares stock investments include Restaurant Brands International (QSR), Lowe's (LOW), Chipotle (CMG), Starbucks (SBUX), United Technologies (UTX), ADP (ADP), Howard Hughes Companies (HHC), to name a few. "I guess the way to think about it is it's very hard to lose money by buying great businesses if you pay a fair price," Ackman said. "For a while there, we forgot that our main job was to make money, so we woke up, and now we're back in the money making business." Dr. Neri Oxman, Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences, MIT, is married to William A. Ackman. (Photo by Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Summit) Perhaps another reason for Ackman's recent success, which also goes back to a Buffett lesson, is choosing the right person to marry. "Maybe that has something to do with being in love, getting married. If your manager is getting married, having a child, I highly recommend you add capital with them," Ackman said. Ackman, 52, married MIT professor Dr. Neri Oxman in January. The couple expects their first child at the end of April. Julia La Roche is a finance reporter at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter. Washington (AFP) - The final report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation on Thursday could leave much of the public unsatisfied because it could be heavily redacted, stripped of significant evidence and testimony that the investigators gathered. Attorney General Bill Barr made clear he will edit out large parts of Mueller's 400-page final report on his investigation of President Donald Trump and Russian election meddling. Removed elements will include information from US intelligence used in the probe, information on ongoing investigations, and information on targets of Mueller's team that never gelled and, if made public, could unfairly hurt them. Crucially, Barr says the law prevents him from revealing materials from the two grand juries that the special counsel convened for his investigation. Redaction -- blacking out words and blocks of text with real or digital ink, or leaving pages completely blank -- is the way bureaucrats and courts prevent the public from learning about classified information and secret testimony or evidence, or just embarrassing information. Many court filings in the Mueller probe came with pages heavily blacked out, with prosecutors not wanting to tip their hands on ongoing parts of the sprawling Russia probe or expose sources. But some worry Barr's redactions could have political aims. A Trump appointee who has already announced that the report exonerates the president from wrongdoing, he has much leeway on what he will withhold. Barr said he wants as much of the report public as possible, but his editing could mask key elements of the 22-month investigation, which concluded with no charges against any Trump associates for colluding with Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. And it could mask evidence behind the allegations of criminal obstruction against Trump -- on which Mueller refused to reach any conclusion. - Grand jury secrets - Most attention is focused on the testimony and evidence Mueller's team presented to the grand juries. Story continues Grand juries are special panels of citizens convened in secret by prosecutors investigating major federal crimes. Part of a system designed to keep control of overzealous prosecutors, the panel reviews evidence and testimony and decides whether there is enough to indict the target of a probe. By law, grand jury proceedings are kept secret. If an indictment is forthcoming, prosecutors will still have to make their evidence public, giving defense attorneys the chance to challenge it. And if the panel does not approve charges, the information is kept secret to protect those accused without sufficient merit. So Barr conceivably could black out information in the report that is potentially damning to Trump. He said his redactions will be color-coded to explain why the material is omitted. But Democrats in Congress say that won't be enough. They say that they have the right to see the entire report unredacted, in order to judge for themselves if Trump committed a crime. "Congress requires the full and complete Mueller report, without redactions," House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said in a letter to Barr at the end of March. "There is ample precedent for the Department of Justice sharing all of the information that the attorney general proposes to redact to the appropriate congressional committees." Nadler says he will subpoena the report if Barr doesn't hand it over. In addition, US media can be expected to file suits demanding more of the material be made public. Buzzfeed journalist Jason Leopold has already filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the report, with plans to challenge the redactions. On Tuesday, a Washington judge rejected the Justice Department's effort to block Leopold's request, noting the American public has reason to demand full transparency. In Libya, about 205 people have been killed, including 18 civilians, and 913 wounded in two weeks of fighting near the capital city Tripoli. About two weeks ago, Eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar ordered his troops to march on the capital Tripoli, taking his conflict with the internationally recognized government to a dangerous new level. With UAE and Egypt supporting Haftar while Turkey and Qatar are supporting the internationally-recognized government, the conflict in Libya is turning into a proxy war between regional powers, expert say. According to World Health Organization (WHO), Haftar troops had come within 25 miles of the city and a powerful rival militia was racing to stop them. Personal envoy of the Head of the UN-backed Government t of National Accord, Jomaa al-Qamati, who was on a visit to Rabat Wednesday said the UN-brokered agreement inked by Libyas warring factions in the Moroccan coastal town of Skhirat in 2015 remains the framework and the basis of any political settlement in Libya. He told the media after a meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita that the historic inter-Libyan dialogue in Skhirat was a crucial phase in promoting national reconciliation and political consensus. The libyan envoy stressed the need to end the cycle of violence and resume the peace process on the basis of the Skhirat agreement which sets the foundations of a civil, constitutional and democratic state, based on the rule of law. The solution in Libya is political and not military, he stressed, calling the international community to act to end the cycle of violence in his country. Nasser Bourita expressed Moroccos concern over the latest developments in Libya and called on all Libyan parties to cease hostilities and engage in political dialogue to overcome all obstacles. The military option can only further complicate the situation in this Maghreb country, he said. The United Nations secretary general, Antonio Guterres, who is trying to push an international peace deal, condemned the military escalation and ongoing fighting in and around Tripoli. He called for restraint and urged all parties to engage in immediate dialogue to reach a political solution, insisting that there is no military solution to the Libya conflict. Libyas UN-backed Prime minister, Fayez Sarraj, on Wednesday demanded the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes committed by Haftars forces. UN Special Representative Ghassan Salame also condemned the shelling perpetrated on Tripoli saying The use of indiscriminate, explosive weapons in civilian areas constitutes a war crime. Washington expressed deep concern about fighting near Tripoli. We oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftars forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital, said a spokesman of the US State department, warning that this unilateral military campaign against Tripoli is endangering civilians and undermining prospects for a better future for all Libyans. After former leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was murdered in October 2011, Libya spiralled into a full-blown civil war and humanitarian catastrophe, marked by the prevalence of open-air slave markets trafficking migrants from sub-saharan Africa and the surge of terrorism. The North African oil-rich nation has been divided between the Western-backed government in Tripoli and a parallel administration allied to Haftar. A national reconciliation conference initially set for April 14-16 was cancelled sine-die following the escalation. By Marcela Ayres BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's resistance to the privatization of the national postal office has been broken, a senior government source told Reuters on Friday asking for anonymity because the matter remains private. This change of stance has allowed the economic team to consider ways to sell the state-owned company, the source said, referring to Empresa Brasileira de Correios e Telegrafos. The rationale is that a private owner would modernize services and more quickly respond to changes in the marketplace such as responding to growing demand from e-commerce firms. The national postal service did not immediately respond to a comment request. Economy Minister Paulo Guedes told Globonews TV this week it would be "a very big leap" for the government to privatize oil major Petroleo Brasileiro SA, which was at the center of an epic corruption scandal in Brazil. Instead, Guedes said, the president would consider the sale of another key state-owned company. That company, according to the source, is the national postal office. Ostensibly, Guedes has insisted that the federal government should reduce the size of the state to cut public debt, making companies and the economy more efficient. He has also pointed out that excessive state control over businesses opens up the door to corruption. (Reporting by Marcela Ayres; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Nyala (Sudan) (AFP) - Hawwa Yousef is still haunted by memories of the day when mounted gunmen swept through her village in Sudan's Darfur region in 2004, killing scores of villagers including her son. Then president Omar al-Bashir unleashed the notorious Janjaweed militia on ethnic minority villages like hers in a scorched earth campaign to eradicate support for rebels who took up arms the previous year. Now that Bashir is behind bars in a Khartoum prison after being toppled by the army last week, Yousef is determined to see him face justice. "The regime's militia attacked when women were collecting water for their families and livestock," said the 70-year-old, who still lives in a relocation camp. "The villagers tried to chase the armed men but they killed eight villagers including my son," she told AFP in the sprawling Kalma camp outside South Darfur state capital Nyala. "I want Bashir to face justice. He is a criminal." A decade and a half on, hundreds of thousands of Darfuris who lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the brutal campaign of repression ordered by Bashir and his aides, still live in miserable conditions in camps. Some 300,000 people were killed as the feared tribal militia, who covered vast distances on horseback or camels, eliminated anybody suspected of providing support for the rebels. Some 2.5 million people were crammed into makeshift relocation camps as the militia depopulated vast swathes of Darfur, a region the size of France, torching villages and crops and stealing or killing livestock. The Arab pastoralists recruited into the Janjaweed had a longstanding enmity towards the settled minority groups of the region's fertile uplands that Bashir and his lieutenants ruthlessly exploited. - 'Real peace' - As protest leaders in Khartoum focus on securing a civilian ruling body to replace the current transitional military council, the dominant demand in Darfur is for justice for Bashir and his henchmen. Story continues "I want to see Bashir in court," said Yousef's daughter Khadija. "If the new government wants real peace, we want them to bring him to justice. "There was a pregnant woman who was pleading to be freed, but they shot her -- they killed her and her baby right there." Bashir, 75, faces charges from the International Criminal Court in The Hague of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide related to his government's response to the rebellion in Darfur. He has repeatedly denied the charges. Sudan's new military rulers have said they prefer that Bashir and any other citizen be tried in Sudan. But they have also said that Bashir's handover to the ICC for trial is a matter for a future civilian government they have pledged to forge. Darfuris have differing views about where Bashir should be tried but all agree that he should face justice. "I lost my husband and my son when the regime's militia attacked my village Abu Jabra," said Ayesha Mohamed Hamid, 50, who lives with her five children in Al-Salam camp, south of Nyala, and now works in a brick factory. "Bashir has committed genocide. He must be brought to justice," she said. "I prefer he face justice in Sudan. That way we can exert our rights." - 16-year wait - Posters of destroyed homes, burnt villages and women raped in Darfur have been put up outside army headquarters in Khartoum which has become the focal point of the nationwide protests. But many Darfuris feel that their demand for justice should be a bigger priority for protest leaders. The Janjaweed were largely formed and led by two leading figures of the Bashir government -- Musa Hilal and Mohamed Hamadan Dagolo, widely known as Himeidti. While Hilal is now in custody, Himeidti is a leading figure in the military council that replaced Bashir. His Rapid Support Force operates under the ambit of Sudanese army and its paramilitaries are routinely seen around the capital securing infrastructure. They are also tasked with securing the eastern border with Ethiopia and Eritrea. "I believe it's not only Bashir, but all those responsible for the crimes should be brought to justice," said Awatif Abdurrahman, a resident of Sakli camp, near Nyala. "Here we have waited for 16 years for justice... Not only Bashir, but all those responsible for the crimes should face justice," he said. "I'm calling on those people at the sit-in not to leave the square until we achieve our demand." York (United Kingdom) (AFP) - A bolt of lightning pierced its tower and flames licked across its thick oak roof. Thirty-five years ago it was York Minster in northern England that went up in flames. Chunks of timber soon came crashing down and John David, a stonemason, had to halt his rescue of the sacred treasures trapped inside one of Britain's most famous churches. David went on to help restore its glory through meticulous effort. He thinks Notre-Dame in Paris, which was engulfed by flames on Monday, can do the same over time. "If it takes 20 years to repair, it takes 20 years to repair," David told AFP in the church workshop, as masons carved chunks of limestone from a nearby quarry in this history-rich city. "Nowadays everyone wants things done in a hurry," David said, in reference to French President Emmanuel Macron's vow to rebuild the Parisian icon by the time the city hosts the 2024 Olympic Games. "The buildings are more important than, I think, individual people. It's the nation. It's the country. It's the Church." - 'These buildings move' - The stories of York Minster and Notre-Dame have faithfully traced each other's footsteps over the centuries. Britain's cathedral was completed in 1360 -- just 15 years after Notre-Dame -- and shares the same building materials and shape as its Parisian cousin. David was one of a dozen or so stoneworkers in York when its "minster" -- an Old English word that means a large or important church -- nearly went down in flames in 1984. David counted on his dusty fingers all the unknowns facing Notre-Dame over the coming months and years. "These buildings move. They are not cemented together," he said. The danger of Notre-Dame losing its spire and roofing is that much less weight now presses down on the supporting walls and vault -- the stone arches holding up the ceiling. "The timber roof was performing the function of holding it together," he said. Story continues - 'We kept flooding' - Geoff Brayshaw has other worries. He was just 27 when he was part of a crew charged with putting together all the woodwork needed to replace York Minster's roof. The joiner thinks the most important job facing Parisians is putting up a temporary canopy over the cathedral to keep out the rain. "Our biggest problem was that we kept flooding," Brayshaw recalled. York Minster architects and engineers eventually drafted a blueprint that allowed them to get everything done in four years. But it was a much smaller project -- and one helped by the fire getting trapped inside a single tower and being doused before it raced along the latticework. Brayshaw and his team decided against tempting fate again. They installed fireproof compartments into the roof that should keep all but the most persistent flames from spreading. Sprinklers were not an option because of the water leakage risk. "I don't think you can make anything fully fireproof," said Brayshaw. "We obviously went to town trying." The Church of England has already offered to share its long renovation experience with its French colleagues. Yet Brayshaw doubts his chances of showing off his woodwork skills in Paris. "I think by the time they have it all sorted out I'll have retired," he said with a laugh. However implausible it may seem now, there was a time when Carter Page was treated like a dangerous character. So much so that Special Counsel Robert Mueller was specifically tasked with investigating the onetime foreign-policy adviser to candidate Donald Trump. After naming Mueller special counsel, Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein penned two secret memoranda detailing Muellers powers and focus. Rosenstein told him he had been authorized since his appointment to investigate allegations that three Trump campaign officials Carter Page, Paul Manafort, and George Papadopoulos committed a crime or crimes by colluding with Russian government officials with respect to the Russian governments efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. Page was not just tagged as an explicit target of Muellers probe; he was first on the list. Given what soon befell Manafort and Papadopoulos, one might have expected Page to be wearing the new black. And yet, not only is Carter Page a free man, Mueller never even managed to get him on an overdue parking ticket. The question isnt so much what happened as what didnt. If anyone should have been prosecutable, it should have been Page if he had committed any crime, that is. For starters, the FBI had Page under surveillance and all of his communications in their possession for a full year. How many political players could survive such colonoscopic scrutiny? Add to this that Page behaved in ways that would have made it easy for any aggressive prosecutor to go after him. He allowed himself to be interviewed by the FBI repeatedly. He testified before a grand jury. He not only raised red flags, he waved them: Having been excoriated for his July 2016 trip to Moscow, where he gave a Putin-friendly speech, he went back to Moscow in December and tried to drum up some business. He appeared before Congress and made bold claims under oath. Consider his opening statement before the House Intelligence Committee in November 2017: Whereas I have never done anything wrong in Russia, no documents, records, electronically stored information including email, communication, recordings, data and tangible things could reasonably lead to the discovery of any facts within the investigations publicly announced parameters as it relates to actions by the Russian government. If Mueller had anything at all on Page, nothing would have been easier than to add a lying-to-Congress charge to the indictment. Story continues Nor is Page the sort of evil genius who would be needed to outwit some of the DOJs top lawyers. Read the transcript of Pages House testimony and youll be struck by the witnesss odd and awkward responses. Trying to be his own lawyer, he keeps making legalistic distinctions, such as whether his contact with someone had been a meeting or a greeting. Page makes the mistake of talking about being careful rather than actually being careful. Being a careful deponent is rather like being a pilot with the right stuff. If you talk about having the right stuff, you dont have it; if you testify that youre being cautious with your answers, youre not being nearly careful enough. Even the Republican members quickly lost patience with Page: You seem to draw a distinction between a meeting, a greeting, a conversation, and you hearing a speech, said Representative Trey Gowdy. So to the extent you may have said that you have met with senior members of Russian Government or legislators in Russia, were those meetings, greetings, conversations, or were you sitting in the audience listening? Gowdy was referring not only to Pages reliance on inconsequential legalisms, but also to his unfortunate habit of self-puffery. Page would take information he heard in a speech and present it to the Trump campaign as though he had learned it in a private conversation. For example, as Mueller puts it, In communications with Campaign officials, Page also repeatedly touted his high-level contacts in Russia and his ability to forge connections between candidate Trump and senior Russian governmental officials. Talk up your high-level contacts in Russia enough and people might just start to suspect that youre a little too tight with Russian officials. Well, that, or a certain sort of political operative might get the idea to spread suspicion about you. * * * Page was in a bad enough position: Abandoned and shunned by Team Trump and annoying to Capitol Hill Republicans, Page was short on allies to help him contend with the Mueller squad. So what did he do? He painted a prosecutorial target on his back by refusing to accept Muellers enterprise as legitimate. Loudly and relentlessly he declared that the entire investigation was the outgrowth of a fraud perpetrated by Clinton operatives. Page demanded that what he calls the dodgy dossier itself be investigated. That is a task the special counsel showed no interest in, though it was easily within the scope of Muellers mandate. Instead the special counsel did his best to prop up the FISA warrants against Page as perfectly normal and legitimate. Mueller writes, in a long footnote at the bottom of page 183, that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court issued warrants based on a finding of probable cause to believe that Page was an agent of a foreign power. Mueller is unconcerned by the thin and politicized evidence used to obtain those warrants: The FISCs probable-cause finding was based on a different (and lower) standard than the one governing the [Special Counsel] Offices decision whether to bring charges against Page, Mueller writes. The Special Counsel needed admissible evidence [that] would likely be sufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Page acted as an agent of the Russian Federation during the period at issue. To issue its surveillance warrants, according to Mueller, the FISC needed only to meet the lowest of standards a fair probability. Thus does Mueller achieve two things at once: He maintains that the FISA warrants were handled properly, and he insinuates he could have found Page guilty, if only the standard of proof werent so daunting. (Someone might remind the great and powerful Mueller of Justice Edward Douglass Whites opinion in 1895s Coffin et al. v. The United States: The principle that there is a presumption of innocence in favor of the accused is the undoubted law, axiomatic and elementary, and its enforcement lies at the foundation of the administration of our criminal law.) Theres no room for presumption of innocence when the FBI is making the accusations needed to get a FISA warrant. The first of the four FISA applications declared that the FBI believes that the Russian Governments efforts are being coordinated with Page and perhaps other individuals associated with Candidate #1s [Donald Trumps] campaign. The second warrant to surveil Page was secured in January 2017. The judge was told that the FBI believes that Page has been collaborating and conspiring with the Russian Government. The third and fourth warrant applications declared The target of this application is an agent of a foreign power. These were big claims. The Mueller report shows, even if grudgingly, that those claims were false. * * * Much has been made and rightly so about the FBI and DOJs lack of candor in describing dossier author Christopher Steele as a reliable source. But lets put that aside for a moment and look at what, from the dossier, the FBI used in all four of its FISA applications. During a July 2016 trip to Moscow to give a speech, the FBI has learned that Page met with at least two Russian officials. Steele was the source and reported that Page had a secret meeting with Igor Sechin, who is the President of Rosneft [a Russian energy company] and a close associate to Russian President Putin. Page was also said to have met someone named Igor Divyekin secretly to discuss kompromat the Kremlin had on Hillary Clinton. What ever happened to Igor Divyekin? He appears nowhere in Muellers report. You can be sure that had Page had any contact or communication with Divyekin, it would have been scooped up in the 24/7 surveillance of Page. And you can be doubly sure that any such evidence would have been front and center in a criminal-conspiracy case. Instead, Divyekin simply disappears. Sechin gets a similar treatment. In interviews on the Hill and with the FBI, Page acknowledged he spoke with an old friend who works for Sechin, but scoffed at the notion he could have met secretly with the oil tycoon. There is no proof offered by Mueller for the dossier claim that Page met secretly with Sechin. Indeed, the allegation itself doesnt even appear in the Mueller report. This is particularly telling as the Sechin claim had been central to the conspiracy narrative invented by Christopher Steele and flogged all over Washington by Fusion GPS. A writer savvy about Russia, Julia Ioffe, started working on an article about Page for Politico in the summer before the presidential election. She was inclined to sneer at the amateurism of the Trump team, and her working theory was that Page was a nobody trying to climb the greasy pole by inflating his credentials. But soon she was presented with an alternative take: As I started looking into Page, I began getting calls from two separate corporate investigators digging into what they claim are all kinds of shady connections Page has to all kinds of shady Russians, she wrote. Both claimed to me that the FBI was investigating Page for allegedly meeting with Igor Sechin. Ioffe didnt buy it. She knew enough about Russia not to be taken in by the fanciful stories Fusion GPS was peddling. Was Page the shadowy messenger between the Kremlin and Trump Tower, Ioffe asked, or was he the nebbishy, not-very-successful man trying to profit from being on a list of Trump advisers? She concluded that whatever game the Russians were running, Page was firmly in the latter camp. Had the FBI been less credulous, maybe a smidgen more sophisticated, or perhaps just less eager to hobble Trump, they might have easily come to the same conclusion. It would have saved everyone a lot of bother. The special counsel was explicitly tasked with investigating Carter Page and given every tool from wiretaps to grand-jury subpoenas to get the job done. By contrast, Page ran through his savings and was reduced to being his own lawyer. With the odds stacked so profoundly against him, if there were anything to the stories told in the dossier, Page would not have been in any position to escape justice. That Robert Mueller had to grudgingly admit he had no proof Page had committed any crime is the most compelling rebuke to the collusion canard. He may be goofy. He may be indiscreet. His views on Putin may be those of a Russophilic spaniel. But for all that, Carter Page may be the squeaky-cleanest man in America. More from National Review Hollywood star Charlize Theron has confirmed that her first child Jackson identifies as a girl (VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images) Charlize Theron has opened up about the time her eldest child, Jackson, explained to her that she was not a boy, and how she is wholeheartedly raising her as a girl following the sweet admission. While promoting her upcoming film Long Shot, the South African-born actor candidly told the Daily Mail: I thought she was a boy, too, until she looked at me when she was three years old and said [she wasnt]. Theron went on to clarify that she has two beautiful daughters who she wants to support and celebrate just like any parent should do. Read more: The Addams Family teaser trailer gives a nod to Pennywise the Clown She added: They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide. My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that. Theron adopted Jackson back in March 2012 and three years later, welcomed four-year-old August into the family. Shes always been very vocal about both the challenges and the delights of motherhood, as well as quick to dismiss any assumptions that she may feel like shes missing out by raising children that are not biologically her own. In an interview conducted by Chelsea Handler on behalf of Elle last year, the 43-year-old explained: In South Africa, orphanages were everywhere, and I wanted a brother or sister. I was always aware that there are so many children in this world who dont have families. Adoption is a very personal thingI know people whom I love dearly who dont feel that they could raise another child as their own. I respect that. Read more: Charlize Theron is shockingly available to date as she opens up about trying to find love But for meand I cant be the only person out thereI never saw a difference in raising an adopted child versus my own biological child. I dont feel like Im missing out on something. This was always my first choice, even when I was in a relationship. Theron dated musician Stephan Jenkins from 1998 to 2001. From 2002 to 2010, she was in a relationship with Irish actor Stuart Townsend. More recently however, she dated and then later got engaged to Sean Penn before they called quits on their romance in June 2015. China said Friday leaders from 37 nations and North Korean representatives will attend a summit for its Belt and Road Initiative next week as it hit back at criticism of the massive trade infrastructure project. Chinese President Xi Jinping's pet project is a $1 trillion programme that includes maritime, rail and road projects in Asia, Africa and Europe. The Belt and Road Initiative has divided Europe, and Washington has called it a "vanity project", but a growing number of nations are signing up despite warnings about debt and opaque deals that favour Chinese firms. Italy became the first G7 member to join the scheme this month and will be among the 37 nations represented at the leader level at the April 25-27 summit in Beijing, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said at a press briefing. Most other nations on the list have traditionally warm ties with Beijing, including most of Southeast Asia and eastern European countries that were former members of the Soviet bloc. The United States has said it will not be sending a high-level delegation. Wang said that "China's neighbour North Korea" will be sending a delegation. "This is very normal because it is an economic cooperation initiative... but (no countries) have the right to prevent others from participating," he said. He did not say whether leader Kim Jong Un, who will meet President Vladimir Putin in Russia this month, would participate. There has been growing concern over China's Belt and Road ambitions, with many western leaders calling the projects "debt traps". Last year, Sri Lanka had to give a 99-year lease to China on a deep sea port after it was unable to repay loans for the $1.4 billion project. But Wang hit back at criticism, saying that those who are are unable to do something well should not prevent others from doing it. "This sort of mentality is unconstructive and not helpful to others," Wang said. While some see the project as a geopolitical powerplay, Beijing has insisted that the Belt and Road is open to everybody. "I want to emphasise that this sort of partnership is not a geopolitical tool, but a platform for cooperation," he added. By Ben Blanchard BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) - China's Belt and Road project is not a "geopolitical tool" or a debt crisis for participating nations, but Beijing welcomes constructive suggestions on how to address concerns over the initiative, the government's top diplomat said on Friday. Beijing will host a Belt and Road summit next week which 37 foreign leaders will attend, including some of China's closest allies, though the United States which has been critical of the project is only sending low level representatives. The Belt and Road Initiative, as it is formally called, is a key initiative of President Xi Jinping, and envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with massive infrastructure spending. But it has proved controversial in many Western capitals, particularly Washington, which views it as merely a means to spread Chinese influence abroad and saddle countries with unsustainable debt through nontransparent projects. The United States has been particularly critical of Italy's decision to sign up to the plan last month, during Xi's visit to Rome, the first for a G7 nation. Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi, the government's top diplomat, told reporters that the Belt and Road scheme had brought real benefits to participating countries. "This partnership relationship is not a geopolitical tool, but a platform for cooperation," he said. "You can't put hats like 'debt crises' onto the head of the Belt and Road, and this is not something any participating country would recognize," Wang added. "Of course, there is a development process for the Belt and Road. You can't get there in one step, and it's unavoidable it will cause some worries during its development. So we welcome all sides to come up with constructive suggestions," he said. The number of foreign leaders at the April 25-27 summit is up from 29 last time, mainly from China's closest allies like Pakistan and Russia but also Italy, Switzerland and Austria. Story continues The United States will not send high-level officials, a U.S. State Department spokesman said earlier this month, citing concerns about financing practices for the initiative. Wang said there would be Americans at the summit, made up of diplomats, state-level officials, executives and academics, though he did not give details. "We welcome any country that is interested to take part. When the United States participates, or whether it participates, is up to them to decide," he added. While the United States and China are currently working to end a bitter trade war, they have numerous other areas of disagreement, including human rights and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan. China on Monday condemned as "slanderous" criticism U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made of Beijing's policies in South America last week. At the first Belt and Road summit two years ago, the United States submitted a diplomatic note to China complaining about North Korea's participation, though since then Washington and Pyongyang have sought to re-set ties, including with two summits between their leaders. Wang said North Korea would also take part in this year's summit, but gave no further details. "I think this is normal as it's an economic cooperation initiative. All countries have the freedom to attend, but I think they don't have the right to prevent any other country from participating. This is an open, inclusive platform." More than 150 countries are sending delegations, and there will be some 5,000 guests, Wang said. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry) By Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Belt and Road project is not a "geopolitical tool" or a debt crisis for participating nations, but Beijing welcomes constructive suggestions on how to address concerns over the initiative, the government's top diplomat said on Friday. Beijing will host a Belt and Road summit next week which 37 foreign leaders will attend, including some of China's closest allies, though the United States which has been critical of the project is only sending low level representatives. The Belt and Road Initiative, as it is formally called, is a key initiative of President Xi Jinping, and envisions rebuilding the old Silk Road to connect China with Asia, Europe and beyond with massive infrastructure spending. But it has proved controversial in many Western capitals, particularly Washington, which views it as merely a means to spread Chinese influence abroad and saddle countries with unsustainable debt through nontransparent projects. The United States has been particularly critical of Italy's decision to sign up to the plan last month, during Xi's visit to Rome, the first for a G7 nation. Chinese State Councillor Wang Yi, the government's top diplomat, told reporters that the Belt and Road scheme had brought real benefits to participating countries. "This partnership relationship is not a geopolitical tool, but a platform for cooperation," he said. "You can't put hats like 'debt crises' onto the head of the Belt and Road, and this is not something any participating country would recognize," Wang added. "Of course, there is a development process for the Belt and Road. You can't get there in one step, and it's unavoidable it will cause some worries during its development. So we welcome all sides to come up with constructive suggestions," he said. CLOSE ALLIES COMING The number of foreign leaders at the April 25-27 summit is up from 29 last time, mainly from China's closest allies like Pakistan and Russia but also Italy, Switzerland and Austria. The United States will not send high-level officials, a U.S. State Department spokesman said earlier this month, citing concerns about financing practices for the initiative. Wang said there would be Americans at the summit, made up of diplomats, state-level officials, executives and academics, though he did not give details. "We welcome any country that is interested to take part. When the United States participates, or whether it participates, is up to them to decide," he added. While the United States and China are currently working to end a bitter trade war, they have numerous other areas of disagreement, including human rights and U.S. support for self-ruled Taiwan. China on Monday condemned as "slanderous" criticism U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made of Beijing's policies in South America last week. "The United States has no plans to send high-level officials from Washington to the Belt and Road Forum," a U.S. Embassy in Beijing spokesman said. "We call upon all countries to ensure that their economic diplomacy initiatives adhere to internationally-accepted norms and standards, promote sustainable, inclusive development, and advance good governance and strong economic institutions." At the first Belt and Road summit two years ago, the United States submitted a diplomatic note to China complaining about North Korea's participation, though since then Washington and Pyongyang have sought to re-set ties, including with two summits between their leaders. Wang said North Korea would also take part in this year's summit, but gave no further details. "I think this is normal as it's an economic cooperation initiative. All countries have the freedom to attend, but I think they don't have the right to prevent any other country from participating. This is an open, inclusive platform." More than 150 countries are sending delegations, and there will be some 5,000 guests, Wang said. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Additional reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Michael Perry) Chuck Norris becoming the new face of Glock seems on-brand for the gun company, but that doesnt mean everybody likes it. There are no shortage of Second Amendment supporters giving a thumbs-up to the Walker, Texas Ranger alums new gig (save a few who see the late R. Lee "The Gunny" Ermey as irreplaceable or wish Norris was repping an American company) and there are so many new memes born out of this new hire (I heard you sleep with a Glock on your nightstand so the Glock doesnt get scared). But others are questioning whether its a winning combination in light of the growing number of mass shootings in the United States and calls for stricter gun control laws. Chuck shouldn't be working with gun companies at a time like this, wrote a commenter, who like Norris is a martial artist. He should be advocating ways to keep his gun loving friends from possible becoming surprising random mental health people that use guns to kill others and children. Please tell me Chuck, that you do something like that for the kids at least and aren't all about the money. I mean no wonder Bruce Lee died....he wasn't like all these a holes, just about the [money]. (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) The same commenter asked on a second photo of Norris promoting the pistols, Would u stand in the way of students like the Parkland Students seeking gun control measures? (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) And that led to scores of different comments both for and against gun control. Its not like gun control works, was a popular sentiment expressed by some Instagram users. (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) Here are some more reactions, leading with, So sad to see youre just a sponsor now and I do not like people who serve the gun industry. (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) (Screenshot: Chuck Norris via Instagram) Norriss gig was announced earlier this month. The company said in a statement, The parallels between Glock and Norris deliver an authentic, fun and legendary alignment of brands. Norriss gig will include ad campaigns as well as public appearances, including at the NRA conference in Indianapolis on April 26-27. Im honored to partner with this world-renowned brand, Norris said in his own statement. The values that I have built my life and brand on tough, real, constant and powerful are echoed in everything that Glock does and creates. Let me put it this way, if I ever decided to go into firearms, there would be no point I would just be recreating what Glock has already built. The only thing that would change is the name. Story continues Read more on Yahoo Entertainment: Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyles newsletter. (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters) By Peter Apps LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - Barely a week before Zimbabwes military ousted President Robert Mugabe in November 2017, its top commander visited Beijing. Exactly what he discussed with his Peoples Liberation Army counterparts has never been disclosed. But the conclusion General Constantino Chiwenga reached seemed clear that the 93-year-old leader was losing his grip, and that the only way to save the broader regime was to get him out. Now it has been the turn of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to be ousted by the military that had kept him in power for almost 3 decades. That followed a similar cycle of protest in Algeria earlier this year that also concluded with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's removal by an army he once led. Both countries are now entering a messy period of transition but the lesson from similar events elsewhere would be that while the figure at the top might change, the military-dominated power structures beneath may prove much harder to shift from power. The 2011 Arab Spring that toppled strongmen in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen and brought catastrophic war to Syria largely bypassed Sudan and Algeria. But popular frustrations with the leadership in both countries have been simmering for years. Those earlier revolts demonstrated several possible outcomes almost none particularly close to what the initial demonstrators hoped for. In Yemen and Libya, the removal of a dictator was followed by outright war and chaos while Syria demonstrates just how much brutality and energy such regimes can exert to survive. In Egypt, a period of rule by the Muslim Brotherhood was followed by another military takeover. The transition from one strongman to another suits not just those in charge, but also the two nations that have since 2011 emerged as much more powerful supporters of autocratic systems Russia and China. Events in Sudan, Zimbabwe and Syria in particular have shown both countries capable of subtly shaping events, even if they cannot outright control them. Story continues RECENT COUPS Indeed, in some respects, perhaps amongst the most interesting lessons of these most recent coups is what they may tell us about future leadership change in Russia and China, the worlds two most powerful autocratic states. Neither Chinese President Xi Jinping nor Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin appears at any immediate risk indeed, having eradicated rivals and pushed their personalities on their countries like no one since Mao or Stalin, they are arguably at the peak of their powers. But that, of course, could equally have once been said of Zimbabwes Mugabe, Sudans Bashir, Egypts President Hosni Mubarak and a host of other ultimately deposed leaders. Xi and Putin are aged 65 and 66, respectively, a decade younger than Bashir, and almost a quarter of a century more youthful than Mugabe when he was forced from power. The lesson for both, however, is that age and opposition will catch up with them eventually. Both Moscow and Beijing found the 2011 Arab Spring alarming, not least because of fears that Western-backed unrest might threaten them at home as well. Putins Syria intervention showed just how much effort Moscow was willing to make to shore up its allies and interests, demonstrated once again with more limited support in Venezuela. China, meanwhile, has continued to bolster its ties to often corrupt and autocratic regimes in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, including the provision of surveillance technology seen as an attempt to export the kind of authoritarianism increasingly seen in mainland China. LIMITS TO SUPPORT What events in Zimbabwe showed particularly graphically, however, was the limits of that support to any individual. While Putins support for Syria has been very much based around keeping Bashar al-Assad in power, the Chinese state appears to be signaling that it sees its relationships much more with institutions and systems than with individuals. Thats somewhat ironic, given the increasing personalisation of Xis rule in China. Still, the fall of Bashir has given even Chinese government newspapers the opportunity to publicly discuss the challenges of succession planning in an autocracy. A column in Chinas state run Global Times newspaper described the recent coups as symptomatic of the collective dilemma of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the column criticized http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1146311.shtml Western efforts to export democracy, saying it had simply led to instability, conflict, communalism and secession. The writer in particular blamed the internationally backed breakaway of South Sudan, which took oil revenue from the government in Khartoum, for helping produce the current crisis. But it offered little in the way of alternative models to replace and refresh failing or simply aging leaders. Part of managing that process, of course, may be simply offering a way out. While Mubarak, Bashir and others have often found themselves imprisoned, their eventual fate can be rather more comfortable. Mugabe, for example, has clearly maintained his expensive medical privileges he is currently reported to be undergoing treatment in Singapore, something out of reach for almost all his compatriots. One model might be that offered to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, whose departure from office and replacement with Putin were widely rumored to have come with safeguards for his personal welfare. While ousted leaders have often faced the loss of much of their wealth, they remain relatively comfortable. Where this leaves wider populations with clear demands for change is a very different matter. Ousting an aging leader, with or without the support of the military, clearly acts as something of a safety valve. But if it is seen to have changed nothing at all, it may simply be storing up trouble for the future. *** Peter Apps is a writer on international affairs, globalization, conflict and other issues. He is the founder and executive director of the Project for Study of the 21st Century; PS21, a non-national, non-partisan, non-ideological think tank. Paralyzed by a war-zone car smash in 2006, he also blogs about his disability and other topics. He was previously a reporter for Reuters and continues to be paid by Thomson Reuters. Since 2016, he has been a member of the British Army Reserve and the UK Labour Party, and is an active fundraiser for the party. (Editing by Giles Elgood) Mauritania will hold elections to elect a new president on Saturday, June 22, 2019, according to a decree signed by President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz. The incumbent president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, took office in 2008 and has now served two terms, the maximum allowed under the constitution. In 2017, he orchestrated a constitutional referendum that abolished the countrys Senate, a move seen as a bid to consolidate his authority. Signs had appeared in Nouakchott, the capital, urging Abdel Aziz to stay on as president. However, in January, Mohamed Ould Abdelaziz announced that he would not contest this years election. Abdel Aziz, a 62-year-old former general, was a major figure in a successful coup in 2005, and in 2008 led another coup that forced out the then president, Sidi Ould Cheikh Abadallahi. Opposition presidential candidates have called for changes to Mauritanias official electoral commission in advance of the presidential polls in June. The four opposition presidential contenders are Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubaker, a former prime minister; opposition politician Mohamed Ould Mouloud; rights activist Biram Ould Abeid; and Kane Hamidou Baba, an academician. Other presidential hopefuls include former defense minister, Mohamed Ould Cheikh Mohamed Ahmed, aka Ghazouni, who is is tipped as the likely successor to the outgoing president. These are high times for the American cannabis industry. Recreational marijuana is now legalized in 10 states and the District of Columbia, and myriad products containing non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD)think CBD-infused skin creams, protein bars and kombuchahave found their way to storefronts across the nation. But when it comes to receiving the kind of banking services that most businesses take for granted, pot-related business continue to find themselves cast adrift from the mainstream. The fact that marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under U.S. law means that most banks continue to be wary of financing the cannabis industry, lest they fall afoul of federal regulations. (Case in point: the news this week that Canadas Canopy Growth had reached a deal to buy U.S. cannabis company Acerage Holdings for $3.4 billion. The catch? The deal will only go through if and when the U.S. legalizes marijuana.) Indeed, the pot business remains handcuffed when it comes to accessing everything from business loans to payroll services to electronic payment methods (including credit cards, which arent accepted at most dispensaries). Not only does this apply to companies who directly touch the plant but also ancillary businesses indirectly associated with the industry, who risk being cut off by their banks for receiving cannabis-related revenue. Theres a real aversion by the financial services industry in taking any risk at all in this spacewhether its traditional bank accounts, merchant services, even insurance says Brian Baum, CEO of CBD product company Cannovia. He recalls the Colorado-based companys difficult process in finding a directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance carrier; of the 23 different insurers Cannovia applied to, 21 declined to even bid on the policy. In lieu of major national banks and financial institutions, some cannabis businesses have resorted to state-chartered credit unions willing to serve them in states where various uses of marijuana are now legal. Otherwise, many companies find themselves having to operate as cash businesses sitting on large quantities of paper moneya situation that obviously comes with its share of safety risks and inconveniences. Story continues But a pair of bills currently working their way through Congress promise to alleviate the situation, potentially opening the doors for financial institutions to provide cannabis companies with much-needed banking services. Six years after it was first introduced, the most recent iteration of the Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act was approved last month by the House Financial Services Committee and, having secured widespread bipartisan support, appears poised for a floor vote by the House of Representatives. Both the House bill and a companion bill introduced in the Senate this week seek to provide a safe harbor for financial institutions working with cannabis-related businesses in states where theyre legalprotecting them from federal prosecution for accepting proceeds from transactions involving a federally prohibited, scheduled substance. The measure has already drawn support from the likes of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Meanwhile, the recently reintroduced Strengthening the Tenth Amendment Through Entrusting States Act, better known as the STATES Act, tries to address the same problem from a different angle. That bill, which has also gained significant bipartisan support, would amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970which designated marijuana as a Schedule I substanceto restrict federal enforcement of the CSA against individuals and companies in states where cannabis is legal. Speaking before a Senate subcommittee last week, Attorney General William Barr indicated that he would support such a measure allowing states to make their own decisionsnoting that he would prefer the approach taken by the STATES Act than where we currently are. Still A Stigma Of course, neither bill does what most cannabis industry observers and participants would like to see: that is, lift the federal prohibition on marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. (Two Democratic presidential candidates, Sen. Cory Booker and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, have each floated their own bills this year that would look to do just that.) But both measures promise to bring relief to a situation that has hindered the ability of legitimate cannabis businesses to operate, by providing legal clarity to financial institutions concerned about falling afoul of federal regulations. With the overhang of federal prohibition, banks are warynot wary about cannabis, theyre wary about prohibition, according to AmeriCann CEO Tim Keogh, whose company owns and operates marijuana cultivation and processing facilities. We talk to traditional bankers and theyre not against cannabisits the conflict between state and federal regulations [that keeps them away]. So far, the banking industry has expressed enthusiasm for this regulatory push on Capitol Hill. The American Bankers Association (ABA) has written letters to lawmakers throwing the industry groups support behind both the SAFE Banking and STATES acts. ABA president and CEO Rob Nichols greeted the news of the SAFE Banking Acts passage through the House Financial Services Committee last month as an important step forward in providing regulatory and legal clarity for financial institutions caught in the conflict between state and federal cannabis laws. But not everyone associated with the cannabis industry is bullish on the proposed legislations chances of making it through Congress, nor its effectiveness should it be passed into law. FINCANN CEO Nathaniel Gurien, whose firm acts as an intermediary in arranging financial services for cannabis companies, says he thinks the SAFE Banking Act probably has a less than even chance of passing this yearwhich means it has no chance next year as things heat up politically in advance of the 2020 elections. In addition, Gurien argues, the law wont dispel the stigma that the conservative-leaning, risk-minded boards of many financial institutions have toward the topic of marijuana. The only measure that could prompt such a shift in thinking, he says, is de-scheduling cannabis as a Schedule I drug. Josh Schneiderman, an attorney at Los Angeles-based law firm Snell & Wilmer who advises clients in the cannabis industry, also notes that there are still numerous gray areas that the current iteration of the SAFE Banking bill does not addresssuch as whether banks would be in a position to foreclose on certain types of collateral if they dont have a license to operate a marijuana-related business such as a dispensary. And absent any federal rescheduling of marijuana, U.S.-based cannabis companies still wont be able to tap the public capital markets like some of their foreign-based counterpartssuch as Canada-based Tilray, which became the first cannabis company to make an initial public offering on a U.S. stock exchange after its $153 million IPO last July. Still, the legislation will almost certainly be a step in the right direction for an industry currently choked off from the most basic of financial services. As Schneiderman notes, Most of my clients these days dont have a bank account. Should they succeed in gaining access to those kinds of services, American cannabis companies could get to a higher place than ever before. A look at the shareholders of Opto Circuits (India) Limited (NSE:OPTOCIRCUI) can tell us which group is most powerful. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. 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 2.4b, Opto Circuits (India) is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. In the chart below below, we can see that institutional investors have not yet purchased much of the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about OPTOCIRCUI. Check out our latest analysis for Opto Circuits (India) NSEI:OPTOCIRCUI Ownership Summary, April 19th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Opto Circuits (India)? Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing. Institutions own less than 5% of Opto Circuits (India). That indicates that the company is on the radar of some funds, but it isn't particularly popular with professional investors at the moment. If the business gets stronger from here, we could see a situation where more institutions are keen to buy. When multiple institutional investors want to buy shares, we often see a rising share price. The past revenue trajectory (shown below) can be an indication of future growth, but there are no guarantees. NSEI:OPTOCIRCUI Income Statement, April 19th 2019 Opto Circuits (India) is not owned by hedge funds. Our information suggests that there isn't any analyst coverage of the stock, so it is probably little known. Insider Ownership Of Opto Circuits (India) While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Story continues Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances. Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in Opto Circuits (India) Limited. Insiders own 806m worth of shares in the 2.4b company. I would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public, mostly retail investors, hold a substantial 64% stake in OPTOCIRCUI, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. This level of ownership gives retail investors the power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and the dividend payout ratio. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Opto Circuits (India) better, we need to consider many other factors. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow for free . Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. 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. Craig Wright says he can't prove the date of the email communication. | Source: Facebook/IBT By CCN: In what may be considered a tacit admission of guilt, Craig Wrights attorneys have requested that exhibit A, an e-mail that was proven to be fake, be withdrawn from evidence in a lawsuit filed against Wright by Dave Kleimans estate. Wright Withdraws Purportedly Fake E-mail From Evidence After Wright submitted the e-mail, a Reddit GPG expert announced that he could prove the e-mail was fake. CCN reported this Wednesday night, and today court documents reveal that Wright has requested to strike the e-mail from evidence. His reasoning? He cannot verify the date of the e-mail exchange. Wright cites an inability to verify the date of the e-mail previously submitted as reason enough to withdraw it. Plaintiffs could fight the motion to withdraw. Source: Scribd The withdrawal is a long way from admitting that he submitted a piece of false evidence, but now the plaintiffs have the opportunity to fight to keep the document in the record. Wrights current goal in the Kleiman lawsuit is to get it thrown out by forcing the Florida court system to admit it has no jurisdiction over the matter. This reporter is not a lawyer, but some cursory research reveals that it may be a third-degree felony to submit false documents to a Florida court. If the plaintiffs push the issue, and Wright fails to find someone to verify the papers in his favor (over and above the numerous verifications to the contrary), Wright could be in serious trouble. Did Craig Wright Commit A Felony in Florida This Week? In Florida, a third-degree felony can carry up to five years in state prison. Florida prisons dont have a reputation for being easy, either. All of this is to say that Wright could theoretically beat the lawsuit and never pay the Kleiman estate a dime, but he could still be in deep trouble as a result of submitting a fake e-mail to a Florida court. Read the full story on CCN.com. Naftalan (Azerbaijan) (AFP) - Immersed up to her neck in a dark viscous liquid, Sulfiya smiles in delight, confident that the fetid substance will cure her painful condition. Sulfiya, a Russian woman in her 60s, has travelled to Azerbaijan's north-western city of Naftalan in the hope that crude oil baths at a local sanatorium will end her years of suffering from polyarthritis, a disease affecting the joints. "This is so pleasant," she enthuses, despite the reek of engine oil. Her naked dip in oil heated to just above body temperature lasts 10 minutes, after which an attendant scrapes the brown oil off her skin and sends her into a shower. The native of Russia's Tatarstan region said she and her friends "have long dreamed of coming" for treatment in Naftalan. The petroleum spa resort in the oil-rich Caucasus country is a draw for visitors despite its proximity to Nagorny Karabakh, a region disputed between Azerbaijan and Armenia in a long-running armed conflict. After 10 days of bathing in crude oil Sulfiya says she now feels "much better" and has even reduced her medication for the polyarthritis that she has had for 12 years. "It is a gift from God," agrees 48-year-old Rufat, an Azerbaijani journalist and opposition party member who is undergoing treatment in the sanatorium called Sehirli, or "magic" in Azerbaijani. Azerbaijan's vast oil deposits were discovered in the mid-19th century, making what was at the time part of the Russian Empire one of the first places in the world to start commercial oil production. Oil exports to markets all over the world are the largest sector of Azerbaijan's economy, but the crude that comes from subsoil reservoirs in Naftalan is not suitable for commercial use. Instead the local oil is used to treat muscular, skin and bone conditions as well as gynaecological and neurological problems. According to a legend, which spa staff readily tell clients, the healing properties of Naftalan's "miraculous oil" were discovered by accident when a camel left to die near a pool of oil was cured. Story continues The small town of Naftalan some 300 kilometres (185 miles) from the capital Baku became a popular health resort for Soviet citizens in the 1920s. "In the past, when there weren't any hotels or sanatoriums, people would come to Naftalan and stay with locals," said one of the doctors at the Sehirli sanatorium, Fabil Azizov, sitting in her office under a portrait of strongman President Ilham Aliyev. "But as time passed, sanatoriums were built and treatment methods developed." - Controversial benefits Some specialists warn the method has dangerous side effects. "Despite the stories of past cures, the use of crude oil for medicinal purposes has been condemned by Western doctors as potentially carcinogenic," former journalist Maryam Omidi wrote in a 2017 book published in Britain about Soviet-era sanatoriums. In fact, the oil at Naftalan is almost 50 percent naphthalene, a carcinogenic substance found in cigarette smoke and mothballs that in large amounts can damage or destroy red blood cells. But doctors and patients at Naftalan brush aside any misgivings and the sanatorium even has a small museum displaying crutches that once belonged to patients who have recovered from their illnesses. - 'We heard gunshots' - During its heyday in the 1980s, Naftalan would host more than 70,000 visitors a year. But in 1988, a bloody war began with neighbouring Armenia for the control of Azerbaijan's separatist Nagorny Karabakh region, which unilaterally proclaimed independence from Baku in 1991. The conflict claimed the lives of some 30,000 people from both sides and forced hundreds of thousands to flee their homes. A 1994 ceasefire agreement ended hostilities, but the arch foes have yet to reach a definitive peace deal and there are frequent skirmishes along the volatile frontline. During the war, the sanatoriums in Naftalan -- a few kilometres from the frontline -- were converted into hospitals for wounded soldiers and temporary accommodation for refugees. Over the last two decades, the Azerbaijani authorities have worked hard to re-establish Naftalan's reputation as a health resort. They resettled refugees in other regions, demolished decrepit Soviet-era sanatoriums and built brand-new tourist facilities. Modern Naftalan is a blend of kitsch-looking high-end spas where a week's treatment costs some 1,000 euros, and modest sanatoriums where a week's treatment costs around 100 euros. The simmering Karabakh conflict may be out of sight, but guests can still feel uncomfortably close to the military action. During one of the deadliest recent bouts of fighting in April 2016, "we heard gunshots," said a member of staff at Naftalan's luxurious Garabag spa, adding quickly that "everyone stayed on." Havana (AFP) - The United States may have announced a raft of measures that could hamper investment in Cuba in a bid to ramp up pressure on the communist government, but in Havana life is trundling along with the usual serenity. The peace is only broken by the mention of US President Donald Trump's name. "It's a constant threat, I think Trump is a complicated person who likes to hold the people in an iron grip. That's his way," said Mercedes Martinez, an 85-year-old teacher. Washington on Wednesday announced new restrictions on US travel and remittances to the Caribbean island nation, and gave the green light to lawsuits in US courts against companies operating in properties seized since the late Fidel Castro's communist revolution in 1959. That brought a stern rebuke from Havana and criticism from the EU -- Cuba's largest foreign investor. "These were legally nationalized," said Cuba's Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez in reference to the seized properties. Trump's National Security Advisor John Bolton said on Wednesday that the US would bar Americans from travelling to Cuba except to visit family, reversing the loosening of restrictions under Barack Obama that had started to open the cash-strapped island to US tourism. Remittances sent to Cuba will be limited to just $1,000 per quarter per individual. "These new measures will help steer American dollars away from the Cuban regime," said Bolton. Many Cubans rely on such international transfers to supplement their earnings. - Threat to tourism - Cuba is in desperate need of capital to boost a stuttering economy. It attracted only $2 billion in investments in 2017, well short of the $5 billion needed to spark growth. Cubans' primary concern is a shortage of food, exacerbated in no small part by US sanctions first applied in 1962. The latest US measures won't help and could hit the tourism industry hard. The Habana Libre hotel in the central Vedado neighborhood of the capital is a case in point. Formerly the Havana Hilton, it was nationalized during the revolution and could be subject to a claim in US courts. Story continues However, locals say Trump's measures won't bring the country to its knees. "That's not going to happen, here everyone helps each other. We're not going to let anything go," said housewife Iris Lara. Trump says the measures against Cuba are justified by the island nation's support for socialist ally Nicolas Maduro, the Venezuelan president whose re-election last year has been rejected by the US and more than 50 countries. On Havana's iconic Malecon promenade there are few signs of the impending problems. Unconcerned tourists meander in search of a 1950s convertible or pristine beaches. Cuba expects to welcome five million tourists this year. It has thrown all its eggs into the tourism basket in a bid to boost the economy, investing in luxury hotels in partnership with European companies such as France's Accor or Span's Melia -- which runs the Habana Libre. Several European Union companies could find themselves impacted by the US measures, which come into effect on May 2. The EU originally helped block the US measures from entering into force more than 20 years ago when the Helms-Burton Act was first passed by the US Congress in 1996. The provision had been systematically suspended by US presidents every six months since then. - Cuba not 'losing sleep' - The EU has warned the US it would be "obliged to use all means at its disposal ... to protect its interests" and could get the World Trade Organization involved. Alberto Navarro, the EU's ambassador in Havana, says the measures are a deliberate attempt to scare away potential investors in Cuba. "It's so that a company says: fine, instead of investing in Cuba, I'm going to invest in Punta Cana (in the Dominican Republic," he said. Rodriguez accused the US of "an attack against International Law and the sovereignty of #Cuba & third States" in a tweet on Wednesday. Although he insisted Cuba would manage "without losing sleep, with total calmness, enthusiasm and the knowledge that we're on the right path -- we'll tackle whatever difficulty." Fighting off US intervention in its internal affairs is nothing new for Cuba, which repelled the CIA-led Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961. Martinez's grandfather took part in the movement to gain independence from the Spanish Crown in 1895 and her father in Castro's 1959 revolution. She herself took part in activities during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis while her generation rode the economic bumps of the 1990s sparked by the collapse of the Soviet Union. "We're not afraid, we're united, but we're not willing to fight like little children," she said. "What does he (Trump) hope to gain from all this?" We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of examples of share prices declining precipitously after insiders have sold shares. So before you buy or sell MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services Limited (NSE:MITCON), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. What Is Insider Selling? It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. As Peter Lynch said, 'insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise.' Check out our latest analysis for MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services Insider Transactions Over The Last Year While there weren't any large insider transactions in the last twelve months, it's still worth looking at the trading. In the last twelve months insiders paid 5.3m for 106k shares purchased. MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. 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! NSEI:MITCON Recent Insider Trading, April 19th 2019 There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services Insiders Bought Stock Recently Over the last quarter, MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services insiders have spent a meaningful amount on shares. Not only was there no selling that we can see, but they collectively bought 5.3m worth of shares. That shows some optimism about the company's future. Story continues Insider Ownership of MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services I like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Our data indicates that MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services insiders own about 81m worth of shares (which is 13% of the company). We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing! What Might The Insider Transactions At MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services Tell Us? The recent insider purchases are heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. When combined with notable insider ownership, these factors suggest MITCON Consultancy & Engineering Services insiders are well aligned, and that they may think the share price is too low. To put this in context, take a look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow . 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. By Miguel Pereira and Rafael Marchante CANICO, Portugal, April 19 (Reuters) - Doctors from Germany are working with a Portuguese medical team to evaluate when the German tourists who survived a fatal bus crash on the island of Madeira can be transferred home, the hospital said on Friday. The bus - carrying 55 tourists and a tour guide - veered off a steep road in the coastal town of Canico on Wednesday, and came to a halt next to a house, killing 29 Germans and injuring 27, including the Portuguese driver and tour guide. Portugal's public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the accident. Heiko Maas, Germany's foreign minister, landed in Madeira on Thursday evening with a team of doctors, psychologists and consular officials to meet those affected. "We are working flat out to bring people who are injured and capable of being transported, to identify those who have died and to inform their families," Maas said. Maas laid a wreath a wreath at the site of the crash and held a minute of silence alongside his Portuguese counterpart. After visiting the injured at a hospital in Funchal, Madeira's capital city, Maas said an airplane would be made available to take the injured back to Germany. A hospital spokesman told reporters on Friday they were working with medical staff from Germany to determine when the patients would be well enough to be flown home. The spokesman said 16 of the 27 injured remained in hospital and 11 people had already been discharged. Two of the injured were Portuguese and the rest were German, a hospital spokesman added. Bus owner Sociedade de Automoveis da Madeir said it was cooperating with the authorities investigating the crash. "It is our will and deep commitment to determine all the facts, causes and responsibilities of the accident," Portugal's Lusa news agency quoted its statement as saying. (Reporting and writing by Catarina Demony in Lisbon; Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt and Madeline Chambers in Berlin; Editing by Alison Williams) Kinshasa (AFP) - A court in DR Congo has scrapped a three-year jail term against opposition leader Moise Katumbi, enabling him to return home from self-imposed exile in Belgium, his lawyer said Friday. The decision by the Court of Cassation -- the supreme court of appeal -- overturns a sentence for alleged property fraud, "opening the way for his return," attorney Joseph Mukendi said. One of the Democratic Republic of Congo's political heavyweights, Katumbi, 54, left the country in 2016 after falling out with the then president, Joseph Kabila. Kabila stood down in January after 18 years in power in which he stayed two years beyond his constitutional maximum term in office. He handed on to opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi in the country's first peaceful political transition since independence from Belgium in 1960. Katumbi, a wealthy businessman born to a Greek businessman father and a Congolese mother, tried to return last August to file his bid for the December presidential elections. But he was prevented at the Zambian border from crossing into the DRC. Candidates have to be physically in DR Congo to submit their election application. Katumbi and fellow opposition heavyweight Jean-Pierre Bemba, who was also barred from running, backed opposition candidate Martin Fayulu. Fayulu came in a close second to Tshisekedi, according to results that Fayulu lashed as a stitch-up. Katumbi has his power base in the mining province of Katanga, in the southeast of the vast country, where he was previously governor. In June 2016, a court in Katanga's provincial capital, Lubumbashi, handed him a three-year jail term in absentia for alleged property fraud, with the instruction that he be arrested immediately if he set foot in the country. He was also accused of hiring several foreign mercenaries to act as his private guards. He has denied both charges. In the months before the presidential elections, the authorities also accused him of "usurping" Congolese nationality. They said Katumbi had acquired an Italian passport and thus had forfeited his right to Congolese citizenship. Dual citizenship is illegal under DR Congo law. The Young Global Leaders in Tbilisi By Inga Kakulia The Young Global Leaders participated in The Economic Forum, held in the Rooms Hotel, in Tbilisi. The main goal of holding the Forum in Tbilisi was to introduces the Young Global Leaders to Georgian Culture and the Business Environment. Young Global Leaders is a part of the World Economic Forum and was founded in 2004. The members of Young Global Leaders are members of the government, business industry, laureates of Noble Prize and Oscar Nominees, United Nations Good Will Ambassadors and Social Entrepreneurs.In recent years World Economic Forum Georgian Prime-Minister, Mamuka Bakhtadze, Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakhi Kaladze, Member of the World Economic Forum Financial Development Council, Vera Kobalia, The Head of the Georgian Farmers Association, Nino Zambakhadze, The Executive director of Adjara Group, Valeri Chekheria and the Executive Director of Anaklia City, Ketevan Bochorishvili were chosen for Young Global Leaders.Young global leaders from different countries arrived in Georgia on the 12th of April and stayed until April 14th.The leaders met with the Members of the Government, Representatives of the Non-Governmental sector as well as the population stranded on the occupied territories of Georgia.The Young Leaders visited the village Khurvaleti and the people on the other side of the wire. The purpose of this particular activity was to raise awareness in Global Leaders about the current situation in Georgias occupied territories and to once again publicly and peacefully support the sovereignty of Georgia.Young global leaders participating in the World Economic Forum also visited the Ministry of Internal Affairs Call Center in Tbilisi, 112.According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the delegation members received detailed information about the work of "112" and the Joint Operations Center. Global leaders acquainted with the projects implemented and planned by the center.Within the visit, guests also got acquainted with the specifics of operators and dispatchers. They also received detailed information on essential processes in the management of the video surveillance system and traffic safety in Georgia.As the Ministry of Internal Affairs stated, the Ministry continues to work hard to create a more secure environment for foreign investors in Georgia. According to them, important technologies have been implemented in the process of advanced security and offering a variety of services.This Forum was a chance for Global Leaders from all over the world to get acquainted with Georgian Culture and local businesses and possibly form new professional partnerships with the residents of Georgia. Investors looking for stocks in the Retail - Restaurants sector might want to consider either Darden Restaurants (DRI) or Wendy's (WEN). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now? We'll need to take a closer look. The best way to find great value stocks is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits. Darden Restaurants and Wendy's are sporting Zacks Ranks of #2 (Buy) and #3 (Hold), respectively, right now. Investors should feel comfortable knowing that DRI likely has seen a stronger improvement to its earnings outlook than WEN has recently. But this is just one factor that value investors are interested in. Value investors analyze a variety of traditional, tried-and-true metrics to help find companies that they believe are undervalued at their current share price levels. The Style Score Value grade factors in a variety of key fundamental metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a number of other key stats that are commonly used by value investors. DRI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 20.21, while WEN has a forward P/E of 31.03. We also note that DRI has a PEG ratio of 1.97. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. WEN currently has a PEG ratio of 2.31. Another notable valuation metric for DRI is its P/B ratio of 6.21. The P/B ratio pits a stock's market value against its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, WEN has a P/B of 6.90. These are just a few of the metrics contributing to DRI's Value grade of B and WEN's Value grade of D. DRI is currently sporting an improving earnings outlook, which makes it stick out in our Zacks Rank model. And, based on the above valuation metrics, we feel that DRI is likely the superior value option right now. 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 Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) : Free Stock Analysis Report The Wendy's Company (WEN) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. American Airlines (AAL) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended March 2019. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price. The earnings report, which is expected to be released on April 26, 2019, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower. While management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call will mostly determine the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations, it's worth having a handicapping insight into the odds of a positive EPS surprise. Zacks Consensus Estimate This world's largest airline is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.52 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -30.7%. Revenues are expected to be $10.66 billion, up 2.5% from the year-ago quarter. Estimate Revisions Trend The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 3.17% lower over the last 30 days to the current level. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period. Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Earnings Whisper Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction). The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier. Story continues Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only. A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP. Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell). How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for American Airlines? For American Airlines, the Most Accurate Estimate is lower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that analysts have recently become bearish on the company's earnings prospects. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of -3.51%. On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3. So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that American Airlines will beat the consensus EPS estimate. Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue? While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number. For the last reported quarter, it was expected that American Airlines would post earnings of $1.02 per share when it actually produced earnings of $1.04, delivering a surprise of +1.96%. Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates four times. Bottom Line An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss. That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported. American Airlines doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release. 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 American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Vladivostok (Russia) (AFP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is expected in Russia's far-eastern port Vladivostok in the coming days, according to reports that have prompted excitement and concern among local residents. After weeks of speculation, the Kremlin announced that Kim will visit Russia to hold his first talks with President Vladimir Putin in late April. It gave no details on a date or place, citing "security reasons." Russian media were quick to report preparations were underway for the summit to take place in Vladivostok, home to Moscow's Pacific Fleet. The port lies only about 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Russia's short border with North Korea. This proximity is no doubt important for Kim, who is rumoured to travel aboard his armoured train. The 35-year-old will be following in the footsteps of his father Kim Jong Il, who met the newly elected Putin in Vladivostok in 2002. The far eastern city rarely sees major international events, and some locals are happy for the city to be in the spotlight. - 'If something happens, it will fall on us' - "Any visit is good, whether it's an enemy or a friend," said Danil, a student at Vladivostok's Far Eastern Federal University, billed by the media as a possible venue for the summit. He welcomed the talks, saying "you can only make decisions through dialogue and communication." Nadezhda, a native of the city, said it will be a global event and "will be a boost for development in our city." Authorities this week were busy cleaning garbage near railways leading to the city, Russian media reported. "The depressing view from the train window does not give a positive impression to guests of Vladivostok arriving by train," an official from the local branch of Russian Railways told the Interfax news agency. Nadezhda said she was "absolutely not afraid of (North Korea's) nuclear program" and would like to see the country. Story continues North Korea said this week it was testing nuclear weapons after a round of talks with the US ended in failure. But Anna Marinina was less enthusiastic about the summit, and said that if Pyongyang did use its weapons, Vladivostok would be in the firing line. "The people that panic the most about North Korea are safe on the other side of the ocean," she said. "If something were to happen, it would fall on us." Putin has long said he was ready to meet with Kim and is preparing to play a bigger role in nuclear negotiations with Moscow's Cold War-era ally. The last meeting between Russian and North Korean heads of state was in 2011, when Kim's father travelled by train to Siberia, where he took a boat ride on Lake Baikal and held tightly guarded talks with then president Dmitry Medvedev. There is a chance however that fresh talks will not take place at all, as Kim pulled out of 2015 celebrations in Moscow for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II at the last minute. video-oc/ma/wai Butembo (DR Congo) (AFP) - A health worker fighting an Ebola outbreak in DR Congo was shot dead Friday in an attack on a hospital in the eastern city of Butembo, the World Health Organization said. The WHO said that Dr. Richard Valery Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist it had deployed to help rein in the Ebola outbreak, was killed in the attack on Butembo University Hospital. Two other people were also injured but believed to be in a stable condition, it said. The attack is the latest in a string of assaults on teams grappling with a near nine-month-old Ebola outbreak that has claimed almost 850 lives. "I and all of WHO are deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and brother Dr Mouzoko," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement. "He put himself on the frontline to save lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he said, adding that "We grieve with his family and friends at this very difficult time." Police and local officials said the victim was a Cameroonian national. "The attack took place at the University Clinics Hospital of Butembo," said the city's mayor, Sylvain Kanyamanda. "The (Ebola) response team was in a meeting. Armed Mai-Mai (militiamen) arrived and fired on people. A doctor, an epidemiologist, was shot and taken to the emergency room. His colleagues were injured. The doctor, a Cameroonian, later died," Kanyamanda said. - 'Outraged' - Tedros said Mouzoko's killing was "a tragic reminder of the risks health workers take every day to protect the lives and health of others." "We are outraged by this attack: health workers and health facilities must never be targets," he insisted. The WHO Director-General said his agency was currently "assessing the security situation to ensure the safety of all patients, health workers and Ebola responders." "At the same time, we remain committed to continue supporting the Ministry of Health of DRC to end this outbreak as quickly as possible," he said. Story continues The DR Congo declared a tenth outbreak of Ebola in 40 years last August in northeastern North Kivu province before the virus spread into the neighbouring Ituri region. The epicentre of the outbreak was first located in the rural area of Mangina, but then switched to the town of Beni. Local organisations say the number of Ebola deaths is rising. An updated toll by the health ministry, issued on Wednesday, said there had been 843 deaths. WHO data from April 9 put the number of confirmed or probable cases at 1,186, of which 751 had been fatal. The outbreak is the second deadliest on record, after the epidemic that struck West Africa in 2014-16, which killed more than 11,300 people. Efforts to roll back the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever in DRC have been hampered by fighting but also by resistance within communities to preventative measures, care facilities and safe burials. On March 9, an attack on a treatment centre at Butembo left a policeman dead and a health worker wounded. It was the third attack on that centre. On February 24, a treatment centre in Katwa was set ablaze. On April 12, the WHO's Emergency Committee, in a new review of the outbreak, determined that the situation in DR Congo did not constitute a "public health emergency of international concern," a status that initiates a major global response. Neighbouring Uganda and Rwanda, worried by the outbreak, have started vaccinating health workers. More than 102,000 people have received a new Ebola vaccine in the DRC. WASHINGTON Sen. Elizabeth Warren became the first major presidential candidate to call for impeachment proceedings to begin in the wake of the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2020 election. "The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States," the Massachusetts senator said on Twitter. The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States. Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 19, 2019 Mueller's 448-page report detailed multiple contacts between Russian operatives and Trump associates during the 2016 campaign but said the investigation did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy. The report also documented a series of actions by Trump to derail the special counsel's investigation, though it did not reach a conclusion on whether he illegally sought to obstruct justice. Attorney General William Barr later determined that the presidents conduct did not constitute a crime. "Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations," the report said. But it said those efforts "were mostly unsuccessful ... largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Democrats reacted with alarm to news that Trump had tried to impede the investigation and vowed to continue to investigate. Chairmen of two top committees have requested Mueller appear before their panels next month. Story continues What is next: First, a subpoena for everything Top takeaways: Trump thought Mueller would 'end' his presidency and more Warren said that the report "lays out facts showing that a hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election to help Donald Trump and Donald Trump welcomed that help. Once elected, Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack." She said that Mueller gave Congress the responsibility on what to do next and impeachment was "the correct process for exercising that authority." Warren is the first major candidate to outright call for impeachment proceedings to begin. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., who is also running for president, said on CNN Thursday that the issue should remain on the table. So far, House Democratic leadership has tried to tamp down talk of impeachment, without ruling it out entirely. Republicans were quick to criticize Warren as trying to appeal to the party's base. "Democrats' calls for impeachment have been bogus all along, but Elizabeth Warren is proving how truly desperate they are to appeal to their radical base," Republican Party Chair Ronna McDaniel tweeted Friday afternoon. .@realDonaldTrump was just exonerated after TWO YEARS of Democrat lies. Democrats' calls for impeachment have been bogus all along, but Elizabeth Warren is proving how truly desperate they are to appeal to their radical base. Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) April 19, 2019 Contributing: Kevin Johnson This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Elizabeth Warren calls for impeachment proceedings to begin after Mueller report Today is . . . the day after Mueller Report Day! And a few other things. This is Good Friday, the most somber day in the Christian calendar, when Christians remember the crucifixion of Jesus. At sunset, Jews will begin the celebration of Passover, when they remember their liberation from slavery in Egypt. These are old stories: Christians have been marking Jesuss crucifixion for two millennia, and Jews have been commemorating their deliverance for more than 3,000 years. Nations and empires have been founded and come undone, terrible wars fought, all-too-rare and fragile moments of peace enjoyed, our own relatively new republic born and grew to power. Unless God has abandoned us entirely, we will not be talking about the Mueller report in 3,000 years. Passover and Easter both are spring festivals and have long been connected to other rites of spring, when our ancestors, emerging from the long, silent, cold, and more often than not hungry winter, took time to thank God for the blessings they enjoyed, to celebrate the bewildering fact that the world had not ended after all but had been born again. We, too, should be mindful of our blessings, which are please, dont ever forget beyond the wildest imaginings of our forebears only a generation or two back. Americans dont starve to death in the winter. We dont freeze to death. And before you dismiss that as a laughably low bar to clear, consider what has been the normal state of human beings for most of the time there have been human beings. We have not just gone through a civil war. We have gone through what appears to have been a relatively orderly investigation of the president of the United States who while we are counting our blessings is subject to the law, like anyone else. Politicians being politicians, there has been dishonesty, opportunism, and petty advantage-seeking all the way around, and almost no one has come through this episode with his reputation enhanced. But our institutions seem to work, and to work pretty well. That has not been the normal state of affairs for human beings, either. Story continues During Passover, the Jewish people celebrate their freedom. The American people do that, too and should do so every day. Without failing to pay due respect to the sacrifices that were made, among other places, at Valley Forge during that very cold winter, our freedom came to us a lot more easily than it did to Mosess people. Unlike our French friends, we do not spend Armistice Day pointing out to the children where the trenches were; unlike our British cousins, we do not spend VE Day pointing out where the bombs fell on our capital city. We are a blithe people, who sometimes have scant regard for history because we have been so little touched by it, here in our safe harbor. I would never wish for things to be any different, but I do worry sometimes that we got our freedom too cheap and hold it in implicit contempt. On Easter, Christians will give thanks for our many blessings in this land, and for the Principal Blessing that is for all the nations. But it isnt Sunday yet. In his great meditation Death on a Friday Afternoon, Father Richard John Neuhaus counsels readers not to rush ahead to the joy of the Resurrection, but to linger a while by the cross and think about the price at which that salvation was purchased. There will be plenty of time for trumpets on Sunday. And there will be plenty of time for noise on Monday, the mad hurly-burly of democracy heightened and amplified by the miracles of modern technology a blessing, yes, if a mixed one. The debates will go on, along with the arguments, the denunciations, the cries of recrimination, and the cries for justice and for vengeance that often are confused with each other. But today there is silence, if you want it, and time to think, to pray, to try to understand, and to try as best we can to do that heroic and impossible thing that we are commanded to do: to love our enemies and maybe come to understand that they are not our enemies at all. Abraham Lincoln managed. Surely we can make an effort. More from National Review Esther Wojcicki didnt set out to raise CEOs. But she knew she wanted her childrenand studentsto have an upbringing vastly different from the one she had endured. If I didnt behave, I was beaten, says the longtime educator and matriarch of one of the most well-known families in Silicon Valley. My fathers philosophy was Spare the rod, spoil the child. Wojcicki, or Woj, as shes known to the 700 teenagers enrolled in her popular Media Arts Program at Palo Alto High School, came up with her own philosophy after many years of teaching and parenting. She lays out the secrets to cultivating effective and ethical leaders in a new book, How to Raise Successful People: Simple Lessons for Radical Results. Her tried-and-tested formula? It all boils down to TRICK, a catchy acronym that stands for trust, respect, independence, collaboration, and kindness. If Wojcickis offspring are any indication, her method works. Her firstborn, Susan Wojcicki, is the CEO of YouTube. Janet Wojcicki is a professor of pediatrics at the University of California at San Francisco. And Anne Wojcicki, the baby of the family, is the founder and CEO of genetic testing company 23andMe. Our parents taught us to believe in ourselves and our ability to make decisions, the three write in the books foreword. We dont remember ever having our ideas or thoughts dismissed because we were children. Wojcickis guide to raising successful people weaves together stories of her own harsh childhood (in addition to being beaten by her father, she says, her formative years were defined by the loss of her baby brother, who died after accidentally swallowing a handful of pills) with actionable takeaways based on TRICK. One of her keys to instilling trust, for example, is to give teenagers a budget and let them shop for needed items on their own. Financial literacy skills can be taught early on, says Wojcicki. She showed her daughters a compound interest chart when they were still in grade school, and growing up, the three sisters sold so many lemons from their neighbors yard that they became known as the lemon girls. Story continues Family ties (from left): Wojcicki sisters Anne, Susan, and Janet at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. | Douglas FriedmanTrunk Archive The TRICK philosophy can be of value to employers too, says Wojcicki. In her book, she notes that CEOs like John Mackey of Whole Foods and other leaders known for employee empowerment are interested in her methods. The ultimate goal of TRICK is creating self-responsible people in a self-responsible world, she writes. This is what were doing as parents, teachers, and employersnot just raising children or managing classrooms and boardrooms, but building the foundation of the future of humankind. While Wojcickis book may be the latest in a long list of literature focused on fostering success, rarely does this genre get written from the perspective of a mother. Fortune caught up with the 78-year-old matriarch in her Palo Alto home, where she sat surrounded by family photos, to talk about raising leaders, the recent college admissions scandal, and the thorny issue of technologys dark side. That last point is a hot topic in the Wojcicki family, she saysno surprise given that two of her three daughters run sometimes-controversial tech companies. An edited transcript of the interview follows. Fortune: Why did you write the book and why now? Esther Wojcicki: So many people were asking me what I did with my daughters and what I did with my students. I thought, Well, if everyone really wants to know how I did it, perhaps it would be easier if I just wrote a book. Ive spent a lifetime collecting this information, and I thought I would share it with the world. This is my legacyIm trying to make sure that people understand the power of giving children control of their learning. What can employers learn from TRICK? If you treat employees the same way, if you believe in them and give them an opportunity to perform, then they believe in themselves. It is really crazy, but when someone believes in you, youre willing to take more risks and willing to be more creative. Just imagine if you have an employer who thinks poorly of you; the only way youre going to be able to perform is by following their directions exactly. And where is the creativity in that? All these employers want people who are creative and willing to take a risk, and all the people coming out of college are trained not to take a risk. Theyre trained to follow instructions. If you dont follow instructions, you dont get a good grade. Were producing a nation of rule followersa nation of sheep. If you just look at Google [parent company of YouTube], the main thing they do is give their employees a sense of freedom by saying, if you want to work on a 20% project [a policy allowing employees to devote themselves to whatever they want for 20% of the time], you have the right to do that. Google turned out to be one of the most creative companies on the planet. What does the college admissions scandal say about the state of education and parenting? Students are not engaged enough, and their parentswho are a nation of snowplow parentsare clearing the way and giving students tutors who basically cheat for them. The parents were all going crazy trying to get kids to pass tests that are completely irrelevant to the real world. The work world is not a series of tests. The work world is a series of projects and people collaborating together. We are not training students the right way. The business world is complaining that they arent getting students who are properly prepared. But they need to realize that they should not use the SAT as a gauge for what makes a good employee. Courtesy of Esther Wojcicki Of the five TRICK principles, which is the hardest for employers to implement? Trust. Employers dont trust their employees, so they have a lot of mechanisms to make sure employees are actually doing the work that theyre supposed to do. I can understand why its hard because there are people out there who dont do what theyre supposed to do. But I would suggest explaining the culture of the company and talking about how youre giving people more trust and respect, and how youre expecting people to honor that. If there are violations, then you do have to change the rules. But I would say that most people work really hard. The second hardest is kindness. Why is kindness so hard? Because we dont have a word in the English language that expresses happiness when other people succeedthat we dont have the word shows that we dont even have the concept. When you have a profit motive in mind and somebody doesnt meet your expectations, that profit motive becomes the most important thing, and kindness disappears. How do you define success? I would define success as people who have a place to live, a job, a passion of some kind, food to eat, and relationships. No. 1 is positive relationships. That is success as far as Im concerned. The community is so important. In America we need that today more than ever. Does technology help or hinder the implementation of TRICK values? Technology is good because it empowers kids; it gives them the opportunity to find information themselves. The downside is we spread misbehavior. The question is how do we regulate that. Do we want to hide [information]? Suicides in high schoolsif you cover the suicide and talk about it, statistics [show] theres an upsurge of suicides that happen after. One thing we should do is promote media literacy and media education: how to use your phone ethically, how to use technology for information. The only thing we do now is confiscate kids phones, which is ridiculous. They dont learn anything; they just learn that the phone is forbidden fruit. A version of this article appears in the May 2019 issue of Fortune with the headline Raising Superwomen. By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS (Reuters) - There is a still a concern that Britain may leave the European Union without a deal to smooth the way, the bloc's chief executive said on Saturday, urging Britain to take advantage of a six-month delay to work out the details of its departure. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made the comments in an interview with German newspaper FUNKE Mediengruppe, a week after EU leaders gave Britain six months more to exit the EU. "Nobody knows how Brexit will end. This is creating great uncertainty. There is still a fear that there will be a hard Brexit without any withdrawal treaty arrangements," Juncker said, citing the long-term negative impact on Europe's economy. Even though the extension to Oct. 31 offers little clarity on when, how or even if Brexit will happen, Britain should use the time wisely, he said. "I hope that the British will make use of this time and not waste it again. We cannot keep on putting off the withdrawal date indefinitely. The best solution would be for the British to adopt the Withdrawal Agreement during the extra time that has been agreed," Juncker said. The withdrawal deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May with the EU has been rejected three times by the British parliament. Juncker, who is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the G20 meeting in Osaka in June, predicted a "lively discussion" ahead. "The last discussion lasted 6 hours and it is good that you were not there," Juncker said, referring to raised voices at his last talks with Trump. Trade relations between the United States and the EU have soured in recent months after Washington hit the bloc with tariffs and threatened more. Asked about possible new tariffs ahead of the G20 meeting, Juncker counseled patience. He called on Germany and other countries to spend more to boost growth in the bloc, which is expected to see a slowing economy, a day after German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz ruled out taking on new debt to stimulate his country's anemic growth. "However, Germany should use its financial leeway to further reduce public debt and boost investment. This also includes eliminating bureaucratic hurdles," Juncker said. He also cautioned there was a risk of foreign manipulation around next month's European Parliament elections where eurosceptic groups are expected to gain ground. With Britain expected to take part, the proportion of the assembly's seats held by eurosceptics is seen rising to 14.3 percent from around 10 percent currently, according to the compilation of national polls commissioned by the European Parliament. "I can see an attempt to rig the European Parliament elections. This comes from several quarters, and not only from outside the EU. States within the EU are also seeking to direct the will of voters in a particular direction with fake news," Juncker said, adding that the Commission was ready to deal with the issue. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Frances Kerry) By Marianna Parraga MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro is funneling cashflow from Venezuelan oil sales through Russian state energy giant Rosneft as he seeks to evade U.S. sanctions designed to oust him from power, according to sources and documents reviewed by Reuters. The sales are the latest sign of the growing dependence of Venezuela's cash-strapped government on Russia as the United States tightens a financial noose around Maduro, who it describes as a dictator. With its economy reeling from years of recession and a sharp decline in oil production, Venezuela was already struggling to finance imports and government spending before Washington imposed tough restrictions on state oil company PDVSA in January. Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports from the OPEC nation and the lion's share of government revenues. Maduro has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of waging economic war against Venezuela. Since January, Maduro's administration has been in talks with allies in Moscow about ways to circumvent a ban on clients paying PDVSA in dollars, the sources said. Russia has publicly said the U.S. sanctions are illegal and it would work with Venezuela to weather them. Under the scheme uncovered by Reuters, Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA has started passing invoices from its oil sales to Rosneft. The Russian energy giant pays PDVSA immediately at a discount to the sale price avoiding the usual 30-to-90 day timeframe for completing oil transactions and collects the full amount later from the buyer, according to the documents and sources. Major energy companies such as India's Reliance Industries Ltd - PDVSA's largest cash-paying client - have been asked to participate in the scheme by paying Rosneft for Venezuelan oil, the documents show. Rosneft, which has heavily invested in Venezuela under President Vladimir Putin, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Venezuela's oil ministry, its information ministry - which handles media for the government - and PDVSA did not respond to questions. Story continues Russia has loaned Venezuela almost $16 billion since 2006, which is being repaid in oil shipments, and has also taken significant stakes in petroleum projects, meaning it already controls a large slice of the South American country's production. PDVSA's unusual payment agreement with Rosneft is part of a series of schemes by Maduro's government to gain access to cash, including selling Central Bank gold reserves. The schemes have frustrated Washington officials, who have in recent days questioned why sanctions have not had a more dramatic impact on Venezuela's finances. "PDVSA is delivering its accounts receivable to Rosneft," said a source at the Venezuelan state firm with knowledge of the deals, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. "The cash ends up in Russian banks or is used for settling pending payments such as marine services or freight so that oil exports are not interrupted." The sources said some of the money was flowing via Russian-Venezuelan bank Evrofinance Mosnarbank, which was placed under U.S. sanctions last month. A spokesperson for Evrofinance denied such transactions had passed through the bank. RELIANCE It was not immediately clear exactly how much of Venezuela's oil exports of around 900,000 barrels per day was being paid for using the sale of PDVSA's accounts receivable, because deals are being arranged on a case-by-case basis, sources said. An internal PDVSA document reviewed by Reuters, however, indicated shipments in April to Reliance - owner of the world's biggest refining complex would be settled via Rosneft. Reliance imported 390,500 barrels per day of Venezuelan crude in March, equivalent to almost 40 percent of Venezuelas exports that month, according to shipping data compiled by Reuters. The internal document showed that PDVSA and Reliance would pay a fee equivalent to around 3 percent of the sale price, split between them. Rosneft's fees are negotiated on a case by case basis, the sources said. Industry sources familiar with the matter said the Reliance transactions were going ahead but some banks were reluctant to provide financing for the purchases as the invoices stated that the oil came from Venezuela. Srikanth Venkatachari, Reliance's joint chief financial officer, told reporters on Thursday it was buying Venezuelan oil via Russian and also Chinese companies. He did not provide further details. "We are in active dialogue with the U.S. Department of State on our dealings on Venezuelan oil to remain compliant with U.S. sanctions," he said. A Reliance spokesman said the payments to Russian and Chinese companies were then deducted from the money owed to those countries by Venezuela. CRISIS While most Western countries have joined Washington in recognizing opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate president, Russia - together with China and Cuba - has stood by Maduro, defending him at the United Nations and providing military assistance, angering Washington. Even before January's sanctions, Venezuela's oil exports had halved from 2.8 million bpd when the late President Hugo Chavez, Maduro's predecessor, launched his Socialist revolution two decades ago. Rosneft, run by close Putin ally Igor Sechin, has capitalized on the crisis to take an ever-bigger share of the oil industry in Venezuela, which sits on the world's largest crude reserves. In February, Rosneft estimated the book value of stakes in Venezuelan projects at $2.11 billion. Now Rosneft is providing the cash to help keep PDVSA operational, using its large trading division to give it flexibility to collect payment for Venezuelan oil from clients. In one transaction, an executive from Rosneft's Geneva unit offered to take a PDVSA invoice owed by trading firm BB Energy for the purchase of 525,000-barrels of fuel oil in January, according to an offer letter reviewed by Reuters. Rosneft paid a portion of the $26-million bill directly to PDVSA and started talks with BB Energy to collect payment in cash or by receiving an oil cargo, according to the letter and a PDVSA source. A spokesman for BB Energy said that under guidance from legal counsel the company had not yet made any payment for the cargo. He declined to provide further details. Some within PDVSA are concerned Rosneft's trading arm now has been given too significant a role in decisions over cargo destinations in order to facilitate payment to the Russian company, according to one source. They are also frustrated that Venezuela is paying a heavy premium to Rosneft for imported fuel - needed because of the poor condition of domestic refineries - because only a handful of sellers were willing to skirt U.S. sanctions. "Rosneft is buying our oil for cheap and selling us very expensive fuel in exchange," the source said. We always owe them money." (This story was refiled to fix garble in 22nd paragraph) (Reporting by Marianna Parraga in Mexico City; Additional reporting by Luc Cohen in Caracas, Nidhi Verma in New Delhi, Julia Payne in London; Editing by Daniel Flynn, Simon Webb, David Gaffen and Marguerita Choy) Georgian startup companies AlterSocks By Nika Gamtsemlidze Following The Messenger's recent tendency to tell about successful companies, this week, we will inform you about one of Georgias most known socks manufacturer - AlterSocks.Its been more than three years since Nina Menteshashvili and Rezi Beselashvili founded one of the much-loved companies in Georgia, AlterSocks. After three years, AlterSocks managed to make Tbilisis streets more colorful, happy and diverse.As co-founder of AlterSocks, Nina Menteshashvili says - AlterSocks means alternative socks. Cheerful, colorful and funny alternative to everyday, dull ones.Rezi and I have thought a lot about this idea. When we decided that we wanted to start our own business, we were full of new and great ideas, but AlterSocks was the best one. Reveals Nina in our interview. As she says, AlterSocks does not only have a great potential to grow but can also be incredibly exciting to work on it.AlterSocks is trying to show the world a part of the Georgian culture. They have various socks with Georgian themes, among them are paintings by the brilliant Niko Pirosmani.Petre Otskheli was a Georgian modernist set and costume designer and AlterSocks reintroduced him to the Georgian youth by creating two beautiful socks of his artworks.AlterSocks has everything for everyone. From beer lovers to art lovers, you can even find socks with Georgian food on them, which are one of the most popular socks from the shop.One of the best-selling socks are the ones with the print of Khinkali. Tourists, as well as Georgians, especially like it. Also, socks with famous paintings are well-liked too. noted Nina.Nina revealed that only she and Rezi make the design of the socks. It makes us happy that people like our socks so much. Every day hundreds of people are texting us on our social media and are expressing their love towards our socks.A few days ago, pictures of new socks were posted on their Facebook page. As announced, the new collection will be available very soon. In honor of Georgian Language Day, it was revealed that one of the socks would have Georgian Alphabet on them.During our interview, we also talked about startup companies, as Nina noted One of the major reasons why startup companies are so important for our countrys economy is the fact that they pay a huge amount of taxes for the businesses they are doing.Nina told us that she has already written an article about this matter, where we read her saying Startups can be beneficial for the big corporations that are already present on the market. Most of the times, startups cant compete with these large companies, because they dont have mass production and enough resources. Instead of competing, big corporations can collaborate with startups. It is a common practice in numerous countries, where startups create various production components, which are used by large companies to create a complete product.We have also talked to people who work for AlterSocks. I have been part of AlterSocks family for two years now. Nina and Rezi represent the best example of how employers should be. They started from nothing and became one of the most successful startup companies in Georgia. The noted new manager of the AlterSocks, Nino Gagua. It is a great feeling when you have a chance to grow, and I certainly did. I started from being a store consultant and today I am a manager. Ill always be grateful for the opportunities that Nina and Rezi have given me.We will continue to showcase other success stories like AlterSocks that are essential for the Georgian economy and the popularization of Georgian products. Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast / Photos Colorado Police / Jefferson County Police Dept Gardi Pais begged his Columbine-obsessed daughter to just come home, hours before she was found dead in the foothills outside Denver, during a manhunt for threats she made related to the infamous Colorado school shooting. Sol Pais was found dead by a self inflicted gunshot wound near the base of Mount Evans on Wednesday following a two-day manhunt, law enforcement said. Authorities previously said Pais, 18, was extremely dangerous because she purchased a shotgun after arriving in Denver infatuated with the 1999 massacre. Please just come home, Sol, Gardi Pais told his daughter in an interview with The Daily Beast, hours before her death. Everyone is looking for you and we just want to make sure you are OK and dont do anything you will regret. This whole situation has been a nightmare, I dont know why she would do this. The FBI said she made threats to commit an act of violence in the Denver metropolitan area, prompting a statewide manhunt days before the 20th anniversary of the mass shooting, in which 13 people died. On Wednesday, Sols father confirmed his daughters interest in Columbine, but said it was nothing that stood out as dangerous. She may have a mental problem, he said, though he didnt elaborate. Sol never really had too many friends growing up and when we moved to Miami she didn't branch out. She kept to herself a lot, describing her as a quiet soul. Pais was seen by her family on Sunday afternoon and reported missing on Monday, the Surfside Police Department said. Her father said it was not out of the ordinary for his daughter to wander off sometimes. She kept to herself and sometimes that meant she would leave for hours at a time, he said. This is a bad dream I never could imagine she would do something like this. Over the past year online, Pais wrote she felt unhappy and predicted her life was nearing its end. I think this storys almost/completely done, she wrote in an entry dated June 2018 viewed by The Daily Beast. Around the same time, she wrote about her wish to get a gun. Last month, she inquired about Colorados firearm laws on a gun forum for what she said was an upcoming trip. Through it all she appeared to idolize Dylan Klebold, who killed himself after murdering teachers and students in Columbine. (Klebolds accomplice, Eric Harris, also killed himself.) Story continues Twenty years after the Columbine High School massacre, the shooting endures as an icon of infatuation and inspiration. It has become the subject of a dark fascination by some online true crime communities that upload pictures of school shooters and serial killers. And while some of the writers say they have an academic interest in killers, others treat the murderers like rockstars. More ominously, Columbine has become a template for other school shootings and attacks. Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza was obsessed with Columbine, his online records show. The man who killed 32 people at Virginia Tech University in 2007 name-checked the Columbine killers in his manifesto. In 2015, police arrested three people who glamorized the Columbine perpetrators for planning a mass-shooting at a Halifax, Nova Scotia mall. In December, the FBI arrested an Ohio couple who visited the Columbine High School campus for also allegedly planning a mass murder. The pair were allegedly caught taking pictures of the school. We are not a place to come visit if you are not a student. We are not a tourist attraction. We are not a place to come gain inspiration, Jeffco Schools safety director John McDonald said on Wednesday. Read more at The Daily Beast. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said Friday it is recalling more than 320,000 Dodge Dart compact cars in North America that could roll away because of a defective part that could allow the shift cable to detach from the transmission. The Italian-American automaker said the recall covers 2013 through 2016 model year automatic transmission Dart cars and that the defect could prevent drivers from shifting vehicles into park. The company said it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the issue but has several thousand reports of related repairs to vehicles. The company said a cable bushing may degrade after prolonged exposure to high ambient heat and humidity. The company said owners should make sure they shut off the vehicle and engage the parking brake. Fiat Chrysler will replace the transmission side shifter cable bushing, the company said. The company did not said when repairs will be ready. The recall covers about 298,000 U.S. vehicles, 20,117 in Canada, 3,400 in Mexico and about 900 outside of North America. Fiat Chrysler ended production of the Dart in 2016. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) A flight attendant for El Al, Israel's national airline, is comatose after becoming ill with measles on a flight from New York City to Tel Aviv, according to the country's Ministry of Health. The woman, 43, is suffering from the measles-related complication of encephalitis, or swelling of the brain, according to Eyal Basson, a spokesman for Israel's Health Ministry. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the condition affects 1 out of every 1,000 people who get the measles virus, but is more common in children younger than five and adults older than 20. It can cause permanent brain damage, deafness or death. Israeli health officials warned people who were on board El Al flight 002 which left John F Kennedy International Airport in New York City on 26 March and landed in Israel a day later to seek medical care if they developed a fever, often the first sign of the highly contagious disease. Symptoms, which may also include a runny nose, cough, bloodshot eyes, sensitivity to light and a dark red rash, usually appear from 10 to 14 days after exposure to measles, with a possible range of 6 to 21 days. Measles is considered among the most contagious viruses in the world. Unlike influenza pathogens, which spread when a person sneezes or coughs but then fall, the measles virus remains suspended in air, like really light dust particles, allowing the pathogens to linger and float for up to two hours, said Dr Martin Cetron, director of the Division of Global Migration and Quarantine at the CDC. Influenza is spread by an exponent of two, meaning each person who gets it is likely to infect two others in a setting where people havent been immunised, he said. Measles is likely to be spread to between nine and 19 people who are not immunised, depending on the setting and the herd immunity of those nearby, he said. Israeli health officials sent a letter to the countrys airlines recommending that all staff be immunised with two doses of the vaccine against measles. Story continues The airlines have initiated implementation of the recommendation, it said. El Al airlines said only that it operates in accordance with directives of the Health Ministry and declined further comment. Taylor Garland, a spokeswoman for the Association of Flight Attendants, a union representing nearly 50,000 flight attendants at 20 airlines, said: Our hearts are with our El Al sister who is battling this disease and our thoughts are with her for a full recovery. "Her suffering should give the public and crew urgency to heed the recommendations of health officials. From 1 January to 1 April, 555 cases of measles were confirmed in the United States. This is the second-greatest number of cases reported in the United States since measles was declared eliminated in 2000, the CDC reported. In 2014, 667 cases were reported. The CDC recommends that all people who are able to receive two doses of MMR vaccine to protect against measles, mumps and rubella. Infants who are travelling internationally should get their first dose at six months to 11 months of age. All children should be vaccinated at 12 to 15 months of age, and again from four to six years. Teens and adults also should also be up-to-date with their vaccinations. The vaccination status of the El Al flight attendant couldnt be confirmed because of her hospitalisation, but her mother said shed received all the recommended vaccinations, according to Basson. Between 1971 and 1977, however, the recommendation in Israel was for only one vaccination against measles. The current recommendation for adults, including travellers abroad, is for two doses. There have been two fatalities in Israel from the measles in the past six months, the first deaths from the disease in 15 years. According to news reports there have been 3,600 cases of the measles in Israel in the past year, primarily among the ultra-Orthodox. The International Air Transport Association, the trade association for the worlds airlines, said it does not track which airlines might require vaccinations against measles, but most countries have laws forbidding employers from insisting that employees receive immunisations. An employee of Cathay Pacific flew on nine flights while potentially contagious with measles between 8-16 March to cities that included Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and Bangkok, the Hong Kong Department of Health reported. The Health Department said the employee, a 41-year-old man, was hospitalised in a stable condition. Hong Kong news reports said he was a pilot. Cathay Pacific didnt immediately respond to an email seeking comment. New York Times If left untreated, hepatitis C can cause liver damage, liver cancer, bleeding and even death. A judge has ordered the Florida Department of Corrections to begin treating all inmates with hepatitis C something the state had reportedly not been doing due to the cost of the drug used to treat the disease. U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker in an order Thursday evening denounced Floridas long and sordid history of neglecting inmates with hepatitis C, a viral infection that, if left untreated, can cause liver damage, liver cancer, bleeding and even death. Walker wrote that the truth uncovered in previous hearings was crystal: the Florida Department of Corrections was shirking its duty to properly treat inmates with the infection because the drugs used to do so, called direct-acting antivirals, were too expensive. The Florida Department of Corrections in a statement to HuffPost on Friday said it was committed to ensuring all inmates in our custody are provided medically necessary treatment that is in line with national standards and our constitutional responsibilities. We are in receipt of the judges order and will thoroughly review, the department said. Thursdays order is the result of a class-action lawsuit the Florida Justice Institute filed on behalf of three inmates in May 2017. Walker issued a preliminary injunction in November 2017 requiring the department meet certain deadlines in treating inmates with the disease, depending on the severity of their case. The injunction did not require treatment for patients at the early stages of the disease. Two additional inmates filed lawsuits in December, arguing the state had violated their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act in failing to treat them for hepatitis C. We will have dozens of these filed by June, Ryan Andrews, the attorney on the one of the lawsuits, told the Tallahassee Democrat. These people need help and are dying from diseases that are in fact curable now. Hepatitis C typically spreads from contact with blood or blood products infected with the virus. That commonly occurs through intravenous drug use, but the disease can also transmit through tattooing, blood transfusions and organ transplants. Story continues The issue of prisons not treating inmates with hepatitis C extends beyond Florida. According to a report last year from Kaiser Health News, prisons across the United States were failing to treat at least 144,000 inmates with the disease. Most states cited high drug prices as the cause of their neglect. A single course of treatment for hepatitis C can cost $90,000. Advocates estimate there could be as many as 20,000 inmates in Florida who currently have the disease. State Sen. Jeff Brandes, who chairs the Florida Senates criminal justice budgeting committee, told the Miami Herald that Thursdays order could impact the states budget by nearly $20 million. Walkers order also requires the Florida Department of Corrections to begin filing monthly status reports to the court in June that details the number of inmates screened for hepatitis C, how many have the disease and how far it has progressed, and how many patients are receiving treatment. Carl Hoffer, one of the inmates represented in the Florida Justice Institutes lawsuit, died waiting for a liver transplant as the case was pending, according to attorney Erica Selig. This order will prevent further suffering and deaths, like Mr. Hoffers, in Floridas prison system, Selig said in a release. TOKYO, April 19 (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power plans to allow overseas workers coming to Japan under a new visa program to work on the cleanup of its wrecked Fukushima nuclear power station north of Tokyo, a spokeswoman said on Friday. The company, known as Tepco, has held discussions with the many sub-contractors working on the site to ensure any overseas staff working under the new arrangements have a full understanding of radiation safety and the necessary language skills, the spokeswoman said. Around 4,000 workers are on the site every day, she said. Tepco has been criticized by the United Nations over possible exploitation of those working on the decades-long decommissioning of the Fukushima station, which was wrecked by an earthquake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan in 2011. A Reuters investigation in 2013 found widespread labor abuses at Fukushima, including workers who said their pay was skimmed and who spoke of scant scrutiny of working conditions. Tepco said at the time it was taking steps to limit worker abuses. Japan, long resistant to immigration, is opening its doors to more foreign workers under a law that went into effect this month. The law allows about 345,000 blue-collar workers to enter Japan over five years in 14 sectors, such as construction and nursing care, which face acute labor shortages. One category of "specified skilled workers" can stay up to five years but cannot bring families. A second category of visas, limited to the construction and shipbuilding industries, allows workers to bring their families and be eligible to stay longer. An older program that allows workers in on "technical trainee" visas has long been dogged with cases of abuses, including low and unpaid wages, excessive hours, violence and sexual harassment. Three reactors at Fukushima had meltdowns in the 2011 disaster, which also knocked out power and cooling at the nuclear station. The disaster forced 160,000 people to evacuate areas near the Fukushima plant. Many of them will never return to the most contaminated areas. Story continues Japan's government estimated in 2016 that the cost of dismantling Fukushima, decontaminating the affected areas and paying compensation would amount to 21.5 trillion yen ($192 billion), around 20 percent of the country's annual budget. Tepco has struggled for more than eight years with rising levels of contaminated water that comes from its jerry-rigged cooling system for the melted reactor cores, in addition to power failures and water leaks. ($1 = 111.9300 yen) (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Aaron Sheldrick Editing by Paul Tait) Children of David and Louise Turpin, the California couple sentenced to life in prison for torturing them and their siblings for years, spoke out in victim impact statements read in a Riverside courtroom Friday. I cannot describe in words what we went through growing up, said one of their sons, known to the court as John Doe Number 2. Sometimes I still have nightmares of things that had happened such as my siblings being chained up or getting beaten. But that is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things that they did to us. In January 2018, police discovered that the 13 children who ranged in age from 2 to 29 were being held captive in a Perris home roughly 60 miles outside of Los Angeles. Prosecutors say the parents abused 12 of them. In February, the Turpins pleaded guilty. Despite the trauma, the son spoke of his recovery, too, mentioning his newfound independence which included living in an apartment, working toward a bachelors degree in software engineering and planning for his future career. Another testimony was read by lawyer Janet Latourette on behalf of one of the Turpins daughters, Joy. I want the court to know that our parents loved each other and loved each of their children, she said. People in Texas, even friends, said our parents were having too many children. Our parents didnt agree. They felt that God blessed them with all their children, so they kept away from the world and trusted God would guide them through life. Powerful moments in a California courtroom. Before the 'House of Horrors' parents were sentenced to life, with the possibility of parole, their children read victim impact statements filled with forgiveness and hope: https://t.co/L4WSI3ub6Qpic.twitter.com/U3Tdm2PUcA HLN (@HLNTV) April 19, 2019 The children recall that while they were locked away, they were shackled to beds, caged and hit by their parents, not bathing or receiving medical attention. They also reported having little to eat, their meals being cut from three to just one per day. Malnourishment had become so severe that the siblings appeared younger than they actually were, a medical official said when they were found. Story continues Still, Joy felt her parents tried their best to raise all 13 of us, and they wanted to give us a good life. They believed everything they did was to protect us, she wrote, asking the court to place our parents as close to the detention center they are in right now so if we ever want to visit them, we can. Joy also asked for the lifting of a two-year restraining order against her parents. The Turpin parents will have the possibility of parole after serving 25 years in jail. Correction: A previous version of this article mistakenly stated the Turpin children ranged in age from 2 to 19 when they were found. They ranged in age from 2 to 29. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) An iconic temple central to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faith will close for four years for a major renovation to help it withstand earthquakes and be more welcoming to visitors, leaders said Friday. Authorities are also keeping a careful eye on construction plans after a devastating fire this week at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The Salt Lake Temple will close Dec. 29 to update the stately granite building and surrounding square, including elements that emphasize the life of Jesus Christ, church President Russell M. Nelson said. "We promise that you will love the results," he said. The building and square at the heart of Utah's capital city is one of the state's top tourist destinations, though only church members in good standing can go inside the building used for marriages and other religious ceremonies. When the project is done in 2024, the faith widely known as the Mormon church will host an open house to give outsiders the first glimpse of the 126-year-old temple's interior in more than a century. A new visitors' center and removal of a wall around the square in favor of a fence will also visually open up the flower-lined space to visitors walking by. "We want to them to think of Salt Lake just as easily as they think of Jerusalem or The Vatican as a place where Christianity really has its heart," Bishop Dean M. Davies said. The work that will bring scaffolding, cranes and occasional road closures to downtown Salt Lake City also carries increased fire risk. Authorities are taking extra caution in light of the damage to Norte Dame by crafting a plan that includes a 24-hour fire watch, limiting welding and grinding to certain areas, and plenty of fire extinguishers. Investigators are still determining the exact cause of the fire at Notre Dame, which was under renovation when the blaze started on Monday. The Salt Lake Temple's earthquake-mitigation project will be a major undertaking, and involve excavating underneath the temple to install a base-isolation system that will prevent damage by largely decoupling the building from the earth. Story continues The area sees seismic activity, including a series of small quakes that have occurred in recent months. Plans for this project, though, stretch back more than a decade. Much of the square will remain open during the construction, including the building where the faith's famed Tabernacle Choir sings. In a nod to the 16-million-member church's increasingly global membership, the project will also allow the temple to serve people in over 86 languages, rather than only English. Leaders declined to say how much the project will cost. Temples aren't used for regular Sunday services, but thousands of church members visit every year. It is one of the most popular destinations for weddings. While it's closed, local members will go to a number of other nearby Utah temples. After it reopens, changes will include a return to a more colorful Victorian-era palette rather than the mostly white style adopted during another extensive renovation in the 1960s. The faith's temples have rooms where couples are "sealed" in marriage, chambers for ceremonies on theology and morality and celestial rooms used for prayer and reflection. They also have ornate baptismal fonts designed for use in ceremonies to baptize dead relatives, though there's been occasional controversy over members posthumously baptizing public figures against church policy. The faith teaches proxy baptisms give the deceased the choice to join the faith in the afterlife. New temples are typically open to the public for a brief time before being dedicated, after which they're reserved for members only. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert said the renovation will likely bring more congestion downtown, but he's hoping curious tourists will keep visiting during construction. "People think of The Church of Jesus Latter-day Saints and most people think of this temple," said Herbert, who is a member of the faith. The renovation "shows the vitality of Salt Lake City. We're not closing things down. We're expanding and growing." Every investor in SATS Ltd. (SGX:S58) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership. SATS has a market capitalization of S$5.9b, so it's too big to fly under the radar. We'd expect to see both institutions and retail investors owning a portion of the company. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about S58. See our latest analysis for SATS SGX:S58 Ownership Summary, April 19th 2019 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About SATS? 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. As you can see, institutional investors own 17% of SATS. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at SATS's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters. SGX:S58 Income Statement, April 19th 2019 SATS is not owned by hedge funds. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily. Insider Ownership Of SATS While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board; and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board, themselves. 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. Story continues Our information suggests that SATS Ltd. insiders own under 1% of the company. It's a big company, so even a small proportional interest can create alignment between the board and shareholders. In this case insiders own S$12m worth of shares. It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling. General Public Ownership The general public holds a 41% stake in S58. 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. 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 would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts. 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. Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Cairo Communication S.p.A. (BIT:CAI) by taking the foreast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. I will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Cairo Communication Step by step through the calculation We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow are will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Levered FCF (, Millions) 82.7 87.2 91.2 95.0 98.6 102 105 109 112 116 Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 4.62% Est @ 4.12% Est @ 3.76% Est @ 3.51% Est @ 3.34% Est @ 3.22% Est @ 3.13% Est @ 3.07% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 12.74% 73.3 68.6 63.7 58.8 54.1 49.7 45.5 41.7 38.1 34.9 Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= 528.44m Story continues "Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 10-year government bond rate of 2.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 12.7%. Terminal Value (TV) = FCF 2029 (1 + g) (r g) = 116m (1 + 2.9%) (12.7% 2.9%) = 1.2b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV) = TV / (1 + r)10 = 1.2b ( 1 + 12.7%)10 = 366.09m The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is 894.54m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. This results in an intrinsic value estimate of 6.66. Compared to the current share price of 3.56, the company appears quite good value at a 47% discount to what it is available for right now. DCFs are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. BIT:CAI Intrinsic value, April 19th 2019 Important assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Cairo Communication as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 12.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.087. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price to differ from the intrinsic value? For Cairo Communication, I've put together three further factors you should further examine: Financial Health: Does CAI have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does CAI's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of CAI? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every IT stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search 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. Dominic Tonner became the CEO of Premier Veterinary Group plc (LON:PVG) in 2015. This report will, first, examine the CEO compensation levels in comparison to CEO compensation at companies of similar size. Next, we'll consider growth that the business demonstrates. Third, we'll reflect on the total return to shareholders over three years, as a second measure of business performance. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid. Check out our latest analysis for Premier Veterinary Group How Does Dominic Tonner's Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies? At the time of writing our data says that Premier Veterinary Group plc has a market cap of UK6.4m, and is paying total annual CEO compensation of UK291k. (This is based on the year to September 2018). We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at UK232k. We examined a group of similar sized companies, with market capitalizations of below UK154m. The median CEO total compensation in that group is UK239k. That means Dominic Tonner receives fairly typical remuneration for the CEO of a company that size. This doesn't tell us a whole lot on its own, but looking at the performance of the actual business will give us useful context. You can see, below, how CEO compensation at Premier Veterinary Group has changed over time. LSE:PVG CEO Compensation, April 19th 2019 Is Premier Veterinary Group plc Growing? On average over the last three years, Premier Veterinary Group plc has shrunk earnings per share by 14% each year (measured with a line of best fit). It achieved revenue growth of 24% over the last year. Sadly for shareholders, earnings per share are actually down, over three years. There's no doubt that the silver lining is that revenue is up. But it isn't sufficiently fast growth to overlook the fact that earnings per share has gone backwards over three years. These factors suggest that the business performance wouldn't really justify a high pay packet for the CEO. It could be important to check this free visual depiction of what analysts expect for the future. Story continues Has Premier Veterinary Group plc Been A Good Investment? Since shareholders would have lost about 69% over three years, some Premier Veterinary Group plc shareholders would surely be feeling negative emotions. So shareholders would probably think the company shouldn't be too generous with CEO compensation. In Summary... Dominic Tonner is paid around what is normal the leaders of comparable size companies. Returns have been disappointing and the company is not growing its earnings per share. Suffice it to say, we don't think the CEO is underpaid! If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at Premier Veterinary Group. If you want to buy a stock that is better than Premier Veterinary Group, this free list of high return, low debt companies is a great place to look. 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. Survey on gambling among teenagers By Levan Abramishvili The founder of Gambling Research And Prevention Centre (GRAPC), Guga Beselia held a press conference, where he presented the results of a study conducted by the NGO regarding the schoolchildren involved in gambling.The GRAPC, with the support of Tbilisi City Hall, visited several schools and held lecture-seminars where they discussed the damaging and devastating results to which gambling leads. Alongside the lectures at the schools, the organization conducted a study about the childrens involvement in gambling.The study was conducted in 10 schools in different districts of Tbilisi. 500 students from ages 14-18 participated, 55% of them were boys and 45% were girls. The survey was anonymous, so the students had a chance to be honest. According to Guga Beselia, 48% of the students are involved in gambling. (See the table)As the chart shows, the numbers are alarming and according to Beselia, the worst is that, with age, the students' addiction increases. From just 28% at the age of 14, the number of gamblers increases to 52% at 15. (See the chart)In the survey, schoolchildren were also asked where they got the information about gambling games. It was evident that they heard about games from multiple sources, 75% of them answered that they received info from online ads and 47% from the billboards.It is noteworthy that even though the study is very alarming and gives us the glimpse of the very prevalent problem within the Georgian youth, a survey of a larger scale should be done both within Tbilisi and in the regions to get the full picture of the reasons that the youth turns to gamble.Almost half of the students that were surveyed are vulnerable to acquire ludomania, a condition that gives people the urge to gamble continuously despite harmful negative consequences.The GRAPC study also pens out recommendations. First of all, the lectures should be carried out throughout the country to raise awareness about the adverse outcomes of gambling. According to the law, teens under 18 arent allowed to gamble. But the results of the study show that the law is mostly disregarded. Most of the surveyed students were avid users of online gambling platforms. GRAPC notes that there are almost no barriers that stop children from accessing such websites, which results in the high usage of online gambling games in teens.The study mentions that the Gambling Research And Prevention Centre is currently working on a draft law, which ensures regulating two things: The registration to online gambling platforms should become stricter. One solution would be access to the public registry. If the online casinos were allowed to have access to the public registry, it would ensure that underage children wont be able to register. The advertising also requires regulating. It is unacceptable that we see massive billboards near schools that promote gambling. Ads on TV and the internet should also be regulated. Since there are no requirements or set principles in this regard, vulnerable children become easy targets for online casinos.It is worth mentioning that, earlier this month, a draft law that was to prohibit advertising of gambling games was discussed at the parliament. Even though the majority of the members were in favor of the regulations, the law was still not adopted. The reason for this was that several norms were unacceptable for most of the MPs, including the banning of gambling billboards in the radius of 200 meters near education facilities. The initiative belongs to Levan Gogichaishvili; he only got the support of 42 of his colleagues.The results of the study should concern to both the government and the parents of teenagers. Extensive public awareness campaigns, as well as the competent legislature, is immediately needed to protect the future generations from the damaging effects of gambling. How far off is The Scottish Salmon Company PLC (OB:SSC) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the foreast future cash flows of the company and discounting them back to today's value. I will be using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Scottish Salmon Step by step through the calculation We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow are will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Levered FCF (, Millions) UK15.5 UK28.6 UK31.8 UK33.2 UK34.5 UK35.6 UK36.6 UK37.5 UK38.4 UK39.2 Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ 4.72% Est @ 3.83% Est @ 3.21% Est @ 2.78% Est @ 2.47% Est @ 2.26% Est @ 2.11% Present Value (, Millions) Discounted @ 7.08% UK14.5 UK24.9 UK25.9 UK25.3 UK24.5 UK23.6 UK22.7 UK21.7 UK20.7 UK19.8 Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= 223.62m Story continues "Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 10-year government bond rate (1.8%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 7.1%. Terminal Value (TV) = FCF 2029 (1 + g) (r g) = UK39m (1 + 1.8%) (7.1% 1.8%) = UK749m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV) = TV / (1 + r)10 = UK749m ( 1 + 7.1%)10 = 378.13m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is 601.75m. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. This results in an intrinsic value estimate in the companys reported currency of 3.1. However, SSCs primary listing is in United Kingdom, and 1 share of SSC in GBP represents 11.074 ( GBP/ NOK) share of OB:SSC, so the intrinsic value per share in NOK is NOK34.31. Compared to the current share price of NOK17.76, the company appears quite good value at a 48% discount to what it is available for right now. The assumptions in a DCF have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. OB:SSC Intrinsic value, April 19th 2019 Important assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Scottish Salmon as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price to differ from the intrinsic value? For Scottish Salmon, I've put together three fundamental aspects you should further examine: Financial Health: Does SSC have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does SSC's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of SSC? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the OB every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search 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. DUBLIN, April 19 (Reuters) - An influential U.S. congressman has warned the European Union that any arrangement that undermines Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement could endanger a proposed EU-U.S. trade deal, the Irish Times reported on Friday. The European Union last week said it was ready to start talks on a trade agreement with the United States and aims to conclude a deal before year-end. "If America wants a trade agreement with the European Union, which I think is very desirable I want it at the same time you are back to the same issue on the border if you do anything that dampens or softens the Good Friday Agreement," Democratic Congressman Richard Neal was quoted as saying. Neal is visiting Ireland with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who on Wednesday said the United States would also not agree to any trade deal with Britain if future Brexit arrangements undermine peace in Ireland, reiterating comments made by the congressman in February. The European Union has insisted it will not accept any British withdrawal agreement that results in any infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, something that would anger Irish nationalists and could become a target for militants. But some British politicians have called on Brussels to soften this demand to get a deal done. Neal, chairman of the Congressional committee overseeing trade, said any Brexit deal must maintain the sanctity of the peace agreement, the Irish Times reported. How to keep EU-member Ireland's 500km (350 mile) border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit is proving the most intractable issue in Britain's tortuous efforts to leave the EU. British Prime Minister Theresa May's government is in talks with the opposition Labour Party to build support for a Brexit divorce deal that parliament has already rejected three times, potentially delaying the UK's departure date from the European Union until the end of October. Much of the opposition to May's deal within her own party is centered on fears that it would not provide a clean enough break to allow the United Kingdom to forge new trade deals around the world, especially with the United States. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) DUBLIN (Reuters) - An influential U.S. congressman has warned the European Union that any Brexit arrangement that undermines Northern Ireland's 1998 peace agreement could endanger a proposed EU-U.S. trade deal, the Irish Times reported on Friday. The European Union last week said it was ready to start talks on a trade agreement with the United States and aims to conclude a deal before year-end. "If America wants a trade agreement with the European Union, which I think is very desirable I want it at the same time you are back to the same issue on the border if you do anything that dampens or softens the Good Friday Agreement," Democratic Congressman Richard Neal was quoted as saying. Neal is visiting Ireland with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who on Wednesday said the United States would also not agree to any trade deal with Britain if future Brexit arrangements undermine peace in Ireland, reiterating comments made by the congressman in February. The European Union has insisted it will not accept any British withdrawal agreement that results in any infrastructure on the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, something that would anger Irish nationalists and could become a target for militants. But some British politicians have called on Brussels to soften this demand to get a deal done. Neal, chairman of the Congressional committee overseeing trade, said any Brexit deal must maintain the sanctity of the peace agreement, the Irish Times reported. How to keep EU-member Ireland's 500km (350 mile) border with Northern Ireland open after Brexit is proving the most intractable issue in Britain's tortuous efforts to leave the EU. British Prime Minister Theresa May's government is in talks with the opposition Labour Party to build support for a Brexit divorce deal that parliament has already rejected three times, potentially delaying the UK's departure date from the European Union until the end of October. Much of the opposition to May's deal within her own party is centered on fears that it would not provide a clean enough break to allow the United Kingdom to forge new trade deals around the world, especially with the United States. (Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) Hebron (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli forces destroyed two apartments in the occupied West Bank on Friday that housed the family of a Palestinian accused of killing an Israeli woman in February, the army said. Soldiers surrounded the apartment block in the flashpoint southern city of Hebron beginning late on Thursday. They then destroyed the two apartments that were home to the family of Arafat Irfaiya, 29, with the use of heavy construction equipment in the early hours of the morning. Some clashes broke out between Palestinian residents and Israeli forces during the operation, AFP journalists reported. The murder of Ori Ansbacher, 19, reportedly stabbed multiple times, triggered shock and anger in Israel. Her body was found on February 7 in a forest southeast of Jerusalem and Irfaiya was arrested two days later in a raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israeli authorities labelled it a "nationalist" attack, meaning linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel routinely demolishes the homes of Palestinians accused of attacks on Israelis as part of a policy it says discourages future violence. But human rights groups and Palestinians say the practice amounts to collective punishment, with family members forced to pay for the acts of a relative. Former Vice President Joe Biden has recorded a video near his childhood home that will launch the third attempt at the Democratic presidential nomination in his long career. As of midday Friday, the plan was for him to post the video on Wednesday. As has been the case with so many pieces of Bidens political planning, things can change quickly, stall out or be slow-walked for weeks, however. There remains an internal debate about what to do after the video posts if, indeed, it posts on Wednesday as planned, or moves to another date. Things, as one Biden adviser dryly put it, are fluid. The leading option is for a post-video rally in Charlottesville, Va., where a demonstration by white supremacists left one dead and earned President Donald Trumps tacit endorsement when he said there were good people in the crowd. Another option is in Delaware, a state he represented in the Senate from 1972 until his election as Barack Obamas loyal lieutenant in 2008. And there are still talks about him channeling Rocky on the famous steps of Philadelphias art museum. Earlier, Biden has asked his Senate allies to stay in town this week in case he wanted to launch in Washington. Perhaps sensing the foolhardy idea of a campaign launch in Washington, where Congress has a meager 26% approval rating, no one stayed. Ive never seen anything so half-assed, a former Biden aide said. Theyre improvising and doing last-minute planning. The guy has been running for President since 1987 and cant figure the basics out, like where to stand on his first day? This should make everyone very nervous. Added a second Biden insider: The guys best day is the day he announces. Everything after that gets worse. Bidens dreams of becoming President are legendary. He ran for the 1988 nomination but it was, at best, an uneasy effort marred by an inability to ever find solid footing as fended off allegations of plagiarism and academic fraud. He tried again in 2008, dropping out after a fifth-place showing in leadoff Iowa. Obama forged a sincere partnership with Biden and placed him on the ticket later in 2008 and used Biden as his top adviser on all matters, although Obama and his inner circle were carried deep apprehension about Biden seeking the nomination as Obamas heir. Story continues Read More: This Is What Happened the First Time Joe Biden Ran for President Biden ultimately decided against running in 2016, citing in part the sincere grief he was working through after the death of his son, Beau, after an intense fight with brain cancer. Obama in the Oval Office reviewed Bidens remarks bowing out of a race he never joined. But Biden still harbored doubts that had he run, he could have defeated Donald Trump. The political environment hasnt become friendlier for Biden in the intervening years. A rise of far-left activism has given hope to candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The finally realized political power of African-Americans, especially female African-Americans in the Democratic primary, is helping candidates like Kamala Harris and Cory Booker and would-be contenders like Stacey Abrams credibility in seeking the nomination. And a desire for something other than a straight white man is opening doors for the likes of Kirsten Gillibrand, Pete Buttigieg and Julian Castro. But, Biden advisers say, sees a pathway to the nomination via middle-of-the-road, pragmatic-yet-progressive policies. Biden is an unrivaled connector to white, working-class voters. He should have a baked-in constituency among Establishment-minded donors. And he does enjoy solid relationships with African-American leaders, even if some of his loyalists worry about those links durability. Still, Bidens odds are far from certain. Women have come forward to say his habit of invading personal space made them feel uncomfortable. (Biden has since apologized for his physicality.) There are persistent questions about how he funds the campaign; he notoriously loathes asking supporters for cash and sees it as beneath his stature as a lion of his partys vanguard. Parts of his deep history are problematic, such as his tough-on-crime stances now seen as racist and his handling of Anita Hills testimony during Clarence Thomas confirmation to the Supreme Court. Biden has shown little evidence he has developed the discipline needed in todays intense media environment. For instance, days after he posted an apology video on his social media accounts for not respecting womens space, he cracked two jokes about it at a union event with firefighters. Photograph by Andreas GebertPicture Alliance/Getty Images One would-be Biden supporter pointed to an eerily prescient passage from journalist Richard Ben Cramers seminal What It Takes about the 1988 campaign. At one point during that race, Biden was bleeding support. As Cramer began a chapter titled Bidens Waterloo?: How could he stop it? His campaign was hemorrhaging. Amid endless challenges to his credibility, it was Beau Biden who confronted his father and urged him to keep campaigning. If you quit now, people will think that all that stuff about you is true, Beau Biden told his father in Cramers account. That same argument now is being deployed by Biden advisers confronting questions about his conduct with women. Some Biden boosters also worry that even in Bidens launch discussion, so much of his focus is making it easy on Washington-based reporters to attend the launch events. He will forever be an Amtrak guy, says a third Biden insider, another former aide. He sees the political universe as centered in D.C., and youre not going to reprogram him. He wants the Meet the Press crowd there. Biden allies say he has built as much of a campaign-in-waiting as he can without any mechanism to actually do so. He lacks an active federal political machine, so he is limited in how much he can commit to in the lead-up to the race. He has scouted campaign offices and tentatively lined up top hires. But many of his would-be aides are operating on handshake agreements while others grew tired of waiting for him to pull the trigger. The initial plan was for a second-quarter launch, so he could maximize his fundraising potential. That window opened on April 1, and Biden has now squandered three weeks of that. A Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment. Amber Heard as Mera in Aquaman Johnny Depp allegedly tried to get Amber Heard fired from Aquaman, while he also apparently asked Kevin Tsujihara, the former chairman of Warner Bros, to blacklist the actress entirely from the studio. Insiders close to a lawsuit between Johnny Depp and his former attorney Jake Bloom have revealed that the lawyer has subpoenaed a number of very influential people in Hollywood, including Tsujihara and Heards ex-boyfriend Elon Musk. Sources familiar with the deposition requests say Tsujihara will be asked to testify under oath about whether or not he played a role in blacklisting Heard at Warner Bros, writes The Hollywood Reporter. Read More: Warner Bros freaking out about harm Johnny Depp is doing to Fantastic Beasts According to this version of events, Depp approached Tsujihara back in 2017 and asked him to sack Heard from Aquaman and block her from getting other projects. Months earlier Depp had debuted as the villainous Grindelwald in 2016s Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Warner Bros spin-off to the Harry Potter franchise, a role that was expanded in its recent sequel, and he is still expected to reprise in three more follow-ups. Johnny Depp as the villainous Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 2 There was just one problem, Heard had already appeared as Mera in Justice League, which was released in 2016, so Tsujihara was unable to grant Depp his request. THR also notes, At the time of their split in 2016, Depp is said to have also tried to block Heard from obtaining jobs at other studios where he also holds sway. But Tsujihara is the only studio executive who was served a deposition notice. Read More: Amber Heard details horrific new abuse claims against Johnny Depp Ahead of the release of Aquaman, Heard wrote an op-ed piece for the Washington Post that detailed how, in the wake of her divorce from Depp, questions suddenly arose about her keeping the role of Mera, while she also revealed that she was recast in another film and was dropped as the face of a global fashion brand. Derry (United Kingdom) (AFP) - A journalist was shot dead during riots in Northern Ireland in what police Friday were treating as a terrorist incident following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region. "Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan" in the city of Derry, also known as Londonderry, police chief Mark Hamilton said in a statement. Republican political party Saoradh said a "republican volunteer" was trying to "defend people" from the police late Thursday when the shot was fired that "accidentally" hit McKee. Belfast-born McKee, 29, had earlier posted an image from the riots, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles. Saoradh said "heavily armed" police went in to Creggan "to attack republicans in advance of upcoming Easter Rising Commemorations." "The inevitable reaction to such an incursion was resistance from the youth of Creggan," added the statement. Police chief Hamilton said "a single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry," he added. Police later said that they were hunting for more than one person. Some officials blamed Thursday's unrest on the "New IRA", a republican paramilitary group opposed to the shift towards non-violent tactics to bring about a united Ireland. The Saoradh party denies claims it is the political wing of the New IRA. McKee had written for The Atlantic magazine and Buzzfeed News and was named by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of their "30 under 30" outstanding figures, according to her literary agent Janklow & Nesbit. Her partner Sara Canning paid tribute, saying "our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by this single barbaric act." Story continues - 'Truly senseless' - Thursday's unrest raised memories of past decades of violence in Northern Ireland. "We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past," said Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. "This was an act of fear. This was an act of hate. This was an act of cowardice. Those who carried it out do not share the values of our nation, nor our Republic," he said. British counterpart Theresa May said the killing was "shocking and truly senseless". Visiting US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi joined in a minute's silence, saying it was "especially poignant" on Good Friday. The violence erupted in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to the British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on the New IRA. Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned the killing. "My heart goes out to the family of the young woman shot dead by so-called dissidents," she wrote on Twitter. "This was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process." Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favour of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news". "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she wrote on Twitter. - History of Troubles - The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles". Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict -- many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit. Derry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds. A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings. A state judge on Thursday rejected a lawsuit filed by anti-vaccination parents who sought to lift New York Citys new measles vaccination mandate, as parts of the metropolis continue to face an outbreak. A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire, Judge Lawrence Knipel wrote in his ruling. Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion. Five anonymous parents in Brooklyn filed the lawsuit earlier this week against the city health department for ordering the mandatory vaccinations in parts of the borough amid a growing outbreak of the measles virus concentrated in the Williamsburg area. The lawsuit said the citys response is irrational, and that the spread of the virus does not pose a clear danger to public health. Knipel ruled that the citys decision to require measles vaccinations during the outbreak is supported by largely uncontroverted evidence. New York City Health Commissioner Oxiris Barbot issued the emergency order on April 9, requiring everyone who lives and works within four Brooklyn ZIP codes to receive the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine if they hadnt already gotten it. Failure to comply with the mandate could result in misdemeanor punishments, including criminal fines or imprisonment. The city has already issued summons to three people who refused the mandate and face $1,000 in fines. As of Wednesday, the measles outbreak has infected at least 329 people since October, mostly children from Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn, according to Barbot. Some in these communities have resisted vaccination, in Brooklyn as well as in Upstate New York, where The Forward reports vaccination rates at some schools around 60%. Groups like the Orthodox Union and other religious leaders, meanwhile, have declared that there is no religious obstacle to getting vaccinated. Barbot praised the decision to dismiss the lawsuit, saying in a statement to HuffPost that it will protect New Yorkers from a very dangerous infection with potentially fatal consequences. She added that officials do not want to issue violations but will continue and hope that New Yorkers make the best choice for their families, their neighbors and their own health to get vaccinated. By Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Brooklyn judge on Thursday ruled against a group of parents who challenged New York City's recently imposed mandatory measles vaccination order, rejecting their arguments that the city's public health authority exceeded its authority. In a six-page decision rendered hours after a hearing on the matter, Judge Lawrence Knipel denied the parents' petition seeking to lift the vaccination order, imposed last week to stem the worst measles outbreak to hit the city since 1991. The judge sided with municipal health officials who defended the order as a rare but necessary step to contain a surge in the highly contagious disease that has infected at least 329 people so far, most of them children from Orthodox Jewish communities in the borough of Brooklyn. Another 222 cases have been diagnosed elsewhere in New York state, mostly in a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Rockland County, northwest of Manhattan. The New York outbreaks are part of a larger resurgence of measles across the country, with at least 555 cases confirmed in 20 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts say the virus, which can cause severe complications and even death, has spread mostly among school-age children whose parents declined to get them vaccinated. Most profess philosophical or religious reasons or cite concerns - debunked by medical science - that the three-way measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may cause autism. The judge rejected the parents' contention that the vaccination order was excessive or coercive, noting that it does not call for forcibly administering the vaccine to those who refuse it. Under the public health emergency declared last Tuesday by Mayor Bill de Blasio, residents of certain affected Brooklyn neighborhoods who refuse orders to obtain an MMR vaccine face fines unless they can otherwise demonstrate immunity to measles or provide a valid medical exemption. Story continues The court challenge was filed in Brooklyn's Supreme Court on behalf of five mothers and their children in the affected neighborhoods. Their identities were kept confidential to protect the children's privacy, their lawyers said. They told Knipel in court on Thursday the city had overstepped its authority and that quarantining the infected would be a preferable approach. Robert Krakow, an attorney for the parents, estimated that just 0.0006 percent of the population of Brooklyn and Queens had measles. "That's not an epidemic," he said. "It's not Ebola. It's not smallpox." The health department's lawyers argued that quarantining was ineffective because people carrying the virus can be contagious before symptoms appear. The judge cited 39 cases diagnosed in Michigan that have been traced to an individual traveling from the Williamsburg community at the epicenter of Brooklyn's outbreak. The surge in measles there originated with an unvaccinated child who became infected on a visit to Israel, where the highly contagious virus is also running rampant. Krakow later told Reuters he was reviewing the judge's dismissal of the case - brought under special proceedings for the appeal of administrative actions - to determine how his clients might respond. The number of measles cases worldwide nearly quadrupled in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 compared with the same period last year, the World Health Organization said this week. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; Additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill Berkrot and G Crosse) Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast Well, after all that, the bad news is that this changes nothing. And the good news? This changes nothing. Donald Trump is not going to be perp-walked out of Mar-a-Lago next weekend. Trump defenders and Julian Assange acolytes and deep-state paranoiacs can crow. On the other hand, the Mueller Report has plenty of chapter and verse on sleazy behavior by Trump and his subordinatesand, interestingly, it documents some incidents where subordinates refused to do sleazy things Trump clearly wanted them to do. It does not clear Trump. Heres the last sentence of text of the whole thing, on page 180 of Volume II, the obstruction part: Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. If that sounds wishy-washy, it should, and it reflects the structure of the whole thing. Take the section on Trumps firing of James Comey. The report does come down on the side of saying that the official reason for Comeys firing, the Rod Rosenstein memo that cited the FBI directors mishandling of the Clinton email investigation, was nonsense. It cites what Trump said to Lester Holt on NBC, that he fired Comey over Russia. Then (Volume II, page 74), it takes up the question of whether the firing constituted obstruction. Firing Comey, the report says, would qualify as an obstructive act if it had the natural and probable effect of interfering with or impeding the investigation. It seems obvious that that was the intent. Trump was mad that Comey wouldnt say publicly that Trump personally was not under investigation, and Trump was clearly enraged about the investigation itself. Why else would he fire the guy? But then, in the next paragraph, the report says: The anticipated effect of removing the FBI director, however, would not necessarily be to prevent or impede the FBI from continuing its investigation. In other words, Comey wasnt conducting the investigation single-handedly, so firing him didnt impede it! Story continues Well, maybe thats what the letter of the law says. But its not what common sense says. The report is like that over and over again. Act A would qualify as an obstructive act if A, B, and C conditions are met. We found considerable evidence that A, B, and C conditions were met. However, they werent met enough for us to identify a clear crime. And thats where the report has left us, more or less where we were before it hit, with a few damning new details and the certainty that the courts arent going to resolve this. So now what? This is what I meant above when I wrote that the good news is that nothing changes. Democrats should still pursue their investigations. They need to get Bill Barr, who dirtied himself further Thursday morning in breathtaking ways, back up on the Hill. They need to hear from Mueller. They need to keep pushing for an unredacted or less-redacted reporthuge chunks of the Wikileaks section in particular are blacked outas Jerry Nadler vowed they would do at his press conference Thursday afternoon. The report suggests that thats what Mueller wants. A key sentence, Volume II, page 8: The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President 's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law. In other words: Keep at it, Jerry! But: The Democrats whove been engaging in impeachment talk should follow their leaders and cool it. This report says plenty of bad stuff about Trump. The public will drink it in and will, I think, come to basically the right conclusions. Trump did a lot of fishy things--maybe, out of some combination of good lawyering and stupid luck, just on the good side of the law. No one outside of MAGAville is going to read this as a clean bill of health. In other words, the Democrats can win the spin on this report in the coming daystheres enough there. But if they use this to start howling for impeachmentwhich barely more than one third of the public supports right nowtheyre going to blow it. I understand all the arguments against the one Im making. But picture this. The House votes articles of impeachment along strict party lines sometime this fall. Then, a year from now, or 15 months from nowand Mitch McConnell would time this exquisitely; say, the week before the Republican conventionthe Senate votes to acquit on all charges, which it would do. Thats a gift to Trump, and perhaps even more so, to the Republicans running for Senate in all those red states where Democrats need to win if theyre going to have a chance of recapturing the chamber (North Carolina, Arizona, Georgia). It could well help reelect Trump. Are articles of impeachment that are doomed to fail in the Senate anyway worth four more years of Trump and McConnell, and possibly two more right-wing Supreme Court justices, and the death of Obamacare, and all the rest? This isnt a movie. No ones going to break down on the witness stand and confess everything. Its also not a moot court competition, where the law reigns supreme and people decide things on the merits. Its politics, at its most gruesome. Unassailable legal arguments dont win you a political fight. That does not mean Democrats should drop all this and stick to preexisting conditions. As I said above, Mueller gave them a lot of material. This was no witch hunt. There are witches. The Democrats should haul them all before Congress. They need to push hard on every door this report opened, from Trump Tower to Erik Prince to Hope Hicks and the emails and everything else thats there. They need to make sure the American people know that Trump said I dont remember 30 times and refused to testify. They need to keep putting pressure on the administration. They need to ask smart and tough questions, hold the high ground and hold politically vulnerable Republicans to account for ceding it to stand with Trump. A clearer verdict on obstruction of justice may someday emerge. Mueller kicked it to Congress. Now Congress has to do its job. Aggressivelybut smartly. Read more at The Daily Beast. Moscow (AFP) - With Russia's Vladimir Putin set for his first talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this month, Moscow is eyeing a major role in yet another global flashpoint. The situation on the Korean peninsula seemed to be stabilising after a historic meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump last year, at which they both backed de-nuclearisation. But a second round of talks ended in failure and Pyongyang this week said it was testing weapons again. Now Putin, who has long expressed his readiness to meet with Kim, is gearing up to play a bigger role in nuclear negotiations with Moscow's Cold War-era ally, with which it shares a short border. Russia's main interest in the summit is to remind other players "that it exists and that it has economic and political potential" in the region, Andrei Lankov of Seoul's Kookmin University told AFP. "Russia needs some sort of control over the situation on the Korean peninsula. Recent events have pushed out almost everyone apart from North Korea and the US, and of course nobody likes that," he said. Russia has been inviting Kim for talks since last year but he was unwilling to spend time and resources on the trip because Moscow was not a major player, Lankov said. But now Kim is looking for all the allies he can get "because (the second round of US talks) were a failure, and he was not able to achieve the things he was counting on." Moscow has relatively good relations with the reclusive regime, though these have deteriorated from Soviet-era highs. Putin has expressed tacit support for Pyongyang, saying last year that "it seems counterproductive if we demand everything from the North Korean side and in response they are given nothing". The US has accused Moscow, which provides some food aid to North Korea, of helping Pyongyang evade some international sanctions -- a charge Moscow denies. - No breakthroughs expected - The Kremlin however lacks the regional clout of Beijing, Pyongyang's sole major ally and biggest trading partner. Story continues China, intent on keeping Pyongyang within its sphere of influence, 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. Russia's role in any global negotiations will likely be as part of a group with China and North Korea itself, Konstantin Asmolov, a Korea specialist at the Moscow-based Institute of the Far East, told AFP. Russia's foreign policy focus remains on former Soviet states and the Middle East, particularly its backing for the regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Asmolov said. Lankov, meanwhile, said it was futile to hope for any practical breakthroughs at the Putin-Kim summit. "There will be declarations, promises, they will sign yet another declaration of intent to increase trade 10 times in five years, but after two years they will forget about it," he said. The Kim-Putin summit is set take place before the end of April, the Kremlin announced Thursday, without specifying a date or a location. International media reported that the summit was set for Russia's far-eastern city of Vladivostok, which lies not far from its short land border with North Korea. There is also a chance that the talks will not take place at all: Kim pulled out of 2015 celebrations in Moscow for the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II at the last minute. The last meeting between a Russian and North Korean head of state came in 2011, when Kim's father Kim Jong Il travelled by train to Siberia for tightly guarded talks with then president Dmitry Medvedev at a military base. Medvedev said he was "full of positive feelings" after Kim Jong Il said his state was prepared to renounce nuclear testing. Kimberly Clark (NYSE: KMB) has had a rough run lately. Organic sales growth was just 1% or less in each of the last two years and profitability worsened in both 2017 and 2018. The consumer products giant ended last year on a positive note, though, and that success has encouraged investors to believe improvements are on the way that could close the operating gap with rivals like Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG). Both companies report earnings in the next week, with Kimberly Clark set to announce its first-quarter 2019 results on Monday, Apr. 22. A mother shops with a toddler. Image source: Getty Images. Market share trends Kimberly Clark's 1% organic sales gain last year met management's forecast but was still disappointing for some investors. Rival P&G, after all, had seen its growth speed up to 4% as the owner of the Pampers diaper franchise ended its market share slide. Kimberly Clark's results show that its growth struggles haven't been addressed yet. They also highlight the fact that P&G has a more diverse geographical footprint, while Kimberly Clark gets a larger portion of earnings from the sluggish U.S. industry. Those challenges laid the foundation for a weak outlook for the year ahead. While P&G is predicting steady growth acceleration, Kimberly Clark CEO Mike Hsu said in late January that "It's appropriate not to plan for much improvement right now." Specifically, the company is planning for growth to tick up to a 2% rate in 2019, which would likely trail its rival and fall well short of the 5% spikes investors saw as recently as 2015. Pricing and volumes Results could be unusually volatile over the next few quarters, because Kimberly Clark is raising prices across its portfolio. Management would prefer to delay those increases until sales gains speed back up, but that's not an attractive option today. Cost spikes on inputs like paper and plastic removed $800 million from earnings last year, or twice what executives had initially predicted. With commodity prices continuing to rise and cost cuts only partially offsetting these hikes, Hsu and his team are bracing for a tough year balancing sales growth goals against profitability targets. Story continues Investors can judge the success of this tightrope walk by following sales volumes, prices, and operating margin. The company aims for organic growth that's about evenly split between higher volumes and price raises. If gains come entirely from price increases, as they did for much of last year, Kimberly Clark's growth rate will be harder to maintain. Industry updates The last few months of operating results will have given management a clearer picture of the industry and whether Kimberly Clark can meet its modest growth goals. As of late January, executives predicted a 2% sales uptick that came only from rising prices as volumes drift lower. Procter & Gamble is predicting a sharper acceleration closer to 4%. Looking further out, the consumer staples specialist saw the industry rising just 1% to 3% annually through 2022, with demand challenges impacting the U.S. as well as key international markets like China and Latin America. Investors will hear on Monday whether Hsu and his team still see those issues holding earnings growth down to about 4% in 2019, before profits begin rebounding in the years that follow. More From The Motley Fool Demitrios Kalogeropoulos has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool is short shares of Kimberly Clark and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Friday that U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report did not contain any evidence the Russian state had meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Mueller's report, released on Thursday, details extensive contacts between Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and Russian operatives who, it said, sought to tilt the election in Trump's favor. However, the report did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trump's election campaign and Russia. Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regretted the Mueller report was having an impact on its relations with Washington. "In general, the report still does not include any reasonable evidence at all that Russia allegedly interfered in the U.S. election. "We, as before, do not accept such allegations," Peskov said. "We regret that a document of this quality is having a direct impact on the development of bilateral Russian-U.S. relations that are already not in the best condition," he added. (Reporting by Tom Balmforth and Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Mark Potter) ATLANTA (AP) The Latest on severe weather in the South (all times local): 12:15 a.m. Four suspected tornadoes have been reported in Virginia. The National Weather Service says damage has been reported Friday night after twisters touched down in Reston, Fredericks Hall, Barham and Forksville. Authorities say a tree fell through the roof of a condemned house in Reston and tree damage was reported at an intersection in Fredericks Hall. Several trees were reported down in Barham, while a house and various small structures were damaged in Forksville. The strong storm system was barreling through the South on Friday and killed an 8-year-old girl in Florida and threatened to bring tornadoes to large parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia. ___ 9:35 p.m. Forecasters have confirmed that 14 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi as severe storms made its way across the South. The National Weather Service said in a news release Friday that it had surveyed Thursday afternoon's twisters. The strongest tornado had winds as high as 132 mph (212 kph) when it hit a neighborhood in the central Mississippi town of Morton, damaging numerous homes. Four of the twisters were in Rankin County, just east of Jackson. Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippi's 82 counties. ___ 8 p.m. The National Weather Service reports downed trees and structure damage as severe storms roared through central and eastern North Carolina. A preliminary report said there was roof and structure damage in one neighborhood in Chatham County outside of Siler City on Friday afternoon. News outlets reported at least one house near Interstate 85 outside of Hillsborough in Orange County was severely damaged by winds that were thought to have resulted from a tornado. To the east, several locations reported wind gusts approaching and in excess of 50 mph (22 km/h). An immediate account of power outages was not available Friday evening due to problems with the Duke Energy website. Story continues ___ 5:20 p.m. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is declaring the state's second state of emergency in less than a week due to tornadoes. The Republican governor issued the proclamation Friday, a day after tornadoes swept across the state. The storms are blamed for three deaths in Mississippi two men who were driving and a third man crushed by a tree he was cutting up after the severe weather struck. The proclamation will speed state resources to affected areas. Among the hardest-hit areas is the town of Morton, about 30 miles east of Jackson. ___ 4:30 p.m. Officials say Mississippi's storm death toll stands at three after a man was fatally injured while helping cut a tree that fell on a house. Lincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris tells the Daily Leader of Brookhaven that 63-year-old Freddie Mobley died from injuries after a tree trunk rolled onto him Thursday in the southwestern Mississippi community. Deputy Coroner Ricky Alford says the Brookhaven resident had made a few cuts on the tree and backed away when the trunk shifted before he could move. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead about two hours later. Two other people who were killed while driving as severe weather moved through the South are also being counted as storm related deaths in Mississippi. In Pell City, Alabama, 42-year-old Monica Clements died after a tree fell on her mobile home Thursday. ___ 4 p.m. Hundreds of people are cleaning up part of a central Mississippi town hit hard by a tornado generated by a storm system moving through the South. Volunteers and family members were swarming the north side of Morton on Friday, where the National Weather Service says a twister with winds as high as 132 mph (212 kph) hit a neighborhood a day earlier. More than 20 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. The town of 3,500 is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Jackson. People cut up and removed fallen trees to clear roads and yards. Some people were salvaging belongings from destroyed homes and loading them into vehicles. Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippi's 82 counties. ___ 3:25 p.m. Motorists are being urged to avoid part of a major interstate that runs through South Carolina after a line of storms downed trees and left the roadway scattered with debris. Video posted on Twitter on Friday by the South Carolina Highway Patrol shows Interstate 26 in Orangeburg County littered with large tree limbs. One lane of eastbound traffic was open but moving slowly. The interstate is the main artery from South Carolina's Upstate through Columbia and all the way to Charleston. Many parts of South Carolina remain under tornado watches and warnings as the storm system moves through the state. ___ 1:40 p.m. A storm system moving through the South is being blamed for the death of an 8-year-old girl in Florida. The Leon County Sheriff's Office says a tree fell Friday into a house in Woodville south of Tallahassee, killing the girl and injuring a 12-year-old boy. The office said in a statement that the girl died at the hospital while the boy has non-life-threatening injuries. Their names weren't immediately released. Much of Florida was being hit Friday by strong storms that were also creating a threat of tornadoes in parts of the Carolinas and Virginia. ___ 1:15 p.m. A storm system moving through Georgia has knocked down trees, caused minor flooding and cut off power to thousands of residents. Georgia power companies reported that more than 37,000 customers were without power around the state Friday afternoon. A tree came down on an apartment complex in an Atlanta suburb. Gwinnett County fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that people were inside at the time, but only one person reported a minor injury and was treated at the scene. In Forsyth County northeast of Atlanta, Fire Department Division Chief Jason Shivers told the newspaper three firefighters suffered minor injuries when their firetruck overturned during heavy rain and wind. The storm system was expected to hit the Carolinas and Virginia later, bringing the possibility of tornadoes to parts of those states. ___ 1:15 p.m. Meteorologists say they have a high level of confidence that a tornado touched down in western Virginia. National Weather Service Meteorologist Phil Hysell in Blacksburg said Friday that the damage on the ground still must be assessed. But he said radar readings appear to show a tornado formed in Franklin County, which is south of Roanoke. The National Weather Service has been warning Virginians of heavy rain that can hide the tornadoes and of quarter-sized hail. The Martinsville Bulletin reported that people saw some buildings that were damaged. The storms have also knocked down trees and power lines. ___ 10:15 a.m. Storms roaring through the South have smashed a daily record for rainfall in Little Rock, Arkansas. The National Weather Service says more than 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of rain fell in the capital city Thursday. Thursday's downpour caused flash flooding and prompted the closure of several schools in Pulaski and Saline counties. The storm system that drenched central Arkansas also killed two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama and left more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. It's now rumbling through Georgia. ___ 9:40 a.m. Forecasters say the area at highest risk of severe storms and tornadoes Friday is home to 9.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia and includes the Charlotte, North Carolina metro area. The national Storm Prediction Center says that area will be at moderate risk of severe weather and tornadoes will be possible Friday. The National Weather Service in Raleigh, North Carolina, says that "torrential downpours," large hail and a few tornadoes are among the hazards. Strong storms were rumbling through Georgia on Friday, after killing two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama and leaving more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. ___ 9 a.m. Strong storms are roaring across the South on Friday, after killing two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama and leaving more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. The threat Friday shifted to Georgia, where multiple tornado warnings covered parts of northeast Georgia. There were no immediate reports of any damage from those storms, but the tornado threat was expected to continue well into the day in the Carolinas and Virginia. National Weather Service forecasters said they believe multiple tornadoes hit southwest and central Mississippi on Thursday, although they won't be sure until the damage is surveyed. Heavy winds also were reported in Louisiana earlier in the day and in central Alabama as the system quickly pushed eastward. Tripoli (AFP) - Hundreds of "yellow vest" protesters on Friday demonstrated in Tripoli against an offensive by military strongman Khalifa Haftar on the Libyan capital and accused France of backing him. Wearing the trademark yellow vests of French anti-government demonstrators, they were among thousands of Libyans who flooded a central Tripoli square to rally in support of the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA). "We are surprised by France's conduct in the face of the Tripoli attack," read a sign held up by the demonstrators. Portraits of French President Emmanuel Macron and the leaders of Egypt and Saudi Arabia were also carried by demonstrators or placed on the ground for people to trample them. Haftar is seen by his allies -- Egypt and the United Arab Emirates -- as a bulwark against Islamists who have gained a foothold in Libya after the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi. "Other countries must stop interfering in Libyan affairs," Haifa Ferjani, a 23-year-old protester said. "France says it is a friend but secretly backs those attacking our city and our homes," added the young woman. The French embassy in Libya on Friday tweeted -- in Arabic -- that Paris was "opposed to the attack" on Tripoli and urged all parties to abide by a ceasefire and engage in peace negotiations. Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), based in the country's east, launched an offensive on April 4 to take Tripoli, the western seat of the UN-recognised GNA. Friday's rally came days after a smaller protest brought out dozens of "yellow jacket" demonstrators who on Tuesday also demanded the GNA sever ties with countries that "back aggression" on Tripoli. It also comes a day after UN envoy Ghassan Salame warned of "a widening conflagration" in other parts of the North African country. On Thursday GNA interior minister Fathi Bach Agha lashed out at France, accusing it directly for the first time of supporting "the criminal Haftar" and saying it was cutting security ties with Paris. Story continues France immediately denied the claim. "Tripoli's claim of support and diplomatic cover for Haftar are completely unfounded," a French foreign ministry official said. "France supports the legitimate government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and the mediation of the UN towards an inclusive political solution in Libya," the French presidency said in a statement. More than 200 people have been killed since the violence erupted, and more than 900 wounded, the World Health Organization said on Thursday. More than 25,000 have been displaced, according to the International Organization for Migration. Paris (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, drawing a sharp rebuke from Turkey's foreign ministry. Macron assured the Kurdish envoys of French support in their fight against the remaining jihadists, but Ankara accused the French leader of "seeking to confer artificial legitimacy on a faction of terrorist groups". "We condemn the reception by French President Emmanuel Macron of a delegation of so-called 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF)," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in the statement. In late March the US-backed SDF flushed out IS fighters from their last bastion in Syria but Kurdish-led force still warns that the jihadists remain a threat in places. The SDF is an umbrella Kurdish-Arab force dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG). It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group. Macron assured the visiting SDF representatives, who were not named, of the "active support of France in the fight against Daesh which continues to be a menace for collective security," the presidency said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Particularly important is the support in the "handling of terrorist fighters held as prisoners along with their families". European capitals are keeping a careful eye on the IS prisoners held by the SDF after the defeat of the jihadists, given many are dual nationals. Macron also vowed that financial support would be allocated to "respond to the humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilisation of civilian populations in Syria." The SDF were the West's key ally in defeating IS and waged the bulk of the fighting on the ground. But they fear being abandoned by their patrons now Islamic State has been beaten, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from Syria. Story continues France's past contacts with the SDF's Syrian Kurds had already angered Turkey which regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a 35-year insurrection against the Turkish state. Macron on Friday made clear of the importance to Paris of "the security of Turkey and a de-escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border," the French presidency said. But Aksoy said Macron's move did not sit well with the French-Turkish alliance, and warned that "Turkey will not hesitate to take measures deemed necessary to protect its national security". Bamako (AFP) - Ethnic violence that has gripped central Mali has led to the downfall of the government, accused of failing to stem bloodshed that has claimed about 600 lives. A statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office late Thursday said he had accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his entire cabinet. Maiga was appointed in December 2017 and renamed to the job only last September, after Keita was re-elected. But he became the lightning rod for anger, led by influential Muslim clerics and vocalised by mass protests, over massacres in the Mopti region, an ethnic mosaic in the centre of the country. On Wednesday, lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties submitted a motion of no confidence blaming Maiga and his administration for failing to clamp down on the unrest. "A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces" from the ruling and opposition sides, the statement from Keita's office said. In an address Tuesday, Keita said he had "heard all the anger, decoded all the signals, understood all the messages" from around the country. Maiga came under pressure over his handling of a flare-up of inter-communal violence which, according to a UN tally, has claimed some6 00 lives since March 2018 and forced thousands from their homes. Public discontent escalated after a massacre on March 23 claimed 160 lives in the village of Ogossagou near the border with Burkina Faso. Members of the Dogon ethnic group -- a hunting and farming community with a long history of tensions with the nomadic Fulani people over access to land -- were blamed. An AFP journalist who visited the village said many homes were torched and the ground was littered with corpses. The Fulani are also accused of supporting a jihadist preacher, Amadou Koufa, who rose to prominence in central Mali four years ago. So-called self-defence groups emerged in the Dogon community with the declared role of providing protection against the insurgents. Story continues The militia, called the Dan Nan Ambassagou, also attacked the Fulani and was ordered to be dissolved after the massacre. - Islamist threat - Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bamako on April 5 to protest against the upsurge of violence, accusing the government of not doing enough to stop it. The protest was called by Muslim religious leaders, organisations representing the Fulani community, opposition parties and civil society groups. Mali has been struggling to restore stability since Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the country's vast desert north in early 2012. While the jihadists were largely driven out in a French-led military operation that began in January 2013, huge areas are still in the grip of lawlessness, despite a 2015 peace agreement with some armed groups that sought to definitively stamp out the Islamist threat. Since then, militants have shifted from the north towards the more densely populated centre of the country, where they have sharpened ancient rivalries and ethnic conflicts that date back years. Jihadist attacks have also spread to Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. March's attack was the deadliest in Mali since the 2013 French-led military intervention. In the aftermath of the massacre, Keita visited the village and vowed to beef up security and enforce justice. Marc Lamparellos story seemed off from the start. It was nearly 8pm on Wednesday when Mr Lamparello, a 37-year-old graduate student and lecturer on philosophy, entered St Patricks Cathedral in midtown Manhattan toting two gasoline cans, lighter fluid and lighters, police said. Hours before, he had purchased a $2,800 (2,150), one-way plane ticket to Rome, which was set to depart the next day. Mr Lamparello was about 20 feet into the church when ushers approached him and said he could not be inside the building with the cans of gasoline, police said. He explained that he was trying to take a shortcut through the iconic sanctuary to reach his van, which he claimed had run out of gas. Mr Lamparellos gold minivan, though, turned out not to be out of fuel, police said, and a stroll through St Patricks was hardly a shortcut. Denied entry, Mr Lamparello left the sanctuary, sloshing gasoline on the floor as he went, police said. He was stopped outside the church by police officers, who noticed the twin gas cans. The incident came just before Easter and two days after a devastating fire tore through the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Mr Lamparello, who has addresses in New Jersey and in Brooklyn, was taken into custody on Wednesday night and questioned by detectives, including officers from the Police Departments intelligence division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He was being held on charges of attempted arson and reckless endangerment, senior police officials said. But on Thursday afternoon, he was transported from the Midtown North Precinct to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, police said, and it remained unclear when he would appear in court. It was the second church-related arrest this week for Mr Lamparello. On Monday night, he was arrested inside Newark, New Jerseys Sacred Heart Cathedral after he refused to leave the sanctuary. He told officers the church was a house of God and should be open at all hours before throwing himself on the floor and vowing to stay. Story continues [He] said, If you want me to leave, youll have to take me out in handcuffs', Armando B Fontoura, the Essex County sheriff, said. He described Mr Lamparello as very respectful, if obstinate. Mr Lamparello was taken to a police station that evening and charged with resisting arrest, defiant trespassing and interfering with the administration of law. He was evaluated by emergency medical technicians, who found nothing wrong with him, Sheriff Fontoura said. His mother escorted him that night from the precinct to his parents home in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, he said. It remains unclear what may have driven Mr Lamparello to go to St Patricks Cathedral on Wednesday. Police officials would not say what, if any, motive he disclosed to officers. There doesnt appear to be any connection to a terror group, said John Miller, the Police Departments deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism. Mr Lamparello is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the City University of New York. His mother told New Jersey authorities he had an apartment in New York City. He was a 2004 graduate of Boston College and was listed as teaching courses at Brooklyn College this spring. Police said Mr Lamparello also taught at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. He had written and published a book, Reason and Counterpoint, in 2016. His online biography on Amazon.com suggests an interest in questions of religion and higher powers; it said he was working on a book-length project that would wrestle with the existence of God. At least one of the courses he has taught, Introduction to the Problems of Philosophy, touched on religion. The course included such topics as the nature and scope of knowledge, meaning and verification, the existence of God, determinism and free will, the mind-body problem, and the nature of moral judgments, according to an online course description for Brooklyn College. The New York Times Quality education for economic growth By Nalifa Mehelin Georgia has earned numerous accolades for revitalizing it's economy post-Soviet period. The global financial crisis of 2007-08 and the Russian conflict in 2008 slowed the economic growth for a short period of time; however, this star performer bounced back to maintain its 4.5% annual economic growth. To add more to its crown, in 2016, Georgia was ranked 16th in the Economic Freedom Index by The Heritage Foundation which subsequently followed by a 9th place in 2017 in the Ease of Doing Business Index' by the World Bank. All these honors are duly highlighted in the neatly organized website of Georgian National Investment Agency. Proceed a bit further and one can find the potential sectors of investment opportunities: energy, hospitality and real estate, manufacturing, regional logistics hub, agricultural and food processing, and business process outsourcing.For a beaming country with Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), it is rather surprising to see the slow, albeit non-present, growth in educational reform. Engrossed in the lucrative short-term growth through FDI is hindering the larger vision of accumulating long run advancement in human capital through education in Georgia. Its time to address the queries of Georgias future; whether it will forever be sealed with FDI or Georgian workforce will become qualified and skilled enough to lead the country independently.Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.- Laozi. This proverb of the ancient Chinese philosopher proves the age-old, pan-civilization relationship of education and the skilled workforce. Much like its neighbors, Georgia is also spending a significant portion of GDP on education. In fact, World Bank data reveals the total expenditure on education as a percentage of GDPs for different countries. In 2015, the Netherlands, an FDI favored country, spent 5.4% of its GDP on education. The scenario is even more interesting closer to home where one of Georgias neighbors, Turkey spent about 4.3%, while the other prominent neighbor, the Russian Federation, spent 3.8%. In comparison, Georgia spent about 3.7% of its GDP on education.Comparatively, in terms of educational expenditure, Georgia isnt lagging behind. However, the question of quality still remains. In order to assess the quality of education in Georgia, lets take some numbers into account. The Programme for International Students Assessment (PISA) report compares student performance all across the world. The basic survey is performed on 15-year-old students and is conducted to evaluate the skill and knowledge level of the students after finishing compulsory education. PISA ranks Georgia 60th out of 72 participatory countries and economies. The share of top performers in at least one subject among science, mathematics, and reading in level 5 or 8 is a mere 2.6%, whereas the share of low achievers in all three subjects below level 2 is 36.3%.Transparency International Georgia discloses quite a shocking fact about the teacher quality in Georgia. The report states, "As of 2017, only 30% of teachers were certified ones. In 2010-2017, only 25% of teachers who participated in certification exams could overcome the minimum threshold. The teachers of elementary schools, physics, information technologies, and mathematics have had the lowest scores. In addition, the report claims that, in 2016-2018, on average 77% of students could successfully pass the final school exams, while this percentage was 84% in 2011-2015.Although the state funding of schools increased, the quality did not reach as per expectation. Furthermore, Times Higher Education listed only one university, Tbilisi State University, in the overall Times Higher Education World University Rankings which is ranked at number 1001+. All of these accumulated in Georgias rank in the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum. It ranked 106th among 137 participatory countries of the world.It is needless to say that access to quality education is imperative in today's times. Young Georgians are facing strong competition from workers all over the world, now more than ever. Although the government has announced new reforms on education, the challenge lies within its implementation. Emphasizing on investing in human capital, the Georgia 2020 program reflects the Georgian governments ambitious vision for the countrys development. Heres hoping it is not too late beyond the point of forever sealed with FDIs. TIMOTHY A. CLARY Days before a 37-year-old philosophy professor allegedly tried to set fire to the iconic St. Patricks Cathedral in the heart of Manhattan, he was arrested for refusing to leave a church in New Jerseysetting off a bizarre 48 hours for a man who previously had little interaction with law enforcement. According to an arrest report of the incident at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart obtained by The Daily Beast, Marc Lamparello was charged Monday night after he refused orders from an Essex County Deputy Sheriff to leave the Newark church. The cathedral was closing and Lamparello, who was seated in a pew according to the report, allegedly told a sheriff who asked him to leave: If you want me to leave tonight, youre gonna have to handcuff me and arrest me tonight and take me to jail. A few moments later, as two sheriffs tried to get him to leave, Lamparello apparently threw himself onto a pew and yelled no. Then, as officers tried to take him into custody, he resisted, and at one point threw himself onto the church floor, stating, Im not leaving. God wants me here. I know all the sins the priests have committed. Details of the arrest emerged as authorities in New York charged Lamparello Thursday afternoon with attempted arson, reckless endangerment, and city code violations related to illegally transporting flammable materials in public places. It was not clear when Lamparello would be arraigned. He was transported Thursday afternoon to the psychiatric ward at Bellevue Hospital for evaluation, police said. Police are still working to determine Lamparellos motive, but John Miller, the head of the NYPDs Counterterrorism Bureau, said investigators with the NYPD and FBI in New York reviewed the case throughout the night and determined there doesnt appear to be any connection to any terrorist group or any terrorist related intent here. But, Miller added that based on Lamparellos movements and the fact he had gasoline, lighter fluid that is used for igniting a grill, and a bag filled with lighters, police believe he was planning to set fire inside St. Patricks Story continues There is significant reason to doubt the veracity of his statements and his intent with those items seem to be to set a fire, he said. Police were particularly concerned since the incident took place days after an accidental fire destroyed parts of Notre Dame in Paris. You would have to say from our standpoint...there was certainly attention to that when he showed up at an iconic church, Miller said, adding that he could not say that Lamparello made any statements related to the Notre Dame fire. The charges capped a bizarre two days for Lamparello, who teaches philosophy and published a book on the subject titled Reason and Counterpoint, in 2016. Before Monday his only run-ins with the law included a drug possession charge in 2005, a senior law-enforcement official said. Lamparello has worked as a professor at several colleges and universities, including Brooklyn College, Seton Hall University, and Lehman College, where he is a part-time online professor lecturer and PhD candidate in the philosophy department. The schools confirmed Lamparellos previous or current employment. We are aware that an individual was arrested last night after an incident at St. Patricks Cathedral, Lehman College spokesperson Sarah Ramsey said in a statement to The Daily Beast. The individual was hired at Lehman College during this academic year and was a part-time online instructor this semester. After his arrest, however, Lehman confirmed that it will terminate Lamparellos employment with the college. The New Jersey native has ties to the Catholic Church. As recently as 2013, Lamparello was the music director at St. Josephs Church in East Rutherford, New Jersey, according to a church bulletin posted online. Church bulletins suggest he was in the role for at least three years, beginning in 2011. The church did not immediately respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment. It all seemed to unravel around 10:30 p.m. Monday when he was approached by police in Newark. According to the arrest report in New Jersey, Lamparello was charged with resisting arrest and obstruction and released after being evaluated by medics that responded to the scene. Lamparello did not have any flammable materials in New Jersey, police said. Miller said police determined that Lamparello has homes in both New York and New Jersey but had been living in a hotel the past few days. Investigators also learned that on Wednesday morning before he left for New York, Lamparello booked a $2,800 flight to Italy that would have departed at 5:20 p.m. Thursday, Miller said. The NYPD determined that Lamparello arrived in the area near St. Patricks around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday night, Miller said. Surveillance video from the area and security cameras at the building show his van circling the block as well as getting in and out of the vehicle. Around 7.55 p.m., Miller said he returned to the van, opened a back door and took out the two cans of gasoline, two containers of lighter fluid, and a bag filled with lighters. About a minute later, he entered St. Patricks Cathedral through the front door and walked about 20 feet before he was confronted by a church usher. He is approached by the usher, who is working at the front door, who tells him he cannot proceed into the cathedral with these items, Miller said. When he puts it down, some of it spills on the floor. He picks it up and leaves. The usher then alerted members of the NYPDs counterterrorism bureau who were stationed outside. Two officers followed Lamparello down 50th Street and engaged him in a conversation for some time in an effort to vet his story and locate his vehicle, Miller said. He explains that he was trying to locate his vehicle, that his vehicle was out of gas, Miller said. Thats why he possessed the gasoline. At this point he is walking away from his vehicle, which is parked on Fifth Avenue, and not towards it. The officers determined that Lamparellos van was not out of gas or located in the direction that he was heading and arrested him for questioning, Miller said. Concerned, members of the joint terrorism task force, which includes the FBI and the NYPD, questioned Lamparello through the night, before determining that the incident appeared to be isolated. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here LOUISVILLE, Ky. Growing up on their family's farm in Seymour, Indiana, Sue Nehrt and her brother would spend plenty of time playing in the field and creek behind their home. They would often find arrowheads that turned up as their father farmed the 100 acres or so of land. So when Nehrt's husband, Tony, received a call last week from an Indiana conservation officer regarding bones found behind the farm, she thought maybe they were Native American remains. Not quite. The bones belonged to something much older and much larger a mastodon, a forest-dwelling creature that lived during the Ice Age and was similar in size to an elephant. "It's something you don't ever think was roaming around that many years ago," Sue Nehrt told the Courier Journal on Thursday. Crews working on a sewer system project in Seymour that crosses the farm discovered the bones last week, according to Tony Nehrt. Sue Nehrt's brother, Joe Schepman, who continues to take care of the farm, went to check out the scene and sent Tony Nehrt photos of the bones on the ground. "You couldn't really establish the size of the bones," Tony Nehrt said. "But later on, he sent me pictures of the bones in the back of a truck, and you could really see the size." On Saturday, Ron Richards, senior research curator of paleobiology at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, verified the remains belonged to a mastodon. The bones included parts of a jaw, along with a tusk, leg, teeth and skull, Tony Nehrt said. Richards told The (Seymour) Tribune he believes the mastodon would have stood between 9 and 9 feet tall and been at its full size of about 12,000 pounds when it died between 10,000 and 13,000 years ago. "It's a pretty strange feeling when you see the size of these bones," Tony Nehrt said. "Just to hear the timeline of that particular animal, the habitat that they lived in, how things have changed around here. It's interesting information." Story continues The Nehrt and Schepman families own the farm along with Sue Nehrt's cousin, who she said lives in Florida and is driving up to Seymour this weekend to see the exciting discovery. No one lives on the farm anymore, said Sue Nehrt, who is 56 and lives with her husband in Brownstown, Indiana. The families hope to donate the bones to the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. That would allow countless people to observe the mastodon remains for years to come, Tony Nehrt said. The museum has the largest collection of mastodons in the state, including Fred the Mastodon, whose remains were discovered near Fort Wayne in 1998. (The mastodon is also the official mascot of Purdue University Fort Wayne.) This is not the first time mastodon remains have been found in Jackson County, Indiana. According to The Tribune, mastodon remains were reportedly discovered in 1928 and 1949 in different parts of the Southern Indiana county. Though mastodons appeared mostly in North and Central America, they eventually spread to every continent except Antarctica and Australia. The newly discovered bones in Seymour have been wrapped and kept in water to try to prevent further deterioration, Tony Nehrt said. Now, the Nehrt and Schepman families are wondering what else may turn up on the Seymour farm. "When you wake up in the morning," Sue Nehrt said, "you never know what news you're going to get." This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mastodon bones from the Ice Age discovered on farm in Southern Indiana So much for collusion. The media conversation has now officially moved on from the obsession of the last two years to obstruction of justice. Thats because the first volume of the voluminous Mueller report, the half devoted to what was supposed to be the underlying crime of a Trump conspiracy with Russia, came up completely empty. It tells us very little thats new. Theres no particularly sinister information about Carter Page, the bit player the FBI repeatedly told the FISA court was probably a Russian agent. The operators who portrayed themselves as closest to WikiLeaks or Russia were usually braggarts and liars exaggerating their importance. Nothing came of the infamous Trump Tower meeting. Paul Manafort wasnt at the center of conspiracy between the campaign and Russia, but operating in his greedy self-interest. The Trump campaign was amateurish and without scruple in exploiting the WikiLeaks disclosures, but we all could have agreed on that long ago, without a years-long special-counsel investigation. Indeed, given how unlikely collusion always was and how far the evidence gathered by Mueller is from showing it, one wonders why the special counsel couldnt have issued an interim report long ago, dispelling the persistent and poisonous idea that Trump was about to be proven a traitor. The business end of the Mueller report is the second volume, on obstruction. The investigation ended up following the typical pattern of special-counsel probes on a much larger scale fixating on process crimes even when there is no underlying offense. Only in this case, the target was the president of the United States. The report implicitly picks an argument with Attorney General William Barr over the question whether a president can obstruct justice in the course of exercising his lawful powers. We are inclined to Barrs view that he cant. Regardless, the case against Trump is ambiguous, as even Mueller acknowledges. The firing of FBI Director James Comey was almost certainly motivated by the presidents frustration that the FBI director wouldnt say publicly that he wasnt under investigation, indeed creating the opposite public impression. Some of Trumps deceptions were for public consumption, not to influence the investigation. Trumps attempts to fire Mueller and get then-attorney general Jeff Sessions to curtail the investigation came to nothing. Story continues Finally, despite Trumps hatred for the investigation, his White House cooperated with it fully. None of this is to deny the reports distressing portrayal of how President Trump operates. He avoids potentially disastrous missteps, such as firing Mueller, when his aides ignore him and he fails to follow up. His dishonesty constantly creates dilemmas for those around him, forcing them to choose between lying for him or defying him. No president of the United States should ever applaud people for refusing to cooperate with prosecutors, or call someone who cooperates a rat. Most White House scandals involve presidents getting ill served by overly zealous, norm-defying advisers. In this episode, Trump flipped the script. But Mueller wasnt charged with establishing whether or not Trump is a normal president. It is bizarre that such a damning depiction of the chief executive was produced by an inferior officer of the executive branch. It is even more bizarre that Mueller punted on whether the president had committed a crime leaving the question to the Justice Department that was supposed to be too conflicted to undertake the Russia investigation via the usual channels and yet still laid out a quasi-indictment of the president, perhaps as a catalyst to an impeachment inquiry in Congress. We have never been fans of special-counsel investigations, which often lack proportion and take up politically charged questions best left to politically accountable bodies. Nothing about the Mueller probe changes our view. More from National Review If Donald Trump didn't collude with Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign or obstruct the special counsel's investigation that followed, it wasn't for a lack of trying. That is perhaps that biggest takeaway from Robert Mueller's highly anticipated (if redacted) report, released on Thursday after Attorney General William Barr spun its conclusions as if he were Trump's personal lawyer. On the collusion question, the nearly 450-page report details Russia's "sweeping and systematic" efforts to interfere with the campaign and Team Trump's amateurish, right-up-to-the-edge dalliances with Russian operatives. Trump, his son and his campaign had advance knowledge that WikiLeaks would dump Democratic campaign secrets stolen by Russians hackers. Campaign manager Paul Manafort met with Russian affiliates and leaked internal campaign polling data to a suspected Russian spy. Donald Trump Jr. eagerly agreed "if it's what you say I love it" to a Trump Tower meeting with Russians dangling dirt on Hillary Clinton. President Donald Trump Appearances notwithstanding, Mueller concluded that none of this rose to the level of criminal conspiracy, and for that the nation should be grateful because the alternative is too awful to contemplate. On the obstruction of justice question, however, Mueller explored 10 different instances and pointedly stopped short of reaching a judgment: "While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Opposing view:Findings prove Donald Trump never colluded with Russia, obstructed justice In fact, Trump was saved only because those around him refused to carry out his commands to kill or curb Mueller's investigation. After Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in May 2017 and the special counsel was appointed, Trump panicked and told advisers it might be end of his presidency. White House counsel Don McGahn, an unlikely hero in this tawdry tale, rebuffed efforts to remove Mueller, threatening to resign instead. Attorney General Jeff Sessions rejected pressure to "unrecuse" himself. Two other aides didn't relay to Sessions directives by Trump to rein in the inquiry. Chief of Staff Reince Priebus stonewalled Trump's repeated demands to fire Sessions until the president gave up. Story continues Beyond these actions, the report notes how Trump waged a bitter, relentless Twitter campaign against Mueller, his team and FBI investigators. Trump openly praised witnesses who refused to cooperate with investigation but publicly disparaged them when they didn't. If lying to the press and public were a crime, Trump and some of his top aides would be facing hard time. Repeatedly, on everything from the purpose of the Trump Tower meeting to his pursuit of a real estate deal in Moscow during the 2016 campaign, Trump dissembled. So why, if there was no underlying crime of conspiracy, did Trump try so hard to discredit the investigation? Mueller's report offers these plausible explanations: Trump was concerned that the investigation would call into question the legitimacy of his election, and it could expose other potential criminal activity by him, his campaign, or his family. In deciding not to find that Trump committed a crime, Mueller said his dilemma was two-fold. On the one hand, Trump's constitutional authority as president gives him great latitude of action, even actions that appear legally questionable. The same authority, however, affords the president a "unique and powerful means" of influencing subordinates, witnesses and official proceedings in ways that subvert justice. Although Mueller will be endlessly second-guessed about his decisions to punt on obstruction and not try harder to get Trump to testify in person, on the whole he did his job thoroughly and professionally. Now it's up to the Congress or voters to do theirs. 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: The Mueller investigation: If Donald Trump didn't break the law, he surely bent it Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation detailed an extensive Russian campaign to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, but did not find evidence that President Donald Trump or his aides participated in those efforts, Attorney General William Barr said Thursday. Our readers shared their thoughts: So according to the Mueller report, Trump was too ignorant to know that what he did was criminal, and that Russia reaching out to him was not a compliment to his leadership, but a global admission of the depth of his ignorance ... OK. Adina Hall Yeah, the report found no concrete evidence of collusion (coordination), nothing criminal in that sense. But there was plenty in the report to remind us that politics is a dirty game, and so is business. @Starbird_Tweets I think the Mueller report shows how desperate Democrats are to find something, anything, to pin on Trump and they have been unsuccessful so far. If Democrats keep this up, it will guarantee Trump's reelection. At some point, you have to stop and attempt to govern. Bill Baker After watching Trump's performance for over two years, I know what I think of him. Since it's apparent that no action will be taken by Congress in response to the report, why should I care what's in it? @SaveFL No criminal conspiracy ... it just means Trump's campaign was unwittingly used as "useful idiots" by Russian operatives. I'm sure that if President Barack Obama had done the same, Republicans would have been fine with it. It looks like they love mother Russia. John Coleman What is there to say other than the Trump administration continues to get away with their wrongdoing, and Trump will continue escaping justice like he always has. This is basically business as usual for him. @RogueHunter65 Wouldn't you be angry if there was an investigation into your campaign and you specifically? I know I would! Democrats have been on Trump's back from the very beginning. Enough is enough! Story continues Lola Freeney It doesn't matter what the Mueller report says. Liberals are too brainwashed to accept facts or reality. They already see this as a "coup." Until we start treating liberals like the cult that they are, don't expect anything to improve. @somethingDenver This is tribulation. I think Trump is guilty as sin. He tried to pull a Saturday Night Massacre! I want to know more about the WikiLeaks stuff that has been redacted off of the Mueller report. Just because Donald Trump Jr. was too ignorant to know he was being manipulated by the Russians doesn't mean that what he did was right. There was collusion, in my opinion. They might not have known the Russian government was behind it, but they knew the people offering help were up to no good! Gabe Topp Hold up, for a guy who's now claiming "no obstruction, no collusion" to be have been reportedly worried at the beginning of this investigation that it was going to "end his presidency," it sure sounds like there was something to hide. Why would one say this if there was clearly no wrongdoing? I don't care which side of the aisle you're on, but you cannot deny that is fishy. Ryan Taylor r/politics Volume II, page 158: "The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Jesus. crazyno This is what has people so concerned about whether justice applies to the president. President Donald Trump rather clearly stated an illegal motive for firing FBI Director James Comey on national television, and he hasn't been charged with a crime. The president fired the man investigating him for crimes! Trump committed a crime to cover up other crimes. That he isn't being treated like a criminal is maddening. The public is rightly upset about it, because if he somehow goes unpunished for this, its the clearest example that the rich and powerful are above the law and I feel like America can't live with that anymore. DeepEmbed Special counsel Robert Mueller's office says they weighed charging Trump with obstruction, but didn't in part because "we recognized that a federal criminal accusation against a sitting President would place burdens on the Presidents capacity to govern and potentially preempt constitutional process for addressing presidential misconduct." feuerwehrmann The Mueller report proved that Russia did interfere in the election to the detriment of Hillary Clinton and the benefit of Trump. Since Trump was not knowingly involved with this that means he was the unwitting patsy the Russians thought they could easily manipulate. bigsexy420 So the Mueller report says there's no proof that Trump was actively cooperating with the Russians illegal activity. The Russians were helping him and Trump even retweeted some of their efforts to help him, but no evidence that he knew it was foreign influence. So Trump was fooled by Russians, as his supporters were. In terms of obstruction the case is pretty much laid out. The decision whether to do anything about it falls to Congress. As the report says, if they had confidence he didn't commit obstruction they would have said so, but they do not have that confidence. So in conclusion: no proof of collusion, lots of evidence of obstruction. JLord To join the conversations about topics on USA TODAY, email letters@usatoday.com, comment on Facebook, or use #tellusatoday on Twitter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mueller report is an admission of the 'depth of Trump's ignorance': 10 best reader responses so far With the release of the Mueller investigation on Thursday, albeit in lightly redacted form, there are now as many questions as there are answers. And while the investigation did not find evidence the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, it uncovered multiple links between Trump campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government. The Independent spoke to legal expert and writer Colin Kalmbacher, who had much to say about Mr Muellers findings. The report highlighted that multiple members of the Trump campaign received some form of communication from Russian officials. Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone, Alex van der Zwaan, Konstantin Kilimnik, and 25 Russian nationals were indicted by the Special Counsel. On that, Mr Kalmbacher said that: Its beyond implausible the Trump Administration was unaware of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and any sleight-of-hand responses from administration officials that downplay such knowledge are not only off-base but, because theyre so ridiculous, also read as suspect. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr, and other campaign officials have touted the claim of no collusion as the Special Counsel was unable to come to the conclusion that the group willfully violated the law in the case of the Trump Tower meeting, or intentionally colluded with Russia, but could not prove overall that justice was not obstructed. Mr Kalmbacher said that "it is imperative to differentiate between: (1) Russian government actors; and (2) non-governmental actors. Mr Muellers redacted report and years worth of public knowledge have established that highly placed Trump 2016 campaign officials made contact with Russian nationals not directly affiliated with the Russian Federation. In other words, obviously the Trump campaign had contacts with Russians but theres nothing immoral, illegal or otherwise untoward about that. Only the most irresponsible and reckless and almost certainly incorrect reporting has suggested that Trump campaign apparatchiks actually had conspiratorial meetings with Russian Federation agents keyed toward cheating Donald Trump across the finish line by way of razor-thin margins in the Midwestern United States. Story continues As far as the latter is concerned, if I were summing up the extent of the Trump campaigns efforts with Russian Federation agents, Id have to emphasise the Mueller report's bottom-line finding that 'the investigation did not establish such coordination.'" As for the charges laid against Manafort in Virginia? They weren't linked to collusion at all. Mr Kalmbacher said: I covered the Manafort trial in Virginia in person. This was all fairly run-of-the-mill gilded upper crust tax evasion and bank fraud. In other words: the story of American wealth. It would have been nice if the Manafort prosecution led to an American Spring focused on uprooting the methods by which the wealthy and well-connected game our system: but thats not where things were headed. Manafort, the president's former campaign manager, was in March sentenced to nearly four years in prison on tax and bank fraud. "You could prosecute most people who make over six figures for the same kind of stuff Manafort was convicted of in Virginia but our system is actually set up to facilitate white collar crime and none of that had anything directly to do with politics; he was interested in finding ways to launder his money earned in Ukraine, sure. But even these white collar crimes were fairly pedestrian stuff: lying on his taxes, hiding income, inflating assets. Is this the kind of thing society really thinks people should be caged for? The section on Trump Campaign and the Dissemination of Hacked Materials begins with: The Trump Campaign showed interested in WikiLeakss releases of hacked materials throughout the summer of 2016, and is mostly redacted from that point. The report states On July 22, 2016, WikiLeaks posted thousands of internal DNC documents revealing information about the Clinton Campaign. Within days, there was public reporting that US Intelligence agencies had high confidence that the Russian government was behind the theft of emails and documents from the DNC. Was Mr Mueller aware that the Trump campaign knew the emails were going to be released before they were? Mr Kalmbacher believes so. He replied, Well, yes. But thats hardly surprising and not the least bit incriminating because Wikileaks themselves teased the existence of the leaks before they were released. Continuing, he added: This is one of the more hare-brained episodes in the entire Russiagate drama. The idea that a hatchet man like Roger Stone had access to some secret pool of knowledge or that he was buddying around with Julian Assange in a bid to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. Its absolutely ridiculous. Theres no need for grand designs or cloak-and-dagger espionage. Were not dealing with a Graham Greene character here. Anyone on either side of the equation should think twice about romancing Roger Stone. Hes not a scheming mastermind or a windswept hero. The Trump campaign knew about potentially harmful Clinton-related releases because Roger Stone was capable of using a Twitter account. The report notes that "Beginning in June 2016, [redacted] forecast to senior Campaign officials that WikiLeaks would release information damaging to candidate Clinton. WikiLeakss first release came in July 2016." "What an interesting coincidence," said Mr Kalmbacher. "Except that its not interesting whatsoever. Wikileaks publically teased the forthcoming release of Clinton-centric data in May of 2016. May comes before June. The real story here and the revealing piece of information is why it took Roger Stone at least two weeks to alert his superiors about this impending release. Thats hardly expert timing or even great ability to read for comprehension. But, of course, its not Roger Stones timing or reading comprehension thats important here. The key point: the narrative of Stones scheming nefariousness is almost completely fictitious. As for the legal implications of the report? Most of the report on this subject is redacted. So, there are, presumably legal implications and Id imagine the lines dedicated to those implications outline some of the still-working parts in the ongoing Stone prosecution. Mr Kalmbacher continued: More directly: dont be so stupid as to lie about non-crimes. Other than that, no. Theres nothing illegal about relying on Wikileaks for campaign dirt. Wikileaks is a publishing company. They provide information they do journalism that powerful people do not like." Mr Mueller has decided to not prosecute those involved with the Trump tower meeting (Donald J Trump Jr, Manafort, and Jared Kushner) despite Mr Trump Jr setting up the meeting due to the offer of some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father as there was no proof that they willfully violated the law. But which campaign law is this based on, and what exactly about their behaviour didn't violate it? This is based on 11 CFR 110.20. Ive actually written about why Mr Mueller wouldnt charge Trump Jr. over this meeting before. Turns out my prediction was half right. Mr Mueller, like most lawyers, has a habit of arguing with himself. In essence he decided not to prosecute Trump Jr. for two reasons: (1) it would be hard to classify opposition research as a thing of value and this would have been the first time in US history that such an effort would have been made; and (2) because of a tick (feature or bug?) in campaign finance law, ignorance of the law actually is an excuse and here, Mr Mueller determined that Trump Jr. was not familiar with the intricacies of campaign finance law. Who really is, though? Campaign Legal Center thats about it. "Mr Mueller is a conservative Republican whose interests and loyalties are pretty clear he wasnt there to rock the boat or make precedent. So, its no surprise that he didnt go after the 45th presidents oldest son. Finally, why did none of this add up to collusion? Collusion was almost always never going to be proved or shown simply because its not the legal term of art applicable here. He continued: Collusion only exists in antitrust law in the US. I cant recall exactly when or how it transposed itself into our cultural lexicon but its basically been used as a smokescreen. "Mueller obviously cant prove something thats entirely inapplicable. But, again, prosecutors can easily prove conspiracy if they want to. They can easily prove campaign finance crimes if they want to. They can easily go after regulatory infractions a la Manafort if they want to. The decision not to charge here was a conscious one not to create controversy because the case, if charged, would have, simply, ruined peoples lives. And, it seems, Mueller didnt deem that damage equivalent to the potential crimes he probably saw." The president of the United States, like all elected officials and public servants, swears to uphold and defend the Constitution against all enemies. But there is one responsibility the president must bear alone, and that is the obligation to act as the commander in chief, the guardian of our national security and the defender of our nation from malevolent foreign powers. The Mueller report makes clear that Donald Trump has failed miserably in this sacred obligation, and instead has traded his constitutional duty for his own safety. Special counsel Robert Muellers conclusions laid to rest some but not all of the legal issues surrounding the Russian attempts to subvert our democratic processes. As the report notes, Muellers team could not find a specific agreement between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to cooperate in an operation against American institutions. For this, we should be grateful, but thats about as far as the good news goes. As a team of writers at Lawfare put it, Trumps people were aware the Russians sought to help them win. They welcomed that assistance. Instead of warning the American public, they devised a public relations and campaign strategy that sought to capitalize on Russias illicit assistance. In other words, the Russians and the Trump campaign shared a common goal, and each side worked to achieve that goal with basic knowledge of the other sides intention. They just didnt agree to work toward that goal together. Read more commentary: Mueller report: A corrupt, unpatriotic president, a stark impeachment choice for Dems Mueller report offers road map on obstruction. Despite Barr, Congress may use it. Mueller investigation shows that if Donald Trump didn't break the law, he surely bent it As a candidate and as a citizen, Trump had a responsibility to put a stop to this unethical and dangerous behavior in his organization. He had an obligation to report it to the FBI, and to work with the government to thwart the Russian efforts. Instead, he knowingly allowed his campaign and some of the people closest to him to continue their contacts with the Russians, and then he spent months lying, encouraging others to cover for him, and gaslighting an entire nation with talks of witch hunts and hoaxes. Story continues This is execrable behavior from a citizen. But a citizen has the right to be execrable and to do bad things, as lawyers would say, that are lawful but awful. As president, however, it is now clear from the Mueller report that Trump knows, and has known for years, what Mueller knew. He knows that the Russian assault on the U.S. political system was real, sustained and serious. He knows now that he is surrounded by people who tried to benefit from that attack on his behalf. He knows that it is likely to happen again. President Donald Trump and Robert Mueller A president determined to fulfill his duty to protect the nation would admit these realities. He would come before the American people and their representatives with an admission, at the least, of poor judgement, and a plan to fight the continuing Russian attacks on our country. But Trump is still engaged in glorious gaslighting, with his partisans declaring victory while trying to focus the publics attention on the few issues where the news media who amazingly got the story mostly right ended up chasing bad leads about immensely complicated matters into dead ends. A president determined to defend the nation would take the Mueller report as a mark of shame, and then support a full and bipartisan investigation of the security of our election process. A president who takes seriously his oath as commander in chief would, in a better administration, be in shock to realize the astonishing level of penetration of his inner circle by agents of the Russian Federation. He would clean house and demand to know how his own campaign and how people who might still have access to the West Wing became threats to national security. A commander in chief who cared about the country would put the Russians on notice, and would do everything in his power to protect the institutions of American democracy. None of that will happen because Trump is less concerned about his role as commander in chief than he is about his own safety and reputation. Leave the lawyers to argue over whether laws were broken about things like obstruction; let Congress debate what price, if any, to exact in the political process. Let us forget about Attorney General William Barrs shameful display on Thursday morning, and accept that he is yet another Trump appointee who is willing to commit political suttee and throw his reputation on the burning bier that is the Trump administration. But we cannot look away from what is now, in the light of day, the undeniable reality that President Trump has no intention of defending this country from the Russians. At every turn, Trump has sided with Russian President Vladimir Putin against his own intelligence and law enforcement professionals. He has accepted Putins lies and denials, despite the fact as we know now that Russian interference was a fact and that Trump not only knew of it, but presided over a bunch of half-witted, morally compromised and unpatriotic minions who were trying to figure out how to make hay out of the Russian offers of help rather than doing their duty and calling the FBI. Russia attacked our democracy. Trump and his cronies knew it and were glad for it. As president, Trump has steadfastly refused to accept his responsibility to do anything about this assault on our institutions. This is a dereliction of duty, and it continues even now. Donald Trump is the president and the commander in chief until Congress or voters say he is not. But nothing will ever change the fact that Robert Mueller has dragged into the light one of the greatest and darkest stains on a presidency in U.S. history. Tom Nichols is a national security professor at the Naval War College, a member of USA TODAY's Board of Contributors and author of "The Death of Expertise." The views expressed here are solely his own. Follow him on Twitter: @RadioFreeTom You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mueller report: Donald Trump failed us as commander in chief The message arrived after midnight on Election Day 2016. As news bulletins reported that Hillary Clinton had called Donald Trump to concede in the presidential race, Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian sovereign-wealth fund CEO and pal of Russian President Vladimir Putin, checked his device. Putin has won, came the message. The identity of that notes sender is among the redacted parts of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report. While the document chronicles the sweep of Russias interference in the election and provides specific examples of the Trump teams sometimes-artless interactions with Russian officials, it is silent on a key unanswered question: did those Russian efforts actually swing the outcome of the 2016 contest? It is perhaps no surprise that Muellers report does not attempt to answer this politically charged issue. Quantifying the impact of Russias influence operation is extremely difficult, as well as outside the core of the special counsels mandate. While the facts marshaled by Muellers investigators illustrate the scope of Russias influence operationwhich included a social-media campaign and the hacking and dissemination of Democratic emailsnone of the new revelations threaten the validity of Trumps election victory. Muellers report builds on previous disclosures that Russia had canvassed U.S. election systems looking for vulnerabilities. In Sept. 2017, the Department of Homeland Security told 21 states that hackers had targeted their voting systems. One Mueller indictment from July 2018 indicated that Russian hackers in June and July of 2016 very likely hacked into an unnamed state and stole information related to 500,000 voters. (State officials in Illinois later acknowledged an intrusion by Russian actors, though they said the number of voters whose personal data had been compromised was 76,000.) The indictment also indicates the hackers poked around in counties in Georgia, Florida and Iowa. A Joint Intelligence Bulletin released last month from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security revealed the Russians targeted all 50 states. Story continues There are plenty of signs that Russia shaped how Americans perceived the election. Thats why Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, calls the foreign actors discourse saboteurs in her latest book, Cyberwar: How Russian Hackers and Trolls Helped Elect a President. The Russians not only injected divisive rhetoric into the public narrative via troll accounts on social media, Jamieson says, but also by stealing troves of email from the Democratic National Committee and top Democrats like Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta and then getting them amplified via mainstream media sources. Facebook executive Colin Stretch told Congress in October 2017 that about 126 million users on the platform were exposed to Russian propaganda masquerading as real news. At the same time, Stretch added, the propaganda was hardly ubiquitous; suspected Russian content amounted to about one out of every 23,000 posts. Russias Internet Research Agency spent just $46,000 on Facebook ads before the 2016 elections, compared to the $81 million the Trump and Clinton campaigns spent on the platform combined. But the raw number may not reflect the operations reach. In 2016, Russian agents posted just under 30,000 times on Facebook, yet the operation generated almost 13 million shares, 15 million likes and 1.3 million comments, according to a research team at Oxford University. Russia ramped up the social-media operation at critical moments, too. There were clear surges in Russian content on Facebook as the primaries and caucuses were getting underway; the numbers dropped off in late spring and early summer when the nominees were decided, only to spike in the final march from the nominating conventions into Election Day. While its virtually impossible to determine how many votes these efforts swayed, the numbers neednt be huge to be important. In Florida, Trump prevailed by 119,770 votes, or 1.3 percentage points. In North Carolina, Trumps margin was 173,315 votes, or 3.6 percentage points. Trump wrested Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin into the Republican column by a margin of 77,744 combined votes. According to a July indictment from Mueller, the Russians knew exactly who the Clinton campaign needed to reach to win the latter Democratic strongholds because the Russians had her strategy memos. Russian-backed trolls targeted 36-social media campaigns at Michigan voters, 25 in Pennsylvania and 54 in Wisconsin, according to data provided to the House intelligence panel. Still, its impossible to chalk up the election result entirely to Russias influenceor to posit that the Kremlins efforts were a complete success. Consider Russias plan to depress African-American turnout. The Oxford study found that of the five top Russian-backed accounts on Twitter, four focused on reaching African-Americans to anger them about Clintons record. In 2012, 16% of voters in Michigan were black, according to exit polls. Four years later, the number of 15%. In Wisconsin, the share of the black vote held steady at 7%. Its true that black turnout declined nationwide in 2016 for the first time in 20 years; the net drop of 7 percentage points from 2012 is the largest on record, according to Pew. But its tough to see that as decisive in the trio of states that lifted Trump to victory. As with any election, its impossible to single out any lone factor as the reason why, in the privacy of a polling booth, someone cast a ballot foror against an individual. No one can prove Clinton would have won had the Russians not meddled. Muellers report illustrates how Russia engaged in an effective campaign to help Trump win the White House. But it doesnt argue those efforts were decisive. With reporting by John Walcott/Washington UNICEF, Georgian Health Ministry Launch Child Development Monitoring System in Adjara By Gvantsa Gabekhadze The child growth and development monitoring system for children aged 0-6 has been launched in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, which comes after the cooperation of UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Social Issues of Adjara, in western Georgia.The programme aims to strengthen the supervision of child development within the primary healthcare system and is being carried out with financial support from the EU.Data on children aged 0-6 will be entered into an electronic system, which is linked to the birth registry. Information appears in the system immediately after a child is born. Consequently, the primary healthcare team is informed of the arrival of a newborn in its district and this creates the basis for proactive action by the doctor and nurse. This project is being piloted in Adjara, UNICEF Georgia reports.Primary healthcare professionals are obliged to enter data on a child into tablets.Doctors and nurses equipped with the tablets visit families, monitor children and consult families on child growth and development, UNICEF says.With financial support from the EU, UNICEF has already purchased 107 tablets.These have been transferred to all the primary healthcare teams at the Ministry of Health and Social Issues of Adjara for the pilot programme.With the help of the electronic system, primary healthcare professionals evaluate the economic conditions of a family and support vulnerable families in receiving state assistance.The module also evaluates a mothers health during the postnatal period and enables timely identification of any health-related complications.UNICEF believes that the mechanism will improve the primary healthcare system and in particular, child supervision and support for families with small children.Primary healthcare professionals, doctors and nurses undertaking the pilot in villages have undergone additional training on issues of child development. So far 120 professionals have gone through this training.In one month over 650 children have already been registered in the system. The special counsel Robert Muellers highly anticipated report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was made public on Thursday, examining potential coordination between the Trump campaign and Moscow and whether Donald Trump obstructed justice. The special counsel found 10 episodes in which Trumps own actions may have amounted to obstruction of justice, detailing several instances in which the presidents demands to interfere with the investigation were blocked by his aides. And in a separate instance, it was found there were additional efforts by the Trump campaign before the election to obscure its contacts with Russian figures. The report separately examined the repeated contacts between the Trump campaign and individuals with ties to the Russian government. While Mueller did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy, investigators made clear the Trump campaign was receptive to offers of assistance from the Russians. Here are the key takeaways: default Obstruction inquiry finds numerous episodes involving Trump Mueller investigated 10 instances in which Trump sought to use the power of the presidency to obstruct justice by either personally interfering with the Russia investigation or directing his aides to do so. They included Trumps request that the then FBI director, James Comey, drop the investigation of the former national security adviser Michael Flynn; Trumps attempts to stop the then attorney general Jeff Sessions recusal from overseeing the Russia investigation; Trumps demand that the special counsels investigation be limited to election meddling only; and Trumps efforts behind the scenes to fire Mueller. The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, the report states, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. In other words, Mueller ultimately did not definitively conclude that Trump obstructed justice, but it was not for a lack of trying. Story continues Mueller made clear he was not exonerating Trump of obstruction, writing: The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that would need to be resolved if we were making a traditional prosecutorial judgment. At the same time, if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards however we are unable to reach that judgment. Accordingly while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Mueller separately noted that as a candidate, Trump repeatedly denied any connections to Russia even as his business was pursuing a potential real estate deal in Moscow. Trump also voiced skepticism that Russia had hacked Democratic party emails at the same time as he and other Campaign advisors privately sought information about any future planned WikiLeaks releases, the report states. Trump campaign was receptive to help from the Russians Although Mueller did not find evidence amounting to a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Moscow, the report makes clear that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in a sweeping and systematic fashion. It also notes that Russia was keen for Trump to win the 2016 election, beating Hillary Clinton. The investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome. Investigators found multiple ties between the Trump campaign and the Russians, which were described as follows: The Russian contacts consisted of business connections, offers of assistance to the Campaign, invitations for candidate Trump and Putin to meet in person, invitations for Campaign officials and representatives of the Russian government to meet, and policy positions seeking improved U.S.-Russian relations. Some of the earliest contacts dated back to 2015 and were in connection to a potential real estate project, known as Trump Tower Moscow and negotiated by the Trump Organization. Trumps former personal attorney Michael Cohen was convicted in part for lying to Congress about the timeline and nature of those discussions, which reportedly entailed gifting Russias president, Vladimir Putin, a $50m penthouse. The project ultimately did not come to fruition. Among the most notable early contacts with the Russians was through the Trump campaigns foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, who learned that the Kremlin had dirt on Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. Although Mueller did not prove that the contacts resulted in collusion, the report states that the Trump campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. The investigation established multiple links between Trump Campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government. Those links included Russian offers of assistance to the Campaign. In some instances , the Campaign was receptive to the offer, while in other instances the Campaign officials shied away. Ultimately, the investigation did not establish that the Campaign coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election-interference activities. Trump believed Muellers appointment would end his presidency One of the most damning revelations in the 400-plus-page report is how Trump reacted to the appointment of a special counsel. Mueller was appointed by the deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein, on 17 May 2017, following the recusal of Sessions and the firing of Comey. Trump was informed of Muellers appointment by Sessions while in the midst of conducting interviews for a new FBI director. According to notes written by Jody Hunt, who served at the time as Sessions chief of staff, Trump did not take the news well: When Sessions told the President that a Special Counsel had been appointed, the President slumped back in his chair and said, Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im fucked. Trump then became angry and lambasted his attorney general for recusing himself from the investigation after it was revealed Sessions misled Congress about his own contacts with the Russians. How could you let this happen, Jeff? Trump asked Sessions. According to Sessions recollection, Trump then told him: You were supposed to protect me, or words to that effect. The President returned to the consequences of the appointment and said, Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. Mueller could not prove Donald Trump Jr willfully violated the law Much was made of Donald Trump Jrs role in arranging the infamous June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York with the prospect of receiving incriminating information about Clinton. (According to emails released by the presidents eldest son, when informed of an effort by the Russian government to help elect his father, Trump Jr said: If its what you say I love it.) Participants included Trump Jr; the presidents son-in-law and senior campaign adviser Jared Kushner; the then campaign chairman, Paul Manafort; and the Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. The Mueller report states that Trump Jr had informed top campaign officials and Trump family members in advance that he had a lead on negative information about the Clinton Foundation. The 9 June 2016 meeting, according to the report, raised difficult statutory and constitutional questions relating to schemes involving the solicitation or receipt of assistance from foreign sources. But the special counsel ultimately concluded that they could not prove Trump Jr or other participants were knowingly in violation of the law: The Office ultimately concluded that, even if the principal legal questions were resolved favorably to the government, a prosecution would encounter difficulties proving that Campaign officials or individuals connected to the Campaign willfully violated the law. Sarah Sanders admitted she lied to press about Comeys firing The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, has long come under fire for making public statements that are untruthful or misleading. But her role in covering up Trumps motivations for firing Comey were laid bare in the report, which cited how her statements at a press briefing days after the FBIs firing were at odds with the facts. Sanders insisted at the briefing that Trump fired Comey at the justice departments recommendation and repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that rank-and-file members of the FBI had lost confidence in Comey. Sanders acknowledged to the special counsels office that her assertion was not founded on anything. According to the Mueller report, Trump actually decided to fire Comey before hearing the recommendation of the justice department and further pointed to the Russia investigation in his rationale: The day after firing Comey, the President told Russian officials that he had faced great pressure because of Russia, which had been taken off by Comeys firing. Mueller lays out case for Congress to investigate Trump on obstruction The attorney general, William Barr, made his own determination that the special counsel lacked sufficient evidence to charge Trump with obstruction of justice. He also said he did not know if Mueller intended for Congress to be the arbiter of the matter. Mueller, in fact, left little room for interpretation on Congresss authority to evaluate the evidence and reach its own decision on obstruction: We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice, the report states, adding: The release of the 400-page, redacted version of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election meddling and possible links to Donald Trumps presidential campaign is one of the most eagerly-awaited events of his first term. Following the release of attorney general William Barrs summary of the report last month, many have been waiting for a more detailed look at Mr Muellers findings. There have been particular questions still lingering over the issue of possible obstruction of justice by Mr Trump since the release of that summary. Here are the key points in the report, which has been split into two volumes. The first section covered the issue of Russian election interference and the second dealswith the evidence surrounding possible obstruction. The instances of possible obstruction by the president Mr Muellers report makes clear that he did not feel able to pass a traditional legal judgement on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice, but the report does not exonerate him with a number of episodes of possible obstruction examined. There were at least 10 such episodes, such of which will be explained in greater detail later in this article. They include: The Trump campaigns response to reports about Russian support for the would-be president Conduct involving FBI Director James Comey, who initially led the Russia investigation until Mr Trump fired him in May 2017, and former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn Mr Trumps reaction to the Russia investigation as it was taking place including angry tweets deriding the investigation The presidents termination of Mr Comey The appointment of Mr Mueller special counsel and efforts to remove him. This includes attempts to have White House lawyer Don McGahn deny that Mr Trump ordered him to have Mr Mueller removed [[gallery-0]] Efforts to curtail Mr Muellers investigation Efforts to prevent public disclosure of evidence that could prove useful to the investigation Further efforts to have the attorney general take control of the Russia investigation Conduct towards Mr Flynn, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and another redacted individual Conduct involving Mr Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen Mr Muellers says at the start of the report: A statement that the investigation did not establish particular facts does not mean there no evidence of the facts. Story continues Mr Barr and attorney general Rod Rosenstein have decided that none of this evidence passes the threshold required to bring a criminal case. The investigation team involved dozens of investigators and lawyers At its height, the investigation had 19 attorneys, five from private practice, and 14 from the Department of Justice. There was also a number of other lawyers used to shift possible evidence. There were also three paralegal staff, nine administrative staff and more than 40 other FBI workers. There were 500 witnesses, 80 of whom were out in front of a grand jury. Trump thought he was f***** after Mr Mueller was appointed The president did not react too kindly to Mr Mueller being given the job as special counsel by Mr Rosenstein. The president is said to have slumped back in his chair and said: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f*****. Trumps campaign expected help from Russia but nobody conspired The report concludes that Russia definitely interfered in the 2016 election, but there was no conspiring between those on Trumps team and people connected to Russia despite a number of links between individuals. Here is what the report says: [T]he investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. The investigation was slowed by messages being deleted, including by Trump campaign officials As well as numerous guilty pleas from a number of people over lies told to Congress and the FBI during the Muller investigation, the report also registers the seeming frustration of the Mueller team that a number of potentially useful communications were deleted by those investigated. This included some people in the Trump campaign. Some of the individuals we interviewed or whose conduct we investigated including some associated with the Trump campaign deleted relevant communications or communicated using applications that feature encryption, the report says. Mueller chose not to subpoena Trump The report states that the written responses by the president to questions from investigators were inadequate, including that possible questions over obstruction of justice being left unanswered. However Mr Mueller said that due to the late stage of the investigation at the time, calling the president for testimony would cause a substantial delay and therefore one would not be issued. Trumps attempts to fire Mr Mueller and influence Jeff Sessions were stopped Mr Mueller reports that aides and advisors in the White House refused to carry out orders from the president, preventing him from influencing the special counsels investigation through there own efforts. The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests, the report says. White House counsel Don McGahn received a phone call at home from Mr Trump on 17 June, 2017 directing him to call Mr Rosenstein and tell him Mr Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed. Mr McGahn is said to have refused and responded he would rather resign. In another section, a message from Mr Trump to then-attorney Jeff Sessions about limiting the special counsels investigation to future election interference was not passed on as the White House official involved, Rick Dearborn was uncomfortable with the task. Mueller decided not to prosecute Trump Jr or Jared Kushner over Trump Tower meeting Mr Mueller decided that prosecuting either Donald Trump Jr, or White House advisor, and President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner over actions in accepting and attending a meeting in June 2016 at Trump Tower with a Russian national who promised damaging information about election rival Hillary Clinton. Investigators could not prove Trump Jr or the other campaign officials at the meeting willfully violated the law. The other Trump official at the meeting was campaign chair Paul Manafort, who agreed to meet with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. The special counsel concluded that prosecuting the campaign officials present for campaign-finance violations would be too difficult to pursue. Mueller has left door open for Congress to investigate As part of the special counsels constitutional justification for its own investigation, it also points out that Congress can also apply obstruction laws in investigating and impeaching a sitting president. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, the report states. Under federal law, Attorney General William Barr could have taken Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs long-awaited Russiagate report, shoved it in a drawer, and sent the following letter to Capitol Hill: Dear Congress: No collusion. No obstruction. Love, Bill Beyond that, Barr was obligated to do none of what he did on Thursday morning. He held a press conference at Justice Department headquarters, answered journalists questions, sent Congress redacted copies of Muellers 448-page Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election (on CD-ROMs), made a nearly unredacted copy (minus only legally verboten grand-jury material) available for top congressional leaders to inspect, posted the document on DOJs public website, and freed Mueller to discuss his findings before Congress, as Democrats have demanded. Barr previously agreed to let the Senate and House judiciary committees grill him on, respectively, May 1 and 2. Democrats have suggested that Barr has something to hide. As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer of New York stated Wednesday, The American people deserve to hear the truth. In fact, Barrs behavior has been clearer than a Brooks Brothers storefront window. The White House has been equally see-through. While President Donald J. Trump ground his molars through this 22-month-long legal root canal, he let his lawyers hand Mueller some 1.4 million pages of records and allowed administration and campaign personnel to be interrogated. Trump never asserted executive privilege, nor did he request redactions in the report. The level of transparency, cooperation, production of documents, and waiver of privileges by the White House is stunning as is the production of the barely-redacted Mueller report, former federal prosecutor Sidney Powell told me. Powell, the author of Licensed to Lie: Exposing Corruption in the Department of Justice, added: Obama invoked executive privilege to shut down any and every inquiry into obvious wrongdoing. Story continues Rather than an elaborate whitewash, Team Trumps compliance undergirds this overarching conclusion: Ultimately, in Muellers words, the investigation did not establish that the Campaign coordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election-interference activities. Barr concurred. As he told journalists at DOJ: After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of warrants and witness interviews, the Special Counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes. Did President Trump commit obstruction of justice? Mueller made no such charge and left that decision to Barr. The AG, Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein, the Office of Legal Counsel, and other federal prosecutors concluded that, in Barrs words, the evidence is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Barr also determined that the President took no act that in fact deprived the Special Counsel of the documents and witnesses to complete his investigation. Trump may have sat in the Oval Office and sworn like a New Yorker about the Russiagate inquiry, but he never blocked Mueller. Mueller indicated that Trumps written replies to some of his questions were inadequate because the president does not recall or remember or have an incomplete recollection. Mueller could have subpoenaed Trump for a face-to-face interview, but, he wrote, at that point, our investigation had made significant progress and had produced substantial evidence for our report. We thus weighed the costs of potentially lengthy constitutional litigation, with resulting delay in finishing our investigation, as against the anticipated benefits of our investigation and report. So, Mueller issued no such subpoena. Could Trump potentially have done more including, as attorneys call it, walk into a perjury trap? Perhaps. But, as it happens, Trump did exactly what he and Mueller agreed that Trump would do. Of course, none of this satisfies the Trump haters. Nothing ever does. First, they whined that Barr was taking too long to issue his summary of Muellers Friday, March 22, report. When Barrs brief emerged that Sunday, Democrats complained that his four-page abstract came too soon. I must say, it is extraordinary to evaluate hundreds of pages of evidence, legal documents, and findings based on a 22-month long inquiry and make definitive legal conclusions in less than 48 hours, said Representative Nita Lowey (D., N.Y.). Even for someone who has done this job before, I would argue it is more suspicious than impressive. Trumps foes then moaned that Barr was not redacting Muellers full report quickly enough surely to conceal Trumps decades of service to the KGB. Theyre just dragging their feet and slow-rolling this thing so that Donald Trump can go around the country saying he was exonerated based on this ridiculous four-page letter that Barr issued, said former Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman. But when Barr announced that he would release Muellers report on Thursday, that date needlessly rushed things. CNNs Chris Cuomo called this dirty pool as yesterday was the eve of Good Friday and Passover. Presumably Muellers paper would vanish in a tsunami of chocolate bunnies and matzo. Had Barr waited until Monday, the Left would have slammed him for befouling the weekend of Judeo-Christian worship with unquenched national lust for the Mueller report. Democrats accused Barr of stealth. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D., N.Y.) described Barrs handling of this matter as equivalent to a cover-up. But when Barr announced plans for a pre-release news conference, five House committee chairmen insisted that Barr cancel the presser. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer called this an indefensible plan to spin the report. Pelosi further kvetched that the Trump team received a sneak preview of Muellers study. True! Barr was totally open about this, too: In addition, earlier this week, the Presidents personal counsel requested and were given the opportunity to read a final version of the redacted report before it was publicly released. That request was consistent with the practice followed under the Ethics in Government Act, which permitted individuals named in a report prepared by an Independent Counsel the opportunity to read the report before publication. President Trumps personal attorney, former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, Esq., told Fox News Channel how he, Jay Sekulow, and Jane and Marty Raskin managed their perfectly legal sneak preview. We went to the Justice Department in a secure room. We couldnt take it out, we couldnt photograph it, Giuliani said. We read it, and we were going to originally divide it up, but decided we had to all read it and share our thoughts about it. Trumps lawyers also were allowed to take notes on what they perused. Wow! How sneaky. As President Trumps enemies abandon their thoroughly debunked Russia! Russia! Russia! fantasy, they now chant Obstruction! Obstruction! Obstruction! Nothing satisfies them, so long as President Trump breathes. Democrats and their indentured servants in the Leftist media resemble a 787 filled with screaming infants. Alas, this jet wont land until at least January 2021. Michael Malarkey contributed research for this opinion piece. More from National Review WASHINGTON Attorney General William Barr had barely finished taking reporters' questions about the Russia investigation when the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee signaled he wasn't even close to satisfied with the answers. "We cannot take Attorney General Barr's word for it," Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said as he whipped out a letter demanding a hearing with special counsel Robert Mueller. Nadler's response to the report, amplified by Democrats in the hours that followed, underscored a political reality taking hold as the nation processes the report's meaning: While the exhaustive investigative work in the Russia probe is finished, the shadow hanging over Donald Trump's presidency may never be fully lifted. Democrats ramped up their rhetoric in the hours after Barr's press conference on Thursday, kicking off a fresh fight over an investigation the White House desperately wants to leave behind. After the report was released, the details of Trump's actions seemed to energize Democrats even though most of the revelations had previously been reported. Obstruction question: President Trump tried to impede Russia inquiry but aides ignored his orders Takeaways: Trump thought Mueller would 'end' his presidency and other takeaways from the Mueller report After criticizing Barr, Nadler took a more aggressive tone once the report hit: "The responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the President accountable for his actions." And then there were the unanswered questions. Investigators did not find evidence that Trump's conduct in 2016 amounted to conspiring with Russia, but did he attempt to obstruct justice by ordering aides to undermine Mueller? Why did Trump spend two years calling attention to the probe and bashing his own Justice Department if he was confident the report would exonerate him? Why did so many of Trump's aides lie to the special counsel and Congress about their interactions? Story continues Trump under siege Those questions spurred calls for high-profile hearings on Capitol Hill and even reopened a discussion about impeachment, though Democratic leaders sought to tamp down that talk. As Trump and his supporters hammered the "no collusion" message, Democrats appeared to be getting more aggressive in their demands, not less. "If you were a bloodthirsty Democrat yesterday you are probably thirstier today," said GOP consultant Scott Jennings. Trump has spent the better part of two years defending himself against the Mueller probe, an investigation that largely consumed his legislative agenda. The president himself grasped the political implications of Mueller's appointment back in 2017, telling aides at the time that he was concerned the special counsel would "ruin" his presidency and lamenting that "I won't be able to do anything." Mueller report: Trump took steps to fire Mueller after campaign welcomed Russian dirt on Clinton 'Oh my God. This is terrible': Top quotes from special counsel Robert Mueller's report Democrats who accused Trump of playing footsie with Russia, and of trying to kill Muellers investigation, most now decide whether to hold politically fraught hearings that some may view as the opening stages of an impeachment inquiry. Consensus appeared to emerge that Barr and Mueller should testify, but there was little agreement after that. The most likely outcome, many predicted: A long, slow burn. Oversight or overreach? Several Democratic leaders threw cold water on the prospect of attempting to impeach Trump but said they would continue to demand answers from the Justice Department and the White House, an outcome that would keep lingering questions from the Russia probe alive through next year's presidential election. "There's little to be gained by putting the country through that wrenching experience," California Rep. Adam Schiff, the Democratic chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN when asked about the possibility of impeachment. Sarah Sanders and the lies: Sanders admits she lied about FBI trust in Comey and other false statements revealed in Mueller report 'I do not recall': Read Trump's written answers to Mueller on Russian contacts, Trump Tower meeting "Many of us do think the president is unfit for office," Schiff said, "but unless that's a bipartisan conclusion, an impeachment would be doomed to failure." Yet some Democrats were ready to reignite the issue. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive freshmen from New York with millions of social media followers, tweeted that the details of the report squarely puts (impeachment) on our doorstep. The New York Democrat has made clear she wants Trump out of office, but so far has followed House Speaker Nancy Pelosis push to keep talk of impeachment contained. Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didnt campaign on it, & rarely discuss it unprompted. We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for All, tackling student loans, & a Green New Deal. But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 18, 2019 Mueller's redacted report landed at a precarious time for Trump's presidency, when his support has softened and his legislative agenda has been stymied by a Democratic-controlled House. Four in 10 voters approved of Trump's handling of the job and 54% disapproved of his performance, according to a Monmouth University Poll this week. But that same poll, conducted before the redacted version of the Mueller report was released, found that only 39% of Americans think Congress should continue looking into remaining concerns related to the Mueller investigation. That finding complicates the impulse among some Democrats to keep pressing the administration for answers. What's next: Trump still faces swirl of investigations after Robert Mueller's probe "The country also has a right to ask when are you going to legislate and not investigate?" presidential aide Kellyanne Conway said, embracing what is likely to become a White House mantra in coming weeks. Is this oversight or overreach?" Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani predicted Democratic outrage would eventually die down. "They didnt get what they thought they were going to get," he said. 2020 candidates cautious The growing field of Democratic candidates angling to unseat Trump next year have largely sought to move on from the Russian investigation, and most were cautious in their response to the redacted Mueller report. Several contenders, such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, blasted Trump's actions but were tepid when discussing a path forward. "It is clear that Donald Trump wanted nothing more than to shut down the Mueller investigation," Sanders said. "Congress must continue its investigation into Trump's conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election." Inside the White House: From Trump Tower to WikiLeaks, the Mueller report offers window into Trump campaign, presidency How does Pence fit in?: What the Mueller report on the Russia investigation says about Vice President Mike Pence Sen. Kamala Harris, a California Democrat seeking her party's nomination, called on Mueller to testify. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who has splashed onto the national political scene in recent weeks, said the report was "disturbing if not completely surprising" and underscored the need to "change the channel in 2020." In that sense, the party's presidential candidates are treating the Mueller report more cautiously than Democratic leaders in Congress. Political observers said that is likely because Mueller's findings, after more than two years of Trump in the White House, will probably not change anyone's mind about how they feel about the president. "Regarding Trump supporters, they arent going to move," Jennings said. "Period." Contributing: Eliza Collins This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mueller report leaves shadow over Trump presidency. Can he escape it? Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty The Mueller report answers lots of questions but leaves one big one lingering: Why were so many Russians so eager to ingratiate themselves with Trump World? The report is in one sense a story of meetings, pitches, and introductions that were entertained but ultimately unfulfilled. In some instances, the Campaign was receptive to the offers of Russian help, while in other instances the Campaign officials shied away," the report says. In any case, no one broke the law with a criminal conspiracy. Special counsel Robert Mueller reaffirmed the intelligence communitys conclusions that the Russian government directed an online campaign of hacking and trolling to help Donald Trump in 2016. Whats less clear are the intentions of the many Russians who reached out to the Trump campaign offline and whether they were well-connected covert emissaries of the Kremlin or just hucksters trying to latch onto the coattails of a potential president. Parsing the motivations of the various Russian supplicants is difficult in part because many of them were a mirror image of their counterparts in Trump World: D-listers in their own political hierarchy for whom the line between state policy and personal gain is unclear. In previous court filings and in the special counsels final report, prosecutors wrote that the FBI believes Konstantin Kilimnik, a former partner in Paul Manaforts consulting business in Ukraine who had worked for the Soviet army as a translator in the 1980s, has ties to Russian intelligence. Kilimnik held a Russian diplomatic passport as recently as 1997, and a number of his former associates relayed their belief that the dual Russian-Ukrainian national was, at least at some point, a spy. Kilimnik, the report reveals, received not just a single briefing from Manafort on Trump campaign polling and messaging strategy in August 2016 but continuous updates via text messages from Manaforts aide Rick Gates. In turn, Kilimnik passed along a peace plan for Ukraine that Manafort himself recognized as a backdoor to recognizing Russias de facto annexation of rebel-held parts of the country. Story continues Prosecutors concluded they could not reliably determine why Manafort passed along the polling data. Viewed in one light, it certainly can appear as though Kilimnik, a former intelligence officer, was a mere cutout for Manafort to pass Trump campaign information to the Russian government. But prosecutors couldnt determine what Kilimnik did with the information, and both Manafort and Gates suggested an alternate explanation for the exchange: money. Manafort had run afoul of Oleg Deripaska, a wealthy Russian oligarch, when an investment fund he tanked lost Deripaska millions and prompted a lawsuit. The report says Manafort had been trying to get back in his good graces ever since hed taken a job at the Trump campaign. At the Aug. 2, 2016, meeting where Manafort had raised polling and fielded a peace plan, he also discussed the possibility that Deripaska could drop the lawsuit filed after the collapse of the investment fund. Kilimnik, in that sense, was Manaforts way to kiss up to Deripaska again. Deripaskas deep pockets and litigiousness may have drawn Manaforts focus, but hes more than just a money man. The Trump administration sanctioned him in 2018 for acting as a representative of the Russian government. His aide, Victor Boyarkin, who the report says ferried messages to Manafort via Kilimnik, is a former GRU officer whom the Treasury Department sanctioned for providing Russian financial support to a Montenegrin political party ahead of Montenegros 2016 elections shortly before Russia allegedly tried to pull off a coup in the country. Deripaskas interest in Manafort may have not been just money either. In January 2017, the report says Manafort traveled to Madrid to meet a Deripaska aide and discuss recreating [the] old friendship between the two men but also global politics. Manafort sent an email to Trumps incoming deputy national security adviser, K.T. McFarland, when he got back to the U.S. three days later about important information he had picked up on my travels over the last month. Manafort claimed it was about Cuba; the special counsels office couldnt say whether that was true. In any case, no one appears to have followed up. Not all of the Russians pitching the Trump campaign had sinister backgrounds in the spy world. When the special counsels office charged Michael Cohen with lying to Congress, it offered the tantalizing detail that he had met with someone who promised political synergy from the Russian government and the ability to set up a meeting with President Vladimir Putin and then candidate Trump. Stripped of his anonymity, synergy man seems a far less impressive operator. Muellers final report identifies him as Dmitry Klokov, the director of public relations for a Russian electrical transmission company who had once been a spokesperson for a former Russian energy minister. If he couldve set up a Putin meeting, he didnt try very hardCohen dumped him after a few phone calls. Or Natalia Veselnitskaya, the lawyer at the center of the infamous Trump Tower meeting in 2016. The Trump side of that meetings intentions were obvious enough from Donald Trump Jr.s exclamation of I love it when Veselnitskaya claimed that she had dirt on the Clintons compliments of the Russian government. Her hints at government sources have since been borne out by an indictment in New York that alleges that she lied about ghostwriting correspondence for Russian officials to send to their American counterparts. And her clientswealthy Russians whove had money seized on corruption chargeshave interests that dovetail directly with one of Moscows most pressing foreign policy priorities: the removal of sanctions against Russian nationals and companies. So was she representing her clients at that meeting or the broader interests of the Kremlin? Mueller doesnt say, but the bait she offeredunsupported allegations about money laundering she couldnt connect to Hillary Clintonwas far short of tempting. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Democrats and their media partners owe Bill Barr an apology. He wont get one, it goes without saying. Just to recap, the attorney general was accused of misrepresenting Muellers report; of providing a false summary of the report; of plotting to use grand-jury law and other secrecy provisions as a pretext to redact most of the report; and of calling an extraordinary press conference in order to exculpate the president by projecting a fraudulent version of the report. These accusations were slanderously false. Barr made Muellers bottom-line findings available on a Sunday, March 24, less than two full days after receiving the report from Mueller late on a Friday. Now that the 448-page tome is public, it is easy to see that it could not possibly have been redacted, in keeping with federal law, without a weeks-long review process. If Barr had issued nothing while that painstaking process went on, hed have been vilified for a cover-up. Instead, he quickly and accurately reported Muellers findings . . . and was of course vilified for purportedly lying about what the report said notwithstanding that Mueller, no wallflower, was cooperating in the redaction process and would obviously not have abided a fictional account of his work. Barrs brief account could not have been a false summary because he never undertook to summarize the report. He simply communicated Muellers bottom line yes, Russia meddled; no, Trump was not complicit in a criminal conspiracy; and hand-wringing on obstruction, leaving it to Barr to make the final call. Barr maintained that it would violate federal law if he provided grand-jury material to Congress, so he would have to withhold it. Democrats went ballistic . . . but within days, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that grand-jury materials must be kept secret unless they fall under an exception prescribed in Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e) which does not have an exception for disclosure to Congress. Instead of bloviating, Democrats could simply have proposed an amendment to Rule 6(e) that would have permitted the disclosure, but that would have been an implicit concession that Barr was right. They need Barr to be perceived as not just wrong but corrupt. Thats the strategy. Story continues The attorney general insisted that redactions for grand-jury and other legitimate purposes would be kept to a bare minimum, that he would be as transparent as possible while still honoring the law, protecting vital defense secrets, and respecting the privacy of people who came up only peripherally in the investigation. Yet Democrats bellowed that it was Watergate! all over again, and Barr was Rosemary Woods. Then we got the report. The redactions, as promised, are minimal. The basis for each is explained. In context, the black-outs are apparently sensible and unobjectionable. Yet Barr went an extra mile, making a less redacted version (with only grand-jury material excised) available to bipartisan leaders of several congressional committees. As youd expect, to keep up the scandal pretense, House Democrats are nevertheless pressing ahead with their subpoena for the full report . . . as America yawns. And cover-up? While it is pretty obvious that intelligence about Russia (unrelated to Trump) was blocked out, no effort was made to scrub from the report behavior by the president that is dishonest, conniving, and in the view of Special Counsel Mueller on the cusp of criminal obstruction. Remember now, the president said he would leave disclosure issues to the attorney general. The regulations call for a confidential report from the special counsel to the AG. There was no requirement that the AG publicize the report. The withholding of the report could have been justified legally under Justice Department rules against public comment on the evidence against uncharged persons, and by the classified nature of the overarching counterintelligence investigation of Russias interference in the election. The report, however, was released. Moreover, the most unsavory evidence of presidential misconduct came from the presidents own White House counsel meaning it could have been withheld not just from Congress and the public but also from Mueller on executive-privilege and attorneyclient-privilege grounds. Remember the Clinton emails investigation recall how Mrs. Clinton inserted lawyers in her every activity, and then the Obama Justice Department dutifully tied the FBIs hands on the rationale that basic investigative steps would have risked transgressing attorneyclient privilege? By contrast, the Trump White House and Barr did not assert privilege claims; as a result, testimony damaging to the president was freely given to the prosecutor and congressional Democrats. Finally, there is the press conference, which Democrats limned as an artifice to defraud. In reality, the Justice Department customarily calls press conferences and issues press releases at the drop of a hat. Here, there was actual need for it. The release of the report, despite the absence of charges and the lack of a legal disclosure requirement, was extraordinary. The redactions and the process of making them had to be explained. The report was so lengthy and suffused with legal esoterica that it was entirely appropriate to summarize it for the public something the Justice Department often does for charging instruments that are less than a 20th of the size of Muellers magnum opus. Most important, Mueller did not resolve one of the main questions he was appointed to answer: Whether the president should be charged with obstruction. That meant Barr had to resolve it, which by itself was a good enough reason for a press conference. Democrats claim Barrs determination on obstruction was the equivalent of acting as Trumps defense lawyer. But the only way for any prosecutor to assess the question of whether a suspect had corrupt intent is to catalogue the evidence that cuts against it since, if corrupt intent cannot be proved beyond a reasonable doubt, there can be no criminal case. Barr did not claim that Trump had conducted himself admirably; he said that proving corrupt intent would have been difficult, if not impossible, thanks to (a) the presidents extensive cooperation with the investigation (making White House witnesses available, disclosing over a million documents, asserting no claim of privilege) and (b) the non-corrupt thinking that fueled the presidents frustration (i.e., his belief that his presidency was being destroyed by a bogus collusion allegation). That Democrats do not like this outcome does not make it wrong. Under no legal compulsion to do so, Attorney General Barr has provided Congress with the full, at times gory details drawn from Muellers aggressive investigation. Though it cleared the president of the vacant collusion allegation that Democrats peddled for two years, the report could be grist for a House impeachment push on the issue of obstruction. Some cover-up. More from National Review Lagos (AFP) - Nigeria's former most senior judge who was found guilty of graft charges has appealed his conviction, his lawyers said on Friday. Former chief justice Walter Onnoghen was banned from holding office for 10 years by an ethics court on Thursday in a case the opposition said was politically motivated. Onnoghen was tried for failing to divulge cash in five foreign bank accounts in contravention of rules governing the declaration of assets by public officials. The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT)also ordered the seizure of the funds in the accounts since the embattled judge could not justify how he acquired the money. "In a notice of appeal filed at the Registry of the CCT, shortly after the judgment, Onnoghen raised 16 grounds on which he faulted the decision and urged the Court of Appeal to set it aside and discharge and acquit him," a member of his legal team told AFP. "The appellant is urging the Court of Appeal to hold that the CCT lacked the jurisdiction to hear the charge and that the tribunal ought to have recused itself from the trial," he said. Onnoghen wants the appeal court to set aside all the orders made by the tribunal in the judgment, including that for assets forfeiture, he added. No date has been fixed for hearing the appeal. - 'Unconstitutional' - After Thursday's ruling, Onnoghen's lawyer Okon Efut said the process had not been fair. He decried what he called the "unconstitutional" suspension of the judge in January, claiming it was the first step in what he said was a "premeditated" decision. "Judgment had been passed before today," Efut said. "Justice has not been done today but it will be done tomorrow -- if not by the tribunal or by our court, justice will be done by God," he added. Onnoghen was suspended from his post as the country's top judge by President Muhammadu Buhari just weeks before elections in February. The move prompted claims Buhari was trying to manipulate the judiciary. Story continues A request to remove the chief justice normally has to be approved with a two-thirds majority of the Senate, but the head of state did not follow that process. As head of the Supreme Court, Onnoghen could have ruled on any disputes relating to the election, which saw Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress (APC), win a second term of office. Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who lost to Buhari, has launched a legal challenge to the result. But the presidency defended the conviction of the former chief judge in a statement late Thursday, saying the anti-corruption war was "all encompassing and is not designed to persecute anyone for political or other reasons." It added: "The rule of law would lose its meaning and validity if only the weak, the poor and powerless are punished for their violations of the law." Koji Nagai, chief executive officer of Nomura Holdings Inc., speaks during an interview in Tokyo, Japan. Photo: Akio Kon/Bloomberg via Getty Images The bulk of significant job cuts hitting Japan's Nomura Holdings (NMR) will affect London as the bank seeks to address Brexit uncertainty, CEO Koji Nagai told the Financial Times Friday. It seems possible that its going to take a long time for the situation to normalise, so at this moment we see no point in keeping that kind of significant presence over there in London, Nagai said. Earlier this month, Nomura announced an overhaul plan to cut $1bn, as well as close more than 30 of its 156 retail branches. Nagai told the FT that this plan was partly in response to Brexit and the multi-year uncertainty thats followed the June 2016 vote. Reuters previously reported that the bank plans to cut about 100 jobs in London, which is home to Nomuras European banking business. FT sources in both Tokyo and London confirmed that Nomura could axe about 350 jobs globally as part of this plan, with most of those losses impacting UK staff. Dozens of jobs around the globe have already been cut as part of the plan. READ MORE: Supercar rallies and nurseries on the blockchain: Remnants of crypto boom remain despite bear market Last year, Nagai announced the end of Londons status as Nomuras global wholesale hub. He cut about 50 London-based jobs in July 2018 and said at the end of the year that the regions 3,000-person workforce may be a little large, Nagai confirmed on Friday that Nomura is not looking to partner with a commercial bank. This model has proven popular since the global financial crash and Japan's biggest bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, currently has an alliance with Morgan Stanley. "We can do a deal with any partner if we make the effort. We don't belong to any banking group and that is our strength," Nagai told Reuters in an interview. Nagai, Nomuras longest-serving CEO in more than 30 years, indicated that he may step down before the three-year overhaul is completed, according to Bloomberg. After months of intense pressure to push Brexit through by its original date of 29 March, the UK government and the EU agreed to a new exit date of 31 October. It remains unclear what shape Brexit will take, or what impact it could have on the British, European, and global economies. Another accident on a construction site By Levan Abramishvili On April 16, the controversial Panorama Tbilisi once again came under the spotlight, when three workers employed at the construction fell from the scaffolding. All of them got injured and were taken to the hospital, but, fortunately, their lives are not under threat.One of the workers, a 21-year-old man, got serious head injuries, broken ribs, and severe bruising. The other one, 30-year-old man has a broken leg, according to the eyewitnesses.From the video that was posted on Facebook, it is apparent that the injured workers were not wearing helmets or any other safety equipment.The Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation under the article 240, paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (breach of safety regulations during mining, construction or other works that result in death or other grave consequences).This comes after the tragic death of two workers just a few weeks ago at one of the construction sites on Chavchavadze Avenue.The project came under scrutiny from the very beginning, when it was initially announced in 2015. Global NGOs and local environmental activists opposed the idea of constructing a multi-functional complex in the old part of the capital. The project is being implemented by Georgian Co-investment Fund, set up by the former Prime Minister of Georgia, Bidzina Ivanishvili.According to an interview with one of the Panorama Tbilisi workers, published by Liberali, the injured workers were working on the facade, when they fell from the 9th floor. I work inside. There are no rules of safety on site. They are murderers, to say it directly. I dont have any other choice but to work here. I came to Tbilisi from the Adjara region. My mother has been bedfast for 15 years and I work to gain a few coins to buy medicine for her. Im a slave says the worker.Department Labour Inspection of Ministry of Health conducted an inspection on site and after 3 hours of examination, they have concluded that there were numerous safety violations and the construction of Panorama Tbilisi has been halted.It has been clear for a long time that the current policies that are in place do little to nothing to protect the livelihood of the workers employed on the construction sites. Effective steps need to be taken in order to ensure that the safety measures are taken into account on the construction sites across Georgia. Rome (AFP) - Swedish teen activist Greta Thunberg rebuked the ruling classes Friday at a demonstration in Italy, insisting youths fighting for climate justice were not fodder for self-complacent selfies. "We children are not sacrificing our education and our childhood for the adults and politicians to tell us what they consider is politically possible in the society they have created," the 16-year-old told crowds gathered in Rome. "We have not taken to the streets for them to take selfies with us, and tell us that they really, really admire what we do. "We children are doing this to wake the adults up," she told the crowd of 5,000 youngsters, some of whom were holding up placards warning "Climate Change = Human Extinction" and "Time is Running Out". "In the last six months, millions of school children, not least in Italy, have been school striking for the climate. But nothing has changed. There is no political change whatsoever in sight," Thunberg said. "That is why we must prepare ourselves. This will not take weeks, this will not take months, this will take years," she added. Italy's populist government -- the first in Western Europe -- has a poor record on the environment, with the hard-right, pro-business League battling the Five Star Movement (M5S) over a series of large-scale infrastructure projects. - Porky protest - League head Matteo Salvini, Italy's interior minister, voted against the Paris Agreement on fighting climate change in 2016. And the anti-establishment M5S has angered its base by breaking several electoral promises, including pledges to close the vast and heavily polluting Ilva steel plant, or stop construction of a gas pipeline from Albania. Thunberg addressed the Italian Senate on Thursday after meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday. "Politicians in Italy love to welcome celebrities, as they did (with Thunberg) yesterday, but when it comes down to the facts, we have yet to see any action," WWF representative Domenico Aiello said. Story continues "The League and the M5S have done nothing. A tweet is not enough in the battle to save the climate," said Aiello, who was carrying an large inflatable Planet Earth on his shoulders. Paola Samaritani, 52, who brought her pet pig to the demonstration, was disappointed more was not being made of the damage done by intensive animal farming in the country of Parma prosciutto and Parmesan cheese. "The animals are considered sausages or ribs from the moment they're born," she said as she gave pig Dior some water. "There's a lot of talk about combatting climate change, but these kids probably have ham sandwiches in their backpacks". Paris (AFP) - Days after the catastrophic fire at Paris's Notre-Dame, around 30 business owners on Thursday gathered at a cafe in the shadow of the burned cathedral. The owners of restaurants and souvenir stores, flower stalls and gourmet food markets in an area known to residents simply as the "village", they have all been forced to close since Monday's devastating fire at the UNESCO World Heritage landmark. Few at the gathering Thursday morning in the Quasimodo cafe -- named after the hunchback in Victor Hugo's celebrated novel set at the cathedral -- seemed optimistic about the chances of re-opening in the near future. Police are letting only residents and business owners onto the River Seine island known as the Ile de la Cite where the cathedral stands, choking off the tourist traffic that is their lifeblood. "We usually have lots of tourists, more than 500 a day, but now there's nobody," said Virginie Aranda, who has a stall at the flower market on the Ile de la Cite. "We haven't even been able to come and water our plants." She and others at the meeting say the extended security perimeter set up while inspections are carried out at Notre-Dame could cost them dearly. "We've already had a tough winter because of the "yellow vests, and now we have this," said Betty Toullier, another flower vendor, referring to the protests that have shaken central Paris since November. "We're at risk of losing everything," said Toullier, who has held a stand at the flower market since 1971. But Patrice Le Jeune, president of the Notre-Dame business alliance, said that based on his meetings with city officials, the island's picturesque streets could remain closed for weeks, maybe months. "They're not going to take any risks," he tells the group. Aides to Ariel Weil, the mayor of the Fourth Arrondissement, which includes Notre-Dame, said he was not immediately available for comment. Story continues - 'One coffee' - For many Parisians, the winding streets in the shadow of Notre-Dame are full of nothing but cheap tourist stands and overpriced restaurants claiming to be among the oldest in the city. It's an image that riles many residents and business owners, some of whom have lived and worked on the Ile de la Cite for decades. "People forget that there's a church, but there's also a village that surrounds it. The cathedral is our church, our children were baptised there," said one mother, asking not to be identified by name. "It's a village," agreed Michel Mathieu, whose grandmother opened a store on the Rue d'Arcole in 1921. That store is still open, offering the souvenirs you won't find from the roving trinket sellers, as is another right down the street owned by his brother. And another by Mathieu's daughter. Like other businesses, they are hoping insurance policies will cover the lost revenue and merchandise -- the dead flowers, the food going bad in restaurant refrigerators. But so far officials have not declared the site a disaster zone, meaning insurance won't kick in, and shop owners can't file for state aid for the forced unemployment of their workers. "There are jobs at stake," said Esther Butel, who runs a restaurant with three employees on the Quai des Fleurs. "I opened today but this morning all I sold was one coffee. I'm not going to make it with one client paying 2.50 euros," she told AFP. Le Jeune said he would meet soon with the tourism chief in Mayor Anne Hidalgo's cabinet, to push for a freeze on social charges like payroll taxes and VAT for the affected businesses. But such help, if it comes, might be too late for some. "We opened just four weeks ago," said Francois Monville, who chose the Notre-Dame neighbourhood for his food shop upon returning to France with his wife after 15 years abroad. "The idea was to create something for visitors, but for Parisians as well, to reconcile tourists and locals," he said. But with rent, wages and loan payments, "we can't hold out like this for long." NEW YORK Pickups have gotten so big, that it might be time for something small. With sales booming and prices rising for full-size and midsize trucks, automakers are now poised to revive the compact pickup in a test of how far they can go before buyers say no more. At the New York Auto Show on Wednesday, the Toyota Yaris Adventure zoomed onto the screen during a press conference, showcasing an unusual blend of body styles. "A subcompact car and a pickup truck coming together as one?" Toyota general manager Jack Hollis said. "Honestly, with the amazing reaction to it, maybe we should make it for real!" He was joking. But like many good wisecracks, there's a little bit of truth in there. In this case, the truth is that multiple automakers are bringing back the long-lost small pickup, which perished earlier this century as pickups grew bigger and full-size trucks tightened their grip on the hearts of American drivers: Volkswagen brought a pickup concept called the Tarok to the New York Auto Show "to gauge market reaction for a truly versatile and compact entry-level pickup." Hyundai is planning a mashup of a pickup and a small SUV after introducing a concept called the Santa Cruz at the 2015 Detroit auto show. The vehicle will come "a little later" than 2020, said Hyundai Chief Operating Officer Brian Smith, and doesn't yet have an official name. Ford is planning a compact pickup in the U.S. to go along with its recently revived Ranger, which was once considered a compact but has turned into a midsize model. Taken together, these efforts amount to the next chapter in the pickup wars raging in the auto industry. First-quarter pickup sales have ballooned 30 percent from the same period in 2014, rising to 659,105 vehicles, according to car-buying advice site Edmunds. Volkswagen North America CEO Scott Keogh told USA TODAY there may be an opportunity for a compact pickup like the Tarok that provides the "versatility of a pickup truck" with "good value, good fuel efficiency" and sensible packaging. Story continues "We see a lot of these urbanists who want to get out, and this is a smart vehicle to do that in," he said. "An optimist could say there is no market, so lets go invent it." One reason why it might work: Full-size and midsize pickups have become increasingly expensive in recent years as they've become more popular. Americans are paying an average of $49,713 for full-size pickups in 2019, up about 47 percent from $33,828 in 2009, according to Edmunds. And they're paying $34,322 for midsize trucks, up 45 percent over the same time period. "The smaller trucks have a good selling proposition" for buyers who don't want to break the bank, Edmunds analyst Jessica Caldwell said. But she noted that midsize pickups like the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma can be had for much cheaper than the industry average. So a compact pickup would have to do much more than compete on price. "People still want the functions of a pickup truck, not some quirky concept," Caldwell said. The Hyundai Santa Cruz SUV-pickup blend aims to hit the sweet spot. "This is going to appeal to people who dont necessarily see themselves as pickup truck drivers, but they want the utility of having an open bed," Hyundai's Smith said. Pickups provide Americans with a sense of freedom, flexibility and fun. They feel like they can haul anything and go anywhere. So anyone trying to make a compact pickup would need to pay homage to that frame of mind. "People want to feel like they can be outside," Stephanie Brinley, auto analyst at IHS Markit. "Theres a sense of freedom and escape that people want to have." To be sure, consumers are famously loyal to the traditional Detroit Three brands for full-size pickups namely the Ford F-series, Ram, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra. About 7 in 10 full-size pickup buyers prefer domestic brands, according to Cox Automotive. But only 3 in 10 midsize buyers seek out domestic brands. "Full-size buyers are the most loyal in the industry," Autotrader analyst Michelle Krebs said in an email. "Smaller truck buyers are the least" loyal, which provides an entryway for newcomers. "Up until now, automakers haven't been willing to pull the trigger," said Brinley. "We may be in this space and time where it begins to make more sense." Not everyone's convinced there's an opportunity for a compact entrant. At Honda, the Ridgeline midsize pickup won the North American Truck of the Year award in 2017. But Honda's not harboring dreams of going any smaller. "I dont think so," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., general manager of Honda in the U.S. "I think this is America, and people like big things." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Once-dead compact pickup is poised for a comeback: Ford, Hyundai, maybe even VW jump in Today we will run through one way of estimating the intrinsic value of Goodrich Petroleum Corporation (NYSEMKT:GDP) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. I will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for Goodrich Petroleum The model We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow are will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 Levered FCF ($, Millions) -US$12.6 -US$1.3 US$5.0 US$8.3 US$12.2 US$16.4 US$20.4 US$24.0 US$27.2 US$30.0 Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x4 Analyst x4 Analyst x1 Est @ 66.17% Est @ 47.14% Est @ 33.82% Est @ 24.49% Est @ 17.96% Est @ 13.39% Est @ 10.19% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 9.71% -US$11.5 -US$1.1 US$3.8 US$5.7 US$7.7 US$9.4 US$10.6 US$11.4 US$11.8 US$11.9 Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= $59.85m Story continues "Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St We now need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all the future cash flows after this ten year period. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 10-year government bond rate of 2.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 9.7%. Terminal Value (TV) = FCF 2029 (1 + g) (r g) = US$30m (1 + 2.7%) (9.7% 2.7%) = US$442m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV) = TV / (1 + r)10 = $US$442m ( 1 + 9.7%)10 = $174.98m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is $234.82m. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. This results in an intrinsic value estimate of $19.33. Relative to the current share price of $14.41, the company appears a touch undervalued at a 25% discount to what it is available for right now. DCFs are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind. AMEX:GDP Intrinsic value, April 19th 2019 Important assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. If you don't agree with these result, have a go at the calculation yourself and play with the assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Goodrich Petroleum as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 9.7%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.171. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldnt be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price to differ from the intrinsic value? For Goodrich Petroleum, I've compiled three essential factors you should further examine: Financial Health: Does GDP have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does GDP's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of GDP? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every US stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search 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. LIMA (Reuters) - A Peruvian judge on Friday ordered former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski to spend up to three years in jail while prosecutors prepare corruption charges against him for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction company Odebrecht. The decision comes just two days after another former Peruvian president, Alan Garcia, committed suicide to avoid arrest in connection with Odebrecht, a Brazilian firm that has laid waste to Peru's established political class as it has implicated officials and political leaders in alleged bribery schemes. Kuczynski, an 80-year-old former Wall Street banker who once held U.S. citizenship, denies wrongdoing. Kuczynski did not attend the hearing before Judge Jorge Chavez on Friday because he was receiving treatment for heart problems in a local clinic. After Garcia killed himself on Wednesday, Kuczynski's attorney asked prosecutor Jose Domingo Perez to consider putting Kuczynski under house arrest instead of pre-trial detention as planned. But Perez said Kuczynski's health problems could be treated without problem in jail, and Judge Chavez approved his request to hold Kuczynski in jail for 36 months before trial. The ruling came as Garcia was being buried and will likely further fuel criticism that the Odebrecht probe has become too aggressive and that prosecutors and judges were abusing the use of so-called "preventive prison," or pre-trial detention. Under Peruvian law, criminal suspects can be held in jail before trial for up to three years if prosecutors show evidence that they would likely be convicted and would probably try to flee or obstruct the investigation unless detained. Peru's four most recent presidents and the leader of the opposition have been ordered to pre-trial detention in connection with Odebrecht since the company admitted in late 2016 that it paid some $30 million in bribes to Peruvian politicians, part of a sophisticated bribery system its former executives detailed to authorities abroad. Prosecutors in the Odebrecht probe say they need preventive prison to keep wealthy and powerful suspects from evading justice as they gather evidence in the country's biggest graft investigation. But critics, including the chief justice of Peru's Constitutional Tribunal, Ernesto Blume, say it is being used excessively in response to anger at widespread corruption. Kuczynski, who was president a little over a year ago, has said he has cooperated fully with investigators, even declining to file an appeal when they barred him from leaving the country shortly after resigning in March of 2018. As president, Kuczynski initially denied having any link to Odebrecht. But he eventually acknowledged his consulting company advised Odebrecht on financing for projects that it had won while he was a cabinet minister in the government of former President Alejandro Toledo. Toledo is fighting extradition from the United States after a judge ordered him jailed before a trial over allegations he took a $20 million bribe Odebrecht. Another former president, Ollanta Humala, spent nine months in pre-trial detention in connection with Odebrecht before he was released on appeal. (Reporting By Mitra Taj) John Moore/Getty More than 50 medical professionals were charged by the Department of Justice on Wednesday with illegally distributing more than 32 million opioid pills, including one doctor who allegedly exchanged pills for sexual favors and a dentist who unnecessarily pulled patients teeth to justify prescribing the highly addictive drugs. The charges are the result of a widespread investigation conducted by the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, created last year to target a region of the country thats been particularly ravaged by the ongoing opioid epidemic, which has already claimed tens of thousands of American lives. Investigators and confidential informants infiltrated suspicious clinics, using cameras and tape recorders to capture the alleged crimes, The Washington Post reports. That is the equivalent of one opioid dose for every man, woman and child in the five states in the region that weve been targeting, said Brian Benczowski, an assistant attorney general in charge of the Justice Departments criminal division. If these medical professionals behave like drug dealers, you can rest assured that the Justice Department is going to treat them like drug dealers. As a result of the investigation, 31 doctors were charged, alongside seven pharmacists, eight nurse practitioners, seven other licensed medical professionals, and seven others, the DOJ said in a press release. The charges include unlawful distribution or dispensing of controlled substances by a medical professional, health-care fraud, and conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud. A whopping 32 people face charges in Tennessee, including one doctor, the self-branded Rock Doc, who was accused of exchanging the highly addictive drugs for sexual favors. In just three years, the press release states, the Rock Doc allegedly prescribed 500,000 hydrocodone pills, 300,000 oxycodone pills, 1,500 fentanyl patches, and more than 600,000 benzodiazepine pills, sometimes in exchange for sexual favors, and sometimes in powerful and dangerous combinations. Story continues Similar charges were brought against a doctor in Alabama, who stands accused of recruiting prostitutes and other young women with whom hed had sexual relationships to become his patientsand opening up his home for their illicit drug use. Another Alabama doctor allegedly doled out prescriptions to patients he knew to be addicts, collecting a concierge fee of $50 per visit or $600 a year. Yet another is accused of handing out excessive quantities of drugs to some patients that amounted to up to 15 pills a day. In the Eastern District of Kentucky, a dentist stands accused of pulling patients teeth unnecessarily to justify prescribing opioids. A doctor was accused in the same district of prescribing opioids to his Facebook friends, who would come to his home to pick up their doses. That doctor also allegedly signed off on prescriptions for his office manager, who would deliver opioids to patients home in exchange for cash. In Ohio, six people were charged, including a doctor who was believed at one time to be the highest prescriber of controlled substances in the state, and several others who allegedly ran a pill mill in Dayton that gave out 1.75 million pills between October 2015 and October 2017 alone. This isnt the first time federal prosecutors have gone after illegal narcotics schemes. Last summer, the Justice Department charged 162 peopleincluding 76 doctorswith prescribing and distributing opioids and other dangerous drugs. Federal officials say this is just the beginning. Todays takedown demonstrates the FBIs unwavering commitment to working alongside our Strike Force partners, including the HHS-OIG and DEA, to fight the opioid epidemic and related criminal activity in the Appalachian region, FBI Executive Assistant Director Hess said in the press release. We will not stand by and allow the harmful and oftentimes deadly practice of over-prescribing highly addictive drugs to continue unchecked. The FBI will pursue medical personnel who misuse their positions of trust to blatantly disregard others very lives for their own financial gain. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Here are todays big stories. Democrats outraged as Trump team shapes Mueller report rollout America has been waiting two years to hear from Robert Mueller. A goddess inspired a Taiwanese billionaire to follow Trumps example Taiwans richest man whose company is best known for building iPhones in China has thrown his hat into the islands upcoming Presidential race. North Korea tests tactical weapon, report says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspected and directed a new tactical guided weapons firing test Wednesday, according to a report from the countrys state media. Scientists have detected the earliest Big Bang molecule in space When the universe formed during the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the chemical reactions of the aftermath formed the first molecules. Those first molecules were crucial in helping form everything we know, but theyre also absent. Samsungs Galaxy Fold is breaking for some early users First there was Bendgate. Now there is Foldgate? Couple rescued from Australia outback after writing help in mud An Australian couple who spent a freezing, sleepless night in a crocodile-ridden area have been rescued after scratching help in large letters into a riverbank. Workers questioned as Notre Dame fire investigation ramps up As emergency crews continue to pick through the charred remains of Notre Dame cathedrals ancient wooden beams, which turned the world-famous site into a tinderbox, focus has turned to the investigation into how the blaze started. 150 people feared missing after passenger boat sinks in Congo Up to 150 people are feared missing after a passenger boat sank on Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo Africa Live: Fossils of giant mammal in Kenya found Search and rescue operations are under way in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo where at least 150 people are reported missing after a boat accident on Monday on Lake Kivu. Local fishermen are using motor-powered canoes to conduct the search. At least 28 dead in Madeira bus crash At least 28 people have died after a bus carrying German tourists plunged off a road and overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira. Another 22 were injured in the accident near the town of Canico, according to national news agency Lusa. HIV used to cure bubble boy disease US scientists say they used HIV to make a gene therapy that cured eight infants of severe combined immunodeficiency, or bubble boy disease. Results of the research, developed at a Tennessee hospital, were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The amazing survival powers of Notre-Dame BBC Reel Following the massive fire which has destroyed the steeple and much of the roof of Notre-Dame in Paris, historian Troy Feay describes how the 850-year-old cathedral has stood the test of time from the French Revolution to World War Two. Africa Live: Brothers of Sudans ousted president detained Search and rescue operations are under way in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo where at least 150 people are reported missing after a boat accident on Monday on Lake Kivu. Local fishermen are using motor-powered canoes to conduct the search. Pinterest valued at $10bn ahead of float Pinterest, the online scrapbook company, has priced its shares at the top end of its range as it becomes the latest unicorn to make its stock market debut. It will start selling its shares at $19 (14.50) each, giving the loss-making firm a market value of $10bn. Samsungs foldable phones havent even shipped yet and are already breaking The Samsung Galaxy Fold was meant to usher in a new era. Assuming were talking about the era of epic fucking PR disasters, it just very well may have succeeded. The $1,980 smartphone finally landed in the hands of tech journalists this week, ahead of its official April 26 sale date, and was met with decidedly lukewarm reviews. Game of Thrones sneak peek images offer early glimpse into tense next chapter Lets get to theorizing, Thrones fans. Ahead of Sunday, HBO has released 14 new photos from Game of Thrones Season 8, episode 2. From Jaime facing the music to a mysterious strategy session, this sneak peek doesnt reveal anything particularly unexpected but in Westeros, where theres a detail, theres a theory. Thieves reportedly used car-sharing app to steal 100 cars in Chicago Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work. Nicolas Cage would be proud. The car-sharing company Car2Go has temporarily suspended operations in Chicago following the reported theft of 100 cars off its platform. Facebook accidentally scraped the email contacts of 1.5 million users Facebook has been embroiled in another password-related mess. As reported by Business Insider, the social media giant inadvertently uploaded the email contacts of 1.5 million users who had just signed up to the network. Microsoft refused to sell facial recognition tech to law enforcement The company leading the charge on protecting civil rights from technological abuse is Microsoft?! Microsoft President Brad Smith delivered some surprisingly principled news about his company while speaking at Stanford University on Tuesday. Recently, Smith said that Microsoft declined to sell its facial recognition technology to both a California law enforcement agency and an unnamed capital city because of human rights concerns, according to Reuters. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he remained in charge of negotiating with North Korea despite the regime's demands to exclude him, as he voiced guarded hope with Japan on securing a deal. Pompeo led four-way talks in Washington of the US and Japanese foreign affairs and defense chiefs, the latest in a flurry of major meetings scheduled between the close allies. Amid a standstill with North Korea, Pompeo brushed aside an angry statement this week in which Pyongyang called the top US diplomat "reckless" and immature and demanded that he be removed from future negotiations. Pompeo is believed to have encouraged Trump, who has admitted to having a soft spot for Kim Jong Un, to hold firm with North Korea's young authoritarian leader during a summit in February in Hanoi that ended in deadlock. "Nothing's changed. We're continuing to work to negotiate. I'm still in charge of the team," Pompeo told a joint news conference, while adding that Trump is "obviously in charge of the overall effort." Pompeo, who traveled four times last year to Pyongyang as he eased once soaring tensions, said he was still hopeful for an agreement that would solidify Kim's promises to give up the nuclear arsenal which his dynasty has built over decades. "I'm convinced we still have a real opportunity to achieve that outcome and our diplomatic team will continue to remain in the lead," Pompeo said. - Japan backs diplomacy - Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Kim and last month blocked the imposition of tough new US sanctions on North Korea, saying he wanted to preserve the relationship despite Pompeo's vow to keep up maximum pressure. Japan, which closely aligns its foreign policy with the United States, has publicly backed Trump but is seen as deeply cautious. Conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe built his political career campaigning for tough action on North Korea over its abductions of Japanese civilians in the 1970s and 1980s to train the regime's spies. Story continues Foreign Minister Taro Kono nonetheless reiterated after the talks in Washington that Abe was willing to meet Kim "if there is a chance." "Japan is ready to normalize its relationship with North Korea when these missile, nuclear and abduction issues are taken care of," Kono said. Abe will visit Washington next week to meet Trump, with whom he has built a friendly rapport. Trump and his wife Melania will then head to Japan next month as the first state guests after Naruhito is enthroned as Japan's emperor. Japan will also hold a summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka in June, although Trump has not yet confirmed his attendance. - Expanding defense pact - In its latest effort to enlarge the security umbrella for Japan, the United States said that cyber attacks against its ally could trigger a response from Washington. In a joint statement, the four ministers said that "a cyber attack could, in certain circumstances, constitute an armed attack under Article V of the US-Japan Security Treaty." Article V declares that an assault on Japanese territory would trigger action by the United States, which guarantees its ally's safety under the pact imposed after World War II, when Japan was stripped of its right to maintain a military. Japanese officials have increasingly worried that hacking, especially by rivals China or North Korea, could be a more immediate threat than any traditional military operation. Pompeo also renewed the US stance, dating from former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, that Article V covers the Senkakus, Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea that Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu. Washington (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he was "still in charge of the team" negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear program, after Pyongyang demanded he be removed from the talks. "Nothing has changed," Pompeo told a news conference after a meeting with Japan's foreign and defense ministers. "We continue to work." "Still in charge of the team," he said. North Korea this week demanded that Pompeo be excluded from future talks after he apparently encouraged President Donald Trump to stand firm during a summit in Hanoi with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump has spoken fondly of his relationship with the young authoritarian leader and last month said he had blocked the imposition of punishing new sanctions on the cash-strapped country, despite Pompeo's vows to maintain strong pressure. "President Trump is obviously in charge of the overall effort but my team, Special Representative (Steve) Biegun, will continue to lead the US effort" to ensure Kim does as he promised, Pompeo said. "I'm convinced we'll still have a real opportunity to achieve that outcome and our diplomatic team will continue to remain in the lead," he said. Pompeo traveled four times last year to Pyongyang and has said that Kim has committed in general terms to giving up his nuclear program as part of a deal with the United States. President Donald Trump didnt offer a lot of specifics when he submitted written responses to questions from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, but he did attempt to make one thing clear: That time he publicly asked Russia to find Hillary Clintons missing emails was just in jest, he said. Among the many nuggets made public in the long-awaited Mueller report released Thursday were Trumps written responses to the Special Counsels questions regarding Russian election interference and possible obstruction of justice. As the report notes, Trump replied more than 30 times that he had no recollection or did not recall specific information requested by Muellers team, including details of the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, potential support from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his presidential campaign, or discussions pertaining to WikiLeaks head Julian Assange. But Trumps response was clearer when Muellers team asked why the President said during a July 27, 2016 press conference: Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Clinton faced intense scrutiny over her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state including for more than 30,000 emails that were deleted and not turned over to the public. The Clinton campaign swiftly condemned Trumps comments about her deleted emails, but Trump later emphasized his position on Twitter, writing If Russia or any other country or person has Hillary Clintons 33,000 illegally deleted emails, perhaps they should share them with the FBI! The President told Mueller: undefined The newly released Mueller report also lays out the special counsel offices efforts to cajole the President into speaking with them, a process that began in December 2017 and dragged on for more than a year: Story continues undefined Eventually, the report notes, Muellers office offered Trump a chance to answer questions in writing. In late November 2018, the President submitted his answers on five topics: the June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower; Russian hacking, Russian efforts using social media and WikiLeaks; the Trump Organization Moscow project; contacts with Russia and Russia-related issues during the campaign; and contacts with Russia and Russia-related issues during the transition. The following month, the special counsels office noted the insufficiency of the Presidents responses: undefined The report then goes on to note that it considered issuing a subpoena for the Presidents testimony, but ultimately declined to do so because at that point, our investigation had made significant progress and had produced substantial evidence for our report. We thus weighed the costs of potentially lengthy constitutional litigation, with resulting delay in finishing our investigation, against the anticipated benefits for our investigation and report. It goes on to state that we determined that the substantial quantity of information we had obtained from other sources allowed us to draw relevant factual conclusions on intent and credibility, which are often inferred from circumstantial evidence and assessed without direct testimony from the subject of the investigation. DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, April 17 (Reuters) - A lawmaker from Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition was injured when police fired water cannon to disperse protests against results of the March 31 local elections in southeastern Turkey, a Reuters witness at the demonstrations said. Last week, the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP) said it was being targeted in an "organized political plot" after the High Election Board (YSK) ruled that several HDP mayors-elect could not take office because they had previously been dismissed from their jobs under a government decree. Demonstrators gathered in the Baglar district of Diyarbakir, the main city in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast, to protest the YSK's decision to give the mandate to the second-placed candidates, members of President Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party. Police intervened after demonstrators ignored orders to disperse and fired on the crowds with water cannon. HDP lawmaker Remziye Tosun was thrown to the ground, causing her to lose consciousness, footage from the site showed, though there was no suggestion that police had deliberately targeted her. Tosun was then taken to hospital, the witness said. Initial results from the local elections show the AKP lost control of Istanbul, the capital Ankara, and other key cities in a shock setback for Erdogan. However, the AKP has appealed for the vote in Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, to be annulled and re-run over what it said were irregularities that impacted the outcome. The YSK has rejected several appeals against initial results by the HDP, which has strong support in the southeast, and other opposition parties, while the AKP has also had some objections overturned. Erdogan's government accuses the HDP of links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey. The HDP has denied direct links, but thousands of its members have been dismissed or jailed. The HDP has lost control of several municipalities that were seized by the state in 2016, about two years after the previous local elections in 2014. State officials were appointed instead of the elected mayors. (Reporting by Yesim Dikmen and Ali Kucukgocmen; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu Editing by Gareth Jones) Federal prosecutors say actress Felicity Huffman should serve between four and 10 months for her role in the college bribery scam, though her plea agreement, obtained by USA TODAY, indicates they plan to recommend a number toward the lower end of that scale. The plea agreement does not specify the length of her prison term. However, using the sentencing algebra used by the DOJ, once Huffman's offense, admission of guilt and the money involved in the crime are factored in, that figure is in the four-to-10 month range, according to The New York Times and CNN. According to the terms of the deal, which Huffman signed on April 4 and announced four days later, her prison term will be followed by a year of probation. She also agrees to forfeit the $15,000 she paid to have her elder daughter's SAT exam corrected. Huffman must also pay a $20,000 fine, with financial restitution to be determined at sentencing. 'I am ashamed': Felicity Huffman pleads guilty in college admissions cheating scam The filing also warns that if Huffman, 56, does not accept full responsibility for her crime at the plea hearing or commits any new offenses or obstructs justice in the meantime, the DOJ will "object to any reduction in her sentence." Felicity Huffman arrives at federal court in Boston on April 3, 2019, to face charges in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal. The maximum penalty for her offenses of mail fraud and honest services fraud is a 20-year prison term, forfeiture of the money used in the crime, a fine of $250,000 and other restitution. Huffman, who accepted responsibility and expressed remorse in her statement last week announcing her plea deal, is due back in federal court on the afternoon of May 21, according to the DOJ's website. Fellow celebrity defendants Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli filed court documents Monday indicating their intention to plead not guilty. They also face an additional felony charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Game on in Operation Varsity Blues case: Lori Loughlin, husband plead not guilty Contributing: Joey Garrison, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Prosecutors want Felicity Huffman to serve 4-10 months in college bribery case By Andrew Osborn KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine's new president could regain control over the separatist-controlled east of his country within months and get cheap gas and major investment from Russia if he repairs ties with Moscow, the Kremlin's closest ally in Ukraine said. Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent figure in Ukraine's Russia-leaning opposition, outlined the prospect in an interview before a presidential election runoff in Ukraine on Sunday which polls show political novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy should easily win. He said the Kremlin was keen to know more about Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old Russian-speaking TV comedian who has no political experience, to understand if he is someone it could do a deal with, something it failed to do with incumbent Petro Poroshenko who polls show will be soundly defeated by Zelenskiy. "They don't have any expectations in Moscow," he said. "They want to see what happens afterwards, who will be in his (Zelenskiy's) entourage, and what he will do and with whom." A Ukrainian citizen, Medvedchuk does not represent Russia, but his words carry weight due to his close friendship with President Vladimir Putin and track record as a go-between between the two nations. Medvedchuk said he had known Putin for 19 years, that the Russian leader is godfather to his daughter, and that he had held talks with Putin in Moscow as recently as two weeks ago. The Kremlin has made clear it will be glad to see the back of Poroshenko but has not commented on Zelenskiy, saying only that it is watching candidates' statements closely and hopes any new president can implement a peace deal on Donbass, eastern Ukraine, which has been under separatist control since 2014. When asked about Medvedchuk's advice for Ukraine's new president on Friday, Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Putin, said he greatly respected Medvedchuk, calling him "very active" and "important" when it came to his humanitarian work as an intermediary between Moscow and Kiev. Peskov, who confirmed Medvedchuk's recent meeting with Putin, said Ukraine didn't need to strike a specific deal with Putin or Moscow, but did need take steps to build mutually beneficial relations with Russia. When asked what expectations the Kremlin had of Zelenskiy, Peskov said: "We would always like to hope for the best. Of course we want to hope that the person who is elected Ukraine's president will not be from the party of war. And we want to hope that this person will take a different perspective on relations between Ukraine and Russia. TESTING THE WATERS Medvedchuk, who said he had only met Zelenskiy once "eight or nine years ago" and had no contacts with him, appears to be testing the waters on Moscow's behalf. Medvedchuk has brokered prisoner exchanges between Russia and Ukraine and held talks in Moscow last month with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev about gas prices. At that meeting, he said he and an ally secured a pledge of a 25 percent discount for Russian gas if Kiev agreed to resume direct gas purchases from energy giant Gazprom instead of via European countries as it has done since the end of 2015. Russia's main focus is returning separatist-held Donbass to Kiev on its own terms. This could help Moscow win some relief from sanctions imposed by the European Union over its 2014 annexation of Crimea and its backing for the pro-Russian Donbass uprising. Poroshenko, Ukrainian president for the last five years, balked at what he saw as the unfavorable terms of the so far unimplemented Minsk peace deal agreed at a 2015 summit with Russia, France and Germany. That called for Donbass to be given a special status and for an amnesty for separatist fighters among other things. So far, Zelenskiy has said he wants peace in the east and to breathe new life into stalled talks. But he has also said he does not want to implement parts of the Minsk deal either, that Putin should be regarded as "an enemy," and that an information war may be needed to try to win the hearts and minds of people living in Donbass. For now, said Medvedchuk, Zelenskiy was on the wrong policy track. But he said there was hope he might alter his stance once elected. "Maybe he'll come round to the idea that for the sake of peace you need to do this," said Medvedchuk. "Nobody is talking about having to make concessions or give something back. We're talking about the need to return people and territory." Putin might be willing to release 24 captured Ukrainian sailors as a goodwill gesture, Medvedchuk said, adding that billions of dollars of Russian money would flow into Ukraine's economy if economic ties between the two neighbors, which have been disrupted by sanctions, were restored. "We're not saying that we have to kiss or hug each other again. We're talking about restoring pragmatic economic relations," he said, adding that Ukraine had lost $20 billion a year in exports to Russia because of Kiev turning its back on Moscow after Russia's actions in 2014. NEED TO TALK Medvedchuk's pitch to patch up ties with Moscow is unpalatable for many Ukrainians who view Russia as a strategic enemy, particularly in the Ukrainian-speaking west of the country. But it has support in the Russian-speaking south-east and is designed to appeal to those weary of a 5-year-old war estimated by the United Nations to have killed over 13,000 people. If pro-Russian separatists handed Donbass back to Ukrainian government control, some EU countries have suggested they would be ready to lift sanctions on Russia, though other countries only favor sanctions relief if Moscow returns Crimea as well. An agreement on how to implement a peace deal over eastern Ukraine could be reached "within several months" and implemented on the ground within "six to eight months," said Medvedchuk, saying any talks on the matter should be between Kiev, Moscow and the two pro-Russian separatist breakaway territories. "We could do it all within a few months. We need to sit down and talk. It (the detail in the Minsk accord) has already been spelt out. We just need to determine the order of doing things." Medvedchuk said he would advise Zelenskiy on the subject if asked and that his party, "Opposition Platform - For Life", which is second in the polls, -- would potentially be ready to cooperate with Zelenskiy in parliament after elections in October on a case-by-case basis. Zelenskiy has indicated he would not want to form a coalition with Medvedchuk's party and has not said if he would be ready to work together on an ad hoc basis. Cold economic logic now dictated the need for a rapprochement with Moscow, said Medvedchuk. "If we don't do it and continue with this anti-Russian policy and hysteria our economic life will deteriorate further." (Additional reporting by Tom Balmforth in Moscow; Editing by Philippa Fletcher/Matthias Williams) Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Time-lapse shots of Notre-Dame spire may offer clues on blaze A time lapse camera installed just hours before Monday's devastating blaze at Notre-Dame de Paris may contain vital clues as to what caused the inferno, a French scaffolding company working at the cathedral said on Thursday. Europe Echafaudage was one of five companies contracted to restore the landmark spire, which was timber-framed and towered 295 feet (90 meters), shaping the skyline along the Seine river. The burning spire collapsed in the blaze, crashing through the Cathedral's ceiling. Islamic State cites 69 casualties from Nigerian army and African troops Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Nigeria-based Boko Haram in 2016, has carried out a series of attacks in the last few months. Explainer: How the EU will vote and why it matters A poll for the European Parliament showed that last-minute British participation in next month's elections to the European Union's legislature means eurosceptic groups will gain ground but pro-EU parties will keep a majority. WHO'S VOTING AND FOR WHAT? Climate-change protesters say they will target London's Heathrow Airport The Extinction Rebellion group of climate change campaigners said it planned to hold a protest at London's Heathrow Airport on Friday, opening a new front in its demonstrations that have caused transport snarl-ups in the British capital. Extinction Rebellion has blocked several locations in central London in recent days after it staged a semi-nude protest in parliament earlier this month. Mortar bombs land on Tripoli suburb as two-week battle rages on Mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of Tripoli on Thursday, almost hitting a clinic and adding to people's suffering after two weeks of an offensive by eastern troops on the Libyan capital, which is held by an internationally recognized government. Shelling could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli where a battle was raging in two southern suburbs, residents and an eastern military official said. Story continues Mali government resigns after massacre, insecurity Mali's prime minister and his whole government resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation. "The President accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of government," a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said. North Korea urges Trump to drop Pompeo from talks; U.S. plays down weapons test North Korea said on Thursday it no longer wanted to deal with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and that he should be replaced in talks by someone more mature, hours after it announced its first weapons test since nuclear talks broke down. North Korea's state news agency said Kwon Jong Gun, in charge of U.S. affairs at the foreign ministry, had warned that no one could predict what would happen if Washington did not abandon the "root cause" that compelled Pyongyang to develop nuclear weapons. Thousands of Peruvians say goodbye to ex-president following suicide Thousand of Peruvians said goodbye on Thursday in Lima to ex-president Alan Garcia -- who killed himself this week - in the second of three days of national mourning declared by President Martin Vizcarra. Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. U.S., Russia say cannot support a U.N. call for Libya truce: diplomats The United States and Russia both said on Thursday they could not support a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time, diplomats said, as mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. Protesters converge on Sudan defense ministry to demand civilian rule Huge crowds formed outside Sudan's defense ministry on Thursday, joining a sit-in protest to demand that the country's transitional military council hand power to civilians. Hundreds of thousands packed the streets by early evening - the largest crowds to gather in the center of the capital since last week, when former President Omar al-Bashir was ousted and the military council took over. April 19 (Reuters) - The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico on Thursday called for state authorities to investigate a group of armed U.S. citizens they alleged are illegally detaining migrants entering the United States. The United Constitutional Patriots, who claim to be mainly military veterans, have patrolled the U.S.-Mexico border near Sunland Park, New Mexico, since late February in search of illegal border crossers. They post videos showing members dressed in camouflage and armed with semi-automatic rifles holding groups of migrants, many Central American families seeking asylum, until U.S. Border Patrol agents arrive. The small volunteer group says it is helping Border Patrol deal with a surge in undocumented migrants but civil rights organizations like the ACLU say it is a "fascist militia organization" operating outside the law. "We cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum," the ACLU said in a letter to New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Hector Balderas. "We urge you to immediately investigate this atrocious and unlawful conduct." The offices of Lujan Grisham and Balderas did not respond to requests for comment. On a March 27 visit to El Paso, Texas, next to Sunland Park, then U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said his agency, which runs U.S. Border Patrol, did not need the help of citizens to police the border. "We are not asking for civil society groups to provide border security assistance," said McAleenan, who was recently appointed acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. U.S. CBP did not respond to a request for further comment. UCP member John Horton did not immediately return calls. Horton has previously told media that UCP members are armed for self defense, as is their right under U.S. law, and aware they cannot detain people entering the United States illegally. Story continues U.S. armed groups have long patrolled the U.S. border, their numbers rising during upticks in migrant apprehensions, such as during the mid 2000s when the Minuteman Project was established. The UCP says it is responding to a rise in migrant arrests to their highest monthly levels in more than a decade. The ACLU said the group was a product of the Trump administration's "vile racism" that "has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to flagrantly violate the law." (Reporting By Andrew Hay in Taos New Mexico Editing by Robert Birsel) The Russian Defense Ministry wants to change the status of the united strategic Northern fleet command. It will develop into an independent military-administrative entity in December and will equal a military district. The fleet will be in charge of four regions: Komi, Nenets district, Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions. A draft presidential decree on the new status has been prepared, the Izvestia daily said. The Russian Defense Ministry wants to change the status of the united strategic Northern fleet command. It will develop into an independent military-administrative entity in December and will equal a military district. The fleet will be in charge of four regions: Komi, Nenets district, Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions. A draft presidential decree on the new status has been prepared, the Izvestia daily said. Northern Fleet's vessels taking part in the active phase of the Russian-Norwegian exercise Barents-2016 (Picture Source: Arctic Info) The Northern fleet command is an inter-arm strategic formation of the armed forces with the main base in Severomorsk. It was created on December 1, 2014, to protect Russian national interests in the Arctic. At that time the Western Military District provided territories and units to the Northern fleet which was later reinforced by ground units of the Central and Eastern Military Districts deployed beyond the Polar Circle. Sources in the Northern fleet said the command had been until recently an experimental formation. It had to be clarified whether it can cope with the task of defending Russian interests in the Arctic. In 2016, the fleet held large-scale drills for two months to train interaction of the navy, aviation and ground forces. The manoeuvres engaged warships, submarines, strategic bombers, fighter jets, air defence S-300, S-400 and Pantsir, as well as motorized rifles and marines. The exercise trained to protect northern Russian regions from various threats ranging from massive missile strikes to the amphibious assault of the potential adversary. The manoeuvres confirmed the effectiveness of the Arctic military grouping. The experimental formation was recognized successful and the Defense Ministry decided to up its status. Expert Anton Lavrov believes the decision was due to the search for an optimal staff matrix of the Northern fleet. "The decision of the Defense Ministry confirms the Arctic is a priority military guideline for us," he said. "The northern territories are specifically important for the Russian defence. The new status reflects the specific navy role in the Arctic," expert Viktor Murakhovsky agreed. The government has recently drafted specific navigation rules to protect the Northern Sea Route. Foreign warships and vessels will have to inform Russia about their plans 45 days in advance and take Russian pilots onboard. The navigation can be denied in case of unsanctioned sailing along the Northern Sea Route. Experts believe Russia can resort to extreme measures up to an arrest of the vessel. The Northern fleet has a naval and ground component. Its command is in charge of surface and underwater craft and the aviation of the fleet, as well as Belomorsk naval base and the Kola flotilla. The fleet also operates supply vessels, ground and air defence formations. The 14th army corps joined the coastal troops in 2017 with two motorized rifle brigades: the 80th in Alakurtti settlement and the 200th in Pechenga. They are armed with snow vehicles TREKOL-39294 and Berkut, quads, tracked cross-country DT-30 Vityaz vehicles, T-80BVM tanks, upgraded MTLB, drones and air-cushioned boats. Officers and men of the Arctic motorized rifle brigades are specifically trained to fight on skis and drive deer and dog sledges. The 61st Kirkenes Red Banner marine brigade will operate on land, if necessary. The 45th air force and defence army protect naval and ground forces from the air. It includes the 1st and 3rd air defence divisions and the 98th combined air regiment deployed in Monchegorsk. The army is deployed on the mainland and Novaya Zemlya, Staraya Zemlya and Franz-Joseph Land Archipelagos. The 45th army is actively rearmed. Last year its radar forces were renewed. This year one unit has to be rearmed with S-400 air defence. The army will receive antiaircraft 40N6 missiles to strike at cruise missiles, aircraft and manoeuvring warheads at a distance of 400 km. One of the army regiments has been recently armed with Pantsir-S which is to defend S-300 and S-400 and important military and administrative facilities. The higher the status, the bigger the strength of the Northern fleet command, the Izvestia writes. Copyright 2019 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. President Trump has declared the report a 'victory' for him - REUTERS Donald Trump attempted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller after expressing fears the probe would end his presidency, according to the newly released Mueller report. The order, which came just weeks after Mr Mueller had been appointed in May 2017, was among a string of incidents of alleged obstruction of justice recounted in detail by the Mueller report. Mr Mueller, who was tasked with looking into Russian election meddling in the 2016 campaign, makes clear in the report that he was not exonerating Mr Trump over obstruction of justice. The 448-page report was released on Thursday. The full findings are still emerging as journalists and congressmen scour the full document. Here are the key pieces of information that have emerged so far. Russia's carried out "systematic" election meddling but Trump campaign did not cooperate The Kremlin used the Internet Research Agency (IRA) to carry out an operation to undermine the US electoral system which began in 2014. Through the IRA, the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential in sweeping and systematic fashion to aid Donald Trump and harm Hillary Clinton, the report states. Tweets from an IRA account was quoted or retweeted by Trump campaign officials and surrogates, including Donald Trump Jnr, Eric Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Brad Parscale and Michael Flynn. However while Mr Mueller found that the Trump campaign expected" to benefit from Russia's hacking, he did not establish that the Trump campaign "coordinated or conspired with the Russian government". Trump attempted to fire Mueller When Mr Trump learned of Robert Mueller's appointment he told attorney general Jeff Sessions: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im f---ed. Mr Trump later attempted to get Mr Mueller fired, the report states. Mr Trump called the White House counsel Don McGahn and directed him to tell Rod Rosenstein, who was overseeing the investigation, to fire the special counsel. On more than one occasion the president told the White House counsel "Mueller must go". Story continues Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel after FBI director James Comey was fired Credit: AP Mr McGahn refused, saying he would "rather resign" than trigger a "potential Saturday Night Massacre", a reference to President Richard Nixon's round of firings during the Watergate investigation. Mueller said Trump's answers were "inadequate" but decided not to subpoena him The special counsel said Mr Trumps written answers, submitted instead of an in-person interview, were considered "inadequate. But the special counsel decided not to subpoena the president because it would involve a long legal fight and "create a substantial delay" at a late stage in the investigation. Mueller investigated 11 episodes of potential obstruction by Trump Mr Mueller spells out in minute detail 11 episodes involving the president that raised questions when it came to potential obstruction of justice, including Mr Trump ordering the removal of Mr Mueller. Other incidents of alleged obstruction probed in detail included Mr Trumps firing of James Comey, the FBI director, and his attempts to limit the Russia investigation's remit. The report states: The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Mr Mueller eventually decided not to come to a conclusion on whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice, instead handing the decision to the Justice Department, which in turn decided to bring no charge. Mueller decided not to prosecute president's son The investigation decided not to prosecute the president's son, Donald Jnr, and other members of the campaign for campaign finance violations over their infamous Trump Tower meeting because they couldn't prove they had criminal intent. "Taking into account the high burden to establish a culpable mental state in a campaign-finance prosecution and the difficulty in establishing the required valuation, the Office decided not to pursue criminal campaign-finance charges against Trump Jr. or other campaign officials for the events culminating in the June 9 meeting," Mr Mueller states. Donald Trump Jnr Credit: Getty He added: "A prosecution would encounter difficulties proving that Campaign officials or individuals connected to the Campaign willfully violated the law." The report also notes that when journalists learned that a Russian lawyer had proposed the June meeting and offered damaging information on Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump edited Donald Jnr's response to the reporters admitting those facts. Mr Trump also repeatedly instructed officials, including communications director Hope Hicks, not to make public emails connected to the Trump Tower meeting. However, Mr Trump did not try to conceal the emails from the special counsel. Mueller looked into 'pee tape' claims from Steele dossier Mr Mueller's team looked into rumours that the Russians had taped Mr Trump watching prostitutes urinate in a Moscow hotel room in 2013. The alleged incident was mentioned in a dossier on Mr Trump compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. Mr Mueller's report states that there were tapes relating to Mr Trump's 2013 trip to Russia but it is unclear whether they refer to the alleged tapes or indeed even feature the president. Christopher Steele, the former MI6 agent who compiled a dossier on Donald Trump Credit: PA The report states: "On October 30, 2016, Michael Cohen received a text from Russian businessman Giorgi Rtskhiladze that said, 'Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if theres anything else. Just so you know...' Mr Rtskhiladze said 'tapes' referred to compromising tapes of Trump rumored to be held by persons associated with the Russian real estate conglomerate Crocus Group, which had helped host the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant in Russia. Cohen said he spoke to Trump about the issue after receiving the texts from Rtskhiladze. Rtskhiladze said he was told the tapes were fake, but he did not communicate that to Cohen." By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Seagram liquor heiress Clare Bronfman pleaded guilty on Friday to harboring an illegal immigrant and enabling credit card fraud as part of an alleged sex cult based in upstate New York. Bronfman, 40, entered her plea to the two criminal counts before U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. She is one of several people charged in connection with a secretive organization called Nxivm, which federal prosecutors have described as a racketeering organization. Bronfman admitted that she knowingly harbored a woman brought to the United States on a fake work visa in order to obtain that woman's labor for herself and the organization. She also said she helped Nxivm's founder, Keith Raniere, use a deceased woman's credit card. As part of her plea, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million, and not to appeal any prison sentence of 27 months or less. She said she was "truly remorseful." "I wanted to do good in the world and help people," she said. "However, I have made mistakes." Bronfman's lawyer, Mark Geragos, said after the hearing that his client did not have an agreement to cooperate with prosecutors. Actress Allison Mack, best known for her role on the WB television show "Smallville," pleaded guilty earlier this month to blackmailing two women in connection with Nxivm. Former Nxivm president Nancy Salzman and her daughter Lauren Salzman pleaded guilty in March. Another Nxivm member, Kathy Russell, also pleaded guilty Friday to falsifying a visa application for another person associated with Nxivm, leaving Raniere as the sole defendant in a trial expected to begin next week. Raniere, 58, was arrested on sex trafficking charges in March 2018, and is being held without bail. Prosecutors accused Raniere of running a cult-like secret society within Nxivm in which women were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him. Story continues Last month, prosecutors unsealed new charges accusing Raniere of sexually exploiting a minor and coercing her to produce child pornography. Raniere has pleaded not guilty. Marc Agnifilo, one of his lawyers, has said that his client's sexual encounters with women in the organization were consensual, and denied the child pornography charges. On its website, Nxivm (pronounced "Nexium") calls itself "a community guided by humanitarian principles that seek to empower people and answer important questions about what it means to be human." (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Marguerita Choy) NEW YORK, April 18 (Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp sued longtime Chairman Eddie Lampert, his hedge fund ESL Investments, and former directors including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, accusing them of allowing the retailer to be looted of billions of dollars before its October 2018 bankruptcy. The lawsuit, made public on Thursday, was filed by the restructuring team winding down what remains of the pre-bankruptcy Sears following Lampert's $5.2 billion purchase in February of most of its assets. Sears accused Lampert of ordering the creation of bogus financial plans showing the retailer would turn itself around even as it racked up huge losses, enabling the transfer of five major assets including Land's End and Sears Hometown Outlet for his benefit. "Had defendants not taken these improper and illegal actions, Sears would have had billions of dollars more to pay its third-party creditors today and would not have endured the amount of disruption, expense, and job losses resulting from its recent bankruptcy filing," the complaint said. Other defendants include Bruce Berkowitz and his Fairholme Capital Management, which had been a large Sears shareholder, and Seritage Growth Properties, which housed 266 of Sears' more profitable stores after being spun off. Mnuchin, a college roommate of Lampert's at Yale University, had been a Sears director and ESL executive. Representatives for Lampert and ESL, Berkowitz and Fairholme, Seritage and the Treasury Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The post-bankruptcy Sears did not immediately respond to a similar request. The reorganized company was expected to have about 425 Sears and Kmart stores, down from roughly 3,500 when those companies merged in 2005. The case is Sears Holdings Corp et al v Lampert et al, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of New York, No. 19-ap-08250. The main bankruptcy case is In re Sears Holdings Corp in the same court, No. 18-bk-23538. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) WASHINGTON Don't expect the Democrat-led House to start impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump any time soon, despite fresh details about Trump's actions included in the long-awaited report by special counsel Robert Mueller. The No. 2 House Democrat rejected trying to remove the president after the report's release Thursday. Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told CNN. "Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgment." Likewise, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which would lead any impeachment inquiry, told reporters that it's "too early to talk about that." "Thats one possibility. There are others," said Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y. "We obviously have to get to the bottom of what happened and take whatever actions seem necessary at that time." Without taking questions from reporters about the Mueller report, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One for a short trip to Joint Base Andrews then on to his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., at the White House in Washington on Thursday, April 18, 2019. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the chair of the Democratic Caucus and a member of the Judiciary Committee, told USA TODAY impeachment would be "premature" as Congress was still "in information gathering mode." "As Speaker Pelosi has indicated in order to proceed with the possibility of impeachment, the case should be compelling, the evidence should be overwhelming and the public sentiment surrounding impeachment should be bipartisan in nature," Jeffries said. "Those conditions still do not exist." But Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a leading voice of House progressives, said there's no reason for Congress to abdicate its "constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate." "Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didnt campaign on it, & rarely discuss it unprompted," she tweeted. "But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep." In a separate tweet, she said she planned to sign onto a resolution on impeachment pushed by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. Story continues Muellers report is clear in pointing to Congress responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President. It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution. As such, Ill be signing onto @RashidaTlaibs impeachment resolution. https://t.co/CgPZJiULOL Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 18, 2019 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi moved to shut down any talk of impeachment last month by telling The Washington Post that Trump was "just not worth it." She elaborated in a March interview with USA TODAY that impeachment is a waste of time "unless the evidence is so conclusive that the Republicans will understand." "Otherwise, it's a gift to the president. We take our eye off the ball," she said. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., a congressional aide when the House began impeachment proceedings against President Richard Nixon and a member of Congress when President Bill Clinton was impeached, said impeachment is only successful if the public supports it. "In the Nixon case there was substantial obstruction and misconduct. And there was also a strong sense in the country that action needed to be taken," said Lofgren, a member of the Judiciary Committee. "I dont think were at that point yet, and we may never be." Democrats are well aware of the risks of moving forward when impeachment doesn't have enough public support. They watched what happened to Republicans when Clinton was impeached. Clinton's popularity rose and Republicans lost seats during the next election. But not all Democrats were ready to dismiss impeachment, entirely. California Rep. Eric Swalwell, a member of the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees who is also running for president, was less quick to rule out impeachment. Regardless of what happens, if Donald Trump is still around in November 2020, we should remove him at the ballot box, but I dont think we should take impeachment off the table, he told CNN. Noting a list of concerns revolved around Trumps conduct, which were part of Muellers 448-page report, Swalwell added that Trumps actions do not meet the standard of conduct that we want from a president of the United States. Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, who sits on the intelligence committee, said the report puts Pelosi in a "tough position because the Constitution demands that Congress examine that behavior detailed in the Mueller report." "But you could burn an awful lot of time, energy and resources where the conclusion in the Senate is almost forgone, he told USA TODAY. Democrats did pledge Thursday to thoroughly review Mueller's report, including asking for underlying evidence and calling Mueller to testify. "I think from the structure of the reportit was probably written with the intent of providing Congress a roadmap," Nadler said. "We have to go follow the evidence where it will lead." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Senior Democrat Steny Hoyer: Impeachment of Donald Trump 'not worthwhile' at this point Three people were killed in Mississippi and Alabama by a severe storm that roared through the Deep South and is expected to intensify from Florida to the Mid-Atlantic states as it hits the East Coast. "The most likely area for tornadoes may be close to the Carolina coast, where a breeze from the Atlantic Ocean may impart extra spin in the low levels of the atmosphere," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Kottlowski. The storm began pummeling Georgia by Friday morning rush hour, snarling traffic and causing 63 flight delays at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to Flightaware.com. One power pole came down on West Peachtree in Midtown Atlanta, causing a massive backup of traffic. The three-day storm has left more than 120,000 households without power across four states, including 20,000 knocked out Friday morning in Georgia. TRAVEL ADVISORY: Midtown: Power Pole Down: 14th St./eb btw. Spring St. and W. Peachtree, St. Traffic is being Diverted, Delays. https://t.co/MhPvicYKPN #atltraffic pic.twitter.com/BwqAOihNZj AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) April 19, 2019 A Mississippi man was killed Thursday afternoon when his car hit a tree on a highway south of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Neshoba County Coroner John Stephens told local news outlets. Another man was also killed while when his 18-wheeler slammed into a tree near the rural town of Gillsburg in southwest Mississippi, WJTV reported. Fallen trees line the roads leading into the small community of Learned, Mississippi, on April 18, 2019. Several homes were damaged by fallen trees in the tree lined community. In Alabama, a woman died when a tree fell on her mobile home in St. Clair County, according to the local sheriff's office. The woman's 10-year-old son suffered minor injuries. Multiple tornadoes and storms swept across parts of Mississippi on Thursday afternoon and evening, leaving downed trees and tens of thousands of households without power. Story continues Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippis 82 counties. In northeast Mississippi, Scott County Emergency Management Director Mike Marlow said reports indicated a number of homes were damaged near Morton and the roof blew off a gas station near Lena. In Philadelphia, Mississippi, a wall collapsed at a medical clinic and the storm knocked down traffic signals and canopies and pushed trees onto houses, the Neshoba Democrat reported. In Hinds county, loggers were brought in to extract a school bus that was trapped between two trees. The driver and students were unharmed. There were widespread power outages also reported in Alabama, Louisiana and Texas on Thursday night. Alissa Zhu reports for Mississippi Clarion Ledger. Contributing: The Associated Press This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Severe storms move east, leaving 3 dead and more than 100,000 without power While not a mind-blowing move, it is good to see that the Shanghai Industrial Holdings Limited (HKG:363) share price has gained 18% in the last three months. But that doesn't change the fact that the returns over the last five years have been less than pleasing. After all, the share price is down 24% in that time, significantly under-performing the market. See our latest analysis for Shanghai Industrial Holdings To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price. During the unfortunate half decade during which the share price slipped, Shanghai Industrial Holdings actually saw its earnings per share (EPS) improve by 4.2% per year. Given the share price reaction, one might suspect that EPS is not a good guide to the business performance during the period (perhaps due to a one-off loss or gain). Or possibly, the market was previously very optimistic, so the stock has disappointed, despite improving EPS. By glancing at these numbers, we'd posit that the the market had expectations of much higher growth, five years ago. Looking to other metrics might better explain the share price change. We note that the dividend has remained healthy, so that wouldn't really explain the share price drop. While it's not completely obvious why the share price is down, a closer look at the company's history might help explain it. Depicted in the graphic below, you'll see revenue and earnings over time. If you want more detail, you can click on the chart itself. SEHK:363 Income Statement, April 19th 2019 We like that insiders have been buying shares in the last twelve months. Even so, future earnings will be far more important to whether current shareholders make money. So we recommend checking out this free report showing consensus forecasts Story continues What About Dividends? It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for Shanghai Industrial Holdings the TSR over the last 5 years was -6.3%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! A Different Perspective While the broader market lost about 0.6% in the twelve months, Shanghai Industrial Holdings shareholders did even worse, losing 3.6% (even including dividends). Having said that, it's inevitable that some stocks will be oversold in a falling market. The key is to keep your eyes on the fundamental developments. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 1.3% over the last half decade. 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. It is all well and good that insiders have been buying shares, but we suggest you check here to see what price insiders were buying at. Shanghai Industrial Holdings is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on HK 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. Today we'll look at SKF India Limited (NSE:SKFINDIA) and reflect on its potential as an investment. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. Firstly, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Next, we'll compare it to others in its industry. Then we'll determine how its current liabilities are affecting its ROCE. Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. In general, businesses with a higher ROCE are usually better quality. In brief, it is a useful tool, but it is not without drawbacks. Renowned investment researcher Michael Mauboussin has suggested that a high ROCE can indicate that 'one dollar invested in the company generates value of more than one dollar'. So, How Do We Calculate ROCE? The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) Or for SKF India: 0.22 = 4.4b (26b - 6.0b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) So, SKF India has an ROCE of 22%. View our latest analysis for SKF India Does SKF India Have A Good ROCE? ROCE can be useful when making comparisons, such as between similar companies. SKF India's ROCE appears to be substantially greater than the 15% average in the Machinery industry. We consider this a positive sign, because it suggests it uses capital more efficiently than similar companies. Regardless of where SKF India sits next to its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms appears satisfactory, and this company could be worth a closer look. Our data shows that SKF India currently has an ROCE of 22%, compared to its ROCE of 14% 3 years ago. This makes us think about whether the company has been reinvesting shrewdly. Story continues NSEI:SKFINDIA Past Revenue and Net Income, April 19th 2019 Remember that this metric is backwards looking - it shows what has happened in the past, and does not accurately predict the future. ROCE can be deceptive for cyclical businesses, as returns can look incredible in boom times, and terribly low in downturns. ROCE is only a point-in-time measure. Future performance is what matters, and you can see analyst predictions in our free report on analyst forecasts for the company. SKF India's Current Liabilities And Their Impact On Its ROCE Liabilities, such as supplier bills and bank overdrafts, are referred to as current liabilities if they need to be paid within 12 months. The ROCE equation subtracts current liabilities from capital employed, so a company with a lot of current liabilities appears to have less capital employed, and a higher ROCE than otherwise. To check the impact of this, we calculate if a company has high current liabilities relative to its total assets. SKF India has total assets of 26b and current liabilities of 6.0b. As a result, its current liabilities are equal to approximately 24% of its total assets. A fairly low level of current liabilities is not influencing the ROCE too much. What We Can Learn From SKF India's ROCE With that in mind, SKF India's ROCE appears pretty good. SKF India looks strong on this analysis, but there are plenty of other companies that could be a good opportunity . Here is a free list of companies growing earnings rapidly. If you are like me, then you will not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. 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. Malaga (Spain) (AFP) - Just days before Spain's general election, the palm-tree lined streets of the centre of Malaga are almost devoid of posters. The southern city, like others across Spain, has banned political advertisements for the April 28 polls from the routes of the hundreds of Easter processions featuring penitents in cone-shaped hoods that take place round-the-clock in the during Holy Week. For the first time in Spain's modern history the two-week official campaign period coincides with Holy Week, and the timing has complicated candidates' final push to connect with voters. "There is a massive displacement of people to the coast, to the countryside. This clearly makes it hard for parties to get their message out. In reality the campaign will last one week, not two," political analyst Manuel Mostaza at consulting firm Atrevia told AFP. Parties have agreed not to hold rallies during processions and will instead hold their biggest events on the final days of the campaign. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialists have focused their attention during Holy Week on places such as Catalonia and the northern Basque Country which do not have a strong tradition of Easter parades. But the main opposition conservative Popular Party (PP) has accused Sanchez of "disrespecting" Spain's religious traditions with the timing of the snap polls and its leaders have attended several processions. "We are going to uphold our traditions, to celebrate Easter week the way it should," PP secretary general Teadoro Garcia Egea said before the campaign officially kicked off on April 12 as Holy Week began. - 'Unwritten rule' - Their presence at the parades has not always been cheered. PP leader Pablo Casado faced criticism after he took part in a procession as a hooded penitent last Saturday in the central city of Avila. Some locals accused him on Twitter of "posturing" after pictures emerged of Casado walking in the streets before the start of the parade with the hood of his purple robe dangling around his neck instead of covering his face. Story continues Local online news site Avilared said Casado had "broken an unwritten rule" that penitents must keep their hood on at all times outside church. Casado and the leader of far-right party Vox, Santiago Abascal, had planned to attend one of Spain's most famous processions in Malaga on Thursday which features hundreds of Spanish legionnaires. But last week, the Mena brotherhood which organises the parade, asked politicians to stay away and not "mix politics and religion" -- a move many locals agreed with. "That type of opportunism would be looked down upon. For us these days are sacred," said Angel Lazaro, a 44-year-old civil servant, as he watched the legionnaires arrive at a Malaga church before the start of the procession. - 'Invisible' campaign - Thousands of people lined the streets of Malaga on Thursday evening to watch as legionnaires with their tasselled caps and open-necked pastel uniforms accompanied a 180-kilo (400-pound) crucifix figure while it made its way around the coastal city. The parade, which lasted over seven hours, is one of 42 that will be held in Malaga this Holy Week. Around 61,500 people are expected to take part in the processions, which are estimated to draw over 400,000 spectators. Local newspapers often dedicate more pages to the parades than the campaign and most dailes will not publish paper editions on Saturday because of the holidays. Like many local people, Carmen Fernandez, a 57-year-old high school teacher, said she watches several parades each year. "As a result I have not followed very closely the campaign this time. In fact you almost don't notice it," she said. One in three breastfeeding mums have been forced to use the toilet at work to express milk. Photo: Getty Images The transition from employee to mother to working mother is not an easy one. Managing heavy workloads, childcare, and day-to-day life is a significant challenge, particularly if employers arent willing to be flexible. One aspect that often goes overlooked is breastfeeding at work. Breastfeeding workers typically need to express milk using a breast pump several times during an eight-hour shift. Yet in some cases, women who are in pain and leaking milk are denied break requests, and dont have adequate privacy needed to pump breast milk. This can lead to women expressing milk in unsanitary places, such as toilets and leaves these workers open to harassment from others. One in three breastfeeding mums have been forced to use the toilet at work to express milk, according to a recent survey by Slater and Gordon. In the survey of 2,000 women who have breastfed in the past five years, more than half have had to pump in an unsuitable place including the staff room, their car, or at their desk. As a result, nearly a third of respondents said they have experienced problems while trying to express, including issues with their supply, infections, and anxiety. At head office there isnt a specific room to use, so I have to try and find an empty office or conference room, which dont have locks or any privacy. Ive had to use the toilets on many occasions, according to one 36-year-old pharmaceutical worker. There was a time when I first started with the company and I could feel myself lactating. I hadnt had the chance to express before the meeting had started and ended up leaking all over my shirt. I had to spend the rest of the meeting trying to cover the wet stains with my blazer. I didn't feel I was able to leave and just sat there. It was so embarrassing, she said. The woman, who remained anonymous, added, I also had back-to-back meetings from 8:30am till 5:30pm, with no lunch. Any 10 minute break I would get was just not enough time to express. As a result Ive had many infections from not being able to express or feed my baby on time. Story continues Carla Montemayor, communications adviser at Maternity Action, highlights a number of problems women face at work while breastfeeding, including a lack of facilities or unsuitability of facilities to express milk or rest, no paid breaks for breastfeeding, and other problems related to the lack of flexible working arrangements upon women's return from maternity leave. While its crucial for both the health of mothers and their babies to ensure women are able to breastfeed at work, Montemayor points out that solving this issue also makes it more likely for new mothers to return and stay in work. Research published this year by Pregnant@Work found some breastfeeding women have been fired or forced to resign after highlighting the problems theyve faced in the workplace. The report Exposed: Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Workers found two-thirds of breastfeeding discrimination legal cases from the last decade ended in job loss. Low-wage workers have a particularly difficult time getting the accommodation they need to breastfeed, according to the report, and these women are only half as likely as middle-income earners to have access to the time and space needed to pump at work. Moreover, various stigma surrounding breastfeeding and the fear of being discriminated against keep women from speaking up about what they need from their employer. So what can employers do to ensure women are able to breastfeed at work? There is no explicit statutory right to breastfeeding breaks at work in the UK, unlike in some other European countries, Montemayor said. However, UK employers must meet their obligations to breastfeeding employee under health and safety law, flexible working law, and discrimination law. Breastfeeding mothers in the UK have some legal protection under health and safety and sex discrimination laws. Employers have legal obligations to provide: health and safety protection, flexible working hours, protection from indirect sex discrimination, rest facilities, and protection from harassment. Its important to have an open environment where an employee can talk about their needs as a working mother. Unwanted comments can constitute harassment, even disguised as banter or jokes and should be reported to a manager or HR. Maternity Action advises talking to your employer about where you can express milk and when if they dont have a specific room, they may be able to provide you with an empty office or first aid room with a lockable door. In recent years, mother-friendly coworking spaces have popped up to help parents ease themselves back into work. Third Door, a family-friendly coworking space with an onsite flexible Ofsted registered nursery, was started by Shazia Mustafa nine years ago. When we were designing the space back in 2010, creating a place where mothers could nurse their babies was very important to us. We have also found that many mums have been able to choose to return to work earlier as a result of being able to nurse their baby, Mustafa said. Likewise, many have been able to nurse their baby for longer, rather than having to cut their breastfeeding journey short due to inflexible work hours. Ultimately it all comes down to preferences and we have been able to give mothers that choice to make decisions on their own terms. Many mothers have also used our offices to pump for breastmilk and then been able to leave it in the fridge to collect for later. Offering that safe space where mothers feel comfortable to do this is, in my opinion, essential. Khartoum (AFP) - Sudanese protest leaders on Friday announced plans to unveil a civilian body to take over from the ruling military council as huge crowds demonstrated outside army headquarters. The military council, which took power after ousting long-time leader Omar al-Bashir on April 11, has so far resisted calls from protesters to quickly make way for a civilian adminstration. The Sudanese Professionals Association, which has been spearheading the protests, said in a statement that it would name members of the council at a news conference at 1700 GMT on Sunday outside the army complex, to which foreign diplomats are also invited. "We are demanding that this civilian council, which will have representatives of the army, replace the military council," Ahmed al-Rabia, a leader of the umbrella group of unions for doctors, engineers and teachers, told AFP. Friday marked four months to the day when first protest was triggered in response to a government decision to triple the price of bread. The protests soon escalated into widespread rallies demanding Bashir's departure. Access roads were packed, with crowds flocking to the huge square outside army headquarters to offer the weekly Muslim prayers. "This government should be a representative of all the people and their aspirations," said prominent cleric Sheikh Matter Younis as he addressed thousands of protesters. "It should include all Sudanese people and shouldn't exclude anyone." Braving scorching heat, protesters kept on chanting, dancing and singing to rhythmic African and Arabic tunes. Women handed out traditional Sudanese sweet and sour juice to protesters, encouraging them to press on with their demonstration. "We will keep distributing juice for free even if we are losing money," said Neserine Hassan, 28. - 'He is a criminal' - Protester Yasser Dahab said all who had committed crimes against the Sudanese people be put on trial. Story continues He said he wanted to see a civilian council with a prime minister and a government led by technocrats. "This government can then prepare for free elections in two years with participation from all parties," Dahab told AFP. "The military should stay away from political life." Later as the evening set in, more people flocked to the site to spend the night. Calls for Bashir to face justice also came from the country's war-torn Darfur. "He is a criminal," said Hawwa Yousef, who lives in a camp in the region after fleeing from her village in 2004 when it was attacked. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court over the conflict that the UN says killed 300,000 people, but the military has resisted sending the detained ex-leader to The Hague. Activists on Thursday mobilised huge crowds through social media to keep up the pressure on the military council, now led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, to cede power. "I won't leave until Burhan transfers power to a civilian government," said Wali Aldeen, who has camped outside the complex since the day Bashir fell. - 'Military out of centre-stage' - Following Bashir's ouster, demonstrations targeted General Awad Ibn Ouf, the first head of the military council, seen by protestors as a tool of the old regime. Ibn Ouf stepped down in less than 24 hours and was replaced by Burhan, who so far has appeased protesters by lifting a night-time curfew and vowing to "uproot" Bashir's circle. The United States on Thursday praised orders by Sudan's new military leader to free political prisoners and end the curfew. It also dispatched Makila James, a deputy assistant secretary of state, on a mission to Khartoum this weekend. The United States will "calibrate our policies based on our assessment of events", State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said, but added talks on delisting Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism remained suspended. She welcomed the release of political prisoners but urged the military to "show restraint, avoid conflict and remain committed to the protection of the Sudanese people." A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington's short-term goal was to "get the military folks out of centre-stage" and "back to being responsible for security, nothing else". The official called for transitional authorities to prepare the way for "a truly democratic government that will reflect the will of the Sudanese people", he said. By Andrew Chung NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sitting on a working-class commercial strip in the shadows of an above-ground rail line, a group called Make the Road New York's busy street-level offices are easy to miss. But its mission to support and advocate for immigrants is front and center. A sign on its front door in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood of the borough of Queens warns law enforcement officers not to enter without a warrant. Its colorful lobby is filled with butterfly-shaped placards made for protests against the hardline immigration policies of President Donald Trump, a fellow New Yorker. Its latest fight is to contest the Trump administration's contentious plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census, which the group has called a "racist attempt to intimidate, undercount immigrants." The plan's legality will be tested on Tuesday in arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has a 5-4 conservative majority. The nine justices will consider whether Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, whose department includes the Census Bureau, violated a federal law called the Administrative Procedure Act and the U.S. Constitution's mandate to enumerate the nation's population every 10 years. A ruling is due by the end of June. On Jan. 15, Manhattan-based U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman ruled against the administration and blocked the use of the question. Two other courts also have blocked the question since then. The case comes before the court in a pair of lawsuits, one filed by a group of states and localities led by New York state, and the other by immigrant rights groups including Make the Road. "We have seen a lot of anti-immigrant rhetoric and a lot of attacks on our communities, and this is just another one on a long list," said Theo Oshiro, Make the Road's deputy director, who is leading its efforts on the census. Opponents have called the question a Republican effort to frighten immigrant households and Latinos from participating in the census, leading to a severe and deliberate undercount, diminishing the electoral representation of Democratic-leaning areas in Congress and costing them federal funds. This would benefit Trump's fellow Republicans and Republican-leaning parts of the country, they said. The Constitution mandates a census every 10 years. The official population count is used to allocate seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and distribute some $800 billion in federal funds. The Trump administration said the citizenship question will yield better data to enforce the Voting Rights Act, which protects eligible voters from discrimination. While only U.S. citizens can vote, non-citizens comprise an estimated 7 percent of the population. A number of key services that Make the Road provides, from adult English language classes to helping people find health insurance, could be put at risk, Oshiro said. "The impact would be dire," Oshiro added. Furman found that Ross concealed his true motives for adding the question. The judge said the evidence showed that Ross and his aides convinced the Justice Department to request a citizenship question, and that he made the decision despite Census Bureau evidence that such a question would lead to lower census response rates and less accurate citizenship data. The administration appealed the case directly to the Supreme Court, bypassing a federal appeals court, given the need to resolve the matter before census forms are printed in the coming months. In a brief to the justices, U.S. Solicitor General Noel Francisco, who argues the administration's position at the Supreme Court, called the plaintiffs' claims "speculative fears that the government itself will act unlawfully by using answers to the citizenship question for law-enforcement purposes." Francisco called the citizenship question "wholly unremarkable" and disputed that it would lead to less accurate data. Citizenship has not been asked of all households since the 1950 census but has featured since then on questionnaires sent to a smaller subset of the population. BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY On weekday afternoons, Make the Road is a beehive of activity, its clients a mix of citizens and non-citizens. The lobby is packed, with staff providing services such as child care, food assistance and legal advice. The adult English learners are jammed into a small classroom. When asked about the census, most are hesitant to offer an opinion. One 36-year-old woman, who works as a house cleaner and gave her name only as Nelly, said people are concerned about the confidentiality of the census and if their information could be used against them or family members. She said she would not fill out the census if the citizenship question were included. "Census efforts have always been hard in immigrant communities, even without the citizenship question," Oshiro said. "They are fearful in particular of sharing their information with immigration enforcement agencies, especially with what folks have seen and heard from this administration, the rhetoric around immigration and the ramping up of enforcement." Oshiro's organization has mounted outreach efforts in subways and other places emphasizing the importance of the census to protecting federal funding and ensuring political power. In the lawsuit spearheaded by New York state, the judge found a "veritable smorgasbord" of violations of the Administrative Procedure Act. The separate suit by the New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road and other civil rights groups, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, also claimed that the administration was discriminating against non-white immigrants. The judge said there was no evidence of that. The Trump administration "does not like a system where everybody is counted in America," said ACLU attorney Dale Ho, even though that is "the bedrock of our constitutional system." A number of Republican state attorneys general, led by Mike Hunter of Oklahoma, backed Trump's administration, saying more detailed citizenship data could reduce litigation over race-based voting rights claims, adding that immigrants' fear of the question "is no reason to grind the census to a halt." For a graphic on the major Supreme Court cases this term: https://tmsnrt.rs/2V2T0Uf (Reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham) Chocolatier Godiva is taking a bite out of the restaurant business. The company has announced plans to open 2,000 cafes around the world in the next half-dozen years. At least 10 are slated for the U.S., including the one that opened in New York City on Wednesday. The chocolate maker currently has 46 cafes outside the U.S. in the Middle East, China, Japan and Belgium, and aboard the Queen Mary 2 ocean liner. The cafes' menu will include a Croiffle, a croissant pressed into a waffle and available sweet or savory; Godiva coffees; Belgian Liege waffles and waffle bites; sandwiches, like turkey and Swiss and tomato, basil and mozzarella; salads; baked goods; soft-serve; protein snack boxes; yogurt parfaits; and hot and iced teas. Is my food safe?: Gluten found in 32% of food labeled gluten-free, new study says Breaking screens: Samsung has a mess with the nearly $2,000 Galaxy Fold The new eateries will be a combination of newly opened locations and converted existing Godiva stores, according to the company. The cafes are expected to represent 40% of the brand's total business within five years. Godiva's been a beloved gifting brand since our founding in Brussels in 1926 and we think theres tremendous opportunity to preserve that heritage while also becoming more of an everyday occasion," CEO Annie Young-Scrivner said. "Our chefs have introduced a wonderful menu of Belgium-inspired items in our cafes that we know will delight consumers from morning to night." The 800 stores where Godiva is currently sold generally feature soft-serve, hot chocolate and packaged chocolate. Godiva is owned by Istanbul-based Yldz Holding, whose other brands include Flipz chocolate-covered pretzels and DeMet's Turtles. Follow USA TODAY reporter Zlati Meyer on Twitter: @ZlatiMeyer This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sweet news: Godiva to open 2,000 cafes globally in next 6 years Critical peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Qatar appeared to have been suspended Friday, with Washington signalling its disappointment and urging both sides to return to the table. Although there was no official statement from either side, the head of the organisation hosting the talks in Doha said they had been derailed by a row over the size and composition of the respective delegations. "This unfortunate postponement is necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate in the conference," Sultan Barakat, of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, said in a statement. President Ashraf Ghani's administration had on Tuesday announced a list of 250 people from all walks of Afghan life, including government figures, who it wanted to send to the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha beginning Saturday. But the Taliban poured scorn on the lengthy list, saying it was not "normal" and that they had "no plans" to meet with so many people. The Taliban -- who see Ghani as a US stooge and his government as a puppet regime -- also insisted they would not be negotiating with Kabul at the conference. US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said he was "disappointed Qatar's intra-Afghan initiative has been delayed". "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy wrote on Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." The US has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push led by Washington. The developments come as fresh violence rips across Afghanistan, with the Taliban launching their so-called spring offensive. The militants now control or influence about half the country, and last year was the deadliest yet for civilians. Joshua Roberts/Getty Donald Trumps ardent defenders had a new line of defense after Special Counsel Robert Muellers hotly anticipated report came out on Thursday, detailing the presidents repeated attempts to interfere in the probe. A whole lot of lines, actually. The report still exonerated the president, they stressed, but it was also laden with errors, if not outright liesparticularly the parts about estranged Trump ex-fixer Michael Cohen. And even if those claims were correct, that wouldnt matter, since he never actually managed to obstruct anythingand even if he had obstructed something, he would have been well within his rights. Oh, and in the end, it was all Barack Obamas fault. Though Mueller ultimately punted on answering that question, his 400-plus-page report detailed 10 episodes in which the president appeared to meddle with the Muellers probe. And though the report noted it did not establish that the Campaign coordinated or conspired with the Russian government, investigators did establish multiple links between Trump Campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government. But prominent members of Team Trump shrugged that off on Thursday. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway called it the best day since he got elected. Not too far from the West Wing, Trumps outside legal teamwhich set up shop for the big day at the offices of the American Center for Law & Justicealso declared victory and defended Trumps behavior. There are a lot of disputes about recollection, and how [different] people saw things, but so what? It didnt happen, said Trumps personal attorney Rudy Giuliani, regarding obstruction of justice allegations. He didnt do it, [even though] he had every right to fire Muelleras long as he replaced Mueller with someone else, and as long as he didnt do it with coercion, or anything like that If its done with an innocent motive, meaning youre doing your job and getting rid of someone whos a bad FBI director [like James Comey] or a bad special counselyoure allowed to do it. Story continues Giuliani, reiterating his belief in Trumps innocence, added, Nothing was hidden, burned, destroyed, thrown away by the president. So its very tough to conclude that someone committed obstruction [and] Mueller couldnt do it They couldnt [even] cobble together a charge. This was merely part of the latest Trumpworld attempt to barrel through a crisis that has plagued this president for almost two years. By the end of this week, everyone in Trumps inner sanctum had a similar refrain: The boss isnt guilty, but even if he had done it, it wouldnt be illegal. Well before the Mueller report was made public, and before Attorney General William Barr delivered his remarks to the press on Thursday, Giuliani knew what was coming. Jay Sekulow, another one of Trumps personal attorneys, confirmed to The Daily Beast on Thursday morning that he, Giuliani, and Jane and Martin Raskin (all members of the presidents outside legal team) were welcomed into the Department of Justice to view a version of Muellers report ahead of its releaseon Tuesday late afternoon, and again on Wednesday. Sekulow said the team had put in a formal request late last week, which Barr approved. To Trumps current and former lawyers, however, Muellers report isnt simply exoneratingits also problematic. For example, half of what they attribute to [Trumps former fixer and lawyer Michael] Cohen is lies, Giuliani alleged, going after one of his recurring enemies. I dont know why they even put in a Cohen section. A lot of that report is extremely unfair. John Dowd, an attorney who represented Trump for nearly a year in the 21-month-long investigation, took exception to one of his cameos in the report. In late 2017, after the presidents fired national security adviser Michael Flynn withdrew from a joint defense agreement and started cooperating with investigators, the Presidents personal counsel left a voicemail for Flynns lawyers reminding them of the Presidents warm feelings towards Flynn, according to the report. On this message, the unnamed counselwho appears to be Dowdasked for a heads up if Flynn knew any information that implicates the President, the report reads. When Flynns lawyer responded that Flynn could no longer share that kind of information, the President's personal counsel was indignant and vocal in his disagreement, according to the Mueller report. Trumps personal counsel said he would make sure that the President knew that Flynns actions reflected hostility towards the President. There was no hostility on my part, Dowd said on Thursday. We understood that they had a strong case and thought that they could talk the [special counsel] out of any charges. We didnt understand thered be any charges. And I first learned about the Joint Defense conclusion in the press. I called him and that was it. I did not get upset, nor was I upset. I was supporting Gen. Flynn. Regarding the Mueller reports characterization of his tone and intent, Dowd replied, Thats not true. Thats false. Trumps former attorney also insisted that Muellers team never raised [this subject] with me and I saw [Muellers colleague] Jim Quarles every week and Bob Mueller once a month. Conway, for her part, trumpeted Muellers findings as a pure vindication of the president and those around him, even as she attempted to dismiss findings that could be politically tricky for the president, or give lie to the administrations previous public statements on the matter. Asked by reporters about Muellers findings that Trump tried, on numerous occasions, to hinder the Special Counsels investigation, Conway shot back, thats punditry, thats not sophisticated legal analysis. She added that she was using my very expensive law degree today. And while many of Trumps prospective 2020 Democratic opponents have been hesitant to harp on the Russia issue on the campaign trail, Trumps counselor nevertheless took the opportunity to ding the Democratic presidential field with the special counsels findings. You have 15, 18 people running for president and not a single message doesn't involve Trump Trump Trump Trump Trump, Conway said. The Democrats have nothing, she added. They banked everything on this. Heading into the holiday weekend, President Trump jetted off to Mar-a-Lago, his private Florida getaway, to mark Easter and keep celebrating. Donald Trump was being framed, he fought back. That is not Obstruction, the president tweeted on the way to his club, live-tweeting a comment made on Fox News by Trump-loving host Jesse Watters. I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didnt! As Trump closed out his Thursday, he appeared both in a good spirits and focused on cable news. According to one of his personal attorneys, thats exactly how he began his Thursday, as well. Giuliani told The Daily Beast that both he and Sekulow spoke by phone to the president twice on Thursday, shortly before and then after the reports release. Trump was in a great mood, per Giuliani, and both lawyers briefed the president on which TV news programson CNN, on Foxthey would appear on through Easter Sunday. We always tell him what shows were going to be doing, he said. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll show how you can use Argo Group International Holdings, Ltd.'s (NYSE:ARGO) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Argo Group International Holdings has a P/E ratio of 39.25, based on the last twelve months. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $39.25 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits. View our latest analysis for Argo Group International Holdings How Do You Calculate A P/E Ratio? The formula for price to earnings is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Argo Group International Holdings: P/E of 39.25 = $73.59 $1.87 (Based on the year to December 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.' How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means even if the current P/E is low, it will increase over time if the share price stays flat. A higher P/E should indicate the stock is expensive relative to others -- and that may encourage shareholders to sell. Argo Group International Holdings increased earnings per share by a whopping 28% last year. Unfortunately, earnings per share are down 13% a year, over 5 years. Does Argo Group International Holdings Have A Relatively High Or Low P/E For Its Industry? One good way to get a quick read on what market participants expect of a company is to look at its P/E ratio. The image below shows that Argo Group International Holdings has a higher P/E than the average (18) P/E for companies in the insurance industry. NYSE:ARGO Price Estimation Relative to Market, April 19th 2019 Argo Group International Holdings's P/E tells us that market participants think the company will perform better than its industry peers, going forward. Clearly the market expects growth, but it isn't guaranteed. So investors should delve deeper. I like to check if company insiders have been buying or selling. Story continues Don't Forget: The P/E Does Not Account For Debt or Bank Deposits One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth. While growth expenditure doesn't always pay off, the point is that it is a good option to have; but one that the P/E ratio ignores. Is Debt Impacting Argo Group International Holdings's P/E? Since Argo Group International Holdings holds net cash of US$41m, it can spend on growth, justifying a higher P/E ratio than otherwise. The Bottom Line On Argo Group International Holdings's P/E Ratio Argo Group International Holdings has a P/E of 39.3. That's higher than the average in the US market, which is 18.2. Its strong balance sheet gives the company plenty of resources for extra growth, and it has already proven it can grow. So it is not surprising the market is probably extrapolating recent growth well into the future, reflected in the relatively high P/E ratio. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. People often underestimate remarkable growth -- so investors can make money when fast growth is not fully appreciated. So this free visualization of the analyst consensus on future earnings could help you make the right decision about whether to buy, sell, or hold. You might be able to find a better buy than Argo Group International Holdings. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). 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. By Marco Aquino LIMA (Reuters) - Thousand of Peruvians said goodbye on Thursday in Lima to ex-president Alan Garcia -- who killed himself this week - in the second of three days of national mourning declared by President Martin Vizcarra. Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin America's largest graft scandal. Friends, allies and leaders across the political spectrum paid homage to Garcia at the headquarters of his APRA party, one of Latin America's oldest political parties, and one which twice helped usher Garcia to the presidency. Vizcarra ordered flags to be flown at half mast at the country's Congress and other public buildings to honor the ex-President and former lawmaker. Despite that, some of Garcia's most tenacious allies cried out "Vizcarra is a murderer," at the wake, a nod to Garcia's recent critique that his prosecution was politically motivated. A pugnacious politician considered one of Latin America's best orators, Garcia had long been dogged by graft allegations that he brushed off as baseless political smears. But prosecutors investigating Brazilian builder Odebrecht gathered enough evidence to secure a judicial order this week to hold Garcia in pre-trial detention while they prepared charges against him, prompting the ex-president's suicide. The investigation in Peru had picked up speed in recent months, with a judge ordering another former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, to jail before trial in connection with the company last week. The scandal had already touched the highest levels of Peru's ruling political class. Ex-President Alejandro Toledo is fighting extradition from the United States after a Peruvian judge ordered him jailed in 2017, while another former leader, Ollanta Humala, spent nine months in pre-trial detention before he was released last year on appeal. (Reporting by Marco Aquino, writing by Dave Sherwood; Editing by Alistair Bell) Afghanistan, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan are set to race each other to become the first nation to issue a sovereign Bitcoin bond, according to the Asia Times. The news was announced at the annual Spring Meeting of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund held in Washington between April 4 and April 14. Khalil Sediq, governor at the Central Bank of Afghanistan, told the Asia Times that the country is considering issuing a sovereign Bitcoin bond. If it does, the bond will be issued through blockchain technology as a tool to raise $5.7 billion in private-sector investment for the countrys mining, energy, and agriculture sectors. He went on to discuss how Bitcoin could be coupled with a type of metals future such as lithium and commented on the value of Afghanistans mineral reserves, which are estimated at more than $3 trillion. Afghanistan is set to become the worlds largest miner of lithium which is currently in-demand across the world thanks to the popularity of lithium-ion batteries. However, the country is currently facing severe restrictions on non-concessionary borrowing, so the issuance of a cryptocurrency could offer a means for access to international markets through Hyperledgers blockchain tech. Banque Centrale de Tunisie governor Marouane El Abassi also spoke at the Spring Meeting, where he claimed the North African nation is seriously contemplating and studying the concept of a sovereign Bitcoin bond. Though Afghanistan and Tunisia could well face new competition from Uzbekistan, which sent a high-level delegate to the IMF World Bank event to study Bitcoin and blockchain. The delegate suggested Uzbekistan should not be counted out of the race to be the first to issue a sovereign Bitcoin bond, according to reports. An Uzbek sovereign Bitcoin bond could be combined with the cotton futures market since Uzbekistan is the worlds fifth-largest producer of cotton. Interested in reading more about Bitcoin proposals? Discover more about Bitcoin ETF proposals and what they are. The post Three countries race to be the first to issue a sovereign Bitcoin bond appeared first on Coin Rivet. Three renowned mountain climbers are feared to have died after an avalanche in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer were attempting to scale a challenging route up the east face of Howse Peak in Alberta's Banff National Park, Canadian officials said. The group was last heard from on Tuesday morning, when Mr Roskelley spoke to his father, John Roskelley, himself a world-renowned climber. Search efforts began on Wednesday when the climbers failed to check in as planned, and Parks Canada said a helicopter crew saw evidence of several large-scale avalanches which had engulfed climbing equipment. Stephen Holeczi, Parks Canadas visitor safety specialist, said there was strong evidence all three climbers had been killed, without going into further detail. Mr Holeczi said the avalanche that hit the group rated three on a five-point scale, roughly strong enough to destroy a small building, or uproot several trees. John Roskelley said the group had been attempting a route that was first conquered only in 2000. It's just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare, he told Washington newspaper The Spokane-Review. The elder Mr Roskelley said he had climbed the 10,810-foot Howse Peak himself in the past and would travel to Canada in an attempt to help with the recovery effort. The area where the climbers were presumed to have got into trouble was above a basin, he said. There must have been a lot of snow that came down and got them off the face. When you're climbing mountains, danger is not too far away...It's terrible for my wife and I, he said. But it's even worse for his wife." The younger Mr Roskelley, 36, was most famous for having climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at the age of 20, then becoming the youngest American to have scaled the worlds highest peak. His father John joined him on that climb. Story continues Mr Lama, 28, was the subject of a documentary film in 2014 about his attempt to free-climb the Compressor Route on the Cerro Torre mountain in Patagonia, something never achieved before. His father was a mountain guide from Nepal, and he won numerous climbing competitions as a teenager. Mr Auer, 35, grew up near the Dolomites in Austria and was best known for completing the first ascent of the south face on Nilgiri South in Nepal. The North Face, which sponsored the trio, said in a statement that the group were missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst. We are doing everything we can to support their families, friends and community during this difficult time, the firm said. Webster Financial Corporation (NYSE:WBS), operating in the financial services industry based in United States, received a lot of attention from a substantial price movement on the NYSE over the last few months, increasing to $58.03 at one point, and dropping to the lows of $48.81. Some share price movements can give investors a better opportunity to enter into the stock, and potentially buy at a lower price. A question to answer is whether Webster Financial's current trading price of $51.66 reflective of the actual value of the mid-cap? Or is it currently undervalued, providing us with the opportunity to buy? Lets take a look at Webster Financials outlook and value based on the most recent financial data to see if there are any catalysts for a price change. View our latest analysis for Webster Financial Is Webster Financial still cheap? The stock seems fairly valued at the moment according to my valuation model. Its trading around 18% below my intrinsic value, which means if you buy Webster Financial today, youd be paying a fair price for it. And if you believe that the stock is really worth $62.9, then there isnt much room for the share price grow beyond what its currently trading. So, is there another chance to buy low in the future? Given that Webster Financials share is fairly volatile (i.e. its price movements are magnified relative to the rest of the market) this could mean the price can sink lower, giving us an opportunity to buy later on. This is based on its high beta, which is a good indicator for share price volatility. What kind of growth will Webster Financial generate? NYSE:WBS Past and Future Earnings, April 19th 2019 Future outlook is an important aspect when youre looking at buying a stock, especially if you are an investor looking for growth in your portfolio. Although value investors would argue that its the intrinsic value relative to the price that matter the most, a more compelling investment thesis would be high growth potential at a cheap price. With profit expected to grow by a double-digit 18% over the next couple of years, the outlook is positive for Webster Financial. It looks like higher cash flow is on the cards for the stock, which should feed into a higher share valuation. Story continues What this means for you: Are you a shareholder? WBSs optimistic future growth appears to have been factored into the current share price, with shares trading around its fair value. However, there are also other important factors which we havent considered today, such as the financial strength of the company. Have these factors changed since the last time you looked at the stock? Will you have enough confidence to invest in the company should the price drop below its fair value? Are you a potential investor? If youve been keeping tabs on WBS, now may not be the most advantageous time to buy, given it is trading around its fair value. However, the positive outlook is encouraging for the company, which means its worth diving deeper into other factors such as the strength of its balance sheet, in order to take advantage of the next price drop. Price is just the tip of the iceberg. Dig deeper into what truly matters the fundamentals before you make a decision on Webster Financial. You can find everything you need to know about Webster Financial in the latest infographic research report. If you are no longer interested in Webster Financial, you can use our free platform to see my list of over 50 other stocks with a high growth potential. 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. In this March 13, 2003 file photo, Jess Roskelley, then 20, answers questions during a news conference in Seattle. A trio of professional climbers missing at Banff National Park are presumed dead after an avalanche, Canadian park officials and The North Face say. American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer, all members of The North Face's Global Athlete Team, were reported overdue earlier this week as they were attempting to climb Howse Peak, the outdoor apparel company said. "They are missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst," the company said in a statement. Roskelley, from Spokane, Washington, climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at age 20, becoming the youngest American to do so at the time. Parks Canada said in a statement Thursday evening that search and recovery efforts were not currently possible "due to weather and dangerous avalanche conditions." (1/3) On April 17, 3 mountaineers attempting a route on Howse Peak were reported overdue. pic.twitter.com/WE0rt2jkiD Banff National Park (@BanffNP) April 18, 2019 Eli Francovich, an outdoor reporter at the Spokesman Review, told Canada's CBC that Roskelley's father John, also a world-class climber, believed his son had died in the avalanche. "Jess was going to check in Tuesday and didn't, and John called Parks Canada. They sent out a helicopter. They saw an avalanche debris field and one partially buried body," Francovich told CBC. "Based on the assessment of the scene, all three members of the party are presumed to be deceased," Parks Canada said. Howse Peak, the mountain the team was attempting to climb, is an extremely challenging climb. "Of all the people who mountain climb in the world, youre talking about the top 1% to attempt a route of that nature," Barry Blanchard, associate director of Yamnuska Mountain Adventures in Alberta, told the Star Calgary. Story continues All three climbers were among the most elite in the world. In addition to his Everest summit alongside his father, Roskelley also was the first to ascend many peaks in Alaska, according to Climbing magazine. Lama, of Innsbruck, Austria, was a European champion in various climbing disciplines and had the first free ascent of the Compressor Route on Cerro Torre in Patagonia, the magazine reported. Hansjorg Auer, from Otztal, Austria, was the first to climb The Fish route on Italy's Marmolada in the Dolomites without a rope or any protections, according to Climbing. "David, Jess, and Hansjorg are valued and loved members of The North Face family and we are doing everything we can to support their families, friends and community during this difficult time," the company said in its statement. Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter @RyanW_Miller This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trio of North Face climbers presumed dead in avalanche at Canada's Banff park By Chris Kahn NEW YORK (Reuters) - The number of Americans who approve of President Donald Trump dropped by 3 percentage points to the lowest level of the year following the release of a special counsel report detailing Russian interference in the last U.S. presidential election, according to an exclusive Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll. The poll, conducted Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, is the first national survey to measure the response from the American public after the U.S. Justice Department released Special Counsel Robert Muellers 448-page report that recounted numerous occasions in which Trump may have interfered with the investigation. According to the poll, 37 percent of adults in the United States approved of Trumps performance in office, down from 40 percent in a similar poll conducted on April 15 and matching the lowest level of the year. That is also down from 43 percent in a poll conducted shortly after U.S. Attorney General William Barr circulated a summary of the report in March. In his report, Mueller said his investigation did not establish that the Trump campaign had coordinated with Russians. However, investigators did find multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations. While Mueller ultimately decided not to charge Trump with a crime, he also said that the investigation did not exonerate the president, either. The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online in English throughout the United States. It gathered responses from 1,005 adults, including 924 who were familiar with the Mueller report. It has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 4 percentage points. To see the entire Reuters/Ipsos poll, click here: https://tmsnrt.rs/2DjEq3R SHARP SPLIT The poll found that 50 percent of Americans agreed that Trump or someone from his campaign worked with Russia to influence the 2016 election, and 58 percent agreed that the president tried to stop investigations into Russian influence on his administration. Story continues Forty percent said they thought Trump should be impeached, while 42 percent said he should not. The poll responses were sharply split along party lines, with Democrats much more critical of Trump than his fellow Republicans. The Mueller investigation had previously charged 34 other people and three Russian entities, netting convictions or guilty pleas from several Trump associates including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and longtime personal attorney Michael Cohen. So far, the report does not appear to have convinced many to change their opinions about the presidents conduct during a bitter presidential campaign, whether his inner circle improperly engaged with Russian agents, or if he tried to interfere with federal investigators afterward. Among those respondents who said they were familiar with the Mueller report, 70 percent said the report had not changed their view of Trump or Russias involvement in the U.S. presidential race. Only 15 percent said they had learned something that changed their view of Trump or the Russia investigation, and a majority of those respondents said they were now more likely to believe that Trump or someone close to him broke the law. (For a 'Link to Mueller report' click https://graphics.reuters.com/USA-TRUMP-RUSSIA/010091HX27V/report.pdf) (For a graphic on 'A closer look at Mueller report redactions' click https://tmsnrt.rs/2VSx7HZ) (Reporting by Chris Kahn; Editing by Andrea Ricci) WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Mueller found no evidence of collusion between the Russians and Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, but the 448-page report outlining the results of his nearly two-year investigation is chock full of interesting tidbits. The Mueller report, which Attorney General William Barr made public on Tuesday, offers enticing behind-the-scenes details about some of the more notable events of Trumps campaign and the early days of his presidency. It was a joke, people! At a news conference in July 2016, Trump encouraged Russia to hack into Democratic rival Hillary Clintons personal emails. "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, he said. But Trump told Mueller he was joking. Trump said he made the statement in jest and sarcastically and said it should have been apparent to any objective observer. Trump also told the special counsel that he had not been informed during the campaign of any efforts by Russia to infiltrate or hack Clintons emails. But it turns out the Russians were listening. Within about five hours of Trump's request, Russian military intelligence agents "targeted Clinton's personal office for the first time" and "sent malicious links targeting 15 email accounts," including one belonging to a Clinton aide whose name was redacted, according to the report. More: Trump thought Mueller would 'end' his presidency and other takeaways from the Mueller report Attorney General William Barr alongside acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Edward O'Callaghan and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein at the Justice Department on April 18, 2019. Trump Tower meeting A now-famous meeting between three senior members of Trumps presidential campaign and a small group of Russians at Trump Tower in June 2016 fueled suspicions the Russians meddled in the presidential election. Yet some key questions have remained unanswered: What did Trump know about the meeting? And when did he know it? Trumps son, Donald Trump Jr., agreed to the meeting after Hollywood publicist Rob Goldstone sent him an attention-grabbing email claiming that the Crown Prosecutor of Russia had information to share that would incriminate Clinton and her dealings with Russia. Story continues If its what you say, I love it, Trump Jr. wrote back immediately. But the meeting was a bust: The Russian lawyer offered just vague remarks about Russian fund-raising for Democrats and, after a few minutes, switched gears and started talking about U.S.-Russian adoption policies. So what did Trump know? Not much, he says. Trump told the special counsels office in writing that he had no recollection of learning about the meeting in advance. Nor did he recall knowing during the campaign that the meeting had taken place or that Trump Jr. had been in contact with Goldstone or the Russian pop star who's outreach to Goldstone was the impetus for the gathering. Trump said he didn't even recall where he was that day, although he conceded that his calendar put him in New York City. More: Rob Goldstone, publicist behind Trump Tower meeting with Russians, describes 'devastating' personal toll in new book 'It said too much' Trump may not have known about the Trump Tower meeting in advance, but he eventually did find out about it and try to put his spin on what happened. The Mueller report confirms news accounts that Trump personally dictated a misleading statement about what went on in the meeting. On July 7, 2017, about six months into his presidency, Trump was in Hamburg, Germany, for the G-20 summit when his aides learned The New York Times was working on an article about the meeting. The next day, on the flight home, Trump's communications director Hope Hicks gave the president a draft statement that was to be released by Trump Jr., which acknowledged the meeting came about because of the possibility the Russians might have information valuable to the Trumps campaign. The president, however, "directed that the statement not be issued because it said too much, the Mueller report says. The president told Hicks to say only that Trump Jr. took a brief meeting and it was about Russian adoption. The final statement issued to the Times described the meeting as a short introductory meeting and said the participants primarily discussed the adoption of Russian children. It made no mention that the presidential campaign had been discussed or that the Russians had managed to get the meeting by offering to divulge dirt on Clinton. More: Donald Trump reacts to Mueller report: 'Its called no collusion, no obstruction' Comey and 'what really happened' Two days after he fired FBI director James Comey, Trump gave an interview to NBC in which he contradicted his previous statements and those of his staff on the reasons for Comeys dismissal. The day of the firing, the White House claimed that Comeys termination resulted from the recommendations of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his deputy over Comeys mishandling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons emails. But Trump had in fact decided to fire Comey before hearing from the Department of Justice, the Mueller report confirms. Not happy with how his aides were spinning the story, Trump decided to give an interview to NBCs Lester Holt, telling the White House counsels office in advance that the communications team could not get the story right and that he was going to tell Holt what really happened, according to the Mueller report. Trump told Holt he decided to fire Comey in part because this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story. More: Mueller report documents links between Trump campaign and Russia, steps to thwart inquiry; finds no conspiracy WikiLeaks blames a dead man There's no one better to take the fall than a dead man, right? After it released a trove of emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta in 2016, WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange tried to place the blame on Seth Rich, a young DNC staffer who had been murdered just a few weeks earlier. Rich, 27, was shot to death July 10, 2016, in what Washington, D.C. police say was a random robbery attempt. But conspiracy theorists have tried to tie him to the release of thousands of DNC emails that hobbled Hillary Clinton's campaign for president. Assange and WikiLeaks made a number of statements that falsely implied Rich had been the source of the stolen emails, according to the Mueller report. WikiLeaks even offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of Richs killer. Asked in an interview why he was so interested in finding Richs killer, Assange said, Were very interested in anything that might be a threat to alleged WikiLeaks sources. But the Mueller report outlines what it says was an elaborate effort by the Russians to obtain the emails and says that the special counsels investigation discredited WikiLeaks' claims regarding the source of the stolen materials. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From Trump Tower to WikiLeaks, the Mueller report offers window into Trump campaign, presidency Donald Trump has vetoed a bill passed by Congress to end US military assistance in Saudi Arabias war in Yemen. The Senate had passed a bipartisan resolution on 13 March in a 54-to-46 vote, in a move that was largely seen as a rebuke of Trumps alliance with the Saudi forces leading military action in Yemen. The House voted on the resolution in early April, passing it with 247 votes to 175. This resolution is an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members, both today and in the future, Trump wrote in explaining his veto. The US provides billions of dollars of arms to the Saudi-led coalition fighting against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen. Related: Yemen war: Congress votes to end US military assistance to Saudi Arabia But as the war drags on, members of Congress have expressed concern about the thousands of civilians killed in coalition airstrikes since the conflict began in 2014. Trumps veto, the second of his presidency, led to outpourings of dismay from politicians and NGOs. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives, called on him to put peace before politics. She called the Yemen conflict a horrific humanitarian crisis that challenges the conscience of the entire world and decried Trumps decision to continue US involvement in it as a cynical move. Senator Bernie Sanders, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, said: I am disappointed, but not surprised, that Trump has rejected the bipartisan resolution to end US involvement in the horrific war in Yemen. The people of Yemen desperately need humanitarian help, not more bombs. The California congressman Ro Khanna, a Democrat, added: From a president elected on the promise of putting a stop to our endless wars, this veto is a painful missed opportunity. Khanna argued the bill marked a step forward, despite the veto. It sends a clear signal to the Saudis that they need to lift their blockade and allow humanitarian assistance into Yemen if they care about their relationship with Congress, Khanna said. Story continues The fighting in the Arab worlds poorest country has left millions suffering from shortages of food and medical care and has pushed the country to the brink of famine. David Miliband, the former British foreign secretary who now heads the International Rescue Committee, denounced the veto as morally wrong and strategically wrongheaded. In a statement he said Yemen was at breaking point with 10m people on the brink of famine. Oxfam America said the veto would not stop the campaign to end US support for the Saudi military action. America stands with Yemen. This fight is far from over, the global humanitarian aid group said in a tweet. Many lawmakers have grown uneasy with Trumps close relationship with Saudi Arabia. Lawmakers criticized the president for failing to condemn the country for the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who lived in the United States and had written critically about the kingdom. Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last October and never came out. Intelligence agencies said the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was complicit in the killing. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey has arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates and is probing whether they are tied to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, Anadolu state news agency said on Friday. The two were formally detained by Turkish authorities on Friday as part of an investigation by Istanbul prosecutors into alleged spying by the Gulf state, Anadolu reported. It did not say when they were arrested or name the two men. A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered. The pro-government Turkish newspaper, Yeni Safak, reported that the two suspects were arrested on Monday in a joint operation by Turkish police and the MIT intelligence service. The pair, both UAE citizens, had been in contact with an individual who was under surveillance in the Khashoggi case, the paper reported. After first denying Khashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia later said rogue agents had carried out the operation. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. Much of the case remains unclear, including the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman. The CIA has concluded that the Saudi operation was likely directed by the powerful crown prince, but the White House has sidestepped that finding amid denials by Riyadh, a key US ally. The journalist's murder stirred international outrage and considerably hurt the image of the crown prince. Turkey has delicate relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the Arab states that imposed a blockade on Qatar, one of Ankara's close allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he would keep investigating Khashoggi's death and has criticised the lack of cooperation from Riyadh. Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey has arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates and is probing if they are tied to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, Anadolu state news agency said on Friday. The two were detained as part of an investigation by Istanbul prosecutors into alleged spying by the Gulf state, Anadolu reported. It was not clear when they were arrested. A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered. After first denying the murder, Saudi Arabia later said rogue agents had carried out the operation. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. Much of the case remains unclear, including the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman. Turkey has delicate relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the Arab states that imposed a blockade on Qatar, one of Ankara's close allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he would keep investigating Khashoggi's death and has criticised the lack of cooperation from Riyadh. KABUL (Reuters) - The U.S. envoy for peace in Afghanistan expressed disappointment on Friday after the collapse of a planned meeting between the Taliban and a group of Afghan politicians in Qatar that exposed some of the deep divisions hampering efforts to end the war. A 250-strong delegation of Afghan politicians and civil society figures had been due to meet Taliban officials in Doha at the weekend. But the event was abruptly canceled on Thursday amid arguments over the size and status of the group, which included some government officials attending in a personal capacity. "I'm disappointed Qatar's intra-Afghan initiative has been delayed," Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. special representative for Afghan reconciliation, said on Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." The collapse of the meeting before it had even started, described as a "fiasco" by one senior Western official, laid bare the tensions that have hampered moves toward opening formal peace negotiations. Khalilzad, a veteran Afghan-born diplomat, has held a series of meetings with Taliban representatives but the insurgents have so far refused to talk to the Western-backed government in Kabul, which they dismiss as a "puppet" regime. The Doha meeting was intended to prepare the ground for possible future talks by building familiarity among Taliban officials and representatives of the Afghan state created after the U.S.-led campaign that toppled the Taliban government in 2001. A similar encounter was held in Moscow in February. President Ashraf Ghani's office blamed Qatari authorities for the cancellation, saying they had authorized a list of participants that differed from the one proposed by Kabul, "which meant disrespect for the national will of the Afghans". "This act is not acceptable for the people of Afghanistan," it said in a statement on Friday. Sultan Barakat, director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies in Qatar, which had been facilitating the meeting, said there was no disagreement about the agenda. "Rather, there is insufficient agreement around participation and representation to enable the conference to be a success," he tweeted. Preparations had already been undermined by disagreements on the government side about who should attend, as well as by suspicions among rival politicians ahead of presidential elections scheduled for September. The Taliban derided the agreed list of 250 participants as a "wedding party". Some senior opposition figures who had been included refused to attend. The Taliban also objected to Ghani's comments to a meeting of delegates that they would be representing the Afghan nation and the Afghan government, a statement that went against the insurgents' refusal to deal with the Kabul administration. The Taliban said holding a dialogue with the "powerless and crumbling Kabul administration is a waste of time" as their aim was to focus on the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. On Friday, three Afghan intelligence agency personnel were killed and two others wounded in an explosion near a provincial intelligence agency building in the western province of Herat, the National Directorate of Security said in a statement on Friday. No militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. (Reporting by Abdul Qadir Sediqi and James Mackenzie, Jali Rezayee; Editing by Paul Tait and Alison Williams) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan will not involve giving land from Egypt's Sinai peninsula to the Palestinians, an American envoy said on Friday. Jason Greenblatt, Trump's Middle East envoy, apparently sought to deny reports on social media that the long-awaited plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would involve extending Gaza into the northern Sinai along Egypt's Mediterranean coast. "Hearing reports our plan includes the concept that we will give a portion of Sinai (which is Egypt's) to Gaza. False!", Greenblatt, one of the architects of the proposal, tweeted on Friday. The American plan is expected to be unveiled once Israel's newly re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forms a government coalition and after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends in June. Trump's senior advisor Jared Kushner said on Wednesday the plan would require compromise by all parties, a source familiar with his remarks said. It is unclear whether the plan will propose outright the creation of a Palestinian state, the Palestinians' core demand. The Palestinians have long sought to set up a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, territory Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War, with East Jerusalem as its capital. The last round of U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub; Editing by Frances Kerry) By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States and Russia both said on Thursday they could not support a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time, diplomats said, as mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. The United States gave no reason for its position on the draft resolution, which would also call on countries with influence over the warring parties to ensure compliance and for unconditional humanitarian aid access in Libya, which has been gripped by anarchy since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011. The United States' U.N. mission declined to comment and the Russian U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China - the so-called permanent five - to pass. It was not immediately clear if Britain would persist with negotiations on a draft next week. The United States and Russia made their positions clear during a closed-door council briefing by U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame, who diplomats said appealed for a ceasefire, warning that weapons were pouring into the country and it was heading toward a serious humanitarian situation. The U.S. reluctance to support Security Council action is in contrast to Washington's earlier public opposition to Haftar's offensive, which began while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting Tripoli. Some U.N. diplomats have suggested the United States might be trying to buy time as President Donald Trump's administration works out how to deal with the latest developments in Libya. "I think there are a range of views in Washington on the policy side and they haven't reconciled them and they're not entirely certain where the president is on it," said a senior U.N. diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The American system is trying to evaluate all the scenarios and work out which one is in America's best interest and just hasn't done that yet," the diplomat said. CONCERN Haftar's forces predicted victory within days, but Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj's internationally recognized government has bogged them down in southern suburbs with help from armed groups from various western Libyan factions. A united Security Council informally expressed concern on April 5, calling on all forces to de-escalate and halt military activity and specifically calling out the LNA. In the following days, the council was unable, however, to issue a more formal statement, diplomats said, as Russia objected to a reference to the LNA, while the United States said it could not agree to a text that did not mention Haftar's forces. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo then said in a statement on April 7 that "we have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftar's forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital." Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which view him as an anchor to restore stability and combat Islamist militants, while most Western powers have supported Serraj. Trump met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on April 9. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke with Pompeo about Libya on Thursday and both agreed on the need for a "rapid" ceasefire and return to the U.N-led political process, the French foreign ministry said in a statement. Paris has given Haftar support in the past. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Additional reporting by John Irish in Paris; Editing by Peter Cooney) The holidays are a special time of the year. Along with all the food, presents, word of Jesus and family, there is a ton of joy and happiness. Although COVID still may be lingering, I dont think this Christmas will be any different from any of my past Christmas experiences. By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States won a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on Thursday against China's use of tariff-rate quotas for rice, wheat and corn, which it successfully argued limited market access for U.S. grain exports. The case, lodged by the Obama administration in late 2016, marked the second U.S. victory in as many months. It came amid U.S.-China trade talks and on the heels of Washington clinching a WTO ruling on China's price support for grains in March. A WTO dispute panel ruled on Thursday that under the terms of its 2001 WTO accession, China's administration of the tariff rate quotas (TRQs) as a whole violated its obligation to administer them on a "transparent, predictable and fair basis". TRQs are two-level tariffs, with a limited volume of imports allowed at the lower 'in-quota' tariff and subsequent imports charged an "out-of-quota" tariff, which is usually much higher. The administration of state trading enterprises and non-state enterprises' portions of TRQs are inconsistent with WTO rules, the panel said. Australia, Brazil, India, and the European Union were among those reserving their rights in the dispute brought by the world's largest grain exporter. In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcomed the decision, saying China's system "ultimately inhibits TRQs from filling, denying U.S. farmers access to China's market for grain". If China's TRQs had been fully used, $3.5 billion worth of corn, wheat and rice would have been imported in 2015 alone, it said, citing U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. The two WTO rulings would help American farmers "compete on a more level playing field", the USTR statement said, adding: "The (Trump) Administration will continue to press China to promptly come into compliance with its WTO obligations. Story continues The latest WTO panel said that the United States had not proven all of its case, failing to show that China had violated its public notice obligation under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in respect to TRQs. China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday it "regrets" the panel's decision and that it would "earnestly evaluate" the panel's report. China would "handle the matter appropriately in accordance with WTO dispute resolution procedures, actively safeguard the stability of the multilateral trading system and continue to administer the relevant agricultural import tariff quotas in compliance with WTO rules", it said. Either side can appeal the ruling within 60 days. (Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Additional reporting by John Ruwitch and Wang Jing in SHANGHAI; Editing by Michael Shields & Kim Coghill) Tokyo (AFP) - Japanese car giant Toyota and investment fund SoftBank Vision Fund on Friday unveiled an investment of $1 billion in US company Uber to drive forward the development of driverless ridesharing services. The latest cash injection, expected to close in the third quarter this year, came amid fevered anticipation of Uber's public share offering which is expected to be the largest in the tech sector for years. Toyota has already invested $500 million in Uber as the firm races Google-owned Waymo and a host of other companies, including major automakers, to develop self-driving vehicles. The latest investment, which also involves Japanese parts maker DENSO, will go to Uber's Advanced Technologies Group in a bid to "accelerate the development and commercialisation of automated ridesharing," the firms said in a statement. Toyota and DENSO are stumping up $667 million and SoftBank Vision Fund, the investment arm of Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son's SoftBank, will pour $333 million into the venture. It is already the top shareholder in Uber, holding 16 percent. The Japanese car firm said it would also contribute "an additional $300 million over the next three years to help cover the costs related to these activities." Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said driverless cars would "transform transportation as we know it, making our streets safer and our cities more liveable." His firm is aiming to go beyond car rides to becoming the "Amazon of transportation" in a future where people share, instead of own, vehicles. If all goes to plan, commuters could ride an e-scooter to a transit station, take a train, then grab an e-bike, share a ride or take an e-scooter at the arriving station to complete a journey -- all using an Uber app on a smartphone. Uber is also seeing growing success with an "Eats" service that lets drivers make money delivering meals ordered from restaurants. Story continues - 'Sharing economy' - Last week, Uber filed official documents for its much-anticipated public share offering. The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said it operates on six continents with some 14 million trips per day and has totalled more than 10 billion rides since it was founded in 2010. The filing contained a "placeholder" amount of $1 billion to be raised but that figure is expected to increase ahead of the initial public offering (IPO) expected in May. The Wall Street Journal said earlier this month that Uber was seeking to raise $10 billion in what would be the largest stock offering of the year. Media reports said the ride-hailing giant was likely to seek a market value of close to $100 billion. Uber is the largest of the "unicorns" or venture-backed firms worth at least $1 billion to list on Wall Street, and is one of the key companies in the "sharing economy" based on offering services to replace ownership of cars, homes and other commodities. Its revenue grew 42 percent last year to $11.2 billion but it continued to lose money from its operations. A net profit was reported for the year from a large asset sale, but operational losses were more than $3 billion. And some analysts have voiced caution over the forthcoming IPO given a relative lacklustre debut for Lyft, the main US rival. Khosrowshahi has promised greater transparency as he seeks to restore confidence in the global ridesharing leader hit by a wave of misconduct scandals. In October, Toyota and SoftBank announced the creation of a joint venture to create "new mobility service" including driverless vehicles for services such as meal deliveries. The new company -- called "Monet", short for "mobility network" -- is majority owned by SoftBank. SoftBank started as a software firm but has increasingly been pushing into investments under tycoon Son, one of Japan's richest men. Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump has said he's in love with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But if there's someone with whom the US president is even more smitten, it's Mike Pompeo. North Korea on Thursday demanded that the United States remove the secretary of state from future negotiations after Pompeo apparently encouraged Trump to stand firm and walk away from a summit with Kim in Hanoi in February. The State Department offered a low-key initial response, with a spokesman saying the United States "remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation" but not commenting directly. Trump is famously fond of flattery and dismissive of aides. But even though he is eager to strike a potentially historic deal, North Korea is likely misreading US domestic politics by attacking Pompeo. The top US diplomat is one of Trump's few senior aides who has managed to avoid public ruptures with him, amenably rallying to the defense of the president's every move even after pushing different policies. Pompeo was instrumental in the secret diplomacy that eased soaring tensions with North Korea and set the stage for two summits between Kim and Trump, with Pompeo traveling four times last year to Pyongyang, first as CIA director and then as secretary of state. "It would be very difficult for the US to make a move after the statement to change the negotiating team without making it look like Kim Jong Un is dictating the terms," said Jenny Town, a fellow at the Stimson Center and managing editor of the North Korea analytical website 38 North. "I don't think it's going to gain them anything," she said of the North Koreans. "It only makes it more difficult to get back to negotiations." - Seeking to 'wean' Trump from aides - Senior North Korean foreign ministry official Kwon Jong Gun, in a statement carried by state media, called Pompeo "reckless" and immature. Story continues He also denounced Pompeo's testimony to Congress earlier this month in which, pressed by a senator concerned over what human rights groups say are rampant abuses in North Korea, agreed that Kim was a "tyrant." Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation, said that North Korea believed it could achieve its goals through Trump and was "trying to wean the president away from his advisers." "I think they're trying to get another summit," he said. "They feel that is where they can make more traction by appealing to Trump's sense of wanting to have a success, or maintaining the success they have already claimed." North Korea has already shut out Stephen Biegun, the State Department pointman on North Korea, who has failed for months to arrange a meeting on anything other than the logistics of the Hanoi summit. But North Korea also denounced Pompeo in July last year for his "gangster-like" insistence on disarmament -- and welcomed him back to Pyongyang several months later. - Mixed messages from Washington - Trump has quipped that he and Kim are "in love" and spoken of his "beautiful" letters -- and his affection has not dimmed after the Hanoi summit. In an extraordinary intervention last month, Trump -- who has hailed his punishing pressure campaigns on Iran and Venezuela -- blocked the imposition of tough new sanctions on North Korea. Trump said he intervened because he and Kim get along "very well" and that he wanted to maintain the relationship. His move came despite the insistence by Pompeo and John Bolton, Trump's hawkish national security advisor, that the United States will not relent on pressure until North Korea's full denuclearization. Just a day before Trump reversed the sanctions, the Treasury Department had announced action against two Chinese shipping companies over deliveries to North Korea. Town said the administration's messaging on North Korea has been inconsistent from the start. She noted that Bolton -- who before entering the White House mused about attacking North Korea -- took the lead in public statements after the Hanoi summit. "What message does that send the North Koreans, and how much of it is for a domestic audience?" she asked. "It certainly wasn't helpful to the diplomatic process of getting back to negotiations if that's what the US really wants to do." After issuing 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search warrants, and conducting as many witness interviews, Special Counsel Robert Muellers report was made public Thursday. But while the report concluded there wasnt enough evidence to say President Trump and his campaign team colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election, it did not completely exonerate them of committing a crime. Attorney General William Barr held a press conference ahead of the release of the 448-page document, but Mueller was notably absent from the podium and there are no indications he, nor any other Department of Justice officials, will hold another press conference after we have all had time to read through the volumes of text. During the briefing, Barr repeated Trumps numerous claims in the past 22 months that there was no collusion and said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had concluded there was no obstruction of justice by the president or his campaign team and no charges would be brought as a result. Barr said he and Rosenstein disagreed with some of Muellers conclusions on that matter, but would not specify which points were contested or why. He also noted the unredacted report would be released to certain members of the intelligence community only, but the redacted version had been shown to the presidents lawyers even before Congress had a full copy. If you dont want to sift through the hundreds of pages of the Mueller report, heres what you should know. The Mueller Report Is Not a Full Exoneration The special counsels team had investigated 10 possible instances of obstruction of justice. Mueller wrote in the report: The evidence we obtained about the presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Story continues The special counsel also concluded the campaign team had expected to benefit from Russian interference in the 2016 election. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the report stated. Barr was prepared for that point to be raised and addressed in the press conference by providing a qualifier about any interactions between the campaign team and Wikileaks. The Attorney General pointed out while the hacking of the Democratic National Committees emails in 2016, done by the Russian company innocuously called the Internet Research Agency, was a crime, Wikileaks publishing those emails was not. Under applicable law, publication of these types of materials would not be criminal unless the publisher also participated in the underlying hacking conspiracy, Barr said, meaning that even if the president and his staff had colluded with Wikileaks, it would not be criminal. The report indicated there was no evidence the president or campaign staff did anything illegal when it came to disseminating the emails. Though Mueller also said several Russian officials had reached out to Trump staff during the course of the campaign for business connections, offers of assistance to the Campaign, invitations for candidate Trump and Putin to meet in person, invitations for Campaign officials and representatives of the Russian government to meet, and policy positions seeking improved U.S.-Russian relations, none of what the campaign staff did would be considered collusion per federal law standards. Trump Did Attempt to Stop the Mueller Investigation The Mueller report may have supported, at least partially, the presidents claims of innocence regarding collusion, but it showed he was worried about Muellers appointment to lead the investigation and attempted to thwart it. When former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who had to recuse himself from involvement in the investigation due to his role on the 2016 campaign team, notified the president, Trump said: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im f***ed. The president had just fired former FBI director James Comey and turned his ire towards Sessions who was, in Trumps estimation, supposed to protect me. Sessions, according to the report, walked around the White House with a resignation letter ready to go and was eventually dismissed following the November 2018 midterm elections. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me, the report noted Trump had said at the time. The president then turned to Don McGahn, former White House counsel who left his post in October 2018, and said Mueller has to go. He instructed McGahn to call Rosenstein and tell the deputy Mueller has conflicts and cannot be appointed special counsel. Word soon leaked to the media of the presidents repeated attempts to unseat Mueller and he then asked McGahn to parrot his infamous line by calling them fake news. The report stated, however, each time he was approached, McGahn responded that he would not refute the press accounts because they were accurate in reporting on the Presidents efforts to have the Special Counsel removed. We also know Mueller had made repeated attempts to interview the president since December 2017 but had stopped short of issuing a subpoena, fearing a lengthy court battle. The president and his legal team eventually submitted written answers to questions in which the Trump said he did not recall instances of interactions with Russians 37 times, according to The Hill. Mueller called the presidents responses incomplete or imprecise and concluded in the report the answers demonstrate the inadequacy of the written format, as we have had no opportunity to ask follow-up questions that would ensure complete answers and potentially refresh your clients recollection. What Happens Next Naturally, the DNC had a bold statement on the matter, calling the report evidence of bottomless corruption, according to Chairman Tom Perez, who added the president has spent his entire presidency engaged in a nonstop campaign of obstruction, intimidation, and abuse of power. No one is above the law. However, what happens next is still to be determined by Democrats in Congress and perhaps those running for president. Rina Shah, a Washington, D.C.-based Republican strategist told Fortune it means Trump is emboldened to continue behaving in the manner he has since before he took office and during his time in office so far. Politically, todays public release of the Mueller Report couldnt have gone better for the President & his re-election campaign. Shah said Democrats are going to have a harder time pushing the president out of office. Shah and others inside the Beltway also noted Barrs open support of Trump during the press briefing added fuel to Trumps declaration of having a good day even though the attorney general is not the presidents lawyer, but one for the American public. Barr went as far as commenting on the emotional state of the president, who was frustrated and angered by his sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents and fueled by illegal leaks. Shah said though the report closes the door on some matters, it will hopefully open one for Congress to ask some big-deal, constitutional questions of the special counsel, president, and his staff. Ultimately however, she felt the report likely did not change anyones mind across America, but perhaps swayed some who support Trump but were hesitant to vote for him. The question in the minds of everyone across the political spectrum really has always been, Did he sell out America to the Russians? And, tonight, I believe a great many folks are breathing a sigh of relief and going to sleep with the answer no on their minds, she said. Democrats have now called on Congress to ask for the full, unredacted report to hold the White House accountable. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) laid blame on the attorney general for the need for further investigation, commenting that we clearly cant believe what Attorney General Barr tells us. There has been talk of calling Mueller in front of Congress for a testimony so they can hear about the conclusions from him directly, to which Barr did not object. Plastic in our oceans could outweigh fish by 2050. Photo: SOPA Images/SIPA USA/PA Images Waitrose is funding a number of university fellowships to boost new thinking on reducing plastic pollution, the retailer announced. The Blue Charter Fellowships, run by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), will receive funding from the supermarket for 10 new fellowships to lead world-class research and innovation in marine plastics. These fellowships will focus on three priority areas: preventing plastic from getting into the the sea, developing sustainable alternatives to plastic, and cleaning up the seas. A number of the 520 universities across the Commonwealth, in 50 different countries, will host fellowships. The scheme will also work with industry partners, including Waitrose, to deliver industry-focused fellowships. READ MORE: Morrisons to introduce paper carrier bags in all stores Additionally, the funding will support 40 research impact grants, designed to ensure the fellowships lead to real-world impact, with research and information shared widely. Marine plastics has become a pressing global environmental problem, with figures showing that plastic in our oceans will outweigh fish by 2050 if current trends continue. While work is being done to address the issue, research isnt always shared globally. Tackling plastics is a global issue, Tom Harris, head of sustainability at Waitrose, said. Thats why Waitrose & Partners is supporting insight and innovation that will identify sustainable solutions, which will be shared here in the UK and further afield for greater impact. READ MORE: Tesco to trial new technology that makes all plastic packaging recyclable This funding is testament to the incredible work being carried out by the Blue Charter fellows. These researchers are at the forefront of driving social change around the issue of marine plastics pollution, and these new fellowships will further contribute to the aims of the Commonwealth Blue Charter, Joanna Newman, ACU chief executive and secretary general, said. Story continues Were very grateful to Waitrose & Partners, [the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy], the Commonwealth Secretariat, and all of our partners for ensuring the continued success of this programme. Waitrose announced in 2018 that it would give half a million pounds from the 5p carrier bag levy to the Commonwealth Marine Plastics Research and Innovation Framework. The levy funds have also supported the Marine Conservation Society in its beach and river cleans across Britain. READ MORE: How Asda cut out 6,500 tonnes of plastic packaging in a year More recently, Waitrose announced the launch of a 1m fund to give money to projects designed to reduce unnecessary plastic and tackle plastic pollution. Plan Plastic The Million Pound Challenge will award money to projects that can demonstrate an impact on plastic pollution now and in the future, the supermarket said. Today we'll evaluate Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd. (HKG:1618) to determine whether it could have potential as an investment idea. Specifically, we'll consider its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), since that will give us an insight into how efficiently the business can generate profits from the capital it requires. First up, we'll look at what ROCE is and how we calculate it. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. Last but not least, we'll look at what impact its current liabilities have on its ROCE. Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What is it? ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whiting says to be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.' So, How Do We Calculate ROCE? The formula for calculating the return on capital employed is: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) Or for Metallurgical of China: 0.099 = CN14b (CN439b - CN297b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2018.) Therefore, Metallurgical of China has an ROCE of 9.9%. Check out our latest analysis for Metallurgical of China Is Metallurgical of China's ROCE Good? ROCE is commonly used for comparing the performance of similar businesses. We can see Metallurgical of China's ROCE is meaningfully below the Construction industry average of 13%. This could be seen as a negative, as it suggests some competitors may be employing their capital more efficiently. Separate from how Metallurgical of China stacks up against its industry, its ROCE in absolute terms is mediocre; relative to the returns on government bonds. Investors may wish to consider higher-performing investments. Story continues Our data shows that Metallurgical of China currently has an ROCE of 9.9%, compared to its ROCE of 7.6% 3 years ago. This makes us wonder if the company is improving. SEHK:1618 Past Revenue and Net Income, April 18th 2019 Remember that this metric is backwards looking - it shows what has happened in the past, and does not accurately predict the future. ROCE can be misleading for companies in cyclical industries, with returns looking impressive during the boom times, but very weak during the busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Since the future is so important for investors, you should check out our free report on analyst forecasts for Metallurgical of China. How Metallurgical of China's Current Liabilities Impact Its ROCE Current liabilities include invoices, such as supplier payments, short-term debt, or a tax bill, that need to be paid within 12 months. Due to the way ROCE is calculated, a high level of current liabilities makes a company look as though it has less capital employed, and thus can (sometimes unfairly) boost the ROCE. To counteract this, we check if a company has high current liabilities, relative to its total assets. Metallurgical of China has total liabilities of CN297b and total assets of CN439b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 68% of its total assets. Metallurgical of China has a fairly high level of current liabilities, meaningfully impacting its ROCE. The Bottom Line On Metallurgical of China's ROCE Even so, the company reports a mediocre ROCE, and there may be better investments out there. Of course, you might also be able to find a better stock than Metallurgical of China. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly. I will like Metallurgical of China better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. 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 (AFP) - President Donald Trump's strategist warned him not to fire FBI director James Comey. His advisors told him to stop tweeting about the Russia investigation. And his lawyers encouraged him to cooperate. Trump ignored them all, and could still claim vindication Thursday after the Mueller report cleared him of collusion charges. He beat back the investigation that threatened his presidency with constant attacks on investigators and the media, a canny narrative that denied obvious facts, nonstop trolling of opponents on Twitter, and a crafty legal stall. It was hugely risky, but it appears to have paid off -- notwithstanding further investigations Congressional Democrats have promised into Trump's alleged abuse of his authority. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report Thursday ruled that Trump's campaign did not criminally conspire with Russians to skew the 2016 election, and drew no conclusion on allegations of obstruction. That allowed Trump's hand-picked Attorney General Bill Barr to declare the president fully cleared. "As I have been saying all along, NO COLLUSION - NO OBSTRUCTION!" Trump tweeted in a fist-pump of victory. - 'Witch hunt' - Trump began his campaign well before Mueller arrived, denying during 2016 that Russia was interfering in the election, even though US spy chiefs said they were. He could have just accepted it, but the claim marred his election victory. So he called it "fake news" and said the intelligence community was out to undermine him. He made things worse in May 2017 when, angered by the ongoing probe into Russian meddling, he fired Comey. The result was Mueller's appointment to lead the Russia investigation, expanding it to include obstruction of justice. Cursing, Trump said that day, "This is the end of my presidency," according to Mueller's report. But the next day, he switched gears into offense, launching a grinding public relations war guided mostly by his own instincts. Story continues "This is the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!" he tweeted. It was pure Trump style -- weaving a narrative that struck a chord with his supporters and riled his opponents. The Russia allegations were a hoax, he alleged, Democrats were trying to avenge Hillary Clinton's election defeat, and Comey and Mueller were corrupt. With Fox News, influential with the political right, echoing his claims, voters who formed Trump's electoral base bought the story of a "witch hunt." - Legal team turmoil - Trump often proved his own enemy. His staff struggled to block his orders to remove Mueller, which could have resulted in impeachment. His constant attacks on Mueller's investigators, the Justice Department, and potential witnesses against him bolstered the allegations of obstruction. And his legal team was in constant turmoil, wrestling with a client who didn't follow advice or tell them the truth. Early members of the team wanted to cooperate with Mueller, seeing that as the president's best option. But for Trump, it was not about law, but image, and the best approach was guerilla warfare fought through the media and Twitter. With Mueller's investigators closing in on the White House in early 2018, Trump churned his team, recruiting attorneys who would fight back. He hired Rudy Giuliani, a fellow New Yorker who like Trump saw the challenge as a street fight. Giuliani fed reporters tidbits behind the scenes and went on television with tactical denials and counterattacks that may have had little real substance but supported Trump's claim that he was under political assault. By mid-2018 Trump appeared to have scored a major victory: seeing his ability to hold onto his conservative base, Republicans rallied behind him ahead of the November elections. - 'Perjury trap' - Crucial to Trump's success, too, was avoiding being interviewed by the investigators. "I'm looking forward to it, actually," he declared in January 2018. Behind the scenes his team stalled, first demanding written questions, then arguing over which questions they would answer. Giuliani accused Mueller of setting up a "perjury trap," saying his client, known for liberally delivering falsehoods and sometimes spilling truths he should withhold, was being set up. Meanwhile, the White House pressured Mueller to wrap up the investigation, saying he was spending too much money on the ever-spiraling probe. Finally Mueller's team agreed to take written answers, which arrived only in late November. The answers were "inadequate," the Mueller report said: Trump replied more than 30 times that he could not recall something, and elsewhere gave incomplete or imprecise responses. But when Mueller's team sought to follow-up in person, Trump refused. By that time, Mueller's team realized it was too late in the investigation to launch into a constitutional fight with the White House. They opted to go with what they had. - The Barr factor - Trump's final coup was to replace attorney general Jeff Sessions with Bill Barr. Trump wasn't acquainted with the Washington corporate lawyer, but he learned that Barr was a critic of Mueller who had a constitutional argument against Trump being charged with obstruction. Trump's dismissal of Jeff Sessions in November opened the door for Barr to become attorney general, someone who would be able to find a legal way to protect Trump from charges. Barr did the job: after seeing Mueller's conclusions, he declared that the evidence on obstruction did not amount to enough to charge the president, and that was that. Trump had won. London (AFP) - A woman has been shot dead during riots in the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland and the killing is being treated as a terrorist incident, police said Friday, following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region. Although the woman had yet to be formally identified, several reporters named her as Lyra McKee, a fellow journalist who had earlier posted an image that appeared to be from the riots in the city, also known as Derry, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles. "Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said in a statement on Twitter. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry." It was not immediately clear who had fired the shots that killed the woman, but a leading republican politician blamed "so-called dissidents". Journalist Matthew Hughes identified the dead woman as one of his friends, McKee. "I just received the heartbreaking news that my friend @LyraMcKee was murdered tonight in a terrorist incident in Derry," he wrote on Twitter. Leona O'Neill, a reporter with the Belfast Telegraph, said she had been next to the woman when she was shot. "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight," she tweeted. - Good Friday Agreement - The violence came in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. Story continues A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on a dissident paramilitary group. Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned those responsible for the killing. "My heart goes out to the family of the young woman shot dead by so-called dissidents," she wrote on Twitter. "This was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement," the peace deal that largely brought an end to violence on the island exactly 21 years ago, she added, calling for calm. Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favour of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news". "A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she wrote on Twitter. The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles". Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict -- many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Police have blamed a group called the New IRA for the flare-up in violence in recent months. Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit. Londonderry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds. A photograph of a Catholic priest waving a bloodstained handkerchief as he tried to help 17-year-old victim Jackie Duddy to safety became a defining image of the incident. Following a long-running public inquiry in 2010, Britain's then-prime minister David Cameron issued a formal state apology for the killings, calling them "unjustified and unjustifiable". A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings. The ex-paratrooper, identified only as Soldier F, is accused of murdering two people and the attempted murder of four others in what was an early turning point in the history of the Troubles. Tokyo (AFP) - The world's smallest baby boy, who was born in October in Japan weighing as much as an apple, is now ready for the outside world, his doctor said Friday. Ryusuke Sekiya was delivered via emergency Caesarean section, after 24 weeks and five days of pregnancy as his mother Toshiko experienced hypertension. At 258 grams (9.1 ounces) he was even lighter than the previous record holder, another Japanese boy who weighed just 268 grams when he was born last year. That baby was discharged from a Tokyo hospital in February. When Ryusuke was born on October 1, 2018, he measured 22 centimetres (8.66 inches) tall, and medical staff kept him in a neonatal intensive care unit. They used tubes to feed him, sometimes taking cotton swabs to apply his mother's milk to his mouth. Nearly seven months later, the boy has grown 13 times in weight, now weighing over three kilogrammes. He will be released from Nagano Children's Hospital in central Japan over the weekend. "When he was born, he was so small, and it seemed as if he would break with a touch. I was so worried," his mother Toshiko told reporters. "Now he drinks milk. We can give him a bath. I am happy that I can see him growing," she said. The smallest surviving girl was born in Germany in 2015 weighing 252 grams, according to a registry put together by the University of Iowa of the world's tiniest surviving babies. The survival rate for tiny babies is substantially lower for boys than for girls. 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. Kiev (AFP) - Volodymyr Zelensky, a 41-year-old politically inexperienced comedian who is on track to become Ukraine's next president, stirs strong feelings. Supporters say he is the fresh face the country needs to clean up Ukrainian politics after a 2014 uprising ousted a Kremlin-backed regime. Critics fear that a Zelensky presidency could throw the country into turmoil. Here are four key questions about Zelensky's extraordinary rise to political prominence: - Why is he so popular? Zelensky -- whose schoolteacher character in "Servant of the People" becomes president after an expletive-laden tirade goes viral -- channels the protest votes. The TV star has capitalised on Ukrainians' despair over mainstream politics, war with Kremlin-backed rebels, poverty and corruption. "Essentially people are voting against (President Petro) Poroshenko and not for Zelensky," said Oleksandr Paskhaver, a Ukrainian economist and former adviser to the president. Poroshenko's backers credit him with rebuilding the nation's army, securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia and winning visa-free travel to Europe. But critics say the 53-year-old has done too little to tackle graft, improve living standards or uphold the rule of law. Anti-corruption campaigners and other activists regularly suffer attacks. Kateryna Gandzyuk, a 33-year-old anti-corruption activist, died last November, a few months after she had about a litre of acid poured on her by several attackers. - What do Ukrainians see in him? Observers say that Zelensky, a Russian-speaking comedian of Jewish descent who hails from the industrial city of Krivy Rig, is living proof that pretty much anyone can become president. Volodymyr Fesenko, director of Kiev's Penta think tank, said the comic's popularity was underpinned by "a political myth created by the TV series," adding: "This is a myth that an ordinary man can become a president." Story continues Zelensky, 41, has built a large social media and television presence and skillfully blurred the line between fiction and reality to win votes across the country of 45 million people. The "Servant of the People" series -- in which Zelensky plays schoolteacher turned president Vasyl Goloborodko -- premiered in 2015 and is now in its third season. His incumbent rival Poroshenko has repeatedly attempted to bring Ukrainians to their senses, saying the campaign was not a movie and the country's commander-in-chief needs more than just an easy-going attitude and a sense of humour. "We are not electing Goloborodko -- we are electing a president of Ukraine," Poroshenko said. - Does he have a programme? Zelensky does not have a clear programme and observers say Ukrainians are pinning their hopes on a dark horse who has preferred to get his message across through social media rather than press interviews. Pollsters say Zelensky is many things to many people and he enjoys strong support across all regions and age groups. "Zelensky is a mirror in which everyone sees what he wants to see," said political analyst Anatoliy Okstysyuk. Analysts say that he may use his outsider status to push through genuine anti-corruption reforms and uphold the rule of law. But others warn he may merely serve as a front for controversial oligarch Igor Kolomoisky whose channel broadcasts his shows. Political analyst Oleksandr Medvedev predicted that the next Ukrainian president will have about six to nine months before voters go sour on him. "The voters expect radical changes to the justice system, literally within the first two months," he said. - Will he remain popular for long? Ukraine is a vibrant, if messy, democracy and unhappiness with authorities is the rule rather than the exception in the country, observers say. "Being unhappy -- actively unhappy -- with the authorities is the norm," said Paskhaver, the former advisor to Poroshenko. Since Ukraine won independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 it has elected five presidents and survived two popular uprisings, in 2004 and 2014. Some political analysts say that Zelensky might also be voted -- or even forced -- out of office, just like his predecessors. "Problems for him will begin even earlier than for others because he is inexperienced," Paskhaver said. Medvedev added: "Within the very first month most of Zelensky's backers will be disappointed by his steps, or his inaction, or his inability to fulfil promises, or the characters that will appear in his team." ant-dg-osh-as/oc/gd Another Huge MRI Magnet Delivered to NIH Photo: Dinh Nguyen Photo: Dinh Nguyen Photo: Dinh Nguyen Photo: Dinh Nguyen On Mar. 16, an 11.7-Tesla magnet for advanced MRI studiesthe strongest of its kind in the worldwas delivered to NIHs NMR Research Center in Bldg. 10. Unlike last falls delivery of a 19-ton magnet through the facilitys roof, this one entered through a side bay door at the center. The behemoth now resides in Rm. 1D703. It took 16 tractor-trailers to deliver both the 51-dry-ton magnet and the swinging-arm crane used to seat it. The worlds strongest brain scanner, it has the potential to study the brain at resolutions well below current standards of about one millimeter. Scientists anticipate that it will enable them to see brain disease hallmarks that have currently escaped detection. Excited about the recent delivery, researchers say the 11.7T machine, which succeeds a 7T predecessor, could catalyze the development of novel approaches to look at brain anatomy and function. The new machine, jointly funded by NINDS and NIMH, will require about 35,000 liters of helium to cool the superconductive coils that create the magnetic field. Some 380 tons of steel were needed to prevent the magnets field from interfering with other equipment in the building. This is a large jump [in field strength], said NIMH principal investigator Dr. Peter Bandettini, who noted that MRI magnets used in most clinical studies have been 1.5T or 3T machines, with NIHs two 7T machines at the upper end of research scanner use. When the 11.7T machine becomes ready for use with human patients, scientists will have to develop protocols to help people slowly adjust to the strong magnetic fields, or else they may experience vertigo; that was a lesson from the 7T machines. With higher field strength we get three things, Bandettini said. First, increased signal or sensitivity. Second, increased tissue and function contrast. And third, unanticipated types of contrast that were previously not seen at lower field strengths. Its this third element where we dont know what to expect, he explained. However we have a good idea for the most part. With these gains, we can either go to higher resolution or image faster as we wont need as much averaging. Its almost analogous to creating a telescope with a larger lens that gathers light more efficiently. It might turn out that at 7T, we were just below some sensitivity threshold, stopping us from seeing a wide range of functional organization and biomarkers for disorders. This is one of the exciting partslooking into the unknown. Wed love to do whole-brain layer-specific functional MRI, added Bandettini. Rather than just mapping 1 cm blobs of activation, as is done in most fMRI, we may start to be able to differentiate activation between upper and lower layers of the cortical sheath throughout the entire brain, which may open up qualitatively new and more detail-rich functional connectivity information. The new magnets higher field strength, he said, will be much more sensitive to subtle deposits of iron and other metals that are related to some brain disorders. NINDS is the lead institute on the new magnet, including principal investigators Dr. Alan Koretsky and Dr. Jeff Duyn. The magnet itself was originally made by Agilent but then remanufactured by a company in Milan, Italy, called ASG. The console for the magnetthe computer system that generates and analyzes the NMR signals used in MRIis made by Siemens. Fabrication of signal detectors and integration of these within the system will be done by scientists in the NMR center. A video of the delivery can be viewed at https://youtu.be/BeFoeBfKKL0. Hill Lecture on Controlling HIV Pandemic Set for Apr. 30 HIV physician-scientist Dr. Diane Havlir will give the 2019 James C. Hill Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, Apr. 30 at 3 p.m. in Lipsett Amphitheater, Bldg. 10. Her talk, Ending AIDS: The Wild West, will examine strategies used to control the HIV epidemic in San Francisco and rural western Uganda and Kenya, highlighting insights from each approach. Havlir is chief of HIV, infectious disease and global medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, where she directs the renowned HIV clinic Ward 86. She also is professor and associate chair of clinical research in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. In addition, she chairs the United Nations AIDS scientific and technical advisory committee, which provides guidance for global action on HIV/AIDS. In 2014, Havlir co-founded San Francisco: Getting to Zero, a city-wide initiative to eliminate new HIV infections and HIV-related deaths. She also leads a large clinical trial called SEARCH in Uganda and Kenya in which everyone in participating communities was tested for HIVprimarily at multi-disease health fairsand those who tested positive were offered immediate access to HIV care and treatment. The study found that this approach helped communities surpass UNAIDS targets for HIV diagnosis, treatment and viral suppression and improved overall population health. In her lecture, Havlir will discuss how the Getting to Zero program has helped cut San Franciscos HIV incidence in half over 5 years and the need for new strategies to boost population-level viral suppression further. She also will describe the effect in the SEARCH study of integrating HIV testing with screening for other diseases and the lessons this offers for San Francisco and beyond. The Hill Lecture series is dedicated to the memory of former NIAID deputy director Dr. James C. Hill, who played a critical role in shaping NIAIDs HIV/AIDS research agenda during the early years of the epidemic. (Bloomberg) -- Follow @Brexit, sign up to our Brexit Bulletin, and tell us your Brexit story. As Swedish prosecutors consider re-opening a probe into rape allegations against Julian Assange, it sets up a test of just how tangled the post-Brexit legal system is about to become. British police arrested the 47-year-old Assange last week, ending his seven-year stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. American authorities promptly asked the U.K. to extradite Assange to face charges related to the disclosure of secret government documents. An extradition request from Sweden could delay that case if British authorities decide to prioritize a nine-year-old rape allegation that originally sent Assange into hiding. Sweden issued an arrest warrant for Assange in 2010. He fought the extradition up to the U.K. Supreme Court, where he lost in 2012. While he was out on bail in that case, Assange sought asylum in Ecuadors embassy. As the years dragged on, Swedish prosecutors dropped the investigation because it had become impossible to pursue the probe in his absence. After Assanges arrest last week, a lawyer for one victim asked the Swedish prosecutor to re-open the investigation. I will of course continue to fight for my client to receive justice and reparation, the lawyer, Elisabeth Massi Fritz, said by email. Not many people think about the issue that theres a plaintiff, a woman, who has lived with trauma now for many years. Lawyers for Assange didnt reply to emails seeking comment. The rape case relates to a woman who said Assange had sex with her while she was asleep, according to a 2011 London court ruling. Assange has always maintained the relationship was consensual. If Sweden does seek Assange, U.K. Home Secretary Sajid Javid would choose which request to address first. The secretary would have to weigh factors including the seriousness of the offenses and the date each warrant was issued, according to U.K. extradition law. Story continues Last week, more than 70 U.K. lawmakers, mostly from the opposition Labour party, signed a letter urging Javid to prioritize any Swedish request over the U.S. We must send a strong message of the priority the U.K. has in tackling sexual violence, according to the letter, written by Labour MP Stella Creasy and signed by lawmakers including the Independent Groups Anna Soubry and Jo Swinson of the Liberal Democrats. Diane Abbott, Labours shadow home secretary, later replied to the letter to say the British government should extradite Assange to Sweden to face rape charges if the country makes a request. Assange previously fought going to Sweden because he feared proceedings there would lead to a U.S. extradition request. Since the Americans have made a request in the U.K., he may no longer have a motivation to stay away from Sweden. The risk of being extradited from Sweden to the U.S. isnt larger than from the U.K. said Sven-Erik Alhem, a former chief public prosecutor in Sweden. The U.K. may find the Swedish option compelling. A rape charge would be serious and would have a deadline in August 2020 when the statue of limitation will limit prosecution. Extradition to Sweden could also be much speedier if Assange is processed under current European Union rules, according to Thomas Garner, an extradition lawyer at Gherson. Brexit Battle Still, no matter how fast the process goes, it could collide with the U.K.s exit from the European Union. If the British Parliament approves the current withdrawal agreement, then the U.K. will maintain the status quo through the end of 2020. Thats likely enough time to deal with any Swedish request even if it were drawn out in court. But if theres a no-deal Brexit, all bets are off. The political confusion would open up a litany of opportunities for Assanges lawyers to challenge the legal standing of Swedens extradition request, according to Rebecca Niblock, a partner who specializes in extradition at Kingsley Napley. The whole Brexit thing is bad for lawyers in the long term, but in the short term were quite excited about all the things well be able to argue, Niblock said. Delay, Delay, Delay Once in Sweden, Assange would have multiple legal avenues to challenge his extradition to the U.S., all of which would take time, according to Nick Vamos, a partner at law firm Peters & Peters who was previously head of extradition at the U.K.s Crown Prosecution Service. In order for Sweden to extradite Assange to the U.S., the country would need consent from the U.K. Assange could fight both Swedens attempt to extradite him, as well as the U.K.s consent. It would just create legal complexity, which creates legal delay, which may be to his advantage, Vamos said in a phone interview. The longer Assange delays, the more likely it is that U.K. politics could shift in his favor. If Sweden tried to extradite Assange to the U.S. it would need consent from the secretary of state. For now, thats Javid, an Assange critic. Any extradition to the U.S. would also need to be approved by the Swedish government. By the time Assange makes his way through the Swedish courts, that could change. Javids replacement could be the Labour Partys Abbott, who spoke out against the American pursuit of whistle blowers. To contact the reporters on this story: William Mathis in London at wmathis2@bloomberg.net;Amanda Billner in Stockholm at abillner@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anthony Aarons at aaarons@bloomberg.net, Niklas Magnusson For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2019 Bloomberg L.P. A comedian tipped to take over Ukraine's presidency vowed on Friday to dismantle the old political system as he went head-to-head with his incumbent rival in an extraordinary stadium debate before this weekend's vote. Polls show Volodymyr Zelensky, a 41-year-old standup comic with no political experience, handily defeating President Petro Poroshenko in a second-round of voting on Sunday. The hour-long debate at Kiev's Olympic Stadium capped a weeks-long sensational campaign in a war-torn country seen as a buffer between the European Union and Russia. "I am not a politician," said Zelensky, opening the first and only policy debate of the presidential race. "I am just a simple person who has come to break down this system," he added. "I am the result of your mistakes and promises," he told the 53-year-old president as the spectators clapped and jeered. The television star's bid was initially dismissed as a joke but he leapfrogged establishment candidates amid frustration over corruption, economic trouble and a conflict with Moscow-backed insurgents in the country's east. Police said more than 20,000 spectators were in attendance. - Theatrics and showmanship - At times Poroshenko -- who wore a suit but no tie -- seemed more confident but the consummate showman Zelensky dominated the head-to-head, often putting the Ukrainian leader on the defensive. Dressed in a smart suit, Zelensky delivered a strong performance in which he demonstrated his trademark showmanship and a bit of theatrics, flashing victory signs and peppering his speech with catchy slogans. At one point he went on one knee in honour of those who died in the war with insurgents, prompting Poroshenko to do the same. The rivals opened the debate on a positive note by shaking hands but quickly launched mutual attacks. Behind them stood their wives, teams and backers including fatigue-clad servicemen who supported Poroshenko. The Ukrainian leader attacked the inexperience of the untested Zelensky and said he tried to be many things to many people. "We only have a beautiful, bright sweet wrapper in which everyone can find what he is looking for," said an emotional Poroshenko. He slammed Zelensky for avoiding active-duty military service and added he would not be able to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "An actor without any experience whatsoever cannot lead a war against an aggressor." Poroshenko also zeroed in on Zelensky's ties to controversial tycoon Igor Kolomoysky whose TV channel broadcasts the comedian's shows. Zelensky said the self-exiled tycoon would go to jail if he violated any laws. - 'Poroshenko lost' - Many observers said the comic won the debate. "Poroshenko lost," author and producer Illarion Pavliuk said on Facebook. "Whether you like it or not." Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the event a "circus". The debate brought to a close a race that has at times descended into farce as the candidates exchanged insults and underwent drug tests. A survey released Thursday showed Zelensky winning 73 percent of the vote against 27 percent for Poroshenko. Supporters credit Poroshenko -- who took power after a popular uprising in 2014 -- with rebuilding the army, securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia and winning visa-free travel to Europe. However, he won just over half of Zelensky's vote share in the first round of the presidential election last month. The stakes are high for the country of 45 million people which dreams of joining the European Union one day. Ukraine is mired in a smouldering conflict with separatists in the industrial east that has claimed 13,000 lives. The West is closely watching the race amid concern that a new government might undo years of reforms. The main risks associated with a Zelensky presidency are "policy incoherence stemming from inexperience" and "undue influence from oligarchs or Russians," a former Western diplomat told AFP. Polls show comedian Volodymyr Zelensky (R) handily defeating President Petro Poroshenko in a second-round of voting on Sunday Poroshenko (l) and Zelensky traded barbs Comedian Zelensky takes a knee during the debate Key socio-economic indicators for Ukraine, which holds second round of presidential elections on April 21 Poroshenko warned it would be "very risky to experiment with the post of the president" because of the war with Russia French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, drawing a sharp rebuke from Turkey's foreign ministry. Macron assured the Kurdish envoys of French support in their fight against the remaining jihadists, but Ankara accused the French leader of "seeking to confer artificial legitimacy on a faction of terrorist groups". "We condemn the reception by French President Emmanuel Macron of a delegation of so-called 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF)," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in the statement. In late March the US-backed SDF flushed out IS fighters from their last bastion in Syria but Kurdish-led force still warns that the jihadists remain a threat in places. The SDF is an umbrella Kurdish-Arab force dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG). It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group. Macron assured the visiting SDF representatives, who were not named, of the "active support of France in the fight against Daesh which continues to be a menace for collective security," the presidency said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Particularly important is the support in the "handling of terrorist fighters held as prisoners along with their families". European capitals are keeping a careful eye on the IS prisoners held by the SDF after the defeat of the jihadists, given many are dual nationals. Macron also vowed that financial support would be allocated to "respond to the humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilisation of civilian populations in Syria." The SDF were the West's key ally in defeating IS and waged the bulk of the fighting on the ground. But they fear being abandoned by their patrons now Islamic State has been beaten, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from Syria. France's past contacts with the SDF's Syrian Kurds had already angered Turkey which regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a 35-year insurrection against the Turkish state. Macron on Friday made clear of the importance to Paris of "the security of Turkey and a de-escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border," the French presidency said. But Aksoy said Macron's move did not sit well with the French-Turkish alliance, and warned that "Turkey will not hesitate to take measures deemed necessary to protect its national security". Members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) attend the funeral of an SDF Arab fighter who was killed in fighting in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor province The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters is supported by western powers including the United States and France Interesting Reply Thread Link "which I personally think is really fun and awesome" Same Reply Thread Link LOVE HA! Reply Thread Link I love how she feels she has to add all these caveats to try to head off the offended mobs who like a Friday night bottle of wine and think shes making some kind of sweeping judgement about them. It wont work, love. Theyll still kick up. I couldnt have gotten through raising a kid without alcohol, tbh. Reply Thread Link I was going to link either the US Weekly or People Mag article but their headlines/the comments below were nasty. Mommy bloggers kinda scare me lol. Reply Parent Thread Link The only piece of advice I ever give pregnant women or new mothers is to avoid anywhere parents congregate online like the plague. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Wine obsessed mommies are the worst. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link That was what happened the first time she said it. It is insane how defensive drinkers get about others going tee-total (I say as a drinker). Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sounds like she's recognized some really unhealthy behaviours in herself and is working on them. Good for her. I'm pretty much done with alcohol unless it's in cooking. I think alcohol tastes terrible so I was just drinking to get drunk and I decided I didn't need that in my life. Reply Thread Link A five day hangover? That's insane. Reply Thread Link Ive had a three day one from patron silver once, Ive never touched that shit since then. Reply Parent Thread Link I cannot remember when I had that experience with alcohol other than strong weed hangover or DxM, it took away the entire 3-day weekend in my early 20s. It was otherworldly Reply Parent Thread Link the interior photos look great, but that cover... Reply Thread Link Its horrendous, it looks like an outtake from her catwoman promo. That other pic is beautiful tho, she has great eyes. Reply Parent Thread Link she really does! i've always thought she carries a smoky eye exceptionally well. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link the cover is atrocious. i think they under-lit her face and tried to bring it up in post, then dodged (lightened) her right eye so it glows out of the shadow even more. bad lighting and bad editing is a bleh combo. Reply Parent Thread Link I was talking to my friends about this at dinner and they think I'm crazy but when I get drunk I get too sloppy and that shit was cute when I was 19 or 20 but I'm too old to be getting so drunk I have to be carried to a room... like it's NAGL so I've cut myself off from alcohol all together. Edited at 2019-04-19 12:04 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link i've been unintentionally avoiding my friends to stay sober. maybe i'm doing it wrong...? what do sober people without children do aside from get more sleep and save more money anyway? Reply Parent Thread Link lol true. I mean I still go out, like I went to a bar last weekend but I literally won't drink. Which... sucks but I refuse to because I don't know when to cut myself off. I'll prob give in and start drinking again but for now I'm done. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Exercise lol. Ive been avoiding my friends too. This one bitch says shes cutting back but then id see her story every week getting wasted And then complain abt her weight like gee I wonder why Reply Parent Thread Expand Link If yall ever feel like youre drinking when you dont want to AA is seriously awesome. I know theres a lot of perception baggage that comes with it but its great Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I get it. If I drink AT ALL now I'll get a hangover, and I really hate doing anything with a hangover if it involves getting out of my bed. You can't sleep in or lay around on the couch if you have a kid. The physical pain of having to be up and dealing with a child with a hangover would be enough for me to quit drinking. Reply Thread Link Im almost 30 and Ive alcohol about 6 times in my life. Oop I credit that and my melanin for why I havent aged in the face since 17. Reply Thread Link How much was she drinking that she had a hangover that lasts for 5 days? Reply Thread Link She said this that I'm aware of: "I'd earned it: it was a day drinking session with friends that went into an evening birthday party with one of my drinking buddies. I will never be that person who can nurse a glass of wine throughout an entire evening." Edited at 2019-04-19 01:57 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link That makes sense. Reply Parent Thread Link She seems very sweet and aware of herself and what she needs to do. That last post where she mentioned her new sobriety was weird and slightly judgy and nagl. I'm glad she's figuring how to live her life and be there for her kid. Good vibes to ha! Reply Thread Link 5 day hangovers?! fuck I'd give up drinking too Reply Thread Link Probably too much wine. Red wine gives me the worst headache. Reply Parent Thread Link Itd get me pass the fuck out from one bottle alone than my 20s. Plus my taste buds changed as if I no longer drink any cheap wine anymore which is crazy bc red wine is healthier to me. Not much a bad hangover bc I typically drank water prior to drinking alcohol. Reply Parent Thread Link Red wine cures my headaches! Reply Parent Thread Link A recent Bloomberg headline must have made many who saw it wonder if its Aprils Fools Day for the second time this year. The headline said Namaste, Oil Drillers: Yoga Mats Debut at Texas Industry Meeting and despite its Onion style, the story below it suggested the oil and gas industry is changing in more ways than one as it seeks to transform public perceptions. Hart Energys idea to facilitate additional networking through yoga classes in the morning before the sessions of the DUG Permian Basin conference may not have attracted many followers, according to the Bloomberg report on the novelty, but it is an indication of a trend that was most explicitly demonstrated by the American petroleum Institutes This Aint Your Daddys Oil commercial for the Superbowl in 2017. The oil industry has accumulated a lot of negativity over the decades, and with the rise of the climate change lobby this negativity has grown exponentially. As Big Oil majors pledge more money for cleaner energy and reducing their carbon footprints, protests mount against the industry, the most recent ones in London, with people gluing themselves to doors to make politicians take more decisive action to curb environmental damage. Not surprisingly, an EY report from a couple of years ago found millennials and digital nativesthe generation that comes after the millennialsare not particularly fond of the job opportunities the fossil fuel industry is offering. Not that there have been too many of these in the post-2014 oil and gas world, but the industry is recovering and it is hiring. Related: Scientists Find Oil-Eating Superbacteria On Bottom Of The Ocean EY warned in the report that the oil and gas industry was facing a talent crisis because of negative attitudes towards it: only a little over a quarter of digital natives, also called Gen Zs, found a career path in oil and gas appealing. Among millennials, things looked a little better, with 45 percent seeing such a career path as appealing. An EY executive commenting on the findings said at the time, Younger generations perceptions of oil and gas are leading them elsewhere. There are a couple of contributing factors to these views: a disconnect between what oil and gas executives think young people want from a career and what they actually want, a lack of awareness about the industry and the careers that power it, and a substantial gender gap. Young womens views on jobs in oil and gas are particularly concerning. Luckily for the industry, generations change in the oil and gas industry, too. One attendant at the Hart Energy event in Texas this week told Bloomberg Weve got a bunch of old dinosaurs that are retiring. I think our industry is evolving. Indeed, the industry is evolving, and while offering yoga classes is only a small (and possibly effective) part of this evolution, the rising investments on renewable energy, storage, and EV charging, are a much bigger part. Related: Chinas Newest Oil Hotspot Is In Americas Backyard While protesters in London accuse oil companies of something they have called ecocide and activist investors are pushing companies to divest their holdings in Big Oil, the latter is doubling down on its efforts to clean up its act and its image. Shell, for one, recently unveiled plans to become the worlds largest power utility in the not too distant future. Its peers have been spending on wind and solar, on EV charging and batteries, and on carbon capturing and emissions reduction. The current protests, truth be told, are mostly making noise rather than offering a constructive way of tackling climate change more aggressively. However, their intensity suggests the oil and gas industry will have to do a lot more than spend a couple of billion on wind, solar, energy storage and yoga classes at industry events to win back the trust of the public. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: And the timing is interesting, too: It comes amid a tough drive towards environmentally responsible investments that are threatening to drive massive flows of money out of the industry. But the massive Aramco bond sale and the Chevron deal are evidence that there is still plenty of money in the space and this wont be the only big oil deal this year ... Theres nothing more exciting to oil watchers than a sudden surge in big deal-making transforming the shape of the market. Chevrons plan to acquire Anadarko for $33 billion isnt a big deal - its a huge deal. It is a deal that is far more significant than the $33 billion figure that has dominated the headlines. This has the potential to snowball far and wide as Chevron becomes one of the top four dogs and puts the other supermajors under pressure to respond. Libyan oil is still flowing - for now - but a stoppage is becoming increasingly likely as General Haftars advance on Tripoli hits a few snags thanks to militia paid for by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). What happens next in Libya has the potential to take more oil off the market, exciting speculators and driving oil prices higher. But the real war here is playing out between OPEC and American shale; and the latter is having a banner week, solidified by the biggest merger deal in years ... Libyan oil is still flowing - for now - but a stoppage is becoming increasingly likely as General Haftars advance on Tripoli hits a few snags thanks to militia paid for by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). What happens next in Libya has the potential to take more oil off the market, exciting speculators and driving oil prices higher. But the real war here is playing out between OPEC and American shale; and the latter is having a banner week, solidified by the biggest merger deal in years ... Oil Story of the Week: The Mega-Merger Theres nothing more exciting to oil watchers than a sudden surge in big deal-making transforming the shape of the market. Chevrons plan to acquire Anadarko for $33 billion isnt a big deal - its a huge deal. It is a deal that is far more significant than the $33 billion figure that has dominated the headlines. This has the potential to snowball far and wide as Chevron becomes one of the top four dogs and puts the other supermajors under pressure to respond. And the timing is interesting, too: It comes amid a tough drive towards environmentally responsible investments that are threatening to drive massive flows of money out of the industry. But the massive Aramco bond sale and the Chevron deal are evidence that there is still plenty of money in the space and this wont be the only big oil deal this year ... The Permian is the hottest spot in the US shale patch right now, and expectations of more mergers and acquisitions are clearly not unreasonable. Its becoming a relatively crowded space now, with everyone eager to snap up a piece of the low-cost underdeveloped basin that spans Texas and New Mexico. Yet as the lowest-cost plots dry up, drillers are forced to settle for higher-cost deposits at a time in which there is little to no certainty where international prices will go next as OPEC and Russia fight to preserve their market shares in the face of growing U.S. production. The significance of higher production costs in the context of an increasingly active M&A space becomes more pronounced when the debt factor is added. Most U.S. shale players have notoriously high levels of debt; so high in fact, many of them are burning through cash despite the higher WTI prices, still incapable of turning a profit. With that in mind, further consolidation seems a logical progression - as it always is in times when lower costs are essential. Renewables Story of the Week: Energy Metals Set To Soar New research shows incredibly tight supply for energy metals looming as early as 2022, based on demand for EVs, solar arrays, wind turbines and infrastructure. While the Paris Climate Agreement may have dampened fossil fuels opportunities, it has made up for that in new metals opportunities. Demand for energy metals is expected to outstrip current production by 2022, according to the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures. That means its time for investors to start seriously looking into metals, including cobalt, nickel, lithium, copper, aluminum, silver and rare earths, with supplies of cobalt and lithium being the biggest openings in terms of demand, and with EV batteries still driving the biggest demand. One development that will rain on the cobalt supply parade is Glencores resumption of cobalt exports from its mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it was ordered to halt operations in January when traces of uranium were discovered in its metal production. Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict - The situation on the ground in Libya is now showing signs of a much wider conflict with rival external powers, as anticipated. Haftars foreign supporters have had to show their cards in rejecting a UN call for a ceasefire in Tripoli. Libyas interior minister (of the UN-backed GNA government) has ended security cooperation with France over this. Both the US and Russia have refused to support the UNs call for a ceasefire. We will be closely monitoring the situation with regard to Italian Eni and French Total in Libya. They may have signed agreements with the NOC, but at the end of the day, Haftar controls the oil and has the support of both countries. - Mass protests again renewed in the streets of Algeria, and there are signs that the military may be losing its patience with demonstrators calling for much more sweeping changes at the top. - The United Conservative party won the vote in Alberta, promising greater pressure on British Columbia and Ottawa for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. - Climate change protests are rocking London, with people deliberately getting themselves arrested for entering restricted areas and gluing themselves to doors in an attempt to force more decision action from politicians. - Russia has declared its continued support for Venezuela and Cuba, with its Deputy Foreign Minister saying the U.S. sanctions against the two are illegal. This could spark off another round of trade war games as the EU threatens to sue the U.S. at the World Trade Organization (WTO). - Not only has Russia declared its continued support for the Maduro regime, but reports also emerged Friday that Maduro is getting cash from oil sales out of the country with help from Russian state oil giant Rosneft, avoiding sanctions that prevent clients from buying oil from state-run PDVSA with dollars. The scheme was exposed by Reuters, and will ratchet up the conflict between Moscow and Washington significantly. - Keep an eye on Saudi Arabias potential to make an unprecedented positive move towards Israel, which would be a major game-changer for the region and further isolate Iran, while also currying massive favor with Washington as the Crown Prince gradually succeeds in burying the Khashoggi affair. Deals, Mergers & Acquisitions - ConocoPhillips has agreed to sell its UK subsidiaries for nearly $2.7 billion to North Sea oil and gas producer Chrysaor E&P. Why is this significant? Because its the biggest deal of this nature outside of the U.S. for the year. Conoco will hang on to its London-based commercial trading business and its 40% interest in the Teesside oil terminal, which is also operations with gas from the North Sea. - Saudi Aramco is negotiating the acquisition of a 25% stake in the refining and petrochemicals production businesses of Indias Reliance Industries. The deal could be worth between $10 and $15 billion as the Saudi company seeks to ensure markets for its future oil production. The acquisition is also part of a spending plan by Saudi Arabia for India that could be worth $100 billion over the next two years, as per a statement by Crown Prince Mohammed. - Separately, the Saudi company acquired a 17% interest in South Koreas Hyundai Oilbank, one of the countrys top refiners, for $1.2 billion. The deal between Aramco and the parent company of Oilbank, Hyundai Heavy Industries, also includes an option for the further acquisition of 2.9% in the refiner. Aramco will likely use the option as earlier this year it announced plans to invest $1.6 billion in the company. - Toshiba is looking for buyers for its U.S. LNG business once again after Chinese ENN, which had agreed to buy the business dropped it due to failure to secure the necessary shareholder agreement and approval from U.S. authorities controlling foreign investments. The Japanese conglomerate hopes to finalize a sale by March next year. - Sono, the German startup, is partnering with National Electric Vehicle Sweden to build the first series production solar-powered electric vehicle at Saab's former plant in Sweden. Production will launch next year, with an output of approximately 43,000 cars a year and a total of 260,000 vehicles over an eight-year period. Tenders, Auctions & Contracts - Equinor won exploration licenses for seven offshore blocks in Argentina as well as production licenses for five of these. Exxon, in partnership with Qatar Petroleum, got licenses for three of the blocks during the offshore tender. In total, Argentina received bids from 13 companies with the licenses awarded amounting to investments of $995 million. This is the first offshore licensing round for the South American country. - Qatar Petroleum has invited three consortia to bid for the construction of new liquefaction trains at its offshore North Field, the largest gas deposit in the world. Qatar shares the North Field with Iran. The sultanate last year lifted a moratorium on new drilling at the North Field and announced a production boost plan as Australia began breathing down its neck and even overtook it in November as the worlds top LNG exporter. - Brazil is holding an offshore auction in October for four blocks that make up part of the now notorious transfer-of-rights area in Brazils Santos basin, in the presalt zone. The blocks hold an estimated 10 billion barrels of oil. Participants in the auction will need to pay a total signing bonus of almost $27 billion. - BP has closed a three-year framework agreement with an independent Chinese refiner for the supply of crude oil. Under the deal, Shandong Tianhong Chemicals will receive 8 million barrels of crude produced by the supermajor beginning this year. Discovery & Development - As Exxon cleans house in Guyana, it just announced its 13th oil discovery offshore in the Stabroek Block, which it is exploring with partner, Hess. Thats three discoveries in the same are for Exxon this year alone. - Norways Equinor launched production at an offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea that will supply power to Germany. The farm, Equinors fourth for the last seven years, is large enough to produce power for 400,000 households, with a capacity of 385 MW. The Norwegian oil and gas major operates the facility in partnership with German utility E.on. - Mexicos Petrobras plans to drill 20 wells this year as part of its push to reverse falling oil production. Most of the new wells will be drilled offshore, in shallow waters. The new government of Mexico earlier this year said it would inject $5 billion into the troubled company that had amassed a substantial debt in the last few years and struggled with falling production despite a string of auctions organized by the previous government. Now, auctions have been suspended while the current government reviews contracts with foreign oil and gas companies. - Vermillion Energy, a Canadian company, plans to drill its first two exploration wells in a country not known for its natural resources but for its tourist locations: Croatia. Vermillion won four exploration licenses in Croatia in 2015. The company has some data confirming the presence of gas in the block that it will drill now but drilling will show whether or not it is enough for commercial production. - BP will increase its capital expenditure on onshore operations in the United States to $2-2.5 billion this year, which is more than double on the U.S. onshore capex of the supermajor for 2018. BP recently finalized the acquisition of BHPs U.S. shale operations, joining the hordes of shale devotees. - More big numbers for the European wind sector have just come out: The industry invested $30.05 billion in new wind farms last year. That is similar to the previous year; however, due to cost reductions in offshore wind, this equates to the financing of a record 16.7GW of new wind capacity. The UK was the biggest investor, followed by Sweden. In total, the Europe invested $73 billion in the wind industry last year. Company News - Saipem reported this week a 28% increase in core profits, to $309 million despite acknowledging that the situation in the industry remained uncertain. - Kinder Morgan reported a net profit of $556 million for the4 first quarter of the year, which was a 15% improvement on the year, resulting from higher natural gas transportation volumes. Russia and Saudi Arabias cooperation is set to continue, Ibrahim al-Muhanna, Saudi energy advisor, said on Friday, in hopes of allaying the lingering fears that Russia is itching to get out from under the deal that has restricted its crude oil production. Russias finance minister last weekend hinted that Russia may fight America for its share of the oil market by bailing on the OPEC dealeven doing so lowers the price of oil. The statement sparked fear in the oil market that the agreement forged with OPEC was drawing to a premature close. Russia has yet to decrease production to the level that it agreed to for its deal with OPEC and other nonOPEC signatories to the deal. While Russia was upfront about its inability to instantly reduce production to its quota under the deal, it said it would reach those levels by end of March or early April. Russias crude oil production in April stood at 11.24 million barrels per day, still slightly off its promised level of 11.191 million bpd. Todays words may give the market more confidence in the cartel and companys stick-to-itiveness to do whatever it takes to balance the oil market. Cooperation will continue between Russia and Saudi Arabia. It is the core of OPEC+ cooperation, al-Muhanna said today at the International Oil Summit in Paris. While this cooperation continues, Russia and Saudi Arabia are often at odds over publicly spoken words regarding the balance in the oil market and when the deal will again be reviewed. The current production cut deal is for now scheduled to end in June, with the two finding themselves once again with differing opinions on whether the deal should go beyond June, and if so, for how long and at what volume. The signatories to the deal are for now taking a wait and see approach, with many geopolitical variables that need to be considered, mostly notably possible supply disruptions in Libya, Iran, and Venezuela. Al-Muhanna said on Friday that he expected the oil market to be well balanced. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Imports of crude oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast dived to their lowest level in almost three decades last week, due to OPECs production cuts, unusually low Iraqi shipments, and congestion on the Houston Ship Channel from a tank farm fire last month. According to weekly preliminary U.S. government data, cited by Bloomberg, the Gulf Coasts crude imports were just 1.4 million bpd last week, with imports from Iraq at only 5,000 bpd. The shipments from Iraq were at their lowest since August 2015, when the U.S. didnt import any Iraqi crude oil. The low volumes from Iraq, plus the Saudi tactic to focus on cutting exports to the U.S. in a bid to draw down the most transparently reported oil inventories in the world, resulted in U.S. imports from its top six suppliers from OPEC dropping to below 1 million bpd last week. This was the first time such imports have dropped to below the 1-million-bpd mark in data going back to 2010, according to Bloomberg. Apart from the reduced imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the fire at the Intercontinental Terminals Companys (ITC) petrochemical storage site at Deer Park, Texas, in the middle of March blazed for days and halted some ship traffic at the Houston port, and continued to disrupt tanker traffic into the U.S. Gulf Coast for weeks. Earlier this month, the U.S. Coast Guard restricted outbound traffic at the Houston Ship Channel, due to storms that had suspended cleaning-up after the fire and the chemical spill. On Wednesday, the EIA reported a 1.4-million-barrel crude draw in the week to April 12, accompanied by a draw in gasoline stockpiles. The key driver behind the draw was the fall in weekly crude oil imports, Warren Patterson, Head of Commodities Strategy at ING, said on Thursday, noting that the total U.S. drop of 607,000 bpd week-on-week to average 5.99 million bpd was driven by the Gulf Coast, and likely reflects the disruptions in shipping we have seen in Houston in recent weeks. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: American refiners are preparing for a busy overhaul season in the second quarter of the year as the entry into effect of the new International Maritime Organizations emission rules approaches. Reuters cites data from the Energy Information Administration that total U.S. production of refined production has fallen 8.5 percent since the start of the year, suggesting it has yet to fall further. The aim is to avoid the need for maintenance closures ahead of winter this year. The new IMO emission rules cap sulfur emissions from bunkering fuel at 0.5 percent, which is a substantial reduction on the current 3.5-percent cap. As a result, refiners have raced to prepare for the demand for new, lower-sulfur fuels. Many see the upcoming changes as the most important to hit the refining industry in quite a while. Last month, the International Energy Agency said in its annual Oil 2019 report, The 2020 IMO marine regulation change is one of the most dramatic ever seen to product specifications, although the shipping and refining industries have had several years notice. In the immediate term, this spells even higher gasoline and diesel prices for U.S. drivers, adding to a 26-percent increase in gasoline prices at the pump since the start of 2019. They will push (winter) turnarounds later into 2020 to take advantage of that margin bump from the switch to IMO 2020, an associate at IHS Markit told Reuters, commenting on refiners plans to move maintenance and overhauls to the second quarter of the year. Reuters notes that usually, the second quarter is the time when refiners increase their output of gasoline and diesel in anticipation of peak demand season during the summer. This year, however, according to IHS Markits Susan Bell, as much as 1 million bpd in refining capacity could be shut in for maintenance. This will certainly push prices even higher. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A suspected cultist and kidnap kingpin, Edidiong Bill, popularly known as Barrister, yesterday narrated how his father stole from the ransom he collected when he took the money home. 36 years old Barrister who was paraded by the police before newsmen in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, confessed that he orchestrated three kidnapping cases but succeeded in one. According to him, N4.5million was paid as ransom but lamented that his father stole N3.8 million when he took the cash home for safe-keeping. He said: I kidnapped the lady at Akpan Essien Street in Uyo and kept her in an uncompleted building at Obio Etoi, in Uyo and N4.5million was later paid as ransom. I dont use to stay with my father but on that particular day, I went home with the money and hid it in the house, but I later found out that my father had stolen N3.8million from the total cash. The suspect, who the police described as a gang leader, claimed that he was jailed for a similar crime in 2014. The state police command said that Barrister was arrested when his kidnapping ring was busted at Afaha Effiat community in Etinan local government area. The police described him as one of the most wanted gang leaders of the Vikings Confraternity. He allegedly masterminded several kidnappings and armed robbery activities on the Etinan-Uyo and Calabar Itu head bridge. Parading Barrister and several other criminals yesterday at the Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia in Uyo, the state capital, the commissioner of police (CP), Mr. Zaki Ahmed, said the syndicates were smashed based on intelligence reports. Invest In Social Force & Get 50% Click HERE >> To Buy Cheap MTN & GLO Data Click HERE >> No fewer than eight Nigerians have been sentenced to death in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates(UAE) for robberies at money exchanges and cash machines(ATMs) across the emirate in December 2016. The ninth Nigerian, found guilty for possession of stolen money was sentenced to six months imprisonment. He will be deported after serving his prison term. The Gulf News reported that the Nigerian denied the charge against him and said that one of the accuseds brothers asked him to transfer Dh60,000 to an account in Nigeria. All the convicted Nigerians were not identified by both the Gulf News and Khaleej Times, all local newspapers, which reported the trial. Post Views: 87 President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian workers to justify the new N30,000 National Minimum wage by showing more commitments to their work. President Buhari stated this shortly after signing the national minimum wage bill into law in Abuja on Thursday. He also enjoined the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to show more understanding of the current socio-economic situations in the country. He said: I expect them (workers) to be more committed to their work at whichever level. I will like the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to look at the economic situation of the country, the population, the poor infrastructure that we are trying to fix in terms of roads, rail and power. So, I wish Nigerian workers the best of luck. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, had earlier told State House correspondents on Thursday in Abuja that the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage just signed into law by President Buhari would take effect from April 18. According to him, the bill now makes it mandatory for employers of labour in both public and private organisations to pay N30, 000 as minimum wage. He said: You can see me smiling on behalf of Nigerian workers. President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Minimum Wage Repel and Enactment Act, 2019. This makes it compulsory for all employers of labour in Nigeria to pay to their workers the sum of N30, 000. This excludes persons who are employing less than 25 workers, persons who work in a ship which sails out of jurisdiction and other persons who are in other kinds of regulated employment which are accepted by the Act. It also gives workers the right, if you are compelled by any circumstance to accept salary that is less than N30, 000, to sue your employer to recover the balance. It also authorises the minister of labour and any person nominated by the minister or any person designated by the minister of labour in any ministry, department or agency to on your behalf, take action in your name against such employer to recover the balance of your wages. According to the presidential aide, the bill ensures and mandates the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the minister or labour, to be the chief and principal enforcers of the provisions of this law. This law applies to all agencies, persons and bodies throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Enang enjoined Nigerian workers to continue to support the president and his administrations policies in return for the gesture. Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has called on Christians in the state and beyond to use the Easter celebration to positively touch on the lives of others, especially the less privileged in the society. In a statement in Owerri on Friday, he also urged them to show love to one another, bearing in mind that Jesus died on the Cross because of the love he had for mankind. The governor further urged that in celebrating Easter, Christians should be conscious of what the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies and shuns selfishness Read Also: Why I want to go to Senate by Okorocha He also called on the Christians to eschew hatred as demonstrated by Jesus who died on the cross for the redemption of mankind. The governor also appealed to Christians to pray earnestly for the nation and its democracy, so that Nigeria could take its rightful place in the comity of democratic nations of the world. He wished Imo people and all lovers of peace and progress hitch-free Easter celebration and prayed that Imo people would live to witness more celebrations. NAN Pope Francis and the celebrities Pope Francis has surprised many after saying that anyone who discards gay people doesnt have a human heart. His words moved British comedian Stephen K. Amos to tears, the Pope also urged Stephen and other visiting celebrities to pray for him so he can do his job better. In tomorrows (Fridays) episode of the BBC2 series Pilgrimage: The Road To Rome, Londoner Stephen, 51, is among stars shown having audiences with Pope Francis in Rome. Others include Brendan Cole, Lesley Joseph and Les Dennis. Stephen told the Pope: I lost my mother, three months ago I buried my twin sister, who were both very religious. So me coming on this pilgrimage, being non-religious, I was looking for answers and faith. But as a gay man, I dont feel accepted. Francis replied carefully: Giving more importance to the adjective [gay] rather than the noun [man], this is not good. We are all human beings and have dignity. It does not matter who you are, or how you live your life you do not lose your dignity. There are people that prefer to select or discard people because of the adjective. These people dont have a human heart. He added: For those of you who are believers, pray for me. For those of you who do not believe, could you wish me a good journey, so I do not let anyone down. Stephen left in tears and said: If it had been the answer I was expecting I would have walked out. Hearing what he said floored me. He gave me faith in humanity. He knows his response to my question will have ramifications around the world. Hes saying those who hold extreme religious views of anti-homosexuality or anti-abortion dont have a human heart and that is huge. As the APC decision on the ninth NASS leadership continues to generate tension in the ruling party, those favoured for the top legislative jobs are increasingly facing opposition. The fallout of that resistance may not only make the endorsement of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila and Sen. Ahmed Lawan a waste, but it will also turn the party leaders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Bola Tinubu, and Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, into a bunch of figureheads. For the house of Reps, Majority Leader Gbajabiamila, for instance, still have the odds lined up against himwhen it comes to logrolling. Out of the 360 members who will be voting in the NASS leadership election in the lower house, only 164 APC reps-elect are behind Gbajabiamila currently. The 196 others, including the PDP honorables, may decide to spoil the show for the ruling party by joining forces with non-conformist APC reps or other candidatesfrom the PDP or any party. Already a rep-elect from AP-Imo Hon. Chike Okafor has written the party chairman Adams Oshiomhole that he will be contesting the top job with the party candidate. Groups from the north-central have also been agitating the Speakership should be their own no matter what the party decides. Gbajabiamila (APC-Lagos) is one of the most ranking and the most experienced the party can boast of in the NASS. He is also one of the trusted cavalrymen of the partys national leader Tinubu who first declared the partys favourites for the Senate and the House of Reps. And the former governor warned recently the APC will discipline any of its members in the NASS who goes against the partys decision. But recent developments have showed individuals and caucuses have sprung up to oppose the choices President Buhari allegedly endorsed. The caucus primarily giving Gbajabiamila a back wind comprises newly elected reps. The groups statement on Tuesday described as insincere the argument of the north-central agitators. According to the forums chairman, Tunji Ojo, and its director-general, Dunkwu Chamberlain, in a statement during the week, the north could not produce the president, the Senate president, and the speaker at the same time. Post Views: 150 advocates restructuring Former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, has faulted the kind of democracy practiced by the current generation of politicians in Nigeria, saying it is a system that cannot bring about the best in all spheres of the countrys national interest. The former Ogun State Governor who was the Special Guest of Honour at the 2nd Annual Lecture of a media outfit, Freedom Online, at the Alvan Ikoku Hall, Radisson Blu, Ikeja, on Thursday, lamented that Nigeria is still operating a system that has been in practice since 1960 without a change which, he noted, cannot bring about any meaningful development. Gbenga Daniel argued that no nation can thrive on a static ideology, especially, in this modern age with its attendant global evolution in all indices of development. That is why our democratic system has to be reviewed by way of restructuring or else it will give more room for constitutional crisis, inequity, mediocrity, injustice and corruption, he admonished. He remarked that with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the dropping of the Iron Curtain, doors were closed against Communism and Socialism as political ideologies, opening a new vista in the socio-political economy of respective countries which paid off as their economies rose tremendously. Even China has joined the fray and is now about the biggest economy in the world, the former governor stated. What I am saying in essence is that if we continue to practice democracy without a drastic change, it cannot work. It will only make people poorer and hopeless. This is why the progressive minded politicians like myself and political pundits are clamouring for restructuring which will address the challenges facing us as a nation and proffer meaningful solutions for the betterment of the people, Gbenga Daniel declared. ALSO READ: Ex-President Bashirs brothers arrested in Sudan The former governor expressed that his retirement from partisan politics was because of his persuasion that it is better to leave the stage early enough for the younger generation to come up with fresh ideas and contribute their quota towards developing the nation instead of the older ones sitting tight and counting years which most African leaders have been accused. He noted that he anticipated commendation for his bold decision but was surprised when people reacted to the contrary, saying he shouldnt go into retirement that soon. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, represented by Akin Oyebode (Jnr.), delivered the lecture titled: Fixing The Economy, Less Politics More Substance. Former Governor of Abia State and Senator-elect, Orji Uzor Kalu was Chairman of the public lecture. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, was Guest of Honour. Professor Akin Onigbinde delivered the keynote address. Other dignitaries at the annual lecture hosted by the publisher of Freedom Online, Gabriel Akinadewo included the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Oloye Gani Adams; former Minister of Special Duties, retired Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade; Dotun Oladipo and Nollywood actor, Bolaji Amusan, etc. By Chris Akiri THE raging controversy, ineptly distilled in the ever-busy brewery of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, is a Nigerian, not by birth but by referendum, is needless and diversionary. The allegation is one of the responses to the PDPs petition filed against the trio of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal that Muhammadu Buhari, the APC presidential candidate and his party, the APC, had stolen his (Atikus) mandate. According to this weird allegation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who has made more socio-economic, cultural and political contributions to the development of Nigeria than most Nigerian politicians (dead or alive), was ineligible to contest the presidential election, in the first place. Listen to the APCs legal team at the Tribunal: Recall that in 1961, a plebiscite organized by the United Nations was held in the British controlled part of Cameroon (British Northern and British Southern Cameroons). The referendum was to choose between joining a self-governing Nigeria or re-unification with sovereign Cameroon. On February 12, 1961, the results of the plebiscite were released and British Northern Cameroons joined Nigeria while the southern part voted for re-union with the Republic of Cameroon. Our dear Atiku Abubakar was born on November 25, 1946 in Jeda situated in the then British Northern Cameroon. He was born a Cameroonian. Atiku is a Cameroonian citizen by birth and became a Nigerian by referendum(and) section 131(a) of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that a person shall be qualified for election to the office of the President of Nigeria if he is a citizen of Nigeria by birth (without more). We do know, from history, that Atiku Abubakars father, Mallam Garba Abubakar, was of Sokoto provenance, while his mother, Aisha, Garbas second wife, was from Jada, in Adamawa Province of the old Northern Cameroon, now in Adamawa State of Nigeria. Section 25 (1) (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as altered) provides that every person born outside Nigeria either of whose parents is a citizen of Nigeria is a bona fide Nigerian. The ludicrous thing about this allegation is that the respondents have completely veered away from the pith and marrow of the case before the Tribunal onto an extraneous path. When Nigerian politicians find themselves in a cu-de-sac, they are wont to intuit strange stratagems to extricate themselves from the trammels of their self-inflicted problems. Thus, when the late President of Nigerias Second Republic, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and his team were confronted with a sharp-witted and charismatic political opponent, Shugaba Abdulrahman Darman, a co-founder of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party (GNPP) and whose activities they feared were deleterious to the survival of their party, they wove spurious allegations of non-citizenship against him, declared him a prohibited immigrant and deported him to Chad vi et armis. Suffice it to say that the High Court in Maiduguri, the Court of Appeal in Kaduna and the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Shugaba Darman and awarded damages against the Shagari Administration. Today, Shugaba Darman v. The Minister of Internal Affairs & Ors. (1980) (a cause celebre) is the law against such bare-faced chicanery. Assuming, without conceding, that Atiku Abubakar is a Nigerian by referendum, not by birth, as alleged by the APC legal team, shall we imagine that the plebiscite of 1961 robbed all the citizens of the former British trust territory of Northern Cameroon of their birthrights for choosing to become part of Nigeria? If so, why did Nigeria and its 1999 Constitution allow Atiku Abubakar, a prominent midwife of the Fourth Republic, to become Vice President and Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 in spite of section 131 (a) of the Constitution? The entire country and the grundnorm of the Nigerian legal system slept on their rights against the popular Latin maxim, vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt (the law aids those who are vigilant, not those who sleep upon their rights)? Is dawn just breaking? the Urhoboman and the Yorubaman would ask. ALSO READ: 3 reasons that make Nigerians wonder whether Atiku hacked INEC servers Atiku Abubakar was born on November 25, 1946 in Jada in the then Northern Cameroon. Assuming, again, without conceding, that Atikus father was not from Sokoto Emirate, after the plebiscite of 1961, when British Northern Cameroon plumbed to be part of Nigeria, he surely acquired all the rights and privileges of a Nigerian. The section 131 (a) on which the APC team disingenuously leans its case, is in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, drafted as Decree No. 24 on the 5th of May, 1999, thirty-eight years after Atiku and his mother became Nigerian citizens, with all the rights, privileges and duties appurtenant to the citizenship of Nigeria! Section 36 (8) of this same Constitution warns against retrospectivity when it provides that: No person shall be held to guilty of a criminal offence (read, including civil matters) on account of an act or omission that did not, at the time it took place, constitute such an offence, and no penalty shall be imposed for any criminal offence heavier than the penalty in force at the time the offence was committed. Between 2008 and 2012, several American racial bigots questioned the presidential eligibility of Barack Obama who, they claimed, was not a natural born citizen of America. It didnt matter if one of his parents was a US citizen. The scores of litigants against Obama claimed that he was born in Kenya; others that he was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, before it became an American State. The US Judiciary (from County Courts to the Supreme Court) fulminated against the controversy generated by conspiracy theorists, who would have us derail the democratic process by invalidating a candidate whom millions of people voted for and who underwent excessive vetting during one of the most hotly contested presidential primaries in living memory. Accordingly, the US Supreme Court ruled that the case of the roaring jingoists was frivolous and not worthy of discussion. Let us imagine (without conceding) that a person born in a British trusteeship in Northern Cameroon) in November, 1946 (fourteen years to Nigerias Independence), who became a Nigerian citizen in 1961, is unqualified to be President of Nigeria, could we have cited section 131 (a) of the 1999 Constitution (if it existed then) against the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe as being ineligible to contest for the President of Nigeria because he was a Nigerian by amalgamation? Dr. Azikiwe was born in November 1904, at Zungeru, a town that was in a country that was yet to be called Nigeria until 1914, when the North and South of this country were consolidated. Using the APC analogy, would it be correct to bedaub the following political stalwarts as Nigerians by amalgamation, not by birth? Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto and former Premier of Northern Nigeria, born in 1910 in Rabah, in Sokoto Emirate (four years before that Emirate became part of a united Nigeria) and Obafemi Awolowo, born in 1909 at Ikenne, in Oduduwaland, a country in West Africa, five years before his place of birth became Nigeria in 1914, when Lord Dealtry Frederick Lugard amalgamated the two Protectorates of Southern and Northern Nigeria? The two Protectorates in Nigeria, like the eleven trust territories (including Northern Cameroon) under the administration of the United Nations Trusteeship Council, were administered as an entity (same country) with the same rules. It is, therefore, uncalled for to separate the corporate identity of a British Protectorate from that of a British Trust Territory. Post Views: 83 Click the photo to write a caption and have a chance to win a free subscription to the Norfolk Daily News. A popular prophet, Anthony Nwoko who hails from Umuahia in Abia state, has been allegedly murdered in cold blood in Enugu State. According to Daily Sun, Nwoko who was a close ally of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, prayed for him and the group in their struggle to achieve Biafra. The newspaper reports that the prophet was killed by unknown assailants last Sunday night at his apartment located at No. 18 Ezebinugwu Street, beside Bright Land International School, Ugbene 2, in the Trans-Ekulu-Abakpa axis of Enugu. However, nothing about Nwokos death was heard days after because he lived alone. According to the report, his death became known when a neighbour noticed that the door of his apartment had remained open; peeped in and saw the man in the pool of his blood. The attention of the caretaker of the compound was called, who immediately alerted the police, who responded to the scene. No official report has come from the Enugu State Police Command, but the newspaper added that they had initially arrested occupants of the compound. Before his death, Nwoko had taken to his Facebook page to speak about his relationship with Kanu. He said their relationship went sour after the IPOB leader made him relocate from Lagos to Enugu only to abandon him. His last posts on Facebook were at about 1:40 pm on April 14, where he uploaded various online reports of his views on Biafra agitation, including video clips from Kpakpando TV. He had in press conferences on January 8 and March 18, 2019, respectively, accused Kanu and some other pro-Biafra campaigners of turning the agitation into a money-making venture. Nwoko had raised the alarm that he was receiving death threats from members of the IPOB over his bribery allegations against their leader, Kanu. The cleric had claimed that Kanu not only collected huge sums of monies as bribe from the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the February 23 election but planned to return to Nigeria to consolidate on his Biafra propaganda if Atiku had won. Beautiful Nigerian lady goes makeup less and rock teared army top to celebrate good Friday. See the photos she shared below with caption 8 Nigerian men have been sentenced to death in United Arab Emirates (UAE) for robbery. They were convicted for robbing money exchanges and cash machines (ATMs) across the country in December 2016. A ninth Nigerian was found innocent. He was, however, sentenced to six months imprisonment for being in possession of stolen monies. We gathered reliably that he will be deported shortly after serving his jail term. It was gathered that a total of 20 suspects were initially held for attacking security guards in four violent attacks at ATMs and money exchanges across UAE in late 2016. Out of 20 suspects, only nine were convicted. Some of the accused confessed to their crimes while others denied the charges levelled against them. The eight-member gang were said to have attacked security trucks and entered establishments by force and threatened and assaulted staff and members of the public with bladed weapons in a spate of robberies, three of which were carried out on the same day on December 18, 2016. The gang who were all in the UAE on visit visas were said to be highly organised and plotted a string of orchestrated attacks to ambush security trucks that were transporting money boxes to and from ATMs, and at least one money exchange in Sharjah. The first robbery took place at a Dubai Commercial Bank ATM on King Abdul Aziz Street where Dh340,000 was stolen. Then two days later they attacked an ATM in Al Safeer Mall in Al Nahda fleeing with Dh700,000, and an ATM in Muweilah where they stole Dh710,000. A fourth attack at a money exchange office near National Paints was foiled by police. The gang of 20 were arrested in record time but police confirmed that only a portion of the stolen money almost Dh1.8 million had been recovered, as the gang members had divided the money among themselves and transferred it to their home country. A prosecutor told newsmen on Thursday that as per the law, a group of people who threaten the life of others while committing robbery are subject to the death sentence, however an appeal is expected to be launched and the sentences could get downgraded to life imprisonment. The trial appears unconnected with the arrest of five Nigerians in March this year, who robbed a Bureau de Change operator of Dh2.3 million (N225.4 million) in Sharjai, Dubai. The suspects were identified as Chimuanya Emmanuel Ozoh, Benjamin Nwachukwu Ajah, Kingsley Ikenna Ngoka, Tochukwu Leonard Alisi and Chile Micah Ndunagu. The five Nigerians reportedly barged into the BDC on March 20 and smashed the glass barrier between the customers and the staff, stole the money in multiple currencies and fled. A top police official said the suspects came to the UAE on visit visas on March 18. This comes on the heels of the execution of another Nigerian lady over drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia. 23 others are on death roll in the Arab country for drug related offences. Kindly Share this: Like this: Like Loading Share this: Related Share this: " " The United Kingdom recently passed a referendum to leave the European Union. Peter Hermus/Getty Images When United Kingdom voters narrowly decided last Thursday in favor of exiting from the European Union, it created tremendous uncertainty about what would happen next. There is a legal mechanism for leaving the EU Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon, signed by member nations back in 2007, which requires the EU to negotiate departure terms with any country that gives at least two years' notice. But it's never been used before. In fact, up to this point, no European nation has ever withdrawn from the EU in the organization's history, which dates back to the creation in 1950 of its ancestor, the European Steel and Coal Community. But that doesn't mean that nobody ever has left the EU, or its predecessors. Algeria once was part of an EU predecessor, the European Economic Community, by virtue of being a colonial possession of France. But after the Algerians gained their independence in 1962, they simultaneously quit the EEC. (Here's a more detailed account.) But they didn't stay permanently apart; In 1976, Algeria negotiated the first of several trade, labor and financial agreements with the Europeans, and today participate in various EU programs through the European Neighborhood Policy. Advertisement In 2007, the Caribbean island archipelago of Saint Barthelemy, which left the EU when it gained greater political autonomy from France in 2007, worked out a similar deal so that it could continue to participate in EU programs and receive economic aid. But there's also a much bigger example. Greenland, the world's biggest island and a territory within Denmark, was compelled to join the European Economic Community in 1973 when the rest of the Danish nation did, even though 70 percent of its residents had voted against membership. But in 1982, after Greenlanders gained a greater degree of political autonomy within Denmark, they held their own referendum, and voted 52 percent to 48 percent a similarly narrow margin to Brexit to quit the organization. Unlike the Brexit supporters, who have a variety of discontents with the EU, the grievances of Greenlanders were more narrowly focused, according to news accounts from that time. Greenland's big industry is fishing, and its fishermen didn't like European competitors being able to just swoop in and take $100 million in shrimp, cod and redfish each year. Limited access to European markets and the economic aid that Greenland got from Europe $23 million a year didn't seem like adequate compensation. Even so, negotiating Greenland's departure took about three years of hard bargaining. In the end, Greenland ultimately got control over its own fishing grounds, with the understanding that European fishermen would get limited access, and the Europe would cough up about 10 times as much aid, according to a recent newspaper account. Today, Greenland is part of an EU category called Overseas Countries and Territories, whose members get economic aid and duty-and-quota-free access to EU countries. But experts on European law and politics say that Greenland doesn't provide much of a template for the U.K.'s split with the EU. "Greenland was part of the territory of an existing member state, which left while the member state remained in the EU," Panos Koutrakos, a professor of European law at City University London and a barrister at Monckton Chambers, writes in an email. "Its population was less than 50,000 people and produced only one product. The differences with the U.K. are too obvious to point out." As Koutrakos sees it, "The legal complexity of unraveling the links between the EU and the U.K. are staggering. Article 50 refers to the divorce arrangement between the U.K. and the EU. The two-year deadline applies to negotiating that arrangement. The future relationship between the U.K. and the EU is subject to negotiations for which EU law does not provide any deadline. The Brexit process is bound to be long, extraordinarily complex, and expensive." Additionally, if Leave proponents are looking to Greenland as an example of post-EU survival, they might want to reconsider. In recent years, some of Greenland's politicians and business leaders, eager to attract investment and diversify to escape the traditional dependence upon fishing, actually have floated the idea of rejoining the EU. Which brings us back to the original point that the U.K. is sailing into uncharted waters. "I hope that somehow people who voted Leave will well, some of them realize that they have been sold a pup," Anne Deighton, a professor of European International Politics at the University of Oxford's Wolfson College, writes in an email. "The Leave campaigners did not tell the whole truth by any stretch of the imagination, and did not have a plan, apart from Leaving." Now That's Interesting Some Brexit opponents have called for Scotland, which voted two years ago to remain in the U.K., to pull a "reverse Greenland" and stay in the EU, even if the U.K. pulls out. Others have called for Scotland's parliament to block Brexit for the entire U.K. by simply refusing to agree to it, but University of Cambridge public law professor Mark Elliott concludes that there's no legal basis for Scottish legislators to do that. " " Geophagic earth collected from a rain forest on Pemba Island, Zanzibar. Both humans and animals seek out this earth to eat. Sera Lewise Young In gas stations and flea markets all around the southeastern United States, you can find a cardboard box full of blocks of white clay. They're unmarked, but the people looking for them know what they're for. In Kenya, you can buy reddish dirt on the street, formed into little pellets that look like baby carrots. In Uganda, you can buy "Yankee Doodle" brand dirt at the grocery store. A website called Earth's Clay Store sells clays from all over the world and ships them right to your home. But what are you supposed to do with it when it gets to you? Well, you eat it. Advertisement Pica You might have a vague sense that you've heard of people eating dirt before pregnant women, maybe? Pica is the overarching term for craving and eating things that aren't food. In the 6th century, a physician named Aetius of Amida noticed people sticking non-food items in their mouths, the way magpies (pica, in Latin) pick up random objects in their beaks. He figured these people had entirely indiscriminate appetites for just any old thing and termed the behavior after the magpie. It turns out, pica is kind of a misnomer, because pica cravings are actually very specific, but according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), it includes a range of behaviors. Some people crave paperclips, batteries or coins these cravings are considered by the DSM to be on the spectrum of obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, clear mental illnesses but pica can also include cravings for raw starch (amylophagy), ice (pagophagy) and dirt (geophagy). " " Geophagic earth is collected from the wild, sold in open-air markets and even in grocery stores throughout East Africa. Sera Lewise Young Geophagy is one form of pica found in almost every country in the world. "I was surprised when I first saw it," says Sera Young, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Northwestern University. "I was studying pregnant women ethnography in Zanzibar, and I asked a woman what she ate when she's pregnant, and in Swahili she said, 'Every day I take earth from this wall and eat it.' I was just learning Swahili and was pretty good at it, but I really didn't think I was understanding correctly. My research assistant was like, 'Yeah, you heard right!'" Young ended up writing her Ph.D. dissertation on geophagy, and winning the Margaret Mead Award in 2013 for her book "Craving Earth" which detailed her research about geophagy practices worldwide. In her research, Young tracked down medical literature; historical texts; research on animal behavior, soil science and parasitology, and came to the conclusion that there are four explanations as to why people eat dirt. Advertisement 1. It's Aberrant Behavior The most common and longest-running conventional wisdom about geophagy is that there is no good reason for it it's a pathology, it's aberrant behavior of some unknown origin. "It's the 'women, they know not what they do' explanation," says Young. "It was basically white men writing about this for the past few hundred years, and it was dismissed as aberrant. It's true, it is often women, and most often pregnant women who especially don't know what they're doing. And it's most common around the equator, in the tropics, so of course brown people definitely don't know what they're doing. We can refute this there are so many species of animals that go to great risk to get clay and charcoal, like the colobus monkey that steals charcoal from villagers." But even so, we know very little about geophagy because for centuries scientists were stubbornly lacking curiosity about it. Advertisement 2. Dirt Is Mother Nature's Multivitamin The first explanation scientists have come up with to explain why hundreds of thousands of people worldwide crave and eat dirt is that there must be something useful in the clay micronutrients of some kind. "The Mother Nature's multivitamin explanation is a really intuitive one," says Young. But no dice. For starters, although the clay her study participants in Zanzibar were eating was tinged with red, indicating iron content, investigations into whether that iron could be absorbed and used by the body came up empty. Plus, according to Young, people generally prefer whiter clay: If you gave a geophagist the option of snacking on Georgia white kaolin or the reddish clay found on Zanzibar, they'll almost always pick the white kaolin, which does not contain iron. Advertisement 3. Dirt Provides Protection from Germs The explanation that eating dirt is somehow protective doesn't make much intuitive sense after all, we're supposed to stay away from dirt, wash our hands, clean our clothes, take off our shoes when we enter the house. If you'll recall from the last time you read the Bible, even the snake had to eat the dust as punishment for talking Eve into eating the forbidden apple. But clay face masks suck the impurities from your skin, and they're made of dirt, right? According to Young, eating clay might coat the inside of the gut, in much the same way a mud mask coats the face. But why would somebody need an intestine mud mask? The answer is, protection from pathogens and harmful chemicals. Most toxins enter your body in the things you eat. You digest the food and it's absorbed through the wall of your intestine and into your bloodstream lots of pathogens and chemicals get to us in this way, too. Clays can bind to the mucin (mucus) layer inside your gut, forming a barrier. "In rabbits, clay has been shown to stimulate the production of mucin, creating a barrier to potential harmful pathogens or chemicals getting into your bloodstream," says Young. "It can also bind with whatever harmful thing you're eating. For example, in the Andes, people eat wild potatoes which contain these toxic chemicals called glycoalkaloids. But after they dip the potatoes in clay, they become safe to eat." But while eating clay might protect from pathogens and harmful chemicals, which is especially important for pregnant women, there's something of a Goldilocks Principle at play here: you want to shield yourself from the harmful stuff, but you also don't want to protect yourself from the nutrients you need. For example, if you eat a steak that's full of both bioavailable iron and pathogens, but you eat clay at the same time, the iron will become bound by the clay, and won't be absorbed by your gut. Although the clay might be protecting you from pathogens to some extent, it's also preventing you from absorbing the nutrients. Advertisement 4. Dirt Makes Your Tummy Feel Better The third explanation for why people eat dirt or clay is that it might help with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea by coating the stomach. After all, a number of anti-diarrheal treatments have kaolin in them. Kaolin puts the puts the Kao- in Kaopectate! Advertisement How Cravings Start Though the reasons for geophagy are still rather mysterious, the question remains: How do people find out they have a craving for dirt in the first place? "There are instances of people having these cravings de novo without having tried it before," says Young. "But the fact is, if you grow up seeing your mom sending your dad to go get this exact dirt, or see your aunties are eating dirt, you see it in the stores for sale, you're much more likely to engage in it." But Young also stresses that geophagy is far more common than we realize although it's perceived as an exotic behavior that happens in far-away places, people are eating clay all the time in the U.S. "People don't like to talk about it or admit it. When I'm doing ethnographic interviews, I always ask 'how much earth do you eat?' instead of 'do you eat earth?', because so many people have sworn they don't eat it, and later tell me they do but they lied because 'I didn't want you to think I was poor.'" Now That's Interesting The documentary Eat White Dirt investigates geophagy in the state of Georgia. Advertisement Originally Published: Apr 19, 2019 " " A white supremacist helps a friend after he was punched in the face during clashes with counter-protesters at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Aug. 12, 2017. Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images If genetic ancestry results had been around in Adolf Hitler's day, there's a good chance he would have been unhappy when his results arrived. Though there's no verified surviving sample of the Fuhrer's own DNA, in 2010 a Belgian study of Hitler's living relatives revealed that Hitler's own dominant haplogroup groups of chromosomes that can reveal a person's ethnic background was rare in white western Europeans, but common in some North African, East African and Jewish populations. Contemporary white nationalists and similar hate groups often apparently face a comparable dilemma. When they spit in a cup and send the saliva containing their DNA to commercial genetic ancestry testing services in an effort to validate their white European, non-Jewish roots, the results sometimes are not what they had hoped for. And according to a new study presented on Monday, Aug. 14 at the American Sociological Association annual conference in Montreal, an even more interesting surprise is how they react. Advertisement " " White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the "alt-right" movement take refuge in an alleyway after being hit with pepper spray after their Aug. 12, 2017, rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, was declared an unlawful gathering. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Sociologists Aaron Panofsky and Joan Donovan, with the help of a team of researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, scrutinized several years' worth of posts on Stormfront, a white nationalist website, looking for genetic terminology and other tipoffs that a site user was discussing a genetic ancestry test. The sociologists found that of 153 posts where specific test results were revealed, only 53 about a third were interpreted by posters as confirming their white identity. The rest contained varying degrees of unsettling news about their ancestry. But rather than simply keep the results to themselves, the white nationalists and others who commented on their posts engaged in various rationalizations about the findings. Some posters tried to offset the test results by comparing them to the family trees they'd constructed with their own genealogical digging. Another tactic was to reject the results because they didn't fit with a person's outward physical appearance. ("When you look in the mirror, do you see a Jew?" one poster quoted by the researchers wrote. "If not, you're good.") Yet another approach was to argue that the genetic testing must be rigged by companies that harbor a secret anti-white bias, or even are part of some insidious conspiracy. One poster, for example, suspected that one company was part of a "covert operation" to obtain white DNA that "the Jews could then use to create bio-weapons." Now That's Interesting The sociologists also found that genetic testing had subtly altered the criteria that white nationalists demanded for people to join their movement. Instead of insisting upon only non-Jews of completely European descent, they debate whether some percentage of objectionable ancestry can be "diluted away" over time. " " Erin Ziering, Beverley Mitchell, Kendra Wilkinson, Tori Spelling, Jessica Hall, Veena Crownholm, Kimberly Caldwell and Nikki Lund attend the Millennial Mamas' Mom's Night Out at The Commons at Calabasas, California in 2018. Jesse Grant/Getty Images Every generation has its own attitudes, values and even quirks. And every generation likes to think it's better than the ones that came before or after. Sometimes it seems that no generation gets more flack than millennials, the group older generations often erroneously write off as lazy and entitled, but also think are really good at social media and gaming. We broke down the biggest stereotypes about millennials in another article. For this one, we want to look at key statistics about the millennial generation, starting with how it's defined. Advertisement There were roughly 71 million millennials in the U.S. in 2016, the latest figures available according to the Pew Research Center and this cohort is expected to surpass the numbers of baby boomers (those born between 1946 to 1964) in 2019 (73 million to 72 million). There are no official dates to determine who counts as a millennial. The U.S. Census Bureau has official years designated for boomers but not for other generations. Most people define the generation after boomers, Generation X (Gen Xers) as those born between 1965 and 1980, though sometimes this can end in the late 1970s. And the millennial generation can have parameters as early as 1978 and as late as 2000. Pew defines millennials as those born between 1981 and 1996. (Anyone born after 1996, is a member of Generation Z.) Michael Dimock, president of Pew Research Center, explained in a 2019 article why Pew had decided on those dates for millennials: "Most Millennials were between the ages of 5 and 20 when the 9/11 terrorist attacks shook the nation, and many were old enough to comprehend the historical significance of that moment, while most members of Gen Z have little or no memory of the event," Dimock wrote. "Millennials also grew up in the shadow of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which sharpened broader views of the parties and contributed to the intense political polarization that shapes the current political environment. And most Millennials were between 12 and 27 during the 2008 election, where the force of the youth vote became part of the political conversation and helped elect the first black president." Dimock also noted that most millennials entered the workforce at the height of the Great Recession (roughly 2008-2010), which affected future earnings and life choices, like delaying marriage and children. Many media outlets have decided to use the Pew definition of millennials for their own reporting. One of the seminal books about this generation, "Millennials Rising" by Neil Howe and William Strauss, was published in 2000. The authors settled on the name "millennials" rather than "Generation Y" or "Echo Boomers," which were once considered common labels, because they found that the youths themselves preferred it. Compared to those other names, the term "millennial" didn't put them in the shadow of a previous generation. The term also fed into the fact that those children born around 1982 would be graduating high school at the turn of the millennium. The authors caught on early to some identifying traits of the millennials that have been supported by subsequent research, such as their absorption of technology into their daily lives, as well as an indomitable confidence both in the future and in themselves perhaps to a fault [source: The Center for Generational Kinetics]. We'll discuss more about the millennial generation's attitudes on the next page. " " Smoke billows over a crowd of thousands of people as they smoke at 4:20 p.m. during 420 celebrations on April 20, 2016 at Sunset Beach in Vancouver, Canada. Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images Each year on April 20, at 4:20 p.m., a gentle haze of marijuana smoke wafts through many corners of the world, in pungent celebration of weed's unofficial holiday. Marijuana aficionados (called stoners in some circles) regard it as a moment to bond with others who partake in this hazy pastime. But few of them probably know much about the origins of 4/20 (or 420) lingo. First, let's dispel with some of the incorrect notions about 420 (spoken as "four-twenty" instead of "four hundred and twenty"). It has nothing to do with any sort of police codes regarding marijuana usage or possession. It's also not at all related to justice system penalties for weed-related offenses. And although 4/20 was Adolf Hitler's birthday, no self-respecting substance would ever be associated with that guy. Nor does it have anything to do with any famous rock star deaths, like those of Janis Joplin or Jim Morrison. Advertisement Appropriately, there's no truly concrete proof of 420's history, as it's been lost in the fog of time and more than a little jumbled by its what-were-we-just-talking about oral traditions. However, the most repeated story traces back to San Rafael High School, which is located just north of San Francisco. There, in the early '70s, a group of five friends slowly started a new routine. During the school day, they'd utter their secret phase, "420 Louis," indicating that they'd be gathering near the school's statue of Louis Pasteur to light up and celebrate the end of yet another school day. The five friends became known as the "Waldos" in reference to the wall where they hung out. One of their first adventures, which they called "safaris," revolved around an abandoned marijuana patch near Point Reyes they were hellbent on finding the secret plot so that they could score some free bud. Alas, their stoned quests came up empty-handed, but you can bet that they had plenty of fun along the way. Little did they know their secret catchphrase would become permanently intertwined with the counterculture. At the time, The Grateful Dead was becoming more and more popular in the Marin County area and at least two of the "Waldos" had friend-of-a-friend connections to the band. It's easy to imagine how an oft-repeated secret code might begin proliferating through the raucous clamor of concerts and backstage gatherings. Throughout the years, other groups have tried to take credit for giving rise to marijuana's most famous "secret" slang. The Waldos, however, are the only ones who have letters and notes from the '70s that reference their inside jokes, including the ubiquitous 420. Once journalists for the cannabis culture magazine High Times got their resin-coated fingers on the term, it became a staple of their writing, helping propel 420 to everlasting fame. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING In Colorado, one of the pioneers of the marijuana legalization movement, state officials finally gave up replacing the often-pilfered 420 mile marker on Interstate 70. That marker now reads 419.9. Advertisement Originally Published: Apr 19, 2019 The Department of Transportation (DOTr) is mulling new city bus routes in Metro Manila as the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) starts its strict enforcement of the no loading and unloading policy of provincial buses along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) after the Holy Week. DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport Mark de Leon said it is coordinating with the MMDA for the extension of the routes of city buses to ensure ease of travel among commuters. We have been planning with the MMDA for the operations of interim terminals in Santa Rosa and Valenzuela because the permanent terminals, which is the ITX for FTI in south, in Taguig, and the one in north, in Bulacan will still take time. The MMDA has forwarded to us their request for new routes including the extension of city routes to these proposed terminals, De Leon said in a television interview on Wednesday. The franchises of buses with trips ending in Alabang will have to be revised so that it can pick up passengers in Santa Rosa. Provincial buses coming from the south will end trips in Santa Rosa and then be picked up by city buses, he added. He said new routes for buses and UV Express would be developed for these to have connectivity with the terminals. The new routes will be effective once the bus operators receive their franchises with the revised routes. The DOTr is currently in talks with bus operators regarding the routes which shall be approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. Starting April 22, provincial buses that would load and unload passengers along EDSA, as well as other major roads in Metro Manila, would be apprehended, MMDA General Manager Jose Arturo Jojo Garcia said in a press briefing on Tuesday. The provincial buses must use their designated terminals in picking up and dropping off passengers. The agency would conduct its dry run for the closure of bus terminals along EDSA after Holy Week. Story continues Meanwhile, provincial bus operators have appealed to the MMDA to stop the implementation of the provincial bus ban as this will affect commuters coming from provinces who travel to Metro Manila every day. We are prepared for the provincial bus ban but we are appealing to the MMDA to review this and if it is possible stop its implementation as this will affect commuters that are going to Metro Manila everyday using the provincial buses, said Alex Yague Jr., Provincial Bus Operators Association of the Philippines Executive Director. Bus operators will be obliged to use the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange and the interim bus terminals in Valenzuela City and Santa Rosa, Laguna during the dry run. The MMDA will coordinate with the local government units of Pasay City and Quezon City, which have jurisdiction over the bus terminals along EDSA. The agency eyes to close down all 47 bus terminals along EDSA by June. The post New Bus Routes Eyed In Sync with Closure of EDSA Bus Terminals appeared first on Carmudi Philippines. AS FILIPINO Catholics continue their reflections, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) vice president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Thursday, April 18, called on the Filipino faithful AS FILIPINO Catholics continue their reflections, Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) vice president Bishop Pablo Virgilio David on Thursday, April 18, called on the Filipino faithful to consider renouncing evil not just during the Holy Week but more so in the forthcoming May 13 polls. In his Facebook post, David said reflections during the Holy Week would be more meaningful if they are brought beyond ritual pietism. As we soak in the spirit of our Church Liturgies and our popular devotions during this Holy Week, would it be possible for us to go beyond ritual pietism and bridge the anomalous gap between faith and social life? Between spirituality and concrete actions for personal and social transformation? Can we allow our moral convictions to take flesh in our pursuit of social justice and a more equitable social order? asked David. Even more concretely, in the coming election, can we consciously renounce evil and stand courageously for the values upheld by our Christian faith through our votes this coming May? he furthered. The Kalookan bishop said this is imperative as being a disciple of Christ means being on the side of the poor, marginalized, excluded, ostracized, or disenfranchised. In the context of the present governments war against illegal drugs, concretely, it is to make a moral stand against the outright condemnation of people with substance use disorder as non-humans against the extrajudicial killing of people labeled indiscriminately as drug suspects or criminals without the benefit of a due process, said David. He explained that this is because the church will always push for giving people the opportunity to change. Faith in redemption is precisely about holding on to Gods mercy and the possibility of salvation, even for sinners and those we judge as undeserving of Gods grace, said David. To note, David is known as a staunch critic of the Duterte administrations war against illegal drugs. David has already earned the ire of President Duterte by calling the former a son of a whore while accusing him of being involved in illegal drugs. (HDT/ SunStar Philippines) Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo attended church services Friday in tribute to 29 German tourists who died when their bus tumbled down a slope and crashed into a house on the island of Madeira. Investigators are still trying to determine why the vehicle crashed off the road before ending up mangled on the side of a hillside near the town of Canico on Wednesday. Portuguese public TV RTP reported Friday that the bus's accelerator was thought to have been stuck and that the driver might have tried to stop the vehicle by hitting a wall. Advancing another theory, a German holidaymaker in his 60s who escaped with a broken rib told Portuguese television: "I think the brakes were gone, I cannot imagine another reason" for the crash. His wife said some passengers were "ejected through the windows" when the bus began to roll over. Sixteen injured people, of whom 14 were German, remained in hospital in the regional capital Funchal. "They are all in a stable condition," said the deputy clinical director of the hospital, Miguel Reis. A medically-equipped aircraft was waiting to repatriate the injured once they are able to be moved, the German foreign ministry told AFP. Most of the dead were aged in their 40s and 50s, local authorities said. Seventeen were women and 12 were men. More than one million tourists visit the Atlantic islands off the coast of Morocco each year, attracted by their subtropical climate and rugged volcanic terrain. German tourist Maritza Klef was in a group that had waited for a second bus to take them to a restaurant for dinner, and thus escaped the crash, which took place just a few metres (yards) away. "When I think about it, it's horrible," she told RTP. Rebelo visited the accident site Friday and then walked to the nearby hotel where the bus had started its journey, AFP reporters saw. He voiced his "solidarity with the victims" and thanked the emergency services. He later visited survivors in hospital and attended separate masses at a Presbyterian church and at the cathedral in Funchal. "Today we are gathering together because the survivors and relatives of the victims, more than ever, need our attention and support," German pastor Ilse Berardo told AFP. Portugal's government on Thursday decreed three days of national mourning. A RETIRED police officer on President Rodrigo Duterte's drug list has reportedly been abducted in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.An initial report from Police Brigadier General John Bulalacao, Western A RETIRED police officer on President Rodrigo Duterte's drug list has reportedly been abducted in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. An initial report from Police Brigadier General John Bulalacao, Western Visayas Police regional director, said retired Police major Lito Pirote was taken by three armed men from Metro Inn Hotel in Bacolod at about 11 a.m. Friday, April 19. The perpetrators were on board a white van with plate number YS4514. The van headed north after abducting Pirote. Pirote was formerly assigned at the Philippine National Police Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Group (PNP-AIDSOTG). He is on Duterte's drug list, along with dismissed police officer Eduardo Acierto. (TAPM/MVI/SunStar Philippines) South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday signed deals worth $12 billion with Uzbekistan during a week-long tour of Central Asia, as he seeks to ease reliance on China and the US. President of commodity-rich Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev praised his country's "strategic partnership" with Seoul as the leaders signed documents following talks. Moon credited Mirziyoyev for "leading Uzbekistan into a new era" with a series of bold reforms. The nature of the deals were not specified during the press briefing. Trade between Uzbekistan and South Korea in 2018 was just over $2 billion. Uzbek leader Mirziyoyev is looking to break out from the economic straitjacket imposed by his late hardline predecessor Islam Karimov and encourage more foreign investment and trade. Karimov ruled Uzbekistan from before independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 until his death in 2016. Moon's office confirmed at the beginning of the week that economic affairs would dominate talks during his eight-day regional tour that began in gas-rich Turkmenistan and will finish in oil power Kazakhstan. But Moon also gave a nod to the cultural ties shared by the two countries when he referenced Uzbekistan's 180,000-strong ethnic Korean population in an interview with Uzbek state media on Thursday. In 1937, suspecting divided loyalties, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin had the entire ethnic Korean population of the Russian Far East -- around 172,000 people -- transported to Central Asia on cattle trains. Stalin saw the Koreans as a threat, as the peninsula's colonial ruler Japan was hostile to the Soviet Union -- although some of the deportees were exiles fighting for independence from Tokyo. Moon thanked Uzbekistan, saying the country "warmly received citizens of Korean descent who lost their home more than 80 years ago," in the interview. Moon is looking to reduce the reliance of the world's 11th-largest economy -- stuttering on 2.7 percent annual growth -- on traditional partners Beijing and Washington. Manufacturers are competing not only to sell conventional and electric vehicles in China, but also to develop new technologies designed for the on-demand world Global automakers are positioning for a brave new world of on-demand transport that will require a car of the futurehyper-connected, autonomous, and sharedand China may become the concept's laboratory. With ride-hailing services booming and car-sharing not far behind, the need for vehicles tailored to these and other evolving mobility solutions is one of the hottest topics among global automakers gathered for this week's Shanghai Auto Show. Nearly all agree that there is no better proving ground than China: its gigantic cities are desperate for answers to gridlock and its population is noted for its ready embrace of high-tech new services. To take advantage of this, manufacturers are competing not only to sell conventional and electric vehicles in the world's biggest auto market, but also to develop new technologies and even specific interiors designed for the on-demand world. "We cannot just develop electric cars. They will have to be smart, interconnected and of course shared," Zhao Guoqing, vice president of Chinese auto giant Great Wall Motors, said on the auto show's sidelines. Discussion of China and ride-hailing inevitably involves Didi Chuxing, the country's omnipresent answer to Uber. The eagerness of Chinese travellers to hail rides with a smartphone click has unleashed a colossal market: on-demand transport reached $28 billion in turnover in China last year, or about half of global volume, and is expected to double by 2022, according to data firm Statista. Graphic on the Shanghai auto show running this week Didi accounts for about 90 percent of the Chinese market. 'Enormous potential' The on-demand potential is bringing automakers and service providers together. Last year, Didi unveiled an alliance of Chinese and foreign manufacturers including Renault, Toyota and Volkswagen, dedicated to exploring ways forward. And in February, Chinese technology giants Alibaba and Tencent joined hands with several manufacturers to develop a future platform for on-demand transport. "We can no longer be a conventional manufacturer, we must offer mobility solutions, connectivity," Stephan Wollenstein, director of Volkswagen China, told reporters. Although a relative newcomer to China's automotive market, French brand Renault is plunging ahead: its local joint venture with Chinese manufacturer Brilliance Auto delivered 600 personal minivans to Didi in February. This year's Shanghai Auto Show is very focused on new technologies, with booming ride-hailing services and car-sharing "Didi wants to develop such vehicles with many carmakers, which are more adapted to (Didi's) business, redesigned around the passenger," said Michael Dong, vice president of Renault-Brilliance-Jinbei. For one thing, most passenger cars today are designed to squeeze in a family, and thus feature limited space in the back because that's where the kids normally sit, said Lawrence Petizon, an analyst with AlixPartners. But for ride-hailing or car-sharing, more space is needed in the back to accommodate grown-up passengers. "The family car is not the right answer," he said. Didi drivers typically supply their own vehicles, but Chinese authorities are encouraging service firms to build their own fleets, partly to spur the industry and push forward the futuristic transport concept. Some manufacturers are even dipping their toes into ride-hailing, with Germany's BMW offering a high-end service in the southwestern Chinese city of Chengdu, and Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz doing so in Shanghai. "Admittedly, the volumes ordered are still insufficient for mass production but the potential is enormous," says Dong. The potential for on-demand services is bringing together automakers and service providers Robot-taxis The idea is not confined to China. Daimler and BMW announced in February they would jointly invest "more than one billion euros" to deepen cooperation between their Car2Go and DriveNow services in Europe, in which cars are available for short-term point-to-point use. One thing that seems to certain to eventually change is how cars are bought and sold. "Car manufacturers will no longer provide customers with cars via a one-time sale, but rather with a brand that connects them to the users on a daily basis through the mobility services they offer," said a recent report by Eurogroup Consulting. This automotive evolution is expected to accelerate development of autonomous vehicles, which are already viewed as the future of overall car transport, but seem especially suited for urban car-sharing services. Valeo, the French manufacturer of ultrasonic sensors, cameras, and navigational technology, said it received orders totalling one billion euros last year related to the development of "robot-taxis". Self-driving vehicles could be the way of the future, and driverless concept cars were drawing attention at the Shanghai Auto Show Francois Marion, president of Valeo China, said the global advent of driverless cars is just around the bend. "They will hit the road in carefully charted urban environments, with dedicated lanes on the streets, connected infrastructures guiding them, and programmed itineraries," he said of the futuristic vision. "And the companies operating them will always be able to intervene if anything happens to one of the vehicles." Valeo also is working with Meituan, China's leader in meal deliveries, to develop a robotic vehicle. Explore further China's Didi to restructure following passenger murders 2019 AFP A trip to the Outer Banks is a tradition for some North Carolina families and a bucket-list destination for other tourists. A new study from North Carolina State University asked visitors for their reactions to having travel plans disrupted by coastal hazards like washed-out roads or limited beach access. Would they reschedule? Go somewhere else? Stop visiting the Outer Banks? Their answers provide insight for tourism planning and investments in coastal communities, says lead author Erin Seekamp, an NC State associate professor and tourism extension specialist in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. "The majority of those we surveyed said they wouldn't change their trip-taking behavior, but about a third or so said that they were uncertain what they would do," Seekamp says. "It's that third that could really plague the future economy of Outer Banks tourism destinations." More than 340 Outer Banks visitors responded to scenarios involving four factors that could affect their trip plans: transportation disruptions, increased lodging taxes to pay for beach nourishment (adding sand to beaches), narrow beach width, and limited access because of beach nourishment projects at their destinations. "We found that transportation disruption was most important in terms of future trip-taking behavior," Seekamp says. "The idea of this study was to try to figure out, among many different factors that influence coastal tourists to the Outer Banks, which would be the most important that would inhibit them from returning." Possible transportation disruptions involved having to reach the Outer Banks by ferry because the Highway 64 bridge was closed; absence of the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry until the inlet was dredged; or closure of Highway 12, a scenic byway along the Outer Banks, at Oregon Inlet. "It was the ability to drive Highway 12 north-south that seems to be driving people's decision-making and their expectation of what an Outer Banks vacation is like," Seekamp says. "They want to visit many sites and being able to drive along that thin ribbon of sand between Nags Head and Hatteras is important to them." While transportation issues could impede access for travelers, other scenarios focused on costs, aesthetics and crowding, which are also related to travel behavior, Seekamp says. Increased costsin this case in the form of lodging taxes to support beach nourishment projectswas not as important as transportation disruptions, even when the hypothetical scenario was as high as a 7.5% increase. "I think that is a good indication that there is potential for tourists themselves to start paying for the opportunities to go back and continue to connect with this place," Seekamp says. "Finding new, creative strategies to fund investments in coastal communities is going to be really important. We also need to understand the decision-making processes businesses use to plan for and reinvest after coastal hazards, as well as look for more opportunities to coordinate projects as a region." A 25 to 75% likelihood of having to take a half-mile detour to reach the beach while sand was being added was a less important factor in respondents' decision making, as was having a narrow beach spanning 50, 100 or 150 feet from dunes to water's edge at high tide. Surveys took place in summer 2016 at tourist destinations in Dare and Hyde counties. About a quarter of those responding (27%) were first-time visitors, while 28% had visited the region two to five times and 27% had visited six to 20 times. About 18% of those surveyed had visited the Outer Banks more than 20 times. "The Outer Banks means a lot to many visitors in terms of their own personal identity as they find themselves connecting with the resources and experiences that the Outer Banks provide," Seekamp says. "It not only gives them a sense of self-identity but also family identity if they've had a tradition of visiting together for a long time." Where participants lived and the connection they felt to the Outer Banks influenced their plans to postpone their trips, change destinations or stop visiting the region. In-state residency was the only factor linked to substituting a trip to another North Carolina beach. North Carolina residents who had lower incomes and felt a greater connection to the Outer Banks were more likely to shift their trips to the Inner Banks if faced with disruptions. Younger, out-of-state residents who had visited the Outer Banks less and had higher incomes were most likely to rebook their trips to a beach outside of North Carolina. People who reported less of a connection to the Outer Banks were the most likely to stop visiting entirely. "One of the things I'd like to study in the future is what happens with people who were displaced from the Outer Banks," Seekamp says. "What were their connections before they left and have they made new connections to other beaches? Have they started going to the mountains instead? It's important to look at people's long-term connections with place." The study, "Influences on coastal tourism demand and substitution behaviors from climate change impacts and hazard recovery responses," appears in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. Co-authors Matthew Jurjonas and Karly Bitsura-Meszaros are former NC State graduate students. NC State's College of Natural Resources supported the study. Explore further Outer Banks area may be losing its charm More information: Erin Seekamp et al. Influences on coastal tourism demand and substitution behaviors from climate change impacts and hazard recovery responses, Journal of Sustainable Tourism (2019). Erin Seekamp et al. Influences on coastal tourism demand and substitution behaviors from climate change impacts and hazard recovery responses,(2019). DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2019.1599005 An image of the 1919 eclipse, taken at Principe, an island off the coast of Africa. Credit: Royal Astronomical Society No Shadow of a Doubt, a new book by Daniel Kennefick, associate professor of physics at the University of Arkansas, tells the story of two research teams, organized by Arthur Stanley Eddington and Sir Frank Watson Dyson, who tested Einstein's theory of relativity. These expeditions traveled to Brazil and Africa to collect images of stars during the 1919 eclipse, and their results confirmed and brought mainstream attention to the theory. "Einstein was a well-known scientist before, but this made him a celebrity," said Kennefick. Einstein's theory of relativity proposed a new way of looking at gravity. The prevailing theory at the time, Newton's law of universal gravitation, described gravity as a force between massive objects. According to physicists in 1900, starlight, which they thought had no mass, would not be affected by gravity. Einstein contradicted this expectation twice. First he showed, through his famous equation E=mc2, that light has mass, since it clearly has energy, and therefore should be affected by gravity. Then he theorized that gravity actually causes a curving of spacetime. According to his theory, light would follow this curve, so it would be affected by gravity, whether or not it had mass. If Einstein were to be correct, starlight traveling past the sun would follow a curved path as it traveled to Earth. So if someone on Earth viewed a star during the night, when they were facing away from the sun, the star would appear to be in one place. But, according to Einstein's theory, if someone were to look at the same star during the daytime, when the sun is between the Earth and the star, the star should appear to be in a slightly different position than it was when viewed at night. In order to gather data to test this theory, scientists would need to photograph the stars while the sun was present, a situation that was only possible during a total eclipse. The 1919 eclipse presented an opportunity to make the necessary observations, but scientists had to travel to locations where the eclipse was total, which included Sobral, Brazil, and Principe, an island off the coast of Africa. The two expeditions overcame many challenges, transporting large and delicate instruments on the long trips and facing the risk that a passing cloud would ruin the whole experiment. Kennefick explained that he wanted to bring light to the story of these researchers, who have been overshadowed by Einstein's fame. "The passage of time has caused us to lose sight of their cruicial roles," he said in the prologue of the book. "This book aims to correct this oversight, which could cripple serious attempts to understand how the science of the eclipse was accomplished." More information: The book will be published by Princeton University Press on April 30. In this May 1, 2018, file photo, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the keynote speech at F8, Facebook's developer conference, in San Jose, Calif. Federal regulators are reportedly considering seeking some kind of oversight over Mark Zuckerberg's leadership of Facebook over the social network giant's mishandling of users' personal information. The Washington Post reported Friday, April 19, 2019 that discussions between Facebook and Federal Trade Commission officials about its data-handing lapses have touched on holding the CEO personally accountable. Zuckerberg controls a majority of Facebook's voting stock. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) Federal regulators are reportedly considering seeking some kind of oversight of Mark Zuckerberg's leadership of Facebook over the social network giant's mishandling of users' personal information. Discussions between Facebook and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission officials about its data-handing lapses have touched on holding the CEO personally accountable, The Washington Post reported Friday. Zuckerberg controls a majority of Facebook's voting stock and has run the company since starting it at Harvard in 2004. The Post quoted two anonymous sources familiar with the discussions. It said putting restraints on Zuckerberg could send a message to other tech giants that the FTC could hold their executives accountable for privacy misdeeds. The FTC had no comment and Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The commission opened an investigation into Facebook last year after revelations that data mining firm Cambridge Analytica had gathered details on as many as 87 million Facebook users without their permission. The FTC has been examining whether that massive breakdown violated a settlement that Facebook reached in 2011 after government regulators concluded the Menlo Park, California, company had repeatedly broken its privacy promises to users, who now number 2.3 billion globally. The FTC decree, which runs through 2031, requires that Facebook get its users' consent to share their personal information in ways that aren't allowed by their privacy settings. The Post previously reported the FTC is considering hitting Facebook with a multibillion-dollar fine. That would top its previous record fine of $22.5 million, which it dealt to Google in 2012 for bypassing the privacy controls in Apple's Safari browser. Facebook has in the past year been buffeted by media coverage highlighting what critics call a cavalier attitude toward protecting user privacy and dataand in failing to prevent the dissemination of hate speech and misinformation on the biggest communications medium in history. On Thursday, its Instagram subsidiary said in a blog post that millions more users were affected by a password security lapse than Facebook acknowledged when announcing the problem nearly four weeks ago. In the initial announcement it had said tens of thousands of passwords were stored on the site in plain text, meaning company employees could search them. 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. In this Oct. 11, 2018 file photo, a boat sits amidst debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla. Weather forecasters have posthumously upgraded last fall's Hurricane Michael from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the storm's upgraded status Friday, making Michael only the fourth storm on record to have hit the U.S. as a Category 5 hurricane. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) Hurricane Michael, which devastated a swath of the Florida Panhandle last fall, has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm, only the fourth to make recorded landfall in the United States and the first since 1992. The announcement by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Friday came as no surprise to those still struggling to recover from the storm's destruction. "My thought is simply that most of us thought we were dealing with a (Category) 5 anyway," said Al Cathey, mayor of Mexico Beach, which bore the brunt of the storm when it hit. National Hurricane Center scientists conducted a detailed post-storm analysis for Hurricane Michael, which made landfall near Mexico Beach and Tyndall Air Force Base on Oct. 10, 2018. They've determined that its estimated intensity at landfall was 160 mph (257 kph), a 5 mph (8 kph) increase over the operational estimate used last fall, NOAA said in a news release. That puts Michael just barely over the 157 mph (252 kph) threshold for a category 5 hurricane. Just 36 hours before hitting Florida's coast, Michael was making its way through the Gulf of Mexico as a 90 mph (145 kph) Category 1 storm. But the reclassification doesn't come with the much-needed state and federal funding Cathey said is necessary to rebuild. "Whether it was a 5 or a 4, it really isn't relative to anything for most of us who are here. It's just another number," Cathey said Friday. In this Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. file photo, rescue personnel perform a search in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla. Weather forecasters have posthumously upgraded last fall's Hurricane Michael from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the storm's upgraded status Friday, making Michael only the fourth storm on record to have hit the U.S. as a Category 5 hurricane. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File) And the numbers tell the story in Mexico Beach, where Cathey said there were about 1,200 residents and 2,700 housing units before Hurricane Michael hit. Today, the population has dipped to about 400 people and there are less than 500 structures standing. And many of those suffered catastrophic damage. According to NOAA, Category 5 winds were likely experienced over a small area, and the change is of little practical significance. Both categories signify the potential for catastrophic damage. Michael was directly responsible for 16 deaths and about $25 billion in damage in the U.S., and parts of the Florida Panhandle, including Mexico Beach and nearby Panama City, are still recovering from the destruction more than six months later. The new landfall speed was determined by a review of the available aircraft winds, surface winds, surface pressures, satellite intensity estimates and Doppler radar velocities, NOAA said. That includes data and analyses that weren't available during the storm. The increase in the estimated maximum sustained wind speed from the operational estimate is small and well within the normal range of uncertainty, NOAA said. This Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2018 file satellite image provided by NOAA shows Hurricane Michael, center, in the Gulf of Mexico. Weather forecasters have posthumously upgraded last fall's Hurricane Michael from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the storm's upgraded status Friday, making Michael only the fourth storm on record to have hit the U.S. as a Category 5 hurricane. (NOAA via AP) "You still ride through our city and it's depressing," Cathey said, adding that they've dealt with 1 million cubic yards (0.76 million cubic meters) of debris. "We still don't have a pretty face. It's a mess," he said. "But we are working diligently at getting ourselves cleaned up and being proactive and helping people get their feet back under them." In addition to Hurricanes Michael and Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the only other Category 5 storms known to have made landfall in the U.S. are the Labor Day Hurricane that hit the Florida Keys in 1935 and Hurricane Camille, which ravaged the Mississippi coast in 1969. Michael is also the strongest hurricane landfall on record in the Florida Panhandle and only the second known Category 5 landfall on the northern Gulf coast. Besides wind speed, atmospheric pressure is also used to measure storm intensity, with a lower central pressure generally meaning higher winds. Michael's central pressure at landfall is the third lowest on record for a landfall in the U.S. since reliable records began in 1900, trailing only the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille of 1969. In this Friday, Jan. 25, 2019 fle photo, an excavator tears down a damaged home from Hurricane Michael in Panama City, Fla. Weather forecasters have posthumously upgraded last fall's Hurricane Michael from a Category 4 storm to a Category 5. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the storm's upgraded status Friday, making Michael only the fourth storm on record to have hit the U.S. as a Category 5 hurricane. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File) Explore further Hurricane Michael intensified as it approached landfall 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Photos of a heavily oiled saltmarsh in Louisiana's Barataria Bay show recovery of the plant community following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Credit: Dr. Qianxin Lin. Nine years ago tomorrowApril 20, 2010crude oil began leaking from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig into the Gulf of Mexico in what turned out to be the largest marine oil spill in history. A long-term study suggests the oil is still affecting the salt marshes of the Gulf Coast, and reveals the key role that marsh grasses play in the overall recovery of these important coastal wetlands. Conducting the study was a multi-institutional research team funded in part by the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative, a 10-year independent program established through a $500 million financial commitment from BP. The team began sampling soon after the spill was finally contained, and continue their work today. Their most-recent articlein Estuaries and Coastsreports on the first six and a half years of sampling post-spill. Lead author on the study is John Fleeger, an emeritus professor at LSU. Co-authors are Rita Riggio, Irving Mendelssohn, Qianxin Lin, and Aixin Hou of LSU; David Johnson of William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science; Donald Deis of Atkins North America; Kevin Carman of the University of Nevada-Reno; Sean Graham of Nicholls State University; and Scott Zengel of Research Planning, Inc. Johnson, an assistant professor at VIMS and expert in salt marsh invertebrates, says "Our study highlights the crucial role that plants play in the recovery of important links in the Gulf of Mexico's coastal food web." Those links ultimately connect to the fish and shellfish that support the region's economy and culture. Two plants dominate healthy Gulf Coast salt marshesthe smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and the black needlerush Juncus roemerianus. Also abundant on the marsh surface are single-celled, plant-like organisms that scientists collectively refer to as benthic microalgae, while a suite of small invertebratesamphipods, copepods, nematodes, snails, worms, and othersswim, hop, and crawl among the grass blades or burrow in the underlying root zone. The team studied these organisms by measuring their abundance and biomass in heavily oiled, moderately oiled, and oil-free areas of Louisiana's Barataria Bay, using both surface plots and shallow cores. Sampling took place at roughly 6-month intervals between 2011 and 2016. The researchers' early sampling showed that nearly all the plants in heavily oiled areas died, while benthic microalgae and burrowing invertebrates suffered significant reductions. Their later sampling showed that marsh recovery was led by benthic microalgae and Spartinawhich began to show significant above-ground growth within two to three years. Importantly, it was only after Spartina started its comeback that recovery of the invertebrate community began in earnest. "Plants are the foundation of salt marshes," explains Johnson. "Marsh grasses facilitate colonization by burrowing invertebrates; fuel the food web, provide animal habitat, bind the soil, and slow water flow. Without plants there is no marsh, and there is no marsh recovery following a spill without plants leading the way." Manisha Pant, a technician in David Johnson's laboratory at VIMS, samples the invertebrate community within a lightly oiled Louisiana salt marsh. Credit: D. Johnson/VIMS. If you plant it, they will come The team's findings have important implications for responding to any future spills. Fleeger says "our findings indicate that mitigation strategies for any future spills should include the planting of foundation species such as Spartina." Mendelssohn, a VIMS alumnus (M.A. '73), says that foundation species "enhance recovery by providing habitat and reducing sediment erosion." Over the longer term, he says, "plant growth enhances recovery by improving soil quality. Plants generate organic matter that accumulates belowground, while their roots and rhizomes release oxygen, bind sediments, and increase sediment volume. Breakdown of plant tissues also provides nutrients that further stimulate plant growth and beneficial microbial processes in the marsh." A slow road to full recovery Tempering the promise of marsh recovery via planting of grasses such as Spartina is the team's discovery that heavily oiled marsh sites remained less healthy than moderately oiled and oil-free sites more than 6 years after the Deepwater Horizon spill. Heavily oiled sites still had elevated concentrations of oil and its breakdown products, and showed slower growth of black needlerush, lower production of plant detritus and below-ground organic matter, and altered soil density. Populations of worms, juvenile snails, and other small invertebrates had also failed to fully recover. Particularly troubling was the continued rarity of the polychaete worm Manayunkia aestuarina. One of the most abundant single species in the invertebrate community, this tube dweller is important to the health of marsh sediments, and plays a key role in the marsh food web as a major prey item for crabs, shrimp, and fish. "The near absence of this species could indicate significant alteration of ecological function at heavily oiled sites," says Johnson. Also troubling is that projecting the observed pace of mash recovery into the future suggests that complete recovery at moderately and heavily oiled sites will likely take much longer than a decade. This is slower than reported in many previous studies of oil spills and their impacts on the marsh community. "Previous work shows that oil spills in salt marshes can impact bottom-dwelling invertebrates for more than four decades," says Fleeger. "Long-term exposure to oil and its breakdown products may also decrease the sensitivity and resilience of these organisms to future spills," he adds. On a brighter note, a previous study by Johnson and colleagues suggests that fertilization of Spartina plantings can enhance growth of both its stems and roots, thus aiding marsh recovery in the long term. "We're starting to see the salt marsh in the Gulf of Mexico rebound," says Johnson, "but it will likely be a decade or more before we see complete recovery." Explore further Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused widespread marsh erosion, study shows More information: J. W. Fleeger et al, What Promotes the Recovery of Salt Marsh Infauna After Oil Spills?, Estuaries and Coasts (2018). J. W. Fleeger et al, What Promotes the Recovery of Salt Marsh Infauna After Oil Spills?,(2018). DOI: 10.1007/s12237-018-0443-2 Ensuring sustainable supply of drinking water took center stage at a meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI at the Royal palace in Rabat, Thursday, part of an endeavor by the Kingdom to safeguard water resources. The meeting focused on water supply in the north and the north east, two regions that see their water needs double during the summer, the Royal office said in a statement. The water needs of the region are also set to increase as the region is home to large-scale industrial investments and tourism development projects. The social and economic projects such as the car-industry cluster by Renault and the Mohammed VI Tanger Tech City, which is being built in partnership with Chinese operators, require reinforcing water supply capacities, the statement said. The water supply will be guaranteed through building big dams in the area including the Bni Mansour dam, which will have a storage capacity of 1billion cubic meters of water. Last year, King Mohammed VI gave instructions to the relevant departments to launch the construction of dams of different sizes across the country to secure drinking water supply as well as water resources for irrigation and industry in different regions. The Sovereign also called for considering the possible establishment of desalination plants, and for carrying on the water saving program in farming. Mass shootings happen with numbing frequency in the United States. Despite the extraordinary tragedy of these events, such as the shooting at Columbine High School twenty years ago this week, little progress has been made in policy and law to prevent them from happening again. To better understand the source of political paralysis on gun control, Brian Schaffner, the Newhouse Professor of Civic Studies at Tufts, along with University of Massachusetts doctoral student David Barney, took a close look at how mass shootings influence public sentiment toward gun control. Their study, published recently in the British Journal of Political Science, showed that after each mass shooting, rather than moving toward consensus, public opinion became more polarized, with no net movement toward or away from stricter gun regulations. Democrats were more likely to support greater gun control, while Republicans were inclined to support fewer regulations. With the shootings and political polarization locked in a repeating cycle, Tufts Now asked Schaffner, who has appointments in both the Department of Political Science and the Tisch College of Civic Life, what he learned from the study, and what strategies those advocating for effective gun laws and public policy need to take to break that cycle. Tufts Now: Your research shows that mass shootings seem to polarize opinions and positions on gun policy, leading to a net zero change in overall opinion and limited legislative action. What do you think is the dynamic that leads to polarization rather than consensus? Are we primed to have our opinions magnified, rather than changed? Brian Schaffner: I think it is natural to expect when there is a tragic mass shooting event that opinion my become decisively more supportive of gun control legislation. But what we actually see is, if anything, rigidity. In our study, we tested whether people living near mass shooting events were likely to shift their views. What we found is that Democrats became even more supportive of stricter gun control legislation, while Republicans became even more opposed to it. I think the reason for this is that each tragic mass shooting brings an intense debate about gun control, and partisans mostly follow the lead of what the politicians from their own party are saying about the issue. What is different about the cultural and social context of other nations that experience mass shootings, such as Christ Church in New Zealand and Port Arthur in Australia, where instead of polarization, there was movement toward consensus on gun control? There are a lot of things that make our politics unique from that in other nations. Institutionally, New Zealand is a parliamentary democracy, meaning that it is much easier for the government to act decisively. Here, politicians must cope with divided government, which makes it much harder to pass important legislation. Additionally, our politics are now so polarized along partisan lines and so few members of Congress are in competitive districts, which means that legislators are often more worried about what their basethose who vote in primariesthink than they are what broader opinion looks like on an issue. What can U.S. advocacy groups and policymakers seeking tightened gun control learn from those experiences and your research? For those interested in passing serious gun control legislation, I think there are a couple of lessons. First, I think focusing on passing laws at the state level, particularly in states where the political climate is more favorable, is a good approach. I believe you saw movement like this after the Parkland shooting in particular. Second, I think gun control advocates especially need to think about a long-term strategy for generating fundamental change in public opinion on this issue, rather than hoping to see opinion shift quickly in reaction to tragic events. This probably means trying to influence the views of young Americans who are just coming into the electorate, but who could serve as a strong basis of support for gun control legislation for many years to come. It may also mean trying to influence views via non-political avenuesfor example, through narratives on television shows, movies, and so on. I suspect that there are lessons to be learned from gay rights activists who have had tremendous success in moving public opinion in the past few decades. Which groups might gun control advocates target to generate more support for their cause? One thing that is interesting in the data I've looked at is that independents often hold views that are closer to Republicans than to Democrats when it comes to gun control. Since independents should be less tied to following their party on this issue, that might be one place where minds can be changed. There is also a pretty large gender gap in attitudes toward gun control among Republicans and independents. In fact, in our most recent survey, over half of Republican women support banning assault rifles compared to only about 30 percent of Republican men. Thus, gun control advocates are quite right to be appealing especially to women on this issue. Explore further Anxiety surrounding mass shootings briefly closes ideological divides More information: David J Barney et al. Reexamining the Effect of Mass Shootings on Public Support for Gun Control, British Journal of Political Science (2019). David J Barney et al. Reexamining the Effect of Mass Shootings on Public Support for Gun Control,(2019). DOI: 10.1017/S0007123418000352 A. oligospora can develop adhesive networks (AN) to capture nematodes. Credit: Science China Press Lifestyle transition is a fundamental mechanism that fungi have evolved to survive and proliferate in different environments. As a typical nematode-trapping fungus, Arthrobotrys oligospora switches from saprophytes to predators on induction of nematode prey. During its induced lifestyle transition, microRNA-like RNAs may play a critical role, which paves new ways for understanding fungal adaptation and pathogenesis. Fungi are the most common cause of diseases in crops and other plants, and pose major threats to humans and other animals. The successful treatment of fungal diseases is difficult partly because the mechanisms for fungal pathogenesis remain largely unknown as well as that fungi are eukaryotes as the host cells. Multiple lifestyles have been recruited by fungi to live in different environments. The relevance of fungal dimorphism to fungal infections has been demonstrated previously. Most pathogenic fungi are opportunistic, and their lifestyle transition from saprophytes to pathogens is a key point for fungal infections. Among them, Arthrobotrys oligospora, a typical nematode-trapping fungus, can be induced by nematodes to develop adhesive networks which is a key indicator of its transition from saprophyte to predator. The adhesive networks are then utilized to capture nematode prey, followed by penetration and digestion (Figure 1). A. oligospora has thus been considered as a natural killer of nematodes, which cause massive losses in crops. Therefore, it is of great importance to understand the underlying mechanism for the lifestyle transition of A. oligospora. Biologists from the State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan of Yunnan University conducted a pioneering study by exploring the potential roles of small RNAs during the trap induction of A. oligospora. "We started with small RNA sequencing and predicted microRNA-like RNAs using three methods. A total of 863 putative microRNA-like RNAs have been predicted and 7 of them have been confirmed. The target genes of the putative microRNA-like RNAs were predicted using five methods. It is very interesting to find out that the qde-2 gene was in the target list of mil-289." Said Dr. Xinglai Ji, the senior author for this work. "This is a high-risk study because it is not known whether microRNA-like RNAs exist or function in trap induction of A. oligospora. Although miRNAs widely exist in animals and plants, they are rarely reported in fungi. Our study suggests the wide existence of microRNA-like RNAs in nematode-trapping fungi that play important roles in their lifestyle transition, which provides new insights into understanding the adaptation of fungi from scavengers to pathogens." Said Xinglai. Putative model for microRNA-like RNAs playing critical roles in lifestyle transition of A. oligospora. Credit: Science China Press "This is a great team effort of collaboration by scientists from diverse areas. The study was designed with a combination of both bioinformatics analysis and experimental confirmation." said the corresponding author Dr. KeQin Zhang, a scientist working on nematode-trapping fungi for many years. After comprehensive analyses, the potential microRNA-like RNAs with high expression were confirmed by experiment. "High-throughput sequencing technologies provided opportunities to screen for targets on a genome-wide scale, then they were confirmed by experiment. Moreover, further studies showed they were very important in nematode-trapping fungi and how they worked during the induction pathways. Nematode-trapping fungi can keep nematode populations in balance in nature, which makes them good potential bio-control agents. The critical role of microRNA-like RNAs and related pathways is of great interest in developing high efficiency agents to aid in prevention of nematodes in agriculture." Said KeQin. "Both RT-PCR and northern blot analysis were carried out for confirmation of the 170 putative microRNA-like RNAs. To explore their functions, the genes encoding the confirmed microRNA-like RNAs were knocked out separately to observe whether the deleted strains can be induced as the wild strains. Additionally, the argonaute protein QDE-2 was immunoprecipitated and RIP analysis was performed to verify whether the microRNA-like RNAs and their target genes were associated with QDE-2 and how they worked. Moreover, the qde-2 gene was also removed from the genome which led to a more serious deficiency in lifestyle transition than deletion of a single microRNA-like RNA." Said Dr. Heng Li, the co-first author. "The interesting part is that the inhibition of qde-2 by mil-289 can be confirmed in a transient gene expression system in tobacco, which forms a regulatory loop in the RNAi regulation (Figure 2). Further studies are still needed." Explore further First integrated atlas of microRNA expression in human primary cells More information: Ji, X., Li, H., Zhang, W., Wang, J., Liang, L., Zou, C., Yu, Z., Liu, S., and Zhang, K.Q. (2019). The lifestyle transition of Arthrobotrys oligospora is mediated by microRNA-like RNAs. Sci China Life Sci 62, Ji, X., Li, H., Zhang, W., Wang, J., Liang, L., Zou, C., Yu, Z., Liu, S., and Zhang, K.Q. (2019). The lifestyle transition of Arthrobotrys oligospora is mediated by microRNA-like RNAs.62, doi.org/10.1007/s11427-018-9437-7 Closed conformation of a bacterial substrate-binding protein following the binding of a substrate. Credit: T. Cordes LMU researchers utilized a biophysical approach to understand how bacterial import proteins bind and selectively convey their cargoes across membranes. The results reveal an unexpectedly wide variety of transfer mechanisms. Many essential cellular functions rely on the selective uptake or export of specific cargoes across membranes. These vital tasks are performed by specialized, membrane-bound, transport proteins. Transporters of this type are required for the import of nutrients from the surrounding medium, the disposal of toxic products or the defense of pathogens. As in any import-export business, the most important aspect of these transport processes is the selection of the appropriate substrates. LMU biophysicist Professor Thorben Cordes and his team have examined how representative members of an important class of transport proteins called bacterial ABC importers select their preferred cargoes. They identified a wide range of binding mechanisms, which are largely dependent on the fact that one domain of the transporters exhibits a surprising degree of structural flexibility. The new findings appear in the online journal eLife. Transport by bacterial ABC import systems begins with the recognition of a potential cargo molecule by a specific substrate binding protein (SBP). Successful binding alters the three-dimensional structure of the binding protein from an open to a closed conformation. It was generally assumed that the conformational change induced by substrate binding dictates the selectivity of substrate transport by enabling the loaded SBP to interact with the transporter subunit, which is responsible for conveying the substrate across the membrane. "However, there were various indications that some molecules bind the SBPs with high affinity but are not subsequently transported across the membrane," says Cordes. "To explore the relationship between binding and transport, we used a spectroscopic method that characterizes both structural changes and dyamics caused by the binding of different substrates, and asked whether these contribute to the selectivity of substrate uptake by bacterial transport systems." The methodology applied by Cordes and his colleagues Bert Poolman (Groningen, NL) and Christopher McDevitt (Melbourne, AUS) differs from the classical structural biology approaches, which aim at the determination of the three-dimensional structure of the entire proteins, with and without their binding partners. Instead, they used a technique known as single-molecule fluorescence energy transfer (smFRET). This effectively allows one to measure the distance between two fluorescent dyes that have been chemically attached to specific positions in a protein. The method therefore makes it possible to monitor shifts in the conformational states of SBPs, and has the great advantage that the interactions of many different substrates with the same SBP can be rapidly characterized. With the aid of this approach, it was shown that the SBPs found in ABC systems are surprisingly flexible. "There is no such thing as a single, clearly definable, closed conformation that activates transport," says Cordes. Instead, binding proteins are capable of adopting a range of activating and non-activating conformations." In some cases, binding of transported substrates and non-transported substrates results in very similar conformations. In such cases, factors other than the conformation of the binding protein must determine the selectivity of the transport step. "Our results reveal an unexpected diversity of transport selection mechanisms in these proteins," says Cordes. "We hope that this insight will contribute to a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms utilized by ABC transporters. Such an understanding could also be of medical interest, as the binding proteins we have looked at are specific to bacterial cells. On the basis of our findings, it might therefore be possible to develop novel antibiotics." Explore further Protein dynamics: Molecular machines at work More information: Marijn de Boer et al. Conformational and dynamic plasticity in substrate-binding proteins underlies selective transport in ABC importers, eLife (2019). Journal information: eLife Marijn de Boer et al. Conformational and dynamic plasticity in substrate-binding proteins underlies selective transport in ABC importers,(2019). DOI: 10.7554/eLife.44652 Araguaian river dolphin swimming in the Araguaia River near a fish market in the Brazilian town of Mocajuba that the animals regularly visit to be fed by the people shopping there. Normally they are hard to find and study. Researchers from the University of Vermont and University of St. Andrews discovered that the dolphin species, which was thought to be solitary and quiet, can actually make hundreds of different sounds, a finding that could help uncover how communication evolved in marine mammals Credit: Paulo Castro The Araguaian river dolphin of Brazil is something of a mystery. It was thought to be quite solitary, with little social structure that would require communication. But Laura May Collado, a biologist at the University of Vermont, and her colleagues have discovered that the dolphins can actually make hundreds of different sounds to communicate, a finding that could help uncover how communication evolved in marine mammals. "We found that they do interact socially and are making more sounds than previously thought," she says. "Their vocal repertoire is very diverse." The findings of May Collado are her colleagues were published in the journal PeerJ on April 18. The Araguaian dolphins, also called botos, are a difficult animal to study. They are hard to find in the first place, and while the waters of the Araguaia and Tocatins rivers are clear, it is challenging to identify individuals because the dolphins are skittish and hard to approach. Luckily, Gabriel Melo-Santos, a biologist from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and leader of the project, found a fish market in the Brazilian town of Mocajuba where the botos regularly visit to be fed by people shopping there. The clear water and regular dolphin visits provided a unique opportunity to get a close look at how the animals behave and interact, and to identify and keep track of various individuals. The team used underwater cameras and microphones to record sounds and interactions between the dolphins at the market, and took some genetic samples. They identified 237 different types of sounds the dolphins make, but even with 20 hours of recordings the researchers don't believe they captured the animals' entire acoustic repertoire. The most common sounds were short, two-part calls that baby dolphins made when they were approaching their mothers. "It's exciting; marine dolphins like the bottlenose use signature whistles for contact, and here we have a different sound used by river dolphins for the same purpose," says May Collado. The river dolphins also made longer calls and whistles, but these were much rarer, and the reasons for them are not yet clear. But there is some indication that whistles serve the opposite purpose than in bottlenose dolphins, with the botos using them to maintain distance rather than for group cohesion. Rare video footage of Araguaian river dolphins. The dolphins are swimming in the Araguaia River near a fish market in the Brazilian town of Mocajuba that the animals regularly visit to be fed by the people shopping there. Normally they are hard to find and study. Researchers from the University of Vermont and University of St. Andrews discovered that the dolphin species, which was thought to be solitary and quiet, can actually make hundreds of different sounds, a finding that could help uncover how communication evolved in marine mammals.A number of vocalization are heard in the video. The clicking sounds are used for echolocation. Audible midway through the video is a short, two-part call baby dolphins make when they were approaching their mothers. Bubbles from its blowhole are visible as it produces the sound. The video is a supplement to the paper published in PeerJ. Credit: Paulo Castro The acoustic characteristics of the calls are also interesting; they fall somewhere between the low-frequency calls used by baleen whales to communicate over long distances, and the high-frequency ones used by marine dolphins for short distances. May Collado speculates that the river environment may have shaped those characteristics. "There are a lot of obstacles like flooded forests and vegetation in their habitat, so this signal could have evolved to avoid echoes from vegetation and improve the communication range of mothers and their calves," she says. May Collado and her colleagues next want to study whether the same diversity of communication is seen in other populations of Araguaian river dolphins that are less accustomed to humans, and compare them to their relatives elsewhere in South America. The Araguaian dolphins are closely related to two other species, the Bolivian river dolphin and Amazon river dolphin; the Araguaian dolphins were only described as a separate species in 2014, and that classification is still under debate. But there seems to be a large amount of variation in the repertoire of sounds each species makes. The Amazon dolphins in Ecuador, studied by May Collado in 2005, are generally very quiet. "We need more information on these other species and more populations," she says. "Why is one population chattier than others and how do these differences shape their social structure?" May Collado says the work could help researchers gain clearer understanding of how communication evolved in marine mammals. Similar calls have been reported in pilot whales and killer whales, for example, and the similarities and differences between different species could help tease out which signals evolved first, and why. The river dolphins are evolutionary relics, represented by just a few species around the world, and they diverged from other cetaceans much earlier than other dolphins. So these calls may have arisen first in river dolphins, then later evolved in marine dolphins into whistles and calls but in a different social context. Or was there a change in the function of the calls, with this kind of sound being used for group identity in killer whales, and individual identity in river dolphins? The calls may also have other functions in addition to identity, perhaps indicating group identity, or providing information on emotional state. "We can't say what the evolutionary story is yet until we get to know what sounds are produced by other river dolphins in the Amazon area, and how that relates to what we found," she says. "We now have all these new questions to explore." Explore further Dolphins who help fishermen found to also hang out together between meals Credit: CC0 Public Domain While flames engulfed Notre Dame on the evening of April 15 and the world watched in despair, French president Emmanuel Macron told news cameras that the Paris cathedral was part of the history of all French people: It is our history, our literature, our imagination, the place where we have lived our great moments it is the epicentre of our life. Macron hit the mark in more ways than one. Certainly, since its first stone was laid in 1163, Notre Dame has witnessed a great many of France's iconic moments. It was, after all, the church of the country's medieval kings long before the royal court moved out to Versailles in the 17th century. In 1558, it witnessed the marriage of Mary Queen of Scots to the Dauphin, soon to be King Francois II. In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself emperor there. And, on August 26 1944, the towering frame of general Charles de Gaulle strode triumphantly down the aisle for a thanksgiving service on the liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation having braved snipers on the way. Notre Dame is one of the country's "lieux de memoire", a "realm of memory", to use historian Pierre Nora's term; a place where historical memory is embedded and commemorated. Secret lives All buildings have their "secret lives" a topic that Edward Hollis explores in his brilliant book with that very title. One of the cathedral's secret lives was its part in the "culture war" that bitterly divided France after the Revolution of 1789. The Revolution was not only a frontal assault on hereditary privilege, seigneurialism and the monarchy it also developed into an attack on the Catholic church, and Notre Dame was one of the most important sites of this conflict. In the autumn of 1793, as the Terror gathered pace, the firebrands who dominated Paris' municipal government ordered the removal of the statues that lined Notre Dame's facade above its great doors. These, it was proclaimed, were "the gothic simulacra of the Kings of France" (in fact, they represented the Kings of Judea). As the iconoclasm swept through the city, the interior of the cathedral was gutted: all religious images, statues, effigies, reliquaries and symbols were stripped out until all that remained was a bare shell of masonry and timber. The cathedral's bells and spire were melted down for their metal. This was the most serious damage sustained by the cathedral in modern times, until the recent fire, and yet (and here we might take heart) Notre Dame would be restored in the 19th century by Eugene-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, whose work included the replacement spire that fell so tragically in flames on April 15. The crescendo of the revolutionary campaign of "dechristianisation" came on November 10, 1793 when Notre Dame renamed the "Temple of Reason" played host to a secular, atheist festival to the triumph of human reason over religion and superstition. The French Revolution left a legacy of cultural and political division between, on the one hand, the Republic, the secular and visions of a democratic, rights-based order, and, on the other hand, the Church, the sacred and memories of the old monarchy. Crisis of faith Napoleon Bonaparte papered over the chasm in 1801 by signing a Concordat an agreement with the Pope, whereby he pragmatically recognised Catholicism as the religion of the "great majority of French citizens". This was a clever formula that was both a statement of fact and left room for other faiths. In return, the Pope accepted many of the reforms of the Revolution and Notre Dame was returned to the Church in April 1802. Despite this compromise, friction continued between the church and the state as the political pendulum swung back and forth over the course of the 19th century. Education was a particularly contentious battleground, as both sides fought to win the hearts and minds of the younger generations. From this conflict sprang the republican principle of "laicite". While French people of all races and creeds were free to practice their beliefs as private individuals, in their contacts with the state, particularly in schools, they were meant to be equal citizens abiding by the same laws and adhering to the same, universal, republican values. Notre-Dame was given a role in this if only in opposition to laicite. When the Eiffel Tower was opened in 1889 for the Universal Exposition, itself commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution, it was heralded by republicans as a triumph of human reason, science and progress over faith and superstition. The French diplomat and travel-writer Eugene Melchior de Vogue imagined an argument between Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower, between the old and the new, between faith and science. The cathedral's two towers mock Eiffel's creation: You are ugly and empty; we are beautiful and replete with God Fantasy for a day, you will not last, because you have no soul. The iron structure retorts: Old abandoned towers, no one listens to you anymore You were ignorance; I am knowledge. You keep man enslaved; I free him I have no more need of your God, invented to explain a creation whose laws I know. In 1905, the republicans finally triumphed, formally separating church and state, thereby tearing up Napoleon's Concordat. Notre Dame itself, along with other ecclesiastical property, was taken over by the government. Sacred union So Notre Dame is certainly a symbol of France's past, but not only because of its longevity, its royal associations, its undeniably stunning architecture and its location on the Ile de la Cite the ancient legal, political and ecclesiastical heart of the former kingdom. It also stood as a site and a symbol of the culture war: the "Franco-French" conflict between, on the one hand, the country's monarchist and Catholic traditions and, on the other hand, its revolutionary and republican heritage. These frictions have periodically torn the country apart since 1789. This is its hidden history. This alone is reason to mourn the damage, because its "secret life" carries lessons for all of us about the relationship between church and state, faith and reason, the secular and the sacred, about tolerance and intolerance, about the use and abuse of religion and culture. But happily this is not the full story. In times of national crisis, the French have shown an inspiring capacity to rally together, evoking the "union sacree", the unity of wartime in 1914, just as they mobilised around the democratic, republican values in response to the terrorist attacks in 2015. And Notre Dame has historically played a part in these moments of reconciliation and union. When France emerged from the brutal, sectarian 16th-century strife between Catholics and the Protestant Huguenots remembered as the Wars of Religion the Protestant Henri de Navarre, who took the crown as Henri IV, pragmatically decided that: "Paris is well worth a Mass" and converted to Catholicism. When he rode into the capital in 1594, he immediately took communion in Notre Dame: it was a moment that promised peace between Catholics and Protestants (and four years later, the new king issued the Edict of Nantes, which declared toleration for both faiths). It was in Notre Dame, too, that the official celebrations of Napoleon's compromise with the Church, the Concordat, came to a climax on Easter Sunday 1802, with a Mass attended by the entire government of a republic once deemed "Godless". In 1944, de Gaulle's triumphant march to Notre Dame through liberated Paris was a moment of catharsis for French people humiliated by four years of Nazi occupation. And in 1996, the then president Jacques Chirac (also the first French president to make a state visit to the Vatican) helped to arrange a Requiem Mass for his agnostic predecessor, Francois Mitterand. The gesture and the subsequent papal visit that same year certainly elicited protests from people, particularly on the left, who defended a pure form of laicite. Yet that Chirac, who in other contexts steadfastly defended the Republic's secularism, could as president do these things suggests how far the boundaries between republicanism and Catholicism have softened. Notre Dame is certainly an appropriate site to reflect on this because it is both state property and officially designated a "monument historique" as long ago as 1862 and a fully-functioning church. Bridges to build This is not to say that there are no bridges still to build, or frictions to resolve far from it. Recently, controversies over laicite have revolved around attempts to ban the hijab, the burka and the burkini, which have stoked fears of racism and of the exclusion of France's substantial Muslim population. And while there is certainly a dark side to les gilet jaunes, they are no less a symptom of deep economic distress and social malaise. So when Macron, on first learning of the terrible fire consuming Notre Dame, could tweet that his thoughts were with "all Catholics and for all French people" and that "tonight I am sad to see this part of us burn", he was perhaps intentionally almost using the Napoleonic language of the Concordat. His tweet recognised that not all French people are Catholic, while at the same time stating that the iconic cathedral is the heritage of all citizens regardless of belief. And indeed the rector of the Paris Grand Mosque, Dalil Boubakeur, issued a press release as the fire still blazed, saying: "We pray that God might safeguard this monument so precious to our hearts." When the reconstruction of Notre Dame begins, the country will be restoring not only a site of its history, but also a symbol of the complexities of that history, complexities that, hopefully, remind us of a capacity for healing, inclusion and unity. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Should Canada go to the moon? What's there for Canadians? It is these questions that we should ponder when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced that Canada will be participating in the new space exploration vision. As a professor of space robotics at a Canadian university, I should welcome this news, but I am not so sure. The United States Lunar Gateway is an incremental progression from the International Space Station (ISS) that has dominated American (and Canadian) human spaceflight for the past few decades. Of course, the history of the ISS has been mired in controversy it was expensive, purposeless, took decades to design, re-design and finally build. It has neither yielded any great scientific advances nor has it advanced human Mars exploration as originally proposed. Canada in space Canada's role on the ISS was to supply a suite of robot arms, including Canadarm 2. They were paid for by the Canadian taxpayer to a single Canadian company, MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) Ltd. In turn, we obtained seats on the ISS for our Canadian astronaut corps, including Col. Chris Hadfield. There is no doubt that Hadfield, our own star-faring troubadour, and his Canadian astronaut colleagues have done much to raise awareness of Canada's participation in the human space program. The Lunar Gateway is an extrapolation our previous arrangements regarding the ISS. It comprises a similar space station to be built in orbit, this time around the moon instead of the Earth. Yes, Earth is so passe. Tax dollars for Canadarm 3 Canada's participation is to be dominated by developing a new Canadarm 3, to be mounted onto this orbital space station, once again paid for by you, the taxpayer. The lion's share of your money will be funnelled to that same single Canadian company, MDA. In return, we shall have seats for a new generation of Canadian astronauts on the Gateway station. Yet, the Gateway promises to be another white elephant like its predecessor the ISS. This brings to the fore two important questions. Firstly, is it appropriate for the Canadian Space Agency to act as a government conduit of enormous taxpayer funds to a single company? This company has not been known for generously sharing their toys with the other children on the playground. Surely, the Canadian government should be serving the wider space community? What about small and medium enterprises? What's their stake? What about universities, which are repositories of some of the best minds in Canada? Are they all to be offered only meagre crumbs from the top table? Is Canadarm 3 promised to yield great technological leaps in our country? When theCanadarm was developed in the 1970s, it was an innovative and new concept in fitting with the new U.S. space shuttle. NASA didn't realize it had a need for it until, later, it realized it did Canadian ingenuity came to the rescue because we had found a weakness in NASA's armour and exploited it. Canada became the world leaders in this new technological capability: space robotics. Since then, we have re-vamped the shuttle Canadarm for the Space Station, and that will in turn be re-vamped for the Lunar Gateway. Yawn! The second question is will Canadarm 3 project Canadian space interests into the future? I think not. Not a Canadian boot shall step forth onto the moon's surface because the Lunar Gateway is an orbital station. The true value of lunar exploration will not be in orbit but on the lunar surface. Everyone Europe, China, India, Japan and the U.S. is interested in setting up shop there. The race for the moon What's so attractive about the moon? The Europeans envisage a "Moon Village" on the lunar surface comprising a mixture of government, scientific, commercial and private assets. The so-called "New Space" approach in the U.S. has encouraged the private sector with a more aggressive and pioneering approach to space exploration in seeking commercial ventures, often in partnership with the public sector. Entrepreneurs are opening new avenues for commercial prospecting some successful, some not so muchand crucial to this is a culture of entrepreneurship and competing ideas. It is this culture that has fostered interest in the lunar surface. There are ample commercial prospects to be had: mining water ice, supplying hydrogen and oxygen, building electromagnetic launchers, lunar base construction services, lunar mining, additive manufacturing and so on, to support a growing lunar infrastructure. Global competition Both the U.S. and Europe have fostered an entrepreneurial atmosphere to incubate competitive ideas for the next stage of space exploration on the moon, Mars and asteroids by encouraging commercial development. For example, one European start-up company is developing a box into which lunar soil may be shovelled and out the other side rolls out a carpet of solar cells for harnessing sunlight. What is Canada doing? Writing policy reports that no one will ever read or that impose a straitjacket for Canadian activities. Hardly conducive to the fostering of innovative and competitive ideas across Canada in opening a new frontier. So, where does Canada fit into all this? I believe the Lunar Gateway will restrict our opportunities on the moon rather than expand them. Canada has a vast array of expertise to contribute in rover vehicles, drilling, robotic mining, mineral processing, robotic construction, sustainable chemical processing, artificial intelligence, 3-D printing and robotic manufacturing that are all essential to the development of a lunar surface infrastructure. We already lead in relevant core technologies areas on Earth and in space which are directly applicable to this new commercial environment. If Canadian taxpayer funds are funnelled to a small MDA-led Canadarm 3 consortium, there will be little left to invest in true commercial ventures on the lunar surface. We will be left behind in orbit around the moon, having committed our investment for the next decade or two to serving the Gateway. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Marine ecologist Jennifer Smith has been cultivating Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed in her lab at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Researchers have found that adding small amounts of this seaweed to cattle feed can dramatically reduce methane-laden cow burps. Credit: Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications Agricultural and marine scientists at the University of California have joined forces to combat one of the greatest sources of methane emissions in California: cow burps. Scientists have found that a certain species of red algae seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis, produces a compound that could halt bovine production of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that is 30 times more potent than CO2. This is significant because more than half of all methane emissions in California come from livestock, primarily from the state's 1.8 million dairy cows as they burp, exhale, fart and produce manure. Of these cattle-related emissions, belches pack the most punch, accounting for roughly 95% of the methane released into the environment. When Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego marine ecologist Jennifer Smith read about a recent UC Davis study involving Asparagopsis, she was intrigued. With a background in marine botany, specifically phycologythe study of seaweeds and algaeSmith is very familiar with Asparagopsis. In fact, she recalled seeing some of the red algae growing haphazardly in a tank at Scripps' Experimental Aquarium, a research facility supplied by seawater pumped in from the end of Scripps Pier. Ongoing research led by agricultural scientists at UC Davis has found that adding just a small amount of Asparagopsis seaweed to cattle feed can dramatically reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by more than 50 percent. These preliminary results are promising, but still very little is known about whether it's possible to grow enough seaweed to meet the potential demands of the livestock industry. Seeking an opportunity for collaboration, in fall of 2018, Smith reached out to Ermias Kebreab, an animal science professor at UC Davis and leader of the seaweed study. Smith was interested in trying to grow Asparagopsis in the labsomething which has never been done beforeand exploring cultivation of this red algae on a larger scale. Kebreab replied almost immediately, and soon Smith found herself embarking on a seaweed passion project loaded with potential. "I'm really excited about all of the research opportunities that lie ahead to essentially understand the complexities of this beautiful red seaweed and to try to understand how we might be able to use it to mitigate methane production in cattle," said Smith, associate professor at the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps. Smith is well known for her research on coral reefs, particularly her work with the 100 Island Challenge project that aims to map and collect coral reef data from islands around the globe. But she also has experience with seaweed cultivation through her work with California Seaweed Company, a startup she co-leads with former student Brant Chlebowski that seeks to sustainably cultivate top quality culinary seaweeds. She is well aware of the challenges that she will face with her latest venture. "Asparagopsis is a complicated seaweed and little is known about its biology, so that poses a lot of opportunity from a scientific perspective, and it's not something that we can just start scaling tomorrow," said Smith. "We have a lot of work to do to learn more about its biology, physiology and ecology before we can develop a model for scaling cultivation." Meeting a 2030 goal The UC Davis study was prompted, in part, by the passing of a recent California law requiring dairy farmers and other producers to cut methane emissions 40 percent by 2030. As businesses and farmers are looking for affordable and effective methods to curb methane emissions, there has been increased interest in a potential seaweed solution. "We asked Jen to join us because we needed a marine biologist to work on how best to grow the seaweed and scale up production," said Kebreab, Sesnon Endowed Chair in the Department of Animal Science at UC Davis. "Once we show its potential, we expect high demand so we need to start working on meeting that demandand Jen would be crucial to the success of this technology." Shortly after her initial conversation with Kebreab, Smith went back to the Experimental Aquarium in search of the "pink scuzzy" seaweed she had seen there two years prior. To her delight, it was still in the aquarium, growing strong. For the past few months, she's been using these initial samples to grow the seaweed, similar to the way succulents can be propagated from a single clipping. Pressed seaweed specimens serve as important historical and taxonomic records for marine scientists. These recently pressed seaweed samples are stored in the herbarium, a dried plant archive, housed in the Smith Lab. Credit: Erik Jepsen/UC San Diego Publications The Asparagopsis samples now housed in the Smith Lab are presented in a dazzling array of bubbling flasks filled with what looks like tiny pink pom poms moving wildly about. These little pink balls are actually algae in the sporophyte phase of growth; just one of the three phases that exist in this alga's life cycle. Smith is particularly interested in working on the seaweed in this smaller phase because she's seen some of the samples double in size in less than a week. Right now, she's trying to find the "sweet spot" where the seaweed is growing at its highest rate, while also increasing its concentration of bromoformthe compound responsible for interfering with the enzymes that make methane in a cow's gut. Smith has also been conducting a variety of experiments to understand how the chemical composition and growth rates of the seaweed change under different laboratory conditions including temperature and light, nutrient concentration, and CO2 concentration. In order to ensure clean cultures, she is not using flow through seawater, as this has the potential to bring in "hitchhikers," potentially harmful marine critters or contaminants that could foul the samples. Smith notes that no one has ever completed the lifecycle of Asparagopsis in captivity, and there's much work to be done to see if cultivation of this red algae is possible on a larger scale. How to cultivate seaweed en masse Asparagopsis taxiformis is a subtropical species native to places including Australia and the Hawaiian Islands, but it's also found in areas further north including Baja California, Mexico and various locations off Southern California including San Diego and Catalina Island. The dried seaweed used for the UC Davis study was harvested in the wild from Australia, where it's most abundant. It's possible that in the future, researchers at UC Davis might use seaweed samples grown by Smith in her studies, but she does note that there's a limit to what one lab can produce. "I don't think that I will personally be growing all the seaweed that's going to feed all the cows, but I would certainly like to contribute to the technology development, the approaches and finding the most efficient and sustainable way of doing it," said Smith. In the near future, Smith plans to collect different populations of Asparagopsis from other places off California so she can have different genetic strains growing in the lab. She's also involved in another collaborative seaweed study in which scientists will sequence the genome of 12 different types of seaweed, one of them being Asparagopsis. Her long-term goal is to understand the most efficient and carbon negative way to move from cultivating seaweed in the laboratory to cultivating it outside in large tanks, or potentially even in the open ocean, a venture she thinks is much farther down the road. But for now, Smith says working on land-based cultivation is the way to go. Smith's current work on Asparagopsis cultivation is a one-woman show, but she plans to expand her research team soon. She is driven by the possibility of contributing to research that could have lasting impacts on the environment. Unlike CO2, which lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years, methane has a relatively short lifespan of about 10 years, meaning changes made today could have an impact in the near future. "The opportunity to potentially manage methane emissions from cow burps had never really been on the table," said Smith. "But with this unusual collaborationa marine biologist working with the livestock industry and livestock scientistswe might have an influence on greenhouse gas emissions. It's a crazy marriage of three totally disparate fields of science and I'm just really excited to be part of that." Explore further Study tests whether seaweed in cattle feed reduces emissions The Malian Prime Minister and his cabinet have resigned on Thursday, four weeks after a massacre of some 160 Fulani herders in the West African nation. According to a statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keitas office, the President accepted the resignation of the Prime Minister and that of the members of government. A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces, the statement from Keitas office said. The president had earlier this week said in a televised address that he had heard the anger (of the demonstrators). He reaffirmed his willingness to continue cooperating with foreign partners, especially the G5 Sahel Joint Forces in the fight against terrorism in Mali and the Sahel-Saharan belt. Legislators had discussed a possible motion of no confidence in the government because of the massacre and failure to disarm armed groups or beat back fighters. The resignation of the Prime Minister and his government comes after the president sacked about a dozen senior military officials, including the army chief, and dissolved an anti-jihadist vigilante group last month. According to the government, new military leaders have been appointed and other priority measures have been redefined in the light of the latest developments regarding the security situation. Mali has been struggling to curb violence since al-Qaeda-linked Islamist extremists gripped the desert north of the country in 2012. The government has come under increasing pressure over its inability to restore stability. Morocco law enforcement forces have nabbed an Algerian national wanted by Algerian security services over his connection with criminal activities and networks. The man, 47, was arrested in Oujda, eastern Morocco, Morocco World News website reported Thursday. Moroccos General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) said that the suspect was wanted for his suspected links to a criminal network active in drug and psychotropic tablets trafficking, the media noted. The man who is in custody for further investigation faces extradition following a demand by Algerian authorities. The DGSN has identified the man as part of an international criminal network that forged documents and passports. The network was busted in Oujda in 2018 after Moroccan authorities arrested four Algerian nationals who had obtained counterfeit Moroccan identity documents, the media recalled. 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 interior minister of the Libyan UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has accused France of backing renegade eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have launched an offensive to control Tripoli, and called for an end to security cooperation with the European Country. Fathi Bashagha Thursday asked his department to halt all forms of cooperation with France. The EU country has been giving the GNA security trainings, among other fields of cooperation. This is the GNAs first direct accusation of France since the start of the offensive by Haftar forces on Tripoli two weeks ago. The UN-backed government has accused foreign countries of backing the eastern military warlord whom it has designated as war criminal. The French foreign ministry has rejected the accusations as baseless. Tripolis statements on diplomatic support to Haftar are completely unfounded, said a senior official at the French Foreign Ministry. The legitimate interlocutor of the President of the Republic (Emmanuel Macron) is Prime Minister Sarraj, the French official said, adding that the President had last Monday a phone talk with Sarraj to whom he reaffirmed his support as the Libyan legitimate Prime Minister. Early this week, Tunisia said it detained 13 armed French nationals holding diplomatic passports after they crossed on the Tunisian territory from Libya. The men in 44 vehicles according to local reports allegedly came from the Libyan city of Garyan where they had been advising Haftars forces. The French embassy in Tunis said in a statement the French nationals were members of a security detail attached to the French embassy in Libya. France had hosted several talks between GNA leader Fayez Serraj and his rival Khalifa Haftar. Chairman of Australia-Arab Chamber of Commerce & Industry Roland Jabbour has voiced his countrys full backing to Moroccos territorial integrity and sovereignty over the Sahara. Speaking to journalists following a meeting Thursday in Rabat with Moroccan Secretary of State to Foreign Affairs Mounia Boucetta, Mr. Roland said: We strongly support the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Morocco over the Sahara and back the countrys territorial integrity, affirming that unity leads to economic prosperity. He also hailed the socioeconomic progress and development accomplished by Morocco in all sectors, expressing willingness to explore partnership projects and ways to enhancing cooperation with the North African Kingdom, which offers, he said, huge business opportunities to investors. Thanks to its geostrategic position, political stability and economic openness, Morocco has become a gateway for investment to Africa and Europe, he added, noting that partnership with the Kingdom will enable Australian businessmen direct access to the markets of both continents through the many free trade agreements Rabat sealed with the European and African countries. Moroccan-Australian bilateral trade reached $89.3 million in 2016, of which Australia imported $ 66.1 million from Morocco and exported $23.2 million. Despite the long distance between the two countries, some 40,000 Australians visit Morocco every year. According to Australias ambassador to Morocco Owen-Jones, the two countries can do better and bolster their trade and investment in the fields of food and agriculture, infrastructure, maritime transport, sustainable development and mining. She said Morocco and Australia share political willingness to forge a win-win partnership in investments, trade, peace, security, the fight against terrorism and climate change. After a particularly busy period last year, merger mania in the legal weed industry is still showing no signs of a cool-down. Reports have emerged that Canadian pot giant, Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX:WEED, NYSE:CGC), is planning a $3.4 billion takeover of New York-based weed operator, Acreage Holdings, Inc. (OTCQX:ACRGF), sending Acreage shares soaring 21 percent while shares of Canopy have climbed nearly 10 percent. Acreage Holdings is one of U.S. largest vertically integrated weed operators. (Click to enlarge) Source: CNN Money The two companies have been in talks for weeks and have reached an agreement for Canopy Growth to acquire Acreage for $300M in cash plus CGC shares for a total transaction value of ~$3.4 billion. If Acreage shareholders give the thumbs up, they will end up owning ~12.1 percent of Acreage after the deal is consummated on a pro forma basis. However, their stake could climb to 16.6 percent if Acreage is able to complete other acquisitions prior to the federal legalization of cannabis in the U.S. The merger will also need the blessing of a simple majority of Canopy Growth shareholders. The Boehner connection If successful, the acquisition will give Canopy a nice entry point into the giant U.S. pot market. Last year, Corona beer maker, Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ) struck a $4 deal with Canopy that will facilitate the manufacture of marijuana-infused beverages. Currently, Canopys listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange prevent it from entering the U.S. pot market because both exchanges explicitly prohibit companies under their umbrellas from violating any U.S. federal laws. Related: Marijuanas Bizarre Bottleneck Isnt What Youd Expect Acreage will also benefit from the deal by gaining access to Canopys popular pot brands such as Tokyo Smoke, Tweed and other IP assets. Acreage listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange last year, and has seen its market value soar to hit $2.6 billion, making it one of the largest U.S.-based pot companies on the exchange. Meanwhile, Canopy Growth is possibly one of the largest legal weed operators in the world, with its 4.3 million square feet of licensed capacity representing 35 percent of Canadas entire weed industry. This is not your typical M&A deal though, because it stands to be terminated if marijuana is not legalized federally in the U.S. in the next 90 months, or 7.5 years. Maybe the fact that the company enjoys the patronage of powerful investors will help expedite the process. Acreage boasts former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney as well as former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner as directors. Expanding space Unlike its Northern neighbor, the U.S. federal government is yet to legalize marijuana though several states have already done so. Currently, only 10 states have legalized recreational marijuana while 33 have legalized medical marijuana. The Canopy-Acreage takeover, however, might not have to run down its 90-month deadline for the deal to be consummated with the legalization drive now receiving ample support by Congress. About a week ago, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill that will solve a big headache for the legal weed industry: lack of access to financial services. The bill, dubbed the Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, was filed by Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) along with 20 other co-sponsors and seeks to shield banks from being punished by federal regulators for doing business with cannabis establishments. None other than Treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin himself has indicated his support for increasing banking access for marijuana businesses. Ongoing federal prohibitions makes many financial institutions wary of working with state-licensed operators, thus denying marijuana operators credit facilities and forcing them to operate on a cash-only basis. The marijuana space clearly is geared for prime time, and it might only be a matter of time before it eclipses the $75-billion soda industry. By Alex Kimani for SafeHaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com The Santa Maria City Council voted Tuesday in favor of the creation of an ordinance that would require discretionary permits for housing more than six H-2A workers in a single-family home but leave medium- and high-density housing zones with no local restrictions. The Director General of the Rabat-based Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, commended the initiative of King Mohammed VI of Morocco to contribute to the restoration and rehabilitation of a number of facilities in Al-Aqsa Mosque and its vicinity that are in dire need of restoration, preservation and upkeep. The generous initiative of King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee, translates his high interest in protecting the historical identity of Al-Quds Al-Sharif, Altwajri said in a statement. The royal initiative also testifies to the Kings support for the population of this holy city, especially in these difficult times, as Al-Quds, the first of the two Qiblas and the third Holy shrine in Islam, is threatened by Israels judaization attempts, the UNESCO chief said. The Sovereigns decision, which was announced last Wednesday, actually translates his unwavering support to the resistance of the Maqdessis, and his relentless defense of the historic status of this city and the consecration of its civilizational identity and its religious symbolism as an open space of coexistence and tolerance between the different celestial religions. In this context, Moroccan architects and craftsmen will be dispatched to Jerusalem to restore the centuries-old architectural authenticity of Al- Aqsa mosque. The restoration works will be carried out in coordination with the Jordanian Ministry of Waqf and Islamic Affairs, which has custody of Al-Aqsa Waqf. King Mohammed VI has repeatedly expressed support to the Hashemite custodianship over holy sites in Al Quds and the role the Jordanian Monarchy plays in protecting Al Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock (Kobbat Assakhra) and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher since 1946. The Kings initiative came three days after a fire broke out at the Dome of the Rock compound in Jerusalem. The fire affected a guards room near the Marwani Prayer Room, also known as Solomons Stables. The initiative also came a couple of weeks after King Mohammed VI and Pope Francis signed in Rabat The Jerusalem / Al-Quds Call urging for preserving, promoting and enhancing the specific multi-faith character, spiritual dimension and special identity of the holy city. More than nine months after the latest property cooling measures were implemented in July last year, homebuyers are still holding off on purchases. Most people are not buying because they just dont want to pay the additional buyers stamp duty (ABSD), says Lee Nai Jia, head of research for Knight Frank Singapore. Generally, people also feel that prices are likely to decline, says Lee. When people think that prices are going to drop, they tend to give lowball offers. This is contributing to a decline in sales at new launches so far this year, he says. Based on URAs latest statistics for new private home sales last month, the take-up rate was the lowest since November 2014. On stage from left: Boaz Boon, director (real estate advisory) of VestAsia Group; Marcus Chu, COO of ERA Realty Network; Regina Lim, head of research for Southeast Asia at JLL Singapore; and Lee Nai Jia, head of research at Knight Frank Singapore (Pictures: Albert Chua/EdgeProp Singapore) Lee was speaking at the EdgeProp 360 event Buying property: Is it the right time?, organised by EdgeProp Singapore. It took place on April 11 at the Marina One auditorium. Other keynote speakers included Marcus Chu, COO of ERA Realty Network; and Regina Lim, head of research for Southeast Asia at JLL Singapore. Avalanche of potential upgraders While the higher ABSD and tightened LTV ratio continue to impact homebuyers affordability, property hunters are not putting off buying a new property. We believe there is pent-up demand building up, and we suspect that it is likely to come back, says Lee. Most of this demand will come from HDB upgraders, who have contributed to more than a third of new private home buyers for the past 24 years, says Chu. From 2019 to 2022, there will be a record number of HDB flats reaching their minimum occupation period (MOP). This means their owners will be eligible to sell the flats in the open market, he says. In a sign that HDB owners are selling their properties, the HDB resale volume has been increasing since 2014, from 17,318 transactions to last years 23,099 transactions. This segment of buyers is picking up private properties due to the divergence between the price index of private properties and that of HDB properties since 2Q2017, says Chu. Story continues Last year, most of the flats that completed their MOP were in the Punggol, Sengkang, and Yishun areas. This year will see a large number of flats in Chua Chu Kang, Punggol, and Sengkang reach their MOP. Upgraders tend to buy a new property within 1km of their current neighbourhood, says Chu. So if you are looking to buy a property in the suburbs, you should look at all these areas because this is where all the upgraders are buying into, and it will give a lot of support to the property price in the area. But buyers today are eventually settling on smaller-sized units when picking properties in the suburbs and city-fringe locations. In particular, most buyers surveyed by Knight Frank indicate that they intend to buy units of about 700 sq ft to 900 sq ft, and are willing to pay $800,000 to $1 million. This range falls within the current affordability of most homebuyers today, says Lee. Prices fall in luxury resale market In the ultra-luxury market, prices have recently been pushed down due to an increase in mortgagee sales of properties in Districts 9, 10, and 11. We see more owners facing difficulties to service their loans, and this leads to more mortgagee sales, Lee says. Resale prices in the city-centre, or Core Central Region (CCR), have fallen since 3Q2018 compared to the suburbs and city-fringe areas, which have been largely flat. This is because most sellers bought their properties five to eight years ago, and they are willing to take a small price cut to buy new and better products in new growth areas that show greater investment promise, says Lee. Pockets of opportunity overseas For some property investors, given the state of the local property market, investing in residential properties in some overseas markets could be a more attractive alternative. That gives investors a chance to diversify their portfolio of properties, and benefit from attractive growth opportunities overseas and a stronger rental yield compared to Singapore, says JLLs Lim. For one, London remains a safe haven for property investment, despite difficulties surrounding Brexit negotiations, says Lim. Property prices (in London) will start recovering once the government eventually gets through Brexit negotiations, she says. Prices in prime central London, though down 15% to 20% from their last peak in 2015, will likely recover over the next five years. London is also projected to face a housing shortfall of close to 225,000 new homes over the next 10 years, as very strong demand from population inflow into London every year cannot be met by the current levels of supply. This chronic under-supply will be supportive of rental demand, especially in central London, she says. More than 300 people gathered at the Marina One auditorium on April 11 for the EdgeProp 360 event Other less familiar overseas opportunities include Japan and Portugal, which JLL identifies as choice investment locations for those seeking strong yields and capital growth respectively. The Japanese governments US$28 million rejuvenation plan for Tokyo complements its efforts to encourage foreign investment through a lower corporate tax rate in Tokyo, visa relaxations, and language support. Japans property market offers one of the most tax-efficient locations globally. There is no additional stamp duty for foreigners, unlike 3% in London and 7% in Melbourne, says Lim. For capital gains, she suggests considering Lisbon in Portugal, which is steadily recovering from its housing crisis that started a decade ago. Compared to other European capitals, Lisbon is one of the most affordable property markets, she says. The number of new homes transacted in Lisbon has risen from 21,352 in 2012 to 47,067 last year, but more supply is still needed to meet demand. See Also: Workers spread rice for drying at a rice mill on the outskirts of Kolkata, India, January 31, 2019.Picture taken January 31, 2019. REUTERS/Rupak De Chowdhuri By Harshith Aranya BENGALURU (Reuters) - Asian rice exporting hubs saw tepid activity this week, with prices for the staple from top exporter India dipping on lower demand, while Bangladesh mulled a review of its ban on exports of the grain. India's 5 percent broken parboiled variety was quoted around $377-$380 per tonne, down from last week's $387-$390. Demand from African buyers was weak as they have ample inventories, said Nitin Gupta, vice president, rice business at Olam India. Aggressive selling of old inventories by China at lower prices has also weighing on prices, he added. The country's rice exports for April-February dropped 9.4 percent from a year earlier to 10.57 million tonnes, as leading buyer Bangladesh trimmed its purchases due to a bumper local harvest, a government body said. On Thursday, Bangladesh's commerce minister said a long-standing ban on rice exports will be discussed after strong pleas from traders to lift the restriction. "If we have surplus, we can allow rice exports," Tipu Munshi told reporters after a meeting with the rice traders association. Bangladesh, traditionally the world's fourth biggest rice producer, banned overseas shipments of some common rice varieties in May 2008 following a spike in domestic prices. It banned all rice exports a year later. In 2017, the country was forced to massively increase imports to shore up domestic reserves after floods wrought havoc on local crops and pushed domestic rice prices to record highs, but domestic stocks have since greatly improved. In Thailand, the world's second-largest exporter, the benchmark 5-percent broken rice prices eased slightly to $393-$411 a tonne, free on board Bangkok, from $405-$410 last week. "Overseas buyers have turned to rice from India and Vietnam because their prices have been more competitive compared to ours," a trader said. However, concerns over domestic supply in the country have kept prices steady recently, traders said. Story continues "The harvest of the last crop was completed last month and there is no new supply except unsold rice from the mills, this meant prices remain stable with a tendency to rise even though there is no demand," a Bangkok-based rice trader said. Rates for Vietnam's 5 percent broken rice stood flat for a fifth week at $360 a tonne, as supply begins to wane, traders said. However, prices were still at their highest since mid-January, with traders hoping for fresh demand from China. (Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Khanh Vu in Hanoi, Rajendra Jadhav in Mumbai, Ruma Paul in Dhaka, additional reporting by Diptendu Lahiri; editing by Arpan Varghese and Alexandra Hudson) China asks Britain for help to boost image of Belt and Road Initiative China has asked Britain for help to offset claims its Belt and Road Initiative investments are opaque and justify its overseas spending to critics. It made the move days before UK Chancellor Phillip Hammond was expected to head to the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. In an article in Londons Evening Standard on Wednesday, Chinas Ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming cited rule-making as an area for bilateral cooperation. Britain has played a leading role in the establishment and management of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Liu said. In [belt and road] development, Britain could have a big role to play in ensuring that the projects are of higher quality, at a higher standard, with higher return. Four years ago the UK defied the US and joined the AIIB. Lius comments followed news the UKs Department for International Development (DFID) was asked to join a new initiative aimed at improving Chinas international accounting and transparency standards. China is thought to see DFID as a model for its new aid outfit, China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), which was established last year to oversee Beijings foreign aid. The DFID was the third most transparent donor in the world after the Asian Development Bank and UNDP, according to the aid data-crunching website Publish What You Find. China was the least. Critics say part of the problem is Beijing prefers to deliver loans and other investments through local elites. There are also often several government departments involved, each directed by their own rules and priorities, making financial reporting more complex. I think the Chinese are instead playing by a different set of rules, not all of them in conflict with the Wests but most definitely not fully aligned with what the West wants or expects, said Eric Olander, managing editor of Shanghai-based The China Africa Project. Therefore, I would not expect to see the kind of meaningful change in its accounting and financial standards in the near term. Story continues Cooperate or stop criticising, Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi says as belt and road summit nears The MOU proposed by China is more a statement of intent than a plan of action but the UK welcomed it as a positive sign Chinas proposal to set up a Multilateral Cooperation Centre for Development Finance has real potential to ensure its huge investments in developing countries meet the key international standards that matter to all of us on debt, transparency, environment and social safeguards, UK International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said at the World Bank Spring Meeting recently. A source at DFID told the SCMP that the UK has not signed the MOU yet but said while other countries are aware of the proposal, it is the only country so far to be formally invited to participate by China. France and Germany were two possible future signatories, and MCCDF has been discussed in EU member state meetings in Beijing. [China] is clearly frustrated that it feels misunderstood by the international community, said Olander. I have attended one seminar after another where African stakeholders ask the Chinese for more transparency and the Chinese respond with a sympathetic smile that says Id love to but Im not sure how we can do that given our political culture and the current political realities. With the Chinese economy slowing at home and the losses abroad in places like Venezuela starting to mount, there are indications that the Chinese policy banks are becoming far more risk-averse in places like Africa and the Americas. Even so according to figures released on Thursday, the Export Import Bank of China provided more than a trillion yuan (US$149 billion) to more than 1,800 Belt and Road projects since 2013. China Development Bank (CDB) said in March it had provided US$190 billion in the same period. The UK is very concerned by rising debt levels, particularly in emerging market economies and in low-income countries, Mordaut told the World Bank. Unsustainable debt levels are a real risk that can undermine or reverse development gains. The IMF said recently 24 out of 60 of the poorest countries are either in debt distress or at a high risk of falling into it. China is also looking to the UK to help manage the BRI projects and organise part of the financing, something the City of London and the government are keen to do, Liu said. Describing it as third-party involvement in BRI development he said: The UK, with its unique strengths in professional services, project-management and financing, could tap into this potential. China is keen for the UK to sign a BRI MOU like Italy, and soon Switzerland, but so far it has resisted. A report released earlier this month by the parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee called for a rebranding of the golden era started by the former chancellor George Osborne, now the editor of the London Evening Standard. Britain is keen to cement closer ties with Beijing as the worlds fifth largest economy looks to reinvent itself as a global trading nation if and when it leaves the European Union. More from South China Morning Post: This article China asks Britain for help to boost image of Belt and Road Initiative first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. China's state-owned engineering company CMEC will modernise Tajikistan's flagship aluminium smelter in a $545 million deal, a representative for the smelter told AFP Friday. A representative for Talco confirmed to AFP via telephone that "the contract between CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and Talco was signed on April 15," though without details on how Talco would finance the deal. Tajikistan's Talco aluminium smelter is a key industrial asset in an impoverished and mostly agrarian country of 9 million bordering China. But annual production of the smelter fell 7.2 percent in 2018, and its Soviet-era equipment is in sore need of upgrading. The poorest country to emerge from the wreckage of the Soviet Union in 1991, Tajikistan has looked to soft loans from China's state-owned Export-Import Bank of China to facilitate Beijing's investments in the economy. It now reportedly owes the bank more than $1.2 billion, equivalent to nearly a fifth of the national GDP. Chinese companies have also acquired rights to a number of mineral concessions in Tajikistan in recent years, some of which were granted to pay for the investment loans. Talco last year launched a mining venture with Chinese company Tibet Huayu Mining Co. Ltd expected to annually produce 1.5 tonnes of gold and 16,000 tonnes of antimony. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images Yes, it was worth waiting for. The merit of the Mueller report is that it gives us the whole narrative again, a chance to review the last three years with new perspective and fresh eyes, to get above the daily drizzle of short-attention-span disinformation and lies. First of all, it lays out a foreign governments extraordinary attempt to corrupt our democratic system in very close and damning detail. At the same time, the report comes very close to destroying the notion that Donald J. Trump was and is a Russian agent, that his campaign was actively conspiring with a foreign government to hack and defeat his opponent in 2016, that Putin had (and still has) something that could be used to blackmail Trump, and that his foreign policy since has been dictated by the Kremlin. The much more believable truth, in fact, is a large-scale version of that infamous I love it! Donald Jr. email. The Trump campaign had no problem with foreign interference if it could help them, were eager and hopeful it would occur, publicly encouraged it but never initiated this or followed through. The scale of Moscows operation is as remarkable as the lack of evidence that the Trump campaign was actively in on it. As for Putins deep enmeshment with Trump, I found the following anecdote from the report rather apposite: As soon as news broke that Trump had been elected President, Russian government officials and prominent Russian businessmen began trying to make inroads into the new Administration. They appeared not to have preexisting contacts and struggled to connect with senior officials around the President-Elect. More: Putin spoke of the difficulty faced by the Russian government in getting in touch with the incoming Trump Administration. According to Aven, Putin indicated that he did not know with whom formally to speak and generally did not know the people around the President-Elect. Im afraid this makes speculation that Trump has been a Soviet and Russian asset for decades or those who still insist on a conspiracy well, not exactly in touch with reality. It renders several thousand hours of Rachel Maddow moot, if not shameful. MSNBCs Malcolm Nance recently reiterated that the president is an agent of the enemy of the United States, making this the single most serious scandal in the history of the United States. Nope. More disturbingly, a former CIA director, John Brennan, was predicting new indictments as recently as last month. Michael Cohen never went to Prague. Trump did not coordinate a change in the GOP platform with Moscow. The pee tape was fake even to those Russians who at one point touted it. The Trump Tower meeting was a bit of a bore, and nothing came of it. Conversations between Sessions and Kislyak were anodyne (Sessions comes out of all this looking pretty good, especially compared with Barr). Manafort did not conspire with Kilimnik. As for Carter Page: The investigation did not establish that Page coordinated with the Russian government in its efforts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. Putins press secretary deemed Page someone too peripheral to be worth reaching out to. Yes, the Mueller team regarded Pages trip to Moscow as not fully explained, and were not fully able to explore George Papadopouloss interactions. If you want to insist that it was Muellers job to prove a negative, I suppose you can. But an extremely competent, politically diverse team of star investigators with huge resources nonetheless concluded that there was insufficient evidence that any member of the Trump campaign conspired with the Russians. And indeed not a single U.S. citizen has been indicted. Why the mutual love between Trump and Russia? The answer is overdetermined. Trump is an authoritarian; he reveres thugs and bullies and murderers and mobsters; he believes in an economy based on fossil fuels; he has a thing, believe it or not, for cult-worshipping kleptocracies. From Trumps point of view, whats not to like? Trump prefers Kim Jong-un to democratic leaders; and Bolsonaro and Duterte over May or Merkel. Putin has said nice things about him; and the CIA worried Trump might be compromised. Of course Trump prefers Putin to his own intelligence services. The idea that Trump could only be pro-Putin because Putin has some dirt on him is silly. But to my mind, the conspiracy question is far less important than what Mueller discovered on obstruction of justice. Mueller quite rightly notes that obstruction of justice can easily occur even without an underlying crime. And his report, quite simply, is devastating. To be fair to the conspiracy believers, the lies and obstruction and abuse of power would, in most cases, suggest that the president is guilty of something criminal and was obviously trying to cover it up. But this is not most cases and Trump is different. He needed no fear of being found guilty of treason to obstruct justice. He merely had to believe that the investigation would cloud his presidency and subject him to an authority beyond his control. This is something we now know his psyche cannot tolerate. In a contest between his own diseased ego and the rule of law, there has never been any contest. So of course he lied when he didnt have to. And of course he tried to kill an investigation that might have embarrassed him, even if it would not convict him of a crime. Mueller spells it all out in agonizing detail. He kept pressuring his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, to curtail or end the inquiry; he asked James Comey to be personally loyal and to go easy on his first national security adviser; he then fired the FBI director because he wouldnt preemptively exonerate the president and because of the Russia thing. Once the investigation began, and Trump realized he could be vulnerable on obstruction of justice, he stepped up the obstruction! Of course he did. He instructed White House counsel Don McGahn to get Mueller fired; he engaged in character assassination of potential witnesses; he launched public attacks on the investigation and individuals involved in it who could possess evidence adverse to [him], while in private, [he] engaged in a series of targeted efforts to control the investigation. Mueller cites ten separate cases of obstruction. In six of them, he establishes an obstructive act; a link with an official proceeding; and a corrupt intent. Which is to say there is no doubt that this is what Trump did six times. In another case, Mueller found substantial evidence of obstruction. He dangled pardons for anyone who might incriminate him. His initial blandishments toward Michael Cohen shifted to calling him a rat as soon as he started cooperating with legal authorities. Donald McGahns recollection under oath of being told by Trump to get Mueller fired was met with Trumps attempt to get McGahn to do a correction and lie to Mueller and the press. (Trump was amazed, like any criminal, that McGahn took notes.) He tried to identify someone on the team at the DOJ who could replace Sessions. He told his press secretary to lie to the public. Then there was a relentless, outrageous attempt to accuse the FBI of spying on Trump for partisan reasons, the CIA of trying to oust him, and to promote the Roy Cohn tactic of arguing that the only Russia conspiracy was actually that of his opponent, Hillary Clinton. He continuously described the investigation as a hoax, a witch hunt, entirely staffed by partisan Democrats, and is now angling to get his docile attorney general to initiate an investigation of public servants doing their job. All of this is outside the boundaries of any previous president, including Nixon. Its appalling. And then there is Trumps persistent claim that a president is effectively above the rule of law. This is attorney general William Barrs belief that a president has total executive control over the administration of justice and can direct it away from himself for any reason with complete impunity. Yesterday Trump tweeted that I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted to. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted to. Worth noting this claim for the future, dont you think? The only reason he didnt get rid of Mueller was because a handful of his underlings Priebus, McGahn, and Sessions among them resisted him. And so this is not just about past obstruction; it is about the very high likelihood of future obstruction. Its about recrafting the rule of law into one where one man controls everything and can do anything he pleases. All of this is an unprecedented series of impeachable offenses. It is a textbook definition of high crimes and misdemeanors. It is the story of a president assaulting the rule of law, attempting to manipulate the justice system, dangling pardons to induce perjury, and reflexively putting his own personal interests or simply ego before any interest of the country as a whole. Mueller openly states that his own investigation was thwarted by the president to the extent that the the justice systems integrity [was] threatened. When a president openly threatens the integrity of the justice system, and says he has unlimited power to do so in the future, he not only can be impeached, he must be impeached. I understand the prudential concerns about this. I share them. I worry about pushing Trump into outright insanity. And I worry that the contemporary GOP is all too happy to create a presidency as long as its theirs beyond the rule of law. Even though no previous impeachment process has ever engaged in the kind of assault on our entire system of government that we see now before us, the GOP will protect their cult leader. They are far gone. There will never be enough Republican votes to convict Trump in the Senate. But after this reports summary and backup for what we have been witnessing in public for two years now, there is another consideration. What are the consequences of not impeaching? They are, it seems to me, real and immediate. Trump now has a Justice Department run by a loyalist who believes in total executive supremacy, and who has just revealed himself as a man willing to lie and deceive and distort to please his master. Every official who might have restrained this president is gone. There are almost no heads of agencies, and no dissent in the Cabinet. The country is effectively being ruled by a monarch and his court. Foreign policy has been given to family members. The Fed is being rigged to remove professionals and install loyal toadies. The judiciary is being filled with judges who defer to presidential power in every circumstance. We have a president who only last week told his new acting DHS secretary, Kevin McAleenan, to break the law if necessary to stop asylum seekers from entering the country, and that hed have his back and pardon him if he got into trouble. In any other time, that alone would demand impeachment. We know now, however, that this is just one instance of a clear pattern of lawlessness. We also know that the president will put his personal ego above even an investigation of an assault by a foreign power against our democracy a threat far graver than lying under oath about an affair or passively covering up a two-bit robbery (the cause of the last two impeachments). It is a declaration that this president will not stop that foreign meddling from happening again, and will be happy if it helps reelect him. This is, quite simply, intolerable. We have a president who is an instinctual criminal and liar, who threatens the integrity of our justice system and of our democratic elections, who is incapable of understanding the rule of law, backed by an attorney general who just outright distorted the findings of the special counsel. What more do we need to know? To refuse to use the one weapon the Founders gave us to remove such a character from office is more than cowardice. It is complicity. It is a surrender to forces which aim to make the world safe for authoritarianism. It may not work. But if we acquiesce, pretend it isnt happening, or look away, it cannot work. This disgusting man is not just a cancer in the presidency. His presidency is a cancer in our Constitution and way of life. How long do we let this metastasize even further? How long before we take a stand? Mueller has given us the road map. He has done his duty. Now its our turn to do ours: to support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. There is no qualification in that oath of citizenship. Impeach Trump now. How Homophobic Is Mike Pence? The answer is pretty much fixed for almost all of those in the LGBTQ parts of woke world. Hes the most powerful virulently bigoted politician in America. And when such views harden, its always worth asking for clear evidence. What slurs has this man used? What policies, rooted in nothing but bigotry, has he endorsed? When has he interacted with gay people so as to demonstrate his fear and loathing? Slurs? None that is in the public record. Visceral discomfort? Again I havent seen it on tape, and havent heard any first-person accounts. So we are left with his policy views. How bigoted as opposed to simply being Evangelically orthodox are they? Well the one policy that I have heard of is that Pence favors conversion therapy for gay people. And I do think such therapy is an appalling attempt, especially for the young, to demonize and pathologize what is a perfectly normal sexual orientation, using techniques that do nothing but impose misery and self-hatred on the vulnerable. Here is CNN reporting what has become the conventional wisdom: [Pence] signaled support for federal funds to be allocated for gay conversion therapy on his 2000 US House campaign website, where it said resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior. Thats pretty definitive. But when the Posts fact-checker Glenn Kessler tried to flesh it out, he couldnt. The evidence for Pences bigotry is a generic list of GOP goals in 2000 cited by Pences campaign of that year. Heres the money quote: Congress should support the reauthorization of the Ryan White Care Act only after completion of an audit to ensure that federal dollars were no longer being given to organizations that celebrate and encourage the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus. Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior. It seems pretty obvious from the context that sexual behavior means unsafe sex. Not sexual orientation. Another segment of the platform page refers to the types of behaviors that facilitate the spreading of the HIV virus. This was in the context of the Ryan White Acts approval of funds to combat HIV and AIDS. When explicitly asked about whether Pence supports conversion therapy, his spokesperson told the Post in 2018: The vice president has never supported conversion therapy and doesnt support it now. Any reports to the contrary are patently false. Hes been abundantly clear on the matter. Thats a big relief and would actually place Pence on the left side of the Christianist right. And I have to say nothing I have heard him say suggests hate for gay people. What I hear him offer is standard Evangelical orthodoxy, which bars any legal or moral standing for gay people on a couple of Biblical texts. How about Pences support for religious freedom, in particular the 2015 Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Indiana? Mayor Pete argued at the time that the law would allow open discrimination by businesses against gay people. Pence denied that, and the law was adjusted to rule that out. Pence also made clear his personal view: If I saw a restaurant owner refuse to serve a gay couple, I wouldnt eat there anymore. Have there been any instances of businesses firing gay people on religious freedom grounds since the law passed? None that I can find. Look: I disagree with Pence, both in terms of Christianity and in terms of public policy. I was campaigning for marriage equality 21 years before Pence signed the RFRA. I dissent from the teaching of the Catholic Church on this and believe deeply that if other minorities are protected from workplace discrimination, including religious people, opposing such rights for gay and trans people is wrong. But it may not spring from bigotry or hatred but from sincere religious conviction. Saying that Pence is wrong both theologically and politically is not the same as calling him a hateful, nasty homophobe as opposed to an orthodox Evangelical. More to the point, calling Pence a hateful bigot when his public statements and affect are anything but can be counterproductive. Buttigieg solidified his gay and liberal backing with his anti-Pence rhetoric (which was, however, far more restrained than others) but came off as a little ungracious. Its fine to mock Pence or make fun of him; it isnt fair to equate him to foul bigots. If we are to live in a free society, other people can have very different views on certain subjects, including religious views on homosexuality. We should, in my view, combat the exhausted arguments of the Christianist right against full gay and trans integration and equality. But we shouldnt demonize those who are arguing in good faith; and we cannot make every orthodox Christian into a gay-hating bigot. Dont condemn; engage. Dont demonize; explain. Using those tactics we won historic gains and rightly claimed the higher ground. We can do better and so can Pete Buttigieg. Could We Still Build Something as Beautiful as Notre-Dame? Along with so many others, I found the images of the destruction of Notre-Dame close to unbearable. For some, it represented a simply appalling loss for global culture. For others, a kind of torment for the idea of France, its history, its soul even in thoroughly post-Christian times. I could not stop myself from seeing it as a metaphor for the near-extinction of Christianity, the metaphysics that underpins so much of the Wests distinctiveness and coherence: its defense of the individual soul as inviolate, for example. It remains an open question whether liberalism, broadly understood, can survive the loss of its metaphysical foundations. And as we see liberal democracy struggle to articulate its truth against the ocean of nihilism, the lure of tribalism, the cult of the strongman, and the lefts contempt for the Enlightenment and religion the burning of this symbol of Christian devotion cut me to the quick. But it also reminded me of the question of beauty in modernity. By which I mean: Can our civilization ever create anything of comparable beauty to Notre-Dame, or indeed the archipelago of cathedrals across Europe, stemming from the middle ages? I cant see it. The core criteria for creating modern architecture even if it is not brutally ugly or mediocre are usefulness and cost. Beauty even if it is formally considered in architecture is usually subordinate. Even if you survey modern cathedrals, there is a lack of detail, and an absence of the kind of skill that enabled the twelfth century to construct marvels beyond our capacity. We have technique in abundance; we have technology that would have appeared as magic to the designers of Notre-Dame; we have wealth beyond measure in comparison. But even the architectural baubles of our new religion think of Apples new headquarters, for example contain nothing as complex or as overwhelming or as awe-inspiring as the rose stained glass window of an eleventh century masterpiece. Im not saying I want to go back to the Middle Ages. We have gained a staggering amount of peace, security, freedom, health and knowledge. Theocracy is no longer an option. But they had something we dont, didnt they? A unifying vision of the whole of life and death, a common, metaphysically rooted faith, and an enchantment modernity has banished. I think of these cathedrals as they must have appeared at the time to peasants on a pilgrimage, looming on the horizon like a spaceship compared to the misery and brutality of life in that era, overwhelming the senses, commanding awe and devotion, reifying faith in an almost unanswerable way. When we see Notre-Dame burn, we see the reality of our time: that this exquisite kind of architectural beauty is never going to be summoned up again, nor the souls who imagined it, nor the human beings who crafted every inch of it with love. See you next Friday. A comedian tipped to take over Ukraine's presidency vowed on Friday to dismantle the old political system as he went head-to-head with his incumbent rival in an extraordinary stadium debate before this weekend's vote. Polls show Volodymyr Zelensky, a 41-year-old standup comic with no political experience, handily defeating President Petro Poroshenko in a second-round of voting on Sunday. The hour-long debate at Kiev's Olympic Stadium capped a weeks-long sensational campaign in a war-torn country seen as a buffer between the European Union and Russia. "I am not a politician," said Zelensky, opening the first and only policy debate of the presidential race. "I am just a simple person who has come to break down this system," he added. "I am the result of your mistakes and promises," he told the 53-year-old president as the spectators clapped and jeered. The television star's bid was initially dismissed as a joke but he leapfrogged establishment candidates amid frustration over corruption, economic trouble and a conflict with Moscow-backed insurgents in the country's east. Police said more than 20,000 spectators were in attendance. - Theatrics and showmanship - At times Poroshenko -- who wore a suit but no tie -- seemed more confident but the consummate showman Zelensky dominated the head-to-head, often putting the Ukrainian leader on the defensive. Dressed in a smart suit, Zelensky delivered a strong performance in which he demonstrated his trademark showmanship and a bit of theatrics, flashing victory signs and peppering his speech with catchy slogans. At one point he went on one knee in honour of those who died in the war with insurgents, prompting Poroshenko to do the same. The rivals opened the debate on a positive note by shaking hands but quickly launched mutual attacks. Behind them stood their wives, teams and backers including fatigue-clad servicemen who supported Poroshenko. The Ukrainian leader attacked the inexperience of the untested Zelensky and said he tried to be many things to many people. "We only have a beautiful, bright sweet wrapper in which everyone can find what he is looking for," said an emotional Poroshenko. He slammed Zelensky for avoiding active-duty military service and added he would not be able to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "An actor without any experience whatsoever cannot lead a war against an aggressor." Poroshenko also zeroed in on Zelensky's ties to controversial tycoon Igor Kolomoysky whose TV channel broadcasts the comedian's shows. Zelensky said the self-exiled tycoon would go to jail if he violated any laws. - 'Poroshenko lost' - Many observers said the comic won the debate. "Poroshenko lost," author and producer Illarion Pavliuk said on Facebook. "Whether you like it or not." Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova dismissed the event a "circus". The debate brought to a close a race that has at times descended into farce as the candidates exchanged insults and underwent drug tests. A survey released Thursday showed Zelensky winning 73 percent of the vote against 27 percent for Poroshenko. Supporters credit Poroshenko -- who took power after a popular uprising in 2014 -- with rebuilding the army, securing an Orthodox Church independent of Russia and winning visa-free travel to Europe. However, he won just over half of Zelensky's vote share in the first round of the presidential election last month. The stakes are high for the country of 45 million people which dreams of joining the European Union one day. Ukraine is mired in a smouldering conflict with separatists in the industrial east that has claimed 13,000 lives. The West is closely watching the race amid concern that a new government might undo years of reforms. The main risks associated with a Zelensky presidency are "policy incoherence stemming from inexperience" and "undue influence from oligarchs or Russians," a former Western diplomat told AFP. The Belt and Road Initiative is a platform for cooperation and not a geopolitical tool, Chinas foreign minister said on Friday, as he urged the United States and India, two of the schemes biggest sceptics, to take part in it. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the second Belt and Road Forum, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi also issued a thinly veil rebuke to Washington, saying it should not prevent other countries from taking part in Beijings plan for boosting global trade and connectivity. The upcoming three-day conference, which opens on Thursday, is expected to attract about 40 foreign leaders up from 29 at the inaugural summit in 2017 and 5,000 foreign representatives from 150 countries. Amid growing criticism of the plan, Wang sought to dispel concerns it was being used by Beijing to promote its global ambitions or was creating debt traps for host nations. The Belt and Road Initiative is not a geopolitical tool but a platform for cooperation, he said. We welcome all parties to take part in it. Among those expected to attend next weeks summit are Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the 10 Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) heads of state, and the leaders of Italy, Austria, Switzerland, France, and several African and Central Asian countries. The United States will send only low-level representatives mostly state-level officials and business representatives to the event while India has refused to attend in part because of a China-led belt and road project in Pakistan that passes through the Pakistan-administered section of the disputed Kashmir region. Wang said 126 countries and 29 international organisations had signed documents expressing their support for the scheme. He said also that while opportunities to cooperate were open to all, nations that are opposed to the belt and road plan should not seek to influence the opinions of others. Story continues All countries have the freedom to participate, but they dont have the right to prevent other countries from taking part, he said. We hope that more countries, including the United States, can actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative. The US has been particularly critical of Italys participation in the scheme, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo saying that Washington was disappointed and saddened by Romes decision. Next weeks forum will open with a series of panels, including a meeting for business leaders, on Thursday. Chinese President Xi Jinping will give a keynote speech on Friday and host a leaders round table on Saturday. The event would conclude with a joint communique expressing the participating countries political commitment to the initiative, Wang said. More from South China Morning Post: This article Cooperate or stop criticising, Chinas foreign minister Wang Yi says as belt and road summit nears first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Indonesia pulled off a complex yet peaceful election across its vast -- and ethnically diverse -- island territory this week, cementing its place as a democratic beacon in a sea of authoritarian governments, analysts say. But the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation still faces a spike in militant Islam and myriad other challenges. On Wednesday, the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago saw as many as 190 million voters cast ballots to elect a new president, parliamentarians and local legislators, in a one-day contest with a record 245,000 candidates. Preliminary results appeared to hand a second term to President Joko Widodo, but he held off declaring victory pending official results next month. However, his rival ex-general Prabowo Subianto -- who has strong ties to the Suharto dictatorship that collapsed in 1998 -- insisted he won, and vowed to challenge the results. He did the same, unsuccessfully, after losing to Widodo in 2014 and there is little to suggest Subianto will win this latest fight. Despite the lingering uncertainty, Indonesia's democratic feat still stands in stark contrast to strongman governments in the Philippines and Cambodia, authoritarian Vietnam and Laos, Myanmar's stumbling post-junta steps and a chaotic election in Thailand, its first since a 2014 coup. "In a region that is not inclined towards democracy, where authoritarianism is on the rise, Indonesia's democracy really has weight -- even if it is turning more conservative," said Christine Cabasset at the Bangkok-based Research Institute on Contemporary Southeast Asia. - 'Slow erosion' - In a nod to voter participation, one reputable pollster recorded 82 percent turnout in this week's polls, the highest since 2004 legislative elections, local media reported. "People are voting and making a difference. Indonesians have embraced their own electoral power, especially younger voters," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert at John Cabot University in Rome. "This bodes well for greater demands for better governance," she added. Still, Welsh was sharply critical of Widodo's rights records, and there are doubts about whether the 57-year-old will use his political capital to safeguard two decades of democratic progress that some fear is being undermined. "My prediction over the next five years is that we will continue to see a slow erosion of democratic quality," said Marcus Mietzner, an associate professor at the Australian National University. "(But) not a full push into authoritarianism," he added. Widodo himself has been accused of creeping authoritarianism following arrests of opposition campaigners under a controversial electronic defamation law, while a decree during his tenure allowed Jakarta to ban mass organisations. Others have raised concerns about the renewed influence of the military, which is eyeing more civilian government positions in the country of 260 million -- home to hundreds of ethnic groups and languages. - 'Exploited Islam' - Indonesia's reputation for religious tolerance has also been tested by increasingly vocal hardline Islamists, who were emboldened after their calls to prosecute Jakarta's Christian governor for blasphemy saw him jailed in 2017. A years-long struggle with extremism was underlined last year by suicide bombings at several churches in its second-biggest city Surabaya -- amid a growing gulf in society between moderate and hardline Muslims. "Both candidates exploited Islam as campaign issues," said Made Supriatma, a visiting fellow at Singapore-based think tank Yusof Ishak Institute. "This religious war surely will have some effects in political debates in Indonesia in the years to come." Widodo's choice of conservative cleric Ma'ruf Amin as his running mate -- in part to neutralise attacks on his own religious credentials -- has stirred fears about how minorities will fare over the next five years. Gay and transgender people have been subject to abuse and arrest, while a Christian woman was jailed for blasphemy after complaining about the volume of a mosque's loudspeaker. "Military sector reform is a must, so is the protection of minorities and tackling intolerance and extremists," said Yohanes Sulaiman, a political analyst at the Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani. - 'A work in progress' - Some also see traces of Indonesia's long collapsed dictatorship in the current, corruption-riddled system. "It is hard to root out," said Supriatma. "All political parties are dominated by old players, both nationally and regionally." But there is little appetite for anything but another smooth power transition. "Indonesian democracy is still a work in progress," said Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a research professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. "But the fact you do not go to the streets and bring your guns if you want to dispute a vote, rather you go through a court process -- that is very much part of Indonesian democracy." French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday hosted representatives of the Kurdish-led force that defeated Islamic State (IS) extremists in Syria, drawing a sharp rebuke from Turkey's foreign ministry. Macron assured the Kurdish envoys of French support in their fight against the remaining jihadists, but Ankara accused the French leader of "seeking to confer artificial legitimacy on a faction of terrorist groups". "We condemn the reception by French President Emmanuel Macron of a delegation of so-called 'Syrian Democratic Forces' (SDF)," Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said in the statement. In late March the US-backed SDF flushed out IS fighters from their last bastion in Syria but Kurdish-led force still warns that the jihadists remain a threat in places. The SDF is an umbrella Kurdish-Arab force dominated by Kurds from the People's Protection Units (YPG). It is regarded with huge distrust by neighbouring Turkey which sees the YPG as a terror group. Macron assured the visiting SDF representatives, who were not named, of the "active support of France in the fight against Daesh which continues to be a menace for collective security," the presidency said in a statement, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Particularly important is the support in the "handling of terrorist fighters held as prisoners along with their families". European capitals are keeping a careful eye on the IS prisoners held by the SDF after the defeat of the jihadists, given many are dual nationals. Macron also vowed that financial support would be allocated to "respond to the humanitarian needs and the socio-economic stabilisation of civilian populations in Syria." The SDF were the West's key ally in defeating IS and waged the bulk of the fighting on the ground. But they fear being abandoned by their patrons now Islamic State has been beaten, after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of American forces from Syria. France's past contacts with the SDF's Syrian Kurds had already angered Turkey which regards the YPG as the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) which has waged a 35-year insurrection against the Turkish state. Macron on Friday made clear of the importance to Paris of "the security of Turkey and a de-escalation along the Syrian-Turkish border," the French presidency said. But Aksoy said Macron's move did not sit well with the French-Turkish alliance, and warned that "Turkey will not hesitate to take measures deemed necessary to protect its national security". Indonesia's presidential challenger on Friday slammed pollsters as untrustworthy and said they should move to Antarctica so they could "lie to the penguins", as he refused to concede defeat in this week's election. Firebrand ex-general Prabowo Subianto has rejected a dozen so-called quick counts that say Indonesian president Joko Widodo was re-elected Wednesday by a comfortable margin. The counts, which are samples conducted by pollsters, have been reliable indicators in past elections. Official results are not due until next month. Subianto -- pilloried online for his refusal to concede -- ratcheted up the rhetoric Friday, after claiming he was the Southeast Asian nation's new president. The people of Indonesia dont trust you," he thundered to around a thousand supporters outside his home in the capital Jakarta. "Maybe you can move to Antarctica. You can lie to the penguins." Friday's crowd size was small for a city that has seen huge street protests in the past. Subianto portrayed himself as a man of the people during the heated presidential campaign, despite his immense wealth and ties to Indonesia's corrupt Suharto dictatorship, which collapsed in 1998. "This is a victory of the people. The Indonesian people have risen," he told the crowd. "The Indonesian people don't want to be cheated anymore." On Thursday evening, Widodo said that he had received phone calls from world leaders to congratulate him on the country's polls, but added that he would await final results before formally declaring victory. Subianto has alleged voter fraud and warned he would challenge the results in court. He did the same, unsuccessfully, after losing to Widodo in 2014 and there is little to suggest Subianto will win this latest fight. A long-awaited US probe on Russian election meddling has divided Washington but on one point virtually all US policymakers are clear -- there will be no reconciliation with Moscow. The 400-page document by Special Counsel Robert Mueller laid out Russia's persistent efforts to tilt the 2016 presidential election to Donald Trump, although it did not find that his campaign was colluding with Russia. Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and, since his surprise election win, has called for better relations. But his administration, driven by more traditional Republicans such as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and national security adviser John Bolton, has instead stepped up pressure on Russia, angered by Putin's actions everywhere from Ukraine to Venezuela to missile defense. Asked about the Mueller report, which was released to the public with redactions on Thursday, Pompeo said the administration had consistently raised with Russia concerns over interference in the US and other elections. "We will make very clear to them that this is unacceptable behavior," Pompeo told a news conference after talks with the Japanese foreign and defense ministers. "We will take tough actions which raise the cost for Russian malign activities. And we will continue to do that," he said. Putin has openly said that he preferred Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, although the Kremlin insisted that the Mueller report did not present "any reasonable proof" that Russia meddled in the election. - No new summit - Trump triggered wide alarm in Washington last July after he met Putin in Helsinki and appeared to take at face value Putin's denials of interference. The two have not held a follow-up summit. Nicholas Burns, who served as US ambassador to NATO during his long diplomatic career and is now a professor at Harvard University, said the Mueller report was in fact "abundantly clear" that Russia "launched a massive and organized assault on the American elections." "So the president would be ill-advised to think that somehow the Mueller report gives him a green light to return the US-Russia relationship to normality," Burns said. Burns said that Trump had weakened NATO through his frequent criticism of allies, including the leaders of Britain, Canada, France and Germany, all the while he "says all those nice things" about Putin. "The president sets the policy and sets the tone and the president is certainly setting a tone of weakness towards Russia," Burns said. "There may well be other people in the administration who have a much different view but the president sets the policy," he said. - Pushback in Congress - Russia is one of the few issues on which Trump has encountered major pushback within his party in Congress, with Republicans widely backing sanctions over Moscow's takeover of Crimea and support of separatists in Ukraine, in addition to election interference. Also infuriating US lawmakers have been Russia's game-changing support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Moscow's alleged masterminding of a deadly chemical attack in England aimed at a double agent. Republican Senator Cory Gardner, joining a bipartisan push for new sanctions on Russia in February, demanded "the strongest possible response" against Putin's Russia, which he called "an outlaw regime that is hell-bent on undermining international law." A Western diplomat noted that successive US presidents have flirted at the beginning of their terms with improving relations with Russia. Hillary Clinton, as Barack Obama's top diplomat, boasted of a "reset" with Russia, while president George W. Bush famously said after his first meeting with Putin that he "saw his soul." "When you deal with a partner whose agenda is just to undermine and to destabilize you, it makes life difficult," the diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "At the end of the day, with Russia our experience is that you get a better result when they have the impression that you are stronger than they are." The new tactical guided weapon that North Korea said it test-fired this week is believed to be a guided weapon for ground combat, not a ballistic missile that would have constituted a breach of sanctions, a South Korean official said on Friday. On Thursday, the Norths official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said leader Kim Jong-un oversaw the test-firing of a new tactical guided weapon, touting its development as an event of very weighty significance in strengthening its military power. But KCNA did not specify what the newly developed weapon was, prompting US and South Korean intelligence authorities to pore over data to determine what the test was about. We suspect it was a guided weapon used in ground battles. We do not see it as a ballistic missile, the military Joint Chiefs of Staff told journalists. This assessment was jointly made by South Korea and the United States. We cannot give further details as they are matters of military intelligence, he said. Earlier, Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan also said it was likely a new tactical guided weapons firing test that was not a ballistic missile. CNN said the initial US intelligence assessment is that North Korea tested components for an anti-tank weapon, rather than a fully operational new weapon, citing a US official directly familiar with the latest assessment, The assessment is based on a review of information gathered from satellites and aircraft, which did not register any indication of a launch of any type of short-range tactical weapon or a ballistic missile, CNN said, citing the official. The US believes if North Korea had launched a fully functioning anti-tank weapon, their sensors would have likely picked up some indication it had been fired. That did not happen, the official said, according to CNN. The latest test came as negotiations to end the Norths nuclear ambitions stalled, with both the United States and the North remaining sceptical of each others ulterior motives. Story continues Kim and US President Donald Trump met in Hanoi in February but failed to reach an agreement, with the North requesting harsh US sanctions to be lifted in return for it shutting down its largest nuclear facility. More from South China Morning Post: This article North Koreas new guided weapon designed for ground combat, not a ballistic missile, says Souths military first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2019. Journalist Lyra McKee in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on May 19, 2017. Photo: Jess Lowe/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Officials in Derry, Northern Ireland, have confirmed that a journalist was shot and killed in crossfire during a riot on Thursday evening. Lyra McKee, an editor for Mediagazer whod written for BuzzFeed News, the Atlantic, and Mosaic Science, had arrived at the scene of a police raid in Derrys Creggan neighborhood, where authorities were carrying out searches for explosives and firearms. Video appears to show locals throwing Molotov cocktails at police vehicles; according to the New York Times, McKee had been standing next to a police Land Rover when a gunman shot her dead. She was 29 years old. McKees killing invokes the darkest moments in the Troubles, a violent conflict that divided Northern Ireland between nationalists, who are mostly Catholic and support a united Irish republic, and loyalists, who are mostly Protestant and want to remain subjects of the United Kingdom. The Good Friday Agreement signed 21 years ago this month ostensibly ended the conflict. But some groups do not accept the agreement, and one such group is likely responsible for McKees death. Police have attributed McKees killing to members of the New IRA, which formed in 2012 in what the Guardian characterizes as a merger of dissident republican groups. Authorities believe it has several hundred active supporters, a mix of ex-Provisional IRA members and new, young recruits, including some born after the 1998 Good Friday agreement, according to the Guardian. McKees killing also coincides with a recent uptick in violence in Northern Ireland. Since 2013, punishment attacks carried out by members of republican and loyalist militias in retaliation for incidents during the Troubles have increased by around 60 percent. Members of the New IRA took responsibility for a January car bombing in Derry, and for five package bombs that had been sent to addresses in London and Glasgow in March. There were no casualties in those incidents. In 2018, Derry was also the scene of violent protests sparked by a July 12 parade by members of the Orange Order, who are Protestants. The parades commemorate the Battle of the Boyne, when the Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic King James II; during the Troubles, Protestant groups marched through Catholic neighborhoods to intimidate and antagonize residents. Turmoil in Northern Ireland may only increase as the United Kingdom stumbles over itself in its approach to Brexit. The European Union had guaranteed an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as the Atlantic reported in 2018. If the U.K. leaves the E.U. without a deal, or strikes a deal that does not keep the border open, theyll violate the Good Friday Agreement. Theresa Mays Conservative government is also propped up by a shaky coalition with the Democratic Unionist Party, a loyalist, Protestant party in Northern Ireland, which contributes to local tensions. McKee herself covered this territory with a brilliant and incisive sensibility. She grew up in a Catholic neighborhood of Belfast, the Times reports, and wrote movingly about her experiences as a gay woman and a member of Northern Irelands postcease-fire generation. A gifted investigative journalist, McKee focused her work on the aftermath of the Troubles. Her second book, The Lost Boys, is scheduled to publish next year; it examined the fates of young men and boys who went missing during the Troubles. The Ceasefire Babies was what they called us, she wrote of a childhood friends suicide attempts. Those too young to remember the worst of the terror because we were either in nappies or just out of them when the Provisional IRA ceasefire was called. I was four, Jonny was three. We were the Good Friday Agreement generation, destined to never witness the horrors of war but to reap the spoils of peace. The spoils just never seemed to reach us. (PHOTO: The St. Regis Singapore) By: Alyssa Chung Brasserie Les Saveurs, The St. Regis Singapore For an ultra luxe brunch this Easter, make a booking at St Regis Singapores Brasserie Les Saveurs. The Easter Day Champagne Brunch offers guests a complimentary hour of aperitifs at Astor Bar from 11am to 12pm. And from 12pm to 3pm, feast on a superb spread at the brasserie, topped with Ruinart champagne and live music. Start with amuse bouche of superior oscietra caviar with confit yolk, smoked potato puree, sour cream and crispy leeks, followed by pass-around canapes such as spiced heirloom carrot veloute with beurre noisette cream as well as truffle brie cones. The live station is laden with fresh seafood and cold appetisers including Japanese sea urchin with Alaskan king crab salad. Theres also the Easter must-have of slow roasted lamb leg with garlic and rosemary sauce. Prepared fresh to order are main courses such as roasted chicken breast with foie gras, crispy truffled chicken skin, smoked potato puree, garlic broccolini and truffle split jus, and baked Pacific cod with black mussels, pernod and saffron emulsion and dill oil. Dont forget to save room for the dessert buffet. The free-flow champagne starts from $228 per person with R de Ruinart Brut NV, wines, beers and juices. The St Regis Singapore Tel: +65 6506 6860 Brasserielessaveurs.com READ MORE: This new cafe at Potong Pasir bakes durian desserts like mousse cake and coconut milk pudding 7 Jewel Changi restaurants specialising in Asian cuisines to look out for Wine, dine and everything in between at Jewel Changi Airport (PHOTO: Fullerton Bay Hotel) The Clifford Pier and La Brasserie, Fullerton Bay Hotel At Fullerton Bay Hotel, the Easter brunch at The Clifford Pier kicks off from 12 pm to 3pm. For one day only, the Easter Edition Sunday Brunch replaces the regular Dim Sum Brunch. From the 16 stations, youll find popular brunch staples such as slow-roasted prime rib, whole confit salmon with traditional condiments, fresh Boston lobster and seafood on ice, and many more. Tuck into Easter favourites such as Torta Pasqualina, a traditional Italian Easter Ricotta and Spinach Tart, as well as mini hot cross flans. The brunch is priced at $138 (without alcohol), $158 with free-flowing Veuve Clicquot champagne, wines, beers and access to the Gin Parlour, and $49 for kids six to 11. Story continues Over at La Brasserie, the La Famille Brunch from 12.30pm to 4pm rolls out fresh seafood and premium meats including apple wood-smoked salmon, whole Norwegian salmon confit with fish roe and avruga caviar, and slow-roasted rib eye. Signature dishes prepared a la minute include Provencal herb-crusted rack of lamb and crispy duck leg confit. Round off with mini tarts, cakes, and puddings. La Brasseries brunch is priced at $128 (without alcohol), $168 with free-flow champagne, wines, beers and access to the Gin Parlour and digestifs station. The brunch is $48 for children six to 1. Look out too for The Fullerton Bays annual Easter Egg Hunt from 3pm at The Floating Pods, with giveaways for kids who collect the most eggs. The Fullerton Bay Hotel Tel: 6877 8911 / 8912 www.fullertonhotels.com (PHOTO: Basilico) Basilico, Regent Singapore The ever-popular Basilico presents an outstanding Easter brunch this year with a host of boldly flavoured dishes. You cant go wrong with the fresh pasta station loaded with hearty handmade tortellacci stuffed with braised duck, Castelmagno cheese, porcini mushrooms and served with black truffle sauce as well as Italian Easter Cannelloni stuffed with Swiss chard and Sicilian ricotta in Pachino cherry tomato crudaiola sauce. But pace yourself for other festive highlights such as the oven-baked New Zealand lamb rack crusted with pistachios and Chanterelle mushrooms, and roasted Sardinian porchetta with purple potatoes and Romanesco broccolli. The dessert table brims with a bevy of tempting sweets including hot cross buns, chocolate caramel pecan fudge brownies, Madagascan chocolate raspberry tarts, tiramisu, and Easter egg almond shortbread. Basilicos brunch from 12 to 3pm is priced at $148 (buffet only), $192 (free-flow prosecco and wine) and $218 (free flow champagne and wine). The meal is priced at $74 for kids five to 12 years old. Kids can enjoy themselves at the supervised Kiddies Playland, complete with a bouncy castle, arts & crafts, face painting, balloon sculpting and other fun activities such as an Easter Egg Hunt and a special visit from the Easter Bunny. Regent Singapore +65 6725 3232 www.regenthotels.com/EN/Singapore (PHOTO: Native Kitchen) Native Kitchen For something a little different, make your way to Sentosa Islands newcomer, Native Kitchen. The restaurant will present an Easter Islander Brunch from 12 to 3pm on 21 April. Enjoy a communal-style four-course semi-buffet comprising three sharing salads, seafood platter of steamed prawns, king crab, mussels, salmon gravlax, a BBQ board of sliders, Jamaican chicken, grilled chorizo, grilled barramundi, jumbo satay skewers and a range of side dishes. The special occasion will put you in the mood for decadent sweet treats. Look out for the dessert table with a six-tier chocolate fountain. The buffet with free-flow soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea is priced at $78. Diners can choose to top up $28 for free-flow prosecco, beer and wine. A pre-deposit payment of $20 per person is required upon confirmation of bookings. This family-friendly restaurant also offers a buffet spread especially for kids. After their meal, they can also look forward to various fun activities including an Easter egg hunt, a bouncy castle, balloon sculpting, face-painting, and movie screenings. Every child will also receive an exclusive Bunny soft toy. Village Hotel at Sentosa, Lobby Level, 10 Artillery Avenue, Sentosa Island, Singapore 099951 Tel: (65) 6722 0818 www.nativekitchen.com.sg (PHOTO: Racines) Racines At Sofitel Singapore City Centre, Easter revelry comes in the form of an extensive buffet selection of French delicacies and local Chinese favourites, plus lively activities for kids. The Easter carvery showcases roasted lamb partnered with sweet caramelised onions, and massive Black Angus beef tomahawks served with bordelaise jus and a choice of mustards. The feast also includes sauteed Atlantic Saint Jacques scallops; French duck pan-seared with figs; and slow-cooked spiced wagyu beef briskets. For Chinese creations, you can expect duck leg confit tossed with chicken floss; deep-fried Barramundi coated in black bean sauce; and signature Shanghai noodles with shredded chicken in specialty broth. At the open kitchen, succulent char-grilled rock lobster, and Kurobuta pork yakitor are fired up. Hop over to the Easter chocolate egg station, where the chef will prepare a festive dessert with a vanilla mousse base and your choice of condiments before topping it off with passionfruit espuma. Other sweet treats include Grand Marnier French Crepes Suzette with vanilla ice cream and croissant waffles. The brunch is from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Prices start from $128 with free-flow juices to $178 with free-flow champagne, wines and beers. Children below 12 pay $68. Kids will be entertained throughout the afternoon at the dedicated Kids Activity Lounge which has its own selection of child-friendly cuisine. The Easter Bunny will also be making an appearance, and theres an egg hunt to boot. Sofitel Singapore City Centre Tel: +65 6428 5000 http://www.sofitel-singapore-citycentre.com/gastronomy/racines/ Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport discovered a gun hidden inside a DVD player last week. On April 13, a mans checked baggage set off alarms in the security scanner. TSA agents pulled the bag aside and discovered a DVD player inside. They looked closer and detected a 9 mm handgun wrapped in aluminum foil that was artfully concealed inside the DVD player, according to an statement from the agency. The gun was not loaded, TSA said. Spencer Platt/Getty Images Security agents found the owner of the bag waiting at the gate for his flight to Mexico. New York Port Authority removed the man from the gate, arrested him and charged him with weapons violations. Although this manner of concealment may be highly unusual, finding a concealed weapon in a bag is not uncommon for the TSA. Last year, the agency reported a record-breaking 4,239 firearms found in carry-on bags at checkpoints across the country. The agency averages this out to about 11 firearms found every day. Earlier this year, a passenger at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport managed to travel with a gun past TSA on a Tokyo-bound flight. After realizing he had the gun, the passenger himself alerted the airline that he was carrying a concealed weapon. Some critics blamed the incident on the TSA being short-staffed during Januarys government shutdown. Photo credit: Whitney Robinson From ELLE Decor The renowned Sydney-based, Japanese architect Koichi Takada is known for buildings and interiors that pay homage to nature. He calls his process 'invisible architecture', a reference to the blurred lines between buildings and their environments. Until now, the best example of this was the Waterfall, a residential tower in Brisbane, Australia, Takada designed that boasts a nearly 400-foot high waterfall that runs the full length of the western part of the building. Water cascades off the rooftop pool deck down the tower via glass panels. As the waterfall reaches the bottom of the tower, the water dissipates like mother nature intended, with a misting effect created on the building's green walls and ground level planting. Photo credit: Whitney Robinson His newest bio-inspired designs form the interiors for Doha's brand new National Museum of Qatar. Drawing on a desert-scape design concept and inspired by the Dahl Al Misfir, the Cave of Light, in the heart of Qatar-the interiors are constructed from 40,000 CNC-cut solid oak pieces, which were made in Italy, shipped to Doha and then painstakingly assembled by hand by master woodworker Claudio Devoto (each piece fits with exactly one other complementary piece) to form a larger-than-life three-dimensional puzzle. Talking to H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa and to the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA) has opened my eyes to a culturally rich way of life, which has inspired me," Takada says. They passionately talked about the iconic nature of Dahl Al Misfir, and introduced me to the ritual of majlis floor dining, a bit like my favorite childhood memory of Japanese tatami floor dining. Designing the interiors of the National Museum of Qatar was an opportunity to create a unique experience for visitors to immerse in Qatars cultural heritage; the traditional and historical past, and its development into a modern state as the cultural hub of the Middle East. Photo credit: Whitney Robinson As to be expected, the interior design concept was carefully curated to create a local cultural experience for visitors, while bowing to the Jean Nouvels building its housed in-an architectural masterpiece unto itself. As you walk through the shop, it indeed feels like spelunking through a undulating dessert cave (or possibly Arizonas Antelope Canyon). The curving walls make you wonder if water once flowed through the gift shops undulating passages centuries ago and any thought of this being an actual museum gift shop recedes. That is, momentarily, at least, until your eyes focus back on the retail 'islands' boasting multiple-sized versions of actual gypsum dessert roses, a perfectly singular souvenir from this one-0f-a-kind shop. Story continues ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: SAUL LOEB - Getty Images From Esquire Robert Muellers Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election is best read as a work of literary nonfiction. While it lacks the frisson of the Starr Report and the attention to storytelling of the 9/11 Report, it is by far the most historically significant work of the Trump era. The second volume of the report, which documents Trumps obstruction of the investigation, is deservedly receiving an enormous amount of attention because it raises questions about whether Trump committed crimes. But here Ill focus on Volume I, which will likely stand as the most comprehensive account of what the Russians did in 2016-the closest thing well get to a 9/11 Commission-style report of an attack on our country that our current president and his top aides, as Mueller shows, abetted even if they didnt collude. The Mueller reports attention to detail, vacuumed out of iPhones and cloud accounts and hundreds of interviews conducted under threat of criminal charges by dozens of prosecutors and FBI agents, is extraordinary. It has become a cliche to say that Mueller knows all, but at least on this topic, he really does. He knew from cell phone location data that Erik Prince was in Trump Tower at the moment he opened a specific email. He knew Paul Manafort was lying about his relationship with a Russian asset because hed already accessed the persons electronic communications. He knew that on the evening of Trumps victory a wealthy Russian, Kirill Dmitriev, who was trying to make inroads with the Trump administration, received a message from someone that said simply, Putin has won. Unlike Michael Wolffs Fire and Fury, which largely channelled the insights of Steve Bannon, Muellers definitive account of the 2016 Russian interference campaign does not overly rely on access to a few sources. Unlike Bob Woodwards Fear, everyone in Muellers magnum opus is on the record. Unlike the daily news coverage that documented many of the same events covered by Mueller, the narrator here guides the reader through the thicket of lies told by Trump aides by addressing a sources reliability upfront. Story continues For instance Manafort, the former campaign chairman and senior strategist to Trump, who in Muellers hands manages to come off as even more of a cartoon villain than he did during his criminal trial, is such a grand liar that Mueller developed a guide for readers to understand how information from Manfort is used in the report. Manaforts versions of events are only allowed when sufficiently corroborated, when his lies themselves are crucial evidence, or in a few cases when Mueller couldnt get to the bottom of something but deemed it worthwhile to convey Manforts side of the story. Photo credit: Chip Somodevilla - Getty Images This sort of exacting attention to source credibility makes the entire work feel definitive. Mueller is never satisfied with the kind of he said/she said accounts that by necessity we journalists often have to resort to. (We cant subpoena anyone!) In most cases he settles factual disputes between conflicting sources. (This has a devastating effect in Volume II, which documents Trumps efforts to obstruct the investigation, when Trump repeatedly contradicts James Comeys version of events, only to be swatted down as a liar by Mueller, who cites corroborating evidence from notes and other witnesses to back up Comey. Now wonder in a Friday morning tweet attacking the "Crazy Mueller Report," Trump advised followers, "Watch out for people that take so-called 'notes.'") In the rare instances when Mueller couldnt referee competing versions of the truth he lets the reader know. One example that stood out: unless it is in a redacted portion, Mueller did not establish for certain that Julian Assange knew that Guccifer 2.0 and DCLeaks, the two entities that sent him thousands of stolen Democratic emails, were internet personas created by the Russian intelligence unit that hacked data from the DNC and John Podesta, Hillary Clintons campaign chairman. Photo credit: Jack Taylor - Getty Images The characters presented in the Mueller report are familiar but they are more vivid than ever, not because of any writerly flair-the prose is wooden-but because of Muellers attention to detail. Many of the ridiculous early Trumpa-era personalities get their own section in Muellers account of the Russian interference campaign, and they often come across as too bumbling or inept to collude with a brunch menu, let alone Russian intelligence. Google is a constant challenge for them. When George Papadopoulos meets one Russian contact, Olga Polonskaya, in London on March 24, 2016, he erroneously believes that she is Putins daughter. The degree to which Mueller shows receipts about even minor facts like this is extraordinary. He footnotes Papadopouloss mistake with a reference to the young mans internet search history revealing late-morning and early-afternoon searches on March 24, 2016 for Putins niece, olga putin, and russian president niece olga, among other terms. (Always erase your search history before meeting possible Russian spies!) Michael Cohen was similarly flummoxed by Google. Mueller documents the long and detailed efforts that Cohen undertook on behalf of Trump to build a Trump Tower Moscow, a project that continued through the middle of the 2016 campaign, despite Cohen and Trumps repeated denials that Trump had any financial interests in Russia. The Russian side of the deal went through different permutations and at one point Ivanka Trump connected Cohen with Dmitry Klokov, a former Russian official who offered Cohen assistance on both the building project and Trumps presidential campaign-political synergy, he called it-and dangled a meeting with Putin. Cohens due diligence process to vet Klokov consisted of googling his name. He came to believe--erroneously--that Klokov was a former Russian Olympic weightlifter. They communicated by email and over the phone for two days and Cohen never realized Klokov was actually someone else. As late as last summer, when he was being interviewed by Muellers team, Cohen was still talking about his weightlifter contact in Russian. During his interviews with the Office, Cohen still appeared to believe that the Klokov he spoke with was that Olympian, Mueller notes in a deadpan style he seems to reserve for these comical moments. The investigation, however, established that the email address used to communicate with Cohen belongs to a different Dmitry Klokov. Properly communicating with Russians was a constant problem for Cohen. When he tried to reinvigorate the stalled Moscow Tower project in December 2015 he reached out to Putins press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, but initially used an email address that was off by one letter. Manafort may be the exception to this kind of ineptitude. He comes across as a Soprano-like criminal who has spent so much of his recent years in Ukraine electing politicians and then cashing in on access that he thought nothing of trying the same grift with Trump. The twist is that he was in debt to a Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska. and crafted a role for himself in Trumps orbit that was designed to appease Deripaska. Mueller reports that Manafort repeatedly sent internal Trump campaign polling to his old business partner, Konstantin Kilimnik, who, we are informed, the FBI assesses has ties to Russian intelligence. Kilimniks ties to Russia were sufficiently well-known that Manaforts longtime business partner, Rick Gates, who was also the deputy campaign chairman for Trump, once joked that Kilimnik was going to meet his Russian handler. Manafort regularly followed up with emails to ascertain from Kilimnik as to whether Deripaska, with whom Kilimnik allegedly shared the polling data, was sufficiently impressed with Manaforts new role to forget about all that money he owed him. Photo credit: Drew Angerer - Getty Images Manaforts master plan was to elect Trump and reunite with a more forgiving Deripaska so they could both cash in on access to the White House. So what if one of the strings attached was helping Putin take full control of eastern Ukraine through a new puppet government endorsed by Trump and run by Manaforts old client, Viktor Yanukovych? (Yes, this is all in the report.) Still Mueller found no evidence that Manafort had any connection to Russias election-interference efforts. One of the most interesting new characters uncovered by Mueller is Petr Aven, a bonafide Russian oligarch. After pages and pages of only dimly seeing the Russian side of the story, Avens emergence on page 146, after Trump has been elected with Putins help, is a reader delight. By that point in the narrative one of the few clear weaknesses of the investigation is Muellers seeming inability to have penetrated Putins small circle. And then out of nowhere Mueller casually pops this surprise: As Russian officials in the United States reached out to the President-Elect and his team, a number of Russian individuals working in the private sector began their own efforts to make contact. Petr Aven, a Russian national who heads Alfa-Bank, Russias largest commercial bank, described to the Office interactions with Putin during this time period that might account for the flurry of Russian activity. Aven told the Office that he is one of approximately 50 wealthy Russian businessmen who regularly meet with Putin in the Kremlin; these 50 men are often referred to as oligarchs. What?! Mueller got one of Putins oligarchs to spill some tea on what life as an oligarch is like when your boss, the murdering tyrant of Russia, is trying to influence the American President he just helped elect? Why, yes, he did. Aven does not disappoint. We learn through him that the oligarchs meet quarterly and that in December 2016, Putin hosted an all-hands oligarch meeting-yes, thats apparently a real thing-to warn Aven and his colleagues that the Obama administration would retaliate for the interference campaign with new sanctions and that the Oligarchs should protect themselves by reaching out to Trump world. The diktat helps explain a renewed offensive from various Russian businessmen to penetrate the Trump world after his victory, all of which is exhaustively detailed by Mueller. Aven also makes it clear that the American medias view of Putins capabilities can be exaggerated. Putin, far from having unfettered access to Trump, found it difficult to know who to talk to in Trumps world. Just passing on a congratulatory message was stymied by poor lines of communication. Hope Hicks, Trumps top communications aide got a message from the Russian embassy when Trump won, but she was unsure it was legit, so she forwarded the email to Kushner. Can you look into this? she wrote. Dont want to get duped but dont want to blow off Putin!" Sadly, the Aven character fades from the drama after his Q1 2017 oligarch meeting, though not before delivering a succinct view of how concerned Putins orbit was about the Russia investigation. Aven told Muellers team that at that early 2017 oligarch confab he informed Putins chief of staff that he was talking to the FBI about his attempts to create a backchannel to the new Trump administration. According to Aven, Mueller writes, the official showed no emotion in response to this report and did not appear to care. Photo credit: Artyom Geodakyan - Getty Images One of the strengths of the report is Muellers ability to distinguish between potentially troubling episodes-he seems highly alarmed by Manaforts links to Ukraine and Russia-and those that may have looked awful but have innocent explanations. Kushner, who has often been caught up in the medias Russian collusion drama, comes off as more naive than sinister in his dealings with the Russian Ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. Mueller dryly retells the story of Kushner suggesting that Kushner and Kislyak use the Russian embassy to securely communicate with some generals that the ambassador suggested could brief him on Syria, but theres no inference that Kushner was plotting something nefarious. However the Kushner-Kislyak bromance does take a sad turn when Kushner is informed that theres a more important Russian official with closer ties to Putin who he should be communicating with and Kushner stops returning Kislyaks messages. (Even sadder: he makes his assistant meet with the still-persistent ambassador.) Mueller also didnt find anything particularly alarming about Sessions meeting with Kislyak in his Senate office and did not think Sessions perjured himself when he failed to disclose the meeting in his Senate confirmation hearing. Mueller confirms that a Trump staffer did indeed alter the language of the Republican Party platform to make it less hostile to Russia, but he didnt find a Russian plot behind the change. Mueller considered charging Don Jr. and others with a campaign finance violation for agreeing to accept opposition research from a Russian contact but found--wisely it seems--that the law against campaigns accepting something of value from a foreigner was too murky to apply to the unusual case. (Congress would be wise to step in and craft some tighter rules against foreign assistance.) Mueller also clears up some of the conspiracy theories. The description of Carter Pages links to Russian intelligence and his actions in 2016 offer plenty of fodder for defending the surveillance-spying in Attorney General Barrs words-that was conducted against him by the government when fears about Russian meddling and the Trump campaign were at their height. Though it has been often disputed by some critics of the investigation, Mueller documents carefully that the probe was indeed opened after a foreign government tipped off the FBI that Papadopoulos had claimed to know about the Russian email hacking in advance, and not because of the Steele dossier (which gets very little attention in the report). Mueller even chases down and refutes a rumor that Trump may have been at a chess tournament in New York to secretly meet with a Russian businessman in late 2016. Photo credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS - Getty Images The one mystery not resolved by the redacted version of the report is the full extent of Roger Stones dealings with Wikileaks. Most of the Stone material is blacked out because his trial hasnt started yet and the Justice Department determined the information could harm the case. One section that covers declinations-decisions not to indict-tantalizingly appears to be about Stone and collusion. So we will have to wait a little longer for the entire Trump-Russia story to emerge. But by the end of the first volume I was exhausted by the amount of detail and the comprehensiveness of the investigation. I also realized that after I finished it that we are right back where we started: Putin interfered in a dramatic fashion in the 2016 election and Trump encouraged it, benefited from it, and then tried to cover it up, even though he wasnt a criminal partner in the conspiracy. We got attacked in 2016, and the real crime is what was legal: the person who got elected just didnt care. ('You Might Also Like',) Oil rig workers 135 miles off the coast of Thailand rescued a stray dog who was paddling for life in the gulf waters last week. Vitisak Payalaw was working on a rig in the Gulf of Thailand on April 12 when he and his coworkers spotted something paddling in the water. It turned out to be a brown dog. It was unclear how long he had been there, but it is believed he may have fallen off a fishing boat. WATCHDOG THAILAND HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock WATCHDOG THAILAND HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock The dog was able to swim to the platform of the oil rig and clung to it, according to Associated Press. Workers held out a pole for the dog to grab onto, but the waves made that impossible. "I thought that if we didn't move quickly, I would not be able to help him," Payalaw told CNN. "If he lost his grip, it would be very difficult to help him." So the team fashioned a pull out of a rope and managed to get it around the dogs neck, dragging him onto the rig to safety. Once the dog was safe, rescuers gave him fresh water and an electrolyte drink. They named him Boon Rod, which means survivor. The dog was taken in by a local charity, WATCHDOG THAILAND for treatment and rest after his harrowing journey. He was then transferred to an animal shelter in Thailand's Songkla province, where he was washed and fed. If owners do not step forward to reclaim Boon Rod, Payalaw said he intends to adopt him. Taking a train through Switzerland is like riding into a fairytale. Quaint villages dot snow-peaked mountains, creating breathtaking views around every turn. From the Alps to Lake Geneva to the Matterhorn, the country was blessed with some of the worlds most picturesque landscapes, as well as a unique blend of cultures thanks to the borders it shares with Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. All of this can only be properly digested slowly which is why traveling by rail is the perfect fit. Rail travel allows you to sit back and take in the scene while covering all the ground that needs to be covered, and the stops along Switzerlands routes will convince you it was built to be visited this way. Salvatore DiBenedetto The Glacier Express whisks travelers from St. Moritz to Zermatt on an eight-hour excursion, and its brand new Excellence Class offers spacious seats; a lavish, gold bar; a curated tasting menu paired with unlimited champagne, wine, beer, and top-shelf liquor; and elegant tea time. Todd Powell, founder of Vacations by Rail, which organizes Glacier Express adventures and an avid European train traveler himself shared some of his pro tips with us. Among them: Travel at the beginning or end of peak season to avoid crowds on board and in resort towns along the way. I visited in April and often found myself able to stretch out next to an empty seat. Here are all the Swiss villages and experiences you shouldnt miss. St. Moritz and Pontresina A small town thats big on luxury, St. Moritz is filled with high-end fashion houses, and it has also hosted the Winter Olympics. Spend the night at the five-star, 160-year-old Kulm Hotel for a taste of its history. Salvatore DiBenedetto Nearby, Pontresina has all the small-town charm, its main street filled with artisans selling their wares. Take a funicular up to Muottas Muragl for sunset and watch the warm orange glow heat the icy blue skies beyond the peaks. Then have dinner at the rustic Romantik Hotel Muottas Muragl and end the evening with schnitzel. Story continues Salvatore DiBenedetto Poschiavo Just along the Italian border and south of St. Mortiz, youll find Poschiavo. Along the cobbled streets youll find pastel-hued buildings, views of the Swiss Alps, and a medieval-style square. Architecture enthusiasts should check out the inside of Poschiavos quaint church, while landscape lovers will find great hiking trails. Stop for pizza, gnocchi, and local wine at Hotel Albrici, in the square. Follow up with dessert at the gelato stand just across the way. Zermatt and the Matterhorn I fell into a deep sleep the moment I arrived to Zermatt due to jet lag, but this afforded me an excellent opportunity: seeing Zermatt and the Matterhorn at sunrise. Those who awake during the sunrise will be treated to a special half-hour viewing of the mountain as the sun turns its snowy white surface to blood-orange. Salvatore DiBenedetto Wander the streets of Zermatt and then take the train up to Gornergrat. Sit on the right side of the train for the best views and photo ops of the Matterhorn. The Gornergrat Kulm Hotel, which sits at the top, is home to an incredible cream of garlic soup stewed into a whole wheat Swiss bread bowl. Salvatore DiBenedetto Montreux Montreux will give you a taste of French architecture and cuisine, as France sits in view just across Lake Geneva. The late Freddie Mercury found solace in Montreux, and Queen recorded their last two albums there. Today, a statue of Mercury stands and a new interactive Queen experience is held in the former Mountain Studios located in Casino Barriere de Montreux. The museum houses a variety of artifacts from the bands peak period. The main walking strip of Montreux lines Lake Geneva and is an ideal place for a rendezvous, especially in warmer weather. History buffs will be delighted by the citys Chillon Castle, an incredibly well-preserved medieval castle and one of Switzerlands most-visited sites. Visit the Fairmonts Montreux Palace and dine at the Jazz Club for a whimsical peek into the citys musical heritage. Grindelwald Wind down your Swiss adventure with a spa experience at the Romantiks Hotel Schweizerhof, and get your fondue fix at Barrys, where you can craft your own plate of meats, vegetables, and carbs. Have a night cap at Avocado Bar with the apres ski crowd. Grindelwald is also a great launching point for multiple excursions, including paragliding in Interlaken and riding gondolas into Murren, up Schilithorn and to Piz Gloria, whose claim to fame comes from the 1968 James Bond film, On Her Majestys Secret Service. Schilithorns thrill walk hugs the side of the mountain and has two suspended, steel-mesh bridges that will make your knees quake. The most daring of travelers can waltz across a glass floor on the edge of the walkway for a view worth conquering a fear of heights for. Swing through Stechelberg on your way down from Schilithorn, home to Switzerlands highest waterfall and scenic hikes. This U.S. State Park Is Known for Incredible Wildlife Spotting And Its First Baby Bison of the Year Was Just Born undefined If you're looking for the chance to see fascinating wildlife up close without leaving the U.S., it might be time to plan a trip to South Dakota. The states rolling plains, wooded streams, and timbered hills are home to elk, pronghorns, deer, mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and one of the worlds largest publicly owned bison herds at Custer State Park. South Dakotas oldest state park, Custer State Park was originally established as a game preserve in 1913 to re-introduce wildlife into the area that disappeared due to the effects of early settlers and the gold rush. Today, the park is home to a herd of roughly 1,300 bison, and the first baby bison of the year was just recently born on its grounds. The parks bison calving season occurs each spring, typically arriving at the last week of March or the first week of April and continuing through mid-May. Courtesy of Custer State Park The Prairie Trail in the south of the park is one of the best trails for viewing the wildlife and the calving bison, according to Mark Hendrix, who has been a ranger with the park for seven years. While other animals that reside in the park, such as elk, are nocturnal and can best be seen during early morning hikes, the bison can be seen all throughout the day and can be spotted in various ways. The annual roundup, known as the Buffalo Roundup, brings crowds who come to feel the ground shake as they watch the parks herd of more than 1,300 make their way through the valley just a few hundred feet from the viewing area. Meanwhile, the Wildlife Loop Road offers a scenic 18-mile drive through open grasslands dotted with wildflowers and animals ranging from bison and whitetail and mule deer, to elk, coyotes, prairie dogs, eagles, and rare birds. Sometimes, the bison herds come right up to the road. Presidents Trump and Putin. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Perhaps the most haunting passage in the special counsels report on Russian election interference is a fragment of a sentence, most of which is hidden behind black redaction lines. Some figure, whose name is hidden, writes to Kirill Dmitriev, a Russian regime crony, Putin has won. The Mueller report is the story of a crime that succeeded and a cover-up that quite possibly did too. Trump has repeatedly claimed, and his attorney general has repeated, that the Mueller report proved (as William Barr put it Thursday morning) there was in fact no collusion. Muellers report shows this claim of exoneration is at best highly misleading and at worst outright false. The standard of proof used by Mueller is establish, which essentially means to prove. Mueller established both that Russia set out to help Trumps campaign, in part by breaking American laws, and that the campaign expected to benefit from those actions, criminal and otherwise. The report states that it failed to establish coordination, which it defines as more than the two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the others actions or interests. And it emphasizes repeatedly that it brought charges only when prosecutors could meet that forbidding standard of proof: As the report explains, a statement that the investigation did not establish particular facts does not mean there was no evidence of those facts. The failure to establish these crimes does not mean investigators proved the negative or even that they found no evidence for them. Now, it would be unfair to Trump and his campaign to conclude that every charge that has been reported in the media or floated by Christopher Steeles sources should be presumed true. Some avenues of the scandal appear to have been decisively foreclosed. The report flatly states that Michael Cohen did not visit Prague one of the key disputed leads in Steeles dossier. It produces no hints whatsoever that a server in Alfa-Bank was used to transmit campaign data between Moscow and Trump Tower. And it certainly puts to rest any possibility that Trump and Putin maintained any kind of close, regular contact throughout the campaign (though such a scenario has not received serious consideration anyway). The report details a great deal of gross, corrupt behavior. Most important, Trump was secretly negotiating a building deal in Moscow that stood to earn substantial sums over the lifetime of the project, without assuming significant liabilities or financing commitments. That is to say, it was the kind of no-lose deal Putin habitually hands out to his overseas partners as a way of laundering bribes through the guise of legitimate business transactions. Legally, its an innocent business deal that just happens to generously offer guaranteed profits for Putins partner. The report describes how Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch closely tied to the regime, used Paul Manafort to install friendly political officials in countries where Deripaska had business interests. It shows that Manafort was indebted to Deripaska when he took on the job of managing Trumps campaign and that Manafort passed extensive polling data on to his former employee, Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian agent. Alas, Mueller could not reliably determine Manaforts purpose in handing the data over to Kilimnik. Maybe he was giving Russians information to help target their social-media attacks, or maybe he just wanted to show what a big shot he had become. In summer 2016, Trump appeared before television cameras and asked Russia to steal Hillary Clintons State Department emails (Russia, if youre listening ). Trumps defenders have tried to pass off this request as a joke, but this was always far-fetched although Trump enjoys belittling his adversaries, hes no ironist and Mueller has proved the request was deadly earnest. Not only, as a previous indictment showed, did Russian hackers immediately follow up on Trumps ask, but Trump directed Michael Flynn to get the emails. Trump made this request repeatedly, notes Mueller. Flynn assigned the task to Republican operatives Barbara Ledeen and Peter W. Smith. Like every other member of the Trump campaign, neither of these figures had any compunction about teaming up with hostile states in order to gain an edge over Clinton. This second avenue of attempted collusion petered out because Mueller did not establish theres that phrase again that Smith was in contact with Russian hackers or that Smith, Ledeen, or other individuals in touch with the Trump Campaign ultimately obtained the deleted Clinton emails. A third avenue of collusion ran through WikiLeaks. This section of Muellers report is heavily redacted, but it makes clear that Trumps interest in WikiLeaks was just as intense as his repeated public displays of interest would indicate. By the late summer of 2016, the Trump Campaign was planning a press strategy, a communications campaign, and messaging based on the possible release of Clinton emails by WikiLeaks, Mueller reports. One intriguing redacted passage offers that Trump took a phone call and shortly after the call candidate Trump told [cooperating witness Rick] Gates that more releases of damaging information would be coming. The report describes four major avenues of potential collusion. Flynns attempt to secure the stolen emails failed. The famous Trump Tower meeting did not yield the dirt its participants sought. That leaves two more unresolved channels: Manafort, who passed polling data on to Kilimnik for reasons unknown, and Stone, who dealt with WikiLeaks and is largely blacked out of the report due to an upcoming trial. What Stone and Manafort have in common, in addition to a long history as partners, is that they both refused to cooperate with Mueller. And here the evidence is overwhelming that Trump not only attempted to obstruct the probe but succeeded. Trump set a tone of noncooperation that filtered down. He refused to sit for an interview, offering only written responses. Investigators complained that over 30 of these responses claimed he did not recall and other answers were incomplete or imprecise. Muellers lawyers told Trump the nonresponses demonstrate the inadequacy of the written format. Trump refused to offer anything more. Trump, the report states, expressed shock that his lawyer, Don McGahn, took notes of their conversations. I never had a lawyer who took notes, Trump said, pointing to Roy Cohn, the former mob lawyer and aide to Joe McCarthy, as a great lawyer who never took notes. It is difficult to think of a reason for a lawyer not to take notes other than his client is engaged in crimes. Several cooperating witnesses describe Trump dangling the possibility of a pardon to keep his lieutenants quiet. Cohen discussed pardons with the Presidents personal counsel and believed that if he stayed on message he would be taken care of and was called a rat when he flipped. Manafort told his associate Gates that he had talked to the Presidents personal counsel and they were going to take care of us. And Trump privately asked advisors to pass messages to Flynn conveying that the President still cared about him and encouraging him to stay strong. It is famously difficult to prosecute the leaders of tight-knit criminal syndicates, which is why known mob bosses can walk the streets as celebrities for years or decades. This is the case even though there are specific laws designed to target the Mafia. Now imagine a mob boss who commands the loyalty of a national party and can hand out get-out-of-jail-free cards to his underlings when they get pinched, and youre beginning to see the difficulty of establishing the kinds of criminal-conspiracy charges Mueller was after. Trumps defenders have muddled the distinction between the standard of proof required to convict a defendant in court the standard Mueller was operating under and the standard of proof in the court of public opinion. When youre charged with a murder, you might beat the rap if the key witnesses recant or mysteriously die right before the trial. You would then be legally entitled to walk free, but your fellow citizens are not required to accept your boasts of exoneration. And they are certainly not required to disavow news reports that described you as a murderer. Trump beat the rap. But Muellers report shows in excruciating detail the moral culpability that oozed out of the candidate and covered everybody beneath him. Pending the outcome of a couple of outstanding trials, the Russia investigation is no longer a question of law. It is a question of corruption, of ethics, of politics. The white-collar criminal-in-chief. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images The president of the United States routinely orders his subordinates to subvert the law. He believes that the Justice Department should comport itself as his personal detective agency and that the attorney generals first responsibility is to protect the White House from legal accountability. And he has used one of his offices most extraordinary powers the authority to pardon convicted criminals to undermine a federal investigation. These realities were already apparent before Robert Muellers report was released Thursday. But they have now been formally confirmed by federal law enforcement. The branch of government responsible for enforcing the rule of law is led by a man with contempt for that very concept. Congresss constitutional obligation in this circumstance is unambiguous. The president swore to faithfully execute the duties of his office. He has not. Thus, Congress should evict him from that office. This would be true even if Donald Trump displayed no inclination to persist in his lawlessness. But he is displaying the opposite. Impeachment is therefore required not merely to punish the president for his past indiscretions or to deter a future president from emulating them but to halt the rampage of a serial offender. During his press conference (and/or lurid apologia for the president) on Thursday, Attorney General William Barr suggested that Trumps various attempts to undermine the Russia investigation were understandable responses to an unprecedented situation. But the president does not defy the law exclusively in self-defense. Just this month, Trump fired the secretary of Homeland Security because she refused to entertain extralegal options for deterring undocumented immigration. More audaciously, the president also (reportedly) instructed Customs and Border Protection commissioner Kevin McAleenan to deny Central American families their legal right to seek asylum and promised to pardon the CBP chief should anyone try to hold him accountable for this crime. There is no defensible argument against impeaching this kind of president as a substantive matter. The only debate worth having concerns the political merits of such an endeavor. House Democrats appear to believe that, in the present context, upholding their constitutional duty by voting to remove a lawless president from office would be politically unwise. Their reasoning goes something like this: Recent polls suggest a majority of the public wants Congress to move on from the Trump-Russia saga and opposes impeachment. Meanwhile, the impeachment process would eat up precious space in the legislative calendar, which could otherwise be used to hold public hearings on more politically resonant aspects of executive-branch malfeasance, and pass popular legislative proposals. And, most important, there is every reason to believe that a push for impeachment will end with the Senate acquitting the president. Which is to say: To the extent that the impeachment process would register at all with low-information swing voters, it would likely register as an unresolved partisan squabble. Trumps malfeasance is surely a political asset for Democrats. But the presidents lawlessness isnt subtle. Anyone who is willing and able to see that Trump is a crook already has. Better then to focus the partys messaging on bread-and-butter issues that might speak to voters who are indifferent to Trumps corruption. Im not sure that I accept this argument. But it strikes me as plausible. And if we stipulate that the president is a criminal (in spirit, if not legally provable fact) and that Senate Republicans are, nevertheless, opposed to removing him from office then the Democrats overriding civic obligation is to maximize the probability of their victory in 2020. All else being equal, it is more important to actually remove a would-be autocrat from office than to formally demonstrate ones commitment to doing so. All of this said, if House Democrats are taking the position that the Republican Party is so corrupt and our system of checks and balances so obsolete it isnt even worth trying to uphold their constitutional responsibility to impeach a lawless president, then they need to acknowledge the radical implications of that stance. If there is no bipartisan consensus on upholding the rule of law, then bipartisan consensus is not an end worth pursuing. If the Republican Party cant be trusted to even consider putting its allegiance to lawfulness above its fealty to Donald Trump, then the GOP is a cancer on the body politic. And if our Constitution has brought us to the point where a non-democratically elected president can promise Get Out of Jail Free cards to anyone who violates laws he does not like without facing any serious threat of removal from office then our Constitution is obsolete and there is no cause for treating that document, or the established norms of our institutions, with reflexive reverence. This is not an idle point. In recent weeks, many moderate Democratic senators have argued that their party should never abolish the legislative filibuster because the Senates 60-vote threshold is a well-established institution that combats political polarization by forcing lawmakers to embrace bipartisan compromise. This argument fails on its own terms: The automatic 60-vote requirement for nearly all legislation is an invention of the 21st century, and its establishment has not coincided with a golden era of bipartisan compromise, but rather of gridlock and dysfunction. But lets ignore that for a minute. Lets say the legislative filibuster (as it currently exists) is an age-old institution. Lets say it effectively requires all major legislation to have some measure of bipartisan buy-in. If our established institutions have proved incapable of disciplining a president who disrespects the law, why should we presume the propriety of those institutions? And if there is no bipartisan consensus against allowing Republican presidents to flout the law, then what good is bipartisan consensus? Why should Democrats be compelled to forever and always give the GOP input on making laws when the two parties do not even share a commitment to the rule of law? In other words, congressional Democrats fatalism about impeachment and their reverence for institutional norms and the ideal of bipartisanship are irreconcilable. And that has implications for much more than the debate over filibuster reform. It implies that commitment to small-r republican values requires prioritizing the GOPs disempowerment over the preservation of institutional norms. If Democrats have the power to reduce the Republicans structural advantage in the Senate by granting statehood to D.C. and Puerto Rico on a party-line vote, they must do this. If the conservative judges continue to abet the GOPs efforts to insulate itself from popular rebuke through voter suppression and gerrymandering, then Democrats must be prepared to reform the judiciary. Democrats can insist that impeachment is a hopeless cause. And they can sing paeans to congressional norms and bipartisan comity. But if they do both, they will confirm that their party is just another one of our republics failing institutions. Nancy Pelosi has a tough decision to make. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images This chat will run in the Intelligencer newsletter, which combines a digest of the stories you care about with exclusive political commentary that you wont find on the website. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. 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. Im your host, Benjamin Hart, and today Im talking with Sarah Jones, Ed Kilgore, and Eric Levitz about whether Democrats should take the impeachment plunge. Ben: Ed wrote yesterday: Make no mistake, the Mueller findings and the disgraceful manner in which Barr and the Justice Department handled them will ratchet up support for using impeachment proceedings to pick up the banner the special counsel handed them. And indeed, thats whats happening as we speak. Now that evidence of Trumps misdeeds has been given the Mueller imprimatur, more Democrats seem at least to be entertaining the possibility, with Elizabeth Warren the highest-profile one so far to come out and call for impeachment to begin. Many commentators agree with her, including New Yorks Andrew Sullivan. Heres a representative sentiment from that faction, courtesy of Brian Beutler at Crooked Media: At some point soon, Democratic leaders will have to reckon with the fact that the founders created the impeachment power for precisely this moment. That impeachment is their basic obligation if they try to run out the clock, or settle on the claim that impeachment just isnt worth it, they will do incalculable damage to themselves and the country. One group that doesnt seem so keen on this idea: Democratic leadership. Nancy Pelosi had all but taken the option off the tableweeks before we saw Muellers report. And yesterday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer angered a lot of people by saying going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Their argument is that impeachment will only boost Trumps reelection efforts, and that Democrats are better off focusing single-mindedly on beating him at the ballot box, not pursuing this noble but doomed cause. So, with that long-winded intro out of the way: Where do you all fall on this question right now? Ed: I think Pelosis posture, and Jerry Nadlers, makes sense: no rush to impeachment, at least until the impact of the Mueller report sinks in (or doesnt) in public opinion, but dont rule it out either (as Hoyer would do). As I said yesterday, Trump deserves impeachment, but that doesnt mean its a good idea politically. Sarah: They at least have to be open to the possibility. Impeachment is unquestionably justified, so the party has to decide whether the possibility of backlash outweighs its responsibility to justice. I dont envy them that choice. Theres a sound argument on behalf of going ahead with impeachment proceedings, Id add. Trumps base doesnt outnumber the Democratic Partys overall. They might worry about backlash, but they should also consider the likelihood that impeachment might help motivate its own base. They can still do that and run on bread-and-butter issues like health care or a higher minimum wage. Eric: Yeah. Precisely because Trump is so deserving of impeachment, the Democrats are duty-bound to prioritize actually removing him from office over demonstrating their commitment to doing so through a doomed impeachment procedure. At the moment, there is zero reason to believe that the Senate will convict Trump. Thus, the fastest way to evict this criminal from the White House is to beat him at the ballot box in 2020. If impeaching him will help with that task, Democrats should do it. If it would come at a political cost, they shouldnt. For the moment, Im having a hard time deciding what I think the politically expedient thing to do here is. Ed: I really cant imagine that the Democratic base is going to need a lot of revving up in 2020, and if Democrats remain angrily divided on impeachment, that could sap energy too. Sarah: Im not comfortable assuming that the base will be as revved up as it needs to be in 2020. Ed: Well, if the prospect of a second term for Donald J. Trump doesnt do it, nothing on earth will. Eric: I think they should definitely continue to investigate and hold hearings designed to draw attention to Trumpian malfeasance. The question is whether to do that through the specific procedure of impeachment. The downside of that mechanism (in my understanding) is that it locks you into a very rigid, time-consuming process and would inevitably end with the Senate acquitting Trump, thereby potentially signaling to low-information swing voters that this whole impeachment thing was just a partisan circus. The upside is that impeachment would make cable news pay much closer attention to your investigations, and possibly help signal to voters the severity of Trumps misdeeds. Sarah: It would presumably help Democrats craft a corruption message. Ed: Well, there are multiple avenues for that. Ben: Proponents of impeachment seem to be arguing two central points: (1) If impeachment doesnt happen now, in close to the exact circumstances the Founders envisioned for this sort of thing, it is rendered meaningless in the future. (2) It would not actually be politically harmful, since it would expose the presidents malfeasance even more thoroughly to voters. Ed: Regarding the second argument: Again, you dont need impeachment proceedings to expose the presidents misdeeds, which are ongoing. Regarding the first, this is the argument I heard a lot of on Twitter after my last piece, put bluntly as: Screw politics, you hack! Lets do the Right Thing. Progressives need to ask themselves if making it more likely that Donald Trump is in office in 2025 is the Right Thing! Eric: Point 1 doesnt make sense to me. Impeachment is meaningless because the Founders were dum-dums who didnt anticipate the advent of political parties in the United States, let alone ideological polarization. Ben: Heres what worries me, politically speaking: Theres ample evidence over the last two years showing that highlighting Trumps personal flaws, corruption, and criminality is not the optimal way to connect with voters. Nor do voters care much at all about the Russia investigation. Democrats won the midterms by focusing like a laser on health care and barely even mentioning the president. And I agree with Eric that if impeachment happened, his inevitable Senate acquittal will likely be damaging even if only a little for Democrats. Sarah: I agree that voters dont care that much about Russia or Mueller. That was almost exclusively the provenance of, I dont know, call it the Pod Save America demographic. Which is a small demographic! I maintain that a message about Trumps corruption should tie into messages about the economy. It shouldnt even be difficult for the party to do that! Look at this man, who is obscenely wealthy and has only helped obscenely wealthy people, as your premiums go through the roof. I havent actually seen the Democrats really try that kind of messaging. Theyve just sidestepped Trump altogether, at least while campaigning, and that wont be possible in 2020. But if Democrats are worried about alienating his base they arent going to win his base, probably! The best they can hope for is to flip Obama-Trump voters back to whoever the Dem nominee is, and I dont think impeachment is fatal to that goal. Eric: I think Trump being a bad man resonates quite a bit with voters. He wouldnt have a 55 percent approval rating on the economy, but a 40 percent one on overall job performance if voters didnt care a lot about how hes a hateful ole weirdo. And it seems to me that visceral disgust with the fact of his presidency was the primary force behind the Dems midterm gains. It seems like the health-care stuff helped Dems make further inroads, at the margin, but the lifeblood of the resistance is anti-Trumpism. I think theres a case that Trump does the job of mobilizing Trump-averse voters against Trump plenty well by himself, so Democrats should focus on health care. But Im not 100 percent sure that thats the case. Ben: In a humming economy, you do need some kind of alternate vision and messaging. And Id argue that, as Sarah said, tying Trump directly to his very unpopular policies is the best way of attacking him personally, not focusing on his moral character, which impeachment would do. Midterms are mostly referendums on the president, but a presidential election is a little different. Ed: Yes, presidential elections are comparative. Eric: Yeah, in a general, Democrats will need to give voters a clear choice: Bolivarian socialism or barbarism. Ben: Haha. Eric: Dems should make 2020 a referendum on Maduro. Sarah: The GOP will probably make sure of that anyway. Ed: I think the point Sarahs making is interesting and illustrative. Like a lot of progressives, shes not happy with the prospective Democratic message/strategy against Trump. I think (and Im not at all attributing this to Sarah) some progressives are seizing on impeachment as a sort of all-purpose substitute for a more aggressive strategy/message. If we cant have a clear fight against corporate power and corruption (or fill in your favorite thought), maybe impeachment will do. My bottom line is that we know as certainly as anything we can ever know in politics that Trump will not be removed from office via impeachment proceedings. If Democrats are not absolutely sure that going in this direction will increase the odds of beating him in 2020, it makes no sense to me. Sarah: I do think its fair to say that among the partys activists and leftists who are willing to work within the party to try to push it in their direction theres a perception that the partys leadership is relatively toothless. I also think that perception is mostly rooted in fact. Ed: Yeah, but is impeachment the right way to get toothy? Sarah: Its a fair question! I think they see it as one tool among many. Eric: Theres an extremely online resistance contingent that is deeply invested in Mueller and impeachment specifically. And then there is a progressive left that is more broadly offended by Democratic timidity, in general, and never misses an opportunity to deride the leadership as spineless wimps (I agree with this contingent maybe 75 percent of the time). Ed: Something we havent really discussed is the absolute certainty that initiating impeachment proceedings will rev up Trumps base to an insane level, too. From their point of view and we are already hearing this the incessant argument will be that Democrats fear the next election and thus are trying to reverse the last one. The later in the cycle we get, this argument will be attractive to some swing voters, too. Sarah: Im not convinced that his base is big enough for this to be a definitive concern. Were still talking about a president who lost the popular vote. Ed: His base is still about 35-40 percent of the electorate. Turnout on both sides is going to matter, and again, some swing voters really, really, really wont like the idea of impeachment proceedings right smack in the middle of a presidential campaign. Is anyone so sure impeachment will uniquely boost Democratic turnout as to risk the downside, knowing for a fact that it will fail to remove him from office? Im not. Ben: Do you foresee this being a major issue in the Democratic primaries? Or will interest and outrage dramatically fade in a couple of months as we get more into full-swing campaign season? Eric: I think it will be. Or rather, I think it will be a major issue in down-ballot Democratic primaries. Sarah: I think itll be an issue. Eric: Progressive House challengers are going to capitalize on the rabidly pro-impeachment donor base. As for the presidential race, Im not sure. After all, all those candidates are sort of invested in the idea that they, alone, can free us from Trump. Ed: I fear youre both right. If you are, say, Kirsten Gillibrand (just to pick one candidate whos not doing well), might picking up Tom Steyers impeachment or bust mantra make good practical sense? Eric: Yeah, someone probably will, but I think the front-runners arent going to want to talk about it . I will say, one of the stronger political arguments for impeachment is that it would force Cory Gardner and Susan Collins to take a stance on the issue. Which might cause them some amount of discomfort. Although, I think Gardner is probably a goner and Collins basically safe either way. Ben: Whats the best Democratic response to the Mueller report if impeachment doesnt happen? Ed: Im going to write about censuring Trump as an alternative approach this weekend. Im not sold on it, but needs to be discussed. Sarah: What does censuring accomplish? Ed: Again, Im not sold on it, but censure might accomplish as much as impeachment as a high-profile vehicle for exposing Trumps sins, and also puts the Republicans you were talking about even more on the spot. Eric: Cory Gardner wouldnt even censure Donald Trump for undermining a federal investigation (or what have you) might be okay 2020 TV-ad fodder. Sarah: Yeah, I just dont think that will mollify people who want to see a substantive response. But better than nothing, perhaps. Ed: Will those same people be mollified by a failed impeachment process? Not at all sure about that. Sarah: Certainly, some people did seem to think the Mueller report was going to have that effect. And of course it was never going to work like that. Under the Silver Lake, the new film by writer-director David Robert Mitchell (It Follows), wants to be a treasure map. Packed with codes, coincidences, and callbacks, it practically begs for dissection, and the more exhaustive the better. As is fitting, or perhaps just predictable, for a neo-noir set in a hipster-ridden, Hollywood-adjacent pocket of L.A., the clues involve old-timey movie stars, ancient issues of Playboy, milquetoast satanism, hand-drawn zines, and lots of naked women. So heres the hitch: Under the Silver Lake is so wonderfully barbed as a satire of the kinds of dudes whod spend their time deciphering puzzle movies like this oneAn entire generation of men obsessed with video games, secret codes, space aliens, tuts a characterthat the film cant help deflating when it demands the very thing it skewers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Normally, a bungled sendup like this would annoy me terribly. (Ill also add here that Under the Silver Lake halfheartedly attempts an expose of the casual misogyny of its protagonist and showbiz at large but ends up giving in to its horndog impulses.) It doesnt help that the plot is tortuous, and the resolution is an inarguable letdown. And yet! Mitchells ambitions, observations, and moods make the picture a dippy blast, like a hallucinatory trip that definitely goes on too long but is well worth the insights and surprises. Mitchells ambitions, observations, and moods make the picture a dippy blast, like a hallucinatory trip that definitely goes on too long but is well worth the insights and surprises. Andrew Garfield stars as our dick, an unemployed voyeur five days from eviction. After a flirty neighbor (Riley Keough) goes missingeven her furniture disappears overnightSam commits to finding her whereabouts, with nary a thought to his imminent homelessness. His sleuthing takes him to the backs of cereal boxes, the insides of Nintendo Power magazine, and his own numerological calculations on pizza-box lids, but also fancy, kitschy pool parties in downtown hotels that he can just get into, because a young, white, good-looking guy isnt gonna be turned down for his ripped clothes or skunky stench. (I think Mitchell is saying that.) Sams guide through the first leg of his quest is a local zine artist (Patrick Fischler) whos somehow even more pathetic, confirming Sams suspicions about subliminal messages in advertisements while jabbering on about dangers like succubuses in owl masks that even have our gullible cynic scratching his head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accompanied by an ironic, 1940s-style classic-noir score, Under the Silver Lakes first hour contains its strongest scenes, as Mitchell reveals ever-newer depths to Sams lunacy and self-debasement. (At one point, a homeless man notes how bad Sam stinks.) Intriguingly, hes always got a buddy to talk toa loose confederation of failsons who enable each others worst tendencies, like a subreddit in real time. Those guys are preoccupied with the invisible alpha males running the worlda secret brotherhood supposedly sending hidden messages to each other through the media. Its such a timely parody of a particular brand of paranoid, narcissistic masculinity that the film immediately diminishes when it turns out there is a conspiracy afoot, and that pop culture actually is being used to brainwash the masses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the Silver Lake takes Sam all over his neighborhood and nowhere at once. He zips from parties to mountaintops, mansions to landmarks, but the faster he runs, the more we can smell the plots fumes. Still, the atmosphere remains enjoyable: Wafting through are a well-trained henchwoman (Zosia Mamet) who most certainly knows what happened to Sams missing neighbor, a faux-transgressive band called Jesus and the Brides of Dracula, and, most memorably, a rapacious songwriter (a scene-stealing Jeremy Bobb) who punctures the possibility of Sam ever escaping the prison of mass control with an aggressive piano medley of beloved pop tunes. The Lynchian impressionism that Mitchell strives for in the films latter half is a lot less successful than his straight-ahead caricature, particularly when the action veers into violence. But indelible, too, is Sams realization that the power and exclusivity he envies so much is nearly always dedicated to buying higher levels of that same self-segregation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get Slate Culture in Your Inbox 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. I havent yet mentioned the mysterious death of a billionaire that overtakes the city as its primary cultural phenomenon, or the dog named Coca-Cola, or what coyotes, James Dean, and Wheel of Fortune have to do with all this. Garfield is altogether convincing as a dirtbag skating by as a decent dude, but the movies real star is the cascade of events that happen to his character, including in the transportive dream sequences. I wish Under the Silver Lake made more sense, or had a point, but Im also fine with this carousel of crazy lacking both of those things. Bless this mess. On Thursday, Twitter discovered an Ancestry.com ad that had been up on YouTube since the beginning of the month. The ad, now being pulled by the company because of widespread criticism, was called Inseparable and staged in some vaguely 19th-century setting and featured a young white man convincing a young black woman to escape to the North with him. Will you leave with me? he anxiously asks, but she doesnt get a chance to answer before the ad cuts to a tagline: Only you can keep the story going. A voice-over continues: Uncover the lost chapters of your family history with Ancestry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following a tweet by Business Insider producer Emmanuel Ocbazghi, who first flagged the ad, many black Twitter users, particularly those who study the black experience in America, reacted in disbelief. I have so many questions about this @Ancestry commercial, law professor Melissa Murray wrote. 1) Is she his slave? 2) is this a real story? 3) is she his slave? Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones tweeted, While its true that 1 in 4 black folks who test their male line through DNA end up finding a white man, it aint because of no damn slavery love story. Im so tired of yall. Advertisement Advertisement When I asked the company about the ads origins, a spokesperson responded with a statement: Ancestry is committed to telling important stories from history. This ad, the statement continued, was intended to represent one of these stories. We very much appreciate the feedback we have received and apologize for any offense that the ad may have caused. We are in the process of pulling the ad from television and have it removed from YouTube. (The ad was originally made for the Canadian market; it is unclear if it aired on television elsewhere.) I asked, in a return email, whether Abigail Williams (the name the spot attributes to the woman of the pair) actually existed. The last image in the ad, which fades to black while spotlighting an old-timey-looking marriage certificate with Williams name and a sepia photo of the two young lovers, implies that she did. The language in the companys statement (important, represent) leaves it unclear. As of Friday afternoon, the company had not responded to my follow-up. Advertisement Advertisement But it doesnt much matter whether Abigail Williams was a real person who actually fled to Canada with a white man. If this never happened, then we have to wonder why Ancestry.com settled on this fictional storya sop to white egos, cast with attractive actors and set in a very stylized historical milieu, the whole thing oddly reminiscent of Titanicto sell the concept of genealogical discovery. If it did happen, then Ancestry.com cherry-picked one historical story, a complete outlier within a much larger history containing many, many terrible and traumatic situationsrape, family separation, the selling and buying of black women for purposes of breedingto advertise their service. Advertisement Advertisement In either case, as black Twitter users pointed out, theres a deep blindness here about what historical family research might mean for black people. One of about 1,000 awful things about this commercial is it ignores the fact that for black Americansmyself includedand for others in the diaspora, DNA and documentary ancestry information is as painful and traumatic as it is illuminating, journalist Kimberly Atkins tweeted. These are not love stories. Advertisement Advertisement Historian Blair L.M. Kelley posted a thread that imagined the many other stories about family relationships that a black person pursuing genealogical research might find instead of this stylized fable that looks like it could be on the CW network: Maybe they can make a commercial where a white male owner sells away his own mixed race children. That would be warm and fuzzy. Maybe a commercial where an enslaved woman hides in an attic for years to avoid rape. Perhaps a commercial where your owner sells your spouse far away to have better access to raping you. So many cool stories to be discovered in our family tree. So many great commercials to be made. Advertisement Advertisement Another recent Ancestry ad, The Journey, imagines an Irish family making the decision to go to Canada during the mid-19th-century famine in Ireland. In this scenario, which is filmed on a grimy city street that looks suspiciously similar to the one hosting the young interracial lovers in Inseparable, the mother convinces the father to leave, despite his sentimental attachment to his parents graves, arguing that their boy needs food. Advertisement This ad isnt blatantly offensive the way Inseparable is, but it illustrates a larger principle: Genealogy companies like Ancestry are selling their services by crafting a certain rosy vision of what history was like. Your ancestors were wise, and patriotic, and worked hard, and sacrificed a lot so that you could end up where you are. Their lives unfolded because of their choices, and not because of things that were done to them. They always loved each other and loved their children. In this sales pitch, the news youll get when you look deeper into your familys history is always good. The past thats waiting for you to discover was a multicultural utopia, where love conquered all; its a 21st-century fantasy of the possibility of color-blind human connection, projected back into a 19th-century context. In its blinkered optimism, this vision of ancestry is as white as white can be. With the pace of Brexit news slowing a bit after last weeks extension, were rebranding Today in Brexit as This Week in Brexit. Previous posts are here and an explainer on how Britain got into this mess is here. This week in leadership contests: After securing a six-month Brexit extension last week, and with Parliament in recess, Prime Minister Theresa May spent this week walking in Wales, which sounds lovely. Less lovely: Back in London, a whole lot of people are scheming to take her job. Advertisement May has previously suggested she would step down either after delivering Brexit or if she was unable to do so by this summer, which would require Britain to take part in EU elections. This is Brexit, so no promises are binding, and the Conservative Party cant actually hold a vote to force her out until December, since it tried and failed to do that last December. Still, with cross-party Brexit talks between May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn seemingly making little headway, pressure on her to resign is likely to grow in the coming months, especially if the Conservatives get shellacked in local elections next month. For Brexiteers, replacing May could be the last option for getting the hard Brexit scenarioa full separation from the EU, its customs union, and its regulationsthat she now seems intent on preventing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officially, theres no leadership contest going on right now, but a few people are already positioning themselves to take Mays job. Home Secretary Sajid Javid made what was billed as a major speech on knife crime this week. The speech connected a call for early intervention to prevent young people from falling into crime with details from Javids own working-class upbringing in an immigrant community. It was widely seen as a step toward a bid to succeed May. Javid was mildly pro-Remain ahead of the referendum but has since been more in the Brexiteer camp. Former London Mayor and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, who left Mays Cabinet over disagreements on Brexit policy, also laid down a marker this week with an op-ed (paywalled) in the Telegraph warning politicians that they would face the wrath of voters if they couldnt deliver Brexit. The only way to cure our Brexchosis is to do what we promised the peopleto leave the EU, and do it properly, he wrote. Johnson also got in a spat with Labour MP David Lammy, who likened him to Steve Bannon and Viktor Orban and equated his views to far-right fascism. Advertisement Advertisement Other likely contenders for the job include former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, current Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, and Environment Secretary Michael Gove. This week in no party like a Brexit Party: Arch-Brexiteer Nigel Farage, former leader of the U.K. Independence Party, launched his new Brexit Party last Friday to contest the upcoming EU elections. (This is assuming that Britain actually takes part in the elections, in which residents of EU countries vote for their representatives to the European Parliament. May is still saying that she wants to get a Brexit deal completed before then, though thats looking pretty unlikely now.) Remarkably, the brand-new party is leading in a recent poll, with 27 percent compared with 22 percent for Labour and 15 percent for the Conservatives. Voters tend to use European elections for protest votes so, ironically, theyve helped raise the profile of fringe euroskeptic parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the leader of UKIP, Farage played a key role in making Brexit happen, mainly by pressuring the Conservatives to adopt many of its positions, including holding the 2016 referendum in the first place. He quit UKIP last year, saying it had been taken over by the far right and had become obsessed with Islam. Advertisement Advertisement The new Brexit Partys candidates in the upcoming election including the gloriously named Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of the hard-line Brexiteer MP Jacob Rees-Mogg. This week in no deal: Sky News reported last week that following the extension, the governments contingency planning for a no-deal Brexit was now being wound down, citing a leaked email. As Sky reported, the government has spent 2bn on Brexit preparations and redeployed thousands of civil servants away from their normal jobs to work in no-deal related work. May responded to the report with an email to civil servants, obtained by the Guardian, saying that planning for leaving the EU without a deal should continue. Advertisement For political reasons, it makes sense that May doesnt want to take the prospect of no-deal off the table entirely, but after last week its pretty clear that shes willing to do whatever it takes to prevent it. If shes no longer in power, obviously, its a different matter. This week in Northern Ireland: Throughout the Brexit negotiations, one of the major dilemmas has been finding a way for the U.K. to leave the union without creating a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. After decades of sectarian violence, the region has enjoyed an uneasy period of peace since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. As journalist Katie DeRosa recently wrote in a dispatch for Slate, a hard Brexit could throw a bomb into the Good Friday Agreement, fueling fears it could mobilize paramilitary groups such as the New IRA, which oppose any customs checks between the north and the south. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a tragic demonstration of what this kind of violence can look like, 29-year-old investigative journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead amid rioting in Derry, also known as Londonderry. The rioting was started after police raids meant to prevent attacks by nationalist militants to commemorate the 1916 Easter Rising. Police are calling McKees killing a terrorist incident and say it was likely carried out by the New IRA. McKee was working on a book about the disappearance of young people during the long period of violence known as the Troubles. As the politicians squabble in London, the incident is a reminder of the potential human stakes of the decisions being taken. Days left until next deadline: 196 Listen to Slates The Gist: Get More of The Gist Slate Plus members get extended, ad-free versions of our podcastsand much more. Sign up today. Join Slate Plus Subscribe to The Gist Copy this link and add it in your podcast app. copy link copied! For detailed instructions, see our Slate Plus podcasts page. Listen to The Gist via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. On The Gist, Trumps fundamental misreading of politics. In the interview, Garrett Graffs afternoon was as busy as any journalists, picking through the redacted Mueller report released by the Department of Justice. Theres something new on every page, Graff says, including the Trump campaigns awareness of Russian efforts against Hillary Clintonand its expectation to benefit from them politically. Graff wrote a biography of Robert Mueller. His latest e-book is Muellers War. In the Spiel, Mueller did a great job, and if this report came out in a different climate, itd actually lead to real consequences. Get The Gist in Your Inbox 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. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at Slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Email: thegist@slate.com Twitter: @slategist Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Pierre Bienaime. In a recent episode of The Gist, Mike Pesca spoke with Garrett Graff, author of The Threat Matrix: Inside Robert Muellers FBI and the War on Global Terror, to get his conclusions on the redacted report released by the Justice Department. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity. Mike Pesca: Are there many important or curious facts that you learned for the first time from this report and that filled in pieces of the puzzle for you? Advertisement Garrett Graff: I think on almost every single page. The Russian government expected to benefit from a Trump presidency. And the Trump campaign was aware of Russias attack on the 2016 election and their Democratic opponent, and expected to benefit from that politically. But while there was awareness of each others efforts, there wasnt necessarily an agreement between the efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres this remarkable scene that Mueller tells us about for the first time, where Jeff Sessions, then the attorney general, says in May 2017 that a special counsel has been appointed. And Trump slumps back in his chair and says, This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. That is an interesting scene in and of itself. Advertisement But then, something particularly interesting is that Mueller lays out these 10 instances that he investigates that could rise to the question of obstruction. They range from trying to cover up some activities to pressing others to lie about things that took place, including pressing Don McGahn, his White House counsel, to say that President Trump never told McGahn to try to fire Mueller. Its a remarkably detailed document that, on almost every single page, advances our understanding of what has transpired in the Trump world since 2015. Lets take the Trump Tower meeting with the lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. She didnt have much to deliver, and senior members of the Trump team immediately said, This is a waste of time. Thats the picture the report seems to paint, which is more or less what the Trump team said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, with a caveat to that. One of the things that does remain odd and suspicious through this entire report, through this entire investigation, is the extent to which the Trump campaign parried this interest, and these approaches, and these contacts by various Russians, and never saw fit to mention them to U.S. law enforcement or U.S. intelligenceeven after getting defensive briefings from the FBI saying, Hey, you should be aware of, and wary of, foreign governments trying to assist you. By the way, one of the reasons you call the FBI if you are on a political campaign and approached by people from foreign countries offering gifts is simply to protect yourself! Advertisement Advertisement As the Al Gore campaign for the 2000 election did when it got some leaked debate prep. Advertisement Advertisement Exactly. You assume that you are being the victim of a dirty trick of some kind and that you want to be sure that you did the right thing. The fact that the Trump campaign had all of these contacts, all of these meetings, had all of these approaches by Russians, and never chose to do the right thing remains odd. As for obstruction, the report says that so many of his advisers said that Trumpand theysaw the investigation as undermining the magnitude of his victory, the legitimacy of his presidency, and maybe also his ability to get things done. Advertisement Advertisement I buy that. I buy that hed be a thin-skinned man who hates being questioned about how much he actually deserved credit for anything. Even if that was what was going on in his mind, and thats why he was upset with Comey, Sessions, and everyone else, could you still call that obstruction? Would it still be legitimate to get an obstruction proceeding going, if the reason he was trying to obstruct it was not to cover up collusion but just because he hated being questioned? Advertisement Absolutely. And in fact, those are, to a certain extent, the only circumstances under which we have ever impeached presidents for obstruction. The scenario that is laid out in the Mueller report looks a lot like what faced people with Richard Nixon and Watergate, and Bill Clinton and Whitewater. People might not realize that its actually quite possible that Nixon did not know about the break-in. So imagine a world where Nixon didnt know about the break-in and in which the articles of impeachmentwhich didnt have a chance to come to be because he resignedgot passed. We wouldnt think of that as such a crazy world. Thats essentially what youre talking about in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Absolutely, and the fact that the president was responding so aggressively to the point of attempting to obstruct justiceeven if he didnt do anything wrong underneath itis in some ways actually even more troubling. If he just saw this as the press delegitimizing him, and his answer in response to that was to break the law or attempt to break the law, that is not presidential behavior. Mueller wouldnt say this, but I wouldnt be surprised if he wasnt affected by knowing who Donald Trump actually is. Garrett Graff In some cases, Mueller says he decided not to bring criminal charges against them because he simply couldnt prove that they actually knew that what they were doing was illegal. And thats particularly true in some of the campaign finance questions surrounding the Russia probe and the 2016 campaign. Advertisement Mueller really says, in certain places, that ignorance of the law actually is an excuse for some of the people. I wonder if maybe harping so much on the fact that obstruction was a means to the end of covering up corruption or coordination, maybe that, to some extent, thwarts the practicality of an impeachment. This also figures into some of what Attorney General Bill Barr has been talking about. His legal theory seems to be that you cant obstruct justice if theres no underlying crimewhich is not just factually untrue, but demonstrably untrue in other high-profile cases relatively recently, like Martha Stewart. Advertisement Advertisement How would that work with justice if you get a pass any time you obstruct something that theres no crime behind? Good luck with any investigation. Advertisement Exactly. There is this weird, underlying tone to some of the first half of the Mueller report that deals with the Russian investigation and the Russian attack in 2016, where Mueller basically says, I wasnt able to get all of the information that I wanted, and am unable to resolve some of these questions myself. If I wasnt obstructed so much along the way, I might actually have a different decision on conspiracy or collusion. Advertisement Advertisement Lets discuss Mueller not subpoenaing Trump. He could still fill in a sufficient enough narrative to hand off to the House of Representatives and say, I think you have the information. Even though it would be a lot easier were the president to lie under oath, you still haveif you have the political willenough information to indict, charge, impeach the president. And thats why I think he didnt insist on interviewing Trump. Advertisement Mueller wouldnt say this, but I wouldnt be surprised if he wasnt affected by knowing who Donald Trump actually is and what his pattern of behavior is. This is someone who lies about everything all of the time, whether its meaningful or notincluding his new, recent, bizarre, pointless lie that his father was born in Germany, which he has been repeating multiple times in recent weeks. If you actually thought that the president was probably going to lie to you anyway, even if you made it through all of those hoops, is that worth it? Advertisement Leaving aside the question of whether you could have then nailed him in a perjury trap, and whether that would be worth it, the question of whether you could actually get the truth from this president is not a straightforward one. Advertisement I think 99 out of 100 prosecutors, if you told them, All that you might get out of an interview is perjury on the part of the witness, theyd say, Ooh, good. I think thats the case of everyone short of the president. Mind you, that was precisely what Ken Starr nailed Bill Clinton on. But that was because we were horrified that Bill Clinton lied. You could imagine Mueller coming out at the end of this and saying, Ive got nothing on Donald Trump except for this one lie he told in this subpoena battle. And everyone would be like, Well, yeah. What do you expect of him? Of course he was going to lie about that. Advertisement Advertisement The people who are most upset with him, though, would actually love that. Thats what theyd want. I think that Mueller is so assiduously fair, sometimes its hard for us to see it, because maybe people on the ground describe fair or just in terms of the just outcome. But I think he describes just in terms of the process. Advertisement Advertisement Was there a redaction (or a slew of redactions) that you wish you could have seen and that you think would really fill us in on some big, still-unanswered questions? One of the big revelations out of this is that there are a total of 14 other investigations that Mueller has referred on to other prosecutors. We know of two of them: Michael Cohen and Greg Craig. Advertisement Twelve of them are still redacted in this document. I think that single set of facts alone makes clear that while Muellers role in this case might be over, the investigation itself isnt. This is something thats going to continue to unfold, potentially for months ahead. Do you think, other than covering himself in ignominy, that Barrs words at the press conference on Thursday morning have any real effect on justice moving forward? I actually think Barr has done real and substantial harm to his own reputation and the traditional role of the attorney general in the U.S. government. Barr sounded a lot like the presidents personal defense attorney, not the nations highest law enforcement officer. And there were a lot of people who saw Barr coming into this as an institutionalist, and as someone who really could have made an impact in rebuilding and rebolstering the pretty-beleaguered institution that is the Justice Department two years into Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement But in ways big and small over these last couple of weeks, Barr has made clear that he is not there as a champion of the rule of law. He is there as a Trump partisan, and he was giving, as they say, a press conference for an audience of one. Here are some people or entities who I think do wind up looking good: No. 1, the media. Because so much of this was reported accurately. Absolutely. The extent to which so many people are not surprised by the totality of this report is a sign of how much of the underlying journalism its actually bolstered. I think Chris Christie gave Trump great advice, and he didnt take it. I actually think the presidents legal team writ large comes out looking pretty good. Yeah, Don McGahn did pretty well. Don McGahn, the Raskins, Rudy Giuliani, Jay Sekulowthey were right, clearly, in this two-handed approach of providing witnesses and documents to fill in enough of the information around Muellers questions about Trump, while also holding back the president himself. And that seems like, today, a very smart decision. Listen to The Gist for free every day via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play. Photo: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images On Thursday afternoon, reporters expected President Trump to give remarks on the redacted Mueller findings on his way to board Marine One. Instead, he and Melania strolled across the South Lawn of the White House to their helicopter without taking questions or providing any comments on the 448-page investigation into campaign contacts with Russia. A tweet would suffice: Anything the Russians did concerning the 2016 Election was done while Obama was President. He was told about it and did nothing! Most importantly, the vote was not affected. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019 Theres a certain futility in fact-checking a president who has no working relationship with facts, but indulge us for a second. Sentence one ignores the transition teams contacts with Russia, which included an attempt to establish a Trump-Putin back channel, and Michael Flynns conversations with the Russian ambassador, about which he caught a felony for lying to the FBI. Sentence three is also a bit off: Its difficult to determine how many sympathetic Facebook users were pushed toward the Trump ticket, considering the enormity of Russian misinformation and posts on the platform. In addition to being a bold claim my sworn political enemy is responsible for my campaigns Russian contacts the second sentence is the most egregious misstatement. By September 2016, Obama was sure of Russian efforts to skew the election, and took his intelligence to the Gang of Eight to cook up a bipartisan statement informing the public. Obama reportedly felt that bipartisanship in this moment was essential, as his veep explains: Can you imagine if the president called a press conference in October and said, Tell you what: Russians are trying to interfere in our elections and we have to do something about it. Joe Biden continued: What do you think would have happened? Would things have gotten better, or would it further look like we were trying to delegitimize the electoral process, because of our opponent? All members of the Gang of Eight agreed to a statement, except for Mitch McConnell, who balked, claiming he doubted the intel. And so the Senate majority leader silenced the president. Elsewhere, Republicans had less controversial responses to the Mueller report even if they were a little premature. Most of the party leaders responses were issued prior to the actual public release of the findings. Democrats want to keep searching for imaginary evidence that supports their claims, but it is simply not there, said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise suggested Democrats apologize to the American people. What AG Barr said was right. @realDonaldTrump was always frustrated in discussions w me that the #MuellerInvestigation was baselessly making it harder for America 2 lead the world. Imagine beating 16 Republicans, the Clinton machine, the media, the establishment...and then this. Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) April 18, 2019 Let the liberal spin begin! No matter what Democrats read in the #MuellerReport, they will refuse to accept the truth: No collusion, no obstruction. When is enough enough? How many more investigations and how much more tax dollars will it take? #GameOver Rep. Jody Hice (@CongressmanHice) April 18, 2019 A good theme to look for in politics: when you have the facts, pound the facts. When you dont have the facts, pound the table. My Democrat colleagues are doing a lot of table pounding today. Because they dont have the facts. There was no collusion. Its over. Mark Meadows (@RepMarkMeadows) April 18, 2019 On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of the Mueller report. As previewed by Barr, the report did not recommend a criminal case against President Donald Trump or any more indictments against those in his orbit. However, deep within its appendices the report lists 14 criminal referrals that were made by the Special Counsels Office. Twelve of the 14 are currently redacted, but they may not redacted forever: On Friday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler issued a subpoena to Barr for the full, unredacted report along with all of the investigations underlying materials. While this could lead to a drawn-out court fight, it also means we may soon learn some of the biggest remaining mysteries of the Mueller reportwhat, if any, additional crimes he thinks may have been committed that have not yet been charged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres how the report itself describes those criminal referrals in Appendix D: During the course of the investigation, the Office periodically identified evidence of potential criminal activity that was outside the scope of the Special Counsels jurisdiction established by the Acting Attorney General. After consultation with the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, the Office referred that evidence to appropriate law enforcement authorities, principally other components of the Department of Justice and the FBI. Those Referrals, listed alphabetically by subject, are listed below. So what is a referral within the criminal justice system, and what does this mean for the 12 secret Mueller referrals? A criminal referral is as it sounds: It is a notice to a specific law enforcement organization of a potential crime that may merit pursuing. This notice can be given formally by sending over a case report or more informally through a phone call or email. The formality of the referral may reflect the weight given to a potential criminal act (i.e., a more formal referral may accompany more serious or significant crimes), but regardless, all referrals are taken seriously by the Department of Justice. Advertisement Advertisement Referrals generally will trigger some level of initial investigation that may require a report to main justice (the higher-ups in Washington) about the actions taken in response. According to Bennett Capers, a professor of criminal procedure at Brooklyn Law School and a former federal prosecutor, a referral is far more than just sharing evidence with a colleague. Advertisement A referral is the equivalent of saying, We think there may be criminal activity based on the evidence weve seen, but you have jurisdiction, Capers told me. Its almost like handing somebody a case on a silver platter where all they have to do is dot the Is and cross the Ts. Advertisement Advertisement This holds true for the two referrals that were not redacted in the Mueller report: (1) a referral against Michael Cohen for wire fraud and campaign finance violations; and (2) a referral within the DOJ against Greg Craig and others related to failing to register as foreign agents of Ukraine. Advertisement Heres what Mueller says about the Cohen referral: During the course of the investigation, the Special Counsels Office uncovered evidence of potential wire fraud and FECA violations pertaining to Michael Cohen. That evidence was referred to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBIs New York Field Office. And heres what he said about the Ukraine referral: During the course of the FARA investigation of Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, the Special Counsels Office uncovered evidence of potential FARA violations pertaining to [redacted text] Gregory Craig, Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher and Flop LLP (Skadden), and their work on behalf of the government of Ukraine. After consultation with [the National Security Division of the Department of Justice, or NSD], the evidence regarding Craig [redacted text] was referred to NSD, and NSD elected to partner with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBIs New York Field Office. NSD later elected to partner on the Craig matter with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia. NSD retained and handled issues related to Skadden itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know a lot about the Cohen referral, which has led to a guilty plea, a lengthy prison sentence, and congressional testimony. The Craig investigation, meanwhile, resulted last week in an indictment against Barack Obamas former White House counsel for work issues related to this Ukraine lobbying work. A referral is a notice to a specific law enforcement organization of a potential crime that may merit pursuing. What do we know of the fully redacted referrals and why they were not released? While the redactions could have a number of reasons, such as national security or to protect a confidential source, the referral summaries appear to have been withheld from the report as they are part of an ongoing investigation. According to internal guidelines, the DOJ does not publish or comment on an ongoing investigation prior to criminal indictment by a grand jury. The policy also restricts the publishing of initial findings or evidence summaries such as those found in a criminal referral. The same rules would apply in the case of a referral where no further action has been taken or where the prosecutor has decided not to pursue charges. This is done both to avoid damaging the reputation of potential targets before an investigation has concluded as well as to protect the investigation itself. These internal guidelines likely explain both the fully redacted referrals as well as redacted text from the Ukraine referral. In that referral, language was redacted from the list of defendants, suggesting that one or more individuals may still be under investigation or may not have been charged. This doesnt mean that Congress will not be able to get its hands on this material if it initiates a proper inquiry into the president or the Justice Departmentit just means that it will require a messy court fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the referrals themselves, they could be made to various law enforcement organizations local, state, and federal. So where are we most likely to see these cases go? The report describes referrals made to principally other components of the Department of Justice and the FBI, which suggests that they will stay within the federal system rather than be referred out to the states. Referrals made, however, can be passed forward. As we saw in the Ukraine case, the organization that receives the referralin that case the NSDmay choose to refer the case on or may seek consultation or partnership with other law enforcement organizations. So do referrals point to future indictments? While referrals are taken seriously, they do not always lead to criminal charges. The prosecutor on the case ultimately has the power to choose whether charges are justified, and their discretion is near absolute. Their decision involves a calculus beyond just guilt or innocence, weighing factors such as the likelihood of conviction as well as the interests of justice more broadly. With such broad discretion, not every prosecutor reaches the same conclusion on how or whether to prosecute a referral. Advertisement What does this all mean for the remaining 12 referrals from the Special Counsels Office? We know that the referrals will likely stay secret until someone involved is actually charged with a crimeunless, perhaps, the cases implicate one of Congress oversight roles. We know that referrals were made mostly internally with the DOJ and FBI, and we can expect that each referral will likely be taken seriously by federal prosecutors. From there, it is uncertain what will happen. Ultimately, while there is a great deal we dont know about the 12 redacted referrals, we should expect to see more criminal charges on the horizonand we may even see that material sooner if Congress moves forward with an impeachment proceeding. In his report on the Russia investigation, special counsel Robert Mueller concludes that President Donald Trump and his associates shouldnt be prosecuted for conspiring with Russia. Based on Muellers findings, Attorney General William Barr says Trump shouldnt be prosecuted for obstructing justice, either. But Muellers report tells a story far more damning than these legal conclusions. Trumps campaign tried to collude with Russia. Trump tried to cover it up. And once the collusion attempt was exposed, Trump tried to abort the investigation. Advertisement The clearest illustration of the presidents corruption centers on a meeting at Trump Tower in 2016. Mueller describes the central facts: On June 3, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. received an email from a friend, Rob Goldstone, informing him that the Crown prosecutor of Russia wanted to provide the Trump campaign with some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and would be very useful to your father. Goldstone wrote that the offer was part of Russia and its governments support for Mr. Trump. Trump Jr. replied, If its what you say I love it. On June 9, Trump Jr., Jared Kushner, and Paul Manafort met with a Russian lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, to hear the offer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was attempted collusion. The offer explicitly came from the Russian government. Its stated purpose was to influence the U.S. election. And Trumps inner circlehis son, son-in-law, and campaign chairmanbit on it. Mueller confirms that Veselnitskaya was connected to Vladimir Putins government. According to his report, one Russian involved in arranging the meeting said its purpose was to convey negative information on Hillary Clinton. Another said it was to discuss the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law that sanctioned Russia for human rights abuses. The two stories were related: The dirt on Clinton focused on the financier behind the Magnitsky Act. The Russians wanted to lift the sanctions. To make the sale, they were offering political ammunition. Advertisement Advertisement Mueller says the Americans understood the terms. He writes: Documentary evidence in the form of email chains supports the inference that Kushner and Manafort attended the June 9 meeting anticipating the receipt of helpful information to the Campaign from Russian sources. At the meeting, according to Mueller, Trump Jr. pressed Veselnitskaya about how the alleged payments could be tied specifically to the Clinton Campaign. When Veselnitskaya couldnt answer him, Trump Jr. and Kushner lost interest. Advertisement The special counsel says he found no documentary evidence that then-candidate Trump, at the time, knew about the meeting or the emails. But when the president was told about them in July 2017, he tried to bury the story. By that time, Mueller notes, Trump had been told that the emails were responsive to congressional inquiries. Trumps campaign had received a document request from [Congress] that clearly covered the June 9 meeting and underlying emails, Mueller observes. The documents also would have been relevant to the Special Counsels investigation. Advertisement The cover-up began in June 2017. According to Goldstone, Trump Organization lawyers told him they were concerned because [the meeting] links Don Jr. to officials from Russiawhich he has always denied meeting. Goldstone wanted to issue a statement acknowledging that a client in Moscow had asked him to arrange a meeting at which a Russian attorney would offer opposition research that Mr. Trump Jr. might find interesting. The Trump Organizations outside counsel wanted Goldstone to issue a statement that omitted the offer of election help and affirmed that Trump Jr.s denials were 100% accurate. Advertisement Advertisement On June 22, Kushner tried to show the president documents about the meeting. According to Mueller, Trump stopped Kushner and said he did not want to know about it. A week later, on June 29, Trumps director of strategic communications, Hope Hicks, told Trump she was concerned about the emails. The President seemed upset because too many people knew about the emails, Mueller reports. Hicks told Trump that his son should release the emails, but Trump said he did not want to know about it and they should not go to the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 7, 2017, the White House learned that the New York Times was doing a story on the meeting. The next day, Trump Jr. proposed to issue a statement acknowledging that he had been offered information helpful to the campaign.* But according to Mueller, the president directed that the statement not be issued because it said too much. The President told Hicks to say only that Trump Jr. took a brief meeting and it was about Russian adoption. That was partly truethe Russians had talked about international adoptions as a benefit of easing the sanctionsbut in an exchange of text messages, Trump Jr. warned Hicks that the Russians had actually opened the meeting by talking about Clinton. Hicks tried to explain to Trump Jr. why his father didnt want to admit that: [B]oss man worried it invites a lot of questions. Advertisement What can be prosecuted, however, are Trumps attempts to halt or curtail the investigation. So Trump Jr. issued a statement that the meeting was about adoptions. The next day, July 9, the president was told in no uncertain terms that the story he had just orchestrated was false. According to Mueller, Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the presidents legal team, warned him in a phone call that Trump Jr.s statement was inaccurate and that a document existed that would contradict it. Hicks, who was also on the call, dismissed this concern, arguing that the emails will never get out. She was wrong: The emails did get out. In response, Trumps team launched a cover-up of the cover-up. Mueller documents three TV interviews in which the presidents personal lawyer, Jay Sekulow, repeatedly and inaccurately denied that the President played any role in drafting Trump Jr.s statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite all this evidence, Mueller concludes that the Trump Tower meeting cant be prosecuted. One reason, he explains, is that conspiracy requires an agreement, and the meeting didnt produce an agreement. Another reason is that even though the opposition research offered by the Russians might have been a foreign campaign contributionwhich would be illegalprosecutors probably couldnt prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the June 9 meeting participants had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. Mueller also declines to prosecute the 2017 cover-up since it was directed at the press. The evidence, he concludes, does not establish that the President took steps to prevent the emails or other information about the June 9 meeting from being provided to Congress or the Special Counsel. By attempting to hide the emails and the meeting from the public, says Mueller, Trump might have intended not to break the law, but simply to avoid political consequences. Advertisement What can be prosecuted, however, are Trumps attempts to halt or curtail the investigation. And those attempts, Mueller observes, are interwoven in time with the discovery of the Trump Tower emails. The special counsel points out that on July 19, 2017weeks after Trump was told about the meeting and just days after publication of the emails attracted investigative interestTrump asked his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to relay a message to thenAttorney General Jeff Sessions. The message was to abort Muellers inquiry into the 2016 election. During the conversation, Trump told Lewandowski that if Sessions did not meet with [Lewandowski], Lewandowski should tell Sessions he was fired. Advertisement Advertisement Together, the Trump Tower meeting, the cover-up, and the threats expose Trumps complete corruption. His campaign met with Russians to seek the Russian governments help in the election. The campaign never informed the FBI of Moscows overture, and the president tried to conceal it. When the emails became publicproving that Trumps son had lied about not arranging any meetings with Russians, and that Trump had lied in his initial statement about the June 2016 meetingTrump tried to halt the investigation. Thats attempted collusion and obstruction, even if its never prosecuted. And its all in Muellers report. The Mueller report released Thursday morning brought with it an avalanche of details about Donald Trump and Co.s conduct on the campaign trail and in the White House. The sheer volume of the information included in the 448-page report means there will be stories developing for days, weeks, and likely months about the implications of Muellers findings. After one frenetic day of parsing and reporting on the 22-month investigations findings, weve got a sense of some of the biggest storylines. And if you havent been Ctrl+F searching for Ivanka while at work today, heres a summary of what you need to know so far. Advertisement Insufficient Evidence of Criminal Conspiracy It has been established Russia made an orchestrated effort to influence the U.S. election by bolstering the Trump campaign. The question for the Mueller team was not just did the Trump campaign coordinate with the Russians, but did it rise to the level of criminal conspiracy? The Mueller report cites numerous contacts between Trump advisers and Russians before and after the election and found that while many Trump aides welcomed Russian election meddling to their benefit, it determined there was insufficient evidence to prove in a court they conspired with the Russians to tilt the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obstruction of Justice, a Roadmap You may have already heard that the Special Counsel also chose not to charge the president of the United States with obstruction of justice. Attorney General Bill Barr highlighted that fact in his summary of the findings, and Trump has touted it frequently on his DIY vindication tour. The Mueller report, however, states that there is no exoneration here. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, Muellers investigators wrote. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. In fact, the report highlighted 10 potential instances of obstruction. Advertisement Advertisement Slates Mark Joseph Stern writes that while Mueller chose not to indict, what he did do is provide a roadmap for Congress that could be lethal for the Trump presidency. Mueller only declined to indict the president because the Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice to the executive branch, claimed that he could not, Stern writes. Instead, Mueller made the case for obstruction in his meticulous report, providing a road map to Congress, which he expects to consider impeachment proceedings. There appears to be more than enough proof of criminality for the House of Representatives to draw up articles of impeachment. Advertisement Does That Mean Impeachment Is Back on the Table? Well see. After 12 hours of life in the age of the Mueller report, Democrats have more legal ammunition than ever to initiate impeachment proceedings, Slates Jim Newell writes, but they havent shown much interest in actually doing so. (The Political Gabfest team also discussed the specter of impeachment in the post-Mueller report era.) Advertisement What Happens Now Is a Political Question, Not a Legal One Advertisement Advertisement Slates Dahlia Lithwick found the Mueller report as a fundamentally political document as much as a legal one and the outcome of all this will be political too. Its a delineation, chapter and verse, of how Trump has conducted himself in office, and for anyone who believes that the president should not be above the law, this is a damning report of presidential lawlessness, Lithwick writes. [T]he American public can no longer claim that nothing has happened. Mueller has shown us what is true. Nobody in the White House has disputed it. We can decide were fine with it or that we are not fine with it. Thats a political question, not a legal one. I think that may be what needed to happen all along. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is Attorney General Bill Barr Acting in Good Faith? The Attorney General held a press conference Thursday morning before the report was even released in an apparent effort to get first crack at defining what was about to come. In light of what is in the Mueller report, Barrs initial letter to Congress looks even more willfully evasive. Barrs spin on special counsel Robert S. Muellers report all but ignored the reports damning findings, misrepresented significant parts of Muellers reasoning, and described President Donald Trumps motivations and supposed cooperation in terms straight out of White House talking points, Peter Shane writes. Barr engaged in word-splitting pettifoggery that would make even Bill Clinton blush. Barr is clearly compromised by the partisan goals of this White House to the point where he cannot be trusted in the job. He should resign immediately. Advertisement What About the Pee Tape?! Yes, the infamous pee tape gets a mention in a footnote, but it doesnt offer much new about the real star herethe mythical, and possibly totally hypothetical, Trump sex tape. The report does say that a Russian businessman who tipped off Trump weeks before the election about the tapes existence said he was told it was fake. Stay tuned! Home Run Line of the Report: This Is the End of my Presidency. Im Fucked. This was Trumps response after first learning a special counsel had been appointed to head the Russia investigation. One for the ages. Conclusion: Get some rest. This is far from over. Robert Muellers report, which details 10 potential instances of obstruction of justice by Donald Trump, is unsurprisingly meatier than Attorney General William Barr let on in his initial summary. As my colleague Mark Joseph Stern writes, it can even be read as an impeachment referral to Congress. House Democrats certainly welcomed it as such. The Special Counsel made clear that he did not exonerate the President, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said in a Thursday statement. The responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the President accountable for his actions. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, similarly, said in a statement that the Special Counsel concludes that Congress must make a determination regarding obstruction of justice, unable to make such a determination himself. Advertisement But then later, speaking on CNN, Hoyer appeared to put impeachmentCongress constitutional remedy for high crimes and misdemeanorsoff the table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point, he said. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgment. Adam Schiff, chair of the House Intelligence Committee, echoed a similar point to the network: A failed impeachment is not in the national interest. Its a bit awkward: Well hold the president accountable but not in the way youre thinking. Democrats may be welcoming the investigative responsibility they believe that Mueller, handcuffed by internal Justice Department policy forbidding the indictment of a sitting president, left in their laps. But even should they find strong bases for presidential obstruction, Democratic leaders are still loath to say they would initiate the formal response that would seem to naturally follow. House Democrats couldhell, are even likely tofind themselves following Muellers roadmap to the very end, but stopping just before the finish line out of a sense of political impracticality. Its not a comfortable position to be in. Advertisement Advertisement As Barr reemphasized in his Thursday morning press conference, he and his deputy, Rod Rosenstein, responded to Muellers punt on obstruction by taking it upon themselves to determine Trump had not committed such a crime. Advertisement The redacted release, however, makes clear that Muellers team had operated from the position that it would not make a traditional prosecutorial decision. Meaning even from the get-go the team decided not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes, even without an indictment, because no charges can be brought. The investigations stated goal, instead, was to preserve the evidence, and a federal criminal accusation could potentially preempt constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconducta constitutional process like, oh, lets say, impeachment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mueller also outlines several instancesasking White House counsel Don McGahn to lie, floating pardons and whispering other sweet nothings to witnessesin which theres a reasonable inference that the president obstructed justice, while very carefully not saying any such thing. Now what if the House Judiciary Committee takes those reasonable inferences of obstruction and certifies them as proper instances of such? What would the repercussions be then? When asked about impeachment at a Thursday afternoon press conference, Nadler said, Thats one possibility. He added that there are others, though didnt expand much further. That may be because once you look a couple of steps above Nadlers pay grade, you find that impeachment isnt much of a possibility. Its not just Hoyer. Consider one of Speaker Nancy Pelosis clearly defined criteria for pursuing impeachment: Republican buy-in. Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless theres something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, she told the Washington Post in March, I dont think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And hes just not worth it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans have unsurprisingly yet to see anything compelling and overwhelming enough to persuade them that they should toss their leader out of office. Democrats want to keep searching for imaginary evidence that supports their claims, but it is simply not there, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted Thursday. IT IS TIME TO MOVE ON. Georgia Rep. Doug Collins, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, stated that Democrats accusations of criminal obstruction are unfounded. I look forward to examining the mountain of factions supporting the principal conclusions the attorney general and deputy attorney general shared last month: no collusion, no obstruction, Collins added. With Republicans making the shocking decision to stand by their president in the face of a not-very-friendly report, Democrats find themselves careening toward an impossible spot. The Mueller report will give them solid grounds for making the case that Trump obstructed justice, a presidential misdeed for which there is constitutional remedy. But a remedy that the hapless pursuit of which would completely distract from election-cycle contrasts that swing voters care much more about, like protections for preexisting medical conditions. House Democratic leaders want Trump to carry the stench of well-documented impeachable offenses into election season, without actually having to do the impeachment. Its not the biggest needle to thread. During a press conference in Florida on July 17, 2016, Donald Trump asked for some help finding emails that Hillary Clinton had supposedly deleted from her private email account. Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, he said. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. That same day, Russian hackers made their first attempt to break into Clintons servers. Last month, Trump referred to those remarks as sarcastic and a joke during a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference. Special counsel Robert Muellers report, released on Thursday, puts this characterization into question. Advertisement Former national security adviser Michael Flynn told investigators that Trump repeatedly asked people affiliated with his presidential campaign to find the emails. Flynn claims that he undertook an effort to retrieve the emails at Trumps request. He contacted Barbara Ledeen, a Senate staffer, and Peter Smith, an investment adviser involved in Republican politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ledeen had actually been searching for the emails herself since 2015. She sent Smith a 15-page proposal at the end of that year: The proposal called for a three-phase approach. The first two phases consisted of open-source analysis. The third phase consisted of checking with certain intelligence sources that have access through liaison work with various foreign services to determine if any of those services had gotten to the server. The proposal noted, Even if a single email was recovered and the providence [sic] of that email was a foreign service, it would be catastrophic to the Clinton campaign[.] Advertisement Advertisement Smith forwarded the proposal to his colleagues but declined to collaborate with Ledeen because he didnt think the effort was viable. However, weeks after Trump made the request in 2016 to track down the emails, Smith decided to launch his own search effort: [Smith] created a company, raised tens of thousands of dollars, and recruited security experts and business associates. Smith made claims to others involved in the effort (and those from whom he sought funding) that he was in contact with hackers with ties and affiliations to Russia who had access to the emails, and that his efforts were coordinated with the Trump Campaign. Advertisement In August, Smith sent an update to several people, including Trump campaign co-chair Sam Clovis, claiming that he had been in sensitive meetings in D.C. with groups who were looking into Clintons server. He noted that hackers had been able to gain access and were planning to release the material ahead of the election. Advertisement The next month, Smith had a business associate establish KLS Research LLC, partly to manage the money hed raised to find the emails. Investigators determined that KLS received more than $30,000 during the campaign. In an effort to recruit security experts for KLS, Smith claimed that he was coordinating with campaign officials such as Flynn, Clovis, Steve Bannon, and Kellyanne Conway. However, the investigation only found proof of contact with Flynn and Clovis. Advertisement Advertisement At around the same time, Smith and Ledeen got back in contact to discuss their search efforts. Leeden claimed to have found a trove of Clintons emails on the deep web. Blackwater founder Erik Prince, brother of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, provided money to hire a tech expert to analyze the trove. The expert determined that the emails were inauthentic. Advertisement Advertisement Despite Smiths subsequent claims to have had insight into WikiLeaks and contact with the Russian hackers, investigators could not establish that this was the case: Advertisement Advertisement Associates and security experts who worked with Smith on the initiative did not believe that Smith was in contact with Russian hackers and were aware of no such connection. The investigation did not establish that Smith was in contact with Russian hackers or that Smith, Ledeen, or other individuals in touch with the Trump Campaign ultimately obtained the deleted Clinton emails. The report notes, though, that Smith appears to have obtained material from Clinton campaign chair John Podestas inbox before WikiLeaks released it: A backup of Smiths computer contained two files that had been downloaded from WikiLeaks and that were originally attached to emails received by John Podesta. The files on Smiths computer had creation dates of October 2, 2016, which was prior to the date of their release by WikiLeaks. Forensic examination, however, established that the creation date did not reflect when the files were downloaded to Smith s computer. The investigation did not otherwise identify evidence that Smith obtained the files before their release by WikiLeaks. Smith was found dead in 2017. His death was ruled a suicide. According to the attorney general of the United States, we Americans should be thanking President Donald J. Trumpwho admitted on national television that he fired FBI Director James Comey because of this Russia thingfor his probity and transparency during this ordeal. In firm, composed, reassuring tones, William Barr pointed out how much the White House had voluntarily cooperated with the special counselconveniently omitting the many times Trump called the investigation a witch hunt, rage-tweeted about presidential harassment, called Robert Muellers team angry Democrats despite the special counsel being a longtime registered Republican, refused to grant an interview, and ordered that Mueller be fired. Barr reframed this conduct as voluntary cooperation, baldly testing whether the public will believe what he says over what it has seen with its own eyes. The president, meanwhile, responded to this favorable tribute by tweeting his victory as a Game of Thrones meme. This last example is a distressingly apt summary of the events of Thursday morning: In Barrs hands, the United States Department of Justice has devolved into slobbering fan service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Barrs summary of events, Trump wasnt just innocent but wrongeda persecuted party whose injudicious actions could be chalked up to distress at being falsely accused. Sound familiar? Its not a bad public relations strategy: It worked for Brett Kavanaugh. His extraordinary tantrum during his Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was rationalized by defenders as the understandable excess of a tormented man. No lawyer could have come up with a better defense for the president, anyway. As Fox News Chris Wallace characterized Barrs press conference, the attorney general was essentially acting as the counselor for the defense, the counselor for the president talking about his motives, his emotions. And just like Kavanaugh, Barr took his stage knowing he was performing for an audience of one. Advertisement And so, the nation whose elections were targeted and attacked by a foreign adversary (whose leader Trump constantly praises) was instructed, by its own attorney general, to forget its troubles and sympathize with the man who openly asked Russia to hack his opponents emails. Barr, no fool, understands that he has a challenging client. In assessing the presidents actions discussed in the report, it is important to bear in mind the context, he intoned. That context turned out to be that Trump was upset. Federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office, and the conduct of some of his associates, Barr stated, presenting this as a hardship. Worse still, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the presidents personal culpability. Our attorney general wishes us to understand that this, too, was unfair. That Michael Flynn, the man Trump had chosen to be Americas national security adviser, was an unregistered foreign agent who had acted on behalf of a foreign government was none of Americas concern. Neither was Trumps subsequent defense of the man, long after his firing, nor his request for Comey to let it go. It wasnt the conduct that was unwarranted and inappropriate but the scrutiny of that conduct. It is wethe news media and the American peoplewho ought to think long and hard about What Weve Done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Barrs hands, Trumps volatility is narrated as not just understandable but proof of his victimhood. If this all feels faintly familiarthis business of watching Republican men arrange a bizarrely structured public event to huffily defend an embattled candidateyou may be having Kavanaugh flashbacks. Youll recall that there, too, the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee (who came up with the structure for the hearings) ran interference instead of investigating and complained about the process they themselves had devised. This is the most unethical sham since Ive been in politics, and if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldnt have done what youve done to this guy! Lindsey Graham screamed. Kavanaugh, like Trump, was the victim. The Republican members made a show of praising their embattled, out-of-control nominee for his restraint and flooded him with expressions of sympathy. A man who has already been vested with power and authority and gotten the imprimatur of the ruling class ought not to be scrutinized or second-guessed; when he is, the fury he feels at the indignity of being treated this way isnt just fairits exonerating. His anger testifies not to his entitlement but to his innocence. Advertisement Advertisement There is substantial evidence, Barr continued, to show that the president was frustrated and angered by his sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents and fueled by illegal leaks. This was a remarkable sentence on a remarkable day. The view that the investigation was propelled by [Trumps] political opponents is one Barr presumably doesnt hold because its patently absurd: Mueller was not Trumps political opponent. Neither was Jeff Sessions, who recused himself. Neither was Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw Muellers work. There are two options, then. The first and less likely option is that Barr agrees with Trump about something thats demonstrably untrue. The second is that, by so fulsomely voicing Trumps grievances, what Barr is implicitly saying is that Trumps ludicrously unmoored but sincere self-pity somehow mitigates his subsequent behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Barr, the substantial evidence of Trumps frustration and anger found in the reportan odd citation on its own, since no report was needed to gather evidence of the presidents displeasureexplains his attempts to interfere with the investigation. Even though those attempts werent successful. The president took no act that, in fact, deprived the special counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation, Barr said. So much relies on that little in fact, which handily omits that Trump did try to derail the investigation but appears to have failed. Barr interprets this differently: Trumps failure to keep things from the special counsel is evidence of noncorrupt motives, he says, and weighs heavily against any allegation that the president had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation. The president was just frustrated, is all. For good reason. Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Slate's daily newsletter rounds up the stories you need to 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. So was Barr, for that matter, during that very brief Q&A after his curious performance. Its always interesting to watch a public servant act put-upon and aggrieved when asked to face the public he serves. Barr was no exception. He seemed calm enough during his speech, but the strain started to show as the questions came. Im here to discuss my response to that report and my decision, entirely discretionary to make it public, since these reports are not supposed to be made public, Barr said to a reporter who asked him why Mueller wasnt present. The message was aggressive and clear: You have no right to this. You ought to be grateful Im letting you see it at all. Asked about his evident advocacy for the president, Barr admitted why hed said that weird thing about the reports evidence of Trumps displeasurehe thought attributing it to the report gave him a veneer of objectivity. The statements about his sincere beliefs are recognized in the report, he said when asked what he would say to people who were concerned he was protecting the president. There was substantial evidence for that, so Im not sure what your basis is for saying that I am being generous to the president. (As if anyone were asking him if it was true Trump was upset.) And when a reporter asked, Is it impropriety to come out and what it appears to be spinning the report before the public has a chance to read it? he walked away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public, by Barrs reckoning, is owed less and the president is owed more. For Barr, the presidents kicking and screaming over an investigation without succeeding in stopping it counts as voluntary cooperation. For Barr, the president reviewing a report of his own misconduct in advance counts as not asserting privilege. And for Barr, scrutiny of the president counts as putting an unjust burden on him. To the public, the message is that Trumps sincere beliefshis victim complex, especiallyshould matter legally. These may matter even more than the actual facts. In Barrs hands, Trumps volatility is narrated as not just understandable but mitigating. It is proof of his victimhood. Thats the soft rotten core of this bizarre political argument. The feelings of men like Trump, and Kavanaugh, and Barrtheir entitlement, their anger, their grievance, their resentment, their certainty that they are owedwill determine the future for as long as they have power. Its certainly determined our present. Advertisement People governed by narcissistic self-regard tend to work in each others interest, not the nations, all while resenting the publics rank ingratitude and wallowing in self-pity. Barrs press conference tried to harness the Mueller report into a story about Trumps forbearance and transparency as he endured this grim ordeal. He only succeeded at demonstrating that, under Barrs leadership, the Department of Justice, like so many of our institutions, appears to be serving at the exclusive pleasure of the president and his men. But not to worry: Despite how angry youve made them, they can still be trusted to do the right thing, on their schedule, per their definitions, and depending on how they feel. On a special Thursday episode of Amicus, Slates podcast about the Supreme Court, Dahlia Lithwick was joined by Matthew Miller, former director of the Office of Public Affairs for the Department of Justice, a former spokesman for Eric Holder, and an MSNBC contributor. A transcript of her interview, which has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity, follows. You can listen to Amicus via Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Dahlia Lithwick: There are, essentially, two questions here. One is about collusion, which quite quickly we learned that Bob Mueller says is not a thing. And the other is obstruction. On the collusion piece, which is essentially Mueller saying, I couldnt find criminal conspiracy, the issue is the Russians wanted to help, the Trump folks wanted the help. Still no agreement, right? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Miller: Yeah. I think thats right. And I think its much different than how the attorney general described it when he came out and said, basically, that collusion didnt happen. Thats what he said in his press conference. And of course, the department doesnt establish that crimes didnt occur. What they do is investigate crimes and decide whether they can charge them or not. And I think the language that Mueller uses in the report is much, much different. He said, you know, they investigated it, they found, as you stated, that the Russians were clearly interfering in trying to help the campaign and at times the Trump campaign was trying to accept that help, but that they just couldnt prove it. And I think theres one notable section where he notes that a number of people associated with the campaign deleted their communicationsa number of them used encrypted forms of communication that the special counsel didnt have access to. And so its impossible for the special counsel to say if access to that information wouldve caused him to reach a different conclusion. Advertisement Advertisement So, this kind of goes to this larger point that the reason we cant establish collusion is because of the obstruction, right? Advertisement Yeah. Thats exactly right. And he does note, also, that a number of people lied, and obviously, weve seen people who have been convicted, have pled guilty to lying. And thats been the case all along, that the president publicly has not told the truth about some of his behavior, and that some of his aides have privately not told the truthand are facing sentences for it. So Matt, lets do the obstruction for a minute, because this is the part that I do find confounding. Mueller lays out episode after episode after episode where, if we lived in normal law land, this is a gimme, right? I mean, so many of these things it doesnt matter if Don McGahn refused to fire Mueller. Trump asked him to do it. The president, time after time, asked people to get rid of Sessions or to lie about Michael Flynn. Help me understand. Is it just these structural problems, where he just felt he couldnt get it over the finish line? Or is it Article II powers? Why cant he just do it? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its all of those. And I note that in his analysis for why he didnt make a call, the first thing he says is to reference the [Office of Legal Counsel] opinion finding that indictment or prosecution would be impermissible. So that tells me that was high on his thinking. And then he comes to an additional conclusion that, even apart from OLCs view, he recognizes that a federal criminal accusation against a sitting president would place burdens on the capacity and potentially preempt the constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct. My read of that is hes saying, No. 1, OLC prevents me from indicting the president, and No. 2, making that accusation preempts what Congress needs to do. And then he goes and lays out all of the evidence, and my read is that hes really leaving it to Congress to make that determination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So this raises the question that makes everybody a little sticky. But it does mean that impeachment has to be back on the table, right? I mean, if we cant have that conversation, Nancy Pelosi, then theres no redress at all, right? I think at least the question of whether the conduct laid out in this report merits impeachment and conviction, that question has to be on the table. Whether Congress wants to take the additional step of voting to impeach is a question for them to decide, but they have to look at the evidence laid out here, and do a thorough investigation, or at least a thorough airing and debate, and decide that question. And if they decide that either legally, or in this kind of quasi-legal political determination that impeachment relates to, theyre not going to bring charges, or theyre not going to impeach the president, or politically, its just not worth doing because the Senate will never convict, they can make that determination, but they need to have that debate. Advertisement Advertisement You started to flick at this, but will you more fulsomely talk about William Barr? There was this notion that he was going to be a straight shooter and an institutional actora lot of us said hes a lifer, he cares about the Justice Department and the integrity and reputation of the department. That was a pretty grim press conference, if thats the case. And one of the things that he said was that that OLC guidance was not the but-for cause of Muellers decision not to go forward. That seems to not be true. So can you just give me a quick thought on what Bill Barr was doing when he all but said Donald Trump is the real victim here? Advertisement Advertisement I thought it was just an astonishing press conference, and I think that anyone that thought Bill Barr would be a faithful adherent to the rule of lawand I was hopeful he would be but didnt knowwas absolutely mistaken. I thought his decision to say that the president had been clearedwhen thats not what the Justice Department does, and thats not what Mueller doeswas wrong, on the collusion piece. I thought the way he described the presidents actions on obstruction, where he basically made excuses for the presidentyou know, that the presidents associates were under investigation and he was upset about thatyeah, well, we now know that those associates, many of them, were actual criminals and have pled guilty to crimes. He not only excused the presidents interference with the Justice Departments investigation and all of his attacks on the Justice Departments investigation, but he gave license to the president to keep doing it. Advertisement The president is still under investigation by the Justice Department, and Bill Barr is saying its OK for the president to interfere with investigations. And then I think just the factual misstatements he madethe reference you made to the OLC opinion, he tried to play that downwhat he said was at least misleading. And then, his claim that the president fully cooperated with the investigation. Well, thats just not true. The president wouldnt sit for an interview, and he wouldnt even give written answers to the obstruction questions. So, to make excuses for the president in that way, when the president had been refusing to cooperate with an investigation that Bill Barrs department led and attacking that department over and over and over, I just thought was disgraceful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, the legal question is over. This now becomes largely a question of politics, and that means its just a question of spin, right? We know that the White House is saying, Complete exoneration. Its all over. Lets investigate Hillary Clinton again. Is the public going to absorb what it is that you just said to me, which is this is not complete exoneration? Is the public going to know what happened here? I think some of the public will, but I think the voters that get their information from conservative media are going to have the attorney generals interpretation. And thats why what he did was just so irresponsible, and so out of keeping with the way the department behaves. He knows that we are out of the legal realm and into the political realm. And he was putting his thumb on the scale for the president, and giving the president a talking point, and giving Fox a talking point, giving everyone in the conservative media a talking point that the president was exonerated. And theyre going to be able to run with that, and truthfully say that the Justice Department exonerated him, because the attorney general did do that. But thats not what the special counsel did. And you would like to think that there will be a factual airing of everything in this report, but we all know thats not how Fox and the conservative media are going to cover this, and Bill Barrs press conference was just an enormous gift to the president, in that regard. A right-wing militia has been confronting groups of migrant families at the Southern U.S. border and holding them at gunpoint in what has been described by some as a form of kidnapping motivated by racism in order to hand those families over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the New York Times reported Thursday. The militia, known as the United Constitutional Patriots, this week detained a group of 200 asylum-seekers near Sunland Park, New Mexico. According to the Times, a video from one recent encounter shows exhausted looking migrant families blinking in the darkness in the glare of what appear to be the militias spotlights and, in another video, kneeling on the ground and embracing one another as Border Patrol agents arrived, apparently after members of the militia had already been pointing firearms at them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Slate writer Mark Joseph Stern pointed out on Twitter, a civilian militia has no power to arrest migrants, and therefore its actions are more similar to kidnapping and false imprisonment than a lawful detainment. Families of migrants are legally allowed to request asylum, making the threatened use of force and firearms all the more unjustifiable. A spokesman for the militia told the Times that the groups actions were legal and amounted to a verbal citizens arrest. He added that the group intended to remain at the border until President Donald Trumps extended border wall is built or Congress dramatically changes immigration law to make it harder for migrants to request asylum. But New Mexicos attorney general rebuked the militia. These individuals should not attempt to exercise authority reserved for law enforcement, he said in a statement. Civil rights groups have also condemned their actions as illegal. Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administrations vile racism has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to flagrantly violate the law, the ACLU of New Mexico said in a letter to the states governor and attorney general urging an investigation into this atrocious and unlawful conduct. One of the groups members, who livestreamed a video of one of the arrests, echoed Trumps rhetoric when he commented, according to the Guardian, This is an invasion. Gotta build the wall. Advertisement Videos also appear to show members of the group misrepresenting themselves to the migrants. In a video posted Wednesday, that same member said Border Patrol to a group of four adults and three children as he approached, and as another member of his group joined him, the two appeared to call Border Patrol to summon them to their location. Some critics have questioned why CBP agents would respond to and work with this militia group. A spokesman for the militia told the Times that Border Patrol agents had never asked his group to stand down. A spokesperson for CBP said in a statement the agency does not endorse private groups or organizations taking enforcement matters into their own hands and that [i]nterference by civilians in law enforcement matters could have public safety and legal consequences for all parties involved. It added that Border Patrol welcomes assistance from the community and encourages anyone who witnesses or suspects illegal activity to call 911. While special counsel Robert Mueller declined to offer a traditional prosecution or declination decision on the question of whether President Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice, Volume II of the special counsels opus of a report still focuses on several specific instances of potential obstruction. The 182-page obstruction volume concludes by noting that Mueller couldnt exonerate Trump: [I]f we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are unable to reach that judgment. After reading the report, which meticulously catalogs the presidents lies, theres no need to equivocate: Trump acted corruptly in an unlawful effort to obstruct justice. Advertisement In looking through each potential criminal act, the special counsel analyzed the three elements of obstruction of justice: the evidence of the potentially obstructive act, whether it had a necessary nexus to a pending or ongoing official legal proceeding, and a corrupt intent, defined by Muellerciting Justice Antonin Scaliaas intent to obtain an improper advantage for himself or someone else, inconsistent with official duty and the rights of others. The third of these questions is the trickiest, and it is here where Muellers description of Trumps lies becomes relevant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that the president refused to submit to an interview or to answer questions in writing on the topic of obstruction of justice, Trumps many publicand sometimes privatelies played a key role in the special counsels analysis. What follows is a list of what Mueller identified as Trumps key lies and how Mueller used them to prove corrupt intent. Advertisement Advertisement In looking through each potential criminal act, the special counsel analyzed the three elements of obstruction of justice. 1. The fallout from Michael Flynns discussions with Sergey Kislyak. This episode is in many ways at the root of the special counsels probe. After President Barack Obama issued sanctions against Russia for interfering in the 2016 election, incoming national security adviser Michael Flynn spoke with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak and helped persuade the Russians not to retaliate. Later, Flynn lied to the FBI in saying that he had not discussed sanctions with Kislyak. In the midst of the episode, according to former FBI Director James Comey, Trump invited Comey to dinner and asked him for loyalty. Mueller points out that Trump appears to have lied about both the loyalty request, saying it did not happen, and who offered the invitation, telling a reporter that he thought Comey had asked for the dinner because he wanted to stay on. Advertisement Advertisement Trump also lied about the other famous meeting he had with Comey. Shortly after Flynn was forced to resign, Trump held a one-on-one Oval Office meeting with Comey and asked him to let this [Flynn thing] go. As Mueller reports, the president denied saying those words to Comey, but substantial evidence corroborates Comeys account. And as I noted in 2017, Trump also lied about whether he cleared the room prior to the alleged instruction. While the President has publicly denied those details, other Administration officials who were present have confirmed Comeys account of how he ended up in a one-on-one meeting with the President, the report says. Advertisement Advertisement 2. The firing of James Comey. As he acknowledged in a 2017 interview with NBCs Lester Holt, Trump decided to fire Comey because of the FBI directors handling of the Russia investigation. (When I decided to just do it, I said to myselfI said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, Trump told Holt.) However, the president initially dictated a public statement that falsely claimed the firing was based on the clear recommendations of Rosenstein and thenAttorney General Jeff Sessions. As Mueller notes, the evidence supports the notion that Trump fired Comey because of his refusal to state publicly that the president was not under investigation, contrary to this effort. The Presidents other stated rationales for why he fired Comey are not similarly supported by the evidence, Mueller says. In other words, they were lies. As the special counsel concludes, The initial reliance on a pretextual justification could support an inference that the President had concerns about providing the real reason for the firing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3. Trumps false characterization of the Trump Tower meeting. Trump dictated a misleading statement about the June 2016 meeting coordinated by Donald Trump Jr. at Trump Tower. That statement sought to hide the fact that the purpose of the meeting was to acquire dirt on Hillary Clinton. Trump then had his lawyer lie about that misleading statement to the public. As the special counsel notes, the President s personal counsel repeatedly and inaccurately denied that the President played any role in drafting Trump Jr.s statement before later acknowledging to the special counsel that Trump had drafted it. Interestingly, while Mueller lays out how its clear that Trump intended to deceive the public with a cover story that the meeting was about Russian adoption, he then says, the evidence does not establish that the President intended to prevent the Special Counsels Office or Congress from obtaining the truth, which seems to preclude obstruction of justice in this instance. Advertisement Advertisement 4. Trumps efforts to have Robert Mueller removed. Mueller painstakingly documents Trumps efforts to instruct former White House counsel Donald McGahn to have the special counsel removed from office. In pointing to the criminal intent of this act, Mueller offers that Trump repeatedly lied to the press once the efforts to have Mueller fired were revealed, saying he never made such an instruction. Those denials are contrary to the evidence and suggest the Presidents awareness that the direction to McGahn could be seen as improper, Mueller writes. Advertisement 5. Trumps demand that Don McGahn lie about the presidents efforts to have Mueller removed. Here, Mueller cites a New York Times report that described the episode in which Trump pushed McGahn to have Mueller fired. After the article was published, the President dismissed the story when asked about it by reporters, saying, Fake news, folks. Fake news. A typical New York Times fake story, the special counsel notes. After this, Trump allegedly asked former White House staff secretary Rob Porter to get McGahn to lie for the purposes of making an official record, something that Mueller suggests may have been prompted by the presidents awareness that McGahn had already begun making his own record of the actual events: The President then directed Porter to tell McGahn to create a record to make clear that the President never directed McGahn to fire the Special Counsel. [] [T]he President said he wanted McGahn to write a letter to the file for our records and wanted something beyond a press statement to demonstrate that the reporting was inaccurate. The President referred to McGahn as a lying bastard and said that he wanted a record from him. Further, in an Oval Office meeting with chief of staff John Kelly, McGahn recalled the President said, I never said to fire Mueller. I never said fire. This story doesnt look good. You need to correct this. As Mueller says, The Presidents assertion in the Oval Office meeting that he had never directed McGahn to have the Special Counsel removed [] runs counter to the evidence. Mueller also notes that this was an obvious effort to impeach McGahns testimony to the contrary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In documenting all of these lies by the president of the United States, Mueller presents a strong case for obstruction of justice. Contrary to what Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein have concluded, Mueller does not even close the door on criminal prosecution of Trump. In Footnote 1,091, the special counsel notes that while impeachment is one legitimate avenue for a president whos committed criminal acts, a future prosecution is another: A possible remedy through impeachment for abuses of power would not substitute for potential criminal liability after a President leaves office. Impeachment would remove a President from office, but would not address the underlying culpability of the conduct or serve the usual purposes of the criminal law. Indeed, the Impeachment Judgment Clause recognizes that criminal law plays an independent role in addressing an officials conduct, distinct from the political remedy of impeachment. See U.S. CONST. ART. l, 3, cl. 7. Impeachment is also a drastic and rarely invoked remedy, and Congress is not restricted to relying only on impeachment, rather than making criminal law applicable to a former President, as OLC has recognized. A Sitting Presidents Amenability to Indictment and Criminal Prosecution, 24 Op. O.L.C. at 255 (Recognizing an immunity from prosecution for a sitting President would not preclude such prosecution once the Presidents term is over or he is otherwise removed from office by resignation or impeachment.). Members of Congress and prosecutors should ignore Barr and Rosenstein and read the Mueller report in its entirety. Trumps lies and corrupt intent are unambiguous. The only question that remains is what our government plans to do about them. Special counsel Robert Muellers assessment of Donald Trumps efforts to obstruct justice hinged in part on one key question: whether the president can even commit obstruction of justice in the first place. Trumps defenders, including William Barr (before he became Trumps attorney general and personal bodyguard), consistently claimed that prosecutors had no business assessing the presidents motives in exercising his sweeping constitutional powers. To commit obstruction, Trump had to act with corrupt intent. But does the special counsel have any authority to evaluate the presidents actions for unlawful intent if he can justify them with some neutral pretext? Advertisement Yes, Mueller answered emphatically in his report. To do so, he deployed various constitutional and statutory analysisincluding, notably, a citation to an opinion by Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. That opinion helps illuminate the legal assumptions that underpinned Muellers suggestion that Trump obstructed justice, as well as his argument that the Justice Department could in fact investigate a sitting president for the crime of obstruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are three elements in the federal crime of obstruction: an obstructive act, some kind of nexus between that act and an official proceeding (current or pending), and corrupt intent. This last element, corrupt intent, posed a problem for Mueller. Many actions that the special counsel assessed as possible evidence of obstruction were, on their face, legal. For instance, under the Constitution, the president clearly has the power to fire a subordinate in the executive branch, so his termination of FBI Director James Comey was not obviously unlawful. But what if Trump fired Comey for unscrupulous reasons? Specifically, what if he dismissed Comey in an effort to stymie the investigation into his conduct during the 2106 election, as Trump himself later implied? In that case, could Trumps corrupt intent render his action unlawful obstruction? Advertisement Advertisement Yes, Mueller concluded, citing, among other things, Scalias 1995 opinion in United States v. Aguilar. That case involved the conviction of a federal judge for illegally disclosing a secret wiretap then lying to FBI agents about his leak. Aguilar turned, in part, on the definition of corruptly, and Scalia wrote that the word has a long standing and well accepted meaning in criminal law. Quoting from law dictionary and precedent, Scalia wrote that corruptly denotes an act done with an intent to give some advantage inconsistent with official duty and the rights of others. (Emphasis mine.) Mueller then wrote: Advertisement That standard parallels the Presidents constitutional obligation to ensure the faithful execution of the laws. And virtually everything that the President does in the routine conduct of office will have a clear governmental purpose and will not be contrary to his official duty. Advertisement Thus, only in truly exceptional cases will prosecutors be able to glean corrupt intent behind seemingly proper or routine conduct of office. And the special counsels decision to gauge Trumps intent will not chill the presidents actions, because in virtually all instances, there will be no credible basis for suspecting a corrupt personal motive. Advertisement Advertisement Of all the cases Mueller could cite to make this point, why the Scalia opinion in Aguilar? It is not actually an opinion for the court but rather a partial dissent, not a binding authority. But this citation serves two useful purposes. First, it clarifies that in federal criminal law, individuals, including government officials, can engage in obstruction when they commit a seemingly lawful act with illicit motive. After all, the law contemplates an individual having some official duty with which he acts inconsistently. If, for example, the president purports to exercise his Article II authority to terminate unsatisfactory subordinates, but actually fires an underlying to impede an investigation into his campaign, he may have acted inconsistent with official duty and therefore with the necessary corruption to obstruct justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, by bolstering his argument with wise words from Scalia, Mueller preemptively neutralized some inevitable criticism that his report failed to respect the presidency. Scalia was a proponent of the unitary executive theory, which endorses vast powers for the president. And the famed conservative jurist is a model for Trumps archconservative judicial nominees. Yet Scalias Aguilar opinion seems to fortify Muellers rationale for investigating Trumps ostensibly officials acts, forestalling complaints that the special counsels obstruction probe chilled the presidents freedom to govern. In the end, Mueller concluded that he did not gather sufficient evidence to determine whether a reasonable inference could show that Trump fired Comey with corrupt intent. He did, however, write that a number of Trumps other actions, including his efforts to manipulate thenAttorney General Jeff Sessions, arguably qualified as obstructing justice. If Trump had untrammeled authority to boss around his subordinates, regardless of intent, Muellers inquiries into these episodes wouldve been pointless. But as Scalia seemed to recognize, an official act can still carry a corrupt intent when it is performed inconsistent with an official duty. And Trump had a duty to execute the lawsnot protect himself and his associates from investigation. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers If youve ever driven a car while your dog skids around in the back seat or tries to climb into your lap, you know how harrowing it can be to get behind the wheel without them strapped in. Our dogs are distracting, and when driving is involved, their distractions can be downright dangerous, which is why it is so important to keep a dog secured in a car, says Samantha Schwab, a pet expert at Chewy. In such states as New Jersey and New Mexico, back-seat dog restraints are a legal requirement. Aside from minimizing distractions, they keep your best friend safe in the event of an accident. Dogs are like children, says David Lang, owner of the New York Citybased pet-transportation company Pet Chauffeur, who says just as you wouldnt put your child in the car without the proper safety gear, you shouldnt put your dog in the car without it either. When shopping for a car seat or harness, its imperative for pet owners to understand that there are two types of pet-travel products, explains Lindsey A. Wolko, founder of the Center for Pet Safety, an independent organization that does dog-equipment crash tests at 30 mph. The cheaper and more commonly purchased products are primarily designed for comfort. But the safest types of car seats, crates, and harnesses are designed with crashes in mind. We heard about a few that passed the Center for Pet Safetys crash tests, making them the ones to go with if youre looking for something to give your pooch the best possible chance of surviving an accident, should one occur. If its not crash-tested, it isnt going to hold out in the event of an accident, says Claire Harris, director of the pet taxi service Pets 2 Places and prominent advocate for pet-transportation safety. And people dont realize that not only is their dog probably going to die if theyre in an accident but the dog would probably do some serious damage to the person in the front seat as well. Pet parents of bigger animals (or those who might prefer a different type of car seat) may want to use a non-crash-tested seat in tandem with a crash-tested safety harness. Medium and large dogs will be safest in a crash-tested dog crate stowed in the trunk or secured via a tailgate-and-dog-barrier system. To find the best car seats for dogs, we spoke to Schwab, Lang, Harris, and six other experts including trainers and pet owners about the ones they suggest for keeping a dog comfortable, secure, and safe during drives. When transporting an anxious dog, try taking them in the car without actually going anywhere, advises Harris. Give them a meal in the car, play a game with them, get them used to being in there for short intervals, then go on short journeys to a fun destination like a park. Crucially: Dont have their first journey be to the vet. Best crash-tested car seats for dogs Sleepypod Air In-Cabin Dog & Cat Carrier $200 In a car collision or a hard-braking stop, an unrestrained pet can become a projectile, says Nicole Ellis, the training and product expert at dog-sitting site Rover. This can lead to them injuring themselves and people in the car. Her favorite case comes from Sleepypod, which Ellis says crash-tests its pet-safety restraints at U.S., Canadian, and European child-safety-seat standards. Harris agrees: Sleepypod really are the absolute best of the best. Although theyre expensive, they really are worth the money if you are going to invest in anything for your dog, and you take them in your car, you want to invest in a Sleepypod. This joint car seat and carrier can accommodate dogs up to 18 pounds and is certified by the Center for Pet Safety as well as TSA approved. Ellis says it has proved super-functional on the road and in the sky: My dog and I travel a great deal together and crisscross the country by plane and by car. This model can expand to offer dogs a bit more room inside, and it has mesh panels that allow pets to see whats going on (which can help calm them down). For humans, it has a padded, adjustable shoulder strap and a trolley pocket you can slide over the handle of rolling luggage for hands-free transport. Its available in ten different colors. $200 at Amazon Buy $200 at Amazon Buy Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed $220 Ellis told us about this slightly smaller option from Sleepypod that can accommodate dogs (or any pets) up to 15 pounds. Its certified by the Center for Pet Safety, and in addition to functioning as a car seat and a carrier, it can be turned into a bed your dog can use at your final destination by simply unzipping the top. Like our best overall Sleepypod car seat, this one features mesh panels that offer your pet a view (and allow you to easily check in on them). Plus, because of its round shape, this model is especially great for smaller dogs that like to curl up and snuggle. It comes in a variety of colors including baby blue, pink, red, and white. $220 at Amazon Buy $220 at Amazon Buy Away Pet Carrier $225 $225 Aways recently launched Pet Carrier also passed the Center for Pet Safetys testing standards, according to Wolko, who says its a lovely option for anyone looking for a more stylish car seat. Capable of accommodating dogs up to 18 pounds, the sleek carrier has a fleecy bottom to keep pets extra cozy, mesh panels for visibility, and lots of exterior pockets; it can even be personalized with up to three embroidered letters. While this carrier has an interior clip meant to attach to your dogs collar, Wolko says not to use it especially if youre in motion. You dont want your dog to become tangled, she explains. While the Away carrier is currently sold out, the retailer says it will be restocked soon and can alert any prospective buyers via email when it is. $225 at Away Buy Best crash-tested car harnesses for dogs Sleepypod Clickit Sport From $103 As we noted above, using a harness is critical if youre going to use any of the non-crash-tested car seats our experts recommend. But not all harnesses are created equal. According to Ellis, A well-designed pet-restraint system needs to absorb the pets kinetic energy in an accident while controlling rotation and keeping the pet from leaving the seat and accelerating forward. Wolko agrees, adding this important point: You do not want to connect your pet directly to the car seat. Instead, you should use a harness to connect your dog to your cars seat-belt system before putting it in a seat. Like the other Sleepypod products on this list, this harness has been certified safe for dogs up to 90 pounds by the Center for Pet Safety. Ellis uses it with her cavapoochon, Rossi, telling us the harnesss three-point design is meant to lessen damage in a crash by minimizing movement and distributing any force evenly throughout a dogs torso. Dogs can lie down and sit up comfortably while in it, says Ellis, who strongly cautions against using a tether with the harness (a tether can act as a slingshot in the event of a collision, making it even more dangerous than if the dog had nothing on at all, she explains.) While the harness should work for most dogs under 90 pounds, Sleepypods website says the harness might not offer a proper fit for the unique body types of breeds like greyhounds, whippets, salukis, Afghan hounds, and borzois, so she suggests emailing the company for more information before purchasing one for those breeds. From $103 at Amazon Buy From $103 at Amazon Buy Ruff Wear Load-Up Harness $80 Harris mentioned the brand Ruff Wear as one to trust when it comes to extensive crash-testing. It uses a universal seat-belt loop that will attach to whatever youve got in your car, and the company says it allows dogs much freedom of movement, which is ideal. Dogs need to be able to sit down and stand up while wearing the harness, Harris says. $80 at Ruffwear Buy Kurgo Enhanced Strength Tru-Fit Dog Car Harness $45 $49 now 8% off $45 Harris likes Vermont-based dog-safety company Kurgo, and its car harness also extensively crash-tested is a little cheaper than those by Sleepypod and Ruff Wear. While it can be used easily on its own, Kurgos harness is compatible with the brands booster seat, recommended by another expert below. $45 at Chewy Buy Best booster car seats for dogs Snoozer Lookout I Car Seat $130 When used with a harness, booster seats like this are an excellent choice for dogs that enjoy looking out the window during rides. Three of our experts recommend the Snoozer Lookout I for smaller, more anxious dogs. It helps create a cozy, bed-type environment and is ideal for dogs who move around a lot in the back of the car, says Sarah Fraser, co-founder and co-CEO of Instinct Dog Behavior & Training. Sara Ochoa, a Texas-based veterinarian and consultant for DogLab, uses the Snoozer for her pup, telling us it helps her sit up high so that she can see out the window while I am driving. Schwab recommends the Snoozer for dogs who dislike traveling. The seat is made of a foam form, and the interior is lined with a warm and cozy simulated lambs wool, so your dog will feel pleasantly snuggled during your car ride, she explains. It comes in two sizes: small, which the brand suggests for dogs up to 18 pounds, and medium, for dogs between 18 and 25 pounds. $130 at Amazon Buy From $70 at Snoozer Buy Devoted Doggy Deluxe Dog Booster Car Seat $41 $41 Photo: retailer On a recent 16-hour road trip from Florida to Missouri, dog owner Amy Lewis (the cousin of former Strategist senior editor Casey Lewis) used this car seat, which requires an additional harness if you want it to be crashproof. Its suitable for pups 15 pounds and under and kept her Shih Tzu, Obi, secure the whole way, she says. It was comfortable for her. She could easily see out the window, and it ensured that she didnt jump all over the car while I was driving. $41 at Amazon Buy $41 at Amazon Buy Kurgo Skybox Booster Seat for Dog $182 $182 This booster seat is perfect for dogs who like to get dirty; its made with durable ripstop material to prevent tears, and the interior is machine washable for an easy clean, says Schwab. Shandos Cleaver, founder of Travelnuity a travel blog that documents her adventures with her miniature dachshund, Schnitzel is another fan. Its also collapsible, meaning that you can take it along when flying with your dog, she says. According to Kurgo, the booster seat is best for dogs 20 pounds and under. While it is designed to go in a front or back seat, Lang stresses that dogs should never ride shotgun because a cars airbags can seriously injure them. Find the matching Kurgo crash-tested safety harness listed above. $182 at Amazon Buy $182 at Amazon Buy Snoozer Pet Products Luxury Lookout II Microsuede Dog & Cat Car Seat From $150 From $150 Snoozer makes dog car seats in larger sizes, too, like this (non-crash-tested) one recommended by Schwab, which has options that can fit dogs up to 34 pounds. This microsuede car seat is basically like a mini-couch for your dog, allowing it to sprawl out comfortably and snuggle in the cushions, she says. Theres even a hidden compartment where you can store your pets things. The microsuede cover is washable, making this easy to clean. From $150 at Snoozer Buy Pet Gear Large Car Booster $100 now 48% off $52 According to Schwab, Pet Gears booster seat is sturdy without compromising on comfort. It has a dense foam filling, a microsuede cover, and a removable plush pillow for ultimate snoozing conditions. Cleaver agrees, calling it great for dogs that like to lie down and have a snooze in the car. Like the microsuede Snoozer seat above, this one can accommodate up to medium-size dogs according to Pet Gear (which does not provide a specific weight limit for the seat). Again, youll want to add a crash-tested harness to this in order to protect your dog in any potential accidents. $52 at Chewy Buy Best car hammock for large dogs Orvis Grip-Tight Quilted Hose-Off Hammock Seat Protector From $149 From $149 Photo: Kevn Lowes 2017 For large dogs, I recommend a hammock seat as its easy to clean, water resistant, quilted for comfort, and easy to install, says Fraser. It also turns the entire back seat of the car into a giant bed. As she notes, a hammock seat like this not only protects your car from dirt and hair but also protects your dog by preventing it from unsafely putting its front legs on the floor or from poking its head into the front-seat area and distracting the driver. This one is designed with slits that make it easy to access seat belts if youre using it with a safety harness, as our experts recommend. From $149 at Orvis Buy Best crash-tested car crates for dogs Gunner G1 Kennel From $499 A harness only works if you have a small- to medium-size dog, says Harris. If you have a larger breed, theyll be much safer sitting in a crate in the back of your car. Once again, she recommends going only with brands that extensively crash-test their products as Gunner does with this car kennel, which is available in four sizes. From $499 at Gunner Buy Ruff Land Kennels X-Large Dog Kennel $350 $350 Youll find a more affordable option in Ruff Lands range of crash-tested kennels, which are designed to be stackable, in case youve got a lot of cargo or more than one pooch. The crates can be tied down for extra security and are available in two-door configurations. $350 at Cabela's Buy Best crash-tested tailgate and dog barrier MIM Safe VarioBarrier $285 $330 now 14% off $285 Buy at Pet Choice Supply Buy MIM Variogate Double $1,100 $1,100 Buy at Pet Choice Supply Buy As a crate alternative that suits owners of large dogs or more than one pet, Harris suggests investing in a crash-tested tailgate-and-barrier system for your trunk. The dog barrier attaches to your cars back seat and creates a barrier between the trunk and passenger cabin, and the tailgate keeps an overexcited dog contained when you arrive at your destination. This is important because you dont want the dog to just jump out when you arrive, Harris says. You dont know what the situation is going to be you might be by a busy road. get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. 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 Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Before 30 seconds had passed during Thursdays episode of Shepard Smith Reporting, the host had said what most of his Fox News colleagues had been trying very hard not to say all afternoon. The bottom line on todays documentaccording to the document, not the attorney generalis this: Robert Mueller reports he could not exonerate President Trump, Smith declared. After noting that the special counsel had found that Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was no hoax and that the [Trump] campaign expected to benefit from the stolen information that the Russians released, Smith reiterated his initial point. Robert Muellers report does not clear President Trump of obstruction of justice, he said. In fact, the special counsel wrote that if he could clear the president of obstruction of justice, he would, but that he could not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As experienced Fox watchers know, Shepard Smith Reporting is an outlier on the network. Smith has been with Fox News since the network was founded, and his long tenure perhaps gives him license to deviate from the party line. Smith works from his own news desk, which has a different visual style than any other Fox program. His guestsgenerallyare actual journalists and other factual adults. (The next time Sebastian Gorka goes on Smiths program will be the first time Sebastian Gorka goes on Smiths program.) In recent years, Smith has spent much of his airtime speaking slowly and directly into the camera, in the soothing tones used by crisis negotiators. During these monologues, he rebuts the dumb things said by his colleagues on the networks opinion side. His program is a beacon of candor in a sea of partisan bullshit. Advertisement Advertisement Ive always believed that Fox executives appreciate Smiths heterodoxy, insofar as they can point to his program as proof that Fox is a news network and not just a vehicle for anti-elitist resentments and nativist propaganda. I also get the sense that Smith enjoys being the fly in his networks ointment, and on Thursday he had an Olympic-size pool worth of ointment to dive into. Advertisement From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fox News spent roughly equal amounts of time covering the collusion and obstruction sections of the Mueller report, perhaps to mitigate the potentially devastating effects of the unresolved obstruction investigation. Smith, on the other hand, dispensed with the collusion section in a line or two before outlining each of the 10 instances of possible obstruction covered in the Mueller report. So, for now, whether the president obstructed justice is an open question, Smith concluded, before cueing up a tape of Trump, earlier on Thursday, boasting to a veterans group that the report had uncovered no collusion, no obstruction. Smith is pretty much the only Fox host who does this, using footage of the president to underscore his unreliability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith later welcomed former prosecutor Bob Bianchi, who joined the Fox News host in criticizing Attorney General William Barrs Thursday morning press conference. I felt that he was trying to be a cheerleader for the president, and I think thats ill-advised for the president himself. This report speaks for itself, said Bianchi. But when hes getting up there and hes making comments that are, you know, He was emotionally upset. Well, boy, that bothered me, Shep. Advertisement Advertisement Get The Angle in Your Inbox Every day, Slate rounds up the the best 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. Smith responded by suggesting that the goal of Barrs press conference was to control the narrative before the full report was released. If Im the president, Im real happy with what William Barr did this morning, said Smith. But if Im one seeking the truth about whats in this report, in many cases, uh, we were deceived. Advertisement Advertisement Smith wasnt the only Fox anchor to criticize BarrChris Wallace also did so earlier on Thursday morning. When Wallace joined Smith around 3:20, the two men lingered briefly on Barr before turning back to the obstruction section of the report. Wallace noted that Trumps staffers may have saved the president from being charged with obstruction by refusing to do the unsavory things that the president asked them to do. But that also doesnt absolve the president. Because its the asking thats the wrong thing to do, said Smith. Well, I dont know, said Wallace. I mean, thats obviously I didnt say its criminal, said Smith. Thats for somebody else to decide. But its certainly not what youre supposed to do. Advertisement Its certainly not what youre supposed to do, Wallace agreed. Whether or not thats a basis for a criminal prosecution, evidently the attorney general says no. Advertisement Advertisement The dynamic between Wallace and Smith is always fun to watch. Both men are credible voices, which puts them in the minority when it comes to Foxs marquee on-air personalities. Wallace seems to regard Smith as a bit of a loose cannon, though, and often seems to be on the verge of rolling his eyes and saying, Now, Shepard Wallaces segment on Thursday concluded with one of the best Now, Shepard moments Ive ever seen. While discussing Rudy Giulianis performance as the presidents personal counsel, Wallace noted that given the fact that the president in so many cases said, I dont recall what happenedthe fact that [Giuliani] didnt allow the president to sit for an in-person live interview with the special counsel and his prosecutors probably was very helpful. Advertisement [I] was surprised that [Trump] had forgotten so many things, though, said Smith. Because I remember specifically him telling us that he has one of the best memories ever. Wallace paused and blinked. Thats true, he said, and he gave a little smile. He did tell us that, said Smith. He did tell us that, Wallace echoed. It was the best burn Id heard all day. It was also delivered at 3:30 in the afternoon, in a low-leverage time slot when the only people watching Fox News were journalists writing roundups of how Fox News covered the Mueller report. Fox News hopes to contain the damage that Smiths honest reporting inflicts while simultaneously benefiting from the cover it provides. Smiths burns are real, but they are controlled burns, cordoned off from the rest of the network. At 4 p.m., Smith signed off and Neil Cavuto signed on. Within 10 minutes, Cavuto had characterized the Mueller probe as sort of a jump ball with regard to its overall findings. He was not lying to prosecutors. And thereby, they cant get to anything to charge him with, Foxs Bret Baier told Cavuto. And bottom line, [obstruction of justice] didnt happen, right? Cavuto replied. I mean, he mightve been thinking about it, talking about it, but it didnt happen. As far as the rest of the Fox News roster was concerned, Shepard Smith Reporting might as well not have happened either. President Donald Trumps decision to fire FBI Director James Comey in 2017 was a pivotal moment for his presidency. The move, which came as the FBI began looking into Russias meddling in the 2016 election, helped fuel public calls for an independent special counsel that grew too loud to ignore. Eight days after Comeys firing, the special counsel investigation began. Two years later, the investigations findings released Thursday gave more details about exactly what happened when the president fired the head of the FBI. Here is what the Mueller report says about the incident. Advertisement Asking for loyalty Trumps relationship with Comey had been awkward from the beginning of his presidency, defined by the presidents requests that the FBI support him. The rocky relationship was known to the public at the time, as Trump vented his frustration over the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the public didnt know until after Comey was fired that the FBI head felt he had been repeatedly pressured to reassure the president that the FBI was not investigating him over the Russian election meddling. The lowest point came in the early months of 2017, when, according to Comey, the president invited him to a private dinner and told him that he needed loyalty from the FBI director. I need loyalty, I expect loyalty, he said. He asked Comey if he wanted to keep his jobsomething Comey interpreted as an effort to create a patronage relationship. Comey responded, You will always get honesty from me. Advertisement Advertisement While this anecdote is still Comeys word against Trumps, the Mueller report makes it clear it finds Comey the more credible charactera remarkable conclusion and a blow to those who would argue that Comey was a politically motivated actor bent on smearing the presidents reputation. Persuasion from Sessions The idea that Trump should fire Comey apparently was planted after Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee for an FBI oversight hearing on May 2, 2017. The president, upset over questions circulating about whether he was under investigation by the FBI, said that it would be the last straw if Comey did not take the opportunity to set the record straight by publicly announcing that the President was not under investigation, former White House counsel Don McGahn recalled, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement When Comey did not rule out Trump was being investigated, Trump turned on Sessions: According to notes written by Hunt, the President said, This is terrible Jeff. Its all because you recused. AG is supposed to be most important appointment. Kennedy appointed his brother. Obama appointed Holder. I appointed you and you recused yourself. You left me on an island. I cant do anything. Advertisement Advertisement Sessions then, according to the report, stated at some point during the conversation that a new start at the FBI would be appropriate and the President should consider replacing Comey as FBI director. Steve Bannon, apparently a voice of reason in this situation, tried to dissuade Trump from firing Comey. Bannon told investigators that Trump had brought up the matter with him at least eight times on May 3 and 4. Advertisement Advertisement According to Bannon, the President said the same thing each time: He told me three times Im not under investigation. Hes a showboater. Hes a grandstander. I dont know any Russians. There was no collusion. Bannon told the President that he could not fire Comey because that ship had sailed. Bannon also told the President that firing Comey was not going to stop the investigation, cautioning him that he could fire the FBI director but could not fire the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Why he did it Trump was clear about one thing once he decided to fire Comey: He wanted to make sure everyone knew it wasnt because he was being investigated. To get an ally in sending this message, he turned to adviser Stephen Miller, to whom he dictated a letter on May 5 that began with: While I greatly appreciate you informing me that I am not under investigation concerning what I have often stated is a fabricated story on a Trump-Russia relationshippertaining to the 2016 presidential election, please be informed that I, and I believe the American publicincluding Ds and Rshave lost faith in you as Director of the FBI. Advertisement After the two drafted a final letter, Trump brought it to McGahn and Reince Priebus. McGahn, in an effort to slow down the decision-making process, told the President that DOJ leadership was currently discussing Comeys status and went to talk to Sessions and Rosenstein. Both criticized Comey and agreed he should be fired. This gave McGahn and another White House attorney peace of mind that the Presidents decision to fire Comey was not an attempt to obstruct justice. Advertisement McGahn then allegedly urged Trump to let Comey resign, but Trump refused. The president also wanted Rosenstein to include the Russia investigation in his recommendation to fire Comey. Advertisement According to notes taken by a senior DOJ official of Rosensteins description of his meeting with the President, the President said, Put the Russia stuff in the memo. Rosenstein responded that the Russia investigation was not the basis of his recommendation, so he did not think Russia should be mentioned. The President told Rosenstein he would appreciate it if Rosenstein put it in his letter anyway. When Rosenstein left the meeting, he knew that Comey would be terminated , and he told DOJ colleagues that his own reasons for replacing Comey were not [the Presidents] reasons. Advertisement Even after Sessions sent Trump a less potentially compromising letter recommending Comeys removal based his other actions, and even though the White House Counsels Office concluded that Trumps original letter should [n]ot [see the] light of day, because it offered other rationales, Trump still ordered Miller to draft another letter including the assertion that Comey had told Trump he was not under investigationover pretty much everyones objections. White House lies On May 9, the White House put out a statement with Sessions and Rosensteins reasoning for firing Comey. But still, Trump was unhappy with the press coverage of the firing. So that night, according to the report: Advertisement Advertisement [T]he White House Press Office called the Department of Justice and said the White House wanted to put out a statement saying that it was Rosensteins idea to fire Comey. Rosenstein told other DOJ officials that he would not participate in putting out a false story. The President then called Rosenstein directly and said he was watching Fox News, that the coverage had been great, and that he wanted Rosenstein to do a press conference. Rosenstein responded that this was not a good idea because if the press asked him, he would tell the truth that Comeys firing was not his idea. Sessions also informed the White House Counsels Office that evening that Rosenstein was upset that his memorandum was being portrayed as the reason for Comeys termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House press secretary Sean Spicer then told reporters late that evening that the firing was all [Rosenstein]. Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also lied about the nature of the firing, asserting the next day that the rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director and that it was why Trump accepted Rosensteins recommendation to fire Comey. She reiterated that Rosenstein had decided on his own to come to the president to express his concerns. Trump later told Sanders she had done a good job at the press conference and didnt point out any errors. Sanders told investigators that when she told a reporter she had heard from countless members of the FBI that they didnt support Comey, it had been a slip of the tongue. Two days later, after Rosenstein and Sessions complained to McGahn about the White House narrative, Trump went on NBC and told interviewer Lester Holt that he was going to fire Comey regardless of recommendation because of the Russia investigation. That same day, the New York Times reported Comeys allegations that Trump demanded he pledge his loyalty. In no small part because of the performance on Thursday of Attorney General William Barr, history will treat his Justice Department as it treats the Justice Department under Richard Nixons one-time attorney general, John Mitchellan institution compromised by rank partisanship and more committed to ideology than the rule of law. Barrs spin on special counsel Robert S. Muellers report all but ignored the reports damning findings, misrepresented significant parts of Muellers reasoning, and described President Donald Trumps motivations and supposed cooperation in terms straight out of White House talking points. Barr engaged in word-splitting pettifoggery that would make even Bill Clinton blush. Barr is clearly compromised by the partisan goals of this White House to the point where he cannot be trusted in the job. He should resign immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barr started Thursdays pre-report rebuttal by reiterating that the special counsel found no collusion by any Americans in the [Russian Internet Research Agencys] illegal activity. Using the word collusion was itself slippery given that collusion could take the form of an explicit illegal agreement or, in common parlance, just a connivance, or tacit encouragement, or assent to wrongdoing by another. It was precisely because of the ambiguity of collusion that the report avoids the term: In evaluating whether evidence about collective action of multiple individuals constituted a crime, we applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of collusion. [] [C]ollusion is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States Code, nor is it a term of art in federal criminal law. For those reasons, the Offices focus in analyzing questions of joint criminal liability was on conspiracy as defined in federal law. Advertisement Advertisement In other words, Mueller did not find no collusion; what he found was insufficient evidence likely to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Campaign officials such as Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos, and Carter Page acted as agents of the Russian governmentor at its direction, control, or requestduring the relevant time period. Mueller doubted he could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that participants in the June 9, 2016, Trump Tower meeting violated the federal election-law ban on contributions and donations by foreign nationals. Such proof would require both a demonstration of their willfulness and that the information received by the Trump campaign was a thing of value worth at least $2,000 for a criminal violation or $25,000 for felony indictment. Advertisement This kind of leadership and the debasement of government lawyering it augurs will take years to repair. An inability to prove the elements of criminal conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt hardly belies the Trump campaigns tacit encouragement of or assent to Russian wrongdoing. Collusion of that sort is amply shown by the Mueller investigations documentation of over 100 contacts between the campaign and Russians hoping to tilt the election to Trump. Indeed, for encouragement, one need look no further than candidate Trumps July 27, 2016, statement: Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Advertisement Advertisement Barrs discussion of obstruction of justice is even worse for Trump. In his four-page account of the Mueller report, Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had determined from the Mueller report that no criminal obstruction of justice had occurred. He said they were not basing their conclusion on a view that sitting presidents could not be indicted: 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. At todays press conference, Barr tried to make it sound as if Muellers decision not to charge the president was also made without regard to that theory: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we met with [Mueller] we specifically asked him about the OLC opinion and whether or not he was taking a position that he would have found a crime but for the existence of the OLC opinion. And he made it very clear several times that that was not his position. He was not saying that but for the OLC opinion, he would have found a crime. Here is what the report actually states: We considered whether to evaluate the conduct we investigated under the Justice Manual standards governing prosecution and declination decisions, but we determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes. Fairness concerns counseled against potentially reaching that judgment when no charges can be brought. The ordinary means for an individual to respond to an accusation is through a speedy and public trial, with all the procedural protections that surround a criminal case. An individual who believes he was wrongly accused can use that process to seek to clear his name. In contrast, a prosecutors judgment that crimes were committed, but that no charges will be brought, affords no such adversarial opportunity for public name-clearing before an impartial adjudicator. The concerns about the fairness of such a determination would be heightened in the case of a sitting President, where a federal prosecutors accusation of a crime, even in an internal report, could carry consequences that extend beyond the realm of criminal justice. OLC noted similar concerns about sealed indictments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In short, for Barrs statement to be regarded as truthful, you have to interpret the notion of but for cause very, very narrowly. Parsed narrowly, Mueller does not say that he would have charged a crime but for the OLC opinion. He also relied on fairness considerations noted in the OLC opinion. Saying, however, that Muellers failure to charge obstruction was not based on the Justice Departments policy regarding incumbent presidents puts us in the same territory as wondering what the definition of is is. Barrs tendentiousness is all the more notable if one reads just one paragraph further in the Mueller report: [I]f we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. Advertisement Beyond this, Barr applauded Trump for taking no act that in fact deprived the special counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation. This ignores Trumps refusal himself to be interviewed, a critical omission in an investigation of a crime that turns significantly on a suspects state of mind. Barr further implicitly excused Trumps outbursts directed at ending the Russia investigation as a reflection of Trumps agitated state of mind: There is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. When a reporter suggested his remarks were quite generous to the president, including acknowledging his feelings and emotions, Barr insisted the statements about his sincere beliefs are recognized in the report. However, the report offers no explicit conclusions about the presidents sincerity at all, which, in any event, would appear to be legally irrelevant as to his motivations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an earlier work discussing the importance of government lawyers to maintaining the rule of law, I wrote of the essential self-discipline for those immediately involved in [executive branch decisions] to actually concern themselves with perspectives and interests other than the partisan agenda they all share. The attorney general today showed none of that discipline. Worse, his leadership surely sends a message to other Justice Department lawyers as to their expected priorities. This kind of leadership and the debasement of government lawyering it augurs will take years to repair, as it did in the wake of Mitchell himself. There is no way to begin that job until Barr is out of office. Within the more than 400 pages of the Mueller report released Thursday, plenty of space is dedicated to the Kremlin-linked Internet Research Agency, the Russian troll organization thats been hard at work since at least 2013, churning out deceptive memes, posts, and more on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even Pokemon Goall with the intention of swaying political conversations and stoking social divisions around the world. The report found that no one in the Trump campaign knowingly interacted with anyone from the Internet Research Agency. But it does lay out some new information about how the operation worked. Advertisement We got a close look at the troll operation when special counsel Robert Mueller indicted it and 13 Russian nationals in February 2018. The new report goes further, though, in examining how skilled the agency was at deceiving people offline, tooand also gives us a nice opportunity to reexamine and piece together some details that dripped out in the past couple of years while we waited for the final report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Russian trolls planned dozens of rallies across the U.S. ahead of and even after the 2016 election. The first known Russian operativeorganized event was a Confederate rally in Houston in 2015, according to new information provided in the Mueller report. An Instagram account called Stand for Freedom invited people to join with a post attempting (and failing) to sound like a normal American trying to get the word out about a party. Good evening buds! Well I am planning to organize a confederate rally [] in Houston on the 14 of November and I want more people to attend, the post read. Advertisement Advertisement The report describes the IRAs attempts at field research in the U.S. In 2014, before the Internet Research Agencys efforts to rile U.S. voters were in full swing, four employees applied to travel to the U.S., pretending to be friends who met at a party. But only two of the women who applied were granted visas, which allowed them to travel to America to conduct intelligence gathering, such as taking photographs that could then be later used in social media posts. Its not clear how long they stayed. The reconnaissance may have helped them later plan rallies across the country, some of which attracted hundreds of attendees. The Mueller report gives the playbook for how the trolls were able to organize these events from an office in St. Petersburg, Russia: Advertisement Advertisement First, the IRA used one of its preexisting social media personas (Facebook groups and Twitter accounts, for example) to announce and promote the event. The IRA then sent a large number of direct messages to followers of its social media account asking them to attend the event. From those who responded with interest in attending, the IRA then sought a U.S. person to serve as the events coordinator. In most cases, the IRA account operator would tell the U.S. person that they personally could not attend the event because of some preexisting conflict or because they were somewhere else in the United States. The IRA then further promoted the event by contacting U.S. media about the event and directing them to speak with the coordinator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the larger rallies was held in Miami in August 2016. The Trump campaign took notice of this covertly Russian-organized event and posted images of the rally on the then-candidates official Facebook page, prompting a Russian trolloperated fake American persona, Matt Skiber, to boast in a Facebook message that Mr. Trump posted about our event in Miami! This is great! Black Matters, one of the larger Russian-run fake activist Facebook groups, hosted an event page for a protest in New York City the weekend after Trump won the election, which it promoted with an ad. More than 16,700 people signed up to attend on the event page, while 33,000 more listed themselves as interested. The Guardian at the time wrote that thousands of people actually showed up with protest signs in tow, though many of those protesters likely heard about the demonstration through other channels also promoting the rally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Internet Research Agency operatives didnt mind looking weird in their quest to stoke tensions in Americas deeply polarized political climate. Beyond the rallies, Russian agents were also selling sex toys, offering free self-defense classes in New York, recruiting Americans to work with them through job listings, soliciting women to send photos for a calendar, and even offering counseling to followers of a page called Army of Jesus who were struggling with porn addiction, as detailed in research last year from New Knowledge, a firm that studies Russian disinformation. One of the more bizarre anecdotes in the Mueller report on the Internet Research Agencys organizing explains that the Russian trolls once even attempted to recruit someone to walk around New York City dressed as Santa Claus in a Donald Trump mask. But unfortunately, the report doesnt say whether they found anyone up to the task. Advertisement Advertisement Facebook, Twitter, and Google testified to Congress in 2017 about their efforts to rid their platforms of inauthentic behavior from the Kremlin-connected troll factory. Before the 2018 midterm elections, Facebook shared that it removed more than 100 more Facebook and Instagram accounts due to concerns that they were linked to the Internet Research Agency. The U.S. went so far as to turn off the IRAs internet on Election Day 2018. The final Mueller report still leaves a lot of questions unanswered about the scale of the impact of the Russian trolls attempts to make our elections awful. But it seems clear that 2020 is going to be weird, too. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. 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. For the biggest coffee weekend of the yearthe 2019 Speciality Coffee Association Expo in Bostonwe sent intrepid journalist and Chocolate Barista founder Michelle Johnson onto the showfloor to put her finger on the pulse of whats new and exciting in the coffee industry today. Here is what she found. Coffee POGs Are Most Certainly Now A Thing Only 90s kids will remember the popularity that surrounded POGS and slammers back in the day, and thanks to Jen Apodaca and Jessica Caisse, they made a HUGE comeback for SCA Boston. George Howell, Umeshiso, and Boss Barista POGS were being traded like Pokemon cards on the EXPO floor, and I couldnt figure out if we were in 1995 or 2019. If there was a winner for having the most coffee POGS, Alicia Adams absolutely takes the cake (pictured). I didnt grow up with POGS and quite frankly, didnt know what they were until this weekend. But after collecting a few of my own, I realize theyre a lovely reminder of the fun, not-so-serious side of the coffee world. I expect this to become a new tradition for SCA. I Tasted The Best Coffee I Ever Had. Ever. One of my favorite parts of Expo is getting to taste so many different coffees from nearly every origin around the world. I went hard this year participating in an Ethiopian coffee cupping, indulging in multiple Califia oat milk lattes, and drinking World Brewers Cup competitor coffees in the Activities Hall. At the Sustainable Harvest Relationship Coffee booth, I tried the most delicious coffee Ive ever had. Period. Roasted by Colo Coffee in Bogota, Colombia, this Eugenioides species microlot from Colos Ancestros series (a series of coffees highlighting rare heirloom varieties native to Colombia) tasted like a berry fruit juice BOMB. Jamil Hallasso Holguin of Cafe Inmaculada, the producer of this coffee, happily poured me a second cup while we talked about its juicy, sweet characteristics. It was a wonderful example of the duality of countries that are producing and consuming. They know better than anyone how their coffees should taste! Claw Machines (And Other Lottery-Style Games) Are In The Fellow Products booth was consistently packed throughout the weekend thanks in part to their claw machine where Expo attendees could try their luck winning Stagg EKG kettles and other swag. Did anyone actually score a Stagg EKG? Im not sure. I heard more people bragging about the fact they couldnt grab anything than the opposite. Over at Baratzas booth, you could try and scratch your way to owning the new Baratza Virtuso+ with a lottery ticket, but Im not sure anyone won that either. Better luck next year, folks! Visible Diversity At Expo? You Got It! Lets be real: a consistent critique of Expo and many coffee industry events is the lack of diversity on all sidesfrom those standing at the booth to people in attendance. This years event looked different and I mean that in the best way possible. As I walked around the floor, I saw people from different backgrounds talking to people about equipment, apps, and the state of the coffee industry with respect to the C Price (which is currently at $0.90). I heard coffee described in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Swahili. Two Asian women from China and South Korea were crowned as our World Brewers Cup and World Barista Champions, respectively. While theres always more work to be done, its important to take a moment to celebrate how far weve come. Its in these moments we can begin to imagine more possibilities for the coffee industry as we continue to grow. Many Babies Had Their First Expo Experience And We Loved It Many coffee professional parents will be adding Babys 1st Coffee Expo to the baby book as the next generation of coffee lovers were in high attendance this year. We spotted Erica Escalante, owner of The Arrow Coffeehouse in Portland, Oregon with her daughter, Lupe, in tow in the Activities Hall (where the competitions were held), as well as several other coffee children. This portion of the Expo was the only place infants and children under the age of 12 were allowed according to the Specialty Coffee Associations show policies. Fortunately, friends and colleagues alike stepped in to help watch Lupe and any other babies so their parents could take some time to see the rest of the show. Coffee parents are starting to sound off about this show policy and how it bars access from people with children who want to remain focused on their careers. Well be sure to keep an eye out for how this conversation develops. In the meantime, Ill be swooning over all the baby photos from the weekend. Tell Your Grandparents: Frozen Coffee Is The Future Dont worry, there will be dedicated round-up of coffee tech from Expo, but I spent a considerable amount of time at the Cometeer Coffee Capsule booth going from hard skeptic to a believer. Im already an advocate for frozen coffeefrozen beans vacuumed sealed at the optimum point post-roast to be enjoyed months, even years after the fact. But Cometeer took it in a different direction. They extracted the best parts of already brewed coffee, apparently at its peak state, and froze it inside these 100% recyclable capsules for use whenever you see fit. I tasted the Counter Culture capsule brewed via Keurig and was pleasantly surprised by how great it tasted. The coffee had clarity and distinct but subtle fruit notes. It should be no surprise that Cometeer won 2019 Best New Product, and we should expect to see more from them soon! The EXPO Sneaker Game Was On Point There was no shortage of heat on the EXPO floor, and were not talking about water for coffee brewing. We love a good sneaker here at Sprudge and while in the hometown of Reebok, I made sure to keep an eye out for the latest fire people wore to coffee cuppings on the show floor. I was so far from disappointed. Spotted on foot were Lebron 15s, Adidas, and every style of Nike in multiple colorwaysHuaraches, Air Max 97s, and bedazzled (!!!) Air Force Ones. The coffee industrys Dad Shoe Dad himself, Nick Cho, took it to another level with Balenciaga Track Sneakers while demoing the new Wootz Grinder. Of course, those were just one of several rarities he brought to show out. I think my favorite shoes this weekend were on Gio Fillari (@CoffeeFeedPDX, Sprudge, Nike), who blessed us with the Air Max 97 Off-White. To round it out, I came to Expo with my own heat that I saved specifically for emceeing the World Brewers and Barista Competitionthe millennial pink Aleali May Jordan 6, a recent drop from Jordan Women. Next year when SCA lands in Portland, the collision of sneakers and coffee will be even more apparent and perhaps, intentional. Michelle Johnson is a news contributor at Sprudge Media Network, and the founder and publisher of The Chocolate Barista. Read more Michelle Johnson on Sprudge. Tomorrow is April 20th, colloquially known as 420, a holiday youve all been waiting for. Thats right, tomorrow is National Cold Brew Day, which definitely started by Stumptown as a joke, but is now being treated as a real thing by thirsty cold brew marketers worldwide. To help slake that thirst, Portlands Stumptown Coffee Roasters has a special release just for you. For one day only, Stumptown will be selling a new CBD Cold Brew Elixir. CBD cold brew is hardly a new product. Not a week goes by where I dont feed the trash folder in my inbox news of some start-up disrupting the cold brew market with a disruptive addition of CBD to a disruptive new cold brew nitro can or whatever. But Stumptowns take on the form is a lot of fun, and will be appearing in an extremely limited drop timed for 4/20. Available only in their Portland stores (excluding the airport), Stumptowns CBD Cold Brew Elixir is a collaborative effort with East Fork Cultivars, one of Oregons leading craft hemp and cannabis farms, per the press release. The three-ounce drink pairs the coffee companys original Cold Brew concentratewhich is twice the strength of their regular Cold Brewwith 15mg of USDA organic water soluble CBD extract. CBD Cold Brew Elixir is a 420 exclusive product with an extremely limited run; only 1,000 total bottles are being made available for purchase. Each three-ounce bottle will cost the exact price we all expect it to: $4.20 (which makes you wonder why it isnt a 4.20 ounce bottle). So tomorrow if youre looking to dabble with a doobie or get trippy with a tipple, head on over to any non-airport Portland Stumptown location and get you a mellow high. For more information, visit Stumptown Coffees official website. Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge. Top image via Stumptown Coffee Roasters Disclosure: Stumptown Coffee is an advertising partner with the Sprudge Media Network. With the addition of three added driving entrants the sixth leg of the NAADA trotting series, this week presented at Yonkers Raceway, was split into two divisions. A pair of six-horse fields competing for purses of $8,000 were conducted before the betting card. And when the judges hung the official signs, series regulars Alan Schwartz and Paul Minore each hustled their charges to victories in their respective splits. Schwartz went an overland trip with his Ladys Big Stormont to score a 2:00.2 triumph while Minore used the front-end route to 2:01.4 victory with his own Glenferrie Dreamer over his rivals. In Schwartz's contest, he left softly from the five-hole with Ladys Big Stormont, took a tuck and was third along the pylons. Pearly Allen showed the way with Wygant Prince with Joe Pennacchio and Santini caught on the limb in the :28.4 first stanza. Heading to the half Wygant Prince and Santini were head-to-head with the former getting first call as the timer flashed :59. But up the backside Schwartz and Ladys Big Stormont rallied but were forced three-deep into the final turn. Undaunted, Ladys Big Stormont battled valiantly down the lane and kept a hard-closing Osprey Vision and driver Joe Lee at bay for a neck triumph. Wygant Prince held on for third money. This was one of the better races that my trotter has gone this year, Schwartz acknowledged. We got pushed three-deep in the final turn but Ladys Big Stomont dug in and hung tough in the lane to hold off a fast-closing Joe Lee (with Osprey Vision). In the second division Paul Minore guided his own Glenferrie Dreamer to a hard-fought victory over what appeared to be the tougher of the two splits. Minore took advantage of the pole position and coasted to the lead in a :29.3 first quarter and caught a real break when last week's winner, Tough Get Going (Joe Faraldo), had a tough time getting going after making a break before the start, rendering him virtually out of the race. Dave Offenberg and Fiji made a serious challenge before the half but Glenferrie Dreamer kept him at bay after a breaking Noble Warrawee (Bob Hechkoff) scattered the field. And although he rallied to be second under the wire Noble Warrawee was disqualified. Third place finisher, Permanent Joy (Bob Krivelin) was awarded second money. Fiji took home the show dough. The NAADA series moves back to Monticello Raceway next Thursday. (NAADA) More sophomores continue to emerge and improve approaching the 2019 Pepsi North America Cup, now less than two months away. Thursday's card at the home of the North America Cup, Woodbine Mohawk Park, featured a pair of winners still eligible for Canadian harness racing's richest prize. In the evening's fourth race, the public put its support behind 2018 Champlain stake winner Cruise Captain, making his second start of the year. With Sylvain Filion at the controls, Cruise Captain sat patiently early as Suprising Credit (Jody Jamieson) fronted the field early before ceding to longshot Size Me Up (Louis-Philippe Roy). Filion was third with Cruise Captain through the mid-stages of the mile, with The Regulator (Phil Hudon) on his back from the onset. Cruise Captain was asked to drive on from third approaching teh third quarter, with Hudon taking that tow to track from second over with The Regulator, as the third station was reached in 1:24. A stretch-drive slugfest ensued with Size Me Up not giving way, Cruise Captain continuing to close and The Regulator tipping over cover to make it a three-way dance. As those three approached the wire, The Regulator had just enough to power past and trip the timer for the 1:53.4 score at odds of nearly 30-1. Cruise Captain nosed out Size Me Up for second. Trained by Victor Puddy, The Regulator (Bettors Delight - Exotic Pleasure) is now two-for-three as a sophomore, listed at 90-1 in the TROT Magazine's 2019 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book. Puddy also co-owns the sophomore gelding with Dale Towle of Leamington and Michael Horwood of Tecumseh, Ont. The ninth race featured the first lifetime start of Mohawk Seelster, the highest priced Standardbred yearling ever sold at auction in Canada. He came through in first attempt to earn back some of that $220,000 London Selected Yearling Sale price tag with a wire-to-wire score against a group of maidens competing for a $15,000 purse. Randy Waples engineered the victory, a 1:56.2 mile over a track rated as sloppy with a two-second variant. Eric Adams trains Mohawk Seelster (Sportswriter - Machapelo Rose) for owner Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. Mohawk Seelster was assessed odds of 110-1 in the N.A. Cup Spring Book. To view the results from Thursday's card of harness racing at Mohawk, click the following link: Thursday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. Western Stepp spent the winter in Florida and went 0-for-8 at Pompano, although finishing second by a head and a nose in her last two starts there. But in only her second start back at Plainridge Park where she captured five races last year, Western Stepp got back to her winning ways by taking the $14,000 Winners-Over featured pace for fillies and mares in gate to wire fashion on Thursday afternoon (April 18). Western Stepp (Mitchell Cushing) flew off the wings and had the front by the eighth pole, seating an aggressive Always Be Lucy (Shawn Gray) in the process. She got to the quarter in :27.2 before tapping the brakes and slowing the second panel to :57.2. It was there that last weeks feature winner Spilling The Beans (Mike Stevenson) pulled first up and drew almost even with the leader. As the pair paced up the backside, Spilling The Beans matched strides with Western Stepp but couldnt get the advantage. When they hit three-quarters in 1:25, Cushing fed his mare some line and she obliged him with a burst of speed. Western Stepp put away Spilling The Beans and established a two-length advantage coming into the stretch. Cushing continued pushing her by bouncing in the bike for the length of the lane and won by two wrapped-up in 1:53.3. It was the 28th lifetime tally for Western Stepp ($3.80) who is owned by Diane Dunn and trained by James Dunn. Cushing also took the $12,000 co-featured conditioned fillies and mares pace with Twin B Halo who tipped three-wide from fourth midway through the final bend to overpower Cantala (Nick Graffam) mid-stretch and win by a length in 1:55.4. Twin B Halo ($4.80) is owned by Bill Reepmeyer and Jackie Greene, who also does the training. Drew Campbell and Mike Stevenson both had driving doubles on the card as well. There were some huge payouts in the days fourth race when the favoured Bliss And Luck (Paul Silva) was disqualified for interference. That allowed the 26-1 Fox Valley Salsa (Shane Taggart) to be moved into the win position by the judges where she returned $54.60. But the hammer really fell when the $2 trifecta of 7-1-6 doled out $20,998.60 and the $2 7-1-6-all superfecta returned $14,519.60. When racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Friday afternoon (April 19) at 4:00 p.m., there will be a carryover pool of $1,590.51 for the Wicked Hi-5 pentafecta in the sixth race. (with files from the Standardbred Owners of Massachusetts) Hyderabad-based power and infrastructure company GVK Power & Infrastructure, which operates the Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL), has offered to sell 49 per cent stake in its airport arm GVK Airport Holdings to sovereign wealth funds Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and the National Investment & Infrastructure Fund (NIIF). The company, did not disclose the value of the deal, but maintained that it will raise capital to refinance debt obligations of up to Rs 5,750 crore. The stake sale is being seen as a strategy to stave off overtures from Gautam Adani, who had expressed interest to buy the flagship Mumbai airport. In January, Gautam Adani-led Adani Group had reportedly proposed to buy 23.5 per cent stake of two South African firms Bidvest and Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) in the MIAL, according to a report on The Economic Times. As on December 31, 2018, GVK Group held 50.5 per cent stake in MIAL, while South Africa's Bidvest Group and ACSA owned 13.5 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) owned the remaining 26 per cent. In February this year, GVKAHL had acquired 10 per cent stake from ACSA along with the earlier acquisition of 13.5 per cent from Bidvest, increasing the equity shareholding of the GVK Group to 74 per cent from the existing 50.5 per cent of the total paid-up share capital of MIAL. GVK manages and operates the Chhatrapati Shivaji Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) and has also won the mandate to build and operate India's largest Greenfield airport at Navi Mumbai. "GVK Power & Infrastructure announced that its subsidiaries, GVK Airport Developers (GVKADL) and GVK Airport Holdings (GVKAHL), have signed a term sheet and exclusivity agreement with the ADIA and the NIIF for an investment in new shares in GVKAHL equating to a 49% stake," the company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange. GVK Power said the transaction was subject to conclusion of confirmatory due diligence by ADIA and NIIF, agreement on definitive documents and satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory and third party approvals and lender consents. Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited was acting as the exclusive financial advisor to GVK for the transaction. ADIA and NIIF have been selected as the preferred partners by GVK. The company intends to use all proceeds from the proposed transaction towards retiring debt obligations. Commenting on the development, GVK founder and chairman GVK Reddy said, "We are delighted to sign these agreements with ADIA and NIIF. The funds brought in through this proposed transaction will help us deleverage as we continue with our endeavours to create the infrastructure for a strong aviation hub in India that will provide the impetus for growth and development for the entire country. Our future focus will be on delivering Navi Mumbai Internationa Airport, successfully monetising Mumbai airport's real estate and building a strong airports business at GVK." Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: AI offers "special stranded" fares to international passengers of Jet Airways Also Read: SpiceJet announces 24 new domestic flights connecting Mumbai, Delhi to Tier II cities There are three organizations that set 'international standards' concerning equine races. The list of the three organizations appears below. the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities (IFHA) Recent press releases and political advocacy campaigns in the U.S. have made reference to the need to adopt international standards. The implied standards referenced are those of the International Federation of Horse Racing Authorities, embodied in 87 pages of an International Agreement. No racing regulatory authority empowered to make or enforce rules anywhere in North America is allowed to vote on adoption of those standards, although individual members of the European Union may. By contrast, the ARCI standards are the result of cooperative discussions between all aspects of the racing industry and are adopted upon the votes of the actual racing regulatory authorities who have been given the statutory ability to adopt and enforce such policies. The ARCI does not limit those regulatory authorities allowed to vote. The standards of all three organizations are substantially similar, although the ARCI Model Rules are more exhaustive with regard to many matters. One major difference deals with whether to permit the controlled and disclosed administration of furosemide on race day, an equine welfare program adopted decades ago designed to mitigate or prevent EIPH, exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage. The ARCI has been setting international standards for 85 years. Those standards are embodied in the ARCI Model Rules of Racing of which all but 53 of its 468 pages apply to equine races and associated wagering. (ARCI) This month the American government designated the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) as a terrorist organization. The 100,000 strong IRGC (and several hundred thousand part-timers) mainly exists to protect the religious dictatorship of Iran. That means they terrorize and murder Iranians on a regular basis. Outside Iran, the Quds Force (part of the IRGC) has, for decades, set up and supported terrorist organizations worldwide. For significant operations (Iraq, Syria) many non-Quds IRGC personnel are used as well as some regular Iranian military specialists. Few dispute that the IRGC protects and supports Islamic terrorism but Iran always maintained the IRGC was defending Islam and the religious leaders of Iran and what could possibly be wrong with that. The American designation will mean major problems for known IRGC members who travel outside of Iran and for the many companies (mainly in Iran) the IRGC owns and profits from. Iran responded by declaring the American military international terrorists but that has little or no impact since Iran and the IRGC have been attacking and killing American military personnel (and civilians) for decades. The IRGC is also quite active, although not as homicidal, inside Iran against Iranians. The widespread anti-government protests continue and the IRGC plays a role in identifying protest leaders as well as organizing counter-protests (using IRGC personnel or Iranians ordered to participate). IRGC will also use operatives in civilian clothes to attack Iranian protesters. Women who continue to protest dress restrictions, especially those who find photos or videos of their actions appearing on the Internet or other media, will be tracked down with the help of the IRGC and then arrested by the lifestyle police and often held in IRGC prisons. The IRGC also has Cyber War units that are used inside Iran to identify Iranians using the Internet to criticize the government. Outside Iran, these hackers are used for raising cash as well as assisting terror operations. Iraq President Hassan Rohani of Iran came to Iraq on the March 11th for an official visit and left many Iraqis wondering if Rohani went home believing Iraqis were feeling comfortable with their eastern neighbor. Iran seems to think Iraq has become an extension of Iran. Yet a growing number of Iraqis are openly demanding that Iran back off. Senior Iraqi Shia clerics told Rohani that Iraqis would not tolerate Iranian pressure or respond well to Iranian pressure. Actually, it gets worse than that because Iraq, which Iran hoped to annex or at least turn into a compliant client state, is not cooperating. In part, because Arab Shia have always disliked the Iranian (Indo-European) Shia and vice versa. Iraqi Shia get regular reports of how badly Iran still (after thousands of years) treats its Arab minority. So while the Shia dominated government of Iraq pretends to be friendly and grateful towards Iran, it is becoming obvious to Iran that this is all for show and not real. Opinion polls in Iraq make it clear that most Iraqis are hostile to Iran and Iranian intentions. These suspicious attitudes are on the rise. This does not mean the Iraqis are above making some cash in somewhat questionable transactions. But becoming an appendage of Iran is not going to happen willingly no matter how much the Iranians threaten, cajole and scheme. The Iranian backed PMF militias are also having trust issues. A growing number of PMF members are losing belief in the superiority of the Iranian Shia religious dictatorship. Over a year of increasing popular protests against the Iranian government has not gone unnoticed. Iran has ordered that the Iraqi PMF units purge their ranks of members who appear to have lost their willingness to do whatever they are ordered to do (like trying to overthrow the Iraqi government or attack Iraqi or foreign troops). This includes attacks on PMF units that were never (or no longer) controlled by Iranian advisors or reliable Iraqi Shia Arabs. Iraqis are particularly angry at pro-Iran PMF leaders who keep talking about attacking American troops as part of a campaign to get the 5,200 American troops out of Iraq. Most Iraqis understand that without the presence of those Americans Iraqi would be even more threatened by most of their neighbors (Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia). Even many Iraqis who are not particularly pro-American recognize this use of American troops as a protection force. The Americans arent there to fight Iraqis but to keep the neighbors from making life difficult for an independent Iraq. Syria Israel wants Iran out of Syria and would prefer that the Syrian Kurds got their autonomy. Israel is willing to make a peace deal with Syria and Turkey. Israel has successfully attacked Iranian efforts to build a military infrastructure (bases, arms factories, forces on the Israeli border) in Syria and this has made the Iranian leadership angrier and very frustrated. Iran is seen as even more unstable and unpredictable than Turkey. While Iran has backed off from the Israeli border and spent more time and effort concealing its operations and personnel in Syria, there are still plans to destroy Israel. These apparently revolve around upgrading over 10,000 of the longer (50 kilometers or more) range rockets Iran has provided Hezbollah. The upgrade is mainly about adding GPS guidance systems that will allow for precision attacks on Israeli targets (especially populated areas). Mass use of these rockets could overwhelm Israeli anti-missile defenses. Russia has taken the lead in brokering agreements or understandings to deal with disagreements with Turkey or Iran over who will get what in Syria. So far Russia has had limited success with Iran and Turkey. Israel has been willing to work with Russia and that has proved useful for both countries. Israel and Russia have been cooperating in Syria for years but Turkey and Iran are determined to have their way despite the opposition they are encountering. Iran has been spending a lot less on Syrian operations because Iran has less cash to operate with. The IRGC budget for foreign operations (especially Syria and Lebanon) have been cut, apparently in a big way. The Iranian mercenary force in Syria is undergoing a reorganization and downsizing. The IRGC explains this away by describing it as a redeployment for the attack on Israel. The reality is that there is a lot less cash to pursue that goal and the IRGC is actually trying to avoid more Israeli airstrikes if only because this implies that Israel continues to win this war with Iran. In Lebanon the well-established (since the 1980s when founded by the IRGC) Hezbollah has done the unthinkable and is asking the public for donations because Iranian subsidies have been cut, apparently drastically. The Iran government is spending more money to relieve the economic problems most Iranian face. Meanwhile, there are a number of complications in Syria that have led to a military stalemate. Many of these revolve around what to do with the Syrian Kurds. Iran has problems with Israel in Syria, as well as its own allies. The Iranians want the Syrian government (controlled by the Assad clan) to accept Iranian domination (as Hezbollah does in Lebanon) and agrees with Turkey that the Syrian Kurds should not get autonomy and should accept rule by the Iranian backed Syrian government as well as Turkish control of border areas. Iran has a major problem in that no one wants them in Syria much less acting as an occupying military force dedicated to starting a war with Israel. The Russians would prefer that the Turks and Iranians got out of Syria and that the Assads and Kurds worked out a compromise, which the two seem willing to do. Iran is a major impediment to such a deal. The Americans, Israelis and most other Middle Eastern nations agree with this approach. In Gaza, Iranian agents are trying to convince the Islamic terror groups there to unite and cooperate to make a ceasefire with Israel work. That would enable Iran to pay for a military buildup similar to Hezbollah, which has Iran financed since the 1980s. There are several factors that cripple the southern Hezbollah effort. First Iran and Hezbollah are Shia and the Gulf Arab states are largely Sunni and basically at war with Shia Iran because of that. This is crucial because Iran is currently broke, because of low oil prices, revived American economic sanctions and decades of corrupt rule by a religious dictatorship, Iran is unable to finance two Hezbollahs. Actually, payments to Hezbollah have been cut recently and Hezbollah is openly seeking new sources of income. Hamas has always received the bulk of its foreign aid from Gulf Arab oil states and the United States. Both of these sources have largely dried up because Hamas refuses to make peace and allow the formation of a united Palestinian government. Afghanistan Iranians, Indians and Afghans generally agree that Pakistan has no interest in abandoning its use of certain Islamic terror groups (like the Taliban) as a way to put pressure on neighbors. This is considered a problem for everyone, especially the Afghans. Worse, few people in the region (especially Afghans and Iranians) expect the Taliban to agree to a ban on Afghanistan again becoming a sanctuary for Islamic terrorists. Many Afghans are wondering why the Americans are even negotiating with the Taliban, who have long demonstrated that they cannot be trusted. Iranians are particularly wary of this as they see the Taliban as inherently anti-Iranian. Iran also has issues with the Afghan drug gangs, who continue to produce, with Pakistani cooperation, all that heroin, opium and hashish. Much of it gets out of Afghanistan via Iran and that has turned the Iran/Afghan border into an increasingly bloody battle zone. At the same time, Afghans worry that Iran has some secret plans for the 10,000 Afghan Shia who returned to Afghanistan after serving several years as Iranian mercenaries in the Syrian civil war. The risk of death or permanent injury was great but the pay was good (up to a thousand dollars or more a month) and, until the Americans revived economic sanctions against Iran in 2017, it was relatively easy to have that money sent back to families in Afghanistan or Iranian refugee camps. Many of these Afghan Shia stayed in Iran or even accepted the Iranian offer to settle in Syria in a program for militia veterans that is less extensive than Iran hoped because of budget problems. The American sanctions have reduced what Iran can afford to spend in Syria and that is why so many Afghan Shia militiamen were discharged and sent back to Iran or Afghanistan. Those who arrived back in Afghanistan were respected by their families for their efforts (and the money sent back) but most Afghans, even many Shia, are suspicious that Iran may eventually try to revive their Afghan mercenary units inside Afghanistan. Pakistan This Pakistani use of Islamic terrorists has caused problems with neighbors like Iran (Pakistani zealots kill Pakistani Shia), China (Pakistani zealots attack Chinese investments and the Chinese running them) and India (Pakistani zealots seek to terrorize India and seize control of Kashmir and eventually all of India). These neighbors have become increasingly forceful in their demands that the Pakistani government do something about this. Pakistan placates the Iranians by refusing to provide military assistance to the Arabs in Yemen, or against any Iranian military operation directed at the Gulf Arabs. Now Pakistan has to deal with increasingly angry Arabs who threaten to halt the cash infusions that the Pakistani economy increasingly depends on. The Chinese demand quick and effective action against Pakistan supported Islamic terrorists who threaten Chinese investments. This was one of the reasons for the 2014 campaign against many of the Islamic terror groups operating from Pakistani bases. Pakistan had hoped the Chinese would replace the Arabs as a source of cash support but the Chinese dont operate that way. China makes investments and does not provide cash gifts like the Arabs and, until recently, the Americans. The United States has halted all cash support for Pakistan because the Pakistanis would not shut down Islamic terror groups that attacked American interests. Now the Pakistanis know that if the Chinese feel they are being played like the Americans were, the Chinese will not be patient or forgiving. The Americans are no longer as accommodating as they used to be and the Iranians never were. India is a nuclear power with a larger army and economy than Pakistan. India is also losing patience and threatening war. Pakistan has to worry about too many past mistakes catching up with them at once. China has told Pakistan openly that China is not an ally or protector of Pakistan. China is a business partner and as long as business continues there will be a Chinese presence in Pakistan. The same rules are applied to everyone else. China does business with Iran and the Sunni Arab states Iran is at war with. Same with Russia and Ukraine. China will make some efforts to protect its investments but is reluctant to send in troops, or free money. April 18, 2019: In Syria, the government is suffering a serious fuel shortage. Since late 2018 Iran has not been able to smuggle in petroleum products by sea. The Americans have been successful at finding the halting the use of tankers. Egypt has cooperated by honoring American requests to block suspected smuggling tankers from the Suez Canal. Tankers that can fit through the Suez Canal but take the long way (around South Africa) to Syria are automatically suspicious. Iran is short of cash to pay for more detection-proof smuggling efforts and is doing what it can by sending fuel to Syria via truck. April 17, 2019: Iraqi border police arrested an Iranian cleric at a border crossing and accused the cleric of being part of a criminal gang that smuggled drugs into Iraq. Iran protested this but most Iranians know that many of their clerics are corrupt and are often protected by the senior Shia clerics to operate the religious dictatorship in Iran. April 16, 2019: In Syria (Aleppo), eleven people were killed when Russian troops clashed with an Iran backed local militia. Three of the dead were civilians while the rest were militia (nationality not mentioned). Russia has sent military police battalions, composed of Russian Moslems, to Syria to deal with troublesome pro-government militias. The most bothersome militias tend to be the ones created by Iran using foreign mercenaries and the Russian military police have orders to arrest or open fire on any of these militias that misbehave. Syria cannot do this without offending Iran while the Russians can and everyone understands that the Russians are performing a needed serviced. In Yemen, the government revealed that it had shot down eleven rebel UAVs equipped with explosives and sent to attack the Yemen parliament which has resumed meeting in the southeast (Hadramawt province). There is still some threat from these Iranian supplied UAVs, but while these are smaller and easier to smuggle in there appears to be a limited number of them left in Yemen because of the numerous Arab air raids during 2019 against bases they operate from. While the ballistic missile attacks have been halted there has only been a reduction in the use of armed (with explosives) UAV attacks. Government forces first encountered Iranian UAVs equipped with explosives in early 2018. There were a few successful attacks with these UAVs used as cruise missiles but since late 2018 the coalition has been quick to detect and destroy these UAVs, either in the air or on the ground. April 15, 2019: Massive flooding has done enormous damage in northern Iran and has left 79 dead and caused over two billion dollars in damage so far. Yet few foreign nations are sending much, if any, aid. Back in 2000 and 2003, when even more devastating (especially in terms of injuries) earthquakes hit Iran the outpouring of international aid was huge. It included the United States which not only sent material but also medical and rescue personnel who operated field hospitals and search and rescue operations. In 2019 Iranians have noted the lack of international disaster relief and the inability of the government to provide much help either. This attributed to the continuing government emphasis on supporting overseas military and terror operations on a large scale. That results in a lack of money for essential projects in Iran, including such basic items like pay salaries to some government employees to workers in companies owned by corrupt government officials or the IRGC. Since 2005 or so the Iranian government has become more hostile, deliberately unleashing the IRGC and Quds force in more areas with orders to create more mayhem. Actions have consequences. Yet some nations did send aid, but not much of it and some of the aid was controversial. In Iraq, Shia political and religious leaders are openly criticizing pro-Iran PMF militias going to Iran to assist in the areas where floods occurred. The same heavy rains have caused flooding in northern Iraq and assistance is needed there as well. The Iraqi Shia leaders insisted that Iraq came first. The PMF militias are now part of the Iraqi armed forces and are paid for that. Iran backed PMF militias are unpopular in Iraq because they tend to do what they want and disobey orders from Iraqi military leaders who, in theory, oversee PMF militias. The Iranian government needs all the help it can get with the flood relief because so far the government has not done a lot for the victims of the floods and people in the flooded areas are angry at the government for that. Lebanese Hezbollah militiamen also showed up in Iran to help with the floods, which makes sense since Iran helped create Hezbollah in the 1980s and has provided the group with billions of dollars in aid since then. Saudi Arabia and the UAE 95 tons of food and other emergency supplies to help with the flood relief effort. Turkey is sending five truckloads of supplies. In Yemen, the Iran-backed Shia rebels now say they will finally implement the December peace deal that was supposed to reopen the Red Sea port of Hodeida, which is essential for delivering emergency food and other aid to northern Yemen. Iran had persuaded the Shia rebels to stall but that advice lost its appeal as the rebel situation worsened everywhere, not just at Hodeida. Iran had problems of its own at home and elsewhere and as not been able to help much. April 14, 2019: American sanctions enforcement officials are pressuring India to crack down on Indian shipping companies who break the law (several laws actually) by having their tankers move Iranian oil to Syria. This is done by shutting off AIS (legally required tracking system) as it approaches Syria, unloading the oil and then leave. The Americans have identified many of the Indian owned tankers doing this sort of thing, including one that ran aground on the Syrian coast and was stuck for a while before tugs could be brought in to pull it off the beach. April 13, 2019: In western Syria (Hama province), Israel launched another airstrike, from Lebanese airspace, on Iranian guided missile facilities. This site is rumored to be where Iran is carrying out nuclear weapons research. Foreign technical experts have been seen at the site, including some North Koreans and Russian speakers. Several people were killed, including two Iranians, and possibly other foreigners. Numerous structures were destroyed. Israel apparently coordinated this attack with Russia, which is according to an understanding Russia has with Israel. April 12, 2019: In the west (Khuzestan province), riot police and IRGC personnel were deployed to deal with more public protests against how the flood damage was handled (or ignored). Since 2003 the Iranian Arabs in Khuzestan have been increasingly vocal, and often violent, about the harsh and increasingly corrupt rule of the Iranian Shia. Iran is acutely aware of how unruly its own Arab minority (a few percent of the population) can be. Most Iranian oil is pumped from the ancestral lands of these Arabs, who are bitter about how they receive little from all that oil income. The three million Arabs in Khuzestan province (formerly Arabistan) are Shia and have been ruled by non-Arab Iranians for centuries. Arab unrest here has grown since 2003 when the Sunni dictatorship was overthrown in Iraq and the Shia majority won elections to take power. Iranian Arabs noted that the Iraqi Shia were now getting most of the Iraqi oil income, unlike just across the border in Khuzestan. Since 2003 hundreds of Iranian Arabs have been arrested for separatist activities. Many are still in prison and over 30 have been executed. April 11, 2019: The government announced it was reviving many of its nuclear research projects. While all of these are described as dealing with nuclear power, many are dual-use (can also be used for nuclear weapons research). April 8, 2019: The United States designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization. This is expected to interfere with Iranian arms smuggling operations. Irans second largest airline, Mahan Air, began scheduled service to Venezuela recently. Iran is believed to already have some IRGC personnel in Venezuela and has discussed sending more, but openly. The Quds Force supports many illegal, and some legal Iranian and Hezbollah operations in South America. These are no secret and one of the few countries where Quds and the IRGC can operate openly is Venezuela. The U.S. blacklisted Mahan in 2011 because it was being used to support Quds Force operations. In January 2019 Germany banned Mahan Air from landing in Germany. The IRGC was shown to be operating Mahan Air to move equipment and personnel for terror operations in and out of Germany. The IRGC operates several freighter aircraft, most of them B-747s. The IRGC owns several Iranian airlines, including Mahan Air. The IRGC has been noticed using two B-747 freighter air aircraft they acquired in early 2017 when the IRGC revived a bankrupt Iranian air freight company. At first, it was thought this was simply another example of the IRGC taking over more of the Iranian economy. But by studying how the two 747s were used Israel concluded that these air transports were being used to move military equipment. One clue was the fact that so many flights tried to stay as far away from Israeli air space as possible even if it meant greatly increasing the cost of the flights. In response to IRGC being declared a terrorist organization China, a key Russian and Iranian ally, has openly suggested that Iran undertake a strategic retreat from Syria to prevent further chaos in the region that would endanger Chinese investments in Iran and, eventually, post-war Syria. China believes Iranian aggressiveness against Israel and Sunni Arab states is self-defeating and potentially trouble for nations, like China, that do business with Iran despite the sanctions. Israeli media revealed that Hezbollah, with Iranian help, had established a new missile factory in the Lebanese capital (Beirut). Also revealed were the location of some Hezbollah bases in Syria, including several near the Israeli border. April 7, 2019: In Yemen, the Shia rebels launched another Iranian UAV (carrying explosives) at a target in southwest Saudi Arabia. The UAV was shot down by the Saudis as it entered Saudi air space. April 4, 2019: Pakistan has reopened one of the 11 air routes Indian air routes use to reach Afghanistan, Iran and points west. Airlines serving Afghanistan have been demanding that the government do something about the continued Pakistani ban on anyone using their air space. Pakistan is apparently planning to gradually reopen these routes. These flight bans have been in place for nearly two months and have cost Afghanistan, airlines and passengers over $10 million so far. Because of the air battles in Kashmir between Pakistan and India in late February Pakistani airspace has been closed since then and it is costing Afghanistan a lot of money and costing people flying to or from Afghanistan a lot more cash and time as well. Afghanistan gets a $500 fee for every commercial aircraft that passes through Afghan air space and in a normal month there were over 400 such flights a day. But because of the Pakistani flight restrictions, Afghan international air overflights are down to 20-30 a day. In the last month alone that has cost Afghanistan over seven million dollars. Flying from Afghanistan to India became more difficult. For the first time Iran allowed Afghan transports to reach India via Iranian air space (to the Indian Ocean and then east to India.) This took a lot longer (and was more expensive in terms of fuel and other operating expenses). Via Pakistan, the flights take 90 minutes. Via Iran, the same flights take 300 minutes. Thus passengers had to pay $300 to fly to India versus the usual rate of $160. The air space closures have no end date because Pakistan called the air space closure indefinite, at least until the Pakistani government changes that. April 3, 2019: The United States declassified its data on Iranian attacks on American troops from 2003-11. This data showed that Iranian-backed groups were responsible for 17 percent of the American combat deaths in Iraq. Thats 608 dead and more than two thousand wounded. March 27, 2019: In Syria, Israel launched another airstrike on Iranian facilities, this time outside Aleppo. Seven people were killed and at least one warehouse full of weapons and explosives blew up. Israel apparently coordinated this attack with Russia, which is according to an understanding Russia has with Israel. March 25, 2019: Iran and Syria have made it official; Iran will assist the Assad government in regaining control of all of Syria and will back efforts to reopen all border crossings with Iraq. In southern Israel, a long-range rocket fired from Iran backed Hamas into Israel exploded in a village outside Tel Aviv, wounding seven Israelis. The rocket was not intercepted by Iron Dome because there was no Iron Dome stationed that far from Gaza. At first, Hamas insisted the rocket attack was an accident. Then they said it was carried out by Iranians without permission from Hamas leaders. Finally, Hamas leaders admitted that they ordered the attack. It is unclear why efforts were made to deny responsibility. In the end, Egypt was able to confirm that Hamas had ordered the attack and some Hamas officials confirmed that. In retaliation for his attack, Israel carried out dozens of air and artillery strikes against Hamas facilities in Gaza. This included bombing the new Hamas headquarters and intelligence service buildings. Hamas believed Israel did not know the location of these buildings but the Israelis did and demolished the two multistory buildings in a residential neighborhood. Egypt quickly arranged a ceasefire in Gaza but that did not last because rockets were again fired into Israel and these attacks and Israeli retaliation attacks continued for two more days. The United States officially backed the Israeli annexation of the Golan Heights, which Syria still considers as Syrian. Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since 1967 when they took the area after Syrian used these heights to attack Israeli territory to the south that was on lower ground. In 1981 Israel annexed the area. The UN opposed this but that had no impact on the situation. Israel points out that Syria has never made a serious efforts to retake the Golan Heights since 1973. In that respect Israel considers the Golan Heights abandoned property and has absorbed it. Iran has told Syria that Iranian forces will help return Golan to Syrian control. Syrian leaders are nervous about that offer because the Iranians dont seem any more likely to take Golan back than anyone else. March 22, 2019: In the southeast, across the border in Baluchistan Pakistan turned over four Iranian soldiers who had been taken in October 2018 by Iranian Sunni Baluchi separatists. Pakistani troops found the four were being held in an area where the borders of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan met and was able to rescue the Iranian troops. This Baluchi border violence has been going on for decades. Pakistan keeps getting blamed for the continued presence of Iranian Sunni separatists in Pakistani Baluchistan. Pakistan tries but the Baluchis live on both sides of the border and Iranian and Pakistani Baluchis want to create an independent Baluchistan that includes a chunk of southeast Iran where most of the Iranian Baluchis live. One of the usual suspects, Iranian separatist group Jaish al Adl, is particularly hated by the Iranians. In late 2018 Iran threatened to send troops across the Pakistani border to find and destroy Iranian Jaish al Adl camps in Pakistan if the Pakistani security forces did not take action and neither did the IRGC. Question: What are some of Lourdes' early jobs in California in Enrique's Journey? Enrique's Journey Enrique's Journey is a nonfiction book written by Sonia Nazario and published in 2006. It follows Enrique, a 17-year-old boy who travels from Honduras to the United States looking for his mom, Lourdes. In the novel, Lourdes first moved to the United States in search for a job that would allow her to send money back to Honduras and support her son. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Create your account View this answer Question: What happened at the Battle of Little Bighorn? The Battle of Little Bighorn: In 1868, the United States government signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie with a minority faction of the Lakota and began the process of forcing the Lakota onto reservations. The result was an intensification of the Sioux Wars, fought between the USA and Plains Indian tribes until about 1890. One of the major turning points in this war was the Battle of Little Bighorn, also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Create your account View this answer The second phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019 concluded with over 67.55 per cent voter turnout across 95 constituencies in 11 states and a Union Territory. Voter turnout in Tamil Nadu, where polls were held for maximum 38 seats, was 61.76 per cent. It was 77.49 per cent in Puducherry; 76.42 per cent in West Bengal; 76.42 per cent in Assam; 62.06 per cent in Uttar Pradesh; 45.64 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir; 62.04 per cent in Bihar; 67.96 per cent in Karnataka; 61.76 per cent in Maharashtra; 77.86 per cent in Manipur; 58.38 per cent in Odisha; and 73.05 per cent in Chhattisgarh. Five more phases are remaining, and the third phase of the Lok Sabha election will be held on April 23. The final results will be announced on May 23. Lok Sabha Election 2019: Phase 2 voting today; FAQs, all you need to know about polling on 95 constituencies Here are the latest updates on the Lok Sabha election 2019. 3.25pm: "Mulayam Singh is not a fake OBC like PM Modi," says Mayawati. Mayawati in Mainpuri: Isme koi sandeh nahi hai ki inhone (Mulayam) SP ke banner ke tale UP mein sabhi samaj ke logon ko apni party mein joda hai. Ye PM Modi ki tarah nakli veh farzi pichde varg ke nahi hain, Mulayam ji asli hain. janam-jaat pichde varg ke hain. pic.twitter.com/6bv3DDesdY - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019 3.15pm: Rajinikanth on his entry into politics: The superstar says he will enter the politics only when there's "Assembly election" in the state. On informing about the superstar trending on Twitter, he said: "I can understand their (people's) anxiety. I won't let them down." Rajinikanth on being asked if he will contest state polls if AIADMK falls short of majority after assembly bypolls: Whenever it is announced I am ready. I will decide after May 23 #TamilNadupic.twitter.com/mjfR10xeRg - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 3.05pm: Digvijaya Singh on Pragya Thakur's comment on Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare: "EC has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army&martyrs." 3.02pm: "What is he? Gujarat's hitler?" asks man who slapped Hardik Patel. Tarun Gajjar: Then again during his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler? (2/2) https://t.co/QXo30wJmAB - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 3.01pm: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat, tells ANI: "My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then, I'll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow." 2.52pm: EC files complaint against Milind Deora for violating MCC. Maharashtra: EC files complaint against Milind Deora for violating MCC Read @ANI Story| https://t.co/hH3NUTe2Fzpic.twitter.com/XfvBG4FRS9 - ANI Digital (@ani_digital) April 19, 2019 2.29pm: Mulayama Singh thanks Mayawati for campaigning for him in Mainpuri, UP: "Aaj Mayawati ji ayi hain, unka hum swagat karte hain, aadar karte hain. Hume khushi hai ki hamare samarthan ke liye wo ayi hain. (We welcome and honour Mayawati ji who has come here to support us)." 1.51pm: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar admitted to hospital after being thrashed by Congress supporters. Gujarat: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar earlier today was admitted to hospital after being thrashed following the incident pic.twitter.com/aTrgQ1nhIU - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 12.50pm: Asaduddin Owaisi on Sadhvi Pragya's remarks on Hemant Karkare: "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' & 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government How DARE BJP insult our martyrs like this?" The BJP candidate from Bhopal, Sadhvi Pragya, had earlier said: "Hemant Karkare falsely implicated me [in Malegaon blasts] and treated me very badly. I told him your entire dynasty will be erased. He died of his karma," Sadhvi Pragya said. Karkare had died in action during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' & 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government How DARE BJP insult our martyrs like this?https://t.co/YGWWO1GODb - Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 19, 2019 12.39pm: "The papu @rahulgandhi says 'All MODI's are CHORs'. Well he will be taken to court in the UK by Me," says Lalit Modi. The #papu@rahulgandhi says "All MODI's are CHOR's". Well he will be taken to court in the UK by Me. But reality is that the world knows 5 decades of daylight #looting of #India was and is done by none other than the #Gandhi#family @narendramodipic.twitter.com/0jukYmmhF2 - Lalit Kumar Modi (@LalitKModi) April 18, 2019 12.35pm: "I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past three days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," says Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi who quit the party after it reinstated some leaders who were removed after her complaint. I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey. pic.twitter.com/WhUYYlwHLj - Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 19, 2019 12.30pm: EC notice to Rahul Gandhi for the Model Code of Conduct Violation: As per the allegations, a Congress banner was put up on a building without taking permission from its owner. Details of the printer were not mentioned on the banner. The Congress president has been asked to reply in 24 hours. 12.12pm: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says the Balakot strike is the most- important issue of the election. "Why can't it be an issue? Whenever there is a war, these issues come up? It had come during the 1971 War, and 1999 war, why not this time?" He also says if Rahul Gandhi can fight election, why can't Sadhvi Pragya, who is out in bail in the Malegaon blast case. "The whole case is a fabricated," says the BJP leader. 12.05pm: Nisar Ahmed Sayyed Bilal, 59, the father of Sayyed Azhar Nisar Ahmed, who died in the 2008 Malegaon blast, has approached the court again, this time to stop BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the forth coming Lok Sabha election from Bhopal. Bilal had earlier filed a number of applications in Mumbai special NIA court as well as Bombay High Court against the granting of bail to Pragya who is an accused in the blast case. Sadhvi was granted bail in 2017, following which Bilal approached the Supreme court for cancellation of the bail. The petition there is still pending. 12.00pm: Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has removed 'AICC National Spokesperson' from her twitter bio. She was unhappy with the party after it reinstated some of its leaders who were removed after Priyanka Chaturvedi complained about them. Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has removed 'AICC National Spokesperson' from her twitter bio pic.twitter.com/xIWvtwRaVi - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 - Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 11.48am: Congress President Rahul Gandhi to address a rally in Gujarat today. Congress President @RahulGandhi will be in Gujarat today to address a public rally. Watch him live on our social media channels. FB: https://t.co/nX8RdNUP9b YT: https://t.co/g2POk7bvU1pic.twitter.com/IScWKj0oV3 - Congress (@INCIndia) April 19, 2019 11.36am: Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat. #WATCH Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Surendranagar,Gujarat pic.twitter.com/VqhJVJ7Xc4 - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 10.55am: Bulandshahr BJP candidate Bhola Singh put on house arrest for poll code violation: "BJP candidate from Bulandshahr, Bhola Singh, has been placed under house arrest after he was caught on camera campaigning and seeking votes inside a polling station, wearing BJP's band and gears. He was taking rounds of polling booths wearing BJP bands and gears, which is a strict violation of the model code of conduct. 10.43am: The Election Commission has sought a report from the West Bengal chief electoral officer on an alleged biopic on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, reported PTI. The biopic titled ''Baghini'' is slated to release on May 3. The BJP had approached the poll panel seeking a ban on the release of the movie till the election process is over. The BJP has also asked the poll body to review the alleged biopic on the Trinamool Congress supremo. The last of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election will be held on May 19 and counting will be done on May 23. 10.25am: Former PM and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda says he has no ambition for anything but he is not going to retire from active politics. Former PM & JDS leader HD Deve Gowda: I announced three years back that I will not contest polls. There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. I have no ambition for anything but what I always said I am not going to retire from active politics. pic.twitter.com/uYTnzhasm3 - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 10.05am: Union Minister Manoj Sinha gives a provocative speech in Gazipur: "Koi purvanchal ka apradhi kisi ki aukaat nahi hai ki Gazipur ki seema mein aa kar ke BJP ke karyakarta ki taraf aankh dikhaega to vo aankh salamat nahi rahegi." Union Minister Manoj Sinha in Gazipur: Koi purvanchal ka apradhi kisi ki aukaat nahi hai ki Gazipur ki seema mein aa kar ke BJP ke karyakarta ki taraf aankh dikhaega to vo aankh salamat nahi rahegi. https://t.co/3lnrDM6KAS - ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019 9.45am: Campaigning gaining momentum for third phase of polling; Filing of nominations ends for fifth phase. Campaigning gaining momentum for third phase of polling; Filing of nominations ends for fifth phase Listen Morning news: https://t.co/foKeNcDkrU - All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) April 19, 2019 9.33am: The sizes of electorate for phase 2 of Lok Sabha election stood at 15.78 crore, of which women voters included 7.8 crore, says the EC. 9.15am: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has warned BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to desist from using references to defence forces for political propaganda and to be careful in the future. After UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Naqvi during a public meeting in Rampur, UP, had used the word 'Modi ji ki sena" as a reference to the Indian Armed Forces. 9.10am: Phase two voter turnout in Bihar. 9.05pm: Voter turnout in Uttar Pradesh. 8.59am: Mayawati and Mulayam Singh hold a joint rally after 25 years. 9.00am: BSP Supremo Mayawati and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav to jointly address a rally in Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh. - #MahaGathbandhan #MahaParivartan pic.twitter.com/QccIiFDjMX - Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) April 18, 2019 8.52am: "Modi Ji lied to you about Rs 15 lakh. We decided that the country should know the truth. Our "NYAY" plan is 100 per cent true. Through this, we will give Rs 72,000 to 20% of the country's poorest people annually? He lied, we brought the truth," says the Congress President during his rally in Gujarat. 15 "" , 20% 72,000 , : @RahulGandhi#VoteNyayVoteCongresspic.twitter.com/dpiUhiNwyV - Congress (@INCIndia) April 18, 2019 8.47am: Congress president Rahul Gandhi claims there is an undercurrent in favour of the Congress and Narendra Modi who has "failed" as Prime Minister is losing the 2019 general elections. "There is an undercurrent in favour of the Congress party. I am touring all over the country and atmosphere is good for us," he told reporters after addressing an election rally here in Gujarat, reported PTI. 8.45am: The BJP-sponsored NaMo TV can air live speeches of the PM during the "election silence period" as long as there is no reference to the candidate or constituency going to poll in that particular phase, a senior Election Commission officer said on Thursday, reported PTI. On a tweet by Congress president Rahul Gandhi seeking votes for his party on the proposed 'Nyay' scheme, the officer said it does not violate election norms as no candidate or constituency that went to polls Thursday was named. A complaint was lodged with the poll panel, urging it to take down the tweet. 8.30am: "UDF and LDF's corruption, communalism and failure to protect Kerala's culture is drawing people to BJP," says PM Modi. Happy to have campaigned in Thiruvananthapuram last evening. BJP's support base in this city has been rising over the last many years. UDF and LDF's corruption, communalism and failure to protect Kerala's culture is drawing people to BJP. Kerala politics is seeing a big shift. pic.twitter.com/VIEIPRkXem - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2019 8.15am: "It's no longer LDF or UDF for Kerala. BJP is people's choice," says PM Narendra Modi. It's no longer LDF or UDF for Kerala. BJP is people's choice. Watch from Thiruvananthapuram. https://t.co/hdrWhVHvmv - Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 18, 2019 8.00am: A day after the Election Commission postponed voting in BJP-ruled Tripura citing law and order problem, the saffron party Thursday claimed that the poll panel was 'confused' by a conspiracy hatched by the CPI(M) and the Congress, reported PTI. This 'confusion' also led the EC to remove the state's Additional Director General of Police Rajiv Singh from duty, senior BJP leader and state Law minister Ratan Lal Nath said. Earlier the CPI(M) alleged the ruling BJP in the state resorted to "massive rigging" in West Tripura Lok Sabha seat during the first phase elections on April 11. World War II (1939-1945) is often described in terms of the European and Pacific theaters, the two regions where most of the war was fought. The United States led the campaign in the Pacific Theater in an effort to invade and defeat the nation of Japan. Getting to Japan required a long process of island-hopping across the Pacific, slowly establishing new military bases from which an invasion of Japan itself could begin. The Battle of Midway was one of the first major encounters between the United States and Japan since Pearl Harbor. The battle occurred in early June of 1942, and was fought on the small atoll of Midway. The engagement was planned as a Japanese ambush, but American forces had intercepted the plans and prepared their own surprise attack. The result was an extremely decisive American victory. Not only did Japan fail to cripple the American fleet and secure the Midway Atoll, but their own fleet was actually damaged beyond repair. Japan lost four aircraft carriers and about 250 planes, a loss to their military from which they never fully recovered. America was open to begin pushing closer to Japan, and historians widely see Midway as a major turning point in the war. Question: What was the first battle of the Revolutionary War? American Revolution: America celebrates its independence from England every July 4 but this was not the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was implemented, officially stating that the colonies were no longer part of England, but a separate country in their own right. The first battles for freedom, however, had started prior to the Declaration. Answer and Explanation: Become a Study.com member to unlock this answer! Create your account View this answer The First Battle of Bull Run was the first big battle on land between the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Come learn about this fight, how it ended, and some other interesting facts. Learn all about the Battle of Chancellorsville. Explore who won the Battle of Chancellorsville, why it was important, and see the casualties of this battle. Key Civil War battles in Tennessee helped shape the outcome of the war. Learn more about the battle of Chattanooga and the battle of Chickamauga facts. Where was the Battle of Shiloh? Learn about the conflict that occurred in the Civil War, the Battle of Shiloh generals, and the battle's eventual outcome. George McClellan was a Union General in the American Civil War. He built the Army of the Potomac and led it during the Peninsula and Maryland Campaigns in 1862. Let's learn more about this complicated and fascinating Civil War general. Learn about the Battle of Fredericksburg. Explore the military strategies and outcome of this Civil War battle and discover why the battle is significant. The Siege of Petersburg was the longest battle of the Civil War. Discover a chronicle of the conflicts that played out between the Union and the Confederate armies. The Battle at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina was fought during the Civil War over the issue of slavery. Study the fight at Fort Sumter, explore the summary on sectionalism and secession, and learn the facts on surrendering Sumter. During the Civil War, African Americans had a personal stake in the outcome of the Civil War. Learn about both the slaves and free men who fought, the contraband runaways, and discover facts about how they all contributed greatly to Civil War history. The Union Blockade, designed to impair Confederate trade, created the need for Blockade Runners who snuck resources across lines for the Confederacy. Explore the definition and purpose of strategies involved in using blockades, conflicts that arose, and the development of novel naval warfare strategies that transpired during the Civil War. The First Battle of Bull Run is considered the first battle fought in the Civil War. Explore this battle through facts and a summary of events. Read about events that lead to the battle and understand the battle's significance in making Americans realize that the war would not be won easily. Explore the Second Battle of Bull Run. Learn about the outcome of the Second Battle of Bull Run, including casualties and significance to U.S. history. The Civil War was a major conflict, but each army was only as good as its commanders. In this lesson, we'll get to know a few important generals from each side and see how they influenced the Civil War. Who won the Battle of Antietam? See the Battle of Antietam summary, learn about the Battle of Antietam significance, and view the battle of Antietam casualties. The Siege of Vicksburg was the most important Union victory in the American Civil War. Track the battle on a map and learn a summary of it, including facts about how the campaign began and its aftermath. South Carolina seceded from the Union, largely due to concern that abolitionists would disrupt their economy. Explore their decision in detail, including the aftermath of their initial military conflict just weeks after announcing their secession in 1861. Comparing the Union and Confederate Armies: Policies & Members Although the Union and Confederate armies in the Civil War had many of the same challenges, they also differed heavily. Learn about both armies and the theaters, the soldiers in the ranks, and the differences and similarities between them. Election of 1860 Candidates, Summary & Significance | Who Won the Election of 1860? Who won the election of 1860? Learn about how many candidates ran for president in 1860, the election's significance, summary, and its effects on history. What was the Era of Good Feelings? | Era of Good Feelings President, Significance, End & Summary What was the Era of Good Feelings? Learn who was president during the Era of Good Feelings, the significance of this period in history, and how it ended. Robert Anderson was a graduate of the Military Academy at West Point in 1825, and he first served as an artillery officer. During the Black Hawk War, he was a colonel in the Illinois militia, and he served on General Scott's staff during the Second Seminole War. He was injured during the Mexican-American War, and he was sent to command a federal garrison in South Carolina in late 1860. Fort Sumter in South Carolina signaled the beginning of hostilities between the Confederates and the Union. When South Carolina seceded in December 1860, a small federal garrison was in Charleston protecting two forts (Moultrie and Sumter, under construction). Since Fort Moultrie was indefensible, Major Robert Anderson retreated to the unfinished Forth Sumter on an island in Charleston Harbor. South Carolina militia surrounded the fort and demanded a surrender, but hostilities would not break out until President Buchanan sent a relief ship arriving near the fort on January 9, 1861. The South Carolina militia fired on the ship, and it retreated. As a result, six other states would secede from the Union. In April 1861, President Lincoln intended to dispatch ships with food and supplies only for the fort. Instead of allowing the ships to arrive, the South Carolina militia demanded a surrender of the fort on April 11. Major Anderson refused, and in the morning hours of April 12, coastal batteries opened fire on the fort. The fort would be bombed for thirty-four hours, and in the early morning hours of April 14, Major Anderson surrendered the fort. The Civil War was now officially underway. In this lesson, errors in JavaScript will be defined with their types explained. Removal of these errors with the onerror() method and the concept of exceptional handling will also be discussed. Learn about the different turning points of the Civil War. Read about the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg and their impact on the war. Explore the Second Battle of Bull Run. Learn about the outcome of the Second Battle of Bull Run, including casualties and significance to U.S. history. Who Won the Second Battle of Bull Run? | Outcomes, Casualties & Significance Learn all about the Battle of Chancellorsville. Explore who won the Battle of Chancellorsville, why it was important, and see the casualties of this battle. A goal-based agent has flexibility to adjust its actions based on successfully reaching a goal. In this lesson, you'll learn more about this agent in artificial intelligence and how it differs from a model-based agent. What are transition words? Understand different types of transition words, such as cause and effect transition words, chronological transition words, and others. Learn about Lennie's death in chapter 6 of the novella "Of Mice and Men." Explore a summary and analysis of the chapter, understand why George shoots Lennie, and read their quotes. Graphing, the elimination method, and the substitution method are three of the basic methods used to solve simultaneous equations. Discover how and when to effectively utilize these methods to find the correct solutions. The First Battle of Bull Run is considered the first battle fought in the Civil War. Explore this battle through facts and a summary of events. Read about events that lead to the battle and understand the battle's significance in making Americans realize that the war would not be won easily. Some of the greatest ideas of the American consciousness come from the American Enlightenment period. This lesson introduces the writings of the American Enlightenment and some of its major themes. William Shakepeare's Hamlet is a well-known tragedy that explores the themes of revenge, indecision, and personal conflict. Explore Hamlet through character analysis and a summary of the play. This lesson offers a comprehensive plot summary of Frederick Douglass' memoir, 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.' It also introduces and analyzes three important quotations. Alliteration is using sounds over and over again and is a powerful tool in the ancient poem ~'Beowulf.~' Learn about how alliteration was used in the poem, since it was a story told orally. Explore how it helped the story teller remember the poem, add to the tension of the story, and helped the listener imagine and experience the action of the story. Achilles is the central character in ''The Iliad'', and anger and pride drive much of his behavior in the epic. This lesson looks at and analyzes key examples of Achilles' pride and anger. Mathematical problems can be modeled using rational functions and equations to make them easier to analyze. Learn about the definition of a rational function, and explore its application in average cost problems and percentage problems. 'The Pit and the Pendulum,' by Edgar Allan Poe, is set in Toledo, Spain, and involves judges, the narrator, some rats, and the general of a French army. We'll look at the setting and characters of this horrifying narrative in detail to better understand Poe's famous short story. The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James: Summary, Characters, Themes & Analysis Henry James is regarded as one of the best writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Learn more about James in a summary and analysis of the characters in his 1881 novel, The Portrait of a Lady, and explore its perspective on responsibility and betrayal, and differences between American and European cultures. The American Civil War's Impact on the Economy, Society, Politics & Government The Civil War had a variety of impacts on American society, not only on the battlefield. Learn about the Civil War's impact on the economy, society, politics, and government, including the collapse of the South's economy, and a series of landmark laws passed before during, and after the war. Effects of Imperialism in Africa Between the 1880s and the first decades of the 20th century, Europeans imposed their control over most of Africa. Learn about this 'Scramble for Africa' and its effects on the continent in this lesson. In May of 1940, Nazi Germany began its invasion of France. Sidestepping France's defenses at the Maginot Line, German forces quickly encircled and overwhelmed the Allies in France. With fear that many of the British forces would be captured in France without a chance to defend Britain, the Allies attempted to evacuate France from a cornered-in position at the coastal town of Dunkirk. The Battle of Dunkirk was formally fought from May 26 to June 4 of 1940. The Germans had waited before attacking the city, giving the Allies enough time to build defenses and plan an evacuation. The reason for the German halt is still debated. Ultimately, the German army captured Dunkirk and all of France, so they are the technical victors of the battle. However, the Allies were able to successfully evacuate more than 330,000 troops from the Dunkirk beach, an incredible feat. In this sense, it was a moral victory for Great Britain. Some British politicians were already debating surrender, but this moral victory helped galvanize support for the war. The high level of citizen involvement in the evacuations also signaled the total commitment of the British people to the war, and indicated that World War II was not a conflict that would be fought solely by soldiers. What is prohibition and what is the 18th amendment? Learn why prohibition started, how long it lasted, and how prohibition in the 1920s ended in repeal. Prohibition: What is the 18th Amendment? When did Germany invade Russia? Learn about Operation Barbarossa in World War II. See a summary and timeline of Operation Barbarossa and read about its significance. Learn about the Battle of Stalingrad's significance. Read a Battle of Stalingrad summary, and find out about the legacy of this turning point in World War II. Battle of Stalingrad Significance & Summary | When Was the Battle of Stalingrad? The end of Nazi Germany was catalyzed by WWII in 1942. Learn how Operation Overlord, D-Day, France's liberation, the Battle of the Bulge, and VE Day all contributed to the fall of Nazi Germany. The D-Day Invasion: The Beginning of the End of Nazi Germany Explore the character of Lennie Small from "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck, including his description, character traits, quotes and analysis. Lennie Small in Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck | Lennie Quotes, Description & Character Traits Learn about the JFK inaugural speech and read a JFK inaugural address summary. Explore important points and quotes made in John F. Kennedy's inaugural address. What was the Treaty of Versailles? In this lesson, learn the terms of the treaty that ended WWI and see if the U.S. joined the League of Nations. What did they include in the treaty and what was left out? End of WWI, the Treaty of Versailles & the League of Nations Back in the early 1900s, Progressive Era reformers used a systemic approach toward addressing the societal problems many Americans faced at home and in the workplace. Learn about important progressive ERA reformers, their progressive viewpoints, workplace improvements they helped achieve, and home improvements of the Progressive Era. Work and Home Improvements of the Progressive Era Read a social conflict theory definition and learn about the development of social conflict theory. Also see social conflict theory examples and criticisms. The Reconstruction period spanned 1865 - 1877, where the Republicans worked to repair the South after the Civil War. Learn about the goals, successes and failures of the Reconstruction period. Study the Triple Alliance and Triple Entente. Know the countries in the Triple Entente and Triple Alliance and understand the history and effects of these alliances. After the Civil War ended, Reconstruction in the South began. Learn about Reconstruction and its two sides, including its positive and negative effects, and review growth in the South. Understand the opportunities that Reconstruction presented for African Americans, but realize that this also led to resentment, violence, backtracking, the Ku Klux Klan, and an oppressive system of sharecropping. Causes of the First Industrial Revolution | When Did the Industrial Revolution Start? What were the main causes of the Industrial Revolution? Explore what led to the Industrial revolution and the positive and negative effects that followed. Articles of Confederation: Strengths & Weaknesses | What are the Articles of Confederation? What are the Articles of Confederation? Learn about its purpose and provisions, plus compare the strengths and weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Literary Device Types & Examples | What are Common Literary Devices? What are literary devices? See literary device examples and a literary devices list. Learn about literary devices in poetry and common literary devices. Question: Who won the Battle of Quebec? Battle of Quebec: Today, it may seem odd that several early battles of the American Revolution were fought in Canada. However, because the British had troops and forts in Canada, the American colonists decided that it was necessary to also attack these locations. On December 31, 1775, the Battle of Quebec took place in Quebec City, Quebec. Answer and Explanation: Penn State University At Penn State University in University Park, students can pursue a Ph.D. in psychology with a focus in developmental psychology. Students can focus on a range of themes, including ecology of development and gender. Penn State's Child Study Center is affiliated with the developmental psychology program, and many doctoral students utilize its facilities, including video labs and interview rooms, to conduct research into normal and atypical child development. Local schools and on-campus early childhood programs also provide opportunities for research and practicums. University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh offers graduate students the opportunity to pursue a Ph.D. in psychology focused upon developmental psychology. Doctoral students can focus on several sub-areas in the field, including socio-emotional development and motor development. Students will gain experience in different research methodologies, such as experimental, interview, and observational approaches. Another option at the University of Pittsburgh is to earn a Ph.D. in applied developmental psychology through the school of education. Temple University Temple University, located in Philadelphia, provides an opportunity to earn a Ph.D. in psychology, with a concentration in developmental psychology. Students with an interest in developmental psychopathology can plan their coursework and research interests to reflect this emerging field. Research institutes including Adolescent Development and Decision-Making and Developmental Science promote graduate student research interests. University of Pennsylvania Students at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia can earn a Ph.D. in psychology in brain, cognitive, and decision science, with a specialization in developmental psychology. The program has a particular focus in cognitive development, and has close relationships with other departments including neuroscience and linguistics. Students must engage as teaching assistants for at least two semesters. Lehigh University Lehigh University offers a selective psychology Ph.D. program in the small city of Bethlehem. Students can focus on developmental psychology, and cross-collaboration is also encouraged. Significant research is required, including a first-year project and master's thesis in preparation for the dissertation. Students are expected to teach at least one undergraduate course. The French man, who claims to be the grandson of General Gouraud, says that he has come to Damascus to apologize for the crimes of his grandfather. The Syrian Al-Ikhbariyeh channel carried out an interview with French writer Jean-Louis Gouraud, who was visiting Damascus. He is a well-known journalist and horse specialist in his country, and he told Al-Ikhbariyeh that he was the grandson of General Henri Gouraud, the French high commissioner who invaded and occupied Damascus after the Battle of Maysalun in the summer of 1920. He came to Damascus, Al-Ikbariyeh added, to apologize to the Syrian people for his grandfathers crimes. Certainly a beautiful initiative, but First: General Gouraud never married and had no children. This guest is the generals nephew, and never personally knew him as the general died in September 1946, and Jean-Louis was born in 1943. The guests biography says his father was from the Belgian city of Liege, east of Brussels, but General Gouraud was from a family in the west of France, and was born and lived in Paris, and had no connection at all to Belgium. The general had two siblingsPierre Marie Gouraud and Xavier Gouraud. Most likely, this guest is the son of one of them, and not the grandson of Gouraud himself. Second: Al-Ikbariyeh talked about the anniversary of Independence Day. We do not call it Independence Day as our Lebanese brothers do, but Evacuation Day. Legally, independence was given in 1941, during the era of Sheikh Taj al-Din al-Hasani, with the efforts of the government at that time of Hassan bek al-Hakim, but France insisted on not withdrawing its forces before the end of the war in Europe. Syrians, led by President Shukri al-Quwatli, in turn insisted on the holiday not being until the last foreign soldier had departed from Syria. They refused to use the term Independence Day and insisted on Evacuation Day. The word did not come out of nowhere and wasnt an accidentit was the desire of our ancestors and we should honor them on their 73rd anniversary. Third: SANA said of the French guest that he was the grandson of the man who struck Damascus with artillery. It is true that Damascus was bombarded twicefirst in 1925 under the mandate of Maurice Sarrail and then again in 1945 under the military governor Olivier Roger, but the bombardment of Damascus had nothing to do with Gouraud, as he left the city in 1923 to become military ruler of Paristhat is, two years before the first bombardment. General Gouraud did worse than bombard Damascus, as he occupied the country and divided it into statelets, which destroyed the newborn Syrian army, and led to the martyrdom of the hero Yusuf al-Azma. Fourth: The man who appeared in the promo for the segment about Henri Gouraud was in fact General Charles DeGaullenot Gouraud! 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. Shiv Sena has expressed surprise over Mukesh Ambani's support to Congress candidate Milind Deora, who is competing for Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat. Deora posted a video yesterday which showed Ambani and top banker Uday Kotak voicing their support for him. In the video, both the corporate bigwigs said that Deora understood Mumbai and was capable of solving its problems. "This is surprising that Ambani has endorsed Deora, considering the ties he has with Modi," Shiv Sena Spokesperson Manisha Kayande was quoted by Reuters. This attempt to sway the voters with support from industrialists will backfire because common people want a leader who can champion their cause and not that of tycoons," she added. Mukesh Ambani and PM Narendra Modi hail from the state of Gujarat. The Ambani family is considered to be close to the Prime Minister, and Mukesh Ambani has often praised him publicly. Additionally, the Congress had launched scathing attacks against Mukesh' younger brother, Anil Ambani, over his involvement in the Rafale jet deal. On the other hand, Shiv Sena has fielded a candidate against Deora after reforming its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Reacting on Mukesh Ambani's endorsement of Milind Deora, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said it was his personal opinion. "I don't know if he has supported Milind Deora, but our candidate against him is winning," Fadnavis said. In the video, the Congress leader posted on Twitter, Mukesh Ambani said: "Milind is the man for South Mumbai". "Having represented South Mumbai for ten years I believe that Milind has in-depth knowledge of social, economic and cultural ecosystem of the South Mumbai constituency. Both micro enterprises and large businesses can thrive in Mumbai. So that attractive new employment opportunities can be created for our talented young women and men," Mukesh Ambani could be seen saying in the video. "Milind truly represents Mumbai ka connection. I genuinely belive Milind understands and relates to a Mumbaikar. His family has been associated with Mumbai for a long time," Uday Kotak said in the video. In his post, Deora had mentioned that businesses should be brought back to South Mumbai, and providing jobs to the youth should be prioritised. The South Mumbai constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections on April 29. ALSO READ:Lok Sabha election 2019: Mukesh Ambani, Uday Kotak show support for Congress' Milind Deora ALSO READ:Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena; says 'goons' get preference in Congress ALSO WATCH: While Russia did help find and transport the remains of Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel, they have strongly denied reports that they have found the remains of Eli Cohen writes Zaman Al Wasl. On Wednesday, Russias Foreign Ministry strongly rejected Israeli media reports that claim Russian officials transported the remains of the legendary Israeli spy, Eli Cohen, out of Syria, where he was executed more than five decades ago. Cohen infiltrated the upper echelons of Syrias leadership in the early 1960s and obtained top-secret intelligence before he was caught and publicly executed in 1965. Earlier this week, Hebrew media reported that a Russian delegation transported Cohens remains out of Syria. Israel had previously appealed to Russia for help finding Cohen. The Russian Foreign Ministry put out a statement resolutely refuting the claim, which it described as a provocation. It urged the Israeli media to show a more, accurate, professional and honest approach to coverage of such sensitive issues. Israeli officials had been silent after unconfirmed reports by Syrian opposition groups emerged last weekend, which claimed that a Russian team had exhumed the remains of the Mossad spy. Russia, which is allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, aided Israel in finding and recovering the remains of Israeli soldier Zachary Baumel who went missing in the 1982 First Lebanon War. Baumels remains were flown back to Israel earlier this month, after years of efforts to find his body. Israeli officials are still searching for two other soldiers captured and killed in the same battle: Tzvi Feldman and Yehuda Katz. News of the possible remains of Cohens whereabouts are closely followed in Israel, where recovering the bodies of fallen soldiers carries added resonance. Cohen infiltrated the top levels of Syrias political leadership in the years before the 1967 Six Day War, and the information he obtained is credited with playing a key role in Israels stunning success in that war. Cohen was put on trial and executed by the Syrian government for espionage on May 18, 1965, after spending four year undercover as Kamel Amin Thaabet and successfully breaching the Syrian government. Last year the Mossad spy agency recovered a wristwatch belonging to Cohen and brought it back to Israel in a special operation. The Prime Ministers Office did not explain how it retrieved the watch, which had been in enemy hands. Over the years, Cohens widow Nadia has made several unsuccessfully appeals to the Syrian government to release her late husbands remains. In 2008, a former bureau chief of the late Syrian leader, Hafez al-Assad, claimed that no one knew where Cohen was buried. The grave was moved after a day or two, Monjer Motsley said in an interview. We were scared that Israel would send forces to recover the body. It is difficult to find Cohens bones, he added. Assad promised to return Cohens bones, but when he asked about it security officials told him: Sir, we dont know where the grave is, so he couldnt promise. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Lt. Gen. Salim Harba has the support of Russia and has also been accused of overseeing massacres committed by the Syrian army writes Zaman Al Wasl. Military sources have told Zaman al-Wasl that Bashar al-Assad appointed the pro-Russian Lt. Gen. Salim Harba as the Chief of Staff of the Army and the Armed Forces on Apr. 1, 2019. Harba, who has held several positions in army and government, has now become the de-facto commander of the armed forces. Military sources said Harbas appointment followed a Russian decision, and was a blow to Iran, which seeks more influence inside the army. Harba, an officer in the Assad army, comes from a remote village in rural Lattakia. He joined the military college in Homs in 1977. Harba is accused of overseeing many massacres and implemented Russian directives for Suhail al-Hassans forces in late 2017, east of Hama, Aleppo, the eastern countryside of Idleb, and southern Aleppo. In addition to his position as the Chief of Staff, he was a member of the regimes Astana delegation in January 2018. Comment from The Syrian Observer: No other media outlet has reported this story. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Pictures of Russian and Iranian flags flown at a ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of the withdrawal of colonial forces from Syria have not gone without Syrians noticing the irony. Syria was officially declared independent from French colonial rule on September 27th 1941, but it wasnt until April 17th 1946 that the last foreign soldier left Syrian soil. It is this date that has been celebrated as Evacuation Day ever since. Yesterday was the anniversary of Evacuation Day (#_). #Syrias proclamation of full independence and the end of the French mandate of Syria on 17 April 1946. In #Damascus, all the flags had raised, but not the correct one!#Iran #Russia The ceremony in Damascus, however, prominently featured Russian and Iranian flags. Twitter user Yasser Wardh tweeted pictures of Russian and Iranian flags being flown by riders on horseback at the ceremony saying, In my stolen and occupied country, this is how Bashar al-Assads regime celebrates Evacuation Day, by raising the flags of Russia and Iran! youve understood evacuation wrong! Another Twitter user, Ghassan Al Kakouni, said the regime gang celebrates the French colonial evacuation from Syrian land by raising the flags of the new occupiers, Russia and Iran The Iranian Revolutionary Guard and pro-Iranian militias from Iraq and Lebanon have been present in Syria since the early days of the Syrian conflict, fighting on the side of the Assad regime. Russia also intervened militarily on the side of the Syrian regime in 2015. In 2018 the Russian Defence Ministry released a video saying that more than 63,000 Russian soldiers had seen combat in Syria while human rights groups hold Russia responsible for the deaths of thousands of Syrian civilians. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Syria was ranked 174 out of 180 states by Reporters Without Borders, although they did not address journalists imprisoned in Syria, as there is no reliable data writes Ana Press. Reporters Without Borders has confirmed a decline in press freedoms in a number of the worlds countries, including Syria, in its latest report, issued on Apr. 18, 2019, under the title A Cycle of Fear. The report, which includes 180 states, said that the Middle East and North Africa were the most difficult and dangerous for journalists at a time when work continues to be extremely dangerous for media personnel in some countries. Syria was ranked 174th out of 180 countries included in the report, with Sudan in 175th place and Vietnam in 176th, China in 177th, Eritrea in 178th, North Korea in 179th, and Turkmenistan in 180th. The organization said that half of the journalists killed during their work in 2018 were in just five countries. It said that at least 80 journalists had died in 2018 due to their work. The group said that the number of journalists under arrests had reached 348, most of them in China, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The report did not address the situation of imprisoned Syrian journalists in 2018 because they were forcibly disappeared and there was usually no statement about them, according to the report. 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. The demilitarized zone, which was established by Russia and Turkey, was supposed to protect civilian from regime attack reports Alsouria Net. The latest bombardment by Assads forces on a number of villages and towns in the southern Idleb countryside and the northern Hama countryside killed more civilians. Casualties have been steadily rising amid a regime military escalation in northwestern Syria. The last few weeks have seen the deaths of more than 250 people in similar attacks, which have also displaced 186,000 civilians from their villages to other towns in areas outside regime control. Assads forces have continued their rocket and artillery attacks in northwestern Syria, striking a number of villages in the southern Idleb countrysidein particular, the village of Abou Habbeh, near the village of Hesh in the southern Idleb countryside. The heavy artillery bombardment of this village wounded civilians, including women. Video testimonies published by the Syrian Civil Defense showed the extent of the bombardment on Abou Habbeh, while members of the Civil Defense rushed to aid the wounded in the targeted area, which was a civilian district of this village. Similar attacks have affected villages in Sahel al-Ghab in the northern Hama countryside and the village of al-Tamaneh in the southern Idleb countryside. The Syrian Civil Defense have said that the houses that were hit have been severely damaged by bombardments over the last few weeks and that 20,000 residents had been displaced deep into Idleb province. The Response Coordinators team in northern Syria said in a report that the Assad regimes military campaign, which has been ongoing since the start of February, had killed 254 people, 200 of them in Idleb province and 54 in northern Hama and Lattakia and western Aleppo. The report also documented more than 186,000 people have been displaced from the areas where they live in Idleb and Hama to villages and towns in the areas outside regime control in northwestern Syria. Since the Turkish-Russian agreement for a truce in Idleb and the establishment of the demilitarized zone, known as the Sochi agreement, on Sept. 17, 2018, the regime and its allies have continued their attacks in areas outside their control in northwestern Syria, which have killed hundreds of civilians, as well as displacing about 87,000 people between October to December 2018 alone. According to the Response Coordinators report, another 30,000 families have been displaced since February. 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. 2 hours ago Will These 3 Dogs of the Dow Leave the Doghouse in 2022? As the year winds down, new diets, gym memberships, and other good habits swirl in our minds. For investors, its a time to consider altering stock picking strategies to slim down on losses and bulk up on gains. A simplistic but sometimes effective approach is to buy the so-called Dogs of the Dow. Read Article Michael Kenna, Stone Pine Tunnel, Pento, Abruzzo, Italy, 2016, silver gelatin print, 8 7 inches I learned this from Frank DiPerna, one of my teachers at the Corcoran. I must have been having difficulty with something one day, and with a wave of his hand and in a dismissive tone of voice he said, "Just master it. Just learn whatever you need to know to do your work. Don't worry about anything else. Just master what you need." Or maybe he said, "...don't worry about the rest of that crap." (I'm paraphrasing here.) I still think it's a good attitude to have. Pros need to master a whole lot, because the essence of professionalism is problem-solvingyou have to confront the client's problem and solve it (under the gun, too), and that requires having a lot of arrows in your quiver. But it makes you a jack of all trades and it doesn't let you go very deep. On the other hand, look at an art photographersomeone like, I don't know, Michael Kenna, or the late Henry Wessel Jr. Michael Kenna basically shoots B&W film in a Hasselblad on a tripod and has been working that way for decades. He has a very stable signature look. He's no doubt a deep master of his camera, materials, and techniques. But I'll bet he doesn't think much about how to test chroma noise or corner resolution. Henry Wessel worked as hard as any photographer out there, but he shot with the same Leica and lens for much of his life, made the same size prints. Ask him to explain the layer mask in Photoshop and I'll bet he would have looked at you blankly. He wasn't an explorer of techniques. He was an explorer of the found visual world. His mastery was profound. It just had little to do with technique, is all. Henry Wessel Jr., Nevada, 1986, gelatin silver print, 12 1/16 x 17 7/8 inches And even pros just master what they need. I've told this story before, but I once worked for an old studio pro who was asked by a friend to explain a little amateur hot-shoe on-camera flash. The old pro replied he had no idea how it worked, and added that he didn't even own one. His friend was incredulous that he could be a top pro and be so ignorant of such a basic piece of equipment. My then-boss didn't bother to explain that he had a hundred thousand dollars' worth of studio lighting and light-shaping equipment back at his studio, and that he could light a swimming pool from a scaffold. Bare-bones lighting to him was one pack and three heads! Find your way of working; figure out what you need to know; and work as hard as you must to master it. Unless you want to, you don't need to take it any further. 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. (Not) everything must fade away (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.) Featured Comments from: hugh crawford: "A professional is measured by their worst work and an artist is measured by their best work." Mike replies: Thanks for that Hugh. I knew we could depend on you to add something trenchant here. :-) Paul: "Good outstanding photography is all about finding a 'voice,' authorship. In theory once you discover it, everything else becomes surplus." Mike replies: I always liked the story about Nick Nixon. Evidently he started out his career determined to continually switch techniques and working methods, changing every year. He did that for a few years and then alighted on shooting very loose and close-in with an 8x10 camera and wide-angle lenses, in black and white. He's now been shooting that way for decades, and he's a master at itI've shot with an 8x10 just enough to be totally amazed as to how he does it. As far as I can see, some of his pictures should be technically impossible. Rob De Loe: "My favourite example of this way of thinking is Jane Bown, who from what I've read was not at all interested in the 'tech.' She kept it very simple equipment-wise, left film processing to the technicians at the paper, and focused on making fantastic portraits." GH: "I used to be an assistant for a somewhat well known art photographer who used big, complicated sets, and I was both surprised and impressed by how relatively limited her tech knowledge was. Having spent so many years getting into the tech minutiae of photography myself, that was an eye opening experience for the better, and I've tried to keep that in mind for all of my artistic pursuits. It's the vision that's important. You can always hire someone to do the technical stuff." marko: "Bare bones lighting! That's hilarious. Back in the day I used to strobe light sports arenas for Sports Illustrated. Four to six Speedotron 2400's and our totally mobile set was a Norman 200b with mini soft box. I also had little idea how on camera flash worked. That made me laugh, thanks." Peter Wright: "This reminds me of a conversation I had not so long ago with Freeman Paterson, who has built a career as a distinguished art photographer that spanned many decades shooting only 35mm slide film. (I was already an avid reader of his books forty years ago.) When the subject somehow turned to flash, Freeman said he couldn't offer anything as he didn't own a flash gun, (or any other lighting equipment). His entire kit seemed to consist of some cheap zoom lenses, some primes, and a couple of old SLRsyou could probably pick up the lot for about $500. He has someone else do minor Photoshop tweaking and final printing, so I'm pretty sure he could not tell you what a layer mask was either. This seems almost a truism; all the really great photographers I admire (and even the ones I don't especially admire) seem to severely restrict themselves in terms of equipment, subject matter, and media, either for a lifetime or at least many years at a time. Obviously, they have found the tools that allow them expression, and don't need to go any further technically. So if we want to move beyond 'GAS addicted tinkerer,' then it seems we need to decide what moves us (or pays the bills, of course) and the things we need to master will become much reduced, as well as obvious." Paul Richardson: "A great point, and a relevant reminder for me. I tend to go off on tangents in terms of picking up editing techniques, and it occurred to me just earlier today that I simply dont need to know a lot of that stuff. This after wasting two hours on trying to pick up a masking method I was unfamiliar with. It suddenly occurred to me that I know enough to deal with simple masks, and really, what more do I need? A kick in the pants, maybe." Steve Renwick: "Sage advice, but it's important to remember that it's best applied to art photography. Even if you're not a professional, there will be topics you need to know even if they don't serve your art. For instance, at a family event, one almost has a responsibility as the 'photographer in the family' to bring along a digital camera and record the event. Even if operating said camera is much more annoying than operating a Hasselblad (he wrote bitterly whilst in the midst of a family vacation)." Nashua, NH --On Saturday, May 11, 2019, the New Hampshire Institute for Civics Education (NHICE) will screen To Kill a Mockingbird as part of a multi-year statewide program designed to foster conversations with the public on law, justice, and civics. The screening will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, New Hampshire. There will be a break midway through the movie, and a light snack will be provided. The program was made possible with support from New Hampshire Humanities, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities. New Hampshire Humanities awarded a Community Project Grant to NHICE for film screenings in all ten New Hampshire counties to start multigenerational conversations through film about law, justice, and civics. NHICE selected To Kill a Mockingbird to kick off the Lights, Camera, Civics! program because of the civics, social, and justice issues it raises, and its broad appeal to a range of ages and demographics. A local team, consisting of an attorney, a teacher, and a high school student will lead the community discussions that accompany all film showings. The event, the team consists of Corey Genest a social studies teacher at Bishop Guertin High School in Nashua, NH. In his years at BGHS he has involved himself with a variety of service projects and leadership initiatives; Dave Tencza is an associate attorney with the law firm of Welts, White and Fontaine in Nashua. Dave's practice focuses primarily in the areas of criminal and family law. Prior to entering private practice, Dave served as an Assistant County Attorney in the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office for ten years from 2007 to 2017; Elizabeth Shearman is from Merrimack and is a senior at Bishop Guertin High School. She has been involved in the performing arts at BGHS over her four years as a student, specifically with set design and construction. She works part time at a local elementary school and will attend the University of New Hampshire beginning in the fall of 2019, The organizers of Lights, Camera, Civics! hope that the panel discussions accompanying its film showings will encourage civil conversation on sensitive topics and promote understanding among people with diverse viewpoints. In discussing To Kill a Mockingbird, for example, panelists and audience members will likely discuss racism, intolerance, and segregation--the movies central themes--as well as how personal opinion affects legal decision-making, and whether and what procedures are in place in the criminal justice system to protect against personal opinion taking hold of a criminal case. Movies help us to experience and understand each other and the world around us. They educate and enlighten us. And, they can lead to a meaningful and much-needed civil discourse, said Martha Madsen, NHICEs President. They can serve as a catalyst for meaningful and thought-provoking conversations. Harper Lees Pulitzer Prize-winning novel came to film in 1962. Set a small fictitious Southern town during the Depression, local lawyer Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck, is appointed to represent a male person of color falsely accused of raping a white woman. To Kill a Mockingbird won Academy Awards for Best Actor (Peck), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Art Direction. The novel was recently adapted for the theatre, and the resulting play is currently being shown at the Shubert Theatre in New York City. The event is free and open to the public but pre-registration is required. For more information and to register contact is Corey Genest: coreygenest@gmail.com Contact Martha Madsen at martha@constitutionallyspeakingnh.org for more information about Lights, Camera, Civics! including how to participate in the program or arrange a showing in your county. Learn more about New Hampshire Humanities at www.nhhumanities.org 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. Luxembourg Confederation of Christian Trade Unions (LCGB) questions the future of the Luxembourg steel industry. The Arcelor-Mittal sites in Belval and Differdange are to be analysed by management, which has led to concerns over the future, said Robert Fornieri on behalf of the LCGB. The trade union was said to be unsettled by the expected plans. The sheet piling produced in Belval is currently facing extreme competition from China and Emirates Steel, despite being the flagship product of the Luxembourg steel industry. The union said this was because Arcelor-Mittal had not invested enough in the production which was now outdated, and the same was valid for Differdange as well. Arcelor-Mittal launched a transformation plan in conjunction with consultants Mc Kingsey at the end of February, which is set to analyse the business model, investments, digitization and costs among others. The trade union therefore requested a steel tripartite meeting with the relevant ministers to discuss the evolution of the steel industry, also requesting a conciliation on 1 April. AHA (the Atheist, Humanist, and Agnostic Alliance) has accused the DP-CSV municipal leaders of the capital of sponsoring the Catholic Church in the municipality's upkeep of the majority of the churches in Luxembourg City. Of the 23 churches in the city centre, only two actually belong to the Catholic Church fund, the other 21 belong to the municipality. These churches are then rented to the Church at roughly 1,000 to 2,500 a year rates that, according to AHAs Jean-Marc Cloos, are incomprehensible considering the average renting price within the Luxembourgish housing market. Cloos continued that since the municipality is responsible for the upkeep of these properties, Luxembourgish taxpayers play a part in financing these proceedings. Given that many of the churches rarely reach full capacity, Cloos queried why exactly Luxembourgish taxpayers must foot the bill. AUDIO: Jean-Marc Cloos of AHA (Luxembourgish) In response, mayor of Luxembourg City Lydie Polfer highlighted that these rates are fixed by a law from last year and the churches remain part of the city's cultural heritage. AHA finds this incomprehensible and criticise the lack of discussion surrounding the actual use of the churches. Cloos explained that Pastafarians wrote to the mayor, asking to sublet several of the churches and received a responsible explaining that would be possible. The request was satirical given the nature of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Cloos wondered whether subletting the churches would be at equally cheap rates. On the topic of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, especially the tremendous willingness to donate money, Cloos claimed the amount of money suddenly available is perverse, considering the way other instances of suffering are routinely ignored. AUDIO: Jean-Marc Cloos of AHA (Luxembourgish) Pointing to how long the yellow vest movement has been waiting for a similar level of recognition for their issues, Cloos condemned that the cathedral had already generated roughly 1 billion in funds. Journalism is becoming "very complicated" in Venezuela where power outages, patchy internet and threats of violence have made reporting increasingly difficult, says Luz Mely Reyes. But she says it would be "a crime" to stop. The director of Venezuelan independent news site Efecto Cocuyo made the remarks in Rio de Janeiro after media watchdog Reporters Without Borders released its annual World Press Freedom Index. RSF ranked Venezuela 148th out of 180 counties -- five places lower than a year earlier as the Latin American country sank deeper into crisis. If the economic and political situation does not improve soon, Reyes tells AFP, she is not sure how Efecto Cocuyo and other Venezuelan media outlets will survive. - What are the challenges? - "In a country where power cuts can last 25, 30, 40 hours, where the internet can fail, and in terms of moving around, it's very complicated," says Reyes. That makes it not only hard to report the news but also to disseminate stories to the public "so that citizens in areas with the most internet access as well as those in areas with the least can have this information." Print media is also disappearing as the scarcity of basic resources such as ink and paper make it increasingly difficult to publish newspapers. "The journalism industry right now is battered, not only by government restrictions but also by the economic situation," says Reyes. "Even in Caracas, for example, a national newspaper such as The National no longer has a print circulation." - Free media? - "The Venezuelan government already blocks the internet domains of several media outlets that do investigations, takes television broadcasters off the air that it considers to be critical or foreign channels," says Reyes. "Recently another of the measures the government has used is to prohibit radio media from referring to various situations and closed various radio programs." - Is it dangerous? - "The government has not only deported foreign correspondents, but it also detains journalists, arbitrarily disappearing them," says Reyes. "Attacks on journalists have been escalating and of course attacks can come from any person who believes he has authority." Journalists have been charged with committing crimes, prevented from leaving the country, and threatened. Reyes herself has received threats on social media saying "people like me, journalists, we have to be physically eliminated." "That's happened to me, but also to other journalists," she says. - Is news worth it? - "It is very complicated because how are you going to keep going over time ... if there is no change in economic terms, if there is no political change that enables the country to return to democracy, this is one of the challenges that we have," says Reyes. "It's journalism practically done with the nails. "But those of us who believe in journalism keep doing journalism in Venezuela because there are so many things that are happening, so many stories to tell, and it would be a crime not to tell them, despite all the attacks that we suffer. "Right now Venezuela needs thousands and thousands of journalists who can report what is happening." One Nicaraguan guard pinned his hand to a table with his knee while another ripped out a nail with a pair of pliers. Opposition supporter Lenin Rojas, recently released from prison to house arrest, says he screamed in pain. The 36-year-old says his cry was heard throughout the El Chipote prison in Nicaragua's capital, Managua. But his torturers weren't finished. "They started hitting me again. They left me almost unconscious, they put me back in that same position, and ripped out two more nails," said the father of four, showing his mutilated fingers. He was one of 235 prisoners freed last month as part of a deal brokered between the main opposition alliance and the government to restart stalled peace talks, a year after protests against President Daniel Ortega's government broke out in Nicaragua. Four months of brutal crackdown by authorities left 325 people dead and another 800 locked up. "The beatings got ever more brutal to the point that I asked them to kill me, to put a bullet in me, rather than continuing to torture me. "They were annoyed at not getting a reply to their questions... an inspector said they were going to throw all of us -- the arrested demonstrators -- into the crater of the Masaya volcano." That's an active volcano 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Managua. It emits huge amounts of sulphur dioxide. - 'Terrorism' - Rojas was arrested last July for having treated injured demonstrators and was sentenced to 18 years for "terrorism," among a dozen alleged crimes. "My only weapons (were) a flag, and a T-shirt with an opposition slogan," Rojas said bitterly. His testimony matches those of many other opposition supporters who suffered beatings, solitary confinement, threats, rape and other forms of mistreatment, according to a report compiled by the UN High Commission for Human Rights. Opposition supporter Lenin Rojas shows his mutilated fingers -- he says prison guards ripped out his nails with pliers / AFP Like other released prisoners confined to house arrest, Rojas says he's "not free." Armed pro-government groups regularly go to his house to intimidate him. He also claims to have suffered insomnia since his release from prison, as well as reacting aggressively when awakened. He is haunted by the memory of the "constant cries of horror" let out by fellow prisoners. "The only thing we could do was ask God to end this torture," he said. - 'Hung by their feet' - Hundreds of demonstrators -- men and women -- found themselves imprisoned in the dark and dank underground cells of El Chipote. It was the same prison used by the Anastasio Somoza dictatorship before the US-backed leader was toppled in 1979, when the former leftist guerrilla Ortega first assumed power. The Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission regularly receives complaints about mistreatment suffered by imprisoned opposition supporters, says Julio Montenegro a legal consultant for the NGO. "We know about torture cases, for example, where someone was hung by their feet while being hit in the stomach, or by the use of tear gas in the prisoners' cells," he told AFP. Montenegro claims inmates were also beaten at the La Esperanza women's prison in the Managua suburbs. Elsewhere, male prisoners were punished for singing the national anthem, which has become a rallying cry for the opposition. Despite peace talks that began at the end of February -- though suspended for the last two weeks -- there is no end in sight to Nicaragua's political crisis. The opposition accuses Ortega -- and his wife Vice President Rosario Murillo -- of rights abuses and authoritarian rule. But the 73-year-old leader refuses to consider the opposition's key demand: to step down and bring forward presidential elections slated for 2021. This post is prompted by a number of things that have left me pondering how as Christians we are to bring about change in our churches. When we strongly b... 6 years ago Several businesses and services in Vietnam such as air-con manufacturers, coffee shops, convenience stores, and food delivery services are cashing in on the blistering heat baking Ho Chi Minh City over the last month. While the sweltering weather has taken its toll on residents in the southern metropolis, it also created several new business opportunities to service providers here. While most of the city stays holed up near air conditioners, delivery drivers for food and service apps are reaping the benefits. One such driver, Nguyen Anh Tuan, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he and his colleagues are receiving way more orders than usual, especially during lunchtime hours, upping their average income to VND300,000-400,000 (US$13-17) per day. Meanwhile, those who do venture into the heat often find themselves ducking into air-conditioned convenience stores to shelter themselves from the sun. According to attendants at these convenience stores, chilled beverages are selling so quickly that shelves are constantly in need of new stock. Customers pack a convenience store in Ho Chi Minh City during a lunch break. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre Ice coffee shops,' cafes where customers are served drinks in frozen rooms chilled -10 degrees Celsius, are also among the options most favored by Ho Chi Minh City residents to escape the heat. Customers often crowd these ice coffee shops between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and stay from two to four hours, according to the owner of a facility in Tan Binh District. But unsurprisingly, the real money is being made by stores selling air-conditioners. As many as 25,000 air-conditioners were sold during the three days of the Hung Kings Festival, from April 13 to 15, at Dien May Xanh electronics stores in Vietnam. Seventy percent of the 25,000 air-conditioners were purchased in the southern region, according to Doan Van Hieu Em, the chains general director. Em said that figure is ten times higher than normal sales and is expected to continue increasing until the consumption rate reaches 10,000 units per day. Likewise, this months air-conditioner sales at Nguyen Kim, one of Vietnams leading electronics chains, surged more than 70 percent compared to the monthly average so far this year. A worker cleans components of of an air-conditioner. Photo: Ngoc Hien / Tuoi Tre Alongside selling, maintaining air-conditioners has been big business over the past few weeks. According to Nguyen Van Hung, the owner of an air-con repairing workshop in Binh Thanh District, his customers have doubled over the past few days. The hike in demand has resulted in a rise in service fees, said Lam Chi Tam, a representative for an electronics company in the same district. Southern Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular have been suffering from sizzling temperatures since the end of March, with only two or three unseasonal rains to cool down the city. It will remain scorching in the region in the next few days, with temperatures forecast to hover between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius, while real feel and heat on the surface of roads could be three to four degrees higher. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The United States on Thursday organized a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City centered on bilateral cooperation in Vietnams airport infrastructure development, after the Southeast Asian country was awarded an aviation safety rating needed to launch non-stop flights between the two countries. More than 80 public and private sector representatives from both countries discussed opportunities and areas for collaboration as the two countries prepare for direct flights, the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City said in a press release. Vietnamese airlines will be able to fly to the United States and codeshare with American carriers after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) declared the Southeast Asian country complies with international safety standards following its being awarded a Category 1 rating in mid-February. There are currently no non-stop flights between Vietnam and the United States, and the FAA rating was important for Vietnam, paving the way for direct services to be launched. Thursdays workshop built on the momentum created by the FAAs announcement to grant Vietnam Category 1 status two months ago as well as aviation sector commercial contracts signed during President Trumps visit to Hanoi in late February, Deputy Consul General Timothy Liston of the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City said at the event. Liston highlighted the opportunity for greater cooperation between the United States and Vietnam in the aviation sector. The Trump administration has underscored its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region through our continued efforts to partner on key infrastructure projects, like many of the ones we are discussing today, Liston stated. Attendees pose for a group photo at a workshop in Ho Chi Minh City, April 18, 2019. Photo: U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City The workshop also featured the FAA, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Trade & Development Agency, all focused on working closely with Vietnam to develop key airport infrastructure projects. Representatives from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam, and other prominent private sector developers and stakeholders shared information regarding Vietnams airport development plans. The U.S.-Vietnam Aviation Industry Group organized the workshop, in an effort to partner with Vietnams public and private sector to modernize and develop the countrys aviation infrastructure, all while helping prepare for direct flights between the two countries. Currently, the group represents 26 companies, six U.S. government agencies and departments, and two U.S. business associations. Company members cover a broad range of resources and expertise, including airport development and construction, aircraft, air traffic and on-ground safety and security, maintenance and repair operations, and equipment and engineering services. The team of U.S. government agencies also provides a range of support and expertise, from technical assistance, financing support to funding for planning and pilot projects. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! LIMA -- Thousand of Peruvians said goodbye on Thursday in Lima to ex-president Alan Garcia who killed himself this week - in the second of three days of national mourning declared by President Martin Vizcarra. Garcia shot himself in the head on Wednesday to avoid arrest in connection with alleged bribes from Brazilian builder Odebrecht, in the most dramatic turn yet in Latin Americas largest graft scandal. Friends, allies and leaders across the political spectrum paid homage to Garcia at the headquarters of his APRA party, one of Latin Americas oldest political parties, and one which twice helped usher Garcia to the presidency. Vizcarra ordered flags to be flown at half mast at the countrys Congress and other public buildings to honor the ex-President and former lawmaker. Despite that, some of Garcias most tenacious allies cried out Vizcarra is a murderer, at the wake, a nod to Garcias recent critique that his prosecution was politically motivated. A pugnacious politician considered one of Latin Americas best orators, Garcia had long been dogged by graft allegations that he brushed off as baseless political smears. But prosecutors investigating Brazilian builder Odebrecht gathered enough evidence to secure a judicial order this week to hold Garcia in pre-trial detention while they prepared charges against him, prompting the ex-presidents suicide. The investigation in Peru had picked up speed in recent months, with a judge ordering another former president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, to jail before trial in connection with the company last week. The scandal had already touched the highest levels of Perus ruling political class. Ex-President Alejandro Toledo is fighting extradition from the United States after a Peruvian judge ordered him jailed in 2017, while another former leader, Ollanta Humala, spent nine months in pre-trial detention before he was released last year on appeal. Administrators in the central Vietnamese city of Hue have spent a big amount of money replacing the 20-year-old lighting system on its symbolic Truong Tien Bridge with a modern one. The old bulbs installed along the bridge in 2001 have been replaced with a new system using Italys latest LED lighting technology, the Hue administration said on Thursday. Running along both sides of the bridge, the new system, worth some VND10 billion (US$430,700), consists of more than 200 bulbs of seven colors that change constantly within minutes. The installation, conducted by the Hue Urban Environment and Public Works Co. under the supervision of Italian experts, was meant to give the 120-year-old bridge a magnificent new look, according to the municipal administration. A close-up view of Truong Tien Bridge at night in Hue, central Vietnam. Photo: Nhat Linh / Tuoi Tre Locals and tourists in Hue can now enjoy a spectacular view of the citys iconic bridge covered in colorful lights from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm every night. Truong Tien Bridge, which connects both banks of Huong (Perfume) River and is one of the citys landmarks, was built in 1899 and observed the ups and downs of Vietnams ancient capital city throughout its century-long history. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Tomb of Tu Duc, a 19th-century Vietnamese emperor, is one of 30 iconic monuments digitized in a Google project aimed at preserving some of the worlds most significant heritage sites. The digital collection was published on Thursday on Googles Arts & Culture platform on April 18 in honor of World Heritage Day. The collection is part of Googles Open Heritage project, an initiative which enables Internet users around the world to explore iconic locations in 3D, discover the tools used by digital preservationists, and download high-resolution images of world heritage sites. The Tomb of Tu Duc is the first monument in Vietnam to be included in the collection. An aerial photo of the Tomb of Tu Duc in Hue, Vietnam. Photo: Open Heritage Emperor Tu Ducs 75-year reign, from 1848 to 1883, was the longest of any of Vietnams Nguyen Dynasty monarchs. His tomb, located in the central city of Hue, was built between 1864 and 1867 and served as his workplace during the last years of his reign. The process of digitizing the Tomb of Tu Duc began in the summer of 2018 when CyArk, a non-profit organization which specializes in digitally recording and archiving the world's cultural heritage sites, began collaborating with the Hue Monuments Conservation Center (HMCC) to document several monuments related to Emperor Tu Duc at the Hue Monuments Complex. Besides his tomb, other monuments are the Hoa Khiem Temple, Tu Duc Tomb Stele Building, Tu Ducs Queens tomb, and the nearby An Dinh Palace. The HMCC recently completed a restoration project directed at several buildings located in the complex and wanted baseline documentation of the structures for conservation purposes as well as digital assets to be used to promote the site. Some of the results from the project will be available to visitors in a Palace Library we expect to open in the near future, said a HMCC representative. CyArk specialists capture photos inside the Tomb of Tu Duc in Hue, Vietnam for digital preservation. Photo: Open Heritage CyArk completed a photogrammetrical survey of both the interior and exterior of the monuments using professional cameras and camcorders, while the scanning of the monuments was done using a state-of-the-art FARO X330 laser scanner, Google said. The Hue Monuments Complex is located in Thua Thien Hue Province in the geographical center of Vietnam. The complex suffered from damage during the series of wars which took place in the country during the 20th century, as well as modern development and expanding human settlements, according to Google. CyArk president John John Ristevski said the organization is already working with authorities in Hue to digitally preserve the Tombs of Emperors Minh Mang and Khai Dinh. The project will go hand-in-hand with training personnel at the HMCC to carry out similar monument digitization on their own, Ristevski said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Fireworks will sparkle at three locations in Ho Chi Minh City, including Landmark 81, the tallest building in Vietnam, to celebrate Vietnams Reunification Day later this month. The performances will take place from 9:00 pm to 9:15 pm on April 30, marking the 44th anniversary of the nations Reunification Day, according to a recent directive issued by the municipal administration. Two high-altitude fireworks displays will be carried out at the Saigon River Tunnel in District 2 and Landmark 81 in Binh Thanh District. One low-range show will be organized at Dam Sen Theme Park in District 11. At 461.2 meters high, the Landmark 81, located at the heart of a luxury residential complex developed by Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, is Vietnams tallest skyscraper and the 14th tallest building in the world. The building hosted its first-ever fireworks displays on the 2019 Lunar New Years Eve, five months after its inauguration in July 2018. The municipal Department of Transport will be in charge of redirecting traffic along streets near the three locations so that residents will be able to enjoy the shows. Public workers in Vietnam are expected to be given five days off to celebrate the upcoming Reunification Day (April 30) and International Workers Day (May 1). The holiday will run from Saturday, April 27, till the end of Wednesday, May 1. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read whats in the news today. Politics -- Patrick Leahy, vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations, commenced a visit to Vietnam on Thursday. Society -- South Koreas Yonhap News Agency inaugurated its Southeast Asian representative office, which will focus on news from the region as well as Central Asia and Oceania, in Hanoi on Thursday. -- Eighty representatives of the public and private sectors of Vietnam and the U.S. on Thursday attended a workshop held by the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City on boosting bilateral cooperation in airport infrastructure development in the Southeast Asian country. -- Vietnam hoped that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will continue to provide the country with more assistance, training and policy consultancy, Nguyen Van Binh, chairman of the Economic Commission under the Party Central Committee, said as he received an delegation led by Alex Mourmouras, IMF mission chief for Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia, in Hanoi on Thursday. Business -- The first-ever batch of Vietnamese mango was on Thursday shipped by air to the U.S. by a fruit exporter in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, which sourced the eight-metric-ton shipment from the local My Xuong Mango Cooperative. -- Vietnam shares on Thursday slumped to a two-month closing low dragged down by consumer staple and real estate counters, Reuters reports. -- Vietnams newest airline Bamboo Airways has said it is working with Czech authorities to complete relevant procedures to launch a nonstop service between Hanoi and Prague. -- Vietnam is an attractive market for the automobile industry, Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato Mohd Zamruni Khalid said at a workshop on business opportunities in automobile spare parts manufacturing between the two countries in Hanoi on Thursday. Lifestyle -- The establishment of the Vietnam Book Day in 2014 has contributed greatly to restoring and developing the reading culture in the country, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said at a national conference on Thursday, ahead of this years celebrations of the day on April 21. -- South Koreas Hansae Yes24 Foundation and Hansae Vietnam Co Ltd on Thursday presented 10,000 books to primary school students in Ho Chi Minh City, during the third year of its Ten thousands of good books - one million loves program. -- Landmark 81, Vietnams tallest building, is among three locations where fireworks displays will be held on the night of April 30 to celebrate the Reunification Day in Ho Chi Minh City. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A small alley in Hanoi has found an effective way to put an end to illegal garbage dumping - installing CCTV at the littering hot spot and posting recorded photos of violators right there to publicly shame them. Residents living in an alley of Xuan Thuy Street in Cau Giay District, Hanoi used to complain about the unsightly view of garbage being dumped near a utility pole, causing nearby households to suffer from foul smell. The violation often took place late at night, making it difficult to catch violators red-handed. To combat this problem, Hoang Thanh Mai, head of the neighborhood association, came up with the idea of installing a surveillance camera near the power pole and publicly posting CCTV photos of garbage dumpers on the same pole to discourage them from repeating the violation. Mai, 70, said these photos do not reveal the faces of the subjects due to privacy concerns, but they are enough to let violators recognize themselves and feel shameful for their action. Timestamps are also included in the photos to make it easier for illegal garbage dumpers to identify themselves, she said. Photos of illegal garbage dumpers are posted on a power pole in a Hanoi alley to discourage violators in this still photo taken from a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper video report. Within two days of implementing Mais idea, illegal garbage dumping stopped completely, said Linh, owner of a household behind the utility pole. I used to spend a lot of time cleaning up the mess that had piled up in front of my house every afternoon getting home from work, she said. A local tenant, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was surprised to see a photo of him in the middle of dumping garbage at the power pole being posted for everyone to see. I didnt dare to ask the house owner to take down the photo as it would be humiliating, he said. However, the college student said he had learned to behave in a more civilized manner after the incident. Although illegal garbage dumping has stopped, residents in the alley have agreed not to take down the photos to prevent the violation from returning. Mai said she had also proposed the idea to other neighborhoods as a measure of promoting good manners. An alley in Hanoi is clear of garbage after implementing public shaming of illegal garbage dumpers in this still photo taken from a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper video report. A photo of an illegal garbage dumper is posted on a power pole in a Hanoi alley to discourage violators in this still photo taken from a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper video report. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Six men in the north-central Vietnamese province of Ha Tinh have been sentenced to nine to 15 months in prison for killing an endangered douc and eating its brain in late 2018. The Peoples Court in Huong Khe District, Ha Tinh Province announced its conviction of Phan Trong Son, 46, Thai Kim Hong, 52, Phan Van Hoi, 36, Thai Dinh Quy, 59, Thai Van Sang, 42, and Thai Vinh Quang, 60, on Thursday after all of the defendants pled guilty. They were charged for violating regulations on the protection of rare and endangered animals. Hong was sentenced to 15 months behind bars, while Hoi and Quy were jailed for 12 months. The other three suspects were slapped with a nine-month suspended sentence. According to the indictment, Son discovered the langur caught in a trap at Vu Quang National Park on November 17, 2018. A screenshot of Phan Van Hois Facebook account with the live-streamed footage in which the langur was slaughtered The man brought the animal home and sold it to Hong at VND1.1 million (US$47.3). Hong, along with Hoi, Quy, and Quang, brought the langur to Sangs house, where the five men slaughtered the animal and ate its brain at a drinking party held that same day. Sang and Hoi live-streamed the event on their personal Facebook account. The content eventually went viral and sparked a backlash from hundreds of concerned citizens. A police investigation revealed that the animal was a red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus), a type of monkey listed as an endangered species. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A huge junk belonging to a footwear factory in Tien Lang Town in the northern city of Hai Phong is suffocating nearby neighborhoods with pollution and extreme odors. As observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, the garbage dump, which mainly consisted of leather shoes, soles, containers, and fabric, is located only a few meters away from the town's administration office. Opposite the junk yard is a second dump, operated by Thanh Vinh Construction Company Limited, which also contributes to the unpleasant odor affecting the nearby residential areas. Nguyen Thi Hang, a 41-year-old resident in the area, complained about the ineptitude shown by local authorities in dealing with the waste disposal process that led to the ill living environment. In an interview with Tuoi Tre, Pham Xuan Hoa, head of the local administration, was taken aback by this problem and immediately traveled to the site to see and smell for himself. Hoa admitted that one of the garbage dumps used by the construction company was legally registered and promised to come up with the solution for the other as soon as possible. Below are some photos of the garbage dumps in Tien Lang. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Cookies op Tweakers Tweakers maakt gebruik van cookies Tweakers is onderdeel van DPG Media en maakt gebruik van cookies, JavaScript en vergelijkbare technologie om je onder andere een optimale gebruikerservaring te bieden. Functionele en analytische cookies die door Tweakers zelf geplaatst worden, worden gebruikt om de website goed te laten functioneren, bezoekersstatistieken bij te houden en a/b-testen uit te voeren. Ook kan Tweakers hiermee het gedrag van bezoekers vastleggen en analyseren. Cookies kunnen daarnaast worden gebruikt om op Tweakers advertenties te tonen die aansluiten bij je interesses. Daarbij kan gebruikgemaakt worden van bezoekersprofielen die door derden zijn opgesteld. Ook kunnen derden je internetgedrag volgen, zoals bijvoorbeeld het geval is bij embedded videos van YouTube. Tot slot kunnen cookies worden gebruikt om op sites van derden relevante advertenties te tonen. Content van derde partijen, zoals embedded videos van YouTube, wordt met een trackingvrij abonnement standaard uitgeschakeld. Indien je deze content wilt zien, kun je hier expliciet toestemming voor geven. Wil je meer informatie over cookies en hoe ze worden gebruikt? Bekijk dan ons cookiebeleid. Accepteer cookies ... Om deze pagina op Tweakers te kunnen bekijken, moet je cookies accepteren. Cookies accepteren Heb je al een account? Dan kun je hier inloggen! After a rewarding career in the computer industry, Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction has appeared in and , among others. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages and spending time with friends and family. Find her at . Sybil Johnsons love affair with reading began in kindergarten with The Three Little Pigs. Visits to the library introduced her to Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters. Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying Computer Science. Abdelkader Merah, brother of French jihadist Mohammed Merah who shot seven people dead in 2012, was handed a 30-year prison sentence after a court found him guilty of being an accomplice.The terrorist's brother escaped the life imprisonment sentence sought by the prosecution.After the sentencing, Abdelkader Merah's lawyer, Eric Dupont-Moretti said the Paris Assizes court's ruling took him aback."He's been sentenced to 30 years. It's totally incomprehensible. I think the entire profession is in disbelief. The sollicitors-general (for the prosecution) said, 'France is watching you' , and I think that when the courts omit the essential rule of the benefit of the doubt, it's enough to make you lose all hope. Even when the accused's name is Abdel Kader Merah.Abdelkader Merah had been jailed for 20 years in 2017 for being part of a terrorist conspiracy.A lower court had however cleared him of direct involvement in his brother's crime.in March 2012, Mohamed Merah killed three soldiers before he turned up at a Jewish school in Toulouse where he shot dead a rabbi, two of the rabbi's children, aged three and five, and another eight-year-old childThe gunman was killed by police after a 32-hour siege at his home, three days after the school murders. Abdelkader Merah, brother of French jihadist Mohammed Merah who shot seven people dead in 2012, was handed a 30-year prison sentence after a court found him guilty of being an accomplice. The terrorist's brother escaped the life imprisonment sentence sought by the prosecution. After the sentencing, Abdelkader Merah's lawyer, Eric Dupont-Moretti said the Paris Assizes court's ruling took him aback. "He's been sentenced to 30 years. It's totally incomprehensible. I think the entire profession is in disbelief. The sollicitors-general (for the prosecution) said, 'France is watching you' , and I think that when the courts omit the essential rule of the benefit of the doubt, it's enough to make you lose all hope. Even when the accused's name is Abdel Kader Merah. Abdelkader Merah had been jailed for 20 years in 2017 for being part of a terrorist conspiracy. A lower court had however cleared him of direct involvement in his brother's crime. in March 2012, Mohamed Merah killed three soldiers before he turned up at a Jewish school in Toulouse where he shot dead a rabbi, two of the rabbi's children, aged three and five, and another eight-year-old child The gunman was killed by police after a 32-hour siege at his home, three days after the school murders. A mosque in Gansu province, in north-central China, was partially dismantled on April 11, the latest casualty of a national campaign to eradicate Islamic traditions.Chinese authorities have been systematically cracking down on Muslim minorities in the country, notably in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, where around a million Uighurs are being held in detention camps.But the repressive measures are steadily extending into other regions, with local reports of the destruction of mosques and the removal of Islamic symbols in Ningxia and Gansu Provinces, home to large numbers of the countrys Hui Muslim community.On April 11, authorities demolished part of a mosque located in Gazhuang village, in Gansus Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, leaving a huge gash in its golden dome and pulling down Islamic motifs inside. The mosque was built less than a month ago and residents were warned not to publish photos and videos of the destruction, according to Bitter Winter and Deutsche Welle.But videos emerged on Twitter days later showing the damaged dome, debris scattered on the roof and near the entrance, and a large crane with a red bow attached to its bumper sitting in the courtyard of the mosque. Several people are seen crying on the ground. The individual who took the videos sent them to Erkin Azat, a Xinjiang-born freelance journalist now based in Kazakhstan, who then posted them online. Azat, who uses a pseudonym to protect family members still living in Xinjiang from repercussions, said his source told him several people who took videos of the demolition were later arrested. "There was no warning"> According to my contact, the demolitions in Gansu Province started last year. Mosques are being destroyed, others have had their domes, minarets, and Arabic scripture removed. Its difficult to verify the exact number in Gansu. The governments goal is one mosque for each city or county, and mosques in the countryside are now gone. One is kept for show, in case international organisations come to interview the Muslim communities, for example.> > My contact said there was no warning in Gazhuang village, that they just came and destroyed the mosque. Residents were told that the order came from the central government, that the minarets and domes had to come down. Some elderly people fainted, and six of them who didnt want to leave the mosque were beaten. People who posted about the demolition online were arrested.> > People are scared to go to the mosque, to speak out, theyre scared of being investigated. The situation in Gansu has been deteriorating over the past year, just like in Xinjiang.China has plowed forward with its campaign to control its citizens religions and daily lives and to eradicate any customs that might be perceived as promoting non-traditional Chinese values. Officials have pulled down churches and last year banned sales of the Bible. It has defended its detainment of Uighurs in Xinjiang, which has drawn widespread condemnation, as a necessary precaution against terrorism.>> Read more on The Observers: Uighur diaspora asks China for proof that disappeared loved ones are still aliveIn Gansu Province, new regulations were put in place last month requiring religious groups and institutions to be free of foreign influence and to adhere to a Chinese orientation of religion. "The party is trying to tighten control of society"Eva Pils, a law professor at Kings College London who focuses on human rights in China, said these tactics underscore the Communist Partys increasing control of every aspect of society.> Authorities are doing what was previously done in Xinjiang, which is to control Islam because they perceive it as a foreign influence. The party is trying to tighten control of society in all areas, and sees some religious communities as a threat to this control.> > Its about exercising control through fear. In Xinjiang, Uighurs are sent to camps with the ostentatious goal of educating them and turning them into good Chinese citizens. Its worrying that this has been accompanied by what seem to be quite swift and arbitrary mosque demolitions.> > This goes well beyond a systematic violation of religious freedom. Its a group identity that is being under assault as well.Azat said he expected the crackdown on Muslim minorities to spread quickly inwards into the country.> The detention centers in Xinjiang have been built, and Im worried they will be built in the neighboring Gansu, Qinghai and Ningxia Provinces as well.> > The government wants to exterminate people whose appearance and identities are different, like Tibetans, Uighurs, Hui people, Kazaks, and Mongols, because they believe these people are a threat. They believe they will be better able to control people and solve the countrys social issues if everyone becomes Han Chinese. But this is wrong.This story was written by Jenny Che. Extinction Rebellion demonstrators gathered outside the approach tunnel to Heathrow Airport on April 19, after the group warned that it would attempt to shut down the airport over the Easter weekend. In video livestreamed by Extinction Rebellion, police can be seen surrounding the demonstrators, all who came from the groups youth wing, and warning them that they could be arrested if they refused to move Extinction Rebellion demonstrations began on April 15 on Waterloo Bridge and at Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square. On April 17, demonstrators climbed on top of and glued themselves to a DLR train at Canary Wharf. Credit: Michael Barry via Storyful Four men in Pakistan's Punjab region have been sentenced to six months for illegally hunting flamingos along the Indus river. The men, along with several other hunters, were seen bragging about their haul and posing with the bodies of over a dozen rose-coloured birds near the village of Qamar Mushani, in northern Pakistan, in a video posted on Facebook on April 12.No one can hunt with as much precision as we can," one of the hunters says in the video as he holds a remaining live flamingo. "We could catch 200 or 250 of these birds with our bare hands. His companions laugh beside him, their boat scattered with the bodies of at least 15 flamingos.The video highlights the rampant poaching in the Punjab region, despite a ban on hunting migratory birds like the flamingo. "This group of men killed 20 flamingosThe video, taken by a member of the Pakistan Wildlife Foundation, shocked online viewers, some of whom called the hunters "brutes" and "barbarians." Safwan Shahab Ahmed, vice president of the conservation group, posted the video online and told The Observers it was the first time he had seen flamingo hunting. This group of men killed 20 flamingos in all between April 10 and 12 using 12-calibre hunting rifles. They were staked out in a hunting blind set up along the Indus River, not far from a town called Qamar Mushani. The flamingoes were killed along the Indus river.> Illegally hunting endangered animals is unfortunately common in Pakistan, but it is the first time I have seen a case involving flamingos. That really shocked me. > > Pakistan is a stopping place for various kinds of migratory birds, including the flamingo, as they travel to their summer homes. While the greater flamingo is not endangered, all migratory birds are protected under Pakistani provincial law. The men in the video are, thus, breaking the law. A six-month sentenceThe police worked with the Punjab wildlife and parks department to arrest the four suspects. The men were sentenced to six months, which can be avoided by paying a fine of 10,000 rupees, or around 63, department director Hassan Ali told the FRANCE 24 Observers.> I questioned these men, and they said they originally set out to hunt ducks. They said it was pure chance that the flamingos gathered near their hunting blind and they decided to shoot them instead. They said they didnt know it was illegal.> > Its the first time that Ive encountered a case like this. We usually deal with illegal duck hunting. In this case, we managed to track down the suspects quickly and sentence them for breaking the law. We hope that this swift action will dissuade other hunters from committing the same violation.The department posted photos of the suspects in handcuffs and of flamingo feathers found at one of the mens homes, as well as a series of videos showing the men confessing, in an effort to discourage other potential hunters. A photo of flamingo feathers, posted on the Punjab wildlife and parks department Facebook page. This article was written by Liselotte Mas (@liselottemas). Four men in Pakistan's Punjab region have been sentenced to six months for illegally hunting flamingos along the Indus river. The men, along with several other hunters, were seen bragging about their haul and posing with the bodies of over a dozen rose-coloured birds near the village of Qamar Mushani, in northern Pakistan, in a video posted on Facebook on April 12. No one can hunt with as much precision as we can," one of the hunters says in the video as he holds a remaining live flamingo. "We could catch 200 or 250 of these birds with our bare hands. His companions laugh beside him, their boat scattered with the bodies of at least 15 flamingos. The video highlights the rampant poaching in the Punjab region, despite a ban on hunting migratory birds like the flamingo. "This group of men killed 20 flamingosThe video, taken by a member of the Pakistan Wildlife Foundation, shocked online viewers, some of whom called the hunters "brutes" and "barbarians." Safwan Shahab Ahmed, vice president of the conservation group, posted the video online and told The Observers it was the first time he had seen flamingo hunting. This group of men killed 20 flamingos in all between April 10 and 12 using 12-calibre hunting rifles. They were staked out in a hunting blind set up along the Indus River, not far from a town called Qamar Mushani. The flamingoes were killed along the Indus river. Illegally hunting endangered animals is unfortunately common in Pakistan, but it is the first time I have seen a case involving flamingos. That really shocked me. Pakistan is a stopping place for various kinds of migratory birds, including the flamingo, as they travel to their summer homes. While the greater flamingo is not endangered, all migratory birds are protected under Pakistani provincial law. The men in the video are, thus, breaking the law. A six-month sentence The police worked with the Punjab wildlife and parks department to arrest the four suspects. The men were sentenced to six months, which can be avoided by paying a fine of 10,000 rupees, or around 63, department director Hassan Ali told the FRANCE 24 Observers. Story continues I questioned these men, and they said they originally set out to hunt ducks. They said it was pure chance that the flamingos gathered near their hunting blind and they decided to shoot them instead. They said they didnt know it was illegal. Its the first time that Ive encountered a case like this. We usually deal with illegal duck hunting. In this case, we managed to track down the suspects quickly and sentence them for breaking the law. We hope that this swift action will dissuade other hunters from committing the same violation. The department posted photos of the suspects in handcuffs and of flamingo feathers found at one of the mens homes, as well as a series of videos showing the men confessing, in an effort to discourage other potential hunters. A photo of flamingo feathers, posted on the Punjab wildlife and parks department Facebook page. This article was written by Liselotte Mas (@liselottemas). Kathmandu, Nepal, April 19, 2019: As the deadline set by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to surrender the Netra Bikram Chand led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) ends on Thursday, the government is mulling the idea to deal with the party in days to ahead. Though the government had already instructed the security agencies to adopt stern measure against of the CPN, the government head Nepal Communist Party (NCP) seem divided to treat the CPN as the criminal group. Reliable source claims that some leaders of the government head NCP have been insisting to treat the CPN as political force. Though co-chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal was targeted by the CPN, he has been insisting for the dialogue rather than adopting stern measure as the rival side wants, a leader of the party said preferring anonymity. Reliable source of the party also claims that the government head NCP has instructed some leaders to reach out the CPN with the proposal of dialogue with the government. However, such an attempt for the dialogue is not revealed officially. PM Oli had issued a 35-day deadline to Chand to surrender arms and sit for talks with the government on March 14. However, the CPN had issued a counter-ultimatum demanding that the government lift the ban on his outfit by April 13 or face the prospect of a parallel government. One of Northern Irelands most promising journalists had her dreams snuffed out in a barbaric killing, her partner has said. Lyra McKee, 29, from Belfast was an innocent bystander shot in the head by dissident republicans during disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday evening. Mobile phone footage released by police on Friday appears to show the masked shooter fire a handgun towards police and onlookers including Ms McKee. The published authors partner Sara Canning said it was a senseless murder. Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by this single barbaric act, she said. Ms Canning said it has left so many friends without their confidante. Victims and LGBTQI community are left without a tireless advocate and activist and it has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with, she added. This cannot stand, Lyras death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone elses life and her legacy will live on and the life that she has left behind. Sara Canning, the partner of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, at a vigil in Londonderry (Brian Lawless/PA) In CCTV footage also released by Police Service Northern Ireland, Ms McKee can be seen standing with a crowd of people beside a police vehicle moments before she was shot. She raised her mobile phone into the air, apparently to take a photo of the confrontations. A third clip shows the masked shooter head-on as he steps from behind a wall then points a handgun towards police and bystanders. Detectives released the footage, which also appears to show an accomplice picking up something from the ground where the gunman was stood, to encourage anyone with information to make contact. Police have blamed the anti-peace process New IRA for the killing after handgun shots aimed at their officers were fired indiscriminately in the Creggan estate. Detectives believe the violence was orchestrated in response to an earlier search by officers aimed at averting imminent trouble associated with this weeks anniversary of the Easter Rising. Story continues They said more than one person was involved in the murder. They have already received a large number of calls and information from the public and have a special portal where video and pictures can be uploaded. Prime Minister Theresa May said the killing was shocking and senseless. CCTV image of the man (circled) suspected of firing the shots that killed Lyra McKee (PSNI/PA) The New IRA is an amalgam of a series of armed groups opposed to the peace process. It claimed responsibility for a number of parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow recently. CCTV image of Lyra McKee (circled) within the crowd watching a protest in Londonderry before she was shot (PSNI/PA) The threat posed to police in Northern Ireland is high. It is understood Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with love of her life Sara. "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." PM @theresa_may UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 19, 2019 The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting of journalist and writer Lyra McKee in Derry. We are all full of sadness after last nights events. We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past. Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 19, 2019 My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Lyra McKee, senselessly killed while doing her job as a journalist. This shocking attack is a reminder of the vital importance of protecting the Good Friday Agreement and Northern Ireland peace process. Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) April 19, 2019 She was an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. In 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020. Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us into darkness. Causes close to her heart included helping homeless people, preventing suicide and supporting LGBT rights in the most restrictive regime in the UK. Catholic priest Father Joseph Gormley comforted Ms McKees family in hospital and accused the killers of forcing their viewpoint on others using the barrel of a gun. He asked: Have you no sense of humanity or dignity about yourself? Deputy chief constable Stephen Martin criticised those behind earlier violent scenes during which more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown and two cars burned in the Creggan. Regretfully, people such as I described earlier who are completely out of step, goaded and orchestrated young people to engage in disorder, he said. The police didnt react to that disorder. We didnt respond with any use of force, we absorbed it. We were there to do search activity. We did not want in any way to make the situation worse. He defended the decision to launch an operation earlier on Thursday aimed at thwarting dissident plans for imminent violence. In the past, trouble has coincided with dissident republican commemoration of the battle for Irish independence every Easter. Anti-peace process sentiment in Northern Irelands second city has been demonstrated in recent attempts to bomb the courthouse and the calling off of a community youth event after police were invited. Mr Martin condemned those whose sole purpose in life was to try to attack his officers and destroy the peace. Today is Good Friday and its a cruel twist in our history that 21 years ago the majority of people in Northern Ireland signed up to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement yet here we are today mourning the loss of a talented young woman, a young journalist who was also a daughter, a sister and a partner. This is a dark day. Flowers left at the scene where 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead (Brian Lawless/PA) Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton said it was a calculated and callous act to bring a firearm into a residential area. Bullets stop somewhere, and on this occasion they stopped fatally. A vigil was held in the Creggan in Ms McKees memory, organised by local residents who said they felt sad and angry. Spokesman George McGowan said: This behaviour is not in our name we have all been wounded by these actions. A book of condolence was opened at the citys Guildhall. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill were among those to pay tribute. French President Emmanuel Macron is to host Libya's Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, who has accused Paris of supporting his rival, the military strongman Khalifa Haftar.Relations between the two leaders have soured since 4 April, when Haftar launched an attack on Tripoli where Sarraj's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) is based, triggering fighting that has claimed nearly 400 lives.Sarraj claimed France had switched sides to support a "dictator", in comments deemed "unacceptable and unfounded" by the presidential source on Tuesday."France supports Prime Minister Sarraj and was opposed to Haftar's military offensive against Tripoli," the Elysee source said, while reiterating that France had maintained contacts with actors on both sides of the conflict.Macron is expected to ask Sarraj about the humanitarian situation and discuss proposals to end the conflict, which appears to have reached a stalemate in recent days."But in his entourage and among his supporters there are some extremists, clans and factions which think it's easier to accuse foreigners, in this case the countries which have been the most active, like France," said the Elysee source.European tour to drum up support for the GNAOn Tuesday, Sarraj met Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who appeared to rule out any military intervention in Libya, followed by a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.The French government says it "has coordinated closely" with officials in Rome, Berlin and London in order to ensure a consistent message on Libya.Britain has pushed for a resolution at the UN Security Council demanding a ceasefire in Libya, but its efforts have foundered against opposition from Russia and the United States.In an interview with The Guardian on Tuesday, British foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt reiterated his call for a ceasefire and has not ruled out the possibility of Haftar having a role in a future Libyan government despite the Tripoli offensive.We do not agree with what Haftar is doing. We do not think it is possible for Haftar to achieve a military victory, and as a government he will not be seen as legitimate by whole swathes of the country. So we want a political process. The French government has rejected claims by Libyas UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) that it has been supporting Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have launched a military offensive to take the capital Tripoli. Libyas interior ministry said it was suspending all relations with France over support for Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA). Claims of French support for Haftar are completely unfounded, according to a French foreign ministry official cited by the AFP news agency. The authorities in Paris support the legitimate government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and UN-led mediation for an inclusive political solution in Libya, the French presidency said in a statement. Libyas Interior Minister Fathi Bach Agha had accused Paris of supporting the criminal Haftar and ordered the suspension of all relations between the ministry and the French side, the Tripoli authorities said, according to AFP. France has publicly backed the UN-backed government in Tripoli, but evidence on the ground has long pointed to tacit support from Paris for Haftars LNA. The GNA in Tripoli is under a lot of pressure and they will try to play whatever card they may have, Mohamed Eljarh, an expert with Libya Outlook Research and Consultancy, told RFI. They are trying to go publicly about the French role in an attempt maybe that France would pressure Khalifa Haftar to withdraw or to push back, said Eljarh, describing how the GNA wants to try and put the French government under the spotlight. Longstanding French support for Haftar French support from the LNA has been clear and evident since 2015, according to Eljarh, who was previously a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council think-tank. Three French soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash in 2016 during an intelligence-gathering mission in Libya. In this war on Tripoli we have not seen any evidence yet of actual French support on the ground, said Eljarh, in a telephone interview from Amman, Jordan. Story continues Nevertheless, Tunisian authorities this week stopped 13 French nationals trying to cross from Libya with arms and ammunition, AlJazeera reported. French policy has focused on trying to counter violent extremism and terrorist groups, especially those affiliated to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Eljarh said. He added that it was unlikely that pressure from the GNA would result in a shift in French policy developed over a number of years. Inaction at UN Security Council The US and Russia both refused on Friday to support a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya, the Reuters news agency reported. Russia takes issue with the wording of the British-drafted resolution and criticism of strongman Haftar, according to Reuters. The US gave no justification for its lack of support for the resolution, which also calls on countries with influence over the warring parties to ensure ceasefire compliance. The French and Russians do not think it is helpful to blame Haftar, according to Eljarh. Furthermore, there are concerns that the network of militia groups employed by the GNA to defend Tripoli contain some terrorist figures, the Libya analyst said. Some in the international community are extremely concerned that if Khalifa Haftar is put under pressure, under the spotlight, and he retreats, we would unleash a worse monster in Tripoli, said Eljarh. Haftar supporters are waiting for him to win the war in Tripoli and establish control over the capital, according to Eljarh. However, the LNA offensive could drag out into a prolonged conflict in which only foreign powers or third-party actors could tip the balance, the analyst added. PARIS (Reuters) - France's richest man Bernard Arnault hit out on Thursday at critics of his rush to donate tens of millions of euros to the restoration of Notre-Dame cathedral, saying he would not benefit from tax breaks and branding the sniping as petty. Luxury goods group LVMH, owner of Louis Vuitton fashions and Moet & Chandon champagne, and its founding Arnault family announced a combined 200 million euros (173 million) pledge hours after a fire on Monday ravaged the Paris landmark. It followed a 100 million euro offer from Arnault's arch rival Francois-Henri Pinault, the CEO of Gucci-owner Kering, and sparked a frenzy of donations from some of France's top companies that pushed the funds raised to close to 1 billion euros. But the outpouring also prompted questions from charities, politicians and commentators about why some corporate donors had offered so much so quickly, including speculation regarding tax break benefits. Some expressed frustration that other disasters had not received similar support. Arnault told LVMH's shareholder meeting that his family holding company was not at the moment eligible for tax breaks on charitable donations, which under French law can qualify for a 60 percent deduction. He added the luxury goods company had hit its ceiling on tax breaks after those it received in recent years for building the Louis Vuitton Foundation. "It's an empty controversy," Arnault said. "It's pretty dismaying to see that in France you are criticised even for doing something for the general interest." Shareholders that were happy with the donation should to take to social media to show their support "for an act, which in many other countries, we'd be congratulated for," Arnault said, to applause from investors. Pinault's family holding company said on Wednesday it did not intend to seek tax breaks on its donation. Pinault's wife, actress Salma Hayek, also defended him in a post on Instagram. Story continues "My husband and father-in-law are two generous French citizens, who sincerely understand the importance of this spiritual, cultural and historical treasure from Paris to the world," she wrote. Critics of the donations included worker unions in France, who said it was galling that funds could not be found for social problems. "In one click, 200 million, 100 million ... it also shows the inequalities in this country", Philippe Martinez, the secretary general of the CGT union, told Franceinfo radio on Wednesday. (Reporting by Pascale Denis and Sarah White; Editing by Richard Lough and Mark Potter) Two Saudi sisters who fled to Georgia to escape what they say are oppressive lives in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to seek asylum in the country, according to a Georgian government statement given to international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch. In their statement, the Georgian authorities indicat[e] the two sisters will seek asylum in Georgia. Since Georgia has ratified the UN Refugee Convention, the government itself will do the refugee status determination and provide protection, according to Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Watch.As you read here first on the RFI website, sisters Mahal al-Subaie, 28 and Wafa al-Subaie, 25 had fled to Georgia, seeking asylum, but asked for help directly on social media after they had posted that the Saudi government had canceled their passports and their father and brothers were in Georgia, looking for them.We would like to clarify, that family members, to whom Al-Subaie sisters are referring as posing a risk for them, are not in Georgia at the moment, said the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs letter, seen by RFI.We do not have any way to determine that, one way or another, but if the relatives are not there well, that is certainly a good thing, said Robertson.The great fear is the Saudi Arabian government, working with the family, will use its influence to try and reacquire these women and force them back into harms way in Saudi, he added.The Interior Ministry letter pointed out that the sisters were visited by Georgian law enforcement staff who offered assistance, but they initially did not want to seek asylum within Georgia. After the Al-Subaie sisters received the information and certain clarifications from Migration Department, they agreed to visit the Division on Refugee Issues of the Migration Department to undergo necessary procedures on asylum seeking as stipulated by Georgian legislation, according to the letter. According to the Georgian government, they will be allowed to apply for asylum, but this does not erase the fear for other women who want to leave the Kingdom.No one should forget the core problem is Saudi Arabias male guardianship laws which place women at the mercy of rights abusing men and authorities, said Robertson.As long as these discriminatory, rights violating laws and policies remain in force in Saudi Arabia, more women will try to flee to gain their freedom and rights. Two Saudi sisters who fled to Georgia to escape what they say are oppressive lives in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to seek asylum in the country, according to a Georgian government statement given to international non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch. In their statement, the Georgian authorities indicat[e] the two sisters will seek asylum in Georgia. Since Georgia has ratified the UN Refugee Convention, the government itself will do the refugee status determination and provide protection, according to Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Watch. As you read here first on the RFI website, sisters Mahal al-Subaie, 28 and Wafa al-Subaie, 25 had fled to Georgia, seeking asylum, but asked for help directly on social media after they had posted that the Saudi government had canceled their passports and their father and brothers were in Georgia, looking for them. We would like to clarify, that family members, to whom Al-Subaie sisters are referring as posing a risk for them, are not in Georgia at the moment, said the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs letter, seen by RFI. We do not have any way to determine that, one way or another, but if the relatives are not there well, that is certainly a good thing, said Robertson. The great fear is the Saudi Arabian government, working with the family, will use its influence to try and reacquire these women and force them back into harms way in Saudi, he added. The Interior Ministry letter pointed out that the sisters were visited by Georgian law enforcement staff who offered assistance, but they initially did not want to seek asylum within Georgia. After the Al-Subaie sisters received the information and certain clarifications from Migration Department, they agreed to visit the Division on Refugee Issues of the Migration Department to undergo necessary procedures on asylum seeking as stipulated by Georgian legislation, according to the letter. According to the Georgian government, they will be allowed to apply for asylum, but this does not erase the fear for other women who want to leave the Kingdom. No one should forget the core problem is Saudi Arabias male guardianship laws which place women at the mercy of rights abusing men and authorities, said Robertson. As long as these discriminatory, rights violating laws and policies remain in force in Saudi Arabia, more women will try to flee to gain their freedom and rights. People gathered at St Stephens Green in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday, April 19, to pay tribute to Lyra McKee, the 29-year-old journalist who was fatally shot in Derry, Northern Ireland, during riots overnight. This footage shows Eddie McGuinness of Dublin Pride addressing the crowd, telling them that McKees memory will not pass. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said they were treating the killing as a terrorist act and had opened a murder inquiry. Lord Mayor of Belfast Deirdre Hargey opened a book of condolence at Belfast City Hall on Friday. President of the Republic of Ireland Michael D Higgins was among those who signed it. A vigil was also held at the scene of the shooting in the Creggan area of Derry, where McKees partner Sara Canning and leaders from both sides of Northern Irelands political divide spoke. McKee, who was gay, delivered a TED talk at Stormont in Belfast in November 2017, in which she argued that changes in religious teaching were necessary for the development of LGBT rights. At the time of her death, she was working on a book about children and young men who disappeared during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The book was due to be published by Faber & Faber, who reportedly described McKee as a rising star on investigative journalism and said she had a knack of engaging the head and the heart. Credit: Mairin Murray via Storyful The partner of a journalist murdered in Northern Ireland has described the fatal shooting as a "barbaric act". Lyra McKee, 29, was shot in the head as she covered disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday evening and died later in hospital. She tweeted about the "absolute madness" in the area in the hours before she lost her life. Detectives have said the New IRA, a dissident republican group, was most likely behind the reporter's murder. Ms McKee's partner Sara Canning told a vigil in Derry: "Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by this single barbaric act." She said it has left so many friends without their confidante. "Victims and LGBTQI community are left without a tireless advocate and activist and it has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. She added: "This cannot stand, Lyra's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life and her legacy will live on and the life that she has left behind." Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said: "This murder demonstrates all too starkly that when terrorists bring violence and guns into the community, members of the public are placed in severe danger. It is abundantly clear that they do not care who they harm. "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it's totally unjustified. "But not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack again on the people of this city." However, Republican group Saoradh released a statement claiming a "Republican Volunteer" shot Ms McKee while attempting to "defend people" from the PSNI. Trouble broke out on Thursday night as officers carried out a search operation aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence. During the disturbances, more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers - and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. Story continues A gunman fired a number of shots at police, one of which hit Ms McKee in the head. Leona O'Neill, who was at the scene, said she called an ambulance for the journalist. She tweeted: "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died." In 2016, Forbes Magazine named Ms McKee one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020. It is understood she had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner. Sky's senior Ireland correspondent David Blevins said tensions had been building in Creggan in the run-up to Easter, when republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 uprising against British rule in Ireland. He explained: "There was some disorder last Easter when dissident republicans, who are opposed to the peace process, organised an illegal parade there. "Earlier this week, they said police would be to blame for any disorder this year and warned what they called 'British crown forces' not to saturate the area. Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. "My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." Sinn Fein's deputy leader Michelle O'Neill condemned the "senseless loss of life", saying it was not only a tragedy for the family, but also "an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement". She added: "I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. "We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry. "We remain united in our determination to building a better and peaceful future for all." Ms O'Neill called on those responsible to "disband immediately and end their pointless actions against the community". DUP leader Arlene Foster described the killing as a "senseless act". She said: "A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s and 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. "No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community." Robin Swann, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, said news of the death was "devastating". He tweeted: "A precious life lost, we can't go back to this nor can we allow others to drag us back." Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar condemned the killing of Lyra McKee and said: "We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past." 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. The negotiations are still ongoing behind the scenes at the United Nations in New York, ten days before the deadline for the Security Council vote of a new resolution on the Sahara, scheduled for April 29. The diplomatic missions of the member countries of the Security Council, particularly France and the United States, are still unable to agree on the final version of the draft resolution, particularly with regard to the MINURSO mandate. Washington wants to limit the mandate to six months instead of a year as in the past. It also wants to impose an independent mechanism for monitoring human rights in the Sahara, an idea that Morocco has always rejected. On Thursday (April 18), Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita informed the Cabinet Council about the ongoing consultations at the United Nations on the Sahara issue and the content of the new resolution to be adopted by the Security Council, a statement issued by the Prime Ministers office said. Bourita notably mentioned some unproductive ideas and projects he was presented with during his recent diplomatic contacts on the nature and future of MINURSO. In his presentation before the cabinet, Nasser Bourita also brought up the two roundtables on the Sahara held in December 2018 and March 2019 in Geneva, with the participation of all parties to the conflict. Bouritas presentation revealed that Moroccan diplomacy is irritated by the human rights monitoring mechanism in the Sahara that Washington seeks to impose, although a similar US attempt had been rejected by the Security Council in 2013. To foil this new attempt, Rabat is relying on the support of France as well as on the understanding of China and Russia, all three permanent members of the Security Council, which have the right to veto any unwanted resolution. In this case, the United States has no other choice than to revise its text and present a new version that is backed by the four other permanent members of the Security Council. Voters in Finland have recently taken to the polls. The results have proved to be exceptionally close. The top three parties all finished with one percent of each other. As such, they have all won an almost identical number of seats in the Eduskunta, Finland's parliament. Far-left, far-right, center-right parties win big The Social Democratic, Finns and National Coalition parties combined to receive roughly 52% percent of votes cast. The SDP is led by Antti Rinne. Rinne was previously minister of finance and deputy prime minister under Prime Ministers Jyrki Katainen and Alexander Stubb. Bother Katainen and Stubb were members of the National Coalition Party, which promotes a moderate-to-conservative platform. The party is now led by Petteri Orpo, the current minister of finance and deputy prime minister. The Finns Party has been polarizing in Finland, with its populist and nationalistic platform. In addition, its leader, Jussi Hallah-aho, has a checkered reputation. In a close fourth place was the Centre Party, led by incumbent Prime Minister Juha Sipila. A number of other parties also won seats in parliament. Two of which featured something of a celebrity flare in their leadership, a trend that has appeared elsewhere. The Christian Democrats are led by Sari Essayah, a former two-time Olympian and world champion race walker. Additionally, there is the presence of Hjallis Harkimo. Harkimo is a high-profile business figure and former host of the Finnish version of "The Apprentice". Originally, he was elected as a member of the National Coalition Party. He has since formed his own party, Movement Now, and was re-elected as its only member of parliament. Discuss this news on Eunomia None of three parties that received the biggest share of the vote earned anywhere near a majority. As such, negotiations have begun to form a coalition government. Reuters reports that a union between the SDP and the National Coalition is the most likely outcome. Both parties have ruled out forming a coalition with the Finns. Healthcare and climate change were key issues Healthcare reform was arguably the biggest issue. Almost entirely publicly-funded, the Finnish system is largely regarded as one of the worst in the world. Earlier this year, it was noted in America because of comments from Independent Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Sanders, perhaps unaware of the disastrous state of the Finnish system, bizarrely held it up as an example for Americans to strive for. Long-running tensions surrounding the health system might be coming to a head. Sauli Niinisto, the highly popular Finnish president, has called on reform of the program. Ambitious attempts were made by the outgoing government to achieve this goal but were ultimately unsuccessful. Climate change was also a central matter. Roughly one-third of Finland is located over the Arctic Circle. The country's residents are especially vulnerable to the planet's rising temperatures. As such, many steps have been taken to counter Finland's carbon footprint. The CBC reports that lawmakers recently voted to eliminate coal as a source of energy by 2029. Some, however, have felt that policies like this are reaching too far and are detrimental to the economy. Vietnam's fiscal deficit will stay high at 5.7 percent in 2019 due to delays in the divestment of State-owned enterprises and lower import tax revenues, according to Fitch Groups Fitch Solutions forecast. Viet Nam's fiscal deficit will stay high at 5.7 per cent (including interest repayment) in 2019 due to delays in the divestment of State-owned enterprises (SOE) and lower import tax revenues, according to Fitch Groups Fitch Solutions forecast. Photo enternews.vn The rate is slightly lower than the Government's 5.8 per cent deficit estimate in 2018. Under a report released this week, Fitch Solutions said its forecast reflects its expectation for fiscal revenue growth to remain under pressure due to persistent delays in SOE divestment and lower import tax revenues. We expect the headwinds to revenue growth to constrain the Government's capital spending. Fitch noted. We believe that the slow pace of SOE divestment will continue weighing on fiscal revenue growth. The Government set a target to divest 406 SOEs by 2020, with 135 SOEs planned for divestment in 2017 and 181 in 2018. However, the State only managed to divest 13 in 2017 and 52 in 2018. According to the Ministry of Finances Corporate Finance Department, the Government has identified 18 SOEs to be divested in 2019, and will continue the process of divesting 41 SOEs from the 2018 list. Dang Quyet Tien, the departments general director, said key challenges to the divestment process include poor investor interest, SOEs scale of business and assets which require careful valuation to avoid losses to the State budget and land issues as some SOEs did not complete their land use plans before submitting them to Government agencies. According to Fitch, should the stock market see a downside or volatility due to fears of slowing global growth, this could also weigh on investor appetite for Vietnamese SOEs looking to divest by means of an initial public offering. Investor interest in Viet Nams SOEs has been weak. In September last year, State-owned Vietnam National Shipping Lines managed to raise only US$2.3 million for its 35 per cent stake sale, far underperforming the company's target of $200 million. State-owned Viglacera Corp failed to attract any investors when it announced a 19.97 per cent stake sale in July last year. Viet Nam's drive to foster greater bilateral and multilateral trade relations will also weigh on import tax revenue. In particular, we believe that the gradual removal of import tariff lines under the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) will weigh on import tax revenues over the coming quarters, Fitch Solutions said. According to Fitch, Viet Nams high debt burden will likely constrain capital spending. The Ministry of Planning and Investment estimated the country's public debt-to-GDP ratio was 61.4 per cent at the end of 2018. The Government has set a public debt ceiling of 65 per cent of GDP for 2018-20. Although the estimated ratio in 2018 fell from 63.7 per cent in 2017, it nonetheless remains near the limit. Fitch Solutions noted that funding a high-speed rail project to link the north and the south would weigh heavily on the Governments finances, given that the Government has to bear 80 per cent of the total bill. Risks to our forecast are for a larger fiscal deficit, Fitch Solutions concluded. The Government could decide to prioritise growth over fiscal prudence amidst slowing economic growth. This could see the Government borrow more to fund its expenditures, with the increase in interest repayments putting further downside pressure on the fiscal deficit over the long term. VNS Mergers and acquisitions are on the upswing in the crowded Vietnamese retail market, bolstered by local retailers expanding their presence amid fierce competition. Domestic and foreign retail chains are both busy conducting M&A to gain market share According to market research provider Euromonitor, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue to feature prominently in the retail market. In 2017 and 2018, Vietnamese retailing continued to become more consolidated as local players acquired smaller companies to expand their network and increase their share. During this time, Mobile World JSC completed its acquisition of pharmacy chain Phuc An Khang, and the countrys leading private conglomerate Vingroup took on both electronics and appliance specialist Vien Thong A, and supermarket chain Fivimart. In addition, VinCommerce, the retail arm of Vingroup, recently also made a big splash by acquiring 87 Shop & Go convenience stores for the nominal sum of $1. These activities have quickly cemented the leading status of the key players, while eliminating smaller groups from the competition. M&A activities are expected to continue at pace. Besides achieving outlet expansion, key players also look at these activities as a quick way to enter a new category. According to Richard Burrage, managing partner of consumer market research company Cimigo, local retailers have the edge in expanding their reach via M&A. They are closer to local consumers, far more agile, and less afraid to fail, quickly learning and moving forward, said Burrage. This agile iteration enables them to move at a speed that is far superior to foreign retailers. He further noted that local groups will continue to dominate the retail market. Looking at Vingroups retail brands, they can use new additions like Fivimart and Shop & Go to drive margin and eventual profitability. Bach Hoa Xanh retail chain, incorporated by Mobile World, accounts for 46 per cent of modern self-service outlets in 2018 with 218 new outlets opened, he said. They are yet to be profitable, but I imagine they are learning fast. Saigon Co.op has been testing new formats such as Co.op Smile. These operators will continue to dominate in this space. Meanwhile, it will take deep investment and a very long-term view for foreign retailers to succeed in Vietnams retail market, according to Burrage. Companies like AEON, Central Group, and BerliJucker Corporation have already experienced this. However, I doubt they will dominate Vietnams retail landscape. They were initially highly restricted in the number and size of stores they could operate. Over the past few years, Vietnam has also witnessed several deals by foreign retailers such as BerliJuckers purchase of Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam, and Central Groups buyouts of Nguyen Kim and Big C. Truong Thanh Duc, chairman of Vietnamese law firm Basico, attributed the rise of M&A to the fast-paced development of the retail market. As the size of the market is expanding, there will be more entrants. Inevitably, small retailers will be eliminated and M&A is one of the strategies for those small companies to withdraw from the market, said Duc. In 2017, around 44 per cent of the total value of M&A activities derived from the consumer goods and retail sector, which indicates an area that remains attractive to investors. Last year, the consumer goods and retail sector continued to lead the 2018 M&A market, according to Baker McKenzie Vietnam. Data by Euromonitor shows that Vietnams supermarket market size was valued at VND50.87 trillion ($2.21 billion) in 2018. Meanwhile, the market size of convenience stores has nearly doubled in the past few years, from VND1.96 trillion ($85.2 million) in 2015 to VND3.72 trillion ($161.7 million) last year. This segment is getting crowded, with the US Circle K increasing its outlets from 246 to 293 between 2017 and 2018. Japans Ministop expanded its footprint from 84 to 112 outlets in the same period. Meanwhile, Japanese chain FamilyMart ran 126 convenience stores in 2016 and 168 stores in 2017 before dropping eight stores last year. Bs Mart also cut the number of outlets from 159 to 143, while Shop & Go went from 121 stores in 2017 to only 95 in 2018. When selling its business to Vingroup, a representative of Shop & Go commented that the company had heavily invested in the chain, but business results have not turned out as expected. Vietnams retail market is promising but competition is stiffer so we decided to pull out of the market, he said. It is clear that the competitive landscape is intense, with losses high and risks great. Cimigo has maintained for the past four years that convenience stores have been strongly competing against independent grocery stores, but offering no greater convenience. Convenience stores will reduce in number and online shopping platforms will play a far stronger role, said Burrage. The fusion of offline and online shopping, for instance, is gaining prominence. With a $13.7 billion acquisition of Whole Foods, Amazon has proven that it is always trying to stay ahead of the curve. The tech giant now comes to possess a chain of 450 stores across 42 US states, thus branching out a physical presence and opening itself up to vast blue oceans of opportunities. Nguyen Huy Hoang, director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel, said, The retail landscape is being revamped with the rising omnichannel trend, prompting retailers to improve themselves to satisfy consumers by offering a shopping experience whenever and wherever. VIR Amid escalating trade battle between the US and China, an increasing number of foreign firms are flocking to Vietnam seeking for supply source and expanding their markets, thanks to low manufacturing costs. The US and China have imposed higher tariffs on US$360 billion in both sides. Vietnamese furniture maker benefits from trade war While the US and China slapped tariffs amounting to a combined $360 billion in both sides last year, Xuan Hoa Vietnam Joint Stock Co., a furniture company in Hanoi, welcomed international visitors coming in flocks and exploring manufacturing facilities at the companys factory, according to CEO Le Duy Anh. In addition, some Xuan Hoas clients, including well-known Swedish furniture Ikea, had relocated some activities in China to Vietnam. At least 10 potential clients from abroad called at Anhs office in the first three months of this year. Anh expected that the sales would at least double in the next five years. The trade war is bringing more opportunities in business and more companies are contacting Xuan Hoa Viet Nam to buy the firms products, Anh said. Xuan Hoa and Ikea have being businesses for more than 17 years and the Swedish furniture giant started to order some small metal ware from the Vietnamese partner. Anh said that the price of a part is VND1,000 (USD$0.04) cheaper than the one offered by Ikeas supplier in China and it is predicted to remain even more competitive given the pressure of the trade war. Like any other growing, global company, Ikea is always seeking competitive opportunities in order to secure optimal sourcing to keep costs low for our customers, Mattias Hennius, a spokesman for Ikea in Sweden, told Bloomberg in an email. Low cost attracts foreign firms to Vietnam Vietnam surges as a low cost manufacturing location. A worker in Vietnams factory is paid about half the salary of his peer receives in China, while electricity is cheap thanks to government subsidies. Vietnam shares border with China, which makes it cheaper and easier for factories to provide materials and components for manufacturing. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has steadily increased since the agreements were signed but it only took off in 2014 after Samsung Electronics announced its plan to switch smartphone manufacturing from China to Vietnam. Actual FDI to Vietnam reached USD$14.1 million in 2017, making up one-fifth of all inflow investment into the Southeast Asia region (excluding Singapore), according to Maybank Kim Eng Research. The country also improved its rank in World Banks Ease of Doing Business and the World Economic Forums Competitiveness Index. Besides, Vietnam has stood at No.60 for the first time in the Bloomberg Innovation Index. The US- China trade war plays as a nudge for foreign businesses to expand in Vietnam. Goer Tek from China, a supplier of Apple, Hon Hai Precision Industry of Taiwan and other competitors have switched their manufacturing facilities to Vietnam. The household supplier Haverty Furniture Cos has been weighing to produce in Vietnam under strong tariffs pressure. One third of US companies operating in China are considering relocating their production facilities abroad, and Vietnam is one of their top destinations. There is a growing trend of companies and suppliers relocating facilities out of China, Michael Kelly, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) Hanoi, said at the Vietnam Business Forum 2018 last December. This trend is shown in the export numbers, with Vietnams foreign shipments holding up. Exports rose 12.4 percent in the second half of 2018 from a year ago, out-distanced the five biggest economies in Southeast Asia, according to data by HSBC Holdings Plc. Vietnam still has much work to do to improve business environment, to upgrade and expand infrastructure, especially transport, and make sure manufacturing can move steadily up the value chain, according to experts. Hanoitimes According to economic experts, the garment and textile industry of Vietnam will advance further in global market thanks to several existing advantages such as skilled laborers with sophisticated technique. Many economic experts at the global textile and apparel supply chain conference held the first time in Ho Chi Minh City said that Vietnam will be an attractive destination for foreign garment and textile companies this year so the country must be cautious and selective about this capital source so as to avoid being applied trade protectionism measures by import markets. Vietnam needs foreign direct investments in fiber, dyeing and raw fabric. Analyzing the potential of garment and textile industry of Vietnam, Mr. Vu Duc Giang, chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS), said that there are 7,000 enterprises in the industry, providing jobs for 3 million workers across the country. The industry maintained unceasing growth from 12 percent in 2010 to 16 percent in 2018. Vietnams garment and textile exports exceeded US$36 billion last year and was expected to top $40 billion this year. Globally, the country has been showing a great impact on garment and textile supply chain for being the worlds second largest textile and apparel exporter. Many Vietnamese clothing brands including Phong Phu, Viet Tien and An Phuoc have gained positions in global market. According to economic experts, the garment and textile industry of Vietnam will advance further in global market thanks to several existing advantages such as skilled laborers with sophisticated technique. Especially, with recently-signed free trade agreements, import tariffs will be gradually removed for Vietnamese garment and textile products. As for domestic market, Vietnam will also be an appealing destination for foreign investors in textile and apparel sectors, especially Chinese firms. Mr. Le Tien Truong, CEO of the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group, said that China holds the position as a main producer of textile raw materials and is the largest garment and textile exporter in the world. However, garment and textile export turnover of China posted negative growth with export turnover to the US and the EU market was minus 0.37 percent and minus 2.13 percent respectively. This was caused by trade barriers used by many countries on garment and textile products imported from China. Meanwhile, garment and textile exports of Vietnam grew robustly, especially at the US and the EU market, soaring 7.57 percent and 8.97 percent in tandem. This will urge Chinese garment and textile companies to shift investments to Vietnam in order to take advantage of the benefits and market gap that free trade agreements brought to Vietnam. It is estimated that Vietnam will receive an investment wave of up to $7 billion from garment and textile companies in China, $2.1 billion from South Korea, $1.6 billion from Taiwan and $0.75 billion from Japan. Foreign direct investment attraction is necessary but economic experts also warned that Vietnam should calculate to make use of investments. First, the country needs to choose firms investing in high technology and foreign firms investing in segments that the countrys supply chain lacks of. According to Mr. Le Tien Truong, Vietnams supply chain lacks of manufacturers for fiber, dyeing and raw fabric. However, in order to increase investment effectiveness in Vietnam, foreign firms should actually cooperate with their local partners in sharing and transferring production technology instead of a pure cooperation between buyer and seller. Many enterprises even invested in the last stage, comprising of assembly and packing, only to take advantage of the Vietnamese origin to receive preferential treatment when exporting. Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong, deputy director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the city has been speeding up the progress of investment and construction of fashion design center. At the same time, the department will strengthen connection with firms in neighboring provinces and raw materials producers to help garment and textile companies in the city to complete the supply chain to promote export turnover this year. In addition, a specialized industrial zone should be built to give support to the demand to invest and develop of firms. As for Vietnamese garment and textile companies, they should refuse flatly cooperation with a nature of commercial transaction only because it will negatively affect development of the industry as well as export market share in the world. At the same time, they should actively form actual alliance, heading to upgrading and improving production, and develop production chain from designing, developing products, producing raw materials, producing finished products, logistics, to developing market, brand and after-sales service. Mr. Vu Duc Giang added that firms should actively change towards green production. In case that a company fails to pass technical barrier and is found to having caused environmental pollution, it means that that company loses its opportunity to export its products. The China National Textile and Apparel Council said that Vietnam has passed Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines to become the biggest trade partner of China. Last year, export of garment and textile products of Vietnam to China reached $4.1 billion and Chinas export turnover was $6.5 billion vice versa. Major clothing brands have set their feet in Vietnamese market, showing great potential of garment and textile industry in Vietnam. SGGP Techcombank (TCB) and VP Bank (VPB) are now the two biggest private banks in Vietnam, while the families of Ho Hung Anh and Ngo Chi Dung, the biggest shareholders of the banks, are the most powerful families in the banking sector. Of the lists of Vietnamese stock billionaires, Ho Hung Anh, chair of Techcombank, ranke second next to Pham Nhat Vuong, the first Vietnamese dollar billionaire recognized by Forbes. Sources said that in Vietnams banking sector, the businessman born in 1970 who started in East Europe is known as a godfather. At Techcombank, Anh holds 39.30 million TCB shares, a small proportion, just 01.12 percent of total shares. However, his family members are big shareholders of the bank. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Anhs wife, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Tam, Anhs mother, hold 174.130 million shares each, while Ho Anh Minh, Anhs son, holds 137.95 million and Nguyen Huong Lien, Anhs sister, 69.63 million shares. Of the lists of Vietnamese stock billionaires, Ho Hung Anh, chair of Techcombank, ranke second next to Pham Nhat Vuong, the first Vietnamese dollar billionaire recognized by Forbes. Anhs family members holds total of 595,160,995 shares, worth VND15.206 trillion, according to the market price on April 1. Anh and his wife are not only bankers. They are also big shareholders at Masan Group, holding 179 million MSN shares, valued at VND15.782 trillion. As the owners of Techcombank and Masan, the stock assets held by Ho Hung Anh family are worth VND30.989 trillion, or $1.3 billion. At Techcombank, Nguyen Canh Son is now deputy chair of the bank, and also chair of EuroWindow. If calculating the value of TCB shares Son holds, Son, his wife (Nguyen Thi Phuong Hoa) and son (Nguyen Canh Son Tung) have VND2.936 trillion with 114.925 million shares. However, VP Bank is the emperor that created billionaire families. Ngo Chi Dung and Bui Hai Quan are two of them. VP Bank chair Ngo Chi Dung returned to Vietnam after reaping big success in Eastern Europe. Dung holds 113.687 VPB shares, or 4.63 percent of total shares. His wife, Hoang Anh Minh, holds 125 million VPB shares, while his mother, Vu Thi Quyen, holds 120.7 million. The three individuals are holding a total of 359.40 million VPB shares, worth VND7.278 trillion in total. VPBanks deputy chair Bui Hai Quan, a graduate of Kiev Economics University and his wife, Kim Ngoc Cam Ly, are also big shareholders of the bank with 165.225 million shares, worth VND3.346 trillion. Lo Bang Giang is another powerful character at VP Bank. Giang, also graduating from a university in Kiev, is holding 3 million shares, but his mother, Ly Thu Ha, and his wife, Nguyen Thu Thuy, together with his sister, Lo Hai Yen Ngoc, are holding more than 111 million shares. Other powerful families in the banking sector are from VIB Bank Dang Khac Vy, chair of the bank, Dang Van Son, deputy chair, and Do Xuan Hoang, member of the management board. RELATED NEWS Earning VND1 trillion a month, Vietnamese billionaires become richer than ever Billionaires scramble for $5 billion drug market Mai Lan Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc arrived in Hanoi at noon of April 18, concluding his official visits to Romania and the Czech Republic. Farewell ceremony for PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc at Vaclav Havel international airport, Prague During his stay in Romania from April 14-16 and in the Czech Republic from April 16-18, PM Phuc had a busy working agenda with nearly 30 activities. In Romania, Phuc held talks with host PM Viorica Dancila, and met President Klaus Iohannis, President of the Senate Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea. He attended and delivered a speech at the Vietnam-Romania Business Forum, and talked with representatives of Romanian localities cooperating with Vietnam. At the talks, the two PMs agreed to step up delegation exchanges, and continue implementing existing cooperation mechanisms effectively, especially the joint committee on economic cooperation. PM Viorica Dancila affirmed that Romania, with its role as the Chair of the European Union in the first six months of 2019, will do its utmost to boost the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). In the Czech Republic, PM Phuc held talks with his host counterpart Andrej Babis, during which they agreed to foster bilateral collaboration in numerous fields, especially education-training, agriculture, science-technology, environment, culture and tourism, and support the early opening of a direct air route linking Hanoi and Prague. The Vietnamese Government leader met representatives of the Vietnamese community living in Romania and the Czech Republic. On this occasion, a number of cooperation agreements between Vietnam and the two countries and between their enterprises were signed. The success of the official visits not only contributes to consolidating and tightening Vietnams traditional friendship with the Central European nations, but also helps speed up the signing and ratification of the EVFTA and the EVIPA in order to open up new cooperative opportunities for Vietnam and the EU in general, and Romania and the Czech Republic in particular. Vietnam looks to broader cooperation with Romania, Czech Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his Czech counterpart Andrej Babis at a press conference flowing their talks The visits to Romania and the Czech Republic by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc reaffirmed Vietnams wish to step up the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with traditional friends in Central and Eastern Europe, with Romania and the Czech Republic as prioritized partners. Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung made the statement in an interview granted to the press on the main outcomes of these official visits that ended on April 18. He said through the visits, Vietnam reached common perceptions and important agreements with Romania and the Czech Republic to ratchet up bilateral ties in diverse fields. Leaders of Romania and the Czech Republic asserted that Vietnam plays an important role in their policies and is their crucial partner in Southeast Asia. They, however, said cooperation with Vietnam remains modest, failing to keep up with the sound political ties, and expressed their wish to broaden the ties. Vietnam and the two countries agreed to coordinate in joint activities to mark the 70th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020, Dung said. On economic cooperation, the sides agreed to soon convene the meeting of the Vietnam-Romania Inter-governmental Committee in 2019 and that of the Vietnam-Czech Republic Inter-governmental Committee in 2020 so specific projects in agriculture, food processing and oil production could be launched with Romania, and those in mechanical engineering, specialized machinery, footwear, garment and textile, and construction materials could be carried out with the Czech Republic. According to Dung, PM Phuc reached agreements on labour cooperation with the Romanian leaders and on aviation with the Czech leaders. Vietnams newest airlines, Bamboo Airways, signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with Prague airport, paving the way for the opening of a Hanoi-Prague direct air route in 2019. The Czech Republic, and especially Romania as the rotating EU president, affirmed their strong support for the early signing of the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) in one or two months, he said. The two countries leaders said the early signing of the two agreements offers a big opportunity for the EU in general and businesses in Central and Eastern Europe in particular to boost the exchange of trade and investments in Vietnam, contributing to bringing their cooperation with Vietnam to a new height. During the visits, PM Phuc asked the Romanian and Czech leaders to continue assisting the Vietnamese community in integrating in their countries social life and contributing to the bilateral cooperation and friendship. Discussed arising regional and global issues, the Romanian and Czech leaders showed their support for the settlement of disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. Regarding bilateral cooperation potential, Dung referred to education and training, labour, tourism, and local partnership as promising fields for Vietnams partnership with Romania and the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic hosts the Vietnamese community of 65,000 people, which has been recognized as the only ethnic group in Europe, while Romania hosts 500 overseas Vietnamese and nearly 3,000 Vietnamese guest workers. VNA While in Hanoi on April 15-16, Admiral Davidson met with high-level government officials and military personnel including Minister of Defense, Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich, Vice Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, and Communist Party of Vietnam External Relations Commission Vice Chairman Nguyen Manh Cuong. During the meetings, Admiral Davidson and Vietnamese officials discussed how the United States and Vietnam continue to deepen security cooperation in numerous fields including addressing legacies of war, increasing Vietnams capacity in peacekeeping operations, building capacity in maritime law enforcement, and ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. Our U.S.-Vietnam defense cooperation is based on our common strategic interests in upholding Vietnams sovereignty and independence and promoting a rules-based international order, said Admiral Davidson during the visit. Admiral Davidson visited Khanh Hoa Province and met with provincial Peoples Committee Standing Vice Chairman Tran Son Hai on April 17 . He also inaugurated new rooms built by the U.S. military for Khanh Hoa Dermatology Hospital, which will increase the treatment capacity for the people in and around Nha Trang City. This opportunity arose from close cooperation between the Khanh Hoa Peoples Committee and U.S. partners during Pacific Partnership 18 last year. From April 17 to 18, Admiral Davidson visited Ho Chi Minh City where he met with City Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Thien Nhan. In his meeting with business leaders in the city, they discussed how the United States and Vietnam can work together to support private sector infrastructure investment as part of President Trumps Indo-Pacific Strategy. By UYEN PHUONG The US Navy is planning two major visits to Vietnam this year as part of efforts to strengthen maritime relations between the two armies. Vietnamese officials welcome US delegation on the visit of USS Carl Vinson to Danang in March 2018. Photo: Navytimes The US would welcome the opportunity for another aircraft carrier visit to Vietnam this year, saying that the move shows the mutual respect that each nation has for each other and the depth of the two countries' growing partnership, Commander of US Indo-Pacific Command Admiral Philip Davidson said at a press meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on April 18, VnExpress reported. On April 17 in the central province of Khanh Hoa, which is home to major military bay of Cam Ranh, the admiral told the press that the US Navy wants to send a vessel and crew to Khanh Hoa for an official visit this September and before that, a US aircraft carrier might pay a visit to the province in the summer. Expanded maritime cooperation The USs key support to Vietnam will cover maritime security and maritime domain awareness defined by the International Maritime Organization as the effective understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy, or environment. Accordingly, the US will focus on improving Vietnams military capacities and pursuing the military training and cooperation which are included in Washingtons security priorities in 2019. The admiral said the US-Vietnam defense cooperation was based on common strategic interests in upholding Vietnams sovereignty and independence and promoting a rules-based international order. Philip Davidson stressed that I commend Vietnam for taking a vocal stand against the malign influence that seeks to constrain international access to the East Sea, he said, using the Vietnamese name for the South China Sea. The US admiral expressed specific concerns about Chinas recent moves, saying that the militarization by China of the East Sea is concerning not only because of the global economic implications, but for what it suggests about the nations broader intent to reshape the international rules-based order that has enabled the astonishing economic rise of this region. He said China seeks to weaken regional order and the sovereignty of countries, international rights to the global commons as well as the flourishing network of allies, partners and friends who seek a free and open Indo-Pacific. It also seeks to undermine institutions such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member states. Chinese expansionism affects the security and the right of all nations to trade, to communicate, to develop their natural resources, and to send their financial information and communications through cables under the sea, the admiral said. Deepened cooperation In March 2018, the USS Carl Vinson docked in Vietnam's Danang, marking the first visit by a US military aircraft carrier since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, underscoring the growing strategic ties between the former foes. Early this month, the US gave six fast-response Metal Shark patrol boats to Vietnam Coast Guard Region 3, which oversees the countrys waters along the southeastern and south central coast, and offshore waters in the East Sea. Six Metal Shark patrol boats were also delivered in March last year. An official from Boeing revealed in late March that the US company is close to sealing a deal to sell unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle, to Vietnam. Last August, a local newspaper quoted an unnamed US State Department official as saying that Vietnam had signed contracts to buy US military equipment worth $94.7 million. Vietnams Foreign Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the information. National defense cooperation between the US and Vietnam accelerated in 2017 when the US transferred a Coast Guard cutter to Vietnam. The two countries will mark 25 years of normalization of diplomatic relations next year. Hanoitimes The Hoa Phat-Dung Quat Steel JSC in Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai province has received approval from MONRE to dump 15 million cubic meters of sludge at sea. Dinh Van Chung, deputy director of Hoa Phat-Dung Quat JSC on April 3, said the company is following necessary procedures to start the dredging of 6 million cubic meters of sand and mud in the second quarter of the year. Of this, 2 million cubic meters will be used for backfilling and leveling at its projects, while the remaining would be submerged in the ocean. Confirming demand, Nguyen Minh Tai, head of the Dung Quat Open Economic Zone, said enterprises need to dredge about 27 million cubic meters of salty sand and sludge at the Dung Quat Port. Of this, 15.3 million cubic meters of sludge will be from the dredging of the specialized port of Hoa Phat-Dung Quat Steel. Three other enterprises are awaiting permission to dredge the general port (6 million cubic meters), Hao Hung Port (4 million) and the second phase of the Dung Quat Oil Refinery expansion project (1.67 million). Like all other projects of this kind, MONREs decision to sink sludge into the sea has stirred controversy and protests. Like all other projects of this kind, MONREs decision to sink sludge into the sea has stirred controversy and protests. A representative of Hoa Phat-Dung Quat complained that the local authorities caused difficulties in implementation. But local authorities have denied this, saying that no one can block the implementation of the plan as it has a license from MONRE. However, Ha Thi Anh Thu, Party Committee Secretary of Binh Son district, said the local authorities need to reflect the peoples concerns about the bad impact of the project. Thu said when Hoa Phat carried out a small dredging project in October 2018, It caused a mass death of caged fish. As a result, provincial authorities had to spend VND8 billion to compensate for farmers losses. Hoa Phat Company also spent VND500 million, which showed that the company was aware of its responsibility about the fish deaths. Oceanography expert Tran Van Sam warned that the dredging and submerging of sludge at Hoa Phat Port on a large area of 180 hectares would affect marine species. Millions of cubic meters of materials to be submerged would bear the impact of sea waves and ocean currents. Concern has also been raised about the effects of the project on Ly Son-Sa Huynh Geopark, which may become an UNESCO recognized global geopark in the future. However, foreign experts stressed that Quang Ngai authorities need to pay attention to the protection of environment in the geopark, at least in 81 places belonging to tourism routes. RELATED NEWS How should Vietnam deal with sludge? Power plant again wants to pour 1 million cu m of sludge into sea Thanh Lich Nuclear and isotope techniques are being used in water sources treatment, pollutant tracing, and environmental treatment. 1/The Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (VINATOM) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on April 4 inaugurated IAEA-VINATOM Cooperation Center for Water and Environment. This is the first center in Vietnam and the third in Asia established by IAEA in cooperation with host countries. Tran Dang Xuan (middle) and his co-workers IAEA believes that water and environmental problems need to be settled as Vietnam is a developing country affected by climate change. VINATOM director Tran Chi Thanh hopes that in the context of Vietnams air and water pollution, IAEA and Vietnam specialists will be able to find solutions with new technologies. 2/ In an effort to ease pollution, Hanoi plans to install grease separating equipment at state-owned schools in all districts of the city. IAEA believes that water and environmental problems need to be settled as Vietnam is a developing country affected by climate change. The Hanoi Water Drainage Company has announced it successfully tried the grease separating technology at restaurants, schools and service centers in Hanoi. The system looks like a water tank with two compartments. When going through the filtration system, grease will float above the surface in one compartment. The remaining compartment will contain treated waste water. Experiments were carried out at 60 restaurants and state-owned schools in Hoang Mai, Cau Giay, Hoan Kiem, Long Bien and Hai Ba Trung found that 90 percent of grease could be split before reaching the environment. 3/ Tran Dang Xuan from Hiroshima University announced in Molecules, an international science journal, the discovery of two compounds Momilactone A and B (MA and MB) in white rice. The market value of the compounds is $1.25 million per gram, or 30,000 times more expensive than gold because it is very difficult to make. Discovering the presence of the compounds in rice and rice husk, after three months of refining 20 kilograms of rice husk, Xuan and his co-workers collected 300 mg MA and 200 mg of MB (1/100,000-1/150,000 of rice husk weight). Xuan said his ambition is to make pharmaceutical products supporting the treatment of obesity and diabetes. He also wants to create a more valuable Vietnamese rice variety. 4/ The 2018 Kovalevskaia Award has been granted to Prof Nguyen Thi Lan, director of the Agriculture Academy, the youngest female professor in the history of the veterinary industry in the country. Nguyen Thi Lan was praised for her outstanding achievements in research with 105 scientific articles published in Vietnam and internationally. She is the author of many research works and products, including a vaccine against Care disease, and a kit for fast testing of respiratory and reproductive disorders syndrome (PRRS) or blue ear disease in pigs. RELATED NEWS Vinagamma radiation center uses high tech to treat toxic waste, emissions Agriculture gets nuclear boost Kham Pha The Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA) this week sent a letter to the US courts asking for justice for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange. Vocational training provided for Agent Orange victims in Da Nang. VNA/VNS Photo US chemical group Monsanto was one of the main suppliers of more than 80 million litres of herbicides which contained the Agent Orange US troops sprayed over southern Vietnam from 1961-71 to clear dense tracts of tropical jungle that served as hideouts for the Vietnamese military. Vietnam asks herbicidal suppliers for the US during the war to take responsibility by providing support to Vietnamese people and the environment, Major General Tran Ngoc Tho, VAVA vice chairman and chairman of HCM Citys Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, said in the letter. The VAVA filed its first class-action suit in 2004, which pinned the blame on a total of 37 US chemical manufacturers including Dow Chemical and Monsanto. However, the case was rejected three times by US courts, which claimed that there was no legal basis for the plaintiff's claims. In March this year, a federal jury in San Francisco found Monsantos Roundup herbicide was a substantial factor that directly caused the cancer of 70-year-old Edwin Hardeman from California, and instructed Monsanto to pay him compensation of nearly US$81 million. In August 2018, the company was ordered to pay $289 million in compensation for past and future economic losses and punitive damages to the US citizen in a closely watched case that bears many similarities to the legal battle waged on behalf of the Vietnamese victims. By highlighting these cases, the VAVA hopes the US courts will review the lawsuit and its progress since 2004 so that justice will be delivered to more than 4.8 million Agent Orange victims in Vietnam. VNS Many Vietnamese universities lately have entered international and regional ranking lists, a positive signal that domestic universities are gradually meeting strict global demands in higher education and contributing to the community. Modest level of research: weakness of Vietnams universities Vietnam has seven universities in URAPs list The participation in these ranking lists also show more advantages to the universities themselves since they are better aware of their strengths and weaknesses. Statistics from Web of Science (WoS) display that from 2014 2018, international scientific announcement from Vietnam witnessed a significant growth. Particularly, in 2014, there had been only 3,482 articles. Yet this number increased to 6,187 in 2018, helping Vietnam to be ranked in the middle of the Southeast Asian region, leaded by Malaysia with more than 114,000 articles. Though standing at a quite low position, the quantity of Vietnamese scientific announcements has risen dramatically in the last 5 years, by an impressive 18 percent per year. It is the first time that Vietnam has a university in the top 1,000 leading universities globally. Also, according to the QS World University Rankings 2019 (QS World), the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VNU-HCM) and the Vietnam National University Hanoi (VNU-HN) are in the list of top 701 750 and the list of top 801 1000 in the world. VNU-HCM is also included in the 4 percent of leading universities in the world out of 23,000. QS World 2019 evaluates and ranks universities in accordance with the 6 indicators of academic peer view (40 percent), employer reputation (10 percent), faculty/student ratio (20 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), international staff ratio (5 percent), and international student ratio (5 percent). Another remarkable news is that Ton Duc Thang University, the first in Vietnam, is chosen by Times Higher Education the UK (THE) in the list of universities to have the most significant effects on sustainable social-economic development of the world. It is in the top 101 200 out of 462 universities. The university is honored to be the only in Vietnam to reach 4/5 stars according to QS-stars of the UK. As stated by Dr. Le Van Ut, university ranking is a necessity for it can reflect the true capability of any educational institute. The ranking has become a critical factor to help parents and learners choose the most suitable one for their own needs. Notably, domestic universities should focus on renowned ranking lists to honor academic purposes. Those which do not take part in this ranking activity show a lack of confidence in their operation. Vietnamese should take into consideration the criterion of conducting research in the university environment, observing such leading indicators as ISI of the US or Scopus of Holland. According to Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chinh, Head of the Center for Educational Testing and Quality Assessment of VNU-HCMC, university classification and ranking is a global fashion and attracts much interest from the public as well as educational experts. This demonstrates a demand from the society for an improvement of educational quality and transparency in such a competitive and changing world. The ranking has clearly shown various benefits of providing sufficient and founding information for the quality upgrading process in educational institutes. SGGP Instead of suing the culprits, denouncing abusers to agencies, or seeking support from the community, victims of school physical abuse tend to conceal the cases and keep everything secret. Many student abuse cases have been reported in recent months. However, experts believe that the reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg, while many other cases have never been brought to light, and the abusers have not been punished. Secondary school students A high school teacher in Hanoi commented that parents hide information and are uncooperative with the police. A niece of a teacher was the victim of a lewd act by a neighbor when she was 9 years old. The father of the girl vowed to denounce the neighbor of committing lewd act. However, he later gave up the intention after his wife warned that the girl would not have a bright future and she may be left on the shelf because men will refuse abused girls. Parents are afraid of their reputation, appropriate agencies are irresponsible and indifferent to childrens feelings, and schools fear a bad reputation. All these factors explain why many cases of student abuse cannot come to light, he said. The teacher stressed that the father of the girl, his elder brother, has a bachelors degree, while his wife has masters degree. The most serious characteristic of many school violence cases that occurred recently is that no one came forward and stopped the fight. Experts warned that students now are soulless, which is the result of education which only focuses on providing knowledge and ignoring morality lessons. The participants at a workshop on school violence held by Tien Phong newspaper several days ago all affirmed that school violence keeps escalating not because of the lack of a legal framework, but because of peoples indifference to bad habits and wrongdoing. Pham Anh Thang, chief representative of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (MOLISA) in HCMC, commented that school violence is getting worse. In the past, students bullied and beat others, but now, they fight each other, shoot films, take pictures and post clips on internet. The most serious characteristic of many school violence cases that occurred recently is that no one came forward and stopped the fight. Experts warned that students now are soulless, which is the result of education which only focuses on providing knowledge and ignoring morality lessons. Phan Thi Hoai Yen, a psychologist, commented that adults are at fault in the escalation of student abuse. She said in many cases, victims of student abuse cases unwillingly become famous because their names appear in many newspapers. I am sure students dont need just compassion from adults. They need psychological support to overcome their problems, she said, adding that people with sexual misconduct also need psychological support. RELATED NEWS Social media posts contributing to physical abuse cases at schools Better cooperation needed to prevent school violence NLD The Yonhap News Agency of the Republic of Korea (RoK) inaugurated its Southeast Asian representative office in Hanoi on April 18. Delegates at the inauguration ceremony pose for a group photo (Photo: VTV) The office, led by former Yonhap correspondent in Vietnam Kim Sun-ha, will focus on news from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Oceania. General Director of the Vietnam News Agency (VNA) Nguyen Duc Loi delivered a congratulatory speech at the inauguration ceremony, which saw the attendance of Yonhap President and CEO Cho Sung-boo. VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi delivered a congratulatory speech at the inauguration ceremony (Photo: VTV) Loi said he was impressed by Yonhaps decision to choose Hanoi as the venue for its third overseas regional representative office. He noted that it reflected the importance of Southeast Asia to the RoK, the position of Vietnam in the region, and the fruitful ties between Yonhap and VNA. The VNA General Director wished successful operations for the new office and that cooperation between the two agencies would grow further, thereby contributing to Vietnam-RoK relations. Founded in December 1980, Yonhap, the only national news agency of the RoK, has signed cooperation agreements with 65 foreign news agencies to date.VNA Travelers are recommended to visit Saigon`s Independence Palace not just to gain a sense of the building`s role in the Vietnam War, but also because of its wonderfully retro exterior and interior. After visiting Saigon as a guest of Scenic on its all-inclusive 13-day Treasures of the Mekong cruise and land tour from Saigon to Siem Reap, Anthony Dennis, a writer from Stuff.co.nz, a New Zealand news website published by Stuff Limited, has some words of advice for travelers with nine must-do things on exploring Ho Chi Minh City. Ben Thanh Market. Ho Chi Minh City is divided into a series of districts with District One the main hotel, dining and retail area where visitors inevitably congregate. But to experience a literally different side of the city, cross the Saigon River to the Seminyak-like District Two, the city's hippest new neighbourhood packed with cool restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques. According to Dennis, you can think Ho Chi Minh City as a lifestyle store selling quality, handcrafted and affordable ceramics, textiles, lighting, bags and much more. All of its authentic wares are drawn not just from Vietnam but from the "Mekong subregion", which includes countries such as Cambodia and Laos. You'll find branches of this refined retailer in both Districts One and Two. In addition, Vietnam is a major coffee producer and it's no surprise that the Vietnamese enjoy their coffee. So can you, in considerable style, at a District One branch of L'Usine. Take your pick of the L'Usine cafe above a covered laneway off busy Le Loi Street or another inside an elegant art deco space on Le Thanh Ton Street. Anthony Dennis recommends that if you want to explore Vietnamese cuisine, you can visit Ho Chi Minh City. Although there are plenty of restaurants to tempt visitors in District One, The Deck, a stylish riverside diner in District Two frequented by cluey expats and tourists, is hard to surpass for both its tranquil location and excellent food. In addition, travelers can visit Saigon's Independence Palace not just to gain a sense of the building's role in the Vietnam War, but also because of its wonderfully retro exterior and interior. A mix of traditional and modernist styles, right down to its furnishings, throughout, it was here that at 10:45am on April 30, 1975, tank 843 of the conquering North Vietnamese smashed through the palace gate. The number of foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City in the first quarter of 2019 is estimated at 2.25 million, equal to 27% of this year's target and making up half the foreign arrivals in Vietnam in the period, VnExpress reported, citing the municipal Department of Tourism. Hanoitimes Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang's Regular Press Conference on April 19, 2019 2019/04/19 At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Sebastian Pinera Echenique of the Republic of Chile will pay a state visit to China and attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) from April 24 to 28. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Khaltmaagiin Battulga of Mongolia will pay a state visit to China and attend the second BRF from April 24 to 28. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari of Nepal will pay a state visit to China, attend the second BRF and the opening ceremony of the 2019 International Horticultural Exhibition in Beijing from April 24 to May 2. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa of the Portuguese Republic will pay a state visit to China from April 28 to May 2 and attend the second BRF before the visit. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Ueli Maurer of the Swiss Confederation will pay a state visit to China and attend the second BRF from April 23 to 30. At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of the Republic of Austria will pay an official visit to China from April 25 to 29. Chancellor Kurz will also attend the second BRF during his visit. Q: Do you have any comment on the recent presidential election in Indonesia? A: We would like to congratulate Indonesia, a friendly neighbor, on its smooth presidential election. We respect the choice of the Indonesian people and believe Indonesia will sustain the sound momentum of stability and development. China attaches high importance to relations with Indonesia. In recent years, by grasping opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, our two countries have made much progress in growing bilateral relations with fruitful practical cooperation in various areas. China stands ready to continue to work with Indonesia for further development of our comprehensive strategic partnership. Q: In a recent interview, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad replying to a question on China said that "we have had China as a neighbor for 2,000 years; we were never conquered by them". He also said that China has contributed a lot to world economic growth, in particular development of developing countries. Do you have any comment on that? A: We appreciate the remarks by Prime Minister Mahathir. China is committed to developing friendly relations with Malaysia. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and Prime Minister Mahathir will come to China for the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) next week. We will take these opportunities to renew traditional friendship, enhance high level interactions and explore potentials in BRI cooperation for greater development in bilateral relations and more benefits to our countries and peoples. Just as Prime Minister Mahathir pointed out, China always endeavors to achieve shared development with other countries through win-win cooperation. The BRI, for instance, is a public good China has offered to the world in the new era, through which we hope to share development opportunities and benefits. We will do our best to deliver a successful forum next week to build consensus and highlight the theme of peace, cooperation and development. Q: Recent reports have recorded a large expansion of China's distant ocean research fleet conducting operations in the Western Pacific. Some overseas commentators believe these missions may have a dual purpose and are designed to gather information for military purposes such as submarine channels. Is China mapping this region for military purposes? A: I don't know who these commentators are. China has been observing international laws including UNCLOS while exercising its freedom of scientific research in the high seas. China fully respects the rights of coastal states in whose jurisdiction the research activities are being conducted and opposes activities that undermine peace, good order and security of coastal states. This is our principled position. China's scientific research activities in the west Pacific accord with the relevant stipulations of UNCLOS and have contributed to the strengthening of marine scientific research. China hopes that all relevant parties will correctly view China's normal scientific research activities instead of making speculations wearing tinted glasses, or disrupting or hurting China and other countries' normal cooperation in marine scientific research. Q: Do you have more details on the expectations for the outcomes of the visit of the President of Chile? A: As I announced earlier, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Sebastian Pinera Echenique of the Republic of Chile will pay a state visit to China and attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) from April 24 to 28. Chile is China's important cooperation partner in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific. The two sides have established a comprehensive strategic partnership. With our concerted efforts, bilateral relations have been growing steadily throughout the past 49 years since diplomatic relations were established. China-Chile relations have long been growing ahead of China-Latin America relations, registering many "firsts" in various areas. For example, it is the first Latin American country to sign a free trade agreement with China. At present, China-Chile relations are at their historical best. Based on the information I have at the moment, President Xi will hold a welcome ceremony and a welcome banquet for President. They will hold formal talks and attend a signing ceremony. Premier Li Keqiang and Chairman Li Zhanshu will also meet with him respectively. The two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest. President Sebastian Pinera Echenique will also attend events with the business and cultural communities of the two countries. We believe that through this visit, the two sides will build on the momentum of BRI cooperation to bring our comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height by further enhancing political mutual trust and deepening friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields. Q: The US says a WTO dispute settlement panel found China's tariff-rate quota for wheat, rice and corn inconsistent with its WTO commitment. Do you have any comment on that? A: The Ministry of Commerce has made clear China's position on this issue. On April 18 Geneva time, the WTO issued a dispute panel report on the US complaint against China's tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for rice, wheat and corn. China welcomes the panel's ruling against the US claim that China should provide public notice in connection with certain information of TRQs. However, we regret its conclusion that China's administration of TRQs as a whole violated its obligation under the terms of its WTO accession. China always respects WTO rules. We will earnestly review the panel report, properly deal with this issue via WTO dispute settlement procedures, uphold the stability of the multilateral trading system and continue to administer the TRQs on agricultural products in line with WTO rules. Q: First question, according to KCNA reports, the DPRK hopes that US State Secretary Mike Pompeo will no longer be part of their talks and that he should be replaced by someone more careful and mature in communicating with the DPRK side. I wonder if you have any comment? My second question, the Russian side said that leaders of the DPRK and Russia will be meeting in late April. Do you have any comment on this? A: Regarding your first question, we have noticed relevant reports, but we are not in a position to comment, right? As the DPRK and US leaders hope to maintain the momentum for dialogue, we hope this momentum will be sustained and more positive outcomes achieved through the dialogue, which will contribute to denuclearization and the political settlement of the Peninsula issue. To answer your second question, we have noted relevant reports. The DPRK and Russia are both China's friendly neighbors. We are pleased to see them advancing bilateral ties and enhancing high-level interactions. Such efforts, we believe, will contribute to the political settlement of the Peninsula issue and peace and stability in the region. We met some years back at a scholarly conference where we were both presenting papers on a common theme: health care in the service of the law. We bonded over our shared academic interest in Stefan Timmermans and Jonathan Gabes (2002) medico-legal borderlands framework. As we came to realize, our research agendas were both conceptually situated within borderland spaces. We discovered that common to each of our most recent (at that time) ethnographic studies was an overlapping issue: the ways in which state interests affect health care processes and provider practices. Following this discovery, we began to envisage how to bring our studies together methodologically in order to arrive at more generalizable analyses and conclusions that could be helpful to sociological studies of health and medicine. In this essay, we have endeavored to deliver on this commitment, and in doing so, spark wider discussions about how state interests both structure, and create conflict within, health care settings. Our approach draws methodological insight from U.S. sociologists George Noblit and Dwight Hares (1988) use of meta-ethnography. This approach offers a way for researchers to generalize ethnographic studies through two moves: first, to identify common threads, and second, to synthesize findings arranged as broader themes. The aim of meta-ethnography is to create a strong analytic position from which to migrate findings to other contexts. Noblit and Hare advocate for the use of organizers, which are conceptual anchors that thematically amalgamate qualitative research findings. Using this methodological strategy, we bring results from what appear, at first blush, to be unrelated studies into generative dialogue. Thus, works that ask similar research questions can be brought together to explore and critique how state interests enlist medical expertise and so affect health care provider decision making and practice. Why make these scholarly moves? Our position is that health providers work is increasingly being organized by and within state interests and goals. This stance contrasts with, say, the belief that health care services are being carried out in the subjective interests of patients. The empirical basis for our perspective comes from our ethnographic studies. On the one hand, Bisaillon (2012) assessed the work of physicians conducting immigration medical examinations for applicants to Canada, where HIV status is a salient concern. On the other hand, Sanders (2013) analyzed the work of public health nurses who provide HIV risk-reduction post-test counseling as forms of care in Ontario, Canada. We both used methodological techniques and analytic concepts from Dorothy Smiths (1987) institutional ethnography approach, which is a form of inquiry focused on the social production of knowledge. We were each interested in understanding how extra-local state interests affect the provision of health care by practitioners working in direct service. Using meta-ethnography to reflect upon the overlap between our projects was an energetic and fruitful process. This strategy opened up the possibility for us to identify four unifying questions about health care provision. These are: 1) What extra-local state interests are at play, and what are their consequences? 2) How do these arrangements shape the ways that physicians and public health nurses work with patients? 3) What are the implications for health providers and their patients? 4) What local tensions and conflicts arise from these circumstances? In asking these questions, we have captured and also problematized how providers work in separate institutional settings. We can see and comment on how providers are being asked to deliver care to people, and the reasoning practices they employ. Importantly, we can pinpoint implications for provider practices and patient care in ways that stretch well beyond our individual field sites. Studies in Dialogue Together, our meta-ethnographic collaboration has revealed two trajectories of extra-local state influence on health care delivery. The first concerns how such interests structure local health care encounters, and the second points to conflicts arising from state influence. Within these two thematics, we identified six organizers that successfully illuminate how state interests influence public health HIV post-test counseling sessions in general, and specifically within immigration medical examinations (see Sanders & Bisaillon 2018). In what follows, we draw our readers attention to two of the six organizers: ethical conflicts and contradictions with the sharing of health-related data. In both of our studies, we found that health professionals engage in textually mediated practices (e.g., written case notes and diagnostic procedure orders) that are intended to create a permanent record of what occurred during each encounter with a patient. Sociologically speaking, this indicates that providers clinical documentation styles are being directed, at least in part, by state interests rather than solely by their professional colleges. The influence of the state in professional provider settings thus sets the stage for sustained ethical conflicts regarding health-related data sharing practices at the local level and beyond. Ethical Gray Areas The first organizer of professional practice is what we describe as ethical gray areas in health care service. These emerge when providers incorporate shortcuts and employ procedures that are intended to accomplish state goals. During Canadian immigration medical examinations, for example, applicants are not systematically told that they are being tested for HIV/AIDS. If they test positive for HIV antibodies, they must sign a form confirming that they received counseling (as a form of care) at diagnosis, even though our empirical data reveals that counseling by the doctor is the exception rather than the rule. Applicants have little choice but to sign this form, since a finalized medical file and immigration application for someone with HIV must include this document. Moreover, the applicant, the immigration doctor, and an expert witness must all sign the form. The practice of having signatures reinforces the states theoretical claim, that counseling occurs in the medical examination, is problematic for numerous reasons that are detailed elsewhere (Bisaillon, 2014). Through this signature system, a doctors responsibility to patient care is diluted and sometimes altogether disappears, while the outsourcing of counseling becomes increasingly standardized. In this same vein, public health nurses who meet with patients in a counseling setting frequently withhold or obscure information about the possibility of health records being subpoenaed by the criminal justice system. According to empirical findings, which are detailed elsewhere (Sanders, 2014), the reasoning nurses give is that since arrests for HIV non-disclosure are rare (and subpoenas for medical records even more so), it would be imprudent and alarmist to advise people about the possibility of involvement of the law. Nurses reason that revealing this possibility might, and likely would, interfere with frank dialogue between provider and patient during the counseling session. That this information is typically withheld to avoid alarming people or deterring them from cooperating with the disease prevention goals of post-test counseling presents a palpable ethical contradiction in HIV counseling. Both examples detailed above betray a level of misplaced trust in provider practices if one believes that the health care encounter is purely a patient-centered event. Data Sharing The second organizer concerns the matter of data sharing. Data sharing refers to the possibilities and processes by which medical data collected in the clinical setting hold the possibility of being repurposed in another moment in time and place within a state bureaucracy. When this repurposing does occur, it is often to the detriment of a patients best interest. Thus, like practices in ethically gray zones, the circulation of personally identifiable medical data can fly under the radar until it is too late. During Canadian immigration medical examinations, some forms of health data are collected for exclusive use by the immigration department. While applicants are told that information being gathered will be part of their immigration file, they reported feeling surprised, distracted, and confused to learn that the data are not also for their clinical caring purposesfor their subjective interest as human beings. What is more, information, such an HIV-positive test result, is attached to the above-noted form, which doubles as an affidavit that counseling services occurred (though, as per empirical reports, this is not the norm). This affidavit is then is fastened to an applicants photograph. This paperwork system and the ways in which doctors and state agents work within its requirements introduces an added possibility for a breach in confidentiality, among other ethical violations. Further, in the post-test HIV counseling session between public health nurse and patient, the latters nominally identifiable health care information might enter the criminal justice system if, say, the person is later arrested and charged for an offense of not disclosing their HIV status during sex. So, against this very serious medico-legal backdrop, it is reasonable that people getting counselling might be reluctant to discuss their sex lives, including past partners, given the obvious possibility for legal repercussions. As sociologists, we are concerned with analyzing the existence of such data sharing from an academic perspective. However, we are also creatures living and breathing among people, connected within communities, and so we share concern about the potential harm that comes from the circulation of these forms of knowledge. We underscore that the rub resides not in data collection, per se. Rather, that data have been, and continue to be, at this writing, repackaged and so applied beyond the sites and for other purposes than those for which they were first collected. This matters because it troubles the usual understandings and relations of confidentiality between patient and health care provider. There is also the possibility of data being re-formulated and making its way into courtrooms and other adversarial contexts. Where such is the case, the concern about refashioned data to be used against the very same person with HIV, has merit and should concern us all, whether we live with HIV or not, since there is legal precedent of this within cases of HIV criminalization in Canada (e.g., R. v. Mabior, [2012]). In closing, this essay illustrates how meta-ethnography as an analytic strategy can be used to synthesize social studies to usefully generate broader insights about the ways that medico-legal borderlands are organized and operate in local clinical settings. We can attest to how this approach carries potential to broaden the scope of individual qualitative studies, while also enriching and expanding how we come to think through and about these projects. In our view, one of the results is that otherwise shadowy connections between medical and legal worlds practice are made visible, which, in turn, renders Timmermans and Gabes compound concept susceptible to scholarly stretching and change. It is with enthusiasm that we encourage fellow researchers and their students to experiment with meta-ethnography, using its organizers to embark on work that fleshes out the territory of medico-legal borderlands. Works Cited Bisaillon, L. (2012). Cordon Sanitaire or Healthy Policy? How Prospective Immigrants with HIV are Organized by Canadas Mandatory HIV Screening Policy. Doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa. Bisaillon, L. (2014). Introduction: The Politics of Practice and the Contradictions for People, Policy and Providing Care: Investigations into the Implications of Health Work Organized Within State Interests. Public Health Ethics, 7(3), 225-228. Noblit, G., & Hare, R. (1988). Meta-Ethnography: Synthesizing Qualitative Studies. Newbury Park: Sage. Sanders, C. (2013). Ontario Public Health Counselling Practice Following the Criminalization of HIV Non-disclosure: A Contribution to the Sociology of Public Health (Doctoral dissertation). Toronto, Ontario: York University Sanders, C. (2014). Discussing the Limits of Confidentiality: The Impact of Criminalizing HIV Nondisclosure on Public Health Nurses Counseling Practices. Public Health Ethics, 7(3), 253-260. Sanders, C., & Bisaillon, L. (2018). When Health Care is Displaced by State Interests: Building Dialogue through Shared Findings. Qualitative Health Research, 29(1), 32-41. Smith, E. (1987). The Everyday World as Problematic: A Feminist Sociology. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Timmermans, S., & Gabe, J. (2002). Introduction: Connecting Criminology and Sociology of Health and Illness. Sociology of Health & Illness, 24(5), 501-516. Laura Bisaillon, PhD, is Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto. I am a sociologist of health and illness specializing in qualitative methods and the social studies of HIV-related policy and Canadian immigration law. I use the social organization of knowledge approach and institutional ethnography as forms of inquiry. The bulk of my work has explored immigration medical inadmissibility decision-making and its consequences. Screening and Screaming in Exile: Medical Examination and the Immigration Health Work of People with HIV is my monograph under review with UBC Press. Since 2013, I have conducted ethnographic fieldwork in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran and Romania. Chris Sanders, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Lakehead University in Ontario. Im a medical sociologist specializing in the areas of public health and mental health& illness. My work focuses on disease prevention policy and health care provider practices in Canada and the United States. I am particularly interested in rural sociology and the use of qualitative methods Share this: Share Email Facebook Twitter Reddit Tumblr LinkedIn [view academic citations] [hide academic citations] For a Downton Abbey enthusiast, The Chaperone, now in theaters in limited release, sounds almost too good to be true. The film is written by Downton creator Julian Fellowes; its directed by frequent Downton director Michael Engler. Its set as the 1920s are just beginning to roar, which ensures to-die-for period sets and costumes. And, it stars none other than the Countess of Grantham herself, Elizabeth McGovern. Alas, while it delivers all of the above as promised, this first foray into motion pictures by PBS and Masterpiece Theatre feels more like a made for television movie. Its a bit too hushed and a bit too tame for the big screen. Its certainly enjoyable and quite beautiful to watch but this particular historical drama could use a bit more . . . well . . . drama. Based on the 2012 bestselling novel by Laura Moriarty, the film imagines a chapter from the pre-fame life of Louise Brooks, the real-life silent film it girl, who rose to fame as a daring icon of the jazz age. Brooks raised eyebrows for her progressive lifestyle and infamous bob hairdo (immediately copied by scores of U.S. shopgirls, not to mention Downtons season five Lady Mary). In a 1979 profile, New Yorker critic Kenneth Tyson remembered Brooks as the most seductive, sexual image of Woman ever committed to celluloid. Shes the only unrepentant hedonist, the only pure pleasure-seeker, I think Ive ever known. Sounds like an exciting heroine, nest-ce pas? But, the film is called The Chaperone, not The Screen Siren. The movie starts in 1922, a few short years before Brooks made her Hollywood debut in The Street of Forgotten Men. Shes an impatient teen, stuck in Wichita, Kansas, but longing for adventure. A naturally gifted dancer, shes been offered a place in New Yorks prestigious Denishawn School of Dancing and Related Arts. Her bohemian (and self-centered) mother is all for it, but her father refuses to let her go without a chaperone. Enter Norma Carlisle, a middle-aged fixture of Wichita society, with a prominent attorney husband and two grown sons. Norma has her own reasons for wanting to leave, which reveal themselves later in the movie. She volunteers, and after a perfunctory interview and despite Mr. Carlisles displeasure this odd couple is on a train en route to the big city. Louise is eager, outspoken, and a bit too worldly for her own good. Norma is conservative, conventional, and tight-laced. Literally. To Louises amusement, the reed-thin chaperone still wears a corset. The two are at odds almost immediately. Louise is a flirt, sitting with strange men in the club car and charming a taxi driver to take them uptown even though his shift is ending. Norma attempts to instruct her. Men dont like candy thats been unwrapped, she warns. It might be clean, but they dont know where its been. Suffice it to say, Norma is going to have her hands full. Fortunately, once they arrive, Louise is safe and sound at Denishawns at least part of each day. This gives Norma time to pursue her own education. It turns out that she was born and spent her first few years in New York, a student at the downtown Home for Friendless Girls, before being taken out west on an orphan train and adopted by a Kansas farming family. Norma hopes that the nuns at the orphanage can shed some light on her background. I want to know who I am, she pleads with the mother superior. Youre a child of God, shes told. Norma befriends widower Joseph, a gallant German handyman, who has a young daughter living at the orphanage. After some hesitation, Norma convinces him to help her steal her records while the nuns and their charges are at mass. She finds a letter from a friend of the birth mother, and writes to the woman, hoping shell come from Massachusetts to meet with her. She soon needs Josephs help again to rescue Louise from a seedy speakeasy. The unrepentant teen, surrounded by men and downing cocktails, breathes in Normas face. Do you like that, Norma? she sneers, Its gin, gin! Thats what it is. Later, she allows Norma to help as she experiences the sickening effects of so much gin, gin. Louise, whose sensual, modern dancing really is spellbinding, is invited to dance with the company in Pennsylvania. This gives Norma time for a heartbreaking meeting with the woman from Massachusetts and a romantic night with Joseph. The two are seen and Joseph loses his job. Meanwhile, Louise is offered a permanent position with Denishawn (Ted Shawn is delighted; his wife, Ruth St. Denis, is jealous), and will be staying in New York. Without revealing too many plot twists, suffice it to say that Norma returns to Kansas and creates a non-traditional family that, while dramatically satisfying, might be more plausible in the 2020s than the 1920s. The movie ends twenty years later, when a much wiser Norma offers advice to a disillusioned Louise, urging the younger woman not to give up on her dreams. Their roles have reversed and now Norma is the one who can imagine a happy ending. It was right where you left it. Nothing had been moved, or altered. Things had stayed the same and whatever you were looking for was right where you left it. That goes for keys, eyeglasses, coffee cup and, in the new book it could also include a life. Shed been told shed spend decades behind bars. But there she was, ready to leave after only eighteen years inside Jaxton Prison, a ticket in her hand and four hundred dollars borrowed from her brothers. Jodi McCarty was going home to West Virginia. But first, she had to find Ricky. He was in Georgia, and she had time. Ricky was Paulas brother Paula being Jodis lover and the woman she killed and it had always been Paulas dream to get him far away from their abusive father. Jodi knew that that was somethingshe had to do now, so she headed to Chaunceloraine before re-starting her life on her grandmothers farm. And in her search for Ricky, Jodi found Miranda. When Miranda left her husband, she really only wanted attention but she got a surprise instead: he took their three boys and left her with no money. She had no home, either, so she was staying the run-down motel near where Jodi had landed. Half-drunk one night, she ended up in Jodis room and she stayed. Days before her first meeting with a parole officer in West Virginia, Jodi gathered Miranda and the boys shed helped steal back and she headed home, having talked Ricky into leaving with her. Jodi loved Miranda, and the cabin where shed grown up was a good place to raise kids. It was in rough shape, but it was home. But, as it turned out, it was someone elses home: the land was sold for back taxes while Jodi was in prison, and frac sand miners were buying up the area. Jodi didnt know what to do and, as the pressure to care for her makeshift little family grew, she realized that she didnt know Ricky or Miranda very well, either With the slam of a door, Sugar Run starts out with a stunned shiver and it sprints. Author Mesha Maren perfectly captures the surrealness of being snatched from an unwanted reality and hurled into one that doesnt make sense. Even if youve only just driven past a prison, youll know the crush of it. Back and forth the story goes, as we learn what happened when Jodi was just seventeen years old. Thats a mandatory part of the tale and its also, sadly, the cause of some disorientation since things begin to unravel as its populated with more and more people. Readers are rewarded with a gauzy, delicate ending but the last dozen pages make it tough getting there. And thats too bad, since theres more overall-positive things to say about this book than not. Try Sugar Run, linger, and you might love it but beware: you might also just as soon wish youd left it. Sugar Run: A Novel by Mesha Maren c.2018, Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill $26.95 / higher in Canada 320 pages or check this book out on Amazon (Author: Mesha Maren) It's no secret that the past year has been hard on business. At least 85 of San Francisco's restaurants have closed. Relatives around the country are calling us to ask about the supposed "San Francisco Exodus" of former downtown workers. The local arts scene is standing on its last leg. Luckily, however, our right to spend our money on legal pot was protected. Cannabis businesses were declared essential, and though a few dispensaries closed (like the medical-era Urban Pharm, RIP), the majority have hung on. While smoking and vaping remains prohibited at cannabis lounges due to Covid-19, some, like at Posh Green Boutique, now let you sit down and enjoy an edible. And even though the traditional 4/20 festivities at Hippie Hill are canceled again this year, a few outdoor events, like the High, San Francisco! cannabis-themed scavenger hunt on April 17th, have been given the go-ahead. Whether you plan to gather with your pandemic pod or just enjoy a day parked in front of the TV, 2021 is most definitely a year to celebrate all the herb has given us. Impulsively bought pre-rolls, after all, saved us from many a night of pandemic boredom. Cannabis-infused salves and lotions cured the back pain induced by our lousy home office equipment. Discreet, low-dose edibles made three-hour Zoom meetings manageable. Soothing tinctures kept our pandemic anxieties at bay. So roll up a joint and let out a big exhale. The best thing about the stoner's holiday is you can make it just as relaxing, exciting, or sociable as you please. Here are some of the best products, dispensaries, deliveries, and adventures available within a couple hours' drive of the Golden Gate Bridge to help guide you on your journey. High-End Cannabis Dispensaries & Deliveries in the Bay Area Sleek and strategically located in San Francisco's posh shopping mecca Union Square, Stiiizy, from social equity program proprietor Cindy De La Vega, is the city's first Latina-owned cannabis dispensary. (Courtesy of Stiiizy) Lucky for daily tokers and occasional smokers alike, cannabis was declared an "essential" business in California this past year. The trip to the dispensary became our monthly outing, and local budtenders and delivery drivers became the smiling faces we could always count on. These are some of the best dispensaries and delivery services that have been meeting our needs over the past year, offering some of the most luxurious products available in the Bay Area. SAN FRANCISCO There is no bigger name in cannabis than Cookies, and there is no better location for a cannabis dispensary than the Haight-Ashbury near Golden Gate Park. Luckily Berner's on Haight (1685 Haight St., Upper Haight) has both the Cookies supply and the location, sitting at the corner of Cole and Haight and routinely carrying more than 50 different cultivars. If you ask CEO/founder Shawn Richard, however, he's most proud of his "equity shelf": a rack of flower, vapes, and edibles brands produced by other social equity entrepreneurs. // The first dispensary in San Francisco independently owned by a Black woman, Posh Green Cannabis Boutique (828 Innes Ave., Bayview), touts a stylish shop and places priority on wellness with their own, in-house CBD line. Having had their official opening interrupted by the pandemic, they're hosting an official grand-opening "Community Appreciation Event" on 4/20/21. Check out their Instagram for more updates. // Though smoking lounges are still a forbidden luxury, the centrally located Vapor Room (79 Ninth St., SoMa) has a carefully curated flower menu that, pound-for-pound, may be the best in the city. It's our choice for grabbing IC Collective flowerthe only true, Grateful Dead-approved Chem Dog aroundas well as the best sun-grown flower and the latest luxe edibles. // SPARC (1256 Mission St., 471 Haight St., 502 14th St.) still encourages customers to order online for pickup or delivery in order to reduce the amount of customers in the store, but it's worth the extra step. In addition to having their own vertically integrated farm operations, they also have made a pointed effort to support and advertise great social equity brands like the San Francisco Cannabis Oversight Committee's own Nina Parks' brand, Gift of Doja. // If you're a germaphobeand who isn't these daysThe Green Cross (4218 Mission St., Excelsior) is your jam. They've been taking pandemic safety seriously since before the first shelter in place order, and strictly enforce mask wearing and social distancing. // If you're heading back into the office, you'll want to get acquainted with the new Stiiizy location downtown (180 O'Farrell St., Union Square), a friendly, community-oriented shop with one of the widest vape and edible selections around. Cindy De La Vega, the store's co-owner, is supported by the city's social equity program and has developed a name for herself as a community activist with the violence-prevention and youth-development group United Playaz. Work remotely and never get downtown these days? Get a taste of the Stiiizy label by ordering its live resin pods in Gold Wedding Cake x Watermelon Z for home delivery ($30, available at Eaze). // If you've been surprised by the number of new Apothecarium locations (in the Castro, Marina, and SoMa) popping up around the Bay Area, don't worry, it's not short-term memory loss. They're owned by the Canadian company TerrAscend, one of the most successful companies in weed, and are rapidly expanding throughout the region. Their status also means they have one of the widest and consistently stocked selections in SF. // When a product is new on the market, Barbary Coast (952 Mission St., SoMa) will always be one of the first dispensaries to carry it. Stop by to check out the freshest edibles, eighths, and vapes on the scene. // Chic cannabis boutique Urbana (locations in the Inner Richmond and Mission District) transforms cannabis users from stoner to cannaisseur. This dispensary never carries anything "bottom shelf," so if you don't have the time to research before, you can rest easy knowing anything from Urbana is a safe bet. EAST BAY Located in a downtown space formerly used by legalization legend Oaksterdam University, Cookies Oakland (1776 Broadway, Oakland) is the top brand's flagship Bay Area locationand is also delivering to "most" of the East Bay. Call ahead to see if your secret retreat away in the hills isn't so remote after all. // Conveniently located near Oakland freeways, East Bay native and equity entrepreneur Alphonso "Tucky" Blunt's semi-eponymous Blunts+Moore (701 66th Ave., Oakland) is open from 10am to 7pm daily. // The original Harborside (1840 Embarcadero, Oakland) is still receiving steady shipments from its 47-acre farm in Monterey County, as well as from every ambitious flower provider in Northern California, and then delivering it all to you. Even better, they've dedicated an entire grow room to clones, just in time for the growing season this year. // Hi Fidelity (2465 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley) still boasts one of the biggest selections in the Bay Area, consistently stocked with Emerald Cup winners and hard-to-find boutique and craft products. // The dab bar is closed, but Magnolia (161 Adeline St., Oakland) is open and certified RN Barbara Blaser, the legendary cannabis nurse, is available via phone and FaceTime to advise you on what may best relax your stress. // Farmacy (3243 Sacramento St., Berkeley), founded by cannabis activist Sue Taylor, also offers excellent service, emphasizing education and a welcoming atmosphere where there's no wrong questions. SOUTH BAY If you ever worry about the amount of plastic packaging you accrue buying cannabis, Airfield Supply Co. (1190 Coleman Ave., San Jose) is the place to go this 4/20. For the full week leading up to the holiday, April 13th through April 20th, Airfield is encouraging customers to bring in as much plastic cannabis waste as possible so the dispensary can convert it into diesel fuel with the help of recycling innovator Resynergi. In return, customers receive a redeemable coupon for a wide range of edibles, vape cartridges, and pre-rolled joints with any purchase of $25 or more. // If one of your weekend road trips brings you to Santa Cruz, Kind Peoples (3600 Soquel Ave., 533 Ocean St.) is worth a stop on your trip. Not only does the Soquel location carry a wide variety of seeds and clones rare in the Bay Area, but they also have a long list of buy-one-get-one deals on cannabis eighths, vapes, and edibles. // East of Eden, with locations in Moss Landing and Salinas, consistently offer enough deals on products to fill up an entire web page. It's their extract selection, however, that keeps us coming back, stocked with both extracts for dabbing and multiple varieties of powdery hash to sprinkle atop your bowls and joints. For their tiered 4/20 giveaway, customers who purchase anywhere from $10 to $150 worth of products will receive raffle tickets for awesome prizes. The grand prize is a Marley Natural bong. MARIN + WINE COUNTRY The lone brick-and-mortar dispensary in Marin County is still the CBC Marin Alliance (6 School St. #210, Fairfax), just as it's been since the 1990s. Walk-ins are medical only, but the delivery service is for everyone 21 and up. // Those of us lucky to enjoy a Russian River getaway already know about Riverside Wellness Collective (15025 River Rd., Guerneville). Online express ordering is recommended when you're in a rush, though their membership offers access to coworking and event spaces as well. // Harvest House of Cannabis (2449 2nd St., Napa) is operating normal hours but is one of the few dispensaries still only offering curbside pickup. // If you're a fan of the low-cost and top-tier cannabis from Talking Trees, it's worth the trek to Humanity Wellness (3791 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa). In addition to Talking Trees, they regularly carry top-shelf brands like Seven Leaves, Cookies, and Wonderbrett at unbeatable prices. WEB- AND APP-BASED DELIVERIES Social distancing accelerated the already rising popularity of all things delivery, and that applies to cannabis, too. Customers can order nearly every product available on the California market through the Bay Area's top-tier dispensaries, as they often have the widest selections around. Still the biggest name in the smartphone-hailed weed delivery game after its initial arrival a half-decade ago, Eaze remains the most consistent delivery company around with its exhaustive menu, quick delivery times, and unparalleled coverage area. If you can't get Eaze delivered to you, you may not exist. // If Eaze has any competitors, it's Caliva, a statewide delivery service with an extensive selection of sungrown flower, edibles, and social equity brands (they also just opened a deli-themed dispensary in SoCal, if you ever make the trip south). Always whimsical and never stuffy, their colorfully packaged sungrown flower is toposthough they also carry a wide range of other brands including Jay-Z's pricey cannabis brand Monogram if you're feeling fancy. // From Bolinas to the Sausalito pier, if you live in Marin County, you must get to know San Rafaelbased Nice Guys Delivery. They're still one of the few retailers offering discounts for first-time patients (a whopping 25 percent off), and have a long list of changing buy-one-get-one deals on their website. // Bud.com has fully embraced the CBD game. Anchoring its CBD hemp line are packs of smokes, full-spectrum tincture, and gummies, but THC products, including Dosist vape pens and Chong's Choice party joints, are available throughout most of the state. They're even stocked up on CBD treatments for your furry friends, if you want to share the love. // Cannabis to impress comes from the carefully curated selections at women-founded, women-run Sava. If you're on the lookout for creams to cure your aches and pains, this delivery service has the best wellness selection in the Bay Area, hands down. They also carry some of the best, small-batch, craft products: Check out the rosin-infused, Michelin star-chef created Turkish delights from Rose or whole-plant infused olive oil tinctures from Cosmic View. // For when only the very finest flower will do, the first and last call goes out to C.R.A.F.T. On top of their own legendary strains, find IC Collective, Alien Labs, and Connected. Their most fun deal, however, is the Baker's eighths, which are $45 ounces of mixed sativa, hybrid, or indica nugs selected for infusing your own oils and butters at home. // Punching in 1-800-CANNABIS to your phone calls up Weden. Selections are cued up by desired outcome: Sleep? Party? McLovin' time? The latter keeps the spirit of brand ancestor Lady Chatterley's alive. // CaliXpress' lane is the "best value marijuana you can find." Rather than a concierge, CaliXpress positions itself as "a grocery store," a necessity rather than a treat yo'self splurgeno small promise in these essential times. // Ganja Goddess was founded by a woman who felt uncomfortable visiting most California dispensaries, and for good reasonthe ogling and "bro" culture of some cannabis dispensaries can be overwhelming. Though Ganja Goddess is an online delivery, they prioritize education and service, with patient customer support available daily via phone. Ganja Goddess is the place to go for luxury edibles or any wellness products you might need a little extra help choosing between. Artisanal Cannabis Edibles + Drinks Cooking with cannabis? Potli's cannabis-infused olive oil still takes the cake. (Courtesy of Aster Farms) As we begin to re-enter the real world, discreet consumption is once again the name of the game. Luckily, while we all got high watching Bridgerton last year, cannabis companies experimented with all types of different infusions to get us higher, quicker, and in even more delectable and creative ways. Indulge in a fast-acting aperitif, sautee vegetables in THC olive oil, or munch on some rosin-infused chocolates before bed. We are living through the renaissance of cannabis edibles, and there's never been a better time to indulge. FOR THE KITCHEN Though several cannabis brands have entered the cannabis olive oil game, Potli still takes the (olive oil) cake. They have a hemp-CBD variety if you need your olive oil to cross state lines ($32), a THC-infused collaboration with Aster Farms ($43) or, best of all, their CBD/THCA variety, which keeps you sober when served cold or activates with THC when heated ($55). Their THC-, CBD-, and CBN-infused organic local honey ($35-$45) also makes for the ultimate throat-soother if you're suffering from seasonal allergies. // For a little extra spice, Pot D'Huile has designed some mouthwatering offerings. Their CBD-infused Hot Sloth Hot Sauce ($36, available online) is ideal for pork or fruit, made with pungent, tangy ingredients like Japanese plum, purple sweet potato, shiso, and koji. Their Loud Grandma CBD-infused Chili Crisp Oil ($29, available online), delightfully packaged in an imitation take-out box, is also a wonderfully authentic-tasting topper for noodles and meats. // If you're a fan of Mexican food, FA Ninos' Smoking Green Pot Sauce ($25, available at Stiiizy Union Square) has all the classic tang of jalapenos, serranos, and garlic necessary for topping tacos through the summer months. CHOCOLATES + SNACKS Industry-dominating gummy brand Plus has finally entered the premium whole-plant edible market with their new limited-edition orange-blossom-flavored hash gummy, backed by old school hash masters Biscotti Brands, just in time for 4/20 ($29, available at Harborside). Prefer a more classic boost? Pop one of Plus' sour watermelon Uplift gummies for fast-acting bubbly vibes ($18, available at Eaze). // Papa & Barkley's hash-infused chocolates ($21) are as creamy as a Ghirardelli square and are infused with relaxing, whole-plant cannabis that gets you lifted with none of the typical edibles anxiety. Their hash-infused gummies, too, yield the ideal, euphoric, Sunday afternoon high while melting away the week's aches and pains ($20, both available at Farmacy Berkeley). // From Oregon but legally ported to California, Wyld is the industry leader in gummies ($18), with 1:1 and high-CBD varieties, and also stands out with its blood-orange, sativa-enhanced white chocolates (available at Posh Green, Urbana, and Project Cannabis). // If you must travel, melt away pandemic stress by popping a hand-crafted Mellows marshmallow in either THC-infused peppermint bark or the CBD-rich brown-butter sage ($7, available at Vapor Room). // Oakland-based Kiva Confections has entered the world of whole-plant edibles too, and for good reason: Within only a few weeks on the market, their Lost Farm line of fruit chews and gummies became a statewide favorite. Bite into a juicy peach-flavored gummy and enjoy the euphoric sativa high of the strain Mimosa ($25, available on Ganja Goddess). More of a chocolate lover? Order the brand's Terra Almond Bites ($28, available at Eaze)with 5mg each of THC and CBD, it's ok if you can't eat just one. // The new Kanha nano vegan gummy takes the guesswork out of edibles because their specialty nanoemulsion technology lets effects kick in within about 10 minutes. In flavors Blood Orange Bliss, Luscious Lemon, and Serene Green Apple, these indica, sativa, and CBD gummies are perfect when you're in a pinch ($20, available at Posh Green Boutique). // If you have any dietary restrictions, Dosist has you covered. Their new gummies, labeled with the same easy-to-understand names as their vapes like Bliss and Calm, are both vegan and gluten-free ($20, available on Sava). DELIGHTFUL DRINKS Cannabis has advanced from the White Claw era to fine faux liqueurs and mocktails, with infused drinks of every kind hitting the scene (and your brain). Up first is Wunder with their line of low-dose and low-calorie sparkling seltzers that feel more like a canned mocktail than sparkling juice. Infused with just 2mg THC, 2mg of THC's milder body-heavy cousin Delta-8, and 4mg CBD, these beverages bring on a subtle, social feeling unique from any other drink on the market ($20 per four-pack, available on Sava). // The magic of cannabis and caffeine is captured in Somatik, the first-of-its-kind (and still the best) cannabis cold brew ($8, available on Sava); the brand also offers THC coffee beans and CBD-rich goji berries, called Sparks, in its collection. // Designed with women foremost in mind, Kikoko made its mark with a variety of CBD and THC tea blends for all situations and occasions ($6 single-serve, $20/four-pack, $44/can of 10, available at Hi Fidelity); the Marin-based brand now also offers honey shots, tinctures, and mints. // Aperitifs are meant to stimulate the appetite and mind before a meal, so it makes complete sense to pour a little THC into your glass. Artet, however, is the only cannabis aperitif brand on the market so far, offering a botanical faux liqueur that has 2.5mg THC per serving ($50 per bottle, available at Posh Green Boutique). // Hops and cannabis are closely related, and so Lagunitas' combination, Hi Fi Hops, is rightly revered as one of the top weed drinks around. Try the 18:1 CBD:THC sparking water ($8, available at Posh Green Boutique). // Want a buzz without the booze? Grab a Cann Social Tonicwith 2mg THC and 4mg CBD, these sparkling waters provide a microdose in tasty flavors including ginger lemongrass. For 4/20 this year, the brand has released a special lime basil flavor in collaboration with the delivery service Sava ($5-$18, available on Sava). A note of caution: Cannabinoids in most drinks absorb more efficiently in the body, making them a bit stronger per milligram than the average edible. As the veteran stoner saying goes: Start low (dose), and go slow. // Sometimes, your cravings are just too specific for a pre-made beverage. Infuse your own drinks with Purejuana, an all-natural, rapid-onset powder that comes in easy-to-use 10mg packets. Better yet, the cannabinoids are strain-specific, so you can choose the ideal effect to go with your favorite drinks ($30, available at Barbary Coast). RECIPES + COOKBOOKS Most everyone has gotten more into cooking over the past year, whether it be by choice or out of necessity. If you're out of new recipes to try, the cannabis cookbook category continues to grow, with infinite meal and dessert options you can infuse at home. Mellows creator and San Franciscan Stephanie Hua and Cannasseur Series executive chef Coreen Carroll give all their secrets away in Edibles: Small Bites for the Modern Cannabis Kitchen. Featuring directions on how to prepare 30 low-dose edibles, the book is a roadmap for budding chefs as well as mindful entertainers. // Chef Cheri Sicard believes that cooking with cannabis should be an everyday venture. She also grasps that fudging the active ingredient is a recipe for disaster, which is why her Easy Cannabis Cookbook provides both a dosing guide and a 101-level explanation, as well as 60 recipes suitable for weekday nights and lazy brunches. // If you love to keep your bar cart stocked and mix cocktails at home, the new book Cannabis Drinks, from "Herb Somm" Jamie Evans, walks you through making THC and CBD drinks both with pre-made tinctures or honey and home-infused simple syrups. The Ginger Rabbit, made with THC honey, fresh carrot, ginger, and lemon juice will have you blissed-out all summer long. The Purest Vapes, Cartridges + Concentrates The new Pax Era Life vape comes in four colors and is even smaller and sleeker than previous models. (Courtesy of Pax) Each method of cannabis consumption has a time and place. Edibles are great for long hikes or movie marathons, joints are great for socializing, and bongs are there when you're ready to go all-in. But when it comes to discretion, nothing works better than vaping. With little smell, a quick, potent onset, and a similar appearance to nicotine vapes, it's tempting to keep one in your pocket at all times. These are the best cartridges and tech for your on-the-go vaping needs. CARTRIDGES AND DISPOSABLES For the peak top-shelf experience, it's hard to beat Friendly Farms' selection of exotic pure live resin cartridges ($36 per half gram, available at Hi Fidelity). A brand known as much for their community-first mindset as their premium concentrates, they routinely collaborate with other big-name brands like Connected, Wonderbrett, and Seven Leaves. // Raw Garden has become an industry standard for a reason: They're consistent, and probably offer the best bang for your buck. The cartridges are a blend of whole-plant live resin and distillate, yielding many of the benefits of top-shelf extracts at a reasonable price point. Pick up a 3 Bears OG half gram cart and you'll never go back to your post-work glass of wine again ($35/half gram, $60/gram, available at The Green Cross). // Though whole-plant extracts like live resin, sauce, and rosin are a must if you're looking for a heavy-hitting high, Eden's diamond distillate cartridges are the most premium distilled THC oil money can buy. In fact, the oil is so pure it's clear, and is delivered via a patented mouth piece that makes for a smoother than usual hit ($45, available at East of Eden). // Jetty Extracts utilizes sustainable farming practices and industry-leading hydrocarbon extraction in its high potency cartridges. Take a tropical vacay with a gram of the Gold Pineapple Express ($50, available at Eaze). // Born in Humboldt County, Dosist celebrates the seat of cannabis legacy in its plant sciencebased formulas that are "chemically engineered to make people feel a certain waycalm, sleepy, relieved of painwithout getting high." Most important, however, is the brand's patented technology: These pens buzz in your hand and shut off after puffing the proper "dose." Previously only sold in a disposable format, the pens now come in a rechargeable form. Better yet, the brand has also recently delved into live resin, so you can pair the premium technology with top shelf concentrates ($40-$100, available at SPARC). // We get it: You're a pro. You want potency, as quickly and cleanly as possible. Even more, you don't mind if it wears off in an hour or twoquick, potent highs are the name of the game, because you have stuff to do. You, friend, want the full-gram cartridges from Heavy Hitters, with full flavor and full effect ($60, available at Magnolia Oakland). // Known for clean cannabis, Oakland-based Brite Labs was one of the very first to be certified safe and free of the deadly additive Vitamin E acetate, the culprit behind the 2019 vape crisis. Breathe easy when you see the Brite Labs label on Pax Era pods and regular pen cartridges ($30-$50, available at Urbana). // For the best value, we can't argue with what's on offer from Circles ($15/half gram, $25/gram, available at Eaze). Their sauce cartridges, and particularly the Forbidden Fruit variety, are similar in quality to cartridges that sell for $20 more. CONCENTRATES Concentrates used to only suit the most serious of stoners, mainly because of their potency and the fact that a blow torch is typically needed to vape them. However, refillable vape pens like the Puffco Plus ($89) make it simple and easy to enjoy the purest concentrates at approachable doses. // Oakland-based Guild Extracts has one of the widest selections around, including oils that focus on specific cannabinoids. Try their distilled Delta-8 ($45, available at Barbary Coast) for a functional and comparatively subtle body high. // Whether it's after a killer workout or a tough day at work, sometimes we just need a hefty dose of CBD. Craft company Blessed Extracts has you covered with their Emerald Cup-winning Suzie Q CBD concentrate ($38, available at Hi Fidelity). // On nights when you're trying to let loose, it's hard to do better than Berkeley-based artisan rosin-makers Doc Green's. Their completely solventless extracts are made as pure and true-to-the-plant as humanly possible, so you get all the benefits of smoking with none of the smoke ($66, available on Sava). FLOWER POWER Born of the same lab that brought you a certain very notorious product popular with teens, Everyday's quarter-ounce of Mandarin Cookies ($105, available at Born of the same lab that brought you a certain very notorious product popular with teens, Pax carries none of the stigma and all of the design genius. The new Pax Era Life comes in three colors in addition to the classic black, and is even a tiny bit smaller and sleeker than their previous Pax Era models ($35, available at pax.com ). // The Hydrology9 NX, from Bay Areabased hardware company Cloudious9 , is the best tech for enjoying both extracts and flower without a flame. Throw the small water pipe in its nifty carrying case and you're set for any West Coast road trip no matter how long you're gone ($300, available on cloudious9.com ). // Just want to roll a J? For the everyday toke, pick up's quarter-ounce of Mandarin Cookies ($105, available at Eaze ). Cannabis for Wellness: Tinctures, Topicals + More Say "bye" to workaday stress with a ylang ylangscented, cannabis-infused bath bomb from Life Elements. (Courtesy of Life Elements) With the conditions around us fluctuating as much as they are, self-care has never been more important. For many of us, that means at-home spa days and pampering, and there's no better companion for a day of relaxing than cannabis-infused wellness products that amplify the relief. TINCTURES Papa & Barkley is a top brand for topicals, but in addition to balms and patches they also offer tinctures in both high CBD, 3:1, and 1:1 CBD:THC ratios ($45-$90, at dispensaries Bay Areawide; hemp-based CBD products may be ordered online for shipping directly from papaandbarkley.com). // Ditch the Ambien and place a dropper full of Cosmic View's Slumber tincture, a 4:1 ratio of THC:CBD with added skullcap, chamomile, and valerian for a peaceful night's rest ($62, available on Sava). // Chemistry's Lady Benbow 10:1 CBD-rich tincture ($50, available at Caliva) is an Emerald Cup first-place winner. Its healing properties come courtesy of full-spectrum cannabis extract, steam-distilled terpenes, and organic MCT oil. // If you need to relieve daytime anxiety and find CBD tends to make you sleepy, Juna's Balance CBD drops are designed to keep you clear-headed and awake despite the added sense of calm ($60, available at juna-world.com). OILS + LOTIONS + BALMS Melt away the day with one of Melt away the day with one of Life Elements ' hand-dosed, broad-spectrum CBD bath bombs ($14-$28, available at lifeelements.com ). These bath bombs are advertised as "water-activated pain relief," and the statement is true: Nothing cures post-workout muscle soreness better than a soak in a frothy, ylang ylangscented bath. // Cannabis is rife with essential oilsa terpene by any other nameand Sweet Releaf 's Roll-on Body Oils, coming in "warm" and "cool" varieties, are like an IcyHot from another dimension ($22-$40, available at Sava). Their standard topical, the Comfort Body Butter, is a favorite pain-reliever among industry veterans and has been around since the Prop 215 days. // Mary's Muscle Freeze ($44, available at Eaze ) combines CBD with menthol in a roller applicator to cool that burn in your back. // If you need a little help regulating yeast and bacteria in the down-there areas, Quim 's line of daily care products prioritize health over irritating scents. Their lubricants, on the other hand, increase sensation and libido in a healthy, temporary way by aiding blood flow ($48, available on Sava). // Lord Jones is an 'It' brand for those seeking luxurious, CBD-rich skin and body care products. And while the brand is actually based in Los Angeles, we're giving them props for having donated $300,000 worth of soothing CBD product to healthcare workers amid the Covid-19 crisis. Their high-CBD body lotion ($60), moisturizer ($75), and bath salts ($65) are typically available at FortyFiveTen (6540 Washington St., Yountville, fortyfiveten.com ) and Spa Radiance (3011 Fillmore St., Pacific Heights, sparadiance.com ), and may be purchased online at lordjones.com Earth Day is on Monday, April 22nd this year, and while many Bay Areans are eco-mindful all year long, the day is an especially good reason to give back and spend some time with Mother Earth. Here are 11 ways to get involved, care for, and celebrate the environment around the Bay Area this weekend and beyond. Celebrate in the Mission. Earth Day San Francisco 2019 is a kind of official, free celebration on Valencia Street, between 19th and 20th streets, where you can sponge up eco-conscious learnings, eat organic food, see a sustainable fashion show, listen to live music, and more. // 11am to 7pm, Saturday April 20th; more details at facebook.com Fill a trash bag. Volunteer to help clean up Bay Area wetlands and green spaces like Point Pinole and MLK Shoreline. // 8:30am to noon, Saturday April 20th Green the East Bay. Get to know your East Bay neighbors during the 25th Annual Oakland Earth Day, where there will be multiple projects to restore various Oakland parks, unkempt lawns, wetlands, and more. // Saturday April 20th at venues across Oakland; for more info, visit oaklandnet.com. Find your own local sustenance. Forage nature's bounty and rest easy knowing that you're eating hyper local with no plastic packaging. Drink eco-friendly wine. Grab a bottle (or a few) from our favorite sustainable NorCal wineries along Napa's Green Wine Trail. Check out Berkeley Earth Day. Get inspired to do your part in greening the planet at David Brower Center where the Berkeley Earth Day celebration will include screenings for the Wild & Scenic Film Fest; vegetarian eats; eco-friendly vendors; speakers, and more. // 10am to 5pm, Sunday April 21st, berkeleyearthday.org Spend Earth Day by the Bay. On Alcatraz Cruises' Earth Day by the Bay sails, you'll learn about ocean and climate change via the exploration of marine micro-organisms, related crafts, and vendors including the SF Zoo, Beekeeper Station, Cal Academy, and more. // Saturday April 20th at Pier 33; for more info, go to alcatrazcruises.com. Volunteer in the fish kitchen. It's the busy season at Sausalito's Marine Mammal Center and volunteers are needed for three- to four-hour shifts. // For more info, go to marinemammalcenter.org. Save the whales. We all love whales watching. Put your money where your blow-hole is and donate to California-based Save the Whales, which is helping to ensure these gentle giants are here for generations to come. Walk in the park. Take a stroll through one of San Francisco's 153 public parks and re-acquaint yourself with the principles of Leave No Trace. Head over to SomArts Cultural Center. The Brannan Street arts space is hosting Living Earth Day, a family-friendly event with tacos, drinks from St. George Spirits, and a benefit concert. Get your tickets in advance online. // 4:30pm to 7pm, Sunday, April 28th, livingearthday.brownpapertickets.com There was a grand plan for Julia Dadiomov and Jeffrey Kauffman that began with his brother and her cousingood friends who wanted to become real brothers. Their parents got in on it too and a family dinner was held, but Dadiomov and Kauffman didn't exchange more than two words that night. Five years later, Kauffman showed up at Dadiomov's door. It was 11pm and he was hungry. Two years after that, he proposed in San Francisco fashion: The techie asked her to check his code. The two did it big for their special day. The Palace Hotel in San Francisco was selected for its flexibility when it came to achieving all the elements the couple wanted in keeping with their Russian-Jewish culture, including a sprawling space to accommodate a large guest list and a massive feast. Before the ceremony, they stepped out for photo ops and even danced to the sounds of an accordion player outside of the Ferry Building. Then it was time to get serious...sort of. Sporting off-the-shoulder, floor-length gowns and black tuxedos, the wedding party escorted the bride and groom into the ceremony. Beneath an arch made of glass blocks, the light-filled aisle was lined with petals and towering candelabras topped with cream and pink roses. A platform at the end held a chuppah adorned in meandering florals. The pair said their vows, sipped vino, and smashed the glass before descending back down the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. At the reception, the food played a starring role, with an entire table of appetizers followed by multiple courses and then a spread of sweet treats. The lovebirds danced, were carried in chairs, a round of the Hora ensued, followed by a little limbo. And finally, shots for all! Venue: Palace Hotel Dress: Moonlight Bridal Hair and makeup: Amy Silveira Shoes: Jimmy Choo Bridesmaids dresses: Kleinfeld Flowers: Jane's Roses FoodBeli: Deli Gourmet Catering Wedding planner: Any Occasion Wedding coordinator: Natalia Kondrasova at Palace Hotel SF Photographer: RedSphere Studios Videographer: Whitney Milton Films Out actor Andrew Scott has had a special place in the hearts of many LGBTQ movie lovers since we saw him as Gethin in the wonderful, Golden Globe-nominated movie Pride. In the suitably titled thriller A Dark Place (Shout! Studios), Scott trades in his lovely Irish brogue for a thick Pittsburgh accent. Donald (Scott) is a small-town Pennsylvania sanitation truck driver on the autism spectrum. Its the kind of used-up Rust Belt place where its not uncommon to see a lot of Trump/Pence lawn signs in front of homes and banners on businesses. Donald gets along well enough with co-worker Donna (Bronagh Waugh). He still lives at home with his mother Betty (Sandra Ellis Lafferty), who is confined to a wheelchair and is looked after by her devoted son. Donald is also close to his 11-year-old daughter Wendy (Christa Bell Campbell), conceived after a drunken one-night stand with supermarket cashier Linda (Denise Gough). This in spite of the fact that Linda wants nothing to do with Donald and occasionally makes it difficult for him to see his daughter. Tyler (Nolan Cook), the younger brother of one of Wendys classmates has gone missing. Shes not concerned because, as she tells Donald, nothing ever happens in their town. But something about the boy, whose familys house is on Donalds work route, catches his attention. Soon after, a girl discovers Tylers dead body in the creek near her house. The death is quickly dismissed as an accident, that Tyler slipped and fell in the water and drowned while he was exploring the woods. Following an exchange with Tylers mother, in which she tells him that her son was scared of everything and not the kind of boy who go off on an expedition by the creek, Donald takes it upon himself to begin his own investigation. He picks through Tylers familys garbage, unearthing a phone bill with a lot of calls to the office of pediatrician Dr. Pomoworski (Andrew Masset). He questions Tylers brother Justin (Christian Finlayson), he terrorizes Tylers father Jerry (Jason Davis), he pays a visit to a man who was molested as a boy by someone Donald suspects of the murder. While he is aided to a degree by Donna and detective Max (Griff Furst), it becomes obvious that no one in town wants the mystery of Tylers death solve. Donald is almost killed when he agrees to meet two mystery men on a bridge over railroad tracks. He is harassed by Sheriff Mooney (Michael Rose), who might know more than he lets on. At a certain point, clearly frustrated at his lack of progress, Donald does the first of two shocking things. The good news is that another character in the movie is as shocked by the action as we are. Then, in the movies final vigilante moments, Donalds behavior takes another shocking turn. Its the kind of occurrence that will leave more than a viewers wondering if they should be cheering for the character or simply shaking their heads in disbelief. Rating: B- Child care crisis in S.D. hurting families, employers and state economy The daycare shortage is taking place in both urban and rural areas. Seven South Dakota counties have no state-registered daycare providers. Forest Sun always has something on his plate. And hes found a way to keep his life balanced. I meditate and do yoga every morning, he says in a recent interview. I do all of that before I turn on the phone or the computer. I get outside and sweep the deck, too. I try to see the sun before I delve into the day. Recently, Sun has been working on new music. In fact, since October, hes been releasing a new single a month. He will release 12 songs through October and put them on an album. Im always writing and recording, he says. It all comes down to being a matter of the moment. We live in a time when we have the entire access of history of the printed word. We also have access to all of the recorded music of the last 100 years. Its a great time to be around, because influence is around us constantly. We just have to take the time to pay attention. Sun was born in upstate New York, and he was raised on the likes of Jackson Browne and Toots and the Maytals. Based in San Francisco, his roots run deep in Santa Fe. While in junior high and high school, he was a student at The Brunn School. For one year, he also attended Santa Fe High School. And he will perform two shows in New Mexico this weekend one in Los Alamos and one in Santa Fe. The last time I played in Santa Fe was at the (Santuario de) Guadalupe, and it was an all-acoustic show, he says. It was put on by the Santa Fe Performance Exchange, and Im excited to be invited back to play at GiG. Although Sun didnt study music in school, it was something that grew to be a big presence in his life. He became a fixture in the Santa Fe music scene by performing at house parties, as well as the Madrid Pot Festival and opened for the likes of the Angry Babies. Performing was always a rush for me. I kept wanting to do more, and its continued to this day, he says. Forest Sun With Enion Pelta-Tiller and David Tiller WHEN AND WHERE: 7:30 tonight, Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central Ave., Los Alamos; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, GiG Performance Space, 1808 Second St., Suite H, Santa Fe HOW MUCH: $15 online, $20 at the door at liveinlosalamos.com; $20 advance, $20 at the door at sfpx.org Last week, West Palm Beach was named the second most accommodating city for LGBT seniors in the nation. SeniorAdvice.com, a senior housing referral site, cited West Palm Beach as runner-up in its third-annual list that highlights thetop 20 LGBT senior-friendly citiesfor many reasons. Namely, its trove of groups and services, long list of LGBT legislation and elected officials, and its perfect score on the Human Rights Campaigns Municipality Equality Index in 2018. Julie Seaver, the executive director of Compass, said, The LGBT senior population a large and growing one has unique needs due to a lifetime of discrimination, harassment and historical trauma. Compass, the LGBT community center of the Palm Beaches, is one of the many resources that SeniorAdvice.com looked at while ranking cities. Other resources the site applauded were Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Palm Beach County National Organization for Women, Equality Florida, Gay Polo League, and more. West Palm Beach finished only behind New Orleans. Two other Florida cities made the cut: Fort Lauderdale (No. 7) and Tampa (No. 10). Of the three years SeniorAdvice.com has released the list, this is the first time West Palm Beach ranked. SeniorAdvice.com said its results were based on a system called SeniorScore, an in-house algorithm that takes into account factors like Medicare, LGBT population, safety, and more. Unlike past years, this list accounts for small and medium-sized cities and not just large cities. "For more than three decades, elected officials in West Palm Beach have worked together with community leaders, nonprofit organizations and dedicated volunteers to ensure that our city is one of the best places in the country for LGBTQ people to live, study, work, create families, socialize and retire," said Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President Rand Hoch. "It is encouraging that their efforts on behalf of LGBTQ seniors have been acknowledged." Despite Palm Beach Countys impressive ranking, advocates and organizations are still introducing new programs and events to further improve LGBT seniors lives. Seaver said that Compass and the PBCHRC are currently creating a new case manager program strictly focusing on senior-related issues. West Palm Beach also happens to be home to a few notable LGBT senior activists. Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz, LGBT activists and a lesbian couple, were both West Palm Beach residents before Kurtz passed away in 2018. A piece of legislation currently in Congress is named after the couple: the Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act. Its mission is to expand education efforts on specific issues that affect the LGBT senior community from the local level to state and national levels. Whats special about Palm Beach County to me is that there are places in the community that you can reach out to, Berman said. When Connie died, I would not have survived without BLAST [Bi, Lesbian, and Straight Together Women of West Palm Beach]. Seaver said although LGBT-specific elderly housing in West Palm Beach currently doesnt exist, Compass does what it can to educate current housing staff. Compass members visit independent living facilities and home health care workers to give cultural competency trainings, which spread the message that LGBT older people are as deserving of compassionate elder care as anyone else, she said. Those trainings are certified by SAGE, a national elderly LGBT advocacy group, according to Seaver. While we have a long way to go in catching up with services for our aging LGBT population, Palm Beach County's weather, cultural arts scene and welcoming attitude has always made it a popular place to find respite in its inclusive environment, Seaver said. Marble Brewery is turning 11, and its president, Ted Rice, says things still feel fresh and young. We are always innovating and thinking forward, which keeps it exciting, he said. Marble is celebrating with a big party it themed Once Anos. It is important to the Marble crew to include the public in its celebration. Marble exists and thrives because of our amazing fans, Rice said. Every day at Marble is a celebration of the flavors and experiences we enjoy. It only makes sense to throw down on a birthday. The brewery will be releasing Cerveza, a Mexican-style lager, to commemorate its 11th year. It will be available on draft and in cans. Our Marbleously crushable take on the Mexican-style lager is crisp, refreshing, and ready to accompany anything from hiking La Luz Trail to ceviche with friends, or simply soakin up sun rays, said Geraldine Lucero, Marble marketing and events coordinator. The awesome thing about these cans is they are in a 19-ounce format. Tall and crushable. The festival block party will feature live music, food trucks, contests and a few surprises. Bands include Isaac Aragon and the Healing, Lonn Calanca Band, Wagogo, Mondo Vibrations, Mariachi Nuevo Sonido, Aaron Kamm & The One Drops and The Main Squeeze. The first 111 attendees will get a free tote and complimentary food pairing from Don Choche, according to Lucero. For people who want to pre-game, they can enjoy different sour ales today at Marbles three locations as part of Funk Friday. The releases are a From The Wood Saison sour at Marble Downtown, a Toasted Orange Peel sour ale at Marble Heights, and a cherry sour ale at Marble Westside. All locations will release a Malbec Zinfindel Sour. Marble has continued to thrive in what some see as a brewery-saturated market. We are always evolving, pushing ourselves and our boundaries, said Barbie Gonzalez, Marbles director of taproom operations. Our people, regardless of department or role, are committed to excellence and each other. We believe and love the city of Albuquerque and give back, cultivate community and raise awareness. We dont cut corners but rather pay attention to every detail. We are always experimenting with ingredients and educating ourselves to continue to introduce new flavors. We are proud and honored to be a part of this city and the state of New Mexico. Marble continues to expand. It recently began distributing in El Paso, and there are plans to increase distribution across the Southwest. Additional taprooms have been a discussion, but nothing is in the works at this point, Rice said. Additional territories in Texas are a possibility. We just added a full-time sales rep in Arizona, so we are looking forward to an increased presence there. Despite a difficult-to-access location near Carlisle and Interstate 40, Green Jeans Farmery is still chugging along more than three years after it opened as Albuquerques first restaurant complex built from shipping containers. Green Jeans vaguely resembles a fortification from the outside, with its corrugated metal walls and corner tower. Inside, the vibe is more welcoming. The restaurants open onto a small plaza with picnic tables and a fire pit. You can get pizza, burgers and tacos, but on a recent weekday I was there to try out Chumlys Southwestern and its fusion of New Mexican and Cajun/Creole cuisine. Manning the counter was owner and head chef Jesse Zimmerman, who told me the restaurants name is a play on the word chum, or friend. The menu offers selections of pastas, sandwiches, fajitas, quesadillas, hot dogs and soups for less than $10. Theres also a separate breakfast menu served until 11 a.m. After ordering, I briefly considered sitting outside, but the blustery weather drove me into one of Green Jeans two inside dining areas. Zimmerman brought the food up in about five minutes. The New Mexico gumbo ($4.95 for the cup) is built off a roux base with onions, bell peppers and celery the so-called holy trinity of Cajun cooking. The addition of Hatch red chile sauce gives it a nice sting. With rice, shredded chicken and half-moon slices of andouille sausage, the generous serving is more like a meal than a soup. Had a piece of bread or a roll been added, it would have been perfect. Hatch red chile also makes an appearance in the chile dog ($6.95), a slim Nathans frank served in a bolillo roll, the Mexican version of a baguette. The roll holds up well to the smoky, spicy chile and queso sauces. Macaroni and cheese ($6.95) is one of three pasta options at Chumlys. I added blackened chicken to mine for $2 extra. The macaroni is actually ziti in a spicy cheese sauce topped with seasoned bread crumbs. The dish doesnt have much appeal to the eye; its crying out for a sprig of parsley or something to add color. It tastes good, though, with the perfectly al dente tubes of ziti picking up the spicy cheese sauce at the bottom of the bowl. The thinly sliced marinated chicken breast adds some heat and backbone. Although Ive never been a fan of unsweetened iced tea, the tropical-fruit-infused version at Chumlys was just the thing to cool the fires from spicy food. The pile of repurposed shipping containers that make up Green Jeans Farmery seems like an appropriate setting for Chumlys and the other restaurants. Theyre like a plucky group of independent operators banding together to survive against the tide of franchise operations rising outside the walls. CHUMLYS SOUTHWESTERN 3 stars LOCATION: 3600 Cutler NE, No. 7, 401-5827, chumlyssouthwestern.com HOURS: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Thursday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday; closed Tuesday ALCOHOL ON PREMISES Sloane Siegel grew up wanting to be an actor. Hes living his dream now. As the lead in BYUtvs Dwight in Shining Armor, the actor is raising his profile once again. Siegel is best-known for his role as Gortimer in Amazons Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street. His role as Dwight is pushing him into a different territory. This show is very much like Hannah Montana, he says. Dwight is putting on this persona a little bit. Hes everybodys go-to guy because he fixes everything. Dwight in Shining Armor is a modern, 21st century teen who, while taking photographs in the forest, accidentally falls face-first into an ancient, underground chamber, and lands on Gretta, played by Caitlin Carmichael, a medieval sleeping princess, planting a kiss on her and waking up not only her and her loyal court magician, Baldric, played by Joel McCrary, but all of the medieval villains that have been asleep, like her, for the past 1,000 years. Together, the trio must defeat her hordes of enemies. The series can be streamed online at byutv.org/dwightinshiningarmor. Siegels interest in the production was piqued because of the writing. When youve been in the industry for 10 years and read so many scripts, you know what a bad script looks like, he says. When I read the pilot episode, it was the perfect amount of campy and real life. It was a lot like Monty Python, in a way. Dwight has plenty of real moments that connect with an audience. Siegel a native of Washington D.C. spends his free time hiking, going to escape rooms, and gaming, playing everything from classics such as Dungeons and Dragons to contemporary video games. He also enjoys writing, having even helped write one of the episodes of Dwight in Shining Armor, and is working on his first novel. I try to travel as much as I can, he says. Hopefully, within the next year or so, my novel will be out. Siegel is also looking forward to visiting New Mexico, where his friends own an art gallery in Albuquerque. Theres such a beautiful art community out there, and I would fit in, he says. Ive also heard that the food there is excellent. Im a foodie. CASTING CALL: New Mexico Women in Film is reaching out to veterans. The organization wants to expand its mentorship program with veterans and the film industry. Geri Lynn Matthews, a New Mexico Women in Film board member, says she is looking for a variety of people in New Mexico for the project. I think this is the right time, and we have Netflix here, and the governor supports the film community, she says. Anyone interested can contact Matthews at fleabid@gmail.com. SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART. The former Torrance County sheriff now a magistrate judge is under investigation for reportedly spending more than $157,000 of county money on guns, Yeti coolers, night-vision goggles, surveillance cameras and other pricey items for his personal use. Heath White, whose second term as sheriff came to a close at the end of 2018, has not been charged. But on Thursday, New Mexico State Police officers filed three search warrants in 2nd Judicial District Court detailing the investigation and the property they found. White could not be reached for comment and the Torrance County Sheriffs Office referred all enquiries to State Police. For its part, State Police released a statement that did not identify White by name, but did confirm it is investigating a former Torrance County Sheriffs Office employee for suspected embezzlement of Torrance County funds. When the investigation is complete it will be forwarded to the appropriate attorneys for prosecution, officer Ray Wilson, a State Police spokesman, wrote in the statement. There is currently no additional information available for release. State Police Investigations Bureau agents continue to investigate this active case. According to a search warrant affidavit, on March 8, a State Police officer was told that, between October and November 2018, multiple items had been purchased that could not be found in an inventory of county equipment. And after newly elected Sheriff Martin Rivera and his detectives compared the equipment they did find to purchase orders placed by the department, they found numerous high dollar items that could not be accounted for. The items included firearms, firearm parts, a welder, a generator, vehicle parts, a drone, coolers, night-vision goggles, a thermal rifle scope, surveillance systems and more. Officers also said that while county funds had been used at a local gun shop for a process called hydro-dipping imprinting designs and graphics onto a gun none of the sheriffs office guns had undergone that process. However, multiple guns sold through Whites personal business had, according to the affidavit. In mid-April, White emailed the sheriffs office saying he had been going through his property and found several firearms that he wanted to return. A couple of days later, he emailed again to say that after more searching, he found an air compressor, shelving, a tool box and other small items. Based on statements from Heath of spending large amounts of time going through his belongings looking for more property which belongs to Torrance County, there is a high likelihood of additional evidence being located at the properties owned by Heath, the officer wrote in the affidavit. There is also a high likelihood of the destruction of this evidence as it is located and identified by Heath as being property of Torrance County. When officers executed the search warrant, they found an additional 52 items, including tactical gear, cameras and more. Officers also seized Whites 1985 Chevrolet truck because they said he had refurbished it with parts bought with county money. The efforts of the governor and lawmakers to comply with Judge Sarah Singletons mandate to provide sufficient education for all New Mexicans have been a debacle. Fifteen years ago, I was among many asking the state to confront the failure to educate more than half of Latino children. Among our notable champions included Rosa Barraza, Lorenzo Garcia, Mike Ogas, Dr. Milton Brown, Dr. Miranda Aragon, Dolores Griego and Chris Baca. This is an imperative because Latino children make up more than 61 percent of all students; they outnumber whites, Indian and black students put together. Just educating Latinos alone would produce an economic bonanza here. Instead, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and lawmakers are congratulating themselves for shoveling nearly half a billion dollars to satisfy the judges orders. Why is this such a debacle? Three major reasons: Failure to properly identify the problem. Failure to have a comprehensive plan for our future. And the failure of establishing an action course with measurable goals. Fixing our broken education system requires properly identifying where the problem is. Everyone harps about Indian and English learners. But, the majority of Latino students are not English learners, yet theyre the majority of those not being educated. Higher education is a major part of the problem. They continue to produce teachers without the skills to educate our minority-majority population. Still, theyll get an increase in new money even without a plan to produce qualified teachers. What were doing is not working. And our universities arent working, either. And teachers will all get raises, but again, without demanding competency to graduate Latino, Indian and black students who are at risk. In some countries teachers salaries nearly match medical doctors. But theyre expected to educate their majority populations. Not us, apparently. The state has no comprehensive plan. Sufficient education will need more money thats spent in a responsible way. Here, hundreds of millions of our tax dollars will be spent on a problem they have not properly identified. Instead theyre going to create an early childhood education department and reorganize the Public Education Department; both good ideas, but good ideas are not a plan! With the support of then-Gov. Bill Richardson and Albuquerque Democrats then-Rep. Rick Miera and Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, nine years ago we passed the Hispanic Education Act. The HEA first called for a five-year plan to eliminate the achievement gap between Latino and white students. According to experts it would take more than 100 years to eliminate this gap given the course were on. But not one penny was allocated for the HEA. This year, when theres money to throw up into the air, again not one penny was allotted! And still no plan. The complete elimination of the achievement gap is a measurable goal but requires an action plan. None has been proposed. I blame Latino politicos. Whites take care of their own. Theyd never tolerate a 50 percent failure rate. In a Latino majority state, whites continue to be over-represented in top state jobs. Will Latinos ever be over-represented in our executives Cabinet? Not this year. Our Latina governor couldnt find qualified Latinos to merit parity in her Cabinet. Latinos couldnt even pass a nonbinding memorial to eliminate the achievement gap. Theyre too timid to advocate for the needs of New Mexicos majority. When someone whites, of course fling the charge of identity politics at them, they cower silently. Latinos have regressed from being Americas Silent Minority to New Mexicos Silent Majority. Now our governor vows to fight oversight by the court. She and lawmakers have proven again they wont do whats right. More lawsuits loom in the near future if the judge gives in. In the meantime, Latinos must continue to look for real elected champions who are proud to advocate openly for Latino concerns in the halls of power. In Spanish, the word for this debacle is verguenza! As Americans observe Earth Day (Monday, April 22), take a moment to reflect on the power of the grass-roots movement behind the first celebration in 1970 that led to dramatic changes improving the quality of our lives through cleaner air and water. Shocked by the massive oil spill that fouled the beaches of Santa Barbara, California, in 1969, Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson organized the first Earth Day the following spring. The response was overwhelming: Some 20 million Americans turned out to show their support for cleaning up the environment. Today, a similar movement is building for Congress to enact measures to preserve a livable climate for future generations. Across the country, volunteers with Citizens Climate Lobby have conducted more than 1,000 outreach events in their local communities, aiming for a goal of 2,000 outreach events this spring. Some of those have happened right here in Albuquerque. Not only that, but theyve held more than 250 meetings with their members of Congress since January 2019, asking them to support a bipartisan climate solution known as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763). Thousands of economists across the political spectrum have said the most effective step we can take to bring down the emissions causing climate change is to put a robust price on carbon. If revenue is returned to households, they say, our economy will actually benefit. The Energy Innovation Act does just that. It is: Effective: It will reduce U.S. emissions at least 40 percent in the first 12 years and targets 90 percent reductions by 2050. Good for people: It will improve health and save lives. Additionally, the carbon dividend puts money directly into peoples pockets. Good for the economy: It will create 2.1 million new jobs. Bipartisan: Republicans and Democrats are both on board as co-sponsors. Revenue-neutral: The government keeps none of the money, so the size of the government will not grow. This legislation is garnering support from institutions and groups that have the ear of elected officials. From the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: At a time when the dangerous effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent, the need for legislative solutions like this is more urgent than ever. From Trout Unlimited: Just as we learned in the 1990s that we had to move from the stream to the watershed scale to recover trout and salmon, we must reduce carbon emissions to slow climate change. For this reason, Trout Unlimited is supporting passage of common-sense legislation, such as the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. The time for Band-Aids is passed. Many members of Congress realize the time for Band-Aids is passed, and 30 of them have taken action by signing on to the Energy Innovation Act. Given the impact of climate change were seeing here in New Mexico, with increasing temperatures and diminished watershed runoff, we hope that New Mexico Reps. Ben Ray Lujan, Debra Haaland and Xochitl Torres Small will co-sponsor HR 763. We also hope that Sens. Martin Heinrich and Tom Udall will support similar legislation in the Senate. Following the outpouring of support for the first Earth Day, Democrats and Republicans in Congress came together to enact policies that protected the environment and made our lives better. Likewise, Democrats and Republicans must now come together to enact effective policies to prevent our climate from unraveling beyond the point of no return. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act offers the opportunity for that much-needed bipartisan collaboration. I believe that this church offers the carefully discerning such cause for admiration, the 14th-century French philosopher Jean de Jandun wrote of Notre Dame, that its inspection can scarcely sate the soul. A cultural calamity played out on live TV when the Paris cathedral that has been a focal point of Christendom for so long was apparently gutted by a raging fire, destroying a significant part of an inheritance built up over hundreds of years in a few hours. Notre Dame stands for so many qualities that we now lack patience and staying power, the cultivation of beauty, a deep religious faith, the cultural confidence and ambition to build a timeless monument of our civilization that the collapse of its spire was almost too much to bear. The great novelist Victor Hugo, who did so much to revive interest in the cathedral when it was in disrepair in the 19th century, wrote how every surface, every stone of this venerable pile, is a page of the history, not only of the country, but of science and art. It was the work of generations, completed across three centuries, in a triumph over considerable architectural and logistical challenges. It arose at the original site of a pagan temple. Thousands of tons of stone had to be transported from outside Paris, one ox cart or barge at a time. To achieve its soaring height, and hold up its ceiling and walls, it relied on the architectural innovations of the rib vault and flying buttress. France built 80 cathedrals and 500 large churches across this period, but there was only one Notre Dame of Paris, a Gothic jewel whose towers, prior to the advent of the Eiffel Tower, were the tallest structure in the city. It is or, one hates to think, was adorned by what are significant cultural artifacts in their own right. The statuary meant to illustrate the story of the Bible, and to awe worshippers who couldnt read. The stained glass windows that took ingenuity to embed in stone walls and are themselves artistic marvels. The organ with more than 8,000 pipes. The bells, with their own names, including the largest, the masterpiece Emmanuel, dating back to the 15th century and recast in 1681. Not to mention the religious relics that mean so much to the Catholic faithful. It has been the site of countless processions and services to petition and thank God on behalf of the French nation. It was where illustrious marriages and funerals occurred, where Napoleon crowned himself emperor, where Charles de Gaulle attended a Mass to celebrate the liberation of Paris in 1944, rifle fire echoing outside. It survived the rampages of iconoclastic Huguenots in the 16th Century, the depredations of radicals during the French Revolution in the 18th century they transformed it into a shrine to the Cult of Reason, used it as a warehouse and wanted to melt down the bells and incidental damage during two world wars in the 20th century. All the while, it accumulated layers of history and meaning. Its great advocate Hugo, author of the famous Hunchback of Notre Dame, wrote of how: the greatest productions of architecture are not so much the work of individuals as of a community; are rather the offspring of a nations labour than the outcome of individual genius; the deposit of a whole people; the heaped-up treasure of centuries; the residuum left by the successive evaporations of human society; in a word, a species of formations. Each wave of time leaves its coating of alluvium, each race deposits its layers on the monuments, each individual contributes his stone to it. Notre Dame has been thoughtfully restored and preserved over the years, to our credit. But its difficult not to discern a distressing message in the wanton destruction that ravaged the iconic cathedral what prior generations so carefully and faithfully built, we are losing. E-mail: comments.lowry@nationalreview.com>href=http://comments.low>comments.lowry@nationalreview.com 2019 by King Features Syndicate. Dont even think about it. Thats the message the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission sent Tuesday via a 5-0 vote that essentially says, Thanks, Facebook, for deciding to invest $1 billion in New Mexico. Now heres a surprise bill for $39 million. And to anyone considering investing in New Mexico, that translates into dont. Much to the chagrin of Facebook, economic developers and the administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the five-member commission accepted a hearing examiners recommendation that Facebook should ante up nearly half the cost of a new $85 million high-voltage transmission line to carry renewable power to the companys sprawling new data center complex in Los Lunas. The PRC commissioners say their vote was based in large part on testimony from a Public Service Company of New Mexico executive who said the new line would only benefit Facebook. PNM later clarified and corrected the testimony. To review, New Mexico for a change prevailed in a heated competition to land the Facebook investment, which in addition to thousands of construction jobs puts it on the map in competing for investment in the new high-tech economy. A decision by a giant like Facebook to locate here is significant in the message it sends. Unfortunately, the PRC sent a different message this week: Rely on our promises at your peril. A key criteria in Facebooks decision to come here was 100 percent renewable energy powering its data complex which has one unit built and several more on the drawing board, at least until that 5-0 vote. The company says the decision to suddenly try to get it to pay $39 million could affect its long-term operations in the state. It urged the PRC to stick with what it thought was an ironclad deal. PRC members say they took the action because of the PNM executives testimony in February. The PRC said that, based on the testimony, retail customers would be paying the cost of a line from which they derived no benefit. But PNM says the line is a system upgrade that will benefit wholesale and retail customers in addition to Facebook; the 2016 agreement only requires Facebook to pay for all infrastructure costs if it is the sole beneficiary. This is where the PRC should have stepped back to review the entire issue, including PNMs correction of the executives testimony especially in light of Facebooks huge investment and the states commitment to renewable energy. Its unclear why PNM accustomed to complex rate hearings would testify in such a way that it then needed to clarify or correct it. PNM has declined to comment further. And its beyond unfortunate the PRC didnt factor in PNMs correction before casting the unanimous stick-it-to-PNM/Facebook vote. Because its not as if the PRC didnt get a heads up this vote was a very big deal. Bobby Hollis, head of energy and site selection for a Facebook subsidiary, wrote in a letter to the PRC this new issue is a significant deviation of our understanding of the terms and conditions of our Special Service Contract with PNM and its financial implications, creating uncertainly around the long-term costs of our operations in New Mexico. This contrary interpretation fundamentally restructures the transaction upon which we relied when we decided to locate in Los Lunas. Gary Tonjes of Albuquerque Economic Development had warned the PRC that an adverse ruling could significantly damage New Mexicos reputation and ability to attract other companies to the state. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration weighed in with a letter signed by two Cabinet secretaries that said the decision could have a chilling effect on statewide economic development. If New Mexico does not keep all the promises made to this company, we may not have another opportunity for years, said the letter penned by Economic Development Secretary Alicia J. Keyes and Energy and Natural Resources Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst. There is not a bigger red flag to a site selector than failing to follow through on promises. PNM needs to request a rehearing, and the PRC needs to assess all of the facts and change its order. If it fails to do so, then its incumbent on PNM to appeal to the New Mexico Supreme Court. Because this decision could deliver a blow that will take the state years to recover from if ever. This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers. Julian Assange kept a lot of secrets pent up with him in a cramped corner room at the Ecuadoran Embassy in London. But as his seven-year tenure there ended ignominiously last week, one final mystery captured the attention of the international community. What will happen to Embassy Cat? The asylum seekers furry friend was Assanges only consistent companion during some of his lonely years as a self-styled political refugee. The cat had a significant Internet following of its own though its views hewed suspiciously close to its humans and it was apparently a fixture at the embassy, with a penchant for pouncing on Christmas tree ornaments and for defusing tension as the WikiLeaks founder tangled with a bevy of world leaders. It was named for its famous home, but occasionally went by James or Cat-stro after Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Its Twitter and Instagram accounts with 31,000 and 5,000 followers, respectively also monopolized the coveted market for cybersecurity-meets-cat puns (the cat was reportedly interested in counter-purrveillance). So when British police stormed the Ecuadoran Embassy, arrested Assange and took him into custody after a U.S. federal court unsealed an indictment charging him with conspiracy, many worried about the fate of the feline. Would the cats asylum end, too? Or was it just beginning? Would someone adopt it, or would it also face extradition to the U.S.? Would it fall victim to a vast conspiracy? Did it know too much? Is Julian Assanges cat going to be okay though? one person asked. I do hope that someone looks after his cat, who must be very confused about all this, another said. While its unclear exactly what happened to Embassy Cat, multiple sources have indicated that it long ago left its home. Italys la Repubblica newspaper reported in November 2018 that the cat was gone. But, according to the paper, its departure was for its own good. The author, who visited Assange for the story, wrote that Not even the cat is there anymore. Assange has preferred to spare the cat an isolation which has become unbearable and allow it a healthier life. Sputnik News, the Russian government-funded Kremlin organ and diligent reporter of Embassy Cat developments, said it had contacted the Ecuadoran Embassy about the cat and a spokesperson confirmed that it has been gone for months. It is not here since September, I think, the official told Sputnik. It was taken by Mr. Assanges associates a long ago . . . It is not here. We are not a pet store, so we do not keep pets here. But the person closest to Assange to comment on Embassy Cat, a member of his legal team, said Assange gave the cat to a family member after the embassy threatened to take the pet to a shelter. Insensed at the threat, he asked his lawyers to take his cat to safety, said Hanna Jonasson in a tweet. They will be reunited in freedom. LEARNED, Miss. Strong storms again roared across the South on Thursday, killing two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama while leaving more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. National Weather Service forecasters said they believe multiple tornadoes hit southwest and central Mississippi, although they wont be sure until damage is surveyed. Heavy winds also were reported in Louisiana earlier in the day and in central Alabama as the system quickly pushed eastward. Forecasters predicted the system would push into Georgia before sunrise. On the back side of the system, there were also reports late Thursday of high winds in southern Oklahoma. A Mississippi man was killed Thursday afternoon when his car hit a tree on a highway south of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Neshoba County Coroner John Stephens told local news outlets. Stephens did not immediately release the mans name. Kenderick Magee, 24, was also killed while driving in the storm, WLBT-TV reported. Magee fatally crashed near the rural town of Gillsburg in southwest Mississippi, Amite County Coroner Campbell Sharp said. Two minor injuries were reported in Harvey, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, when a power pole fell on two vehicles. Alabama authorities said a woman was killed Thursday night after strong storms knocked a tree onto her mobile home in St Clair County. Emergency crews found 42-year-old Monica Clements dead inside the home. Clements 10-year-old son suffered minor injuries. Damage was heavy in the Mississippi hamlet of Learned, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Jackson. Large oaks were uprooted from saturated ground, landing on at least a dozen houses. One belongs to the family of Jesse Qualls, a Mississippi State University student who was on his way home for Easter when the storms hit. He says his mother had gone to pick up his sister from school and returned to find a pecan tree had crashed through Qualls bedroom and bathroom. His dog Dukey was uninjured. Qualls said he got a tearful call from his mother, but he struggled to make it home, using his truck to push fallen trees off roads leading into town. I saw the house and I started freaking out, Qualls said, as residents and emergency workers sawed up other trees off streets in the 100-resident town. My dad passed away a while ago and this is all I have left of him. Qualls, though, said his family will be fine and the storm is likely to spark a long-delayed renovation. Weve got a lot of people to help, Qualls said. He said his family likely would stay with relatives in nearby Clinton, where two cars were flipped in a Walmart parking lot. To the northeast, Scott County Emergency Management Director Mike Marlow said reports indicated a number of homes were damaged near Morton and the roof blew off a gas station near Lena. In Philadelphia, Mississippi, a wall collapsed at a medical clinic and the storm knocked down traffic signals and canopies and pushed trees onto houses, the Neshoba Democrat reported. Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippis 82 counties. Schools and colleges sent students home early across much of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In Jackson, state Auditor Shad White said his staff huddled in a stairway in a high-rise state office building while tornado sirens wailed, winds howled and rains poured. Spokeswoman Cathy Hayden said employees at Hinds Community College in Raymond hid in an underground bookstore storage room. The same system produced tornadoes and hail earlier in North Texas, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Seven tornadoes were reported across the Plains from the northeastern Texas Panhandle to southeastern Kansas. Strong winds hit elsewhere Wednesday evening, toppling utility poles and trees and downing power lines in parts of North Texas. No significant structural damage was reported, but heavy rainfall caused flash flooding that prompted the shutdown of Interstate 30 in central Arkansas and the closure of several schools around Little Rock. The National Weather Service received numerous reports of hail pelting the storm-struck areas. Egg-size hail was reported about 60 miles (95 kilometers) northwest of Fort Worth. The threat came days after more than 40 tornadoes from East Texas to Georgia left at least nine dead. That outbreak damaged more than 250 homes, businesses and public buildings across Mississippi. ___ Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi. The first type of molecule that ever formed in the universe has been detected in space for the first time, after decades of searching. Scientists discovered its signature in our own galaxy using the world's largest airborne observatory, NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, as the aircraft flew high above the Earth's surface and pointed its sensitive instruments out into the cosmos. When the universe was still very young, only a few kinds of atoms existed. Scientists believe that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to make a molecule called helium hydride for the first time. Helium hydride should be present in some parts of the modern universe, but it has never been detected in space -- until now. SOFIA found modern helium hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star. Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molecule to form. The discovery serves as proof that helium hydride can, in fact, exist in space. This confirms a key part of our basic understanding of the chemistry of the early universe and how it evolved over billions of years into the complex chemistry of today. The results are published in this week's issue of Nature. "This molecule was lurking out there, but we needed the right instruments making observations in the right position -- and SOFIA was able to do that perfectly," said Harold Yorke, director of the SOFIA Science Center, in California's Silicon Valley. Today, the universe is filled with large, complex structures such as planets, stars and galaxies. But more than 13 billion years ago, following the big bang, the early universe was hot, and all that existed were a few types of atoms, mostly helium and hydrogen. As atoms combined to form the first molecules, the universe was finally able to cool and began to take shape. Scientists have inferred that helium hydride was this first, primordial molecule. Once cooling began, hydrogen atoms could interact with helium hydride, leading to the creation of molecular hydrogen -- the molecule primarily responsible for the formation of the first stars. Stars went on to forge all the elements that make up our rich, chemical cosmos of today. The problem, though, is that scientists could not find helium hydride in space. This first step in the birth of chemistry was unproven, until now. "The lack of evidence of the very existence of helium hydride in interstellar space was a dilemma for astronomy for decades," said Rolf Guesten of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, in Bonn, Germany, and lead author of the paper. Helium hydride is a finicky molecule. Helium itself is a noble gas making it very unlikely to combine with any other kind of atom. But in 1925, scientists were able to create the molecule in a laboratory by coaxing the helium to share one of its electrons with a hydrogen ion. Then, in the late 1970s, scientists studying the planetary nebula called NGC 7027 thought that this environment might be just right to form helium hydride. Ultraviolet radiation and heat from the aging star create conditions suitable for helium hydride to form. But their observations were inconclusive. Subsequent efforts hinted it could be there, but the mystery molecule continued to elude detection. The space telescopes used did not have the specific technology to pick out the signal of helium hydride from the medley of other molecules in the nebula. In 2016, scientists turned to SOFIA for help. Flying up to 45,000 feet, SOFIA makes observations above the interfering layers of Earth's atmosphere. But it has a benefit space telescopes don't-- it returns after every flight. "We're able to change instruments and install the latest technology," said Naseem Rangwala SOFIA deputy project scientist. "This flexibility allows us to improve observations and respond to the most pressing questions that scientists want answered." A recent upgrade to one of SOFIA's instruments called the German Receiver at Terahertz Frequencies, or GREAT, added the specific channel for helium hydride that previous telescopes did not have. The instrument works like a radio receiver. Scientists tune to the frequency of the molecule they're searching for, similar to tuning an FM radio to the right station. When SOFIA took to the night skies, eager scientists were onboard reading the data from the instrument in real time. Helium hydride's signal finally came through loud and clear. "It was so exciting to be there, seeing helium hydride for the first time in the data," said Guesten. "This brings a long search to a happy ending and eliminates doubts about our understanding of the underlying chemistry of the early universe. SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft is maintained and operated from NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California. Reference: "Astrophysical Detection of the Helium Hydride Ion HeH+," Rolf Gusten et al., 2019 April 17, Nature [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-1090-x]. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Thats one stolen vehicle for Albuquerque firefighters, one giant moon for Albuquerque police. Police say a man dropped his drawers beside a stolen fire department vehicle after leading officers on a wild chase across town through a brick wall, fire hydrant and into oncoming traffic Thursday morning. Police spokesman Simon Drobik said 35-year-old Anthony Pacheco stole an Albuquerque Fire Rescue sport utility vehicle from a station off East Central. From there he led police on a brazen chase striking police and civilian vehicles leading to a dead-end street near Gibson and Girard. At times, Pacheco had the lights and sirens blaring as he threw AFR equipment from the SUV. Drobik said Pacheco, clad in an AFR jacket, jumped on the SUV and flipped officers off before he jumped down and mooned them. Pacheco was arrested without further incident. Nobody was injured in the pursuit, but vehicles were damaged, including the stolen Chevrolet Tahoe that was totaled. Pacheco is charged with assault with intent to commit a violent felony on a peace officer, aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. AFR spokesman Tom Ruiz couldnt give an exact time when the vehicle was stolen from a garage of the firehouse near Central and Pennsylvania NE. But he said it happened in the middle of the night as the firefighters slept. Someone went out to the apparatus bay and the truck was gone, Ruiz said. A vehicle thats used to keep the citizens of Albuquerque safe and respond to emergency calls is now out of service. Ruiz said AFR is doing an internal investigation to find out how Pacheco got into the firehouse and stole the SUV. Pacheco told police he found the keys inside and took it so he could try and find his friend. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, the vehicle was reported stolen around 3 a.m. and police found it near Alameda and San Pedro NE. They tried to use a spike belt to stop the SUV, but Pacheco went off the road, almost hitting an officer and striking his police vehicle. Police say they pursued Pacheco to a dead-end where he drove through a cinder block wall and escaped. Officers caught up with him at a Costco near Central and Eubank SE, and Pacheco fled again. According to the complaint Pacheco drove at high speeds, ran red lights and crashed into a vehicle and fire hydrant. Eventually he came to a dead-end near Wellesley and Crest SE, where he surrendered. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SUNLAND PARK The ACLU of New Mexico is calling for the governor and attorney general to investigate an armed vigilante group currently engaged in unlawful detention of hundreds of migrants on the border near Sunland Park. The organization sent a letter Thursday to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Hector Balderas, both Democrats, asking for an investigation after seeing video posted on social media by the United Constitutional Patriots. I was horrified. I was outraged to see young children being held apparently at gunpoint in the dead of night in a remote part of the desert by people who have unknown motives, said Peter Simonson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico. The incident in the video apparently happened in Sunland Park on Tuesday night, according to the ACLU. Just from what I could glean from the video, it raises serious questions about multiple different kinds of crimes they may be committing including kidnapping, said Simonson. At a small camp near the border fence in Sunland Park, members of the United Constitutional Patriots said they are not breaking any laws. We are detaining people but not illegally. If they do not surrender to our verbal commands, we do not force them to stay with us, said Jim Benvie, United Constitutional Patriots spokesman. He said that when his men spot a group of migrants coming through the area, he issues a command in Spanish. Sientate, that means sit. If they dont sit, they might run. We will pursue them, said Benvie who is from Minnesota. He said team members will follow while another militia member calls Border Patrol to report the group. One video, taken at night, shows migrants seated on the ground with armed members standing over them; another one, taken in the daytime, shows team members handing out bottled water to seated migrants. The Border Patrol asks the public to report illegal activity, but warns people not to take the law into their own hands. The El Paso Border Patrol Sector, which includes all of New Mexico, did not respond to requests for comment on the Constitutional Patriots recent activity in Sunland Park. The Attorney Generals Office issued a statement, but did not say if there would be an investigation. My office has been informed that this week, an armed group has detained nearly 300 people near Sunland Park, New Mexico, Attorney General Hector Balderas said. These individuals should not attempt to exercise authority reserved for law enforcement. The governor is working with the Attorney Generals Office to verify exactly what happened, according to Claudia Tristan, a spokesperson with the governors office. If migrant families feel menaced or threatened at all when they arrive at our border, thats completely unacceptable, and it should go without saying that regular citizens have no authority to arrest or detain anyone, Tristan said. On Thursday, about half a dozen of the members of the United Constitutional Patriots were gathered around a campsite. Militia members were infuriated by news of the ACLU letter to the governor and attorney general. I think somebody needs to read the frickin Constitution because we have a right. Yeah we have a right to bear arms, defend our country, a man with a bullet-resistant vest said. Im not contesting their use of firearms, Simonson said. Im contesting the fact that they are portraying themselves as federal border enforcement agents. They are holding people against their will. They are exposing them to the possibility of violence and danger. Benvie said the group is armed to defend themselves against coyotes or cartel smugglers, and the only law breakers are the people crossing the border, even if they are coming to ask for asylum. Group members, mostly from other parts of New Mexico, said they came to the border to help the border patrol deal with the influx of migrants. There has been a record surge of migrant families seeking asylum, with 53,565 families and 7,565 unaccompanied children arriving October through March in the El Paso sector alone. That sector covers the New Mexico border. But Simonson said that with the language barrier, the camouflage and guns, migrants may not understand the situation. Why would they think theyre free to leave? Simonson asked. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal Jeyden Barnhill took off from a federally approved halfway house on April 2 with a heroin habit, a slate of pending charges, including aiding and abetting armed robbery, and a history of running from the law. The 11-day hunt for the 24-year-old, which led the FBI to search an alleged druggie house in Albuquerque, netted more than just her capture. By the time Barnhill was picked up Saturday, law enforcement agents looking for her had also arrested two men on felony charges, snagged a fugitive from Arkansas, seized two stolen motorcycles and recovered a $70,000 2019 Super Duty truck purchased last month from a Ford dealer for a $2,000 down payment and a fraudulent loan application, according to newly unsealed federal records. Barnhill had been allowed pretrial release at the halfway house April 1, even though federal prosecutors wanted her jailed as a flight risk. On April 13, after being cornered by flashing FBI vehicles, Barnhill once again didnt give up without a chase. Two agents tackled her after she fled on foot from the 2019 Ford Super Duty truck, which the FBI team had stopped near San Jacinto Avenue NE and Morris Street NE. Barnhill was back in U.S. Magistrate Court on Thursday, in chains, and this time opted not to seek release from jail pending further proceedings. An FBI spokesman said that in addition to the earlier federal criminal charges, Barnhill now faces a pre-trial release violation for absconding from the halfway house. A spokesman said it did not appear she had racked up any new charges while on the lam. Crime spree Barnhill, and her husband Jared Barnhill, were arrested March 29 along with about 30 others as part of Operation Blockbuster, a joint FBI-New Mexico State Police violent crime takedown operation near Albuquerques International District. She is linked to a two-month crime spree in Albuquerque last summer, including armed robberies, burglaries, vehicle thefts and a carjacking. She and her husband are alleged to have committed the crimes while free on pretrial release on earlier state criminal charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He is being held in state custody. After the March 29 bust, Jeyden Barnhill was charged federally with aiding and abetting armed robbery, conspiracy, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a controlled substance. State records show she twice escaped from the Albuquerque Police Department. Her husband and another man are facing federal charges that include carjacking. On April 1, U.S. Magistrate Judge Laura Fashing agreed with a defense request to allow Barnhill the mother of a six-year-old daughter to live at the La Pasada halfway house, a non-secure facility where defendants can work or go to school pending trial on the federal charges. The next day, at the sound of a honking vehicle horn, Jeyden Barnhill walked out of the halfway house into a waiting red truck and absconded. Fashing issued an emergency warrant for her arrest. FBI agents traced calls to her cellphone near the time of her departure to a man identified as Rain Orlando Aranaga, who was wanted on felony arrest warrant in Arkansas for parole and probation violations. He also had an outstanding aggravated assault warrant from the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office. Agents tracked Aranagas cellphone to a house near Lomas and San Mateo, which was described by an employee from a nearby business as a druggie house where people inside were up to no good. Another employee reported finding used needles in an alley near the house. They werent identified in the search warrant request and told agents they didnt want to be witnesses because they feared retaliation. Executing the search warrant at the house April 12, a team from the FBI, State Police and Albuquerque Police Department found Aranaga, 28, and also arrested Sean Steven McMurray, 47, on heroin possession. They recovered a stolen Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Yamaha 4-wheeler. But not Jeyden Barnhill. Information developed at the scene indicated Jeyden Barnhill was strung out on heroin, knew FBI agents were searching for her and was using multiple cellular telephones to avoid detection, according to a federal criminal complaint. By the next day, authorities learned Jeyden Barnhill had taken up with another man, identified as Ernie Ortiz. He was driving the Ford Super Duty truck when stopped by law enforcement agents. Barnhill was in the passenger seat. Three weeks earlier, Ortiz used the fake name of Michael Brennan and a Georgia drivers license in that name to buy the expensive truck for $2,000 down and a signed a loan with Don Chalmers Ford in Rio Rancho. The dealership had reported the fraudulent purchase to the Rio Rancho Police Department. Ortiz is in federal custody, charged with harboring a fugitive and aggravated identity theft, and possession of methamphetamine. Ortiz told the FBI on April 13 that he had met Barnhill a week before, and she told him she fled from the halfway house and with her husband, had been charged with a bunch of robberies. He told agents he and Barnhill were currently homeless. A member of California street gang, Ortiz said he felt sorry for Jeyden. Inside the truck, agents found methamphetamine and suspected heroin on a metal spoon, which Ortiz said belonged to Barnhill. And a police lightbar, with multiple red and blue lights, was on the rear floorboard. The light bar was the type used in unmarked law enforcement vehicles and powered via dashboard cigarette lighter, stated Ortizs criminal complaint. Frank A. Fisher, of the FBI, said the Super Duty truck has since been returned to the dealership. LAS CRUCES New Mexicos homeland security secretary got a firsthand look at how this city is coping with an influx of immigrant families. Theyre doing incredible work. Im absolutely impressed with everyone here in this community and how everyone has really come together to solve this problem, Homeland Security Secretary Jackie White said. White toured the Gospel Rescue Mission, Community of Hope and Crisis Triage Center, which are all providing temporary shelter, food and water for immigrants. She also met with Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima and visited the Dona Ana County/Las Cruces Emergency Operations Center. The state has staff members at the center helping coordinate the relief effort. During a border tour last week, White learned from Border Patrol about its plan to release asylum seekers in Las Cruces, so I reached out to all our emergency managers along the border and we started working on contingency plans in the event this happened. During her visit to shelters Thursday, White said, she saw healthy, relieved, and happy children that are with their families who are coming into this country, and that is a direct result of the incredible work done in this community to help them get on their way. The vast majority of the families arriving on the border are seeking asylum and only need temporary shelter until they can make travel arrangements and join relatives in other U.S. cities where they live while their cases move through immigration court. The city of Las Cruces mobilized quickly to deal with what has become the new normal as Border Patrol on a daily basis drops off asylum-seeking immigrant families after they have been released from custody. We expect it to be daily for the near future, said Udall Vigil, spokesman for the city of Las Cruces. The first vans with 70 immigrant parents and children arrived Friday. By Monday, Las Cruces City Council members had unanimously approved $75,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance for immigrants. The money will pay for food, water, shelter and personal hygiene products, including diapers. Were doing the best we can with what weve been dealt with, Miyagishima said during the Monday City Council meeting. Before approving the emergency funds, several Las Cruces City Council members said they were compelled to act. We were given one choice, frankly, between having the Customs and Border Protection Agency bring people and drop them on our streets and simply leave them to fend for themselves until they were transported to their sponsors, or do what we have been doing, City Councilor Greg Smith said. Other council members made a point of explaining they are focused on helping local residents in need, including veterans and homeless teens, but they had to respond to the humanitarian crisis. Our community is a giving and loving community, and we do a lot for our own in addition to do what we can for others, City Councilor Gabe Vasquez said. At least 1,080 immigrant parents and kids had been dropped off since last Friday. WASHINGTON The report from special counsel Robert Mueller details in great detail abundant evidence against President Donald Trump, finding 10 episodes of potential obstruction of justice but ultimately concluding it was not Muellers role to determine whether Trump broke the law. Submitted to Congress on Thursday, the 448-page document alternates between jarring scenes of presidential scheming and dense legal analysis, and it marks the onset of a new phase of the Trump administration in which congressional Democrats must decide what, if anything, to do with Muellers evidence. The report suggests but never explicitly says that Congress, not the Justice Department, should assume the role of prosecutor when the person who may be prosecuted is the president. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the Presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, Muellers team wrote. Since Mueller ended his investigation last month, a central question facing the Justice Department has been why Muellers team did not reach a conclusion about whether the president obstructed justice. The issue was complicated, the report says, by two key factors: that, under department practice, a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime, and that a president has a great deal of constitutional authority to give orders to other government employees. Trump submitted written answers to investigators. The special counsels office considered them inadequate but did not press for an interview with him because doing so would cause a substantial delay, the report says. Trumps legal team declared Muellers report a total victory for the president. It underscores what we have argued from the very beginning there was no collusion there was no obstruction, they said in a statement. Trumps lawyers also attacked former leaders at the FBI for opening a biased, political attack against the President turning one of our foundational legal standards on its head. Before the report was released, the president lobbed a familiar attack on the investigation. PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT! he tweeted. The Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats. If Muellers report was a victory for the president, it was an ugly one. Investigators paint a portrait of a president who believes the Justice Department and the FBI should answer to his orders, even when it comes to criminal investigations. During a meeting in which the president complained about then-Attorney General Jeff Sessionss decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, Trump insisted that past attorneys general had been more obedient to their presidents, referring to President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert, as well as the Obama administration. Youre telling me that Bobby and Jack didnt talk about investigations? Or Obama didnt tell Eric Holder who to investigate? Trump asked senior White House staffers Stephen Bannon and Donald McGahn, according to the report. Bannon recalled that the President was as mad as Bannon had ever seen him and that he screamed at McGahn about how weak Sessions was, the report says. Repeatedly, it appears Trump may have been saved from more serious legal jeopardy because his own staffers refused to carry out orders they thought were problematic or potentially illegal. For instance, in the early days of the administration, when the president was facing growing questions concerning then-national security adviser Michael Flynns conversations about sanctions with a Russian ambassador, the president ordered another aide, K.T. McFarland, to write an email saying the president did not direct those conversations. She decided not to do so, unsure whether that was true and fearing it might be improper. Some evidence suggests that the President knew about the existence and content of Flynns calls when they occurred, but the evidence is inconclusive and could not be relied upon to establish the Presidents knowledge, the report says. The report also recounts a remarkable moment in May 2017 when Sessions told Trump that Mueller had just been appointed special counsel. Trump slumped back in his chair, according to notes from Jody Hunt, Sessions then-chief of staff. Oh my God, this is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fed, Trump said. The president further laid into Sessions for his recusal, saying Sessions had let him down. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency, Trump said, according to Hunts notes. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. The special counsels report on possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russians to interfere in the 2016 election is extremely detailed and paints a starkly different picture of Trump than Attorney General William Barr has offered, and it reveals new details about interactions between Russians and Trump associates. Muellers team wrote that although its investigation did not establish that the Trump Campaign coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, that assertion was informed by the fact that coordination requires more than two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the others actions or interests. And Mueller made it clear: Russia wanted to help the Trump campaign, and the Trump campaign was willing to take the help. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, Muellers team wrote. The report details a timeline of contacts between the Trump campaign and people with Russian ties. For example, Muellers team asserted that in August 2016, Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the FBI has assessed as having ties to Russian intelligence, met with Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman, to deliver in person a peace plan for Ukraine that Manafort acknowledged to the Special Counsels Office was a backdoor way for Russia to control part of eastern Ukraine. The special counsel wrote that both men believed the plan would require candidate Trumps assent to succeed (were he elected President). They also discussed the status of the Trump Campaign and Manaforts strategy for winning Democratic votes in Midwestern states, the special counsel wrote. Months before that meeting, Manafort had caused internal polling data to be shared with Kilimnik, and the sharing continued for some period of time after their August meeting. In a letter, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they wanted testimony as soon as possible from Mueller. And after Barrs news conference, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., released a letter to the special counsel seeking an appearance before his panel no later than May 23. At least one officer opened fire on a robbery suspect after responding to a home invasion Thursday night in Northeast Albuquerque, according to police. Albuquerque Police Department spokesman Simon Drobik said no officers were injured, and the suspect was in stable condition at the hospital. He did not say if the suspect shot at police, but a gun was found at the scene near the suspect. APD has not identified the man shot and did not respond to questions Friday. Officers responded to the reported home invasion around 9 p.m. in the 500 block of Vermont NE, northwest of Copper and Wyoming. The caller stated his door was kicked in and he was robbed at gunpoint and forced to give up his belongings, Drobik said. Upon arrival, he said officers ran into a man who matched the suspects description in the parking lot of an apartment complex. The man was uncooperative and pulled out a gun. At least one witness stated the subject fired at least one shot at officers, Drobik said. At least one officer returned fire, striking the subject. He said officers rendered first aid until paramedics took him to a hospital. The man remains in the hospital, and criminal charges are pending. Investigators are currently conducting interviews with witnesses, Drobik said. This is an open and ongoing investigation. Police vehicles and crime scene tape blocked off both ends of Vermont at Marquette and Copper on Thursday night as bystanders looked on from the street corner. On Friday afternoon, residents of the apartment complex shooed away visitors and refused to answer questions, instead referring them to APD. WASHINGTON The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Muellers full report as Democrats intensified their investigation of President Donald Trump, but leaders stopped short of liberal demands for impeachment proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has insisted on a methodical, step-by-step approach to the Houses oversight of the Trump administration, and she refuses to consider impeachment without public support, including from Republicans, which seems unlikely. But in light of Muellers findings , Democratic leaders are under mounting pressure from the partys rising stars, deep-pocketed donors and even a presidential contender to seize the moment as a jumping-off point for trying to remove Trump from office. Speaking Friday in Belfast as Pelosi wrapped up a congressional visit to Ireland, she declined to signal action beyond Congress role as a check and balance for the White House. Let me assure you that whatever the issue and challenge we face, the Congress of the United States will honor its oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States to protect our democracy, she told reporters. We believe that the first article Article 1, the legislative branch has the responsibility of oversight of our democracy, and we will exercise that. That approach isnt enough for some liberals who see in Trumps actions not just a president unfit for office but evidence of obstruction serious enough that Mueller said he could not declare Trump exonerated. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is now signed on to an impeachment resolution from fellow Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, bringing new energy to the effort. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a presidential candidate, said Friday the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the president. And billionaire Tom Steyer, a leading advocate of impeachment, has grown impatient with the Houses pace of investigations and wants televised hearings to focus Americans attention on Trump. Lets get the show on the road, Steyer said in an interview Friday. The Mueller report very clearly outlined obstruction by the president and basically said, I cant do anything about it, its up to Congress to hold the president accountable. Democrats, though, may see greater power in pursuing an investigative effort, leaving impeachment on the shelf as a break-glass option. The Judiciary chairman, Nadler, D-N.Y., says he expects the Justice Department to comply with the committees subpoena for the full report by May 1. Thats the same day Attorney General William Barr is to testify before a Senate committee and one day before Barr is to appear before Nadlers panel. Nadler also has summoned Mueller to testify by May 23. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward, Nadler said. A Justice Department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupac, called Nadlers move premature and unnecessary. Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the Mueller report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Nadler said he was open to working with the department on accommodations, but he also said the committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice. But the committees top Republican, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was wildly overbroad and that Trump already had declined to assert executive privilege over the Mueller report in a move of unprecedented openness. This is politically convenient, Collins said, allowing the chairman to grandstand and rail against the attorney general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline. Muellers report provides fresh evidence of Trumps interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond. For Congress, though, organizing an immediate response been complicated by the spring recess that left leadership in both parties away from Washington and rank-and-file lawmakers. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has been on a delegation trip to South America, and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been in Africa. One Republican, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was one of the few who spoke out Friday, saying he was sickened by the reports findings of dishonesty at the highest levels of the administration, including the president, and appalled that some Americans were working with Russians during the 2016 election. Pelosi will convene House Democrats for a conference call Monday, after the holiday weekend when many lawmakers are celebrating Easter and Passover. With Barr, Democrats expect a long battle ahead. The attorney general has come under intense scrutiny over his handling of the Mueller report and subsequent comments that have left him exposed to criticism he is acting in Trumps interest. Late Friday Democrats rejected an offer from Barr for a limited number of congressional leaders to view some of the redacted materials in a confidential setting. They said it was inadequate. Its unlikely that the full Mueller report or the special counsels public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsels appointment in May 2017, and Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow the end of my presidency. Democratic leaders are walking a delicate line on what to do with Muellers findings. The No. 2 Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, drew criticism for refusing to consider impeachment, and quickly revised his comments to say all options ought to remain on the table. And Pelosi, in an interview last week, before the reports release, reiterated her high bar for impeachment. But she also didnt close the door on the option. The fact is the president has engaged in activities that are unethical, un-American. In every way he is unfit to be president of the United States. Does that make it is that an impeachable offense? Well it depends on what we see in the report. ___ Associated Press reporters Mary Clare Jalonick and Padmananda Rama in Washington, Jennifer Peltz in New York and Dylan Lovan in LaGrange, Kentucky, contributed to this report. ___ For complete coverage of the Mueller report, go to https://www.apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations South Dakotas governor and attorney general are asking a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit challenging a new law that aims to prevent disruptive demonstrations against the Keystone XL pipeline if its built. The law allows officials to pursue criminal or civil penalties from demonstrators who engage in riot boosting, which is defined in part as encouraging violence during a riot. The American Civil Liberties Union and American Indian tribes say the law will stifle free speech, but the state disputes that argument. Defendants deny that any objectively reasonable fear of prosecution for protected speech would arise under (the law), Deputy Attorney General Richard Williams said in a Tuesday filing. He also said the state is immune from such lawsuits. The legislation was muscled through the Legislation by Republican Gov. Kristi Noem and the GOP leaders in a matter of days earlier this year. The new law came in the wake of massive and prolonged protests in North Dakota against the Dakota Access oil pipeline in 2016 and 2017. There were 761 arrests in six months, and the policing effort cost the state $38 million. Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners also is seeking to recover millions of dollars in protest-related damages from Greenpeace, an effort the environmental group calls a sham. American Indian tribes and environmental groups have promised similar protests against Keystone XL, which TransCanada Corp. wants to build to move Canadian crude through Montana and South Dakota to Nebraska, where it would connect with lines carrying oil to Gulf Coast refineries. The $8 billion project is tied up in the courts, as president Donald Trump tries to push it through but environmental groups resist. The ACLU sued over the South Dakota law late last month on behalf of groups and people planning to protest the pipeline or encourage others to do so. The lawsuit argues the law is an overreach, vague and targets protected speech. The law states that people who solicit or pay someone to break the law or be arrested would be subject to paying three times the amount that would compensate for the detriment caused. Money collected would be used to pay for riot damage claims or could be transferred into a fund administered by the state Department of Public Safety. Noem has said the law is meant to address problems caused by out-of-state rioters funded by out-of-state interests, and that it arose from discussions with lawmakers, authorities, stakeholders and TransCanada. Tribes have said they were not consulted. Williams, the deputy attorney general, said in his filing that all citizens of the state, including tribes, tribal members, and environmental groups, were equally allowed to participate in the legislative process. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake PHOENIX The taxpayer bill for a racial profiling case stemming from former Sheriff Joe Arpaios immigration patrols in metropolitan Phoenix is expected to reach nearly $150 million by the summer of 2020. Officials say Maricopa County taxpayers have already paid $111.5 million in attorney and compliance costs since the lawsuit over traffic patrols targeting immigrants was filed in 2007, and the figure is projected to rise by nearly $7.4 million by the end of June. And in the coming months, county officials are expected to approve an additional $30.8 million in compliance costs for the fiscal year ending in the summer of 2020. No one involved in the case or in county government can say exactly when the financial hemorrhaging will slow down or end. The spending is expected to continue until the sheriffs office is deemed by a judge to be fully compliant for three straight years with court-ordered overhauls of its traffic patrol and internal affairs operations. Nearly six years after the agency was found to have profiled Latinos in the patrols, the sheriffs office hasnt yet been deemed totally in line with any phase of both overhauls, though overall compliance has improved since Sheriff Paul Penzone took office in 2017. This is not going to be resolved next year, said Supervisor Steve Gallardo, a longtime critic of Arpaios crackdowns on immigrants. It will be a while. The traffic-patrol overhaul includes retraining officers on making constitutional stops, establishing an alert system to spot problematic behavior by officers, equipping deputies with body cameras and holding interventions with officers flagged for having statistical differences from their peers in how they treated Latinos. Over the years, the costs have included a combined $17 million in legal fees for lawyers on both sides of the case and $14.9 million for a team of outsiders to monitor the sheriffs office on behalf of the judge. But the overwhelming majority of the compliance spending has been made by the sheriffs office, much of it on hiring more than 170 new employees to help meet the courts requirements. Sheriff Penzone is committed to reducing unnecessary expenses while ensuring an appropriate investment in the growth, oversight and management of the organization, said sheriffs spokesman Michael Cavaiola, declining to say when the spending will likely start declining. Kathy Brody, one of the American Civil Liberties Union attorneys leading the profiling case against the sheriffs office, said Penzone has shown much more good faith in dealing with the court than Arpaio, but the agency is stagnating on certain parts of the traffic-patrol overhaul, such as adequately improving the communitys trust with the agency. Brody defended the efforts by lawyers who pressed the profiling case to get the county to pay for their legal work, as allowed under a federal law that lets the winners of civil rights cases seek reimbursement. Without us doing that work, we dont think MCSO would be doing what its supposed to be doing, Brody said. The sheriffs office has been deemed 97 percent compliant in the first phase of its traffic-operations overhaul and 77 percent compliant on the second phase. The agency is around 80 percent compliant on both phases of the overhaul to its internal affairs operations, which was criticized during Arpaios tenure for biased decision-making and shielding sheriffs officials from accountability. Gallardo, a former Democratic state legislator, said Arpaios crackdowns should serve as a cautionary tale for politicians who want local police officers to get involved in immigration enforcement, which has traditionally been a federal responsibility. More than a decade ago, as Arizona was passing its own immigration laws, Gallardo and other lawmakers warned of the risks of local officers pulling over motorists based on their appearance. No one imagined that we would be spending upward of $150 million, Gallardo said. ___ Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. NM Solar Group is blazing a sun-fueled trail to success with explosive growth across the state. The homegrown Albuquerque startup, which launched in 2015, won the New Mexico Small Business Administrations 2019 Entrepreneurial Success Award after growing its revenue from $600,000 in its first year of operations to $9.5 million last year. We project $20 million in revenue in 2019, said company founder Ryan Wallace. We have more than 70 employees now, and we expect to expand beyond 100 by year-end. Its been near spontaneous combustion since 2015, when Wallace started the solar installation company in the garage of a rental home in Albuquerque with business partner and electrician Matt Schmutz. Wallace, an experienced salesman and former stockbroker, personally sold the companys services door-to-door in the metro area. I sold each job myself, Wallace said. Wed hire guys to do the installations and oversee everything. We got a good foundation going that first year. By 2016, the partners had moved their headquarters to a facility near Candelaria and Carlisle. And in 2017, they opened an office in Alamogordo, buying an 8,000-square-foot building and hiring a local team to serve southern New Mexico. That year, the company reached $3 million in revenue, fueling further expansion into Las Cruces and El Paso. And last fall, the company bought another 10,000-square-foot facility in Roswell to serve eastern New Mexico. Theyre now moving headquarters to another facility they purchased in Rio Rancho. We now have four locations around the state where we own the buildings, Wallace said. That helps keep costs down. Wallace attributes the rapid success to pricing and honest service. We operate off a 10 percent profit margin and we dont allow our sales reps to ratchet up the price for a higher commission, Wallace said. We offer direct customer service to provide the best product to clients, and we always do what we say to make things right. To date, NM Solar has installed more than 1,000 residential systems, including ground-mounted installations. Its now moving into commercial markets, and it recently added roofing and air conditioning services. Last fall, Wallace decided to turn NM Solar into an employee-owned business through a stock ownership plan to distribute all profits going forward among the workers. Any W2 employee on payroll is now part of it, from the lowest to highest paid worker, Wallace said. Everyone is getting shares in the company. The company earned this years SBA performance based on outstanding growth and performance, said NM SBA Deputy District Director Ivan Corrales. This incredible image of the hourglass-shaped Southern Crab Nebula was taken to mark the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope's 29th anniversary in space. The nebula, created by a binary star system, is one of the many objects that Hubble has demystified throughout its productive life. This new image adds to our understanding of the nebula and demonstrates the telescope's continued capabilities. On 24 April 1990, the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope was launched on the space shuttle Discovery. It has since revolutionised how astronomers and the general public see the Universe. The images it provides are spectacular from both a scientific and a purely aesthetic point of view. Each year the telescope dedicates a small portion of its precious observing time to take a special anniversary image, focused on capturing particularly beautiful and meaningful objects. This year's image is the Southern Crab Nebula, and it is no exception [1]. This peculiar nebula, which exhibits nested hourglass-shaped structures, has been created by the interaction between a pair of stars at its centre. The unequal pair consists of a red giant and a white dwarf. The red giant is shedding its outer layers in the last phase of its life before it too lives out its final years as a white dwarf. Some of the red giant's ejected material is attracted by the gravity of its companion. When enough of this cast-off material is pulled onto the white dwarf, it too ejects the material outwards in an eruption, creating the structures we see in the nebula. Eventually, the red giant will finish throwing off its outer layers, and stop feeding its white dwarf companion. Prior to this, there may also be more eruptions, creating even more intricate structures. Astronomers did not always know this, however. The object was first written about in 1967, but was assumed to be an ordinary star until 1989, when it was observed using telescopes at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla Observatory. The resulting image showed a roughly crab-shaped extended nebula, formed by symmetrical bubbles of gas and dust. These observations only showed the outer hourglass emanating from a bright central region that could not be resolved. It was not until Hubble observed the Southern Crab in 1998 that the entire structure came into view. This image revealed the inner nested structures, suggesting that the phenomenon that created the outer bubbles had occurred twice in the (astronomically) recent past. It is fitting that Hubble has returned to this object twenty years after its first observation. This new image adds to the story of an active and evolving object and contributes to the story of Hubble's role in our evolving understanding of the Universe. Larger image Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. ATLANTA A strong storm system barreling through the South on Friday killed an 8-year-old girl in Florida and threatened to bring tornadoes to large parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia. A tree fell onto a house in Woodville, Florida, south of Tallahassee, killing the girl and injuring a 12-year-old boy, according to the Leon County Sheriffs Office. The office said in a statement that the girl died at a hospital while the boy suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Their names werent immediately released. The same storm system was blamed for the deaths a day earlier of three people in Mississippi and a woman in Alabama. The threat on Friday shifted farther east, where tornado warnings covered parts of northeast Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia, where four suspected tornado touchdowns were reported Friday night. Twisters touched down in Reston, Fredericks Hall, Barham and Forksville. Homes and small structures were damaged, but no injuries were immediately reported. The national Storm Prediction Center said 9.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia were at a moderate risk of severe weather. The region includes the Charlotte, North Carolina metro area. Torrential downpours, large hail and a few tornadoes were among the hazards, the National Weather Service in Raleigh, North Carolina, warned. Radar readings appeared to show a tornado formed in western Virginias Franklin County, south of Roanoke, though damage on the ground still must be assessed, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Phil Hysell. In South Carolina, authorities urged motorists to avoid part of Interstate 26 the main artery from Upstate through Columbia and all the way to Charleston because downed trees had left the roadway scattered with debris. In Georgia, the storm system knocked down trees, caused flooding and cut off power to tens of thousands of people. A tree came down on an apartment complex in an Atlanta suburb, but only one person reported a minor injury and was treated at the scene, Gwinnett County fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In Forsyth County northeast of Atlanta, three firefighters suffered minor injuries when their firetruck overturned during heavy rain and wind, Fire Department Division Chief Jason Shivers told the newspaper. Meanwhile, hundreds of people cleaned up part of a central Mississippi town hit hard by a tornado on Thursday. Volunteers and family members were swarming the north side of Morton, where the National Weather Service says a twister with winds as high as 132 mph (212 kph) hit a neighborhood. More than 20 homes were heavily damaged or destroyed. The town of 3,500 is about 30 miles (48 kilometers) east of Jackson. When it stopped, there was nothing left, Morton resident Sharon Currie told WAPT-TV. I was going, Oh my God. My house is gone.' Forecasters confirmed that 14 tornadoes had touched down in Mississippi and damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of the states 82 counties. Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency the second one he has declared in less than a week due to tornadoes. Authorities on Friday reported a third storm-related death in the state. Freddie Mobley, 63, died while helping cut a tree that had fallen on a house, Lincoln County Coroner Clay McMorris told the Daily Leader of Brookhaven. Mobley had made a few cuts on the tree and backed away when the trunk shifted before he could move, Deputy Coroner Ricky Alford said. Two other people who were driving are being counted as storm-related deaths in Mississippi. A woman also died in Alabama when a tree fell on her mobile home Thursday. SALT LAKE CITY An iconic temple central to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints faith will close for four years for a major renovation to help it withstand earthquakes and be more welcoming to visitors, leaders said Friday. Authorities are also keeping a careful eye on construction plans after a devastating fire this week at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The Salt Lake Temple will close Dec. 29 to update the stately granite building and surrounding square, including elements that emphasize the life of Jesus Christ, church President Russell M. Nelson said. We promise that you will love the results, he said. The building and square at the heart of Utahs capital city is one of the states top tourist destinations, though only church members in good standing can go inside the building used for marriages and other religious ceremonies. When the project is done in 2024, the faith widely known as the Mormon church will host an open house to give outsiders the first glimpse of the 126-year-old temples interior in more than a century. A new visitors center and removal of a wall around the square in favor of a fence will also visually open up the flower-lined space to visitors walking by. We want to them to think of Salt Lake just as easily as they think of Jerusalem or The Vatican as a place where Christianity really has its heart, Bishop Dean M. Davies said. The work that will bring scaffolding, cranes and occasional road closures to downtown Salt Lake City also carries increased fire risk. Authorities are taking extra caution in light of the damage to Norte Dame by crafting a plan that includes a 24-hour fire watch, limiting welding and grinding to certain areas, and plenty of fire extinguishers. Investigators are still determining the exact cause of the fire at Notre Dame, which was under renovation when the blaze started on Monday. The Salt Lake Temples earthquake-mitigation project will be a major undertaking, and involve excavating underneath the temple to install a base-isolation system that will prevent damage by largely decoupling the building from the earth. The area sees seismic activity, including a series of small quakes that have occurred in recent months. Plans for this project, though, stretch back more than a decade. Much of the square will remain open during the construction, including the building where the faiths famed Tabernacle Choir sings. In a nod to the 16-million-member churchs increasingly global membership, the project will also allow the temple to serve people in over 86 languages, rather than only English. Leaders declined to say how much the project will cost. Temples arent used for regular Sunday services, but thousands of church members visit every year. It is one of the most popular destinations for weddings. While its closed, local members will go to a number of other nearby Utah temples. After it reopens, changes will include a return to a more colorful Victorian-era palette rather than the mostly white style adopted during another extensive renovation in the 1960s. The faiths temples have rooms where couples are sealed in marriage, chambers for ceremonies on theology and morality and celestial rooms used for prayer and reflection. They also have ornate baptismal fonts designed for use in ceremonies to baptize dead relatives, though theres been occasional controversy over members posthumously baptizing public figures against church policy. The faith teaches proxy baptisms give the deceased the choice to join the faith in the afterlife. New temples are typically open to the public for a brief time before being dedicated, after which theyre reserved for members only. Republican Gov. Gary Herbert said the renovation will likely bring more congestion downtown, but hes hoping curious tourists will keep visiting during construction. People think of The Church of Jesus Latter-day Saints and most people think of this temple, said Herbert, who is a member of the faith. The renovation shows the vitality of Salt Lake City. Were not closing things down. Were expanding and growing. Copyright 2019 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Democrat Maggie Toulouse Oliver filed paperwork Friday declaring herself a candidate for the U.S. Senate setting up a showdown in the Democratic primary with U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, who is also seeking the seat. Toulouse Oliver, New Mexicos secretary of state and a former Bernalillo County clerk, filed a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission, one of the steps necessary to run for the Senate seat that will be vacated next year by the retirement of Democrat Tom Udall. Toulouse Olivers campaign adviser, Heather Brewer, suggested a formal announcement will come soon. People can definitely expect news from her next week, Brewer said. Her entrance into the race would set up a contest with Lujan for the Democratic nomination in the June 2020 primary. Lujan, who as assistant speaker is one of the top four Democrats in the U.S. House, announced his own Senate campaign in early April. He has already announced a series of endorsements including from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Democratic Rep. Deb Haaland of New Mexico as he positions himself for the nomination. But Toulouse Oliver would be a strong contender in her own right. She has spent a dozen years in the public eye running elections in Bernalillo County and New Mexico. Toulouse Oliver, who now lives in Santa Fe, won re-election as secretary of state last year by 20 percentage points over her closest rival, Republican Gavin Clarkson. Clarkson became the first GOP candidate to enter the Senate race earlier this week. Toulouse Oliver isnt up for re-election as secretary of state until 2022, so she can run for Senate without giving up her current job. Lujan, meanwhile, is forgoing re-election to the U.S. House to campaign instead for Senate. That creates an open race for his seat in the 3rd Congressional District, which covers northern New Mexico. The winner of the Senate campaign, meanwhile, will succeed Udall and join Democrat Martin Heinrich representing New Mexico in the U.S. Senate. CHICO, Calif. - Just after 4 p.m. a fire broke out at the China House restaurant at the corner of Nord and West Sacramento Avenues. Fire crews cut a hole in the roof to ventilate the building while they worked for about 45 minutes to knock down the flames. China House restaurant did see significant damage with crews now assessing the damage to the Everyday Vietnam Cuisine next door. Nord Avenue was closed for about 45 minutes before being reopened. MARYSVILLE, Calif. - A 45-year old Marysville man was arrested by Marysville police because they believe he touched a child inappropriately several times at a local daycare center. The mother of a five-year-old who attedned the Leonor Family Child Care center in the city of Marysville for two years reported the alleged abuse. On Tuesday the child told the mother about being touched by the husband of the child care center's owner. Detectives conducted an investigtion and proceeded to arrest 45-year-old Luis Ubias of a variety of felony charges. The California Department of Social Services - Community Care Licensing Division was also notifed. They will be conducting their own investigation in regards to the child care center's license status. Parents of children who attended this child care facility in the past are asked to contact the Marysville Police Department. There may be other potential victims, according to police. Trot Insider has received an update on driver Roger Mayotte, who was involved in a freak accident during Monday's card of harness racing at Woodbine Mohawk Park. Shortly after the post parade for Monday's ninth race, Odds On Amethyst (Pat Hudon) and Monopoly (Roger Mayotte) collided. Mayotte was dumped out of the bike and Monopoly galloped away while Hudon was able to restrain Odds On Amethyst despite the fact his race bike was broke into multiple pieces. Mayotte received attention from the on-track EMS crew after complaining of pain in his ribs and shoulder. He was then transported via ambulance to local hospital for further medical attention. Monopoly was eventually collared and was uninjured. According to Mayotte's family, the horseman suffered fractured ribs and a fractured clavicle as a result of the accident. He also has a partially collapsed lung that doctors are treating which is keeping him in hospital for the time being. The Mississauga, Ont. resident boasts more than 3,600 driving wins with career earnings exceeding $53 million. Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Roger Mayotte a full and speedy recovery. REDDING, Calif. The National Park Service has released their After Action Review (AAR) report on the Carr Fire to share the lessons learned. The fire ignited on July 23, 2018 and there were many interagency partners who contributed to the review. Some of the agencies who partnered with the National Park Service were CAL FIRE, Redding Fire, and the U.S. Forest Service. Over the course of five weeks, the Carr Fire burned 229,651 acres in and around Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, Redding, CA and caused over 1.6 billion dollars in damages. Investigators determined that a mechanical failure of a privately owned travel trailer caused the fire. The review focused on interagency cooperation, interagency management, incident administration and finance, and post-fire response. Open dialogue was cited as one of factors that led to success in response to firefighter deaths and other incidents occuring during the incident. Firefighters believe this fire will serve as a model for fighting futures, mainly because of the interagency communication. Another highlight of the report was the highly successful program of support services provided to first responders struggling with their own losses or needing emotional support while still fighting the fire. The nineteen recommendations that resulted from the AAR will become action items for the National Park Service, with possible involvement from interagency partners, to further strengthen practices moving forward. This work will commence in spring 2019. MOBILE APP USERS: Click here to read the report REDDING, Calif. - A man suspected in a downtown Redding bank robbery early Thursday afternoon was located a short time later by law enforcement approximately 300 yards from the bank. Redding police officers say he had a Tri Counties Bank bag in his possession that had cash in it that they believe was taken during the robbery. At approximately 1:11 p.m., Redding Police Officers responded to reports of a bank robbery at the Tri Counties Bank at 1327 South Street in downtown Redding. Bank employees said the suspect demanded money from a teller and fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect was described as a white male, approximately 40 years of age wearing blue jeans and having bloodshot eyes. Responding officers began checking the area for the robbery suspect. Officers located a subject matching the suspect description near the canal in the area of California Street and Waldon Street, approximately 300 yards from the bank. The subject, Blaine Eric Fletcher, 55 years of Redding, was found to be in possession of a Tri Counties Bank bag and cash taken during the robbery. Fletcher was interviewed by Redding Police Department Investigators and confessed to committing the robbery. He said he entered the bank and demanded money from the teller because people were trying to kill him. He admitted his conduct would have caused the teller to believe she was being robbed. Fletcher is well known to Redding Police Officers, he has a lengthy criminal history with arrests dating back to 1993 for mostly theft and drug offenses. Fletcher was booked into the Shasta County Jail for bank robbery. This was Reddings second bank robbery of 2019. Arrests have been made in both cases. Nationwide, 2,700 banks were robbed last year. According to Redding police, suspects with substance abuse issues committed over 35 percent of those robberies. 93.5 RED FM, one of the largest and most awarded private radio networks in India aims at creating awareness around voting this general election with its national campaign Ab Watan Dabayega Button. As a part of this campaign, Red FM reached out to the residents of an abandoned village Dalelpur which had boycotted the General Election, 2019 and convinced them to cast their vote. The villagers rue years of ignorance by the system for lack of proper connectivity to their village and had announced to boycott the Lok Sabha election. To understand the root cause of the problem, RED FMs Morning No.1 RJ Raunac, who is the 'Youth Ambassador' of Delhi, appointed by Election Commission of India, decided to help the villagers to be a part of the election. RED FM has arranged for transportation for the villagers on the day of the election. Aastha, a local resident of Dalelpur village as well as a national level award winner in power-lifting, had lost all hopes as her village lacked basic necessities. Listening to her story on RED FM, supporters from all over the country joined hands to help her. Mukesh, Mr. India 2012 from Dronacharaya Institute volunteered to offer a year-long free training to Aastha and Mr. Rahul Verma from Uday Foundation offered to bear one year of food and accommodation expenses to her. Dalelpur village which consists of 250 residents in Gautam Budh Nagar is very poorly connected to other cities. Spreading awareness on voting, Nisha Narayanan, COO, RED FM, said, At RED FM, we want every individual to take equal responsibility to be able to choose their leaders of tomorrow. We have partnered with the Election Commission of India to increase and encourage people to enroll themselves for the elections. RED FM has always stood up to bring a positive change in the society through its campaigns. This initiative endeavored to extend a helping hand to the people of Dalelpur and encouraged them to take part in the General Elections 2019. N. Singh , D.M. of Gautam Buddh Nagar said, I thank RED FM and RJ Raunac for bringing up the issue and appreciate how RED FM played a vital role in the voter awareness campaign by encouraging Dalelpur villagers to begin voting. It was truly a remarkable job empowered with a positive and change-making thought for the nation. While the nation is observing massive political campaigns, RED FM has tied up with the Election Commission of India for this national initiative. The initiative 'Ab Watan Dabayega Button' aims at creating awareness around voting and helps in creating a milestone voter turnout. The initiative will specially focus on educating and resolving queries of youngsters who feel voting doesn't make a difference. The objective is to keep in mind the first-time voters - people who have just turned 18 or people who haven't voted despite crossing 18 because they think voting doesn't make a difference. RED FM will speak out loud about the fact that every vote counts in building a better and brighter future for India. by Ginger Taylor, MS Welcome to the intersection of the two most volatile issues in medicine, abortion and vaccines. The discussion of one is controversial, for good reason. When you try to discuss both at the same time, almost everyone either loses their minds, or completely shuts them down. I am someone who has tended to do the latter. I spent almost a decade running up against the aborted fetal cell lines used for making vaccines and thinking, "I'm sure that can't be true... Alex Jones... hey look... shiny object!" But in the last few years God has tapped on my shoulder and said, "are you sure you are not overlooking something?" And last year I had to apologize to my readers, because I had put myself out there as offering them informed consent in vaccination, while being in denial of something on which people deserve informed consent. And failing to inform them. Abortion is an issue that strikes at the heart of who we are, and our base drives to keep control over our bodies and also to create our next generation. I don't think that there is any issue that should be approached with more humility and care. Talking about it blithely can set off landmines in the people around you, and you are unlikely to hear a bomb go off in their heart that can knock them down for a long time. But the American Academy of Pediatrics proudly announced last month that their number one goal in 2019 is to remove the religious vaccine exemption from every state in the Union, before remembering that pesky 1st Amendment, and changing the headline. Thus the need to look the difficult issue squarely in the face, as the loss of the right not to participate in the abortion industry in order to fully participate in public life is now at stake, and there are a large number of people who will be very upset when they find out after the fact that they have lost that right. Because if you can extort a pro-life Christian into injecting aborted fetal cell line remains, and a Muslim into injecting porcine products, and a Hindu into injecting bovine serum, and a vegan into injecting monkey kidney cells, then religious freedom is gone in America, and no one has a right to exercise their conscience. Our community has put a toe in the water, mostly only because we have had to, but the challenge is... how to open this discussion with individuals a political system who, more so than most, will have a fight or flight response to the phrase, "aborted fetal cell lines in vaccines?" So last month, humbly and prayerfully, I started writing a letter to our state representatives, to prepare them for hearing this phrase, as we knew that they would be confronted with it repeatedly in our hearings on the vaccine exemption removal bill here in Maine. And I managed to draft a letter about the use of aborted fetal cell line remains in vaccines, without using the word "abortion," or "fetus." It went to every member of the Maine Legislature. I submit it to you, for your consideration, to use in broaching the difficult subject with your legislators in the most gentle way I could come up with: A Honduran toddler crying at the border in Texas. A mother and her twin five-year-old daughters running from tear gas at the border wall between the U.S and Tijuana, Mexico. Both scenes were captured in images that went viral when they were taken, and both are now winners of major photojournalism awards. This week we learned that Getty Images staff photographer John Moores shot of the toddler, crying as she and her mother were taken into custody by US border officials in McAllen, Texas, last June, won the Photo of the Year prize in the 2019 World Press Photo contest. Meanwhile, photographer Kim Kyung Hoons photo of the tear gas attack in Tijuana was part of a portfolio of images from Reuters that won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. The portfolio featured the news services coverage of migrants journeying to the U.S. At the time Moore made his image (below) of the young girl, Yanela Sanchez, and her mother, Sandra Sanchez, the Trump Administration was enforcing a controversial zero tolerance immigration policy in which children were separated from their parents. The image was published worldwide and, though US Customs and Border Protection later confirmed that Yanela and her mother had not been among the thousands separated by the border officials, public outcry still resulted in US President Donald Trump reversing this policy on 20 June, noted the British Journal of Photography this week. In that moment, in her distress, there was obviously an important picture to be made, said Moore. This year the World Press Photo competition also included a prize for Story of the Year, and it went to Dutch photographer Pieter Ten Hoppen for a series showing people traveling north from Honduras in the largest migrant caravan in recent history. Reuters' photographer Kim Kyung-hoon became the first South Korean photographer to earn a Pulitzer Prize for his work on a caravan of Central American migrants approaching the border crossing into San Diego. They were forced back by tear gas canisters hurled by U.S. border agents. "I saw the woman and two children running away. One girl was barefoot from the beginning. The other was wearing beach sandals and lost them in the chaos, Kim told NBC at the time, describing the photo (at top). Also included in the Pulitzer-winning portfolio from Reuters were images by Goran Tomasevic, Loren Elliott, Ueslei Marcelino, Edgard Garrido, Adrees Latif, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Carlos Barria, Lucy Nicholson, Alkis Konstantinidis, Ueslei Marcelino, and Mike Blake. The Pulitzer committee called their coverage a vivid and startling visual narrative of the urgency, desperation and sadness of migrants as they journeyed to the U.S. from Central and South America. The Pulitzer for Feature Photography went to Lorenzo Tugnoli of The Washington Post for brilliant photo storytelling of the tragic famine in Yemen, shown through images in which beauty and composure are intertwined with devastation. The New York Times has more on this year's Pulitzer Prize winners for photography. Here are some of the other photo stories we spotlighted this week: _________________________________ 1. American Photography Open 2019: The Judging Begins The American Photography Open 2019 competition has begun, we noted yesterday, and entries have been coming in from around the world. We shared three that delighted our judges, including a photo of a beluga whale in a Taiwan aquarium being admired by a child. It was taken by Goncalo Lobo Pinheiro, a professional photographer based in Macau. I was sitting on the floor and I took a couple of shots of the children all shadows, contours and backlight, he recalled. The competition is open photographers at any level shooting with any device. 2. Sundays Without Cars in Bogota Every Sunday, and holidays too, the inhabitants of the car-choked, noise-filled, stressed-out city of Bogota, Colombia 8,660 feet up in the thin air of the Andes get to feel that the city belongs to them. Thats because the city has banned cars on those days, noted National Geographic, which recently featured images of the car-free city taken by Juan Cristobal Cobo, a photojournalist based in Bogota and New York City. Cristobal is also a multi-time winner of the Latin American Fotografia competition. 3. Hanging Out With Jane Austin Super Fans It is a truth universally acknowledged that super fans of Jane Austins novels must be interesting subjects for a photographer. Those fans who call themselves Janites and like to dress in the costumes of Regency England are the subjects of a series from Spanish photographer Alejandra Carles-Tolra, who encountered the group soon after moving to the U.K. She told The Washington Post that the series, titled, Where We Belong, explores themes of belonging, femininity and escapism. 4. Behind the Scenes with Theranos Fraudster Elizabeth Holmes What is it like to photograph someone committing a fraud? L.A.-based photographer Ethan Pines knows. In 2014, he photographed Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the Silicon Valley company Theranos. At the time, Holmes was the darling of the tech industry: When Pines shot her for the cover of that year's Forbes 400 issue, she was the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world. Later, her company's breakthrough blood-testing technology was exposed as a lie. "I now see clearly how her starry-eyed investors were taken in," Pines told us. 5. In Viral Photo, Trump's Eye Beholds Media Enemy When Donald Trump eyes the world, he sees the enemy of the people his term for the media. A photo recently taken by Associated Press's Pablo Martinez Monsivais as the president answered questions on the South Lawn of the White House went viral after Monsivais noticed something peculiar a reflection in Trumps eye that turned out to be the White House press corp. "I decided to post the picture before I left work for the day, he told BuzzFeed. The fake news media have gotten into the presidents head, added CNN. 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. Trot Insider has learned that Mary Sewell, the booking administrator for Brittany Farms Stallion Management, passed on Tuesday morning (April 16) at the age of 78. Sewell served as the booking administrator for Brittany Farms Stallion Management for 21 years until taking a leave of absence in March 2017 because of health issues. She spent over 40 years of her life in the Standardbred business. She was the office manager for three farms and did pedigree research and writing for Pedi-Type. Her husband Bob, who passed in October 2018, was the stallion manager at Almahurst Farm and the farm manager at Fair Chance and Killydonnell Farms in Ohio. Sewell helped administer the stallion careers of Artsplace, Artiscape, Valley Victory, Life Sign, Real Desire, Glidemaster, American Ideal and many more. She is survived by sons Dean (Peggy) and David, two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren, all of Nicholasville, Ky. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Mary Sewell. After weeks of government climbdowns and policy reversals, the scale and pace of Algerias popular protest movement continues unchecked. Across Algeria, Fridays have become synonymous with protest, with cities grinding to a halt as the cars and shoppers that typically occupy the public thoroughfares make way for brightly colored banners, chants and security forces. In their hundreds of thousands, the young have powered Algerias popular movement. Continuing to demand the clans, nepotism and ingrained power structures that have smothered their country for decades make way for a new generation of leaders, untarnished by the sclerotic corruption that has come to characterize the old. That it is the young who have served as the engine of protest will surprise few. Caught up within the bulging birth rates that have subsumed the region, 54% of Algerias current population are under 30 years of age. Significantly, unemployment stands at 26.4% within that same group. Beyond the country's already declining hydrocarbons industry, little opportunity exists for those seeking work outside the energy sector. Last year, nonenergy related exports made up just 6% of the country's output. Into this mix, throw in declining oil prices and the approximate 1.7 million students within the country's higher education system and some form of confrontation begins to look almost inevitable. However, what few likely expected is that Algerias popular protests would achieve so much and do so so peacefully. Dismissed as relatively apolitical in the past, Algeria's youth have instead positioned themselves at the forefront of popular protests. "We were politically aware and we followed what was happening," protester Faycel Fay, 29, told Al-Monitor from Algiers. "Like all young Algerians there was this feeling of dissatisfaction with the country's political and economic situation. However, we didn't participate in any vote, nor did we adhere to any political party." One of the defining characteristics of Algeria's demonstrations has been the plethora of media savvy slogans, as well as the deluge of satirical, and occasionally hilarious, memes that have flooded social media. "Algerians have a lot of humor and creativity and they are showing it," Fay continued. "Everyone expresses themselves in their own way and that is the strength of the peaceful demonstrations in Algeria." Since the initial protests broke out in the wake of 82-year-old ailing Abdelaziz Bouteflika's announcement that he would seek a fifth term of office, the success of Algeria's demonstrations has confounded expectations. After promising a limited term should his bid be successful, Bouteflika amended his offer in the wake of continued unrest, seeking instead to eke out his fourth term while the country's constitution underwent root and branch reform. Ultimately, conciliatory noises from the president's immediate circle counted for little and, after the loss of much of his power base among the army, business leaders and much of the National Liberation Front (FLN), Bouteflika resigned April 2. However, the exit of the man many had come to regard as occupying the presidency in name only did little to stem the tide of popular protest. As the demonstrators push on, calling for the ousting of interim President Abdelkader Bensalah, their demands have begun to cut to the very heart of the ruling elite known locally as the pouvoir. Moreover, as time marches on, there are growing signs that the power is beginning to push back. In addition to the increased use of tear gas and water cannons, arrest numbers are mounting. While still maintaining his ostensibly benign stance toward the country's protesters, Chief of Staff Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah warned on Tuesday that "time is running out" to find a solution to the country's continued upheaval. Tin Hinane El Kadi, a member of the protest group Les Jeunes Engages (Activist Youth), told Al-Monitor, "There has been increased repression recently, but there has also been this wave of hope. We're talking about millions of people all mobilizing. It's huge. What we're seeing is truly historic. We just hope that it will keep being peaceful." El Kadi, a researcher at the London School of Economics, continued, explaining that the reasons behind the massive numbers of young activists and students among the protesters were essentially twofold, generational and socioeconomic. "Most of those studying now will end up unemployed," she said. "Since 2014, there has been a gradual falling in living standards as oil prices have shrunk and, with that, mounting frustration. The state no longer has the capacity to employ its young people. This is exacerbated by corruption and nepotism, with many of the children of government ministers all gaining scholarships to study abroad that most students don't." In addition to the economic drivers of protests were the generational ones, with a new cohort of students emerging, unscarred by the memory of the black decade of civil war that ripped Algeria apart in the 1990s. "Today, we have the whole youth bulge that has taken place across MENA. Obviously, they're all very aware of the black decade, but none of them has any living memory of it. So, when the government tries to scare them with threatening a return to that time if the protests continue, it doesn't really carry the same weight as they want it to. It's a major generational shift." For Fay, determined to maintain the pressure for change that first brought him to the streets in February, the situation remains uncertain. I think it's still unclear. We're still in crisis, but there's a lot of hope, he told Al-Monitor. And as long as there is hope, there is life. Internal polls commissioned by Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked before they formed the New Right party last December failed to give them the slightest indication that they might fail to pass the vote threshold to enter the Knesset. In fact, the findings seemed to indicate just the opposite. The polls showed that the Bennett and Shaked brand had a hardcore base of four seats comprised of ardent supporters who would follow them to whatever party they chose. The general assessment was that they would walk away from the April 9 elections with 8-10 seats. In reality, the New Right suffered a devastating defeat at the ballot box. There can be no doubt that Shaked and Bennett were the tragic heroes of this past election because they were at the height of their political activism when they fell. They were two hardworking young ministers with an agenda who labored tirelessly at their respective ministries, him at Education and her at Justice. Their seats on the Security Cabinet gave them status and power, and it looked like they would be with us for many long years to come. People could love or hate their agenda. Quite a few people, including many who admired them, thought that their populist attacks on the judicial system and their calls for a more aggressive campaign in Gaza went too far, forcing supporters of the moderate right in the Likud to adopt more extreme positions. To their credit, however, it must be said that they were active politicians and were untainted by the slightest whiff of corruption. Based on reactions on social media, even their critics regret their departure, as they evoked interest, adding color to Israeli political life, and had no qualms about challenging the system. It was Bennett who spearheaded the initiative to form the New Right. Shaked had had reservations. She was concerned that leaving their home party, HaBayit HaYehudi, to strike out on their own might be too risky. Bennett, however, insisted. He wanted to push forward, full steam ahead, on an independent path that would lead him to the Prime Ministers Office, and he wanted to do it without being held to account by the rabbinic leadership of HaBayit HaYehudi. In the end, Shaked did what she has always done throughout the years of her political partnership with Bennett. She gave him the backing he wanted in the hope that the magic would spill over to their new party. There has indeed been some magic. Almost everything they touched after they burst into public life has been a major success. They were both young high-tech entrepreneurs who left their private businesses in 2006 to work with Benjamin Netanyahu, then-leader of the opposition, because they believed in his vision. Bennett was the more prominent of the duo. He was a religious veteran of the Israel Defense Forces Matkal commando unit who got rich from a startup. After he and Shaked got into a fight with the prime ministers wife, Sara Netanyahu, they were forced to leave their posts in his office in 2008. They remained politically active, however, but in different ways. In 2010, they founded My Israel, a right-wing non-profit that described itself as a national camp movement to promote Zionism. Their activities included an attempt to instigate a revolution in the public media discourse, which they claimed discriminated against the right. They were also among the first in Israel to grasp the power of social networks, which they used to their advantage. In 2011, they launched one of their most successful public campaigns, against Army Radio. Its slogan was blunt: Army Radio: A Knife in the Back of Our Troops. Still, it turned out that there was an audience, or rather, that they knew how to shape public opinion. This was long before the Likud recognized the potential inherent in attacking Army Radio by labeling it the station of Tel Aviv leftists. The same thing happened when Bennett and Shaked threw their support behind the social justice protests in the summer of 2011. Bennett succeeded in challenging the existing order. He was a right-wing figure who served as secretary-general of the settlers' Yesha Council, but he also sided with the young people of Tel Aviv in their socioeconomic struggle. He and Shaked began to soar in the polls. They wanted to enter politics, but the Likud was not an option for them, and it would remain forbidden territory as long as Netanyahu dominated the party. Once again, Bennett showed resilience and creativity in seeking another political platform and finding it in the national-religious HaBayit HaYehudi, a party long past its prime. Bennett and Shaked took control of HaBayit HaYehudi in 2012 without a fight. It was a brilliant political move. A few months later, after the 2013 elections, Bennett headed the party which had won 12 Knesset seats. His next political move was surprising. He joined forces with Yair Lapid, the star of the 2013 elections, whose Yesh Atid won 19 seats. Bennett and Lapid forged a political alliance, forcing Netanyahu to deny the ultra-Orthodox parties a place in the governing coalition. While HaBayit HaYehudi fell victim to Netanyahus vote stealing tactics in the 2015 elections, winning just eight seats, its leaders knew how to make the most of that outcome. Despite HaBayit HaYehudi's vote deficit, Bennett and Shaked soon reached the height of their influence because Netanyahu needed their support. Thus, Bennett was appointed minister of education, while Shaked, not yet forty, led the prestigious Justice Ministry. In the subsequent four years, Shaked emerged as the real star. Polls showed her to be the most popular politician in Israel, after Netanyahu. If there was tension between Bennett and Shaked, they managed to hide it. Their friendship remained intact. Bennett tried to boost his reputation as a security hawk, challenging the military leadership in Cabinet meetings, as he did on the issue of Hamas' tunnels in Gaza. Shaked became the most powerful woman in the justice system, shaking up the existing order in her very thorough manner and standing up to leadership claiming to represent the rule of law. Shaked gained strength by pushing ahead with an agenda to create a conservative judicial system and limit the power of the Supreme Court. She and Bennett presented their constitutional revolution as an integral part of both of their agendas, proving once again how honed their political instincts were. Many in the Likud adopted their rhetoric, which was, until then, considered extreme. They transformed the debate between right and left to include much more than the occupied territories and the settlements. A poll published by Maariv in July 2018 found that if Shaked were the head of the Likud, it would win 33 seats, that is, just as many as it would under Netanyahu. This was further evidence that as far as Shaked was concerned, the sky was the limit. Bennett and Shaked's decision to abandon the party that had given them a home turned out to be arrogant and a mistake. An erratic campaign and a slew of votes stolen from them by Zehut, led by Moshe Feiglin, kept them out of the Knesset. Total shock is how one person who knows them both described the way they feel. What happened to them was a wreck, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. It looks for now like the political partnership between Bennett and Shaked has come to its end. Shaked is apparently poised to join the Likud in an attempt to secure a position of influence. According to Knesset member and former coalition chairman David Bitan, she would be very welcome. Lake Eyre in northern South Australia is Australias biggest lake and the thirteenth largest in the world when full. It is also the lowest geographical point of the island nation at 15m below sea level. The usually dry lake system in the state of South Australia believed by early European settlers to be home to an enormous inland sea is about 500km from the coast and only fills about four times a century. Lake Eyre in Australia fills up. First time since 1974. via The Lead The last time it was full was 1974 but water from tropical cyclone Trevor and wet season rains in outback Queensland are flowing to the lake through a network of rivers that drain into a basin covering a sixth of Australia about the size of Spain. Officially known as Kati Thanda Lake Eyre, the lake is about a third full with water levels expected to reach a peak the highest level in more than 25 years next month. This has sparked a rare greening of the desert and attracted thousands of birds to an area that is usually among the driest, most inhospitable places on earth. It is also attracting adventurous sailors from the Lake Eyre Yacht Club, who will compete in a unique outback regatta this week. Flood waters flowing towards Lake Eyre in March 2019. Picture Trevor Wright The Australian governments Bureau of Meteorology National Flood Services Manager Alex Cornish said the 9500-square-kilometre lake would reach 50 per cent of its capacity in May its highest water level since the early 1990s. He said natural factors such as evaporation and the 1000km journey of the floodwaters through Channel Country to Lake Eyre made the event a rare natural phenomenon. It moves between 10 and 15km a day, which is quite slow. What can happen is that there will be rain but not enough of it, so it evaporates or it just soaks into the ground and it never makes it so its quite a rare thing to see the floodwater fill the lake. The floodplain that has already received water is vibrant green and bursting with life, and its set against the brown, which is the earth. The area just comes alive,said Cornish. The following time lapse satellite imagery by NASA shows the movement of water down from Queensland towards Lake Eyre and the greening of the Channel Country. via GIPHY Lake Eyre has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area because it acts as a major breeding ground for many bird populations when flooded, including Australian pelicans, gulls, sandpipers and terns. Small fish and crustaceans are usually found in Lake Eyre too and provide an important food source for the migratory birds. Early European explorers to Australia were confident they would find a vast inland sea in the middle of the dry continent. Lake Eyre In 1840, Edward John Eyre was the first European to lay eyes on the huge lake, which now bears his name. But as for the inland sea, Lake Eyre was bone dry. Intrepid tourists from around the world are still attracted to the inland sea, particularly when the basin is in flood. The tiny Oodnadatta Track township of William Creek which basically consists of an outback pub and an airstrip is the closest settlement to Lake Eyre and is about 700km north of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. He said water had started to move into Lake Eyre in mid-March ahead of the May peak after first filling the Goyder Lagoon closer to the Queensland border. Publican, pilot and Wrightsair owner Trevor Wright has operated charter flights in the region since 1992 and said the speed and volume of this years floodwaters had been greater than expected. Daytime temperatures at Lake Eyre from December to March can reach 45C but drop to about 20C between May and August, which is also the peak time for tourists. Wright said William Creeks population about 60km west of Lake Eyre could swell to 200 during peak times. When you see the water eventually making its way to Kathi-Thanda Lake Eyre, across the cracking clay soils, filling all those little cracks and rivulets across the expanse of Lake Eyre, its nothing short of a miracle. Youre wondering how things can live out there and theres water flowing through the creeks and birds flying around, and its just a stunning transformation. Lake Eyre is one of those once in a lifetime events where people should get out there and have a look. That big flood was pretty devastating for Queensland but it helped them because it filled the lake so it will give them a good tourist season. Theres always a positive side to catastrophes! Follow us on FACEBOOK and TWITTER. Share your thoughts in our DISCUSSION FORUMS. Donate through Paypal. Please and thank you [The Edge] On April 16, Moscow hosted the fifth ministerial session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum, which was attended by an unprecedented number of top Arab diplomats. Organized by the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Arab League, the meeting testified to a self-evident fact: Relations between Russia and the Arab world seem cordial, at least when it comes to their disagreement over the US vision of a world order. This happy idyll, however, is illusory, as the relationships are riddled with differences, many of which are rooted in the discord within the Arab camp itself. The conference in Moscow produced two documents: a declaration and a three-year action plan. The latter covers cooperation opportunities for businesses, nongovernmental organizations and academia in different spheres, ranging from the economy to culture. As for the specifics, they include a commitment to participating in various trade show exhibitions for the manufacturing and food industry. Both documents were made available to Al-Monitor. The Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum was inaugurated in December 2009 by a Cairo memorandum. The forum is tasked with coordinating positions on international issues and encouraging stronger bilateral relations. However, the first ministerial session took place years after the forum's inception, in February 2013, at the height of the Arab Spring and after Vladimir Putins return to the Kremlin. The succeeding meetings were held in Khartoum (late 2014), Moscow (February 2016) and Abu Dhabi (February 2017). The original idea was to hold sessions annually, but the plan was scrapped amid the rift between Qatar, on the one hand, and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, on the other. Now the opposing sides are often seen at the same meetings. Indeed, both Qatars emir and Saudi Arabias king were present at the March Arab League summit in Tunisia. This time, the two countries dispatched to Moscow state ministers for foreign affairs Adel al-Jubeir and Soltan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, respectively. The Russian foreign minister was initially supposed to meet with the Arab League troika, including the secretary-general and the current and former chairs (other ministers were also welcome to join). Apart from Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the recent Moscow forum brought together a record 13 Arab foreign ministers from Algeria, Jordan, Yemen, Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, the UAE, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, the Comoro Islands and Tunisia. Another eight member states were represented by lower-ranking officials, with ambassadors replacing Sudanese, Bahraini and Mauritanian diplomats at the negotiating table. Surprisingly absent from the conference was Libyan Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala, even though he was on the list of attendees compiled by the Arab League. Moreover, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov had earlier announced Sialas possible arrival. Yet he may still come to Moscow even if not to the meeting to potentially avoid a heated discussion among all the Arab participants, who are outspoken in their support of rival Libyan factions. Moscow faced controversy on the wording of the final declaration, which calls on all the parties to the Libyan conflict to refrain from military escalation. Some countries insisted on designating the operation led by Khalifa Hifter a fight against terrorism. However, that language was not included in the finalized version. We hope the parties will still perceive the need to put an end to the hostilities and resume the political settlement process under the UN auspices, Secretary-General Aboul Gheit told Kommersant. He stressed that the Arab world and Russia largely see eye to eye on the Libyan issue. Syria is an entirely different case. There is much more room for debate, sources within different delegations told Al-Monitor during the conference. In particular, the Arab party ensured that the declaration avoids mentioning the role of Turkey and Iran in the Syrian settlement. The text, however, refers three times to the successes of the Astana format, which sees Russia cooperate with Turkey and Iran. The declaration thus welcomes Russian efforts to reach a political solution in Syria, including its work on a cease-fire and de-escalation zones. It also praises the United Nations for its contribution to establishing a constitutional committee and the prisoner exchange. Yet the declaration did not include the Moscow-proposed clause that the Syrian National Dialogue Congress held in Sochi last January was a step forward. The declaration also fails to touch on Syrias reentry to the Arab League. Asked this question by Kommersant newspaper, Aboul Gheit stressed the differences between Moscow and Arab states over the Syrian issue. Russia is trying to push it [Syrias restored membership in the Arab League] through, but some Arab states believe that Syrias readmission should only follow some advances in the political and constitutional process, he said. The Turkish issue was brought up during the discussion on both Iraq and Syria. The declaration rules out any interference in Syrian internal affairs, including a Turkish military presence. Aboul Gheit told Sputnik that Arab states adamantly oppose Turkeys intervention in Syria and Iraq. Qatar, however, was hesitant to name, in particular, Turkish forces in the paragraph on Iraq. Given the sensitive attitude of the Arab guests to Turkey and Iran, Sergey Lavrovs words came as a surprise. He stated at the press conference that the declaration, which we approved today, stresses the importance of normalizing and improving relations between the Arabs and Iran in the interests of peace and stability. Aboul Gheit made it clear that the declaration contains a noninterference clause referring to the regional states. Thus, the Arab states have interpreted the statement as follows," he explained. "Iran cannot interfere in our affairs. Should it refrain from doing it, relations will improve. The declaration indeed contains both messages. One paragraph mentions the importance of establishing relations between Arab states and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the basis of the principles of good-neighborliness, refraining from the use of force, noninterference in internal affairs, respect of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, resolving all disputes through peaceful means, as well as the importance of the Gulf Cooperation Council initiative conveyed in the message of His Highness the Emir of Kuwait to the Iranian president to enhance peace and security in the region. The other paragraph expresses concern over the lack of progress between the UAE and the Islamic Republic of Iran over the three islands (Greater and the Lesser Tunbs and Abu Musa) and affirms the support to reach a peaceful solution to the dispute. Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Isse Awad joined Lavrov and Aboul Gheit for the final press conference as Somalia assumed the chairmanship after the Tunis summit. Lavrov highlighted the need for implementing the decision adopted back in 1995 to convene a conference on the creation of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East. He argued that some Western countries had resisted it, but the recent UN General Assembly session had resulted in the adoption of a resolution to launch the process this year. Lavrov also noted that the declaration contains a very important aspect supporting the integrity of the nonproliferation treaty. In turn, Aboul Gheit pointed to the similar stances of Russia and Arab states and emphasized the significance of a new Arab cultural center in Moscow. Diplomatic sources at the conference told Al-Monitor that the Arab League still needs to raise funds for the project. The most concise remarks were given by the Somali foreign minister, who thanked Moscow for its backing of the Palestinians one of the issues Russia has continuously pursued as part of the effort to thwart Donald Trumps deal of the century. The next session of the Russian-Arab Cooperation Forum is due in Morocco in 2020. Syrian Kurds uneasy with US "safe zone" US Syria envoy James Jeffrey said the United States is willing to consider a safe zone inside Syria on the Turkish border that would include a limited number of Turkish forces but that is free of the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), the Kurdish militia that makes up the bulk of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the primary US on-the-ground partner in the battle against Islamic State. Jeffrey added that the YPG is the PKK's offshoot, referring to the Kurdistan Workers Party, which Turkey, the United States and the European Union all consider a terrorist organization. The PKK-YPG link has been mostly in the category of "dare not speak its name," given the effectiveness of the SDF in the US-led coalition defeat of the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIS and by its Arabic initials Daesh. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, for his part, has never held back regarding the connection between the YPG (and its political arm the Democratic Union Party, or PYD) and IS, saying in Moscow last week, Just like Daesh was great threat, the YPG/PYD is a threat of the same nature. With the elimination of Daesh, similar organizations and threats must also be eliminated. Jeffreys nod to Turkish concerns has alarmed Syrian Kurds, who were recognized by Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan on March 23 for leading the fight against ISIS in Syria with US and Coalition Forces. An SDF leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Amberin Zaman, We regard the presence of Turkish troops on our soil as extremely problematic and have made our position clear. Zaman reported last month that Syrian Kurdish leaders would prefer Russian or Syrian troops rather than Turkish forces in Manbij, the Syrian city near the Turkish border that which has been an experiment in Kurdish-led administration and joint US-Turkish patrols. Acting Assistant Secretary of State David Satterfield told reporters April 15 that Washington is not bailing on the Kurds and that US policy is to assure that those who partnered with us, died for us in the fight against ISIS are not threatened, that a vacuum is not created in northeast Syria" that winds up being filled by "Russian, Iranian and Syrian regime forces." Jeffrey will soon travel to Turkey to try to iron out the details of its safe-zone proposal, which might not go far enough, from Ankaras perspective. Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said April 16, "The US needs to have a change of course there because we don't need the PYD/YPG to establish peace and security in any part of Syria." The PYD/YPG is already talking with Damascus, and we can probably expect that channel to heat up. The Trump administration, hoping to stave off a Turkish attack on its former allies, may find it difficult to keep up with trends leading to an eventual accommodation between Ankara and Damascus, as we have been reporting here. Like the United States, Russia and Iran also dont want a Turkish attack on the Kurds, although they are taking a different diplomatic tack. Last week Putin said Erdogan had agreed to address next steps for a political settlement in Syria, under UN Security Council Resolution 2254,in coordination with the Syrian government. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus the day before meeting with Erdogan in Ankara on April 17, said, The best way to protect security of all the regional states is deployment of the Syrian army at the border with Turkey and ensuring prevention of any terrorist move against the Turkish government and people from Syria. Representatives from Russia, Turkey and Iran will hold the 12th round of Astana talks on Syria in Nur-Sultan, the recently renamed capital of Kazakhstan next week, with observers from Jordan and the United Nations attending. Hamidreza Azizi points out, Iran is apparently trying to kill two birds with one stone, preventing Turkey from expanding the area under its control in Syria as a result of a new military operation, while minimizing American influence by helping the Assad government reestablish its rule over Syrias eastern and northeastern regions. Erdogans son-in-law conveys message to Trump Asked by Laura Rozen this week if Turkeys purchase of the S-400 Russian missile defense system was a done deal, a senior Turkish official answered yes and no. The S-400 is more kindling on the barely contained brushfire in US-Turkey relations. As we reported here last week, the Pentagon considers Turkeys acquisition of the S-400 a threat to the F-35 program and the safety of our NATO allies. Congressional leaders have threatened to end the sale of US F-35 fighter jets to Turkey and impose sanctions under the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act if the deal goes ahead. Erdogan has declared the S-400 a "done deal" and is unlikely to stiff Putin, given their expanding relationship, as Semih Idiz explains. Nonetheless, Washington and Ankara want to control the blaze before it gets any worse. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar assured US interlocutors in Washington this week that if both the S-400 and F-35 sales proceed, Turkey can be trusted to keep them separate and not jeopardize NATO systems. There was also talk of Turkey housing the Russian system in either Azerbaijan or Qatar, and maybe for there to be a transfer of US Patriot technology, as a means for both sides to save face and not upend the relationship further. Kalin, also in Washington, told reporters on April 16 that we wouldn't want to have our F-35 program jeopardized in any way by the S-400 or any other system." The Turkish presidential spokesman added that Turkeys proposal to establish a technical committee under NATO auspices to examine the deal, which had previously been rejected by the United States, is still on the table. Erdogan might be banking on his personal relationship with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to avert both sanctions and a further meltdown between NATO allies, if the S-400 deal goes forward as planned. Trump met April 15 with Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, who is also Erdogan's son-in-law, at the White House. Albayrak said he conveyed the greetings and messages of our president, and said that Trump listened in a very reasonable way with a positive understanding to the process regarding Turkeys needs for the S-400s. Following the meeting, Kalin said, Of course we will expect President Trump to use his power for a waiver if Turkey is hit with sanctions over the S-400. Asked if Trump said he would issue a waiver, Kalin answered, "I cannot say that he did. This is a message we are conveying. The catch may be that the US presidents waiver authority may be constrained in this case, as Jack Detsch explains, even if Trump was so inclined. US-Turkish relations are a priority for both countries. Trump and Albayrak also discussed a renewal of a waiver for Turkey from US sanctions on the purchase of Iranian oil when the present waiver expires next month, and an expansion of bilateral trade from $20 billion to $75 billion. Akar, trying to work a compromise to stop the bleeding over the S-400, lamented to his Washington audience this week that you don't trust us as much as Russians trust us. Kadri Gursel concludes that the S-400 crisis epitomizes Turkeys break with Western geopolitics, [and] its resentment and mistrust toward the United States, in the context of the defeat of Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) in recent local elections. Turkish officials appealed directly to President Donald Trump this week to waive potential US sanctions if Turkey takes delivery of the Russian S-400 air defense system. But any possible exemption would face significant obstacles in Congress even if Trump got on board. The sanctions risk comes from a 2017 law, the Countering Americas Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), targeting the Russian military and defense industry and its customers. Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that Ankara will expect President Trump to use his power for a waiver on that issue. Yet the law offers relatively little flexibility to the president; CAATSA drew a sharp rebuke from Trump even as he signed it into law in 2017. Congress expanded the waiver authority in last years defense authorization bill at the request of former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who called for leniency to ensure we have the footing to support these nations whose goal is to end reliance on Russian weapons sales. But experts tell Al-Monitor that the move to expand the waiver authority was intended to support US allies in Asia trying to step back from longstanding defense ties with Moscow. Turkey, a NATO ally that has long been close to the West, presents a far different case. Turkish officials say the $2.5 billion S-400 purchase is a done deal and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for co-production of a new system, indicating that cooperation with Russia could go on after the defenses are put in place. Meanwhile, the United States insists that the S-400 deal threatens NATOs interests and is incompatible with Turkeys participation in the F-35 fighter jet program. It was clear Congress meant this [waiver authority expansion] to apply to countries that were making good faith efforts to move away from the Russian defense sector, even if they couldn't do much immediately, like India, Indonesia and Vietnam, said Neil Bhatiya, an associate fellow and sanctions expert at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. No one made mention of Turkey as a good candidate for that kind of leniency. India has also purchased the Russian air defense system, but is seen as a key partner in US efforts to counter China, making it eligible to avoid sanctions under last years exemption. Mattis acting successor, Patrick Shanahan, who welcomed his Turkish counterpart to the Pentagon for talks on the S-400, has identified China as the top national security threat to the United States. With the S-400 delivery expected to take place in June, a defense official told Al-Monitor that Turkey faces a decision on whether to accept a US counteroffer. Under that deal, the official said, Ankara would receive Patriot missile defenses borrowed from a US ally between 2020 and 2024, when the United States would deliver Turkey-owned batteries at a significant discount. Even after bilateral talks appeared at an impasse this week, Shanahan called his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar a strategic partner and said that their Tuesday meeting was conducted without a notetaker, a sign that the United States still thinks it can resolve the situation. We remain hopeful that Turkey will abandon its desire to obtain the S-400, and we are in ongoing discussions and consultations with them to get beyond that issue, Pentagon spokesman Charles Summers said. The S-400 standoff is something I am expecting well able to solve, Shanahan told reporters outside an honor cordon with the Albanian defense minister today. "Were closer," after the Akar meeting, he added. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee earlier this month, Pompeo said he had communicated to Turkish officials that Ankara would be kicked out of the F-35 program if it takes delivery of the S-400. Turkey has plans to purchase 100 American fighters and has sunk $1.25 billion into the program as the manufacturer of the fuselage and other parts. In a failed effort to assuage concerns about Russian snooping on US technology, Turkey has said it wont connect the S-400 to the same network as NATO systems. Pompeo stopped short of confirming that the S-400 deal would trigger US retaliation. But Congress has insisted that Turkey will be sanctioned if it accepts the Russian system. Turkey is an important partner in the F-35 program, but it is not irreplaceable, the leaders of the Senate foreign relations and defense panels wrote in a New York Times op-ed earlier this month. Experts expect lawmakers to push back strongly if Trump seeks to skirt the sanctions law If the president tried to certify to Congress that Turkey's taking delivery of the S-400 did not violate any of the [listed] criteria, Bhatiya said, lawmakers would look for any avenue to try to push back. Alabamas preliminary unemployment rate remained at a record low in March for the second consecutive month, which was also the 10th straight month of historic highs for the number of those with jobs. The Alabama Department of Labor said the states unemployment rate stayed at 3.7 percent, with 82,368 people unemployed. Among the ranks of the employed, 2,132,578 people were counted in March, up almost 5,000 from February. Secretary of Labor Fitzgerald Washington said the state continues to see growth in its high wage sectors. Building construction employment has increased by nearly 11 percent over the year, and aerospace parts and manufacturing has seen more than 10 percent growth. The construction sectors weekly earnings has also showed over-the-month growth, with average earnings exceeding $1,000 for the first time since the agency began recording. Other sectors showing year-over-year growth were leisure and hospitality, professional and business services and manufacturing. Shelby County had the lowest unemployment rate with 2.8 percent, while Wilcox County had the highest with 8.4 percent. That bottom number is significant, as Wilcox County has usually hovered at more than 10 percent. Just this month, GD Copper USA announced plans to invest $3.5 million in its manufacturing facility there, creating up to 40 new jobs. Birminghams Urgent Care for Children has wrapped up a multi-million dollar round of funding and named a new CEO. The physician-owned pediatric urgent care provider has completed Series A financing from McKinney Capital and Timberline Holdings. The company has also appointed J. Bannon Thorpe, a former Regions Financial vice president, as CEO. J.T. Price, CEO of McKinney Capital, will join the companys board of directors and serve as an advisor to the ownership team. Urgent Care for Children is filling a huge gap in the communitys medical landscape and supplementing the care offered by local pediatric practices by operating after-hours and on weekends, Thorpe said. Urgent Care for Children opened its first clinic on U.S. 280 in 2017, and opened its Trussville location last year. Urgent Care for Children plans to open several additional clinic locations throughout the Birmingham metro area and across the state of Alabama. The company says the funding will support expanding its footprint throughout the South, as well as its services. We founded Urgent Care for Children with a vision to provide quality care, convenient care, and continuity of care to Birminghams pediatric patients," founder Allury Arora, the companys chief medical officer, said. Over the past two years, we have experienced tremendous growth and built a strong reputation, and the finalization of this round of funding enables us to continue that momentum as we expand our footprint and enhance operations. Theyre on Jeopardy!... The Price is Right... Family Feud... seemingly everything Ryan Seacrest does... No, gameshow War Eagles arent exactly rare these days. But Wednesdays was the first weve heard on Lets Make a Deal"... and Mobile-raised announcer Jonathan Mangum so wanted it to be a Roll Tide. Portia, a victims services director for an Alabama rape crisis center who appeared on the show dressed as a jester, was having none of it. War Eagle, she responded. (Host Wayne Brady had no idea what was happening. Mangum had to explain.) Starting Monday, Satterfields in Cahaba Heights will have a new executive chef. Becky Satterfield has tapped Rita Bernhardt to lead the kitchen at the restaurant that specializes in global dining with a Southern twist. A former chef de cuisine at Domenica in New Orleans, Bernhardt has a seasoned knowledge of French, Italian, Spanish, and Mediterranean fare. After developing her culinary skills at the Western Culinary school in Portland, Ore., her career led her to BRG Hospitality (formerly the Besh Restaurant Group), a group of James Beard award-winning restaurants including August and Domenica. Bernhardt also worked in the kitchen at wine laboratory Bacchanal. Over the years, Bernhardt would expand her culinary resume to a number of projects, including working as an assistant food stylist for the HBO series, Treme, a specialty coffee and espresso barista, and a restaurant consultant for the restaurant Dick and Jennys. In 2018, Bernhardt returned to Domenica as the chef de cuisine, becoming the first chef hired by BRG Hospitality since Shannon White took over operations as CEO in 2017. Bernhardt and her husband William Barial III also founded the New Orleans gourmet pop-up, supper club, and catering service PDR. In 2015, New Orleans Magazine named the couple as one of the citys People to Watch. Barial will also join the Satterfields team as general manager. Rita Bernhardt and William Barial III (Courtesy: Satterfield's) We proudly welcome Chef Bernhardt into the Satterfields family. She brings not only excellent qualifications and experience, but also a passion for fine dining, owner and restaurateur Becky Satterfield said in a statement. I look forward to a spirited collaboration with Rita. A north Alabama man is accused of trying to solicit the murder of someone to damage a rape and incest case in which he is charged, authorities said. Kenneth Ray McDonald is charged with solicitation of murder, a Class A felony thats punishable by up to life in prison, court records show. Kenneth Ray McDonald is charged with solicitation of murder, a Class A felony thats punishable by up to life in prison, court records show. McDonald, an inmate at the Lawrence County jail, is accused of asking a confidential informant to murder a woman, an investigator wrote in court records. McDonald wanted the woman killed in an attempt to affect a pending case against him, the investigator said. In the pending case, McDonald was being held with bail set at $870,000 on multiple charges of rape, incest, sodomy, and willful abuse and torture of a child, according to the sheriffs office. Investigators with the Sheriffs Criminal Investigations Division with the support of the Narcotics Division initiated an investigation and monitored activities to ensure the safety of those involved, said Lt. Chris Waldrep in a news release. McDonald is a 42-year-old from Hillsboro, a tiny town in Lawrence County in northwest Alabama. He remains in the Lawrence County Jail with bail set at $930,000. Attempts to reach an attorney for McDonald werent immediately successful. Further details werent immediately available. Birmingham city councilor Darrell OQuinn plans to present a plastic bag ban ordinance to the city council on Tuesday. The ordinance would require Birmingham retailers to either provide reusable containers or to provide containers that are made of recyclable paper or compostable plastic rather than plastic bags. OQuinn said the idea for the ordinance stemmed from a conversation he had with an environmentally-minded Birmingham resident who asked if the city could pass such a ban on single-use plastic. A bill sponsored by Sen. Steve Livingston, R-Scottsboro, that would prohibit local governments from banning the use of plastic bags further pushed OQuinn to pursue a bag ban, he said. Efforts to reach Livingston were not immediately successful. We want to let the state legislature know we dont want them to pass an unfunded mandate forcing us, the city of Birmingham, to deal with this type of waste. Plastic bags, Styrofoam cups and other forms of single use containers are majority of the litter that you see in the city, OQuinn said. I felt it necessary to move forward. If approved, this would be the first plastic bag ban adopted by an Alabama city. The ordinance defines a container as a carryout container provided by a store to a customer at the point of sale. However, the ordinance makes exemptions for produce bags, laundry or dry-cleaner bags, newspaper bags and containers used to contain or wrap frozen foods and meat intended to contain moisture. It defines a compostable plastic container as one that meets current ASTM D6400 standards for plastics that decompose in a municipal or industrial composting facility at a rate consistent with known compostable materials. Recyclable paper container is defined by the ordinance as a paper container that is completely recyclable, including any handles, and contains at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled paper. The ordinance also requires such paper container display the words recyclable and made from 40 percent post-consumer recycled content on the outside of the bag or container. Individuals, corporations, partnerships, business vendors or vendors that provide merchandise, goods or materials to customerswhether for or not for profitare identified as retail establishments and are subject to the proposed ordinance. This includes restaurants, pharmacies, convenience and grocery stores, liquor stores, seasonal and temporary businesses, jewelry and household goods stores. However, bazaars and festivals operated by nonprofit or religious groups arent included in the ordinance. These businesses may provide reusable containers, which are defined as a container specifically designed and manufactured for multiples reuse and is either polyester, polypropylene, cotton or other durable material or durable plastic that is at least 3 mils in thickness. The ordinance would be effective one year after it is approved by the city council. Retailers may be exempt from the requirements for one year if the requirements of the ordinance cause undue hardship to a retailer, including a lack of reasonable alternative to bags, the deprivation of a legally protected right of a consumer or if the retailer needs additional time to use current inventory of single-use plastic bags. Retailers violating the ordinance would first get a warning, then a $50 fine for the first offense and a $100 fine for the second and all subsequent offenses. Im positive there will be other situations that will need to be considered and ordinance will need to be amended. Will need to address those issues. In the meantime, we want to let the state legislature know we dont want them to pass an unfunded mandate, OQuinn said. This article is part of the Black Magic Project, which is a series of stories focusing on those who do inspiring things in the black community. If youre a Facebook user, you can join our Black Magic Project group, where we talk about stories and issues concerning black Alabamians. During a business fair for children, a Birmingham teen will continue her journey of becoming a world-renowned chef. Chloe Mays-Gary, a 13-year-old founder of a catering service called Chloes Cuisine, has been cooking since she was in the single digits. She can taste one spoonful of a dish and accurately list all the ingredients. Creamy seafood pasta is her specialty. Chloe and more than 40 other entrepreneurs between the ages of 6 and 16 will be promoting their businesses during the Metro Birmingham Children's Business Fair at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Alabama in Hueytown on Saturday from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. While the event is free and open to the public, attendants can purchase a variety of items from the young CEOs. A 13-year-old entrepreneur will be selling her handmade lip glosses in a variety of colors. A six-year-old who was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) as a toddler is selling used toys for kids who also have SPD or Autism. This will be the third children's business fair to be held in Jefferson County. The first fair was held in Fairfield last April and the second one took place in Bessemer in October. Chloe, who has also participated in both fairs, will be selling her own special blend of seasonings at a table decorated in purple and gold. The teen has sold about $350 of seasonings alone during the first two fairs, where she also introduced customers to her catering service. Since the first fair last year, Chloe has been the caterer for six events, including a high school reunion, and made $965 total. The kids who participate in the business fair are taught how to make their own business plans and how to talk to customers, but Chloe said her favorite part about the fair is building her self-esteem. It has taught me that I can do anything that I want to do, Chloe said. I am strong and I can get through a lot of things. The Metro Birmingham Children's Business Fair is actually a nonprofit started by Charita Cadenhead and her aunt Sabrina Mays. Cadenhead said the idea came after Mays challenged a group of local youth during last year's Spring Break to create their own businesses. If the kids made a profit, Mays promised to match it. Cadenhead said the kids didn't miss a beat. They rush to wash cars and sell dinner plates and toys. Cadenhead thought it would be a good idea to tap into the kids' entrepreneurial spirt a little bit more. After all, there are multiple children across the nation who have successful businesses, she told herself. She thought about Mikaila Ulmer, the 11-year-old girl from Austin, Texas who scored a $11 million deal with Whole Foods to sell her honey-sweetened lemonade. Ulmer was four when she started the business. Cadenhead said kids are a free spirit when it comes to chasing after their dreams. "If you let kid's follow their hearts and let them experience their own ideas and concepts, they are going to do it and they are going to do it without fear," Cadenhead said. So Cadenhead started researching ways to help children become more business savvy. That's when she stumbled upon the Acton Children's Business Fair, which provides resources and tools for entrepreneurial kids all across the world. Cadenhead and Mays were able to start metro Birmingham fair through Acton and soon after, they were asking for applications from kids who wanted to be in their first fair. About 16 kids signed up. The kids explored their imaginations to pick a product or service they wanted to sell. The kids were also given a business plan template created by the Acton fair to set goals, describe ways to achieve those goals and learn about finances. Other handouts detailed where kids could design logos and purchase their own business cards. The kids were also encouraged to do their own videos for marketing purposes. Cadenhead believes teaching kids these techniques can help them become more independent in the business world. "We werent sure if there was a conversation going on besides growing up, finishing school, going to college, getting a job and following a traditional path," Cadenhead said. "We're not suggesting that the kids don't go to college, but we are suggesting that they can have more control over their own path in entrepreneurship versus just getting a traditional job." The metro Birmingham fair was supposed to be a once a year event, Cadenhead said. But after the first fair drew a crowd of about 300 people, Mays and Cadenhead decided to do at least two fairs a year at different cities in Jefferson County. About 26 kids participated in the fair in Bessemer in October. The increase of participation shows that kids don't mind challenges. "They might not say it, but kids like their parents to be on them about certain things," Cadenhead said. "They liked being challenged." That's why it is important not to depress a child's inventiveness, Cadenhead said. While organizing the second fair, she said she heard a son tell his mom that he wanted to build rockets for the fair. Cadenhead said the mother told her son to make something simple, like lemonade, instead. Cadenhead they could have turned the son's imagination into reality by using rocket model kits or drawings. "Adults are more likely to talk about what can't be done, than what can be done," Cadenhead said. "We don't want to discourage the kids' creativity and tell them no just because we adults don't see what they see." Abbey Silmon (Absolutely Abbey)headed to the Birmingham Metro business fair. Come out and support her and the other 29 kids. Posted by Tange Toliver on Saturday, October 6, 2018 Not all children are required to sell something that they can make, Cadenhead said. Some of the children's business consist of buying items wholesale. Abigail Silmon was eight when she asked her mom about starting her own fashion business called Absolutely Abbey. She noticed that people were consistently complimenting her style, which consist of tights and accessories that are as colorful and bright as Silmon's personality. Silmon buys the clothing in bulk and sells it at the fair and through her Facebook page. Silmon was able to make a little over $500 after participating in both fairs. Abigail, who is now nine, said her favorite part of the fair is getting to know people so she can help them find their style. "I started Absolutely Abbey because when I went to the stores I didn't really see what I want," Silmon said. "What I like about fashion is that you can be yourself and be creative." As the Metro Birmingham Children's Business Fair goes into its second year, Cadenhead said the nonprofit has already grown so much. This year the organization chose three children to play leadership roles on the fair's junior board. Although Cadenhead is still looking for a venue for the October fair, another fair has already been scheduled at Greater Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in July. If you would like to register your child for the business fair, please click here. In the far future, Cadenhead said she wants to be able to pair each child with a mentor, conduct more in-depth business plan workshops and maybe establish partnerships in the community to help the kids' parents start their own businesses as well. The outlook for this is so huge, powerful and needed for these kids, Cadenhead said. If we can give them that instruction, if we can find that mentor, if we can find that encouragement for these kids at such a young age, lets do that. Several Huntsville-area massage parlors are barred from operating after state law enforcement uncovered evidence that the businesses were actually fronts for a human-trafficking operation, the Alabama Attorney General announced today. Attorney General Steve Marshalls Office is investigating TY Greens Massage Therapy, Inc., a company that operates massage parlors in Huntsville, Madison and Decatur. The businesses are owned by Yuping Tang and managed by her daughter Jiao Liu, Marshall said in a news release. The following locations of the businesses are barred from operating pending further legal action: Health Massage (Huntsville) Massage Foot Care (Huntsville, Madison and Decatur) The attorney generals office is suing the massage therapy company in what prosecutors say in the first civil action taken under Alabamas human-trafficking laws. Prosecutors are also alleging the company violated Alabamas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. evidence collected during this investigation has revealed that the Defendants are running illicit massage businesses that serve as fronts for a human-trafficking operation, Marshall said. The businesses made millions of dollars while the employees worked incredibly long hours during which at least some of them are expected to engage in sex acts with the businesses customers, according to the AGs office. When the victims are not working, they seem to have little freedom of movement, they are transported in groups to and from the Defendants businesses and are kept in houses owned by the Defendants where they are left to eat and sleep in terrible conditions. A Madison County Circuit judge granted a temporary restraining order against the parlors, Marshall said in a press release. The companys assets are frozen pending further court action. Further details werent immediately available. Court records havent yet been made public in the case. Its unclear whether the massage parlor owner and manager have attorneys. Tennessees first confirmed case of measles this year has been confirmed. The Tennessee Department of Health said the State Public Health Laboratory confirmed a positive test for the illness in a resident of east Tennessee. The report comes as the country is grappling with a steep increase in the disease, centered on New York communities with low rates of vaccinations. Tennessee has had only 15 cases of measles in the last decade due to relatively high vaccination rates. No cases have been reported this year in Alabama. The TDH said while the investigation centers on east Tennessee, the focus is on preventing it from spreading throughout the state. Our efforts are focused on preventing the spread of illness to others, said TDH State Epidemiologist Tim Jones, MD. This appearance of measles is a reminder about the importance of vaccines and how they can particularly protect our most vulnerable, including infants and those with compromised immune systems. Symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, body aches, watery eyes and white spots in the mouth, typically accompanied by a red, spotty rash that begins on the face and spread over the body. Nearly one in three measles patients will develop ear infections, diarrhea or pneumonia and the disease is fata in about 1 of every 1,000 cases. The measles virus is highly contagious and can stay airborne or live on surfaces for up to two hours. People recently infected with measles may not have any symptoms of illness, but can transmit the virus for about five days before the typical measles rash appears. The mayors of Alabamas five largest cities and the states influential county commission association are again headed for a showdown over online retail taxes. The arena will be the chambers of the 2019 Legislature. The key issue is dueling interpretations of the states 8 percent flat tax on online sales: the Simplified Sellers Use Tax SSUT, for short. The SSUT program is exploded in importance to the state Treasury. Two years ago, 166 retailers were participating, voluntarily collecting the 8 percent tax from customers. Now, more than 1,300 retailers are signed on. And the revenues pile higher: The collections hit $80.2 million in fiscal 2018, up from $52.4 million a year earlier. The states fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. During a Thursday news conference in Montgomery, the mayors of Alabamas largest cities sought to seize the initiative in pitching their case: Absolutely, under no circumstance, should lawmakers endorse a pending bill that could siphon online sales tax revenues from their coffers. In our opinion, it doesnt do justice for the economic engines in our state, said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Added Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle: We all came together and said this is a collaboration to make sure we bring fairness back to our citizens. As long as we, the larger cities, are successful, we will continue to help grow the whole state. Extremely harmful The concerns from the so-called Big 5 mayors representing Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery revolve around HB418, sponsored by Rep. Rod Scott, D-Fairfield. Under the bill, out-of-state online sellers could join SSUT even if they have an affiliate with a brick-and-mortar presence in Alabama. At present, such sellers are barred from SSUT by an affiliated nexus provision. The mayors warn that mega-retailers, such as Walmart, that have long collected a regular state-and-local sales tax, will opt to participate in SSUT instead. In Mobile, the combined sales tax is 10 percent; thats two percentage points higher than the SSUTs flat rate. Moreover, according to city leaders, the SSUT remits back to cities a much smaller share, almost 3 percent, than the standard sales taxs 5 percent. Every dollar that migrates from paying at the local jurisdictional rate through SSUT is extremely harmful, said Paul Wesch, the chief of staff to Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson. He estimates that for every $1 million migrating into the SSUT program, the city could lose $450,000 in taxes. Maddox labeled HB418 as a tax break for out-of-state corporations. We need to make certain that where those points of sale are occurring, they come back to use as fair as possible, he said. Ripe for challenge On the other side of the debate is Sonny Brasfield, the executive director of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama who has worked on the Internet sales tax quandary since the early 1990s. Brasfield disputes Weschs claims about the possible losses. And he said that the affiliated nexus provision could soon be tossed out by the courts anyway. The U.S. Supreme Court, in its January ruling in the Wayfair vs. South Dakota case, bolstered states abilities to collect taxes on online sales. That 5-4 ruling is seen a landmark in defining tax powers in the digital era. Our affiliated nexus statute is ripe for challenge, said Brasfield. It would be reckless for us to continue to try to enforce a statute that is out of step with the U.S. Supreme Court simply because a few jurisdictions want to cling to an out-of-date system. He is urging lawmakers to do away with a system that treats out-of-state companies differently because they somehow are related to a company that is in Alabama. Wesch has a different viewpoint on the Wayfair decision, and disputes Brasfields claim that it threatens state law. It does the opposite, he said. It strengthens the legal foundation for requiring companies related to in-state companies to collect sales tax. Wayfair makes collecting sales tax from out-of-state sellers easier, not harder. Wesch said he agrees with Brasfield that SSUT was a creative response to online commerce, but added that inequities exist and that HB418 is not a fix. Equitable and responsible tax collection is a serious problem that requires well-structured, deliberate solutions, said Wesch. Not HB418s Band-Aid fix. Tax increase The bill also does something else, which is not at the heart of the city-county dispute: It potentially raises a tax. Under the proposal, the flat 8 percent tax under Alabamas SSUT could be increased by 1 percentage point. HB418 instructs the Alabama Department of Revenue, for SSUT purposes, to average out the combined local and county sales tax rates and add that rate onto the states 4 percent rate. The new rate would be capped at 9 percent. A note tacked onto the bill estimates the new rate would generate $19.7 million in new revenues to counties and municipalities. Brasfield said the reason for this change is to answer the concerns raised by brick-and-mortar retailers. The retail community and others have complained about SSUT and I think rightly so, he said. The average sales tax rate in Alabama, even averaging in those jurisdictions where there is no local county and city tax, is almost 9 percent. The Alabama Retail Association, initially neutral on HB418, is tossing its support behind it. The bill recently passed the Alabama House Ways and Means Committee, and awaits a full debate on the House floor. We believe it gets our state one step closer to ending the unfair tax advantage out-of-state, online-only businesses have over our local businesses, said Melissa Johnson Warnke, a spokeswoman with the association. We have long advocated for online-only and remote sellers to have to play by the same rules as our Alabama-based retailers. The 1 percent rate adjustment, from 8 percent to 9 percent, further levels the playing field. Legislation and administrative changes are in the works to boost staffing for Alabama prisons, which have about one-third of the number of correctional officers they need. Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn told the Legislatures prison committee today that hiring officers is perhaps the most crucial issue facing the prisons in the wake of an April 2 report from the U.S. Department of Justice alleging that conditions are unconstitutional because of the violence, sexual abuse, drugs, weapons and other problems. The DOJ report said lack of staff and overcrowding compound the dangerous conditions. That reinforced previous concerns. The prison system already faced a federal court order to add about 2,000 correctional officers over the next few years as part of a five-year-old lawsuit over health care for inmates. This week, legislators introduced a bill to increase officer pay 5 percent and authorize bonuses to help with hiring and recruitment. Dunn said the ADOC has worked with consultants and the State Personnel Department on plans aimed at adding 500 new officers over the next year. Dunn said there are about 1,200 full time officers now, plus some retired state employees who work part-time. The plan to boost staffing includes creation of a correctional security guard position. Candidates would receive about six weeks of training, not the 12-week Alabama Peace Officers Standards and Training required of correctional officers. Dunn a portion of the 500 slots would be filled by the new correctional security guards. He said the reduced level of training should not pose a concern and said it reflects industry standards. The vast majority of systems across the country, to include the Federal Bureau of Prisons, do not do a law enforcement certification, Dunn said. They do a correctional officer certification, which is what we will do with those officers. So, no, we dont think thats an issue with respect to the ability to safely and securely manage inmates. The important message there is they will be full-up correctional officers, be able to interact directly with inmates, provide a fully trained and competent, capable individual to do effective security and management in the correctional environment. Dunn said the ADOC would also continue to hire correctional officers through the 12-week APOST program. He said seven classes cycle through the academy every two years. The current class, with about 60 trainees, is the largest in three years, Dunn said. Starting pay for a correctional officer trainee with a high school diploma is about $31,000. Officers can earn about $38,000 after a year on the job, according to the state Personnel Department. The General Fund budget that passed the House included a $40 million increase for the ADOC, with much of that intended to add the 500 new officers and increase officer pay. Identical bills introduced this week in the House and Senate would provide a 5 percent raise for correctional officers and authorize bonuses of $1,500 and more for certain training achievements and other milestones. The bills would allow correctional officers to receive payment for up to 80 hours a year of unused annual leave. State Personnel Director Jackie Graham said the Personnel Department is working with the ADOC on a plan that complements the legislation, including salary range changes. Graham said the 5 percent raise is in addition to bonuses, annual merit increases, and a 2 percent cost of living adjustment for all state employees that lawmakers are expected to approve. Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, chairman of the Legislatures prison committee, said today he believes the Legislature is ready to do whatever is required to meet the prison systems staffing requirements and comply with order on staffing issued by U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson in the lawsuit over inmate health care. Ive told the commissioner personally that we want to see exactly what it takes to get him to the hiring requirements that he promised Judge Thompson, Ward said. Whatever that takes. If that means overhauling personnel regulations. If that means changing the law. If that means more money. We want to get there to comply with Judge Thompsons order. But what we dont want to do, do a half measure and then 12 months from now were back here again, having the same conversation. Dunn said he believes the pay raises, incentives and the creation of the new position can help ADOC reach the hiring targets. I think this solution that were presenting gives us in the current market, current environment, the best opportunity that weve ever had to achieve that goal, Dunn said. Roy Moore has responded to a poll showing him leading the Republican pack of possible 2020 U.S. Senate contenders. In a message posted to Facebook, Moore blasted establishment politicians while praising President Donald Trump, but stopped short of saying he would enter the race. The people of Alabama elect who they want to send to the US Senate, not politicians and the Washington DC establishment. The GOP establishment should be more about supporting President Trump and less about someone in Alabama who has not even announced his intentions, Moore said, referring to himself. The truth is that my stand for the acknowledgment of God and our Constitution scares the Washington establishment to death, and perhaps it should, he added. Lets face it - the Washington establishment didnt choose Trump, the people did. When asked about the 2020 Senate race, the poll showed 400 registered voters in Alabama who identify as Republicans put Moore in the lead with 27 percent, followed by Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville (18 percent); Rep. Bradley Byrne, R-Fairhope (13 percent); and Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Hoover, (11 percent). Byrne is the only declared candidate in the race to unseat Sen. Doug Jones, a Democrat. Jones won the Senate set in 2017, defeating Moore who was mired down in allegations of sexual misconduct. Despite the allegations, Moore was endorsed by President Trump. A months-long investigation led to the arrest of a 23-year-old man and the confiscation of 15 pounds of marijuana, dozens of guns and tens of thousands of dollars in cash. Calvin Edmond was taken into custody earlier this week after simultaneous raids at multiple homes in Cullman and Morgan counties. He is charged with drug trafficking and first-degree possession of marijuana said Hanceville Assistant Police Chief Adam Hadder. The drug search warrants were carried out Tuesday, and the primary target was a home on County Road 939 in Cullman Countys Logan community. Hadder said the probe began, in part, from an increase in high-quality marijuana available in Hanceville, which he described as a college town. In addition to the 15 pounds of marijuana which sells for about $2,400 per pound - investigators seized more than 30 guns and more than $30,000 in cash. Edmond, he said, was previously arrested by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency in a case that netted guns and $36,000 in cash. Edmond is being held in the Cullman County Detention Center and will be facing additional charges in Morgan County. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are expected. Hadder thanked the Morgan County Drug Task Force and ALEA narcotics investigators for their help in the case. Theres a lot violence and money involved in this amount of marijuana, Hadder said. The money is what brings the guns and violence. Four people including one juvenile have been arrested in connection with a credit card skimming operation in St. Clair County. Moody police on Friday announced the arrests of Anna Maria Constantina, Matei Rafaila and Ionut Caramizaru. Constantina and Caramizaru are from Arizona, and Rafaila is from Texas. The juveniles name was not released. According to authorities, the suspects successfully placed a credit car skimming device at a business in Leeds and then tried to do the same at a business in Moody. Workers at the business noticed something amiss and called 911. When the suspects saw law enforcement officers arriving at the business, they hid the device inside the store. Investigators quickly found it and took the suspects into custody. Moody police then contacted Leeds police officers and they, too, responded to the scene. The U.S. Secret Service also was brought in to help with the investigation. Birmingham police have located a woman and her daughter, who had been missing since Thursday evening. Police confirmed Kristen Hirsh and her daughter, 7-year-old Julia Hirsh, were found safe Friday morning. Early Friday, detectives asked the public for help locating the pair and said they were last seen on Thursday in Rushton Park, located on Highland Avenue. Both are from Birmingham. According to police, Kristen Hirsh last made contact with a family member by phone while she was at Petco on Highway 280 at approximately 5:15 p.m. Thursday. Kristen Hirsh, 43, was driving a black Toyota Rav-4 with tag number 1CZ7207. Kristen Hirsh was described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds. She was last seen wearing a blue sun dress with a boat anchor pattern and sandals. Julia Hirsh was described as 3 feet 6 inches tall and 50 pounds. She was last seen wearing pink shorts and a pink shirt with red boots. The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine is one of the top eight schools in the nation to see an increase of more than $100 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. UABs medical school has been named one of the Elite Eight of academic medical centers across the country to have grown by that amount of funding from the NIH in the past five years, according to the university and data from the NIH. In five years, the medical school in downtown Birmingham has climbed 10 places on the NIH funding research rankings, from being 31st on the list to now 21st. NIH funding has risen from $133,264,288 in 2013 to $234,390,799 in 2018. UAB Senior Vice President and Dean of the School of Medicine Selwyn Vickers said the growth in funding is due to a collaborative effort from the university, the health system, and the work done every day at every level of our institution, Over the past five years, UAB has been part of an elite group of eight academic medical centers that have experienced more than $100 million in net NIH funding growth, Vickers said. We enjoyed the second-highest percentage of growth- 43 percent- only scant percentage points behind the leader, Northwestern University. UAB President Ray Watts said the short and long-term effects of the funding is positive for not just the university, but for the city of Birmingham and for the state. This growth is remarkable by any measure, and it is due to the vision, brilliance, hard work, and results of the schools leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni and many dedicated supporters in and outside of UAB, he said. One part of the funding growth has been due to securing large, collaborative grants, UAB said in a press release. UAB has received several large NIH grants for efforts including genomic medicine, AIDS research, antiviral drug discovery, and cancer research. Overall research funding to UAB in 2018 was over $500 million. Total NIH funding to all schools within UAB was about $300 million. In 2014, UAB created the Academic Enrichment Fund which provides resources contributed by UAB Health System that the dean can tap for pilot studies, seed funding, or recruitment efforts. Those funds are central to the schools ability to compete on a national stage for the NIH grants, UAB said. In the past six years, UAB has also seen an increase in the number of departments within the medical school ranked in the top 10 of NIH funding. In 2013, there was only one; in 2018, there were six. The ultimate goal of securing these funds, Exec. Vice Dean of the School of Medicine Anupam Agarwal, said is to heal. Can we, through science, make a meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Alabama and our region? Many of these NIH grants target key diseases in our statediabetes, cancer, kidney disease, obesity. These diseases are a huge burden in Alabama, and we need to target our research to find the most needed treatments, not to see our rank increase, but to provide answers to the most problematic diseases affecting our population. More than 350 weapons were among the items found during a massive contraband raid at an Alabama prison. More than 300 law enforcement officers descended upon an Alabama prison Thursday morning in a joint operation targeting contraband. The Alabama Department of Corrections led the predawn raid at William C. Holman Correctional Facility beginning about 4:30 a.m. at the maximum-security Atmore lockup, which houses 870 inmates. Deputy Commissioner of Operations, Charles Daniels, headed the operation. ADOC investigations and intelligence agents, correctional emergency response teams, and correctional K-9 drug units took part. Participating agencies included resources from Pardons and Paroles, AEMA, ADOT, Atmore, Bay Minette, Brewton Police Departments, and support from the Baldwin, Butler, Escambia and Monroe County Sheriffs Departments. During the day-long operation, officers seized 356 makeshift weapons, 91 grams of meth, 98 grams of marijuana, cocaine, more than 400 assorted pills and 16 cellphones, ADOC officials announced Friday. Thursdays joint operation was the second conducted by ADOC. In February, ADOC conducted the departments first joint operation at the St. Clair Correctional Facility in Springville. Daniels said ADOC will continue to conduct the unannounced joint operations at other major correctional facilities. ADOC Director of Investigations and Intelligence, Arnaldo Mercado said the operation was an overall success. At the end of the day, our ADOC team assisted by officers from our partnering law enforcement agencies found and removed considerable quantities of contraband, Mercado said. We inspected every inch of the facility and left no stone unturned. Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn instituted the joint operations by using all available ADOC and state resources to address the proliferation of drugs and other contraband entering state correctional institutions. "We are committing all internal and external resources to address the contraband problem inside our prisons to ensure we provide the highest degree of safety and protection for our correctional staff and those who are in our custody. We owe them nothing less," Dunn said. Anyone with information on anyone trying to smuggle illegal contraband into state prisons is asked to call ADOC Investigations and Intelligence Division at 1-866-293-7799. The public may also report suspicious activity by going to the ADOC Website at http://www.doc.alabama.gov/investigationrequest. Recently your publication ran an opinion piece penned by Shelby County Sheriffs Department Chief of Staff Major Ken Burchfield regarding pending legislation in the Alabama State House and Senate that seeks to legalize cannabis (marijuana) for medical purposes. While Maj. Burchfield is certainly entitled to his own opinion, he is not entitled to his own facts. It is incredibly disappointing that in this day an age, our public officials continue to depend on scare tactics and hyperbole to continue the prohibition on cannabis in Alabama. According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, in 2017, taxes from Colorados legal marijuana market represented about 2 percent of total revenue, not the less than one percent that Maj. Burchfield was told. While no, it is not a huge amount, it was an obvious attempt by Maj. Burchfield to minimize this particular positive effect of marijuana on the community. Maj. Burchfields assertion that the cost of providing services to those abusing marijuana is as much as 10 times that of the tax revenue - a net loss of tens of millions of dollars to the state is problematic, like many of his statements in his piece, is hyperbole. According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), between 2012-2017, arrests for possession in Colorado declined by 59%, sales arrests declined by 17%. Juvenile arrest rates in the same time, for cannabis possession, declined by 25%. All of these verifiable statistics and facts are available in the report Impacts of Marijuana Legalization in Colorado, from CDPS.. While it is true that potency has gone up, the apocalyptic effects that Burchfield cites, ERs being over run, is again, hyperbole at its worst. Let's be honest with ourselves, when cannabis was legalized in Colorado the stigma was removed for a lot of folks. So if youre experiencing negative effects, you have less of a personal and legal barrier for you to go to the ER. As to the concerns here for Alabama, potency will be up to the Board that will be created with the passage of the law and that group of individuals will set the limits. As to traffic related accidents and fatalities, the Colorado State Patrol recorded a decrease in DUIs after 2012. The majority of cases, 79%, involving traffic fatalities involving drugs in CO from 2012-17 involved alcohol use alone with no THC. Lastly I would like to address Maj. Burchfields claims as to the involvement of big marijuana, in the lobbying of this bill. Much like the other statements that Burchfield made in his piece, this one is pure hyperbole. This bill is the fruit of efforts by a handful of families and individuals affected by Carlys Law and Lenis Law and legislators that recognize that the laws around cannabis here in Alabama make no sense. Maj. Burchfield doesnt seem to have read the bill before writing his piece. If he had, he would see that there is no provision that calls for physicians to prescribe marijuana to their patients. The bill allows physicians to instead recommend for their patients, with qualifications, to be added to the Medical Cannabis registry, which will allow them access to state licensed dispensaries. We need Law Enforcement and our elected officials to be open and truthful with us. Being purposely deceitful does nothing but to create a community built on mistrust. I imagine that Maj. Burchfield sat down with the best of intentions for his opinion piece, however, his arrow fell short of the target. Our decision makers should be depending on facts and data, not hyperbole and fear, to win the hearts and minds of their constituents. Mike Duran lives in Selma. From Thatcher and Major to Cameron and May, Conservative Party has had uneasy relationship with the continent. It was October 30, 1990, and Margaret Thatcher was on her feet at the despatch box of the United Kingdoms House of Commons. Directly responding to calls from then-European Commission president Jacques Delors for greater central control in Europe, she roared, No! No! No!. The UK prime ministers trademark defiance came against the backdrop of increasing divisions within her Conservative Party over the thorny issue of Europe. Weeks later, the so-called Iron Lady of British politics would be forced from power after 11 dominant years. Fast forward nearly three decades, and Prime Minister Theresa May is the embattled UK leader presiding over a Conservative Party rife with European divisions. But, unlike Thatcher, May is currently trying to steer her nation out of the European Union (EU) itself. For many observers, Brexit the proposed withdrawal of the UK from the EU is the culmination of decades of bitter disputes over Europe that have afflicted the Conservative Party. Indeed, the UKs decision to leave the EU in a 2016 referendum may have signalled a direction of travel. But like Conservative premiers of the past, the current occupant of 10 Downing Street remains a hostage to European affairs. From the moment two-time prime minister Winston Churchill (1940 1945 and 1951 1955) spoke passionately of a United States of Europe in 1946, Churchills Conservative Party has had an uneasy relationship with the continent. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said that by the time Thatcher became premier in 1979, she was already beginning to cool on Europe. She had some big battles over the UKs claim that it was systematically disadvantaged by the way [the then-European Economic Communitys] finances worked, he told Al Jazeera. She won those battles, but at the cost of legitimising some very Eurosceptic rhetoric, which was only ramped up further by her opposition to the single currency. Thatcher had campaigned for the UK to remain in the European Economic Community (EEC) in the referendum of 1975 after it had joined two years earlier. But after years as prime minister, her patience with Europe was wearing thin. In 1988, she delighted the Eurosceptic wing of her party when she declared in Bruges: We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them reimposed at a European level, with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels. Such rhetoric dismayed Conservative Europhiles. Two years later, Thatcher was propelled towards the exit door by the partys pro-Europeans and Conservative members of parliament [MPs] who believed that she had now become an electoral liability. The issue of Europe has run like a faultline through the Conservative Party for more than 40 years. Rosa Prince, author Next in the Conservative firing line came John Major. The mild-mannered prime minister spent seven years at the head of government only to lose to Tony Blairs resurgent Labour Party in 1997. The intervening years, however, saw Major fight off Conservative rebels and engage in battle with them over the 1992 signing of the Maastricht Treaty, which led to closer European integration and the birth of the EU. Majors heavy defeat to Blair saw the Conservatives serve in opposition party for 13 years. But according to one former party politician, the period outside government saw Eurosceptisim [in the Conservatives] gather pace. At that stage, I dont know whether most of the [Conservative] membership would have been for leaving [the EU], Paul Goodman, a Conservative MP from 2001 to 2010, told Al Jazeera. But more MPs were coming round, I think, to that point of view. Goodman, who voted to for Britain to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit poll, said the years leading up to David Camerons Conservative premiership in 2010 and the referendum itself were a journey, not a single event for anti-Europeans in the Conservative Party. In a bold move to shoot the Eurosceptic fox in his party and to stem the rise of the radical right-wing and anti-EU United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Cameron followed through on a 2015 electoral promise to hold an in-or-out-out EU referendum. Despite advocating a remain vote, Camerons plan backfired, and he resigned following the UKs decision to leave. May, who assumed power from Cameron in 2016, was a quiet remainer who saw her task as carrying out the will of the people. But after nearly three years at the helm, she today cuts a forlorn, if defiant, figure as she tries to grapple with the twin issues of EU withdrawal and Conservative Party infighting. The issue of Europe has run like a faultline through the Conservative Party for more than 40 years, Rosa Prince, author of the biography, Theresa May: The Enigmatic Prime Minister, told Al Jazeera. Theresa May had hoped to succeed where other leaders had failed, calculating that she could keep the party together partly by bending over backwards to appease the Eurosceptics who had felt largely ignored by previous Conservative prime ministers. French President Emmanuel Macron welcomes British Prime Minister Theresa May as she arrives for a meeting to discuss Brexit at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France on April 9 [Philippe Wojazer/Reuters] Mays EU withdrawal agreement is strongly opposed by hard Brexiteers in the party, who contend that her deal is not the clean-break Brexit for which the electorate had wished. The agreement has been voted down three times in the House of Commons, and the original EU departure deadline of March 29 has come and gone. May has even faced, and survived, a vote of no confidence by her own party. In March, however, she caved in to repeated demands for her to step down by announcing that she would leave office after her Brexit deal was passed by parliament. After her statement, British press headlines declared the downfall of yet another Conservative prime minister over Europe. EU leaders recently agreed to delay Brexit until October 31. May is now seeking a compromise with the opposition Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, in order to end the Brexit impasse and reach a deal that parliament will endorse, while keeping her own negotiated deal on the table at the same time. As the Conservatives remain heavily split between Brexiteers and remainers, some high-profile Conservative politicians are fearing for the future of their party. The prime minister is working on the basis as she has been for the better part of two months that one more push will get her deal over the line, said a pro-EU Conservative peer from the House of Lords, who spoke to Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity. And the greater the fear on [the hard Brexiteer side] namely of never getting out [of the EU] the more likely it will be that they will accept her deal, suboptimal though they may consider it. Its a grinding strategy that will destroy the Conservative party in the process. On Monday, March 11, John Quindos Karanja went to Nairobi to pick up his wife, their daughter and three grandchildren from the airport. He had prepared a small celebration for them back home, since he was to meet his youngest granddaughter for the first time. Instead of celebrating that day, however, he had to mourn their deaths. All five were on board Ethiopian Airways Boeing 737 Max which had crashed, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board. The youngest victim was his nine-months-old granddaughter, Rubi. It is important to begin any conversation about the aftermath of the ET 302 tragedy with stories like these because they are likely to get lost amid discussions about aviation technology and regulatory frameworks. When the tragedy hit, I was struck the most by the speed at which both Boeing and the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) in the US took to defending their planes and shifting blame to Ethiopian Airlines, as well as the number of international publications willing to go along with that story. One article in the New York Times even suggested that the cause of the crash might have been a terrorist attack, since the flight ET 302 originated in Ethiopia and was meant to land in Kenya the two countries currently being involved in the fight against al-Shabab in Somalia. Another NYT piece scrutinised the training the ET 302 captain received and questioned Ethiopia Airlines procedures. After all, its easier to believe that an aeroplane belonging to an African airline was bombed or mishandled than to imagine that an American company could produce faulty aircraft. The FAA eventually quietly backtracked on its defensiveness and grounded all the 737 Max planes flying in the US, putting to rest speculations that this was somehow a problem of poor countries and their low safety standards. On April 4, Ethiopias transportation ministry told the media that the plane most likely crashed due to a mechanical problem with the new plane. The same day, Ethiopia Airlines released a preliminary report which alleged that the MCAS system, designed to stabilise the plane and prevent stalling, was activated repeatedly minutes before the crash. In their last moments, the pilots had tried to switch the system off, following emergency procedures but had failed to take control of the plane. This was exactly the same situation the Lion Air pilots had faced in October just before the crash. The US media also reported that the tragedy might have been prevented if the plane had been equipped with two additional indicators. These tools, which could have helped with the type of software problem the ET 302 pilots faced, were optional and Boeing charged additional money for installing them, since the FAA had not set them as a mandatory safety feature. Both Ethiopia Airlines and Lion Air apparently had decided to opt out, perhaps not knowing that the indicators were, in fact, be a life-saving feature, and not just an extra. And while some might cast doubt over Lion Airs safety standards as a low-cost airline, the track record of Ethiopia Airlines has been sterling and its pilots well-trained. Thus, important questions are now emerging about whether Boeing had briefed companies and their crews sufficiently on the dramatic changes it introduced to the 747 series and whether its pursuit of profit margins had come at the expense of the safety of its aircraft. Broadly speaking, these two tragedies should be a wake-up call for all of us to finally register the major holes in ethics and regulation which capitalism has poked in order to enable the worlds largest corporations to profiteer with impunity. On March 28, lawyers for the family of Jackson Musoni, a Rwandan victim of the plane crash, filed a wrongful death claim against Boeing, alleging that the firm failed to warn of the defect in the planes flight control system, which eventually led to the crash. On April 5, the family of American citizen Samya Stumo, who died in the crash, followed suit, saying in a statement: Blinded by its greed, Boeing haphazardly rushed the 737 MAX 8 to market, with the knowledge and tacit approval of the United States Federal Aviation Administration. And on April 16, family members of Kenyan victim George Kabau also announced they are filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Boeing. What happens next with these and other cases that might be filed should concern us all. This is also a moment to reflect on the role of regulatory agencies, and what happens when they give too much trust and autonomy to the entities that they regulate. What should effective domestic regulation of an industry with international reach look like? The same question is pertinent to the regulation of social media, mining and other sectors. Boeing is a flagship US company, which has sold over 300 737 Max planes so far. It appears that international airline regulators deferred to the findings of the FAA on the 737 Max, while the FAA, in turn, deferred to Boeing itself. Where the potential impact goes far beyond borders, this approach clearly has risks, which domestic regulators in other industries should be paying attention to. As a person who flies frequently, this story has been chilling: 189 people died on board the Lion Air plane, another 157 on ET 302 less than six months later. I keep coming back to what John Quindos Karanja might have been doing today if regulators had listened to past prejudices about different parts of the world. He might have been out in his backyard playing with his nine-months-old granddaughter that he had never met, marvelling at the smooth curve of her cheek and the growing alertness in her eyes. He might have been listening to his daughter, in awe of how this person he had helped raise, was coming into her own as a human being. He might have been laughing at something the love of his life had said to one of the children. No amount of money can address this tragic loss of human life, but those responsible must be held to account. As we enter the contentious phase of determining liability and accountability, these are the human stories that should guide the conversation. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The House judiciary panel chairman says the Department of Justice is required to comply with the subpoena by May 1. United States House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler issued a subpoena on Friday for the full, unredacted version of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. I have issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full version of the Mueller report and the underlying evidence. The Department is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1, Nadler said in a statement. I am open to working with the Department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however, I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability, the Democrat added. Nadlers subpoena comes less than a day after US Attorney General William Barr released the redacted version of the Muellers 448-page report to the public. In the report, Mueller did not conclude that President Donald Trump had committed obstruction of justice, but did not exonerate him either. Barr subsequently concluded that Trump had not broken the law, but told a news conference that Mueller had detailed 10 episodes involving the president and discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offence. Mueller reported that Trump had been agitated at the special counsel probe from its earliest days, reacting to Muellers appointment by saying it was the end of his presidency. 190418154116647 In June 2017, Trump directed White House counsel Don McGahn to tell the then-acting attorney general that Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed, the report said. McGahn refused to carry out Trumps order to fire Mueller for fear of being seen as triggering another Saturday night massacre', referring to a term used during Nixons Watergate scandal. The report also said there was substantial evidence that Trump fired James Comey as FBI director in 2017 due to his unwillingness to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation. As for the question of whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, Mueller wrote, While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges. Special Counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election as released [Jon Elswick/AP Photo] Trump has repeatedly called the Mueller probe a witch-hunt and hoax. On Friday, he said it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the report about me, some of which are total bull**** & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad). This was an illegally Started Hoax that never should have never happened. 190417201052723 Falls to Congress to determine next steps The Democrats and other critics have slammed Barr for his handling of the rollout of the report. Last month, days after receiving the report from Mueller, Barr issued his own four-page summary Muellers report. On Thursday, before releasing the redacted version, Barr gave a spirited defence of Trump, emphasising that Mueller found no collusion between Trumps campaign and Moscow. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer issued a statement after the redacted reports release, claiming Barr deliberately distorted significant portions of Muellers report. Special Counsel Muellers report paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behaviour and acting as if the law doesnt apply to him, the top Democrats said. But if you hadnt read the report and listened only to Mr Barr, you wouldnt have known any of that because Mr Barr has been so misleading. 190330063518669 The House Judiciary Committee authorised the subpoena on April 3 in a party-line vote, but Nadler waited to issue it to give Barr time to change his mind and work with Congress. My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice, Nadler said on Friday. Even the redacted version of the report outlines serious instances of wrongdoing by President Trump and some of his closest associates, he added. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. The Justice Department dismissed the subpoena, calling it premature and unnecessary in a statement on Friday. The Department will continue to work with Congress to accommodate its legitimate requests consistent with the law and long-recognised executive branch interests, DOJ spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. At least 13 people were killed after a boat capsized in the countrys eastern Lake Kivu, with 114 others still missing. The Democratic Republic of Congo has observed a day of national mourning for 13 people killed and more than 100 others feared dead after a boat accident earlier this week on Lake Kivu in the countrys east. DRC President Felix Tshisekedi declared the day of commemoration in a statement on Thursday and announced he would make it obligatory for passengers on the lake, which straddles the DRCs border with Rwanda and is a site of regular drownings, to wear lifebuoys. Tshisekedi said 114 people were still missing following the incident on Monday night, which saw the boat capsize after it left the city of Goma on Lake Kivus northern shore. The motorised vessel was headed for the town of Kalehe to the west. According to the passenger manifest, which does not list stowaways, there were 49 adults and seven children on board the boat, which was reportedly laden with goods. Emergency services said on Tuesday that 35 people had been rescued alive. Frequent boat accidents Travel by boat is one of the most commonly used methods of transport in the DRC, with the vast countrys thousands of kilometres of waterways linking areas that are otherwise unconnected by roads. According to a 2016 study by the World Bank, river transport has become a last resort in many areas, where the more infrastructure-intensive transport networks of roads or railways have broken down, or never existed. But boat accidents are a frequent occurrence in the impoverished former Belgian colony, with mishaps typically caused by the overloading of passengers and cargo on dilapidated vessels, some of which are not adequately stocked with life jackets. At least people 27 people drowned last September when a vessel capsized on a tributary of the Congo River in northern DRC, according to local officials. The incident took place just two months after 26 people were killed in a separate boat accident on the Congo River in July and 50 others were declared dead after a vessel tipped over in northwestern DRC in May. Apollinaire Bulindi, an honorary provincial minister and engineer urged Tshisekedi on Tuesday to make good on a campaign pledge to repair the Goma-Bukavu highway that many of the passengers involved in this weeks accident may have taken but is currently unusable, the AFP news agency reported. But the central government in the capital, Kinshasa, has weak control over remote areas in the country, including the eastern DRC, which is wracked by instability and an ongoing Ebola outbreak that has already claimed 843 lives, according to the countrys health ministry. Move by court of appeal opens the way for opposition politicians return from exile in Belgium, says lawyer. A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has annulled a three-year prison sentence against opposition leader Moise Katumbi in a move that could enable him to return home from exile in Belgium, according to his lawyer. The decision by the Court of Cassation, the DRCs Supreme Court of appeal, overturned a sentence for alleged property fraud, opening the way for Katumbis return, said lawyer Joseph Mukendi on Friday. Katumbi, the former governor of the DRCs copper-mining Katanga region, was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison in June 2016, shortly after defecting from former President Joseph Kabilas ruling party and announcing he would run for president later that year. He had fled Congo the previous month in the face of separate charges that he had hired mercenaries and was plotting against the government. Katumbi denied all the charges, which he said were aimed at keeping him from running to replace Kabila, who was due to step down in December 2016 after 16 years in power. Kabilas government ultimately delayed the election by two years before finally stepping down in January. The 47-year-old was replaced by current President Felix Tshisekedi, who was declared the winner of a December 30 vote which observers said was marred by irregularities. Katumbi, a wealthy businessman, attempted to return to the DRC last August to file his candidacy for the presidential vote a race poll showed him leading. But he was prevented from crossing into the country at its border with Zambia. Mukendi, Katumbis lawyer, said the appeals court found fraud in the sentencing against the opposition leader. The ruling, issued on Wednesday, accepted the claims of one of the trial judges, Chantal Ramazani, that the verdict had been issued under duress by the government. Ramazani went into hiding after making the accusations. Mukendi told Reuters on Friday that Katumbi could return to Congo now to defend himself in the mercenaries case, which has not yet been tried. Tshisekedi, DRCs new leader, has promised to reinvigorate justice and fight corruption in the DRC and during his first foreign outing as president to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo in February urged tens of thousands of political exiles to return home, saying everyone would be needed to move the country forward. Three killed in gunfight near the town of Beni as ISIL declares Congo the Central Africa Province of the caliphate. Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS) claimed its first attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Thursday, and declared it the Central Africa Province of the caliphate, after two Congolese soldiers and a civilian were killed in a gunfight. The three died in clashes on Tuesday in Bovata, near the town of Beni, a source at the UN peacekeeping mission and a civil society leader told Reuters news agency. The town and the surrounding area have been simultaneously beset by armed violence and an Ebola epidemic. It was not possible to independently verify ISILs claim, made through its Amaq news agency. There are more than a dozen different armed groups and criminal outfits operating in this area of eastern DRC. ISIL also claimed a higher toll of five soldiers killed and three wounded. The UN source and a local civil society leader, David Moaze, said witnesses at the scene of the attack had blamed an armed group called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which may have links to ISIL. Tentative ties A report by New York Universitys Congo Research Group and the Bridgeway Foundation in November said the ADF had received money from a financier linked to ISIL, suggesting tentative ties between the Congo fighters and other armed groups in Africa and beyond. Eager to woo anti-terrorist support from Western powers, Congolese authorities have blamed the ADF for a series of massacres in the last two years in the east of the country, usually without producing any evidence the group was responsible. Rival armed groups control parts of eastern Congo, long after the official end of a 1998-2003 war in which millions of people died. Police say they have launched a murder inquiry into the killing of 29-year-old Lyra McKee in Londonderry. A female journalist was shot dead during a riot in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry, also known as Derry, late on Thursday in what police called a terrorist act. Lyra McKee, 29, was standing near police officers when a gunman began shooting at them at around 11pm in the suburb of Creggan, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told reporters on Friday. She was taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died there. We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city, he said. We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans. Our assessment at this time is that the new [Irish Republican Army] are most likely to be the ones behind this, and that forms our primary line of inquiry. We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans Mark Hamilton, assistant chief constable He said police had been carrying out search operations in the area on Thursday when a public order situation developed in which 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. The New IRA is a small group of republicans who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Armys embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as The Troubles, which claimed more than 3,700 lives. An attack on peace process The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. The latest unrest came just before the Easter weekend, when republican dissidents, who want to reunify Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland, traditionally mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Uprising against British rule. Michelle ONeill, deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned those responsible for the killing in a statement, saying it was an attack on all the community. My first thoughts and that of my party are with the family of the woman killed. This is a senseless loss of life, ONeill said. My first thoughts and that of my party are with the family of the woman killed. This is a senseless loss of life Michelle O'Neill, deputy leader of Sinn Fein The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement, she added, referring to the peace accord reached between the British and Irish governments in 1998. McKee was writing a book on the disappearance of young people during three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. She was described by publisher Faber as a rising star of investigative journalism. Police said they did not believe she was working at the time of the attack. Lyra McKee, 29, has been remembered as a talented and accomplished investigative journalist. The killing of a young journalist, Lyra McKee, in the city of Londonderry on Thursday evening has raised the spectre of a return to violence in Northern Ireland on the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement. The 29-year-old was shot dead during a riot in Creggan, an area on the outskirts of the city where violence and local distrust of the police are common. McKee had been standing near a police van when a masked gunman opened fire. The riot began after security forces raided the area in search of firearms ahead of this weekends commemoration of Irish independence. A crowd of about 100 people, including journalists, had gathered at the scene, where young people had thrown petrol bombs at police and set two vehicles on fire. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has opened an investigation into the killing and said dissident republicans calling themselves the New IRA were likely to be responsible. Saoradh, an unregistered party formed by Irish republicans, who are accused of being the political wing of the so-called New IRA, said in a statement that Lyra was killed accidentally by a Republican volunteer. She wanted to write about people she thought were voiceless McKee has been remembered as a talented and accomplished investigative journalist dedicated to documenting Northern Irelands recovery from 30 years of sectarian conflict, known as The Troubles, between largely Catholic republicans, who wanted to reunite Ireland as one country, and mostly Protestant unionists, who wanted Northern Ireland to remain British. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely put an end to that conflict, however paramilitary groups have continued to exist on both sides. The National Union of Journalists said McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. Sarah Kay, a friend of McKees, met McKee while the journalist was working on a book about how young people, who are not direct victims of the conflict, are affected and traumatised by it. She wanted to write about them, she wanted to write about people she thought were voiceless, or that no one cared about, Kay told Al Jazeera. I think its in that spirit that she was [in Creggan] yesterday. She was very committed to the position she felt she was in, and believed she had a very important role to play, as all journalists do, Kay said. Its a loss to all the community of Northern Ireland. The two met in Belfast, where McKee had lived before moving to the city known by Catholics as Derry and by Protestants as Londonderry to live with her girlfriend. She was somebody who was very committed to the peace process, very committed to integration and inclusion, to the end of sectarianism, Kay said. Its just unfathomable that she was killed by paramilitaries. People in Derry have been suffering a lot in the last few months, theres been a lot of rioting, a lot of violence, Kay, a 35-year-old lawyer, continued. A car bomb that exploded outside a courthouse in the city in January made international headlines amid concerns that Brexit could revive old divisions. It seems that this time it crossed the line, it went too far, Kay continued. People are condemning the murder left, right and centre. I think last night drew a line on what people were willing to live with, especially in Creggan. Protesters demanded action after massacre of almost 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group four weeks ago. Malis prime minister and his government have resigned four weeks after a massacre of almost 160 Fulani herders by an ethnic vigilante group shocked the nation. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita accepted the resignation on Thursday without giving a reason for the departure of Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga. A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces from both the ruling and opposition sides, the statement from Keitas office said. The president had on Tuesday said in a televised address that he had heard the anger, without explicitly naming the prime minister. Legislators had discussed a possible motion of no confidence in the government because of the massacre and failure to disarm armed groups or beat back fighters. The March 23 killings by suspected hunters from the Dogon community on Ogossagou, a village in central Mali populated by rival Fulani herders, were bloody even by the recent standards of Malis ever-worsening violence. They followed a deadly assault by armed fighters on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in Malis central region, which was claimed by an al-Qaeda affiliate that counts many Fulani herders in its ranks. Malian authorities have detained five people suspected of taking part in the massacre. But they have not yet succeeded in disarming the group that many believe organised it, despite pledges by Maiga and Keita to do so. The killings in Ogossagou, which left the charred bodies of women and children smouldering in their homes, shocked a population that has grown increasingly frustrated by the failure of government forces to protect them from both armed-group onslaughts and ethnic reprisals. Critics argue that the Malian leader has not done enough to prevent intercommunal violence. There is clearly dissatisfaction with the security situation in the country, Al Jazeeras Nicolas Haque, reporting from neighbouring Senegal, said. At the same time, the lives of ordinary people in Mali are getting worse. The price of basic necessities like water, electricity and food has risen by 20 percent in the last year. The PM was elected in August with a promise for change but many Malians are not seeing that change. Earlier this month, demonstrators called for him to get out of office, with some holding signs demanding the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country, MINUSMA. The United Nations has more than 16,000 personnel on the ground in Mali, including a contingent of 12,418 troops made up of forces from countries including Burkina Faso, Senegal, Niger, Togo and Chad. Our children, our husbands and our parents are dying because of the bad government of IBK and his clan, Mariam Fomba, the widow of a soldier, told AFP news agency at the protest in Bamako. Enough is enough, we cannot continue with this regime, said Fomba. Garcias political allies blame the press and public prosecutors for his death. Supporters of Perus former President Alan Garcia have paid their respects to him after he committed suicide. Garcia had been caught up in Latin Americas worst corruption scandal and was facing arrest. The former had plenty of loyal followers, but many detractors, too. Al Jazeeras Mariana Sanchez reports from Lima. The report provides Democrats with a plan for potentially politically damaging investigations of the president. Washington, DC United States Attorney General William Barrs release of a redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report did more to generate controversy than to settle the political crisis encircling Donald Trumps presidency. Trump did not conspire with Russians to hack his presidential opponent Hillary Clintons emails in 2016, according to the report, but the special counsel describes a long series of actions by Trump to interfere with the investigation that Congress will now have to assess as potential obstructions of justice. Mueller reached no determination on whether Trump obstructed justice, while Barr concluded Trump had not. The report provided Democrats in the House of Representatives with a plan for potentially politically damaging investigations of the president and revealed a pattern of manipulation and lying by the White House over the past two years as the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election proceeded. Congress cant just overlook the activities by the president to obstruct the investigation, said Matthew Miller, a former Justice Department spokesman who served during the Obama administration That doesnt mean they have to impeach, but there has to be some kind of sanction or censure or else it gives licence to future presidents to behave the same way, he told Al Jazeera. Representative Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, plans to bring Mueller to testify before the panel. On Friday, Nadler issued a subpoena for the full, unredacted report and its underlying evidence. He said the Department of Justice must comply with the subpoena by May 1. 190419133003572 Barr is also expected to testify before the Senate and House Judiciary committees on May 1 and 2. The 448-page report concluded unequivocally that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 US election in sweeping and systematic fashion. It details willful, but probably not illegal, communication between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks over the release of Democratic emails stolen by Russian hackers. This kind of thing goes back to German efforts pre-World War II to infiltrate political parties. It goes back to post-World War II 1950s, when a Soviet spy tried to interfere. Its just absolutely outrageous, said Jack Hardin Young, a former counsel to the Democratic National Committee and an election law expert in Washington, DC. It should be a crime to have discussions of a campaign nature with agents of a foreign government, he told Al Jazeera. It should be a crime to share internal polling data about an American election with foreign governments. If you knowingly engaged with a Kremlin lobbyist, that should be a crime. Collusion vs conspiracy In saying that there was no conspiracy between Trump, his 2016 campaign and Russian hackers, Barr and Mueller applied a strict interpretation of US law. Mueller would have needed clear evidence that Trump or his associates reached an agreement in advance with Russian government agents to hack and release the Clinton emails in order for there to be a conspiracy. But the report details dozens of contacts between Trumps campaign and Russian go-betweens. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through the Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the report said. Special Counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election as released [Jon Elswick/AP Photo] Muellers conclusion that Trump did not criminally conspire with the Russian government will not be viewed by Trumps political opposition in Congress as excusing the president of wrongdoing, as Barr and Trump have repeatedly suggested. In some sense, the collusion happened out in the open and they didnt need to seal the deal with an illicit agreement to do it, Miller said. Both sides knew what the other was doing, what the other wanted and welcomed it, he added. That may not rise to the level of a crime, but its certainly appropriate to ask whether thats acceptable from a president. Obstruction Among the potential obstructions identified by Mueller, the report said that Trump intended to encourage former campaign manager Paul Manafort to not cooperate with Mueller by offering eventual pardons to Manafort and Manaforts business partner Rick Gates. Trumps personal counsel had told Manafort they were going to take care of us, according to the report. 190418154116647 Gates cooperated with the government while Manafort was prosecuted in two separate trials and is now serving a seven-year prison term. Manafort has also been charged by prosecutors in New York state. Theres an enormous amount here, specifically with regards to whether or not the president committed the federal crime of obstructing justice, Juliet Sorensen, a law professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law told the Associated Press. The report also said that Trump repeatedly urged White House Counsel Don McGahn to intervene with the Justice Department once the existence of the Russia investigation became public. Trump later fired FBI director James Comey because Comey refused to rule out that Trump personally was being investigated in the Russia probe. Trump directed McGahn to fire Mueller, but McGahn refused for fear of being seen as triggering another Saturday night massacre, referring to a term used during US President Richard Nixons Watergate scandal. Mueller said in the report that he viewed Trumps written answers to a questionnaire from investigators as inadequate. Trump had refused to sit for an in-person interview. Mueller considered issuing a subpoena to the president, but decided not to do so because it would have delayed the investigation, the report said. For his part, Trump has repeatedly called the investigation a witch-hunt and hoax. His legal team declared the results a total victory for the president. The report underscores what we have argued from the very beginning there was no collusion there was no obstruction, Trumps legal team said on Thursday. On Friday, the president tweeted, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the report about me, some of which are total bull**** & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad). This was an illegally Started Hoax that never should have never happened. A conundrum David Axelrod, a political adviser to former President Barack Obama, said in a tweet that the report provides a conundrum for Congress by virtually inviting an impeachment probe around the obstruction issue. 190417201052723 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leading committee chairmen have thus far ruled out impeachment proceedings, but have undertaken sprawling and potentially far-reaching investigations of Trumps businesses, his presidency and his administration. In a press conference on Thursday, Barr went out of his way to defend the president, adopting the narrative offered by Trumps defence team that the president was rightfully outraged by the unfairness of having to confront the Russia investigation immediately after taking office. Barr argued on behalf of Trump by saying the presidents motives in firing Comey and subsequent obstructions were devoid of criminal intent. Muellers investigation did not address underlying counterintelligence concerns focused on whether Trump is, or was compromised by Russian agents, either financially or personally. Several spinoff investigations of Trumps business affairs and presidential actions are being conducted by other state and federal prosecutors. Maha al-Subaie, 28, and Wafa al-Subaie, 25, fear members of their family have come looking for them in Georgia. Two Saudi sisters who fled their country and appealed for international protection saying they are at risk at home have received an offer of help from Georgia. Immigration authorities in the former Soviet republic visited the siblings in their temporary apartment in Tbilisi, providing them with information on how to apply for asylum in the country, the Georgian interior ministry said on Thursday. The purpose of the visit of law enforcement officers was to offer assistance and security guarantees to the women and inform them about procedures on getting asylum in Georgia, the ministry said in a statement. The sisters identified as Maha al-Subaie, 28, and Wafaa al-Subaie, 25, were later taken to the interior ministrys immigration office in a security van, local media footage showed. They had taken to Twitter on Wednesday saying they had arrived in Georgia and needed help from the international community to find a new country to call home. In a video posted on Twitter, the sisters claimed they fled oppression from our family because the laws in Saudi Arabia is too [weak] to protect us and say they are in danger. 190417062719848 Rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged Georgian authorities to keep the two women safe. By interviewing the sisters, the Georgian authorities have made a positive first step, Giorgi Gogia, HRW associate director for Europe and Central Asia told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The rest depends on the sisters wishes. If they file an asylum request, we hope that this request will be granted quickly. Concerns for safety The sisters said they had become stranded in Georgia after the Saudi government suspended their passports and they feared for their lives, as members of their family had come looking for them. We are in danger. We need your support to deliver our voice. We want protection Please help us, Maha said in a Twitter video, where both sisters appeared without the head-covering veil imposed by Saudi social norms. My father and brothers arrived in Georgia and they are looking for us. We fled oppression from our family because the laws in Saudi Arabia is too week to protect us we are seeking the UNHCR protection In order to be taken to a safe country Please help us to survive @Refugees pic.twitter.com/XJwStSGBIl georgia sisters (@GeorgiaSisters) April 17, 2019 A member of an online global network of Saudi women who help raise awareness about such cases, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) that Georgia is not safe for the sisters, because of the easy access granted to Saudis. You have a whole tribe that can come after you and hunt you down in Georgia without asking for a visa or any difficulties, said the source whose identity is being protected. But on Thursday, Georgias interior ministry said there were no relatives in the country who posed a danger to them. And the Saudi embassy in Tbilisi said the womens passports were still in effect. In reference to what has been said about the cancellation of the passports of the citizens Maha and Wafaa Zayed who are present in Georgia, the embassy of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia confirms that their passports are still in force, and there is no truth to the circulated allegations that they have been cancelled, the embassy said in a written statement. The CBC source, identified only has Heba said the women began to have trouble with their family when Maha decided to divorce her husband, and Wafaa supported her. They both became targets of abuse and decided to flee, Heba said. Similar cases The case is the latest to draw attention to Saudi Arabias strict social rules, which force women to obtain the permission of a male guardian if they want to work, marry or travel. Rights groups say the system can trap women and girls as prisoners of abusive families, and the sisters are not the first Saudi women to seek urgent refuge outside their homeland. Women and girls in Saudi Arabia who attempt to flee from the control of their families can face very grave consequences, said Suad Abu-Dayyeh, Middle East consultant for womens rights group Equality Now. They are in danger of being locked at home for the rest of their lives, severely punished, and may even be killed. Last month, two Saudi sisters fleeing their family in Saudi Arabia secured emergency visas after hiding for months in Hong Kong, according to their lawyer. The young women, who adopted the aliases Reem and Rawan, left Hong Kong for a new country of residence, which has not been named. Lawyer Michael Vidler said in a statement that the sisters, aged 18 and 20, were granted emergency humanitarian visas after six months in Hong Kong. Vidler said the two are now beginning their lives as free young women. In January, 18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed (formerly al-Qunun), was granted asylum in Canada after using Twitter to garner worldwide attention for her escape from a hotel room in Bangkok. And in 2017, a Saudi woman who had sought asylum in Australia, saying she feared violence from relatives, was stopped on a layover in the Philippines and returned to Riyadh. The military council says that those who committed crimes over the past 30 years will be held to account. The Sudanese people want members of the former regime responsible for targeting and killing innocent people to be held accountable, not just removed from power. The military council, which is leading the country until a transitional government is formed, announced that high-profile figures from the al-Bashir government had been arrested. But analysts say removing all traces of the fallen government will have its challenges. Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan reports. Main protest group says it will announce members of the new council on Sunday to pressure the army to hand over power. Sudans protest leaders have announced plans to unveil a civilian body to take over from the countrys ruling military council as huge crowds of demonstrators continued their days-long sit-in outside the army headquarters in the countrys capital, Khartoum. Protesters braved scorching heat and fatigue for a 14th day on Friday, demanding the military council, which took power after overthrowing longtime leader Omar al-Bashir, quickly make way for a civilian administration. The Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), which has been spearheading the months-long protests, said in a statement on Thursday that civilian council members would be named at a news conference at 17:00 GMT on Sunday outside the army complex to which foreign diplomats are also invited. We are demanding that this civilian council, which will have representatives of the army, replace the military council, Ahmed al-Rabia, a leader of the umbrella group of unions for doctors, engineers and teachers, told the AFP news agency. Protesters shout slogans by a banner depicting former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, in front of the Defence Ministry in Khartoum [Umit Bektas/Reuters] The SPA and other groups behind the protests said the new transitional government should be made up of a presidential council tasked with carrying out the functions of the state, a council of ministers and a transitional civil statutory council. A blueprint for the transition, proposed by the protest organisers, envisage a presidential council made up of revolutionary figures and a defence minister, the only representative from the military. It also said women should make up 40 percent of the legislative council. Ahmed Adam, a Sudanese lawyer and research associate at SOAS University of London, said the military council was reluctant to hand over power and appeared to lack solid political will to respond to the demands of the protesters on the ground. The military are counting on the divisions among the people on the streets to stay in power, Adam told Al Jazeera, adding: The political civilian forces are still discussing the way to respond to this complicated transitional process. The expectations of the people are very high. Power to civilians 190412212729776 Al Jazeeras Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said there was disagreement between the military and the protest organisers over the length of the transitional period. Some political parties want one-year transitional period. The military council wants two-year period while others including the Sudanese Professional Association are saying they want a transitional period of up to four years, Morgan said. Activists have called for large crowds to gather after weekly Muslim prayers, as on previous Fridays. On Thursday, activists mobilised huge crowds outside the army complex through social media to keep up the pressure on the military council, now led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Power to civilians, power to civilians, protesters chanted through Thursday night. I wont leave until al-Burhan transfers power to a civilian government, said Wali Aldeen, who has camped outside the complex since the day al-Bashir was overthrown. Sara Ali, a 24-year-old doctor, acknowledged that protesters feel some fatigue after nearly four months of demonstrations, including nearly two weeks outside the Defence Ministry, but says most are willing to continue. We have brought down the tyrant, Bashir, and it will not be hard for us to force the military council to heed the protesters demands or to step aside, Ali told Reuters news agency. The anti-government protests began on December 19 in response to the tripling of bread prices, and swiftly turned into nationwide rallies against al-Bashirs three-decade rule. A girl with a painted Sudanese flag on her face makes victory sign as she is accompanied by her mother in front of the Defence Ministry in Khartoum [Umit Bektas/Reuters] After his overthrow, protesters demonstrated against General Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf who took over as the first head of the military council, insisting he was a tool of the old regime. Ibn Auf stepped down in less than 24 hours and was replaced by al-Burhan, who so far has appeased protesters by lifting a night-time curfew, and sacking some al-Bashir era officials, including two of the former presidents brothers. But the military council, while willing to accept a civilian government, insists that ultimate authority will remain in its hands until elections are held. Meanwhile, the United States on Thursday praised orders by Sudans new military leader to free political prisoners and end the curfew as it dispatched Makila James, a deputy assistant secretary of state, on a mission to Khartoum this weekend. The US will calibrate our policies based on our assessment of events, State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said, adding, however, that talks on delisting Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism remained suspended. We are encouraged by the decision to release political prisoners and cancel the curfew in Khartoum, Ortagus said in a statement. A falling out over who should attend forces postponement of critical peace talks scheduled to take place in Qatar. Critical peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Qatar have been postponed after a disagreement over who should attend. Sultan Barakat, director of Qatars Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, the organisation sponsoring the talks, tweeted news of the postponement, saying this is unfortunately necessary to further build consensus as to who should participate in the conference. The talks, scheduled for Friday between Afghan government and Taliban representatives, were considered a significant first step towards finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of US troops, which would end the USs longest war. A list of 243 people was announced by Qatar on Thursday. That list differed from Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis list of 250 people, which included around 50 women, according to a senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 190223221543532 The Taliban did not immediately comment but Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahed on Wednesday questioned the size of the government delegation, saying it was not normal and that they had no plans to meet with so many people. Efforts to find an end to the war in Afghanistan have picked up pace since the appointment in September of US Peace Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban. Khalilzad said he was disappointed Qatars intra-Afghan initiative has been delayed. Were in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue, the envoy wrote on Twitter. I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans. The Taliban had previously refused to hold direct talks with Ghanis government, calling them puppets of the US. 190314140218411 However, after pressure from Khalilzad and the government of Qatar, where the religious movement maintains a political office, they agreed to an intra-Afghan dialogue that includes members of the government. The US has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push led by Washington. The developments come as fresh violence rips across Afghanistan, with the Taliban launching their so-called spring offensive. The Taliban now control or influence about half the country, and last year was the deadliest yet for civilians. North Koreas denuclearisation to be discussed as Japans PM plans April visit to US before Trump tours Japan in May. US President Donald Trump will travel to Japan in May for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that are expected to include discussions on North Korea and efforts to achieve final, fully verified denuclearisation. Trumps visit will follow a scheduled tour of the United States by Abe in April where, in addition to North Korea, the two leaders are likely to discuss bilateral trade. Trump will visit Japan from May 25 to 28, the White House said in a statement on Thursday, adding that the two leaders will also explore ways to advance their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including steps that will strengthen our bilateral trade and investment relationship. In Tokyo, Trump plans to meet Crown Prince Naruhito, who will become emperor on May 1, a day after the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito. Abe is one of Trumps closest allies on the world stage and Japan was the first stop on Trumps November 2017 Asia tour. Japan-US trade Trump has touted his good relationship with Abe, which has seen closer security ties given shared concerns about Chinas growing power, but he has also made clear he was unhappy with Japans trade surplus with the US, which was $67.6bn in goods in 2018, according to US figures. This week, US and Japanese officials held a first round of talks towards a new trade deal Trump has sought and the US side raised concerns over the very large trade deficit with Tokyo. Last September, Trump and Abe agreed to start trade talks in an arrangement that protects Japanese carmakers from further tariffs while negotiations are under way. 190218085447385 Abe has also insisted on holding his own summit with the North Korean leader to settle the two neighbours long-standing differences. Denuclearisation and the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea decades ago to train spies have been the major obstacles in normalising relations between the two countries. In 2002, North Korea admitted it kidnapped 13 Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s, five of whom had returned home. I will aim at diplomatic normalisation by settling the unfortunate past, Abe said earlier this year. From now on, I want to do our best to collaborate with the US, South Korea and also China and Russia to aim for a solution on North Korean matters, including abduction, nuclear weapons and missiles. Foreign powers unable to present a united front at the UN as shelling continues to add to peoples suffering. A suburb of Tripoli was hit by mortar bombs that narrowly missed a clinic, bringing the death toll to over 200 in the two weeks since renegade Libyan commander Khalifa Haftars troops launched a westwards offensive to take the Libyan capital. Shelling could also be heard on Thursday from a battle raging in two southern suburbs of Tripoli, according to residents and an official from the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Haftar. The shelling came a day after seven people were killed when Grad rockets hit a densely populated district of Tripoli, the ongoing violence deepening the chaos that has plagued the oil-producing nation since Muammar Gaddafis overthrow in 2011. Residents blamed Haftars eastern forces for the shelling, saying the rockets had been fired from the direction of their positions south of the capital. We say to the United Nations and the Security Council: Listen. Listen to the bombing Rockets are coming down on us. For this reason, please find a solution for us, said Youssef Salem, a displaced man from the southwestern suburb of al-Suani. The LNA has denied shelling residential areas. The renewed fighting has also displaced more than 25,000 people, according to the International Organization for Migration. The Tripoli-based, UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) issued arrest warrants for Haftar a former CIA asset and other top eastern officials, blaming them for Wednesdays shelling. Eastern officials have already issued arrest warrants for GNA head Fayez al-Sarraj and other western officials as there is no sign of a political solution or even of a ceasefire. Refugees evacuated The renewed fighting prompted the UN to evacuate 163 refugees from Libya to neighbouring Niger, but more than 3,000 others were still trapped in detention centres affected by clashes. The move marked the first evacuation of refugees and migrants out of Libya since fighting escalated in Tripoli two weeks ago, the UN refugee agency said. Given the situation in Libya, humanitarian evacuations are a lifeline for detained refugees whose lives are in jeopardy in Libya, UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi said in a statement. Meanwhile, France on Thursday rejected the GNAs completely unfounded accusation that it has been supporting Haftar. France supports the legitimate government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and the mediation of the UN towards an inclusive political solution in Libya, the French presidency said in a statement. The interior ministry of the UN-recognised government had, earlier on Thursday, announced the suspension of relations with Paris after accusing France of actively supporting Haftar and his LNA. Foreign powers Meanwhile, foreign powers have been worried but unable to present a united front over the latest flare-up. A British bid at the UN Security Council to demand a ceasefire in Libya faced opposition on Thursday from Russia and the United States, raising doubts about prospects for a draft resolution to halt the bloodshed in Tripoli, diplomats said. The United Kingdom put forward the measure after forces loyal to Haftar launched their offensive on April 4. During a closed-door council meeting on Thursday, Russia again insisted that there be no language criticising Haftar in the draft resolution while the US appealed for more time to weigh its options, diplomats said. 190418110426197 We want to have this resolution, German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen told reporters after the meeting. We want to have a strong resolution with a united council everybody behind it that says who is responsible and what needs to be done. Not having this now is frustrating, he added. British Ambassador Karen Pierce said efforts would continue to reach a consensus next week. UN diplomats, however, raised doubts over whether the council would be able to agree on a text, with the US reluctance to take action throwing a new spanner in the works. Oil flow There was speculation that President Donald Trumps administration may be consulting Egypt a strong Haftar ally and other players in the region, or the Libyan leaders themselves, on how to address the crisis. The council heard a briefing by video link from Tripoli by UN envoy Ghassan Salame, who raised concerns about the escalation in fighting and weapons flows to Libya. 190417062854123 Italy, with considerable oil interests in Libya, supports the Tripoli government of al-Sarraj and was unhappy with French reluctance to back a recent European Union resolution urging Haftar to halt his advance. The conflict threatens to disrupt oil flows, foment migration across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, and allow armed groups to exploit the chaos. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, who view him as an anchor to restore stability and combat armed groups. Earlier this year, his forces seized the south and its two oilfields, although tribesmen with flexible loyalties remain strong in the sparsely populated desert region. On the weekend, the LNA dispatched a unit to the eastern oil ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider to prepare for a possible attack there. In apparent reversal of US policy, Trump praises Haftar for fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources. Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Libyas capital, Tripoli, on Friday after US President Donald Trump praised Libyas Khalifa Haftar amid a military assault by the renegade general to seize the capital. A White House statement said Trump and Haftar spoke by phone on Monday to discuss ongoing counterterrorism efforts to achieve peace and stability in Libya. On April 4, Haftar and his forces launched an offensive against the countrys internationally recognised government, which is based in Tripoli. In their phone call, Trump recognised Field Marshal Haftars significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system. It was unclear why the White House waited several days to announce the phone call. Trumps praise for Haftar was seen in Tripoli as a reversal in US policy on Libya, as earlier this month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded an immediate halt to Haftars offensive. 190419062628262 Al Jazeeras Mahmoud Abdelwahed, reporting from Tripoli, said news of the conversation caused anger in the capital with residents perceiving the call as a show of support by Trump for Haftars offensive. People are very angry, thousands of people have come out here on the main streets and squares especially in Tripoli and they are calling on the international community to stop the military aggression by Haftar forces, he said. At least 2,000 people took part in Fridays protest in Tripolis Martyrs Square to protest the push on Tripoli by Haftars Libyan National Army (LNA). Libyan protesters carry a portrait of French President Emmanuel Macron during a demonstration against Haftar in Tripoli [Mahmud Turkia/AFP] Abdelrizaq Musheirib, a protester criticised Trumps call to the commander, telling Reuters news agency: The call has no meaning but we will respond to it. The LNA launched the military campaign against Tripoli on April 4, saying it wanted to cleanse the countrys western region of remaining terrorist groups. Analysts say the offensive is threatening to reignite a full-blown civil war in the oil-rich country, which has been mired in chaos since the NATO-backed toppling of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The fighting on the outskirts of the city has killed at least 213 people and wounded more than 1,000 people, the World Health Organization said on Friday. More than 25,000 have been displaced, according to the United Nations. Haftar backs a rival administration in eastern Libya that refuses to recognise the authority of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj. World powers divided Al Jazeeras Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Washington, DC, said the White Houses statement on Friday appeared to contradict the stand of the United Statess Department of State. Earlier this week, the State Department put out a statement calling on Haftar to stand down, to halt this military offensive and the US has been working with the UN on trying to broker some sort of a peace accord in that country, she said. So, it raises the question whether this is a matter of a US president going against its own foreign policy on a critical global issue such as the issue in Libya. Jordan added that it was unclear if Trump had initiated the call. The White House statement notes that he and Haftar spoke on Monday, it could have been Haftar is looking for some sort of approval on a global stage and made a request to have a conversation with the president, she said. The announcement came a day after both the US and Russia said they could not support a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time. Russia objected to the British-drafted resolution blaming Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence, but the US did not give a reason for its decision. The draft resolution would also call on countries with influence over the warring parties to ensure compliance and for unconditional humanitarian aid access in Libya. Meanwhile, countries in Europe and the Middle East were also divided on Haftars offensive on Tripoli. Italy and France have sparred over Libya in the past, but on Friday foreign ministers of the two countries said they are trying to forge a common strategy on the North African country. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Frances foreign minister, speaking to reporters following a meeting in Rome with his counterpart said: There can be no progress in Libya without a solid Franco-Italian agreement. Enzo Moavero Milanesi, the Italian minister, said lower-ranking ministry officials will meet next week in the Italian capital to build the path toward a goal that remains a shared one. Protesters in Tripoli accused Frances President Emmanuel Macron of backing Haftar, but the French embassy in Libya tweeted in Arabic that Paris was opposed to the attack on the city. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which view him as an anchor to restore stability in Libya. But Qatar said an existing UN arms embargo on Libya should be strictly enforced to prevent the commander from receiving arms. Also on Friday, the UN refugee agency said it evacuated 163 refugees and migrants from Libya to neighbouring Niger, but more than 3,000 others were still trapped in detention centres affected by clashes between the LNA and GNA forces. Libyan authorities had previously detained the refugees and migrants to stop their passage to Europe. The UNHCR said the refugees from various African nations included dozens of women and children, who had all been held in detention centres near the front lines of the conflict. The agency said it remained extremely concerned for the safety of those who remain trapped in Libya. According to the report, Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion. The Kremlin said on Friday that US Special Counsel Robert Muellers long-awaited report did not contain any evidence that the Russian state had meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. Muellers report, released on Thursday with multiple redactions, detailed extensive contacts between Donald Trumps 2016 campaign and Russian operatives who, it said, sought to tilt the election in Trumps favour. The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, the report said, dedicating hundreds of pages to Russian interference. The investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, the report said. It added that Trumps campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. But the report did not find evidence of a criminal conspiracy between Trumps election campaign and Russia. Speaking to reporters on a conference call, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow regretted that the Mueller report was having an effect on its relations with Washington. In general, the report still does not include any reasonable evidence at all that Russia allegedly interfered in the US election. 190419133003572 We, as before, do not accept such allegations, Peskov said. We regret that a document of this quality is having a direct impact on the development of bilateral Russian-US relations that are already not in the best condition, he added. Not acceptable behaviour Asked on Friday about Russian interference in 2016, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Washington, DC, that we will make very clear to them that this is not acceptable behaviour. He added that the administration had consistently raised concerns with Russia over interference in the US and other elections. Trump has tried to cultivate good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and came under heavy criticism in Washington last year for saying after meeting Putin that he accepted his denial of election meddling, over the conclusions of US intelligence agencies. He later walked back on those comments. Most of the Russian media on Thursday and Friday made a point of rejecting the well-documented findings of Russian interference in the 2016 elections via hacking and a social media campaign. 190419174453875 The state-owned Rossiya television channel said in its report on the Vesti Economy programme late on Thursday that the report is not credible because it has failed to release the content of hacked emails or specific files. The Mueller probe was an attempt to threaten the current government and influence US foreign policy without offering any specific evidence, Vesti Economy said. In July 2018, a US federal grand jury indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers on charges of hacking Democratic Party computer networks in 2016 and staged releases of documents. Six former Trump aides, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, were charged by Muellers office or convicted of crimes during his 22-month-long investigation. The Mueller inquiry spawned a number of other criminal probes by federal prosecutors in New York and elsewhere. Trump has repeatedly called the Mueller investigation a hoax and witch-hunt. US and Turkey have argued for months over Turkeys order of the advanced S-400 missile defence system. Turkey is taking into account NATO concerns over its Russian missile deal, the countrys foreign minister said in more conciliatory remarks over a purchase stoking tensions between Washington and Ankara. The two NATO allies have argued for months over Turkeys order for the advanced S-400 missile defence batteries, which Washington says are incompatible with the Western alliances defence network and would pose a threat to US F-35 stealth fighter jets which Turkey also plans to buy. We are taking into account NATOs concerns. It is not right to say Turkey is not considering them, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference in Ankara on Friday. 190307043051054 His remarks followed a visit by Turkeys defence minister to Washington and a meeting between US President Donald Trump and President Recep Tayyip Erdogans son-in-law at the White House, where they discussed the S-400 deal, local media reported. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and several prominent US senators have warned Turkey that it would face penalties for buying the S-400s under legislation which calls for sanctions against countries procuring military equipment from Russia. Turkey says as a NATO member it poses no threat to the US and the sanctions should not apply. Resolving the dispute could allow the two governments to turn the corner on years of tense relations. The stakes are higher for Turkey, which is mired in recession after a separate US diplomatic dispute last year sparked a currency crisis that has echoed in recent weeks as ties have again frayed. Two months before the first batch of S-400s could arrive in Turkey, a team of senior Turkish ministers visited Washington this week for talks aimed at easing the crisis, culminating in an unexpected Oval Office meeting with the president. Few details of the White House meeting have emerged, but Turkish media quoted Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, son-in-law of President Tayyip Erdogan, as saying Trump had a positive understanding regarding Turkeys needs for the S-400s. Sanction threat Even minor US sanctions could prompt another sharp sell-off in the Turkish lira that can deepen the recession in the Middle Easts largest economy. After shedding 30 percent of its value last year, the currency is down another 10 percent and markets remain on edge. Buying military equipment from Russia leaves Turkey liable to US retribution under a 2017 law known as the Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, or CAATSA. To waive any CAATSA sanctions imposed by Congress, Trump by law would have to show that the S-400 purchase was not a significant transaction, and that it would not endanger the integrity of NATO or adversely affect US military operations. He would also need to show in a letter to congressional committees that the deal would not lead to a significant negative impact on US-Turkish cooperation and that Turkey is taking, or will take, steps over a specific period to reduce its Russian-made defence equipment and weapons. 190307043051054 Erdogans spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said he had heard Trump pledge in a phone call with the Turkish president two months ago that he would work to find a resolution to the problem. Other officials have also portrayed the US president as sympathetic. The talks were more positive than expected and the Americans expressed a softer tone than they take in public, a second senior Turkish official told Reuters. Trump has not weighed in on Turkey in recent weeks. Even if Turkey did have his support, however, that common ground may prove elusive. Relations between the two countries have been strained over several disputes, including military strategy in the Syrian conflict, Iran sanctions, and Turkeys requests for Washington to extradite a US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara blames for a failed 2016 military coup. Citing judicial sources, Anadolu Agency says the two suspects face charges of political and military espionage. Turkey has arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates and is investigating whether the suspects were linked to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, according to media reports. The state-run Anadolu Agency, citing judicial sources on Friday, described the two men as intelligence operatives working on behalf of the UAE, and said they were referred to a court on charges of political and military espionage. The agency also released apparent surveillance images of the pair in the streets, as well as photographs of the two men taken following their arrest on Monday. 190418041122225 Reuters, citing a senior Turkish official, said one of the two men had arrived in Turkey in October 2018, days after Khashoggi was murdered inside Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul. The other had arrived later to help his colleague with the workload, the unnamed official told the news agency. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed by Saudi operatives, provoking an international outcry. The CIA and some Western countries believe the crown prince, Saudi Arabias de facto ruler, ordered the killing, an allegation Saudi officials deny. We are investigating whether the primary individuals arrival in Turkey was related to the Jamal Khashoggi murder, the Turkish official told Reuters, adding: It is possible that there was an attempt to collect information about Arabs, including political dissidents, living in Turkey. The men admitted they had recruited and paid informants, the official added. Turkish officials also seized an encrypted computer at what the official told Reuters was the spy rings base in Istanbul. The pro-government Sabah newspaper said the pair had contacted a number of people in Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Diyarbakir, adding that one suspect had been in telephone contact with a person connected to the Khashoggi case. A spokesperson for Turkeys interior ministry declined to comment on the arrests. Al Jazeeras Natasha Ghoneim, reporting from Istanbul, said the two men were not citizens of the UAE. Sources tell Al Jazeera the men, who were under surveillance for six months, contacted Turkish analysts and also inquired about Qatars investment in Turkey. Doha and Ankara are close allies, while the UAE is part of a quartet of Arab nations that imposed a blockade on Qatar last year. The UAE is a close ally of Saudi Arabia, which has indicted 11 people over Khashoggis killing and is seeking the death penalty against five of them. After first denying the murder, Riyadh eventually said Khashoggi died in a botched operation to return him to Saudi Arabia. Turkey has been at the forefront of efforts to clear up the Khashoggi case, but has expressed frustration at an alleged lack of cooperation by Saudi officials. Andy Wilks contributed reporting from Ankara in Turkey Jess Roskelley, David Lama and Hansjorg Auer are believed to be dead after an avalanche in Canadas Rocky Mountains. Three renowned professional alpinists are missing and presumed dead after an avalanche in Canadas Rocky Mountains, Parks Canada has said. Climbing media named the men as American Jess Roskelley, 36, and Austrians David Lama, 28, and Hansjorg Auer, 35, saying they were killed after attempting to climb a challenging route on Howse Peak in Banff National Park. Parks Canada described the area as a remote and an exceptionally difficult objective .. [that] required advanced alpine mountaineering skills. Canadian authorities did not release the names of the three men but said they were one American and two Europeans and described them as highly experienced professional mountain athletes. David Lama, Jess Roskelly, and Hansjoerg Auer were among the besteach an incredible mountaineer, partner, & friend who enriched our community immeasurably. They will be deeply missed; may we continue to find inspiration in their ideals & accomplishments. https://t.co/SlA4A88poL American Alpine Club (@americanalpine) April 18, 2019 Roskelley was best-known for climbing Mount Everest at age 20 in 2003, making him the youngest person at the time to have climbed the worlds highest mountain. Lama and Auer were also world-class mountaineers who had climbed some of the toughest routes around the globe. Parks Canada said in a statement the party was attempting the east face of Howse Peak. The three men probably started their ascent on Tuesday, Stephen Holeczi, Parks Canada visitor safety specialist said. They were reported overdue on Wednesday. Parks Canada visitor safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment, the statement said. Holeczi also said there was strong evidence that all three climbers were deceased. There currently is no timeline for when search and recovery efforts can begin, Holeczi said, because of bad weather and the risk of avalanche in the area. Roskelleys father, John Roskelley, was himself a world-renowned climber who had many notable ascents in Nepal and Pakistan, mostly in the 1970s; he had joined his son on the successful Everest expedition in 2003. John Roskelley told The Spokesman-Review the route his son and the other climbers were attempting was first done in 2000. Its just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare. A database tracking violence in Yemen says more than 10,000 people were killed in the last five months alone. More than 70,000 people have been killed in Yemens civil war since January 2016, according to a database tracking violence in the country. The figure, released by the Armed Conflict and Location Event Data Project (ACLED) on Thursday, included 10,000 people who were killed in the past five months alone. Lethal fighting continues across the country and has intensified in key governorates like Taiz and Hajjah, the group said in a statement. But overall fatalities have trended downward this year because of a United Nations-backed peace process, it added. The number of deaths dropped most significantly in Hodeidah, where Yemens internationally recognised government and Houthi rebels declared a ceasefire following negotiations in the Swedish capital, Stockholm, last December. The warring parties also agreed to withdraw troops from the port city, the main entry point for 70 percent of imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen. But the UN Security Council, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed grave concern that the agreements have not been carried out. The troop withdrawal was due to have been completed by January 7, but stalled over a disagreement on who would control the Red Sea port city. The Stockholm deal was a trust-building step aimed at averting a full-scale assault on Hodeidah by the Saudi-led coalition trying to restore the internationally recognised government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, and paving the way for political talks to set up a transitional government. The Security Council called for the implementation without delay of the agreement, while also expressing concern over escalated fighting in Taiz and Hajjah governorates. Andrea Carboni, a researcher at ACLED, told Al Jazeera fighting had intensified in Hajjah, Taiz, and Ad Dali governorates mostly because the Houthis have engaged in the repression of local tribal actors, but also due to a re-escalation of frozen military offensives in many areas. The war in Yemen has been at a stalemate for years, with the Saudi-led coalition and Yemeni forces unable to dislodge the Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels from the capital, Sanaa, and other urban centres. ACLED said it has recorded 3,155 direct attacks that targeted civilians, resulting in more than 7,000 reported civilian deaths. The Saudi-led coalition was responsible for the highest number of civilian deaths more than 4,800 since 2016, the group said. The Houthis, meanwhile, had killed 1,300 civilians in direct attacks, it added. The fighting and ensuing economic collapse have also unleashed the worlds most urgent humanitarian crisis, with 14 million of the impoverished countrys 29 million population on the brink of starvation. The UN said last month that 100 civilians were either killed or wounded every week in Yemen in 2018 , with children accounting for a fifth of all casualties. According to the figures released by the UNs refugee agency, more than 4,800 civilian deaths and injuries were reported over the course of 2018. Children accounted for 410 deaths and 542 injuries. Relying on open source data for its findings, the agency noted that nearly half of all the casualties 48 percent were reported in Hodeidah. The UN figures also showed that a staggering 30 percent of the civilians were either killed and wounded inside their homes, with non-combatants also targeted when travelling on roads, working on farms and at other civilian sites. On March 2, 2017, Vermonts elite Middlebury College made national news when some of its students barred writer Charles Murray from speaking, because of a book (The Bell Curve) hed written 23 years earlier. It was bad for public relations, and in response, the college initiated a new program in its political science department, The Alexander Hamilton Forum intended to engage scholars and thinkers with diverse points of view, including points of view that are uncommon at elite colleges. On April 17, 2019, Middlebury College was compelled to cancel one of The Alexander Hamilton Forums premier events. This time, leftist opposition was directed at Polish author and politician Ryszard Legutko, and focused on his alleged homophobic comments from 2011 (though Legutko had been invited to address intolerance by the Left in liberal democracies, not homosexuality). On the Middlebury protesters Facebook events page, remarks such as this were postedL Ryszard Legutko is a f*cking homophobe (and racist and sexist), the protest is advertised as EXTREMELY NON-DISRUPTIVE. Yet within minutes of the cancellation, those who silenced Legutko disingenuously posted: We are reiterating that it was never our intention to shut this event down, nor prevent the speaker from speaking. In an interview with local media, Jason Duquette-Hoffman, assistant director of the Center for Community Engagement at Middlebury College, agreed. I think [protesters] were very clear that that was not their intent. But Jason Duquette-Hoffman (as Assistant Director for Privilege & Poverty) was a signatory, with some 830 others, to an open letter demanding that Middleburys Political Science Department and Rohatyn Center for Global affairs withdraw support for Legutko. The letter insists that Legutko not be permitted a forum: Students have voiced again and again that bringing speakers such as Legutko is not productive.A cornerstone of any kind of thoughtful citizenship should always be listening, and we urge you all to recall the events of March 2, 2017 where the administration, including President Laurie Patton and the PSCI Department failed to listen to the voices of students. After the college was unswayed by this latent threat to repeat the Murray embarrassment, an addition to this letter ominously warned: More decisive action will follow. The letter states the PSCI department and the RCGA should be sending a strong message that bigotry of any form is unacceptable instead of giving bigots a platform at the expense of student well-being. Yet signatories still say it was never their intent to shut down the event, and as authority they invoke a Middlebury assistant director who had demanded that the speaker be denied a platform. More ironically, the speaker at issue is a professor of philosophy at the storied Jagellonian University in Krakow, whose recent book alleges that left-wing extremism in liberal democracies parallels the stifling of speech under totalitarian communist regimes, and that ...both systems refuse to undertake any critical examination of their ideological prejudices. Under Poland's communist rule, Legutko served as editor of an illegal publication in that country. He was subsequently elected to the Polish senate, where he was deputy speaker, and later served as education minister, then secretary of state. He is currently a member of the European Parliament, on the foreign affairs committee, where he is engaged in Brexit discussions. What did this distinguished international dignitary do to merit such derision in Vermont? Chief among the complaints of students was his 2011 statement: I dont understand why anyone should want to be proud of being a homosexual. Be proud of what you do, not of being a homosexual. Also, he allegedly argued that gay marriage is an unnecessary, destructive experiment. A Catholic from a nation which is 96% Catholic, Professor Legutkos views are not so extreme there, and his 2011 statement could be rephrased, with political correctitude: I dont understand why anyone should want to be proud of being a heterosexual. Be proud of what you do, not of being a heterosexual. But the students were determined. Opposition leader Taite Shomo declared ....I think it would be irresponsible not to protest against such a persons presence.... I intend on exercising my own right to free speech and protest by refusing to allow Legutko to speak here without informing the community of his harmful ideas. Another protest organizer claimed that ...queer identity [ is ] .something that we feel this institution is implicitly undermining by giving Legutko a platform to speak. The Rohatyn Center Student Advisory Board unanimously signed a letter expressing their opposition to the Colleges sponsorship of the lecture. Professor Legutko has some intriguing views unrelated to homosexuality. His Society as a Department Store argues that ...with the triumph of liberalism over communism, these [ Eastern European ] intellectuals feel compelled to digest an ideology that shares many elements with the oppressive system from which they just liberated themselves. In a 2013 essay he asserts that modern secular liberal democracy is disconnected from classical foundations and seeks an imaginary utopia based solely on an ill-defined rights-based ideology, leading to misbegotten ideological enthusiasms incited by the prophets of a better world. President Trump recently signed an executive order protecting free speech on college campuses. Not one of Professor Legutkos alleged statements remotely approaches the limits of hate speech as established in numerous Supreme Court decisions. And yet these students launched a vicious offensive in bad taste, once again employing the my free speech is the denial of yours mantra. On its Statement of Protest Event, organizers pontificate that Middleburys elevation of Legutko to a legitimate academic platform echoes that of Charles Murray in 2017 and once again represents an attack on Middlebury students of marginalized identities. That is, having a speaker about free speech must not be permitted any more than Murray, because his very speaking is an attack. Organizers then lash out at a Middlebury professors appeal to academic freedom: We feel that it is necessary to interrogate the nuances of academic freedom, as the academy has long been a sphere that reproduces and legitimizes oppressive rhetoric, action, and knowledge claims under the guise of freedom. We see the legitimization of Legutkos speech as inseparable from other instances of unethical educational practice. The Statement of Protest assures that We are not protesting his right to say these hateful things. We are protesting Middleburys decision to invite him to our campus, give him a bigger platform. Apparently he can say these things -- that he last said in 2011, and that most any Catholic or Christian, or Muslim or Jew, might say -- just not in public. And he cant say any new things, or unrelated things, or anything at all, at Middlebury, ever. The day before the event, organizer Taite Shomo posted on her Ryszard Legutko is a f*cking homophobe facebook page: Hi everyone! Middlebury College is bringing Ryszard Legutko, far right member of Polish party PiS and raging homophobe and racist, to speak! Go Panthers!!!!!!! If you're as pissed off as I am, join us outside of Kirk Alumni Center to show Midd that we will not stand for blatant homophobia on our campus. Signs, and informational pamphlets about Legutko's homophobia will be provided, but feel free to make your own sign too!! Also, PLEASE don your ~gay~ apparel! We're here, we're queer, we're ready to fricken educate. Then, minutes after cancellation: we are reiterating that it was never our intention to shut this event down, nor prevent the speaker from speaking. Someone needs an education. Image credit: Middlebury College, via Wikipedia // CC BY-SA 3.0 A key difference between conservatives and liberals is the way in which they handle a presidential election loss. When conservatives lose a presidential election, they take a moment to lick their wounds, then use the rest of their time in the wilderness to examine, analyze, and strategize to win the next election. Conversely, as many commentators have noted, and as liberals' behavior since Hillary Clinton's 2016 loss to Donald Trump has demonstrated, when liberals lose under the existing rules, they seek to change the rules, specifically, the Electoral College whereby the individual states choose the president, replacing it with a nationwide "popular vote." It is obvious why liberals, whose political philosophy and preferences are anathema to much of the nation, would want to do this. Eliminating the Electoral College means Democratic presidential candidates never having to say they're sorry to, or consider the opinions and values of, those ignorant, gun-totin', Bible-thumpin' rubes in flyover country. That it would also destroy our federal system, transforming the 50 independent states into satraps of an all-powerful federal government is icing on the cake. But if there is one thing on which liberals and conservatives can agree, it is that, the odds of convincing enough smaller states to cut off their own electoral cojones lies somewhere between zero and zilch. So our ever-inventive (when it comes to disempowering their opponents) friends on the left have conjured up a Plan B, the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) is an agreement among a group of U.S. states and the District of Columbia to award all their electoral votes to whichever presidential candidate wins the overall popular vote in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. At last count, the total number of electoral votes among the states so far agreeing to the NPVIC is 189, with Ohio set to vote, soon. But none of the so-called red states has approved the NPVIC, so it remains to be seen whether, ultimately, NPVIC proponents will garner the required number of states. It also remains to be seen whether the NPVIC is constitutional. NPVIC proponents typically support their argument by paraphrasing a portion of the Constitution in order to assert that the states "determine the time and manner of elections." But their paraphrasing is incomplete. And misleading. Here is the precise language (Article I, Section 4, emphasis added): The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators. So, the "Times, Places and Manner" language to which NPVIC proponents point applies only to senators and representatives. The language for presidential elections appears elsewhere, in Article II, Section 1: Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress As Article II, Section 1, makes clear, when it comes to presidential elections, the states have just one power: the power to decide how to choose their electors. They cannot tell the electors for whom to vote. Can our liberal friends have forgotten, already, their ples in 2016 for "Trump's electors" to eschew their pledges to vote for Donald Trump and vote instead for Hillary Clinton? Bottom line, a state cannot "assign" its electoral votes to anyone, including the "popular vote" winner. So, one way to thwart the "popular vote truthers" would be to make every effort to get "stealth constitutionalist" electors appointed, who will cast their votes for whichever candidate wins their state's popular vote. Risky, but certainly worth a try; surely, there would be some electors, who would think twice before casting their ballot for a candidate whom their state's voters rejected. But may the writer to suggest a quite possibly even better way to defeat the NPVIC? The "popular vote" is a created concept a mere tidbit of trivia for the idly curious, having no place in, and as much relevance to the Constitution and our federal system of government as the number of holes in Blackburn, Lancashire. The states' sole and absolute power, under the Constitution, over how they choose their electors, on the other hand, is very relevant. To wit: each state can use its popular vote to select its electors (but, again, cannot guarantee how their electors will vote). But nothing in the Constitution requires a state to publish the specific vote total. To understand how, and whether, such an idea could work, one need simply look at the real estate broker test this writer took to get licensed in New Jersey. The writer passed his test (fortunately!) But, to this day, does not know his actual score because New Jersey keeps the scores confidential and simply tells the applicant whether he passed or failed. Nothing in the Constitution would prevent New Jersey from doing with its presidential elections what it already does with its real estate broker test: announce the winner of New Jersey's popular presidential vote, but not the actual number. So how about a state law making it unlawful to reveal the precise vote count sooner than 24 hours after the House of Representatives has counted the electoral votes and certified the winner? The popular vote number would still be published for those curious to know it; it will just be published later, when the House has counted the electoral votes, declared a winner, and it is too late to be used for purposes of the NPVIC. For how can a "NPVIC state" "assign" its electoral votes to the "winner of the popular vote" if it does not know what the popular vote is? Obviously, the more the merrier. But just a single state, the bigger, the better (Texas?), sealing its popular vote until the winner is certified could be enough to defeat the NPVIC and perhaps even make it pointless to continue to pursue the NPVIC at all. Perhaps, taking inspiration from the NPVIC itself, two or more states could create their own "sealed popular vote" (SPV) compact that would take effect only if and when the NPVIC takes effect. There is, however, one issue with the SPV concept we must address: the occurrence of a "Florida 2000" situation, where a SPV state's popular vote is close enough to trigger a statewide recount. One obvious solution would be to conduct any recount under seal, supervised by a judge or panel of judges. And finally, to any NPVIC proponent tempted to dismiss the writer's SPV concept out of hand, let the writer point out an apparently unconsidered flaw in the NPVIC. The nationwide Electoral Vote distribution typically changes with every census. Surely, the brilliant minds behind the NPVIC have noticed the exodus of Americans from "blue" states to "red" states, such that after the 2020 census, some electoral votes will "shift" from blue states to red ones. And, of course, at least so far only blue and "purple" states have enacted the NPVIC. So, what happens to the NPVIC if interstate migration causes the "NPVIC member state electoral vote total to drop below the 270 electoral votes required to trigger the NPVIC? Does a collection of states comprising only, say, 260 electoral votes continue to "assign" their electoral votes to the popular vote winner? Does the NPVIC periodically go into and out of effect as the collective EV total falls below or rises to 270? The jumping to which I am referring is to and from conclusions. In a court of law, jumping to a conclusion would be a jury rendering a verdict before the trial even begins. Or, conversely, jumping away from a conclusion would mean exoneration despite the crime being caught on video from 17 different angles along with a notarized confession. Democrats and the media have perfected the art of synchronized jumping, soon to be an Olympic sport, along with transgender weightlifting and shot put. The media and Democrats jump in choreographed precision such that it is hard to distinguish the two groups. For simplicity, let's just call them mediacrats. As El Rushbo likes to say, "it's not the nature of the evidence, but the seriousness of the charge" determining mediacrat reaction. In other words, will the logical conclusion help or hurt mediacrat causes? If their narrative advances one of their core issues, conclusions are swift and definitive. Conversely, if harmful to their agenda, we cannot rush to judgment, and anyone who does so is immediately shut down. Recent events illustrate the jumping mediacrats, making them look like Mexican jumping beans. Sorry for any cultural appropriation. Several days ago, a fire raged through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. A few facts might point one in the direction, although not to a definitive conclusion, but at least an educated guess and avenue of discussion, particularly by journalists who are purportedly trained to ask who, what, where, when, and why. According to an article in ZeroHedge: In France, two churches are desecrated every day on average. According to PI-News, a German news site, 1,063 attacks on Christian churches or symbols (crucifixes, icons, statues) were registered in France in 2018. This represents a 17% increase compared to the previous year (2017), when 878 attacks were registered meaning that such attacks are only going from bad to worse. From the UK Express: A seven-day spree of vandalism has seen Catholic churches targeted across France sparking fears of a fresh wave of anti-Christian sentiment in the country, including one church being defiled with human excrement. Add to that the Notre Dame fire occurring during Easter week, the holiest week on the Christian calendar, and Notre Dame representing arguably the most famous Catholic church in the world behind St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. This is like a jigsaw puzzle for a young child, with only four pieces. It is really not intellectually challenging to fit those four pieces together except for left-leaning journalists, in this case, ironically, Fox News anchors Shepard Smith and Neil Cavuto. As reported by The Daily Beast: While anchoring breaking-news coverage of the fire, Smith interviewed witness Philippe Karsenty, the deputy mayor of Neuilly-sur-Seine and a controversial right-wing media figure. Early in the call, Karsenty suggested that the Notre Dame blaze which is currently being investigated as an accident was a terrorist attack. Shep wouldn't have it. No such speculation on his airwaves, he exclaimed "not on my watch." This is to be distinguished from daily speculation about Trump-Russian collusion, which was a daily occurrence on his show. Shep quickly had had enough, saying, "No, sir, we're not doing that here, not now, not on my watch," and cut off the interview. I wonder: if he were discussing the desecration or burning of a black church in the American South and his guest from the Southern Poverty Law Center raised the possibility of racism, would Shep have cut off the interview? Fat chance. Fellow anchor Neil Cavuto also discovered a topic where he would jump far away from any conclusions. He interviewed Catholic League president Bill Donohue, who "[r]aised the notion that this inferno was tied to other church burnings." "Well, Neil, if it is an accident, it's a monumental tragedy," Donohoe said. "But forgive me for being suspicious." He added: "Just last month, a 17th-century church was set on fire in Paris. We have seen Tabernacles knocked down, crosses have been torn down, statues have been smashed." No jumping to conclusions here on Neil's watch. "We cannot make conjectures about this." Cavuto then hung up the call. The same jumping away from conclusions occurs every time a swarthy young man shouts "Allah akbar" before blowing something up or opening fire on a crowd of people. Law enforcement officials are always "puzzled" as to motive, and mediacrats remind us not to rush to judgment, ignoring what is staring us in the face. Yet it was perfectly reasonable to jump to the conclusion that Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, meeting with several Trump campaign officials under false pretenses, and in coordination with dossier creator Fusion GPS, is prima facie evidence that President Trump is a Russian agent committing treason. I haven't seen this kind of jumping in and out since doing the hokey-pokey. There are many other situations when mediacrats jumped in without a second of thought or hesitation, facts and investigation be damned. Brian Ross of CBS News gleefully announced to George Stephanopoulos that Aurora theater shooter James Holmes was a member of the Colorado Tea Party. Sorry, but that was the wrong James. Ross so badly wanted the shooter to be a Tea Partier. The Obama administration immediately blamed the Benghazi attack on a YouTube video, and mediacrats were happy to jump along with them to that conclusion. "Hands up, don't shoot" and the mean Covington High School kid in a MAGA hat, wearing a privileged smirk, mocking the poor old Indian guy were both conclusions immediately reached without evidence, repeated for days on cable news, castigating anyone who dared to suggest a different interpretation. Finally, virtually all of Washington, D.C., the establishments of both parties, the media, and NeverTrump malcontents all jumped to the same conclusion: that Trump conspired with Russia to steal the election from Hillary Clinton, that he was a Russian agent, doing Putin's bidding, and is hopelessly in over his head as President of the United States. Robert Mueller's report blows up their two years of zealous certainty. Mediacrats have become too obvious, telegraphing the truth while they hop, skip, and jump around reality. The rule of thumb is that when the media immediately have all the answers, they are invariably wrong. And when they vociferously shut down alternate theories, that's where the truth likely lies. Understand their jumping, and current events will all make sense. Brian C Joondeph, M.D., MPS is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Image: Fox News screen shot via YouTube. Richwood, TX (77531) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 80F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 69F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. It was with much trepidation that I planned a recent trip to Chicago. I was informed by many friends that Chicago is a great city and a great place to visit. However, Chicago is in the news for all the wrong reasons, with daily reports of shootings and violence reaching historically high levels. The Chicago you experience as a tourist is very different from the city being reported on on a daily basis in the news. Downtown Chicago was crowded with tourists and provided a visitor every impression of being a prosperous, vibrant, and highly livable city. Visiting the areas around the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, and the neighborhoods located directly north of Downtown, we were impressed by the large numbers of young professional people who have made Chicago their home. For these select young educated elites, Chicago does provide opportunity for a good life in an appealing urban environment. The neighborhoods of choice for these mostly white and Asian-American young people are located on the north side of the city in this most segregated of large cities in our country. On the other hand, for the poor and many middle-class residents, a combination of high state and local taxes and limited job opportunities for people without the adequate skills and education required for the new services-dominated economy has driven a great number of people to leave Chicago and Illinois for states such as Texas that are judged by many as more attractive places to live, offering the prospect of a better life. A society begins its decline when it loses confidence and gives up hope. President Obama's true legacy is that he directed a transformation of America that diminished economic opportunity for large segments our country. Under Obama, many American workers in this country suffered a permanent lowering of their standard of living, leading to a perceived future for them of limited prospects. The Obama Progressive policydriven economic agenda was primarily responsible for this decline. Over his presidential term, Obama was the pessimistic messenger and leader of the decline of American prosperity and economic opportunity and freedom. Like many on the Left, he focused on what he believed were America's shortcomings and implemented policies dependent on the growth of government. He attempted to change the nature of our country by moving us closer to a socialist model and thereby accelerated our economic decline. The motivation behind many of these policies is lack of faith by people on the Left such as Obama in the promise of America and a lack of understanding of what is responsible for America's greatness. Over recent years, the Left has focused on the issue of income inequity. In reality, it was never the most important issue. Limited economic growth under Obama was always the main reason behind America's economic decline. In President Obama's home town, the south and west side neighborhoods of Chicago had long been decimated by the long-term effects of a stream of uninterrupted rule by Democratic mayors. The people left behind in these neighborhoods long ago gave up hope of a better life and have been inevitably forced to rely on public assistance and making money in the underground economy, including an unlawful drug trade dominated by violent gangs. The overwhelming loss of high-paying and often unionized manufacturing jobs previously located in these neighborhoods had devastating and permanently detrimental effects and was the main reason behind their rapid decline. The Democrats focus on addressing the grievances of their coalition of constituent interest groups with the unfortunate effect of further dividing the American people by providing these groups with special privileges and extra attention. It is one thing to gain equal rights under the law; however, Democrats continue to make the mistake of supporting the notion that positive outcomes for people can be enhanced by more government intervention in their lives. In fact, Democratic policies when implemented lead to greater dependence, which often has negative long-term consequences. These days, the residents of the south and west side neighborhoods of Chicago have the same legal rights as any other American and are assisted by multiple government programs, yet their lives remain bleak. What they lack is the opportunity to work at a job that will lead to a better life. Entire significant sections of America's potential work force in certain segments of our society are now permanently disengaged. With the election of Lori Lightfoot as Chicago's new mayor on April 2, the voters chose a candidate from outside the traditional and historically dominant Democratic Chicago political machine. The news media, in their current prevailing practice of focusing in on identity politics, reported her win with national headlines blaring the fact she is a black American lesbian. The most important commentary that was overlooked is that she was elected as an outsider candidate, strongly indicating that voters wanted change in their city. Her win follows an emerging trend of the election of outsiders to offices in many key elections around the world. President Trump is responsible for an impressive list of accomplishments in a relatively short period in office. His number-one contribution is the series of steps he has taken with an effective combination of tax reform, a cut-back in government regulation, trade policy that favors American interests over global interests, and a pro-American energy policy that has led to resurgence in the American economy. It has included growth in jobs across all segments and sectors of the economy and an increase in earnings and productivity to such a dramatic point that we may be running out of qualified workers. President Trump's policies prove that American-style capitalism can work effectively to create an increased level of prosperity across the land. This is his greatest achievement so far. This has allowed the American people to regain confidence in our country and to gain an optimistic outlook for the future and restore the American Dream for so many of our citizens. A just society is one that opens the doors and provides opportunities and more freedom for all people in our country, no matter their background or so-called special challenges, to become self-reliant individuals who participate in realizing the American Dream. This should be the new operative definition of social justice. More freedom in America leads to greater prosperity, and greater prosperity leads to more freedom. It is a virtuous circle made possible once again by President Trump moving quickly to reverse the damage caused by the Obama agenda and the ongoing progressive attempt to radically transform America. The only "green" revolution we require in this country is one that puts more "green" into all of our pockets. Chicago's scourge of violent crime is the number-one issue facing that city. Let's see if Mayor Lori Lightfoot understands that policies focused on job creation and generating economic opportunities for the people living in these neighborhoods as well as all of Chicago's citizens must be her number-one priority. Aided by the vibrant Trump economy, she has a reasonable chance of success. A familiar villain, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, handed the Trump administration a stinging defeat in its bid to punish sanctuary cities in California for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. The panel ruled unanimously that most of the three sanctuary city laws being challenged by the administration can continue to be enforced, rejecting most of the suit brought by the Justice Department. Fox News: The judges declined to block the most contentious law, Senate Bill 54, which prohibits police and sheriff's officials from notifying immigration authorities when immigrant inmates are released from prison. In the opinion, Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. wrote: "We have no doubt that makes the jobs of federal immigration authorities more difficult." However, he added that the law "does not directly conflict with any obligations" placed on state or local governments by federal law "because federal law does not mandate any state action." While Judge Smith and his colleagues declined to rule in the administration's favor, he gives a clear path forward. "Because federal law does not mandate any state action," the obvious solution is to change federal law. Congress can do this. Of course, any congressional action on sanctuary cities will be challenged in court and probably not only by sanctuary cities. Forcing state and local governments to comply with orders from federal immigration authorities would be intrusive. But it's also necessary. If local governments will not cooperate in enforcing the law of the land, the federal government has little choice but to compel their obedience. California officials have said the immigration laws promote trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who has repeatedly sued the Trump administration, mostly over immigration and environmental decisions, said the ruling shows that states' rights "continue to thrive." "We continue to prove in California that the rule of law not only stands for something but that people cannot act outside of it," Becerra said in a statement. I find it amusing that the Left has decided it supports "states' rights" after all at least in this one instance. Usually, they use "states' rights" as a club to justify overbearing federal intervention in many areas of government that Washington has no business being. I don't think the administration will ever get satisfaction on this issue in the federal courts. If Republicans can retake the House in 2020, dealing with sanctuary cities must be a top priority. The continued defiance of local governments who use the excuse illegals wouldn't cooperate with local police in crime fighting has to stop. Illegal aliens rarely cooperate with local police or any state or federal authority anyway. The excuse is just a pretext to allow illegal aliens the ability to flout the rule of law and remain hidden from justice. Donald Trump has the Democrats over an immigration barrel, and Rep. Tim Ryan knows it. Ryan has announced his intention to run for president, and the Ohio congressman is one of the only Democrats in the race who clearly sees that the nation at large wants better border security, but the radical left that has taken over the party wants to be more welcoming of illegal aliens, even going so far as advocating the elimination of ICE. This sets Trump up for nicely for 2020. While Democrats will be trying to outdo one another in promoting open borders policies, Trump will be talking immigration meat and potatoes; securing the border to protect the country. Washington Post: "You can't come to Ohio and the Great Lakes states and assure them about immigration without first and foremost assuring people that you are going to protect their children," Ryan said. "It has to be a lot smarter and more effective than it is now." But so far this year, most of Ryan's rivals have chosen a different path, almost entirely focused on denouncing Trump's policies as un-American, bigoted and inhumane, while offering new policies that are more welcoming to undocumented immigrants than anything offered by President Barack Obama or, in some cases, the party's last nominee, Hillary Clinton. The result is a Democratic primary debate that is far more liberal on immigration than any previous campaign, fueling a new debate over whether the party is giving Trump an unneeded boost in key swing states as it tries to animate its own left-leaning voters. At the heart of the problem is the stark divide between progressive Democratic primary voters and white working-class swing voters when it comes to the security issues around immigration. The numbers help explain Trump's own strategy of fanning fear about immigration, while creating controversy around the issue that tends to enrage Democratic voters. In a typical provocation, Trump said Friday he was considering releasing detained immigrants [sic] in liberal cities, as punishment for Democratic refusal to change immigration laws. A few weeks earlier, he labeled Democrats the party of "open borders, drugs and crime." It says a lot about the Post's mindset that its reporters would consider it fear-mongering for Trump to warn about the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens currently in American prisons. Criminals come across the border illegally. To deny that fact is simply to deny reality. It's a real problem that needs to be addressed by doing a much better job in securing our southern border. Trump is using immigration as a wedge issue, not only to clearly mark the divide in our country over illegal immigration, but his efforts also have the effect of dividing the Democratic Party, further distancing the far left from ordinary Democratic voters. It's a clever strategy, if a cynical one, that promises to pay big dividends in 2020. The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas (1844) is the story of a good man of low birth, Edmond Dantes, who, at the hands of some high-born evil men, is sent to the island prison the Chateau d'If to get him out of the way. He spends thirteen years there before escaping. During those horrific years of torture and deprivation, he is schooled by another prisoner there, an Italian priest with knowledge of history, science, philosophy, languages, and the location of a vast treasure in gold. After he escapes, he recovers the gold and then, as a wealthy man, seeks to extract revenge on those who had him sent away to Hell on Earth. This story comes to mind, given what Trump has endured these past three years when a cabal of noxious people set out to destroy him simply because they loathe the fact that he won the presidency. Who are these people? Hillary Clinton and her minions at Fusion GPS, Perkins-Coie, Comey and McCabe, Strzok and Page, et al. at the FBI, Rod Rosenstein, Sally Yates, and numerous others at the DOJ, John Brennan at the CIA, James Clapper at DIA. Noxious does not adequately describe how venal this bunch of treasonous people in positions of power truly are; they have destroyed the reputations of the agencies they once headed. As Dinesh D'Souza tweeted on Thursday, "[t]he left is powerful, dangerous and vicious. Large elements of it are also evil. But fortunately for us, it is also colossally stupid. We're watching the unraveling of one of its most stupid and evil operations right now." The Mueller report has unequivocally cleared Trump of any collusion with Russia, but Mueller and his team of partisans left obstruction of justice up in the air, no doubt purposefully to keep CNN and MSNBC in business. The Mueller team obviously set out to create a path for the crazies in Congress to continue the witch hunt and make no mistake: it was a witch hunt from the beginning. Trump has escaped the prison of the collusion investigation, but they are still coming after him. So on Thursday, the usual suspects declared themselves victors, claiming that the report vindicated their three years of reporting lies, rumors, leaks, etc. They want A.G. Barr to resign, asserting that he is sacrificing the country to be Trump's personal attorney, which is ridiculous on its face. Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you. Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo Given the storm that Donald Trump has weathered over the past three years, and the strength with which he has suffered the slings and arrows of so many lesser men, one has to admire and respect his strength of character. Trump was likely, obviously, raised by a different sort of father from those of any of the political dynasties that have previously been sustained simply by their lofty names. The typical denizens of the D.C. establishment are an arrogant bunch: privileged, entitled, and self-important. There is little difference between the long-serving among them, left or right. Once they get there, most develop an uncanny thirst for power and the determination to keep it, no matter the cost to one's soul. They are like the prison guards at Chateau d'If. Once you have to spend most of your time fundraising or torturing prisoners, you are finished as a moral person. Does Nancy Pelosi represent the residents of California? Not in the slightest. She has seen to it that her family has become fabulously wealthy thanks to her position in Congress. Pelosi could not care less about her constituents. She cares about one thing, one thing only: the power she has and seeks to retain. She has many like-minded friends who operate exactly as she does: Schumer, Feinstein, Nadler, Schiff, Swalwell, Cummings, Waters, et al. It is a long list of traitors to the people who elected them. Not only are they primarily self-interested, but they are determined to sabotage President Trump despite his remarkable success at rebooting the economy and slashing unemployment for all minority groups. They simply cannot abide an outsider like Trump succeeding so wildly on all fronts except immigration, the one issue with which they are determined to sabotage him. They are sabotaging all of us. They do not care about the rest of us. So convinced are the Democrats that Trump could not have won legitimately that they unleashed their rage to unseat him. Yet he prevails, accomplishing more good for the nation than even Reagan did in his first two years. Tax cuts? No, they scream. But Trump's tax cuts have benefited all Americans, even Bernie Sanders. No to a wall to defend our southern border; that is the dumbest of all their tantrums. It is a crisis, purposefully devised by the Democrats, who hate Trump more than they love America. The crisis is exacerbated by the mysteriously funded far-left globalist groups, the drug cartels, and the human-traffickers with whom the Democrats have aligned themselves. Our Democratic Party no longer has this country's best interests at heart; not even a little bit. The party is now fully socialist thus anti-capitalist and promotes open borders. Bernie Sanders and the rest of the Democrat presidential candidates so far mean to destroy the most vital economy in the world and to further destroy what was the best medical care in the world. They all want to abolish ICE, private insurance, cars, planes, anything fossil-fueled. Sanders and his pal Ocasio-Cortez, the party's brain trust, and their fans seem to have no grasp of the fact that oil and natural gas not only are the most basic elements of our economy, but have brought millions of people out of poverty and improved the quality of life across the planet. And we are not running out of it; the U.S. is now energy-independent. All the forces of the Left have conspired to destroy a president they abhor. They loathe him because so many Americans love him. He has brought change not the depressing transformational change Obama promised and did bring about. Trump has revitalized manufacturing, full employment, and pride in America. That is what infuriates the Left the most: pride in America. Our left, so wealthy and privileged, hates the nation whose Constitution and capitalism have made its members so rich and powerful, so formidable. These people mean to hamstring the rest of us while cementing their personal privilege. They have had nearly fifty years of tenured radicals to indoctrinate university students to their Marxist vision of what the U.S. should be. They have for as long owned the servile media that do their bidding with a vengeance. They must be stopped. Donald Trump, the good guy, like Dumas's Edmond Dantes of The Count of Monte Cristo, has been investigatively shattered on the rocks for almost three years by the thoroughly disingenuous media and a hateful left. Dumas was on to something about humanity, as was Machiavelli: in politics, good people are the exception, not the rule. We have known for over two years that people with unelected power set out to undo the 2016 election by illegal and unconstitutional means. Obama was likely the mastermind of the insidious plot, or at least a partner to it; he had to approve the spying. The collective Left-media syndicate has conspired against Trump since before the election; just in case, these people developed an "insurance policy": that fake and ridiculous dossier paid for by the Clintons. Let us hope the truth will all be revealed, the instigators of this plot to unseat a president exposed and indicted for their crimes. The fictional Edmond Dantes was set up by persons he thought were lifelong friends. They betrayed him for their own selfish purposes, just as so many on the Left and the right have betrayed Trump. Just as Dantes's self-aggrandizing, self-appointed superiors felt duty-bound to destroy a fine and brilliant man of "low birth," the NeverTrumps on both sides of the aisle are no better than Mondego and Villefort amoral scoundrels who, in the book, each do suffer punishments that fit their crimes in the end. Let us hope that as the truth of what those in the Obama administration who colluded with the Hillary Clinton campaign to impede a Trump candidacy and then presidency will suffer the well deserved consequences of their craven, blatantly illegal crime spree. That is what it was: a crime spree. The shocking thing is that they all believed they would get away with it, just as the villains of Dumas's tale assumed they would escape punishment for their crimes. They have done their worst! As Dantes remarks while plotting his revenge, "I'm a count, not a saint." It is Trump's turn now to settle the score. The New York Times has made itself famous for its religious idiocy, but that's almost piddly compared to its malevolence-tinged cultural illiteracy. Tyler O'Neil at Pajamas Media reports this new doozy: The latest attempt to brand Trump a Nazi has two American artists rolling over in their graves. On Thursday, a New York Post reporter tweeted that President Donald Trump played the song "Edelweiss" at the White House. The New York Times's White House correspondent, Maggie Haberman, suggested the song was a Nazi anthem, inspiring rightful backlash on Twitter. She seemed to stick with this false view, even after she was called out on it. "'Edelweiss' was being played as we walked into the [White House]," Nikki Schwab, the Post reporter, tweeted. Flabbergasted, Haberman responded, "Does...anyone at that White House understand the significance of that song?" Haberman repeatedly doubled down on the Nazi suggestion, even when she was being corrected, according to the piece, citing multiple tweets. That is not surprising, given Haberman's boneheaded refusal to correct herself on her libelous Covington kids conclusions, something she's now getting sued for. It shows a whole lot of arrogance rolling around at the Times among its "star" reporters. This incident is worse, because it signaled ill will toward President Trump with no regard for facts. Leftist reporters like this are always looking for ways to call Trump a Nazi, despite any facts. Over at the comparably elitist New Yorker, another journalist errantly claimed that an ICE agent's military servicelinked tattoo was a Nazi thing, something that got her fired and the man an apology. And don't forget that the Left largely got away with smearing White House official Sebastian Gorka as a Nazi for his wearing a Hungarian resistance emblem to honor his father at a White House event, a man who had been a prominent freedom fighter during the anti-communist uprising in 1956. It was a lie from hate-filled ignorant boobs if there ever was one. Nazis, Nazis, everywhere, and Haberman's blooper is just the latest incident. It's not just the cultural illiteracy that stands out, either it's the malevolence. The poor ignorant reporter from the Times' Notre Dame piece, cited here, was just religiously ignorant; he wasn't hateful, and he wrote his story respectfully. Haberman's tweets indicated no such deference, let alone a willingness to be corrected out of interest in the facts and her own credibility, as the Notre Dame reporter had been. Nope, she just went and put her cultural illiteracy about one of the world's most watched movies, the 1965 Academy Award-winner for best picture, The Sound of Music, twisting the anthem against Nazis into a false claim that the song is pro-Nazi, possibly based on her watching of some D-level television that misconstrued the song. And she's not backing down. What a wretched instance of cultural failure. The Emirates A380 aircraft will be operating on the route five times a week. Emirates flight EK 817 will depart Dubai at 1850hrs, arriving in Riyadh at 1935hrs. The return flight EK 818 leaves Riyadh at 2125hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0035hrs the next day. The deployment of the iconic double-decker aircraft will offer business and leisure travellers from Riyadh even more connection opportunities for a seamless all A380 journey to business hubs such as New York, London and Hong Kong as well a leisure centres like Mauritius and Barcelona. Adil Al Ghaith, senior vice president commercial operations Gulf, Middle East & Iran said: With the introduction of a regularly scheduled A380 service to Riyadh, Emirates is once again reaffirming its ongoing commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by catering to growing passenger demand. This A380 service complements the newly introduced Game Changer Boeing 777-300ER on the route, which means that customers travelling to and from Riyadh can enjoy our latest flagship products. The introduction of the A380 to Riyadh also supports Saudi Vision 2030 by helping to grow the Kingdoms aviation sector through stimulating robust traffic growth, increasing connectivity and deepening its global footprint. We would like to thank the Saudi General Authority for Civil Aviation who have been instrumental in making this service possible. The Fondo de Cultura Economica is a huge government-funded publishing house, influential throughout the Spanish-speaking world, and its boss basically is Mexicos minister of literature. And the man whom populist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador chose for the job, famous radical author Paco Ignacio Taibo II, is a full-time provocateur imagine a somewhat younger Noam Chomsky being appointed US Secretary of State, and youll get the drift. The Nation Charlotte Arrowsmith, who joined the Royal Shakespeare Company last year to play Cassandra in Troilus and Cressida, stepped in for a colleague last week and played Vincentia in the RSC production of The Taming of the Shrew. (She normally takes the role of Curtis in the staging.) The Stage Estelle Rubens, who died in January of 2018, was a popular guide at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts for about 15 years, and she had told officials there that shed leave the museum and school a little something. The Philadelphia Inquirer Says Negin Khpelwak, the 22-year-old leader of the Zohra Orchestra, We can bring freedom, peace and honor to Afghanistan. Women cant go back to the dark days they can break our instruments, they can ban the music, but they never take it from our hearts. Bloomberg Bharti Airtel has already fixed April 24 as 'record date' to determine shareholders' eligibility to apply for equity shares. Bharti Airtel said its board of directors in a meeting held on Friday approved rights issue which is scheduled to open on May 3 and close on May 17. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Bharti Airtel's biggest rights issue of Rs 25,000 crore will open on May 3 and close on May 17, the company said in a regulatory filing. Bharti Airtel said its board of directors in a meeting held on Friday approved rights issue which is scheduled to open on May 3 and close on May 17. "Last date for receiving request for split application form (is) May 10, 2019," the filing said. Bharti Airtel has already fixed April 24 as the 'record date' to determine shareholders' eligibility to apply for the equity shares. Airtel has announced rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share, and additional Rs 7,000 crore through a foreign currency perpetual bond issue. The company said the capital infusion will help it continue investments in future roll-outs to build large network capacity and create content and technology partnerships to ensure the strong customer experience. Last month, Airtel received commitment from its single-largest shareholder Singtel, promoters, and GIC Singapore to participate in the Rs 32,000-crore capital raising programme. Singapore telecom major SingTel said it will infuse Rs 3,750 crore in Bharti Airtel by subscribing to the proposed Rs 25,000-crore rights issue of the company, while GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs 5,000 crore in the proposed programme. Mallya is facing trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. New Delhi: Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya on Friday urged Indian media to file an RTI against the State Bank of India (SBI) to ascertain how much money it has spent on the legal fees of the lawyers while recovering money from him in the United Kingdom. Whilst media love sensational headlines, why doesnt anybody ask the PSU State Bank of India under RTI on how much they are spending on legal fees trying to recover money from me in the United Kingdom (UK) when I have offered 100 per cent payback in India, Mallya tweeted. To further substantiate his point, he said: Assets belonging to me in the UK were sold and the costs of sale were almost 50 per cent of value. The remaining assets yet to be sold wont cover legal costs. So whats this all about? To enrich UK Lawyers? He also demanded an answer from the public sector bank on the same lines. Mallya also accused the SBI Lawyers representing SBI in the UK of making presentations on their accomplishments against him at the "cost of Indian taxpayers' money." Mallya is facing trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. On April 8, a United Kingdom court had denied permission to the liquor baron to appeal against his extradition order to India to face trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. While the movie is able to pull off spectacle with stunning effect, especially in the Dussehra sequence, human drama falls short. Zafar (Varun Dhawan), the lohar who makes sharp, deadly swords, arrives with his own song and a dance troupe. Rating: Cast: Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sanjay Dutt Director: Abhishek Varman I love it when Bollywood goes all out to romance and seduce us by creating a lavish, large, fake world, fills it with larger-than-life characters who then scoop us up to partake in their heightened drama that inevitably leads to melodrama. Writer-director Abhishek Varmans Kalank, which has majestic, gorgeous sets sitting against an epic, historic backdrop Angrezon ki gulam India is hurtling towards both, Independence and bloody Partition intends to give us that big Bollywoods engulfing jhappi. But his film doesnt have the honesty of emotion or integrity of storytelling for it to feel either warm or sincere. In his beautifully constructed world that conjures a rich nawabi past with lots of period detail and heavy, long dialogue in Urdu, dwell seven characters we are concerned with the great sacrificing wife and her quiet, principled husband; the golden-hearted tawaif-philosopher and the rich man who wronged her; two mismatched lovers caught in the fault-lines of history, class and fate; and the villain. While Kalanks period setting is quite charming, complete with horse-driven buggies, an LP spinning to yield K.L. Sehgal, and characters swaddled in fine cloth that maketh gorgeous ensembles, in this grand, classic world the films characters and actors often feel small, diminutive. While the movie is able to pull off spectacle with stunning effect, especially in the Dussehra sequence, human drama falls short. And so its often left to cinematographer Binod Pradhan to use the art directors creations and his swooping camera to add some heft and gravitas to scenes. Theres a certain Bollywood mainstream cynicism, and laziness, to this sort of filmmaking where instead of being honest to their characters and stories, writers, directors often use filmy solutions from the template of Big Bollywood. This results in an uneast effect at the end. While you will recall Kalanks red-walled study room, the characters who sat or stood there, and the looming piece of tragic history, the human drama faint, weak will disappear from your memory. Circa 1946, Husnabad, on the outskirts of Lahore, the bahu of the Chaudhary parivar, Satya (Sonakshi Sinha), is at a doctors clinic, asking how much time she has left. Meanwhile, in Rajputana, Roop (Alia Bhatt), a sweet, nubile girl-woman is skipping about in a lenhnga-choli chasing a kite, essentially to exhibit her free spirit and agility. Given her impending departure, Satya has a plan to restore conjugal bliss in her husbands life that involves Roop. But Roop doesnt care for it much. However, on her haan rests the fate of her two younger sisters. So Roop comes up with a sharat, a condition that will seal many fates. Dev Chaudhary (Aditya Roy Kapoor), son of Balraj Chaudhary (Sanjay Dutt), is a decent, vilayat-returned, kurta-clad dude who runs the Delhi Times newspaper and is staunchly anti-batwara. He believes in one mulk, one samaj, not Partition. In Hira Mandi, the badnam galli of kothewaalis where women are beautiful and easy, resides the third one whose destiny will be controlled by Roops decision. Zafar (Varun Dhawan), the lohar who makes sharp, deadly swords, arrives with his own song and a dance troupe. When he is not working or sleeping around, Zafar is being angsty about his parentage and there is an exchange of looks which throws hints at where his anger may be directed at. Zafars pal Ahmed (Kunal Khemu) is a pro-Partition Muslim League activist who is loathe to the idea of Hinduon ki gulami after centuries of Angrezon ki gulami. He rides pillion on the fear of steel factories to recruit men for Jinnahs call for Direct Action while Hindu families talk of moving to Hindu-majority parts of India. A wedding takes place in depressing solemnity though it later yields one of the films cutest scenes. The bridegroom offers the bride an honourable bed & breakfast arrangement, but no pyaar. Roop, bored and irritated, decides that she wants to learn sangeet from Bahar Begum (Madhuri Dixit), Hira Mandis chief mujrewaali, and despite the threat to the Chaudhary parivars izzat, she gets what she wants. Even as sad music is playing around Satya, Hira Mandi is all decked up for Dussehra, its favourite festival. Its here that the film pulls out all the stops to deliver a sequence that is absolutely stunning in its scale and detail, even if quite Balinese in its aesthetics. The choreography of the rising blue Rams, the Garuda, the vanars play alongside Bahar Begun singing in her kotha with its ceiling-to-floor chandeliers, ornate walls who is a spectacle unto herself. And then, as Ravans many heads burn, the star-crossed lovers meet. This scene is the movies centrepiece, deserving a hearty applause. Since Roop is educated, she finds herself a desk in her husbands newspaper office and an assignment that takes her to a bullfight. The CGI marvel, i.e. the bull, not conversant with the golden rules of Bollywood, pushes the hero off a cliff, unaware that desi heroes return from the dead, cliff kya cheez hai. After two cute scenes and a confrontation between two exes, the movie inches towards the climax that is tense and made fabulously heady with the weight of history and the sharp, steely sound of betrayal. It packs in the sadness of eternal separation of a nation, of people, of cities, of a shared culture, food, clothes, history, of generations spent together Kalanks story is narrated by Roop. And if one were to get all technical and logical, one could ask how come she knew details of stuff that happened when she was not around. But that would mean looking at Bollywood, its stories and storytelling from outside, examining it minutely for flaws and silly, illogical things. Thats not the Bollywood promise. Bollywood offers a brief stay in a world where things are as we were told in our bachpan they will be. No matter what may be going wrong in the world outside, here, in the hall, in this story on the screen, things wont change. Here, love will triumph. And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the joy of Bollywood. Those who are able to lose themselves to this, will enjoy Kalank. Others wont. In the world of Kalank, the significance, marquee value of stars can be judged by how they arrive. Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan arrive with their solo song and dance sequences, leading hundreds of dancing extras, but the cameras steady eye always on them. Sad part is that Kalanks songs are bad and barely register. Madhuri Dixit also gets some solo numbers, but in the climatic Tabaah Ho Gaye song the choreography is so terrible and her dancing so shoddy that its painful watching the woman who, once upon a time, danced like a dream. With Kalank, Abhishek Varman (who made 2 States in 2014) probably wanted to pull off a Pakeezah, or at least a significant Muslim social complete with women in shararas and dupatta-covered heads, but his film really is the bastard child of Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Dilwaale Dulhaniya and, of course, Silsila, Kabhi Kabhi Its in love with all things vintage from soft muslin and mulmul to luxury furnishings, from big mohabbat to big drama. In this world, when lovers meet, they are colour coordinated. But the long-winding dialogue in Urdu assigned to most belittle them rather than enlarging them, because while they may be efficient, as actors and personalities in this setting they dwarf. They do not have the majesty of, say, Rehman, Raaj Kumar, Meena Kumari That would require living a good part of life outside Bollywood. Alia Bhatt is very charming and an exceptionally talented actress. She is able to hold many big scenes quite well and carries the film for most part. But man, she cant dance, and must not be made to. What she does when music plays could at best be described as bluff and bluster, not dance steps. Varun Dhawan, as always, tries and is not bad. But in intense, dramatic scenes he pulls that same old muhje-zukam-hai face. Kumar Khemu, who wears all the kajal he could find, is quite deliciously villainous. Sonakshi Sinha is always skulking and dukhi. Of course theres a sadness to her character, but she wears that tragedy like a tightening noose not just around her neck, but the films neck as well. Though she and Aditya Roy Kapoor look like they belong to the Chaudhary parivar, their chemistry is that of badi didi-chota bhai. Somewhere, right at the end, theres a spark, but it dies out too soon. Though Aditya doesnt have many dialogues, he uses his quiet restrain rather effectively. In Kalank, Dixit resides in a kotha thats inspired in parts by Pakeezah. Madhuri still has a compelling presence and brings power to some scenes. But she is now increasingly resembling a Madame Tussauds version of herself, or, perhaps, a certain resident of Antilia in Mumbai. She seems so much into preserving her wrinkle-less face that her expressions, her dance seem so unreal, facile, plastic almost. I never thought I would say this about Madhuri, but I have to say exactly what Bahar Begum says about Roops singing, Namak kam hai. Ill just add, bahut kam, mohtarma, bahut kam. The Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav said, 'it will be a historic day'. It will be the first time that Mulayam will share the stage with Mayawati since 1995 when the infamous guesthouse incident took place in Lucknow. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Mainpuri: After being political rivals for over 24 years, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati shared a stage at a joint rally of the BSP-SP alliance in Mainpuri on Friday. Addressing the rally, Samajwadi Party founder asked voters to help him win by big majority. Forgetting his rivalry with Mayawati, Yadav said that, After a long gap we are together. I welcome her as she came to seek vote for me. Yadav said that he would remain obliged to Mayawati for coming to seek vote for him. Appreciating efforts from SP founder, Mayawati urged people to vote for Mulayam Singh I want to clarify why I came here despite the guest house case. In the interest of movement we have to take tough decision. We have thus decided and now want to say that Mulayam Singh Yadav had united many in his party. Most people here hold him as his leader. He is not a fake backward like Narendra Modi, said Mayawati. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, PM Modi is fake backward and came to power. Thus Dalit and backward are not getting benefit in jobs. It is necessary to differentiate in fake and real backwards. We have to look for real leader for backward. She said that Mainpuri is the old seat of Mulayam Singh Yadav and he has done development. Despite age, he never left Mainpuri and is determined to serve Mainpuri as a real sevak. He is not fake like Modi. Vote for Mulayam and do not forget cycle. Make him win, Mayawati urged voters. Calling the joint rally a historic moment, Akhilesh Yadav thanked BSP supremo for her efforts to seek votes for Mulayam Singh. Nation is passing through sensitive time. Agriculture is the backbone but farmers are being cheated. BJP talks of creating a new nation but we want to have new Prime Minister to make a new nation, said Akhilesh. It was the first time that Mulayam will share the stage with Mayawati since 1995 when the infamous guesthouse incident took place in Lucknow. In 1995, Samajwadi Party workers allegedly attacked a guest house where Mayawati was campaigning with her supporters. The attack led to Mayawatis decision to withdraw from the government and join hands with the BJP. Mulayam Singh is contesting Lok Sabha elections from Mainpuri had stayed away due to health issues from the three joint rallies held earlier in Agra, Badaun and Deoband. The BJP has never won the Mainpuri seat. Mulayam first won the seat in 1996 and then again in 2004, 2009, and 2014 general elections. The SP also bagged the seat in the 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha polls and in the 2004 and 2014 bypolls. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. She was miffed at reinstatement of some party workers in UP who had threatened and misbehaved with her a few days ago. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Congress parties most vocal face, its national spokesperson and media cell convenor, Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the party on Thursday evening, a day after she had gone public with her anguish that the party had reinstated cadres who had misbehaved with a few days ago, sources said. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. There is no confirmation that her resignation has been accepted. It was also learnt that Chaturvedi will join the Shiv Sena. Sanjay Raut,Shiv Sena: Priyanka Chaturvedi will join Shiv Sena today pic.twitter.com/957p0hl35U ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 This is what Chaturvedi had tweeted on Wednesday. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about the posts she held in the party. Photo: ANI | Twitter She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. The party which had suspended those workers reinstated them on April 15. Addressing a press conference with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Chaturvedi said she left the Congress after being upset over reinstatement of party workers who misbehaved with her. "It is not true that I quit the Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket," Chaturvedi said in response to a query. Welcoming her in the party fold, Thackeray said Shiv Sena workers have got a "good sister" in Chaturvedi. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. The DGCA would also be asking the company for a concrete and credible revival plan to restart suspended operations. In a brief statement, Jet Airways lenders said the best way forward for the survival of Jet Airways is to get the binding bids from potential investors. New Delhi: With cash-strapped Jet Airways shutting all its flight operations, aviation regulator DGCA said Thursday it would ask the airline to file a concrete and credible revival plan to restart suspended operations, adding it (DGCA) would endeavour to do its best to help the company revive its operations within the regulatory framework. Top civil aviation ministry officials were huddled in meetings all through Thursday with representatives of both airports and other airlines in the country to coordinate and address any emerging issues on capacity, slots and passenger convenience, after the shutdown of Jet Airways flight operations. In a brief statement, Jet Airways lenders said the best way forward for the survival of Jet Airways is to get the binding bids from potential investors, and the lenders are reasonably hopeful that the bid process (that will conclude by May 10) is likely to be successful... The Indian lenders consortium is led by the State Bank of India. The government had late Wednesday evening said the DGCA and other regulators are monitoring the situation carefully to ensure all the existing rules (on) refunds, cancellations and alternate bookings are followed strictly, and any passenger complaints or issues should be promptly reported to the #AirSewa portal or mobile app. The government also said it is working with airports and airlines to bring in capacity rapidly to ensure that fares remain stable and competitive. A senior DGCA official said Thursday: Consequent to the decision of Jet Airways (India) Ltd to temporarily suspend all flight operations beyond 17 Apr 2019, the DGCA would take action following due procedure under relevant regulations. The DGCA would also be asking the company for a concrete and credible revival plan to restart suspended operations. In a statement, the lenders said: The lenders, after due deliberations, decided the best way forward for the survival of Jet Airways is to get the binding bids from potential investors who have expressed EOI and have been issued bid documents on 16th April. The lenders are reasonably hopeful that the bid process is likely to be successful in determining a fair value of the enterprise in a transparent manner. In a series of late-evening tweets on Wednesday, the civil aviation ministry said: Jet Airways has informed MoCA that it is temporarily ceasing operations. The bank-led resolution process is still underway and expected to end by May 10. During this time, MoCA will support the resolution process within the existing legal and regulatory framework... Our overriding priority remains the safety, convenience and affordability of our aviation system. We are assisting airlines and airports to bring in capacity rapidly to ensure that fares remain stable and competitive. Targeting the Mahagathbandhan, Kumar alleged that the only aim of RJD leaders is to loot people of Bihar. 'Mahagathbandhan is attempting to rise to power by dividing society on the basis of caste and community. Their sole aim is to get power and loot the exchequer,' Kumar said. (Photo: File) Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar triggered controversy on Tuesday when he urged women to not give food to their husbands if they dont vote for the National Democratic Alliance from Jhanjharpur. Addressing women in the audience Nitish Kuamr said, Ask your spouse to exercise his franchise. If he votes for the NDA candidate, feed him well. If he doesnt, keep him hungry for the day. Targeting the Mahagathbandhan, Kumar alleged that the only aim of RJD leaders is to loot people of Bihar. Mahagathbandhan is attempting to rise to power by dividing society on the basis of caste and community. Their sole aim is to get power and loot the exchequer, Kumar said. Jhanjharpur is among the five seats in Bihar to contest in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019. In Jhanjharpur Lok Sabha constituency Janata Dal-United (JD(U)) has fielded Ram Preet Mandal, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has entrusted Gulab Yadav. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Digvijay Singh said the Election Commission has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army and martyrs. New Delhi/Bhopal: Two days after Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakurs name was announced as the BJPs candidate to take on Congress stalwart Digvijay Singh from Bhopal parliamentary seat, the saffron party leadership was left embarassed over her controversial remarks against 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks martyr and ATS chief Hemant Karkare. Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal, Ms Thakur said it was her curse to Karkare for treating her very badly while she was in custody in 2008 Malegaon blast case that got the then Mumbai ATS chief killed. Feeling the heat over her remarks, the BJP quickly disassociated itself from Ms Thakurs comments, which were seen contradictory to the partys nationalism plank. The BJP believes that Karkare died while bravely fighting terrorists. The BJP has always considered him a martyr, the party said in a damage-control exercise. The comment is her personal view, it added. The Opposition demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over her remarks and claimed her remarks came from the script provided by the BJP. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect. The Congress and NCP sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over her remark while her opponent, Mr Digvijay Singh said the Election Commission has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army and martyrs. Hemant Karkare ji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom for the people of Mumbai in a terror attack, said Mr Singh. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the remark was an insult to every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the country while fighting terrorism. Terming Ms Thakur a terrorist, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJPs decision to give her a ticket underscored its pretence of fighting terrorism. Modi ji, only BJP leaders can commit the crime of declaring 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor..This is an insult to every Indian soldier who has sacrificed his life for Mother India while fighting terrorism. Apologise to the country and take action against Pragya, he tweeted. Distancing itself from her remarks, the BJP issued a statement saying:The BJP believes that Karkare died while bravely fighting terrorists. The BJP has always considered him a martyr and said Ms Thakurs comment was her personal view. Terming Ms Thakur a terrorist, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJPs decision to give her a ticket underscored its pretence of fighting terrorism. He alleged that the remarks came from the script provided by the BJP. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil said both the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena should be ashamed of her statement. Mr Patil said while the PM was seeking votes in the name of (Pulwama terror attack) martyrs, his partys candidate is celebrating Karkares death. The BJP and Shiv Sena, particularly Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray should be ashamed of this, he said. Slamming Ms Thakur over her remarks, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted: Is she sane? Sadhvi Pragya has dragged patriotism to a new low by attacking decorated dead IPS officer #HemantKarkare who sacrificed himself to fight terrorism and heres an official @BJP4India candidate insulting his memory! Its an insult to our men in uniform and to every Indian. The Election Commission said action would be taken if the Congress president was unable to give a satisfactory reply. New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Friday sent a notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct over banners put up in his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi earlier this week. The banners, which had a picture of Rahul Gandhi, said: Ab hoga Nyay. The party chief has been asked to reply to the poll panels notice within 24 hours. The election panel said the banners were put up without the permission of the local election officers and the owner of the building. Flying squads of the Election Commission came across seven 10x25 foot banners across Amethi, the EC said in its notice. It further said that when its officers had asked for the relevant papers, the Congress workers could not produce any documents. The Election Commission said action would be taken if the Congress president was unable to give a satisfactory reply. Nyay is a scheme that has been promised by the Congress Party to provide basic minimum income. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Sadhvi Pragya apologises after backlash over remark on 26/11 attacks martyr Sadhvi Pragya had also said that Karkare committed an anti-national act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blast case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. New Delhi/Bhopal: Two days after Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakurs name was announced as the BJPs candidate to take on Congress stalwart Digvijay Singh in Bhopal parliamentary seat, the saffron party leadership was left embarrassed over her controversial remarks against 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks martyr and ATS chief Hemant Karkare. Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal, Ms Thakur said Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her very badly while she was in custody in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. He (Karkare) tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later sutak (ritual observed after the death of a family member) was going to start... Just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended, said Ms Thakur in Bhopal. She had also said that Karkare committed an anti-national act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blast case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. It was treason. It was against religion, she added. After an embarrassed distanced itself from her remarks and the Congress demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ms Thakur, by late Friday evening, apologised. Late Karkare had laid his life while fighting terrorists. He is a martyr. I apologise for making a statement against him. I am withdrawing my statement since I realised that it made enemies of country outside India happy I had made the statement out of emotions while recounting ordeals I had faced in policy custody, she said. Feeling the heat over her remarks, the BJP had quickly disassociated itself from Ms Thakurs comments, which were seen contradictory to the partys nationalism plank. The BJP issued a statement saying, The BJP believes that Karkare died while bravely fighting terrorists. The BJP has always considered him a martyr and said Ms Thakurs comment was her personal view. The Opposition, however, was quick to react and demanded an apology from the Prime Minister and claimed Ms Thakurs remarks came from the script provided by the BJP. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted: Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect. Condemning her remarks, the IPS Association tweeted, Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected. Ms Thakurs opponent, Digvijay Singh, said the Election Commission has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army and martyrs. Hemant Karkare ji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom for the people of Mumbai in a terror attack, said Mr Singh. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the remark was an insult to every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the country while fighting terrorism. Modiji, only BJP leaders can commit the crime of declaring 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor. This is an insult to every Indian soldier who has sacrificed his life for Mother India while fighting terrorism. Apologise to the country and take action against Pragya, he tweeted. Terming Ms Thakur a terrorist, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJPs decision to give her a ticket underscored its pretence of fighting terrorism. He alleged that the remarks came from the script provided by the BJP. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil said both the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena should be ashamed of her statement. Mr Patil said while the PM was seeking votes in the name of (Pulwama terror attack) martyrs, his partys candidate is celebrating Karkares death. The BJP and Shiv Sena, particularly Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray should be ashamed of this, he said. Slamming Ms Thakur over her remarks, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh tweeted: Is she sane? Sadhvi Pragya has dragged patriotism to a new low by attacking decorated dead IPS officer #HemantKarkare who sacrificed himself to fight terrorism and heres an official @BJP4India candidate insulting his memory! Its an insult to our men in uniform and to every Indian. Police sources claimed that he was most probably either strangulated or smothered with a pillow. The crime branch officials visited Rohit Shekhars house in Defence Colony on Friday and questioned his family members and domestic helps. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Three days after the death of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of former Congress stalwart N.D. Tiwari, the autopsy report revealed that his death was unnatural. Police sources claimed that he was most probably either strangulated or smothered with a pillow. The 40-year-old Rohit Tiwari was earlier said to have died owing to cardiac arrest. The district police has transferred the case to the crime branch of the Delhi police, which has registered a case of murder and initiated a probe. The autopsy report, which came on late Thursday night, suggests that the cause of death is unnatural. Following the post mortem at AIIMS, police registered a case of murder on Thursday and transferred it to the crime branch for investigation, a senior police officer said. The autopsy was conducted by a medical board comprising of five senior doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The medical board unanimously concluded that the cause of death in this case is asphyxia as a result of strangulation or smothering. It is a sudden unnatural death, placed in the category of homicide, said Dr Sudhir Gupta, the head of AIIMS forensic department. The crime branch officials visited Rohit Shekhars house in Defence Colony on Friday and questioned his family members and domestic helps. Police sources said that there are seven CCTV cameras of which two dont work in Rohit Shekhars house. Rohit had gone to Uttarakhand to vote on April 12 and returned on the night of April 15. He could be seen on CCTV taking support of the wall while walking in an inebriated state, police sources added. Apart from probing property related issues, the police is also looking for a conspiracy angle to ascertain who wanted to eliminate Rohit Shekhar. An official privy to the investigation said that the fact behind the murder will emerge once the investigation is completed. According to DCP (South district) Vijay Kumar, Rohits mother Ujjwala Tiwari was in Max Hospital for her treatment when she received a phone call from home that he was unwell and bleeding from the nose. An ambulance call was made to the hospital. Ujjwala reached her residence along with the ambulance that brought Rohit to hospital, said the DCP. According to an official statement from Max Healthcare, Max Hospital received an emergency call from the residence of Rohit Shekhar at 4.41 pm. An ambulance brought Tiwari to Max Hospital in Saket, where he was declared brought dead. Filing of nomination for Indore LS seat, which is going to polls on May 12, is going to end on April 22. Bhopal: Delay in declaration of candidate by BJP for the prestigious Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, represented eight times in a row by outgoing LS speaker Sumitra Mahajan, has given rise to speculations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be considered for the seat in the 2019 general elections. Talks doing rounds in BJP circle here indicated that Mr Modi who has been re-nominated for Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh by BJP, may choose Indore as his second seat to contest from, in the upcoming LS polls. Filing of nomination for Indore LS seat, which is going to polls on May 12, is going to end on April 22. Significantly, Ms Mahajan who has already ruled herself out of contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the wake of BJPs decision to deny ticket to party leaders who have crossed 76 years of age, on Friday reached Delhi to discuss the issue with the central leadership of the party. Ms Mahajan is likely to meet Mr Modi in Delhi to discuss the issue. The party leadership has already announced that the candidate for Indore will be finalised with her consent only, a senior BJP leader told this newspaper here on Friday. Ms Mahajan has made a statement saying that It is her responsibility to win Indore for BJP. According to her, she has so far received requests from 17 aspirants for party ticket for Indore and the candidate for the seat would soon be finalised after discussing with Central party leadership. Candidate for Indore can be announced by April 22, the last day for filing of nomination for the state, she said. Ms Mahajan may play key role for retaining the seat for BJP since the constituency comprised around 4 lakh electorates who have migrated from Maharashtra. Ms Mahajan has also her roots in Maharashtra. Sources said Indore may have drawn PMs attention because the city has ranked number one in the Swachh Bharat survey by the Centre for the last three years. When contacted, BJP national vice-president Prabhat Jha said, The speculation has no basis. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. This will be for the first time Indian warships would be visiting China after the Doklam standoff. It comes at a time when India has turned down Chinas invitation to attend the second Belt and Road Forum to be held later this month. New Delhi: Despite apprehensions over Chinas aggression at sea, Indian Navy is sending two ships at International Fleet review to Qingdao to celebrate Chinese Navys 70th anniversary. This will be for the first time Indian warships would be visiting China after the Doklam standoff. It comes at a time when India has turned down Chinas invitation to attend the second Belt and Road Forum to be held later this month. Interestingly, as per unconfirmed reports, Pakistan Navy will not be sending ships to the fleet review as it is fully deployed to protect its ports fearing attack from Indian Navy. China is organising a grand ceremony to celebrate 70th anniversary of founding of the Chinese Navy, which will be attended by 60 countries. Indian Navy ships INS Kolkata and INS Shakti will arrive in Qingdao on Sunday to participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR), Navy Spokesperson Capt D.K. Sharma said. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to witness the IFR on April 23. International Fleet Review (IFR) is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill,strengthen co-operation and showcase their organisational capabilities. IFR also serves as an ideal platform for worlds navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in an international arena. The second IFR conducted by India off Visakhapatnam in February 2016 saw overwhelming participation of 50 navies with nearly 100 warships. INS Kolkata is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions of naval warfare. INS Shakti, a replenishment ship, is one of the largest tankers displacing over 27,000 tonnes and capable of carrying 15,000 tonnes of liquid cargo and over 500 tonnes of solid cargo. Ex MP CM while announcing Sadhvi Pragya as BJPs candidate for Bhopal, described her as someone who was born to keep nation secure. Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur along with Shivraj Singh Chouhan after announcing Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as the BJPs candidate for Bhopal. (Photo: PTI) Bhopal: Malegaon bomb blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has grabbed the spotlight since the BJP pitched her candidature from Bhopal parliamentary constituency against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. With BJP blaming Congress for putting Sadhvi behind bars, the Opposition party has now hit back at the ruling party. Sadhvi Pragya, who is facing trial in the Malegaon bomb blast case, was accused of a terrorism-related crime by the BJP state government in Madhya Pradesh under the chief ministership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Raising the question on her contesting the Lok Sabha Elections, Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi asked, While announcing her candidature, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan forgot that she is accused of the 2008 Malegaon blast and is out on bail. How could she be the protector of the nation? Shivraj should not forget that his own police had arrested her twice for her alleged involvement in Sunil Joshis murder in 2008 and 2011. Shivraj should explain how a terrorist and murder accused can protect and strengthen the nation, he further said, reported PTI. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on Wednesday, while announcing Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as the BJPs candidate for Bhopal, described her as someone who was born to keep the nation secure. Earlier this month, in a campaign speech in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the single largest Opposition party for terming the Hindu terror slur and said that Hindus would never forgive Congress. Many BJP leaders have described Thakur as a victim of a Congress conspiracy to defame Hindus. Sadhvi Pragya, along with eight others, were arrested on October 23, 2008 in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government for the murder of right-wing activist Sunil Joshi. Sunil Joshi, whose name figured in the Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta and Malegaon blast cases, was killed on December 29, 2007, in Dewas. On March 25, 2009, the police closed the case on the order of Dewas SP and all the accused, including Sadhvi Pragya, were released. A Madhya Pradesh court on February 1, 2017, acquitted Pragya Thakur, along with all other accused of all charges in connection with the Joshi murder case. The Madhya Pradesh police on July 9, 2010, reopened the murder case and filed a chargesheet alleging that Sadhvi Pragya and four others had killed Joshi fearing he might expose the entire conspiracy from Samjhauta to Ajmer blasts. On February 26, 2011, police issued an arrest warrant against Pragya Thakur. However, she was already in jail due to her alleged involvement in the Malegaon bomb blast which claimed six lives and left 100 people injured. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Kumaraswamy accused Modi of twisting his comments on the Pulwama terror attack. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned if the BJP became rich by selling tea across the country. (Photo: File) Hubli: Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned if the BJP became rich by selling tea across the country. Hitting out at the BJP over its manifesto while addressing media here, Kumaraswamy said, "BJP has stated in the manifesto that they will run a corruption-free government. What corruption free? Did Modi sell tea around the country and make the party rich? This claim of corruption free government of his is fake. "Around 78 lakhs (rupees) was recovered from one BJP leader in Karwar. Where did this money come from?" he asked. Kumaraswamy further said that he does not need to take lessons from Modi on patriotism. Kumaraswamy's comments come after Modi slammed Congress and JD(S), which are in a coalition in Karnataka, over the February 26 Balakot air strike, accusing the two parties of misleading the people by calling Balakot as Bagalkot". Modi says I am not patriotic. I dont need to learn patriotism from Modi. When Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, there was not a single blast in Kashmir. That is our heritage. So do not brand me, you have no right, Kumaraswamy said. In speech after speech, he (Modi) talks about Balakot strikes. He says Pakistan is quaking. We know that Karnataka does not border with Pakistan. He (Modi) went to Pakistan and god knows what all he promised there, he added. On Thursday, while mentioning the Balakot air strike, Modi had said: "We had attacked terror camps in Pakistan. But some here were crying (for proof). Some people had even said that it was an attack in Bagalkot and not Balakot. Is your vote bank in Bagalkot or Balakot?" Responding to a question on whether BJP leader Jagadish Shettar's reported remark that he wanted to bring Gowda's wife Chennamma into politics, Kumaraswamy termed it as "weird" and something which "pained him". "Jagadish Shettar said something which has pained me. He said Deve Gowda wants to bring his wife into politics. This is weird. She is not political. But she has worked for the poor in her 80 years of life with no political ambition," he said. Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Kumaraswamy accused Modi of twisting his comments on the Pulwama terror attack. Modi said I shed tears for Pakistan. That is untrue. I shed tears when I saw the state of affairs in the house of a martyr (who died in Pulwama attack). He twisted even that. He called me a traitor because he wanted to hurt my sentiments, the Karnataka Chief Minister said. What wrong did I say when I stated that some of the soldiers come from poor families? Not all make it to be Generals and not all are from well off families. Is it so difficult for Modi to understand? he said. Kumaraswamy was referring to the comments he had made in a public gathering in Madduru on April 12, where he came down heavily on Modi for "politicising" the sacrifices made by the armed forces. "Those who safeguard the borders are not children of rich people. They are children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals. However, here is a Prime Minister who politicises their ultimate sacrifice," he had said in the rally. Asserting that he does not do "politics" like Modi, Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of not letting the government function smoothly. Further taking a swipe at Modi, Kumaraswamy said, "I have waived off farmers' loans. As a Prime Minister, you should not speak like that (JD-S and Congress have not done anything for farmers). I do not speak lies like Modi." Calling Modi as an "incapable Prime Minister", Kumaraswamy criticised the BJP government for not creating enough jobs. "The Prime Minister yesterday made many allegations against me by saying ours is a powerless government. But, what about his government? We are not running an incapable government like Modi. You are an incapable Prime Minister who is not capable to create jobs," he said. Kumaraswamy also blamed media for giving more importance to Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an Independent candidate supported by BJP. Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, 14 constituencies went to polls during the second phase of general elections on April 18. The remaining 14 seats will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. 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 etc all. Happy reading. The polling in Himachal Pradesh will take place on May 19. Satti was accused of using derogatory language against Congress president Rahul Gandhi during a rally held in Himachal Pradesh recently. (Image: ANI) New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday barred Himachal Pradesh BJP unit chief Satpal Singh Satti from election campaigning for 48 hours starting from 10 am on Saturday. Satti was accused of using derogatory language against Congress president Rahul Gandhi during a rally held in Himachal Pradesh recently. The Congress party had objected to Satti's statement and had demanded an apology from him and BJP. "Rahul Gandhi is out on bail. His mother is out on bail. His brother-in-law is out on bail, and yet he calls the Prime Minister a 'chor' (thief). Modi ji is not even on bail. There is no case against him. Then who are you to call him (Modi) a chor like any judge? A Punjabi man asked me to convey this to you with a heavy heart, and that inspires me to tell you this. If this country's 'chowkidar' (watchman) is a 'chor', then you are a m********," he had said at an election rally on April 13. The polling in Himachal Pradesh will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will begin on May 23. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. 'He said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him - You will be ruined,' Sadhvi Pragya Thakur said. Sadhvi Pragya said that the late Mumbai ATS chief died because she cursed him (Photo: File) Bhopal: Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and the BJP candidate against Congress's Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal apologised and said she is taking her statement back over her comments boasting about her "curse" on 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare. "I felt that the enemies of the country were being benefited from it, therefore I take back my statement and apologise for it, it was my personal pain," Sadhvi Pragya Thakur told to ANI. The BJP distanced itself from Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's controversial comment that IPS officer Hemant Karkare died in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him, saying it was her personal view which she might have made "due to years of physical and mental torture". Sadhvi Pragya had said that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him. I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," she said. #WATCH Pragya Singh Thakur:Maine kaha tera (Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga.Theek sava mahine mein sutak lagta hai. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha.Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne isko maara, us din uska anth hua (18.4) pic.twitter.com/COqhEW2Bnc ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Also read: Used to hit me with belt day, night: Sadhvi breaks down recalling 'torture' Pragya Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtras Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Thakur has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. On Wednesday, she formally joined the BJP and will contest against Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal parliamentary constituency. Several opposition leaders have slammed the BJP for fielding a terror accused in the Lok Sabha elections. "After spending 10 years in jail due to Congress conspiracy, I have come here to fight the political and religious war," Thakur said after joining the BJP. She is expected to file her nomination from Bhopal on April 23. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. 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, analysis etc all. Happy reading. Bypolls were held in 35 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and 18 Assembly segments in Tamil Nadu. Voting in 95 seats across 11 states and Puducherry UT in the 2nd phase of LS elections were marred by an IED blast by Naxals in Cgarh, police firing in West Bengal on stone pelters and EVM glitches. New Delhi: The fate of candidates in 95 constituencies across the country were sealed as the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended on Thursday, in which a total of 67.84 per cent turnout was recorded. Puducherry and Manipur recorded the highest voting percentage of 80.47 per cent while Jammu and Kashmir saw the lowest turnout of 43.4 per cent. The turnout in Bihar was 62.52 per cent, which is an increase from the 61.93 per cent in 2014 for the corresponding region. Maharashtra saw a voter turnout of 62 per cent as opposed to 2014, when it was 62.64 per cent. The polling percentage in Odisha was 64 per cent in comparison to 73.75 per cent in the 2014 polls. Manipur saw 80.47 per cent turnout, against the 75.16 per cent seen in 2014. Several instances of the malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were reported from across the country, including in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. Violence was reported from several places in West Bengal, where polling was being held in three parliamentary constituencies. The most serious incident was the attack on the car of CPI(M) candidate and sitting MP Mohammed Salim, who is up against the Congress Deepa Das Munshi in Raiganj. Mr Salim claimed that the police did not do anything when his car was attacked in Islampur. His party has accused workers of the states ruling Trinamul Congress of being behind the attack. In Chopra, under Darjeeling constituency, security personnel fired teargas shells and lathicharged agitators, who accused workers of the ruling party in the state of obstructing them from casting their vote. Agitators who were blocking National Highway 31 also hurled crude bombs at local police personnel and those belonging to the Rapid Action Force. Electronic voting machines were also smashed following a clash between supporters of the Trinamul Congress and the BJP in booth number 112 in Chopra. There were reports of an IED blast by the Naxalites in Chhattisgarh. The highest vote of 82.76 per cent was polled in Jalpaiguri constituency of West Bengal. The lowest 14.8 per cent was in J&Ks Srinagar constituency. Some prominent faces in the fray in the second phase were Union ministers Jitendra Singh, Jual Oram, D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Pon Radhakrishnan; former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda; DMKs Dayanidhi Maran, A. Raja and Kanimozhi, Congress leaders M. Verappa Moily and Raj Babbar, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and BJPs Hema Malini. Over 15.80 crore voters cast their votes to decide the fate of 1,600 contestants. Voting was also held in 35 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and in 18 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu, polling is being held in 38 of the 39 Lok Sabha seats. Polling in Vellore Lok Sabha seat was cancelled on Tuesday by the Election Commission after the recovery of huge amount of cash allegedly from an associate of a DMK leader recently. The EC had also announced postponement of polling in Tripura (East) Lok Sabha seat to the third phase on April 23, saying the prevailing law and order situation there was not conducive for the holding of free and fair polls. In the South, besides Tamil Nadu, polling was being held in 14 seats in Karnataka. Ten seats went to the hustings in Maharashtra, eight in Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, two in Jammu and Kashmir and one seat each in Manipur and Puducherry. Of 95 constituencies, the AIADMK holds the maximum of 36 seats, followed by the BJP, with 27 seats. While the Congress had won 12 of these seats in 2014, the Shiv Sena and the BJD had bagged four each, the JD(S) and the RJD two each and the AIUDF, NCP, JD(U), PDP, AINRC, PMK, CPI(M) and Trinamul Congress one seat each. The Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven phases for 543 seats. Two phases are now over and the remaining five phases are on April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes for all seats will be on May 23. ABC/Randy HolmesChris Brown and Nicki Minaj are joining forces this fall for a tour, Variety has learned. While the itinerary for the tour isn't available yet, the publication can confirm that New Jersey's Prudential Center has listed a September 13 date with Brown being top-billed and Minaj being featured. Tickets for this show apparently go on sale as early as next Friday, April 26. The possibility of a joint tour arrives on the heels of the R&B crooner dropping off a new single, featuring the Head Barb, titled "Wobble Up." This record follows previous collaborations such as 2012's "Right by My Side" and 2013's "Love More." In other Minaj-related news, the rapper is reported to have cut ties with her management team. Sources tell Billboard that the Queen lyricist has parted ways with her longtime managers Gee Roberson and Cortez Bryant of the Blueprint Group and Maverick Management. Minaj reportedly has not yet contracted a new management team. While the reasoning behind the decision is unclear, Billboard reports the split was "amicable." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. 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 Thakur on Friday said Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her badly. Mehbooba asked the BJP what the party wanted to convey to the people of the country by fielding a candidate like Thakur. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Srinagar: These are the worst days for the country, said former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday, reacting to remarks on former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. I think these are the worst days for our country that you are giving such a choice of candidates to the people who use such language against a martyr like Hemant Karkare, Mehbooba told reporters here. Thakur on Friday said Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her badly. Karkare, along with two other senior police officers, was killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP on Wednesday had fielded Thakur from the Bhopal parliamentary seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mehbooba asked the BJP what the party wanted to convey to the people of the country by fielding a candidate like Thakur. What do you want to convey to the people by fielding in the elections a lady against whom there is a charge sheet and such grave charges and who was in jail? That whatever the lady stands for, the BJP stands for those things? the PDP president said. She also termed as a huge setback the suspension of the cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan. Yet another case of sexual abuse surfaces at a premier pre-school. The safety of children at schools has once again come under the scanner following the alleged sexual abuse of a three-and-a-half year old girl at an upscale pre-school in Madhapur. According to the complaint filed by the childs mother with Madhapur police on April 10, two women helpers inserted stones in her daughters private parts. While prima facie, there is no evidence of sexual assault, police have confirmed that a case under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered. Both the accused are still being questioned by the police and no arrests have been made so far. This is nothing but lack of care and protection and failure on the part of the school in conducting psychometric analysis of their staff and teachers. They recruited bad staff and seem interested to only make money without offering care and protection. The accused should be arrested immediately and the school should be shut down, asserts Andhra Pradesh Child Rights Protection Committee President, P. Achyuta Rao. While school authorities agree that constant checks and vigilance is the key to ensure the utmost safety of students, parents are horrified that their child could be exposed to such dangers at a place they spend the most time in after their homes. Safety is paramount Security audits are a must, says Skand Bali, Principal of Hyderabad Public School. He says, It is very unfortunate and alarming that society at large and schools in particular are becoming unsafe for children. On what measures should be taken to ensure childrens safety, Bali says, We need to do background checks of all our staff and regular psychometric tests to see their mental health status. All corners of the school premises must have CCTVs and security while office bearers, admin heads and principals should be on regular rounds. Further, he adds, There has to be a redressal mechanism or class teachers and counselors looking out for early or urgent signs of distress. Schools also need to have regular meetings with parents to be able to look at things in a more detailed and holistic manner. Disturbing numbers The National Crime Records Bureau reports that in 2015, 8,800 cases were filed under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences), the law dealing with sexual assault on children. This means that on an average, a case is registered every hour, with children identifying a known person as the abuser in 94.8 per cent of the cases. Preventive measures are a must Children spend around eight hours a day in school or travelling to and from it, so the probability is anyones guess. But B Janardhan Reddy, Secretary for Education, Telangana, suggests, We should have some preventive measures in place to stop the crime beforehand. Further, police verification of staff appointed by the school is a must and the management should be held accountable for any lapses that occur. Keep schools safe and secure Underlining the necessity of having ID proof of all staff, educationist Shagun Ali explains, Schools are supposed to be safe places for children. When parents send their children to school, they obviously want their child in a safe and secure environment. All staff and caretakers appointed by the schools should submit their identity proof to make sure that they are credible people. A copy of the identity card should also be submitted to the area police station. Inputs by Joyeeta Basu Dutch tulip forecast: brilliant, with a chance of tourists. More than a million foreign sightseers are expected to visit this country of 17 million people on Easter weekend. (Photo: Pixabay) Amsterdam: As spring flower fields around the Netherlands burst into bloom, painting the countryside with dazzling swathes of red, white, and blue, a modern day tulip bubble may be forming: tourists. More than a million foreign sightseers are expected to visit this country of 17 million people on Easter weekend, a record, the Dutch Tourism Bureau said on Thursday. Director Jos Vranken said he expects them to spend 300 million euros a boon for the national economy. Many are attracted to the countrys museums and other cultural offerings, but in April, the flower fields and Keukenhof flower show in The Hague top many must see lists. While flower lovers and the photographs they share on social media are free advertising for the countrys tourism, cut flower and bulb industries, it isnt all a bed of roses. That has a downside, Vranken said. Farmers are having increasing damage to their fields from tourists taking photos. Foreign and Dutch tourists alike have learned to use Flower Radar websites to identify where fields are in bloom, especially in the main bulb-growing center known as the Bollenstreek along the coast between Haarlem and Leiden. Do not tiptoe through the tulips Signs and barricades now printed in Chinese and English saying Enjoy the Flowers, Respect Our Pride have gone up at the edge of many fields. They illustrate the concept that taking photos at the edge of a field is okay, but actually walking among the flowers to take pictures ruins them. Meanwhile, farmers in less-promoted areas of the country sense an opportunity. In Creil, northwest of Amsterdam, one enterprising group has set up a Tulip Experience complete with designated selfie area, hundreds of tulip varieties on display, helicopter tours, food and drinks, and bouncy castles for kids. Says she always felt connected to Shiv Sena. Mumbai: Priyanka Chaturvedi, who resigned from the Congress and joined the Shiv Sena on Friday, said she was hurt after her former party reinstated few workers, who had made comments against her. Explaining why she chose Shiv Sena, Ms Chaturvedi said that Mumbai is her karmabhoomi and she always felt connected with the Sena. She said that she would accept any responsibility given to her by the Shiv Sena and was ready to work for the party in any part of the country. Without naming the Congress, she also said that she gave 10 years to the party thinking that she could speak for the cause of women, despite being trolled on social media. Ms Chaturvedi joining the Shiv Sena came as a jolt to Congress as she was, until very recently, seen making the stand of the party known before the media. Speaking with reporters in the presence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Ms Chaturvedi said that she had joined after thorough consideration. I was very let down. I thought if I didnt fight for my self-respect, I would fail as a woman. I have joined the Shiv Sena after a lot of thinking and understanding my responsibility towards the cause of women, she added. She would raise the issues of the country through the Shiv Sena. She said that she had already given her resignation to the Congress party president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. The 39-year-old leader said, I kept speaking in a bindas way despite being abused and trolled constantly. I still used to fight because if I didnt, I could not have made capable women who want to enter politics. I was pained when some party workers made comments on me. After being suspended, they were reinstated. She said she would work towards strengthening the party in Maharashtra as well as across the country. When asked whether she resigned from the Congress as she had been denied a ticket, Ms Chatu-rvedi said she was hopeful of a ticket, for an opportunity to politically represent those who had faith in her. Ms Chaturvedi denied that she resigned from the Congress after being denied a ticket in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. Asked why did she join the Sena and not the BJP, Ms Chaturvedi said that as she hailed from Mumbai, her karmabhoomi, she always felt connected to the Sena. If I have joined the party, it is only with a feeling to serve and not for political posts. I wanted to come back to my roots. When I thought of coming back, I did not find any organisation better than this and no other better platform than this, she said. The 29e propulsion system experienced damage, and while working to recover the satellite a second anomaly occurred. Intelsat said restoration paths on other Intelsat satellites and third-party satellites have been provided for a majority of the disrupted services. Satellite operator Intelsat S.A. said on Thursday one of its satellites made by Boeing Co has failed due to an anomaly related to its propulsion system. The company, which disclosed a service outage on its 29e satellite on April 10, said a failure review board has been convened with Boeing to complete an analysis of the cause of the anomaly. On April 7, the 29e propulsion system experienced damage, and while working to recover the satellite a second anomaly occurred, after which efforts to save the satellite were unsuccessful, the company said. Intelsat said restoration paths on other Intelsat satellites and third-party satellites have been provided for a majority of the disrupted services. Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Caviar, a Russian firm, has designed a superb concept for the foldable iPhone. Apart from the new design, the firm has also envisioned the hardware to sport multiple cameras in the front and back, an in-display fingerprint scanner and also a USB Type-C port. Samsung and Huawei have shown off their folding phone design and are finally releasing it to public. However, while their phones can just open up to a larger tablet mode display with a single folding hinge, this company has managed to conceptualize Apples iPhone Z with a triple folding, dual hinge design. Apple has shown no interest in a folding phone or foldable display handset as yet, but they could be in the works behind the curtain. However, leaks and rumours always make their way out and concept designers are creating new models for the world to imagine. Caviar, a Russian firm, has designed a superb concept for the foldable iPhone and also named it as iPhone Z. the design has two folding mechanisms that helps the three 6.6-inch displays open up to a large 10.4-inch tablet. Not only that, the design also helps a person to use it in a laptop mode with one side of the screen doubling up as the keyboard. Apart from the new design, the firm has also envisioned the hardware to sport multiple cameras in the front and back, an in-display fingerprint scanner and also a USB Type-C port. Caviar has also imagined a price tag of a whopping 2,900 euros. The Russian firm has also said that they are willing to build this phone with the help of other manufacturers on a joint development. Check out the video where the concept shows off the tri-folding iPhone that could put the other two rivals design to shame. Rudolph Smith was charged following an investigation which early lasted two years in Maryland. As the investigation progressed, police found out three more alleged victims who were involved sexually with Smith. (Photo:Twitter) Maryland: A US man reportedly using dating apps to find women for unprotected sex despite knowing he is HIV-positive, has been arrested. Rudolph Smith was charged following an investigation which early lasted two years in Maryland. Back in 2017, local police received a tip-off that Smith was looking for women on various dating websites and apps to have unprotected sex with. News-Post, a local newspaper reported that Smith was well aware of his diagnosis as HIV-positive since 2014. The woman who first alerted police of Smiths shady activity fumed that she tested positive for HIV after she had sex with him. As the investigation progressed, police found out three more alleged victims who were involved sexually with Smith. One woman he met via dating app Bumble, one he met through online marketplace Backpage and the third he met offline. Due to the highly sensitive nature of the case, as well as the difficulty to track down the victims, Smiths arrest was delayed. Lt Kirk Henneberry told News-Post detectives on the investigations and the timeline of Smiths alleged offending. Smith was indicted on four charges of assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment and knowingly transferring HIV to another person. That last charge alone carries a hefty fine of USD 2500 and he can be jailed for upto three years. While it is very rare, the charge has been filed in Frederick County before, the State Attorney told the Frederick News-Post. It only comes up every several years that we see a case like this. This is very rare. Charlie Smith said. But in order to convict him, we and the prosecutors will have to bring in concrete evidence that Smith knew he was HIV-positive when he had sex with the women in question. Any woman who may have had sex with Smith around or after July 2017 is urged to contact police. China on Friday said it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. (Photo:AP) Beijing: China on Friday said it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year, notwithstanding India's reported decision to boycott its 2nd Belt and Road Forum to be held here next week to protest over its sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Addressing a media conference here ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from April 25-27 to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made an impassioned appeal to India to shed its opposition to the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it no way "undermined" basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries and 90 international organisations' close to 5000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries from the neighbourhood who would take part in the BRF meeting being held here from April 25-27. India has already signalled to boycott the BRF like it did in 2017 to highlight its objections over the CPEC. The CPEC which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India has already protested to China over the CPEC violating its sovereignty and boycotted the first BRF held in 2017. Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri told Chinese state-run Global Times last month that "above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". Answering a question whether India's reported decision to boycott the BRF would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan. "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations." After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd such summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. "It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. Indian side wants to put our difference at proper level and it would not for it to interfere in the development of our relations," he said. "I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see," he said. "One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has their concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country and has nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries," he said. The BRI is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," Wang said, apparently suggesting that it would not alter even Pakistan's position on the disputed status of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). China for its part has been maintaining that Kashmir dispute is left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities of development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India," Wang said. HP AMG Prototypes have been spied a couple of times, but we don't hate to wait until the camouflage comes completely off to know what to expect in the design department. That's because renderings for the models are beginning to come out. Aksyonov Nikita is the first to finish both of them as renderings. While there is no way of knowing if this is what the real ones will look like, it at least gives us some idea of what to expect.Starting with the Maybach GLS, this obviously takes inspiration from a couple of sources. The grille is from the S-Class equivalent, which also means it doesn't match the rest of the bumper perfectly. Meanwhile, the fancy wheels were seen on the Maybach Vision concept over a year ago. Of course, the real model won't wear anything as exotic, but there might be some kind of special edition further down the line.Based on a few patent filing, we have a rough idea about the powertrains as well. The Maybach GLS 600 should offer a few ponies more than a GLS 580 and rely on the same 4-liter V8. Our guess is around 500. Remember, this will be the first Maybach assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.Meanwhile, the GLS 680 might be a plug-in hybrid with smooth acceleration and 50 km of emissions-free driving. As for the Mercedes-GLS 63, it too will feature a twin-turbo 4-liter V8, though one with a hefty dose of cayenne pepper. We expect the output to be somewhere in the 600-630 HP range. The initial victim is now a suspect, as he fled the scene right after a witness called 911, the New York Post reports. Police have released surveillance footage of the attack, in a bid to catch the suspect, who was with a woman at the time.The 52-year-old man was allegedly caught breaking into the vehicle around 1:15 a.m. on March 24 near Park Avenue and East 140 Street in Mott Haven, sending the male owner of the car into a fit of rage, the Post reports.Surveillance footage released by cops late Tuesday shows the red-cap wearing man pummeling his victim, the alleged attempted thief, who is seen carrying a flashlight. He continues beating the man tossing him onto the sidewalk and throwing him against the wall of a building, video shows, adds the same media outlet.The woman is also seen on video, talking to a witness and explaining that they had caught the car thief in action and thats why he was at the receiving end of such a brutal beating. That same witness called 911, but the 2 suspects had fled the scene by the time cops arrived.They also left the alleged thief lying on the pavement, with a fractured skull. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in a coma.This is another case showing why its never a good idea to take the law into your own hands . Police recommend calling 911 the moment you notice a crime being committed, regardless if youre the victim or not. Because this man didnt do this, he is now facing jail time for assault on the alleged thief or worse. AMG The Sant'Agata Bolognese machine and the German-built, German-tuned sedan got together during a drag racing event. The Raging Bull came to the velocity party in factory trim (it wields 740 horsepower, is that not enough?), while the E63 S received a moderate package from Brabus, which is famous for itsbadge play - the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 of the super-saloon has been pushed to 700 ponies.Now, you might question the "sleeper" part of the title above. Sure, the E63 S is more aggressive than it used to be straight from the factory, while this example has unfortunately received a fixed wing. Yet none of this can prepare you for the sprinting abilities of the long-roof toy.Returning to the sprinting battle between the mid-engined animal and the super-sedan, a Christmas Tree was present at the event that brought them together. Nevertheless, it was a human who kicked off the hostilities, as you'll get to notice in the piece of footage at the bottom of the page.And while the aficionado handling the starting procedures seems to have done a good job, not both drivers were on top of their reaction time game.As far as the aural side of the battle is concerned, the TT V8 of the German tool is obviously no match for the naturally aspirated V12 of the Lambo. But that doesn't stop the Merc from trying to outscream its Italian rival.P.S.: The drag racing clip is loaded with all sorts of action and, for instance, you'll also get to see a Mercedes-AMG GT63 S Four-Door making a cameo appearance. After all, we're talking about a Neunelfer that almost costs GT2 RS money (the Speedster comes with a price of $275,000 ).Sure, this is a collector car, so it's likely to laugh in the face of depreciation, which means your financial adviser probably won't have anything against the idea of purchasing one. But with the production being limited to just 1,948 units, you'll have a hard time enjoying an allocation if your name isn't on the list.Now, if you happen to be overcome by one of the obstacles mentioned above, there's still something you can do to bring a 911 Speedster into your life.I'm talking about a scale model - a 1:43 scale goodie has just shown up online, as you'll notice in the social media post at the bottom of the page (the first photo comes from famous Porsche aficionado Magnus Walker).While the producer of the model isn't known yet, the price is said to sit at 69 (make that $78), which, for instance, is about half the price you'd pay to have a fire extinguisher installed in your GT3.Of course, you might want to enjoy different details, such as as 1:18 scale model. Oh, and it wouldn't be a surprise if somebody asked for a different spec (the model we have here sports the launch configuration), especially since the splendid Heritage Design Package is out there. Adaptive Cruise Control Riding on a French platform and scheduled for production alongside the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner in Spain, the Proace City will premiere in the flesh on April 30th at the 2019 Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham. Three body styles (panel van, crew cab van, passenger van) and two lengths (4.4 and 4.7 meters) will be available, and maximum volume ranges from 3.3 to 4.3 cubic meters (116.5 to 151.8 cubic feet).The Smart Cargo option unlocks the full potential of the Proace City, which is capable of carrying a couple of Euro pallets. Best-in-class load length and one tonne (2,204 pounds) of maximum payload are other highlights. As far as the suck-squeeze-bang-blow is concerned, customers are treated to Groupe PSA engine options ranging from 74 to 128 horsepower (75 to 130 PS).Transmissions? A five-speed manual comes standard, followed by a six-speed manual. If youre feeling comfy while delivering stuff from Point A to Point B, then the eight-speed automatic is an option you should consider. Safety is another strong point of the Proace City, which features standard Pre-Collision System, Road Sign Assist, Lane Keep Assist, and Cruise Control.Higher trim levels can be outfitted with Blind Spot Monitor, extended Road Sign Assist,, Automatic High Beam, and Sway Warning. Go for the 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment, and youre treated to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well.Tech-savvy buyers can even option a wireless smartphone charger, and for the passenger version of the Proace City, some of the highlights include parking assist and a panoramic roof with electric shade. There will be $1 billion coming from Toyota , Denso and the SoftBank Vision Fund this year, money that are supposed to aid Uber in accelerating the development and commercialization of automated ridesharing services.Toyota, which has already poured $500 million into Uber last summer , will bring and extra $667 million together with Denso, while the rest of the money will come from Soft Vision Fund. Over the next three years, another $300 million in Toyota funding will head for Uber to help cover the cost of production and sales of automated ridesharing vehicles and the associated services.In exchange for the money it receives, Uber will form a new corporate entity, using the existing Uber Advanced Technologies Group (Uber ATG) as a basis. The transaction and the establishment of the new company will be closed in the third quarter of the year.This investment and our strong partnership with the Toyota Group are a testament to the incredible work of our ATG team to date, and the exciting future ahead for this important project, alongside great partners," said in a statement Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber CEO.The development of automated driving technology will transform transportation as we know it, making our streets safer and our cities more livable. Todays announcement, along with our ongoing OEM and supplier relationships, will help maintain Ubers position at the forefront of that transformation.The huge sums of money being invested in this industry is a testament of how serious auto companies and others are about making autonomous cars a reality, especially in the ridesharing segment.Toyota, although working on its own set of technologies, has committed to having a network of Uber-branded self-driving cars on the roads in 2021 for trial purposes, using the Sienna as the vehicle of choice. At the 2019 New York International Auto Show, they launched yet another one, and they're calling it the Corsair. They've been launching new models with a new naming style; yes, they're starting to phase out the three-letter naming style. Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus, all are part of Lincoln's line of crossovers and SUVs. In the tradition set forth by the journey- and adventure-themed names of other Lincoln SUVs, the Corsair gets its name from the latin word cursus. Quite literally, the word means journey. Also, in the same tradition of Lincoln using the platforms of Ford's vehicles (Navigator is to Expedition as Aviator is to Explorer as Nautilus is to Edge), the Corsair is a more luxurious top hat built on the front-wheel drive Ford Escape. In that regard, the Corsair is the successor to the Lincoln MKC. The Lincoln Corsair's design, much like its three bigger brothers, appears to be more about elegance as Lincoln really wanted to create a luxury SUV, albeit in the Escapes compact dimensions. The look very much mimics the look of the other SUVs in the lineup, with the gaping chrome grill, softer contours, and what the company calls as a fast falling roofline. Lincoln says that the Corsair is supposed to be a an expressive representation of Quiet Flight, and that it's targeted at new (and younger) customers. The company's designers crafted an interior befitting the Corsair's status and target market, guided perhaps by their goal to have a cabin that is a sanctuary for the senses. High grade materials such as leather are standard, though Lincoln paid extra attention to keep cabin noise down by using a dual wall dashboard (to keep engine noises at bay) and using active noise cancellation features. The Corsair is a 5 seater, meaning there is no third row, though Lincoln says the rear seat legroom is better than even larger SUVs, citing the Mercedes-Benz GLS and Tesla Model X. The most notable feature about the Corsair is Phone As A Key; as the name says, you use your phone as your wireless key to drive. The Corsair can also be specced with Co-Pilot360 Plus which has autonomous features like adaptive cruise control, lane centering, automated speed limit obedience, among others. Other notable features include SYNC3 infotainment, a 14-speaker Revel sound system, wireless charging, WiFi, among others. Lincoln even got the help of an orchestra to create six chimes that would serve as warning or alert tones in the cabin. The Lincoln Corsair can come with either a 250 horsepower 2.0L or a280 horsepower 2.3L. Both engines are turbocharged straight fours, and both will be mated to an 8-speed automatic driving the front wheels. Lincoln says the Corsair can be ordered with all-wheel drive. It has been a while since Lincoln was present in the Philippine market in any official capacity; and even then, it was just the Lincoln Town Car and the Navigator. With the revamped line-up that includes the new Continental, Navigator, Aviator, Nautilus and Corsair, perhaps Ford Philippines should give their luxury brand a good second look for our market. 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 trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be on the verge of significant change, but this will come neither from Israel's recently concluded elections nor the potential unveiling of the Trump administration's peace plan in coming months. The big picture: More important than what either the Israeli or U.S. governments will do is what will happen to the party about which one hears the least, the Palestinians. Their national movement has been missing in action on all matters concerning the future of Israeli-Palestinian relations. At some point, inevitably, that will change. Where it stands: In the wake of his electoral victory, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin is likely to form a right-wing coalition, but it's too early to know how much influence the most extreme elements of his coalition will enjoy, whether he will abide by his last-minute pledge to annex West Bank settlements, or how long he can survive in the face of his likely indictment. On the U.S. side, the Trump administration could present its peace plan in June, or later, or not at all with or without the political counterpart to the economic plan. Between the lines: Those questions notwithstanding, the direction of Israels policies in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem has long been set: expanding settlement construction and increased entrenchment. The main issue left to be determined is how far and fast that process will go. The basic trajectory of U.S. policy is also set. Assuming it is presented, and even if it some of its elements go beyond what Netanyahu's more right-wing coalition allies can stomach, the Trump administration's plan will fall short of what even the most pragmatic Palestinians can accept. Netanyahu likely will greet it with a "yes, but," some Arab states with a "no, but," and Palestinians with a flat "no." What will remain are U.S. decisions to move its embassy to Jerusalem, cut off assistance to the Palestinians and recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The bottom line. The Palestinian's national movement is at a generational, political and strategic crossroads. Most Palestinians by now have given up on a two-state solution, negotiations, the U.S., and their own leadership. Virtually everything about their future is up for grabs: continue on the current path or demand equal rights in a single state, resolve divisions between Fatah and Hamas or descend into internecine strife, opt for a nonviolent mass protest strategy or resort to violence. Robert Malley is president and CEO of the International Crisis Group. Central American migrants have newfound empowerment to organize and flee their home countries in large groups, with instant communication to guide their long journeys. Why it matters: Those caravans provide the protection of numbers and eliminate many of the dangers and costs associated with hiring smugglers. And they've become a popular and strategically orchestrated method of migration for Central Americans in search of safety or a better life in the U.S. a phenomenon spurred by social media, the AP reports. Between the lines: The "caravans" began primarily as protests a few years ago. Very few members of the original caravans actually made it to the U.S. border. But last fall amid the Trump administration's ongoing immigration crackdown hundreds of Central Americans actually arrived at the U.S. border. Ever since, smaller "caravans" have been setting off from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Social media is the engine: They are often advertised on Facebook and organized through WhatsApp group chats, the AP reports, where migrants make plans, give advice and communicate with loved ones. It's unclear who if ever the same people head up the operation. A look inside a caravan WhatsApp chat, as reported by the AP: "Group, in Mexico can you find someone to take you to the other side?" "What papers do I need for my kids?" "Remember that in Mexico there are a lot of kidnappings. "This dude works with the Zetas, a friend of mine from Olancho told me he knows him and that hes still with them." Sent with a photo of an alleged criminal. "There are no coordinators, thats what people have to say so there arent problems." "Another is leaving April 30, Salvadoran friends." The bottom line: Social media continues to transform our world mobilizing anti-government uprisings, a new brand of celebrity, fake news and even effective, new methods of mass migration. Potheads have for decades celebrated their love of marijuana on April 20. But the counter-culture celebration, once all about getting stoned, now is so mainstream that Corporate America is starting to embrace it, AP reports. What's new: Many businesses inside and outside the multibillion-dollar cannabis industry are using tomorrow, 4/20, to roll out marketing and social media messaging. Lyft is offering a $4.20 credit on a single ride in Colorado and in select cities in the U.S. and Canada. Carl's Jr. is using a Denver restaurant to market a hamburger infused with CBD, a non-intoxicating molecule found in cannabis. Why it matters, from Kit Yarrow, consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University: "[B]rands that associate themselves with cannabis kind of get that contact high ... cooler by association." Where it stands: Marijuana normalization has snowballed since 2012, when Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational use. Eight more states followed, including California, Oregon and Michigan. Medical marijuana is legal in two-thirds of states. Baby boomers, one of the fastest-growing groups of cannabis consumers, and women are growing the industry as they use CBD as a "wellness tool," according to data collected by Eaze, a California cannabis technology company. Go deeper: Marijuana, psychedelics get a second look from Big Pharma 1 big thing: An AI frenzy Amid a torrid geopolitical, commercial and scientific race around artificial intelligence, universities are adding professors, classes and entire new programs, but there is still a massive talent shortage, forcing companies to contemplate creative ways around it. Steve and Kaveh report: The frenzy at American and Canadian universities reflects the changing technology cycle, in which AI is expected to become perhaps the defining factor in economic and geopolitical power in the decades ahead. The big picture: Students are pouring into computer science programs from coast to coast in the U.S. and Canada, university professors tell us. But the AI students among them still number at most in the low thousands in all at the moment, while companies say they are prepared to hire tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of AI experts. Yoshua Bengio, an AI pioneer who teaches at the University of Montreal, said the school has had to cap a deep-learning course at 200 students, and that new faculty positions are being added to accommodate enormous demand. who teaches at the University of Montreal, said the school has had to cap a deep-learning course at 200 students, and that new faculty positions are being added to accommodate enormous demand. The competition for top AI specialists among universities and between universities and industry "is ... fierce in all areas of AI: computer vision, robotics, natural language processing, machine learning," said Ed Lazowska, a professor at the University of Washington. Carnegie Mellon University is among those diving most heavily into AI: In September, CMU will begin teaching what appears to be the first undergraduate AI program in the U.S., with 37 students aiming for a bachelor's degree. After a B.S. in AI, a natural next step would be a graduate degree in something else, such as chemistry or business, said Tom Mitchell, interim dean of CMU's School of Computer Science. "But a lot of them won't get a chance because the market for them is so [hot] now." They will be hired away on graduation, he said. Because of the shortage, salaries straight out of school are in the six figures, in some cases reportedly $300,000 a year and more for top graduates. In addition, as we previously reported, CMU is inaugurating the country's first graduate program in "automated science," creating specialists in the automation of biology. The first class of 13 students arrives at the campus this summer. Whats happening : These are students who would typically be aiming at careers conducting experiments in a lab. But automation is headed toward the bench robots are beginning to take over experiments. : These are students who would typically be aiming at careers conducting experiments in a lab. But automation is headed toward the bench robots are beginning to take over experiments. The automated science degree is meant to allow young biologists to get ahead of that trend and learn how to work with, operate and maintain the robots that will conduct the experiments, said Chris Langmead, a professor who runs the program. degree is meant to allow young biologists to get ahead of that trend and learn how to work with, operate and maintain the robots that will conduct the experiments, said Chris Langmead, a professor who runs the program. They are going to be the automators, rather than the automated. Mitchell said companies are astonished by how few graduates are coming and how long it will take before they get out of school. "The companies don't need someone with a four-year degree. They don't have four years to wait." Among the contemplated solutions: Hire one AI graduate, who can then teach many other company employees. Put their employees through an intensive three-week course that familiarizes them with AI. They would thereby learn "the art, not the science, of applying the algorithm," Mitchell said. At Stanford, one-quarter of a roughly 400-person AI class are employees of various companies. What's next: CMU, AI4ALL and others are developing AI curricula for high schools. More than 5,900 people many of whom are alumni and current students have signed a petition urging Taylor University, an evangelical school in rural Indiana, to rescind its invitation for Vice President Mike Pence to deliver the commencement address next month, reports the Washington Post. "Inviting Vice President Pence to Taylor University and giving him a coveted platform for his political views makes our alumni, faculty, staff and current students complicit in the Trump-Pence Administration's policies, which we believe are not consistent with the Christian ethic of love we hold dear." the petitions author, Alex Hoekstra, who graduated from Taylor in 2007, wrote Details: According to the Post, the university's divided faculty voted 61-49 last week, condemning Pence's invitation. Pence, who has defended or been silent on a number of President Trump's controversial policies, faced similar protests when more than 100 students at Notre Dame, a Catholic university in South Bend, Indiana, walked out during his 2017 commencement speech. In his announcement last week about the school's selection, Taylor University's president, Paul Lowell Haines, called Pence a "good friend to the University ... [and] a Christian brother whose life and values have exemplified what we strive to instill in our graduates." Why it matters: Per the Washington Post: Pence's planned appearance at the religiously affiliated school "has become a lightning rod in the intensifying debate over faith and politics." Go deeper: Buttigieg targets Trump, Pence in warning LGBTQ struggles not over Ukraine appears to be 3 days away from electing a man best known for playing a president on TV as its actual president. Why it matters: One recent poll shows Volodymyr Zelensky leading incumbent President Petro Poroshenko by a whopping 47 points ahead of Sunday's runoff. It's all the more remarkable because Zelensky has hardly campaigned and has few clear policy positions. Poroshenko's unpopularity is tied to his failure to tackle corruption. The president has suggested the inexperienced Zelensky would be a dream come true for Vladimir Putin. What to watch: Zelensky is slated to debate Poroshenko on Friday in front of a crowd of up to 60,000 at Ukraine's national stadium. Claire Kaiser, an expert on Eastern Europe at McLarty Associates, says that if Zelensky wins, he'll have to build a strong national security team and send an early signal he has a handle on foreign policy. Former President Robert Kocharian did not order security forces to shoot and kill opposition protesters in Yerevan in 2008, Samvel Babayan, Nagorno-Karabakhs former top military commander, said on Friday. Babayan questioned the fairness and legality of Kocharians continuing pre-trial detention on charges stemming from a post-election crackdown on the Armenian opposition. He argued that nobody has been charged so far in the deaths of eight protesters and two police servicemen in vicious street clashes that broke out on March 1, 2008. The violence followed the forcible dispersal of nonstop opposition protests against official results of the February 2008 presidential election which gave victory to Serzh Sarkisian, Kocharians longtime ally and preferred successor. Both men are natives and former wartime leaders of Karabakh. We need to know who ordered, who carried out those killings and how it all happened, Babayan told a news conference. Has anything been solved on that score? No. I am sure that the order was not issued by [Kocharian,] insisted Babayan. He said that Kocharian was in the process of handover of power to Sarkisian and therefore could not have tried to cling to power at any cost. The investigating team has officially stated that [Kocharian] has nothing to do with the killings, he went on. If he has nothing to do, why are you prosecuting him? For violating the constitutional, they say. I say, OK, bring the case to court so we can see what its all about. Kocharian, who completed his second and final presidential term in April 2008, was arrested in December on charges of illegally using Armenian army units against supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the main opposition candidate in the disputed presidential ballot. He denies the charges as politically motivated. Babayan, 53, was appointed as the commander of Karabakhs Armenian-backed army shortly after Kocharian became the unrecognized republics leader in 1992. The two men are thought to have maintained a cordial rapport even after Babayan was arrested in 2000 for allegedly masterminding a botched attempt on the life of the next Karabakh president, Arkady Ghukasian. The once powerful general was released from prison in 2004. He challenged Sarkisian after the latter succeeded Kocharian as Armenias president. In March 2017, Babayan was arrested on charges of illegal arms acquisition and money laundering which he strongly denied. A court in Yerevan subsequently sentenced him to six years in prison. Armenias Court of Cassation overturned the guilty verdict in June 2018, releasing Babayan from prison. The decision came more than a month after Sarkisian was overthrown in a popular uprising led by Nikol Pashinian, the current Armenian prime minister. Babayan, who now wants to run in Karabakhs next presidential election due in 2020, on Friday drew parallels between the criminal charges brought against him and Kocharian. When they arrested me, they said I smuggled a rocket or a nuclear bomb from Georgia, he said. It turned out later that I didnt smuggle anything from anywhere. The National Assembly approved on Friday a government bill which the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) said is not far-reaching enough to protect domestic manufacturers of cement against cheap cement imports from neighboring Iran. The parliaments pro-government majority refused to amend the bill amid mounting political tensions with BHK leader and businessman Gagik Tsarukian, whose assets include one of Armenias two cement plants. Earlier this year, the Armenian government moved to impose hefty taxes on imports of much cheaper Iranian cement which more than tripled last year, threatening continued operations of the Armenian plants. An Armenian parliament committee on economic issues watered down the relevant government bill on April 12 to ensure that the tariff does not apply to cement clinker, a nodular material developed before the final stage of cement production and easily turned into the construction material. Tsarukians Multi Group, which includes the Ararat Tsement plant, denounced the amendment, saying that it renders the bill meaningless. It said Ararat Tsement would be able to use cheap Iranian clinker and manufacture cement without the vast majority of its more than 1,000 workers. Hundreds of them received notices of termination later on April 12. The workers responded by going on strike on April 15. They ended the protest after Tsarukian cancelled the planned layoffs two days later. The tycoon cautioned at the same time that the clinker tariff sought by him is vital for the future of the plant located in Ararat, a small town 50 kilometers south of Yerevan. BHK lawmakers echoed those warnings as the parliament debated the bill and ultimately passed it in the first reading on Friday. We would lose our cement production capacities, one of them, Mikael Melkumian, said. Minister for Economic Development Tigran Khachatrian and pro-government deputies insisted, however, that cement imports must not be blocked altogether because healthy competition between domestic and foreign manufactures will only benefit Armenias construction sector. Hayk Gevorgian, a senior lawmaker representing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, also attacked Tsarukian, saying that a company presumably linked to the BHK leader had privatized Ararat Tsement for just $200,000 in 2002. Gevorgian also implicitly accused the company of evading taxes until last years velvet revolution that brought down the countrys former government. Tsarukian angrily denied those claims in a rare speech delivered on the parliament floor. In separate comments to the press, he said that Pashinians bloc will bear responsibility for economic consequences of the bill. Tensions between My Step and the BHK have risen since Tsarukian strongly criticized the governments economic policies early this month. Senior representatives of the two political forces traded fresh accusations in the parliament on Thursday. Pashinian and Tsarukian met to discuss the cement dispute and other contentious issues later on Thursday. Tsarukian afterwards described the meeting as very warm but did not report any concrete agreements. The BHK backed the Pashinian-led velvet revolution as it gained momentum in April 2018. It joined Pashinians first cabinet formed in May. The premier fired his BHK-affiliated ministers in October, accusing Tsarukians party of secretly collaborating with the former ruling Republican Party. The BHK finished a distant second in the December 2018 parliamentary elections which Pashinians bloc won by a landslide. A prominent Armenian government official on Friday laughed off corruption accusations leveled against him but urged supporters not to undermine the government when defending his innocence. It would have made more sense to suspect me of assassinating [U.S. President John] Kennedy than of being involved in corruption, Davit Sanasarian, the suspended head of the State Oversight Service (SOS), said in a Facebook post. The National Security Service (NSS) indicted Sanasarian on Thursday as part of an ongoing investigation into allegedly corrupt practices in government-funded supplies of medical equipment to hospitals. It arrested two senior SOS officials in late February, saying that they attempted to cash in on those supplies. According to the NSS, Sanasarian abused his powers to help his subordinates enrich themselves and a private company linked to them. Sanasarian, whose agency is tasked with combatting financial irregularities in the public sector, was quick to reject the charges as fabricated. Many of his supporters, among them Western-funded civic activists, defended him on social media, turning on the NSS and its influential director, Artur Vanetsian, in particular. Sanasarian urged them to exercise restraint. The former regimes propagandists, supposedly defending me, are trying to satisfy their penchant for weakening the [current] authorities, he wrote. At any rate, in this torrent of various kinds of reports, please stop for a while and remember that state interests are the main thing. Sanasarian, 34, is a former opposition and civic activist who had for years accused Armenias former leaders of corruption. He actively participated in last years velvet revolution, which succeeded in large measure because of widespread popular frustration with graft. Speaking to reporters shortly before being formally charged, Sanasarian said he does not believe that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian ordered the NSS to prosecute him for political reasons. Another Pashinian ally, deputy parliament speaker Lena Nazarian, ruled out on Friday any political motives behind the high-profile criminal case. There is no way anyone can fabricate charges against any official, she told reporters. Nazarian also stressed that no member of Pashinians political team is immune to prosecution. In the fight against corruption, embezzlement and other abuses, we will not be dividing people into our allies and outsiders, she said. Edmon Marukian, the leader of the opposition Bright Armenia Party (LHK), likewise suggested that the surprise charges brought against Sanasarian are unlikely to be politically motivated. It may be [the result of NSS] sloppiness or I dont know what, he said. But I dont think its political persecution. Well see. By Trend Over the past 24 hours, Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 25 times, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said April 19, 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 Kamila Aliyeva Islamic Financial Advisory Services (IFAS) company will complete studies on exploring the possibility of introducing Islamic financing principles in Azerbaijan by the end of this year, a source in Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) told Trend. The Islamic financing project is carried out jointly with the Agency for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Azerbaijan. "IFAS is actively working on this," the source said. "Experts are studying local legislation and in the near future will come up with proposals on how to apply Islamic financing in Azerbaijan." In January 2017, IsDB signed a Technical Assistance Grant Agreement with Azerbaijan for development of legal and regulatory framework for Islamic Finance which marks a key milestone for the development of Islamic Finance sector in the country. The preparation of an action plan began in June. IsDB provided technical assistance in the amount of $200,000 in order to develop the legal framework for Islamic financing. Earlier, in an interview with Azernews, Saleh Jelassi, the Regional Director of the Islamic Development Bank Group Regional Hub Turkey, noted that Azerbaijan has a very thriving private sector whose further engagement with IsDB Groups private sector development arms, ICD and ITFC can lead to a more mutually beneficial cooperation to support investments and income and employment generation. IsDB Groups cooperation with Azerbaijan is growing stronger with each year since the country joined the IsDB on July 4, 1992. Currently, IsDB Group has an overall portfolio of about $1.1 billion in the country comprising $947 million financing by IsDB, $52 million of trade financing by ITFC (International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation which is IsDB Groups international trade financing arm) and $130 million of ICD/UIF financing. ICD (the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector) is IsDB Groups private sector development arm. IsDBs Ordinary Capital Resources (OCR) development portfolio in Azerbaijan consists of 35 operations with approvals of $945 million (excluding cancelled operations) which includes 31 completed operations worth $676 million and 2 active projects (4 operations) worth $266 million. The largest portion of IsDB development operations in Azerbaijan is in the Energy Sector (53 percent), followed by Water & Sanitation (27 percent) and Agriculture (13 percent). IsDB is currently providing support to Azerbaijans National Water Supply and Sanitation Program in Six Regions through a Project worth $200 million. This project aims to provide clean and safe drinking water and sewerage connections to more than 320,000 inhabitants (including refugees and internally displaced people) in the six regions by constructing new water and wastewater treatment plants and installation of new water distribution networks and sewerage collection systems. IsDB is also implementing an Integrated Rural Development Project with an approved amount of $66 million to support reduction in rural poverty in Agdash, Yevlakh, Sheki and Oghuz regions through increased food security and enhanced income earning opportunities for small farmers. The Project is assisting the farmers in achieving better productivity and profitability as well as environmental sustainability from both irrigated and rainfed crop production and livestock. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Today there is a great demand for Azerbaijani wines in foreign markets since they have always distinguished by quality and taste. Ismayilli Sharab, an Azerbaijani manufacturer of alcoholic beverages, located in the Ismayilli region of the country, plans to increase the volume of wine exports to the Russian market, a source in the company told Trend. The company also plans to increase the manufacture of wine products until the end of this year, according to the source. "The companys wine products are in great demand in the Russian market, therefore, as part of our opportunities, we plan to increase exports," said the source. Ismayilli Sharab has equipment of Italian and French production. Winery occupies one of the most important places in the food industry of Azerbaijan. The country is famous for its high quality grape varieties. The five major wine-growing regions of Azerbaijan are Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Ganja and Tovuz. Local grape varieties include White Shani, Derbendi, Nail, Bayanshire, Gamashara, Ganja Pink, Bendi, Madrasa, Black Shani, Zeynabi, Misgali, Khindogni, Agdam Kechiamjayi, Tebrizi, and Marandi. The share of Azerbaijan in the wine production in the former Soviet Union was always high. Nevertheless, the Alcoholism and Anti-Drinking Initiative of the former Soviet Union in 1985 caused the destruction of the vineyards of more than 130,000 hectares in Azerbaijan. One of the first steps towards the restoration of vineyards and winemaking in the country was the Law on Winemaking adopted in 2001. To ensure sustainable development of winemaking in the country, increase the interest in wine production and exports, the State Program on the development of wine growing in 2018-2025 was approved in May 2018, which will facilitate the development of wine tourism and increase loans allocated to the wine industry in Azerbaijan. The State Program envisages that the export of wine from Azerbaijan should increase fivefold by 2025. Azerbaijan plans to develop the first wine tourist route in the history of the country by mid-2019. A new highly specialized tourist route will pass through the wineries of the Absheron, Ismayilli, Shirvan, Gabala, Sheki and Goygol regions. Tourism experts intend to pave the route in such a way that within a few days foreigners would be taken from one region to another, giving them the opportunity to visit wineries where the legendary Azerbaijani alcoholic beverages are produced. In addition, tourists will get the opportunity to personally taste wine drinks. Azerbaijan also intends to connect it with the famous Georgian wine route, paving the way for tourists from Sheki to Kakheti, a Georgian region. Currently, about 40 winemaking enterprises operate in Azerbaijan producing natural wine, sparkling wine, liqueur, brandy, vodka, ethyl alcohol, cognac, etc. Most of producers target Russian and European markets as well as new markets for Azerbaijani wine, such as China. In addition, Azerbaijani wine houses operate in foreign countries to promote national brands and their export. The first wine house of Azerbaijan was opened in China in 2018. Recently, local wine products have been featured at Prowein 2019 international exhibition in Germany, the world's leading trade fair for wine and spirits. 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. --- Leman Mammadova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @leman_888 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Successful organization of export mission to overseas brings positive outcomes to the country's non-oil export potential and promotion. Azerbaijani producers have reached agreements to export some local products to Qatar. Recent visit of the Azerbaijani export mission to Qatar, which was organized on 12-16 April to promote non-oil products in foreign markets under the brand Made in Azerbaijan, has ended. As many as 25 companies operating in such areas as food and textile industry, production of construction materials, as well as travel have been involved in the mission, organized by the Economy Ministry and Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO). Azerbaijani companies involved in the export mission held negotiations with Qatari partners to increase sales of products, and agreements were reached. In particular, Azerbaijan's IDEA reached an agreement with Qatars Seven Continents Enterprises, Zebrano Wood Works, and Redco Construction Alamana on export of its products. Moreover, Azerbaijan's FARKO, Delta Group CO, APIAZ, Brightman BMC and Azertexnolayn reached an initial agreement on the export of their products to Qatar. The tourism companies of the two countries also held discussions on the expansion of cooperation. There are more opportunities to expand trade ties between Azerbaijan and Qatar although the trade turnover between the two countries is not big unlike the high level of political cooperation. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Qatar reached $3.6 million in 2018, according to the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee. Almost the entire amount of trade turnover accounted for the export of Azerbaijani products to Qatar. Currently, Azerbaijan is mainly exporting food and agricultural products to the country. Recently, Azerbaijan's poultry factory Hajigabul Gushchulug has started exporting eggs to Qatar 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. Therefore, 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. Launched in 2016, the Made in Azerbaijan brand envisages a large-scale promotion of local non-oil products in foreign markets. 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 Trend Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan (SCC), Customs Service Lieutenant-General Safar Mehdiyev met with the Iranian delegation headed by the Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani, Trend reports referring to the committee. Mehdiyev noted that, Azerbaijani-Iranian relations have been developing and turning into a fruitful business cooperation in recent years. The economic relations, according to him, have also become strengthened, and the trade turnover is growing. It was noted that the location of both countries on strategic international trade routes further strengthened the ties of cooperation. Speaking about the reforms carried out in recent years in the customs sphere of Azerbaijan, Mehdiyev stressed that, along with the applied innovations having contributed to the development of the country's export potential, having simplified customs procedures and ensured transparency, they also created favorable conditions for simplifying and accelerating international trade. In turn, the Iranian minister said that his country is always interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan, and expressed satisfaction with the mutual cooperation in all areas, including customs. Emphasis was made on the further intensification of joint activities. Speaking about the successes of the Azerbaijani customs, Reza Rahmani assessed the recent reforms as successful steps aimed at improving the business environment and facilitating trade. Then the delegations of the customs services of Azerbaijan and Iran exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh was also present at the meeting. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova Presentation of the documentary "Shahdagh. The Shah of Mountains" of IDEA Public Association was held at the Baku Convention Center. The film was produced in the framework of a special project comprised of documentaries about national parks. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of IDEA Public Association Leyla Aliyeva attended the event. Before the presentation of the film, the attendees viewed an exhibition containing photos taken by Igor Byshnyov, the documentary director, during the film shooting. Then, shots from a new film about the newly created Gizilaghaj National Park - of which shooting is still going on - were shown. Speaking at the event, Igor Byshnyov thanked the initiator of the "Shahdagh. The Shah of Mountains" project Leyla Aliyeva, sharing his impressions of the shooting process, which has continued for six years. Igor Byshnyov stressed the advantageous potential for the advancement of tourism in Azerbaijan. The film talks about the purpose of creating the Shahdagh National Park - the biggest national park in the South Caucasus, the fauna types inhabiting this area, 108 out of which have been included in the Red Book of Azerbaijan, other endemic and endangered species and trans-border migrating animals, various flora types characteristic for the area, the landscape of Shahdagh thrilling by its grandeur, and the mountain forests existing on the territory that are of global significance. Within the framework of the project by IDEA, the documentary "The Shirvan National Park" was presented to the public in 2014, while documentaries "Bird Paradise the Aghgol National Park" and "The Goygol National Park" were shown in 2015, "Azerbaijan. Rescuing Gazelles" - in 2017, and the documentary "Absheron National Park" - in the past year. Production of documentaries about all national parks of the country is also expected. At the initiative of IDEA Public Association, the documentary "Shahdagh. The Shah of Mountains" will be screened at higher schools of the country, as well as at Resource centres of IDEA in Baku and Ganja cities. In addition, demonstration of the documentary is expected to take place in other countries as part of various international events. The primary objective of IDEAs production of documentaries about national parks is popularizing Azerbaijans mysterious natural beauties both within the country and abroad, and bringing to attention the importance of protecting the environment. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Both Baku and Yerevan are interested in the last agreements on Karabakh not remaining on paper, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a statement after a meeting with his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts in Moscow. FMs Elmar Mammadyarov and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan met with the subsequent involvement of the three OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and a representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office. Lavrov reminded that following the meeting, FM Mammadyarov in one of his interviews mentioned that the 2016 proposals were discussed. He said that's why he has nothing to add here. "As for the substance of these proposals, they are in line with the approaches that are enshrined in numerous statements by the heads of the co-chairing countries - Russia, France and the United States," stressed Lavrov. With regard to humanitarian measures, Russian Foreign Minister noted that they are clearly stated in a joint statement, which was published at the end of this meeting. He told that they imply a need for the parties and an agreement for the parties to make additional efforts to stabilize the situation, especially for the period of agricultural work. Lavrov noted that they are concluded in an arrangement to facilitate visits by relatives to visit their relatives and friends, who are held in places of detention and consist in approving contacts between people, including especially between media representatives. Russian FM considers that this is a very useful arrangement. Lavrov announced that he has a reason to follow up on these contacts, which took place in Moscow, as Baku and Yerevan are interested in ensuring that these agreements do not remain on paper this time. He added that Russia will help this. Earlier, foreign ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia - Sergey Lavrov, Elmar Mammadyarov and Zohrab Mnatsakanyan held a working meeting in Moscow on the initiative of the Russian side. They were joined by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (Igor Popov from Russia, Andrew Schofer from the U.S., and Stephane Visconti from France), as well as personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. Russia has a high degree of personal interest in resolving the conflict. Mediation for Russia continues to be one of the most important mechanisms of Russia's foreign policy activities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The political leadership of Russia openly demonstrates the importance of ending the conflict in such a way that there will be no possibility of its escalation. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Armenian falsification is the wing of Nazism, and Nazism won in Armenia, said Fuad Akhundov, head of the public and political affairs department of the Presidential Administration, Trend reports. He was speaking at a conference Ancient texts and classical sources expose the falsifications and speculations of Armenians dedicated to April 23, the World Book and Copyright Day. He said that Adolf Hitlers plans were implemented by Armenia. Hitler wanted to create a mono-ethnic state, but failed, however the Armenians succeeded, Akhundov noted. Hitler wanted to change the names of cities, but he couldnt, however the Armenians changed the names of Azerbaijani cities. If fascism was defeated in Germany and Italy, then in Armenia, Nazism gained victory over the entire humanity, and this should be spoken openly. Akhundov reminded that ex-president of Armenia Robert Kocharyan said that Armenians and Azerbaijanis cannot coexist. As a president, he said this in Strasbourg, and the moderator of the meeting was surprised, saying that such thing is heard for the first time, and how can a president speak like this, Akhundov said. Then his wife during the opening of the Blood Center said that it was necessary to make sure that only Armenian blood was kept there, Akhundov noted. These words came from the first lady of Armenia. Another ex-president, Serzh Sargsyan, said that Azerbaijanis thought that the Armenians wont be able to do it, but we killed civilians in Khojaly, we did it. They themselves admitted it. Thus, it becomes clear that Armenia is a Nazi state. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Upon the instructions of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev, activities on improving the control system and bringing it up to the level of high technical standards are being carried out as part of the modernization of Azerbaijan's Air Force, Trend reports referring the Ministry of Defense of the country. On April 18, the Minister of Defense, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and the leadership of the Ministry visited the Aviation Repair Plant. The Minister of Defense was informed about the current activities carried out at the production facilities for the repair of assemblies, engines and gear cases of aircraft and helicopters, aviation and radio-electronic equipment, and aircraft weapon. The minister inquired about the preparation of aviation assets, the current repair work of assemblies and the scheduled operations. Then the Defense Minister took part in the opening of Training Centre of the Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets. Colonel General Zakir Hasanov visited the premises of aviation engineers, aircraft weapon, flight control, flight analysis, watched the preparatory training of military pilots and gave relevant instructions. He was also informed that that the simulators installed at the premises allow providing a flight of two or four aircrafts simultaneously. The high-altitude work accessories and equipment provided for flight personnel were also demonstrated. After getting acquainted with the conditions created in the Centre, the Defense Minister held a meeting with military pilots and assigned specific tasks for them. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Azerbaijan and Georgia maintain high-level relations in all spheres, especially in the energy field. Both countries have taken initiatives for global projects in the region. Presently, SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) is the major supplier of natural gas, oil and oil products to Georgia. In January-March 2019, Georgia imported more than 39,397 tons of oil and oil products worth $21.34 million from Azerbaijan, Report informed citing the National Statistics Office of Georgia. The total amount of oil and oil products exported by Azerbaijan to the neighboring country rose by 7,688 tons or 24.2 percent year-on-year. In money, the growth amounted to $3.11 million or 17.04 percent. It is noteworthy that in the first quarter of 2018, Georgia imported more than 31,709 tons of oil and oil products worth $18.23 million from Azerbaijan. As for gas supplies, Georgia imported 718,171 cubic meters of natural gas worth $123.4 million from Azerbaijan in January-March 2019. Gas supplies from Azerbaijan to Georgia increased by 78,414 cubic meters or 12.2 percent year-on-year and by $10.78 million or 9.5 percent in money. It is noteworthy that Georgia is a key transit country for Azerbaijan, through which Azerbaijans main pipelines are laid for the supply of oil and gas to the West. For instance, the Baku-Supsa and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipelines pass through the neighboring country. Also, gas from the Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is transported to Turkey through Georgia. The total trade turnover between Georgia and Azerbaijan amounted to $1.1 billion in 2018. The share of Azerbaijan in the total trade turnover of the neighbouring country made 8.7 percent last year. Georgian exports to Azerbaijan amounted to $502.7 million, while Azerbaijan exported goods worth $586 million to Georgia. Georgian exports to Azerbaijan mainly include cement, locomotives and other railway vehicles, mineral and chemical fertilizers, mineral waters, strong drinks, glass and glassware, pharmaceuticals, etc. Azerbaijan mainly exports oil and oil products, natural gas, electricity, plastic, cement, anhydrite and gypsum binders to Georgia. It is noteworthy that Azerbaijan was named the number one investor in Georgia in 2018. Last year, Azerbaijan invested $240 million in Georgia's economy. Azerbaijan's share in direct investments in the economy of the neighboring country was 19.5 percent. Although it is 1.9 times less than in 2017, Azerbaijan maintained its leadership. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov French aircraft manufacturer Airbus signed a letter of intent on April 17 to supply 34 helicopters to Uzbekistan, Jean-Baptiste Lemoine, Secretary of State to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, told journalists at a briefing during his visit to Tashkent. This project has already been implemented for several years, and we are discussing its continuation. Those are helicopters that will help strengthen the sovereignty of Uzbekistan and also allow equipping services with transport, for example, for medical evacuation, Lemoine said. The price of the helicopters has not yet been announced, but Lemoine noted that the Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov, with whom he met on April 17, expressed satisfaction with the discount. Lemoine noted that a project will be implemented with the support of France at the Charvak hydroelectric station in the Tashkent region to develop an integrated hydropower plant management strategy. The total project cost is estimated at 60 million euros. Airbus is an international reference in the aerospace sector. The company designs, manufactures and delivers industry-leading commercial aircraft, helicopters, military transports, satellites and launch vehicles, as well as provides data services, navigation, secure communications, urban mobility and other solutions for customers on a global scale. Airbus strives to provide the most efficient helicopter solutions to its customers who serve, protect, save lives and safely carry passengers in demanding environments. Its helicopters are in service across more than 150 countries worldwide, performing nearly every type of vertical flight tasks. The companys product line offers the full spectrum of rotary-wing aircraft solutions for civil, government, military, law enforcement and parapublic uses. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday, Trend reports citing Turkish media. According to the report, the heads of the foreign affairs agencies discussed the situation in Libya. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Paris, TX (75460) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. High 74F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely. Storms may contain strong gusty winds. Low 49F. S winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. By Trend The Republic of Korea will help Turkmenistan with the commercialization of 5G mobile communications, Trend reports referring to a joint statement by the presidents of the two countries. South Korean President Moon Jae-is who is on a state visit in Turkmenistan on April 16-18, held talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The parties expressed their wish that, with the Republic of Korea sharing the worlds first experience in commercialization of 5G mobile communications, the parties may successfully respond to the challenges arising from the fourth industrial revolution use of the opportunity for inclusive innovation growth in the long run, the document says. It was remarked that science, technology and information and communication technologies are the key driving force for economic and social progress, and for the development of innovations in both countries. The parties also highlighted the need for a joint response to the new technologies' on people, industry and society. As was reported earlier, Turkmenistan's national mobile operator Altyn Asyr (TM CELL) purchased 100 base stations with its own funds for deploying mobile communications in the territory of Ahal, Balkan and Dashoguz regions of Turkmenistan. This year, the base stations will be purchased using a credit line allocated by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB). Within the framework of the large-scale "Development of telecommunication networks of Turkmenistan" project, Altyn Asyr plans to ensure widespread introduction of this type of communication in Turkmenistan including 3G, 4G and, in the near future, 5G-speed Internet and other services. To this end, it is planned to purchase more than 600 units of broadcasting equipment. More than 120 base stations will be set in the capital city, Ashgabat. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Two controversial bills related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), namely the convention against the funding of terrorism (CFT) and the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (known as Palermo bill in Iran), have already been approved by the lawmakers in the Iranian Parliament and need to gain the approval of the Expediency Council after they were rejected by the Guardian Council. A Member of Iranian Parliament told Trend that the FATF's adoption cannot lower the price of the currency and that foreign currency fluctuations are more domestic. "Foreign exchange disruptions in the country are more rooted in internal factors than foreign ones," he argued. Referring to the severe exchange rate fluctuations in December, the MP said that at that time, when the sanctions had not yet been imposed, controlling these factors could have an effect on lowering the exchange rate. "Recently, the Foreign Minister and his deputy explicitly informed that they could not commit the massive changes after the approval of the FATF or promise to lift sanctions and, in total, to improve the overall economic situation," Naser Mousavi Laregani said. "So it cannot be expected that the adoption of these bills would take the burden out of the country." In his words, given that FATF is a kind of self-sanctioning, the adoption of the bill could close all the ways of Iran's escape from the sanctions. FATF has given Iran an extended June deadline to complete the reforms necessary for joining the international body. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Ankara hopes that US President Donald Trump will visit Turkey, said Ibrahim Kalin, Press Secretary of the Turkish President, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media. He said that Ankara repeatedly stated its readiness to receive Trump and that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself invited the US President to visit the country. In his words, the administration of the US President also does not exclude Trumps visit to Ankara in 2019. Touching upon the issue of the procurement of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, Kalin said that the relevant decision by Ankara was made on the basis of national interests. Russian S-400s do not pose a threat to NATO, and the US knows it very well, he added. Earlier, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said that the US believes that Turkey would be unable to have both American F-35 fighter-bombers and Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems at the same time, as this is technically impossible. According to Pentagon sources, it is impossible to launch the F-35 in the space where the S-400 is operated, he said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the country may receive the S-400 missile systems earlier than scheduled. In his words, Turkey expects to receive the first supplies of the S-400 missile systems in July 2019. The President noted that despite appeals from the US, Turkey will not abandon the purchase of S-400. "This issue has been already resolved by Turkey," Erdogan added. Initial reports about negotiations between Russia and Turkey on the supply of S-400 appeared in November 2016. The signing of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on September 12, 2017. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that the S-400 air defense systems would be deployed starting from October 2019. The supply of the S-400 air defense systems to Ankara cost $2.5 billion, Head of the Rostec state corporation Sergey Chemezov informed in December 2017. Turkey is the first NATO member country, which will receive the S-400 air defense systems from Russia. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) held seminars in Bratislava on border security, border control and introduction of biometrics, Trend reports with reference to State Migration Service of Turkmenistan on April 19. The event was attended by authorized representatives of Turkmenistan, the news report said. At the seminar, issues of regional cooperation to eliminate border risks were discussed and presentations on software technologies and biometric information in border management were made. Representatives of Turkmenistan also participated in the meeting on combating human trafficking conducted by OSCE in Vienna. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Exports of Iranian cement to Afghanistan increased after the resumption of U.S. sanctions against Iran, Afghan media reported. Janaga Navid, a representative of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries, said that most of the cement imported to the country comes from Iran, Pakistan and Tajikistan. He informed that Afghanistan imports 80,000 tons of cement per year and noted that domestic cement production in the country may increase to 420,000 tons per year. Navid specified that imports of cement from Pakistan have declined, while imports from Iran have increased due to the depreciation of the Iranian rial against foreign currencies. Meanwhile, he noted that Iran produces better quality cement than Pakistan, so the Afghan importers prefer Iranian products rather than Pakistani. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Kamila Aliyeva Azerbaijan, a majestic country washed by the Caspian Sea, with beautiful nature, breathtaking landscapes, ancient monuments and modern skyscrapers, cannot fail to please even the pickiest tourists. Land of Fire welcomed 610,800 people from 157 countries of the world since the beginning of this year, according to the State Statistics Committee. Georgian citizens occupy the largest share among the visitors of Azerbaijan in terms of their number - 28 percent. Russian tourists accounted for 27.4 percent of the total number of travelers. Turkey is in the third place with a share of 11.3 percent. Meanwhile, the share of foreigners coming from Iran amounted to 9.2 percent, the United Arab Emirates - 3.5 percent, Ukraine - 1.8 percent, India - 1.7 percent, and Iraq - 1.4 percent. At the same time, an influx of tourists from Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, China, Japan, Georgia and Oman was noted. Statistics also record a slight increase in the number of visitors (by about 2.8 percent) from the countries of the European Union. The total number of tourists from the EU amounted to 19,100 people. In 2018, as many as 2,849,600 tourists from 196 countries visited Azerbaijan. Tourists spent over $2 billion in Azerbaijan last year. Azerbaijan, which is on its way to become a popular destination for many tourists, attracts more visitors every year. The country is popular for a number of archaeological and historical sites, decently depicting its past. The country views tourism development as a priority in its efforts to diversify the non-oil economy. A number of tourist facilities have been built in the regions and cultural and historical reserves have been set up or restored. Moreover, simplification of visa regime with many countries played a major role in the growth of tourist inflow. Currently, the country takes consistent measures to develop not only the sightseeing tourism but also health, rural and cruise tourism. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova "From Regions to Regions" Art Festival has been held in Aghjabadi region. The art festival showcases the cultural diversity of Azerbaijani regions. In his speech, the head of the Aghjabadi Executive Power Shahin Mammadov noted the importance of holding the art festival. He stressed that the main goal of the project is to promote the cultural heritage of the Azerbaijani people, who have rich traditions of statehood. The project aims at expanding cultural exchange between the regions. As part of the festival, nation's talented artists and crafters displayed their handcrafted works at the Heydar Aliyev Center. Countless samples of arts and crafts, paintings as well as unique panels made with the held of nails and threads drew attention of local residents and city's guests. Among the artists, art masters with disabilities also presented their works. The wood carvings of artist Asif Gasimov aroused great interest among the guests of the festival. The festival's participants also enjoyed the works of woodcarving masters Rauf Seyidzade and Sarvar Abdullayev, who created models of architectural monuments from ordinary matchsticks. A book corner dedicated to the Year of Nasimi was also presented. It is noteworthy that in connection with the 650th anniversary of the great Azerbaijani poet Imadaddin Nasimi, President Ilham Aliyev declared 2019 the Year of Nasimi in Azerbaijan. Nasimis ghazals were performed by schoolchildren at the festival. In addition, local residents and guests of the city were presented colorful show with the participation of folk and dance ensembles. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Laman Ismayilova With its countless natural treasures, Azerbaijan boasts some of the most beautiful national parks. Regardless of whether youre looking for places to walk or picnic, these magnificent sights are worth visiting. National parks Absheron, Altiaghaj, Shirvan, Aggol, Hirkan, Goygol, Shahdag, Samur-Yalama, Gizilaghaj and Zangazur will be completely free to visit on on April 20-21. The countrys national parks are home to a wide variety of wildlife including eagles, gazelles, bears, wolves, deer and wild boar. Those who are lovers of amazing landscapes and brilliant nature formation should definitely visit some of these parks. Absheron National Park Absheron National Park is a great place for all those fascinated by nature. Established on the basis of Absheron State Nature Sanctuary, the national park stretches 783 ha area of administrative territory of Baku city. The national park is situated in the south-eastern end of Absheron peninsula in the Shah Dili territory. More than 50 bird and animal species live in Absheron National Park. Gazelle, jackal, fox, rabbit, badger, Caspian seal, birds such as silver gull, wheezing swan, grey and red-headed white-eyed black ducks, big white bittern, sandpiper, bald-coot and other migrant birds have inhabited here. Caspian seal which is considered rare species is encountered in the Caspian sea area of Absheron National Park. It can be found in the seal cape in May-August. Notably, Caspian seal is included into the Guinness Book Records as the smallest seal in the World Ocean. Nearly 25 plant species exist in the national park. Some 17 species as well as one grown species of wormwood is encountered in Azerbaijan. Wormwood is a herbaceous, perennial plant with fibrous roots. It is commonly used for flavouring in some alcohol beverages. Altiaghaj National Park Altiaghaj is mostly covered by temperate deciduous broadleaved forests. The major types of trees are Persian Ironwood, Caucasian Oak, Caucasian Ash, European Hornbeam, Oriental Hornbeam, Oriental Beech, Silver Birch, White Birch, etc. Established in 2004, the national park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur, a mountain dwelling goat antelope found only in the eastern half of the Caucasus Mountains. Other large mammals found here are the lynx, brown bear, wild boar, wolf, golden jackal, jungle cat, red fox, roe deer, badger, otter, etc. Shirvan National Park Established in 2003, Shirvan National Park was created with a foremost view to preserve components of a semi-desert landscape, protect goitred gazelles listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan and species of fauna that are typical to this territory. Its functions also include the implementation of environmental monitoring, public environmental education, as well as creation of conditions for tourism and recreation. A chain of hills is the main terrain that developed as a result of the winds work and serves as an excellent refuge and shelter for gazelles. Gazelle is considered lesser spread species in the world among mammals. It exists mostly in Azerbaijan, Front, Middle and Central Asia. The territory of Azerbaijan is considered the main existence area of gazelles. Aggol National Park Aggol National Park was established in 2003 for the preservation of migrating routes, areas of wintering and nesting of waterfowl and wader birds, as well as for breeding of commercial fish species. The area of 4,400 ha covers the water area of lake Agyol. One of the most beautiful lakes in Azerbaijan is located on the territory of the Agjabadi and Beylagan regions. This lake is inhabited by many species of birds included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species and the Red Book of Azerbaijan. These are lesser white-fronted goose, white-headed duck, marbled duck, ferruginous duck, little bustard, little cormorant, as well as flamingoes, pelicans, all 7 species of herons and a variety of species of ducks, geese, rails, waders and others. Wolf, jackal, fox, hare and a lot of bats are found here. Hirkan National Park Hirkan National Park is located on the shores of the Caspian Sea in the southeast of Azerbaijan. The national park was established in 2004. Its mission is to ensure the preservation of relict and endemic plant species of the Tertiary period, protection of typical flora and fauna representatives of this area listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan, implementation of environmental monitoring, public environmental education as well as creation of conditions for research, tourism and recreation. The park is rich in plant species. The vegetation cover is mainly represented by trees and shrubs that form forests here. Forests in the lower part predominantly comprise chestnut-leaved oak, ironwood and hornbeam together with black locust, Hirkan fig, Caucasian persimmon, etc. Of 435 tree and shrub species in Azerbaijan, 150 grow in the Hirkan forests. Front-Asian leopard, lynx, wild cat, badger, wild boar, roe deer, sika deer, raccoon can be found here. Front-Asian leopard, protected under the Red Book of Azerbaijan and IUCN list, live in the national park. The Red-listed species also include Talish longhorn beetle, Talish ground beetle, speckled wood, Talish orangetip butterfly, Caspian parandra, brahmid moth and other insects. Hirkan National Park numbers over 118 bird species, 16 of which, including black stork, osprey, Northern goshawk, imperial eagle, Talish Caucasian pheasant, black francolin, are listed in the Red Book of Azerbaijan. Goygol National Park Anyone visiting the Land of Fire should enjoy the magnificent views in Goygol National Park. Cold climate with dry winter prevails in the area. Annual temperature wavers between 4-10C. Annual precipitation is 600-900 mm. The national park includes one of the most beautiful and cleanest lakes in Azerbaijan - the Goygol Lake. The lake gets its name from its deep blue-colored water. It was formed in 1939 as a result of earthquake that occurred in Ganja. Parts of the Kapaz mountain collapsed and blocked the path of the Aghsuchay River. The water in lake is always cold: even in August its temperature does not rise above +17 C. More than 423 types of trees, shrubs and medicinal plants grow here. In the surrounding forests you can meet wolves, foxes, deer, jackals, bears, lynx and many other animals. The lake area is ideal for walking, traveling, and family picnics. Recreation on the shore of the fresh lake is the best decision on hot days. Shahdag National Park Shahdag National Park covers a territory of 115,895 ha between five regions of the country. The Park was established in December 2006 to preserve mountain forests and pasture ecosystems located in high mountainous areas. The height of the national park territory is the main reason behind its climatic diversity, fertility of flora and richness of animal life. The landscape of the territory is fantastic and the mountains attract not only tourists, but also sportsmen to the highest peak of the country, Bazarduzu Mountain of 4,466 meters above sea level. The major types of trees are Caucasian oak, Caucasian and European hornbeam, Oriental hornbeam, Oriental beech, silver birch, birch, yew, white willow, walnut, wild cherry, etc. The national park is home to the rare East Caucasian tur. Other large mammals found here are the Caucasian and bezoar ibex, domestic goat, Caucasian lynx, Syrian brown bear, wild boar, Indian wolf, jackal, jungle cat, red fox, roe deer and others. Samur-Yalama National Park Samur-Yalama National Park is a national park of Azerbaijan. It was launched by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on November 5, 2012 in Khachmaz. The park's goal is preservation of the biological and genetic diversity of several unique natural areas, as well as the historical-cultural objects of the region. The park is rich in plant species. It is home to chestnut oak and Persian ironwood. Animals like black kite, eastern imperial eagle, otter, reed cat, lynx, chamois, Caspian red deer and brown bear can be found here. Gizilaghaj National Park Gizilaghaj National Park was created for the purpose of protecting, creating conditions for wintering and nesting of migrant, swamp and wild birds in 1929. Together with Aggol National Park, it was included in the list of UNESCO Ramsar Convention "On international importance of wetlands as birds' residing places." Such mammals as wild boar, wolf, wild cat, badger, sable, fox, etc live in the park. There are also 54 fish species in the park including clupea, caspian kutum, carp, wels catfish, sander marinus, etc. Zangazur National Park Zangazur National Park was established in 2009 on the base of Ordubad National Park in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It was named after Academician Hasan Aliyev who is considered as the founder of ecology in Azerbaijan. Nakhchivan is known to have 62 mammal species and subspecies. Some 32 of them, such as blazilius horseshoe bat, southern horseshoe bat, porcupine, manul, bezoar goat and Caucasian muflon live in Zangazur National Park. Moreover, approximately 12 carnivorous mammals such as leopard, wolf, jackal, fox, stripped hyena, badger, wild cat and other predators represent the major part of the fauna in the park. In addition to mammals, 217 bird species and subspecies such as Levant sparrow hawk, great white pelican, dalmatian pelican, white-tailed eagle, lammergeyer, short-toed eagle, great bustard and little bustard can be found in Nakhchivan. Notably, 15 of these species were added in the Red Book. Zangazur National Park is also rich in rare plants. About 77 plants, including Iris elegantissima, Himantoglossum formosum, Dorema glabrum, etc. can be found here. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade Currently, as many as 90 flights are operated weekly between Turkey and Azerbaijan. However, there is more to come. Turkeys Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Mehmet Cahit Turhan said that Turkey and Azerbaijan will increase the number of flights to 115 per week, Trend reported on April 19. The minister noted that the rise in the number of flights will begin during the summer months. He also said that starting from April 22, direct flights from Ankara to Baku will be launched by Turkish Pegasus Airlines. Baku increasingly spreads its flight map over the world. On April 2, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) launched regular flights on the Baku-Almaty-Baku route, which will contribute to the development of the country's tourist potential. Moreover, Azerbaijans low-cost airline Buta Airways has announced a new destination in Russia. Starting from May 12, the airline will launch direct flights from Baku to Ufa. Flights will be operated twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. Buta Airways will also launch direct flights from Baku to another two cities of Ukraine - Odessa and Kharkiv. Flights to Odessa will be operated starting from May 16 on Thursdays and Sundays, and those to Kharkiv from May 3 on Tuesdays and Fridays. Also, Romanian TAROM airline launched Bucharest-Baku direct flights on April 3. Moreover, the first direct flight was launched from the capital of Azerbaijan to Sofia in early 2018. Several new charter flights were opened last year. For instance, AZAL launched flights on the Baku-Geneva route as part of a joint charter program. Currently, 21 foreign airlines are represented in Azerbaijani market according to the State Civil Aviation Agency of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies. They are ATA Airlines, Montenegro Airlines, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, Nordwind Airlines, Ikar Airlines, Ir Aero, Al-Naser Airlines, Pobeda Airlines, SalamAir, Komiavaiatrans, Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Wataniya Airways, Mahan Air, Taban Air, Israir, Arkia Israel Airlines, Flynas, Gulf Air, Smartavia and Pegasus Airlines. Last year, the Heydar Aliyev International Airport set a new record for passenger traffic: it served a total of 4.43 million passengers, which is 9 percent higher than in 2017. In 2018, base airlines of the Airport - AZAL and Buta Airways - carried 1.89 million and 442,000 passengers, respectively. A total of 3.81 million passengers were carried on international flights and 620,000 passengers - on regional flights. Some 33.4 percent of the total number of international passengers accounted for AZAL, 11.6 percent - for Buta Airways, and 55 percent for international airlines. -- Mirsaid Ibrahimzade is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @MirsaidIbrahim1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Azernews By Leman Mammadova Today there is a great demand for Azerbaijani wines in foreign markets since they have always distinguished by quality and taste. Ismayilli Sharab, an Azerbaijani manufacturer of alcoholic beverages, located in the Ismayilli region of the country, plans to increase the volume of wine exports to the Russian market, a source in the company told Trend. The company also plans to increase the manufacture of wine products until the end of this year, according to the source. "The companys wine products are in great demand in the Russian market, therefore, as part of our opportunities, we plan to increase exports," said the source. Ismayilli Sharab has equipment of Italian and French production. Winery occupies one of the most important places in the food industry of Azerbaijan. The country is famous for its high quality grape varieties. The five major wine-growing regions of Azerbaijan are Shamakhi, Ismayilli, Gabala, Ganja and Tovuz. Local grape varieties include White Shani, Derbendi, Nail, Bayanshire, Gamashara, Ganja Pink, Bendi, Madrasa, Black Shani, Zeynabi, Misgali, Khindogni, Agdam Kechiamjayi, Tebrizi, and Marandi. The share of Azerbaijan in the wine production in the former Soviet Union was always high. Nevertheless, the Alcoholism and Anti-Drinking Initiative of the former Soviet Union in 1985 caused the destruction of the vineyards of more than 130,000 hectares in Azerbaijan. One of the first steps towards the restoration of vineyards and winemaking in the country was the Law on Winemaking adopted in 2001. To ensure sustainable development of winemaking in the country, increase the interest in wine production and exports, the State Program on the development of wine growing in 2018-2025 was approved in May 2018, which will facilitate the development of wine tourism and increase loans allocated to the wine industry in Azerbaijan. The State Program envisages that the export of wine from Azerbaijan should increase fivefold by 2025. Azerbaijan plans to develop the first wine tourist route in the history of the country by mid-2019. A new highly specialized tourist route will pass through the wineries of the Absheron, Ismayilli, Shirvan, Gabala, Sheki and Goygol regions. Tourism experts intend to pave the route in such a way that within a few days foreigners would be taken from one region to another, giving them the opportunity to visit wineries where the legendary Azerbaijani alcoholic beverages are produced. In addition, tourists will get the opportunity to personally taste wine drinks. Azerbaijan also intends to connect it with the famous Georgian wine route, paving the way for tourists from Sheki to Kakheti, a Georgian region. Currently, about 40 winemaking enterprises operate in Azerbaijan producing natural wine, sparkling wine, liqueur, brandy, vodka, ethyl alcohol, cognac, etc. Most of producers target Russian and European markets as well as new markets for Azerbaijani wine, such as China. In addition, Azerbaijani wine houses operate in foreign countries to promote national brands and their export. The first wine house of Azerbaijan was opened in China in 2018. Recently, local wine products have been featured at Prowein 2019 international exhibition in Germany, the world's leading trade fair for wine and spirits. 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. By Azernews By Leman Mammadova Azeri Central East (ACE) project, the next stage of development of the giant Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, has been sanctioned. The project sanctioning is the first major investment decision by the ACG partnership since the extension of the ACG production sharing agreement (PSA) to 2049 was agreed in 2017. More than $36 billion has been invested into the development of ACG since the original PSA was signed in 1994. The project has been sanctioned by the Steering Committee for the development of the Azeri and Chirag fields and the Deep Water portion of the Gunashli (ACG) field (including SOCAR, BP, Chevron, INPEX, Equinor, ExxonMobil, TPAO, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh). The $6 billion development includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to achieve first production in 2023 and produce up to 300 million barrels over its lifetime. Speaking at the ceremony of signing the contract on the approval of the ACE project, Rovnaq Abdullayev, president of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan), said that the sanctioning marks yet another important milestone in the development of ACG for the benefit of the nation, which began 25 years ago with the signing of the Contract of the Century. For decades, SOCAR has been reinvesting Azerbaijans oil revenues in the development of a highly qualified workforce and modern industrial facilities in our country. Today we have world-class factories, production and installation complexes, marine vessels and highly-skilled local workforce, which have created opportunity for construction and installation of ACE platform by the Azerbaijani specialists throughout the country. Looking forward, we expect more than 3 billion barrels of additional oil production from ACG. This strategic decision supports Azerbaijans increasing role as an energy supplier for the regional and global markets, he added. BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley said for his part that working together over the past 25 years, this remarkable partnership has turned these world-class assets into tremendous benefits for the people of Azerbaijan. The ACE extension builds on that legacy and helps ensure that the next quarter century will be just as bright, he said. Todays announcement supports the long-term production plans we set for ACG when we extended the PSA. It demonstrates our commitment to work with SOCAR and Azerbaijans Government to continue to unlock ACGs resources more efficiently and competitively, said Gary Jones, BPs regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. Later, Rovnag Abdullayev told reporters that SOCAR and partners on the project for the development of the ACG block of fields plan to participate in a tender to buy a stake of ExxonMobil and Chevron. Earlier, ExxonMobil and Chevron announced that they were planning to sell their shares in the ACG. ACE project is centred on a new 48-slot production, drilling and quarters platform located mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms in a water depth of approximately 140 meters. The project will also include new infield pipelines to transfer oil and gas from the ACE platform to the existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines for transportation to the onshore Sangachal Terminal. In addition, there will be a water injection pipeline installed between the East Azeri and ACE platforms to supply injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities. Construction activities, which will commence this year and run through mid-2022, will take place in-country utilizing local resources. It is expected that at peak, construction activities will create up to 8,000 jobs. ACG is the largest oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea, covering more than 432 square kilometers. Proven oil reserves of ACG block of oil and gas fields are estimated at 1.2 billion tons, while gas reserves make 350 billion cubic meters. The ACG participating interests are as follows: BP - 30.37 percent; AzACG (SOCAR) - 25 percent; Chevron - 9.57 percent; INPEX - 9.31 percent; Statoil - 7.27 percent; ExxonMobil - 6.79 percent; TPAO - 5.73 percent; ITOCHU - 3.65 percent; ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) - 2.31 percent. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. By Azernews By Abdul Kerimkhanov Crude oil futures rose on Friday amid falling exports from Saudi Arabia, the de facto leader of OPEC. The price of "black gold" was also supported by the decline in U.S. stocks. Brent futures rose 35 cents to $ 71.97 a barrel. For the week, the price for Brent increased by 0.6 percent. After the exchange closed, the price rose by another 4 cents to $ 72.01 per barrel. WTI futures for U.S. crude increased by 24 cents to $ 64.00 a barrel. For the week, the price increased by 0.2 percent. Meanwhile, the price of the AZERI LT CIF oil produced at Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block of oil and gas fields amounted to $74.5 per barrel at Italian port of Augusta on April 18, which is $0.09 more than on April 17, a source in Azerbaijan's oil and gas market told Trend. On April 18, the AZERI Light FOB Ceyhan oil price was $73.82 per barrel, or $0.13 more than the previous price. Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday against the background of declining U.S. reserves, declining production by major producers and current U.S. sanctions against Venezuela and Iran. On April 18, the AZERI Light FOB Ceyhan oil price was $73.82 per barrel, or $0.13 more than the previous price. The rise in oil prices was observed following the weekly report of the Energy Information Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy (EIA) published on Wednesday which said that U.S. crude oil inventories fell by 1.4 million barrels a week against a growth of 17 million barrels in the previous three weeks. "The rise in oil prices occurred despite a slight decrease in oil reserves of the United States. Partly the latter is due to the fact that oil imports returned to the level of 6 million barrels per day. At the same time, U.S. production levels remained stable, said analysts of the Vienna-based JBC Energy. This year, oil prices were supported by the agreement between OPEC and non-cartel members to reduce production by 1.2 million barrels per day. Market supply declined even more as a result of the introduction of U.S. sanctions against Venezuela and Iran. Analysts argue about how much the rise in oil prices may affect U.S. President Donald Trump in his decision to extend the exemptions for Iranian oil buyers, which expire next month. Given that the forward price curve in recent weeks has shown growth, we assume that prices will remain consistently high until the president decides on exemptions for Iranian oil buyers, said Tariq Zahir, Tyche Capital Advisors managing officer. Saudi Arabia can continue to produce significantly less oil than agreed upon within the agreement with OPEC+ countries. Production levels in Venezuela may continue to decline, and the situation in Libya may remain unstable due to civil war. Subject to these conditions, we will not be surprised if the president extends the expiration of sanctions for buyers of Iranian oil to prevent price increases. Major oil producers have reached a deal to reduce oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day at the 5th meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers held in Vienna on December 7. It has been agreed to reduce daily oil production by 0.8 million barrels per day (2.5 percent) for OPEC countries in the first six months of 2019. Non-OPEC countries have agreed to reduce oil production by 0.4 million barrels per day (2 percent). As part of the agreement, Azerbaijan has reduced daily production by 20,000 barrels since January 1, 2019. Approximately 21 people were arrested for felony Driving While Intoxicated charges in Montgomery County throughout the month of March, according to records from a public information request filed by the Chronicle. In Texas, a person is charged with DWI if their blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) is .08 or higher, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT.) The 15-year-old West Brook High School student accused of fatally shooting the owner of a local landscaping company confessed to police, according to an affidavit filed with the U.S. Attorney's Office. The teen, who was one of four arrested Sunday following the April 11 death of Anthony Wilson, could face a capital murder charge, District Attorney Bob Wortham said earlier this week. While speaking with a Beaumont police detective, the suspect "confessed to shooting the victim and advised that he gave the firearm he used in the homicide to his older brother, Bernard Bell Jr., to dispose of," the affidavit claims. Investigators then contacted Bell, 26, who said he disposed of the .45-caliber handgun in the dumpster at his Major Drive apartment complex, the document states. Police were able to recover the gun from the dumpster. Bell was one of the four arrested Sunday, jailed originally on charges of tampering and felon in possession of a firearm. He was released on bail, and arrested again on Wednesday after police elevated his firearm charge to a federal level. Wilson, 37, was killed near his West End home after he disrupted an attempted burglary on his truck. The married father of two and owner of Reli-A-Lawn and Landscaping followed the suspects in his truck, police said, and was fatally shot in the 6800 block of Madrid Drive. His truck then was stolen and later recovered in the 400 block of Norwalk Lane. Two other West Brook students, 17-year-old Jamirious Jantrel Gardner and 18-year-old John James Cook, also were arrested Sunday and have been charged with murder. Police said Wednesday that the gun used in the shooting had been stolen during a burglary in the same neighborhood two weeks prior. By Trend Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan (SCC), Customs Service Lieutenant-General Safar Mehdiyev met with the Iranian delegation headed by the Iranian Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani, Trendreports referring to the committee. Mehdiyev noted that, Azerbaijani-Iranian relations have been developing and turning into a fruitful business cooperation in recent years. The economic relations, according to him, have also become strengthened, and the trade turnover is growing. It was noted that the location of both countries on strategic international trade routes further strengthened the ties of cooperation. Speaking about the reforms carried out in recent years in the customs sphere of Azerbaijan, Mehdiyev stressed that, along with the applied innovations having contributed to the development of the country's export potential, having simplified customs procedures and ensured transparency, they also created favorable conditions for simplifying and accelerating international trade. In turn, the Iranian minister said that his country is always interested in developing relations with Azerbaijan, and expressed satisfaction with the mutual cooperation in all areas, including customs. Emphasis was made on the further intensification of joint activities. Speaking about the successes of the Azerbaijani customs, Reza Rahmani assessed the recent reforms as successful steps aimed at improving the business environment and facilitating trade. Then the delegations of the customs services of Azerbaijan and Iran exchanged views on issues of mutual interest. The Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Javad Jahangirzadeh was also present at the meeting. Port Arthur LNG has received final federal approval to construct and operate a natural gas export facility currently being developed off the Sabine-Neches Waterway. Sempra Energy, a San Diego-based utility holdings company and parent corporation of Port Arthur LNG, announced Thursday that it had received the green-light from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to start on the project first proposed in 2015. With todays FERC order and the commercial momentum of the Port Arthur LNG project, we are one step closer to reaching a final investment decision and delivering low-cost, reliable and clean U.S. natural gas to world markets, Carlos Ruiz Sacristan, chairman and CEO of Sempra North American Infrastructure, said in a statement. Port Arthur LNG should help us achieve our goal to become one of the largest exporters of North American liquefied natural gas. The company last year selected Bechtel for engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning on the project. The Port Arthur LNG project is planned to have two liquefaction trains, as many as three LNG storage tanks and other facilities that will allow it to export around 11 million tons of natural gas per year. Port Arthur LNG signed an agreement in December of 2018 with the Polish Oil & Gas Company for a 20-year sale-and-purchase deal. Sempra Energy was one of the first companies to join the increasingly growing market of liquid natural gas export facilities popping up around the Gulf Coast when its Cameron LNG facility in Hackberry Louisiana, was approved for development. Sempra announced April 15 that it was in the final commissioning stage for its first liquefaction train and expects to earn between $400 million and $450 million annually once all three trains are operational. Port Arthur LNG and Cameron LNG are two of five facilities Sempra is developing, including a second phase at Cameron LNG and two facilities at Energia Costa Azul LNG in Mexico. Sempra Energy has the largest U.S. customer base of any utility holdings company and took in $11.6 billion in 2018 revenues. jacob.dick@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/jdickjournalism The city of Port Arthur has announced Motiva Enterprises intention to purchase a third building in downtown Port Arthur. Mayor Derrick Freeman said the purchase of the Hotel Sabine building is one of the provisions on the table for the citys in lieu of taxes agreement with the company. Weve been asking for different things in contract organizations, he said, later hinting theres more to be announced later. It looks like the stars are aligning for Port Arthur. He expects the contracts to be finalized within the next 60 days. But tentative plans from the company include using the top section of the building as short-term corporate lodging, Freeman said. The bottom floor would have retail available to Port Arthur residents, such as a deli, coffee shop or a restaurant, he said. Were just trying to get out of the way, he said. We dont want to slow anything down. Were excited. He said the city hasnt identified the funding model to be used for $10 million in planned for infrastructure improvements to the area before specific tax dollars become available. Freeman said that will be a conversation to have with the City Council at a later date. Freeman said Motiva plans to be moved into the building by the third quarter of 2021. Motiva announced plans to purchase two other historic building in downtown Port Arthur earlier this month. The company said it plans to use the Adams Building, 440 Austin Ave., and the Federal Building, 500 Austin Ave., as office space for an eventual 500 workers. Shanghai Fashion Week The GALALAND, a brand new dress release platform designated by the Shanghai Fashion Week Organizing Committee, has the theme of "playthings are still quality". The SS2019 custom show has successfully ended, drawing a perfect end to Shanghai Fashion Week. The source of the world, everything is born. The light of the sun from the sky, the water from the earth, nourishing the living power of the world. With the inspiration and gifts of all things, the Chinese designer brand WANG FENG draws inspiration from the "things" of nature and builds a 2019 spring and summer series of dresses. Through exquisite craftsmanship and aesthetic design, it presents a beautiful romantic mood. On the day of the event, the famous actors Wang Lin, Wang Duruoxi, Hai Lu, Zhangmeng, and Wen Xin made elegant appearances. Huangziheng, a fashionable male, and Liu Chang, the host of Dragon TV, helped to explore with the guests the joy of all things. The land and the sea are like the starting point for everything to inhabit and sustain everything. In this season's series of designs, lush forests, vast oceans and vast land are quietly presented in Read more atcheap bridesmaid dresses online every detail of the show, and Hua Chang's steps seem to travel through time and space, elegant from the natural ramps. The brilliant and vivid colors collide with each other, elegant advanced gray background color and excellent custom lace Xiangyingchenghui, superb hand-painted and embroidery techniques concentrate to show the brand's craftsmanship and unremitting pursuit. In addition, this season's new product cleverly integrates the design concepts of splicing and deconstruction to show multiple visual changes in profile and detail. Designer Wangfeng used the creative method of fashion dresses to reorganize the elements of perception, switch through the microscopic and macroscopic perspectives, explore the natural world of multidimensional three-dimensional, and interpret the "things" in faith with an ingenious combination of abstraction and concrete images. Style. All things are spiritual, giving unlimited inspiration and enlightenment, combining "hand-made customization" with "complicated nature" with artistic aesthetics, requiring designers to control the material, color, and decoration with great precision. Designer Wangfeng, with his inherent creativity and keen perception, fades away from the usual shackles, will be simple and complicated, practical and exquisite, free and soft and beautiful perfect combination, opening a new era of modern dresses. The industry commented that Wangfeng's work is "eternal due to continuous creativity." He uses a light-hearted design, unique visual impact, comfortable and natural fabrics, and shows the pure beauty of nature to interpret the unique charm of women. Read more atforever yours bridesmaid dresses By Trend An exhibition of handicraft will be organized within the forum dedicated to the tourism development in Azerbaijan to be held in the countrys Gabala city on April 20, where handicraft of people with disabilities will be demonstrated, Sakina Babayeva, head of the Azerbaijani Association of Women Entrepreneurs, told Trend. The organizer of the event is Tourism Lab LLC, she said. "The forum will be held in the Gabala Congress Center, Babayeva added. The issues related to the development of the tourism industry, as well as the expansion of women's entrepreneurial opportunities in the countrys districts are expected to be discussed at the forum. Moreover, the event is aimed at supporting and assisting people with disabilities for them to show their handicraft and sell them there. She stressed that representatives of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, experts in the tourism industry, digital technologies, entrepreneurship and other spheres will deliver speeches at the forum. By Trend Turkey has created a safety zone in northern Syria, said Ibrahim Kalin, the press secretary of the Turkish President, Trend reports with reference to Turkish media. In his words, this safety zone begins from Afrin and Manbij districts. Kalin noted that there is a stability in the territories liberated by Turkey from the terrorists. Turkey respects the territorial integrity of Syria, but any potential threat from Syria will continue to be prevented in the future, he added. On January 20, 2018, Turkish Armed Forces together with the Free Syrian Army launched the Olive Branch Operation in Afrin, Syria. On August 24, 2016, units of the Turkish Armed Forces launched the Euphrates Shield Operation against the "Islamic State", and liberated, with the support of the Syrian opposition, Al-Bab town and the border town of Jarablus in northern Syria. Attorney General Bill Barr has released a redacted version of the Mueller report. It will, of course, consume the political conversation for days, but even now it is clear that as much as the report might be talked about, it will not settle the main arguments that have raged about the Trump-Russia affair for more than two years. Here are five debates that wont be resolved, no matter how much of the report Barr makes public: 1) Collusion. On the face of it, Barrs summary of Muellers conclusion could not be clearer: The evidence gathered by the special prosecutor does not show that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia to fix the 2016 election. Barr included two brief quotes from the Mueller report on collusion: The investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, and The evidence does not establish that the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference. So on the question, Will Mueller show that collusion occurred? the answer seems a pretty straightforward no. But that is not the end of it. Immediately upon the release of the Barr summary, some of the presidents accusers began moving the goalposts. Perhaps Mueller said was the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that there was no conspiracy or coordination. Maybe there will be evidence that shows collusion but does not meet that high legal standard. Or maybe Mueller said that the evidence did not establish that criminal collusion had taken place. Maybe theres some other sort of collusion that Mueller did find. And Mueller did not say, at least in the snippet of his report quoted by Barr, that there was no evidence whatsoever of conspiracy or coordination. So maybe there is some evidence that shows some sort of collusion by some sort of standard that Trumps critics might adopt. 2) Obstruction. This is a guarantee: Some readers of the Mueller report will swear that it proves the president obstructed justice, while others will swear it proves he did not obstruct justice. Mueller himself has made sure that will happen by not making what Barr called a traditional prosecutorial judgment on the obstruction question. Why Mueller did that is not clear; perhaps it will be revealed when the report is released. Barr said Mueller views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. Then Barr included this from Mueller on obstruction: While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. That alone will be enough for Trumps adversaries to conclude that he obstructed justice: Look! Mueller specifically declined to exonerate Trump! On the other hand, less partisan types remain baffled by what Mueller meant. Not exonerate him? What prosecutor does that? When a prosecutor investigates someone for two years and in the end decides not to charge him with any crime, does the prosecutor then write an exoneration letter? Thats not the way things usually work. 3) Impeachment. Some Democrats had hoped that the Mueller report would give them cover for impeaching the president. I was undecided, they might say, and then I saw the special counsels overwhelming evidence against the president, and I knew it was my duty to impeach. Some of those Democrats also hoped that the Mueller report would serve as a road map to impeachment, in effect doing for Congress the work of discovering and organizing evidence against the president. But it appears Mueller wont make it easy for Democrats. Of course they can impeach the president for any reason they choose, if they have the votes in the House. But it seems unlikely the Mueller report will make impeachment an unavoidable conclusion for Democrats. In the end, its more likely the Democrats who want to impeach Trump will want to impeach Trump after Muellers report, and the Democrats who oppose impeachment will continue to oppose it. 4) Investigating the investigation. Many Republicans, long convinced that the Trump campaign did not conspire or coordinate with Russia, have instead sought to uncover the events surrounding the decision by U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies to investigate the Trump campaign in 2016. Its been hard finding out what happened. Rep. Devin Nunes, when he was chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, shook loose a lot of information, but much remains unknown to the public. Now those Republicans are counting on an investigation by Justice Department inspector general Michael Horowitz to reveal more. They are hoping that President Trump will declassify documents that could shed new light on the matter. One place they are not looking for answers is in the Mueller report. 5) Why a special counsel? Some Republicans question whether there was really a need for a special counsel to investigate Trump-Russia. First, they cite the fact that there was no underlying crime. There was no crime specified in Muellers original scope memo, and Mueller could never establish that the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Russia. Second, they point to the circumstances of Muellers appointment, when fired FBI director James Comey leaked confidential documents in order to set off an uproar that he hoped would result in the appointment of a special counsel. As it turned out, things went according to Comeys plan. But was a special counsel really necessary to investigate the crime that did not occur? Like so many others, dont look for that argument to be resolved by the Mueller report. Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner. By Azernews By Abdul Kerimkhanov Araratcement plant workers in the Ararat region of Armenia staged a protest action and blocked the road leading to the enterprise on April 15. The reason for the action is the upcoming massive reductions in employees. People demand a meeting with the owner of the plant, the leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan. One of the workers of the plant noted that in two months about 1,200 people would be on the street. Appropriate notifications have already been sent to them. He stated that the companys management notified the workers that in two months everyone would remain unemployed. He also added that if earlier cement was produced from local raw materials - travertine, now raw materials will be imported from abroad. The production process is shrinking, people are leaving work. If Araratcement closes, then a significant part of Ararat residents will end up on the street, said the worker. At the moment, the management of the enterprise and the owner have not yet met with the protesters. In turn, Tsarukyan told reporters that the problems of the Araratcement plant are associated with the high cost of raw materials - clinker, adding that it is the most expensive component in the production of cement. He noted that cement production in Armenia is associated with high costs primarily due to the fact that the government refuses to increase customs duties on clinker import. As a result, the production of local raw materials, from which cement is produced, becomes unprofitable, said the owner of the plant. He did not rule out that the refusal to raise duties on clinker is connected with the personal interests of a certain circle of people. Tsarukyan said that earlier the plant decided to reduce the price of cement per ton from 50,000 drams (more than $100) to 40,000, adding that now working at this price is unprofitable for the enterprise. So, several hundred employees of the plant may remain without work, since Araratcement will be forced to buy cheaper raw materials from abroad in order to withstand competition in the market, official concluded. Earlier, Armenian police uncovered facts of abuse at Araratcement company. In particular, the firm avoided paying taxes and was engaged in kickbacks, causing damage to the state in the amount of 269 million drams ($560,000). A longtime Rochester, N.Y.-based Cornerstone Eye Associates employee allegedly used her position as the Lasik refraction surgery coordinator to illegally prescribe 5,000-plus opioids, local ABC News affiliate 13WHAM reports. Five details: 1. Ms. Lambert reportedly had access to computer software the practice's physicians use to write prescriptions and submit them to the pharmacy. 2. She allegedly logged into the system under an ophthalmologist's credentials and wrote 73 fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone and vicodin. The prescriptions amounted to 5,045 pills, prosecutors said. 3. Ms. Lambert allegedly used other names including those of family members to evade New York's online I-Stop system, which is designed to flag patients seeking extra prescriptions. 4. Cornerstone reportedly fired Ms. Lambert in February after another office worker noticed some prescriptions were written for people who weren't patients. Ms. Lambert had worked there for eight years. 5. Ms. Lambert will appear in court in May. Her attorney, James Napier, declined to comment to 13WHAM. More articles on anesthesia: 4 hierarchical chronic condition codes added in 2019 Former pain practice CEO found guilty of 8 counts in $4M kickback operation 4 details Arkansas won't expand CRNA scope of practice 3 notes Chris Bishop, CEO of Regent Surgical Health, discusses the biggest trends for the ASC industry today. Regent has 23 ASCs, including 17 joint ventures with hospitals, in the U.S. and Europe. The company manages nine centers with outpatient total joint replacements. Mr. Bishop will share his expertise as a speaker at the Becker's ASC 26th Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, Oct. 24-26, 2019 in Chicago. To learn more and register, click here. For more information about exhibitor and sponsor opportunities, contact Maura Jodoin at mjodoin@beckershealthcare.com. Question: What healthcare trends are game-changers for ASCs today? Chris Bishop: High quality at lower costs has been an industry buzzword for years but with the transition to value-based care for health systems, we are seeing material movement of care from the more expensive inpatient setting to the more cost-effective outpatient setting. The triple aim of lower cost, higher quality and higher patient satisfaction has been the mantra of the ASC industry for years, but employers, payers and health systems alike have truly begun embracing this philosophy the past few years. Additionally, consumers are increasingly researching their site of care and surgeon and finding these triple aim characteristics to hold true in the ASC setting. Q: Where do you see the biggest opportunity for ASCs to thrive in the next five years? CB: Continued transition of higher acuity care to the ASC setting is becoming increasingly adopted by surgeons. For example, Regent experienced over 100 percent growth in our joint replacement volumes for the past three years due to better postop pain control and improved surgeon comfort with minimally invasive techniques. Higher acuity spine such as lumbar fusions are moving to the ASC setting, as are cardiac procedures. A year ago, I would have told you that robotics were still five years away from making sense in ASCs and yet, I predict Regent will place at least three robots in 2019 in our facilities, possibly more. As the price of this technology comes down and allows us to shift cases that were previously unavailable to our industry, robotics will continue to transition into our space. Q: How can ASC owners ensure the viability of their business in a competitive market? CB: Healthcare is in a transitional phase today that can best be classified as 'bigger is better' and I believe the same consolidation that we are experiencing with health systems and/or the dialysis industry, we will see in the ASC space. With increased regulatory requirements, clinical reporting and sophisticated value-based care reimbursement methodologies, the independent center will find it increasingly difficult to maintain independence. At Regent, we may have as many as 17 different experts from our team assisting our centers to achieve their maximum operational potential and it is simply impossible for an independent center to access that degree of people resources. Whether there are independent centers forming a loose alliance in a specific geography to share resources or aligning with a fully resourced platform like Regent, consolidation is a must to thrive in this rapidly evolving environment. Q: What payer trends should ASC owners and operators pay attention to today? CB: Value-based care. If your center is not capable of organizing a 90-day prospective bundle shared savings contracting model with a payer, then you must either seek out consultants that can assist you with this or align with a company that brings these types of resources. We made the decision over a decade ago to joint venture with the local health systems, as they had the leverage to assist in securing fair market value contracts with major payers. Although I do believe payers are recognizing the value of competitive ASCs to a community, they still respond far better to a large health system contracting department than an independently managed ASC. Q: What are ASCs doing today that won't lead to success in the future? CB: Staying at the status quo there is no remaining stagnant with your operating model. You are either moving forward or backwards. Regent case in point: one of our longest standing, best performing centers averages 12.4-minute turnover time and targeted 11 minutes this year. The clinical team is actively accessing Regent's resources to assist them in removing unnecessary steps to aid in reducing turnover times. The irony is that this center is one of our highest MD physician scoring centers and yet, they are not remaining idle. Constant lean process improvement identifies continued opportunities for improvement and the concept that you have never 'arrived' drives our centers to improve. An outpatient surgical center could be coming to Boyne City, Mich., Petoskey News-Review reports. Four insights: 1. The Boyne City SurgCenter would offer outpatient surgical procedures in a 7,200-square-foot space. 2. The development would create up to 20 jobs. 3. Gosling Czubak Engineering Sciences' Darren Graham presented an overview of the project and its floor plan to the Boyne City Planning Commission April 15, on behalf of the proposed facility's owners. 4. Mr. Graham plans to attend the Boyne City Planning Commission's May 20 meeting to apply for project review. Bangor, Maine-based Northern Light Acadia Hospital mistakenly emailed the names of 300 patients who had prescriptions for Suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, to an editor at the Bangor Daily News. The email, which was a violation of HIPAA, also included the medical providers treating the patients. Arcadia's director of communication forwarded Bangor Daily News an email that contained a spreadsheet of the patients taking the opioid use disorder treatment drug. The news organization destroyed the files. Hospital President Scott Oxley determined the data breach was an "isolated" accident that occurred due to human error. "For us, this is a huge deal. Three hundred names were shared unintentionally. They were shared, nonetheless. This never should have happened," Mr. Oxley said in an interview April 17, according to the Bangor Daily News. "We're not making any excuses for this, but we don't classify this mistake as a systemic issue." Arcadia is working with its information technology department to ensure a similar incident does not occur. The hospital also plans to alert patients to the data breach. More articles about cybersecurity: Hackers may turn patient PHI into malware in medical image files Update: Data breach exposes 278,000 Navicent Health patients' information Hackers tried to reroute payments of 5,600 Blue Cross of Idaho members Companies in the S&P 500 Health Care Index lost about $150 billion in market value from April 15 to when markets closed for the holiday weekend April 18, according to Bloomberg. The sell-off is largely attributable to uncertainty in the healthcare industry due to competing policy proposals in Congress. Several healthcare companies saw their stock prices plunge April 16 after UnitedHealth Group CEO David Wichmann warned investors on a post-earnings conference call that "Medicare for All" proposals would "destabilize the nation's health system." The sell-off spread across the industry's sub-sectors throughout the week, but hospital and health insurance stocks took the biggest hit, according to Bloomberg. Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare's stock price dropped 9.9 percent. "Clearly, huge stock impacts to HCA and managed care can't be ignored and 'collateral damage' to sub-sectors like biopharma in the following days are reflective of a view that mutual funds are drawing down and souring" on healthcare, Jefferies analyst Michael Yee wrote in a note cited by Bloomberg. More articles on healthcare finance: Pennsylvania hospital shortchanges employees for 7th payday CMS' proposed inpatient rehabilitation payment rule for 2020: 5 things to know Missouri hospital tries to regain Medicare funding after owner enters bankruptcy Glen Falls (N.Y.) Hospital is looking into whether it qualifies for a sole community hospital designation in an effort to boost Medicare reimbursement, according to The Post-Star. To receive a sole community hospital designation, CMS requires that facilities be at least 25 miles from the next-closest hospital. The nonprofit Glen Falls Hospital which operates its main campus in Glen Falls, along with more than 20 regional healthcare facilities is about 19 miles from Saratoga Hospital in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. However, U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York is working with the hospital to see if the federal government will grant an exception, according to the Post-Star, which adds that there are exceptions to the rule, such as if bad weather or traffic can hinder travel for a certain portion of the year. We are always thinking about how we can better meet patients needs, and we are working to learn if being designated a sole community hospital by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid could assist. We are just now in the learning phase, and we will share additional information if we decide to move forward, hospital spokesperson Katelyn Cinzio told the publication. The designation effort comes after Glen Falls Hospital was in the news for finance-related issues, such as losses it sustained when Cerner's billing system did not work. If the hospital can qualify for the designation, it would reportedly get an automatic 7.1 percent boost to its Medicare reimbursements. More articles on healthcare finance: CMS' proposed inpatient rehabilitation payment rule for 2020: 5 things to know Healthcare stocks take $28B hit: 4 things to know The most common risk-bearing arrangements among surveyed health systems Stephen L. Mansfield, PhD, president and CEO of Dallas-based Methodist Health System, will retire, effective April 23. Seven things to know: 1. Dr. Mansfield, who has served as leader of the health system since 2006, will step into the CEO emeritus role once he retires. 2. During his tenure, the health system grew from two acute care hospitals to 10, and it improved its bond rating significantly. 3. He has received several awards over the course of his career, including the Distinguished Business Leader Award in 2015 from the Texas Association of Business. 4. Dr. Mansfield recently served on the Large Healthcare Systems Policy Board for the American Hospital Association. 5. He holds a PhD in organizational leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va., and an MBA from the University of Tennessee-Martin. 6. James Scoggin Jr., will come out of retirement to become interim CEO of the Methodist Health System. Mr. Scoggin retired after serving as president of Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare's North Texas Division in September 2013. 7. Pam Stoyanoff, executive vice president and COO of Methodist Health System, will become president and COO. She has worked at the health system since 2008. "Stephen Mansfield is an outstanding leader and person," said Scott Becker, publisher of Becker's Healthcare. "He is as good a person as there is." Five former nurses are suing South Peninsula Hospital in Homer, Alaska, alleging that they were forced out of their positions based on age, according to radio station KBBI. The former nurses who are in their 50s accuse the hospital of forcing them out in favor of younger, less expensive workers, the KBBI report states. They contend that the hospital should be liable for bullying them into leaving or terminating them. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Louise St. Laurent and Chris Long, who were co-assistant managers of surgical services at the hospital; former anesthesia nurse Brian Miller; and former nurses Laurie Stargel and Katherine White. One plaintiff accuses South Peninsula of abruptly canceling her contract after she asked about benefits in 2017, while others claim they were bullied and laid off in favor of less experienced workers, according to the report. South Peninsula management and the law firm that filed the lawsuit declined KBBIs requests for comment. A hospital spokesperson told the station the hospital had not seen the complaint. More articles on human capital and risk: Kaiser mental health patients to rally outside Oakland HQ, demand meeting with CEO Henry Mayo nurses to discuss next steps in negotiations After 400 layoffs, Kaiser Permanente Colorado in talks with labor unions over workforce needs From parents suing the New York City Department of Health over mandatory measles vaccines to a California health system agreeing to pay $30 million to settle upcoding allegations, here are the latest healthcare industry lawsuits and settlements making headlines. 1. 53 medical professionals charged in sweeping opioid takedown Dozens of medical professionals in seven states, including 31 physicians, eight nurse practitioners, seven pharmacists and seven other medical workers, are charged with participating in the unlawful prescribing of more than 32 million pain pills. 2. Maryland medical group settles false billing allegations Cardiac Associates, a medical group with four offices in Maryland, agreed to pay $399,230 to settle false billing allegations. 3. HHS hit with class-action complaint over suspended Medicare payments A now-shuttered home health company based in Chicago filed a proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court against HHS and AdvanceMed, a Medicare contractor. 4. Judge orders Illinois hospital to restore services or face fines A Cook County Circuit Court judge ordered Los Angeles-based Pipeline Health to restore services at Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill., by April 18 or face a fine of $200,000 a day. 5. Sutter Health enters $30M settlement over upcoding allegations Sacramento, Calif.-based Sutter Health agreed to pay $30 million to resolve allegations that several of its affiliates submitted diagnosis codes for certain Medicare Advantage beneficiaries that inflated their risk scores and resulted in overpayments. 6. Nebraska children's hospital CEO named in more than a dozen lawsuits Richard Azizkhan, MD, CEO of Omaha, Neb.-based Children's Hospital & Medical Center, was named in more than a dozen lawsuits related to his time at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. In an unrelated case filed in January, Dr. Azizkhan and Omaha Children's are accused of suspending two surgeons' privileges after they raised concerns about another surgeon. 7. UHS can't dodge claims it held patients illegally, investors say Shareholders who have been in a legal fight with Universal Health Services since 2017 have argued the King of Prussia, Pa.-based hospital operator can't dismiss claims it fueled revenues by exaggerating patients' risk of suicide and involuntarily committing them to its psychiatric hospitals. 8. Ex-physician assistant gets prison time for role in $1B healthcare fraud scheme A Florida federal judge sentenced Arnaldo Carmouze, a former physician assistant, to 80 months in prison for his role in a $1 billion Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme. 9. AtlantiCare fired paramedic for respecting patient's decision to refuse treatment, lawsuit claims A lawsuit filed against Atlantic City, N.J.-based AtlantiCare claims former paramedic Michael Senisch was wrongfully terminated after honoring a patient's wishes to refuse recommended medical treatment. 10. Ocular telemedicine company sues Indiana over prohibition of at-home vision tests Visibly, an eye care telemedicine company, filed a lawsuit against Indiana agencies that enforce the statewide ban on ocular telemedicine. 11. Parents sue NYC over mandatory measles vaccinations Five parents anonymously filed a lawsuit April 15 against the New York City Department of Health over the city's decision to make measles vaccinations mandatory for some zip codes. 12. Vermont pharmacy sues insurer over prescriptions steered to mail order Rutland Pharmacy, an independent pharmacy in Vermont, is suing a New York insurer, MVP Health Care, for pushing its customers to use a mail order pharmacy to fill prescriptions. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Ex-MetroHealth COO sentenced to 15 years for defrauding hospital 7 found guilty in $40M Texas hospital kickback case Boston Children's Hospital sues Saudi prince over $3.5M bill Dozens of medical professionals in seven states, including 31 physicians, eight nurse practitioners, seven pharmacists and seven other medical workers, were charged April 17 with participating in the unlawful prescribing of more than 32 million pain pills. A breakdown of the medical professionals by state: Note: Some indictments have not been unsealed. Alabama John Cimino, MD, an OB-GYN specialist, is accused of conspiracy and healthcare fraud. He allegedly received kickbacks from a compounding pharmacy when he referred patients to that pharmacy to fill their prescriptions. an OB-GYN specialist, is accused of conspiracy and healthcare fraud. He allegedly received kickbacks from a compounding pharmacy when he referred patients to that pharmacy to fill their prescriptions. Celia Lloyd-Turney, MD , the sole physician and medical director at Choice Medicine Clinic in Toney, Ala. She's accused of prescribing opioid pills in excess and leaving signed blank prescription sheets for her staff to use. , the sole physician and medical director at Choice Medicine Clinic in Toney, Ala. She's accused of prescribing opioid pills in excess and leaving signed blank prescription sheets for her staff to use. Elizabeth Korcz, MD, is a family medicine physician at a clinic in Hoover, Ala. The indictment claims the clinic operated primarily as a pill mill, serving up various opioid cocktails for no legitimate medical purpose. The clinic allegedly often stayed open beyond midnight, and the pharmacy within the clinic didn't take insurance. is a family medicine physician at a clinic in Hoover, Ala. The indictment claims the clinic operated primarily as a pill mill, serving up various opioid cocktails for no legitimate medical purpose. The clinic allegedly often stayed open beyond midnight, and the pharmacy within the clinic didn't take insurance. Marshall Plotka, MD, is a physician at Phoenix Emergency Care in Huntsville, Ala. Dr. Plotka is accused of letting people use his home to store, distribute and use illegal drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine. Kentucky Scott Akers, MD, owns and operates a pain management clinic in Pikeville, Ky. He allegedly closed the clinic in 2016 and began dispensing prescriptions for pain medication from his home. He's accused of unlawfully distributing opioids owns and operates a pain management clinic in Pikeville, Ky. He allegedly closed the clinic in 2016 and began dispensing prescriptions for pain medication from his home. He's accused of unlawfully distributing opioids Sai Gutti, MD, owns five clinics in eastern Kentucky. He's accused of healthcare fraud by billing Medicare and Medicaid for services not deemed medically necessary. owns five clinics in eastern Kentucky. He's accused of healthcare fraud by billing Medicare and Medicaid for services not deemed medically necessary. Ijaz Mahood, MD, is a cancer and blood specialist. Dr. Mahood is accused of conspiring with others to defraud government health insurance plans and commercial health plans by submitting false claims. He also is accused of leaving blank prescription forms for his staff to fill out. is a cancer and blood specialist. Dr. Mahood is accused of conspiring with others to defraud government health insurance plans and commercial health plans by submitting false claims. He also is accused of leaving blank prescription forms for his staff to fill out. Mohammed Mazumder, MD, owner of Appalachian Primary Care in Prestonsburg, Ky., faces 10 federal charges, including both Medicare fraud and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. owner of Appalachian Primary Care in Prestonsburg, Ky., faces 10 federal charges, including both Medicare fraud and unlawful distribution of a controlled substance. Denver Tackett, DDS, who owns a dental clinic in Kentucky, is accused of prescribing oxycodone and hydrocodone that were not reasonable for the treatment of patient injuries. He also is accused of extracting teeth from patients who had no need for extractions just so he could prescribe opioids for them. Louisiana Anil Prasad, MD, is a neurologist practicing in Slidell. He also worked at a pain management clinic. Dr. Prasad is accused of committing healthcare fraud from 2016 to 2018 by authorizing medically unnecessary opioid prescriptions. Ohio Raymond Noschang, MD, an internal medicine physician, is charged with prescribing patients oxycodone without a reasonable medical purpose. Pennsylvania Tayjha Brown, a former licensed practical nurse, is accused of stealing prescription forms to obtain opioids. Tennessee Timothy Abbott, MD, a licensed podiatrist with the Tennessee Health Department, is accused of prescribing opioids for no legitimate medical reason. a licensed podiatrist with the Tennessee Health Department, is accused of prescribing opioids for no legitimate medical reason. Henry Babenco, MD, a supervising physician at Lafollette (Tenn.) Wellness Center, is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. He also faces charges of money-laundering $120,000. a supervising physician at Lafollette (Tenn.) Wellness Center, is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. He also faces charges of money-laundering $120,000. Thomas Ballard, MD, is the owner of Ballard Clinic-Family practice in Jackson. He is accused of prescribing opioids outside the usual scope of professional practice. He is also accused of seeking sexual favors in exchange for writing prescriptions. is the owner of Ballard Clinic-Family practice in Jackson. He is accused of prescribing opioids outside the usual scope of professional practice. He is also accused of seeking sexual favors in exchange for writing prescriptions. Michelle Bonifield , is a pharmacy tech at Mehr Drug Store in Bells, Tenn. She is accused of conspiring with others to distribute opioids outside the course of professional practice. , is a pharmacy tech at Mehr Drug Store in Bells, Tenn. She is accused of conspiring with others to distribute opioids outside the course of professional practice. Glenn Bonfield Jr., PharmD, pharmacist at Mehr Drug Store in Bells, Tenn. is accused of conspiring with others to distribute opioids outside the course of professional practice. pharmacist at Mehr Drug Store in Bells, Tenn. is accused of conspiring with others to distribute opioids outside the course of professional practice. Charles Brooks, MD , who had his license suspended in 2019 for letting physicians forge his name on blank prescriptions, was charged with distributing opioids and other controlled substances outside the scope of medical practice. , who had his license suspended in 2019 for letting physicians forge his name on blank prescriptions, was charged with distributing opioids and other controlled substances outside the scope of medical practice. Gregory Madron, the clinic manager at Lafollette Wellness Center and is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. the clinic manager at Lafollette Wellness Center and is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. Heather Marks, RN , is a nurse practitioner accused of prescribing opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. , is a nurse practitioner accused of prescribing opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. Steven Mynatt, MD, was charged with illegally distributing opioids between December 2015 and March 2019. was charged with illegally distributing opioids between December 2015 and March 2019. Sharon Naylor, RN, a nurse at Lafollette Wellness Center is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. a nurse at Lafollette Wellness Center is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. David Newman, MD, was charged with illegally distributing opioids between December 2015 and March 2018. was charged with illegally distributing opioids between December 2015 and March 2018. Brittney Petway , a nurse practitioner, is accused of issuing prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone and other drugs at Superior Health and Wellness Clinic in Jackson, without a medical need. , a nurse practitioner, is accused of issuing prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone and other drugs at Superior Health and Wellness Clinic in Jackson, without a medical need. John Polston, PharmD , a pharmacist in charge of Dale Hollow Pharmacy, is accused of knowingly distributing pain meds without authority. , a pharmacist in charge of Dale Hollow Pharmacy, is accused of knowingly distributing pain meds without authority. Brian Richey , is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. , is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. Darrel Rinehard, MD, an internist, is accused of routinely prescribing highly addictive opioids without reason to do so. an internist, is accused of routinely prescribing highly addictive opioids without reason to do so. Daniel Seeley, is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. Jay Shires, MD, the part owner of Downtown Medical Clinic in Bells, is accused of knowingly supervising a nurse practitioner who was illegally prescribing opioids. the part owner of Downtown Medical Clinic in Bells, is accused of knowingly supervising a nurse practitioner who was illegally prescribing opioids. Alicia Taylor, is a physician assistant at Lafollette Wellness Center and is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. is a physician assistant at Lafollette Wellness Center and is accused of illegally distributing opioids from May 2016 to December 2018. Johnathan White , is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. , is a nurse practitioner accused of scheming to illegally make money from submitting false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and Tricare. Harrison Yang, MD, is charged with writing prescriptions for opioids for patients who did not need them. is charged with writing prescriptions for opioids for patients who did not need them. Jefferey Young, a nurse practitioner is accused of traiding opioids for sex. West Virginia Chad Poage, DO, a physician specializing in osteopathy, is accused of illegally writing prescriptions for two people for acetaminophen-codeine. He allegedly used the prescriptions for himself. a physician specializing in osteopathy, is accused of illegally writing prescriptions for two people for acetaminophen-codeine. He allegedly used the prescriptions for himself. Marc Spelar, MD, a psychiatrist is accused of illegal drug distribution. Read the list here. By Azernews By Kamila Aliyeva The Karabakh horse, a breed included on the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, can truly be called the pride of the Caucasus. A commission to rate and assess horses of Karabakh breed will be created in Azerbaijan. The commission will include specialists from relevant departments of the ministry, Asaf Omarov, the head of the department of organization and identification in the field of animal husbandry of the Agriculture Ministry, told Report.az. He noted that 230 horses contained in the Karabakh horse-breeding complex will pass the assessment. The ones that most closely match the breeding qualities of Karabakh horse will be selected among them for breeding. In 2017, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev issued an order on additional support for the development of the Karabakh breed of horses. The Agriculture Ministry allocated 2 million manats ($1.18 million) from the reserve fund of the President for this purpose. The Karabakh horse, originating in the Azerbaijani Karabakh region, is renowned for its good temper, loyalty, strength and speed. Those are mountain horses, so they are not very tall, 1.48-1.52 meters. They are slim, with attractive faces and are kind and gentle by nature. Despite their delicate appearance, Karabakh horses are known for their stamina and they are very successful racers. Their suppleness also made them ideal for traditional games like Chovgan and Surpapag. The refined beauty, strength, special grace of the Karabakh horses delighted artists, writers and poets, who reflected the uniqueness of this horse breed in their works. One of the numerous publications on the Karabakh horses noted that "until the end of the 19th century the Karabakh horses were the beauty and pride of the Caucasus, worthy not only of the princely, but also of the royal saddle." The Karabakh horse takes a pride place in various international competitions and contests, winning various prizes and medals. Karabakh breed horses were repeatedly presented at the celebration of the anniversary of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II reign in 2012. Before, the English queen received a golden horse of Karabakh as a gift in 1956. Last year, Azerbaijani riders on Karabakh horse took part in the 75th anniversary of the Royal Equestrian Show in Windsor in the UK. At all times the Karabakh breed of horses was widely known. Specialists say that the Karabakh horse is one of the ancient breeds in Asia. And all the subsequent history of horse breeders worked on improving the horse. The greatest success was achieved in the 18th century. Already at that time there was a stud farm in Karabakh. After the assassination of Nadir Shah in 1747, it became the property of the founder and first ruler of the Karabakh khanate, Panah Ali Khan. Historians say that this ruler really appreciated the Karabakh breed. Half a century later, in 1797, after the murder of Agha Muhammad Khan in Shusha, the best producers from his herd remained at the Karabakh stud farm. The story of these horses is inextricably linked to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unfortunately, these magnificent beasts can no longer be bred in the area from which they originated due to the Armenian occupation. The war in Nagorno-Karabakh at the end of the 20th century put these horses at risk of extinction. The militants, who captured the beautiful city of Aghdam with a rich industry, destroyed it, including the prosperous stud farm. The Florida Supreme Court has ruled that Halifax Hospital Medical Center may not use revenue bonds to establish, construct, operate and maintain hospitals beyond its taxing district, including a hospital planned in Deltona, Fla., according to the News Service of Florida. Justices, in their decision, said Daytona Beach, Fla.-based Halifax, a special tax district, is not authorized to carry out the Deltona hospital project for which it wanted to issue revenue bonds. They sided with a lower court, which denied the bond validation because Halifax sought to build the hospital outside of the district. Although the legislature certainly can grant a special district authority to operate outside of its defined geographic boundary, that extraordinary grant of authority would need to be express and unambiguous clear enough to demonstrate that the legislature has created a special district that will operate with a power not generally contemplated for special districts, the justices wrote. State law does not contain an express grant of authority for Halifax to operate hospitals outside the geographic boundaries established for the district, and when the relevant language is considered as a whole, only authorizes Halifax to operate within the district, they added. The case initially was brought by Daytona resident and taxpayer Nancy Epps, who challenged Halifaxs authority to build the Deltona hospital based on geographic boundaries authorized by Florida lawmakers. Halifax previously contended construction of the proposed hospital "will conserve the district's financial resources, is necessary and will serve a legitimate purpose of the district." More articles on legal and regulatory issues: 12 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements 53 medical professionals charged in sweeping opioid takedown HHS hit with class-action complaint over suspended Medicare payments The future of Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park, Ill., is in limbo after a series of back-and-forth court rulings on April 18. The legal fight began after Westlake Hospital's owner, Los Angeles-based Pipeline Health, suspended services at the hospital on April 9. The village of Melrose Park requested a temporary restraining order to prevent Pipeline from immediately ending services at the hospital, and Cook County Circuit Court Judge Eve Reilly granted that request. Despite the court order, Pipeline reportedly continued to lay off hospital employees and haul medical equipment off site. The village of Melrose Park filed an emergency motion asking for Pipeline to be held in contempt of court for allegedly disregarding the temporary restraining order, which barred Pipeline from closing the hospital, cutting services or laying off workers until May 1. Earlier this week, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Moshe Jacobius found Pipeline in contempt of the temporary restraining order. He ordered Pipeline to restore services at Westlake Hospital by April 18 or face a fine of $200,000 a day. The case took another turn on April 18, when an Illinois Appellate Court panel threw out the temporary restraining order against Pipeline. The three-judge panel said the village of Melrose Park had no standing to seek the action. Hours later, the Illinois Supreme Court reinstated the TRO, preventing Pipeline from suspending services at the hospital while Melrose Park leaders file an appeal, according to CBS Chicago. As they prepare to head back to court, both sides are confident they will prevail. "We believe when the entire Illinois Supreme Court reviews the case, it will agree with today's earlier decision: The Village of Melrose Park has no standing," Pipeline CEO Jim Edwards said in an April 18 statement to the Chicago Sun-Times. Regarding the legal battle, Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico issued the following statement to the Chicago Sun-Times: "The people of Melrose Park will not allow Pipeline Health to trample on us. Pipeline thinks that the law doesn't apply to them but it does. We'll do everything we can to hold them accountable." More articles on legal and regulatory issues: 12 latest healthcare industry lawsuits, settlements 53 medical professionals charged in sweeping opioid takedown HHS hit with class-action complaint over suspended Medicare payments A judge in New York City denied parents' request to lift the city's mandatory vaccination order amid a measles outbreak, reports Reuters. Five parents anonymously filed a lawsuit April 15 against the New York City Health Department over the city's decision to make measles vaccinations mandatory for some ZIP codes. Judge Lawrence Knipel issued a six-page decision April 18, upholding the mandate. He ruled it was within the health department's powers to issue the order and disputed parents' claims that it was excessive or coercive. The city's measles outbreak has sickened 359 people since October 2018. The outbreak has primarily affected the area's Orthodox Jewish community, many of whom choose not to vaccinate their children. A major US cannabis company has set up its European headquarters in Belfast. Colorado-based Mile High Labs, which is the largest extractor of cannabidiol (CBD) isolate in the world, established its base on the Boucher Road. CBD is the non-psychoactive element of the cannabis plant, while isolate refers to its purified form. CBD remains legal in the UK so long as it does not contain THC, the component which produces the cannabis 'high'. It has become increasingly high profile in Northern Ireland through campaigners such as Co Tyrone woman Charlotte Caldwell, who administers CBD to her son Billy to treat his severe form of epilepsy. Mile High Labs set up in Northern Ireland towards the end of last year under UK/EU managing director John Wallace. The company said it had been recruiting staff and described the Belfast base as a low-cost distribution centre for serving the UK and EU markets. Mile High Labs also said that its Northern Ireland branch had lowered its corporate tax rate via the UK patent box system and that it had established a "close relationship" with Invest NI. "We are very excited to officially launch European operations with our first sales into the UK and EU," said Mr Wallace. "Having an on-the-ground presence helps us provide the best service and support to current customers in the region, as well as new ones that understand the tremendous opportunity in this burgeoning market." "Our expansion is a testament to the global consumer demand for CBD," added chief executive Jason Roth. "Wherever our customers are around the world, we want to support them. "We are committed to bringing the highest-quality standards to the European CBD market and beyond." Company finance officer Jon Hilley said: "We are committed to being good stewards within every region we operate and we are thrilled to have the support of Invest NI. "We are equally committed to making investments that are highly accretive. "Our expansion plan reinforces the notion that we are thoughtfully deploying our capital in ways that seek to maximise value for all of our stakeholders." Banking group Citi has confirmed the purchase of the 133,000 sq ft Gateway building in Belfast's Titanic Quarter. Citi has occupied the building as its sole tenant since it was completed in 2009. While the purchase fee has not been disclosed, Titanic Quarter Ltd put a 34m price tag on the office block in November. The global bank made its move into Northern Ireland in 2005, and is now one of the biggest employers here. Its workforce stands at 2,600 across Belfast, working in 22 different disciplines. Citi said yesterday: "The purchase of the building, a decade later, further demonstrates our commitment to Citi's long-term future in Belfast and the UK. "Citi is proud to be an employer of choice in Belfast and be regarded as a company where all can thrive. Every year, we recruit hundreds of talented people, hire more than 100 graduates, and engage with more than 4,500 university students." Regional newspaper group Alpha, led by Lord Kilclooney, has announced it is selling two publications in the Republic. The company, which is based in Dungannon, said it was offloading the Offaly-based Tullamore and Midland Tribunes to Formpress Publishing, which is a subsidiary of Iconic Newspapers. Alpha's titles include the Coleraine Chronicle, the Tyrone Courier and the Armagh Gazette. Lord Kilclooney told the Belfast Telegraph the deal had been made "in principle" but had yet to be completed. The 81-year-old said his advancing age had been part of the reason to sell. "I'm in my 82nd year now and it's not as hard travelling to Dungannon and Cookstown as it is to Birr and Tullamore," he added. The deal, which is subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission watchdog in the Republic, leaves Alpha with 13 titles here. Iconic Newspapers also owns the Dundalk Democrat and Echo and Leitrim Observer. The business acquired seven titles from River Media, which was based in Donegal, last year. Scotland-based Johnston Press sold its Irish titles to the company in 2014. Fintech firm Dotsys is to add 10 software programmers and open a new office in Belfast. The company, part of the Coleraine-based MCL InsureTech group, provides financial software solutions to the financial services industry. It employs 14 people, but intends to grow considerably in the next year. Gary McClarty, chief executive of MCL InsureTech, said the fintech subsidiary needs software developers for both its Coleraine base and the new Belfast premises, due to open in the coming months. "With expertise built up over 30 years, we have been able to develop and innovate cloud-based technologies, enabling our customers to handle large volumes of business in the most cost-effective and profitable way," he said. Last year MCL InsureTech announced it had increased turnover by almost 1m to 13.8m for the year to March 31 2018, with pre-tax profits standing at 5.6m. The chief executive said: "With the recent expansion of IT and the development of new web-based applications, our business is growing. "We are now looking to recruit 10 software developers to develop new and existing products for the insurance and retail industries. "We are looking for individuals who are keen to enter a culture of strong teamwork, quality, innovation, customer focus and continuous development." He added: "We invest in our people. We want them to be the best they can be, and we want them to have a skillset that keeps pace with the evolving technological environment we live in." A four-day hearing in Belfast heard complaints by Ms Wilson that she had faced extreme stress, had not been effectively supported and was subjected to bullying by her line manager, Karen Harding (stock picture) A social worker was constructively and unfairly dismissed by a well-known local mental health charity, an industrial tribunal has ruled. Lynsey Wilson took a case against Praxis Care, which provides help for vulnerable adults and children with mental health issues and learning disabilities. She joined the charity as a team leader in 2011, working out of its Locke House base in Portadown. A four-day hearing in Belfast heard complaints by Ms Wilson that she had faced extreme stress, had not been effectively supported and was subjected to bullying by her line manager, Karen Harding. Ms Wilson was absent from work from June 30, 2016, due to illness and did not return to her position before her resignation in February of last year. She was initially certified as unfit to work due to mental and physical exhaustion. During her absence, Ms Wilson was assessed by the charity's occupational health physician three times. On the final occasion in late April 2017, despite being assessed as being fit to return to work, she was described as still experiencing "moderate anxiety". Ms Wilson identified a number of factors which contributed to her workplace stress, including demands, under-staffing and a lack of support from and relationship difficulties with Ms Harding. While Ms Wilson was absent, Ms Harding was promoted, meaning she was no longer her direct line manager. However, a return-to-work meeting was organised in May 2017 at which Ms Harding was to be present. Rejecting this, Ms Wilson requested that if Ms Harding was to be present she should be afforded the support of a representative from her trade union - a request that was denied. The tribunal heard that Ms Wilson had a panic attack on the telephone with a human resources worker when advised of Ms Harding's proposed attendance at the meeting. Ms Wilson then lodged a grievance by letter in which she formalised her complaint of bullying and detailed her concerns, including the handling of the return-to-work meeting. Following an investigation into Ms Wilson's list of 29 complaints, an outcome letter in November 2017 stated that "no evidence of bullying and harassment" from Ms Harding could be found. Ms Wilson appealed this outcome, but the charity did not uphold her appeal or find her complaints substantiated. She resigned following receipt of the grievance outcome the following February. The tribunal was told of an incident on June 21, 2016, nine days before Ms Wilson went on sick leave, when she had been shouted at and humiliated in front of her colleagues by Ms Harding. Earlier that same year, in an appraisal, Ms Harding was critical of Ms Wilson's time management skills and compared her unfavourably with other staff. Barrister Sean Doherty, acting on behalf of Praxis Care, suggested it was "a matter of interpretation as to whether this amounted to bullying". He noted that Ms Harding had accepted she was direct and he conceded that she was undoubtedly confrontational due to her frustration that "paperwork had not been completed". He characterised the incident as having happened "in the heat of the moment". Mr Doherty further suggested that Ms Wilson's complaint about the grievance process was driven by her disappointment at not being vindicated. In his submission, Mr Doherty said the return-to-work meeting was an opportunity to address matters and suggested the purpose of Ms Harding's attendance was "not to berate and criticise" Ms Wilson. The tribunal found the conduct of Praxis "was likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence" with Ms Wilson and that she had "resigned in response to this conduct". It also ruled that Ms Wilson's grievances were "not investigated in a fair and appropriate manner." It did not accept Mr Doherty's contention that Ms Wilson did not resign quickly enough, stating that she chose to exercise her contractual right to seek redress of her complaints through the grievance procedure and appeal. "She was reserving her position following the lengthy period of incapacity," it stated. A further remedies hearing will be convened if both parties are unable to agree on financial losses incurred by Ms Wilson. An 18-strong work syndicate from Newry are having a "smashing" time after winning a quarter of a million pound EuroMillions win. The staff, from demolition company Tinnelly Group Ltd won 253,489.30 after matching the five main numbers and one Lucky Star number in the EuroMillions draw on Friday 29 March Each member of the syndicate is set to pocket more than 14,000. The group believe fate may have played a part in their win, at the start of every month, syndicate manager Michelle OHare from Warrenpoint usually buys the EuroMillions Lucky Dip lines for the syndicate for the entire months Friday night draws but this time there was a change to the routine. Michelle was at a wedding on March 29 and so instead of buying from her local shop as always, she asked Gareth Tinnelly, a member of the family that owns the business and who is also in the syndicate, to purchase the tickets in her place which he did at Mulkerns Eurospar on the Forkhill Road, close to company HQ. Read More The winning ticket lay on Gareths desk for a week before Michelle had a chance to check it when she called into her local store the following Friday. I asked the shop assistant to check my tickets as I normally do, but this time he gave a ticket back to me and said that I would need to call The National Lottery as this ticket was for a big amount," Michelle expained. Expand Close The Tinnelly Group syndicate celebrate their 250k EuroMillions win. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Tinnelly Group syndicate celebrate their 250k EuroMillions win. Excitedly, I used my phone app to scan the ticket and I literally could not believe my eyes when the figure flashed up on my screen. I really couldnt believe it and asked a few friends and family to check that I wasnt seeing things. Then when I was sure that it was correct, I called The National Lottery who happily confirmed that our ticket was indeed worth just over a quarter of a million pounds. We also won a further 2.70 on the same draw! Michelle and her colleague Gareth came up with a plan to break the news to their fellow syndicate members. I wasnt sure how to break the good news to the rest of the team so Gareth and I had a chat on Saturday and we came up with a plan to carry out on Monday morning at work," she said. "It was very difficult to keep it a secret over the weekend and I couldnt sleep a wink but, for the first time in forever, I was looking forward to getting up early to go to work on a Monday. We told everyone that wed forgotten to buy the lottery tickets over the weekend but had done a bet in Saturdays Grand National instead. Then we gave everyone an envelope and explained that the person whose envelope contained the name of the winning horse would win 500. In reality, I had placed a note in every envelope to say they had won 14,000." As everyone started opening their envelopes, they soon realised what had happened and it wasnt long before everyone was jumping around, hugging each other, cheering and crying for joy. It was a brilliant moment that Im sure none of us will ever forget. Then the boss said that we could all go to the bar for the afternoon to celebrate. We really had a smashing time although there were a few sore heads at work next morning! Seventeen of the 18-strong syndicate were available at the companys headquarters on Friday morning to share news of their lucky win. They were: Michelle OHare (Warrenpoint), Gareth Tinnelly (Rostrevor), Dessie Tinnelly (Rostrevor), Sean Smyth (Keady), Arthur McGuinness (Newry), Aaron Mackey (Kilkeel), Martin Tinnelly (Warrenpoint), Damien Tinnelly (Newry), Roisin Franklin (Rostrevor), Joanne Campbell (Newry), Orlagh Trainor (Kilkeel), Jolene Morgan (Newry), Anne Rogers (Crossmaglen), Ciara McIlroy (Newry), Tanya Farrell (Crossmaglen), Alison McCann (Newry), and Briege McClorey (Newtowncloghoge). An Ulster Unionist councillor last night told how he cradled the head and neck of a woman after she was injured in a four-vehicle car crash in Co Tyrone. The smash happened on the Fyfin Road near Victoria Bridge yesterday afternoon. All four cars suffered substantial damage in the incident, and in all vehicles the air bags had deployed. Castlederg-based councillor Derek Hussey said he came upon the scene just seconds after the crash. "I was at the scene and saw the aftermath," he said. "My father-in-law and I were in a car that was close behind the vehicles involved in the crash. "I assisted in keeping the head and neck still of a woman injured in the incident until the emergency services arrived. "She was still inside the car. "Others were doing the same for other injured people. "Thankfully there were no fatalities - but everyone involved will have suffered considerable trauma." The Fire and Rescue service, Ambulance Service, PSNI and Air Ambulance all attended the crash scene, with the injured being taken to hospital for treatment. Mr Hussey said he knew several of the people in the four cars, as well as many of the emergency services responders. "I was just glad I was able to do something to help the injured. "You get in there, and you do what you can." Mr Hussey praised the swift response of the emergency services to the incident, but also noted that the local fire station at Castlederg was understaffed. The councillor called on the NIFRS to beef up personnel numbers at the station. "I appeal to the NIFRS to bring Castlederg station up to its full complement of 20. "The people are there, and are willing to serve their community," he said. "I call on the NIFRS to rethink and to engage with the people who wish to serve." Top international artists including Vasilis and Stavroula Michalopoulou from Greece, Nora Al Gahtani from Saudi Arabia and Haider Al Shaibani from Iraq, will be showcasing their works at On the Wall 2019, a dedicated event to promote Bahrain Artists to a wider audience which is being held as part of this year's Interiors Expo. The biggest integrated business-to-business showcase for the interiors sector in the Northern Gulf region, Interiors Expo 2019 will be held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain from April 23 to 25 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, said the event organisers Hilal Conferences and Exhibitions (HCE). "Bahrains fledgling art show is gaining acclaim in the artworld in only its second edition," remarked the events curator Ali Shafiq of Bahrain Art Gallery. The On the Wall 2 will feature paintings, sculptures, photography, art installations and calligraphy from leading international Artists. HCE Managing Director Jubran Abdulrahman said: "We have created a home for On the Wall within our Interiors Expo, which runs alongside the Gulf Property Show and Gulf Construction Expo to provide the visitors an insight of the creative talents in Bahrain and Internationally; because for all of us the On the Wall" is a concept to promote the medium of art as collectible and desirable across the whole community." Aprat from Vasilis and Stavroula and Al Gahtani, the other global artists on view at the On the Wall gallery include Haider Al Shaibani from Iraq, Abdul Razak Hamouda from Switzerland, Alaa al Rayan from Jordan and Mon Chouk from Tunis. "The On The Wall event not only showcases these and leading Bahraini artists but will also feature a number of workshops, live painting classes and tutorials from artists. These classes will be live streamed for the first time in Bahrain," stated Abdulrahman. "Bahrain Art Gallery is committed to encourage the development of the creative artist talents of Bahrain. On the Wall 2 is our not-for profit contribution to delivering on our aim, noted Shafiq. "As curators we have been reliant on the support of two of Bahrains leading lights of the art world, Abbas Al Mosawi and Mahdi Jallawi who have acted voluntarily as brand Ambassadors for On the Wall," he stated. "Our gallery, which is located on Exhibition Road, has now expanded its network to Bahrains City Centre with a new outlet," he added. A major industry event in the Northern Gulf region, Interiors Expo is strategically sponsored by Hempel Paints and Tamkeen.-TradeArabia News Service The dissident republicans who murdered Lyra McKee are cowards who will fail in their hate-filled efforts to drag Ireland into the past, the Irish premier has said. Leo Varadkar paid tribute to Ms McKee as he gave a statement outside Government Buildings in Dublin. An activist and journalist, she changed lives as she lived and will do so again in death, he said, vowing to stand in solidarity with the people of Londonderry. Twenty-one years ago today on Good Friday, we as a people, north and south, chose peace, democracy, powersharing and ever closer co-operation, and we will not be dragged into the past. There is no place or any justification for political violence in Ireland or Northern Ireland today. This was an act of fear, this was an act of hate, and this was an act of cowardice. Those who carried it out do not share the views of our nation nor of our republic and we reject them. And so this was an attack not just on one citizen, it was an attack on all of us, our nation and our freedoms. I want to express my solidarity with the people of Derry today, we stand with you as strong as your walls and for as long as they stand. I would like to express my sincere condolences to Lyras family, her partner Sara and her friends. Our solidarity also goes out to the people of Derry and to the entire journalism community. Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) April 19, 2019 The Taoiseach praised the bravery of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and emergency services in Derry. He added: I echo the call that anyone who has information should now come forward so that justice be done. Dissident republican group the New IRA was probably responsible for shooting dead a journalist in Northern Ireland, police have said. Lyra McKee, 29, was shot in the head during a terrorist incident amid disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday evening and died later in hospital. Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers were carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekends commemoration of the 1916 Dublin uprising that led to Irish independence. Prime Minister Theresa May said: The death of Lyra McKee in last nights suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage. Irish Taoiseach Leo Vardakar said his government condemned the violence in the strongest possible terms. And he said: We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past. More than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. During the unrest a gunman fired a number of shots at police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. He added: The bringing of a firearm out and firing it down a street in a residential area where they knew lots of people were standing about is a calculated and callous act and can only be designed to hurt and kill people. Bullets stop somewhere, and on this occasion they stopped fatally. Expand Close Police at the scene on Fanad Drive in Londonderry (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene on Fanad Drive in Londonderry (Brian Lawless/PA) The New IRA is an amalgam of a series of armed groups opposed to the peace process. It claimed responsibility for a number of parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow recently. The threat posed to police in Northern Ireland is high. It is understood Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner. She worked as an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. In 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020. Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. She added: A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us in to darkness. Mr Hamilton confirmed she was wounded and taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but died there. He said she was a perfectly innocent bystander with legitimate reason for being there but had not been actively working as a journalist on Thursday evening. We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified. Expand Close A screengrab taken of the final tweet posted by 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee before she was shot (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A screengrab taken of the final tweet posted by 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee before she was shot (PA) Mr Hamilton offered his deepest sympathies to Ms McKees family. He added: But not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack again on the people of this city. A car bomb left outside a courthouse in the city exploded in January. The New IRA were blamed. Mr Hamilton said: I stood here in January and we talked about the bomb and the act of violence against this city, and yet again we see another act of violence in this city which has had horrendous consequences and which will affect people for many, many years. He appealed to people with influence to use it to ensure a quiet weekend and future in the city. These acts of violence are bringing nothing to this city, all they are doing is bringing misery to one family, but also particularly to this city and also to our broader province. Local resident George McGowan said they were a proud, courageous and peaceful people as he announced a vigil on Friday afternoon. ACC Mark Hamilton says our thoughts are very much with the family & friends of Lyra McKee. He says her murder demonstrates all too starkly when terrorists bring violence & guns into the community members of the public are placed in severe danger. pic.twitter.com/26TJZMkLGD Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) April 19, 2019 He said: The events of last night have left us all sad, numb, frightened, bewildered, heartbroken, angry, ashamed, guilty and resolute. This behaviour is not in our name; we have all been wounded by these actions. A young life is lost and we are left feeling vulnerable and ashamed. He added: Come stand with us and send a clear message that this community will not allow anyone to pull us back to the past and that this community will always stand together. Creggan parish Catholic priest Fr Joseph Gormley said he saw the young woman lying in hospital with her life cruelly taken from her with her broken-hearted family at her bedside. He paid tribute to the familys dignity and accused dissidents of forcing their viewpoint on others using the barrel of a gun. Have you no sense of humanity or dignity about yourself? Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said she was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the death. Expand Close Petrol bombs were thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Petrol bombs were thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA) My thoughts and condolences are with her family at this time. Those responsible for last nights violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland. United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi also paid tribute to Ms McKee during a visit to Stormont. A minutes silence was observed during an event she attended in the Long Gallery in respect of Ms McKee during a speech by Northern Ireland Assembly speaker Robin Newton. During her speech, Ms Pelosi said: Sadly, Mr Speaker, we join you on the sadness of the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, and your moment of silence at this time, on Good Friday is especially poignant, she said. You not only had a moment of silence, you presented a sense of resolve that justice would be done and the memory of that young woman would be a lesson for all of us. A dissident republican group has vowed to ignore police warnings over its Easter Saturday commemoration in Newry. Saoradh is to hold the annual event in St Mary's Cemetery tomorrow afternoon, even though the PSNI has said it would be unlawful. PSNI Chief Inspector Joe McMinn said police were aware of a parade being advertised on social media to take place in the city on Easter Saturday and that attempts to engage with organisers had so far failed. "The organisers of any public parade or procession are required by law to notify the Parades Commission and police of their intentions by submitting an 11/1 (form), which can be completed online. However, to date police offers to engage with the organisers have been refused," he said. "As such, any parade will be unlawful and anyone who takes part will be committing a criminal offence and will therefore be liable for prosecution. "We take the issue of unnotified parades and protests very seriously and will in each case take appropriate steps to protect the public, preserve public order and gather evidence with a view to prosecuting anyone who breaks the law. Saoradh Newry area representative Stephen Murney said tomorrow's parade "will honour those who gave their lives for an Ireland free from British occupation". "We will pay tribute to all those who have fought, died and assisted in the cause of Irish freedom," he said. "This is an opportunity for all those who are working to achieve a 32 county socialist republic, by any means, to rededicate themselves to the Irish liberation struggle. "At last year's event we were confronted and threatened by heavily armed members of the RUC/PSNI for honouring our dead. "We defied them last year and we will defy them this year." The Saoradh parade is due to assemble at the cemetery at noon and participants will then march to the republican plot. Saoradh, which means liberation in Irish, was founded in 2016. It is dedicated "to effect an end to Britain's illegal occupation of the six counties". The grief-stricken fiance of a young mother who tragically drowned in Carlingford Lough missed two phone calls from her asking for a lift home on the night she died. James Griffin didn't realise Ruth Maguire, his partner of 12 years, had been calling until a fortnight after her funeral because she had dialled his work phone, which he had mistakenly left at the office. The couple, who have three children - Tyler (10), Lydia (7) and Oliver (5) - were due to marry this August, but that was before the 30-year-old nurse assistant lost her life during a terrible accident on a friend's hen night in Co Louth. She went missing after 11.30pm on Saturday, March 16 after becoming separated from her friends. Her lifeless body was later recovered in the water between Carlingford and Greenore on March 18 - one month ago today. Heartbreakingly, Ruth, who lived in Newcastle, was buried in the wedding dress she never got to wear on March 29 following a funeral Mass at St Vincent de Paul's Church, close to her mother's home in north Belfast. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph, Ruth's older sister Rachel Wilkinson said her family is still trying to cope with the pain of her death, and she told of James's devastation after missing his wife-to-be's calls that night. "Everybody is just trying to work through their grieving in different ways," Rachel said. Much to the bewilderment of her sister, Ruth had put out a short video with no sound on Instagram at 12.12am the Sunday she disappeared. It showed an image of a doorway to a small cottage across the road from the entrance to the pier. It was the last time she used her phone, and it is what is thought to have triggered the search in the lough. "The thing that I couldn't work out initially, after Ruth went missing, was that she'd been on her phone but I didn't know what she was doing," Rachel said. Expand Close Ruth and her mum Geraldine / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruth and her mum Geraldine "Then, when Jim went back to work two weeks after the funeral, he turned on his work phone and saw that Ruth had called him twice at 12.06am, so it all makes sense now. "She had told her friends earlier that night that she wanted to go home and I now know she was ringing Jim in the hope that he would pick her up... but she'd obviously rang his work number instead of his personal phone by accident. "Jim told me that he had to pull over in the car when he saw the missed calls... he was devastated... but in a way it's comforting for us to know that she was trying to get home to her family before she died." Expand Close Ruth preparing for her sisters wedding / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruth preparing for her sisters wedding In his distress at having missed Ruth's attempts to make contact, accounts assistant Rachel, who is in her 30s, said she told Jim not to dwell on what could have been. "There was a possibility that he might have been the one to find her in the lough... we don't know why she fell in," she said. "Even if he'd answered, she still could have fallen in and then he could have found her, which would have been horrendous, especially with three kids in the car." Expand Close Ruth with her fiance James / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ruth with her fiance James Speaking from a family holiday in Lanzarote with husband Ben (40) and their boys Louis (7) and Oscar (3), which she booked before Ruth went missing, Rachel said her sister's death had left a void that can't ever be filled. "Sometimes it doesn't feel real... you forget she's not there anymore," she said. "We talked every day. I would always ring her and even though she was younger she would always give me advice." She also revealed how losing Ruth, a strong swimmer, in a drowning accident has left her terrified of the sea. "The water has become a bit of an issue for me," she added. "The other day, down by the beach, I was an absolute mess, I just couldn't relax. Every time the kids went near the water I panicked... the sea was quite unsettled, the current was strong and it was horrendous. "I've always been a bit funny when it comes to kids around a swimming pool and I know you always need to keep an eye on children near water, but my reactions are 10 times exaggerated now. "It was scared. I kept making the kids play in the sand, rather than go near the water. "I told Louis that mummy is really nervous because of what happened to Auntie Ruth and he said he understood, but he's a seven-year-old boy and he just wants to have fun and play in the water and obviously I'm stopping him." She added: "At one point I just went to the shops so they could play without me pestering them to get away from the water all the time. At least they got half-an-hour playing with their dad, who's a lot more relaxed than me." Rachel said her parents - Geraldine Worthington and Malachy Maguire, who lives in London - are "struggling" with the loss of their youngest child. So, too, are her brothers Raymond Worthington (32) and Ryan Maguire (46). "You never think of these things. I certainly didn't. I thought Ruth would be looking after me when I got older," she said. Returning to work a week after the funeral was easier than staying at home for Rachel "because sitting around the house made it even worse". "Rather than sit and look at four walls, I just went back," she added. "The longer you put it off, the more insurmountable dealing with your grief seems." Rachel said that Jim (35), a gas engineer, has been strong for his children as he tackles the challenges of being a single parent head on. "He's trying to look after the kids and he's got a lot to work out... like how he's going to get them all to their various classes, such as gymnastics," she said. "He has decided to stay in Newcastle. My mum is going to go down a couple of days a week to help out with everything, and his family will also be there for him. "Tyler, Lydia and Oliver are really settled down there. Tyler is in Year 6 so he's going to have his transfer test soon so Jim doesn't want to uproot the whole family at this time." She added: "As my mum keeps saying, everything happened in Belfast - the wake was at mum's house, the funeral left from mum's house - but their house in Newcastle is still their wee happy home, although, of course, Ruth's not there..." The mum-of-two said her family have reconciled themselves to the fact the Ruth had a freak accident that came about partly because there are no barriers in the area near the lough where she is thought to have fallen in. And that is why she is now spearheading a campaign for one to be erected in the area as soon as possible. She also said it was ironic that, in the end, Ruth's body was discovered where ferries frequently sail from Co Louth to Co Down, considering there had been talk of her sister wanting to do just that on the night she died. "Ruth was actually found in Greenore about 5km from where she fell in - which is where you get the ferry to Greencastle. She had wanted to get the ferry home and that's where she ended up," she said. "Her bag washed up on Kilkeel beach a week after that but the only thing that was in it was her medical card. Her purse was gone and so was her phone. "She had an over-the-shoulder bag wrapped over her. She didn't like big handbags. They still haven't found her phone." Looking back to Mother's Day on Sunday, March 31, Rachel said it was very hard for Ruth's children, especially Tyler, her eldest, and she told how she tried to shield her nephews and niece from any pain that day. "Poor Jim had to go to a funeral because his dad's partner was getting buried," she said. "The children stayed with us. We were going to have a Sunday roast dinner but Tyler said he'd prefer a barbecue so we decided to do that instead. I didn't put up any Mother's Day cards in the house because I didn't want to draw attention to the day. The kids had made cards at school but I just put them away in a drawer." She added: "I just felt it was all simply too close to it all happening." Ruth had everything planned for her nuptials on August 8, according to Rachel, who was going to be maid of honour, while the children - hers, Rachel's, and Ryan's little girl Nyla (8) - were going to be flower girls and page boys. Instead, the mother-of-three was buried in her wedding dress in a closed coffin following advice from the undertakers. Rachel said her family's grief was all the more intense because "none of us got to see Ruth before she was buried". "I'm not a big fan of wakes but I felt I needed to see Ruth before the funeral," she said. "But the funeral directors recommended that we didn't because she'd been in the water for 36 hours, which meant she was very discoloured, and of course she'd had an autopsy. "They also told us she had a gash above her eye, which is in keeping with her stumbling, falling and hitting her head." She added: "I sent Jim pictures of the wedding dress but he didn't actually see her in it ... so he'll probably never get to see Ruth in her dress." Rachel revealed that one photograph was taken by Tyler of her wearing her bridesmaid's dress alongside Ruth dressed in her wedding robe - but she added that only Ruth had that image on her mobile. She added: "If we ever retrieve Ruth's lost phone from the ocean, or wherever it is now, only then Jim will finally get his wish to see his beautiful bride in her lovely dress." Rachel said the family hope to erect a plaque on one of the benches along the pier in Carlingford as a memorial to Ruth, who worked in Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. "Ruth was a great swimmer... we can only think she stumbled or tripped, then fell into the water and was knocked unconscious," Rachel said. "It was probably slightly more peaceful for Ruth if she hit her head and became unconscious... it wouldn't have been as horrendous as the alternative." A fundraiser for Newcastle RNLI is also planned next month to raise awareness for the volunteers because "they're the ones who found her". "Ruth wasn't a party girl on a hen night who ended up in the lough," her big sister said. "Ruth lived for her children, she was a lovely family person, a great mum and a fantastic human being." DUP MLA Edwin Poots has spoken of his shock after learning his son became seriously ill while working in Brazil. Samuel Poots (26), contracted a fever earlier this week while doing missionary work in the Amazon rainforest. He went to a doctor and was diagnosed with Leptospirosis, also known as Weil's disease, which is a bacterial infection spread by animals. It is spread in the urine of rats, mice and cows and can contaminate soil and freshwater, where it is passed to humans. Leptospirosis is rare in the UK and can prove fatal if left untreated. "Samuel had been feeling unwell for a number of days and eventually he came out of the rainforest and went to see a doctor. He got the results of his blood test back yesterday and found out he had Leptospirosis. "It was really shocking to learn, especially for us as a family as my uncle in fact died of the disease a number of years ago over here. He was working outside and contracted it from rat urine and it proved fatal. So we as a family are familiar with how serious it can be and it's extremely worrying. "We've asked all our friends to pray for Samuel to make a full recovery. Since they've diagnosed what it is and he is getting the right treatment, we are hopeful that he can make a full recovery." A far-right leader in Northern Ireland has been banned from Facebook for violating the site's rules around promoting hate and violence. The company has banned a number of far-right groups including the British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL) from having any presence on the network. The banned groups, which also include Knights Templar International, Britain First and the National Front, as well as key members of their leadership, have been removed from Facebook or Instagram. Jim Dowson, a one time central figure in Christian militant group Knights Templar International, is a founder of Britain First. Dowson, who is originally from Scotland but lives in Comber, Co Down, is a former member of the BNP and ran the party's fundraising operation from a Dundonald call centre. He was one of the organisers of the loyalist City Hall flag protest that brought Belfast to a standstill and ended with violence on the streets. The New York Times also claimed in a front page 2016 article that the former Orangeman was the mastermind of the Patriot News Agency, which disseminated false claims about Hillary Clinton during the US presidential election, including that she was linked to conspiracies involving Satanism, paedophilia and murder. Facebook's policy does not allow groups or individuals which engage in "terrorist activity, organised hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking or organised violence or criminal activity". Britain First leader Paul Golding and his former deputy Jayda Fransen, who was convicted of stirring up hatred towards Muslims in Northern Ireland last month, are also banned. Golding (37), a regular visitor to Northern Ireland, was acquitted on similar charges. Convicted Neo-Nazi Jack Renshaw, who plotted to kill West Lancashire MP Rosie Cooper and exact revenge on a female police officer who was investigating him for child sex offences, has also been banned. Facebook said it uses an extensive process to determine which people or groups it designates as dangerous, using signals such as whether they have used hate speech and called for or directly carried out acts of violence against others based on factors such as race, ethnicity or national origin. "Individuals and organisations who spread hate, or attack or call for the exclusion of others on the basis of who they are, have no place on Facebook," a spokeswoman for the social network said. "Under our dangerous individuals and organisations policy, we ban those who proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence. The individuals and organisations we have banned today violate this policy and they will no longer be allowed a presence on Facebook or Instagram. "Posts and other content which expresses praise or support for these figures and groups will also be banned. "Our work against organised hate is ongoing and we will continue to review individuals, organisations, pages, groups and content against our community standards." Former BNP leader Nick Griffin, EDL member Paul Ray and the National Front's Tony Martin have also been banned as part of the crackdown. Golding and Fransen's official pages were removed by Facebook last year for violating the site's community standards, but the new ban will prevent them from having any presence on Facebook or Instagram, including a personal profile. Praise and support by others for any of the groups or individuals named by Facebook will also no longer be allowed on either social platform. In February Facebook announced a permanent ban for far-right activist Tommy Robinson - real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon - for behaving "in ways that violate our policies around organised hate". The families of members of violent dissident organisations should urge their relatives to step away, the deputy chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said. Speaking at a press conference about the shooting of journalist Lyra McKee, 29, Stephen Martin said violence was out of step with the wishes not only of the people of this city, but the people of this island. He asked the public to turn something good from last nights appalling events and ask their relatives not to take part in violence. Ms McKee was shot in the head and killed on Thursday night during disturbances in Londonderry. Police said the New IRA was most likely to be behind Ms McKees death. Deputy chief constable Martin said: As well as making an appeal today for people to come forward with what they know to assist the investigation, I have another appeal today. There are people in this city who will know the people they love are involved in organisations like the New IRA. I would urge those people to have conversations in their home, in their family space, in Lyras memory. Expand Close Police forensic officers at the scene in Londonderry where Lyra McKee was shot and killed (Brian Lawless/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police forensic officers at the scene in Londonderry where Lyra McKee was shot and killed (Brian Lawless/PA) And to urge the people they love to step away from such violence and to step away from such organisations, and to recognise how out of step they are with the wishes not only of the people of this city, but the people of this island. We all want to live in peace. We all want a better future for our children, and last nights actions are just so out of step with what all of us want. So I would urge people, in Lyras memory, have those conversations. Lets turn something good from last nights appalling events. Expand Close Irish President Michael D Higgins signing the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall in remembrance of murdered journalist Lyra McKee (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Irish President Michael D Higgins signing the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall in remembrance of murdered journalist Lyra McKee (Liam McBurney/PA) He added that people should pursue republican or unionist causes through discourse, and that carrying out violence is completely unacceptable. There are people in this society who can have those conversations and try to get people to step away from those organisation, he said. People are entitled to desire to retain a link with the United Kingdom. People are entitled to pursue a united Ireland. Do it through politics, do it through discourse. Journalist Lyra McKee was "one of the brightest and best of her generation", with a body of work that included ground-breaking research into suicide in Northern Ireland, the editor of the Belfast Telegraph said. Ms McKee was a regular contributor to the newspaper, and editor Gail Walker described her as " prodigiously talented journalist". She was shot dead last night during riots in Derry, while doing her job as a journalist. The PSNI say they believe the New IRA are behind her death, and are seeking multiple suspects. "We hoped we had seen the last of these atrocities among us. Instead, this morning Lyra McKee's name joins the long list of those whose lives were ended by gunmen who hadnt a fraction of the humanity they extinguished," Ms Walker said. "Lyra was a prodigiously talented journalist, one of the brightest and best of her generation, and I am so proud that she was a regular contributor to the Belfast Telegraph. "Over the past few years, she wrote for this newspaper on a wide range of subjects, including her ground-breaking research into the number of suicides in Northern Ireland since the ceasefires as well as brave and insightful political and social comment. "But Lyra was also adept when it came to writing copy about her own life - wonderful, instinctive prose that was at once both revealing, reflective and moving. "She was an Editor's dream - Lyra always responded to calls or messages quickly, was always up for writing copy, always helped if you needed contacts, always rang in if she chanced across a story. "As a friend, she was kind, caring and loyal - and great fun. "It is deeply vexing that the last copy she filed for us was for a Valentine's Day feature, when she talked about the great happiness she had found with "the love of her life", the young woman with whom she recently moved to Londonderry to live with. On the professional front, too, as well as her journalism, she had signed a book deal with Faber & Faber. "That Lyra should have been shot dead at a time of such joy, when life was just beginning to really come together for her, is the cruellest of ironies. "The loss of such a journalistic talent is immense, but the loss of such a genuinely lovely, warm and empathic person is a huge and enduring heartbreak for her family and partner and my thoughts are with them all." Suzanne Breen, Belfast Telegraph political editor, also paid tribute to Lyra, who she was close friends with. She said: "One of my best friends, Lyra McKee, has been shot dead by republican dissidents in Derry. She was a gem of a journalist and human being. The most compassionate and sensitive person Ive ever met. She cared about people and stories that nobody else did. "At just 29, shed signed a two book deal with Faber. Youd never have guessed it. A media rarity, she was totally without ego. "Watching footage of the shooting is heart-breaking. I never thought I'd be writing this. They ended your precious life Lyra, but we, who love you, will ensure your memory and work lives on." Irish President Michael D. Higgins speaks to media after signing the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall in remembrance of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. Irelands president has said those behind the killing of a journalist in Londonderry do not represent anybody on the island. Michael D Higgins urged them to reflect on their appalling actions during a visit to Belfast after signing a book of condolence to Lyra McKee. Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina were welcomed to Belfast City Hall by the Lord Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast Fionnuala Jay-OBoyle and Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey. He was also greeted by Gerry Carson, chairman of the NUJs Belfast and district branch. Expand Close Irish President Michael D Higgins (centre) is greeted by Gerry Carson, of the NUJ at Belfast City Hall (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Irish President Michael D Higgins (centre) is greeted by Gerry Carson, of the NUJ at Belfast City Hall (Liam McBurney/PA) When asked whether he had any message for the dissident republicans who have been blamed for the killing, the Irish president said: We must be able to speak and send messages to people. I say I hope when you reflect on what you have done, you will see the appalling, unsustainable, unjustified nature of what you have done. You have robbed her partner of their life together, and her family. I think as well it is very important for us to remember that we are not just simply talking about a writer, someone who was a journalist of skill, but also somebody who was a campaigner on so many issues that affect rights of all of us, and very particularly those rights that affect the equality of men, women and gender issues. Expand Close Irish President Michael D Higgins speaks to media after signing the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall in remembrance of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. (Liam McBurney/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Irish President Michael D Higgins speaks to media after signing the book of condolence at Belfast City Hall in remembrance of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. (Liam McBurney/PA) After Mr Higgins signed the condolence book, he condemned the outrageous murder of Ms McKee. Earlier this morning, I expressed my shock on behalf of all of the Irish people and our outrage too at the taking of the life of a talented writer, journalist, campaigner for rights, he said. In the course of her professional work to be taken away in such a fashion, and I have to say as well by those who represent, I think, nobody on this island. It was an outrageous act and I want on behalf of all of the people of Ireland to express our deepest sympathy to her partner Sara and her family and friends, and all of those who will have worked with her. He added: The loss of a journalist at any time in any part of the world is an attack on truth itself. The circumstances in which it happened, the firing on the police force that are seeking to protect the peace process, cannot be condoned by anybody. The Prime Minister has paid tribute to Lyra McKee, the 29-year-old journalist murdered on the streets of Derry during rioting. Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. "My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." My thoughts are with the family of Lyra McKee. The mindless actions of those who continue to believe in the use of violence have had the worst of consequences. This must end. pic.twitter.com/yDZQPhFpZz Sir George Hamilton (@SirGHamilton) April 19, 2019 US speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, speaking during a visit to Northern Ireland, and Irish Taoiseach Leo Vardakar, both extended their condolences to Lyra's family and friends. Police are investigating the murder as a terrorist incident. Lyra had been standing close to a police Land Rover when a gunman opened up during disorder on Thursday night. Police said they believed dissident republicans were behind the night of disorder in the Creggan area blaming the new IRA. Read More In an early morning press conference Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said police had information of planned attacks in the city over the Easter weekend and had carried out searches for munitions and firearms. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Lyra McKee A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry on the night of April 18 (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee Mr Hamilton offered his sympathies to the family of Ms McKee and appealed for anyone with information to contact his officers. He said her death was "horrendous and unjustified". Politicians have widely condemned the killing. Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill said the killing in Derry was a senseless loss of life. She said: I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry. Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. A grotesque crime. Colum Eastwood SDLP leader Colum Eastwood MLA said the murder was a "grotesque crime". He said: "On behalf of the SDLP, I want to extend our thoughts and prayers to Lyra McKees family this morning. They are experiencing the unthinkable loss of their daughter in the most heartbreaking circumstances. We have all lost an incredible young talent. I had the opportunity to speak with Lyra on a number of occasions as a journalist, as will politicians and leaders from all parties and communities. She had a passionate thirst for the truth and for telling the stories of people who had been forgotten or abandoned." He continued: "Her character and values stand in stark contrast to the cowards who fired indiscriminately at police officers in Derry last night and have murdered a young woman who had so much to contribute to shaping our society and bringing people together. "This news, coming on Good Friday, is a dark reminder to us all that our peace is fragile and that we must protect it everyday from those who want to shatter the progress that we have made. Those responsible for this heinous crime need to be faced down, they need to be made to realise that their fight is not with the PSNI or with young journalists doing their job. Their fight is with all of us, the people of Ireland. And it is a fight that they will never win. Today our thoughts are with Lyras family and friends. We should all remember her passion, humour and thirst for justice." Taoiseach Leo Vardakar tweeted: "The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting of journalist and writer Lyra McKee in Derry. "We are all full of sadness after last night's events. We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past. "I would like to express my sincere condolences to Lyra's family, her partner Sara and her friends. "Our solidarity also goes out to the people of Derry and to the entire journalism community." US politician Nancy Pelosi, during a speech at Stormont, said: "Sadly, we join you, on the sadness, the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, coming on Good Friday, it is especially poignant." Gary Middleton, a DUP former deputy mayor of Derry City Council and current Member of the Legislative Assembly, tweeted: Disgraceful scenes of violence in the Creggan estate tonight. PSNI and members of the public being put in danger by unrepresentative thugs intent on destroying communities. UUP leader Robin Swann tweeted: "Devastating news coming out of Londonderry (...), a precious life lost, we can't go back to this nor can we allow others to drag us back." Mark H Durkan, SDLP MLA for Foyle, said he was left heartbroken and angry by the killing. Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life, he tweeted. Violence (only creates victims, thats all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young womans family and friends, may she rest in peace. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley added: "I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the death of a woman in Londonderry last night. "My thoughts and condolences are with her family at this time. Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. "Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland." Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has announced the start-up of its $3.3-billion Al Taweelah alumina refinery, a strategic growth project that expands the industrial giants business upstream in the aluminium value chain. The facility, located in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi, is the first alumina refinery in the UAE and its start-up marks the beginning of alumina refining as a new industrial activity in the country, said a statement from EGA. Alumina is the feedstock for aluminium smelters and is refined from bauxite ore. But currently the UAE imports all the alumina it needs for the country. Once full ramp-up is achieved, Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to produce some two million tonnes of alumina per year, replacing some imports and securing EGAs competitive supply of this vital raw material, it stated. Commenting on the announcement, Managing Director and CEO Abdulla Kalban said: "The start-up of Al Taweelah alumina refinery is transformative for EGA and the first of two major milestones this year as we complete our strategic growth projects upstream in the aluminium value chain." Construction of Al Taweelah alumina refinery took 72 million hours of work the equivalent of one person working for more than 25,000 years. The construction workforce peaked at 11,542 people. "Al Taweelah alumina refinery, and our bauxite mining project in Guinea where construction continues, secure our supply of raw materials at competitive prices and will strengthen EGAs business for decades ahead. I want to thank every colleague who played a role in the safe and efficient completion of this important project," he added. Al Taweelah alumina refinery is expected to convert some five million tonnes of bauxite into alumina per year once full ramp-up is achieved. Bauxite for the project will be imported from Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee in Guinea in West Africa, said the Emirati industrial giant in its statement. EGA is also building a bauxite mine and export facilities in Guinea in another strategic growth project upstream. First bauxite exports are expected during the second half of this year and will be sold to customers around the world, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Lyra McKee, a 29-year-old journalist has died after shots were fired in Londonderry, with police in Northern Ireland treating the death as a terrorist incident. Police said they believe dissident republicans were behind the night of disorder in the Creggan area blaming the new IRA. In an early morning press conference Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said police had information of planned attacks in the city over the Easter weekend and had carried out searches for munitions and firearms. Read More Lyra had been standing close to a police Land Rover at the time of the shooting. Mr Hamilton offered his sympathies to the family of Ms McKee and appealed for anyone with information to contact his officers. He said her death was "horrendous and unjustified". Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee "Bullets have to stop somewhere and on this occasion, they stopped fatally," he said. Police said 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police before the gunman appeared at around 11pm. She was rushed to hospital where she died. ACC Hamilton passed his "deepest sympathies to the family". "Not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack on this city. "It will have horrendous consequences which will go on for many, many years." The police officer appealed for calm. "These acts of violence bring nothing to the city," he said. Mr Hamilton said police did not return fire or use any force during the disturbances. "Police were measured... they saw quite a bit of violence," he added. I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight pic.twitter.com/F0GHHd3HPz Leona O'Neill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Expand Close A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry on the night of April 18 (Niall Carson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry on the night of April 18 (Niall Carson/PA) Journalist Leona ONeill said she was at the scene of the killing. She said there was children and teenagers milling about in the area when the gunman appeared and "indiscriminately fire up the street". He said he did not think Ms McKee was at the scene in a professional capacity but she was entitled to be there on. "Why she was here is irrelevant, she should not be dead.. she was an innocent bystander." He said the murder "demonstrates all too starkly when terrorists bring violence and guns into the community members of the public are placed in severe danger". Alliance leader Naomi Long said:Devastating news. Thoughts are with Lyra's family and friends. At times like this, words fail. My heart is sore. Those who brought violence and death to our streets have nothing else to offer but more of the same. If you can assist the police, please, come forward. Stop this. Petrol bombs were thrown and images from the scene show vehicles alight and others burnt out, with dissident republican terrorists suspected of being behind the attack. Footage purporting to be from the scene shows at least two shots being fired before a distant scream can be heard. Expand Close Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA) Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said a murder inquiry had been launched after the death. He said: Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed. We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder inquiry. Expand Close Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry (Niall Carson/PA Journalist Leona ONeill said she was at the scene of the killing. Writing on Twitter, she said: I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight. The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday AgreementMichelle O'Neill The unrest comes ahead of the Easter weekend where republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Politicians have widely condemned the killing. Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill said the killing in Derry was a senseless loss of life. She said: I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry. Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. https://t.co/77JO3YSYOB Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) April 19, 2019 Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. Gary Middleton, a DUP former deputy mayor of Derry City Council and current Member of the Legislative Assembly, tweeted: Disgraceful scenes of violence in the Creggan estate tonight. PSNI and members of the public being put in danger by unrepresentative thugs intent on destroying communities. UUP leader Robin Swann tweeted: "Devastating news coming out of Londonderry (...), a precious life lost, we can't go back to this nor can we allow others to drag us back." Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life. Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace. Mark H Durkan (@MarkHDurkan) April 18, 2019 Mark H Durkan, SDLP MLA for Foyle, said he was left heartbroken and angry by the killing. Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life, he tweeted. Violence (only creates victims, thats all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young womans family and friends, may she rest in peace. Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) More than one person was involved in an orchestrated bid to murder police that left one of Northern Irelands most promising young journalists dead, senior officers have said. Published author Lyra McKee, 29, was an innocent bystander shot in the head by dissident republicans during serious disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday evening, they added. Detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) blamed the anti-peace process New IRA and said the intention was to kill its officers. Deputy chief constable Stephen Martin said: They were not on their own. There was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Mobile phone footage taken by a bystander appeared to show a masked gunman crouching down on the street in the Creggan estate and firing with a handgun. Ms McKee was standing near a police vehicle and was fatally wounded. She was taken to hospital by officers but later died. "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." PM @theresa_may UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) April 19, 2019 Prime Minister Theresa May said the killing was shocking and senseless. The New IRA is an amalgam of a series of armed groups opposed to the peace process. It claimed responsibility for a number of parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow recently. The threat posed to police in Northern Ireland is high. It is understood Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with love of her life Sara. She was an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. In 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020. A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us into darknessNUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us into darkness. Causes close to her heart included helping homeless people, preventing suicide and supporting LGBT rights in the most restrictive regime in the UK. Catholic priest Father Joseph Gormley comforted Ms McKees family in hospital and accused the killers of forcing their viewpoint on others using the barrel of a gun. Have you no sense of humanity or dignity about yourself? Mr Martin criticised those behind earlier violent scenes during which more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown and two cars burned in the Creggan. Regretfully, people such as I described earlier who are completely out of step, goaded and orchestrated young people to engage in disorder, he said. The police didnt react to that disorder. We didnt respond with any use of force, we absorbed it. We were there to do search activity. We did not want in any way to make the situation worse. He defended the decision to launch an operation earlier on Thursday aimed at thwarting dissident plans for imminent violence. In the past, trouble has coincided with dissident republican commemoration of the battle for Irish independence every Easter. Anti-peace process sentiment in Northern Irelands second city has been demonstrated in recent attempts to bomb the courthouse and the calling off of a community youth event after police were invited. Mr Martin condemned those whose sole purpose in life was to try to attack his officers and destroy the peace. Today is Good Friday and its a cruel twist in our history that 21 years ago the majority of people in Northern Ireland signed up to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement yet here we are today mourning the loss of a talented young woman, a young journalist who was also a daughter, a sister and a partner. This is a dark day. Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton said it was a calculated and callous act to bring a firearm into a residential area. Bullets stop somewhere, and on this occasion they stopped fatally. A vigil was held in the Creggan in Ms McKees memory, organised by local residents who said they felt sad and angry. Spokesman George McGowan said: This behaviour is not in our name we have all been wounded by these actions. A book of condolence was opened at the citys Guildhall. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle ONeill were among those to pay tribute. Danny Kennedy has pledged to be a voice for unionists who voted to remain in the EU after being confirmed as the UUP's European election candidate. The former Stormont minister is making a political comeback to stand in next month's poll. The news, which was revealed earlier this week, was confirmed by the party yesterday. His selection will be formally ratified at a meeting of the UUP's executive tomorrow. Yesterday the SDLP and Alliance Party also confirmed their candidates for the May 23 poll as Colum Eastwood and Naomi Long respectively. Mr Kennedy's selection comes following the retirement of veteran Ulster Unionist MEP Jim Nicholson. Mr Kennedy (59), a former Newry and Armagh MLA, previously revealed he had voted Remain in the 2016 referendum but said the vote by the UK as a whole to leave the EU "must be respected and implemented". Mr Kennedy said that there was a lack of representation for unionists who voted Remain, with the DUP backing the Leave campaign. "Like many people, I am angry that Brexit has been so badly handled and uncertainty has increased," he said. "I will offer a constructive approach to Brexit. Let's do Brexit right and end the uncertainty. "I'm from a border community. I am a border unionist and I know exactly what all this means. "There are those who claim to represent people who voted Remain, but they haven't represented unionists who voted Remain in the last two years and they won't do so in the future. "Unionists who voted to remain in the EU did not vote to leave the United Kingdom." Mr Eastwood, the SDLP leader, also confirmed yesterday that he would run for the European Parliament, saying it should be regarded as another referendum. The Foyle MLA described next month's vote as an "election like no other". "In June 2016 a majority of people from communities across Northern Ireland came together to express our clear will that we should remain in the European Union," he said. "It was a vote that, unlike many others, saw people break free from their traditional trenches to occupy a common ground and a common identity. "Since then, the broad progressive coalition that came together has been sidelined and silenced. Without a government in Belfast and with the DUP aligned to hard Brexit fanatics in London, people here have been ignored. Enough is enough. "This European election should be a referendum - the North's people's vote." Mr Eastwood said the SDLP would be "a strong voice championing our shared values" and opposing what he said was the "destructive ideology" leading the UK Government towards a hard border. Ms Long said she was running as an Alliance candidate to allow voters to express their will for a second referendum. Speaking as she submitted her nomination papers at the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland's headquarters in Belfast yesterday, Ms Long, an East Belfast MLA, said the "chaos and uncertainty created by Brexit" had impacted every aspect of life. "People felt badly let down in the 2016 referendum and since, and Parliament has now reached an impasse," she added. "The best and potentially only way through this crisis is to put Brexit back to the people. "Alliance supports a people's vote, crucially including the option to remain. "A vote for Alliance in this election is the best way to send a clear message we want that new referendum." At the last European elections in 2014 the three Northern Ireland seats went to Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson, the DUP's Diane Dodds and Mr Nicholson of the UUP. The SDLP missed out on winning the third seat by fewer than 2,000 votes. The main candidates running for the three seats this time are Ms Anderson, Mrs Dodds, Mr Kennedy, Mr Eastwood and Ms Long. Clare Bailey will run for the Green Party while Robert Hill will run for Ukip. A 40-year-old man accused of causing the death of a north Belfast mother of two by dangerous driving expressed his remorse to her family on the first anniversary of the fatal incident. Martin Alexander Nelson appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court yesterday where he was returned for trial on charges arising from the death of Lisa Gow. Ms Gow died on April 19 last year after she was struck by a stolen car as she walked along Ballysillan Road. Solicitor Pearse McDermott is representing Nelson, and told the court his client was "very conscious tomorrow is the first anniversary of the incident ... and he wants to express remorse to the family of the deceased". Nelson, from Ardoyne Road in Belfast, has been charged with 11 offences linked to the fatal collision. These include causing Ms Gow's death by dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle-taking causing death, and driving while disqualified. When he was asked if he understood the nature of the charges he faced, Nelson replied: "Yes." A prosecutor then said there was a prima facie case to answer, and the accused was returned for trial at Belfast Crown Court, on a date to be fixed. No application was made for bail and Nelson was remanded back into custody by District Judge Alan Whyte. A Londonderry priest has spoken of visiting the devastated family of murdered journalist in hospital. Lyra McKee, a 29-year-old journalist and author, was shot dead during rioting in the Creggan area of the city. Police believe dissident republicans were responsible and are treating it as a "terrorist incident". Fr Joe Gormley, a priest based in the Creggan area, said he visited the family and anointed Lyra McKee at Altnagelvin Hospital last night and spoke of their devastation at her death. Read More "It's just dreadful to see Lyra's partner and family heartbroken this morning. Last night I was called over to the hospital and they just thought it was someone else, they thought it had to be somebody else, that it wasn't Lyra, but unfortunately it was," he told BBC Radio Ulster. "I would love if those people that fired those shots seen what they did in Altnagelvin (Hospital) last night. If they came over and saw that scene of that young woman and her family. "I'm very angry and I'm also very sad. This is not what Creggan is about. We have, unfortunately, over this past while, had a group of people that think our parish is a playground for their little political games. These are not games - these are deadly, deadly actions." Fr Gormley said Lyra McKee had played a role in ending the "cycle of violence" by writing about its effects on young people. "It's so sad that someone who was trying to make the situation better is murdered in this way," he added. Police believe more than one person was involved in the shooting of Lyra McKee in Londonderry on Thursday night, the Deputy Chief Constable has said. Journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead in Creggan area of the city during a night of rioting in which police were attacked with bricks and petrol bombs. Speaking at a press conference outside the Guildhall on Friday afternoon, Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said there was more than one person behind the murder. Read More "We certainly believe there was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Obviously only one person pulled the trigger but there was more than one person," he said. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Police at the scene after a journalist was shot dead in Derry during rioting. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. PSNI officer close off Fanad Drivem in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Armed police in Creggan, Londonderry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Niall Carson/PA Wire PA A burning car in Creggan, Londonderry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit should read: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Thursday April 18, 2019. Photo credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police at the scene after a journalist was shot dead in Derry during rioting. Photo Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker Press "There was certainly more than one person involved in the murder." Asked about speculation one of those who carried out the killing was a teenage boy, Deputy Chief Constable Martin said it was "too early" to speculate on the age of the gunman. He also defended the police searches that led to the disorder, stating it was designed to prevent future attacks by dissident republicans. "We carried out that search activity last night because we believed that there were people in this city who, over the weekend, were going to mount murderous attacks on the police and perhaps even other events, such as that which we saw with the bomb attack in January on Bishop's Street," he said. "Before I came here today, I read the intelligence that led to that search activity. I wanted to come and talk to the people of this city and say that I read it myself, I convinced myself of the urgency to carry out that search activity- and I am convinced." "When we engage in that type of activity we don't do it lightly, we understand the impact it can have on a community." The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane, John Boyle, said the murder was "heinous in the extreme" and paid tribute to Ms McKee. "I just want to reflect on the fact that I personally knew Lyra McKee, I have known her since she was 16-years-old," he said. "She was bright, she was warm, she was witty, but most of all she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us. "We are broken-hearted for her family at their loss and, again, I want to just extend our very deepest sympathies to them. "There's an awful lot of anger in this city today. It has to be said again, this was not done in the name of the people of this city. Those responsible need to understand that. I can't put it any stronger than that. "Not only that, but the people of Creggan absolutely abhor what happened last night. Lyra was one of us." Thousands of pounds have been raised in memory of investigative journalist Lyra McKee who was murdered at the scene of rioting in Derry. Lyra had been standing close to a police Land Rover when a gunman fired a number of shots during disorder in the Creggan area on Thursday night. It is believed dissident republicans were behind the night of violence. A community-led vigil in response to the murder has been arranged for 2pm at Fanad Drive, where the incident took place. A candlet vigil will also take place at Belfast City Hall at 6pm. A book of condolence has also been opened at Belfast City Hall at 12.30pm. A Go Fund Me page was set up on Friday morning in memory of the journalist. Mike Harris, who met Lyra while working on libel reform on Northern Ireland, told the Belfast Telegraph he was delighted by the response to the fundraising appeal. "A lot of fellow journalists have been really generous in giving money," he said. "Go Fund Me themselves have given 1,000, which is really good. "Lyra was an incredible journalist and the minute I found out this morning I thought we have got to do something in her memory." Read More Mr Harris, who met Lyra while working for campaigning organisation Index for Censorship, said he would contact Lyra's family to see what they wanted to do with the money raised, which had reached nearly 12,000 by 12pm on Friday. "We would also like to create a legacy for Lyra," he added. "She was a fearless human rights defender, she was a brilliant investigative journalist, it would be great if we could use the money to create a legacy for her." "The thing about Lyra was that she was part of that post-sectarian generation. "She was a progressive campaigner, she wanted to build a more positive future. It is really gutting that someone whose identity was forward looking and passionate about Northern Ireland's future that she has been killed by remnants of the past." Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland programme director of Amnesty International, said: "All at Amnesty are utterly devastated at the news that Lyra McKee has been shot dead while carrying out her job as a journalist. Lyra was a great young journalist, whose commitment to truth was absolute and whose laughter could light up a room. The bitter irony was that Lyra was due to speak at an Amnesty International event at the Queens Film Theatre in Belfast on 4 May about the dangers of reporting violent conflicts. Iraq has announced plans to build a new refinery in the Kirkuk region of the country that will boast a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, reported Reuters. The oil ministry has put the final touches on project as per the latest global standards, stated the report citing the Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban. Several Iraqi ministers visited Kirkuk this weekend to meet the governor of the province and discuss new projects and plans that have stalled, some of which were in the oil and electricity sectors. Ghadhban stressed the importance of Kirkuk to the Iraqi federal government, reported OilPrice.com. Last November, Iraq resumed oil exports from the Kirkuk province, a year after it had stopped oil flows from the area due to a dispute with the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, it stated. Weeks before the resumption of the Iraqi oil exports from the Kirkuk province, the Kurdistan region said that it had upgraded its oil export pipeline, boosting its capacity to 1 million bpd from 700,000 bpd, to accommodate future production growth from the region, it added. A Co Londonderry woman who underwent a liver transplant just hours after doctors told her she had less than a day to live is now facing a lifetime of kidney dialysis unless she can find a live donor. In 2015, Bronagh Murray defied the prognosis of medics who never expected her to survive liver failure even after the 11th hour transplant. Despite overcoming her enormous health hurdles, however, Bronagh now needs a kidney transplant from a live donor and is appealing to people to come forward for testing. The Draperstown woman said she accepts she may not be fit for another organ transplant but remains hopeful, and is also appealing on behalf of other people who could be freed from a lifetime of dialysis. She revealed how, in 2014, she hadn't been feeling well and underwent tests which identified a problem with her liver. Mrs Murray was sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast "where I was told my liver was completely finished but that I was a perfect candidate for a liver transplant, which shocked me completely". "I had no idea I was as sick as I was," she added. "I was assessed for a transplant in England and was on the list but taken off again because my weight kept going down, but eventually I got back on by the skin of my teeth because I got my weight up enough. "But in the New Year of 2015 I collapsed and was rushed to Antrim Hospital where they put me in an induced coma. "I remember nothing after that until I woke up at the end of February in a hospital in London." She added: "I was there until March when they told me they thought they had found a match but it turned out not to be suitable so I had to wait - and every day was like a year. "The consultant came in one day and told me and my husband Brendan that if they didn't get a liver in a matter of hours there was nothing more they could do for me because all of my organs were failing. "At 3am the following morning a liver was found that matched, so I was taken to theatre for the transplant which I thought would bring me back to normal again - but that didn't happen. "I took infection after infection so they put me into an induced coma again. I didn't get back to the Royal until the end of April but was still in an induced coma." Mrs Murray said: "Twice they told my husband to bring my son, who was 10 at the time, up to the hospital because I only had hours to live - but three years later the doctors are still baffled as to how I survived. "They thought I would be brain damaged and would never walk but I was eventually discharged home after two months of rehabilitation." One day Mrs Murray told her husband she was "not going to sit here in a wheelchair". "Thanks to him and his help I eventually made it out of the wheelchair and took it step by step up the hall of our home," she said. "Now I can walk, can drive and can do things they never expected, although I am limited. "My health isn't back to normal and I have to get kidney dialysis and need a kidney transplant," she said. "I am not sure if I will ever be strong enough to be suitable for a transplant - my weight is very low at six-and-a-half stone but the way I look at it, I beat the odds against me before and maybe I will do it again. "Without a transplant from a live donor, I will need kidney dialysis for the rest of my life which is why I am asking people to consider being tested. "I am not the only person in this position - there are so many across Northern Ireland - so even if I never get a suitable match or am never strong enough to go through a transplant, there are plenty of people on the waiting list that could be freed from a lifetime of dialysis if a suitable donor comes forward." Elisha McCallion refused to say whether the parade should go ahead A Sinn Fein MP has said it is not the time to discuss the past when asked whether a planned dissident republican parade should go ahead in Londonderry following the murder of a journalist in the city. During a night of rioting in the Creggan area on Thursday night, 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead as she stood beside a police Land Rover. Police believe dissident republicans were responsible. An Easter Monday commemoration parade had been planned in Londonderry by dissident republican group Saoradh, which was widely condemned in the wake of the murder. Organisers have since called off the parade in the wake of the murder. Read More Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster, Sinn Fein's Foyle MP Elisha McCallion was asked whether she thought the parade should go ahead, but refused to answer the question. "I think it's difficult to bring this into context when you're talking about remembering the dead and I think that people of all aspects and traditions should be able to honour and dignify in a respectful way their dead," she said. "But be very clear on this, the people that carried out this attack last night have absolutely no right to be on the streets of Derry, or indeed anywhere else on the streets of Ireland." When pressed on the issue, Ms McCallion said she didn't think it was time to be getting into the "whataboutery of the past". "I think we need to be very clear on the here and now. I think we need to be clear in what we're saying: these people do not act in our name," she added. "People in Derry will, I have no doubt, over the next few days continue to say that this is not in their name. I don't think it's time to discuss that many different narratives of the past. "We don't have an agreed past and we probably won't for a long time. Now is not the time for cheap political point scoring from anyone." Easter Monday's parade has since been cancelled by Saoradh "as a mark of respect" to the killing of Lyra. Flowers left at the scene where 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead (Brian Lawless/PA) A PSNI officer in Londonderry has paid tribute to their colleagues who tried to save Lyra McKee's life on Thursday night. Despite their attempts Ms McKee passed away after being shot during rioting in the Creggan area. Police have blamed dissident republican group the New IRA for her murder. Tributes have flooded in from across the world to the 29-year-old journalist, with many bemoaning the loss of such a talented young writer. The local neighbourhood police officer, who did not provide their name, said that they had been working in the Derry area for 10 years and that their "heart is breaking" following the death of Ms McKee. The officer also paid tribute to members of the public who "rushed to Lyra's aid". "It (my heart) is breaking for the officers who gave first aid and sped her through the burning blockade to the hospital," the officer wrote on Facebook. "It is breaking for the NHS staff who did all they could to save her. It is breaking for the reputation of this great, loving, welcoming city Im proud to serve. "But most of all it is breaking for the family, friends, colleagues and loved ones of Lyra McKee. What an unfathomable loss and tragedy they are facing today." The officer appealed to people not to judge Derry by the murder of Ms McKee. Expand Close Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) "We saw police with politicians and church leaders from all sides stood in Creggan today mourning together. Judge us by that," they wrote. "Weve seen thousands of people from every part of the city coming out and saying, not in my name. Judge us by that. "Come visit the City on any day and experience the warmth, humour and love of its inhabitants. Judge us by that." The devastated partner of murdered journalist Lyra McKee has said her legacy will live on "in the light that she has left behind". Lyra was shot dead in the Creggan area of Londonderry during a night of rioting in which police officers were shot at by dissident republicans. The talented journalist was standing close to a police Land Rover when a gunman fired a number of shots on Thursday night. She was rushed to hospital but passed away. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Lyra's partner - Sara Canning A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph An upset friend as A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Naomi Long Long at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The Vigil for 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Forensics at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Mary Lou McDonald at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Colm Eastwood SDLP at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Lyra Vigil PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Arlene Foster at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Mary Lou McDonald at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Sarah Canning Partner of Lyra McKee during a vigil at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Sarah Canning Partner of Lyra McKee during a vigil at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 Sarah Canning Partner of Lyra McKee during a vigil at the scene after 29-year-old Lyra McKee who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Frt. Joe Gormley, PP, Creggan. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. DUP leader Arlene Foster arrives with party colleagues Gary Middleton and Gregory Campbell. Included are Fr. Joe Gormley and Bishop Ken Good. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. PSNI officers place floral tributes left at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Local Sinn Fein Councillor Kevin Campbell speaking with DUP leader Arlene Foster and party colleagues Gary Middleton and Gregory Campbell. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. PSNI officers place floral tributes left at the scene. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, with Mayor Councillor John Boyle. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, with the DUP's Gregory Campbell and Arlene Foster Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. DUP party leader Arlene Foster, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and Sinn Fein MEP Martinas Anderson. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP party leader Colum Eastwood, Gregory Campbell, MLA, The Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle, DUP leader Arlene Foster and Councillor Kevin Campbell. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. SDLP party leader Colum Eastwood, DUP party leader Arlene Foster and then Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle. Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Sinn Fein's Pearse Doherty and SDLP leader Colum Eastwood. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, DUP party leader Arlene Foster, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long and Sinn Fein MEP Martinas Anderson. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Most Rev. Dr. Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry, and Right Rev. Dr. Ken Good, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Most Rev. Dr. Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry, Right Rev. Dr. Ken Good, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, and the Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance leader Naomi Long, Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald and DUP leader Arlene Foster. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Most Rev. Dr. Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry, and Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood, Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald and DUP leader Arlene Foster, Bishop Ken Good, Mary Hamilton and Bishop Donal McKeown. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Lyra McKee's partner Sarah Canning speaking to DIUP leader Arlene Foster. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Alliance leader Naomi Long, Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald and DUP leader Arlene Foster, Bishop Ken Good, Mary Hamilton and Bishop Donal McKeown. Lorcan Doherty Press Eye - Belfast - Northern Ireland - 19th April 2019 - Photo by Lorcan Doherty / Press Eye. The community vigil held on Fanad Drive, Creggan, following the murder of 29 years-old Lyra McKee. Photo by Kelvin Boyes / Press E PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PACEMAKER BELFAST 18/4/2019 The NUJ hold a vigil at the Guildhall in memory of 29-year-old Lyra McKee ,who was shot dead during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the New IRA "are likely to be the ones behind this" and detectives have started a murder inquiry. Photo Colm Lenaghan/ Pacemaker Press PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- PSNI officer lays floral tributes left by members of the public following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Lorcan Doherty PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- Lyra McKee shooting, Derry. Grafitti close to the scene. Lorcan Doherty PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- PSNI officer receives floral tributes left by members of the public following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Lorcan Doherty PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- PSNI officer searching Fanad Drive in Creggan, Derry following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Lorcan Doherty PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- Floral tributes left by members of the public following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Lorcan Doherty PRESS EYE BELFAST - 19/4/19- Floral tributes left by members of the public following the murder of 29-year-old Lyra McKee during rioting after police searches in the area last night. Lorcan Doherty A woman with a rainbow flag at a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA People hold candles during a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA People hold candles during a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA People signing a book of condolence after a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA John O'Doherty of the Rainbow Project reads a letter written by Lyra McKee when she was aged 24 called, Oa letter to my 14-year-old selfO, during a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA John O'Doherty of the Rainbow Project reads a letter written by Lyra McKee when she was aged 24 called, Oa letter to my 14-year-old selfO, during a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA People hold candles during a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday April 19, 2019. See PA story ULSTER Unrest Vigil. Photo credit should read: Liam McBurney/PA Wire PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra's partner - Sara Canning A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Read More There were emotional scenes during a vigil on Fanad Drive, the scene of the shooting, when Lyra's partner Sara Canning addressed the hundreds of people present. "The senseless murder of Lyra McKee has left a family without a beloved daughter, a sister, an aunt and a great aunt," she said. "[It] has left so many friends without their confidant, victims and LGBT community left without a tireless advocate and activist and has left me without the love of my life. The woman I was planning to grow old with. We are all poorer for the loss of Lyra . "Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by a single barbaric act. "This cannot stand. Lyra's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life. Her legacy will live on in the light that she has left behind." A second vigil took place outside Derry's Guildhall organised by the local branch of the National Union of Journalists. Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin, speaking at a press conference at Guildhall on Friday afternoon, said more than one person was responsible for Lyra's murder. He said: Lyras murder at the hands of a gunman has been met with global condemnation, horror and revulsion. I should not be standing here today condemning the loss of a young life at the hands of evil people who have nothing to offer. The gunman and those who share his warped ideology should hang their heads in shame today they represent no one. Lyras murder has appalled not just people across this city, but people around the world and there has been a global wave of shock and sympathy from her colleagues in journalism, politicians, church and community leaders. Today is Good Friday and its a cruel twist in our history that 21 years ago the majority of people in Northern Ireland signed up to the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement yet here we are today mourning the loss of a talented young woman, a young journalist who was also a daughter, a sister and a partner. This is a dark day. There is no doubt that the people behind last nights violence on the streets of this city, who threw dozens of petrol bombs at officers, who hijacked and set on fire vehicles had one aim they set out to kill and take the life of a police officer tragically they took the life of a talented young writer. We have now launched a murder investigation to find the gunman who murdered Lyra and bring those responsible for the orchestrated violence that has been shown on television screens around the world to justice. " Wednesdays tweet by the Pat Finucane Centre which was condemned as a shameful slur on the RUC The Police Federation and an Ulster Unionist MLA have clashed with the Pat Finucane Centre (PFC) over its claim that the RUC carried out an attack on a Co Armagh bar during the Troubles. They accused the PFC of a shameful slur against the force. But the PFC strongly defended its stance because serving RUC officers were involved in the attack. In the tweet on Wednesday, the PFC publicised a screening of the Glenanne Gang documentary Unquiet Graves at the Rock Bar in Granemore, Co Armagh, stating that the pub had "survived an RUC bomb and gun attack". On June 5 1976, loyalists - believed to be members of the Glenanne Gang - threw a bomb into a bar filled with customers and shot through the windows. The bomb only partially exploded and no one in the pub was injured, although one customer outside was shot and wounded. It later emerged that three of those who carried out the attack were serving RUC members. UUP justice spokesman Doug Beattie said: "The attack on the Rock Bar was carried out by terrorists, nothing more, nothing less. "It was investigated by the RUC and evidence was sought to secure convictions for those responsible. "There is no doubt that, during the course of the Troubles, a very small number of police officers broke the law and disgraced the force. "This is true of any profession - be it doctors, teachers, accountants or lawyers," he said. Mr Beattie said his party supported police officers who "stood between the terrorists and the terrorised". The UUP MLA said that a campaign to "rewrite the history of the Troubles" was gathering pace with attempts made to portray the RUC as "the villains of the piece". A total of 302 police men and women were killed during the conflict and 900 injured, he said. "As a force they stood with incredible bravery, professionalism and a stoic defence of the rule of law. "In doing so they no doubt prevented Northern Ireland slipping into a full scale civil war, and during the Troubles the jails were full of terrorists - both loyalist and republican - because of the dedication to duty of the men and women of the RUC," he added. Defending the tweet, PFC spokesman Alan Brecknell said it was a fact that RUC officers were involved in the attack on the bar. "At no point does Doug Beattie MLA actually mention that the gun and bomb attack on the Rock Bar was conceived and carried out in its entirety by serving members of the RUC, that a police vehicle and radios were involved, that one of those responsible was actually on duty and that one of those involved took statements from survivors in the aftermath," he said. "Only one officer received a custodial sentence with the others receiving suspended sentences from a trial judge who admitted that sentences would be 'on a lower scale' because these were police officers trying 'to rid the land of pestilence'." Mr Brecknell added that the UUP MLA "correctly points to the sacrifice made by many RUC officers and on this we have no disagreement". Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay also condemned the PFC's tweet. "This is part of an overall attempt to demonise the RUC and rewrite history, putting an erroneous and scandalous slant on what actually happened," he said. "It is a shameful slur on the heroic men and women of the RUC GC to counter vicious terrorism from both republican and loyalist sides who slaughtered thousands of innocent people. "We will counter such propaganda at every opportunity to let the world know what decent people had to endure at the hands of evil doers." Kenny Donaldson of Innocent Victims United (IVU) said the tweet by the Pat Finucane Centre - named after the lawyer murdered by loyalists - was "deeply concerning" and was "raw revisionist propaganda at its ugliest". He said: "Whether the agitators were republican or loyalist terrorists or individual members of the security forces who dishonoured the code and engaged in criminal-based activity, IVU's stance has never and will never change - all criminal violence in the context of 'The Troubles' was wrong and without justification." "Neither the RUC nor UDR planted bombs, nor did they corporately carry out shooting attacks. A small number of individuals infiltrated the police and army and followed their own ideological agendas contrary to the wishes of their colleagues and with no legitimacy." Mr Donaldson added: "We stand by the tens of thousands of men and women who put a uniform on their back and prevented this place from transcending into a civil war situation. They are the heroes and martyrs within our society." Tributes have flowed for the journalist Lyra McKee who was murdered at the scene of rioting in Derry. Police have opened a murder investigation and are treating it as a "terrorist incident". News of the 29-year-old's killing spread quickly on social media in the early hours of Friday morning with many paying tribute. Read More Lyra was well known not just in Belfast but across the UK and in many parts of the world. She worked mainly as a freelance writer and had worked for Thomson Reuters Foundation. She was author of 'Angels With Blue Faces' on the Troubles murder of the Reverend Robert Bradford, the MP for South Belfast and had been investigating the disappearance and young men during the Troubles for her second book. She was said to have a "promising writing career ahead of her". As well as the Belfast Telegraph she has been published in the Independent, the Atlantic and Buzzfeed, as well as numerous newspapers and magazines in Northern Ireland and internationally. In 2014, a piece about growing up gay in Belfast, "Letter To My 14 Year-Old Self", went viral. In 2016 she was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in media in Europe and Sky News young journalist of the year. Read More "Shocked by news that woman shot dead in Derry last night has been named locally as @NUJofficial Lyra McKee," said Seamus Dooley, National Union of Journalists Irish Secretary. "We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends." Louis McConnell welfare officer of the NUJ added: "Lyra was a young woman with a very powerful and admirable viewpoint on life." Broadcaster and journalist Chris Moore added: "Lyra was a dogged determined journalist but had a heart of gold. We will all miss her." Commentator Ruth Dudley Edwards said: "Lyra McKee and I were long-time friends. She recognised no barriers to friendship except bigotry & badness. "Her commitment & talent were about to bring her undreamt of success as a writer & she was in a loving relationship. What a sickening waste of a lovely, gifted human being!" Shocked by news that woman shot dead in Derry last night has been named locally as @NUJofficial Lyra McKee. We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends. @kathrynjohnston Seamus Dooley (@Seamusdo) April 19, 2019 In 2017 Lyra McKee gave one of the best @TEDxStormont talks Ive heard on social and religious intolerance, stigma and life in general - heres a link https://t.co/kmWFeesYrs pic.twitter.com/lIfB6hRcJb Chris Brown (@CB_PRandPA) April 19, 2019 I followed @LyraMcKee on @Twitter. She was shot tonight in Derry and she died. At 29. Absolutely pointless. A journalist doing her job. I didnt know her personally so I send all my sympathy tonight to those who did. Another light extinguished in our darkening world. Philip Nolan (@philipnolan1) April 19, 2019 Lyra McKee and I were long-time friends. She recognised no barriers to friendship except bigotry & badness. Her commitment & talent were about to bring her undreamt of success as a writer & she was in a loving relationship. What a sickening waste of a lovely, gifted human being! Ruth Dudley Edwards (@RuthDE) April 19, 2019 A journalist has been killed covering riots in Derry. Her name was Lyra McKee. She was 29. She recently signed a two-book deal with Faber, who called her a "rising star of investigative journalism". This is her last tweet, sent from the scene of the unrest. pic.twitter.com/0gk1Fa7Du0 Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) April 19, 2019 I just can't believe it. I hope the community in Derry shun those terrorists and if they know who fired the shot, go to @PoliceServiceNI . @LyraMcKee deserves nothing less than that. She was a kind, gentle, witty and stubborn soul. Ann Travers (@AnnTravers6) April 19, 2019 A couple of years ago I told @LyraMcKee that she was one of those rare people that nobody could have a bad word about - a real connector, someone whos nature we could aspire to. This is an absolute tragedy. RIP love x pic.twitter.com/utBSGh1wpS Pete Wilson (@WilsonPeteJ) April 19, 2019 Lyra McKee was dedicated to covering the lasting trauma & violence of the Troubles. Devastating to hear she was killed tonight by that same violence. I was Lyras editor on this story, and it was an honor. Sharing her work now is all I can think to do. https://t.co/conwNzyjnF Lilly Dancyger (@lillydancyger) April 19, 2019 #LyraMcKee, one of Belfast's true characters. Gifted, driven and an absolute geg to be with - Lyra had that heaven-sent ability to chat with absolutely anyone and make them feel they were with a friend. All of her hard work was finally paying off too ffs. What a loss. pic.twitter.com/extxe9Fd0S Ciaran MacAirt (@ciaranmacairt) April 19, 2019 Lyra McKee RIP: We were the Good Friday Agreement generation, destined to never witness the horrors of war but to reap the spoils of peace. The spoils just never seemed to reach us. https://t.co/g1fMdpqT5f Martin Doyle (@MartinDoyleIT) April 19, 2019 Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Lyra McKee. Disgusting murder by terrorists who have needlessly cut short a young life. Society needs to reject these people once and for all. @ChiefConPSNI @PoliceServiceNI @NIPolicingBoard https://t.co/MAV5Ua1htg Police Federation for Northern Ireland (@PoliceFedforNI) April 19, 2019 This introduced so many to Lyra McKee. "The Ceasefire Babies was what they called us. We were the Good Friday Agreement generation, destined to never witness the horrors of war but to reap the spoils of peace. The spoils just never seemed to reach us"https://t.co/Rs2oiOTbDa Richard Chambers (@newschambers) April 19, 2019 A burnt out tractor at the scene of another ATM robbery in Crumlin, Co Antrim this morning. Street has been closed. Pic Pacemaker Stephen Davison Thieves have stolen another ATM machine - this time from a supermarket in Crumlin. It happened in the early hours of Friday morning. It is the 10 incident and 11th machine to be stolen. There has been one attempted theft with police saying an immobiliser on a digger thwarted would-be thieves. Video posted on social media show a digger on fire with emergency services at the scene. Police have established a special task force to deal with the spate of incidents. The latest incident comes after Tuesday's theft in Bushmills. Police have urged communities to be their "eyes and ears" and be on the look out for heavy plant machinery on the move late at night. Police have cordoned off a number of roads in the Crumlin area. ATM just ripped out of the wall at Tesco Crumlin! 2:30 this morning Posted by Jordan Mayes on Thursday, April 18, 2019 Read More SDLP Councillor Thomas Burns condemned the theft saying it had caused major disruption to the town and the staff of the local supermarket. Not only have these thieves taken away a vital amenity for the community of Crumlin, they have also prevented staff from accessing their place of work," he said. Those carrying out these attacks are not just robbing cash machines or banks, they are robbing the entire community and residents who rely on these services. The SDLP will meet with retailers and the PSNI in the coming weeks to explore ways in which new innovative security measures can be put in place to deter these gangs. Police investigating the murder of Lyra McKee have released CCTV footage, showing both Lyra and the gunman believed to have murdered her. The footage shows Ms McKee in a crowd of onlookers in the Creggan area on Thursday night shortly before she was murdered. It also shows the gunman at a corner and an individual picking up something from the ground on the same corner. Police said they were releasing the footage "to encourage anyone with information to make contact with us". Ms McKee died after being shot during rioting in the Creggan area on Thursday night. Police said that they believe dissident republicans from the New IRA are behind her murder. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy is now leading the investigation and called on the people of Creggan to help bring Ms McKee's murderer to justice. Lyras death is senseless and appalling beyond belief. It represents the tragic loss of promise and the loss of potential, however it should not be the loss of hope," he said. "We know that the people of Creggan do not support what happened and they stand with us today in outrage and disgust at the mayhem that took place on their streets last night." Detective Superintendent Murphy said that police had already received a large number of calls and information from the public relating to the murder. Expand Close Footage of Lyra McKee in the crowd shortly before her death. Credit: PSNI / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Footage of Lyra McKee in the crowd shortly before her death. Credit: PSNI "I would like to thank them for their support and for their willingness to come forward and to try to help us take a killer off the streets," he said. "We also know that a range of footage is circulating on social media however I cannot stress enough how important it is that people who were in the area last night and who recorded video and took photos share what they have with us via our Major Incident Public Portal. "People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets, people know who they are. The answers to what happened last night lie within the community. "I am asking people to do the right thing for Lyra McKee, for her family and for the city of Derry/Londonderry and help us stop this madness." Anyone with footage or images can uploaded them to the dedicated PSNI major incident public portal via https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI19O09-PO1 or call police on 101. Expand Close Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) DUP leader Arlene Foster has urged Catholics and Protestants to come together in the wake of the murder of Lyra McKee by dissident republicans. Mrs Foster made the comments during a symbolic visit to the nationalist Creggan area of Londonderry on Friday for the vigil. It was the DUP leader's first visit to the area where Ms McKee was shot dead on Thursday night. She was warmly welcomed by a crowd of hundreds that gathered for the vigil. Read More Mrs Foster urged the community to send a message to those behind Ms McKee's murder. Expand Expand Previous Next Close A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph Lyra McKee was shot and killed when guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in Londonderry (Family handout/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A vigil is held for Lyra McKee in Fanad Drive Creggan on April 19th 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph) "Of course this is not the first time I have been in this wonderful city, but it is the first time I have been in this part of this wonderful city," the DUP leader said. "Why did I come today? I came to stand in solidarity with all of the people who are here today. "I want to say your pain, is my pain. It doesn't matter whether you are Catholic or a Protestant. Whether you identify as Irish or British." The Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA said that the killing of Ms McKee would not extinguish hope of a brighter future for the people of Northern Ireland. "When people come out with guns to shoot people from their own community, then we have to say, enough is enough," Mrs Foster said. "Thank you for your welcome today. I come with my party colleagues to simply stand with you today and on this holy day of Good Friday, do remember that there is an Easter Sunday and there is hope and we look forward to that hope. "I ask you to cling on to that today." The membership database of the Dubai Business Women Council (DBWC) has grown by 10 per cent in the first quarter of 2019, bringing the total number of members to 949, up from 864 by the end of 2018, a media report said. The significant increase in the membership database reflects the important role played by the council in support of businesswomen to enhance their competitiveness in the countrys labour market, reported Emirates news agency Wam, citing a DBWC announcement. This improvement is yet another catalyst for attracting more businesswomen in Dubai and developing their managerial, leadership and strategic skills thanks to them being an integral part of Dubai's diverse business environment and a key player in the economic growth. In the first quarter of 2019, the council staged as many as 13 activities and events, including workshops, symposiums, business meetings and trade missions, to enhance the expertise of members and develop their skills necessary to get a preference in the labour market and improve their competitive performance. More than 308 businesswomen took part in these activities. The DBWC events have discussed a wide range of issues, particularly negotiation skills, financial planning, business protection against cybercrime, fraudulent activities, business leadership, e-marketing concepts and strategies in collaboration with Google, as well as ways of stimulating business growth and prosperity. Furthermore, the council organised a trade mission to participate in the 12th Asian Financial Forum, AFF, held in Hong Kong to discuss the reality of the global economy and the impact of new technologies on growth. The AFF represented a perfect opportunity for the UAE delegation to brief prominent global economic leaders on the forward-looking economic vision of Emirati businesswomen. Also during the first quarter, the council launched the 2nd cycle of the DBWC Mentorship Programme 2019, building on the first cycles resounding success. Those interested in participation are encouraged to submit requests not later than 10th April. The training will be delivered by specialised experts in various institutional and professional fields to develop members expertise in accordance with a comprehensive skill-building plan. The trainers feature representatives of prominent international companies. The mentorship programme, one of the most important initiatives launched by DBWC, will support working women and entrepreneurs, enhance their competitiveness in the business environment and provide appropriate advice on how to enhance and improve institutional performance. Dr Raja Al Gurg, president of the Dubai Business Women Council, said: "During the first quarter of 2019, the council has upgraded its future strategic plans and are now more focused on providing quality trainings as per market requirements and empowering women economically. She added: "We are determined to redouble our efforts and cement womens instrumental role in the development of the countrys economy and we are keen to harness all our resources to advance their position in the development of business environment, in conjunction with the Year of Tolerance. This year, we expect a considerable growth in DBWC membership coupled with diversified services that, we believe, will add value to the expertise and professionalism of our members." Alison Bennington will stand as a council candidate for the DUP next month. A DUP woman standing in the upcoming council elections has become the party's first ever openly gay politician. Alison Bennington is a DUP candidate for Glengormley Urban area of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Ms Bennington, speaking to the Irish News, said: "I am delighted to have been selected as a DUP council candidate. I am putting myself before the electorate based on what I can deliver for them as a councillor working alongside a strong team of colleagues, not based on my sexual orientation. "I regard my private and family life as a matter for myself in the same way as everyone else." The move by the DUP is considered a significant step in a bid to reach out to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Northern Ireland. The party has been considered as hostile towards the LGBT community in the past. The DUP remains opposed to same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland, which is the only part of the UK where it remains outlawed. Former DUP leader Ian Paisley led the "Save Ulster from Sodomy" campaign in the 1970s against the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland. His son, Ian Paisley Junior, also once said he was "repulsed by gay and lesbianism". A DUP spokesman said: "Alison is an excellent candidate and will make an excellent representative for the people of Glengormley. "The party selects candidates on the basis of merit and we believe in equality of opportunity." The Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby is due this month (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Royal fans are waiting in anticipation to see whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs baby puts in an appearance over the Easter weekend. A double celebration could be on the cards if Harry and Meghans first born arrives on the Queens birthday on Easter Sunday. The new full moon which begins on Good Friday and is known as the Pink Moon might also have an impact on the royal babys birth. Anecdotal evidence suggests labour can be induced by the lunar cycle and the start of a full moon. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are awaiting the birth of their baby (Jonathan Brady/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are awaiting the birth of their baby (Jonathan Brady/PA) Meghan, who has said her baby is due in late April or early May, will be counting down the days until she meets her son or daughter. Aprils full moon is called the Pink Moon, according to the Old Farmers Almanac. The name comes not from its colour, but from the pink wildflowers that bloom in the early spring in the US and Canada. Expand Close A full moon, known as a Pink Moon in the month of April, rising at North Berwick in East Lothian in 2018 (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A full moon, known as a Pink Moon in the month of April, rising at North Berwick in East Lothian in 2018 (Jane Barlow/PA) In terms of labour, the suggestion is that a full moons gravitational pull affects the amniotic fluid in the same way it affects the water in the sea and rivers, as well as influencing the levels of the hormone melatonin. Maternity wards are said to be busier during a full moon, although there is debate in the medical world about whether the moon does encourage women to go into labour. When the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to Prince George on July 22 2013, it was the day of a full moon. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the Lindo Wing with Prince George (Dominic Lipinski/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leave the Lindo Wing with Prince George (Dominic Lipinski/PA) She went into labour with Princess Charlotte two days before a full moon, but with Prince Louis the moon was only in its first quarter. The Pink Moon is used to fix the date of Easter, which is always the Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. Expand Close A Pink Moon seen through a cherry blossom tree in Dublin (PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A Pink Moon seen through a cherry blossom tree in Dublin (PA) There are also suggestions electrical storms and a drop in barometric pressure can bring on labour. Just before Kate was admitted into hospital in 2013, western central London, near where her Kensington Palace apartment is based, experienced isolated heavy rain, thunder and lightning strikes. Parents-to-be Harry and Meghan are settling into life in their renovated new home Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate. The couple, who married in a glittering ceremony in St Georges Chapel last year, are keeping details of their birth plans private, and will only announce their son or daughters arrival once they have celebrated together as a new family. Expand Close Harry and Meghan kiss on the steps of St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle (Ben Birchall/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Harry and Meghan kiss on the steps of St Georges Chapel in Windsor Castle (Ben Birchall/PA) Meghan is said to be hoping for a home birth, but other options include a maternity unit close to Windsor, such as Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey. Or the American former actress may decide to follow in the footsteps of George and Amal Clooney who had their twins at the exclusive, private Kensington wing of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London. Royal fans are eagerly waiting to hear news of the royal babys birth, with some on social media declaring It cant be much longer now! and others exclaiming their heart skipped a beat, thinking it was baby time after Harry and Meghans @SussexRoyal Instagram issued a post about charity donations. It's been 6 months since KP announced the Duke and Duchess are expecting their first baby It can't be much longer now! #RoyalBaby https://t.co/qEOoTz6AMP MeghansFashion.com (@meghansfashion) April 16, 2019 Bookmakers Coral have odds of 2/1 that the baby will be born on his or her great-grandmother the Queens birthday on April 21 , and 5/1 that the baby will be called Elizabeth if a girl, and 6/1 Diana after Harrys late mother. The odds are 4/1 that the royal baby will be born sometime between the Good Friday and Easter Monday bank holidays. Fire breaks out at block of flats featured in Only Fools And Horses (PA) A fire broke out at a block of flights featured as the Trotters home in Only Fools And Horses. Harlech Tower, in Acton, west London, was used to portray Nelson Mandela House in the opening credits of the beloved sitcom. At about 7.40pm on Thursday, firefighters were called to tackle a blaze inside a flat on the seventh floor of the 13-storey building, the London Fire Brigade said. Part of a flat on the seventh floor of a 13 storey building is alight on Park Road East in #Acton. Around 40 people evacuated before the Brigade arrived. https://t.co/7P5IHpkvcd pic.twitter.com/iJ2xfMVUj2 London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 18, 2019 The tower was evacuated and about 40 people were asked to leave their homes while crews with eight fire engines dealt with the blaze, according to the fire brigade. The cause of the fire is under investigation, firefighters said. Harlech Tower is soon to be demolished as part of a 650 million regeneration of the area which will see more than 3,500 homes built. In March, a petition was launched to erect a statue of Derek Del Boy Trotter at the site, with comedy TV channel Gold asking Ealing Council to allow them to mark the spot. Expand Close John Challis (Ian West/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp John Challis (Ian West/PA) Only Fools And Horses star John Challis, who played Boycie in the series, shared his support for the petition. Challis said: The tower carries a lot of nostalgia for many of us not just the cast, but everyone who has enjoyed watching the show over the years. While we dont want to stand in the way of any progress being made, we do want to commemorate the towers long-standing connection to Only Fools And Horses and its British comedy legacy. Join me in signing Golds online petition calling for a plaque or Del Boy statue to be installed on site to celebrate the famous block. The fire on Park Road East in #Acton is now under control. At the height of the blaze our 999 Control centre received 15 calls alerting them to the incident. https://t.co/7P5IHpkvcd pic.twitter.com/apS25A4VEZ London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 18, 2019 Only Fools And Horses first aired on the BBC in 1981 and featured the colourful escapades of market trader Del Boy played by Sir David Jason and his less streetwise younger brother Rodney, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst. Its seventh regular series aired in 1991 and was followed by sporadic Christmas specials until the show ended in 2003. Sir David and Lyndhurst reprised their roles as Del Boy and Rodney for a 2014 Sport Relief special starring David Beckham. Despite Harlech Tower being in Acton, Only Fools And Horses was set 13 miles away in Peckham, south-east London. Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at Oxford Circus, London. Londoners face a fourth day of disruption in the capital, despite nearly 400 arrests. Heathrow Airport is braced for disruption after climate change protesters announced plans to target the transport hub. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use the full force of the law to deal with illegal Extinction Rebellion (XR) demonstrations as they enter a fifth day. More than 500 protesters had been arrested by Thursday night as activists continued to ignore orders to leave roadblocks at Waterloo Bridge, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square. Organiser said action would be escalated to include Britains busiest airport on Good Friday, with around 500,000 people expected to fly out for Easter breaks over the bank holiday weekend. Scotland Yard has warned protesters the force had strong plans in place with a significant number of officers ready to respond. Expand Close Climate activists with police officers in Parliament Square (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Climate activists with police officers in Parliament Square (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The airport said it is working with the authorities, while Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: Protesters can expect a robust police response. We are determined to keep the airport operating. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was extremely concerned about the possible disruption. This is extremely dangerous, illegal and is putting an unacceptable toll on our police force and our city, he said. More than 1,000 officers have been deployed daily to deal with the protest. Some have been asked to work 12-hour shifts, while rest days and leave has been cancelled. The Met said the protests are putting a strain on policing in the capital with officers diverted away from their core local duties. After a briefing from Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, the Home Secretary said: I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law. They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives. Unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated. I expect the police to take a firm stance and use the full force of the law. They have my full backing in doing so. Mass arrests for obstructing the highway and breaching the Section 14 order that prohibits protests apart from at Marble Arch do not appear to have deterred protesters and so far 10 people have been charged with those offences. A further three people who were charged by British Transport Police appeared in court on Thursday morning. Cathy Eastburn, 51, Mark Ovland, 35, and Luke Watson, 29, were remanded in custody over their alleged involvement in obstructing trains at Canary Wharf station on Wednesday morning. Organisers said they expected even more people to join the protests and warned they would continue until their demands are met. The group wants the Government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Expand Close Climate activists surround a pink boat at Oxford Circus (Kirsty OConnor/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Climate activists surround a pink boat at Oxford Circus (Kirsty OConnor/PA) Actress Dame Emma Thompson joined the protests in London after flying from Los Angeles. In a video shared by the campaign group on Thursday, the Hollywood star urged viewers to come and join the demonstrations. A representative of Dame Emma said she needed to take the 5,400-mile flight home to London after working in LA. Large numbers of protesters moved from Oxford Circus to Parliament Square on Thursday night after organisers announced police were planning to make arrests in Westminster. Sir David Attenboroughs BBC documentary Climate Change: The Facts was projected onto Westminster Abbey. From left, Pearl Cameron, 68, Hazel Smith, 79, and Martine Shepherd, 65, some of the Graffiti Grannies that took part in an over-65s street-art workshop (Jane Barlow/PA) A group of Scottish pensioners have picked up spray cans for the first time to create a piece of street art. The 16 senior citizen spent three days in the classroom learning about graffiti as part of the Nuart Aberdeen festival. After designing their own tags, the pensioners sprayed a mural on a wall in the city centre of the Granite City. Expand Close The pensioners designed their own tags (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The pensioners designed their own tags (Jane Barlow/PA) It is the first time the Lata-65 Young At Art project, which teaches graffiti to older people, has taken place in the UK. Retired teddy-bear maker Pearl Cameron, 68, was proudly spraying her tag of two hearts on the wall. This is probably one of the most exciting things Ive done, Mrs Cameron said. Theres no age in street art. It breaks down barriers and walls. Older people would just love to do things that the young people are doing and this is a wonderful opportunity to do it. Expand Close Pearl Cameron says street art helps to break down barriers (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Pearl Cameron says street art helps to break down barriers (Jane Barlow/PA) Mrs Cameron said the group, most of whom had only met on the first day of the workshop, had been taken through the whole process of street art. They spent days carefully designing at least three stencils, forming their individual graffiti tags. My tag is two hearts because I am a heart recipient, Mrs Cameron said. I had a heart transplant 23 years ago. One of the hearts is my new heart, with the other my broken one. Maggie Wilcockson, 70, a retired registered nurse and midwife, signed up to the workshop to make new friends. There are so many different things that your tag can be, she said. Ive lived overseas a lot so Ive represented that through the blue, purple and green colours of spray paint. Expand Close Maggie Wilcockson signed up to make new friends (Jane Barlow/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Maggie Wilcockson signed up to make new friends (Jane Barlow/PA) Lata-65, which means Over 65 in Portuguese, was launched by Lara Seixo Rodrigues from Lisbon in 2012. She has since taught more than 43 classes across the world, creating more than 500 older street artists. I started a festival in my home town in 2011 and the people asking the interesting questions were the seniors, she said. We started teaching this and we noticed that people were coming in with low self-esteem but they left smiling, with high self-esteem. That made me realise I needed to keep doing this. Ms Seixo Rodrigues said many of the students came in with a negative reaction to graffiti tags. They dont need to learn to like tags we just want them to understand what they see on the street, she added. The piece created by the students will join artworks by international street artists in the city. In total, 13 artists have created piece for the third Nuart Aberdeen leaving splashes of colour on the iconic granite walls. Portuguese artist Vhils, real name Alexandre Farto, has marked links between Aberdeen and the Spanish civil war in his piece Unearth. Jan Vormann, from Berlin, has repaired damaged walls in the Scottish city with Lego bricks donated by local residents. UK-based Hushs piece two women in his signature style looks out from a wall of the John Lewis store. Nuart Aberdeen is spearheaded by Aberdeen Inspired and the city council and will run until Sunday. The Glasgow School of Art was extensively damaged by fire last June (Andrew Milligan/PA) A fire safety expert is leading a comprehensive study into the risk historic buildings face from fire with the hope of preventing more heritage being lost. Retired firefighter Henry Landis believes listed properties are up to three times more likely to be affected by blazes but says this is not fully recognised in current regulation and fire safety practice. His PhD research at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will examine fire incidents at 375,000 heritage buildings over the last 12 years. It is hoped his research could make it easier for fire services to identify listed buildings as soon as an incident is reported and ensure they have the right equipment and support in place to deal with it. Expand Close Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was badly damaged by a fire on Monday (Victoria Jones/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris was badly damaged by a fire on Monday (Victoria Jones/PA) Mr Landis, who served with Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service for 30 years, said: Weve all seen what happened at Notre Dame in Paris and the emotion it has generated not just in France but around the world. People felt the same about the art school fire in Glasgow and there are many other examples up and down the land when historic properties are burned. These are more than just buildings, they are a tangible connection to our past and those who have gone before us. We need to do more to take care of our heritage and my research aims to change the way we think about fire risk in old buildings. Mr Landis, who is now a part-time PhD student in fire risk engineering at GCU, became interested in the vulnerability of historic buildings while working in Suffolk, where in some years 14-20 thatched properties would be lost to fire. The study aims to merge Ordnance Survey buildings data and data representing every building listed by Historic England with records of about 600,000 incidents attended by fire and rescue services annually in England, back to 2009. Expand Close The fire at Glasgow School of Art broke out as the building was being renovated following a previous fire (Andrew Milligan/PA) PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The fire at Glasgow School of Art broke out as the building was being renovated following a previous fire (Andrew Milligan/PA) Mr Landis expects the research, which will take several years, will provide evidence necessary to tighten regulations and make sure good practice in looking after the countrys heritage is shared more widely. He said: I am never going to be able to pinpoint which buildings are going to burn down next. But I would hope to spot patterns like the number of fire incidents affecting historic buildings which are being renovated, like Notre Dame cathedral. That appears to be a common theme, but looking through news reports is currently of more use to researchers than the official fire data. If my study can help change things, then I will have made a real difference now, and also for people who will continue to enjoy these buildings in the future. Fire risk engineering programme lead Dr Iain Sanderson, who is supervising Mr Landiss PhD, said historic buildings are not recognised in the input parameters of the fire incident recording systems in Scotland and England. He said: Fire crews responding to an incident dont always know if its a heritage building at risk until they get there by which time it might be too late to get the right equipment and support in place. Henrys research could change that by making it easier for fire services to identify listed buildings as soon as the incident is reported. His long career in the fire service give him significant background knowledge which will help him take on a project of this scale and national importance. It wasnt a routine day for a sheriffs officer after she spotted a donkey meandering along Interstate 90 near Chicago. Video from a body camera taken on Wednesday shows the bewildered Cook County officer radioing: Theres a donkey in the middle of I-90. The officer then ordered the donkey to come here, sweetie. Shrek was nowhere to be foundbut we did find Donkey yesterday in the middle of I-90, near Arlington Heights Road. Happily, the donkey, named Dusty, was returned to his owner shortly thereafter. Posted by Cook County Sheriff's Office (Official) on Thursday, April 18, 2019 The video was posted to Facebook, where the Sheriffs Office said: Shrek was nowhere to be found but we did find Donkey yesterday in the middle of I-90. The officer asked a motorist to stand with the donkey while she could figure out what to do. The donkey, who was found to be named Dusty, was eventually returned to its owner after the incident. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives at Palm Beach International Airport (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) US president Donald Trump has struck a defiant tone after celebrating the release of the Mueller report as a good day. He unleashed a volley of tweets on Friday, saying claims in the report by former administration officials that he tried numerous times to stop or influence the probe were total bullshit. According to the 448-page report released on Thursday, Mr Trump discouraged witnesses from cooperating with prosecutors and prodded aides to mislead the public on his behalf to hamper the Russia probe he feared would cripple his administration. The reports bottom line largely tracked the findings revealed in Attorney General William Barrs four-page memo a month ago no Trump campaign collusion with Russia around the 2016 election but no clear verdict on obstruction. But it added new layers of detail about Trumps efforts to thwart the investigation. Tweeting on a rainy Friday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Mr Trump lashed out at people who cooperated with Robert Muellers team. He said statements in the report made by some were fabricated & totally untrue. The president alleged notes some people said they took after meetings did not exist but were created for the Mueller investigation. I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the Report about me, some of which are total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad), Mr Trump tweeted. This was an Illegally Started Hoax that never should have happened. On Thursday, Mr Trump had termed the Mueller report release a good day for him, adding it was called no collusion, no obstruction. Both sides are using the findings to amplify well-rehearsed arguments about Mr Trumps conduct. Expand Close President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are spending the Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are spending the Easter weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) Republicans are casting him as a victim of harassment, while Democrats are depicting the president as stepping far over the line to derail the investigation. House Judiciary chairman Jerrold Nadler sent a letter to the Justice Department requesting that Mr Mueller himself testify before his panel no later than May 23. The New York Democrat also issued a subpoena for Mr Muellers complete report as well as underlying documents, including grand jury evidence, which was redacted. Grand jury evidence, including witness interviews, is normally off limits but can be obtained in court. We need the entire report, unredacted, and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions, Mr Nadler told ABCs Good Morning America on Friday. The Justice Department released its redacted version of the report about 90 minutes after Mr Barr offered his own final assessment of the findings at a testy news conference. The nation, Congress and Trumps White House consumed it voraciously online, via compact disc delivered to legislators and in loose-leaf binders distributed to reporters. Mr Trump tweeted Game Over in a typeface mimicking the Game of Thrones logo. By late afternoon, he was airborne for Mar-a-Lago with first lady Melania Trump for the holiday weekend. DP World UAE Region will be showcasing its latest range of offerings for the petrochemicals and chemicals sector at the 11th Gulf Petrochemical and Chemical Association (GPCA) trade show which kicks off on April 15 in Dubai. The DP World UAE Region portfolio includes Jebel Ali Port, Mina Rashid Cruise Terminal and Coastal Berth, Mina Al Hamriya in Dubai city, Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), National industries Park (NIP) and Dubai Auto Zone (DAZ), and Dubai Trade & World Security. During the three-day event, the company will highlight new door-to-door logistics solutions that cover the full breadth of the supply chain and support customers every step of the way, said teh Dubai group in a statement. These solutions are based on generating and leveraging synergies from integrating the activities of its numerous businesses including Jebel Ali Port, Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Trade, and many others and creating one of the most efficient and robust supply chains in the GCC, it stated. CEO and Managing Director Mohammed Al Muallem said: "The future is vibrant for the regional downstream petrochemical industry as it represents one of the fastest growing chemical markets globally." "Through our seamless and efficient supply chain solutions, we are facilitating industry growth and competitiveness in global markets. The industry has begun to embrace the next-generation technology; as a leading trade enabler, we are focused on building the progressive and sustainable solutions that this sector demands," he noted. The International Energy Agency has reported that global chemical consumption is expected to grow by almost 60% between 2018-2050, with GCC accounting for 12% of all high-value chemicals. Through the ecosystem created between Jebel Ali Port and Jafza, DP World UAE Region offers customised solutions for its clients. These include a wide range of port solutions, port-centric logistics and value-added services such as warehousing (DG, Non-DG), ISO Tank storage, cargo mode conversion, transport management, order fulfilment, chemical blending, picking, bagging & drumming, tank cleaning and repair, and freight forwarding, among others. Jebel Ali Port and Free Zone together contribute 33.4% of Dubais GDP and 14.9% to UAEs non-oil GDP, and its global portfolio offers customers integrated solutions with 78 marine terminals and 9 logistics parks. DP World UAE Region is one of the leading hubs for the petrochemicals and chemicals sector in the Middle East, said the top official. Jebel Ali Port handles over 65 per cent of the GCCs exports in this segment, with connections to 140 ports with over 80 weekly services offered. Total trade at the port rose by six per cent in 2017. Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) is home to nearly 500 petrochemical companies that employ over 6,500 people, he added.-TradeArabia News Service It is now up to Congress to decide what to do with special counsel Robert Muellers findings about US president Donald Trump. While the special counsel declined to prosecute Mr Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate him, all but leaving the question to Congress. The responsibility now falls to Congress, said Representative Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has the power to launch impeachment proceedings. How far lawmakers will go, though, remains unclear. Republicans are eager to push past what Mr Trump calls the witch hunt that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. And while Democrats say Mr Muellers findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Attorney General William Barrs four-page summary, they have been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling on Thursday on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer only that Mr Muellers report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Muellers report appears to undercut that finding, they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Ms Pelosi vowed: Congress will not be silent. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: AG Barr presented a conclusion that @realDonaldTrump did not obstruct justice while the #MuellerReport appears to undercut that finding. pic.twitter.com/mHCzGc8RGT Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 18, 2019 Biding their time, Democrats are putting the focus on their next investigative steps. Mr Nadler summoned Mr Mueller to testify and the chairman said on Thursday he will be issuing subpoenas for the full report. And next week, both the House and Senate are scheduled to hear from Mr Barr, whom Democrats accuse of distorting the reports contents to Mr Trumps benefit. But it is unlikely that the full Mueller report or the public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mr Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Mr Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsels appointment in May 2017, and Mr Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow the end of my presidency. The special counsel wrestled with what to do with his findings, unable to charge or exonerate, and sided with the departments guideline that indicting a sitting president would impair the ability of the executive branch to function. We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice, the report said. Expand Close Special counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election (Jon Elswick/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Special counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election (Jon Elswick/AP) Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the acts described in the report whether they are criminal or not, are deeply alarming in the president of the United States. And its clear that special counsel Mueller wanted the Congress to consider the repercussions and the consequences. Mr Schiff, the California Democrat, said, If the special counsel, as he made clear, had found evidence exonerating the president, he would have said so. He did not. He left that issue to the Congress of the United States. Republicans sought to portray Democrats as unwilling to let go of the idea that Mr Trump colluded with Russia to swing the election. What youre seeing is unprecedented desperation from the left, tweeted Representative Mark Meadows, a top Trump ally. There was no collusion. Its over. Other Republicans were more measured. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is one of the few members of Congress mentioned in the report, told reporters in Kentucky, Its too early to start commenting on portions of it. Mr McConnell was among several people the report said former White House Counsel Don McGahn had reached out to on behalf of the president when Mr Trump was trying to stop then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself at the start of the Russia probe. In all, the report revealed 10 areas of potential obstruction, from Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey to his attempts to thwart Mr Muellers investigation. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, the report says. However, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Mr Muellers team hewed to department guidelines. We recognised that a federal criminal accusation against a sitting President would place burdens on the Presidents capacity to govern, the report said. We determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes. The chairman of the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Muellers report into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the underlying materials. This morning, @HouseJudiciary has issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full the Mueller report and the underlying materials. DOJ is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1. pic.twitter.com/nzu9O5CC36 Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) April 19, 2019 Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler of New York is asking for the information by May 1. That is also the day when Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to give evidence before a Senate committee and one day before Mr Barr is set to appear before Mr Nadlers committee. Mr Nadler has also summoned Mr Mueller to give evidence. The subpoena is the opening shot in what could be a lengthy legal battle as Congress escalates its investigation of US President Donald Trump. If the Justice Department does not respond, Democrats could hold officials in contempt of Congress or eventually fight the battle in court. Expand Close Four pages of the Mueller Report (Cliff Owen/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Four pages of the Mueller Report (Cliff Owen/AP) The Judiciary Committee voted 24-17 earlier this month to give Mr Nadler permission to issue subpoenas for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mr Muellers investigation. Mr Nadler said: It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. While Mr Mueller declined to prosecute Mr Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress. Mr Muellers report provides fresh evidence of Mr Trumps interference in the Russia investigation and challenges Congress to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning. My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice, Mr Nadler said. Mr Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Mr Nadler said he is open to working with the department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability. Republicans are eager to move beyond what Mr Trump calls the witch hunt that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. While Democrats say Mr Muellers findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Mr Barrs four-page summary last month, they have been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer that Mr Muellers report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Muellers report appears to undercut that finding, they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Ms Pelosi vowed: Congress will not be silent. The Cygnus capsule arrives at the International Space Station (NASA TV via AP) A private cargo ship has arrived at the International Space Station with food galore after a one and a half-day journey from Earth. Space station astronaut Anne McClain used a robot arm to capture Northrop Grummans Cygnus capsule as they soared 258 miles above France. The Cygnus and its 7,600lb shipment rocketed from Wallops Island, Virginia, on Wednesday. It holds numerous science experiments, including 40 mice taking part in a tetanus vaccination study, and three small free-flying robots to assist astronauts inside and out. There are also more than 800 meals for the six station residents, including the makings for a fine Easter meal. Nasa packed pork chops with gravy, potatoes au gratin and lemon meringue pudding, among other space specialities. Northrop Grumman named this Cygnus the SS Roger Chaffee after the youngest of the three astronauts who died in the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire in 1967. Mr Chaffee was the only one on the crew who never made it to space. Its great to have the SS Roger Chaffee officially on board, Ms McClain radioed. We never forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Please know that every day we remember his sacrifice and that we will continue to honour his legacy by pursuing his passion for exploration. To the SS Roger Chaffee, welcome aboard. There are two other Americans living on the space station, as well as two Russians and one Canadian. They will receive another shipment in just over a week from Nasas other commercial supplier, SpaceX. Oh, they know how to throw a party down Armagh way, they surely do. When Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council decided to bestow the freedom of the borough on Ireland rugby captain Rory Best last September it really went the whole hog. It has just emerged, through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, that the total cost of hosting the wildly extravagant ceremony was 39,759.56. Who do these people think they are, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West? Are they going to hire Versailles for their next big council bash? At least Kim and Kanye cough up their own money when they want to host one of their vast, tacky celebrations. In this case the cash being so lavishly splashed around came courtesy of the rate-paying people of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon, none of whom, to my knowledge, are multi-billionaires dripping with 18-carat gold chains. The 14,442.50 that the council spent on venue and equipment hire accounted for a large chunk of the exorbitant bill, closely followed by 14,221.50 for catering. That's a lot of egg sandwiches and sausages on sticks, wouldn't you say? The event was held at the Archbishop's Palace in Armagh, an elegant neo-classical 18th century mansion that serves as the office of the council's Lord Mayor. So why the whopping payout for venue hire when it already had a venue? According to Save Craigavon City Parks and Lakes, the campaign group that made the FoI request, it was because the council, in its wisdom, decided to hire a large marquee, which was erected in the grounds, and then spent a further 4,131.50 on design, printing, stationery and "venue dressing". I guess the palace just wasn't good enough for these ambitious party-planners. Photographs of the happy event show Lord Mayor Julie Flaherty, resplendent in her ornate, fur-trimmed robes, taking a selfie with Rory Best, who is holding his 'freedom scroll' (cost: 2,835, with accompanying book) as councillors - equally finely kitted out - look on. Apparently, the BBC was filming the occasion as part of a documentary about the player, so perhaps the childish excitement of being on telly was responsible for this collective abandonment of financial restraint. Who knows? But it's no excuse. Look, I don't have a problem with the council honouring Rory Best as a great ambassador for the local community, or with Best accepting the honour. But I do think it's disgraceful that it was so profligate with public funds. When it conferred the freedom of the borough of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon on former Portadown Football Club manager Ronnie McFall in 2017 it cost 15,458.26. That was excessive enough, but now it appears to have completely lost the run of itself. And this council has form when it comes to spending big. A report by the TaxPayers' Alliance published earlier this year found that Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council spent an embarrassing 162,188 on awards ceremonies - the second highest in the UK. It's especially distasteful considering the high levels of social and economic deprivation within the borough. In 2017 figures released by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency showed that 11 of the top 100 most deprived areas are in Co Armagh. Parts of central Craigavon have been described as some of the most neglected in the Upper Bann area, with burnt-out or derelict houses providing a breeding ground for vermin. A Government-backed report in 2018 identified parts of both Craigavon and Lurgan plagued by paramilitary activity, deprivation and high suicide rates. Every penny that the council receives in rates should be spent on improving this impoverished part of our country, not thrown away on exorbitant bashes which are as much about indulging the self-importance of councillors as they are about honouring local celebrities. And other councils should take note too. The TaxPayers' Alliance report found that councils here were spending three times more than the average local authority on award ceremonies. Largesse is catching, it seems. We are currently in the run-up to new council elections. Prospective councillors hoping to win a seat should treat the electorate with the respect it deserves. If they seek the privilege of our votes, they must remember that their central purpose is to serve the people who elect them. To empty the bins, clean the streets, organise planning and regeneration. Not to prance around in scarlet robes, squandering cash on expensive vanity events while claiming they're performing a service to the community. Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie is right to challenge the Pat Finucane Centre for its description of a terrorist attack on a Co Armagh bar in 1976 as "an RUC gun and bomb attack". It is true that three of those involved in throwing a bomb into the bar and firing shots which wounded one person were members of the RUC, but this was a terrorist incident conceived and carried out by the Glenanne Gang. Those involved were, as Mr Beattie said, "terrorists, nothing more, nothing less". The Pat Finucane Centre was guilty of using those terrorists' membership of the RUC to suggest that somehow the force was behind the attack. As Mr Beattie says, that is a "sickening and abhorrent" attempt to smear the RUC. It cannot be denied that a small number of RUC officers crossed the line during the Troubles - as in this case - but that does not merit blackening the name of the entire force where many men and women died protecting society from terrorists of all hues. Those who engaged in murderous conspiracies with terrorists disgraced themselves and the force in which they served. They also cast a shadow on their fellow officers. One would imagine that an organisation named after a lawyer Pat Finucane, who was murdered as a result of collusion between loyalist terrorists and state forces as outlined in the da Silva report, would be more careful in its use of language. There are some like Mr Beattie who wonder if smears like this are an attempt to rewrite history. Only the terrorists stand to gain when blame for incidents are wrongly attributed. The actions of a few should not be used to tarnish the reputation of the many. The Pat Finucane Centre has been keen to expose collusion between loyalists and members of state forces and has produced several instances. But it has been remarkably reticent about suggesting collusion between republicans and those same forces. Yet we know from previous and ongoing investigations some republicans were not immune from working with police or Army contacts on a regular basis. That too is a fact of history during what was a very dirty conflict, but which republicans try hard to ignore. Terrorism from whatever source deserves to be highlighted and condemned, but it must be substantiated by facts rather than slanted versions of the truth. I was greatly humbled to read of Beryl Quigley's sense of forgiveness towards the IRA gang who murdered her first husband, assistant prison governor William McConnell, in front of her and their three-year-old daughter Gail in March 1984. I was the Detective Chief Inspector in charge of CID for that area and it was my responsibility to lead the investigation. As a result of my involvement in the case - and so many other murderous events during the Troubles - I have become somewhat inured to feelings of that nature. I'm not proud of that, but it's where I am and I can't aspire to Beryl's level of understanding. A contributory factor to my state of mind is the fact that the investigation involved a much greater depth of evil than that which has been mentioned. This particular IRA murder gang - consisting of two men and a woman - took over the house immediately across the street from where the McConnells lived on the evening before the murder. It was occupied by a genteel retired couple in their 80s and they were confined to their bedroom under guard throughout the night. When Mr McConnell came out of his house at around 8am to go to work he routinely checked under his car for a booby-trap bomb and was in the act of saying goodbye to his wife and child when two gunmen ran across the road and shot him dead. The female member of the gang had already started the car owned by the elderly couple and the killers got in and made good their escape. The intelligence they held on the house they had taken over was, therefore, good, as they knew there would be little resistance and that a car was available to aid their getaway. A short time later the car was found abandoned on the Upper Newtownards Road; an eyewitness saw a lone female park it and walk off. The question was where the two gunmen had gone to between leaving the scene and the abandoning of the car. I set up a major incident room at Strandtown RUC station and assembled a murder investigation team of approximately 20 officers who had served me well in the past and I knew they would put every effort into solving this murder. The following morning I arrived into work at around 8am and read the Belfast incident reports for the previous 24 hours. I noticed with interest that, at around midnight, a car was stopped at an Army checkpoint on the Albert Bridge. There were three male occupants - all heavily intoxicated - and they began to fight with the soldiers, resulting in the police being called. The three were arrested for assault and taken to Mountpottinger police station and lodged in the cells overnight. I immediately recognised the names of the men, as they were listed as active members of the IRA. I wondered: could this be the McConnell murder gang making their way home to west Belfast after lying low all day in a drinking club in Short Strand? It was too good an opportunity to miss, so I had them immediately rearrested under terrorism legislation and transferred to Castlereagh Detention Centre. I had their outer clothes, including footwear, removed and they were issued with paper overalls. These seized items were immediately sent to the forensic science laboratory to be tested for firearms residue. One of my junior detectives had a good look at the personal property taken from the suspects. He took a particular interest in a diary belonging to one of them: it was blank, except for some of the days immediately preceding the murder. Whatever had been written on these pages had been heavily obliterated with a black ballpoint pen. Very intriguing, I thought. It, too, was delivered to the forensic laboratory and an expert was able to remove the black ink with a solvent and slowly some writings in blue ink began to appear. Of the entry dated February 28, 1984, we could read: "10am Christines for scale map." The entry for March 1 was indecipherable, but thankfully some of the notes made for March 2 could be partly read: "9.00ETS Camels ... 5 ... Dene ... 20 CPA" (the dots representing words and letters which could not be read). I sat down with some of my colleagues and tried to make sense of the writings. It seemed possible that "9.00amETS Camels" could mean estimated time of the shooting. The "5 ... Dene" could be a misspelling of 5 Hawthornden (Drive), the scene of the shooting; "20 CPA" proved most interesting and Campbell Park Avenue lay midway between Hawthornden Drive and where the getaway car was found. There was more interesting news from the laboratory when a ballistics expert told me that the weapon used in the murder was a .38 Special Ruger revolver that had fallen from the holster of a police officer during a riot in west Belfast. It had now made its way into the armoury of the IRA. By that stage we had established that the occupants of 20 Campbell Park Avenue were Owen and Margaret Connolly and their daughter Carmel. The "Camels" in the diary was most likely a misspelling of her name. It seemed highly probable that their address was an IRA safe house - right in the heart of middle-class east Belfast. I immediately went to the house with other police and arrested the family. Under questioning at Castlereagh all three quickly confessed that their house had been used by the murder team and that, on occasions, they accommodated IRA fugitives. Owen Connolly admitted carrying out the intelligence work on the movements of William McConnell and the occupants of the house opposite used by the killers. Meanwhile, another team of forensic scientists was busy inside that house and they found a distinct shoe print on an area of vinyl floor tiling where one of the gang had sat throughout the night listening to the police radio network. I went to the laboratory, where we examined the shoes belonging to the suspects and found one that seemed to match the photographed print. The scientist obtained a sheet of white card, ink-rolled the sole of the shoe and made an impression on the card. We could see almost immediately that it was a match. It was clear that we had, indeed, netted the murder team and the evidence against them was steadily building. I charged all three with the murder and they appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court before Resident Magistrate Tom Travers. I made my deposition and was then cross-examined by their solicitor (now deceased). I had known him for many years and the hatred he had for the RUC came from his eyes like laser beams. He was extremely nasty towards me - almost to the extent of spitting at me in fury. I kept my dignity and Mr Travers cut short the hearing and remanded all men in custody. I later charged Owen Connolly with the murder and his wife with assisting offenders. I had some sympathy for Carmel and believed she had, to a certain extent, been a victim of her parents. Tragically, within a month Tom Travers, together with his wife Joan and daughter Mary, were attacked by the IRA as they made their way home on foot from the Catholic church at Derryvolgie Avenue in south Belfast. Mary died almost instantly from a bullet wound to her back and her father was struck six times, but survived. They tried to kill Joan by putting a gun to her head, but it failed to go off and she was uninjured. Most significantly, one of the weapons used by this gang was the Ruger revolver used to kill William McConnell. The IRA was making a venomous point by continuing to use the same gun and I believe part of the motive for this attack was to exact revenge for Mr Travers' strong response during my remand hearing. After the attack Mary McArdle was arrested by a uniformed police patrol and found to be carrying the weapons used in the attack on the Travers' family. She was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, but was released early under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein immediately awarded her a post as an adviser at Stormont on a salary of 75,000 a year to be funded by the taxpayer. When the McConnell case came to trial the DPP decided to proceed against the man linked to the crime by the shoe print and the man whose diary had revealed so much. Lord Justice Gibson, who was later killed in an explosion on the border with his wife Lady Cecily, sat on the trial, and he acquitted the man with the diary as he couldn't be satisfied that it alone was proof of involvement in the crime. He convicted the other man and sentenced him to life. Later, Owen and Margaret Connolly were arraigned; he pleaded guilty to the murder, while she received a suspended sentence. One of the reasons I write this after so many years is that, as a result of the current political deadlock at Stormont, combined with the border issues over Brexit, I worry that we are blindly edging towards another conflict. Anyone considering reopening a terrorist campaign would do well to take into account the lengthy trail of human misery outlined above. Bangladeshi women hold placards showing a portrait of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a madrassa student who was doused with kerosene and set on fire at her school, April 12, 2019. Bangladeshi police took in a local ruling party leader for questioning Friday, as authorities expanded their probe into alleged attempts to cover-up the murder of a madrassa student who was set on fire after accusing her principal of sexual abuse. The death of Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, has shaken the Muslim-majority nation, provoking protests and spotlighting sexual harassment. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has pledged justice for the victim. Investigators said they were interviewing Ruhul Amin, president of Sonagazi sub-district unit of the Awami League, a week after opposition leaders alleged that ruling party leaders were complicit in Rafis death. We have taken Ruhul Amin into custody for questioning to ascertain whether he had links with the incident, Banaj Kumar Majumder, chief of the police bureau of investigation, told BenarNews on Friday. If we are convinced he could be involved, we will declare him under arrest tomorrow. Police have arrested 18 suspects, including five who confessed to involvement in the crime, officials said. The killers tried to cover up the murder as suicide, Majumder said. But the plan did not work. Also on Friday, authorities launched a separate investigation into Rafis death. Two crimes have been committed on Rafi: sexual assault and murder. There must be financial transactions. So, we will investigate the financial transaction between the assailants, some local journalists and the police officers and others for their complicity in the two crimes, Molla Nazrul Islam, superintendent of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), told BenarNews. We will file money-laundering cases against all the persons involved in the illegal financial transactions for committing crimes, he said. Will protest till my last breath Before she died in hospital, Rafi told her family that five people wearing burqas had lured her to the rooftop of her Islamic school, known as a madrassa, in the town of Feni on April 6. She said she was asked to withdraw charges that she had filed with the police against the madrassas principal, Siraj Ud Doula. When she refused, her attackers tied up her hands, doused her in kerosene, then set her on fire. The burns covered 80 percent of Rafis body, but she told the story to her brother in the ambulance that took her to a Dhaka hospital, while he recorded her statement on his mobile phone. She died four days later. Tens of thousands of people attended her funeral prayers in Feni. I will protest till my last breath, she could be heard saying in the audio clip, which has been widely shared on social media. I will complain to the prime minister. On Friday, dozens of demonstrators gathered in the capital Dhaka and demanded justice for Rafi. NGOs have also issued statements deploring her killing and calling for action. In a statement issued Thursday, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) demanded a judicial probe into the alleged negligence by police in their duties. Violence against women across the country considering the number and gravity of atrocities now reached at a level which is unimaginable, TIB said. New York-based Human Rights Watch earlier this week called on the government to ensure justice for Rafi, adding that her death highlighted the need for officials to take complaints from survivors of sexual assaults seriously. The horrifying murder of a brave woman who sought justice shows how badly the Bangladesh government has failed victims of sexual assault, Meenakshi Ganguly, HRWs South Asia director, said in a statement. HRW feared the actual figure could be much higher, given the enormous stigma around reporting sexual assaults. At least 940 incidents of rape were reported in 2018 in Bangladesh, according to the womens rights group, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad. But other rights advocates say the number could be higher in the country where many girls choose to keep their experiences of sexual abuse secret for fear of being shamed by society or their families. What precipitated the attack Rafi alleged that the sexual assault occurred on March 27 at her principals office. Her mother filed a case against the principal, prompting the police to arrest Ud Doula and a local court to send him to jail. But a group composed of teachers and students formed a human chain outside the jail and demanded his release, threatening Rafis family of dire consequences during the rally, local resident Ruhul Amin told BenarNews. On April 6, Rafi went to her school to sit for an exam. But one girl who was wearing a veil told her that one of her friends was being beaten at the roof of the school. She immediately rushed to the roof where the five attackers were waiting for her, investigators said. The suspects encircled Rafi and pressed her to withdraw her complaint. When Rafi declined, the assailants tied her with a scarf, held her tight, poured kerosene on her body and set her on fire, police said. Bangladeshi students take their exams at a high school in Dhaka, Feb. 2, 2019. [BenarNews] Local police chief In other developments, the government has created a police team to investigate Moazzam Hossain, chief of the Sonagazi police station, after he filmed a video of Rafi while narrating what took place during the alleged sexual assault on her. The video, which became viral on social media, shows Rafi crying while attempting to cover her face with her two hands. The police officer could be heard saying, Nothing serious happened. Stop crying remove your hands from your face. On April 15, police filed charges against Hossain, accusing him of violating the Digital Security Act by sharing the video on social media. We have gathered preliminary evidence against the former officer-in-charge of the Sonagazi police station and senior police officers, Md Ruhul Amin, a deputy inspector general of police, told reporters Thursday. Hasina orders stern measures For her part, Prime Minister Hasina has instructed the police to take stern measures against the killers, her press secretary, Ihsanul Karim, told BenarNews. Hasina met with Rafis parents and two brothers in Dhaka on Monday and promised that every person involved in the killing would be brought to justice. None of the culprits will be spared from legal action, aides quoted the prime minister as saying. Police investigation chief Majumder said his agency had identified the five veiled suspects as Shahdat Hossain (alias Shamim), Jubair Hossain, Javed Ahmed, Kamrunnahar Moni and Umme Sultana Popi (alias Shompa). One of the main suspects, Nur Uddin, told investigators that he and some of the suspects had visited Ud Doula in prison, where the school principal allegedly told the suspects to force Rafi to drop her complaint, according to police. Another suspect, Kader, who was arrested Wednesday, said he was directly involved in Rafis murder, a police official told BenarNews. It was not immediately clear if the suspects had hired lawyers. In the case of Ud Doula, the school principal who is in custody, the local bar association has decided that no lawyer will stand for Siraj Ud Doula, Hafez Ahmad, the public prosecutor in Feni, told Benar late Friday, adding that the government would assign an attorney to defend the educator. Prapti Rahman in Dhaka contributed to this story. Malaysia will push through with a multibillion-dollar property project that was shelved two years ago and it will be built by the original contractors, including a Chinese-owned company, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said Friday, just days before a scheduled trip to Beijing. Mahathir said members of his cabinet had decided on Wednesday to reinstate Bandar Malaysia, a 486-acre (197-hectare) mixed-use project in Kuala Lumpur that was expected to cost 140 billion ringgit (U.S. $33.8 billion). After due deliberations, the government has decided to reinstate Bandar Malaysia, Mahathir told reporters. The project would include 10,000 low-cost homes and a peoples park. It was originally envisioned to house the main terminal for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail line, which was among infrastructure deals canceled by Mahathirs government last year, after it defeated the government of Najib Razak in the May 2018 general election. Mahathir made the announcement just days after his government resumed construction of the China-backed East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project after the contractor agreed to slash its cost by about one-third to 44 billion ringgit (U.S. $11 billion). He justified Bandar Malaysias revival by pointing out in a statement that it would significantly boost foreign investments and tighten economic ties with Beijing, as he cited the newly renegotiated ECRL, which was signed with China on April 12. These two major projects will also be a significant contribution to the Belt and Road Initiative which Malaysia expects to be able to tap on, Mahathir said, referring to Chinas massive One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative to finance and build infrastructure projects around the globe. It will draw major international financial institutions, multinational corporations, he said, naming Chinese tech giants such as Alibaba and Huawei as among those that showed interest to establish offices in Bandar Malaysia. Mahathir is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping during the second OBOR forum in Beijing next week. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the forum would gather 37 heads of state and government. Najib Razak, the nations former leader who first approved the Bandar Malaysia deal back in 2011, ridiculed Mahathirs announcement over its revival. So does this mean that the country has been sold off? Has the project been swindled? Bowed to China? Najib posted on his Facebook page. They did say all these to the previous government, he said, referring to past criticism of his governments deals with China that was leveled by Mahathirs Pakatan Harapan coalition. Now we can ask them back the same thing. Marriott International and Le Mirage Real Estate, a member of Sharaka Holdings, have signed an agreement to debut the Four Points By Sheraton brand in Doha. Previously known as the Amari Hotel, the hotel will be converted to the Four Points by Sheraton Doha in Q3 2019 and will boast the brands approachable design and excellent service at an honest value. The hotel is a franchise property which will be managed by Le Mirage Property Management, the property management company of Le Mirage Real Estate. On the occasion of the signing, Amer Fares, CEO of Sharaka Holdings, the parent company of Le Mirage Real Estate, said: Le Mirage Real Estate believes in associating with brands which share our passion for building beautiful lives. We strive to enhance the quality of life in every community we serve. With Dohas inbound tourism market set to grow rapidly in the coming years, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance the travel experiences of visitors to our country. The hotels very strategic location in the heart of Doha, adjacent to the metro station and minutes away from key landmarks in the country together with the strong brand appeal of Four Points by Sheraton will ensure it remains a destination of choice for all business visitors to Doha. On his part, Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, commented: We are excited to debut the Four Points by Sheraton brand in Doha and further strengthen our relationship with Sharaka Holdings. We continue to see great opportunities to expand our brand portfolio in Qatar and support the countrys robust tourism strategy. The Four Points by Sheraton Doha will feature 120 well-appointed guestrooms and suites, all featuring the Four Points Signature Bed. Reflecting the brands promise to provide what matters most to todays independent travellers, the hotel offers the brands defining touches including complimentary bottled water in all rooms and fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Food and beverage outlets at the hotel will include a juice bar, an all-day dining restaurant, lobby cafe and a rooftop lounge with a cigar bar overlooking the exceptional Doha skyline. Other facilities include a banquet hall and two meeting rooms, along with a fitness centre and The Breeze Spa, one of Dohas most popular and well-reputed spas, offering a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Chadi Hauch, vice president, Lodging Development, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, added: Four Points by Sheraton is one of the fastest growing hospitality brands in the world and continues to gain great traction with developers across the region. The brand resonates with todays independent traveller and will be a great fit in Doha with its excellent service and comfortable hospitality experience. The Four Points by Sheraton Doha will be located in the heart of Musheireb, Doha, with the Doha Metro at its footsteps that directly links to the airport in just 10 minutes. - TradeArabia News Service Journalists in Kuala Lumpur read newspapers with reports about the local killing of a North Korean man believed to be Kim Jong Nam, the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, Feb. 17, 2017. A change of governments last year dramatically improved the journalism climate in Malaysia, which stood out as a bright spot in the Asia-Pacific, watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Thursday in releasing its worldwide press freedom rankings for 2019. The Paris-based group also criticized Thailands military government for a very indulgent manner towards certain regimes, alleging that Vietnam and China were allowed to extradite exiled dissident journalists and bloggers who were nationals of those countries hiding out on Thai soil. Elsewhere in the region, press freedom continued to erode in Bangladesh and the Philippines in 2018, RSF reported. With totalitarian propaganda, censorship, intimidation, physical violence and cyber-harassment, a lot of courage is needed nowadays to work independently as a journalist in the Asia-Pacific countries, where democracies are struggling to resist various forms of disinformation, RSF said in publishing its latest annual World Press Freedom Index rankings. The report pointed to last years political transition in Malaysia as an example of the degree to which a countrys political ecosystem impacts the freedom to reform. Freedom for reporting improved so much in Malaysia in 2018, in the wake of the electoral defeat of a ruling party that had governed the country since its founding in 1957, that Malaysia jumped 22 places on the index to rank as No. 123 out of 180 surveyed countries. On this years index, Turkmenistan finished dead last right behind North Korea for the worst record for press freedom. Norway ranked No. 1 for the third straight year. In Malaysia, the May 2018 ouster of the United Malays National Organization party, which anchored the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, blew fresh air through the ossified media and transformed the environment for journalists, propelling Malaysia to 123rd place, Reporters Without Borders said. Journalists and media outlets that had been blacklisted, such as the cartoonist Zunar and the Sarawak Report investigative news website, have been able to resume working without fear of harassment, RSF said, alluding to the case of satirical cartoonist Zunar, a BenarNews contributor whose real name is Zulkiflee Anwar Ulhaque. The previous government had targeted him on multiple charges of sedition for sketches that lampooned then-Prime Minister Najib Razak. The charges were dropped after the new government took over. The general environment for journalists is much more relaxed, self-censorship has declined dramatically and the print media are now offering a fuller and more balanced range of viewpoints , RSF reported. However, it noted its concern that the new government of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad could still draw on an arsenal of draconian laws, including the 1948 Sedition Act and the 1972 Official Secrets Act, to suppress media in the country. The Thai press under junta rule In neighboring Thailand, which rose four notches in the rankings to No. 136, the country ruled by a junta since May 2015 remained unfriendly to journalists, the RSF report said. The section on Thailand did not explain what accounted for the countrys four-point increase on the index, which reflected a relative improvement in the climate for press freedom. This ubiquitous and all-powerful junta has constantly hounded outspoken journalists, summoning them for questioning, detaining them arbitrarily and driving at least ten of them to flee the country. Any criticism of the junta is liable to lead to violent reprisals made possible by draconian legislation and a justice system that follows orders. The long-promised elections held in March 2019 made no difference, RSF said. Without naming him the reports section on Thailand touched apparently on the case of Truong Duy Nhat, a Vietnamese blogger working for Radio Free Asia (RFA), which is affiliated with BenarNews, who disappeared in Bangkok in January 2019. Last month, Nhats daughter confirmed to RFAs Vietnamese Service that he had been brought back to his home country and put in jail. The authorities behave in a very indulgent manner towards certain regimes: Chinese and Vietnamese operatives have been allowed to arrest dissident exile journalists or bloggers from their country in order to repatriate and then jail them, RSF said. Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh In the Philippines, which dropped one place in the rankings to No. 134, RSF highlighted what it described as the governments judicial harassment campaign against Maria Ressa, the chief of the Rappler news website that has consistently done critical reporting about a deadly drug war carried out by the Duterte administration. Indonesia, meanwhile, held steady with a No. 124 index ranking. The reported faulted President Joko Widodo for not keeping campaign promises related to media freedom from when he was first elected in 2014. Joko just claimed victory in his bid for re-election this week. His presidency was marked by serious media freedom violations, including drastic restrictions on media access to West Papua (the Indonesian half of the island of New Guinea), where violence against local journalists keeps on growing, the report said, referring to the insurgency-stricken far eastern Indonesian region of Papua. And in Bangladesh, the climate for journalists grew more hostile under the rule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League party, the watchdog reported. In 2018, her governments latest weapon against journalists was a digital security law enacted in October, under which negative propaganda is punishable by up to 14 years in prison, RSF said, citing the case of the arrest of photojournalist Shahidul Alam, who was jailed for 107 days without charge before being released on bail in November 2018. Bangladesh dropped four places in the index, to the No. 150 ranking. Bangladeshi journalists have been among the leading collateral victims of the tough methods adopted by the ruling Awami League and its boss, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the report said. The campaign leading up to her reelection in late 2018 was accompanied by a disturbing increase in press freedom violations, including violence by political activists against reporters in the field, the arbitrary blocking of news websites, and arbitrary arrests of journalists. Washington The teaching profession is in the midst of an ongoing and alarming crisis, Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in an address on Thursday. In her speech at the National Press Club, Weingarten condemned the two major roots of the crisis that she said have led to both teachers quitting the profession and others staying far away from itdeinvestment and deprofessionalization. She said states are not investing enough money in public education. Indeed, across the country over the last two years, teachers have walked out of their classroom in protest of low wages and cuts to school funding. But Weingarten spent the bulk of her speech on the working conditions that she said are contributing to teachers no longer being seen as professionals. Teachers, she said, are micromanaged, forced to focus on standardized tests, and unable to teach as they see fit. This deprofessionalization is killing the soul of teaching, she said. Teachers need the freedom to teach. Policymakers, teachers union representatives, school and district leaders, and classroom teachers themselves need to work together to elevate teachers voice and judgment and allow teachers to make learning rich and fulfilling for their students, Weingarten said to a room of policymakers, researchers, and educators. She offered three paths forward: develop a culture of collaboration, create and maintain proper teaching and learning environments, and give teachers real voice and agency in their work. Research has found that teachersin both low- and high-poverty schoolssay they dont have enough time to collaborate with their peers. Weingarten said school leaders need to build more teacher time into school schedules to observe colleagues lessons, look at student work, and plan collaboratively. And district leaders need to ask teachers what they need to do their job so students can succeed, she said. A recent Education Week Research Center survey found that almost all teachers spend their own money to buy materials for their classrooms, and when they crowdfund online, theyre often raising money for books and classroom furniture. Instead of putting the onus on teachers to raise money for the classroom, Weingarten said, legislation, lobbying, collective bargaining, and even school finance lawsuits should be used to get teachers what they need. Voice and Agency Finally, Weingarten said teachers need voice and agency in making decisions that affect teaching and learning. The classroom teacher is the only person who has knowledge of the students she is teaching, the content she is teaching, and the context in which she is teaching, she said. A study by researcher Richard Ingersoll found a significant link between teacher leadership and student achievement. But teachers often dont have the opportunity to lead: In fact, teachers said they felt comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important to them in less than half of the 25,000 schools surveyed. The assumption should be that teachers, like other professionals, know what they are doing, Weingarten said. Teachers should be able to be creative, take risks, and let students run with an idea. This work needs to take place on the school and state levels, she saidnot the federal level. Still, in the U.S. Department of Educations budget proposal, Secretary Betsy DeVos has suggested eliminating the $2 billion Title II grant program for professional learning and replacing it with a $200 million voucher program , in which teachers could get stipends for individualized professional development. DeVos said the program would provide much-needed freedom and flexibility for teachers while also respecting them as professionals. In an interview, Weingarten said the budget proposal is an attempt to destabilize public education. When you juxtapose what theyre cutting and what theyre proposing, you know this is a pretext, she said. District-Union Collaboration In a panel conversation after Weingartens speech, district leaders and teachers union representatives discussed ways to work together to create a culture of change. For instance, in New York City, the teachers union just negotiated a new contract deal with Chancellor Richard Carranza . There used to be, in the not-so-distant past, a philosophy [in the district] that said, Teachers, you do what youre told and we dont need to hear from you, said Carranza, who took the helm of the citys schools a year ago. But when he started negotiations with United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, he said they both shared about 20 things that drove [them] crazy when they were classroom teachersand then pledged to tackle a few of those things in the contract deal. The result was the Bronx Plan , which is piloting a collaborative schools model in 120 underserved city schools. Teachers and principals in those schools will work together to identify challenges and devise solutions. Empowering teachers will build capacity to create change, Carranza said: Great working conditions are great learning conditions. Image of Randi Weingarten via Andrew Harnik/AP-File Help India! TCN News Ambedkar King Study Circle (AKSC), Association for Indias Development (AID), San Jose Peace and Justice Center (SJPJC) and Organizations for Minorities of India (OfMI) jointly organized Babasaheb Dr B.R Ambedkars 128th birthday celebration in Cupertino, California on 13th April. The theme was Ambedkar on State Socialism to trigger a debate on Ambedkars position on state socialism and popularize and introduce his writings on the same, among the masses. Support TwoCircles Before beginning the celebrations, one minute silence was observed to pay respects to the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh. This is the 100th anniversary of the incident that was instrumental in turning the Indian independence movement into a mass movement. Dr Suraj Yengde, a Harvard fellow, electrified the audience with his one hour speech with pedantic details on Ambedkars state socialism. He said that if the land had been distributed equally across all the castes who are working on the land after Independence, caste discrimination and violence would have ended long before. Ambedkars state socialism provided more job security for the workers which would address their physical and mental health. Social discrimination against Dalits was directly linked to their economic dependence on so called upper castes. In the rural areas, Dalits depend on the upper castes for land and in the urban economy Dalits depend on non-Dalits for jobs and employment. He concluded that the annihilation of caste is tantamount to annihilation of landlordism and redistribution of all lands across the castes. He emphasized reservation in private sector is an urgent need of social justice in the neoliberal era. Mr Sandy Perry , the president of affordable housing network of Santa Clara county; California , spoke about the history of racism, racial discrimination and its current manifestation. He said that American racism is the product of American capitalism. Race uses identifiable characteristics of humans for political and economic ends. Founding fathers institutionalized racism as a means of preventing unity among the workers. He mentioned about the role played by the Highlander Research and Education Centre which has allegedly been set on fire by the white supremacist group two weeks ago resulting in loss of historic documents and speeches. This very centre then known as Highlander Folk School trained and educated prominent black activists including Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks and John Lewis. The school was under continues attack in mid 90s and still such institutions are under attack. Racism reinforced by economic expansion after 1800 and continues till today. He concluded by quoting Karl Marx, Labour in the white skin can never free itself as long as labour in the black skin is branded. Mr Sharat G Lin, Research Fellow at SJPJC, talked about the intersectionality of class and caste. Indias social contradictions to some extent were addressed by the Public Sector Units (PSUs) but the PSUs have been shrinking due to privatization. He argued that Indian capitalism is casteism. He supported his argument with the evidence that succession in family-owned business and non-family owned businesses is overwhelmingly from the same caste. Its apparent in India that hiring employees is largely discriminatory. We have to fight all social contradictions such as gender, race and caste which are not encompassed in class exploitation. Ms. Kanakalakshmi of AKSC in her welcome address took the gathering through the historical perspective of Ambedkars ideas of state socialism. She supported her argument with Ambedkars position on judicial remedy and state socialism with parliamentary democracy. She added that Ambedkars social democracy is based on the ideas of liberty, fraternity and equality. As part of the program Suraj Yengde released the special issue of Vemani published by Theekkathir, Tamil daily. The special issue has articles, poems and historical essays on Kilvenmani struggle and the massacre which took place on 25th Dec 1968 in which 44 Dalit-landless people were killed by the landlords. Mr Mani M Manivanan, Vidya & Pavan of AID and Jaweed and Fazal of Indian American Muslim Council received the copy of the special issue from Suraj Yengde, Sandy Perry and Sharat Lin. Mr. Gopi , Ms. Asti of AID and Mr. Pavan of AID introduced the speakers Dr Suraj Yengde, Mr. Sandy Perry and Dr Sharat Lin respectively. Karthikeyan of AKSC conducted the release of Venmani special issue. Mr. Elancheran of AKSC delivered the vote of thanks. Mr. Selvaraj of AKSC, anchored the overall program. People had one on one interactions after the program and concluded with dinner which continued till 9:30 PM. Many new people attended Dr. Ambedkars birthday celebration which is encouraging and participation of non-Indians has demonstrated that Dr Ambedkar is making steady inroads into progressive US politics. - Saudi Arabia to host the 2020 Dakar Rally - Will be shifting base after a decade in South America - Official announcement to be made on 25 April The Dakar Rally is by far, one of the biggest motorsport endurance races in the world. And the 2020 version of the Dakar Rally is scheduled to be organised in Saudi Arabia. The Middle-Eastern kingdom is said to be offering 1.4 million sqaure miles for the Dakar Rally. And ASO, the event organisers have signed a five-year agreement with the Saudi Arabian government. South America hosted the Dakar Rally for the last decade although the Rally finds its roots in Africa where it was conducted for nearly 30 years prior. The Dakar Rally has always been an interesting motorsport event involving gruesome courses that would test the endurance of both the machine and rider. While KTM has been clenching the top spot for quite a while now, Indian manufacturers like TVS and Hero Motocorp have been consistently participating at the recent Dakar Rallys too. An official announcement will be made on 25 April in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia regarding the 2020 Dakar Rally. The plan and course is also expected to be revealed then. Help India! Imran Inamdar, TwoCircles.net TwoCircles.net spoke to a few young voters among whom some were first timers who cast their votes on 18th April in Solapur, Maharashtra. Though voting for the first time these youngsters were clear about what they expect from the Government and why they exercised their right to adult suffrage. Support TwoCircles Aaquib Altaf Hussain Khan ( featured above), is a computer science student and shared that he was very excited to be voting for the first time. it is a national responsibility, voting should be a top priority of each and every Indian. he said. Afsana and Rukhsana Shiledar (above) are both sisters who voted for the first time and had come with their parents. Speaking to TwoCircles.net, they said they are expecting reservations for Muslim to enable them to join the mainstream society, good education facilities for youths, drinking water and sanitation to keep our Bharath Swachh. Afsana and Rukhsana are pursuing their bachelors degree in Arts in a city based college. Wow! Kriti Sanon Surprises In A Goth Look At Manish Malhotra's Party Bollywood Wardrobe Devika Tripathi Kriti Sanon also graced the Chandon party hosted by Manish Malhotra. She wore an ultimate party attire for the occasion, which was absolutely bold. Kriti's party look had a bit of Goth touch and well, we thought she was one of the best-dressed divas at the event. Let's decode her attire and stylish look. Her attire was dipped in black and grey hue, with the black choker top that was lacy and asymmetrical and Kriti paired it with a grey textured skirt, which came with a buckle belt. The actress also teamed her ensemble with a long black jacket that totally spruced up her stylish avatar. She also wore black sleek heels, which went well with her ensemble. Her ensemble came from the labels, Cinq aSept, H&M, Asos, and Tresmode. As for the accessories, Kriti wore large hoop earrings that elevated her style quotient. The makeup was marked by dewy touches with contoured cheekbones, pink lip shade, and smoky kohl accompanied by pink eye shadow. The sleek middle-parted tresses rounded out her stunning avatar. Kriti certainly looked a class apart. Don't you think so too? Let us know that in the comment section. A Journalist Stood In Middle Of The Flooded River To Report Pulse oi-Syeda Farah Noor As they say, work is worship. Work adds meaning to life. It also brings physical and mental wellness which is important for your overall well-being. Here is the case of a young journalist who proves that when it is about work, no hurdle can stop you. The video of this journalist who hails from Pakistan is going viral on social media for all the good reasons. In the video it is seen that the Pakistani journalist stands in the middle of a flooded river and reports the floods. The netizens are applauding the man's dedication to work. The video went viral after a journalist named Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) posted it on the social media site Twitter. The video is a 21-second clip of the journalist standing in the flooded river. Check out the original video in the tweet. Here are some reactions from the netizens who are applauding the journalist for his dedication and commitment to work. Producer: Bring me a news story that no other channel has. Reporter: pic.twitter.com/cOLxx6Uvas Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) April 16, 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) April 16, 2019 He deserves an award for adventure reporting. New level of journalism. (@Fzxg6VmDqQTR0GR) April 17, 2019 What is your take on this story? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 17:19 [IST] Proposal for transferring water from the Caspian Sea to the arid northern territories of Iran has been approved by the Iranian parliament. As Eghtesad writes in the article Caspian Sea Water Transfer Awaiting Pilot Project Result, Iran Water and Power Resources Development Company, affiliated to the Energy Ministry, is tasked with carrying out the pilot plan. The pilot project is in process and the final decision will be made upon the completion of the test, Donyay-e-Eqtesad daily reported Reza Ardakanian as saying. "Although Iran is located in an arid and semi-arid area, having access to vast resources of salt water in the north (Caspian Sea) and south (Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf) offers good prospects. We can benefit from these unconventional resources with the use of modern technology, Financial Tribune quoted Ardakanian as saying. By desalinating unconventional resources of saline water in the north and south, water for drinking and industrial use could be produced, he added. Access to two large bodies of water in the north and south holds the promise that workable solutions can be found for water issues. We need to plan and invest for the future. To address the current (water deficit) issue we must acquire modern technology, the minister said. The plan to transfer water via a 200km pipeline from Mazandaran Province to Semnan Province has been promoted as a solution to help meet growing demand in the agricultural, industrial and household sectors in the water-stressed regions. The plan involves siphoning 100 million cubic meters of water out of the sea per year to Semnan after desalination. For and against However, some environmentalists and MPs from Mazandaran have opposed the plan as unscientific and impractical that would inflict irrevocable damage on the regions ecology. They insist that pumping large amounts of water from Caspian Sea would eventually lead to an increase in the seas salinity and endanger the habitats it supports. Desalination removes minerals from saline water but also produces huge quantities of brine, which is almost always dumped back into the sea. Experts note that brine is denser than seawater and sinks to the bottom of a water body directly harming the ecosystem. Despite the objections, the minister said that if all the environmental principles are considered, there would be no problem in implementing the megaprojects. The necessary studies have been completed and reports submitted to the Department of Environment, a governmental organization operating under the supervision of the president. Isa Kalantari, head of the DoE, earlier announced his preliminary approval for the project, but the final decision has not been made. Those in favor of the project say 90% of the Caspian Sea water comes from rivers that originate in Russia and flow into the Iranian side of the Sea. So even if the brine is dumped back into the sea, it will not have a negative impact on the sea that holds an estimated 80,000 billion cubic meters of water. Today, there are technologies that allow us to separate solid salt from the brine in the desalination process. Thus, no more brine will return to the sea, Ardakanian said, adding that implementation of the scheme depends also on economic viability and cost of equipment and machinery. Canada NewsWire RICHMOND, BC, April 18, 2019 RICHMOND, BC, April 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Helijet International Inc. (TSX-V: HJI) ("Helijet" or the "Corporation") announces that its board of directors has received a proposal from a Helijet director, for a going private transaction (the "Transaction"). Insiders and their extended family and one other extended family currently own 88% of the outstanding common shares of Helijet (the "Helijet Shares") and will not participate in the Transaction (the "Non Participating Shareholders"). The Transaction is to be completed on or before September 16, 2019 (the "Effective Date") by the purchase of the approximate 12% of Helijet's outstanding Helijet Shares owned by public shareholders ("Public Shareholders") by one director (the "Purchaser"). The net effect of the Transaction will be that Helijet will not have any public shareholders. The Corporation plans to delist from the TSX Venture Exchange on the Effective Date. The Corporation also plans to apply to cease being a reporting issuer. Each Public Shareholder would receive $0.30 (the "Consideration") in cash for each Helijet Share held immediately prior to the Transaction becoming effective. Helijet Shares issued after April 18, 2019, including any shares issued upon exercise of outstanding Helijet stock options, are excluded from the Transaction. Helijet does not have any plans to issue any additional shares at this time. Helijet wishes to complete the going private transaction in order to provide its Public Shareholders with the opportunity to realize value for their Helijet Shares, having regard to the fact that the Helijet Shares are thinly traded. The last three trades were on March 21, 2019 for 5,000 Helijet Shares at a price of $0.17 per Helijet Share, March 12, 2019 for 8,200 Helijet Shares at a price of $0.21 per Helijet Share, and February 26, 2019 for 8,000 Helijet Shares at a price of $0.20 per Helijet Share. There are currently 15,859,548 voting common shares of Helijet issued and outstanding. After completion of the Transaction, the Purchaser and the Non-Participating Shareholders will hold all of the outstanding voting common shares. The Transaction is a going-private transaction and is structured as a Plan of Arrangement under Section 192(1)(f.1) of the Canada Business Corporations Act, and the Transaction is subject to court approval. The Transaction is also subject to shareholder approval by 2/3rds of the voting common shares voted at a Special Meeting (the "Meeting") of the Corporation to be held before the end of June, 2019, and by the approval of a majority of the votes cast by minority shareholders at the Meeting pursuant to the requirements of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI-61-101"). The votes of the Purchaser and Non-Participating Shareholders will be included in the 2/3rds corporate approval but not in the approval by the "majority of the minority" pursuant to MI 61-101. If approved at the Meeting, Helijet expects the Transaction to be effective on or before September 16, 2019 (the "Effective Date"). The Board has received a valuation from chartered business valuators Evans & Evans, Inc. (the "Valuation") in connection with the Transaction. On the basis of its review, including the Valuation which set a range of $0.27 to $0.28 on the Helijet Shares, the Board has unanimously resolved to recommend to holders of the Helijet Shares to vote in favor of the Transaction. Evans & Evans, Inc. also provided the Board with their oral opinion, subject to completion of a definitive agreement, that the Consideration was fair, from a financial point of view, to the Public Shareholders. The Valuation and a written opinion regarding the fairness, from a financial point of view, of the Consideration to the Public Shareholders, will be included in Helijet's management information circular for the Meeting, a copy of which will be mailed to each Helijet shareholder and will also be available under Helijet's profile at www.sedar.com. The Transaction is subject to the following conditions: (i) execution of a definitive agreement, (ii) completion of financing of the purchase price by the Purchaser; (iii) dissent rights not being exercised with respect to more than 5% of Helijet Shares; (iv) Non-Participating Shareholders entering into release agreements with Helijet and the Purchaser; (v) court and Helijet shareholder approval; and (vi) completion by September 16, 2019. Helijet does not access the public markets to raise money. The going private transaction will also eliminate the burden of continuing as a reporting issuer. Under applicable securities laws a broad range of regulatory obligations are imposed on companies, such as Helijet, with public shareholders, including the provision of quarterly financial statements and information to shareholders, mandatory solicitation of proxies for annual meetings, increased insurance costs, transfer agent and stock exchange fees and compliance cost, and shareholder communication costs. These regulatory requirements necessitate the employment of independent accountants, financial consultants, printers, lawyers and other skilled personnel. Helijet believes that the present and anticipated time and costs entailed in meeting the additional disclosure and other regulatory obligations to which public companies are subject cannot be justified in view of Helijet's present business strategy, including it having a limited number of public shareholders. 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. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information Forward-looking statements - Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words such as "believes", "may", "likely", "plans", or similar words. Forward-looking statements included in this news release include statements with respect to (i) the Corporation's plan to not have any Public Shareholders; (ii) the Corporation's plan to de-list from the TSX Venture Exchange; (iii) the Corporation's plan to apply to cease being a reporting issuer; (iv) expectations regarding the Consideration to be paid to the Public Shareholders; and (v) expectations about the Transaction's Effective Date. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Corporation, including, but not limited to the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, currency fluctuations, and dependence upon regulatory approvals. The Transaction is subject to several conditions including (i) completion of financing by the Purchaser; (ii) dissent rights not being exercised with respect to more than 5% of the Helijet Shares; (iii) Non-Participating Shareholders entering into release agreements with Helijet and the Purchaser; (iv) court and Helijet shareholder approval; and (v) completion of the Transaction by September 16, 2019. There is no guarantee all of these conditions will be satisfied. If any of the conditions to the Transaction are not satisfied, the Transaction may not be completed. Readers should not assume that any or all of the conditions will be met or that the Transaction will be completed by the target date. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. The Corporation does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions or circumstances other than as required by applicable law. SOURCE Helijet International Inc. PR Newswire LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2019 LOS ANGELES, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Residents in long-term-care nursing facilities were prescribed fewer medications when treated by staff physicians than those treated by outside physicians. This is according to a study of U.S. men and women led by the staff at the Los Angeles Jewish Home (LAJH) under the auspices of the Brandman Research Institute (BRI). The quality assurance study examined the high number of prescriptions ordered for long-term nursing facility residents throughout their first year after admission. "Our results provide valuable insight into prescriptions in long-term-care nursing facility residents. It outlines the difference in care and treatment given by outside versus staff physicians, as well as many other insights. This study is the first step by BRI in providing valuable resources that can make a difference in seniors' lives," said Dr. Noah Marco, executive director of BRI and chief medical officer for LAJH. BRI is a center for research focused on best practices for geriatric health issues. The new study was performed by an interdisciplinary team of healthcare professionals who share a goal: to develop new standards and best models of care for older adults. The funding for this study was provided by the H.N. & Frances C. Berger Foundation. The most frequent use of medications in the geriatric population occurs in skilled nursing facilities. The longer a resident lives in a long-term care nursing home, the more likely it is the number of scheduled prescriptions increases. Excessive use of medication is of particular concern in the geriatric community. The study was performed to address the issue of the number of prescription medications and to provide insight into effective models for post-acute care. The investigators followed 101 long-term-stay residents at the Joyce Eisenberg Keefer Medical Center, a licensed hospital facility of Los Angeles Jewish Home (LAJH) over a 12-month period. Preadmission prescriptions were obtained for 91 residents, as well as prescriptions at one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year after admission. The number of prescriptions by staff physicians and outside physicians was compared. The study revealed a statistically significant increase in the number of prescriptions made in a long-term care setting over a 12-month study. It found significant increases in the number of prescriptions by outside physicians when compared with prescriptions ordered by staff physicians. By one year after admission, outside physicians prescribed a mean of 21 prescriptions per resident compared with a mean of 15 prescriptions per resident by staff physicians. Patients of staff physicians received fewer prescriptions and were hospitalized less frequently than patients of physicians who practiced outside LAJH. The study also found a statistically significant increase in the percent of residents hospitalized by outside community physicians (60%) when compared with the number hospitalized by staff physicians (28%). The study found an extraordinarily high level of prescriptions in very old (older than 70 years of age) long-term-stay skilled nursing residents. The most common types of prescriptions added were those for supplements and gastrointestinal disorders, followed by prescriptions for psychoactive drugs and antihypertensive medications. An abstract of the study can be found at https://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/ascp/tscp/2019/00000034/00000003/art00006 With its unique structure, backing, and focus, BRI provides medical and professional staff a unique opportunity to learn directly from seniors what works best for them. Specialized research identifies and promotes life-enhancing healthy-aging practices. Activities include research projects and identified treatments which improve and enhance medical, social, psychiatric, and psychological services for seniors. This pioneering approach creates "best-care" models of eldercare to be shared in the US and world. BRI is distinctively positioned to provide insight into developing new protocols and standards in caring for older adults. BRI was founded with support from the Joyce and Saul Brandman Foundation. About the Los Angeles Jewish Home Founded in 1912, the non-profit Los Angeles Jewish Home (LAJH) is among the largest providers of senior healthcare services in Los Angeles. Through its innovative Connections to Care program, each year thousands of seniors benefit from the Home's community-based and in-residence programs. Community-based programs include: A Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE); hospice; home health; palliative medicine; community clinics; short-term rehabilitation; and acute psychiatric care. Three Home campuses serve seniors with options for independent living, residential care, skilled nursing care, short-term rehabilitation, and Alzheimer's disease and dementia care. The Home has two Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC), the Gonda Healthy Aging Westside Campus, in Playa Vista, CA and Fountainview at Eisenberg Village in Reseda, CA. Further information regarding the Jewish Home can be found online at http://www.lajh.org or by calling 855.227.3745. SOURCE Los Angeles Jewish Home PR Newswire LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2019 LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Rolling Stones release brand-new Best Of compilation album, Honk. Featuring the biggest hits and classic cuts from every Rolling Stones studio album from 1971 to 2016's Blue & Lonesome, Honk is available now in various formats and streaming services via Polydor/Interscope. Order Honk here Honk's Deluxe Edition available on 3CD, 4LP and digital collects 36 essential Stones' tracks including eight Top 10 singles, "Brown Sugar," "Tumbling Dice," "Angie," "It's Only Rock'n'Roll (But I Like It)," "Fool To Cry," "Miss You," "Emotional Rescue" and "Start Me Up." Bringing the band's story up to date, Honk also includes hit single "Doom & Gloom" recorded in 2012, "Just Your Fool," "Ride 'Em On Down" and "Hate To See You Go" from the band's 2016's GRAMMY Award-winning, No 1 album, Blue & Lonesome. Honk is also available as a 1CD and 2LP edition featuring 20 Stones' hits. The Deluxe Edition includes a bonus disc of 10 live tracks recorded at stadiums around the world during the band's more recent sold-out tours. These include "Dead Flowers," with Americana star Brad Paisley, and "Bitch" with Foo Fighters front man Dave Grohl, both during the 50 And Counting tour as well as an electrifying version of "Wild Horses," featuring Florence Welch, from the band's show in London in May 2018 during last year's leg of the No Filter tour. Honk is available as a special fan Deluxe Edition Color 4LP exclusively at RollingStones.com. The limited edition heavy-weight colored vinyl set (purple, red, orange, yellow) is housed in a special slip case and includes a 12'' x 12'' artwork insert. Honk showcases The Rolling Stones' remarkable run of hits. Taken from the band's imperial phase, Honk features "Happy" (Exile On Main Street, 1972), "Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)" (Goats Head Soup, 1973) and "Beast Of Burden" (Some Girls, 1978) alongside later singles like "Waiting On A Friend" (Tattoo You, 1981), "Undercover (Of The Night)" (Undercover, 1983), "Harlem Shuffle" (Dirty Work, 1986), "Rock And A Hard Place" (Steel Wheels, 1989), "Love Is Strong" (Voodoo Lounge, 1994), "Out Of Control" (Bridges To Babylon, 1997), "Rough Justice" (A Bigger Bang, 2005) and "Just Your Fool" (Blue & Lonesome, 2016). Honk also highlights classic Stones' album cuts "Bitch" (Sticky Fingers, 1971), "Rocks Off" (Exile On Main Street, 1972) "Dancing With Mr. D", (Goats Head Soup, 1973) and "Respectable" (Some Girls, 1978) as well as stand-alone tracks such as "Don't Stop" (Forty Licks, 2002) and "One More Shot" (GRRR!). On Honk, "Get Off My Cloud", "Let's Spend The Night Together" and "Under My Thumb" (recorded in Cardiff, Manchester and London, respectively, during the 2018 No Filter tour) ably represent the band's ground-breaking early-mid '60s years; while the version of "She's A Rainbow" from Paris, 2017, provides a relatively rare outing of this classic piece of psychedelic Stones. The appearance of "Dancing With Mr. D", meanwhile, recorded in Arnhem, 2017, marks the song's acclaimed return to the band's set lists for the first time in 44 years. The Rolling Stones Honk Deluxe 3CD Track Listing Disc 1 Disc 2 Disc 3 Live Tracks The Rolling Stones Honk Deluxe 4LP Track Listing LP 1 SIDE A LP 1 SIDE B LP 2 SIDE C LP 2 SIDE D LP 3 SIDE E LP 3 SIDE F LP 4 SIDE G LP 4 SIDE H The Rolling Stones Honk 1CD Track Listing The Rolling Stones Honk 2LP Track Listing LP 1 SIDE A LP 1 SIDE B LP 2 SIDE C LP 2 SIDE D THE ROLLING STONES 'HONK' IS OUT NOW ON POLYDOR/INTERSCOPE WORLDWIDE www.rollingstones.comhttp://www.facebook.com/therollingstoneswww.twitter.com/rollingstoneswww.instagram.com/therollingstoneswww.youtube.com/therollingstones View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-rolling-stones--honk-out-now-300835325.html SOURCE UMe On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of China's navy, ships from all over the world will participate in the naval parade in Qingdao, hosted by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. CGTN reported in its article PLA Navy's 70th Anniversary: Russia-China naval cooperation has a great future that Russia would also send two of its naval ships to take part in the joint maneuvers with the PLA Navy. The two Russian destroyers were seen entering Manila port for a drill with the Philippines Navy earlier this month, just days before they arrive in the Chinese port of Qingdao on the Shandong Peninsula for the naval exercises. It was another show of the might of Russia's resurgent navy. Just years ago, because of a crippling state of its vessels and lack of funding, the Russian Navy was confined only to areas near its territorial waters. In 2012, a decision was made to spend over 770 billion U.S. dollars on the massive military rearmament program. Since then, a good portion of that money has poured into the upgrading of the Russian Navy. The aim is to protect and deter any possible threats coming from abroad, particularly from its Soviet-era rival, the U.S., which boasts of having the world's largest navy. As Davor Domazet, retired Admiral of Croatian Navy told CGTN, Russia had to be creative [as] with limited funds they have to balance U.S.'s superior maritime power. "They cannot build aircraft carriers as a symmetric response to the U.S. Navy. So, they've chosen an asymmetric response, to develop a system that can destroy U.S. aircraft carrier strike group anywhere. And that did happen." Admiral Domazet said. Systems in question are the new hypersonic missile Kinzhal and Kalibr cruise missile, Poseidon underwater drone and several new types of submarines. The Russian submarine fleet has existed since Soviet times and regarded as the most crucial element of the navy. Today, Russia continues that tradition, which is based on the unique tasks its naval forces have to accomplish, the most important of which is to have a strategic nuclear deterrence. In the Barents Sea and the White Sea, Russia's latest submarines can be often seen conducting their trials as well as testing new weapons systems. Also, the pace of upgrading Russia's naval might is unprecedented. According to analysts, the Russian Navy is focused on flexing its muscles because of new challenges it currently faces. One of which is the need to control and protect the so-called North Sea Route, that opened in the Arctic due to global warming. In the face of rising global threats, Russia is keen on closing the ranks with China's PLA and its Navy. In Moscow, CGTN spoke with Igor Korotchenko, a retired colonel of the Russian Army and the head of Center for Analysis of Global Weapons Trade, about this crucial partnership. "Our military contacts are developing successfully and dynamically. We have good relations between our two defense ministers just as between the presidents of our countries. In that aspect, I think that in the area of joint missions where Russian Army and the Chinese PLA can complement each other, our mutual collaboration has a great future." Korotchenko said. Russian Navy's participation in Qingdao naval parade is one more example of that collaboration. Russia has dismissed new U.S. sanctions imposed on Venezuela and Cuba this week, vowing to stand by the embattled regime headed by President Nicolas Maduro. The RIA news agency quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who said Thursday the new sanctionsannounced by national security adviser John Bolton on Wednesdayare illegal, Reuters reported. Newsweek reports in its article RUSSIA VOWS TO CONTINUE VENEZUELA SUPPORT DESPITE NEW U.S. SANCTIONS AS IRAN CONSIDERS DEPLOYING REVOLUTIONARY GUARD that Ryabkov added that the Kremlin plans to do everything to support its allies in Caracas and Havana, despite continued American efforts to undermine both regimes. Cuba is among the nations supporting Maduro, who is locked in a power struggle with Juan Guaido, the self-declared interim president and leader of the opposition-controlled National Assembly. Russia, China and Iran are also backing Maduro, who won a presidential election last year that opponents and international observers dismissed as illegitimate. The U.S. is leading global opposition to Maduro. President Donald Trump has officially recognized Guaido as leader of the nation, with a host of South American and European nations also supporting him. The White House hopes this will be enough to turn Venezuela's powerful military and topple Maduro, but the president has held on to power. Maduro, who took office after the death of revolutionary leader Hugo Chavez in 2013, has been buoyed by his international support. Russia and China are both major investors in the Venezuelan economy, particularly its vast oil fields. Caracas is also a significant customer for Russian weapons. Maduros allies have also been deploying aircraft and troops to the country to underscore their support. More than 100 Russian soldiers arrived in Venezuela last month, reportedly to help protect the regime against cyberattacks, repair the damaged national power grid and service S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, which the Russians make. According to The Washington Post, the U.S. believes there are as many as 25,000 Cuban military and intelligence personnel working in the Venezuelan military and intelligence services and even Maduros personal guard. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has suggested that Iran is cultivating influence in Venezuela, and that Hezbollahthe Lebanese Shiite militia funded by Tehranhas active cells in the country. While Iran has dismissed Pompeos allegations of meddling, on Tuesday Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif suggested Iran may send Revolutionary Guard troops to Venezuela to help protect Maduro. Earlier this month, Trump designated the elite Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, prompting outrage in Iran. Last weekend, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abbas Mousavi dismissed allegations of Iranian meddling as ridiculous. He added, America's Trump wants to turn Latin America into its own backyard, as it was in the 19th century, forgetting that the nations of the world and Latin America have awakened and the wheel of time does not move backward. On April 25th, the 9th International Winners Forum headlined The Great Victory Gained by Unity takes place in St. Petersburg. It is devoted to the 75th anniversary of Leningrads complete liberation from the Nazi blockade. Initiators of the Forum plan to establish a dialogue between youth, scientific, and expert communities from the CIS countries, Georgia, the Baltic states, as well as from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The goal of the event is maintenance of the common historical memories about the Great Patriotic War and contribution to the Victory by the USSR peoples. 250 delegates from all post-Soviet countries are going to participate in the Forum: veterans of the Great Patriotic War, residents of Blockaded Leningrad and their descendants, officials, leaders of social organizations and scouting movements, historians, artists, and journalists. Valery Tursunov, President of the Developing Foundation of the Eurasian Studies Institute, spoke about the history of the Forum: For the first time, the Forum was held in April 2010 as a regional conference devoted to the Role of the Caucasus Peoples in the Battle for the Caucasus. All North Caucasus republics participated in it, as well as Azerbaijan, Armenia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. At the moment, Western political scientific centers provided various guesses on developments and importance of the Battle for the Caucasus in the Great Patriotic War. The first Forum took place in Tuapse. The second one was held on Vladikavkaz. In 2013, the Forum was organized in Volgograd within the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. The turn from a regional agenda to an agenda uniting the whole post-Soviet space was marked. We managed to united the space in 2014 when we marked the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kursk. All republics of the former USSR participated in the Forum for the first time. Within the preparation for the Forum, the Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Foundation organized conferences in capitals of the republics. Later, national delegations which took part in the Forum were formed. That year, the Intergovernmental Foundation of Humanitarian Cooperation between the CIS countries became one of co-initiators of the Forum. It enabled us to widen geography of participants and involve official delegations from the post-Soviet countries. The 5th Forum fell in the same time as the 70th anniversary of the Victory and took place in Moscow. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Midvedev, the Vice Premier Olga Golodets and Mikhail Shvydkoy participated in the Forum, Valery Tursunov said. According to him, after that, the Forum moved from Russia to Minsk and late to Astana. In 2017, the All-Russian Movement of Commemoration Work of the Russian Scouting Movement joined the Forum. Due to them, we actively involve scouts from different post-Soviet countries, including Belarus, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2018, the Forum was held in Bryansk. It was devoted to the 75th anniversary of Bryansks liberation. We discussed the guerilla movement. We tried to explain the youth that it was a real second big army and guerillas fought for the country, Tursunov stated. He also highlighted key goals of the Forum: First of all, it is about preservation of memory of the Great Patriotic War as a common achievement and a key phenomenon in the common history of all countries and people of the post-Soviet space. It is about spreading historical knowledge about the Great Patriotic War; preventing falsifications; establishing stable and efficient communication between historians, experts, social leaders of the post-Soviet countries. Our main goal is to involve as many young people as we can to the historical studies. The CIA's spy network has been identified in Iran, Iranian Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said. "In a complicated process against the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, 290 spies from its espionage network in different countries, including Iran were identified," Mehr News Agency cited the minister as saying. He said that dozens of spies, working in the state's sensitive sectors, have been arrested as a result of the ministry's work. Alavi further noted that a similar measure had been taken regarding Britain's MI6, promising to release more details about operations against both foreign intelligence agencies later. He also said that the info about the spy networks will be forwarded to friendly states interested in it. Russia is upgrading its Black Sea forces in the context of NATOs approaching infrastructures and proportionately to its real defense requirements, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said. But "all of our efforts are absolutely adequate and proportionate to the real defense security requirements," he stressed. The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said that NATO was now trying to demonize Russias military activity on the Black Sea. But Grushko noted that "by and large nothing has changed." "The Black Sea Fleet has been there for the past 200 years," TASS cited him as saying. The quality of Russia's military presence on the Black Sea "has not changed in any way," the diplomat concluded. NASHVIILLE, Tenn. - Brene Brown's books on shame, vulnerability and courage have given her A-list fans like Oprah and Melinda Gates and made her a go-to leadership consultant for both Pixar and the Seattle Seahawks. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Research professor Brene Brown, star of the Netflix special "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage," poses for a portrait at Netflix's Hollywood offices, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) NASHVIILLE, Tenn. - Brene Brown's books on shame, vulnerability and courage have given her A-list fans like Oprah and Melinda Gates and made her a go-to leadership consultant for both Pixar and the Seattle Seahawks. But Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston's Graduate College of Social Work, thought she'd spend her career writing for other academics, not making the New York Times' bestseller list. Research professor Brene Brown, star of the Netflix special "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage," poses for a portrait at Netflix's Hollywood offices, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) "My goal was to put it in peer-reviewed articles that no one would read but like five people and they would just read it to check to make sure they were quoted," Brown told The Associated Press from her home in Houston. Five bestselling books later, Brown is debuting her first Netflix special on Friday, "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage ," based off her two decades of research. The special is a bit of an experiment for the streaming service, whose categories Brown doesn't neatly fit into. "Am I comedy? Documentary? True crime?" Brown joked. Research professor Brene Brown, star of the Netflix special "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage," poses for a portrait at Netflix's Hollywood offices, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Brown's skill as a writer and speaker is that she doesn't sound like a typical self-help or leadership expert who is shouting motivational speaker mantras. She has a researcher's mind for patterns and a storyteller's gift of language. She peppers her talks with plenty of Texas colloquialisms, like "There's nothing in the middle of the road but white stripes and dead armadillos." She tells personal anecdotes about her kids and her husband to illustrate her broader ideas about parenting, compassion, leadership and more. "People will come up to me and say, 'I already knew everything you said. I just didn't have the language to say it. I didn't know we were allowed to talk about it,'" said Brown. "And so I think I just put language around feelings and experiences and thoughts that we all have." She can also curse like a true Southern lady, which is just enough to set people at ease and give them a laugh. "Not like Andrew Dice Clay," she said. "An appropriate amount of cursing." Research professor Brene Brown, star of the Netflix special "Brene Brown: The Call to Courage," poses for a portrait at Netflix's Hollywood offices, Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) In the special she talks about her 2010 speech on vulnerability that has become one of the most watched TED Talk speeches, now viewed about 39 million times. Her most recent book, "Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts," is a playbook for leading with empathy. When asked about leadership qualities she hopes to see among candidates for the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential election, Brown took a long pause. "I am one-inch away from being completely disenchanted with politics but I'm holding on. I'm white-knuckling it right now," she said. "I need a political system where the people who make the decisions actually are required to live by them and are not in such an elite position where they make policy and laws and financial decisions that don't affect them." The Netflix special is good timing for Brown, who has spent years travelling all over the country giving speeches to corporations, entrepreneurs, women's conferences and leadership training events. Her youngest child is in middle school and she's moving into a period of her career where she's doing less of those speaking opportunities in order to be at home. But with Netflix, she has a chance to continue building on the conversations she started with her books. "This opportunity from Netflix just felt like such a deeply important gift," Brown said. "This thing is going to drop in 190 countries." __ Online: https://brenebrown.com/ Another man has been arrested after allegedly stealing from his employer over a period of several months. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Another man has been arrested after allegedly stealing from his employer over a period of several months. Police received a report from a business in the 300 block of Park Avenue East on Oct. 24, 2018, indicating an employee had been stealing from the business over the past several months. After a lengthy investigation by the BPS Criminal Investigation Unit, the employee, a 33-year-old man, was arrested for fraud over $5,000. He was released to appear in court in June. The Brandon Sun Ukraines new leader will not need to seek any deals with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, commenting on remarks by chairman of the Political Council of the Opposition Platform - for Life party, Viktor Medvedchuk, who said that Vladimir Zelensky would have to seek a deal with Russia in the event of his win at the presidential election in Ukraine. "No deals with Putin or Moscow are needed," the Kremlin spokesman stressed. It is essential to build up normal, good, mutually beneficial relations based on mutual trust, cooperation and interaction in the interests of both Russians and Ukrainians living in Russia and Ukraine," he said. Peskov expressed hope that the future Ukrainian president will rule out the use force to resolve the situation in Donbass. "We would also like to hope that this person will have a different approach towards the prospects for cooperation between Russia and Ukraine," TASS cited the presidential spokesman as saying. VANCOUVER - They both came from humble beginnings: small protests against marijuana prohibition where activists smoked weed in public, boldly defying what they considered an unjust law. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People walk past the main stage at the first day of Hempfest, Friday, Aug. 16, 2013, in Seattle. They both came from humble beginnings: small protests against marijuana prohibition where activists smoked weed in public, boldly defying what they considered an unjust law. But as Vancouver's 4-20 and Seattle's Hempfest grew into large-scale occasions with vendors, prominent musical acts and tens of thousands of attendees, the Canadian event has drawn scorn and opposition from elected officials, while American politicians have tolerated and even supported the gathering. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Elaine Thompson VANCOUVER - They both came from humble beginnings: small protests against marijuana prohibition where activists smoked weed in public, boldly defying what they considered an unjust law. But as Vancouver's 4-20 and Seattle's Hempfest grew into large-scale occasions with vendors, prominent musical acts and tens of thousands of attendees, the Canadian event has drawn scorn and opposition from elected officials, while American politicians have tolerated and even supported the gathering. Seattle's more permissive approach could be a model for Vancouver, given that marijuana is legal now and there are no signs of 4-20 winding down, said Park Board Commissioner John Irwin. "My approach is that we permit it. Logically, I think that takes some of the protest steam out of the event," he said. "The other issue I have with not permitting it is you don't have as much control in the negotiations that occur. You can't set parameters." Irwin's board colleagues have refused to issue a permit, citing costs, damage and safety concerns. But the city and police have not swooped in to shut down 4-20 either, instead they are taking steps to maintain public safety during the massive gathering expected Saturday at Sunset Beach. In Seattle, Hempfest has grown to a three-day protest festival, or "protestival," drawing large crowds to a 2.5-kilometre stretch of waterfront in Myrtle Edwards Park. Past speakers have included actor Woody Harrelson, former U.S. congressmen Dana Rohrbacher and Dennis Kucinich and various Seattle mayors and councillors. The event has received a city permit every year since 1995, said Vivian McPeak, executive director of Hempfest. Obtaining a permit is no easy feat it takes all year and involves numerous meetings and many pages of plans that need to be approved by various city departments, he noted. But McPeak said Hempfest has won support with its "safety first" approach. It rents extra automated external defibrillators in case anyone suffers cardiac arrest, employs its own trained safety patrol and security, aggressively prevents sales of cannabis at the event and doesn't allow anyone to bring in alcohol, he said. "It's been about attention to detail. We've had to tangle with the city a couple times in the course of 27 years. It's our 28th year and sometimes we don't agree on things," McPeak said. "But over the years, we've gained a lot of respect for all the people in the city departments that we work with." Seattle Coun. Lisa Herbold spoke at the event as a candidate in 2015. She said the city's voters have long supported loosening the laws around cannabis, as they passed an initiative way back in 2003 that made pot possession the lowest police priority. "Hempfest has always been considered a free-speech event focused on the ending the criminalization of cannabis users, supported by some prior administrations, several council members, and most importantly, the voting public," she said. Jodie Emery, a spokeswoman for 4-20, said she constantly points to Hempfest as a perfect example of what can be achieved by cities. However, she added that the Vancouver event has previously received some political support former NDP MP Libby Davies spoke at a past 4-20, for example. "In Vancouver, we've not really had this much vitriol in years," Emery said. Police have said the 25th annual event, featuring vendors selling marijuana, baked edibles and drug paraphernalia, is expected to be a big draw because of a concert by California hip-hop group Cypress Hill. Providence Health Care said in a statement that 40 people, including four under 18 years old, were treated in the ER at St. Paul's Hospital during last year's 4-20 event. Those figures were down from previous events, the statement said. Emery said 4-20 is a "permitted event in all but name," in which organizers work closely with park board and city staff. Organizers pay for security and toilets and there are paramedics and first aid stations on site, she said. Last year, the event cost the city $237,356, of which organizers repaid $63,201. Emery said they did not repay the remaining amount because it represents policing costs and she believes no public event should be forced to pay an "astronomical" policing bill. Unlike the Pride Parade and Celebration of Light fireworks show, 4-20 does not receive subsidies from the city, Emery added. Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart said he wants to see the event transform into more of a festival that would attract visitors. "What I would really like to see is to get it to a (permit-ready) status, where we could make this work in a way that moves it away from the confrontational protest type of vibe to a celebration and actually trying to build the industry here in Vancouver," he said in an interview. "I think that the legalization of cannabis can be a huge economic benefit to our city." Hempfest commissioned a University of Washington professor to conduct an economic study in 2014, which found that about half of the festival's approximately 120,000 attendees were from outside of the county and that patrons spent $7.1 million in the area. Park Board Commissioner John Coupar, who opposes permitting 4-20, said Vancouver has held cannabis trade shows and other events. "I have no objection to cannabis per se. For me, it's around smoking in the park and it's taking over the whole park without consideration for everybody else who wants to use that park," he said. "My job is to really preserve and protect parks as a commissioner and that's what I'm trying to do." BERLIN - The parents of celebrated Austrian climber David Lama said Friday that he had "lived his dream," as hopes he and two other top climbers survived an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies faded. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. BERLIN - The parents of celebrated Austrian climber David Lama said Friday that he had "lived his dream," as hopes he and two other top climbers survived an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies faded. Lama, fellow Austrian Hansjorg Auer and American climber Jess Roskelley have been missing in Alberta's Banff National Park since Wednesday. Their sponsor, outdoor apparel company The North Face, said the three members of its Global Athlete Team are presumed dead following an avalanche. "David dedicated his life to the mountains and his passion for climbing and alpinism shaped and accompanied our family," Claudia and Rinzi Lama said in a statement posted on their son's website. "He always followed his own path and lived his dream. We will accept what now happened as a part of that." The family expressed gratitude for the support it received "from near and far" and asked that their son be remembered "for his zest for life, his enthusiasm." Earlier, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Lama and Auer had "shaped the international climbing and alpinist scene in recent years with many achievements." Lama, 28, was feted for achieving the first free ascent in 2012 of the Compressor Route of the Cerro Torre, one of the most striking peaks in the Andes. The feat was captured in the 2013 documentary "Cerro Torre - A Snowball's Chance in Hell." The son of a Nepalese mountain guide and an Austrian nurse, Lama had also won numerous climbing competitions in his younger years before devoting himself full-time to mountaineering in 2011. Auer, 35, became the first person to free solo climb Italy's Marmolada peak via the south face in 2007. Parks Canada said the three men were attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak on the Icefields Parkway on Wednesday. Officials said safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment. Roskelley climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at age 20. At the time he was the youngest American to climb the world's highest peak. His father, John Roskelley, told The Spokesman-Review that the route his son and the other climbers were attempting was first done in 2000. In the 2013 documentary, Lama addressed the constant peril extreme climbers are exposed to, insisting that the risks were carefully calculated more like a game of poker than Russian roulette. "I think it's important to be aware of the risks, but in the end there will always be things that are out of our hands," he said. FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - The company formerly known as Nexen Energy has been fined $450,000 after pleading guilty to charges in the deaths of two oilsands workers in northern Alberta. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. FORT MCMURRAY, Alta. - The company formerly known as Nexen Energy has been fined $450,000 after pleading guilty to charges in the deaths of two oilsands workers in northern Alberta. The two men died from an explosion at the Long Lake facility near Anzac on Jan. 15, 2016. Drew Foster, 52, of Niagara Falls, Ont., was pronounced dead at the scene and David Williams, 30, of Scotchtown, N.S., later died in hospital. Nexen Energy was charged in 2017 with workplace offences under Alberta's Occupational Health and Safety Act. Some of the charges related to ensuring a compressor was properly serviced and that staff in charge of the machine had read its operating manual and safety rules. The company, which is now called CNOOC Petroleum North America, pleaded guilty in Fort McMurray provincial court to failing to ensure the health and safety of the men. Quinn Wilson, CEO of the company, said it has been working on its safety practices to make sure that something similar never happens again. "Drew Foster, David Williams were strong contributors to our company. They were valued and they were working overtime to help us," he said Thursday outside court. "As an operator we take full responsibility for what happened to those two men that day." Court heard 16 victim impact statements from family members and a friend of the men. Tracy Foster, Drew's widow, told the court about the events that led up to the explosion, including her husbands decision to become a millwright and move across the country. "Drew was the rock of our family. No amount of time will heal what we've lost," she said. Crown prosecutor Alana Elliot read a statement from Dave Williams' mother, who wrote that her living room has become a shrine to her late son. Williams' father, Michael, wrote that he sometimes visits the cemetery several times a day. "Day after day. Surgery after surgery for 10 days we hoped and prayed David would be able to fight this, but the condition worsened." Other charges related to their deaths were withdrawn. (CJOK, The Canadian Press) MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - A former journalist arrested almost two years ago after two banks were robbed in Medicine Hat, Alta., has been convicted of the crimes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - A former journalist arrested almost two years ago after two banks were robbed in Medicine Hat, Alta., has been convicted of the crimes. Stephen Vogelsang, who is 55, entered guilty pleas Thursday in provincial court to two counts of robbery. He is to be sentenced on July 30. Vogelsang was arrested in October 2017 after a Royal Bank of Canada branch and a Bank of Montreal branch were robbed. Earlier this month he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a string of bank robberies in Regina and Saskatoon in 2017. With credit for time served he has three years left in his sentence. Vogelsang was a sports anchor and news director for many years with CKY (now CTV Winnipeg) and was also a journalism instructor at Red River College. OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, when the latter visits Canada next weekend. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech during an opening session of the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Tokyo, Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, when the latter visits Canada next weekend. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Eugene Hoshiko OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, when the latter visits Canada next weekend. Abe and Trudeau's two-day meeting on April 27 and 28 will centre on the upcoming G20 summit in Osaka in late June, as well strengthening ties between the two countries. Trudeau's office says in a statement the two will also discuss the revamped Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, which the PMO says has created opportunities in both countries. The Canadian and Japanese leaders are expected to address the media after holding their bilateral meeting. The pair most recently spoke at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' meeting in Papua, New Guinea, last November. Abe's upcoming visit to Canada is part of a week-long trip to Europe and North America that includes stops in the United States, France, Italy, Slovakia and Belgium, as Japan prepares to play host to the G20. MONTREAL - Quebec's deputy premier and public safety minister is urging those affected by flooding to exercise extreme caution and vigilance as rising water levels continue to wreak havoc on the province after claiming a life. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Beauceville rescue boat sits on the parking of a strip mall by the flooded main road, Tuesday, April 16, 2019 in Beauceville Que. The Chaudiere River flooded and forced the evacuation of 230 buildings and 36 people. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot MONTREAL - Quebec's deputy premier and public safety minister is urging those affected by flooding to exercise extreme caution and vigilance as rising water levels continue to wreak havoc on the province after claiming a life. "Do not take unnecessary risks, please," Genevieve Guilbault said at the Ti-Oui Snack Bar in Saint-Raymond on Saturday. The Canadian Armed Forces dispatched reconnaissance teams to five districts to support flood efforts, she said: Outaouais; Montreal, Laurentians and Lanaudiere; Monteregie and Estrie; Quebec City; and Chaudiere-Appallaches. A Defence Department spokeswoman said Saturday that "troops haven't yet been deployed, so to speak." As of Saturday afternoon, turgid rivers had caused 72 flooded residences, 92 isolated residences and more than 200 evacuees across the province, according to Urgence Quebec. Guilbault also offered her condolences to the family of Louise Seguin Lortie, who died early Saturday morning after driving her car into a massive sinkhole caused by flooding in the Outaouais region, according to police. The accident left the 72-year-old's sedan upside down in a swollen stream after rising river levels swept away part of the road in the overnight, police said. Sgt. Martin Fournel of the MRC des Collines police said a pair of witnesses parked near the washout tried unsuccessfully to warn the driver as she approached. "That lady, who was driving by herself on that road, fell into a sinkhole basically because of the flooding. There was a culvert that was not there anymore, so the road was cut in half and she was not able to brake and avoid the accident," Fournel told The Canadian Press. A man places a sandbag next to the foundation of a house in the town of Hudson, Que. west of Montreal, Friday, April 19, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes The woman was taken to hospital but pronounced dead shortly after, he said. The accident occurred at about 3:30 a.m. in the Municipality of Pontiac, about 30 kilometres northwest of Ottawa. Pontiac, which sits along the Ottawa River, is one of at least three municipalities in the Outaouais region to declare states of emergency, along with Saint-Andre-Avellin and Val-des-Monts. The cities of Gatineau and Trois-Rivieres are also under a state of emergency. The worst flooding Saturday appeared to surge through the Beauce region south of Quebec City, where 68 homes were flooded and 127 people evacuated as of 3 p.m., according to an Urgence Quebec bulletin. Six major floods have been identified by the agency, threatening thousands of residents: the Chaudiere River in Saint-Georges; Saint-Joseph, Scott and Vallee-Jonction in Beauce; and Deux-Montagnes Lake at Rigaud and Quesnel Bay. In Beauceville, about 90 kilometres south of Quebec City, officials have asked the Canadian Armed Forces for assistance, with military vehicles slated to help with evacuations ordered by the municipality. Earlier this week, the Chaudiere River burst its banks and flooded a large part of downtown. Officials called it the worst flooding since 1971, with 230 homes and businesses flooded. In Saint-Raymond, about 60 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital, 24 seniors in three residences have been moved to higher ground as the Ste-Anne River continues to rise. A local dam gave way Saturday, said Mayor Daniel Dion, prompting concerns about flooding. "The problem today is that there is a lot of ice. If they clog our channels the water will have no space to circulate and that's where it overflows," he said. Dion said he expects the high-water mark to come Sunday evening. Rigaud, west of the Island of Montreal, saw at least 68 evacuations, as residents feared a repeat of 2017, when record flooding forced thousands from their homes. William Bradley, whose house in Rigaud sits on a street that hugs the Ottawa River, said he filled several hundred city-supplied sandbags this week. He's stacked them four-high around doors and windows, wrapping the makeshift barriers in polyethylene. "It's still coming up, coming up," said Bradley, 72. He said flooding two years ago caused about $100,000 in damage to the ceramics equipment he stores at home for his small business. "We'll stay as long as we have gas for the generator. We've got a boat my daughter bought a boat and a motor for us in 2017," he told The Canadian Press. "By the way, never buy a boat during a flood season. It gets pricey." More than 45 millimetres of rain fell on the Montreal area between Thursday and Saturday, according to Environment Canada. Rainfall warnings have been lifted, but water levels were already high and are expected to rise sharply over the weekend with warm temperatures and snowmelt runoff. Guilbault has said the province will allow stores usually closed on Easter Sunday to remain open this weekend so residents can stock up on supplies. The City of Laval, just north of Montreal, said in a statement it had distributed sandbags to 900 homes and knocked on 550 doors to make sure people were safe as more than 1,500 homes and business remained under flood watch. Quebec City and the Gaspe Peninsula can expect up to 30 millimetres of rainfall this weekend, said Environment Canada meteorologist Andre Cantin. "That will help the snow to melt again, and we do not expect the river will be able to go down for at least 48 hours," he said Saturday. John Hearne reports on a welcome move by big car rental firms to ensure greater price transparency for European consumers Renting a car while on holidays has long been a major source of grief for consumers. Withheld deposits, charges for phantom damages and punitive fees for the tiniest of extras have threatened to ruin holidays for years. In 2016 alone, over 2,000 European consumers reported that they ended up paying more at the rental desk than was made clear when booking online. Now, thanks to concerted action from EU consumer authorities and the European Commission, the five biggest car rental firms Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, Hertz and Sixt have committed to changing the way they present their prices in order to make them fully transparent to consumers. Until now, the companies concerned had not fully implemented commitments given in order for the European Commission and EU consumer authorities to consider them fully compliant with EU consumer law. An assessment published by the Commission at the end of last month says that Enterprise and Sixt have now made all the required changes. Avis has committed to make the remaining changes by May 2019. Europcar, which now includes Goldcar, will implement the remaining changes by June 2019. Hertz have committed to make all the necessary changes at the latest by the first quarter of 2020. Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourova, said: Thanks to our pressure there will be no more unpleasant surprises at the check-out desk when youre renting your car. Its really frustrating to start your holidays by having to pay unplanned extra costs and read complicated contracts. I want European consumers to enjoy their holidays to the maximum, without having to worry about nasty surprises with final bills The companies have made three commitments. First, to include all charges in the total booking price. Consumers will now be offered a headline price on the website that matches the final price they will have to pay. This fee must include all additional costs such as specific fuel service charges, airport fees, young driver surcharges, or the one way fee if the return location differs from the pick-up location. The rental companies will describe the key rental services in the terms and conditions in all national languages. Consumers will not have to deal with unclear or misleading information about the main characteristics of the rental such as mileage included, fuel policy, cancellation policy and deposit requirements. Finally, the companies have committed to making clear, in the price offer, the price and details of optional extras, in particular insurance waivers that reduce the amount due in case of damage. What the basic rental price covers regarding damages should be clearly indicated. If additional insurance or a damage waiver is purchased, what is or is not included should also be clearly indicated before the consumer signs up. The European Commission and national consumer authorities in the European Consumer Cooperation network will follow the implementation of the remaining changes closely. Although the companies involved in this action cover two out of three of all private car rentals in the EU, other traders, such as intermediaries and smaller companies play an important role in this market. The authorities and the European Commission will also monitor all players to ensure they fully respect EU consumer rules. And if the companies dont play ball? The commission says that in that case, enforcement measures would be taken. While these changes are welcome, the buyer still needs to beware when it comes to car hire. Contracts are long and complicated; youll save yourself a lot of stress if you take the time to ensure that you understand all of the terms, and in particular that the deal you make is the one that best suits your itinerary. A couple of additional things to be aware of: It used to be a standard feature of car rental policies that you return the car with a full tank of fuel. Increasingly however, and in Spain in particular, were seeing supplied full, return empty contracts. Double check your contract before you act. Also, there are increasing reports of consumers steering away from these full to empty contracts. For one thing, youre paying up front for fuel that you may not use. For another, the cost of that fuel is always way higher than you could expect to pay at a motorway petrol station. Youre going to save yourself quite a bit if you opt for a one-driver contract. Car hire firms typically charge you 6 per day for an additional driver, though there is usually a flat fee charged just for the privilege of having this facility. When you pick up the car, take the company rep on a tour of the bodywork, noting any marks and imperfections so that you wont be blamed for pre-existing damage. In the same vein, the first holiday snaps you take should be date-stamped ones of the vehicle from all angles, just so you can prove it wasnt you who dented the bumper when the car is returned. Better still, take a detailed video of the car, zooming in on all of its imperfections, giving both yourself and the rental company as complete a before picture as its possible to get. If you have to return the car out of hours when theres no company rep to check it, again, the photo is your friend. Take enough snaps to prove that you delivered the car intact and as agreed should any dispute arise. While youre at it, take a snap of the fuel gauge to prove that you filled up, if thats part of the contract, and keep any receipts for petrol or diesel. If you do run into problems with car hire in Europe, and you cant get satisfaction from the hire company, get in touch with the European Consumer Centre at eccireland.ie, or call 01 8797620. Theyre there to help make sure that European companies deliver on their consumer obligations. Car Hire Tips: - A staff member should check the condition of the car when you collect it. At this time all damage noted will be indicated on a special check-list or diagram, and you will receive a copy of this document. If a staff member is not available to inspect the rental car, its very important that you inspect it yourself. If any damage is present, make a written note of this and have it signed by an employee of the car rental company before you leave the premises. - Always request information on the policies in place in the event of the car breaking down or you are involved in an accident. Understand whats covered under the insurance policy, also what excess may be charged to your credit card in the event of a claim. - If the car breaks down, call the car rental company and follow their instructions. Do not repair the vehicle yourself without authorisation. - If you have an accident, write down the names and addresses of everyone involved. If anybody is injured, or when there is a dispute over who is responsible, call the police. Contact the car rental company immediately. - Try to return the car during working hours and have it inspected by a competent employee. The condition of the vehicle should be confirmed in writing and signed by the representative of the company and the consumer. - Remember that rental cars returned outside working hours are inspected for damage the following day and therefore the excess can still be charged to a consumers credit card. >Courtesy ECC Ireland As the incoming Chair at it@cork, Anthony OCallaghan is well qualified for the challenge, having spent four years as vice chairman alongside his predecessor, Caroline ODriscoll, who steps down as chair in next month. It@cork is a not for profit independent organisation representing the Tech Sector in the South of Ireland. Taking over the reins of Irelands largest technology cluster, at a time of great prosper in the South West region is both daunting and exciting, but the opportunity to continue to help it@cork grow across our member base strips away any nervousness, he says. Having been involved on the board of it@cork for a considerable time, he has witnessed the significant value that this volunteer-led board bring to the region: As we look forward for it@cork in 2019/20, the opportunities are immense, there is no doubt that we are a region rising, and this is incredibly prevalent in the technology sector. Employing close to 30,000 people in the region, the tech sector is the fastest growing industry sector, with most members projecting significant growth in the coming years. However, with opportunities come obstacles that must be overcome, and our members have stressed the need for affordable housing for their employees, access to a skilled workforce, availability of transport, collaboration opportunities and more It@cork continues to drive initiatives such as collaborations with educational institutions from both CIT, UCC and the popular Skillnet offering; lobbying to both local and national government; and collaborations with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, helping companies setting in Cork and assisting indigenous companies expand through pathways to funding. The annual Tech Summit on May 9th will also welcome a number of the industrys most influential international speakers to the city. One of my first events as Chair of it@cork will be this years Tech Summit at Cork City Hall, and I cannot think of a better way to kickstart my new role than to gather together with innovators, tech enthusiasts and professionals from all over Europe at an event that will enlighten, inform and enable, he says. Cork is set to become the fastest growing region in Ireland and tech is now the fastest growing sector in the southern region, employing an estimated 30,000 people, with the IDA reporting 63% growth in its supported companies operating in Cork over the last five years alone. Feedback from our members suggests significant growth lies ahead for both our indigenous & global companies. He underlines the global brands created in Cork, including Teamwork, Voxpro, CiX, Smarttech247, Poppulo and Xanadu while, in parallel, many of the most successful multi-nationals in the world, ClearStream, Flex, DellEMC, VMWare, TrendMicro, McKesson and Johnson Controls, have chosen to make Cork their base. Delighted to have the Irish Examiner @irishexaminer as a sponsor for our @itcork 2019 Tech Summit taking place on 9th May in City Hall, Cork. More information and tickets available here https://t.co/M2ek8VKmrl #Techcork19 pic.twitter.com/MqyZFm77A6 it@cork (@itcork) March 25, 2019 Whether its home-grown or international relocation, the reason is the same the talent which Cork can produce in abundance. The city has transformed into a tech hub, companies that were once on the outskirts are now moving further inwards and the results can be seen daily, he points out. The cranes are back and the buildings are booked before a brick is laid. Rising to the challenge of addressing the issue of skills in the sector ranks high amongst the challenges for the future: We must work to engage diverse sectors of our labour force in order to embrace the possibility that technology holds. We must also carefully consider how we can further support SMEs the lifeblood of our economy. A passion project in my role as Chair will certainly be to leverage the great work of Skillnet to date, in giving our members access to sustainable training courses for their employees. The work done through this initiative has been stellar in 2018 alone, 65 tech companies in the South West region took part in Skillnet training, including 50 courses and 500 trainees. A group of Scottish pensioners have picked up spray cans for the first time to create a piece of street art. The 16 senior citizens spent three days in the classroom learning about graffiti as part of the Nuart Aberdeen festival. After designing their own tags, the pensioners sprayed a mural on a wall in the city centre of the Granite City. It is the first time the Lata-65 Young At Art project, which teaches graffiti to older people, has taken place in the UK. Retired teddy-bear maker Pearl Cameron, 68, was proudly spraying her tag of two hearts on the wall. "This is probably one of the most exciting things I've done," Mrs Cameron said. "There's no age in street art. It breaks down barriers and walls. "Older people would just love to do things that the young people are doing and this is a wonderful opportunity to do it." Mrs Cameron said the group, most of whom had only met on the first day of the workshop, had been taken through the "whole process" of street art. They spent days carefully designing at least three stencils, forming their individual graffiti tags. "My tag is two hearts because I am a heart recipient," Mrs Cameron said. "I had a heart transplant 23 years ago. One of the hearts is my new heart, with the other my broken one." Maggie Wilcockson, 70, a retired registered nurse and midwife, signed up to the workshop to make new friends. [gallery]76[/gallery] "There are so many different things that your tag can be," she said. "I've lived overseas a lot so I've represented that through the blue, purple and green colours of spray paint." Lata-65, which means Over 65 in Portuguese, was launched by Lara Seixo Rodrigues from Lisbon in 2012. She has since taught more than 43 classes across the world, creating more than 500 older street artists. "I started a festival in my home town in 2011 and the people asking the interesting questions were the seniors," she said. "We started teaching this and we noticed that people were coming in with low self-esteem but they left smiling, with high self-esteem." "That made me realise I needed to keep doing this." Ms Seixo Rodrigues said many of the students came in with a negative reaction to graffiti tags. "They don't need to learn to like tags - we just want them to understand what they see on the street," she added. The piece created by the students will join artworks by international street artists in the city. In total, 13 artists have created pieces for the third Nuart Aberdeen - leaving splashes of colour on the iconic granite walls. Portuguese artist Vhils, real name Alexandre Farto, has marked links between Aberdeen and the Spanish civil war in his piece Unearth. Jan Vormann, from Berlin, has repaired damaged walls in the Scottish city with Lego bricks donated by local residents. UK-based Hush's piece - two women in his signature style - looks out from a wall of the John Lewis store. Nuart Aberdeen is spearheaded by Aberdeen Inspired and the city council and will run until Sunday. Tributes have been paid to 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee who was shot dead during riots in Derry last night. President Michael D Higgins described Ms McKee as "a woman of talent and commitment" "The people of Ireland will have heard with both shock, outrage and great sadness of the killing of the young journalist Lyra McKee in Derry last evening - a woman of talent and commitment, who was shot exercising her profession," he said in a statement. "Sabina and I send our deepest sympathies to her family and friends and to all those who knew her and worked with her." Politicians on both sides of the border condemned the violence in Derry during which Ms McKee was hit when a gunman opened fire on police in the Creggan area of the city. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar he was "full of sadness" after last night's attack. The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting of journalist and writer Lyra McKee in Derry," he said. We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past. I would like to express my sincere condolences to Lyras family, her partner Sara and her friends. Our solidarity also goes out to the people of Derry and to the entire journalism community. Tanaiste Simon Coveney said he was "sick to my stomach" at the death of the "an inspiring thinker and journalist". Sick to my stomach at death of Lyra McKee in Derry. She was an inspiring thinker and journalist. Last night she was killed by a thug terrorizing people in Derry. Anyone with information should contact #PSNI . In Memory Of Lyra McKee / https://t.co/fvINIjblky via @YouTube Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) April 19, 2019 He said there " is no justification for this tragic loss of life" and called on people perpetrating the violence to stop. "The news from Derry is shocking and tragic. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Lyra McKee today. I call on anyone with information to come forward to the PSNI," he said. "As we mark the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, we are reminded that the vast majority of people of this island voted overwhelmingly for peace and reconciliation and an end to violence. There can be no going back to those awful days." Fianna Fail Leader Micheal Martin said the murder was "appalling and deeply shocking" and that the "shooting and associated riots are an attack on democracy". "I utterly condemn the attack which initial reports suggest is the work of the so called New IRA. Those responsible must be brought to justice and I encourage anyone with information to bring it to the attention of the authorities," he said. "The PSNI have worked hard to engage with communities across the political divide over the last decade. To see them under attack from terrorists, hell bent on causing violent upheaval, is horrific. These people will not be allowed to undermine peace through such acts of violence. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said the death of Ms McKee was "beautiful life brutally stolen". She wrote on Twitter: "Heart sore for Lyra and her grieving family. Today I travel to Derry to stand with its proud people, to face down hate and destruction. We shall overcome." A beautiful life brutally stolen. Heart sore for Lyra and her grieving family. Today I travel to Derry to stand with its proud people, to face down hate and destruction. We shall overcome. https://t.co/wEa6rAy21h Mary Lou McDonald (@MaryLouMcDonald) April 19, 2019 The party's deputy leader Michelle ONeill said the killing was a senseless loss of life", "a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement". DUP leader Arlene Foster tweeted: Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019." Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said: "I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the death of a woman in Derry last night. "Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland. United States House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi also paid tribute to journalist Ms McKee during a visit to Stormont. A minute's silence was observed during an event she attended in the Long Gallery in respect of Ms McKee during a speech by Northern Ireland Assembly speaker Robin Newton. During her speech, Ms Pelosi said: "Sadly, Mr Speaker, we join you on the sadness of the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family and your moment of silence at this time, on Good Friday is especially poignant. You not only had a moment of silence, you presented a sense of resolve that justice would be done and the memory of that young woman would be a lesson for all of us. Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. "My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. "She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." A GoFundMe campaign has been set up this morning in memory of Ms McKee, with all the money raised going to her family for funeral expenses and to decide on her legacy. You can donate here. A journalist has been killed covering riots in Derry. Her name was Lyra McKee. She was 29. She recently signed a two-book deal with Faber, who called her a "rising star of investigative journalism". This is her last tweet, sent from the scene of the unrest. pic.twitter.com/0gk1Fa7Du0 Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) April 19, 2019 Additional reporting PA Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington of brazenly meddling in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project. "Interference in the process of forming the Nord Stream 2 project is simply brazen - for instance look at the regular public statements by the U.S. ambassador in Berlin that simply demand that the German government change its position and go against its own interests," Reuters cited the Russian top diplomat as saying. The Mother and Baby Homes Commission says it is legally prohibited from informing any surviving family members of the children they have found burial locations for. It comes as the investigation's fifth interim report revealed that, of the 900 infants who died in Bessborough or in hospital after being transferred from Bessborough, the Commission can only find the final resting place of 64 babies. The Irish Examiner asked the Commission if it can inform any of the surviving family members, where they exist, of the final resting place of their relatives. In a statement, the Commission said that the Commissions of Investigation Act provides that it is "an offence for anyone, including a member of the commission, to disclose or publish any evidence given or the contents of any document produced" and that, as a result, "we cannot inform the families". "In any event, in the vast majority of cases, we would have no information about the families; it perhaps should be noted that, apart from the mothers (the vast majority of whom are likely to be dead since the vast majority of deaths occurred before 1950), family members may never have been aware of the existence of the deceased child," reads the statement. Five children from the Bessborough institution were buried in St Finbarr's cemetery in Cork city on dates between 1976 and 1990. These burials were revealed by the Irish Examiner in February of last year. It emerged on Thursday that the sister of a baby boy who died in Bessborough only found out that he was buried in a former famine grave via the Commission's burials report. Carmel Cantwell's brother, William, was just six weeks old in December 1960 when he died in St Finbarr's Hospital in Cork after having been born in the Bessborough Mother and Baby Home. In the mid-1990s, Carmel's mother went to the nuns requesting documentation about her time in Bessborough and seeking information as to where her son was buried. She was told he was buried in Bessborough in the small burial plot belonging to nuns. However, it was revealed in the report that William is in fact buried in Cork District Cemetery, Carrs Hill and that this was confirmed in a letter dated December 12, 1994. Ms Cantwell is now seeking confirmation of the location of her brother's burial from the Commission. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties has called on justice minister Charlie Flanagan to "mandate individual criminal investigations" and to ensure that where the law was broken or where human rights abuses have occurred, that accountability for this is ensured. It is deeply regrettable that because of the strict rules on the use of evidence gathered by the Commission, witnesses in such cases would need to be re-interviewed and are likely to be re-victimised as a result," reads a statement. The ICCL also said the fact that the Commission believes there are many people with relevant information who have not come forward demonstrates how "the lack of appropriate powers to compel evidence is hindering its ability to uncover the truth". Local authorities are to be given the power to increase and reduce the rate of local property tax (LPT) by more than the 15% limit they currently can, Leo Varadkar has said. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar also said that while poorer local authorities will continue to require to be financially supported, such support will no longer have to come from richer councils, particularly in the Dublin area. Amid accusations from opposition parties that the Government deferred the LPT review for naked political reasons, Mr Varadkar set out his vision of how the tax will work from 2020. I think there is a solution, he said. The local property tax should be retained locally. The money that people pay in their local authority area should go to the local authority and stay in the local authority. We will still need an equalisation fund to ensure that less well-off local authorities do not lose out, but that does not need to be funded from the local property tax, LPT. Mr Varadkar said he favours giving more freedom to local authorities to set the rate of LPT in their area. I think we can trust local government and councillors to have more autonomy when it comes to the LPT and allow them to vary it by a greater percentage. That is what I would suggest as part of the solution, he said. He was speaking after the Irish Examiner revealed that the Attorney General had expressed serious concerns about the Governments decision to delay a review of the LPT. In the April 2 confidential Cabinet memo, Seamus Woulfe warned ministers explicitly that the Government is leaving itself open to a potential legal challenge because up to 80,000 homes built since 2012 are exempt from LPT. Mr Woulfe also raised the possibility that a deferral is not consistent with the Constitution. The Government is treating the public like children and deferred the review of the LPT for naked electoral reasons, Fianna Fail said. Fianna Fails housing spokesman Darragh OBrien said it was clear that ministers ignored those concerns for electoral reasons. Everyone wants fair and affordable LPT, the Government has been kicking this around since 2015, he said. Many aspects of the LPT are not fair. The Government have basically dodged this and fudged it for political reasons because they do not want to make a decision before the local and European elections. They are treating people like children on this and that is not correct. If you look at what the Attorney General advised, he raised some quite serious issues about how this tax would be viewed constitutionally and how it would be seen as arbitrary given the large number of homes now exempt. This deferral, even the constitutionality was questioned by the AG, is simply being done for electoral reasons, not for fiscal prudence. Mr OBrien pointed to a warning by Mr Woulfe about the potential loss of income of a quarter of a billion euro a year. In response, junior public expenditure minister Patrick ODonovan said it was reasonable for his boss, Paschal Donohoe, to take his time to get the right solution. He said suggestions that the Government is foregoing 250m a year is not correct as to collect that amount in tax would result in hikes to bills of 100 to 300 a year. Paschal Donohoe has made it clear that any increases would be modest, fair, and affordable, said Mr ODonovan. If no policy change was made and there was a revaluation, about 85% of people would see an LPT hike of up to 300. He is reflecting the fact we need some policy change. He wants the overall yield to be maintained at about 500. A proposal to develop a 13-storey apartment block in a Cork city suburb has been refused planning permission. The proposed 66-apartment, 13-storey tower in Glanmire would have been just four metres shorter than the Elysian tower, the tallest building in Cork. However, Cork County Council planners rejected the proposal, citing a range of issues including height, scale, design and lack of proximity to public transport. The plans from applicant Tom Moynihan were originally submitted in January. However, county planners deemed it invalid on the basis the public notice was not visible. A representative of Mr Moynihan said the notice was being removed by unknown third parties on a regular basis. A renewed application was resubmitted in February. The plans included 66 apartments, a restaurant and gym, two commercial units and three levels of basement parking with 102 spaces. The site is just a few minutes from an approved 608-house development at Ballinglanna. Locals had raised concerns about the development, with dozens of submissions presented. Height and the development's impact on traffic were among the issues raised. In its decision, communicated yesterday, planners rejected the proposal due to 'its excessive height, bulk, scale, massing, detailed design, poor relationship to its content and the town centre and lack of proximity to high frequency/high capacity public transport'. They also cited its 'incongruous scale and built-form in the context of the surrounding environment' which would have a 'significant and detrimental impact' on the visual amenity of the surrounding area. The proposed development "would, therefore, be contrary to the objectives of the Cork County Development Plan 2014, the Cobh Municipal District Local Area Plan 2017" and guidance contained in a number of Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government documents on 'the proper planning and sustainable development of the area', planners added. The Green Party in Cork organised meetings during the planning process. Its representative Oliver Moran said: "What I would like to see the conversation move on to now, is the sort of development that would actually benefit Glanmire. This development was proposed in an area zoned for a Glanmire town centre. If there is one good thing to come out of it, it is that it has gotten people talking." "Glanmire, as a town, is bigger that Youghal, not far behind Cobh or Midleton and growing still. It needs a genuine town centre with local facilities like a cinema, a swimming pool, a cultural hub, shops, offices. Residential and over-the-shop living has a vital place in that." The leaders of six political parties in Northern Ireland have issued a joint statement condemning the murder of journalist Lyra McKee. In a statement, they called for "calm heads" after Ms McKee was shot dead during riots in Derry last night. A journalist has been killed covering riots in Derry. Her name was Lyra McKee. She was 29. She recently signed a two-book deal with Faber, who called her a "rising star of investigative journalism". This is her last tweet, sent from the scene of the unrest. pic.twitter.com/0gk1Fa7Du0 Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) April 19, 2019 The release was issued by Michelle O'Neill (Sinn Fein), Arlene Foster (DUP), Robin Swann (UUP), Colum Eastwood (SDLP), Naomi Long (Alliance), and Clare Bailey (Green Party). We want to express our condemnation in the strongest terms possible at the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, they said. The murder of Lyra McKee is first and foremost a devastating loss for her grieving partner, family and friends, and our thoughts are with them at this awful time. Lyras murder was also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on the peace and democratic processes. It was a pointless and futile act to destroy the progress made over the last 20 years, which has the overwhelming support of people everywhere. We are united in rejecting those responsible for this heinous crime. They have no support in the community, must be brought to justice and should disband immediately. We reiterate our support for the PSNI, who while carrying out their duties were also the target of last nights attack. We call on anyone with any information to bring that forward to the police and assist their inquiries. This is a time for calm heads," the statement concluded. Joint statement from the Party Leaders on the murder of Lyra McKee pic.twitter.com/4ouQACrRjr Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) April 19, 2019 Meanwhile, the PSNI have appealed for members of the public to assist them in their murder investigation by uploading any videos, CCTV or dashcam footage and photos to their online portal. PA & Digital Desk PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin has told a press conference in Derry that those responsible for the shooting of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee have achieved nothing "other than to plunge a family into grief. Speaking at a press conference the Deputy Chief Constable said police also believed more than one person was involved in the shooting. Speaking at a press conference at the Guildhall in Derry, he said: We certainly believe there was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Obviously, only one person pulled the trigger but there was more than one person. There was certainly more than one person involved in the murder. He said it was too early in the investigation to confirm the ages of the suspects. Lyra McKee The Mayor of Derry, councillor John Boyle, also told the press conference that this was an extremely sad day for the citizens of this city. He said: The citizens of Derry, or Londonderry, it doesnt matter what you call this city, everyone is united with one voice today to speak out in the first instance, and to offer our condolences, especially to Lyra McKees family in Belfast, for the tragedy that occurred here in our city last night. You will see behind me many of our civic and political leaders. They have come here to join together with one voice to say that these events did not happen in the name of the people of this city. Mr Boyle added: This dreadful murder was heinous in the extreme and threatened the lives of many more. I just want to reflect on the fact that I personally knew Lyra McKee, I have known her since she was 16 years old. She was bright, she was warm, she was witty, but most of all she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us. We are broken-hearted for her family at their loss and, again, I want to just extend our very deepest sympathies to them. Police forensic officers at the scene in Derry, today. Theres an awful lot of anger in this city today. It has to be said again, this was not done in the name of the people of this city. Those responsible need to understand that. I cant put it any stronger than that. Not only that, but the people of Creggan absolutely abhor what happened last night. Lyra was one of us. Deputy Chief Constable Martin also said the attack had left many in the city heartbroken before he addressed the suspects directly. He said: I care about this city deeply and I know that the callous and cruel murder that occurred on its streets last night will be condemned, and the majority of people in this city today will be heartbroken and repulsed. The actions will not have been carried out in their name. And its because I know of the heart of this city, having spent much time here, I wanted to come along today to stand with the leaders and to say to the people who carried this out: this was not done to further any cause. This will have achieved nothing other than to plunge a family into grief and to condemn the city we all love to the worst possible headlines, global headlines today, on Good Friday, 21 years to the day after our peace agreement was signed. The PSNI's Deputy Chief Constable, Stephen Martin, has condemned an attack in Londonderry which led to a journalist being shot dead. pic.twitter.com/6hrmwSICUK BBC News NI (@BBCNewsNI) April 19, 2019 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar paid tribute to Ms McKee as he gave a statement outside Government Buildings in Dublin. An activist and journalist, she changed lives as she lived and will do so again in death, he said. Twenty-one years ago today on Good Friday, we as a people, north and south, chose peace, democracy, powersharing and ever closer co-operation, and we will not be dragged into the past. There is no place or any justification for political violence in Ireland or Northern Ireland today. This was an act of fear, this was an act of hate and this was an act of cowardice. Those who carried it out do not share the views of our nation nor of our republic and we reject them. Mr Varadkar added: So, this was an attack not just on one citizen, it was an attack on all of us, our nation and our freedoms. I want to express my solidarity with the people of Derry today, we stand with you as strong as your walls and for as long as they stand. The Taoiseach praised the bravery of the PSNI and emergency services in Derry. He added: I echo the call that anyone who has information should now come forward so that justice be done. - Press Association Nuns who ran the Bessborough mother and baby home in Cork should be questioned under caution by gardai, a woman who gave birth to an infant there nearly 50 years ago has said. Limerick woman Ann OGorman, who had a little girl called Evelyn at Bessborough when she was 17 years old, says that gardai need to question members of the religious order who are still alive. Ms OGorman yesterday presented gardai in Cork with Bessborough extracts from the fifth report of the commission of investigation. She maintains that obstruction of the investigation of the death (of her daughter) is likely and requests that members of the religious order be forced to answer questions about their actions. Ann gave birth in the summer of 1971 at Bessborough. She heard her baby cry but she passed out and when she woke three days later, she was told the infant had died. She asked if she could see where her daughter was buried but this was refused. The date of birth for Evelyn was July 24, 1971, but her birth certificate records it as June 24, 1972. The death certificate lists the babys cause of death as prematurity, yet in another entry on the same document the birth is described as full term and normal. Ms OGorman said gardai need to intervene so that women like he can get answers to their questions. She plans to continue her fight for justice. I was sick for a while but I will get up again and keep on fighting. If anything happens to me I hope my children carry it out for me. "That they will get justice for my baby. I am very disappointed with the commission. It feels like they are going against us when we thought they were there for us. The Sacred Heart Home opened in Bessborough, Co Cork, in 1922, managed by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. June Goulding, a midwife who worked at Bessborough from 1951, described conditions there in her book The Light in the Window. She said women who gave birth at Bessborough were not allowed pain relief during labour or stitches after birth, and when they developed abscesses from breastfeeding they were denied penicillin. One nun who ran the labour ward in the 1950s also forbade any moaning or screaming during childbirth. Gardai have discovered two cannabis grow-houses in the past 48 hours - one in Co Waterford and another in Co Monaghan. Two Vietnamese men, aged 32 and 43 years, were arrested on Thursday at an industrial premises in Waterford Airport Business Park. During the operation, more than 1,000 cannabis plants at various stages of growth were found. They have an estimated street value of 800,000. It was part of an intelligence-led operation by officers from the Tramore Drugs Unit, assisted by the Armed Support Unit in Waterford. The two men are being detained at Tramore Garda Station under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice Act. In Monaghan, a cannabis grow-house in the Ballybay area was discovered. Around 100 cannabis plants were found in a wooded area in Larragh. It is believed the drugs are worth around 50,000. Nobody has been arrested so far in connection with the find. A number of cannabis grow-houses have been targeted by gardai in recent weeks. On Wednesday another was discovered by gardai in Co Leitrim. It was found during a search of a rented property in the Manorhamilton area. Gardai seized cannabis cultivation equipment, along with 50 fully mature cannabis plants, 90 plants in the early stages of growth and a kilogramme of processed cannabis herb. Two Lithuanian nationals - aged 22 and 49 - were arrested during that garda operation. Last month, gardai discovered a cannabis grow-house in Dublin. Officers from the South Eastern Region and the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau carried out a number of searches in Dublin and Wexford targeting an organised crime group. They found a cannabis cultivation unit when they searched commercial premises in the north inner city area of Dublin. There were more than 800 cannabis plants, with an estimated value of 640,000, seized. They also arrested four people at the scene. Officers carried out more searches in Co Wexford where a further five arrests were made. The nine people arrested are being held at Garda Stations in Dublin and Wexford and they include six Portuguese men, a British man, and a man and woman from Ireland. They range in age from 17 to 45 years. Editors note (6/11/19): The National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the organization whose members write for the Teacher-Leader Voices blog, has a financial relationship with Empatico that was not disclosed prior to this posts publishing. For more information, see this note to readers . I would sometimes have conflicts with other people as I was growing up. Some of the conflicts were with other kids and some were with adults. When Id bring one of these issues to my mom, shed guide me through thinking about the issue from different perspectives. Shed have me think about my own thoughts and actions. Then, shed have me think about the other persons thoughts and actions. My mom ultimately wanted me to think about why people act the way they do in different situations. She was teaching me perspective-taking from a young age. We must teach perspective-taking when developing empathy for the following reasons: To Prevent Selfishness and Narrowmindedness The world has enough narrow-minded people who are selfish and self-serving. Perspective-taking is a skill that was taught to me by my mom and reinforced by many awesome teachers I had over the years. Im so thankful for my perspective-taking skills because they help me to navigate the world in an empathetic way. Unfortunately, some teachers and parents are not teaching this skill, proving to be a disservice to young people. As teachers, we should want our students to expand their thinking and see the world through other peoples eyes. When we teach students to connect to others and their experiences, we are helping them to develop empathy. Selfish, narrow-minded children become selfish narrow-minded adults. Educators are positioned to help guide young people into being empathetic humans who are not self-serving and egocentric. To Develop Patience and Understanding in Children Perspective-taking allows us to be more patient and understanding. Humans can be so quick to judge harshly, showing a lack of empathy. Having some patience and a willingness to seek understanding of other peoples behaviors will allow us to better co-exist with love, kindness, and empathy. As humans, we all have not always shown patience or understanding to others. As empathetic as I consider myself to be, I am sometimes guilty of judging others without executing patience or trying to understand. Awareness matters! Ive had teachers and family members who have pointed this out and reminded me of the importance of having patience and seeking to understand others. I also remember a grumpy, angry teacher that was in my school as a child. She seemed awful! When I had her as a teacher, she lacked energy and was sometimes annoyed with the students. Id get so frustrated with her. When I couldnt take it any longer, I started to complain to my mom about her. I remember my mom telling me that maybe this teacher was just a bad teacher. Or, maybe she was dealing with something in her life that her students didnt know about or couldnt even imagine. Months later, I found out at conferences that she was fighting for her life and going through cancer treatments while trying to work full time. She couldnt afford to take time off during her treatments. That meant she came to school sick most days. This teacher mustered up every little bit of strength just to get through each day she showed up. My mom was right. From that point on, I worked hard to make an effort to show patience with others and seek to understand their behaviors. To Unite Students by Looking at Different Perspectives People are more likely to work together and unite when they can genuinely look at the world from different points of view. As a teacher, I work hard on developing my students skills so they can work together. Whether a small group of my students or my entire class is working together, each of my students has their own thoughts, experiences, and beliefs that influence how they act. One of the most powerful teaching tools I have used to teach different perspectives is the book, Wonder , by RJ Palacio. The main character, Auggie Pullman, is born with many medical issues and does not look like a typical child. He looks different. Some kids may say he even looks scary and deformed. The book is all about Auggies journey starting a new school and his good and not-so-good experiences interacting with both friends and bullies. When I teach this book in my class, my students unite so strongly together, while examining different perspectives on what Auggie and other characters in the book experience. Another tool I have found powerful for teaching empathy through perspective-taking is the Empatico platform. My students have opportunities to connect, using this free technology platform, with students their age across the country, learning about their thoughts, beliefs, culture, ways of life, and their experiences. The two classes connect through video chat, where they can both see and talk to one another. Each class has noticeable differences, yet they connect because they are willing to explore different perspectives. As teachers, we must work to ensure our students are able to take different perspectives. I learned from a young age that all people have challenges and unique points of view because of what my mom taught me. All people face challenges, adversity, and have personal experiences that may be driving their behavior. Our willingness to take different perspectives or look at the world from a different point of view is what will ensure empathy is part of our minds and hearts. And empathy makes our society a more caring, kind, and accepting place for all of us to live. What are your favorite strategies and tools for teaching perspective-taking and point of view? Share your ideas in the comments. Nicholas Kleve is a fifth grade teacher with South Sioux City Schools in South Sioux City, Nebraska and an adjunct professor of education for Wayne State College. Nicknamed Mr. Funky Teacher, Nick is a passionate, dedicated, and dynamic educator focused on inspiring young people to be smart and honorable human beings by working directly with them and empowering parents and other teachers to do the same. He is an Empathy Fellowship Challenge 2.0 National Fellow and the 2015 Nebraska State History Teacher of the Year. Photo Credit: @mrfunkyteacher on Twitter The National Network of State Teachers of the Year believes expert teachers will lead the way to a more equitable and exceptional future for all kids. Do you agree? Then help ensure that great teacher voices keep coming your way by donating to NNSTOY now. Donate Now Upon the decision of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Amalya Yengoyan has been dismissed from the position of head of the Department for Relations with the National Assembly of the Staff of the Prime Minister, according to the Armenian government's website. From 2000 to 2018, Amalya Yengoyan served as head of the Department for Relations with the National Assembly of the Staff of the Government of the Republic of Armenia. On June 27, 2018, she was the Head of the Department for Relations with the National Assembly of the Staff of the Prime Minister, News.am recalls. At least 13 people have been killed after part of a church collapsed in South Africa, according to local media. Broadcaster News24 cited KwaZulu-Natal emergency medical services spokesman Robert McKenzie as saying heavy rain may have been to blame for the collapse on Thursday night in Dlangubo. Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that 64 militants had been neutralized in the North Caucasus last year. Patrushev briefed the conference on the detention of 452 terrorist and extremist suspects in the North Caucasus. According to him, 64 militants had been neutralized in the area, and 285 members of armed gangs had been brought to justice and 37 terrorist cells quashed. "Propagandists of radical Islam involved in destructive and subversive activities have been exposed and 44 of them brought to justice on criminal charges," TASS cited Patrushev as saying. As a result of these and other measures the number of extremism-related crimes in the district reduced by 8% and terrorism-related crimes, from 17 to 8, the Russian Security Council Secretary added. Atlassian co-founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar collectively suffered a $1.6 billion paper loss overnight as the market reacted badly to the workplace software group's outlook for this financial year. While Atlassian's March-quarter revenue jumped 38 per cent, its forecast earnings per share fell short of the market's lofty expectations, sending its US-listed shares down 8 per cent to $US101.91 on Friday morning. Atlassian founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar after listing on the NASDAQ in 2015. Credit:Trevor Collens Mr Cannon-Brookes and Mr Farquhar each own around 30 per cent of the company, which is currently valued at $34 billion. Their stakes were valued at $10 billion each before the overnight plunge. The good news for investors is that analysts believe this will be a temporary blip. Detectives have charged a teenager with murder and are searching for two more teens after a Brisbane doctor was fatally shot in the chest at his home in Brisbane's south. A 17-year-old male was taken into custody and charged with multiple offences including murder after he was interviewed by police, Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said. He was also charged with entering a dwelling with intent, armed robbery, possession of shortened firearms and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. Luping Zeng, 56, was shot in the chest while in the garage at his Delfin Drive home in MacGregor before midnight on Monday. A passenger has died and a driver arrested after a car rolled and crashed at the Gold Coast in the early hours of Good Friday. The 28-year-old woman passenger from Wallsend, NSW was rushed to hospital with critical injuries after a Holden Commodore rolled on the Pacific Highway at Tugun about 2.10am. She later died in hospital. The 40-year-old male driver from Richmond, NSW was uninjured but was arrested after the crash for failing to appear in court on an unrelated matter. Police were expecting to lay more charges in relation to the crash later on Friday. Police are also investigating the possibility that a young man refused entry on the night could have returned with associates to exact revenge. Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani, 37, and patron Richard Arow, 28, were blasted with what is believed to have been an assault rifle as they stood outside the venue early last Sunday morning. Mr Osmani died and Mr Arow is in a critical condition in hospital after receiving life-threatening injuries. In the months preceding the horrific attack, members of the Comancheros and Finks had demanded payment from the club's owners, who also own the nearby Lux nightclub on Chapel Street. The Age has been told that gang members have repeatedly threatened the venues, which prompted a recent change in security guards at Lux nightclub. On one occasion, that is unrelated to the Love Machine nightclub shooting, Comanchero enforcer Emir Jaha menaced staff and patrons at Lux. Emir Jaha leaves the Melbourne Custody Centre in 2013. Jaha had only recently been released from prison after being convicted with another Comanchero member of intimidating a bankrupt property developer to pay an $850,000 debt, including taping bullets to the man's front door. When handing down a 22-month sentence to Jaha, Judge Paul Lacava said: "A society where the physically strong stand over lesser persons will not be tolerated." The template for extortion is brutally simple, but it has long provided a lucrative business model for outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime syndicates, including the Mafia. Extortion is a notoriously difficult crime to investigate and prosecute. Most victims are deeply traumatised and are often reluctant to make a statement to police or testify in court. Bikie and male model Hasan Topal. Last year, former male model Hasan Topal, who became the temporary leader of Victoria's Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, was linked to a vicious assault and extortion attempt against a nightclub promoter. But, while aware of the incident, Victoria Police's anti-bikie Echo taskforce was unable to persuade anyone to make a statement. Topal is understood to have demanded weekly payments of $2000 before stealing the promoter's blue Honda Accord on May 26, 2018. The Age was told the nightclub promoter was lured to a meeting near a milk bar in Delahey, where he was allegedly ambushed and assaulted. Topal, who is currently serving a custodial sentence over a wild brawl at a Canberra strip club, has been linked to other standover rackets across Melbourne, including the seizure of a Mercedes C63 from a luxury car hire business that was recently placed into liquidation. A bullet hole in the window of Kittens strip club in South Melbourne in May 2016. Credit:Eddie Jim Assault rifles were also used by Comanchero members to pepper South Melbourne strip club Kitten during a vicious battle for control of the security firm used at the venues. The Cecil Street club was the subject of three drive-by shootings over an 18-month period, while former Comanchero treasurer Mark Ahern, 35, was handed a four year prison sentence over an arson attack on another Kittens venue in Caulfield South in February 2016. The gang were also suspected of ordering the shooting of security industry figure Clay Auimatagi, who had previously worked at Kittens. The violent two-year feud was finally resolved when Kittens owner Jason Dimozantos made a secret payment of more than $250,000 to the gang. In Melbourne's underworld, it appears a bundle of cash can settle even the most bitter of disputes. The damage caused after a fire at Republica restaurant in St Kilda in December 2014. Credit:Wayne Taylor Police have never made an arrest for the fire bombings of St Kilda venue Republica, which was the subject of two arson attacks within a month in 2014. Bikies were again believed to be responsible for the blaze, which came after the restaurant instituted a "no colours" policy to deal with bikie gang members who were frequenting the venue. Some of Melbourne's restaurateurs are also familiar with the veiled threats of standover men. In 2013, the three outlets of the Woodstock pizza chain in Brunswick East, Fitzroy North and Essendon were peppered with bullets in a triple shooting on October 30, 2013. A stolen black Porsche Cayenne was set on fire after it was used in the Love Machine nightclub shooting. Credit:Nine News The Essendon outlet was shot up again a few months later, while a former Woodstock manager was badly assaulted. No report was made to police and the shootings remain unsolved. Police suspect members of the Calabrian mafia were responsible, another in a long line of "protection-style" exortortion rackets where being allowed to operate in specific area or industry comes at a steep price. In some cases, restauranteurs who refuse to pay or pay late have seen their homes burnt to the ground or family members threatened. Three women have been attacked by an alleged serial sex offender in the space of two hours in Melbourne's inner-east, including one victim who was assaulted as she tried to open her front door. Police are hunting the man they believe waited in laneways before ambushing his victims, attacking all three women in Richmond and Abbotsford in the early hours of last Sunday morning. Police want to speak to this man in relation to three sexual assaults in Melbourne's inner-east. Credit:Victoria Police Officers fear there may be more victims who are yet to come forward and hope the alleged attacker's distinctive walk and clothing will help identify him. "Trends in the attacks show that he would approach the victim from behind and would grab them. There is some connection of him hanging around laneways showing predatory behaviour waiting for his victim to appear," Detective Inspector Stephen Wilson said. Andrew Mallard, the Australian man who spent over a decade in jail for a murder he did not commit, has been killed in a hit-and-run crash on Hollywood's iconic Sunset Boulevard. Mr Mallard spent 12 years in a West Australian prison after he was wrongfully convicted of murdering jeweller Pamela Lawrence at her shop in Mosman Park in Perth on May 23, 1994. Mr Mallard had his conviction quashed by the High Court in 2005 and received a $3.25 million ex gratia payment, but tragedy struck again in the early hours of Thursday morning, local time, as he crossed Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, an area well known for its restaurants and bars. The LAPD believes the driver was heading east on Sunset Boulevard, and Mr Mallard was walking south across Sunset Boulevard along Formosa Ave about 1.30am when the crash occurred. Bangkok: Thai authorities have raided a floating home in the Andaman Sea belonging to an American man and his Thai partner who sought to be pioneers in the "seasteading" movement, which promotes living in international waters to be free of any nation's laws. A floating home lived in by an American man and his Thai partner in the Andaman Sea, off Phuket island, Thailand. Credit:AP Thailand's navy said Chad Elwartowski and Supranee Thepdet endangered national sovereignty, an offence punishable by life imprisonment or death. It filed a complaint against them with police on the southern resort island of Phuket. Thai authorities said they have revoked Elwartowski's visa. Elwartowski said in an email on Thursday that he believes he and Supranee also known as Nadia Summergirl did nothing wrong. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned that the country risks defaulting on its debt if its biggest lender, PrivatBank, is handed back to tycoon Igor Kolomoysky. Overturning the decision would threaten a default and a new economic crisis, Poroshenko said in a televised address. "Therefore, the government and the National Bank are doing the right thing to challenge this decision," Reuters cited him as saying. A Kiev court ruled yesterday that the Ukrainian government's decision in 2016 to nationalise PrivatBank was illegal. The Ukrainian central bank said it would appeal against the court ruling. Australian National University Indonesia expert Marcus Mietzner predicts that "both a court challenge and street protests are certain. But they won't change the outcome. The margin of victory is about 15 million votes [190 million Indonesians were eligible to vote]. The court won't overturn that." A gathering of Prabowo supporters was expected after Friday prayers. Already, the coordinating minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Wiranto, has issued a stern warning of "firm action against any movement that can disturb security". The ever-cautious Jokowi on Thursday said that "even though based on past experience quick count results were 99.9 per cent accurate, we have to be patient and wait for KPU [the national election commission] official counts". Less subtly, the president also tweeted a picture of himself receiving congratulatory phone calls from world leaders including Singapore's Lee Hsien Loong, Malaysia's Mahathir Mohammad and Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan. So while the farce of Prabowo's protests plays out, the more interesting questions to examine are how did Jokowi secure his victory, and what will he do as president over the next five years? Loading Jokowi leads a country that is not so much at a crossroads but which at times struggles to make the right choices that will lead it down the road that offers greater equality, economic development and openness, underpinned by improvements to education and health care. In the president's first term, investment in infrastructure was the signature achievement, with thousands of new kilometres of roads and rail, new air and sea ports, and billions of dollars handed directly to thousands of village chiefs across the archipelago for small-scale projects. But the election results bear out the truism that Indonesia is a country increasingly divided along religious, ethnic and geographic lines. The more conservative, Islamic parts of the country such as the provinces of Banten and West Java, and parts of Sulawesi and Sumatra strongly backed Prabowo, while eastern and central Java swung to the incumbent, as did predominantly Christian and Hindu provinces. Mietzner explains the results like this: "Jokowi's vote share in both Central and East Java increased by around 12 to 13 per cent, or about 6 million votes. In West Java, there seems to have been no change from 2014. Indonesian President Jokowi runs to the stage at his final election rally in Jakarta on Saturday. Credit:Amilia Rosa "The addition of Ma'ruf Amin [an ageing and influential cleric who once led Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the largest Islamic civil organisation in the world] had an indirect but important effect. He did not move votes in Banten and West Java - which is what he had been expected to do - but because NU had made his nomination the key condition for supporting Jokowi, NU's mobilisation in its strongholds of Central and East Java eventually made the difference." Jokowi will be president of a country that, according to the IMF's latest half-yearly forecasts, will by 2024 be the fifth-largest economy in the world measured in real output or purchasing power parity. His party, the PDI-P, looks set to be the biggest in the national legislature (though it will hold only about 20 per cent of the seats) and - with the help of allied parties and deal-making - the president should be able to work with the parliament. Neither candidate released much in the way of detailed policy proposals, but Jokowi has promised to invest more in human capital in his second term while continuing the work on infrastructure, and touts three new smart cards: one for financial relief to students, a pre-work card that offers training, and a card designed to reduce the cost of basic staples for poorer families. Tom Lembong believes Jokowi's victory has delivered a mandate for greater economic liberalisation. Credit:Irwin Fedriansyah Dewi Fortuna Anwar, a politics professor at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, says the election result is a qualified approval of Jokowi and his political agenda. She says the result indicates that many of the president's supporters have been disappointed with his unwillingness to stand up for the rights of minority groups during his first term, and his lack of commitment to democratic consolidation 21 years after the fall of the dictator Suharto - and she hopes that will change in his second term. "Despite his [Jokowi's] stress on not being Java-centric, Prabowo made inroads into a lot of provinces [outside the main island of Java]," she says. "He will continue with infrastructure development, there were a lot of promises from five years ago that arent finished, such as the construction of new power plants. He needs to be more mindful, if Indonesia invites more Chinese investment, that the model is refined so it creates less social backlash [about Chinese workers taking Indonesians' jobs, a theme of Prabowo's during the campaign]." Ma'ruf Amin helped Jokowi win re-election. Will that translate into an Islamic veto over reform measures? Credit:Tatan Syuflana Tom Lembong, the chairman of the Indonesian government's Investment Coordinating Board, told Bloomberg TV that Jokowi will "resume or even accelerate economic policy reforms" in his second term and that the president has a "very strong mandate" to overcome resistance to reforms that have left Indonesia's economy relatively closed, protected and not always welcoming towards foreign investment. "A greater opening-up of the economy to integration with our neighbours, the region, the world economy, more investment, better training, a more investment-friendly tax regime, that's all on the table now," Lembong said. Beny Masella, mayor of the suburb of Montreal West, who represents an association of 15 mayors, said he and the other mayors would take issue with being asked to refuse to hire police officers or town clerks because they wore conspicuous religious symbols. He said he would ignore such an interdiction. "A smart young Sikh with a turban comes into my office, and I am supposed to tell him we can't hire him as a policeman because of his turban?" Masella asked. "We may lose out on competent employees because of this. This is also a matter of conscience." Sikh achievement: Harjit Singh Sajjan reacts after being sworn in as Canada's defence minister in Ottawa in 2015. Seated in the red turban is Navdeep Singh Bains, who was sworn in as science and innovation minister on the same day. Credit:Justin Tang/The Canadian Press The English Montreal School Board, which administers English-speaking public schools in the city, said it would also defy the bill. "A religious symbol worn by a teacher in no way affects their ability to provide quality education in a secular state," it wrote in a resolution. Some headscarf-wearing student teachers at Quebec universities have expressed despair that the law will halt their careers before they have even begun. Some students at the University of Montreal have begun wearing blue felt triangles to show solidarity. As he defended the proposed law, Legault posted a video on his Facebook page in which he said the legislation respected "our history, our values" and was "an approach that a great majority of Quebecers want". "Some will say we're going too far, others will say we are not going far enough," he said, adding, "In Quebec, this is how we live." Protesters wear masks and scarves to oppose a law banning people with face coverings from using public transport or working as public employees in Quebec in 2017. A judge later suspended that law. Credit:New York Times Legault's approach has come under additional criticism from human rights advocates because in order to fend off legal challenges, he has invoked a rarely used constitutional provision known as the "notwithstanding clause". That clause, made part of the Canadian Constitution in 1982, enables Canadian legislatures to override basic constitutional rights like freedom of religion and expression to maintain their independence. Legault argues that Quebecers will remain free to practice their religions, and that the "notwithstanding clause" is "a legitimate tool". Still, Irwin Cotler, a leading international human rights lawyer in Montreal who was Canada's justice minister and attorney-general, called the proposed law a "broad-based assault on liberal values, including the freedom of religion". He said that by invoking the notwithstanding clause to try to insulate the law from legal challenges, the government was displaying disrespect for the fundamental role of the courts in safeguarding constitutionally guaranteed minority rights. Gregory Bordan, a leading constitutional lawyer who has worn his skullcap to the office for the past 33 years, at the Norton Rose Fulbright law firm in Montreal. Credit:New York Times He said opponents of the proposed legislation could potentially seek recourse by filing a complaint at the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the grounds the bill undermined the 1976 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. While the UN committee cannot revoke the legislation, its decisions carry moral and legal weight, he said. Gregory Bordan, a leading constitutional lawyer and a religious Jew, has worn his skullcap to the office for the past 33 years. Soon he, too, may have to leave it at home if he wants to work for the government or represent his law firm on a government contract. He said the scope of the proposed bill was far wider than many realised and amounted to a political project to marginalise minorities from the judiciary, education and law enforcement. Under the proposed legislation, he noted, lawyers who wear a headscarf, cross, skullcap or turban could no longer be retained as external counsel by the government to represent it before the courts or with a third party. The message that this law sends is that unless you look like us, you cant participate in public life, Gregory Bordan says. Credit:New York Times Moreover, a lawyer wearing religious garb could not be hired as an employee of the government, the national assembly or various other public bodies, even if appearing before the courts or a third party was not part of their job description. "The message that this law sends is that unless you look like us, you can't participate in public life," said Bordan, who represents Coalition Inclusion Quebec, a group of religious minorities. Bordan, whose great-grandparents came from Ukraine and Poland to Canada in the early 1900s, added that his parents had insisted he become fluent in French, and that he had been raised as a proud Quebecer. Now he felt betrayed. "It is an insult to be told I am incapable of being impartial unless I remove my kippah," he said, using the Hebrew word for his skullcap. "I did everything to become part of the society, and now I am being told that it's all a sham." "A teacher ... can't give 100 per cent if they feel broken, battered and oppressed, Maha Kassef said. Credit:New York Times Public expressions of Muslim identity have been an explosive issue in several European countries, and some defenders of secularism have criticised Islamic head coverings as undermining female empowerment. The email "hacking-and-dumping operations," as Mueller's investigators called them, was epitomised by disclosures by WikiLeaks, which in July 2016 posted messages stolen from the DNC, and then in October trickled out emails taken from the account of John Podesta, Clinton's campaign chairman. Loading Trump campaign staffers and supporters discussed pending releases of emails by WikiLeaks on several occasions, the report shows. Many passages are blacked out because, Mueller noted, they could harm an ongoing matter. That could be a reference to the prosecution of Roger Stone, the longtime Trump aide whose claims to be in touch with WikiLeaks during the campaign drew scrutiny. By the late summer of 2016, after the first WikiLeaks release, the campaign "was planning a press strategy, a communications campaign, and messaging based on the possible release of Clinton emails by WikiLeaks," Mueller found. The report cites a conversation between Trump and then-deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates during a car ride to LaGuardia Airport. The section is redacted, but the visible part reads, "shortly after the call candidate Trump told Gates that more releases of damaging information would be coming." Where Trump was getting that information is unclear, but his interest was obvious. Mueller also found that Trump repeatedly requested that his aides find people who could gain access Clinton's private emails. Trump had fixated on Clinton's use of a private email server when she was secretary of state, saying it revealed a lack of judgment and disregard for secrecy rules that bordered on criminal negligence. "Lock her up!" Trump supporters shouted when he spoke about the server on the campaign trail. At a July campaign stop, Trump expressed his hope that Russia would find some 30,000 emails that Clinton had said she deleted because they were of a personal nature and not related to government affairs. After that, "Trump asked individuals affiliated with his campaign to find the deleted Clinton emails," Mueller's team found. Trump made the request repeatedly, former national security adviser Michael Flynn told Mueller's investigators. Eventually, Flynn contacted two GOP operatives who were running their own hunts for Clinton's emails. Loading One of them kept Flynn and another senior campaign official, Sam Clovis, aware of the project, which ultimately did not produce any purloined messages. "Gates recalled candidate Trump being generally frustrated that the Clinton emails had not been found," Mueller wrote. Gates pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI and cooperated with Mueller's probe. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with the Russian ambassador to the United States. He also cooperated with the investigation. Mueller also took note of direct communications that people in the Trump campaign had with WikiLeaks that suggested the group wanted to work on behalf of the Republican candidate. On September 20, 2016, Donald Trump Jr. emailed senior campaign staffers saying, "Guys I got a weird Twitter DM [direct message] from wikileaks." He said the group asked him about an unlaunched anti-Trump "conspiracy" site. "Seems like it's really wikileaks asking me," he said. The email had not been previously reported. The next day, after the site had launched, Trump Jr. sent a direct message to WikiLeaks: "Off the record, I don't know who that is but I'll ask around. Thanks." On October 3, WikiLeaks sent another message to Trump Jr., asking "you guys" to help disseminate a link alleging candidate Clinton had advocated using a drone to target WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Trump Jr. replied he already "had done so," and asked, "what's behind this Wednesday leak I keep reading about?" WikiLeaks did not respond. On October 12, several days after WikiLeaks began publishing emails hacked from Podesta's account, WikiLeaks wrote him again, saying it was "great to see you and your dad talking about our publications. Strongly suggest your dad tweets this link if mentions us. . ." Two days later, Trump Jr. tweeted the link. While Russian hackers chiselled away at the Clinton campaign, another group was setting up fake social media accounts - and making inroads with the Trump campaign and its supporters. The social media campaign began in 2014 as a "generalised program" to undermine the US election system, Mueller wrote. But it evolved into "a targeted operation" that by early 2016 "favoured candidate Trump and disparaged candidate Clinton." At the centre of the operation was an organisation based in St. Petersburg, Russia, called the Internet Research Agency, a "troll farm" that churned out tendentious and manipulative posts and images. The organisation, which received funding from an oligarch with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, used fictitious personas to open accounts on Twitter and Instagram and to start group pages on Facebook. They were all designed to attract followers with polemic content on race, gender and other often-polarising topics. The Russians' following grew, and they eventually reached millions of Americans with their messages, Mueller found. The content was even spread by US political figures, who retweeted messages from Internet Research Agency-controlled Twitter accounts. Some employees from St. Petersburg travelled to the United States to obtain information and gather photographs to use in their posts. They are among those Mueller indicted last year. "On multiple occasions," Mueller wrote, "members and surrogates of the Trump Campaign promoted - typically by linking, retweeting, or similar methods of reposting - pro-Trump or anti-Clinton content published by the IRA through IRA-controlled social media accounts." A single Twitter account, @TEN_GOP, purporting to represent Tennessee Republicans but actually operated by the Russian troll farm, was retweeted by Donald J. Trump Jr., Eric Trump, campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, digital operations chief Brad Parscale and national security adviser Michael Flynn. Mueller also noted that Russian operatives directly contacted Trump supporters "in a few instances" to help coordinate political rallies inside the United States. Mueller ultimately chose not to bring prosecutions because the Americans did not realise that they were in contact with Russians. Getting the Trump campaign - or better yet, Donald Trump himself - to tweet or retweet material put out by the Russian disinformation campaign was a closely watched goal for the operatives at the Internet Research Agency, Mueller found. The report recounts the celebration when Trump applauded an event in Miami the Russians had organised in August 2016, by tweeting, "THANK YOU for your support Miami!. . . TOGETHER, WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" A Russian account on Facebook, posing as an American named Matt Skiber, sent a message to an American Tea Party activist afterward saying, "Mr. Trump posted about our event in Miami! This is great!" Russian disinformation teams used social media to recruit Americans across the political spectrum to help push their themes online and also to participate in real-world political rallies and other events, Mueller found. The recruiting of Americans started in 2014 and continued even beyond the November 2016 election. An African American "self-defense instructor" in New York offered classes for the Russian-created social media group "Black Fist" in February 2017. Rio de Janeiro: After widespread condemnation and criticism by his own attorney-general, Brazilian Supreme Court judge Alexandre de Moraes has revoked censorship he imposed on two media outlets reporting on a corruption investigation. Brazil's Attorney-General accused the nation's highest court of violating the constitution with an order for news organisations to withdraw some online reports that included references to the court's president, Dias Toffoli. Brazilian Supreme Court Minister Alexandre de Moraes. Credit:Agencia Brasil The court had told the news websites O Antagonista and Crusoe on Monday to remove specific articles containing what the court said were "false statements" or face a fine of 100,000 reais ($35,600) per day. Attorney-General Raquel Dodge asked for the ruling to be withdrawn, saying that her office had not been consulted and that the case was outside the federal court's purview. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams Theyre feeling fined. Municipal virus investigators are on the prowl for unvaccinated Williamsburg residents amid a growing measles outbreak affecting Brooklyns Orthodox Jewish community, and the city sickness sleuths have already slapped three parents with summonses for allegedly failing to get their kids inoculated, according to the Department of Health. The summonses were issued after Mayor Bill de Blasio and city Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot issued an emergency health declaration on April 9 mandating residents of four Williamsburg zip codes 11205, 11206, 11211, and 11249 get their shots of the MMR vaccine, or else face justice at the hands of the Department of Healths dogged disease detectives. The investigators tracked down the allegedly unvaccinated kids amid some gumshoe investigative work into the outbreak thats afflicted a whopping 329 people including 44 additional cases since last weeks emergency order, interviewing measles patients to identify their contacts, before tracking them down and verifying their inoculations are up to date. Parents of the three unvaccinated kids must appear at a hearing, where theyll be slapped with $1,000 fines if the violation is upheld. The city announced the violations the same week that five Williamsburg residents sued the city for the right to not vaccinated their kids, claiming the scale of the measles outbreak does not warrant the city overruling their religious objection to the shots. And the city is making good on de Blasios promise to shut down schools that violated the Health Departments February exclusion order forbidding unvaccinated kids from attending class, issuing closure orders to four Williamsburg yeshivas, included among a total 23 area academies that have received notices of violation for admitting students without inoculations. The city allowed another neighborhood school, the United Talmudical Academy, to reopen after ordering it closed on Tuesday for refusing to provide officials access to vaccination and attendance records. Officials traced the boroughs measles outbreak to a Brooklyn resident traveling from Israel home to another outbreak of the disease in October, and so far 25 people have been hospitalized for measles, including six people who required intensive care, according to Barbot. There have been no fatalities so far, according to the Health Department. This is the largest outbreak of the measles that New York City has experienced since 1991, according to Barbot, and its spread represents a major spike over the two infections that plagued New Yorkers in 2017. The highly contagious airborne pathogen produces symptoms including fever, cough, and a runny nose, and can cause diarrhea, ear infection, pneumonia, encephalitis, and death with about 1 out of every 1,367 kids infected dying due to fatal complications from measles, according to the Department of Health, which also maintains that symptoms can appear anytime from seven to 21 days following exposure. Russia can apply a self-employed tax in more regions but not in the entire country, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said at a meeting on national projects in Tyumen. "There has been no decision so far, whether we will extend the right to introduce the professional income tax on the entire territory or just extend the list of Russian regions. But it is obvious that we must extend this activity," the Prime news agency cited the minister as saying. Siluanov added that the increase of the number of applying regions is planned from 2020. In November 2018, President Vladimir Putin signed into law the bills to introduce a professional income tax for self-employed people in a pilot mode for 20192028. The law introduces a 4% tax if services are provided to individuals and a 6% tax if services are provided to self-employed individuals and companies. The income limit for the tax is 200,000 rubles per month. 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 chairman is likely to meet State Bank chairman Friday over the national carrier's plans to lease five wide-body planes from the now grounded Weighed down by a mountain of debt and falling revenue, announced suspension of its entire operations from Wednesday night and owns 16 wide-body planes, 10 B777-300ERs and six A330s. The SBI-led consortium of lenders are now running the under a debt recast plan. The chairman had written to Wednesday expressing interest in taking on lease five of the 777s from Jet and deploy them in key international routes. And the meeting, expected to take place in New Delhi, is in furthering this. "Lohani is expected to meet Kumar today to discuss his plans of leasing five Jet Airways' B777s. is keen to launch more international routes and enhance frequencies on the existing ones. "But it does not have additional aircraft to do so. If it is able to strike a deal with Jet lenders, it can expand the international operations further," a source privy to the development told The Air India spokesperson was not available to confirm or deny the meeting. In a dry-lease arrangement, the lessor gives out only the aircraft to a lessee, while in wet-lease, the aircraft comes with the complete crew, maintenance and insurance. After the grounding of Jet, Air India is the only domestic carrier now operating services on long haul and ultra-long haul routes like London, Paris, New York, Washington, and San Francisco, among other cities. Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani held preliminary talks with his State Bank counterpart Rajnish Kumar in the Capital Friday on the national carrier's interest in leasing five Boeing 777s from the now-grounded Jet Airways, sources close to the development said. The meeting lasted for over more than an hour at the Airlines House, the headquarters of the flag carrier in the national Capital. "During the meeting with Kumar, Lohani discussed his proposal on leasing five B777s of Jet Airways," the sources told PTI. As per these sources, the AI chairman will now take the proposal to the airline's board for approval, after more internal discussions and if all goes well, then the proposal will be sent to the aviation ministry for the final approval. The AI board is scheduled to meet on April 27 and the subject may come up for discussions. Weighed down by a mountain of debt and falling revenue, Jet Airways announced suspension of its entire operations from Wednesday night. The airline now owns 16 wide-body planes--10 B777-300ERs and six Airbus A330s. The SBI-led consortium of lenders are now running the airline under a debt recast plan. The AI chairman had written to SBI chief Wednesday expressing interest in taking on lease five of the Boeing 777s from Jet and deploy them in key international routes. When asked about the next step, the source said after further deliberations, a formal proposal will be sent to the board for its approval. "If the board gives its go ahead, it will be sent to the aviation ministry which will take a final call." Air India is keen to launch more international routes and enhance frequencies on the existing ones. "But it does not have additional aircraft to do so. If it is able to strike a deal with Jet lenders, it can expand the international operations further," the source said. The Air India spokesperson was not available to comment parleys. In a dry-lease arrangement, the lessor gives out only the aircraft to a lessee, while in wet-lease, the aircraft comes with the complete crew, maintenance and insurance. After the grounding of Jet, Air India is the only domestic carrier now operating services on long haul and ultra-long haul routes like London, Paris, New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco, among other cities. Bankers are scrambling to find a viable option through which money can be infused in Jet Airways. But they are also not willing to take more risks, given their past experience. Besides, Supreme Court scrapping the February 12, 2018, order of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) meant that banks can no longer convert Jets debt into equity at a nominal rate, but will have to do it now according to a formula set by the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). The rules are relaxed from the capital markets side if the company is in corporate debt restructuring or ... Tokyo prosecutors are likely to indict former Nissan Motor Co Ltd Chairman Carlos Ghosn on an additional charge of aggravated breach of trust as early as Monday when his current detention period expires, public broadcaster NHK reported on Friday. Ghosn was arrested for the fourth time this month on suspicion he tried to enrich himself at Nissan's expense, to the tune of $5 million. He is also awaiting trial on other charges of financial misconduct and aggravated breach of trust. Ghosn, who had been released on $9 million bail in early March after spending 108 days in jail, has ... South Korean President Moon Jae-in will make his first state visit to Kazakhstan on April 21-23. Moon Jae-in is set to hold a summit with his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to consider the state and prospects of bilateral relations in the political, trade, economic, investment and cultural-humanitarian spheres. At the summit, the leaders will also discuss the regional and international agenda, Sputnik Kazakhstan reported. On April 24, Tokayev will hold talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who will make an official visit to Kazakhstan. Before you start the day, let's take a quick look at some of the major events in the country that are likely to make headlines today. From EC's verdict on Modi biopic to hunger strike by Jaypee home buyers in Noida, here are some of the most important news events scheduled for today that will be keenly watched. 1. EC verdict on Modi biopic today The Election Commission will today submit its decision to the Supreme Court on whether the ban on the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi should continue. The EC, on the apex court's directions, had watched the film on ... After the direct benefit transfer (DBT) of fertiliser subsidies to producers, the government is working on its next goal: Transferring these subsidies directly to the bank accounts of farmers. The finance ministry and NITI Aayog are working on a proposal to shift DBT in fertiliser from the producer to the consumer. This will be placed before the political dispensation in power after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Business Standard has learnt that the plan is to use the database of landed farmers being created with the implementation of PM Kisan. The information will be used to ... Nearly 5 tons of powdered marijuana were seized in international waters on the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey's Interior Ministry said. The operation against drug smugglers was conducted by Turkish police, gendarmerie and coast guard on April 15. Acting on a tip-off, Turkish security forces determined that suspected drug traffickers aboard a Turkish flagged fishing boat set off from the countrys Aegean province of Izmir to the coasts of Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria, to acquire large amounts of drugs. The suspects were aiming to transfer the drugs into fishing vessels in international waters before smuggling them into Turkish territorial waters. A total of 13 suspects including 6 crew members were detained across Turkey during the joint operation on accusations of drug trafficking, Anadolu Agency reported. There are more candidates with criminal cases than there are women candidates in the third phase of elections. The third phase of polls are on April 23. There are a total of 340 candidates with criminal cases against them in the third phase. The total number of women candidates are 142. Around 21 per cent of the candidates have criminal cases against them. Women candidates are nine per cent. The data is based on a report from non-governmental organizations the National Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), which released their joint report Lok ... Special Counsel Robert Muellers report into Russias role in the 2016 US election provided extensive details on President Donald Trumps efforts to thwart a federal investigation, giving Democrats plenty of political ammunition against the Republican but no consensus on how to use it. The 448-page report painted a clear picture of how Trump had tried to hinder Muellers probe but stopped short of concluding the Republican president had committed the crime of obstruction of justice, although it did not exonerate him. Mueller noted Congress has the power to address ... Congressional Democrats on Friday took legal action to see all of US Special Counsel Robert Muellers evidence from his inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, with an eye to using the probes findings against President Donald Trump. US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for Attorney General William Barr to hand over the full report by Mueller by May 1, saying he cannot accept a redacted version released on Thursday that leaves most of Congress in the ... Salman Khan has unveiled yet another poster from his upcoming film 'Bharat', and audiences are all set to be taken 30 years back in time. The 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' actor took to Twitter on Friday, wherein Salman and his co-star Katrina Kaif are seen intensely gazing into the distance. "Har muskurate chahre ke peeche dard chupa hota hai aur wahi dard aapko zinda rakhta hai! (Behind every smiling face, there is a pain hidden and that pain keeps you alive!)" he wrote alongside the poster. According to reports, the 'Dabangg' actor will be seen in five different looks in the film spanning over a period of over 60 years. 'Bharat' is helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar and is touted to be one of the biggest releases of the year. This is Salman's third collaboration with Zafar after 'Sultan' in 2016 and 'Tiger Zinda Hai' in the following year. Meanwhile, Salman and Katrina were last seen together in 'Tiger Zinda Hai'. The trailer of 'Bharat' will be out on April 24, whereas the film is slated to release on June 5. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister Manoj Sinha has launched an open threat to opposers of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, stating that a finger pointed towards his party workers will cease to exist after four hours. Addressing party workers here on Thursday, Sinha said, "BJP activists are ready to destroy corruption and money earned by criminal activities. And I want to assure you that if any person points fingers towards a BJP activist, believe me, the finger will not remain intact after four hours." "No criminal of the eastern region has the guts to intimidate any BJP activist within the limits of Ghazipur. And if anyone does, they will be buried in the ground," the minister told a gathering of BJP's farmer wing activists. Uttar Pradesh Minister of state of urban development Girish Chandra Yadav, MLC Vishal Singh 'Chanchal' were among the senior leaders and party functionaries who were present at the meeting. Sinha is seeking re-election from Ghazipur parliamentary constituency. He is up against SP-BSP-RLD alliance candidate Afzal Ansari, the brother of Mukhtar Ansari, who is serving sentence in Uttar Pradesh's Banda jail in connection with various criminal cases. Voting for Ghazipur Lok Sabha seat will be held on May 19 in the seventh phase of polling. 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.) Murshidabad (West Bengal) [India], Apr 19 (ANI): Abhijeet Mukherjee, son of former President Pranab Mukherjee, has dismissed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegations as "baseless" and "imaginary" where she had reportedly claimed that BJP and RSS are supporting him in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "I deny it. It is nothing but an imaginary and baseless claim. In his statement at RSS headquarters (in Nagpur), my father Pranab Mukherjee clearly stated to BJP and RSS that India is for all. He also clearly mentioned that India is a secular country and reminded that BJP and RSS were deviating from this," Mukherjee told ANI in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Further taking a potshot at the Chief Minister, Mukherjee asserted that the "allegations" made by the Trinamool Congress supremo was nothing but "malicious" and "intentional". "I must politely remind Mamata Banerjee that she was part of the BJP-led NDA government in the early 2000s. That alliance went on to defeat CPI-M in Bengal. Now her allegations against me are nothing but malicious and intentional during the time of the election," said Mukherjee, who is seeking re-election from Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency, a seat previously held by his father. Exuding confidence that he would retain the seat, the Congress leader said, "In 2012, when my father was elected as the President, I contested from here on the orders of the party's high command. She (Banerjee) said that her party will not field any candidate against me. I was happy and I won the polls." "In 2014, she fielded a sitting MP and contested against me. It was a four-cornered fight. My winning margin increased four times more. The TMC candidate finished third. Although my fight is still tough, I am very much confident that I will retain my seat," he added. Accusing the TMC of not allowing free and fair polling in West Bengal, Mukherjee said that apart from the violence that took place in the last year's panchayat elections, other candidates from opposition parties were not allowed to file their nomination papers. "Other than TMC, she (Banerjee) did not allow others to file their nomination. Forget about vote. I was prevented even after being a local MP. I was not allowed to file my nomination as security forces told me that Section 144 was issued and orders had come from the top (state government). There were more than 50 known faces from TMC inside the premises, where they were snatching the nomination papers from Congress, BJP and others," he remarked. "People are not being allowed to vote (in West Bengal). She (Banerjee) is dictating terms. Let the people decide what they want to do and to whom they want to choose. I hope that the Election Commission would help us to conduct impartial election process," he said. Slamming Banerjee's request to the electorates to vote for her party and not others, Mukherjee said, "Asking for vote by a candidate to the voters is natural. But, asking people not to vote for others is a dangerous situation in Bengal." Jangipur is among the five seats (Balurghat, Maldaha Uttar, Maldaha Dakshin and Murshidabad), that will go to polls in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections on April 23. 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 yet another controversial remark after the end of Election Commission's (EC) 72 hours ban on him, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday called Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate Shafiqur Rahman Barq as 'Babar ki Aulad' (successor of Babar). "On the one hand, there is a candidate from a party which developed places linked to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gautam Budhha. On the other hand, there is an Opposition candidate who calls himself a 'Babar ki Aulad'," Yogi said at an election rally here. He said, "Once I was in Parliament, I asked the SP candidate, who was also an MP, as to who were his predecessors, he said he was the successor of Babar. I was surprised." Yogi's comments come days after the EC barred him from campaigning for 72 hours for allegedly making comments amounting to the violation of the model code of conduct. This was Yogi's first rally after the ban. The Chief Minister said that the fight on the Sambhal Lok Sabha seat was between a candidate who believes in nationalist, pro-development candidate and a person who called himself the successor of Mughal king Babar. In an apparent reference to the SP-BSP-RLD candidate, Yogi said: "The person who does not want to sing Vande Matram, who feels discomfort in garlanding Baba sahab, is not eligible to get your votes." Yogi termed the alliance leaders as anti-development and anti-poor, and urged the voters not to vote in favour of the people who feel ashamed in chanting Vande Matram. "Are you ready to hand over the country to anti-nationals, terrorists, anti-development and anti-poor people and to those who dub themselves as 'Babar ki Aulad'?" he said amid the cheering crowd. Attacking previous SP and BSP governments in the state, he said that earlier regimes discriminated between Hindus and Muslims and claimed that he had stopped the alleged practice. "Earlier governments discriminated between Deva Sharif and Mahadev. They sanctioned funds for Muslim cemeteries but not for Hindus. We stopped his discrimination," Yogi claimed. The BJP leaders also claimed that no incident of rioting took place after he took the charge of the UP government. There are around 18 lakh voters in Sambhal. Muslims constitute around 9 lakh followed by the Scheduled Caste (around 3 lakh) and Yadavas. Sambhal goes to polls on April 23. 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.) Twelve militants of the ISIS terrorist group (banned in Russia) were detained during a special operation conducted by the provincial police in the country's Izmir province. The operation to detain terrorists was carried out in three locations in Izmir. It was noted that all detainees are Turkish citizens. Firearms were also seized during the operation, Turkish media reported. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Friday called Congress 'sabse dhokebaaz' (most betraying) party of the country."Congress desh ki sabse dhokebaaz party hai," Akhilesh said at a press conference here. His comment came after Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday reportedly said that SP and BSP leaders are afraid of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he has the CBI and Enforcement Directorate under him. "Those Congress people who are saying that we are afraid of ED and CBI, we are in fact not afraid of any organisation. Congress itself got an investigation done on us. The person who filed the PIL belongs to Congress. Big leaders of Congress gave money to get PIL filed against Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and our family. That person is still a part of Congress. When the investigation got over and the matter came up for review, that person joined hands with BJP," said Akhilesh. "I want to make this clear that the person who filed PIL on Netaji, me and my wife Dimple has joined hands with both BJP and Congress. Both the parties have formed an alliance on this," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court has issued summons to SSP, District Magistrate and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) in connection with a plea seeking the closure of brothels in the district. The high court will hear the matter on April 23. Hearing a plea filed by advocate Sunil Chaudhary, the bench of Justices Sudhir Agrawal and Rajendra Kumar has summoned SSP Nitin Tiwari, DM Anil Dhingra, and CMO Rajkumar after the petitioner submitted that the officials have filed a false affidavit in the matter. The bench in its order said: "After hearing the petitioner, we find the presence of district administration authorities as well as the Chief Medical Officer concerned, is necessary since serious issues of human trafficking and prostitution are involved in the matter." In its affidavit, the district administration had submitted that there was no brothel in the proximity of Kaabari Baazar, Meerut, as claimed by the petitioner. "It is incorrect to suggest that the brothel is still running in the proximity of Kaabari Baazar, Meerut," the affidavit filed in the court in January this year said. The petitioner cited a report by the CMO which claimed that over 20,000 condoms were distributed among 400 sex workers living in these brothels, which are operational since 2009 in the last three months. Chaudhary informed the court that seven women died in these brothels, including one due to HIV and one after being shot by a customer. "Six sex workers of these brothels have been tested HIV positive," Chaudhary argued in his petition. Some unidentified miscreants had threatened to kidnap the petitioner's son if he does not withdraw the petition. He had even requested Prayagraj SSP and DM to give protection to his family. The district administration has yet to take any decision on Chaudhary's application. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI) demanding FIR against Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh and an ex-MLA of Banihal town for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the state. The BJP, in a complaint filed on Thursday, accused Waqar Rasool Wani, who was campaigning for Congress' candidate from Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency Vikramaditya Singh, of violating MCC by campaigning on polling day and requesting voters of a "particular religion" to vote for their party. In the audio clip, a copy of which has been sent to the ECI, Wani could be heard saying that Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is currently campaigning in Kerala, called him up and directed him to "appeal to the voters of the erstwhile Doda region belonging to particular community to cast their votes on communal lines," BJP claimed. The party has requested the ECI and Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir Shailendra Kumar to take appropriate action against the three leaders under the rules and regulations governing MCC and relevant provisions of Representation of the People Act, 1951. BJP has further requested the ECI to "debar" Azad from campaigning for Congress in the country. There are six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which two seats each went to polls on April 11 and 18. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A case was registered against Congress lawmaker from Rajgarh, Johari Lal Meena, here on Friday for allegedly raping a widow several times. The FIR, under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code, was registered against the Congress MLA after a criminal complaint was filed against him in a local court. The victim, a widow, met Meena for the first time two years ago. After the first meeting, the Congress leader allegedly made several visits to the victim's home. During one such visit, reportedly when the victim was unwell, Meena, on the pretext of making her see a doctor, took her to a hotel in the temple town of Mehndipur Balaji and gave her some medicines that left her unconscious. He then raped the victim who was in an inebriated condition and was unable to stop him. Before dropping her back to the village, he also blackmailed her with a video he had made of the incident. He threatened to make the clip public if she dared to make a complaint against him. On March 24, he forced her to visit his home and raped her again. A case has now been registered under section 328, 384 and 376 of IPC and the investigation has been handed over to the state CB-CID. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) November 17, 2021, Wednesday Aggiornamenti Lumia has shared screenshots and gifs, revealing what the new software will look like and what will be its key ... Senior BJP leader Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday that Congress put Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur behind bars only to target Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological organisations. Speaking to ANI, Joshi said, "Only to target the BJP and its ideological organisations, they (Congress) blamed Sadhvi and put her behind bars for years. Subsequently, the court discharged her. " Joshi, who is seeking a re-election from Dharwad constituency for the fourth time, said that "coining of the term 'Hindu terrorism' is the greatest setback for India". "Hindus cannot become terrorists; they did not know that, or they may know it for political reasons," he said. BJP has fielded Thakur against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case, wherein six people were killed and a dozen others were injured when a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008. When asked about Congress accusations of BJP trying to communalise the elections by bringing in Pragya Thakur, Joshi put the blame back on Congress saying, "Where is the communalisation? If at all somebody has communalised the issue of terrorism, it is the Congress party. When we were trying to isolate Pakistan internationally, they indirectly supported Pakistan. How can such a party say anything about BJP. Sadhvi has not been sentenced by court, how can they say this when they are having an alliance with the Muslim League?" "We have got all the right to say what nationalism is. How the issue of terrorism was being treated earlier and how it is being treated now, we have to explain to people. We are not politicising it," he explained. Joshi added that Congress is trying to use everything for its benefit, but when the party fails to do so, they blame the BJP. "If Rahul Gandhi had not questioned 56-inch chest, probably we would not have touched the subject." The BJP leader also attacked the Congress party on its NYAY scheme, which assures minimum income of Rs 6,000 per month or Rs 72,000 a year to 20 per cent of India's poorest if it emerges victorious in the Lok Sabha elections. "It (NYAY) is worthy of ridicule. Indira Gandhi ji had said 'Garibi Hatao'. What do you mean by that? If it had been done successfully, why is NYAY needed today? 'Roti Kapda Makaan' was their slogan," he said. "Congress party is not for 'work' but only for 'slogan'. Is it possible to give that much money when they themselves claim that the economy is not good?" Joshi asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned if the BJP became rich by selling tea across the country. Hitting out at the BJP over its manifesto while addressing media here, Kumaraswamy said, "BJP has stated in the manifesto that they will run a corruption-free government. What corruption free? Did Modi sell tea around the country and make the party rich? This claim of corruption free government of his is fake." "Around 78 lakhs (rupees) was recovered from one BJP leader in Karwar. Where did this money come from?" he asked. Kumaraswamy further said that he does not need to take lessons from Modi on patriotism.Kumaraswamy's comments come after Modi slammed Congress and JD(S), which are in a coalition in Karnataka, over the February 26 Balakot air strike, accusing the two parties of misleading the people by "calling Balakot as Bagalkot"."Modi says I am not patriotic. I don't need to learn patriotism from Modi. When Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, there was not a single blast in Kashmir. That is our heritage. So do not brand me, you have no right," Kumaraswamy said."In speech after speech, he (Modi) talks about Balakot strikes. He says Pakistan is quaking. We know that Karnataka does not border with Pakistan. He (Modi) went to Pakistan and god knows what all he promised there", he added.On Thursday, while mentioning the Balakot air strike, Modi had said: "We had attacked terror camps in Pakistan. But some here were crying (for proof). Some people had even said that it was an attack in Bagalkot and not Balakot. Is your vote bank in Bagalkot or Balakot?" Responding to a question on whether BJP leader Jagadish Shettar's reported remark that he wanted to bring Gowda's wife Chennamma into politics, Kumaraswamy termed it as "weird" and something which "pained him"."Jagadish Shettar said something which has pained me. He said Deve Gowda wants to bring his wife into This is weird. She is not political. But she has worked for the poor in her 80 years of life with no political ambition," he said.Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Kumaraswamy accused Modi of twisting his comments on the Pulwama terror attack."Modi said I shed tears for Pakistan. That is untrue. I shed tears when I saw the state of affairs in the house of a martyr (who died in Pulwama attack). He twisted even that. He called me a traitor because he wanted to hurt my sentiments," the Karnataka Chief Minister said."What wrong did I say when I stated that some of the soldiers come from poor families? Not all make it to be Generals and not all are from well off families. Is it so difficult for Modi to understand?" he said.Kumaraswamy was referring to the comments he had made in a public gathering in Madduru on April 12, where he came down heavily on Modi for "politicising" the sacrifices made by the armed forces. "Those who safeguard the borders are not children of rich people. They are children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals. However, here is a Prime Minister who politicises their ultimate sacrifice," he had said in the rally.Asserting that he does not do "politics" like Modi, Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of not letting the government function smoothly. Further taking a swipe at Modi, Kumaraswamy said, "I have waived off farmers' loans. As a Prime Minister, you should not speak like that (JD-S and Congress have not done anything for farmers). I do not speak lies like Modi." Calling Modi as an "incapable Prime Minister", Kumaraswamy criticised the BJP government for not creating enough jobs."The Prime Minister yesterday made many allegations against me by saying ours is a powerless government. But, what about his government? We are not running an incapable government like Modi. You are an incapable Prime Minister who is not capable to create jobs," he said.Kumaraswamy also blamed media for giving more importance to Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an Independent candidate supported by BJP. "Cinema actors like Darshan and Yash started melee trend in Karnataka who stopped their jobs and were campaigning for a lady who was shown as a taller leader than PM Modi," he said. Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, 14 constituencies went to polls during the second phase of general elections on April 18. The remaining 14 seats will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. 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.) The Election Commission on Thursday banned the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee's poll campaign, which uses the slogan 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' (Watchman is the thief). "The Congress's advertisement campaign, titled 'Chowkidar chor hai' has been banned with an immediate effect. These advertisements will not be allowed to be broadcast," reads a letter signed by the Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Madhya Pradesh, Rajesh Kaul. The EC took the decision to ban the campaign, which was being promoted via audio and video, following a complaint filed by the Madhya Pradesh unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP launched a campaign called, 'Main Bhi Chowkidar' a few months back in order to reinforce the party's image. Prime Minister in several rallies has repeatedly referred himself as country's chowkidar (watchman). This prompted Opposition parties to counter with another slogan, "chowkidar chor hai" or "the watchman is the thief". The Oppositions leaders in the past had used it several times attacking the Prime Minister and the BJP leaders, while also referring to Rafale fighter jet deal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A coalition of opposition political parties in Egypt on Thursday urged voters to reject proposed constitutional amendments that could allow President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to stay in power till 2030. "We want people to go and say no," Al Jazeera quoted Abdel-Aziz al-Husseini of the Karam party, as saying. The Civil Democratic Movement, including liberal and left-leaning parties, called the amendments an "assault on democracy". The three-day referendum will begin on Saturday. According to the constitution of Egypt, the president can contest for a maximum for two terms in which each term varies from four to six years. Khaled Dawood, an opposition leader and former head of the liberal Dostour, or Constitution Party, said if the referendum passes, "our dream and hope to have a president who is elected once every two terms will come to an end". "Unfortunately, the Egyptian regime is not learning the lessons of 2011 revolution or experiences in Algeria and Sudan," he said. Political analysts have also accused Sisi of misusing the state funds and power to launch crackdown on his political opposition. Opposition parties have claimed that they were banned from hanging banners in the streets to call on voters to reject the amendments and said they have only used social media to reach out to people. The 64-year-old came to power in 2014 after overthrowing then-President Mohamed Morsi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) on Friday filed a police complaint after he was slapped by an unidentified person during a rally in Surendranagar, The incident happened earlier in the day when Hardik was addressing a gathering at the Jan Akrosh Sabha. Hardik was in the middle of his speech when the attacker got on to the stage and slapped him. Subsequently, a scuffle broke out between the supporters of Hardik and the attacker. This incident comes a day after a shoe was hurled at BJP's national spokesperson GVL while he was addressing a media briefing in He, however, had a narrow escape as the shoe did not hit him. Patel emerged as the of the Patidar agitation demanding reservation for the community in in 2015. On March 12, Patel officially joined in Ahmedabad in the presence of party president and senior Prior to joining Congress, Hardik had said he would help strengthen the ideology of the party and take it to the villages. will go to polls on April 23 for the 26 Lok Sabha seats at stake. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Citizens are more satisfied with public services but concerned about environment, poverty and corruption: 2018 PAPI Report Updated: 16:18 - 19/04/2019 Paul J. Schuler and Do Thanh Huyen 2010 - 2013 PAPI not mentioned in any public communication of the province March 20, 2014 Report capturing Provincial Competitiveness Index (PCI) and PAPI findings submitted to the Chairperson of the Provincial Peoples Committee by the Department of Home Affairs to call for actions in response to poor performance as reported by citizens in the province. May 26, 2016 Provincial leaders met to discuss ways to improve performance, thus gaining higher PAPI, PCI and Public Administration Reform (PAR) Index scores. July 13, 2017 Dong Nai convened the first ever PAPI diagnostic workshop, with UNDP providing analysis of the 2016 PAPI findings for the province and Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics (HCMA) sharing experiences of other provinces. During this period, Dong Nai was calling for innovative ideas from businesses and the public on how to further reform administrative procedures. July 24, 2017 The Dong Nai Provincial Peoples Committee issued Directive No. 7213/UB-HC on implementation of measures to improve provincial and public administration performance, in order to achieve higher PAPI scores. Provincial and district agencies followed up with their sectoral and local action plans to roll out the measures. See the action plan by the Department of Science and Technology, dated August 15, 2017, as an example. August 6, 2017 Dong Nai convened its advisory meeting to hear from UNDP and HCMA on how to improve their performance from commune to provincial levels. At the meeting, Dong Nai provincial leaders requested heads of agencies in the province to hear and act upon citizen feedback to improve their performance. April 4, 2018 Dong Nai provincial leaders attended the launch of the 2017 PAPI Report and reported immediately to citizens about how the province performed in 2017 via the provinces own public administration reform website. September 17, 2018 Dong Nai Province launched its first-ever real-time surveys to obtain citizen feedback, based on the PAPI model. The surveys, which asked about the quality and performance of one-stop shops from provincial to commune levels, were developed with substantive advice from UNDP and assistance from Real-Time Analytics, a PAPI partner. September - December 2018 Dong Nai kept track of the findings from its real-time survey tool, and informed the public about how the PAPI-like survey on one-stop shop performance works. December 28, 2018 Dong Nai launched the 2018 Report No. 14443/BC-UBND on citizens satisfaction with administrative services from provincial to commune levels. [1] This article is an excerpt from the 2018 PAPI Report. PAPI is joint empirical policy research by CECODES, the Center for Research and Training of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF-CRT), the Real-Time Analytics, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). For more information about PAPI, visit www.papi.org.vn. [2] Dr Edmund J. Malesky, Professor of Political Economy from Duke University (UNDP international consultant on governance measurement); Dr Dang Hoang Giang, Deputy Director in charge of the Center for Community Support and Development Studies (CECODES); Dr Paul Schuler, Assistant Professor from the University of Arizona (UNDP international consultant on research quality control); and Ms. Do Thanh Huyen, Governance Policy Analyst and PAPI Program Manager from UNDP Vietnam. , , This article presents a snapshot of key findings from the 2018 Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) research project.The 2018 PAPI Report provides data and analysis about the countrys performance in governance and public administration, as drawn from citizens direct interactions and experiences with local governments at different levels in 2018.This article presents findings from the eighth edition of the annual nationwide survey of the Vietnam Provincial Governance and Public Administration Performance Index (PAPI) - a quantitative measurement tool that offers a comprehensive picture of how central and provincial governments have performed on an annual basis. It also marks the 10year of the PAPI initiative since its introduction in 2009. The 2018 PAPI Report captures experiences and perceptions related to the performance of local governments in governance and public administration in 2018 based on a survey ofwith different demographic characteristics, randomly selected from all 63 provinces and centrally run cities in Vietnam. It also sums up the statements ofcitizens who have participated in rigorous face-to-face surveys since 2009 to share their experiences and assessments of the performance by the state apparatus from the central to commune levels.Over the years, PAPI has provided data and evidence that reflect six core dimensions (areas) of government performance: (i) participation in elections and policymaking at the local level, (ii) transparency in decision-making, (iii) vertical accountability, (iv) control of corruption in the public sector, (v) public administrative procedures, and (vi) public service delivery. PAPI adapts in response to policy changes and reforms, providing updated reviews of government performance that match citizens needs and expectations in these dimensions. As a result, each of the dimensions was refined in 2018, with some old indicators removed and some new indicators introduced to reflect policy changes. Furthermore, as Vietnam develops, new governance challenges have emerged, such as the need for environmental protection and the implementation of e-governance (using information and communication technology for delivering government services). Therefore, from 2018 onward PAPI includes two new dimensions: (vii) environmental governance, and (viii) e-governance. These two dimensions focus on emerging areas of governance and public administration, and emphasize the participatory nature of governance, one that involves citizens at large (in addition to the State or other providers of public services). This includes citizen participation in every process of decision-making to protect the environment as a public good, and to develop e-government tools that utilize public resources for public use.This article summarizes what national and provincial governments have done to improve their performance in governance and public administration in 2018 and provides suggestions about how they can better serve their citizens over time.As Vietnam develops, a wide range of new governance challenges in areas such as environmental protection and e-governance have emerged. Although these new challenges require new solutions, other long-standing issues persist. Anti-corruption efforts, public service delivery, administrative procedures simplification, transparency, and government responsiveness remain as important as ever. In short, governance and public administration challenges in Vietnam exhibit both continuity and change. These evolving trends create challenges and opportunities for PAPI, which must be flexible and adapt to new conditions. At the same time, to provide insights about improvements over time, the index must provide continuity. The section, therefore, provides information and analysis about both longer-term trends and emerging dimensions of governance. Figure 1 below illustrates the trend from 2011 to 2018.Results for the Core PAPI show that there was improvement, although at different rates, in all of these six dimensions in 2018. Three of the dimensions - Participation at Local Levels, Transparency, and Vertical Accountability - showed significant progress, while the other three - Control of Corruption in the Public Sector, Public Administrative Procedures, and Public Service Delivery - exhibited steady improvement.The most significant improvement over time in the Core PAPI dimension of Participation at Local Levels involves decreased use of pressure to force citizens to contribute to local projects either financially, in kind or with their labor. Findings from the report show that there has been a consistent decrease in the number of citizens reporting that they were forced by local officials to contribute to a project; about 50 percent of those contributing said they did so voluntarily in 2017 and 2018, up from an average of about 45 percent prior to 2017. This suggests that citizens have more freedom to decide if they wish to contribute to local projects.What stands out for the Transparency in Local Decision-Making dimension (which includes the three core sub-dimensions of transparency in poverty lists, transparency in commune budgets and expenditures, and transparency in land use plans and price frames) is that there was a higher level of citizen satisfaction with transparency in how poverty lists were formulated in 2018, and in transparency of commune budgets and expenditures. However, transparency in land use plans remains an important issue for local governments to improve. One critical but pertaining issue with transparency in land use plans is that over time, less than one-fourth of the population was able to access information about local land use plans and less than one-third had opportunities to provide comments.. The third dimension, Vertical Accountability, underwent the most change in 2018. Only one sub-dimension - Interaction with Local Authorities - remains constant. Findings from this sub-dimension shows that more citizens reported that they had interactions with village leaders and commune officials in 2018 than in 2017.Key findings from the Control of Corruption in the Public Sector dimension, which remains constant over time, show that citizens were less likely to observe corruption in provision of health care and education services, and in hiring for local government positions. The data also indicate that the percentage of respondents agreeing or somewhat agreeing with the statement that they had to pay a bribe in 2018 for state employment, public health care services, primary education, or construction permits maintained its decline since 2017. However, concerns about bribery for land use rights certificates (LURCs) and public officials diversion of public funds remained constant over the two years.While citizens across all groups were more likely to say that corruption had decreased than increased, there are large differences by administrative level. While nearly 60 percent of citizens said that corruption at the commune level had decreased in the past three years, the proportion dropped to less than 50 percent when citizens responded to the same question about corruption at the national level. Also, corruption emerged as one of the top three issues of greatest concern in 2018.Quality of services related to Public Administrative Procedures is another dimension that PAPI has tracked since 2011. Findings from this dimension reflect slight improvements in 2018, particularly regarding the administrative services for LURCs. This, combined with some improvement in land transparency, suggests that while much work remains to be done to enhance land governance performance, noticeable gains have been made.. The sixth core PAPI dimension - Public Service Delivery - reveals a significant divergence between different basic services. The Public Health sub-dimension, for example, saw continued improvement in 2018, largely thanks to the increased number of respondents accessing health insurance; the rate rose from 80 percent in 2017 to 87 percent in 2018. Scores in the Basic Infrastructure sub-dimension, which includes garbage collection, road quality, electrification, and drinking water quality, also improved dramatically in 2018. Compared to the other public services, public primary education saw some decline, which was mainly due to lower satisfaction with the quality of primary schools and of primary education.Concrete findings from the new Environmental Governance dimension suggest that more citizens were concerned about water quality than air quality in 2018 compared to prior years. More than half of the respondents said water quality had worsened in the past three years, while about 36 percent said air quality had declined over the same period. Also, the percentage of respondents preferring environmental protection to economic development at all costs increased from 69 percent in 2016 to 74 percent in 2018.Findings from the new E-Governance dimension show that the percentage of respondents who access news on the Internet surged from 28 percent in 2017 to 38 percent in 2018. Fifty-three percent of respondents said they had Internet access at home, an increase of more than 15 percent from 2017. However, the percentages of respondents using government e-portals for administrative procedures and services remained extremely low, ranging from about 1 percent (for construction permit procedures) to 4 percent (for certification procedures), although some increase could be seen from the 2017 figures.Overall, despite progress in some areas, significant room for improvement remains. As findings from the six Core PAPI dimensions show, governance and public administration performance in 2018 improved across a wide range of aspects, while challenges remain in important areas such as voluntary participation, land transparency, corruption in state employment, land use rights certification and public primary education. Similarly, findings from the new dimensions of Environmental Governance and E-Governance show that there are opportunities for increased efforts in these areas. Because air, water and environmental pollutants are both endogenous and heterogeneous in nature, provincial governments can partner with neighboring provinces to find common solutions besides simply implementing local measures to prevent environmental pollution in their provinces. Lastly, the more citizens receive access to the Internet, the higher their expectations are for strengthened e-governance and better access to online facilities for administrative procedures to reduce transaction costs, including informal costs.This section provides findings about issues of great importance for Vietnamese citizens and the Government. While noting that the sharpest increases in 2018 compared to previous years were in concerns about corruption, economic growth, law and order, and education, this section briefs findings from the 2018 PAPI survey about economic inequality, environmental trade-offs and gender equality, to better understand citizens expectations for the State in these areas, as illustrated in Figure 2.While Vietnams economic growth rate in 2018 was reported to reach 7 percent, respondents continued to cite poverty and hunger as the top two matters requiring additional efforts by the State. Poverty ranked first in the list of issues of greatest concern for the fourth year in a row (since 2015). Fears about falling back into poverty and concerns about the impact of poverty on overall national development were still the key drivers behind the continued importance of poverty reduction. Deeper analysis shows that income inequality was the key economic driver for poverty concerns. In terms of solutions, wealthier respondents are more likely to support paying taxes for redistribution of resources to poorer provinces.. In-depth analysis in this report shows that negative environmental impacts have a consistent effect on respondents preferences for environmental protection across different societal groups. In general, Vietnamese citizens were willing to contribute to improved environmental conditions. Citizens also prefer environmentally clean investors over those that contribute comparatively more to job growth and local tax revenues but less to protecting the environment. In terms of being willing to pay for greener energy, reduced local air pollution and the ability to improve power generation were more important factors in citizens support than mitigating climate change. Overall, the findings in this area suggest that environmental issues are critically important for Vietnamese citizens of all types.. As gender equality is a high priority in Vietnams sustainable development agenda, the 2018 report examines public views regarding gender and leadership positions. Findings from the research show that a majority of voters have no preference for either male or female candidates. Among the minority who do have a preference, more are likely to prefer men than women. This bias is most pronounced for political leadership positions and, interestingly, is most pronounced among women.The final session provides an overview of provincial performance in eight dimensions of governance and public administration. Of these dimensions, the six conventional (core) ones are Participation at Local Levels, Transparency in Local Decision-Making, Vertical Accountability, Control of Corruption in the Public Sector, Public Administrative Procedures, and Public Service Delivery, and two new dimensions are Environmental Governance and E-Governance.Findings from the 2018 PAPI survey indicate that provincial governments need to do a lot more to satisfy their citizens expectations. There remains a significant disparity between the highest aggregated provincial score of 47.05 points and the potential maximum aggregated score of 80 points (on the scale of 10-80 points for all eight dimensions). This gap suggests that opportunities exist for further reforms and better implementation of policy by local governments as they strive to be more open, transparent, accountable, and responsive, and to act with integrity.Dimensional results also show that each province has its own strengths and weaknesses; none of the 63 provinces and cities excelled in all eight dimensions. For instance, Lang Son and Bac Giang were in the best performing groups in six out of the eight dimensions. Still, Bac Giang remained in the low-average performing group for the Vertical Accountability dimension. This suggests that no solution is best for all provinces; local governments need to review each indicator to understand where they have performed well and where they need to improve, and then identify relevant solutions for each policy area included in PAPI.Interestingly, regional patterns have been consistent over time in some dimensions, despite the changes made to the index in 2018. Northern provinces tend to do better in the areas of Participation at Local Levels, Transparency in Local Decision-Making, and Vertical Accountability compared to southern provinces. On the contrary, more southern provinces perform better in the Control of Corruption in the Public Sector dimension. However, in the two new dimensions, northern provinces tended to perform better in E-Governance but do more poorly in Environmental Governance than their southern peers. Regional differences may suggest areas of focus for government agencies in charge of regional development, such as encouraging provinces within each region to focus on weak areas and/or to exchange information or experiences with provinces in other regions.The PAPI findings have contributed to a variety of impacts over the years, and greater impacts are expected in the future at the provincial level. All 63 provinces and cities have hosted local PAPI diagnostic workshops, and all of them have issued action plans, directives, official letters or resolutions to request that local government agencies respond to the citizen feedback generated by PAPI. In 2018 alone, at least 38 provinces issued new or renewed provincial responses with a one-year or three-year perspective, aiming at attaining higher citizen satisfaction with their performance. Box 1 below introduces efforts by Dong Nai province in improving local governments performance to serve citizens better. These provincial efforts are encouraging while it is important to note that citizens will expect for more as Vietnam develops to become a middle-income country.Despite rapid declines in poverty and improvements in economic conditions, many Vietnamese - particularly those in lower income strata - remain concerned about poverty and the environment. The option of taxation for redistribution to poorer areas tends to receive a high level of support among the wealthier and more educated respondents. With 90 percent of the population earning less than VND 20 million (equivalent to USD 862) per person per month, and a much smaller group of wealthier people, policy on tax-based redistribution should be well-articulated and well-designed so as not to upset low-income earners.Findings on environmental trade-offs also hint at the need for continued difficult juggling acts by the Government: Citizens consistently prioritize environmental protection, even at the expense of economic growth. The desire for a secure power supply amidst the quest for cleaner energy to replace coal power plants poses another development challenge. This suggests that any decision-making processes for new investment projects and energy development need to incorporate deliberative consultation with the public to ensure that citizens opinions regarding the trade-offs are fully and openly considered, and to avoid potential conflicts when the projects are carried out.On the issue of gender equality, while some progress has been made toward equal rights to LURCs, much work remains to increase equal opportunities for both women and men in leadership positions. While the 2018 data show that a majority of citizens do not have a gender preference when electing candidates to political leadership positions, a substantial minority express a preference for male candidates, and the greatest bias appears to be among female rather than male respondents. These findings highlight a great opportunity for more women to be elected to political positions, while also suggesting that more work needs to be done to end societal stigma against women, especially among female voters.Local governments should pay attention to each of the PAPI indicators when seeking ways to respond to citizens rising expectations. As shown in this report, citizens have demanded more opportunities for increased participation in local decision-making; enhanced transparency and accountability; continued efforts to control corruption in the public sector; greater attention paid to managing the environment (the most problematic issue); and improved e-governance so that governments and citizens can interact virtually to obtain basic information about public policy and public services.Achieving all this requires both holistic and context-based policies and practical measures to help local governments in responding to citizens desires for more participatory and inclusive governance. These measures may include, among others, regular and ad-hoc monitoring of local governments performance (by both government and non-government entities), openness and responsiveness to feedback from citizens, and deliberative participatory processes to engage citizens in decision-making and policy implementation. Open government at all levels may be the next reform endeavor to meet the rising demands from Vietnamese citizens.At the national level, state and government agencies at the central level should also consider what citizens are most concerned about (in addition to paying attention to specific citizen expectations for local government actions, which can inform central-level policy responses). As this report shows, while citizens are very optimistic about the economic situation of the country and their own households, they are (somewhat paradoxically) most concerned about poverty reduction, economic growth, corruption and the environment - all of which call for attention and action by the State.Delving into the reasons for these views, there are several key conclusions that can be drawn based on the 2018 PAPI survey responses: Citizens are concerned about rising income inequality, about embedded gender disparity within the state apparatus (a majority of citizens support both men and women filling positions of political power), and about systemic large-scale corruption and petty corruption as experienced by citizens. They also have a strong preference for environmental protection and clean investment (as opposed to economic growth at all costs). The desire for greater participatory, transparent, accountable, clean, responsive, and environmentally friendly public institutions and policies is clear from citizens feedback.In this context, PAPI acts as a rigorous and objective open platform, enabling citizens to benchmark their governments performance and advocate for improvement while creating constructive competition and promoting learning among local authorities in different aspects of governance and public administration. With the time series data, the PAPI partners have produced the annual reports providing multidimensional and comparative perspectives for central and local governments to review their performance at both the comprehensive and sector-specific levels. Eventually, PAPI serves as a means of verification for better governance and public administration at the local level and also informs the policy cycle at the central level in Vietnam. The data also provide necessary baselines for Vietnam to review the implementation of the national 2011-20 socio-economic development strategy and the Sustainable Development Goals toward 2030 and to plan for the 2021-30 socio-economic development strategy.- An unidentified man slapped Congress leader Hardik Patel on Friday while he was addressing a gathering at the Jan Akrosh Sabha here. Hardik was in the middle of his speech here when the attacker got on to the stage and slapped him. A scuffle broke out after the incident between the supporters of the Congress leader and the attacker. This incident comes a day after a shoe was hurled at BJP's spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao while he was addressing a media briefing in New Delhi. He, however, had a narrow escape as the shoe did not hit him. Patel emerged as the leader of the Patidar agitation demanding reservation for the community in Gujarat in 2015. The people from this community were considered to be bedrock supporters of the BJP. On March 12, Patel officially joined Congress in Ahmedabad in the presence of party chief Rahul Gandhi and senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge. Prior to joining Congress, Hardik had said he would help strengthen the ideology of the party and take it to the villages. Gujarat will go to polls on April 23 for the 26 Lok Sabha seats at stake. 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.) Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and the BJP candidate against Congress's Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, said that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him. "I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," she said. Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Pragya Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Thakur has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. On Wednesday, she formally joined the BJP and will contest against Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal parliamentary constituency. Several opposition leaders have slammed the BJP for fielding a terror accused in the Lok Sabha elections. "After spending 10 years in jail due to Congress conspiracy, I have come here to fight the political and religious war," Thakur said after joining the BJP. She is expected to file her nomination from Bhopal on April 23. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. 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 become world's first 100 per cent green energy metro rail network, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) started its operations through the support of solar energy on Violet line in between the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium metro station to Central Secretariat station. "To mark the beginning of this new arrangement, DMRC's Managing Director, Dr Mangu Singh travelled in a Metro powered by solar energy along with Manu Srivastava, Chairperson, Rewa Ultra Mega Solar, Upendra Tripathi, Director General, International Solar Alliance and other senior officials," said DMRC. The DMRC has received 27 megawatts (MW) solar power from Madhya Pradesh's Rewa Solar Power Project, which will gradually increase it to 99 MW. The rail corporation has a plan to run all its operations with the help of solar energy by 2021. "On average, DMRC would be given 345 million units (MU) of power from Rewa every year. We are likely to start receiving 99 MW solar energy from the 750 MW park in Rewa from May 2019," DMRC officials said. On Wednesday, the Union Minister of State for Power and Coal, Piyush Goyal presided over the signing of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) between DMRC and Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company (MPPMC) with Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited. "During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and with the cooperation of all chief ministers of various states in the last three years, renewable energy has seen a growth of over 370 per cent. As compared to 2,600 MW of installed solar power capacity in 2014, today in India, there is a total of 12,200 MW of installed solar power capacity and the country would achieve the 20,000MW solar power capacity target five years ahead of schedule by the end of 2017," the Union Minister noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Police Service (IPS) Association on Friday condemned the 'insulting' statement made by 2008 Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in reference to former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) Hemant Karkare. "Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," the IPS wrote on their Twitter handle. Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. On Thursday, Thakur, who is also the BJP candidate against Congress's Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, said that Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him. "I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," she had said. Following Thakur's statement on Karkare yesterday, the Opposition launched a fresh attack on the BJP, terming her comment as "disgraceful" and slammed the ruling party for spreading "negative politics". Taking to Twitter, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms. BJP is showing its true colours & it must be shown it's place now." Echoing similar sentiments, RJD leader Tejashvi Yadav accused the BJP of indulging in of "lies". "People like her are spreading negativity in BJP's ideology is the same as Sadhvi Pragya's. BJP is indulging in of falsehood and lies," he told reporters in Patna. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya, however, refrained from making any remarks on Thakur's comments. He, instead, said that such comments on armed forces and martyrs were not to be made and such rules were set by the Election Commission. "EC has clearly said that no political comments should be made on armed forces and martyrs. Hemant Karkare ji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom for the people of Mumbai in a terror attack. I do not want to comment on it (Thakur's remarks)," Singh told ANI. Earlier in the day, the senior Congress leader said that he would not comment on Thakur who is pitted against him from the Bhopal parliamentary seat. The BJP, meanwhile, distanced itself from the controversial comment of Thakur while stating that it was her personal point of view and would not do politics on Karkare's death. "We respect every son and daughter of India who sacrificed their lives for the motherland. What Pragya ji has said that would evidently be her point of view perhaps because she herself underwent investigation. We salute the sacrifice of Karkare ji and won't do politics on it," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli told ANI. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao said a complaint was received against Thakur for her remarks. "The cognizance has been taken. The matter is under enquiry", Rao said. Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Thakur has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. On Wednesday, she formally joined the BJP and will contest against Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal parliamentary constituency. Several opposition leaders have slammed the BJP for fielding a terror accused in the Lok Sabha elections. "After spending 10 years in jail due to Congress conspiracy, I have come here to fight the political and religious war," Thakur had said after joining the BJP. She is expected to file her nomination from Bhopal on April 23. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. 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.) A UN investigator on Thursday urged United Nations to provide justice to slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, recommending that the "perpetrators" and the "masterminds" behind the murder should be "tried". Agnes Callamard, an academic who leads an international probe into the killing at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2, is expected to release her findings to the United Nations Rights Council before its next session in June. "My report is ... going to spend a lot of time and pages on the next steps and the recommendations and how we provide accountability to Mr Khashoggi, to his family, friends and colleagues," Callamard told Al Jazeera on Thursday. It will examine how "we ensure that the killing, and the vacuum the killing generated in terms of accountability, [so] that we take steps to address the vacuum", she added. "I am not a court of law. I cannot try the perpetrators. I can provide the information, I can recommend that the perpetrators and the masterminds be tried, but I cannot do that myself," Callamard said. "You have to wait a few more months as I go through the various options, but you will find that in the report." According to US intelligence agencies, Khashoggi's murder was enacted upon orders given by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. However, Saudi Arabia has repeatedly rejected all the allegations against its Crown Prince, adding that it is committed to bringing the perpetrators to justice. Meanwhile, prosecutors are seeking death penalty for five of the 11 people allegedly involved in Khashoggi's murder. If the accused are convicted and given death penalties, the Saudi justice system would allow Khashoggi's family to grant mercy to the alleged murderers through the so-called "blood money" arrangement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said the Kashmir issue was born out of the "mistakes" committed by India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Addressing a public rally in Bhiwani, Khattar said, "Kashmir could have been an integral part of India but it was because of the mistakes committed by Jawaharlal Nehru that Article 370 came into force in the state." He also told voters here that Congress does not want to scrap Article 370 while reaffirming that his party will continue to make efforts in this direction in order to repeal it. Article 370 grants special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A, incorporated into the Constitution in 1954, provides special rights and privileges to the citizens of the state. Khattar's statements come shortly after BJP released its manifesto, reiterating its demand for abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution, provisions which are specific to Jammu and Kashmir. It also said that the party will make efforts to ensure the safe return of Kashmiri Pandits to the state. In Haryana, where 10 Lok Sabha seats are at stake, polling will be held on May 12, 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.) The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Friday filed a complaint against Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), weeks after his remarks on 'Jain religion'. On April 4, Deora, while addressing an event at Zhaveri Bazar, accused Shiv Sena of hurting religious sentiments of Jain followers. The Mumbai Congress president urged the community to teach them a lesson by not giving them vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "Shiv Sena has been against the minorities. A few years ago, the party insulted the Jain religion by cooking meat outside Jain temples during Paryushana festival. Remember, you have to teach them a lesson through your votes," he had said at an event. Later, one of the Shiv Sena candidates complained to the EC stating that the allegations made by Deora were "false and are religiously sensitive". Following which, the EC looked into the matter and now it has asked the police to register an FIR. Paryushana, an annual event where Jain community observe fast for a period of eight days, is usually celebrated in August or September. The Lok Sabha polls for 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra began on April 11. It has been staggered in four phases till April 29. The 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.) Just months before the presidential elections, Mali's Prime Minister Abdoulaye Idrissa Maiga and his cabinet resigned on Friday. Maiga "presented to the president his resignation along with that of the members of his government," France 24 has quoted president's office as saying. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has reportedly accepted Maiga's decision to quit. This comes a month after a horrific massacre of Fulani community members carried out by the Dogon ethnic group in which nearly 160 people were killed. Maiga is vice-chairman of the ruling Rally for Mali (RPM), which Keita founded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Within few hours of test-firing the "new-type tactical guided weapon", North Korea on Thursday demanded the removal of U.S. Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo from denuclearisation talks with the United States, state media reported. State-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that Pyongyang has urged Washington to remove the "obstacles" on the path to its denuclearisation and called for the replacement of Washington's top negotiator with someone who is "more careful and mature in communicating with us." A senior Foreign Ministry official told KCNA that whenever Pompeo "pokes his nose in, talks between the two countries go wrong without any results even from the point close to success." "I am afraid that if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled," the official added. "Therefore, even in the case of a possible resumption of the dialogue with the U.S., I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but [another] person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us," he said. While addressing state media, the official once again reiterated North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's words that the US needs to change its attitude and right method in order to hold a third summit between the two countries. The second summit between the US and North Korea in February in Hanoi ended abruptly without reaching an agreement over the denuclearisation process of the Korean peninsula. However, Pompeo stands in the way of a resumption of talks, the official noted at the same time. "We cannot be aware of Pompeo's ulterior motive behind his self-indulgence in reckless remarks; whether he is indeed unable to understand words properly or just pretending on purpose," the official said. "The U.S. cannot move us one iota by its current way of thinking. In his previous visits to Pyongyang, Pompeo was granted audiences with our Chairman of the State Affairs Commission for several times and pleaded for ... denuclearisation," he added. "However, after sitting the other way round, he spouted reckless remarks hurting the dignity of our supreme leadership at Congress hearings last week to unveil his mean character by himself, thus stunning the reasonable people," he was quoted as saying. The demand comes after Pompeo made personal remarks on Kim last week. According to state media, Pompeo, while testifying before a Senate subcommittee, was asked if he would agree with the characterisation of Kim as a "tyrant." In response, Pompeo said, "Sure. I'm sure I've said that. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The President of Nepal, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, is scheduled to address the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRFIC), during her official eight-day state visit to China from April 24, according to an official press release. Apart from speaking at the BRFIC, Bhandari is also slated to hold delegation-level talks with her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. She will also address the joint meeting of Nepal and China's business community in Beijing during her visit. The Nepalese President will also visit Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi Province, on her way to Beijing. The delegation accompanying the President consists of Nepal's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Chief Minister of Province Number 3, Dor Mani Paudel, Members of Federal Parliament, high-ranking government officials, the Ambassador of Nepal to China, and representatives from the private sector and media persons. Wrapping up her visit, she is scheduled to return to Nepal on May 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) OANA members discuss professional and innovative journalism Updated: 15:44 - 19/04/2019 Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam (first line, centre) and head delegates pose for a group photo at the meeting's opening ceremony on Friday morning__Photo: VNA , , , , The 44th Executive Board Meeting of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) officially opened in Hanoi on Friday, with the theme For professional and innovative journalism.Hosted by the Vietnam News Agency (VNA), the meeting focuses on three main contents, including strategies of news agencies in response to changes in information use behaviors which focus on video clips and the YouTube platform; fake news and fact-checking; and regaining trust for mainstream news.In his opening speech, VNA General Director Nguyen Duc Loi, who is also a member of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC), said that in the last five decades since it became an OANA member in 1969, the VNA had been an active member of the organization and made various contributions to activities enhancing the development of journalism in the Asia-Pacific.The hosting of the 44th OANA Executive Board Meeting once again affirms the role and voice of the state news agency of Vietnam in this multilateral press forum, the largest of its kind in the region, he said.According to the VNA General Director, the worlds population now stands at 7.7 billion, of whom 52 percent are Internet users. They use the Internet not only to communicate but also to provide information. This has created a fierce competition against mainstream news.As such, the press not only competes with each other, but is also in an unfair competition with their own traditional readers who are using social networking platforms to spread information. The unfairness that I mention here is that while the press needs to verify information, conduct interviews, or collect relevant data to bring overall and objective information to the public, many organizations and individuals use social media accounts to spread unlimited amounts of unchecked and subjective information with only one click, some with negative intentions of making profits and causing social chaos, Loi said.Furthermore, the co-existence of real and fake information across many communication platforms made the public lose faith in mainstream news, he said.Loi said: The function of news agencies is providing source information for press organizations and other partners. The OANA member news agencies have transformed themselves to perform the role of not only providing information but also verifying information to fulfill their mission of bringing accurate and humane information to press agencies and readers.Addressing the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam, member of the CPVCC, said in recent years, in the wake of numerous forms of communications based on modern technologies as well as fast and widespread fake news, the OANA not only served as a direct channel to provide information to news organizations and partners but also served as a fact checker to help bolster the trust of the public in traditional press.The OANAs activities, such as building journalism guidelines in news reporting, editing, granting of awards in quality journalism and photo exhibitions, aimed to improve the effectiveness of information and to strengthen its role as a leading news organization in the region and in the world, he said.Dam stressed that since the renewal era, Vietnam had achieved milestones in its development effort, which had been recognized and appreciated by the international community.During that journey, the Vietnamese press had been standing side by side the country, he said, mentioning the almost 100 news organizations in Vietnam that employ 41,000 workers, of which 19,000 are journalists.The Vietnamese press and the VNA would continue to play an important part in bringing the news on the latest policies and laws to the people, in protecting citizen rights and to help promote the image of Vietnamese culture and people, Dam said.The agencys co-operation and information exchange with more than 40 international news agencies around the world had played an important part in the promotion of Vietnam as a beautiful country, of Vietnamese people as a friendly and peace-loving people. "The VNA will remain a bridge to connect Vietnam with our international friends and partners," the Deputy PM added.This years hosting of the 44th OANA Executive Board Meeting in Hanoi has significant meaning as it marks the 50 years the agency has been a part of the OANA. We believe that the 44th OANA meeting will bring a breath of fresh air to the development of the organization as well as the member agencies, he said.OANA President Aslan Aslanov, who is also Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), said the VNA was one of the most active members of OANA and its Executive Board.By perfectly organizing this meeting and demonstrating its commitment to excellence and professionalism in news industry, the VNA once again proved itself to be the leading media outlet in the region, he said.OANA, which includes major news agencies of the region, could grow into a powerful platform for addressing the newly emerging challenges. To this end, we should immediately apply innovations, continue to modernize our organization and create more flexible news exchange mechanisms. I believe this is what we all want and each of us is ready to contribute to this cause, Aslanov stressed.- No Pakistani soldiers or civilians were injured during the air strike carried out on terror launch pads in Pakistan's Balakot in February, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Thursday. Addressing a gathering of BJP Mahila Morcha members here, she said: "We told the international community that the Indian military was instructed not to attack any civilians and soldiers and they supported us." She further said that the air strike was carried out in "self-defence" two weeks after the Pulwama terror attack, in which as many as 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives. "Armed forces were directed to target only the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camps and return," Swaraj mentioned. The External Affairs Minister came down heavily on Congress for not taking any "strong action" against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. "Even after the attack in which as many as 40 persons belonging to 14 countries died, previous Congress-led government did not isolate the neighbouring country," she added. Swaraj reiterated that the BJP-led government's foreign policy was the reason behind the isolation of Pakistan at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi. "Islamabad had on March 1 protested against the invitation extended to India for a meet of the OIC in Abu Dhabi, but the host country, the United Arab Emirates, rebuffed them," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least seven people were killed and over 40 others suffered injuries after a passenger bus travelling to Karachi, Pakistan overturned at Morghar near Badin on Friday. Quoting police sources, the Radio Pakistan confirmed that the accident occurred due to over speeding of the bus. The injured were immediately rushed to the local hospital for medical assistance. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was disappointed over the party's decision to reinstate men who misbehaved with her at a press conference in Mathura last year, on Friday, joined Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena is a BJP ally in Maharashtra. Chaturvedi's resignation came shortly after she sent her resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. While addressing a press conference in Matoshree along with the Shiv Sena chief, Chaturvedi said, "I was disappointed when those who were suspended following my complaint were reinstated. I am thankful to Uddhav ji, Aditya ji for giving me respect and welcoming me into the party and family." "I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought," she added. However, sources told ANI said that Chaturvedi left Congress because she was miffed for not getting the party ticket to contest Lok Sabha polls from Maharashtra after all spokespersons were advised not to seek ticket in the elections. Uddhav Thackeray also spoke to media during the press conference and said that he is proud of Priyanka Chaturvedi over her decision. In September last year, some local party leaders had allegedly misbehaved with Priyanka while she was attending a press conference on the Rafale deal in Mathura. Congress had initially thrown them out but recently taking the elections into consideration they were reportedly taken back. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former union minister and BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday said that Congress is like a sinking ship and that is the reason why its spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has left the party. Addressing a press conference here, Hussain said: "Congress party is like a sinking ship and its members are abandoning it, and that is why the Congress spokesperson also left the party." Speaking about the Lok Sabha elections and impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: "After the second phase of voting, it has become clear that there is a Modi wave throughout the country. The opponent also knows this and that is why SP and BSP are conducting a rally with arch-rivals Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav coming together on one platform." "They are doing the rally together despite allegations that Mulayam Singh Yadav once planned to kill Mayawati," he added. The BJP leader further said, "Both SP and BSP are corrupt and dynastic parties. They are coming together because they are afraid of Modi wave in the polls." Shahnawaz also mocked Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha who was till recently in the BJP. On Shatrughan campaigning for his wife and SP leader Poonam Sinha in Lucknow, the BJP leader said: "Sinha even praised BSP's Mayawati during the campaign. The Congress candidate in Lucknow was hoping for the actor-politician to campaign for him, instead he campaigned for the SP leader." He also claimed that he witnessed massive support for BJP in an election rally in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Disappointed over the party's decision to reinstate men who misbehaved with her at a press conference in Mathura some time back, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday quit the party. Just minutes after she made her resignation letter public, Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena said that Chaturvedi will join his political quarter later in the day. "In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in a letter addressed to Rahul Gandhi. "What saddens me is that despite safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party. A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members, while I was on official duty for the party, has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC," she wrote. In September last year, some local party leaders had allegedly misbehaved with Priyanka while she was attending a press conference on the Rafale deal in Mathura. Congress had initially thrown them out but recently taking the elections into consideration they were reportedly taken back. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday removed ' Spokesperson-Congress' from her Twitter bio, leading to speculations that all is not well between her and and the party. The move comes two days after Chaturvedi expressed unhappiness over Congress' decision to take back some of its old timers who were expelled for misbehaving with her. Some local party leaders had allegedly misbehaved with Priyanka while she was attending a press conference in Mathura recently. Congress had initially thrown them out but taking elections into consideration, they were reportedly taken back. "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get preference in @incindia over those who have given their sweat and blood. Having faced brickbats and abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate," she had tweeted on Wednesday. Their rejoining saddened Chaturvedi, and she is believed to have conveyed her dissatisfaction to the senior leaders of the party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP MLA Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said voters will decide who is a "hero" and who are the "jokers", in an apparent reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the "hero" and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy as "jokers." When asked why Bommai ridicules the Congress chief and Kumaraswamy, the BJP lawmaker told ANI, "They (Rahul and Kumaraswamy) have made fun of themselves with the way they talk, their thinking and body language. People will decide who is a hero and who are jokers." Bommai further alleged that the Lingayat issue was used by the Congress party just like 'divide and rule policy' of the British. "Lingayat issue was used as an election gimmick by the Congress party, which is similar to the divide and rule policy of the British. It was a failed attempt. Now, the party has internal conflict among its members. On one side, DK Shivakumar offered apologies on behalf of the previous government on the issue of separate religion status to Lingayats, and on the other side, MB Patil ignores his apology and takes the issue further. Congress should decide the matter within the party before demanding separate religion tag for Lingayats or dividing Lingayats and Veerashaiva," he asserted. Claiming that Congress is doing 'vindictive politics' by denying Centre's help for the development of the state, Bommai said: "Here, the basic issue is the development of North Karnataka, which is fully neglected by the ruling government. Their agenda of development is only confined to Hassan and Mandya. They are not ready to take the Centre's help. They are doing "vindictive politics" and people are against this." Talking about the issues raised by Congress and BJP in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, Bommai said that the former has no issues except blaming the Centre. "The Rafale and Balakot air strikes issues were raised by the Congress and we are just replying to them. It was not us who raised those issues. We are grounded to the ground realities. We speak about farmers, Krishi Bima Yojana, irrigation, and other issues. Congress has no issues except blaming the Centre." "Mahadayi river issue is an interstate issue. It was us who completed the connective canal by spending Rs 100 crore. However, Congress built a wall against it and stopped the water from flowing. The BJP has built connecting canals. If Congress is committed to it the issue let them remove that wall first. BJP is the one which is committed to Mahadayi, not Congress," he said. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats at stake out of which 14 went to polls on April 18, while the remaining 14 will go for polling on April 23. 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.) The fourth round of meeting between Bangladesh and Myanmar on Rohingya repatriation will be held on May 3 in Nay Pyi Taw, the Foreign Office of Bangladesh said on Friday. The Dhaka Tribune quoted Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen as saying that the meeting is aimed at the repatriation of thousands of Rohingyas, who have been forced to take shelter in Cox's Bazar, a small town on the southeast coast of Bangladesh, in order to escape the brutalities of the Myanmar security forces and the local Buddhist mobs in the Rakhine state. Momen added that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, during her upcoming visit to Brunei, will urge the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member to assist the repatriation process of the Rohingyas. The upcoming Bangladesh-Myanmar joint working group (JWG) meeting is the first visible move by the two neighbours after the failed repatriation attempt last year, the Foreign Minister said. According to a deal signed between Bangladesh and Myanmar in October last year, the repatriation process was expected to begin by November. However, the process was halted as Myanmar was unable to create a conducive environment for the return of the Rohingyas. More than 700,000 Rohingya refugees crossed the western border of Myanmar into Bangladesh in August last year following a crackdown by the Myanmar security forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, on Friday, stated that some of his players need a 'reality check' if they are to continue improving. "I've learnt a lot about them over the months here and most of them have really impressed in their attitude, but some need to get a reality check of where they are," Goal.com quoted Solskjaer, as saying. Manchester United was recently dumped out of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona. Also, the club is placed on the sixth position in the Premier League. The Norwegian also said that he spoke to individuals and emphasised that players have to deliver to stay in the squad. "I've spoken to individuals and Anthony is one I've spoken to. Anthony's got massive talent and a new contract, so he knows we believe in him. Just keep working," he said. "I think anyone that plays for Manchester United has to deliver to stay in the squad and stay in the team. Anthony is no different to Rashy [Marcus Rashford] or Rom [Romelu Lukaku] or Alexis [Sanchez] or the many forwards we have to choose from and that's the great thing about it. Now it's down to the players and the ownership they take," he added. Solskjaer was appointed as caretaker manager on 19 December 2018 after the departure of Jose Mourinho. However, Manchester United recently confirmed his appointment as their full-time manager on a three-year contract. Manchester United will travel to Goodison Park to face ninth-placed Everton on April 21. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 13 people lost their lives and 16 were injured, after the roof of the Pentecostal church in Empangeni collapsed here due to heavy rainfall late on Thursday. Quoting local media, Sputnik reported that the incident occurred while an Easter service was underway. "The roof of the building collapsed because of heavy rains last night...at this point, we have a total of 13 fatalities", Lennox Mabaso, spokesperson for the KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) Department said. The authorities, while condoling the tragedy, have pledged to launch investigations into the incident. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Although initially hindered by structural issues and a temperamental powerplant, the Hawker Typhoon, once it matured, became one of the most effective low-level interceptors and ground attack aircraft of WWII. More than three thousand of them served in the RAF, and the type was legendary in its time, which makes it all the more shocking that just one complete example remains today; Typhoon Mk.IB MN235 at the Royal Air Force Museum and even this aircrafts survival is simply due to its wartime testing in the USA and the Smithsonians Paul Garber having earmarked it for preservation in January, 1949. However, there are currently two active projects which are mounting serious efforts to restore a Typhoon to flying condition. Each of these is based around identified partial airframes, with a collection of parts gathered over many years to support them. While the efforts in Canada surrounding the restoration of Mk.IB JP843 have been quiet for some time now, there has been significant progress with the restoration of Mk.IB RB396 in the United Kingdom. And it is this latter aircraft which we wish to draw attention too. Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB RB396 rolled off Glosters production line at Hucclecote in late 1944. Interestingly, Gloster, a subsidiary of what was then the Hawker-Siddeley Group, manufactured the entire production run, other than the prototypes. F/L Laurence Pinkie Stark took up RB396 on her acceptance flight on November 16th, 1944. Soon after, 51 Maintenance Unit received the Typhoon, likely at RAF Lichfield in Staffordshire (ironically the same unit responsible for scrapping 900 or so Typhoons after the war. Following modifications for service, Anna Leska-Daab, a female Polish pilot in the Air Transport Auxiliary, flew RB396 on December 9th, 1944 to RAF Westhampnett where the Typhie joined 83 Group Support Unit, one of the primary feeders for the RAFs 2nd Tactical Air Force (where most RAF Typhoons served). After a short period with 83GSU, RB396 was ferried to the continent in early January 1945 as a replacement aircraft for RAF No.174 Mauritius Squadron. A Canadian named Frank Johnson became RB396s regular pilot, having his wifes name Sheila painted on the engine cowling. He flew the aircraft over thirty times between mid-January 1945 and the end of March, logging almost 30 hours of combat time in RB396. The Typhie was holed and patched on 18 occasions during this period, but her luck finally ran out on April 1st, 1945. Her pilot that day was F/L Chris House, a veteran of the North Africa campaign where he flew Hawker Hurricanes. House was in RB396 on only his sixth day of combat ops in Typhoons. As he made a rocket attack near Lingen in Lower Saxony, Germany, his Typhoon received damage from enemy flak. F/L House managed to safely flop the crippled Typhoon down into a field near Denekamp in Holland, and made his exit on foot, safely evading capture with the help of a Dutch family (who later paid with their lives sadly) and members of the local Resistance. While F/L House made it back to his squadron, and survived the war, RB396 languished where she fell until sometime after the war, when she was cut up and hauled off to a scrap yard. Somehow her rear monocoque fuselage survived long enough to make it into preservation, and she was on display in Holland until 2016 when long-time Typhoon enthusiast, David Robinson acquired her. He formed the Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group with Sam Worthington-Leese to organize and fund her restoration. The Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group, a registered British charity, is currently in the middle of a month-long CrowdFunder campaign to raise the first 50,000 of an estimated 200,000 needed to restore RB396s rear fuselage. Just half way through this effort, they have already received pledges for 36,000 from over 260 supporters Be sure to add your name to this list of contributors to this important project! The team has already gathered together a significant cache of parts, design drawings, a fuselage and center section jig, not to mention the gift from Cranfield Technical College of a rebuildable Napier Sabre Mk.IIa engine, a powerplant nearly as rare as the Typhoon itself. The Hawker Typhoon Preservation Group also has the cockpit and forward fuselage, comprising parts from several other Typhoons, gathered and restored over many years by David Robinson, so there really is a significant amount of original material to work with. Also, the team recently acquired the substantial remains of Hawker Tempest Mk.V JN768, as well as the use of a fuselage jig prepared for this aircrafts restoration (which had until recently been mooted by Richard Graces company). The Hawker Typhoon Restoration Groups director of special projects, Matt Bone described the acquisition of JN768, and its critical part in the Typhoons restoration as follows: The JN768 project was acquired primarily for access to the jigs that were built for JN768. We do not own the jigs, but this purchase allows access to them. The jigs are compatible with RB396 as the Tempest and Typhoon fuselage structures are very similar. It was a Tommy Sopwith maxim, followed by Sydney Camm [Ed. Hawkers chief designer], to carry forward as much as possible. This speeds production and, in Sopwiths case, makes it cheaper to introduce and produce a new aircraft which also meant there was more money for Americas Cup yachts [Ed. something for which Sopwith became famous]. Sopwith digression aside (an incredible man who needs more championing), having access to these jigs represents a considerable cost saving to the project and less lead time for the rebuild, as the jigs are ready for RB396. Hours after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said that there were "stark" differences between what Attorney General William Barr and Robert Mueller have said. "Barr presented a conclusion that the President did not obstruct justice while Mueller's report appears to undercut that finding," said Pelosi and Schumer, in a joint statement. According to CNN, several Democrats are also demanding the release of the unredacted version of the report. "It's clear AG Barr is acting as Trump's (US President Donald) personal attorney, not America's," Pelosi wrote on Twitter, adding, "Our country demands and deserves full transparency. That is why we must hear directly from Mueller. #MuellerReport."Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, requested that Mueller testify to panel "no later than May 23". Adam Schiff, chairman Democratic House Intelligence Committee, said Mueller has been invited to testify in front of the committee. "After a two-year investigation, the public deserves the facts, not Attorney General Barr's political spin," he said. The United States Department of Justice on Thursday released a redacted version of Mueller's report. The 22-month long investigation into the alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential election was unable to clear Trump in the matter, stating that the President's action and intent "present difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred," reported CNN. Titled "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election", the report further states that the Trump campaign knew they would benefit from Russia's illegal actions to influence the election, but did not take criminal steps to help. "After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of warrants and witness interviews, the special counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election, but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes," Attorney General William Barr said in a press conference before the release of the report. Mueller also made it clear that Congress can continue to investigate Trump.The report further states that following media reports that the "Special Counsel's office was investigating whether the President had obstructed justice," Trump had directed his lawyer to remove Mueller. "On June 17, 2017, the President called McGahn at home and directed him to call the Acting Attorney General and say that the Special Counsel had conflicts of interest and must be removed. McGahn did not carry out the direction, however, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre," the report read. The report further stated that Trump's efforts to influence the investigation were "mostly unsuccessful", largely because "the person surrounding the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his request. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bangladesh Police on Thursday said that the arson attack on Nusrat Jahan Rafi could have been averted had the local administration and the madrasa governing body taken necessary measures on the 27 March sexual harassment case. "This incident (Nusrat murder) would not have happened had they taken steps earlier," Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo quoted the Police as saying. Addressing the media, Deputy Inspector General M Ruhul Amin said that they found the evidence of fault of former officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonagazi Model police station, Moazzem Hossain. An investigation has been launched against the OC and other police officers, the DIG added. Nineteen-year-old Nusrat Jahan Rafi was burned to death on April 10, on the orders of her school principal, Siraj-ud-Daula, after she had accused him of sexual harassment in late March. Jahan, in a first information report, alleged that the school headmaster had called her into his office and touched inappropriately. The former OC had filmed her statement on his phone as she described her ordeal. The victim, who was visibly distressed in the video tried to hide her face with her hands. However, the policeman is heard calling the complaint "no big deal" and told the victim to move her hands from her face. The video was later leaked to local media, The Dhaka Tribune reported. After this, numerous pupils from her school organised a rally in support of the principal and threatened the girl along with her family. According to the statement given by Nusrat, a fellow female student took her to the roof of her school, where four or five people wearing burqas surrounded her and pressured her to withdraw the case. When she declined, they set her on fire. "The accused wanted to make it look like a suicide," the police said. She breathed her last at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital on April 10 after the medical team was unable to cure her burns, which covered 80 per cent of her body. The DIG told Prothom Alo that Sirajuddoula had some bad track records and the managing committee was aware of those. He added that local politics is also a factor behind the incident. "Two councillors of a party formed human chains in favour and against the principal," he said. Meanwhile, Hafez Abdul Quader, one of the madrasa students, in a statement to Senior Judicial Magistrate Sharaf Uddin Ahmed, confessed that the murder plan was finalised at a meeting attended by 12 people following an order by madrasa principal Sirajuddoula. A team comprising of five members visited the madrasa on Wednesday and Thursday and spoke to the teachers, students, employees and parents of other children regarding their respective opinions in the sexual harassment case. The sexual harassment incident of a teenage girl in the Islamic country has triggered international community condemnation. Following the tragic incident, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Nusrat's family in Dhaka and stressed that "none of the culprits will be spared from legal action", Sputnik reported. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hours after releasing the redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report, United States Justice Department on Thursday announced that it will provide access to a less edited version of the report to specific members of the House and Senate from April 22. According to CNN, the department will provide a secure reading room available for lawmakers and their staff between April 22 to 26 from 10 to 5 pm. However, this version will also have redactions for the grand jury information, but the other categories of information will remain unchanged. This comes in the wake of protests by several Democrats asking Attorney General William Barr to release an unredacted version of the report. The 22-month long investigation into the alleged Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential election was unable to clear Trump in the matter, stating that the President's action and intent "present difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred", reported CNN. Titled "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election", the report further states that the Trump campaign knew they would benefit from Russia's illegal actions to influence the election, but did not take criminal steps to help. "After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of warrants and witness interviews, the Special Counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election, but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes," Attorney General William Barr said in a press conference before the release of the report. Mueller also made it clear that Congress can continue to investigate Trump. The report further states that following media reports that the "Special Counsel's office was investigating whether the President had obstructed justice," Trump had directed his lawyer to remove special counsel Robert Mueller. "On June 17, 2017, the President called McGahn at home and directed him to call the Acting Attorney General and say that the Special Counsel had conflicts of interest and must be removed. McGahn did not carry out the direction, however, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre," the report read. The report further stated that Trump's efforts to influence the investigation were "mostly unsuccessful", largely because "the person surrounding the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his request". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Indian Premier League (IPL) chief operating officer (COO) on Friday hit out at president over his "all thieves have Modi in their surnames" jibe and said he would take the chief to a court in the United Kingdom. "The papu @rahulgandhi says "All MODI's are CHOR's". Well he will be taken to court in the UK by Me. But reality is that the world knows 5 decades of daylight looting of India was and is done by none other than the Gandhi family," Lalit tweeted. "Kaun #chor Kaun #chowkidar - you decide. @RahulGandhi @narendramodi @lalitkmodi" read his second tweet posted along with a video of the alleged scams done by . At least 13 people have died and many injured in South Africa after a wall collapsed at a Pentecostal church at the start of an Easter service, authorities said. The incident happened on Thursday night in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal and emergency medical services spokesperson Robert McKenzie linked the tragedy to heavy rainfall in the area, South Africa's online news publication News24 reported. Authorities said 29 people were rushed to hospital after the collapse of the wall at the front of the Pentecostal Holiness Church and six of them were seriously injured. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said the area experienced a storm and heavy winds which are believed to have resulted in the incident. People were sleeping in the church when the brick wall collapsed, she added. Following the incident, a special prayer service was held in front of the church on Friday, according to local eNCA TV station. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic presidential candidates have slammed Attorney General William Barr for the way he handled the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 elections, saying that his framing of the probe findings amounted to a partisan attempt to protect President Donald Trump. The development comes after the 448-page, two-volume report prepared after 22 months of investigations by Mueller was sent to Congress on Thursday on CD-ROM disks and released online. The report did "not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities" but left enough ammunition for Democrats to pursue charges that the President tried to interfered with it. The candidates including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand took turns criticising Barr, first for holding a news conference about the report before anyone could review it and then for the amount of the report that was redacted when it was released, The New York Times reported. While speaking at a coffee shop in Iowa, Gillibrand was asked: "Should Democrats impeach Attorney General William Barr?" The New York Senator said it was unclear if Congress had that power (though the Constitution grants it) and added: "He's (Barr) behaving as the President's personal lawyer... He's not behaving as the Attorney General of the US." In a statement, Warren accused Barr of acting like a "publicist for the President of the United States" and called his media briefing "a disgrace". Harris, the California Senator with Indian and Jamaican descent, said that the briefing had been "filled with political spin and propaganda" that "should concern us all". By late Thursday, other candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Julian Castro appeared to have reviewed the report, saying that they found the information in it more alarming than exonerating. Meanwhile, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders blamed the President for obstructing the investigation and vowed to continue gathering information about his actions. At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire, former Representative Beto O'Rourke said Trump's fate would be "decided in November of 2020 and will inform the choice that we make". In a video on Twitter, Senator Amy Klobuchar called on Mueller to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that the the public wanted to hear from him about the report directly. But of the 18 Democrats currently in the field, only Representative Eric Swalwell of California called on Barr to resign. "You can be the President's defence attorney or America's attorney general... But you can't be both." --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A record 227 candidates will fight it out for the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, which go to the polls in the third phase of polling on April 23. A total of 25,408,711 voters, including 13,111,189 women, 12,297,403 men and 119 belonging to the 'other' gender, will exercise their franchise in 24,970 polling stations spread across 14 districts. Even though sitting parliamentarians have contested the polls in the past, this time a record nine sitting MPs -- six from the Left and three from the Congress -- have been named candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. The contest in Kerala in the past has primarily been between two traditional rivals -- the ruling CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). But of late, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has become a force to reckon with, at least in a handful of constituencies in the state, thanks to the Sabarimala issue. The Supreme Court (SC) on September 28, 2018 had ruled that women of all age groups should be allowed to pray inside the Sabarimala temple, thereby striking down the temple tradition of barring girls and women in the 10-50 age bracket. While the right wing parties were up in arms over the SC verdict, the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government decided to abide by the apex court ruling. The Kerala Police even facilitated the visit of two women to the Sabarimala temple. While the saffron party has been raking up the Sabarimala issue, Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi said at a public rally here on Thursday that the BJP will go for 'constitutional support' to protect the faith, culture and tradition of the devotees if it returned to power after the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2014 general elections, the Congress-led UDF had won 12 seats, the Left 8 while the BJP drew a blank. It only managed to finish a close second in Thiruvananthapuram, while in the rest of the constituencies it finished a distant third. This time though, there's a twist in the electoral plot with the unexpected arrival of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, who has sprang a surprise by announcing his candidature from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat besides contesting from his traditional constituency in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Incidentally, Wayanad has the highest number of candidates, 20, while the Alathur reserved seat has the least, six. Like in 2014, Thiruvananthapuram will witness the 'mother of all poll battles' with sitting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor eyeing a hat-trick of wins. Tharoor is pitted against former Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan of the BJP and LDF candidate C. Divakaran, who's a sitting CPI MLA and former state Minister. In 2014, Tharoor scraped past O. Rajagopal of the BJP by a slender margin of 15,470 votes. This time though, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the lotus finally blooms from here. Pathanamthitta is another constituency that will be keenly watched, as it's here that the Sabarimala temple is located. In Pathanamthitta, the BJP is placing its bets on K. Surendran, who has 240 criminal cases against his name, the highest among all the Lok Sabha candidates in the state. Ninety per cent of the cases pertain to issues related to the Sabarimala temple. Surendran is up against two-time sitting Congress MP Anto Antony and Veena George, a journalist-turned-Independent legislator fielded by the CPI-M. The Thrissur and Chalakudy seats too will be followed keenly because of the 'star value' associated with the candidates in fray. In Thrissur, the BJP has sprung a surprise by fielding its Rajya Sabha MP and superstar Suresh Gopi, who will take on two former legislators -- T.N. Prathapan of the Congress and Rajaji Mathew Thomas of the CPI. In 2014, the seat was won by C.N. Jayadevan of the CPI who beat K.P. Dhanapalan of the Congress by 38,227 votes. Likewise in Chalakudy, ace comedian Innocent, the sitting Independent MP backed by the LDF, has decided to seek re-election after days of indecision. However, the arrival of Congress strongman Benny Behanan, who is also the UDF Convenor, has turned the battle for Chalakudy into a tough one. In 2014, Innocent had defeated P.C. Chacko of the Congress by a thin margin of 13,884 votes. The UDF has reasons to cheer as most poll surveys have indicated that it is on a strong footing and is likely to increase its tally. The CPI-M, however, has dismissed the surveys as immaterial and is confident of having the last laugh. The BJP, on the other hand, is hoping against hope to emerge as the 'dark horse' when the votes are counted on May 23. IANS sg/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday lashed out at BJPs Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Sadhvi Pragya for insulting a decorated dead police officer and accused the hardline leader of dragging the current nationalism discourse to a new low. In a hard-hitting reaction to the Sadhvi's "sickening and repulsive comment" that it was her "curse" that led to Maharashtra police officer Hemant Karkare being killed while fighting the Mumbai terror attack of November 2008, the Chief Minister said: "That woman cannot be sane. No person in their sane mind can think or talk like that, and that too about a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation." Amarinder Singh also tweeted his anger over Sadhvi's "atrocious comment". "Is she sane? Sadhvi Pragya has dragged patriotism to a new low by attacking decorated dead IPS officer #HemantKarkare who sacrificed himself to fight terrorism & here's an official @BJP4India candidate insulting his memory! It's an insult to our men in uniform and to every Indian." he tweeted. "Sadhvi Pragya has not just insulted a police officer but has shown disrespect to every man in uniform," Amarinder Singh said, adding that the Sadhvi's remarks had exposed the true colours of the BJP, which had been claiming the "nationalist" agenda as its key poll plank and projecting itself as the only protector of our "nationhood". "The fact that the two BJP leaders present at the press conference where she made her remarks did not try to stop her or make amends in any way shows that the BJP's 'saffron agenda' overrides every other agenda, including patriotism and nationalism," Amarinder Singh said. The Chief Minister dismissed as "crap" the party's (BJP's) subsequent attempt to alienate itself from the controversial remarks by calling them the Sadhvi's personal opinion. "Every BJP member, especially a candidate, only resonates the thinking and philosophy of the party. So the BJP cannot wriggle out of its responsibility in the matter by simply shrugging its shoulders as an afterthought," he added. --IANS js/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apple may have paid chip-maker Qualcomm somewhere between $5 billion-$6 billion for an agreement to dismiss all ongoing litigations, including with Apple's contract manufacturers, between the two companies worldwide. According to a CNBC report citing an estimate from financial services firm UBS on Thursday, Apple probably agreed to pay between $8 and $9 in patent royalties per iPhone. "The UBS estimate suggests that Apple paid a high price to end a bitter legal battle that spanned multiple continents and threatened Apple's ability to release a 5G iPhone," the report noted. Apple and Qualcomm did not comment on the development. The deal with Qualcomm would put Apple on a faster path to 5G for iPhones. "The settlement includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm. The companies also have reached a six-year license agreement, effective as of April 1, 2019, including a two-year option to extend, and a multi-year chipset supply agreement," said the Cupertino-based iPhone maker. The Apple-Qualcomm agreement was reached as chip-maker Intel decided to exit the 5G smartphone modem business and complete an assessment of the opportunities for 4G and 5G modems in PCs, Internet of Things devices and other data-centric devices. "It's likely Intel's decision prompted Apple and Qualcomm's decision to settle -- which came as quite a surprise since it happened just as lawyers were presenting opening arguments at the latest courtroom trial," The Verge reported. Apple and Qualcomm have been fighting over patent licensing practices for the last two years. --IANS na/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Apr. 18, 2019 PADUCAH - Stories have been passed down for decades about the Negro Motorist Green Book, and the recent Oscar award-winning movie, "Green Book," was inspired by it. Now the history behind the book is also being shared through quilts. The community is invited to West Kentucky Community and Technical College for a free exhibition opening of "Quilts of the Green Book" in its Clemens Fine Arts Center Gallery April 25 at 6 pm.The Green Book quilts, made famous by African-American quilters, tell stories in the form of fiber art of the Negro Motorist Green Book, an annual listing of lodging, diners, gas stations and other businesses that met the needs of African-American roadtrippers from 1936 to 1966, during the era of Jim Crow segregation laws. Created in 1936 by Harlem-based postman Victor H. Green, the Green Book, which is the inspiration for the exhibition, served the public until after the passage of the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s that ended legal segregation."The Green Book was a directory of safe places where African Americans were welcomed to stay as they traveled from place to place across the country," said Chevene Duncan-Herring, WKCTC's Diversity and Inclusion director. "One of those safe places was Paducah's Hotel Metropolitan that hosted many African-American travelers including famous musicians such as Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, B.B. King, Ike and Tina Turner and others," she said. "We are thrilled to partner with the Hotel Metropolitan to host the 'Quilts of the Green Book' exhibition during Paducah's 2019 Spring Quilt Week."African-American history researcher and quilter, Dr. Nancy Dawson, will be the evening's guest speaker. Her comments will begin at 6 pm in the Clemens Gallery with refreshments to follow in the college's Student Center, located just outside the gallery.The "Quilts of the Green Book" exhibition will be on display in the Clemens Gallery until April 30, 2019. Gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 8 am - 4 pm.For more information, contact Chevene Duncan-Herring at chevene.duncan-herring@kctcs.edu. At a time when the poll scene is hotting up for the May 19 Lok Sabha polls in Punjab and leaders of all parties have jumped head-long into campaigning, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh is playing it cool regarding his 'Mission 13' campaign. Having led the Congress to power in March 2017 with a thumping majority after winning 77 seats in the 117-member Assembly, Amarinder seems confident about his and the party's position for the Lok Sabha elections. "We are aiming to win all the 13 Lok Sabha seats this time. We received nearly 180 applications from leaders wanting to contest on the Congress ticket," he told IANS. Amarinder is not only upbeat about the strength of the Congress but is also not ignorant about the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party (SAD-BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) fighting this general elections in Punjab with their back to the wall. "I don't think anyone sees either SAD or AAP as any kind of threat. Both the parties are split down the centre, with no clear leadership in command. They are like rudderless ships, with no concrete agenda, no issues to talk about, and nothing to offer to the people of Punjab. The people rejected these parties two years ago, and in these two years the two parties have gone further downhill, with no hope of revival in the near term," the Chief Minister added. While SAD leaders, including five-time Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, party President Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Minister and Sukhbir's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, her brother Bikram Singh Majithia and senior leaders of the AAP have been campaigning actively for the past one month, Amarinder is yet to begin his campaign on a full scale. Party insiders have said that the Chief Minister will launch the campaign in the next few days. Even leaders of newly formed parties and groups like former AAP leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who recently floated the Punjabi Ekta Party (PEP) and later got six parties to form the People's Democratic Alliance (PDA), Ranjit Singh Brahmpura of the SAD (Taksali) and the Bains brothers of Lok Insaf Party, are campaigning across Punjab. The SAD is facing a tough time with the Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura firing incidents and the sacrilege cases in 2015 during its tenure coming back to haunt the party. With religious affairs being a sensitive issue in Punjab, Sikh hardliners too are giving a tough time to the SAD. The AAP, which has seen an exodus of senior leaders and party cadres in the past over two years, is still grappling with keeping its flock together. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the SAD and AAP won four Lok Sabha seats each in Punjab. The Congress got only three seats. The SAD's alliance partner BJP won two seats. Amarinder had pulled off a political coup in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls when he defeated BJP heavyweight candidate and now Finance Minister Arun Jaitley from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat by over one lakh votes at a time when the BJP was riding high on the Narendra Modi wave. --IANS js/ksk/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday alleged that the BJP is insulting martyrs like police officer Hemant Karkare who died fighting terrorists during the Mumbai 26/11 attack. Reacting strongly to Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remark that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare had treated her badly and died because of her "curse", Owaisi, in a tweet, said: "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. "He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' & 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this?" Thakur, the prime accused in 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, alleged that Karkare falsely implicated her in the case. Karkare was heading the probe into the blast that killed six people and injured over 100. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had arrested Thakur and others belonging to a Hindu extremist group on October 24, 2008. A little over a month later, Karkare was killed while fighting terrorists who had attacked Mumbai. In May 2016, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet filed in Malegaon case gave clean chit to Thakur. She was later granted bail on health grounds. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded her from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh against Congress party's senior leader Digvijaya Singh. Owaisi earlier slammed BJP for Sadhvi describing the election as 'dharamyuddha' (religious war). "Elections are elections, not dharmayuddha. But how's BJP to know that? They make everything a question of dharma/astha as if that's what'll create jobs. What if a 'daadhi-topiwala' Asad had said this is jehad? Wonder which pole he'd be hanging by by now," he asked. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief also castigated the BJP for fielding the terror accused. "A terror accused has been rehabilitated by BJP. The brazenness of must be astounding to outsiders; but we are discussing it like it is routine political strategy This is the BJP's 'zero tolerance' policy against terrorism," tweeted Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad for a fourth consecutive term. --IANS ms/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Christians in Kerala on Friday were out in large numbers and local hurches were overflowing as they participated in the Good Friday mass. This Friday's mass commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary in Jerusalem, nearly 2,000 years ago. Of the around 3.4 crore population of Kerala, Christians number 61.41 lakhs, composed of 29.94 lakhs males and 31.47 lakhs females. The Good Friday mass timings differ according to church denominations, starting from 8.30 a.m and ending in some churches as late as 3 p.m. The main event of the day in the churches is the re-enactment by worshippers of the "Way of the Cross" - the 14 stations on Christ's final journey to Mount Calvary from the palace Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of the province. The chief priest, who conducts the day's mass, along with a large number of the laity re-enact Jesus' journey with the worshippers moving to each station singing hymns as the story of the betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion of Christ is narrated by the priest. The most important ritual in this mass is the drinking of 'choruka' - a decoction made of bitter gourd juice and vinegar - by all the devotees. When the Good Friday mass reaches its last lap, the priest pours out a spoon of 'choruka' into the mouth of each and every person attending the mass. This symbolises the event of Christ crying out while on the cross, on hearing which some onlookers dipped a piece of cloth in cheap wine and lifted it to his mouth to make him drink just before he died. At the end of the Good Friday mass in Kerala, those attending are served 'kanji' - the steaming hot gruel made of rice along with mango pickle and a serving of pulses. The next major event takes place on Sunday morning, when the "Passion Week" ends with the Easter Sunday festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. --IANS sg/bc (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Friday urged the Election Commission to immediately provide security to Patidar leader Hardik Patel, hours after he was slapped by a man who alleged Patel was playing with the sentiments of the community. The incident occurred when Patel was addressing an election rally described as a 'Jan Aakrosh Sabha' at Baldana village in Surendranagar district in Saurashtra region. The man, identified as Tarun Gajjar from Kadi town in North Gujarat, climbed up the stage and slapped him. An angry Gajjar was heard saying that 14 Patidar youngsters had been killed in 2015 during Hardik Patel's agitation for reservations to the community but now the latter was playing over it. He was overpowered by Congress workers who thrashed him and took him away from the venue of the rally. Gajjar was detained by the police who also took him to a nearby hospital for first-aid treatment. Hardik Patel, who later lodged a complaint at the Wadhvan police station, said: "This was the handiwork of the BJP and the party may someday send someone to shoot me but our fight will continue." State BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya denied that his party or any of its members had any role in the incident. He said: "Hardik Patel was exposed as making personal political capital on the sentiments and aspirations of the Patidars and this is why he is inviting the anger of the people, which should not be attributed to the BJP." Gajjar is believed to be close to Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. IANS has a soft copy of an invite sent by Gajjar to mediapersons for a function which was to be attended by Nitin Patel in 2015. Congress General Secretary Chetan Rawal has submitted a written representation to the Election Commission demanding that Hardik Patel be given adequate police protection. Stating that Patel was a "star campaigner of the party" who travels across the country, the Congress sought the Commission's direction to the state and Central governments to restore the Y Category security cover provided to Patel earlier which had been withdrawn "for reasons best known to the state government". The Congress letter to the Election Commission also stated that this was not the only such incident and Hardik Patel was also being threatened in different ways through social media. The Congress urged the Commission to ask the Crime Branch police to expedite inquiry into the complaint, which was not being acted upon probably on instructions from the state actors. Patel, who launched his agitation in 2015, joined the Congress last month and has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, which has allotted him a helicopter to tour Gujarat and hold election rallies. On Thursday, he had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district in central Gujarat when farmer Vinay Patel on whose field the helicopter was to land refused permission on the same reason that Hardik Patel was "playing over those killed". Patel later travelled by road to Lunawada, some 100 km from Ahmedabad for his rally. --IANS desai/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has quit the party, slamming it for ignoring the conduct of party colleagues who misbehaved with her in Mathura. In a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday and made public on Friday, she said that in the last few weeks certain things had convinced her that her services were not valued in the organisation. "I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity." She said it saddened her that despite the safety, dignity and empowerment of women being promoted by the party, "the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party". "A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC," she wrote. On Wednesday, she hit out at the party for reinstating members who had been suspended recently for misbehaving with her at a press conference in Mathura, saying that "those who threatened her within the party got away with not even a rap". --IANS nks/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than a month after a couple in Uttarakhand refused to accept a newborn girl as their own, insisting that a boy was born to them, DNA tests ended the suspense proving beyond doubt that the baby belongs to them only. The baby was living with her biological parents only in the meantime, as Usha Negi, the chairperson of the Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights had intervened in the matter and asked Aarti Shah to start feeding the baby girl till the final outcome of the DNA tests. In fact it was Negi who had batted for the DNA procedure, after Shah from Dehradun city disowned the baby girl assuming she had actually given birth to a boy on March 5. For many days she did not breast feed her child at the government Doon hospital here where the baby was born. Aarti Shah had claimed that she had actually given birth to a boy, who was exchanged by the girl by the hospital authorities. Incidentally, a boy was also born on the same day there with mother's name Aarti which led to the confusion. Aarti Shah who was handed the baby girl, along with her husband lodged a complaint in the hospital claiming that they should be given the custody of the boy. The parents of the boy refused to accept their claim. As both parents refused to accept the claims thrown up, Negi called for conducting of the DNA tests. More than a fortnight after the birth of the children, the blood samples of all six were sent to a forensic laboratory. The DNA reports that came to the hospital on Thursday, proved the biological links. Negi on Friday said that doctors at the Doon hospital where the DNA tests were conducted had told her that the baby girl was the biological daughter of Aarti Shah only. "The baby girl is with her biological parents only," Negi said. She quipped: "Moral of the story, all's well that ends well." --IANS str/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Along with elections to Goa's two Lok Sabha seats on April 23, the state is also going to witness by-elections to three Assembly seats, the results of which may well decide the fate of the incumbent BJP-led coalition government. The bypolls in Shiroda and Mandrem were necessitated after two Congress MLAs representing the constituencies quit the party and legislatorship and joined the BJP last year. The election in Mapusa were announced after sitting Bharatiya Janata Party MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Francis D'Souza died after a long battle with cancer. The by-elections have grabbed more attention and headlines because of the tumultuous political developments in Goa, ever since the death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on March 17. The appointment of a new Chief Minister, anointing of Francis D'Souza's son as the BJP candidate in Mapusa, sacking of Deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar and the eventual breach in the BJP-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party alliance have made the contest for the by-elections complex, with each Assembly constituency brewing in localised issues, which could decide the outcome on May 23. In Shiroda, a jilted MGP is trying hard to defeat the BJP's Subhash Shirodkar. In fact, the split between the BJP and the MGP occurred over MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar's decision to contest from Shiroda and the MGP is leaving no stone unturned to avenge the humiliation meted to the now out-of-power regional outfit. "We will not avenge the BJP, the people of Shiroda will. The BJP is trying to finish regional parties. They are going to learn a lesson of their lifetime," Deepak Dhavalikar told IANS on Friday. In Mapusa, the BJP's decision to anoint D'Souza son Joshua, who was barely involved in the party hierarchy or cadre responsibilities, has led to a revolt in the ranks after the deceased MLAs' right-hand man Sudhir Kandolkar quit the party and became the Congress candidate. Joshua claims that contesting the seat is akin to taking forward his father's legacy. "This is my chance to do something for the people of Mapusa. They have showered love on my father. I know they will have me in their minds when they cast their vote on April 23," Joshua said. However, Joshua not just faces the key challenge from Kandolkar, but also from a disillusioned local BJP cadre, who consider him an outsider to the BJP's scheme of things. One of the most complex contests is playing out in the Mandrem Assembly seat where BJP's Dayanand Sopte, Congress Babi Bagkar and Independent candidate Jeet Arolkar are vying for a victory. Sopte won the Mandrem seat in 2017 on Congress ticket defeating sitting Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, but quit the party a year later, after he was assured he would contest on the Mandrem seat on a BJP ticket. The decision, however, led a virtual rebellion in the BJP with Parsekar threatening to contest as a rebel. While Parsekar backed down, he has boycotted the party's campaign efforts in his own constituency, with sources close to him saying the former Chief Minister was backing independent candidate Jeet Arolkar, a former police constable-turned-real estate promoter whose liberal spending during the campaign has attracted the attention of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. "Balance sheets will be checked after the elections," Sawant said, in a recent poll rally in Mandrem, in a covert threat to Arolkar. The other key contestant in Mandrem is Congress' Bagkar, whose announcement as candidate was delayed due to internal differences with other party aspirants for the seat. The bypolls are particularly important for the BJP and the Congress in order to 'top up' their respective legislative strength. In the Goa Assembly, which currently has 36 members, the Congress and the BJP are tied with 14 legislators each. If the BJP wins more seats than the Congress, it would secure the future of the government, but if the Congress wrests even two seats, it would be in a position to make a fresh bid for power in the state. --IANS maya/rs/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the global success of "Godzilla" and "Kong: Skull Island", the next chapter, "Godzilla II: King Of The Monsters", will release in India on May 31. A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, in association with Toho Co. Ltd, the film will release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, read a statement. The action adventure pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto zoological agency Monarch as it's members face off against god-sized monsters including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Roda and the three-headed Ghidorah. On what to expect from the film, director Michael Dougherty said: "The approach that my writing partner Zach Shields and I took was that Godzilla, the Mutos, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah -- they're a super-species. "These creatures were worshiped as ancient gods; they are the reasons we have stories about dragons and giants and titans. Because if you look at the entire world's collection of ancient myths, you realise that they all have stories about monsters. What we're trying to establish is the idea that Godzilla and his brethren are the reason for that." It stars Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe and Bradley Whitford. --IANS sug/rb/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Executives at Google's Silicon Valley headquarters are discussing ways to protect themselves and their families from measles after one of them was found working at the office despite being infected by the highly contagious virus. On Google's internal forums, employees expressed shock because they were not told sooner about their sick colleague who had been spending time in its Mountain View office building -- including a campus restaurant, BuzzFeed News reported on Thursday. The employee was present in the office on April 4. A select group of employees learned about the incident more than a week later, on April 13, when a company doctor emailed them about the infected the employee, the report said. Later, however, the staff doctor sent a message to multiple internal groups at Google, reassuring a that they were safe while acknowledging that his communication had been "slow". The reported case is part of a historic resurgence of measles in the US. At least 555 people have been infected this year by the virus, which was declared eliminated in 2000, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Public health experts blame the uptick partially on the spread of anti-vaccine falsehoods on social media platforms, including Google's YouTube, which, under public pressure, recently removed ads from known anti-vaccine video channels, the report said. --IANS rp/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel was on Friday slapped at a public meeting in Surendranagar district in Gujarat by a man who alleged Patel was playing with the sentiments of the community. Patel was addressing an election rally described as a 'Jan Aakrosh Sabha' at Baldana village when a man identified as Tarun Gajjar from Kadi town in North Gujarat climbed up the stage and slapped him. An angry Gajjar was heard saying that 14 Patidar youngsters had been killed in 2015 during Hardik Patel's agitation for reservations to the community but now the latter was playing over it. Gajjar is a BJP worker and is known to be close to Gujarat's Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel. IANS is in possession of a soft copy of an invite sent by Gajjar for a function which was to be attended by Nitin Patel. Gajjar was later overpowered by Congress workers who thrashed him and took him away from the venue of the rally. Hardik Patel, who later lodged a complaint at the Wadhvan police station, said: "This was the handiwork of the BJP, and the party may someday send someone to shoot me but our fight will continue." Patel, who had launched his agitation in 2015, joined the Congress last month and has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, which has allotted him a helicopter to tour Gujarat and hold election rallies. On Thursday, he had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district in central Gujarat when farmer Vinay Patel on whose field the helicopter was to land refused permission on the same reason that Hardik Patel was "playing over those killed". Patel later travelled by road to Lunawada, some 100 km from Ahmedabad for his election rally. --IANS desai/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Apr. 18, 2019 The Friends of Land Between the Lakes invite you to join them for the seventh annual Homeschoolers Day at Woodlands Nature Station inside the LBL Recreation Area, 3146 Silver Trail Road, Cadiz, from 10 am to 3 pm on Friday, April 26. Admission is $5 for ages 13 and up; $3 ages 5 -12; and free for 4 and under. LBL will launch into the earth sciences with engaging educational programs and activities based around this years theme Mission: Earth. Dive into STEAM inspired lessons exploring everything from Archaeology to Astronomy. They are also welcoming special guests from the Ben E. Clement Mineral museum, West Kentucky Amateur Astonomers, Maggie Morgan from the Jackson Purchase Foundation, and Land Between the Lakes archaeologists. Missions and activities run from 10 am-3 pm. Join the LBL crew as they explore all the wonders of home planet. Organizers recommend planning at least a 3-hour visit to experience all the day has to offer. Scheduled programs are: Watered Down 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. Dive into the water cycle with Maggie Morgan from the Jackson Purchase Foundation. Weather or Not 11 am and 1 pm Learn the FUNdamentals of weather. Animal Magnetism Noon and 2 pm Explore how animals use the Earth's magnetic field. Ongoing activities will include: Check the Date LBL Archaeologists will teach you about carbon dating. Can You Dig It? Learn the difference between rocks and minerals with assistance from the Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum. Earth, Wind and Fire Discover how fire is sometimes necessary for a healthy forest. Far Out Learn about astronomy with the West Kentucky Amateur Astronomers. Fly Like the Wind Make your own anemometer. Interstellar Art Create your own planet. Fourth grade students can go to https://everykidinapark.gov/, get their free Every Kid in a Park pass, and get their family in for free. For more information, call the Nature Station at 270-0924-2299. GOLDEN POND - STEAM Inspired Woodlands Nature Station at Land Between the Lakes will feature STEAM inspired lessons on Homeschoolers Day, April 26. Firebrand Patidar leader Hardik Patel was on Friday slapped at a public meeting in Gujarat's Surendranagar district by a man who alleged Patel was playing with the sentiments of the community. Patel was addressing an election rally described as a 'Jan Aakrosh Sabha' at Baldana village when a man identified as Tarun Gajjar from Kadi town in north Gujarat climbed up the stage and slapped him. Gajjar was heard saying that 14 Patidar youngsters had been killed in 2015 during Hardik Patel's agitation for reservations to the community but now the latter was playing over it. He was later overpowered by Congress workers who thrashed him and took him away from the venue of the rally. Gajjar was detained by the police who also hospitalized him for treatment. The attack snowballed into a political slugfest between the BJP and the Congress with the latter blaming the ruling party for the incident and the former calling it a gimmick to gain sympathy. The Congress dashed off a memorandum to the Election Commission demanding that Patel be immediately provided protection and his Y Category security cover which was removed "for reasons best known by the state government" be restored. It alleged that the BJP was deliberately attempting to disrupt the election meetings of the party. BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya, however, strongly denied it, claiming that the Patidars were disillusioned by Hardik Patel and so he was inviting public anger, for which the BJP should not be blamed. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also plunged into the matter, saying: "As stated by the assailant himself, the slap was an expression of his anger against Hardik for personal reasons and the BJP had nothing to do with it. I suspect it could be a Congress-sponsored drama to catch people's sympathy." He said that the "peace-loving" BJP or any of its workers could never indulge in such violent activities and said that the culprit would be punished. His deputy, Nitin Patel, asserted that the Patidar leader was being paid back in his own coin by the community. Hardik Patel, who later lodged a complaint at the Wadhvan police station, said: "This was the handiwork of the BJP, and the party may someday send someone to shoot me but our fight will continue." Meanwhile, Gajjar told reporters from his hospital bed that he was not a Patidar and he slapped the leader because he and his family "suffered" medical emergencies because Hardik held rallies and meetings blocking traffic in his hometown in 2015. "My wife had even suffered a miscarriage. I wanted to take revenge on Hardik for the last three years and got the opportunity today." He claimed it was his "personal decision". Tarun's father Manu Gajjar, however, said he did not know anything about his daughter-in-law's alleged miscarriage, nor Tarun had ever said anything about his anger against Hardik at home. He also claimed that Tarun was "missing" for the last 15 days or so and did not contact his family in Kadi. Postings on Tarun's Facebook page give ample evidence of his sympathy for the BJP. The page was full of pro-Narendra Modi, pro-BJP and anti-Congress postings. There also was not a single posting to indicate that he had any personal enmity with Hardik or his agitation. Meanwhile, Hardik Patel's former associate in his Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) Reshma Patel, who had joined the BJP but later quit it, was attacked allegedly by three BJP workers at Vanthali in Junagadh district this morning. Reshma Patel, a Nationalist Congress Party candidate for the Manavadar state Assembly seat where a by-poll was scheduled to be held along with Lok Sabha on April 23 was admitted in a hospital with injuries. The by-poll was necessitated after sitting Congress legislator Jawahar Chavda quit and joined the BJP to be made a minister in the Vijay Rupani cabinet. He is contesting the election on BJP ticket. No arrest has yet been made in this connection. --IANS desai/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Conflicting views are expressed by experts on the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu given the final polling percentage of around 73 per cent. Conventional wisdom says a high turnout means anti-incumbency and in Tamil Nadu there is twin anti-incumbency -- one against the ruling AIAMDK and the other against the BJP heading the Central government. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling AIADMK contesting alone won 37 out of 39 seats sweeping out the major opposition party, the DMK. The remaining two seats were won by BJP (Kanniyakumari) and the PMK in Dharmapuri. "If the final polling figure settles around 73 per cent, then it is something remarkable. What the figure indicates is that it could be natural or articicially induced," writer and political commentator Maalan Narayanan told IANS. "In 1967 assembly elections, the polling was 76 per cent and DMK captured power in Tamil Nadu. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the polling percentage was 73 per cent and AIADMK swept the polls. So, the polling percentage of about 70-73 per cent this time around could indicate that the people might have voted in favour of one front, which could be the DMK-led front," Narayanan added. But Narayanan quickly adds: "If one takes into account the recent utterances of DMK leaders besides its leaders' complaint to the Election Commission on Thursday about AIADMK indulging in booth capturing, it seems they (DMK leaders) are not confident of winning the polls". He said the DMK initially said it would win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats (39 in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry). With AIADMK stitching a mega alliance with PMK, BJP, DMDK, TMC, PT, PNK and others in Tamil Nadu, the DMK's tone came down as the vote share arithematic was in favour of the rival front. Narayanan does not see any wave in DMK's favour, but there could be a tilt in its favour. An old hand in AIADMK not wanting to be quoted told IANS: "The old theories of voting doesn't apply now as the demography has changed with the entry of large number of first-time voters and many voters of less than 30 years of age." He said polling was good in pockets wherever minorities were concentrated whereas there was not much consolidation of Hindu votes. Predicting a split verdict, he said the DMK front may win about 30 Lok Sabha seats. On the other hand, Associate Professor in Madras Institute of Development Studies C. Lakshmanan predicts a clean sweep for the DMK-led front citing the polling percentage. He said after the AIADMK sewed up its mega alliance, DMK's confidence did come down a bit. But it perked up fast owing to its social media campaign and the alliances it managed with parties such as the Congress, IUML, MDMK, KMDK, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IJK. Lakshmanan said the raid by Income Tax (IT) department at the residence of DMK leader Kanimozhi on Tuesday had backfired. He said the election results could throw up several surprises. "If Kamal Haasan's MNM does not get good share of votes, then it would mean people are not in favour of actor-politicians. Similarly, if PMK is unable to deliver on its Vanniars consolidation, then it may also lose out," Lakshmanan said. "In Tamil Nadu election landscape, cash is the king. There is no wave in favour of any one front. If there was an anti-incumbency wave, then it would have been evident by high voter turnout in the morning. But the voter turnout was not much in the morning. The spurt in polling percentage happened only in the afternoon," political strategist, John Arokiasamy told IANS. He said polling in Chennai was very poor and was pretty as such in urban areas. Voting was, however, high in rural areas. "There was no religious polarization. Many voters' names did not figure on the official list and hence they were unable to vote. Similarly, the transport arrangements were poor, so, many from Chennai could not travel to their native place to vote," Arokiasamy added. "Instead of a statewide pattern in voting, there are regional voting patterns in Tamil Nadu. While caste-based voting is fixed one, the swing factor for votes is influenced by money," Arokiasamy said. According to him, the absence of leaders like J.Jayalalithaa for AIADMK and M. Karunanidhi for DMK will be felt in this election by these parties. "Jayalalithaa would have gone alone again had she been alive. Similarly, Karunanidhi would have swung the polls strongly in his favour given twin anti-incumbency factors," Arokiasamy said. According to him, the two fronts may share the spoils with DMK taking a larger pie, say, about 25 seats out of the 38 seats that went to the polls. "I feel this time the election in Tamil Nadu is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gandhi -- the Indian currency is colloquially known as Gandhi note," Arokiasamy said. He said even if AIADMK had decided to pay cash for votes, owing to the weak leadership, only a part of that would have reached the voters, and as a result, it may not have resulted in votes. --IANS vj/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress rebel Harish Janartha, who unsuccessfully contested the 2017 Assembly elections from Shimla as an Independent candidate, rejoined the party on Friday. He joined the Congress at a function here attended among others by state party President Kuldeep Rathore. In a four-cornered contest in the last Assembly elections, Janartha, a former Deputy Mayor with the Shimla Municipal Corporation, was defeated by a slender margin by four-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Suresh Bharadwaj. He was denied a ticket by the Congress in the Assembly polls. "I am thankful to Virbhadra Singh (six-time Chief Minister) for bringing me to the party fold after 18 months of my exile," Janartha told IANS. Polling for the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh - Shimla, Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur - is scheduled for May 19. --IANS vg/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The simmering discontentment over the absence of basic amenities in the area along the China border is forcing 400-odd voters in Himachal Pradesh's remote Kunnu and Charang villages in Kinnaur district to boycott the parliamentary polls. The reason: politicians visit the area only during elections and thereafter disappear. "A road to connecting to our village has been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana but there is lack of its maintenance. It is literally non-existent at most of the 15-km stretch from Moorang to Charang," village head Puran Singh told IANS on Friday. He sought to strengthen the BSNL network, open more schools and provide liberal funding for local area development. "Despite repeated reminders to our representatives, no action has been initiated,a he said on phone, adding "the entire villagers have now decided that: 'jab tak road repair nahi, tab tak vote nahi' (We will not vote till the road is repaired)." Kunnu and Charang polling stations in Pooh block, known for growing peas, are part of the sprawling Mandi parliamentary constituency that covers almost two-thirds of the hill state. In this seat, sitting MP Ram Swaroop Sharma of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been pitted against Congress greenhorn Ashray Sharma, who learnt for years from his father and former Minister Anil Sharma. While Charang has 50 households, Kunnu has 30. Another villager Roshan Lal said the villagers were suffering because of unprecedented delay in repair of the road. "Also the contractor hired by the state government has not cleared the snow from the road timely in the winter, resulting in hampering of movement of heavy vehicles," he said. "We are living in India and not in Pakistan. It is the duty of our politicians to take care of development in villages located in interiors of the state," added an aggrieved Lal, who is gram panchayat 'up-pradhan'. Octogenarian Ramesh Lal Negi said the health services are quite bad. "Lack of development remains a major issue in areas bordering China in the state. For want of health specialists one has to travel either to Shimla or to Chandigarh." Locals rue that the condition of road is so bad that they even can't even walk. Large pits pose threat of accidents. The Buddhist-dominated Kinnaur district in the Himalayan terrain, with elevations ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 feet above sea level, shares a porous border with China. Polling for the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh - Shimla, Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur - is scheduled for May 19. --IANS vg/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China on Friday said India's likely absence at the second Belt and Road forum next week should not mar their ties and their differences should not turn into a dispute. Addressing a press conference ahead of the event to be held from April 25 to April 27, China's top diplomat and Foreign Minister Wang said New Delhi and Beijing were readying to hold a Wuhan-like summit between the top leaders of the country. India for the second time will skip China's event of the year in protest against the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) -- the artery of the Belt and Road project - that cuts through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. In 2017, India had boycotted the launch of the Belt and Road forum in Beijing in protest against the CPEC. New Delhi then had said that "no country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". This year too, New Delhi will likely skip China's biggest event which will be attended by leaders or heads of 37 countries, including Pakistan and Nepal, and representatives from over 150 nations. Wang sought to allay India's concerns over the CPEC, saying the project in no way ignores its sovereignty and territorial integrity. "It is natural for us to have a difference. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minster Narendra Modi has mentioned many times that we should not escalate our differences into dispute. The India side wants to put our differences at a proper level in order not to interfere in the proper development of our relations," Wang said. "One of our fundamental differences is how to look at the Belt and Road initiative. The Indian side has their concerns," the Foreign Minister said while replying to a question whether India's absence at the event will have a negative impact on bilateral ties after the icebreaking Wuhan meet between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping last year. "We understand that and that's why we stated clearly on various occasions that the Belt and Road initiative including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is only an economic initiative. "They do not target any third country and they have nothing to with sovereign and territorial dispute left over from history between the two countries. Of course, India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," he added. Wang also said that India and China were preparing for the next meet between their leaders this year. "The two leaders (Modi and Xi) had a very successful meeting in Wuhan. Particularly, they established mutual trust between the leadership andAthey jointly planned for the future of improvement and the strengthening of the China-India relationship. "After the Wuhan summit we see the progress in all areas of cooperation between the two countries," Wang added. Wang stressed that India-China ties had a "bright prospect", which will be reflected in the "next summit between our leaders". China's Belt and Road is a trillion dollar project which aims to connect Asia, Africa and Europe through a network of roads, highways, ports and sea lanes. The CPEC, the crown jewel of the project, has emerged as one of pesky issues between India and China. Talking about the issue, Wang said: "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine the basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same, we provide you more opportunity of development and help India in modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India." (Gaurav Sharma can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com) --IANS gsh/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A federal judge in Florida has sentenced an Indian citizen to eight years and six months in prison for his involvement in an India-based call centre scam, according to the US Justice Department. At his sentencing on Thursday, Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington also ordered Hemalkumar Shah, 27, to pay $80,000. He had been convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in the Indian call center scam after he admitted his guilt in January. According to court documents, Shah participated in the scam to extort money from American residents by impersonating US tax officers between 2014 and 2016. He and his accomplices in the US and call centres in India misled the victims into believing that they owed taxes and threatened them with arrest if they did not pay the fictitious taxes immediately, according to the court filings. The fraudsters hired people described as "runners" to collect for them the money from the victims in the form of prepaid cards or through wire transfers, the documents said. Four others who participated in the scheme have been found guilty after they admitted their crimes in court. Last month, Nishitkumar Patel was sentenced to eight years and nine months, and Alejandro Juarez was sentenced to 15 months. Two others are awaiting sentencing. --IANS al/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The country's largest carrier IndiGo is set to consolidate its position and rule the skies following the collapse of its rival Jet Airways. "The biggest airline will gain the maximum, so IndiGo will corner the major chunk of the air traffic. It anyways has massive capacity expansion plans lined up for the coming months and years," said an industry executive. Dhiraj Mathur, Partner, PwC, said that whoever brings more aircraft and crew will benefit the most. IndiGo currently has a fleet of 200 aircraft and operates 1,400 daily flights connecting 53 domestic and 18 international destinations. The airline, which has 43.4 per cent market share in the domestic market, has very aggressive fleet expansion plans. Going by the current market share and the capacity deployed in the domestic market, SpiceJet would be the next biggest gainer. Other airlines would gain in sequence as per their current fleet size and market share. "Maybe after SpiceJet, other carriers such as Air India, Go Air, Vistara, Air Asia and others would come," said the executive quoted above. Low-cost carrier SpiceJet is the second biggest player in the domestic market with its 13.7 per cent market share. It has a fleet of 48 Boeing 737s, 27 Bombardier Q-400s and one B737 freighter. The airline on Thursday said that it would induct as many as 27 planes in a record time of less than two weeks. Going by the fleet size and market share, Air India is likely to be the third biggest gainer, but aviation watchers doubted if airline would be able to add aircraft quickly to its fleet. "The plan to lease more planes would first require board approval. Then tendering will happen and shortlisting will be done. The entire process may take quite some time. In that case, the benefits would be very limited," said an industry veteran. (Nirbhay Kumar can be contacted at nirbhay.k@ians.in) --IANS nk/sn/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, April 18 (IANS/AKI) Italy is giving two million euros to the United Nations refugee agency to help it provide essential items for around 20,000 families who have fled the deadly warfare in the Libyan capital this month as well as aid to 750 refugee families, the Foreign Ministry said in statement Thursday. The Foreign Ministry is gifting the cash to UNHCR from its Africa Fund "given the current situation in Libya and the risks civilians, refugees and migrants are exposed to," the statement said. The Italian donation will also help launch 17 "rapid impact" projects that will benefit 8,500 people, the statement added. At least 205 people have died and over 900 have been injured in the intensifying fighting in Tripoli since eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar on 4 April ordered the assault by his militia on the capital, according to the UN World Health Organization. --IANS/AKI vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Janata Dal-United on Friday demanded that the Chief Election Commissioner cancel the nomination papers filed by the RJD candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, asking how jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad had distributed the party symbol with his signature, in apparent violation of the jail manual. JD-U spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said that he has written to the CEC demanding the cancellation of the nomination papers filed by the RJD candidates. "On which basis jailed Lalu had distributed the party symbol with his signature to candidates. Whether Lalu has taken permission of the court to distribute the party symbol?" Kumar said. The JD-U leader said that he has urged the CEC to take action in this connection. Lalu had reportedly distributed the RJD symbol to the candidates after the party authorised him to do so. The Rashtriya Janata Dal is contesting on 19 out of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in the state as per the seat sharing formula of the opposition grand alliance. Lalu was convicted in three fodder scam cases in December 2017 and January 2018 and was awarded 14 years imprisonment. He has applied for bail in the Supreme Court. Lalu Prasad, as President of the RJD, is entitled to distribute the party symbol. He is currently undergoing treatment at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi. Earlier, a PIL was filed in the Patna High Court questioning the legitimacy of the distribution of the party symbol by Lalu Prasad who, the PIL stated, could not hold the post after being convicted in corruption cases. --IANS ik/rs/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A female journalist was shot dead in Northern Ireland, in what the police are treating as a "terrorist incident", the media reported on Friday. Twenty-nine-year-old Lyra McKee was killed during rioting after police searches in Derry's Creggan area on Thursday night, the BBC reported. Petrol bombs were also thrown at police vehicles. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said the police were "treating the shooting as a terrorist incident" and a murder inquiry had been launched. There were reports that the trouble broke out after police raided on houses in the Mulroy Park and Galliagh areas. "Not only is it a murder of a young woman. It's another act of violence on this city," said Hamilton. "I believe that this was orchestrated - orchestrated to a point that they just want to have violence and attack police." --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mustang Trainer's Challenge and Mustang Adoption at MSU's Cherry Expo Center Apr. 18, 2019 By Apr. 18, 2019 MURRAY - The Cherry Expo Center at Murray State University will host a Mustang Trainer's Challenge on April 26-28. Those who attend can watch as experienced trainers work with wild mustangs to gentle and ride. Trainers are judged on their horsemanship skills, and a final ride and obstacle course will take place on Sunday. On Friday and Saturday, the event begins at 6 pm, on Sunday, the event starts at 2 pm. Mustangs will also be available to adopt at the event, in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program. Admission is $10 for an adult per session or $15 for the weekend. Children's admission is $5 per session or $10 for the weekend. The William "Bill" Cherry Expo Center is located at 2101 College Farm Road in Murray. For more information, contact the expo center at 270-809-3125 or send an email to bballard5@murraystate.edu . BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate and 2008 Malegaon bomb blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday sparked off a controversy by saying that Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who lost his life in the 26/11 attack, had died to "her curse". The statement by Thakur, who had joined the BJP on Wednesday and was hours later named its candidate against former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, draw flak from opposition parties like the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, who demanded that that the party apologise for. At a public meeting in Bhopal, Thakur, recounting the episode of her arrest and interrogation in the Malegaon case, said that she was in a Mumbai jail and the head of the probe had called Karkare and said that she should be released as there was no evidence against her. "Then Karkare asked me various questions and I replied 'God knows'. At this, Karkare said would he have to go to God to get the answers. Then, I told him that he would be destroyed and he was cursed... within a month and a half he fell victim to the terrorists' bullets. "Hindus believe that that a period of one and a half month after anyone's birth or death is of ritual impurity. When Karkare asked me these questions, this period started for him and ended with him being killed by terrorists," she said. Condemning the comments, the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party came out demanding the BJP to apologise for the comment. Congress leader Sanjay Jha accused Thakur of mocking Karkare's death. "I live in Mumbai. We saw 26/11 at close quarters. ATS Chief Hemant Karkare stood up to save us from Pakistani terrorists. He was killed by them. BJP candidate from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur mocks his death," Jha said in a tweet. The AAP said the nation is proud of Karkare who laid down his life fighting against the Pakistani terrorists during the 26/11 attack. "BJP must apologize for insulting Hemant Karkare." AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal called the comments "disgraceful" and said her comment need to be condemned in strongest terms. "BJP is showing its true colours and it must be shown it's place now," he tweeted. MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi also questioned the BJP for Thakur's comment. "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' and 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote and elect a government. How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this?" he asked. --IANS hindi-nks-vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP's Kerala Lok Sabha candidates are using the party's organ in the state to comply with the Supreme Court judgment that all those in the fray publicise criminal cases registered against them in a newspaper with wide circulation for three days. The BJP candidates, most of them booked for participating in the Sabarimala agitation, have filed the cases they face in "Janmabhoomi", said a newspaper official, who did not wish to be identified. "K. Surendran (contesting from Kasaragod) has the maximum number of cases (240), of which 90 percent are related to the Sabarimala temple protest. Cases have been filed at Parasala police station (located in the state's southern part) and in Kasaragod (the northern most district). What's most surprising is that on a particular day Surendran has cases registered at two different police stations, which are very far from one another," said the official. Among the others who have cases registered for taking part in the Sabarimala protests include Chalakudy candidate A.N. Radhakrishnan with over 200 criminal cases against him, and K.S. Radhakrishnan, a former Vice Chancellor of Sree Sankara University and former Chairman of the Public Service Commission, who is the fray from Alappuzha. K.P. Prakash Babu, who is contesting from Kozhikode, has 190 cases and was sent to jail on March 28 by a court when he appeared before it to seek bail in one of them. Sobha Surendran, contesting from Attingal constituency, has 40 cases registered against her. "Apart from the candidates, the political parties which field the candidates have also to file the cases and all the BJP-led NDA candidates have done it in our newspaper. Likewise, the CPI-M candidates, have filed theirs in their party organ," added the official of Janmabhoomi. After the apex court on September 28 last year ruled that women of all age groups should be allowed to pray at Sabarimala, striking down the temple tradition of barring girls and women in the 10-50 age bracket, the right-wing parties were up in arms over the verdict. However, as the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front government decided to abide by the apex court's ruling, it led to numerous protests across the state by Sangh Parivar leaders and the Kerala Police registered criminal cases against them. State Chief Electoral Officer Tikka Ram Meena had warned all candidates that if they could face action if they do not follow the guidelines, forcing all the candidates to publish cases against them. The rules states that these should be published for three days at least two days before the polling date. Kerala goes to the polls on April 23 to elect 20 Lok Sabha members. --IANS sg/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP's national spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday mocked the Congress by calling it a 'sinking ship' after one of its spokespersons, Priyanka Chaturvedi, quit the grand old party and joined the Shiv Sena. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, Hussain said: "Congress is like a sinking ship and that is the reason its leaders are abandoning the party." The former Union Minister was referring to the resignation of Chaturvedi from the Congress earlier in the day. Chaturvedi later joined the Shiv Sena in Mumbai in the presence of party chief Udhav Thackrey. Hitting out at the opposition parties, Hussain said that after the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, it has become clear that there is a Modi wave across the country. "The opposition parties also know this and that is why the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are holding a joint rally with arch-rivals Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav coming together on one stage," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party leader also said that the SP-BSP-RLD alliance held a joint rally despite allegations that Mulayam Singh Yadav once planned to kill Mayawati. He also claimed that both the SP and the BSP were corrupt and dynastic parties. "They are coming together because they are afraid of the Modi wave," he said. Hussain also took a pot shot at actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, who recently joined the Congress. "While participating in his wife Poonam Sinha's roadshow, Sinha praised Mayawati when the Congress candidate in Lucknow was hoping Sinha him to campaign for him. But he campaigned for the SP leader," Hussain said. --IANS aks/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lenders will cite one day default clause under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) to defend their action against erring promoters taken to insolvency under the now defunct February 12, 2018 circular of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Sources said promoters of about half a dozen stressed power entities referred to National Company Law Tribunal have approached the bankruptcy court to quash insolvency proceedings against them as it has become non-maintainable following the Supreme Court order declaring the RBI circular ultra vires. But banker's are confident that stressed assets referred to NCLT will continue to face bankruptcy proceedings as IBC clearly states such referral even if there is one day delay or default by any entity in meeting its loan commitments. "There is no question that stressed assets referred to NCLT will come out from there following the apex court's ruling. These assets continue to remain stressed and lenders are sure that resolution under IBC framework would work best for all stakeholders," said chairman and managing director of a leading state-owned financial institution asking not to be named. "If need be, lenders would also file an affidavit with NCLT to continue the bankruptcy proceedings in the case of companies that faced such action over the earlier RBI circular," he added. Five stressed power producers, including 3,600 MW KSK Mahanadi Power Co. Ltd., 1920 MW Lanco Amarkantak Power Ltd., 600 MW Avantha Power (Jhabua), 1350 MW Rattan India Nashik Power Ltd. (formerly Indiabulls) and 1,350 MW Rattan India Power (Amravati project) are preparing to oppose insolvency proceedings as lenders filed petitions against them as per February 12 RBI circular. The projects owe about Rs 50,000 crore to banks. Lanco Amarkantak has sought time from the NCLT to submit documents that suggests that Axis Bank had initiated insolvency proceedings against it under the now-defunct RBI circular. KSK Mahanadi and Avantha Power have also cited the apex court order in earlier NCLT hearing. The other projects are also thinking of taking up the matter in the court. The February 12 RBI circular had also mandated resolution process by lenders even if there was one day delay in repayment by debtors. This stands annulled by Supreme Court. However, IBC gives powers to any creditor to take a company to NCLT even if there is one day delay in repayments and the outstanding amount is in excess of Rs 1 lakh. As this provision stands, lenders want to maintain bankruptcy proceedings against assets that remain in stress. In all about 70 cases with total bank exposure of about Rs 4 lakh crore was declared as stressful by the banks post the RBI circular. This included 34 stressed power projects worth 40,000 MW having total bank of close to Rs 1.8 lakh crore. Its not that institutions, including PFC did not try to resolve certain power projects, but none of the attempts remained successful. In the case of KSK Mahanadi, Adani Group showed interest but it soon withdrew from the race as lenders were divided on the level of hair cut and UP state regulator sought cut in tariff for the project. In case of an Rs 600 crore one time settlement scheme worked out for Lanco Amravati, the sole investor backed out from the race at the last minute. With relation to Avantha Power (Jhabua) an Rs 100 crore settlement for PFC got stalled after one of the operational creditors took the asset to NCLT. (Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in) --IANS sn/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Sonam Kapoor's businessman husband Anand S. Ahuja went down on one knee to tie his significant other's shoelaces at a store launch in the capital. Sonam was all smiles, as was Anand as he tied a shoelace for her at the collaborative collection launch of Italian sports-fashion powerhouse FILA with Anand's multi-brand sneaker retailer VegNonVeg. They posed happily for shutterbugs, and Anand seemed to be as smitten by Sonam as he seemed during their wedding. A preview of the FILA x VegNonVeg line was held here on Thursday, and Sonam looked bright in a mustard dress with elaborate sleeve detail and a centre bow. She teamed it up with a pair of yellow and red sneakers from the line. Anand wore an all-black look, but matched shoes with his wife. The limited edition 'Masala Mindblower' sneaker has been inspired by a masala box in design and colour scheme, keeping in line with Anand's brand's aesthetic. The design, colourway and materials all come from the spicebox, with hints of VegNonVeg graphics and brand language. Anand, Founder and Co-Owner, VegNonVeg, said in a statement: "Sneakers have always been more than just shoes to us. They have a culture of their own. Over time, we are committed to developing India's own story of sneaker and street culture and this collaboration is another step in that direction. "We're excited by the opportunity to create a concept that pays homage to our Indian origins yet something that we think will appeal to the global market." --IANS rb/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday shared a stage for the first time in 25 years where they blasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Samajwadi Party founder declared that this will be his last electoral battle. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, addressing her first public meeting after a 48-hour curb on her by the Election Commission, was at her aggressive best, praising Mulayam Singh Yadav "as a tall leader" and dubbing Modi as a "fake backward". Addressing a public meeting in Mainpuri, Mulayam Singh Yadav's bastion, Mayawati thundered: "Mulayam Singh is not a fake backward like Modi. "He (Mulayam) is a real backward as he was born in a backward community while Modi is a fake backward and everyone knows that during his tenure in Gujarat he made his forward community backward." Burying a quarter century of political animosity, Mayawati appealed to the voters to ensure the victory of Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri with a record margin and accused the BJP of diverting the attention of the people from real issues. "Now their (BJP) theatrics and rhetoric will no more work. Their new theatrics of chowkidari will also fail in this Lok Sabha election." She insisted that the Bharatiya Janata Party had fared poorly in the first two rounds of the staggered Lok Sabha elections and vowed to oust the Modi government. Targeting the Congress too, Mayawati called its NYAY scheme "a drama". "Congress remained in power at the Centre for over 60 years but they did not work and they were thrown out. And now to get votes of the poor they are promising money to them. This will also not get them votes." Mayawati referred to the June 1995 episode at a guest house in Lucknow that ruptured the BSP-SP alliance until Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav decided to shake hands ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. "Despite the episode, we are fighting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in an alliance... At times looking at the country's future one has to take difficult decisions in larger interest." The BSP leader added: "We have come together to take on the communal forces." Mulayam Singh Yadav earlier welcomed Mayawati and thanked her for supporting the Samajwadi Party. "Today Mayawatiji has come and we welcome her. Always respected Mayawatiji because even in bad times she has always stood by our side. And I am happy that she has come in my support. I shall never forget this favour." He said this will be his last election and so urged the people to help him win with a record margin. Akhilesh Yadav, speaking for himself and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, accused Modi of fooling the electorate. He said Modi presented himself as a 'chaiwala' in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle and was now calling himself a 'chowkidar'. --IANS hindi-aks/mr/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav on Friday shared a stage for the first time in 25 years where the BSP chief praised the Samajwadi Party founder and dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "a fake backward". Addressing a public meeting in Mainpuri, Mulayam Singh Yadav's bastion, after a 48-hour curb on her by the Election Commission ended on Thursday, Mayawati thundered: "Mulayam Singh is not a fake backward like Modi. "He (Mulayam) is a real backward as he was born in a backward community while Modi is a fake backward and everyone knows that during his tenure in Gujarat he made his forward community backward," she said. Burying a quarter century of political animosity, Mayawati appealed to the voters to ensure the victory of Mulayam Singh Yadav from Mainpuri with a record margin and accused the BJP of diverting the attention of the people from real issues. "Now their (BJP) theatrics and rhetoric will no more work. Their new theatrics of chowkidari will also fail in this Lok Sabha election." Targeting the Congress too, Mayawati called its NYAY scheme "a drama". "Congress remained in power at the Centre for over 60 years but they did not work and they were thrown out. And now to get votes of the poor they are promising money to them. This will also not get them votes." Mayawati referred to the episode at a guest house in Lucknow that brought cracks in the BSP-SP alliance. "Despite the episode, we are fighting the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in an alliance... At times looking at the country's future one has to take difficult decisions in larger interest." Mulayam Singh Yadav earlier welcomed Mayawati and thanked her for supporting the Samajwadi Party. "Today Mayawatiji has come and we welcome her. Always respected Mayawatiji because even in bad times she has always stood by our side. And I am happy that she has come in my support." --IANS aks/mr/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati on Friday erased 24 years of bitter hostilities and shared the same platform in Mainpuri where the BSP President took on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while the Samajwdi Party patriarch declared that this will be his last election. The two leaders sat side by side even as the crowds lustily cheered the alliance. Mulayam Singh Yadav introduced her to Samajwadi Party workers and asked them to touch her feet to show their respect. In her speech, Mayawati said that Mulayam Singh Yadav was a genuine backward caste leader who had united various caste groups. "He is not a fake (farzi) OBC leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi who claims to be a OBC leader but has done nothing for OBCs and Dalits," she said. Mayawati asked people to recognize the genuine leaders of their caste and ensure their victory. "Ensure the victory of Mulayam Singh Yadav. His son Akhilesh Yadav is carrying forward his father's legacy," she added, referring to the other former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister who too later took on Modi. In her speech, Mayawati said: "You must ensure a historic win for Mulayam Singh Yadav." She said that the 'natakbazi' of the Prime Minister on the 'chowkidar' issue would not have the desired impact on the voters now. She blasted the Modi government for betraying the people by making false promises, including giving Rs 15 lakh to all Indians. She stated that if the SP-BSP-RLD alliance came to power, she would ensure financial assistance for the poor. The BSP leader taunted the Prime Minister for terming the alliance as 'Sarab' and said that the BJP was intoxicated with power and had to be voted out. She said that several questions were being raised about her party's alliance with Samajwadi Party. "I have already explained that some decisions are taken in larger national interests. We have also done the same." Mayawati insisted that the Bharatiya Janata Party had fared poorly in the first two rounds of the staggered Lok Sabha elections and vowed to oust the Modi government. Targeting the Congress too, the BSP leader called its NYAY scheme "a drama". "Congress remained in power at the Centre for over 60 years but they did not work and they were thrown out. And now to get votes of the poor they are promising money to them. This will also not get them votes." In his brief speech, Mualayam Singh Yadav welcomed the BSP leader and asked party workers to treat Mayawati with respect because she had come to campaign for him. He also asked the people to ensure his victory with a greater majority than ever before. "I am not going to speak much because you all have heard me many times," he said. He said this will be his last election and so urged the people to help him win with a record margin. Akhilesh Yadav, speaking for himself and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav, accused Modi of fooling the electorate. He said Modi presented himself as a 'chaiwala' in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle and was now calling himself a 'chowkidar'. The Samajwadi Party and the BSP first entered into an alliance in 1993 and formed a government in Uttar Pradesh. After the 1995 State Guest House incident in which Mayawati and her supporters were held captive for almost 30 hours by Samajwadi Party leaders, the two parties had severed all ties. Mayawati, after the Mulayam government was dismissed in Uttar Pradesh and she was 'rescued' from the Guest house, had sworn that she would never have any truck with the Samajwadi Party. Later, she became Chief Minister with BJP support in 1995. The government lasted four months. --IANS amita-team/mr/arm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The film industry must exercise caution and be more sensitive in its messaging, irate psychiatrists have said in reference to the title and posters of the upcoming Hindi film "Mental Hai Kya?", featuring popular actors Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut. Experts across the country aren't the least amused with the title and a newly-released poster which depicts the artistes trying to balance a razor sharp blade between their tongues. Taking their ire a step further, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) on Thursday wrote to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), raising "serious objections" to the film's title. "We take serious objections to the title of the movie, which is discriminative, stigmatising, degrading and inhuman in projecting mental disorders and persons who suffer mental disorders. We strongly demand the title to be removed with immediate effect preventing further damage to the modesty of mental health service users," read the letter. The IPS demanded that the CBFC censor any sequence in the movie that is violating the rights of people with mental disorders. The poster of the movie, produced by Shobha Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor and Shaailesh Singh, written by Kanika Dhillon and directed by Prakash Kovelmudi, was launched recently with the caption: "Get ready for craziness that cuts through!" A motion poster further reads: "This June, witness two mentals collide", before breaking into a montage of images with the words "crazy, bizarre, crack, freaky, whacky, gutsy, weirdo, psycho". The images showcase Kangana making a cross-eyed face while Rajkummar shows his two middle fingers, Kangana with a matchstick on her tongue while Rajkummar stubs a cigarette on his forehead... so on and so forth. Samir Parikh, Director, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Mental Health, Fortis Healthcare, expressed dismay about how on the one hand, a leading Bollywood actress like Deepika Padukone mustered the courage to talk about her tryst with mental health issues and encouraged people to talk about it, while on the other hand, here's a film like "Mental Hai Kya?" "I have started a mental health curriculum, as part of which the idea is to tell children and teachers in schools, about the importance of the right conversation about mental health in public. It plays a huge part in developing a perception about those fighting a mental health issue," Parikh told IANS. He said it is vital that words like "psycho, schizo and mental" are not used in a dismissive way because people dealing with those issues then become apprehensive about seeking help. "Besides, when a mainstream Bollywood film with such popular actors comes up with a title like 'Mental Hai Kya?', it is very unfortunate. We have to be very careful and sensitive about our messaging. Everyone should get a creative license, but not in the absence of social responsibility," Parikh added. Mumbai-based Milan Balakrishnan, Consultant Psychiatrist, Bombay Hospital and Masina Hospital Mumbai, told IANS: "Bollywood has a major influence on our psyche and society. The representation of mental illness in the past by Bollywood has led to a lot of misinformation and stigma about the illness and its treatment. "The representation of ECTs (electroconvulsive therapy) in films as a mode of punishment is something we have never been able to undo. Bollywood needs to now be more responsible and avoid increasing the discrimination that is meted out to people with mental illness." The social media world was also abuzz with psychiatrists sharing their views about the need to bridge the gap in all aspects of mental health. "The layperson would not be able to differentiate between 'mentally ill' and 'mental'. Those with mental illness are often called 'mental' in a derogatory way," tweeted one user. Another wrote: "'Mental Hai Kya?' is a really bad title for a film. Sanity is not overrated and a person having mental health issues is not meant for your jokes and movie titles." Bollywood, in the recent past, has spoken about mental health awareness not just by sharing the story of their own struggle, but by acting on it with projects. Deepika launched The Live Love Laugh Foundation (TLLLF) to develop outreach programmes to highlight the urgent mental health challenges that India faces. On the big screen, Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt-starrer 2016 film "Dear Zindagi" offered a departure from Bollywood's stereotypical portrayal of mental illness, bringing the conversation into the mainstream. (Radhika Bhirani can be contacted at radhika.b@ians.in) --IANS rb/nn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A militant was killed in a brief gunfight with security forces on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said. Police sources said a patrol party of 32 Rashtriya Rifles was fired at by militants in Watergam area of Baramulla and they retaliated, resulting in a brief shoot-out after which the security forces recovered the body of one militant. "The gunfight took place in an orchard area. Another militant is also believed to have been killed in this operation and searches are still going on to trace the body," a police source said. --IANS sq/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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. A Class 7 student sustained a bullet injury during clashes between West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress supporters and BJP activists at Chopra in North Dinajpur district on Friday, a day after Lok Sabha polls were held there, police said. "Clashes were reported in the morning. Police personnel have been deployed to control the situation. According to locals, a student of Class 7 was caught between the firing and sustained a bullet injury on his left leg. He has been admitted to hospital," a police official said. No one has been arrested so far but efforts are on to nab the miscreants, he added. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters alleged that bombs were hurled and bullets fired by unidentified men earlier in the day before security was beefed up at Chopra which had witnessed escalating violence between supporters of the rival political parties. Trinamool activists, on the other hand, accused BJP supporters of vandalising the houses and shops of their supporters. "Trinamool supporters and leaders are habituated to creating disturbances. We will not allow their goons to create unrest. Our workers are ready to resist them," state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said. According to the Election Commission, polling on Thursday remained largely peaceful barring sporadic incidents of violence and vandalism, including an attack on a Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate and the smashing of an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Much of the violence during polls on Thursday was reported from Chopra. Meanwhile, BJP's Hooghly constituency candidate Locket Chatterjee alleged that Trinamool miscreants ransacked home appliances and other things after entering a house where she was residing. Refuting the allegation, Trinamool local leaders blamed "factional infighting within the BJP". --IANS bdc/ssp/mag/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NASA's airborne observatory has detected the first type of molecule ever formed in the universe. This is the first time helium hydride has been found in the modern universe. Scientists discovered the molecule in our own galaxy using NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), as the aircraft flew high above the Earth's surface and pointed its sensitive instruments out into the cosmos. SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 106-inch diameter telescope. It found modern helium hydride in a planetary nebula, a remnant of what was once a Sun-like star. Located 3,000 light-years away near the constellation Cygnus, this planetary nebula, called NGC 7027, has conditions that allow this mystery molecule to form, NASA said in a statement. The discovery serves as proof that helium hydride can, in fact, exist in space, said the scientists in a paper published in the journal Nature. "This molecule was lurking out there, but we needed the right instruments making observations in the right position - and SOFIA was able to do that perfectly," said Harold Yorke, director of the SOFIA Science Centre in California's Silicon Valley. Scientists believe that around 100,000 years after the big bang, helium and hydrogen combined to make a molecule called helium hydride for the first time. Helium hydride should be present in some parts of the modern universe, but it has never been detected in space. "The lack of evidence of the very existence of helium hydride in interstellar space was a dilemma for astronomy for decades," said Rolf Guesten of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, in Bonn, Germany, and lead author of the paper. Helium hydride is a finicky molecule. Helium itself is a noble gas making it very unlikely to combine with any other kind of atom. In 2016, scientists turned to SOFIA for help. Flying up to 45,000 feet, SOFIA makes observations above the interfering layers of Earth's atmosphere. But it has a benefit space telescopes don't -- it returns after every flight. "We're able to change instruments and install the latest technology," said Naseem Rangwala, SOFIA deputy project scientist. A recent upgrade to one of SOFIA's instruments added the specific channel for helium hydride that previous telescopes did not have. Helium hydride's signal finally came through loud and clear. --IANS na/ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union Home Ministry on Friday said that it had not asked the Assam government to take any action against editors and journalists who have expressed their opposition to the controversial Citizenship Bill. "It has been reported in a section of media that Union Home Ministry has asked Government of Assam to take action against the editors opposed to the Citizenship Bill. This is absolutely baseless and a mischievous interpretation of the facts," an official statement said here. The ministry said it did not ask the state government to initiate any inquiry against any editor or member of the press and media. The statement clarified that people send a large number of petitions and grievances to the ministry through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) and one such petition was sent by a Maharashtra resident stating that the Citizenship Bill issue had been exploited by different militant groups like ULFA, while the media is propagating militant ideology to give a fresh boost to such groups. This petition was forwarded as per standard practice to the Assam government but the Union Ministry has not called for any report from the state, the statement added. --IANS rak-spk/bc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Friday said it is yet to decide unanimously on a poll alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier this week AAP's spokesperson claimed that it had failed to convince the grand old party on forming an alliance. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Whenever there is a firm decision unanimously inside the Congress on the alliance with AAP, we will communicate to the media. The proposed alliance is only for Delhi, not for Punjab and Haryana." The two have been engaged in alliance talks for the past several weeks. On Wednesday, AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh told the media that AAP wanted an alliance with the Congress in order to stop the BJP "but it seems the Congress is not interested". "We wanted an alliance on 18 seats, but unfortunately, Congress is not ready for any compromise on seat sharing. Together, we could have defeated BJP," he said. Singh said he met Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.C. Chacko and Ahmed Patel, but the alliance could not be finalised. He said the two parties initially agreed on 4:3 seat distribution in Delhi where four seats would be allocated to AAP. Singh said AAP had also proposed a 6:3:1 seat sharing in Haryana under which Congress would fight six seats, Jannayak Janata Party three and one candidate would be fielded by the AAP. --IANS ss/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Outgoing French Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud has compared the Donald Trump administration to the court of King Louis XIV, filled with courtiers trying to interpret the caprices of a "whimsical, unpredictable, uninformed" leader. Araud, who retired on Friday after a 37-year career that included some of the top jobs in French diplomacy, told the Guardian that Trump's unpredictability and his single-minded interpretation of US interests was leaving the administration isolated on the global stage. Talking about the Trump administration, Araud said: "It's like (trying) to analyze the court of Louis XIV. You have an old king, a bit whimsical, unpredictable, uninformed, but he wants to be the one deciding." Like the Sun King who dominated France in the 17th and 18th centuries, Trump "doesn't want to appear under any influence and he wants to show it", according to Araud, who had been France's Ambassador to Washington since 2014. "When they say 'America first', it's America alone. Basically, this President and this administration don't have allies, don't have friends. It's really (about) bilateral relationships on the basis of the balance of power and the defence of narrow American interest." Araud called the current situation in the US as the opposite extreme of the "meticulous" decision-making process pursued by the previous administration. "(Barack) Obama was the ultimate bureaucrat: you know every night he was going to bed with 60 pages and in the morning they were coming back all annotated by the President. "For decisions such as the troop surge in Afghanistan, there were months of meetings between the relevant government departments." Araud also cautioned the UK against expecting any special treatment from Washington in post-Brexit trade talks, predicting that the administration would force London to accept the US imports on their own terms. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The approval rating of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dropped around 17 points in over a month but there is still no good news for the Congress as satisfaction of voters with Rahul Gandhi has not shown any sign of improvements, according to the latest findings of CVOTER-IANS tracker. In an all India survey carried out on April 18 with a sample size of 11,074, the net satisfaction level with the Prime Minister had dropped to 46.92 -- a drop of 16.55 -- from the peak in his popularity witnessed on March 7 when the net satisfaction level with him was 63.47. The voters were asked if they were "very satisfied", "satisfied to some extent" and "not satisfied with the PM at all". On April 18, in the second phase of polling, 50.65 per cent respondents said they were very much satisfied with Modi, while 26.13 per cent said they were not satisfied at all. But on March 7, 55.72 per cent of respondents had said they were very satisfied and only 17 per cent then said they were not happy with him. Modi had gained from the air strike on Balakot terrorist camp on February 26. But there has been a constant decline since. On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi has struggled to get numbers in his favour as net satisfaction level with him was only 6.82 on April 18. Only 25.78 per cent said they are very much satisfied with Congress president but 40.64 said they were not satisfied at all. His net satisfaction rating has remained below 10 points since February 28 and showing no improvement. --IANS gd/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJPs Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday apologised for her remarks that Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had died because of her "curse" and described him a martyr. Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, said she was taking back her remarks as she "felt that the enemies of the country are being benefited" from it. "It was my personal pain. I take back my statement and apologise," she told reporters hours after she made the controversial remarks. Congress had sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP over Thakur's remarks and sought action against her. Thakur had sparked off a controversy by saying that Karkare, who lost his life in the 26/11 attack, had died to "her curse". --IANS ps/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Calling it an insult, the Indian Police Service (IPS) Association on Friday condemned BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks on former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad Chief Hemant Karkare. On Friday, Thakur said Karkare, who died in action during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, had treated her "very badly" and died because of "her curse". "Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," said a tweet from the official handle of the Indian Police Service (Central) Association. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday fielded Thakur against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls in the sixth phase on May 12. --IANS vv/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case which killed six people and injured over 100, has entered the electoral fray on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from Bhopal in perhaps first such case in which a national party has fielded an accused facing terror charges. Although, charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) have been dropped against her, she is facing trial under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), an anti-terror law, which is considered successor to TADA and POTA. Currently, Thakur is out on bail granted to her by a Mumbai court in 2017. According to Indian law, any citizen above 25 years of age is eligible to contest polls unless convicted of any crime, punishment for which could be for two years or more. Thakur is not yet convicted in any case. The UAPA, as it stands today, deals with two qualitatively different kinds of criminal acts: "unlawful activity" and "terrorist acts". Terror accused are usually charged under UAPA. If Thakur were to be convicted under UAPA, she would likely face imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and will also be liable to fine. "The Representation of the People Act does not prohibit any person who is under trial and out on bail from fighting elections as long as such a person discloses all the cases against him/her in the affidavit and paper filed during nomination," said Kumar Mihir, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India. The criminal jurisprudence in India is based on "presumption of innocence" and till a person is actually convicted, he/she is presumed to be innocent. "Fighting an election is a statutory right given to all citizens of India and any person who is under trial and is yet to be convicted is presumed innocent. He/she cannot be debarred from fighting elections," said Mihir. Following is a summary of cases involving Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: Malegaon Case September 29, 2008: Explosives planted on an LML Freedom motorcycle go off opposite Shakil Goods Transport Company in Malegaon, Maharashtra. Six people are killed and over 100 injured. Hemant Karkare, then chief of the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), supervised the investigation. The ATS traced the motorcycle to Surat, and found that it was registered under the name of Thakur, a former Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist. The ATS arrests Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit and retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay. The ATS concludes that Hindutva outfit Abhinav Bharat and a self-proclaimed seer, Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey, are also involved. January 20, 2009: A chargesheet is filed followed by a supplementary chargesheet on April 21, 2011 in the special MCOCA court in Mumbai. The ATS names 14 accused, also including Shivnarayan Kalsangra, Shyam Sahu, Sameer Kulkarni Ajay alias Raja Rahirkar, Rakesh Dhawade, Jagdish Mhatre, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Pravin Takalki, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange. Thakur's involvement Thakur was arrested on October 24, 2008. Her arrest helped investigators to look into the alleged activities of Hindutva extremists. She is chargesheeted in the Malegaon case, where her motorcycle was used. The ATS chargesheet said that Thakur particpated in meetings since 2006 which planned the attack in Malegaon. On April 11, 2006, in Bhopal, Thakur allegedly took charge of finding men to execute the attack. These men were Sunil Joshi, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange, the chargesheet said. In another chargesheet involving a blast in the cross-border Samjhauta Express, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alleged that Thakur was known to accused Aseemanand since 2003. But the agency failed to prove the complicity of the two in the blast. March 21, 2019: The NIA special court acquits Aseemanand and three others in the Samjhauta blast case. Links to Other Cases Thakur's name cropped up in the Ajmer Dargah blast case, but she was never charged. April 2017: The NIA files a closure report against Thakur, RSS leader Indresh Kumar, and two others in a special court in Rajasthan, though the Rajasthan ATS said that Thakur and Indresh participated in a meeting on October 31, 2005, along with others. Thakur was also accused of conspiracy in the December 2007 murder of Sunil Joshi. In 2014, the NIA filed a chargesheet against her and others. But, she was acquitted in February 2017. (Sumit can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in) --IANS ss/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In an election season jolt to the Congress, its spokesperson Priyanka V. Chaturvedi formally joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray here on Friday. Thackeray welcomed her at a hurriedly convened media conference and said he was "happy that she had decided to join the Shiv Sena". His son Aditya Thackeray presented her a bouquet and tied her a thread symbolizing 'Shiv Bandhan' with several senior party leaders in attendance. Soon afterwards, Chaturvedi, 39, launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of not supporting her in the episode of unruly behaviour by some Congress activists. "I have served the party (Congress) for 10 years in a selfless manner without asking for anything in return. But the party chose to ignore my complaints though the matter was taken up at the topmost level," Chaturvedi said, addressing the media in Hindi. Chaturvedi said she had expressed her "pain" to the Congress leadership about the reinstatement of colleagues who misbehaved with her. Though Chaturvedi admitted she was a bit disappointed at being overlooked for the Mathura Lok Sabha seat candidature, she insisted that the primary reason for quitting the Congress was the inaction against some activists who had misbehaved with her in the past. Among her immediate priorities, she listed championing the cause of empowering women in and other fields besides helping "strengthen and build up Shiv Sena at the national level". Mumbai-born and educated Chaturvedi described the city as "my 'janmabhoomi' and 'karmabhoomi', and the 53-year-old Shiv Sena as the 'roar' of Mumbai, Maharashtra and rest of the country". On his part, Thackeray said the party would soon identify her responsibilities in Shiv Sena keeping in view her background and experiences and inform the media. The announcement came within hours of her quitting the Congress in the midst of the Lok Sabha elections. Chaturvedi has been a prominent face of the Congress, articulating its viewpoint at press conferences and as a TV panelist. In her letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday which became public on Friday, Chaturvedi said that in the last few weeks certain things had convinced her that her services were not valued in the party any more. She said it saddened her that despite the safety, dignity and empowerment of women being promoted by the Congress, "the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party". "A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC," she wrote. On Wednesday, Chaturvedi hit out at the Congress for reinstating members who had been suspended recently for misbehaving with her at a press conference in Mathura, saying "those who threatened her within the party got away with not even a rap". --IANS qn-ps/mr/soni (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 2019 Moscow Victory Day Parade is a forthcoming military parade that will occur in and on The Red Square in Moscow, 9th of May, 2019.to honor the 74th year commemoration of the laying down of arms in 1945 by the Nazi Germans. It is by far the biggest of the considerable number of the parades planned to be given on this day in Russia and many of the numerous previous republics of the Soviet Union also have parades You know it is happening just by the fact that they paint the trees Russians dont even and or hardly notice that the trees get painted. It just is the way it is and has been all their lives. I asked Sveta, What holiday? The trees are painted! Sveta said, Huh? Then after thinking she said, Must be May Holidays! Since painting the trees is from my ancient days in America, I take interest that Russia, once a year paints the trees (except the white birches) and it is always for the May Holidays.plus since I walk a bunch, I see the changes happen on my walking route Guess what? The May Holidays are coming WtR Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has quit the party in protest against the misbehaviour by some colleagues in Mathura and is set to join the Shiv Sena on Friday. "She has decided to join the Shiv Sena. She will join today (Friday) at Matoshree in the presence of our President Uddhav Thackeray," Shiv Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told IANS. Sena MP Sanjay Raut had earlier hinted that Chaturvedi was going to join the Sena. In a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday which became public on Friday, Chaturvedi said that in the last few weeks certain things had convinced her that her services were not valued in the party any more. In the letter, she said it saddened her that despite the safety, dignity and empowerment of women being promoted by the Congress, "the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party". "A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC," she wrote. On Wednesday, Chaturvedi hit out at the Congress for reinstating members who had been suspended recently for misbehaving with her at a press conference in Mathura, saying "those who threatened her within the party got away with not even a rap". --IANS qn-spk-nks/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will discuss bilateral relations, denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and regional cooperation in their first meeting later this month, the Kremlin said on Friday. "The baggage for discussion is very extensive. Here we must still remember first of all that we are talking about negotiations of the heads of neighbouring states with an extensive joint border," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "There is no doubt that Russia will be ready to do everything to promote the process of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula to the best of its abilities," he added. On Thursday, the Kremlin said that Kim will meet Putin before the end of April. It will be the first official meeting between Kim and Putin. Peskov said that the non-disclosure of information about the place and date of their meeting was related to security concerns but added it will take place in Russia. Speculation has grown that the meeting could take place in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok. When asked if Russia and the US contacted each other on the problems of the Korean Peninsula, Peskov said a "certain exchange of views is underway", but it was impossible to talk about some kind of close coordination on this issue. Kim has met US President Donald Trump twice. They ended their latest summit in Vietnam's Hanoi on February 28 without an agreement. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Grammy Award-winning Indian musician and environmentalist Ricky Kej's "My Earth Songs" has been nominated for The UN SDG Action Awards. Kej's "My Earth Songs" project has been nominated as a finalist from over 2000 entries from organisations and individuals from 142 countries. The winner will be announced on May 2 at a special awards ceremony held at the SDG Global Festival of Action in Bonn, Germany. Kej will be attending the ceremony. The UN SDG Action Awards recognises individuals, civil society organisations, sub-national governments, foundations, networks, private sector leaders who are advancing the global movement for the Sustainable Development Goals in the most transformative, impactful and innovative way. Kej's "My Earth Songs", which are 27 children's rhymes, is a set of songs based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These songs highlight the needs of the planet, and the action that the people of this planet need to take to correct the imbalances and ensure a clean, green planet for generations to come. It aims at enlightening the young through music, igniting in them that spark - to be responsible and spread awareness among their peers and everyone they interact with. "I am beyond thrilled to be nominated for this meaningful and prestigious award. 'My Earth Songs' is a sincere effort to ensure a new generation of environmentally connected human beings," Kej said in a statement. "Everyone needs to play their part to create a more environmentally conscious society. I believe as musicians, we must use our art to raise awareness on sustainable development, and the best way is to start with children. "Our audience will sing our songs, and keep humming them many times a day. One goal will catch their attention, followed by another, and another, becoming a topic of conversation that will build into a cause for action." --IANS nn/rb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three days after Rohit Shekhar Tiwari's mysterious death in his south Delhi residence, the autopsy report has suggested that he died an "unnatural death, indicating that he was killed", a police officer said on Friday. A Crime Branch officer told IANS that a case of murder has been registered. "All possible angles, including a property dispute between Rohit Shekhar Tiwari and his brother Sidharth, are being investigated. It was found that the family has property worth crores of rupees in Uttrakhand and Delhi," said the officer. Rohit Shekhar Tiwari had won the paternity suit against former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, late Narayan Datt Tiwari. He was declared "brought dead" at Max Hospital on Wednesday after his mother took him there in an ambulance. "The autopsy report of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, 40, suggested that it is an unnatural death. Other contradictions were also found," Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar told IANS. "The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch," he said. The autopsy reports suggested that Rohit Shekhar Tiwari was smothered to death -- possibly with a pillar-like object. Forensic and crime branch teams visited Rohit Shekhar's residence in Defence Colony in an effort to corroborate the sequence of events, including scanning the CCTV footage. They also videographed the house. "His mother Ujjwala Tiwari, brother Siddharth, Rohit's wife Apporva and three servants are being questioned. While the teams found some contradictions in their statements which donot relete to our technical details. Rohit was murdered between 12 to 2 p.m. as per the autopsy report," the officer said. "A Crime Branch team today questioned the Tiwari family and servants about their routine morning activities on the day of the murder. There were four CCTV cameras installed at Tiwari's residence in Defence Colony and all were found operational. There was no outsider entry in their residence," the officer said. "We are trying to get call details of the family members. The movements of Tiwari's family and servants can provide us crucial links in the case. We are trying to find out what happened between six hours on Tuesday -- from 10 a.m to 4 p.m -- after Rohit's mother left her residence for her treatment in Max hospital in Saket," he added. As per investigation, a servant had gone to check Rohit in his room located at the upper floor to give him breakfast, but he found him sleeping and did not see anything unnatural. But the same servant again visited him at 4 p.m. and found him unconscious, bleeding from the nose, police sources said. "Rohit had undergone two bypass surgeries in 2007 and last year. He was under treatment for about a year. The Crime Branch team found many medicines stored in his room. We are waiting for his viscera report also," said the officer. "It was found that Rohit twice had heart problems. His wife Apporva and brother Sidharth are suspects. It could be a case of sour reltionship," he added. "It was found that Rohit slept late at night and woke up late in the noon. He wanted to build a big political career for himself from Uttarakhand. He had gone to vote on April 12 in Uttrakhand and returned to Delhi the same night," he said. --IANS sp/prs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two days after joining the BJP and being fielded for Lok Sabha polls, 2008 Malegaon bomb blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday said then Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had died during the 26/11 terror attack because of her "curse", triggering a major outcry following which she apologized. Thakur, who is out on bail after serving over nine years in jail in connection with the September 29, 2008 blast in Maharashtra's Malegaon in which six people were killed and nearly 100 injured, recounted at a public meeting here the episode of her arrest and interrogation in the case. The 48-year-old, who has a long association with the Sangh Parivar, claimed that when she was in a Mumbai jail, the head of the probe had called Karkare and said that she should be released as there was "no evidence" against her. "Then Karkare asked me various questions and I replied 'God knows'. At this, Karkare asked whether he would have to go to the God to get the answers. Then, I told him that he would be destroyed and he was cursed... within a month and a half, he fell victim to the terrorists' bullets," said Thakur who has been fielded by the BJP from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Karkare was killed on the night of November 26, 2008 when 10 terrorists from Pakistan struck Mumbai at various places. "Hindus believe that a period of one and a half month after anyone's birth or death is of ritual impurity. When Karkare asked me these questions, this period started for him and ended with him being killed by the terrorists," said Thakur, who was born in Bhind area of Madhya Pradesh. The comments triggered a major outcry, with parties like the Congress, AAP and AIMIM, besides the Indian Police Service Association, condemning her remarks. Amid the outrage, the BJP also distanced itself from Thakur's comments. In the evening, Thakur said, "It was my personal pain. I take back my statement and apologise." She said she was taking back her remarks as she "felt that the enemies of the country are being benefited" from it. She said Karkare was a "martyr" who died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country. Earlier, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, while condemning the comments, demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and action against her. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lashed out at Sadhvi Pragya for insulting a decorated dead police officer and accused her of dragging the current nationalism discourse to a new low. In a hard-hitting reaction to the "sickening and repulsive" comment, he said: "That woman cannot be sane. No person in their sane mind can think or talk like that, and that too about a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation." He also dismissed as "crap" the BJP's subsequent attempt to alienate itself from the controversial remarks by calling them the Sadhvi's personal opinion. The AAP said BJP must apologize for insulting Karkare, with its chief Arvind Kejriwal calling the comments "disgraceful". AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi also slammed Thakur's comment. "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' and 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote and elect a government," he said, adding: "How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this?" In a tweet from its official handle, the IPS (Central) Association said: "Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected." Thakur was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. She was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017. Charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against her have been dropped and she is now being tried under the stringent anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). --IANS hindi-nks/ps/akk/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Saudi Arabian government has issued a formal order, notifying increase in Indias Haj quota to 2 lakh from 1.75 lakh, about two months after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave the assurance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, official sources said here on Friday. The decision, taken on Thursday, will ensure that for the first time since Independence, all the Haj applicants from all big states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar can go for the pilgrimage this year as their waiting lists have been cleared due to the increase in the quota, the sources said. The Saudi Crown Prince, during his visit here in February, had announced at a meeting with the Prime Minister and attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi that India's Haj quota would be increased by about 25,000, raising the number to 2 lakh. This is the third hike in three consecutive years. In 2017, the quota was increased by 35,000 while last year, it was raised by 5,000 to take the number to 1,75,000, the sources said. "Due to the significant increase in India's Haj quota, all the applicants from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Tripura will go to Haj 2019," the sources said. This time, 2,340 Muslim women from India will also go for Haj without 'Mehram' or male companion, they said. For this year's Haj pilgrimage, 34,397 applications have been received from Uttar Pradesh, 8,470 from West Bengal, 191 from Goa, 499 from Manipur, 698 from Odisha, 2,138 from Andhra Pradesh, 3,588 from Assam, 4,950 from Bihar, 72 from Himachal Pradesh, 2,233 from Jharkhand, 342 from Punjab, 110 from Tripura and all these applicants have become eligible after increase in India's Haj quota, the sources said. "Making the entire Haj process completely online and digital has not only ensured that Haj pilgrimage has not become expensive even after removal of Haj subsidy, it has also made the Haj process absolutely pro-pilgrim," they said. By ensuring transparency in the Haj process and making it 100 percent online and digital, the airfare for the pilgrimage has decreased significantly, the sources said, adding in 2018, even after removal of Haj subsidy, pilgrims saved about Rs 57 crore in air fares. The GST on Haj pilgrimage has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent this year, which will ensure that about Rs 113 crore will be saved by pilgrims during the 2019 Haj, they said. Besides, accommodation in Madina has been taken on 100 Saudi Riyals less in comparison to the last year which will result into Indians saving about Rs 3,000 per pilgrim, the sources said. --IANS akk/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Sri Lankan police on Friday seized heroin worth over $195,000 hidden in an abandoned garage in the country's Kurundugahahetekma area, in close proximity to the southern highway. The heroin weighed 3.6 kg and was discovered during a search operation launched by the Police Narcotics Bureau, Xinhua news agency reported. No arrests were made but the police were conducting further investigations. Under the directives of President Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lankan authorities have launched a massive crackdown on drugs with several drug lords arrested since January. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday called upon relatives of Indians residing in Tripoli to ask them to leave the Libyan capital immediately, saying the situation there is fast deteriorating. "Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. Please ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later," she tweeted. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that 213 people have been killed and 1,009 others injured in the fighting between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based Army in and around Tripoli. The Army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. India had earlier evacuated its entire contingent of 15 Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were deployed in Tripoli. --IANS ps/mag/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of young Italians spent Friday with Sweden's teen climate change activist, Greta Thunberg, who warned them that her generation's struggle for a sustainable future will go on for years. Thunberg and her supporters took to Rome's Piazza del Popolo (People's Square), where they joined a strike aimed at securing action from politicians in order to take measures to counteract climate change. According to the police, the 16-year-old activist gathered 3,500 young people in Rome, while Thunberg said on Twitter that over 20,000 people had turned out for the action, Efe news reported. During the gathering she lamented that "nothing" has changed on a political level since she embarked on her protest six months ago and that greenhouse gas emissions continue to grow. She said nothing is being done and young people had to be prepared to fight for a long time, warning that it would take years. She also urged those gathered for the rally to continue striking on Fridays. The student activist began her weekly protest dubbed "School strike for the climate" outside the Swedish Parliament in August 2018. By November, her protest had grown into a wider movement, with schoolchildren all over the world ditching classes to call for action to save the planet. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Confident of a clean sweep in Lok Sabha elections in Telangana, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) could be eyeing a key role in the post-poll scenario at the Centre. Specifically, this is about a role in government formation post May 23, based on speculation over one of the biggest imponderables in Indian -- the expected number of seats a political party is likely to win in an election. With polling for all 17 Lok Sabha seats over in the first phase on April 11, TRS president and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao is busy holding consultations with senior leaders and close aides on the possible scenarios at the Centre and how the party could play a role in national KCR, as Rao is known among his supporters, is said to be following the trends in various states to evaluate the situation and devise his strategy accordingly. 'T News', a Telugu news channel owned by KCR's close aide and other pro-TRS media say that with 16 seats KCR will bring together other like-minded parties to play a crucial role in cobbling together a non-BJP and non-Congress alliance. Other Telugu newspapers and television channels predict that KCR will be looking to play a greater role in the shaping the next government at the Centre. They say that in the event of a fractured verdict, KCR would be ready to do business with anybody at the Centre as the state's interests will be paramount for him. Telangana is looking for greater allocation of funds for several ambitious projects undertaken by TRS, KCR may back anyone offering better deal for Telangana, says the local media. The TRS chief remains confident that neither the BJP nor the Congress will be in a position to come to power even with the support of allies. A populist leader, his confidence comes from the self-assurance that his political formula of being liberal with sops is successful. Last year KCR mooted the idea of a Federal Front as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress. He believes that conditions are conducive for regional parties to form a government at the Centre. The TRS chief, who also visited various states to call on leaders of non-BJP and non-Congress parties, did not hide his ambition of playing a key role at the Centre. Though during the campaign, he made it clear that he has no wish to become the Prime Minister, his son and TRS working president K. T. Rama Rao did not rule out the possibility of his emerging as the leader. "Anything is possible," KTR had told IANS in a recent interview. He claimed that the country needed the intellect of KCR to address the issues, which both the 'so-called national parties' failed to solve. In fact, a fractured mandate could see other southern Indian politicians jousting for a role at the Centre. Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of YSR Congress Party could emerge as one of the big regional players after the polls. Though the Federal Front has not yet taken a shape, KTR remains optimistic that this will take no time once the results were announced. He pointed that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was formed and a leader was chosen only after the elections in 2004. KCR did not contest the Lok Sabha elections and TRS leaders say his next move would depend on the post-poll scenario. He along with his daughter K. Kavitha and close aide B. Vinod Kumar will be the key figures in national Kavitha and Vinod Kumar are seeking re-election from Nizamabad and Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituencies. In the event of KCR moving to Delhi, his son KTR will be his successor as chief minister. The TRS chief dropped clear hints by appointing him as the TRS working president soon after the party won second term in power with a landslide victory. Even in KCR's first cabinet, KTR was seen as Number 2. The young leader held several key portfolios, including industry and information technology, and was the face of the government at key national and international events. KCR did not induct KTR and his nephew and key party leader Harish Rao in the cabinet this time, apparently waiting for a clear picture to emerge at the Centre. He has not allotted key portfolios like finance, industry, agriculture and irrigation. Harish Rao, who was the irrigation minister in the previous cabinet, may be part of the cabinet headed by KTR -- though there have been reports of differences between KTR and Harish but they publicly denied it. During the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, TRS urged people to give it all 16 seats (leaving Hyderabad for its ally All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) so that the party can decide who should form the government in New Delhi and who should be the Prime Minister. --IANS ms/am/prs/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of Peruvians gathered to say last goodbye to former President Alan Garcia, dead at 69 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, at the headquarters of his party, a site chosen by his family for his wake in lieu of any official honours. Starting early Thursday morning, supporters of the Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) began arriving at the wake at the Casa del Pueblo carrying flowers and white handkerchiefs, Efe news reported. Garcia died on Wednesday at Lima's Casimiro Ulloa Hospital, where he was rushed after shooting himself in the head as police arrived at his home to arrest him for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The government of President Martin Vizcarra declared three days of national mourning, ordered flags flown at half-mast at public sites and prepared to hold a state funeral for Garcia, who governed Peru from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011. Lima Archbishop Carlos Castillo delivered a prayer before Garcia's casket accompanied by the papal nuncio, Nicola Girasoli, while Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani had been on hand minutes earlier and delivered comments that brought applause from those present. Cipriani declared "Basta!" (enough) to what he called "the persecution" of the people being investigated in Peru in the Odebrecht case, and he emphasized that Garcia had done "much good" for the country during his two administrations. Among the large number of people at the wake were Garcia's six children, his ex-wife Pilar Nores and his last partner, US-born Roxanne Cheesman, as well as his mother Nytha Perez, who was seated in a wheelchair. The former president's oldest daughter, Carla Garcia, wrote on Twitter that she bade her father farewell "very proud to be Alan's daughter." "These are difficult times in which I feel much sadness, but I am accompanied by the dignity and the life lessons that he gave me," she said. Last November, Garcia took refuge at the Uruguayan Embassy in Lima and requested asylum hours after a court granted a request from prosecutors to bar him from leaving the country for 18 months as authorities investigated the Odebrecht charges. Odebrecht reached a settlement in December 2016 with the US Justice Department in which the firm pleaded guilty to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to government officials around the world. As part of the settlement, Odebrecht has been cooperating with prosecutors in the affected countries to bring corrupt officials to justice. Peruvian Judge Juan Carlos Sanchez Balbuena ruled last fall that documents handed over by Odebrecht provided "sufficient elements" to support the accusations against Garcia. Odebrecht executive Carlos Nostre told Peruvian prosecutors that the company paid up to $24 million in bribes to secure the contract to build Lima Metro's Line 1 during Garcia's presidency. Garcia, who had been living in Spain for a number of years, returned to Peru last year for questioning in the case. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised its citizens against travel to Pakistan due to a "high threat of terrorism, kidnap and sectarian violence" throughout the country and said foreigners may be "directly targeted". "Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Pakistan. There's a high threat of terrorism, kidnap and sectarian violence throughout the country, including the cities of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi," the FCO advisory said. "Protests can take place with little warning and turn violent quickly. You should avoid demonstrations, large crowds of people and public events throughout Pakistan. "Foreigners, in particular westerners, may be directly targeted. Densely populated unsecured areas like markets, shopping malls, restaurants and places where westerners and the Pakistani elite are known to congregate, are potential focal points for attacks. You should be extra vigilant at all times," it stated. The UK office also urged its citizens to avoid areas located close to the Line of Control (LoC) due to tensions between India and Pakistan following the February 14 Pulwama suicide attack which killed 40 CRPF troopers and was claimed by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. The FCO further said that the British High Commission's ability to deliver consular assistance, including in an emergency, may be restricted or delayed in certain parts of Pakistan where the federal government does not give permission to travel. According to the advisory, much of Balochistan, rural Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces, including the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Agencies, Quetta and parts of Sindh have a high level of lawlessness. The US had also issued a travel advisory for its citizens earlier this week. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The for-profit college industry is collapsing. The Chronicle of reports that during the past five years, more than 1,200 college campuses have been closed an average of about 20 every month. Of those that shut, 88 per cent were for-profit, and their students amounted to 85 per cent of those affected by the closures. Enrolment at four-year for-profit colleges is in free fall, dropping 13.7 per cent from fall 2014 to fall 2015, 14.5 per cent the following year, and 7.1 per cent the year after that. Perhaps the only surprising thing was that it took this long. For-profit colleges have long been plagued by poor performance a 2012 study by economists Kevin Lang and Russell Weinstein found no earnings premium from attending a for-profit university. Follow-up studies yielded similar results. But the price tag for these colleges was high, and students were encouraged to take out lots of loans to pay it. The inevitable result was a generation of for-profit college students with poor employment prospects and a mountain of debt. Meanwhile, a whiff of dubious marketing hung about the industry, with DeVry University being forced to pay a $100 million settlement for misleading prospective students about the economic benefits of attending. The winnowing of the for-profit college industry shows that although it can take years for poor quality and high prices to reduce demand in the sector, eventually it does happen. Fortunately, for-profits only account for a relatively small slice of undergraduate perhaps about a tenth. The more important question is whether the carnage among for-profits is a harbinger of similar declines for nonprofit and public colleges. Enrolment at four-year public and nonprofit colleges has remained essentially unchanged during the past two years. And college enrolment rates overall which includes the big decline in for-profits and a smaller decline in two-year public schools are essentially constant since 2005. But this conceals some potentially important underlying trends. Hispanic enrolment rates are up since 2010, but white and black enrolment rates have dropped a bit. Meanwhile, tuition may now be falling at four-year public and nonprofit universities another potential sign of weakening demand. If demand for college were weakening, this is probably how it would manifest itself. The number of spots at good schools is rationed by the application process these schools limit their enrolment in order to maintain their prestige. So falling demand would reduce prices for these colleges, but not the number of people attending. Meanwhile, enrolment would fall at institutions that were less in demand, such as for-profits and two-year colleges. Why might demand for college be weakening? One reason is that there are simply fewer young people in the country these days. The reversal of Mexican immigration probably has something to do with that. Meanwhile, falling fertility rates will do even more to thin out the ranks of the young in the decades to come. US universities could make up the difference by allowing in more international students, but President Donald Trumps anti-immigration policies and attitudes have made that difficult; enrolment from overseas is now in decline. The strengthening labour market might also be pulling a few young Americans away from college, though so far that trend seems to be very slight. Another possible factor is that prospective college students may be learning to distinguish between the economic opportunities afforded by various college majors. Overall, the earnings premium for a bachelors degree has remained constant or continued to rise, depending on how its measured. But those overall numbers conceal large differences by field of study. This may be why college students are avoiding humanities majors. But it could also mean that some prospective college students who dont want to major in fields like science, technology, engineering, math, health or business might avoid college entirely, or be unwilling to attend more expensive schools. Whatever the reason, if the decline in demand for college continues, it could be bad for many regions of the US. For more prestigious universities, falling undergraduate applications need not crush their plans for expansion. Most of the local economic benefit of a university comes from research, not from education. But a number of small towns owe their economic health to modest local colleges whose main activity is teaching; if these shrink or disappear due to falling college demand, the trend of local economic decline could accelerate. Government programs to make college more affordable for lower-income Americans can help prop up enrolment in these vulnerable areas. But universities also need to help by cutting costs. Addressing administrative bloat and other sources of inefficiency will allow public and nonprofit colleges to make enrolment a more attractive proposition. Bloomberg The closure of Jet Airways provides yet another opportunity to discuss the economics of one of the most important -- but also one of the most despised -- businesses in India: transport. Few know that in India not only is there a paucity of transport economists generally but also that there are no aviation economists at all. In the absence of such economists, the whole transport sector is informed by the inadequate intellectual resources and opinion of railwaymen, road engineers, truckers, shippers, managers of ports and the staff of the DGCA. This is absolutely ridiculous because ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi has focused on the security of the country just before the elections though terrorist attacks have increased 177 per cent during the past five years, senior Congress leader Mukul Sangma said Friday. The central government's approach has aggravated the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern region, Chhattisgarh and other states, claimed Sangma, chairman of the North East Congress Coordination Committee. Modi has failed to deal with security of the nation effectively, the former Meghalaya chief minister alleged. According to data placed in the Rajya Sabha, there has been 177 per cent increase in terrorist attacks during the last five years, but the government has responded to the situation only before the election, Sangma told reporters. "War is being fought daily in Jammu and Kashmir, North East, Chhattisgarh and other states but the government's approach has aggravated the situation. It created more problems, alienated more people which is reflected in more people joining insurgent outfits," he added. The BJP has been trying to project that it is the only one capable of taking care of the nation's security, he said. "Modi and his team does not have the in depth understanding to tackle the complexities and challenges of security problems," he said. Terming the saffron party as anti-Northeast, he said the BJP's insistence on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill bears testimony to it. Without naming anyone, Sangma said a senior minister in BJP-ruled Assam has gone on record saying if the party returns to power at the Centre, the bill will be implemented by June or July this year. "They are trying to push the people against the wall. Any agenda that goes against the sentiment of the people will obviously have a natural repercussion. There will be chaos and a nation cannot flourish amid chaos and disorder," he added. The bill seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who fled because of persecution, even if they do not possess any document. The indigenous people of the region are apprehending that if the law is enacted, it will endanger their livelihood and identity. The Modi government has withdrawn special status of NE states, suspended the North East Investment Promotion Policy, and changed the Look East policy to Act East policy without any visible action being taken, Sangma claimed. About the Assam government, he said it lacks the focus to deal with the problems arising out of updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in which 40 lakh people have been left out. He accused the BJP of betraying the people of Assam saying it had promised to solve the problem of illegal immigration but failed, and it appears that they are not interested in solving it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Two pilgrims were killed after a truck hit them near here Friday, police said. Arun (30) and Rajender (31) were proceeding to have darshan of Lord Hanuman at Kondagattu when the accident occurred, the police said. The two, who were seriously injured, belong to Bhupalapatnam in Choppadandi mandal, they said. The two died on the way to hospital. A search is on for the lorry driver, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Pakistan Taliban militants have been arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping and killing of American journalist Danial Pearl and several terror-related activities in the country, officials said on Friday. The Counter-Terrorism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Manshera district said they are the most dreaded terrorists of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Azeem Jan and Muhammad Anwar were arrested during an intelligence-based operation, officials said. They were involved in the kidnapping and killing of American journalist Pearl in 2002. Pearl, who was the South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped and later beheaded by terrorists in Pakistan. Azeem, an active member of the TTP Karachi, TTP Swat and Shagla districts, was a trained terrorist and a suicide bombing trainer who supplied trained suicide bombers to the TTP, they said, adding that he was also the chief of financial affairs of TTP Miranshah. He was also involved in the terrorist attack on the French embassy staff in Karachi and provided suicide bombers for an attack on former president Gen Pervez Musharaf. Anwar, who was trained in Khbyer, was the mastermind behind the attack on Daewoo Bus terminal Peshawar wherein two policemen were killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A total 324 companies of central forces will be deployed for the third phase of voting in West Bengal on April 23 and will cover more than 90 per cent of the polling booths in five Lok Sabha constituencies, a senior official of the Election Commission said Friday. According to special observer Ajay Naik, 50 more compnaies of central forces are being sent by the ministry of home affairs for the third phase on the EC's request. Balurghat, Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur and Murshidabad parliamentary constituencies will go to the polls in the third phase. "Deployment of central forces was increased to 70-80 per cent in the second phase and the results were quite apparent. For the coming phases we had requested the Centre for 50 additional companies of central forces and the home ministry has agreed to it. So more than 90 per cent of the polling stations will be covered by the central forces," Naik told reporters. Election office sources said it was earlier decided to deploy 274 companies of central forces for the third phase of elections but now with another 50 additional companies 324 companies will be deployed at the polling stations," he said. In the first phase the central forces had covered 51 per cent of the booths in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar and in the second phase on Thursday in Raiganj, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri 194 companies of central forces had covered 80 per cent of the booths. In the first phase on April 11 when polling was held in two Lok Sabha constituencies of Alipurduar and Coochbehar there were reports of booth capturing, smashing of EVMs and intimidation. Similar incidents were reported in the second phase on April 18 from Chopra in Darjeeling constituency and also from Islampur in Raiganj constituency. There were also reports of damage to the vehicle of sitting CPI-M MP Mohammed Salim at Raiganj. "There is strict directive from the EC New Delhi to ensure that no such incidents get repeated in the third phase. We are trying to set up arrangements for that," Naik said. There were demands from the BJP, Congress and CPI(M) to deploy central forces in all the polling stations in all the seven phases of the ongoing general elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 68.81 per cent voter turnout was reported in the elections for 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka in the first phase on Thursday, poll officials said. Voter turnout was 68.68 per cent in the same 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in the 2014 polls, officials said, revising the figures. Mandya, where Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil is pitted against multi-lingual actress Sumalatha Ambareesh in what is perceived to be a cliff-hanger contest, recorded the highest voter turnout of about 80.24 per cent. The lowest voting was reported in Bangalore South constituency with 53.48 per cent, officials said. In other constituencies of the city, that has a history of low voter turnout, Bangalore North recorded 54.62 per cent, Bangalore central 54.29 per cent and Bangalore Rural 64. 90 per cent. In Tumkur, where former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda is locked in a tough contest with G S Basavaraj of BJP, 77.17 per cent turnout was reported. Hassan where Gowda's other grandson Prajwal Revanna is contesting against A Manju of BJP, recorded 77.08 per cent voting, officials said. Dakshina Kannada recorded 77.90 per cent polling, Udupi-Chikmagalur 75.91 per cent, Chitradurga 70.73 per cent,Chamarajnagar 75.15 per cent, Chikkaballapur 76.78 per cent and Kolar 77.14 per cent. A total of 2,67,51,893 voters were eligible toexercise their franchise in the first phase, with 241 candidates in the fray. The remaining 14 constituencies, mostly in northern districts, will go to the polls in the second phase on April 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha has recorded 72 per cent voter turnout during the second phase of polling held in five Lok Sabha and 35 assembly constituencies, a senior poll official said on Friday. Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest voter turn-out of 77.57 per cent, while Aska posted the lowest voting of 66.30 per cent during the polling held on Thursday, the official said Voter turn-out stood at 72.42 per cent in Bolangir parliamentary seat, while it was 71.44 per cent in Sundargarh and 72.88 per cent in Kandhamal, he said. Polling was peaceful in all the constituencies including those in Maost-affected areas and people turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise despite a boycott call given by the red rebels, he said. No untoward incident occurred in Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat where a woman polling officer was shot dead by Maoists and three vehicles were set ablaze in separate incidents on Wednesday, a police official said. Recommendation has been made for fresh polling in six booths - two each in Bargarh, Sundargarh and Kandhamal Lok Sabha constituencies - due to human error during replacement of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines. Meanwhile, three polling parties in Maoist-affected Kandhamal returned from their respective booths to the district headquarters after walking down 15 km in the forest on Friday morning, an EC official said. A team from a booth at Barala village under Phiringia police station left for the district headquarters after polling, but its members could not proceed as the road was blocked by trees felled by Maoists, the officials said. The polling party stayed back at Barala and left in the morning escorted by security personnel. It reached Balandapada after covering about 15 km on foot walking through dense jungles fearing Maoist attack and then moved to the the district headquarters after being picked up by the authorities from the main road, they said. Two other polling parties on duty in two booths at Sirla village under Tumudibandha block were advised by security personnel not to travel by road because of the Maoist threat. They walked through dense forests on Thursday night accompanied by security personnel and reached Tumudibandha block in the early hours on Friday and then proceeded to the district headquarters, the officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a last ditch effort to form an alliance with the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party has postponed the nomination of its candidates, senior party leader Gopal Rai said Friday. The effort was being made "to save the country from the Modi-Shah duo", he said. On Saturday, AAP's East Delhi candidate Atishi, Chandini Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta and North West candidate Guhan Singh were to file their nominations on Saturday. "But to give a last chance to the Congress to come on the table for holding talks over the alliance, we are postponing these candidates' nominations from Saturday to Monday," Rai said. On Monday, these candidates would file their nominations along with South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha, North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey and New Delhi candidate Brijesh Goyal, he added. On Thursday, after holding a roadshow, the party's West Delhi candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar filed his nomination papers. Sources said AAP leader Sanjay Singh has proposed to the Congress that the party would not field its candidate from Chandigarh and give the grand old party outside support in the Union Territory, if an alliance is formed in Delhi with the 5:2 seat-sharing formula, five for the AAP and two for Congress. Uncertainty prevails over the tie-up in Delhi, with the AAP seeking an alliance in Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. The Congress, however, offered to tie up only in the national capital. On Thursday, the AAP-JJP alliance announced that there is no possibility of a tie-up in Haryana as the JJP said that it could never join hands with the grand old party In Haryana, the AAP has proposed an alliance in the ratio of 6:3:1 with six seats for Congress, three seats for AAP's alliance partner in the state Jannayak Janata Party and one seat for itself. In Delhi, an alliance in the formula of 5:2 has been proposed by the AAP with five seats for the ruling party while the Congress has refused to form an alliance anywhere except in Delhi and that too in a ratio of 4:3. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Afghanistan government's policies to prevent ill-treatment of detainees, linked to ongoing conflict, in the war-torn country's prisons were having an effect, but they were far from sufficient as torture of prisoners is likely still widespread in these jails, the UN has said. Based on interviews with more than 600 detainees and published jointly by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), their latest report on the treatment of prisoners in 77 facilities in 28 out of 34 provinces indicates that an average of nearly one in three, provided "credible and reliable" accounts of suffering. In the previous reporting period, covering 2015 and 2016, the ratio was closer to four in 10, it said noting that an "encouraging reduction" in the level of abuse since 2016 have been witnessed. Beatings was the most common form of torture and ill-treatment, according to the report, which also noted that "the vast majority" of detainees held for alleged links to extremist group ISIS (also known as Daesh) or other opposition forces, said they had been tortured or ill-treated to force them to confess - and that the treatment stopped once they did so. Significant differences in the treatment of detainees were found depending on the jail where they are held, with one Afghan National Police (ANP) facility in Kandahar, linked to a 77 per cent torture rate - well above the 31 per cent ANP average. Tahe Kandahar findings included allegations of "brutal" forms of torture such as "suffocation, electric shocks, pulling of genitals and suspension from ceilings", the UNAMA and the OHCHR said, while underlining that abuse allegations in ANP detention centres had fallen - from a 45 per cent average since 2016. The report, which finds that youngsters are at higher risk of suffering mistreatment, discusses how detainees' rights are violated in other areas. These include a lack of legal safeguards to prevent torture, difficulties in gaining access to lawyers and the continued absence of accountability for perpetrators, with very limited referrals to prosecution. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), Michelle Bachelet, said the report's findings demonstrated that the embattled Government's policies put in place to combat torture and ill-treatment were having an effect, but they were far from sufficient. "A year ago, on this day, the Government of Afghanistan committed itself to the prevention of torture by acceding to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture," Bachelet said. "I urge the Government to work swiftly to create a National Preventive Mechanism to ensure independent, impartial scrutiny of the treatment of detainees. A well-resourced watchdog of this sort, which is able to make unannounced visits to places of detention and raise awareness of what constitutes torture and ill-treatment according to international human rights law, can go a long way towards the ultimate goal of fully eradicating torture." Also highlighted in the report are concerns over an Afghan National Army-run detention facility in Parwan, in the north-east of the country. These include overcrowding and the use of solitary confinement as the sole disciplinary measure, despite progress and "tangible results" made by the Government in implementing a national plan to eliminate torture. "We welcome the steps taken by the Government to prevent and investigate cases of torture and ill-treatment over the past two years," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, the UN Special Representative for Afghanistan. "However... there is still a long way to go to eradicate this horrendous practice among conflict-related detainees, he added. "Respect for the rule of law and human rights is the best way to create the conditions for sustainable peace. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ending their 24-year-long rivalry to take on the BJP, supremo shared the stage with patriarch Yadav here on Friday and sought votes for him, saying he was a "real leader" of the backwards "unlike" Prime Minister whom she dubbed as "farzi" (fake). After two years in a coalition government in Uttar Pradesh, the SP and had parted ways in 1995 when was allegedly assaulted by SP cadres in VVIP Guest House in Lucknow. The two did not see each other eye to eye ever since. Addressing a rally jointly with the supremo in the SP citadel of Mainpuri from where he is contesting, Yadav called his party workers and supporters to "always respect ji", reflecting the changed atmosphere. But the 1995 incident was clearly weighing on her mind as Mayawati defended her alliance with the SP saying "sometimes we have to take such difficult decisions in the interest of the country, public and party movement". "There is no doubt that ji has taken members of all sections of society especially other backwards classes along with him under the SP banner and they consider him as their only and true .. he is not a 'naqli' or 'farzi' backward (leader) like ..," the BSP supremo said in her speech after a rousing reception by surging crowds, comprising mainly of supporters, at the Christian College ground. The glacial wall that existed between the two since 1995 melted in the hot summer afternoon as a smiling Mayawati earlier stood up to welcome a very feeble-looking 79-year Yadav who came on stage with support from close aides. Wearing her signature cream coloured salwar suit, Mayawati was flanked by and his son and SP on either side on the dais. As an SP MLA bowed before Mayawati touching her feet, the SP patron, who was the first one to speak, said, "I and Mayawatiji are on the same dais after a long time". He said he welcomes Mayawati who has come to seek votes for him in his last elections which is he is contesting because of the wishes of the people. In her speech, Mayawati attacked Modi, alleging he "misused government machinery" to list his upper caste into "backward category" during his tenure as the chief minister of Mayawati said she did not want to "waste time" by explaining reasons behind stitching an alliance with even after the treatment meted out to her during the government of Mulayam Singh Yadav. "I know people must be wondering why I have come here to campaign for Mulayam Singhji despite the State Guest House case. "In the interest of the country, public and party movement, sometimes we have to take such difficult decisions. Keeping this thought and seeing the present circumstances in the country we have decided to contest this election in alliance with the SP in Uttar Pradesh," the leader said. "He (Mulayam) is not a false and fake member of backward community like Prime Minister Mulayam Singh ji is original, real and from backward community by birth. It is very well known that Narendra Modi during his tenure in misused his government machinery to bring his forward caste into list of backward classes," she alleged. The BSP fumbled while ending the speech and raised the customary 'Jai Bhim' slogan of her party. However, she quickly added "Jai Lohia' slogan of Samajwadi Party. Riding on Ram Temple issue, the BJP had in 1991 secured a comfortable win in the assembly. After mid-term elections in 1993, masters of realpolitik, the then BSP supremo Kanshiram and SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav managed to form a coalition government and kept BJP out of power even though it had emerged as a single largest party. Mayawati and SP chief had announced their tie-up for elections in after the success of the arrangement against the BJP in bypolls. The BSP had failed to open its account in the 2014 general elections while the SP had won just five seats in the polls that were swept by the BJP. The BJP had also trounced the two parties in the 2017 assembly election. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha constituency has the highest number of 'crorepati' candidates in Gujarat, while Congress candidate from Mehsana A J Patel is the richest one, an analysis of election affidavits shows. A total of 371 candidates are in the fray for 26 seats in Gujarat that will go to polls on April 23. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an election watchdog, said in a report that six out of 26 candidates from Ahmedabad East have declared that they possess assets worth Rs one crore or more. It is followed by Gandhinagar, where five out of total 17 candidates are worth Rs one crore or more. There are a total of 75 'crorepati' candidates, around 20 per cent of the total 370 candidates analysed by the ADR. Among the candidates from Ahmedabad East, BJP's Somabhai Patel is the richest candidate with Rs 7.46 crore-worth assets, followed by BSP's Ganesh Vaghela at Rs 7.09 crore. Congress' Geeta Patel has declared assets of Rs 4 crore. BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting from Gandhinagar seat, has declared assets of over Rs 40 crore. His Congress rival C J Chavda has declared assets of over Rs 12 crore. K L Desai, an independent, has declared assets of Rs 18 crore. But the richest of them all is A J Patel, Congress candidate from Mehsana, who has declared assets of Rs 69 crore. He is followed by Chandrakant Patil, BJP candidate from Navsari (Rs 44 crore), Shardaben Patel, BJP candidate from Mehsana (Rs 44 crore), BJP candidate from Jamnagar Poonamben Maadam (Rs 42 crore) and Amit Shah (Rs 40 crore). When it comes to liabilities, Ramesh Dhadhuk, BJP candidate from Porbandar, has taken the top spot. He has declared liabilities of Rs 21 crore against the assets of Rs 35 crore, the data shows. Vedubhai Sirasat Kautikbhai, who is contesting as a candidate of Ambedkarite Party of India from Ahmedabad West seat, has declared the lowest assets of all candidates at Rs 3,300, the analysis shows. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharti Airtel's biggest rights issue of Rs 25,000 crore will open on May 3 and close on May 17, the company said in a regulatory filing. said its board of directors in a meeting held on Friday approved rights issue which is scheduled to open on May 3 and close on May 17. "Last date for receiving request for split application form (is) May 10, 2019," the filing said. has already fixed April 24 as the 'record date' to determine shareholders' eligibility to apply for the equity shares. has announced rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share, and additional Rs 7,000 crore through a foreign currency perpetual bond issue. The company said the capital infusion will help it continue investments in future roll-outs to build large network capacity and create content and technology partnerships to ensure the strong customer experience. Last month, Airtel received commitment from its single-largest shareholder Singtel, promoters, and GIC Singapore to participate in the Rs 32,000-crore capital raising programme. Singapore telecom major said it will infuse Rs 3,750 crore in by subscribing to the proposed Rs 25,000-crore rights issue of the company, while GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs 5,000 crore in the proposed programme. / -- Partner marketing analytics firms, Marketscience & Truesight announce today the strategic move of Nitesh Sahay, managing director and associate partner, to the London, UK office from Delhi, India. In the UK, Sahay joins Dr. Peter Cain, founder of Marketscience, to spearhead product development and provide dual support to both UK and India clients. Marketscience and Truesight officiated their partnership last year and since then have continued to develop their advanced, academic marketing analytics solutions together. "Sahay's move to London speaks a lot about the way we are growing and what we want to achieve as a company," said David Dixon, company founder and managing partner. What the move signifies is threefold: first, it represents the company's advancement toward a more integrated, global presence Marketscience Truesight is headquartered in NYC, with offices in London, Delhi, and LA as the firm is now in a position to better serve European clients and drive UK business growth. Tighter integration between teams is also being facilitated through Sahay's move as India-client work moves closer to global management. Secondly, it indicates the company's dedication toward R&D, as Mr. Sahay and Dr. Cain continue their work on a proprietary analytical modeling software. "It's excellent to be working with Nitesh in developing our software platform and advancing our academic partnerships," says Dr. Cain. Finally, the move allows Sahay to better enable in-house analytics among Marketscience Truesight's European clients through provision of on-site training. Marketscience Truesight gives clients the unique opportunity to choose a service model DIY (Do It Yourself), DIFM (Do It For Me) and DIWM (Do It With Me) that best suits their needs. In the DIWM model the firm trains clients and analysts on modeling techniques and tools, and how to use them. When asked about what makes enablement training at Marketscience Truesight unique, Sahay comments, "Not only are we bringing transparency to black-box analytics, but we're training clients and helping them successfully integrate marketing analytics software and modeling in-house. We don't just give our clients the best tools to work with, we also help them use and integrate that tool smoothly and effectively to ensure success." Sahay's move places him in a strategic location that allows him to support clients globally in India, London, and New York as this engagement model continues to roll-out. Nitesh Sahay brings close to 20 years of experience in advanced analytics, consulting and research to the firm. Prior to joining the team, he worked with the firm's co-founders, Dixon and Sebastian Shapiro at Ninah Consulting, a former Publicis-owned marketing analytics and management consulting firm. Mr. Sahay's sector expertise spans several domains, inclusive of ecommerce, automotive, pharmaceutical, telecoms and banking. About the Truesight Marketscience Partnership Since 2012 and 2017 Marketscience and Truesight respectively have unified data, modeling, and technology solutions to drive significant results and revenue for clients. The partnership firm is the leader in Consumer Demand Modeling. This evolution of Marketing Mix Modeling makes accessible the advanced sciences of economics and econometrics for the commercial community. As an independently owned company, Marketscience Truesight is transparent and unbiased in approach. Its dedicated and diverse team professionals are committed to servicing clients globally and empowering finance officers and marketers everywhere with confidence. More information at www.truesight.consulting & http://www.marketscienceconsulting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NCP leader Nawab Malik Friday expressed confidence that the grand alliance of opposition parties in Maharashtra will win over 28 of the total 48 seats if the situation witnessed during the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls in the state continued. He said anti-incumbency was visible in the 17 constituencies that went to polls in the first two phases- on April 11 and 18. Malik, who is the national spokesperson of the Sharad Pawar-led party, claimed that farmers, agrarian workers, youth, backward communities, tribals, Dalits and minorities were angry with the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state. The next two phases of polling will be held on April 23 and April 29. "The BJP and Shiv Sena are unsure if they will be able to win even four of the 17 seats, which went to polls in the first and second phases," Malik told reporters during a joint press conference with Congress leader Sachin Sawant here. "Anti-incumbency was conspicuous in the constituencies where polling was held. We are witnessing a similar situation in the remaining seats in Western Maharashtra, Konkan and North Maharashtra (which go to polls in two more phases) too we are witnessing similar situation," he added. The NCP leader claimed that four Union ministers from Maharashtra- Nitin Gadkari, Hansraj Ahir, Subhash Bhamre (all three of the BJP) and Anant Geete (Shiv Sena) were facing rough weather. "They may lose the election," he said. Malik also said the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), formed by Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, would hurt the grand alliance's poll prospects. The Congress and the NCP had earlier alleged that the VBA would divide anti-BJP votes, which would ultimately help the ruling party. However, the VBA had refuted the charge in the past. "We are seeing some disturbances in Solapur, Akola and Aurangabad seats only. At other places, people have not accepted the VBA," he said. Sawant said the Congress was set to win the Solapur seat, from where its septuagenarian leader Sushilkumar Shinde is in the fray. Ambedkar also contested the election from Solapur constituency. "Our feedback is that the VBA will be relegated to the third position there," he said. Sawant also said that the Congress would approach the Election Commission to seek details of the police deployment made across constituencies. He alleged that in the first two rounds of polling, the police deployment was "heavy" in areas where the opposition parties have a strong presence. "And police were deployed in negligible numbers in areas where they (the BJP) felt they were better placed. We have taken note of it and approaching the EC," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There is a question mark on anything Narendra Modi says which is not a good reflection on someone occupying the prime minister's post, Congress leader Raj Babbar has said. The Uttar Pradesh unit chief of the Congress also asserted that his party, which was reduced to just two seats in the state in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls - Rae Bareli and Amethi - has "not vanished" and will revive. "I don't want to comment on the prime minister's lies... when somebody, who holds such a high post, is being questioned for his credibility, questioned on his claims, then that itself becomes the biggest lie. Today, there is a question mark on anything he says. You can understand what this question mark for someone occupying the PM's post means," Babbar told PTI. "Even the Supreme Court's decision of re-examining the Rafale case has directly put the prime minister in the dock. This is a jolt for Modi ji, no matter what he keeps saying in his defence," he claimed. Unfazed by remarks hurled against him by rivals during election campaigning, Babbar said people in public life ought to have a control on their language and refrain from using cheap words. "Such remarks don't bother me. My parents did not raise me in a culture where I retort to an abuse with another abuse. I firmly believe that people in public life should have a control over their words, respect the dignity of language," he said. "When we are in contention for high posts through the electoral process, we should refrain from using cheap language. Those who are younger to us and look up to us should be inspired by our words and learn the importance of language in public life," he added. Babbar has this time contested from Fatehpur Sikri where stakes are high for the Congress which is pinning hopes on the actor-turned-politician seeking its revival in the western UP. The seat went to voting on Thursday during the second leg of the seven-phase elections. "Do not see this election here as Congress's revival through me, the Congress is not something which has vanished. The party is in the hearts of the people and people have faith in it. People trust (Congress president) Rahul (Gandhi) ji and are encouraged with Priyanka (Gandhi Vadra) ji's entry into active politics," he said. Babbar said the Congress has exhibited during the UPA years in power that it has worked for all sections of the society and brought schemes like MNREGA that ensured minimum 100 days' employment in rural areas. "Even a small farmer would testify that that the Congress has worked for all sections of society and people at large. We have waived farmers' loans, provided employment through MNREGA," he said, adding recently also the Congress-led governments in Punjab, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also waived farmers' loans immediately. In a jibe at the Modi government over the "unfulfilled promises", he said, "Trust and faith are important in and public life. And this is the beauty of democracy that people stop trusting those who fool them once to reach power. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Friday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise and take action against BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur who has termed 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare "anti-national" and claimed he died because she had cursed him for "torturing" her. Karkare, who died fighting terrorists during the 2008 Mumbai attacks, gave his life protecting India and he must be treated with respect, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi tweeted. Party chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said BJP's "anti-national face" stands exposed with Thakur's view towards soldiers who sacrificed their life for the country. He alleged the prime minister was behind the remarks made against Karkare by Thakur. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise to the nation. The anti-national face of BJP now stands exposed before the people of India. They have crossed all limits by showing their disrespect towards martyrs. "The prime minister should take strict action against Pragya Thakur for her remarks against Hemant Karkare," Surjewala said. Surjewala also said the BJP has committed an "unforgivable sin" by using words like "monster" and "anti-national" for Karkare, who had caught terrorist Ajmal Kasab. "The BJP has committed an unforgivable sin of calling 26/11 martyr anti-national and using terms like monster against him. It is proved that BJP is the friend of terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged under the Congress rule," he said. On Thursday, addressing BJP workers in Bhopal, Thakur claimed that Karkare, former Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad chief, had inflicted the worst kind of abuses and torture on her in custody in connection with the Malegaon blasts and that the officer died due to her curse. Condemning her remarks, the Congress leader said an inquiry should be launched against Thakur and alleged that the prime minister was behind these remarks by her. "Modi ji, we know that you make people say such things. Apologise to the country. From 26/11 Mumbai terror attack to Pulwama attack, if you (Modi) have respect for the sacrifices made by the soldiers, then launch an investigation against Pragya Thakur," he said. Pragya Thakur is the BJP candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat against Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh. She had said Karkare committed an "anti-national" act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blasts case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. "It was treason. It was against religion," she said. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon terror blasts case, which was led by Karkare. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four persons, including three policemen, were injured when their car met with an accident while escorting vehicles carrying EVM machines in Karbi Anglong district of Assam, a Defence official said here Friday. The Army, on receiving a request from the additional director general of Police (Law and Order), Assam, rescued the three policemen and a civilian who were seriously injured in the accident at Bokajan village Thursday. The injured persons were taken to the nearest Army Hospital at Dimapur, the official said. The four, who had suffered head and chest injuries, were immediately resuscitated and admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital. A surgical team attended to the patients and provided treatment. The condition of all the patients was stable and they were out of danger, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The development card may well trump gender insensitivity in this constituency with many Muslim women saying SP leader Azam Khan's underwear jibe against Jaya Prada is unwarranted but they are likely to vote for him for the work he has done. Though most Muslim women feel the veteran Samajwadi Party leader should have avoided making the derogatory remark against the actor-politician, the BJP's candidate against him in this Lok Sabha constituency, there are also those who defend him vehemently. Several women said Khan, a nine-time MLA from the area, did not take any names and it was Jaya Prada who was making an issue out of it. Some also said their vote would go to him because he has made women's safety and security a priority in Rampur and also because it was imperative to defeat the BJP. Yasmeen Safdar, a hotel employee, said Khan has put Rampur on the map of important cities in India and worked really hard for the development of this western Uttar Pradesh town, which will vote on April 23 in the third round of the seven-phase polls. She was critical of the "khaki underwear" remark and said Khan should be careful in his utterances and avoid making personal remarks. However, she also added, "Me and my family will vote for Azam Khan as he has worked really hard for the development of Rampur and it is because of him that women's security is never an issue here." Fatima Pervez, another working woman in a private job, refused to believe that Khan had made such a remark against Jaya Prada and said he is a "very good man" even if if he had made an "odd wrong comment". "He has done so much of development in Rampur. Look at the number of roads he has built. Rampur is safe for girls because of Azam Khan. Surely, I will vote for him. There is no doubt about it, Pervez told PTI. Without naming Jaya Prada, Khan told an election rally in Rampur recently, "...You got represented (by her) for 10 years. People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear." On Monday, Khan was slapped with a 72-hour poll campaign ban, an FIR and a National Commission for Women notice for the comment. The BJP mounted a sharp political attack comparing his "disgusting" comments to the disrobing of Draupadi in Mahabharata. Notwithstanding the controversy, homemakers Sarah Mushir and Hira Arif defended Khan, saying he had not named anybody in his comments. "I will vote for Azam Khan. He is our leader," said Arif, and Mushir agreed. Rani Khan, a hotel employee, said she doesn't know the reality of the statement but is sure to vote for Khan. "My entire family and friends will vote for Khan as he has given so many facilities in Rampur and ensured women's safety," she said. Some, like Shagufa Ishrat, were less definitive. She said it was absolutely wrong of Khan to make personal comments and added that she would choose between Khan or Congress candidate Sanjay Kapoor. The number one priority, Ishrat declared, was defeating the BJP. Muslims across the western UP have been weighing which candidate has the best chance to defeat the BJP so that they can vote en-masse for him or her. Rampur is no different and there seems to be a feeling among the Muslims that Azam Khan could be a strong candidate to beat the BJP. This to some extent also explains why several Muslim women, though critical of Khan's comment, are still looking to vote for him. Saira Bi, a housewife, though not forthcoming on who she will vote for, indicated that Khan seems to be a strong candidate to emerge victorious. She, however, asserted that Khan's personal remarks against a candidate were completely unacceptable. Jaya Prada believes that Khan's comments could well be the SP's undoing with women in the constituency now turning against it. Khan, who is revered as the "face of Rampur" by his supporters, is facing criticism for his statement against Jaya Prada for sure, but it remains to be seen whether it will cost him electorally. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A teenaged school girl in Bangladesh was allegedly burnt to death by her madrasa principal for reporting a sexual harassment case against him, triggering nationwide protests in the country. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was set on fire at her school (madrasa) on April 6 by four burqa-clad assailants few days after she complained against principal Siraj-ud-Daula for inappropriately touching her after calling her in his office. Siraj is one of the 17 people arrested in connection with the case. Rafi succumbed to the injuries on April 10. Her death led to protests across Bangladesh with people on Thursday forming human chains and holding demonstrations seeking justice for the victim. The demonstration sought stern punishment for the victim's murderers and expressed condolences to her bereaved family, the Dhaka Tribune reported. Online portal bdnews24.com quoted police as saying that Siraj orchestrated the killing of Rafi from jail after his arrest on Mar 27 in the case. Deputy Inspector General Ruhul Amin, who is heading the probe committee, said the investigation will take several more days to wrap up as investigators are examining various documents. He said Siraj had a history of condemnable behaviour that was known to the madrasa governing body. The police officer also also hinted at involvement of political leaders in the murder. Local politics is linked with the Nusrat incident. Two councillors from a party organised human-chain programmes for and against the principal, he said. According to the report, the police is also investigating whether there has been negligence on the part of police while investigating the murder case. We have found preliminary evidence against the former officer-in-charge of Sonagazi police station and senior police officers. We are taking this very seriously and are looking into it," he said. But, had the local administration and madrasa managing committee taken action when the sexual harassment was first reported, this tragedy could have been avoided, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attacking the ruling BJP government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Friday said it was concerned only about its "own progress" and not the country's. "Governments are of two types... one which works for people's progress and the other which is concerned only about its own progress.The BJP government is of show off and publicity," said Priyanka Gandhi while addressing an election meeting here. The Congress general secretary and eastern Uttar Pradesh in-charge, who held a massive roadshow here earlier, was campaigning for party candidate and former Union minister Shriprakash Jaiswal. "They (BJP) were making Kanpur a smart city but nothing has happened so far. Youth are unemployed and farmers are committing suicide due to debts," she said. Priyanka Gandhi stressed that the Congress works for the people, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only favours industrialists. "We have promised Rs72,000 peryear for the poor, but BJP is saying that there is not enough money... they (BJP) have enough money for industrialists," she said. "I went to Varanasi where Modi ji despite being the prime minister was unable to ensure development," she added. During the road show, Priyanka Gandhi stopped at the Nageshwar temple and paid obeisance before moving on. She was also gifted a 'chadar' by some local Muslims. When the procession reached Birhana, people on one side of the road began chanting Modi's name while those on the other raised slogans against the prime minister. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar Friday accused the BJP of conspiring to weaken his party by bringing the Akhil Bhartiya Rajbhar Sangathan in the electoral fray. An ally of the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the SBSP has decided to go alone in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls in the state and has released a list of 39 candidates. "The BJP is indirectly fielding candidates from Akhil Bhartiya Rajbhar Sangathan in order to weaken my party in the ongoing elections," Rajbhar told newspersons here. The ABRS had on Thursday announced candidates on 17 parliamentary seats, especially in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh. The Rajbhars, who constitute 20 per cent of the Purvanchal population, are regarded as the second politically dominating community to reckon with after the Yadavs in eastern part of the state. The Minister for Backward Welfare and Divyanjan Empowerment in the Yogi Adityanath government, said that the BJP is under the impression that it will win all the 80 seats in the state and 400 seats in the country but the reality will be known on May 23. He reiterated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wanted him to contest on their election symbol. Rajbhar had on Tuesday said that the seat-sharing talks with the BJP remained unsuccessful and that his party will contest from Varanasi, Lucknow and Gorakhpur, the seats from where the BJP has fielded Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath respectively. Rajbhar said he was ready to resign from the cabinet but his resignation was not being accepted. The SBSP had won four seats in the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court Friday awarded life term to BJP MLA Ashok Singh Chandel and nine others in a 22-year-old shootout incident in Hamirpur district in which five members of a family were killed. While partly allowing an appeal filed by the state government and complainant Rajiv Shukla, a division bench comprising Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh reversed the decision of additional sessions judge, Hamirpur dated July 15, 2002, who had acquitted all 10 accused, including Chandel. The state government as well as Shukla had challenged the decision of district and sessions judge. on 26 January, 1997 a minor altercation between local BJP leader Shukla and Chandel led to a shootout in which five persons, including Shukla's two elder brothers Rakesh, Rajesh and nephews Ambujh, Ved Nayak and Srikant Pandey died. Five more persons including two children had suffered bullet injuries in the shootout after which an FIR was lodged against Chandel and others. A charge sheet was filed against Chandel and others after investigation. All the 10 accused were acquitted on July 15, 2002 by additional district and sessions judge, Hamirpur, on the ground that the testimony of witnesses were doubtful. The decision was challenged by Shukla before the High Court, which reversed the judgement on Friday. Chandel, a former MP and a four-time MLA from Hamirpur, had started his political carrier in 1989 as an Independent MLA. He went on to become MP from Hamirpur in 1999 on a BSP ticket. Presently, he is a BJP sitting MLA. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Youths aspiring to take up a career in films won't have to go to Mumbai as the BJP, if voted to power, will set up a Bhojpuri film city here, the party's Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat candidate Ravi Kishan said Friday. Kishan, a popular Bhojpuri actor, has been pitted by the BJP against Samajwadi Party's Ram Bhuwal Nishad from the seat. The Gorakhpur seat, which was considered a bastion of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was lost to Praveen Nishad in a bypoll. Praveen had fought on a SP ticket with the support of the Bahujan Samaj Party, but last month joined the BJP. "The MoU (memorandum of understanding) to set up a Bhojpuri film city in a 150-acre area with Rs 500 crores has already been signed by the state government," Kishan told reporters at the BJP's Beniganj office. It will come up "in the heart of city so that youths can pursue their dreams of earning name and fame in the film industry," he said. Kishan exuded confidence that the BJP will win over 73 seats in the state and will register a "historical" win from the land of Baba Gorakhnath and Adityanath. "I will serve the people of Gorakhpur by keeping the khanrau (wooden slipper) of Yogiji," he said. Kishan, a Brahmin by caste and an original native of Jaunpur with roots in Gorakhpur's Moonkhar village, said he would file his nomination papers after offering prayers at the Gorakhnath temple on April 23 and would be possibly accompanied by Adityanath. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP chief Amit Shah Friday said his party would win Baramati Lok Sabha seat, a pocket borough of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, with a "huge margin" and stressed there was no "friendly fight" between the two parties. Pawar's daughter and sitting Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule is pitted against the BJP's Kanchan Rahul Kul. Addressing a poll rally in Baramati, Shah said, "There was no plan to have my rally in Baramati as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is doing a great job and that is why the party had reduced (number of) my rallies in Maharashtra. However, there was a rumour doing the rounds that there is a friendly fight between BJP and Pawar." "I have come here to clarify that BJP is going to win Baramati seat with a huge margin. There cannot be a friendly fight here because the BJP is pulling out all the stops to win the seat," he added. Challenging Pawar in his own bastion, Shah asked the people to "hit at the root". Pawar was MP from Baramati in 1984, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004, while Sule won in 2009 and 2014. Kul, wife of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha MLA from Daund Rahul Kul, is contesting on the BJP's lotus symbol unlike in 2014 when state minister Mahadev Jankar fought on his RSP symbol with support from the BJP. "Last time, Mahadev Jankar fell short by only a few thousand votes. But this time, we have not repeated that mistake and have fielded a candidate on the (BJP) party symbol," Shah said. Sule had won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls beating Jankar by 69,000 votes, down from her 3.36 lakh victory margin in 2009 against the BJP's Kanta Nalawade. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri has commended the launch of a book containing english translation of the Punjabi poem, Khooni Vaisakhi, saying the100-year old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience. The poem was translated by Suri whose grandfather revolutionary poet and novelist Nanak Singh, a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing first-hand the events of April 13, 1919, when British troops fired upon crowds of protestors peacefully demonstrating against the Rowlatt Act of the British Raj, leading to the loss of well over a thousand lives. The book was also released in New Delhi on April 13, marking 100 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place in Amritsar. Speaking at a panel discussion on the poem following the launch of the book in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Suri said that the release of the book has attracted exceptional media and public interest. Its release in India has attracted exceptional media and public interest and many have commented on the timeless quality of its message, Suri said. I am happy that this translation of a 100-year old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience, he said. Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at NYU New York, Toral Gajarawala moderated the panel discussion on the poem and its impact on Indian nationalism and the British Raj. The panel discussion was also attended by BBC South Asia Correspondent, Justin Rowlatt, whose great-grandfather, Sir Sydney Arthur Taylor Rowlatt, drafted the Rowlatt Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a setback to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Chhattisgarh, its Raipur Lok Sabha candidate Friday said he would support the Congress nominee from the seat. Voting will be held in Raipur Lok Sabha seat on April 23. Addressing a press conference with Congress leaders, the BSP's Khileshwar Kumar Sahu said, "I don't have enough party workers or funds. I have not got any funds from the BSP to contest the polls." "I like the work of Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and so have decided to support Pramod Dubey, the Congress candidate for Raipur Lok Sabha seat," he added. The BSP, meanwhile, accused the Congress of luring Sahu and demanded that Dubey's candidature be rejected. "The Congress has lured and pressured the BSP candidate. We stronglycondemnthis act which is a threat to democracy," BSP state chief Hemant Poyam told PTI. However, this development will not dampen the morale of BSP workers who will continue to campaign for the party in Raipur constituency, Poyam added. The Mayawati-led party wrote a letter to the state's chief electoral officer demanding that Dubey be barred from contesting the Lok Sabha polls for "horse trading". It also sought an FIR against Dubey and Sahu. The BSP's demand was supported by the BJP. "Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel should reveal at what price the deal (to lure Sahu) was struck. Will Baghel set up a special investigation team to probe this," BJP state spokesperson and MLA Shivratan Sharma said. He said the EC should take action in order to prevent the "horse trading culture" of the Congress. The BJP, in a letter to poll authorities, said the expenses incurred by Sahu during the campaign should be added to Dubey's account. Congress spokesperson Sushil Anand Shukla, however, refuted the allegations and said Sahu voluntarily decided to support the party, adding that his party had not inducted the latter as yet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) almonds, known worldwide for their high nutritional value, are being used in cross- trade as a mode to earn profits which are funnelled to terrorists and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said Friday. Thursday indefinitely suspended cross- trade at two points along the Line of Control effective Friday, following reports that it was being "misused" by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency. The almonds produced in in the have been regularly finding their way through trade involving a large transport network. According to the modus operandi, Pakistani traders under-invoice products like almonds. After receiving the consignment, traders on the Indian side sell California almonds at the prevailing market price and make extra and undue profit due to the under-invoicing, a security official said. The extra money generated is handed over by the traders to terrorists, separatists or anti- elements in the valley to fuel anti- activities, the official said. It has also come to the notice of security agencies that a significant number of trading concerns engaged in cross-LoC trade are being operated by persons closely associated with banned terrorist organisations, specially Hizbul Mujahideen. Some Indian nationals who have crossed over to and joined militant organisations have opened trading firms in the neighbouring country. As a result, many Pak-based trading firms under the control of militant organisations are trading with firms operated by their relatives in the Indian side. The cross-LoC trade is also being used as a regular channel for funneling drugs such as cocaine, brown sugar and heroine into the valley, adversely impacting the youth and converting many into addicts, the official said. In a recent example, 66.5 kg heroine was seized from a valley-based consignee and it was found that the drugs came through the cross-LoC trade. The trade is being exploited for periodically smuggling arms and ammunition into the valley. Numerous seizures have been made of pistols, grenades, spares and ammunition. Recently, a large cache that was concealed in a consignment of bananas was seized from the driver of a cross-LoC vehicle from Kulgam, another official said. Trade across Chakan-Da-Bagh and Salamabad was intended as a confidence building measure for the population living in remote areas of and living across the LoC in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. However, third parties manipulated and misused it for trading goods being produced from outside Businessman Zahoo Ahmed Watali, who is currently in jail in terror funding cases, was the of LoC traders association and he was allegedly found to be funneling money to terrorists, separatists and subversive elements in the valley. The has already attached his property worth crores of rupees and further investigations are still on. The Investigation Agency has decoded the modus operandi of dubious hawala transactions for terror financing. The inimical elements on side identify a suitable Pakistani trader firm and hand over the money that is to be transferred to the anti- elements and terrorists organisations on the Indian side. Consignments of fake Indian currency notes have also been seized in the range of Rs 57 lakh, Rs 20 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh and over a dozen of people arrested. "In the light of such large-scale misuse and loopholes being exploited for illegal and anti-national activities, has been compelled to suspend the LoC trade from Friday," the official said. The government will revisit the issue of resuming the LoC trade after stricter measures and systems are put in place to address these issues. New measures are expected to restore the benefit of the cross-LoC trade to local population only, rather than allowing terrorist organisations and unscrupulous traders based far from these trading points to siphon off the benefits and fuel instability in the valley, the official said. BJP Kerala President P S Sreedharan Pillai Friday said the police case against him alleging anti-Islam remarks was fabricated and he was prepared to end his public life if found guilty. Talking to reporters at the Kozikode Press Club here, Pillai wanted to know if the complainant in the case, CPI(M) leader and MLA V Sivankutty was prepared to apologise and end his public life if the case later turned out to be false. "I did not utter even a single word to incite communal enmity and had only said things relating to inquest procedures", he said. There is a conspiracy between officials and the Left parties and they think that BJP leaders can be destroyed by registering false cases, which is a "pipe dream", he said. Police had registered a case against Pillai under Sections 153 and 153 A of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint of Sivankutty. Section 153 A deals with 'Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony.' Pillai had while addressing a campaign meeting at Attingal constituency for party candidate Shobha Surendran on April 14 referred to the Balakot air strike and allegedly made some offensive remarks against the Muslim community, the complaint stated. Kerala Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Teeka Ram Meena had recommended "appropriate action" against the BJP state chief for the alleged remarks during the election campaign meeting. Meena said Pillai had made the remarks while countering the comments of Congress President Rahul Gandhi,CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the number of people killed in the Balakot air strike. "Our Rahul Gandhi, Yechury, Pinarayi and all are saying that, after getting there... the dead bodies... which caste, which religion... if they are Islam then there will be a few signs...if only you remove the dresses only then it can be found out. So after doing all that, we should come back is what they say," Pillai had said, according to the CEO's report to the EC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party and joined the Shiv Sena Friday. She joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of the party president Uddhav Thackeray, sources said. Earlier, after quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. "In the last few weeks certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self respect and dignity,"Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about posts she held in the party. "I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," Chaturvedi tweeted in a farewell message to the party. In her resignation to Gandhi, she said, "What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party. A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for election. "This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC. I would request you to accept my resignation and relieve me of all my roles and responsibilities from the party on immediate basis and oblige." She was unhappy at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had "misbehaved" and "threatened" her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. Chaturvedi had lashed out at the party in public on Thursday and accused it of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the Congress. She said it was unfortunate and saddening that those who threatened her have got away without even "a rap on their knuckles". The party, which had suspended those workers, reinstated them on April 15. The action of rescinding the suspension, party leaders had claimed, was taken on the recommendations of Congress general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chaturvedi had also been seeking the Congress ticket from Mumbai (North West). She has been trending on social media for her "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi" jibe at Union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party, sources said Friday. After quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about posts she held in the party. Sources said that Chaturvedi is likely to join the Shiv Sena. "I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," Chaturvedi tweeted in a farewell message to the party. In her resignation to Gandhi, she said, "What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party. A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for election. "This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC. I would request you to accept my resignation and relieve me of all my roles and responsibilities from the party on immediate basis and oblige." She was unhappy at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had "misbehaved" and "threatened" her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. Chaturvedi had lashed out at the party in public on Thursday and accused it of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the Congress. She said it was unfortunate and saddening that those who threatened her have got away without even "a rap on their knuckles". The party, which had suspended those workers, reinstated them on April 15. The action of rescinding the suspension, party leaders had claimed, was taken on the recommendations of Congress general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chaturvedi had also been seeking the Congress ticket from Mumbai (North West). She has been trending on social media for her "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi" jibe at Union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China said Friday it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year to improve the bilateral ties, notwithstanding India's reported decision to boycott its 2nd Belt and Road Forum to be held here next week to protest the sovereignty concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Addressing a media conference here ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from April 25-27 to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made an impassioned appeal to India to shed its opposition to the USD 60 billion CPEC, saying it no way "undermined" basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Asked if India's reported decision to boycott the BRF would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan. "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. "After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries and 90 international organisations' close to 5000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries who would take part in the meeting. India has already signalled to boycott the BRF like it did in 2017 to highlight its objections over the CPEC. India's Ambassador to China Vikram Misri told Chinese state-run Global Times last month that "above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". The BRI is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. The CPEC which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd such summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. "It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. Indian side wants to put our difference at proper level and it would not for it to interfere in the development of our relations," he said. "I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see," he said. "One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has their concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country and has nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries," he said. Besides India's protests over the CPEC, China's doling out of huge sums of money specially to smaller countries raised concerns after Beijing acquired Sri Lanka's strategic Hambantota port on a 99-year lease as a debt swap. "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," Wang said, apparently suggesting that it would not alter even Pakistan's position on the disputed status of the PoK. China has been maintaining that Kashmir dispute is left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities of development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India," Wang said. US Vice President Mike Pence last year accused China of drowning smaller countries with heavy debt leading to the compromise of their sovereignty. Asked whether the US is taking part in the 2nd BRF meet, Wang, while criticising Washington's stand, said America took part in the first BRF meet in 2017. "We welcome their participation. According to what we know American diplomats, local government and business leaders have confirmed their participation in the 2nd BRF," Wang said. He said besides the US, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the EU will send high-level representatives to the forum. He said the total trade volume between China and the BRI participating countries had surpassed USD 6 trillion and investment exceeded USD 80 billion. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China said Friday it was bracing to hold a Wuhan-style next summit with India this year despite India's reported decision to boycott Beijing's prestigious 2nd Belt and Road Forum to be held here next week to protest its sovereignty concerns over the USD 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Addressing a media conference here ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from April 25-27 to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi made an impassioned appeal to India to shed its opposition to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it no way "undermined" basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries and 90 international organisations' close to 5000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries from the neighbourhood who would take part in the BRF meeting being held here from April 25-27. India has already signalled to boycott the BRF like it did in 2017 to highlight its objections over the CPEC. The CPEC which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. India has already protested to China over the CPEC violating its sovereignty and boycotted the first BRF held in 2017. Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri told Chinese state-run Global Times last month that "above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". Answering a question whether India's reported decision to boycott the BRF would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan. "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. "After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd such summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. "It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. Indian side wants to put our difference at proper level and it would not for it to interfere in the development of our relations," he said. "I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see," he said. "One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has their concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country and has nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries," he said. The BRI is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," Wang said, apparently suggesting that it would not alter even Pakistan's position on the disputed status of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). China for its part has been maintaining that Kashmir dispute is left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities of development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India," Wang said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China said Friday it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year to improve ties, notwithstanding the differences over the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative in which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project. Addressing a media conference here ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from April 25-27 to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appealed to India to shed its opposition to the $60 billion CPEC, saying it no way "undermined" the basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Asked if India's opposition to the BRI would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan city. "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. "After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. After the Wuhan summit hosted by China, the second summit will be held by India. President Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd informal summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries organisations' close to 5,000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries who would take part in the meeting. Informed sources here told PTI that there was no official invitation from China to the Indian leadership or at the ministerial level to take part in its 2nd BRF meeting. For its first BRF meeting held in May 2017, China had invited India to take part in the six separate forums that China organised as part of the meeting. Indian Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri flagged India's concerns over the CPEC in an interview to state-run Global Times last month stating that "above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". The BRI is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. The CPEC which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Foreign Minister Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. "It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. The Indian side wants to put our difference at a proper level in order not to interfere in the development of our relations," he said. "I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see," he said. "One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has their concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country and has nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries," he said. Besides India's protests over the CPEC, China's doling out of huge sums of money specially to smaller countries raised concerns after Beijing acquired Sri Lanka's strategic Hambantota port on a 99-year lease as a debt swap. "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," Wang said, apparently suggesting that it would not alter even Pakistan's position on the disputed status of the PoK. China has been maintaining that Kashmir dispute is left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities of development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India," Wang said. Asked whether the US is taking part in the 2nd BRF meet, Wang, while criticising Washington's stand, said America took part in the first BRF meet in 2017. "We welcome their participation. According to what we know American diplomats, local government and business leaders have confirmed their participation in the 2nd BRF," Wang said. Wang said besides the US, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the EU will send high-level representatives to the forum. Congress is facing an uphill task to win the Ladakh parliamentary seat as a party rebel, backed by an influential religious organisation, has filed his nomination as an independent candidate, making the May 6 election a multi-cornered contest involving BJP. Rigzin Spalbar, of Congress, is fighting against party rebel Asgar Ali Karbalai. Spalbar, a Buddhist leader, is a two-time chief executive councillor of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), and Karbalai is a former MLA of Kargil. There are six other candidates in the election fray. Tsering Namgyal, the current CEC of the hill development council and graduate from University of Jammu, is the BJP candidate. Dorji Angchuk is its "covering candidate". On the last day of filing of nominations on Thursday, five independents, including Karbalai, filed their papers with the election commission. Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency is the largest in India in terms of area. Out of six parliamentary constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh has the distinction of having the least number of polling stations, 559, for the lowest number of voters, 1,71,819. Leh and Kargil districts have 294 and 265 polling stations, respectively. Karbalai, after denial of Congress ticket, decided to take on Spalbar, in a major setback to the grand old party. He is backed by the influential Imam Khomeini Memorial Trust, Kargil. The NC-PDP has fielded a joint candidate. Namgyal, 31, has served as private secretary to former BJP MP and renowned Buddhist spiritual leader Thupstan Chhewang. But, political observers say, the saffron party is struggling to rise to the challenge. Chhewang had won the seat for BJP for the first time in 2014 but he resigned from its primary membership in November last year, calling BJP's promises "empty rhetoric". In Ladakh, the last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 22. According to the election commission, most of the polling stations have been set up at an altitude of 8,001 or higher, and the maximum number of high-altitude stations, 183, is in Leh assembly segment, followed by 158 in Kargil. With a polling booth for least number of voters and one at the highest altitude, Leh has it all. The polling station for the least number of voters 12 has been set up at Gaik village in Leh Assembly segment. Five of the voters in Gaik are male and seven female, officials said. The constituency also has a polling station at the highest altitude in the country at 14,890 ft above the sea level at a place called Anlay Pho. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rubbishing opposition charge that democracy was under threat in BJP rule, Union minister Prakash Javadekar Friday said the Congress was making such remarks as it has shrunk to a "fringe party" from a mainstream party and has no chance in future elections. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot says if Modi comes, there will be no elections again. This is wrong. Modi won in 2014 and there are elections in 2019. Elections are taking place. Elections will happen in 2024, 2029 (and so on) but Congress has no chance in these elections, the BJP's poll in-charge for Rajasthan, told PTI here. Congress was the mainstream party and now it has become a fringe party siding with the 'tukde-tudke gang'. Congress is giving certificate that this is freedom of expression. They give such kind of defence, he said. CM Gehlot has said in his public rallies that democracy and the Constitution are under "threat" under Modi rule and elections may not happen if he comes to power again. The union HRD minister also exuded confidence that the BJP will, on its own, win more seats than in 2014 and the NDA will get two-thirds majority in polls. After two phases of polls, the BJP is very certain of its landslide victory. We will improve our tally of 2014 and will cross 300 mark on our own and NDA will have two-thirds majority. We are receiving people's support in all states across the country and the opposition is completely nervous, they are facing imminent defeat and therefore they are reacting the way they are, he said. He said opposition parties were complaining against EVM machines which shows their fear of defeat. They know they are going to be defeated so from today only they are preparing ground and finding some excuses for their defeat. This is what Congress and opposition is all about. We are very confident that people are responding to Modi's leadership and they want Modi to be PM again, he said. Accusing Congress leaders of hurling abuses and making casteist remarks, Javadekar demanded the Election Commission take notice of such comments. In Rajasthan also, CM Ashok Gehlot is making casteist remarks against the President of the county. The Election Commission must take notice of it because never in the history, the president of India has been brought in the election discussion. It was Congress which brought him and specifying his caste is not only unethical but illegal also, he said. When asked whether the BJP will file a complaint, the minister said the party's state unit has forwarded all relevant clippings to the party's legal cell in New Delhi. Javadekar said the BJP (and its alliance party RLP which is contesting on one seat of Nagaur) will win all the seats in the state. Rajasthan has 25 Lok Sabha seats and the BJP is contesting on 24 seats and has given one seat to RLP headed by MLA Hanuman Beniwal, who himself is contesting as RLP candidate on Nagaur seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A cowshed owner allegedly attempted suicide in Nagaur district of Rajasthan after a woman worker filed a case against him accusing him of raping her, police said Friday. In the FIR filed Thursday, the woman, aged around 25, alleged that Kushal Giri had raped her on April 17 at his cowshed on the Jodhpur road, Nagaur Circle Officer (CO) Subhash Chandra said. The accused attempted suicide by hanging himself at the cowshed after he came to know about the FIR, the CO said, adding that Giri was then rushed to a hospital in Jodhpur. The complainant works at Giri's cowshed, Chandra said. The matter is being probed further, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Arbaaz Khan says "Dabangg" franchise is solely dependent on superstar Salman Khan and cannot move forward with another name. As a third film in the franchise is currently being shot which will see Salman reprise his role as a cop named Chulbul Pandey, Arbaaz said unlike James Bond spy films, the team cannot go looking for another actor after every two odd years. "'Dabangg' is an actor-driven franchise. It took us seven years to make the third part and we don't know how much time it will take to make the fourth one. It is dependent on one actor, Salman Khan. "It is not like a James Bond kind of series that you work with an actor for two years and then with someone else... the character of Chulbul Pandey is evergreen and it will go on. Till the time we have the actor and we can do something with him age wise, we will do it," Arbaaz, who has been associated with "Dabangg" both as an actor and filmmaker, told PTI in an interview. Drawing similarities between international blockbuster series such as Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky", Arbaaz said only Stallone can be Rocky and no one else. "Similarly, Sanjay Dutt will be a part of 'Munna Bhai' series... I had heard they are getting Aamir Khan for it. I feel some franchises don't work like that, you need to have them throughout the whole thing. "When you are doing an 'Indiana Jones', you need to have Harrison Ford. Now that he is old, the franchise is not moving ahead. If you want to take it forward after a break, you will have to create a new Harrison Ford," he said. "Dabangg" series started in 2010, where Salman played the corrupt but fearless police officer Chulbul Pandey. The film also marked Sonakshi Sinha's Bollywood debut. Directed by Abhinav Kashyap, the film turned out to be a blockbuster. Two years later, the makers came up with a sequel "Dabangg 2", which was helmed by Arbaaz. The third film is being directed by Prabhudheva. Arbaaz, who will reprise his role as Salman's on-screen brother Makkhi, said the shoot is going well so far. "We finished the first schedule on time. We have continuous schedules with very little time gap in between. Hopefully, we should wrap up by September as we want to tentatively release it by the end of this year, which is in December," he said. The actor said he was unable to direct "Dabangg 3" as they wanted a new perspective this time. "We wanted a fresh person to do it this time. Also, I was busy with other things and I needed to focus on them. Besides, that there are other reasons which I can't discuss. Maybe (I will direct) the next part." Arbaaz currently hosts celebrity chat show "Pinch" for ZEE5 and is also looking forward to his digital debut "Poison" on the same platform. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP chief Amit Shah Friday challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to debate with the the president of the ruling party's youth wing on what the country's oldest party has done for the poor in its over five-decade rule. Addressing an election meeting here, Shah listed achievements of the Narendra Modi government and accused the Congress of creating hurdles in the path of development of BJP -ruled Gujarat. "Rahul baba chants about the poor. The Congress again raises the remove poverty (garibi hatao) slogan. For five generations and 55 years, only your family ruled the country. "Come to any crossroad in Vadodara with an account of what you did for the poor, and our youth morcha president will respond to you," Shah said. Shah's dare comes against the backdrop of Gandhi on several occasions challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a debate on corruption, especially in the Rafale fighter jet deal, and demonetisation. "For five generations, you (Congress) sought votes in the name of the poor, tribals, Dalits, farmers, villagers, but did nothing for their development," the BJP chief said. Shah said the Modi government had taken many steps to alleviate poverty, citing examples like providing subsidised gas cylinders to seven crore families, houses to 2.5 crore people and electricity connections to 2.35 crore citizens. Shah also claimed that, as on date, 23 lakh people had been given free medical treatment under the Centre's Ayushman Bharat health scheme. The Congress had created hurdles in the development of Gujarat and defamed the state post the 2002 communal riots, Shah said, adding the BJP had worked to restore the pride of the state. "The BJP government has done a lot for the development of Gujarat. When Modi was CM, he did a lot for Gujarats development, but the Congress only created hurdles. Whenever there was a Congress government (at the Centre), it worked to suppress Gujarat," he alleged. "After the 2002 communal riots, the Congress worked to defame Gujarat. The BJP has always fought for the pride of Gujarat, it has worked to restore the pride of Gujarat," he said. Shah claimed while the country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opposed Sardar Patel, a leader from Gujarat, another Congress PM Indira Gandhi opposed Morarji Desai, also from Gujarat, while former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi "used all her might to stop Narendra bhai (Modi)". Shah credited the Modi government with securing the country, and claimed bomb blasts were rampant under the Congress-led UPA government. He praised the Modi government for conducting air strike on terror camps in Pakistan and alleged that the Congress was siding with Islamabad on the issue. The BJP chief pointed to Congress leader Sam Pitroda's reported statement that India should hold talks with the neighbouring country rather than bomb it for the handiwork of a few people (a reference to Pulwama terror attack). Shah hit out at the Congress over its manifesto promise of scrapping the sedition law if voted to power, and claimed the opposition party was siding with those who shouted "anti-national" slogans. "You talk about removing the sedition law, for what? Anti-national slogans were shouted in Kashmir and Narendra Modi sent them behind bars," he said, asserting the restive northern state would never be allowed to secede from India. He said the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would ensure that all infiltrators are expelled from the country. Listing the Modi's government's achievements with respect to Gujarat, Shah said it had completed work on the Narmada canal project, brought the bullet train as well as an AIIMS and railway university to the state. All the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will vote in a single phase on April 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam leader T T V Dhinakaran was Friday unanimously elected its general secretary, even as a decision was taken to have it registered as a political party. The move comes just a day after Lok Sabha and by-elections to 18 assembly seats concluded in Tamil Nadu and days after the Supreme Court had chastised the group led by former AIADMK leaders Dhinakaran and V K Sasikala for not registering AMMK as a political party. At a meeting held at the AMMK headquarters here, it was decided that Sasikala, currently general secretary, would be elevated as president after her four-year imprisonment in a disproportionate assets case ends. "The deputy general secretary Dhinakaran has been unanimously elected as AMMK's general secretary. Also, as informed to the Supreme Court by our advocate, a decision to take steps to register AMMK as a political party was also taken today," AMMK spokesperson C R Saraswati told PTI. "The post of president would be allotted to our leader V K Sasikala soon after she is released," she added. When asked if the move would weaken Dhinakaran and Sasikala in the legal fight claiming themselves as 'true heir' of AIADMK, Saraswati said, "Not at all." "EC has given the symbol to them (faction led by TN Chief Minister K Palaniswami) and we went to court. Though the judgment is not in our favour, our leader 'chinnamma' (Sasikala) has all the right to file a review petition," she said. Expressing confidence that Sasikala would continue fighting the legal battle staking claim in the AIADMK and its symbol, AMMK leader Thanga Tamilselvan said 'Chinamma' was already a general secretary of the AIADMK and she would deal with the case by continuing to stay in that position. Responding to the developments, AIADMK leader and Fisheries minister D Jayakumar said according to EC rules any party can be registered and can receive recognition only if it secures 6 per cent votes. "AMMK would only secure one or two per cent votes and it would continue to remain just as a group," he claimed. Dhinakaran had floated Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) after he and Sasikala were expelled from the Palaniswami-led AIADMK. On February 28, the Delhi high court had dismissed the pleas of Dhinakaran and Sasikala challenging the EC order granting the 'AIADMK' name and the 'two leaves' symbol to the faction led by Tamil Nadu chief minister, saying the figures showed the Palaniswami-led group "enjoyed a clear majority". The symbol issue has been lingering since April 2017 and the verdict came as a shot in the arm for the Palanisami-led AIADMK ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Dhinakaran and Sasikala challenged the EC order in the Supreme Court following which it agreed to hear it on the limited aspect of allowing use of 'pressure cooker' as a common symbol. The apex court, on March 26, dashed the hopes of the Dhinakaran-led faction for getting the 'pressure cooker' symbol exclusively for Lok Sabha and assembly by-elections, but asked the Election Commission to allot a common free symbol to it. The bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Dhinakaran, as how it can allot common symbol of 'pressure cooker' to the group, which is not recognised or registered by the election commission. The bench said the fact of the matter is that the two-leaves symbol issue is now over and the Dhinakaran-led group has not applied to the election commission for registration as a political party. The symbol issue has been lingering since April 2017 in the aftermath of the announcement of the bypoll to Radha Krishnan Nagar constituency in Tamil Nadu following the death of AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Earlier, rival factions led by Sasikala and Panneerselvam had staked claim over the symbol. Palaniswami was then in the Sasikala camp. Later, a large number of legislators led by Palaniswami revolted against Sasikala. Sasikala, late Jayalalithaa's close aide, has been lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru since February 2017, when the Supreme Court upheld her conviction by a special court in a disproportionate assets case and sentenced her to four years imprisonment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-comic Tina Fey says she does not believe that "Saturday Night Live" show can influence how the audience views politics. The former "SNL" writer-actor said the only thing the show can do is help people "articulate" their thoughts about a concerned person. "I don't think that show can really sway people. I think you can shine a light. You can help them articulate something they're already feeling about a given person," Fey said in an appearance on David Tennant's podcast. The Hollywood Reporter quoted the actor saying she is "glad" and "relieved" that she is no longer a part of the late-night sketch show. "The culture is so ugly and the political climate is so ugly. We would always have everybody on because you could. You'd have Bush Sr come do a thing with Dana Carvey before I worked there. It's so truly ugly now," she added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission of India (EC) Friday slapped a campaign ban on Himachal Pradesh BJP president Satpal Satti for 48 hours over his alleged use of expletives against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The ban will be in effect for 48 hours from 10 am on April 20. The EC bars Satti from holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) in connection with ongoing elections for 48 hours from 10 am on April 20, EC Secretary Rahul Sharma said in his order. Satti had allegedly made an abusive remark about Gandhi while addressing party workers at Ramshehar village in Solan district Sunday. Acting on a formal complaint by Congress general secretary Rajneesh Kimta, the EC had on April 16 issued a notice to Satti and sought his reply within 24 hours for violation of the Model Code of Conduct over his use of alleged derogatory remarks. An FIR was also registered against Satti under section 294 of IPC (obscene acts) under the Baddi police limits. Earlier, Congress state unit spokesperson Naresh Chauhan had sought an apology from Satti, which he refused, saying that he merely read out the contents of a message which was already viral on social media. "I have narrated an incident while addressing a public meeting in Ramshehar village of Nalagarh tehsil in Baddi police district of Solan, whereby a derogatory remark was made against Rahul in retaliation of using 'chor' word for PM in a viral social media message," Satti told PTI. Following Satti's alleged derogatory remark, a Congress supporter, advocate Vinay Sharma, had announced reward of Rs. 10 lakh to any person who "cuts off" Satti's tongue. Later, the BJP filed a complaint with the chief electoral officer against the Congress party and Sharma. The election office and the local police are looking into the complaint. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A nodal officer of the Election Commission in charge of EVMs and VVPATs posted at Krishnagar under Ranaghat parliamentary constituency of West Bengal is missing for over 24 hours, police said Friday. Arnab Roy(30) left his official quarters here for his poll duty at Bipradas Choudhury Polytechnic College Thursday morning but was not spotted since afternoon, a senior Nadia police officer told PTI. His vehicle was, however, found parked outside the college here, he said. Election Commission special observer in West Bengal Ajay Naik told journalists, "I have been told that he is not around. But I think his missing has something to do with his personal life." Sources in Nadia district police said that his two mobile phones are switched off and their last location was detected to be near Shantipur. "After Shantipur his location could not be detected as his phones were switched off. This is making it difficult for us to locate him," another police officer said. Initial investigation revealed that Roy, had an alleged tiff with Nadia District Magistrate Sumit Gupta, who was also his neighbour, a few days ago on some operational duties in connection with the elections. When contacted Gupta denied having any altercation with Roy. "Whoever has told you such a thing has given a wrong information. Nothing has happened between us. We have initiated a search for him," Gupta told PTI. After a failed search, the district administration lodged a complaint with the kotwali police station at Krishnanagar, the police officer said. Roy's wife too lodged a complaint. Election Commission sources said that a report was sought from the district magistrate on Roy going missing and a replacement in place of Roy has been already made. Ranaghat Parliamentary constituency, considered to be a stronghold of Trinamool Congress, will go to polls of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the fourth phase on April 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a reprieve to Upendra Kushwaha, the Election Commission Friday ruled that he will continue to be the president of RLSP and the symbol of 'Ceiling Fan' will continue to be reserved for the party till the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections. The commission is hearing a dispute between two factions of RSLP over who is the leader of the party. Lalan Paswan, who leads one the two factions, has told the poll panel that Kushwaha, without the consent of party members left the National Democratic Alliance, hence he was removed from the party. In an interim order, the EC said, for the Lok Sabha elections, the faction led by Paswan will be granted interim recognition as a state party. His faction has been asked to indicate the symbol of its choice (giving a choice of at least three symbols) from among the available free symbols which can be allotted to it. The name it wants for the party should be intimated to EC immediately, the poll panel said. Paswan is supporting NDA, while Kushwaha is part of the grand alliance in Bihar. The commission will deliver its final order later. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former manager of an international airline has pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of the Chinese government, a role under which she placed packages on flights from New York to Beijing at the direction of military officers assigned to China's mission to the UN. Ying Lin abused her privileges to transport packages from John F Kennedy International Airport to China aboard Air Carrier flights at the behest of the Chinese military officers and in violation of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. She pleaded guilty to acting as an agent of China, without notification to the Attorney General, by working at the direction and control of military officers assigned to the Permanent Mission of China to the UN. Lin, the former manager of China-headquartered Air Carrier, faces up to 10 years' imprisonment. As part of the guilty plea, Lin agreed to forfeit approximately USD 25,000 as well as an additional USD 145,000 in connection with her resolution of the government's forfeiture verdict in a federal case. "This case is a stark example of the Chinese government using the employees of Chinese companies doing business here to engage in illegal activity," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers said. "Covertly doing the Chinese military's bidding on US soil is a crime, and Lin and the Chinese military took advantage of a commercial enterprise to evade legitimate US government oversight," Demers said. US Attorney Richard Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York said Lin's actions as an agent of the Chinese government helped Chinese military officers to evade US law enforcement scrutiny of packages that they sent from New York to Beijing. FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney said "Lin was secreting packages through some of the country's busiest airports, using her work with the Chinese government to thwart our security measures. "We believe this case isn't unique and hope it serves as an example that the Chinese and other foreign governments can't break our laws with impunity". Lin worked for the Air Carrier from 2002 to 2015 as a counter agent at JFK Airport and from 2015 through April 2016 as the station manager at Newark Liberty International Airport. During her employment with the Air Carrier, Lin accepted packages from Chinese military officers, and placed those packages aboard Air Carrier flights to China as unaccompanied luggage or checked in the packages under the names of other passengers flying on those flights. As the Chinese military officers did not travel on those flights, Lin's actions were contrary to a security programme that required that checked baggage be accepted only from ticketed passengers, thereby violating TSA regulations. In addition, Lin encouraged other Air Carrier employees to assist the Chinese military officers, instructing those employees that because the Air Carrier was a Chinese company, their primary loyalty should be to China. In exchange for her work at the direction and under the control of Chinese military officers and other Chinese government officials, Lin received benefits from the Chinese mission and Chinese consulate in New York. These benefits included tax-exempt purchases of liquor, cigarettes and electronic devices worth tens of thousands of dollars. These benefits also included free contracting work at the defendant's two residences in Queens, New York, by Chinese construction workers who were permitted under the terms of their visas to work only on Chinese government facilities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Afghanistan's former president says he's saddened by the cancellation of wide-encompassing talks with the Taliban, stressing that peace won't be possible in his homeland, ravaged by more than 17 years of war, until Afghans from all walks of life sit together and negotiate. Hamid Karzai spoke to The Associated Press a day after the Qatari hosts announced that a scheduled gathering of Afghan-to-Afghan talks was postponed indefinitely after a falling out over who should attend. The talks were to start on Friday in Qatar, where the Taliban maintain an office. They would have marked the first time that Taliban and Kabul government officials sat together. Although Karzai did not blame a particular side for the cancellation, he urged the U.S. to "put force behind it to make it (talks) happen. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The politically volatile north Kerala is witnessing a fierce battle between the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF and the opposition Congress-headed UDF in the three Lok Sabha constituencies Vadakara, Kannur and Kasaragod, to wrest them from the rival front in the April 23 election. While the main battle is between the two fronts in Kerala, the BJP has emerged as a significant player after extending support to the Sabarimala devotees. How the saffron party fares in the bipolar polity of the southern state is being keenly watched by political observers. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has fielded its strongman P Jayarajan, to reclaim Vadakara from state Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran who had won the seat with a meagre margin of around 3,300 votes in 2014. Jayarajan, CPI(M)'s former district secretary in Kannur, has a considerable clout among the party cadre, prompting the Congress to find a heavyweight to take on him. But Congress, in a surprise move, picked K Muraleedheeran, after two-time sitting MP Ramachandran opted out of race, to take on Jayarajan, making it an interesting constituency. Muraleedheeran is a three-time MP, incumbent MLA from Vattiyoorkavu in Thiruvananthapuram district and son of former chief minister K Karunakaran. Vadakara is Left bastion, which it won first in 1980 and is holding since. The CPI(M) is troubled by rebellion within this time and also by the decade-old Revolutionary Marxist Party founded by late T P Chandrasekharan after quitting the Marxist party. Muraleedheeran, the Congress candidate, has RMP's support. The BJP has re-nominated V K Sajeevan from Vadakara, who had secured over 76,000 votes in 2014. Both Congress and BJP have called for a vote against the violent of CPI(M). "We are fighting against the of violence played by Left," Muraleedheeran said. But Jayarajan is trying to counter that narrative by saying that he himself is a victim of violence. In August 1999, assailants attacked Jayarajan with knives and machetes in which he was grievously injured. "I am being referred to as 'Kamsa' and Keechaka (Hindu mythology characters), but it was me who was attacked and hacked by the Sangh Parivar," Jayarajan has said, reminding the people of the constituency of the incident. Muraleedheeran said he is confident about the prospects of Congress also because party president Rahul Gandhi has chosen Wayanad in Kerala as his second Lok Sabha constituency to contest the poll. "This will help improving the prospects of Congress in the state," he said. Kannur, a constituency adjacent to Vadakara, is expected to witness a replay of the 2014 poll battle as temperatures soar ahead of the arrival of the annual monsoon. Incumbent P K Sreemathy, of the CPI(M), has a campaign planned to avoid the mid-day heat. Her party has ensured she has to campaign from 8.30am to 11am and then again from 3pm onwards, according to CPI(M) workers. She is highlighting the development work carried out the Left Front government. Congress leader K Sudhakaran, from whom Sreemathy wrested the seat with a margin of around 6,500 votes last time, too has made Left's violent a poll plank to seek votes. The BJP has fielded C K Padmanabhan, a familiar political face in Kerala who is banking on the achievements of the Modi government. In Kasaragod, towards the northern edge of Kerala surrounded by the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is considered the "red fort" of CPI(M). The last time Left was defeated here was in 1984. Congress is aiming to make use of the sympathy generated after the killing of its two youth workers in Periya area in February. Police said the killings were politically motivated. Rahul Gandhi said he will "not rest till the murderers are brought to justice". The Congress later fielded senior party leader Rajmohan Unnithan from the the constituency. "I am a popular face in the state. I have acted in over 20 movies. I am confident Congress will be able to wrest Kasaragod from Left," Unnithan has said during his election campaign. To keep its bastion intact, the Left party has fielded former member of legislative assembly KP Satheesh Chandran from Kasaragod, thrice represented by veteran A K Gopalan. Even though CPI(M) has claimed it has no role in the killing of the workers, the Left was unable to project its innocence over the crime allegedly committed by one of its local leader. BJP has fielded Ravish Tantri, a Hindu hardliner, to gain momentum in Manjeshwaram and Kasaragod assembly segments, forming part of the Kasaragod parliamentary constituency. Gandhi's decision to contest from Wayanad has visibly lifted the spirits of Congress workers in all other constituencies but angered the Left. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) France on Thursday rejected Libya's "completely unfounded" accusation that it has been supporting strongman Khalifa Haftar, whose forces have launched an assault on Tripoli. The interior ministry of Libya's internationally recognised government earlier Thursday accused France of actively supporting warlord Haftar and his self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). "Tripoli's claim of support and diplomatic cover for Haftar are completely unfounded," a French foreign ministry official said. "France supports the legitimate government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj and the mediation of the UN towards an inclusive political solution in Libya," the French presidency said in a statement. Libya's Interior Minister Fathi Bach Agha has ordered the "suspension of all relations between the ministry and the French side... due to the position of the French government in support of the criminal Haftar", the interior ministry in Tripoli said. "These are disappointing statements," the French interior ministry source said. On Tuesday, UN Security Council diplomats began negotiations on a British-drafted resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Libya and the creation of a humanitarian corridor from the battle zones near Tripoli. But Russia, the United States and several African nations do not support the British approach. At least 174 people have been killed and more than 18,000 displaced since Haftar ordered his forces to march on Tripoli on April 4, according to UN figures. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union minister Nitin Gadkari Friday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of misleading people with a false promise of providing a minimum income of Rs 72,000 per year. Addressing a campaign rally at Pathalgaon in Jashpur district of Chhattisgarh, he also said the credit for transforming the country's image in the last five years did not go to him or Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but to the people who gave majority to the BJP. "Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, all gave the slogan 'garibi hatao' (remove poverty) and people voted for them, but they did nothing. "Similarly, Rahul Gandhi has started misleading the country by lying to people. He is making a false promise of giving Rs 72,000 per year to the poor," Gadkari said. "It is wrong, because they cannot give it. From where they will get the money? To mislead people has been the Congress' policy," he said. "During its 50-year-rule, the Congress spread the poison of casteism and communalism. They misled people by telling them that the BJP government is anti-Dalit and it will change the Constitution. They tell Muslims that this government will chop them off ('katwa denge') and send them to Pakistan," he said. "The Congress is spreading lies because it cannot seek votes on the basis of its work," Gadkari said. "We are working to fulfil the dream of making India a super-economic power," he added. "The credit for changing the country's image in the last five years does not go to me or prime minister Narendra Modi, but to the people who gave majority to the BJP (in 2014 polls) and gave us opportunity for undertaking development," the Union minister said. He sought votes so that the BJP could continue "the process of development" and crack down on corruption. He also referred to the Modi government's initiative to clean up the Ganga, saying now its water was so clean that Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi could drink it (when she visited Varanasi). Priyanka Gandhi could also travel from Varanasi to Prayagraj by a boat because of the Modi government's internal waterway development program, he added. Key irrigation projects remained incomplete for want of funds earlier, but the Modi government helped states to complete such projects and take water to the fields, Gadkari said. Gadkari, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Nagpur, also mentioned that 450 buses are being run in his hometown on bio-CNG, saving on diesel consumption, and the experiment will be extended to many other cities. Pathalgaon assembly segment falls in Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency which will go to polls on April 23. The BJP has fielded Gomtee Sai from the seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gang, whose members were allegedly involved in making fraudulent insurance claims in the name of patients who died of cancer by showing them as road accident, was busted by the Special Task Force (STF) of the Haryana Police Friday. Three persons identified as Pawan Bhoria, Mohit and Vikas have been arrested in this connection, a police spokesman said in a release here. Divulging modus operandi, he said the accused first used to identify cancer patients and contact their family members. Subsequently, they got the cancer patients insured and after showing their deaths in road accidents, they would help get the insurance claims after lodging FIRs at different police stations in Haryana, he said. Immediately after this, treatment record of the deceased person was removed by them from PGIMS Rohtak. In this, government employees like doctors, police personnel and of PGIMS Rohtak could be involved, the spokesman said. Director General of Police (Crime) P K Agrawal had received a complaint regarding this from a private life insurance company. He handed over the investigation to a Special Task Force team that busted the gang and nabbed the three accused. A number of suspicious documents were recovered from the accused, police said. The accused were also involved in making fraudulent claims from other insurance companies, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tokyo prosecutors will indict former Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn on a new charge on Monday when his detention period over suspected financial misconduct expires, local media reported Friday. The 65-year-old is being questioned in a Tokyo detention centre over allegations he siphoned off millions of dollars from his former company Nissan to a dealership in the Middle East for his own ends. Ghosn strenuously denies the allegations and insists they have been cooked up in a "plot" by Nissan executives wary of plans to bring the Japanese car giant closer to its French partner Renault. On Friday, public broadcaster NHK cited unnamed sources as saying that Tokyo prosecutors will indict the former auto tycoon as early as Monday on suspicion that he had used the money from Nissan for his personal investments into 30 companies. Kyodo said the prosecutors decided to indict Ghosn on April 22. NHK reported that about 3 billion yen (USD 26.8 million) transferred to an American firm named Shogun Investments, run by Ghosn's son, had been spent on investments in at least 30 companies. Tokyo prosecutors are also considering questioning Ghosn's son, according to NHK. Ghosn had already spent 108 days in custody over three other charges of alleged financial malpractice -- accused of two counts of deferring part of his salary and concealing this from shareholders and another charge of seeking to shift personal losses to the company. He has already won bail once over the first three charges. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the global success of "Godzilla" and "Kong: Skull Island", comes the next chapter "Godzilla II: King Of The Monsters", an epic action adventure which will be releasing in India by Warner Bros Pictures on May 31. A presentation of Warner Bros Pictures and Legendary Pictures, in association with Toho Co Ltd, the film will be released in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. The film, directed by Michael Dougherty stars Millie Bobby Brown, Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga, Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, O'Shea Jackson Jr, Ken Watanabe, Bradley Whitford, among others. "The approach that my writing partner Zach Shields and I took was that Godzilla, the MUTOs, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah they're a super-species. These creatures were worshipped as ancient gods; they are the reasons we have stories about dragons and giants and titans. "Because if you look at the entire world's collection of ancient myths, you realize that they all have stories about monsters. What we're trying to establish is the idea that Godzilla and his brethren are the reason for that," Dougherty said in a statement here. According to the statement, the new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan and his ultimate nemesis the three-headed Ghidorah. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The country's gold imports dipped about 3 per cent in value terms to $ 32.8 billion during 2018-19, which is expected to keep a lid on the current account deficit. Total imports of the precious metal in 2017-18 had stood at $ 33.7 billion, according to data from the commerce ministry. Trade experts said softening prices of the yellow metal in the global markets could be the reason for the contraction in the value of imports. After recording negative growth in February, the imports grew 31.22 per cent to $ 3.27 per cent in March. India is one of the largest gold importers in the world, and the imports mainly take care of demand from the jewellery industry. Jump in imports during March helped gems and jewellery exporters push their exports. The outbound shipments dipped only marginally by 0.37 per cent to $ 3.42 billion in March. The country's current account deficit (CAD), or the difference between outflow and inflow of foreign exchange in the current account, widened to 2.5 per cent of (GDP) in the third quarter of the fiscal, against 2.1 per cent in the year-ago period, mainly due to a large trade deficit. The government had introduced several measures to restrict the import of gold. Import of the yellow metal attracts 10 per cent duty. The domestic jewellery industry always demands a cut in the duty and relaxation of other import norms for increasing availability of the yellow metal to boost jewellery exports. Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by an unidentified man while addressing a poll rally on Friday in a village in Gujarat's Surendranagar district. The incident was captured on cameras of channels covering the rally in the district, around 130 km from here. As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him. The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by Congress workers, who also beat him up and took him away from the venue. The unidentified man was later handed over to the police. Congress candidate for the Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat, Soma Patel, was present on the dais when Hardik Patel was assaulted. According to Surendranagar SP, Mahendra Bagadia, the man is yet to be identified. "We are yet to investigate who the man was and why he slapped Hardik. No one has lodged a complaint with us yet. We are investigating the matter," said Bagadia. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has once again asked US to stay away from using memes inspired by its hit series "Game of Thrones" for "political purpose". On Thursday, put out a tweet with a "GOT"-inspired meme after US Bill Barr reiterated that there was no collusion between the president's 2016 election campaign and He, however, tweeted well before the report was made public. In the meme that used "GOT" fonts, is seen with his back to the camera, wearing his trademark black overcoat. Staying true to the essence of the epic fantasy series, the backdrop is a mix of mist or fog. "NO COLLUSION, NO OBSTRUCTION. For the haters and the radical left Democrats -- GAME OVER," it said. In response to Trump's tweet, the network released a statement asking him to refrain from such activities. "Though we can understand the enthusiasm for 'Game of Thrones' now that the final season has arrived, we still prefer our intellectual property not be used for political purposes," said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. This is not the first time objected to Trump and his team drawing inspiration from "GOT". Last November, the US tweeted a photo with a slogan that resembled popular "GOT" catchphrase "Winter is Coming". "Sanctions are coming - November 5," was written in text reminiscent of the "Game of Thrones" title font. The post hinted that would be reinstating all US sanctions on which were removed under the 2015 nuclear deal, which did not go down well with HBO even then. The network had appealed to Trump not to "misappropriate" the show's slogan. The Allahabad High Court Friday asked the Election Commission to file its reply on a PIL seeking a stay on the release of a biopic on Prime Minister The court has asked the poll panel to file the reply by the next date of hearing on April 26. A bench comprising justices Sudhir Agarwal and Rajendra Kumar also asked the EC that how the makers of the film will be compensated for losses due to delay in the release of the movie. The bench passed the order after hearing the PIL filed by Sana Ullah Khan, president of Bhim Sena. The petitioner contented that the release of the movie during election time will influence voters, and hence, violate the Model Code of Conduct. It was also alleged that the release of movie will effect free and fair elections. Hence, its release must be stopped, the petition said. The Modi biopic, starring Vivek Oberoi and directed by Omung Kumar, tells the story of PM Modi's rise to power from his humble beginnings. Filmmaker Alex Ross Perry will write and direct the film adaptation of Stephen King's short story "Rest Stop". The famed author's short was first published in Esquire magazine in 2003 and won the national magazine award for fiction in 2004. It was later included in King's 2008 collection, "Just After Sunset". The story, described as a propulsive cat-and-mouse thriller, follows the twisted journey of two women after a fateful encounter at a highway rest stop, according to Variety. Perry, 34, is best known for 2018 movie "Her Smell", featuring Elisabeth Moss in the lead. The film had premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. His other credits includes "The Colour Wheel", "Listen Up Philip" and "Queen of Earth". "Rest Stop" hails from Legendary Pictures with Alex Garcia and Ali Mendes overseeing it for the studio. Craig Flores will produce under his Bread & Circuses banner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves the credit for the country's air strike inside Pakistan just as Indira Gandhi was honoured for the success in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Singh, a BJP stalwart, hit out at the Congress for seeking evidence of the outcome of the Balakot air strike by Indian Air Force and said the BJP-led government has been able to effectively isolate Pakistan for sheltering terror elements. He recounted that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was a leader of the Jan Sangh, the former avtar of BJP, had complimented Indira Gandhi for the success in the Bangladesh Liberation war and had said the party would not hesitate to accord its fullest cooperation to Indira Gandhi. "Now, what is wrong in praising Modiji if he gave a fitting reply to Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack ?" Singh asked while slamming the opposition parties for raising questions when there was nation-wide "euphoria" following the air strike on terror camps inside Pakistan territory. Singh was addressing a series of election meetings in Keonjhar, Cuttack and Puri parliamentary constituencies in Odisha which are going to polls in the third phase on April 23 to bolster the prospcts of BJP candidates. "The opposition has been seeking to know the number of terrorists killed in the air strike. How can the jawans count the number when the target is a huge gathering of terrorists? ... Jawans do not count bodies, it is the work of vultures." Claiming that the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to isolate Pakistan in the international community, Singh said "None other than Narendra Modi can give a befiting reply to Pakistan." He strongly criticised the then Congress govenrment for not taking action against Pak-based terrorists after the Mumbai atttack in 2008. The Modi government had on the other hand acted promptly and launched an attack on terrorist camps at Balakot in Pakistan within 13 days of the Pulwama attack. "This is the difference between BJP and the Congress," Singh said. Stating that India is no more weak, the senior BJP leader said "We do not attack any one but if some one attacks us, we do not spare him. "Our policy is very clear. We do not attack any one, never try to acquire anyone's territory. But if anyone dares to hit us we will not sit idle," Singh said, Apart from strengthening the country's security, Modi has ensured that country's economy improved. "When BJP came to power in 2014, India's position in terms of economy was 9th. Now within four and half years, India's place is 6th in the world. We will be among the top three by 2030," he said. Singh urged the people to vote for BJP to ensure speedy development and appealed for the ouster of the BJD government in Odisha for failing to pull the state out of backwardness and poverty. The BJD government of Naveen Patnaik is seeking re-election for the fifth straight time in Odisha, where simultanoeus polls for the Lok Sabha and the assembly are on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists from all over the country gathered at the Indian Institute of Technology here to discuss how climate change and other phenomena are affecting the Himalayan region, making the population more vulnerable to extreme climate events. IIT Mandi is hosting an International Workshop on Climate Change and Extreme Events(C2E2) in the Indian Himalayan region from 18th to 20th April, aimed at understanding the effects of melting of glaciers, increased atmospheric pollution, pollution due to crop residue burning in Himalayan region and applications of remote sensing. Inaugurating the event Thursday evening, Dr M. Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India, said, Climate is changing and global warming is happening due to release of greenhouse gases. In many parts of the world, including India, the effects of climate change are being seen especially in mountain regions like Mandi. The Himalayas were one of the world's sensitive hotspots to climate change along with the Artic Region. The climate change can affect food, water and energy security of the region, Rajeevan said. "The Himalayan Region is experiencing increasing variability in weather in last many years. This could lead to further snow accumulation over this region and more research is needed to understand this phenomenon, he said. "By studying data, there are also evidences that the number of extreme warm days and nights has increased in this Himalayan Region, which are clear effects of global warming," he added. The uncertainties in have led to many extreme events such as glacial lake outbursts, earthquakes and rock/landslides, which can be mapped and monitored regularly using satellites. We have to understand climate change and its impact as it is very important for future generations. The workshop has participation from all over India, besides Europe, and the U.S. with over 90 speakers from across India. Over 200 abstracts were received with over 150 listed and more than 90 oral and poster presentations during this workshop," said Ramesh P. Singh, workshop Coordinator and Visiting Faculty, IIT Mandi. This workshop was sponsored by Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, India; DST, Government of India, Chapman University, California; International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, Committee on Space Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Noted US geophysicist Professor Roger Bilham, whose research forms the basis for the current knowledge about earthquakes in the Himalayan region delivered a video lecture on Future great earthquakes in the Himalaya. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery, re-constructed with Indian grant, was inaugurated on Friday in Nepal's Sindhupalchok district, an official statement said. The Monastery was established in 1946 near the Nepal-China border and needed massive renovations. Buddhist scholar Shyalpa Tenzing Rinpoche inaugurated the Monastery in the Lisankhu village at a function, which was attended by Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy, Ajay Kumar. The Indian government provided an assistance of 18.90 million Nepali Rupees for the re-construction project. "In addition to rebuilding the Monastery, the project also included additional infrastructure such as residences, kitchen and sanitation facilities," according to a press release issued by Indian Embassy here. The project was implemented by District Coordination Committee, Chautara which prepared architectural design, drawings and undertook supervision of the construction work. Situated near the Nepal-China border, the Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery was established in 1946 with the initiative and contribution of locals of Lisankhu village, situated in North-East of Kathmandu. The monastery has been involved in various socio-cultural activities such as teaching Buddhism, Thangka painting, wood carving and sculptor making etc. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian has been extradited to the US from Singapore to face charges of his involvement in a multi-million dollar India-based call centre scam that targeted Americans. Hitesh Madhubhai Patel, 42, of Ahmedabad is scheduled to be arraigned Friday before a US magistrate judge in federal court in Houston. The indictment, which was unsealed in October 2016, charged Patel and 60 other individuals and entities with general conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. The US Justice Department said that the massive India-based telephone impersonation fraud and money laundering conspiracy defrauded thousands of US residents out of hundreds of millions of dollars. Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division said Patel operated a call centre that allegedly preyed upon vulnerable US citizens as part of a massive fraud scheme. "This extradition once again demonstrates the Department's unwavering commitment to disrupt and dismantle the India-based call centre scam industry and to work with our foreign partners to hold accountable those who perpetrate schemes that defraud our citizens," he said. US Attorney Ryan Patrick of the Southern District of Texas said large complex international cases like these often take years to bring in foreign-based defendants, applauding America's global partners in helping bring this case closer to a conclusion". The Justice Department said that Singapore authorities apprehended Patel at the request of the US following a provisional arrest warrant in September last year, after he flew from India to Singapore. The Singaporean Minister for Law issued a warrant on March 25, 2019 for Patel to be delivered into custody of the United States. The indictment alleges that Patel operated the HGlobal call center conglomerate and participated in a complex fraudulent scheme involving a network of call centers based in Ahmedabad. Using information obtained from data brokers and other sources, India-based conspirators allegedly called potential victims while impersonating officials from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or US Citizenship and Immigration Services. According to the indictment, the call centre conspirators then threatened victims with arrest, imprisonment, fines or deportation if they did not pay taxes or penalties to the government. When victims agreed to pay, the call centers used a network of US-based conspirators to quickly liquidate and launder the extorted funds through the use of stored value cards or via wire transfers. As alleged in the indictment, the stored value cards were often registered by the scammers using misappropriated personal identifying information of thousands of identity theft victims, and conspirators collected the wire transfers by using fake names and fraudulent identifications. The call centre conspirators also defrauded victims through other schemes, including via offering fake short-term loans or grants. The indictment alleges that the conspirators would then request a good-faith deposit to show the victims' ability to pay back the loan or a fee to process the grant. The victims of the alleged scam never received any money after making the requested payment. A total of 24 domestic defendants associated with this transnational criminal scheme have previously been convicted and sentenced to terms of imprisonment of up to 20 years in the Southern District of Texas, District of Arizona and Northern District of Georgia. The defendants were also ordered to pay millions of dollars in victim restitution and money judgments and to forfeit seized assets. Some defendants were ordered to be deported based on their illegal immigration status, with another defendant having his US citizenship revoked due to a separate conviction for immigration fraud. The remaining India-based defendants have yet to be arraigned in this case. Executive Associate Director Derek Benner of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) said Patel's extradition should serve as a strong deterrent to anyone considering taking part in similar scams and hoped it provides a sense of justice for the victims as well. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Russell George said since 2013, the IRS impersonation scam has been on a relentless path, claiming more than 15,000 victims who have collectively suffered over USD 75 million in losses. "TIGTA's investigations, often conducted with other Federal agencies, have identified 140 scammers, including Patel, who have preyed upon taxpayers. "Today's extradition and arraignment are proof that TIGTA and its law enforcement partners will be equally relentless in rooting out individuals who fraudulently identify themselves as IRS employees in order to extort money from taxpayers," George said. Special Agent in Charge David Green of DHS-OIG Houston, Texas Field Office said the owners, managers and employees of overseas call centers who target US residents should know that the US pursuit of justice for victims of their scams does not stop at the water's edge. "We will continue to work with our international partners to identify these fraudsters, track them down and hold them accountable for their crimes," Green said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian has been sentenced to eight years and six months in federal prison for his role in an Indian call centre scam involving conspiracy to commit wire and aggravated Hemalkumar Shah, 27, who pleaded guilty to the charges on January 28, is the second Indian national to be sentenced for the role in the call centre scam. As part of Shah's sentence, a US court in also entered a money judgment of USD 80,000. According to court documents, from 2014 through 2016, Shah conspired with US-based co-conspirators and India-based call centers to extort money from US residents by impersonating IRS officers and misleading victims to believe that they owed money to the IRS and would be arrested and fined if they did not pay their alleged back taxes immediately. The conspirators collected the proceeds by withdrawing cash from prepaid cards purchased and funded by victims; hiring other conspirators (runners) to retrieve money wired by the victims to those runners; and hiring runners to open into which victims deposited proceeds. The defendants collected the proceeds by providing the runners with the victims' names, locations and amounts paid. The runners were directed to retrieve the fraud proceeds in cash and turn the funds over to the defendants, often less a payment to the runner for opening the account or conducting the transaction. Four others previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. On March 25, Alejandro Juarez was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison, and on March 29, Nishitkumar Patel was sentenced to 8 years and 9 months' imprisonment. Sharvil Patel and Brenda Dozier are currently awaiting sentencing. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian student has pleaded guilty to intentionally causing damage of over USD 58,000 to more than 50 protected computers of a college in New York state capital Albany by using a "USB Killer" device. Vishwanath Akuthota, 27, residing in the United States on a student visa, has been in custody since he was arrested in North Carolina in February this year. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to USD 250,000 and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to three years. United States Attorney Grant Jaquith said that he pleaded guilty this week to causing damage to computers owned by The College of St Rose. Akuthota, who will be sentenced in August, admitted that on February 14, he inserted a "USB Killer" device into 66 computers, as well as numerous computer monitors and computer-enhanced podiums, owned by the college in Albany. The "USB Killer" device, when inserted into a computer's USB port, sends a command causing the computer's on-board capacitors to rapidly charge and then discharge repeatedly, thereby overloading and physically destroying the computer's USB port and electrical system. Akuthota admitted that he intentionally destroyed the computers, and recorded himself doing so using his iPhone, including making statements such as "I'm going to kill this guy" before inserting the "USB Killer" into a computer's USB port. He also admitted that his actions caused over USD 58,470 in damage, and has agreed to pay restitution in that amount to the college. Akuthota will be sentenced in August and faces up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to USD 250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to three years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Associations of serving as well as former IPS officers on Friday condemned BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remark that then Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare died in a terrorist attack because she had cursed him. The Indian Police Service (Central) Association tweeted from its official handle, 'IPS Association', that Karkare had made the "supreme sacrifice". "Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," the association said. Julio Ribeiro, chairman of the Retired IPS Association, termed Thakur's statement as unfortunate. Speaking to PTI, Ribeiro said, "Karkare was one of the finest IPS officers who worked almost everywhere in Maharashtra during his stint and there was not a single complaint against him. He would never do anything wrong. "When other officers who have worked with Karkare would come across Pragya's remark, they will think what kind of people are being put up (as candidates)," he said. Karkare, along with Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, was among the police officers who were killed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Before that, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad had cracked the September 2008 Malegaon blast case and arrested Thakur and others. Thakur later got bail, but she is still facing trial for the blast in which six persons were killed. Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal -- from where the party has fielded her for the Lok Sabha poll -- she alleged that Karkare "tortured" her during the probe. "I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iraq will host senior officials from neighbouring countries including regional arch-rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran on Saturday, as it carves out a role as a mediator in the deeply divided region. The one-day summit will bring together parliament heads from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, and Kuwait, a parliamentary spokesman told AFP. Iran, one of Iraq's closest allies but a fierce foe of Saudi Arabia, will be represented by a "senior official," the spokesman said. The conference will be hosted by Iraq's youngest-ever speaker of parliament Mohammed al-Halbusi, 38, who said Friday Iraq was "honoured by the presence of its neighbours in Baghdad." Hours earlier, he had welcomed Syria's parliament chief Hammudeh Sabbagh, who landed in the Iraqi capital on Thursday night with a large delegation. Iraq has long been at the centre of a struggle for influence between regional and international powers, notably neighbouring Iran and the United States. But more recently, Baghdad has sought to fashion itself as a mediator among rivals in the Middle East and beyond. Iraqi premier Adel Abdel Mahdi recently returned from visits to both Riyadh and Tehran, who are at odds across the region and whose officials rarely attend the same events. Turkey and Iran have also backed opposing sides in Syria's war, which since 2011 has isolated Damascus diplomatically. As part of its new regional role, Baghdad has sought to bring Syria back into the Arab League. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a fresh attempt to retain control over its realty arm Jaypee Infratech, crisis-hit Jaypee group's promoters Friday apologised to thousands of distressed home buyers and promised to infuse Rs 2,000 crore to complete pending apartments over the next four years. This proposal was made to home buyers at a meeting called by chairman Manoj Gaur as part of efforts to seek flat owners' support for resolving the crisis and delivering the pending 20,524 units. founder Jaiprakash Gaur was also present at the meeting, which was attended by over 1,000 buyers, while around dozen flat owners boycotted the meet and staged protest at the venue -- Jaypee Instutute of Information Technology -- here. Jaypee Infratech, a subsidiary of flagship firm Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL), is undergoing an insolvency proceedings. State-owned NBCC and Suraksha group are in race to acquire JAL has also submitted its plan but the same is not being considered by lenders at this stage. To solicit the support of it's homebuyers, who have now got a voting rights for approval of any resolution plan under Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the Jaypee group chairman Friday invited flat owners to discuss the proposal submitted by it. The Jaypee group said it will put in Rs 1,500 crore in an escrow account and also attach a 100-acre land parcel worth Rs 500 crore to deliver these flats within four years. At the outset, Manoj Gaur apologised for the delay in completing the housing projects, which he said "was beyond his control". "We are victims of circumstances. Jaypee Group is synonymous for creating best of the infrastructure projects in India like power plants in Baspa, Karchamwangtoo in the toughest of the terrains and Sardar Sarovar Dam that aside Yamuna Expressway and others," he said. Promising to complete and hand over the remaining units, Gaur sought another chance from the homebuyers. "We will put Rs 1,500 crore in escrow account and keep 100-acre land worth Rs 500 earmarked, won't sell this land. In total we have around Rs 2,000 crore for this," Jaypee Group advisor Ajeet Kumar told reporters. Additional funds would come from home buyers as well as sale of unsold housing units worth Rs 4000 crore, he added. ALSO READ: NBCC likely to submit revised bid by April 25 to buy Jaypee Infratech "Under Section 12A of the IBC Procedure, we have submitted a proposal (to lenders) in the month of February. The highlights of the proposal are that we will put Rs 1,500 crore in an escrow account which will be monitored by a committee and the entire amount will be used for construction and completion of the houses," he said. Jaypee group had in April 2018 as well submitted Rs 10,000 crore plan before lenders to revive Jaypee Infratech, but the same was not accepted. "It's been 18 months since the case is in the and the NCLT, our chairman (Manoj Gaur) has apologised to the buyers. He told them that he understands their pain of not getting the homes and wants the support of the buyers for his proposal," Kumar said. Asked if Jaypee's proposal was aimed at stalling the bids made by NBCC and Suraksha, Kumar said this is not the intention of the group. "We have also made a proposal and people will decide. If they find the other two bids more favourable, they can accept that and we won't have any objection," he said. After the interaction with Jaypee promoters, flat owners gave mixed response to the group's proposal, with some terming it as lie and fraud while others ready to give another chance to the company. "I still feel if they are still given a chance they will complete it expeditiously. However, the quality of their work is a concern," one buyer P K Arora, 79, told PTI. "We had lost all hopes. But the history of this company has been good. Jai Prakash (the founder of the group) is a man of his words," Arora said after emerging from the session. Buyers said other contenders NBCC and Suraksha have promised delivery of projects in five and four years, respectively. The NBCC has assured interest on delay in 25 per cent cases, Suraksha on none, but Jaypee Group on all projects. "We will be satisfied only when we get our homes. This assurance today is a hope at least," said another homebuyer, Vipul Kumar. Gaurav Vishnoi, also a flat buyer, however, said: "It's all lies and fraud. He is just buying time for himself. The group been doing it for years now. We have been protesting for four years now." "They just speak during meetings but they don't walk their talk," he said. had to deliver 32,691 units, of which 4,889 units were completed before start of insolvency proceedings. As many as 7,278 more units have been completed in last 18 months, while 20,524 units are yet to be delivered. In 2017, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted the application by an IDBI Bank-led consortium seeking resolution of The tribunal had appointed Anuj Jain as insolvency resolution professional (IRP) to manage the company's business and invite bids from investors. In the first round of insolvency proceedings, the Rs 7,350 crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha group, was rejected by lenders as it was found to be substantially lower than the company's net worth and assets. In October 2018, the IRP started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech on the direction. The realty firm has an outstanding debt of nearly Rs 9,800 crore. JAL had submitted Rs 750 crore in the registry of the for refund to buyers and amount is lying with the A journalist was shot dead during riots in Northern Ireland in what police Friday were treating as a terrorist incident following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region. "Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said in a statement. McKee had earlier posted an image that appeared to be from the riots in the Creggan housing estate in the city of Londonderry, also known as Derry, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles. "A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee," said Hamilton, adding that police believed the gunman was a "violent dissident republican." "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry," he added. Journalist Matthew Hughes earlier identified the dead woman as one of his friends. "I just received the heartbreaking that my friend @LyraMcKee was murdered tonight in a terrorist incident in Derry," he wrote on Twitter. McKee had written for The Atlantic magazine and Buzzfeed and was named by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of their "30 under 30" outstanding figures in media, according to her literary agent Janklow & Nesbit. Leona O'Neill, a reporter with the Belfast Telegraph, said she saw McKee get hurt. "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight," she tweeted. Thursday's unrest raised memories of past decades of violence in Northern Ireland. Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar warned that "we cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past". His British counterpart Theresa May said the killing was "shocking and truly senseless". In Brussels, a European Commission spokesman condemned the "terrible incident". "We condemn such violence, and we are confident that the UK authorities will ascertain the exact circumstances of this tragic event," he said. The violence came in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to the British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on a dissident paramilitary group. Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned the killing. "My heart goes out to the family of the young woman shot dead by so-called dissidents," she wrote on Twitter. "This was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement," the peace deal that largely brought an end to violence on the island exactly 21 years ago, she added, calling for calm. Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favour of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news". "A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she wrote on Twitter. The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles". Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict -- many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Police have blamed a group called the New IRA for the flare-up in violence in recent months. Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit. Londonderry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds. A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not sharing complete details of Balakot air strikes. The remarks come a day after Modi's attack on him during the PM's Belagavi and Chikkodi election meetings on Thursday. Modi took on Kumaraswamy for saying the matter of air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot should not be overpublicised "fearing the vote bank bank would get angry." "Now tell me, Where is Congress and the JD(S) vote bank? Is it in Bagalkot or Balakot? This Congress-JD(S) has to decide," the prime minister said. Talking to reporters in Hubballi, Kumaraswamy said, "We do not know anything about the air strike. We read only in the newspapers. You (Modi) did not give the complete information to the people of India about the air strikes. "He (Modi) publicises it as if he himself carried out the air strike and nobody had ever crossed the Pakistan border in the past," the chief minister said. He said the prime minister had been projecting that Pakistan was trembling with fear. The JD(S) leader added that he found Indira Gandhi a bigger leader than Modi. "Did Narendra Modi form Bangladesh? It is Indira Gandhi's gift. What have you (Modi) done?" Kumaraswamy said. On Modi's jibe that the Congress and JD(S) projected the attack inside Balakot in Pakistan as if it was something in Bagalkot in Karnataka as the two parties thought India could not dare to do so, the chief minister said, "We have not seen Balakot. "You (Modi) must have seen it. You only went there with a shawl to celebrate an event with the (then) prime minister (Nawaz Sharif). What discussions you had there? What harmony you could establish with the Pakistan prime minister whom you gave the shawl?" he said. Referring to Modi ridiculing his purported remark that people who were unable to get two square meals a day go to the defence services, the JD(S) leader said, "I did say that since Modi does not have the ability to give jobs to the youth, people go to the Army to sustain their families and survive somehow. "I spoke about the poverty of the families. I told him not to play with the lives of such youths. But they twisted my words and they twisted my statement. BJP is expert in that," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) British actor Letitia Wright has landed the central role in "Death on the Nile", Fox's follow-up to "Murder on the Orient Express". Kenneth Branagh, who helmed the 2017 film, will return to the director's chair for the new project and reprise his role of the mustachioed Belgian detective Hercule Poirot. Based on celebrated author Agatha Christies novel of the same name, the follow-up will chronicle Poirots vacation in Egypt where he discovers a murder on the banks the Nile as a love triangle goes bad. Wright, who broke out on the Hollywood scene with Marvel's "Black Panther, joins Gal Gadot and Armie Hammer in the cast. She will portray Rosalie Otterbourne, a lead suspect in the story, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The project is scheduled to start filming at the end of September. "Death on the Nile" has been previously adapted into a 1978 film, with Peter Ustinov as Poirot along with Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Maggie Smith, among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu recorded an average voter turnout of a little over 71 per cent in the elections held to 38 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, the EC said Friday. Dharmapuri Parliamentary constituency recorded the highest turnout of 80.49 per cent, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters here. "The average voter turnout during the general elections to the 38 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu yesterday is 71.87 per cent," he said. He indicated the number may see minor change as the observers were in the process of tallying EVMs and VVPATs. South Chennai Lok Sabha segment recorded the lowest turnout at 56.41 per cent, he added. Regarding the bypolls to the 18 Assembly seats, Sahoo said the turnout stood at 75.57 percent. On allegations of irregularities at a polling booth in Dharmapuri, Sahoo said a "special report" has been sought from the District Electoral Officer (DEO). A report has also been sought regarding complaints of en-masse deletion of voters' names from the list in Kanyakumari. Asked about the possibility of any re-polling, he said "it will always be taken into consideration based on the General Observer's remarks" which was expected later in the day. Further, the EVMS and VVPATs used in Thursday's polling centres will be now protected in strong rooms till the counting day (May 23), he said. The state has a total of 45 counting centres. The CRPF will provide the first layer of security, followed by the state police, he said. To a question on reports of the indelible ink being put on veteran star Rajinikanth's right hand on Thursday when he voted, Sahoo said the EC instructions make it clear that the index finger on the left hand should be the first choice but said it could be a "genuine mistake." "Election Commission's instructions is first it should be the left hand index finger or the the next finger or the next. If not, one can go for the right hand," he said. "Let's see. It appears to be a genuine mistake," he said on what kind of action could be taken in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress and NCP in Maharashtra Friday sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi over BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remark that slain ATS chief Hemant Karkare died in a terrorist attack because she had "cursed" him. The state unit of the BJP distanced itself from Thakur's remark, saying it considers all those who were killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack as martyrs. Terming Thakur a "terrorist", NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the BJP's decision to give her a ticket underscored its "pretence" of fighting terrorism. Malik, who addressed the media along with state Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant here, alleged that the remarks made by Thakur, who is in the fray from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, came from the "script" provided by the BJP. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil said both the BJP and its ally Shiv Sena should be "ashamed" of her statement. Karkare, then chief of the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Thakur is one of the accused in the September 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case and facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. She is out on bail. Addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Bhopal Thursday, Thakur alleged that the Maharashtra ATS illegally detained her in the case and tortured her. ""He (Karkare) tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. Jayant Patil said while Modi was seeking votes in the name of (Pulwama terror attack) martyrs, his party's candidate "is celebrating Karkare's death". "The BJP and Shiv Sena, particularly Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray should be ashamed of this," he said. Malik said that "real face" of the BJP stands exposed. "The BJP gave ticket to a terrorist to create this kind of atmosphere to ensure its victory. People will not forgive these people who have insulted martyr Karkare," he said. Congress leader Sawant said that with her "despicable" comments, Thakur had insulted Karkare who made the supreme sacrifice while fighting terrorists. "Why the prime minister is silent when a martyr has been insulted? Modi should apologise to the country," he said. Sawant also said he was appalled by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' silence. "He should take initiative and push for Sadhvi's expulsion from the BJP," he added. Sawant and Malik also said the BJP nominating Thakur from Bhopal also shows that then special public prosecutor Rohini Salian's claim that she was asked by an NIA official to "go slow" against the Malegaon blast accused was true. The Shiv Sena, BJP's partner in the NDA, should make clear its positions on the issue, Sawant demanded. Thakur's shocking statement also seemed to have put the Maharashtra BJP on the defensive. State BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said it was her personal stand and the party did not support it. "Sadhvi has spoken about how she was jailed during the Congress rule, tortured in jail and misbehaved with, being a woman," he said. "As far as her statement on Karkare is concerned, the BJP considers all those who laid down their lives fighting terrorists -- be it Karkare, (constable) Tukaram Ombale (police officers) Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte, Major Unnikrishnam or the over 160 people who died (in the Mumbai attack) as martyrs," Bhandari said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das has said the grand alliance of opposition parties wants to oust Narendra Modi from power as the Prime Minister has never compromised on corruption. Canvassing for Union minister of State for Tribal Affairs and sitting MP Sudarshan Bhagat in Lohardaga (ST) Lok Sabha seat in Gumla on Thursday, Das said since the prime minister knows about poverty, his battle against corruption is uncompromising. Referring to the Congress, the JMM and the RJD, the 'Mahagathbandhan' partners, the chief minister asked, "How can Rahul Gandhi (Congress president) and Hemant Soren (JMM working president) know about poverty as they are born with silver spoons in their mouth?" They talk about tribals, but back out when steps are taken in the interest of the indigenous people, Das claimed. "These (allies) are the same people who looted sand, gave it to a Mumbai-based contractor, indulged in coal scam and fodder scam," the BJP leader alleged. Calling upon the people to vote for Bhagat who is seeking a third term, the chief minister said, just as the people had rejected dynastic in 2014, "such a result should be repeated this time too." "Dynastic is the most dangerous thing for a democracy," he said. At a road show at Pesrar in Lohardaga, earlier in the day, Das lauded the police for weeding out extremism from Pesrar. The union minister is facing Congress MLA Sukhdeo Bhagat from the Lohardaga constituency, which will go to polls on April 29. Lok Sabha elections for 14 constituencies in Jharkhand will be held in four phases from April 29. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Marvel Studios is bringing South Korean actor Ma Dong-seok on board for "The Eternals". The 48-year-old actor, also known as Don Lee, will make his Hollywood debut with the MCU film, a source told TheWrap. Details about the role for the actor, who broke out in 2016's South Korean zombie apocalypse action thriller "Train to Busan", are being kept under wraps. Chloe Zhao is directing the film from a script by Matthew and Ryan Firpo. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige is producing. It was previously reported that Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjiani are in talks to join the cast. The studio is yet to make a formal announcement. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, the story of "The Eternals" is set millions of years ago when the cosmic beings known as the celestials genetically experimented on humans to create super-powered individuals known as the Eternals along with the villainous Deviants. Marvel had no comment on Dong-seok's casting. The actor's other roles include "The Outlaws", "Champion" and "Unstoppable". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party, sources said Friday. After quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about posts she held in the party. She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had "misbehaved" and "threatened" her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. Chaturvedi had lashed out at the party in public on Thursday and accused it of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the Congress. She said it was unfortunate and saddening that those who threatened her have got away without even "a rap on their knuckles". The party, which had suspended those workers, reinstated them on April 15. The action of rescinding the suspension, party leaders had claimed, was taken on the recommendations of Congress general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chaturvedi has been trending on social media for her "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi" jibe at Union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a strong re-election pitch to the business community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday promised collateral-free loan of up to Rs 50 lakh, Rs 10-lakh accidental insurance to GST-registered entities, credit card facility for traders, a pension scheme for small shopkeepers and a new retail policy. Addressing a traders' convention here, Modi said opposition Congress abused businessmen by calling all of them 'chor' (thieves), while the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi used to take pride in hailing from the businessmen community of Baniya. The BJP government, he said, has stood by traders in thick and thin and will upon re-election set up a National Traders' Welfare Board to address their issues. Stating that the country has seen the "insults" meted out by Congress to traders, he said the opposition party has in its 70-year rule only "insulted" businessmen. "They called all businessmen chor (thieves)" without realising the contribution of the business community in the economy, he said. "Congress' naamdaars (dynasts) cannot see anything but themselves. Gandhiji used to proudly proclaim himself as a Baniya, yet Congress abuses all businessmen, calls them chor (thieves). Today's Congress is neither aware of history nor the ground reality. Congress' naamdaars are unaware of the traders' contribution towards the country's development." The prime minister said he has in the five years of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders by scraping 1,500 archaic laws, simplifying processes and providing easy credit. Traders are "backbone" of the Indian economy but had in past never got the respect they deserved, he said adding doubling the side of the economy to USD 5 trillion is not possible without their contribution. "I am impressed by the hard work of traders... their business has helped the economy bloom," he said. "I have tried to make your life and business easy in last five years." Modi said the trading community is like weather forecaster who can anticipate future tidings. "On May 23, once again the Modi-led government will come to power, after which a National Traders' Welfare Board will be constituted. The board will be a permanent arrangement which will create an institutional mechanism for communication between the traders and the government," he said. Modi said the BJP will formulate a National Retail Policy to boost retail trade and provide accidental insurance up to 10 lakh to all businesses registered with the GST. "We will introduce a traders' credit card scheme on the lines on the Kisan credit card. We will bring a policy for providing pension to small businessmen," he said. Modi also promised that a provision will be made to provide loans of up to Rs 50 lakh without any collateral. Congress-led governments blamed traders for ills like price rise when it was the party's own hoarders who were black marketing commodities, he alleged. "For promoting entrepreneurship among youth, the new BJP government will invest Rs 20,000 crore in the startup sector... We will get 50,000 start-ups established in the country by 2024," the prime minister said. He promised that several new incubation zones and incubators will be set up in local bodies to boost startups, adding that the new BJP-led government will strengthen businesses financially and institutionally in such a manner that they can leave a mark in the export sector, and also boost Brand India. Listing his government's achievements, he said he has ended 1,500 archaic laws at the rate of one per day in the last five years to make doing business easier in the country. Processes have been simplified, inspector raj largely checked and personal interference in income tax assessment removed. "I consider you (traders) as biggest stakeholder of the economy. Opposition parties remember you only on special occasion," he said. Modi said the Goods and Services Tax, which was brought in July 2017 by amalgamating 17 different central and state taxes, has made doing business transparent, ended state check-posts and resulted in doubling of registered traders. "I do not say there have not been any mistakes (in implementing GST) but we have quickly addressed any anomalies based on suggestions from traders," he said. Based on suggestions of traders, most daily use items are taxed at zero rate while 98 per cent of the commodities are taxed at less than 18 per cent, he said adding the process of filing tax returns under GST has also been simplified and exemption limit for small businesses doubled. "We are continuously making this process simple," the prime minister said. Stating that he is a 'sevak' (servant) and not a 'malik' (lord), Modi said his government has on a daily basis released 70,000 free LPG gas connections to poor women, provided electricity connection to 50,000 households, opened 2 lakh Jan Dhan bank accounts for poor, given loan under Mudra scheme to 1 lakh entrepreneurs. Modi said India has jumped 65 places on the World Bank's ease of doing business ranking to rank 77 in the world and the target is to break into top 50 in the next 5 years. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday for talking about his caste. Ambedkar was speaking at a campaign rally for Sharad Wankhede, Vanchit Aghadi candidate from Jalna, here. Two days ago, at a rally at Akluj in Maharashtra, Modi targeted Rahul Gandhi on his "why are all thieves named Modi" remark, saying the Congress chief, by making the jibe, had maligned the backward community he hails from. Ambedkar said that "Modi remembers his caste only during the election". The prime minister should note that backward class students were not receiving their scholarship money under his rule, the Dalit leader said. Ambedkar also hit out at state Congress chief Ashok Chavan. The talks between the state Congress and Ambedkar for a pre-poll alliance had not borne fruit. Speaking at the rally, Ambedkar said if his party came to power, he would institute a fresh inquiry in the Adarsh Housing Society scam, for which Chavan had come under the scanner of investigating agencies. He also alleged that the BJP-led government in Maharashtra was shielding NCP leader Ajit Pawar in the alleged irrigation scam. Ambedkar also said that Muslim clerics who issue statements in support of the Congress should not use mosques for such political purposes. He tore into BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur over her remarks that then ATS chief Hemant Karkare died in the 26/11 terror attack because she had cursed him for 'torturing' her when she was arrested in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The Congress in Kerala Friday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Sabarimala issue, saying he was once again shedding 'crocodile' tears over it. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala sought to know why the BJP led NDA government did not frame laws or issue an ordinance after the September 28 2018 Supreme Court verdict, allowing women of all ages to offer prayers at the Lord Ayappa hill shrine if they were really sincere in protecting the faith and tradition of the believers. After the CPI(M) led LDF government decided to implement the Apex Court verdict,saying they were constitutionally bound to do so, protests by right outfits and BJP/RSS workers had erupted in various parts of the state. But the Central government did not do anything and did not even file a review petition, Chennithala said. Modi, who was in the state capital on Thursday for campaigning, had addressed a public meeting and had hit out at the state government,saying "We will not allow them to destroy the culture and traditions followed since thousands of years. Even small children will stand as the chowkidars (watchmen) to protect our culture". Modi had also assured that when the BJP-NDA government is voted back to power on May 23, from "court to Parliament" his government would fight for the faith of the believers. "Narendra Modi is shedding crocodile tears and Keralites have seen everything," Chennithala said, adding only Congress had tried sincerely to protect the traditions and rituals of Sabarimala and had filed a review petition in the apex court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attacking the Prime Minister, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday alleged people of the country "have decided" to remove Narendra Modi and asserted his party would form the government after the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a rally here in north Karnataka, Gandhi said Modi talks about security of the nation "but making crores of youth unemployed" does not strengthen the nation. "People have decided in 2019 that in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S), in Andhra Pradesh Naidu (Chandrababu Naidu) and across the country those who are fighting against BJP, they will win. Narendra Modi will be removed from Delhi," he said. Gandhi, who addressed a rally in Gujarat earlier in the day said, "People have decided. Im telling you people of Gujarat have decided, Im coming from Gujarat. There is an undercurrent in favour of Congress in Gujarat." "People of Gujarat are saying, leave alone the country, Narendra Modi has not done anything for Gujarat....Lakhs of acres of our land were given to big business people," Gandhi said. Assuring the Congress and JDS workers that the alliance of the two parties would win here (in Karnataka), he said, "in Delhi, Congress will form the government. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci's muse for the iconic Mona Lisa painting may not have suffered from hypothyroidism as suggested by recent studies, scientists say. Michael Yafi, from The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) in the US, noted that the painting doesn't match the countless other depictions of goiters or enlargements of the thyroid gland. The painting of Lisa Gherardini has captivated millions since it was created in the early 1500s, including experts in the medical community. For years, scientists and physicians have studied the discoloration of Gherardini's skin, the thickness of her neck, and her enigmatic smile to hypothesise about her health during the Renaissance time period. The most recent published theory suggests she suffered from severe hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid. The researchers cite her yellow skin, the enlarged appearance of her thyroid gland, and lack of eyebrows as symptoms to support his theory. They also noted that her mysterious smile may represent a hint of resulting psychomotor retardation and muscle weakness. "I felt a personal responsibility to defend the Mona Lisa and the fascinating lady the painting portrays," said Yafi in a statement. "She has inspired thousands of people over the past few centuries. I couldn't have the public thinking she had hypothyroidism, when it seems to me she was euthyroid, meaning her thyroid was normal. So, I decided to give her a fresh 21st-century medical opinion," he said. Yafi's research, published in Hormones-International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, explains that the documentation of thyroid disease is well known in art history, and this painting doesn't match the countless other depictions of goiters. "Artists often depicted what they saw in society. Sculptures from the ancient Andean and Egyptian civilisations recorded endemic goiters in areas of environmental iodine deficiency, like the Tuscany region where Gherardini lived," said Yafi. "Ancient Greek art represents this symptom as well, as do several poetic works and even Shakespearean literature. "If Gherardini had a goiter from iodine deficiency, it would have been severe and more clearly demarcated in the painting like the other historical representations; a talented painter like da Vinci would have had no problem expressing it," he said. Yafi also points out that many of da Vinci's paintings depict women without eyebrows, so it's not conclusive to attribute that feature to underactive thyroid. He said the yellowing of the skin only develops after a long duration of the disease. Typically, having long-term hypothyroidism would have severely affected fertility, but Gherardini is known to have given birth to five children, including one only months before sitting for the painting, said Yafi. "The discoloration could simply be attributed to the age of the artwork, as well as the varnish applied by the artist. Furthermore, the painting was stolen and then hidden away for almost three years, and someone also once vandalized it with acid in an act of sabotage," he said. "Making a diagnosis of hypothyroidism on the basis of subtle and vague features in an old painting is, needless to say, risky," Yafi said. "Hypothyroid myopathy, or muscle tissue disease, manifests in muscles that are closer to the body's midline. It is usually severe, which means that it would have prevented Gherardini from posing with a straight back. "Moreover, there are plenty of people who have an asymmetric smile, but this does not necessarily mean that they are hypothyroid," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Karnataka BJP Friday alleged that names of at least two lakh voters here were deleted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls and demanded stringent action against the 'black sheep' who played the mischief. "When I visited various polling booths Thursday, I noticed that at least 50,000 to 60,000 names were deleted from the electoral roll. In all, two lakh votes were deleted in Bengaluru," former deputy chief minister R Ashok claimed during a press conference. He said there were huge discrepancies in the electoral roll prepared after March 16, which was the last date of updating the voter list. The electoral roll was prepared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city civic body. In the two lists, at least four or five names were deleted in each sheet of paper, Ashok alleged. Seeking to know the basis behind deletion, Ashok asked the authorities whether people gave applications to remove the names from the electoral roll or did the authorities give notices to people prior to removing their names. "You zeroed in on the BJP voters and deleted their names. It had never happened in the past on such a large- scale. Youcould have removed those names while printing the electoralrolls but it was not done then. All of a sudden, you removed allthose names you suspected were of BJP voters," he charged. The Padmanabhanagar MLA cited the example of an NRI fromAmerica who flew down to Bengaluru only to cast his vote andwas in tears after finding his name deleted. Another studentfrom Manipal found his name missing when he came here to exercise his franchise. "The election commission should inquire into the matter. Find out the black sheep in the BBMP and take action against them. They must be punished," he said. "People spent lakhs of rupees to come to India to cast vote. They are those who tell us the value of votes but when they come here, we tell them they can't vote. This is sheer injustice, a sin," he said. Meanwhile, the chief electoral officer of Karnataka SanjivKumar told PTI that he would get the matter inquired. He, however, demanded specific complaints with details so that an inquiry could be held. Some one is exaggerating that many deletions happened, Kumar said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An outfit of mining dependents in Goa, affected by closure of iron ore mining operations, has said it is not supporting any political party and people are free to vote "as per their conscience". The Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF), an umbrella organisation of people rendered jobless following the closure of the key industry, has said voters should review the incidents which took place after iron ore extraction and transportation were stopped and then decide on their choice. GMPF president Puti Gaonkar told PTI that the outfit is not supporting any political party in the state in the Lok Sabha elections or assembly bypolls. "We are not asking the people whom to vote or whom not to. Let them decide as per their conscience," he said. "But while doing that, they should also consider the events that happened after the closure of the mining industry in March last year. They should vote as per their wisdom," he said. In the past, the GMPF, which is spreading an agitation to demand resumption of mining operations, has expressed its anguish over BJP MPs from Goa not addressing their issues. The organisation has been demanding that the Centre bring amendment in the existing mining laws to resume operations in the industry, a key source of livelihood as well as revenue for the state government. The Supreme Court had last year quashed 88 mining leases, bringing to a halt the entire industry. An estimated two lakh people have been adversely affected by the closure of mining operations in the state. Voting for the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa will be held on April 23. The same day will also see bypolls in three Assembly constituencies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The remarks of BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on IPS officer Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, raised a political storm Friday with opposition parties attacking the saffron party and the Congress demanding an apology from PM Narendra Modi. Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts and the BJP's candidate from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh, Thursday had claimed that Karkare died during the attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal termed her remarks as "disgraceful", while PDP's Mehbooba Mufti said these are the "worst days" for the country as such candidates are in the fray. The BJP, however, distanced itself from the comments, saying it was her "personal view" which she might have made "due to years of physical and mental torture". Kejriwal alleged that this (Thakur's remarks) showed the "BJP's true colours". Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Karkare gave his life protecting the country and must be treated with respect. Thakur, while addressing BJP workers at a rally in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, had said Karkare had inflicted the worst kind of abuses and torture on her during custody in connection with the Malegaon blasts. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said Prime Minister Modi should apologise for Thakur's remarks and take action against her for terming Karkare an "anti-national" and alleging that the officer had tortured her. "The anti-national face of the BJP now stands exposed before the people of India.They have crossed all limits by showing their disrespect towards martyrs. The prime minister should take strict action against Pragya Thakur for her remarks against Hemant Karkare," he said at a press conference here. The PM should be asked if describing Karkare as a 'desh drohi' and using unpardonable words against him like "rakshas" (monster) and "raavan" is respecting the memory of a "martyr", Surjewala said. "The BJP has committed an unforgivable sin of calling 26/11 martyr anti-national and using terms like monster against him. It is proved that BJP is the friend of terrorist Ajmal Kasab, who was hanged under the Congress rule," he said. In a tweet later, Gandhi said, "Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect." Condemning Thakur's remarks, Kejriwal, too, tweeted, "Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms." "BJP is showing its true colours and it must be shown it's place now," he tweeted. Reacting sharply on Thakur's remarks, former J-K Chief Minister Mehbooba said these are the worst days for the country. "I think these are the worst days for our country that you are giving such a choice of candidates to the people who use such language against a martyr like Hemant Karkare," Mehbooba told reporters in Srinagar. However, the BJP in a statement said it believes that Karkare died while bravely fighting terrorists and it has always considered him a martyr. The party, claimed that Thakur had suffered "physical and mental torture" for years in police custody that might have caused her to make such a statement.The comment is her "personal view", the BJP said. Thakur had said in the rally that Karkare committed an anti-national act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blast case and keeping her behind bars without evidence."It was treason. It was against religion," she said. Thakur alleged that she was tortured during her detention and she had cursed him. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon terror blast case and Karkare, the then Mumbai anti-terrorism squad chief, was leading the probe into case. Out on bail, Thakur has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. She is pitted against Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be "removed from Delhi" and his party would form the government after the Lok Sabha polls. On the final lap of his election campaign in the Congress-JDS alliance ruled Karnataka, Gandhi also hit out at Modi for "what he has done" to his "guru", BJP stalwart L K Advani, saying that he should be "ashamed" of it. Gandhi addressed rallies at Raichur and Chikkodi in north Karnataka and is not scheduled to again campaign in the state, which will go to the second phase of polls on April 23. The first leg of the elections was held on Thursday. At his rally in Raichur,Gandhi said, "People have decided in 2019 that in Karnataka, Congress and JD(S), in Andhra Pradesh Naidu (Chandrababu Naidu) and across the country those who are fighting against BJP, they will win. Narendra Modi will be removed from Delhi." Gandhi, who addressed a rally in Gujarat earlier in the day said, "People have decided. I'm telling you people of Gujarat have decided, I am coming from Gujarat. There is an undercurrent in favour of Congress in Gujarat." "People of Gujarat are saying, leave alone the country, Narendra Modi has not done anything for Gujarat... Lakhs of acres of our land were given to big business people," Gandhi said. Assuring Congress and JDS workers that the alliance of the two parties would win here (in Karnataka), he said, "in Delhi, Congress will form the government." He also said Modi talks about security of the nation "but making crores of youth unemployed" does not strengthen the nation. In his Chikkodi rally, Gandhi raked up the issue of Advani, who has been kept out of the contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "In Hindustan there is nothing bigger than Guru. Narendra Modi speaks about dharma, but see what he has done with Advani. He should be ashamed." "Advaniji made Narendra Modji stand, but in two minutes Narendra Modi sidelined Advani," Gandhi said. "He does not even do Namaste to him (Advani), he looks at the other side. Then he speaks about dharma." Accusing Modi of not having fulfilled any of the promises he made, Gandhi said "he has destroyed crores of people,he has spread hate in the country, he spreads hate wherever he goes." Speaking about the "NYAY" scheme (minimum income guarantee scheme) the Congress has promised to implement if voted to power, he said that under it, Rs 3.6 lakh would be put into the accounts of 20 per cent economically weaker sections over five years. "You will have to decide between truth, Nyay programme, brotherhood, love on one side, on the other side hate, demonetisation, Gabbar Singh Tax and unemployment," Gandhi told the crowd. The uneasy alliance of Congress and JDS is fighting the Lok Sabha polls together in all the 28 constituencies, but the electoral arrangement has been hit by resentment at the level of local leaders and workers, who have fought each other for decades and are now fiding it difficult to reconcile to the new situation. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was also present at the Raichur rally, said there was a need for a non-BJP government at the Centre. "Only if Narendra Modi goes, this country will be free, keep this in mind." He accused Modi of having deceived people despite having a clear mandate and caused a loss to the country on the issues of demonetization, unemployment and GST. "Narendra Modi thinks that there is no leader greater then him in the country, I can prove that there are leaders other than you who can develop this country well, there is that ability," Naidu said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Critically-acclaimed German filmmaker Werner Herzog believes "piracy" is the most "successful" forms of film distribution and he has given his "blessing" to those who watch his movies via torrents. According to Screen Daily, the 76-year-old filmmaker, known for classics such as "Heart of Glass", "Even Dwarfs Started Small", "Aguirre, the Wrath of God" and "Rescue Dawn", was speaking at the Switzerland's film festival Visions in Nyon. During a discussion, the moderator, Ukranian producer Illia Gladshtein, told Herzog that he was only able to watch his films by downloading torrents. "Piracy has been the most successful form of distribution worldwide... If you don't get (films) through Netflix or state-sponsored television in your country, then you go and access it as a pirate," Herzog said in his response. "I don't like it because I would like to earn some money with my films. But if someone like you steals my films through the internet or whatever, fine, you have my blessing," he added. The filmmaker, who has over 60 films to his credit, said access to older content has become easy in the age of streaming services. "Now you can find them on the internet, on Amazon, as Blu-Rays or DVDs, or you can stream them. I am very happy about this because all of a sudden most of the requests and observations I receive now come from 15 year olds who bombard me (with) questions of 'why can't we see this or that film?'" he added. At the Visions in Nyon, Herzog was conferred with the Maitre du Reel lifetime achievement award as part of the festival's 50th anniversary celebrations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing the caste card in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections for political gains. He said the prime minister was "misleading" the people of the country through "pseudo nationalism". "Whenever he feels that he is lagging behind, he misleads people by talking about religion, nationalism, Pakistan and him being from the backward class," Gehlot said in a statement issued here. He said Modi was not talking about "real issues" and the people of the country have decided to overthrow the BJP government. "Instead of replying to the issues raised by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition in the interest of the nation, Modi is engaged in creating emotional issues. The people have made up their mind and the time for BJP's departure has come," he said. Gehlot accused the prime minister of being an "expert" in presenting facts in a "distorted manner". "Recently, he, in a public meeting in Maharashtra, said the Congress called backward classes 'chor' or thieves but no leader of the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi, has ever said this, and this can never be said," Gehlot said and added that the "false statement" went against the democratic values. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Friday he remained in charge of negotiating with North Korea despite the regime's demands to exclude him, as he voiced guarded hope with Japan on securing a deal. Pompeo led four-way talks in Washington of the US and Japanese foreign affairs and defense chiefs, the latest in a flurry of major meetings scheduled between the close allies. Amid a standstill with North Korea, Pompeo brushed aside an angry statement this week in which Pyongyang called the top US diplomat "reckless" and immature and demanded that he be removed from future negotiations. Pompeo is believed to have encouraged Trump, who has admitted to having a soft spot for Kim Jong Un, to hold firm with North Korea's young authoritarian leader during a summit in February in Hanoi that ended in deadlock. "Nothing has changed. We continue to work," Pompeo told a joint conference. "Still in charge of the team," Pompeo said, while adding that Trump "is obviously in charge of the overall effort." Pompeo, who traveled four times last year to Pyongyang as he eased once soaring tensions, said he was still hopeful for an agreement that would solidify Kim's promises to give up the nuclear arsenal which his dynasty has built over decades. "I'm convinced we'll still have a real opportunity to achieve that outcome and our diplomatic team will continue to remain in the lead," Pompeo said. Trump has repeatedly voiced admiration for Kim and last month blocked the imposition of tough new US sanctions on North Korea, saying he wanted to preserve the relationship despite Pompeo's vow to keep up maximum pressure. Japan, which closely aligns its foreign policy with the United States, has publicly backed Trump but is seen as deeply cautious. Conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe built his political career campaigning for tough action on North Korea over its abductions of Japanese civilians in the 1970s and 1980s to train the regime's spies. Foreign Minister Taro Kono nonetheless reiterated after the talks in Washington that Abe was willing to meet Kim "if there is a chance." "Japan is ready to normalize its relationship with North Korea when these missile, nuclear and abduction issues are taken care of," Kono said. Abe will visit Washington next week to meet Trump, with whom he has built a friendly rapport. Trump and his wife Melania will then head to Japan next month as the first state guests after Naruhito is enthroned as Japan's emperor. Japan will also hold a summit of the Group of 20 major economies in Osaka in June, although Trump has not yet confirmed his attendance. In its latest effort to enlarge the security umbrella for Japan, the United States said that cyber attacks against its ally could trigger a response from Washington. "The United States and Japan affirmed that international law applies in cyberspace and that a cyber attack could, in certain circumstances, constitute an armed attack under Article V of the US-Japan Security Treaty," Pompeo said. Article V declares that an assault on Japanese territory would trigger action by the United States, which guarantees its ally's safety under the pact imposed after World War II, when Japan was stripped of its right to maintain a military. Japanese officials have increasingly worried that hacking, especially by rivals China or North Korea, could be a more immediate threat than any traditional military operation. Pompeo also renewed the US stance, dating from former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, that Article V covers the Senkakus, Japanese-administered islands in the East China Sea which Beijing claims and calls Diaoyu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Malegaon blast accused and BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has claimed police officer Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. The BJP distanced itself from the controversial remarks, describing them as "personal", but the late IPS officer's colleagues berated her for insulting him. The Congress said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise for Pragya Thakurs remarks on Karkare and take action against her. Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal Thursday night, Pragya had also claimed that Karkare had "made up his mind" not to release her from custody. "Hemant Karkare was called by the (blast) probe panel member to Mumbai. I was then in a Mumbai jail. The commission member told him that if he didn't have any proof against me, he should not unlawfully hold me in jail," she said. "But he (Karkare) said he will do anything to bring the proof...Will do anything...will create it, bring it from here and there, but will not release Sadhvi," she said. Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP on Wednesday fielded Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from Bhopal seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. "This was his (Karkare's) cunningness. It was treason. It was against religion. He used to ask all kinds of questions...Why did it happen? Why did that happen? I said, I don't know, God knows. So he asked whether he has to approach God to know all this. I told him, definitely if you want it, you must go. It will be difficult for you to believe it and it will take time. I told him he will be destroyed," she said. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. The IPS Association condemned the remarks against the late police officer. "Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," the association tweeted. The BJP distanced itself from the controversial comment saying it was her personal view which she might have made "due to years of physical and mental torture". "BJP considers him a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya's personal statement which she might have given because of the mental & physical torture she had faced," the party said. The Congress demanded that Modi apologise to the country and take action against the BJP's Bhopal nominee for the remarks. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the remarks were an insult to every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the country while fighting terrorism. Reacting to Pragya's statement, Digvijay Singh said, "Hemant Karkare was a dedicated officer. He laid down his life for the country and we should be proud of him. No one should comment on it." AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi slammed Pragya for her remarks. "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. He didnt die because a terror accused felt bad & cursed him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government. How DARE BJP insult our martyrs like this?" he tweeted. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hit out at Pragya for her "disgraceful" comments. "Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms. BJP is showing its true colours & it must be shown it's place now," he tweeted. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Office sources said a complaint has been received against Pragya Singh Thakur for her comments on Karkare. The matter is under enquiry, they said. Out on bail, Pragya (48) has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Friday said BJP Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh would not have made the 'curse' remark about police officer Hemant Karkare, had the Election Commission taken action against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2017. He was apparently referring to the controversial 'shamshan-kabristan' remark made by Modi during an election rally in 2017. "If there is electricity in graveyard and during Ramzan, it must also be available in a crematorium and during Diwali," Modi had said. Yadav said, "Had the Election Commission initiated action against the prime minister in 2017, such statements would not have been given." He slammed the saffron party for fielding Thakur, who had Thursday night said that Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. "You see what message the BJP is trying to give. They are fielding such candidates," he said. Yadav also sharpened his attack on the Congress, terming it the most "dhokebaaz" party and alleged that it used the CBI against him and his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav. "It was the Congress which misused the CBI against me and 'Netaji' (Mulayam) and got a probe started against us. I dont fear anyone," he told reporters at the party office. He was responding to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's statement in Badaun Thursday in which he had attacked the SP and the BSP, saying they were scared of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and they had caused immense damage to Uttar Pradesh during their rule. Yadav claimed the man who filed the PIL in the disproportionate assets case against him and his father had also joined hands with the BJP. "The Congress should reply whether this man was present during the nomination or not. They (Congress) have no face to talk to me," he said, adding that both the parties were the same. On the occasion BJP MP from Machlishahr, Ram Charitra Nishad joined the Samajwadi Party. Amrendra Nishad and his mother Rajmati Nishad, who recently left the SP to join the BJP, joined the party again. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI National Secretary D Raja Friday termed as"attrocious", the description of the Indian army as "Modi ki Sena" by two BJP leaders and said that President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the supreme commander of the Armed forces, should condemn such acts. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had recently courted controversy by describing the Indian Army as 'Modiji ki Sena' in different campaign rallies. The Election Commission had warned the two leaders and asked them to be more careful. "UP CM calls Indian Army Modi ki Sena. Even union minister Naqvi said so. How can they such things? They have taken an oath under the Constitution. It's the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy. It cannot be somebody's army or some political party's army. It's an atrocious statement," Raja told PTI. He said the President, who is the commander-in-chief, must take note of the incident and condemn such acts. "Actually the President must take note and condemn this. He is the commander-in-chief. He is the head of state. He is the custodian of the Constitution. The President should question them," Raja said. When it was pointed out that the EC had taken action against the two BJP leaders, Raja said the commission confines itself only to ensuring that the model code of conduct is followed. "The Election Commission confines itself to the model code of conduct.Election or not, nobody can call the Indian Army as somebody's private army. The President must assert his authority questioning such statements," Raja said. However, when it became a controversy, Naqvi maintained that he had not said it in as many words. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi resigned from the party, sources said. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about the posts she held in the party. She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. The party which had suspended those workers reinstated them on April 15. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi held detailed parleys with senior party leaders Friday to finalise the campaign strategy of her brother and party chief, Rahul Gandhi, who is seeking reelection from the constituency. A senior Congress leader, who was present at the closed-door meeting, said she gave new directives and finalised the strategy of the party in the constituency and took feedback on the preparations for the election on May 6. During a five-hour meeting, she told local leaders a 20-member team from Delhi is here to review the progress in the responsibilities given to party functionaries. Priyanka Gandhi arrived in Amethi from New Delhi this morning and held the meeting with party office-bearers at the Congress office in Gauriganj area. She consulted senior party leaders and exchanged notes. In a development the party is viewing as a good sign, Bhalchandra Yadav, former Samajwadi Party MP from Sant Kabir Nagar, Vijay Pasi, who had contested Vidhan Sabha election on SP ticket last time, and Swaminath Yadav who has contested Vidhan Sabha election thrice joined Congress in presence of Priyanka Gandhi. Welcoming the new entrants in the party, she asked them and other Congress leaders to move out in the constituency and ensure the victory of Rahul Gandhi with a big margin. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A first round of Afghan-to-Afghan peace talks that would have seen Taliban and government officials sit together for the first time were postponed indefinitely after a falling out over who should attend. Sultan Barakat, director of Qatar's Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, the organisation sponsoring the talks, tweeted of the postponement on Thursday, saying "this is unfortunately necessary to further build consensus as to who should participate in the conference." The talks scheduled for Friday between Afghan and Taliban representatives were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of the US troops, which would end America's longest war. The senior official said negotiations went awry after President Ashraf Ghani opposed a list of participants announced by Barakat's organisation. A list of 243 people was announced by Qatar on Thursday. That list differed from Ghani's list of 250 people, which included many more women, according to a senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media. The Taliban did not immediately comment but Zabihullah Mujahed, Taliban spokesman, on Wednesday questioned the size of the government delegation. Efforts to find an end to the war in Afghanistan have escalated since the appointment in September of US Peace Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban. The Taliban's negotiating team numbers 14, including five former inmates of the US prison on Guantanamo Bay. The Taliban had previously refused to hold direct talks with Ghani's government, calling them puppets of the US. However, after pressure from Khalilzad and the government of Qatar, where the religious movement maintains a political office, they agreed to an intra-Afghan dialogue that includes members of the government. Still, they said they would recognize them only as ordinary Afghans, rather than government officials or ministers. But Ghani struggled to cobble together a negotiating team and was highly critical of a meeting held earlier this year in Moscow between the Taliban and prominent Afghan representatives, including former president Hamid Karzai. Kabul's many groups, including opposing warlords, political opposition and even feuding government officials have made the task of finding representatives everyone can agree on a difficult one. The government's list of 250 participants is a reflection of its "inability to gather the various political parties together and form a team that can speak with one voice," said Bill Roggio, editor of the Long War Journal. "There is much distrust amongst the political parties and other groups, particularly after some groups met the Taliban in Russia without the permission of the Afghan government," said Roggio. Ghani's list of 250 people included 54 women, compared to the Qatar list which included only 10. Suraya Pakzad, an Afghan women's rights activist, said the Afghan Women's Network was also planning to send 18 women to the talks in the Qatar capital of Doha. Actress Angelina Jolie had even donated USD 10,000 to cover expenses, she said. But on Wednesday they were told that their sponsors in Doha who were to escort them from the airport had backed out and without escorts they may not be allowed to leave the airport. They were also not guaranteed entrance to the talks and so cancelled their plans before the talks were officially postponed. Pakzad said Ghani's list of women had also been pared down from the original 54 to 11 after Qatar had argued against the large contingent of women. Khalilzad has on several occasions told Afghans in Kabul that it will be up to them to negotiate women's rights, freedoms and rule of law with the Taliban, who imposed a regressive interpretation of Islam when they were in power that forbade women from working and denied girls schooling. Khalilzad's direct talks with the Taliban have been narrowly focused on a timetable for US troop withdrawal and guarantees from the religious militia that Afghanistan would not again be used to stage terror attacks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Allahabad High Court Friday asked a petitioner to approach the central government to raise his grievance about the citizenship of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The Lucknow bench of the high court directed the competent authority in the central government to consider and decide the matter, if so raised, in accordance with the law expeditiously. A bench of justice D K Arora and justice Manish Mathur passed the order on the petition moved by R K Singh. Passing the order, the bench kept in mind an order it issued on Dec 1, 2015, when it directed the petitioner to approach the central government to raise a similar issue. The court learnt that a representation was filed before the government on Dec 12, 2015, but the matter has not been decided yet. In the latest petition, Singh has alleged that Gandhi has filed income tax return in Britain showing himself to be a citizen of Britain. It was stated that under article 9 of the Constitution and section 9 of the Indian Citizenship Act , Gandhi incurred disqualification from being citizen of India and his citizenship and membership of Lok Sabha should be set aside. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has urged Rahul Gandhi to explain whether he is keen on fighting the BJP or the Left as he feels that the Congress chief's decision to contest from Left stronghold-Wayanad has sent out a different message. Hinting that Gandhi's decision won't prevent the two parties from coming together after election, he spoke about 2004 when the CPI(M)-led Left Front had extended outside support to the Congress-led UPA. He said out of the 61 Left MPs, 57 had won by defeating the Congress. "In all the 20 seats of Kerala, the contest is between the Congress-led UDF and Left-led LDF, whether its Rahul Gandhi or XYZ candidate. We are saying today that defeating the BJP is necessary to save India today," Yechury told PTI in an interview. "Now what does Rahul Gandhi want to do is up to him. What is the message he is giving by contesting against the Left in Kerala unlike his mother or grandmother who had contested against the BJP from Karnataka. He should tell the country whether he is keen on fighting BJP or the Left. He should clarify this," he said. Indira Gandhi had contested from Chikmagalur in October 1978 and Sonia Gandhi from Bellary in 1999 in Karnataka. Fighting against the BJP is one thing, fighting against the Left sends out a different message, he said. Yechury said if Gandhi was keen on sending a message of united India by contesting from a southern state he could have contested from Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. He was commenting on Gandhi's recent speech where he had said that the reason behind contesting from Kerala was to give a message that "India is not just one idea but millions of different viewpoints". Asked whether Gandhi contesting from Kerala would act as a roadblock for the CPI(M) in supporting the Congress in a post-poll scenario, Yechury said, "Roadblock for what? If Rahul Gandhi is not there then there will be some other Congress candidate." "We are fighting Congress politically in Kerala and we will fight it," he said, noting that in 2004 when Left supported UPA-1, out of the 61 seats, the Left had won 57 by defeating the Congress. Yechury exuded confidence that a secular democratic government would come to power post elections and said the these polls will be the most crucial since Independence as the outcome will determine whether the country will remain a secular, democratic republic, as enshrined in the Constitution. "The BJP, which is an arm of the RSS, has a game plan to convert India into Hindu Rashtra. They have undermined every democratic institutions of the country. We will never allow this to happen and that is why it is crucial to defeat this government," he said. Asked whether the CPI(M) will be a part of the proposed secular government or will it limit its role up to providing outside support, Yechury said it will decided post polls. "According to our party programme, the question of participating or not participating in government will be decided on the basis of the concrete situation that emerges at such a time, by our central committee. This decision will be taken at that time," he said. Criticising the BJP for its effort to polarise the elections on the basis of religion and nationalism, Yechury referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent comment that he would like the BJP to win and said the statement had only made it clear "who is pro-Indian and pro-Pakistani". "The BJP has been branding opposition and those who have questioned them as Pakistani. But after Imran Khan's statement we know who Pakistan actually wants as PM. Pakistan wants Modi to win and India wants Modi to lose," he said. In an interview to foreign journalists, Khan said he believed there was a better chance of peace talks with India and settling the Kashmir issue if the BJP wins the general elections. The 66-year-old communist leader slammed BJP president Amit Shah for terming infiltrators "termites" and said it is one of the "most obnoxious and offensive comments" and wondered why the Election commission is yet to take cognisance of it. He said it was clearly a case of hate speech and violation of the Model Code of Conduct. "I really cannot understand why the EC is yet to take notice of it," Yechury said. On the issue of failure of the seat-sharing deal with the Congress in West Bengal, Yechury said the grand old party should answer why it decided to go alone. "The CPI(M) was sincere in its commitment to ensure maximum polarisation of anti-BJP and anti-TMC votes in Bengal. We unilaterally announced that there should be no mutual contest in six seats. But the Congress on the basis of its own wisdom announced candidates, so it is for them to answer," he said. Yechury said that as far as the people of Bengal were concerned, the most sincere efforts for defeating the TMC and the BJP were being made by the CPI(M) and Left. With the BJP emerging as the main contender of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the CPI(M) in Bengal is fighting a tough battle to retain its political ground. In the 2014 parliamentary election, the Trinamool Congress won 34 seats in Bengal, the Congress four and the Left and the BJP two each. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Friday accused the opposition Congress for encouraging infiltration in Assam and even backing out from updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC). He also accused former Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi of backing out in 2010 after protests during the initial preparation and "ran away" from the updation of the NRC. "Who allowed infiltration from Pakistan ? It was the Congress government at the Centre in 1967 who repealed the Prevention of Infiltration from Pakistan Act and opened doors for infiltrators from the then East Pakistan to come into Assam and Northeast," alleged Madhav while addressing a press conference here at the BJP Assam unit headquarters. It is Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of BJP who took up the NRC process again under the guidance of the Supreme Court, Madhav, who is the party's in-charge for the north east, said. Hitting out at the Congress, the BJP leader said "They are friends of infiltrators and tell us how to deal with them. They are a part of the infiltrators. They are the real enemies of the interests of Assam and the Northeast. "People know the real agenda of the Congress and will give a fitting reply in the election. We are committed to protecting the identity, language, culture, heritage of the indigenous people of Assam", he said. To a query on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, Madhav asserted "No bill will be brought by the Modi government that causes any damage to the people of Assam and Northeast". Confident of the BJP winning all the states it has contested on in the state, Madhav said that based on ground reports We are very confident of winning all the nine seats that have already gone to polls and in which we contested. The party is working very hard to get the mandate in favour of the BJP, which is contesting one seats in the last phase on April 23, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The first thing that hits you when you enter Gujarat's industrial hub of Ankleshwar town is the pungent smell of various chemicals, a lingering reminder that the pollution tainted small industries sector will play a key role in electoral victory. The town in the Bharuch Lok Sabha constituency has around 1,800 units, most of them related to chemical production, employing around 1.25 lakh people, according to industry sources. Many unit owners in Ankleshwar, declared a "critically polluted zone" from 2010 to 2016, have a string of complaints against the bureaucratic hurdles in the way of their profit margins. The owner of a pharmaceutical SME (small and medium enterprise) said on the condition of anonymity that units in the Ankleshwar industrial hub find it difficult to get clearances from the central or state government due to environmental concerns. However, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, unwelcomed by many Gujarati business persons in other sectors such as textiles, receives good reviews from the SMEs sector here. "GST to us is even bigger than god. All the rounds that we had to make earlier of government offices each month to submit documents have stopped completely now. The process under GST is completely online," Dinesh Patel, managing director, Daxesh Petrochem, told PTI. The BJP is fielding five-time Lok Sabha MP Mansukhbhai Vasava against Congress' relatively unknown Sher Khan Pathan and party workers say goodwill from the SMEs will see them through. It's not going to be easy though with red-tapism continuing to be a major issue. Take the case of Baldevbhai Prajapati, who runs two small pharmaceutical companies - Rajesh Pharmaceuticals and Gopsi Pharma with a total turnover of around Rs 5 crore per year. Prajapati said he put in an application to the Gujarat State Pollution Control Board (GPCB) eight months ago to increase drug production at his two companies from 5,000 kg to 20,000 kg. "I received permission to produce 5,000 kg in 2000... My plants have zero discharge of effluents. But if I start producing even 500 kg more than permitted, I will get the notice for closure," Prajapati said. "There is a rule that says that the company will get permission within one month. But the department then raises queries, that so and so document has not been given. Once this happens, the time limit keeps increasing," he added. There is a reason for Prajapati's insistence on getting quick permission to increase production. China, which supplied almost 80 per cent of India's requirement of drug intermediates and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) till 2017, has severely curtailed production since then due to environmental concerns. This gives an opportunity to small players like Prajapati to maximise their revenues. "If I increase my production to 20,000 kg, I will be able to employ double the number of people I currently have in my two companies," he said. He currently employs 10 people in each of his two companies. Despite his problems, he said his vote will go to the BJP. Prajapati's problems find wide echo in the town. "Companies that have plants in industrial hubs in Jhagadia and Dahej gets clearances way more easily. But the businessmen believe the BJP government will do more for them any day as compared to Congress," the owner of a unit here said, requesting that he not be identified. The industrial hubs of Jhagadia and Dahej fall in the Bharuch constituency, which goes to the polls on April 23 along with the rest of the state. According to a managing director of a chemical company, Congress' Sher Khan is not very well known here. He also complains about the bureaucratic red-tapism. "To use methanol, I have to get two kinds of permission from prohibition department. Then, I have to collect a 'poison license' from district collectorate. For poison licence, I need to get a no-objection certificate from police and I need to arrange a visit from sub-divisional magistrate," he said on the condition of anonymity. Despite his own problems, he believes Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "on the right path" and bureaucrats don't give him the right picture. According to him, Mansukhbhai has been listening to their problems sympathetically for many years and has been "extremely sympathetic". "Mansukhbhai is trying to resolve them one by one. He has been Lok Sabha MP for five terms now. He has a lot of experience," he says. Bharuch has total 15.64 lakh voters, and a sizeable number of them belong to Muslim community and tribal communities. Bhartiya Tribal Party (BTP) leader Chhotubhai Vasava has also filed his nomination from Bharuch. The Congress and the BTP had conducted some discussions to field a single candidate. When the talks failed, the Congress fielded Pathan while BTP leader Chhotubhai submitted his own nomination. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday slammed BJP's Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for her controversial remarks on IPS officer Hemant Karkare, who was killed during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, saying her comments were "sickening and repulsive". Thakur, addressing BJP workers at a rally in Bhopal on Thursday, claimed that Karkare died during the attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. She has been has been pitted by the BJP against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh. Singh described Thakur's comments as sickening and repulsive and accused her of insulting a decorated police officer, and dragging the current discourse on nationalism in the country to a new low. Karkare, who headed the Mumbai anti-terror squad, died in the terror attacks in 2008. Two other senior police officers were also killed fighting terrorists during the attacks. That woman cannot be sane. No person in their sane mind can think or talk like that, and that too about a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation, Singh said in a statement here. Expressing his anger over Thakur's atrocious comments, the chief minister tweeted, Is she sane? Sadhvi Pragya has dragged patriotism to a new low by attacking decorated dead IPS officer #HemantKarkare who sacrificed himself to fight terrorism & here's an official @BJP4India candidate insulting his memory!" "It's an insult to our men in uniform & to every Indian, Singh said on Twitter. Thakur has not just insulted a police officer but has shown disrespect to every man in uniform, he said. Her remarks have exposed the true colours of the BJP, which has been claiming the nationalist agenda as its key poll plank and projecting itself as the only protector of nationhood, Singh said. The fact that the two BJP leaders were present at the event where she made the remarks and they did not try to stop her or make amends in anyway shows that the BJP's saffron agenda overrides every other agenda, including patriotism and nationalism, he alleged. Singh dismissed as crap the BJP's subsequent attempt to alienate itself from the controversial remarks. The BJP distanced itself from the remarks, describing them as "personal", but the late IPS officer's colleagues berated her for insulting him. Every BJP member, especially a candidate, only resonates the thinking and philosophy of the party. So the BJP cannot wriggle out of its responsibility in the matter by simply shrugging its shoulders as an afterthought, Singh said. He alleged that after demolishing all the vital democratic institutions of the country during the five years of its total "misrule", the BJP is now trying to destroy the very fabric of civilization by fielding such shamelessly prejudiced and divisive elements. They have reduced this election to a mockery by bringing in criminals. If the BJP does not support the Sadhvi's viewpoint then why is she still with the party, he asked. What kind of nationalism is this? Definitely not what our freedom-fighters sacrificed their lives for, he added, appealing to the people to vote out these forces of hatred and divisiveness to save the nation's Constitutional ethos and character. We cannot let these people destroy our country. We cannot let them get away with their destructive agenda, Singh asserted. He vowed to do everything in his power to counter their nefarious designs. Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon terror blasts case, which was led by Karkare. She had said Karkare committed an "anti-national" act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blasts case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. "It was treason. It was against religion," she said. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. Out on bail, Thakur has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Election Commission has banned Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Satpal Satti from holding public rallies for 48 hours for his derogatory remark against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Satti, who had read out a cuss word against Gandhi from a message circulating on social media, has been barred from holding public rallies from 10am Saturday, according to an EC order, which said the remark was indecent, derogatory and totally uncalled for. The ban bars Satti from holding public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in (electronic, print, social) media in connection with the Lok Sabha election under way, EC Secretary Rahul Sharma said in the order. EC has barred Satti from holding public rallies under article 324 of the Constitution. The article gives the poll panel the powers of "superintendence, direction and control" of elections. The commission is convinced that the statement is in "violation of the provisions contained in para 2 of part-1 of General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct and commission's advisory, dated Nov28, 2013", a state electoral official said. The EC strongly condemns the statement and reprimands Satti for the misconduct, he added. According to the Election Commission, criticism of other political parties, when made, shall be confined to their policies and programmes, past record and work. Parties and candidates should refrain from criticising aspects of private life, not connected to the public activities of the leaders or workers of other parties. HP Congress president Kuldeep Rathore termed the ban on Satti inadequate, saying he should have been banned from campaigning till the completion of the election process. State BJP general secretary Chander Mohan Thakur said, "BJP leaders do not engage in indecent remarks. The state BJP chief already made his position clear that he was reading a message viral on social media. On the contrary, it is Congress whose president, Rahul Gandhi, and other leaders used unwanted 'chor' word for the prime minister." Satti had made the remark during an address to his party's workers at Ramshehar village of Solan district on Sunday. The state Congress unit filed a formal complaint with EC on Monday. A day later, the poll panel served a notice to Satti, seeking his reply within 24 hours. An FIR was also registered against Satti under section 294 of IPC. The Congress state unit had sought Satti's apology, but he refused saying he merely read out the contents of a message which was already circulating on social media. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several security forces personnel, including two officers, were injured in stone pelting incidents during polling for the Srinagar parliamentary seat, an official spokesman said here Friday. Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar had on Thursday said the polling remained peaceful and incident free. "As the polling for Srinagar parliamentary constituency was going on yesterday (Thursday), several incidents of stone pelting on security forces and polling staff were reported from different areas," the spokesman said. He said during the election process, the security forces came under severe stone pelting from miscreants at various places. "However, the security forces exercised maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order problem," he said. The spokesman said several police and security forces personnel, including two deputy superintendents of police, were injured due to stone pelting at different places. "In one such incident at Hyderpora, a civilian driver identified as Mohammad Yaseen Dar, 22, sustained critical injuries in his head. He is undergoing treatment at a hospital and is stated to be critical," the spokesman said. He said the administration has appealed to the general public to cooperate with the officials discharging the poll duty in a peaceful manner and the elements involved in such unlawful activities would be strictly dealt under law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A sex racket was busted and four persons were arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW) and police in outer Delhi's Aman Vihar, the women's panel said Friday. The DCW received a call on women's helpline 181 about a prostitution racket being run from a house in his neighbourhood in Aman Vihar, it said. A DCW team reached the area on Thursday early morning and interacted with the residents who confirmed that a sex racket was being run from the house during daytime. The team noticed four women entering the house around 10.30 am. Thereafter, one of them left the house after 15 minutes. Soon, men on bikes and scooters started coming to the house. They were seen placing calls before being allowed to enter the premises. Bamboo 'chiks' covered the house in such a way that it was difficult to see what activity was going on inside, they said. The DCW team informed the police and thereafter entered the premises with the police in the afternoon. The team found six-seven men and three women in the house, they added. On realising that they were caught red-handed, the owner of the house, identified as Gautam, opened a back door to allow four of them to escape. They were, however, caught by the residents surrounding the house, the women's panel said. The DCW team took all persons to Aman Vihar police station where the women stated that they were adults and were engaging in prostitution on their own will. They said they received Rs 250 per client and each woman "had to sleep with at least seven clients" during the day. While one woman informed that she was an orphan, another stated that she was victim of physical abuse by her drug-addict husband and had chosen this way to support her family. The third girl, who was an Assamese, refused to say anything, they said. A senior police official said three women and a man, who was owner of the house, were arrested. "We received information from the DCW on Thursday and raided the premises. Three women and a man, the owner of the house, were arrested. Further investigation is underway, " the police officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP on Friday took a dig at the SP-BSP grand alliance in the UP, saying a "storm" in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the general election has forced opposition leaders to come together. The jibe from BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain came as BSP supremo Mayawati and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav shared stage after many years of bitter rivalry. Though the SP and the BSP had come together last year and the former's president Akhilesh Yadav has often been seen together with Mayawati, this is the first time that Mulayam Singh Yadav joined them. "This is a proof of storm in Modi's support. Both SP and BSP have been rendered powerless by it and have come together to survive. People in Uttar Pradesh and country are with Modi," Hussain told reporters. In a swipe at Mayawati, he said she came to respect those whom she blamed for her life's biggest insult. At the press conference, Hussain also took aim at the Congress after its spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi joined Shiv Sena, saying the opposition party has become a "sinking ship". Opposition parties are in such a poor shape than nobody know which leader is supporting whom, said the BJP leader after Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha, who is its candidate in Patna Sahib seat, campaigned for his wife and Samajwadi Party nominee in Lucknow Poonam Sinha. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Social activist Swami Agnivesh Friday condemned BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks on ATS chief Hemant Karkare who died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Agnivesh, in a statement, said Thakur's candidature reveals the saffron party's "true nature and value system". Addressing party workers in Bhopal on Thursday, Thakur had claimed that Karkare inflicted the worst kind of abuses and torture on her while she was in custody in connection with the Malegaon blast case and that the officer died due to her curse. The Malegaon blast accused is contesting against Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh. Referring to her remarks, the social activist said, "The BJP did not choose Pragya for her spiritual finesse or political maturity, both of which she lacks utterly." "She has been chosen because of her ability to communalise the election," he said in the statement. Agnivesh also attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying "Thakur's outlook is in sync with Modi's". "The trait common to both is that those who are inconvenient to them must be either crushed or cursed out of existence. So, while Modi seeks to eradicate the Congress from the face of the earth, Pragya has done one better: she has cursed her adversary to extinction. "This mindset of extreme intolerance, rendered all the dangerous by mixing it up with religious sentiments, is harmful to the spirit of democracy," the statement said. The activist said if Modi disagrees with what Thakur said, he should remove her from the electoral fray. "It will send a clear signal to the country at large that such statements and sentiments have no place in our democratic culture," he said. Thakur also said Karkare committed an "anti-national" act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blasts case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. "It was treason. It was against religion," she said. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start... just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) led by Karkare cracked the September 2008 Malegaon blast case and arrested Thakur and others. Out on bail, Thakur (48) has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case. She is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Six people were killed and over hundred injured in the bomb blast at Malegaon, a communally sensitive textile town in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The National Enquirer, a tabloid enmeshed in scandals over the payment of hush money on Donald Trump's behalf and the leak of private messages from Amazon's Jeff Bezos, is being sold to a private investor, the publisher has said. American Media LLC said on Thursday it had reached an agreement in principle with James Cohen, the owner and chief executive of Hudson Media, for the sale of the Enquirer's US and UK editions along with the sister tabloids Globe and National Examiner. Terms of the deal were not announced, but The Washington Post reported that the sale price would be some USD 100 million. AMI said the agreement includes a multi-year service contract that will generate "substantial fees" for publishing, financial and distribution services. "The sale of these brands shows their vitality in today's newsstand marketplace where they continue to generate nearly $30 million in profit annually," said American Media President and CEO David Pecker. Pecker, a longtime friend of Trump, was reportedly offered immunity as part of an investigation into payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep them from revealing alleged affairs. According to federal prosecutors, AMI paid USD 150,000 to McDougal to keep her from going public with her claim to have had an affair with Trump. Prosecutors said AMI made the payment at the request of Trump's former attorney. More recently, Bezos accused the tabloid of trying to blackmail him by threatening to publish intimate exchanges with his mistress as he was in the process of divorcing his wife. An investigator hired by Bezos said he concluded that the pictures and texts from the Amazon CEO's phone were hacked by Saudi Arabian authorities. Cohen, whose company owns a large chain of airport newsstands, said he plans to accelerate the Enquirer's current collaborations in video and documentary programs as well as the theme park business, which has sites in Missouri and Tennessee. "Year after year, the Enquirer has continued to be one of the best-selling and most profitable newsstand titles," said Cohen. "But this transaction is about more than a weekly publication, it's about a brand with extraordinary potential across multiple platforms." AMI, which also publishes the magazines Us Weekly, Star, Life & Style, Closer and Men's Journal, said the deal would be finalised as soon as possible after regulatory approvals and would allow the company to reduce its debt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Sponge Iron Ltd, a subsidiary of Tata Steel, has decided to shift its registered office from Keonjhar in Odisha to Kolkata, burying the hatchet over the Nano episode and its untimely exit from Singur in Bengal a decade ago. Industry experts claimed that the news, coinciding with the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, will be a feather on the cap of the Mamata Banerjee government, which has been trying to showcase Bengal as an ideal investment destination over the last few years. In a regulatory filing, Tata Sponge Iron said its board has "approved the shifting of the registered office of the company to West Bengal, subject to the approval of the members of the company and other regulatory authorities". The company, which is scheduled to hold its 36th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on July 15 in Keonjhar, has an installed sponge-iron-making capacity of 390,000 tonne a year and a 26 megawatt waste heat recovery power plant. In the stock exchange filing, the firm also said that its board has approved a proposal to change the name of 'Tata Sponge Iron' to 'Tata Steel Long Products Limited'. Notably, Tata Sponge has recently acquired Kolkata- based Usha Martin's steel business, which includes its Jamshedpur unit and an operative iron-ore mine, a developing coalmine, a captive power plant and certain land parcels, at a cost of Rs 4,090 crore. The company, which reported revenues of Rs 1,049.70 crore in the financial year ending March 31, 2018, was established in 1982 as a joint venture between Tata Steel and Industrial Promotion & Investment Corporation of Orissa Ltd (Ipicol). In 1991, Tata Steel acquired Ipicol's entire stake and Tata Sponge became an associate company of Tata Steel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "These are the worst days for the country", said former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday, reacting to remarks on former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. "I think these are the worst days for our country that you are giving such a choice of candidates to the people who use such language against a martyr like Hemant Karkare," Mehbooba told reporters here. Thakur on Friday said Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her badly. Karkare, along with two other senior police officers, was killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP on Wednesday had fielded Thakur from the Bhopal parliamentary seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mehbooba asked the BJP what the party wanted to convey to the people of the country by fielding a candidate like Thakur. "What do you want to convey to the people by fielding in the elections a lady against whom there is a charge sheet and such grave charges and who was in jail? That whatever the lady stands for, the BJP stands for those things?" the PDP president said. She also termed as a "huge setback" the suspension of the cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan. "This is a huge setback. All the work done by (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, whatever he has done, it seems that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi wants to demolish all that. The present NDA government wants to turn upside down and demolish all of Vajpayee's CBMs and steps whether political or others like the negotiations or dialogue with Pakistan, or dialogue in J-K and opening of routes and trade," Mehbooba said. The former chief minister said it was ironical that the decision to suspend the cross-LoC trade was taken on the same day when Vajpayee had visited Kashmir in 2003 and extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan. "I think this is very unfortunate, very ironical also, because it was on this day that Vajpayee had come to Kashmir and had extended the hand of friendship with Pakistan and had said he will address the Kashmir issue within the ambit of humanity. "The opening of Muzaffarabad road was initiated by Vajpayee. It seems that we are going backward rather than moving forward because the solution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue is only this that all the routes have to be reopened," she said. India had on Thursday indefinitely suspended the cross-LoC trade at two points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, following reports that it was being "misused" by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency. In an official statement, the Home Ministry had said orders have been issued for halting the trade at Salamabad of Baramulla district in the Kashmir region and Chakkan-da-Bagh of Poonch district in the Jammu region after reports of very large scale "misuse" of the cross-LoC trade. Mehbooba said the BJP wanted to suspend the trade when she was the chief minister, but she had resisted the move. "When I was the chief minister, even then they (BJP) had tried to suspend the cross-LoC trade, but I resisted. I want to tell the government of India that the problem of Jammu and Kashmir is very serious and difficult an instance of which we saw in the unfortunate attack in Pulwama. "If we choke the routes which have been opened and also choke the space further here, then its consequences will be dangerous, because, ultimately, the solution to the J-K issue is that Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkote, Uri-Muzaffarabad, and all such old routes connecting us with Central Asia or South Asia since 1947 have to be restored," she said. Mehbooba said, " I think J&K is being involved in the elections across the country and it is being shown that they are using a muscular, a tough policy and all of it is being done for polarisation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unfazed by the ban on in India, the popular Chinese short video app's parent remains "very optimistic" and plans to invest $1 billion in the country over the next three years. -- touted to be among the world's most valuable startups with investors like SoftBank, General Atlantic, KKR and Sequoia on board -- also offers platforms like Helo and Vigo Video in Speaking to PTI, Director (International Public Policy) Helena Lersch said the company has been strengthening its content moderation policies over the last many months. "We are obviously disappointed by the current developments, but we are also very optimistic that we will resolve this issue. We remain committed to our Indian users. As a company, we are looking to invest $1 billion over the next three years in India, that is how bullish we will remain to be here," she said. The company would also be increasing the number of employees in to 1,000 people by the end of this year. TikTok, which allows users to create short videos and share them, has more than 120 million users in and is popular among youngsters. The on April 3 had directed the Centre to ban app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. Following the Supreme Court's refusal to stay the order, tech giants and removed from their app stores in India to prohibit further downloads of the app. Those who have already downloaded the app would be able to continue using it on their phones. Lersch declined to comment on court proceedings as the matter is subjudice. The hearing of the matter is scheduled for April 22 in the and for April 24 in the India is a critical market for social media platforms given the large population of 1.3 billion people. With increasing availability of affordable and cheap data plans, the country is also the largest mobile data consumer market globally -- an opportunity that global tech are vying to tap into. "We, as a company, abide by local laws, but we also want to be culturally appropriate. We have a content moderation team in India. We increased the capacity of our content moderation team globally by 400 per cent last year because we were prepared for the growth," she added. According to her, the company has a a two-step approach for content moderation. "First is a tech approach -- a tool that filters content and then it goes to a content moderation team. In India, the team speaks 14 languages. I think, it is fundamentally important that the team is based in the country and speaks local languages to make culturally relevant decisions," she said. Around six million videos have been taken off the platform for violating its community guidelines, she added. Besides planned $1 billion investment, Lersche said the company would be ramping up headcount to 1,000 people by December 2019. "(About) 25 per cent of that will be just content moderation, which means there is full-time moderation staff based in India...We have around 250 full-time staff (right now) but we are very growing that rapidly," she added. With the nomination process set to close on Tuesday, a list of Congress probables for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi has been sent to party president Rahul Gandhi for his approval, a senior party leader said. The list of party probables, including Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, was sent to Gandhi and party's organisation secretary KC Venugopal on Friday, said AICC incharge PC Chacko. "The list is likely to be out on Saturday since Rahul Gandhi is out of Delhi for campaigning and will be back late tonight," Chacko said. Another senior Congress leader said efforts to forge an alliance with the AAP in Delhi were stuck as there was an impasse on seat sharing in Delhi. "They (AAP) are coming out with new formulae instead of agreeing to contest four seats and leave three for Congress in Delhi. Time is running out for nomination and campaigning, so we are focusing on announcement of our candidates," he said. Sources said AAP has proposed to withdraw its Chandigarh candidate in favour of Congress if it agreed to have two seats in Delhi. After several rounds of talks involving Chacko, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and other leaders of two sides, disagreement prevailed on scope of tie up and seat-sharing formula. The AAP insisted on including Haryana in alliance while Congress stuck to 4-3 formula of seat sharing for Delhi alone. Later, the AAP said Congress can not be given more than two seats in Delhi if Haryana is kept out of the ambit of alliance. The Congress rejected it. Sources in Congress said the party has finalised its seven candidates but some adjustments could be made on 2-3 seats. Dikshit whose name was making the rounds as the party's probable candidate from East Delhi has now shown interest on Chandni Chowk seat, they said. "If Dikshit is fielded from Chandni Chowk, former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely could be East Delhi candidate," said a top leader associated with screening of names for the Lok Sabha polls. Former South Delhi MP Ramesh Kumar was considered on the seat. Olympic medal winner Sushil Kumar's name was also under consideration from South Delhi. On West Delhi seat, the party was trying to field a prominent Purvanchali celebrity but the plan did not materialise. A former MP from the seat, Mahabal Mishra, is front-runner as party candidate on the seat due to his Purvanchali roots, sources claimed. The nomination process for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi will conclude on April 23; nomination will not take place on Sunday. The AAP has announced its candidates on seven seats while the BJP is likely to do so on Saturday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tamil Nadu recorded an average voter turnout of 71.90 per cent in the elections held to 38 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday, the EC said Friday. Dharmapuri Parliamentary constituency recorded the highest turnout of 80.49 per cent, while the lowest was Chennai South with 56.34 per cent. Chennai Central recorded 58.69 per cent polling, Sriperumbudur 61.64 per cent and Chennai North 63.48 per cent, according to the EC data. For the bypolls to the 18 Assembly seats, the final poll percentage was 75.56 per cent, Election Commission said. Kulithalai assembly constituency recorded the maximum of 85.77 per cent polling while Mylapore segment registered the lowest at 54.78 per cent. Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo had indicated the poll percentage would see a minor change as the observers were in the process of tallying EVMs and VVPATs. On allegations of irregularities at a polling booth in Dharmapuri constituency, Sahoo said, a "special report" has been sought from the District Electoral Officer (DEO). A report has also been sought on complaints of en masse deletion of voters' names from the list in Kanyakumari. About the possibility of any repolling, the CEO said, "it will always be taken into consideration based on the General Observer's remarks." The EVMs and VVPATs used in polling centres would be protected in strong rooms till the counting day (May 23), he said. The State has a total of 45 counting Centres. The CRPF would provide the first layer of security, followed by the State police, he said. To a question on reports of the indelible ink being put on top actor Rajinikanth's right hand on Thursday when he voted, Sahoo said the EC instructions make it clear that the index finger on the left hand should be the first choice but said it could be a "genuine mistake." "Election Commission's instructions is first it should be the left hand index finger or the the next finger or the next. If not, one can go for the right hand," he said. "Let's see. It appears to be a genuine mistake," he said on what kind of action could be taken in the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSA) - Rome, April 19 - The new wave of conflict in Libya has claimed 240 lives, including those of 75 children, Foad Aodi, the head of the association of doctors of foreign origin in Italy (AMSI), told ANSA on Friday. He said that 42 women had died after being raped during the clashes and 17 health workers had been killed too. Aodi said that 1,400 people had been injured, including 300 minors. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, constituted by the Centre, has issued a show cause notice to Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir (JeI), which was banned by the government in February, asking it why the organisation cannot be declared as an unlawful association. "A notice is hereby given under sub-section (2) of Section 4 of the Act (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) and you are hereby called upon to show cause, within 30 days from the date of service of this notice, as to why your Association, declared as unlawful, be not adjudicated to be so and why an order confirming such declaration be not made under Section 4(3) of the Act," said the notice issued by Registrar, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal, Lorren Bamniyal, to the JeI. The notice was issued on April 5. The Tribunal asked the Jamaat to file objections or reply affidavits, if any, before the next date of hearing of the Tribunal at the office of the Registrar. "In case the objections/reply and the documents are in regional language, true English translation thereof be also attached. You may appear through a duly authorised person before the Tribunal on 20 May, 2019 at 3 PM in Court Room number 26 for further proceedings," the notice said. The Centre had constituted the tribunal headed by a Delhi High Court judge to decide whether there is sufficient cause for declaring the JeI as an unlawful association. The Ministry of Home Affairs on March 23 had issued a notification which states that Justice Mukta Gupta would head the tribunal set up under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The government in its February 28 notification had banned the JeI, saying it was of the opinion that the Jamaat is "in close touch with militant outfits" and is supporting extremism and militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere. It said the outfit claims "secession of a part of the Indian territory from the Union" and supporting terrorist and separatist groups fighting for this purpose. The action came following the February 14 terrorist attack in Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF personnel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Donald Trump's first reaction to Robert Mueller's appointment as special counsel was "this is the end of my Presidency" and the US President was so furious that he reacted with an expletive, according to the counsel's report. In a major relief to President Trump, the nearly two-year probe by Mueller found "no evidence" of a "collusion" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 US elections, Attorney General William Barr announced Thursday. Barr said the redacted report released Thursday made it clear that the Russian government sought to interfere in American elections, "but thanks to the special counsel's thorough investigation, we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign". Trump first learned that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a meeting to interview candidates for FBI director in May 2017, the report said. Also present were Sessions' chief of staff Jody Hunt and then-White House counsel Don McGahn, the CNN reported. After Sessions delivered the news, "the President slumped back in his chair," the report said, citing notes from Hunt. "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm f****d," Trump said, according to the report. Trump became "angry and lambasted" Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, it said. "How could you let this happen, Jeff?" Trump asked his attorney general. Trump told Sessions, "'you were supposed to protect me,' or words to that effect," Sessions recalled, the Mueller report stated. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me," Trump said, according to the report. He then told Sessions he should resign, the report said. Sessions agreed, left the Oval Office, and the next day returned to the White House to hand Trump his resignation letter, it said. Trump tucked Sessions' resignation letter in his pocket, but then proceeded to ask Sessions multiple times if he wanted to remain attorney general, the report found. Sessions said he wished to remain attorney general, but said it was up to Trump, the report said. Sessions would continue serving as attorney general for another year, but was ousted in November 2018 by Trump, who remained upset over his decision to step away from the Russia probe, the CNN repot said. Mueller was appointed following the firing of FBI Director James Comey to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential collusion between Trump's campaign associates and Russian officials. Mueller's team also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice. The probe could not clear Trump, saying that it was unable to determine that "that no criminal conduct occurred". Earlier on Thursday, President Trump said the Mueller probe was "Greatest Political Hoax of all time!" "Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats," tweeted Trump, who refers Clinton as "Crooked". Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler said he had sent a letter to Mueller - requiring his testimony before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by May 23. "We cannot take Attorney General Barr's word for it. We must read the full Mueller report, and the underlying evidence," Nadler said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed unfavourable testimony in the Mueller report on Russian election interference as "fabricated" by his political foes. "Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue," the president tweeted. A 400-page document outlining the findings of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 22-month investigation, made public on Thursday, cleared Trump of criminal conspiracy but left open whether he had obstructed justice during the probe. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Turkey's foreign minister says the United States has yet to respond to a proposal to set up a technical committee to review possible security threats that Russia's S-400 missile defence system could pose to the US F-35 fighter jet program. Turkey's decision to purchase the advanced Russian system has deepened a rift between the NATO allies. US officials have warned of consequences if the purchase is finalised while Turkish officials say the deal cannot be cancelled. Speaking at a conference with his Polish and Romanian counterparts Friday, Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey is taking utmost care to ensure that the S-400 system is under full Turkish control. He added that Turkey does not believe that the S-400 would threaten the F-35 program, of which Turkey is also a partner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the Delhi Police cracking down on gambling in the national capital, two criminals turned security guards working at illegal casinos were arrested here while they were allegedly out to rob people, the police said Friday. Waseem (25), a resident of Uttam Nagar and Deepu (27) from Najafgarh were previously involved in criminal cases, Anto Alphonse, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Dwarka district said. On Thursday, we received a tip off that the duo possessing weapons were roaming in Dwarka's Sector 10. A trap was laid and they were arrested, he added. According to police, during interrogation, the duo said that due to heightened security for the Lok Sabha polls, all illegal casinos had shut shop in Delhi. Out of work, they decided to rob people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese car giant Toyota and investment fund SoftBank Vision Fund on Friday unveiled an investment of USD 1 billion in US company Uber to drive forward the development of driverless ridesharing services. The latest cash injection, expected to close in the third quarter this year, came amid fevered anticipation of Uber's public share offering which is expected to be the largest in the tech sector for years. Toyota has already invested USD 500 million in Uber as the firm races Google-owned Waymo and a host of other companies, including major automakers, to develop self-driving vehicles. The latest investment, which also involves Japanese parts maker DENSO, will go to Uber's Advanced Technologies Group in a bid to "accelerate the development and commercialisation of automated ridesharing," the firms said in a statement. Toyota and DENSO are stumping up USD 667 million and SoftBank Vision Fund, the investment arm of Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son's SoftBank, will pour USD 333 million into the venture. It is already the top shareholder in Uber, holding 16 per cent. The Japanese car firm said it would also contribute "an additional USD 300 million over the next three years to help cover the costs related to these activities." Uber chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi said driverless cars would "transform transportation as we know it, making our streets safer and our cities more liveable." His firm is aiming to go beyond car rides to becoming the "Amazon of transportation" in a future where people share, instead of own, vehicles. If all goes to plan, commuters could ride an e-scooter to a transit station, take a train, then grab an e-bike, share a ride or take an e-scooter at the arriving station to complete a journey -- all using an Uber app on a smartphone. Uber is also seeing growing success with an "Eats" service that lets drivers make money delivering meals ordered from restaurants. Last week, Uber filed official documents for its much-anticipated public share offering. The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission said it operates on six continents with some 14 million trips per day and has totalled more than 10 billion rides since it was founded in 2010. The filing contained a "placeholder" amount of USD 1 billion to be raised but that figure is expected to increase ahead of the initial public offering (IPO) expected in May. The Wall Street Journal said earlier this month that Uber was seeking to raise USD 10 billion in what would be the largest stock offering of the year. Media reports said the ride-hailing giant was likely to seek a market value of close to USD 100 billion. Uber is the largest of the "unicorns" or venture-backed firms worth at least USD 1 billion to list on Wall Street, and is one of the key companies in the "sharing economy" based on offering services to replace ownership of cars, homes and other commodities. Its revenue grew 42 per cent last year to USD 11.2 billion but it continued to lose money from its operations. A net profit was reported for the year from a large asset sale, but operational losses were more than USD 3 billion. And some analysts have voiced caution over the forthcoming IPO given a relative lacklustre debut for Lyft, the main US rival. Khosrowshahi has promised greater transparency as he seeks to restore confidence in the global ridesharing leader hit by a wave of misconduct scandals. In October, Toyota and SoftBank announced the creation of a joint venture to create "new mobility service" including driverless vehicles for services such as meal deliveries. The new company -- called "Monet", short for "mobility network" -- is majority owned by SoftBank. SoftBank started as a software firm but has increasingly been pushing into investments under tycoon Son, one of Japan's richest men. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States has praised orders by Sudan's new military leader to free political prisoners and end a night curfew as it dispatched an envoy to Khartoum to encourage a transition to democracy. Makila James, the deputy assistant secretary of state who is in charge of eastern Africa, will head to Khartoum this weekend, an official said on Thursday. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the United States will "calibrate our policies based on our assessment of events" but added that talks on delisting Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism remained suspended. "We are encouraged by the decision to release political prisoners and cancel the curfew in Khartoum," Ortagus said in a statement. She said that the United States wanted the military council and other armed units to "show restraint, avoid conflict and remain committed to the protection of the Sudanese people." "The will of the Sudanese people is clear: it is time to move toward a transitional government that is inclusive and respectful of human rights and the rule of law," she said. The military last week ousted leader Omar al-Bashir, whose three-decade tenure included welcoming Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to Sudan and leading a crackdown in Darfur described by Washington as genocide. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the second leader to take charge in the week after the coup, ordered the release of prisoners jailed by special emergency courts and lifted a night-time curfew. He promised to "uproot" the legacy of Bashir's regime, although military rulers say they will stay in charge for two years. A senior US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the short-term US goal was to "get the military folks out of centre-stage" and "back to being responsible for security, nothing else." "Longer term is to make absolutely sure that whichever group is going to be responsible for the transition prepares a transition implementation that will lead to a truly democratic government that will reflect the will of the Sudanese people," he said. The official did not specify whom James would meet in Khartoum but said, "the US engages with everyone." "Nothing beats being on the ground and actually talking to people, seeing with your own eyes, hearing with your own ears as to what's going on," the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Wipro Ltd Friday said a cyber attack on few of its employee accounts has not impacted its critical business operations and the firm has taken remedial measures. In a regulatory filing, the company said it became aware of potentially abnormal activity within its network about 10 days back in respect of few of its employee accounts, who were "subjected to an advanced phishing campaign". "Upon learning of the above, the company promptly kicked off its standard operating procedure for addressing such incidents. We began investigating the incident, identified and isolated the employee accounts which were impacted, took remedial steps to contain the incident and mitigate any potential effects of the incident," Wipro said. It also informed the handful of customers where the affected employees are engaged. "We would like to clarify that the incident did not impact the company's ongoing critical business operations," it said. Cybersecurity blog KrebsOnSecurity had previously stated that Wipro's systems had been breached and were being used to launch attacks against some of its clients. "Like any large enterprise, the company investigates over 4.8 million alerts in a year," Wipro said without elaborating on what its investigation had revealed. Wipro said it has used its industry-leading cybersecurity practices and partner ecosystem for remedial steps and has shared this intelligence with its partners to develop the AntiVirus signatures. "The same has been applied to our enterprise systems. We are collaborating with our partner ecosystem to collect and monitor advanced threat intelligence for enhancing our security posture. We continue to monitor our enterprise infrastructure at a heightened level of alertness," it said. KrebsOnSecurity, in its blog, had cited sources to state that Wipro was "dealing with a multi-month intrusion from an assumed state-sponsored attacker" and that Wipro's systems were seen being used as jumping-off points for digital phishing expeditions targeting at least a dozen Wipro customer systems. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 22-year-old woman was allegedly abducted and raped by three youths on the pretext of giving her lift in neighbouring Shamli district, police said. The victim was given a lift by the accused who drove her on a bike to an isolated area in Khandarwali village under Kotwali police station area in the district on Thursday and took chances to rape her at pistol point, police said. According to a complaint lodged by the survivor's mother, the woman has stepped out of her home to withdraw money from a bank for purchasing medicines when the accused offered her lift. A case has been registered and the hunt is on to nab the absconding accused, they added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After completion of three day ban on election campaigning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday visited the historic Hanuman Setu temple in Aliganj area here before resuming the poll battle. The Chief Minister drove to the Aliganj temple and offered 'prasad' on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti this morning, BJP sources said. Soon after the EC ban imposed on him for likening the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to a contest between 'Ali' and 'Bajrang Bali', the Chief Minister had also prayed at the famous temple on Tuesday. He had also visited temples in Ayodhya and Varanasi during the ban period for darshan and pujas. The Election Commission on April 15 barred Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on April 16 for his "divisive" comments at a rally in Meerut. "If the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have faith in Ali, we too have faith in Bajrang Bali," he had said there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) (ANSA) - Rome, April 19 - The League is threatening a government crisis with its 5-Star Movement (M5S) partner after recent tensions came to a head when a League undersecretary was accused of taking a bribe to favour a Sicilian windfarm king linked to Cosa Nostra's No.1 fugitive and the M5S's Rome mayor was accused of leaning on a waste company exec, M5S leader Luigi Di Maio said Friday. The M5S have called for the resignation of Transport Undersecretary Armando Siri while the League is calling for Mayor Virginia Raggi to go. "Again today the League is threatening to bring the government down," said Di Maio. "It seems there are even contacts with Berlusconi to set up another executive. The papers are full of these reconstructions and I find it extremely serious. I'm really dumbfounded. "Italy is not a game, we are Italy and millions of households in difficulty that want a signal. "Italy is not a trophy and I find it extremely serious that the League, with such superficiality, every time they feel like it threatens to bring the government down". The Siri and Raggi spats are just the latest in a long string of tensions between the populist government partners. With millions in India already using TikTok and all of them having the option to share the app with others, blocking its access on Google Play Store and Apple App Store may not produce the desired results. On Thursday, How to download TikTok after the ban was among the top trends on Google Search. Although the app is now not available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store, people can get them from the third-party app stores such as apkpure, androidapkbox, uptodown and apkmirror. Moreover, any existing user of TikTok, who has the app installed on the smartphone, can ... US Attorney General William Barr said on Thursday the investigation by special counsel "found no collusion" between the Donald Trump's campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Addressing a press conference before Mueller's report was made public, Barr said he gave Trump's lawyers advance access this week to the special counsel's report before it was to be sent to the Congress and that the President's lawyers did not ask for any redactions. But the report also provides fresh details of how the Republican president tried to force Muellers ouster, directed members of his administration to publicly vouch for his innocence and dangled a pardon to a former aide to try to prevent him from cooperating with the special counsel. To know more, listen to this podcast Air India has almost concluded hiring 150 cabin crew staff of Jet Airways for its international routes on Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft. The state-owned airline also informed the State Bank of India (SBI) that it was looking at the prospects of leasing five of Jet's grounded wide-bodied Boeing 777 aircraft to service international destinations such as London, Dubai and Singapore. In addition, Air India is also offering special fares to Jet Airways' passengers who have confirmed return tickets for travel till April 28 on 19 international routes, the Indian Express reported. Jet is under the management control of the SBI-led consortium of lenders at present. Also Read: AI offers "special stranded" fares to international passengers of Jet Airways The consortium has proposed to offload stake between 32.1 per cent and 75 per cent to a qualified investor after it assesses all bids. As yet, four-five parties have submitted Expression of Interest (EOI) to the lenders. The whole process is expected to conclude by May 10 after the eligible parties submit binding bids, the report said. The bankers had rejected the airline's plea for emergency funds which led to Jet halting all its flights and operations temporarily on Wednesday. The airline had more than 16000 employees on its rolls and was left with just five aircraft. Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani wrote a letter to SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar to explore the "possibility of operating a few B777 aircraft, on their established routes that stand suspended at present." Also Read: Jet Airways crisis: SBI-led consortium stare at 60-80% haircut There are 10 wide-bodied Boeing 777-300 ER planes and a few Airbus A330s in Jet's fleet which were used by the airline to service routes connecting New Delhi and Mumbai with international destinations such as London, Paris and Amsterdam. Lohani further wrote in the letter that "the move was subject to approvals and financial viability, and Air India can examine the possibility of taking five B777s on wet/dry lease basis from SBI on mutually agreed terms." An Air India spokesperson told the news daily that the airline had advertised for recruiting 400 cabin crew staff of which 150 were employed with Jet Airways. Jet has 4,000 cabin attendants on its payroll. The representative also said that the crew members will be hired on a contractual basis for five years. Senior pilots and maintenance personnel of Jet Airways have also approached Air India seeking employment. But, the airline has not yet worked on a plan to recruit pilots and maintenance staff, as per another Air India official. Meanwhile, a lot of Jet's pilots have gone ahead and joined IndiGo and SpiceJet. Also Read: Jet Airways crisis: What will happen to the 16,000 employees? Mukesh Ambani, Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman turned 62 today. With a net worth of $54 billion, the business-tycoon is a name to reckon with not only in India but the world over. The elder son of Dhirubhai Ambani and Kokilaben Ambani, Mukesh was born on April 19, 1957, in Aden, Yemen. The RIL Chairman graduated in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology (UDCT), Matunga in early 1970. Mukesh went on to pursue an MBA degree at Stanford University in 1980 but discontinued studies and came back to India. After his return, he helmed a yarn manufacturing project in Reliance. The company at that time was into petrochemical, refining and oil & gas sector, but Ambani diversified his family business into sectors like telecom and retail. Also Read: Surprised Mukesh Ambani endorsed Milind Deora, says Shiv Sena Married to Nita Ambani since 1984, Mukesh has two sons Anant and Akash and daughter Isha who recently got married to Anand Piramal, son of Industrialist Ajay Piramal. Akash is married to Shloka Mehta, daughter of India's top diamantaire Russell Mehta who is the owner and CEO of Rosy Blue Diamonds. Ambani is a pure vegetarian and a teetotaller. His favourite place is Mysore Cafe at Matunga, Mumbai. He can eat anywhere, at a roadside stall or at a posh restaurant as long as he likes the food. Called by nickname Muku, the RIL chairman wears simple clothes and is not a fan of any brand. Ambani never celebrates his birthday except when he celebrated his 50th one at the Jamnagar refinery with his employees. He, however, throws lavish parties at his wife's birthday. Also Read: TIME's 100 most influential list: Ambani's vision more ambitious than Dhirubhai, says Anand Mahindra A deeply religious man, Ambani never leaves his house without praying. The business-magnate however, has a penchant for European cars and owns a lot of automobiles. Amongst these, Mercedes, Bentley and Maybach are his favourites. He is the owner of one of the world's most expensive residential properties-Antilia--which is located in South Mumbai. The 27-storey building is valued at an estimated $1 billion and employs a staff of around 600 people. Ambani reaches office at noon and works till midnight, loves old Hindi songs and spends his Sundays listening to them. He is a movie buff and has created a massive 50 seat theatre on the eighth floor of his house. Known for being close to his family and friends, Ambani recently bailed out his younger brother Anil Ambani's Reliance Communications by paying off his Rs 463 crore debt to Swedish telecom gear maker Ericsson. Also Read: Mukesh Ambani's brotherly gesture is a ray of hope for Anil Ambani The RIL Chairman earns a fixed salary of Rs 15 crores, a constant since 2009 despite the company achieving new milestones every year. RIL's Jamnagar refinery, the biggest refining complex in the world is Ambani's crown jewel. Ambani and wife Nita have nurtured the Jamnagar complex since the very beginning. Commissioned in 1999 with an installed capacity of 6,68,000 barrels per day, the petroleum refinery has been the largest industrial project ever implemented by any company in the Indian corporate sector. It currently has a refining capacity of 1.24 million barrels of oil per day, which is more than any other single location in the world. Also Read: Mukesh Ambani is the world's 13th richest man; wealth increased 25% in a year: Forbes In January this year, RIL got an approval from a key expert appraisal committee in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate for expanding the capacity of its refinery at Jamnagar. According to recent media reports, RIL is in talks with Saudi Aramco, a Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas company as the latter is looking to pick up around 25 per cent stake in the RIL's refining and petrochemical business. If the deal goes through, the proceeds from the same may be used by the company to fund its Jamnagar refinery's expansion. TIME magazine recently named Ambani in the list of 100 most influential people along with the likes of US President Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Indian-American comedian Hasan Minhaj. Also Read: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries to expand Jamnagar complex; to brace against entry of Saudi, Russian players Under Ambani's leadership, RIL's net profit jumped 13.1 per cent to Rs 39,588 crore for the financial year 2018-19, while revenue climbed by 44.6 per cent to Rs 622,809 crore from the previous fiscal, helped by higher realisation for refining and petrochemical products. He also became the first Indian, and only Asian, to make it to the global top 10 on Hurun's Rich list 2019 besides bagging the 13th spot on Forbes' Billionaire list. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code's (IBC's) controversial Section 29 A, which bars promoters from bidding for companies against whom IBC proceedings have started, is slowly getting diluted due to the amendments in the law and different court orders. The National Companies Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), the appellate tribunal under IBC, has recently passed a judgement paving the way for promoters to settle with creditors even after the company has been ordered to be liquidated under the insolvency law. The insolvency law requires a corporate debtor to be liquidated if no resolution plan is accepted by the committee of creditors within the stipulated time. The relief comes under Section 230 of the Companies Act, which talks about a scheme of arrangement between the creditors and the promoters. For the scheme to be successful, it requires the consent of 75 per cent creditors and shareholders. The NCLAT order has come in a case involving corporate debtor Amar Dye Chem. Promoters of other companies under liquidation such as Gujarat NRE Coke and Hindustan Dorr are also trying to get their companies back by using the same provision. The NCLAT order in the Amar Dye Chem case only increases their chances of regaining their companies. While for promoters this comes as a relief as they have hopes of regaining control of the company even after the latter goes into IBC proceedings, many stakeholders believe allowing the corporate debtor to go for a settlement with the creditors, after the liquidation process has started, is a sheer waste of time and effort. Sanjeev Ahuja, founder director, Ensemble Resolution Professionals Private Limited, an Insolvency Professional Entity, says, "Imagine 8-10 months of futile efforts, where nobody is actually ready to buy the company and now after liquidation has been announced the promoter is back in control to get back his company." "Liquidation order means you decided that nothing can be done, so sell the assets and close the company. After liquidation, application of Section 230 of Companies Act -- first of all that is a separate law, how can Companies Act parachute in IBC process -- is like giving a very long rope to a defaulter, who had already lost control of the company," says another resolution professional on the condition of anonymity. Sanjeev Ahuja says, "Section 230 requires approval of 75 per cent of all the creditors, whereas IBC requires approval of 66 per cent of the committee of creditors (CoC). Now, if (resolution with) 66 per cent (approval) was not possible how can (resolution with) 75 per cent be possible?" The committee of creditors is comprised of all the secured creditors with voting rights in proportion to the unpaid loan due with the defaulting company. Earlier, the government had amended the insolvency law to include Section 12A, which allows withdrawal of insolvency proceedings against a corporate debtor if 90 per cent of the CoC agrees. There are already noises being made by many stakeholders over the misuse of the provision. Ever since Section 12A, was inserted in the law and made effective six months ago, as many as 80 cases of insolvency have been withdrawn using this provision against 88 cases that have been resolved so far in the past two years. Meanwhile, in the Swiss Ribbon insolvency case the Supreme Court has said that insolvency proceeding can be withdrawn before the constitution of CoC even after the case has been admitted in NCLT. Shiv Sena has expressed surprise over Mukesh Ambani's support to Congress candidate Milind Deora, who is competing for Mumbai South Lok Sabha seat. Deora posted a video yesterday which showed Ambani and top banker Uday Kotak voicing their support for him. In the video, both the corporate bigwigs said that Deora understood Mumbai and was capable of solving its problems. "This is surprising that Ambani has endorsed Deora, considering the ties he has with Modi," Shiv Sena Spokesperson Manisha Kayande was quoted by Reuters. This attempt to sway the voters with support from industrialists will backfire because common people want a leader who can champion their cause and not that of tycoons," she added. Mukesh Ambani and PM Narendra Modi hail from the state of Gujarat. The Ambani family is considered to be close to the Prime Minister, and Mukesh Ambani has often praised him publicly. Additionally, the Congress had launched scathing attacks against Mukesh' younger brother, Anil Ambani, over his involvement in the Rafale jet deal. On the other hand, Shiv Sena has fielded a candidate against Deora after reforming its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Maharashtra ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Reacting on Mukesh Ambani's endorsement of Milind Deora, Maharashtra Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said it was his personal opinion. "I don't know if he has supported Milind Deora, but our candidate against him is winning," Fadnavis said. In the video, the Congress leader posted on Twitter, Mukesh Ambani said: "Milind is the man for South Mumbai". "Having represented South Mumbai for ten years I believe that Milind has in-depth knowledge of social, economic and cultural ecosystem of the South Mumbai constituency. Both micro enterprises and large businesses can thrive in Mumbai. So that attractive new employment opportunities can be created for our talented young women and men," Mukesh Ambani could be seen saying in the video. "Milind truly represents Mumbai ka connection. I genuinely belive Milind understands and relates to a Mumbaikar. His family has been associated with Mumbai for a long time," Uday Kotak said in the video. In his post, Deora had mentioned that businesses should be brought back to South Mumbai, and providing jobs to the youth should be prioritised. The South Mumbai constituency will go to polls in the fourth phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections on April 29. ALSO READ: Lok Sabha election 2019: Mukesh Ambani, Uday Kotak show support for Congress' Milind Deora ALSO READ: Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena; says 'goons' get preference in Congress ALSO WATCH: Appeasing the business community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reiterated his party's promise to provide loans up to Rs 50-lakh loan without any guarantee to traders, along with credit card facility and a pension scheme for small shopkeepers. Slamming the Congress for calling businessmen "chor", the Prime Minister said the BJP-led NDA government has stood by traders in thick and thin, while the Opposition has abused businessmen by calling all of them thieves. Modi's reference to "chor businessmen" is related to the verbal spat between the Congress and the BJP after the former called the Prime Minister a thief pretending to be a security guard. The Congress president Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly accused the Modi government of illegally favouring businessmen like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi who were involved in financial frauds. He has accused PM Modi of illegally favouring Anil Ambani in the Rafale defence deal. Addressing a traders' convention at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi, PM Modi said that his government has worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders by scraping 1,500 antiquated laws. The government has also simplified the application process to provide easier and time-bound access to loans. "I am impressed by the hard work of traders... their business has helped the economy bloom," he said. "I have tried to make your life and business easy in last five years." Modi said that traders are "backbone" of the Indian economy and doubling the size of the economy to USD 5 trillion is not possible without their contribution. Also Read: What the BJP manifesto promises on employment "I consider you (traders) as the biggest stakeholder of the economy. Opposition parties remember you only on a special occasion," he said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its election manifesto, 'Sankalp Patra Lok Sabha 2019' made a slew of promises, to woo business community, which included encouraging the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst the youth in the document. The ruling party announced a new scheme to provide collateral-free credit of up to Rs 50 lakh for entrepreneurs under which the party promised to guarantee 50 per cent of the loan amount for female entrepreneurs and 25 per cent of the loan amount for male entrepreneurs. The saffron party in its manifesto for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 mentioned that it will set up a National Traders Welfare Board, Rs 10 lakh accidental insurance to all GST-registered traders, pension scheme for small traders above the age of 60 years and credit cards to traders on the lines of Kisan Credit Cards. (With PTI inputs) Edited by Chitranjan Kumar Also Read: Lok Sabha Election 2019: Poll dates, full schedule, voting FAQs, election results, constituencies' details Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has quit the party after some Congress leaders were reinstated days after the party removed them for allegedly misbehaving with her. Before making her resignation public on Friday, Chaturvedi removed her 'National Spokesperson, AICC' tag from her Twitter bio. The estranged Congress leader joined Shiv Sena today. The Congress party has neither confirmed nor denied Chaturvedi's resignation, though India Today has reported that she has exited from all WhatsApp working groups of the party. Priyanka Chaturvedi is the second leader to switch sides after its senior leader Tom Vadakkan joined the BJP on March 14. On joining Shiv Sena, Priyanka Chaturvedi said: "...this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought." Priyanka Chaturvedi: I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought pic.twitter.com/2BuzaSCmas - ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 The Congress website, however, still mentions her name as the party spokesperson. The entire controversy erupted after the Uttar Pradesh unit of the Congress party reinstated some Congress members who were earlier removed for misbehaving with her in Mathura. The incident happened in September 2018 when she held a press conference regarding the Rafale controversy in Mathura. After some party members allegedly misbehaved with her she complained about the incident to the party high command. Though initially they were removed, the party reinstated them after the orders of Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia recently. Lok Sabha Election 2019: Phase 2 voting today; FAQs, all you need to know about polling on 95 constituencies Lashing out at the party, Chaturvedi tweeted on Friday that she was "deeply saddened that lumpen goons get preference [sic] in @incindia [Congress] over those who have given their sweat & blood." "Having faced brickbats and abuse across the board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate," she had tweeted. I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey. pic.twitter.com/WhUYYlwHLj - Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 19, 2019 Putting out her resignation on Twitter, Chaturvedi said: "In the last few weeks certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time, I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity." Congress media face Priyanka Chaturvedi quits after Congress leaders let off for misbehavior She joined the Shiv Sena in presence of the party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Priyanka Chaturvedi was hoping that would get party nomination from Mumbai Northwest seat, but it was finally given to Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam. Reports say her final decision to resign could also be motivated from the fact that she was denied the party ticket Edited by Manoj Sharma The way Prime Minister Narendra Modi has engaged with key states in Middle East (West Asia), has surprised many. Ashley J. Tellis, Tata Chair for Strategic Affairs and a senior fellow at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tells Business Today's Anilesh S. Mahajan that this has been one of Modi's successes in foreign policy and it holds significant potential benefits for India. Edited excerpts: Business Today: What significance do you think PM Narendra Modi's foreign policy has? How is it different from what Manmohan Singh's government had? Ashley J. Tellis: Manmohan Singh's outreach in West Asia focussed on broadening India's engagement with all regional states. That policy was appropriate then, given that India had become disengaged from the region. In contrast, PM Modi's policy has focussed on making big bets on a few states - Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - even as it has preserved India's traditional ties with others. BT: Do you think more could have been done? Tellis: Manmohan Singh's policies towards West Asia reflected the constraints of his time. He focussed fundamentally on transforming ties with the US during his first term, but was unfortunately paralysed on many counts during the second term. Modi's policies represent a natural evolution: India is now stronger, more confident and is more capable of selectively engaging some states based on their relevance to India's national interests. Such selectivity was inevitable but the manner in which India has been able to engage all regional players despite the deep political divides that mark West Asia, is striking. BT: There was a particular image attached to PM Modi in 2013/14; people had apprehensions about how he would deal with Islamic countries and West Asia. How do you evaluate his stint? Tellis: He certainly surprised many by the manner in which he engaged key Islamic states in the Persian Gulf, both Sunni Arab states and Shia Iran. This has been one of the major successes of his foreign policy and the potential benefits for India are significant. The way he has managed to enlarge India's ties to Israel, even as he has engaged the Gulf states is also remarkable-though this outcome has been undoubtedly aided by the changing attitude to Israel within the Gulf itself. BT: Has there been a drift in Indo-US relations under the Trump administration? Tellis: The risk of drift in the bilateral relationship is real if both sides fail to address current disagreements. There is no doubt that Trump is deeply transactional. It is a product of his worldview, which, as Robert Kagan summarised aptly, "has no sense of responsibility to anything beyond itself". Having said that, however, the Trump administration has also been schizophrenic where India is concerned: it is strongly supportive of strengthening India's military capabilities as a means of balancing China's rise, while at the same time pressing hard on New Delhi to change its economic policies on a few issues to benefit the US. If the tension over trade policy is not resolved, the gains made in the strategic arena could be at serious risk-serious because other US policies towards Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan have the effect of undermining critical Indian interests in ways that the administration's priority on India, in the Indo-Pacific context, will not be able to compensate. BT: What should be the lessons for the new government in India? How should they move ahead with the US? Tellis: The new government that will be formed in India should move quickly to address current challenges. Most, but not all, of the economic disputes are actually modest in the scheme of things and can be addressed with some creativity after the pressures of elections are over. There are some difficult issues on the horizon, however, such as the draft Indian legislation on data localisation, which will be deeply damaging to India itself. I hope New Delhi will not move further in that direction because potential US reprisals would be even more damaging than the costs inflicted by the current threatened withdrawal of General Schedule of Preferences (GSP) benefits. But Washington, too, needs to be cognizant of Indian economic interests and create some breathing space for New Delhi, where political differences in regard to Russia, Iran and Afghanistan are concerned. The Trump administration's approach so far has been one of holding India to ransom rather than seeking to achieve a diplomatic solution on these latter issues. I am therefore pessimistic that a genuine transformation in bilateral ties can be sustained during the next two years, though obviously we should not cease to try. BT: The Trump regime has two different approaches: a) security and trade, and b) business. Do you see this as the new normal in the US approach towards geo-political issues? Tellis: This is the old normal for the Trump administration. It will not change as long as Trump is in office. BT: India aspires to deepen the relationship with Central Asia, but sanctions on Iran appear to be a stumbling block. The US administration embargoed it till May-end for reducing oil imports from there to zero. How do you see the situation? Tellis: I don't see any easy or happy endings here. India cannot reduce oil imports from Iran to zero for both technical and strategic reasons. Equally importantly, any US action vis-a-vis Iran that raises oil prices has severe consequences in Indian domestic politics and for India's balance of payments. The obduracy of the Trump administration, however, implies that satisfactory solutions are unlikely. Even worse, it could push India towards supporting the European, Russian and Chinese positions on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which New Delhi has refrained from doing thus far-with even more problematic consequences for the relationship with Washington. BT: Will the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, better known as the 'Quad', go a long way in containing a rising China in Asia? Tellis: No, the Quad will not contain the rise of Chinese power, at least not yet. For the foreseeable future, it will remain only a consultative mechanism, not an alliance against rising Chinese power. Balancing China will require other solutions: deepening US alliances and partnerships in Asia, and building up the national capabilities of key Asian states on China's periphery. The Quad is useful, but not central, in this context. BT: Both India and the US are using muscular policy against Pakistan. The multilateral entities such as Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are tightening the noose around Pakistan to close terror funding. Do you think this is the right approach? Or are we only pushing Pakistan harder towards China? Tellis: There is no alternative to a tough policy towards Pakistan. All other alternatives have been tried without success. But real change will come only when the Pakistani polity begins to believe that the costs of the policies pursued by its army far exceed the benefits accruing to Pakistan as a country. Unfortunately, we are not there yet. Also Read: Brokerages wait and observe L&T bid for Mindtree Also read: Jet Airways' temporarily shutdown a setback for Indian aviation: Air India chief Ashwani Lohani Also read: Jet Airways shutdown: Value of JPMiles 'secure and intact', says Jet Privilege The debt level in Reliance Industries (RIL), country's largest company by market capitalisation, has been rising at a time the oil-to-telecom conglomerate requires additional capital to expand its telecom and retail businesses. Debt worries demand attention as there has also been a consistent fall in company's refining margins. Besides, the company's hydrocarbon exploration and production (E&P) business (both in Krishna-Godavari basin and the US where it has shale gas assets) is bleeding heavily with losses -- an earnings loss of nearly Rs 3,000 crore in last two financial years. Analysts point out RIL will have to immediately fix the leakages. RIL has an outstanding debt of Rs 2,87,505 crore and it grew by Rs 69,000 crore in financial year 2019 because of its investments in Reliance Jio. The only respite is the company has cash reserves worth Rs 133,027 crore on its books. RIL would have invested around Rs 3 lakh crore towards Reliance Jio so far and spent another Rs 1 lakh crore to expand petrochemicals business in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Analysts point out the margin from Jio is not enough to recover these investments in the near future. In fact, just before the RIL's result announcement for the March quarter (Q4) of FY19, JP Morgan cut its FY19-21 earnings per share (EPS) estimates by 2-5 per cent. It said that weakness in the core cash-generating energy business could limit the upside. "On balance, we see earnings risks to the downside from here (primarily from refining and Petchem)..." Jio's strong growth is not large enough to offset weakness in core business, it added. "We build in nearly 150 million subscriber-addition over the next 18 months and modest increases in ARPUs. While there has not been any service revenue model that we have yet seen, in our view, this is a key upside risk." Jio's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) stood at Rs 15,102 crore in FY19, compared to Rs 6,734 crore in FY18. It is a sharp vault but the EBITDA margin has not changed much -- 38.9 per cent in FY19 versus 33.4 per cent in FY18. Reliance Jio has been able to build up a customer base of 306.7 million, which is close to that of Bharti Airtel, but Jio's net profit stood at Rs 2,964 crore in FY19 (compared to Rs 723 crore in FY18). This explains that it is still a long road to recover investments. With this in mind, Jio has transferred control of its fibre and tower arms to two infrastructure investment trusts (InvITs) - Digital Fibre Infrastructure Trust and Tower Infrastructure Trust -- set up by a wholly-owned unit of RIL for deleveraging the balance sheet. According to the company, the transfer of assets reduced the liability of Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJI) by Rs 1,07,000 crore. In addition, RJI issued preference share to the parent RIL to raise Rs 78,000 crore. Jio also needs capital for expanding its digital ecosystem through acquisition of start-ups and small digital companies. Recently, Credit Suisse pointed out that investors do not expect near term listing of Jio or retail divisions this year as both business are still not in steady state. It is in this situation that RIL's reported stake sale talks with Saudi Aramco make sense. RIL has declined to comment on reports that the company is in talks with Saudi Aramco to sell 25 per cent in its refining and petrochemical business but stated that the conglomerate evaluates opportunities on an ongoing basis. The company sold 30 per cent stake in all of its hydrocarbon assets to British giant BP Plc for $7-billion in 2011 when the production started depleting. The refining margin (Gross Refining Margin or GRM) of RIL has fallen to $8.2 a barrel in Q4FY19, registering a slip for the sixth straight quarter. The segment EBIT of refining business fell by 19.8 per cent to Rs 19,868 crore in FY19. After Rs 1 lakh crore capital expenditure, the petrochemicals business has also witnessed a quarter-on-quarter fall in EBIT-- Rs 7,975 in Q4FY19 versus Rs 8,221 crore in Q3FY19. However, the petrochemicals business has become the largest EBIT generating vertical in RIL for the first time. The EBIT increased to Rs 32,173 crore, up by 51.9 per cent, in the last financial year. The retail business is also doing well for RIL. The annual revenue increased by 88.7 per cent to Rs 1,30,566 crore and EBIT by 168.7 per cent to Rs 5,546 crore. The media reported that Reliance Retail is in talks to buy a controlling stake in iconic UK-based toymaker Hamleys for up to Rs 350 crore Meanwhile, RIL has acquired stakes in about 20 start-ups and in half-a-dozen small firms over the past 24 months. The acquisitions have become a necessity, especially after Jio was launched. RIL targets to create a bouquet of digital products, which can counter the likes of Google, Amazon and Netflix. The acquisitions will become another cost but may not be significant considering its cash flow. RIL's profit increased by 13.1 per cent to Rs 39,588 crore in FY19 on a revenue of Rs 6,22,809 crore, up by 44.6 per cent. ALSO READ: Billionaire birthday boy Mukesh Ambani turns 62: A glimpse at his success story ALSO READ: Reliance Industries Q4 net profit surges 9.8% to Rs 10,362 crore, revenue jumps 19.4% ALSO READ: Reliance Jio posts net profit of Rs 840 crore in Q4 FY19, to focus on GigaFiber (ANSA) - Rome, April 19 - There is no imminent danger of thousands of migrants and refugees fleeing the conflict in Libya, Premier Giuseppe Conte said Thursday night. "At the moment there is no picture of imminent danger", he said. Explosions rocked Tripoli Thursday night as eastern strongman General Khalifa Haftar's forced drew closer to the Libyan capital. On Thursday the UN-backed government in Tripoli issued an arrest warrant for Khalifa and accused France of backing him. Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani has tabled a proposal to lease five Boeing 777 aircraft from Jet Airways before State Bank of India chief Rajnish Kumar on Wednesday, reports said. The proposal is likely to be a part of the agenda for next board meeeting of Air India. The Air India board is scheduled to meet on April 27. Air India's leasing plan could be put for the board's approval after more internal discussion, a PTI report said. If everything goes according to plan, the proposal will be sent to the aviation ministry for the final approval. ALSO READ: Bank unions write to PM Modi, want government to take over Jet Airways Earlier this week, the Air India chairman had written to his SBI counterpart, voicing his interest in leasing five of the Boeing 777s from Jet's fleet. The national flag carrier is reportedly planning to deploy long-range wide-body twin-engine jet airliner in key international routes. Air India is keen to launch flights on more international routes and enhance frequencies on its existing ones. After Jet suspended operations, Air India is the lone domestic airline flying on long haul and ultra-long haul routes like London, Paris, New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco, among other cities. ALSO READ: Why Jet Airways stock is still relatively resilient "But it does not have additional aircraft to do so. If it is able to strike a deal with Jet lenders, it can expand the international operations further," an Air India source told PTI. Stuck between rising debt and falling revenue, Jet Airways grounded its entire operations from Wednesday night. The airline now owns 16 wide-body planes - 10 Boeing 777-300ERs and six Airbus A330s. The SBI-led consortium of lenders are now running the airline under a debt recast plan. The grounding of Jet Airways has affected the export of fresh fruits and vegetables. The troubled carrier had the highest capacity for cargo and accounted for 50% of exports from Mumbai to London, Amsterdam, Paris and Singapore. Emirates Airlines has the second highest capacity and has hiked the prices by 30-40%. Jet Airways' last flight was on Tuesday night after it failed to get funds. According to a report in The Economic Times, Jet shutdown has particularly affected fresh produce exports to Europe, especially the UK. On an average, nearly 50 tonnes of vegetables were being shipped out from Mumbai to London. Jet Airways had a majority share while carrying these 50 tonnes of produce and used to operate 3 flights daily. The report added that Emirates, via Dubai, had the second largest share. "From an average of Rs 75-80 per kg, the latest freight rates are in excess of Rs 100/kg. As a result, exporters are unable to fulfil their volume and price commitments with their customers," the daily quoted Kaushal Khakhar, CEO of Kay Bee Exports, as saying. Apart from fruits, major vegetables that were being shipped like okra and chillies will take a hit too. "This dramatic reduction in capacity has been nothing short of a force majeure event like Brexit. We have appealed to our customers to take cognizance of the situation. With our in-house freight forwarding division, we are able to fulfil the volumes and maintain the service levels but at a significant jump in freight rates," Kakkar said. The reduction in cargo capacity has resulted in exporters looking for alternative airlines that will book their cargo. "It is not just about increase in freight. The capacity available for export of fruits and vegetables has declined drastically", the daily quoted Ekram Husain, vice-president, Fresh Vegetables and Fruit Exporters Association, as saying. (Edited by: Nehal Solanki) Also read: Air India hires Jet Airways' cabin crew for international operations, plans to lease 5 aircraft Also read: Jet Airways crisis: SBI-led consortium stare at 60-80% haircut Ahead of the launch of OnePlus 7 , the Chinese phone major, OnePlus has sneaked into the list of top five premium smartphone brands that include names like Apple and Samsung. OnePlus 6T has largely been responsible for the popularity of the brand globally and the upcoming OnePlus 7 series has the potential to push it further ahead. The year 2019 could see three variants of OnePlus smartphones. The company is expected to launch a standard OnePlus 7 this year along with OnePlus 7 Pro and OnePlus 7 Pro 5G. There have been several leaks of OnePlus 7 line-up on the internet and most of the specs are already known. OnePlus 7 is reported to come with a 6.4-inch display, a Snapdragon 855 chipset, two storage options, a 4,000-mAh battery and Android 9.0 Pie. The base variant is likely to come with 6GB RAM and at least 128GB storage. The top end variant would come with 10GB RAM and 256GB storage. The device will be powered by a 4,000 mAh battery. On the other hand, the OnePlus 7 Pro will come with Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 SoC, 6.64-inch Super Optic AMOLED display, 8GB RAM and 256GB of inbuilt storage, Android 9.0 Pie out-of-the-box and a triple rear camera setup that will include 48-MP primary sensors. The Pro variant is also expected to come with curved display. Meanwhile, none of the OnePlus phones will come with wireless charging. Earlier this week, CEO of the company, Pete Lau took to Twitter to talk about the upcoming OnePlus device. He called the new device beautiful and said that it was fast and smooth. "Excited to share the next product from OnePlus will unleash a new era of Fast and Smooth. Especially Smooth! Smooth is more challenging than Fast - a true test of hardware and software. The new product is just beautiful - I can't wait for you to see it!" he tweeted. OnePlus has garnered a reputation of bringing affordable phones with premium specifications to the market. The OnePlus 7 will be a successor to the much loved OnePlus 6T. The company is expected to host the launch event on May 14. Edited By: Udit Verma Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro is coming soon! These are the features you can expect Also Read: OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7 may launch on May 14; Key specs, features we know so far Also Read: OnePlus 7 case renders confirms pop-up selfie camera, triple camera at the back TikTok's parent company Bytedance has revealed plans to invest $1 billion in India over the next three years. The Chinese IT major will reportedly increase its workforce in India to 1,000 people by the end of this year. Bytedance's plans for India come close on the heels of a court-imposed ban on TikTok over allegations of sharing inappropriate content. "We are obviously disappointed by the current developments, but we are also very optimistic that we will resolve this issue. We remain committed to our Indian users. As a company, we are looking to invest $1 billion over the next three years in India, that is how bullish we will remain to be here", PTI quoted ByteDance Director (International Public Policy) Helena Lersch as saying. Lersch added that the company has been strengthening its content moderation policies over the last months. The content moderation team in India, which looks at the posts passed by a machine learning tool, is proficient in 14 local languages and can make culturally relevant decision, she added. "About 25 per cent of that (workforce of 1,000 employees) will be just content moderation, which means there is full-time moderation staff based in India... We have around 250 full-time staff (right now) but we are very growing that rapidly," Lersch told PTI. Founded by Zhang Yiming, Bytedance is considered to be one of the world's most valuable start-ups with investors like SoftBank, General Atlantic, KKR and Sequoia backing it. Apart from the now banned TikTok, the company provides platforms like Vigo Video and Helo In India for content creation and sharing. Leading short video application TikTok has over 120 million users in India and is popular among youngsters. The Madras High Court on April 3, 2019, had directed the Centre to ban TikTok, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile applications. Soon after, tech giants Google and Apple removed TikTok from their app stores in India to prohibit further downloads of the application. However, those who have already downloaded the app will be able to use it on their phones. Lersch declined to comment on court proceedings as the matter is sub judice. The hearing of the matter is scheduled for April 22, 2019, in the Supreme Court and for April 24, 2019, in the Madras High Court. (Edited by Nehal Solanki with PTI inputs) Also Read: Air India hires Jet Airways' cabin crew for international operations, plans to lease 5 aircraft Also Read: 20 states join pan-India single emergency helpline number '112' (ANSA) - Rome, April 19 - A "sovereigntist wind" formed by an alliance of nationalist parties led by Italy's League will not threaten the EU's existence, President Sergio Mattarella said in a recent interview. Today's Euroskeptics rekindle a sense of belonging to Europe, Mattarella said in the February 27 interview with Richard Heuze, published by Politique Internationale. In the interview, Mattarella also said next month's vote will see "the first pan-European campaign". Earlier this month Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and anti-migrant Euroskeptic League leader Matteo Salvini said he was eyeing the top spot in the European Parliament with a raft of like-minded right-wing nationalist allies whom he met in Milan. Salvini said that he is aiming to form the biggest group in the European Parliament with May's elections as he met in Milan with the heads of some other European right-wing parties. "The aim is to become the top European group, the most numerous," Salvini told reporters at a press conference at the gathering entitled 'Towards a Common Sense Europe, Peoples Rise Up'. "Our aim is to win and change Europe", the 'sovereigntist' leader said. Among the figures taking part in the event, an alliance-building initiative ahead of May's European elections, were Jrg Meuthen of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, Anders Vistisen of the Danish People's Party and Olli Kotro of the Finns Party. Salvini said he would head the League's list in all of Italy's constituencies for the European election. He also said that the outcome would not affect the League's coalition government with the 5-Star Movement (M5S). Also expected to be involved, but not present at Monday's meeting, are France's Marine Le Pen, Hungary's Viktor Orban and Poland's Law and Justice party - although Orban was recently said to be more concerned about not being kicked out of the European People's Party. Salvini dismissed talk that he was entertaining bad company in Milan. "There is no bad company at the table," Salvini told the press conference. "Bad company are the people who govern Europe". Salvini has come under fire from several quarters over his European allies, including from Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio, the leader of his government coalition partner, the 5-Star Movement (M5S). Di Maio has criticised Salvini for making common cause with parties that leave the room when the Holocaust is commemorated, referring to the Polish party. Salvini also called for Turkey's application to join the EU to be definitively rejected as he met with the other far-right nationalist leaders. "Turkey is not in Europe and it never will be," Salvini told the press conference. "The accession process should be cancelled. It should be definitively stopped". In the interview published in Politique Internationale, Mattarella added that the migrant issue can only be faced with an EU solution. The head of State also said that relations with France were not "torn" by a recent spat over the M5S's support for the Yellow Vests and Salvini's clashes with French President Emmanule Macron over migration. An extradition accord is needed with France for former Italian terrorists, Mattarella went on to say. "Our two countries will be able to find an accord on a delicate question like extraditions," he told Politique Internationale. Around 15 former leftist terrorists are said to be living in France and Interior Minister Salvini has vowed to get them back to serve their time in Italian jails. Mattarella said "Italy suffered a great deal during the Years of Lead" but "we succeeded in defeating terrorism without ever ignoring the rules of democracy and the rule of law. "We never resorted to emergency laws. "That is why today the need for justice is so strongly felt by the Italian people". Eleven organizations across Manitoba are receiving funding to ensure womens and Indigenous organizations can continue providing essential supports to women and their families April 18, 2019 Winnipeg, Manitoba Department for Women and Gender Equality Womens organizations provide vital services in our communities, supporting women and girls to be financially secure, free from violence, and able to fully participate in all aspects of our economy and society. Yet for far too long they have been chronically underfunded, underestimated and undermined. The Government of Canada recognizes that womens organizations are the lifeblood of the womens movement and that maintaining and growing their ability to do this important work is the most effective way to advance gender equality. Thats why today, Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, announced that the Government of Canada is investing over $3.7 million for 11 womens organizations and Indigenous organizations serving women across Manitoba. Parliamentary Secretary Duguid highlighted the organizations that will receive funding (please see the Backgrounder for more information and testimonials): Canadian Muslim Women's Institute Inc. Infinity Women Secretariat Inc. Ka Ni Kanichihk Inc. Manitoba Association of Women's Shelters Inc. Manitoba Moon Voices Inc. Nellie McClung Foundation North Point Douglas Women's Centre North End Women's Centre Inc. Survivor's Hope Crisis Centre Taking Charge! Inc. Se Prendre En Main! Inc The Pas Family Resource Centre Inc. Minisewin Waska These organizations are 11 of the more than 250 womens and Indigenous organizations serving women across Canada in which the Government of Canada is investing under the Capacity-building Fund. Funding stems from the Budget 2018 announcement of $100 million over five years to support a viable and sustainable womens movement across Canada. (ANSA) - Turin, April 19 - Eleven Nigerians, eight women and three men, were arrested in Turin Friday for allegedly luring Nigerian women to Italy with the promise of a better life and then forcing them into prostitution to pay back the 25,000 euro a head debt they had contracted. The young women were subjected to voodoo rites before crossing the desert to Libya and the sea to the island of Lampedusa and being moved to migrant reception centres where the gang picked them up, police said. Nigerian teenagers and young women selling sex is a common sight for motorists in Italy. Working along roadsides and secondary highways in cities big and small, they are a reminder that while Italy has been successful in curbing immigration from Libya, it has largely failed to help a fraction of the migrants trafficked as sex slaves. (ANSA) - Rome, April 19 - Italy and France are working to stop the conflict in Libya, Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi said after meeting his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Rome on Friday. "Naturally we talked about the situation in Libya, which is worrying and holds the attention of both our governments," Moavero told a joint press conference with Le Drian. "Our position, an absolutely joint one, is that a ceasefire must be achieved as soon as possible. "That must be followed by a humanitarian truce and a return to talks. "We have solidarity with the Libyan people, who are suffering the effects of the armed clashes". Le Drian echoed those sentiments. "It is not possible to do anything in Libya without solid Franco-Italian agreement and there is no way out of the crisis that isn't political," he said. "The crisis in Libya can become very dangerous, so it's necessary to stop it. "It is not possible to contemplate any military solution," he added when asked about reports of French support for General Khalifa Haftar, the eastern strongman who has launched an offensive on the UN-backed government in Tripoli. Le Drian also said that Rome and Paris have patched things up after recent tension over several issues, including migrants and the support of some members of the Italian government for the Yellow Vest protest movement in France. "We went through a somewhat difficult period in relations with Italy but these difficulties have been overcome," he said. Sompo International Holdings Ltd. promoted two executives. Liberty Mutual named a financial industry executive to its board of directors. *** Sompo International Holdings Ltd. named Thomas Brazil chief executive officer of SI Insurance (Europe), SA, the companys platform for European Economic Area insurance business. Brazils appointment is subject to regulatory approval. Sompo International, a Bermuda-based specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, noted Brazil has held a number of leadership roles in the European insurance and reinsurance field as both an underwriter and broker. He will relocate from Zurich, Switzerland to SI Insurance (Europe)s headquarters in Luxembourg. Brazil assumes the role previously held by Takashi Kurumisawa, who will now join the Sompo International Office of the CEO as Executive Vice President Transactions Strategy and the Sompo International Retail Executive Team, both effective immediately. In his new role, Kurumisawa will provide coordination focused on the integration into Sompo International of the remaining Sompo overseas businesses outside of Japan, a key strategic initiative for Sompo Holdings, Inc. Before joining Sompo International in 2017, Kurumisawa was general manager of the Global Strategy Office of Sompo for eight years and led the transformation of Sompos overseas business, focused on M&A and integration of acquired companies. Kurumisawa will be located in New York City, subject to immigration approval. Brazil is currently senior vice president, and head of Europe Property Catastrophe Reinsurance at Sompo International. He joined the company in 2012 as a Senior Property Catastrophe Reinsurance Underwriter for the companys European portfolio as well as Africa and the Middle East and was promoted to his current role in 2016. Before that, he was a Property Treaty Underwriter in the European market at Aspen Re since 2007 and prior to that spent five years at Aon Benfield as a Reinsurance Broker, also focused on Europe. *** Jay Hooley, chairman and former chief executive officer of State Street Corporation, has been elected to Liberty Mutual Insurances board of directors. As former CEO of State Street, Hooley led one of the worlds leading providers of financial services to institutional investors, with 40,000 employees, $31.6 trillion in assets under custody and administration, and $2.5 trillion in assets under management as of December 31, 2018. Hooley serves on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and as a member of the Presidents Council of the Massachusetts General Hospital. He has received numerous recognitions including: Global Custodians Lifetime Achievement Award, NICSA Robert L. Gould Award, New England Councils New Englander of the Year Award, the Partnership Inc.s Bennie Wiley CEO Diversity Award, Lewis Family Foundation CEO Social Leadership Award, and the Boston Municipal Research Bureaus City Champion Award. Sources: Sompo International, Liberty Mutual Photo: CTV News The dynamic duo are back together and coming to the Okanagan. No not Batman and Robin, iconic comedy duo Cheech and Chong are bringing their O Cannabis tour to Canada with a stop in Penticton. Cheech & Chong defined an era with their irreverent, satirical, counter-culture comedy routines and released nine albums between 1972 and 1985. The pair have also been nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album with their third album, Los Cochinos, released in 1973. Cheech and Chong co-wrote and starred in a total of eight feature films together, all directed by Chong. Cheech and Chong are in Penticton at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Oct. 9, 2019. Tickets go on sale April 26, starting at $55 plus fees. With 18.83% of the vote, Bill Araujo, 30, came in second."farm 13" (RecordTV). Was one of the finalists in reality... 3,000 migrants trapped in risk zone in Libya, MSF Food and water for 2 wks, 'disembark at safe ports' (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 19 - Thousands of Libyan families are fleeing and over 3,000 refugees and migrants are stuck in detention centers near the conflict. They ''remain at imminent risk of being caught in the crossfire'', Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said in a statement, and ''the provision of basic services including food and water remains extremely limited - with reports of many not eating for several days at a time''. There is limited healthcare available and medical supplies are expected to run out after less then two weeks, MSF warned, calling for measures to protect civilians, including medical workers, and civilian infrastructure. It asked that indiscriminate attacks on populated areas be avoided and that the over 3,000 refugees and migrants trapped in the detention centers near the fighting be evacuated. MSF called on EU Member States to find an agreement to disembark migrants in safe ports and to stop punitive actions to hinder humanitarian organizations working at sea. ''In Sabaa detention centre, as well as providing medical consultations, MSF teams have distributed a much-needed five-day supply of food rations, including fresh vegetables. Over recent days, approximately 200 people were moved from the Ain Zara detention centre, which is just 1.5 kilometres from the frontline, to Sabaa detention centre which is 6.5 kilometres from the frontline,'' the statement noted. ''With the new arrivals, the population size in Sabaa has surged to nearly 540 people, exacerbating already poor conditions and services. With a further 150 refugees relocated early last week to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Gathering and Departure Facility, Ain Zara detention centre is now believed to be empty,'' it added. ''While the numbers in each detention centre are subject to change daily, currently there are 135 people in Anjila detention centre which is 5.5 kilometres from the fighting. A few days ago, there were around 910 people in Abu Salim, 6.5 kilometres from the fighting. This detention centre is anticipated to be directly affected by conflict in the coming days,'' it said. MSF medical teams have also provided hygiene kits in several shelters for displaced families that had to flee their homes, as well as a donation of medical kits to treat war wounds (sutures, dressings and essential medication) to two hospitals so far, one in Tripoli and another south of the city. Elsewhere in the country ''MSF activities are continuing outside of Tripoli, where our teams are providing assistance to over 800 people arbitrarily detained in Khoms, Zliten, and Misrata. We also continue to carry out medical consultations in Bani Walid. We are concerned about a group of over 80 patients who were transferred about two months ago to a detention centre in Sirte, as we can no longer follow-up and treat these people, many of whom have serious medical conditions. All medical referrals to Tripoli hospitals organised by MSF teams from Khoms, Zliten, Misrata, Bani Walid or Sirte are no longer possible due to the current conflict.'' MSF noted that: ''One of the desperate options for Libyans and non-Libyans seeking to escape the fighting is the Mediterranean Sea. MSF is unable to verify if sea departures from Libya have increased since fighting began, however we do know is that seeking safety is not a crime, but a very real human response in the face of life-threatening circumstances such as today's conflict. In the vacuum of any dedicated search and rescue response in the Central Mediterranean, people's lives are significantly at risk at sea just as they are in Tripoli's conflict areas.'' Search and rescue capacity in the Central Mediterranean, its said, ''needs to be urgently increased, and anyone rescued at sea must be taken to a safe port as required by international law. This can only effectively happen if the European member states immediately agree on solutions to disembark survivors in safe ports, and put an end to punitive actions to curtail NGOs seeking to provide lifesaving humanitarian response at sea.'' (ANSAmed) Tracking Senior Fall and Fall-Related Injury EMS Calls to Target Fall Prevention Programs, Salt Lake County, Utah Jiyoung Byun, MPH1; Jenny Robertson, MSPH1 (View author affiliations) Suggested citation for this article: Byun J, Robertson J. Tracking Senior Fall and Fall-Related Injury EMS Calls to Target Fall Prevention Programs, Salt Lake County, Utah. Prev Chronic Dis 2019;16:180462. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd16.180462external icon. PEER REVIEWED High-resolution JPG for printimage icon The map displays counts and rates, by census tract, of fall-related EMS calls among adults aged 65 or older in Salt Lake County, Utah, from January 1, 2014, through April 30, 2017. Stars indicate senior living residences with high fall burden. Data were suppressed in areas that had fewer than 20 falls or the relative standard error of the crude rate of fall-related EMS calls was higher than 30%. Abbreviation: EMS, emergency medical services. [A text description of this figure is available.] Top Background Every year in the United States, more than 25% of people aged 65 or older fall at least once (1), and these injuries are associated with high rates of illness and death (2). Physiological age-related changes such as reduction of sight, hearing, and muscle strength are major causes of falls among older people (3). Among Salt Lake County residents aged 65 or older, in 2014 the fall injury emergency department encounter rate was 458.6 per 10,000 (4) and the fall injury hospitalization rate was 130.0 per 10,000 (5), and in 2016 the fall mortality rate was 5.4 per 10,000 (6). As part of ongoing fall prevention activities, the Salt Lake County Health Department hosts the evidence-based Stepping On program for seniors. To better target this and other fall prevention programs to reduce rates of fall-related illness and death, we mapped dispatched emergency medical services (EMS) calls for falls and fall-related injuries among adults aged 65 years or older and identified areas with high prevalence. Top Methods We extracted data on EMS calls from the Utah prehospital reporting system that had an incident address in Salt Lake County; a date of incident from January 1, 2014, through April 30, 2017; and a dispatch report of 1) a fall or 2) an unconscious/fainting or unknown problem/person down. Those with a dispatch report of a fall were assumed to be correctly classified as fall-related. Narratives of those with a dispatch report of an unconscious/fainting or unknown problem/person down were searched by using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Inc) for terms suggesting evidence of a fall, such as fall, fell, or GLF (ground level fall). Calls were excluded if the narrative included terms indicating no fall, such as no fall, negative fall, not sustain a fall, denies (any) fall, or not suffer a GLF. The final data set included 14,824 fall-related injuries. Of those, 93% could be geocoded (96% of those geocoded with match score 90) and aggregated to the census tract level by using ArcGIS Pro 2.0 (Esri). Crude incidence rates were calculated by using American Community Survey 5-year population estimates for adults aged 65 years or older from 2014 through 2016, and mapped by census tract. Both counts and rates were classified by using equal intervals. Fall injury points were overlaid on census tract rates, and Google Maps (Google LLC) was used to explore neighborhoods with high counts or crude rates to identify facilities where fall prevention activities may be targeted. Institutional review board (IRB) approval was obtained for the EMS data set from the Utah Department of Health IRB Committee. Top Findings Fall injury counts among adults aged 65 years or older were highest in census tracts in southeast and southwest Salt Lake County. Fall injury rates among adults aged 65 years or older were highest in census tracts in north-central and southeast Salt Lake County. Seven facilities were identified as locations of falls in these high-count or high-rate areas; all were mixed-level senior living residences (eg, independent living, assisted living, memory care). One census tract with a high rate did not have a senior living facility; most of these falls occurred in individual homes because of safety hazards. All census tracts with a high count had at least one senior living facility in which most falls occurred. Top Action Results were used by community partners to secure pilot funding for the Otago Exercise Program, and they are currently being used to target Stepping On and Otago programs, collaborate with Salt Lake County Aging and Adult Services Meals on Wheels program to better reach the senior population vulnerable to falls, develop one-on-one prevention programs at sites with a high prevalence of falls, implement collaborative fall prevention programs with EMS community paramedicine programs, and evaluate program interventions. Interventions target individuals and include easily modifiable risk factors such as muscle strengthening and balance retraining exercises, medication review, vision and hearing checks, and improving safety around the home. However, public health would do well to partner with other sectors, such as city planning, to improve the built environment for seniors. Geospatial data can be challenging to interpret, and various analyses and visualizations should be assessed together for the most accurate picture. Assessing rates without also examining counts may lead to inappropriate resource allocation because of the size of the population aged 65 or older in certain census tracts. For example, one census tract had a high rate but low count because the population aged 65 years or older in this tract was small. Similarly, census tracts with a low rate and high count indicate areas where the population aged 65 or older is large. Resources allocated to high-rate/low-count tracts may have a lesser impact in reducing the burden of falls than resources allocated to low-rate/high-count tracts. Ultimately, program managers found count data most useful for targeting resources to locations. In the future, it would be useful to compare locations by calculating rates by facility. Limitations of this project include incomplete 2017 prehospital data resulting from a reporting delay, missing 20152016 prehospital data from one EMS agency because of data submission issues, and potential misclassification of incidents as fall-related or not fall-related. Top Acknowledgments Maps were created by Salt Lake County Health Department Epidemiology Bureau in conjunction with the offices of Salt Lake County Assessor, Clerk, Surveyor, Recorder and Mayor. This work was financially supported by Salt Lake County Health Fund tax revenue. No copyrighted materials were used. Top Author Information Corresponding Author: Jenny Robertson, MSPH, Epidemiology Bureau, Salt Lake County Health Department, 610 S 200 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. Telephone: 385-468-4203. Email: JRobertson@slco.org. Author Affiliations: 1Epidemiology Bureau, Salt Lake County Health Department, Salt Lake City, Utah. Top References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Important facts about falls. https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/falls/adultfalls.html. Accessed August 13, 2018. Sterling DA, OConnor JA, Bonadies J. Geriatric falls: injury severity is high and disproportionate to mechanism. J Trauma 2001;50(1):1169. CrossRef external icon PubMed external icon Ungar A, Rafanelli M, Iacomelli I, Brunetti MA, Ceccofiglio A, Tesi F, et al. Fall prevention in the elderly. Clin Cases Miner Bone Metab 2013;10(2):915. PubMed external icon Public Health Indicator Based Information System (IBIS). 2014 Query results for injury emergency department encounter query module for Utah counties and local health districts. Crude rates. ED encounters. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/query/result/ed/InjEDCntyHospED/CrudeRate.html. Accessed August 13, 2018. Public Health Indicator Based Information System (IBIS). 2014 Query results for inpatient hospital discharge query module for Utah counties and local health districts, crude rates. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/query/result/hddb/InjHDDBCntyHosp/CrudeRateHosp.html. Accessed August 9, 2018. Public Health Indicator Based Information System (IBIS). 2016 Query results for mortality ICD-10 query module for Utah counties and local health districts, crude rates, deaths per 100,000 population. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/query/result/mort/InjMortCntyICD10/CrudeRate.html. Accessed August 9, 2018. Top Israeli police and army on alert for Passover 'Gaza Christians banned from Jerusalem at Easter' (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, APRIL 19 - Special measures have been brought in by the Israeli police and army for Jewish Passover, which begins on Friday evening. The crossings between Israel and the West Bank will be closed from Thursday evening. More police have been sent to watch over East Jerusalem and especially the Old City and access points to Tempe Mount, also known as the al-Aqsa Mosque complex. On Wednesday night - according to the Jewish Orthodox website Kikar ha-Shabbat - the police arrested a suspicious vehicle near the Old City in which there were two activists from a Jewish Messianic movement, two journalists, and a few kid goats. Police say that the two activists had been planning a 'sacrificial ritual' of the young goats during Passover, not far from Temple Mount. A police spokesman has warned that ''no provocations'' will be allowed in the area. Meanwhile, ''Israeli authorities have decided not to allow Christians living in Gaza to reach Jerusalem to take part in Easter celebrations. Two hundred of them have instead been authorized to go to Jordan'', said a statement by Wadie Abu Nassar, media advisor for the Heads of Christian Churches in the Holy Land. Abu Nassar added that he had learned that the measure was decided by Israel to prevent Gaza Palestinians who - once in Jerusalem - might decide to stay in the West Bank instead of returning home. ''But the freedom of access to the Holy Sites must be ensured for all,'' said Abu Nssar. '' Security considerations cannot take precedence over human beings.'' (ANSAmed). Jerusalem: Old City crowded for Easter celebrations Jerusalem Church leaders urge for multi-religious state (ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, APRIL 19 - Large crowds flocked to the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday as thousands of Christian pilgrims and worshippers arrived to celebrate the traditional ceremonies of Good Friday, along the Via Dolorosa and the Holy Sepulcher. At the nearby Western Wall, Jews were preparing for Passover, which starts tonight. Israeli police have tightened security and detained on Friday morning a number of Messianic Jews who were apparently about to sacrifice goats near the holy compound known as Temple Mount to Jews and Haram al Sharif to Muslims. The leaders of the Churches of Jerusalem have meanwhile published an Easter message. Jerusalem, they said, ''is the city of peace and reconciliation. Therefore, its multi-religious and multicultural status must be maintained so that all Abrahamic faiths can find in it only the city of peace and tranquility. We continue to pray for a just and lasting peace in Jerusalem and the world''. (ANSAmed) County School finance officials said Thursday they are projecting a $9.4 million increase in revenue. That will increase total revenue to around $409 million. Officials next Thursday will outline projected spending for the upcoming fiscal year. Brent Goldberg, finance director, said local taxes for schools should be up 1.54 percent. He said much of the increase will be in higher sales tax collections. He said the school system expects to get $174 million from the state. That includes the Basic Education Program (BEP). Mr. Goldberg said the state increase will be 3.95 percent. He said that is below the level of recent years. The county schools this year is using priority based budgeting. It is based on five focus areas from the school board's strategic plan. Board member Rhonda Thurman asked for a list of new positions added during the current year as well as new positions for the upcoming budget. She also asked for salaries on the posts. Supt. Bryan Johnson said even with the added positions that the school system is still well in the black. Mr. Goldberg said the school system fiscal operation "is in very good shape." He said, "The system has been extremely fiscally responsible." Tennessees statewide unemployment rate for March 2019 remains at the historic low of 3.2 percent according to the latest statistics released by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. March is the second consecutive month the states seasonally adjusted unemployment rate sits at the all-time low. When compared to March 2018, unemployment in Tennessee is down by 0.4 of a percentage point. The steady low unemployment rate continues to indicate a strong economy in Tennessee, said TDLWD Commissioner Jeff McCord. Its encouraging to see our state at record-setting unemployment for the past six months.Tennessee reached its previous record low unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in October 2018, and it remained at that level for four consecutive months. The state began tracking unemployment rates in 1976. Nationally, unemployment also remains unchanged. The March seasonally adjusted rate for the United States is once again 3.8 percent. That is a 0.2 of a percentage point lower than the rate in March 2018.Total nonfarm employment across Tennessee is down 3,000 jobs when compared to February.Tennessee did experience an increase in the mining/logging/construction sector in March which gained 1,500 jobs. The financial activities sector also added 800 jobs.The trade/transportation/utilities sector had a loss of 2,600 positions for the month, while the manufacturing sector experienced a decrease of 1,200 jobs.Over the last 12 months, Tennessee has seen an overall gain of 47,800 new nonfarm jobs across the state.The statewide and national unemployment rates are seasonally adjusted to eliminate the influences of weather, holidays, the opening and closing of schools, and other recurring seasonal events from an economic time series.A complete analysis of the March 2019 unemployment rate for the state of Tennessee can be found here Tennesseans looking for work can visit Jobs4TN.gov , the states workforce development website. It has over 150,000 active job listings, as well as free online resume assistance, job interview skills training, and other best practices to help with job searching.The state of Tennessee will release the county unemployment rates for March on Thursday, April 25, at 1:30 p.m. CT. DEMOREST, Ga. -- Facing elimination and just six outs left, the Covenant softball team rallied and took a lead but could not hold as Piedmont took an 8-6 victory in eight innings over the Scots to complete a doubleheader sweep in a USA South Tournament first round series on Thursday afternoon. Piedmont (28-7) won game one, 2-0, and will advance to the double elimination portion of the tournament next weekend in LaGrange, Ga. Covenant saw its season end with an 11-24 overall record. The senior class of Carsyn Stone, Madalyn Ames, and Carlin Labuzan finish their four-year careers with 74 victories, tying a program record for most wins by a graduating class. The senior class of Carsyn Stone, Madalyn Ames, and Carlin Labuzan finish their four-year careers with 74 victories, tying a program record for most wins by a graduating class. After Covenant dropped game one, the Scots found themselves trailing late in game two. Covenant, playing as the home team in the second game, was down 3-1 entering the home half of the sixth inning. However, the Scots pulled together a five-run rally to grab a 6-3 lead. Erika Mast, Aileen Hill, and Faith Manning had consecutive singles to lead off the sixth. Shelby Ralston then delivered an RBI single that plated Mast to draw Covenant within 3-2. The Scots then caught a break as Piedmont committed an error on Cope Whitaker's grounder to second and both Hill and Manning were able to score to give Covenant its first lead of the day at 4-3. The inning continued as Jada Allmon lifted a sacrifice fly to score Ralston before another Piedmont error allowed Whitaker to score and make it 6-3. But, the No. 2 West seed Piedmont stormed back with three runs in the seventh to even the score at 6-6. Drew Graham's two-run double with two outs in the seventh brought home the tying runs. The host Lions then scored twice in the top of the eighth and Piedmont reliever Melissa Eckman closed the door on the Scots in the bottom of the inning to seal the 8-6 victory. Seven different Scots had a hit apiece in the loss, while Allmon finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Sarah Huskey made the start and went three innings before Lauren Kierpa came on in relief. Stone (4-14) got the loss after throwing the eighth inning. Eckman (13-5) threw the final three innings for Piedmont and collected the win. Starter Madison Whiteside was hit with four runs on five hits over five innings. Mariann Kennison was 3-for-5 with two runs and Hannah Hoban was 2-for-4 with three RBIs for the Lions, who tallied 16 hits. In a pitcher's duel between Eckman and Stone, it was Hoban's two RBIs that gave Piedmont all the run support it needed in the Lions' 2-0 game one victory. Stone (4-13) received the loss for Covenant in the circle, but was outstanding. The senior went six innings and allowed two runs on six hits with five strikeouts. It was Stone's third career start in a USA South Tournament game and the right-hander registered a 1.40 ERA in 20 innings in those postseason starts. Covenant had three hits in the contest and all of them came in the third inning when the Scots had their best opportunity to score. With two outs and nobody on, Madyson Gibbins and Hill had back-to-back singles but Eckman worked out of the jam to preserve the shutout. Piedmont scored a run in the first on Hoban's RBI single and then tacked on another in the fifth when Hoban produced an RBI ground out. Eckman (12-5) went the distance scattering three hits and striking out two in order to pick up the shutout. The right-hander needed 106 pitches to get through her complete-game. Rebekah Stegmayer had two hits to lead Piedmont, while Gibbins, Hill, and Ames all had one hit for the Scots. 3,000 on hunger strike in Turkey agianst Ocalan's isolation Protest started by Kurdish HDP MPs, '8 suicides in jail' (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, APRIL - Protest is growing in Turkey against the ''complete isolation'' in prison of the leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan has been in the Imrali prison island on the Marmara Sea for 20 years. Over 3,000 activists, most of whom in prison, have been on hunger strike for several weeks to demand action from the Turkish and international authorities. Launching the protest on November 8 was HDP MP Leyla Guven, who was in jail at that time. In March, three other MPs from the same pro-Kurdish party joined in, signing a letter that denounces the ''legally, politically, morally unsustainable isolation policy'' used for Ocalan. HDP claims that at least 8 detainees have committed suicide in recent months in protest. (ANSAmed). Representatives from Chattanooga Jersey Mikes locations on Thursday presented the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga with a $10,605 check as part of the restaurant chains annual Month of Giving. The campaign culminated in March of this year, when approximately 1,500 Jersey Mikes restaurants, including those locally in the Chattanooga area, donated 100 percent of sales, not just profits, to more than 200 different charities across the nation. The partnership between the YMCA and Jersey Mikes is in its fourth year. Both organizations mission involves bettering the communities in which we live and positively impacting lives. We are very grateful for community partners like Jersey Mikes, said Janet Dunn, YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga president and CEO. They share our vision for creating a culture of giving. The money presented by Jersey Mikes to the YMCA will go towards the associations Community Support Campaign, which raises nearly $1 million annually. Caroline Cornett, a junior at Signal Mountain Middle/High, is the third student from Signal Mountain to achieve the highest possible composite score of 36 on the ACT college entrance exam in the past year. She is the sixth student in the history of the school to achieve the score putting her in the Top 1 percent of all students who take the ACT. Ms. Cornett joins seniors Jack Poss, and Max Burk, as current students enrolled at the school in the ACT perfect 36 club. We are so proud of Carolines ACT accomplishment and all of the time and effort she puts into doing her very best at everything she takes on, said Shane Harwood, executive principal of Signal Mountain Middle/High. Ms. Cornett is active in academic enrichment activities including Model UN, Youth in Government, and Mock Trial. She will serve the next school year as the secretary-general for MUN 2020, the highest student position at the Southeastern High School Model United Nations Conference, and was she was chair of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization committee this past year. Ms. Cornett will be speaker of the Red House at next springs state conference of Youth in Government. Last summer, she was nominated, selected, and served as a participant in the 2018 Tennessee Governors School for International Studies and she was a member of the Signal Mountain mock trial team that won a second consecutive district title and placed third at the state Mock Trial competition. Ms. Cornett also is an active member of the schools Leo Club, National Honor Society, Beta Club, Mu Alpha Theta math honor society, and runs with the high school cross country and track team. This past year, she helped found a local chapter of Threads of Care that held a successful coat drive to provide for the homeless. Outside school, Ms. Cornett is active in student ministries with Signal Presbyterian Church. When time allows, she enjoys reading and playing with her dog, Shiloh. The ACT consists of tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science; each scored on a scale of 1-36. A students composite score is the average of the four test scores. The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures what students have learned in school. Students who earn a 36 composite score have likely mastered all of the skills and knowledge they will need to succeed in first-year college courses in the core subject areas. Caroline is an extremely dedicated and talented student who puts her heart into everything she does, said Kathy McCormack, chairman of the schools Math Department. Ms. Cornett had a few tips for success on the ACT. Look at the answers that come with the questions, which could be misleading, so its good to know what theyre looking for when they ask a question, Ms. Cornett said. And, try to stay motivated. She also took advantage of the ACT Prep classes that Signal Mountain Middle/High offered during free periods at school. Those courses often discussed strategy for taking the ACT. Two men were arrested Thursday afternoon after a police chase that started in Rossville and ended across state lines in Georgia. Police said they had put out a bulletin for a vehicle that was connected to several armed robberies on Wednesday. An officer spotted the car and after attempting a traffic stop the chase began. It began on Rossville Boulevard and then continued on to Chickamauga Avenue. The suspect eventually crashed into a traffic light near Highway 27. The driver remained in the car and gave himself up to police, but the passenger fled into the woods in Catoosa County. Police reported they found the fleeing suspect in a nearby home, near a shed, without incident. Police said they were also looking for a gun that may have been discarded by the suspect as he ran. The city of Collegedale has adopted an ordinance establishing registration and permitting requirements for all short term rentals, an industry that officials said "has a growing presence in the city." Collegedale officials said, "A short term rental is describe as a dwelling that is rented wholly or partially for a fee for a period of less than thirty (30) continuous days. Short term rentals can provide both economic opportunities and alternative temporary accommodation options for visitors. Collegedale is the latest city in Hamilton County to adopt standards for short term rentals based on legislation passed by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2018." The new ordinance, now effective, requires property owners to register and apply for a short-term rental unit operation permit. Initial cost of the permit is $300 and the property must pass an inspection by the city. The inspection helps to assure the unit meets or exceeds codes designed to provide safe lodging to guests. Each year property owners will be required to renew their permit at an annual fee of $100. The city of Collegedale will soon be sending notification letters to short term rental property owners that will inform them of the ordinance and encourage them to register for their permit. Property owners will have until June 3 to register. For more information on how to register for a short-term rental unit operation permit, contact Britney Hutto at 423-468-1967 or email bhutto@collegedaletn.gov. Three Cleveland State employees Sherry Holloway, director of Service-Learning, Dr. Barsha Pickell, dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and Dr. Michele Wollert, coordinator of Academic Advising and Transfer Articulation, and one student, Cassiopeia Blackburn, attended the Tennessee Campus Civic Summit at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. One of two community college teams among several from the colleges and universities in East Tennessee, CSCCs group explored civic engagement activities and how to encourage students political learning and voter participation. Jelks Law, PLLC has tapped womens advocate and attorney, Emily Ahlquist ODonnell, as their fourth hire in just as many years. Ms. ODonnell joins the growing Chattanooga-based boutique firm as a part-time contract attorney, assisting clients with a variety of real estate, nonprofit and business issues. The appointment comes in addition to her continuing role as executive director of the Womens Fund of Greater Chattanooga, the nonprofit advocacy organization she has led since 2017. Emily is a phenom, said Amanda N. Jelks, founder and owner of Jelks Law. Her legal acumen and community leadership experience make her a valuable addition to our firm. She is a major value add for our clients, and for me, as we expand our footprint outside of Tennessee. Ms. Jelks founded the firm in 2015 after practicing law for five years in a large regional firm. Since that time, Jelks Law has experienced growth providing legal business and estate services to residents of Tennessee - and now Georgia, as of a 2018 expansion. Ms. Jelks says Ms. ODonnells hire will increase capacity for the woman and minority-owned law firm, allowing them to not only serve more clients, but provide an even better experience for existing clients. Ms. ODonnell brings more than a decade of legal experience to the Jelks team. She earned her undergraduate degree in political science at The University of the South, and her juris doctor from Georgia State University, where she graduated with honors in 2008. Her legal and advocacy career began that year at Legal Aid of East Tennessee, where she practiced law for eight years as a staff attorney, representing clients in a variety of civil legal cases in General Sessions, Circuit, and Chancery courts in 12 Tennessee counties and the Tennessee Court of Appeals. Ms. ODonnell advised on legal issues in her subsequent two-year role as vice president of External Affairs at the Public Education Foundation, and her current executive director position at the Womens Fund of Greater Chattanooga requires a wide range of her legal skills, from drafting legislation to lobbying the Tennessee legislature. Ms. Jelks and Ms. ODonnell have crossed paths in the community for years, even outside of their legal work. Both were designated as a 20 Under 40 in 2017 by the Chattanooga Times Free Press in their annually published list of accomplished young professionals, both have dedicated service to nonprofit boards with similar missions supporting women, and both even had children in the same daycare center. Im excited to work with Amanda, said Ms. ODonnell of her new role. Amanda has a great reputation for excellent client service, which is very important to me, and she serves this community well. Im also excited to keep my legal skills sharp. I really enjoy practicing law; from meeting with clients, to reviewing documents, to trying cases in court. Im looking forward to all of it. Ms. ODonnell says her role as executive director at the Womens Fund of Greater Chattanooga will not change. I consider myself enormously blessed to be able to continue the important work of the Womens Fund, while also practicing law and serving the clients of Jelks Law, she says. Im always telling my daughters the only limitations they have are those they place on themselves; that all others can be overcome. By really leaning in to my professional passions of both law and advocacy in this way, Im turning those words into actions from which I hope my daughters will learn. Dual enrollment students in Cleveland State Community Colleges First Year Seminar (FYS) class at Cleveland High School are making a difference in their classmates lives through their service-learning project. The students decided to raise money to help their special needs classmates attend the Cleveland High School Prom on May 4 at the Museum Center at 5ive Points.I am very proud of what these students decided to do for this special project, stated FYS Instructor Jason Sewell.They really wanted to do something that would make a difference and the thought, effort and sincerity they have displayed has been awesome to witness.In the past, some special needs students have attended the proms, but the FYS students wanted to significantly increase the participation this year by making these students feel more welcome. The FYS students were divided into groups according to the project needs. Some of these included fundraising, marketing and promotions, as well as a recognition group responsible for surveying the special needs students to find out what type of award they would like to receive during the prom.The fundraising committee sponsored a Students vs. Teachers Dodgeball Game with a $1 entry fee raising $511, but they didnt stop there. They also set up a Go Fund Me account raising an additional $274 for a total of $785. In addition to special tiaras and crowns, the money will also help with the cost of corsages and boutonnieres, special awards during the prom, etc. Any additional funding will go toward any teaching/learning equipment and classroom material needs for the special education classes.FYS students also reached out to the Town Squire in Cleveland who agreed to donate some tuxedos, as well as the Prom Shop at Christ Community Church in Athens who donated prom dresses for the cause. Students were asked their favorite colors in hopes of finding dresses according to their preferences.CHS Student Alexia Hickey stated, We got in touch with a woman at Christ Community Church. Once she heard what we were trying to do, she told us they had a lot of dresses that people donate after their prom, and we could come and get them free of charge. Anything we needed, She was so sweet and let us have whatever we needed.In order to get the word out about the event, the students implemented many forms of communicationsending emails to the parents and creating flyers to send home with the students. They also attended two parent/teacher meetings to share information about the prom project with parents in attendance to encourage them to let their special needs students participate.FYS Student Lane Harris stated, We have had a lot of good feedback, both from students and teachers. Certain teachers have donated money, and a lot of people have supported what we are doing. They love the idea that we are willing to put in the effort to have them come to our prom and be recognized. We dont want them to just come to the prom, but feel welcome there.Tekeya Smith said, I learned a lot about myself from this project. I want to give back to others, not because they are special, but because they are human just like everyone elsethey are my classmates.For additional information or to make a donation to the FYS project, contact Alexa Hickey at ahicke01@clevelandschools.org. Current legislation that has passed in the House of Representatives and is being debated in the Senate, HB 1079/SB 971, would essentially criminalize voter registration drives by "enhancing election security." The bill would require training for groups that register more than 100 people while the State Election Commission would be granted authority to, assess a civil penalty to people or organizations that submit large numbers of deficient forms." Other requirements include submitting registration forms within 10 days of an election, and the banning of "out of state" poll watchers. It is important to note that on last year, the Pew Research Center ranked Tennessee as 40th in voter registration and 50th, dead last, in voter turnout. Nevertheless, these current devices employed by the Secretary of State and General Assembly are just the latest in a long history of disparate and discriminatory treatment that has been waged along racial, class and social lines for decades. Tennessee has a long and arduous history in terms of voter suppression and the disenfranchisement of African-Americans, minorities and the poor. After the passage of several federal statutes in the aftermath of the Civil War, namely the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, the Freedmen's Bureau Act and the Civil Rights Bill of 1866, Southern states partook in a fierce repudiation of African-American political autonomy, economic viability and civil status as they commenced a deliberate and systematic effort to deconstruct Reconstruction policies. Tennessee was not from exempt from these maladjusted and misaligned practices. It would be the first State to enact a Redeemer government which sought to strip these gains through breaking the coalition that had been forged between Freedman and progressive whites. Despite the fact that the Civil Rights Bill of 1866 had sought to strengthen the rights and liberties that had been afforded to those formerly held in servitude, numerous U.S. Supreme Court decisions would embolden Southern Legislatures to launch acts of suppression meant to disenfranchise black citizens. Amongst the most prominent of these legal rulings were the Slaughterhouse Cases (1873), infamously in Cruikshank (1876), the case which derived from the Colfax Massacre of 1873 that resulted in the deaths of nearly 150 black men, and in the Civil Rights Cases of 1883, which declared that only a governmental " state action," not individual discriminatory treatment, was in conflict with the Constitution. In the lone dissent, Justice Harlan would argue that the Court's decision to nullify key provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1875 was "narrow and artificial" based on the fact that it failed to recognize that Congress retained, if not the responsibility, then the explicit authority, to pass an act in order to protect basic and fundamental tenets of citizenship. He would write, "It is fundamental in American citizenship that, in respect of such rights, there shall be no discrimination by the state, or its officers, or by individuals, or corporations exercising public functions or authority, against any citizen because of his race or previous condition of servitude." He was right that as Black Codes became a widespread and accepted practice across the country, blacks had been relegated into a permanent underclass that was deemed as inferior, most profoundly in the areas of voting and representation. Several years ago, the Tennessee State Library and Archives and historians began an online website that can attest to this fact called, "This Honorable Body: African-American Legislators in 19th Century Tennessee," which is dedicated to the history and memory of the State's first African-American legislative officials. The very first was Sampson W. Keeble, who served from (1873-75). The last three black legislators of the 19th century to serve in the legislature were Monroe W. Gooden, Styles L. Hutchins and Samuel McElwee. In fact, McElwee, who at a young age had gained a national reputation as a great orator, would give an impassioned speech in protest of mob violence that occurred in 1887, in which he decried, Great God, when will this nation treat the negro as an American citizen, whether he be in Maine, among her tall pines, or in the south, where the magnolia blossoms grow? Ironically, in November of 1888, armed mobs and vigilantes would patrol the communities and streets of Haywood County as they sought to prevent McElwee from winning another term to the Legislature. After the vote, the mob allotted him five minutes to address his supporters and five minutes to flee the county for his life. African-Americans would have no other representatives in the General Assembly for nearly 80 years, until A. W. Willis Jr. of Memphis was elected in 1965. By 1889, the permanent disenfranchising of African-Americans would be complete as the legislature passed restrictive measures which included the Myers Law, the Lea Law, and the Dortch Law, in addition to a poll tax. According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia, "The Myers Law, named for Rep. Thomas R. Myers of Bedford County, required voters in districts or towns that had cast more than 500 votes in 1888 to register at least 20 days before every election." Two other voting rights atrocities also occurred in Haywood County. As chronicled in the Jim Emison book, Elbert Williams: The First to Die, Elbert Williams was a part of a burgeoning NAACP Chapter he had helped to found who were spearheading voter registration efforts. Prior to a local meeting of the branch he had planned on June 20, 1940, he was questioned and then abducted by several community members, including police officers. Three days late, his mutilated body would be found floating in the Hatchie River. Despite an inspection that was conducted by such notable figures such as Thurgood Marshall, no one has been indicted for the murder of Williams, who holds the distinction of being the NAACP's first known martyr. Likewise a reveling account on the importance of voting rights is illustrated by the story of "Tent City", and the brave stance undertaken by the poor black farmers and sharecroppers in Fayette and Haywood counties which included the much heralded team of John and Viola McFerren. In 1959, black residents formed the Original Fayette County Civic and Welfare League in order to spawn the registration of voters and push for economic empowerment. For merely exercising their constitutional right to vote, they would be brutally intimidated, coerced and evicted from their farms and homes and be forced to reside on a makeshift tent encampment until federal intervention and food supplies arrived several months later. The courage of the poor farmers and sharecroppers of these two counties is often credited as being one of those seminal events which contributed to the origins of the Civil Rights Movement and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which amongst other things established the right of the federal government to inspect the integrity of local elections and provided penalties for individuals who attempted to deny or abridge the right to vote. Voter suppression has affected Tennessee citizens young and old in more recent times, particularly during the implementation of the Voter ID Law. The nation stood in horror as they learned of the tale of then 96-year-old Mrs. Dorothy Cooper. Publications such as the Chattanooga Times Free Press and national media outlets such as Think Progress began to detail Mrs. Cooper's account. One day she arrived at a local election office with several required materials, save one, a marriage certificate. Mrs. Cooper had been twice married and never obtained a driver's license. She had not missed an election for 75 years. Despite this she was denied a voter ID. Thankfully, through her steadfastness and the advocacy of local citizens, she was permitted to vote several months later. The Voter ID law has also had an adverse effect on college students as well. Several students attending university in Nashville, including TSU and Fisk, have repeatedly challenged the rationale and fairness of Voter IDs since 2014. They have questioned why several state issued IDs can be used for registration, including gun permits, but not student IDs? They also countered arguments about replication and duplicity by noting that many states that border Tennessee permit the use of college IDs. In 2015, the Nashville Student Coordinating Committee would launch a federal lawsuit against the exclusion of college IDs as permissible forms of ID and have continuously advocated for their inclusion as valid forms of ID. Also, high school students from across the state, as part of the Tennessee Bar Association's CATALYST program, have crafted model legislation that would automatically register all 18-year-olds with a driver's license Therefore be it resolved, that the Unity Group of Chattanooga concurs with the opinion of dozens of Civil Rights and social justice organizations across the state, and a growing chorus nationwide, in denouncing this discriminatory and demeaning piece of legislation. Its very presence dishonors and debases the reputation and integrity of our great state. Its sole and primarily objective is to deny and abridge the right to vote. More productive measures to ensure voter effectiveness and integrity would be: (1) An expansion of early voting to include Sunday voting so that Souls may go to the Polls; (2) Automatic Registration; (3) Allow college IDs to be permissible during elections; (4) Fully restore the vote to formerly incarcerated persons; (5) Congress to restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act; (6) Ensure fairness in all Redistricting Processes. These are the true things that will uphold honor and integrity in our voting and democratic processes. As Justice Harlan noted in his dissent during the Civil Rights Cases, It is not the words of the law but the internal sense of it that makes the law. The letter of the law is the body; the sense and reason of the law is the soul." The internal sense of this law is one of malicious intent, discriminatory purpose, and just plain perfidious on a wide variety of levels. If it sees the light of day it will be regarded by history as having failed to lean towards the better angels of our nature. Yours in abundance, Sherman E. Matthews Jr, chairman Eric Atkins corresponding secretary, editor If youre a regular Blue Bloods viewer, one thing youve likely noticed is how accurate the show is. How do the producers make sure the series is authentic? Does Blue Bloods use real police officers? Heres what we know about how the show is made. How real police officers feel about the show Tom Selleck on the set of Blue Bloods|Mike Pniewski, Tom Selleck, Esai Morales. (Photo By Jeff Neumann/CBS via Getty Images Blue Bloods is generally well-received by real police officers. Tom Selleck told TV Insider he has been complimented on his portrayal of a New York City police commissioner. Law enforcement employees have also praised CBS on the networks social media accounts. Furthermore, a family of police officers told CBS New York Blue Bloods does a great job when it comes to accuracy. Its pretty realistic as far as showing the Wahlberg character, said police officer John Baumeister. The detective squad scenes and him talking to people and interviewing people, Id say thats pretty right-on accurate. Does Blue Bloods use real police officers? The Blue Bloods cast and crew go to great lengths to make sure the show is as accurate as possible. They accomplish this by consulting police officers to make sure everything is on target. Retired New York City police officer Jim Nuciforo is the shows technical consultant, reports AM New York. He worked in law enforcement for more than 20 years. Among the lessons he taught the shows producers is that police officers dont tell criminals to freeze. Instead, in a situation where a police officer draws his gun, Nuciforo says an officer would say, POLICE, DONT MOVE, he told the publication. Nuciforo told CBS 58 he takes time to comb through each Blue Bloods script to ensure the show is on point. Lets say [they receive] a 56-page script, Ill give them anywhere between five to 10 pages of notes on the script, just plugging in dialogue with more jargon, said Nuciforo. The former police officer pays attention to every detail. According to CBS 58, Nuciforo focuses on the accuracy of everything from where a lapel pin is located to how police officers on the show talk. He also meets with members of the New York City police department daily. The producers aim to get details of the show correct because they are aware former and current police officers watch the show. Fans love the Blue Bloods dinner scenes During an interview with CBS This Mornings Gail King, one question the host had for the cast is why fans love watching the Blue Bloods family dinners so much. The family dinners, Im always fascinated by that. When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, but people dont do that now. Do you think people like it so much because they do it and it resonates or because they dont do it and they want to? asked King. Selleck responded by saying he thinks its a little bit of both. Audiences like the dinner scenes because its something they wish they had and sometimes they are drawn to these scenes because it reminds them of what they used to do growing up. Heres what Selleck had to say: I think both. I think some had it and dont anymore, and some never had it and wished they did. I think mostly our culture doesnt have that anymore, he said. Read more: Blue Bloods: The One Character Most Fans Cant Stand Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! It seems like its been Meghan Markle vs. the media over the last year, with both sides having major reinforcements to try to win their side. On the media side, you have staid royal insiders who claim Meghan doesnt really fit British traditions, plus her seemingly fame hungry step-relatives. Meghans side is arguably stronger with many A-list celebrities standing up for her and criticizing the paparazzi for repeating their old Princess Diana ways. Just how effective are those celebrity warnings, though? A decade or two ago, hearing a warning from George Clooney about paparazzi dangers would have made the press wallow in shame. Nowadays, theres one big problem: The paparazzi are a new generation who look at Clooney as a barking grandfather. Many celebrities see whats really wrong Oprah Winfrey is showing her support for the Duchess of Sussex. https://t.co/5AWyDzXA5O Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) April 11, 2019 With Oprah Winfrey recently calling out media treatment of Meghan Markle, we have to wonder if they see more there than just a ravenous media wanting to cause controversy. In the case of Oprah, she may see a real racist bias there that could become dangerous over time. Maybe Oprah doesnt want to say so to disrupt things, but the world has already opened this Pandoras Box wide in the last year. Instead, Oprah confirms something many of Meghans defenders swear by: The latter has a warm, giving, and loving heart and only wants to do the best she can in her new royal role. While we all know no one is perfect, the public evidence clearly shows this positive side of the duchess, despite her step-family saying otherwise. You could suggest her family is working in conjunction with the media to try to smear her name. The question is, will the media listen to people like Oprah and George Clooney as influential people, or as older celebrities blowing hot air? Some members of the paparazzi probably didnt exist when Diana was alive The British paparazzi community is feeling a strong sense of scorn from Prince Harry https://t.co/9KvdRS3fHR Vulture (@vulture) April 17, 2019 Its still hard to contemplate that Princess Diana died 22 years ago. An entire generation has lived through those two decades, including current members of the British media being hired as young 20-somethings. Yes, its stunning to think some members of todays paparazzi were just glints in their parents eyes in 1997. For them, the death of Princess Diana doesnt have the same emotional impact it had for those who lived through it. Celebrities like George Clooney and Oprah may seem like grandparents warning their grandchildren about the dangers of life. These warnings may go on deaf ears, only because theres no comprehension on the reality of what could happen again. Princess Harry continues to show disdain for the paparazzi in Britain because of this lack of cooperation. Celebrities speaking up may not help, but more awareness will Prince Harry and Oprah Winfrey unite to create mental health documentary https://t.co/OmJApTGidD Tatler (@Tatlermagazine) April 10, 2019 The fortunate thing about this seemingly stalemate situation between media and Harry/Meghan is the latter are taking proactive steps to maybe repair things. Part of this starts with Oprah and Harry teaming up to do a documentary for Apples upcoming streaming service. Itll be a docu about the importance of mental health, a very long overdue concept from influential people. Lets hope this connects mental health with what Meghan has gone through and why the media process should stop to create some semblance of peace. This should also make effort to touch on mental health and the connection of online harassment, something Meghan still endures on social media. Maybe nothing will work with the paparazzi other than outwitting them Awareness about mental health and the connection to proper media treatment will likely feel like another lecture for the younger paparazzi. With them, careful strategy will be the only way to avoid any kind of disasters. From all indications, Harry and Meghan have an entire strategy mapped out to deal with them without causing direct discord. Even if British media doesnt like the couple being so evasive, it may be the only way to send a strong message beyond compelling documentaries or celebrity finger wagging. Well know whether it works once Baby Sussex enters the picture and causes a new media storm. Meghan Markles independent streak has been getting her turned down quite a bit at Buckingham Palace. Considering her average upbringing and Hollywood roots, its no surprise that she marches to the beat of her own drum. But does the controversial Duchess really get shot down more than her sister-in-arms, Kate Middleton? The jury says, most likely, but lets take a look at Markles recent troubles with adapting to the royal ropes. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry werent allowed to have their own court Since late last year, word on the grapevine was that Prince Harry and Prince William would be splitting up, their courts that is. There were plenty of feud rumors, so people couldnt help but fuel the fire. Well, as it turns out, the brothers are going their separate ways. But, the deal isnt as sweet as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had hoped. So what exactly did they ask for? They proposed to have 100% independence from the royal family. This would mean that their household wouldnt be connected to Buckingham Palace in any way, shape, or form. A source told The Sunday Times that Markle and Prince Harrys request fell on deaf ears. There was absolutely no way the queen could allow such independence. It would enable the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to do whatever they want whenever they want. By keeping them under Buckingham Palaces jurisdiction, it ensures they wont ever go, rogue. Now what that means in Buckingham Palace terms is up for debate, but the fact of the matter is it will keep the new house in check. The same source went on to say that the Sussex household requested total royal freedom. To be fair, thats a pretty big request, so its no surprise that the queen adamantly denied the proposal. While they havent been able to separate from Buckingham Palace, they have been able to cut ties with Kensington Palace successfully. Prince Charles takes away Meghan Markles tiara Prince Charles reportedly saved Meghan Markle from committing a fashion faux pas in Fiji https://t.co/Nx4IaJi0sx pic.twitter.com/KR6EZ164gT Yahoo Lifestyle (@yahoolifestyle) April 2, 2019 This isnt the first time Markle has been mixed up in a tiara mess! Last year there were rumors that she threw a fit when she couldnt get her hands on a specific emerald tiara from the Royal Collection for her wedding. It added fuel to the hate fire surrounding the Duchess, but others didnt buy the story so easily. After all, for Markle to be able to choose a tiara would mean she would have looked into the royal collection on her own time. Highly unlikely, but not improbable. The newest tiara drama has to do with a Fiji trip that was made last October. The Prince of Wales told the former Suits star that she couldnt wear a tiara to her first overseas state dinner. He feared that a tiara would be perceived as too extravagant. One source told the Daily Mail, Meghan did not understand all of this because she was new to the role and so Prince Charles told her that it would not be appropriate. It was very kindly done. It seems innocent enough: Markle made a request and Prince Charles advised her on the matter to ensure she didnt overstep. Prince William doesnt give his blessing to this potential baby name ODDS ON DIANA: Brits bet on name of Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's baby https://t.co/GTkCzN3GGt pic.twitter.com/JNtcvxPF3r Calgary Sun (@calgarysun) April 15, 2019 Being denied a lavish tiara and a world-changing exit from the royal family is understandable. But what about interfering in her baby name choices? Its no secret that the Duchess of Sussex looks up to Princess Diana. In fact, its thought that if her mother-in-law had been alive, she definitely would have had Markles back during a lot of her struggles. Sadly, it looks like the Royal family wouldnt allow Markle the opportunity to honor Princess Di in one of the sweetest ways possible. While the gender of little Sussex is unknown, Diana is a beautiful name that would be fit for a baby girl. Theres a big downside though. The name carries a lot of baggage that would equate to Markle making another controversial move, one that would definitely impact her childs upbringing. Thats not all though. Prince William would be furious if the name choice went through! He wanted to name his daughter, Princess Charlotte, after his late mother but opted out in respect for his father. In his eyes, since his father had remarried it would be taboo to make such a brazen nod to his late mom. Instead, he went with one of her middle names to pay homage. If Markle and Harry were to take the name, it would completely stomp all over his feelings. Considering the brothers arent attached at the hip anymore, Prince Harry could very well toss his brothers feelings to the side in favor of his wifes desires. Even still, he would have to convince the Queen and that would definitely be an uphill battle! Jill Duggar and Derick Dillard just made a major announcement on their familys blog. The couple and their two kids are making a change. And while not as dramatic as her sisters Jingers upcoming move to Los Angeles, its still a pretty big deal. The Dillards are building a new house in Lowell, Arkansas. And based on the photos that Jill shared, it looks like its almost ready for the family to move in. The home is closer to Jills family The family is making the move for a totally relatable reason. We are relocating to Lowell, AR, which is closer to family and more centrally located in Northwest Arkansas, the Dillards explained in the blog post. The couple explained that they started the process several months ago. The photos on their blog chronicle the process or building their new house, from images of the family posing with a sold sign in a vacant lot to snapshots of the family writing messages and Bible verses on the exposed wooden beams to images of what appears to be a nearly move-in-ready home in a brand-new subdivision. Some fans are wondering how they can afford a new home Jill Duggar Dillard and Derick Dillard in 2014 | D Dipasupil/Getty Images for Extra Other than the location, Jill and Derick didnt reveal too many other details about their new place. On Instagram, however, a few fans quickly began questioning how the family could afford a brand-new house. After all, Derick is in law school, Jill is a stay-at-home mom, and neither has appeared on Counting On for several years. I should become a full time student too so I can afford to build a new house, one person sniped. How do two unemployed people afford to purchase land and build a house?? I dont see how they could be eligible for a mortgage either, another wrote. Supporters pointed out that the couple may have money saved from when they were still appearing on TV and when Derick was still working. Others mentioned that Jill was likely making some money from Instagram. The house may not have cost as much as you think While building a new house from the ground up isnt cheap, it might not have cost Jill and Derick as much to build their home as you might think. In 2017, the median price of a new-construction, single-family home was $237,760, according to the National Association of Home Builders. But the Dillards live in Arkansas, one of the cheapest states to build a new home, according to GoBankingRates. The estimated cost of building a new home in that state is $162,662, making it the fourth-cheapest state for brand-new houses in the U.S. Dozens of new construction homes in Lowell are listed for sale on Realtor.com, with prices ranging from about $175,000 to $398,000. Of course, the cost of building a new home depends on a lot of factors other than its location. The cost of land, the square footage, the finishes, the landscaping, and other factors can all affect the total price tag. Whatever the new home costs, were sure the Dillard family will be happy in their new digs. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Get to know actor and activist Mark Ruffalo. How old is Mark Ruffalo? Mark Ruffalo is 51 years old. His birthdate is Nov. 22, 1967, according to Biography. About his age, Ruffalo said in an Instagram post, #lifeafter50 is as much about looking back as it is forward. Birthplace of Mark Ruffalo Born in Kenosha, Wis., to Frank Lawrence Ruffalo, a construction painter, and Marie Rose (Hebert) a stylist and hairdresser, Mark Ruffalo spent his teenage years living in Virginia Beach, Va., before they moved to San Diego, Calif., after he graduated high school. View this post on Instagram #TBT A post shared by Mark Ruffalo (@markruffalo) on Oct 25, 2018 at 5:56am PDT Mark Ruffalo | Instagram Ruffalos three siblings Scott, Tania, and Nicole all grew up to become hairdressers like their mom. Brother murdered Ruffalos younger brother, Scott, a successful hairdresser was murdered in 2008 at his home in Beverly Hills, according to the Huff Post. A toxicology report showed he had cocaine and morphine in his system but his cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. His case remains unsolved. Ruffalo spoke of the loss in a 2013 interview with Mens Journal saying, You never get over it; you just get used to it. Is Mark Ruffalo married? Yes, Ruffalo is married. He got married to actress Sunrise Coigney in 2000. Does Mark Ruffalo have any kids? Ruffalo and Coigney have three kids together, a son and two daughters. Has Mark Ruffalo won an Academy Award? No, but hes been nominated for an Oscar three times, according to IMDb. First for his performance in The Kids Are All Right in 2010, then again in 2015 for Foxcatcher, and finally in 2016 for Spotlight. Mark Ruffalo poses during a photo call for Thor: Ragnarok on October 15, 2017. | Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images for Disney All three times Ruffalos been nominated in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. What are Mark Ruffalos most well-known movie roles? Ruffalos most well-known movie roles include You Can Count on Me (2000), Foxcatcher (2014), Spotlight (2015), playing Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok (2017) and The Avengers film franchise (2012 present), 13 Going on 30 (2004), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), The Kids Are All Right (2010), View from the Top (2003), and Zodiac (2007). Ruffalo has his personal favorites based on an experience that hes really proud of. Every five years or so, theres some great thing that Im really proud of, an experience that Im really proud of, Ruffalo said. I stopped long ago putting too much emphasis on the results of how a film was going to be reviewed or what kind of money it makes. Those are important things, but as far as to my satisfaction, Ive really focused on the experiences. Ruffalo went on to name seven of his films. The Kids Are All Right (2010) is a special one; My Life Without Me (2003); In the Cut (2003), he said. What Doesnt Kill You (2008) is a really great movie that was little seen, but I think is one of my personal favorites. You Can Count on Me (2000), of course, and probably Zodiac (2007). Those are my top picks, as far as things that Ive done. Another one, We Dont Live Here Anymore (2004). Not the most beloved of movies, or widely known, but theyre the ones Ive had a good time making. Ruffalos brain tumor In 2002, Ruffalo found out he had a brain tumor, an acoustic neuroma to be exact. The tumor was benign and the actor underwent surgery to have the tumor removed. For a period of time following the surgery, Ruffalo experienced facial paralysis but eventually made a full recovery. When most people picture John Lennon and Yoko Ono, they imagine the pair ensconced in bed together as part of their Bed-In for Peace during the Vietnam war. Or they envision the couples iconic wedding picture where they stand together in matching white outfits looking every bit the part of young, in love, and full of hope for the future. Theres no denying that John Lennon and Yoko Ono had an intense and epic love story. But their union was also plagued by controversy stemming from the opinions of friends, family members, and strangers alike. Maybe love isnt enough to conquer all. Why was Lennons and Onos romance so controversial? There are several reasons. Their relationship began as an affair John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Susan Wood/Getty Images) John Lennon met Yoko Ono in November 1966 at a London gallery where she was exhibiting her work. Their attraction was instant and their love affair began shortly after that first meeting. Famously, Yoko Ono had no idea who John Lennon was and wasnt impressed by his fame in the least, even though by this point The Beatles were international superstars. But one thing that isnt discussed as often is how their coupling tore apart not one, but two marriages. Both Ono and Lennon were married when they met on that fateful night. I was very attracted to him. It was a really strange situation, Yoko Ono explained in a 2002 interview. Lennon sponsored one of her art shows and started dropping coded references sexual references about Yoko Ono into his music. The heart wants what it wants, and eventually Lennons wife Cynthia caught the two of them in bed together. The pair divorced and Oko became pregnant shortly after but lost their first son in a miscarriage. Did Yoko Ono ruin the Beatles? John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images No one can deny Yoko Onos dramatic influence over John Lennons entire life. The pair wed on March 20, 1969 and less than a year later, the Beatles broke up. Coincidence? Many fans say its not. In a way both John and I ruined our careers by getting together, Yoko Ono explains. Although we werent aware of it at the time. How did they do that? Well, for one thing Ono, an avant-garde artist, is responsible for encouraging Lennon to try more experimental music rather than sticking with mainstream hits. Unsurprisingly, this didnt go over well with the fans. Then there was the time commitment. Yoko Ono claims Lennon was obsessed with spending every minute with her, even following her to the bathroom so they wouldnt be apart for a minute. This new obsession left less time to work with the band and when the other Beatles confronted him about it, Lennon became furious and defensive. They didnt have a perfect marriage John Lennon may have loved Yoko Ono, but that doesnt mean he was faithful to her. Though Ono later admitted to setting up the relationship between her personal assistant May Pang and her husband, that doesnt mean their 18 month love affair was accepted by the public. John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Susan Wood/Getty Images The whole thing came about because Yoko Ono and John Lennon were fighting all the time and his possessive ways were starting to grate on his wife. Thats why she orchestrated the affair for Lennon to get him away from her and keep him happy. But then Lennon and Ono reconnected so quickly and dramatically that former girlfriend May Pang thought maybe Lennon was brainwashed. One year later, Yoko Ono gave birth to the couples son, Sean. Despite all their issues, theres no denying that John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a deep and enduring bond that carried on even after his tragic death in 1980. Ono is responsible for constructing Strawberry Fields in Central Park, New York as a way to honor her late husband and also founded the John Lennon Museum. Shes one of the reasons the memory of this famous songwriter will never die. It looks like entrepreneurship runs in the family. The Pioneer Woman star Ree Drummonds sister-in-law recently announced the grand opening of her own bed and breakfast. Heres everything we know about her new business. Ree Drummonds sister-in-law opened a bed and breakfast in Pawhuska, Oklahoma Pawhuska, Oklahoma was once a sleepy town, but ever since Ree Drummond set up her businesses and began filming The Pioneer Woman show, the town has been bustling with visitors. There will be even more activity now that Rees sister-in-law opened her establishment. The bed and breakfast is called The Oilmans Daughter and is located just a few blocks away from The Mercantile. The Pioneer Woman Mercantile Instagram account recently posted an announcement about the newest Drummond bed and breakfast: There are some really great B&Bs in Pawhuska, and we want to share the newest one! Oilmans Daughter was recently renovated by two sisters (one of whom happens to be Rees sister-in-law). The two sisters spent their childhood visiting their grandparents, who lived in Pawhuska. They both live in cities now but have been gravitating back to Pawhuska more and more to feel closer to the place that was once so much a part of their lives. Ree and Ladd got to see @oilmansdaughter over the weekend and have now nicknamed it Boarding House East because they love it so much. Its a beautiful renovation, with four bedrooms, gorgeous finishes, and touches that honor the original structure. You can flip through the images for more peeks. If youre heading to Pawhuska with your whole family or a group of friends, this is a super special place to stay. (Psst. Its just a few blocks away from The Merc!) You can find Oilmans Daughter on Air B&B (the link is in our profile). Grab your girlfriends and plan your Pawhuska visit this summer! How to book your stay at The Oilmans Daughter After looking at the pictures of this new bed and breakfast, we bet you want to reserve a spot here. If you want to stay at The Oilmans Daughter, you can make reservations on Airbnb. Expect to pay a minimum fee of $379 per night. If youre planning a group stay, there will be plenty of room at the newly renovated 1925 Craftsman home. The house accommodates up to eight people in four bedrooms. If youre one to get cold easily, you wont have to worry about chilly nights. There is an indoor fireplace and a backyard with a firepit. Reservations are filling up fast Ree Drummond|Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine Word travels quickly. Soon after the announcement was made, fans started booking reservations. If you want to stay at The Oilmans Daughter, youll likely have to wait a few months. One fan on Instagram expressed her disappointment. Looks so amazing. Ive looked for a time to book a room and there is nothing available for many months out. Is there another way we can book a room??? Thank you. You might want to start planning your trip now. Read more: All the Ways Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond Makes Her Money Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! The British Royal Family has had an extremely busy 2019 and it looks like the next few weeks are only going to get more hectic. Easter is approaching, Queen Elizabeth II will celebrate her birthday, Prince Louis will turn one, Prince William will visit Auckland and Christchurch in New Zealand, and Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla Parker Bowles are headed to Germany in early May. With packed schedules the biggest upcoming event for the British Royal Family is the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markles first child Baby Sussex. Markle has been on maternity leave since late March, and weve barely seen her at all. Apparently, the duchess is nesting at her new home, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor with her mom, Doria Ragland, as she awaits Baby Sussexs arrival. Since the little one will arrive any day now, will Baby Sussex share a birthday with Queen Elizabeth? When is Queen Elizabeths birthday? Queen Elizabeth II was born on April 21, 1926. This year, the queen will turn 93 years old and her birthday happens to fall on Easter Sunday. As is tradition Queen Elizabeth II will spend her birthday privately with her family after Easter Church service. The occasion is marked publicly by gun salutes in central London at midday: a 41 gun salute in Hyde Park, a 21 gun salute in Windsor Great Park and a 62 gun salute at the Tower of London. The queen also celebrates her official birthday in the summer with the Trooping the Colour which is her official birthday parade. Its pushed to the summer because April weather in London isnt exactly pleasant. When is Meghan Markles due date? When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they were expecting, the Palace only said that Baby Sussex would arrive in Spring 2019. However, in Jan. 2019 the duchess revealed her due date will be in late April or early May. At this point, it means the little royal will arrive any day now and that means that that the little one could very well arrive on Easter Sunday. Will Queen Elizabeth and Baby Sussex have the same birthday? Since Meghan Markle could, in fact, give birth at any time at this point, its possible that Baby Sussex could share a birthday with their great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. Still, the queen is not the only royal family member that Baby Sussex might share a birthday with. The little one could also share a birthday with Prince Louis, Prince William and Duchess Kate Middletons youngest son, who was born April 23, 2018. Prince Louis also shares a birthday with Lady Gabriella Windsor who was born April 23, 1981. Lady Gabriella is the daughter of Princess Michael of Kent, and she is set to get married Mary 18, 2019 at St. Georges Chapel. Did Meghan Markle already have her baby? Though its likely Baby Sussex could share a birthday with Prince Louis, Lady Gabriella Windsor or Queen Elizabeththere is also a rumor that Meghan Markle might have already given birth. After all, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have decided to keep the little ones birth private for a while. The Palace released a statement saying, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very grateful for the goodwill they have received from people throughout the United Kingdom and around the world as they prepare to welcome their baby. Their Royal Highnesses have taken a personal decision to keep the plans around the arrival of their baby private. The Duke and Duchess look forward to sharing the exciting news with everyone once they have had an opportunity to celebrate privately as a new family. However, since there is no fancy birth paper on display outside of Buckingham Palace yet, were going to assume that Baby Sussex is still hanging out in Meghan Markles belly. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Prince Harry and Meghan Markles royal baby is due any day now. And we cant wait to find out all the details, including gender, name, and whether or not the royal baby will receive an official title. Additionally, we cant help but wonder who will get to meet the royal-to-be first. Per the royal family rules, Queen Elizabeth traditionally gets notified of a royal birth first. And, shes even been the first to meet a royal baby. However, every situation especially as far as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are concerned is different. Will Queen Elizabeth be the first to meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markles royal baby? Find out, below. Queen Elizabeth could be the first to meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markles baby. | John Stillwell WPA Pool/Getty Images Who meets the royal baby first? Last week, Kensington Palace announced some details around Meghan Markles birth plan. And, while it strays from tradition, it wasnt a huge shock. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have made it clear that they hope to raise their child in as normal of an environment as possible, starting from birth. According to the palaces statement, their communications team wont announce when Meghan Markle is in labor (like they did with Kate Middleton) and likely wont pose for a photocall on their way home from the hospital. Instead, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have asked for privacy so that they can spend some time as a new family together before announcing it to the world. That said, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will, of course, welcome visitors from within their inner circle (including members of the royal family and possibly even some of Meghan Markles friends). Who will meet the royal baby first? Chances are, it wont be Queen Elizabeth. In some situations such as the birth of her first grandchild, Peter Phillips and the birth of the future king, Prince William Queen Elizabeth was the first visitor. However, that has changed for her great-grandchildren. When Prince George was born, his maternal grandparents, Michael and Carole Middleton were the first to visit the little royal. And, when Princess Charlotte was born, her big brother George was her first visitor. Prince George and Princess Charlotte also helped welcome their baby brother, Prince Louis into the world, too. Given their close relationship, its possible that Meghan Markle will either ask her mother, Doria Ragland to join her and Prince Harry in the delivery room. If she doesnt, Doria Ragland could be the royal babys first visitor. Additionally, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a close relationship with Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles and could invite them to visit their new grandbaby first (or close to it). Will Meghan Markle ask Doria Ragland to be in the delivery room? As we mentioned above, Meghan Markle is very close to her mother so much so that she could ask her mother to be in the room with her during labor and delivery. That said, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very private people and might also want to experience their first childs birth more intimately. When Kate Middleton gave birth to her babies, Prince William accompanied her in the delivery room and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge waited until after to introduce their bundle of joy to her mother (and father). Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could very well do the same. Check out The Cheat Sheet on Facebook! Many Sister Wives fans were seriously concerned when the Brown family packed up and headed to Flagstaff. Not only did they worry about how the move was affecting some of the kids, but they also wondered precisely how the plural family was planning to pay for everything moving forward. With four Las Vegas houses, three rental properties in Flagstaff, one purchased home, and a large plot of land fans were concerned that the family bit off more than they can chew. Their concerns have just been confirmed. According to Radar Online, the Brown family has failed to pay their property taxes to the city of Flagstaff on several properties. The property taxes that have not been paid are now accruing interest and are in danger of heading to auction. How much do the Browns owe the city? Radar spoke with The Coconino County Treasurers Office and found that the family owes $2,000 on a parcel of land that is in Kody, Robyn and Christines name. They also owe $1,990 on a plot of land listed in Kody, Meri and Jenelles names. The family also owes nearly $1,500 on a property in Flagstaff that was purchased for Christine. The home was allegedly purchased when Christine failed to find a rental that would accept her pets. What happens if the Brown family doesnt pay their property taxes? The Brown family may be in hot water with the city of Flagstaff, thanks to their property tax delinquency. According to Nolo, Arizona state law dictates how a city can deal with property tax delinquency. The legal experts note that interest will be added each quarter that property taxes are late. If they are not paid, a lien is placed on the property. If the taxes remain unpaid, the city can take possession of the property and sell it in a tax lien sale. During a tax lien sale, an individual can purchase the lien. The original owner has three years to pay off the lien to the new owner to keep possession of their property. During the three years, interest continues to accrue. If the taxes are not paid after three years, the holder of the lien can begin foreclosure proceedings. Why did the Brown family rush their move to Flagstaff? The plural familys money troubles are directly linked to the breakneck speed of their move. Kody insisted that the family pack up last summer and head to Flagstaff. They had nowhere to live when they began putting their belongings in moving boxes, and many fans questioned what the rush was all about. Fans have theorized that the quick July 2018 move was all for the benefit of Robyn and her oldest child Dayton. Many believe that Dayton wished to start college in the Grand Canyon State and Robyn wanted to follow him. By moving in July 2018, the family ensured that Dayton could start school while living at home in August. He graduated from high school in May 2018, though the family has never confirmed exactly where he is attending college. Why are the Browns having so much trouble unloading their Las Vegas Homes? There are many reasons why the houses might not be selling. Leaving four properties vacant in a small gated community could have turned buyers off, and the fame of the properties may be a red flag for some buyers, as well. Two of the four properties have been sold, but that still leaves to houses on the market. The Browns have significantly dropped the prices of their homes, but if they arent sold in the next month or so, they may continue to languish on the market. According to the Home Buying Institute, the Las Vegas real estate market is poised to outperform the national average in home sales in 2019 but has experienced a cool down. Traditionally, the spring time is the best time of year to list a house for sale, with March being the most active month for home sales followed by April and May, according to Homelight. Home sales cool down during the summer months and plummet during the winter. Divorce is never easy. Throw in children, intermingled business relationships, and high personal net worth, and it gets exponentially harder. Add on infidelity and there is the potential for a very messy divorce. Williams is focused on moving forward and creating the best life possible for her and her son, but her pending divorce puts a lot at stake. Williams and Hunter did not have a prenup At the time of their marriage in 1997, Williams was just eight years into her radio hosting position. She was still over a decade away from The Wendy Williams Show. Despite this, Williams revealed to VladTV in 2013 that at the time she discovered that Hunter was cheating on her the first time (when her son was just one month old) she had already created great personal wealth for herself. She had money and vacation homes, enough to be able to support herself. When asked by Howard Stern in 2013 whether she had a prenup, Williams told him no. She even acknowledged her husbands previous cheating during the discussion and confirmed that she would split everything 50-50. But Hunter had a different take. He told Stern, I might give her everything, start fresh. Williams and Hunter have one child together, Kevin Hunter Jr. Hunter was born three years after the couple was married in 2000. Since their child is over the age of 18, child support and custody will not be an issue that the couple has to worry about. Their businesses interests overlapped significantly It may be Williams name on the wall, but Hunter has been involved in every facet of the show from the very beginning. Hunter was named executive producer for The Wendy Williams Show in 2011. In 2013, the two formed the production company, Wendy Williams Productions, the production company that runs The Wendy Williams Show. Hunter has also been Williams manager for several years. The business relationship between the two has become so intertwined that it will be difficult to separate. Experts say that the couple may have to sell the production company and assets and split the proceeds. Show staff say the end is near or already here for Hunter Hunter has continued to work at The Wendy Williams Show since it was revealed that the couple was getting divorced, despite rumors that he is controlling and that his presence is toxic to the show. But according to sources closes to the show, it is only a matter of time until Hunter is shown the exit. A source told Us Weekly, staffers have expressed concern about their safety and Wendys safety and do not want to work with him, adding, employment at the show no longer makes sense. The Wendy Williams Show executive producer recently released a statement, saying in part: No matter what the outcome is or what the future holds, we are still The Hunter Family and I will continue to work with and fully support my wife in this business and through any and all obstacles she may face living her new life of sobriety, while I also work on mine. Should he wish to stay at the show, as his statement seems to imply, it is uncertain whether he could be forcibly removed. Williams filed for a no-fault divorce Williams and Hunter currently live in New Jersey. Unlike many states, New Jersey is a fault state, meaning fault can be assigned during a divorce. This means that if the court finds evidence that one partner was the cause of the divorce, they could grant a judgment that is more favorable to the wronged party. Surprisingly, Williams has reportedly filed for a no-fault divorce. This means that Hunters alleged affair and child will have no bearing on the case, should it go to trial. Williams decision to file for a no-fault divorce could mean that the talk show host hopes to settle the divorce out of court, or she may wish to handle the divorce as amicably as possible and does not want to throw mud. There is also the issue of alimony. Since Williams is the higher earner, she could be ordered to pay alimony to Hunter. Her decision to file for a no-fault divorce could be an olive branch to prevent Hunter from asking for alimony. If you are like every other royal fan, you are checking the news constantly throughout the day to see if there are any updates regarding the birth of baby Sussex. For the last few months, we have been hearing all about the babys sustainable nursery, vegan paint colors, and we have been watching Meghan Markle adorably cradle her growing baby bump wherever she goes. Recently, she let the world know what her birth plan would be, and as it turns out, it is very different from what we have seen in the past. Now, there is speculation as to whether the other members of the royal family approve. Always one to go her own way and stand by her beliefs, we are not too surprised by what Meghan and Harry plan to do, yet many people are wondering if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will offend the royal family with their chosen birth plan? What was Kate Middletons birth plan? Each of the three times that Kate Middleton was expecting a baby, the announcement of her pregnancy came fairly early on. This is because Kate was forced to cancel royal duties due to a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, in which an expectant mother suffers from extreme nausea. We also knew as soon as Kate went into labor, when she was admitted to the hospital, and when the baby was born. A few hours later, fans who had been lined up in the streets had the honor of seeing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge emerge with their new baby! Even the name was announced rather quickly, within days. Is there a specific protocol that royals have to follow? Not really. Basically, the only strict rule that must be adhered to is the fact that Queen Elizabeth II must be the first to be notified upon the babys birth. Other than that, nothing seems to be set in stone regarding royal births. While it is a tradition that royal mothers give birth at the Lindo wing of Saint Marys hospital, then take pictures on the steps with their new baby, Meghan is allowed to go another way. Technically, she is not breaking any rules by having a different birth plan. What is Meghans birth plan? Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, have decided to welcome their first child out of the public eye. There is even some speculation that the baby has been born already. The couple does not plan to announce when Meghan goes into labor, and we still dont know if she will be delivering at a hospital or at home. The Duke and Duchess are planning on waiting several days before they let the world know the happy news that Baby Sussex has arrived. As far as how long they will wait until they announce the name of their new arrival is anyones guess at this point. Will Meghan offend the royal family with her birth plan? Chances are, she will not. Meghan is known as a rule-bender, not a full-on rule-breaker. Queen Elizabeth II gave birth at home many years ago, so chances are, she is not frowning upon Meghan and Harrys decision to go their own way. In addition, everyone in the royal family is well aware of the fact that Meghan has strong beliefs and doesnt stray from them. They understand that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are embarking on one of the happiest and most special journeys of their entire lives, and they want to do it their own way. By choosing a birth plan that is more private, Meghan and Harry are doing what is right for them, and the royal family is not taking offense. Vietnam War medical veteran recalls role on USS Repose patching-up the consequences of combat Navy veteran David Griffith today. He wears his cap emblazoned with USS Repose, the hospital ship on which he served as an operating room technician during the Vietnam War, as a sort of greeting card. He said is regularly approached and is open to talking about his experiences. "Talking about it was the solution" to overcoming his experiences during the war, he said. On the morning of July 29, 1967, the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal was conducting combat flight operations on "Yankee Station" off the coast of war-torn Vietnam. Suddenly, at 10:50 a.m., a "stray electrical signal," a U.S. Navy investigation concluded, caused a rocket strapped beneath the wing of a fighter to ignite, sending it hurtling across the flight deck of the carrier. It hit the fuel tank of another plane, which exploded, causing volatile jet fuel to burst into an orange ball of flames. That explosion also caused a 1,000 pound bomb to fall to the deck, where it cracked open and began burning before it too exploded. Then a second bomb exploded, sending razor-sharp shrapnel and other debris flying in all directions. The explosion blew a gaping hole in the carriers flight deck into which burning fuel, water and firefighting foam flowed -into crews quarters located directly below. According to the Navy investigation, while fires on the flight deck were controlled within an hour, it took over 17 hours to extinguish the fires raging below decks in the ships tight spaces and passageways. When the flames and smoke finally cleared, the USS Forrestal Incident, as it came to be known, claimed the lives of 134 sailors and airmen and severely injured or burned 161 more. USS Repose To the south aboard the hospital ship USS Repose, Corpsman David Griffith was initially unaware of the catastrophe as his ship plied the waters of the South China Sea off the South Vietnamese coast in support of combat operations. The Repose was immediately escorted north under heavy security, where it met the crippled Forrestal off Da Nang. In addition to providing medical assistance to the wounded, the Repose took aboard the Forrestal's dead. The crew of the Repose, according to Griffith, emptied one of the ship's two substantial refrigeration units, which where then filled with body bags - an improvised morgue. The bodies were transported to Da Nang. Normally, Griffith said, the Repose would anchor some distance from shore to take on provisions and to conduct other ship-to-shore activities. Not this time. The Repose moored directly to the dock in the Da Nang harbor. "That was the only time we ever. ... "Griffith stopped to collect himself. "...That we ever moored at the pier." He and his fellow crewman watched as the body bags were unloaded. "I will never forget it," Griffith recalled. "I looked out and watched the ship's crew take those body bags out on stretchers one by one by one. Yeah, that was. ..." Griffith didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he simply said, "As far as specific casualties are concerned ..." and he again struggled to find the words. This from a man Cheney who had seen his own share of maimed bodies and death aboard a ship whose mission was to treat combat wounded Marines and others, day in and day out. Enlistment The son of a Nazarene pastor, Griffith spent a majority of his early life in Cheney. After graduating high school in Wenatchee, where his father had moved his family to tend to another flock, he attended college. He later enlisted in the Navy after depleting all his student deferments for the military draft. Seeing the writing on the wall, he wanted some degree of control over his military service that being drafted wouldn't allow. He was specific. "I didn't want to go into the Marine Corps," he said. Instead, he became a Navy corpsman. After training, Griffith shipped aboard the USS Repose in late 1966 and was assigned to the ship's malaria ward. But soon after he was offered an opportunity to become an operating room technician. He accepted, even though he had to extend his overseas deployment by six months. Mercy service Although the Repose mainly served to patch-up wounded Marines and other servicemen, it also served South Vietnamese soldiers and wounded civilians and children. Doctors would often go ashore when the Repose was in port for repairs in places like Subic Bay in the Philippines. There, they would hold health clinics ashore, and often treated civilians who needed surgeries or other medical care aboard the Repose. "It was just like a civilian hospital," Griffith said. "We did everything." But while cruising off the Vietnamese coast the ship's medical staff dealt with a constant string of surgeries on wounded serviceman. Medevac flights typically came in most frequently during the day, with only the most critical arriving at night. While estimates vary, over 153,000 American service members were wounded during the roughly 20 year Vietnam War; over 58,000 were killed in action, according to the National Archives and the Department of Veterans Affairs. "During the day it was it was one flight after another," Griffith said of medevac flights. At least until early 1968, that is. Tet Causality counts took an 11 percent jump when 1,928 Americans were killed in action in 1965. The death count continued to mount each year, peaking in 1968 at around 17,000. The beginning of that year was a turning point in the war that history generally remembers as the Tet Offensive. Late on Jan. 30, 1968, the work of Griffith and his medical colleagues took a drastic turn as the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong guerillas launched a large-scale, coordinated surprise attack on military and civilian targets throughout South Vietnam. "The casualties were coming in so fast for two solid weeks," Griffith recalled. "We could hardly keep up with keeping the floors mopped, keeping the blood off the floors, keeping the gurneys clean." The pace of causalities was so fast that Griffith said he felt like he was losing his mind. Some did, he said. Despite his Christian upbringing, he said he couldn't even pray. In a moment of reckoning he resolved not to let events overwhelm him. "Tet was tough," he said. The ship's triage area became so full that the wounded spilled into the ships passageways. Normally, there were breaks between surgeries. "During Tet there were none," Griffith recalled. "The triage space wasn't big enough to hold the casualties as fast as they were coming in." He paused to collect himself. "So there you are," he said. The shield Much is made of the effect on troops who experience direct combat. But there are many types of indirect war trauma as well. For Griffith, the effect of seeing and treating a constant stream of combat wounded, patching some together as best they could while others died on the operating table, took its toll. "I had to put up a shield," he said. "As difficult as it was, I had to put my emotional feelings aside from the horrific visual things that I saw." It took some time to dismantle that emotional shield after returning home, Griffith said, and to relearn the empathy he'd been taught as the son of a minister. "That shield worked too well," he said. "I saw that I began to lose my humanity. I lost the ability to feel the hurts and the fears of my fellow human beings." It took, he said, four to five years after his honorable discharge to regain that empathy. Lingering effects To this day Griffith finds it difficult to watch movies or documentaries related to Vietnam. "They bring up anxiety in me," he said War leaves wounds, both internal and external. Griffith is a 14-year pancreatic cancer survivor, a condition the Department of Veterans Affairs has attributed to secondary exposure to Agent Orange, a cancer-causing defoliant used extensively during the war to remove vegetation the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong guerillas used for cover. Marines and other casualties were routinely medevac'd with their contaminated clothing on, arriving on the Repose where medical staff were exposed to the carcinogenic agent as well. Griffith also suffers from hearing loss due to helicopter noise, which prevented him from finding work as an operating room tech as a civilian. "Which was a disappointment," he said. "That's what I wanted to do in the first place." All told, Griffith served 18 months aboard the Repose. After his honorable discharge in 1969, he landed a job with an insurance company as a medical fraud investigator. He was later hired at Lakeland Village, a state-run facility offering services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Medical Lake. He eventually retired from Lakeland. Despite his experiences, Griffith had nothing but praise for the training he received in the Navy that allowed him to work in the medical field for the rest of his life. Lee Hughes A letter and photo of Navy veteran David Griffith. The letter, dated Aug. 1, 1967, was written to his parents and outlines his experiences aboard the hospital ship USS Repose. "I'm so thankful for the Navy that put me in a career that was good for me," he said. Casualties of war But Griffith wasn't so enthusiastic about American leadership that continues to put the country's young people in harms way. "From my experience, we need to realize the real cost of going to war," he said. "Since the Vietnam War we've taken war lightly." He felt that policymakers need to take into account not only the physical, but emotional ramifications of those sent into war zones. "The casualty rate is 100 percent," Griffith said. "Either emotionally or physically, you are going to be a casualty. It changes you." In 2017 there were 18.2 million living veterans in the United States. Of those, just over 4 million had some sort of service-related disability - about 1 in 5 - according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 3 debates surrounding the crucifixion CP Reporter | 19 April, 2019 by Brandon Showalter The crux of the Christian faith is the cross. This is the moment in history where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, voluntarily laid down His life so that humanity might be set free from sin and restored to life, Christians have believed through the ages. Yet this pivotal moment that has so much meaning to believers in Jesus worldwide, God incarnate crucified, is fraught with vigorous debate about what exactly Jesus accomplished. Theologians have for centuries gone back and forth about the nature of the atonement how Jesus paid for sin and reconciled mankind to God and the particularities of what unfolded during the Jewish Passover more than 2,000 years ago, where Jesus, the Paschal Lamb, was sacrificed. Here are three misconceptions, historical errors or seemingly biblical but not specifically scriptural inferences about the crucifixion and the events surrounding the death of Jesus. 1. "The Jews" killed Jesus For centuries in church history, the notion that "the Jews," broadly speaking, were the ones who crucified the Lord has been a recurring anti-Semitic theme among professing Christians. It's also a myth. "It was the Temple establishment, not the Jews generally, who conspired with the Romans. Bad translations of John's gospel have contributed to this fake news," Gerald McDermott, Anglican Chair at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama, clarified in an email to The Christian Post Wednesday. McDermott is the author of Why Israel Matters: Why Christians Must Think Differently About the People and the Land. His most recent work is Everyday Glory: The Revelation of God in All of Reality. "The same word in Greek is used there for both 'Jews' and 'Judean leaders'Iudaioi," he said, noting that most English translations read "the Jews" when they ought to distinguish in most places in John's gospel and specifically say "the Judean leaders." Moreover, it is unlikely that the same crowd that shouted "Hosanna" on Palm Sunday cried "Crucify him!" later in the week, McDermott noted, adding that "the crowds who hailed him on Palm Sunday probably never switched their allegiance." "It was members of the Sadducean party and political hacks in the Temple establishment who were in the crowds that cried for crucifixion." The Sadducees and Temple establishment political hacks of that era are comparable to the party activists in Washington, D.C., whereas the Jewish populace is the regular residents of the U.S. capital, he explained, drawing an analogy. 2. Jesus went to Heaven or Hell on the day He died The hours between the moment of Jesus' death and the moment of His resurrection, known as Holy Saturday, have been subject to intense scrutiny over the centuries. In liturgical churches where congregants regularly say the Nicene or Apostles' creeds, Christians confess that after He was crucified Jesus "descended into hell." This phrase first appeared in the creed in the middle of the 3rd century. And yet, when Jesus is dying on the cross, one of the men who was hung next to Him appeals to Him to remember him when he comes into His Kingdom. Jesus then replies: "Today you will be with me in paradise." Read more from "3 debates surrounding the crucifixion" on The Christian Post. Evangelicals unveil statement on artificial intelligence, say the Church needs to engage Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment WASHINGTON Evangelicals have issued a statement of principles on artificial intelligence as the subject presents existential and theological questions posed by emergent technology. The statement, "Artificial Intelligence: An Evangelical Statement of Principles," which was released Thursday by the Research Institute of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, contains 12 articles touching on data and privacy, sexuality, the relationship between AI and humanity, and the future of AI and public policy. The document frames the subject in light of the Gospel. "Christians must not fear the future or any technological development because we know that God is, above all, sovereign over history, and that nothing will ever supplant the image of God in which human beings are created. We recognize that AI will allow us to achieve unprecedented possibilities, while acknowledging the potential risks posed by AI if used without wisdom and care," the preamble to the statement reads. "We desire to equip the church to proactively engage the field of AI, rather than responding to these issues after they have already affected our communities." Already the statement has received signatures from evangelical Christian thought leaders, leaders of Christian universities, seminaries, influential churches and advocacy groups. Among the signatories are Erick Erickson, editor of the Resurgent; Jim Daly, president of Focus on the Family; Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas; and Karen Swallow Prior, a professor of English at Liberty University. In remarks before dozens gathered, ERLC Creative Director Jason Thacker noted that artificial intelligence can aid in human flourishing but can also be among the gravest of threats to human dignity. "Nowhere in Scripture do you see the tool [of technology, AI] itself being condemned for being evil or bad," Thacker, who is writing a book on artificial intelligence, said. "It is human beings that are evil and sinful and broken." Developing AI technology can be good provided that it is utilized to glorify God and love one's neighbor, grounded in the understanding that every single human person bears God's image, he emphasized. "What we need are Scripture-formed Christians who are actually engaged on these issues," Russell Moore, ERLC president, said in an interview with The Christian Post after a panel discussion and presentation of the statement Thursday. "If Christians aren't engaged on these issues there is a void that is going to be filled by someone else with some other worldview." Asked specifically about the tendency some have to conflate artificial intelligence with transhumanism and the challenges that arise from an overtly anti-human ideology, Moore explained that he welcomes the questions that often come up about the meaning of life. "I think often we have people in the tech industry in local communities where churches are not able to talk to them or able to disciple them. Christians in the tech industry will talk to me about loneliness, not just personally but also just in terms of forming a conscience to think through some of the projects they are working on because they don't have a point of connection with other Christians." "When we see some of the frightening sorts of proposals that may be made in some areas, that ought to be an incentive to be more engaged. The first article in the AI statement says partly, "We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency." The fundamental premise of transhumanism, that consciousness itself can be replicated by machines, is flawed, Moore noted. "That doesn't worry me. What worries me are a whole variety of other technologies: augmented reality, sex robotics, and those sorts of questions that aren't addressed." Twelve years ago, Moore, as a professor, gave a final exam in which he asked seminary students to explore how they would approach sharing the Gospel with a person who identified as transgender. "Most of the students in the room thought this was a wild, hypothetical gotcha question," Moore said. "And I said, 'no, every one of you will be grappling with this issue.'" Christopher Benek, a Presbyterian pastor and founder of CoCreatorsTech, commended the ERLC for its efforts, particularly since few denominations attempt to address these issues. "My own denomination for instance, the PCUSA, radically defeated a proposed amendment to simply study issues of AI and automation at our General Assembly in St. Louis last summer. So I am happy to see evangelical churches stepping up to the plate where many progressive ones have not," Benek noted in an email to CP Monday. However, he believes the document is an "early iteration" of what is needed at the moment, that it lacks input from technologists, and is short-sighted on several themes. "For instance, with regard to automation, the best report in the world on this issue, by the McKinsey Global Institute, posits that by 2030 there will be 11-22% unemployment in the United States due to automation. To give some perspective, unemployment was at 25% during the Great Depression. With 57% of all U.S. churches being under 100 members and many of those struggling to afford pastors presently even an 11% decrease in giving could reduce the total number of American churches by half in just a decade," Benek said. "If the ERLC and the church universal dont see that as an immediate problem then we are missing the robotically driven boat so-to-speak. The questions that remain prominent are these: When society needs the church most in the coming future, will we be prepared to help? Or will we still be theologically posturing for the scraps of ecclesiastical power?" He concluded: "My prayer is that, together, we will have prepared to help others as Christ instructed." Joni Eareckson Tada used hospital stay to share Gospel Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Evangelical speaker and author Joni Eareckson Tada has shared a health update and revealed how she used a recent two-week hospital stint to share the Gospel with a number of nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors. On the Joni and Friends website, Tada shared how, on March 27, her husband Ken rushed her to the ER as she could barely draw a breath and had chest pain. The preliminary diagnosis was at first gloomy, but over time the assessment was much brighter, she said. Basically, over the many years, my chronic quadriplegia has put a strain on my heart and lungs. The good news is, doctors believe that with medication and with a more efficient way of breathing, my condition can be reversed. During her 14 days of hospitalization Tada said her assignment was straight out of Acts 20:24, But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus the work of telling others the Good News about Gods almighty kindness and love. When nurses and aides, respiratory therapists, and doctors asked how I was doing, I could say, Jesus gives me His peace. Its not as the world gives, so my hearts not troubled and Im not afraid, she recalled. Then, they usually got a pep-talk from Ken Tada, a Joni book and a Joni and Friends newsletter. Tada, a well-known advocate for those with disabilities, shared a photo of an IV drip attached to her arm alongside a copy of her 1976 book Joni. Yes, the photo is a little jarring, but thats life, she wrote. And Im not shy to say that when life is hard (and we see it all the time at Joni and Friends), God is so very good but we only discover how good when we get about his Acts 20:24 mission no matter where he places us. Even if its in a hospital for 2 weeks. She concluded: Thank you for your prayers; I am now resting on the residual intercessions still reverberating before Gods Throne! Many, many blessings (and a special blessing on all you who sent texts and emails, notes, and posted on Facebook I appreciated every encouragement)! Tada, who recently completed of a series of radiation treatments for a recurrence of cancer, was discharged from the hospital on April 9. In a Facebook update posted just two days later, Tada shared a photo of herself and her husband smiling in a field of flowers. Since we missed going on vacation during my hospital stay, Ken decided to treat me to a quick trip to the high desert to see the last of the California poppy bloom, she captioned the photo. Brisk wind, cold temps, but warm hearts filled with thanksgiving to God! Tada was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer eight years ago. After undergoing a mastectomy and chemotherapy treatment, she was declared cancer-free. In November, she underwent tests on a small nodule that had developed over the site of her mastectomy. After biopsies, doctors discovered a small cancerous tumor within the nodule. In an interview conducted shortly after Tada announced her cancer had returned, the popular speaker and author was asked if she was ready for Heaven. Yeah, she said in response. I think any Christian should be ready at any time. Of course, like Paul, Im torn. I dont want to face the rigors of radiation on a quadriplegic body, she continued. And I have to postpone pursuing options to address my chronic pain during chemotherapy. Its going to be a lot of discomfort in the next few months. Im a little torn like the Apostle Paul, but I would love to be free of the suffering and affliction. Tada explained that while she would love to be in Heaven, she believes its more needful for Christ that she remains on earth, as there are millions of people with disabilities who dont know Jesus. And thats why I show up at work every single day at Joni and Friends, she said. It breaks my heart to think the suffering a person in a wheelchair is going through is only an omen of even greater suffering to come if he doesnt know Christ. In addition to founding Joni and Friends in 1979, Tada has also served as a senior associate for disability concerns for the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, an adviser to the American Leprosy Mission, and the National Institute on Learning Disabilities. Helicopter to drop 30,000 Easter eggs at Illinois church: 'Sharing the hope of Jesus' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A large Illinois church will host an Easter weekend event on its property that will feature a helicopter dropping 30,000 Easter eggs. Metro Community Church, a congregation with campuses in Edwardsville and Vandalia with an average worship attendance of around 1,600, will host its second annual Easter Egg Drop event on Saturday. John Helmkamp, director of Operations at Metro Community, told The Christian Post that the idea for the event came from a member who offered to drop the 30,000 Easter eggs. We made several adjustments to the event this year based on the high level of interest and attendance last year, said Helmkamp. We added another age division, partnered with more food trucks, increased from 10,000 to 30,000 eggs, and added shuttled parking from a nearby school. The church decided to hold the event at their Edwardsville campus for the sake of better reaching out to the surrounding community. We chose to hold it on our property because its a great way for our community to get to know us, the heartbeat of our church and our campus, explained Helmkamp. We have built relationships with our community through events like this and witnessed changed lives and families when they meet our people, see the heart of Jesus, decide to visit a service, and begin a relationship with God. Sharing the hope of Jesus, through events like this is how we love our community well. In addition to the Easter egg drop, the event will also feature popular food trucks, many inflatables, and prizes for attendance, with the main prize being a ride on the helicopter. Some churches take issue with the idea of Easter egg hunts, seeing them as a secular or even pagan practice that should not be associated with the Christian holiday. Regarding these concerns, Helmkamp told CP that he believed Easter eggs, despite their background, can be used to bring people closer to God. The mission of Metro Community Church is to help people move closer to God, each other, and the disconnected. Every detail of our planning goes through the filter, How will this serve to connect individuals that are disconnected from God? Helmkamp explained. An Easter egg hunt relates to the Christian meaning of Easter when it becomes a place where everyone is welcome, judgments are banished, love is extended, and grace is delivered. In that capacity, a simple egg drop becomes a place where people experience the kind of love God offers. The incredible God stories that unfolded at Columbine High School Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Columbine survivors and their families are speaking out 20 years after two students entered Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and committed tragic acts of violence, killing 12 students, one teacher and inevitably turning their guns on themselves. The shooting at Columbine shocked the nation to its core. Survivors Craig Scott and Evan Todd two former students who were in the library of the school that fateful day appear alongside other survivors in PureFlix.coms After Columbine series, revealing what they saw and experienced during and after the traumatic event. WATCH: Explore Faith, Hope and Forgiveness by Streaming After Columbine I went to the library to study for a test during my lunch period and I was there with two friends, Scott said of his morning on April 20. I heard popping noises coming from outside the school. At first, Scott and Todd thought the sounds were part of a senior prank, but when a teacher frantically entered the library and told students to hide, they knew something else was happening. The shooters soon entered the library, where much of the violence took place. Scott recalled being terrified in the midst of the unimaginable event. I asked God to take away my fear, because I literally felt like my heart was going to stop beating, and in that moment I felt relief from my fear, he said, noting that he experienced something profound in that moment. About a minute later I heard a voice speak to me and told me Get out of there. Watch Scott, Todd and other survivors discuss how faith played a role during and after Columbine in episode one of After Columbine (watch the entire series at AfterColumbine.tv): Scott saw that the shooters left, so he stood up and yelled for everyone to exit the library. The students fled the room and just in time, as the shooters eventually re-entered. If I didnt listen to that voice, I think more of us would have been killed, Scott said. Todd, who was also in the library that morning, recalled praying during the attack, asking God to help him survive the ordeal. I was praying to God to let me live, to end ... what was happening, he said, noting that the shooters confronted and threatened to kill him. One of them kneels down and puts a gun to my head and he asks, Why shouldnt we kill you? Todd responded that he had always been good to people at the school, and for some reason the shooters spared his life and left the library; he was the last person to speak to them. Something happened in that moment that I still believe to this day wasnt my words, he said. It was something greater, more powerful. You can learn more about the hope that Scott, Todd and others have discovered over the past 20 years by watching After Columbine, a show that features the harrowing stories of Columbine survivors, family members, and others who were directly impacted by the tragedy. After Columbine transcends issues and headlines to explore how survivors of the Columbine massacre and their families coped in the wake of tragedy. Stream the series for free here. This article was originally published on Pure Flix Insider. Visit Pure Flix for access to thousands of faith and family-friendly movies and TV shows. You can get a free, one-month trial here. Billy Hallowell, author of "The Armageddon Code," has contributed to TheBlaze, the Washington Post, Human Events, the Daily Caller, Mediaite, and the Huffington Post, among other news sites. Through journalism, media, public speaking appearances, and the blogosphere, Hallowell has worked as a journalist and commentator for more than a decade. What Was the 'Crime' of Jesus That Got Him Crucified? Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Another Holy Week is upon us, beginning with Palm Sunday and culminating with Easter Sunday. It was "the week that changed the world." The week began in a humble, triumphant sort of way. That may seem like an oxymoron. Jesus was hailed as a king, but rode in on a donkey---a humble way to begin His public entry into Jerusalem. Of course, He was fulfilling what Zechariah the prophet had foretold about 700 years before. Dr. Paul L. Maier is a professor of ancient history emeritus from Western Michigan University. He is a terrific scholar on all things related to Jesus and the Gospels. In his 1997 book, In the Fullness of Time, Maier writes of Jesus' entry into the Holy City on the eve of the Passover on that very first Palm Sunday: the donkey "was the common beast of burden of the time, in contrast to the superior horse of gilded chariot used in Roman triumphs." The city was bustling and filled with people. Dr. D. James Kennedy notes this: "Josephus tells us that there were over three million pilgrims that visited the city on this occasion. 256,000 lambs were slain for the Passover." Of course, the climax of Jesus' entry was His death (on Passover) and resurrection. Why was Jesus crucified? What crime did He allegedly commit? Crucifixion was a horrible way to die. It was so bad that no Roman citizen could be crucified. It was an execution reserved for slaves and bandits. How amazing then that the Son of God become man would allow Himself to be so degraded by people whom He Himself had created. Crucifixion was invented in the Near East and perfected by the Romans. It was not uncommon for a crucified victim to suffer for days. Pontius Pilate was surprised Jesus had died in only a few hours---however, He had been scourged so horribly that He could have bled to death, had He been released after the whipping. The crucified victim had the crime he committed posted above his head. Crucifixion was like a living billboard---do what this fellow did and you too could end up like this. In the case of Jesus, we've all seen the crucifixes with INRI above His head. This stands for Iesus Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm, Latin for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, as recorded in John's Gospel. His "crime" was claiming to be a king, a treasonous act in ancient Rome. In a television interview I once conducted with Dr. Paul Maier, he noted that there were three phases of Roman history, beginning with the Monarchy from 753 to 509 B.C. The next stage was the Republic from 509 to 30 B.C. And then there was the Roman Empire from 30 B.C. to 476. Commenting on that first phase, Maier told me, "The first seven kings of Rome ended in a real tyrant. His name was Tarquin the Proud, and they didn't want another king throughout their history." Thus, after 509 B.C., the Romans eschewed the title "king" [rex] thereafter, despite having emperors who were far more powerful than any earthly king. Thus, Jesus' claim to be the King of the Jews was His death sentence. Maier adds: "[Rex] was a term of opprobrium. It was somebody who was trying to subvert the masses.... And that is the charge that the prosecution made, which really turned the case as far as Pontius Pilate was concerned." It's a tragic fact that in 2000 years of Christian history, there have been anti-Semitic professing Christians who blamed the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus. But the fact is that Jesus laid down His life as fully God and fully man, who alone fulfilled the Ten Commandments, on behalf of sinners---so that those who believe in Him might be saved. As Jesus Himself said, "I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again" (John 10:17-18). If there were any "crime" committed for which Jesus was dying, it was the crime committed by sinful people against our holy Creator. Christians believe that Jesus is the King, whose kingdom was foretold by Daniel the prophet about 500 years before He came, who said that in the "days of those kings"---which kings? The Roman kings---the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will smite the Roman Empire. It begins as a small stone but that stone goes on to become a mountain that fills the whole earth. Christianity began very small, but has grown to where about one-third of humanity claims to be Christian. And so during this Holy Week, Christians celebrate the coming 2000 years ago of the King, who came the first time in humility, who will one day ride a white horse as the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords. Jerry Newcombe, D.Min., is an on-air host/senior producer for D. James Kennedy Ministries. He has written/co-written 28 books, e.g., The Unstoppable Jesus Christ, Doubting Thomas (w/ Mark Beliles, on Jefferson), and What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? (w/ D. James Kennedy) & the bestseller, George Washington's Sacred Fire (w/ Peter Lillback) djkm.org @newcombejerry www.jerrynewcombe.com Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment On my recent trip to Verona, Italy to attend the World Congress of Families, I also took time to explore some historic sites and museums in this ancient city. For example, I visited the Arena di Verona, a massive structure only slightly smaller (but also older) than the Colosseum in Rome. There is also an amphitheater carved into a hillside, the Teatro Romano, with an archaeological museum adjacent to it. An arena or a theater for public spectacle and performances was just what I expected as a vestige of the Roman Empire. I was not quite as prepared for what I saw in the archaeological museum. Almost every artifact on display was an altar to one of the pagan gods of ancient Rome. They included pieces paying homage to: Saturn, Hercules, Diana, Jupiter, Mercury, winged Eros, the naked god Bacchus, and the goddess Fortuna (pictured). Of course, I knew intellectually that the ancients Romans were polytheists (worshippers of many gods). But it was still somehow startling to realize how seriously the Romans took their paganism, with shrines like these having an honored place in their homes. I think even non-Christians might have shared my reaction. That illustrates how deeply our own culture has been shaped by Christianityeven for those who do not actively practice it. In the Western world today, I suspect most people who believe in the divine at all generally believe in only one God, bearing at least some resemblance to what is portrayed in the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. To be confronted with the evidence of sincere, active, committed polytheism was startling. And to me, as a committed Christian, it was even disturbing. After visiting that museum, I had to spend some time in prayerand I wondered whether Italy values its Christian heritage as much as it does the Roman. I had my question answered (and my faith somewhat restored) the next day when I visited the Castelvecchio Museum. Located in a medieval castle, this museum featured an extensive collection of Christian art, much with biblical themes, that was absent from the archaeological museum. For example, a stone crucifix, carved by an unnamed 14th-century master artist, depicts Christs agony on the cross in a graphic way. The bulging ribs, the open mouth, the gaping wound in his side where pierced by a spearall these dramatically communicate the passion (as in suffering) of the Christ. (See picture above.) I found it deeply moving. Historically, in one sense, Christianity clearly triumphed over the paganism of Rome. It survived persecution, and with the conversion of Constantine, even gained worldly power. The Roman Empire eventually fell, but Christianity not only survived but grew to be practiced around the globe. Yet in another sense, the battle for the soul of Western civilization, and especially of Europe, continues. European politicians and bureaucrats have steadfastly refused to make even the most nominal reference to Europes Christian heritage in the organizing documents of the European Union. Yet there was far less hesitation about using a Greek myththat of Europa, a woman abducted and raped by the god Zeus disguised as a white bullas a symbol for modern Europe. A museum sponsored by the European Parliament apparently makes no reference to religion at allno Roman Catholic Church, no Protestant Reformation, nothing. Critic Arnold Huijgen writes that in the museum, The French Revolution seems to be the birthplace of Europe; there is little room for anything that may have preceded it. This leads me to the shocking news of this weeks disastrous fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. It is hard for an American to wrap our minds around the fact that this magnificent house of worship has stood for nearly half of the two millennia that Christianity has existed. Yet during the French Revolution, Notre Dame was seized from the Roman Catholic Church and turned into a Temple of Reason. Although France moved beyond the worst excesses of the Revolution, the ideology of the Enlightenment to a large extent supplanted active Christian faith as a guiding force, not only in France, but in Europe as a whole. The result has been a modern Europe that is far more secular than the United States. Thus, it was almost a surprise to see how deeply Parisians seemed to be grieving as they watched the cathedral burn, and how quickly French politicians and philanthropists alike pledged that it would be rebuilt. Let us prayin this Holy Week, as we remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesusthat the people of Europe will not only cherish this impressive physical symbol of Christianity, but will experience a rebirth of the reality of the faith it symbolizes in their hearts. Rev. Peter Sprigg, M.Div., is an ordained Baptist minister and Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The long-awaited Mueller report was released to the public yesterday. The reaction has been as partisan as we would expect. The presidents supporters and his critics are both using the report to claim vindication for their positions. Analysts are already speculating on ways the parties will use it in the 2020 election cycle. We should not be surprised by this polarized response. Our culture has jettisoned absolute truth and objective morality, claiming tolerance for all viewpoints as our highest value. But this goes only halfway: many demand that we tolerate their views but feel no obligation to tolerate ours. Years ago, a wise friend explained to me the three steps of political success: (1) convince people they have an enemy; (2) convince them that they cannot defeat their enemy; (3) convince them that I will defeat their enemy if they vote for me (or give me money, or do whatever I want them to do). In our zero-sum, for-me-to-win-you-must-lose culture, is there a better way forward? Columbine is now a category The twentieth anniversary of the Columbine massacre is this Sunday. On the morning of April 20, 1999, two teenagers began shooting fellow students outside Columbine High School in suburban Denver. They killed twelve students and a teacher and wounded twenty others before killing themselves. Tragically, Columbine has become not just a name or an event but a category. According to the Washington Post, 226,000 students have been exposed to gun violence at school since the Columbine shooting. At least 143 children, educators, and others have been killed in assaults, and another 294 have been injured. The threat to our students is clearly not over. More than 130 schools across Denver closed Wednesday as authorities searched for a woman reportedly obsessed with the Columbine massacre and deemed a credible threat to the community. She was later found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. School shootings have become so common that a support group, the Principals Recovery Network, has been formed to help principals whose schools experience such tragedy. Combining love and accountability How can the Columbine survivors and families of the victims best respond to Sundays tragic anniversary? The answer is relevant not only to their grief but to our polarized society as well. Jesus instructed us to love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you (Luke 6:2728). He also taught us to pray, Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors (Matthew 6:12). Does this mean that we do not hold people accountable for their sins? Absolutely not. When someone sins against you, you are to go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone (Matthew 18:15). If he will not listen, you are to take one or two others along with you (v. 16). If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church (v. 17a). If he refuses to listen to the church, he is to be removed from the community of faith (v. 17b). If the sin is criminal in nature, the state is to punish as an avenger who carries out Gods wrath on the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4). And the ultimate judge is God himself: Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord' (Romans 12:19). The Mayo Clinic on forgiveness According to the Mayo Clinic, When someone you care about hurts you, you can hold on to anger, resentment and thoughts of revengeor embrace forgiveness and move forward.Mayo reports that refusing to forgive causes us to become depressed, live in the past, bring anger and bitterness into every new relationship, and lose purpose in life. Of course, to forgive does not mean to forget. Those who survived Columbine can never forget that horrific day. Nor does it mean to excuse the shooters for their heinous crimes. Forgiveness means to release them to the God of justice and honor the dead by living faithfully. The same is true with regard to the political animosity of our day. Rather than identify people exclusively on the basis of party or position, lets see them as God sees themsouls for whom Jesus died. Our gracious Father calls us to be bold but also forgiving (Acts 4:31; Ephesians 4:31). He wants us to speak biblical truth with conviction but also to love those with whom we disagree (Ephesians 4:15). Full of grace and truth On the first Good Friday, Jesus prayed from his cross for those who nailed him there (Luke 23:34). He died for them and for us: He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5). Our Savior was full of grace and truth (John 1:14, my emphasis). Lets follow his example today. NOTE: Have you seen Biblical Insight to Tough Questions? Its our weekly YouTube series that tackles the challenging questions Christians face. This week, Im discussing how we know Jesus is the son of God. I pray its a blessing to you. Please let us know what you think by commenting on the video on YouTube. Originally posted at denisonforum.org Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Another Jesus What a joyous week this is as all of Christendom rejoices in the sacrificial death and resurrection of the Son of God, the Messiah, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! But did you know that there is another Jesus that the Scriptures warns us about? In fact, the Bible teaches that many of those who think they are Christians will be following the wrong Jesus this Easter Sunday a very serious error because the other Jesus cannot save them from their sins. The other Jesus is a cultural concoction of form, ceremony, idolatry, sin and deception. He is whitewashed on the outside, but inside, he is filled with dead mens bones (Matthew 23:27-28). In 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, the Holy Spirit warned that people would be teaching "another Jesus" (Jesus means Savior). I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpents cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preach, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel The Nature of Deceivers In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, the Holy Spirit warns of men posing as "angels of light" who come to deceive. Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. Such hirelings fill the pulpits of an astonishing number of churches, preaching immorality, selfishness, unbelief, greed and even worse. They are tares (weeds that look like wheat) among genuine wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). Not only do many follow a different Jesus, still others mislead many by proclaiming that they are the Christ - meaning the anointed one. In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus warned of false Christs who would deceive many.. Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Christ, and will deceive many..many will turn away from the faith. many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.(Matthew 24:4-5, 10-11) And in 1 Timothy 4:1, it says.. The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. The Indispensable Element of True Doctrine People today like to criticize the need for true or sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:8-11; 2 Timothy 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1). Many dont even study it, even though Jesus last command to His disciples was to teach the people to obey all that He commanded (Matthew 28:18-20). In 1 Timothy 6:3, it says.. If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, we read.. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. And in 2 Peter 2:1-3. There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed, these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. Humm stories that theyve made up sounds like much of what you see on the History and other channels. They invent ridiculously inaccurate and blasphemous versions of Jesus and His story - fiction that is usually aired around Easter so as to sow doubt into the minds of viewers about Jesus divinity, His atoning death on the Cross and the need to bow the knee to Him as Lord & Savior. So which Jesus will you be following this Holy week? It is vitally important that the Jesus you worship is the one true Jesus and not one of the concoctions of men and fallen angels. Worship the Real Jesus In John 4:23-24, Jesus said..... True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth. If you were to walk up to my friend Karl and call him David, no matter how much you wanted him to be David, it simply wouldn't be true. There is only one of my friends named Karl and he is defined by his own existence, being, history, DNA and personality. He cannot be made David by calling him David. Neither can Jesus. If someone has redefined Him, then it is not really Him that they speak of or worship. The Scriptures reveal a Jesus who is the Creator of the universe (Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:10; Revelation 4:11; 10:6); who is God (Colossians 2:9; John 8:57-59; Exodus 3:14-15; John 10:33; John 1:1,14; Hebrews 1:3,8); and the one and only Savior (Acts 4:12). He is the one who hung on that Cross 2,000 years ago and who rose from the dead to prove that He is God. He was endowed with a brilliant understanding of the Scriptures from a very early age, calling the Temple in Jerusalem His Father's house (Luke 2:46-49). He told the religious leaders of His day.. If you do not believe that I am the One I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. In other words, knowing Him correctly, following Him faithfully and worshipping Him truly are critical to being saved. To worship and follow another person is not the same and will not save you, even though you call him Jesus. The real Jesus reaffirmed the entire Old Testament (Matthew 5:17-20) even to the tiniest of letters and punctuation points. Yet, He did not condemn those who struggled with sin, provided they believed in Him, repented of their sins and followed Him. In fact, He came to die for them so they could be with Him in heaven. Being God and the only Savior given to men by God (Acts 4:12; John 14:6), and being sinless (John 8:48; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:22; 1 John 3:5), His death on the Cross was the only means by which we could be saved. He paid the penalty for the sins of anyone who would follow Him. Overturning the Tables There are all kinds of cults, religions, liberal denominations and special interest groups who have created another Jesus and who bow down to him (or her, in some cases). The real Jesus warned that if we do not believe that He is the one He claimed to be (God, Savior, Creator, upholder of righteousness, etc.) then our worship is not for Him but rather for a powerless facsimile that can save no one. Salvation and heaven are at stake in this matter of biblically sound doctrine, with its call to surrender to the true Savior of the world. You can read about His way of escape in what is affectionately called, The Romans Road (Romans 3:10-18, 23-24; 5:1,8; 6:23; 8:1; 10:9,13). Then respond to His invitation during this Holy Week to enjoy eternal life with Jesus Christ in heaven. Weekly briefing: Notre Dame fire, Mike Pence, Good Friday Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment We've compiled the top stories of the week. Here's what you need to know: Fire at Notre Dame Cathedral The burning of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this week left people around the world in shock as they saw parts of the iconic landmark disintegrate. The fire was extinguished within a day but the damage was severe, including the collapse of the spire. Treasured relics, including the crown of thorns, were salvaged and Frances residents have pledged a total of around $1 billion to rebuild the 850-year-old cathedral. Meanwhile, donations for three black churches in Louisiana that were set on fire in arson attacks recently finally began to pour in after former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged the public to also send some love to those churches. Students at Christian college dont want Mike Pence as commencement speaker Thousands of alumni and students signed an online petition, asking Taylor University to rescind its invitation to Vice President Mike Pence to speak at its commencement. The petition argues that Trump-Pence Administration's policies are not consistent with the Christian ethic of love we hold dear. Some, including evangelist Franklin Graham, were puzzled by the protest considering Taylor is an evangelical school and Pence is also an evangelical Christian. James MacDonalds nearly $1 million salary Independent journalist Julie Roys confirmed with a senior leader at Harvest Bible Chapel that James MacDonald, who was ousted as the senior pastor earlier this year, received $80,000 a month from the church. He also allegedly received an additional $1 million a year in discretionary funds. Harvest Bible Chapel said in March that in its review of finances, there was a lack of financial control and oversight as well as questionable spending practices made by the senior pastors office. Christians mark Good Friday, Easter This week marks the holiest week for Christians. Today is Good Friday, the day Christians remember the death and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as an atonement for human sin. Here are some interesting Good Friday traditions. Also, read some of the debates surrounding the crucifixion. On Sunday, believers will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen to our latest podcast on the end times: Authors reject pre-tribulation rapture Pray for A Christian teen in Pakistan who was recently rescued after being kidnapped and forced into an Islamic marriage New releases Movie: Breakthrough (April 17) Pilgrims Progress (April 20) Christian climate change campaigner among activists arrested during Extinction Rebellion in London A Christian minister was among the climate change activists arrested at Oxford Circus during the Extinction Rebellion that has brought parts of London to a halt this week. The Rev Sue Parfitt, 77, was arrested alongside other campaigners staging a protest at the busy intersection in the heart of the capital's shopping district on Thursday. She said she was prepared to be arrested if it brought the issue of climate change to the attention of those in power. "It has been such a sweltering hot day today. We have all been sharing sun cream and water but I would really rather be at home in the shade. The only reason I'm here is because this is an emergency and we must take action now," she said. "That's why I'm prepared to be arrested. If it makes people in power pay attention and it ends the suffering of climate breakdown it will be worthwhile." Rev Parfitt was at Oxford Circus as part of the Christian Climate Action group (CCA) who have joined in the Extinction Rebellion across central London this week. Members of CCA also spent Thursday washing the feet of members of the public and fellow protesters as part of the traditional Maundy Thursday ritual commemorating Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper. The foot washing was headed up by Rev Helen Burnett, an Anglican curate from London. She said: "Part of what Extinction Rebellion believes is that the climate catastrophe that we face is both spiritual and ecological, and that to reverse the effects of climate change we are called to fundamentally change the structures of the systems under which we live." Rachie Ross, a mother-of-three from London, was among the CCA members doing the footwashing. "The foot washing was a sacred space to engage, refresh and serve fellow rebels," she said. "It really opened up conversations and stories about why we are all here, stories of fear and courage and deep compassion for humanity. It was a very special time, kneeling to serve on Maundy Thursday." Marble Arch, Parliament Square, Oxford Circus and Waterloo Bridge have been occupied by protesters since Monday. The Metropolitan Police said over 500 people had been arrested and that officers' Easter bank holidays had been cancelled as it prepared for more protests over the weekend. Easter can give hope in the face of 'terrible deeds of darkness', says Prince Charles The Prince of Wales has spoken of the hope Easter brings him in the face of so much darkness in the world. Quoting the Gospel of John, Prince Charles said the Christmas messages of light shining in the darkness "come into their own at Easter" as he spoke of his desire to see an end to the "pervasive horror" of knife crime. In his Easter message, published in The Telegraph, Prince Charles added that events like the attack on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, could leave people feeling as if "darkness reigns". "Already this year we have seen some terrible deeds of darkness, from young people being knifed on our streets, to the slaughter of men, women and children while they were worshipping God," he said. "There are times when it can feel as if the light has gone out of the world and darkness reigns. "But Easter gives us hope. The attempt to extinguish the life and light of our Lord failed. Darkness was defeated by His overcoming death. Through His resurrection, His light continues to shine." He said one example of the light overcoming darkness was the actions of people who had "suffered the most terrible personal tragedies" but "turned their grief into action to help others in the most extraordinary way". He spoke of how he had heard such stories at a recent meeting he and Prince Harry had with people affected by knife crime. "Listening to those who have suffered from such attacks filled us both with immense sadness," he said. "But their determination to move forward and address the causes of such crime and to find solutions was, for me, yet another example of the light shining in the darkness." He spoke of his admiration for Gee Walker whose Christian faith helped her to forgive the killers of her 18-year-old son Anthony Walker in a horrific axe attack in 2005. The Prince of Wales also paid tribute to the response of Muslims after the "utterly appalling" Christchurch attack, calling it another "remarkable example of forgiveness" "Of course, those who commit such brutal deeds need to face up to their crimes through being brought to justice," he said. "However, very often it is not the punishment that brings them to their senses and changes them, but rather the extraordinary power of the forgiveness from those they have hurt." He went on to speak of his concern for people around the world being persecuted for their faith and said that Christians suffering because of their beliefs were especially in his prayers this Easter. "It is all too easy at this time, I know, to feel overwhelmed by the darkness, and by all that is going on in the world," he said. "It is truly devastating to know of the numbers of people of all faiths around the world who are suffering simply because of their religion." He continued: "I have been immensely moved and humbled by the courage and dignity of those I have met. "This Easter they are specially in my prayers as they follow in the footsteps of our Lord who died for his faith. They have impressed me deeply by their lack of bitterness and by their desire to return to their lands (some of them having managed to do so) to live in harmony with those of other faiths. "The Easter message, with its emphasis on the timeless and universal values of forgiveness and reconciliation, gives hope to us all whether we live by faith or not. It encourages us to look for and to celebrate those moments in our own lives and in our own communities when we see the light overcoming the darkness. "I wish you all a very Happy Easter." Faith minister vows to stand up for persecuted Christians The Government's faith minister has spoken of his commitment to protecting freedom of belief for people of all faiths and none. In his Easter message, the Prime Minister's Special Representative on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Lord Tariq Ahmad said he was remembering the millions of Christians around the world suffering for their faith as they remember the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus this weekend. He said the plight of persecuted Christians was an "important issue" and the reason for Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt's ongoing review into the level of support being provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. "Easter is a time of hope and renewal. It is a time for Christians of all denominations to come together across the world and celebrate with their families, their friends and their communities," said Lord Ahmad. "However, as we come together to celebrate Easter it is also a time when we remember the many millions of Christians around the world who suffer simply because of practicing their faith." He continued: "Let me assure you that as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief, I am absolutely committed not only to stand up for the persecuted, but also to protect and strengthen everyone's fundamental human right to practice their faith or belief, or indeed to have no faith at all. "And let us not forget, as we read in the Gospel of John: 'Dear friends let us love one another for love comes from God. "And in that spirit of love and humanity, from my family to yours, I wish you all a very happy and peaceful Easter." Mr Hunt launched his review into the persecution of Christians in January days after a bombing attack on a cathedral in the Philippines in which 20 people died. Open Doors estimates that the number of Christians being persecuted for their faith worldwide in 2019 stands at 245 million, up 30 million from last year. Launching the review, Mr Hunt said "freedom of worship cannot be taken for granted" and that Britain could use its global connections to "give a voice to those who don't have a voice". Adult website users will have to provide proof of age People visiting adultwebsites will soon have to prove they are 18, according to Government plans. The change will come into effect on July 15 and require visitors to adult websites from British IP addresses to provide their proof of age before being granted access. It is being implemented in a bid to stop children viewing harmful content on the internet amid fears that it is damaging their social development and mental health. However, the new rules are limited in their scope as they only apply to websites where more than a third of the content is adult or which operate on a commercial basis by charging a fee or earning revenue through adverts. People will also still be able to access adult websites by using a virtual private network (VPN) that conceals their origin. The House of Commons passed legislation on the rules last year but implementation has been repeatedly delayed due to lack of consensus on the age verification process. Acceptable ways of proving age include a PortesCard, a type of age verification voucher that can be bought from shops, or uploaded ID documents. New age verification services will also allow people to register with their proof of ID and enable them to log into adult sites using a 'token' that is stored in their internet browser. "The introduction of mandatory age-verification is a world-first, and we've taken the time to balance privacy concerns with the need to protect children from inappropriate content," said the Minister for Digital Margot James. "We want the UK to be the safest place in the world to be online, and these new laws will help us achieve this." Masterworks from the estate of Lila and Herman Shickman Two rare Spanish still life highlights from the collection of the late New York art dealer and his wife, which are touring to Madrid, London, Los Angeles and Hong Kong The top lot being offered by Christies in May is Still Life with Flowers and Fruit by Juan van der Hamen y Leon. Painted in 1629, the work depicts a Venetian crystal vase of flowers emerging from the shadows surrounded by woven baskets of fruit and vegetables and metal platters of pears and figs and is one of the most important Spanish still-life works to remain in private hands. Van der Hamen was born in Madrid in 1596, and descended from a Flemish noble family. Like his father, he was a member of the Archers Guard, a corps whose members were all from the Netherlands and dedicated to the protection of the King of Spain. His paintings helped to establish an enduring tradition for the still-life genre in Spain that extended through the 17th and 18th centuries. Van der Hamen's Still Life with Flowers and Fruit, which was last sold in 1969, will carry an estimate of $6,000,000-9,000,000. It is thus poised not only to break a world auction record for the artist, but also to become the most expensive Spanish still life ever auctioned. Shickmans connoisseurship provided him with the foresight to collect masterworks ahead of market trends Ben Hall As a dealer and trusted advisor to top collectors and museums, Herman Shickmans connoisseurship provided him with the foresight to collect masterworks ahead of market trends, says Ben Hall, Chairman of Old Masters at Christies in New York. As a result, the Lila and Herman Shickman Collection is a veritable treasure trove offering unparalleled quality. Sign up today Christie's Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe A month or so ago, I was interviewing novelist Bret Easton Ellis when he posed a question: Wheres the great millennial novel?As we Gen Xers are wont to do with important matters, we fumbled around with the idea for a bit before shrugging and giving up. But Ellis concern has stuck with me. Its not that millennials are incapable of writing very good, ambitious novels Karen Russells Swamplandia!and Elaine Castillos America Is Not the Heart come to mind. But millennials cant point to a widely recognized generational touchstone the way we Xers can: No Everything Is Illuminated, no Infinite Jest, no The Secret History not even an American Psycho. Millennials have plenty of dramatic material to work with. The generation whose eldest members are now on the verge of 40 have grown up with the rise of the internet and the cratering of the economy; global hyperawareness and Instagram narcissism; a workforce that all but mandates a college education, matched with crippling student debt; Yes We Can, then MAGA hats. The plots are there; all we needed, presumably, were the books. Not long ago, novelist Tony Tulathimutte suggested wed be misguided to think this stew of socioeconomic problems would lead to an all-encompassing tale of sexting, adulting and AOC. The generational novel, like the Great American Novel, is a comforting romantic myth, he wrote in the New York Times. But Tulathimutte suggests that millennials havent given up on a novelistic urge to explain themselves. Rather, theyve given up on the doorstopper social novel the billion-footed beast, as Tom Wolfe called it, that for generations stood as the model of an important work of fiction that captured the attention of readers. Because: What attention? Few single cultural figures carry even a hint of universal recognition anymore, and even fewer of those are writers; Netflix alone contains too many buzzy binge-ready shows for any employed human to reasonably keep up with. Amid all that, the appeal of literary fiction has been on the downswing: According to the Association of American Publishers, sales of adult fiction dropped 16 percent between 2013 and 2017. So perhaps its no surprise that younger authors, who now face a much tougher time breaking into the literary marketplace, might want to check out of the fiction business entirely. Tenacious ones seem to have recognized that checking out is itself a useful theme. Last year Ottessa Moshfegh published a marvelous downhearted novel, My Year of Rest and Relaxation, which is about exactly that walking off the job, escaping the worn-out apparatus of work and courtship and friendship and just switching off the lights and sleeping for months, taking grief and ennui and encrusting it in layers of drugs and irony so thick theyd qualify as geologic strata. Its like Im in hell, the novels narrator laments to her unethical psychologist. Hell? I can give you something for that, she replies. There are a host of millennial writers whose sensibilities you might call Moshfeghian well schooled in the tricks and tropes of writers from generations past, but busting them apart in the name of facing fear and anxiety in ways past generations papered over with satire. I think of Carmen Maria Machado, who in Her Body and Other Parties remixes fairy tales and Law & Order episodes in a surrealist, erotic, queer-positive batch of stories. Or Valeria Luiselli, who in her brilliant new novel, Lost Children Archive, poaches from the Modernists to develop a language to counter rutted narratives about the U.S.-Mexico border. Or Rebekah Frumkin, who in her ambitious 2018 debut, The Comedown, delivered a robust multigenerational tale indicting the boomers bumbling on race, religion and money. Or Sally Rooney, whose 2017 novel, Conversations With Friends, earned her the moniker great millennial writer thanks to its text-y, boozy rejiggering of the old-fashioned adultery yarn. There are others I might add to suggest that the kids are all right Angela Flournoy, Nathaniel Rich, Yaa Gyasi. But even as I keep extending the list, that attention problem shows up again: None of these writers are household names, not in the way a David Foster Wallace or a Donna Tartt became when they released their signature works in the 90s. And regardless of how you come down on the merits of these millennial novels, none of their authors fit the mold of generational spokesperson. That has little to do with selfie selfishness Luiselli is as expansive, outward-thinking a writer as they come but with how culture has changed, we just no longer have room for a novelist whos a generational spokesperson. The idea of a literary celebrity, once a part of Americas establishment in the 60s and 70s, became a mildly ironic concept in the 80s and 90s. Today its an oxymoron. But if that spares us a generation of bulky, over-earnest big books thats a net positive for the culture, if not publishers bottom lines. The decay of the old literary apparatus means millennials are free to redefine the terms of engagement for literary culture no more sober Updike-ian intonations on late-night TV, no more expectations for Great Man novelists whove figured it all out to appear on magazine covers. I suspect none of this will satisfy Ellis. His new book, White, is a set of personal essays in which he dismisses millennials as Generation Wuss and gets shirty about filtering culture through identity and not capital-A art. Maybe hes right to suggest that bright young artists today are less likely to distill their ideas into the centuries-old form of the novel. But it may also be that the diversity of the writers doing the work of writing great fiction reveals a need to reconsider what a great novelist is supposed to do, write and look like. Greatness is there its just operating on the periphery of where were used to searching for it. Mark Athitakis is a critic in Phoenix and author of The New Midwest. MONROE 1974 had been weird enough already. Americans were reeling from the energy crisis, Watergate and the resignation of their president. Then word leaked out of an exploding crucifix, flying furniture and a talking cat in a small home on Bridgeports Lindley Street. People wanted answers. In stepped Ed and Lorraine Warren, of Monroe. And the paranormal world changed forever. More for you Real Annabelle story shared by Lorraine Warren at Milfords... On Good Friday, it was announced that Lorraine Warren left this world Thursday night at age 92 perhaps joining her husband, who died in 2006 in a place more interesting to them. After all Ed, was a self-taught demonologist and Lorraine a self-professed clairvoyant and spiritual medium. On Thursday night, Nick Grossmann of Ghost Storm was leading a ghost hunting tour at the Twisted Vine restaurant in downtown Derby. I was with Lorraines niece, (Julie Zaffis-Marron) at about 9:30 p.m., when her phone completely died, Grossman said. That often happens when a spiritual presence is passing by. No one elses phone died. But when Zaffis-Marron got home, her phone turned on with 50 percent power, Grossmann said. I really believe the two incidents are connected, he said. Lorraine was clairvoyant. In 1952, the Warrens found their calling and created the New England Society of Psychic Research. Twenty-two years later, according to Ray Bendici in Damned Connecticut.com, Lindley Street in Bridgeport became the epicenter for one of the most documented hauntings in Connecticut History. Scary times The public already had an appetite for such things. The Exorcist released in 1973 was still terrifying movie audiences. And Lindley Street? Thousands began making pilgrimages to the site. Some carried religious artifacts while others brought cameras and binoculars hoping to catch a glimpse of the supernatural. Lindley Street put paranormal investigations on the map, said Rose Porto, lead investigator of Connecticut Spirit Investigations and Researchers, in Hamden. If it wasnt for the Warrens, I wouldnt be doing what I am now. Porto is investigating possible hauntings at a house in Milford and another in Hamden. On Feb . 23 she said, she confirmed that a friendly spirit called Ben who had taken up space inside Ramen-Ya, a Japanese restaurant in Berlin. While Porto said she never called Warren for advice just knowing she was still around was sort of a comfort, especially because she was local, Porto said. And if there was a paranormal issue or problem, who better to ask? Its a tremendous loss to the whole paranormal field. Grossmann said that because of the Warrens, paranormal and ghost-hunting shows now populate TV. To the Warrens, Lindley Street reeked of demonic possession, or at least a poltergeist. Even police and firefighters who entered the home reported unbelievable happenings. The homes address was 966 Lindley Street turn the first number over and you have 666. The Warrens called for an exorcism. Then police interviewed the 10-year-old native girl from Canada the family had adopted. She admitted to everything, police officials said. And by Christmas everything calmed down. But the Warrens went on, branching into books and movies. Screen legacy In 1974 they were called to home in Harrisville, R.I., where they claimed the angry spirit of Bathsheba Thayer was targeting the family. This became the story line behind The Conjuring , a currently popular movie series. The next year the Warrens were in Amityville, on New Yorks Long Island, investigating the home where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six members of his family. That turned into the Amityville Horror movie franchise. In 1986, there was the former funeral home in Southington rented by the Snedeker family, which the Warrens claimed was haunted by spirits of the dead allegedly abused by morticians. This made it to the screens as A Haunting in Connecticut. And there was the White Lady of Easton, who supposedly haunts the towns Union Cemetery and perhaps the Stepney Cemetery in Monroe, which is where Ed Warren is buried. But Joe Nickell, a former private detective and senior research fellow for the Committee of Skeptical Inquiry, doesnt buy any of the Warrens claims. Im the only full-time professional paranormal investigator who has never met a ghost, demon or poltergeist, even when Im supposedly just inches away, he said Friday. Things came to a head during a debate with the Warrens in 1992 over the Southington funeral home haunting, which was the subject of their being together on a taping of the Sally Jessy Raphael talk show. Harsh words were exchanged. Ive investigated haunted houses for some 20 years and Ive never met a house that I thought was haunted, Nickell said afterwards. I think the Warrens have not met a house that they didnt think was haunted. With both Warrens gone, Tony Spera, their son-in-law, now heads the New England Society of Psychic Research. The family requests that you respect their privacy at this time, the societys website read on Friday. Lorraine touched many lives and was loved by so many. She was a remarkable, loving, compassionate and giving soul. For any dog lover, it's heartbreaking to see helpless animals inhumanely chained to buildings or homes in terrible weather conditions. According to the the Texas Humane Legislation Network (THLN), police and animal control officers receive calls daily from citizens concerned about a dog being tethered by cruel means. But a set of bills is making it through the Texas Legislature could help put an end to the inhumane treatment of dogs statewide. Senate Bill 295 would make it a criminal offense if owners unlawfully restrained their dogs with chain leashes and do not provide adequate shelter for their animals. That bill recently passed the Texas Senate, according to Fox 26. SB 295, also known as the "Adequate Shelter and Restraint Bill" outlines adequate shelter as "a clean and sturdy shelter that allows the dog protection from rain, sleet, snow and subfreezing temperatures." The shelter must be large enough for a dog to stand, sit, turn around and lie down in a normal position, per the bill. DOGGY DATE IDEAS: The best day ever in Houston with your pup The bill also prevents owners from restraining their dogs with chains, a leash with a weight attached, or a leash that is not at least five times the length of the dog, according to the bill. "Our cruelty investigators regularly encounter dogs that have died from starvation and dehydration - especially in the summer months - after having twisted their chains or ropes to the point where they could no longer reach their food or water bowls," Sherry Ferguson, executive director of the Houston Humane Society told THLN. Once the bill becomes law, owners that are cited for violations could be charged with a class c misdemeanor. According to the THLN, the Texas Legislature passed a similar bill in 2007 to address tethering standards statewide, but it fell short when it came to actual enforcement. "The [2007 version] law...is unenforceable because no citations can be issued, only warnings," THLN stated on its website. "Because there has not been a single prosecution since the law's passage, it is time to fix this statute where citations can be issued before the dog's situation becomes a cruelty case." IN NEED OF A HOME: Dexter the dog was found covered in snake bites A new companion bill to SB 295, HB 940, would strengthen enforcement of the adequate shelter bill and is now under consideration in the House of Representatives, Fox 26 reports. That bill would strike the mandatory 24-hour warning period officers must give owners before being charged with a violation. "The mandatory 24-hour warning period prevents law enforcement from addressing critical and dangerous situations when they occur, leading to death, injury and repeat offenders," THLN stated on its website. If it passes the House, Governor Greg Abbott must sign the bill before it becomes law. If passed, they would go into affect September 1, 2019. Rebecca Hennes covers community news. Read her on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | rebecca.hennes@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The city of League City is hosting its first Water Smart Summit on April 27 to provide free fun for the family and educate residents how to properly conserve water. The event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon in the Home Depot parking lot, 3200 South Gulf Freeway in League City. The event has a superhero theme to celebrate the release of the new Marvel movie, Avengers: Endgame, and League Citys own Captain H2O will attend. Residents are invited to come dressed as their favorite superheroes and take photos with Captain H2O. They also can enter a costume contest for a chance to win a $100 Home Depot gift certificate. Orange juice and doughnuts that bear the image of Captain H2O will be available. League City is nearing a renewed water agreement with the city of Houston, city spokeswoman Sarah Greer Osborne said. Hopefully we will have a new agreement in about two weeks, which will include newer, larger pipelines and new facilities, she said. Osborne said the April 27 event will seek to provide water information and conservation tips to League City residents, many of whom may not know that their water comes from the city of Houston and the Trinity River. Tents will provide information about such topics as lawn watering, landscaping and mulching. For more information, visit its Facebook page. tyler.johnson@chron.com Cooler than usual temperatures are expected to lower electricity bills for U.S. households this summer. But higher electricity rates will eat up some of that savings as utilities pass along the cost of investments they're making to expand transmission and generation capacity. The Energy Department forecasts that the typical U.S. household will use nearly 3,100 kilowatt hours of electricity between June and August, a 5 percent decrease from last year. If the prediction turns out to be accurate, the nation would be on target to use the lowest amount of power per customer since 2014. Workers at DuPont's Bayport chemical plant in Pasadena have voted in favor of joining an engineers' union and will likely start contract talks soon, the International Union of Operating Engineers confirmed Friday. The plant workers voted 28-2 to become part of IUOE Local 564, which represents 2,100 workers in Texas. The vote comes as workers are nervous about the impact of the planned spin-off of DuPont from DowDupont on June 1. DuPont is the middle of a three-way split up of DowDupont after a multimillion merger of the two major chemical companies Dow and Dupont two years ago. DowDupont just completed the spin-off of its chemical company Dow Inc. April 1. The company will split off its agricultural division, Corteva Agriscience, on June 1 and DowDuPont will be renamed DuPont. "With the spin-off of with DowDupont, people are unsure about the future, so they want a contract," said Jason Turnmire, organizer with IUOE Local 564, which is now representing the Pasadena DuPont workers . "Nobody's certain what these corporations are going to do but it never hurts to have a say-so at the end of the day ... and to actually sit down and bargain." The Bayport chemical plant south east of Houston has about 50 workers and produces polyimide plastic film. In a prepared statement, a DuPont spokesman said, "DuPont respects the rights of its employees to make this decision for themselves. The Bayport site is operating under business as usual conditions and expects to do so as we continue to prepare for the intended separation as an independent company on June 1, 2019." The company declined to comment on how the separation from DowDupont would impact workers' jobs. An election on whether to unionize at the Bayport plant was held last week amid allegations from workers that the company was trying to interfere with their efforts to unionize. Plant managers actively encouraged workers to vote against unionizing and sent letters to employees' arguing that a union was "a bad idea," according to copies of the letter obtained by the Chronicle. The engineers' union has filed four unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board alleging the company made coercive statements meant to squash workers' attempts to unionize. Under national labor law, companies cannot interfere with unionization. The company declined to comment on those charges. EARLIER: Workers accuse DuPont of interfering with union When a union files for unfair labor practice charges that launches an NLRB investigation to assess the merits of those charges. Eventually if the NLRB does find merits to the union's claims that can lead to enforcement actions. The union can also withdraw the charges depending on the outcome of the investigation or it can seek to reach a settlement agreement with the company before the unfair labor practice complaints are heard in front of an administrative law judge. Jason Turnmire of IUOE said the union will likely wait to see the outcome of of an NLRB investigation before deciding on next steps to take on the unfair labor practice charges. Turnmire, however, added, "We have no problem doing what we need to do going forward to have a good relationship with the company." Meanwhile, once the outcomes of the election are certified early next week by the NLRB, the engineers' union will start engaging in contract negotiations with DuPont. The same union (Local 564) also represents Dow workers in Freeport and Texas City. The contract affecting about 600 workers at Dow's Freeport facility will be up for negotiations next year, Turnmire said. Houston foodies who purchased tickets to the sold-out Southern Smoke Spring dinner at One Fifth Mediterranean Thursday night couldn't have known they were going to bite into a thrilling new development in the city's restaurant scene. That dinner where guest chef, Bay Area superstar Chris Cosentino served them blue crab manicotti and whole roasted eggplant parmigiana, was something of a peak of more Italian goodness on its way to Houston. Cosentino, co-owner of San Francisco's celebrated Cockscomb, announced Thursday afternoon that he is opening a new restaurant in Houston's C. Baldwin Hotel, the DoubleTree by Hilton that is undergoing a multi-million-dollar upgrade at Allen Center at 400 Dallas. When the hotel opens in fall 2019, Cosentino's Rosalie Italian Soul will be the star attraction. Cosentino's first restaurant in Houston, Rosalie will serve Italian-American dishes inspired by his great-grandmother Rosalie Cosentino, a first-generation Italian immigrant whose foodways guided Cosentino to a career in cooking. STEAK NIGHTS: New high-end steakhouse coming to One Allen Center The 145-seat restaurant will feature classic Italian-American pasta dishes (including Sunday gravy, as Cosentino calls the traditional, long-simmered tomato sauce), pizza from a wood-fired oven, meatballs, simple salads, focaccia bread, hand-pulled mozzarella and mini timpanos, smaller versions of the laborious Italian goodie bag made famous in the movie "Big Night." No tweezer food, Cosentino said of his menu; this will be "old school, real food" meant to evoke "taste memories." His own memories are what's driving Rosalie. His great-grandmother, he said, grew her own basil and tomatoes, rolled out her own pasta and made bread and tomato sauce from scratch. "Rosalie taught me how to hand crank pasta," he said. "That was my job at her house. She would hand dry all the pasta on coat hangers in the kitchen. She had a full basement in her three-story tenement in New York filled with tomatoes that she jarred and canned herself. Everything was personal, and she did everything by hand. She's the inspiration for this restaurant and my inspiration for my entire career." That career has been formidable. Cosentino's resume includes Red Sage in Washington, DC., and Bay Area restaurants including Rubicon, Chez Panisse, Belon, Rubicon and Redwood Park. His 12-years at Incanto drew critical acclaim and after it closed he opened Cockscomb, a restaurant celebrating the food culture and historical cuisine of San Francisco. In 2017 he opened Jackrabbit in Portland, Ore., and then Acacia House in St. Helena in California's Napa Valley. He won Season 4 of Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" and is the author of "Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal" and "Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts." ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Alison Cook's Cajun caravan unearths some of Louisiana best crawfish joints He comes to the Houston table with business partner Oliver Wharton with whom he opened Cockscomb, Jackrabbit and Acacia House. The two are working with the restaurant's designer Kate Rohrer who used Rosalie's 1970s kitchen as a design inspiration. Cosentino made his announcement Thursday at Georgia James, Chris Shepherd's steakhouse. It was Shepherd, a good friend, who helped convince Cosentino to come open a restaurant in Houston. About a year ago Shepherd drove Cosentino around Houston for a visit "to see if it felt right." It did immediately, Cosentino said. "I've always been impressed by the diversity you have. There's nothing like it," Cosentino said, adding that the local produce and its nearly year-round availability is a chef's dream. "It's like Candyland. I can get everything I want and more." He said the farmers and ranchers here, coupled with the city's cultural diversity, is familiar: "It feels like California," he said. Not only does Cosentino have a friend in Shepherd, he also is buddies with chef Nick Wong of UB Preserv, who worked with Cosentino at Incanto. FLAVOR: Hungry for restaurant reviews and recipes? Get the free, weekly Flavor newsletter delivered to your email. When Rosalie opens in September, Cosentino said he will begin spotlighting Gulf seafood and local shellfish with dishes such as head-on Gulf shrimp fra diavolo and spaghetti with crawfish. Wharton and Cosentino already have assembled principals in their Rosalie staff, including hiring Annie Balest, formerly general manager of Tony's, as the new restaurant's general manager. Balest and Wharton worked together in Las Vegas, opening Jaleo for chef Jose Andres at the Cosmopolitan. Rosalie will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. The 20-story C. Baldwin Hotel is named after Charlotte Baldwin Allen, called "Mother of Houston," who was the wife of Augustus Chapman Allen who co-founded Houston with his brother John Kirby Allen. The 354-room hotel, the anchor of Allen Center, is being designed by Lauren Rottet of Houston-based Rottet Studio. Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture. Snakes send a chill down the backs of most people. But Kathy Sykes from Boiling Spring Lakes, North Carolina wasn't frightened when she came upon a venomous water moccasin. The registered nurse and budding photographer, out for a walk at the historic Brunswick Town, was excited after two women stopped to tell her there was a rattlesnake ahead on the trail. Cinco Ranch: Snakes are slithering in Houston thanks to warmer temps After Sykes spotted the snake near a fallen tree by a river, her excitement only grew. STAY IN THE KNOW: Get all the news you need to know to start your day This wasn't a rattlesnake, it was a 3-foot-long venomous cottonmouth that had just shed its skin, resulting in a vibrant change in its coloring. "Cottonmouths are usually muddy looking," Sykes told Chron.com. "This one was lighter and brighter than normal. It was beautiful." Sykes carefully made her way closer to the pit viper in order to take photos with her cell phone camera. In a Facebook post, Sykes shared the photos, noting that the snake was shaking its tail as well as gaping. "But I know about how far they can strike and stayed clear," she said. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Snakes are slithering into Houston thanks to warmer temps Sykes said the sighting was rare as after a moccasin sheds its skin, its eyes are sensitive to sunlight. "They're at a disadvantage and usually stay hidden," she said. Ultimately, Sykes said she wants people to know that these snakes are not necessarily your enemy. "People shouldn't kill these snakes just because they see them, she said. "He wasn't there to bite. He was minding his business and we just happened to walk up on him." Texas is home to 15 snakes that are potentially dangerous to humans, including venomous copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths and several types of rattlesnakes, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife. As a precaution, Texas Parks and Wildlife (TPWD) officials advise Texas residents to learn to recognize the snake species in their area, according to the Houston Chronicle. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The United States will be short 120,000 doctors by the end of next decade, according to the latest research from the Association of American Medical Colleges. That shortage will become permanent unless medical schools make the path to becoming a doctor a bit less arduous. Some medical schools seem to take pride in imposing a heavy emotional and physical toll on their students. Toughen up aspiring doctors early on, the thinking goes, so theyre prepared for long hours and high stress when theyre working in clinical settings. That thinking is outmoded and risks dissuading people who would make excellent physicians from considering careers in medicine. In order to graduate skilled doctors and enough of them med schools must invest more in their students mental and physical health. Its no secret medical school is challenging. It should be, of course. Students are learning to navigate matters of life and death. Classes and lab work demand long hours and significant intellectual effort. Students invest years of their time and significant sums of money. Given these challenges, it stands to reason that med schools should do all they can to help their charges succeed. At some schools, however, the academic culture is toxic. Students are expected to master material on their own; seeking help is seen as a sign of weakness. Nearly half of all medical students report having been publicly embarrassed by faculty, staff, or peers. One survey found that about half of medical students are suffering burnout that is, severe emotional and physical exhaustion. Many talented young people have taken note of these negatives and decided that medicine may not be the right field for them. The number of med school applicants has been flat for the past four years. Neither medical schools, nor a healthcare system desperate for doctors, can afford to see the pool of potential med students dry up. Medical schools can create a more supportive learning environment without sacrificing rigor. Some have heeded that call. The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine offers free mental health care delivered by a dedicated team of providers to its more than 900 students. Stanford Medical School runs a cognitive behavioral therapy program to teach techniques for reducing stress. Administrators have also set up an annual wellness survey specifically to identify and treat the problem of sleep deprivation thats all too common among med students. Recent academic research has chronicled the positive effect that institutional investments in academic and mental-health support can have on student performance. Weve acted on the findings from this research at St. Georges University. Our students work closely with learning strategists to navigate academic challenges. Small-group instruction and collaborative learning environments informed by the latest pedagogical research are the norm. St. Georges also offers programs on time-management, effective note-taking, and mock residency interviews skills students dont typically learn in the classroom. All Americans have a stake in improving the lot of medical students. Well need a lot more of them to address our doctor shortage. A healthier med school culture may also help diversify the ranks of physicians in the United States. The cutthroat status quo has yielded a doctor workforce thats almost three-quarters white. Less than 5 percent are black. Medical school should be tough. But it doesnt have to be miserable. By investing in support services, medical schools can boost student well-being and turn out better doctors. Glen Jacobs, DEd, is provost at St Georges University, Grenada. Former Conroe Police Officer Kenneth Barnett still remembers the day when he and his partner dashed to a busy bakery where a man was threatening to fire off rounds from his gun. Barnett was in the patrol cars passenger seat on that April 2011 afternoon as he hurriedly loaded his partners rifle, which killed the assailant who shot Conroe Officer Sgt. James Kelemen in the face. Not all of Barnetts days in his near 10 years working law enforcement have been this intense. The vigorous 77-year-old still welcomes the work, even if as a reserve law enforcement officer hes not getting paid for doing the work of a standard law enforcement officer. As he was approaching retirement age, he settled on being a reserve officer to express appreciation he said he gathered from being a Marine veteran and an international businessman. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity that I had in this country compared to everything Ive seen in other places. I was thinking, there must be some way, What can I do to show my gratitude? To give back to the community be of some assistance, Barnett said. He also wanted to be a part of the action. It got me to thinking. I began my adult life in the military. To me it seemed like that would be pretty cool to end my active adult life doing something like this, he said. Now working deputy duty at the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constables Office as a reserve unit sergeant, Barnett started out five years as a reserve officer with the Conroe Police Department. A Montgomery resident who owns and operates an agricultural chemical company out of Willis, Barnett had grown an interest with the deputy patrol service his neighborhoods homeowners association was contracting. He reached out to the Montgomery County Sheriff s Office, which invited Barnett to be a reserve deputy. Barnett went on to complete Lone Star Colleges police academy in December 2009. In Texas, the education requirements and the training requirements everything that a reserve officer goes through is no different than what a full-paid officer goes through, Barnett said. The academy class is mixed. Theres people there who are going to be a reserve. Theres people there whos going to be full paid. They go through the exact same classes, exact same instructors that are there every day. Actually no difference. As time consuming as the rigorous studying and homework were, all while he ran his business, Barnett managed to graduate valedictorian from the academy. He was hired by Conroe Police Department. Eventually, the reserve unit there was dissolved and Precinct 4 recruited him. Unlike at Conroe where everything was furnished, reserve deputies provide equipment for themselves, except for the uniform. In addition, they are only insured if there is a lawsuit filed against them in the line of duty. If hospitalized while working, the reserve deputies pay out of pocket, unless their personal health insurance covers it. There are currently 15 reserve deputies at Precinct 4, part of a deputy staff of 50. Two to three more reserve deputies are expected to join. Montgomery Countys five constable precincts have a total of 70 reserve deputies, according to county budget officer Amanda Carter. Precinct 4s reserve unit is headed up by Lieutenant Kevin Sapp, a reserve officer. Under his command are two sergeants, Barnett and reserve deputy T.J. Knox. Sapp, who often travels abroad as CEO of an industrial services company, manages a unit which regularly executes drug busts. Recently, he and Barnett had to fight off a repeat DWI offender resisting arrest. Different people do it for different reasons, Sapp said about being a reserve deputy. For instance, some people volunteer their time to build houses for the homeless. There are two different types of people who join the reserve unit, Sapp explained. Some, he said, are previously employed as full-time officers, while others, like himself and Barnett, have full-fledged careers. The reserve unit has that one common anchor point, which is law enforcement, Sapp said. We still have a desire to help people who arent in a situation to help themselves. When not working the street beat, many of the reserve deputies are a resource for doing security work at civic events like the Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo. This helps ease the full-time deputies workload. Part of our duty, as I see it, as a reserve, is we back these full-paid officers because they dont have any other backup out there, Barnett said. At least 70 percent of Precinct 4s full-time deputies began as reserves, since many join with the intent of being hired on as paid officers. Theyre there for that opportunity, Barnett said. Every reserve deputy, he continued, must undergo the same exact training as any newly hired full-time deputy. When open positions become available at Precinct 4, they are automatically allowed to apply ahead of external candidates, he added. Our reserve division is a phenomenal resource for us, Precinct 4 Captain Buck Clendennen said. No limitations are placed on the reserve deputies as they have a lot of experience. They bring a lot to the table, Clendennen said. On top of working a full-time job and a having a family, they support us by coming out here and putting a uniform on with absolutely nothing to gain other than doing the job. With all the activity within Precinct 4, Clendennen finds reserve deputies are particularly valuable as patrol partners to full-time deputies. At Precinct 4, there are three so-called pool patrol cars which reserve deputies share. If none is available when a reserve deputy arrives, then he or she will ride with a full-time officer. Clendennen relayed having a partner would have likely prevented him from multiple hospitalizations when he was patrolling. When we have an extra set of eyes and ears thats sometimes the difference between these guys getting home at night, he said. The reserve deputies supplementary work, he said, prevents Precinct 4 from requesting more taxpayer money. Im honored that they would show us they support us that way and put on our badge and uniform and not accept a nickel for what they do, Clendennen said. It has never been a concern among full-time deputies that their pay faces risk because of reserve deputies and pay at the precinct has not dropped with increases in the reserve unit, he added. These guys are always talking shop. Hey, what do you want to do this week? Where are we going to patrol this week? Whats a hot spot we need to hit this week? Clendennen said. He made special note of Barnetts contributions to the reserve unit and the precinct as a whole. Sergeant Barnett does anything and everything. The guy, hes a tool, man. I mean that in a good way, Clendennen said. On a breezy spring night recently, Barnett was on patrol, driving a cruiser through the streets of New Caney, doing traffic checks and pulling over violators. All of it alongside full-time deputies. No one would know the difference at stops where he and a full-timer were at work. Barnett is sure to defer praise to all the deputies at Precinct 4, reserve and full-time alike. All (of them) work hard. As hard as anybody works to the last (one), Barnett said. Empty Bowls is an effort to help feed the hungry in communities across the nation. Locally, Archway Gallery is lending its support to the effort. Archway Gallery, located at 2305 Dunlavy, will present various pieces representing different empty bowls. According to a news release, at Archway more than 30 finely crafted, one-of-a-kind bowls made of ceramic, wood, glass, and fiber will be displayed in addition to the work submitted by both 2D and 3D Archway Gallery artists. The Empty Bowls artwork may be purchased through the month-long Silent Auction with proceeds benefiting the Houston Food Bank. While the meeting hosted by the Harris County Flood Control District April 17 was meant to focus on flood bond projects for the Norchester and Prestonwood Forest subdivisions, dozens of residents instead raised questions about a property being developed in The Vintage. Community members surrounded a table manned by representatives of the county and BGE, the engineering company that conducted a drainage impact study on 51 acres of land being cleared for apartment construction at the southwest corner of Cutten Road and Vintage Preserve Parkway. An area that was used as a boat launch during Harvey, said Glenn Wilkerson, president of the Cypress Creek Cultural District and area resident. Land for the two proposed apartment complexes is at the confluence of Cypress Creek and Pillot Gully in northwest Harris County. Hurricane Harvey caused flooding in surrounding neighborhoods, businesses and the nearby Cypress Creek Cultural District. During the meeting at Cypress Creek High School, residents voiced common concerns about adding new development in an already flood-prone area. Chris Doherty with BGE said the first drainage study addressing this land was conducted in 2006. The most recent study from September 2018 was approved by the county in November. The study addressed drainage impacts of the planned development and reported that the proposed 51-Acre Vintage Park Development project has no adverse impact to existing flood hazard conditions for storm events up to and including the 100-year event. A development location map provided at the meeting indicated that Broadstone Vintage Park apartments, by Alliance Residential, would sit at the western end of the property. A senior residential complex called Vintage Park Senior Living, by developer Sparrow, is currently located in the tracts eastern section. The map also includes a detention pond planned east of the senior living development. The tracts middle section is labeled as future residential. According to the BGE drainage study, 13.8 acre-feet of fill will be brought in to raise portions of the site that fall within the floodplain. Most of the site is not in a floodplain, Doherty said, but some portions on the fringes of the site are. The criteria for developments require a one-part excavation for every one-part fill. Doherty said that this development would offset the volume of fill with about two times that amount in excavation. Were following the regulations with Harris County Flood Control District their PCPM manual and when were evaluating for the 100-year storm, the 100-year floodplain, were actually lowering water surfaces slightly and Im not going to say its a lot, just slightly a couple tenths of a feet, Doherty said. Robert Terrell with the Vintage Townhomes Home Owners Association, pointed out that the reduction would be relative only to the 51-acre property. Doherty agreed. Im not worried about the 51 acres, Terrell said. Im worried about the existing water thats coming down Pillot Gully. It has nowhere to go. It used to go left. It used to go onto that land. It doesnt go there anymore because you have an elevation height change and now its going to the right. Its going into CHI St. Lukes. Doherty said the drainage study analyzed the effects of 100-year storms on water flow down Pillot Gully. Were showing no change in that water surface elevation, Doherty said. Beth Madry, an area resident, asked about risks associated with building a senior residential facility in an area that may flood. Those residents may need to be rescued if stranded by another flood event, which can endanger peoples lives, she said. Matt Zeve, deputy executive director of the Harris County Flood Control District, said he asked BGE leadership about that same concern. To think about that exact question and know if they want to be involved in this development anymore, Zeve said. Zeve said he is trying to acquire the property for the Harris County Flood Control District. If successful, HCFCD intends to build a detention basin and would most likely use the remaining land for a public park or trail. The flood control district has been unable to speak with the property owner as of April 17. Im trying to get ahold of him so that he will give me a legal right of entry to do an appraisal so that I can make an offer and try to buy the land, Zeve said. Later by email, Zeve stated that he was referring to Alliance Residential. As of April 18, the Harris County Appraisal District listed the land owner as V&W Partners, which is a partnership between Kickerillo Companies and Mischer Investments, according to the Mischer Investments website. Tom McQuilling, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Kickerillo Companies, said that V&W sold property earlier this year and none of the land owned by V&W in that area is currently being developed. During the April 17 meeting, Doherty said V&W Partners still owns some of the 51 acres, but no development has been approved for that section. Alliance and Sparrows developments are on the western and eastern ends and V&W still holds the middle third of the tract, Doherty said. It is unclear whether both Alliance and Sparrow own the land associated with their respective projects. We are working to determine this, Zeve said via email. HCAD does still list V&W partners as the owner. HCFCDs Property Acquisition Department is working to verify this. As of April 18, Zeve said no land sale negotiations were underway yet. HCFCD is trying to contact Alliance, Sparrow, and V&W to determine if there is a possibility of a sale to HCFCD, Zeve stated. HCFCD has several projects in the pipeline for Cypress Creek, Zeve said, including more than 30 land acquisition deals. It will also host a series of meetings this summer to discuss drainage projects proposed for tributaries to Cypress Creek. A major construction project is also planned for Pillot Gully, which is scheduled for bidding at the end of April. A meeting to discuss the project planned for Pillot Gully will be held at Prairie View A&M University Northwest Houston Center, 9449 Grant Road, on Friday, April 29. After decades of supporting local law enforcement and connecting the community with local deputies, Larry Lipton was honored with the chance to help future law enforcement professionals reach their goal. On April 11, the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce surprised Lipton with the establishment of the Larry Lipton Law Enforcement-Criminal Justice Scholarship named on behalf of him during the Scholarship Luncheon. The scholarship will benefit students pursuing criminal justice and law enforcement-based degrees. Lipton is the chair of the public safety forum, a subsection of HNWCC that hosts meetings with law enforcement and public safety officials. Lipton was instrumental in the Renaissance 1960 program in 2007 and the Grow Northwest initiative in 2013, which mobilized the community to revitalize the area near FM 1960 and the northwest Houston area with more safety measures, economic development and branding. Mark Herman, Harris County Precinct 4 Constable, said Lipton has been a partner to local law enforcement for decades, citing the advice Lipton gave him when he became constable in 2015. Herman personally made the first donation to the scholarship in the amount of $500. He basically tells me every year what he feels I need to train my officers on, he said. I will forever be in debt to (him) and he is a true friend to not only my office, but all of law enforcement. Sam Harless, Texas state representative for district 126, formed a House resolution for Lipton, citing his consistent support for the community. HNWCC president Barbara Thomason read the resolution to the crowd. Whereas Mr. Lipton's enthusiasm for improving the quality of life in the FM 1960/Cypress Creek Parkway area, he's always been exemplary, she said. Along with his wife Diane, Mr. Lipton has been a prominent supporter of charities and cultural and civic organizations. Lipton thanked HNWCC and the board of directors for the honor in a Facebook post. Working with law enforcement from so many different departments and various community service projects fills me up, he said. Of course, everyone was brilliant in keeping the secret. Recently, the public safety forum that Lipton organizes hosted Lois Gibson, famous forensic artist for Houston Police Department, who presented her various sketches and experiences from her years as a forensic artist. Public safety forum meetings are held the second Thursday of every month. chevall.pryce@chron.com Fort Bend County sheriff's Capt. Cheryl Hillegeist smiled as she greeted a fellow corrections officer while walking past the holding cells in the jail. Another officer, whod just filed a report on female suspect hed arrested earlier, turned to Hillegeist, embraced her and cracked a joke. Twenty-seven years of that, Hillegeist said, as she and the officer laughed. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts, delivered to your inbox The 57-year-old detention division captain whos responsible for inmate processing and jail compliance has been a staple at the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office Detention Facility for more than 20 years, a career that began in the mid-80s at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice - known then as the Texas Department of Corrections. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: As jail population falls, Harris County extends inmate outsourcing contract as precaution Shes known to everyone in the jail -officers and inmates alike - and they often greet her as she strides through the halls examining details of the jail with her hawk-like gaze, looking for anything out place. Why is this here? Hillegeist asked an officer, pointing to a brown paper bag thats been left in the waiting area. Four years ago, Hillegeist became the first female to serve as captain in the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office after Sheriff Troy Nehls promoted her. Its an honor, Hillegeist said. Its always an honor to have been thought highly enough to have this position, because this is not an easy position. I grew up in this environment. I came into this environment when I was 22 years old. In the 21 years Hillegeist has been at the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office Detention Center, shes worked under two separate sheriff administrations, including Nehls predecessor, Milton Wright who retired in 2012. It was under Wrights tenure that a second tower was added to the jail to help ease the demand on beds. The additional tower increased the number of beds from roughly 600 to close to 1,800, said James Hines, Detention Bureau commander. The towers are connected by what the officers call a bridge that sits between the west and east tower, which are eight and six floors, respectively, Hillegeist said. The jail averages an inmate population of roughly 800, Hines said, noting that the average includes inmates held for other counties and those of federal authorities. The jail administration always maintains a ratio of 1-to-48 officers to inmates. On any given day, support staff and inmates will cook between 1,100 to 1,300 meals three times a day to feed the inmates, Hillegeist said. But one of most important changes in recent years has to do with the increase in the number of vocational and educational programs available for inmates, Hillegeist said. Deputy Gerald Wells oversees the programs for inmates, which include HVAC, welding, a GED class and an intro to computer class. Next month on May 7, the jail will launch an office skills classed aimed at female inmates, Wells said. One of the biggest hurdles in initiating the class was the lack of female inmates interested in taking it, Wells added. That was a real struggle, he said. The class, which is meant for nine inmates, originally had only three sign up, he said. In the coming year, jail administrators hope to add a horticulture class and a greenhouse for inmates who might be interested, Hines said. Jail programs are sponsored by community nonprofits and local religious groups interested in working with inmates, Wells said. The detention center has also been a leader in technology, Hillegeist said. Earlier this year, inmates began using tablets to communicate with their families, order from commissary, read books, listen to podcasts or music and take online video classes. Through a partnership with Securus Technologies, the Fort Bend County Sheriff Detention Center began piloting the personal tablets to its inmates, who must provide a voice print to the company to gain access to the mobile device, said Sgt. Bill Pailes. Inmates are then able to lease the devices for $5 a month, he said. Pailes said inmates also have access to recently installed video visitation terminals, a new feature at the jail that has eliminated most face-to-face visitation. Defense attorneys and families are still able to meet with inmates with prior notice to jail staff. Hines said the newly installed terminals and tablets are safer, easy to use and allow for families to visit with inmates more often. It also reduces the amount contraband brought into the jail, he added. It helps with their mental health, Hillegeist said. Jail can be such a lonely, isolating place. Pailes said the jail is looking into testing digital mail, where inmate mail will be electronically scanned at a third-party facility, digitized and made available to inmates via their leased tablets. Its just one more way that the jail can maintain staying sparkling clean, Hillegeist said. Thats the one thing we hear all the time, is that were the cleanest jail anyones ever been to, she said. michelle.iracheta@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. American Historian John Henrik Clarke once said that a good teacher, like a good entertainer must hold his audiences attention. Then he can teach his lesson, Clarke said. Two Katy Independent School District teachers do just that in their classrooms every day. The district, along with Brazos Valley Credit Union, recognized the efforts of Tompkins High School Math Teacher Matthew Rhodes and Sundown Elementary Reading/Social Studies Teacher Audra Olivia-Thamrin Gorsuch on Thursday at the Katy ISD Teacher of the Year Luncheon at the Merrell Center, where teachers from 68 Katy ISD campuses received acknowledgment for the contributions to education. Rhodes and Gorsuch held the highest honors and were selected as the district-wide teachers of the year, an honor bestowed upon them for their passion and dedication to education. Gorsuch, who is originally from California, said she was stunned and honored when she realized she had been selected. She went into teaching about 10 years ago, she said. I just started jumping up and down, dancing, hugging everyone, she said. Its amazing to be recognized for what you do. Its what you do every day. Its not more special than what any other teacher does. The hula dancer, who has a background in performing arts, said she loves working with children and just knew it her heart from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher. She said she inspires her children to learn in a fun way every day. I like to try new things (in the classroom), she said. I try to incorporate music and singing into my lesson plans. Were always trying to integrate technology and different projects and do group work together. Rhodes, an Angleton native, said the best part about his job is that he gets to work with many great teachers at Tompkins High School and added that he felt honored and blessed to be nominated for district-wide teacher of the year. Being a teacher is rewarding, he said. If I have the opportunity to impart something that Im carrying into a student, and change their life for a better, thats what I want to do, Rhodes said. Rhodes said he loves to make learning fun and interactive in the classroom, doing his best to get students interested in a subject many consider to be tough. Nine out of 10 people have been talked to negatively about math, even in their own family, Rhodes said. Its funny because we dont say that about English or History. I have taken that stigma and tried to change it to show people that its just the way I communicate, and it makes it a little better. Katy ISD Superintendent Ken Gregorski called teachers the heart of the district. And Ive told people for years as a principal, and now as a district leader, that quality of an education system cannot exceed the quality of its teachers, Gregorski said. It just cant. We count on our teachers to do good work every day. From luncheons, to awards and to campus-level events, the district recognizes the hard work its teachers do every day, Gregorski said. Gregorski said that not only does the district offer a competitive salary, but it provides it teachers with multi-level support with its programs, principals, assistants and administrators. I think its a premier school district, not only in the state but in the nation, he added. About 300 people, including teachers and Katy ISD administration, attended Thursdays event, said Yvonne Kirshner, CEO/President of Brazos Valley Credit Union. The awards event was previously sponsored by the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce, she said. Teachers impact (childrens) life, forever, Kirshner said, referring to the reason the credit union decided to sponsor the event. Theyre extremely valuable to not only the children but to the to the entire school and to the community as children grow and go on to further education. Next week, Katy ISD officials will recognize other professionals within the district for their contributions to education, a spokeswoman said. michelle.iracheta@chron.com The city of Conroe is moving forward with an update to its Comprehensive Plan to prepare for future growth in the community. According to Director of Community Development Nancy Mikeska, the previous plan was completed in 2006 and published in 2007. Mayor Pro Tem Duke Coon complimented the city staff on getting the process going. Its long overdue, he said. Mikeska said the changes in Conroe in the last 10 years have been remarkable. It is necessary to include that growth into our Comprehensive Plan in order for us to create the vision for the city looking forward to the next 10 to 20 years out, she said. The Conroe City Council approved a $285,000 consulting contract with Freese and Nichols Inc. in March. Long range planning is difficult and with this kind of growth even more so, therefore, the city has enlisted the help of Freese and Nichols as our consultants, to guide our process, Mikeska said. Mikeska said the plan will also have a comprehensive transportation component that the Goodman Corporation will assist the city with. Coon and Councilman Raymond McDonald will serve on the committee, along with key staff members, and the final plan will be approved by both the Planning Commission and the City Council. Mikeska said the plan will be a major undertaking for the city that could take up to a year. She added the city will kick of the process in May. Long range planning is critical to managing our historic growth and preparing for what is yet to come, Mikeska said. This is just another exciting thing happening for the city of Conroe this year. cdominguez@hcnonline.com After pushing for answers regarding lifting the tolls on the Texas 242 flyovers, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said Texas Department of Transportation officials have confirmed the county does not need the states approval to end the tolling. As for the debate of who would maintain the flyovers after the tolls are removed, Noack said he will have that answer by early next week. Following a contentious discussion during the courts April 9 meeting a motion to remove the tolls on the Texas 242 flyovers at Interstate 45 got little support and failed in a 3-2 vote. Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador, Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts voted against the action agreeing more information was needed from TxDOT on who would maintain the flyovers moving forward. Noack, who has consistently voted against tolling roads, and County Judge Mark Keough were in favor of lifting the tolls. On Thursday, Noack spoke with Quincy Allen, Houston District engineer for TxDOT, who also said that removal of the two Texas 242 flyover tolls would not affect the construction of a third flyover from Interstate 45 northbound lanes to Texas 242 eastbound lanes, assuming TxDOT and the county agree on the project. Noack noted Allen recommended that Montgomery County inform the Federal Highway Administration of any plans to remove the tolls. Noack said he does not believe the issue over flyover maintenance responsibilities will hinder the removal of the tolls in the very near future and expects to have a final answer from TxDOT next week before court. In a previous Courier article, Keough said the people of the county do not want the tolls and he supports removing them and allowing more traffic to access them to address congestion at the Texas 242 and Interstate 45 intersection. This is what they want, Keough said. I hear this all the time. According to information from Noacks office, Montgomery County has received $116,776,720 out of a total of $118 million of the original pass-through toll program revenue stemming from the 2005 road bond referendum passed by voters. In November 2019, Montgomery County will receive $17,443,300, which accounts for the final $1,223,280 of the original $118 million in the pass-through toll program, plus another $16,220,020 as the initial installment of the second phase of the program, which totals $56,473,000 to be paid by TxDOT over the next few years. These pass-through dollars must be used for mobility projects that are mutually agreed upon and beneficial to TxDOT and Montgomery County. That money can be used at any point or saved for a larger project. Noack is the only member of Commissioners Court to consistently vote for both the removal of Texas 242 tolls and against tolling roads in general. He hopes to work with current court members toward the permanent removal of these tolls. cdominguez@hcnonline.com A man died after being shot and crashing into an apartment patio early Friday morning in north Harris County. The man, in his 30s, was driving through an apartment complex in the 14300 block of Ella Boulevard, near Kuykendahl Road, around 2:30 a.m., according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. More postal employees were attacked by dogs in Houston than in any other U.S. city in 2018, according to a new ranking by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). While nationwide the number of dog attacks decreased by more than 500 from 2017 to 2018, with a total of 5,714 reported incidents, Houston saw an increase. Up from 71 dog attacks in 2017 to 75 dog attacks in 2018, the Bayou City ranks No. 1 on the list of 20 U.S. cities. Other Texas cities to rank are Dallas at No. 5, San Antonio at No. 6 and Fort Worth at No. 10. To reduce the number of dog attacks, USPS uses Mobile Delivery Devices, or scanners, to indicate the presence of a dog at an individual address. As well, "Package Pickup" applications ask customers to indicate if dogs are at their address when they schedule package pickups. This allows USPS to send alerts to carriers. Houston: Mail carrier accused of pepper-spraying barking dog charged with animal cruelty The release of the USPS national ranking coincides with National Dog Bite Prevention Week, which runs now through Saturday. The Postal Service offers the following safety tips to prevent attacks by dogs, according to the release: When a letter carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Parents should remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the letter carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture. If a letter carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office or another facility. "Our employees have been great at taking preventative measures against dog attacks, but they need help from our customers, too," USPS safety director Linda DeCarlo said in the release. "We are confident we can keep moving the trends of attacks downward, and ramping up overall awareness for everyone is the best way to do that." Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A woman allegedly set herself on fire Friday morning as Houston police tried to execute a murder warrant against her, authorities said. A grand jury this week indicted Janet Alexander, 69, after she allegedly killed her 64-year-old husband, Lionel Alexander, in April 2018. The Houston Police Department said that detectives and officers with the Major Offenders Division were executing the warrant on Alexander in the 9900 block of Valley Wind Drive off Tidwell Road around 10 a.m. when she set herself on fire. She was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in unknown condition. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox Charles Williams, who lives on the same block, said he heard a "boom" and came out to find black smoke filling the air. "I thought it was maybe somebody burning something or a car backfire at first," Williams said. "The whole sky was full of smoke." He said he's praying for the woman's full recovery. Her condition was not immediately clear. HPD INVESTIGATION: Body found under mattress at SW Houston apartment could be tied to missing persons case "That's a horrible way to go," Williams said. "I don't know what would make her do that." Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and helped paramedics pull the woman into an ambulance. HFD's arson detectives are working to determine how the fire started and are focusing their investigation to the house's garage, which is charred black from fire. They are also utilizing an accelerant-sniffing dog to assist them in their investigation. On April 27, 2018, Alexander and her husband had gotten into an argument inside the home on Valley Wind Drive that escalated to a physical fight, police said. During the fight, the woman allegedly stabbed her husband several times. Officers found the woman with several lacerations on her chest, and she was briefly hospitalized for those injuries, police said. Paramedics pronounced Lionel Alexander dead inside the home, while Janet Alexander was questioned and released while a grand jury mulled charges. She was eventually indicted on a first-degree felony murder charge for the incident. She faces up anywhere between five and 99 years, or life in prison, if convicted. 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 The Pasadena Police Officers Political Action Committee of the Pasadena Police Officers Union has endorsed a mix of incumbents and challengers for the eight council positions up for election in that city on May 4. The union is the largest of two labor organizations in Pasadena representing commissioned police officers and affiliated police support personnel such as dispatchers and jailers, chairman Eric Fickessen said. We based the endorsements on a review of the incumbents records on City Council, their relationships with us and support for local law enforcement, Fickessen said. We try to look at the challengers past records and expressed views and interests. The PPOU has endorsed the following candidates in the May 4 election: District A: Orlando Ybarra, a former council member who is running against incumbent Felipe Villareal District B: Incumbent Bruce Leamon, who is running against Steve Halvorson and Blanca Sanchez District C: Incumbent Don Harrison, who is challenged by Jaimy Blanco District D: Incumbent Sammy Casados, who is running unopposed. District E: Joseph Thomas, who is running against incumbent Cody Ray Wheeler District F: Sam Tijerina, who is running against incumbent Phil Cayten District G: Incumbent Cary Bass, who is running against Mary Vargas District H: Incumbent Thomas Schoenbein, who is running against Lori Laird. For the May 4 election, the group submitted mailed surveys to candidates asking their positions, and if they have served in office, how they had voted on issues the organization perceives to affect law enforcement in the city, Fickessen said. Fourteen of the 16 candidates who filed for the May 4 election answered and returned the surveys, he said. Fickessen said the union was formed in 1986 to give officers more of a role in talks with elected city officials is issues related to pay, benefits, working conditions, and equipment. According to Fickessen, most PPOU members are also members of the Austin-based Texas Municipal Police Association, which represents police across the state in criminal justice and legislative matters at the state level and provides legal representation to officers on the local level. Cypress Creek studies and flood-related projects after Hurricane Harvey are underway, local, county and federal officials said at an event hosted by the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerce on April 16. Houstons been getting flooded for a very long time. We always have to prepare for disasters and we have to do this in a very bipartisan way, said Congressman Dan Crenshaw. The greater Houston area has endured flooding for decades before climate change science demonstrated harsher weather patterns. At the federal level, Crenshaw told Spring and north Houston residents about changes being made to rules from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Housing and Urban Development to help get funding to residents whose homes were damaged by flooding. Theres bipartisan efforts to change how FEMA works or, more importantly, change how relief funding trickles down to us down here. Right now it not only goes to FEMA, but theres a dozen other agencies. When that happens, it creates problems, Crenshaw said. A flood warning system and flood tunnels are among some of the projects under consideration as well. A $2.5 billion bond, which voters approved in August to fund flood mitigation projects, would also be used toward home buyouts and improvements to Harris Countys watersheds, with approximately $3 billion in federal aid expected to arrive to fund more projects. At the state level, the two bills being considered by both the house and senate chambers of the Texas legislature are HB13 and SB7, which would relate to planning and funding flood mitigation projects. This is a major, major priority for our state legislature. They deserve our support, our encouragement as it continues to go forward, said Al Haines, chair of the Houston Northwest Chamber of Commerces flood task force. As the neighborhoods along Cypress Creek in Spring, Klein and Cypress are in unincorporated areas of Harris County, the development standards are not as stringent as cities, he said. At the county level, the Harris County Flood Control District has been working on flood mitigation projects along Cypress Creek. A channel known as K129 located south of Cypresswood Drive between Ella Blvd. and Kuykendahl Road has been under construction, said Matt Zeve, director of operations for the flood control district. Were completely rebuilding that channel. Its a concrete lined channel. Its under construction right now, he said. Among the other projects are spending over $1 million in debris removal from Cypress Creek to have it at full capacity creating, possibly creating a detention pond between Little Cypress and Cypress Creeks, as well as updating an engineering investigation from the Texas Water Development Board that was originally done in 2003 on nine watersheds that empty into Cypress Creek. The flood control district is also in the process of obtaining more than 30 right-of-way properties along the creek. We are trying to go out and buy a lot of right of way all along Cypress Creek for us to build projects and preserve the floodplain, Zeve said. The flood control districts work has had a lot of community interest. Since Harvey, more residents have informed the flood control district about the watersheds within the county, he said. Everyone is very vigilant about whats going on in their neighborhoods along the bayous. Before, people would ride their bikes and not even notice they were there. Now when people call us all the time and say somethings in the bayou, the water came up faster than it usually does, so people are paying attention, he said. In northwest Harris County, residents have informed the flood control district about a property along Vintage Parkway and Cutten Road that is expected to be developed by Alliance Properties. Residents said they were concerned about potential flooding impact the development could have on neighboring subdivisions. Zeve said the development has been in the works since before Harvey and will have a detention pond to help offset possible flooding. Weve asked the engineer on that project is go back and do another analysis based on our new regulations and also including analyzing during a 500-year storm event. Typically, we ask new developments to make sure they dont impact folks up to the 100-year storm event, he said. In response to residents concerns, the flood control district is attempting to purchase the property. If successful, the property would be turned into another flood mitigation project, which may include planting trees on the cleared area. Were going to keep trying. Were going to try our best to make an offer, Zeve said. mayra.cruz@chron.com Curious just how far your dollar goes in Astrodome Area? According to Walk Score, this Houston neighborhood is somewhat walkable, is very bikeable and has a few nearby public transportation options. Data from rental site Zumper shows that the median rent for a one bedroom in Astrodome Area is currently hovering around $1,150. So, what might you expect to find if you've got $1,100/month earmarked for your rent? Read on for a roundup of the latest rental offerings, via Zumper. (Note: prices and availability are subject to change.) Hoodline offers data-driven analysis of local happenings and trends across cities. Links included in this article may earn Hoodline a commission on clicks and transactions. 2120 El Paseo St. Listed at $1,100/month, this one-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is located at 2120 El Paseo St. The unit offers granite countertops. Building amenities include assigned parking, outdoor space and a swimming pool. Pet owners, inquire elsewhere: this spot doesn't allow cats or dogs. (Check out the complete listing here.) 1819 S. Braeswood Blvd. Next, there's this one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment over at 1819 S. Braeswood Blvd. It's listed for $1,093/month. The building offers on-site laundry, garage parking and a fitness center. In the unit, there are high ceilings, a walk-in closet and a fireplace. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are allowed. (Check out the complete listing here.) 2950 Old Spanish Trail Here's a 646-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom at 2950 Old Spanish Trail that's going for $1,055/month. In the unit, you'll get high ceilings, a walk-in closet and a balcony. Building amenities include a fitness center, a swimming pool and outdoor space. Luckily for pet owners, both dogs and cats are welcome. The rental doesn't require a leasing fee. (Check out the complete listing here.) 7777 Greenbriar Drive, #1742 Then, check out this 564-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's located at 7777 Greenbriar Drive, #1742. It's listed for $1,049/month. In the unit, you'll have a dishwasher, in-unit laundry and a balcony. When it comes to building amenities, anticipate garage parking and a swimming pool. Good news for animal lovers: both dogs and cats are allowed here. There isn't a leasing fee associated with this rental. (Check out the complete listing here.) 7373 Ardmore St., #2357 Finally, located at 7373 Ardmore St., #2357, here's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment that's listed for $1,020/month. Neither cats nor dogs are permitted. Future tenants needn't worry about a leasing fee. (Check out the complete listing here.) This story was created automatically using local real estate data, then reviewed by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback. Two suspects broke into a Houston home with a bang in broad daylight April 16th, shortly after 1 p.m. in the 8100 block of Corinth St. The suspects reportedly first rang the front door at around 12:25 p.m, and approximately 20 minutes later busted in the back door, according to a report from HPD. The video from the homeowner's indoor Ring camera shows the two men walking into the home as if they owned the place. One is seen frantically trying to get the visible flat screen TV off the wall. The second suspect can be seen walking to the room next to the living room for a second TV, and emerges awhile later with it, and a pair of red shoes. Both suspects are described as black males between 5'10 and 6 feet and believed to be around 20-25 years of age. The first suspect was last seen wearing a black shirt and black shorts. The second suspect, heavier build, was last seen wearing a red hoodie and grey shorts. The case is currently being followed up by the HPD burglary and theft division. Anyone with information can contact crime stoppers at 713-222-TIPS. 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 For many companies, the H-1B visa program has been a valuable source for IT talent. The program, which awards 85,000 visas to foreign workers each spring based on a lottery system, has also been met with controversy, not just as a perceived means for replacing American workers but also for the administrative burden of its process, which has had a limiting effect on which companies apply. As of April 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has enacted changes to the H-1B visa program aimed at streamlining the application process and tilting the selection process in favor of applicants with U.S. masters degrees. Other proposed policy changes could do more harm than good, by limiting the job prospects for international students, barring spouses of H-1B visa holders from receiving work authorization in the U.S., and driving tech talent out of the U.S. to Canada. Emphasizing advanced degrees, streamlining the process Rather than splitting H-1B applications into two pools, with applicants with undergraduate degrees vying for 65,000 visas and those with advanced degrees vying for the 20,000 remaining, applicants will be combined into a single pool, from which 65,000 visas will be drawn by lottery, with the USCIS selecting 20,000 workers for the advanced degree exemption from the applications left over. This is great for companies who want to increase the percentage of people with advanced degrees, but not so great if youre an InfoSys or a Cognizant or another giant IT firm like that whos hiring mostly people with undergraduate degrees, says Richard Burke, president and CEO of Envoy Global, a global talent acquisition firm. Starting in April 2020, an electronic registration system with a shorter version of the H-1B visa application will also make it easier and faster for companies to fill out applications. Only if your application is selected in the lottery will you then be required to fill out registration information in full. This should help reduce the cost of applying, says Penni Bradshaw, partner with Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete and board-certified specialist in immigration law, and potentially open the process to companies who may not have wanted to pay the roughly $2,460 to file an application for an H-1B visa, not to mention the costs to have a law firm help prepare the application on pure speculation of receiving one. Increasing scrutiny Other proposed formal changes, as well as less formal actions by the current administration toward foreign national talent, however, seem directly at odds with these efforts to improve and streamline the H-1B program. For one thing, over the last two years, theres been much greater scrutiny of companies that recruit and hire H-1B talent, says Burke, as well as a spike in the number of case denials. Thats sowing seeds of uncertainty and anxiety among workers and among companies that rely on this talent, especially in IT, he says. By government statistics, rejections have increased fourfold. It used to be youd see about 6 percent of applications rejected, and now thats up to 24 percent. Theres been a huge increase in requests for evidence (RFE), which is when the USCIS asks for additional information in processing your application, he says. That rate has also jumped from about 20 percent to now upwards of 60 percent. Theres also been an increase in site visits, with USCIS visiting companies that use foreign national talent and looking for labor violations, he says. While these actions are consistent with the administrations stated policy of hire American, buy American, and with the extreme crackdown on legal and illegal immigration and asylum seekers at the southern border, its having a chilling effect on companies ability to hire the technical talent they need and could actually harm U.S. businesses, Burke says. This is now a far more difficult process than it used to be. This is a dramatic shift, and its increasing difficulty for these companies exactly at the same time other regulations are being loosened to benefit businesses. We have the demand, we need the talent, we know this brings in noteworthy and valuable diversity so whats going on isnt logical, Burke says. Bradshaw, too, is seeing the effects of increased RFEs and rising denial rates. She says the processing time is longer than shes ever seen in her thirty-five years of work in this area, but agrees that the policy changes, the increased site visits and the heightened scrutiny is having the desired effect. Its a mess for employers right now; its really challenging. The administration obviously wanted to push this buy American, hire American executive order, which didnt end up passing, but they wanted to have a chilling effect on employers who hire foreign nationals, and thats definitely working, she says. Brain drain In addition to the increased denials and site visits, two recent and proposed legislative changes to the H-1B visa program could also negatively impact businesses, says Bradshaw. The Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which allows international students on F-1 study visas with STEM degrees from Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-certified and accredited US colleges and universities to work for up to 36 months in the U.S. was reinterpreted by the USCIS in 2018 to require STEM graduates to work in-house at their employers facilities, not at third-party client sites. This change, which troubled IT services companies and management consultancies, met industry pushback that had an effect in forcing clarification. Ultimately it has not impacted any F-1 visa holders or their employers. The second proposed change to the H-4 work authorization program may also have negative consequences for employers. Started in 2015 under President Obama, the H-4 program allows spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the U.S. A proposal to strip away this program is moving forward, says Burke, but theres currently no final decision from USCIS. If this change becomes law, it will have a significant effect on many companies ability to recruit and hire foreign national talent, Burke says. If you have someone who otherwise wants to come here and work for you from, say, China or India, but they cant afford to do so on one income, or if they need their spouse to work once they arrive and they cant whats the incentive? Burke says. In fact, some of Burkes clients are considering their options in Canada and in other countries, instead, given that Canadas immigration policies are more hospitable and easier to navigate. In our 2019 Immigration Trends report, 65 percent of respondents to our survey say that Canadian immigration policies are easier and 35 percent of companies say theyre sending people to work in Canada. And with the growth of the IT industry in India and China, there are opportunities in those countries, as well, Burke says. While Canada, the UK and Australia are all becoming more welcoming to foreign national tech talent that would otherwise land in the U.S., Bradshaw says some companies are trying other creative solutions to hiring talent using different types of visas. Canada is really angling for these workers, sure. But were also seeing companies sending workers to the UK, to Australia and other places, keeping them in place for a year or so, and then using an L visa, which is for companies who want to transfer current employees to a different country, to transfer them to a U.S. location, she says. Tech companies are making clear that they cannot get enough U.S.-born STEM talent, and they need to access foreign nationals to fill vacant roles, increase competitive advantage and spur innovation. But the uncertainty and anxiety caused by the administrations crackdown on H-1B visa applicants is having a chilling effect, Burke says. We need to be able to have rational conversations about these issues without the passion and the inflammatory rhetoric, Burke says. The uncertainty and the anxiety and fear caused by these policies is negatively impacting IT companies ability to hire, grow and innovate. Gov. Andrew Cuomo insisted on including several key measures in the state budget, including congestion pricing, criminal justice reforms and making the 2 percent property tax cap permanent. Will he keep his streak going in the second half of the session? The governor is renewing his calls for an expansion of prevailing wages on publicly funded projects and the legalization of recreational marijuana, while also coming out recently in favor of raising the cap on charter schools in New York City. In an online poll, our readers were divided on whether prevailing wage legislation would pass, while a small majority predicted that the push for recreational marijuana would find success. (Voters were less optimistic about the charter school cap and single-payer health care, a priority for some Democratic lawmakers.) In our latest Ask the Experts feature, we turn to experts and insiders to see what they think will happen and why. This week, we reached out to Joe Bonilla, managing partner at Relentless Awareness LLC; Arthur Jerry Kremer, president of Empire Government Strategies and a former assemblyman; Bertha Lewis, founder and president of The Black Institute; and Evan Stavisky, a partner at The Parkside Group. Is an expansion of prevailing wages likely to pass? Joe Bonilla: I think we'll see some movement on an expansion of the prevailing wage this session, but not to the degree unions and legislators want. Perhaps in a circuit-breaker method where projects reach a certain budget. Bertha Lewis: Theres no reason that this shouldnt have gotten done in the budget except for political gamesmanship. The notion that a prevailing wage prevents affordable housing is nonsense. A prevailing wage is good for the middle class, its good for union workers, and good for black and brown people who live in this city. The Legislature recognizes that and I think theres going to be a big push to get this done before the end of session. Jerry Kremer: This proposal started out with no discussion around the state but now a number of sectors are alarmed. IDAs are raising serious voices alleging that this legislation would destroy them. At this point the only way this legislation could pass is if there are carve outs. Evan Stavisky: Yes. As President Obama famously said, Elections have consequences, and the 2018 elections were no exception. As we have seen already this year, the blue wave that elected the largest Democratic state Senate majority in a century paved the way for progressive legislation that had previously been stalled to finally become law. A litany of long-stalled bills have been passed by the Legislature and it is likely that prevailing wage is coming soon. Labor unions, such as my firms client SEIU Local 32BJ, have pointed out that the state constitution clearly states that labor is not a commodity nor an article of commerce . No laborer, worker or mechanic in the employ of a contractor engaged in the performance of any public work, shall be paid less than the rate of wages prevailing in the same trade or occupation. For decades, this has been applied, without controversy, to projects directly commissioned by government, while those receiving other forms of public assistance such as tax breaks havent been covered. With strong support from both houses of the Legislature and the governor, thats likely to change this session. Is the legalization of recreational marijuana likely? Bertha Lewis: Unless there is social justice and equity from day one for adult-use marijuana then no, it wont pass. Well continue fighting for an adult-use program but it must include the black and brown community that has been most affected by the war on drugs and ensure that M/WBEs are an integral part of the legal market. Right now it doesnt look like there are enough people committed to making that happen, and this community wont support a bill that doesnt include that. Evan Stavisky: Yes. To put it simply, the prohibition of cannabis has failed. Policymakers know it and as the most recent Siena poll demonstrates the public knows it, too. By a 10-point margin, a majority of New Yorkers support ending the existing legal prohibition on adult use of cannabis. And, theyre clearly right. Why? Because cannabis prohibition has made criminals out of thousands of otherwise law-abiding New Yorkers, it has diverted resources from legitimate threats such as the opioid crisis, and it clearly hasnt worked. State Sen. Liz Krueger and Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes have offered one vision for how the industry should be regulated, with a much-needed emphasis on social equity. The governors budget proposal on the issue varied somewhat, but what unites both approaches is far greater than the differences. My firm represents multiple clients in the cannabis industry, and in our conversations with policymakers it is clear that there is a growing consensus at the Capitol that adult-use regulation is a critical issue that will be addressed during this session. Jerry Kremer: The state needs the money from this industry and there will be a lot of horse trading but it will pass. Joe Bonilla: As the Brooklyn Dodgers mantra once was, wait 'til next year. This muddled policy proposal didn't win over any new fans at first, despite the purported tax revenue figures. Moderates from both upstate and downstate have cautioned against a rush during the budget, citing health risks. As other states such as New Jersey see their own proposals for recreational marijuana fail, New York will likely not be the exception here, and advocates will have to make some efforts to educate on-the-fence legislators during the off-session. Is a higher charter school cap likely? Evan Stavisky: Four great answers to this question can be found in any Magic 8 Ball toy: Reply hazy, try again, ask again later, better not tell you now, and cannot predict now. As the charter school cap threatens further expansion, the industry has few friends in the Legislature and emboldened opponents. If they cannot change that dynamic, then their prospects are bleak. The reality is that the biggest legislative champions of charter schools were wiped out in last years elections, leaving the industry with few friends, even as the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) saw huge victories for their endorsed candidates. Unforced errors, such as the appalling rhetoric by the then-chair of Success Academys board directed towards Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins, further served to the marginalize charter schools. You cant count the charters out, however. New York has a strong-governor system and few governors have been as strong as Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Since Cuomo has publicly called for the cap to be raised, there is reason for charter schools to be hopeful. The answer will come in the annual end-of-session deal making, when anything can happen. Jerry Kremer: With the Senate Republicans out of power it has little chance of passing. The only thing that can save it is hefty political donations from the supporters. Joe Bonilla: Yes, a slight increase should be in the mix this year, given the increasing number of students in New York City waiting for slots continues to grow while charters outperform many public schools. Charter advocates didn't get their way not long ago with the Education Tax Credit, but this seems to be one that they'll get the W for. Bertha Lewis: This is going to be a big test for the newly Democratic Senate. Were going to see which of the new members are really committed to public schools. The governor is always going to be pushing for more charter schools and hell do whatever it takes to raise the cap. Weve seen no commitment to public education from him and even though he doesnt have the Republican Senate to help him there anymore, the Democrats are likely going to wimp out and let him raise the cap Early last year, I published a story about my life with chronic illness and disability. I thought I did well, and used the correct terms to describe myself and other people with disabilities in a respectful and truthful way. But after my piece was edited it unexpectedly featured a teaser, which I first saw when it was published online. To me it seemed that the new passage mainly consisted of the word, suffering. She suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She suffers from chronic pain. My life was reduced to misery, as often happens when non-disabled journalists cover disability. Most people living with disabilities dont spend their lives in agony; they merely have a certain condition or disability. And in this case nobody had asked me whether I felt like I was suffering. It was just assumed I did. RELATED: What journalists can do better to cover the disability beat Veronica Wain explains in the book Documentary and Disability that words are the means to shape how the audience understands a community, but also how a community sees itself. It was strange to recognize that other people perceive my life inaccurately. Words matter. Representation matters. My editor said he had heard that the word suffering wasnt appropriate to describe people with illnesses but had forgotten. Not to say disabled journalists are perfect in this regardthere are many rules, and we make mistakes like everyone elsebut, bluntly, we try harder because it affects us personally. Sign up for CJR 's daily email I often feel that my stories dont find their way into newspapers, because they are not inspirational enough. That people with disabilities must be seen as either superheroes or victims with no joy in their lives. Neither reflects the whole truth, of course, and both skew the perception of one of the largest minorities in the world. For the most part disabled people act like everybody else, the journalist David-Elijah Nahmod said recently. We are not saints; we are not devils. We are somewhere in the middle. The simplest way to reflect this is to involve those who know best: the people we are reporting on. Most likely, they will have a clear idea of how they want to be represented. We try harder because it affects us personally When non-disabled journalists tell stories about disabled people a journalist told the writer Katie Ellis in her book, Disability Media Work, they view through the prism of their own experience, so they usually depart from baseline negative. I am not saying journalists outside of a minority community shouldnt write about it. But I believe it is hard work to represent an unfamiliar topic far away from ones own experience, and journalists working under pressure might not have the time to fully immerse themselves in a complicated subject matter like disability. According to Berkowitzs research, minority reporters also tend to consult minority sources, which likely means that more diversity in newsrooms equals more variety in reporting. But our newsrooms simply dont offer that kind of diversity. In 2002, 33 percent of journalists in the US were female. By 2016, after 14 years of fighting, awareness, and the first ever female presidential candidate, the number had risen to 39 percent according to the American Society of News Editors. (The same survey shows that 83 percent of journalists were white and only 17 percent belonged to an ethnic minority.) Germany did a little betterin 2015 the number for female journalists was 40 percent. In Britain, according to figures from 2016, its about 45 percent. (Though they earned less than their male colleagues.) If we cannot solve such gender inequality, even though we have tried for decades, how can we get it right with journalists who are disabled? In fact, its hard to even find data about people with disabilities working in newsrooms. Researchers often dont include it as a category. One available report by Mark Spilsbury showed that in 2017, disabled journalists made up 14 percent of all journalists in Britain. (I did not find any data about the US or Germany. Though in the latter case, larger organizations required to fill five percent of their jobs with people with disabilities, or pay a fine.) It can seem like a catch-22: we cant change prejudices about people living with disabilities without more disabled writers, and we cant get more disabled writers without changing prejudices. Stories are told about us but not by us, the journalist Belo Cipriani, who is blind, once said. He is right. Disability reporting needs to improve, and the solution is simple: we need more journalists with disabilities in newsrooms. ICYMI: In the Mueller report, Sarah Huckabee Sanders admitted she misled reporters Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Karina Sturm is a freelance journalist, writer, blogger and advocate for people living with chronic illnesses and disabilities. In January, William Barr was Trumps nominee for attorney general. When he went to the Senate for his confirmation hearing, the stakes were high: if given the job, Barr would take on oversight of the Robert Mueller investigation. The men who had held that responsibility before himRod Rosenstein and Matthew Whitakerhad attracted voracious and (especially in Whitakers case) highly skeptical media attention. On the whole, the coverage of Barr felt more subdued and credulous. Barr, a Washington insider who already served as attorney general, under George H.W. Bush, was widely portrayed as a man of integrity. Following his hearing, many journalists led with Barrs repeat assertions that he would resist any pressure to curtail the Mueller probe. Maybe the biggest thing he said today is that he is loyal to the job and the laws he discharges, not to any person, Chris Cuomo said on CNN. Barr, he added, has a rigid sense of independence. By Wednesday nightthe eve of the Mueller reports public releaseCuomo had changed his tune. Every step so far has been this AG making a choice to do right by the president and wrong by you, he fumed, looking down the camera. No, Mr. Barr is not Mr. By The Book. Hes No Holds Barr. In recent weeks, Barr has seen a vicious narrative shift against him. His initial four-page summary of the Mueller report, delivered to Congress in late March, attracted increasingly intense scrutiny, particularly after The New York Times reported that Mueller investigators thought it a misleading summary of their work. As the publication of the report neared, the questions over Barrs intentions grew louder. Had he misrepresented Muellers findings? (Yes, it turned out.) Had he given White House lawyers advance information about the report? (Yes, it turned out.) Would his redactions be justifiable? (Its hard to answer that one, because of all the redactions.) ICYMI: In the Mueller report, Sarah Huckabee Sanders admitted she misled reporters Yesterday, at 9.30am ET, Barr used a press conference to spin the forthcoming report in Trumps favor. Echoing Trumps favored catchphrase, Barr said fives times that there had been no collusion. (Mueller did not actually rule on collusion because it isnt a legally meaningful concept.) Barr admitted, for the first time, that he disagreed with the legal theories on obstruction that Mueller put forward. (He had previously implied that Mueller was agnostic on that question.) And he excused Trumps documented efforts to thwart the probe as a product of legitimate anger and frustration, driven by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. If the press conference was a transparent attempt to get out ahead of the reports actual findings, it also had the effect of planting Barr in the days first negative headlines. Even Fox was not friendly. The attorney general seemed almost to be acting as the counselor for the defense, the counselor for the president, rather than the Attorney General, Chris Wallace told viewers. Many others used that framing, too. On MSNBC, Chuck Rosenberg, a former federal prosecutor, said that he used to see Barr as a principled institutionalist, but now suspects that he is not what I thought him to be. Slates Mark Joseph Stern assailed Barrs presser as Pravda-style propaganda. New Yorks Jonathan Chait called for Congress to impeach Barr. This morning, the front page of the New York Daily News screams, LOW BARR, referring to Trumps toady AG. It was all very different from January. Theres no shame in changing your tune when the available facts change. But Barrs approach to his position had been entirely foreseeable. The Wall Street Journal reported late last year that Barr, as a private citizen, had sent an unsolicited memo to the Justice Department excoriating Muellers obstruction inquiry as fatally misconceived. That reflected an expansive view of executive authority dating back to the Bush years, when Barr told H.W. that he could start a war in the Persian Gulf without Congressional approval, then advised him to issue pardons in the Iran-Contra affair, curtailing it before unseen evidence could come to light. More recently, Barr even suggested debunked Uranium One allegations against the Clintons were a weightier matter than the Mueller probe. Sign up for CJR 's daily email In January, a number of reporters and commentators did point all of this out. But the coverage wasnt focused enough to move the dial on our perception of Barr: that he was a stalwart, experienced lawman whod let justice take its course. That view has not aged well. Hindsight can be 20/20. But there was never any good reason to give Barr the benefit of the doubt. Below, more on Barr and Mueller day: A blow-by-blow account: As journalists trawled through the Mueller report, CJR liveblogged the days media takeaways, including Sarah Sanderss admission that she misled the press, a temperature shift at Fox News, and CJRs citation in the footnotes. Wrapping up, Kyle Pope, our editor and publisher, wrote that the report could finally be the turn that convinces a surprisingly credulous White House press corpscredulous in spite of everything weve seenthat Trumps words have lost their value, that his history, now enshrined in Mueller, of lying to and about the press to further his interests and save his presidency should now be reflected in everything we say about him. As journalists trawled through the Mueller report, CJR liveblogged the days media takeaways, including Sarah Sanderss admission that she misled the press, a temperature shift at Fox News, and CJRs citation in the footnotes. Wrapping up, Kyle Pope, our editor and publisher, wrote that the report could finally be the turn that convinces a surprisingly credulous White House press corpscredulous in spite of everything weve seenthat Trumps words have lost their value, that his history, now enshrined in Mueller, of lying to and about the press to further his interests and save his presidency should now be reflected in everything we say about him. No collusion: Betsy Morais, our managing editor, focused on how Trumpand the pressshaped the story of the investigation by using the word collusion. Collusion, Mueller makes clear, is not on the menuwhat weve got is criminal conspiracy. To say No Collusion after reading as far as page two is like entering a Chinese restaurant and ordering linguini. Betsy Morais, our managing editor, focused on how Trumpand the pressshaped the story of the investigation by using the word collusion. Collusion, Mueller makes clear, is not on the menuwhat weve got is criminal conspiracy. To say No Collusion after reading as far as page two is like entering a Chinese restaurant and ordering linguini. Doing too well? Another key takeaway from yesterday: Mueller confirmed a slew of details that major outlets already reported (and Trump previously lied about). Ironically, however, all that good journalism may have lessened the reports impact, as Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman write in the Times: If the American public or members of Congress were learning these things for the first time, the political fallout would normally be devastating If people are not surprised or shocked by the revelations, then Mr. Trump may have benefited by the steady drip of news stories he has so loudly criticized. Another key takeaway from yesterday: Mueller confirmed a slew of details that major outlets already reported (and Trump previously lied about). Ironically, however, all that good journalism may have lessened the reports impact, as Matt Apuzzo and Adam Goldman write in the Times: If the American public or members of Congress were learning these things for the first time, the political fallout would normally be devastating If people are not surprised or shocked by the revelations, then Mr. Trump may have benefited by the steady drip of news stories he has so loudly criticized. Contradicting BuzzFeed: In January, BuzzFeeds claim that Trump directed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress was rebuked in a rare statement from the special counsels office. Yesterday, we learned that Mueller had not been able to establish that such a direction was given. Ben Smith, BuzzFeeds editor, addressed that finding in a post. As a matter of what constitutes a crime, Mueller has the last word, and his characterization has the force of law, Smith writes. But that isnt the only question. Other notable stories: ICYMI: The most prestigious awards ceremony in photojournalism disinvited a photographer Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio -- After collecting various water samples from Abram Creek, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District recently notified city officials that extremely high bacteriological counts have been detected in certain areas during dry-weather conditions. Samples gathered near Wendy Drive last summer indicated E. coli results of 87,040 most probable number per 100 milliliters of water. A follow-up visit yielded a reading of 22,000 MPN/100ml. Acceptable levels are generally 126 MPN/100ml or less. Detection of E. coli indicates the presence of fecal matter in the creek. The likely cause, according to the city engineer, is cross-contamination between a homes sewer line and storm water connections. Middleburg officials will be investigating outflows coming from some residences on Wendy Drive, Newton Road and the east side of Fry Road to determine the sources of the contamination. In a Feb. 28 letter to Middleburg Heights Service Director James Herron, the NEORSD said it found an actively discharging lateral connection coming from the north side of the storm sewer on Wendy Drive. Since this dry-weather discharge to Abram Creek is contributing to water-quality conditions that are potentially hazardous to area residents, these findings warrant further investigation by the City of Middleburg Heights, the NEORSD letter indicates. That investigation will involve video inspection and dye testing at the residences. The city also will be required to confirm elimination of the contamination source, as well as submit a remediation schedule to the NEORSD. The E. coli samples for Newton and Fry roads originally were collected five years ago -- the Fry Road count at that time was 54,000 colony forming units per 100 milliliters -- and require the citys follow-up now. Sewer district officials want confirmation that appropriate actions were taken to fix the problem on Newton. Fry Road will require dye testing of some of the homes there. We probably have about 10 to 15 outfalls that are extremely noncompliant, Herron told the Middleburg Heights Streets, Utilities and Railroad Committee on April 8. It is likely going to be private property issues where were going to have to have property owners take corrective action. We are going to narrow down these problems, and were going to get them resolved, Herron added. We need to get aggressive with our biggest polluters. Read more stories from the News Sun here. SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio -- OVI, Van Aken Boulevard: Just after midnight April 13, police were dispatched to the intersection of Van Aken Boulevard and Lee Road on a report that a woman had fallen asleep at the wheel of her car. The woman, 22, of Maple Heights, was deemed to be intoxicated, although her blood-alcohol count was .026, below the state minimum for drunk driving. The woman failed other sobriety tests and was charged with OVI. Domestic violence, Van Aken Boulevard: At 7:40 p.m. April 12, police arrested a man at an apartment for domestic violence. The man, 34, of Shaker Heights, reportedly used body force in harming a woman, also 34, during an argument. Warrant arrest, Ingleside Road: At 1:20 p.m. April 13, police were dispatched to a home on a report of an assault. Officers learned that an argument had taken place, but not an assault. While on the scene, however, police arrested a Cleveland man, 27, who was wanted on a Maple Heights police warrant. Breaking and entering, Warrington Road: At 9:50 a.m. April 14, someone entered a residents garage, opened an unlocked van door and stole change from the vehicle. Warrant arrest, South Woodland Road: At 8:20 p.m. April 15, an officer stopped a car for a red light violation. It was discovered that the driver, a Maple Heights man, 51, was wanted on a Cleveland police warrant. The man was arrested. Theft from auto, Hildana Road: At 4:40 p.m. April 16, it was reported that someone had entered an unlocked car and stolen a wallet and its contents and a cell phone. Warrant arrest, Van Aken Boulevard: At 2:35 a.m. April 17, police conducted a traffic stop at Chagrin Boulevard and Warrensville Center Road on a car that had only one working headlight. The cars driver, a 25-year-old Cleveland man, was cited for that offense and was arrested on a Cuyahoga County Sheriffs Office felony warrant. If you would like to discuss the police blotter, please visit our crime and courts comments page. Read more news from the Sun Press here. CLEVELAND, Ohio A federal judge ruled Thursday that Ohio cannot enforce all of a law the Republican-controlled legislature passed that banned an abortion method commonly used during a womans second trimester. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett in Cincinnati listed several portions of a law banning dilation and evacuation, which then-Gov. John Kasich signed in December, that he said could not be enforced while a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood is litigated. He did not fully block the implementation of the law, however. The law makes it a fourth-degree felony to perform the procedure, commonly known as D&E, and carries a penalty of up to 18 months in prison. It says the procedure, which it deems a dismemberment abortion, can only be done if the doctor first causes fetal demise or if the mothers life is at serious risk. Barretts ruling stems from a lawsuit Planned Parenthood and others filed in February. Planned Parenthood which has abortion clinics in Bedford Heights, Columbus and Cincinnati said D&E is the safest and most common method of abortion after about 15 weeks of pregnancy. During the procedure, the womans cervix is dilated and the fetus and other tissue are removed with surgical instruments and suction. Barrett, a George W. Bush appointee, noted that D&E is the only outpatient abortion procedure available to Ohio women whose pregnancies are at 15 weeks or more. The judge issued a temporary restraining order in March that imposed the same restrictions on the state. He issued Thursdays 43-page preliminary injunction following hearings he held last week. (You can read the ruling here or at the bottom of this story.) Specifically, Barretts order blocks the state from enforcing the law against doctors who perform the procedure for a woman who is less than 18 weeks pregnant. After that, prosecutors can enforce the law, though with a few exceptions: A doctor may not be prosecuted if he or she accidentally removes a part of the fetus while trying to comply with the requirement to bring about fetal death. Prosecutors also may not charge a doctor if he or she performs the procedure after an attempt to terminate the fetus fails. A doctor may perform the procedure without first terminating the fetus if he or she determines that terminating the fetus is not a viable option or is medically impossible for the patient. Lawyers for the state said government interests justify the new law because Ohio seeks to promote respect for life, protect the medical community, and eliminate the possibility for pain for the unborn child. Barrett, in his ruling, noted Ohios stated interests are legitimate. However, he wrote that Planned Parenthood provided substantial evidence to show the laws fetal demise requirement causes an undue burden to a large fraction of women. He said Planned Parenthood is likely to succeed in its case, based on what he has seen so far. The judge wrote that each of the procedures the state posited as ways to terminate a fetus have drawbacks, including the use of digoxin, which is the only method regularly being used in Ohio clinics. He wrote that lawyers for the state pointed to the laws medical exception, but said that was narrowly drafted at best, and unconstitutionally vague at worst. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement Friday that we are pleased that Judge Barrett largely upheld the ban on dismembering unborn children while they are still alive. "Though we will continue defend the constitutionality of every part of the law, we appreciate the Judges recognition that Ohio may ban abortion methods that are more brutal than any form of slaughter we would permit to be used on livestock, Yost said. Ohios D&E law came during a a wave of abortion law-related activity by both lawmakers and the courts. Gov. Mike DeWine last week signed the heartbeat abortion bill, which will prohibit an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. The law effectively bans abortions after six weeks, before many women know theyre pregnant. The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio has said it will sue to block the new law. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland man is accused of shooting at a man during an attempted robbery, leading to a brief police chase on the citys East Side, records say. David B. Sowell, 28, is charged with felonious assault in the shooting on Biltmore Avenue near East 161st Street, according to court records. He is being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $75,000 bond. Sowell fired two shots at a 20-year-old man during the Saturday incident, police said. The man told police officers that two men offered to sell him marijuana before they tried to rob him. The 20-year-old man called police about 4:30 a.m. and said a man driving a tan SUV shot at him. He told a police dispatcher that the shooter and another man were still in the SUV, which was parked outside a Biltmore Avenue home. Cleveland police officers found the two men in the SUV. They ordered them to show their hands, but the driver started the SUV and sped away. The officers jumped into their cruiser and chased the SUV. A Cleveland police supervisor gave permission for the pursuit, which continued onto Glendale Avenue and East 131st Street, police reports say. The supervisor ordered the officers to stop chasing the SUV as it entered Garfield Heights. They ended the chase, but notified Garfield Heights police that the SUV was in that city. The 20-year-old man said he was walking on Biltmore Avenue when the two men in the SUV asked him if he wanted to buy marijuana. He declined several times, and the two men asked him for a lighter. He was giving them a lighter when the driver pulled out a gun and demanded his money. The driver fired two shots toward the man, who ran behind a house for cover, police reports say. The 20-year-old man said he did not know the two men in the SUV, but he had seen them and the SUV in the area previously. Garfield Heights police officers found the SUV just before 6 a.m. when it crashed into a fence near the intersection of East 143rd Street at Rexford Avenue in Cleveland. They surrounded it and found Sowell alone in the drivers seat, police reports say. Sowell told officers that he had gone to buy marijuana from someone he met on Instagram, but repeatedly changed his story, police reports say. He said he and two men were driving through a field when he hit his head on the SUVs dashboard and lost consciousness. He said that he was alone when he regained consciousness, and found a gun in the SUV. He told officers that he put the gun in his backpack and slid over to the drivers seat before Garfield Heights police found him. Sowell demanded a preliminary hearing when he appeared Monday in Cleveland Municipal Court. The hearing is scheduled April 23, court records say. To comment on this story, visit Thursdays crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio -- A 59-year-old Highland Heights man was charged Wednesday and is accused of stalking children walking home from school. David Bilko is charged with several counts of menacing by stalking, according to Cleveland Heights Municipal Court. A parent called police about 4 p.m. April 12 to report that someone followed her daughter home from school, according to a police report. The girl told investigators that she saw a man, later identified at Bilko, driving a truck and smirking at her, the report says. He continued to circle the neighborhood and watch her, the report says. The girl told her friend about the man. The friend also said she saw a similar person driving around the neighborhood. The girls said they saw the man several times the previous week hanging out in his truck in the neighborhood and following them while school ended. When officers pulled Bilko over Wednesday, he told police he was coming home from University Hospitals and went the wrong way, the report says. He also said that he was trying to find a gyro restaurant to get something to eat. Police asked Bilko to step out of his truck and told him he was under investigation after reports of him following school children walking home from school in his truck. He was told to stay away from the school and was taken into custody. He was taken to Cleveland Heights City Jail where he later posted bond, records say. If youd like to comment on this story, visit Fridays crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fire experts say the air water tankers President Trump suggested be used to douse the Notre Dame cathedral fire would have collapsed the 850-year-old structure. The president may now wish he could use an air water drop on Congress, inflamed over the Mueller Report that torches the credibility of President Trump, U.S. Attorney General William Barr, and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The redacted Mueller Report released to Congress redacts the spin that the report completely vindicated President Trump on conspiracy and obstructing justice. The actual contents of the report redacts the credibility of William Barr as an independent U.S. Attorney General working in the best interests of the American people. Barrs spin on the report in his previous four-page summary and press conference Thursday morning has proven to be misleading at best, and completely false at its worst. Even with its color-coded redactions, the Mueller Report offers a damning narrative of President Trumps actions and Russias attempts to interfere in the 2016 election to get him elected." Oh my god. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f**ked. Im f**ked. That was President Trumps reaction, slumping back in his chair, after he was told Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel, according to Muellers report. Is that how an innocent man with nothing to hide reacts? The Mueller investigation found extensive attempts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election in order to elect Trump. It also found extensive attempts by President Trump to obstruct the special counsels Russia investigation. Significantly, the report noted there may have been multiple reasons Trump would want to obstruct the investigation. Trumps attempts to obstruct failed on multiple occasions, according to the report, because multiple Trump aides refused, with or without Trumps knowledge, to follow his sometimes illegal instructions. Mueller made clear that he could not exonerate Trump on obstruction, and if he could have, he would have said so. On the matter of conspiracy, the investigation found multiple links between the Trump campaign and Russians. Those links included Russian offers of assistance to the campaign. In some instances, the campaign was receptive to the offer, while in other instances the campaign officials shied away. Ultimately, the investigation did not establish that the campaign co-ordinated or conspired with the Russian government in its election interference activities." To prove conspiracy beyond a reasonable doubt, Mueller would have to have proof of a formal agreement. No such formal agreement was needed by the Russians. They knew they could interfere in the election and the Trump campaign would do nothing to stop it or report it. Did anyone in the Trump campaign ever report those Russian offers of assistance to the campaign, to the FBI or U.S. Intelligence agencies? No. Two reasons Mueller didnt make a decision on charging obstruction is because it required demonstrating intent, and because the Department of Justice standard that a sitting president cannot be charged. Mueller indicates in the report that intent could have been determined by interviewing Trump. But Mueller didnt subpoena Trump to be interviewed because it would result in a legal fight that would take too long for an investigation he wanted to conclude. Its clear from the report, that had Mueller been clear to charge a sitting president, Trump could have, and likely would have, been indicted for obstruction on multiple counts. The report expected Congress to take up the issue of obstruction with its oversight powers and the impeachment mechanism. There are ample reasons in the report for Congress to commence impeachment proceedings against Trump and to convict him in an impeachment trial. There are also two reasons Congress wont act on impeachment, even though Trump deserves it. Senate Republicans would have to be willing to act on impeachment, but they dont have the spine to do so. Any impeachment proceedings would drag into the heat of 2020 presidential campaign. The desire of the American public, and many Democrats, would be to let the nearing election determine if Trump is removed from office, which he should be. Instead of an impeachment proceedings, its more important and pressing that the attention of the Executive branch, Congress and the American people, is focused on thwarting ongoing efforts by Putins Russia to interfere in the 2020 election. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- How you celebrate 4/20 is your business, but, hey, everybody gets the munchies. To that end, here are three places with food deals that may or may not have anything to do this high-ranking holiday. Offers are good Saturday, April 20 only. PIZZA HUT The Hut is offering its shareable, nine-piece Hersheys Triple Chocolate Brownie for $4.20. The dessert, which normally costs $6.59, is made with three types of chocolate: Hersheys Cocoa, Hersheys Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and Hersheys Special Dark Chocolate Chips and, no, none of the enhancements you might expect on 4/20. Pizza Huts website currently makes no mention of the deal, but their Reddit page says adding the promo code 420BROWNIE to an online order should activate it. BOSTON MARKET This fast-casual chicken joint has a buy one, get one free deal on, what else, but chicken pot pie. Use this coupon to get a free pot pie with purchase of a pot pie and drink. And, again, no, its not that kind of pot pie. INSOMNIA COOKIES CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Taco and tequila restaurant Tacologist will open next week in Clevelands University Circle neighborhood, pending an inspection on Monday. Tacologist plans to open to the public on Friday, April 26. The restaurant takes over much of the space formerly occupied by Uptown Clevelands Corner Alley, located on the corner of Ford Dr. and Euclid Ave. Inside, Tacologist is 4,100 sq. ft. large, with about 1,800 sq. ft. of patio space. Beyond its opening date on April 26, Tacologist plans to host a weekend-long Cinco de Mayo party a week later. The restaurant is run by the owners of Tres Potrillos Mexican restaurants in Northeast Ohio. But Tacologist will follow a new design concept, combining elements of chemistry with the restaurant experience. According to Tacologist general manager Gavin Moore, the restaurant will tie in a periodic table of tequila for visitors to choose from. The walls will be decorated with chemical structures of the food and drinks offered at Tacologist -- a sciencey theme intended to appeal to local students and young professionals. Were really gauging for students, he said. We want to appeal to all of Case [Western]s grad students, all of University Hospitals employees and residents. We really want to create an environment thats warm and welcoming but also a pretty cool restaurant. Tacologist will have a menu of fresh-made tacos with both corn and flour shells. The drink menu includes fresh-squeezed juices for margaritas, and cold beer. The restaurant will offer a happy hour, Mondays through Fridays from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., and every day from 9 p.m. until close. The happy hour will offer $4 classic margaritas, $4 house wines, $4 mixed drinks, $4 draft beers and $4 sangrias. Inside Tacologist, the space will be decked out with handmade tables made of refurbished wood from Mexico. The restaurants tile work also consists of tiles imported from Mexico. Flatscreen TVs will dot the space. The shop features an outdoor patio for Clevelands warmer days, with bulb lights hanging overhead couches and tables for visitors to hang out at. Well have little patio seating with umbrellas, just a hangout zone for college students, for families, for anyone, said Moore. Were a very friendly, open environment here. Tacologist announced its plans to take over the space in June of 2018, following the closure of Corner Alley in May of 2018. Along with Tacologist, the building will also be the home of a bank, a Verizon store and BurgerIm, a fast-casual burger chain. You can follow Tacologists Facebook page for updates about the restaurant. CLEVELAND, Ohio Joshua Castleberry is not the same since he was beaten bloody by a Cuyahoga County Jail guard and left alone in an isolated cell with two of his teeth busted out and one lodged into his nasal cavity. Tonya Castleberry said her son, now 23 and a U.S. Army Veteran, is withdrawn and has suffered from depression in the 14 months since the jail officer punched him in the head over and over after her son asked for an extra sandwich to eat, according to the indictment and an incident report of the attack. She said in an interview Thursday that he is happy that the officer accused of the beating, officer John Wilson, was indicted earlier in the day on a second-degree felonious assault charge, along with misdemeanor charges of interfering with civil rights and unlawful restraint. Im absolutely pleased its come to the forefront. My expectation and hope is that we will get full justice and they will be held accountable to the fullest extent possible, Tonya Castleberry said. He very much felt like they violated him as a human being. Wilson is a member of the jails Special Response Team, which drew particular criticism in a Nov. 21 U.S. Marshals report that detailed inhumane conditions at the jail. He was charged alongside Cpl. Jason Jozwiak. Jozwiak is accused of strapping Castleberry to a restraint chair, putting him in a small, isolated cell and refusing to let a nurse treat him after the beating, according to the indictment. He then lied to investigators about his role in the incident on Wednesday, the indictment says. Cuyahoga County spokeswoman Mary Louise Madigan said she was unsure if the officers had been suspended or are still active officers. The incident happened Feb. 5, 2018. I felt like it should have been dealt with much sooner, Tonya Castleberry said. Something must be changed in the justice system where these brutal actions must not be done to anyone anymore and that if it does happen, then they should be held accountable with a lapse in time. Joshua Castleberry suffers from mental illnesses, his former attorney, Scott Hurley said. Hurley described him as a shell-shocked veteran when he was arrested on charges of domestic violence and attempted assault against a police officer. He was transferred to the Cuyahoga County Veterans Court, set up to help veterans get back on their face after run-ins with the law. Two days later he was attacked, Hurley said. Joshua Castleberry needed surgery to remove the tooth from his nasal cavity and facial reconstruction surgery to repair the damage of the attack, the indictment says. Joshua Castleberry was eventually treated at MetroHealth and returned to the jail. He was released from the jail on Feb. 8 and allowed to be treated at the City Mission treatment facility and homeless shelter while his case was pending. Tonya Castleberry said her son was torn emotionally torn up after the beating. She said he felt violated by the officers and lost faith in the justice system. Things could have been different, she said. I worried that they could have killed him in there. She said she hopes the criminal charges will be a signal to other jail officers and leadership in the jail that attacking inmates will not be tolerated. These people felt like it was something that they can do and not be held accountable, she said. Thats what they do. It doesnt stop until someone stops them from this brutality. Everyone has the right to be treated with respect and not have to fear for their lives. PERRYSBURG, Ohio A student at a high school in a Toledo suburb has been charged with telecommunications harassment are he reportedly created a Twitter account and used it to harass female students at the school. Mehros Nassersharifi, 18, also could face discipline, including expulsion, from Perrysburg High School, the Toledo Blade reports. Posts on the account have been removed, WTOL Channel 11 reports. The tweets ranked girls based on physical appearance and made inappropriate and disparaging comments about female students, reports say. A statement from the school district says more than 100 students reported the Twitter account to administrators. The district used a forensic expert to investigate, WTOL reports. To comment on his story, go to the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. by Bernardo Cervellera Long queues of different ethnic groups flock to the Eucharist. The Mass in Coena Domini attended by 5 thousand people. Mass has not been celebrated in Yemen for three years due to a lack of priests. The communion distributed by the priests and 40 extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist. Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews) - A few minutes before the prayer of the neighboring mosque, from 5 am this morning there has been a line of faithful waiting to kneel and be silent before the Eucharist placed for adoration after the Mass in Coena Domini yesterday, which recalls Our Lord's Last Supper. Taking advantage of Friday, a day of celebration for the Muslim employers, it is above all Filipino and Sri Lankan women, domestic workers, who are using their free time to come and worship the Lord. Many of them took buses or taxis for a journey of 30-50 km to come and spend an hour or more in silence and prayer. Some are content with a quick genuflection, others prostrate themselves on the steps of the altar and remain silent for minutes, while the line waits patiently. Despite being many, everyone is guaranteed a personal and direct moment before the tabernacle. Yesterday's Mass, presided over by Msgr. Paul Hinder, apostolic vicar of southern Arabia, saw the participation of at least 5 thousand people: Indians, Filipinos, Africans, Koreans, Westerners. Other Masses in Malayalam, French, Arabic, from 5 am to 9 pm, welcomed thousands more. The solemn mass presided by the bishop had to be celebrated outdoors, in the courtyard of the cathedral of St. Joseph, full to capacity. The impression is that we are in an apocalyptic vision, where "a multitude of every race, people and language" prays and sings in unison, with a precision and a care that is difficult to see even in St. Peter's in Rome. Commenting on the Gospel, in which Jesus, "the Master and the Lord", washes the feet of the disciples, Msgr. Hinder remembers what Pope Francis did a few days ago, kissing the feet of the South Sudanese political authorities. "Christianity - he said - is to be a servant of others. No charge and no dirt can be a barrier to love and service ". He then continued the ritual by washing the feet of 12 people from his multi-ethnic parish: an Indian student, a Filipino employee, the wife of a Scotsman, suffering from sclerosis ... At the time of prayer of the faithful, Msgr. Hinder recalled the (few) faithful remaining in Yemen, who had telephoned him a few hours earlier. For three years, since the sisters of Mother Teresa were killed in Aden and the last priest, Fr. Tom Uzunhallil was first kidnapped, then released, there have been no priests in the country swallowed up by the conflict. For three years the faithful have been celebrating the Easter Triduum only with the liturgy of the Word. Then they take the Eucharist, almost by "smuggled" in to them. The communion for 5,000 takes place in an orderly fashion, almost like a dance. The thousands of hosts are contained in metal containers are used which are then emptied to prepare pissidi of special form: they can be stacked one on top of the other and thus kept in the tabernacle. Using traditional ciborium, shaped like a goblet, would make this work impossible. In addition to the priests, 40 extraordinary ministers of the Eucharist are also on hand to help in teh distribution who go to assigned places in the courtyard. In the end, accompanied by songs in Latin and English, the bishop brings the Eucharist to the altar of adoration. A giant crown of thorns surrounds the tabernacle, along with flowers, lights, candles, and drapes. A long and dense queue immediately forms for personal adoration. I recognize an Italian manager, who has worked in the emirates for years; the Indian engineer who has lost his job and is anxiously looking for another; an African who works as a bodyguard and driver of a rich local; a Sri Lankan who works as a maid ... In silence they thank the Lord for what He has done for them. In a society that is stratified and full of injustice, this is the root of their dignity. CLEVELAND, Ohio A man accused of breaking into a Lakewood home armed with a pistol and assaulting a woman inside has been arrested by U.S. marshals, authorities say. Aaron Drayton was taken into custody Thursday evening on the 3500 block of Storer Avenue in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood on the West Side. Marshals say they received a tip from the public on Draytons location. Drayton was wanted by the the Marshals Service and the Lakewood police on a charge of aggravated burglary. He is accused of breaking into the Lakewood home on March 22. The female in the home managed to escape and ran to a neighbors residence. To comment on this story, visit Thursdays crime and courts comment section. GOODYEAR, Arizona When I was covering the Indians in spring training, I often went to the desert at sunset. From the Tribes headquarters in Goodyear, Arizona, you could drive 30 minutes and be away from nearly everyone except the an occasional cactus, lots of brush and some jackrabbits. It was too cold for the rattlesnakes to appear. Hiking through the hills, several cacti looked like battered crosses as the sun set behind them. For some of us, thats an x-ray of our hearts. They look good from a distance, but upon further review from up close were a little prickly. Some of us have had holes drilled into us just like the holes I saw in some of the cacti. And that had me thinking about Easter. When I was a kid, it was about chocolate bunnies. Hey, chocolate bunnies still have their place for those of us who love chocolate. It was a trip to church. My mother seldom went to church with us, except on holidays. She was 10 minutes late for everything. My father believed 15 minutes early was on time. There was my father sitting in the front seat of the car. I was in the back seat. My mother was still inside, getting dressed, and not rushing at all. A 10-minute ride to church felt like 10 hours because of the frigid silence. Church was crowded. My father would be upset, my mother would not look at him. Then, we went to my relatives house . . . .where it could be OK . . . and other times, arguments broke out. Not a word was said about Easters real meaning. When it comes to holidays, I can spot my own battered crosses. They are far back in the rear view mirror of life. They are minor compared to those looming over many of my friends and their families. But they are real, just as they are for all of us. The lonely Arizona desert can be a good place to look deep into our hearts. Photo by Terry Pluto / Plain Dealer WHY EASTER MATTERS To those of us who believe in the basics of Christianity, this weekend is about forgiveness and hope. It took me a while to work through some relatively minor family mess. Eventually, I become grateful my parents were very good to me . . . even though they were horribly mismatched and tough on each other. That created some battered crosses in our family. It took some serious Bible study to figure out why Jesus died on the cross. Over and over, we hear it was for the forgiveness of our sins. In the time of Jesus, when services for forgiveness of sins were held, something had to die. Animals were sacrificed, blood was spilled. It was barbaric. But God sending his son to earth to die on the cross . . . a blood sacrifice . . . would resonate with many people 2,000 years ago. Some of us carry around battered crosses from the decisions weve made, the relationships we mishandled, the abuse we suffered. Others of us fell into the truth that hurting people often hurt other people. Some of us go through life knowing we float between not forgiving someone else... And not forgiving ourselves... And not understanding the power of God and Easter to bringing healing and forgiveness. We can miss the sunset and God's love because we focus on the weeds in our past. Photo by Terry Pluto / Plain Dealer CANT DO IT ALONE Some may read this and have bad church flashbacks, angry preachers, condemning people in the pews. Of course, all of us have had a few awful experiences in restaurants . . . but most of us still eat out. We just go somewhere else. But when it comes to issues of God, faith and our hearts, some of us have tried to fix ourselves. It rarely works. Instead, we begin to medicate ourselves...drugs...shopping...porn...drinking...traveling. But the old line remains true: No matter where I go, I take myself with me." Its why so many recovery programs are God-centered, even if its called a Higher Power. One of my favorite Bible verses is John 3:17: God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Some of us who are believers have not fully embraced Gods love and forgiveness. Another verse that speaks to me is Romans 6:6: For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. Some of wince at the word sin. But at the heart of sin, is selfishness. And the heart of Easter is more than Jesus dying on the cross, its him rising from the dead -- and the power that comes from putting faith in that to change our lives. Its easy to miss that message. It happened one evening when I was in the desert, focusing on some big weeds. I nearly missed Gods beautiful sunset lighting up the sky. The true meaning of Easter, of Gods Love, hope and forgiveness is there...if we are willing to look for it with an open mind and heart. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Bronson, a 6-year-old blind German Shepherd, is one of Cleveland Animal Protective Leagues (APL) longest residents. Hes been waiting for his forever home at the shelter since October. Since he has special needs he can be a little cautious in new spaces and with new people but is a loving, playful pup ready to find his family. Bronsons adoption fee is at a reduced rate and is just $75. Reporter Hannah Drown will broadcast live video of Bronson on cleveland.coms Facebook page today around 11 a.m. Do you have questions, thoughts or comments? Be sure to put them in the comments section once the Facebook Live video broadcast begins. The video will appear at the top of the cleveland.com Facebook page once the broadcast begins. It also will be added to this post. WATCH THE FACEBOOK LIVE WITH BRONSON HERE: With blind German Shepherd looking for forever home. Hannah Drown is live from the Cleveland APL to introduce you to Bronson. Share your thoughts and let us know about your own pets in the comments! Posted by cleveland.com on Friday, April 19, 2019 Get texts in your phone from Hannah Drown about live reports: Weve engaged with each other plenty through my coverage on Facebook Live, and we can get to know each other even better on the more friendly platform of Project Text. Its just $3.99 a month, which works out to about 13 cents a day. Learn more and sign up here. Rotunda Rumblings Cleveland cameo: Cleveland made an appearance in Robert Muellers report on his teams investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. As cleveland.coms Eric Heisig reports, Muellers team inquired about events during that summers Republican National Convention, including a chance meeting between then-Sen. Jeff Sessions and then-Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, and changes to the RNC platform that softened language involving assistance to Ukranian troops. Muellers report even cited a story from Plain Dealer reporter Laura DeMarco, who wrote about the diplomatic event that Trump campaign officials, Sessions and Kislyak attended. Our lips are sealed: Top Republicans in the state didnt have much to say to cleveland.com regarding the Mueller report. Cleveland.coms Seth Richardson reached out to Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof and Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken. Only Timken responded to questions with specificity. Tell me more: Some Ohio members of Congress were left with more questions after seeing the Mueller report, cleveland.coms Sabrina Eaton reports. Others did not respond to cleveland.coms questions about Muellers findings. Mixed messages: Timken was quick to say the Mueller Report found that there was absolutely no collusion or obstruction. This is a complete and utter exoneration of President Trump. However, on obstruction of justice, the report said: The evidence we obtained about the presidents actions and intent present difficult issues for us that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Making his mark: Ohios tattoo artists and body piercers would be required to obtain a $250 body artist license from the state, under a little-noticed proposal from DeWine in his state budget plan. As cleveland.coms Andrew Tobias writes, the Ohio Department of Health says the expanded oversight would help set tougher standards for an industry thats gaining in popularity. Get insider info via text: Would you like to show your support for Capitol Letter, plus get exclusive insider information on Ohio government and politics? Consider Project Text. For $3.99 a month, you can get behind the scenes insights and observations via text messages from the reporting team who puts together our essential daily newsletter. Delete your account: Former Republican Treasurer Josh Mandel has apparently gone dark on social media, Richardson reports. Mandel, known for some of his more incendiary online rhetoric, scrubbed both his Facebook and Twitter, including making his Twitter private. Abortion ruling: A federal judge in Cincinnati has blocked part of a new law that banned an abortion method commonly used during the second trimester of pregnancy. Heisig has more on the ruling. Population trend of note: New census estimates released Thursday offer a reminder that even in growing areas, Ohio isnt doing a good job in attracting people from other states. As cleveland.coms Rich Exner reports, each of Ohios eight largest counties lost more residents to moves elsewhere in the United States than they gained from people moving in from other U.S. places from 2017 to 2018. A walk through the grasslands: Cleveland.coms Laura Hancock traveled to Muskingum County to visit Grow Ohio LLCs facility which contains licensed Ohio medical marijuana cultivation and labs to extract THC and create tinctures, oils and gummies for sale at dispensaries. The facility also is part of a renewable energy loop. Funding the addiction battle: Several Ohio universities will share nearly $66 million in federal money to study opioid addiction, Hancock writes. The goal is to reduce overdose deaths by 40 percent in three years in select Ohio communities. Following the heartbeat: There was a time when abortion heartbeat legislation was considered extreme among the Ohio anti-abortion movement. But now it has moved into the mainstream, writes the New York Times Sabrina Tavernise, who focused in particular on Ohio Right to Lifes changed position. Soft landing: Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday appointed Jim Hughes, the former Republican Franklin County state representative, as chairman of the Ohio Industrial Commission. Hughes term begins in July and runs through 2025. The position is full-time, and includes eligibility for state benefits. Hughes left his state legislative seat last year to run in a county judicial race, which he lost. He will make $127,732 per year, according to a DeWine spokesman. Ryan air: U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is on the next leg of his presidential campaign swing to the early states. The Youngstown-area Democrat is in Iowa through Saturday. Richardson will be tagging along, so be sure to check out his coverage on cleveland.com. Not feeling the Bern: Ryan said during a CNN interview this week that hes concerned about the growing acceptance of socialism within the Democratic Party. Per The Hills Michael Burke, Ryan said: Im concerned about it because if we are going to decarbonize the economy, its not going to be some centralized bureaucracy in Washington, D.C., thats going to make it happen. ICYMI: Householder said this week that a bipartisan House proposal to change the states public school-funding formula, and increase school funding by $700 million over two years, will likely have to be handled separately from the state budget, according to the Associated Press. Householder told Gongwer News Service hes concerned about how equitable the Cupp-Patterson plan would be and how it would affect poor urban and rural schools, and that hes not sure the work the bill would need can get done before the June 30 deadline for the state budget. Vote of confidence: Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell was in Indonesia for that countrys general election on Wednesday as part of a team from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, which he chairs. The Cincinnati Republican said on Facebook that the election, in which President Joko Widodo won a second term according to unofficial results, was transparent and highly successful. Frequent filers: In March 2019, 13,747 new entities filed articles of incorporation in Ohio, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Thursday. Thats the highest number in state history, LaRose said second-highest was April 2018, which saw 12,874 new filings. Buckeye Brain Tease Question: What were the top three liquors sold in Ohio last year? The first person to get all three will be mentioned in next weeks newsletter. Email your response to capitolletter@cleveland.com. The first correct respondent will be mentioned in next weeks newsletter. Thanks for responding to last weeks trivia question: How many bags of trash are collected on average on Ohio highways each year? Last weeks answer: 400,000. The Ohio Department of Transportation spends around $4 million on litter each year, a figure that considers ODOT employee salaries, the cost to dispose of garbage and salaries of prison guards when inmates pick up trash. ODOT says the money could be put to better use if people properly disposed of their trash. Learn more about Adopt-A-Highway programs here. Capitol Letter reader George Thornton of Lakewood sent us the closest answer. Thanks to everyone who emailed us! Birthdays Friday 4/19: April Barrowman, executive assistant to the Ohio House Republicans Chief of Staff Jonathon McGee; Alex Sawatski, legislative aide to state Rep. John Patterson Saturday 4/20: Madeleine Castle, legislative aide to state Rep. Jena Powell Sunday 4/21: State Rep. Brigid Kelly Straight From The Source Now is our time. This is the best court weve had in my lifetime, in my parents lifetime. - Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis to the New York Times, describing his optimism about what would happen if a legal challenge to the Heartbeat Bill made its way before the U.S. Supreme Court. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. For the first time in 30 years, the Christian holiday returns to the civil calendar. On April 21st all schools in the country will remain closed. The initiative is due to the first Catholic woman parliamentarian, Gloria Jharna Sarker. Dhaka (AsiaNews) - For the first time in 30 years, Easter is a national holiday in Bangladesh. Local Christians, who rejoice at the news, tell AsiaNews. "We are happy - they say - this is a positive sign for relations between religions". The restoration of the Christian holiday is due to the work of Gloria Jharna Sarker, the first Catholic woman parliamentarian to have won a seat in the last elections, which fought to have the rights of the Christian community recognized at the state level. On April 21st all schools in the country will remain closed. Easter Sunday was not a public holiday since the mid-1980s, when the then dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad had the secular constitution of the country changed in a religious key, introducing Islam as the state religion. Previously, explains a Dhaka merchant, "since independence gained in 1971, Sunday was a day of celebration, and Easter too. However, the dictator changed the calendar, setting Friday as a government holiday on the basis of Islamic tradition. In this way the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ was excluded from the nationally recognized festivities . After the change of the holiday calendar, he continues, "even the bishops did not do much to oppose, as opposed to some ecumenical movements that sometimes gave rise to protest demonstrations, organizing sit-ins and symbolic events". The first real opportunity presented itself this year with the election of the deputy, who "was able to intelligently exploit a quibble of bureaucracy". In fact, Islamic moveable festivals in (such as the end of Ramadan) are established each year by a commission led by the Minister for Religious Affairs. The dates are set according to the movements of the Moon. At the beginning of the year Minister Sheikh Md Abdullah announced that the Islamic festival of "Shab-e-Barat", the night of destiny, would be held on April 21, at Easter. Then the various lunar movements moved the day to April 22, Easter Monday. At that point, the deputy made the request that 21 April be celebrated as a feast day. This time though, because it's Easter Sunday. "We do not know if the same will happen in the coming years too - says a Christian from Dinajpur - but for the first time Christians can celebrate the Triduum even in public schools. This is truly an immense joy ". The "new crosses of today" at the center of the meditations, first of all migrants and exploited women and children. Francis prays for "the people who do not have the comfort of faith", "the consecrated who, along the way, have forgotten their first love", "the Church, your bride, who feels continually assailed from within and from without. " Rome (AsiaNews) - "All the crosses in the world", were evoked by Pope Francis in prayer tonight, as he concluded the Via Crucis at the Colosseum, surrounded by tens of thousands of people: "Lord Jesus, help us to see in your Cross all the crosses of the world: The cross of those who hunger for bread and for love; The cross of those who are alone or abandoned even by their own children and family members; The cross of those who thirst for justice and peace; The cross of those who do not have the comfort of the faith; The cross of the elderly who are bowed down under the weight of years and loneliness; The cross of migrants who find doors closed because of fear, and hearts sealed by political calculations; The cross of the little ones, wounded in their innocence and purity; The cross of humanity that wanders in the darkness of uncertainty and in the darkness of the culture of the fleeting moment; The cross of families broken by betrayal, by the seductions of the evil one or by murderous lightness and by selfishness; The cross of consecrated persons who tirelessly seek to bring your light into the world and feel rejected, mocked and humiliated; The cross of consecrated persons who, along the way, have forgotten their first love; The cross of your children who, believing in you and trying to live according to your word, find themselves marginalized and discarded even by their families and their peers; The cross of our weaknesses, our hypocrisies, our betrayals, our sins and our many broken promises; The cross of your Church which, faithful to your Gospel, struggles to carry your love even among the baptized themselves; The cross of the Church, your bride, who feels continually attacked from within and from without; The cross of our common home that withers seriously before our selfish eyes that are blinded by greed and power. Lord Jesus, rekindle in us the hope of the resurrection and of your definitive victory against all evil and all death. Amen!". The "new crosses of today" were also the focus of meditations, written by Sister Eugenia Bonetti, a Consolata missionary, president of the "Slaves no more" association. Thus they were evoked at the Second station: "the homeless, the hopeless young people, without work and without prospects, the immigrants forced to live in the slums on the margins of our society, after facing unprecedented suffering", the "many, too many mothers - remember the Fourth Station - who have left their young daughters to Europe in the hope of helping their families in extreme poverty, while they have found humiliation, contempt and sometimes even death ", the children, of the Sixth station " that cannot go to school and are, instead, exploited in the mines, in the fields, in fishing, sold and bought by human meat traffickers, for organ transplants, as well as used and exploited on our roads by many, including Christians, who have lost the sense of their own and others' sacredness". And "how many children are discriminated against because of their origin, the color of their skin or their social status! How many mothers suffer the humiliation of seeing their children derided and excluded from the opportunities of their peers and classmates! ". Because, the warning of the Tenth station, "we have forgotten the centrality of the human being, her dignity, beauty, strength. While in the world walls and barriers are rising, we want to remember and thank those who, in different roles, in recent months, have risked their own lives, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea, to save those of many families in search of security and opportunities. Human beings fleeing poverty, dictatorships, corruption, slavery". "The desert and the seas have become the new cemeteries of today. There are no answers to these deaths. There are, however, responsibilities. Brothers who let thier brothers die. Men, women, children that we could not or would not have saved. While governments argue, locked up in the palaces of power, the Sahara is filled with skeletons of people who could notwithstand fatigue, hunger, thirst. How much pain the new exoduses cost! How much cruelty rages on those who flee: the journeys of desperation, blackmail and torture, the sea transformed into a watery grave . The Twelfth Station: "Only Mary your mother and a few other disciples remained there, witnesses of your suffering and your death. Their example inspires us to commit ourselves not to feel close to those who are agonizing today in too many ordeals scattered around the world, including camps similar to concentration camps in transit countries, ships that are refused a safe port, the long bureaucratic negotiations for the final destination, the detention centers, the hot spots, the labor fields for seasonal workers ". The meditations written by those who work on the ground, are also interwoven with real-life episodes, for example what took place on a cold January night, on a street on the outskirts of Rome, three African women, little more than little girls, squatting on the floor warmed their young half-naked body around a brazier. Some young men, in order to have fun, passing by in a car threw flammable material on the fire, burning them badly ". But there are also "many new Samaritans of the third millennium who still live the experience of the road, bending down with love and compassion over the many physical and moral wounds of those who live every night the fear and terror of darkness, loneliness and indifference". Over all of this "we pray to you for those who hold positions of responsibility, so that they may hear the cry of the poor rising to you from all over the globe." 2020 Democratic presidential candidate and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), speaks at the 2019 National Action Network National Convention in New York, April 5, 2019. Sen. Bernie Sanders is making mainstream Democrats nervous. But some of the presidential candidate's supporters say it's not because they're worried Sanders can't defeat President Donald Trump in 2020. It's because he can, they say. The Vermont democratic socialist may have surprised the party's establishment with his strong performance so far. He's been polling second, behind only former Vice President Joe Biden, who has yet to enter the race. Sanders also took the lead in an Emerson poll released Tuesday. He raised more than $18 million in the first quarter of 2019, the most money of any Democratic contender. And his base of loyal followers, who made him a force in the 2016 primary, has not gone anywhere. "Bernie right now has a better chance of winning than the rest of field combined," said Cenk Uygur, founder of progressive news network TYT and host of "The Young Turks," who supported Sanders in 2016. Uygur has not decided whom he will back in 2020, but says he likes Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Uygur said the establishment's concerns about Sanders raised in a New York Times article on Tuesday, will only make Sanders stronger. The article quotes party insiders who fear that Sanders' campaign will complicate efforts to defeat Trump. Their goal is to stop him from gaining more ground and certainly to thwart his chances of becoming the Democratic 2020 nominee. David Brock, a political consultant, told the Times: "There's a growing realization that Sanders could end up winning this thing, or certainly that he stays in so long that he damages the actual winner." Brock told the paper that he has had discussions with other operatives about an anti-Sanders campaign and believes it should commence "sooner rather than later." The Sanders campaign was not available for comment. The Democratic National Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Already, a fight has erupted between Sanders and the Center for American Progress, a think tank that has ties to Hillary Clinton. But Uygur sees another reason for the establishment's concerns about Sanders: "The big Dem donors are not worried he's going to lose the general election, they're worried he's going to win," he tweeted on Tuesday. Tweet Uygur's point is that big money donors who back mainstream candidates will lose their positions of power in the face of a Sanders win. A political system corrupted by corporate cash and influence, he said, will finally fall if the democratic socialist who has proposed "Medicare for All," free college education and a $15 minimum wage is elected. "The people with the most money will lose all power, they will not be rewarded," he said. "All their power is in giving money to politicians and controlling them. Bernie Sanders doesn't want their money. They are going to fight Bernie Sanders harder than any Republican will." That could be a dangerous game: Attacking Sanders will "force everyone to rally around him," Uygur said. "That's why Bernie has always stood an excellent chance of winning. They can't take away a small donor base. The more they attack him, the more he will raise." Indeed, the Sanders' campaign is already fundraising on the party conflict, dashing off a pitch this week that read in part: "The Democratic establishment and high-dollar donors are already planning how to stop our campaign. They are terrified of our movement - as they should be." Ryan Grim, Washington bureau chief for progressive news site The Intercept, a former contributor to MSNBC and a contributor to the Young Turks Network also believes that establishment Democrats are afraid a Sanders win could upend the entire system they operate within. "They couch that fear in claims that they're worried he'll lose," he told CNBC. "Change is scary." Margo Baldwin, president of Vermont-based Chelsea Green Publishing, called the Democratic establishment "part of the power elite in bed with the banks and the moneyed interests." The company published "Rules for Revolutionaries" by former Sanders' campaign staffers Becky Bond and Zack Exley, as well as "Essential Bernie Sanders and his Vision for America" by Jonathan Tasini. "They don't like Trump, but they don't want to see real change," Baldwin added. She joked that the party doesn't seem to like winning either, adding that they "can trot out Biden and they will lose." But Markos Moulitsas, founder and publisher of liberal blog Daily Kos said it's not fear, "it's frustration" that party insiders are feeling. He said in an email that Sanders is "a divisive person" who "roils the party." "As for the big donors, the best way to fight them is to build a small dollar machine that will power candidates at all levels of office," Moulitsas said. He added, "But even if we succeed in building an entire party of small dollar donors, weep not for big corporate money. They'll always have Republicans to buy." It's certainly too early to tell where the race will end up, but for Sanders' supporters, a replay of the infighting that happened in 2016 will not go over well. "There will be no end to the fury," Uygur said. Elon Musk, co-founder and chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., speaks during an unveiling event for the Tesla Model Y crossover electric vehicle in Hawthorne, California, U.S., on Friday, March 15, 2019. Elon Musk's Boring Company is once again making a bold prediction for an ambitious project. The company says it could build a pair of high-speed underground tunnels between Baltimore and Washington, D.C., in less than two years. The company's plan for a proposed 35-mile underground loop is outlined in a draft environmental assessment published by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Maryland Department of Transportation. It is not the first time the Boring Company has proposed a high-profile tunnel with an aggressive timeline. Last summer Musk, the company's CEO, signed a deal with the city of Chicago to a build a high-speed, underground transportation loop between downtown Chicago and O'Hare Airport, a distance of roughly 18 miles. In announcing the Chicago deal last June, Musk said digging for the project could start in three to four months and be completed in 18 to 24 months, provided it moved through the regulatory approval process quickly. That hasn't happened. Almost a year later, the company's Chicago project has not received final approval. "I would consider it dead," said Gilbert Villegas, alderman for Chicago's 34th Ward. Villegas has spent time talking with Boring Company leaders and even went for a demonstration ride in the company's test tunnel in Hawthorne, California. He said the company has a ton of smart, young engineers, but their predictions for digging and completing tunnels are too ambitious. "On paper, a lot of these projects sound good, but [Boring Company leaders] are not being realistic with their time frames," Villegas said. The Baltimore-to-D.C. environmental assessment says the pair of tunnels will allow modified Tesla vehicles to zip along at speeds of up to 150 miles per hour. The underground route would be between 30 and 44 feet below the surface and for the most part mirror the path of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, one of the main routes between the two cities. According to the assessment, "The system would operate up to 20 hours per day, with AEVs (autonomous electric vehicles) leaving each Loop Station at predetermined times. Departure intervals would be determined by various factors including station size and passenger loading time." Initially, it would be limited to 1,000 riders per day, though that could increase over time as intermediate loop stations are added. So how long would it take to dig and finish the pair of underground tunnels, two loop stations and up to 70 ventilation shafts spread out along the route? According to the report, it could be done in 23 months. Late last year, when Musk unveiled the 1.5-mile-long test tunnel in California, he proclaimed it would be the key to finally easing "soul crushing traffic." At an event that included giving reporters and supporters test rides, Musk described riding in the tunnel as "epic." He added, "For me it was an epiphany, like 'this thing damn well worked.'" The public now has until early June to comment on the proposed Baltimore-to-D.C. project. After that, federal agencies, including the Federal Highway Administration, affected by the high-speed tunnel proposal would still need to approve it before the Boring Company could go forward. Two big questions remain: How much will the Baltimore-to-D.C. loop cost, and who will pick up the bill? Neither of those issues is addressed in the environmental assessment. Samsung's Galaxy Fold is the first phone you can buy with a foldable display that allows the device to serve as both a traditional phone and, when unfolded, a tablet. It gave me a taste of the future. Then, two days into testing, it completely broke, making clear that this is not a product ready for today's phone buyers. In response to feedback from reviewers, including CNBC, Samsung has decided to delay the launch of the Galaxy Fold beyond April 26. But we did have a couple of days to see what the phone was like. The phone is still important. Samsung Galaxy Fold Todd Haselton | CNBC Sharper screens and better cameras have not been enough for people to upgrade their phones. Consumers are holding on to phones longer than ever before up to 4 years according to a Bernstein report from February and smartphone shipments are down across the globe to levels not seen since 2014. That means companies like Samsung and Apple are looking for new ways to attract phone buyers. The Galaxy Fold is a $1,980 example of a new form factor that might get people to care about new phones again... eventually. Samsung has a history of driving the smartphone market forward with new form factors. People once gawked at the Galaxy Note for having a 5.3-inch screen, which seemed gigantic at the time. But it ushered in a new era of large phones that have been adopted by every phone maker on the planet. As a major supplier of screen technology, Samsung's foldable displays are likely to be used in millions of devices in the coming years. And while I can't recommend it today, it could give you a taste of the future standard as prices drop. Here's what I learned. The folding screen was impressive at first The Galaxy Fold is bulky. At first glance, it looks a bit like an old luxury clamshell phone with a hideaway keyboard, the kind you might have carried in the early 2000s. Samsung Galaxy Fold Todd Haselton | CNBC When closed, it looks like two phones stacked on top of one another. It has a small 4.7-inch display on the front that can be used with one hand. Samsung said this is by design, since, when opened, it reveals a 7.3-inch screen that requires two hands. You can use the outside screen like you would a normal phone, but it's cramped, and I didn't like using it for much other than swiping away an email, quickly checking the news or placing a phone call. Given the outside display is so poor, the Fold felt more like a tablet with a smaller optional screen, not really a full modern phone that doubles as a tablet. This outside screen is too small to serve as a regular phone for people who are used to today's crop of big phones. Todd Haselton | CNBC The inside screen was more impressive -- until it broke. Lots of people were wowed to open the device like a book and see a big tablet screen glowing back at them. (Those same people handed the phone right back to me when I told them it costs $2,000.) You can do a lot with the big screen, too, like run Google Maps, a browser and your music player all side-by-side at the same time. Samsung Galaxy Fold Todd Haselton | CNBC You can also open an app on the outside screen and continue using it on the big screen inside. This was useful for finding my position with Google Maps in New York City, although I had to stop walking and open the phone to use it. But mainly, I loved using it for reading and for watching movies. It's just fun to be able to carry a display this size right in your pocket. Samsung Galaxy Fold Todd Haselton | CNBC The crease and a broken phone Even when it worked, a visible crease ran down the middle of the folding display. I didn't notice it as much when looking right at the phone, but I could see it from the side or when the screen wasn't bright. It didn't bother me while reading or watching movies, but I could definitely feel it while panning around a page. Samsung says the crease can withstand hundreds of thousands of opens and closes, or about 100 opens and closes per day for 5 years. That's not very much, though, considering I turn on my iPhone about 150 times a day on average. During my second day of testing, the screen began flickering and would turn off and on at a rapid pace. It became completely unusable and at times wouldn't turn on at all. Samsung had said not to remove a thin layer that sits on top of the screen. Other reviewers accidentally removed this layer and ran into similar issues that I saw. But I never removed the protective film or used the device outside any way a normal user might. The broken Samsung Galaxy Fold. Todd Haselton | CNBC Samsung took the unit to inspect it for problems. In response to the damage, it said this: A limited number of early Galaxy Fold samples were provided to media for review. We have received a few reports regarding the main display on the samples provided. We will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter. Separately, a few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers. The company provided a second Galaxy Fold for further testing, but I haven't had a chance to use it extensively to see if it holds up better. I'll provide an update after I use it for a week or so. A glimpse of the future, but not for today From left to right, Hiroyuki Wakabayashi (Denso), Eric Meyhofer (Uber ATG leader), Dara Khosrowshahi (Uber CEO), Shigeki Tomoyama (Toyota), and Ervin Tu (SoftBank Vision Fund) Uber has announced a deal for a $1 billion investment in its self-driving vehicle unit, just weeks before its initial public offering. Toyota and Japanese auto-parts supplier Denso will together invest $667 million, while Softbank's Vision Fund will invest $333 million. SoftBank is already Uber's largest shareholder and Toyota invested $500 million last year. The investment values the division, known as the Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), at $7.25 billion and creates a newly formed corporate entity with its own board. Representatives from the investors attended the signing ceremony at Uber's San Francisco headquarters Thursday morning alongside Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and ATG leader Eric Meyhofer Uber officially kicked off its IPO process last week with the public filing of its prospectus. The next stage is a road show at the end of April, where Uber's executives and bankers will sell the ridesharing startup's story and business model to potential public market investors. Smaller ridesharing rival Lyft went public at the end of March and has struggled in public markets as investors question its heavy losses and path to profitability. Uber, while far more global and diversified than Lyft, burned through about twice the amount of cash last year. It, like Lyft, is expected to price its IPO at a premium to its last private market valuation. The new investment gives Uber fresh capital to develop technology for self-driving cars and trucks, that it will argue to investors is critical for its long term business model. Toyota is also committing to contribute up to an additional $300 million over the next three years to help cover costs in the newly formed unit. Correction: The deal was announced on Thursday, not closed. WATCH: Uber's massive IPO filing, explained A Bud Light ad targeting two of MillerCoors' beer brands led the Chicago-based company to take out a full page ad in the New York Times, pull out of a meeting that included Bud Light's parent and file a lawsuit. But Anheuser-Busch InBev alleged in its response to MillerCoors' lawsuit that behind the scenes, an executive from the rival brewer was thanking AB InBev for the commercial. The U.S. subsidiary of Molson Coors Brewing sued its St. Louis-based competitor last month for its controversial corn syrup ad campaign that began airing during the Super Bowl. MillerCoors alleged that AB InBev singled out corn syrup for criticism because it would confuse and mislead consumers about its own use of the ingredient, in addition to misusing MillerCoors' trademarks in its ads. The Bud Light brewer said in legal filings Thursday that MillerCoors' motion "offers a series of legal arguments that are contradicted by its own prior conduct and its current public statements." The company is asking that MillerCoors' request for a preliminary injunction is not granted. "Consumers are demanding more transparency, not baseless lawsuits," Cesar Vargas, AB InBev's vice president of legal and corporate affairs, said in a statement. "As we clearly demonstrate in our filings, our advertising is factual, straightforward and even uses the same language MillerCoors uses in communications to consumers." AB InBev argues in its filing that the plaintiff couldn't have been irreparably harmed by the ad campaign if it has identified corn syrup as an ingredient in its beers for years. Additionally, AB InBev asserts that text messages from MillerCoors' Chief Communications Officer Pete Marino contradict the company's claims about the harm done by the ad campaign. According to screenshots of the text exchange in the filing, Marino texted Gemma Hart, AB InBev's vice president of communications, "This is going to be a lot of fun. You gave us a gift in some ways so thank you." Hart responded with the prayer hands emoji, which she clarified as meaning "you're welcome." In a text exchange sent to Vargas the next day, Marino identified himself as "the guy you picked a fight with" and thanked him for the "gift." "We are very confident this routine motion will be denied, in part because an executive of Anheuser-Busch has openly admitted their campaign was designed to mislead the public," MillerCoors spokesman Adam Collins said in a statement. "We are looking forward to making our case in court to stop Anheuser-Busch from confusing consumers by fearmongering over a common beer ingredient one they actually use in a number of their own beers." AB InBev is also facing a lawsuit from outdoor apparel retailer Patagonia, which alleges that the brewer's Patagonia beer is a "copycat brand" that infringes on its trademark and is deliberately trying to mislead consumers. AB InBev has said that the lawsuit is without merit. The "Goddess" version of Great Wall Motors' Ora sub-brand has a range of about 351 kilometers (218 miles). Great Wall Motor's electric vehicle venture is driving forward. The Chinese company's sub-brand Ora launched electric car R1 in December with a focus on urban users. A floor representative at the Shanghai Auto Show said Wednesday the company has sold about 4,000 R1s per month, bringing total monthly sales under the Ora brand to about 7,000. The "Goddess" version of the car, pictured above, has a range of about 351 kilometers (218 miles). The car also comes in "Intelligent" and "Sagacious" versions, which can vary in color and range. The R1 retails for about $8,900 to $11,600. It's a tiny car just about 3.5 meters long and 1.6 meters high (11.5 feet by 5.1 feet). by Mathias Hariyadi Bishop Rubiyatmoko: "Our vocation comes from Jesus, it is on Him that our lives should be centered". In Jakarta, Msgr. Suharyo explained to hundreds of priests gathered in the cathedral the importance of pursuing a blessed life. Even at Pontianak, the Chrism Mass ended a two-day meeting. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - A spiritual retreat was concluded yesterday with the celebration of the chrism Mass - or Misa Krisma in Indonesian - which brought 418 priests to service the Archdiocese of Semarang in Bandungan (Central Java): Jesuits, Franciscans, fathers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and diocesan priests. "The facilitators of the retreat were the current Jesuit provincial superior, Fr. Petrus Sunu Hardiyanto, and his elder brother Fr. Priyono Marwan, who in the past held his own role, "Msgr. Robertus Rubiyatmoko, archbishop of Semarang. "We offered - adds the prelate - points for discussion and reflection on important issues: how to exercise the spirit of collegiality in religious community life and the spirit of priestly collegiality". In the homily of the Chrism Mass, Msgr. Rubiyatmoko reminded those present of the meaning of the priesthood. "It is from Jesus Christ that our priestly vocation comes and it is on Him that our lives should be centered," he said. About 445km to the east, in the capital Jakarta, the Archbishop Msgr. Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo explained to hundreds of priests gathered in the cathedral the importance of pursuing a blessed life. "The consecrated life offers us the opportunity to become" men for others ". But "man for others" is bound to become a saint, so that his life becomes a great blessing for those close to him. Living a consecrated life means being educated, offering joy and hope as well as words of comfort and gestures of friendship "said the president of the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (Kwi). In Pontianak, in the remote province of West Kalimantan, the Archbishop Msgr. Agustinus Agus invited all local priests to a two-day retreat at the House of the Immaculate, a few meters from St. Joseph's Cathedral. During his homily for the Misa Krisma, the prelate stressed to the priests and the hundreds of faithful present that "renewing the vows means that even the priests are weak men". "Through this ceremony - he declared - they ask for God's grace and His blessing, to reinforce their vocation". (Photo credit: Samuel Bjp, Ivan Darmawan Prajogo and others). (Samuel, Ivan and Laurensius Suryono contributed to the article). In the 19th century, a few pioneering entrepreneurs set out to make a tropical fruit the most popular in the U.S. They succeeded, and the banana is still Americans' favorite fruit. In the last decade, the U.S. imported an average of $2.2 billion worth of bananas each year, largely from Central and South America. Most of this business is done by three major companies: Chiquita, Fresh Del Monte and Dole. But their businesses and Americans' eating habits are under threat as bananas face an existential crisis. Since the mid-1980s, a deadly fungus has spread from Southeast Asia to Australia, the Middle East and Africa. It causes Panama disease, which can wipe out entire plantations of bananas. Watch this video to learn about Panama disease, as well as how Chiquita's predecessor, United Fruit, industrialized bananas in the first place. Watch more: President Donald Trump (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe shake hands as they speak to the media during a news conference in the Rose Garden at the White House, on June 7, 2018 in Washington, DC. U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Japan on May 25-28 for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the White House said in a statement on Thursday. The two leaders will discuss North Korea, "including efforts to achieve final, fully verified denuclearization," the statement said. "The two leaders will also explore ways to advance their shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, including steps that will strengthen our bilateral trade and investment relationship," it said. Getty Images When Instagram exploded in popularity, so did posting photos of food. Restaurants took note of the free marketing possibilities and invented eye-catching concoctions like rainbow bagels and Starbucks' Unicorn Frappuccino. But now the Instagram trend has evolved to include more expensive investments from customized tiles to handmade tables. "I feel like Instagram is basically the new version of word of mouth," Jen Pelka, the owner of San Francisco champagne bar The Riddler, said in an interview. On any given night, about half of her customers will post photos of their experience at the champagne bar. She estimates that nearly all of her out-of-town customers heard about The Riddler through Instagram. The Riddler's champagne bottle mural on its exterior draws bystanders to take photos. But its personalized enamel tables are the photogenic feature that attract customers inside, along with its extensive champagne collection and photo-ready champagne bongs. Source: Kassie Borreson Pelka found the tables through Instagram photos of Clown Bar, a bistro in Paris. She ordered her own personalized white versions for The Riddler. "We definitely know that people like to shoot from overhead and that things photograph really beautifully on white," she said. The Riddler's tables have the added bonus of carrying both the bar's name and a tagline that also appears on its menu "Hello, old friend." When customers post their photos to Instagram, their followers will be able to tell where they went for drinks and dinner without checking the location tag. But Pelka also tries to keep Instagram from taking over The Riddler. As day turns to night, the lights are dimmed rather than staying on at full brightness for optimal photos. Joseph Szala, a principal at Vigor Branding, said lighting is another area of interest for his clients even when it comes to women's bathrooms. Restaurants want lighting that sets the mood and results in flattering photos. Like The Riddler, the most photographed design element at Media Noche, a San Francisco sandwich joint, was originally inspired by another restaurant. Madelyn Markoe and Jessie Barker, the owners of Media Noche, found inspiration for their eatery's decor during a trip to Cuba. On their return, they worked with Hannah Collins Designs now known as ROY to recreate the feeling of being in Havana. The design that they came up with includes banana wallpaper for the bathroom and custom-made tiles based on some that they saw on their trip. "This was three, three-ish years ago, and even in that time period I think that being Instagrammable I don't even know if that was a word that people really used," Barker said. They weren't expecting their restaurant to become an Instagram hotspot. "We wanted it to be photogenic, but more so we wanted it to match the food that we were presenting and to really transport people in Havana," Markoe said. But once they opened their doors in 2017, it took on a life of its own, Barker said. Now the two women estimate that roughly half of their customers will post their visit on Instagram, whether it's a photo of their Cuban sandwich or just their shoes on the brightly colored tile. The U.S. flag flies at a welcoming ceremony between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump in 2017. The United States won a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on Thursday against China's use of tariff-rate quotas for rice, wheat and corn, which it successfully argued limited market access for U.S. grain exports. The case, lodged by the Obama administration in late 2016, marked the second U.S. victory in as many months. It came amid U.S.-China trade talks and on the heels of Washington clinching a WTO ruling on China's price support for grains in March. A WTO dispute panel ruled on Thursday that under the terms of its 2001 WTO accession, China's administration of the tariff rate quotas (TRQs) as a whole violated its obligation to administer them on a "transparent, predictable and fair basis". TRQs are two-level tariffs, with a limited volume of imports allowed at the lower 'in-quota' tariff and subsequent imports charged an "out-of-quota" tariff, which is usually much higher. The administration of state trading enterprises and non-state enterprises' portions of TRQs are inconsistent with WTO rules, the panel said. Australia, Brazil, India, and the European Union were among those reserving their rights in the dispute brought by the world's largest grain exporter. In a statement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue welcomed the decision, saying China's system "ultimately inhibits TRQs from filling, denying U.S. farmers access to China's market for grain". If China's TRQs had been fully used, $3.5 billion worth of corn, wheat and rice would have been imported in 2015 alone, it said, citing U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. The two WTO rulings would help American farmers "compete on a more level playing field", the USTR statement said, adding: "The (Trump) Administration will continue to press China to promptly come into compliance with its WTO obligations." The latest WTO panel said that the United States had not proven all of its case, failing to show that China had violated its public notice obligation under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in respect to TRQs. China's Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Friday it "regrets" the panel's decision and that it would "earnestly evaluate" the panel's report. China would "handle the matter appropriately in accordance with WTO dispute resolution procedures, actively safeguard the stability of the multilateral trading system and continue to administer the relevant agricultural import tariff quotas in compliance with WTO rules", it said. Either side can appeal the ruling within 60 days. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, on Friday said Congress should begin the process of removing President Donald Trump from office over findings in U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report. "The severity of this misconduct demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty," Warren said on Twitter. "That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States." Warren is the first of the major contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination to call for impeachment, a day after the release of Mueller's report on Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Mueller did not establish that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russians but did find multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations. @ewarren: The Mueller report lays out facts showing that a hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election to help Donald Trump and Donald Trump welcomed that help. Once elected, Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack. While Mueller ultimately decided not to charge Trump with a crime such as obstruction of justice, he also said that the investigation did not exonerate the president. Warren, a Senator from Massachusetts, said that "to ignore a President's repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior would inflict great and lasting damage on this country." @ewarren: To ignore a President's repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior would inflict great and lasting damage on this country, and it would suggest that both the current and future Presidents would be free to abuse their power in similar ways. Other Democratic leaders have played down talk of impeachment of Trump just 18 months before the 2020 presidential election. Trump's lawyers said in a statement that the "results of the investigation are a total victory for the President" and that "it is clear there was no criminal wrongdoing." 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. Bridgette Swaney and her daughter, Addison, 4, use the last of their bottled water to make mint tea at their Widefield home on Oct. 6, 2016. High levels of perfluorinated compounds, believed to be from a firefighting foam used at Peterson Air Force Base, were found in the water systems of Security, Widefield and Fountain, forcing residents to drink bottled water. I'm currently on the graphics desk. I've also been an assistant city editor and a reporter on the community and education beats. You can reach me by email at oliviagarrett@mail.missouri.edu or on Twitter @_oliviagarrett. Follow this search 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. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today A former Mozilla executive last week claimed Google, a browser rival but again also a business partner, purposefully undermined Firefox's development even as the company denied compatibility problems were anything but accidental. Contrary to declarations by individuals at Google, the search company and Mozilla were not on the same team, charged Johnathan Nightingale, a former vice president of Firefox, who said decisions by Google that ended up hurting Firefox were too frequent to be coincidences. "Focus on the behaviour of the organism as a whole," Nightingale tweeted. "At the macro level, Google/Alphabet is very intentional. [And] Google as a whole is very different than individual googlers." In a string of tweets, Nightingale remembered what it was like working with Google during his eight years at Mozilla. His purpose? To offer his take on a controversial "smart city" plan for his hometown of Toronto. "I want to talk about Google/Alphabet and 'amateur hour' tactics," Nightingale said at the start of the Twitter string. "It's a piece of the #BlockSidewalk discussion I may have unique perspective on." Sidewalk Labs, part of Alphabet Inc. - Google's parent company - is working up a proposal for a sensor-driven development along Toronto's waterfront. A draft of the proposal, already overdue, has not been released. Critics have blasted Sidewalk Labs for, among other things, a lack of transparency and accountability. And earlier this month, city residents formed #BlockSidewalk and demanded a halt, then a reset, to the project. "They've run this play on me before," asserted Nightingale as he responded to a tweet by Bianca Wylie, the chair of #BlockSidewalk. Wylie said Toronto was "getting slow played like a sucker" and accused Sidewalk Labs of "peak amateur hour." "When I started at Mozilla in 2007 there was no Google Chrome and most folks we spoke with inside were Firefox fans," Nightingale tweeted. "They were building an empire on the web; we were building the web itself." When Nightingale landed at Mozilla in February 2007, Firefox accounted for 14% of the world's user share, a measurement of browser strength by U.S. analytics company Net Applications. Meanwhile, Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) had a user share of 79% and Apple's Safari controlled just 5%. Chrome was nearly a year and a half in the future. (Chrome debuted in September 2008.) "When Chrome launched, things got complicated, but not in the way you might expect," Nightingale continued. "They had a competing product now, but they didn't cut ties, break our search deal - nothing like that. In fact, the story we kept hearing was, 'We're on the same side. We want the same things.' I think our friends inside Google genuinely believed that. At the individual level, their engineers cared about most of the same things we did. Their product and design folks made many decisions very similarly and we learned from watching each other." The appearance of Chrome did change Google's and Mozilla's relationship. Mozilla's CEO at the time, John Lilly, said, "I'd be lying if I said that things weren't more complicated than they used to be." The complications came from direct competition between the two companies over browsers, and the fact that Google has been the source of more than 91% of all Mozilla revenue year in, year out. (Google paid Mozilla to make the Google search service the default in Firefox.) Although some questioned whether Google would continue to pay Mozilla once it had its own browser, the former kept writing checks. And in 2017, when Mozilla walked away from a five-year contract with Yahoo after Yahoo was bought by Verizon, the Firefox maker went right back to Google as its main money source. The competition manifested itself in suspicious ways, Nightingale contended. "Google Chrome ads started appearing next to Firefox search terms," he tweeted. Gmail & [Google] Docs started to experience selective performance issues and bugs on Firefox. Demo sites would falsely block Firefox as 'incompatible.' "All of this is stuff you're allowed to do to compete, of course. But we were still a search partner, so we'd say 'Hey, what gives?' And every time, they'd say, "Oops. That was accidental. We'll fix it in the next push in 2 weeks. "Over and over. Oops. Another accident. We'll fix it soon. We want the same things. We're on the same team. There were dozens of oopses. Hundreds maybe? I'm all for 'don't attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence,' but I don't believe Google is that incompetent. "I think they were running out the clock. We lost users during every oops. And we spent effort and frustration every clock tick on that instead of improving our product. We got outfoxed for a while and by the time we started calling it what it was, a lot of damage had been done." Yet Mozilla rarely called out Google over the tactics Nightingale described. The company was much more willing to lay into Microsoft, such as when it took that rival to task for setting Edge as the default Windows 10 browser during upgrades from Windows 7 or 8.1, when a former engineer blamed Microsoft's third-party browser rules for Mozilla's decision to bag a touch-based version for Windows 8 and 8.1, or when the organization joined others in demanding European anti-trust regulators rein in Microsoft's leveraging of IE. Mozilla's hesitation in criticizing Google over Chrome was understandable: The organization - and thus Firefox - was wedded to the money Google paid out. (In 2011, three years after Chrome's debut, Google's payments accounted for 84% of all Mozilla revenue.) And virtually every effort Mozilla made to build itself alternate revenue streams - mobile operating system, in-browser ads - ended in failure. For all Google allegedly did - all those "oops," as Nightingale called them - Mozilla didn't squawk, or if it did, not loudly enough to register. And Nightingale acknowledged that whatever shenanigans Google may or may not have pulled, that wasn't why Firefox lost browser share. "This is not a thread about blaming Google for Firefox troubles, though," he tweeted. "We at Mozilla wear that ourselves, me more than anyone for my time as Firefox VP." Data backs up Nightingale's admission, to a point. When Chrome launched, Firefox still had growth ahead of it: From September 2008 (Chrome's debut) to April 2010 (when Firefox began its slow-but-steady decline), Firefox grew by 25%, according to Net Applications. It wasn't until March 2014 that Chrome slipped past Firefox in the user share rankings, when each accounted for about 17% of the world's browser share. And all along, if Google monkey business contributed to Firefox's fall, it must have really damaged Microsoft's IE. During the time it took Chrome to replace Firefox as the No. 2 browser, Firefox lost just 9% of its user share, while IE shed 22%. And Chrome's most explosive growth - which began in early 2016 - didn't come at Firefox's expense; instead, it first hollowed out IE, then suppressed any potential enthusiasm for the follow-on Edge. Chrome didn't reach its current place - last month capturing nearly 68% of all browser activity - by raiding Firefox. It did it by destroying IE. Oops. Javid demands police use full force of the law on climate change roadblocks The protesters strategy is to clog up the criminal justice system The Times And now they want to disrupt Heathrow Daily Mail Authorities struggle to get a grip FT Khan blames cuts The Sun while almost doubling his culture budget The Sun Emma Thompson flies in from LA to join the climate change protest The Times Protest founder challenged over her privilege Daily Mail The Met bid to double the number of Special Constables Daily Telegraph The home secretary urged the police to use the full force of the law after footage emerged of two officers dancing to music at an illegal roadblock at Oxford Circus and of another using a skateboard on Waterloo Bridge. Activists, who are plotting to escalate their activities today by targeting Heathrow airport on one of the busiest days of the year, have bragged that police do not have the resources to stop them, saying: The hollowed-out British state is overwhelmed. Lord Stevens of Kirkwhelpington, a former Metropolitan Police commissioner, also criticised the handling of the protests, warning that violent crime was likely to increase over Easter weekend. In the first two days of protests the Extinction Rebellion action affected 500,000 commuters, and retailers in the West End lost 12 million. The Times Opinion and Editorial >Yesterday: ToryDiary: And then they shall see Robin Boardman-Pattison coming in a cloud with power and great glory The Conservatives re-select two MEPs who are campaigning against Brexit Two MEPs campaigning for a second referendum have been re-selected as candidates for the Conservative Party. Sajjad Karim, a former Liberal Democrat who has described Brexit as madness, will be top of the partys candidates list in the North West of England. While Charles Tannock, who co-founded the Conservatives for a Peoples Vote campaign, will be on the ballot paper in London. The pair have been re-selected by the party ahead of next months European Parliament elections despite their calls for Brexit to be cancelled. Dr Karim, who has been an MEP since 2004, said last December: The only way to stop this madness in its tracks is a Parliamentary process leading to a Peoples Vote. We want to be leading in our continent ideally through the European Union and projecting ourselves to the globe and winning, not falling down with a whimper. Daily Mail >Today: >Yesterday: Downing Street angers MPs by planning for a new Queens Speech Johnsons team believe he is set to win the leadership contest The Sun Hunt sets out his stall The Sun We need a new Prime Minister to unite the country Lucy Denyer, Daily Telegraph Interlocking crises threaten our country Martin Wolf, FT Whitehall departments were told last week that the prime minister would actively consider proposals for the speech which outlines the governments legislative plans at the beginning of a new session of parliament after the Easter recess ends on Tuesday. No 10 is understood to be preparing a light programme of less controversial measures including action to improve the environment and pensions. Any attempt by Mrs May to open a new session of parliament will enrage Tory MPs pressing for her removal, however. It will also require the co-operation of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and a renewal of the Conservatives confidence and supply arrangement Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative leader now demanding that Mrs May set a timetable for her departure, urged her not to seek to present a new legislative programme. He said it was inconceivable that the next session of parliament could start until the Brexit issue was resolved. He said that Mrs May should introduce any urgent bills in the current session. The nature of the Queens Speech is that it has the character of the prime minister written through it. Without the prime ministers authority it is just a wish list of things that probably wont happen, he said. The Times Concern that the credit card bubble might burst, as defaults rise Banks have seen a significant increase in customers defaulting on credit cards since the start of this year. The rise in those unable to pay their bills sparked fears Britains 73billion plastic debt timebomb is about to go off. More than one in five credit card firms saw an increase in defaults in the first three months of 2019 the highest rate for two years, the Bank of England revealed. Credit card lending has been growing rapidly for the past decade, fuelled by eye-catching offers. Daily Mail Retail sales rise FT Lenders expect Brexit delay to further weaken mortgage demand The Times Crossrail delayed to 2021 FT Clifton-Brown accused of trying to exert undue influence on planning process The Times Net migration is set to remain almost unchanged under new rules New rules will open up the UK to the worlds most skilled workers The Times Violent dissident republicans accused of murdering a journalist in Londonderry Theresa May has no chance of hitting her target of reducing immigration to 1990s levels after Brexit, a think-tank said yesterday. The rate of net migration will be barely changed, Migration Watch UK said. It published estimates based on the prospect that under future immigration rules, skilled workers will be allowed to come and live in Britain if their earnings are 30,000 a year or more. If that happens, immigration will add 270,000 people a year to the population. The 270,000 figure for net migration which is the number of people added to the population after both immigration and emigration have been counted compares with 283,000 according to the most recent official migration count, which covered the year to the end of September 2018. It is around 10 per cent below the five-year average for net migration, Migration Watch said. Daily Mail A journalist murdered in Northern Ireland last night has been named as 29-year-old Lyra McKee, as police said they suspected the New IRA of carrying out the attack. The Police Service of Northern Irelands (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton confirmed Ms McKee was the victim after shots were fired in Londonderry, with police treating her death as a terrorist act. It was suspected violent dissident republicans were behind the attack, which police said was most likely perpetrated by the New IRA. Daily Telegraph It is thought she was killed by stray bullet intended for police officers Daily Mail Petrol bombs were thrown and cars set alight The Guardian Corbyn is warned that his SATs plan will harm the poorest children Teachers union pledges to campaign against the Conservatives in the local elections Daily Mail Scottish government announces overhaul of botched tests Daily Telegraph One in five teachers use their own money for supplies The Guardian EU students will get free tuition in Scotland until 2024 while the English must pay Daily Telegraph The North East might be about to elect the most powerful Corbynista in Britain The Guardian Poorer children will suffer most if primary school SATs are scrapped by a Labour government, leading education figures have said In a letter to The Times 59 academy trust chiefs, head teachers and educationalists said that externally set and marked national tests were the most accurate, fair and objective way to assess a pupils progress. If pupils were overly stressed, it was a reflection of how they were being prepared for the tests, the letter says. It also says: It is our most vulnerable children who would be most disadvantaged by teacher assessments. Research is clear that it is these pupils whose work is disproportionately impacted by natural unconscious bias. They fear that disadvantaged children can be overlooked in a busy classroom and teachers can underestimate their potential, but an objective test means this cannot happen. The Times >Wednesday: LeftWatch: Abolishing SATs is a policy designed to please teaching unions, not help school pupils British Army set to have fewer tanks than Cambodia The military is planning to revamp only 148 of its 227 Challenger 2 tanks because of cost constraints, The Times has learnt. That would send the armed forces down to 56th in the global league table of number of tanks available. The remainder of the Challenger 2s, which entered service between 1998 and 2002, are expected to be used for parts. It is possible that some could be patched up for deployment in an emergency. The army has had 31 billion stripped from its budget since 2010, according to a senior defence insider. At present Britains 227 tanks earn it a ranking of 48th, below Ethiopia, with 461, Romania, 418, and Spain, 327. Russia tops the table, with 12,950 tanks, followed by the US, with 6,333. Fifteen nations have more than 1,300 tanks. The Times Chinas 5G dominance is a threat Tom Tugendhat and Mike Gallagher, The Times Facebook bans 12 far right groups People who support those groups will also be banned The Times Christchurch forced Facebooks hand The Times UKIP leader presents candidate who told MP I wouldnt even rape you Daily Mail Benjamin justifies his rape joke by saying Phillips is a giant bitch The Times UKIP is not dead. It is very much alive, candidate protests The Times Rees-Mogg praises the Brexit Party for taking support from Tommy Robinson-tainted UKIP Daily Express Sweeping and systematic Russian interference in the US presidential election, Mueller finds Facebook has banned far-right groups including the British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL) from having any presence on the social network for violating the sites rules around promoting hate and violence. The banned groups, which also includes Knights Templar International, Britain First and the National Front as well as key members of their leadership, have been removed from both Facebook or Instagram. The social networks policy does not allow groups or individuals which engage in terrorist activity, organised hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking or organised violence or criminal activity. Daily Mail Russian intelligence officers hacked emails belonging to Mr Trumps rivals and used fake accounts to disseminate false information about his opponents as part of efforts to interfere in the US election, the report concluded. In findings that will raise alarm, Mr Mueller stated that the Russians interfered in sweeping and systematic fashion. He added: The Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome. Mr Trump and members of his campaign did not criminally conspire to work with foreign agents, but the inquiry did find repeated contacts between aides and Russian-government linked interests. Campaign members tweeted false claims pushed by Russian-backed entities, and Donald Trump Jr was directly contacted by Wikileaks and urged to share links to stolen material, which he did. The Times Cllr Barry Lewis is the Conservative Leader of Derbyshire County Council. We did something this week which I never imagined wed do. Certainly something I never wanted to do. The Conservative Group I lead at Derbyshire County Council overwhelmingly supported a motion to not take part in supporting the European Elections, and I wrote to the Party Chairman to let him know our position on the matter. This was not an easy decision to take, and goes against every natural instinct we have as Conservatives to support our hardworking MEPs and candidates, but we were promised, following the largest public mandate ever received, that we would be out by the 29th March. The Prime Minister said we would be out by that date countless times (108 times I believe), as did many others in government, and yet here we are racing towards the end of April and facing an increased prospect of participating in a European Election in May that should not be happening. More significantly for our residents and local businesses is the fact that the uncertainty continues, and this is increasingly becoming a crucible of discontent, disillusionment and anger. There is some apathy and resignation, too, and this is bubbling up as an unwillingness to engage, as people disconnect with politics and politicians. At least at the local level we can share their frustrations and express this in a way they understand and shows that we are able to show a united front and some leadership. Local Conservative politicians good, hardworking people in touch with their communities and delivering good services and lower taxes could well end up paying the price. Imagine the anger residents and supporters will feel when and if the polling card for the European elections hit the doormat just before the local elections of 2nd May? How might you feel that the Brexit you voted for and was promised wasnt delivered? To me its astonishing that our Prime Minister is barely cognisant of this fact. From a local government perspective the Government is paralysed by delays in decision-making and the consequent uncertainty that filters back to us means we cannot even adequately plan our budget much beyond 12 months. Uncertainty around the Comprehensive Spending Review and its likely duration for helping plan budgets and spend remain, the Adult Social Care Green Paper is further delayed all this compounds an already difficult period for local authorities. But for our communities the fundamental question boils down to this: what is our vote worth? The answer, on the face of it seems to be: nothing. Whether you voted to Leave or Remain, the vast majority of people recognise there is a democratic obligation to deliver what was promised and that government should not abdicate their promise to deliver it. We hope our action underlines to the Party what a critically important issue this is. It threatens the very fabric of democracy in the UK. Not uniquely, our household was divided on the question of Brexit. I voted to Leave while my wife voted to Remain, and still believes we got the wrong result for all sorts of sensible reasons (I should point out this is no deal breaker for us we may disagree on this but otherwise get on). But she recognises that on 29th March we should have left the EU, even without a deal. Moreover, I also informed Brandon Lewis that inviting Jeremy Corbyn to the table in an attempt to pass a deal was in our view a serious mistake for the Prime Minister and, consequently, our Party. Especially so given the perceived problems of antisemitism and the disturbing brand of left wing views being expressed within the Labour Party under his leadership. Corbyn and Labour deserve no credibility, and yet the Conservative Party handed a Marxist an opportunity to look statesman-like enough to rival our Prime Minister. This, for me and many in my Group, was the last straw. We have made our position public and we have no regrets in doing so. We never want to find ourselves in this position again. The Prime Minister, the Party and the Government need to get this done, heal the rifts and get on with running the Government, to give the public back a sense that their vote, their decision, is worth something. Chris Skidmore is Minister for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation, and MP for Kingswood. Since being appointed Universities Minister last December, I have sought to focus attention on which groups in society are not getting the chance to benefit from Higher Education, demonstrating the clear inequalities that still exist and the barriers that certain students face in applying or considering university. In defining disadvantage, much still centres around income and family background. The establishment of the Office for Students and the Office for Fair Access is providing a renewed focus on improving access and participation at university: registered institutions now need to establish access and participation plans, with conditions placed upon certain universities to improve their access measures. Universities are spending around 860 million on ensuring that more disadvantaged students can access Higher Education, but there is still much more that can be done. Last month, I set out my own views how we can go even further. In a speech at Nottingham Trent University, I highlighted the work we intend to take forward to spread best practice in the sector, through the creation of the Evidence and Impact Exchange, to eradicate unacceptable inequalities. In addition, we need to start moving from just thinking about getting students to go to university, but to take a whole systems approach that links the student experience, including improving student mental health and student accommodation, to the debate on access and participation. By refocusing our efforts on a student transition, experience and progress journey- what I termed a STEP change in a speech at the Royal Institution last month we can ensure that we extend our efforts to ensuring disadvantaged students are given the relevant support throughout their university career. This approach recognises that there are many groups of students who need extra support and additional interventions if we are to succeed in giving them the chance enjoyed by most. Ive focused attention on what universities can do to improve the access and experience of disabled students, care leavers and young carers. We have also taken forward measures as a government in the past few months, including raising the Disabled Student Allowance for postgraduate students from 10,500 to 20,000, while Nadhim Zahawi, the Childrens Minister, and I also published a set of Care Leaver Principles which provides universities with a template for improving access for care leavers (currently, just six per cent reach Higher Education). When it comes to going to university, the children of forces families can also face more barriers than most. Not only are young people from military service families less likely to embark on Higher Education than those from civilian backgrounds. Once there, the stresses and strains of having one or more parents in the military can bring about poor mental health and wellbeing, as well as have a detrimental effect on academic performance and overall student experience. I want to see universities thinking about what they could do to support military personnel and veterans themselves. Serving personnel require a high degree of flexibility and portability in their learning, so they can stop and start a course if deployment calls, or perhaps even resume their studies at another institution should a future posting take them to a different part of the country. For ex-service people, Higher Education can be the gateway to a new career. Yet the costs of tuition can be off-putting for those already having to readjust to civilian life. And those without prior qualifications may also struggle to find providers, which recognise the experiences and skills gained while in service. Yesterday I announced that Department for Education is pledging 5 million in continued funding for two separate armed forces projects. The first of these projects, the Service Leavers Scheme, pays the tuition fees for ex-service people who have not completed a Higher Education course before. And the second project, the Armed Forces Bereavement Scheme, provides university scholarships for the children of military personnel killed in duty. Support such as this can go a long way to giving people the head start in life they deserve. But I also want to do more to ensure that universities reflect upon their civic role in their communities, and to support the armed forces, veterans and their families. The Armed Forces Covenant exists specifically to support serving personnel, service leavers, veterans and their families and remove barriers faced in accessing public services, including education. Yet, to date, only 57 out of 136 universities have become signatories to the Covenant, including just three from the Russell Group of universities. Clearly, the Higher Education sector can do more support those who have given the most to our country. Thats why yesterday I have written a joint letter with my colleague Tobias Ellwood, Minister for Defence People and Veterans, to encourage universities to sign up to the Armed Forces Covenant and establish armed forces champions within each institution to better support military personnel and their families. Its clear that some universities are already leading the way. Providers like the University of Winchester, which has long been leading by example in this area through its dedicated action and outreach work among the armed forces community, or the University of Central Lancashire which has honoured its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant through the College for Military Veterans and Emergency Services (CMVES). This has achieved national acclaim for helping service members resettle, whilst providing them with specialist advice on course funding, suitable training and civilian careers. I want this to be just the beginning and, with more universities pledging to support military personnel and their families in the future, we can together create a force for good and honour those who have sacrificed so much. Shabnam Nasimi is a Third Sector Consultant. She is the founder and Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Afghanistan. She currently serves as the Deputy Chairman (Political) for the Lewisham Deptford Conservative Association. Growing up in a family that fled the Taliban in Afghanistan for the UK in 1999, I learned the harsh reality of inequality that existed at a very young age, particularly for women. Had my parents not decided to leave the country, Im certain that I would have been forced into marriage and would not have had an education, or the chance to work and now involve myself in politics, as I do today. My parents biggest hope was that their four children could live in a society in which there was opportunity in which your colour, race or identity did not matter, and where there was equality for all. I was raised in a family that truly appreciated the freedoms we have in the UK freedoms that people die fighting for around the world today. Looking back, I feel enormously blessed to have a purposeful father, who taught me the most valuable lesson in life: do not be defined by your gender, your identity or your surroundings, but take responsibility for your own destiny. He made me realise that I could hope for something different and better: a life defined by personal choice and rewarded by hard work. Little did I realise that this counter-cultural value system would pave the way for my journey to becoming a Conservative. A few years after arriving here, my father set up a charity (the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association) to support people from refugee background integrate into British society, after realising how difficult it can be to navigate a new environment and society. He believed in the shared obligation of all communities to play an active role in tackling disadvantage and promoting equality of opportunities. He comes from one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world but, with the opportunities available to him in the UK, he was able to change the life of not only himself and his family, but thousands of other British citizens, giving something back to the country that welcomed him and gave him a home. As a result of being brought up in a hard-working family that is proud to be British, I found that I instinctively agreed with the Conservatives and their emphasis on hard work, enterprise, their belief in the One Nation, and their willingness to promote aspiration just as my father has done all these years. I stand proudly knowing that, as a woman from a refugee background, I am welcomed in a Britain that is tolerant, respectful and a liberal democracy. My first involvement with politics was through my grassroots community work with ethnic minorities in West London, and realising that, despite the large population of Afghan diaspora and other ethnic minorities, council and local political representation was very disconnected and out of touch with local people. If they wanted to raise issues about hate crime, housing, safety, parking or any other concern, they found it very difficult to reach out to councillors or other representatives. It spurred me to get involved, so that I could make a difference because I am firmly of the belief that the only way to cause change to happen is by being on the inside. Furthermore, identifying as a British Muslim, I can confidently say that colour and religion has politicised me. However, many would ask: why Conservative? because, they would say, if you look at voting trends for the Tories, they dont do well with ethnic minorities. People who arent white dont tend to turn to the Conservative Party, as recent new research and polling by Onward has found. But I believe in a small state, in a low tax economy, in the state getting out of the way and letting people get on with your lives, I am conservative in my values: all of those views chimed with the centre rights approach, irrespective of what the British Conservative Party had done or was doing at the time. And then I got involved with the local Association and the local party had some really amazing and inspirational people in it. It felt very inclusive and an exciting space to be in; whereas, for me, the Labour Party wasnt in touch and in tune with what British Asians wanted. And the migrant experience of coming to the UK, working hard, not relying upon the state, wanting to improve yourself, and staying within the law all of those actions that my parents took chimed with what Conservatives would consider to be responsible citizenship. Originating from a country that has been ranked as the worst place to be a woman, womens rights and equality has always been close to my heart. A fundamental principle of feminism is the belief in equality of opportunity, something that is very strongly emphasised in conservatism a belief in everyone having the chance to fulfil their potential, irrespective of where you come from or who you are including your gender. And it is the Conservative Party that has provided, over time, the first female MP and two women Prime Ministers. Labour is still waiting for its first one. Furthermore, it has created a bubble for communities they claim to represent, in which practical discussion about improving the lives of ethnic minorities can be seen as offensive, insulting and discriminatory. I am strongly of the belief that for change to happen, we need to actively take part in decision-making processes and, as a British Afghan Conservative campaigner and activist, I believe that change can only happen on the inside: we urgently need more diverse voices in Parliament. Now I know that some people will wonder why the daughter of parents who come from a refugee background, from Afghanistan, supports the Conservative Party. But I know that ethnic minority voters have the individual agency and aspiration to seek to change their circumstances as my parents did and as I do. If they believe that hard work, employment, and enterprise leads to prosperity; and if they reject the notion of narrow identity politics that keeps people confined to stereotype and expectation, then any ethnic minority voter can confidently support the Conservative Party. I know I am involved in a Party that has done so much for women and is committed to doing more. Thats why I am proud to be one of the youngest campaigners from a refugee background and one of the first British Afghan Conservatives. Candidates that you disagree with on Brexit and who are forced on you. Another disincentive to vote Tory in Euro-elections. Consider the case of Sajjad Karim a Conservative MEP who opposes leaving the EU and supports a second referendum. He is reported to be top of the Partys list in the north-west region. So those who want to back the Tories have no choice, if they are supporters of Brexit, but to vote for him if the Euro-elections take place. And heres the thing: Party members have had no say in Karims place on the ticket. Indeed, they have had no say in his selection as a Conservative candidate at all. He has simply been imposed on Party members in the north-west by CCHQ, whether they like him or not. Now lets think more widely and rebut any suggestion of pro-Brexit bias on this pro-Brexit site. Exactly the same consideration is set to apply in the South-East region, in relation to our columnist Daniel Hannan, if you are a Tory opponent of Brexit. In some places, Conservative voters and members face both problems at once. In London, you might want to support pro-Brexit Syed Kamall but oppose anti-Brexit Charles Tannock. Or support anti-Brexit Charles Tannock and pro-Brexit Syed Kamall. You look to have no choice either way. Get one and get both. Even if you dont want one of them (or either). Perhaps CCHQ could get heavy, and deselect those who oppose the Party line. But think about the implications, were the principle to be applied to other elections. Would you really want Brandon Lewis Theresa May, in effect deciding who your local Conservative Parliamentary candidate is? In any case, whose Party is it anyway? (As this site likes to ask.) The Conservative Party is essentially an alliance of local Associations that exist to support the Party in Parliament, and to represent the Tory cause in their local area. It follows that they should select their candidates be these for the local council, Parliament, or European Parliamentary elections forced on us all, inter alia, by the Prime Ministers unwillingness to see Britain leave the EU on the date that she promised over a hundred times. CCHQ will protest that there isnt the time to arrange hustings for candidates. Maybe so. But there will none the less be a smack of rotten boroughs and Old Sarum about the imposition of Karim, if it happens and of all the other potential candidates, too. The peasants must patiently await the appointment of those that the barons have chosen to speak and vote on their behalf. The former should touch their caps, tug their forelocks and be duly grateful. This site has not yet offered a view on whether to participate at in the European elections. But having candidates forced on Party members without a say and with whose views they may disagree is certainly not an incentive to vote. 83% Website stiliausidejos.lt uses latest and advanced technologies like: JQuery and Boostrap. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 52327 bytes (51.10 kb uncompressed) and 10172 bytes (9.93 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-02-22, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 68% Website zse.hr uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 168159 bytes (164.22 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-03-23, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. India's ranking for last four years Providing classification, RWB says, "Only 24 percent of the 180 countries and territories are classified as good (coloured white on the Press Freedom Map) or fairly good (yellow), as opposed to 26 percent last year." India is coloured red, suggesting it is one of the 29 percent countries where the situation is categorised as "difficult." In what may prove to be a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a time when he is seeking a second term in office from India's electorate, the latest rankings released by the high-profile Reporters Without Borders (RWB), based in Paris, shows that India has slipped by two points from 138 in a year to 140 out of 180 countries in World Press Freedom Index, worst since 2015. In a strongly-worded commentary titled "Attacked online and physically", RWB says, "Violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters, and reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt politicians is one of the most striking characteristics of the current state of press freedom in India."Pointing out that "at least six Indian journalists were killed in connection with their work in 2018" and "a number of doubts surround a seventh case", RWB says, "These murders highlighted the many dangers Indian journalists face, especially those working for non-English-language media outlets in rural areas."RWB notes, "Attacks against journalists by supporters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi increased in the run-up to general elections in the spring of 2019. Those who espouse Hindutva, the ideology that gave rise to Hindu nationalism, are trying to purge all manifestations of 'anti-national' thought from the national debate."It continues, "The coordinated hate campaigns waged on social networks against journalists who dare to speak or write about subjects that aggravate Hindutva followers are alarming and include calls for the journalists concerned to be murdered."Underling that "the campaigns are particularly virulent when the targets are women", RWB says, "The emergence of a #MeToo movement in the media in 2018 has lifted the veil on many cases of harassment and sexual assault to which women reporters have been subjected."Especially taking strong exception to sedition cases against journalists, it states, "Criminal prosecutions are meanwhile often used to gag journalists critical of the authorities, with some prosecutors invoking Section 124a of the penal code, under which 'sedition' is punishable by life imprisonment. The mere threat of such a prosecution encourages self-censorship."Referring to press freedom in sensitive regions, RWB says, "Coverage of regions that the authorities regard as sensitive, such as Kashmir, continues to be very difficult. Foreign reporters are barred from Kashmir and the Internet is often disconnected there. When not detained, Kashmiri journalists working for local media outlets are often the targets of violence by paramilitaries acting with the central governments tacit consent."RWB continues, "Indias journalists are being attacked online as well as in the field. All those who dare to criticize Modis Hindu nationalist ideology online are branded as 'anti-Indian' scum who must be purged. This results in appalling cyber-harassment campaigns in which journalists are threatened not only with death but also rape (as the troll armies like harassing women journalists, in particular)."It believes, "Threats, insults and attacks are now part of the 'occupational hazards for journalists in ... India, where critics of Hindu nationalism are branded as 'anti-Indian' in online harassment campaigns."Among the neighbours, RWB ranks China, "already festering near the bottom of the Index", 177th because of the "monopoly of power" exercised by its president, Xi Jinping, who "amended the constitution in order to be 'president for life' in March 2018."It comments, "Chinas anti-democratic model, based on Orwellian high-tech information surveillance and manipulation, is all the more alarming because Beijing is now promoting its adoption internationally. As well as obstructing the work of foreign correspondents within its borders, China is now trying to establish a 'new world media order' under its control."Pakistan ranks142nd, down three points, because, says RWB, "The military establishments harassment of the media in the run-up to the general election in July 2018 resulted in an increase in censorship comparable to the worst moments during Pakistans military dictatorships."It adds, "Reporters are also exposed in the field in Pakistan, where the environment is extremely unsafe. At least three were killed in connection with their work in 2018."Interestingly, even as describing the security situation in Afghanistan, where 16 media professionals were killed in connection with their reporting, nine of them in a double bombing that explicitly targeted the press, as "worrying", RWB ranks the country 121st, giving credit to "the governments efforts."As for other neighbours RWB says, "Although less dramatic, the situation was also worrying in Bangladesh (150th), where reporters covering protests and the election were the targets of unprecedented violence", adding, "Physical violence against journalists is encouraged by the fact that the perpetrators usually enjoy complete impunity, as is still the case in Sri Lanka (126th)."Then, "The use of social networks is also worrying in Myanmar (138th), where disinformation and anti-Rohingya hate messages spread on Facebook without being moderated, benefitting the government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who reacted with a deafening silence to the seven-year jail sentences imposed on Reuters journalists Wa Loneand Kyaw Soe Oo in September 2018 for trying to investigate the Rohingya genocide."RWB ranks Norway first for the third year running, while Finland (up two places) has taken second place from the Netherlands (down one at 4th). At the bottom of the Index, both Vietnam (176th) and China (177th) have fallen one place, Eritrea (up 1 at 178th) is third from last, despite making peace with its neighbour Ethiopia, and Turkmenistan (down two at 180th) is now last, replacing North Korea (up one at 179th).Especially commenting on Singapore, widely regarded by many as a developmental model India must follow, RWB says, "The Chinese system of total news control is increasingly serving as a model for other anti-democratic regimes such as Singapore (151st), which has established self-censorship as the norm, Brunei (152nd) and Thailand (136th)."Among other major countries, Russia is down one, ranking 149th, because "the Kremlin has used arrests, arbitrary searches and draconian laws to step up the pressure on independent media and the Internet", and the United States ranks 48th, down three, "as a result of an increasingly hostile climate that goes beyond Donald Trumps comments."Calling media climate US problematic, RWB says, "Never before have US journalists been subjected to so many death threats or turned so often to private security firms for protection." We have made the decision go grow aggressively because we believe in this segment of the market and see the opportunity grow quite dramatically in the years to come, said Roberto Martinoli, CEO of Silversea Cruises. Demographic trends and the demand we have seen over the past two to three years support our decision. In addition, we will continue to enhance our product. Royal Caribbean has given us the opportunity to carry out some significant projects. We have invested a lot in hardware upgrades and completed two major drydocks on the Silver Cloud and Whisper last December. We have been very pleased with the results in terms of passenger comment cards showing a dramatic improvement in guest satisfaction. Not that we did not receive high ratings before, but now they are even better spectacular and that is very, very encouraging. Royal Caribbean acquired a 66 percent interest in Silversea last summer and by October the luxury brand announced yard agreements to build three more ships: one expedition ship to be named the Silver Origin at De Hoop for 2020 delivery, and two 600-guest yet-unnamed ships at Meyer Werft for 2022 and 2023 deliveries. Silversea already has two 596-guest newbuildings under contract at Fincantieri: the Silver Moon and the Silver Dawn for deliveries in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The news can nearly double the brands annual guest capacity from an estimated 94,999 in 2019 to more than 175,000 by 2024, according to the 2019 Cruise Industry News Annual Report. The Silver Origin will go the Galapagos, replacing Silver Galapagos, while the Moon and Dawn will enter Silverseas so-called classic fleet. Martinoli said the existing Galapagos vessel will leave the fleet. Having launched service in 1994, Silversea was the first luxury brand to branch off into the expedition market in 2008 with a dedicated vessel, the Silver Explorer. Today, its fleet consists four luxury expedition ships and five classic luxury ships. However, plans call for also converting the Silver Wind into an ice-class expedition ship in 2020. The sister ship, the Silver Cloud, was converted in 2017. The two are the original ships that launched the brand. We also have some other expedition projects, but are not ready to talk about them yet, added Martinoli. Silversea is about destination enrichment and traveling deeper, he added. We offer three times as many destinations as other luxury brands. We are a more international product, less American-centric with more of an international atmosphere onboard. We also interpret luxury differently. We are more about whispering luxury, rather than shouting luxury. Excerpt from Cruise Industry News Quarterly Magazine: Spring 2019 Disney Cruise Line has launched a collection of new initiatives is aiming to inspire the next generation of female leaders in the maritime industry. The debut of Captain Minnie Mouse, new youth programs and the funding of scholarships are designed to empower girls and young women to pursue careers in the cruise industry and chart a course for success, the company said in a press announcement. Disney Cruise Line said it is counting on the power of the mouse Minnie Mouse to spread the message of exploring new horizons, both by land and by sea. Captain Minnie Mouse, in her crisp new uniform with smart white trousers or skirt and a bold red jacket emblazoned with captains insignia, will make the rounds on all Disney ships starting in April. In 2019, Disney Cruise Line will sponsor four scholarships at the LJM Maritime Academy in The Bahamas for female cadets who aspire to be ship captains and shipboard leaders. The scholarships, one for each of the ships in the Disney fleet, will include tuition to the three-year program. The scholarships will include two years of study at the academy and one year of service aboard a Disney ship. Our Disney characters have a unique ability to inspire and connect with children, and we know Captain Minnie will encourage young girls around the world to consider a career in the maritime industry, said Jeff Vahle, president. We are excited to work with LJM Maritime Academy to offer scholarships for young women who are pursuing their passions and following their dreams in our industry. Onboard Disney ships later this year, Captain Minnie Mouse will appear in an all-new youth activity where young captain hopefuls practice STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills in a fun maritime-themed activity. Children can hone their STEM and problem-solving abilities skills that play an important role in the maritime industry in a series of engaging, hands-on activities. The interactive experience will be a journey of discovery, exploration and imagination that will be offered in Disneys Oceaneer Lab aboard all Disney ships. As part of a commitment to encourage future generations to pursue careers in the maritime industry, Captain Minnie Mouse will also visit children in some of the cruise lines homeports and ports of call. Children will have an opportunity to meet Captain Minnie Mouse and be inspired by her can do qualities and ability to tackle any goal she sets her mind to. As part of these local community visits, Captain Minnie Mouse will be accompanied by a female Disney Cruise Line officer or crew member to showcase their roles in the maritime industry and raise awareness about career choices for women aboard a cruise ship. To celebrate the excitement of Captain Minnie Mouse at the helm, Disney is unveiling a special line of merchandise, exclusive to the Disney fleet. Items in the nautical-themed collection of apparel and gifts tout the tagline, You Can Call Me Captain. A brand-new Captain Minnie Mouse plush will be introduced this summer. Captain Minnie Mouse also takes the spotlight on a new PANDORA Jewelry charm, available for purchase exclusively onboard. In the future, girls will get to dress the part with a Captain Minnie Mouse makeover at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, available exclusively on Disney ships. At this special salon, children can transform into seafaring captains, inspired by their favorite mouse. MILFORD >> On the night Hollywood released the horror movie, Annabelle, a sell-out audience at Lauralton Hall was spellbound, hearing about the real Annabelle a demonic doll from paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who cracked the real-life case, along with her late husband, Ed Warren. The real Annabelle doll lives in a locked box at Warrens Occult Museum at her Monroe home. REVIEW: 2019 'Annabelle' is smart, scary The doll in the movie is a frightening looking porcelain doll in a childs image, with long hair and the real Annabelle the one in Warrens museum is a plain-looking classic Raggedy Ann doll with red yarn for hair. But the Raggedy Ann at the Warrens Museum is no ordinary doll. According to the Warrens, it is inhabited by an inhuman spirit, and there is a warning on the glass case not to touch. More Living Milford Ghost Camp introduces kids to the supernatural One museum-goer who ignored the warnings and taunted the doll, died in a motorcycle crash shortly after being told to leave the museum. The movie is a prequel to The Conjuring, based on the Warrens real-life case involving the doll. The couple had a lot of input in the first movie, but Annabelle, is fabricated. Warren, who mostly along with her late husband, has investigated more than 10,000 cases of paranormal activity, presented the talk and slide show of cases at the Catholic girls high school with the help of her son-in-law Tony Spera, also a paranormal investigator. Warren, now 87, soft spoken and sweet to all those who engaged her in conversation at a meet and greet, said presenting at Lauralton was like going home, because she attended the school in the late 1930s, but had to leave because of illness. Warren said her presentations are in extra demand during September and October because fascination with the subject is heightened during, Hallows Eve, as she calls it. A Roman Catholic, Warren now and in the early career with her husband, often works with priests and other clergy because they rely on blessings and sometimes exorcism to resolve a case. She said the power of faith has gotten her out of many scary situations because its often about fighting the demonic with goodness. Holy water is a tool. Warren said her Catholic faith is both her protection and her drive. Warren began by telling the audience that ever since the age of 7 or 8 she saw lights or auras around people, but was afraid to tell her parents, for fear they would think she was, crazy. She spent many years praying about it because, I didnt want to be different, she said. Warren recalled a story from her Lauralton days. She had a favorite teacher, a nun who taught French, and once told her, referring to her aura, Your lights are brighter than Mother Superiors. Warren said she was told to go to the chapel and pray about it, and it will go away. Her Lauralton audience, many with no connection to the school, but there as Warren fans, roared with laughter. At first she didnt even tell Ed Warren, whom she met at 16 about her abilities. But later he would tell her, You are different. Ed, a self-taught demonologist an interest he developed after growing up in a house he said was haunted and Lorraine, would pool their talents and go on to become world-famous paranormal investigators. Her career has spanned 65 years. The Warrens have done jobs throughout the United States and in faraway places that Japan, England, Scotland, France, Australia. The couple charged only travel expenses nothing for the actual investigating but built an empire on books, movie work and lectures about their cases. In 1952, Ed Warren founded the New England Society for Psychic Research. Their investigations often included other professionals, including nurses, doctors, police officers, researchers. Some of their famous cases besides Amityville and Annabelle include: the Demon murder; Werewolf; Smurl family; The Perrons; Stepney Cemetery; Borley Church; Union Cemetery; The Haunting in Connecticut. Warren said most unwanted spirits enter through vehicles such as Ouija boards, Tarot Cards and psychics, and urged the audience to keep their kids away from such things. Spera said seven of their 10 cases involves someone with a Ouija board asking, Is there a spirit here? If you go into a very happy home, very seldom, bad things will be found, Warren said. She and Spera continued the work after Eds death in 2006 and are currently working on a haunting case in Stratford, she said. Every town in Connecticut has paranormal activity, Warren said, noting a recent exorcism-like event on a New Haven man, 31. Going into haunting experiences, there were some bad ones, scary ones. My faith was always my protection, she said. She said that some five years ago a retiring priest moved into an apartment on her grounds, and not only does he help on jobs, but, We have mass every day in our house, she said, adding, Its beautiful how God works. The presentation Friday, which drew lots of audience oohs and ahhs, included a slide show of findings on cases such as images of people from the beyond or ghost-like forms appearing in photographs. Spera spent part of the talk on the eery, real life Annabelle story and emphasized that of all the items in the familys Occult Museum, that doll is what Id be most frightened of. Curators believe the doll has the power to kill, according to a film on the Annabelle case. Noting the case of the motorcyclist who died after leaving the museum, Spera said, Never take things like this lightly, thinking its a joke. According to a clip Spera showed, the real-life Annabelle story began in 1970 when a 28-year-old nurse received the Raggedy Ann doll as a birthday gift from her mom. She put the rag doll on her bed and began to notice it changing positions. A leg would be crossed, or the doll would be lying on its side. Then the girl and her roommate began to find parchment paper on the floor with written messages, such as, Help me, help us. They had no parchment paper in the house. The doll began appearing in different rooms and at one point appeared to be leaking blood. Then, one day, a male friend was taking a nap and woke up with the doll staring at him, as he felt like he was being strangled. There were deep scratch wounds on his upper body. The girls at first thought maybe an intruder was moving the doll around and leaving notes. When they ruled that out, according to the Occult Museum website, Not knowing where to turn they contacted a medium and a seance was held. The girls were introduced to the spirit of Annabelle Higgins, said to be a young girl that resided on the property before the apartments were built and died there at age 7. According to the website, the spirit related to the medium that she felt comfort with the two roommates in the apartment and wanted to stay with them and be loved. The roommates gave Annabelle permission to inhabit the doll, but things got worse. The Warrens took an interest in the case and contacted the women. They came to the immediate conclusion that the doll itself was not in fact possessed but manipulated by an inhuman presence, according to the Warrens website, which goes on to say, Truly, the spirit was not looking to stay attached to the doll, it was looking to possess a human host. Spera said the Warrens took the doll and Ed Warren told his wife they should avoid the highway because he was going to be a rough ride home. He was right. At some point he had to sprinkle the Annabelle doll with Holy water to calm it down. The movie Annabelle doesnt resemble the real-life story. In the movie, the doll is owned by a young couple, given to the woman for her doll collection. As the woman nears her pregnancy due date, a pair of Satanic cultists break in, stab the pregnant woman in the belly, and end up dead in their home. One of the cultists is named Annabelle Higgins, and some of her blood lands on the doll. Thats when the doll starts doing over-the-top scary things. Spera and Warren said they dont really care that the producers of Annabelle fabricated the story for the movie because it still serves the purpose of warning the public about demons. Eeveryone in the audience who believes in God must also believe theres a Devil, Spera said. Ghosts, devils, demons are real. He said while most people are focused on the bad stuff, regarding ghosts, there are beautiful stories, as well, such as the soldier who appeared to visit a loved one. Spera said its a ghost if it is a stranger appears and an apparition if you recognize the person. The key is dont open any doors, Spera said. BRIDGEPORT Police Chief Armando Perez looked across the meeting table at City Council members, intensity in his voice, as he sought to convey the lack of manpower in his department. I have a total of 251 police officers in uniform to patrol the City of Bridgeport, Perez said. Two hundred fifty-one. It was Tuesday, Bridgeports Finests night to meet with the councils Budget Committee as that group spends April scrutinizing Mayor Joe Ganims proposed 2019-20 fiscal plan. Perez and Lt. Manuel Cotto were lobbying for an increase in overtime. Its impossible to run a department with 251 officers ... unless we get what we need to run this department, Cotto said. Twenty-four hours later, public school officials similarly made their case for more funds to Budget Committee members. The mayor for the fourth year in a row had flat-funded education. School officials said that will leave them with an $11 million shortfall. Were at a tipping point, John Weldon, the school board chairman, told the council, his voice as intense as Perezs the previous evening. Our school system is becoming bankrupted. ... At some point, it wont be worth anything to anyone. The spring budget season is typically marked by department heads pleas for money. This year, Ganim complicated the budget debate by building a small, election-year property tax cut into his $564 million budget proposal which he said will save the average household $150. But that reduction will cost $4.5 million, and some council members wonder if there are more responsible uses for the money. If its such a small cut, do we go forward with it or put that $4.5 million into other areas of need? Councilwoman Maria Zambrano Viggiano, a Budget Committee co-chair, said in an interview. Of course, we all want to do it (cut taxes). Im a taxpayer and homeowner. At Tuesdays Budget Committee meeting with the police department, Cotto noted that the 2018-19 municipal budget sought to limit cops overtime to $5.4 million while Ganims proposed budget reduces that amount to $5.3 million. Were at $6.5 million (in overtime) right now, Cotto said. What we got last year was totally unreasonable. Councilwoman Jeanette Herron said, Doing this (cutting overtime) is ridiculous. ... I will not vote for this at all. Asked in an interview what she would do if forced to choose between approving Ganims tax break and using that $4.5 million elsewhere, Herron said, I would rather put it into services and needs myself. I think the constituents will appreciate that more. But she also acknowledged, I have seniors in my district. They need that money ($150 tax cut). Do you rob Peter to pay Paul? Councilman Marcus Brown said. Everybody knows taxes in Bridgeport are too high. Ganim has been criticized by some for taking credit for the small tax cut the first in many years because he campaigned in 2015 on not raising taxes, then in 2016 and with a different City Council hiked the tax rate 29 percent. Brown said he personally would rather take the $10 he could save in taxes a month and invest it in the schools and roads. But he added city officials need to start trimming the tax rate at some point, and maybe this is the year to begin. Council members Peter Spain and Christina Smiths district includes the high-taxed Black Rock community. Spain told Bridgeport school officials Wednesday, I will gladly pass up the tax cut and gladly explain that to everyone in Black Rock in order to spend more money on education. Smith is trying to get more real estate data from the Ganim administration to analyze how City Hall came up with the $150 property tax cut average and to better understand the real impacts on different neighborhoods. Why are we going to give back $4 million in taxes if it needs to be used elsewhere? Smith said. If the council was looking for guidance from constituents, Thursdays budget public hearing at City Hall was not the place to find it. There were just two speakers, ex-Councilman John Olson and Board of Education member Maria Pereira. In 2016 after the higher tax bills were mailed out, around 450 mostly furious residents attended a July council meeting to protest. Olson lobbied for more education funding. He said he did not know where the council might find the money, but added, Lot of talk lately about salary increases, referring to 4 percent raises for Ganim and his politically-appointed department heads and aides. A second public hearing, this one just for the schools and the library, is scheduled for Tuesday, same location, 6 p.m. Even if the council re-purposed Ganims tax breaks, the mayor has veto power. Asked Friday if he would reject a 2019-20 budget that does not include reduced taxes, Ganim in a statement said he is sensitive to city departments, but I am also sensitive of the need to do all that we can to keep taxes as low as we can for our residents. Councilman Ernie Newton, who represents the lower-income East End, said after Thursday nights public hearing that even if the tax cut is small, Every little bit helps everybody, man, when you live paycheck to paycheck. BRIDGEPORT A man sentenced in federal court Tuesday for trafficking homemade machine guns sought a lenient sentence in part because, he said, he was a former city police officer who once headed a crime prevention unit. But he was not. A story on the front page of Wednesdays Connecticut Post about the man, George Jaiman, being sentenced to 14 months in prison referred to him as an Ex-Bridgeport cop. Jaiman was never a sworn police officer, nor did he ever head a crime prevention unit in Bridgeport, according to city and police officials. The Post based most of its story on the documents filed in court and then added information about the sentencing from a press release sent out by the U.S. Attorneys office. We should have checked with the city to see whether Jaiman was who he and attorneys in the case said he was. Both his lawyer and federal prosecutors referred to what they said was his past work in the police department and as a corrections officer in court documents filed before his sentencing. He worked inside the prison system for nearly two decades and then worked another decade as a police officer, Jaimans lawyer, Steven Rasile wrote in a sentencing memo. Mr. Jaiman was a Department of Corrections employee and a Bridgeport Police Officer for nearly thirty years combined, the memo said. As such, he is subject to prison abuse that most inmates will not be. George Jaiman stands before this Court a 71-year-old man, who served our country honorably in Vietnam, served our state as a Corrections Officer and then served the City of Bridgeport as Director of the Crime Prevention Unit and on the West End Community Development Corporation, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale wrote in his own sentencing memo. As the former Director of the Crime Prevention Unit at the Bridgeport Police Department, Mr. Jaiman knows better than most about the gun problem that is plaguing the City, the prosecutors memo said. Contacted Thursday, Tom Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorneys office, said the passages in the prosecutors memo referring to Jaimans police work was based on information we received, but I cant comment on where it came from. In an email, Rowena White, the citys director of communications, said Jaiman was NEVER an officer of the Bridgeport Police Department. Another Bridgeport police spokesperson, Terron Jones, said in an email that Jaiman worked in the Weed and Seed Program through PD Community Services a few years ago as a Civilian Employee. Messages seeking comment were left with Jaimans lawyer Friday morning. Another message was left with the state Department of Correction, seeking information about whether Jaiman had been employed there. Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT The citys police department is partnering up with a state agency and local organization to educate parents on smartphone applications and keeping their children safe online early next month. On May 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., residents can gather at Iglesia Cristiana Renacer Church, 579 Clinton Ave. in Bridgeport, for the information session. GREENWICH Ginge Cabrera knows the horrors of Alzheimers all too well. The Greenwich resident lost her mother, grandmother and uncle to the disease. One of six children, she and her siblings have all wondered whether its in store for them, too. Greenwich residents Eleni Henkel and Mary Jo Riddle both lost their mothers to the disease. Nothing mattered more to my mom than family and her loved ones, Henkel said. To watch her slowly slip away from those she loved and treasured throughout her life was devastating. Their experiences with the disease brought them to the Connecticut Chapter of the Alzheimers Association. For several years, Cabrera chaired its local fundraising gala. Henkel and Riddle chair this years event. To be held May 11 at the Belle Haven Club, the Celebrating Hope event will be hosted by NBCs Natalie Morales and Sage Steele from ESPN. The issue also hits close to home for Morales, whose mother-in-law has Alzheimers. There are 5.8 million people with Alzheimers or dementia in the United States, including more than 78,000 in Connecticut alone. What sets apart the Alzheimers Association apart from all of the other wonderful groups out there with us in this fight is that they provide such a huge care and support piece of that fight, Cabrera said. It is the largest organization in raising money and ranks only behind the United States and China in funding research. But there is so much more going on. But the care and support component of the associations work is important to Cabrera and others. It has formed what it calls GAP groups short for Giving Alzheimers Purpose. These support groups are for people with the disease as well as caregivers, giving them a judgment-free zone to discuss their experiences and difficulties. That is an incredible resource for people who are going through this, Cabrera said. The services also include a 24/7 hotline, which Cabrera said is invaluable in helping to raise awareness about the harrowing disease. The more people know about the Alzheimers Association and all of its services, Cabrera said, the better. Its been invaluable in raising awareness and understanding of the depth and breadth of Alzheimers disease, Cabrera said. The more we get the word out and show that this is not a disease to be ashamed of or to hide from. This is a disease to be tackled. The Alzheimers Association is an invaluable tool to get people more aware. Another arm of the organization is the Alzheimers Support Movement, which brings awareness of the disease to Washington, D.C., to get more federal funding for research. The gala will also feature remarks from Erin Harris, a Simsbury resident whose husband was diagnosed at the age of 43 with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, which affects his personality, behavior and language. The condition takes away what makes you, you, Harris said. And it robbed them of the life they had planned and his chance to be a father to their son. After speaking at the Alzheimers Associations fall event in Hartford, she was invited to come to Greenwich, too. Her goal is to raise awareness of what is known more commonly as FTD. Like Alzheimers, FTD does not discriminate, Harris said. The gala is a big step forward for the Alzheimers Association. It started out as a small cocktail party that surprisingly raised $100,000 in just two hours. In the years since, the event has grown and Celebrating Hope has raised more than $1.7 million. Tickets for the gala are available online at www.alz.org/ct or by calling 860-828-2828. It will include cocktails, dinner and music from DJ April as well as a silent and a live auction. Attendees are encouraged to wear purple the signature color of the Alzheimers Association. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com WASHINGTON Special counsel Robert Muellers report, even with its redactions, provides Congress with a potential road map to President Donald Trumps impeachment, but Connecticut lawmakers have joined other congressional Democrats wary of pursuing that path. Even Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., a leading critic of the presidents conduct, stopped short of calling for impeachment after Muellers 448-page report was released Thursday. In a news conference in Hartford, Blumenthal said it was premature to discuss whether the House of Representatives should begin impeachment proceedings against the president. I really want to review this report in order to see what remedies should be pursued, he said. Blumenthal said he wanted the chance to question Mueller at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing and wants to see an unredacted copy of Muellers report. Fellow Connecticut Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy also said more information is needed before Congress takes the next step. More News Mueller report provides new details on Manafort, Hicks The Trump administration is deciding what Congress can and cannot see, which is deeply concerning, Murphy said. Congress must see a full, unredacted Mueller report, and we must hear Mueller testify before we even discuss how Congress should proceed. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, has been more direct about why Congress is not likely to rush to impeachment. Himes said Congress has a Constitutional duty to act as a check on the president But he says the stark political reality is that even if the president were impeached by the Democratically controlled U.S. House, two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote to convict, and thats unlikely to happen because the chamber is in GOP hands. There is absolutely no question in how that ends and that ends with the Senate not convicting, Himes said on CNN Thursday. I dont think there is a crime that this president could commit that would cause the Republican party to turn on him. Himes also said an impeachment trial in the Senate would last a year or more, derailing important congressional work on infrastructure, health care and other issues. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other congressional Democratic leaders are also aware that an unsuccessful attempt to impeach Trump could hurt them at the polls in 2020, just as the failed Republican attempt to impeach former President Bill Clinton cost that party in the next election. But there are Democrats, mostly in the partys progressive wing, who are beating the impeachment drum, especially now that Mueller indicated in his report that Congress could pursue obstruction charges against Trump. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, the special counsels report said. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is among the latest lawmakers to say they will sign an impeachment resolution introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. As of now the resolution has only one co-sponsor, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas. In a series of tweets, Ocasio-Cortez said while she understands the political reality of the Senate and election considerations, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate. Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didnt campaign on it, [and] rarely discuss it unprompted, Ocasio-Cortez continued. We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for all, tackling student loans, [and] a Green New Deal. But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep. Fellow freshmen Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5, disagrees. Regardless of the results of the Mueller report, President Trump and his administration give the American people evidence on a daily basis that we need a change of leadership, Hayes said in a statement. However, I believe that change should come through an election rather than impeachment. Like other Connecticut lawmakers, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, said it is better to wait and gather more information before rushing toward impeaching the president. No one is above the law, and Congress will not shy away from its responsibilities in upholding the rule of law, DeLauro said. But she also said Congress has formally requested the full Mueller report and its underlying evidence, as well as public testimony from Attorney General William Barr and Mueller. As we await that crucial information, we will not allow the presidents unethical behavior to deter our legislative efforts to lower Americans health care costs and ensure they have good-paying jobs that they can support themselves and their families on, DeLauro said. While Connecticut Democrats are not eager to press for Trumps impeachment, that could change if new information is uncovered in a series of congressional investigations or in the 14 criminal cases the Mueller team referred to other offices. And New Yorks attorney general has opened several investigations into Trumps conduct, including allegations that Trump exaggerated his wealth to obtain loans and whether donors to the presidents 2016 campaign benefits after making contributions or whether foreign nationals made illegal donations. New facts, obviously, historically, have influenced the congressional temperament, Himes said, referring to former President Richard Nixon, who initially seemed safe from impeachment after the Watergate scandal, but was forced to resign as new details of his conduct were uncovered and a conviction by the Senate was imminent. The release of the Mueller report Thursday prompted calls from Democrats for an unredacted report. Leaders of key congressional committees have been offered by Barr access to one that is not as redacted as the one released Thursday, but on Friday Pelosi and other Democratic congressional leaders rejected that plan, saying the proposal would only allow twelve Members of Congress to view a less-redacted version of the report in person and would not permit them to discuss it with other Members of Congress who all have top security clearances. In their letter to Barr, the lawmakers wrote while the current proposal is not workable, we are open to discussing a reasonable accommodation with the Department that would protect law enforcement sensitive information while allowing Congress to fulfill its constitutional duties. Connecticut Democrats have also demanded that Barr and Mueller appear before Congress to be questioned. The release of the report has given fresh impetus to a series of congressional investigations into the Trump administration. Himes, for instance, said the report could help him and fellow members of the House Intelligence Committee, who are also investigating the Kremlins involvement in U.S. elections, determine if Russia has compromising information on Trump or his aides. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wants to increase the size of the states natural coastal flood protection system in hopes of preventing a repeat of Superstorm Sandys devastation. A proposal by the service seeks to add 4,800 acres of wetlands, islands, shoals and parkland in New Haven and Fairfield counties to existing storm surge barriers. Those barriers include regions in Branford, Milford, Bridgeport, Norwalk and Greenwich. Another 3,189 acres would be added between Stonington and Branford. We strongly support the expanded protection to tens of thousands of acres of natural dunes, marshes and tidal flats all around Long Island Sound, said Curt Johnson, president of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Save the Sound. If approved by Congress, the mostly vacant areas would forever remain free of development. The process of expanding the existing Coastal Barrier Resources System has been ongoing for years. The federal Fish and Wildlife Service is also removing some property that should not have been included due to inaccurate mapping and other errors. A similar effort is underway on Long Island, where some 23,000 acres is being added to the flood protection system and other tracks are being rearranged or removed to reflect updated maps. Protection zones are being expanded in Maryland, Rhode Island and Virginia as well. Massive damage Property within the flood protection system is effectively barred from development because federal flood insurance cannot be purchased within the region. Existing buildings and manmade structures are grandfathered and allowed to remain. More than half of the structures proposed for addition are on public lands or parks; the remainder are on private land, the Fish and Wildlife Service said in a news release. Nationally, the CBRS contains 862 geographic units that encompass 3.5 million acres of relatively undeveloped areas along the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico coasts, the service said. The protective effort began after Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast in October 2012 and Superstorm Sandy caused more than $360 million in damage in Connecticut. Some 600,000 electric customers lost power throughout the state and coastal towns were hit with high winds and flood surges, which downed trees and blocked roads for days. Greenwich, Westport, New Canaan, Fairfield, Milford, East Haven and New London were among the hardest hit. As for storm damage, the Danbury area wasnt hit as hard as the communities along the coast. Downed trees were the biggest challenge, blocking roads, crushing homes and knocking down power lines. Ridgefield was completely without power. Ninety-nine percent of Redding and 97 percent of Newtown were left in the dark at the worst part of the storm. It took days to restore power, causing Redding and Ridgefield to cancel school for the rest of the week and delaying many Halloween events. Eversource eventually undertook an aggressive tree-trimming campaign to prevent trees from falling on power lines and causing outages in future storms. Added protection Here are the proposed additions to the Coastal Barrier Resources System in New Haven and Fairfield counties: Madison: Portions of Hammonasset Sate Park, Fence Creek and wetland areas Branford: Portion of Lindsey Cove and related wetlands West Haven: Portion of Sandy Point Bridgeport: Parts of Lewis Gut, Pleasure Beach, Long Beach, Great Meadows, Black Rock Harbor and Seaside Park Greenwich: Shell Island, Bowers Island and Calf Island Milford: Portions of beach and wetlands at Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Refuge and Bird Sanctuary and the Coastal Center Norwalk: Grassy Island, Chimon Island, shoals northwest of Cockenoe Island, portions of Cockenoe Harbor, portions of the Norwalk Islands. Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service See More Collapse Fairfields damage stood out. More than 1,000 trees were knocked down, 1,000 homes were flooded and some 5,000 residents had to be evacuated. Six Fairfield homes were washed out to sea by the storms repeated tidal surges. Valuable acreage Johnson said the protective shoals, wetlands and islands included in the flood barrier zone both protect the shoreline and offer enormous economic value for the state. He pegged the value of that protection at $76 million a year and between $288 million and $1.9 billion annually in ecological services, including water pollution filtration and absorption of greenhouse gases. They save taxpayers and property owners by reducing flood impacts to our neighborhoods during our regions increasingly frequent coastal storms, Johnson said. These natural areas on Connecticut and Long Islands shoreline provide a refuge for fish, wildlife and people to enjoy 365 days a year, Johnson said. The barriers also serve as natures filters, providing hundreds of millions of dollars in value by acting as water pollution sponges, Johnson said. Lets give these areas the protection they deserve, for our families and future generations, he noted. The Fish and Wildlife Service said the proposed additions would add about 141,072 acres to the system nationally, including 5,057 acres of land above mean high tide and 136,015 acres of wetlands and open water. Undeveloped coastal barriers and wetlands are critical in protecting inland areas from destructive weather forces, providing a buffer against high winds, waves and storm surges, the service said. They protect public safety and the substantial investments along mainland coastal communities, the service said, adding a recent study found that wetlands alone avoided $625 million in direct flood damages during Hurricane Sandy. The service said while new construction on protected land would not qualify for federal flood insurance, a grandfathering provision allows already built structures to maintain flood insurance. bcummings@ctpost.com The Board of Regents for Higher Education forged ahead Thursday with controversial plans to merge the states 12 community colleges by hiring three regional presidents newly created positions, each with yearly salaries of $220,000. At the same meeting, the board approved a 2.1 percent increase in tuition and fees for community college students that amounts to a $92 annual increase for full time students and is expected to bring in $2.7 million in additional revenue. That added revenue comes nowhere near closing the projected budget gap for next year that was also announced Thursday: the shortfall for community colleges has grown in recent months from $22.7 million to $33 million. Richard Balducci, the chairman of the boards finance committee, said of the financial trouble: We cant do this with tuition. We have structural challenges here and we also just have got to advocate incredibly vigorously for the kind of public funding that these institutions need and deserve. He said its clear this board has not shied away from taking accountability for the aspects of this over which we have something to say our administrative structure That is where the plan to merge the 12 colleges proposed by Mark Ojakian, president of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities and supported by the governing board of regents is key, according to Ojakian and the regents. Ojakian has said the plan, which includes consolidating administrative functions and aligning curriculum across the campuses, will not only save money $23 million but will strengthen the number of students graduating successfully and going on to further education or careers. That merger is years away, however. Accreditors did not approve the first plan for a merger submitted by CSCU last year and have yet to approve a new one. The full merger is not expected to take place until 2023. Ojakian said Thursday that the hiring of the three regional presidents is a critical first step in implementing the merger plan called Students First. He has said that he feels the accreditors the New England Commission of Higher Education will be more likely to approve the merger when it comes before them if the administrative structure is already in place. The hiring of three regional presidents is a critical first step in implementing Students First, Ojakian said, noting that the presidents will act as change agents to bring the college campuses together to prepare for the new college structure and its mission. A statement from the regents said the hiring of presidents is a key component of the planning for the single college and puts in place a new structure that provides strategic leadership and centralized services at the system and regional level Each new president will oversee one of three regions in the state with several colleges in each and will be responsible for among many elements looking for ways to save costs by sharing services; aligning curriculum; bringing the campuses together around strategic goals; identifying students needs and improving student outcomes; and working with businesses and community leaders. The presidents hired Thursday and scheduled to start this summer are: Rob Steinmetz, who will become president of Region One which includes Capital, Manchester, Middlesex, Three Rivers and Quinebaug community colleges, is now serving as vice president for students affairs at Portland Community College in Oregon. He has more than ten years of educational and administrative experience, according to the regents, and holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Alabama. He began his collegiate career at Chattanooga State Community College where he earned an Associate Science degree. James Lombella, who is now serving as president of both Asnuntuck and Tunxis community colleges, will become president of Region Two, which includes Asnuntuck and Tunxis as well as Naugatuck Valley and Northwestern community colleges. He has had more than a decade of experience in the CSCU system and holds a Master of Management degree from Cambridge College and a Doctor of Education degree from Nova Southeastern University. He began his career at Holyoke Community College in Massachusetts. Thomas Coley was selected to be the president of Region Three which consists of Gateway, Housatonic and Norwalk community colleges. He now serves as chancellor of the South Bend-Elkhart campus of Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. He has had more than 30 years of educational and administrative experience and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Moorehead State University and a Masters of Arts and Ph.D from the University of Wisconsin. Coley announced in January that he is retiring from Ivy Tech as of May 31. Ojakian said that the new presidents were selected from a field of 61 applicants by three regional advisory committees that included 50 participants. The 61 candidates came from an array of different backgrounds, Ojakian said, including 11 women, 15 African Americans and four Hispanics. The six finalists included one woman and one African-American man. Of the three candidates selected, all are men and one, Coley, is African-American. The other two are white. All three were elected unanimously and each addressed the board Steinmetz and Coley over speaker phone and Lombella in person and thanked them. Steinmetz said that the boards vision to create a long term solution to what the majority of community colleges are really experiencing across the country is quite frankly what drew me to the opportunity, to explore applying for this role and so I appreciated learning more about that vision as Ive gone through the process. He said its clear to him that there is a great deal of passion and pride for each community and for how they support their students. Opposition to the merger Some faculty and legislators have spoken out strongly against the planned merger fearing that the plan wont really save money, that it will undermine the strength and identities of the colleges, and hurt student achievement. They have particularly questioned the wisdom of hiring regional presidents before the proposed single college is approved by accreditors. In addition, legislators are considering a bill that would enable lawmakers to stop plans to merge the 12 community colleges. Senate Bill 749 is now awaiting action. State Sen. Mae Flexer said of the hiring decision Thursday: I think this is another example of the Board of Regents moving forward with a proposal despite the fact that the legislature has expressed its concern about trying to get more scrutiny over the Student First proposal and Gov. Lamont has not weighed in. President Ojakian just thinks he can go full steam ahead with his proposal despite concerns expressed not only by the legislature but by students and faculty through-out the state, she continued. I think they are perplexed and I am so perplexed as to why the components of this proposal are being put in place years before the accreditation would even be considered by NECHE. Its a bad thing to do. We are going to have duplicative structures. Elle Van Dermark, a faculty member at Asnuntuck Community College, said she is disappointed the regents have hired another layer of management and continue to implement a plan that has been so clearly refuted by a cadre of experienced higher education leaders in Connecticut and across the nation. More troublesome is the tens of millions of dollars being wasted on an ever-growing CSCU administration. and they have increased student tuition! It is a sad testament to what is valued and important by the CSCU and BOR. Stephen Adair, a sociology professor at Central Connecticut State University, which is part of the CSCU system, said the community college campuses are starved for resources but the system administration just continues to add more and more senior people on to an already bloated central administration. He noted that the 12 community colleges will continue to be individually accredited until 2023, which means that the departments on the campuses will continue to be overseen and directed by the campus president or a chief executive officers. It is hard to see what these Regional Presidents will be presiding over, Adair said. Ojakian said the regional presidents will not be duplicating the efforts of the presidents or chief executives on the campuses. I dont think there will be overlap at all, he said. I think a local campus president or leader is going to focus on their individual institution and continue to enhance the community connection of that local institution. The regional presidents will work with all of them to try to leverage expertise and scale best practices across the region. And if the accreditors dont approve the single college, what happens to the regional presidents? I think they stay in place, Ojakian said. WASHINGTON - It turns out the deep state wasn't so deep. The resistance was coming from inside the White House. President Donald Trump repeatedly made his own top aides, appointees and advisers uncomfortable by making requests that they found unethical, legally questionable or otherwise inappropriate as he sought to gain some control over the federal investigation into himself and Russia's interference in the 2016 election. While neither accusing him of a crime nor exonerating him, the second volume of special counsel Bob Mueller's 448-page report details 10 episodes in which there is at least some evidence that Trump sought to obstruct justice. In most of them, at least one person from the president's inner circle resisted entreaties to do something they felt was wrong. "The president's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," the Mueller report concludes. In looking out for their own interests and reputations, Trump's aides often protected the president from himself. Sometimes they said no and threatened to resign. Other times they said yes and just didn't follow through, hoping the president would forget. Mueller documents dozens of instances in which the president's own people reined him in. If these officials had gone along with everything Trump had asked for, the evidence of obstruction would likely be much stronger, and calls for impeachment on the Capitol Hill today would almost certainly be louder. Here are eight key figures identified by Mueller as resisting Trump at critical moments: 1. Jeff Sessions refused to unrecuse himself, even when Trump bullied him privately and publicly. "Oh my God," Trump said when Sessions informed him that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein had just appointed Mueller as special counsel in May 2017, according to contemporaneous notes taken by Sessions's then-chief of staff, Jody Hunt. "This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency." The president ripped into Sessions for his recusal, saying that he had let him down. "This is the worst thing that ever happened to me," Trump said. "How could you let this happen, Jeff?" "The President said the position of Attorney General was his most important appointment and that Sessions had 'let [him] down,' contrasting him to Eric Holder and Robert Kennedy," the report says. "Sessions recalled that the President said to him, 'you were supposed to protect me,' or words to that effect." For months, Trump had tried to get Sessions to rethink his decision not to oversee the probe of Russian interference in the 2016 election. The attorney general had played a leadership role in the president's campaign and had been advised that the question of whether he needed to recuse himself wasn't a close call. Sessions told prosecutors last year, while he was still attorney general, that Trump pulled him aside at Mar-a-Lago in Florida so they could speak alone and suggested that Sessions should "unrecuse." A few months later, in the summer of 2017, he called Sessions at home and again asked him to reverse his recusal. Sessions would not do it. Months after that, in December 2017, Trump met with Sessions in the Oval Office and said that he would be a "hero" if he took back supervision of the Russia investigation. With the president fuming at him, Sessions offered a letter of resignation to Trump in May 2017. He said he wanted to stay on but was willing to go. When then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and chief strategist Steve Bannon learned that the president was holding on to Sessions's resignation letter, the report says that they became concerned that it could be used to influence the Department of Justice. "Priebus told Sessions it was not good for the President to have the letter because it would function as a kind of 'shock collar' that the President could use any time he wanted," according to the report. "Priebus said the President had 'DOJ by the throat.' Priebus and Bannon told Sessions they would attempt to get the letter back from the President with a notation that he was not accepting Sessions's resignation." Thirteen days after he handed the letter to Trump, they succeeded. But Sessions carried a resignation letter in his pocket every time he went to the White House for a year afterward, according to Hunt. 2. White House counsel Don McGahn refused to have Mueller fired. The Mueller report could also be called the McGahn report. The former White House counsel's name appears 529 times, including in footnotes, on 66 separate pages. He clearly cooperated with prosecutors, and the portions of the report involving his interviews - given under oath - are gripping. In June 2017, three days after The Washington Post revealed that the special counsel's office was investigating whether the president had obstructed justice, Trump called McGahn at home and directed him to call Rosenstein and say that the special counsel had conflicts of interest and must be removed. "McGahn did not carry out the direction, however, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential "Saturday Night Massacre," the report says. "McGahn recalled that the President called him at home twice and on both occasions directed him to call Rosenstein and say that Mueller had conflicts that precluded him from serving as Special Counsel . . . . He and other advisors believed the asserted conflicts were 'silly' and 'not real,' and they had previously communicated that view to the President. McGahn also had made clear to the President that the White House Counsel's Office should not be involved in any effort to press the issue of conflicts. . . . "McGahn was concerned about having any role in asking the Acting Attorney General to fire the Special Counsel because he had grown up in the Reagan era and wanted to be more like Judge Robert Bork and not 'Saturday Night Massacre Bork,'" the report explains. "McGahn considered the President 's request to be an inflection point and he wanted to hit the brakes. . . . McGahn recalled feeling trapped because he did not plan to follow the President's directive but did not know what he would say the next time the President called. "McGahn decided he had to resign. . . . He then drove to the office to pack his belongings and submit his resignation letter. . . . That evening, McGahn called both Priebus and Bannon and told them that he intended to resign. . . . Priebus recalled that McGahn said that the President had asked him to 'do crazy shit' . . . Priebus and Bannon both urged McGahn not to quit, and McGahn ultimately returned to work that Monday and remained in his position." Seven months later, in early 2018, the New York Times reported the contours of that incident, and the president reacted by directing White House officials to tell McGahn to dispute the story. McGahn refused. "The President then met with McGahn in the Oval Office and again pressured him to deny the reports," the Mueller report recounts. "In the same meeting, the President also asked McGahn why he had told the Special Counsel about the President's effort to remove the Special Counsel and why McGahn took notes of his conversations with the President. McGahn refused to back away from what he remembered happening and perceived the President to be testing his mettle." The president insisted he never told McGahn to "fire" Mueller, but McGahn said that his notes showed Trump had told him that "Mueller has to go." Trump then berated McGahn for keeping a record of their discussions. "Why do you take notes? Lawyers don't take notes. I never had a lawyer who took notes," Trump told McGahn, according to McGahn's account. McGahn responded that he was a "real lawyer." "I've had a lot of great lawyers, like Roy Cohn," Trump replied. "He did not take notes." Cohn, a key early mentor for Trump, was Joe McCarthy's chief counsel in the Senate. He was later disbarred for unethical conduct - just like Michael Cohen, who would be Trump's lawyer a generation later. The whole episode underscored why it made sense for McGahn to keep a paper trail. Weighing in on Twitter on Friday from Mar-a-Lago, Trump appeared to allude to this donnybrook over notetaking as he criticized Mueller and former aides who cooperated with the special counsel: "Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue. Watch out for people that take so-called "notes," when the notes never existed until needed. Because I never . . . agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the 'Report' about me, some of which are total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad). This was an Illegally Started Hoax that never should have happened." 3. Rick Dearborn threw the president's message for Sessions in the trash. During a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office in June 2017, Trump dictated a message for his former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to deliver to Sessions: Meet with the special counsel and get him to limit his jurisdiction to future election interference, rather than look backward on the 2016 election. Lewandowski scheduled a meeting with Sessions to convey this message for the following evening at his office, but Sessions canceled because of a last-minute conflict. "Lewandowski wanted to pass the message to Sessions in person rather than over the phone. He did not want to meet at the Department of Justice because he did not want a public log of his visit and did not want Sessions to have an advantage over him by meeting on what Lewandowski described as Sessions's turf," the report says. "Lewandowski stored the notes in a safe at his home, which he stated was his standard procedure with sensitive items." A month later, in a second private meeting, Trump asked what came of his message to Sessions. Lewandowski said he would circle back. Then Lewandowski approached Dearborn, who was at that time deputy White House chief of staff and had worked for Sessions in the Senate, to ask him to pass along the message. "Lewandowski saw Dearborn in the anteroom outside the Oval Office and gave him a typewritten version of the message the President had dictated to be delivered to Sessions," the report says. "The message 'definitely raised an eyebrow' for Dearborn, and he recalled not wanting to ask where it came from or think further about doing anything with it. Dearborn also said that being asked to serve as a messenger to Sessions made him uncomfortable. He recalled later telling Lewandowski that he had handled the situation, but he did not actually follow through with delivering the message to Sessions, and he did not keep a copy of the typewritten notes Lewandowski had given him." 4. Rob Porter refused to call the No. 3 at the Justice Department. "In early July 2017, the President asked Staff Secretary Rob Porter what he thought of Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand," the report says. "Porter recalled that the President asked him if Brand was good, tough, and 'on the team.' The President also asked if Porter thought Brand was interested in being responsible for the Special Counsel's investigation and whether she would want to be Attorney General one day. Because Porter knew Brand, the President asked him to sound her out about taking responsibility for the investigation and being Attorney General. Contemporaneous notes taken by Porter show that the President told Porter to 'Keep in touch with your friend,' in reference to Brand. "Later, the President asked Porter a few times in passing whether he had spoken to Brand, but Porter did not reach out to her because he was uncomfortable with the task," the report continues. "In asking him to reach out to Brand, Porter understood the President to want to find someone to end the Russia investigation or fire the Special Counsel, although the President never said so explicitly. Porter did not contact Brand because he was sensitive to the implications of that action and did not want to be involved in a chain of events associated with an effort to end the investigation or fire the Special Counsel." Porter was pushed out of the White House in February 2018 when both of his ex-wives publicly accused him of physical abuse. 5. Chris Christie refused to contact Comey. During a private lunch on Feb. 14, 2017, at the White House, Trump asked then-New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie - who had led his transition team until being fired shortly after the election - if he was still friendly with Comey, who was still FBI director. "Christie said he was," the report says. "The President told Christie to call Comey and tell him that the President 'really like[s] him. Tell him he's part of the team.' At the end of the lunch, the President repeated his request that Christie reach out to Comey. Christie had no intention of complying with the President's request that he contact Comey. He thought the President's request was 'nonsensical' and Christie did not want to put Comey in the position of having to receive such a phone call. Christie thought it would have been uncomfortable to pass on that message." 6. Rosenstein refused to hold a news conference. The night Trump fired Comey in May 2017, the White House Press Office called the Justice Department and said that it wanted to put out a statement saying it was the deputy attorney general's idea to get rid of the FBI director. "Rosenstein told other DOJ officials that he would not participate in putting out a 'false story,'" the report says. "The President then called Rosenstein directly and said he was watching Fox News, that the coverage had been great, and that he wanted Rosenstein to do a press conference. Rosenstein responded that this was not a good idea because, if the press asked him, he would tell the truth that Comey's firing was not his idea." That same night, then-White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters, "It was all [Rosenstein]. No one from the White House. It was a DOJ decision." 7. KT McFarland wouldn't send a memo. After Michael Flynn was pushed out as national security adviser in February 2017, Priebus and Bannon told his No. 2 that the president wanted her to resign, but they suggested that she could be made ambassador to Singapore instead. "The next day, the President asked Priebus to have McFarland draft an internal email that would confirm that the President did not direct Flynn to call the Russian Ambassador about sanctions," the report states. "Priebus called McFarland into his office to convey the President's request that she memorialize in writing that the President did not direct Flynn to talk to [Sergey] Kislyak. McFarland told Priebus she did not know whether the President had directed Flynn to talk to Kislyak about sanctions, and she declined to say yes or no to the request." McFarland then reached out to John Eisenberg in the White House Counsel's Office to check about the propriety of the request. "Eisenberg advised McFarland not to write the requested letter," the report states. "As documented by McFarland in a contemporaneous 'Memorandum for the Record' that she wrote because she was concerned by the President's request: 'Eisenberg thought the requested email and letter would be a bad idea - from my side because the email would be awkward. Why would I be emailing Priebus to make a statement for the record? But it would also be a bad idea for the President because it looked as if my ambassadorial appointment was in some way a quid pro quo.' Later that evening, Priebus stopped by McFarland's office and told her not to write the email and to forget he even mentioned it." The report notes that there's "some evidence" that Trump knew about the existence and content of Flynn's calls when they occurred, "but the evidence is inconclusive and could not be relied upon to establish the President's knowledge." 8. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats wouldn't put out a statement. Trump reached out to the former Indiana Republican senator, whom he had just appointed, after Comey disclosed in March 2017 that the FBI was investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, including any links or coordination with the Trump campaign. The president asked Coats whether he could say publicly that no link existed between Trump and Russia. "Coats responded that [his department] has nothing to do with investigations and it was not his role to make a public statement on the Russia investigation," the report says. "Coats told this Office that the President never asked him to speak to Comey about the FBI investigation. Some ODNI staffers, however, had a different recollection of how Coats described the meeting immediately after it occurred." The report outlines conflicting accounts of what happened next: "According to senior ODNI official Michael Dempsey, Coats said after the meeting that the President had brought up the Russia investigation and asked him to contact Comey to see if there was a way to get past the investigation, get it over with, end it, or words to that effect. Dempsey said that Coats described the President's comments as falling 'somewhere between musing about hating the investigation' and wanting Coats to 'do something to stop it.' Dempsey said Coats made it clear that he would not get involved with an ongoing FBI investigation. "Edward Gistaro, another ODNI official, recalled that right after Coats's meeting with the President , on the walk from the Oval Office back to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, Coats said that the President had kept him behind to ask him what he could do to 'help with the investigation.' Another ODNI staffer who had been waiting for Coats outside the Oval Office talked to Gistaro a few minutes later and recalled Gistaro reporting that Coats was upset because the President had asked him to contact Comey to convince him there was nothing to the Russia investigation. . . . Coats recalled the President bringing up the Russia investigation several times, and Coats said he finally told the President that Coats's job was to provide intelligence and not get involved in investigations." - - - Mueller Report Link: https://slack-redir.net/link?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fcontext%2Frobert-mueller-s-report-on-the-investigation-into-russian-interference-in-the-2016-election%2F%3FnoteId%3Df5fe536c-81bb-45be-86e5-a9fee9794664%26questionId%3D2b6869ce-67e8-47f9-b4d2-ddeeec37f6d4%26utm_term%3D.7d73ce09209b A frigate of Singaporean navy arrived at Dagang port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on Friday morning to attend the multinational navy event to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. A frigate of Singaporean navy arrives at Dagang port in Qingdao, Shandong Province, on April 19, 2019 to attend the multinational navy event to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. [Photo: China Plus] This is the first foreign naval vessel to arrive for the four-day event which is to start on April 22. Navy delegations from more than 60 countries and vessels from more than 10 countries were invited to participate. With a displacement of 3,200 tonnes, an overall length of 114.8 meters and a beam of 16.3 meters, the Formidable-class frigate RSS Stalwart of the Republic of Singapore Navy has a maximum speed of 27 knots. The event, which is to be held in Qingdao and nearby air and sea areas, includes maritime parade, high-level seminars, joint military music display, warship public open day activities, cultural and sports exchanges, and military professional exchanges. April 23 marks the 70th founding anniversary of the PLA Navy. The South Florida Sun Sentinel has won the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for public service for its coverage of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The newspaper, which serves the Fort Lauderdale area, deserves it. On learning of the shooting in February 2018, I was reminded of the mass shooting five years earlier at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, 20 miles from our home in Bridgeport. Twenty children and six adults were killed. The Hartford Courant was a finalist in the Pulitzer breaking news category for its coverage of the Sandy Hook massacre. Both the Sun Sentinel and the Courant are owned by Tribune Publishing of Chicago. Here is part of the news story about the Sun Sentinels Pulitzer posted on sun-sentinel.com: The prize, the most respected in journalism, recognized the newspapers 10-month effort to reveal how 17 people could be murdered in a school considered one of the safest in Florida. In dozens of stories, the Sun Sentinel exposed failures by the school district, law enforcement and social services that enabled the teenage gunman to enter the school on Valentines Day 2018 and slaughter staff and students with semiautomatic rifle. The Sun Sentinels coverage sparked significant changes in law enforcement and school safety and led to legislation to hold schools more accountable for crimes that occur on their campuses. The Pulitzer judges cited the Sun Sentinels stories for exposing failings by school and law enforcement officials before and after the deadly shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. A 19-year-old male who had been expelled from the school was charged with 17 counts of murder. Of the victims, 14 were students and three were staff members. The Pulitzers are the Oscars of journalism. They recognize superior work in newspapers and magazines and on digital platforms. To see all the 2019 winners, go to pulitzer.org. The awards are administered by the Columbia University Journalism School (my alma mater) and named for Joseph Pulitzer, an immigrant from Hungary who rose from poverty to become a press baron. There are 14 journalism categories and seven categories for arts and letters. A jury for each category sends three nominations to a board. As a newspaper editor, I served on three journalism juries. Julie Anderson, the Sun Sentinels editor-in-chief, arrived at the newspaper from the Orlando Sentinel two weeks after the Parkland shooting. She told the staffers to stick with the story. They did. Dana Canedy, administrator of the Pulitzers, paid tribute to The Eagle Eye, the student newspaper at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which had published obituaries of the students and staff members killed in the shooting. The school is named for the late defender of the Everglades, who was a newspaper reporter. I hope members of The Eagle Eye staff will follow her example. Maybe they could work for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. Its main office is just 10 miles east of Parkland. Paul Janensch, of Bridgeport, was a newspaper editor and taught journalism at Quinnipiac University. Email: paul.janensch@quinnipiac.edu. NAFCU Director of Regulatory Affairs Ann Kossachev attended an event Wednesday with Andrew Olmem, special assistant to the president for financial policy, during which he shared updates on a number of issues including the economy, housing finance reform, regulatory relief and consumer privacy. On housing finance reform, Olmem indicated that the Treasury Department and Department of Housing and Urban Development are currently working on plans as directed by the memo issued by President Donald Trump last month to initiate housing finance reform. Olmem indicated that the administration expects to see reports from both agencies completed within a few weeks. NAFCU has led efforts to ensure credit unions unfettered access to the secondary mortgage market in any housing finance reform, and has urged the Trump administration and Congress to work together on a comprehensive solution. Olmem also said that the administration is concerned about regulatory burdens placed on financial institutions in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis; many new regulations have been implemented without having a big impact on the safety and soundness of the financial system. He said the administration is encouraging regulators to implement provisions of S. 2155 in a timely manner; see NAFCUs summary guide on provisions related to credit unions here. Many credit unions across the industry have expressed the need to grow deposits. But in suburban Atlanta, Georgia United Credit Union($1.4B, Duluth, GA) has created an executive position with that mandate. Eric Jenkins is now Georgia Uniteds chief deposit services officer, a title that more tightly focuses a goal he had when he joined the credit union in January 2014 as its senior vice president of operations. In the past five years, the 163,412-member cooperative has increased deposits at a steady clip. But, like most credit unions its size, Georgia Uniteds loan-to-share ratio has risen in response to strong loan demand. Mayor Thomas Small as his daughter Lyra Brody Small gives the Pledge of Allegiance. Culver City Mayor Thomas Small was beaming as he delivered his "State of the City" address to more than 600 members of the community. "Our city remains socially, culturally and economically diverse while our school district was recently named the fourth most diverse in the country," Small said during last week's address, which was presented in the evening at the newly-remodeled Robert Frost Auditorium. Small talked about his tenure on the Council and the city's accomplishments and major projects and reiterated the importance of mobility in civic planning. He stressed the need for plans to get around the developments in areas like Washington and National Boulevard, where a transit-based development is adding stores, restaurants, offices, housing and a hotel. The mayor said that mobility will be a core issue when the city starts updating its general plan. Quoting from a book written about the changes in Italy at the turn of the last century, the mayor said: "If we want everything to stay the same, then everything must change." Several speakers at the "State of the City" event spoke about the need of Culver City to preserve its small down feel in the middle of a growing metropolitan area. CCUSD Superintendent Leslie Lockhart commented that "Culver City gets it, the connection between great schools and a great city." During his speech, Mayor Small also mentioned that the growth of the city is being spurred by the technological revolution. "Can we have this growth that's fueled by this incredible technological economic engine and still have a community that respects its history?" he asked. "Can we and how can we have growth that is inclusive?" He strove his point by suggesting that city officials and the stakeholders take a new and exciting direction. "The inclusion of all community members will ensure that Culver City remains a city for all generations to come," he said. The revival of Ballona Creek was also mentioned during the address. Small pointed out that the creek was a major bikeway from Culver City to the ocean. He also told the crowd the Fox Hills area is poised for growth with the projects coming on line. The evening began with a piano rendition of Duke Ellington's The Single Petal of a Rose by renowned pianist Althea Waites. Observer Staff Photo Citizen of the Year presentation to Diana and David Hauptman. The audience was delighted when Mayor Small had his daughter Lyra Brody Small lead the Pledge of Allegiance. The audience was also treated to a short film, called "Culver City Forward Motion," which reviewed the history of Culver City from the early days of the film industry to today's arrival of the high-tech firms. At the end of the program, Joanna Brody presented the "Citizen of the Year Award" to Diana and David Hauptman. Both have spent countless hours volunteering in the city. David served one term on the Council and one year as Mayor. To watch the mayor's address, go to: https://www.culvercity.org/Home/Components/News/News/3008/722?backlist=%2f The Life of Herb Rosenberg Herb Rosenberg left us on April 2, 2019, but he and his wife Diane left us a legacy of love, commitment and a sense of devotion many of us strive to achieve. Like so many people the Rosenberg's and I were bound together by this place called Culver City. Friendly and affable they were always happy to greet me and Herb was especially fond of talking about his beloved wife Diane. Rarely in my life have I seen a couple so devoted to each other. The facts and statistics do not tell the complete story but here goes. Herb was born on September 21, 1935 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of three boys. He serve honorably in the United State Air Force from 1955 until 1959. They met at the Jewish Community Center in West Los Angeles. He told me, "I saw her across the room and I said to myself, I'm going to marry her," which he did on bended knees in front of her family. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 9, 2016 renewing their vow at Temple Akiba in front of friends and family. Herb served his community well. He was President of the Friends of the Library, a member of the Culver City Democratic club and was on the Airport Advisory Committee for 9 years. They traveled the globe visiting Israel, Hong, Kong, Norway, London, Thailand and Canada. Their last trip was a cruise to New Zealand. He was laid to rest at Mt. Sinai Hollywood Hills with full military honors. He is survived by his wife Diane and son Alan. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Howard, Dennis and Irving and his son Mark. Warm weather on the way as some look to the sky for snow Nigel Farage is the single most important British politician of the past 30 years. That may sound an extraordinary statement, given that he has never even won a seat at Westminster, despite seven attempts since 1994. But as the man who made Euroscepticism mainstream, appealing to millions of working-class voters who might never have been attracted to a traditional Conservative, the former City trader single-handedly paved the way for Brexit. And long after the likes of David Cameron, Ed Miliband, George Osborne and perhaps even Theresa May are forgotten, I suspect historians will still be fascinated by Mr Farages extraordinary rise from obscurity. Now, after apparently vacating the national stage after the EU referendum, he is back. And with an almost effortless ease, the founder of the Brexit Party has once again put himself in the thick of the action. Could Nigel Farage (right) be the reason why Jeremy Corbyn (left) gets the hot seat at No 10 According to two surveys this week, his party has surged to first place in polls for the European parliamentary elections, just ahead of Labour and more than 10 per cent clear of the Conservatives, who are a very poor third. And if the elections do go ahead on May 23, as seems very likely, then the next days headlines will surely belong to Mr Farage, whose denunciations of Parliament and the political class have manifestly struck a chord with millions of Leave voters. Indeed, there must be a reasonable chance that his Brexit Party will play a decisive role in three successive titanic votes: the European elections, a possible second referendum and then a general election. And given that Mr Farages previous party, Ukip, won almost 4million votes in the 2015 general election, I would not bet against him doing even better in a future campaign. Theresa May (pictured above) has been struggling to get her deal through parliament In many ways, of course, the Brexit Partys stunning overnight rise is simply a reflection of Parliaments shambolic inability to deliver on the 2016 referendum. Three years on, with Britain apparently stuck in limbo, the Tories and Labour unable to agree a way forward and rumours of a second referendum becoming ever louder, who can blame so many ordinary people for feeling bitterly frustrated? Indeed, whatever your views about Brexit, one thing on which we can surely all agree is that the last three years have shown our MPs in a wretchedly poor light, from the shambles of Mrs Mays attempts to get her deal through to the boasting and strutting of the Conservative ERG, the cynical evasions of Jeremy Corbyn and the shameless posturing of John Bercow. Given the Westminster politicians reckless brinkmanship, interminable pomposity and brazen showing-off, it is no wonder that, earlier this month, a record seven out of ten people told a survey that our entire political system needed significant improvement. Even more worryingly, a staggering 54 per cent said they thought Britain needed a strong leader willing to break the rules precisely the formula used to justify authoritarians such as Hungarys presidential strongman Viktor Orban or Italys far-Right deputy premier Matteo Salvini, who make no secret of their contempt for liberal democracy. Hungarys presidential strongman Viktor Orban (right) and Italys far-Right deputy premier Matteo Salvini (left) make no secret of their contempt for liberal democracy Although I am no great fan of Mr Farage, I dont think he is cut from the same cloth. He is a natural rebel, not a natural tyrant, with a reflective side not often shown in public. Talking to the editor of the Left-wing New Statesman, he once remarked that his hero was the 18th-century radical agitator John Wilkes, a champion of Press freedom. And although he clearly loves shocking liberal sensibilities, I find it impossible to picture him as a British Mussolini. Even so, I suspect his influence may be greater now than at any time in his career. Far from going away, the anxieties that he has tapped so successfully remain as potent as ever. Nobody is better placed to exploit the understandable popular frustration at our political class and patriotic resentment of the Brussels elite. The longer the Brexit impasse continues, of course, the higher his star will rise. Indeed, I wonder if there is a part of Mr Farage that would relish the prospect of a second referendum: a titanic, once-and-for-all showdown against the Westminster establishment, in which he would present himself as the champion of the people against the political class. Again, I would not bet against him. For he has an unparalleled ability to reach working-class voters concerned about Europe, identity, immigration and the pace of cultural change, despite the fact that his own background Dulwich College and the City of London could hardly be more different. Mr Farage (pictured above) would relish the prospect of a second referendum The truth is that he has that most precious of political commodities: authenticity. Unlike Boris Johnson, who infamously wrote two columns before the EU referendum, one for Remain and one for Leave, before deciding which way to jump, Mr Farage manifestly believes what he says. And unlike so many politicians, he is not a careerist. In the 1990s and 2000s, in the prime of life, he stood again and again for Ukip in unwinnable seats, suffering one humiliation after another. Only after he had spent years toiling in the wilderness did commentators begin to take him seriously. The supreme irony, though, is that Mr Farages final achievement may be to destroy the organisation that he joined as a schoolboy at Dulwich in the late 1970s: the Conservative Party. Boris Johnson (pictured above) infamously wrote two columns before the EU referendum, one for Remain and one for Leave, before deciding which way to jump For although Tories insist their abysmal third place in polls for the European elections is a blip, it could easily be a sign of something seismic. If former Leave voters conclude the Tories broke their promises and failed to deliver Brexit, then they could defect en masse to the Brexit Party. Under the first-past-the-post system, that could leave Jeremy Corbyns Labour with a majority at the next election. In other words, a jaunty, libertarian, anti-European populist could end up putting a joyless, vegetarian, teetotal, anti-capitalist radical into No 10. As a man with a famously pronounced sense of humour, Mr Farage might well see the funny side of this. Whether the rest of us would be laughing, however, is rather more doubtful. When the protesters reached Parliament Square, the police were ready for them. Officers in full riot gear drew their truncheons and started cracking heads. Demonstrators with blood running down their faces were dragged away in handcuffs. Metal barriers were erected to stop anyone leaving the area and causing trouble elsewhere. Police were determined to prevent even a peaceful sit-down protest blocking the roads and disrupting traffic. As the crowd surged forward, cops in visored helmets, and wielding riot shields, drove them back with extreme prejudice. One eye-witness said: 'It was like watching beaters driving birds towards guns at a rural grouse shoot.' Police officers struggle to push back Countryside Alliance protesters during a demonstration outside The Houses of Parliament in London 16 December 2002 The countryside alliance protested in Parliament square to stop the ban on fox hunting going ahead and protesters (left and right) were injured, but left London tidy Pictures showed terrified men, women and children, in Barbour jackets, green wellies and flat caps, cowering before the police assault The events I've just described relate not to the mayhem caused by the global warming mob over the past few days, but to the handling of a march organised by the Countryside Alliance a few years ago. When 400,000 people from Middle England came to town to demonstrate against Labour's ban on fox-hunting and neglect of rural communities, they were met with zero tolerance. Simon Harrap, Master of the Hampshire Hunt, said: 'It was incredibly heavy-handed. There was no problem at all, then the next thing I knew a policeman hit me over the head with his truncheon.' TV footage showed terrified men, women and children, in Barbour jackets, green wellies and flat caps, cowering before the police assault. It was as if the Waffen SS had been sent in to break up the village fete in Midsomer Murders. Protesters have taken to London this week and police have made several arrests Admittedly, elements of the crowd threw bottles and other projectiles, but whether that was retaliation or provocation is still disputed to this day. We're talking organic chickens and free-range eggs here. What's not in dispute is the fact that 99.99 per cent of the marchers behaved impeccably, even picking up litter along the way. They left London tidier than they found it. But despite widespread criticism, the Met considered the police's response that day to be proportionate, a text-book operation. Now where have we heard that recently? Compare and contrast the brutal suppression of the countryside march with the softly, softly treatment of the eco-nutters this week. Our capital city has been plunged into chaos and millions of ordinary folk have been inconvenienced by a small fraction of the numbers of people who took part in the countryside march. Yet they have been indulged and, indeed, encouraged by Left-wing politicians including, naturally, the Labour leader O.J. Corbyn and London's ludicrous Mayor, that publicity-hungry, two-bob spiv Sadiq Khan. Sadiq Khan (pictured above) has been indulging protesters in London this week I don't need to detail the chaos these lunatics have caused, shutting bridges, disrupting public transport and costing shops and small businesses a small fortune, at a time they can ill afford it. Nor do I need to re-emphasise the futility of their spoilt antics and the fact that by causing widespread traffic jams they're actually creating the very pollution they hope to prevent. I did that the last time they brought London to a standstill, in November. As I wrote then, the right to protest is an essential freedom in a civilised society. The right to make the lives of your fellow citizens a misery is not. Jeremy Corbyn's leaves his home past Extinction Rebellion protestors in North London Like most of these demos, disruption is not an unfortunate side-effect, it's the whole point. They're not intended to achieve anything other than to draw attention to those taking part. Look at me, Mum, I'm on Sky News! These clowns don't seriously believe the Government is going to turn round and say: 'You're dead right, you know. We're going to ban cars and close down all the power stations tomorrow.' (Although, come to think of it, given the endemic insanity at Westminster these days, you can never rule anything out however bonkers.) No, what's really worrying about this is the truly pathetic response of the Metropolitan Police. Until now, the blessed Cressida, Dick of Dock Green, has enjoyed an extended honeymoon for a number of reasons one, she's the first woman in charge of the Yard, and, two, she's not her hapless predecessor Bernard Hyphen-Howe. But she has to take full responsibility for the police's shameful dereliction of duty this week. It's bad enough that London is suffering from an unprecedented epidemic of knife crime, for which Theresa May, who scrapped stop-and-search when she was Home Secretary (too 'nasty' probably) must shoulder her fair share of the blame. Theresa May (pictured above) scrapped stop-and-search when she was Home Secretary Dick needs to be reminded forcibly that the Met exists to serve the whole population, not pander to the foibles of noisy protest groups and other 'vulnerable minorities'. What on earth did she think she was doing, ordering her officers simply to stand back and let the demonstrators wreak havoc? As I write, there's still a ridiculous pink sailing boat bolted down in the middle of Oxford Circus, one of London's busiest interchanges. For days, the Old Bill have just stood around gawping at it, chatting away cheerfully to the gormless birds doing yoga, and serving ozone-friendly vegan burgers, or whatever. How one yearns for the days when another bunch of social warriors protesting about Tory cuts? Climate change? Globalisation? Doesn't really matter were 'kettled' by my old mate, the late Mike Todd, a proper copper and ruthlessly effective Assistant Commissioner at the Yard. The kettling referred to the way in which the demonstrators were surrounded and cooped up for hours in Oxford Circus, without food or water. If they wanted to leave to use the toilet, they weren't allowed back. Similar tactics were employed against Stop The City anarchists. Faced with police intransigence, most of the demonstrators eventually gave up and went home. Heaven knows what Mike Todd would have made of those officers filmed skateboarding and disco dancing with the protesters. I'm only surprised they weren't singing: 'Oh, Jeremy Corbyn!' Stuff like this makes my annual Mind How You Go Awards, handed out for prime examples of police stupidity, virtually redundant. Today, we're told the organisers are planning to target Heathrow Airport (pictured above) I don't know whether to file the skateboarding Plod under Mind How You Go or You Couldn't Make It Up. These days the only time the police are likely to use a kettle is to make the demonstrators a nice cup of tea. Today, we're told the organisers are planning to target Heathrow Airport. They'll probably get a police escort along the M4 and then, once safely glued to the main runway, the cops will send out for food and drink to stop the poor lambs getting hungry or dehydrated. Think I'm kidding? That's exactly what the Met did when the same bunch of eco-maniacs chained themselves to the runway at London City Airport. One of the demo organisers is a madwoman who says she got into protesting after taking hallucinogenic drugs still a criminal offence, last time anyone looked. The Met behaved the same was when a bunch of eco-maniacs chained themselves to the runway at 'London City Airport' But probably not any more in the eyes of the police. It was revealed recently that some forces sorry, services now operate a 'test not arrest' policy when it comes to drugs, so that users can be reassured that what they're taking won't kill them. (See earlier paragraph 'I don't know whether to file . . .' etc.) The police apparently are free to pick and choose which laws they enforce. Funny how this new-found tolerance doesn't extend to motorists doing 82mph on a deserted motorway at 2am, or stopping for 30 seconds on a double yellow. Or to anyone suspected of committing a 'hate crime' on Twitter. Still, at the rate things are going, no one will ever get out of first gear. Or their own driveway. Tomorrow morning, if you find an eco-warrior chained to your garage door, you'll probably find a Plod, too, making sure you don't infringe said protester's yuman rites by driving over him/her. As Robert Hardman wrote yesterday, our once great nation has been turned into an international laughing stock. We pretty much knew that already, so it was inevitable that the Old Bill would want to get in on the act, too. On second thoughts, forget about Mind How You Go and You Couldn't Make It Up. This whole, shameful fiasco has to be filed under Makes You Proud To Be British. On my fathers death certificate, it says he died of carcinoma lymphoma with multiple metastases. In laymans language, thats cancer of the lymphatic system, with secondary tumours on his lungs, liver and elsewhere. Now, Im no expert, but I reckon that this entry in the official records is not strictly true. If my guess is right, the immediate cause of my beloved fathers death was a large dose of a painkiller some form of morphine, if I remember rightly administered by his doctor as I sat by his hospital bedside shortly before he breathed his last. I have not the slightest doubt that if he had been left untreated he would have died anyway, within a few hours at most. As it was, Im pretty sure his heart stopped beating at the precise moment it did because of the drug, not the cancer. 'My father's heart stopped beating at the precise moment it did because of drugs, not cancer'. (stock image of doctor and his patient) I cannot stress strongly enough that I make no complaint about this. Though it is fair to assume his doctor was aware that the dosage she gave him was likely to shorten his life, her intention was clearly not to kill him but to ease his acute discomfort in the (mercifully short) terminal stage of his illness. Indeed, I am grown-up enough to realise that countless people in the UK, probably several every week, die of painkillers administered by doctors. This has been true since the earliest days of the medical profession, and I believe no one with an ounce of compassion for a human being in extremis would have it any other way. Suffering Yet under a literal interpretation of the law, any medic knowingly bringing about a patients death could face a murder charge. Similarly, a loving relative who helps grant a suffering patients wish to die could face prosecution under the 1961 Suicide Act, which makes it an offence punishable by 14 years jail to aid, abet, counsel or procure the suicide of another. It is easy to understand, therefore, why campaigners almost all with heart-rending personal stories of suffering cruelly drawn out have long fought for a change in the law to permit assisting a suicide. God knows we should feel for such people. Some are in daily pain and yearning for the end, while lacking the physical capacity to bring it about themselves. Others have to endure the misery of seeing their nearest and dearest suffer, feeling powerless under present legislation to help them on their way. No wonder they believe the law is monstrously cruel to deny the incapacitated a right the rest of us have enjoyed (if thats the word) since the 1961 Act decriminalised suicide itself. Lord Sumption (pictured above) this week laid out his thoughts on assisted suicide in the UK Some of these campaigners want only a clarification of the law, spelling out exactly how far a doctor or relative may go in aiding a suicide. Is it illegal, for example, to make a telephone call booking a loved one into the Dignitas death-clinic in Switzerland, where assisted suicide is lawful, or to help the patient on to the plane? Others want a straight change in the legislation, permitting assisted suicide in the UK, albeit under strictly defined circumstances. All I can say for sure is that neither group will be satisfied by a former Supreme Court judges assertion this week that he thought the present law should remain in force. Nor do I suppose they were much mollified when he added: I think the law should be broken from time to time. Lord Sumption made his remarks on Tuesday after delivering the first of his Reith lectures on the theme that judges are increasingly asked to fill a vacuum left by politicians which will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on May 21. It has always been the case that [assisted suicide] has been criminal, he said. But its also been the case that courageous friends and families have helped people to die. It is an untidy compromise few lawyers would adopt but I dont think there is a moral obligation to obey the law ultimately it is for each persons conscience. On the face of it, of course, its extremely odd for an eminent former judge, of all people, to say that we neednt necessarily obey the law if our consciences tell us to break it. In a mature democracy such as ours, its surely a dangerous doctrine, too, which few of us would like to see extended to many other areas of the law. Conscience Take the ineffably smug Extinction Rebellion members, currently causing massive inconvenience and damage to livelihoods in the capital (I write with some feeling) with their futile protest against climate change. As they never tire of telling us, they dont want to break the law in this way, but their wonderful, marvellous consciences tell them they must. Extinction Rebellion members (pictured above) are currently causing massive inconvenience and damage to livelihoods in the capital Whether or not we share their views about man-made global warming and I know a great many do most fellow Londoners Ive spoken to long for the police and gutless Mayor Sadiq Khan to enforce the law and let the rest of us get on with our lives unmolested. But on the agonisingly thorny question of assisted suicide, I reckon that Lord Sumption has got it plumb right on both counts. First, he is right when he says we need the law banning us from helping a fellow human being die, no matter how fervently a loved one or patient yearns for death. Mayor Sadiq Khan (pictured above) needs to 'enforce the law and let the rest of us get on with our lives unmolested' If we repealed it, driven by compassion for the difficult cases, the unintended consequences could be truly chilling. As the former judge says, this could leave many elderly and sick people under pressure, feeling they are a burden on relatives and thinking they have a duty to end it all. Indeed, you can bet your bottom dollar that if assisted suicide were to be made lawful, no matter how carefully drafted the legislation, it wouldnt be long before it became routine. The law is needed as a safety net. Look what happened when Parliament legalised abortion in 1967, on the strict understanding that a pregnancy could be terminated only if continuing it would mean risking the life or mental health of the mother or existing children, or if there was substantial risk that a child would be born seriously handicapped. Today, abortion is widely seen as a casual alternative to contraception, with more than 500 terminations carried out every day in England and Wales alone. Comfort But dont take my word for it that the same would apply to legalising assisted suicide. Consider the Netherlands, where MPs voted in 2000 to decriminalise euthanasia, assuring the public: This is only for people who are in great pain and have no prospect of recovery. Within three years, more than one per cent of all deaths in Holland were deliberately caused by doctors. The Dignitas assisted suicide clinic (pictured above) in Pfaffikon, Zurich, Switzerland Yet Lord Sumption must surely be right, too, when he suggests there are some circumstances those hardest of hard cases in which it is morally defensible to break the law against helping a terminally sick patient, in acute pain, to take his or her life. Indeed, this is how the law works in practice today (though not in theory), with the authorities turning a blind eye to doctors who administer lethal doses of morphine or relatives who book their loved ones into the grim-sounding Dignitas, when it is clear that they are driven by compassion alone. Yes, its a messy compromise, but in my book its common sense a great deal more satisfactory than any alterative. But these are gloomy thoughts for Good Friday. So let me end by looking forward to Sunday, and the Easter message that Christ died for our sins on the cross, only to rise again on the Third Day. In so doing, He robbed death of its sting and gave every one of us the chance of eternal bliss after the grave. For true believers like my late parents, this was the ultimate comfort. I can only say that those who share their complete faith in a blessed hereafter are the luckiest people alive. But whatever your own beliefs may be, I wish a very happy Easter to you all. Advertisement At least we still have one public servant determined to keep calm and carry on. With protesters shutting down the capital on a whim, the police in a dither and the political classes in hiding from a shambles of their own making, there isnt much to make one want to leap like a spring lamb this weekend. Yesterday, however, we had a very reassuring reminder that the ship of state is not quite on the rocks. There is, thankfully, someone we can still rely on up on the bridge. Dressed in bright daffodil yellow, a beaming Queen was clearly enjoying every moment of the annual Royal Maundy ceremony on a warm spring day at St Georges Chapel, Windsor. Just three days short of her 93rd birthday, the message was clear: Business as usual. For the best part of two hours, she was on her feet presenting the traditional purses of Maundy Money to nearly 200 public-spirited pensioners as she processed through St Georges Chapel. Dressed in bright daffodil yellow, a beaming Queen was clearly enjoying every moment of the annual Royal Maundy ceremony on a warm spring day at St Georges Chapel, Windsor Princess Eugenie, 29, wore a stylish floral Erdem dress and a small navy blue hat by Juliette Botterill for the service. She was given a traditional nosegay at the chapel's door before entering the church With no Prince Philip on hand, following his retirement from public duties, the Queen was accompanied by her granddaughter, Princess Eugenie, for whom this was a happy return to the church in which she was married six months ago. Once the service was over, the Queen attended a reception for the many participants in one of the oldest royal ceremonies in existence. First held five years before King John signed the Magna Carta, the Royal Maundy service is as colourful as it is ancient. It brings out all sorts of exotic royal specimens for an annual appearance not least the Wandsmen and the Children of the Royal Almonry. Many Palace veterans regard it as among the most enchanting fixtures in the calendar. It was not hard to see why yesterday. Here was the oldest monarch in history, processing through a magnificent place of worship and saluting societys unsung stalwarts to the accompaniment of the most sublime choral music. As the choir reached the crescendo of Handels coronation anthem, Zadok The Priest, I spotted one or two people in tears. Perhaps there was an added poignancy this Easter. At a time of turbulence and division, symbols of continuity are important. There are few things more permanent than a head of state faithfully performing an 800-year-old ceremony rooted in the Bible. From the nosegays (ancient flower arrangements designed to ward off evil smells) to the linen towels worn by the officials (a throwback to washing the feet of the poor), everything in this great pageant had meaning. The Queen and Princess Eugenie arrived at the Royal Maundy Service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle earlier today The Queen wore a bright, colourful skirt beneath her yellow coat, which featured yellow and purple flowers that perfectly matching her nosegay. She topped off her outfit with an Australian wattle brooch The royals arrived at the Maundy Service earlier today, and waved to crowds. The annual service will see the Queen handing out commemorative coins to 93 pensioners Only two days before, the Queen had sent a message of condolence to President Macron following the fire at Notre Dame cathedral. Royal Maundy and Notre Dame are direct contemporaries. St Georges Chapel was built in the style of Our Lady of Paris, too. It has been a week when the appeal and enduring power of the medieval has surprised us all. There was also an extra Easter buzz about the place yesterday. Windsor is expecting a new arrival any minute as the young couple who have just set up home over at Frogmore Cottage await the birth of their first child. It is less than a year since an estimated 2.4billion watched Prince Harry and Meghan Markle marry inside these very walls. On arrival, the Queen was presented with her traditional nosegay of fresh spring flowers, created by Leicester florist Rosemary Hughes. The proud holder of a Royal Warrant as Her Majestys Supplier of Nosegays, Rosemary has been doing this at every Royal Maundy service for the past 35 years, despite one unfortunate occupational hazard: she is allergic to daffodils. St Georges was a riot of colour thanks to the presence of two companies of old soldiers, the Military Knights of Windsor and the Yeomen of the Guard, all in full fig. The Queen was attended by four local schoolchildren, appointed as Children of the Royal Almonry for the day, plus characters such as the Keeper of the Closet and the Lord High Almoner (currently the Bishop of Worcester). Just three days short of her 93rd birthday, the message was clear: Business as usual The Queen wore her glasses to present the 93 commemorative coins to the 93 pensioners, which honours the monarch's upcoming 93rd birthday The royal pair held nosegays at they attended the service at St George's Chapel, Windsor. It was a rare public appearance Eugenie and the Queen, who were last seen together at an official event of this kind in 2009 The Queen handed two purses - one white and one red - to 93 men and 93 women, marking her 93rd birthday, which she will celebrate next month The six Wandsmen (one of whom was a wandswoman) were present with their wands, as custom dictates, to protect Maundy recipients from muggers. All the participants received the traditional wage: Ten pence. Preceded by the traditional hymns and readings, the royal procession slowly made its way around the chapel, the Queen shaking the hand of every recipient and presenting her money. With the Chapel Royal Choir singing over it all, it was not supposed to be a moment for small talk, though a few had a go. Few monarchs have been as devoted to this event as the present one. In the early years of Royal Maundy, sovereigns would give money to the poor and then wash their feet, replicating Jesuss humility at the Last Supper. By the late 17th century royal interest had waned and monarchs appointed a Lord High Almoner to do the honours. It was George V who revived the royal presence on an occasional basis. The Queen, however, has taken it seriously from the start. The very first official engagement of her reign, while still in mourning, was the Royal Maundy of 1952 and she hasnt missed one since. In modern times, the ceremony has switched its focus from the poor to those with a lifetimes dedication to their local church community. Tory Nadine Dorries swapped her landlocked Mid Bedfordshire constituency for the wide open sky, fresh air and surf of the Devon coast Lewisham Labour MP Ellie Reeves was also enjoying the British countryside, staying in a cosy-looking cottage in Wales Tory Rachel Maclean swapped her Redditch seat in the West Midlands for the wild expanse of Blencathra in the lake District, accompanied by her dogs Herbie and Phoebe Royal Maundy is an event which grows each year for the simple reason that its size corresponds to the age of the monarch. This year, there were 93 men and 93 women. Each received two purses, one containing a nominal amount (5.50) for clothing and provisions and the other specially minted Maundy coins to the sum of 93p again, equal to the monarchs years. The Yeomen of the Guard carry the Maundy Money on large gold plates. Traditionally, they would process with the plates resting on their heads but were ordered to stop eight years ago. Thanks to the Queens record-breaking reign, the volume of coinage now weighs so much that it is deemed too dangerous for old soldiers to carry it on their heads. Yesterday was significant for another reason. It was the first Royal Maundy since 1210 where the oldest person present was the monarch (the youngest recipient was a mere slip of a thing, aged 70, from Chelmsford). As the recipients set off for tea up at the castle, all felt that they had been part of something very special. The Queen is extraordinary. She looked everyone in the eye with this wonderful smile and it is all done so beautifully, said Lisa Wright, 85, honoured for her years as a curate in Southwark. Just marvellous, said John Parkin, 85, a retired dairy farmer, cheesemaker and long-serving churchwarden from Nantwich. I found it all really rather emotional. I think shes such a credit to the country. Given the current state of the country, is there even a republican who would disagree? Mishal Husain, 46, (pictured) reveals the items of personal significance inside the living room of her Victorian home in North London. The news presenter has released a new book 1 FEELING BLUE This light and airy room is my haven, where Im surrounded by so many family photographs and ornaments that are special to me. The blue and white ceramic vases on the mantelpiece are typical of Multan pottery. Multan is the city in the Punjab, in Pakistan, that my paternal grandfather Mumtaz Husain was from. Seeing these vases, with their special combination of colours and patterns, always reminds me of him. 2 EARLY RISER I was delighted to land a job on the Radio 4 Today programme in 2013, which Id always regarded as one of the ultimate jobs in journalism the only downside is the early starts. So as not to wake up my solicitor husband Meekal, I use an alarm wristband which is set to vibrate at 3.10am. I get to Broadcasting House for 4am, two hours before the show kicks off. If Im presenting I try to be in bed and asleep by 9pm. In more than five years, Ive only overslept once! 3 SPECIAL SARI This blue sari, which I bought on a trip to Delhi with my mother, is special to me, as are all my saris they are timeless garments of such style and elegance which never go out of fashion. Mishal treasures a photograph taken with her mum, dad and younger brother (pictured) during her journey from Abu Dhabi to Britain Whenever I put one on, Im transported to another world. My grandmother could slip on a sari, pleating expertly, in 30 seconds but I dont wear one as often so it takes me ten minutes. The golden shawl with a vintage border was a wedding gift from my aunt when I married Meekal, who Ive known since I was a child, in 2003. 4 ROAD TRIP My mum Shama, dad Tazi, younger brother Haider and I drove to Britain to begin a new life from Abu Dhabi, where I grew up, in 1981 in an old Range Rover. I was eight and my father wanted me to keep a diary of the journey, where this photo of us is from. Its a wonderful record. We drove through Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey a journey that would be impossible today. 5 GIFTS FROM MY BOYS I have three boys, including 12-year-old twins one of them made this necklace for my birthday, and the other bought the second one. They ask me when Ill wear them to present the news... but I always dodge answering. Ive no idea if my sons will be journalists. My father was a doctor and when I was ten or 11 he showed me around an operating theatre but I passed out at the sight of blood! 6 FAMILY PRIDE I am proud of my Sandhurst-trained maternal grandfather Shahid Hamid, who died in 1993 aged 82. After fighting the Japanese in Burma in WWII he became private secretary to Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, head of the Indian Army. He saw the events that led up to the Partition of India in 1947, and this book Disastrous Twilight, which used his diary, has a photo of them with Pakistans founder, Jinnah. Partition was hard for Shahid and his wife, who moved to Pakistan. As told to York Membery. Mishals book The Skills: From First Job To Dream Job What Every Woman Needs is out now The chocolatier Paul Wayne Gregory is pointing out that there are some flavours that just work brilliantly with chocolate. Raspberries. Yum. Mint. Yum. Caramel. Yum. Stilton cheese. Pardon? Is this a late April Fool? He insists not. When you think about it, it makes sense. What is cheese? Its dairy. 'The key is actually in what chocolate you use. 'I use three a white chocolate, because of the high milk content, then a milk one, and then a dark one for that intense chocolate hit. A number of Britain's most creative chocolatiers showcase their unusual work, including chocolate combined with cheese in a new Channel 4 series The result is, yes really, blue cheese chocolate. It works, he says. But then chocolate works with 90 per cent of ingredients. Have you ever tried it with pork? Er, no. Suffice to say Paul is an expert. He is one of the countrys leading chocolatiers, with his work selling in high-end stores like Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. It was Selfridges which came to him with the request for a chocolate based around a brand of cheese. The quest to make it is featured in a series called Extreme Chocolate Makers, which showcases the best and barmiest chocolate designs in the country, starting with an Easter special. There are obviously Easter eggs galore in the series, although they are about as far from the Cadburys versions as you can get. One chocolatier presents their 3ft- tall Easter egg hand-painted with pictures of Cornish harbour (pictured) Paul creates a giant egg designed so you can peek through and see the (Stilton) truffles inside. It sits on a Roman plinth, which is also edible. Other chocolatiers in the series create such gems as a 3ft-tall Easter egg hand-painted with pictures of a Cornish harbour, balanced on top of a stack of chocolate seashells, starfish and pebbles. It looks as if it should be in a museum, as does the giant modern art egg more than 2ft tall and weighing 11kg created by Emma and Mark Baravelli, from North Wales, whose journey to deliver this mammoth object to London is filmed. Transporting it 200 miles is no mean feat, but disaster strikes when they think theyve arrived safely only to have their car broken into. The series is perhaps a natural progression from the extreme cake-making shows of recent years. Those who work with chocolate say it is actually easier to create bona fide showstoppers with. Its the most versatile ingredient, says Paul. You can use cocoa powder, you can eat it raw, you can melt it, let it harden, carve it, paint it, put it in a mould. The market for chocolate particularly the high-end, high cocoa-content versions has exploded in the last decade. And the chocolatiers featured in this show are at the top of their game. Paul has made chocolates for the Queen, and even a replica of Phillip Schofields head. Another impressive chocolate creation is Bony the spaniel, who belonged to the 6th Duke of Devonshire, who died in 1858 (pictured) Paul Wayne Gregory whose work sells to the likes of Selfridges and Harvey Nichols displayed a giant egg with Stilton truffles inside (pictured) One of the most impressive commissions is made by Peebles-based Ruth Hinks. She was asked to make a showpiece for Chatsworth House. The star was to be Bony, a favourite spaniel of the 6th Duke of Devonshire, who died in 1858. There were plenty of paintings of Bony to work from. Getting the coat right was tricky, Ruth admits. She airbrushed the colours on using cocoa butter. Its the best way, she says. You spray the chocolate white, to get a blank canvas, then layer up. While the spaniel looks very tasty, he wont be eaten. Luckily for Bony, hell be a display, rather than dessert. Extreme Chocolate Makers At Easter, Easter Sunday, 6pm, Channel 4. The series continues on weekdays at 5.30pm on Channel 4. Clive Anderson has rung the professional changes a number of times over the years, moving from being a barrister to fearless television inquisitor and, latterly, genial radio host. But even he was surprised by a couple of his most recent guises, which include Roman soldier and ancient druid. They were, of course, only temporary donned in the course of making a new series called Mystic Britain for the Smithsonian channel which explores the more supernatural side of our ancient land, looking at everything from shamans and human sacrifice to pagans and demons. Clive gets stuck in to all these many mysteries, in the process doing everything from donning Roman chainmail armour which he describes as making him look like something from Strictly Come Dancing to tasting 2,000-year-old bog butter (more on which later). Clive Anderson (pictured) uncovers the supernatural side of Britain in a fascinating series, co-presented by genial anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota I was a bit dubious about all this dressing up, he reflects. But once you do one, everyone wants you to do it again. 'And while you generally look a bit silly, it makes people laugh and you do actually get some insight into the clothing and how it felt. It helps that hes got a co-presenter, the genial anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota, or the knowledgeable one, as Clive calls her, and together they tour the British Isles, from the Stone Age Star Carr archaeological site in North Yorkshire to the Rollright Stones, a mini Stonehenge on the Oxfordshire-Warwickshire border, via Hadrians Wall, the actual Stonehenge and a Suffolk church scored with medieval demonic symbols. He says Star Carr left the most lasting impression. Dating back to around 9,000 BC, just a few centuries after the end of the Ice Age, it contains some of the earliest known examples of human activity in the country. Archaeologists found post holes for sturdy houses evidence that the people alive then had some sort of structure, a house which is effectively the oldest house in Britain. Its incredible really, says Clive. And, the ten-part series reveals, even by the end of the Ice Age our ancestors were more than mere cave dwellers as well as being sophisticated hunters and craftsmen, their number included shamans, ancient magic men said to be able to put people in a trance-like state. Clive visits Stonehenge (pictured), 'mini Stonehenge' and a Suffolk church scored with medieval demonic symbols But Clive found he was immune to the powers of a modern-day shamanic practitioner he met. She sent me on a trip or tried to. I was trying to go with it but well. He grins. Still, no one can accuse him of not being game this is a man whos actually now tasted some 2,000-year-old butter from a 9kg chunk unearthed in 2016 from an Irish peat bog. The butter is thought to have been buried as a sacrifice to the gods and preserved by the bogs acidic environment and low temperature. The health and safety advisor said I shouldnt really be eating it but then when you get there its a case of, Oh go on, taste it, says Clive. So I did and, of course, it was rancid. Filming was scheduled around Clives commitments to Loose Ends, the Radio 4 show he hosts that features a wealth of eclectic and fascinating guests. He claims to be a far less fearless interlocutor than in his TV chat show days, when he was famed for incisive one-liners such as, to Cher, You look like a million dollars is that how much it cost?, and to Jeffrey Archer, Is there no beginning to your talents? Clive (pictured right with a Roman at Hadrians Wall) revealed he would be still pursuing his legal career if he hadn't appeared in Whose Line Is It Anyway? In the 80s I think Im much kindlier towards my guests these days, he says. But I still like getting a laugh and I like a bit of a challenge. 'So you can say, This is good, but what was that last film about, why did you do that? In an alternative life, Clive would still be pursuing the legal career hed followed until his appearance on the comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? in the 80s took him in a different direction. Does he still think about it? Oh yes. If theres a big case on, I sometimes say to friends, That could have been me. Back in the real world, Clives next project is appearing in two shows at the Edinburgh Festival in August a version of Whose Line Is It Anyway? and a one-man show. The latter sounds rather terrifying it must worry a self-confessedly negative person? Well, Ive got a title for it at least, he says. So it doesnt seem too bad. Mystic Britain starts on 30 April at 8pm on the Smithsonian channel. The way we speak is an inherent part of our identity and provides the biggest clue for where we were born and bred. So, how would you feel about 'softening' your accent? Surprisingly many Brits still believe a strong regional twang can act as a barrier to success. Research published in February by academics from The University of Manchester and the University of Bath concluded a prominent localised accent can 'harm social mobility' as they are 'less favoured' by some people. Perhaps this explains why inquiries for elocution lessons increased by more than 23.5 per cent in the three months after the Brexit referendum, compared with the same period in 2015, according to Tutor Pages. The London Speech Workshop, which has three branches in the captial, offers tailored courses to help people 'neutralise' their native accent, communicate more clearly and improve the 'sounds and intonation' of their spoken English, costing from 850 to 2,200. FEMAIL's Hayley Richardson, 32, who grew up in the Isle of Man and has a native northern accent, attended their Mayfair school to find out what's involved in changing up your voice and see if a 'taster session' was enough to whet her appetite. Femail's Hayley Richardson attended an accent softening class at London Speech Workshop to 'neutralise' her northern twang As a proud northerner, the idea of 'softening' my accent leaves me feeling torn. While I don't carry a particularly recognisable 'Manx' accent, I do have a strong northern twang thanks to the island's proximity to Lancashire. I'm not ashamed of my roots, but I have to admit I do get quite annoyed by the amount of stick I get for my voice. It started when I was 18 and arrived at Cambridge University, where I immediately found myself the 'token northerner' within my group of southern pals. 'Say "bath" again,' they'd chuckle, mimicking my flat vowels as I dutifully pointed out that the words bath, laugh and path don't contain an 'r'. I have a natural tendency to pick up accents wherever I go (that holiday in Scotland was interesting) so inevitably after a few months in the south east I picked up the odd southern pronunciation, which was instantly ridiculed when I returned home and turned up at the pub. 'Oh look at you, speaking all posh now you're at Cambridge,' the locals would sneer. I couldn't win. London Speech Workshop founder Emma Serlin, 38, pictured right, says accent is a 'scapegoat' for a lot of people who just want to be better communicators After university I moved to London, where many of my friends are fellow northerners, which has encouraged my native tongue to take precedent once more - especially after a few wines. I wouldn't say it's held me back in life, but I do get the odd 'say that again' when I speak to southern colleagues. But according to London Speech Workshop founder Emma Serlin, 38, that is most likely not wholly down to my accent. 'For a lot of people, accent is a scapegoat,' she explains. 'You really need to do certain things to be a great communicator, and I think that's what we find with our clients. 'They can come to us for accent softening or for elocution and think that that's the issue. We give them these tools and yes, it probably will take the edge off their accent, but they're going to go out going, "Oh I can communicate, I love this".' Gilly tells me that putting emphasis on the important words in a sentence is also crucial to communicating effectively and engaging my audience. To help me do this, she asks me to underline the important words in a passage from Peter Pan and read it back to her aloud, handing her a spoon to help me land those key phrases One way to help me stretch out my vowels - and thereby make me sound more 'neutral' - is to alter the position of my lips as I speak The 'tools' she's referring to are a series of exercises intended to 'neutralise' your voice. She admitted that a number of their clients do say they've enrolled due to feeling their accent is holding them back at work and that they've experienced a 'glass ceiling'. Though Emma is quick to point out that she 'loves' accents and the classes are not intended to eradicate them, as they are entwined with a person's identity. 'A lot of the componants of good communication lend themselves well to a more neutral accent,' Emma reasons. 'The RP (received pronunciation) sound, for example, comes up and comes down, with allows for a sense of certainty, of gravitas, of knowing what you're saying. Whereas if we have an accent or a way of speaking that goes up at the end, it makes things more uncertain. In order to shift the emphasis I place on certain syllables which discloses my northern roots, Gilly encourages me to press the table on the stressed syllable and release it for the softer one that follows 'Another example is vowels. If you open up your vowels more and engage with them, you can transit more emotion and feeling, which is great for connecting and good communication. 'If you lengthen your vowels, you're going to be moving towards an RP sound and away from a more densely regional sound.' How much it costs to 'soften your accent' The London Speech Workshop offers three different packages for people who wish to soften their accent. The basic option includes five one-hour sessions which usually take place over one to two months. For a principal coach its 805, and a senior coach costs 700. The 'classic' option is their 'most comprehensive package' and is 10 one-hour sessions. This is 1,550 for a principal coach and 1,350 for a senior coach. Or you could option for the 'advanced' option, which includes aftercare and allows time for the techniques to become fully integrated. This includes 15 one-hour sessions and costs 2,200 for a principal coach or 1,920 for a senior coach. All prices exclude VAT. Advertisement In order to create a more neutral sound for my voice, my tutor Gilly Sharpes asks me to read out a list of basic vowels (such as cat, egg, book, hut), long vowels (present in words like earth, laugh, worked) and diphthongs (longer 'gliding' sounds in words like where, pier and cow) to determine which ones give me away as a northerner. The idea is to 'take the edges off' these sounds so that I'm no longer an 'accent on legs'. Gilly explains that the vowels within words are what contain the 'feeling' and give the word space - in essence, they're the river, and the consonants are the river bank. In my northern accent I discover I have a tendency to hit the consonants a bit harder than necessary, with less emphasis on lengthening the vowels. It's apparently the reason why sometimes I struggle to say my own surname, as I'm trying to hit each syllable (Rich-ard-son) rather than focusing purely on the stressed one at the beginning (Rich-ardson). One way to help me stretch them out - and make me sound more 'neutral' - is to alter the position of my lips as I speak. Armed with a mirror, I'm told to study the way my lips shape the word 'earth' and am advised that with less lip rounding and a more 'gormless' sound ('uhh' instead of 'err') I'll nail an RP sound. In fairness, saying it this way requires a lot less effort than what I was doing before. To transform my 'ah' sound into an RP 'arr' sound in the word 'flask', Gilly encourages me to imagine I'm holding one aloft and then physically 'pour' it as I say the word, lengthening the vowel for as long as it takes to 'empty'. It comes out 'flarrrrrsk', but it certainly sounds less northern. At this rate I'll be presenting on Radio 4 in no time. In order to create a more neutral sound for my voice, my tutor Gilly Sharpes asks me to read out a list of basic vowels (such as cat, egg, book, hut), long vowels (present in words like earth, laugh, worked) and diphthongs (longer 'gliding' sounds in words like where, pier and cow) to determine which ones give me away as a northerner In order to shift the emphasis I place on the syllables which disclose my northern roots, she encourages me to press the table on the stressed syllable and release it for the softer one that follows. Apparently this also helps ensure you put greater 'value' in what you're saying, which transfers to and resonates with the listener. It's more about the 'way' you say it than how you say it, it appears. Gilly tells me that putting emphasis on the important words in a sentence is also crucial to communicating effectively and engaging my audience. To help me do this, she asks me to underline the important words in a passage from Peter Pan and read it back to her aloud, handing her a plastic spoon to help me land those key phrases. Pressing the table on a stressed syllable helps ensure you put greater 'value' in what you're saying, which transfers to and resonates with the listener. It's more about the 'way' you say it than how you say it, it appears The idea is that the spoon is 'a present that I'm putting inside the listener's hand' - because everyone loves a present, they're more inclined to take in what I'm saying. I'm not going to lie, it felt a bit bizarre, but it did help me to slow down and speak more clearly. When I ask Emma if she's noticed a rise in the number of people seeking accent softening since the 2016 referendum result, she says in the decade she's been running the course, the interest in it has been pretty consistent. 'It's been there since Henry Higgins, this historic concept of changing your accent,' she said, referring to the fictional professor of phonetics from My Fair Lady, challenged with teaching a Cockney flower girl how to speak 'proper English'. While the transformation in my voice by the end of my taster session wasn't as stark as that of Eliza Doolittle's, I can see the appeal of attending these accent softening classes. It forced me to give greater consideration to my pronunciation, mumble less and encouraged me to speak more clearly. I found the tone of my voice 'brightened' as I adopted more RP vowel sounds, and crucially I didn't feel like I was trying to be posh saying them. My northern twang was still there, but it was more subtle and less immediately placeable, though naturally as soon as I got to the pub I reverted to my old habits. I can see why you'd need a number of sessions if you want to make a more permanent change. I'm tempted. But if you think I'm going to start having 'barths' instead of 'baths', you're having a laugh. Two nursing home co-workers were stunned when they saw their glamorous transformations after being flow to New York City for dramatic ambush makeovers. Rebecca Guerrera, 31, from Wolcott, Connecticut, nominated her mother Cheryl Stolfi, 56, and her best friend Crystal Norman, 50, for head-to-toe transformations on the Today show, insisting in her submission video that she has 'never met more deserving women' in her life. The two co-workers had no idea that Rebecca had submitted their names, so they were understandably stunned when Cheryl's daughter and grandchildren showed up at their place of employment with Today fashion expert Jill Martin. Scroll down for video Stunning: Nursing home co-workers Cheryl Stolfi, 56, and her friend Crystal Norman, 50, received ambush makeovers on the Today show Thursday Surprise: The pals from Wolcott, Connecticut, were nominated by Cheryl's daughter Rebecca Guerrera, who didn't tell them about her video submission Cheryl has been a recreational therapy director for over 20 years, while Crystal works as the nursing home facility's receptionist. 'They are the most selfless people I think I've ever met,' Rebecca told Jill before the big reveal. 'My mom deserves the world, and Crystal is just a ray of sunshine all the time.' Cheryl and Crystal shared a hug after Rebecca gave them roses and announced they were headed to the Big Apple to appear on the Today show as part of its popular ambush makeover segment. When asked about their friendship, Cheryl explained that she and Crystal always have the best time together. Like family: Cheryl has been a recreational therapy director for over 20 years, while Crystal works as the nursing home facility's receptionist Say what? They were understandably stunned when Cheryl's daughter and grandchildren showed up at their place of employment with Today fashion expert Jill Martin (left) Incredible: Their jaws dropped when Rebecca revealed they were headed to New York City for ambush makeovers 'We make each other laugh, and that's so important in life,' she said. 'So we get together, and the two of us just crack up.' In addition to Rebecca and her daughter Gracie, the co-workers were joined by Cheryl's son's girlfriend Vanessa, Crystal's husband Terrace, their boss Megan, and their friend Kim on the day of their makeovers. Cheryl was the first to come out, and she had a bright smile on her face when she threw her arms out to show off her new look. Her friends and family screamed and started jumping up and down when they saw her makeover for the first time. Before and after: Cheryl was the first to come out, and she had a bright smile on her face when she threw her arms out to show off her new look Excited: Their friends and family started jumping up and down when they saw her new look for the first time Beautiful: Celebrity hairstylist Louis Licari explained that they highlighted Cheryl's hair and softened the base a bit to 'make her brighter' Looking good: Crystal looked like she was ready for a night on the town in a little black dress and hot pink heels Cheryl also screamed with joy when she turned around and looked at herself in the mirror. 'I look totally different,' she said. Celebrity hairstylist Louis Licari explained that they highlighted Cheryl's hair and softened the base a bit to 'make her brighter.' Her hair was cut into a flippy lob and her thick bangs were texturized to put a glamorous spin on her previous 'do. Cheryl looked incredibly chic in a faux leather jacket and black skinny jeans, which were paired with leopard pumps. 'We went down three sizes smaller than she thought she was,' Jill revealed. Aww: Cheryl threw her hands in the air when she saw Crystal, who was just as stunned when she looked back at her friend. 'You look gorgeous,' Crystal told her Stylish 'do: Louis explained that Crystal's black hair was a little too dark, so he softened it and added face-framing highlights Close as can be: Crystal and Cheryl shared a sweet hug at the end of the heartwarming segment Crystal looked just as incredible when she stepped on stage to show her family, friends, and beloved co-worker her new look. Cheryl threw her hands in the air when she saw Crystal, who was just as stunned when she looked back at her friend. 'You look gorgeous,' Crystal told her. When she turned to look at herself in the mirror, she exclaimed: 'Oh my God! I love it.' Louis explained that Crystal's black hair was a little too dark, so he softened it and added face-framing highlights. Jill, meanwhile, dressed her in a little black dress that hugged her curves, topping off the outfit with a pair of hot pink pumps. Crystal and Cheryl shared a sweet hug at the end of the heartwarming segment. More top tips from the Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton this time about child rearing. 'Starting my son Arthur swimming at four months old has given him confidence and enjoyment in water,' says Pippa, pictured strolling with her baby. 'He's now six months old, and swimming is one of our favourite activities. The exercise helps guarantee sound daytime sleeps, and the movement has improved his digestion... Water activity is a great form of exercise you can do with your baby.' Who would have thought it? Pippa Middleton has been handing out handy tips on child rearing, revealing her son Arthur is a real water baby Guess who this is, posing like a Bond girl... Ella Loudon, daughter of 007 actor Daniel Craig, poses like a real Bond girl Is she auditioning for the role of a new Bond girl when her dad, Daniel Craig, steps down? Ella Loudon, Craig's daughter by his first marriage to Scottish actress Fiona Loudon, whom he divorced after two years, has taken to posting snaps of herself in bikini wear. The 26-year-old, pictured on holiday, is intent on following in her parents' professional footsteps. Ella, now based in the U.S., recently starred in the film Trauma Is A Time Machine. 'I really just want to be respected as a quality actress and do really good quality work,' says Ella, who was one of just four people present when her father married Rachel Weisz in 2011. Roman Abramovich is reportedly thinking of selling Chelsea FC for 2.5 billion, which may explain why the club's chairman, hotshot U.S. lawyer Bruce Buck, was momentarily distracted this week. 'He came in from Heathrow by taxi with his wife and was dropped off at his home in Chelsea,' explains a Londoner who hailed the same taxi later that morning. The cabbie's next passenger noticed Buck had left his Chelsea FC credit card in the payment machine. Luckily for Buck, 73, the cabbie was a Chelsea fan and drove the three miles back to the Bucks' residence. 'Mrs Buck said: 'Thank you, we were so worried' and then shuts the door in his face. It's awful. He came all the way back to Chelsea on a working day and yet they can't give him 20 quid.' A Chelsea spokesman says: 'Mr Buck wasn't in when the taxi driver dropped off his card, but he was very grateful to the driver.' Health Secretary Matt Hancock's larger-than-life special adviser Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, often seen tinkling the ivories in Players bar in Villiers Street in Westminster in the small hours, is also a keen chess player. Staff at Luton Airport were amused when his chess set essential for a three-night Easter sunshine break in Spain set off the security scanner.Brushing up on chess strategy might be a good move for Jamie as his boss eyes No. 10. An Australian clothing label has shot photos for its latest advertising campaign using pregnant and breastfeeding models. Auguste The Label, a fashion company known for its boho classics, created the campaign for its most recent collection, one it designed for new and expectant mums. The 'Motherhood Edit' by Auguste features a range of long, floaty frocks in edgy leopard print or florals, fitted shirts and a selection of mini dresses in shades of lemon, rose and teal. The label's campaign for the range was photographed using model and new mother Nina Hill, who is shown breastfeeding, and pregnant mother Abbey Cameron. Model and new mother Nina Hill (pictured) is featured in the new campaign for the Byron Bay-based clothing label Pregnant mother Abbey Cameron (left and right) features in the campaign and was shot wearing a variety of the label's looks from the edit Ms Eagles said the collection is in response to customers who love the label and wanted to be able to wear pieces - regardless of pregnancy or motherhood. 'Early motherhood is a time to be engrossed in your family, not to struggle with unfit clothing,' Ms Eagles said. Although a mum-of-two herself, Ms Eagles said motherhood wasn't something 'specifically considered during the design process' but it was a reflection of the label's design philosophy. She said in keeping with the brand's ethos of offering clothing which is chic and elegant, the label infuses all its designs with a sense of nostalgia 'that will always be relevant. 'Motherhood isn't something we specifically consider during the design process but it is a true reflection of our design philosophy,' said the label's co-founder Ebony Eagles The clothing label, founded in 2015, is a fashion company committed to creating clothing that's ethical and environmentally friendly. By way of demonstrating this, in 2018, Auguste launched a range of eco-swimwear made using Econyl, a type of recycled nylon. This fabric is made using plastics and fishing lines that were pulled from the oceans, along with fabrics that were bound for landfill. 'At Auguste, it's not just about the clothes and it never has been,' reads a statement on the label's website. 'We're trying to create a positive change through our brand for those who want to live an authentic life and raise as much awareness as we can in the process.' Miriam Margolyes has called for a review of the legislation around friends or family helping loved ones die with dignity, which is currently charged as murder. The 77-year-old British-Australian actress, who is known for her roles in Babe and for recently more appearing in Call The Midwives, appears in new two-part BBC Two series, Miriam's Dead Good Adventure, to explore the attitudes around aging and death. The first episode, which airs on Sunday, sees Miriam travelling to America to meet people who are trying to achieve unlimited lifespans by thinking and feeling differently about death. She joins the world's largest gathering of radical life extension enthusiasts at the Revolution Against Ageing and Death Festival in California. Miriam meets residents of Loma Linda in San Diego, which is in one of the world's five 'Blue Zones' where people live longer than anyone else on earth, and meets a community who survive ten years longer than the average American - which they say is down to their attitudes towards health and religion. Speaking to the Mail, Miriam shared her own experiences of death and revealed why she believes assisted suicide should be an option for those suffering. Miriam Margolyes has called for a review of the legislation around friends or family helping loved ones die with dignity, which is currently charged as murder. She is pictured visiting her parents' grave in the UK in her new two-part BBC Two series, Miriam's Dead Good Adventure Speaking about the taboo and awkwardness around death, she said: 'Things need to be talked about and confronted. That's what I wanted to do in the series. 'I'd rather be alive than dead. Dying is the thing that worries people and I understand that. It worries me. You don't want to be incontinent and smelly and helpless.' Admitting that she finds the phrase 'pass away' nauseating and diminishing, the voice artist revealed how she has had to face up to the topic in recent years. 'I'm nearly 78 and started to lose friends within the last five years, people that I really cared about died and that made me confront the issue.' Revealing what ignited her passion around assisted death, she explained: 'A close friend, Sonia fraser, was 76, when she died of pancreatic cancer. The first episode, which airs on Sunday, sees Miriam travelling to California to meet people who are trying to achieve unlimited lifespans by thinking and feeling differently about death. She is pictured looking at an 'assisted death pod' in America 'She was in pain and utter misery and she said: 'Oh Miriam, when will it end. Why am I going through this. I want it to stop now.' 'I felt incredibly sad and I thought why do we have to go through this? Why is pain prolonged. Why can't we let ourselves go. Why is there no legislation to allow for the loosening of the mortal coil. That concentrated my mind on the subject.' Explaining her views on euthanasia, Miriam addressed the controversial 'Sarko pod', a 3D coffin which uses liquid nitrogen for a painless death in minutes. She said: 'There aren't any guarantees in life, especially after Brexit. I certainly believe in euthanasia. 'I saw Dr Death's Sarko pod being printed on a 3D printer - it's an extraordinary thing. If people are ill and have a reason for dying then it's a good way to die. 'It's an amazing contraption. I'm not sure I'd sail away in it but I think his attitude is very much my attitude. Miriam is pictured playfully posing in her coffin after looking at the different ones on offer in the UK Miriam is seen posing with the makers of personalised coffins on the show, although she has since admitted that she has yet to pick hers up '[But] I believe in a bit more supervision. He believes that it's up to the individual to make the decision. 'A susceptible person might embark on a suicide having listened to him despite there being other options for them.' She conceded: 'He's troubling because he's making the journey to death a little bit too easy. I don't think it should be that easy. It's such an irreversible step. You need to be very sure you want to die before your time.' Addressing the topic of suicide, Miriam admitted she believes 'young suicide' is a waste. 'As long as death is voluntary it's OK, I don't think suicide is a terrible thing,' she said. Miriam meets residents of Loma Linda in San Diego, which is in one of the world's five 'Blue Zones' where people live longer than anyone else on earth, who survive ten years longer than the average American - which they say is down to their attitudes towards health and religion. Recalling her own parent's death, Miriam admitted she would have helped her mother die if she had requested it. She is seen visiting the grave of both her parents 'For some, life becomes unbearable and they want to end it. [However] young suicide is a tragedy and a waste. That does disturb me. If people want to end their life because they're in the grip of an horrific illness that won't get better then it's understandable isn't it?' Looking back at her own life, which she describes a 'glorious journey of discovery and delight', she added: 'I've been fortunate. I've been loved and had a job that i've loved. My life is exciting and fulfilling. 'What was extraordinary about going to America and meeting all those very strange people was that they think you don't have to die. Where did they get that idea from?'. Miriam on the view that 'death doesn't exist' Speaking about the Californian community she visits in the first episode who believe in eternal living, she said: 'It seems to me to be an American thing being open to an amazing premis: that death does not necessarily exist. 'British people don't tend to think like that. 'Spare part surgery will certainly prolong the physical aspects. 'I can't really take it on board, it's a bit nutty. The people were not nutty, they were excited by the prospect of living a long time. 'They feel there are things they can do that will stave off death. 'I don't want to be the last person alive. I need the people I love around me. If they're all gone, there's not much that would make me want to live.' Advertisement Miriam, who has been with partner Heather Sutherland since 1967, revealed they have addressed the morbid of what to do if one of them falls ill. She said: 'One of the things I've always said to her is 'please don't let me suffer'. 'She's never said it to me but then she's much more stoic than I am. She has more fibre in her character. I'm a bit wibbly wobbly. If anybody I loved and was close to asked me to help them to die, and I thought they had a good reason for doing so, I would. 'I hope to fight for is a change in the law so that those who want to die can get their friends to help them without them being accused of murder.' Recalling her own parents' death, Miriam admitted she would have helped her mother die if she had requested it. She said: 'My mother's death was absolutely hideous. My father did the caring and then I cared for my father when he got old. 'My father cared for her on a daily basis - she had a stroke and lost mental faculties. If my mother had asked to be put down, I think I would have helped her. But she didn't. 'It was far and away the worst time of my life and it's the thing I'm most frightened of: having a stroke and being in that state.' Speaking about the series, she admitted: 'The programme was one of the most difficult and challenging things I've ever done. It affected me deeply. 'I'm still working through what I saw and wasn't the final chapter on everything. 'I hope that people will watch and feel that things that took part in the programme will inspire people to think about the end of their own lives.' Miriam's Dead Good Adventure airs 21 April at 9pm on BBC Two. A woman whose one-year-old child and husband died five days apart, has revealed how devoting herself to helping other bereaved families has helped her to rebuild her life. Rhian Mannings from Llantrisant, Wales lost her son, George, to pneumonia a week after his first birthday in 2012; and, unable to cope with the grief, her husband, Paul, took his own life five days later. Seven years years on, and now happily remarried, Rhian - who is also a mother to Isaac and Holly - has set up a charity, 2 Wish Upon a Star, to help other families deal with bereavement. She penned an emotional account of the heartbreak she went through for Wales Online, explaining that she could not 'face' life following the death of Paul and George. 'The easy bit is the tears and sadness. The most difficult is the physical pain, flashbacks and not recognising your new self in the mirror every morning.' Rhian Mannings, from Llantrisant, Wales, unexpectedly lost her son George to pneumonia in 2012. Five days later her husband Paul took his own life. Pictured: Rhian in 2018 Paul, baby George and Rhian during a family occasion in 2011. Rhian said the couple were left with very limited support following the untimely death of their child Paul during Christmas 2011 with Isaac, two and Holly, three, holding George, ten months. He was overwhelmed with grief after the death of his youngest child Rhian said she felt 'blessed' before George's death, and took her happy life for granted. George fell ill suddenly, after a 'normal day' for a 'normal family.' The one-year-old was playing with his toy when he fell and wouldn't move. Rhian went to pick her son up, only to realise his body was limp and heavy, and screamed for her husband to call 999. While the couple was waiting for the ambulance to arrive, George started fitting. George was rushed to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital of Llantrisant, where he died two hours later. While she praised the work of the hospital staff, Mannings noted: 'It became clear very quickly that the department was not equipped for such loss.' Rhian with Holly, Isaac and George in 2011. Since the death of her youngest son, she has deicated her life to helping families going through pediatric bereavement Paul with his children during the summer of 2011. Rhian said she felt she had to be strong for her remaining children Holly and Isaac, but was ridden with guilt and grief Rhian said she took her happiness for granted and wondered how her life could go on without Paul and Geroge after their deaths. Pictured: Paul ans his children in an amusement park The couple had to follow a nurse as she carried the boy's lifeless body down a corridor so they could have some privacy. They said their goodbyes and then went home, stunned. 'There were no tears, we sat in shock simply wondering how we were going to survive,' she wrote. Rhian and Paul soon understood there was very little support for them. National bereavement organisations, Manning wrote, were hard to reach, and the visits from members of these organisations they were promised never took place. Rhian now. She set up the charity 2 Wish Upon a Star in order to help families who have lost a child to find the support they need, immediately after the death George during his first Christmas. The young boy died of pneumonia two months later, a week after his first birthday. His illness was not caught because he showed no symptoms Five days later, Paul left the house and did not return. Later the police visited Rhian to tell her that her husband had taken his own life. The mother noted that while the police was heavily involved, there was, again, very little support for her to turn to. Rhian was left alone, feeling responsible both for the death of her son and that of her husband. 'As Georges mother I should have known he was so ill and although I have gone over and over it in my head, I must have missed something,' she wrote. Rhian with Isaac and Holly and extended family on the day of her wedding to second husband Craig Mannings in 2018 Rhian with Paul and George before their untimely deaths. The mother and charity worker regularly posts pictures of her late first husband and child on social media 'With respect to Paul, I failed him. I let him down and should have been there for him. Why couldnt he talk to me? Why didnt he reach out? I will never know.' Rhian was left with her two older children, Holly, three and Isaac, two (now ten and nine) to raise, and her grief to process. Firstly, she had to be strong for her remaining children, and became what she calls a 'double-mum.' But she suffered flashbacks and could neither leave her house, answer her door or pick up the phone, for fear of 'something else bad' happening. Thanks to the support of her family and friends, she eventually managed to leave the house and rebuild her life. But going back to work proved difficult. 2 Wish Upon a Star opened in 2014, on what should have been George's third birthday. The charity works with hospitals in Wales in order to bring support to families in the aftermaths of a child or person under 25's death 'I worked at the place where we were married, where the funeral was, where the children were christened, and I felt a fraud,' she explained. She eventually quit that job and set up a fund to build a bereavement suite in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, so that families going through the same tragedy would have somewhere quiet to stay. But the local health board said they did not want to use her money for something that might not be used very often. This pushed the mother to create her own charity, 2 Wish Upon a Star, and almost two years after George's and Paul's deaths, the charity's centre opened. What is pneumonia Pneumonia is a type of chest infection, which happens when a virus or bacteria gets into your child's lungs. Some children develop it shortly after having a cold or flu. Along with other acute respiratory infections, pneumonia is in a near tie with diarrheal diseases as a leading cause of death in children under 5 worldwide. It's estimated that pneumonia kills approximately two million children each year, with 40 percent of these deaths in Africa. More than two-thirds of pneumonia deaths among children in the developing world are caused by just two kinds of bacteria: pneumoccoccus and Hermophilus influenzae. Time is often of the essence with pneumonia: Severe pneumonia can kill victims within hours as they literally drown in the fluids flooding their lungs. Pneumonia is sometimes mild, and just needs a course of antibiotics and a bit of TLC. If your child just has a mild case, she should start getting better within a week or so, though it can sometimes take weeks or even months for her to be completely back to her old self. In some cases, however, pneumonia can be serious and require hospital treatment Causes: Pneumonia usually happens when a virus or bacteria gets into your child's lungs. If it's caused by a virus, it's known as viral pneumonia, and if it's caused by bacteria, it's known as bacterial pneumonia. Less commonly, pneumonia can also happen if your child breathes in something she shouldn't, such as smoke, chemicals, her own vomit, or foreign objects such as peanuts. This is known as aspiration pneumonia. There are lots of different viruses and bacteria that can cause pneumonia, so there isn't a single vaccine that can protect against the disease. It can be hard to tell if your little one has pneumonia, or just a bad cold. But if it is pneumonia, you might spot the following symptoms: - A cough, which may or may not produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus. Your little one may also complain of chest pain, particularly when she coughs or breathes heavily. - Breathing difficulties, such as fast and shallow breathing or being out of breath all the time. You may also notice your little one sucks in her tummy when she breathes. - A fever, or a fluctuating temperature. - Seeming generally poorly and not her usual self. - Sweating and shivering. - A fast heartbeat. - Lack of appetite. Sources: Baby centre and PBS Advertisement She also introduced memory boxes into health departments, and five years on they are in every A&E, every critical care unit and every mortuary in Wales. The boxes include a candle, organza bags for curls of hair, inkless handprint kits, a USB Stick, a paper and pen, small soft toy elephant, a small photo frame and a Forget-Me-Not seed paper. Since its creation in 2014, 2 Wish Upon a Star raised 1.5M. Counsellers working with the charity offer support all around Wales to family that have lost a loved one under 25 suddenly or traumatically. 'These families can get support to be able to carry on with their lives, to be able to come to terms with their loss and understand the feelings theyre experiencing are normal and that there is help available for them,' she said. The charity also organised support groups in several locations, including Aberystwyth, Haverfordwest, Carmarthen, Swansea, Newport, Cardiff and Talbot Green. Rhian with her second husband Craig, son Isaac and daughter Holly during Winter 2018. The mother said the charity has helped over 490 families since it was founded in 2014 Rhian's goal was that no family going through a pediatric death would be left without support. They set up an emergency phone line. In 2018, they worked with the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff so that, if families gave their consent, 2 Wish Upon a Star would contact them within 48 hours after a death. Out of the 17 pediatric deaths that occurred since the University Hospital of Wales' programme was introduced, all families gave their consent to be contacted by the charity. Since it was created in 2014, they've had over 490 referrals. Rhian hopes that no family will be left with nothing, and that no father will be so overwhelmed with grief and helpless that they will take their own life. 'We need to make sure sudden death is also on the agenda and is being discussed,' she added. 'I will never stop fighting until every family in Wales gets the support they deserve.' For more information on 2 Wish Upon a Star, go here. The New York Public Library held it's 2019 lunch, on Thursday, April 18, 2019 under the iconic glass dome of the Celeste Bartos Forum in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The literary world came out in full force for the elegant annual luncheon which raises critical funds for the librarys acclaimed collections that are used by scholars, writers, artists and students every day. Caroline Kennedy, David Costabile, Candice Bergen and Fran Lebowitz were among the many notables in attendance. Notables: The literary world came out in full force for the elegant annual luncheon. Pictured Caroline Kennedy (left), Min Jin Lee (center), David Remnick (right) Gorgeous venue: The New York Public Library held it's 2019 lunch, on Thursday, April 18, 2019 under the iconic glass dome of the Celeste Bartos Forum in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building Business casual: Caroline donned a navy pant suit accessorized by a light blue floral scarf Powerful women: Candice Bergen and Fran Lebowitz were among many notable attendees to enjoy internationally acclaimed authors Jennifer Egan, Min Jin Lee, and Colm Toibin discuss historical fiction Lunch was followed by a captivating panel discussion focused on the genre of historical fiction with internationally acclaimed authors Jennifer Egan, Min Jin Lee, and Colm Toibin, moderated by The New Yorker editor David Remnick. National Book Award finalist, Min Jin Lee received a laugh from the crowd when probed about the importance of plot. Her response: 'Readers have the right to complain when there isnt plot.' The conversation continued with the same lighthearted tone, with serious and educational moments sprinkled throughout. National Book Award finalist: Min Jin Lee had everyone in the crowd, including Caroline Kennedy, laughing Tablescape: Tables were dressed in green apple linens featuring centerpieces of stacked books and fresh floral arrangements A-listers: Raul Fernandez Jr and 'Billions' actor David Costabile smiled for the camera The panel: David Remnick moderated a discussion on historical fiction with Internationally acclaimed authors Jennifer Egan, Colm Toibin and Min Jin Lee The Sistine Chapel-like reading room was made complete with tables dressed in green apple linens featuring centerpieces of stacked books and fresh floral arrangements. Business casual attire could be seen throughout the magnificent space. Caroline donned a navy pant suit accessorized by a light blue floral scarf, while Candice opted for a blush tone jacket and a silk blouse in the same soft shade. Fran mastered the menswear-inspired trend in a plaid blazer, crisp white shirt and cuffed blue jeans. This years lunch was co-chaired by Abigail Baratta, Mahnaz Ispahani Bartos, Louise Grunwald, Zibby Owens, Daisy Prince, David Remnick, Deborah Goodrich Royce and Nanar Yoseloff, with honorary co-chair Colum McCann. Iconic British luxury brand Asprey sponsored the event for the 10th consecutive year, and contributed to the gift bag. The luncheon raised a record-breaking amount to support the librarys mission to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen communities. Scientists are a step closer to working out what is causing a mysterious polio-like illness which struck and paralysed hundreds of children in the UK and US last year. New research has proven an already-known virus caused at least one case of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a potentially-deadly nerve-damaging illness. AFM was last year diagnosed in at least 228 people in the US and 28 in the UK, many of them young children. The incurable illness is crippling and often leaves patients with paralysed arms and legs. But doctors and scientists have been puzzled by the condition, struggling to understand what causes it and only being able to spot it once symptoms start. Chloe Stevenson, a three-year-old from Plymouth, Devon, has spent months receiving hospital treatment being left with a paralysed left arm after developing acute flaccid myelitis, a rare and poorly understood condition which can cause devastating nerve damage At her worst, Chloe could only wake up for five minutes at a time because she was so tired, her mother Ms Carter said, but her condition has steadily improved since she fell ill in the autumn Scientists at the University of Minnesota and the US's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68) may be causing the illness. They found the virus in the spinal fluid of one out of six children who got AFM, and they could prove it caused the illness, Minnesota's Star Tribune reported. 'The fact that we were able to definitively identify the EV-D68 virus as the cause of paralysis in one of our Minnesota patients does suggest this virus as a probable cause in our other recent AFM cases,' said Dr Heidi Moline, the study author. EV-D68 had been found in the spinal fluid of another patient in California before, but the sample was contaminated so the evidence couldn't be used. This, Dr Moline said, is the first 'true confirmation' of it causing the disease. The virus was first recorded in patients in the US in 1987 but numbers were low. It has become increasingly common over time but is hard to keep track of. Many people can become infected with the virus but not develop any illness, while those who do generally only get a runny nose or cough. WHAT IS ENTEROVIRUS-D68? Enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68) is a type of non-polio causing virus. It was first identified in the US in 1962 but numbers were low. It has become increasingly common over time but is hard to keep track of because most cases aren't recorded. Many people infected with the virus don't develop any illness, while those who do generally only get a runny nose or cough. However, it can cause more serious breathing problems and scientists now believe it may be a trigger for acute flaccid myelitis, a condition which triggers swelling in the spinal column and causes paralysing nerve damage. EV-D68 is believed to spread the same way cold and flu germs do through the coughs and sneezes of other infected people. Children and teenagers are the most likely to become ill because adults have usually been exposed to them without problems already, making them immune. EV-D68 infection can only be diagnosed with specific lab tests and there is no cure for illness caused by it. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement EV-D68 is believed to spread through the coughs and sneezes of people who have it, but most AFM cases are believed to have been isolated and not clustered in communities. AFM is believed to cause paralysis by triggering swelling around the spinal cord, so putting pressure on and damaging nerves. When these nerves are damaged it interrupts the electrical signals being sent around the body to control muscle movements. The illness, which typically affects children, starts off with cold-like symptoms and tiredness, before the patient's arms and legs start to go floppy. By the time doctors realise what is wrong with the patient, the potentially irreversible nerve damage is often already done. '[AFM] is incredibly scary for patients and families,' Dr Moline said. Public Health England last year announced it had launched an investigation after the condition was found in at least 28 people in the country. Most cases were diagnosed in the autumn of 2018 and marked a huge spike there had only been 25 cases in the previous eight years combined. Chloe Stevenson, a three-year-old from Plymouth, was one of the children affected by the condition. She was left with a paralysed left arm and spent months receiving hospital treatment after being struck down with the crippling illness in September. Her mother, Vanessa Carter, told MailOnline in January: 'When she was first in hospital she could only wake up for five minutes at a time and became more and more weak. Chloe Stevenson's parents, Vanessa Carter and Ross Stevenson, noticed something was wrong with their daughter when, after complaining of being sleepy, her left arm went floppy while they were bathing her 'We couldn't have taken her to hospital any sooner she just said she was tired and never complained about her arm.' Although Chloe's condition was improving at the time, Ms Carter said she was 'struggling to cope' with not understanding the illness. She added: 'We don't know how much she will recover. We don't know her long-term prognosis and I don't know if she could get it again.' A woman who had no idea she was ill was diagnosed with a brain tumour after going on a roller coaster ride triggered vomiting and paralysis in her face. Molly White, from Paignton in Devon, had a slight headache after coming off Colossus at Thorpe Park, but blamed it on the twists and turns of the ride. But she later discovered the ride had shifted a cancerous lump the size of a satsuma hidden deep in the middle of her brain, triggering the tell-tale tumour symptoms. After scans and closer examination doctors found the tumour had been growing for years but had stayed in an area where it had caused no symptoms. Almost three years after her diagnosis and after two operations to try and cut the tumour out, Miss White credits the roller coaster ride with saving her life. Molly White, 21, started feeling the effects of her brain tumour after a roller coaster ride at Thorpe Park in 2016, after which she began to vomit and have vision problems Miss White (second from left) had no idea she was gravely ill when she went to Thorpe Park for a friend's birthday in 2016, but a month later she had been told there was cancer in her brain 'It's something that at the time, I didn't think too much about, but of course that roller coaster made a massive difference,' she said. 'I nearly didn't go to Thorpe Park because I was moving house and I had so much on. If I hadn't have gone there, who knows when I would have found about the tumour. 'The doctor said "this rollercoaster moved your head around and would have made your tumour move to where it was pressing against a part of your brain that was making you have symptoms". 'He said if it hadn't it would have grown to the point where there was nothing they could have done about it. 'It would have been too late and I probably wouldn't be here now. The rollercoaster saved my life.' Miss White was diagnosed with an astrocytoma, a common type of cancer which makes up around a third of all brain tumours in UK patients. What causes the tumours is unknown and experts believe there is nothing people can do to prevent them. Miss White has had more than one operation, one of which took 10 hours, to try and get rid of all the cancer inside her skull. Although it hasn't all been removed since her diagnosis in 2016, and therapy left her unable to walk for a while, she says the tumour is now the smallest it has ever been. She noticed something was wrong when, about a month after the Thorpe Park visit, she started randomly vomiting. Initially pinning the blame on exhaustion she was working two jobs on top of college work but was soon so tired she regularly fell asleep at 5pm. Miss White, pictured before finding out she was ill, has had to have two major operations on her brain to remove the cancer, and been through radiotherapy to try and get rid of part of the tumour which was left over and still growing Miss White's symptoms began after she went on the Colossus ride at Thorpe Park (Pictured: A promotional photo of the ride) Six weeks on from the theme park visit, she went to her GP who did tests for coeliac disease, but couldn't find the cause of her symptoms. But when she attended a family gathering in May that year, an aunt noticed her face was droopy on one side, and urged her to go to another GP. WHAT ARE ASTROCYTOMAS? Astrocytomas are one of the most common forms of brain tumours, making up around a third of UK cases. They grow from cells called astrocytes, which protect nerves and are vital for processing information. There is nothing that people can do to prevent astrocytomas. Their cause is unknown but may be genetic. Astrocytomas are graded from 1-4 depending on how quickly they grow and how they respond to treatment. Treatment depends on the grade, with 1-2 often involving surgery to remove as much of the tumour as possible. Radio or chemotherapy may be given to kill any remaining cancerous cells. Grades 3-4 generally always require surgery, and radio and chemotherapy. Around 40 per cent of people with a grade 2 astrocytoma live more than 10 years. Approximately 27 per cent with grades three or above live five years or more. Source: The Brain Tumour Charity Advertisement 'I looked like I had had a stroke,' said Miss White. The new GP instantly recognised something was wrong and did eye tests which revealed she had limited vision on her left side. She sent Miss White to Torbay Hospital for an emergency MRI which revealed the had a satsuma-sized tumour which had grown out from her optic nerve. 'The look on the GP's face meant I knew at that point it was going to be bad news,' Miss White said. 'I went to bed that night knowing that the next day was going to change my life completely. 'When I went in for the results there were two doctors in the room. You don't need two doctors to tell you you don't have a brain tumour.' She was moved to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, where doctors started to work out how to treat Miss White's cancer. She said: 'The doctor came in to have a chat about what the surgery would entail. He started to ask me about how I came to find out about the tumour. 'He asked when I started to get symptoms and my mum said "oh it's when you came back from Thorpe Park". 'I thought he was just trying to have a conversation with me, and he asked if I had gone on the big rides and I told him how I had come off one and had a bit of a headache. 'He told me that my tumour had been there for a long time and, where it had originally been it obviously wasn't causing me any symptoms, but it moved.' Miss White had her first brain surgery on July 28, 2016, when doctors removed as much of the tumour as they could during a ten-hour operation. Four months later she had a second operation to remove other parts of the mass but this time she was fully awake. 'Because of where they were operating, they had to check I could still talk, to make sure it was safe,' Miss White said. After the operation, she was left with some weakness in the left side of her body. Miss White, pictured with friends before her illness, was left with some weakness in the left side of her body after surgery and needed a wheelchair then walking stick to get around Miss White, pictured recently, says her brain tumour is now the 'smallest it has ever been' after she needed more radiotherapy six months ago Over the next few months, she needed intensive physiotherapy to learn to walk again. Initially relying on a wheelchair during her recovery, she then moved onto a walking stick, before regaining her ability to walk unaided in early 2017. A scan in April last year revealed five per cent of the tumour which hadn't been removed in surgery had doubled in size, and she had to undergo radiotherapy. 'It was six-and-a-half weeks, every day Monday to Friday, during the heatwave,' she said. 'It was tough really tough but it was successful. 'Six months after, a scan showed the tumour had shrunk and it's the smallest it has ever been now.' Miss White still has regular scans, but is getting back on track, and now volunteers with the Brain Tumour Charity, as an ambassador, and with Age UK as a befriender. Three New York City parents who refuse to vaccinate their children have been summoned to court where they could face a $1,000 fine or jail time. They all live within the four Brooklyn ZIP codes that have been ordered in a 'state of emergency' to vaccinate everyone - children and adults - against measles to control a growing outbreak, which has spread quickly in the Orthodox Jewish community. Since the order was imposed last week, 1,000 children have received the MMR vaccine, but officials say many more are left. The summonses were issued on Thursday, moments after a court rejected a lawsuit from California anti-vaxxer attorney Robert F Kennedy, on behalf of five Brooklyn mothers, who branded the state of emergency anti-Semitic and unlawful. Health officials also shuttered another four schools in Brooklyn - after closing down a pre-school earlier this week - for refusing to confirm or deny that all of their attendees had received the MMR shot. Now five schools have been closed in Brooklyn, including a pre-school (pictured) for refusing to confirm or deny whether all kids had been vaccinated New York City now has 329 cases of measles recorded since October, up from 285 when the state of emergency was declared on April 9. In a bid to curb the outbreak, health officials are trying to track down anyone who might have come into contact with people who have measles. Their efforts have intensified as Passover, which starts on Friday night and lasts for a week, approaches. Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot said: 'Because of measles' long incubation period, we know this outbreak will get worse before it gets better. 'However, we can turn the tide by people getting vaccinated, especially before Passover when families and communities will gather. 'We urge everyone to protect their children and their fellow New Yorkers by getting vaccinated immediately.' On Thursday, city officials made gestures to show the state of emergency was not an empty threat by summoning the three parents to court - with the threat of more to come. One thousand children in Brooklyn's measles epicenter have received the MMR vaccine in the week since a state of emergency was declared, the Mayor announced today. Last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio ordered the mandatory vaccination of everyone - children and adults - in four Brooklyn ZIP codes affected by the outbreak of 329 measles cases and counting. He said 3,300 children in Williamsburg - the epicenter of the outbreak - had not received their shots. On Friday morning, de Blasio told Brian Lehrer on WNYC that now almost a third of them have complied. Others have refused, however - driving health officials to shutter five schools and summon three parents to court, where they could face a $1,000 fine or jail time. Since the state of emergency was declared, 1,000 children have got the MMR shot 'This is a really, really dangerous situation,' de Blasio said. 'Now on the good news side, since we made very clear that were going to take these aggressive measures, weve had I think its close to 1,000 kids in Williamsburg whove gotten vaccinated. 'So the message is getting through and the outreach work by the Department of Health and City Hall and the community organizations is starting to work, but were not letting up here and I want everyone who can hear me in Williamsburg to understand that like, this is really serious stuff and were going to do more and more, and be more and more aggressive until this crisis is over.' While the measles shot can be administered separately in other countries, it is only offered as a combination MMR shot in the US. New York is one of the many states that allows religious exemption, which means that vaccination rates are low in the Orthodox Jewish pockets, where many see it as against their faith to inject themselves with a foreign body. And it is in those neighborhoods where the current measles outbreak has flourished. Health Commissioner Dr Oxiris Barbot said: 'Because of measles' long incubation period, we know this outbreak will get worse before it gets better. 'However, we can turn the tide by people getting vaccinated, especially before Passover when families and communities will gather. 'We urge everyone to protect their children and their fellow New Yorkers by getting vaccinated immediately.' On Thursday, city officials made gestures to show the state of emergency was not an empty threat by summoning the three parents to court - with the threat of more to come. After Stacey Underwood's fifth child was born, she decided that she was done having children. The stay-at-home mother decided that, rather than alter her hormones with the pill or have an IUD implanted inside her body, she would opt to have her 'tubes tied,' or undergo a tubal ligation. The minor surgical sterilization procedure is the second most commonly used form of contraception in the US. But within hours of the operation, Stacey knew something had gone wrong. Even after a visit to the ER, no one could figure out what was causing her horrible chills and night sweats and unprecedented mood swings. It was only after doing her own hunting online that Stacey found a potential explanation: the rarely discussed post-tubal ligation syndrome. 'It is like my body went into shock,' she told Today. Getting her tubes tied - a procedure called a tubal ligation - seemed like the best contraceptive for Stacey Underwood, 36 (pictured) after she was done having children. But after the minor surgery, she developed menopause-like symptoms from post-tubal ligation syndrome Stacey had had her tubes tied shortly after the birth of her youngest child. So when she started feeling desperately ill, the 36-year-old was afraid she might have developed postpartum preeclampsia (a serious high-blood pressure condition that a woman can develop shortly after giving birth). Miserable from her night sweats and chills, Stacey rushed to the emergency room. Doctors there ran a battery of tests, but couldn't find anything conclusive. Feeling no better, and more confused, Stacey went home and took matters into her own hands. Though looking to Google for medical answers can be a dangerous strategy, Stacey's search turned up a match: post tubal litigation syndrome. Although getting your tubes tied does not introduce any hormones into the body, it can cause levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone to plummet. Some research suggests this happens because the procedure can damage blood vessels and alter blood flow to the ovaries. The resulting symptoms are not unlike menopause. As Stacey's hormones took a nose dive, they triggered the dreaded hot flashes and night sweats. 'They were like convulsing chills and I would wake up and my clothes would be drenched,' Stacey said. For the last five years, it's gone on like this. The literature on post-tubal ligation is sparse, and because it is rarely diagnosed, it's not clear how many women suffer the condition. Tubal ligation is the second most common form of birth common form of contraceptive, and a particularly popular choice for couples like Stacey and her husband (pictured) who already have sizable families As time has passed, things have gotten worse for Stacey, too. She told Today she now bleeds almost constantly. What's more, the hormonal changes have hit Stacey's mood, hard. 'I feel so defeated. I would walk out of the office and cry. I would get nowhere,' she said. Yet doctors still didn't have any answers for what exactly was happening to the Kentucky mother, much less what to do about it. And many are skeptical that post tubal ligation syndrome even exists. 'For women to go through this and doctors not to listen, it feels heartbreaking,' says Stacey. At least one doctor, Dr Charles Monteith, who now performs reversals of tubal litigations in North Carolina, says he's seen enough women suffer to believe that the syndrome is real. 'I [used to say] that tubal ligation doesnt cause problems,' he told Today. 'I have since come to understand otherwise.' Women like Stacey can try hormone therapy (again, similar to what is used to treat menopause) and pelvic floor exercises that may bring some relief from the symptoms. But they're hardly a perfect fix. Having the ligation procedure reversed is the best option, but even then, they may never return to their former selves. She is among a contingent of women trying to get the word out that tubal ligation is not necessarily harmless - and a smaller still group of doctors, like Dr Monteith are starting to listen. In 2016, Alva Pilliod was sure his wife, Alberta, was dying of the same cancer he had suffered - and now the pair is convinced they both got it from Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller, according to reporting on their testimony from Courthouse News Service. Both Alva and Alberta testified against the company this week in one of the many ongoing lawsuits claiming that Roundup may cause cancer. Alva tearfully recounted watching Alberta deteriorate and suffer from non-Hodgkins lymphoma years after he'd beaten the same disease. Both Alberta and Alva are in remission now - but neither they nor their lives have ever been the same since the cancer attacked their bones or brains. And now the pair, both 76, are among countless others that want to hold Monsanto accountable for the chemical they believe nearly killed them. Their testimony comes as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry releases a draft of a highly-anticipated report on glysophate, the chemical the Pilliods say sickened them. Alva and Alberta (left and right) Pilliod used Roundup to treat their properties in California for 30 years. It wasn't until they both developed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma that the pair began to suspect the chemical might not be safe For the better part of their 50 years of marriage, the Pilliods say they sprayed their properties with Roundup. They relied on the market-dominating weedkiller to keep their lawns tidy and weed-free - as did countless Americans - for 30 years. Neither half of the couple ever questioned what the blockbuster weedkiller might do to humans. They didn't suspect Roundup when Alva developed non-Hodgkins lymphoma over eight years go. And not even after Alberta started feeling dizzy and off balance, in the spring of 2015. Alberta specifically recalls putting off seeing her doctor when she first started to feel off that spring, because she'd been preparing to travel with her granddaughter to Maui, where her son lived. She was already feeling unwell, the flight made matters worse, the trip was difficult and draining and 'on the way home, I felt worse, if that was possible,' she told the Superior Court of Alameda County in California. As soon as she returned from the trip, Alberta went to Stanford University for a doctor appointment. Just like Alva had, Alberta had the most common form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. But where Alva's cancer had struck his spine and hip, Alberta's had caused lesions on her brain. Alberta and Alva are now both in remission, but their cancer battles have forever changed and scarred the couple, as they described in a trial against Monsanto this week Non-Hodgkins lymphoma attacks a form of white blood cells, so it can occur in the lymphnodes or many other parts of the body, including bone, like Alva's spine and hip, or in the brain, as was the case for Alberta. They type of lymphoma that they both had grows quickly, and Alberta feared she wouldn't see her 75th birthday. She survived her first bout with the cancer, only to relapse in 2016. Alva was terrified, and even lost his composure on the stand, according to CNS. A terrifying miscommunication Alva to believe that his wife had died one day, and he was told she'd been moved. 'I thought she meant the morgue,' he said. Alberta had survived, after having to be revived the night before, but she was frail and heart-breakingly confused. 'She didnt have a hair on her head. She was just staring at nothing. She didnt know who I was,' Alva told the court. Now, Alberta has joined her husband in remission, but the cancer took a toll on her.' The couple's is the latest suit in a spate against Roundup-maker Monsanto since a World Health Organization report labelled a chemical in the weedkiller, glysophate, a probable carcinogen At 76, she is weaker than she once was, the lesions on her brain have permanently impaired her mental function, and she told the court she's embarrassed of her uneven gait. 'I wobble all over. I'm dizzy all the time, I fall a lot.' She and Alva finally stopped using Roundup in 2016, but the damage they now blame on its chemicals was done. Up until then, Alberta would even joke with Alva that it couldn't be dangerous, comparing it to 'sugar water.' 'The ads made me feel like it was safe,' she explained. But when she developed the same cancer he'd had, Alva began an inquisition of any possible cause. He found an article suggesting a link between Roundup and cancer. He didn't spare a moment, taking every ounce of the weedkiller at the Pilliod home straight to a hazardous waste dump as soon as he got home. If he'd known any sooner that Roundup might raise the risks of cancer for himself and Alberta, 'I wouldn't have had it on my property,' Alva told the court. 'I wouldn't want it near me or my family.' It will no doubt have come to your attention that Britain is in the throes of an impassioned fling with gin. In fact, more gin was sold in the summer last year than the summers of 2014 and 2015 combined, according to tonic maker Fever-Tree. It's not the first time Britons have gone wild for the spirit. When gin was first introduced to the UK in 1689, its ready availability and low price led to the UK's first 'gin craze'. Londoners drank an equivalent of two pints every week. Double measures: Brits have fallen in love with gin again with sales soaring during 2018's long summer. Brockmans (above) is one of many new gin brands to hit shelves in the last decade But the spirit's fortunes reversed when, 40 years later, politicians and religious leaders branded it a scourge of society and passed the Gin Act a whopping great tax on the spirit. In the 300-or-so years that followed, gin has had a bumpy ride, becoming unkindly known as Mother's Ruin and being subject to scarce innovation. A few stalwarts of the trade dominated the market, typically selling a London Dry. Unicorn Tears Christmas gin - just one of many gins to have come to market during the 'ginaissance' And while its clear liquor counterpart Vodka stole the show becoming a key ingredient in many cocktail menu staples and being reinvented in multiple flavours (and even in jelly form) gin strictly remained a pre-dinner drink to be served with tonic a slice of lemon. But the latter part of this decade has been the juniper-flavoured spirit's time to shine. UK bars and supermarkets have been flooded with the stuff. Gins have emerged in every thinkable flavour, in colour changing varieties and even with drinkable glitter. New mixers, presentation and tastes have seen sales accelerate at an incredible rate. And Neil Everitt the man behind Brockmans gin thinks there's more growth in the UK gin market to come yet. Fizzing over: The 5-year chart from Google shows the upward trajectory of Fever-Tree shares The so-called 'gin-aissance', which seemed to peak during last year's gin-soaked, long summer, is partly driven by the surging popularity of upmarket mixers like Fever-Tree and Fentimans . Since listing in 2004, Fever-Tree's market value has fizzed to 3.67billion. As tonic got a shake up, so did gin, with new brands saturating the market, each with their own fresh take on the age-old beverage. In 2017, as Brits bought 55million bottles (that's 105 bottles a minute) of gin, a huge 37 new distilleries opened. Brockmans was co-founded by spirit aficionado Neil Everitt (above) One new-ish entrant to the market is Brockmans, which was co-founded by spirit aficionado Everitt over a decade ago, long before gin was back en vogue. Following in the footsteps of Hendricks and Bombay Sapphire (brands which Everitt says have done wonders to breathe fresh life into gin), the small team behind Brockmans set out to make a liquid that was smooth enough to be drunk neat, and enjoyed by everyone even non-spirit drinkers. He told This is Money: 'We thought it was strange that so many people didn't like gin, but so much of it was still that London Dry style. 'So we decided to try and make a gin that tasted great, so that everyone would like it.' Although Everitt says he had no idea the gin craze was around the corner, the timing worked out nicely. His super premium gin steadily gained traction in the UK and can now be found in most supermarkets as well as bars. 'I wish we could say we knew the gin boom was going to happen but we would be lying,' he says. 'I did it more as a pet project, but roll forward ten years and it's beginning to be very successful.' '"Ginnovation" has meant that the spirit is no longer shackled to its aperitif heritage. 'As the flavour evolved, it become a drink for revellers to enjoy all night long in clubs and bars, a refreshing summer favourite and it has even won over non-spirit drinkers,' Everitt explains. Presentation is 'much more interesting' now too, says the Brockmans boss. 'It started with the big balloon glasses. There's more drama, more theatre. It's so much more than gin and a slice.' Ginaissance: As the taste of gin developed and changed, it became a summer favourite and a drink for people to enjoy all night long, rather than just before dinner And there's more growth in the gin market to come, he argues. 'Spain was first country to go mad for gin, with the UK a few years behind it. Sales in Spain are just about starting to slow, so I think the UK has two or three years of fast growth left, before it starts to slow down and eventually plateau.' Theatre of gin: With a tidal wave of new tonics and gins came the big balloon glasses too 'The rest of Europe is just catching on, and it's in very early stages in the US, so for those of us thinking globally there are huge growth opportunities,' he adds. But not all new entrants to the gin circus will survive to tell the tale. 'Now we have some phenomenal brands that will withstand the test of time, but those at the "candy store" end of things might not be around in a few years,' Everitt says, referring to the more faddy gins that have recently hit shelves. 'Innovation has gone off the scale and that's fabulous on the one hand - the more people that try gin, the better. 'But some of the newer gins are too focused on the flavour or the colour and less interesting in being a brand that stands for something,' he says. So where can the industry go from here? Well, if Everitt's prediction is correct, the search for more and more exotic flavours will wane as the ginaissance gradually dies down over the next few years. But, what we will be left with is a much stronger and more vibrant category, with more choice than there ever was historically. Cheers to that. As Easter weekend approaches the much loved hot cross bun has been turned in to a burger, dividing customers and social media users. The menu item can be found at The Yard On Glebe, a cafe in Ipswich, south-west of Brisbane, and is named the 'Bunny Burger'. The creation contains two rashers of bacon, two beef patties, hickory sauce, onion jam and cheese melting it all together. The 'Bunny Burger' features rashes of bacon, several beef patties, hickory sauce, onion jam and double cheese melting it all together The cafe owner Letesha Amber Dean said they cooked up the idea and decided to give it a go after successfully trailing it in-store. 'It was originally only going to go for the weekend but we still have it going at the moment because people are enjoying it so much,' she said. 'The moment you are eating it is a bit odd as it's a hot cross bun but when it combines with the flavours of the meat and the sauces and it's really good.' Not everyone was impressed with burger enthusiasts in an online Facebook group expressing their dislike by posting an image of a person vomiting. 'Please tell me that doesn't have sultanas in it haha,' one person said. But most were far more open minded to the idea of the very non-traditional burger. 'Sweet and salty is amazing,' said one person. 'Get on to Uber Eats,' said another. The 'Bunny Burger' is still available in stores for those looking to try it for themselves. A Queensland woman has been jailed for nine years after she plunged a kitchen knife into her boyfriend's chest when he tried to hug her during an argument. Paul Blakes (pictured), 54, was stabbed through the chest when he went to hug his girlfriend Vanessa Lee Jenkins, 42, developed a 'hyper-sensitivity' to controlling behaviour during a past violent relationship. When her new boyfriend, 54-year-old Paul Bakes went to wrap his arms around her during a fight in their home in Logan, south of Brisbane, she stabbed him in the chest on impulse. The pair's relationship had deteriorated in the weeks leading up to Mr Bakes' death and Jenkins was in the process of moving out. A voicemail message to him from her said: 'I hope you get run off the road. I hope you f****** die'. When she returned to the home, they argued in the kitchen before she picked up a knife with a 19cm blade and stabbed him in the chest, piercing his lung. Jenkins followed her crime up with a lie her own defence barrister labelled 'plainly preposterous', telling police that he had walked into the knife. She was sentenced on Thursday to nine years in prison for Mr Bakes' manslaughter in November 2017 after pleading guilty in Brisbane Supreme Court. She will be required to serve at least half her sentence before being considered for parole. Vanessa Lee Jenkins followed her crime up with a lie her own lawyer labelled 'plainly preposterous', telling police that he had walked into the knife A Manhattan judge on Thursday ruled that a lawsuit seeking to represent any woman with a claim against Harvey Weinstein can proceed on sex-trafficking grounds, but he dramatically scaled back a sprawling class-action lawsuit against the disgraced movie mogul. U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein eliminated 17 claims against the former head of Miramax studio who has been accused by women in several lawsuits of seeking to trade his influence in Hollywood for sexual favors. Weinstein also faces trial in state court on criminal sexual assault charges. The judge dismissed all defendants except for Weinstein himself, among them Weinstein Company Holdings, Miramax and its parent company, Disney, as well as Weinstein's brother, Bob, and former Disney executive Michael Eisner. A Manhattan judge on Thursday eliminated 17 claims against Harvey Weinstein (pictured in court in January) and drastically scaled back a class-action lawsuit Hellerstein also reduced the number of named plaintiffs from 10 to four, dismissing the oldest claims against Weinstein dating from 1993 to 2005. Among the women dropped from the class-action lawsuit was actress Melissa Sagemiller, who claimed that Weinstein tried to coax her into having sex with him on the promise that it would further her career in 2000. Like Sagemiller, actress Larissa Gomes also saw her claim thrown out by the judge. The 'Saw' horror franchise alum alleged she went to discuss work opportunities with Weinstein but ended up imprisoned in his hotel room, threatened, battered and assaulted. Weinstein has denied engaging in any nonconsensual sex. The judge dismissed all defendants except for Weinstein himself, including his brother, Bob (left) Among the four women still allowed to pursue the lawsuit is video producer Melissa Thompson, who alleged that the Hollywood tycoon raped her at the Tribeca Grand hotel in 2011 after harassing her during a pitch meeting at his offices. Elior Shiloh, an attorney for Weinstein, said in a statement that his lawyers agree with Hellerstein's dismissal of most of the claims and will 'explore all options' to get the final claim thrown out too. The judge reduced the number of named plaintiffs from 10 to four, dismissing claims dating back to 2000 made by actress Melissa Sagemiller (pictured) Attorney Elizabeth Fegan, representing the women, said the judge ruled correctly that Weinstein should face the sex-trafficking allegation 'that he used his power to deceive and manipulate women, knowing he intended to sexually abuse them.' 'We are disappointed that certain claims were dismissed and plan to file an appeal,' she said. The lawsuit first filed in late 2017 had sought to represent 'dozens, if not hundreds' of women who say they were isolated and attacked by Weinstein. Unspecified damages were sought. The lawsuit had also named companies and employees as defendants, saying they functioned together like an organized crime group to facilitate Weinstein's meetings with young women. Hellerstein said he was dismissing all defendants except Weinstein because the lawsuit had insufficiently shown that they assisted, supported or facilitated sex trafficking. Other claims were dismissed because the alleged assaults occurred too long ago and lawyers had not adequately explained why they were not brought within a time period set by law. Melissa Thompson, who alleged that the Hollywood heavyweight raped her in 2011, is among the four women who have been allowed to pursue the lawsuit Lawyers for the women said there was a delay because defendants made hush payments to victims, told victims to stay quiet, sent threatening text messages, forwarded victim complaints to Weinstein and retained lawyers to blacklist victims and intimidate journalists. 'These actions, although reprehensible, did not use fraud, misrepresentation, or deception to prevent plaintiffs from filing suit,' Hellerstein said. Weinstein was ousted from the movie company he founded after a barrage of sexual harassment and assault allegations became public in October, 2017. Weinstein's lawyers argued it wasn't fair to let aspiring actresses equate Hollywood's casting couch with a brothel. But Hellerstein wrote that the sex-trafficking law is appropriate if victims are enticed into sexual acts with false promises of career advancement. Charles Massey, who is legally blind, and his service dog were denied a Lyft ride on April 6 A California Lyft driver has been fired after reportedly refusing to give a ride to a blind man and his guide dog. Charles Massey hailed a Lyft cab to pick up him and his canine assistant, Jedi, an eight-year-old yellow labrador retriever, in Grand Terrace, California, on April 6. The cab arrived and Massey and Jedi entered the vehicle, but the driver told the blind man he wouldn't be taking him anywhere because he didn't want Jedi to damaged his vehicle's leather seats. 'So I put Jedi on the floor and he still wasn't happy and he says I've got to get out of the car,' Massey told KCBS. The unidentified Lyft driver allegedly demanded the blind man and his dog exit the vehicle because the driver didn't want the dog to damage his leather seats Massey's service dog is an eight-year-old yellow lab named Jedi When Massey refused to leave, the driver called 911. Massey recorded the call with his own phone. 'I have a service dog, I'm blind,' Massey told the 911 dispatchers during the call. 'It doesn't matter. I need a police officer,' the male driver is heard responding. 'No, it does matter,' Massey fired back. The San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy who responded to the scene ultimately took Massey and Jedi home, according to KCBS. Massey offered to make Jedi sit on the floor of the vehicle, but the driver refused before calling 911 on Massey and his dog Lyft said the driver is no longer with the company, adding that 'any form of discrimination on our platform is simply unacceptable' Lyft confirmed that the company has removed and banned the unidentified driver from its platform. 'Any form of discrimination on our platform is simply unacceptable,' a spokesperson said told the NY Post. 'Lyft has a strict Service Animal policy that requires all drivers to accommodate passengers traveling with service animals, and we take any allegation of this nature very seriously.' President Donald Trump's former White House Communications Director, Hope Hicks, thought that emails sent by Trump Jr about a meeting with a Russian agent looked really bad, according special counsel Robert Mueller's report which was released Thursday. As detailed in the 448 page dossier, Hicks is said to have made the comments during a June 2017 meeting with the President, his daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner. If its what you say, I love it, Trump Jr exclaimed in an email chain with his associate Rob Goldstone, delighted at the thought of gaining potentially incriminating evidence against his fathers political opponent, Hillary Clinton. The back-and-forth was followed by a meeting between Trump Jr and a Russian source in Trump Tower, where they're alleged to have spoken about the potentially advantageous subject matter in more depth. Scroll down for video President Trumps former White House Communications Director, Hope Hicks (right) told special counsel Mueller that she warned the President that his son's emails looked 'really bad' and should be released publicly If its what you say, I love it, Trump Jr exclaimed in an email chain with source Rob Goldstone, in discussion of a meeting about damning information on Hillary Clinton (right) When learning of the exchange, Hick's urged Trump to release Trump Jr's emails to the public. She believed the messages would inevitably leak anyway and immediate transparency would allow the President to stay one step ahead of the press, enabling him to claim that nothing came from the exchange ahead of time. Kushner agreed, however when he attempted to tell the president about details of his son's meeting, Trump stopped Kushner and said he did not want to know about it, shutting the conversation down, the report said. Reviewing the full chain of messages a week later in Kushners lawyers office, Hicks said she was shocked at the exchange because she thought the interaction looked really bad. She organized a private meeting with Trump to express her concerns but the president was insistent that he did not want to talk about it, telling Hicks to keep the messages secret and refrain from going to the press. He also expressed that he was upset that so many people had viewed the message already and insisted they will never publicly leak unless everyone had access to them. When learning of the exchange, Hick's urged Trump to release Trump Jr's emails to the public. She is pictured with the president in a file photo from January 2018 Hicks warned the President that the emails were really bad and the story would be massive when it broke, Mueller wrote in his report. But the president was insistent that he didnt want to talk about it and they should not go to the press. As Hicks envisioned, on July 8, 2017, the New York Times published a report about Trump Jrs meeting - organized by Goldstone - and released the emails three days later. In response, Trump is said to have dictated a statement for Trump Jr to release, in which he was instructed him to claim the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibility of adopting Russian children not Hillary Clinton. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders denied any such incident occurred, claiming the president certainly didnt dictate his sons statement, back in June last year. Despite Trump attempting to deny knowledge of the meetings to the public, Mueller determined that Trumps actions were not an obstruction of justice Furthermore, Trump told special counsel Mueller in his writing that he had no recollection of learning of the meeting or the emails setting it up at the time the meeting occurred or at any time before the election. Two days after the election concluded, Hicks also told reporters We are not aware of any campaign representatives that were in touch with any foreign entities before yesterday, when Mr. Trump spoke with many world leaders. However, despite Trump attempting to deny knowledge of the meetings to the public, Mueller determined that Trumps actions were not an obstruction of justice because he didnt attempt to prevent investigators from accessing the evidence. The evidence does not establish that the President took steps to prevent the emails or other information about the June 9 meeting from being provided to Congress or the Special Counsel, the report surmised. A man has been arrested for attempting to have sexual intercourse with a nine-year-old girl and seven counts of child porn related charges. The Sydney man is alleged to have been speaking with a 40-year-old male relative of the young girl and discussing sexual acts he wanted the pair to perform on the child. The accused paedophile, 43, will also face multiple charges for allegedly sending sexually explicit material. Scroll down for video The 43-year-old man (pictured) was arrested and charged on Thursday was attempting to groom a 10-year-old girl in to having sex with him New South Wales Police searched (pictured) and arrested the man following an investigation Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad's Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) detectives first started interacting with the man online in February. Following their investigations police arrested the man outside a business in Collaroy Plateau at about 11.30am on Thursday and took him to Manly Police Station. Shortly after the arrest police searched a property on Scotland Island and seized multiple electronic devices for further investigation. The 43-year-old was charged with accessory before the fact to an attempted sexual intercourse with child under the age of ten, and seven counts of use carriage service to transmit, publish and promote child porn. Following the man's arrest police searched and seized several electronic devices at a property on Scotland Island (pictured) NSW Police seized the electronic devices for further investigation in to the offences that include child porn charges His arrest was apart of operation Strike Force Trawler CEIU that specifically focuses on the sexual abuse and exploitation of children through the internet. Images released by NSW Police show a garbage strewn house surrounded by overgrown trees on Scotland Island, in Sydney's north. The man was refused bail and will appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Friday. Property investors are being urged to buy a home before Labor scraps negative gearing and can also snap up a bargain by being a little unorthodox. Should Labor win the May 18 federal election, tax breaks for landlords will be restricted to brand new houses and apartments from January 1, 2020. Dominique Grubisa, the founder of the DG Institute who gives seminars on buying real estate, said investors needed to settle a property before the law changed so they could receive tax breaks. 'It probably is a good idea to get in now,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Property investors are being urged to buy a home before Labor scraps negative gearing (pictured is a young couple inspecting a property at Beacon Hill on Sydney's northern beaches) Were Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to win the election next month, investors who bought an existing property in 2020 would be barred from being able to claim a tax break if they made a loss renting out a home. Labor's plan to halve the capital gains tax discount, from 50 per cent to 25 per cent, would also become law. Mrs Grubisa, a barrister who specialises in debt cases, lost millions of dollars during the global financial crisis after over-borrowing to buy 20 investment properties from the late 1990s. She was worried that Labor's plan to wind back negative gearing would worsen the housing market downturn, after another Newspoll showed Labor leading the Government 52 to 48 per cent, after preferences. 'It's going to be bad for the economy. We're very dependent on the housing market,' Mrs Grubisa said. 'It just seems counter intuitive to cool this further.' Dominique Grubisa, the founder of the DG Institute who gives seminars on buying real estate, said investors needed to settle a property before the law changed so they could receive tax breaks Mrs Grubisa, who rebuilt her property empire after being forced to sell 15 of her investment properties in 2008, advises potential investors to snap up homes where the owners have been forced to sell. Her strategy is based on avoiding real estate advertisements and searching through court lists to find borrowers who have been forced to sell for failing to keep up with mortgage repayments, because of bankruptcy, unemployment or a divorce. Were Opposition Leader Bill Shorten to win the election next month, investors who bought an existing property in 2020 would be barred from being able to claim a tax break if they made a loss renting out a home She said investors could potentially find distressed properties selling for 10 to 40 per cent below their market value by buying during a downturn when other investors were panicking. 'There's a lot of distressed properties. In the boom, people paid too much,' she said. 'The opportunities are there now.' Since peaking in July 2017, Sydney's median house price has plunged by 16 per cent, or by $169,146. Mrs Grubisa was 38 and had three young children when she and her husband Kevin were forced to live with their relatives. The woman who lost everything, before rebuilding her property portfolio, predicted the housing downturn in Sydney and Melbourne would continue for another two years before there was a recovery. Despite a possible change in negative gearing laws, she said property was a better investment than shares and offered more control. 'You can renovate, you can put tenants in,' Mrs Grubisa said. 'With the share market it's just speculative.' Despite disagreeing with Labor's policy, she said there would be new opportunities for investors to buy a brand-new dwelling so they would be eligible to negatively gear. 'It may give developers a bit of a leg-up,' she said. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have slammed Attorney General William Barr, accusing him of 'deliberately distorting' the Mueller Report which they say 'paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies'. The pair issued a joint, blistering statement Thursday evening in response to the release of the 448-page report, outlining 'at least four significant ways that Mr. Barr has misled the public on the contents of the Mueller report'. Posting their response to the report's release Pelosi tweeted: 'Weve learned today that AG Barr deliberately distorted significant portions of the #MuellerReport. 'The #MuellerReport paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior and acting as if the law doesnt apply to him.' The statement adds: 'But if you hadnt read the report and listened only to Mr. Barr, you wouldnt have known any of that because Mr. Barr has been so misleading.' Pelosi and Schumer reacted with fury after the Barr published a redacted version of the 448-page report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Thursday. The report crucially says that the special counsel did not clear President Trump. It said Congress could find Trump guilty of obstructing justice an hour after attorney general Bill Barr said he had cleared the president personally of the crime. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, pictured here in January, have slammed Attorney General William Barr, accusing him of 'deliberately distorting' the Mueller Report Attorney General William Barr, left, published a redacted version of the 448-page report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, right, on Thursday In their joint statement the pair say 'Barr led us to believe that the Office of Legal Counsel opinion did not play a significant role in Special Counsel Muellers refusal to make a decision on obstruction'. But they argue the report, in fact, 'shows the opinion played a major role, and probably the decisive, role in Special Counsel Muellers decision not to reach a conclusion'. They go onto argue Muellers report 'cites several instances of presidential action that appear to the president did appear to obstruct justice'. And they say the special counsels own words 'directly and dramatically undercut Attorney General Barrs claim' that the president fully cooperated with the Special Counsels investigation. Finally Chuck and Nancy argue 'the special counsels report confirms that members of the Trump campaign were aware of Russian attempts to interfere with the election'. They say that not reporting this to the federal authorities and Barr omitting this from his public statements should 'shake any patriotic American to the core'. Pelosi and Schumer reacted with fury issuing a joint, blistering statement Thursday evening Pelosi tweeted the report 'paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior and acting as if the law doesnt apply to him' A triumphant Donald Trump tweeted a Game of Thrones meme saying 'Game Over' and speaking at the White House said: 'I'm having a good day' Democrats were already furious that Barr used a press conference to announce the findings of the report before it had been seen by Congress or the public but after it had been given to Trump's personal attorneys to review. Pelosi and Schumer had earlier demanded Mueller testify in public before Congress. The Democratic congressional leaders issued their call hours before Mueller's highly-anticipated report became public and before Barr's 9:30 am press conference. A triumphant Trump tweeted a Game of Thrones meme saying 'Game Over' and speaking at the White House said: 'I'm having a good day.' But the report contains huge amounts of evidence which will be used to question Barr's judgment. An Aboriginal woman was arrested in her own home after police took a breath-test and found she was drunk. Three officers appeared at the front door of the Katherine unit, 320km southeast of Darwin in the Northern Territory. Police said they were conducting a domestic violence order check, as resident Aileen Roy had an AVO out against her, ABC reported. Part of the condition of that AVO was that Ms Roy was not allowed to be drinking while in the company of her partner. An Aboriginal woman was arrested in her own home after police took a breath-test and found she was drunk (stock image) Her partner - who suffered seizures - might be in danger in that case, one of the constables involved claimed. Officers conducted a breath-test on Ms Roy, who returned a positive alcohol reading. She was taken to a watch house and the matter taken to the local court. Though the charges were dimissed and police went to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court. During the cross-examination, the constable involved in the matter freely admitted no complaint had been made of a potential breach of the Domestic Violence Order. Though officers had claimed they were within their rights to escort a person to the watch house under domestic violence laws. Supreme Court Justice Dean Mildreen did not agree and dismissed the case. 'I find that the police had no power to go to Ms Roy's home and take a sniff of her breath and then require [her] to provide a sample of her breath, that they were trespassers when they entered her alcove and knocked on the door.' North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency lawyer Beth Wild said the decision would serve as as an example for future cases. 'What this decision says is that police aren't able to come into our own homes to check whether or not people are intoxicated when they don't have any info about whether or not a domestic violence order has been breached.' The domestic violence order check was part of a larger police domestic and family violence campaign in Territory towns known as Operation Haven. Sajid Javid (seen at a Cabinet meeting on April 2) urged police to clamp down on protesters acting illegally Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use 'the full force of the law' against illegal Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters as they enter a fifth day. More than 500 protesters were arrested last night as activists continued to ignore orders to leave roadblocks at Waterloo Bridge, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square. Organiser said action would be escalated to include Heathrow Airport on Good Friday, with around 500,000 people expected to fly out for Easter breaks over the bank holiday weekend. Mr Javid released a statement about the protests after meeting police chiefs. 'Over recent days, commuters trying to earn a living have been unable to travel to work and businesses have been disrupted,' he said. 'Emergency vehicles have faced difficulties navigating the road networks and the demonstrations have put added pressure on police officers whose job it is to solve crimes and protect the public. 'Let me be clear: I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law. They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives. Unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated.' Scotland Yard has warned protesters the force had 'strong plans' in place with a significant number of officers ready to respond. Heathrow said it is 'working with the authorities', while Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave said: 'Protesters can expect a robust police response. We are determined to keep the airport operating.' Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said he was 'extremely concerned' about the possible disruption. 'This is extremely dangerous, illegal and is putting an unacceptable toll on our police force and our city,' he said. Extinction Rebellion climate change activists with police officers in Parliament Square last night More than 1,000 officers have been deployed daily to deal with the protest. Some have been asked to work 12-hour shifts, while rest days and leave has been cancelled. The Met said the protests are putting a strain on policing in the capital with officers diverted away from their 'core local duties'. After a briefing from Met Commissioner Cressida Dick, the Home Secretary said: 'I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law'. 'They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives. Unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated. 'I expect the police to take a firm stance and use the full force of the law. They have my full backing in doing so.' Mass arrests for obstructing the highway and breaching the Section 14 order that prohibits protests apart from at Marble Arch do not appear to have deterred protesters and so far 10 people have been charged with those offences. A further three people who were charged by British Transport Police appeared in court on Thursday morning. Cathy Eastburn, 51, Mark Ovland, 35, and Luke Watson, 29, were remanded in custody over their alleged involvement in obstructing trains at Canary Wharf station on Wednesday morning. Organisers said they expected even more people to join the protests and warned they would continue until their demands are met. The group wants the Government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Extinction Rebellion activists in Parliament Square last night, where there was a substantial police presence Actress Dame Emma Thompson joined the protests in London after flying from Los Angeles. In a video shared by the campaign group on Thursday, the Hollywood star urged viewers to 'come and join' the demonstrations. A representative of Dame Emma said she needed to take the 5,400-mile flight home to London after working in LA. Large numbers of protesters moved from Oxford Circus to Parliament Square on Thursday night after organisers announced police were planning to make arrests in Westminster. Sir David Attenborough's BBC documentary Climate Change: The Facts was projected onto Westminster Abbey. Prince Charles has spoken out on knife crime, saying anyone who commits 'such brutal deeds' must be brought to justice. In his Easter message he spoke of his sadness at the 'pervasive horror' of stabbings on Britain's streets. Charles, who is working with his son Prince Harry to help the victims of knife crime and their families, joined calls to toughen up sanctions for anyone carrying or using a knife. Last year the number of fatal stabbings rose to record levels, and already in 2019 there have been 26 deaths from knife wounds in London alone. The Prince of Wales also referred to the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand last month, saying: 'Already this year we have seen some terrible deeds of darkness, from young people being knifed on our streets to the slaughter of men, women and children while they were worshipping God. Prince Charles, pictured earlier this month, has spoken out on knife crime, saying anyone who commits 'such brutal deeds' must be brought to justice in his Easter message 'There are times when it can feel as if the light has gone out of the world and darkness reigns. But Easter gives us hope. 'Throughout my own life, it has been a humbling experience to meet and to listen to people who have suffered the most terrible personal tragedies. 'The way they have grieved and turned their grief into action to help others in the most extraordinary way is an example of the light overcoming the darkness.' Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Charles continued: 'Recently, Prince Harry and I brought together some of those who have been affected by knife crime to see what more could be done to tackle this pervasive horror. 'Listening to those who have suffered from such attacks filled us both with immense sadness. 'But their remarkable determination to move forward and address the causes of such crime and to find solutions was, for me, yet another example of the light shining in the darkness.' The prince highlighted the power of forgiveness, saying: 'Of course, those who commit such brutal deeds need to face up to their crimes through being brought to justice. 'However, very often it is not the punishment that brings them to their senses and changes them, but rather the extraordinary power of the forgiveness from those they have hurt.' The Office for National Statistics reported 40,469 offences involving a knife in the year leading up to March 2018, a 17 per cent rise from the previous year and the highest level in England and Wales since records began in 1946. In December, Charles and Harry convened a meeting at Clarence House for those affected by knife crime, which included victims, families, the emergency services and policy makers. One of the cases discussed, which he uses his newspaper article to highlight, is that of talented black student Anthony Walker, who was murdered with an axe in a racist attack in 2005 at the age of just 18. Charles, who is working with his son Prince Harry to help the victims of knife crime and their families, joined calls to toughen up sanctions for anyone carrying or using a knife He praises the student's mother Gee Walker as a 'shining example to us all' for offering forgiveness to his killers amid her overwhelming pain and grief. He says her example was inspired by the Easter story and her reading of the Lord's Prayer. He also hailed the survivors of a terror attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, for their dignified response. His eldest son, Prince William, will travel to the city next week to pay tribute to those who lost their lives and the strength of the survivors. Savagery on our streets There have been 37 murders in London this year, including 26 fatal stabbings. In the year to March 2018 there were 285 killings in England and Wales using a sharp instrument. It was an increase of 73 compared with 2016/17, and the highest figure since records began at the end of the Second World War. Hospitals in England reported 4,986 admissions for assault with a blade between April 2017 and March 2018, an increase of 15 per cent in a year. There were 76 stabbings in the capital last year. Police recorded 40,469 crimes involving a knife or sharp instrument in the year to March 2018, the highest figure recorded since 2011. Advertisement Charles also expressed his solidarity with Christians from other countries who have been persecuted because of their faith. He concludes: 'It is all too easy at this time, I know, to feel overwhelmed by the darkness, and by all that is going on in the world. 'The Easter message, with its emphasis on the timeless and universal values of forgiveness and reconciliation, gives hope to us all whether we live by faith or not.' Pastor Lorraine Jones, 46, whose 20-year-old son Dwayne was stabbed to death when he intervened in a fight in 2014, said Charles had given 'the most powerful and comforting, most positive message that he could bring'. She added: 'Coming from Prince Charles it's very comforting to know that he could be acknowledging us at this time of Easter and forgiveness. 'The power of forgiveness is the greatest action that we can embark on as bereaved parents which I have embraced. 'I know there are some that are finding it difficult and I totally understand that. But I am feeling an immense wave of light and love through his speech of forgiveness. Forgiveness is the strongest emotion that can cleanse, heal and bring freedom to one's soul.' Pastor Lorraine was named the Daily Mail Inspirational Woman of the Year last month during a gala at the Marriott Hotel in Mayfair. A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder over the shocking late-night execution of a respected Brisbane doctor. Skin cancer doctor Luping Zeng, 56, was shot and killed while packing his car in his garage shortly before midnight on Monday. A gunman pulled up to Dr Zeng's home in the affluent south-side suburb of MacGregor and shot him once in the chest while his wife and daughters were inside. Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said the teenager had been arrested but police were looking to talk to two other suspects in relation to the shooting. Skin cancer doctor Luping Zeng (pictured), 56, was packing his car with the garage door open shortly before midnight on Monday Superintendent Fleming described the shooting as a 'likely crime of opportunity' and is unsure whether the 17-year-old knew the doctor (pictured is the scene of the shooting) Superintendent Fleming described the alleged shooting as a 'likely crime of opportunity' that escalated to the death of Dr Zeng, but doesn't believe the 17-year-old knew the doctor. The teenager has also been charged with armed robbery, enter dwelling with intent, possession of shortened firearms and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. The arrest comes after Queensland Police released an image of a Hyundai Elantra Hatchback that was of interest to the investigation with the Queensland registration 078YPN. The investigation is ongoing and police are urging anyone with dashcam footage or information on the whereabouts of the car to come forward. Detectives obtained key CCTV footage of a car driving away from the scene shortly after the doctor was savagely killed. Superintendent Fleming said the top priority for police is that the Brisbane community remains safe. 'The safety of all Queenslanders is important to the Queensland Police Service and we want everyone to feel safe in their homes and public spaces,' Superintendent Fleming said. 'We want to reassure the community that the QPS will continue to work with the community to ensure everyone's safety. 'In this case significant resources were immediately dedicated to the investigation which has resulted in this young man be charged.' The arrest comes after Queensland Police released an image of a Hyundai Elantra Hatchback that was of interest to the investigation His family rushed to his aid and paramedics treated the doctor at the scene before he was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he later died. Acting Detective Inspector Steven McCartney said the doctor's family didn't witness the shooting but heard the single gunshot from inside the home. 'These are professional members of the community, they dedicate their time to helping people, this is just a tragic event that's occurred,' Insp McCartney said. Dr Zeng had three decades of medical experience, spoke three languages and was a highly regarded member of Brisbane's Chinese community. The popular doctor previously worked in plastic and reconstructive surgery for 11 years before he moved to Australia in 2000. He obtained the Fellowship of Royal Australian College of General Practice in 2006 and worked at the Waterford 7 Day Medical Centre and Skin Cancer Clinic. Dr Zeng's wife was also an overseas-trained doctor and both his daughters are currently in training to become doctors. Dr David Kelly, the Government weapons inspector whose death in a wood in Oxfordshire in 2003 remains a mystery The strange death of Dr David Kelly, the Government weapons inspector found in a wood in Oxfordshire, remains an enduring mystery. Now former MP George Galloway has successfully crowd-funded more than 60,000 to make a film about the case. He has spent the past few months on his own investigation, called Killing Kelly, and tells me the project is close to completion. 'Among important contributions is one from Andrew Mackinlay, the former Labour MP, who has never discussed his role in the affair before,' says Galloway. Kelly is believed to have committed suicide in 2003 after being revealed as the source for the claim that the government had 'sexed up' a dossier on WMDs to justify the war in Iraq. Mackinlay questioned Kelly at a parliamentary select committee hearing which supposedly tipped him over the edge. 'I reckon you are chaff,' Mackinlay told Kelly a few days before he died. 'You have been thrown up to divert our probing. Have you ever felt like a fall guy? You have been set up, have you not?' The 2003 tragedy led to the Hutton Inquiry, but for many people urgent questions about the murky episode remain. George Galloway has successfully crowd-funded more than 60,000 to make a film about the death of Dr David Kelly in 2003 'We were filming on Harrowdown Hill recently,' says Galloway. 'It's the place where Dr Kelly's body was found. 'I'm not persuaded yet it's where he died, but the fact he was found there gave it a haunting quality, especially when the jackdaws and crows were croaking as we filmed. It was a little spooky, I must say.' Those sceptical of Hutton's finding, that Dr Kelly took his own life, point out that successive governments refused to hold a full coroner's inquest into Dr Kelly's death. This means nobody has ever been questioned under oath about it. 'After all these years, the Kelly affair still has a chilling effect,' says Galloway. Copycat Kate's PJs tribute to Michelle Where Michelle Obama leads, Kate Beckinsale follows. Actress Beckinsale took a leaf out of the former First Lady's book this week and copied her wardrobe. Hours after Obama, 55, wore a silk, orange-striped pyjama suit on stage in Paris, while promoting her book Becoming, Kate wore a black and white version of a PJstyle outfit in the Big Apple. The 45-year-old actress, who is currently starring in ITV drama The Widow, paired the outfit with black heels and sunglasses. With Michelle being named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People, it's no surprise she's leading the way in fashion. Kate Beckinsale (left) stepped out this week looking decidedly Obama-esque. Former US President Barack's wife Michelle had sported a similar look this week Indomitable Philip smashes milestone He prudently surrendered his driving licence earlier this year following an accident close to the Sandringham estate, but in all other respects Prince Philip is unstoppable. Today, I can disclose at the age of 97 and 314 days, he breaks a British record becoming the longest living descendant of Queen Victoria. The previous record-holder was Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, one of Victoria's grandchildren, who died at Kensington Palace on January 3, 1981, aged 97 and 313 days. The longest living member of the Royal Family (but not, of course, a descendant of Queen Victoria) was Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, who died on October 29, 2004. She was aged 102. One of Britain's tiniest ever babies who weighed just 0.76lbs after being born at 24 weeks has finally gone home. Isabella Evans was given just a one in 20 chance of survival, but now she's beaten the odds and is with her parents Kym Brown and Ryan Evans at their home Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire. Six months after her birth, Ms Brown and Mr Evans' 'little fighter' is out of the hospital and doing well, reports the Sun. Ms Brown told the Sun: 'Realistically she shouldn't be here. There were so many times we could have lost her. 'But she never stops fighting. We love her to bits. She's perfect.' Britain's tiniest baby, Isabella Evans, is back at her parents' home in Bishop's Cleeve, Gloucestershire. She was born weighing just 0.75lbs Pictured: parents Kym Brown and Ryan Evans. Ms Brown said: 'But she never stops fighting. We love her to bits. She's perfect' After being diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, which can be fatal due to fits, Ms Brown was given an emergency c-section. Isabella, who was born on June 14, was then immediately put into an incubator to help her breathe and wrapped in bubble wrap to keep her warm. With hands that were smaller than 1p coins, little Isabella was the smallest premature baby born in the UK for 20 years. During her time in the hospital, she had two major bowel operations as well as laser eye surgery. She came home on December 16. Even now, at 10 months, she weighs just 9lb, the same as a newborn. Ms Brown added: 'It was love at first sight and the protective maternal instinct kicks in. I stayed with her every night she was in hospital.' The world's smallest surviving baby ever born was 0.59lbs. He was born via emergency C-section at Keio University Hospital in Tokyo after doctors noticed he was not growing during a 24 week scan and worried his life may be in danger. Robert Mueller's report is in, and while there is no concrete evidence that President Donald Trump colluded with Russia during his presidential campaign, there is no shortage of shocking revelations. Many of these revelations do not involve President Trump directly, but rather the people around him, from his family to his administration. From Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort and Donald Trump Jr avoiding charges due to their ignorance and Sarah Sanders admitting she supplied false information to the press, to the money Betsy DeVos' brother fronted to try and get Hillary Clinton's emails, here are the 15 most shocking revelations. Sarah Sanders provides the press with false information White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders is seen above holding a press briefing on May 10, 2017 The reasoning behind President Trump's decision to fire James Comey was the focus of the White House press briefing on May 10, 2017. Sarah Sanders told the reporters in attendance that the Department of Justice, President Trump and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle had lost confidence in the FBI director. Then she took things one step further by stating: '[a]nd most importantly, the rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director. Accordingly, the President accepted the recommendation of his Deputy Attorney General to remove James Comey from his position.' It was then noted by one reporter that a 'vast majority' of agents supported Comey, prompting the press secretary to note: 'Look, we've heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things.' Sanders later admitted that her comment about speaking to 'countless members' of the FBI was a 'slip of the tongue', and that the remark about the 'rank-and-file' FBI agents losing their confidence in Comey was unfounded and 'made in the heat of the moment'. She never informed the press of this 'slip of the tongue' or unfounded comment. Donald Trump Jr is a mouthpiece for WikiLeaks Donald Trump Jr. got a message that read: 'Great to see you and your dad talking about our publications. Strongly suggest your dad tweets this link if he mentions us' On October 3, 2016, the WikiLeaks Twitter sent a direct message to Donald Trump Jr asking 'you guys' to share a post that alleged Hillary Clinton 'had advocated using a drone to target Julian Assange'. Trump Jr revealed he had already done so, and began to talk about WikiLeaks with increasing frequency. On October 12 he got another message that read: 'Great to see you and your dad talking about our publications. Strongly suggest your dad tweets this link if he mentions us.' He was the given a link to help in 'digging through' leaked emails, while being told that the organization had 'just released Podesta emails Part 4.' Trump Jr shared the link two days later. President Trump launches search for Hillary Clinton's emails Multiple individuals were involved in finding 30,000 deleted Clinton emails including former White House strategist Steve Bannon and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway Then-candidate Trump asked those affiliated with his campaign to find the 30,000 deleted emails. 'Michael Flynn recalled that Trump made this request repeatedly, and Flynn subsequently contacted multiple people in an effort to obtain the emails. Barbara Ledeen and Peter Smith were among the people contacted by Flynn,' states the report. Multiple individuals were soon involved, including former White House strategist Steve Bannon and Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway. Ledeen and Smith would often communicate regarding efforts to retrieve the emails, and Smith drafted several emails suggesting he was in contact with Russian hackers. '[I]n one such email, Smith claimed that, in August 2016, KLS Research had organized meetings with parties who had access to the deleted Clinton emails, including parties with ties and affiliations to Russia,' said the report. 'The investigation did not establish that Smith was in contact with Russian hackers or that Smith, Ledeen, or other individuals in touch with the Trump Campaign ultimately obtained the deleted Clinton emails.' Erik Prince funds the vetting of Hillary's emails When emails that may have come from Hillary Clinton needed to be vetted, it was Betsy DeVos' brother who put up the money to have them examined. Barbara Ledeen, whose husband had co-authored a book with General Michael Flynn, had emails that she claimed were from the 'dark web.' A tech adviser was needed to authenticate the emails, and so Ledeen started to solicit donations. Erik Prince agreed to find the operation, which ultimately concluded that the emails were not in fact real. Manafort's lost millions Former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort is seen at the Republican National Convention, in Cleveland in July 2016 Paul Manafort did not have many job prospects at the time he came on board to work for the Trump campaign, and was of the belief that taking a role would be 'good for business'. That was a reference to the $2 million he was owed for work he did for questionable operatives in the country that he had not been paid for at that time. He also hoped that his new job might help him get Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska a visa, and that the man would in turn drop a lawsuit against him. And for reasons that are still somewhat unclear, Manafort kept Ukrainian political consultant Konstantin Kilimnik abreast of all developments in the campaign and how Trump was polling. Robert Mueller goes clubbing 'In October 2011, Mueller resigned his family's membership from Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, in a letter that noted that "we live in the District and find that we are unable to make full use of the Club" and that inquired "whether we would be entitled to a refund of a portion of our initial membership fee," which was paid in 1994,' notes the report. Mueller is seen above President Trump wanted Mueller gone in the days following his appointment, and began to toss out potential conflicts He pointed out that 'Mueller had interviewed for the FBI Director position,' that 'he had worked for a law firm that represented people affiliated with the President,' and that he had disputed fees at a Trump golf club he belonged to in Virginia. That claim was played up, even though the reality of the situation told a much different story. 'In October 2011, Mueller resigned his family's membership from Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, in a letter that noted that "we live in the District and find that we are unable to make full use of the Club" and that inquired "whether we would be entitled to a refund of a portion of our initial membership fee," which was paid in 1994,' notes the report. 'About two weeks later, the controller of the club responded that the Muellers' resignation would be effective October 31, 2011, and that they would be "placed on a waitlist to be refunded on a first resigned I first refunded basis."' Hope Hicks hangs up on Putin Former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks is seen in this February 2018 photo Hope Hicks received a phone call from a unknown Russian man shortly after President Trump's victory on election night. Unsure who it was she instructed the person to email her, but did hear the words 'Putin call.' She received an email the next morning from Sergey Kuznetsov, an official at the Russian Embassy to the United States, with the subject line 'Message from Putin.' The letter congratulated Trump and noted that he was looking forward to the two men working together, but Hicks was afraid to pass it along to her boss. So she instead decided to email Jared Kushner, asking: 'Can you look into this? Don't want to get duped but don't want to blow off Putin!' Kushner said the best way to do this would be by contact the ambassador, but was unable to remember his name. That man was Sergey Kislyak, and within days Kushner and General Flynn were meeting with him at Trump Tower to discuss setting up a secure line between President Trump and Putin. President Trump is f***ed 'Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I' m f***ed.,' said President Trump while slumping in his chair. Trump is pictured above last month On May 17, 2017, Robert Mueller was named Special Counsel by Rod Rosenstein. Notes taken from a meeting that day revealed that when then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions informed President Trump of the news he was less than thrilled about the appointment. 'Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I' m f***ed.,' said President Trump while slumping in his chair. 'How could you let this happen, Jeff?' President Trump then continued to bemoan the news, telling Sessions: "You were supposed to protect me' and noting: 'Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency.' Wise guys Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr. and Jared Kushner are seen above in a file photo from a book party in 2009 Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort managed to avoid being charged for violating campaign finance law by not being smart enough to know that they were engaging in unlawful activity. In summarizing his findings from the infamous June 2016 meeting between members of the Trump campaign and Russian Natalia Veselnitskaya, Robert Mueller wrote that unlawful activity did take place, but the men who broke them were unaware of their illegal actions. 'On the facts here, the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the June 9 meeting participants had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful,' reads the report. 'The investigation has not developed evidence that the participants in the meeting were familiar with the foreign-contribution ban or the application of federal law to the relevant factual context.' 'Even assuming that the promised "documents and information that would incriminate Hillary" constitute a "thing of value" under campaign-finance law, the government would encounter other challenges in seeking to obtain and sustain a conviction,' wrote Mueller. He then explained how reasonable doubt would make it hard to convict Don Jr and Kushner. 'To prove that a defendant acted "knowingly and willfully," the government would have to show that the defendant had general knowledge that his conduct was unlawful,' wrote Mueller. In closing out the reasons why no charges would be pursued, Mueller broke down the potential problems with getting a conviction for the three campaign members. 'Additionally, in light of the unresolved legal questions about whether giving "documents and information" of the sort offered here constitutes a campaign contribution, Trump Jr. could mount a factual defense that he did not believe his response to the offer and the June 9 meeting itself violated the law,' wrote Mueller. 'Given his less direct involvement in arranging the June 9 meeting, Kushner could likely mount a similar defense.' He then noted: 'And, while Manafort is experienced with political campaigns, the Office has not developed evidence showing that he had relevant knowledge of these legal issues.' The Steele dossier lives on The dossier prepared by former agent Christopher Steele (seen above) claiming that a compromising tape of President Trump was in the possession of powerful Russians is backed up by Mueller The dossier prepared by former agent Christopher Steele claiming that a compromising tape of President Trump was in the possession of powerful Russians is backed up by Mueller. The nature of the tape is unknown, but in October 2016 Michael Cohen receive a message from a Russian businessman by the name of Giorgi Rtskhiladze. 'Stopped flow of tapes from Russia but not sure if there's anything else. Just so you know,' stated that message in part. Those tapes were 'rumored to be held by persons associated with the Russian real estate conglomerate Crocus Group, which had helped host the 2013 Miss Universe Pageant in Russia.' Hacking in hours On July 27, 2016, Trump appeared at a rally where he stated: 'Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press.' That was a reference to the emails stored on Clinton's server. It took just five hours for GRU officers to target Clinton's personal office in an attempt to hack into the system and obtain the emails. Seth Rich exonerated The report states once and for all, and without a shadow of a doubt, that murdered DNC worker Seth Rich (pictured) did not help leak emails The report states once and for all, and without a shadow of a doubt, that murdered DNC worker Seth Rich did not help leak emails. 'Beginning in the summer of 2016, Julian Assange and WikiLeaks made a number of statements about Seth Rich, a former DNC staff member who was killed in July 2016,' states the report. 'The statements about Rich implied falsely that he had been the source of the stolen DNC emails.' Despite this, Assange still used the boy's death to strongly suggest he was the source of the leaked emails to the cryptic statements he made at the time. 'ANNOUNCE: WikiLeaks has decided to issue a US$20k reward for information leading to conviction for the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich,' tweeted the WikiLeaks account after his death. And when asked about his interested in the murder, Assange said: 'We're very interested in anything that might be a threat to alleged WikiLeaks sources.' Trump goes silent Mueller's team did not issue a subpoena to force President Trump to give an interview to the special counsel because it would have created a 'substantial delay' at a late stage in the investigation. President Trump refused an oral interview and provided only written answers for the questions he was willing to answer. 'We also assessed that based on the significant body of evidence we had already obtained of the President's actions and his public and private statements describing or explaining those actions, we had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the President's testimony,' states the report. Friends and frenemies Trump and his former campaign manager Paul Manafort are seen at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland on July 21, 2016 Mueller said evidence he collected indicates Trump intended to encourage his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, not to cooperate with the investigation. There was also evidence that appeared to support the idea that Trump wanted Manafort to believe that he could receive a presidential pardon. 'During Manafort's prosecution and when the jury in his criminal trial was deliberating, the President praised Manafort in public, said that Manafort was being treated unfairly, and declined to rule out a pardon,' notes the report. 'After Manafort was convicted, the President called Manafort "a brave man" for refusing to "break" and said that "flipping" "almost ought to be outlawed.' By contrast, he expressed 'hostility' towards General Flynn after learning he was cooperating with the investigation. Future charges 'Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations,' reads the report. 'The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. 'These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney General's recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony.' A hero tradesman will travel thousands of kilometres overseas to donate his liver and save his mortally-ill father. Jason Mash, 48, will give his father Barry a second lease on life when he flies from his McCracken hometown, 60kms south of Adelaide to India later this year. While this is no easy decision, the plumber brushed it off as something that he didn't even need to think twice about. 'Its just something you do for your family,' he told Adelaide Now. Jason Mash, 48 (left), will give his father Barry a second lease on life when he flies from his McCracken hometown, 60kms south of Adelaide to India Barry, 68, has been battling a failing liver for several years as he wrestles with a life-threatening condition known as Cirrhosis Barry, 68, has been battling a failing liver, stemming from a life-threatening condition known as Cirrhosis. The condition leads to fatigue, weakness and weight loss. In later stages the person can suffer jaundice, gastrointestinal bleeding and abdominal swelling. In Barry's case, burst veins in oesophagus caused rapid water retention, which caused him to gain as much as 10kgs in as many days. His selfless son immediately offered his father the liver transplant, though was turned down. What is Cirrhosis? Cirrhosis is the permanent scarring of the liver. The condition develops over several years and eventually causes the liver to stop functioning. Early stage symptoms include fatigue, weakness and weight loss. Later symptoms can be juandice, gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal swelling and confusion. The condition has no cure, though treatment can slow down its aggressive nature. Advanced Cirrhosis leads to liver failure in which case the only solution is a transplant. Advertisement Only as the condition worsened and Barry's health spiraled further downwards, did he finally accept the offer. Though offering himself up as a donor was only half the battle, Jason learned. The other half was whether or not he was the right match. Doctors would not have accepted Jason as a donor had he and his father not had matching blood types. In Jason's case, his blood type is O positive. That means he is a universal donor. 'Its brilliant a lot of people dont get a chance,' Jason said. 'They want a donor or maybe their relative could be a match but the relative might not want to do it.' Jason will fly to Mumbai in May for the $80,000 operation and donate 60 per cent of his liver. Back home his workmates have thrown in their support and surrendered their rostered days off, so Jason can recover. Jason immediately offered his father the liver transplant, though was turned down Budget airline Norwegian Air has been criticised after it emerged that its female flight attendants are forced to wear high heels, with the only exception being if they have a doctor's note and bring it in every day. Despite the fact that Norway is said to be one of the most gender-equal countries in the world, the airline has employed a strict 22-page dress code which includes heeled shoes and makeup. A member of Norway's Socialist Left Party, Ingrid Hodnebo said the rules were 'almost comical', while Anette Trettebergstuen, a member of the Labour Party's women's federation, said: 'The year 1950 rang and it wants its rulebook back.' Make up options for the women include light foundation, cream with colour or powder. This is while false eyelashes are allowed unless they 'look strange'. Norwegian Air (flight above) employs a strict dress code for both male and female staff members Female flight attendants have to wear makeup and high heels while men aren't allowed to wear any However, men faced restrictions on the use of cosmetics and were only allowed to wear makeup if it was to cover acne or bruises. Further requirements for male attendants are that they must have trimmed unpainted nails, hair that does not go over the shirt collar, and no earrings. The Times reported that the airline believes it is being singled out and has claimed that its policy is the same as most global airlines, including British Airways. It also says that guidelines were created with 'input from our pilot and cabin crew colleagues and have been well received'. A spokesman said: 'Norwegian has a comprehensive set of uniform guidelines to ensure that our flying crew represent our brand in a smart and consistent manner.' Just last month, Richard Branson's Virgin Airlines announced that women would no longer be required to wear makeup and were permitted to wear trousers. Other airlines such as Air Lingus soon followed suit. Just last month, Richard Branson's Virgin Airlines announced that women would no longer be required to wear makeup (Virgin Airline flight attendants above promoting new Hong Kong flight) This is while budget airlines such as RyanAir and Easyjet employ more relaxed regulations, with British Airways also having stopped enforcing the wearing of skirts in 2016. In 2018 Norway rated second in the world for progress towards gender equality in the Global Gender Gap Report, beaten only by Iceland. In a statement to MailOnline Norwegian Air said: 'Like all global airlines, Norwegian has a comprehensive set of uniform guidelines to ensure that our flying crew represent our brand in a smart and consistent manner. 'The guidelines were drafted with input from our pilot and cabin crew colleagues and have been well received, sharing many gender commonalities in addition to some specific male and female requirements.' Donald Trump has joked about defying the presidential term limit of eight years, hours after the release of the redacted Mueller report revealed there was no concrete evidence he colluded with Russia during his 2016 campaign. The Commander-in-chief made the wisecrack during an event for the Wounded Warrior Project, held at the White House on Thursday morning. After being presented with a trophy from participants, Trump, 72, quipped: 'This will find a permanent place, at least for six years, in the Oval Office. I was going to say for at least 10 to 14 years. But we would cause bedlam, so we'll say six!' The 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution, approved in 1951, states that a president can only serve for two terms - a maximum of eight years. Following the public release of the Mueller report on Thursday, Trump joked that he could defy term limits and be president 'the next 10-14 years' Trump's joke divided the public who were eagerly pouring over Mueller's report, which covered two volumes and 448 pages. Some were concerned that the Commander-in-chief's quip may have been more than just a throwaway joke. 'I don't think he's kidding, the day a new president is elected I anticipate him staying in the White House refusing to give up power,' one Twitter user wrote. Another stated: 'Narcissists like Trump don't actually make jokes. They float real ideas under the pretense of joking to put the idea in people's heads. Don't imagine for a second he wont try to become Dictator for Life'. Meanwhile, one social media user supported the idea of removing the presidential term limit and theorized that the release of the Mueller report guaranteed Trump's re-election in 2020. 'No joke, end FDR term limits. Landslide Trump victory is possible now after the witch hunt is burned. Substantial House-Senate majorities are in play with the Democrats running socialists [candidates]'. A second person concurred, writing: 'Trump 2020. Can't wait for those liberal tears!' Some concerned Twitter users speculated that Trump's quip about being President for 'the next 10-14 years' was not merely a joke Meanwhile, others expressed their excitement about ending term limits while speculating that Trump's re-election in 2020 was looking likely Trump appeared in high spirits following the release of the Mueller report, declaring at the Wounded Warrior Project event that he was having 'a good day' Trump appeared in high spirits following the release of the Mueller report, declaring at the Wounded Warrior Project event that he was having 'a good day'. He later trolled his detractors by sharing a Game Of Thrones meme, which read: 'No collusion, no obstruction. For the haters and the radical left Democrats - Game Over'. However, the report crucially states that Special Counsel Mueller did not specifically clear Trump. It reads: 'If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would state so. 'Based on the facts and applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.' Later in the day, Trump flew to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida for the Easter weekend. He was joined by First Lady Melania, daughter Tiffany and son Barron and was greeted by huge crowds of fans as he touched down at the airport. Supporters also lined the streets and cheered as his motorcade headed to his exclusive club. The President blew past dozens of reporters waiting to hear from him about the Mueller report as he left Washington for the weekend. But he walked across the tarmac to greet hundreds of supporters after landing in Florida he told the waiting crowds: 'Game over, folks, now it's back to work.' Two of State's Attorney Kim Foxx's top deputies are set to leave her office amid growing turmoil over its handling of the Jussie Smollett case, including the officer who announced the prosecutor had recused herself. Chief ethics officer April Perry, who also served as Foxx's chief deputy, and the head of the conviction integrity unit Mark Rotert will leave their posts next month, it has been confirmed. Perry was the officer who wrote a memo to the office announcing Foxx had recused herself from the Smollett case after it emerged she had exchanged text messages with a member of his family in the days after the incident. Her email read: 'Please note that State's Attorney Kim Foxx is recused from the investigation involving victim Jussie Smollett. First Assistant State's Attorney Joe Magats is serving as the Acting State's Attorney for this matter.' Scroll down for video Two of State Attorney Kim Foxx's top deputies are set to leave her office. Chief ethics officer April Perry, who also served as Foxx's chief deputy, and the head of the conviction integrity unit Mark Rotert, right, are leaving amid turmoil over the Jussie Smollett case Police say Jussie Smollett paid Abel and Ola Osundairo to beat him in what he then described as a racist, homophobic attack by two Trump-loving perpetrators. He has always maintained his innocence and insisted he was attacked Foxx then handed the case over to her deputy Joe Magats and weeks later the 16 grand jury charges against Smollett were suddenly dropped. But while she announced at the time that she was recusing herself, she has since said she meant it in a 'colloquial' sense rather than a 'legal sense' and that it was more an informal decision to 'step away from the decision making' rather than remove herself entirely from it. And the release of thousands of texts and emails this week show Foxx continued to meddle in the case, calling the actor a 'washed up celeb who lied to cops' and telling Magats that the actor was being overcharged. It is understood Perry, who started working under Foxx two years ago, will start work for a tech start-up while veteran prosecutor Rotert is set to retire. He handed in his notice a day before all charges against Empire actor Smollett were dropped. Perry resigned Wednesday and they both will leave May 3. Foxx handed the case over to her deputy Joe Magats, pictured, and weeks later the 16 grand jury charges against Jussie Smollett were suddenly dropped Rotert told The Chicago Sun Times: '(Smollett's case) had absolutely zero percent to do with my decision.' Perry is said to have not responded to requests for comment but her name is said to appear in emails between Foxx and her staff in connection with the Smollett case. The case against Smollett, 36, was suddenly dropped last month by Foxx's office in questionable circumstances and questions surrounding Foxx's alleged role in that decision have run rampant since. In a statement to W9N9 Foxx thanked Perry and Rotert for their work for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. She said: 'I am profoundly grateful for Mark's work to make the Cook County Conviction Integrity Unit a national model. 'Under his tenure, we have vacated the convictions of over 70 wrongfully convicted men and women. We have created national standards and protocols for reviewing past convictions. 'The people of Cook County have been well served by his leadership and he has well earned his retirement. 'I am also grateful for April Perry's tenure as the first ever Chief Ethics Officer for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. 'She has been a valuable resource to the office in ensuring that we operate with the highest levels of integrity and professionalism. I wish her well in her new endeavors.' Kim Foxx sent these text messages to her deputy on March 8 after a grand jury indicted Smollett on 16 counts of lying to police. She had already 'recused' herself for speaking to Smollett's family but continued to interfere in the case by telling her deputies that the charges were excessive. The charges were dropped two weeks later Smollett was arrested in February for allegedly lying about the attack. Police say he paid Abel and Ola Osundairo to attack him and that he thought he could use it as leverage to get a raise on Empire, a claim he denies Empire actor Smollett was accused of staging an attack on himself on January 29 to try to get a raise on the show. Police say he paid Abel and Ola Osundairo to beat him in what he then described as a racist, homophobic attack by two Trump-loving perpetrators. He has always maintained his innocence and insisted he was attacked. Foxx's office maintains it has not acted unethically and welcomes an independent investigation. In a statement to DailyMail.com, Foxx said: 'After the indictment became public, I reached out to Joe to discuss reviewing office policies to assure consistencies in our charging and our use of appropriate charging authority. 'I was elected to bring criminal justice reform and that includes intentionality, consistency, and discretion. I will continue to uphold these guiding principles.' The founder of a music program which was accused of distributing flutes contaminated with semen has been charged with committing lewd acts against young girls. John Zeretzke, 60, of Ventura, was indicted by an Orange County grand jury last month on charges involving five girls under age 14 in Los Angeles and Orange counties, the state attorney general's office said. He pleaded not guilty and remains in custody, the county Sheriff's department website states. It is not clear if the state charges are related to any of the alleged contaminated flutes. John Zeretzke, 60, of Ventura, was indicted by an Orange County grand jury last month on charges involving five girls under age 14 in Los Angeles and Orange counties, the state attorney general's office said Zeretzke founded an international non-profit called Flutes Across the World that held programs in schools where thousands of students played or made flutes, which were distributed around the world. In 2017, California authorities began investigating reports that some flutes distributed to schoolchildren in Orange County school districts were tainted with semen. The alleged incidents occurred over a period of years and as far back as 2012. Parents in some districts were urged to put the flutes in paper bags and turn them in to authorities for testing. The new indictment did not provide many details and the attorney general's office declined to say whether the charges involved any allegations of tainted flutes. However, a statement from the office said the charges 'are not based upon allegations that he personally had physical contact with any child.' Zeretzke founded an international program called Flutes Across the World that held programs in schools where thousands of students played or made flutes, which were distributed around the world, some of which are pictured here Pictured in 2011 playing the flute with his nose 'Crimes against children are despicable. Schools must represent a safe environment for our students,' Attorney General Xavier Becerra said in the statement. 'No parent should fear for the safety and security of their child at school. We will work relentlessly to hold people who exploit our children criminally accountable to the fullest extent of the law.' The state charges against Zeretzke involve different accusers than a previously-issued federal indictment that alleges child exploitation and receiving child pornography, authorities said. Federal prosecutors say Zeretzke tried to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him and that he went to the Philippines in 2017 with the aim of having sex with a young person. Hamilton County Sheriff(CLEVELAND) -- Authorities indicted an Ohio man on fresh charges Thursday for allegedly impersonating Timmothy Pitzen, a boy who vanished in 2011 at the age of 6. A federal grand jury indicted Brian Michael Rini, 23, on two counts of making false statements and one count of aggravated identity theft after DNA determined that he was not 14-year-old Pitzen. Rini told investigators in Kentucky that he ran across an Ohio bridge to escape kidnappers who sexualy abused him. DNA testing established he was actually a convicted felon just released from prison. He eventually confessed, telling investigators that he came up with the ruse to get away from his family. FBI officials said Rini had portrayed himself as a child sex-trafficking victim on two prior occasions. In those instances, he was only identified once he was fingerprinted, according to the Department of Justice. "Once law enforcement officers confronted Rini about his true identity, Rini immediately stated he was not Timmothy Pitzen," the Department of Justice said in a statement Thursday. "He allegedly said he watched a story about Timmothy on '20/20' and stated he wanted to get away from his only family. When questioned further, it is alleged that Rini stated 'he wished he had a father like Timmothys.'" Pitzen vanished from Aurora, Illinois, after his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, took him out of school early in May 2011. She was found dead of an apparent suicide in an Illinois hotel a few days later. Police said his mother left several notes behind, saying Pitzen was with people who loved him -- but he was never found. Pitzen's maternal grandmother, Alana Anderson, said her family was devastated after learning about Rini's real identity. "It's been awful. We've been on tenterhooks," Anderson said to reporters, adding that the family has been "alternatively hopeful and frightened." "My prayer has always been that when he is old enough, he would find us if we couldn't find him." Rini was previously charged with one count of making false statements, but Wednesday's indictment included an additional count of making false statements and a new charge of aggravated identity theft. A federal magistrate ordered for him to be detained pending trial. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has declared Friday a day of mourning with 114 people still missing days after a boat capsized on Lake Kivu, killing 13, the presidency said. He has also decided to make it mandatory for passengers on the lake, the site of regular drownings, to have lifebuoys, Tshisekedi's office said in a statement. The motorised boat, known locally as a pirogue, had left the city of Goma on Lake Kivu's northern shore, and was headed for the town of Kalehe to the west when it capsized Monday night. "I was sitting in the bow. A big wave hit the pirogue, which capsized and we fell into the water," Alice Uwezo Ruchiga, 18, told AFP. With three others she clung to a plastic mattress until they were rescued by fishermen. Isaac Ngeriyo, who also survived, added: "A woman and her child could not find a place on the mattress, and they drowned." According to the passenger manifest, which does not list stowaways, there were 49 adults and seven children on board the vessel, laden with goods. "In my family we lost Delphine (26) and Rebecca (15), their bodies have not been found yet," said Shuturu Kayerani, their sister. Apollinaire Bulindi, an honorary provincial minister and engineer urged Tshisekedi on Tuesday to make good on a campaign pledge to repair the Goma-Bukavu highway that many of the drowned passengers may have taken but is currently unusable. River transport is one of the most used in DR Congo with its numerous waterways. Boat mishaps are common on the lakes and rivers of the resource-rich but impoverished former Belgian colony. Accidents are typically caused by overloading of passengers and cargo on rickety vessels. The toll is often heavy because there are no life jackets and many Congolese do not know how to swim. Twenty-seven people were reported drowned in a boat sinking in September last year, 26 last July, another 50 last May, and 40 people in April whose boats sank while they fled fighting. Sub-Saharan Africa's biggest country, the DR Congo is struggling with local conflicts, and in remote areas the control of the central government in Kinshasa is weak. On Wednesday, the presidency had tweeted that 150 people were missing in the latest boat disaster, a figure it later withdrew. Police in North Carolina are investigating a potential kidnapping, after eyewitnesses say they saw a man force his girlfriend into the back of a car against her will. Wilkes County Sheriffs Deputies responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic dispute outside of a home at 233 Graymille Street in Hays, on Thursday morning. Upon their arrival, officers say witnesses told them that a man - later identified to be Rosalino Duarte-Cruz, 37 - abducted 20-year-old Lauren Hall from the front-yard of her home. Duarte-Cruz was reportedly seen dragging Hall through the grass before forcing her into his car. Witnesses claim to have seen Rosalino Duarte-Cruz, 37 (left), allegedly abduct 20-year-old Lauren Hall (right) from outside of her home Lauren (pictured right with the suspect) was last seen being dragged through the grass outside of her home before being forced into a silver Chevrolet Camaro According to Hall's Facebook, the pair have been in a relationship for some time, though an exact length of time is not currently known He then sped off from the scene in what police believe is a silver 2016 Chevrolet Camaro LT, with North Carolina license plates reading TPD-8339. Duarte-Cruz was thought to be heading in the direction of Winston-Salem or Yadkinville, where authorities believe he is holding Hall against her will. The pair are understood to be dating, police said, though the extent of their relationship wasn't immediately known. On her Facebook page, Hall makes regular public declarations of love for Duarte-Cruz, who is now thought to have abducted her. 'I love this man with all of my heart,' a February post reads, accompanied by a video of the pair kissing in Duarte-Cruz's car. Police believe Hall is being held against her will and they have launched a kidnapping investigation Hall regularly shares updates to Facebook exclaiming her love for Duarte-Cruz, the man now accused of kidnapping her Witnesses say Duarte-Cruz fled the scene at 233 Graymille Street and is believed to be heading in the direction of Winston-Salem or Yadkinville In light of the allegations, police have preemptively charged the 37-year-old with assault and kidnapping. They have issued a warrant for his arrest. The two have had an ongoing relationship. We believe that Hall is still being held against her will, Chief Deputy David Carson said on Thursday afternoon. The incident is being treated as a kidnapping at this time, with the victim entered [in the National Crime Information Center database], he added. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of the two individuals has been urged to contact the Wilkes County Sheriffs Office at 336-838-9111. Founders of a technology company lost $1.6billion overnight as stocks took a hit due to an underwhelming outlook for the year. US-listed shares in Australian software company Atlassian plunged overnight, falling eight per cent from $US111.19 to $US100.92. Founders Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar, who own 30 per cent of the company each, collectively lost $1.6billion during the night. Founders Mike Cannon-Brookes (left) and Scott Farquhar (right), who own 30 per cent of the company each, collectively lost $1.6billion during the night According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the pair both had stakes worth $10billion before the overnight plunge. In the outlook for the year ahead, the company said it expected earnings to sit at $US0.82 per share, falling short of expectations for earnings by $US0.10. The market reacted badly to the figures and within just one night shares fell a staggering 10.27 US cents. However, analysts say this isn't going to affect the future of the company at all. For the 2019 March quarter the company generated revenue of $US309million which was up 38 per cent from the same period for the previous year. 'Atlassian is driving flat tack (Australian speak for 'at maximum speed') towards the future as we work to unleash the potential of every team,' Mr Cannon-Brookes and Mr Garquhar said in a letter to stakeholders. The Australian tech giant is currently valued at $34 billion, but ten years ago Mr Farquhar and Mr Cannon-Brookes were two university mates from Sydney who used free beer to spread the word about their company. Scott Farquhar (left, with wife) and Mike Cannon-Brookes (right, with wife) were two university mates from Sydney who co-founded Atlassian in 2002 on a a $10,000 credit card debt The Australian tech giant is currently valued at $34 billion, but ten years ago Mr Farquhar and Mr Cannon-Brookes were two university mates from Sydney who used free beer to spread the word about their company Established in 2002, Atlassian still only consisted of several employees seven years later when the pair gatecrashed a podcast recording at a tech conference in Belgium with the aim of making an impact. They bought $2,000 worth of beer and put Atlassian stickers on them, which were handed to all of the 1,000 attendees as they walked in. The marketing gamble paid off and the pair haven't looked back since. 'We got tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of free advertising the naivety of youth sometimes has its benefits,' Mr Farquhar told The Australian. Other guerrilla marketing tactics such as plastering university walls with Atlassian posters and attending community events were deployed by the company in its early days to get the name out. Marketing tactics such as plastering university walls with Atlassian posters and attending community events were deployed by the company in its early days to get the name out The company has more than 30,000 staff at 10 offices worldwide, including Sydney, San Francisco, Austin, Amsterdam and Manila. Company software tools include Jira, Jira Service Desk, Jira Ops, Confluence, Bitbucket, Trello, and many other products. Atlassian has also been named as one of Australia's best places to work for several years running. Mr Cannon-Brookes made headlines last September when he bought Point Piper mansion 'Fairwater' in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The home is the most expensive property ever sold in Australia and had previously been in the hands of the media-mogul Fairfax family for more than a century. George Conway has renewed his attack on Donald Trump, describing him as 'a cancer on the presidency' following the release of the redacted Mueller report. In an op-ed for The Washington Post on Thursday, the husband of Kellyanne Conway urged Congress to remove the commander-in-chief from office after the report claimed he tried to limit the scope of the investigation into foreign meddling in the 2016 election. George accuses Trump of 'putting personal interests above a presidential duty to the nation' by trying to hinder the two-year probe. 'Page after page, act after act, Muellers report describes a relentless torrent of such obstructive activity by Trump,' the high profile attorney writes. Scroll down for video George Conway (left) has attacked President Trump (right) in an op-ed in The Washington Post, following the release of the Mueller report Kellyanne and George have been married since 2001 and share four children Kellyanne has steadfastly stuck by her boss, in spite of her husband's intense criticism of him George even asserts that former President Richard Nixon was 'passive - at least in comparison to Trump' in terms of obstructing the investigation into Watergate that ended with his impeachment. He ends the op-end by witheringly stating: 'What the Mueller report disturbingly shows, with crystal clarity, is that today there is a cancer in the presidency: President Donald J. Trump. Congress now bears the solemn constitutional duty to excise that cancer without delay.' The op-ed may cause more friction in George's 18-year marriage to Kellyanne, who works as Counselor to the President. Kellyanne has steadfastly defended Trump in the wake of her husband's repeated criticisms, and did so again after the release of the Mueller report. She told reporters on Thursday: 'Honestly, it's time to move on, total exoneration, the President's in a great mood. And I think what's incredibly important here is that democracy in the world's greatest country, the greatest democracy, flourishes.' Conway called the Mueller investigation a 'political proctology exam' as she addressed the press on the White House's front drive. George Conway didn't hold back in the Washington Post op-ed published Thursday George and Trump have been involved in a back-and-forth public spat for the past several months, with George calling Trump 'dumb' and a 'liar'. Meanwhile, the President has hit back labeling George a 'whack job' and 'the husband from hell'. Last month, Kellyanne spoke on Fox Business about the awkward situation, insisting that she 'is not being asked to choose between her marriage and her job.' However, she admitted she has 'certainly' had conversations with George about keeping his views to himself Kellyanne claimed her first priority is the 'protection' of the four children she has with George. Kellyanne said her first priority is the 'protection' of the four children she has with George (pictured) She said her husband encouraged her to work for the president and was 'enthusiastic' about the family's move from New York to Washington at the beginning of the Trump administration. 'We have four school-aged children. So you don't just -- I -- I'm their mother. I could never have just come here and been here for two and a half years without them. So we made a decision as a family to move here,' she explained. George has frequently tweeted insults about Trump, but Kellyanne argued that they are meaningless. 'I don't know when the feminists are going to write this story about the unusual situation of a man getting power through his wife,' she predicted. 'But that's what we have here.' The Easter Show is known for its wild rides, wacky performances and, more recently, eccentric food offerings. In the past, show-goers have had the chance to try concoctions like pizza in a cone, deep fried cake on a stick and a cheeseburger pie. But this year, the offerings are even greater. While old favourites like chip on a stick, the cheeseburger pie and deep fried oreos are still readily available, adults and children alike can delight in deep fried lasagne, fried chicken in a cone and a flurrito - rainbow icecream wrapped in fairy floss and sprinkled with crushed oreos and sweet cereal. Show-goers will be spoilt for choice when it comes to finding something to eat this year, with vendors taking creative risks on sweet and savoury options The Flurrito Possibly this year's wildest offering, the flurrito is icecream wrapped in fairy floss. The dish is given an extra crunch with a topping of fruit loops and sprinkles. Fluffy Crunch, a Sydney-based gourmet fairy floss company, are selling the colourful concoctions out of the Woolworths Fresh Food Dome. The 'Flurrito' - fairy floss with a filling of icecream and fruit loops - is expected to be a big hit with show-goers Deep Fried Lasagne In what could be considered the ultimate comfort food on a stick, portions of lasagne are frozen, crumbed and deep fried to perfection. The delicious cheesy treat is available at Big Tony's on Orana Parade. Food on a stick is big business for vendors at the Easter Show, with chips, strawberries, bananas and even cake also available. Lasagne is frozen, crumbed, deep fried and served on a stick to create deep fried lasagne Deep Fried Cheesecake Another combination of crunchy and creamy. The slice is crumbed and fried, and served in a small cardboard box. Showgoers can then select a sauce, and the cake is given extra sweetness with a dusting of icing sugar and sauce. The process is similar for deep fried cheesecake, with the treat served with icing sugar and a sweet sauce Fried Chicken in a Cone This dish appears to be a nod to the American staple of chicken and waffles. Chic'Kone are serving up tiny nuggets of fried chicken in a waffle cone - making it easy to carry around as you make your way through the show. Each serving comes with honey butter or a spicy buffalo butter. Fried chicken in a cone is a tribute to America's chicken and waffles. Showgoers can enjoy a spicy buffalo or honey butter version Rainbow Hot Cross Buns Continuing the trend of keeping things colourful, the team at Mum's Buns have developed a rainbow hot cross bun. Using white chocolate chips in the dough instead of raisins, the bun is served with icecream in the middle and, of course, sprinkles. The bun is inspired by unicorns, vendor Tony Ngo told the ABC - his nieces' latest obsession. The rainbow hot cross bun (pictured) uses white choc chips for texture instead of raisins Coffee in a cone Not a new concept, but still a fun novelty, hot coffee is served in a waffle cone lined with chocolate. The hot drink is made the same way as any latte, so it's one to drink quickly! Coffee in a cone has been around for a couple of years, but judging by the line-up to get one, the novelty hasn't yet worn off. Here, hot coffee is poured into a waffle cone with a chocolate lining - so it's best to drink quick Donut Pie For anyone who loves pastry more than they love pie filling, the donut pie is for you. This dish is exactly what you'd expect. Meat pie held in a ring of thick crust, topped with the sauce of your choice. The full extent of Russias efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election included a hacking operation targeting Florida election offices' computer systems and alarmingly they were successful in one Florida county, an FBI investigation suggests. The shocking revelation came to light on Thursday after government officials finally lifted the lid on Special Counsel Robert Muellers 448-page investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. It's been confirmed before that Russian cyber-terrorists attempted to infiltrate Florida elections systems, but Muellers dossier provided new details of the operations scope and potential triumph. The critical question of what data they were specifically able to access, however, remains unanswered by the report. According to Mueller, Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU, attempted to access the states electoral databases in November 2016, using phishing emails An FBI investigation highlighted in Mueller's (above) report, stated the bureau had determined that on 'at least one' occasion an electoral system had been breached in Florida According to Mueller, Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU, attempted to access the states electoral databases in November 2016, using phishing emails appearing to be from voting technology company VR Systems that contained malicious malware. The GRU sent spearphishing emails to over 120 email accounts used by Florida county officials responsible for administering the 2016 U.S. election, Mueller documented. The spearphishing emails contained an attached Word document coded with malicious software [commonly referred to as a Trojan] that permitted the GRU to access the infected computer. The scheme was said to have been uncovered following a separate investigation conducted by the FBI shortly after the emails were first sent. In their conclusion of their examination, Mueller said the FBI determined that the hackers were successful in breaching the systems of 'at least one', unspecified, Florida county government. We understand the FBI believes that this operation enabled the GRU to gain access to the network of at least one Florida county government, the report states. The shocking revelation came to light on Thursday after the government officials finally lifted the lid on Special Counsel Robert Muellers 448-page investigation into the Trump campaign's possible collusion with Russia US Senator Bill Nelson (left) also warned that Russians had illegally gained access to Florida voter information, and now had free rein to tamper with elections. Rick Scott, who ousted him from his eat, refuted the claims and said they lacked evidence However, the Special Counsels Office say they did not independently verify the FBIs hypothesis and did not undertake the investigative steps that would have been necessary to do so. Senator Marco Rubio has on numerous occasions previously warned that state election systems are potentially vulnerable to Russian cyberattacks. And just last year, former US Senator Bill Nelson also warned that Russians had illegally gained access to Florida voter information, and now had free rein to tamper with elections. He declined to specify which counties had been affected, as that information, Nelson said, was classified. No other officials sought to back up Nelsons claims and some even accused the former Senator of attempting to solicit extra votes ahead of a pending election. Bill Nelson made claims about Russian interference without providing any evidence, Senator Rick Scott, who eventually took Nelsons seat, said though his press Secretary Sarah Schwirian to the Sun Sentinal. Senator Scott called on then-Senator Nelson to provide evidence, which he refused to do. The Florida Department of State had no information to corroborate Nelsons claims and the FBI and Department of Homeland Security did not provide any information to support the claim. State and local elections officials continue to reiterate that they have no evidence of any election systems in Florida being infiltrated by the Russians In an Orlando Sentinel article published on Thursday, the outlet reported that Volusia County election officials were sent infected emails containing malware in 2016. One worker also admitted to opening the damaging file, suggesting Volusia could be the compromised county listed anonymously in Muellers files and the FBI's report. Despite the investigation though, state and local elections officials continue to reiterate that they have no evidence of any election systems in Florida being infiltrated by the Russians, and that the election was not compromised. The 2016 elections in Florida were not hacked, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Laurel Lee, said in a statement. The Florida Voter Registration System was and remains secure, and official results or vote tallies were not changed. 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. Authorities say Abdool Zaman, 39, killed his daughter and niece when they tried to escape his Virginia home on December 13 A Virginia father who police say shot dead his daughter and niece has been charged with capital murder. Abdool Zaman, 39, was originally charged with second degree murder for allegedly killing his daughter, Vanessa Zaman, and his niece Leona Samlall, both 18. Zaman had impregnated Samlall, who gave birth to the man's son. Investigators say Abdool opened fire on the teen girls while they were walking near the Oakmeade Apartments in Highland Springs around 12.17pm on December 13. Vanessa's mother, Saveeta Barnes, said her daughter had wanted to re-establish a relationship with her estranged father even thought she had warned he was 'not a good person'. 'Her biological father was out of her life for most of her life. Vanessa always wanted his love and for him to be a part of her life,' Barnes wrote on a GoFundMe page set up to pay for a memorial site for her daughter. Vanessa reportedly moved in with her estranged dad in 2018 when she became a legal adult, going against the wishes of her mother Leona Samlall (pictured) had been missing from home for two years. She gave birth to her uncle's son during that time 'When she turned 18, she got in contact with her father. Even after telling her countless times that he was not a good person, she still went ahead and moved in with him... She told me, "Mom, I'm going to give you 18 years of my life. I want to give my dad the next 18." Apparently she gave him her entire life.' Not long after moving in, Vanessa saw her dad abusing the woman she thought was his girlfriend and the mother of his son. Vanessa later discovered the abused woman, Leona, was actually Abdool's niece who had been missing from her own mother's home for two years. That's when Abdool's daughter tried to help his niece escape back to her mother's home, but she never made it. 'On 12/13/18 [Abdool] shot and killed his own daughter,' Barnes wrote. 'Vanessa died a hero protecting others while paying with her dear life. Gone but will never be forgotten.' Saveeta Barnes (left) said she tried to warn her daughter Vanessa that her father was 'not a good person,' but Vanessa moved in with him when she turned 18 Abdool fled to New York where he was arrested on December 18. He tried to fight extradition, but was sent back to Virginia on March 28, according to WTVR. Prosecutors recently raised the severity of the charges against Abdool after further investigating the circumstances surrounding the teens' deaths. Authorities determined seeking the death penalty was appropriate because Abdool allegedly killed multiple persons as a part of the same criminal act. A second capital murder charge was added for killing more than one person within a three-year period. Zaman was also charged for use of a firearm in the commission of a felony first and second offense. Barnes told Newsday in January that life without her daughter has been 'torture,' and that she hopes her child's father gets sentenced to death. 'Its what he deserves,' she said. Brian Michael Rini, pictured in a mug shot, was picked up by police earlier this month, and allegedly claimed to be Timmothy Pitzen, who was just six when he vanished in 2011 The 23-year-old who allegedly impersonated missing child Timmothy Pitzen has pleaded not guilty to stealing the boy's identity. Brian Michael Rini, of Medina, Ohio, was indicted this week on two counts of lying to federal agents and one count of aggravated identity theft. He was arraigned today at court in Cincinnati. Rini was picked up by police on the morning of April 3 in Newport, Kentucky, and allegedly claimed that he was Timmothy Pitzen, who was just six when he vanished in 2011. Police say Rini claimed to have escaped two kidnappers who kept him captive and subjected him to years of sexual abuse. He was initially arrested on a single false statement count after a DNA test proved he wasn't Timmothy Pitzen, an Aurora, Illinois, boy who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. Federal authorities had said they were skeptical, especially after he refused to be fingerprinted, but didn't want to miss a chance to possibly solve the Pitzen disappearance. Rini arrived to court on Friday with his hands cuffed, wearing an orange jail uniform and neon green T-shirt. In court Friday, magistrate Karen Litkovitz advised Rini of his rights before asking his federal public defender for his plea, according to WLWT. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. The federal magistrate earlier this month cited Rini's lack of a permanent address, past mental health issues and 'a lengthy criminal history' that goes back to age 13 as she ordered him held without bond. Police said Rini (left) from Medina, Ohio, lied to investigators when he claimed to be missing Illinois boy Timmothy Pitzen (right). He faces 18 years in prison if convicted on all charges Rini pictured above entering his court for his arraignment on Friday afternoon where he pleaded not guilty to identity theft Timmothy Pitzen (pictured with his parents) disappeared at the age of 6 in 2011. His mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen (right), pulled him out of kindergarten in Aurora, Illinois, and took him on a two-day road trip to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a motel. The boy has not been seen since. Federal authorities have previously said Rini has twice before portrayed himself to be a juvenile sex trafficking victim, as he allegedly did in this case. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to previous court papers. He was released on probation in March, weeks before he claimed to be Pitzen, from an Ohio prison where he served more than a year on burglary and vandalism charges. Timmothy Pitzen was just six years old when he vanished from Aurora, Illinois in 2011. He was last seen with his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, who pulled him out of kindergarten nearly eight years ago and took him on a two-day road trip to the zoo and a water park, before killing herself at a motel. She left a note saying that her son was safe with people who would love and care for him and added: 'You will never find him.' Rini pictured on April 3 moments before was picked up by police. He later allegedly told officers that he was missing Timmothy Pitzen and had been kidnapped by two men Timmothy was last seen with his mother, Amy Fry-Pitzen, two days before she took her own life There's been no sign of the boy since. Timmothy Pitzen's family say they are heart-broken to find themselves back at square one in their search for Timmothy. 'It's devastating. It's like reliving that day all over again and Timmothy's father is devastated once again,' one of the boy's aunts, Kara Jacobs, said in a press conference, reported TODAY. 'I just hope this young man who claimed to be Tim realizes how much hurt he caused,' Linda, Timmothy's grandmother, said. 'And now everybody is hurting. And I just don't understand how somebody could be so sick to do this.' Motorists are being urged to delay filling up their car in a bid to save money during the Easter long weekend. Average unleaded prices across Australia this week rose to the highest level since November, with relief not yet in sight in some cities. National pump prices have climbed to 144.5 cents a litre, with many Sydney and Brisbane motorists still paying close to 160 cents a litre as of Good Friday. Motorists are being urged to delay buying petrol in a bid to save money during the Easter long weekend (stock image) Drivers in Melbourne are a bit more fortunate, with most metropolitan service stations selling regular unleaded for 143 cents a litre while Adelaide consumers were paying 155 cents a litre, Mouth Mouth data showed. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is urging motorists to delay filling up their car to get a better deal at the bowser. 'Prices are decreasing but they are likely to decrease further,' the competition regulator said. 'If possible, motorists should delay buying petrol until later.' While motorists in Sydney and Brisbane were being stung, Melbourne consumers have been benefiting from a fuel discount cycle during the past six days. Price discounts in Australia's east coast capital cities last between 14 and 54 days, the ACCC said. National pump prices have climbed to 144.5 cents a litre, with many Sydney and Brisbane motorists still paying close to 160 cents a litre as of Good Friday (pictured is an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission graph) The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is urging motorists to delay filling up their car to get a better deal at the bowser Last week, the key Singapore Tapis price of crude oil rose by US$5.80 or 7.5 per cent to a 6-month high of US$82.90 a barrel. In Australian dollar terms, the Singapore gasoline price rose by $8.03 or 7.4 per cent last week to 6-month highs of $116.24 a barrel or 73.10 cents a litre. Global crude oil prices have risen for six consecutive weeks, after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia cut oil production, pushing up prices by 40 per cent in 2019. CommSec senior economist Ryan Felsman said motorists were more likely to get significant relief from higher fuel prices in the second half of 2019 as Russia withdrew from its supply-reduction pact with Saudi Arabia, and the United States increased oil production. The Great Synagogue of Warsaw 'reappeared' in the Polish capital on Thursday, 76 years after it was destroyed by the Nazis during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Artist Gabi von Seltmann used projectors to recreate the place of worship against the facade of the modern building which now stands in its place. Recordings of the synagogue's cantor Gerszon Sirota, who died in the ghetto, were used to recreate the sounds of Jewish Warsaw. The Great Synagogue of Warsaw was recreated virtually with light as part of anniversary commemorations of the 1943 uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto The Great Synagogue formed part of the old Jewish district of Warsaw, where Jews once made up a third of the population, before it was destroyed by the Nazis in 1943 The light-and-sound show, taking place for the second year, was designed to remind Poles of a history which has now largely disappeared from the city. Seltmann said she wants Polish society to remember the large Jewish community that was once an integral part of a multicultural country. It was organized by Open Republic, a group that fights anti-Semitism. 'Awaking memory in Poland to me also means to teach empathy, because when there is empathy there is no fear anymore,' von Seltmann said. The Warsaw Uprising was the largest revolt by Jews against their Nazi oppressors during World War II. It began in April 1943 and lasted until the following month. Jewish prisoners inside the Warsaw Ghetto, the largest in Europe, fought back after Hitler's troops began deporting people to death camps starting in summer 1942. Over the course of just a few months more than 250,000 Jews were sent to the death camp at Treblinka under the guise of being resettled in the east of the country. At its peak the ghetto had contained around 400,000 Jews. between 90,000 and 100,000 are thought to have died from disease and starvation. The synagogue was built between 1875 and 1878 and was opened in September that year to coincide with the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, or Jewish New Year The synagogue was a place of worship for followers of moderate Reform Judaism, with Polish - not Hebrew - the language of services Following the mass deportations, the remaining Jews began to build bunkers inside the ghetto and smuggle weapons inside with a plan of resisting Nazi forces. On April 19, 1943, as the Nazis tried to remove the final Jewish population to extermination camps at Majdanek and Treblinka, the uprising began. Faced with an armed revolt, commander Jurgen Stroop ordered the ghetto to be burned block by block, killing an estimated 13,000 Jews along the way, with about half of them burned alive or suffocated. In their last testaments, the fighters said they knew they were doomed but wanted to die at a time and place of their own choosing. They held out nearly a month, longer than some German-invaded countries did. By mid-May the ghetto had been completely destroyed, with Stroop recording in his field report on May 16: '180 Jews, bandits and sub-humans, were destroyed. The former Jewish quarter of Warsaw is no longer in existence. Warsaw was occupied by the Nazis in 1939 and in 1940 the constructed the Warsaw Ghetto, the largest in Europe, where 400,000 Jews were imprisoned within an area of 1.3 square miles Around 90,000 Jews are thought to have died from starvation or disease inside the ghetto before the Nazis began deporting people to death camps in the summer of 1942 'The large-scale action was terminated at 20:15 hours by blowing up the Warsaw synagogue.' Despite the Germans suffering just 130 casualties, the revolt marked the single largest uprising by Jewish people against the Nazis during the war. To this day, the Jewish revolt endures as a powerful symbol of resistance central to Israeli national identity. Jews began arriving in Poland more than 1,000 years ago after travelling there along trading routes, and established their first permanent settlement in 1085 in the town of Przemysl. Encouraged to emigrate by tolerant rulers and bills that guaranteed them rights to land and businesses, Poland was home to the largest Jewish community in the world by the 16th century. As Jews were expelled from many other countries in Europe - including Spain, Germany Austria and Hungary - they came to settle in Poland. In spring 1943, as the Nazis tried to deport the last Jews to the death camps, the Warsaw Uprising began. In order to suppress the revolt, the Nazis burned the ghetto to the ground Despite being vastly out-manned and out-gunned, the Jewish rebels managed to hold out against the Nazis for a month - longer than some countries that Hitler invaded Diary entries from the Jewish fighters reveal that they knew they were doomed, but had made the choice to 'die at a time and place of our choosing' The Great Synagogue in Warsaw was built between 1875 and 1878 in the district where Jews had been allowed to settle by Russian Imperial authorities. It was opened on 26 September 1878 during the celebration of Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year. It was a place of worship for followers of moderate Reform Judaism, with Polish - not Hebrew - the language of services. The use of choral and organ music marked another break from Orthodox tradition. It was the largest synagogue in a city where a third of the population was Jewish. The synagogue 're-creation' was just one event planned in Warsaw to mark the anniversary of the uprising with many other observances throughout Friday. This year the 're-creation' took place the night before so as not to interfere with the Jewish Sabbath and the holiday of Passover beginning Friday evening. Von Seltmann's grandfather was a Polish school director killed at Auschwitz along with many other members of the Polish intelligentsia. Her husband, whose last name she has taken, is the grandson of one of the SS officers who inflicted atrocities on occupied Poland. The couple have written and spoken publicly about their own love story, framing it as a story of generational reconciliation. A driver has managed to lose all 12 points on his licence after being caught speeding over the Easter weekend. The Western Australian driver was spotted by Meekatharra police travelling at 143km/h in a 110km/h zone on Friday - costing him his license and a $800 fine. Ordinarily, if you are caught speeding 33km/h over the limit in Western Australia the offence will cost you six demerit points with the same monetary fine. The driver of the Toyota Corolla was caught doing 143km/h along the Great Northern Highway towards Perth The offending driver said 'I'm driving to Perth, I don't know how fast I was going' when the officer asked them for an explanation for the excessive speeding. Police radar caught the driver doing 143 km/h on the Great Northern Highway. He will be prosecuted for doing 141 km/h because two kilometres are removed as a margin of error for radar scaling. The double demerit policy that has been rolled out across the Easter and Anzac period from the 18th-22nd of and the 24th-28th of April. Not all states and territories in Australia use double demerit policies but NSW, Western Australia and ACT will all have it in effect. The world's smallest baby, who was born weighing as much as an apple, is now ready for the outside world. Ryusuke Sekiya was born in Japan in October via emergency Caesarean section, after 24 weeks and five days of pregnancy as his mother Toshiko experienced hypertension. At 258 grams (9.1 ounces) he was even lighter than the previous record holder, another Japanese boy who weighed just 268 grams when he was born last year. That baby was discharged from a Tokyo hospital in February. When Ryusuke was born on October 1, 2018, he measured 22 centimetres (8.66 inches) tall, and medical staff kept him in a neonatal intensive care unit. Ryusuke Sekiya being treated at Nagano Children's hospital in Azumino in October, after he was born weighing about the same as an apple Ryusuke Sekiya will be released from Nagano Children's Hospital in central Japan over the weekend They used tubes to feed him, sometimes taking cotton swabs to apply his mother's milk to his mouth. Nearly seven months later, the boy has grown by around 13 times his weight, now coming it at over three kilogrammes. His doctor said Friday that Ryusuke will be released from Nagano Children's Hospital in central Japan over the weekend. 'When he was born, he was so small, and it seemed as if he would break with a touch. I was so worried,' his mother Toshiko told reporters. Ryusuke Sekiya with father and mother Toshiko, who gave birth via emergency C-section after just 24 weeks of pregnancy 'Now he drinks milk. We can give him a bath. I am happy that I can see him growing,' she said. The smallest surviving girl was born in Germany in 2015 weighing 252 grams, according to a registry put together by the University of Iowa of the world's tiniest surviving babies. The survival rate for tiny babies is substantially lower for boys than for girls. The National Enquirer is being sold for $100million following accusation that the tabloid bought and buried damaging Trump stories ahead of the 2016 election, and a more recent allegation from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos of attempted extortion. The tabloid, overseen by President Trump confidant David Pecker, is to be sold by American Media Inc. to James Cohen, former head of the airport newsstand company Hudson News. In an agreement reached with prosecutors last December, American Media admitted they had paid former Playboy model Karen McDougal $150,000 to 'suppress the woman's story' ahead of the 2016 election. News of National Enquirer's sale comes two months after Bezos publicly accused them of trying to blackmail him by threatening to publish explicit photos of him. National Enquirer featuring President Donald Trump on its cover is displayed on a newsstand in a store in New York in July 2017 President Donald Trump's longtime confidant David Pecker had overseen the running of the National Enquirer (Trump pictured at the White House last month) An American Media attorney denied the charge, but it threatened potentially big legal costs by upending American Media's non-prosecution agreement in the hush money case. Jeff Bezos attends Moet & Chandon at The 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in January 2019 The AP reported that federal prosecutors were looking into whether the publisher violated terms of the deal, which included a promise not to break any laws in the future. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan agreed last year not to prosecute American Media in exchange for the company's cooperation in a campaign finance investigation. That probe eventually led to a three-year prison term for Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen for campaign violations among other charges. The Washington Post reported the decision to sell the tabloid was prompted by hedge-fund boss Anthony Melchiorre - whose firm controls American Media - becoming disappointed with the Enquirer's reporting style. Financial terms were not immediately disclosed for the deal, which included two other American Media tabloids, the Globe and the National Examiner. American Media said last week that it wanted to get out of the tabloid business to focus on its other operations that include its teen brand and broadcast platforms. Under Pecker's reign, the tabloid has for years buried potentially embarrassing stories about Trump and other favored celebrities by buying the rights to them and never publishing in a practice called 'catch-and-kill.' The Associated Press reported last year that Pecker kept a safe in the Enquirer's office that held documents on buried stories, including those involving Trump. Whether James Cohen has any allegiances to Trump is not clear. While he was a registered Republican as late as 2017, according to Nexis records, he has given to both Republicans and Democrats. David Pecker, chairman and CEO of American Media, addresses those attending the Shape & Men's Fitness Super Bowl Party in New York in January 2014 That included $17,300 in 2016 to an arm of the Democratic National Committee and $2,500 to the Republican National Committee in 2012. It has financed several recent acquisitions with borrowed money and has been struggling under a heavy debt load. American Media said the the sale would help reduce the amount it needs to pay back, leaving it with $355 million in debt. Cohen's family had run a magazine and newspaper distributor for decades before his father branched into newsstand stores in 1980s, starting with a single one at LaGuardia Airport. Before he died in 2012, the father had opened more than 600 stores. After the death, James Cohen's niece alleged her uncle had cheated her out of her inheritance. She lost the case. The family sold a majority stake in the chain about a decade ago. The business is now owned by Dufry, an operator of duty-free stores in which James Cohen is a major shareholder. Cohen still owns a magazine and newspaper distributor called Hudson News Distributors. In addition, he runs a real estate developer and a publishing company, which owns Gallerie, an art and design magazine. Cohen has reportedly been involved in American Media deals before. The New York Times reports that, in 2011, Cohen invested in the company's American edition of OK!, a British tabloid. A new search is set to be launched for a light plane carrying five people that went missing almost 40 years ago over dense forest and deep gorges. Flight VH-MDX vanished without a trace on August 9, 1981 over Barrington Tops National Park in New South Wales, 40 kilometres north of Newcastle. Four friends Ken Price, Noel Wildash, Rhett Bosler and Philip Pembroke were returning to Sydney from a holiday on the Whitsunday islands. Ex-RAAF commercial pilot Mike Hutchins was flying the single-engine Cessna 210M when it went missing. Scroll down for video Ken Price, Rhett Bosler, Noel Wildash and Phillip Pembroke (bottom four, left to right) have not been found since flight VH-MDX went missing on August 9, 1981 The plane (pictured) was a single-engine Cessna 210M piloted by Ex-RAAF commercial pilot Mike Hutchins The mystery plane is Australia's only unsolved civil aviation incident since World War II since no wreckage has been found. Another search for the wreckage using drones will be launched in May. Yvonne Pembroke, the widow of one the missing men, is 'intrigued that people are still trying to resolve the mystery'. 'The next expedition is in mid-May,' she said to 7News. The national park where the plane went missing is part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia's biggest mountain range. The area is known for its rugged and unspoilt mountains full of dense forests and deep gorges. The light plane went missing over Barrington Tops National Park (pictured), in New South Wales, 40 kilometres north of Newcastle Price, Wildash, Bosler and Pembroke had booked the chartered flight from Prosperine, Queensland to Bankstown Airport in Sydney. Pilot Mike Hutchins had 3,412 hours of flying experience and 28 hours with the Cessna 210. The plane refueled in Coolangatta and continued at 5.01pm on the Sunday afternoon. The flight's audio recording reveals that Hutchins ran into clouds and turbulence at 7.19pm. At 7.34pm Hutchins reported that 'we've picked up a fair amount of ice and I can just make out a few white towns on the coast' after leaving the cloud. The plane (pictured in a recreation) lost altitude due to bad weather and picking up ice after passing through a storm 'Oh hell, we just got in a downdraught now and we're down at about a thousand a minute,' he said. 'We're up and down like a yo-yo.' 'We're losing a hell of a lot of... We're down to six and a half (6,500 feet),' he later said. 'The lowest safe in that area 6,000 at this time. If you can continue heading towards the coast, towards Williamstown sir.' 'Five thou-' was the last recorded message from Hutchins 7.39pm before Air Traffic Control lost contact with him. A 10-day search after found nothing. The plane was trying to head toward Williamstown and the coast to get out of the storm but never made it Entrepreneur and former Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith said in 2014 the plane was rerouted into a storm to avoid military airspace. The RAAF in effect sent these five people to their deaths,' he told Channel Seven's Sunday Night program. RAAF chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown refuted Mr Smith's claims in a statement. 'Air Force cannot speculate as to why the pilot of VH-MDX chose to not fly through Williamtown airspace, as was done by numerous other civilian aircraft at the time of the accident,' he wrote. A 43-year-old Australian holidaying in Thailand has been stabbed 12 times after trying to protect a woman from a crazed local. Wayne Marks, from New South Wales, was drinking with friends at Monsters Bar in Khao Lak, southern Thailand, early Thursday morning. The night out turned violent when 30-year-old Thai man Chanin Innarong pulled up at the bar on his motorcycle. The tattoo artist approached a woman at the bar, who was sitting with Mr Marks, and demanded she take off her top and give it to him. A 43-year-old Australian tourist holidaying in Thailand has been repeatedly stabbed after trying to protect a woman from a crazed local Police allege 30-year-old Thai native Chanin Innarong (pictured) stabbed Wayne Marks in Thailand Mr Marks was allegedly stabbed with a six-inch long flick knife used for hunting (pictured) Chanin reportedly claimed the shirt belonged to his girlfriend and the woman, Kamonthip Nambut, had not paid for it. She refused to take off the top but said she would give it to him later. A scuffle ensued as Chanin allegedly tried to force her to remove it, and Mr Marks stepped in to try to defend the woman. Police allege Chanin then turned on the Australian tourist and begun to repeatedly stab him with a six-inch long knife he was carrying. Maj Charan Srisarak of Khao Lak Police Station said Mr Marks was stabbed 12 times, The Phuket News reported. 'Chanin demanded that the woman take off her T-shirt and give it to him as the T-shirt belonged to his girlfriend and she had not paid for it,' Maj Charan said. Police arrived at the scene and found a bloodied Mr Marks lying on the cement Mr Marks, from New South Wales, was drinking with friends at Monsters Bar in Khao Lak, southern Thailand, early Thursday morning 'As Chanin was subdued, he pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Marks 12 times... before fleeing on the motorbike.' Police arrived at the scene at about 1am and found a bloodied Mr Marks lying on the cement. Mr Marks suffered stab wounds to his waist, shoulder and back and was rushed to Takua Pa Hospital hospital in a critical condition. He was stabilised by the medical team and spoke with the nurses on Friday morning. Police arrested the alleged knifeman at a nightclub and he was reportedly charged with attempted murder. Mr Marks suffered stab wounds to his waist, shoulder and back and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition He has since been stabilised by the medical team and spoke with the nurses on Friday morning Samuel Fortes, 27, has been jailed for raping a 19-year-old woman in Leeds city centre A savage rapist who stalked a teenager through a city centre was caught after her boyfriend took screenshots of a FaceTime call with her during the attack. Samuel Fortes, 27, followed the then 19-year-old through Leeds before he dragged her under a footbridge, punched her in the face and raped her during a brutal 15-minute attack. The woman was on a FaceTime call with her boyfriend at the time who took a screenshot of the video chat which police used to identify the assailant, a Portuguese national. West Yorkshire Police said the photo was a 'key piece of evidence' in convicting Fortes who has been jailed for life and must serve a minimum of eight years. The woman was left with severe facial and dental injuries following the horrific attack, according to Leeds Live. It took place at 3am on June 23 last year as the 19-year-old was walking home alone after a night out. Fortes, who was living in Sheffield, approached her and asked for her number but she declined and continued to FaceTime her boyfriend on the way home. The Portuguese national stalked the young woman through the city at 3am on June 23 last year But the rapist, who has a history of domestic violence and paranoid schizophrenia, did not comply and started to follow her. Haunting CCTV footage played in court shows Fortes following her through the city centre at a distance. In an effort to get rid of him, the woman sat on a wall to let him pass but he stopped as he pretended to urinate on a lamppost. He then ran after her to the footbridge where he grabbed her from behind and dragged her under the flyover. The boyfriend on the other end of the call then took screenshots as Fortes stamped her face before her phone was smashed. He then called the police. In a victim impact statement read to Leeds Crown Court, the victim said 'I thought I was going to die.' She tried to pull his hair in an effort to thwart her attacker and passersby soon discovered her handbag, keys and phone on the footbridge, disturbing Fortes. The rapist, who has a history of domestic abuse and paranoid schizophrenia, refused to listen when the young woman rejected his demand for her phone number The then 19-year-old was on a FaceTime call with her boyfriend at the time and sat on a wall to let Fortes past but he then stopped and began following her again Haunting CCTV footage released by West Yorkshire Police shows the woman being followed closely by her attacker The 15-minute attack under a footbridge has left the victim with PTSD and she told Fortes in court: 'I pity you' Strangers later found the girl 'essentially naked' and with serious facial injuries and called the police. One man even attempted to chase him, leading Fortes to hide in a bush for an hour. The woman said in court her father told her brother: 'It is like you have been growing and protecting a flower for 19 years and all of a sudden somebody just comes and stomps on it.' She also said it was difficult for her and her boyfriend's relationship after he witnessed the beginning of the attack but they have spoken about moving forward together. West Yorkshire Police have praised the young woman for speaking out against her attacker in court and her boyfriend for taking screenshots of the brutal assault Fortes pleaded guilty to rape and grievous bodily harm with intent and was sentenced to life with a minimum of eight years The now 20-year-old said her 'mind has been permanently altered' by the attack and addressed her attacker and said: 'I pity you.' She said: 'I don't want people to see me as "damaged" or "hurt". I feel little and dehumanised when I think back to the incident.' West Yorkshire Police forensic teams found a single hair from the scene which helped to identify Fortes, as well as the phone screenshot. When he was arrested at his home, he had clumps of hair missing and the victim's blood was found on his shoes. They released CCTV with the permission of the victim who has a right to anonymity. Senior investigating officer, detective superintendent Jaz Khan said: 'Fortes subjected this brave woman to a horrific ordeal and I want to praise her for her bravery in helping to bring her brutal attacker to justice.' Fortes pleaded guilty to rape and grievous bodily harm with intent and was sentenced to life with a minimum of eight years. He may be deported when he is released from prison. Two men made a lucky escape after their recreational aircraft was destroyed after it caught fire mid-air and made an emergency landing at Wagga Wagga Airport. The two-seater Jabiru had taken off about 2.10pm and was 250m in the air when the pilot, 64, and the passenger, 69, smelt smoke. They banked left and returned to the airport where they managed to escape the aircraft before it burst into flames. Both men sustained minor injuries and were treated on the scene. The two-seater Jabiru had taken off about 2.10pm and was 250m in the air when the pilot, 64, and the passenger, 69, smelt smoke Chad Kennis from Fire and Rescue NSW arrived at the crash sight shortly after the aircraft made its emergency landing. 'I don't know how the fire started,' Mr Kennis told 7NEWS. 'By the time we arrived, the people had self-evacuated with only very minor injuries and were being seen to by the ambulance. 'The plane was unfortunately, totally destroyed by fire.' Police closed Wagga Wagga Airport and plan to reopen it once the aircraft debris has been removed from the runway. An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the plane bursting into flames has been launched and will be handed over to Recreational Aviation Australia. They banked left and returned to the airport where they barely managed to escape the aircraft before it burst into flames. Both aircraft occupants sustained minor injuries and were treated on the scene A study into engine failures found Jabiru aircraft's reported 130 incidents over a six year period. Between 2009 and 2014, half of Jabiru engine failures or malfunctions were due to a fractured component. The most commonly reported failure mechanism in Jabiru powered aircraft were through-bolt failures with 21 being reported between 2009 and 2014. An Amber Alert issued for a 15-year-old California girl who was last seen with her mother and a man who are both wanted for murder was cancelled early Friday. Nevada police said the suspect's cell phone was used near the U.S. border with Mexico. Police announced Thursday they were searching for 15-year-old Hispanic teen Alora Benitez and now police agencies in Nevada have been urged to be on the lookout as the trio could be in the Silver State. Her mother Maricela Mercado, 40, and Roman Cerratos, 39, are suspects in the stabbing death of a man whose body was found in a car in the city of Carson early Tuesday morning. Both are considered armed and dangerous, according to police. An Amber Alert has been issued for 15-year-old Alora Benitez of California on Thursday, after she was last seen on Wednesday with her mother and a man who are suspects in a murder Her mother Maricela Mercado, 40, (left) and Roman Cerratos, 39, (right) are suspects in the stabbing death of a man whose body was found in a car in the city of Carson Alora was last seen leaving with the suspects in a white 2013 four-door BMW around 9am on Wednesday in Torrance. The car has a Nevada license plate that reads 'MARIMAR', but the Sheriff's Department says it may have been removed and replaced with a paper plate. Cops say it's not clear if Alora willingly left with the suspects. 'Los Angeles County Homicide Bureau is requesting the publics assistance in locating Alora and safely returning her to her family,' the LA County sheriff's department said in a statement. 'Please do not take independent action, call 9-1-1 and alert local police or sheriffs officials.' Alora was last seen leaving with the suspects in a white 2013 four-door BMW around 9am on Wednesday in Torrance Alora is described as 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 100 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Officials found a man dead inside a parked white Audi car in Carson early Tuesday morning around 3.30am. According to the LA County Sheriffs Department, it has been described as a deadly stabbing and the victim, found in the front seat, was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim of the apparent murder has not been revealed and the connection between the three is not clear Mercado and Cerratos are suspects in the stabbing murder of a man found dead in the front seat of this white Audi in the city of Carson Tuesday morning around 3.30am The victim of the murder has not been revealed and the connection between the three is not clear The official cause of death is pending an autopsy. Cerratos is described as a Hispanic male, standing at about 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing about 210 pounds. He is bald and brown eyes. Mercado is described as a Hispanic female who is 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighing about 130 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information was urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. To provide information anonymously, you can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477. A 'computer glitch' may have been behind the fast-spreading fire that ravaged Notre Dame, the cathedral's rector said on Friday. Bishop Patrick Chauvet did not elaborate on the nature of the cause but said 'we may find out what happened in two or three months.' The area surrounding Notre Dame has been cordoned off since the inferno on Monday night, as stones and debris have continued to tumble. On Thursday, Paris police investigators said they think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire. Flames and smoke rise from the blaze at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Monday evening Archbishop of Paris and Dean of Notre-Dame Cathedral Jean-Marc Chauvet makes a speech in front of the Paris city hall on Thursday The Parisien newspaper has reported that investigators are considering whether the fire could be linked to a computer glitch or related to temporary elevators used in the renovation that was underway at the time the cathedral caught fire. Chauvet said there were fire alarms throughout the building, which he described as 'well protected.' Despite warnings of toxicity from environmental activists, art experts headed into the stricken cathedral to remove all the remaining paintings on Friday. Officials from the culture ministry were allowed into the 850-year-old landmark to begin retrieving the artworks after fire service officials declared the scorched structure safe enough to go inside. Firefighters and engineering experts have been working on the fragile landmark since the blaze, erecting scaffolding and other wooden supports to stop any of the stonework collapsing. 'The paintings inside the cathedral have been saved from the flames and can now be taken down and transported to safe areas,' France's Culture Minister Franck Riester told reporters at the scene on Friday. 'All of the paintings will be removed today,' Riester added, saying that he was feeling 'very positive' given how most of the priceless canvasses, many of them dating from the 17th or 18th century, had been saved. The artworks were taken to the Louvre museum, a centre of restoration, where experts will repair relatively minor damage caused by smoke or water before storing the paintings until they can be returned. A worker prepares to remove a statue from the damaged Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Friday A crane works at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris on Friday as art experts attended to remove all of the paitings Statues which sat around the spire of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris avoided destruction as they were stored in SOCRA workshop before restoration Charlotte Hubert, president of a group of French architects who specialise in historic monuments, told BFM television that experts plan to spread a custom-made peaked tarpaulin across the cathedral's roof, with enough space to also shield workers rebuilding the frame. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to set out reconstruction ideas during meetings Friday with officials from the United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO. Macron is moving quickly on the fire-ravaged monument's reconstruction, which is being viewed both as a push to make it part of his legacy and a way to move past the divisive yellow vest protests over economic issues in France. A crane works at Notre Dame cathedral on Friday, experts plan to spread a custom-made peaked tarpaulin across the cathedral's roof, with enough space to also shield workers rebuilding the frame. Notre Dame's reconstruction is prompting widespread debate across France, with differing views emerging over whether it should involve new technologies and designs. Macron's office has, for example, said the president wants a 'contemporary architectural gesture to be considered' for the collapsed spire, which wasn't part of the original cathedral. Macron hasn't offered any specifics on his vision for the roof or whether the frame should be wood, metal or concrete, according to his cultural heritage envoy, Stephane Bern. He has named a general, Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the armed forces, to lead the reconstruction effort. Over $1 billion has already poured in from people from all walks of life around the world to restore Notre Dame. Judith Kagan, a conservation official at France's Culture Ministry, said the artworks inside Notre Dame had suffered no major damage from the fire and the pieces were being removed from the building for their protection. The fire delayed Macron's long-awaited plans to quell anti-government protests that have marred his presidency. The French leader abandoned a planned TV address to the nation on the evening of the fire, heading to the scene instead and declaring: 'We will rebuild Notre Dame.' According to an opinion poll by BVA institute published Friday - the first carried out since the fire - Macron has gained three points in popularity in the past month with an approval rating of 32%. That advance puts him back at the support level of September, before the yellow vest crisis, BVA said. Although all French polls show that Macron's popularity has remain depressed since a tax increase on retirees last year, they suggest his party may be ahead in France's May 26 European Parliament election, with Marine Le Pen's far-right party, the National Rally, close behind. Large artworks are seen on a specialised truck after being removed from Notre Dame Cathedral on Friday Workers stand by wooden planks supporting Notre Dame cathedral on Friday Macron is now expected to detail his new measures next week. Macron earlier was planning to respond to demonstrators' concerns over their loss of purchasing power with tax cuts for lower-income households and measures to boost pensions and help single parents. Despite the destruction of Notre Dame dominating the news in France, a new round of yellow vest protests is planned on Saturday across the country, including in Paris. In a hopeful development Friday, 180,000 bees being kept in in hives on Notre Dame's lead roofing were discovered alive. 'I am so relieved. I saw satellite photos that showed the three hives didn't burn. I thought they had gone with the cathedral,' Nicolas Geant, the monument's beekeeper, told the AP. Geant has looked after the bees since 2013, when they were installed as part of a city-wide initiative to boost declining bee numbers. Since the insects have no lungs, Geant said the CO2 in the fire's heavy smoke put the bees into a sedated state instead of killing them. He said when bees sense fire they 'gorge themselves on honey' and protect their queen. He said European bees never abandon their hives. Les Dennis had to fight back the tears as he shook hands with Pope Francis and recalled his late mother. The presenter, actor and comedian, 65, said: 'My mother would be thrilled to know I had held your hand.' Dennis's mother Winnie Grimes died in 1977 and was a devout Catholic but lost her faith after she had a child out of wedlock, Les's older sister Marg. After a priest refused to baptise her, Mrs Grimes decided to bring up her family as Church of England. Pope Francis replied to Dennis: 'Greetings to your mother.' The meeting came about as part of the final episode of the three-part BBC2 series Pilgrimage: The Road to Rome which airs tonight at 9pm. Les Dennis's mother Winnie Grimes left the Catholic Church after having a child out of wedlock which a priest refused to baptise. The Pope said to the actor: 'Greetings to your mother' Comedian Les Dennis as a baby, pictured with his mother Winnie and sister Margaret Les Dennis is one of eight celebrities following a traditional pilgrimage to Rome for a BBC2 series The programme sees eight celebrities of different religious beliefs follow the route of an ancient pilgrimage towards Rome. The famous faces included actor Lesley Joseph, dancer Brendan Cole, Olympian Greg Rutherford and comedian Katy Brand. They had 15 days to tackle 1,000km from the Alps to Rome living as modern-day pilgrims. The actor, comedian and presenter, 65, was emotional as he met Pope Francis and recalled his mother who died in 1977 Stephen K. Amos (left) also had an emotional moment with the Pope after he questioned the Catholic leader's stance on homosexuality In another moving exchange with the Pope, gay comedian Stephen K. Amos was moved to tears after the Catholic leader rejected homophobia. An emotional Amos told Pope Francis how he recently lost his mother and twin sister who were both very religious, according to The Mirror. He said how he was not religious but was looking for faith and answers on the pilgrimage because he did not feel accepted as a gay man. The leader of the Catholic Church replied: 'Giving more importance to the adjective [gay] rather than the noun [man], this is not good. 'We are all human beings and have dignity. It does not matter who you are, or how you live your life, you do not lose your dignity. 'There are people that prefer to select or discard people because of the adjective. These people don't have a human heart.' Amos left the conversation in tears saying he has been prepared to walk out if the Pope had given the answer he was expecting. Pope Francis also asked for Amos and the other celebrities to pray for him so he can do his job better. Pilgrimage: The Road To Rome airs on Friday night at 9pm on BBC Two Elon Musk has become known for engaging in peculiar online humour through social media Elon Musk has engaged in a peculiar meme-based exchange with a museum after changing his Twitter image to a sheep. The 47-year-old Tesla entrepreneur updated his profile picture to a snap of an Exmoor Horn Ram taken in Devon in 1962. Last year the image became an internet hit after the Museum of English Rural Life shared the image with the caption 'Look at this absolute unit', a popular online saying. The phrase 'absolute unit' - which Musk now uses to describe himself in his Twitter bio - is a complimentary way to describe large or intimidating people, animals or things, either sincerely or ironically. The Museum of English Rural Life, a branch of the University of Reading, noted Musk's peculiar choice of display picture and tweeted at him saying: 'Excuse us @elonmusk but what'. The account then changed their Twitter picture to one of the SpaceX CEO and altered its Twitter handle to 'The Muskeum of Elongish Rural Life'. Elon Musk's account, pictured left, and the Twitter page for The Museum of English Rural Life, right, exchanged display pictures in a bizarre internet encounter In April 2018 the museum tweeted out this picture of an Exmoor Horn Ram, labelling the animal an 'absolute unit' - an online phrase used to describe large or intimidating beings Revealing the switch following Musk's picture change, the museum tweeted out a picture saying 'Two can play at this game', and the account later posted: 'Next step, The Museum of Mars Rural Life'. The account also told the South Africa-born billionaire he could 'keep the absolute unit' as his profile picture as long as he came along to judge sheep at the Berkshire Show, adding that he could 'fire the winner into space'. Adam Koszary, who runs the museum's Twitter page, told MailOnline: 'Elon likes memes and someone dared him to change his profile picture to the sheep. 'We figured if he was going to masquerade as our ram we were going to masquerade as him. Just silly really.' When asked why he thought the 'absolute unit' ram tweet last year was such a success, he said: 'Because it really is an impressive ram, and people don't expect museums to be using memes like we do (and especially with a name likes ours). The 'absolute unit' phrase is used to describe people or things that are noticeably large 'People just wanted to come together to celebrate an impressive ram.' Mr Koszary, the Museum's Partnership Reading Programme Manager and Digital Lead, said the social media success of their platform has helped get people interested in English rural life. 'We've had more visitors and now a billionaire follows us,' he said, but added that he wished people would stop mistaking them for the real Elon Musk 'and asking us to send them free Teslas'. Musk has a history of engaging in internet humour on his Twitter page, which he has used to proclaim his love of anime along with promoting his business ventures. In February this year Musk featured as a guest host on Meme Review, a show created by popular YouTuber PewDiePie. In March Musk released a bizarre rap song about Harambe - the gorilla who became a pop culture phenomenon after he was shot dead by Cincinnati Zoo officials when a three-year-old boy climbed into his enclosure in 2016. The Tesla billionaire shared a link to the heavily auto-tuned track titled 'RIP Harambe' on Soundcloud, featuring lyrics such as 'We love you Harambe' and 'Sipping on some Bombay'. General Motors Co's top executive, Mary Barra, received a compensation package worth just under $22 million in 2018, slightly less than the previous year, according to the No. 1 U.S. automaker's proxy statement released on Thursday. This is despite the November announcement that the company plans to shut four factories in the U.S. by the end of 2019 along with cutting thousands of salaried jobs due to developing electric and self-driving technologies, slashing the unpopular sedan model in the process. Just hours after GM's announcement in March, President Trump attacked the decision, tweeting: 'Just spoke to Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors about the Lordstown Ohio plant. I am not happy that it is closed when everything else in our Country is BOOMING. I asked her to sell it or do something quickly. She blamed the UAW Union I don't care, I just want it open!' General Motors Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra announces a major investment focused on the development of GM future technologies - meaning the unpopular sedan model is cut That themed continued at rallies in Ohio and Michigan, the location of three of the factories and states that were crucial to his presidential victory in 2016. The announcement also had the unique effect of uniting Washington, as former Vice President Joe Biden - whose father, grandfather and uncle all worked at a GM plant in Delaware that shut down in 2009 - also slammed the decision. 'There used to be a basic bargain in America - you guys know it better than anybody - it said that if you're a part of building the success of an enterprise, you got to share in the benefits,' Biden said in a speech to the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on April 5. Just hours after GM's announcement in March, President Trump attacked the decision GM said Barra's pay was 281 times that of the median company employee. GM's Orion Assembly plant is pictured as employees listen to Mary Barra speak on March 22 He added: 'Not now. If an enterprise is hit hard, it used to be everybody took a hit: the CEO, the managers, the hourly workers.' In total, the company will reduce its salaried workforce by 15 percent and will also cut 6,000 hourly positions, CNN reported last month. Plants in Baltimore and Warren, Michigan, are scheduled to close this year, and the company's last plant in Detroit will close in January 2020. A plant in Canada is also expected to close. President Donald J. Trump slammed GM's decision in March to close plants in the U.S. GM also said Thursday two members of the board of directors - former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, retired Admiral Michael Mullen and the former CEO of ConocoPhillips, James Mulva - will not stand for re-election. The Detroit company did not name replacements, meaning the number of board members will drop to 11. GM and the rest of the auto industry are facing an expected decline in U.S. demand this year, slowing sales in the world's largest auto market in China and potential costly tariffs that could be imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump as it negotiates new trade deals with China, Europe and Japan. Barra's total compensation package was valued at $21.87 million, slightly below the $21.96 million she received in 2017. Barra, GM's chairman and chief executive, was paid $22.58 million in 2016. GM said Barra's pay was 281 times that of the median company employee. The GM Orion Assembly Plant sign is shown on March 22, 2019 in Lake Orion, Michigan Barra's pay package included a salary of $2.1 million, unchanged from 2017; stock awards worth almost $11.1 million; options worth more than $3.4 million and a performance award worth almost $4.5 million, according to the proxy. Barra is GM's highest paid executive. Chief Financial Officer Dhivya Suryadevara received slightly more than $5.5 million in total compensation, and Chuck Stevens, who she replaced last September, received just under $7 million, according to the proxy. Former President Dan Ammann, who now heads GM's Cruise automation unit, received just under $9 million, while Mark Reuss, who replaced Ammann as president, received almost $7.4 million, according to the proxy. GM's annual investor meeting is scheduled to be held online on June 4. One shareholder proposal requests the board adopt as policy the naming of an independent board chairman, a proposal that at the 2017 annual meeting received 41 percent voting support. GM opposes the proposal. A militant vegan accused of stealing a piglet and a $1,500 fresian calf from farmers has been praised by animal rights activists. James Warden allegedly stole the cow from Western Australian farm last year, claiming it was sick and he was rescuing it from mistreatment before it was later returned unharmed. He is also accused of a taking a dead piglet from a piggery and putting it on display outside shops as a protest in Belmont, New South Wales in September 2018. Scroll down for video James Warden, a militant vegan accused of stealing a piglet and a $1,500 fresian calf from farmers has been praised by animal rights activists Matt Johnson, a spokesman for Direct Action Everywhere, commended Warden for his actions and labelled him a hero This week his fellow activists from animal group Direct Action Everywhere labelled him a hero as he faced court over the alleged thefts. Matt Johnson, a spokesman for DAE, commended Warden for his actions. 'People like James are just heroes and an inspiration to compassionate and animal lovers everywhere,' he told Nine News. DAE even shared a video to their Facebook page in honour of Warden on Wednesday. 'My friend James rescued a sick calf who he found collapsed on the floor of a veal farm,' the video says. 'He named the calf Theo and rushed him to receive medical care.' The video goes on to say it's an 'injustice' Warden is in trouble. The calf's owner Michael Partridge (pictured) told Nine News the animal had not been mistreated Warden fronted Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, charged with three counts of trespass, and two counts each of stealing and aggravated burglary But the calf owner has disputed allegations the animal was mistreated, claiming the liberation group are lying. Farmer Michael Partridge told Nine News the animal had not been mistreated. 'I'm just amazed with the lies they tell,' he said. 'Our farm has been open on many occasions to show our production system. We've got nothing to hide here.' Warden fronted Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, charged with three counts of trespass, and two counts each of stealing and aggravated burglary. The $1,500 calf was allegedly taken to an animal rescue farm in Waroona but was later returned to its owners in good health. Pictured: Warden in a pig farm The calf was allegedly taken to an animal rescue farm in Waroona but was later returned to its owners in good health. Police previously said all the crimes happened between August and February at Western Australian properties in Nambeelup, Hopeland, West Pinjarra, Benger and Mundijong. Warden has been bailed but with strict conditions, including a $10,000 personal undertaking and $5000 surety. He also cannot possess a passport, must report weekly to police and stay away from farms. Warden is scheduled to face Mandurah Magistrates Court on May 3. An Instagram model has faced fierce backlash after posting an image where she appears to be posing in a sacred spring where swimming is banned. Australian couple Cleo Codrington and Mitch Cox have posted multiple images of iconic tourist spots while travelling around New Zealand this month. However, their recent series of pictures featuring Ms Codrington wading through crystal clear waters surrounded by lush greenery have landed the pair in hot water. Australian couple, Cleo Codrington (pictured) and Mitch Cox, have posted multiple images of iconic tourist spots while travelling around New Zealand This is the image that sparked controversy as Cleo Codrington (pictured) appears to be posing in New Zealand's Blue Springs, where swimming is banned Australian couple, Cleo Codrington and Mitch Cox (both pictured) claim they had been swimming in a different river Social media users were outraged as the pictures appear to have been taken in Blue Springs, in New Zealand's North Island. Swimming in Te Waihou Blue Spring, in the South Waikato, has been banned since 2016 as it has a 'negative impact on the vegetation in the riverbed and on the banks'. 'Please NEVER swim there. That spring is sacred,' one person commented. 'Swimming in sacred waters to sell necklaces?' another comment read. 'So sad to see you posting a photo of the Blue Springs, Putaruru. Not only are you swimming somewhere that is taonga (treasure) but you're posting it on social media- encouraging others to do the same. Learn to respect the whenua of Aotearoa (family of New Zealand)!' Swimming in Te Waihou Blue Spring, in the South Waikato, has been banned since 2016 as it has a 'negative impact on the vegetation in the riverbed and on the banks' Cleo Codrington and Mitch Cox (both pictured) have a combined 245,000 Instagram followers Ms Codrington and Mr Cox have hit back, claiming they had been in a different river more than 120km away. 'This was at the Tarawera Falls River NOT Blue Springs' Ms Codrington shared with her 132,000 Instagram followers. 'I didn't want to reveal the location because I'm a big believer in preserving the hidden gems and the environment, not all places should be geotagged. 'The last thing the environment needs is another overpopulated hotspot.' Tarawera Falls is in the Bay of Plenty region, and is a popular hiking spot for both locals and tourists. The couple post images of their travel adventures, which has included Vanuatu, Western Australia and New Zealand 'This was at the Tarawera Falls River NOT Blue Springs' Ms Codrington shared with her 132,000 Instagram followers An aggrieved voter says he hacked off his finger after casting his ballot for the wrong political party in India's general election. Pawan Kumar said he was confused by the various symbols on the electronic voting machine and mistakenly pushed the button for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when he turned up to vote in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday. Kumar says in a video circulating on social media that he had intended to cast his ballot for the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pawan Kumar, who lives in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, chopped off his finger after voting for the governing party by mistake at the country's general election In a video circulating on social media, Kumar is shown with a bandaged finger while a cleaver (pictured) lies on the ground nearby The two parties have distinctly different ideologies; whereas the governing BJP is Hindu nationalist and fiscally conservative, Kumar's preferred BSP emphasize social justice and egalitarianism. After they cast their ballots, Indian voters' index fingers are marked with indelible ink to prevent electoral fraud such as double voting. Election ink is common in countries where identification documents are not always standardised. Kumar is seen in the video cradling a heavily bandaged hand while a large cleaver lies on the floor nearby. Like some 16 per cent of Indians, Kumar is a Dalit - ethnic minorities that have historically been oppressed by the upper classes and constitute a crucial voter base for the BSP. 'I wanted to vote for the elephant, but I voted for the flower by mistake,' he says in the video, referring to the election symbols, or party logos, which appear next to the name of each candidate on the voting machines. The BSP are represented by a left-facing elephant, symbol of physical strength, will-power and peace. The giant but gentle creature is meant to invoke the spirit of the 'Bahujan Samaj' ('people in majority') - India's lower-caste and minorities who struggle against historic oppression with physical and mental might. Kumar can be heard saying 'I wanted to vote for the elephant, but I voted for the flower by mistake' - referring to the party election symbols that appear on the voting machines The BJP's election symbol is a lotus - or the national flower of India. It also has roots in Hindu tradition, and represents Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and education. The imagery invoked in a party symbol is hugely important in India, where literacy levels are around 70 per cent. This means almost one third of voters will identify their chosen party based solely on its emblem. With 900 million of India's 1.3 billion people registered to vote, it is officially the world's largest democratic exercise. He had intended to vote for a socialist regional party but instead cast his ballot for the Hindu nationalist party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Over the course of the election, 543 Indian Parliament seats that will constitute the 17th Lok Sabha will be decided from about a million polling stations across the country. Owing to its size, the election is being conducted in seven phases - of which this is the second - between April 11 and May 19. Votes will be counted on 23 May, and the results will be declared that day. Never-before-seen footage of Swedish DJ Avicii has revealed his battle with painkiller addiction and pancreatitis while on a punishing tour schedule. The superstar DJ, real name Tim Bergling, took his own life in Muscat, Oman, on April 20 last year at the age of 28. Avicii, who boasted two UK number ones, was one of the biggest names in dance music, playing to sold out venues around the world. But he retired from touring in 2016 after battling anxiety, opioid addiction, alcohol abuse and acute pancreatitis, which lead to him having his gallbladder and appendix removed in 2014. Details of the gruelling tour schedule that lead the shy performer to turn to drink before going on stage have been laid bare in a documentary, Aviccii: True Stories to be released on BBC Three tomorrow. Avicii's began drinking during his gruelling tour schedule which saw him perform around the world to hundreds of adoring fans In just seven years Avicii played 813 shows - which is the equivalent of one performance every three days While on tour in Australia in 2014 the DJ suffered from acute pancreatitis and had his gallbladder removed. He was then proscribed strong painkillers After developing problems with alcohol abuse to overcome his crippling anxiety, Avicii ended up in hospital while on tour in Australia in 2014 after being taken ill on a flight. He was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, reportedly caused by excessive drinking, he later had surgery to remove his gallbladder. Avicii was prescribed a cocktail of medications including the addictive opioid, Percocet. He described in the film, which aired on Netflix last year, how he was taking 20 pain pills a day and was told the medication was not addictive. In the previously unseen footage the DJ was pictured asking to be discharged from hospital to carry on with the tour. Doctors advised him not to leave the hospital as he could not eat or drink without being in pain. But despite these problems and saying he 'hates being the centre of attention' plus struggling to cope with the relentless tour schedule, he hit the road and began performing again. In just seven years he played 813 shows, which is the equivalent of one performance every three days. Despite his health problems Avicii went back on tour before retiring in 2016 from live performances The pop star was struggling to cope with the relentless tour schedule and suffered from anxiety so turned to alcohol Avicii retired from performing to concentrate on songwriting, but took his own life in Oman two years later He said during the initial fame he was 'having the time of his life' but after getting sick he began to abuse painkillers and told the camera, 'it will kill me'. Avicii said: 'I was in so much pain but all I was given was medicine and told ''take this and you'll feel better''. 'It was like heroin but it also wasn't helping the pain but I just assumed the doctors knew what they were doing. 'Having the pancreatitis wasn't the problem, it was the pain that stays with you afterwards. 'At first it was for a month and then it was for four months. 'I was taking 20 pills a day but they kept telling me it wasn't addictive. I was still anxious and then I started touring again.' A year earlier his single Wake Me up had catapulted him to global stardom but by 2015 his growing anxiety and pressures of touring while making his second album, Stories, were taking its toll. Avicii described how he began drinking after seeing other DJs hit the bottle to get through the intensity on stadium tours. He told the camera: 'In the beginning I was too afraid to drink before shows because I was afraid I'd screw it up but I realised I was too stiff so I started having a couple of drinks before going on. 'I saw other DJs drinking, who had been doing that for 10 years for every show.' The family of Swedish DJ Avicii (pictured) are launching a suicide prevention charity almost 12 months since the pop star's death Avicci released his debut studio album, True, in 2013 and followed it up with Stories in 2015 He decided to cancel all his shows for the following eight months and rented a villa in Ibiza to work on the album. And after having therapy for anxiety he began to feel better, but his return to touring again was described as a 'ticking time bomb' by his friends. Avicii said: 'It was getting to the point where it was too much. I didn't believe I could slow down and I didn't believe I could tour differently to the way I was. 'I could see other people doing what I was doing and they were fine. I started to feel crazy. I had everything on the checklist so I should be happy. Avicii described how he started drinking to cope with anxiety and a life of constantly being on the road The superstar DJ's relentless touring lead to a battle with illness and the dependency on pain medication 'I didn't give myself time to stop and recover, not just from the pain and the medication but also the illness and all the years of touring and stress. I just kept going. 'I've been away for six months and I've done everything I can and straight away I'm stressed and I still don't like performing. 'I don't know how to explain to people that my life is all about stress.' But he soon had to retire from the scene altogether in 2016 and wrote a letter to fans detailing his decision. He parted ways with his long-term manager Arash 'Ash' Pournouri and stepped out of the spotlight to focus on songwriting. Just a month after retiring, Avicii said he felt like 'I did when I was 18', but two years later he took his own life. His family launched a suicide prevention charity - the Tim Bergling Foundation - last month to support people and organisations in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention. 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. Musician Avicii accepting the Favorite Electronic Dance Music Artist award in Los Angeles in 2013. His family 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. His hits included Wake Me Up, Hey Brother, and Le7els or Levels. Wake Me Up, featuring Aloe Blacc's was the lead single for the album True and became a 2013 summer anthem. Avicii: True Stories, released on the first anniversary of his death, follows the DJ's rise to stardom with behind-the-scenes footage from his friends and family. It charts his journey from posting tracks online in his bedroom in his home town of Stockholm, to headlining some of the world's biggest festivals. 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 touring, '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 shocking moment a 16-year-old boy was gunned down outside a chicken shop by a motorbike driver in south London last night. The teenager is fighting for his life in hospital following the drive-by shooting in front of the Tasty Chicken restaurant in Tooting at 9.45pm. CCTV footage shows the victim standing outside the shop the with a group of friends waiting for their food, before a bike pulls up and shots are fired into the crowd. A group of three boys stand outside the Tasty Chicken restaurant in Tooting before a bike pulls up at around 9.45pm The boys scatter and attempt to flee when the gunman starts firing (pictured) but the 16-year-old was hit and collapsed to the ground The boys scattered and attempted to flee but the victim was hit with a bullet, causing him to collapse to the ground and writhe in pain. But the teenager mustered up the strength to get to his feet and stagger off for help. With blood pouring from his wounds, he was taken inside an apartment on a nearby street to wait for police and an ambulance to arrive. He was found with serious injuries in the home fifteen minutes after the attack. A resident speaking outside the apartment block said there were blood splatters in one of the elevator shafts this morning. Detectives are hunting the gunman and nobody has been arrested. A customer flinches when the first bullet penetrates the shop window (right) and whizzes by his head He ducks down as more shots are fired and another bullet smashes the other side of the window Dramatic footage also shows bullets penetrating the shop window and whizzing by worker Jerone Valantine, 38, and a customer, who duck down in terror. Speaking from behind his counter on Friday, Mr Valantine said: 'The shooter pulled up on a motorbike and shot the boy outside. 'The bullets came through the shop window. I heard the glass break.' Mr Valantine came to the UK from Sri Lanka in 2011 and said he was distraught by the shooting. A bullet hole in the chicken shop window shows just how close workers and customers were not to have been hit Several bullets struck the shop, piercing a menu board (left) and the shop counter (right) He said he came to London to escape the bloodshed and misery of his homeland and explained he did not think he would have to witness violence on his doorstep again. His shop now bears the scars of London's raging gun and knife epidemic. A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'I heard there was about five shots. Then as I looked out it looked like there were two kids on bikes. They were fleeing.' Another neighbour added: 'It was about 9pm and I was just sitting down. Speaking from behind the counter of the chicken shop on Friday, shop worker Jerone Valantine, 38, said he saw the biker pull up and let off five shots 'I was eating then I heard two or three shots go off. The next thing was the police arrived.' A spokesman for The Met said: 'The injured male was taken by London Ambulance Service to a west London hospital where he remains in a serious condition. 'His family has been notified. We await further updates. 'Officers from Trident and Area Crime Command investigate. 'At this early stage there have been no arrests. Enquiries continue.' This is the heartwarming moment a grandmother is reduced to tears after being overwhelmed by her local community raising money after her bag was stolen. Pamela Hann, 87, had her handbag taken while she was shopping in Bromley, south London, three weeks ago and didn't want to admit to her family how much money she lost. In the bag was at least 200 - to pay her week's bills and cover getting her hair done - as well as precious family photos of her 80th birthday and her hearing aid. Her granddaughter, Kerry Hann, 39, set up a GoFundMe page imploring locals to raise money to try and replace what was stolen. Footage shows Ms Hann's granddaughter telling her: 'I've got something to give to you'. Kerry tells her grandmother how she put a post on Facebook to try and track down the stolen handbag but to no avail. Then she says: 'But, they've done a collection for you to replace your pension and get a new bag'. Ms Hann then says: 'Oh my god, never'. Her granddaughter hands over an envelope and Ms Hann starts opening it with trembling hands. Pamela Hann, 87, had her handbag taken while she was shopping in Bromley, south London, three weeks ago. She was reduced to tears when her granddaughter, Kerry Hann, 39, revealed donations from locals to replace her lost pension Once she gets the envelope open and takes the money out she looks up aghast at her granddaughter who says: 'That's from the people of Penge and Beckenham'. Ms Hann then starts to tear up and turns away from the camera before her granddaughter says: 'Don't cry, give us a kiss'. While finding a tissue in her pocket, Ms Hann says: 'I don't know how they can be so kind'. Her granddaughter then says: 'Because not everybody's mean Nan'. When asked if she wants to say a nice message to those who donated, a shocked Ms Hann replied to say: 'I can't talk at the moment'. On Facebook Kerry says: 'I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated to my nan's pension replacement fund after her bag was taken last month. 'My Nan would also like to pass on her gratitude to everyone involved. Please watch this video of me handing her your donations.' Kerry said the OAP had reported the theft to the police, but the case was almost immediately closed. She said of the theft: 'We think she was targeted but were not 100 per cent sure. 'It had her purse in it. I asked her how much money she had in there and she said just her pension but I think she didn't want to upset us. 'She was really upset, she didn't want to go out, but we're trying to encourage her to keep going out.' Kerry is still appealing for anyone who knows the whereabouts of the family photos. The GoFundMe page set up by Ms Hann's granddaughter raised 190 in 22 days. On the page, Kerry wrote: 'My Nan who is 85 had her handbag taken while out shopping in Bromley. 'It contained her pension, glasses, hearing aid and some family photographs. 'We would love to be able to replace all that was stolen and hopefully have a canvas made of a similar picture that she lost in the incident. 'Please can you help us cheer my Nan up and show her that there are caring members of the community out there just like her.' Defence experts have voiced concerns that Britain is set to mothball one-third of its Challenger 2 tanks. The Army will revamp just 148 of its 227 main battle tank, leaving the UK worse off in terms of armoured vehicles than Cambodia, Serbia and Burma, The Times reported. Financial constraints mean Britain would plummet from 48th in the International Institute for Strategic Studies' global ranking of tank numbers down to 56th, according to reports. It is expected the remaining models could be used for parts, though it said that some tanks could be patched up for deployment in an emergency. Currently the UK's arsenal of 227 tanks leaves us behind Argentina, who have 231, Germany, with 236, and Uganda with 239 (pictured: A Challenger 2 in Oman) Currently the UK's arsenal of 227 tanks leaves us behind Argentina, who have 231, Germany, with 236, and Uganda with 239. At the top of the table is Russia, who have 12,950, followed by the United States on 6,333, China on 5,800 and India with 4,665. A senior defence source told The Times the reduction in international standing would be demoralising for the armed forces. The source added: 'The Army has fallen behind the Navy and RAF in terms of not getting what they need. They have had a major raid on their budget. 'Nothing can deliver what a tank can deliver on the battlefield. You have no quicker message you can send to an adversary than 60 tonnes of armour.' Independent defence consultant Nicholas Drummond said a reduction in tank numbers would mean 'a severe loss in capability' for the armed forces. Pictured: The number of tanks owned by country, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said they were 'committed to significantly upgrading our Challenger 2 tanks' and 'no final decision on the number of tanks to be upgraded has been made'. The Challenger 2 has been in service since 1998 - the successor to the Challenger 1 which was used during the first Gulf War - and was used during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The tank was deployed in Bosnia and Kosovo during the NATO-led mission in former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s. The tank has a crew of four, carries a 120mm main gun and two 7.62mm machine guns, with a top speed of around 37mph. It is currently in service with the Queen's Royal Hussars, the King's Royal Hussars and the Royal Tank Regiment. The Challenger 2 has been in service since 1998 and defence chiefs are intending to keep it going until 2035. It is pictured in action in the southern Iraqi city of Basra in 2003 Though the Challenger 2 is sometimes praised for its imposing presence and accuracy, some detractors say it is not the right fit for the British Army. Stuart Crawford, a regular officer in the Royal Tank Regiment for twenty years who retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, wrote in the UK Defence Journal that the tank was not the first recommendation when military staff were choosinh which unit to recommend for the country's main battle tank (MBT). Of the three main contenders - Germany's Leopard 2, the United States' M1A1 Abrams, and Vickers Defence Systems' Challenger 2 - staff officers recommended Britain use the Leopard 2 for its 'reliability', 'impressive mobility' and 120mm smoothbore gun, followed by the M1A1, with the Challenger coming third, he said. Lt Col Crawford wrote: 'We werent entirely oblivious to the furious lobbying that was going on in favour of Challenger 2 and recognised that the strategic necessity argument for Britain to maintain its own tank design and production expertise might win the day even when both foreign contenders pledged to set up their production lines in the UK.' He added: 'Word gets round if equipment is good and other countries tend to buy it. 'Leopard 2 has been bought by 18 countries with 4 more prospective purchasers. M1 Abrams has been bought by 7 countries with two more in the offing. 'Challenger 2 has been bought by two the UK and Oman. 'Maybe this time around the UK will be able to swallow its national pride and opt for the best option on offer no matter its country of provenance?' The erratic behaviour of Julian Assange during his self-imposed exile has been dramatically captured in videos and documents obtained by MailOnline. Assange's seven-year stay in Ecuador's embassy in central London resulted in a bizarre existence, making him an eccentric Robinson Crusoe type figure who resorted to desperate means to keep himself occupied. The newly-emerged videos show Assange, 47, with fists clenched and his arms pumped as he frantically boxes with an imaginary sparring partner. Julian Assange has his fists clenched and his arms pumped as he frantically boxes with an imaginary sparring partner at the Ecuadorian embassy in London He then paces around a tiny kitchen as he guzzles from a drink carton and walks in and out of an adjoining larder. In another video, the WikiLeaks co-founder vehemently waves both his arms as if he is conducting a symphony orchestra in his spartan kitchen, walks aimlessly into an adjoining larder and then reappears only to turn around and return once again. Assange's shabby appearance and peculiar conduct is a far cry from the fresh faced, energetic man who defied some of the worlds most powerful nations through his controversial WikiLeaks work. He first took refuge and claimed asylum in Ecuadors London embassy in June 2012 to escape Swedish authorities from extraditing him for a case of rape and sexual assault. He then paces around a tiny kitchen as he guzzles from a drink carton and walks in and out of an adjoining larder Assange resorted to desperate means to keep himself occupied inside the London embassy He feared that once in Sweden, America would eventually extradite and prosecute him for a series of high profile Pentagon leaks, which the country claimed threatened its national security. One document accuses Assange of smearing excrement around the light switch on the wall of the men's toilet Another video graphically underlines the high price Assange has paid for his solitary defiance. He slept in a small bedroom, that was once an office and had use of a narrow, austere kitchen. The images show Assange standing beside a decrepit mini electric stove, preparing to cook something while bouncing up and down on the spot, his trousers falling below his waist, revealing the top of his backside. Documents obtained by MailOnline also show that Ecuadorian officials vehemently complained about his personal etiquette during his stay in their embassy. One document accuses Assange of smearing excrement around the light switch on the wall of the men's toilet and the edge of the toilet seat. A document addressed directly to Assange and dated March 30, 2015 refers to a complaint that he had left bottles filled with urine in the embassy's communal kitchen after the countrys ambassador was alerted by staff Assange is pictured being arrested and led out of the Ecuadorian Embassy on April 11 Written in Spanish by one of the embassy's security officials and accompanied by photographs, it notes: 'I am reporting that on the night of Friday September 28, when the security guard went to use the men's toilet he was shocked to find stains on the toilet seat and the light switch smeared with excrement. 'It should be indicated that apart from the security guard there were no other visitors and the only person who used the toilet was Mr Asange. The security guard had to clean the dirty area before he could use the toilet.' Ecuador's President Lenin Moreno and other officials from the South American country have accused Assange of smearing excrement on the walls of the embassy and of maintaining poor hygiene, which they insist contributed to their decision to withdraw his asylum status earlier this month. When Ecuador announced its decision, Mr Moreno tweeted that it was because Assange 'repeated violations to international conventions and daily-life protocols.' This letter states in Spanish: 'Dear Ambassador, I am reporting that on the night of Friday 28 September, when the security guard went to use the men's toilet he was shocked to find stains on the toilet seat and the light swtich smeared with excrement. It should be indicated that apart from the security guard there were no other visitors and the only person who used the toilet was Mr Asange. The security guard had to clean the dirty areas before he could use the toilet' Assange gives a thumbs up as he arrives at Westminster Magistrates' Court on April 11 Another document, addressed directly to Assange and dated March 30, 2015 refers to a complaint that he had left bottles filled with urine in the embassys communal kitchen after the countrys ambassador was alerted by staff. It warns: 'As per his (the ambassador's) instructions I am writing you a letter to state that this constitutes an inappropriate behaviour that has generated a sanitation and hygiene risk for all Embassy Staff, and that it must not be repeated.' The countrys Interior Minister Maria Paula Romo also claimed that Assanges mental and physical health had deteriorated during his stay in the embassy and the he also began acting aggressively towards his hosts. She added that he had been 'allowed to do things like put faeces on the walls of the embassy and other behaviours of that nature.' Assange's lawyer Jenifer Robinson has accused Ecuador of making up the allegations about his personal behaviour and that he was also spying on the country. The Ecuadorian Embassy in London is pictured on April 11 after Assange was arrested by police Assange is pictured making a statement from the Ecuadorian embassy on May 19, 2017 She said: 'I think the first thing to say is Ecuador has been making some pretty outrageous allegations over the past few days to justify what was an unlawful and extraordinary act in allowing British police to come inside an embassy.' Following Ecuador's withdrawal of asylum status, a disheveled Assange, supporting a fuzzy, unruly beard and unkempt hair, was dragged unceremoniously out of the nation's embassy by eight policemen to a waiting police van as he ranted about Donald Trump and screamed 'the UK has no civility.' He appeared before Westminster Magistrate's Court where he was found guilty of failing to surrender to the court and now faces a possible 12 month prison sentence. Assange is also preparing to battle extradition to the United States over an allegation that he had conspired with former army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to break into a classified government computer. If he is sent to the US, it will disappoint his celebrity supporters such as Pamela Anderson and Yoko Ono who have visited him and campaigned on his behalf. An eccentric aristocrat is sending 50 oak trees to help rebuild Notre Dame - because he feels guilty of his family's history of 'killing French people'. Sir Benjamin Slade says he feels compelled to help rebuild the stricken cathedral to 'make amends' after years of his ancestors battling French nobles. One of his ancestors Sir Thomas Slade used English oak to design Nelson's ship HMS Victory which beat Napoleon's forces at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Sir Benjamin Slade (pictured) says he feels compelled to help rebuild the stricken cathedral to 'make amends' after years of his ancestors battling French nobles Notre Dame (seen on April 18) had its roof destroyed after a fire ripped through the structure earlier this week Sir Benjamin says he will now ship 50 oak trees from his 2,000-acre estate at Maunsel House in Somerset to Notre Dame. He said: 'l was shocked at the news about Notre Dame and I feel a bit guilty about how my family has treated the French over the centuries, especially as one of my ancestors designed Nelson's ship the Victory and built it out of English oak, so I thought this gesture might help to make amends.' A spokesman for the aristocrat added: 'When once asked by an American visitor to Maunsel House, what his families' main line of business over the centuries consisted of, he replied "mainly killing the French". 'He has now has announced that he is donating a 50 ancient oak trees to help re build Notre Dame Cathedral.' Eccentric Sir Benjamin, 72, made headlines after publicising his search to find a wife who can provide him with two sons. Sir Benjamin says he will now ship 50 oak trees from his 2,000-acre estate at Maunsel House in Somerset to Notre Dame His eyebrow-raising list of requirements for the perfect 'breeder' stated she should be no taller than 5ft6ins, aged between 30 and 40, possess a gun licence and be 'castle trained'. Sir Benjamin, who made his fortune as a shipping magnate, also made headlines in 2012 after police staged a dramatic raid on his home, which saw him charged with possessing a firearm without a certificate and breaching a shotgun certificate by leaving a weapon unsecured. He said he used the shotgun to shoot at foxes from his bedroom window. The descendant of King George IV said he wanted a 'lady of the house' who is happy with 50,000 a month 'pocket money'. Who is Sir Benjamin Slade? The eccentric who once advertised for the 'perfect breeder' as his wife Sir Benjamin Slade, 72, inherited his baronetcy from his father in 1962, and lives in Maunsel House in Bridgwater, Somerset. Recently he announced he was planning to sell off England's largest private nature reserve, a 398-acre plot on the Somerset Levels. The new owner will take the title Wardwick of the North Moor, which was created by Alfred the Great in 878 while he stayed in the area. Sir Benjamin Slade at his home, Maunsel House in Somerset. He inherited his baronetcy from his father in 1962 Eccentric Sir Benjamin made headlines last year after publicising his search for a wife who can provide him with two sons. His eyebrow-raising list of requirements for the perfect 'breeder' stated she should be `taller than 5ft6in, preferably 6ft1in or 6ft2in', aged between 30 and 40, possess a gun licence and be 'castle trained'. Sir Benjamin, who made his fortune as a shipping magnate, was also in the public eye in 2012 after police staged a dramatic raid on his home, which saw him charged with possessing a firearm without a certificate and breaching a shotgun certificate by leaving a weapon unsecured. He said he used the shotgun to shoot at foxes from his bedroom window. The descendant of King George IV said he wants a 'lady of the house' who is happy with 50,000 a month 'pocket money'. Advertisement Judge Nathaniel Gorton sentenced Daniel Frisiello to five years of probation A Massachusetts man who sent threatening letters with white powder to President Donald Trump's sons, Antonio Sabato Jr., Sen. Debbie Stabenow and a law professor was sentenced Friday in federal court to five years of probation. The judge declined to send Daniel Frisiello to prison, as prosecutors had sought, because of concerns the 25-year-old man from Beverly, who is developmentally disabled, would not respond well to incarceration. But he stressed the sentence wasn't 'lenient.' 'Do not underestimate how serious I am treating your crimes,' Judge Nathaniel Gorton said to Frisiello as dozens of his family members, friends and supporters who had packed the court proceeding hugged, cried and sighed with relief. Frisiello was also ordered to serve his first year of probation in home confinement, and has been banned for the full five years from accessing the internet or sending mail without prior approval. Frisiello also won't be allowed to have a computer, tablet or other device with access to the internet. Frisiello, who pleaded guilty in October to sending the threatening letters, thanked Groton in brief remarks in court for not sending him to prison. The past year, he said, has been 'hell' for his family. The judge declined to send Daniel Frisiello to prison, as prosecutors had sought, because of concerns the 25-year-old man from Beverly, who is developmentally disabled, would not respond well to incarceration The envelop that he addressed to Antonio Sabato Jr is seen above Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Garland, who had sought a three-year prison sentence, argued that Frisiello had carefully considered the letter writing campaign, which included 13 letters over three years. He researched the best addresses and took steps to avoid detection, like dropping them off at different mailboxes, Garland said. 'This was not an impulsive thing,' he said. 'At every step, there was a chance for deliberation.' Imposing only probation, Garland said, was akin to sending Frisiello back to the life he had before his arrest, which was largely spent at home on the internet. Frisiello and family declined to comment after the hearing, but William Flick, his lawyer, argued in court that prison would be physically and mentally harmful to Frisiello, who he said has significant developmental issues from brain damage at birth, autism and anxiety disorder. Flick also argued probation is appropriately severe for a person with Frisiello's condition because it takes away what few opportunities he has to interact with society, such as going to work or spending time with family and friends outside the house. Prosecutors say Frisiello sent a letter to Donald Trump Jr. that was opened in February by his now-estranged wife, Vanessa, at their New York City home Frisiello was ordered to serve his first year of probation in home confinement, and has been banned for the full five years from accessing the internet or sending mail without prior approval. Frisiello also won't be allowed to have a computer, tablet or other device with access to the internet Acknowledging the nearly 90 letters of support written to the judge on Frisiello's behalf, Flick said it was 'tragic' no one in his client's extensive support network had noticed the signs that his penchant for writing letters to celebrities and other notable people had gone from a seemingly harmless obsession to something far darker. 'He clearly felt like he wasn't being heard, and so he became threatening,' Flick said. He also sent a white powder letter to Eric Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign that said his father must drop out of the race or the next letter wouldn't be fake Prosecutors say Frisiello sent a letter to Donald Trump Jr. that was opened in February by his now-estranged wife, Vanessa, at their New York City home. She called 911 and was briefly hospitalized after she reported she was coughing and felt nauseous. He also sent a white powder letter to Eric Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign that said his father must drop out of the race or the next letter wouldn't be fake. The substance in all of the letters turned out not to be hazardous. Other letter recipients included Stabenow, the Democratic U.S. senator from Michigan; Michele Dauber, a Stanford University law professor who promoted an effort to recall California judge Aaron Persky; and Sabato, a former underwear model and soap opera actor who is running for Congress in California as a Republican and spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Hoaxes involving white powder have been common since anonymous letters laced with anthrax spores were sent to media companies and congressional offices days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, killing five people and infecting 17 others. Theresa May donned a yellow vest today as she took a break from Brexit to help marshal a Good Friday race in her Maidenhead constituency. The Prime Minister was in good spirits as she joked around with other helpers while handing out water to thirsty runners at the Easter 10 race. She also shared selfies with spectators before directing the competitors, sharing the odd high-five as they passed by. The Prime Minister was in good spirits as she joked around with other helpers while handing out water to thirsty runners at the Easter 10 race Mrs May donned a marshal's yellow vest as she helped direct runners at the Maidenhead Easter 10 event Mrs May has just come back from a walking holiday in the Welsh mountains with her husband, Philip, as Parliament continues its Easter recess after Britain was granted a delay to leaving the EU. Her spokesman denied she would use the trip to plot a new election as an escape - as she did on her last holiday at Easter 2017. Back at Westminster the race to replace the PM is hotting up, with Tory rivals including Boris Johnson, Sajid Javid and Jeremy Hunt jostling for position to take the top spot. The leadership hopefuls were yesterday warned by Britain's former EU ambassador against pledging to tear up Mrs May's Brexit deal, as this would 'wreck any prospect' of a future trade pact with the EU. Mrs May - seen at the Maidenhead run - has just come back from a walking holiday in the Welsh mountains with her husband, Philip Mrs May directs runners during the Maidenhead 10-kilometre run, which took place in pleasant spring conditions The Tory leader shared high-fives with several of the runners as they passed by along the route Sir Ivan Rogers, who stood down from his role in January 2017, said he was a 'little bit surprised' the UK was not further down the exit process as he spoke to BBC Two's Newsnight programme. He said the public still do not know what the Prime Minister thinks, and would not say if he would vote for her deal if he was an MP, saying it was 'difficult to see a path through' the current negotiations to a short-term solution. A runner gives the PM a high five On who should succeed her as Conservative leader, he said the party will likely want a 'true believer' to take over. He said: 'If various candidates make pledges as to the future direction of the Brexit talks, what they would do in phase two, that will essentially wreck any prospect of phase two succeeding. 'So if people were to give commitments, saying 'when I'm in power, if you give me this job, I will reopen the Withdrawal Agreement', and indicate we can't possibly accept the backstop and take a much more robust and bellicose position with Brussels - well, that leads fairly inexorably to a breakdown of the talks.' The Tories are also gearing up to fight the European elections, with two MEPs campaigning for a second referendum among those re-selected as candidates. Mrs May has said she is determined to get a Brexit deal through Parliament before the elections so that voting can be cancelled, but this is looking increasingly unlikely. A heavy defeat would likely precipitate calls for Mrs May to quit. Mrs May shares a selfie with locals before helping out during today's run, which comes during Parliament's Easter recess The PM walking along the route of the run with her husband, Philip, who recently joined her for a walking holiday in Wales This latest gastronomic incident is not the first to befall airline passengers, with many having previously complained of inadequate food. In February this year, a couple who splashed out thousands for a BA World Traveller Plus ticket for their 12-hour flight were left 'disgusted' when handed a croissant and cereal bar instead of the traditional full English promised. Couple slam 'disgusting' croissant and cereal bar breakfast Steve Kro and his partner made the luxurious upgrade for their return flights from Heathrow to the Grand Cayman costing them 2,000 in total. The airline's website promises a 'traditional full English breakfast or a delicious continental breakfast accompanied by a selection of fruit juices and tea or coffee'. Steve Kro and his partner made the luxurious upgrade for their return flights from Heathrow to the Grand Cayman costing them 2,000 in total The airline's website promises a 'traditional full English breakfast or a delicious continental breakfast accompanied by a selection of fruit juices and tea or coffee'. But this is all the couple received But when the hungry couple eagerly awaiting their morning meal were handed their breakfast, neither could hide their disappointment - or disgust. Mr Kro blasted BA: 'Another totally c**p flight from BA. And pictures posted to British Airways' Facebook page appear to show a very small, dry-looking croissant in plastic wrapping, a stodgy cereal bar and a small coffee in a disposable cup. At the time, BA said it was 'in contact with the customer'. Shock as 5 in-flight sandwich is filled with single limp lettuce leaf Nick Mosley was left disgusted by an under-filled lunchtime snack served up on a Jetstar Airways flight from Bali, Indonesia, to Perth, Australia earlier this year. Mr Mosley, who lives in Brighton but travels the world through his work as a food writer, had bought a 'deli sandwich trio' at a cost of nine Australian dollars. A holidaymaker spoke of their shock after they paid 5 for a in-flight sandwich only to be handed a single limp lettuce leaf between two slices of 'soggy' bread Mr Mosley (pictured left) said that while he does not expect airline food to be the best in the world, it should meet a certain standard But when he received it, he said: 'It was a shocker - it made a petrol station sandwich look like a gastronomic feast.' An advert described the three sandwiches as 'egg with mayo and lettuce on white bread', 'cream cheese with roasted red pepper on wholemeal bread' and 'tuna mayo with onion relish on white bread'. Mr Mosley said that while he does not expect airline food to be the best in the world, it should meet a certain standard. At the time, a spokesperson for Jetstar Airways said it apologised 'for the unusual lack of filling.' TUI passengers 'served warm, unrefrigerated ham sandwiches for breakfast and dinner' In October last year, a disgruntled TUI customer who was celebrating her 40th birthday claimed she and fellow passengers were served unrefrigerated ham sandwiches for dinner and breakfast during a flight from Cuba. Jayne Wallis, 40, took pictures of the unsatisfactory food, which appear to show the ham sandwiches stuffed into 'bin bags' and placed on the floor next to a mop, and accused the airline of poor food hygiene. Jayne Wallis, 40, claimed she and fellow passengers were served unrefrigerated ham sandwiches for dinner and breakfast on a flight from Cuba to Gatwick She posted pictures of the meals she was served for breakfast and dinner while onboard the flight from Cuba to Gatwick The passenger, who was flying to Gatwick, also wrote that the ham was not kept cold and was served in replacement of hot food which took almost eight hours to arrive. She posted to TUI's Facebook page: 'Ham sandwiches stored in bin bags, not refrigerated, and then served again for breakfast - why would anyone think this was safe food hygiene practice?' At the time, the travel company said that although the food fell below standards, cabin crew ensured food was 'appropriately stored and refrigerated in the chiller cupboards throughout the flight.' Advertisement Dame Emma Thompson today defended herself for flying 5,400 miles from Los Angeles to London to take part in the Extinction Rebellion protests that have crippled the capital, saying: 'If I could fly cleanly, I would.' Dozens of police officers marched into Oxford Circus today while the actress stood on top of a pink boat reading a 'love poem to the earth' on the fifth day of the protests that have closed key routes through the capital. Huge crowds gathered as Hollywood star Thompson, who jetted into London Heathrow from California on Wednesday, laughed with demonstrators as youth members of the group held a so-called 'Day of Love'. Dame Emma compared the movement to the Suffragettes, saying they also 'disrupted an awful lot of people's lives in order to get something that we now take for granted ' in their fight for the right to vote. The Sense and Sensibility star, a seasoned climate change campaigner, told the BBC: 'Unfortunately, sometimes, I have to fly. But I don't fly nearly as much as I did because of my carbon footprint. And I plant a lot of trees. 'One of the things that has happened consistently over the decades I've been protesting about this - and flying economy whenever I did fly - is that it's always turned back on the individual - 'you're the one who flies'. 'Everyone has been asking for clean energy for decades. This question and this demand has been made for decades, and it has been ignored for decades. So, where is the hypocrisy (from me)? If I could fly cleanly, I would.' Earlier, she told how she 'can't even describe the level of hypocrisy from our government', and ascended the ladder to the deck of the boat to cheers from the crowd, before dozens of police officers surrounded them. The boat was encircled by a ring of steel formed by at least 30 officers, which came hours after police told of the 'strain' the protests were putting on them with officers working 12-hour shifts and having rest days cancelled. Once Dame Emma had got back on the ground and left, specialist officers began cutting protesters from the frame of the boat which has become a focal point for the demonstrations - and leading them away. Dame Emma, whose appearance from 11am had been publicised by Extinction Rebellion, drew a huge crowd at the boat - although Scotland Yard denied that they had deliberately chosen this moment to move in. Speaking to reporters, Dame Emma added: 'I'm sure everyone feels the same that to inconvenience people and to disrupt their lives is not desirable. Once Dame Emma had got off the pink boat at Oxford Circus today, specialist officers began cutting protesters from its frame Dame Emma talks to members of the media from on top of the pink boat after police officers surrounded it today Dame Emma hugs one of the protest organisers as she gets off the boat at Oxford Circus today following her speech Specialist officers are wearing harnesses and carrying boxes of equipment and protective visors at Oxford Circus today Police officers remove the last protester from a pink boat at Oxford Circus during the fifth day of a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group The protestor shows the remains of the superglue on his hands, as specialist police look to be gearing up finally to take away the boat which has blocked one of London's busiest intersections since Monday morning One of the last remaining Extinction Rebellion demonstrators attached to the 'Tell the truth' boat, who glued himself to the mast, is detached and helped off the boat by police in Oxford Circus, Dame Emma speaks to protesters this morning from the pink boat that has blocked traffic from Oxford Circus for five days Dozens of officers strode into the crowd of activists today and started to surround the pink boat which Dame Emma was in Dame Emma stands on the boat as she speaks to climate change activists occupying the road junction at Oxford Circus today Dame Emma rallied cheering Extinction Rebellion activists blocking London's busiest shopping street today 'But sometimes, as the Suffragettes would have said when they were fighting for the vote and let us not forget that they disrupted an awful lot of people's lives in order to get something that we now take for granted' Asked if she flies economy, she said: 'I bloody don't, no, far too old for that.' And asked about how this affects her carbon footprint, she said: 'I'll just have to plant more trees.' The actress - who told police that 'Nanny McPhee is up here and I've got my stick with me', referencing her role in the films - was one of several actors who read poems celebrating the beauty of nature from the boat today. Miriam Instone, 20, from Manchester, has been staying at the Marble Arch camp since Monday. She told MailOnline: 'It was horrible watching people being escorted away and arrested. Emotionally draining. 'My friend and I stood there with tears running down our face and it was haunting to see police officers staring back at you seemingly impassive. Blank expressions. I believe the fact police waited for Emma Thompson to speak before going in was more than likely a deliberate act. And they are still kettling people - there's children in there. 'We get that we're not meant to be here and the police don't want us here because climate change is a subject the establishment has poured trillions of pounds into to deny. We just want to hang on for the weekend now.' Protester Hamish Alston, 52, told MailOnline: 'Emma Thompson was speaking earlier and the police moved in just after she finished apparently. I don't know exactly their tactics but they've definitely ramped up their strategy since the start of the week when they were very friendly with us. 'Generally speaking the police have been great with us, we know that we're lucky that in this country we can protest like this. Nobody else in Europe can. A police notice issued under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 was issued on Monday night at 6pm ordering protestors to vacate Waterloo Bridge and continue their protest lawfully at Marble Arch. Five days later, they're still there. Many on the bridge have brought potted plants or trees, other arrived with yoga mats and enjoyed their exercise in the sunshine today Police officers arrive at Oxford Circus as they prepare to remove protesters during the fifth day of the protest today Children as young as ten are camping out in Oxford Circus this weekend as part of eco protests that have caused chaos in London. One young girl's father turned down a request to speak to MailOnline when asked if he thought it was responsible bringing such a young child to a protest. Two boys aged 10 and 12 travelled down from Bath on Thursday with their mother. The bored youngsters were standing behind tents but their mother said they were not staying overnight and had only come down for the day. Hundreds of protesters from climate change group Extinction Rebellion were today continuing to block Oxford Street as police moved in on protesters who had chained themselves to a pink boat left in the middle of the road. Officers formed a kettle around the boat trapping inside parents with children. A climate change activist reacts during an Extinction Rebellion protest at Oxford Circus in London today Police officers carry away a climate change activist who was occupying the road junction at Oxford Circus in London today Police carry away a demonstrator who was part of the environmental protest by Extinction Rebellion at Oxford Circus today The protestors have adopted the tactic of going limp when placed under arrest, requiring four officers to move them Climate change activists are seen gathering at Oxford Circus, surrounded by police during the protest this afternoon Police officers escort a climate change activist who was occupying the road junction at Oxford Circus in London today Climate change activists chant as they occupy the road junction at Oxford Circus in London today Police officers surround the pink boat at Oxford Circus as they prepare to remove protesters this afternoon 'I think they've been confused how to handle this to be honest because everyone has been super peaceful but they've been under pressure to get tougher. We've had grandparents being forcibly removed from the area and I'm sure the officers didn't want to do that.' Her appearance this morning following the long-haul flight earlier this week came despite many of the protesters demanding that the Government limit how many times individuals can fly each year. I've had to axe staff, says furious delivery firm boss The owner of a delivery firm vented his fury at the protesters yesterday, as he spoke of having to sack 15 employees because of the disruption. The man, named Matt, from Merton, south London, said the damage to his company was 'unbelievable' as he slammed police and London mayor Sadiq Khan for not taking stronger action. He told Nick Ferrari on LBC Radio: 'I'm in the transport industry and I run 25 vans. Last night I had to turn around and terminate five drivers. Today I've got to turn around and terminate ten drivers because they can't make deliveries in Central London. They're now gone for good from my company. It's costing me money. The damage this is causing is unbelievable.' He went on: 'When you look at the London riots the Met drafted in police officers from other areas to deal with the situation. Yet they're doing nothing. And Mr Khan is supporting [the activists].' Another caller, named Stephen, added: 'I'm a self-employed construction manager. If I don't work, if I don't get out of bed, I don't get money in and I can't pay my bills, mortgages or look after the family.' He questioned where the activists' money was coming from while they demonstrated. 'These people are blinded by their sheer stupidity that they can't see the wood for the trees,' he added. Advertisement Dame Emma also told reporters at Oxford Circus today that she had come to support the movement and had been greatly inspired by it, adding that her generation and politicians had failed young people. The 60-year-old Love Actually star, who posed with a 91.50 Vera Pelle leather backpack, said: 'We have seriously failed them and our planet is in serious trouble, we have much, much less time than we thought. 'I have seen the evidence for myself and I really care about my children and grandchildren enough to want to be here today to stand with the next generation.' One officer told bystanders that there was an ordinance to clear the area, with dozens of officers stationed beyond the group by a number of police vans parked in Regent Street. When asked if she was willing to be arrested, Dame Emma - who admitted she had been 'banging on about it for years' in reference to climate change - shrugged and said something off mic that could not be heard properly. The actress said: 'This is the most pressing and urgent problem of our time, in the history of the human race.' And when asked whether protesters were having too much fun, Dame Emma said protests should have a sense of joy. She added: 'If you can't have fun whilst saving the planet, what's the point? 'Protest should always have a sense of joy in it because what we are protesting about is saving this extraordinary home of ours and also celebrating the passion and inspiring energy of this young generation. 'These are young people who have finally said to my generation 'I'm so sorry but you have failed us'. We all feel dreadful about that. My feeling is I feel massively inspired by this young generation and want to stand next to them.' She added: 'We are here in this little island of sanity and it makes me so happy to be able to join you all and to add my voice to the young people here who have inspired a whole new movement.' Actress Emma Thompson (left) joins Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at Oxford Circus in London this morning Dame Emma points to a 'There is No Planet B' label on a 91.50 Vera Pelle leather backpack as she appears in London today Police surrounded the boat in two circles later on as one officer told bystanders that there was an ordinance to clear the area Dame Emma joins the Extinction Rebellion protest at Oxford Circus as she speaks from on board the pink boat today Dame Emma speaks from the deck of the pink boat today as the Extinction Rebellion demonstration in Oxford Circus Dame Emma ascended the ladder to the deck of the pink boat parked at Oxford Circus today to cheers from the crowd Dame Emma said at Oxford Circus today that she had come to support the movement and had been greatly inspired by it Dame Emma is interviewed for television as she stands among demonstrators at Oxford Circus in London this morning Dame Emma, who has been urging more people to join the climate change movement, was also due to be joined by actors Lee Ross, from White Gold and The Catherine Tate Show, and Paapa Essiedu, from Press and Kiri. Protest organisers said there would be a procession of youth members of Extinction Rebellion marching from the Eros Statue at Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Circus today, on what is the fifth day of the demonstrations this week. Dame Emma, whose flight from Los Angeles to London this week generated at least 1.67 tonnes of CO2, said she had wanted to join the protests sooner but it had been her 60th birthday on Monday. Police pushed bystanders from the blockade as dozens of officers moved in. Dame Emma left the protest but told activists she was sorry she had to go. She said it was the police's decision to expend manpower at a non-violent protest. She added: 'If they choose to close down a non-violent protest by using their police... that's their decision. If that causes difficulties then that's their problem and their decision.' Police then began carrying and leading activists away from the protest in Oxford Circus. One woman was carried out the cordons by four officers and a man led away by two more. Specialist officers entered the ring of police. Officers wearing hi-vis jackets with protester removal team written on them were within the cordon. There were also officers wearing harnesses and carrying boxes of equipment and protective visors. Officers grabbed people trying to break through the police ring and pushed them back. Yesterday, dressed in black dungarees and wearing a green sticker bearing the Extinction Rebellion logo on her chest, she said at Marble Arch: 'I was not here on April 15 because I was with my husband because I was 60.' Dame Emma told the protesters at Oxford Circus in London this morning: 'We are here in this little island of sanity' Dame Emma said her generation and politicians had failed young people as she encouraged the protesters in London today Dame Emma said today: 'This is the most pressing and urgent problem of our time, in the history of the human race' Dame Emma speaks from the boat today before she climbed down and started talking to the activists glued to its frame When asked whether protesters were having too much fun, Dame Emma said today that protesters should have a sense of joy Dame Emma hugs a man at Oxford Circus as she joins Extinction Rebellion demonstrators for the protest in London today The Oscar and Bafta-winning actress added: 'I am so proud and thrilled to be part of Extinction Rebellion, a new movement that has come up behind all the old ones that I've been part of since I was 16 years old. 'A movement that's telling it like it is and saying to government 'look, there's no more time. You can't lie and you can't stall any longer'. And we will occupy until you take action because that is the only way we are going to save our planet. 'It's hard, it's inconvenient sometimes but it's much more inconvenient to leave a planet that's so completely destroyed that our grandchildren will be up against things that we cannot even imagine.' Her spokesman said: 'She had to fly home at any rate, it was just earlier than she thought she could have. At the moment, that is our only available and practical means of trans-global travel.' Earlier, this morning a group of activists, most of them under 17, had staged a brief demonstration on roads near Heathrow Airport. Standing close to a tunnel which leads to terminals two and three, they unfurled a black banner with the message: 'Are we the last generation?' A young girl takes a selfie with Dame Emma during the Extinction Rebellion demonstrations at Oxford Circus today Dame Emma said in London today: 'I feel massively inspired by this young generation and want to stand next to them' Dame Emma joins the Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at Oxford Circus today, after jetting into London on Wednesday Dame Emma said today that the protest is partly about 'celebrating the passion and inspiring energy of this young generation' Dame Emma spoke after more than 570 protesters were arrested as activists continue to ignore orders to leave roadblocks Several police officers watched over group before an XR spokesman announced before midday there were no further plans to cause disruption at the airport. All roads remained open during the demonstration, which is part of a two-week campaign that began in central London on Monday. Heathrow previously said it was 'working with authorities' to remain business as usual. Waterloo Bridge has now been blocked by demonstrators for five days despite the Metropolitan Police making more than 570 arrests. Ten people had been charged by the force by Thursday night and three others arrested by British Transport Police were remanded in custody after they appeared in court accused of obstructing trains at Canary Wharf. The Met said: 'The protesters are using tactics of lying on the ground when approached. This means that it takes at least four officers to remove one person to ensure their safety which is resource intensive.' Routes are also blocked around Parliament Square and Marble Arch, and Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use the 'full force of the law'. 'I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law,' Mr Javid said. 'They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives.' An Extinction Rebellion demonstrator is taken away by police on Waterloo Bridge in London today as protests continue A demonstrator is carried away by police on Waterloo Bridge today (left) where a woman stood with a bicycle (right) An Extinction Rebellion demonstrator is walked away by police on Waterloo Bridge in London this afternoon An Extinction Rebellion demonstrator is carried away from the road by police on Waterloo Bridge in London today Police speak to an Extinction Rebellion demonstrator on Waterloo Bridge in London today as the protests continue Extinction Rebellion demonstrators sit in the sunshine on Waterloo Bridge in London this afternoon Extinction Rebellion demonstrators practise yoga on Waterloo Bridge in London today on the fifth day of the protests Extinction Rebellion demonstrators hold a community meeting on Waterloo Bridge in London this afternoon Extinction Rebellion demonstrators sit on a lorry on Waterloo Bridge today as police are urged to use the 'full force of the law' Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told BBC Breakfast the protests were 'very, very difficult' to handle and could cost 'millions'. He said: 'The sufferers will be the communities in the local boroughs where officers are being taken from the community areas and the funding and money has to be found to deal with what we are doing.' XR has pledged to continue causing disruption until its demands are met. They want the Government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Back in January 2009, Dame Emma hit back at former transport secretary Geoff Hoon after he criticised the hypocrisy of celebrities who campaigned against the third runway at Heathrow. The actress joined a team of green activists in buying a patch of land next to the proposed runway. But the minister suggested that Dame Emma, who jets to America for her acting work, had to examine her own behaviour. But, according to the Guardian, she accused him of missing the point. She retorted: 'Get a grip, Geoff. This is not a campaign against flying - we're trying to stop the expansion of Heathrow in the face of climate change.' Skateboarding, dancing, snoozing... another hard day on police's front line as Home Secretary warns of using 'full force of the law' against eco activists Scotland Yard chiefs were in the dock last night after failing to explain how they will clear the streets of eco-warriors involved in crippling protests across the capital. As they faced mounting criticism over their softly-softly tactics, they issued a rambling 880-word statement insisting they have a 'robust policing plan'. But they gave no guarantees the protests will be brought to a halt any time soon meaning widespread disruption to commuters could last until after the Easter break. The row came as footage emerged of police officers dancing and skateboarding in the street with protesters and one officer apparently napping in a police car. And in an extraordinary admission, the Met said it had 'no legal basis' to physically and forcibly stop the protesters from moving around London. 'These are peaceful protesters. While disruptive, their actions are not violent towards police, themselves or members of the public,' it added. The lack of any firm action from the authorities seemed to give the protesters fresh impetus. Organisers said they expected more to join the protests, issuing a statement which was later deleted saying: 'Easter weekend is tomorrow and thousands more rebels will join. Police struggle to arrest 350 and there are ten times that number prepared to be arrested. The hollowed-out British State is overwhelmed.' As the row over police tactics intensified, the Met revealed only eight protesters have been charged out of more than 460 arrested. It added it had called in back-up officers from other forces and cancelled leave. Last night Sajid Javid and Sadiq Khan were at loggerheads over the force's controversial methods. The Home Secretary said he expected the police to 'use the full force of the law' against activists who act illegally, saying everyone had the right to peaceful protest but 'I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law'. Take a day off and join in fun, urges leader Dr Gail Bradbrook told Radio 4 the protests are 'awesome' One of the eco-warrior protest leaders was given an ear-bashing on the radio after calling for people to take the day off work and join their 'fun'. Extinction Rebellion's co-founder Gail Bradbrook, 46, called her protests 'awesome', telling the Today programme: 'We're making history at the minute, people are having a fantastic time on the streets and we really welcome people to come join us.' But a less-than-impressed Nick Robinson responded: 'They don't frankly have the privilege that you do, in order to choose when you can go to work. And they may not appreciate being told they should have fun doing it.' The climate protester replied: 'I think it's really important that people have fun while they're rebelling actually. What we're asking is for people to come and join us if they can and people are taking time.' Today host Nick Robinson was less than impressed yesterday Dr Bradbrook, 46, is at the heart of an eco-movement based out of a quiet corner of the Cotswolds but now paralysing the capital. Stroud is perhaps most famous as the birthplace of Cider With Rosie author Laurie Lee. But in contrast to the bucolic childhood the writer describes after his family moved to the nearby village of Slad, Stroud now finds itself at the heart of the climate change protest. Dr Bradbrook settled in the Gloucestershire market town more than a decade ago because she thought it would be a safer place to bring up her two children. The scientist first grabbed headlines in local protests against fracking and the construction of an incinerator at Javelin Park near Gloucester, including one where she stripped to her pants outside a council headquarters. Extinction Rebellion was only set up last year and already claims to have a presence in some 100 towns across the UK, including in Stroud, as well as in 35 different countries. 'Gail is the godmother of this movement,' the group's spokesman George Barda once said. Dr Bradbrook's partner and fellow co-founder of the movement Simon Bramwell, 46, was taken away in a police van after supergluing himself to the Shell HQ on Monday. Several other of Extinction Rebellion's Stroud members have also been involved in high profile moments this week. Four Labour activists Skeena Rathor, 42, a Labour councillor, Richard House, 64, Tracee Williams, 55, and David Lambert, 60, travelled from Stroud and chained themselves to Jeremy Corbyn's garden wall on Wednesday. Advertisement But London Mayor Mr Khan - who on Wednesday praised the eco-warrior group for its 'co-operation' tried to make political capital out of the handling by police, suggesting in a letter to Mr Javid that the Met's ability to enforce the law had been made 'significantly harder' by 'the huge cuts to Government police funding'. Government sources accused Mr Khan of 'deflection tactics'. Last night London Assembly Member Andrew Boff called for an inquiry into how Mr Khan and Scotland Yard had responded to the protests. He said: 'Questions have to be asked about whether the Mayor has tacitly encouraged Extinction Rebellion to bring our city to a grinding halt, having admitted he 'shares passion' with the group. 'Sadiq Khan and senior Met Police officers owe Londoners an explanation; how have they failed to bring an end to this chaos and how long will it continue?' In its statement last night, the Met said it had more than 1,000 officers on the streets policing the demonstrations, which have seen activists blockade four major routes through London. 'This is putting a strain on the Met and we have now asked officers on the boroughs to work 12-hour shifts; we have cancelled rest days and our Violent Crime Task Force (VCTF) have had their leave cancelled,' it said. It added it has a 'duty to balance the rights of those engaged in protest and who are acting within the law, against the needs and rights of Londoners to go about their daily lives with minimum disruption'. Police at Oxford Circus where a pink boat appears to have been bolted to the ground yesterday persisted with a tactic of sporadically selecting a protester to arrest before carrying them from the crowd to whoops and cheers from activists. Each arrest took at least four officers, as every protester would 'play dead' and had to be carried away. Among those led away by police was a 77-year-old Anglican vicar. Reverend Sue Parfitt, from Bristol, locked herself under a lorry which was used to block the road at the protest at Marble Arch on Monday. A friend described her as 'an inspiration', adding: 'She was prepared to get arrested if it came to it.' A senior Police Federation official said on Wednesday that officers had not cleared the protests because the Government and senior officers had not given clear instructions to do so. Hours later, images emerged of his colleagues enjoying an overnight rave with eco-warriors, smiling in hi-vis jackets as they danced to music blaring from the pink boat. The officers looked appreciative of the protesters' chants of 'we love you'. One officer can be seen applauding as the crowd cheered. But a police chief yesterday described their antics as 'unacceptable' after the footage appeared on Twitter. A police officer is pictured sleeping in his car on Wednesday night during the Extinction Rebellion protest at Marble Arch Scotland Yard said inquiries were being made to identify the officers involved. Met Commander Jane Connors said: 'I'm disappointed by the video and the unacceptable behaviour of the officers in it. 'We expect our officers to engage with protesters but clearly their actions fall short of the tone of the policing operation at a time when people are frustrated at the actions of the protesters. 'We will be reminding officers of their responsibilities and expectations in policing this operation however the majority of officers have been working long hours and I am grateful to them for their continued commitment.' Her condemnation came as footage also emerged of an officer apparently asleep in his car, while another was seen skateboarding in daylight on Waterloo Bridge along a section of road where 'climate justice now' was sprayed in pink letters. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has hit back after the Mueller report revealed that she had lied to reporters about 'countless members' of the FBI being behind the firing of James Comey. She said that she acknowledges a 'slip of the tongue' but insists that her statement wasn't untrue and that 'a number of both current and former' FBI agents agreed with the president in firing Comey. Doubling down on her comments, Sanders said that Comey was a 'disgraced leaker' and that firing him was 'one of the best decisions President Trump has ever made'. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders has doubled down on her claim that a number of former and current FBI agents were happy with James Comey's sacking Sanders was speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, who asked her: 'The media is attacking you today because of the testimony you gave about the FBI people you know. 'Well, let me put it this way, every FBI rank and file guy, the 99.9 per cent that I know, have thanked me. They were hurt by a few at the top and they're angry about it and you said that but, [can you] explain?' Sanders replied: 'I acknowledge that I had a slip of the tongue when I used the word 'countless' but it is not untrue and you just echoed the point I was making. 'A number of both current and former FBI agents agreed with the president. 'James Comey was a disgraced leaker who tried to politicize and undermine the very agency he was supposed to run. 'Firing James Comey remains one of the best decisions that the president made. The only problem is he could have done it sooner.' Lying to Mueller's investigators would have been a crime punishable by up to five years in federal prison, while lying to reporters is not a crime - although Sanders claimed to Mueller's agents that she did not intend to deceive. However, she insists that firing Comey is one of the best decisions that President Trump has ever made The recently released Mueller report revealed how Sanders admitted that her claim about the firing of James Comey was not based in fact. Sanders made the initial claim during a televised press briefing on May 10, 2017, one day after Comey was fired by President Donald Trump. When asked about her comments by special counsel Robert Mueller's office, Sanders admitted that she'd made a 'slip of the tongue' in an apparent attempt to avoid potential perjury charges. 'Sanders told reporters that the President, the Department of Justice, and bipartisan members of Congress had lost confidence in Comey, '[a]nd most importantly, the rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director. Accordingly, the President accepted the recommendation of his Deputy Attorney General to remove James Comey from his position,'' the Mueller report states. Trump's decision to fire FBI Director James Comey (right) in was one of ten items Mueller's team investigated when looking into possible obstruction of justice by the president (left) 'In response to questions from reporters, Sanders said that Rosenstein decided 'on his own' to review Comey's performance and that Rosenstein decided 'on his own' to come to the President on Monday, May 8 to express his concerns about Comey. 'When a reporter indicated that the 'vast majority' of FBI agents supported Comey, Sanders said: 'Look, we've heard from countless members of the FBI that say very different things.'' After the press conference Sanders was praised by Trump for her performance at the podium. She later told the special counsel's office that her comment about hearing from 'countless members of the FBI' was a 'slip of the tongue', according to the Mueller report. 'She also recalled that her statement in a separate press interview that rank-and-file FBI agents had lost confidence in Comey was a comment she made 'in the heat of the moment' that was not founded on anything,' the report said. Sanders has not been seen at the White House all week ahead of the Mueller report release. Trump's decision to fire Comey was one of ten items Mueller's team investigated when looking into possible obstruction of justice by the president. He initially said that Comey was axed because: 'Very simply, he was not doing a good job.' In a later interview with NBC News, Trump specifically stated the ongoing investigation into his campaign was what led him to fire Comey. '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, it's an excuse by the Democrats for having lost an election that they should've won,'' the president said. According to the Mueller report: 'The president's draft termination letter stated that morale in the FBI was at an all time low ... But the evidence does not support those claims. 'The president told Comey at their January 27 dinner that 'the people of the FBI really like [Comey]'. 'No evidence suggests that the president heard otherwise before deciding to terminate Comey.' The report also indicated that Trump fired Comey because the FBI director refused to publicly exonerate him. The 448-page report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's two-year investigation into Russian election interference was made public on Thursday Mueller's team ultimately opted not to draw any conclusions about the obstruction allegations, stating in the report: 'If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. 'Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. 'The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. 'Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. However, Attorney General William Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein determined that Trump did not commit a crime. 'After carefully reviewing the facts and legal theories outlined in the report, and in consultation with the Office of Legal Counsel and other Department lawyers, the Deputy Attorney General and I concluded that the evidence developed by the Special Counsel is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense,' Barr stated during a press conference 90 minutes before the redacted report was made public on Thursday. An outspoken Anglican preacher who likened offshore processing of asylum-seekers to the Holocaust has announced he is running for the senate to save the planet. Father Rod Bower from the Anglican Parish of Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast, revealed on Friday he is vying for a seat in the Upper House at the May election. Speaking to A Currant Affair, the priest said after being the rector of Gosford for 20 years, it only made sense he should now move into federal politics. Father Rod Bower (pictured) from the Anglican Parish of Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast, revealed on Friday he is vying for a seat in the Upper House at the May election Father Bower (pictured) said after being the rector of Gosford for 20 years, it only made sense he should now move into federal politics 'I've learnt a lot over the last 10 to 15 years in terms of applying things to human rights, to climate issues, to social justice and I thought the next step for me is to apply my learnings in a much bigger field and I guess the Senate is as big as it gets,' Fr Bower said. But in a surprising twist, the clergyman announced he also plans to team up with a new party called Independents for Climate Action Now (ICAN) to preach science. 'If we don't get the climate thing right is doesn't matter what else we get right, and so all legislation that comes to the Senate has to be climate-informed,' he said. But as Father Bower explained, good science and good theology have always been 'best friends'. ICAN party founder Jim Tait said climate change is one of the biggest moral issues of the day and he hopes Fr Bower's popularity will help increase the party's chances of success. 'If we care about the future for our children then who better than a church leader to lead on such a moral issue,' Mr Tait said. When asked about whether his followers might see the political move as a form of abandonment, Fr Bower said he hadn't witnessed it among the congregation. In a surprising twist, the clergyman announced he also plans to team up with a new party called Independents for Climate Action Now (ICAN) to preach science Father Bower said while not everyone will agree with his outspoken views, as a whole, the community had been wonderfully supportive of his decision to enter politics He said while not everyone will agree with his outspoken views, as a whole, the community had been wonderfully supportive of his decision to enter politics. But it's not the first time clergyman has caused national headlines. Over the years, he has generated plenty of publicity with his provocative billboard statements on issues such as gay marriage, immigration and gun control. It was only in January that Fr Bower apologised after he compared the offshore processing of asylum-seekers to the Holocaust. Over the years, Fr Bower has generated plenty of publicity with his provocative billboard statements on issues such as gay marriage, immigration and gun control In January, Fr Bower apologised after he erected a sign outside the Gosford church in December, which read 'Manus is how the Holocaust started' The apology was for a sign he erected outside the Gosford church in December, which read 'Manus is how the Holocaust started'. At the time, he wrote a lengthy Facebook post, which stated a photo from Manus island had 'evoked for him a remembrance of photos he'd seen of the Holocaust'. 'The first step on the way to the Holocaust was labelling the Jews as ''vermin'' to be eradicated. In Rwanda they used the term ''cockroaches'' we have used the label ''illegals'',' Fr Bower wrote. Father Bower said he is prepared to devote the next six years to politics, but if his plans don't pan out he will return to his Gosford church 'The second step is to ensure these ''labelled'' inhabit a different civic universe and do not qualify for the same 'rights' as we do. The third step is to lock them up. 'We have taken these three steps with refugees in Australia and while they do not inevitably result in catastrophic events like the Holocaust, they are the necessary first three steps on the path to that living Hell on Earth.' Both the sign and post drew attention from both moderate and conservative Jewish groups, and Fr Bower later posted an apology to Facebook, acknowledging he was 'clumsy' and offensive. On Friday, the priest said he is prepared to devote the next six years to politics, but if his plans don't pan out he will return to his Gosford church. A nursing school teacher has been hailed after she held her student's sick month-old baby so that her mother could sit an exam. Katie Lewis, 22, was sitting a nursing school test at the University of Texas at Tyler when she could find nobody to look after her baby Allie on Monday. So Lewis wrote to her teacher Julie George asking if it would be alright to bring her to school - George replied it was more than OK and was excited to see Allie. Not only that but Allie was sick and feeling particularly irritable when George stepped in to help her student. Julie George - herself a mother-of-two - holding onto month-old baby Allie at the University of Texas at Tyler on Monday while her student Katie Lewis sat her test Lewis told Good Morning America her mother - who is also a nurse - was working and unable to look after the baby. She told the show she texted: 'Hey Dr. George, I know this is super unconventional but Im having trouble finding a sitter for Monday for Allie because its in the afternoon. 'I know you had offered before to hold her during a test... is there anyway I can bring her with me? If not, I totally understand and will figure something out!' And George - herself a mother-of-two - replied, 'ummm you can totally bring her... Im already excited!' The mother-of-one was able to take the exam for her bachelors of science degree which she will be completing next month. Lewis told Good Morning America: 'Dr George without hesitation just held and rocked my sick and fussy baby throughout the entire test ... Im so grateful for the school and all of our amazing teachers, especially Dr. George.' Katie Lewis, 22, said: 'Im so grateful for the school and all of our amazing teachers, especially Dr. George' Natalie Norman who took the photos of George said: 'There are teachers that will shake their head at you for working while going to nursing school and switch plans at the last second because they don't value your time or commitments; and then there are teachers like Dr. George that will hold your sick baby when you can't get a last minute sitter so that you can take a test. 'So grateful for teachers like her who really want to see us succeed. Not to mention she held a Christian nurses' meeting right before this and prayed for all of us.' George is a clinical instructor in the department of nursing and says on her professional profile her interests are 'spending time with my husband and two sons, traveling, reading.' Donald Trump's belief that he was 'f**ed' after the start of the Mueller probe is not the reaction an innocent person would have, says Stephen Colbert. The Late Show host brought all 448 pages of the Mueller report on stage for his Thursday night monologue, where he claimed the president's reaction suggested he was guilty. After hearing that Robert Mueller had been appointed to the probe, the president said: 'Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I' m f***ed.' Stephen Colbert said that Donald Trump's reaction to news of the Mueller probe was not that of an innocent person Mueller's report didn't clear the president, despite what the attorney general said in a press conference yesterday, and Colbert said that the president feared an FBI investigation would uncover facts about his election campaign which could have opened him up to criminal charges. This, adds Colbert, suggests that Trump had something to hide. Attorney general Bill Barr was another target of Colbert's ire, with the TV star describing him as a 'one-man no collusion spectacular' before playing a series of clips from political pundits suggesting that he is in fact the president's lawyer. He also mocked the four-page document released by Barr three weeks ago, describing it as his 'valentine' to the president. Colbert said that Mueller's report didn't clear the president, despite what the attorney general said in a press conference yesterday In another incredulous outburst, Colbert questioned how it was acceptable for Barr to claim Trump's attempted obstruction of justice could be forgiven because he was 'frustrated' by the special counsel probe. Describing Barr's actions as a 'thinly disguised, coordinated campaign event', the host pointed out that Trump tweeted his Game of Thrones-themed image as soon as the press conference finished. Trump's image read: 'No collusion. No obstruction. For the haters and the radical left DemocratsGame Over.' Attorney general Barr was another target of Colbert's ire, with the TV star describing him as a 'one-man no collusion spectacular' Colbert is the latest high profile star to come out and criticise Barr and the release of the report. Several Hollywood stars took to social media to accuse Bill Barr of a cover-up following the full release of Mueller's report. The heavily redacted report into Donald Trump and Russian election interference was finally published on Thursday and revealed that Congress could find Trump guilty of obstructing justice an hour after the attorney general said he had cleared the president personally of the crime. Director Rob Reiner was one of the Hollywood stars to blast Trump. He declared: 'Prima Facie: Trump is guilty as hell.' Crucially, the report itself did not clear Trump, prompting Hollywood's elite to take to social media and blast the president and attorney general, lending their support to Democrat claims of a cover-up. Actor John Cusack wrote: 'Barr = complete whitewash cover-up. A press circus orchestrated by the White House.' Director Rob Reiner declared: 'Prima Facie: Trump is guilty as hell.' Mia Farrow said: 'Just stunning to see the Attorney General in the role of Trump's personal attorney.' This is tear-jerking moment a kindhearted monkey comforts a grieving woman at a funeral wake. Footage shows the sympathetic monkey walk past rows of mourners to put its arm around a woman in the front row of the wake in Nargund, India. The wake, for 80-year-old Devendrappa Kammar, attracted the northern plains grey langur monkey who has reportedly developed a habit of attending funerals in the area. Footage shows a sympathetic monkey walk past rows of mourners to put its arm around a woman in the front row of the wake in Nargund, India According to local media the monkey has been visiting funerals in the community for the past year He puts his right hand on the mourner's shoulder and uses his other hand to affectionately rub her head. It then calmly sits with the group of women seemingly offering its condolences as they talk to it. According to local media, whenever the monkey sees a crowd of people entering a house, it comes to join them and consoles mourners. If it is any other kind of social get-together the monkey leaves, but if it spots a dead body it stops. Reports said that the apparently empathetic monkey has been taking part in the community's funerals for over a year. The son of 69-year-old Halappa Chikkamani, who died in January, told local media a similar story: 'The monkey sat on my lap for some time and put its arms around me. It only went away after I stopped crying. Reports said that the monkey appears to be able to identify the immediate family members of the deceased and prefers to spend time with them. Local residents reportedly now feel that a wake is not the same unless the monkey comes to attend as well. Two teenagers and a man have been charged over shocking late-night killing of a respected doctor who was gunned down in his garage in a botched robbery. Skin cancer doctor Luping Zeng, 56, was shot and killed while packing his car in the affluent south-side suburb of MacGregor, in Brisbane, shortly before midnight on Monday. Two men, 19 and 20, were arrested in neighbouring suburbs Slacks Creek and Woodbridge, in Brisbane's south, between 11am and 12pm on Friday in connection to the shooting. Skin cancer doctor Luping Zeng, 56, was shot and killed while packing his car in the affluent south-side suburb of MacGregor, in Brisbane, shortly before midnight on Monday Two men, 19 and 20, were arrested in neighbouring suburbs between 11am and 12pm on Friday in connection to the shooting A 17-year-old boy from Slacks Creek was earlier arrested on Thursday afternoon and has been remanded in custody. The trio have all been charged with murder along with robbery and firearms offences. Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said the youngest boy did not know Dr Zeng and robbery appeared to be the motive. 'It was likely this is a crime of opportunity that has escalated and resulted in the death of Dr Zeng,' he told reporters on Friday. Detective Superintendent Fleming added that the killers are known to each other. Officers were called to the home on Delfin Drive at about 11.40pm on Monday following reports a man had been shot. Dr Zeng was shot once in the chest while his wife and two adult daughters were inside the home The 56-year-old doctor was transported to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a critical condition but later died. Dr Zeng was shot once in the chest while his wife and two adult daughters were inside the home. The doctor was a highly regarded member of Brisbane's Chinese community. He had three decades of medical experience and spoke three languages. The popular doctor previously worked in plastic and reconstructive surgery for 11 years before he moved to Australia in 2000. He obtained the Fellowship of Royal Australian College of General Practice in 2006 and worked at the Waterford 7 Day Medical Centre and Skin Cancer Clinic. Officers were called to the home on Delfin Drive at about 11.40pm on Monday following reports a man had been shot Dr Zeng's wife was also an overseas-trained doctor and both his daughters are currently in training to become doctors. Acting Detective Inspector Steven McCartney said the doctor's family didn't witness the shooting but heard the single gunshot from inside the home. 'These are professional members of the community, they dedicate their time to helping people, this is just a tragic event that's occurred,' Insp McCartney said. The 19-year-old Kingston teenager and 20-year-old Woodridge man will both appear in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday. A female MMA fighter punched an alleged pervert she claims was performing a sex act while she was taking part in a swimwear photo shoot. Joyce Vieira and a friend were taking pictures on the Praia do Braga beach in the town of Cabo Frio in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro when she said she saw a man masturbating. The 27-year-old claims the man had his shorts down and was standing in front of her and her friend while performing a sex act on himself. In images of her attack on the unsuspecting man, named by Brazilian media as Josenei Viana Ferreira, she can be seen launching at the shirtless suspect. Dressing in a black swimsuit the martial artist took action by raining down a series of punches on the 26-year-old man, who was topless but dressed in swimming shorts. Marial arts fighter Joyce Vieira punched the man she claims was performing a sex act in front of her as she took part in a photo shoot on a beach in Rio de Janeiro Joyce Vieira is known as an MMA fighter in her home country of Brazil and has posted pictures of her MMA training regimes The MMA fighter claims the man was standing with his shorts down as he masturbated during her swimwear shoot She said: 'When I looked over there he had his shorts down and was standing on a path where people pass all the time, including children. He was visibly erect, making sounds and moaning.' In the photos, the martial artist, dressed in a black swimsuit, can be seen punching Ferreira, Vieira reported the case with police and Ferreira was later arrested for committing an 'obscene act' but has since been released after giving a statement and denying the crime. After his release, Vieira told local media: 'We feel powerless. It's very strange because he's going to be in the same city as me, and who knows he might be in the same places. 'That's why I have received an innumerable number of messages from women saying that [in similar situations] they didn't file a report, because they know the suspects would end up being released. I think the punishment for these cases should be more severe.' Vieira told police she approached the suspect but he would not speak to her so she began punching him The MMA fighter training before she attacked a man she claims was pleasuring himself in front of her as she took part in a photo shoot Vieira said she has received many messages from women who have not reported similar incidents to the police Vieira says she had tried to speak to the man but he refused to speak to her so she reacted. The Civil Police told reporters the suspect had claimed he 'was urinating' on the beach before Vieira approached him. The Inspector Specialised in Attending to Women in Cabo Frio, Juliana Rattes, said the case will be taken to the Public Ministry 'who will act together with Special Criminal Court'. MMA fighter Vieira, 27, who is a specialist in Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu, often posts videos of her intense training sessions online. The case is ongoing, according to Brazilian media. An American Bitcoin investor threatened with the death penalty by Thai authorities after he built a micro-nation home near one of their islands insists he has proof that the house was never inside their jurisdiction. Chad Elwartowski, who has been in hiding with girlfriend Supranee Thepdet since the Thai Navy raided their home last week, claims a researcher's phone kept at his home shows it was 14 nautical miles from the nearest island. Since a country can only claim territorial waters extending up to 12 nautical miles from its shoreline, this would mean Mr Elwartowski was not subject to Thai laws. Chad Elwartowski, pictured with girlfriend Supranee Thepdet, claims to have proof that his 'seastead' home was outside Thai territorial waters after the country raided the property threatened him with the death penalty He says a GPS beacon placed on his home by a researcher recorded the coordinates where it was located, and Google's mapping feature shows it was 14 nautical miles from a Thai island - two miles outside the country's territorial waters Mr Elwartowski and Miss Thepdet have been in hiding since Thai authorities raided their home on Saturday, saying they fear for their lives The Thai navy claims their 'seastead' is 12 nautical miles from the shore but Elwartowski said it was 14 miles and so in international waters Countries can claim a 'contiguous zone' from between 12 and 24 nautical miles from shore, which allows it to apply a limited number of laws. However, these can only be to prevent or punish 'infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea.' Mr Elwartowski claims he 'did not do anything on the seastead that was not legal on land', raising doubts over whether these laws would apply to him. Mr Elwartowski hit back at Thai authorities over Facebook, using evidence gathered by a researcher named Daniel A. Nagy. In a post on the Ocean Builders website, which supports the 'seastead' movement, Mr Nagy posted coordinates captured by a GPS logging device - an Android phone in a watertight container - that was placed at Mr Elwartowski's home. Using Google's distance measuring tool, Mr Nagy claims to show that the seastead was 14 miles from Ko Racha Yai, which is the nearest Thai island. 'This places it inside Thailands Contiguous Zone, but outside of its territorial waters,' he writes. Mr Nagy also reveals that a tracker was placed on the seastead so that it would show up as a stationary tanker on shipping maps, avoiding collisions with other boats. Thailand previously argued that the 'seastead' posed a risk to shipping traffic since it could have broken loose and drifted into a shipping lane. Thailand's navy accused him of violating the country's sovereignty, but Elwartowski insisted the floating 'living platform' in the Andaman Sea know as a 'seastead' was simply in pursuit of a vision of 'freedom'. The couple allegedly built the platform in international waters with the intent of setting up a permanent outpost outside any state territories. The structure was said to fall under the jurisdiction of no government but still inside Thailand's exclusive economic zone, local media reported. 'Seasteaders' Bitcoin Girl Thailand and Chad Elwartowski enjoying the golden beaches of Thailand. The kingdom has accused the coupe of violating its sovereignty Chad Elwartowski and 'Nadia' Supranee Thepdet posted pictures online of them sipping Champagne on their 'floating platform' off the coast of Phuket island, southern Thailand Chad Elwartowski (left) and girlfriend Supranee Thepdet (left and right) posted a series of pictures on Instagram of the couple enjoying the Thai sunshine Crypto traders are said to be leading the charge to 'establish micronations', outside known territorial borders by exploiting a loophole in international law. 'Seasteads' are permanent dwellings at sea outside the territory claimed by any government and comes from homesteading - to lead a self-sufficient lifestyle - and is a popular dream for many libertarians. It is thought Elwartowski, who was part of the first group to adopt Bitcoin and made his money trading crypo-currencies, paid $150,000 for the seastead. An official complaint was filed to a Phuket police station, colonel Nikorn Somsuk confirmed today. Police colonel Nikorn said: 'The navy and its team found a concrete tank floating on the sea but there was no one on it. So they filed a charge citing criminal code article 119.' If they are officially charged and found guilty, the maximum sentence Elwartowski and Thepdet could face is the death penalty. On Instagram Thepdet, who also goes by Nadia Summergirl, posted pictures of the couple on Thai beaches, drinking Champagne, riding on boats, and lounging on their small sea-based platform. Supranee Thepdet documented the couple's quest to build a home out at sea with pictures on social media Supranee Thepdet and her boyfriend Chad Elwartowski are facing charges that could be punishable by death over their alleged bid to build their own 'micronation' Thai navy officers inspecting a 'seastead' - a floating 'living platform' in the Andaman Sea - some 12 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket island, southern Thailand, last week She also posted on her page, which has five Bitcoins in her profile, memes about how 'seasteading' was a dream come true. Nikorn said the navy would have to meet with provincial officials 'to consider what to do next'. The Royal Thai Navy said on Facebook the couple 'did not seek permission from Thailand' before constructing their home. Putting a call out to other interested investors also shows 'they do not care about Thailand as a sovereign state'. But Elwartowski, who worked as a software engineer for the US military in Afghanistan, Germany and South Korea, added he and Thepdet just wanted to live somewhere free. He added: 'I like the idea of being able to vote with your home. If you don't like how your community is being run, you just float to a new one.' The couple now say they are on the run as the military in Thailand 'wants them dead'. Thepdet and her boyfriend are facing the death penalty over their alleged bid to launch their own 'micronation' off the coast of Thailand The couple allegedly built the platform in international waters with the intent to set up a permanent outpost out of any state territories Elwartowski told ABC 7 News: 'The Thai military wants us dead. The way things work here in Thailand is that they set the narrative in their media then execute it. 'The narrative is that we are a threat to national security and we face life in prison or death. They did not want us to survive to get our side out.' According to the Bangkok Post, the Marine Department intends to remove the seastead from the water as it will hinder ship navigation. The Bitcoin-rich couple are part of Ocean Builders, a community of entrepreneurs who aim to build permanent homes in waters outside of government territory. They had recently called for 20 interested investors for new seasteads to be built around their maiden platform, which is 'just outside of Thailand's territorial waters', said Elwartowski. On April 10, he put out a call for people to invest in an 'Initial Seastead Offering' which would have launched on April 15. Thailand's navy takes a dim view of any attempts to threaten the country's sovereignty, the kingdom's police said The 'ISeaO' is now postponed, and Elwartowski said he and Thepdet, whose English name is Nadia, just want to live together in peace. 'We didn't do anything on the seastead that was not legal on land but the feeling of being free is just amazing.' Some advocates of 'seasteading' believe in creating 'competing governments on the high seas', he said. But Ocean Builders 'never took a political stance' on the homes' purpose, he said, adding, 'that was for the customers to decide'. The couple are now said to be hiding in 'a fairly safe place'. A statement published on Monday posted on Ocean Builders' website said Elwartowski and Thepdet were not responsible for construction of the seastead. A woman who pleaded guilty to reckless driving for running over her nine-year-old son while dropping him off at school in Michigan has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail. Tiffany Kosakowski, 36, told Kent County Circuit Court in Grand Rapids that she must 'live with this for the rest of my life.' Judge Curt Benson sentenced her Thursday to 6 months in jail, with all but 30 days suspended. He called her actions 'simply inexcusable.' Scroll down for video Judge Curt Benson sentenced 36-year-old Tiffany Kosakowski Thursday to 6 months in jail, with all but 30 days suspended Kosakowski's son hung from the passenger-side front door for nearly 50 yards in December at Chandler Woods Charter Academy's parking lot in Belmont before he lost his grip and was run over. Authorities say he didn't want to stay at school. The boy survived but suffered traumatic injury to his brain and also suffered broken bones and a fractured skull, WZZM reports. Kosakowski's son hung from the passenger-side front door for nearly 50 yards in December at Chandler Woods Charter Academy's parking lot in Belmont before he lost his grip and was run over He'll need extensive physical therapy and will require constant care. John Rodriguez, the father of the woman's two children, shared that he hadn't seen his son in five years before seeing him in a coma at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. The mother had 30 letters of support but the judge questioned if she would still have that support if they knew what happened 'His head covered in wires [and] tubes, and sensors in his mouth and all over his little body,' Rodriguez added. Rodriguez said he struggled not being able to see his children. 'For years, I have struggled to describe the behavior. So unstable, so irrational and so reckless,' he said. Kosakowski is said to have told investigators that she knew her son was following her and walking besides the car, according to court documents. 'Ms. Kosakowski admitted to moving the steering wheel from left to right, then accelerating the vehicle knowing [her son] continued to be next to the vehicle,' the document stated. The mother had 30 letters of support but the judge questioned if she would still have that support if they knew what happened. 'Of the 30 people who wrote the letters, I'll be quite blunt with you - I am not sure all of them would be as supportive, if they, like I, watched the security footage of this incident which is simply inexcusable,' Benson said. Jacqueline Ades allegedly sent 159,000 text messages to a man and broke into his home after they went on a single date An Arizona woman who allegedly sent 159,000 text messages to a man and broke into his home after they went on a single date believes a jury will find her innocent. Jacqueline Ades was found mentally incompetent to stand trial in March. But she wants a jury to hear her case, believing they will even order her to marry the man. 'They're going to say, "You're not guilty and on top of it we, like, demand that you two get married,"' Ades told The Arizona Republic in a new jailhouse interview. Ades has been behind bars at the Maricopa County Estrella Jail since May 2018 after she allegedly stalked and harassed the man for 10 months. She sent him threatening text messages including one that read: 'I'd make sushi outta ur kidneys n chopsticks outta ur hand bones (sic)'. Another one read: 'Oh what would I do w ur blood! Id wanna bathe in it'. Ades and the man, who has only been identified as the CEO of a company that sells skincare and spa products, met on a dating site. Ades has been behind bars at Maricopa County Estrella Jail since May 2018 after she allegedly stalked and harassed the man for 10 months and sent him threatening texts (pictured) Ades was found mentally incompetent to stand trial in March. But she wants a jury to hear her case, believing they will even order her to marry the man She claimed that the pair met on Luxy, an online dating service that calls itself the 'best luxury millionaire matchmaker dating app'. Luxy can only be accessed by those who earn more than $200,000 or if they are voted in by other members based on their attractiveness Authorities said Ades and the man chatted on the site for a few days and then went on one date. Although the man told Ades he did not want to see her again, she allegedly began texting him incessantly - sometimes up to 500 times a day. In July 2017, she parked outside of his house. In April 2018, the man - who was out of the country - called police and said surveillance video showed that Ades was inside his home. Officers found Ades taking a bath in his home. When officers asked why she was there, she began referring to scientific equations. 'I guess that I made up a whole scenario in my head where I live here, so I came here and pretended that's what was happening,' she told them. Ades claimed that the pair met on Luxy, an online dating service that calls itself the 'best luxury millionaire matchmaker dating app' Luxy can only be accessed by those who earn more than $200,000 or if they are voted in by other members based on their attractiveness Officers also found a large butcher knife in her car at the time. After she failed to appear to multiple court hearings, Ades was arrested the following month. On the way to prison, she told officers: 'He said to me, "Go away" for the last 16 months. And I couldn't, because the more I loved him, the more I learned [about] the secrets of the universe.' Ades also told the Republic that she had been abducted by Walt Disney, who she said is a member of the Illuminati with his own spaceship. 'Does that sound crazy? It sounds like I'm crazy,' she said. 'My mom says, "They're going to put you back in Rule 11 court if you go around telling people." But this is a true story - I'm not lying.' Matthew Leathers, Ades' attorney, requested a Rule 11 hearing in January after she turned down a plea deal. Ades recently claimed she had been abducted by Walt Disney, who she said is a member of the Illuminati with his own spaceship The deal would have allowed Ades to be released from prison with time served. She would have been on probation for 10 years and forbidden from contacting the man. But Ades, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of stalking and criminal trespassing, refused the deal, claiming she thought that it wasn't real and that the man was 'testing her resolve'. Leathers said two of three mental health professionals who met with Ades found her mentally incompetent to stand trial but restorable. One ruled that she was mentally competent. An appointed psychologist is now meeting with Ades in prison in an attempt to restore her to competency. They must ensure she understands the charges against her and can assist in her own defense. In April 2018, the man - who was out of the country - called police and said surveillance video showed that Ades was inside his home. Officers found Ades taking a bath in his home Ades has continued to claim that her threatening text messages to the man were just jokes The psychologist has 21 months to either restore Ades to competency - allowing her case to go back to trial - or deem her not restorable. Ades' case will be dismissed without prejudice if she is found not to be restorable. She could then be committed to a mental institution, appointed a legal guardian, or could be released. 'I just think it's ridiculous, I can't believe that it turned into this,' Ades said. 'I can't believe that I'm actually in jail over some text messages.' Ades has continued to claim that her threatening text messages were just jokes. 'I said, "If I had a perverted imagination, what would I think?' she added. 'And then I wrote all these weird things. Just, like, I was literally playing with my imagination and it turned out that that scared him.' While Ades believes there is no way the jury would find her guilty, she said she would be fine with staying in prison if they do. She also claimed that she wouldn't contact the man if she was released from prison, because she believes he would contact her himself. Ades' next hearing is scheduled for May 21. A son and daughter of the California house of horrors couple have given emotional victim impact statements in court as their parents sobbed and were sentenced to life in prison for inflicting years of torture and abuse on their 13 children. David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise, 50, were both sentenced on Friday to life in prison with possibility of parole in 25 years after pleading guilty to neglect and abuse of 12 of their 13 children. Two of their adult children, Jennifer, 30, and Joshua, 27, read victim impact statements to the court as they spoke publicly for the first time since being freed from their filthy home in January 2018. Their parents broke down in tears as they listened to their children speak of the nightmares of being chained, beaten and starved in their home. 'My parents took my whole life from me but now I'm taking my life back,' Jennifer said shakily as she was comforted by a Labrador support dog called Raider. 'I saw my dad change my mom. They almost changed me, but I realized what was happening. 'I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad, but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket.' Scroll down for video David and Louise Turpin wept in court on Friday as two of their children spoke publicly for the first time about the abuse they endured in the California house of horrors The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning their children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles Key moments in the Turpins' emotional sentencing hearing: Their daughter Jennifer, 30, read a victim impact statement saying her 'parents took her whole life' from her Son Joshua, 27, said he still has nightmares about him and his siblings being chained up or beaten David and Louise wept as they listened to their children speaking about the abuse in public for the first time Daughter Joy defended her parents in a statement that was read out in court, saying 'our parents didn't know we were malnourished' The couple addressed the court and apologized for harming their children Judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders to prevent Turpins contacting their children from prison Judge sentenced them to life in prison with possibility of parole in 25 years Dressed in a black headband with short brown hair, a navy blue cardigan and dark jeans, the daughter revealed she was now at college and living independently. 'I love hanging out with my friends and life is great,' she said. Her brother, dressed in a grey shirt and black jeans and tie, said he still has nightmares about him and his siblings being chained up or beaten. 'That is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things that they did to us,' he said. 'I have learned so much and become very independent.' The son, who is studying to be a software engineer at college, revealed he had learned to ride a bike, swim and cook healthy meals. The couple's son also read a statement from his sister Jessica, saying: 'Although it may not have been the best way of raising us I'm glad that they did because it made me the person I am today. 'I just want to thank them for teaching me about God and faith God looks at the heart and I know he sees theirs,' she said, adding that she was now at college full-time and living in an apartment. My parents took my whole life from me but now I'm taking my life back. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket. Daughter Jennifer Turpin One of their other daughters, Joy, had a statement read to the court begging the judge to give a lighter sentence because 'they believed everything they did was to protect us.' 'I want the court to know that our parents love each other and love each of their children,' the girl's statement read. The girl wrote that her mother 'didn't want to use rope or chain' but was 'afraid' her children were 'taking in too much sugar and caffeine'. 'The reason our parents didn't stop buying the soda was because father needed it for work. He would fall asleep driving and got in an accident. They didn't know what else to do. I believe our parents feared if they asked for help they would lose their children,' she said. 'Our parents didn't know we were malnourished. They thought we all got the gene from our mother because she was so small. I remember mother saying 'God has blessed us with healthy children.' The girl asked the judge to place the parents in a detention center nearby so that she would be able to visit them and asked for a restraining order to be lifted so she could speak to them via phone. David and Louise also addressed the court and apologized for harming their children. 'I thank god for all of my children. Each one of them is a blessing from God,' David said. 'My homeschooling discipline had good intentions. I never meant any harm to come to my children. 'I hope and pray that my children can look out for each other since their mother and father cannot be there with them. I miss all my children and will be praying for them I long for the opportunity to have contact with them again.' His wife added: 'I'm sorry for everything I've done to my children. I love my children so much, I'm blessed to be the mother of each one of them. Their happiness is very important to me. 'I want them to know mom and dad are going to be okay. I believe God has a special plan for each of them... I love them more than they could ever imagine.' As they read their statements, the two Turpin children were comforted by a gold-colored Labrador support dog called Raider, brought into the court by two Corona Police Department officers David Turpin, 57, and his wife Louise, 50, were both sentenced on Friday to life in prison with possibility of parole after 25 years They were rarely allowed outside but went out on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas where David and Louise renewed their wedding vows on multiple occasions THE VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS FROM THE TURPIN CHILDREN: Jennifer Turpin: My parents took my whole life from me, but now I'm taking my life back. I'm in college now and living independently. I love eating out with my friends and life is great. I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. I saw my dad change my mom. They almost changed me, but I realized what was happening. I did everything I could to not become like them. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket. Joshua Turpin: I cannot describe in words what we went through growing up. Sometimes I still have nightmares of things that have happened, such as my siblings being chained up or beaten. But that is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things they did to us. Since January I have learned so much and become very independent. In June of last year, I learned how to ride a bike and ever since then I've been hooked and I ride everywhere, such as to school, the store, or sometimes I just go on long rides, which I enjoy so much. I live in an apartment and go to a nearby college. I'm getting a bachelor's degree in software engineering. After I get my bachelor's degree I'm going to get a job as a software engineer and go to school part time to get my master's degree. I've also learned how to advocate for myself, how to swim, how to eat healthy and prepare a balanced meal. I've also been learning how to manage money right. Jessica Turpin: (statement read by her brother) I love both my parents so much. Although it may not have been the best way of raising us, I am glad that they did because it made me the person I am today. I just want to thank them for teaching me about God and faith. I hope that they never lose their faith. God looks at the heart and I know he sees theirs. I pray often for them. I am doing well. I am going to college full time, I have an apartment and I am able to transport myself independently by bus, bike or walking. We are not supposed to necessarily understand God's will. But we are only to follow. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, my thoughts higher than your thoughts,' said the Lord, Isiah 55:9. Never lose faith. You are one of his sheep and he is constantly watching over his flock. I love you and I wanted you to know. P.S. God is all we need. Joy Turpin: (statement read by an attorney) I want the court to know that our parents love each other and love each of their children. People in Texas, even friends, said our parents were having too many children. Our parents didn't agree. They felt that God blessed them with all their children. So they kept away from the world and trusted God would guide them through life. Our mother wrote two small notes to our father. The first note reads: 'Always let god be in control of your life. We have a perfect life because God has always taken such good care of us. I am so thankful to God for this. I would love for us to pray together on a regular basis. Spend [SIC] more time with God will make our life more awesome.' The second note reads: 'Children are the most awesome gift ever. I've always known our precious and wonderful children are. When they are on their own it's even awesome. The best gifts ever.' Through the years things became more and more overwhelming but they kept trusting in God. I remember our mother sitting in our recliner crying and saying she don't [SIC] know what to do. She didn't want to use rope or chain but she was afraid her children were taking in too much sugar and caffeine. The reason our parents didn't stop buying the soda was because father needed it for work. He would fall asleep driving and got in an accident. They didn't know what else to do. I believe our parents feared if they asked for help they would lose their children. Our parents didn't know we were malnourished. They thought we all got the gene from our mother because she was so small. I remember mother saying 'God has blessed us with healthy children.' Our parents would get us pizza and Mexican food every other week, and sometimes more than once a week. Our mother would always tell us to let her know if we are still hungry and she will give us more. Their first child went to a public school. They started noticing she wasn't really learning much so mother started teaching her at home and saw a big difference. Our parents decided to start homeschooling all their children. It worked out good at first, but through the years it became very overwhelming. I believe our parents were afraid to put us in public school for many reasons. They felt that they put it on their hearts to home school. When we came to California, people treated us so much better, and people started telling us our family was a blessing. Our parents finally felt safe to start taking us out as a family. They got us annual passes to Disneyland, and took us to see the Grand Canyon, Flintstone Park, Vegas. Every year from as far back as I could remember, our parents tried to give us the nicest Christmas they could. They would get us what we wanted even if they couldn't afford it. They always tried to keep up with our birthdays every year too. Closer to the end things became more overwhelming again. I truly believe most of this was because our mother lost both her parents in 2016. I feel that 25 years is too long. I believe with all my heart that our parents tried their best to raise all 13 of us and they wanted to give us a good life. They believed everything they did was to protect us. If at all possible, I would really appreciate if the court would place our parents as close to the detention center they are in right now, so if we ever want to visit them we can. Also I want the restraining order lifted and I want to be allowed to talk to both my parents on the phone. Thank you for hearing my statement. Advertisement Judge blasts the Turpins for 'selfish, cruel and inhumane treatment' of their children In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison. The restraining orders will end at different times for each child, based on their age and whether they want to retain a relationship with their abusive parents. 'Children are indeed a gift. They're a gift to their parents, to their family, to their friends, and they're a gift to society,' Judge Schwartz told the Turpins. 'They're a gift to their parents in the sense that a parent should be joyful of firsts in their child's life. The first day of school, first job, marriage. All of those things should be enjoyed by the parent and child alike. 'But they're also a gift to society, because you don't know what a child is going to do when they've finished their schooling and seek their occupation. Maybe they'll become a scientist and discover a cure for some disease. Maybe they'll become a doctor or first responder and save someone's life. 'Maybe they'll enter the military and protect our country. Or maybe they'll just otherwise become a good citizen who makes the world a better place. 'I thank god for all of my children. Each one of them is a blessing from God. My homeschooling discipline had good intentions. I never meant any harm to come to my children. David Turpin 'The selfish, cruel and inhumane treatment of your children has deprived them, your family, friends, society and especially both of you of those gifts. Their lives have been permanently altered in their ability to learn and thrive. 'It delayed their mental, physical and emotional development. To the extent that they do thrive, and we've learnt today that a couple of them are, it will be not because of you both but in spite of you both. 'You have severed the ability to interact and raise your children, that you created and arrived to this world. 'The only reason that your punishment is less than the maximum time, in my opinion, is you accepted responsibility at an early stage in the proceedings, and spared your children the humiliation and the harm [of a trial]. 'Any punishment that is given to you today will pale in comparison with the fact that you will not have an opportunity to spend your years as a normal parent would.' The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning 12 of their 13 children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles. They were never convicted of harming their two-year-old child. Their sentencing marks the culmination of a horrific case that has played out publicly for almost 16 months after being shrouded in secrecy for decades. Louise Turpin was spotted smiling and laughing with an attorney before the sentencing proceedings got underway on Friday In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison In sentencing the couple, judge Keith Schwartz put in place restraining orders preventing the Turpins from trying to contact their children from prison Their home was neatly kept on the outside and neighbors rarely saw the children outside the home, but what was happening on the inside was a different story The years of abuse only came to light in January 2018 when David and Louise's 17-year-old daughter Jordan jumped from a window of their filthy home and called 911 on a barely workable cellphone. The brave teenager's phone call resulted in the 13 Turpin children being freed and landed their parents behind bars. Following their arrests in January last year, horrific details began to emerge of the extent of torture, abuse and neglect that the children - aged between two and 29 at the time - had endured. The 13 siblings have remained out of the public eye as their parents' case unfolded in court and they learned to adapt to normal life outside the confines of the house of horrors. The abuse and neglect was so severe it stunted their children's growth, led to muscle wasting and left two of their daughters unable to bear children. Before the 17-year-old managed to escape from the home, the Turpin family had lived largely out of view. David had been an engineer for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, while his wife Louise was listed as a housewife in a 2011 bankruptcy filing. Their home was neatly kept on the outside and neighbors rarely saw the children outside the home. But what was happening on the inside was a different story. 'I live in a family of 15 people and my parents are abusive': The chilling 911 call the brave 17-year-old daughter made after escaping In the chilling 911 call placed by the 17-year-old daughter, she informed the dispatcher that she and her siblings were being abused and that their home was so filthy she sometimes struggled to breath. The call lasted for 20 minutes because the girl struggled to work out her address because she had not been outside alone before. 'Okay, I live in a family of 15 people and my parents are abusive. They abuse us and my two little sisters right now are chained up. There's 13 kids and then a mother and a father,' she said in the 911 audio. She went on to reveal that two of her sisters and one of her brothers were tied to their beds with chains. The couple pleaded guilty in February to 14 felony counts of abusing and imprisoning their children in their home in Perris, about 70 miles east of Los Angeles The years of abuse only came to light in January 2018 when David and Louise's 17-year-old daughter Jordan jumped from a window in their filthy home and called 911 on a barely workable cellphone. She is pictured above singing in a video she managed to upload to YouTube When asked for details about her location, the girl said: 'I've never been out. I don't go out much so I don't know anything about the streets or anything.' The dispatcher then asked if anyone in the house would need to go to the hospital. 'I'm not sure. Sometimes we live in filth and sometimes I wake up and I can't breathe because because how dirty the house is,' she said. The dispatcher responded: 'When was the last time you had a bath?' 'I don't know, almost a year ago. But sometimes I feel so dirty, I wash my face and I wash my hair,' the girl said. After the dispatcher asked if anybody took medication at the house, the girl replied: 'Oh I don't know what medication is.' The 17-year-old also told the dispatcher that she and her siblings didn't attend school. 'We don't do school. Our mother tells people we're home schooled... she has a fake private school set up but we don't really do school. I haven't finished first grade and I'm 17,' she said. 'I don't know much about my mother. She doesn't like us. She doesn't spend time with us ever.' Sheriff's deputies met the girl and she led them to the house of horrors that she had described. The brave teenager's phone call resulted in the 13 Turpin children being freed and landed their parents behind bars. Pictured above is authorities leading David and Louise away from the home in handcuffs The couple were arrested in January 2018 after their 17-year-old daughter managed to escape from the home and call 911 Authorities found a 22-year-old son chained to a bed and two girls who had just been set free from their shackles. The house was covered in filth and the stench of human waste was overwhelming. The children had been deprived of food and were suffering from severe malnutrition, stunted growth and muscle wasting, including an 11-year-old girl who had arms the size of an infant. Deputies testified that the children said they were only allowed to shower once a year. They were mainly kept in their rooms except for meals, which had been reduced from three to one per day, a combination of lunch and dinner. The 17-year-old complained that she could no longer stomach peanut butter sandwiches - they made her gag. The couple also were accused of taunting their children with pies and other food that they were forbidden to eat. The children said they were beaten, caged and shackled to beds if they didn't obey their parents. During various court appearances, photos were shown of the squalid conditions inside the home including images of soiled underwear, photos of children in chains and the cramped bunk beds where they were forced to sleep. The Turpin offspring weren't allowed to play like normal children and were deprived of things other kids take for granted, including toys and games. They were rarely allowed outside but went out on Halloween and traveled as a family to Disneyland and Las Vegas. They slept during the day and were active a few hours at night. The children have remained out of the public eye since the arrest of their parents and the only glimpses of the Turpin offspring have been from old family pictures on vacation to Disneyland and Las Vegas The 13 siblings have remained out of the public eye as their parents' case unfolded in court and they learned to adapt to normal life outside the confines of the house of horrors Neighbors said they rarely saw the children and many had no idea there were youngster living in the home at all. One neighbor, Wendy Martinez, said she once saw four of the children rolling on the grass outside the home at about 9pm but didn't realize they needed help. 'They were on their knees, four little kids, and they were just rolling on the grass. It was odd at that time of night,' she said at the time of the arrests. 'Their mother was in the archway... and I said, hi. There was like no movement, not even to look over to see who's saying hi. 'No movement, like if they were told not to speak to anybody.' A former neighbor, Mike Clifford, said he had seen the children being marched in circles around their bedrooms late at night and said they had seemed 'robotic' when spoken to. 'It was military like. My wife would see two [of the girls], they looked like twins, maybe about 10 years old,' he said. 'She called them the clones. When she spoke to them, they were monotone, they spoke together. But we'd see them go to the mail and stuff. 'I guess the mother let them out to check the mail. Once a day.' The Turpin family first lived in Texas from 1992 to 2010 before relocating to California. The owners who moved into their Fort Worth home after them claim the home was left in complete squalor. They say they found scratch marks on the back of doors and that the carpet was covered in disgusting dirt stains and filth David's parents, James and Betty Turpin of West Virginia, have said their son and daughter-in-law were a deeply religious couple who home-schooled their children and required them to memorize Bible scripture. Investigators found that the toddler had not been abused by David and Louise, but all of the children were hospitalized immediately after they were discovered. The children, whose ages now range from 3 to 30, are in the care of child and adult protection agencies. The seven adult children were living together and attending school in February when their parents pleaded guilty. David and Louise Turpin had lived in a home in Fort Worth, Texas from around 1992 to 1999 before they lost it in a foreclosure and moved to California Two 14-year-old girls from Florida were arrested on Wednesday on charges of attempted conspiracy to commit murder after deputies say they drew up detailed plans to kill nine classmates. The Highland County School Board released a brief statement on Thursday confirming that two students at Avon Park Middle School were taken into custody on campus the day before. Their names are not being released because they are minors. The arrests came after a teacher at the school contacted authorities saying the girls were possibly plotting to harm other students. Two 14-year-old girls were arrested at Avon Park Middle School in Florida (pictured) on suspicion of plotting to kidnap, murder and burn nine fellow students According to the Highland County Sheriff's Office, the teacher became alarmed after discovering the hit list in a folder labelled 'private info,' 'do not open,' and 'project 11/9,' which also contained references to guns. The teacher reported that the two girls were 'hysterical' while looking for the folder that they had misplaced. The teacher later found the item they were looking for and alerted the cops. The teacher told the authorities the folder contained eight sheets of papers, which laid out the girls alleged plot to kill nine students whose full names or initials were on the hit list. According to an incident report, the papers described how the juvenile suspects would obtain firearms to kill the victims and dispose of their remains, 'specifically burning and burying their bodies.' The plans were written in great detail as to how they would lure the victims, kill the victims, and dispose of the victims' bodies, the report states. Also included in the folder were hand-written notes describing the clothing the girls would wear during the killing spree, such as gloves, and how they would look. NO NAILS and No Hair Showing from the moment we put on our clothes, one note read, reported WTSP. The teacher who foiled the alleged plot told investigators that as the girls were frantically scouring the classroom, including other students bags, in search of the lost folder, she allegedly overheard one of them tell the other: 'I'm just going to tell them it's a prank if they call me or if they find [the folder].' The suspects were taken to Juvenile Justice Facility in Bartow (pictured) after a teacher discovered a folder containing papers outlining their deadly plot The suspects were taken to the Juvenile Justice Facility in Bartow. They face nine counts each of criminal attempt to conspire a capital felony for premeditated homicide and criminal attempt to conspire a third-degree felony for kidnapping. The sheriff's office said detectives have contacted the families of all the students on the hit list. Andrew Lethbridge, deputy superintendent for Highlands County schools, issued a statement saying the threat is being taken very seriously. A parent at the school told Fox 13 that news of the girls arrests came as a shock because they both were friendly and popular in school. Shocking video footage of a police shootout in New York shows the moment a cop is shot in the arm by a gun-wielding suspect. On Thursday NYPD officers got into a shootout with a suspect in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan around 4:30pm. Two officers not in uniform initially responded to reports of a man repeatedly shooting his gun in the air. When the cops arrived to the scene, they chased down the man who was found with a gun in his hand into a nearby parking garage and backup officers were called. Shocking surveillance video captures the moment a cop (left) was hit in the arm by a gun-weilding suspect (right) during a shootout in Washington Heights, New York on Thursday In the video a NYPD officer is seen chasing down a gun-weilding suspect who runs and hides behind a car, firing three shots, one of which hits the cop in the arm Backup is called to the car lot and a cop is seen running with the injured cop to safety The 34-year-old officer who was hit was taken to St. Luke's Hospital with a non-life threatening injury and is in stable condition. He was a five and a half year veteran of the NYPD Surveillance video from the parking lot shows the tense moment a cop runs after the gun-wielding suspect, who runs behind a car. After the suspect cowers behind a parked car, he fired three shots at the officer. The 34-year-old cop was hit in the arm. Then the cop's partner pulls up in to the parking lot in an unmarked police car and shoots the suspect. The NYPD shared pictures of the gun used in the attack after it was found at the scene NYPD shared an image of this undercover cop car that the suspect fired at, creating a bullethold in the windshield A closer look at the bullet hole in the windshield of the undercover cop car pictured above 'At the same time this is happening, the officer's partner, also a 34 Precinct Anti-Crime officer, drives his unmarked police car into the parking lot,' NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill said. 'He gets out and takes a position in front of the car. One bullet fired by the suspect goes past this officer and through the windshield of the police car. This second officer then fires three rounds at the suspect,' he added. The suspect was hit in the chest and pronounced dead at the hospital and a gun was found near his body. A second suspect reportedly attempted to flee the scene through a parking lot but was later apprehended. He has been taken into custody but it's not yet clear what charges he will face. A spokesperson for the NYPD told DailyMail.com they aren't looking for any other suspects in relation to the incident. Officers from the New York Police Department were summoned to 187th Street and Wadsworth Avenue on Thursday afternoon. In the shootout a cop was hit in the arm and the suspect was shot dead by police The suspect was hit in the chest by another officer and was pronounced dead at the scene Police say a man shooting his gun in the air, accompanied by another suspect, opened fire at the attending officers, striking one in the arm The 34-year-old officer who was hit was taken to St. Luke's Hospital with a non-life threatening injury and is in stable condition. He was a five and a half year veteran of the NYPD. The gun responsible for the shooting was recovered at the scene. The NYPD shared pictures of the gun used in the attack, as well as a picture of the bullet hole that pierced the windshield of the undercover cop car. This is the second time an NYPD officer has been shot this year. Detective Brian Simonsen was shot and killed in February, after a tragic case of friendly fire in Queens. A festival that includes an event where participants simulate swimming from Manus Island to Australia has provoked outrage. An artist has arranged an event at Bleach festival on the Gold Coast which will see people collectively swim around 1,000km - the distance between Manus Island and Australia. The participants will wear island-shaped hats while they take to a swimming pool for the 'endurance act'. But Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has slammed the event, which is partly funded by the local council. People swim the distance between Manus Island and Australia while wearing island-shaped hats (pictured) in an 'endurance act' at Bleach Festival on the Gold Coast Bleach Festival takes place along the coast with bars (pictured are two participants), music, art exhibits and live performances from April 17 to April 28 'Community facilities should never be used for political grandstanding,' Cr Tate said to The Courier Mail. 'I've asked the CEO to look into this event as I don't want to see a repeat of these type of activities in future cultural programs hosted in our city venues.' The exhibit Landing by Western Australian artist Tanya Lee will be held over 24 hours from April 27 to April 28 at Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. 'Landing is a continuous relay in which the distance between Manus Island and Australia is collectively swum,' Ms Lee's website said. 'Swimmers don island shaped hats to participate in the event, like landforms moving up and down the lanes. 'Landing audiences are asked to make physical distance an embodied experience, whilst contemplating the murky waters of past and present immigration policy.' The aim is to 'hold you accountable to a range of lived experiences about home and borders and welcomes'. Western Australian artist Tanya Lee (pictured) has ruffled some feathers at the Gold Coast City Council with her refugee-themed exhibit Landing 'Swimmers don island shaped hats to participate in the event, like landforms moving up and down the lanes,' the event description said Councillor Tate said Bleach Festival had received two million dollars from the council budget in 2019. Ms Bezzina defended the festival and said Landing is artistic expression. 'We try to have a balanced program, (but) we have to let artists be artists,' she said. 'Landing is encouraging a bigger conversation about our relationship with water and new arrivals to Australia.' Landing has previously appeared Victorian and Tasmanian festivals to no backlash. The Australian Federal Police and government agencies are awash with corrupt employees who may help their gangster relatives get major drug shipments into the country, according to a bombshell report. Family or 'clan' members of gangsters are allegedly working within the AFP and state police forces to the compromise the security of the borders. The report suggests some are 'sleeper' agents who are waiting to aid illegal importation. The Australian Federal Police fear relatives of gangsters are working for government agencies to get major drug shipments into the country (stock image) The AFP intelligence report, seen by True Crime Australia, claims the people of concern are blood relatives of the employees or from the same clan, typically from Balkan nations. Enablers, cited as the 'next generation' in the report, are allegedly entering the criminal milieu. 'The effective succession plans for the continuation of 'the business' provides a seamless network for importation,' the report concludes. An AFP intelligence report revealed the national enforcement body are wary of the vulnerability of Australia's maritime industry The report also refers to concerns maritime-related trafficking of biotechnology or weapons could pose significant risks to Australian national security if not exposed. Polaris Joint Waterfront Taskforce, a multi-agency group, was created in 2010 to target crimes on the waterfront and their supply chain. Nick Bingham, a now retired NSW Police detective superintendent who was the former head of Polaris, said he was not aware of the AFP report. But working as the boss of Polaris for two years he was not surprised by alleged 'familial corruption'. The report noted the weaknesses of various importation points and their processes, from logistics to transport He said Polaris really opened his eyes 'to the corruption that was out there in relation to logistics and supply companies and some of the government agencies, or people within government agencies, that were involved.' 'There were a whole raft of people very, very small minority of people from within some of these agencies though that the syndicates need to facilitate these imports.' Budgetary restrictions eventually led to Polaris being shutdown. Daily Mail Australia has contacted AFP for comment. Mentioning German camera brand Leica was banned on Chinese social media after the company was criticized for a promotional video depicting scenes from the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The five-minute dramatisation, released this week, shows a Western news photographer covering the crackdown on pro-democracy protests in and around Beijing's Tiananmen Square three decades ago. But it has touched on a highly sensitive topic in China, where the ruling Communist Party has never declared how many people died in the protests. Discussion of the incident is censored on social media, and following the release of the video users were prevented from posting messages using Leica's English or Chinese name, with warnings that they were violating laws and regulations. The advert shows the photographer hiding and running from Chinese-speaking policemen before taking the picture that has come to symbolise the protests - the 'tank man'. The famous image shows a lone protester standing in front of a convoy of tanks to block their path. The video ends with the Leica logo. The hashtag 'Leica insulting China' surfaced on China's Twitter-like Weibo late on Thursday, before being censored. Users left hundreds of comments on Leica's official Weibo account criticising the company for the video. The video depicts a Western photographer in a Beijing hotel who runs from Chinese-speaking police when he attempts capture the shooting of student protesters in the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, a highly sensitive topic in China 'Get out of China, you are done,' one user posted. Others cheered the video as daring ahead of the 30th anniversary of the demonstrations on June 4, but the majority of posts were scrubbed from Chinese social media by Friday. Leica did not respond to several calls and emails seeking comment on the video, which included other dramatisations about news photography. However, Leica spokeswoman Emily Anderson was quoted by Hong Kong's South China Morning Post as saying the video was not an officially sanctioned marketing film commissioned by the firm. The photographer in the Leica promotional video captures the iconic 'Tank Man' image of a protester standing before a convoy of thanks in 1989 (as seen in the reflection) 'Leica Camera AG must therefore distance itself from the content shown in the video and regrets any misunderstandings or false conclusions that may have been drawn,' it quoted her as saying by email, adding that the firm had taken measures to not share the film on Leica's social media channels. The video was created by Brazilian ad agency F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi and published on its verified Twitter account on April 16 with a tweet in Portuguese that said: 'Inspired by the stories of photographers who spare no effort so that everyone can witness reality, Leica pays tribute to these brave professionals.' Advertising websites such as Ads of the World republished the video saying it was created for Leica. The ruling Communist Party has never declared how many people died in the protests (pictured) Some have suggested the video could put pressure on Chinese telecoms equipment provider Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, which uses Leica lenses in its flagship high-end phones. Huawei declined to comment while F/Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, which has previously produced videos for Leica, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Several foreign companies have been tripped up by touching on certain topics that can provoke strong public reactions in China, including calls for boycotts. Last year, companies ranging from Delta Air Lines to Muji were criticised by the Chinese government and online for the language they used to describe Taiwan, a self-ruled, democratic island that Beijing considers a wayward province. An Australian man who was wrongly jailed for 12 years over a jeweller's brutal murder has died after he was struck by a car in a hit-and-run in Los Angeles. Andrew Mallard, 56, was found guilty of killing Perth business owner Pamela Lawrence in 1994 in one Australia's worst miscarriages of justice. He spent more than a decade in jail before his conviction was quashed in the High Court in 2005, allowing him to be released the following year. Andrew Mallard (pictured), 56, was found guilty of killing Perth business owner Pamela Lawrence in 1994 in one Australia's worst miscarriages of justice Perth jeweller Pamela Lawrence (pictured) was brutally killed in her store in 1994 Mallard was killed on Thursday after being struck by a car while crossing a road at Sunset Boulevard and Formosa Avenue in Hollywood, near where his fiancee lives. The vehicle fled east on Sunset Boulevard, LA Police said in a statement. Mallard was free for only 13 years after being cleared of murder. Mrs Lawrence, a business owner in Mosman Park, Perth, was attacked at her jewellery shop on the afternoon of Monday, 23 May 1994. She was attacked sometime between 3pm and 6pm and died in an ambulance at 7pm. Mallard quickly became a suspect because a witness saw a man matching his description outside the shop. He had been released from police custody earlier that day after being arrested for breaking into his his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend's apartment and was seen arriving in Mosman Park in a taxi at around 5pm. Mallard had a history of mental illness but no history of violence. There was also no weapon, blood or DNA connecting him to the case. Two key pieces of evidence led to his conviction the first was police notes from interviews with Mallard where it was claimed Mallard had confessed. The second was 12 minutes of an 11-hour interview where Mallard was filmed speculating how Ms Lawrence may have been killed. 'He suffered injustice and spent almost 12 years in prison for something he didnt do,' his sister Jacqui Mallard (pictured far right with his mother) said Jacqui Mallard (pictured), sister of Andrew Mallard who was the man originally convicted and in the murder of Pamela Lawrence, has been left heartbroken after her brother was killed 'If Pamela Lawrence was locking the store up, maybe she came in through the back way, the front door was already locked Maybe she left the key in the back door and that's why he had easy access, and that's why she didn't hear him until he was in the store,' he told police. Mallard spent 12 years of his life sentence at Casuarina Prison in Perth before he was released in 2006. Months later a cold-case review found a palm print linking English backpacker Simon Rochford to the crime scene. The convicted murder was serving a 15 year minimum sentence for bashing his girlfriend Brigitta Dickens to death. He had four years left on his sentence when he was questioned by police in relation to mother-of-two Ms Lawrence's death. A week later he committed suicide in a West Australian prison after being publicly named as the new suspect for Ms Lawrence's murder. The following year, in 2007, a Corruption and Crime Commission inquiry found that police had withheld crucial information from Mallard's defence team, including details of an undercover operation. It also emerged that two police officers had caused witnesses to alter their statements. Mallard was granted a $3.25million compensation payment for his time behind bars after lengthy negations with the state government in 2009. English backpacker Simon Rochford (pictured left) is suspected of murdering of Pamela Lawrence in 1994. Right: Mallard Rochford (pictured) had been serving a minimum 15-year sentence for killing his girlfriend when he committed suicide - just one week after he was questioned about Ms Lawrence's murder A partial palm print was uncovered during cold case review, linking English backpacker Simon Rochford (pictured) to the crime scene He later moved to the United Kingdom, while also spending time in America. Mr Mallard's family has been left devastated by his tragic passing. 'He suffered injustice and spent almost 12 years in prison for something he didnt do,' his sister Jacqui Mallard told The Australian. 'Those years were taken from him and now his life has been taken. We are heartbroken.' WA Attorney-General John Quigley, who as a Labor backbencher had helped Australian journalist Colleen Egan and a team of pro bono lawyers overturn Mallard's conviction, expressed his condolences to Mallard's family. 'Its just fortunate that he got to spend 13 years of freedom after so much time wrongfully imprisoned,' he said. Ms Edan worked tirelessly to prove the miscarriage of justice. 'It was just a cruel twist of fate that put him on a collision course with this inquiry and it was just a matter of fact that there were police who were willing to act dishonestly,' she told ABC in 2010. 'There was a prosecutor willing to run a case that wasn't quite right, and there were three judges who refused to believe it when evidence was put in front of them, and they saw what the High Court saw.' A Paris court has dismissed a defamation case against six women who accused a former French lawmaker of sexual misconduct. Denis Baupin, 56, was ordered to pay 1,000 in damages to each of the 12 people he sued in total after he denied sexual harassment claims. In May 2016, investigative website Mediapart and radio station France Inter published and broadcast accounts from 14 women who alleged Baupin had groped, sexted or otherwise harassed them. The prominent Green Party member resigned as vice president of the lower House of Parliament after the allegations emerged but denied wrongdoing and launched a defamation lawsuit against the six women who were identified in the reports, some witnesses and journalists. Denis Baupin, a prominent Green Party member and former Paris city official, sued 12 people who claimed that he had sexually harassed several women The case had been under particular scrutiny in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Women rights activists have seen it as a test of French women's ability to speak out when they think powerful men have sexually harassed or abused them - and how journalists can report it. The court considered that the women and journalists acted in good faith, which is a defense for defamation under French law. In addition, it considered France Inter and Mediapart respected their additional obligations: the legitimacy of journalists' goals in producing a story, demonstrating an absence of personal animosity, prudence and balance, and the quality of the investigation. A Paris court has now dismissed the defamation case and ordered the former Deputy Mayor of Paris to pay damages Most of the women who spoke about Baupin's alleged behavior from 1998 to 2013 were fellow Green Party members, and outrage greeted their descriptions. Four filed criminal complaints for sexual harassment at the time. A nine-month judicial investigation ended without charges. Prosecutors said the three-year statute of limitations had expired, but released a statement saying the women's 'measured, constant statements' and witness corroboration created a set of facts to support allegations of actions that 'may for some of them be classified as criminal.' The six cleared women greeted the ruling with tears of joy and relief. A woman has claimed she used Google Maps to find the wreckage of an aeroplane that vanished without a trace while carrying five people almost 40 years ago. The anonymous plane-spotter shared a legitimate Google Maps image of an aircraft next to Mine Creek in Barrington Tops National Park in New South Wales. The location is where Flight VH-MDX vanished without a trace on August 9, 1981. The case is Australia's only unsolved civil aviation incident since World War II. Scroll down for video A woman claims she used Google Maps to find the wreckage of an aeroplane (pictured) that was carrying five people when it went missing almost 40 years ago The plane (pictured) was a single-engine Cessna 210M piloted by Ex-RAAF commercial pilot Mike Hutchins Barrington Research Group (BRG), which is dedicated to finding the missing plane, said they were aware of the image but it is not the missing plane. 'This image is a classic example of an airborne aircraft being snapped by the satellite camera,' their website said. 'An aircraft is unlikely to rest within the Barrington Wilderness Area in such a near perfect condition as shown in this image. 'The shadow of the aircraft is also visible on the ground.' BRG explained that Google Earth imagery is unlikely to detect the VH-MDX because the wreckage is beneath tree canopy and the image resolution is not high enough. Ken Price, Rhett Bosler, Noel Wildash and Phillip Pembroke (bottom four, left to right) have not been found since flight VH-MDX went missing on August 9, 1981 It comes before a renewed search for the mystery plane wreckage begins. Four friends Ken Price, Noel Wildash, Rhett Bosler and Philip Pembroke were returning to Sydney from a holiday on the Whitsunday islands on flight VH-MDX. Ex-RAAF commercial pilot Mike Hutchins was flying the single-engine Cessna 210M when it went missing. Another search for the wreckage using drones will be launched in May. Yvonne Pembroke, the widow of one the missing men, is 'intrigued that people are still trying to resolve the mystery'. 'The next expedition is in mid-May,' she said to 7News. The national park where the plane went missing is part of the Great Dividing Range, Australia's biggest mountain range. The area is known for its rugged and unspoilt mountains full of dense forests and deep gorges. The light plane went missing over Barrington Tops National Park (pictured), in New South Wales, 40 kilometres north of Newcastle Price, Wildash, Bosler and Pembroke had booked the chartered flight from Prosperine, Queensland to Bankstown Airport in Sydney. Pilot Mike Hutchins had 3,412 hours of flying experience and 28 hours with the Cessna 210. The plane refueled in Coolangatta and continued at 5.01pm on the Sunday afternoon. The flight's audio recording reveals that Hutchins ran into clouds and turbulence at 7.19pm. At 7.34pm Hutchins reported that 'we've picked up a fair amount of ice and I can just make out a few white towns on the coast' after leaving the cloud. The plane (pictured in a recreation) lost altitude due to bad weather and picking up ice after passing through a storm 'Oh hell, we just got in a downdraught now and we're down at about a thousand a minute,' he said. 'We're up and down like a yo-yo.' 'We're losing a hell of a lot of... We're down to six and a half (6,500 feet),' he later said. 'The lowest safe in that area 6,000 at this time. If you can continue heading towards the coast, towards Williamstown sir.' 'Five thou-' was the last recorded message from Hutchins 7.39pm before Air Traffic Control lost contact with him. A 10-day search after found nothing. The plane was trying to head toward Williamstown and the coast to get out of the storm but never made it Entrepreneur and former Civil Aviation Safety Authority chairman Dick Smith said in 2014 the plane was rerouted into a storm to avoid military airspace. The RAAF in effect sent these five people to their deaths,' he told Channel Seven's Sunday Night program. RAAF chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown refuted Mr Smith's claims in a statement. 'Air Force cannot speculate as to why the pilot of VH-MDX chose to not fly through Williamtown airspace, as was done by numerous other civilian aircraft at the time of the accident,' he wrote. The teen who was accused of shooting both his parents dead believes the sheriff will still try to put him in jail, even though the charges were dropped six months ago. Jesse Madison Holton, then 17, was charged with murdering his parents Mike and April Holton at their home in Eclectic, Alabama in September 2016. Mike, a former mayor of of the town, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. April, who also suffered a head wound, died in the hospital the following day. Scroll down for video Jesse Madison Holton, the Alabama teen accused of shooting both his parents dead in 2016, is speaking out for the first time in years to maintain his innocence Holton, then 17, was charged with murdering his parents Mike and April Holton (pictured all together) at their home in Eclectic, Alabama in September 2016 The charges were dropped against Holton, now 19, in October. But the teen believes Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin will still try to put him in jail. 'From everything I have been through, I have no doubt in my mind that the sheriff will try to put me back in jail,' he told Dateline in a new episode. 'I don't know why he has such a grudge against me.' 'Well, he thinks you're guilty of murder,' host Josh Mankiewicz told him. Holton was charged with first-degree murder in both of his parents deaths 'I don't think that,' the teen responded. 'He's going to think wrong for the rest of his life.' Holton continued to maintain his innocence as Mankiewicz asked if he shot either of his parents. 'You ever have your hands on that gun that day?' the Dateline host then questioned. 'No,' Holton simply responded. 'You hear any gunshots when you were on your way over to the neighbors?' Mankiewicz asked. 'No, I didn't,' Holton responded. Holton's parents called police when they arrived home one Sunday morning and discovered their son had held a party at the house the night before. Mike restrained Holton in handcuffs and called the sheriff's department. 'They obviously were trying to discipline their son, and they had had problems with him in the past,' Franklin said at the time. Mike said he would sign a juvenile warrant against his son the next day, and the deputy left on another call after collecting some evidence from the party. Mike, a former mayor of of the town, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. April, who also suffered a head wound, died in the hospital the following day Holton told investigators that his father had killed his mother before turning the gun on himself during the horrific shooting Just 11 minutes later, Holton appeared at his neighbor's house and said his parents were fighting. The neighbor called police, and the same deputy returned to the Holtons' home to find Mike dead in the master bedroom, where a 9mm semi-automatic handgun was recovered, Franklin said. April, who was near death on the bedroom floor, was put on life-support in the hospital where she died the following night. Holton's two younger siblings were placed into the care of relatives. Holton told investigators that his father had killed his mother before turning the gun on himself. The teen denied shooting either of his parents and claimed he had been handcuffed in the back. But Franklin said authorities believed Holton had slipped out of the handcuffs or managed to retrieve the key and remove them, before shooting his parents. The teen denied shooting either of his parents and claimed he had been handcuffed in the back at the time of his parents' deaths Authorities believed Holton had slipped out of the handcuffs or managed to retrieve the key and remove them, before shooting his parents 'With the angles of the wounds and the entry and exit points of the wounds, there is just no way Mike Holton could have shot himself,' Franklin said at the time. 'April suffered defensive wounds to her hands, where it appeared she threw her hands up as if shield herself. 'The bullet went through one of her fingers and then into her head. So there was no way April could have shot herself either. The 17-year-old's story just didn't add up.' At the time, Holton told investigators that he gets 'easily agitated' if he doesn't have access to marijuana and Adderall. Witnesses also told police that he had a history of anger issues. 'We are dealing with young man with a history of emotional trouble,' Franklin said at the time. 'He hasn't shown any emotion at all. Most people would be bawling their eyes out if their parents had been killed.' Holton refused to comment on the specifics of the day of the shooting, but told Dateline that his family had begun to fall apart. At the time, Holton told investigators that he gets 'easily agitated' if he doesn't have access to marijuana and Adderall. Witnesses also told police that he had a history of anger issues 'Whenever things started to fall down, it just got worse and worse,' he said. 'Could you tell there was tension in the house?' asked Mankiewicz. 'Yeah, sometimes I could,' Holton responded. 'Sometimes I couldn't. Sometimes they would be giving each other the silent treatment.' 'Sometimes they would be arguing in front of us. But most of the time it was more of, like, behind closed doors.' In October 2018, the Elmore County District Attorney Randall Houston announced that the charges against Holton had been dismissed. 'As prosecutors, our job is to find the truth and do justice,' Houston said in a statement. 'When we cannot find the truth, it is impossible to do justice.' Houston said authorities believe that either Holton killed both his parents, killed his father after Mike killed April, or that Mike killed April and then committed suicide. 'My office has reason to believe any of these three scenarios could have occurred, but we have no proof to support any of the three theories beyond a reasonable doubt,' Houston said. 'Therefore, we are ethically obligated to dismiss the murder charges against Jesse Holton.' Holton pleaded guilty to an underlying felony charge that was unrelated to his parents' death. The records have been sealed as he was granted youthful offender status. '11 Minutes' on Dateline airs Friday at 10pm/9c on NBC. Additional interviews will feature Franklin, Holton's uncle, and his former high school classmate. Hanging out of an open car door that's zooming along a main road at 45mph might seem like a stunt only Tom Cruise would attempt. But this reckless tourist proved otherwise. Footage shows the man hanging out of an open door of a hired car while he films himself driving near Corralejo in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. Footage shows the man hanging out of an open door of a hired car while he films himself driving near Corralejo in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands After the video, which has been viewed over 81,000 times on Facebook, was posted online the Civil Guard launched an investigation into the incident. According to reports, four tourists returned the Volkswagen seen in the footage to the hire company two days after the incident and replaced it with another vehicle. Police then found the new hire car, and four suspects, at a petrol station the following day. After the video, which has been viewed over 81,000 times on Facebook, was posted online the Civil Guard launched an investigation into the incident The car was travelling at 75 kph (45mph) according to local media outlets. The local authorities have reportedly charged the driver of the vehicle, a Spanish national with the initials AMM who is holidaying with pals in the Canary Islands, with dangerous driving. Meanwhile, the Spanish man in the passenger seat seen hanging out of the car has been charged with not wearing a seat belt and opening the car door while in motion, according to local media. Both men will appear before a judge today to find out what penalty they will receive. New details in the Mueller report reveal that a Maltese professor who offered dirt to George Papadopoulos had contacts with a Russian troll farm, made false statements, and may have been in a 'relationship' with a woman he introduced to the Trump advisor. Papadopoulos, 31, also lied making it harder for investigators to untangle the bizarre chain of events. When they met in London in March 2016, Maltese born professor Joseph Mifsud introduced Papadopoulos, a new Trump foreign policy advisor, to his associate Olga Polonskaya. He also introduced Papadopoulos to Ivan Timofeev of the Russian International Affairs Council. Joseph Mifsud had a contact with a former employee of a Russian troll far, and may have been in an relationship with a woman he introduced to George Papadopoulos Mifsud introduced Polonskaya as a former student who had 'connections to Vladimir Putin,' according to the special counsel although Papadopoulos understood she may have been Putin's niece. Both Papadopoulos and Mifsud told things to investigators that weren't true, but Mifsud also appears to have concealed things from Papadopoulos. Among them, that he 'may have been in a relationship' with Polonskaya. He didn't tell investigators that he had drafted or edited a follow-up message after he made the introduction. However his message to Polonskaya in the email chain 'Baby, thank you!' indicated 'Mifsud may have been involved in a personal relationship with Polonskaya at the time.' Former Donald Trump presidential campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos spent 12 days in prison after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI Papadopoulos repeatedly contacted the Trump campaign about a potential Trump-Putin meeting that never happened Simona Mangiante (C), wife of former Trump campaign foreign affairs advisor George Papadopoulos (R), arrives in the Hart Senate Office Building March 11, 2019 in Washington, DC. Mangiante is scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee in a closed hearing In this April 19, 2016, file photo, released by Valdai Club foundation, shows Ivan Timofeev, right, and Joseph Mifsud, attend the Valdai Discussion Club Conference following the results of the closed-door Iran-Russia discussion in Moscow, Russia The Mueller report says omissions and falsehoods by Papadopoulos and Mifsud hampered the investigation The false statements by Papadopoulos and Mifsud had an impact on the probe. 'The false information and omissions in Papadopoulos's January 2017 interview undermined investigators' ability to challenge Mifsud when he made these inaccurate statements,' investigators said. Papadopoulos ended up serving 12 days in jail for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Mifsud. The contact is among numerous threads of the Mueller team sought to untangle of Russian efforts to approach Trump campaign officials. 'During the interview, Papadopoulos lied about the timing, extent, and nature of his communications with Joseph Mifsud, Olga Polonskaya, and Ivan Timofeev,' according to the report. Although the White House would write off Papadopoulos as a low-level official, he followed up with the Trump camp after his meeting and repeatedly touted his Russia contacts thereafter. The subject heading of his first email was: "Meeting with Russian leadership--including Putin.' 'I just finished a very productive lunch with a good friend of mine, Joseph Mifsud, the director of the London Academy of Diplomacy who introduced me to both Putin's niece and the Russian Ambassador in London who also acts as the Deputy Foreign Minister,' Papadopoulos wrote. 'They said the leadership, including Putin, is ready to meet with us and Mr. Trump should there be interest,' he added. However, as the report noted: 'Papadopoulos's statements to the Campaign were false. As noted above, the woman he met was not Putin's niece, he had not met the Russian Ambassador in London, and the Ambassador did not also serve as Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister.' His internet search history reveals he tried to run down the false information about Mifsud's associate being Putin's niece. He searched terms including 'putin's niece,' 'olga putin,' and 'russian president niece olga', among other terms, according to the report. The efforts to arrange a Trump-Putin meeting extended through the spring and summer. 'Throughout that period of time and for several months thereafter, Papadopoulos worked with Mifsud and two Russian nationals to arrange a meeting between the Campaign and the Russian government. No meeting took place. A section of the report that contains multiple redactions lays out 'various Russian contacts' including a former employee of a Russian troll farm, the Internet Research Agency, that carried out election hacking. 'Mifsud is a Maltese national who worked as a professor at the London Academy of Diplomacy in London, England,' according to the report. 'Among his contacts was [redacted] a one-time employee of the IRA, the entity that carried out the Russian social media campaign (see Volume I Section II, supra). In January and February 2016, Mifsud and [redacted] discussed [redacted] possibly meeting in Russia. The investigation did not identify evidence of them meeting. Later, in the spring of 2016, [redacted] was also in contact [redacted] that was linked to an employee of the Russian Ministry of Defense, and that account had overlapping contacts with a group of Russian military controlled Facebook accounts that included accounts used to promote the DCLeaks releases in the course of the GRU's hack-and-release operations (see Volume I, Section III.B.1, supra).' Papadopoulos blasted the report in an interview with Fox News on Thursday. There was no collusion and of course I wasn't colluding because I have never met a Russian official in my entire life. Let alone on the campaign or the transition team, Papadopoulos told the network. I was actually really impressed and quite frankly shocked that told the truth about why I was illicitly targeted and it really had nothing to do with Russia. It had to do with my ties to Israel, he said. Now, this is why this is really important. Because if I was targeted for my ties to Israel, and I had all these various spies approaching me while I was just joining the campaign and they were discussing Israel with me ... I think that's very disturbing and probably is going to reveal quite frankly how this entire investigation started,' he said. Papadopoulos said of Mifsud: 'Quite comically the guy at the epicenter of this fake collusion story Joseph Mifsud was outed yesterday by the Italians living next to the U.S. Embassy for the last year, he said, without further explanation. According to the report, which cites contrary evidence, Mifsud 'denied that he had advance knowledge that Russia was in possession of emails damaging to candidate Clinton, stating that he and Papadopoulos had discussed cybersecurity and hacking as a larger issue and that Papadopoulos must have misunderstood their conversation.' A Pennsylvania teacher who wrote 'absolutely pathetic' on a second-grader's test is facing calls to be fired after the boy's father shared her remarks on Facebook. Chris Piland posted a photo of his son Kamdyn's math test on Facebook on Tuesday as he slammed the Valley View Elementary School teacher for her comments. The teacher, identified as Alyssa Rupp Bohenek, had written the remarks across the top of the boy's test with a red pen. 'Absolutely pathetic he answered 13 in 3 min! Sad,' she wrote alongside an image of a sad face that she drew. Chris Piland posted a photo of his son Kamdyn's math test on Facebook on Tuesday as he slammed the Pennsylvania Valley View Elementary School teacher for her comments The test included 60 subtraction problems and students were meant to answer as many as they could in three minutes. Piland uploaded a copy of the test after his son brought it home. 'My son Kamdyn's teacher has been so rude to him and myself all year. He comes home with this and I am beyond frustrated that someone would write this on a child's work. Such great motivation,' he wrote alongside the photo. His post gained traction on Facebook and a petition soon started circulating called for the Valley View School District to fire the teacher. The Change.org petition had been signed almost 10,000 times by Friday morning. A Change.org petition calling for the teacher to be fired had been signed almost 10,000 times by Friday morning The school district said they were were looking into the incident at Valley View Elementary School in Pennsylvania School superintendent Rose Minniti said she was made aware of the test on Tuesday and the district has already met with Bohenek to investigate. 'It's a personnel issue and the results of that are not going to be dictated by social media,' Minniti said. 'It's going to be dictated by the facts and evidence. 'As always with everything, we're going to try to do what's best for the students and what we need to do for the employee under investigation.' Bohenek has been working as an elementary school teacher since 2013. A kindhearted police officer took a suspect to a job interview after pulling him over for driving without a licence - and the man ended up getting the job. Officer Roger Gemoules stopped driver Ka'Shawn Baldwin in Cahokia, Illinois, for driving with expired plates. Baldwin then told the officer that he didn't have a valid licence either, but had no choice but to drive the borrowed car because he desperately needed the job. Officer Gemoules was sympathetic, and didn't give Baldwin a ticket, but could not legally allow him to continue the journey without a licence. So he did the next best thing and drove him to the interview himself. And it really was Baldwin's lucky day, because he ended up getting the job at a FedEx facility, where he was hired as a package handler. A kindhearted police officer who took a suspect to a job interview after pulling him over for driving without a licence is being heaped with praise, after the man landed the job. Down-on-his-luck driver Ka'Shawn Baldwin told Officer Roger Gemoules that he didn't have a valid licence but had no choice because he desperately needed a job The work is a second job for Baldwin, who already holds a job at McDonald's, despite the fact his bus trip to work takes about 90 minutes. 'He was polite when I pulled him over, and seemed like a good young man and I want to give him a chance. If I gave him bunch of tickets and towed his car in, it would be tough for him to recover from,' Gemoules told WTHR13. Baldwin said the second job will allow him to make money to get his license back, buy a car and, hopefully, a new home. 'I would like to thank Officer Gemoules for showing compassion and being a great example of how community oriented policing actually works,' Francella Jackson, the assistant to Cahokia's mayor, wrote. A statement shared by the Cahokia police department said: 'Officer Roger Gemoules pulled a vehicle over yesterday that had expired plates. Gemoules drove Baldwin to the intervew at a FedEx facility, where he was hired as a package handler. The work is a second job for Baldwin, who already holds a job at McDonalds, despite the fact his bus trip to work takes about 90 minutes 'The occupant of the car also did not have a valid driver's license, etc. He told Officer Gemoules that he had a job interview and didn't have any way of getting there and that's why he was driving illegally. 'Instead of issuing him a ticket, Officer Gemoules took him to his interview AND HE GOT THE JOB! On behalf of Mayor Curtis McCall Jr., I would like to thank Officer Gemoules for showing compassion and being a great example of how community oriented policing actually works.' Residents on the local community Facebook page were quick to praise the officer for his actions. Maureen Williams said: 'God is going to bless you for your demonstration of compassion.' Stanley W. Franklin wrote: 'What a great story! I want to congratulate Officer Germoules for demonstrating how Community Oriented Policing works.' Walter Hill added: 'This is the type of compassion for the people that Officers must possess to change a young persons life!!!' Jerell Manson, 22, used a dating site to meet the woman A man who allegedly raped a woman, after using a dating site to persuade her to meet him, has been arrested by police who used his own tactic against him. Jerell Manson, 22, met the woman on Plenty of Fish before enticing her to travel from Philadelphia to New Jersey. He then drove her to the remote area of Cinnaminson, attacked her and tossed her out of his car while keeping some of her personal items, including her driver's license, phone and keys. Cinnaminson police then went on the dating site, contacted Manson while posing as another 'date', and lured him back to the area. When he arrived on Wednesday, they arrested him and searched his car, finding the victim's license. They say they also suspect Manson of a sex assault committed under similar circumstances in Edgewater Park, New Jersey last year. A statement by Cinnaminson Police Chief Richard Calabrese revealed that a detective interviewed the victim in a local hospital shortly after she flagged down a passing driver and asked for help following the attack. The victim told detective Geoffey Chiumento that she met Manson at about 7.30pm after they connected on Plenty of Fish. He used the site Plenty of Fish to meet the woman, before police used the site to track him down He convinced her to get in his car before driving into a wooded area and raping her. Police found some of her belongings near the scene, which they say Manson threw out of the car as he drove away. Manson is now being held in the Burlington County jail on a sexual assault by force charge. Jerrell Manson, 22, was arrested Thursday in an undercover sting on a charge of second-degree sexual assault in New Jersey A New Jersey man was arrested on Wednesday accused of sexually assaulting a Philadelphia woman he contacted through a dating app, which police then used to snare the suspect. The Cinnaminson Township police apprehended 22-year-old Jerrell Manson, who was charged with second-degree sexual assault stemming from an incident that took place on Monday night. The alleged victim told investigators that she was lured to Cinnaminson by Manson on the dating app POF, formerly known as Plenty Of Fish. According to the police, Manson met the woman in the East Riverton neighborhood and convinced her to get into his vehicle under false pretenses. The suspect, from Roebling, New Jersey, then allegedly drove the woman to a secluded location and forced her to have sex with him. A Philadelphia resident told police she was lured to Cinnaminson, New Jersey, by Manson on the dating app POF, formerly known as Plenty Of Fish (logo pictured) A statement from the police says that following the assault, Manson threw the victim out of his car and abandoned her in a wooded area before driving off with her cell phone, keys, and identification. The victim was able to flag down a passerby and called 911 for help. She was then taken to a hospital for treatment. Cinnaminson police detective Geoffrey Chiumento later interviewed the victim in the hospital and was able to get the location of the suspected rape. A subsequent search of the area at the intersection of Taylors Lane and River Road turned up some of the victims personal belongings, which police say Manson had discarded as he fled. Following the alleged Monday night rape, police were able to retrieve some of the victim's personal belongings from the intersection of Taylors Lane and River Road (pictured) Two days later, police identified Manson through his dating app profile and were able to lure him back to Cinnaminson by making him think he was meeting another woman there. As soon as he arrived at the agreed-upon meeting location, he was surrounded by undercover officers and arrested. When police searched Mansons car, they reportedly found the drivers license of the alleged rape victim. Investigators say Manson is also suspected of another unsolved sexual assault that occurred in Edgewater Park under similar circumstances last year. Manson is currently being held in the Burlington County jail pending a detention hearing. Illinois police joined forces with the FBI on Thursday in the search for a missing five-year-old boy. Andrew 'AJ' Freund was last seen at home on the 0-100 block of Dole Avenue on Wednesday around 9pm when his parents say he went to bed. They claim that he had vanished when they awoke on Thursday morning. A Missing & Exploited Children's poster stated he was last seen wearing a blue Mario sweatshirt, black sweatpants and green Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shoes. Scroll down for video Andrew 'AJ' Freund, 5, was reported missing on Thursday morning after his parents claim they put him to bed. He was gone the next day The little boy is approximately 3'05', weighs 70 pounds and has short, blond hair Freund was last seen at his Dole Avenue home. Shocked neighbors say it's a safe area Law enforcement said they did not send out an Amber Alert when he was first reported missing as there was no evidence to suggest he had been kidnapped from the home. The Crystal Lake Police Department said Thursday afternoon it was still investigating the circumstances surrounding the child's disappearance. His parents were reported to be with police Thursday morning. Teams used side scan sonar equipment to search Crystal Lake in the hunt for the vanished child. Boats were seen east of Main Beach on the southeast area of the lake as a helicopter hovered overhead. Canines roamed the neighborhood around 5pm and FBI members were spotted taking items from Freund's residence at around 6.30pm. The areas were part of what they considered a crime scene. Crystal Lake Police said it is still investigating the circumstances surrounding the child's disappearance and the vanished boy's parents were reported to be with them Thursday 'We have no further information available at this time,' police said in a statement Thursday 'We have no further information available at this time,' police said in a statement Thursday. 'We encourage anyone who may have information relating to this child's location to contact the Crystal Lake Police Department.' The child is approximately 3ft 5in, weighs 70 pounds, with short, blond hair. Recent pictures show him smiling. 'We don't know if he wandered out. That was the first thought - did he wander out? But nobody's seen him, so nobody has any clue whatsoever,' neighbor Janelle Butler told ABC News. Butler added to the Chicago Tribune that the boy's parents also have a three-year-old so but didn't know much else about the family. 'They really keep to themselves,' she said. Dogs were seen sniffing for the child's scent on Thursday as police investigated the area Back yards, garages and garbage cans were searched on Thursday after the child vanished Calling the situation 'heartbreaking,' Butler said that the 'neighborhood is extremely safe' and anyone out walking their dog would have notified police if they saw the boy wandering around. Butler first learned the child was missing around 8am on Thursday when cops searched backyards, garages and garbage cans. Neighbors sometimes saw Freund playing outside. Other shocked neighbors joined the hunt, saying they didn't expect something like this to happen in their area. Anyone with information can contact 815-356-3620. In addition, anyone with a cell phone can send an anonymous tip to the Crystal Lake Police Department by texting the word CLPDTIP along with the tip information to 847411 (tip411). Normal text messaging rates apply. Teams used side scan sonar equipment to search Crystal Lake in the hunt for the child Texas police have resorted to using kindergarten lessons on drivers who stray over the lines while parking and encroach on handicap spots. Southlake Police Department officer Brad Uptmore told NBC DFW that a pet peeve of his is seeing cars that have strayed into empty handicap parking spots, prompting him to come up with a novel way to remind drivers to pay more attention in the future. A now viral Southland PDS Facebook post showcases Uptmore's handiwork: A piece of paper bearing a black and white outline of the police department badge and a chiding message. He left the note tucked against the windshield of a large truck that has been parked about a wheel's distance over into the neighboring wheelchair spot. Texas' Southlake DPS's Facebook post featured a colorful lesson on the importance of parking mindfully and not encroaching on handicap parking spots The coloring lesson was tucked against the windshield of this truck that clearly missed the line and was a wheel's distance inside the neighboring handicap parking spot The note reads: 'We noticed you had a little trouble staying in the lines when you parked next to a handicapped space... 'Maybe if you practice coloring our patch and staying in the lines here, it could help you avoid citations in the future?' The Facebook message accompanying the trio of images admits that, 'We try to avoid snark and sass (we REALLY do), but sometimes our fair citizens make it hard. Please stay in the lines when you park ESPECIALLY if it's next to a handicapped spot or you might be the recipient of one of our new fliers. 'Be kind and drive kind and park kind! Let this graphic be an attention grabbing example so we don't have to end up going to FedEx Kinko's and making like thousands of copies of these.' Southlake Police Department officer Brad Uptmore (left) said that such careless parking was a pet peeve of his, which prompted him to come up with the chiding color page (right) Uptmore told the news station that the note is meant to remind people not to be so selfish. 'Oh I'm just over an inch or oh I'm only going to be in the store for five seconds, well it's not all about me, me, me. We need to focus on how can we help others,' Uptmore said. The driver of the truck appears to have had a lucky day, receiving the social media attention rather than what could have been a $200 fine, Fox News reported. This is the joyous moment a playful elephant joins in and dances as a pianist plays a tune. Peter the elephant, who lives at the Royal Elephant Kraal Village in Thailand, spontaneously joined in with a pianist playing a 12-bar blues song with his trunk. Footage shows Peter use his trunk to hit the piano keys and play along with the pianist, Paul Barton. Peter the playful elephant was caught on camera joining in as pianist Paul Barton played an upbeat tune for in an elephant village in Thailand As Peter gets into the swing of things he starts to bob his head up and down while the elephant next to him wiggles its bottom Elephants are usually more relaxed and playful in the cooler times of the early evening before nightfall. When Peter really gets into his groove he starts bobbing his head in time with the music while the elephant next to him starts to wiggle its bottom. Peter has also been known to try and join in when Mr Barton played the clarinet for the elephants who live in the village. Peter's 'mahout' - a person that devotes their life to looking after an elephant - called Pat can be seen standing next to him. Pat occasionally strokes Peter's face in an attempt to remind him not to get too carried away and smash the piano keys with his heavy trunk. Elephants are known to be very creative and can even be trained to paint pictures on canvas. In 2000 conservationist Richard Lair put together an elephant 'orchestra' which saw 16 elephants play specially developed instruments like steel drums and even harmonicas. Two Saudi sisters who fled their home country over the kingdom's treatment of women say they were treated 'like slaves'. Wafa al-Subaie, 25, and Maha al-Subaie, 28, and fled the ultra-conservative country for the former Soviet republic of Georgia, claiming they could be killed if they are dragged back to their homeland. They appealed for international protection earlier this week saying their lives would be at risk and were offered help from Georgia yesterday. The pair had taken to Twitter on Wednesday saying they had arrived in Georgia and needed help from the international community to find a new country to call home. Currently under protection in a shelter, the sisters are worried their family are in the country trying to track them down as Saudis do not need visas to enter Georgia. Wafa (left) and Maha (right) al-Subaie spoke to Georgian television about their bid to get away from the oppressive regime in Saudi Arabia The sisters (Maha, left, and Wafa, right) told of their fears of being tracked down by their family in Georgia via Twitter Both sisters said they had become stranded in Georgia after the Saudi government suspended their passports, as members of their family had come looking for them. Now they want to get safe passage to a third country and are appealing to the UN for help. Wafa al-Subaie said in a video posted on Twitter: 'My father and brothers arrived in Georgia and they are looking for us. We fled oppression from our family because the laws in Saudi Arabia are too week to protect us.' Wafa al-Subaie posted a video on Twitter describing how her father and brothers were in Georgia looking for both sisters Speaking to local media Wafa described how they were forced to wear face coverings in Saudi Arabia, such as a niqab and were 'treated like slaves'. She told Rustavi 2 TV: 'We have to cover our face, we have to cook...like slaves. We don't want this, we want real life, our life. 'We need your support, we want protection, we want a country that will welcome us and protect our rights. 'Georgia is a small country and anyone from our family can come and track us down, our family threaten us every day in our country.' The pair fled the 'guardianship' system in Saudi Arabia in which women are forced to get permission from a male relative if they want to work, marry or travel. Rights groups say the system can trap women and girls as prisoners of abusive families, and the sisters are not the first Saudi women to seek urgent refuge outside their homeland. Using their Twitter account 'GeorgiaSisters' they allege their father and brothers are now in the country trying to hunt them down. In a video posted to their Twitter account, Wafa says: 'My father and brothers arrived in Georgia and they are looking for us. 'We fled oppression from our family because the laws in Saudi Arabia are too weak to protect us. We are seeking the UNHCR protection in order to be taken to a safe country. Please help us to survive.' Maha al-Subaie, 28, (left) and Wafa al-Subaie, 25, (right) showed their passport documents online with them wearing Islamic headdress In another video, Maha says: 'We want your protection. We want a country that welcomes us and protects our rights.' The sisters claim they are in grave danger, writing: 'This is us we had to show our faces so if something happened to us people would remember us if that didn't help us it may help other Saudi girls in the future.' They say the Saudi authorities have suspended their passports and they have no way to travel out of Georgia. Their case is the latest to draw attention to Saudi Arabia's strict social rules on women. Rahaf al-Qunun showed photos of herself barricaded within an airport hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand Saudi Arabia has detained at least ten women and seven men in a crackdown against dissidents last May on 'national security' allegations related to their human rights work. In one reported instance, one of the activists was made to hang from the ceiling, and according to another statement, one of the detained women was reportedly subjected to sexual harassment, by interrogators wearing face masks. Those detained in the notorious Dhahban Prison include Loujain al-Hathloul, Iman al-Nafjan, Aziza al-Yousef, Samar Badawi, Nassima al-Sada, Mohammad al-Rabe'a and Dr Ibrahim al-Modeimigh. In January, 18-year-old Saudi Rahaf al-Qunun was granted asylum to Canada after posting on Twitter how she had barricaded herself within a Bangkok hotel room. After using Twitter to document her plight she garnered worldwide attention and the sympathy of Canadian authorities. Her family denied any abuse, but Ms al-Qunun refused to meet her father and brother who arrived in Thailand to try and fetch the teen. Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters at the airport: 'This is Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun a very brave new Canadian.' But the strategy is extremely risky, as was shown by the case of Dina Ali Lasloom, 24, who tried to board a plane to Australia from Manila in the Philippines. She publicly pleaded for help through a social media video but was ultimately forced back on a plane home by her uncles. The Saudi embassy in Manila issued a statement at the time, calling the case a family matter and saying that Ms Lasloom had returned with her relatives to her homeland. Advertisement Thousands of veterans demonstrated today in protest of the prosecution of 'Soldier F' - who faces murder charges over the Bloody Sunday shootings. The march in central London, organised by the Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans group, is to voice opposition for the pending prosecution of Soldier F - which is the code name for the only serviceman set to stand trial for the massacre, which took place at the height of the Troubles. Soldier F is one of 17 former members of the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment who were investigated over the violence which left 13 people dead in Londonderry in 1972. The Crown Prosecution Service announced last month that the man, whose identity is being protected, is to face prosecution for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney. Critics of the prosecution have pointed out that roughly 200 IRA fugitives, thought to be behind a series of terror attacks during the Troubles, were sent so-called 'comfort letters', assuring them they were no longer suspects. Thousands of demonstrators were seen in London today to show solidarity with the anonymous soldier. Among them was UKIP leader Gerard Batten. Thousands of veterans demonstrated in London today to protest the prosecution of 'Soldier F' (pictured: Veterans at The Mall in central London) UKIP leader Gerard Batten was seen at the front of the march - which was organised by the Justice for Northern Ireland Veterans group Soldier F is the code name for the serviceman who is facing prosecution for the 1972 Bloody Sunday massacre in Londonderry (pictured: A speech during today's march) Soldier F is the only one set to stand trial for the massacre, which took place at the height of the Troubles. Pictured left: Paratroopers at the rally. Right: Demonstrators wave flags during a speech at the protest) The Crown Prosecution Service announced last month that the man, whose identity is being protected, is to face prosecution for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney (pictured: Protesters wave flags in central London) Thousands of demonstrators were seen in London today to show solidarity with the anonymous soldier (pictured: The back of a shirt worn by one of the demonstrators) One Paratrooper is seen raising a flask during the demonstration to oppose the prosecution of Soldier F in London today Protesters wearing yellow vests with slogans such as 'ordinary people have voices' and 'stop ignoring us' appeared at the rally, left. Right: Demonstrators wearing the distinctive Paratrooper headwear protest in London Pictured: A protester wearing a yellow high-visibility vest, similar to those worn in French protests, with slogans such as 'sick of being downtrodden' written on it Virginia Governor Ralph Northam on Thursday called for the removal of a 50-foot arch at Fort Monroe that honors the former president of the Confederacy - two months after a blackface scandal nearly ended his time in office. The Daily Press reported that Northam's office presented a letter to the Fort Monroe Authority Board of Trustees supporting removal of the Jefferson Davis Memorial Arch, which was built near to where the first enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia some 400 years ago. The board's eight members voted unanimously for the structure's removal, though this is likely to be a long process because Fort Monroe is designated a national historic landmark. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam asked for the removal of Jefferson Davis Memorial Arch Thursday The official presented a letter to Fort Monroe Authority Board of Trustees, which unanimously voted in support of the removal of the structure from the park at Bernard and Ruckman road Northam initially apologized for appearing a racist yearbook photograph from the 1980s. However, he later denied being in the picture of a man wearing blackface and another in KKK robes, though he did admit to wearing blackface on a different occasion The wrought-iron structure was built on a peninsula named Old Point Comfort in 1956 by the Army. It went up at Bernard and Ruckman road where the first enslaved Africans arrived in 1619 with a $10,000 grant from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Slaves sought their freedom at the Union outpost there during the Civil War. The Board of Trustees' Chief of Staff Clark Mercer relayed in the meeting that Northam's letter said putting the arch in that particular place had an 'adverse effect'. Mercer read that Northam said: 'This process will require a detailed review along with significant public engagement. I believe it is appropriate. 'I feel strongly that a memorial glorifying the President of the Confederacy has no place here, especially given our efforts this year to commemorate the 400th anniversary of enslaved Africans landing at Old Point Comfort. Northam said in a letter the Confederate structure has no place there. He is pictured greeting members of the Richmond 34 and other African-American leaders on February 22 The structure was built 1956 at the place where the first enslaved Africans arrived in Virginia 400 years ago. It was built to honor the former president of the Confederacy The United Daughters of the Confederacy provided $10,000 for the Army to build it. It could be a long process to remove as the arch is built on Old Point Comfort, the national historic landmark where slaves fought for freedom during the Civil War Northam this week pulled out of an event where he would have faced protesters for wearing blackface as a young man. The Washington Post reported that Northam cited safety concerns for cancelling his appearance at a Sunday fundraiser for a Democratic state senator in northern Virginia. The protesters were assembled in Burke by the Fairfax County NAACP and the state Republican Party. Northam admitted in a February press conference to wearing blackface while portraying Michael Jackson at a dance party in the 1980s Northam faced calls to step down in February after a racist photo surfaced from his 1984 medical school year book. It included a photo of a person in blackface standing next to someone wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit. At first he apologized but Northam now denies being in that photo. However he has admitted to wearing blackface while portraying Michael Jackson at a dance party in the 1980s. A powerful criminal cartel in Mexico is suspected of kidnapping five young men in the western state of Jalisco, holding them hostage for five days and cutting off one of their fingers before their released on Tuesday. Aged between 18 and 25, the victims told the State Attorney General's office that they were at a residence in the town of Tlajomulco de Zuniga when a group of armed and masked men burst ion to the Los Encinos housing complex on April 10. The suspects overpowered the group, tied their hands up and blindfolded each one of them before they were driven to an undisclosed hideout. The men say they were beaten throughout their five days in captivity. None of the victims have been identified by authorities. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES Five young men were kidnapped and then freed almost a week later in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. Pictured are two of the victims whose right index fingers were cut off The captors then cut an index finger off each of their captees before setting them free near the La Concha complex in the same town on Tuesday evening. Four of the victims lost a finger on their right hand. The wounded men then boarded a taxi and were dropped off at the respective homes before they checked themselves into a local hospital for treatment. No arrests have been made as authorities continued to investigate the crime. At least four of the kidnap victims had each of their index fingers cut off after they were kidnapped last week and released Tuesday According to La Opinion, Jalisco is controlled by the New Jalisco Generation Cartel, which is suspected of the crime. Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera-Cervantes was once an ally of El Chapo and El Mayo. His group, the New Jalisco Generation Cartel, rose to power in 2018 to become the most powerful cartel in Mexico The criminal syndicate rose to power in 2018 and is considered to be the strongest faction in all of Mexico. The gang is led by Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera Cervantes, who is being sought for arrested by Mexican and U.S. authorities. El Mencho is one of the 10 most-wanted men on the FBI's list and the U.S. Department of Justice is offering a $10million reward for his capture. The New Jalisco Generation Cartel is currently at war with the Sinaloa Cartel, which was once headed by Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman; Zetas Old School and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, which has a major control the illicit sale of gasoline in Mexico. A PE teacher in Utah faces charges of child abuse after he was caught on camera slamming a 14-year old boy into a wall and then pushing him to the ground in the school gym on Thursday. Anthony Robbie Chidester, 40, from Eagle Mountain charter school, faces one count of child abuse, but claimed in a statement that he did it because he students relentlessly bully him. Surveillance video coupled with color footage from a student's cell phone video shows what happened in the gym and hallway at the school. In the short clip, the teacher can be seen grabbing an unidentified boy, 14, and pushing him against the wall before dragging him to the floor. Anthony Robbie Chidester, 40, was fired after allegedly shoving a student into a wall and then throwing them to the floor Other students then rush towards the pair and surround them. Dillan Bunker, a classmate of the victim, said it all began after a girl in his PE class received a phone call. 'The teacher grabbed for the phone and elbowed her in the face,' Bunker said to Fox13. '[The student] thought it was on purpose, and he stood up and was like, 'Hey don't do that.'' Although the gym class went ahead as normal, as the balls were being put away there was an interaction between Chidester and a male student followed by the alleged assault. 'He's dribbling the ball, right, and the teacher goes "Give it to me. And stop dribbling it, Bunker said. '[The student] goes "I'm putting it away, like you said. And he goes, "Stop dribbling it. So [the student] puts it in the closet. And the teacher grabs him, flips him around, into like a little hallway. Surveillance footage and cellphone video shows a student being thrown to the ground The footage shows the student being pushed against a wall and the student fighting back Students nearby then rushed to help their classmate under attack 'The teacher grabbed him, slammed him against the wall. Then he picked the student up, and slammed him onto the floor,' Bunker added. At one point the teacher appears to put his hands around the student's neck. 'The whole class tried to get Chidester off the student, but the teacher just lost his cool and flipped out,' Bunker said. The student was bruised and scraped in the incident, suffering minor injuries to his neck and shoulder, but was was otherwise reportedly unharmed. After being thrown against a wall, footage shows the student being slammed to the ground Some of the assault was captured on a student cellphone from a different angle Rockwell Charter High School have since fired Chidester and provided statements to the Utah County Sheriff's Office. Faced with the video evidence, Chidester has since admitted what he did and acknowledged that it was inappropriate. The child abuse charge is a Class A misdemeanor. Administrators asked the gym teacher to leave the school after learning of the incident however he is listed on the schools website as a physical education/health teacher. The alleged assault appears to have only ended after other students dragged the teacher away Chidester has since released a statement about his outburst claiming he was the one being bullied: 'I am absolutely mortified by this experience and truly sorry for my actions. I am so sorry to the young man and his family and feel just gutted from this experience. I allowed an incident of disrespect, bullying, teasing and insubordination from a student to escalate. 'As an educator I have been bullied, I have been threatened with physical harm, told to F-off on a daily basis, teased that I am powerless, told that I am worthless, had balls and weights thrown at me. Students have touched my legs and pulled the hair out of my calves and filmed me while I taught and mocked me. 'Again this in no way excuses my behavior, and I truly am sorry for my actions, but I don't think people realize the conditions that we have to teach in. I am completely heartbroken because have loved my opportunity to teach. He will appear in court sometime in the next few weeks. Federal Judge Linda Parker determined that Flint residents could sue the government over the EPA's handling of the city's water crisis A judge said the federal government can be sued by Flint residents who blame the Environmental Protection Agency for waiting too long to intervene in the city's water crisis. Residents of Flint, Michigan, had filed the lawsuit against the EPA in 2017, claiming 'mishandling' of the widespread contamination of the city's local supply of drinking water which impacted thousands of its denizens beginning in 2014. The suit, in part, claimed that the EPA failed to appropriately use its authority under the Safe Drinking Water act, neglecting to intervene, investigate and warn residents about the health risks attached to drinking and using the city's contaminated water, according to the Detroit News. In her opinion, which was released Thursday, Federal Judge Linda Parker didn't determine whether EPA employees were negligent when Flint's water system became contaminated with lead in 2014 and 2015. The decision at this stage was more narrow, the judge wrote, noting that the government isn't immune to a lawsuit. Parker determined that 'The EPA was well aware that the Flint River was highly corrosive and posed a significant danger of lead leaching out of the citys lead-based service lines at alarming rates into residents homes.' The judge determined the EPA was aware of the health risks and that the local government was misleading residents for months Flint residents hold up bottles of contaminated water while speaking to Congress about the city's water crisis in February 2016. The water was first contaminated in 2014 She also stated that, 'The EPA was well aware of the health risks posed by lead exposure, particularly to children and pregnant women. Further, the EPA knew that (the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality) and Flint officials were not warning Flints residents that they were being supplied lead-laced water.' The judge added that the EPA knew that Michigan regulators were misleading residents about the quality of the water and that the 'lies went on for months.' The government had attempted to have the Flint residents' lawsuit dismissed last year, claiming that the alleged misconduct was exempt from liability because it fell under the Federal Tort Claims Acts discretionary function exception. Parker, however, disagreed, stating that ' Once the government decided to act, it was required to do so without negligence,' according to the Detroit News. One of the Flint plaintiffs notified the EPA about the city's water problems in October 2014, just six months after the city had unhooked itself from Detroit's water system in favor of pulling water from the Flint River. An EPA water expert was said to have warned others about the issue in an internal memo penned in June 2015, but an EPA administrator wasn't able to get a legal opinion about whether the agency could force action until November 2015. The agency finally issued an emergency order about the water crisis on January 21, 2016, following months of water testing which revealed high levels of lead contamination. The Associated Press sent an email to the EPA seeking comment Friday. A pensioner is fighting for his life after being shot with a crossbow while trying to fix a satellite dish on his rural home just after midnight. Police are hunting for an attacker who they believe shot the 74-year-old man outside his isolated bungalow on the outskirts of Holyhead on Anglesey, North Wales. The victim suffered 'horrendous life-changing injuries' from the bolt but was able to stagger into his house and phone for an ambulance. Police were called at 2.45am on Friday after doctors at Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital in Bangor discovered the projectile. The 74-year-old was outside his bungalow-style home (pictured) trying to fix a faulty satellite dish in the early hours of Friday morning The police outside the property - they are appealing for anyone who might have footage of the incident but said it was an extremely remote location Hospital staff told officers their patient had sustained injuries consistent with being shot with a crossbow. Police are now appealing for anyone with any private CCTV in the area to contact them. Detective Chief Inspector Brian Kearney from North Wales Police said: 'The property in in an extremely remote location near to the junction of Porthdafarch Road and Plas Road. 'He was outside his home as he was attempting to fix a satellite dish when he was hit. 'He managed to make his way into his home where the alarm was raised at 00:34hrs and colleagues from the Welsh Ambulance Service transported him to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor where he remains in a critical condition. 'We are appealing to anybody who may have been in the vicinity of South Stack Road between 6pm yesterday evening (Thursday 18) and 4am today to come forward. 'We are also keen on speaking to anybody who may live in or around that area and who may have private CCTV, or anybody who may have travelled along South Stack Road who may have dash cam footage. He was rushed to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital in Bangor after calling for an ambulance, staff there phoned the police to say he had injuries consistent with a crossbow shooting 'We are in the early stages of our investigation and are working hard to establish the circumstances behind this incident. A number of enquiries are underway involving detectives from CID, the local policing teams and Crime Scene Investigation. 'North West Wales remains one of the safest places in the UK. This is a highly unusual incident for this area and we are determined to find whoever was responsible for this as a matter of urgency.' Anybody who may be able to assist the investigation is asked to contact officers at Llangefni CID on 101 or via the live webchat quoting reference number X052857. Contact can also be made with Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111. A five-year-old from Michigan loves McDonald's so much that he called 911 asking for cops to bring him food from the fast-food chain as an emergency. Though the dispatcher said she couldn't help young Iziah, he was shocked when a police officer showed up to his door with a bag of food. The house call took place on Sunday morning while Iziah was playing on a 'deactivated' cell phone on WiFi while his grandma was sleeping. But the phone was still able to call 911. In audio of the dispatch call he asked 'Can you bring me McDonalds?' to which the dispatcher said, 'I'm sorry what?' and he repeated his request. The dispatcher crushed his request saying, 'No I can't bring you McDonald's'. Five-year-old Iziah from Wyoming, Michigan loves McDonald's so much, he called 911 asking for cops to bring him food from the fast-food chain as an emergency on Sunday Though the dispatcher said she couldn't help young Iziah, he was shocked when a police officer showed up to his door with a bag of McDonald's Goodhearted cop Dan Patterson (above) was sent to the home to check on Iziah after the bizarre 911 call, and decided to pick him up some McDonald's along the way 'We get a lot of people who are letting their kids play on their cell phones and a lot of them are deactivated and parents don't realize they can still call 911,' Dispatcher Sara Kuberski said to WZZM. She reached out to Wyoming, Michigan police officer Dan Patterson. 'I was laughing to myself...Five-year-old calls dispatch and orders McDonald's,' Patterson said to the outlet. Patterson was on his way to the home to make sure everything was okay, and decided to stop by McDonald's to surprise the toddler. 'I figured, hey, I'm driving past McDonald's on my way there and I might as well get him something,' he said. When he arrived, there was no answer at the home. Then he knocked on the boy's window. The hilarious house call took place on Sunday morning after Iziah hooked up a deactivated phone to WiFi to dial 911 while his grandma was sleeping When Patterson arrived to the home he knocked on the door and the boy's window leading Iziah to say: 'My grandma's gonna be so mad, can you please go away?' Dispatcher Sara Kuberski answered the call on Sunday and said the department often receives calls from kids using deactivated phones that still have the capability to call 911 'I think the first thing he said to me was, "My grandma's gonna be so mad, can you please go away?"' Patterson. Eventually Iziah was able to enjoy his free meal from the Golden Arches. Officer Patterson made sure to turn the visit into a learning lesson for Iziah. While Iziah surely learned his lesson he said seeing a cop bring him McDonald's was 'something funny'. 'We all thought it was really cool that Officer Patterson went over there with the McDonald's so it kind of made our night,' Kuberski said. Amber Heard is being called to give even more evidence on her messy divorce from Johnny Depp, according to the latest filing in one of the Pirate of the Caribbean star's ongoing legal battles, exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com. This time, Depp, 55, is suing his former law firm for $30million over claims of negligence. The firm - Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman - says Depp has recently accused them of malpractice in connection with his divorce from Heard and therefore will need to depose the actress in order to build a defense in the case. The firm asks that the plaintiffs - named as Depp and his film companies Scaramanga Bros and Infinitum Nihil, respond in writing to their questions and demand the ability to ask Depp more questions over his 'newly articulated theories'. Johnny Depp is suing his former law firm, Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman, for $30million and says he would be providing information that would make 'all aspects of the malpractice claim very clear' Amber Heard will need to be deposed in order to build a defense in the case after Depp accused the firm of negligence and malpractice in dealing with his divorce from Heard, which was finalized in 2017 Bloom & Co previously told the court that Depp had failed to supply documents and information, and while the judge ordered the star to give more detailed answers to a number of questions, he denied some of the firm's demands. The new filing reads: 'This is not idle speculation: for example, in the last three months, Plaintiffs have begun to accuse Defendants of malpractice in connection with Depp's divorce from Amber Heard. 'Plaintiffs' supplemental written discovery responses should clarify whether (or how) Plaintiffs believe Defendants were responsible for the purported mismanagement of Depp's divorce (even though Depp had separate counsel in that divorce proceeding).' Heard filed for divorce in 2016 and it was finalized in 2017, with the actress receiving $7million. She and Depp are shown in February 2016 On March 29, Depp's lawyer told the court that he would be providing information that would make 'all aspects of the malpractice claim very clear'. Bloom & Co say that this means they 'will then need to conduct additional discovery regarding those other aspects, such as documents and depositions from Depp's divorce attorneys, Ms. Heard, and numerous witnesses to incidents allegedly occurring between Mr. Depp and Ms. Heard, in order to defend themselves from charges that they were somehow responsible for Mr. Depp's divorce settlement'. Heard filed for divorce from Depp in May 2016 stating that he had been 'verbally and physically' abusive towards her. Their divorce was finalized in January 2017, with the actress receiving a $7million settlement. The request, filed on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, also asks for 'a new trial date that reflects the reality of the status of discovery and document productions in the case'. The case was due in court on September 16 after being pushed back from May 6. Bloom & Co. now want the case to be pushed back again, suggesting that it would take them at least six months to prepare, and calling the September date 'unrealistic'. Depp also accused his former attorneys of conspiring with his ex-business managers, The Management Group (TMG), to cheat him out of millions, blaming Bloom & Co. for allegedly failing to alert him to their actions despite knowing what was going on. The lawyers say that TMG has been slow to produce an estimated 1.5 million documents that they need to build their defense, despite requesting the paperwork in November 2017. It reads: 'Plaintiffs consistently refused to produce these documents, but have now finally agreed to produce nearly all of the documents (though not documents relating to a SEC investigation of TMG) produced in the TMG litigation.' The law firm is also requesting to depose Johnny Depp; his sister Christi Dembrowski; his current manager Edward White and others who worked for him. Last month, a judge ordered that Depp's case against his lawyers be pushed back in order to provide more time to submit testimonies and 'unwind the actor's tangled affairs'. The judge warned both sides could have moved quicker and have caused the case to drag on by engaging in 'a great deal of finger-pointing concerning whose fault it is'. Depp's lawyer, Adam Waldman, told The Blast: 'Bloom is accused among other things of a failure to supervise the fraudulent activity of the Mandel Brothers/TMG, Mr. Depp's former business managers who are under multiple federal criminal investigations and whose offices were raided by the FBI in June 2017. 'Judge Green agreed to move their trial from May to September, and ruled that Bloom is entitled to Mandel's sealed documents.' Waldman also slammed the lawyers for their behavior during Johnny's divorce from Heard. Depp was meant to face his legal team on May 6 but the date has now been pushed back to September 16. Bloom & Co now want the case to be pushed back again, saying it would take them at least six months to prepare to dispute Depp's 'newly articulated theories', revealed in court documents obtained by DailyMail.com Waldman added: 'Part of Bloom's defense is that he did a good job on Mr. Depp's divorce. But the facts are these: some of Mr. Depp's legal dream team of five Hollywood lawyers reviewed the entire surveillance video library taken of Ms. Heard, her friends, Elon Musk and others captured by 24 surveillance cameras in the Eastern Columbia Building and the 87 surveillance videos that these lawyers set aside. 'Then Mr. Depp's lawyers took sworn declarations from multiple eyewitnesses. Some on Mr. Depp's legal team secretly represented Elon Musk. Some of Mr. Depp's legal team then hid for nearly three years this exculpatory evidence from Mr. Depp that disproved the malicious hoax perpetrated against him by Amber Heard.' Bloom & Co. have denied all allegations of wrongdoing and insisted they never conspired against the actor. They have filed a countersuit, accusing Depp of causing his own damages due to his own misconduct and negligence, claiming he hadn't paid them for months, despite the lawyers continuing to work for him. The actor denied owing any money, claiming he had paid tens of millions over the years and argued the firm are barred from trying to collect unpaid dues because they never signed an official retainer, describing their agreement as 'illegal'. Depp has also has filed a $50million defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife, 32, in which he claims her accusations of domestic abuse were an 'elaborate hoax'. His legal team have apparently interviewed a number people under oath, who all claimed they saw no visible injuries on Heard when they interacted with her following an alleged altercation. In transcripts obtained by The Blast, four employees and one neighbor from the couple's former apartment building were deposed and asked about any sign of abuse they may have seen between the pair and all insisted there were none. Trinity Esparaza, who owns the building's concierge services company, encountered the actress a number of times following an alleged incident on May 21, including two days afterwards, when she did not see any visible injuries to Amber's face or body. But she noted on May 27 - the day the Aquaman star filed for a temporary restraining order and accused her then-husband of spousal abuse - that she was sporting a 'red cut underneath her right eye and red marks by her eye'. After seeing pictures which were released when Amber filed for the order against Johnny, Trinity went back and reviewed security footage from the building because she suspected the allegations were 'false' as the 'time didn't add up' and she had seen the actress 'several times' without marks on her face. In her legal filings against Depp, Heard attached these photos of the injuries she says she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband This is one of the clumps of hair left on the ground after Depp pulled it from her hair during a December 2015 fight, she claimed Heard was left with a hole in her scalp after being repeatedly punched in the back of the head, she said Security guard Alex Romero also admitted he had serious doubts about Amber's account because he had seen her a number of times during the week and saw nothing to suggest the actress had been 'punched by anyone' or had anything thrown at her. Heard and Depp were married for just 15 months when they split and he is suing her for $50million over defamation He added: 'I saw the pictures and the next day I saw her. I was like come on, really. I couldn't believe. When I saw her in person, I didn't see anything.' Two other employees, including the building's general manager Brandon Patterson - also testified they had seen the actress multiple times after the alleged assault and was seen 'without bruises, cuts, redness, swelling or any other injuries to her face'. And the couple's neighbour, Isaac Baruch - who has been friends with the Black Mass actor for 37 years - told how he saw Amber the morning after the alleged fight and claims she shouted: 'He hit me! He threw a phone and hit me!' While the actress 'stretched her neck' to show him her alleged injuries, he didn't see anything and though he saw her mark-free throughout the week, on May 27, there were visible marks on her. Johnny's attorney has also provided 87 different pieces of recorded video, taken from different cameras before and after the alleged incident. Amber's lawyer has branded the lawsuit 'frivolous' and insisted his client won't be silenced. The latest news comes after Johnny accused Amber of starting a relationship with Elon Musk just a month after they married in 2015. In the lawsuit obtained by People, the actor alleged that Heard would receive 'late night' visits from Musk while Depp was out of the country filming. Depp also claims that the Tesla founder was allowed into the couple's Los Angeles home on the same night Heard 'presented her battered face to the public'. Heard and Depp separated in May 2016. According to People, a representative for Musk claims that 'Elon and Amber didn't start seeing each other until May 2016'. 'Their relationship didn't become romantic until sometime later,' the representative said. Heard's attorney, Eric M. George, said in a statement to the magazine: 'This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depp's repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard. 'She will not be silenced. Mr. Depp's actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior.' Johnny Depp allegedly destroyed the $3million penthouse wife Amber Heard used as a closet (above) during a fight in Match 2015, according to a court filing DailyMail.com obtained photos of the wreckage which show broken racks and designer clothing and accessories scattered around the room (above) Kevin, who worked for the building where Depp was living at the time, wrote that he will deal with the situation, prompting the other individual to text: 'Insanity. Just f***ing insanity' (above) Last December, Heard wrote an article for the Washington Post in which she said she had received death threats and lost out on work after accusing Depp of domestic abuse. 'The op-ed's clear implication that Mr Depp is a domestic abuser is categorically and demonstrably false,' Depp's lawsuit states. 'Mr Depp never abused Ms Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016. 'They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms Heard and advance her career.' The lawsuit goes on to say that the allegations made by Heard against Depp were refuted by 'two separate responding police officers, a litany of neutral third-party witnesses, and 87 newly obtained surveillance camera videos'. 'Ms Heard is not a victim of domestic abuse, she is a perpetrator,' the lawsuit states. The Aquaman actress filed for divorce from the Pirates of the Caribbean star in May 2016 stating that he had been 'verbally and physically' abusive towards her. Their divorce was finalized in January 2017, with Heard later donating a portion of her $7million divorce settlement to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles. They were married for 15 months before she filed for divorce. Images emerged at the time showing Heard with a bruised eye and face. She claimed Depp threw a phone at her face and struck her in their home. Depp has long denied the allegations and has instead claimed that his ex-wife repeatedly violently attacked and severely injured him. In the defamation lawsuit, Depp claims Heard threw a glass vodka bottle at him and caused the bones in the tip of his right middle finger to shatter. He claims the incident occurred one month into their marriage and resulted in him having to have his finger 'surgically reattached'. 'Ms Heard then disseminated false accounts of this incident, casting Mr Depp as the perpetrator of his own injury'. Depp claims in the lawsuit that he was dropped from Pirates of the Caribbean just four days after Heard's op-ed was published in the Washington Post. Two vigilante fathers who battered an autistic boy of 14 with a metal bat and an antique walking stick after they blamed him for a house break in have been jailed. Neighbours Daniel Street and Luke Perry, both 32, tracked down the teenager and subjected him to a punishment beating after one of them vowed: 'I'm going to have to teach that little s**t a lesson.' The victim was cowering from the two men in a kebab shop in Denton, Greater Manchester and suffered bruising to his back, shoulder blade, face and head, along with two fractured teeth. Daniel Street (left) and Luke Perry (right) have been jailed after battering a 14-year-old autistic boy with a metal bat and a walking stick He later told police he and his family have moved away from the area and said: 'This has affected my time at college and I have had to get dental treatment for my teeth. 'I am unable to go out as freely as I did as I feel in fear. 'I stayed with my Mum four days after the accident for my own protection and I returned home to my Dad's address after. 'It's very stressful living in such close proximity with those two men. 'I have to be taken backward and forwards to college. I found the process of giving evidence to be distressing' Street and Perry, who both live on the same street in Denton, denied wrongdoing and claimed the incident occurred following a break in at Perry's home. But both were convicted of assault following a trial and jailed for 20 months. Neither have any previous convictions. Sentencing Judge John Edwards told them: 'This was nothing short of a punishment beating on a 14 year old lad with autism. The 14-year-old boy was left with severe bruising to his face, head and body following the brutal attack 'I want to make it clear that you were not aware of his autism - however, you must have known he was a lad of 14 and you much have known how vulnerable he was. 'A man eating at a Thai restaurant opposite recalls seeing both of you hitting him half a dozen times as he tried to protect himself. 'He was left with two fractured adult teeth, the left and right incisor, and he now requires root canal treatment and crowning. 'The hitting was described by one person as a stabbing motion. Whatever argument you had with him, you should not be dealing with the law in your own hands. 'This was a street beating where he was punched, kicked and struck with a metal bat. 'You both thought giving him a beating would be teaching him a lesson. Immediate custody is unavoidable.' The incident began at around 9.30pm on September 15th last year when the 14-year-old was getting a meal at the Denton Kebab Shop. Prosecutor Adrian Farrow said: 'He appears to have taken refuge in the kebab shop and the two defendants were seen looking for him. He was taken to hospital after the attack. The judge said he suffered two fractured adult teeth, the left and right incisor, and he now requires root canal treatment and crowning 'The boy has no real recollection of the events and he is autistic. His only recollection is being at home, then being in hospital. 'The two defendants had armed themselves with weapons in order to seek out and find those responsible for what happened at the house. This was a sustained assault.' In mitigation, defence lawyer Robert Smith said: 'Both men in their own way, express some remorse for what they did. Daniel Street did say he expressed regret for what he did and he acted foolishly. Lee Perry expressed remorse in his pre-sentence report. 'Both grossly overreacted to what was going on and they weren't aware he was autistic. 'The reality is they had both gone over the top. No matter what they believed that boy did, he didn't deserve to be assaulted. 'For both of them this was a one off. This is the first time they have committed a violent offence.' Both Perry and Street have been sentenced to 20 months in prison. Advertisement Pope Francis lay prostrate on the floor in front of hundreds of worshippers at the Vatican today as part of a service to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. The 82-year-old pontiff sprawled himself out on a carpet, face down, with his hand up to his head, as he lead the Good Friday prayers. He was helped down to the floor by Papal Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini and lay with a red pillow under his face as he prostrated himself at the altar. Francis made the horizontal tribute was in the centre of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican as part of the 'Passion of Christ Mass' service at the Vatican today. Rome is also busily preparing for the 2,000-year-old Colosseum Way of the Cross procession, presided over by Francis. Buses and other traffic were being re-routed away from the ancient Roman arena for the Good Friday night ritual, which draws thousands of pilgrims and tourists. Pope Francis celebrated Mass for the Passion of Christ at St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican today by lying on the floor in prayer Pope Francis began the Good Friday service at the Vatican with the Passion of Christ Mass and hours later will go to the ancient Colosseum in Rome for the traditional Way of the Cross procession Pope Francis lying down in prayer ahead to the Mass celebrations today. He will then take part in the 2,000-year-old Colosseum Way of the Cross procession through Rome Papal Master of Ceremonies, Monsignor Guido Marini (front) helps Pope Francis lie down on the ground to pray during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion Pope Francis lay on the ground to pray on an ornate rug with his hands above his head and his face on a red pillow during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion Pope Francis (bottom right) lying on the ground to pray in front of hundreds of worshippers during the Celebration of the Lord's Passion This year's meditations, to be read aloud during the 90-minute torchlight procession, were composed by an Italian nun, Eugenia Bonetti, who works to rescue migrants and other women forced into prostitution on Italy's streets by human traffickers. Francis has frequently championed the welfare of migrants since his election to the papal throne. Before heading to the Colosseum, where a lightweight crucifix is carried by faithful, Francis will attend an early evening solemn prayer service at the Vatican focusing on the suffering of Jesus before his death by crucifixion. Yesterday Francis washed and kissed the feet of 12 prisoners at a traditional service, telling them to shun any inmate hierarchy structure or law of the strongest and to help each other instead. According the Catholic Liturgical Library, the Celebration of the Lord's Passion happens every Good Friday close to three o'clock - the time Christians believe Jesus died. The ceremony at St Peter's Basilica began at 5pm. Good Friday is the one day of the year Roman Catholics do not offer Mass. Pope Francis wore a red cape on top of his robes, and removed his zucchetto cap to pray in the beautifully ornate basilica. Pope Francis (centre right) attending the Celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday at St Peter's Basilica today Christians around the world are marking the Holy Week, commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, leading up to his resurrection on Easter Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Easter Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday A 10-year-old who died last month following a fight with another student passed away from natural causes, a new investigation has claimed. South Carolina prosecutor Duffie Stone said that Raniya Wright had died of a congenital condition called arteriovenous malformation. The condition causes an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins, which can disrupt normal blood flow and oxygen circulation. Stone said that pathology and other scientific reports showed no evidence of trauma to the body that would have indicated Wright died of injuries sustained in a fight on March 25. But Wright's family has maintained that another fifth grader at Forest Hills Elementary School in Walterboro had hit or pushed the girl, causing her death. An investigation has revealed that Raniya Wright, 10, died from natural causes and not due to a fight that occurred at her school just days before her death Margie Pizarro, the family's attorney, said a private investigator hired by the family had interviewed one student who claimed Wright was attacked from behind. The student said Wright was also punched several times in the head and pushed into a file cabinet and bookshelf. Pizarro said the family will continue to conduct their own investigation. Stone's findings come two weeks after South Carolina state Sen. Maggie Bright Matthews said the school fight had only been a small scuffle. Bright Matthews said Wright was not kicked or attacked by several students and that she didn't bang her head during the fight. Bright Matthews says Raniya kept arguing with the other girl in the principal's office, then suddenly grabbed her head, complained of pain, threw up and lost consciousness. Wright's family has maintained that another fifth grader at Forest Hills Elementary School in Walterboro had hit or pushed the girl, causing her death. Wright is pictured here with her mother Ashley She died two days later at a hospital. Bright Matthews says she has spoken to Raniya's grandmother as well as school and law enforcement officials. 'I've heard a lot of people say, "Oh, they were kicking her. They ganged her." None of that,' Bright Matthews said on the floor of the State Senate. 'That's so far from the truth - not even the banging of head. The head was not even an issue.' Bright Matthews said that Raniya and another girl were arguing all day and that it eventually turned into 'pushing back and forth,' according to The Post and Courier. The class substitute teacher intervened, and an assistant principal who happened to be walking down the hallway and passed by the classroom escorted the two children to the principal's office. 'Normally good kids act out when there's a substitute teacher,' the state senator said. The findings come two weeks after South Carolina state Sen. Maggie Bright Matthews said the school fight had only been a small scuffle and did not cause her death Wright had died of a congenital condition called arteriovenous malformation. The condition causes an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins Even as they were being led to the principal's office, the pair 'were still going back and forth between them, with their mouths.' It was in the principal's office that Raniya began to complain about pain in her head. 'She grabbed her head, then she was taken to the nurse's office, which is steps away,' Bright Matthews said. 'Then she became nauseous, vomited, and by the time she was taken to the hospital, she was unresponsive.' The state senator said she received a phone call the next day from Raniya's grandmother. 'Oh my God, she's non-responsive. They can't get a lead in her. My grandbaby is going to die!' the grandmother told Bright Matthews. 'I was shocked,' the state senator said of the conversation. The girl's mother, Ashley Wright, said her daughter was the victim of bullying and that 'nothing was done,' but school officials and law enforcement have not commented on the allegation. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report sketches out yet another effort to arrange a meeting between Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin this time from a man touting a connection to the Chief Rabbi of Russia. The Trump-Putin meeting never occurred, but Rabbi Berel Lazar, known as 'Putin's Rabbi,' did attend a Trump Tower meeting in 2016 with the man who pitched it. The outreach is described in a footnote to Mueller's report, which details among other things a successful effort involving Russians to meet top Trump officials with a promise of dirt on Hillary Clinton, the cultivation of foreign policy advisor George Papadapoulos by a Maltese professor and his associate, parallel efforts to arrange Trump-Putin meeting, and a Russian 'active measures' social media campaign that won retweets from Trump aides. The report says the contact involved Sam Clovis, the Iowa political figure who co-chaired Trump's campaign. In addition to fielding Russia pitches from Papadopoulos, Clovis got one from a David Klein, described as a 'distant relative' of then-Trump Organization lawyer Jason Greenblatt. Russia's Chief Rabbi Berel Laza attended a Trump Tower meeting in 2016. According to the Mueller report, the rabbi, who is close to Russian President Putin, received an email from a relative of Trump Organization lawyer Jason Greenblatt about a possible Trump-Putin meeting Trump later named Greenblatt his Middle East negotiator. Klein emailed Clovis 'about a potential Campaign meeting with Berel Lazar, the Chief Rabbi of Russia,' according to the report. Before contacting Clovis, Lazar had gone to the rabbi and according to Mueller discussed the Trump-Putin meeting. 'The email stated that Klein had contacted Lazar in February about a possible Trump-Putin meeting and that Lazar was 'a very close confidante of Putin,' according to the report, which cites an interview with Klein as well as the email as sources of information. Lazar is indeed considered close to the Russian president, and as the Times of Israel recently noted, he is sometimes referred to as 'Putin's Rabbi.' He is a member of the Chabad Hassidic sect. However as with the entreaties by Papadopoulos, who met in London during the campaign with a Maltese professor who offered dirt on Hillary Clinton and who according to the Mueller report was connected to a former member of a Russian troll farm, nothing appears to have come of the offer. Rabbi Berel Lazar is known as 'Putin's rabbi,' because he is a close confidant of the Russian president Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar has said he did not brief Putin about the Trump Tower meeting. here the men are pictured during their meeting in connection with celebration of the Jewish New Year in Moscow on September 9, 2018 Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar (L back) of Russia during a celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim However, the rabbi did visit Trump Tower during the campaign. It was not immediately clear if topic of a Trump-Putin meeting came up. 'The investigation did not find evidence that Clovis responded to Klein's email or that any further contacts of significance came out of Klein's subsequent meeting with Greenblatt and Rabbi Lazar at Trump Tower,' according to the report, which cites an apparent interview with Klein. The New York Times in 2017 reported on the rabbi as one of multiple Trump contacts with Russia ties. However the story did not mention a proposed Trump-Putin meeting, as revealed by Mueller. The report said Lazar met with Jason Greenblatt during the summer of 2016. Greenblatt told the paper the men did not discuss broader United States-Russia relations. He said the meeting was 'probably less than useful.' Trump campaign co-chair Sam Clovis was a point of contact for pitches about a proposed Trump Russia trip Former Donald Trump presidential campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos spent 12 days in prison after pleading guilty to lying to the FBI. He also pitched a Trump-Putin meeting President Trump said during the campaign he did not have anything to do with Russia, although the Mueller report exposed a long list of Russian efforts to contact his campaign, some of which were successful Notes from Papadopoulos in the report mentioned a potential Trump Putin meeting in September, listed the 'Office of Putin' and referenced Sam Clovis ('Sam') Rabbi Lazar told the paper the men spoke about anti-Semitism in Russia, Russian society, and Russian Jews in Israel. He did not mention the proposed meeting. He said he never discussed his meeting with Putin, who he sees about twice a year. The Times said PR exec Joshua Nass confirmed arranging the meeting, although the Mueller report does not mention Nass. DailyMail.com reached out to Lazar, who is observing Passover, which began Friday night in Russia. The White House didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. The detail was just one element of efforts to try to bring Putin and Trump together. According to the report, Papadopolis wrote Trump campaign chair Cory Lewandowski in June 2016 to say Clovis was 'running point' on a Russia visit. He wrote to ask 'if Mr. Trump is interested in visiting Russia at some point.' He even wrote Lewandowski on his last day as campaign manager, stating that the 'Russian ministry of foreign affairs' had contacted him and 'asked whether, if Mr. Trump could not travel to Russia, a campaign representative such as Papadopoulos could attend meetings.' He said he was 'willing to make the trip off the record if it's in the interest of Mr. Trump and the campaign to meet specific people.' A father allegedly allowed his three depraved sons to molest children for more than ten years to deal with their 'raging hormones', Wisconsin police say. It is alleged that Father Brian Keene, 62, let James, 29, Elijah, 27, and Josiah, 20, abuse children in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for more than a decade, and did nothing to prevent it. The three brothers were charged with sexual abuse of minors and could face lengthy prison sentences. The alleged abuse came to light after one woman, aged 19, told police of years of assaults she claimed she and other children had endured. It is alleged that Brian Keene (pictured left), 62, let James, 29, Elijah (pictured right), 27, and Josiah, 20, abuse children in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for more than a decade and did nothing to prevent it The boys' father, it is claimed, told detectives he 'thought something was likely going on when the boys were teenagers, because of their "raging hormones"'. Police say the victims include girls as young as 12, and one 14-year-old boy. The 19-year-old woman said that Elijah sexually assaulted her from when she was aged 12 to 15. A 22-year-old woman said Elijah sexually assaulted her several times when she was just eight. Another girl, 16, said Elijah molested her from the time she was a child, and forced her to perform oral sex on him. The 16-year-old also said the oldest brother, James, made her touch him sexually, and two other children, a 12-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy said James also assaulted them. A 16-year-old also said the oldest brother, James (pictured left), made her touch him sexually, and two other children, a 12-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy said James also assaulted them. The younger brother Josiah (right) has also been arrested The victims accused the brothers of taking them to private spaces and sexually assaulting them several times a week. Police say that under interrogation, Elijah admitted to the abuse of three of the four girls who reported the vile crimes and said he tried to stop but had a sexual addiction. A preliminary hearing for the four men is scheduled for April 23, although police say the investigation is ongoing and more charges are still possible. Bail was set at $50,000 each for the father and James, at $100,000 for Elijah, and $25,000 for Josiah. The boys' mother, who left the father in 2014, is thought to have died several years ago. A Swiss village on the French border has become the first in the country to subsidise burglar alarms for all of its 1,200 residents after a spike in break-ins. The small northwestern village of Boncourt decided a to hire a security company to patrol the streets at night a few years ago while also calling for local and regional police, as well as border guards patrol the area. The mayor at the time, Andre Goffinet, said such measures were needed after a string of burglaries which saw the local bank and gas station robbed and he blamed the robberies on 'the border effect'. The small northwestern village of Boncourt has decided to subsidise burglar alarms for all of its residents The village is located just 0.6 miles from the French border and 31 miles from Germany. But current mayor Lionel Maitre said Friday the break-ins were continuing. 'We see that these measures (the patrols) are still not sufficient,' Maitre told the RTS public broadcaster. He said local authorities had therefore decided the village would become the first municipality in Switzerland to subsidise the installation of home-security systems for its residents. The village, which already spends around 25,000 Swiss francs (18,900) annually on security patrols, plans to spend up to 30,000 more to cover part of the cost of installing the home-security systems. Maitre told RTS the cost was reasonable compared to the benefit it would bring in terms of added security. A Japanese hotel has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature since it was abandoned more than 20 years ago. Bob Thissen, from Heerlen, The Netherlands, visited the Hachijo Hot Spring Hotel, once a popular tourist destination on a tropical island off the coast of Tokyo. It closed after going bankrupt two decades ago. The once clean and pristine pool at the Hachijo Hot Spring Hotel is filled with green algae water and surrounded by ferns and other plants As Bob Thissen, from Heerlen, The Netherlands, explores the hotel he finds an old games console, telephone and a creepy-looking stuffed animal Weather conditions have helped speed its deterioration as fern, moss and greenery engulf the interior And since then weather conditions have helped speed its deterioration as fern, moss and greenery engulf the interior. Its vantage point over-looking cliffs, which used to be a draw for tourists, now only helps its demise as wind and rain batters the building during stormy weather. The once clean and pristine pool is filled with green algae water and surrounded by ferns and other plants. In other rooms more serious damage can be seen as the roof looks to have partially collapsed leaving wooden beams falling down Its vantage point over-looking cliffs used to be a draw for tourists but now only helps its demise as wind and rain batters the building during stormy weather Its windows are filthy and smashed plant pots remain close to where they used to add decoration in the hotel's hey-day The floor of the lounge area is covered in dust and debris where the walls and ceilings have partially collapsed. Its windows are filthy and smashed plant pots remain close to where they used to add decoration in the hotel's hey-day. Cables and wires swing from the ceiling where the electrics have fallen apart over the years. Looking at a map of the holiday complex after it was newly built Mr Thissen compares the sprawling buildings as they used to be with what they look like now The floor of the lounge area is covered in dust and debris where the walls and ceilings have partially collapsed And as Mr Thissen explores the hotel he finds an old games console, telephone and a creepy-looking stuffed animal. Looking at a map of the holiday complex after it was newly built Mr Thissen compares the sprawling buildings as they used to be with what they look like now. In an old games room he finds more than a dozen arcade machines lined against the walls and placed in the centre of the room. There's even an old piano - its ivory keys hidden by a thick coat of dust. In other rooms more serious damage can be seen as the roof looks to have partially collapsed leaving wooden beams falling down. This is the terrifying moment firefighters battle to save a woman gripping on to a third-floor window frame to escape a raging fire inside. The woman, who has not been named, lost her sister, three-year-old nephew and six-month-old niece to the 'violent' fire which quickly ravaged the apartment they shared in Barcelona. An onlooker recorded the moment she escaped the heavy smoke and flames through the window before firefighters helped her in to the apartment below just after 6.40am yesterday. A woman, who has not been named, stands on the top of a window as a fire ravages the inside of an apartment just after 6.40am in Barcelona Smoke can be seen billowing from the flat above her as the firefighter hands her a rope and ties a harness around her waist in L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, in the eastern Spanish region of Catalonia. The fireman then helps her to swing down in to the flat below where one of his colleagues pulls her through the open window. The fire ended with the deaths of mother Catiusca and her two young children Jan, three, and six-month-old Anna. Smoke can be seen billowing from the flat above her as the firefighter hands her a rope and ties a harness around her waist in L'Hospitalet del Llobregat, in the eastern Spanish region of Catalonia The baby was taken to the Sant Joan de Deu hospital in serious condition but died hours later, while her mother and brother died in the flat, according to local media. Meanwhile the aunt and grandmother suffered only light injuries in the blaze which took firefighters more than 30 minutes to extinguish. Francesc Belver, the Councillor of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, said to local media: 'It was a violent fire that burned very quickly.' The police have launched an investigation into the incident and have confirmed the residents of the flat were not squatters and had a contract with an electricity company. This is the moment an elephant goes on a rampage sending a car flying with its trunk before knocking over a wall as villagers trying to stop it are sent fleeing. The elephant, named Vadakkumnathan Ganeshan, escaped its handler before it was due to take part in a parade in the village of Kuzhalmannam, the state of Kerala in south-western India. Local media reported the elephant attacked its handler before going on a rampage in the village. The elephant pushes a car with hit head before flipping it over with his trunk and knocking down fence panels in the village of Kuzhalmannam located in the state of Kerala in south-western India In the video, the huge animal can be seen pushing a car with its head before flipping it over with its trunk as villagers look on. The huge mammal then knocks over a wall with its trunk as locals come to try and capture it. Another clip shows the elephant pushing an object down the road with its trunk as villagers holding what appears to be an improvised lasso run behind it. The elephant pushes an object down the road with its trunk as villagers, holding what appears to be an improvised lasso, run behind it Local media report the huge mammal damaged four cars in its rampage before its handler, named in reports as Raju, managed to chain it with the help of locals The elephant can then be seen charging at residents trying to chain it in the middle of the road. Local media report the huge mammal damaged four cars in its rampage before its handler, named in reports as Raju, managed to chain it with the help of locals. Raju reportedly suffered an injury to his leg in the incident but no other injuries were reported. The elephant had been taken to the village to celebrate the Vishu-Vela festival, a local festival which usually includes an elephant parade. Malissa Ancona was sentenced to life in prison after she agreed to the plea deal on Friday The wife of a Missouri Ku Klux Klan leader pleaded guilty on Friday to fatally shooting her husband and dumping his body with her son in 2017. Malissa Ancona was sentenced to life in prison after she agreed to the plea deal for the second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and abandonment of a corpse charges that she was hit with. 'I fired both shots that killed my husband,' she informed Circuit Judge Wendy Wexler Horn of the shooting death of Frank Ancona Jr. The 51-year-old - who was an imperial wizard of the Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan - was killed on Feburary 9, 2017. 'I fired both shots that killed my husband,' she informed Circuit Judge Wendy Wexler Horn of the shooting death of Frank Ancona Jr She also admitted to cleaning up their room and disposing the evidence before dumping the man's body near Belgrade, Missouri. The mother was then asked to expand on her role in the crimes because she is said to have been 'acting with another' in all three of the charges, STL Today reports. Paul Jinkerson Jr., Ancona's son, is also facing the same charges. The mother asserted that her son was involved in the latter two charges but 'not the first one.' Acona also admitted to cleaning up their room and disposing the evidence before dumping the man's body near Belgrade, Missouri Prosecuting Paul Jinkerson Jr. - her son - could prove difficult now that his mother has accepted a guilty plea deal where she said that she fired both shots and denied his role in the murder Prosecuting Jinkerson could prove difficult now that his mother has accepted a guilty plea deal where she said that she fired both shots and denied his role in the murder. Ancona initially told authorities that her son shot her husband with a 9mm handgun and agreed to testify against him last year. But her jail letters indicated that she was 'under the influence' and she claimed not to to be able to recall what happened to her husband. Frank Ancona Sr, the victim's father, shared in court on Friday that he had to identify his son who had 'no face left.' Kellie Ancona, the man's ex-wife, described the KKK leader as being 'very, very kind-hearted' and added that he was 'a good man' and a good father and grandfather Ancona Sr described Malissa as being a 'terrible wife' and 'a piece of (expletive)' and he claimed to have asked his son 'Why, why do you stay with her?' The man claimed that his son planned on leaving the woman and that is why he was killed. Kellie Ancona, the man's ex-wife, described the KKK leader as being 'very, very kind-hearted' and added that he was 'a good man' and a good father and grandfather. 'He didn't deserve this. No one deserves this,' added his daughter Carolyn Ancona. In the museum they display relics from their cases including the 'demon-possessed' doll that inspired the Annabelle horror films Together the two created the New England Society for Psychic Research and the Warren Occult Museum in their Monroe, Connecticut home Even after her husband Ed died in 2006, she continued her paranormal work Their real life cases inspired books and the horror films The Conjuring, Annabelle, and the Amityville Horror Their most famous cases include the Amityville horror house in 1976, the Annabelle Raggedy Ann doll in 1968, and the haunted Perron family in 1971 Her grandson announced her death on Facebook on Friday saying that the acclaimed ghost hunter died 'quietly and peacefully' Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren passed away Thursday evening at the age of 92 Lorraine Warren, the real-life paranormal and supernatural investigator who inspired the horror film The Conjuring, has died at the age of 92. The ghost hunter passed away peacefully on Thursday evening, according to her grandson Chris McKinnell. 'Last night my grandmother, Lorraine Warren, quietly and peacefully left us to join her beloved Ed. She was happy and laughing until the very end,' he shared in a statement on Facebook on Friday. 'She was my angel and my hero, and she will be deeply missed. Please join us in celebrating her life and honoring her beautiful soul. Remember to treasure those you love while you can. Thank you and God bless you all,' he added. Lorraine and her husband Ed were world-renowned for their work studying and fighting the supernatural. Ed passed away in 2006. Paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren passed away Thursday evening at the age of 92. Pictured above at the premiere of The Conjuring 2 in 2016 She and husband Ed Warren (together above) are famous supernatural investigators with their high profile cases being the Amityville horror house in 1976, the Annabelle Raggedy Ann doll in 1968, and the haunted Perron family in 1971 Together they created the New England Society for Psychic Research and the Warren Occult Museum in their Monroe, Connecticut home. Ed passed away in 2006 Their works inspired director James Wan's horror films with titles like The Conjuring, Saw, Dead Silence, Annabelle and the Nun being taken from their investigations. Together they created the New England Society for Psychic Research and the Warren Occult Museum in their Monroe, Connecticut home. The museum boasts the largest known occult collection in the world, consisting of the relics that they've gathered from a lifetime of studying the metaphysical. Lorraine was born on January 31, 1927 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She'd go on to meet her husband Ed at the age of 16. Their works inspired director James Wan's horror films with titles like The Conjuring and Annabelle. Lorraine pictured above at the premiere for The Conjuring in 2013 Pictured seated in a wheelchair at the Conjuring 2 premiere in 2016 Lorraine pictured above with actress Vera Farmiga, who played her in the Conjuring Actress Vera Farmiga shared this tribute to Lorraine on Twitter on Friday morning Together with her husband Ed investigated paranormal cases, the most famous of which was the Amityville horror house in Long Island, New York. In 1976 they investigated the Amityville Horror case where New York couple George and Kathy Lutz claimed their house was haunted by a violent, demonic presence that drove them out of the home just 28 days after their purchased it. The case, though criticized by some as a hoax, was turned into a book in 1977 and was adapted into moves in 1979 and 2005. Another famous case of their concerned a Raggedy Ann doll that was supposedly possessed by the spirit of a young girl named Annabelle Higgins. In 1968 the Warrens took the doll and housed it in their museum after pronouncing it to be 'demonically possessed'. The story inspired the Annabelle horror series. Lorraine pictured above posing with the Annabelle Raggedy Ann doll that she deemed to be demon possessed in 1968. It's currently housed at the Warren Occult Museum in her Monroe, Connecticut home Inspired: Annabelle was the inspiration for the terrifying doll in the 2013 Hollywood horror flick The Conjuring During their careers the Warrens collected a number of paranormal artifacts and oddities, which they keep in their Connecticut-based Warren's Occult Museum in Monroe A case in Harrisville, Rhode Island in 1971 inspired The Conjuring. The Warrens claimed that farmhouse where the Perron family lived was haunted by a witch who lived there in the early 19th century. They claimed that the witch cursed the land so that whoever lived there in the years to follow would die. In the 2013 film The Conjuring, Lorraine Warren was a consultant to the production and made a cameo in the film. Together Ed and Lorraine co-authored a series of books documenting their paranormal experiences including Ghost hunters: True Stories From The World's Most Famous Demonologists, Ghost Tracks and The Hunted: The True Story of One Family's Nightmare. Lorraine was born on January 31, 1927 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She'd go on to meet her husband Ed at the age of 16. Though they were the world's most famous ghost-busters, Ed and Lorraine Warren faced great criticism, many calling their investigations to be mere hoaxes Actress Vera Farmiga, who portrayed Lorraine in the film The Conjuring, paid tribute to her on Facebook. 'My dear friend Lorraine Warren has passed. From a deep feeling of sorrow, a deep feeling of gratitude emerges. I was so blessed to have known her and am honored to portray her. She lived her life in grace and cheerfulness. She wore a helmet of salvation, she dawned her sword, compassion, and took a shield of faith,' she posted. 'Righteousness was her breastplate, and she has touched my life so. Love you Lorraine. You're waltzing with Ed now,' she added. Though they were the world's most famous ghost-busters, Ed and Lorraine Warren faced great criticism, many calling their investigations to be mere hoaxes. Even after Ed passed away, Lorraine continued her paranormal investigations. An eight-month-old baby was safely back in the arms of her distraught mother on Friday after she was kidnapped outside a hospital in Mexico City and allegedly sold to a couple for $160 and a gold watch. The mother,Maria Magdalena Sanchez, visited the General Hospital in the capital to see her sick sister on Sunday but was told the baby would not be allowed to enter the medical facility's wing because of her age. Sanchez decided to leave her daughter, Nancy Tirzo, in the care of her nephew, 15, called Emiliano, and her niece outside the medical center in the town of Cuauhtemoc. Eight-month-old Nancy Tirzo was kidnapped outside a hospital in Mexico City on Sunday while her mother was visiting her sick sister. She was safely located Thursday after cops found a couple who claimed they had purchased the baby for $160 and a gold watch Maria Magdalena Sanchez was reunited with her baby daughter early on Friday morning, four days after her baby was kidnapped and allegedly sold to a couple in Mexico City. The worried mother posted signs of her daughter (like the one seen in this picture) around the city hoping someone would tip off authorities Police in Mexico are still looking for a woman who kidnapped a baby girl on Sunday (pictured) The baby started crying, according to Emiliano, who told investigators he started pacing back and forth with his cousin. His six-year-old sister, Jenni, then told him that she needed to use the restroom. Emiliano entrusted the care of his baby cousin to a woman that had been seated next to them for a while. While he and his sister were gone, the suspect was seen on CCTV tv pacing around with Tirzo before she left the area. In his original police statement, Emiliano told officials the woman had given him $5 to buy something to eat for him and his sister and that she then disappeared. Officials in Mexico City issued an Amber Alert and launched a manhunt for the baby's kidnapper. Family members and friends joined the search, posting signs with a picture of the missing baby. Cops found the missing baby outside a home in the Mexico City town of Nezahualcoyotl and arrested Estela Merino Galan (left) and Antonio Hernandez Sanchez (right) on Thursday CCTV outside a hospital in Mexico shows the moment a woman walks away with the baby Police in Mexico City arrested Estela Merino Galan after she was found on Thursday with a kidnapped eight-month-old baby (pictured in her arms) A 59-year-old landlord, identified as Antonio, was aware of the baby's likeness after hearing about the crime, led cops to the home of a couple in the town of Nezahualcoyotl who voluntarily turned themselves in. Estela Merino Galan and Antonio Hernandez Sanchez, both aged 36, confessed to cops that the woman in the video sold them Tirzo for $160 and a gold watch. The pair told a gaggle of reporters they wanted the baby 'for adoption.' The mother was reunited early Friday morning with the baby, but hours later learned her sister died in the hospital. 'I do not find it right that babies are stolen from other people. If they can not have children or can not find another way, they can adopt or they can conceive one,' Maria Magdalena Sanchez said, according to Mexican newspaper Excelsior. 'I do not know. There are many things they can do to have babies and it upsets me now that if they are going to locked up, they will suffer more because now they will not enjoy their freedom. 'But neither will I let them go [free] because it would be illogical, so they have to pay for what they did.' According to the Child Rights Network in Mexico, at least four children are reported missing each day. Cops are still searching for the woman that appeared walking away with Tirzo. The parents of a teenage boy have threatened to sue his Connecticut school for suspending him to leave after he called transgender people sociopaths and said legalizing gay marriage was a 'slippery slope'. Michael Mancini, a high school sophomore, was asked to leave the $62,000-a-year Cheshire Academy after sharing his views with classmates and staff earlier this year. His class had been discussing the Shakespeare play The Twelfth Night at the fact that one of the female characters dresses as a male. As the class spoke about it being an attempt by Shakespeare to put a 'positive light on transgenderism', Michael interjected 'that during the time the book was written (1601-1602) his society would never partake in that sociopathic act,' his father, Theodore Mancini, wrote on a website listing his complaints. Michael Mancini, a high school sophomore, was asked to leave the $62,000-a-year Cheshire Academy after sharing his views with classmates and staff earlier this year He went on to compare transgender people to serial killers, specifically Ted Bundy, his father wrote. 'For his example he used Ted Bundy and his normalization of his bloodlust... Ted Bundy attempted to normalize his lust for killing, just as members of society today are trying to normalize transgenderism,' he said. The teenager added: 'If a man thinks he is a woman or a woman a man, it shows legitimate hormonal or mental disorder. Although those that identify as things such as Demi-Queer Fox-Kin are just looking for attention.' Afterwards, he was talking to a teacher in the hallway who asked him for his opinion on gay marriage. He replied by saying 'he is fine with homosexuals being legally married but is opposed to any church or religious organization performing the ceremonies since it goes against their teachings or dogma,' his father wrote. He added that 'whenever you seek to change the norms of a society, you have to be very careful to guard against it becoming a "slippery slope"'. To prove his point, he went on: 'Pedophiles now call themselves MAPS or minor attracted persons and they are using the same steps that gays used in the 70s-90s to become normalized. 'Another example in Canada, their Supreme Court has already declared most forms of bestiality legal' The boy's father Theodore documented the ordeal on a website called 'The Real Cheshire Academy'. They say there is nothing wrong with him expressing his views In a third incident, the boy, who is white, joked during a thinking workshop when asked to say something about himself that was obvious that he was black. The school held a disciplinary hearing where they accused him of harassment and harming an individual. Afterwards, he was told he could voluntarily leave the school with a clean record or be suspended five days and have the incidents put in his file. His parents say that the school breached its contract with him and that he is being unfairly punished for his views. They have threatened to file a lawsuit against the school which they say will seek damages for the emotional distress they say he has endured. James Sullivan, the family's attorney, provided the school with a notice of the lawsuit last week. It has not yet been filed. He told The New Haven Register: 'It belies the whole concept of liberalism, which is to embrace diverse ideas. In this politically correct environment, they are being very intolerant.' The school has not commented publicly on the issue but said in an email to parents 'This student was given a number of chances to adhere to our expectations and the rules and code of conduct of Cheshire Academy. 'Contrary to what you may have read, our decision was not based on an opposition to political dialogue. 'We will take steps to defend the good name and reputation of CA, and will continue to work with legal counsel through this unfortunate episode.' The New York City Ballet must reinstate two male dancers caught up in a sexting scandal, an arbitrator ruled on Friday. The arbitrator decided the company should not have fired Amar Ramasar and Zachary Catarazo, who were both named in a lawsuit by a woman who sued her ex-boyfriend and accused the ballet company of tolerating a 'fraternity-like atmosphere.' Ramasar, a star with the ballet company who also appeared in last year's Broadway revival of Carousel, said he was gratified to have won reinstatement, adding, 'As I move forward, learning, and evolving, I am eager to once again dance amongst the colleagues I respect, doing the ballets I have held close to my heart for the past 18 years.' Amar Ramasar (left with Tiler Peck) said Friday he was gratified to have reinstatement at the New York City Ballet. Zachary Catarazo (right) was also axed Alexandra Waterbury (right) sued after discovering that her boyfriend, Chase Finlay (left), had shared nude photos of her with Ramasar and Catarzo Catarazo said he was 'grateful and relieved' at the ruling but would not return to City Ballet. Ramasar and Catarazo were first suspended and then fired in September after they were named in a lawsuit by Alexandra Waterbury, a former student with the City Ballet's affiliated school, the School of American Ballet. Waterbury sued after discovering that her boyfriend, Chase Finlay, another male City Ballet dancer, had allegedly shared nude photos of her taken without her knowledge with other men in the company. The men were named in a lawsuit by Alexandra Waterbury, a former student with the City Ballet's affiliated school, the School of American Ballet Catarazo (left) said he was 'grateful and relieved' at the ruling but would not return to City Ballet. Finlay is pictured center right The lawsuit accused Finlay of sending nude photos of Waterbury to Ramasar and said Catarazo exchanged unspecified images with Finlay. A lawyer for Waterbury said the arbitrator's ruling does not affect 'the pending lawsuit designed to hold the New York City Ballet and others accountable' While denying that it condoned mistreatment of women, the ballet company terminated the contracts of Ramasar and Catarazo. Finlay resigned before he could be fired. An email seeking comment was sent Friday to Finlay. The dancers' union, the American Guild of Musical Artists, appealed Ramasar's and Catarazo's firings to the arbitrator. City Ballet said in a statement that it believes it was within its rights to fire the dancers but will abide by the ruling. The company noted that Ramasar must undergo counseling on his conduct as a condition of reinstatement. A lawyer for Waterbury said the arbitrator's ruling does not affect 'the pending lawsuit designed to hold the New York City Ballet and others accountable.' Ramasar said: 'I am eager to once again dance amongst the colleagues I respect, doing the ballets I have held close to my heart for the past 18 years' Advertisement Tributes have been paid to a young journalist who was killed in Londonderry as she reported on riots. Police in Northern Ireland have now released footage of Lyra McKee in the crowd, which also shows the masked gunman at a nearby building. Sara Canning paid tribute to her 29-year-old partner yesterday in front of hundreds of people attending a vigil in her memory and described her killing as a 'senseless murder'. Ms McKee was hit by a stray bullet after a masked gunman opened fire towards a crowd of police officers and bystanders at around 11pm, as republican dissidents rioted in the city's Creggan estate. Speaking at the vigil, Ms Canning said: 'It has left so many friends without their confidante. Victims and LGBTQI community are left without a tireless advocate and activist and it has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with are all passed in the loss of Lyra. Ms McKee, who had extensively covered the legacy of the Troubles, in a new picture released by her family today Tributes were left on the scene for Lyra which one which read: 'Heartbroken you lost your life here in Derry. So very sorry RIP Lyra - Not In Our Name Dissident republicans have been blamed by police for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee (pictured), who was shot dead while covering a riot in Londonderry last night Dissident republicans have been blamed by police for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee (pictured right, with girlfriend Sara Canning), who was shot dead while covering a riot in Londonderry last night A police officer was pictured paying her respects at a memorial which had been created to honour Lyra's life People signing a book of condolence after a vigil at Belfast City Hall in memory of murdered journalist Lyra McKee 'Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by this single barbaric act. 'This cannot stand, Lyra's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life and her legacy will live on and the life that she has left behind.' This evening the latest winner of the Man Booker prize paid a tearful tribute to a murdered Belfast journalist. Milkman author Anna Burns was among hundreds who turned out at Belfast City Hall for a vigil to Lyra McKee and stood for a minute's silence, which was followed with applause. People hold candles during a vigil at Belfast City Hall which was packed out for the vigil to honour the life of Lyra A woman wears a rainbow flag while she looks towards a picture of Lyra which has been placed on the gates of the Belfast City Hall The books of condolence for Ms McKee was brought to the front steps of the building after the doors were officially closed for the night to allow those waiting in a long queue to sign it. A smiling photograph of the 29-year-old journalist gazed across the rainbow flag-draped table which held two condolence books for well wishers to sign as well as a small posy of forget-me-nots. Those attending were asked to talk to each other in memory of Ms McKee who they were reminded, loved conversations. John O'Doherty of the Rainbow Coalition read out Ms McKee's 'Letter To My 14-year-old Self', in which she had written evocatively about facing challenging times at school and the moment she came out as gay to her mother, and relief when her mother embraced her. Next three friends of Ms McKee's, who had been due to meet her for dinner that evening, shared their memories of their friend. A table with candles which spelled out 'Love' and a vase of tulips and other flowers where people gathered to sign the condolence book John O'Doherty of the Rainbow Project reads a letter written by Lyra McKee when she was aged 24 entitled 'Letter to me 14-year-old self People looked tearful as they held candles at a vigil which was being held this evening, many struggled to hold back the tears at the emotional event Beautiful daffodils were left in bunches near the scene of the shooting along with a framed photo of Lyra (centre) Michele Devlin, Anna Burns and Alison Miller supported each other as they tearfully addressed the vigil. Ms Burns described Ms McKee as a 'dear, dear friend' that she had met through their mutual publisher Faber and Faber. 'It's absolutely wonderful that you are all here for Lyra,' she told the crowd, many of whom held candles. 'She was just so helpful and generous, her wee heart was always open.' Speaking about the shock of Ms McKee's death, close friend Matthew Hughes told MailOnline: 'The loss her friends feel is unquantifiable. Unfathomable. She is utterly irreplaceable.' Paying tribute to his friend, he added: 'It was just after midnight, my wife got a call from Lyra's partner. It was probably the one of the worst phone calls I've ever overheard in my life. A memorial including flowers candles and trinkets was laid including a plaque which read: 'Rest in peace Lyra MC Kee Not In Our Name - The People Of Derry' Ms McKee's devastated partner Sara Canning, centre, today paid tribute to her in front of hundreds of people at a vigil near the scene of the shooting, and said her partner's 'amazing potential was snuffed out by a single barbaric act' 'I heard the word 'shot', and that she was dead. Lyra was one of my best friends, she was a groomswoman at my wedding; she helped me tie my tie before the wedding. We'd traveled abroad together; we were very, very close.' Mr Hughes said he had known Ms McKee for five years and added: 'Lyra was such a brilliant, kind, compassionate person, and so unbelievably good; as a journalist, as a storyteller, as a person. 'If she saw a homeless person on the street she would go and buy them a cup of tea and a sandwich. She was the kindest, brightest, most determined person. 'She was a great investigative reporter, and she was at this inflection point in her career - she was going to go to the next level, she was so bright and so accomplished.' Lyra McKee, 29, (shown left,at the wedding of close friend Matthew Hughes) is believed to have been hit by a stray bullet after a gunman opened fire indiscriminately at around 11pm Ms Canning, pictured left alongside Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster, right, added Lyra was a 'shining light' In a heartbreaking Tweet, Ms McKee spoke of 'falling in love with Derry' and 'a woman who hails from it', before tragically adding: 'Here's to good times ahead and saying goodbye to bombs and bullets once and for all' Moments before her death, Ms McKee had posted an image from the scene of the riots on Twitter showing smoke rising into the air above emergency service vehicles, along with the caption: 'Derry tonight. Absolute madness' Ann Travers, whose sister Mary was murdered by the IRA in 1984, said Ms McKee was a 'kind, gentle, witty and stubborn soul'. 'I have just heard, that my lovely friend Lyra was murdered tonight in Derry. I just can't believe, that this witty, clever human being has been taken... Feel sick.' The tragic journalists killed amid unrest in Northern Ireland Martin O'Hagan had been the only journalist killed on Northern Irish soil before the death of Lyra McKee. He was assassinated by the Loyalist Volunteer Force as he walked home from the pub with his wife in 2001. O'Hagan had been an investigative journalist for the Sunday World, and was well-known for his stories exposing the seedy activities of Ulster loyalists. Before his time as a journalist, he was a member of the Official IRA, and was once convicted of possession of firearms with intent, being sentenced to seven years imprisonment. On September 28, 2001, Martin and his wife Marie were walking home from Fa' Joe's pub in his hometown of Lurgan in Northern Ireland when a car pulled up slowly alongside them. As the occupants opened fire from a window, O'Hagan pushed his wife into a bush as he was struck several times by bullets. As he lay wounded on the pavement, he asked his wife to call an ambulance, but by the time she returned from making the call he had died. English journalist Ross McWhirter, co-founder of the Guinness World Book of Records, was murdered by IRA assassins outside his London home in 1975. He came a target of paramilitary republicans after offering a 50,000 reward for information leading to convictions in high-profile bombings carried out by the IRA during the Troubles. He also advocated for restrictions on the freedom of Irish people during the unrest. Harry Duggan and Hugh Doherty shot him in the head and chest outside his home with a Magnum revolver. They were convicted for the crime but then released under the Good Friday Agreement. Advertisement Fellow journalist Peter McGuire said Ms McKee was a 'gifted writer, a kind person and SO generous with her time and knowledge'. 'So young - horrific & heartbreaking news from Derry tonight,' he tweeted. Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists, wrote: 'Shocked by news that woman shot dead in Derry last night has been named locally as @NUJofficial Lyra McKee. 'We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends.' Lilly Dancyger, a New York-based editor at Narratively, said Ms McKee was 'dedicated to covering the lasting trauma & violence of the Troubles'. 'Devastating to hear she was killed tonight by that same violence,' she tweeted. Ms Dancyger shared an article written by Ms McKee about the families of Troubles victims. 'I was Lyra's editor on this story, and it was an honour. Sharing her work now is all I can think to do,' she said. Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: 'A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us in to darkness.' Writer Brooke Magnanti, whose blogs were made into TV hit Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, said she was 'stunned' by the news. She tweeted: 'I only knew her from online and a phone conversations after we were introduced by @GlasgaeLauraLee. 'She struck me as a thoughtful journalist unafraid to challenge her own beliefs. Rare and precious. Deepest condolences to family and friends.' Police revealed today the New IRA was 'most likely' behind the killing, and that Ms McKee was a 'completely innocent bystander' who was struck accidentally as the gunman aimed towards uniformed officers. Irish and British politicians widely condemned the murder today, with the city mayor John Boyle claiming: 'It doesn't matter if you call it Derry of Londonderry; this city is united with one voice... against this heinous murder.' Defiant residents of the city later started the hashtag #NotInMyName on social media in an act of opposition to the violence, while hundreds of people attended a vigil in memory of the Belfast-born journalist near where she died. Moments before her death, Ms McKee had posted an image from the scene of the riots on Twitter that showed smoke rising into the air above police vehicles, along with the caption: 'Derry tonight. Absolute madness.' In another heartbreaking Tweet, she spoke of 'falling in love with Derry' and 'a woman who hails from it', before tragically adding: 'Here's to good times ahead and saying goodbye to bombs and bullets once and for all.' Ms McKee had covered the legacy of the Troubles extensively, and spoke of being segregated from Protestants while growing up on Belfast's 'Murder Mile', a road notorious for the high number of locals killed by Ulster loyalists. Ms McKee was an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer and had extensively covered the Troubles in Northern Ireland, leading to Forbes naming her as one of its 30 under 30 in the media in 2016. She first rose to prominence in 2014 after a blog post called 'Letter to my 14-year-old self' in which she spoke about the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast. Police revealed this morning that they believe the attack was carried out by 'violent dissident republicans', calling Ms McKee a 'completely innocent bystander' Mr Hughes said he had known Ms McKee (pictured) for five years and understood his friend had been killed by a stray bullet, according to Ms McKee's partner, who was at the scene Last year, she released her first novella called Angels With Blue Faces, a non-fiction novella about the murder of a reverend during the Northern Irish conflict, with her second book The Lost Boys scheduled for release in 2020. In a forward to her first book, she said her share of the sale proceeds would 'go to Paper Trail, a charity that helps survivors of the conflict regardless of religion, political belief, or other affiliations'. She added: 'It empowers victims by helping them ask questions and obtain answers about what was often the most traumatic experience of their lives. 'Your money will help Paper Trail continue to do this, as Northern Ireland continues to recover from the devastation left by 30 years of war.' How Lyra McKee grew up on Belfast's 'Murder Mile' before launching a career as a journalist Lyra McKee had extensively covered the legacy of the Troubles, and spoke of being segregated from Protestants while growing up on Belfast's 'Murder Mile', a road notorious for the high number of locals killed by Ulster loyalists. Ms McKee was an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer and had extensively covered the Troubles in Northern Ireland, leading to Forbes naming her as one of its 30 under 30 in the media in 2016. She first rose to prominence in 2014 after a blog post called 'Letter to my 14-year-old self' in which she spoke about the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast. Last year, she released her first novella called Angels With Blue Faces, a non-fiction novella about the murder of a reverend during the Northern Irish conflict, with her second book The Lost Boys scheduled for release in 2020. In a forward to her first book, she said her share of the sale proceeds would 'go to Paper Trail, a charity that helps survivors of the conflict regardless of religion, political belief, or other affiliations'. She added: 'It empowers victims by helping them ask questions and obtain answers about what was often the most traumatic experience of their lives. 'Your money will help Paper Trail continue to do this, as Northern Ireland continues to recover from the devastation left by 30 years of war.' In the foreword, she spoke of her country as 'a beautiful tragedy, strangled by the chains of its past and its present'. 'It's a place full of darkness and mysteries,' she added. 'It's also my home. 'Sometimes, I love it and hate it in equal measure.' Advertisement In the foreword, she spoke of her country as 'a beautiful tragedy, strangled by the chains of its past and its present'. 'It's a place full of darkness and mysteries,' she added. 'It's also my home. Sometimes, I love it and hate it in equal measure.' She had headed to the city's Creggan district after riots erupted following police raids on a number of homes yesterday. Several vehicles were hijacked and set alight earlier in the incident before the gunshots were heard. Prime Minister Theresa May called the death of Ms McKee a 'shocking and truly senseless' loss of life in a statement today. 'My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues,' she said. 'She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage.' United States House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi also paid tribute to journalist Ms McKee during a visit to Stormont. A minute's silence was observed during an event she attended in the Long Gallery in respect of Ms McKee during a speech by Northern Ireland Assembly speaker Robin Newton. During her speech, Ms Pelosi said: 'Sadly, Mr Speaker, we join you on the sadness of the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family and your moment of silence at this time, on Good Friday is especially poignant,' she said. 'You not only had a moment of silence, you presented a sense of resolve that justice would be done and the memory of that young woman would be a lesson for all of us.' Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said the killing in Derry was a 'senseless loss of life'. She said: 'I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. 'The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. 'I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry.' DUP leader Arlene Foster said that news of the death was 'heartbreaking' and that it was a 'senseless act'. 'Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80 and 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back,' she said. 'Keep hanging on, kid. It's worth it. I love you': Lyra's poignant letter to her 14-year-old self A poignant letter than Ms McKee wrote to her 14-year-old self has been widely shared on Twitter as people pay tribute to her life and career. In the letter, published by The Muckraker in August 2014, she told of overcoming homophobia to live a happy and fulfilling life. It begins: 'Kid, It's going to be okay. 'I know you're not feeling that way right now. You're sitting in school. The other kids are making fun of you. You told the wrong person you had a crush and soon, they all knew your secret. It's horrible. They make your life hell.' She then described joining a scheme to encourage young people into journalism, before joining a local technical college and then going on to university, which she dropped out of. The letter continues: 'Three months before your 21st birthday, you will tell Mum the secret. You will be sobbing and shaking and she will be frightened because she doesn't know what's wrong. Christmas will be just a couple of weeks away. 'You have to tell her because you've met someone you like and you can't live with the guilt anymore. You can't get the words out so she says it: 'Are you gay?' And you will say, 'Yes Mummy, I'm so sorry.' And instead of getting mad, she will reply 'Thank God you're not pregnant'.' She then described coming out to her friends and siblings, none of whom reacted badly. After several more paragraphs it concludes: 'You will do 'normal' things. You will spend time with your Mum. You will go to work and pay your bills. 'You will go to the cinema with your best friend every week because that's your ritual dinner then an action movie where things explode. You will fall in love again. You will smile every day, knowing that someone loves you as much as you love them.' Advertisement Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said she was 'deeply shocked and saddened' to hear of the death. 'My thoughts and condolences are with her family at this time. Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. 'Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland.' Mark H Durkan, SDLP MLA for Foyle, said he was left 'heartbroken and angry' by the killing. 'Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life,' he tweeted. 'Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace.' A GoFundMe has been set up to cover funeral expenses for the family. New Jersey police officers were caught on camera pulling people out of the fiery wreckage of a highway car crash. The Camden County Police Department recognized officers Vaughn Edwards, Joseph Mair, Brian McCline and Vincent Russomanno for their life-saving efforts after responding to the scene of a two-car crash on April 7 at about 2.30am. Mair was on patrol less than a handful of streets away from the I-676 in Camden, New Jersey, when he heard a car crash and saw flames coming from the highway. Four Camden County Police officers were recognized Friday for their heroics in pulling four men out of burning cars that caught fire after a highway crash on April 7 at about 2.30am The police officers worked with a Delaware River Port Authority officer and civilians to break open the cars' windows and pry open doors to pull the men to safety Delaware River Port Authority Police Department Officer Franklin Flash braving the flames while rescuing one of the men trapped inside the burning cars This bodycam still shows one of the victims awaiting rescue inside one of the burning car He then reported the incident and drove to where the crash occurred, where he came upon two side-by-side cars that had collided with each other. The cars, each with two adult males inside, were heavily damaged and on fire. Edwards, McCline and Russomanno then arrived on the scene, and working with Delaware River Port Authority Police Department Officer Franklin Flash and bystanders the four Camden police officers quickly set about to rescuing men from the crash. In a bodycam video released by police, an officer can be seen running straight towards the burning cars as the people at the scene work together to pull out the two men from their cars amidst shouts of 'give me your hand!' Authorities said that one car's windows had to be shattered in order to get the two men out of the car and that the car was engulfed by flames moments after the rescues. The other car's doors had to be forced open in order to gain access to the two men inside. Two Camden officers noticed that one of the men that had been pulled from the car was still on fire, so they used their hands to to beat his clothing and put out the flames, the Courier Post reported. Two of the men from the cars suffered extensive burns and were taken to the hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported. Officer Joseph Mair (second from left) was first on the scene, with officers Vaughn Edwards (far left), Vincent Russomanno (second from right) and Brian McCline (far right) responding Two of the men were pulled from the car with extensive burns, requiring hospitalization One of the men was still on fire when he was pulled from the car, leaving officers to use their hands to put out the flames on his clothes One of the two cars became engulfed in flames after the last victim was pulled from it What the bodycam footage didn't show was Russomano's uniform catching on fire at one point during the rescue a fact that the man himself didn't even realize at the time, he told NBC 10. Recalling the night's actions, Edwards told the news station, 'Your adrenaline's rushing, but at the end of the day you have a job to do and you don't want anyone getting hurt. Our motto here is, "Service before self," so we have to put that before ourselves.' 'The quick actions taken by Officers Edwards, Mair, McCline and Russomanno ensured that all four victims survived this crash,' Camden police's Lt. John Martinez said in a statement, which named the four, 20-somethings men the department's Officers of the Week. Meanwhile, police are hoping that the civilian bystanders who helped pull the men from the cars will come forward so that they can be recognized for their actions, too. 'These people could have been a mailman, an accountant, a real estate agent, and yet they stopped and put their lives on the line to help their fellow man,' CCPD Lt. John Martinez said. It's unclear what caused the crash, but one of the two drivers was charged with driving while intoxicated and assault by auto, the New Jersey State Police told the Courier Post. A second trailer for Felicity Huffman's forthcoming Netflix series was released Friday morning but the actress blends into the background for much of the 2 minute and 46 second clip. Huffman portrays Linda Fairstein, the former chief of the sex crimes unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's office, in When They See Us, a miniseries about the Central Park Five. Fairstein prosecuted the five teenagers who were wrongfully convicted in the rape of a young woman who was jogging through the Manhattan park when she was attacked on the night of April 19, 1989. Scroll down for videos Second Netflix trailer for When They See Us barely shows Felicity Huffman's face close-up A 2.46-minute clip was released Friday and the actress' dark image flickers throughout Huffman plays Linda Fairstein, who wrongfully prosecuted five boys convicted in the rape of a young woman jogging through Central Park in 1989 But after the streaming service cancelled the release of her new film that was set to premiere later this month, Huffman is barely visible in the fresh teaser. A flicker of Huffman's face is seen as her voice plays in character and the trailer shows long images depicting the moment the young boys were stopped by police and later questioned. 'A female jogger was severely beaten and raped,' she says as Fairstein about 20 seconds in. 'Every black male is a suspect. I need all of them.' Huffman's new miniseries about the Central Park Five comes out May 13 on Netflix Huffman is pictured as Fairstein on the set of the forthcoming Ava DuVernay two-part drama The real Central Park Five were in prison for 10 years before they were finally exonerated The real Central Park Five were in prison for 10 years before they were finally exonerated. Antron McCray is pictured Some 25 seconds later Huffman is shown at the back of a dark stairwell as the mother of one of the boys demands to see her son while cops pressure the children to falsely confess despite a guardian not being present. Blink and you'll miss Huffman's next appearance chatting to prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer. The curly haired woman by contrast has numerous close up shots throughout the trailer. It's the same for the parents of the accused boys, one of whom is played by Niecy Nash, and the lawyers working on the case, with Joshua Jackson enjoying ample screen time. Niecy Nash (left) who portrays an accused boy's mother, and Joshua Jackson (right), who plays a defense lawyer, have dramatic shots that focus on their faces The character of prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer has numerous close up shots throughout trailer The sequence of close-up shots help intensify the dramatic affect for the characters The sequence of close-up shots help intensify the dramatic affect as Netflix prepares to release the Ava DuVernay-directed two-part series. But it is no surprise Netflix has opted to play down Huffman's part in the May 31 offering from DuVernay, who helmed the 2016 documentary 13th and 2014 movie Selma. Comedy Otherhood, which stars Huffman, Angela Basset and Patricia Arquette, will no longer be released on the platform, a production source told DailyMail.com. Huffman's voice is heard where her image isn't seen in the trailer about Central Park Five The series shows how the cops pressured the children to falsely confess despite a guardian not being present The newly-released trailer features the accused teen characters and their adult versions The film follows three mothers who move to New York to surprise their adult children. In the previous trailer, only her voice over is heard throughout most of the clip, saying: 'Let's get an army of blue up in Harlem. You go into those projects, and you stop every little f*** you see, you bring in every kid who was in the park last night.' The actress entered a guilty plea to a single charge of mail fraud this month in the college admissions scandal Fairstein continued to maintain the guilt of the boys, even after their charges were vacated when another man confessed to the crime and proved to be a match for the DNA found at the scene. The five were exonerated after a decade in prison when Matias Reyes, a serial rapist, confessed to the crime in 2002. There were also reports that Netflix had fired Lori Loughlin in March for her role in the Operation Varsity Blues scandal. A source told DailyMail.com at the time however that Loughlin only appeared on Fuller House in a guest-starring role, and did not have a contract in place like the rest of the cast. Huffman pleaded guilty to paying $15,000 to a fake charity so her daughter could cheat on the SATs. The actress, who is married to the actor William H. Macy, released a statement saying she was 'ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues and the educational community.' The Emmy-winning star also stated: 'My daughter knew absolutely nothing about my actions, and in my misguided and profoundly wrong way, I have betrayed her.' There are approximately 50 people involved in a countrywide scam to bribe people at colleges, including Yale. She has previously described her fellow cast members in Line of Duty as being like family to her. Now Vicky McClure can count a real-life relative among her co-stars, after bagging her nephew a part on the BBC One police drama. Kai Reed, 11, has appeared in two episodes of the new series as Miss McClures character DI Kate Flemings son Josh. Vicky McClure, 35, posts an Instagram with her nephew Kai Reed, 11 with the caption: '#meltsmyheart #nephewlove' The proud auntie, 35, often shares pictures of her and Kai on Instagram, tagging one selfie #auntynephewlove. She previously told how she asked the shows writer Jed Mercurio to change the gender of DI Flemings child so Kai could get the part. She said: When it was written originally I had a daughter, and I said to Jed it would be great if I could have a son instead because I could use my nephew. It will always be his role now and he really enjoys it he did really well this year, he did some improvising, Im very proud of him. Kai Reid 11 , the nephew of Vicky McClure, as Josh in Line of Duty with a Nottingham Forest scarf in pride of place Kais character was seen in the first episode of the new series three weeks ago when DI Fleming came home from work and kissed him on the head. And in the second episode he was seen sleeping soundly in bed as viewers were introduced to the characters family life. In both of Kais scenes, Nottingham Forest supporters gear was clearly in shot a mug with Josh on it in the first episode and a scarf hung above his bed in the second. Martin Compston (left) playing Steve Arnott, Adrian Dunbar (centre) as Ted Hastings, and Vicky McClure as Kate Fleming in Series five of Line of Duty Producers were going to use a Chelsea or Manchester City mug, until Kai told them he was a Forest fan. Miss McClure, who like Kai is from Nottingham, supports local rivals Notts County, and has previously Tweeted about this tension in the family, saying: My nephew aka Josh is a #NFFC fan! Whats an #NCFC aunty to do! Miss McClures fiance Jonny Owen, a director at Nottingham Forest, told the local newspaper that Kai has been to loads of games with his father Carl Reid. Line of Duty continues tomorrow night at 9pm on BBC One. A man from Florida was arrested Thursday for allegedly leaving voicemails threatening to kill three Democratic lawmakers. John Kless, 49, of Taramac, was detained by federal agents over threat to kill California Rep. Eric Swalwell, Detroit Rep. Rashida Tlaib and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker at their Washington D.C. offices. He left the threats in vulgar messages on their voicemails and expressed his hatred to each for freshman Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar, whom he repeatedly called a 'Taliban member' and 'towel head.' John Kless, 49, of Tamarac is accused of making the threatening voicemails to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, left, and Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Eric Swalwell 'No one wants to f*****g hear you or that other little whore,' he ranted in a message left for Tlaib according to the Miami New Times. 'I'd like to take that b**** and throw her right off the Empire State Building, that f*****g whore. Tell her to shut her f*****g mouth, you f*****g f*** her all the time probably.' 'So tell her to shut the f*** up, all right?' he continued. 'From one towel-head to another. You stanking, f*****g smelly f*****g b****. F*** off. I wish all of you the worst, you can go f*** off in life. F*** you and f*** Mohammed too. You b**** f*****g c***.' In his voicemail to Swalwell, he took aim at the congressman's position on gun control threatening to kill him if the politician passed gun safety laws. 'The day you come after our guns motherf***** is the day you'll be dead,' Kless allegedly said. The voicemails were full of racist slurs where Kless spoke of killing black people. He left a hateful voice messages for Representative Ilhan Omar, left, calling her a towel head and Taliban member. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, right, received a message threatening to kill her In his message to Booker, Kless repeatedly used the N-word and derided him as a 'monkey'. He also directly said that he wanted to murder Booker and other black men. 'You're a f*****g disgrace,' he allegedly said. 'We need to kill all you motherf****** man, every f*****g one of you, man.' While insulting Democratic politicians, he defended President Trump, demanding that the lawmakers stop insulting him. Earlier this year, Capitol Police say Kless also made similarly harassing calls to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to rant about 'Congress taking away his guns, abortion, illegal immigration and Muslims in Congress,' local ABC affiliate WPLG reported. Swalwell and Booker have announced they will seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. 'I'm grateful to the Capitol Police and Florida law enforcement for protecting me, my staff, and our constituents from a threat made this week,' Swalwell said in a statement. 'I'm running for President to make changes to our gun laws through the democratic process. There should be a respectful debate on this issue. But threatening violence is the lowest form of communication and has no place in our community. 'Further, if your response to a lawmaker proposing to make it harder for dangerous people to get dangerous weapons is to threaten to kill that lawmaker, you have proven exactly why we need more restrictions on firearm possession,' Swalwell said. A major electrical manufacturer used a gagging order to stop a woman speaking out about a fire in a supposedly safe tumble dryer A major electrical manufacturer used a gagging order to stop a woman speaking out about a fire in a supposedly safe tumble dryer. Whirlpool, whose brands include Hotpoint, last night faced demands to reveal how many victims it has paid to keep silent about blazes in machines it had apparently 'fixed'. It paid a five-figure sum to gag a mother forced to flee with two young children as a blaze engulfed her home after her drier had been modified, the Mail has learned. Under the legal deal signed in the middle of a Government inquiry into the potentially lethal dryers the woman promised not to discuss how her appliance was the cause of the terrifying fire. Campaigners and MPs said the use of 'non-disclosure agreements' (NDAs) marked a 'deeply disturbing' development for the firm. They have accused Whirlpool of 'delaying and frustrating' attempts to make it accept liability for the machines. More than five million dryers under the company's Hotpoint, Creda and Indesit brands had a design fault that has caused at least 750 household fires since 2004. Whirlpool paid a five-figure sum to gag a mother forced to flee with two young children as a blaze engulfed her home after her drier had been modified, the Mail has learned Black smoke billowed into my utility room but they tried to blame ME Rebecca Robinson said Whirlpool tried to pressure her not to report a tumble dryer fire which happened a year after it was supposedly made safe Rebecca Robinson said Whirlpool tried to pressure her not to report a tumble dryer fire which happened a year after it was supposedly made safe. Smoke billowed out and an electrical burning smell filled her utility room during the blaze in October. Mrs Robinson, 32, a school communications manager, said the Hotpoint engineer who later came told her: It shouldnt happen like that on a modified one. But when he phoned his head office from her home to report it the firm kept trying to pass the blame on to Mrs Robinson, implying that she had not kept the dryer clean. They also warned her she might lose her dryer if she didnt agree to have a fix on the fix rather than replacement machine which would also mean the engineer would not have to write an official incident report on the fire. But she refused, preferring to risk having no dryer than one that might burn her house down. The Hotpoint engineers report, dated October 30 2018, described the cause as lint build-ups on the heater element and burn signs on the rear panel the exact thing that Whirpools modification was designed to stop. Smoke billowed out and an electrical burning smell filled Mrs Robinsons' utility room during the blaze in October Mrs Robinson, who lives with husband Ben, 33, near Newton Abbot in Devon, said: It was frightening. There was a really strong smell of electrical burning. She added: The way [Whirlpool] acted really triggered a concern. I felt like tactics were coming into play and they were trying to pass the blame. Advertisement Whirlpool began a huge drive to modify them four years ago but at least half a million that have not been seen are thought to be still in use. It claims there have been no reported incidents where the fix has failed, and a Government review found modified appliances had a 'low' fire risk. But consumer groups said the inquiry was 'fundamentally flawed' as it failed to speak to at least 35 people whose 'fixed' machines caught fire or produced smoke or a burning smell. Hundreds of families, some with no insurance, have lost possessions or been driven out of their homes by blazes caused by Whirlpool dryers. They start when fluff from the cycle comes into contact with the heating element. The US firm first issued a safety alert in 2015 and later launched a nationwide programme to modify millions of the at-risk machines. Despite this, half a million defective machines remain in homes. Now it has emerged that a woman whose dryer burst into flames and engulfed her home almost two years after it was modified was paid a five-figure sum to settle her claim against Whirlpool. It included a non-disclosure agreement not to speak about the fire to anyone, including to broadcasters and on social media. The NDA was signed with a loss adjustor, a third party acting on behalf of Whirlpool to deal with her compensation claim. Labour MP Rachel Reeves, chairman of the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said: 'Attempts to silence customers with genuine complaints sound more like the cynical tactics of PR management than a commitment to protecting customers The US firm first issued a safety alert in 2015 and later launched a nationwide programme to modify millions of the at-risk machines Whirlpool said it did not use stand alone NDAs for resolving compensation claims but documents sometimes used 'common confidentiality provisions'. The NDA was signed earlier this year, during an inquiry into concerns around the modified dryers by the Office for Product Safety and Standards. The inquiry concluded this month that there is a 'low risk of harm or injury from lint fires in modified machines'. Labour MP Rachel Reeves, chairman of the business, energy and industrial strategy committee, said: 'Attempts to silence customers with genuine complaints sound more like the cynical tactics of PR management than a commitment to protecting customers. We have written to Whirlpool... and we expect them to set the record straight.' Labour MP Andy Slaughter added: 'If [Whirlpool] are now paying customers to keep silent about faulty products that's a very worrying sign.' David Chaplin, Which? head of campaigns, said: 'Any evidence that Whirlpool may have tried to silence the real stories of tumble dryer fire victims during a Government inquiry is deeply disturbing and must be urgently investigated.' Whirlpool said as recently as February that 'there have been no reported incidents where the modification has proven ineffective'. But a Whirlpool engineer's report into a fire in a modified dryer in October said its cause was 'lint build-ups on the heater element and burn signs on the rear panel' the exact issue the modification was meant to stop. Which?'s submission to the Government's inquiry revealed 35 similar cases of modified machines catching fire or having a strong smell of smoke. But the inquiry did not take up the offer to speak directly to any of the consumers in cases highlighted by Which? Charlie Pugsley, deputy assistant commissioner at London Fire Brigade, said the modified machines may be 'slowly ticking devices' that could get much worse. He added: 'We've got 35 now, will that turn into 60 next year, will that turn into 100 the year after? Every one of those fires could kill.' Nigel Day was watching TV with his family, including his disabled son, when his tumble dryer burst into flames, filling his house with choking black smoke. The father of four from Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, had bought one of the first new models which supposedly had been modified in the factory to ensure it could not catch fire. He said: 'If this isn't resolved, someone is going to get killed.' A Whirlpool spokesman said: 'Whirlpool does not use stand alone NDAs in the course of negotiating the resolution of compensation claims by consumers. 'When negotiating compensation payments to consumers which are often conducted by our insurers standardised documents are sometimes used that may include common confidentiality provisions. Whirlpool has not sought to enforce such provisions against consumers in this context. We have total confidence in the dryer modification which was extensively tested before and after being implemented. Nothing matters more to us than people's safety.' Grassroots Tories are refusing to take part in next month's European election campaign in protest at the delay to Brexit. In an extraordinary show of defiance, the Conservative group on Derbyshire County Council has effectively voted to go on strike. They have refused to knock on doors or deliver leaflets in support of Tory MEPs, saying they will not take part in the elections because they 'should not be happening'. In an extraordinary show of defiance, the Conservative group on Derbyshire County Council (pictured) has said it will not partake in European Parliament elections And they warned Theresa May they expect Conservative councillors across the country to join their Brexit revolt over the next few days. Barry Lewis, leader of the Derbyshire Tories, told the Prime Minister she should quit over her agreement with the EU to delay Brexit until October 31. He said there was a 'democratic obligation to deliver what was promised' and the Government 'should not abdicate their promise to deliver it'. Mr Lewis added local Tories were incensed with Mrs May for entering into Brexit negotiations with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour. He said he expects other Tory county councillors to go on strike once the local elections on May 2 are out of the way. Last night councillors across the country told the Daily Mail they will not be campaigning for the European elections a sign of the growing anger in local associations at Mrs May's handling of Brexit. The open rebellion could also make it more likely that Nigel Farage's Brexit Party will sweep to victory in the European elections on May 23 A poll this week found the Brexit Party support hit 27 per cent well ahead of both Labour and the Tories, who were stuck on 15 per cent The open rebellion could also make it more likely that Nigel Farage's Brexit Party will sweep to victory in the European elections on May 23. A poll this week found its support hit 27 per cent well ahead of both Labour and the Tories, who were stuck on 15 per cent. Mr Lewis said his Conservative group on Derbyshire County Council overwhelmingly supported a motion this week not to take part in the EU elections. 'This was not an easy decision to take and goes against every natural instinct we have as Conservatives to support our hardworking MEPs and candidates,' he said. 'However, we were promised, following the largest public mandate a UK government has ever received, that we would be out by March 29. Whether you voted Leave or Remain, the vast majority of people recognise there is a democratic obligation to deliver what was promised.' He added that inviting Mr Corbyn to the table was 'a serious mistake for the Prime Minister', adding that he and his Labour Party 'deserve no credibility'. They were angry that the Conservatives agreed to cross-party talks with Labour (Labour frontbenchers Sue Hayman, Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long-Bailey and John McDonnell pictured arriving at the Cabinet Office for negotiations) Mr Lewis, the leader of Derbyshire County Council, said Mrs May should quit over her failure to deliver Brexit on time. And he said Tory and Labour voters will shift to vote for the Brexit Party. 'Theresa May has said I think 108 times that we would leave the EU in March and if it came to it we would leave without a deal if one cannot be agreed,' he said. 'That is why we have made this decision.' Derbyshire's rebellion comes as grassroots Tories across the country are plotting no confidence votes in Theresa May. Constituency activists want to press her to stand down by forcing an extraordinary general meeting to allow a vote of party members on her leadership. Last night John Furey, a Tory councillor on Surrey Council, said he would also not campaign in the European elections. 'I won't be going out because I believe we should no longer be in the European Union,' he said. And Dave Greenow, a Tory councillor on Herefordshire Council, said he would 'definitely not be canvassing', while Keith Walker, a Tory member of Nottinghamshire County Council, added: 'If it was up to me we wouldn't have anything to do with the European elections. We should have sorted it out before it comes to that.' Yesterday it emerged three quarters of Labour's top MEP candidates have publicly backed a second referendum. The candidates who are ranked highly enough to have won a seat at the last European elections in 2014 include Momentum's national coordinator Laura Parker and former Cabinet minister Lord Adonis. A man who is charged in the murder of a 71-year-old California psychologist appeared in Las Vegas court this week. Jon Kennison, 27, has been charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Dr Thomas Burchard. Kennison's Playboy model girlfriend Kelsey Nichole Turner, 25, and Diana Pena, 30, are facing the same charges. Kennison held a piece paper that read 'Love U lil Mama' during his court appearance on Friday morning, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Jon Kennison, 27, has been charged with open murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of Dr Thomas Burchard. He held a sign in court that said 'Love U Lil' Mama' Kennison's Playboy model girlfriend Kelsey Nichole Turner, 25, (left) has also been charged in the death of the California psychiatrist (right) Authorities believe that Turner, Kennison, and Pena abandoned the Las Vegas home they were sharing after Burchard was murdered. Burchard's body was found rotting in the trunk of Turner's two-door Mercedes-Benz coupe, which was found abandoned off a dirt road in Las Vegas on March 7. The psychiatrist had paid rent for the trio's Las Vegas home through March. He previously paid rent for Turner's home in California. Investigators found blood throughout a bedroom in the Las Vegas home and said there was evidence of attempts to try and clean it up, according to KSBW. Diana Pena, 30, is facing the same charges as Kennison and Turner. She appeared in court on Tuesday (pictured) Authorities believe that Turner, Kennison, and Pena abandoned the Las Vegas home they were sharing after Burchard was murdered Authorities said that cell phone records show that the trio left the house and checked into the Rio Hotel and Casino. Pena is pictured in court on Tuesday They also discovered a door that had been broken, with blood on each half, that appeared to be the result of a fight. Authorities said that cell phone records show the trio left the house and checked into the Rio Hotel and Casino. Last week Turner faced court in Stockton, where she is being held pending her extradition to Nevada following her arrest last month. Turner's extradition was delayed and her next court appearance was scheduled for April 16. She is expected to face murder and conspiracy charges back in Las Vegas. Pena was taken into custody on Saturday after turning herself into police. Turner, 25, faced court in Stockton, California on Monday where she is being held pending her extradition to Nevada after being arrested last month over Burchard's murder Pena was taken into custody on Saturday after turning herself into police. Kennison was arrested on Wednesday Judy Earp, Burchard's longtime girlfriend, said the psychiatrist had given Turner roughly $300,000 during the time they knew each other. Earp said that Burchard had signed a lease for a home in Salinas, California where Turner had lived for 'about a year' with her mother and children. She said the model, who appeared in Playboy Italia and Maxim, had told Burchard that she couldn't qualify for a lease because she had 'bad credit'. 'He helped a lot of people,' Earp told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. 'She had this really sad story. She took the $300,000. I'll just leave it at that.' Burchard paid Turner's rent for months but stopped after the 'lease was up'. Turner's extradition was delayed and her next court appearance was scheduled for April 16. She is expected to face murder and conspiracy charges back in Las Vegas Police said Burchard had been paying the March rent on Turner's home but is believed to have stopped in the months before he was murdered. Turner is pictured above attending a 'Babes In Toyland' event in Hollywood in March 2018 'He told her several months before that he was not going to continue,' Earp said. 'He actually paid her money to leave.' Turner was eventually evicted from the home in Salinas and moved to Las Vegas. Police said Burchard's girlfriend reported the semi-retired child psychiatrist missing days after he sent a March 2 text message to her from Las Vegas saying he planned to go to Salinas two days later. Sources have previously said Burchard and Turner met online Earp told police she believed Turner, was involved in Burchard's disappearance. Police found the rented home unlocked but no one there, according to court documents, and a neighbor reported seeing Burchard with Turner. In the Mercedes, investigators recovered Burchard's vest and house keys; collected fingerprint and possible DNA evidence; noted apparent blood residue on seats and blue latex gloves; and found cleaning supplies. 'Blood evidence in the back seat suggested Burchard was attacked in the vehicle,' police said in Turner's arrest warrant application. The Clark County coroner ruled the case a homicide, finding that Burchard was struck multiple times in the head with an unidentified object that left what police called a unique pattern. Burchard also bore what police said were defensive wounds. Earp would not elaborate on how Turner and Burchard knew each other, only saying she did not believe the model was one of his patients. Sources have previously said Burchard and Turner met online. Judy Earp (right), Burchard's longtime girlfriend, said the psychiatrist had given Turner roughly $300,000 during the time they knew each other Earp said that Burchard had signed a lease for a home in Salinas, California where Turner had lived for 'about a year' with her mother (pictured together) and children Republican Senator Mitt Romney said Friday that he was 'sickened' and 'appalled' by what Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report revealed about President Donald Trump and his aides, as the leader's approval rating dropped 3 percent. While most Republicans declined to comment on the explosive report, he chastised the GOP president and senior White House officials caught misleading the public. 'I am sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the president,' Romney said in a Twitter statement. 'I am also appalled that, among other things, fellow citizens working in a campaign for president welcomed help from Russia -- including information that had been illegally obtained, that none of them acted to inform American law enforcement and that the campaign chairman was actively promoting Russian interests in Ukraine.' Republican Senator Mitt Romney says he was 'sickened' by the Mueller report's descriptions of President Donald Trump, his campaign and the White House and their habit of misleading the public While most Republicans declined to comment on the explosive report, he chastised the GOP president and senior White House officials Released on Thursday after a nearly two-year investigation, Mueller's report detailed a huge amount of cooperative but not criminal contacts between Trump's 2016 election campaign and Russia that assisted the Republican against his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. The report also detailed numerous acts by the president that supported allegations of obstruction of justice, though Mueller, constrained by Justice Department rules, could not himself recommend charges against Trump. Trump declared victory and exoneration after the report, and later labeled Mueller's work 'total bullshit.' But other Republicans have been mute. Senator Marco Rubio tweeted Friday that Americans should be alarmed at Russian interference and 'relieved' that Trump didn't collaborate. Romney, who in 2016 vied with Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, was alone among Republicans in criticizing the White House for its behavior. Mueller described Trump and aides as habitually lying about their actions and running roughshod over principles of law a they battled the investigation. 'Reading the report is a sobering revelation of how far we have strayed from the aspirations and principles of the founders' of the United States, Romney said. He seemed to be referring to glaring errors that Sarah Sanders, the White House press secretary, made among others. She admitted to the Mueller that she was wrong to say that 'countless' FBI agents told her they wanted James Comey fired. He seemed to be referring to glaring errors that Sanders, the White House press secretary, and others made. She admitted to the Mueller that she was wrong to say that 'countless' FBI agents told her they wanted James Comey fired She insisted on Friday that she did not mislead reporters with the false claim and said there were some FBI agents who agreed with Trump's decision to fire Comey. As for her wording, she said she had 'acknowledged' it was a mistake and then made excuses for it, saying, 'It was in the heat of the moment meaning it wasn't a scripted talking point, I'm sorry that I wasn't a robot like the Democrat Party that went out for two-and-a-half years and stated time and time again that there was definitely Russian collusion between the president and his campaign.' The number of Americans who approve of Trump dropped by 3 percentage points to the lowest level of the year following the release of the special counsel report detailing Russian interference in the last US presidential election, according to a Reuters/Ipsos public opinion poll. The poll, conducted Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, is the first national survey to measure the response from the American public after the US Justice Department released the report that recounted numerous occasions in which Trump may have interfered with the investigation. The number of Americans who approve of Trump dropped by 3 percentage points to the lowest level of the year following the release of the special counsel report. Trump is pictured Thursday at Palm Beach International Airport, Florida According to the poll, 37 percent of adults in the United States approved of Trumps performance in office, down from 40 percent in a similar poll conducted on April 15 and matching the lowest level of the year. That is also down from 43 percent in a poll conducted shortly after Attorney General William Barr circulated a summary of the report in March. Conducted online in English throughout the United States, the poll gathered responses from 1,005 adults, including 924 who were familiar with the Mueller report. It has a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of 4 percentage points. The poll found that 50 percent of Americans agreed that 'Trump or someone from his campaign worked with Russia to influence the 2016 election', and 58 percent agreed that the president 'tried to stop investigations into Russian influence on his administration'. Forty percent said they thought Trump should be impeached, while 42 percent said he should not. The poll responses were sharply split along party lines, with Democrats much more critical of Trump than his fellow Republicans. Among those respondents who said they were familiar with the Mueller report, 70 percent said the report had not changed their view of Trump or Russias involvement in the US presidential race. Only 15 percent said they had learned something that changed their view of Trump or the Russia investigation, and a majority of those respondents said they were now more likely to believe that 'Trump or someone close to him broke the law'. Poll found that after the release of Robert Mueller's report, 50 percent of Americans agreed that 'Trump or someone from his campaign worked with Russia to influence the 2016 election' Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed Friday Congress will not be silent, in response to the misconduct that was outlined in the report by Trump and his top aides, and insisted lawmakers will have a say on the obstruction charges. Pelosi also got in a jab at Barr, claiming his conclusion the president 'did not obstruct justice' was 'directly undercut' by Mueller's report. 'In his summary letter and press conference, Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the President did not obstruct justice. The Mueller report appears to directly undercut that claim,' the speaker wrote. She will convene her Democrats lawmakers on a Monday conference call to plot next steps, giving them time to read the 448-page report over the long Easter holiday weekend. 'The Caucus is scheduling a conference call for Monday to discuss this grave matter, which is as soon as our analysis and this Holy Seasons religious traditions allow,' she told them. Speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted lawmakers will have a say on the obstruction charges against President Donald Trump after the special counsel kicked the issue to the legislative branch Pelosi's challenge in the weeks ahead will be to manage Democrats who are calling for Trump's impeachment with those who want to take a more deliberative approach. The first step of the congressional investigative process have started. House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler announced Friday morning he was subpoenaing the full Mueller report 'in the next couple of hours.' 'We need the entire report unredacted and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions,' he told ABC's 'Good Morning America.' 'We will subpoena that entire report today.' He said his subpoena will be the special counsel's full findings, including grand jury evidence, which Barr said he would with hold. 'Including the grand jury evidence, yes. Because we have to see the entire report. By the way, in every previous instance, Congress has seen all the evidence,' Nadler said. Democratic reaction to Mueller's findings have already poured in with liberal lawmakers like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar saying it was time to consider impeachment proceedings against the president. Rep. Jerry Nadler is subpoenaing the full Robert Mueller report he said on Friday Mueller's report is clear in pointing to Congress' responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the President, Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday. It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution. The 29-year-old then promised to sign on to impeachment proceedings launched by fellow freshman representative Rashida Tlaib. While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, she added. I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate. The Democrat from New York went on to stress that she doesnt enjoy discussions of impeachment, either in office or on the campaign trail, and would prefer to focus her efforts on her Green New Deal or in achieving Medicare for all. But, she said the current situation at hand puts impeachment on our doorstep, and as such its an avenue that should be at the very least considered, if not fully explored. On Thursday, Democratic congressional freshman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (left) said that she would support an impeachment order against President Trump. Her declaration was followed by Ilhan Omar (right), who said Congress has a 'constitutional responsibility' to act AOC aired her support of impeachment in a series of tweets on Thursday evening Omar echoed her sentiments, asserting that Congress has a 'constitutional responsibility' to investigate whether Trump has committed any impeachable offenses. She tweeted that such violations include: 'Obstruction of justice, violating the Emoluments Clause, collusion, [and] abuse of power.' Last month, however, Pelosi said that she didnt support the idea of impeaching Trump. Im not for impeachment, Pelosi told the Washington Post. Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless theres something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I dont think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And hes just not worth it. The redacted 448-page document collated by Mueller determined that Trumps campaign did not engage with criminal conspiracy with Russia to aid his presidential bid. Fellow Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar echoed AOC's sentiments, asserting that Congress has a 'constitutional responsibility' to investigate whether Trump has committed any impeachable offenses But Barr decided not to press for obstruction of justice charges - a decision he claims the special counsel's office left up to him. Democrats have latched on to the fact the report does not plainly vindicate the president of the charge. 'If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would state so. Based on the facts and applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment,' the Mueller report states. The special counsel report also points out Congress can still prosecute Trump for obstruction. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, Mueller writes. Jeremy Hunt launched a ferocious assault on Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies last night in his latest attempt to burnish his Tory leadership credentials. In a series of angry tweets, the Foreign Secretary hit out at the Labour leader and his ideas for a 'Marxist' Britain. In an interview with the New Statesman this week, the Foreign Secretary set out his leadership stall, which is to unite the Conservative party. Jeremy Hunt launched a ferocious assault on Jeremy Corbyn's economic policies last night He also praised David Cameron as a political 'genius' by persuading the country to accept public spending cuts without triggering violent protests. This prompted Mr Corbyn to write on Twitter: 'Austerity isn't a political game. It has serious consequences.' An angry Mr Hunt shot back: 'Serious consequences doesn't come close to describing the devastation your hard-Left policies would wreak on our economy. 'Read the full quote and you'll learn about the real consequences of the Conservatives' economic stewardship: 1,000 extra jobs a day. All of them at risk under your Marxist regime.' He added: 'Before you attack me for 'austerity' which put the economy back on its feet, perhaps ask why a Labour MP needs a bodyguard at a Labour conference, and your party is under formal investigation for institutional anti-Semitism?' The Foreign Secretary hit out at the Labour leader (pictured) and his ideas for a 'Marxist' Britain The wide-ranging attack, which is well outside the brief of Mr Hunt's foreign affairs role, comes amid claims that his main Tory leadership rival, Boris Johnson, is picking up support. Mr Hunt's team believes between 50 and 75 MPs support him, compared to Mr Johnson's 50. But while Mr Hunt appears to be the leadership frontrunner among MPs, he still trails behind Mr Johnson with party membership. Mr Hunt still trails leadership rival Boris Johnson in popularity among Tory members Many of Mr Hunt's supporters believe they must eliminate Mr Johnson from the Tory race before the members have their say. Some Brexiteers are suspicious of Mr Hunt as he voted Remain and once called for a second referendum, but now says that he supports Leave. He told the New Statesman he now accepts the necessity of Brexit, and that it must be implemented to prove that Britain is a democracy. But one senior Conservative MP, a Brexiteer who is considering a leadership bid, said: 'Of course, he can't lead the party.' Referencing Mr Hunt's previous support for Remain, he added: 'The next leader will be a Brexiteer.' But last night a friend of Mr Hunt said: 'The opposition is Labour and the priority is to deliver Brexit.' The clock is flashing 6.30 on a Saturday morning and Im woken by a delicate, but insistent, tweeting. For 20 minutes I do my best to ignore it, reminding myself that spring has sprung and its probably just the dawn chorus. But something isnt quite right. The noise isnt coming from outside its coming from the landing. Before I put two and two together, my nine-year-old daughter Martha bursts through the door. Its the eggs, she says. Theyve hatched. And how. Sitting in an incubator outside my bedroom are two tiny, fluffy, adorable chicks. One is yellow, the other a mottled brown. Besides them are the broken shells from which they have emerged, little larger than a Cadbury mini chocolate egg. Nine-year-old Martha hatched the duckling, named lucky after incubating, 18 duck eggs from Clarence Court The duckling sitting in the incubator after it was hatched from the free range eggs I wake up my wife. Youve got quail, I tell her. Maybe its the early hour but she fails to laugh at my movie-inspired joke. But at the same time even she cant hide her astonishment. Ten days later and we repeat the same routine. This time the new arrival is considerably bigger and even fluffier and comes with an orange bill and comically over-sized webbed feet. Its a duck whom we promptly call Lucky. For he (or she more on this shortly) really is lucky. To appreciate how fortunate this duckling and his quail cousins are, let me tell you where they came from. A month ago I bought two dozen hen eggs, 18 duck eggs and three dozen quail eggs from a number of supermarkets. The challenge? To see if I could successfully hatch them in to baby birds. My inspiration was William Atkins, 14, who in February told the Daily Mail how he hatched a duckling in a 40 eBay incubator from an egg bought at Waitrose. I got the idea after a family discussion about whether it would be possible to hatch a supermarket egg as they are not supposed to be fertilised, said the schoolboy from Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. The duckling hatched ten days after the two quail. The experiment was inspired by William Atkins, 14, who in February told the Daily Mail how he hatched a duckling in a 40 eBay incubator Step one in this experiment was to buy the white duck eggs from a supermarket. After that, step two was to put them in an incubator and see which would hatch No one took much notice when I started incubating the egg. They were stunned that I hatched one though. As for names, William was considering Jeremy or Jemima and would choose when he knew what sex the duckling was. Which goes to the heart of how it is possible to buy fertile eggs ones from a hen that has recently enjoyed the company of a male bird from a supermarket at all. First things first. For my experiment I bought a selection of eggs via the online delivery service Ocado and some from my local Co-op. I placed eight chicken, seven duck and 18 quail eggs into the incubator. I really didnt rate my chances. The eggs had been stored, transported and kept refrigerated for some time and those from Ocado were particularly cold to the touch. Although an egg that is kept cold wont automatically die, its chances of developing into a chick are substantially reduced. Nonetheless, into the incubator they went. As well as keeping them warm, it turns the eggs through the day, something that is essential for their development, and which birds do on the nest. Ive kept chickens for 15 years and have hatched hen eggs in the past so I know its possible to check whats going on inside the shell during the incubation period. The technique is called candling and involves holding a bright light a torch nowadays directly underneath the end of the egg. In this way you can see the embryo starting to develop. Martha woke her parents up at 6.30am on a Saturday to announce the arrival of the two quail But, as I discovered, its easier to do this with some eggs than others. The quail eggs were thick-shelled and mottled and so small that I couldnt make out anything at all. The chicken and duck eggs are more transparent. While it was obvious there was nothing going on in the chicken eggs, a week later I got the shock of my life when one of the Ocado eggs appeared to have something growing inside. Two quail chicks were to emerge from their eggs, tiny but perfectly formed. Marthas first response was: Can we keep them? Ten days later it was the ducks turn. I found a bedraggled orange-billed bird staring out of the incubator. As with the quail, I transferred Lucky to a box with a heat lamp, food and water where it will stay for the next couple of months. The plan was that he or she will be rehomed with a friend who has a smallholding. But Lucky is adorable and my three daughters are already reading up on how to teach it to swim. It can only be a matter of time before the nagging begins to let Lucky join our family. So how did any of the eggs hatch at all? Egg producers work hard to ensure their farms are ladies-only because consumers may be put off by the thought of eating an egg that could potentially turn into a bird (although, before incubation, if you crack a fertilised egg into a frying pan, its impossible to tell). My duckling came from free range eggs produced by a company called Clarence Court. Their eggs come from a breed known as Gladys-Mays Braddock Whites and are sold by Ocado for 2.25 for six. A Clarence Court spokesman told me: It is possible that our flocks occasionally and accidentally have a drake among the ducks. The separation of males from females relies wholly upon the skill of a very few qualified people the sexer who examines the day-old duckling in the hatchery. Inevitably, the odd sexing error is made. The other alternative is more exciting: That the ducks, which have access to the outdoors, have had a male visitor drop in. In this open-air environment, while it is infrequent, our ducks may attract the attention of wild drakes, the spokesman said. As for the quail, they came via Ocado at 2.89 a dozen from The Traditional Free Range Egg Company. Managing director Dan Wood said the fact that some of the eggs are fertile comes as little surprise. We as a farm concentrate on high welfare birds and it does mean that to reduce the stress of the flock we do sometimes put males in there with them, he said. Quail are easily scared and if having a fellow wandering around helps keep them calm then that is a good thing. The fact that none of my chicken eggs hatched does not surprise the British Egg Industry Council. Males and females are separated at a day old, said a spokesman. The birds are sexed by their distinct feather colour yellow for males and brown for females. This ensures there is minimal likelihood of an error. Even if it were to, as the bird matures the sex would become clear quickly and the bird would be removed. As for sexing my quail, Mr Wood says: Good luck with that. The boys are slightly bigger. And, obviously, they wont lay eggs. Any girls will start laying at six weeks. And, who knows, if Ive struck lucky and got a boy and girl, Martha and I could soon go in to full-scale quail production. Lucky, meanwhile, remains a gender-neutral enigma. At some point he/she will decide what sex she/he is and whether any passing members of the opposite sex will be welcome to come hither. Maybe then we can go into duck production too this time, without having to put in an order with Ocado. Advertisement Dame Emma Thompson accused police of wasting taxpayers' money by trying to stop illegal climate change protests in London yesterday, as organisers promised to hold picnics on motorways in coming days and the Met warned the sheer number of arrests has left them short of space in the cells. In chaotic scenes as the capital's streets were once again shut down the actress urged activists not to stop demonstrating hours before their pink boat in Oxford Circus was finally removed by police. This week's Extinction Rebellion (XR) demonstrations have closed key routes through the capital, cost businesses tens of millions in lost revenue, inconvenienced half a million people a day, and resulted in at least 682 arrests, but show no sign of abating. Yesterday organisers said they had seen an increase in people joining up, pointing to warm weather, the Easter holiday, and a David Attenborough documentary about climate change broadcast on Thursday evening as motivators. The demonstrators lost their beloved boat yesterday as the bright pink Berta Cacares in Oxford Circus was finally carted away by police after 100 hours in situ. Crowds who attempted to prevent the police removing the ship chanted 'we have more boats', and organisers said that on Easter Monday they planned to expand the protest to include 'picnics on motorways'. The overstretched Met issued a plea that the willingness of so many people to be arrested was causing a 'logistical problem' for cell space and the wider criminal justice system. The teenage founder of the millions-strong global movement of school strikes against climate change, Greta Thunberg, 16, told The Guardian she hopes to join the XR protests when she arrives in London this weekend. Yesterday Dame Emma poured scorn on the Metropolitan Police's decision to escalate its approach on the fifth day of the protests having taken a hammering for its light-touch strategy earlier in the week. Dozens of officers strode into the crowd of activists today and started to surround the pink boat which Dame Emma was in Dame Emma speaks to protesters this morning from the pink boat that has blocked traffic from Oxford Circus for five days Dame Emma talks to members of the media from on top of the pink boat after police officers surrounded it today Once Dame Emma had got off the pink boat at Oxford Circus today, specialist officers began cutting protesters from its frame She said: 'We didn't ask for police resources, that is their decision. It's not like we are burning things down. The police turned up because they have been asked to turn up. They decided to spend their money in this way, which I personally think is a waste of taxpayers' money. We aren't doing anything violent.' She said it was 'nonsensical' to blame her and Extinction Rebellion, the group behind the protests, for potentially diverting police resources from tackling violent crime. 'It is not my problem, it is their problem,' she said. 'It is the problem of Government, so don't hand it back to me because I have dealt with this [climate change] for decades. 'What this is about is a Government that would prefer not to listen, who would prefer to put entirely peaceful protesters into a f****** police cell instead of doing what they promised to do for decades. They are liars and hypocrites.' Speaking on the pink boat at the centre of the protest, she dismissed accusations of hypocrisy for flying 5,400 miles from Los Angeles to Heathrow to join in. She admitted that she had flown business class, saying that at 60 she was 'far too old' to use economy. She also displayed a non-plastic bottle and a set of wooden cutlery that she carries in her handbag at all times in order to cut down on her plastic use. Dame Emma said: 'I don't fly very much at all in the same way I did. I've made a big effort in that regard and sometimes I do have to fly. 'Where the hypocrisy lies is with the Government who have refused over many decades to clean up our aviation systems. I am fed up of governments and saying, 'It's your fault'. It is b******s.' A flight from LA International to Heathrow generates 1.67 to 2.1 tons of CO2. Dame Emma said she tries to off-set carbon emissions by planting trees at her Scottish holiday home. She added that her husband, the actor Greg Wise, plans to build a hydro-electric scheme at the property so that the couple can live there off-grid. On her second day at the scene, the actress was surrounded by hundreds of adoring protesters as she climbed on top of the wooden boat that was barricading Oxford Street to read a 'love letter' to the planet. But the event took a dramatic turn as hundreds of police surrounded the wheeled vessel with her still on top. Huge crowds thronged around the pink boat in Oxford Circus until it was towed away Yesterday hi-vis jacketed officers formed two concentric rings around the structure and shepherded protestors away through the course of the afternoon. The boat was encircled by a ring of at least 30 officers, which came hours after police told of the 'strain' the protests were putting on them with officers working 12-hour shifts and having rest days cancelled. Crowds of people watched the operation to the remove the boat while drumming and chanting, with many carrying banners and flags. After the final protestor was unglued, specialist officers climbed aboard and took down the mast, before the boat was connected to a trailer. As police attempted to deal with those blocking the route, others swarmed back into Oxford Circus, closing off the opportunity for the police and the boat to head back the way they came. One woman was arrested for trying to barge through police lines as officers started to move the boat away, while crowds booed shouted 'fascists' as police escorted the woman away. The demonstration remains good-tempered with police and crowds running in multiple directions. One woman was heard to say: 'This is the first time the police have been kettled.' Last night Extinction Rebellion activists settled in for their fifth night sleeping on the streets of Lonson despite having lost their beloved pink boat In Mortimer Street a group of protestors ran round ahead of the police who were escorting the boat away and prevented the police and the boat making progress for almost an hour Holding aloft placards and banners including one reading 'we are the boat' the eco-activists blocked three intersections. One was heard to say it was the first time the police had been 'kettled' The police responded by forming cordons at intersections to prevent protestors from blocking their route. A police helicopter overhead helped them plan the boat's route away from Oxford Circus Last night the group insisted they continued to hold the four London thoroughfares, and Parliament Square, which they have occupied since Monday morning, saying there were 'some tired but determined rebels on the ground' More than 100 hours after the boat was stationed at the crossroads of two of London's busiest streets - Oxford Street and Regent Street - police put it on a trailer and started to tow it away Police ran ahead of the route the boat was taking in order to clear prospective protestors out of the way The boat was escorted by walking - and at times jogging - police men and women at all times as it was moved away Yesterday it emerged that despite insisting protestors were being carried away by four officers, several had been dragged along the ground. Video emerged of police officers dragging two climate change protesters along the street as they cleared Oxford Circus. In the clip, an officer can be seen pulling an unmoving blonde demonstrator along the ground towards the edge of the police cordon. The policeman falls over, sending his hat flying, before a second officer steps in to help. Together, the pair half-drag and half-lift the unresisting woman towards the crowd, as a second protester is pulled along as well. The teenage founder of the school strikes against climate change has said she hopes to join the protesters in London. Greta Thunberg told The Guardian on Friday she hopes to join the Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests when she arrives in London over the Easter weekend. Her comments come as the protests at Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Parliament Square were approaching their sixth day. The 16-year-old Swedish activist is due to meet senior British politicians next week having already met with Pope Francis and addressed the EU Parliament. She told The Guardian she would also like to join the protests if they are still going when she arrives. She added: 'I would love to participate in their protests while in London if there is time and if they are still protesting. 'I think it's one of the most important and hopeful movements of our time. Civil disobedience is necessary to create attention to the ongoing climate and ecological crisis.' Police officers prepare to tow away the pink boat which climate change activists used as a central point of their encampment On Friday morning, about 20 activists, most of them under 17, had staged a brief demonstration on roads near Heathrow Airport. The scenes unfolded as the Metropolitan Police said it had made 106 arrests by around 5.30pm on Friday, bringing the total since Monday to 682. In a statement on Friday night the force said it had focused its arrests at Oxford Circus to give businesses the chance to get back to 'business as usual'. It added: 'One thing that is unusual about this demonstration is the willingness of those participating to be arrested and also their lack of resistance to the arrests. For around an hour police found themselves 'kettled' by protestors as their efforts to remove the boat were hampered by crowds on the route ahead of them Extinction Rebellion protestors hugged each other as the police started to move them away from the boat The Met hitched the boat to a lorry and towed away from the centre of Oxford Circus but a sit-down protest in the middle of a nearby road has prevented it being moved very far At the end of the fifth day of climate change protests in London, massive crowds continued to congregate in Oxford Circus The Met said more than 1000 officers were being deployed to police the protests - many are now cleaning up the mess left behind by eco activists The protests have remained extremely good-natured, causing the police to say they are learning on the job how best to deal with non-violent protestors who are nonetheless willing to be arrested in their hundreds 'To date, since Monday April 15, we have made over 680 arrests and of course that places a logistical problem on, and not just, the police service for cell space but also the wider criminal justice system.' Ten people had been charged by the Met by Thursday night and three others arrested by British Transport Police were remanded in custody after they appeared in court accused of obstructing trains at Canary Wharf. Routes are also blocked around Waterloo Bridge, Parliament Square and Marble Arch, and Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use the 'full force of the law'. XR has pledged to continue causing disruption until its demands are met. They want the Government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Few recruits, surely, could have looked more impressive than Sydney Cole on the day of her passing out parade at The Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Yorkshire, in 2017. Everything was just so, from the tilt of her black and red cap, to the creases in her crisply pressed khaki uniform, and her shiny shoes, buttons and belt buckle. A promising career beckoned for Cole, daughter of a one-time bus driver from Hertfordshire. She joined the Adjutant General's Corps, whose staff serve alongside and administer every unit in the Army. The motto of the Corps is 'Animo et Fide', which is Latin for courage and faith. Sydney Cole (right) is accused of attacking fellow soldier Sarah Ann Garrity (left) in Magaluf The ideals those words are supposed to signify extend beyond the battlefield; the Army expects 'very high standards of behaviour' at all times, both on and off duty. We now know that Sydney Cole failed to meet those standards. In the early hours of Monday, Cole, 19, was arrested on suspicion of slashing her best friend's throat in Majorca. The victim was fellow soldier Sarah Ann Garrity, 22. She was glassed, allegedly, after intervening in a row between Cole and a third servicewoman Deborah Ferguson outside the Bananas club on Magaluf's infamous Punta Ballena strip. Moments later, panic-stricken screams filled the Spanish night air and witnesses told of blood pouring from Miss Garrity's neck. Miss Garrity underwent emergency surgery before being moved from intensive care to a general ward at Hospital Universitario Son Espases in the Majorcan capital Palma. Investigations are continuing, but, so far, Miss Cole has not been charged with any offence and has been allowed to fly home after Sarah Ann Garrity decided not to press charges. In the early hours of Monday, Cole, 19, was arrested on suspicion of slashing her best friend's throat in Majorca Nevertheless, the circumstances surrounding the fracas, following a 14-hour drinking session, do not reflect well on any of the parties involved. One image in particular encapsulates recent events on the riotous party island. It is Cole, in ripped denim shorts, with a tattoo on her thigh on display, being escorted into court this week between two officers from the Civil Guard. What an unfortunate advert for women in the British Army. The Magaluf incident is troubling in itself. The wider, disturbing narrative, though, is that Sydney Cole represents a more widespread, largely unreported story. The loutish behaviour associated with 'squaddies' in military towns such as, say, Colchester and abroad, in places like Cyprus is being mirrored by a growing number of women in the ranks. Sometimes, it is hard to tell who is downing the pints or throwing the punches. This is one area, at least, where there is unwelcome equality. Some behaviour has resulted in criminal prosecutions. These are a few of the headlines which have appeared in local papers, up and down the country, over recent years: 'Drunk female trooper in 3am sex assault on male Windsor Castle guard'... 'Soldier nicknamed GI Jane hit a man and a woman with ONE punch after she was ejected from a nightclub'... 'Soldier in court after Clitheroe party fracas'. But what we are predominantly talking about is 'laddish', not criminal, conduct, fuelled by alcohol. So Sydney Cole is in good, or rather bad, company in this respect. The attack happened at around 1am on Monday and police have launched a full investigation, with Cole (pictured) being arrested The Army employs 13,000 women, just over 10 per cent of total personnel, who have performed selflessly and with distinction in a huge array of jobs which, for the past three years, has included 'ground close combat' posts on the frontline. But to quote one retired commanding officer, some of our servicemen and women need a 'sharp reminder of the values that make our military the envy of the world'. Standards epitomised by the late Joanna Henderson. During her time as director of the Women's Royal Army Corps (WRAC) in the 1960s, Brigadier Dame Kelleher, as she later became, oversaw the massive expansion of roles for women who would in the future join other regiments when the WRAC was disbanded in 1992. On duty or off when she favoured a black suit and pale pink blouse fastened with a brooch the brigadier was always immaculately turned out. One wonders what she would have made of tattooed Sydney Cole and her pals that's a rhetorical question, by the way. It is apparent from their social media profiles that their exploits in party town Magaluf, before the violent confrontation at the Bananas disco, was perhaps the norm, not the exception. In December, all three were pictured in London together at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland, which is among the more respectable images of them of Miss Garrity and Cole, anyway. Ms Garrity (right) was rushed to the intensive care unit at Hospital Son Espases despite her life not being in danger and she has since made a good recovery. She was allegedly attacked by Cole (left) Two weeks ago, Glasgow-born Miss Garrity, who now lives in Middlesbrough where she was engaged until recently to a female soldier, captioned her most recent photograph on Instagram: 'Completely ruined my life this weekend #neverdrinkagain #wedding #friends #shots #mess #ruinedmylife #bestimes #living #drunk'. Indeed, 'drinking', 'gin', 'girls' nights out' and getting 'smashed' are words which recur time and again in her posts. Only a month ago, she and Cole appeared in a selfie together sporting matching shirts for what they called a 's*** shirt night' alongside breaking news: '#lesbian #smashed'. Cole's shirt is open, exposing her bra and cleavage. Yet it is precisely these kinds of individual or this same demographic, at any rate who are being targeted in the Army's latest recruitment campaign. It was launched in January with a poster featuring the slogan 'Me, Me, Me Millennials, Your Army Needs You', with the aim of turning negative stereotypes into strengths that are badly needed in the Armed Forces such as, for example, the 'compassion' of 'snowflakes' and the confidence of 'selfie addicts'. Critics, however, will take some persuading, convinced that the argument is being driven, not by sound judgment, but simply falling numbers of recruits with ever fewer young people coming forward to serve Queen and Country and will inevitably lead to a further erosion in standards, typified, they might add, by the behaviour of Sydney Cole and others in Magaluf. The chain of events, which led to what locals are calling the 'bloodbath at Bananas', actually began the night before the incident, which took place on Monday. A social media picture shows Cole (centre) during her passing out parade In her statement to the judge at the court in Palma, leaked to the Majorcan press, Cole revealed: 'We began drinking at 11am in the hotel [the girls shared the same room], afterwards in a bar and then again in the room. Then we went to an event with a free bar and we had shots, vodka, gin and other drinks.' Still, they were not finished. In the evening they could be found among throngs of Britons at a 'foam party' in the notorious Car Wash club, where a 15 entrance ticket includes unlimited free alcohol and entry to Bananas disco next door, which has a flashing slogan outside informing anyone who can stand up, let alone read: 'Bananas does it big.' What happened next depends on who you believe Cole or witnesses at the scene. The common denominator is that, by the early hours, Cole and Ferguson had fallen out and were engaged in a very public slanging match outside Bananas. Miss Garrity, who is a clerk in the Royal Logistics Corp, tried to calm them down but, according to Cole's statement, ended up punching her in the face instead. Cole retaliated, it was reported, by pulling Miss Garrity's hair and then smashing a bottle on the floor in anger. 'Everything was an accident,' she told the judge. 'I didn't want to hurt her she is my best friend.' Cole insists Miss Garrity was injured when the glass shattered, causing a shard to ricochet into her neck. But a young British woman, who was working as a 'shot girl' outside the establishment, saw things rather differently at least in one crucial respect. The incident happened at the Bananas de Magaluf nightclub (pictured) in the popular party area of Punta Ballena 'They [Cole and Ferguson] were stood in the street arguing,' she told us. 'They were very drunk and shouting at each other. 'The blonde [Cole] just flipped and threw a bottle she was holding at the other friend [Miss Garrity]. It hit her straight in the neck and smashed. Blood was spurting everywhere. She [Miss Garrity] collapsed on the floor in the terrace outside the club. 'A crowd of about 20 people gathered around. They were screaming for help, but no one knew what to do. People were taking their T-shirts off and wrapping them around her neck to try to stem the bleeding, but it just wouldn't stop. 'The police arrived quite quickly [at around 1am], but it took about ten minutes for the ambulance to arrive. When the paramedics did get here, they tried to stop the bleeding for a further ten minutes as she lay on the ground before taking her to hospital.' By all account, Miss Garrity is lucky to be alive. The glass narrowly avoided severing her jugular vein. She needed 14 stitches in her neck. She has told relatives that her 'life flashed before her' and, in a Facebook post from her hospital bed, declared: 'I'm alive and that's all that matters', alongside a smiling emoji. Sydney Cole was arrested outside Bananas and held for more than 48 hours in a prison on the outskirts of Palma on suspicion of 'wounding with a dangerous weapon' a bottle, not a glass, according our inquiries. At 8.10pm (local time) on Wednesday, she emerged from behind the walls in dark sunglasses, her face covered with a grey hooded tracksuit. Thuggish behaviour, it turns out, runs in the family. Waiting for Cole outside the jail were two middle-aged men with tattoos, believed to be relatives, who threatened and intimidated visitors into opening their bags to prove they were not photographers planning to snap Cole, leaving them visibly shaken. When Cole did appear at the gates, they whisked her into a waiting silver Ford, parked almost in the entrance itself, with the engine running and the doors open, before speeding off like a getaway car in a crime film. No conditions have been placed on Cole's release and she has not had to post bail. But she is believed to have been told she must make herself available to the judge in future, if required. Unlike Cole, a string of women squaddies have been convicted for alcohol-fuelled misdemeanours in the past few years, including Trooper Corrie-Alice Holmes (for sexually assaulting a male colleague after a drunken night out) and Lance Corporal Rachel Dorrian (who floored a man and woman with a single punch after being ejected from a nightclub). Back home, one picture of Sydney Cole in a thigh-skimming little black party dress prompted a male admirer's comment: 'You don't look like an army girl x.' For more than 14 drunken hours in Magaluf, culminating in the bloody fracas at the Bananas night club, she didn't behave like one, either. Or maybe she did which is perhaps the most troubling aspect of this story. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) As the Catholic faithful celebrate the Lenten season, a sea of devotees flocked to the streets Friday amid the scorching summer heat to join the traditional Black Nazarene procession. The Manila Police District (MPD) confirmed around 35,000 people participated in the procession Good Friday, which marks the death of Jesus Christ. The procession, which started midnight, made its way back to the Quiapo Minor Basilica around 9:31 a.m. Authorities said that thousands of devotees still joined the walk as its main body was already moving along Barbosa Street in Manila. Rosario Estanion, who has joined in the tradition every year, came all the way from Muntinlupa to have her Santo Nino statue blessedand to pray for healing for her cancer. Every year ko ginagawa ko ito. Ako lang mag-isa, ang dasal ko ay sana gumaling ako sa sakit ko para mapagsilbihan ko pa ang pamilya ko at ang Panginoon, she said. [Translation: I do this every year. I come by myself, and my only prayer is that my sickness will be healed so that I can still serve my family and God.] Police have deployed around 1,080 on-ground personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office and the MPD for security purposes. The Black Nazarene depicts the suffering of Christ whose passion and death is commemorated every Good Friday. The faithful celebrates its feast day on January 9, where millions of Catholic devotees join the procession that lasts up to 24 hours. Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load A New Jersey State trooper has been accused of exchanging explicit photos of a five-year-old girl with the victims mother, after the woman allegedly asked him if he wanted to rape her. Jeffrey Reitz, 47, was arrested on Thursday on a charge of child pornography possession after investigators reportedly discovered an email chain between the defendant and the childs mother. The trooper, who has since been suspended, is said to have asked the woman to send an explicit photo of the girl to see if it sexually aroused him, court documents detail. Any pics? I wanna see if it gets me hard, investigators say Reitz responded in an exchange on December 31, 2014. When the woman sent the photo, Reitz is said to have responded with just one word: Nice. Trooper Jeffrey G. Reitz, 47, of Williamstown, New Jersey was arrested on Thursday and charged with third-degree possession of child pornography Authorities say Reitz also sent photographs of his genitals to the woman before and after she suggested that he should sexually assault her daughter. The 47-year-olds stated involvement in the email chain was discovered when Camden County Prosecutors seized evidence from the woman's phone in a separate investigation. Reitz is seen in an undated photo. His lawyer maintains his innocence The woman has pleaded guilty to permitting a child to engage in pornography and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Reitzs attorney, Stuart Alterman, vehemently denied the allegations on behalf of his client, insisting that: 'Jeffrey Reitz is not guilty. We will see this case through his exoneration and restoration to duty, he told DailyMail.com Reitz is a veteran of the New Jersey State Police, serving among its ranks for 15 years. Alterman said the entirety of his career has been served without incident. While legal proceedings are carried out, Reitz has been removed from his position at the State Trooper's Commercial Carrier Safety Inspection Unit. He is currently being held at the Salem County Correctional Facility and could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $15,000, if convicted. Police are on the hunt for a 'delivery driver' sex attacker who has assaulted six women over the past two months, including a 14-year-old girl. Each of the women had been walking home alone when they were approached by a man on a moped who followed them before attacking them. They were all assaulted in the Hornsey, Crouch End and the Stroud Green areas of north London between March 3 and April 18 this year. Their ages range between 14 and 29. Police are on the hunt for a 'delivery driver' sex attacker who has assaulted six women over the past two months. A 14-year-old girl was assaulted on The Broadway in Crouch End (pictured) at 8.45pm on March 29 The victims described the man as generally wearing dark clothing, and added that his moped had a box on the back, which police believe suggests he is a delivery driver. Detective Inspector Pete Dyche, of the North Area Command Unit, who is leading the investigation, said: 'We are keeping an open mind as to any links amongst these crimes. 'We are carrying out a number of urgent enquiries as part of our investigation and are doing our utmost to catch the perpetrator(s). 'I would advise that anyone walking alone in the evening in these areas to be mindful of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity to police immediately.' Anyone who has information that might assist the investigation is asked to call or 101 or email P228017@met.police.uk quoting CAD 694/3MAR19 Alternatively, tweet @MetCC. Information can be submitted anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Asked what her daughter was like growing up, Lyra McKees mother said that while some mothers could hear Mummy, Mummy in their sleep, she heard Why? Why? There was, she added, no answer that could ever satisfy her daughter. There was never any doubt about Lyras vocation. She was born to spend her life trying to find out why and how, who, when and where. When I met her first, in her early 20s, she was obsessed with investigating the 1981 murder of the Ulster Unionist MP, the Reverend Robert Bradford. For my part, I tried to understand why someone brought up in a Catholic, republican working class estate and a lesbian to boot, who was only eight when The Troubles came to an end, should have been focusing so intensely on the old murder of an evangelical Protestant. But I quickly realised it was simply because it was a mystery. And mysteries were there to be solved. Lyra (pictured above) had also previously written an article which was titled 'A Letter To My 14-year-old self' Lyra McKee (right) pictured with her partner Sara Canning (right) who spoke at a vigil What was more, Lyra in her humanity and compassion and curiosity transcended all normal boundaries. Age, religion, education, social background, sexual preferences counted for nothing when she made friends. She had addressed her lesbianism publicly when she was 24 after distressingly homophobic comments made by a Belfast preacher inspired her to write on her blog a letter to her 14-year-old self. In it she told herself, among other things, what would happen when she came out to her mother at 21. You cant get the words out so she says it: Are you gay? And you will say Yes Mummy, Im so sorry. And instead of getting mad, she will reply Thank God youre not pregnant. Lyra had tweeted while being in the crowd that it was 'absolute madness' in Derry Lyra (pictured above) had addressed her lesbianism publicly when she was 24 after distressingly homophobic comments It would be all right, she explained to her young self, and people will use words like awesome and cool and witty to describe you and youll forget the times the other kids said you were weird and a lesbo. That was one of the powerful pieces she wrote that had her named Sky News young journalist of the year in 2016. The next year she gave an inspirational video talk for the influential TED organisation about how to make friends with people who are religiously opposed to homosexuality. For her part, she made friends easily. There was more than a 40-year age gap between us, but that was irrelevant to Lyra. And, indeed, to me. Lyra had previously tweeted that it was time to say 'goodbye' to bombs and bullets in Derry Lyra had said she had 'fallen in love with Derry' while falling in love with a woman who hailed from there She consulted me on subjects where she felt my experience might be of use, which included anything from publishers to editors and how to deal with a broken heart. I helped her to crowd-fund to buy time to write her book about Rev Bradfords murder. But there was always that genuine But how are you? from her, and worried enquiries about a recent bereavement of mine or a project I was having trouble with. There was in her, an extraordinary sweetness and kindness. She utterly adored her mother, for whom shed been a carer for years, and there would always be an interruption or two when we were together as she made a quick call to mum to check that she had eaten and taken her medication. The last time I saw her she took me to a public interview with one of her newer friends, Anna Burns, the surprise Booker Prize winner (with her book Milkman) who came from a background rather like Lyras and in whose success Lyra was rejoicing. Sara Canning (above) at a vigil which was held in memory of Lyra and her work At supper afterwards Lyra and I and another of her young friends talked about her own success and all the wonderful things that were also happening to her. As writers, she and I shared a deep interest in keeping alive the stories of ordinary people devastated by terrible events, and, amazingly, after years of struggling as a mostly freelance journalist, she now had a two-book contract with the famous publisher Faber & Faber, one of them exploring the disappearances of children and young men during The Troubles. Faber were captivated, not just by the story, but also by what they described as her ability to engage the head and the heart. They predicted for her a long and prestigious writing career. Even more importantly, she was in love and she was going to settle down with her lovely Sara in Londonderry, moving from Belfast. In anticipation of this, she had sorted out care plans for Mum whom she would be visiting in Belfast regularly. Northern Ireland is mostly at peace, though the tribal divide is as strong as ever, for despite uttering pieties, Sinn Fein has no interest these days in power-sharing or reaching out to those on the other side. In Londonderry, there are pockets of untamed terrorists who want to continue the terrible futile killings of the last century and who are seducing young people into the hatreds and violence the province hoped it had put beyond it. Lyra did not have political affiliations, but she sought to understand the tribal hatreds of Northern Ireland and to seek ways of transcending them, just as she worked to bring gay people and evangelical Christians together in fun and friendship. Lyra had been in the crowd of people on Londonderry on Thursday night and had been watching people rioting (above) As she stood in Londonderry on Thursday night watching young people rioting, she would have been wondering how to explain to them the reality of a terrible past and the delusionary nature of the future they are being promised by bad people. Her second last tweet dealt with her perennial and unjustified worries about her weight: Slimming World is like going to confession. This week, I confessed to Burger King, a brownie, a white hot chocolate, a large bucket of popcorn, a large Coke, and a bag of Maltesers. My poor SW instructor was stunned into silence. Amazing I put only half a pound on this week. Her last, an hour later, was: Derry tonight. Absolute madness. What a sickening waste of a lovely human being! Dame Joan Collins (left) and her husband Percy (right) Conjure up a mental image of Dame Joan Collins and what springs to mind? Glamour, wit and crystalline enunciation all wrapped up in an elegant couture gown. We certainly do not picture her standing shoeless in the street, bereft of make-up, in her M&S jimjams and dressing gown. But this is precisely what she was doing a week ago. Poor Joan was shivering outside in the chill of a spring evening in her nightclothes while her husband, Percy Gibson, was fighting a fire in their Belgravia flat. It was freezing last Saturday and I was standing outside in thin socks, cotton jammies (from M&S) and my bathrobe, which Id just grabbed on the way out, feeling quite terrified, she sniffs (she has a ghastly cold). I didnt think: What would I save? I didnt even bring my handbag. Inside, meanwhile, the valiant Percy was battling through a blanket of smoke and dousing the flames with a fire extinguisher. I couldnt really see much, so I was spraying blindly. It was very hot, my eyes were stinging and I couldnt breathe very well, he admits. Dame Joan's home was damaged badly by the fire (pictured above their bathroom) Dame Joan Collins (left) said the situation in her home left her terrified (right the bathroom after the fire) It was overwhelming and terrifying because the smoke was acrid and cloying. I had to gasp for air. Joan, meanwhile, had called 999: They said: Are you alone? I replied: My husband is in with the fire. And they said: Just tell him to get out of there. The smoke alarms were beeping and by then the burglar alarm had gone off, too. The place was a cacophony of noise. I went back to the flat and the smoke was so thick in the hallway I couldnt take a step in. I yelled at Percy to come out, and eventually he did. Views of Joan Collins home which suffered fire damage where the London Fire Brigade said they were called last week I dont think you really have time to think in situations like that, says Percy. The shock pushes everything to the back of your mind and you just deal with the here and now. You try to put out the fire. Thats your immediate thought: How does the fire extinguisher work? And then, of course, the firefighters came and they go into the worst of the worst situations and are so selfless. Theyre worthy of such high praise. In fact, I think they shouldnt have to pay taxes! The thing is, reflects Joan, if Percy hadnt gone in with the extinguisher the entire flat would have been consumed by flames. What he did, in fact, was save the whole building. Percys a hero. I know a lot of guys who wouldnt have gone in. He made a great sacrifice. Dame Joan Collins says her husband is a hero (couple pictured above) And were lucky to be alive. I keep thinking: What if wed been asleep and hadnt heard the alarm? What if wed gone to a movie? Were chatting in the aforementioned flat in a stately, early 19th-century building in one of Londons most expensive and prestigious squares just three days after the drama. A distinct smell of smoke still hangs in the air. In the guest bathroom, where the blaze began and ended (thanks to Percys ministrations with the extinguisher and the prompt arrival of the firefighters) all is devastated, charred and black. A window is broken; a lintel, burnt like firewood, has fallen to the ground. Lampshades and curtains have been consumed by the flames. And in the adjacent bedroom, where Joans daughter, Tara, (one of two children from her marriage to her second husband, Anthony Newley) would have stayed last weekend if she hadnt been detained at her home in Somerset, all is smoke- blackened and desolate. Percy guides a brief tour of the devastation, proffering little blue plastic shoe protectors so smuts from the floor arent trodden throughout the rest of the flat. He points out the portable mirror, believed to have caused the blaze when bright sunlight was reflected on to it. Apparently this isnt an uncommon cause of fires, he says. (Cautionary note: never leave mirrors on window sills.) Dame Joan has said that a lot of the interiors of the home will have to be replaced after being damaged by the fire When my daughter rings during our interview he sees her name pop up on my phone screen, even though its on silent he insists I answer. Joan would answer if any of her children called. You must! It might be important, says Percy, 53, a film and theatre producer who is 31 years Joans junior. When he and Joan were married at Claridges in 2002 she wearing a lilac gown by Nolan Miller, the Dynasty costume designer, he in Gibson tartan kilt and black Prince Charlie jacket few thought that it would last. But here they are, 17 years on, so effortlessly at ease in each others company that they finish sentences for each other. Joan Collins with her previous Husband Anthony Newley With Son Sasha Newley And Daughter Tara Newley Dame Joan is emphatically an actress, not an actor she belongs to an era when no female referred to herself as such, and she scoffs at political correctness and in her seven decades of fame she is perhaps most feted for her role as superbitch Alexis Carrington in the Eighties soap Dynasty (for which she won a Golden Globe award). She is also a writer and columnist and today she sits in her favourite corner seat on the sofa in her snug, surrounded by her books and family portraits framed in ornate silver. She is slender, fine-boned and mesmerisingly beautiful. Im fascinated that she does not look done; when she frowns, her brow corrugates. Her smile is dazzling. Around her neck she wears a large heart pendant inscribed, P loves J, designed by Theo Fennell. Percy gave it to me for my birthday five years ago, she says, And I always wear it. Her jungle-print jacket is from Zara. Do I wear High Street? God, yes! she cries. She and Percy tell me about last weeks fire, Joan beginning: It was exactly a week after wed come home from the U.S. I still had a cough and cold from the plane, and I had been busy opening a charity shop for my childrens charity Shooting Star, and had a photo shoot. Then, on Saturday, we had lunch with a granddaughter [Taras daughter, Miel]. Afterwards, wed thought about going to a movie I wanted to see Wild Rose but instead we decided to go home. I needed to rest, to get over this cold. My granddaughter told me that its called the 100-day cough . . . Only 93 more days to go! jokes Percy. Joan takes up the story: So we got home and I put on some pyjamas and socks and there was nothing on TV, so we decided to watch as we often do one of our favourite old movies in our bedroom, As Good As It Gets which is ironic, considering starring Jack Nicholson. Ive known him for years; since he worked in the mail room at MGM . . . Dame Joan and Percy were married in 2002 And he kept asking you out, puts in Percy, smiling. Anyway, continues Joan, after about ten minutes, we heard this high-pitched beeping. Percy adds: Frankly, if it hadnt been for the fact youve got hearing like a lynx, I dont think Id have thought much about it. But I paused the movie and the beeping went on and I assumed it was alerting us that the batteries in the smoke detector were dead. But when I opened the bedroom door there was a blanket of smoke at the end of the hallway. I must have said: Oh my God. It really is a fire! Then you screamed: Call 999 and get out! remembers Joan. So I started heading for the front door, and the smoke was getting thicker by the second. Percy says: And I grabbed the fire extinguisher and ran down the corridor. I could see flames inside the bathroom, and the door was half-open so I sprayed through the gap, then kicked open the door and saw that the window was broken. The heat made my eyes sting. I couldnt see or breathe very well. Thats why firefighters tell you: Dont do this because you could be overwhelmed. I used up one fire extinguisher, then went downstairs to see Joan. I kept worrying that a spark could ignite another fire, so I grabbed a second extinguisher and went back upstairs, and the towels were on fire, so I tore them off the rail and sprayed them. By this time the firefighters had arrived and they told me in no uncertain terms to get the hell out of there. Two fire engines with crews of ten fought the blaze for more than an hour, finally bringing it under control by 5.36pm. They came from the showbiz fire department, says Percy. It covers theatreland. Luckily, there wasnt much traffic and they got to us fast. And did a fabulous job, adds Joan. Meanwhile, police had sealed off the street. The NHS crew were so helpful, she says. They examined our noses, ears and throats to see if wed inhaled too much smoke. Later, she tweeted her gratitude to them, the firefighters and the police. They were just wonderful, she says. I was a wreck and they comforted me; no make-up on, in my dressing gown. Everyone knew it was you, but they didnt want to say anything and that was thoughtful because you felt less self-conscious, adds Percy. I didnt feel self-conscious, counters Joan. I didnt care. I was alive! They asked if we wanted to go to hospital, and we didnt feel it was serious enough, continues Percy. Joan says: They were saying we shouldnt really stay in the flat and my brother, Bill, and sister-in-law, Hazel, who live just two blocks away, wanted us to stay with them, but I really like my own bed, so we stayed here. Dame Joan was shocked that there was a fire in her home Percy was fast asleep by 9pm hed been firefighting after all! but, needless to say, I hardly slept. I just kept coming out to check that everything had been turned off. I walked around. I went back to bed. I dozed fitfully. But I dont want to complain. We just feel so grateful and thankful were alive. She pops out to the kitchen to fetch some Easter chocolates a posh box given to her by her daughter, Tara to cheer us all up. We all choose one and chomp away. Dame Joan belongs to a stoic breed, raised during World War II, who regard moaning as weakness. It turns out that she has already endured several fires: the first, when she was a baby, completely destroyed her childhood home. I dont remember it, but my parents came back to find our entire flat on fire. They talked about it a lot. My mother was always terrified of fire, which was why she went round turning everything off at night. There was another, in a Paris hotel where she was staying on the sixth floor with the then newborn Tara. It started above us, and the firemen told Tony [Newley] and me to crawl downstairs on our stomachs. I was terrified, she recalls. Then, in the hills above their French Riviera home, heatwaves sparked blazes, one of which came perilously close. Eleven of us family and friends had to evacuate the house. I just grabbed my passport. Luckily we were all safe. Aside from this, she retains the uncomplaining perspective of the Blitz generation: Our home was hit, but I was protected from the ugly truth about exactly what had happened. I was six or seven. All my toys were gone. We came out of Marble Arch Tube after an air raid and our home wasnt there any more. But, she reflects, you cant get attached to things. I realised this when my sister died. Novelist Jackie Collins died of breast cancer in 2015, just before her 78th birthday. She was a big collector. Her house was full of statues, paintings and photo albums, but its all just stuff. Eventually its all going to be owned by someone else. My mother said: Never miss anything that doesnt miss you. She meant that people are important; things arent. It is quite a catalogue of disasters and, when I comment on her forbearance, Joan says that this latest fire came after a flood last year in which water poured from an upstairs flat through their ceiling, deluging their dining room, which had to be completely refurbished. We had to move out for nearly a year and were still unpacking boxes full of papers, DVDs, books; all the garbage you accumulate over the years, she says. I joke that they must now be girding themselves for the pestilence. Yes! We havent had the plague of locusts yet, laughs Percy. But weve had moths. Theyve weathered it all with a blend of grit and good humour, and Joan who is, after all, a trouper of the old school comments: Im a positive person. I probably got that from my parents. We were never allowed to feel sorry for ourselves. I went to 13 schools during the war. I had to be resilient: a new kid, a new school. I went to some of them for only five or six weeks. So I dont dwell on the negative. People who are too introspective become rather boring. We just get on with it, she says, adding crisply, people from my era do. Yes, agrees Percy, she has the ability to bounce back much quicker than the average bear. Joan arches a finely shaped eyebrow. The joshing affection they share is touching. On the wall beside her, an interpretation of the rose window at Notre Dame Cathedral reminds us of the epic destruction fire brought to Paris last week. Today, she says: I was almost crying when I watched it burning, especially when the spire went down. The Eiffel Tower. The spire of Notre Dame: two icons of Paris. I dont think people know how dangerous and terrifying fire is how easily it is started until it happens to them. So, like boy Scouts, we must all be prepared. She and Percy have some wise counsel for us all: Get fire alarms and extinguishers. And if the worst happens, get an independent loss assessor; someone who is on your side, adds Percy pragmatically. It is time to say bye-bye and Joan, who is loath to pass on her cold germs, gives me a fist-bump while Percy ushers me out. In the gracious travertine-floored hallway all glistening white marble and chic grey paintwork I think of Dame Joan a week ago, standing there shoeless and vulnerable, and the image abides. Even the most impossibly elegant and stylish among us endure disasters. And have days when only a cosy pair of pyjamas and an old film will do. A Dunkirk veterans family has been left devastated after discovering direct mail scammers had conned him out of 70,000 before he died. Former Royal Engineer Bernard Bannon was targeted by firms who sent him scam mail for seven years. Many of the brightly coloured letters claimed he had won thousands of pounds in prizes and promised to send a cheque if he paid a fee or bought something from a catalogue. In reality, the winnings did not exist and any money sent was never seen again. Former Royal Engineer Bernard Bannon was targeted by firms who sent him scam mail for seven years. Over the course of seven years, Mr Bannon who was evacuated from Dunkirk in a hospital ship and lived alone after his wife Rosaleen died in 1989 paid out about 70,000 to companies the family didnt recognise Mr Bannons son Lenny, 73, suspected his father was being targeted by scammers, and for the last 18 months of his life, visited his home in Bootle, Liverpool, daily to intercept the post. While there he would field dozens of cold calls from nuisance firms. But it was not until his father died in 2016 at the age of 98, that Lenny learned the full scale of the damage caused by the letters. Despite regularly visiting the house, the family found enough scam mail to fill three wheelie bins. There were also cupboards full of unopened packets of biscuits, hand creams and perfume. And when they went through Mr Bannons bank statements, they made a devastating discovery. Over the course of seven years, Mr Bannon who was evacuated from Dunkirk in a hospital ship and lived alone after his wife Rosaleen died in 1989 paid out about 70,000 to companies the family didnt recognise. Mr Bannons son Lenny, 73, suspected his father was being targeted by scammers, and for the last 18 months of his life, visited his home in Bootle, Liverpool, daily to intercept the post. While there he would field dozens of cold calls from nuisance firms In one six-month period between October 2012 and March 2013, he paid 7,610 to 30 different firms. He made 31 payments totalling 1,420 to a French company called Phyderma which claimed he could win a 129,052 prize draw. Fourteen payments totalling 748 went to another firm called Vitamail, the trading name for French firm Promondo, which told him he had won a 1st Prize Cheque in a draw where the main prize was 15,000. The company claimed he needed to order something to receive the cheque and suggested he buy two bottles of circulation cream for 34.80. A firm called Star Shopping pocketed ten payments worth a total of 430. It had sent Mr Bannon a letter claiming he had won 10,000 and only had to order a 12.95 bracelet to get it. He also made 34 payments totalling 1,529 to a firm called Delices et Gourmandises. A company called Tips of Our Gran took another 187. Lenny Bannon, a retired construction worker who lives with his wife Pat in Aintree, said: I just felt sick when I realised how much money he lost. I hadnt realised he was in such a bad way because he was so secretive and I felt I should have been keeping a closer eye on him. In one six-month period between October 2012 and March 2013, he paid 7,610 to 30 different firms. He made 31 payments totalling 1,420 to a French company called Phyderma which claimed he could win a 129,052 prize draw. Pictured, Mr Bannon in the early 1980s In 2014, Lenny had tried to warn his fathers bank, TSB, that he was being targeted by scammers. TSB cancelled his debit card and issued a new one, but Lenny believes the bank should have spotted the unusual transactions sooner. When he complained to the Financial Ombudsman, it ruled that TSB could not have known there were concerns about Mr Bannons ability to make decisions before December 2014 and awarded just a 100 payment. The bank also offered to pay Lenny 277 to cover fraudulent payments made after December 2014 but he did not accept the money. The Daily Mail has campaigned for years to highlight the plight of direct mail scam victims. Our work has led to Royal Mail introducing greater measures to prevent fraudulent mail being delivered, but experts say more needs to be done. Every year, scam mail costs Britons between 5 billion and 10 billion, with the average victim aged 75. On average, they each lose about 3,500. Last night Louise Baxter, head of the National Trading Standards scams team, said scam mail was tantamount to harassment, adding: Only 5 per cent of these types of scams are reported. This could be because victims feel ashamed or come to see the scammers who call and write as friends. TSB said: We were informed about possible fraudulent transactions on the customers account when we were contacted by (the Ombudsman) and we arranged for these to be refunded. Phyderma said: Our games are legitimate and regulated in strict compliance with European and English law. Delices Gourmandises did not respond to a request for comment. Money Mail was unable to reach the other companies for comment. Anyone concerned about suspicious post should report it to Royal Mail by writing to Freepost Scam Mail or calling 0800 011 3466. A Royal Mail spokesman said: We are working with industry partners and law enforcement agencies to tackle this issue even more vigorously. A judge has urged a criminal with 31 convictions to give up his life of crime because 'he's not very good at it'. Colin Smith, 46, was hauled before a court this week for breaking into a rural home and stealing a Porsche before leading police on a high-speed motorway chase which lasted for 24 minutes. He travelled 85 miles from his home in Feltham, West London, to burgle the luxury property in Kineton, Warwickshire, in February. After stealing a Porsche Cayenne, he then led officers on the car chase during which he hit speeds of 115mph before he was finally caught and arrested. This week Smith was jailed for six years and banned from driving for eight after he admitted burglary, theft and dangerous driving. Warwick Hoffman's Porsche Cayenne was stolen by Smith and driven away at up to 115mph after Smith broke into the Hoffman's Warwickshire home. Pictured above: a Porsche Cayenne Sentencing him, Judge Peter Cooke said: 'It is amazing that with 31 convictions for 115 offences it has not dawned on you that you're not very good at crime.' Warwick Crown Court heard how homeowner Warwick Hoffman and his wife found Smith in their dining room after hearing a noise. Smith then ran from the property, which is set in three acres, with the keys to their Porsche. Mr Hoffman chased the crook and smashed the car window to retrieve the keys but Smith had already started the ignition. As Mr Hoffman ran towards the gate to block Smith's escape, he stumbled and ruptured his Achilles tendon. Around 15 minutes later the Porsche activated a number plate recognition camera as it headed south along the M40, alerting traffic officers and a police helicopter. Smith was sentenced to six years in jail this week at Warwick Crown Court, pictured above During the car chase that ensued, Smith drove into a police car and the motorway's central reservation. At one point he was driving with his vision obscured, as the bonnet of the Porsche flew open but even then, he did not stop. Police caught and arrested Smith after 24 minutes of what Judge Cooke described as 'a truly shocking' driving. The crook, who has previous convictions for domestic burglaries and fraud, tested positive for cocaine. He gave no comment when he was interviewed by officers. Judge Cooke said: 'People like the Hoffmans work very hard their whole lives to end up with a nice house in a desirable rural location, with a nice car on the drive, and then people like you come along and violate their home. 'You clearly did so after reconnaissance had been carried out, because for you, being from where you come from, offending in rural Warwickshire bears no other explanation,' he said. 'This unfortunate couple had their home invaded, terrifying the pair of them, even though it must have been obvious this was an occupied house with people at home.' He said of Mr Hoffman's injury: 'You didn't cause it but it was a result of your invasion of their property.' He added: 'Once you had stolen his Porsche, you drove it with breathtaking irresponsibility. It was a truly shocking piece of driving which exposed many people to the risk of harm or worse.' Nick Devine, defending, said: 'His involvement in the offence came as a result of running up a drugs debt shortly after his release from his last term of imprisonment.' He added: 'He has had a partner for the last 26 years and they have children of whom he has seen very little because of the time he's spent in custody.' Joe had Down's syndrome and was vulnerable with no verbal communication The family of Giuseppe 'Joe' Ulleri thought he was in safe hands when he was admitted to Manchester Royal Infirmary with fractures after a fall. 'Don't worry, he's fine,' the nurses reassured them. 'People don't die from broken bones.' But Joe's siblings Ria, Giovanni and Peter couldn't help but worry: their brother the eldest of the four had Down's syndrome, no verbal communication and was vulnerable. Joe Ulleri is pictured with his sister Ria. She noticed that Joe's face no longer lit up when he saw her. Alarmingly thin, he was wasting away before their eyes In fact, they were so protective, they ensured Joe was never left alone, day or night. An army of devoted volunteer carers took turns at his bedside. Peter, 57, visited two or three times during the week, while Giovanni, 55, and Ria, 48, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, drove up from their London homes every weekend. Yet every time they visited Joe, 61, he often seemed to be in pain following the surgery to pin his broken pelvis and hip. He also had osteopathic neck and wrist fractures. In a narrative verdict, the jury said the lack of nutrition, delays to procedures to resolve his condition and 'a failure in his overall care' constituted 'neglect'. The cause of death was insufficient nutrition, osteopathic fractures and pneumonia Ria noticed that Joe's face no longer lit up when he saw her. Alarmingly thin, he was wasting away before their eyes. Yet when the family raised concerns about his nutrition, or the lung infection which wasn't clearing up, or pain relief, they were told it was all in hand. Joe, however, never lived to enjoy the holiday to Sardinia that his family were planning so that he could see family and recuperate. Less than a month after being admitted to the hospital on February 27, 2016, Joe died after succumbing to pneumonia. For three years, the family believed it was just one of those tragic but unavoidable medical complications until an inquest last week revealed the shocking neglect which contributed to their brother's death. The inquest jury heard how Joe was left without proper nutrition for 'long periods' as staff hindered by 'miscommunication and inaction' struggled to decide the best way to feed him. Joe died having lost 2st 12lb, 'effectively starved' for 19 days, according to his devastated family. Despite suffering fractures so severe, his orthopaedic surgeon noted, they were normally seen in car crash victims, following hip and pelvic surgery, Joe was given only paracetamol as pain relief. He had difficulties swallowing, yet was kept lying flat in traction, allowing fluids to build up in his lungs. Even more distressing, two days before his death, when medical staff tried to insert a gastro-nasal tube without sedation at 2.30 am, Joe was so traumatised he had to be physically restrained. Joe, Giovanni and Peter are pictured above as children. The Ulleri family say they are now campaigning to reduce the number of premature deaths of people with learning disabilities. They hope Joe's story will be a 'catalyst for change' In a narrative verdict, the jury said the lack of nutrition, delays to procedures to resolve his condition and 'a failure in his overall care' constituted 'neglect'. The cause of death was insufficient nutrition, osteopathic fractures and pneumonia. 'It wasn't until the inquest that we learned just how much Joe had been neglected,' says Ria, an actress. 'It was horrific. It seemed so cruel.' The Ulleri family say they are now campaigning to reduce the number of premature deaths of people with learning disabilities. They hope Joe's story will be a 'catalyst for change'. Calling for a Ministry of Health review, they say lessons still need to be learned ten years after the death of another vulnerable patient, Martin Ryan, 43, who died of starvation in an NHS hospital after 26 days without food following a stroke. Mr Ryan, like Joe, had Down's syndrome. Disability charity Mencap, whose 2008 report Death By Indifference first highlighted this issue, estimates that as many as 1,200 people with learning difficulties are still dying prematurely in the UK each year. Giovanni, 55, an award-winning documentary maker, says: 'We'll never know what might have happened if Joe had received the care he deserved. 'There were opportunities, I feel, when his life could have been saved, and I believe the reason why he wasn't given that chance is because he was effectively discriminated against. Ria Ulleri is pictured with Giuseppe Ulleri known as Joe, in hospital. The surgery to repair Joe's hip was successful, but given his difficulty swallowing and the risk of aspiration, he was declared nil-by-mouth on March 4 'The way my brother was treated was cruel and inhumane and the most upsetting part is that we didn't know until after he had died. We trusted the medical staff who kept telling us he was fine. 'To hear that Joe had to be held down to have a tube shoved down his throat in the early hours of the morning, unable to refuse or say no, was deeply upsetting. 'My brother was treated like a second-class citizen, as if his life was somehow not worth as much as yours or mine because he had a learning disability and didn't have a voice.' When Joe was born in 1954, the term Down's syndrome had yet to be applied to the genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome in a developing baby's cells. Giovanni still has the letter from doctors advising his late parents, Pietro and Frances-china, to put Joe into Calderstones Hospital in Blackburn a grim former mental asylum which provided institutional care for children such as Joe. The Ulleris, who settled in the UK from Sardinia after World War II, refused. 'My father always used to say that Joe was a blessing, a gift from God, and to my parents' huge credit, they took my brother everywhere at a time when you didn't see anyone with Down's syndrome around and there was a lot of abuse,' says Giovanni. 'Joe wasn't hidden away, they were hugely proud of him, which I am deeply grateful for because Joe was my best friend, from the day I was born. He was just a joy for all of us.' When their mother died from cancer in 1975, aged 45, when Ria was only four years old, their 'heroic' father single-handedly brought up all four children with the help of the Italian community who rallied round. Pietro, who was considered the best tailor in Manchester, closed his shop and worked from home so he could care for Joe. At 85, Pietro became too old to cope and Manchester's social services stepped in. The council applied for a deprivation of liberty order as Joe was unable to look after himself, and in 2013 Joe was placed at the L'Arche supported-living home in Withington. The existence of that order and Joe's placement in social services care meant the NHS Trust was legally obliged to investigate his death. The family believe the first failing came when Joe was taken to A&E by L'Arche staff after he was found injured on the floor of his bedroom at 5am, having fallen on February 26, 2016. After initial examinations, Joe was discharged, according to the family's barrister Simon Cridland, 'with an undiagnosed broken neck, undiagnosed broken wrist and undiagnosed broken hip'. Professor Peter Selby, who was asked by the hospital to prepare a report on Joe's care, told the inquest this first assessment was 'acceptable', noting that there was no 'clinical suggestion of injury elsewhere', so he was 'appropriately treated and discharged'. But Giovanni says: 'Just because someone can't tell you they are in pain doesn't mean they aren't seriously injured, so to us it's totally unacceptable.' When concerned care home staff took Joe back to hospital the following day, scans revealed the fractures their severity being the result of an undiagnosed osteoporosis. The surgery to repair Joe's hip was successful, but given his difficulty swallowing and the risk of aspiration, he was declared nil-by-mouth on March 4. By then, all he'd eaten were a couple of spoonfuls of Weetabix, but it's not known exactly what nutrition he received because, the court heard, it hadn't been fully recorded on his charts. A gastro-nasal feeding tube was inserted on March 9, but removed after 24 hours when Joe, distressed and uncomfortable, kept trying to pull it out and it was dislodged. One carer, trained nurse Sister Christine O'Grady, told the inquest she had such 'grave concerns' about the lack of pain relief for Joe that she had said to one hospital worker: 'I'll see you in court.' On March 9, after visiting Joe in hospital, a care manager for Manchester's social services sent an email to the hospital's safeguarding department raising concerns over lack of adequate pain relief, fluid and nutrition, but senior medical staff never saw it. Family, too, spoke up for Joe. 'One time, Joe was clearly in pain and I rushed out and asked one of the nurses: 'Sorry to disturb you, I know you're really busy, but could you please take a look at my brother because I think he's in a lot of pain,' recalls Giovanni, who has worked for the current affairs programmes World In Action, Panorama and C4 Dispatches. After the inquest, Manchester University NHS Trust (a stock photo is pictured above) publicly apologised for the failings in Joe's care, admitting 'it fell well below our standards' [File photo] 'She replied: 'I've got 20 normal patients to deal with, I'll get round to it as soon as I can.' I was really upset, but I didn't say anything at the time because I was worried I'd annoy the nursing staff and it might cause a problem for Joe. 'How I wish now I'd kicked up a fuss, demanded to see whoever was in charge, but I trusted the medical staff. I thought they knew better than us. But I feel I failed my brother and will live with that guilt for the rest of my life.' On March 16, it was agreed with the family at a 'best interests' meeting at the hospital that a feeding tube would be inserted directly into Joe's stomach on March 18 to resolve the issue about feeding. Peter Ulleri says: 'I told staff my brother's condition was deteriorating due to lack of nutrition and I couldn't understand why this operation wasn't being done immediately. I said: 'What's the delay? He could die from this.' 'I was told it couldn't go ahead that day because they were short of an anaesthetist, so Joe had to wait another two days. There was no urgency. There seemed to be a complete lack of ambition.' Unknown to the family, a nasal- gastric tube had to be temporarily refitted to feed dye into the stomach which would show up on X-ray to help doctors correctly site the thin feeding tube. Joe's carer that night, David Kraus Ward, told the inquest he advised hospital staff that Joe needed pain relief and sedation, but the 20-minute procedure went ahead in the early hours without it. 'He was the most distressed at that point that I've ever seen him,' he added. Joe died two days later. Peter Ulleri says: 'Joe was in a first-class building but received third-rate care. This isn't about the individuals working within the NHS, I believe it's a problem with leadership and management. 'After Joe died, at a meeting with senior hospital staff, I asked who'd been in charge of Joe's care. They couldn't give me an answer.' It was one of Joe's volunteer carers a retired GP who'd seen his own wife succumb to pneumonia who warned the Ulleri family that Joe was dying, prompting Giovanni to demand a meeting with a registrar who confirmed Joe's chest infection was serious and the next 48 hours were critical. 'I had a phone call at 5am on March 20 from a nurse saying: 'You need to come over,' says Giovanni, who was staying at a nearby hotel overnight with his sister. 'Joe was struggling and his breathing was getting more shallow. The hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life was to go and tell my father that Joe didn't have long, bring him to the hospital and say goodbye. The council applied for a deprivation of liberty order as Joe was unable to look after himself, and in 2013 Joe was placed at the L'Arche supported-living home in Withington, pictured above in a stock photo [File photo] 'My dad was saying: 'I told you. I told you they just don't care.' 'I said: 'It's not like that, Dad, these things happen.' That was before I had any idea of what had really happened.' Today, Ria still hasn't recovered from Joe's death. 'I held Joe in my arms and I said goodbye as he took his last breath,' she says. 'My heart was breaking. He'd lost so much weight, he was a shadow of himself.' That grief was compounded by their father's death at 92, in March. After the inquest, Manchester University NHS Trust publicly apologised for the failings in Joe's care, admitting 'it fell well below our standards'. Professor Jane Eddleston, the Trust's joint group medical director, added that measures had been implemented to ensure this did not happen again, including 'extensive work on nutrition and hydration' and 'how we care for patients who have a learning disability'. An NHS England spokesman said they were 'taking further steps to make sure every local area reviews all deaths of people with a learning disability, autism or both, so staff can improve care'. Giovanni adds: 'We need to look at the way we treat the most vulnerable members of society because if we get it right for them, we get it right for everybody. 'I love the NHS, it is our most treasured gift, but unfortunately when it came to my brother, he was not given the care or treatment you or I would have received and that is shameful and appalling.' Did someone with learning difficulties in your family experience similar abuse or neglect? Email femailreaders@dailymail.co.uk The end: DailyMail.com has obtained a number of divorce filings that were submitted in court by Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos (above in 2018 at the VF Oscar party) Mackenzie Bezos is already pocketing $1 billion more than was initially reported in her divorce settlement from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Divorce documents and an SEC filing obtained by DailyMail.com reveal that Mr Bezos will be transferring shares equal to four percent of the company's outstanding common stock when their split is finalized by the court. That is not expected to happen however until late June or early July, despite reports claiming earlier this month that the pair had finalized the proceedings. It takes at least 90 days from the initial filing for a divorce to go through in Washington. This means that the $35.85 billion settlement Ms. Bezos was reported to be receiving on April 4 was not an accurate sum, with that number drastically increasing over the past two weeks thanks to rising stock prices. In fact, if the divorce was finalized on Friday afternoon, Ms Bezos would be taking home a settlement package whose stock value alone is worth $36.87 billion. That means she would have managed to turn a $1 billion profit in just two weeks. This is one family's home: Since their split, Mr and Ms Bezos have been living together (Mercer island home above) reveal the docs, and Ms Bezos will not get spousal support or lawyer fees cover in the case There are also a number of other details about the couple's split contained in the Petition for Divorce, which was filed by Mackenzie on March 28 in King County, Washington. The most surprising of the admissions is shared early on when Ms Bezos is asked to share information about the marriage. 'We were married on September 4, 1993 at Palm Breach Florida,' reads the petition. 'We currently live in the same household.' Ms Bezos also confirms that the couple did not have a prenuptial agreement, and that the two parties instead relied on a Separation and Property Settlement Agreement to split their marital assets. That means that Ms Bezos could have made a case to walk off with more than half of her husband's wealth, but instead will not be getting an spousal support or even her lawyer's fees covered by her ex. Those lawyers meanwhile are not Hollywood heavy hitters like some outlets had been reporting, and instead two local law firms are representing the couple. Mo money, mo problems": Reports on the settlement are premature as Mr Bezos will not transfer stocks until the split is final (SEC filing above), and the amount is $1 billion higher then it was April 4 The petition was officially filed on April 4, at which point the couple shared the news that they had finalized their split on social media. There are still approximately 75 days to go however until a judge signs off on that decree, and in that time Ms Bezos could potentially make billions - or lose them if the stock takes a plunge. One day after Bezos announced he had filed for divorce his mistress did as well, though the two have not been seen together since before news of their affair broke. Mr and Ms Bezios first announced their split to get out in front of a National Enquirer report detailing Mr. Bezos' affair with Wendy 'Lauren' Sanchez. The philandering parties will likely not be seen together anytime soon either, with Mr and Ms Bezos living together under the same roof. The two will have plenty of room to avoid one another though, as that roof is rather vast. Their marital home in Mercer Island, Washington is a $80 million compound with boat house, guest house, docks, and a pool on close to 10 acres of land. Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank, giving the company a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions on the eve of its public stock offering. The ride-hailing giant said on Thursday that the investment valued its Advanced Technologies Group, which works to develop autonomous driving technology, at $7.25 billion. SoftBank will invest $333 million from its $100 billion Vision Fund, while Toyota and automotive company Denso will combined invest $667 million. Scroll down for video Uber's autonomous vehicle unit has raised $1 billion from a consortium of investors including SoftBank, giving the firm a much-needed funding boost for its pricey self-driving ambitions 'The development of automated driving technology will transform transportation as we know it, making our streets safer and our cities more livable,' Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement. 'Todays announcement, along with our ongoing OEM and supplier relationships, will help maintain Ubers position at the forefront of that transformation.' Reuters had reported in March talks of the investment in ATG, which has locations in Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The funding allows Uber to transfer some of the substantial cost of developing self-driving cars onto outside investors. That is likely to appease some investor concerns over Uber's spending on the autonomous unit, which has topped $1 billion since the program started in 2016. The business unit brings in no meaningful revenue for Uber, which last year lost $3.03 billion. Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is 'roadshow,' when it will pitch its company prospective investors setting up for an early May debut on the NYSE The company is not even offering free rides in the robot cars to passengers, like some of its rivals are, following a fatal crash last year in Arizona involving an Uber self-driving SUV. Uber released its IPO filing this month and is preparing to launch is 'roadshow,' when it will pitch its company prospective investors, the week of April 29, setting up for an early May debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Uber is expected to raise $10 billion at a $90 billion to $100 billion valuation, at least an 18 percent jump from its current $76 billion valuation. As part of the deal, ATG becomes its own legal entity but remains under the control of Uber with its financial performance folded into Uber's. A new ATG board will be formed, with six seats from Uber, one from SoftBank and one from Toyota. Eric Meyhofer, currently the head of ATG, will take the title of CEO and report to the new board. Such sizeable deals are unusual for companies so close to an IPO, because bringing in large new investors changes the company's capital structure. The deal, however, will almost certainly require approval from the inter-agency regulatory group called the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). A law enacted last year expands that group's powers to review minority stakes by foreign investors in startups with certain sensitive technologies, and self-driving technology is widely considered to have defense applications. SoftBank's investment in General Motors Co's self-driving car unit Cruise is still under CFIUS review and is likely weeks away from a decision, even though that investment was announced more than a year ago. NASA astronaut Christina Koch will soon set the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman. The space agency set a new schedule and assignments for crew on the International Space Station this week, revealing Koch's mission has been extended to a total of 11 months. Koch arrived at ISS on March 14 and is now expected to remain in orbit until February 2020. This will bring her total time away from Earth to a number just shy of the all-time record for the longest single spaceflight 340 days, set by former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and eclipse the 288-day milestone set by Peggy Whitson in 2016-17. Scroll down for video NASA astronaut Christina Koch's mission on the International Space Station is to be extended to 11 months, which would set a record for a woman in space As part of NASA's study of the effects of long spaceflights on the human body, Koch will spend 328 days in space. The 40-year-old astronaut has been in orbit since last month. 'One month down. Ten to go,' Koch wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. 'Privileged to contribute my best every single day of it.' In late March, NASA canceled what would have been the first all-female spacewalk with Koch and astronaut Anne McClain due to a lack of a spacesuit in the right size for McClain. The walk was would have occurred during the final week of Women's History Month. On board the orbiting space station, astronauts work on a range of experiments in biology, biotechnology, health, earth, space and other sciences. The typical stay for astronauts is six months, NASA said. 'NASA is looking to build on what we have learned with additional astronauts in space for more than 250 days,' said Jennifer Fogarty, a chief scientist for NASA's Human Research Program in a statement. Astronaut Peggy Whitson holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, staying in orbit 288 days in 2016 and 2017, NASA said. 'It's my honor to follow in Peggy's footsteps,' Koch said in a video from the International Space Station, orbiting over 200 miles (322 km) above earth. Peggy Whitson, 58, announced her retirement last summer on her last day on the job. She spent more time off the planet than any American: 665 days in three missions Of the more than 500 people who have traveled to space, fewer than 11 percent have been women. But Koch graduated from NASA's 2013 class of astronauts that was 50 percent women. The overall NASA record of 340 days, set in 2016, is held by astronaut Scott Kelly in an experiment to compare his physical and mental health to his identical twin Mark Kelly, who remained on earth. Mark Kelly is married to former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot and gravely wounded in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and wounded 13 others in a supermarket parking lot. Launching rockets into space is an extremely precise undertaking, involving years of testing, expertise, and hard work, which is why when Facebook users tuned in to watch a recent rocket leap into space, the scene didn't quote match up. During a Facebook live stream, a NASA announcer declares 'And we have liftoff of the Antares NG-11 mission to the ISS.' However, Facebook's auto-generated captions conveyed a garbled, 'And we have liftoff of the guitarist G 11 mission to the ice sets.' The launch of the Antares rocket, built by Northrup and Gunman went off without a hitch, taking its first step towards carrying 3.4 tons of cargo to the International Space Station. But unfortunately for viewers, the algorithm's misfires didn't stop there. Scroll down for video Some Facebook viewers may have been disappointed to learn that no guitars were to be launched into space by NASA. More than a dozen times throughout the broadcast, captions flubbed the proclamations of a NASA announcer, with renditions like, 'to the ice sets, engines full-power,' and 'attitude is nominal.' As pointed out by Ars Technica, describing launches and space missions tends to entail a lot of jargon, making it difficult to translate for a system designed to interpret more colloquial human speech. In this case, however, that still may not have been the issue as the rival streamer YouTube's auto-captioning still managed to interpret irregular words like 'Anatares' and abbreviations like 'NG-11.' Facebook originally rolled out auto-captioning for all page videos in 2017 and has included the feature on ads since 2016. Though NASA's launch captioning may have endured more than its fair share of hiccups, the company has usually marketed the tool as a sort of first-draft for captions as opposed to a final product. Creators of the video content are capable of going back into their captions and correcting the results line-by-line, a process by which posters could avoid glaring mistakes like confusing their rocket's name for 'guitarist.' Though the results in this case were mostly harmless, Facebook has some serious incentive to improve their captioning software, which uses voice recognition, according to a recent report from CNBC. More than a dozen times throughout the broadcast, captions flubbed the proclamations of a NASA announcer, with renditions like, 'to the ice sets, engines full-power,' and 'attitude is nominal' Recent foibles show auto-captioning has been slow to improve since its introduction in 2016. This month, the social media platform affirmed its intention to roll out an AI voice assistant similar to those seen in Apple's 'Siri' and Amazon's 'Alexa.' The company has been working on the project since 2018 but has yet to fully detail how it intends to apply the technology. For the time being, Facebook may have other more pressing issues on its plate, including the recently announced exposure of 1.5 million passwords which it had stored in plain text. The estimate is 100 times larger than what it originally announced last month. The kakapo is a species of bird which lives on small islands off the coast of New Zealand Coming in at about 24 inches tall and weighing between 4 and 9 lbs it is the world's heaviest parrot The birds are also known to have extraordinarily long lives and survive for up to 90 years The bird is critically endangered after its numbers plummeted when humans travelled to the islands They have a rather poor defence strategy when they are startled or scared and simply freeze and stand still, making them easy pickings The bird is dubbed the world's fattest parrot and has short legs and a flat beak - with a greenish hue to its feathers Although it is flightless, the animal walks long distances and is relatively mobile on its sturdy legs They can climb trees and use their wings to 'parachute' down to Earth safely Fifty years ago it was believed the animal had been forced to extinction but relentless conservation programmes have seen its numbers rise It has a unique mating protocol which is not observed anywhere else in the animal kingdom It is the only flightless bird which gathers in leks - where many males congregate and compete to secure the best mate The animals only mate once every five years or so when the native rimu trees provide fruit. The reason for this is unknown The town of Paradise in California's Butte County was all but completely wiped out as the state endured its worst-ever wildfires in September last year. But they are nothing if not resilient, these Californians, and the message in Butte and the grape-growing territory heading south-west to Napa Valley is that it's business as usual. This is California's leading wine region, famed for its sultry chardonnays, zesty sauvignon blancs and big, bold cabernet sauvignons. Quaint: California's Culinary Institute of America outside the village of St Helena Napa might only account for some four per cent of California's wine production, but it welcomes 3.5 million visitors and contributes a remarkable 38 billion to the U.S. economy each year. My first port of call is Calistoga, a small town at the top of the valley celebrated for its hot springs and geothermal baths. At a friend's insistence, I head straight for the Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa. Here, I allow the charming Christel to slather my face in white kaolin clay and then plaster me with a paint brush from head to toe in French green clay. 'You will feel won-der-ful!' she exclaims. Next stop is the CIA. No, not that one, silly, the Culinary Institute of America, housed in a forbidding former Christian Brothers building. It lies on the outskirts of St Helena, a town for which the epithet 'quaint' was invented. The main drag is crammed with neat little boutiques, galleries, bakeries and bistros. Relaxing: The pool at the Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa at the top of Napa Valley The CIA hosts all manner of courses for aspiring chefs, sommeliers and restaurateurs and serves a pretty fine lunch for visitors, too, in its Gatehouse Restaurant. I fall in with Cindy and Cathy from Hannibal, Missouri. It's their first time in Napa and they tell me they're delighted to find a menu that doesn't rely on deepfried catfish and onion rings. 'At Bubba's, our local, they sell onion rings by the foot,' says Cathy. 'You walk in and waddle out.' There are almost 500 wineries in the region and most have excellent tasting rooms and beaming, California-sized welcomes. Some ask that you book ahead; at others, you simply pitch up with an inquiring thirst. Golden state: A vineyard near Napa's St Helena under the Californian sun It would take months to visit every winery, so I pick just a handful based on the style of wines I like. I drop in on Joseph Phelps Vineyards, Charles Krug Winery, Robert Mondavi Winery, Cakebread Cellars and Turnbull Wine Cellars to name a few and taste - or rather, drink - like a king. I also dine well at Charter Oak in St Helena and, on Highway 29, at Mustards Grill, whose Truckstop Special - 'Always meat, often potatoes, rarely vegetables' - is a belt-straining delight. So engrossed am I in my browsing and sluicing that I manage - idiotically - to miss my trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train and a balloon ride over the vineyards. There's always next time. TRAVEL FACTS BA flies twice daily from Heathrow to San Francisco from 378 return (ba.com). See visitnapavalley.com Advertisement Advertisement What kind of scenery could a cruise holiday adventure reward you with? Well, the epic kind. As we reveal here with these stunning images of cruise ships in amazing places. If you're looking for a splash of sunshine, there are cruise ships that snake their way around some of the world's most exotic islands with stop-offs along the way. Or if it's a bit of history and culture you're after, then there are must-visit ports of call all over the globe, with Havana, Naples, Venice and Malta some of the highly-rated spots. And then, for the more intrepid traveller, there are expedition cruises venturing to the likes of the Galapagos Islands, Antarctica and the North Pole. To get a taste of some of the eye-popping locations you could hit on a cruise, scroll down and let the sea-nic views wash over you... Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas cruises down a fjord towards the village of Geiranger in western Norway. Although the boat has ten decks and can hold 2,416 guests, it's dwarfed by the towering mountains surrounding it. Even though Geiranger is located more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) inland from the coast, it is the second largest cruise port in Norway The MSC Splendida can be seen in between a mix of historic buildings as it docks in the Italian city of Naples. Passengers disembarking here have the opportunity to venture off and explore a number of picturesque sights including the Amalfi Coast and the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Above, Mount Vesuvius dominates the skyline. More than two million people live in the vicinity of the cone and it is the only active volcano on mainland Europe The Viking Sun photographed as it sails around the blue waters of the Society Islands, which is the most populated archipelago of French Polynesia. The ship, built in 2017, is on the smaller end of the scale and holds just 930 guests Poseidon Expeditions runs cruises to some of the most remote parts of the world, including the North Pole. Above, an image of an icebreaker ship used by the company as it navigates its way towards the top of the world. The ship, called the i/b 50 Years of Victory, is the largest and most modern nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world. The spoon-shaped bow enables the vessel to force its way through 8.2-feet-thick ice fields The historic city of Venice looks dinky alongside the Viking Sea ship as it is guided through the narrow waterways. More than one million cruise passengers flood the pedestrian metropolis each year, with some locals angered by the influx of tourists. Earlier this year councillors overwhelmingly endorsed an entry fee at a meeting, saying visitors would have to pay three euros (2.57) each from May to visit The Crown Princess, which can hold 3,080 guests and 1,200 crew, seen moored at the port town of Ocho Rios on the north coast of Jamaica. Along with glistening blue waters, the port has two piers for cruise ships and it is within walking distance of the town The Seven Seas Voyager ship from Regent Seven Seas Cruises looks tiny as it sails around the jaw-dropping island of Tahiti. The boat is described as being 'luxurious yet cosy', with every cabin having a balcony and space to hold 700 passengers Cunard's Queen Victoria is described as a ship that offers a 'unique atmosphere' and 'encourages a sense of escapism'. It can hold up to 2,061 passengers, 981 staff members and it measures 964.5 feet in length. Above, the grand ship is seen sailing down Aurlandsfjord, where the small tourist village of Flaam is located The Royal Princess is almost as tall as the towering buildings on the shoreline as it chugs out of Port Everglades in Florida. The ship has a total of 17 decks and it can accommodate 4,272 guests at maximum capacity. Port Everglades is one of the top three cruise ports in the world and is among the most active cargo ports in the U.S A Princess Cruises ship sails down the Panama Canal, past a spread of tree-lined hills and under the Centennial Bridge, which opened in 2004 and has a clearance of 262 feet. The Panama Canal, which runs for 48 miles, is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Construction on the waterway was started by the French in 1881 but swiftly stopped after engineering problems and disease swept the area. The U.S. took over the project in 1904 and the canal opened on August 15, 1914 The Viking Star certainly stands out on the water as it slowly snakes along the River Thames. The cruise ship, which was built in 2015, can hold 930 guests and it measures 745 feet long. The Port of London Authority provides two moorings for cruise ships, one at Greenwich, the other just upriver of Tower Bridge. The tidal river is navigable to large ocean-going ships as far upstream as the Pool of London and London Bridge Passengers on board the Viking Sky soak up the magic of the Northern Lights while cruising around northern Norway. The natural phenomenon is best seen in the area between the months October and March A shadow is cast on the small village of Hellsytt in Norway as the Balmoral ship from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines sails by. The vessel is the largest of the company's ocean-going cruise ships, yet still small enough to navigate size-restricted waterways such as the Norwegian fjords. It can hold 1,325 passengers and 510 crew members and it boasts six restaurants The Silver Galapagos, from the cruise firm Silversea, was specifically designed to explore the remote volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. The ship holds just 100 passengers and a mix of adventurous activities are included on trips, with Zodiac tours, snorkelling, kayaking and nature hikes on the menu. The Galapagos consists of 18 main islands, three smaller islands, and 107 islets or rocks. The largest of the islands is Isabela. The area is home to some of the highest levels of endemism (species found nowhere else on earth) anywhere on the planet. Favourites include the giant Galapagos tortoise, marine iguana, flightless cormorant, and the Galapagos penguin Passengers stand out on deck to see a powerful waterfall cascading in New Zealand's stunning Fiordland National Park. Princess Cruises runs a number of itineraries covering this part of the world, with ships getting into a variety of hard-to-reach areas. Milford Sound, which is within the national park, was described by Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling as the 'Eighth Wonder of the World' Fresh from a multi-million dollar renovation, the Ruby Princess has almost 900 balconies so guests can soak up their surroundings. The ship, which has 15 passenger decks, cuts quite a size as it skims past Saint Thomas in the Caribbean. The island, which measures 32 square miles, is home to the second-oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere, a fort which dates back to 1680 and the childhood home of French impressionist artist, Camille Pissarro The colossal MSC Orchestra cruise liner, which has 12 passenger decks, enjoys having the waterway to itself as it speeds under the Verrazzano Bridge. The overpass connects the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn and it has a clearance of 228 feet The picturesque white-washed buildings of Santorini gaze down on the Emerald Princess ship as it sails into the submerged caldera. The vessel, which carries 3,080 guests, embarks on regular Mediterranean itineraries. Santorini, which has a population of 25,000, has grown in popularity to the point where Mayor Nikolos Zorzos has limited the number of cruise ship passengers that can disembark to 8,000 a day from a peak of 18,000 in 2016 because of over-crowding The dramatic Na Pali Coast of Kauai in Hawaii with the cliff towering above Norwegian Cruise Line's boat, Pride of America. This is where much of the filming took place for Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster, Jurassic Park. The Pride of America sails around Hawaii all-year-round and highlights on the agenda include whale watching and witnessing the Kilauea Volcano One Ocean Expeditions specialises in adventure and wildlife-watching cruises to the polar regions. Above, one of the firm's ships sails towards a colony of penguins in Antarctica while steering clear of icebergs. One Ocean Expeditions uses smaller ships as vessels carrying more than 500 guests are not allowed to land their passengers ashore in Antarctica Norway boasts a spread of awe-inspiring scenery, as demonstrated above. Here the Viking Sky sails along in the foreground. This ship made headlines in March after she suffered an engine failure off the Norwegian coast and more than 400 people had to be airlifted to safety The Norwegian Jade sails away from the port town of Alesund on the west coast of Norway where up to three ships can be accommodated at a time. Many cruise ships stop here on their way to or from Norway's most photographed fjord, Geiranger The MSC Musica is an enormous ship, as shown in the image above as it sails past the old city of Dubrovnik in Croatia. The liner has 16 decks in total and it can accommodate 3,223 guests at full capacity. Last year, local authorities voiced their concerns that Dubrovnik was becoming overwhelmed by tourists, a problem exacerbated by its use for filming in Game Of Thrones. On a typical day there are about eight cruise ships visiting the town of 2,500 people Malta is a very popular cruise destination, with a spectacular harbour, a colourful history and streets lined with shops. Above, the Viking Sun enjoys prime parking as it docks in Valletta with the evening light falling Another location the Viking Sun ship visits is Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Cruise-goers can catch a different view of the bustling seaside city from the water, with sights such as Sugarloaf Mountain on show Cruising is the perfect way of seeing coastal spots that are difficult to access from land. Above, the Sapphire Princess cruises along the College Fjord in Alaska, which serves up some spectacular glacier viewing. There are more than a dozen major glaciers in the area, surrounded by jagged snow-capped peaks One way of getting up close to the Seven Sisters waterfall in Geiranger, Norway, is by taking a cruise. Above, the Viking Sky sails past the natural attraction. It is the 39th tallest waterfall in Norway and consists of seven separate streams The MSC Magnifica dominates the shot as it sits stationary in San Francisco, with the Golden Gate Bridge visible behind. The Port of San Francisco hosts more than 80 cruise ship calls and 300,000 passengers annually MSC Armonia is a cruise ship that was built in 2001 for the now defunct Festival Cruises as MS European Vision. Since 2004 the ship has been owned and operated by MSC Cruises. Above, the ship is seen berthed in the port of Havana. There are plans to expand the cruise ship terminal in the Cuban capital to accommodate a surge in U.S. visitors after travel restrictions were lifted Azamara Club Cruises offers various trips with one of its most popular ones taking passengers around the breathtaking Amalfi Coast on the southern edge of Italy's Sorrentine Peninsula. The Amalfi Coast was listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997 for its 'cultural and natural scenic values' She attended the premiere of her new supernatural Netflix thriller Chambers in New York City on Monday. And three days later, Uma Thurman was spotted stepping out in New York City while sporting a stylish ensemble. The 48-year-old actress covered up in a furry lined coat with jeans, adding black loafers and small framed sunglasses. Stylish lady: Uma Thurman was spotted stepping out in New York City while sporting a stylish ensemble on Thursday Uma chose a thick coat with a textured collar and cuffs with large buttons down her torso. The stunning blonde paired the cover up with cuffed denim bottoms, adding classic black flats and a coordinating blouse. The movie star added a playful touch with her nineties style sunglasses; she had a black handbag slung over one shoulder. Uma rounded out her look with a sparkling ring on each hand - including her wedding finger. Looking gorgeous: The 48-year-old actress covered up in a furry lined coat with jeans, adding black loafers and small framed sunglasses Close up: Uma rounded out her look with a sparkling ring on each hand - including her wedding finger Stunning: She ditched the coat as she showed off her casual cool look Tremendous trio: She was joined at the Build event by co-stars Sivan Alyra Rose and Tony Goldwyn Vibes: She was in good spirits as she laughed often during the interview Good times: Uma has been on the promotional trail Uma pulled her blonde tresses back into a casual ponytail while opting to go makeup free, revealing her stunning beauty. Later in the day, the star was seen visiting the SiriusXM; the star took off her jacket for the interview at the studio in the Big Apple. One day prior, Uma attended the Netflix premiere of Chambers at Metrograph in New York City. She looked gorgeous in a white blouse, tucked into her black trousers. The blonde beauty added a patterned black and white jacket, which grazed her knees. Strike a pose: Later in the day, the star was seen visiting the SiriusXM later in the day Star: The star took off her jacket for the interview at the studio in the Big Apple Good times: She was on hand with her co-star Sivan Alyra Rose; they both star on Chambers They became household names in the film and television industry thanks to their roles in HBO's Game Of Thrones. And Richard Madden shared a sweet throwback snap on Thursday from when he and his co-stars Kit Harington and Alfie Allen had finished the first read-through for the fantasy series. The trio of actors, who are all 32, looked youthful as they visited the Wheel of Belfast and took a fun snap together. Youthful: Game Of Thrones' Richard Madden shared a sweet throwback snap with co-stars Kit Harington and Alfie Allen after their FIRST EVER read-through, on Thursday It was only in the first season that the three shared scenes together as Robb Stark (Richard), Jon Snow (Kit), and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie) respectfully. The three characters grew up together in Winterfell, as Robb was the heir to the Stark family's ancestral home, while Jon believed he was the illegitimate son of the former's father Ned (Sean Bean). Meanwhile, Theon was a ward of the Stark family, after his father Balon gave him to Ned in order to keep his seat as the Lord of the Iron Islands following the ironborn's defeat during Robert's rebellion. Of the picture, Richard joked: 'This is Kit, Alfie and I after our first read through of S1 Ep1 of Game of Thrones about 10 years ago. KIDZ.' Way back when: It was only in the first season that the three shared scenes together as Robb Stark (Richard), Jon Snow (Kit), and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie) respectfully Ties: The three characters grew up together in Winterfell, Robb was heir to Winterfell, while Jon believed he was the illegitimate son of the former's father Ned Richard hasn't appeared in the series since the third season, as Robb was tragically killed alongside his mother and wife during the Red Wedding. Jon and Theon have since reunited on the show, but it was initially not an amicable reunion as the latter had betrayed the Stark family and attacked Winterfell while it's poorly defended during Robb's bid to win the Iron Throne as King In The North. It has since been revealed that Jon is in fact the son of Ned's sister Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, making him the true heir to the Iron Throne. Romance had been flourishing between Jon and Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) over season seven when they became unlikely allies in the quest for the Iron Throne, but his heritage has meant that she is in fact his aunt. Like family: Meanwhile, Theon was Robb's best friend and a ward of the Stark family, after his father Balon gave him to Ned following the ironborn's defeat during Robert's rebellion Recently, Kit admitted it was 'really odd' kissing Emilia because they had forged a strong friendship while filming together for the last seven years. The hunk pointed out it made it even 'weirder' that his wife Rose Leslie, 32, who played Jon's late lover Ygritte, also has a close friendship with Emilia. He told The Mirror: 'Emilia and I had been best friends over a seven-year period and by the time we had to kiss it seemed really odd. 'Emilia, Rose and I are good friends, so even though you're actors and its your job, there's an element of weirdness when the three of us are having dinner and we had a kissing scene that day.' She debuted her new boyfriend Nick Power shortly after Thursday's episode of Bachelor in Paradise aired. And just hours later, Brooke Blurton revealed that she was already missing her man, sharing a video to Instagram of the pair chatting over Skype. In the clip, the 24-year-old Indigenous youth worker appeared to be wearing lingerie in bed and blowing a kiss. Scroll down for video 'Wish you were here': Brooke Blurton chatted over Skype with new boyfriend Nick Power on Thursday night, after sensationally quitting Bachelor in Paradise Nick also looked smitten in the video, smiling and making a love heart hand gesture. Brooke captioned the moment: 'Wish you were here in Perth with me [right now]'. The brunette debuted her new romance with Nick on Instagram following her departure from Bachelor in Paradise. She shared a handful of loved-up photos, alongside the caption: 'I am so happy to announce that I have found love. Cat's out of the bag! Brooke debuted her new boyfriend shortly after Thursday's episode of Bachelor in Paradise aired 'It's with a beautiful beautiful man who I cannot express how lucky I am to have in my life. You have no idea how relieved I am to openly and honestly say this out loud! 'Thank you for all that have been on my journey to find love.' Brooke said she initially met Nick six years ago, but he only paid attention to her after she appeared on The Bachelor last year. She explained: 'So it happens that I had already met him... six years ago. It just took a reality show for him to notice me!' The announcement came after Brooke sensationally quit Bachelor in Paradise on Thursday's episode. She walked away from the show after being dumped by Alex Nation. Betrayed: Brooke sensationally quit Bachelor in Paradise after Alex Nation (pictured) said she was more interested in dating Bill Goldsmith 'I feel like a broken little girl right now,' she said. Earlier in the episode, Alex had dumped Brooke and told her she wanted to focus on her blossoming romance with Bill Goldsmith instead. 'Coming into this I was keen as mustard [on you], and I feel we have really good connection and get each other,' said Alex, 27. 'But I feel like after our date, whilst I still think you're amazing and beautiful, my feelings for Bill have surpassed what was going on with you.' Elyse Knowles has been dating boyfriend Josh Barker for over six years. But the 26-year-old model has revealed that she's in no rush to take the next step in her relationship and doesn't appreciate being pressured by others to do so. 'We just switch off when people ask, "When are you going to get engaged? When are you having babies?"' she told The Daily Telegraph. 'We just switch off': Elyse Knowles (right) and longtime boyfriend Josh Barker (left) revealed that they hate being pressured by others to get married and have children 'Um, I'll have a baby when I want to have a baby not when you want me to. Surprises are pretty special in life and yeah, I'm going to keep a lot of surprises,' she added. Last October, Elyse said that if her modelling career didn't take off, she would already be starting a family in Australia. 'If I wasn't doing what I'm doing now, and having the dreams I have, I would have a baby by now,' the Myer ambassador told WHO magazine. 'If I wasn't doing what I'm doing now, and having the dreams I have, I would have a baby by now,' the model told Who magazine last year 'I love babies, adore them! I'm always babysitting for friends and I can't wait to have a family,' she added. Elyse also admitted that she and her boyfriend-of-six-years are too busy to get married. 'When people ask, I'm like, "You ask him! I don't know!", she laughed. 'There's been a lot of things happening in our lives. It's not on my mind. Like, we just bought a house again. We're getting ready to build that, there's a lot of output happening and we have no time.' Happy couple: Elyse and boyfriend Josh have been dating for over six years Elyse and Josh made the big move from metropolitan Melbourne to bohemian Byron Bay just last month. Taking to Instagram earlier this month, Elyse spoke about how excited she was for this new chapter in her life. 'We have always had this dream, we have decided to make it reality,' she began in the post. 'The new adventure has begun! We have packed up our lives and we are moving to Byron Bay!! I cant believe its happening and its real now! So excited for our new adventure with my man @joshy.barker.' Joe Giudice's misery continues. The 46-year-old reality star 'was crying, tearing up [and] had his head in his hands' upon learning the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had denied his appeal on April 11, a source told Radar. The source, a mother of another inmate at the Clinton County Correctional Facility, where Joe remains in ICE custody, said that her son said that Giudice has been 'miserable' amid the recent news. Scroll below for video The latest: Joe Giudice, 46, 'was crying, tearing up [and] had his head in his hands' upon learning ICE had denied his appeal on April 11, a source told Radar. The pair were snapped in March of 2014 leaving a NJ court 'He apparently broke down last week at the lunch table,' the source said. 'He was just staring ahead, not touching his food. 'He was crying, tearing up, had his head in his hands.' Joe, who has four children with Teresa - Gia, 18, Gabriella, 14, Milania, 13, and Audriana, nine - was born in Saronno, Italy and brought to the United States as a one-year-old. He has never applied to be a U.S. citizen. Federal law states Joe - who pleaded guilty to mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud charges in 2014 - can be deported due to 'a crime of moral turpitude' or 'aggravated felony' as result of his citizenship status. Joe in March was released into ICE custody after his prison sentence at Fort Dix, New Jersey's Federal Correctional Institution in his 2014 fraud conviction. Future: James J. Leonard, Jr., the Giudice family attorney, said in a statement on Thursday to Dailymail.com: 'We are extremely disappointed that the Board Of Immigration Appeals has denied Mr. Giudices appeal' A lawyer for the family, James J. Leonard Jr., said in a statement to DailyMail.com that efforts are ongoing to keep Joe in the country. 'We are extremely disappointed that the Board Of Immigration Appeals has denied Mr. Giudice's appeal,' Leonard said of the recent ruling. 'We have filed a stay with the Third Circuit Court Of Appeals and will continue to fight to keep Mr. Giudice in the United States, the only country he knows, and reunite him with his wife and four daughters.' Teresa, who also spent nearly a year in custody in the fraud conviction, said earlier this year said she was going to stay U.S. regardless of what happens to Joe. 'I'm not doing a long-distance relationship,' she told Andy Cohen at a RHONJ reunion. 'I'm just not doing it. You know, I want somebody with me every day. And I know exactly what happens, like, I'm sure he'll be with other women. It happens. Drama: Joe Giudice began his fight against his deportation order six months prior. And the star may be heading to Italy, as the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied his appeal, according to E! News; pictured March 5, 2016 in Mount Pocono, PA He had served time at the Allenwood Low Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania from late March 2016 until his release this March. He was originally supposed to spend 41 months in prison; in early October 2018, a judge ruled that he will be deported after he gets released, an earlier E! News reported at the time. Teresa was in prison for 11 months on charges of mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud charges; she was released in December 2015. He began his sentence for the same crimes three months later, according to People. A judge ruled on October 10 that he must be deported; his lawyers filed paperwork within the 30-day time period (on November 10) to appeal the order. Family: Joe and wife Teresa are parents to four daughters: Gia, 18, Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10 Teresa, who also spent nearly a year in custody in the fraud conviction, earlier this year said she was going to stay U.S. regardless of what happens to Joe. 'I'm not doing a long-distance relationship,' she told Andy Cohen at a RHONJ reunion. 'I'm just not doing it. You know, I want somebody with me every day. And I know exactly what happens, like, I'm sure he'll be with other women. It happens. 'So, if we do the long-distance thing, it's not gonna work. I'd be like, "Bye-bye!"' In the special, Teresa said only her daughters could change her mind about staying in the states if Joe cannot avoid deportation. 'I mean, unless my kids say, "Mommy I want to move to Italy Gias going to college next year." I havent spoken to Milania or Audriana about it, we havent gotten there yet - and Gabriella already voiced her opinion to me,' she said. 'She was like, "That would be so hard for me, mommy." She doesnt speak the language. Shes like, "That would kill me even more."' Chris Lilley's new comedy show Lunatics was officially released on Netflix on Friday. The 10-part series became the subject of controversy in recent weeks, after Twitter users flew into a rage over one of Lilley's characters wearing an afro wig. The character in question, named Jana, is a 'lesbian pet psychic to the stars' who has Afro hair and speaks in a South African accent. Tune in: Chris Lilley's new comedy show Lunatics was officially released on Netflix on Friday Critics flocked to Twitter to vent their outrage, with some even threatening to boycott the series. 'This is kinda embarrassing. What year is it?' one person tweeted. 'We just gonna casually ignore all the blackface he's done in his previous shows and is CLEARLY doing in this one,' another wrote. Angry: The 10-part series became the subject of controversy in recent weeks, after Twitter users flew into a rage over one of Lilley's characters (pictured) wearing an afro wig One furious viewer said they would be cancelling their Netflix subscription and encouraged others to make complains to the media watchdog ACMA. 'Thanks for the heads up! Just cancelled my subscription. Providing a platform for blackface helps normalise racism in Australia - you're laughing up whilst making it harder for my community,' they wrote. Blackface refers to the darkening of one's skin to portray a caricature of a black person, which links back to minstrel shows and slavery. 'What year is this?' Furious viewers flocked to Twitter to slam the trailer after it was released Past controversy: Some Twitter users brought up Lilley's past use of blackface Going straight to the source: A few people decided to tweet their complaints directly to Netflix While the character of Jana has been identified as white by the show's producers, Lilley has previously faced backlash for portraying darker-skinned characters. In 2007, he played Tongan teenager Jonah Takalua in the internationally-acclaimed sitcom Summer Heights High. He also played African American rapper S.mouse (born Shwayne Jnr.) in the spin-off series Angry Boys, while donning full blackface. Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse) Verdict: The 'hostess' with the mostess Rating: The minute you walk in the joint (Hey, big spender!), the trumpets and sax blare an impertinent welcome and youre in the right dive. Director Josie Rourkes last hurrah, after running this smart little theatre for seven years, is a real Easter egg: an indulgent treat recklessly overdecorated with mad props, walking-billboards, a flock of stepladders and an over-the-top Sixties nightclub scene with the entire chorus dressed as Andy Warhols. But to hell with the good-taste police: Lent is nearly over, and every number is irresistible. Neil Simon and Cy Colemans musical, fizzing with Dorothy Fieldss smart lyrics, tells one of the worlds most enduring love stories, echoed from grand opera to Tess of the dUrbervilles. The minute you walk in the joint (Hey, big spender!), the trumpets and sax blare an impertinent welcome and youre in the right dive, writes Libby Purves The show, which is director Josie Rourke's last hurrah, is a 'real Easter egg' writes Libby Purves The story is about a young woman who falls in love with a respectable man who in the end can't overlook her sexual history A young woman with a past falls happily in love with a respectable man who cant, in the end, overlook her sexual history. Even if she was powerless, seduced or, like Charity Hope Valentine, with little choice but the sleazy life of a taxi-dancer fondled for dimes, stuck on the flypaper of life. The old story still works today, as the MeToo era reminds us how pretty girls get preyed on and shamed. The glorious Anne-Marie Duff is Charity, the rashly generous, constantly betrayed nightclub hostess whose only friends are the other girls. She is one of our finest serious actresses, with a marvellous face ah, those mournful downturned brows which turns in a flicker from mischief to bottomless weary woe. She is not known or trained for musicals, so surprise as well as delight met her husky-voiced energy and sweet physical wit. By the time Arthur Darvill as her geeky, beloved Oscar let her down, every man in the audience, and most of us women, were helplessly, indignantly in love with the woman. Wayne McGregors choreography is richly expressive. On one hand we have the aggressive, sprawlingly sexy moves of the scowling girls in the club, wide-legged and jerky in Bob Fosse style like broken robot Barbies: We dont dance we defend ourselves to music. The old story still works today, as the MeToo era reminds us how pretty girls get preyed on and shamed, writes Libby Purves But when Charity is herself, naively dazzled by meeting the movie star Vittorio, daydreaming about a better life or parading triumphantly with, Im a Brass band!, its quite different. She shrugs and skips and clowns and wriggles, clutching her shiny minidress like a little girl, graceful and artless and human, in lovely contrast to her seedy life of paid-for snogs and weary bumps and grinds. Shes adorable. Her final betrayal is painfully shocking, even if you know the show well. Theres a famous guest spot with The Rhythm Of Life, by Daddy Brubeck, the spliff-wielding pastor leading a jazz-revivalist meeting. On press night Daddy B, terrorising poor shy Oscar, was Adrian Lester with a spangled T-shirt and helpless grin. Heres another stage A-lister not known for an ability to dance. That showed, hilariously, but he was having such an indecent amount of fun that when cabaret star Le Gateau Chocolat takes over on the 29th I expect to see Mr Lester outside, hanging around, hoping for another go. Who wouldnt? Dame Maggie Smith's terrifyingly good as a little old Nazi in A German Life A German Life (Bridge Theatre) Verdict: One-woman acting masterclass Rating: As you file into this new play, expectations stratospherically buoyed by the name, the reputation and the solidly bankable pulling power of Dame Maggie Smith, it doesnt seem much to look at. We see a quaint living room, an ageing kitchen, a bright streak of morning sun and a round table cluttered in the kind of manic way only pensioners tables are. After a dip into darkness, shes there. The Nazi. It doesnt take long for the Dames unrivalled ability and Christopher Hamptons disturbingly complex text to ensnare you totally. This 90-minute monologue, directed by Jonathan Kent, is drawn from an interview with Brunhilde Pomsel when she was 102: one of the last living witnesses to the creation, decline and fall of Nazi Germany. Shes mostly cardigan now, but in her heyday Brunhilde was a secretary working for Joseph Goebbels. This 90-minute monologue, directed by Jonathan Kent, is drawn from an interview with Brunhilde Pomsel when she was 102: one of the last living witnesses to the creation, decline and fall of Nazi Germany, writes Luke Jones We see a quaint living room, an ageing kitchen, a bright streak of morning sun and a round table cluttered in the kind of manic way only pensioners tables are, writes Luke Jones describing the stage Hers is a different telling of history. Politics doesnt interest her. Shes incredibly competent at her job and reels off endless detail, until we get to the Nazi horror. Thats when her memory falters. Maggie Smith is perfect. Her performance is seductively natural. She roughs the text up beautifully with little slips, umms and stuttery repetitions. Her eyes are soft and tired, but when she tells of a dramatic bombing and fire I could feel my heart racing. Theres so much variety of expression, gesture and pace. All from a dining room chair. This is a master storyteller at work. And its a chilling story. The language so delicately reveals her sinister selfishness. Jews emigrated from Germany rather than fled for their lives. Maggie Smith is perfect. Her performance is seductively natural. She roughs the text up beautifully with little slips, umms and stuttery repetitions, writes Luke Jones Concentration camps were for education. Her initial qualm about joining the Nazis was the ten marks admission fee. For days, this complex portrait has been rattling around my head. To hold a room, to deliver this feat of memory, isnt the impressive bit. Michael McIntyre can do that. This was to charm us and then chill us in the most casual manner. Ill be telling people about Dame Maggies quiet, devastatingly effective performance for years. Review by Luke Jones Three Sisters (Almeida) Verdict: Chekhov style millennial strife Rating: Theres something gently devastating about this production of Chekhovs well-worn classic. The Almeida stage is beautifully stripped down to its bricks and the air is warm with thick haze and bright sunshine. Flowers, lamps, chairs and a piano clutter the stage. Chekovs three parentless, young, unhappy and unfulfilled sisters are oddly familiar company as we follow them through the years and watch their various aspirations and loves dashed. This version by Cordelia Lynn is very close to the original text but her tweaks produce something sharply modern. Its sweary, there are proper jokes and the preoccupations of the characters are universal. Domestic strife mingling with questions of personal value, work, loneliness, love ... a millennial full house. Theres something gently devastating about this production of Chekhovs well-worn classic, writes Luke Jones Tricky names and soldiers aside, this is essentially BBC Threes hit Fleabag: young people in eloquent crisis. Time wont stop passing! one cries. Each of the three sisters plays it perfectly. Patsy Ferrans Olga is bottled and sensible. Pearl Chandas Masha has a cool blase facade slowly cracking into despair. But the standout performance is Ria Zmitrowiczs giddy then exhausted then world-weary Irina. Joyously she has the charming, slurry voice that you only find in young posh girls and when she turns on the tears its devastating. But frankly every performance in director Rebecca Frecknalls vividly natural production is bang on the money. Theatricality is nicely replaced with genuine wit. Several times I honked with laughter (and each time a lady with big hair in front of me turned and tutted). Sometimes the text strays too far into raw emotional philosophy, which hoovers up time in this already quite long production. When it goes abstract, it goes boring. But for the most part, its rooted in a touching portrait of bright young things adrift. The brother Andrey, an excellent Freddie Meredith, says towards the end: Where did my past go? I was young and happy and clever, my thoughts were young and happy. All we do is eat, drink, sleep and die. It may grate with older viewers, but this millennial loved it. Reviewed by Luke Jones Sitting (Arcola) Verdict: Artist models stripped bare emotionally Rating: This play is, quite literally, three people sitting. Theyre together on our stage, but alone in their world. They drink wine, munch Jaffa Cakes and emotionally strip for the unseen painter, desperate to engage him. These monologues overlap and interrupt. Thoughts and phrases from one trip into the next. Its largely nicely inconsequential, with a whiff of Alan Bennett. But annoyingly their tales neatly thread together at the end. This is a debut play from the hilarious Katherine Parkinson, one of our best sitcom turns (The IT Crowd on Channel 4) and comic actors (Home, Im Darling recently on the West End). She knows how to land a laugh, how to create an engaging sketch of a character. This 70-minute espresso of a play is refreshing but insubstantial. Mary, an enthusiastic ginger lady in middle age, bounds in. No ones ever looked at me as much as you do. Hayley Jayne Standings performance is a bit too bright smiley primary school teacher for me, even in the more tender moments. This is amplified in the tightly close quarters of the Arcola theatres studio. Its a beautiful bricky, intimate space but when sold out, you could barely squeeze a cat in, let alone swing it. Poppy Fardell as Cassandra (a keen, flirty and spoiled young woman) is good in a TV comedy sort of way. But the real joy here is Mark Weinman as the unemployed, lost, soon-to-be-father without a father, Luke. He rambles beautifully. Hes the kind of bloke who says fair play far too much and makes up words (the verb to philand for example). While trying to engage the silent painter he ties himself up in knots, assessing the mans wife, slipping into obscenity, partaking too much wine. Into this, Parkinson drip feeds touching, honest worries about fatherhood. All this is charming but light. When questions about suicide and missing parents slowly arrive, they bore. But were not in there long (Im not sure the tea I took in even went cold) and its good company, which is better than most evenings out. Expect to laugh, not think. Reviewed by Luke Jones Red Joan (12A) Verdict: Bridge of Spies it ain't Rating: Greta (15) Verdict: Silly, unthrilling thriller Rating: Red Joan is a dishonest film with a dishonest title. It is inspired by the admittedly astonishing story of Melita Norwood, who was a frail 87-year-old widow when, in 1999, she was revealed to have worked for decades as a Soviet spy. By that time, Norwood was a mildly eccentric great-grandmother living out her days, it seemed irreproachably, in the South-East London suburb of Bexleyheath. Yet from 1937 to 1972, while working for the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association, she had habitually passed her countrys atomic secrets to Moscow. Norwood, a committed lifelong Communist, is said to have been a more useful spy to the Kremlin than the so-called Cambridge Five. Red Joan is a dishonest film with a dishonest title. It is inspired by the admittedly astonishing story of Melita Norwood, who was a frail 87-year-old widow when, in 1999, she was revealed to have worked for decades as a Soviet spy, writes Brian Viner Judi Dench plays Norwood in her later years while Sophie Cookson plays her when she was younger Her double-life and eventual exposure are certainly worth dramatising, although this film is two removes from its source material, for it is based on a novel that fictionalised Norwoods story, calling her Joan Stanley. I havent read the book, so I dont know how closely it adheres to the truth. Alas, the film and the truth are barely on nodding terms. Even the title is disingenuous. Far from being ideologically red, Joan (played in old age by Dame Judi Dench, and in her younger incarnation by Sophie Cookson) is presented here as only mildly pink. The real Melita Norwood drank from a mug bearing a picture of Che Guevara, a small detail the film-makers are careful to include. But why Joan does so is anyones guess. Perhaps she thinks its a David Essex mug. At any rate, when she is hauled out of her neat suburban house to be interrogated by MI5, and later questioned by the media, her rock-hard, iron-clad belief in Communism is cited by nobody, least of all herself, as the motivation for her treachery. From 1937 to 1972, while working for the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association, Norwood had habitually passed her countrys atomic secrets to Moscow That, you see, is because Joan is not a Communist, but a humanitarian. She wanted Russia to have the atom bomb purely to ensure global harmony, so that the two big bullies in the playground might cancel each other out. Heck, shes practically a contender for the Nobel Peace Prize. Naturally, Dench acts her bedsocks off in the disappointingly little screen time she gets as Joan, even if her stock activity seems to be gazing wistfully into the middle distance, like someone trying to remember whether shes taken her days supply of vitamin supplements. Cookson, too, is well-cast, looking convincingly like Denchs character might have in her English-rose youth. But they, and we, are badly let down by the films director, Sir Trevor Nunn, and the writer, Lindsay Shapero. Nunn is a colossus of the theatre whose extremely rare forays into the movies have tended to be with play adaptations. On screen, he does not have the directorial sleight of hand to smooth out the many bumps in Shaperos script, which tries to have it both ways, portraying Joan as a wholesome pacifist guilty of little more than guileless naivety, while at the same time peppering us with Cold War espionage cliches: the secret camera, the park-bench assignations, the incriminating gay-kiss photograph exposing the Foreign Office wallah to blackmail. From 1937 to 1972, while working for the British Non-Ferrous Metals Research Association, she had habitually passed her countrys atomic secrets to Moscow, writes Brian Viner All this comes in a drearily familiar extended-flashback package. In fact, Denchs wistful gazes are nothing to do with vitamin supplements: every one of them triggers a return to Joans salad days, beginning when she was a frightfully bright Cambridge undergraduate in love with a roguishly handsome German- Jewish immigrant called Leo (Tom Hughes). He is also an ardent Communist in the pay of the KGB, so when Joan later gets taken under the wing of a physics professor (Stephen Campbell Moore), who runs a team working on highly classified nuclear stuff, a spot of angry-radical pillow-talk is all it takes to turn her into a traitor. That and a couple of convenient radio broadcasts about the flattening of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. For Joan, as we know by now, is in thrall not just to handsome emigres but also to her own estimable conscience. Indeed, it is so estimable that in due course the professor forgives her for sending detailed information of all his top-secret work to the Soviets, although this is more because he fancies the pants off her. Norwood was motivated not by a belief in communism, but because she was a humanitarian. She wanted the two big bullies in the playground to both have an atom bomb in the hope they might cancel each other out In her old age, her son (Ben Miles) forgives her, too, overcoming the shame he feels when she is first unmasked as a spy, and stoutly defending her in more ways than one, since by a happy coincidence, he is a barrister. All this is far too trite and contrived to add up to much of a spy drama. Melita Norwood doesnt deserve much from the country she betrayed, but she perhaps does deserve, 14 years after her death, to have inspired a story more compelling and credible, and honest, than this. n FROM red Joan to mad Greta, heres another cinematic disappointment for Easter weekend: a clunker of a psychological thriller that many of you will already feel well acquainted with, since the trailer that has been running for weeks in cinemas tells pretty much the whole story. In essence, its this: a young waitress called Frances (Chloe Grace Moretz), recently arrived in big bad New York City, finds a handbag on the subway. The bag contains the owners details; shes a Frenchwoman called Greta (Isabelle Huppert), and shes so grateful to Frances for returning her bag that she becomes her surrogate mother, which kind of suits Frances, whose actual mum has only just died. Frances shares an apartment with a college friend, Erica (Maika Monroe), who thinks her burgeoning relationship with Greta is plain weird. Erica is not wrong, and its about to get weirder. Greta turns out to be what in less politically correct times we used to call an absolute nutcase. She travels the subway strategically leaving bags, so they will be returned to her by vulnerable young women (how she knows this is never made clear) she can then lure into her creepy house at the end of a dark alley. Director and co-writer Neil Jordan has made plenty of decent films, but this is emphatically not one of them. Huppert is almost always a pleasure to watch, but even she looks stilted in the sort of role that Kathy Bates did much better in the similar, but infinitely superior, 1990 film Misery. Here, misery is what you feel when you realise that its all going to get wildly overwrought, and very silly indeed, before you get to go home. A strong double act, but they won't leave you laughing Dragged Across Concrete (18) Verdict: Gruesomely long Rating: Writer-director S. Craig Zahler made quite an impact with his 2015 debut feature, a strikingly original, exceedingly gruesome, but mostly compelling Western called Bone Tomahawk. Dragged Across Concrete is also gruesome in parts (especially a sequence that involves a spot of impromptu stomach surgery), and certainly has its compelling moments, but it lasts for a whopping 158 minutes and I left the cinema feeling that it hadnt been worth the substantial investment of time. It stars Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughan as a pair of capable detectives, Ridgeman and Anthony, who are suspended without pay when Ridgeman is filmed on someones phone being a little too brutal while making an arrest. He is approaching 60, hasnt been promoted in over 30 years, his wife has multiple sclerosis and his teenage daughter keeps being assaulted by neighbourhood delinquents. The family needs to move to a nicer area. So the embittered Ridgeman decides to use his detective skills to make some money illicitly, and his younger partner Anthony agrees to join him. They prepare to bust a major crime operation, assuming it to be a drugs deal. But it turns out to be a violent armed robbery, leading to a showdown in an isolated parking lot. You wouldnt think that could take up more than two-and-a-half hours of screen time, but Zahler doesnt believe in concise storytelling. He likes sub-plots and tangents, and tangents to sub-plots, and above all, he likes dialogue so quirky that one of his detectives keeps saying anchovy for no obvious reason. Either he has Tourettes, or its his way of implying somethings fishy. I couldnt tell which. The problem with quirky dialogue is that if all your main characters indulge in it, then it becomes clear theyre all speaking the same writers lines. And when you start being too aware of the unseen writer in a feature film, the on-screen characters are in danger of losing credibility. Despite this, Gibson and Vaughan make a strong double-act, and Tory Kittles, playing one of the criminals, is excellent. Dragged Across Concrete isnt a bad film, but all too often it feels like a writer-director indulging himself rather than his audience. It made my life hell, but I still love Python's Brian What has Monty Pythons Life Of Brian ever done for me? Nothing much, apart from delight, amuse, shock and torment me. Torment, because by November 1979, when it was released in the UK, the Brian the Snail gags at school had finally dried up. If youre old enough, youll recall Brian the Snail as an impressionable mollusc on The Magic Roundabout, a hugely popular childrens TV programme which began in 1965, when I was three. For the next umpteen years I was teased accordingly, but by the time I was 17 I had at last got the wretched snail off my back. Then the Monty Python team, already celebrated for their madcap BBC TV series, went and made a film about an ordinary man in the Galilee area widely mistaken for the son of God. For some reason, they called him Brian. Suddenly, my name became the object of laughter again. One day, even a teacher, echoing Brians mother (shriekingly played by Terry Jones), told me I wasnt the Messiah, I was a very naughty boy. Monty Python's Life of Brian was first launched in November 1979 and quickly became a hit What has Monty Pythons Life Of Brian ever done for me? Nothing much, apart from delight, amuse, shock and torment me, writes Brian Viner Still, the ribbing was a fair price to pay for the actual pleasure of seeing Life Of Brian, which has just had a 40th-anniversary re-release. I first saw it in my home town of Southport on Saturday, March 15, 1980, according to the Letts Schoolboy diaries I still have chronicling the, well, you know what. And like everyone else in the audience, I adored it. I can still remember a spontaneous round of applause at the end of the film, after Brian and his fellow crucifixion victims had sung Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. Id never heard that before in a British cinema, and have rarely heard it since. Elsewhere, the films reception was markedly less enthusiastic. In Norway it didnt even get a reception, since it was banned altogether, causing the neighbouring Swedes to promote it gleefully under the slogan This film is so funny, they banned it in Norway. In the United States, where the picture had been out since August, there were marches, protests, boycotts and sit-ins. Across the country, and particularly in the so-called Bible Belt, many cinema managers refused to show it for fear of violent reprisals. Eric Idle, John Cleese, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam acting in film the Life of Brian Brian heads to a stoning with his mother, who is wearing a fake beard so that she isn't spotted In the New York Post, the conservative columnist William F. Buckley railed against the movie even though he plainly hadnt seen it (he seemed to think that the final scene featured a character called Monty Python being crucified). In New York, the swiftly-formed Citizens Against Blasphemy Committee held a well-attended rally at which one Protestant clergyman furiously quoted the prophet Isaiah: Woe to those who undermine the rightness of those who are in the right. A rabbi suggested that the film had been produced in Hell. Bishop Gregory of the Russian Orthodox Church fulminated loudly, along with several Catholic priests. The irony of Life Of Brian is that it did a remarkably good job of promoting inter-faith cooperation and understanding. In Britain, the chief film censor James Ferman took a boldly liberal view, suggesting that Brian could not reasonably be taken to be a caricature of Jesus Christ. Thats the point that the Pythons themselves laboured again and again: Christ is represented respectfully in the movie. Brian is somebody else altogether, a victim of mistaken identity. The comedy follows the invented life of a man named Brian after he is named the Messiah A gladiator scene from the film Life of Brian The target of satirical fun, they pointed out, wasnt Christ at all, but the zealotry he inspired among his followers. Fittingly, that did nothing to dampen the zeal of Life of Brians critics. They were enraged by the crucifixion scene, which they said mocked Christs suffering. They loathed Palins portrayal of a leper who complained that by healing him, Jesus had robbed him of his living as a beggar. Couldnt you reverse things, he pleads, and give me a bit of a bad leg, say, for every Tuesday and Wednesday? They hated the parody of Pontius Pilate (also Palin), who couldnt pronounce his Rs. Ive had enough of this wowdy webel sniggewing call yourself Pwaetowian guards! Ferman sided firmly with the Pythons. He ruled that the film could really not be considered blasphemous by any sensible interpretation of the word, adding that a faith which could be shaken by such good-humoured ribaldry would be a very precarious faith indeed. He recommended an AA rating, meaning that anyone over 14 could see the film, unaccompanied. Nonetheless, district councils made up their own minds. Some, influenced by morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse and her Christian pressure group Festival Of Light, slapped an adults-only X-rating on Life Of Brian. The film's critics hated the parody of Pontius Pilate (also Palin), who couldnt pronounce his Rs. Ive had enough of this wowdy webel sniggewing call yourself Pwaetowian guards!, writes Brian Viner Hereford and Harrogate said no altogether. So did Guildford and Swansea. Most of the councillors who vetoed it, hadnt seen it. One of them explained that he didnt need to see a pig-sty to know that it stinks. The Association of District Councils of Cornwall banned it from the entire county. The most infamous denunciation of Life Of Brian came from the veteran TV presenter and born-again Christian Malcolm Muggeridge, in a televised debate between him and the Bishop of Southwark on one side, and Cleese and Palin on the other. Muggeridge called it a tenth-rate film, to which Cleeses riposte was that he had realised at the age of ten or 11 that religion was itself full of tenth-rate platitudes. The Bishops parting shot was that the Pythons would at least get their 30 pieces of silver. Readily available on YouTube, the confrontation remains one of TVs most cherished ding-dongs. So how had the subject of this tremendous hoo-hah actually come about? Life Of Brian had, if not a miraculous conception, certainly an exact one. In April 1975, at the New York opening of Monty Python And The Holy Grail, a journalist asked Eric Idle what the teams next film would be. Jesus Christ, Lust For Glory, he replied. The film faced some trouble when it was launched, with some authorities slapping an X-rating onto the production and others trying to block it from being shown altogether It was a typically edgy, off-the-cuff joke, yet it took root. Soon, Idle and the other Pythons Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam were working out ways in which they might lampoon religion without ridiculing Christ. The answer was a Jesus surrogate, wrongly worshipped because the Three Wise Men had paid accidental homage to the occupant of the manger next door. What better comedy name for him than Brian? Thats not a rhetorical question, by the way. At the time, Id have favoured Kevin. Once their script was complete, the Pythons needed to finance it. That problem was solved when the film company EMI came on board. Sets were built in Tunisia, using the same locations that director Franco Zeffirelli had chosen for his epic TV series Jesus Of Nazareth a year or two earlier. All those Arab extras were quite used to coming along and playing Jews for a day and a half, Palin later recalled. But then, disaster struck like a biblical thunderbolt. Bernard Delfont, the chairman of EMI, whose brother Lew Grade had produced Jesus Of Nazareth, read the script and thought it offensive to Christianity and Judaism alike. EMI hastily withdrew from the project and the film looked doomed, until Idle had the bright idea of approaching his friend, ex-Beatle George Harrison. Harrison loved Monty Python humour. It also tickled him that the Pythons formed just as the Beatles split up, because he felt they had somehow absorbed the bands iconoclastic spirit. In April 1975, at the New York opening of Monty Python And The Holy Grail, a journalist asked Eric Idle what the teams next film would be. Jesus Christ, Lust For Glory, he replied, writes Brian Viner It was a typically edgy, off-the-cuff joke, yet it took root. Soon, Idle and the other Pythons Jones, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman and Terry Gilliam were working out ways in which they might lampoon religion without ridiculing Christ, writes Brian Viner Harrison assured Idle that he would find the money almost 5m which he did by pawning my house and the office to get a bank loan. Harrison called his new company HandMade Films, and although it was established just to get Life Of Brian made, it went on to produce some of the most memorable British pictures of the next decade, including The Long Good Friday, Mona Lisa, Time Bandits and Withnail And I. Production finally began in September 1978, with Chapman in the title role. Cleese had wanted to play Brian but the others overruled him, telling him hed be funnier in a multitude of parts, including the Judean freedom-fighter who keeps being forced to readjust his furious grievance with the occupation forces, until finally he cries alright, but apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health what have the Romans ever done for us? That is one of many classic lines and moments in Life Of Brian, not that the Pythons always recognised them at the time. The film was directed by Jones, now sadly stricken with dementia, but who in a TV documentary 13 years ago recalled that he wasnt overly impressed with Idles glorious final number Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life. We didnt have any other ending, he explained with a rueful smile, well aware that it remains one of the most adored of all cinematic finales. In the 40 years since Life Of Brian, the Pythons all came to realise that it was their masterpiece. Like the Beatles, they were quite capable of angry squabbling, and they didnt always do their best individual work at the same time. But on Life Of Brian they did, starting with Gilliams animated opening-credits sequence, which looks spectacular even now. The film was shot in just 41 days with everyone working in the same direction, except comedian Spike Milligan who wandered onto the set one day after arriving in Tunisia to visit World War Two battlefields The film was directed by Jones, now sadly stricken with dementia, but who in a TV documentary 13 years ago recalled that he wasnt overly impressed with Idles glorious final number Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life, writes Brian Viner Moreover, the 41-day shoot was, for the most part, a happy one. Everyone was pulling strongly in the same direction, except the comedian Spike Milligan, who wandered onto the set one day having arrived in Tunisia to visit the World War Two battlefields on which he had fought. The Pythons persuaded him to play a small part in the film, which one morning he did, but he didnt return after lunch, grumbling that he was fed up and was supposed to be on holiday. Nevertheless, he made it into the final cut. So did executive producer George Harrison. He was an extra in a 15-second crowd scene, with one short word: No. Unfortunately, nobody could hear him, so his voice had to be dubbed by Palin, who somehow managed to invest his No with a convincingly Scouse accent. The only person involved with the production who didnt wish Life Of Brian well remains anonymous. But he or she, whoever they were, sent 11 pages of the script to Mary Whitehouse, enabling the formidable old campaigner to prepare her battle plans long before the films release. The Pythons were worried that she might bring a prosecution for blasphemy, and she tried, but they sought the legal advice of John Mortimer QC who thought the film riotously funny and assured them that their key defence, should they need it, was that Jesus and Brian were conspicuously different characters. Of course, that didnt stop all hell breaking loose when the film did finally reach cinemas. But then as now, there was no such thing as bad publicity. In the US, Life Of Brian was initially booked to appear on just 200 screens until the placard-wavers turned up and the Bible Belt towns started banning it. That created so much interest that it ended up on 600 screens. The Life of Brian got a lot of interest after Bible Belt towns turned up at places it was showing waving placards. Originally billed for 200 screens, it was eventually shown on 600 The same thing happened here. As a result of the ban in Cornwall, people flocked across the River Tamar to see it in Devon. In Exeter it did terrific business for weeks. As for Life Of Brians revival this week brilliantly advertised on posters as a we-welease its hard to imagine it provoking any righteous spluttering at all. For better or worse, times have changed; we have other things to worry about now. And Ive changed, too, in 40 years. Now, I couldnt be prouder to share my name my name with a film regularly cited as one of the greatest comedies of all time. Monty Pythons Life Of Brian was re-released in cinemas yesterday. The ratings war between Sunrise and Today just got uglier. A Channel Seven executive threatened legal action against an industry website this week, after it published an article accusing them of being an anonymous online troll. The website TV Blackbox alleged that the user 'avocadoTV' on the popular MediaSpy internet forum was a well-known figure at Seven. The ratings war just got messy! A Channel Seven executive has 'threatened legal action against a website for claiming they were badmouthing the Today show on an anonymous forum'. Pictured: Sunrise presenters Natalie Barr, Sam Armytage, Mark Beretta and David Koch Apparently, 'avocadoTV' had raised eyebrows lately with their surprisingly in-depth knowledge of the breakfast TV ratings battle between Sunrise and Today. The user had also been leaving comments praising Sunrise's ratings and disparaging Channel Nine's struggling Today show. An earlier version of the TV Blackbox article named the Seven executive in question, but after legal threats all references to the individual were removed. Hmm! The anonymous user 'avocadoTV' had raised eyebrows lately on the MediaSpy forum with their surprisingly in-depth knowledge of the ratings battle between Sunrise and Today. Pictured: Sunrise hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch Daily Mail Australia understands that lawyers acting on behalf of the TV executive contacted the website's editor Rob McKnight claiming the story was defamatory. TV Blackbox had presented the case that 'avocadoTV' was not a casual observer of breakfast television but instead a fully-fledged 'media insider'. Apparently, there were several examples in forum posts of 'avocadoTV' displaying 'full knowledge of what both [Sunrise and Today] put to air, something you can do when watching from multiple screens in an office.' Speculation: The website TV Blackbox had presented the case that 'avocadoTV' was not a casual observer of breakfast television but instead a fully-fledged 'media insider'. Pictured: The Today show presenters Deborah Knight, Brooke Boney and Georgie Gardner McKnight further claimed that he had been contacted by several MediaSpy users who were convinced of the real identity of 'avocadoTV'. Interestingly, while 'avocadoTV' heaped praise on Sunrise, they criticised other Channel Seven programs, including My Kitchen Rules. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has revealed that she continued to work on her hit comedy series VEEP while undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy. The 58-year-old told PorterEdit that filming for the HBO comedy had not started when she underwent chemo but she continued reading doing table reads while enduring treatment for breast cancer. 'My rounds of chemotherapy were three weeks apart, so at the end of every three weeks I would go in and do table reads,' the American actress explained. Brave: Julia Louis-Dreyfus has revealed that she continued to work on her hit comedy series VEEP while undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy The acclaimed comedienne even called work a 'very joyful distraction' from her health battle. 'The effects of chemotherapy are cumulative, so I definitely felt that more towards the end, but going to work was a very joyful distraction, and I was so pleased to have the strength to do it.' 'To be creative for a living, to make people laugh or cry, is a f***ing gift. I love it and I love hard work to that end.' Back in September 2017, she took to Instagram to tell her fans that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. 'Joyful distraction': The acclaimed actress called working a 'very joyful distraction' from her health battle after revealing she was diagnosed with breast cancer back in September 2017 In October 2018, Julia declared that she was cancer free in another Instagram post writing: 'Great doctors, great results, feeling happy and ready to rock after surgery. Hey cancer, 'F*ck you!' The star admitted that she worried how the chemotherapy would affect her ability to work as an actor. She said: 'I was very worried about would I have the brain power to get back to the hard work [of shooting]. I have to memorize a lot and I was concerned about whether I'd be able to do that. I started doing tricks, trying to memorize poems and things I think it was mainly just comforting to me to get them in my head.' '[Cancer] finally crystallized my priorities, which didn't really need that much crystallization. But I would certainly say that I have an even deeper appreciation for the good stuff. That sounds corny, but it's f***ing true.' With VEEP coming to an end after seven seasons this May, she told the publication the impending finale was 'definitely bittersweet'. Julia plays ambitious politician Selina Meyer who works her way up the ladder from US Senator, to Vice President and eventually President. Saying goodbye: Julia, who plays ambitious politician Selina Meyer, told the publication the impending finale for her hit comedy show VEEP was 'definitely bittersweet' Cover girl: To see the full interview, read PorterEdit and/or download the Net-A-Porter app for iPhone, iPad and Android She has also won a slew of awards in the role, most notably an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series from between 2012 to 2017. In addition to her six consecutive awards, she also won accolades for her roles in The New Adventures of Old Christine and Seinfeld. Speaking about her dozens of trophies, she told the fashion magazine: 'I don't want to keep them all in one spot that feels sort of show-off-y. So I have some out but others are tucked away under a bed.' To see the full interview, read PorterEdit and/or download the Net-A-Porter app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Jett Kenny is rumoured to be romantically involved with his Dancing with the Stars partner Lily Cornish. And the pair fueled dating rumours earlier this month, when they were spotted holding hands on Queensland's Gold Coast. The 24-year-old model looked smitten as he walked alongside the brunette dancer, 20, in photos taken on Saturday, April 6. Something to tell us? Dancing with the Stars' Jett Kenny and Lily Cornish held hands while on a romantic date on the Gold Coast earlier this month. Pictured on Saturday, April 6 Jett dressed casually in white T-shirt, boardshorts and flip flops, and concealed his gaze behind tinted sunglasses. He pulled his blond hair into a low bun and slung a weekender bag over his shoulder while chatting to his female companion. Meanwhile, Lily showed off her penchant for fashion by wearing a slinky grey frock and an oversized black jacket. That's cheeky! The DWTS partners put on quite an affectionate display, with Jett placing his hand on Lily's derriere at one stage She styled her brunette locks loosely under a fedora hat, and opted for glamorous accessories including a pendant necklace and designer backpack. Lily wore natural-look makeup during the pair's afternoon stroll, allowing her natural beauty to shine through. The DWTS partners put on quite an affectionate display, with Jett placing his hand on Lily's derriere at one stage. Ready to go public? Jett, 24, looked smitten as he walked alongside the brunette dancer, 20 It's not the only cosy sighting of the pair recently, as Jett and Lily were also seen 'snuggling up and giggling' at a surf lifesaving event two weeks ago. A friend of Jett's recently told Woman's Day that he's fallen 'head over heels in love'. He is apparently keen to make things work with Lily, but they may have problems because 'she lives in Melbourne and he lives on the Sunshine Coast'. Love on the dancefloor! A friend of Jett's recently told Woman's Day that he has fallen 'head over heels in love' with Lily after they met as partners on Channel 10's Dancing with the Stars While they are yet to confirm their romance, Jett revealed he was attracted to Lily during an interview with The Courier Mail in March. 'I'd be lying if I said I didn't have feelings for her,' he said. '[When the show ends] It will almost be like breaking up, we'll be going back to reality and living our normal lives.' Lily dated Tasmanian student Jock White for two years before Dancing with the Stars, but the couple are believed to have split recently. Pia Miller won't stay single for long. Just weeks after her rumoured split with fiance Tyson Mullane, the former Home and Away star turned heads at Coogee Beach on Thursday. The mother-of-two, 35, showcased her flawlessly toned figure in a skimpy patterned bikini while soaking up the sun. Be careful! Pia Miller risked spilling out of her bikini top during a trip to Coogee Beach on Thursday, weeks after 'splitting' with her fiance Tyson Mullane The Chilean-born actress arrived at the Sydney hotspot in a striped boho jumpsuit before stripping down to her swimwear. She carried a small shopping bag, as well as swimming goggles, a sunhat and slides, and concealed her gaze behind dark sunglasses. At one stage, Pia risked a possible wardrobe malfunction when she looked perilously close to spilling out of her bikini top. Familiar face: Pia is best known for playing police officer Kat Chapman on Home and Away Solo trip: The mother-of-two, 35, showcased her flawlessly toned figure in a skimpy bikini while soaking up the sun Beach chic: The Chilean-born actress arrived at the Sydney hotspot in a striped boho jumpsuit before stripping down to her swimwear It's over? Two weeks ago, it was reported that Pia had quietly split with fiance Tyson Mullane Two weeks ago, it was reported that Pia had quietly split with her fiance Tyson, 30. The pair, who got engaged in November 2017, have apparently moved out of their shared home but remain 'close friends'. They had first sparked break-up rumours in January, when fans noticed that Pia had stopped sharing photos of the couple to Instagram. Lovers to friends: Pia and Tyson, who got engaged in November 2017, have apparently moved out of their shared home but remain 'close friends' Whispers: They had first sparked break-up rumours in January, when fans noticed that Pia had stopped sharing photos of Tyson to Instagram The ring is off! Pia has not been wearing her engagement ring for several months, and was not wearing it at Coogee Beach on Thursday Pia has not been wearing her engagement ring for several months, and was not wearing it at Coogee Beach on Thursday. According to Woman's Day this week, the pair called it quits due to their lives 'taking off in different directions'. A source said that Pia's constant travelling and long working hours made it hard for the couple to spend quality time together. Growing apart: According to Woman's Day this week, Pia and Tyson called it quits due to their lives 'taking off in different directions' Going solo: A source said that Pia's constant travelling and long working hours made it hard for the couple to spend quality time together Rehearsals taking place for the production of The King and I Bartlett Sher leapt from his ringside seat to suggest how Annalene Beechey might speak a line in The King And I. The only way to get the better of the British is to stand up to them! Ms Beechey, playing the governess Anna Leonowens, explains to Jose Llanas King of Siam. Sher, the resident director of New Yorks Lincoln Center Theater, was in London to dissect the Rodgers and Hammerstein show with his cast before they embark on a tour, which begins at the Manchester Opera House on April 26 and then heads to Dublin, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Leeds and eight other theatres. Therell be a month-long break in the summer when Kelli OHara and Ken Watanabe, the original leads of the glorious revival that opened at Lincoln Center four years ago and played the London Palladium last year, take the show to Tokyo, before the tour resumes. Beechey was OHaras principal cover at the Palladium and Sher liked the sophisticated intelligence she brought to the role. Annalene Beechey and Jose Llana perform songs from 'The King and I' on stage during The Olivier Awards 2019 Llana took over from Watanabe in New York. His association with the classic musical goes back to 1996, when he made his debut as Lun Tha, the Burmese scholar who falls for one of the kings favourites. Bartlett said that each couple that plays the king and Mrs Anna is different, so you want to find their thing, their sparkle. He found Beechey and Llanas sparkle, as it were, during the scene where the king brings up Moses and Abraham Lincoln, and then makes Anna prostrate herself before him. Its all misdirection, so the monarch can get her advice on how to show the Brits that hes not a barbarian. Annalene Beechey and Jose Llana (pictured above) at the end of their performance at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month The King and I is being shown at the London Palladium theatre and Annalene Beechey took her children to see it there Llana said that at its core, The King And I is about a father trying to protect his wives and his children and also a strong outspoken woman. Rodgers and Hammerstein were progressive, in that they long ago had shows championing women speaking up and saying what they feel. Beechey hailed Anna as a great role model for women and children. She took her own children, aged nearly nine (her birthdays tomorrow) and eight, to see the King And I at the Palladium and they loved it. The shows going to be with them for a long time. Now we need to see Shers fabulous Lincoln Center production of another golden age musical treasure, My Fair Lady, with our very own Harry Haden-Patton. Theres a lot of unconfirmed chatter that it might end up at the Palladium sometime in 2020 or 2021. Why it's a family affair for Vanessa What Vanessa Redgrave (pictured above) calls her family album play, Vienna 1934 Munich 1938 What Vanessa Redgrave calls her family album play, Vienna 1934 Munich 1938, is to get a proper theatrical outing. She wrote it based on journals, memoirs and Stephen Spenders poems. The play concerns her father, the actor Michael Redgrave, and the friends and lovers he and Spender knew in the Thirties in Austria and Germany amid the rise of fascism. Redgrave (right), along with her actress granddaughter Daisy Bevan, Robert Boulter and Paul Hilton, did a workshop of the piece at the Rose in Kingston in February. Now its getting a four-week run at Theatre Royal Baths Ustinov Studio from July 10. Redgrave and Hilton appeared in Matthew Lopezs breathtaking play The Inheritance. It started at the Young Vic, then transferred to the Noel Coward. Negotiations are ongoing to move it to New York this autumn or next spring. A Minnesota jury has ruled against rapper Travis Scott. As a result, the 26-year old will have to pay nearly $383,000 to the concert promotion company PJAM for missing a scheduled show in Minnesota the night before the Super Bowl in 2018. 'The jury verdict of $383k is disappointing, but far less than the seven figure demands made by the promoters,' Scott's attorney, Howard King, told TMZ. 'We believe the verdict will be substantially reduced or overturned in subsequent proceedings.' The verdict: Travis Scott was ordered to pay nearly $383,000 to the concert promotion company PJAM for missing a show in Minnesota the night before the Super Bowl in 2018 According to the lawsuit, Scott was contracted to perform at Myth Nightclub in Minneapolis during Super Bowl weekend in February of last year. PJAM claimed the rapper was paid a $150,000 fee upfront and given the use of a private jet, but yet he still backed out of the agreement just hours before the show. At the time, Scott's team said he missed the gig due to a tight schedule impacted by planning errors and inclement weather. Appeal! 'We believe the verdict will be substantially reduced or overturned in subsequent proceedings,' Scott's attorney, Howard King, told TMZ Turns out Scott was also booked to play a 1:30 a.m show in Las Vegas, which was just three hours after the scheduled start of the concert in Minnesota. A Myth manager told TMZ that the Antidote performer's promotions team made a mistake in planning the location where Scott's jet could be landed, as it was too far from the nightclub to realistically appear at both shows on time. Minnesota concert promoter Zack Chazin said in a Facebook post that a number of contingency plans he had to bring the Butterfly Effect rapper to the show went awry due to spatial limitations in regards to both the aircraft and landing space. Family matters: The missed Minnesota show was scheduled two days after partner Kylie Jenner gave birth to their daughter Stormi; the couple are pictured together in February 2019 Just last month, The Blast reported Scott's partner, Kylie Jenner, gave birth to their daughter Stormi two days before the Minnesota show and insinuated that Scott may have missed it to remain with her and their newborn. Scott did in fact play his scheduled show in Las Vegas in the early morning hours of Super Bowl Sunday. His Astroworld -- Wish You Were Here Tour just wrapped up its latest leg on March 26, after 56 shows in North America. The first 32 gigs generated a whopping $34.3 million since last November. She first made her mark in Hollywood playing Sallie Draper on the popular drama series, Mad Men, starting in 2007 when she was just eight-years old. Fast forward to 2019, and the 5ft 2in petite actress was spotted while out on a run to buy a refreshing cold green juice on a hot Los Angeles day. She kept it real simple in the fashion department in an all-black casual ensemble. Comfort: Kiernan Shipka kept casual in an all-black ensemble while out on a run to buy a green juice on a hot day in Los Angeles With the temperatures hovering near 90 degrees Fahrenheit, the Chicago native went braless in a plunging spaghetti-strap. She matched it with black sweatpants and a pair of black sandals as she carried a small silver purse over her shoulder and fed a parking meter on the street. Keeping with the casual theme, Shipka pulled her long blonde hair back off of her face and in a top ponytail while sporting a pair of sunglasses. Chilling: The 19-year old actress went braless in a spaghetti-strap top and black sweatpants Already a veteran actress at 19, Shipka currently stars in the lead role of the supernatural Netflix series, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. The second part of season one premiered April 5. The show was renewed for a second season of 16 new episodes, which will also be split into two parts. Her latest film, the upcoming Christmas romantic comedy -Let It Snow - is currently in post-production. It also stars Isabela Moner, Shameik Moore, Odeya Rush, Jacob Batalon and Joan Cusack. An item: The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star appeared to confirm she is dating Charlie Oldman, son of legendary British actor, Gary Oldman Shipka's resume also includes voicing Jinora in the Avatar: The Last Airbender sequel, The Legend Of Korra (2012-2014) and as B.D. Hyman in the FX series Feud: Bette And Joan (2017). Just last week, Shipka and Charlie Oldman, 20, appeared to confirm that they are in fact dating with a sweet Instagram selfie that showed her puckering up near his forehead. Oldman is the son of legendary British actor, Gary Oldman. Dina Lohan has thrown cold water on the supposed reconciliation with her online boyfriend Jesse Nadler. The 56-year-old mother of Lindsay Lohan has grown frustrated with Jesse sharing details about their relationship on social media and with the press, according to an article Thursday by TMZ. A source close to Dina revealed she also has other issues with Jesse who reportedly bought her an engagement ring after they recently reconciled following a brief split. Online love: Dina Lohan, shown in February on Celebrity Big Brother in Los Angeles, has thrown cold water on the supposed reconciliation with her online boyfriend Jesse Nadler Jesse recently told TMZ that he plans to propose to Dina when they finally meet after five years of online dating, but a source close to Dina said that plan has problems. Dina has been peeved about a few things and denied they ever had a major fight instead claiming it was just a minor disagreement, according to an insider. She also claimed that Jesse reached out to her to make up and not vice versa. Sources said that Jesse has heard Dina's message and plans on sending her a ticket so they can meet next week because it's 'the right thing to do'. The guy: Jesse confirmed that he was Dina's online boyfriend in February on Twitter Jesse during a chat with TMZ on Tuesday said he and Dina had worked out their differences. They both confirmed their reconciliation with Page Six, as Dina said the two were 'great' and have 'found love,' while Northern California-based Jesse added that 'intense love sometimes gets intense.' 'Shes in my blood, and is my heart,' he said. 'Even when I was mad at her all weekend. I had this equal feeling at the same time I just cant stay mad at her. I never loved anyone 'till I found Dina.' Famous daughter: Dina is the mother of actress and businesswoman Lindsay Lohan, shown in January in New York City Dina while participating in Celebrity Big Brother in March revealed that she was ready to marry someone that she had never met. 'I can't wait to tell you about this guy,' Dina excitedly told fellow houseguest Kandi Burrus, 42. 'I've been talking to him for five years, like every day, a lot.' 'I feel like I know him ... You know when you talk to someone on the phone, like you feel like you know them?',' Dina added before admitting that they had never met. She shares three young children with her husband Chris Hemsworth. And speaking to WHO's Most Beautiful People issue this week, Elsa Pataky revealed how the Thor star, 35, makes her 'feel confident' and secure. The 42-year-old said that Chris encouraged her to 'not feel guilty' about returning to work last year, after she'd temporarily stepped away from acting to raise their kids. Supportive: Elsa Pataky has revealed her husband Chris Hemsworth encouraged her to 'not feel guilty' about returning to work last year, after she'd temporarily stepped away from acting to raise their three children 'He encouraged me to go back to work again after I stayed here [at home] with the kids for a while when they were born, and to not feel guilty about it,' Elsa said. 'We are always understanding of one another because we share the same passion for what we do.' The Spanish-born actress went on to say that her husband helps her 'feel beautiful' on days when she's not feeling as secure. Family: 'We are always understanding of one another,' Elsa told WHO magazine this week. Pictured: Chris Hemsworth with the couple's children, India Rose, Tristan and Sasha Elsa and Chris married in 2010. They share three children: daughter India Rose, six, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, five. In 2014, the couple swapped the bright lights of Hollywood for a more relaxed lifestyle in Byron Bay, a small town on the northern New South Wales coast. Since relocating to Australia, Chris has worked consistently in the Marvel superhero franchise but Elsa had until recently scaled back her career. Return: Elsa stepped away from the spotlight for several years to focus on raising her children, but she made a comeback last year in the critically-acclaimed Netflix series Tidelands It wasn't until the release of Netflix series Tidelands last year that she returned to the spotlight as a leading actress. Elsa told HOLA! in February that she was comfortable spending a few years focusing on motherhood because she had 'already worked a lot'. 'My husband was starting his career; it was his moment, and I wanted him to take advantage to work more,' she said of her decision to spend more time at home. 'We decided if we had children, I wanted to stay with them and enjoy them to the fullest - but it was my decision.' She's a businesswoman, writer, television personality, and former model. And Martha Stewart added DJ to her considerable skillset on Thursday, when the 77-year-old stepped up to the wheels of steel in Manhattan's West Village. The culinary queen was filming a commercial as she mixed some tunes on the turntables. The wheels of steel: Martha Stewart added DJ to her considerable skillset on Thursday, when the 77-year-old stepped up to the wheels of steel in Manhattan's West Village The star of Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party wore a black coat adorned with multicolored sequins for the commercial. The cookbook author looked decades younger than her 77 years as she adjusted knobs on the instruments in front of her. Marta's wavy blonde tresses were worn in a shoulder-length bob and she wore diamond-encrusted hoop earrings in her lobes. The platters that matter: The culinary queen was filming a commercial as she mixed some tunes on the turntables Where's the drop? The star of Martha and Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party wore a black coat adorned with multicolored sequins for the commercial The Martha Stewart brand is getting a new home. Sequential Brands Group, which bought the Martha Stewart brand nearly four years ago for about $353 million, said Tuesday that it is selling it to Marquee Brands for about $175 million. As part of the deal, Marquee will also acquire the brand of TV chef Emeril Lagasse. Marquee owns several clothing and footwear brands, including Ben Sherman and Body Glove. The company says the acquisition will help it grow into the home and food categories. Stewart will still oversee the brand, which she founded in the 1990s, and includes magazines, cookware and towels. More recently, the brand struck a deal to make products containing CBD, a compound derived from hemp and marijuana that doesn't cause a high. Milkin' a song: The cookbook author looked decades younger than her 77 years as she adjusted knobs on the instruments in front of her They showcase the remarkable and complicated partnership between legendary choreographer, Bob Fosse, and Broadway dance extraordinaire, Gwen Verdon, in the limited FX series, Fosse/Verdon. And just a week-and-a-half after the show's premiere, the onscreen duo of Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams hit the red carpet and stage for a special screening and conversation in New York City. Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda, who served as one of the executive producers for Fosse/Verdon, was also on hand for the event. Camera ready: Michelle Williams and Sam Rockwell attended a special screening and conversation for the new limited miniseries Fosse/Verdon in New York City on Thursday With top billing, Williams and Rockwell posed together in front of photographers before the event kicked-off. The 38-year old actress wore a collared black polka-dot straight dress over black stockings with a pair of black knee-high black boots. Her platinum pixie crop-cut was styled with side-sweeping bangs and a part on the left. Rockwell, 50, went casual-cool in black pants, a light-patterned Hawaiian-style shirt and a brown and white retro jacket. Legends of the theater: In the series the two stars showcase the remarkable and complicated partnership between choreographer, Bob Fosse, and Broadway dance star, Gwen Verdon Cool cats: Williams, 38, wore a collared black polka-dot straight dress over black stockings with a pair of black knee-high black boots; Rockwell, 50, went casual-cool in black pants, a light-patterned Hawaiian-style shirt and a brown and white retro jacket Relishing the moment: The onscreen duo's chemistry also translated to the red carpet Williams and Rockwell also posed for photographers with some of the writers and producers that included Miranda and pilot episode director Thomas Kail, who also helmed the wildly successful, Hamilton. Fosse and Verdon's daughter, Nicole Fosse, who was an co-executive producer and creative consultant, also shared the spotlight on this night. Her parents were married from 1960 to 1987, the year of Fosse's death although they had in fact separated in 1971. Verdon passed away in 2000. Stylish: The actresses's platinum pixie crop-cut was styled with side-sweeping bangs The pinnacle: Rockwell won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2017 Man in black: Lin-Manuel Miranda, who created and starred in Hamilton, served as one of the executive producers for Fosse/Verdon FX said the eight-part miniseries 'will tell the story of these two brilliant, complicated individuals - the love they shared, the art they created, and the price they paid in the pursuit of greatness,' featuring 'show-stopping choreography, including original pieces as well as some of the most iconic works of Bob and Gwens careers.' While Verdon is much less known than Fosse, who is best known for directing and choreographing Cabaret and All That Jazz, both Williams and Rockwell said they hope the series helps acknowledge Verdon's contributions. She is the only actor to ever collect the Tony for her first four Broadway productions: Can-Can (1953), Damn Yankees (1955), New Girl In Town (1957) and Redhead (1959). Sharing the spotlight: Williams and Rockwell posed alongside (l to r) executive producers Joel Fields and Steven Levenson,Fosse and Verdon's daughter Nicole Fosse, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail, who directed the pilot episode of the miniseries She is famous for her impeccable sense of style. And Diane Kruger look incredible as she headed out in New York City on Thursday in a very revealing blue wool dress. The figure-hugging outfit had long sleeves and a wide collar but left the top of her chest exposed to show off her cleavage. Stunner: She is famous for her impeccable sense of style. And Diane Kruger look incredible as she headed out in New York City on Thursday in a very revealing blue wool dress The blonde stunner added a pair of pale pink heels with straps across the foot from ankle to toe. She carried a soft white purse and wore her hair loose and styled with a center parting. The Cannes Award winner was attending a special screening and Q&A for her new film, JT LeRoy. Kruger plays Eva in Universal Pictures' critically-acclaimed hoax drama, which finally hits US theaters April 26. Revealing: The figure-hugging outfit had long sleeves and a wide collar but left the top of her chest exposed to show off her cleavage Flawless: The blonde beauty added a pair of pale pink heels with straps across the foot from ankle to toe. She carried a soft white purse and wore her hair loose with a center parting JT LeRoy centers on Savannah Knoop (R), the woman who pretended to be HIV-positive teenage boy Jeremiah Terminator Leroy before the literary persona was exposed as her sister-in-law Laura Albert. The 38-year-old 'imposter' wrote the screenplay, which was based on her 2008 memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy. Justin Kelly's flick also features Laura Dern, Courtney Love, Jim Sturgess, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Stella Maxwell. Kruger, 42, has been working out hard to shed the extra weight she gained while pregnant with her first child last year and she's clearly succeeded. In the spotlight: It turned out Kruger was headed to a screening of her movie JT LeRoy at The Roxy Cinema in NYC Q&A: The actress joined the film's writers Justin Kelly and Savannah Knoop to talk about the drama that opens in theatres on April 26 Festival hit: The movie, which also stars Kristen Stewart and Laura Dern, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last September Kruger's daughter was born in early November and she shares the infant with her partner and Walking dead star Norman Reedus. The Troy actress and Reedus, 50, met while making the 2015 movie Sky. The two have been linked romantically since the summer of 2016. The couple are very protective of their baby and have shared little information about her. However, in a rare comment, Reedus gushed about the infant to People during an appearance at PaleyFest. 'Shes kind of rolling all over the floor like a drunk. Its kind of awesome. I just love it,' he shared. 'Shes really grounding and its a really beautiful thing thats going on in my life right now, I have to say.' Glimpse: It was confirmed on November 2 that Kruger had welcomed her first child, a baby girl, with partner Norman Reedus who shared this snap of himself holding the infant Couple: The German-born actress, 42, and the Walking Dead star, 50, met while making the 2015 movie Sky. The two have been linked romantically since the summer of 2016 Kruger posted about her fitness regimen on her Instagram in mid-March. Alongside a snap of herself at the gym, the German-born beauty told her fans: 'Am I showing off ? F*** yeah. 'cause it's been hard work to get my abs back.' 'I didn't think it was possible after having a baby. And certainly not at my age.' she explained. 'I don't have a trainer, but I've been committed to get my body back. For myself first.but also for my [ghost emoji]. The female body is AMAZING #andyesIminabikiniworkingoutcauseitshothereandwhynot.' Remy Ma has been accused of an attack on Love & Hip Hop's Brittney Taylor, that sent Taylor to a local hospital. Taylor, 29, told police that the 38-year-old musical artist had hit her around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at a benefit show at Irving Plaza in New York City, according to TMZ. Taylor told authorities that she and the Bronx native had 'exchanged words' in the venue's green room, leading to Ma punching her in the face, leaving a shiner on her right eye. Scroll below for video The latest: Remy Ma, 38, has been accused of an attack on her Love & Hip Hop co-star Brittney Taylor, 29, that sent Taylor to a local hospital. The rapper was snapped in October in NYC at a Hip Hop Against Domestic Violence event The skirmish erupted as Taylor said that Ma, whose real name is Reminisce Smith, claimed she had information about an recent attack on Remy's stepdaughter Dejanae, the outlet reported. Insiders close to Ma denied all of the claims Taylor had made toward the outlet. Police told TMZ that they're investigating claims of a woman being assaulted at the fundraiser, adding that no charges or arrests have been brought in the incident. Taylor said she sought medical treatment at Mount Sinai Hospital over her injuries; a source told Page Six that she didn't report the incident to authorities beforehand because she was embarrassed over what had happened. Taylor on Wednesday took to Instagram to show off the shiner she received in the alleged incident, along with a question for the All the Way Up artist. Damage: Taylor on Wednesday took to Instagram to show off the shiner she received in the alleged incident Moving forward: Taylor Thursday hired a lawyer for the case seeking Ma's prosecution 'So, here am I on my way to a very important meeting and its hard to even focus because of what occurred last night.' Taylor said. 'I didnt wanna bring it to social media because Its pretty embarrassing and not a good look tbh. 'I tried my best to cover it up with make up and move on but that still didnt work. My Question is @remyma why did you really do this #WHATHAPPENEDTOWOMANEMPOWERMENT #BlackLove? Smh.' Taylor on Thursday hired a lawyer for the case named Sanford Rubenstein, who told the NY Daily News that his client 'wants Remy Ma prosecuted for what she did to her.' Ma was in custody at New York's Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women from 2008 until 2014 in connection with her conviction over a July 2007 shooting. Julianne Moore and Keira Knightley traveled all the way to China to attend the opening night of the Chanel Mademoiselle Prive exhibition in Shanghai on Thursday. The third Chanel exhibition - running April 20-June 2 - at the West Bund Art & Design includes an entire room dedicated to jewelry. Julianne easily defied her 58 years in a mermaid midi-dress from the late designer Karl Lagerfeld's last couture collection selected by stylist Tim Lim. Karl's muses: Julianne Moore (L) and Keira Knightley (R) traveled all the way to China to attend the opening night of the Chanel Mademoiselle Prive exhibition in Shanghai on Thursday Running April 20-June 2! The third Chanel exhibition at the West Bund Art & Design includes an entire room dedicated to jewelry The Oscar winner's embroidered cut-out creation exposed her enviably taut waistline, and she paired it with black shiny booties. Hairstylist Marcus Francis coiffed the Gloria Bell actress' auburn waves and make-up artist Hung Vanngo put some color on her alabaster complexion. Joining Moore on the black carpet was her second husband Bart Freundlich, looking dapper in a black suit and necktie. The two-time Golden Globe winnerfell in love with the 49-year-old filmmaker in 1995 when he directed her in The Myth of Fingerprints. Fancy frock: Julianne easily defied her 58 years in a mermaid midi-dress from the late designer Karl Lagerfeld's last couture collection selected by stylist Tim Lim Evergreen: The Oscar winner's embroidered cut-out creation exposed her enviably taut waistline, and she paired it with black shiny booties Babe! Hairstylist Marcus Francis coiffed the Gloria Bell actress' auburn waves and make-up artist Hung Vanngo put some color on her alabaster complexion Date night: Joining Moore on the black carpet was her second husband Bart Freundlich, looking dapper in a black suit and necktie Still going strong! The two-time Golden Globe winnerfell in love with the 49-year-old filmmaker in 1995 when he directed her in The Myth of Fingerprints Freundlich also helmed Julianne's upcoming drama After the Wedding - which stars Michelle Williams, Billy Crudup, and Will Chase. The happy married couple of 15 years are parents to 21-year-old son Caleb amd 17-year-old daughter Liv. On April 8, Moore tweeted she was 'very excited' to start shooting Stephen King and J.J. Abrams' eight-episode limited series Lisey's Story for Apple. And the Coolidge Corner Theatre will honor the Boston University grad on April 25 in Brookline, MA. Coming soon! Freundlich also helmed Julianne's upcoming drama After the Wedding - which stars Michelle Williams (L), Billy Crudup, and Will Chase Family hike: The happy married couple of 15 years are parents to 21-year-old son Caleb amd 17-year-old daughter Liv (pictured January 2) 'Me too!' On April 8, Moore tweeted she was 'very excited' to start shooting Stephen King and J.J. Abrams' eight-episode limited series Lisey's Story for Apple Another one for the mantel! he Coolidge Corner Theatre will honor the Boston University grad on April 25 in Brookline, MA Meanwhile, Keira floated in wearing a seventies-retro white-ruffled gown selected by stylist Leith Clark. Hairstylist Ben Skervin coiffed the British 34-year-old's shiny brunette tresses for the fashion festivities. Like Moore, the two-time Oscar nominee was close with Lagerfeld - who died February 19 at age 85 - and she's served as a Chanel brand ambassador since 2006. Next month, Knightley will celebrate her sixth wedding anniversary with Shock Machine frontman James Righton as well as the fourth birthday of their daughter Edie. Spring in the air: Meanwhile, Keira floated in wearing a seventies-retro white-ruffled gown selected by stylist Leith Clark Glam: Hairstylist Ben Skervin coiffed the British 34-year-old's shiny brunette tresses for the fashion festivities On a cloud: Like Moore, the two-time Oscar nominee was close with Lagerfeld - who died February 19 at age 85 - and she's served as a Chanel brand ambassador since 2006 'I'll be really happy if [Edie] reaches age 24 and hasn't seen a one [of my films]. My aim is never to show her anything,' the Aftermath actress told Philly.com last month. 'I have no idea. I feel a little embarrassed about it, for some reason. I suppose I could stand to show her Pirates of the Caribbean. And I would be happy that she would take some satisfaction in the fact that mommy was really good at fighting pirates.' Keira will next play Katharine Gun, who leaked a secret memo exposing an illegal spying operation, in Gavin Hood's Official Secrets hitting US theaters August 23. 'I think I play everything differently now that I'm a parent,' said Knightley. 'Obviously, it just has a impact on everything, your point of view about everything...I think there are certainly nuances that the experience brings to you that I might not have thought about before I had a kid.' Milestones: Next month, Knightley will celebrate her sixth wedding anniversary with Shock Machine frontman James Righton as well as the fourth birthday of their daughter Edie (pictured September 27) My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel has expressed his shock at the staggering amount of money raised to rebuild the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. The French chef took to Instagram on Thursday after 750million (approximately AUD$1.2billion) was raised in 24 hours, describing the flood of donations as 'incredibly disturbing'. The 45-year-old shared a viral meme of the Parisian landmark next to a photo of starving children in Africa, clearly implying that the money could be better spent on humanitarian issues. Scroll down for video Speaking out: My Kitchen Rules judge Manu Feildel expressed his disbelief on Thursday at the staggering amount of money raised to rebuild the the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris 'This is incredibly disturbing!' he captioned the image. 'The world is f**ked!' Manu's statement was met with hundreds of supportive comments, with most of his followers agreeing that the money could be better spent elsewhere. 'I can't believe they spend so much money on a structure rather then spend so much to help the poor,' one person wrote. Disturbing: The French chef took to Instagram after 750million (approximately AU$1.2billion) was raised in 24 hours, describing the flood of donations as 'incredibly disturbing' Another wrote: 'The fact that this came from a French man who is not blinded by the media makes us realise that there is hope in this world. Legend!' However, Manu also received some criticism for the post, with some people telling the celebrity chef to donate his own money to the causes he cares about. 'I want to ask if the profits from your restaurant and MKR are all going to the starving children?' one person asked. 'I can't believe they spend so much money on a structure rather than help the poor': Most of Manu's Instagram followers agreed with his post Another commented: 'How much of your high earnings do you donate to the starving children in Africa?' On Monday evening, the Notre-Dame de Paris went up in flames, leaving France and the international community distraught. A fire that began shortly before 6:50pm local time burst through the roof of the centuries-old cathedral and engulfed the spire, which collapsed, quickly followed by the entire roof. She has to use a cane to help her walk because of multiple sclerosis. But on Thursday in LA, Selma Blair also got a helping hand from her seven-year-old son Arthur. The actress, 46, wore a pretty patterned maxi dress paired with a dark gray cardigan for her outing with her only child. Momma's boy: She has to use a cane to help her walk because of multiple sclerosis. But on Thursday in LA, Selma Blair also got a helping hand from her seven-year-old son Arthur Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in August last year and went public with the news in October. Difficulty walking is the more obvious sign of her condition. But Blair has shared other effects she is dealing with as a result of having the disease that affects the central nervous system and for which there is no cure. She's shared that her eye lashes are dropping out and that she is also suffering from memory loss, a common condition among MS sufferers who often face a number of cognitive changes. The Cruel Intentions and Hellboy star will be honored next month for her 'bravery and strength' at the 26th Annual Race To Erase MS Gala. Out and about: The actress, 46, wore a pretty patterned maxi dress paired with a dark gray cardigan for her outing with her only child and they were accompanied by a female friend Her pride and joy: Earlier in the day, Blair had posted a sweet snap to Instagram of herself planting a kiss on Arthur's head as he lay beside her Earlier in the day, Blair had posted a sweet snap to Instagram of herself planting a kiss on Arthur's head as he lay beside her. She wrote in the caption: 'There is nothing I wont do. for time with this one. The surprise of my life.' 'I may never be the best mother but I am here for as much as I can and I cant stop smiling. I know it makes me #lucky. This #moment. Dropping me off for an appointment . This is life. Thank you. And to everyone without kids... you have the right idea too!!' Blair shares her son with her ex-boyfriend, stylist Jason Bleick. Years of pain: Blair was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in August last year and went public with the news in October. Difficulty walking is the more obvious sign of her condition Blair has spoken candidly about how 'relieved' she was when doctors finally diagnosed her with MS after experiencing years of pain. 'I cried, I had tears. They weren't tears of panic. They were tears of knowing I now had to give in to a body that had loss of control,' she said during an appearance on Good Morning America earlier this year. 'And there was some relief in that,' she went on. 'Cause ever since my son was born, I was in an MS flare-up and didn't know and I was giving it everything to seem normal.' Blair also admitted: 'I was self-medicating when [Arthur] wasn't with me. I was drinking. I was in pain.....And I was really struggling with how am I going to get by in life.' They may have ditched their superhero costumes. But Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans looked amazing in suits of a different kind. The two A-list actors were joined by co-stars Paul Rudd and Jeremy Renner for the Avengers: Endgame premiere in Shanghai, China on Thursday. Handsome: Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth led their male castmates at the Avengers: Endgame premiere in Shanghai, China on Thursday Fantastic four: They were joined by Paul Rudd and Jeremy Renner Hemsworth, 35, looked hunky in a navy blue suit worn over a white shirt with the top few buttons undone and no tie. Evans, 37, countered ice with fire as he sported a red suit over an orange shirt with a brown tie and matching dress shoes. Rudd, 50, looked handsome in a dark navy checked suit while 48-year-old Renner wore a blue suit over a crisp white dress shirt and black tie. Good times: The superheroes seemed to have a blast together on-stage Dapper: Hemsworth, 35, looked hunky in a navy blue suit worn over a white shirt with the top few buttons undone and no tie Cap: Evans, 37, countered ice with fire as he sported a red suit over an orange shirt with a brown tie and matching dress shoes Showing off: Evans seemed to drop his mic as Hemsworth picked it up for him like a gentleman Good times: They shared several laughs together Aww: Paul and Jeremy cuddled up on stage The foursome seemed to have a blast at the event together as they hammed it up for the crowd as Evans and Hemsworth even stopped to take a selfie. The event comes just days after directors of the film Anthony and Joe Russo penned a note to fans - urging fans to not spoil the ending for others. The letter comes after the ending of Avengers: Endgame was leaked featuring spoilers, according to the LA Times. The newspaper reported that the leak appears to be footage filmed off a large screen inside a screening room - but the origin of the leak is still unknown. Spot on: 48-year-old Renner wore a blue suit over a crisp white dress shirt and black tie Busy: The trio have been busy promoting the superhero blockbuster around the world as they were just in Seoul, Korea just days go Vibes: The foursome seemed to have a blast at the event together as they hammed it up for the crowd as Hemsworth and Evans even stopped to take a selfie Having a blast: The film is one of the most anticipated of the year The Russo brothers addressed the letter 'To the greatest fans in the world': 'This is it. This is the end. The end of an unprecedented narrative mosaic spanning eleven years and eleven franchises.' They continued: 'For all of you who have been on this journey with us since the very beginning, sharing every high and low with your family, your friends, your classmates, your co-workers.' Adding: 'Investing so deeply in every character and storyline. Laughing. Cheering. Shedding tears. Giving so freely of your thoughts and emotions in spirited dialogue, theories, fan art and fan fiction.' 10 days before the movie swings into theaters, the directors of the films Anthony and Joe Russo penned a note to fans - urging fans to not spoil the ending for others Candid: The letter comes after the ending of Avengers: Endgame was leaked featuring spoilers of the ending, according to the LA Times ; Anthony and Joe Russo pictured on Monday in Seoul, South Korea at the Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame premiere The letter continued: 'Please know that the two of us, along with everyone involved in Endgame, have worked tirelessly for the last three years with the sole intention of delivering a surprising and emotionally powerful conclusion to the Infinity Saga.' They added: 'Because so many of you have invested your time, your hearts, and your souls into these stories, we're once again asking for you help.' The brothers concluded with: 'When you see Endgame in the coming weeks, please don't spoil it for others, the same way you wouldn't want it spoiled for you.' Real talk: The Russo brothers addressed the letter to 'To the greatest fans in the world' Honest: The letter continued: 'Please know that the two of us, along with everyone involved in Endgame, have worked tirelessly for the last three years with the sole intention of delivering a surprising and emotionally powerful conclusion to the Infinity Saga;' (from l to r) Anthony, Joe, president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Robert Downey Jr., Brie Larson and Jeremy Renner in Seoul, Korea at the film premiere on Sunday Writing: 'Remember, Thanos still demands your silence,' referring to the character played Josh Brolin. They finished off their letter with: 'As always, good luck and happy viewing... The Russo brothers.' They used a hashtag to round out the letter: '#DontSpoilTheEndgame.' Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26. There was no missing Rebel Wilson when she stepped out in London on Friday. The 39-year-old Aussie actress was seen arriving at the BBC Radio 2 studios to promote her new movie, The Hustle. Rebel wore a bright yellow blazer, which she paired with a cobalt blue shirt. Not so mellow yellow: There was no missing Rebel Wilson (pictured) when she stepped out in London on Friday. The 39-year-old Aussie actress was seen arriving at the BBC Radio 2 studios She also wore black pants with leather moto detailing. The Pitch Perfect star rounded out her ensemble with a pair of black leather slingback heels. Her long blonde hair was styled in a '60s-inspired half-up, half-down hairdo. The bright stuff: Rebel stepped out in a bright yellow blazer, which she paired with a cobalt blue shirt Finer details: The Pitch Perfect star rounded out her ensemble with a pair of black leather slingback heels. Her long blonde hair was styled in a '60s-inspired half-up, half-down hairdo Rebel appeared to have been in high spirits as she made her way into the studio, passing throngs of waiting fans. The actress is currently in London to promote The Hustle, in which she plays a con artist alongside Anne Hathaway, 36. In an interview with InStyle magazine last week, Rebel admitted she never thought she would actually make it in Hollywood. A star is born: In an interview with InStyle magazine last week, Rebel admitted she never thought she would actually make it in Hollywood Scam: The actress is currently in London to promote The Hustle, in which she plays a con artist alongside Anne Hathaway She said she has her own tenacity to thank for getting to where she is today in her career. 'If you look at the odds of someone from Australia making it, they're pretty small,' she admitted. 'When I look at all the things I've done in my career... I feel like I've got so much farther to go. But I am really proud, and, you know, I didn't have to sleep my way to the top.' He rose to fame when he starred as Billy Elliot in the Oscar-nominated dance drama almost 20 years ago. And Jamie Bell was unrecognisable as he transformed into conflicted neo-Nazi Bryon Widner in a dramatic trailer for his upcoming biopic, Skin. The actor, 33, looks far from his usual self as he is covered head-to-toe in tattoos with a shaved head in the first look clip. Is that you? Jamie Bell was unrecognisable as he transformed into conflicted neo-Nazi Bryon Widner in a dramatic trailer for his upcoming biopic, Skin Skin, which was directed by Guy Nattiv, follows the real-life story of Bryon Widner - a skinhead who is taken in by white supremacists after a troubled childhood. As an adult, the reformed neo-Nazi - who marries Julie (Dumplin' star Danielle Macdonald) - tries to flee the group with his partner and their children. But his former friends track him down, beat him up and intimidate him. He then meets Daryle Jenkins (Luke Cage star Mike Colter) - who helps remove white supremacists from the circles they had become entangled in. Normality: The actor, 33, looks far from his usual self in the first look trailer for the film (pictured with his wife, actress Kate Mara, earlier this month) Ink: The actor is covered head-to-toe in statement tattoos and has a bald head in the chilling first look clip at the biopic The trailer, which was released on Thursday, shows Jamie's portrayal of the former neo-Nazi as he questions whether he could possibly find redemption for his dark past. The film, which also stars Vera Farmiga as Shareen Krager and Bill Camp as Fred Krager, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018. Israeli director Guy, 45, met the real-life Bryon in preparation for the movie. The filmmaker said the world 'seemed crazy now' so he thought it was worth telling stories about hope, redemption and forgiveness like Bryon's. 'My grandfathers and mothers are Holocaust survivors and it was really important for me to show that in this darkness there's one light and person who's making the change to become a better person,' he said. Story: Skin, which was directed by Guy Nattiv, follows the real-life story of Bryon Widner - a skinhead who is taken in by white supremacists after a troubled childhood Flee: As an adult, the reformed neo-Nazi tries to flee the group with his partner and their children The movie intersperses shots of Bryon screaming in pain as his tattoos are lasered off with scenes of his drink-fuelled racist days and his struggles to leave that life - the white supremacists kill his dog, shoot at his home and scrawl 'traitors' on his car. Jamie said the film posed a question, namely: If you have hatred in your heart but go through two years of treatment to remove the hateful ink from your skin 'are you changed, and can you ever be changed fully?' He said: 'I hope the answer is that love defeats hate.' Danielle added: 'If there is even one person that can see this and think: "Oh, there is another option, there is a way out even though it seems impossible," then that is worth it.' Skin is set to be released on June 27 through DirecTV Cinema. They are in the midst of an idyllic and well-documented Dubai holiday. Yet Billie Faiers and her husband Greg Shepherd's latest social media update came with a twist on Friday, as the former TOWIE star took to Instagram to share a sizzling bikini snap which she revealed was taken by their daughter Nelly, five. The 29-year-old Mummy Diaries beauty, who is also mum to Arthur, two, looked incredible in a khaki bikini while Greg, 34, showed off his trim frame in the shot which Billie insisted was a candid taken by the tot by accident. Snap happy! Yet Billie Faiers and her husband Greg Shepherd's latest social media update came with a twist on Friday, as the former TOWIE star took to Instagram to share a sizzling bikini snap which she revealed was snapped by their daughter Nelly, five Billie and Greg wed in an idyllic ceremony in the Maldives last month and have rolled their celebrations into a family and friend-filled trip to Dubai for Easter. While the star has been littering her social media accounts with sexy bikini snaps, her latest post had a unique spin due to the photographer at hand. A tickled Billie gave a nod to her sister Sam, who has made no secret of her love of photography - as Billie claimed Nelly would give her a run for her money. The proud mum joyously penned: 'Happy good Friday.... Nelly took this photo playing around on my phone. Im not even joking !!! Move over auntie Sam Faiers theres a new photographer in town'. Photographer: While the star has been littering her social media accounts with sexy bikini snaps, her latest post had a unique spin due to the photographer at hand Happy days: Sam and her family have just jetted out on the tail-end of the holiday, ahead of the Shepherd clan's return home so Nelly can get back to school Sam and her family have just jetted out on the tail-end of the holiday, ahead of the Shepherd clan's return home so Nelly can get back to school. Billie also posted a smouldering shot of her 50-year-old mum Sue as she reclined on a sun-lounger while showing off her stunning frame. Nelly's snap happy shot draws comparisons to a Kim Kardashian moment in 2015, in which the reality star claimed her daughter North, then two, had accidentally posted a sizzling throwback snap on Instagram. Hot stuff: Billie also posted a smouldering shot of her 50-year-old mum Sue as she reclined on a sun-lounger while showing off her stunning frame Repost! Nelly's snap happy shot draws comparisons to a Kim Kardashian moment in 2015, in which the reality star claimed her daughter North, then two, had accidentally posted a sizzling throwback snap on Instagram She wrote in the caption: 'North posted this on IG while playing games on my phone. Not sure why or how she chose it but I'm not complaining RP'. Billie later took to her Instagram stories to share a post of Nelly - who has been the stand-out star of the show - wishing Billie's 1.9million followers a Happy Easter. The trip has been something of a whirlwind for Billie and Greg, who jetted home for just 24 hours earlier this week to attend his mum Linda's Surrey wedding. They proved themselves to be seasoned travellers as they jetted home for just 24 hours to ring in the big day, which he admits they 'wouldn't miss for the world'. Back again! The trip has been something of a whirlwind for Billie and Greg, who jetted home for just 24 hours earlier this week to attend his mum Linda's Surrey wedding Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Greg revealed they had flown in on Sunday and jetted out on Monday for his mum's 'beautiful day', which came a month after their own wedding, before returning to the kids and nanny Sue in Dubai. Greg revealed all about the glamorous day and the speed of 'the shortest trip ever' before jetting back to Dubai. He said: 'We flew back for 24 hours while Sue stayed out in Dubai with the kids. It was a small, intimate wedding at a registry office in Surrey and we wouldn't miss it for the world. We arrived on Sunday night and flew back Monday night.' Following their idyllic nuptials in the Maldives last month, excited Greg gushed: 'It's so nice we got married in the same year'. He began re-homing dogs when his mother passed away in 2015. And, Simon Cowell has expanded his furry family once again by adopting another adorable rescue pup, named Daisy, from Barbados. The talent show judge, 59, came across the abandoned dog on one of his recent trips to Barbados and brought her back with him to the UK. Simon to the rescue: Simon Cowell, 59, has expanded his furry family once again by adopting another adorable rescue pup, named Daisy, from Barbados Late on Thursday night, Simon took to Instagram to share a black-and-white portrait of Daisy, as well as his other pet pooches Squiddly and Diddly and Freddie. Alongside the snap of the new addition, Simon wrote: 'Meet Daisy. Shes a rescue dog, all the way from Barbados.' Photos of his other pooches were included in the line-up after Simon treated them to a photoshoot. Formally introducing the other pups to his followers, he wrote: 'I love these new photos of our dogs. I believe you all know Squiddly. Sweet: The multi-millionaire is said to have met the sweet terrier cross last December at an auction for dogs in Barbados (Pictured in 2014 in London) 'I think youve met Freddie. He was my mums dog. And her partner in crime Diddly.' The multi-millionaire is said to have met the sweet terrier cross last December at an auction for dogs in Barbados. According to The Sun Daisy and her two puppies had been abandoned but were nursed back to health by charity K9. Dog-lover: Prior to adopting Daisy, he told The Sun on Sunday: 'Weve thoroughly looked into it, got all the details and I can prove to you Im going to clone them. There is documentation' Dog-lover Simon previously revealed that he loves his dogs so much he's considering having them cloned. Prior to adopting Daisy, he told The Sun on Sunday: 'Weve thoroughly looked into it, got all the details and I can prove to you Im going to clone them. There is documentation. "I am doing it because I cannot bear the thought of them not being around. I might actually do it sooner rather than later, which will mean we have six dogs running around.' He was the runner-up in last year's inaugural season of Love Island Australia with then-girlfriend Erin Barnett, missing out on $50,000 prize money. Eden Dally however will be aiming for first place when he competes in the Mr World male pageant in Melbourne next week. The winner of the heats will then get to fly the flag for Australia at the international Mr World competition in the Philippines in July. Will Eden Dally (pictured) be Australia's first Mr World? The former Love Island star is gearing up to compete in the male pageant in Melbourne against other hopefuls from NSW For a shot at the win, first, contestants will be required to display extreme fitness as they compete in an 'Army Assault Course' in Melbourne. They must also bring a unique talent to the party and join in an 'explosive' fashion show, according to Friday's Sydney Morning Herald. Contestants must also display 'extreme fitness' in what is a male equivalent to the Miss World competition, the paper reports. Buff prison officer Eden is no doubt cutting down on the carbs and upping his protein intake while he pumps iron in the lead-up to the competition. Winner? If he beats the other finalists, Eden will fly the flag for Australia at the international Mr World competition in the Philippines in July. Pictured in a recent social media snap Pumped! For a shot at the win, first, contestants will be required to display extreme fitness as they compete in an 'Army Assault Course' Iron man: They must also bring a unique talent to the party and join in an 'explosive' fashion show, according to Friday's Sydney Morning Herald He has also had other things on his mind, namely MAFS' Cyrell Paule, according to recent reports. The duo - who are reportedly now a couple - were first spotted enjoying a heavy makeout session on the streets of Sydney following a dinner date last month. And Eden was seen celebrating his new girlfriend's birthday over the weekend. No cigar: Eden was the runner-up in last year's inaugural season of Love Island Australia with then-girlfriend Erin Barnett (right), missing out on $50,000 prize money Heating up: Erin's ex-boyfriend, Eden, has been dating Married At First Sight's Cyrell Paule (right) in recent weeks Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Cyrell, 30, shared a cuddly photo of herself and Eden standing in front of her tiered birthday cake. To cap things off, Cyrell's MAFS ex, Nic Jovanovic, 29, gave his blessing to the new couple after being asked about the romance by a fan during an Instagram Q&A on Thursday. 'Honestly, I am genuinely happy for them,' Nic said. 'He seems really into her, she seems really into him...I genuinely wish them a lot of love and happiness.' He sparked a fan frenzy after his character enjoyed a cheeky skinny dip in the freezing Isle Of Wight climes. But Victoria star David Burnett has admitted he is 'baffled' by comparisons to TV heartthrob Ross Poldark, as he teased footman Joseph Wells' budding romance with the Duchess Sophie. Speaking on Friday's Lorraine, the actor hinted the pair's 'fervent glances' will evolve in the coming weeks, as Sophie tries to escape the grasp of her overbearing Duke husband. Star: Victoria star David Burnett has admitted he is 'baffled' by comparisons to TV heartthrob Ross Poldark, as he teased footman Joseph's budding romance with the Duchess Sophie He told Christine Lampard: 'This Poldark thing has me baffled because it certainly didn't feel very sexy and I kept falling over so I had to do it four or five times. 'I'm going to take it, aren't I? I'm going to take an Aidan Turner comparison. I'm not sure I can compete with that glowering Adonis of a man. [The comparisons] are very kind. 'I suppose there are some similarities in that rustic brooding young man thing and I did run naked into the sea, that did happen.' Dishy: Speaking on Friday's Lorraine, the actor said he was surprised to see fans compare him to the Cornwall captain, following his debut as the footman Joseph Wells Hunky: Ross Poldark (Aidan Turner) has won an army of fans thanks to a slew of shirtless scenes, during his appearances in the BBC drama Unbelievable: David also sparked a fan frenzy earlier this series, when Joseph skipped church to enjoy a skinny dip on the Isle Of Wight Open: The actor said: 'I suppose there are some similarities in that rustic brooding young man thing and I did run naked into the sea, that did happen' Sparks flying: The star also teased that Joseph will grow closer to the Duchess of Monmouth Sophie, as she struggles to cope with her overbearing husband Fans were sent into a tailspin earlier this series when Joseph skipped church to enjoy a naked dip in the sea, and despite being dismissed for his behaviour, Sophie stepped in to ensure that he was reinstated. David went onto tell Christine that filming the scenes was a far less glamorous occasion, and staff had re-apply his fake tan five times. 'No one wants that to happen more than zero times, having someone apply fake tan to your pallid posterior in front of the crew. It's an absurd life,' he said. Tease: He said: 'There have been a lot of fervent glances so far, whether they will turn into anything manifest remains to be seen' The star also hinted that fans will see Joseph and Sophie grow closer in the coming weeks, as she struggles with her Duke husband's possessive behaviour. He added: 'It's great fun, it's wonderful to see so many people enjoying it, things are spicing up a little bit now aren't they? 'There have been a lot of fervent glances so far, whether they will turn into anything manifest remains to be seen.' This series of Victoria (Jenna Coleman) has also seen the titular monarch's marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes) at breaking point, as the couple clash on every issue from their son's schooling, to the charming Foreign Secretary (played by Laurence Fox). And following the shock arrival of Her Majesty's half-sister Feodora, fans have been theorising about why she has arrived in England, and whether she has an ulterior motive as she drips poisonous words into the couple's ears. Victoria continues on Sunday 21st April at 9pm on ITV. There will be a new member in the Stefanovic clan soon if all goes to plan, a new report claims. Karl Stefanovic has 'undergone a second vasectomy reversal surgery' and is trying for a baby with new wife Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday. Karl, 44, reportedly had a first surgery after his wedding, and 'a second operation in the last couple of weeks' the paper alleges. 'We really want to start a family together': Claims were made on Saturday that Karl Stefanovic (right) is trying for a baby with with new wife Jasmine Yarbrough (left) after undergoing 'second vasectomy reversal surgery'. Pictured with their dog Chance the Yapper It's unclear if the first surgery worked, as vasectomy reversals are not always successful and can take months before fertility resumes for the patient. In 2010, the TV host told Woman's Day that he had a vasectomy following the birth of his three children, son Jackson, 19, daughter Ava, 13, and son River, 12, with then-wife Cassandra Thorburn. The four-hour procedure involves cutting or tying the vas deferens to stop sperm entering the urethra and thereby results in sterilisation. At the time, the Channel Nine personality did not foresee having any need to reverse the vasectomy, but in 2016, Karl and Cassandra split after 21 years of marriage. Effort! Karl, 44, reportedly had a first surgery after his wedding, and 'a second operation in the last couple of weeks' the paper reports. Pictured with colleague Ben Fordham's baby son New delivery? Karl is hoping to start a family with wife Jasmine Yarbrough, 34, The Daily Telegraph has claimed. Jasmine is pictured with a friend's baby Five months later, he met his now-wife, shoe designer Jasmine, and after a whirlwind romance, Karl and Jasmine, who is ten years his junior, were engaged in early 2018. The host officially married the Mara & Mine designer Jasmine during a sunset ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, in December. A total of 187 guests were in attendance for the no-expense-spared four-day Mexican fiesta including a slew of famous faces. Finished: In 2010, Karl revealed he had a vasectomy following the birth of his three children, son Jackson, 19, daughter Ava, 13, and son River, 12, with then-wife Cassandra Thorburn (left). Karl and Cassandra split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage. Pictured here in 2011 Moving on! Five months later, he met his now-wife, shoe designer Jasmine (right), and after a whirlwind romance, Karl and Jasmine, who is ten years his junior, were engaged in early 2018 The former Today host reportedly told friends at his luxurious Mexican wedding with Jasmine that the pair were keen to have kids, The Daily Telegraph claims. 'Jasmine and I really want to start a family together,' Karl is alleged to have said to pals at the nuptials. Karl was axed from the Today show during his honeymoon with Jasmine, but will return to Channel Nine to host the 2019 season of This Time Next Year. Wed! Karl officially married the Mara & Mine designer Jasmine during a sunset ceremony in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, in December (pictured) Ready! 'Jasmine and I really want to start a family together,' Karl is alleged to have said to pals at the nuptials. The pair are pictured at their wedding celebrations Surgery recovery? The Daily Telegraph claims that Karl was 'walking like the Tin Man' following his second surgery while attending a friend's wedding in the south of France recently. The couple are pictured in a recent social media snap Jasmine and Karl have been laying low of late, spending time in Queensland in January and recently holidaying with friends in France. The Daily Telegraph claims that Karl was 'walking like the Tin Man' following his second surgery while attending a friend's wedding in the south of France recently. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Karl Stefanovic's representatives for comment. She has been in Spain filming her new summer collection with the clothing brand JYY London. Yet Katie Price took some time away from the camera to squeeze in some me-time as the bikini-clad beauty hung out at the bar, in Mallorca, Spain on Thursday. The mother-of-five, 40, struggled to contain her jaw-dropping cleavage in a tiny two-piece which was only made up of two minuscule squares held together by string. Jaw dropping! Katie Price showed off her eye-popping curves in a barely-there bikini and a mesh beaded dress as she topped up her tan in Mallorca on Thursday Under the rays of a warm 16 degrees, the former glamour model slid her surgically-enhanced curves into a pair of matching briefs with neat bows tied at each hip. As a leading lady in her own reality television series, it's no wonder the TV star modelled her curves in a dazzling beaded mesh dress worn over her raunchy bikini. Katie Price: My Crazy Life's biggest star elevated her height in platform open-toe sandals which were decorated with studs to complement her mesh dress. Rear-ly good look: Under the rays of a warm 16 degrees, the former glamour model slid her surgically-enhanced curves into a pair of matching briefs with neat bows tied at each hip Feeling hot, hot, hot: The glamorous businesswoman peeled off her sunglasses as she smoldered while she leaned against the bar Dazzling diva: As a leading lady in her own reality television series, it's no wonder the TV star modelled her curves in a dazzling beaded mesh dress worn over her raunchy bikini The glamorous businesswoman peeled off her sunglasses as she smoldered while she leaned against the bar. Katie maintained her immaculate appearance as she tidied her platinum locks in a straight style and she topped up her features with heavy make-up. She has had a busy start to April as prior to Mallorca the reality star holidayed with her beau Kris Boyson, 30, and her mum Amy, 67 Style queen: Katie maintained her immaculate appearance as she tidied her platinum locks in a straight style and she topped up her features with heavy make-up She's a natural: She took some time away from the camera to squeeze in some me-time as the bikini-clad beauty hung out at the bar Picture of summer: She has been in Spain filming her new summer collection with the clothing brand JYY London Ink-credible: The model displayed all of her inkings on her sensational figure The businesswoman took some time away from her mummy duties during her holiday in Ibiza with Kris and Amy. Now Katie has been making her mark on Mallorca where she has been modelling for a clothing range as well as topping up her glorious tan. Her children Bunny, four, and Jet, five, are currently holidaying with their dad, Katie's ex-husband Kieran Hayler, and his girlfriend Michelle Pentecost in Majorca. Days off! Katie has had a busy start to April as prior to Mallorca the reality star holidayed with her beau Kris Boyson, 30, and her mum Amy, 67 Chilled out: The businesswoman took some time away from her mummy duties during her holiday in Ibiza with Kris and Amy Model arrival: Now Katie has been making her mark on Mallorca where she has been modelling for a clothing range as well as topping up her glorious tan Princess, 11, and Junior, 13, were staying with their dad Peter Andre and his wife Emily MacDonagh as well as the couple's children. Meanwhile, she come under fire for leaving her eldest son Harvey, 16, at home with a 19-year-old nanny. It was previously reported Katie is advertising for a live-in nanny/housekeeper to start right away at her West Sussex home. Katie revealed she is not ready to take the next step with her toyboy beau Kris. Also on holiday: Her children Bunny, four, and Jet, five, are currently holidaying with their dad, Katie's ex-husband Kieran Hayler, and his girlfriend Michelle Pentecost in Majorca Awkward: Meanwhile, she come under fire for leaving her eldest son Harvey, 16, at home with a 19-year-old nanny She's capitalized on her reality television lifestyle and turned her focus toward a career in fashion. And Kristin Cavallari made sure to put her best face forward for a photo shoot on the subway in New York on Thursday afternoon. The 32-year-old star flaunted her figure in a cropped leather jacket and jeans as she posed as a model for her Uncommon James upcoming fall campaign. Cheese: Kristin Cavallari made sure to put her best face forward for a photo shoot on the subway in New York on Thursday afternoon Kristin's slender frame was on display in a tight white corset top with high-waisted jeans resting on top of her hips. She kept her shoulders covered with a cropped black leather jacket to match a pair of suede booties. The former MTV starlet accessorized with a few gold pendants and carried a light lavender purse by her side. Model behavior: The 32-year-old star flaunted her figure in a cropped leather jacket and jeans as she posed for her Uncommon James upcoming fall campaign Economic: Kristin's slender frame was on display in a tight white corset top with high-waisted jeans resting on top of her hips Cavallari wore her blonde tresses curly and partially tied back with long bangs framing her face. Earlier in the week, the mother-of-three posed topless in a pair of jeans while overlooking the New York skyline in a Instagram photo taken at The Williamsburg Hotel in Brooklyn. She launched her brand in 2017 with a focus on delicate jewelry and later expanded her line with a flagship store opening in Nashville, Tennessee. Skin is in: Earlier in the week, the mother-of-three posed topless in a pair of jeans while overlooking the New York skyline in a Instagram photo taken at The Williamsburg Hotel Babies: Kristin's big television break came in her junior year of high school when she starred on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County; seen in 2004 Kristin's big television break came in her junior year of high school when she starred on Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. She later had a role on The Hills and performed on Dancing With The Stars before finding a series on the E! network with her husband, Jay Cutler, in Very Cavallari. The fashionista revealed in 2014 that they 'didn't vaccinate' their first son Camden during an interview with FOX Business' The Independents. 'I read too many books about autism and the studies,' she said before adding that while she was vaccinated by her mother, 'vaccinations have changed over the years, theres more mercury and other [stuff]. She's busy filming her new movie, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. And Salma Hayek gave fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her character as she donned a plunging black leather catsuit and a blonde wig on Instagram on Friday. The actress, 52, looked sensational in the skintight outfit which perfectly hugged her enviable curves as she put on a steamy display for her adoring fans. Sensational: Salma Hayek, 52, gave fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her character as she donned a plunging black leather catsuit and a blonde wig on Instagram on Friday The mother-of-one shared a boomerang clip of herself in her costume, which she captioned 'have a nice weekend', as she rocked her hips from side to side. While another clip showed her spinning around and blowing a kiss to the camera. The Frida actress looked happy and confident as she paraded her toned body in the cheeky catsuit which featured a daring zip detail at the front. Fans of Salma quickly rushed to share their appreciation of the post, with the star receiving compliments such as 'beautiful' and 'bombshell'. Transformation: The actress (pictured in 2017) looked sensational in the skintight outfit which perfectly hugged her enviable curves as she put on a steamy display for her adoring fans One social media perfectly summed up the sentiments, simply writing: 'Always be yourself. Unless you can be Salma Hayek, then always be Salma Hayek.' The star is reprising her role as Sonia Kincaid in the hit movie - a sequel to the 2017 film The Hitman's Bodyguard - which also stars Samuel L Jackson, Ryan Reynolds and Morgan Freeman. The movie will also see the likes of Antonio Banderas, Tom Hopper and Richard E Grant appear. Saucy: The mother-of-one shared a boomerang clip of herself in her costume, which she captioned 'have a nice weekend', as she rocked her hips from side to side The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard is produced by Ryan Reynold's and is set for release in 2020. Meanwhile, Salma recently posted a gushing tribute to her billionaire husband's generosity after he pledged 100 million euros to rebuild the Notre Dame - as total donations reached a billion euros. The Hollywood actresses beau, Francois-Henri Pinault, pledged the enormous sum less than 24 hours after the fire devastated the Notre Dame. Fun times: The Frida actress looked happy and confident as she paraded her toned body in the cheeky catsuit which featured a daring zip detail at the front Supportive: Fans of Salma quickly rushed to share their appreciation of the post, with the star receiving compliments such as 'beautiful' and 'bombshell' Bernard Arnault of luxury goods group LVMH doubled the 100 million euros pledged by Mr Pinault, and other heavyweight donors include the Bettencourt family - owners of cosmetics giant L'Oreal - have given 200 million euros. Posting the snap with her husband and father-in-law on Wednesday, she said: 'Today more than ever I feel proud to be part of the Pinault family. 'Not only for their personal and heart felt participation in the reconstruction of Notre-Dame de Paris but also because their contribution wont be claiming any tax deductions from the government. 'My husband and father in law are two generous french citizens, who sincerely understand the importance of this spiritual, cultural and historical treasure from Paris to the world.' Teresa Giudice must be feeling nostalgic. The Real Housewives Of New Jersey star, 46, shared a sweet throwback Easter photo of her husband Joe and daughters Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10 with the caption: 'Joe with the girls decorating eggs, days like this I love having photos.' The posting comes as the family is dealing with the fallout from Joe's deportation appeal being denied on Thursday. Feeling nostalgic: Teresa Giudice, 46, shared a sweet throwback Easter photo of her husband Joe and daughters Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10; (pictured February) And Teresa and Joe's eldest daughter Gia, 18 - who was not pictured in the Easter photo - posted her own throwback photos as a tribute to her father. One snap showed a young Gia in a red sweater and matching bow as she hugged Joe with that caption: 'Pictures, memories, and hope is the only thing that has gotten my family this far. 'We are fighters but my father is someone who is one of the most important people in my life. not a day goes by where we dont love you, miss you, and fight for you with all our hearts. you will be home with us soon daddy. I love you so much.' The other photo set includes a pic of the entire family at Christmas and one of Gia as a toddler hugging a shirtless Joe. The caption is an impassioned plea for help to keep her father in the country. Photo love: : 'Joe with the girls decorating eggs, days like this I love having photos,' she captioned the snap Family affair: And Teresa and Joe's eldest daughter Gia, 18 - who was not pictured in the Easter photo - posted her own throwback photos as a tribute to her father 'WE need EVERYONES HELP PLEASE REPOST. How could we live and support a nation that Allows sex offenders and pedophiles to stay in the United States as long as we register them to a list knowing they could live next-door and harm again, yet they could take a man who committed a minor crime to support his family away from his family it makes me want to leave this country!' She then implores Donald Trump to 'intervene' as she supported him in the U.S. presidential election. '#donaldtrump do something intervene I voted for you because I support you and what you stand for And your strong belief to take a positive stance and make a change in this country aside from the fact that you supported your own campaign financially if you can do all of those things and all the things you have done I think you can make a motion to bring this man home back to his family instead of sending him to a country that he has no ties to besides his cultural background please help' The important things: 'Pictures, memories, and hope is the only thing that has gotten my family this far. We are fighters but my father is someone who is one of the most important people in my life,' Gia captioned the photo Joe began his fight against his deportation order six months prior. But the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has denied his appeal, according to E! News. James J. Leonard, Jr., the Giudice family attorney, said in a statement on Thursday to Dailymail.com: 'We are extremely disappointed that the Board Of Immigration Appeals has denied Mr. Giudices appeal.' 'We have filed a stay with the Third Circuit Court Of Appeals and will continue to fight to keep Mr. Giudice in the United States, the only country he knows, and reunite him with his wife and four daughters.' The 46-year-old TV star has one chance left at avoiding deportation to Italy, the website revealed. E! News' source said: 'The Board Of Immigration Appeals ruled against Joe in an April 6 decision.' However, his team of lawyers have already filed a petition for the federal court to review the appeal, the website reported, adding that the entire process is 'done entirely by mail.' If the court refuses to review it, then Joe will be 'deported' to Italy, E!'s insider revealed. Joe was released in March 2019 from an almost three year stint in prison into the custody of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Teresa was in prison for 11 months on charges of mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud charges; she was released in December 2015. He began his sentence for the same crimes three months later, according to People. A judge ruled on October 10 that he must be deported; his lawyers filed paperwork within the 30 day time period (on November 10) to appeal the order. He remains friends with ex wife Jennifer Aniston despite the pair calling an end to their relationship in 2017. And Justin Theroux appears to be enjoying single life as he looked close with a mystery brunette woman on the streets of New York City on Thursday. The actor, 47, donned white jeans and an yellow bomber jacket as he strolled and laughed following a late dinner. Mystery: Justin Theroux appears to be enjoying single life as he looked close with a mystery brunette on the streets of New York City on Thursday Wearing sand-coloured desert boots, he complete his suave look with a black belt and flashy watch. His mystery friend opted for a monochrome outfit with dark skinny jeans, black boots and a cropped T-shirt that teased a glimpse of midriff. And the pair appeared to be enjoying one another's company as they appeared deep in conversation. MailOnline has contacted Justin's representatives for comment. Justin recently became involved in a dispute with his New York neighbours who live in an apartment below him, according to Page Six. Looking close: Wearing sand-coloured desert boots, he completef the look with a black belt and flashy watch The Leftovers star said in documents submitted to a Manhattan civil court that he's seen and heard alarming things coming from his downstairs neighbours - an attorney named Norman Resnicow and his wife Barbara - that point to domestic violence. 'Because my apartment is directly above the Resnicows' apartment, I have had the misfortune over the years of personally overhearing Mr Resnicow frequently scream at and berate Mrs Resnicow, with some of those instances resulting in calls to 911,' The Girl on the Train actor said. Justin told the court he contacted the authorities Feb. 10 after hearing Mr Resnicow shouting at his wife. Building officials subsequently witnessed Barbara with a black eye days later, the actor said. Close friends: It comes as the former lover of Jennifer took to Instagram to wish her all the best on her recent 50th birthday It comes as the former lover of Jennifer took to Instagram to wish her all the best on her recent 50th birthday. 'Happy Birthday to this fierce Woman,' he wrote, sharing a black and white image of Jennifer holding a set of bull horns over her head. The Leftovers star continued: 'Fiercely loving. Fiercely kind. ....and fiercely funny. you B.' The couple were married for two years, splitting in 2017. There's a first time for everything. And Chad Michael Murray revealed on Busy Tonight that he made out with Jamie Lee Curtis on the set of Freaky Friday in 2003. The 37-year-old actor told host Busy Philipps that his co-star Lindsay Lohan was nervous about sharing her first kiss, and Jamie stepped in to show the youngsters how it's supposed to be done. Locked lips: Chad Michael Murray revealed on Busy Tonight that he made out with Jamie Lee Curtis on the set of Freaky Friday in 2003 'I was Lindsay Lohan's first kiss and Jamie Lee Curtis was there,' he recalled of the experience from filming in 2003. 'She was trying to kinda settle the situation because Lindsay's nerves were a little, you know, all over the place. As you would assume, right? Your first kiss, you're like 16 years old. 'So we go and sit in Jamie's trailer and she's talking to Lindsay like, "Just kiss him. Come on just give him a pop kiss. It's no big deal. Let's break the ice now." And she grabs me by the back of the head and makes out with me,' he told Busy. Shocked: The 37-year-old actor told host Busy Philipps that his co-star Lindsay Lohan was nervous about sharing her first kiss, and Jamie stepped in to show the youngsters how it's supposed to be done 'She was trying to kinda settle the situation because Lindsay's nerves were a little, you know, all over the place,' he said. 'As you would assume, right? Your first kiss, you're like 16 years old' The Riverdale star was caught up in the moment before he realized who he had just locked lips with. 'Dude, I just made out with Jamie Lee Curtis,' he realized, while Busy chimed in: 'That is really wild. I like that story!' Chad starred as Lindsay's romantic interest Jake in the 2003 film remake where Lohan and Curtis portrayed a mother-daughter duo who switched bodies after receiving an ominous fortune at a Chinese restaurant. 'So we go and sit in Jamie's trailer and she's talking to Lindsay like, "Just kiss him. Come on just give him a pop kiss. It's no big deal. Let's break the ice now." Legend: The Riverdale star was caught up in the moment before he realized who he had just locked lips with: Jamie seen in April at the CinemaCon Awards Freaky Friday: Lohan and Curtis portrayed a mother-daughter duo who switched bodies after receiving an ominous fortune at a Chinese restaurant The hit movie was only Lindsay's second starring role after she first graced screens in the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap. Philipps had fond memories of Murray in her memoir This Will Only Hurt A Little, where she recalled a time when the former One Tree Hill star jumped in to help after she had dislocated her knee while they worked on set of Dawson's Creek. 'Chad Michael Murray sat with me while I laughed about what a f***ing dumb idiot I was,' she wrote. 'I tried calling Michelle Williams, but she didn't answer. And Chad Michael Murray, who you judged as a d*****bag, will stay the whole time and hold your f***ing hand.' It's the latest remake of a Disney classic from the iconic animation studio. And director Jon Favreau has promised fans that the film will not be shot-for-shot the same as the 1994 original, as they intend to approach the story 'in a different way'. Speaking to USA Today on Friday, the Iron Man director said: 'The original holds up incredibly well, so the challenge here was to tell a story in a different way but still deliver on people's expectations while surprising them somehow.' Similar, but different: The Lion King remake won't be exactly the same as the 1994 animated classic as director Jon Favreau promised on Friday that it will tell the story 'in a different way' While Favreau attested that there will be some differences in the live-action remake, the haunting new trailer for the film proved to be quite similar to the Disney classic. Both the live action and cartoon follows young lion Simba, who is set to follow in his father Mufasa's footsteps and become the King of the Pride Lands. However, after his father is killed at the hands of his uncle Scar, Simba is convinced he is at fault and flees into exile, only returning as an adult to challenge the villain for his rightful place as King. Plans: Speaking to USA Today, the Iron Man director said: 'The original holds up incredibly well, so the challenge here was to tell a story in a different way but still deliver' Recreated in spectacular CGI, the live-action uses the same motion-capture technology that was used to bring the animals in Favreau's 2016 adaptation of The Jungle Book to life. It sees Donald Glover take on the lead role of Simba, while Beyonce plays his love interest Nala, and Zazu will be portrayed by John Oliver. The malevolent Scar will be played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, after previously being voiced by Jeremy Irons in the animation. While the adaptation does boast an impressive new cast, James Earl Jones returns to voice his same role from the 1994 animated classic, King Mufasa. Iconic: It follows young lion Simba, who is set to follow in his father Mufasa's footsteps and become the King of the Pride Lands, until the former is killed by his brother Scar Villainous: The malevolent Scar will be portrayed by Chiwetel Ejiofor, after previously being voiced by Jeremy Irons in the animation (right) Disney has set a July 19, 2019 release date for The Lion King, which is currently the only movie slated for release on that date. The Lion King is one of 10 movies Disney has slated for release in 2019, which could be the studio's biggest year to date. Other Disney movies opening next year include Dumbo (March 29), Avengers 4 (May 3, 2019), Toy Story 4 (June 21, 2019) and Star Wars 9 (December 20, 2019). Michelle Williams has split from her husband Phil Elverum after less than a year of marriage. The 38-year-old and 40-year-old indie rock separated at the beginning of the year mere months after they wed in secret ceremony last summer. A source told People magazine: 'It was an amicable split and they remain friends.' Split: Michelle Williams has split from her husband Phil Elverum, pictured here in New York in October last year Michelle stepped out on Thursday night for the Fosse/Verdon screening looking noticeably somber and without her wedding ring. Phil, of the indie rock groups The Microphones and Mount Eerie, was previously married to Canadian musician Genevieve Castree for 13 years before she died from inoperable pancreatic cancer in 2016. The Blue Valentine actress exchanged vows in a top secret ceremony witnessed by a handful of friends in the Adirondack Mountains, she told Vanity Fair. Sad: Michelle stepped out on Thursday night for the Fosse/Verdon screening looking noticeably somber and without her wedding ring Over: Phil, of the indie rock groups The Microphones and Mount Eerie, was previously married to Canadian musician Genevieve Castree for 13 years before she died from inoperable pancreatic cancer in 2016 Both their daughters were present; she has a 12-year-old daughter Matilda from her relationship with the late Heath Ledger and he has a 3-year-old daughter from his first marriage. 'I never gave up on love. I always say to Matilda, "Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes,"' she said in the article which was released in July. Michelle is heavily guarded about her privacy and has rarely spoken about her personal life, including her three-year romance with Ledger. 'Obviously I've never once in my life talked about a relationship,' she said. 'But Phil isn't anyone else. And that's worth something. Quiet: Michelle is heavily guarded about her privacy and has rarely spoken about her personal life, including her three-year romance with Ledger; seen in 2006 'Ultimately the way he loves me is the way I want to live my life on the whole. I work to be free inside of the moment. I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself, and I am finally loved by someone who makes me feel free.' She admitted that it's difficult discussing Heath more than ten years after he died of cardiac arrest from an accidental overdose. 'I don't really want to talk about any of it,' she said. 'But there's that tease, that lure, that's like, 'What if this helps somebody? What if somebody who has always journeyed in this way, who has struggled as much as I struggled, and looked as much as I looked, finds something that helps them?' 'Don't settle. Don't settle for something that feels like a prison, or is hard, or hurts you. If it doesn't feel like love, it's not love.' She is currently in Barbados attending a fashion show for her swimwear brand. And Lady Victoria Hervey proved she is her company's own best advert, as she modelled her latest bikini design during an outing at the beach on Friday. The socialite, 42, looked stunning in a black bikini which showcased her slender figure and toned legs as she enjoyed a stroll along the shoreline. Stunning: Lady Victoria Hervey, 42, looked stylish in a black bikini and a TINY lace scuba skirt during sun-soaked Barbados break Her blonde locks were pulled back into a sleek ponytail, and she gave her look a pop of colour by accessorising with a red sun visor hat. The beauty's black strappy-style bikini top and bottoms ensured she could showcase her bronzed physique, while she covered up in a lace scuba skirt. Lady Victoria was keen to show off her adventurous side as well, as she felt the wind in her hair while whizzing around on a jet-ski in the ocean. Victoria accessorised with a gold pendent necklace and a selection of beaded bracelets around her wrists as well as dainty anklet. Daredevil: Lady Victoria was keen to show off her adventurous side as well, as she felt the wind in her hair while whizzing around on a jet-ski in the ocean Stylish: The beauty's black strappy-style bikini top and bottoms ensured she could showcase her bronzed physique, while she covered up in a lace scuba skirt Attention to detail: The former 'it girl' added a glittering touch by wearing a pendant necklace Speeding around: Lady Victoria whizzed around on her jet-ski The holiday comes as the model revealed to The Mail On Sunday last January that she has frozen her eggs in a fertility clinic, costing her 11,000, as she hopes to have a child before she is 45. She explained at the time: 'I had six eggs removed from my ovaries and frozen in a fertility clinic. At the end of this month, I intend to go through the exhausting procedure again in the hope that I will produce another half-dozen or so eggs... 'It will, I hope, fill what has become rather a hole in my life.' Relaxed: Lady Victoria enjoyed a relaxing stroll along the beach Time for a dip: The model stepped into the ocean so she could enjoy a quick swim Fun in the sun: Lady Victoria seemed to be enjoying herself while out on the jet-ski Finishing touches: Victoria accessorised with a selection of beaded bracelets around her wrists as well as dainty anklet Beach babe: Lady Victoria looked stunning as she glided through the ocean Looking good: Lady Victoria showed off her svelte physique in the outfit Victoria confessed that she would like 'two children' and turned to freezing her eggs - a decision prompted by Stacey Solomon, whom she met while competing on The Jump in 2015 - following her fears she has 'left it too late' to become a mother. Explaining that she wants the 'emotional aspect' of a relationship, rather than favouring a sperm donor, Victoria added: 'I'm hoping science might be able to stop the clock until I find the right man to be a father to my babies. 'A major part of the problem is that I'm still single. Despite some intense relationships in my early 20s, they all fizzled out eventually.' 'I do have a back-up plan if my Prince Charming doesnt materialise,' Victoria claimed. 'Ive got friends whove said theyd be prepared to father my child, and Im considering that option very seriously.' Strut: Lady Victoria used the ocean as her own personal catwalk Having fun: Lady Victoria seemed to be having a great day out at the beach Getting ready: The stunner chatted away with a member of staff before using the jet-ski Up we go: Lady Victoria took a big step up onto the motorboat Helping hand: Lady Victoria was given a helping hand onto the jet-ski He's carved out a successful film and stage career spanning over 30 years. But Ralph Fiennes was honoured for his work behind the camera as he received the Konstantin Stanislavski Award during a screening of his film The White Crow at Moscow's Karo 11 Oktyabr Cinema on Friday. The Oscar nominated actor, 56, looked emotional as he accepted the accolade, with the star seemingly holding back the tears. Honoured: Ralph Fiennes received the Konstantin Stanislavski Award during a screening of his film The White Crow at Moscow's Karo 11 Oktyabr Cinema on Friday Ralph was in the Russian capital as part of the 41st Moscow International Film Festival, where the drama he directed was shown to audiences. The Kingsman actor looked suave in a black pinstripe suite, which he teamed with a salmon shirt and monochrome polka dot tie. Clearly overwhelmed with the honour, he emotionally blew a kiss to the crowd as he clutched his award tightly. The award recognises outstanding achievements in the acting field and devotion to the principles of Stanislavski's school. At the same event, the film director also attended a press conference in which he discussed his film The White Crow, which details the early life of top Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev. Touched: The Oscar nominated actor, 56, looked emotional as he accepted the accolade, with the star seemingly holding back the tears Winner: Ralph was in the Russian capital as part of the 41st Moscow International Film Festival, where the drama he directed was shown to audiences The biopic, which is set for release on April 26, also explores Nureyev grappling with his sexuality, his years studying dance at St. Petersburg and his choice to deflect to the West in 1961. The actor, who famously portrays Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, looked happy and relaxed as he was joined by actors Ravshana Kurkova and Alexei Morozov on the panel. Meanwhile, it was recently revealed that Ralph gave ballet dancer and the film's star Oleg Ivenko - who portrays Nureyev - an acting masterless. Work: At the same event, the film director also attended a press conference in which he discussed his film The White Crow Work: At the same event, the film director also attended a press conference in which he discussed his film The White Crow He told Wenn: 'I felt he had a latent acting ability and he is a strong ballet dancer, who has a physical proximity to Rudolf Nureyev. I pushed him to understand the best screen acting is rooted in being really present and in the moment. Youre reacting and listening, so the thing to get him to feel is, 'Dont show me youre angry or shy or irritated or whatever; just feel it, be it. Have it inside' He continued: 'It sounds quite simple, but its hard to be really present, and the beauty of his work is that he is very present. It's an uncluttered performance. He was very generous and allowed me to steer him a bit, but he has a real pure screen acting instinct. Smile: The actor, who portrays Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, looked happy and relaxed as he was joined by actors Ravshana Kurkova and Alexei Morozov on the panel 'In the end, I felt we were comfortable with each other quite quickly and there was a good working relationship.' Ralph's award comes months after he received the European Achievement in World Cinema award at the 31st European Film Awards in Seville, Spain in December. There, he gave a moving, politically charged speech as he asked filmmakers to continue to 'celebrate our differences'. He was born on April 4 and quickly amassed a huge Instagram following. And Gordon Ramsay's son Oscar looked adorable in a new snap shared to his social media account on Friday, as the adorable tot turned two weeks old. The cute newborn put on a sweet display as he rested on his mother Tana's chest and enjoyed a nap, after his first outing at the beach. Adorable: Gordon Ramsay's newborn son Oscar looked sweet as he relaxed on mum Tana after his first day at the beach... as the chef's baby boy turns two weeks old Oscar slept peacefully as Tana cradled him in her arms, and he looked sweet in a star-spangled onesie that was sure to keep him warm. Tana also looked relaxed as she looked towards the camera for the snap, and she shielded her eyes from the brilliant summer sun by wearing a stylish pair of shades. The baby 'wrote' in the playful caption: 'Mummy took me to the beach for the first time today!! I loved it.' Happy family: Gordon and Tana, who are now doting parents to five children, welcomed newborn Oscar on April 4 at 12:58 Three-Michelin-stars! The baby's Instagram account also shared a snap of the baby following in his famous chef father's shoes as he 'dressed for dinner' last week The baby's Instagram account, which has now amassed 36, 800 followers, shared a snap of the baby following in his famous chef father's shoes as he 'dressed for dinner' last week. Oscar wore a white babygrow with a matching bib which had three-Michelin-stars on it, as a nod to his father's Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, in Chelsea, which has the triple graded accolade, it was captioned: 'Look whats just arrived ! Dressed for dinner.' Gordon, 52, and Tana, 44, who are now doting parents to five children, welcomed newborn Oscar on Thursday, April 4 at 12:58. Big sister duties: While a different picture saw the newborn holding onto his big sister Matilda's, nicknamed Tilly, hand as he's 'not a massive fan of car rides' Baby boy: The snaps come after the adorable newborn had his first ever photoshoot before even leaving the hospital in a sweet video shared to his Instagram account on Saturday The new Instagram snaps come after the adorable newborn had his first ever photoshoot before even leaving the hospital in a sweet video shared to his Instagram account on Saturday. The chef's children also paid a sweet tribute to their new baby brother as twins Jack and Holly shared beautiful snaps with the newborn. Jack, 19, was a proud older brother as he cradled newborn Oscar and planted a sweet kiss on his head in two adorable photos. Holly also shared a beautiful photo cradling Oscar, with another black and white snap of her holding Oscar's tiny hand. New arrival: Gordon's children paid a sweet tribute to their new baby brother as twins Jack (above) and Holly shared beautiful snaps with the newborn Cute: Jack's twin Holly said she 'loved Oscar so much' in her adorable post as she cradled the newborn She wrote: 'Welcome to the world baby Oscar James I love you so so much already and thank you for the happiness you have bought us all xx.' This comes after Gordon and Tana announced the arrival of their fifth child on Thursday - with the television chef, 52, sharing two snaps on social media, writing: 'After 3 BAFTAs and one Emmy... finally we have won an Oscar. 'Please welcome Oscar James Ramsay, who touched down at 12:58 today for some lunch! Xxx.' (sic) The news came just three months after Tana, 44, confirmed her pregnancy. She had broken the news in a celebratory Instagram video posted from the family home in south London on New Year's Day. Kim Kardashian stopped for gas on her way to sister Kourtney's 40th birthday bash. And the reality star certainly had engines revving as she strolled across a gas station forecourt in Los Angeles on Thursday night. With camera-ready hair and makeup the 38-year-old looked incredible in her slightly sheer Versace number which grazed her thighs. Leggy lady: Kim Kardashian looked flawless as she strolled across a gas station forecourt on her way to Kourtney's birthday bash Cheeky: Kim strut her stuff in lace-up heels while the lights shining on her figure highlighted her curves in all the right places. Kim strut her stuff in lace-up heels while the lights shining on her figure highlighted her curves in all the right places. Her locks flowed in immaculate waves so she didn't seem to mind being photographed as she stopped briefly en route to Hidden Hills. The aspiring lawyer was picture-perfect with her flawless complexion enhanced with an appropriately glamorous make-up look. The reality star took to Instagram to shared pictures of all the details on the night, including her reunion with her pal, and former boss, Paris Hilton, 38. Just stopping by: Kim, 38, made a graceful exit from her car but appeared to have forgotten her purse Designer darling: Kim's Versace number skimmed her thighs and she showed off lots of cleavage Strike a pose: Kim, 38, ensured she looked incredible for her sister Kourtney's 40th birthday bash Reunited: The reality star took to Instagram to shared pictures of all the details on the night, including her reunion with her pal, and former boss, Paris Hilton, 38 Glam: Kim teamed her sexy short sparkly mini dress in black with strappy sandals which tied up her legs Her old friend Paris looked equally glam in an all-black ensemble, which she teamed with a pair of grey fingerless gloves. Kim famously started her career as Paris' unofficial assistant in the early 2000s, before eventually eclipsing the fame of her on-off friend. But Kim has denied she was ever an assistant to the star, despite carrying out assistant-related tasks. 'I would work with Paris, and I would love to organise and clean out their closets and... shop for her. That was my job,' Kim told Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in May 2017. 'But people will say "assistant". They always have it wrong.' Pretty: The aspiring lawyer was picture-perfect with her flawless complexion enhanced with an appropriately glamorous make-up look Fun times: Kim took to her Instagram Stories to share a video of herself dancing with Paris, who had a broken pair of party glasses on her face Kim took to her Instagram Stories during Kourtney's birthday bash to share a video of herself dancing with Paris, who had a broken pair of party glasses on her face. The pair posed up a storm, before Kim instructed her blonde BFF to take off the broken shades. Kim popped upstairs to take some selfies and a video clip of her look as she paced along the hallway, with daughter North, five, following close behind. At the end of the night, Kim posted images of her dress for the evening on the 1997 Versace runway. She added: 'I'm going to start posting the inspo pics so I always give props to where I got to looks from. @versace runway 1997.' Vanessa Hudgens has found a buyer for her Studio City, California home, just two months after putting it on the market. The 30-year-old actress sold her home for $3.2 million, down 20% from her original asking price of $3.9 million, according to Variety. While she did sell the home at a discount, she still carved out a small profit, since she purchased the home for $2.75 million 11 years ago. She was just 19 at the time, but flush with cash thanks to her High School Musical paychecks. Sold: Vanessa Hudgens has sold her Studio City, California home for $3.2 million Former home: While she did sell the home at a discount, she still carved out a small profit, since she purchased the home for $2.75 million 11 years ago The three-story Mediterranean home spanning 5,200 square feet sits atop a street-level three-car garage, with six bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms. The home features an elevated porch and foyer that leads into the formal living and dining rooms, which are separated by a fireplace. Both rooms have access to the backyard, with the state of the art kitchen leading to the dining room and then to the family room with a fireplace and media equipment. Former home: The three-story Mediterranean home spanning 5,200 square feet sits atop a street-level three-car garage, with six bedrooms and six and a half bathrooms Hudgens revealed in an interview with InStyle Magazine that after she bought her home with her High School Musical money, she was spending recklessly. 'I bought my home when I was 19 years old. Youre starting from scratch you have to get curtains, you have to get furniture, you have to buy all of that stuff,' she said. 'And my mom reminded me how much money I spent on curtains in my house, and I was like, "Why would you let me spend that much money on curtains?!"'' she added. 'Stuff like that I think I splurged on because I didnt really know how hard you have to work to make sure that you have an income. I mean, I used to buy Louis Vuitton bags all the time, and it was kind of a mess,' she said. Dining room: The home features an elevated porch and foyer that leads into the formal living and dining rooms, which are separated by a fireplace The staircase leading to the second level is a mixture of wrought iron and wood, with the second level featuring an 'office/den convertible to a bedroom' The second floor also features a number of other guest bedrooms, each featuring a custom-tiled bathroom with balcony access. There is also a 'two-way fireplace divides a small sitting room from a larger bedroom in the master suite that spills out to a private loggia.' Staircase: The staircase leading to the second level is a mixture of wrought iron and wood, with the second level featuring an 'office/den convertible to a bedroom Second floor: The second floor also features a number of other guest bedrooms, each featuring a custom-tiled bathroom with balcony access Fireplace: There is also a 'two-way fireplace divides a small sitting room from a larger bedroom in the master suite that spills out to a private loggia' Other amenities of this home include a, 'black-walled home theater with wide-screen projection system.' There is also a 'hidden panic room' along with a 'terraced backyard is notched into the steep hillside.' The backyard features a few covered patios, plus a built-in barbecue and a waterfall-fed swimming pool and spa. Backyard: There is also a 'hidden panic room' along with a 'terraced backyard is notched into the steep hillside' Pool: The backyard features a few covered patios, plus a built-in barbecue and a waterfall-fed swimming pool and spa Hudgens is coming off playing Maureen Johnson on Fox's Rent: Live musical even, and she also stars in the Netflix film Polar that debuted in January. She recently wrapped production on the upcoming action sequel Bad Boys For Life, which is set for release in January 2020. She has been dating boyfriend Austin Butler since 2011. New roles: Hudgens is coming off playing Maureen Johnson on Fox's Rent: Live musical even, and she also stars in the Netflix film Polar that debuted in January Coming soon: She recently wrapped production on the upcoming action sequel Bad Boys For Life, which is set for release in January 2020 She is a successful TV presenter known for her chic sense of style And Laura Whitmore didn't disappoint as she arrived at The Late, Late Show in Dublin on Friday. The TV star, 33, looked impossibly chic as she slipped into a sleek tailored suit which revealed her lithe frame. Chic: Laura Whitmore didn't disappoint as she arrived at The Late, Late Show in Dublin on Friday The star donned a crisp white blouse paired with a black neck tie for her stylish evening look. She slipped on an elegant black blazer paired with matching cigarette pants. The beauty boosted her height with a pair of black patent leather heels. Wow: The TV star, 33, looked impossibly chic as she slipped into a sleek tailored suit which revealed her lithe frame Elegant: Her caramel tresses were styled in soft waves while her pretty features were enhanced with a rich palette of make-up Her caramel tresses were styled in soft waves while her pretty features were enhanced with a rich palette of make-up. Laura's appearance comes after she turned up the heat wearing almost nothing in her latest Instagram post, on Tuesday. The star dared to go topless as she enjoyed soaking in the hot tub. Next to nothing! TV presenter Laura Whitmore has turned up the heat by going topless in the hot tub, on Tuesday In the image, captured by boyfriend Iain Stirling, she wore a pair of bikini bottoms and posed with her back turned away for the camera. 'Until I get a towel I'm pretty much trapped in here,' she joked in the caption. Earlier, Laura took to her Instagram Story to post a clip of herself and Iain treating themselves to a glass of champagne each at the Chewton Glen in Hampshire. 'Until I get a towel I'm pretty much trapped in here,' she joked in the caption the image, captured by boyfriend Iain Stirling (left) Bubbly! Earlier, Laura took to her Instagram Story to post a clip of herself and Iain treating themselves to a glass of champagne each at the unknown resort She later took shared a clip showing off their luxurious suite, featuring beautiful views of a forest, a well decorated living room and a spacious bathroom. The blonde beauty also had some fun with her beau, aiming grapes into his mouth but was unsuccessful. Laura and Iain's romantic trip away comes after The Sun revealed they were preparing buy a house together after a year of dating hinting their relationship was becoming more serious. Ready, aim, fire: The blonde beauty also had some fun with her beau, aiming grapes into his mouth but was unsuccessful A source told the publication: 'Because of their busy jobs they don't get to spend a lot of time together but this will mean they will see a lot more of each other. 'They are very steady as a couple and it is the natural next step.' The couple met in 2016 but things did not heat up between the two until the following summer when Iain gushed about his girlfriend in March last year. The Iraqi city of Mosul was the de facto capital of the Islamic State group until government forces seized it back from the jihadists in July 2017 Iraqi officers at a detention facility in the onetime jihadist stronghold of Mosul have continued to torture detainees despite rights defenders' efforts to intervene, Human Rights Watch said Thursday. HRW documented new torture allegations early this year at the Faisaliya prison in northern Iraq, around six months after publishing a report on what it said were "chilling" abuses there and in two nearby facilities. The rights group said it had reached out about last year's allegations to the Iraqi premier's office, the foreign ministry and the interior ministry, without response. "If the Iraqi government ignores credible reports of torture, it's no wonder that the abuses persist," said Lama Fakih, HRW's deputy Middle East director. "What will it take for the authorities to take torture allegations seriously?" The new reports come from a detainee held in Faisaliya in early 2019. He described guards beating groups of naked detainees on their feet with plastic piping until they confessed to being affiliated with the Islamic State jihadist group. The prisoner said guards also waterboarded detainees and suspended them from the ceiling with their hands tied behind their backs. Faisaliya is located in eastern Mosul, the battered Iraqi city that was IS's de facto capital for three years before security forces recaptured it in late 2017. Iraq has since tried thousands of its own citizens, as well as hundreds of foreigners, for affiliation to IS. But rights groups including HRW say the accused are often detained on lofty or circumstantial evidence, their trials do not guarantee due process, and that torture is widespread in Iraq's prison system. In its Thursday release, HRW said Iraqi judges had "routinely failed" to investigate credible reports of torture in detention. Earlier this month, it said, Iraq's High Judicial Council told HRW that Iraqi courts had investigated 275 complaints against investigative officers by the end of 2018. The council said 176 had been "resolved," without providing details of the outcome, while 99 were still being addressed. Forces loyal to Libya's unity government take up positions south of Tripoli to block an advance by fighters from Khalifa Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army A British bid at the UN Security Council to demand a ceasefire in Libya faced opposition Thursday from Russia and the United States, raising doubts about prospects for a draft resolution to halt the bloodshed in Tripoli, diplomats said. Britain put forward the measure after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive on April 4 to seize Tripoli, a move that threatened to plunge the north African country into deep turmoil. During a closed-door council meeting on Thursday, Russia again insisted that there be no references in the draft resolution criticizing Haftar while the United States appealed for more time to weigh its options, diplomats said. The divisions among world powers deepened as fighting escalated in Tripoli, with the death toll now reaching over 200, while more than 25,000 people have been driven from their homes. "We want to have this resolution," German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen told reporters after the meeting. "We want to have a strong resolution... with a united council - everybody behind it - that says who is responsible and what needs to be done." "Not having this now is something that is frustrating," he added. British Ambassador Karen Pierce said efforts would continue to reach a consensus next week. UN diplomats however raised doubts over whether the council would be able to agree a text, with the US reluctance to take action throwing a new spanner in the works. There was speculation that President Donald Trump's administration may be consulting Egypt, a strong Haftar ally, and other players in the region, or with the Libyan leaders themselves, on how to address the crisis. The council heard a briefing by video link from Tripoli by UN envoy Ghassan Salame, who raised concerns about the escalation in fighting and weapons flows to Libya. Haftar, seen by his allies Egypt and the United Arab Emirates as a bulwark against Islamists, has declared he wants to seize the capital, now controlled by a UN-recognized government and an array of militias. The military commander backs a rival administration based in eastern Libya that is refusing to recognize the authority of the Tripoli government. Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October Turkey has arrested two men suspected of spying for the United Arab Emirates and is probing if they are tied to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder, Anadolu state news agency said on Friday. The two were detained as part of an investigation by Istanbul prosecutors into alleged spying by the Gulf state, Anadolu reported. It was not clear when they were arrested. A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered. After first denying the murder, Saudi Arabia later said rogue agents had carried out the operation. A trial of 11 suspects opened earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. Much of the case remains unclear, including the role of Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman. Turkey has delicate relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of the Arab states that imposed a blockade on Qatar, one of Ankara's close allies. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said he would keep investigating Khashoggi's death and has criticised the lack of cooperation from Riyadh. Democratic presidential candidate Jay Inslee wants his party to scrap any thoughts of impeaching President Donald Trump and instead focus on voting him out of office. "We should have a dramatic, engaged, concerted, energetic and successful effort in November 2020 to make Donald Trump a blip in history," Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said during a CNN town hall Wednesday. He said damning details still could emerge about Trump's 2016 campaign and business dealings but added that a Republican-led Senate would never remove the president. Inslee, an underdog in the crowded 2020 Democratic field, faces pressure to raise his profile in a campaign dominated by other better-known figures such as former Texas congressman Beto O'Rourke and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Inslee, 68, used the spotlight to emphasize his focus on combating climate change while noting his record as a liberal governor and his generally sunny approach to politics - a package that, he argued, makes him an ideal foil to the Republican president. "I believe that I'm a perfect matchup against him because I'm a very optimistic person, and he's a very pessimistic person," Inslee said. "I believe in the ability of America to do big things. He thinks he wants to crawl down and just put a wall around us." Democratic presidential candidate Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, speaks during the We the People Membership Summit, featuring the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, at the Warner Theater, in Washington, Monday, April 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Inslee praised his fellow Democrats for pushing the Green New Deal, but he carefully avoided an absolute endorsement of specific provisions in the resolution that envisions reordering the U.S. economy to make the nation carbon neutral in a decade. Inslee offered a timeline that would "decarbonize our entire economy in the next several decades." A former congressman, Inslee said in response to a question that he regrets voting for a 1994 crime bill that he now sees as exacerbating the mass incarceration of poor and nonwhite Americans, especially young black men. "If I knew then what I know now, I would not have cast that vote," he said. But Inslee also touted his vote in the same Congress for a ban on certain military-style weapons. He said that helped cost him his seat in a GOP-leaning central Washington district. "I have never regretted that vote," Inslee said, "because I do not believe that any congressman's or politician's seat is more important than any child's life." And he noted that after initially opposing Washington state's move to legalize marijuana, he now realizes that fears of rising crime and rampant use were overblown. He has since pardoned about 3,000 nonviolent marijuana offenders and said he wants the drug legalized nationally. About six weeks into his campaign, Inslee acknowledged the stakes he faces as the contest shifts into the next phase. He tacitly admitted he's yet to reach the grassroots fundraising threshold that would qualify him for the Democratic National Committee's June and July debates - key opportunities for longshot candidates to gain attention and catch fire. Inslee will follow his appearance with a multiday campaign swing through Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, three of the first four states to cast caucus and primary ballots next winter. ___ Follow Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP . ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Former left-wing revolutionary Judith Clark was granted parole Wednesday after serving more than 37 years behind bars for her role as getaway driver in a 1981 Brink's armored truck robbery that left two police officers and a security guard dead. "You were wrong. Your behavior was criminal. Your callous disregard for the wellbeing of some, in favor of others, is a disgrace," the parole board wrote in its letter delivered to Clark. "However, this release decision is granted in keeping with applicable factors" including her age, the length of time served, her apologies to victims, her disavowal of radical principles and her accomplishments in prison. Clark was seen by supporters as a symbol of the need for clemency if the prison system was to live up to its ideals as an institution of rehabilitation rather than retribution. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised Clark's behavior as a model prisoner when he commuted her 75-years-to-life sentence in 2016 to make her eligible for parole. The 69-year-old inmate has earned a master's degree, trained service dogs, founded an AIDS education program and counseled mothers behind bars during her time in prison. "We are grateful that the Parole Board affirmed what everyone who has interacted with Judy already knows - that she is a rehabilitated, remorseful woman who poses no threat to society," said Michael Cardozo, who represents Clark pro bono as co-counsel with Steve Zeidman. Clark is supposed to be released from Bedford Hills Correctional Facility by May 15, Zeidman said, adding "We hope it's much sooner." She plans to live with a friend in New York City and take a job with Hour Children, an organization that helps incarcerated women and their children rejoin the community. In this undated photo provided by Puppies Behind Bars, former Weather Underground member Judith Clark poses for a photo with one of the service dogs that she trained at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility in Bedford, N.Y. Supporters of Clark, a former radical activist who has served more than 36 years of a life sentence for her role in a deadly 1981 Brink's armored car heist, have asked a state panel to grant parole, saying she meets every legal and social test of rehabilitation. (Amelia Evans/Puppies Behind Bars via AP) "My great hope is that the Parole Board continues to honor the work people do to transform their lives while in prison and lets more families' loved ones come home," said Clark's daughter, Harriet Clark, in a prepared statement. At her April 3 parole hearing, Clark presented support statements from more than 2,000 people. They included former Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, 11 members of New York's congressional delegation and Elaine Lord, a former superintendent of Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. A letter signed by more than 70 elected officials said the correctional system exists for rehabilitation as well as punishment. But some law enforcement officials and families of victims opposed her release. The $1.6 million Brink's heist at a mall in suburban New York led to the shooting deaths of Brink's guard Peter Paige and Nyack police officers Edward O'Grady and Waverly Brown. The parole board said it considered the letters in support and opposition of Clark's release, as well as her post-release employment plans and low risk of future offenses. "This perversion of justice is a sad continuation of the deadly assault on police officers happening across our nation and signals to the criminal element that it is open season on cops," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement Wednesday. "Judith Clark is a murderer and a terrorist," said Patrick Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York. "This is not justice." Clark participated in the robbery as a member of the Weather Underground, an organization of violent revolutionaries that grew out of the anti-Vietnam war movement. "I look at the world differently now," Clark said in her letter asking Cuomo for clemency. "Instead of abstract slogans, I see and am moved by flesh-and-blood people." Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said despite being the getaway driver and not at the scene of the robbery and shooting, Clark was sentenced to die in prison. "Since being incarcerated, she has expressed deep remorse for her role and used every opportunity to better herself and those around her." The parole board denied Clark's release in 2017, saying she was "still a symbol of violent terroristic crime." A state supreme court judge ordered a new hearing, saying the panel improperly gave more weight to the severity of the crime than to her rehabilitation. But that ruling was overruled by a state appellate court. FILE - In this Nov. 24, 1981 file photo, Weather Underground member Judith Clark is escorted into Rockland County Courthouse in New City, N.Y. Clark was granted parole Wednesday, April 17, 2019, after serving more than 37 years behind bars for her role as getaway driver in a 1981 Brink's armored truck robbery that left two police officers and a security guard dead. (AP Photo/David Handschuh, File) Polo Ralph Lauren has launched a version of its famous polo shirt made entirely of recycled plastic bottles and dyed through a process that uses zero water. David Lauren, the youngest son of the companys founder and its chief innovation officer, told the Associated Press ahead of the announcement that the new shirt is part of a broader strategy of fresh environmental goals throughout the manufacturing process. Every day were learning about whats happened with global warming and whats happening all around the world, and our employees and our customers are really feeling that its time to step up and make a difference, he said. Smaller brands around the world are already using repurposed and recycled materials. In announcing Earth Polo, Ralph Lauren committed to removing at least 170 million bottles from landfills and oceans by 2025. The shirts are manufactured in Taiwan, where the bottles are collected. Each uses an average 12 bottles. Ralph Lauren - Earth Polo (Ralph Lauren via AP) The shirts are produced in partnership with First Mile, an organisation that collects the bottles which are turned into yarn and, ultimately, fabric. The new fibres will also be used for existing performancewear already made of polyfibres, which are popular for their ability to wick away moisture. The Earth Polo went on sale on Thursday, ahead of Mondays Earth Day. It comes in styles for men and women in green, white, navy and light blue. The shirts are no more expensive than other polos. Ralph Lauren has taken on environmental initiatives over the years, but it is putting into place a more significant strategy aimed at changing its corporate culture and how it thinks about the clothes it produces. The effort includes a new supply chain and sustainability officer, Halide Alagoz, who said more details will be released in June. At the moment were refreshing our approach and framework around sustainability, she said. Among the companys other goals: the use of 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025 and 100% recyclable or sustainably sourced packaging materials by the same year. The leader of the SDLP has confirmed he will run in the European election. Colum Eastwood has urged that the election to the European Parliament be regarded as a referendum the Norths Peoples Vote. The poll comes as the United Kingdom political system is in chaos, unable to agree a deal with which to leave the European Union. While a majority across the UK voted to leave the EU in 2016, there was a majority within Northern Ireland who wish to remain. Mr Eastwood described the May vote as an election like no other. In June 2016, a majority of people from communities across Northern Ireland came together to express our clear will that we should remain in the European Union, he said. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has confirmed he will run in the European elections in May (Brian Lawless/PA) It was a vote that, unlike many others, saw people break free from their traditional trenches to occupy a common ground and a common identity. Since then, the broad progressive coalition that came together has been sidelined and silenced. Without a government in Belfast and with the DUP aligned to hard Brexit fanatics in London, people here have been ignored. Enough is enough. This European election should be a referendum the Norths Peoples Vote. As the most pro-Europe party in the North and the only party which joined the official campaign against Brexit in 2016, the SDLP will be a strong voice championing our shared values and opposing the destructive ideology that is leading the British Government toward a hard border on this island. SDLP Leader @ColumEastwood will be our candidate in the European Election on 23rd May #EP2019 This is no ordinary election. The progressive, cross-community coalition that delivered a remain vote here can deliver 2 Pro-Europe MEPs. #Eastwood4Europe https://t.co/0KTNoimvwW pic.twitter.com/WZeAh5phzo Social Democratic and Labour Party (@SDLPlive) April 18, 2019 At the last European election in 2014, the SDLP missed out on winning Northern Irelands third seat by less than 2,000 votes. The three seats went to Sinn Feins Martina Anderson, the Democratic Unionist Partys Diane Dodds and the Ulster Unionist Partys Jim Nicholson. The former two are running to win back their seats while former Stormont minister Danny Kennedy will run for the Ulster Unionist Party. Other candidates include Green Party leader Clare Bailey, and the Alliance Party is set to confirm its candidate later. Mr Eastwood said he believes he is within striking distance of the third European seat. He said a vote for him is a vote for a pro-Europe MEP, and urged everyone who wished to remain to give him their vote, despite their usual party allegiances. Im urging everyone in this election, regardless of how they normally vote, to join the progressive coalition that delivered a Remain vote in 2016 by voting for the SDLP to deliver another pro-Europe MEP to fight our corner, he said. As the angry arguments rage over Sadhvi Pragyas candidature from Bhopal, we sometimes let emotion triumph and forget that there are two distinct issues here. And there is one problem. Meet the candidate: Sadhvi Pragya will fight for the BJP in Bhopal. (Photo: ANI) The first issue is the obvious one: why is the BJP doing this? The answer is self-evident. The BJP has made every effort not to fight this election on its record. It has tried to fight it on nationalist and majority sentiment. For the first round of polling, an anti-Pakistan, patriotic appeal was the keynote of the BJP's campaign. In the aftermath of the Balakot air strikes, it was simple enough to project Pakistan as a threat - and to portray Narendra Modi as the man who gave the Pakistanis a befitting response on behalf of India. The Balakot reply to Pakistan post-Pulwama boosted the BJP's appeal. (Photo: Reuters) However, that Balakot bump is now disappearing from Mr Modis popularity, according to pollsters. So, the campaign has shifted gear - from Pakistan to Indian Muslims. Recent remarks by BJP functionaries, ranging from the Prime Minister to the party president to regional heads, have either been dog-whistles to Hindu communal sentiment or outright attacks on the Muslim community. The choice of Pragya as a candidate against Digvijay Singh is part of that endeavour. As the campaign progresses, she will continue to be portrayed as a pious Hindu lady who was framed and tortured by officials in the UPA regime. The UPA, the BJP will say, wanted to portray Hindus as terrorists, so as to let Muslims (whom they will call the real terrorists) off the hook. Pragyas opponent, Digvijaya Singh is a fervent Hindu, fond of pujas and Narmada yatras. But the BJP has successfully caricatured him as a supporter of Muslim terrorists (the sort of chap who refers to Osama bin Laden as Osamaji), who has connived at framing innocent Hindus on terror charges to help his Muslim constituency. Logic suggests that not only will Pragya win but that any BJP candidate would do as well in Bhopal. It is one of the BJPs safest seats and the party won something like 60% of the vote at the last General Election. So, the choice of Pragya is not only to win Bhopal but to remind Hindus all over India of the injustice done to a sadhvi. The optics will suggest a pious Hindu woman tortured by the previous regime. (Photo: PTI) Should it matter that she is charged with terrorism? Well, yes. Even the BJP thinks it matters. Otherwise, it would not be spreading so many untruths about the case and insisting that she has been acquitted. (She has not). Which leads us to the second issue. Many of the BJPs opponents have suggested that people accused of terrorism should be banned by law from contesting elections. Or, at the very least, the Election Commission should intervene to reject their nomination papers. To see this in perspective, forget about Pragya for a moment and think of Kashmir. As Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, how would any of us (let alone the BJP) have reacted if the PDP had given a ticket to a man the police said was a terrorist, to a person who faced terror charges? Imagine the anger if Id field a terror accused. Channels wouldve gone berserk by now trending a mehboobaterrorist hashtag! According to these guys terror has no religion when it comes to saffron fanatics but otherwise all Muslims are terrorists. Guilty until proven innocent https://t.co/ymTumxgty7 Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 17, 2019 Obviously, the reaction would have been one of horror. Whoever gave that man a ticket would have been called 'anti-national' and treasonous. But equally, it is hard to deny that the law is clear: if you are not convicted of a crime, you can stand for election. And Pragya has not been convicted. The BJPs critics say that an exception should be made for terrorists even before they are convicted. After all, once terrorists start fighting elections, where will this end? Unfortunately, it is not so simple. Once you remove the presumption of innocence, you open the doors for any number of fake charges. Pragya may be a particularly abhorrent example but what happens if the BJP government decides to charge, say, Kanhaiya Kumar, under terrorism laws? What happens if Left-Wing intellectuals who are not unsympathetic to Maoists are all charged with terrorism? (This sort of thing is already happening, which is why I choose these examples). What if he were charged with terrorism? Should he be debarred? (Photo: Twitter) Wouldnt the same liberals who demand that Pragya be barred from standing be outraged if people they believed were innocent were denied the right to fight elections? And wouldnt it be an invitation to a ruthless government to frame opponents on terror charges to eliminate them from electoral politics? Lets take an example from our own history. In 1976, the Emergency regime claimed that George Fernandes was involved in a violent campaign to overthrow the government. He was accused of what we would certainly now call terrorism: planning dynamite blasts, blowing up train tracks, etc. George Fernandes fought the 1977 elections from jail. And won. (Photo: India Today) When the General Election was called in 1977, Fernandes contested from his jail cell and won! The Indira Gandhi regime was defeated, the case was declared a frame-up (which it may or may not have been) and Fernandes went on to become a Union Minister. If we had put in place laws that stopped people charged with terrorism from contesting elections even before they were convicted, Fernandes would never have been able to stand. So, as terrible a crime as terrorism is, it is always a mistake for a liberal society to abandon the presumption of innocence. Which leaves us with the problem. Simply put, the problem is this: in no society should a man or a woman against whom there are credible terror charges (and the charges against Pragya are documented) ever be accepted by the electorate. There must be so much public revulsion that such a candidate is shunned by the electorate. Sadly, this is not true of India. Despite the gravity of the offences, the chances are that Pragya will win. The Prime Minister will probably campaign for her. The government and private TV channels will treat her as a perfectly respectable candidate and give her the oxygen of publicity. That is the real problem. So sharp is the polarisation in Indian society today that communities will vote for alleged terrorists as long as they believe that terrorism is being committed on behalf of their own community. Until that changes, no amendment of the laws and no amount of liberal outrage will make any difference. Its not the nominations or the laws that are the problem. It is the electorate. Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections 2019: 10 seats with the most nail-biting contests! When IAF jets entered the Pakistani airspace and reportedly destroyed a terror camp in Balakot on February 26, the Pakistani surveillance system did not have any inkling about it. Apparently, it exposed the chinks in the shiny armour of its ever-increasing defence budget. What happened is this: According to reports, Pakistans radars were jammed through the electronic warfare system the Indian jets were equipped with. Also, the Balakot area which was attacked was in mountainous terrain difficult for surveillance to operate in. A former air force pilot said to Reuters that no radar works around the clock so, decoy operations must have been conducted to figure out when the radars are on and off, and the jets must have flown really low to avoid the radar. The Indian Air Force is the fourth largest air force in the world, following the US, Russia and China. The Pakistani Air Force is the seventh largest. How can one even compare the two? was a natural thread of discussion on social media. But Pakistan started working on its existing radar system following the Balakot attack and thats significant. JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan and China. (Photo: Twitter) According to reports and Pakistani media claims, during the air skirmish in which Indias MiG, flown by IAF captain Abhinandan Varthaman, was shot down, Pakistan used its JF-17. India, however, claimed that there was no JK-17. The IAF claimed that it had shot down Pakistans F-16. All these claims and counter-claims aside, the JF-17 is up for major development and China has confirmed that. JF-17 was jointly developed by Pakistan and China. Close on the heels of the Balakot strike, JF-17 is expected to get advanced active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and a helmet-mounted sight system, reports the Global Times. Steering clear of technicalities, this radar would enable JF-17 to attack multiple targets from long-range. The helmet-mounted sight system could allow pilots to aim at whatever they see. According to Quwa, a defence news and analysis group, the Pakistan Air Force received advanced Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) radar equipment from the Swedish firm Saab at Chaklalas base Nur Khan on April 9. These radar systems are expected to be installed on Pakistans Saab 2000 aircraft purchased last year. Meanwhile, a number of Pakistani drones have been shot down along the International Border in Gujarat and Rajasthan post the Balakot strike, attempting to intrude apparently to have a better view of military installations. Also Read: Yes, there is a Pakistan hand: What Pak did on the eve of the first day of Indian elections 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. Dunelm Group plc engages in the retail of homewares in the United Kingdom. The company offers furniture for bedroom, living room, dining room, and office; sofas and chairs; bean bags; bed frames, mattresses, divan beds and bases, and headboards, as well as kids beds; and bedding products, such as bed linens, duvets, pillows, protectors, and baby and kids beddings. It also provides curtains, and poles and tracks; blinds; rugs, runners, and door mats; mirrors; cushion pads, covers; throws; seat pads; pictures and frames, wallpapers, and accessories; lighting products, including ceiling and wall lights, lamp shades, floor and table lamps, and outdoor lights; kitchen products, such as cooking, dining, utility, and electrical products; and storage products for home, clothes, and kitchen, as well as travel and luggage products. In addition, the company offers towels and bathmats, bathroom accessories, and bathroom furniture; kids accessories and toys, and nursery furniture and products, as well as travel, safety, and wellbeing products; garden furniture and storage, and garden dAcor products; and Christmas trees and lights, wreaths and garlands, baubles and tree decoration, and novelty products. It operates 173 superstores and 2 distribution centers, as well as sells its products through an online store at dunelm.com. Dunelm Group plc was founded in 1979 and is based in Syston, the United Kingdom. Read More Imperial Oil Limited explores for, produces, and sells crude oil and natural gas in Canada. It operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical. The Upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil, natural gas, synthetic oil, and bitumen. As of December 31, 2020, this segment had 138 million oil-equivalent barrels of proved undeveloped reserves. The Downstream segment is involved in the transportation and refining of crude oil, as well as blending, distribution, and marketing of refined products. It also transports crude oil to refineries by contracted pipelines, common carrier pipelines, and rail; maintains a distribution system to move petroleum products to market by pipeline, tanker, rail, and road transport; and owns and operates fuel terminals, natural gas liquids, and products pipelines in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. In addition, this segment markets and supplies petroleum products to motoring public through approximately 2,400 Esso and Mobil-branded sites. Further, it sells petroleum products, including fuel, asphalt, and lubricants for industrial and transportation customers, independent marketers, and resellers, as well as other refiners serving the agriculture, residential heating, and commercial markets through branded fuel and lubricant resellers. The Chemical segment manufactures and markets various petrochemicals and polyethylene, such as benzene, aromatic, and aliphatic solvents; plasticizer intermediates; and polyethylene resins. The company was incorporation in 1880 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Imperial Oil Limited is a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's stock was trading at $91.56 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, XLV shares have increased by 51.7% and is now trading at $138.89. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Magna International Inc. designs, engineers, and manufactures components, assemblies, systems, subsystems, and modules for original equipment manufacturers of vehicles and light trucks worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Body Exteriors & Structures, Power & Vision, Seating Systems, and Complete Vehicles. Its Body Exteriors & Structures segment provides body and chassis systems, as well as engineering and testing services; exterior systems, including fascia and trims, front end modules, front integration panels, liftgate modules, active aerodynamics, engineered glass, running boards, truck bed access products, and side doors; and roof systems, such as modular and textile folding roofs, and hard and soft tops. The company's Power & Vision segment offers dedicated hybrid, dual and e-clutch, and manual transmissions; engine drive plates and accessories; AWD/4WD products, rear drive modules, and hybrid and battery electric drive systems; transmission, engine, and driveline components; advanced driver assistance systems, camera systems, ultrasonic sensors, and electronic controllers; interior and exterior mirrors, actuators, door handles, overhead consoles, and camera monitoring systems; head, tail, and fog lamps; signal and other lighting products; and latching systems, door modules, window systems, power closure systems, hinges and wire forming, and handle assemblies. Its Seating Systems segment provides seat structures, mechanism and hardware solutions, and foam and trim products. The company's Complete Vehicles segment offers vehicle manufacturing and engineering services. It also designs, engineers, and manufactures tooling products. Magna International Inc. was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Aurora, Canada. Read More Rocket Internet SE is an incubator, private equity, and venture capital firm specializing in incubation, early-stage, growth capital, late venture, later stage, and start-ups. The firm seeks to make investments in Internet companies with a focus on online and mobile retail services. It prefers to invest in technology and Internet-based companies with a focus on financial technology, software, food and groceries which includes individualized fresh food at home and online food delivery, fashion which includes emerging markets online fashion, general merchandise which includes emerging markets online retail as well as marketplaces for online merchandise, home and living which includes international home and living ecommerce, travel including online and mobile travel bookings, mobile data services, package holidays with transfer, regional internet groups, and new businesses and investments. The firm's target regions include Europe, Africa and Middle East, Russia and CIS, Asia and Pacific (excluding China), Latin America. It was formerly known as Rocket Internet AG. Rocket Internet SE was founded in 2007 and is based in Berlin, Germany with additional offices across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America. Read More Royal Dutch Shell Plc engages in the oil and natural gas production. It operates through the following segments: Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals and Corporate. The Integrated Gas segment manages liquefied natural gas activities and the conversion of natural gas into gas to liquids fuels and other products. The Upstream segment manages the exploration for and extraction of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The Oil Products segment manages the Refining and Trading, and Marketing classes of business. The Chemicals segment operates manufacturing plants and its own marketing network. The Corporate segment comprises holdings and treasury, self-insurance activities, and headquarters and central functions of the company. The company was founded in February 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. Read More Tele Columbus AG, together with its subsidiaries, operates fiber optic networks in Germany. The company operates in two segments, TV, and Internet and Telephony. The company offers analogue, digital TV, and radio broadcasting services. Its digital entertainment platform offers approximately 250 TV channels, and 60 digital radio stations. The company also provides internet and telephony, and mobile telephony services. In addition, it engages in the B2B business that comprises products to provide carrier companies with bandwidth and business client networking services, and business clients with internet and telephony services, as well as network monitoring and data center marketing services. Further, the company offers construction services to install fiber optic networks or connecting residential areas. It sells its end user products under the PYUR name. As of December 31, 2020, it served approximately 3.3 million residential units. The company was formerly known as Tele Columbus Holding GmbH and changed its name to Tele Columbus AG in September 2014. Tele Columbus AG was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Read More Total Energy Services Inc. provides various products and services to the oil and natural gas industry primarily in Canada, the United States, and Australia. It operates through four segments: Contract Drilling Services, Rentals and Transportation Services, Compression and Process Services and Well Servicing. The Contract Drilling Services segment offers contract drilling services to oil and gas exploration and development companies. As of December 31, 2020, it operated a total fleet of 98 drilling rigs. The Rentals and Transportation Services segment provides drilling, completion and production rental equipment, and oilfield transportation services in western Canada and in the United States. This segment owned and operated a fleet of 87 heavy trucks. The Compression and Process Services segment offers gas compression services; and designs and packages skid style compressors and proprietary trailer-mounted compressors under the NOMAD brand in Canada and the United States, the European Union, Australia, and Mexico. It had 54,800 horsepower of compression in its rental fleet. The Well Servicing segment offers well services. This segment operated a total fleet of 83 well servicing rigs across Western Canada, mid-western United States, and Australia. It has a strategic alliance with Pason Systems Inc. to develop and deploy drilling automation and optimization technologies. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA engages in the traditional banking businesses of retail banking, asset management, private banking, and wholesale banking. It operates through the following segments: Spain, the United States, Mexico, Turkey, South America, and Rest of Eurasia. The Spain segment includes mainly the banking and insurance business that the group carries out in Spain. The United States segment consists of the financial business activity of BBVA USA in the country and the activity of the branch of BBVA SA in New York. The Mexico segment refers to banking and insurance businesses in this country as well as the activity of its branch in Houston. The Turkey segment reports the activity of Garanti BBVA group that is mainly carried out in this country and, to a lesser extent, in Romania and the Netherlands. The South America segment comprises of operations in n Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The Rest of Eurasia segment includes the banking business activity carried out by the group in Europe and Asia, excluding Spain. The company was founded in 1857 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain. Read More Xcel Energy, Inc. operates as a holding company, which engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity. It operates through the following three segments: Regulated Electric Utility, Regulated Natural Gas Utility and All Others. The Regulated Electric Utility segment generates, transmits and distributes electricity primarily in portions of generates, transmits and distributes electricity in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Texas and New Mexico. In addition, this segment includes sales for resale and provides wholesale transmission service to various entities in the United States. It also includes commodity trading operations. The Regulated Natural Gas Utility segment transports, stores, and distributes natural gas primarily in portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Michigan and Colorado. The All Others segment engages in steam, appliance repair services, nonutility real estate activities, processing solid waste into refuse-derived fuel and investments in rental housing projects that qualify for low-income housing tax credits. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Almaden Minerals. 4.5 Community Rank Outperform Votes Almaden Minerals has received 96 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Almaden Minerals has received 44 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Almaden Minerals has received 68.57% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Almaden Minerals and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe AMM will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe AMM will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Comerica, Inc. engages in the provision of financial services. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Bank, Retail Bank, Wealth Management, Finance and Other. The Commercial Bank segment involves in the middle market businesses, multinational corporations, and governmental entities by offering various products and services such as commercial 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. The Retail Bank segment includes small business banking and personal financial services, which consist of consumer lending, consumer deposit gathering, and mortgage loan origination. The Wealth Management segment offers fiduciary services, private banking, retirement services, investment management and advisory services, investment banking and brokerage services. The Finance segment comprises corporation's securities portfolio and asset and liability management activities. The Other category consists of income and expense impact of equity and cash, tax benefits, charges of an unusual or infrequent nature that are not reflective of the n Read More Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Whirlpool: 1900 Holdings Corporation, ADC, Aeradriatica S.p.A., Airdun Limited, B. Blend Maquinas e Bebidas S.A., BUD Comercio de Eletrodomesticos Ltda., BWI Products Limited, Bauknecht AG, Bauknecht Hausgerate GmbH, Bauknecht Limited, Beijing Embraco Snowflake Compressor Company Limited, Bill Page Orchestra, Bill Page Orchestra Inc., Brasmotor S.A., Brunson Place Properties, Brunson Place Properties LLC, CNB Consultoria Ltda, Cannon Industries Ltd., Centro de Desarrollo Tecnologico e Innovacion WHM S. de R.L de C.V., Comercial Acros Whirlpool, Comercial Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Consumer Appliances Service Limited, Ealing Compania de Gestiones y Participaciones S.A., Elera Delaware, Elera Delaware Inc., Elera Holdings Corporation, Embraco Europe S.r.l., Embraco Eurosales S.r.l., Embraco Industria de Compressores e Solucoes em Refrigeracao Ltda., Embraco Luxembourg S.a r.l., Embraco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco Mexico Servicios, Embraco Mexico Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Embraco North America, Embraco North America Inc., Embraco RUS LLC, Embraco Slovakia S.r.o., Everest Campus, Everest Campus LLC., General Domestic Appliances Holdings Ltd, General Domestic Appliances International Ltd., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co., Guangdong Whirlpool Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd., Haceb Whirlpool Industrias S.A.S., Hefei Rongshida Sanyo Electric, Hefei Whirlpool Enterprise Management Service Co. Ltd., Hoover Comercial Limitada, IRE Beteiligungs GmbH, Indesit Argentina S.A., Indesit Company, Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Pazarlama A.S., Indesit Company Beyaz Esya Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Indesit Company Ceska S.r.o., Indesit Company Domestic Appliances Hellas Mepe, Indesit Company International Business S.A., Indesit Company Luxembourg S.A., Indesit Company Magyarorszag Kft, Indesit Company Nordics AB, Indesit Company Polska Sp. zo.o., Indesit Company Singapore Pte. Ltd., Indesit Company UK Holdings Ltd., Indesit IP S.r.l., Indesit International ZAO, Indesit Ireland Ltd., Indesit Middle East FZE, Indesit Ukraine LLC, Industrias Acros Whirlpool S. de R.L. de C.V., Industrias Acros Whirlpool S.A. de C.V, Jackson Appliances Ltd., Joint-Stock Company Indesit International, KitchenAid, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd, KitchenAid Australia Pty Ltd., KitchenAid Delaware Inc., KitchenAid Europa Inc., KitchenAid Global, KitchenAid Global Inc., KitchenAid Inc., KitchenAid Korea Limited, KitchenAid Promotions, KitchenAid Promotions LLC, KitchenAid Trading Co., KitchenAid Trading Co. Ltd., LAWSA S.A., MLOG Armazem Geral Ltda., Maytag Corporation, Maytag Limited, Maytag Properties, Maytag Properties LLC, Maytag Sales, Maytag Sales Inc., Maytag Worldwide N.V., Merloni Domestic Appliances Ltd., Nineteen Hundred Corporation, Polar S.A., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co., Qingdao EECON Electronic Controls and Appliances Co. Ltd., South American Sales Partnership, THC Assets Corporation, Up Points Servicos Empresariais S.A., Vitromatic S.A. de C.V., WCGP Nova Scotia Co., WHirlpool EMEA Finanace S.a r.l., Whirlpool (Australia) Pty. Limited, Whirlpool (B.V.I.) Limited, Whirlpool (China) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co., Whirlpool (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co., Whirlpool (Hefei) Trading Co. Ltd, Whirlpool (Hong Kong) Limited, Whirlpool (Japan) Co. Ltd., Whirlpool (Thailand) Limited, Whirlpool ASEAN Co., Whirlpool America Holdings Corp., Whirlpool Argentina S.r.l., Whirlpool Asia B.V., Whirlpool Asia Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Asia Inc., Whirlpool Asia LLP, Whirlpool Belux N.V./S.A., Whirlpool Bermuda Euro Ltd., Whirlpool Beyaz Esya Sanayi Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Bulgaria Ltd., Whirlpool CIS Ltd., Whirlpool CR, Whirlpool CR spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool CSA Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada Co., Whirlpool Canada Co. (post 9/1/05 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Holding Co, Whirlpool Canada Holding Co. (post 4/18/06 amalgamation company), Whirlpool Canada Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Canada LP, Whirlpool Canada Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Chile Limitada, Whirlpool Colombia S.A.S., Whirlpool Comercial Ltda., Whirlpool Company Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Company Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool Croatia Ltd., Whirlpool EMEA S.p.A., Whirlpool Ecuador S.A., Whirlpool Eesti OU, Whirlpool El Salvador, Whirlpool El Salvador S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Electrodomesticos S.A., Whirlpool Eletrodomesticos AM S.A., Whirlpool Enterprises, Whirlpool Enterprises LLC, Whirlpool Europe B.V., Whirlpool Europe Coordination Center, Whirlpool Europe Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Ev Aletleri Pazarlama Ve Ticaret A.S., Whirlpool Finance B.V., Whirlpool Finance Center Corp., Whirlpool Finance Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Finance Overseas Ltd., Whirlpool Financial Corporation, Whirlpool Financial Corporation International, Whirlpool Floor Care Corp., Whirlpool France Holdings SAS, Whirlpool France SAS, Whirlpool Germany GmbH, Whirlpool Global B.V., Whirlpool Global Investments B.V., Whirlpool Greater China Inc., Whirlpool Guatemala, Whirlpool Guatemala S.A., Whirlpool Hellas S.A., Whirlpool Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool Home Appliances B.V., Whirlpool Home Appliances Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool Hungarian Trading Limited Liability Company, Whirlpool India Holdings Limited, Whirlpool Insurance Company, Whirlpool Insurance Company Ltd., Whirlpool Internacional S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool International GmbH, Whirlpool International Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool International Manufacturing S.a r.l., Whirlpool Ireland Appliances Limited, Whirlpool Ireland Limited, Whirlpool Italia Holdings S.r.l., Whirlpool Italia S.r.l., Whirlpool Japan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Japan Inc., Whirlpool Kazakhstan LLP, Whirlpool Latin America Corporation, Whirlpool Latvia S.I.A., Whirlpool Lietuva UAB, Whirlpool Ltd Belgrade, Whirlpool Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg S.a r.l., Whirlpool Luxembourg Ventures S.a r.l., Whirlpool MEEA DMCC, Whirlpool Magyarorszag Kereskedelmi Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Whirlpool Management Services S.a.g.l., Whirlpool Maroc S. a r.l., Whirlpool Mauritius Limited, Whirlpool Mexico Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico S.A. de C.V., Whirlpool Mexico Ventures LLC, Whirlpool Microwave Products Development Limited, Whirlpool NAAG Holdings Corporation, Whirlpool NAR Holdings, Whirlpool NAR Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Nederland B.V., Whirlpool Nordic, Whirlpool Nordic A/S, Whirlpool Nordic AB, Whirlpool Nordic AS, Whirlpool Nordic OY, Whirlpool Oceania Inc., Whirlpool Overseas Holdings, Whirlpool Overseas Holdings LLC, Whirlpool Overseas Hong Kong Limited, Whirlpool Overseas Manufacturing S.ar.l., Whirlpool Peru S.R.L., Whirlpool Polska Appliances Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Polska Sp. z o.o., Whirlpool Portugal, Whirlpool Portugal S.A., Whirlpool Product Development (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Whirlpool Properties, Whirlpool Properties Inc., Whirlpool Puntana S.A., Whirlpool R&D S.r.l., Whirlpool RUS LLC, Whirlpool Realty Corporation, Whirlpool Romania S.r.l., Whirlpool S.A., Whirlpool SSC Limited, Whirlpool Slovakia Home Appliances spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool Slovakia spol. s.r.o., Whirlpool South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Whirlpool Southeast Asia Pte, Whirlpool Sweden Aktiebolag, Whirlpool Taiwan Co. Ltd., Whirlpool Technologies LLC, Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, Whirlpool UK Pension Scheme Trustee Limited, Whirlpool Ukraine LLC, Whirlpool WW Holdings B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Investements B.V., Whirlpool do Brasil Ltda., Whirlpool of India Limited, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Whirlpool Osterreich GmbH, Xpelair, Xpelair Ltd., Yummly, Yummly Canada Ltd., and Yummly Inc.. Resolute Forest Products Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates in the forest products industry in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Market Pulp, Tissue, Wood Products, and Paper. The Market Pulp segment offers virgin and recycled bleached kraft pulp, which is used to make a range of consumer products, including tissue, packaging, specialty paper products, diapers, and other absorbent products. The Tissue segment provides various tissue products, such as recycled and virgin paper products for the away-from-home and retail markets; and sells parent rolls. The Wood Products segment produces construction-grade and spruce-pine-fir lumber products, wood chips, bed frame components, finger joints, and furring strips for pulp and paper mills, as well as I-joists for the construction industry. The Paper segment offers newsprint to newspaper publishers, as well as to commercial printers for a range of uses comprising inserts and flyers. This segment also provides various uncoated mechanical papers, including supercalendered and white papers, as well as uncoated freesheet papers to commercial printers, direct mailers, publishers, catalogers, and retailers. Its specialty papers are used in books, retail inserts, direct mail, coupons, magazines, catalogs, bags, and other commercial printing applications. This segment sells specialty papers to commercial printers, direct mailers, publishers, catalogers, and retailers. The company also produces electricity at six cogeneration facilities and seven hydroelectric dams. Resolute Forest Products Inc. is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) Cebu Citys most wanted person, a self-confessed drug lord, was shot dead in Quezon City yesterday, police said. Authorities said Franz Sabalones, 41, was killed Thursday midnight by unidentified assailants on a gray Ford Ranger with plate number IM2090 in Barangay South Triangle while he was on his way to watch a billiard tournament. They added that Sabalones was shot in the head and died on the spot. "While we are yet to establish the real motive in the killing, we cannot discount the possibility that he was killed because of alleged involvement in illegal drugs trade, Quezon City police director Brig. Gen. Joselito Esquivel Jr. said. Sabalones had surrendered to former Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Bato dela Rosa in the early days of the Duterte administration. Two days ago, Tocillo Debalucos Ababon, who police believe to be the right-hand man of Sabalones, was shot dead by three suspects on board three motorcycles while he was on a patrol car on his way to the Argao Regional Trial Court. Ababons two police escorts, Police Staff Sergeants Ruel Patalinghug and Crescencio Abad, survived the attack. Region VII police director Debold Sinas said the two wore bulletproof vests. Ababon was arrested in December 2018 with illegal drugs worth at least P10 million. Sinas also suspected that Ababons slay was due to his involvement in illegal drugs, particularly because of disagreements among syndicates. Cebu City-based journalist Dale Israel contributed to this report. The following companies are subsidiares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise: 3Com International Inc., 3PAR Inc., Apogee, Aruba Networks Inc., Aruba Networks International Cayman, Aruba Networks International Limited, BlueData Software, Cloud Cruiser, Cloud Technology Partners, Cloud Technology Partners Inc., Compaq Computer (Mauritius), Compaq Trademark B.V., Cray, Cray Inc., EDS World Corporation (Far East) LLC, EYP Mission Critical Facilities Inc., H3C Holdings Limited, HP Enterprise Services Australia Pty Ltd, HP Financial Services (Australia) Pty Limited, HP Financial Services (Chile) Limitada, HP Financial Services (Japan) K.K., HP Financial Services Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., HP Financial Services Company (Korea), HP Financial Services International Holdings Company, HPE Government LLC, HPFS Global Holdings I LLC, HPFS Global Holdings II LLC, HPFS Rental S.R.L., Hangzhou H3C Technologies Co. Ltd, Hewlett Packard Caribe BV LLC, Hewlett Packard Colombia Ltda., Hewlett Packard Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V., Hewlett Packard Enterprise B.V. Amstelveen Meyrin Branch, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Co. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Canada Cie, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Costa Rica Limitada, Hewlett Packard Enterprise GlobalSoft Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise India Private Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland Limited, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Luxembourg SCA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Polska sp. z o.o., Hewlett Packard Pathfinder LLC, Hewlett Packard Taiwan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (Israel) Ltd., Hewlett-Packard (M) Sdn. Bhd., Hewlett-Packard (Nigeria) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Schweiz) GmbH, Hewlett-Packard (Tanzania) Limited, Hewlett-Packard (Thailand) Limited, Hewlett-Packard ApS, Hewlett-Packard Argentina S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Australia Pty Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Belgium SPRL/BVBA, Hewlett-Packard Bermuda Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Brasil Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Bulgaria EOOD, Hewlett-Packard Caribe B.V., Hewlett-Packard Caribe Y Andina B.V. LLC, Hewlett-Packard Chile Comercial Limitada, Hewlett-Packard Cyprus Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Ecuador Cia. Ltda., Hewlett-Packard Egypt Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Financial Services (India) Private Limited, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Canada Company, Hewlett-Packard Financial Services Company, Hewlett-Packard France SAS, Hewlett-Packard G1 SPV (Cayman) Company, Hewlett-Packard Gesellschaft mbH, Hewlett-Packard Ghana Limited, Hewlett-Packard GmbH, Hewlett-Packard Guatemala Limitada, Hewlett-Packard HK SAR Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Hellas EPE, Hewlett-Packard Holdings Ltd., Hewlett-Packard International Bank Designated Activity Company, Hewlett-Packard International Bank Public Limited Company, Hewlett-Packard International Sarl, Hewlett-Packard Italiana S.r.l., Hewlett-Packard Japan Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Korea Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Leasing Limited, Hewlett-Packard Limited, Hewlett-Packard Luxembourg Enterprises LLC, Hewlett-Packard Macau Limited, Hewlett-Packard Manufacturing Ltd, Hewlett-Packard Marigalante Ltd., Hewlett-Packard Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Middle East FZ-LLC, Hewlett-Packard Mocambique Limitada - Sociedada em Liquidacao, Hewlett-Packard Nederland B.V., Hewlett-Packard New Zealand, Hewlett-Packard Norge AS, Hewlett-Packard OY, Hewlett-Packard Operations Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Hewlett-Packard Peru S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Philippines Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Portugal Lda., Hewlett-Packard SARL, Hewlett-Packard SIA, Hewlett-Packard Servicios Espana S.L., Hewlett-Packard Singapore (Sales) Pte. Ltd., Hewlett-Packard South Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Hewlett-Packard Sverige AB, Hewlett-Packard Technology Center Inc., Hewlett-Packard Teknoloji Cozumleri Limited Sirketi, Hewlett-Packard The Hague B.V., Hewlett-Packard Venezuela S.R.L., Hewlett-Packard Vision Limited, Hewlett-Packard d.o.o., Hewlett-Packard s.r.o., Limited Liability Company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, MapR Technologies, New H3C Technologies Co. Ltd., Niara Inc., Nimble Storage, Nimble Storage Inc., Nimble Storage Israel Ltd, Nimble Storage Japan GK, Nimble Storage UK Limited, Plexxi, RedPixie, SGI (Silicon Graphics), Sapphire Holding Co, Scytale, Shanghai Hewlett-Packard Co. Ltd., Silver Peak, SimpliVity, Sinope Holding B.V., Trilead, UAB ES Hague Lietuva, and Unis Huashan Technologies Co. Limited. Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. engages in the management of public and private investment products and services for institutional and retail clients. It operates through the following segments: Asset Management, Real Estate, Renewable Power, Infrastructure, Private Equity, Residential Development, and Corporate Activities. The Asset Management segment includes the management of its listed partnerships, private funds and public securities. The Real Estate segment is comprised of the ownership, operation and development of core office, core retail, LP investments and other properties. The Renewable Power segment encompasses the ownership, operation and development of hydroelectric, wind, solar, storage and other power generating facilities. The Infrastructure segment consists of the ownership, operation and development of utilities, transport, energy, data infrastructure and sustainable resource assets. The Private Equity segment refers to the broad range of industries, and is mostly focused on business services, infrastructure services and industrials. The Residential Development segment represents homebuilding, condominium development and land development. The Corporate Activiti Read More Columbus Energy Resources plc engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in Trinidad and Tobago, Spain, Cyprus, St Lucia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. It primarily holds a 100% interest in the Goudron Oilfield located in south-eastern Trinidad. The company was formerly known as LGO Energy plc and changed its name to Columbus Energy Resources plc in June 2017. Columbus Energy Resources plc was incorporated in 2006 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Read More 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. The following companies are subsidiares of D.R. Horton: 10700 Pecan Park Austin Inc., 11241 Slater Avenue NE LLC, 2 C Development Company LLC, 8800 Roswell Road Bldg. B LLC, 91st Avenue & Happy Valley L.L.C., ANN & 215 LLC, Austin Data Inc., BP456 Inc., C. Richard Dobson Builders Inc., CH Funding LLC, CH Investments of Texas Inc., CHI Construction Company, CHM Partners L.P., CHTEX of Texas Inc., CV Mountain View 25 Inv LLC, Cane Island LLC, Continental Homes Inc., Continental Homes of Texas L.P., Continental Residential Inc., Continental Traditions LLC, Crown Operating Company Inc., Cypress Road L.P., D.R. Horton - CHAustin LLC, D.R. Horton - Colorado LLC, D.R. Horton - Crown LLC, D.R. Horton - Emerald Ltd., D.R. Horton - Georgia LLC, D.R. Horton - Hawaii LLC, D.R. Horton - Highland LLC, D.R. Horton - Indiana LLC, D.R. Horton - Iowa LLC, D.R. Horton - MV LLC, D.R. Horton - Nebraska LLC, D.R. Horton - Permian LLC, D.R. Horton - Regent LLC, D.R. Horton - Terramor LLC, D.R. Horton - Texas Ltd., D.R. Horton - WPH LLC, D.R. Horton - Wyoming LLC, D.R. Horton BAY Inc., D.R. Horton CA2 Inc., D.R. Horton CA3 Inc., D.R. Horton CA4 LLC, D.R. Horton Commercial Inc., D.R. Horton Cruces Construction Inc., D.R. Horton Inc. - Birmingham, D.R. Horton Inc. - Chicago, D.R. Horton Inc. - Denver, D.R. Horton Inc. - Dietz-Crane, D.R. Horton Inc. - Greensboro, D.R. Horton Inc. - Gulf Coast, D.R. Horton Inc. - Huntsville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Jacksonville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Louisville, D.R. Horton Inc. - Midwest, D.R. Horton Inc. - Minnesota, D.R. Horton Inc. - NNV, D.R. Horton Inc. - New Jersey, D.R. Horton Inc. - Portland, D.R. Horton Inc. - Torrey, D.R. Horton Inc. Foundation, D.R. Horton Insurance Agency Inc., D.R. Horton LA North Inc., D.R. Horton Life Insurance Agency Inc., D.R. Horton Los Angeles Holding Company Inc., D.R. Horton Management Company Ltd., D.R. Horton Materials Inc., D.R. Horton Realty LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Atlantic County LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Central Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Delaware LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Georgia Inc., D.R. Horton Realty of Melbourne LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Tampa LLC, D.R. Horton Realty of Virginia LLC, D.R. Horton Seabridge Marina Inc., D.R. Horton Serenity Construction LLC, D.R. Horton Urban Renewal LLC, D.R. Horton VEN Inc., D.R. Horton Corpus Christi LLC, DBC54 LLC, DHI Commercial - Lakeview LLC, DHI Commercial - Signal Butte LLC, DHI Commercial - Tamarron LLC, DHI Commercial Inc., DHI Communities Construction LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Arizona LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Colorado LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Florida LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Iowa LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Nevada LLC, DHI Communities Construction of North Carolina LLC, DHI Communities Construction of South Carolina LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Texas LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Utah LLC, DHI Communities Construction of Virginia LLC, DHI Communities II LLC, DHI Communities Inc., DHI Engineering LLC, DHI Insurance Inc., DHI Mortgage Company, DHI Mortgage Company GP Inc., DHI Mortgage Company LP Inc., DHI Mortgage Company Ltd., DHI Ranch Ltd., DHI Realty of Alabama LLC, DHI Realty of Mississippi LLC, DHI Title GP Inc., DHI Title LP Inc., DHI Title of Alabama Inc., DHI Title of Arizona Inc., DHI Title of Florida Inc., DHI Title of Minnesota Inc., DHI Title of Nevada Inc., DHI Title of Texas Ltd., DHI Title of Washington Inc., DHI Verandah South Shores Communities LLC, DHIC - Bridges LLC, DHIC - Brittmore LLC, DHIC - Carolina Forest LLC, DHIC - Desert Peak LLC, DHIC - Durbin Creek LLC, DHIC - Freestone LLC, DHIC - Hammock Landing LLC, DHIC - Heritage LLC, DHIC - Horizon Uptown LLC, DHIC - Jacobs Reserve LLC, DHIC - Lakeview LLC, DHIC - Lipoma LLC, DHIC - Minton Cove LLC, DHIC - Mountain Vista LLC, DHIC - Naco LLC, DHIC - Northshore LLC, DHIC - Prairie Village LLC, DHIC - South Creek LLC, DHIC - Tamarron LLC, DHIC - Valley Vista LLC, DHIC - Varina Gateway LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh II LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh III LLC, DHIC - Waterleigh LLC, DHIC - Westridge LLC, DHIC LLC, DHIC Glendale LLC, DHIC Grove West LLC, DHIC South Park LLC, DHIC Westinghouse LLC, DHIR - Aspen Vista LLC, DHIR - Avian Pointe LLC, DHIR - Emerald Lakes LLC, DHIR - Fosters Ridge LLC, DHIR - Gulf Stream LLC, DHIR - Parkview at Lynn Haven LLC, DHIR - Poplar Terrace LLC, DHIR - Properties I LLC, DHIR - Rock Ridge LLC, DHIR - Sunset Village LLC, DHIR - Village at Hickory Street LLC, DRH - ARK LLC, DRH - ASG LLC, DRH - HWY 114 LLC, DRH Cambridge Homes LLC, DRH Capital Trust I, DRH Capital Trust II, DRH Capital Trust III, DRH Colorado Realty Inc., DRH Construction Inc., DRH Energy Inc., DRH FS Mortgage Reinsurance Ltd., DRH Land Opportunities I Inc., DRH Land Opportunities II Inc., DRH Mountain View LLC, DRH Oil & Gas Inc., DRH Opportunities I Inc., DRH Properties Inc., DRH Realty Company Inc., DRH Realty of Iowa LLC, DRH Regrem L LLC, DRH Regrem LI LLC, DRH Regrem LII LLC, DRH Regrem LIII LLC, DRH Regrem LIV LLC, DRH Regrem LV LLC, DRH Regrem VII LP, DRH Regrem XII LP, DRH Regrem XIV Inc., DRH Regrem XIX Inc., DRH Regrem XLIX LLC, DRH Regrem XLV LLC, DRH Regrem XLVI LLC, DRH Regrem XLVII LLC, DRH Regrem XLVIII LLC, DRH Regrem XV Inc., DRH Regrem XVI Inc., DRH Regrem XVII Inc., DRH Regrem XVIII Inc., DRH Regrem XX Inc., DRH Regrem XXI Inc., DRH Regrem XXII Inc., DRH Regrem XXIII Inc., DRH Regrem XXIV Inc., DRH Regrem XXV Inc., DRH Southwest Construction Inc., DRH Tucson Construction Inc., DRHI Inc., Deer Valley Office Park LLC, Desert Ridge Phase I Partners, Emerald Creek No. 4 L.P., Emerald Realty of Alabama LLC, Emerald Realty of Central Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of North Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, Emerald Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, Encore II Inc., Encore Venture Partners II (California) L.P., Encore Venture Partners II (Texas) L.P., Encore Venture Partners L.P., Express Realty of Central Florida LLC, Express Realty of North Florida LLC, Express Realty of Northwest Florida LLC, Express Realty of Southeast Florida LLC, Express Realty of Southwest Florida LLC, Forestar Group, Forestar Group Inc., Founders Oil & Gas II LLC, Founders Oil & Gas III LLC, Founders Oil & Gas IV LLC, Founders Oil & Gas LLC, Founders Oil & Gas Operating LLC, GP-Encore Inc., Georgetown Data Inc., Germann & McQueen L.L.C., Grand Title Agency LLC, Grande Realty Incorporated, Grande Realty of Pennsylvania LLC, Greywes LLC, HPH Homebuilders 2000 L.P., Hadian LLC, KDB Homes Inc., Kaomalo LLC, Lexington Homes - DRH LLC, MRLF LLC, Martin Road Lake Forest LLC, McQueen & Willis LLC, Meadows I Ltd., Meadows II Ltd., Meadows IX Inc., Meadows VIII Ltd., Meadows X Inc., Melody Homes Inc., Pacific Ridge - DRH LLC, Rielly Carlsbad LLC, Rielly Homes Madison LLC, SFTEN LLC, SGS Communities at Grand Quay L.L.C, SHA Construction LLC, SHLR of California Inc., SHLR of Nevada Inc., SHLR of Washington Inc., SRHI LLC, SSHI LLC, Schuler Homes of Arizona LLC, Schuler Homes of California Inc., Schuler Homes of Oregon Inc., Schuler Homes of Washington Inc., Summerlin Pkwy & Cimarron LLC, Surprise Village North LLC, The Club at Cobblestone LLC, The Club at Hidden River LLC, Tierra Financial Advisors LLC, Travis County Title Company, Treasure Assets LLC, Venture Management of South Carolina LLC, Vertical Construction Corporation, WPH-Camino Ruiz LLC, WPH-Copper Canyon II LLC, WPH-Copper Canyon LLC, Walker Drive LLC, Western Pacific Brea Development LLC, Western Pacific Housing - Mountaingate L.P., Western Pacific Housing - SDG LLC, Western Pacific Housing - Westlake II L.P., Western Pacific Housing Inc., Western Pacific Housing Management Inc., Western Pacific Housing-Antigua LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Broadway LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Canyon Park LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Carrillo LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Communications Hill LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Copper Canyon LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Creekside LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Lomas Verdes LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Lyons Canyon Partners LLC, Western Pacific Housing-McGonigle Canyon LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Norco Estates LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Pacific Park II LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Park Avenue East LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Park Avenue West LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Playa Vista LLC, Western Pacific Housing-River Ridge LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Terra Bay Duets LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Torrey Meadows LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Torrey Village Center LLC, Western Pacific Housing-Windemere LLC, and Wilson Parker Homes. The following companies are subsidiares of Daimler: AEG Olympia Office GmbH, Achtzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Anota Fahrzeug Service- und Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Athlon Beheer International B.V., Athlon Beheer Nederland B.V, Athlon Car Lease Belgium N.V, Athlon Car Lease International B.V., Athlon Car Lease Italy S.R.L., Athlon Car Lease Nederland B.V., Athlon Car Lease Polska Sp. z o.o., Athlon Car Lease Portugal lda, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services B.V, Athlon Car Lease Rental Services Belgium N.V., Athlon Car Lease S.A.S., Athlon Car Lease Spain S.A., Athlon Dealerlease B.V., Athlon France S.A.S., Athlon Germany GmbH, Athlon Mobility Consultancy B.V., Athlon Mobility Consultancy N.V., Athlon Rental Germany GmbH, Athlon Sweden AB, Athlon Switzerland AG, AutoGravity Corporation, Banco Mercedes-Benz do Brasil S.A, Beat Chile SpA, Beat Ride App Colombia Ltda., Beat Ride App S.A., Belerofonte Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda., Brooklands Estates Management Limited, CARS Technik & Logistik GmbH, CINTEO, CLIDET NO 1048 (Proprietary) Limited, Campo Largo Comercio de Veiculos e Pecas Ltda., Circulo Cerrado S.A. de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Clever Taxi, Clever Tech S.R.L., Clever Tech Sud S.R.L., Conemaugh Hydroelectric Projects Inc., Cuspide GmbH, DA Investments Co. LLC, DAF Investments Ltd., DAIMLER FINANCIAL SERVICES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DAIMLER SERVICIOS CORPORATIVOS MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DAIMLER TRUCK AND BUS HOLDING AUSTRALIA PACIFIC PTY LTD, DTB Tech & Data Hub Unipessoal Lda, Daimler AG & Co. Anlagenverwaltung OHG, Daimler Australia/Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Automotive de Venezuela C.A., Daimler Brand & IP Management GmbH & Co. KG, Daimler Brand & IP Management Verwaltung GmbH, Daimler Buses North America Inc., Daimler Canada Finance Inc., Daimler Canada Investments Company, Daimler Capital Services LLC, Daimler Ceska republika Holding s.r.o., Daimler Colombia S. A., Daimler Commercial Vehicles (Thailand) Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles Africa Ltd., Daimler Commercial Vehicles MENA FZE, Daimler Commercial Vehicles South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler Compra y Manufactura Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Export and Trade Finance GmbH, Daimler Finance North America LLC, Daimler Financial Services AG, Daimler Financial Services Africa & Asia Pacific Ltd., Daimler Financial Services India Private Limited, Daimler Financial Services Investment Company LLC, Daimler Financial Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Financial Services S.A. de C.V. S.O.F.O.M. E.N.R., Daimler Financial Services UK Trustees Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management GmbH, Daimler Fleet Management Singapore Pte. Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Daimler Fleet Management UK Limited, Daimler Fleet Services A.S., Daimler FleetBoard GmbH, Daimler Gastronomie GmbH, Daimler Greater China Ltd., Daimler Group Services Berlin GmbH, Daimler Group Services Madrid S.A.U., Daimler Grund Services GmbH, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Private Limited, Daimler Innovation Technology (China) Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Agency LLC, Daimler Insurance Services GmbH, Daimler Insurance Services Japan Co. Ltd., Daimler Insurance Services UK Limited, Daimler International Assignment Services USA LLC, Daimler International Finance B.V., Daimler International Nederland B.V., Daimler Investments US Corporation, Daimler Ladungstrager GmbH, Daimler Manufactura S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Mexico S.A. de C.V., Daimler Mitarbeiter Wohnfinanz GmbH, Daimler Mobility Services GmbH, Daimler Motors Investments LLC, Daimler Nederland B.V., Daimler Nederland Holding B.V., Daimler North America Corporation, Daimler North America Finance Corporation, Daimler Northeast Asia Parts Trading and Services Co. Ltd., Daimler Parts Brand GmbH, Daimler Parts Logistics Australia Pty. Ltd., Daimler Pensionsfonds AG, Daimler Protics GmbH, Daimler Purchasing Coordination Corp., Daimler Re Brokers GmbH, Daimler Re Insurance S.A. Luxembourg, Daimler Real Estate GmbH, Daimler Retail Receivables LLC, Daimler South East Asia Pte. Ltd., Daimler TSS GmbH, Daimler Truck AG, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Daimler Trucks & Buses US Holding Inc., Daimler Trucks Asia Taiwan Ltd., Daimler Trucks Canada Ltd., Daimler Trucks Korea Ltd., Daimler Trucks North America LLC, Daimler Trucks Remarketing Corporation, Daimler Trucks Retail Trust 2018-1, Daimler Trucks and Buses (China) Ltd., Daimler Trucks and Buses Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, Daimler Trust Holdings LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing Conduit LLC, Daimler Trust Leasing LLC, Daimler UK Limited, Daimler UK Share Trustee Ltd., Daimler UK Trustees Limited, Daimler Unterstutzungskasse GmbH, Daimler Vans Hong Kong Limited, Daimler Vans USA LLC, Daimler Vehiculos Comerciales Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Daimler Verwaltungsgesellschaft fur Grundbesitz mbH, Daimler Vorsorge und Versicherungsdienst GmbH, Daiprodco Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel Corporation, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing LLC, Detroit Diesel Remanufacturing Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Detroit Diesel-Allison de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deutsche ACCUmotive, Deutsche Accumotive GmbH & Co. KG, Deutsche Accumotive Verwaltungs-GmbH, Dreizehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, EHG Elektroholding GmbH, EvoBus (Schweiz) AG, EvoBus (U.K.) Ltd., EvoBus Austria GmbH, EvoBus Belgium N.V., EvoBus Ceska republika s.r.o., EvoBus Danmark A/S, EvoBus France S.A.S.U., EvoBus GmbH, EvoBus Iberica S.A.U., EvoBus Italia S.p.A., EvoBus Nederland B.V., EvoBus Polska Sp. z o.o., EvoBus Portugal S.A., EvoBus Reunion S. A., EvoBus Russland OOO, EvoBus Sverige AB, FLINC GmbH, Familonet GmbH, Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation, Friesland Lease B.V., Funfte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 5 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 6 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 7 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Alpha 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Beta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Delta OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Epsilon OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 2 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 3 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 4 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Daimler AG & Co. Gamma 1 OHG, Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft EvoBus GmbH & Co. OHG, Hailo Network IP Limited, Hailo Network Iberia S.L., Intelligent Apps GmbH, Interleasing Luxembourg S.A., Invema Assessoria Empresarial Eireli, Koppieview Property (Pty) Ltd, LAB1886 GmbH, LBBW AM Daimler Re Insurance, LBBW AM MBVEXW, LEONIE CORP DVB GmbH, LEONIE DMS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FS DVB GmbH, LEONIE FSM DVB GmbH, LEONIE PV DVB GmbH, LEONIE TB DVB GmbH, Lab1886 USA LLC, Lapland Car Test Aktiebolag, Legend Investments Ltd., Li-Tec Battery, Li-Tec Battery GmbH, MB GTC GmbH Mercedes-Benz Gebrauchtteile Center, MBarc Credit Canada Inc., MBition GmbH, MDC Power GmbH, MDC Technology GmbH, MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS POLSKA SPOKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, MFTA Canada Inc., MITSUBISHI FUSO TRUCK EUROPE Sociedade Europeia de Automoveis S.A., MYTAXI ITALIA S.R.L., MYTAXI POLSKA SPOLKA Z OGRANICZONA ODPOWIEDZIALNOSCIA, Mascot Truck Parts Canada Ltd (2017), Mascot Truck Parts USA LLC, Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains Ltd, Mercedes pay AG, Mercedes pay S.A., Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz (Yangzhou) Parts Distribution Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz Accessories GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Adm. Consorcios Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Antwerpen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Asia GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Assuradeuren B.V., Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Auto Finance Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-2, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2016-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2017-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-A, Mercedes-Benz Auto Lease Trust 2018-B, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2015-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Receivables Trust 2016-1, Mercedes-Benz Auto Retail Trust 2018-1, Mercedes-Benz Bank AG, Mercedes-Benz Bank GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Bank Polska S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bank Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Bank Service Center GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Banking Service GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Belgium Luxembourg S.A., Mercedes-Benz Bordeaux S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Broker Biztositasi Alkusz Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Brooklands Limited, Mercedes-Benz CPH A/S, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc., Mercedes-Benz Capital Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz CarMesh GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans Brasil Industria e Comercio De Veiculos Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Cars Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East FZE, Mercedes-Benz Cars Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Cars UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz CharterWay S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Compania Financiera Argentina S.A., Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Consulting GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Corretora de Seguros Ltda, Mercedes-Benz Credit Penzugyi Szolgaltato Hungary Zrt., Mercedes-Benz Customer Assistance Center Maastricht N.V., Mercedes-Benz Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Dealer Bedrijven B.V., Mercedes-Benz Drogenbos N.V., Mercedes-Benz Egypt S.A.E., Mercedes-Benz Energy Americas LLC, Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Espana S.A.U., Mercedes-Benz Europa NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz ExTra LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finance Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Australia Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Austria GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services BeLux NV, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Canada Corporation, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Espana E.F.C. S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services France S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Hong Kong Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Italia SpA, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Korea Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Portugal Sociedade Financeira de Credito S.A., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Rus OOO, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Finans Danmark A/S, Mercedes-Benz Finans Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Finansal Kiralama Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Finansman Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz Formula E Limited, Mercedes-Benz France S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Forsaljnings AB, Mercedes-Benz G GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Group Services Phils. Inc., Mercedes-Benz Hellas S.A., Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong Limited, Mercedes-Benz Hungaria Kft., Mercedes-Benz IDC Europe S.A.S., Mercedes-Benz India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Insurance Broker S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Insurance Services Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Investment Company LLC, Mercedes-Benz Italia S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Japan Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Korea Limited, Mercedes-Benz Leasing (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Co. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing Hrvatska d.o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing IFN S.A., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Kft., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Leasing Treuhand GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Leasing do Brasil Arrendamento Mercantil S.A., Mercedes-Benz Ludwigsfelde GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Mercedes-Benz Manhattan Inc., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing (Thailand) Limited, Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Hungary Kft., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Poland Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Rus Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Master Owner Trust, Mercedes-Benz Mechelen N.V., Mercedes-Benz Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Mercedes-Benz Minibus GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Mitarbeiter-Fahrzeuge Leasing GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Museum GmbH, Mercedes-Benz New Zealand Ltd, Mercedes-Benz PRAHA s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Paris SAS, Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Eastern Europe s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics Iberica S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Parts Logistics UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Parts Manufacturing & Services Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Polska Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Portugal S.A., Mercedes-Benz Project Consult GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Renting S.A., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America Inc., Mercedes-Benz Research & Development Tel Aviv Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Private Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail Belgium NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Retail S.A., Mercedes-Benz Retail Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz Risk Solutions South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Roma S.p.A., Mercedes-Benz Romania S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Russia AO, Mercedes-Benz Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Service Leasing S.R.L., Mercedes-Benz Services Correduria de Seguros S.A., Mercedes-Benz Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Mercedes-Benz Sigorta Aracilik Hizmetleri A.S., Mercedes-Benz Slovakia s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Solihull Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Sosnowiec Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz South Africa Ltd, Mercedes-Benz Srbija i Crna Gora d.o.o.u likvidaciji, Mercedes-Benz Subscription Services USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Sverige AB, Mercedes-Benz Taiwan Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Belgium Luxembourg NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Center Sint-Pieters-Leeuw NV/SA, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Ceska republika s.r.o., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Trucks France S.A.S.U, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Italia S.r.l., Mercedes-Benz Trucks MENA Holding GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Molsheim, Mercedes-Benz Trucks Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Trucks Schweiz AG, Mercedes-Benz Trucks UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Turk A.S., Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Inc., Mercedes-Benz USA LLC, Mercedes-Benz Ubezpieczenia Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz V.I. Lyon SAS, Mercedes-Benz V.I. Paris Ile de France SAS, Mercedes-Benz Vans Australia Pacific Pty. Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Vans Ceska republika s.r.o, Mercedes-Benz Vans Espana S.L.U., Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vans Mobility S.L., Mercedes-Benz Vans Nederland B.V., Mercedes-Benz Vans UK Limited, Mercedes-Benz Vehiculos Comerciales Argentina SAU, Mercedes-Benz Venezuela S.A., Mercedes-Benz Versicherung AG, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb NFZ GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vertrieb PKW GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd., Mercedes-Benz Warszawa Sp. z o.o., Mercedes-Benz Waterloo S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wavre S.A., Mercedes-Benz Wemmel N.V., Mercedes-Benz Wholesale Receivables LLC, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Assessoria Comercial Ltda., Mercedes-Benz do Brasil Ltda., Mercedes-Benz Osterreich GmbH, Mercedes-Benz Aluguer de Veiculos Unipessoal Lda., Mercedes-Benz.io GmbH, Mercedes-Benz.io Portugal Unipessoal Lda., MercedesService Card Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Mitsubishi Fuso Bus Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck of America Inc., Monarch Cars (Tamworth) Ltd., Montajes y Estampaciones Metalicas S.L., Multifleet G.I.E, NAG Nationale Automobil-Gesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft, P.T. Mercedes-Benz Indonesia, PABCO Co. Ltd., PT Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia, PT Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, Porcher & Meffert Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH & Co. Stuttgart OHG, R.T.C. Management Company Limited, Renting del Pacifico S.A.C., RepairSmith Inc., Reva SAS, Ring Garage AG Chur, SILVER ARROW CHINA 2017-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o CITIC TRUST CO. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-1 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., SILVER ARROW CHINA 2018-2 RETAIL AUTO LOAN ASSET BACKED NOTES TRUST c/o FOTIC: China Foreign Economy and Trade Trust Co. LTD., STARKOM d.o.o., Sandown Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Sechste Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, SelecTrucks Comercio de Veiculos Ltda, SelecTrucks of America LLC, SelecTrucks of Toronto Inc., Setra of North America Inc., Silver Arrow Australia Trust 2017-1, Silver Arrow Canada GP Inc., Silver Arrow Canada LP, Silver Arrow Lease Facility Trust, Silver Arrow S.A., Special Lease Systems (SLS) B.V, SportChassis LLC, Star Assembly SRL, Star Egypt For Import LLC, Star Transmission srl, Starexport Trading S.A., Sterling Truck Corporation, Sumperska sprava majetku k.s., T.O.C (Schweiz) AG, Taxibeat, Taxibeat Ltd. UK, Taxibeat Peru S.A., Taxibeat Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Thomas Built Buses Inc., Thomas Built Buses of Canada Limited, Transcovo SAS, Transopco France SAS, Transopco GmbH, Transopco Portugal Unipessoal Lda., Transopco UK Ltd., Trona Cogeneration Corporation, Ucafleet S.A.S, Vierzehnte Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft DVB mbH, Western Star Trucks Sales Inc, Zuidlease B.V., Zweite Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft Zeus mbH, car2go, car2go Belgium SPRL, car2go Canada Ltd., car2go China Co. Ltd., car2go Danmark A/S, car2go Deutschland GmbH, car2go Europe GmbH, car2go Group GmbH, car2go Iberia S.L.U., car2go Italia S.R.L., car2go N.A. Holding Inc, car2go N.A. LLC, car2go Nederland B.V, car2go Sverige AB, car2go Osterreich GmbH, moovel Group GmbH, moovel North America Inc., moovel North America LLC, myTaxi Iberia SL, myTaxi UG, myTaxi UK Ltd., myTaxi USA Inc., mytaxi Austria GmbH, mytaxi Network Ireland Ltd., mytaxi Network Ltd., mytaxi Portugal Unipessoal LDA, mytaxi Sweden AB, ogotrac S.A.S., smart France S.A.S., smart Vertriebs gmbh, and trapoFit GmbH. iShares Russell 1000 ETF's stock was trading at $151.41 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IWB stock has increased by 70.8% and is now trading at $258.56. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is an insurance and financial services company. The company provides life insurance, group and employee benefits, automobile and homeowners insurance and business insurance, as well as investment products, annuities, mutual funds, and college savings plans. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds. The Commercial Lines segment provides workers compensation, property, automobile, liability and umbrella coverage under several different products, primarily throughout the U.S., within its standard commercial lines, which consists of The Hartford's small commercial and middle market lines of business. The Personal Lines segment includes automobile, homeowners and home-based business coverage to individuals across the U.S. The Property & Casualty Other Operations segment includes certain property and casualty operations, currently managed by the company, that have discontinued writing new business and substantially all of the company's asbestos and environmental exposures. The Group Benefits segment offers group life, accident and disabi Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Eli Lilly and: 1096401 B.C. Unlimited Liability Company, ARMO BioSciences Inc, ARMO Bioscience, Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Alnara Pharmaceuticals, Alnara Pharmaceuticals Inc., Andean Technical Operations Center, Applied Molecular Evolution Inc., AurKa Pharma, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc., ChemGen, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals, CoLucid Pharmaceuticals Inc., Dermira, Devices for Vascular Intervention(DVI), Disarm Therapeutics, Dista Ilac Ticaret Ltd. Sti., Dista S.A., Dista-Produtos Quimicos & Farmaceuticos LDA, ELCO Dominicana SRL, ELCO Insurance Company Limited, ELCO Management Inc., ELCO for Trade and Marketing S.A.E., ELGO Insurance Company Limited, Elanco Animal Health Ireland Limited, Elanco Switzerland Holding Sarl, Eli Lilly (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Eli Lilly (Philippines) Incorporated, Eli Lilly (S.A.) (Proprietary) Limited, Eli Lilly (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Eli Lilly (Suisse) S.A., Eli Lilly Asia Inc., Eli Lilly Asia Pacific SSC Sdn Bhd, Eli Lilly Australia Pty. Limited, Eli Lilly B-H d.o.o., Eli Lilly Benelux S.A., Eli Lilly Bienes y Servicios S de RL de CV, Eli Lilly CR s.r.o., Eli Lilly Canada Inc., Eli Lilly Cork Limited, Eli Lilly Danmark A/S, Eli Lilly Egypt for Trading, Eli Lilly European Clinical Trial Services SA, Eli Lilly Export S.A., Eli Lilly Finance S.A., Eli Lilly Ges.m.b.H., Eli Lilly Group Limited, Eli Lilly Holdings Ltd., Eli Lilly Hrvatska d.o.o., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc., Eli Lilly Interamerica Inc. y Compania Limitada, Eli Lilly International Corporation, Eli Lilly Ireland Holdings Limited, Eli Lilly Israel Ltd., Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Eli Lilly Kinsale Limited, Eli Lilly Nederland B.V., Eli Lilly Nigeria Ltd., Eli Lilly Norge A.S., Eli Lilly Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd., Eli Lilly Polska Sp.z.o.o. (Ltd.), Eli Lilly Regional Operations GmbH, Eli Lilly Romania SRL, Eli Lilly S.A., Eli Lilly Saudi Arabia Limited, Eli Lilly Services Inc, Eli Lilly Services India Private Limited, Eli Lilly Slovakia s.r.o., Eli Lilly Sweden AB, Eli Lilly Vostok S.A. Geneva, Eli Lilly and Company, Eli Lilly and Company (India) Pvt. Ltd., Eli Lilly and Company (Ireland) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (N.Z.) Limited, Eli Lilly and Company (Taiwan) Inc., Eli Lilly and Company Limited, Eli Lilly de Centro America S.A., Eli Lilly do Brasil Limitada, Eli Lilly farmacevtska druzba d.o.o., Eli Lilly y Compania de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Eli Lilly y Compania de Venezuela S.A., Glycostasis Inc, Greenfield-Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Heart Rhythm Technologies Inc, Hybritech, Hypnion, ICOS Corporation, ImClone GmbH, ImClone LLC, ImClone Systems Holdings Inc., ImClone Systems LLC, Imclone Systems, Irisfarma S.A., Ivy Animal Health, Kinsale Financial Services Unlimited Company, Lilly (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd, Lilly Asia Ventures Fund I L.P., Lilly Asia Ventures Fund II L.P., Lilly Asian Ventures Fund III L.P., Lilly Cayman Holdings, Lilly China Research and Development Co. Ltd., Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Lilly France S.A.S., Lilly Global Nederland Holdings B.V., Lilly Global Services Inc., Lilly Holding GmbH, Lilly Holdings B.V., Lilly Hungaria KFT, Lilly Japan Financing G.K., Lilly Korea Ltd., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V., Lilly Nederland Finance B.V. - GCC, Lilly Nederland Holding B.V., Lilly Pharma Ltd., Lilly Portugal - Produtos Farmaceuticos Lda., Lilly S.A., Lilly Suzhou Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Lilly Trading Co. LTD, Lilly USA LLC, Lilly Ventures Fund I LLC, Lilly del Caribe Inc., Lilly ilac ticaret limited sirketi, Lohmann Animal Health, Loxo Oncology, Lylly Centre for Clinical Pharmacology PTE. LTD., Novartis Animal Health, OY Eli Lilly Finland AB, Origin Medsystems, PT. Eli Lilly Indonesia, Pacific Biotech, Pharmaserve-Lilly S.A.C.I., Physio-Control, SGX Pharmaceuticals, SGX Pharmaceuticals Inc, Spaly Bioquimica S.A., UAB Eli Lilly Lietuva, Valquifarma S.A., and Vital Pharma Productos Farmaceuticos. iShares MSCI Austria ETF's stock was trading at $15.26 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EWO stock has increased by 63.3% and is now trading at $24.9174. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF reverse split on the morning of Monday, November 7th 2016. The 1-4 reverse split was announced on Friday, October 14th 2016. The number of shares owned by shareholders was adjusted after the market closes on Friday, November 4th 2016. An investor that had 100 shares of iShares MSCI Malaysia ETF stock prior to the reverse split would have 25 shares after the split. New Media Investment Group Inc. invests in, owns, and operates local media assets in the United States. The company's principal products include 146 daily newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 1.5 million; 323 weekly newspapers with total paid circulation of approximately 268,000 and total free circulation of approximately 1.4 million; 132 shoppers with total circulation of approximately 3.1 million; and 581 locally-focused Websites, including Internet and mobile devices with approximately 364 million page views per month. Its principal products also comprise 77 business publications; and UpCurve Cloud and ThriveHive, which provides digital marketing and business services. In addition, the company produces niche publications that address specific local market interests, such as recreation, sports, healthcare, and real estate. Further, it offers print and online products that offer local market news and information on various topics comprising local news and politics, community and regional events, youth sports, opinion and editorial pages, local schools, obituaries, weddings, and police reports, as well as commercial printing services for publishers; and prints commercial materials, including flyers, business cards, and invitations. Additionally, the company produces approximately 350 annual events with a collective attendance approximately 400,000, such as themed expo, signature event, endurance event, and white label event services; and provides digital and print advertising services. It reaches approximately 22 million people per week; and serves approximately 199,000 business customers. New Media Investment Group Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in New York, New York. Read More SPDR Gold Shares' stock was trading at $153.93 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, GLD shares have increased by 9.2% and is now trading at $168.16. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Textron: AAI Corporation, AAI Services Corporation, ALSTOM Gears, Able Aerospace, Able Aerospace Services Inc., Able Engineering & Component Services, Aeronautical Accessories LLC, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC, Arctic Cat, Arctic Cat ACE Holding GmbH, Arctic Cat France SARL, Arctic Cat GmbH, Arctic Cat Inc., Arctic Cat Production LLC, Arctic Cat Production Support LLC, Arctic Cat Sales Inc., Arctic Cat Shared Services LLC, Arctic Cat UK Ltd., Arkansas Aerospace Inc., Avco Corporation, Aviation Service servis letal doo Ljubljana, Aylesbury Automation, B/K Navigational Equipment sro, Beech Aircraft Corporation, Beech Holdings, Beechcraft Defense Support Holding LLC, Beechcraft Domestic Service Company, Beechcraft Germany GmbH, Beechcraft International Holding LLC, Beechcraft International Service Company, Beechcraft New Zealand, Beechcraft Service Company UK Limited, Bell Helicopter GK, Bell Helicopter KK, Bell Textron Asia (Pte.) Ltd., Bell Textron Canada International Inc., Bell Textron Canada Limited/Limitee, Bell Textron Inc., Bell Textron Korea Inc., Bell Textron Miami Inc, Bell Textron Prague a.s., Bell Textron Rhode Island Inc., Bell Textron Services Inc, Bell Textron Supply Center BV, Bell Textron Technical Services Inc., Benzlers, Brazaco Mapri Industrias, Burkland, Cessna Aircraft Company, Cessna Citation European Service Center SAS, Cessna Dusseldorf Citation Service Center GmbH, Cessna Finance Corporation, Cessna Finance Export Corporation, Cessna Mexico S de RL de CV, Cessna Spanish Citation Service Center SLU, Cessna Zurich Citation Service Center GmbH, Citation Parts Distribution International Inc., Cushman Inc., Datacom Technologies, David Brown Group, Doncaster Citation Service Centre Limited, E-Z-GO Canada Limited, Energy Manufacturing, Flexalloy, HBC LLC, Hawker Beech de Mexico S de RL de CV, Hawker Beechcraft Argentina SA, Howe & Howe Inc., Howe and Howe Technologies, Industrial Technology Inc., InteSys Technologies, International Product Support Inc., KSB Annecy SAS, Kautex (Changchun) Plastics Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Chongqing) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Guangzhou) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Pinghu) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Shanghai) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex (Wuhan) Plastic Technology Co. Ltd., Kautex Corporation, Kautex Craiova srl, Kautex Germany Holding GmbH, Kautex Inc., Kautex Japan KK, Kautex Shanghai GmbH, Kautex Textron (UK) Limited, Kautex Textron Benelux BVBA, Kautex Textron Bohemia spol sro, Kautex Textron CVS Limited, Kautex Textron GmbH & Co. KG, Kautex Textron Iberica SL, Kautex Textron Italia Srl, Kautex Textron Management Services Company de Puebla S. de RL de CV, Kautex Textron Portugal Produtos Plasticos Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kautex Textron de Mexico S de RL de CV, Kautex Textron do Brasil Ltda., Kautex of Georgia Inc., Kaywood Products Corp., Klauke, LCI Corporation International, LLC Textron RUS, Maag, McCord Corporation, Mechtronix, Medical Numerics Inc., Midland Industrial Plastics, MillenWorks, MillenWorks Themed Technologies, MotorFist LLC, OPINICUS Simulation and Training Services LLC, OmniQuip International, Opinicus, Optical Boring Co., Opto-Electronics, Opto-Electronics Inc., Overwatch Systems Ltd., PEINER Umformtechnik, Pirelli Tyres - General Rubber Goods (GRG) division, Premiair Aviation Maintenance Pty Ltd, Progressive Electronics, Ransomes, Ransomes Inc., Ransomes Investment LLC, Ransomes Jacobsen France SAS, Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, Ransomes Limited, Ransomes Pensions Trustee Company Limited, Replacement Part Solutions LLC, Response Technologies LLC, Rotor Blades Limited, Sukosim Verbindungselemente, TRU Simulation & Training Spain SL, TRU Simulation + Training Inc., TRU Simulation + Training LLC, TekGPS Engineering Srl, Textron Airland LLC, Textron Atlantic LLC, Textron Aviation Australia Pty. Ltd., Textron Aviation Canada Ltd., Textron Aviation Defense LLC, Textron Aviation Finance Corporation, Textron Aviation Inc., Textron Aviation Prague Service Center sro, Textron Aviation Rhode Island Inc., Textron Aviation Services de Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Capital BV, Textron Communications Inc., Textron Far East Pte. Ltd., Textron Finance Holding Company, Textron Financial Corporation, Textron Financial Corporation Receivables Trust 2002-CP-2, Textron Fluid and Power Inc., Textron France Holding SAS, Textron France SAS, Textron Global Services Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment Inc., Textron Ground Support Equipment UK Limited, Textron IPMP Inc., Textron India Private Limited, Textron Innovations Inc., Textron International Inc., Textron International Mexico S de RL de CV, Textron Limited, Textron Management Services Inc., Textron Motors GmbH, Textron Motors North America Inc., Textron Outdoor Power Equipment Inc., Textron Realty Corporation, Textron Shared Service Centre (Canada) Inc., Textron Specialized Vehicles Inc., Textron Sweden AB, Textron Systems Australia Holding Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Australia Pty Ltd, Textron Systems Canada Inc., Textron Systems Corporation, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK (Holdings) Limited, Textron Systems Electronic Systems UK Limited, Textron Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Textron UK Pension Trustee Limited, Textron Verwaltungs-GmbH, Turbine Engine Components Textron (Newington Operations) Inc., United Industrial Corporation, Westminster Insurance Company, Williams Machine & Tool, Wuxi Textron Specialized Vehicles Co. Ltd., and Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Services Limited. Yorumunuz onaylanmak uzere yoneticiye iletilmistir. Dikkat! Suc teskil edecek, yasads, tehditkar, rahatsz edici, hakaret ve kufur iceren, asaglayc, kucuk dusurucu, kaba, mustehcen, ahlaka aykr, kisilik haklarna zarar verici ya da benzeri niteliklerde iceriklerden dogan her turlu mali, hukuki, cezai, idari sorumluluk icerigi gonderen Uye/Uyelere aittir. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc operates as an industrial technology company in the United Kingdom and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Civil Aerospace, Power Systems, Defence, and ITP Aero. The Civil Aerospace segment develops, manufactures, and sells aero engines for large commercial aircraft, regional jet, and business aviation markets, as well as provides aftermarket services. The Power Systems segment provides high-speed and medium-speed reciprocating engines, and propulsion and power generation systems for the marine, defense, power generation, and industrial markets. The Defence segment offers aero engines for military transport and patrol aircraft applications; and naval engines and submarine nuclear power plants, as well as aftermarket services. The ITP Aero segment engages in the design, research and development, manufacture and casting, assembly, and testing of aeronautical engines and gas turbines. It also provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for regional airlines, as well as business aviation, industrial, and defense applications. Rolls-Royce Holdings plc was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Exploration and Production, WES Midstream, and Other Midstream. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It is also involved in gathering, processing, treating, and transporting oil, natural-gas, and NGLs production, as well as the gathering and disposal of produced water. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the United States onshore and deepwater Gulf of Mexico; and Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, and other countries. As of December 31, 2018, it had approximately 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas. Read More Antofagasta plc, through its subsidiaries, primarily engages in the exploration, evaluation, development, and mining of copper properties in Chile and internationally. It operates through Los Pelambres, Centinela, Antucoya, ZaldAvar, Exploration and Evaluation, and Transport segments. The company explores for copper concentrates containing by-products, such as molybdenum, gold, and silver; and copper cathodes. It holds a 60% interest in the Los Pelambres mine; a 70% interest in the Centinela mine; a 50% interest in the ZaldAvar mine; and a 70% interest in the Antucoya mine located in Chile. The company also provides rail and road cargo, and other ancillary services. In addition, it offers rail and truck services to the mining industry in the Antofagasta Region. The company was incorporated in 1888 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Antofagasta plc is a subsidiary of Metalinvest Establishment. Read More 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. 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 The following companies are subsidiares of Danaher: AB SCIEX, AB Sciex Germany GmbH, AB Sciex LLC, AB Sciex LP, AB Sciex Pte Ltd., Accu-Sort Systems, Acme Cleveland Corporation, Advanced Vision Technology, American Precision Industries, Applied Biosystems, Applitek NV, Aquatic Infomatics ULC, Aquatic Informatics, Armstrong Tools, BC Distribution BV, Beckman Coulter, Beckman Coulter Australia Pty Ltd, Beckman Coulter Biotechnology (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Biyomedikal Urunler Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited [irketi], Beckman Coulter Canada LP, Beckman Coulter Commercial Enterprise (China) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter France S.A.S., Beckman Coulter G.m.b.H., Beckman Coulter Genomics Inc., Beckman Coulter Hong Kong Limited, Beckman Coulter Inc., Beckman Coulter India Private Limited, Beckman Coulter International SA, Beckman Coulter International Shanghai Trading Co., Beckman Coulter Ireland Inc., Beckman Coulter K.K., Beckman Coulter Korea Ltd., Beckman Coulter Laboratory Systems (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Beckman Coulter Limited Liability Company, Beckman Coulter Mishima KK, Beckman Coulter Nederland B.V., Beckman Coulter Nippon GK, Beckman Coulter S.L.U., Beckman Coulter Saudi Arabia Co.Ltd., Beckman Coulter Srl, Beckman Coulter Taiwan Inc., Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Limited, Beckman Coulter de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Beckman Coulter do Brasil Ltda., Beckman Finance ApS, Beckman Holdings Ltd., BioTector Analytical Systems Ltd, Biosafe S.A., Blue Software LLC, Cepheid, Cepheid AB, Cepheid Europe SAS, Cepheid GmbH, Cepheid HBDC SAS, Cepheid UK Ltd., ChemTreat, ChemTreat Inc., ChemTreat International Inc., Cispus Hong Kong Holding Limited, Cytiva, Cytiva BioProcess R&D AB, Cytiva Biotechnology (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Biotechnology (Hang Zhou) Co. Ltd., Cytiva Europe GmbH, Cytiva Sweden AB, Cytiva Sweden Holding AB, DH Europe Finance II Sarl, DH Europe Finance Sarl, DH Holding Italia SRL, DH Japan Finance Sarl, DH Life Sciences LLC, DH Netherlands BV, DH Technologies Development Pte Ltd., DHKAB Company AB, DTIL Ireland Holdings Ltd., Danaher (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Danaher Hong Kong Limited, Danaher Medical ApS, Delta Consolidated Industries, Devicore Medical Products Inc., Easco Hand Tools, Esko, Esko BV, Esko Finance BV, Esko Graphics BV, Esko Software BV, FHAB Company AB, Fluke, G. Lufft Mess- und Regeltechnik GmbH, GE Biopharma, Gelman Sciences Inc., Gendex, Genetix Group, Gilbarco Veeder Root, Gilzoni Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Austria GmbH & Co. KG, Global Life Sciences Solutions Germany GmbH, Global Life Sciences Solutions Korea Ltd., Global Life Sciences Solutions Manufacturing UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions New Zealand, Global Life Sciences Solutions Operations UK Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions Singapore Pte Ltd, Global Life Sciences Solutions USA LLC, Global Life Sciences Technologies (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Global Life Sciences Technologies Japan KK, Hach Company, Hach Lange Finance GmbH, Hach Lange GmbH, Hach Lange Sarl, Hach Sales & Services Canada LP, Hach Ultra Japan KK, Hach Water Quality Analytical Instru. (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., HemoCue AB, HyClone Laboratories LLC, Hybritech Incorporated, Hyclone Life Sciences Solutions India Private Limited, IDBS Group, IRIS International, Imaging Sciences International, Immunotech SAS, Immunotech Sro, Intabio LLC, Integrated DNA Technologies, Integrated DNA Technologies BVBA, Integrated DNA Technologies Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies Pte. Ltd., Iris International Inc., Joslyn Holding Company LLC, KVHG GmbH, KaVo, KaVo Kerr, Kaltenbach & Voigt, Keithley Instruments, Kipp & Zonen BV, Kollmorgen, Labcyte Inc., Laetus, Leica Biosystems Imaging Inc., Leica Biosystems Melbourne Pty Ltd, Leica Biosystems Newcastle Limited, Leica Biosystems Nussloch GmbH, Leica Biosystems Richmond Inc., Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte Limited, Leica Microsystems, Leica Microsystems (UK) Limited, Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, Leica Microsystems Cambridge Limited, Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, Leica Microsystems Inc., Leica Microsystems Limited, Leica Microsystems Ltd. Shanghai, Leica Mikrosysteme Vertrieb GmbH, Life Sciences Holdings France SAS*, Lifschultz Industries, Linx Printing Technologies, Linx Printing Technologies Limited, MDS Analytical Technologies, Marconi Data Systems, McCrometer Inc., Microtest, Molecular Devices, Molecular Devices (Austria) GmbH, Molecular Devices LLC, Navman Wireless, Navman Wireless OEM Solutions, Nihon Pall Ltd., Nihon Pall Manufacturing Limited, Nobel Biocare, OTT Hydromet Corp, Pall, Pall (Canada) ULC, Pall (China) Co. Ltd., Pall (Schweiz) GmbH, Pall Aeropower Corporation, Pall Artelis BVBA, Pall Asia Holdings Inc., Pall Australia Pty. Ltd., Pall Austria Filter Ges.m.b.h, Pall Corporation, Pall Europe Limited, Pall Filtersystems GmbH, Pall Filtration Pte. Ltd., Pall Filtration and Separations Group Inc., Pall France SAS, Pall GmbH, Pall India Pvt. Ltd., Pall International Sarl, Pall Italia Srl, Pall Korea Ltd., Pall Life Sciences Belgium BV, Pall Life Sciences Puerto Rico LLC, Pall Manufacturing UK Limited, Pall Medistad BV, Pall Netherlands BV Irish Branch, Pall Technology UK Limited, PaloDEX, Pantone LLC, Pelton & Crane, Phenomenex, Phenomenex Inc., Precision NanoSystems, QHC Ireland Finance Limited, Radiometer, Radiometer Basel AG, Radiometer K.K., Radiometer Medical ApS, Radiometer Medical Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Radiometer Turku Oy, Raytek, Reytek Corporation, SH Switzerland Finance Sarl, Sea-Bird Electronics Inc., SenDx Medical Inc., Shanghai AB Sciex Analytical Instrument Trading Co. Ltd., Sutron, Sybron Dental Specialties, TCIL Ireland Finance Ltd., Tektronix, Thomson Industries, Tianjin Bonna-Agela Technologies Co. Ltd., Trojan Technologies, Trojan Technologies Group ULC, VSS Monitoring, Videojet Do Brasil Comercio de Equipamentos Para Codificacao Industrial Ltda., Videojet Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Videojet Technologies Europe B.V., Videojet Technologies Inc., Viridor Waste Management Limited, Vision Systems Limited, Willett International, X-Ray Optical Systems Inc., X-Rite, X-Rite Europe GmbH, X-Rite Incorporated, X-Rite Switzerland GmbH, XOS, Yukon Hong Kong Holding Limited, and Zhuhai S.E.Z. Videojet Electronics Ltd.. Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund's stock was trading at $83.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, XLK stock has increased by 102.4% and is now trading at $169.01. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. UniFirst Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, personalization, rental, cleaning, delivery, and sale of a range of uniforms and protective clothing. It operates through following segments: U.S. Rental and Cleaning, Canadian Rental and Cleaning, Manufacturing, Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning, First Aid, and Corporate. The U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning segment purchases, rents, cleans, delivers and sells uniforms and protective clothing and non-garment items in the United States and Canada. The Manufacturing segment designs and manufactures uniforms and non-garment items primarily for the purpose of providing these goods to the U.S. and Canadian Rental and Cleaning reporting segment. The Specialty Garments Rental and Cleaning segment sells specialty garments and non-garment items primarily for nuclear and cleanroom applications and provides cleanroom cleaning services at limited customer locations. The First Aid segment provides first aid cabinet services and other safety supplies as well as maintains wholesale distribution and pill packaging operations. The Corporate segment consists of costs associated with its distribution center, sales and marketing, informatio Read More West End Indiana Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for West End Bank, S.B., a saving bank, provides various financial products and services to individuals, families, and businesses in Indiana. The company offers various deposit accounts, such as non-interest-bearing and interest-bearing checking accounts, NOW accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. It also provides various loan products, including one-to four-family residential real estate loans, indirect automobile loans, commercial and multi-family real estate loans, second mortgages and equity lines of credit, construction loans, and direct consumer loans, as well as commercial business loans consisting of term loans, regular lines of credit, and revolving lines of credit to finance short-term working capital needs. In addition, the company purchases investment securities, such as small business administration loan pools, municipal bonds, and mortgage-backed securities. It operates through a network of four banking offices located in Union and Wayne counties, Indiana; and limited service branches located in the elementary schools and high school in Richmond, Indiana. West End Indiana Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1894 and is headquartered in Richmond, Indiana. Read More Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19 Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Japans Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya agreed to further strengthen cooperation under the new Reiwa area at a meeting in Tokyo. A statement from the Department of National Defense (DND) Thursday, said the two officials agreed to deepen exchanges in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster response between ground forces, ship repair and maintenance between maritime forces, and professional airmanship between air forces. Lorenzana and Iwaya also discussed the 2015 Memorandum on Defense Cooperation and Exchanges, which covers Philippine-Japan relations on peace, security, and growth. The Philippine defense chief also expressed his gratitude for the turnover of five TC-90 aircraft and UH-1H spare parts and maintenance equipment to the Armed Forces of the Philippines from the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF). He also welcomed the arrival of JSDFs largest destroyer, JS Izumo, in July 2019. Lorenzanas talks with the Japanese defense minister were held as Chinese vessels remained in Philippine waters despite President Rodrigos order for them to leave. Japan has its own territorial dispute with China over the Senkaku Islands. Member of Parliament for Nata-Gweta Polson Majaga is being pushed against the wall by his party Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Majaga who dared to defy party convention, went against his partys processes and even seemed to disrespect the partys values when he tabled the motion calling for direct election of President in Parliament. Although it received overwhelming support, there had been prior plans to kill the motion when Vice President Slumber Tsogwane tried to engage Majaga in a bid to dissuade him against going ahead with his plans. But now, indications are that Majagas hard work will all come to nought following this past weekends BDP National Council in Kang, which wants nothing to do with the dangerous motion. This week BDP Secretary General Mpho Balopi said there is no how the party would give such a dangerous motion the green light. In fact, he said that Majaga himself conceded at the National Council in Kang to not having followed proper party processes and procedures and promised to engage further with party leadership on the motion. But in an interview this week Majaga told Botswana Guardian that the motion is for Batswana and not for one man who stood at the National Council and expressed his discomfort about the motion. The outspoken legislator said the National Council was not the right forum to discuss a matter which has been dealt with by Parliament. I did agree to engage the leadership further on the matter. People have to understand that this issue is for Batswana and it is one of the issues they have long wanted to be attended to. I humbled myself at the Council because I had to respect the leadership of the party but surprisingly people who were pushing for the motion to be discussed though I was not around, which is why when my whereabouts were questioned I stood up and went to the podium to explain. I did not want to embarrass anyone, which is why I obliged for further consultation but that does not change what happened in Parliament, said Majaga adding that MPs were not opposed to the motion. He wondered why at the Council Vice President Tsogwane, Balopi and newly-appointed Central Committee additional member Tebelelo Seretse were also pushing for the motion to be subjected to further rigorous debate by the BDP. But Balopi told the media this week that it was disorderly to have the motion brought before Parliament without first being subjected to vigorous scrutiny by the party. He revealed that on numerous occasions the party through its Parliamentary Caucus tried to have the motion put on hold but failed because the majority wanted to have the motion proceeded with. The motion at first hand might be seen to be progressive because this is done in other countries. When you scrutinise it further you will find out that there would be a lot of changes that comes with it. The motion has to be subjected to party process which is why after the National Council we would take it further to the National Congress. The motion was first taken to Parliament and we are saying this is not how we do things as the BDP. The motion would not only affect the president but everything around the presidency. So, we have to understand the implications that come with it, Balopi explained. He stated that this could also affect other party members who would have thought would grow through party ranks to at one point become the president. He said the BDP is not saying the motion is bad but wants it to be debated thoroughly. Balopi said the motion would not only change the political landscape but that the Constitution would also have to be changed. This would be a huge process that would need referendum and change of landscape politically, said Balopi adding that as the BDP they do not want Botswana to find herself in the position of Malawi which at one point voted a non-partisan president who immediately formed a party and polarised Parliament through appointment of ministers and those who wanted appointments joined the new party. This is why we say as the BDP there is no way the matter should be first discussed in Parliament. All BDP MPs who stood and debated the motion are deployees of the BDP. At times people misdirect themselves and say I have been voted by the people. Why dont you contest as an independent candidate and be voted as such? So, when you use the BDP ticket, emblem and slogan then learn to respect its constitution, principles and its values and act accordingly. As the BDP we are not going to accept that to happen that way, Balopi stated. Two Dalhousie students have been named as recipients of the 3M National Student Fellowship for 2019 an honour extended to just 10 undergraduates across the country each spring in recognition of their outstanding leadership and educational vision. Mariam Ragab, a third-year Computer Science student, and Hayat Showail, a second-year Environment, Sustainability & Society student, join a distinguished learning community of other fellows that's been growing since 3M Canada and the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) first launched the program in 2012. In addition to a $5,000 award, Mariam and Hayat will receive registration, accommodation and travel funds to participate in this year's STLHE conference in Winnipeg. They will take part in a collaborative project related to post-secondary education at the conference, which takes place June 11-14. With Mariam and Hayat being named 3M Student Fellows for 2019, Dal has now had five Student Fellows over the past three years. They follow Nursing student Martha Paynter in 2018 and Engineering student Bai Bintou Kaira and Theatre/ESS student Anika Riopel in 2017. Dal's first Student Fellow, Alex Harding, was in 2014. Hayat Showail Management; Environment, Sustainability and Society Hayat Showails quiet life in St. Louis, Missouri, changed radically when she was 12 and her family moved to Beirut. About six months into their new life in Lebanon, the country descended into civil war. I was this girl from the Midwest hearing bombs and everything. It was like what is going on? I really did not expect this,' says Hayat, now a second-year Environment, Sustainability and Society student in the Faculty of Management. Suddenly, Hayat saw the full scope of her own privilege in stark relief. Thats when I started doing community work because I felt I had so many privileges I never noticed before, she says. Privileges of education, privileges of safety, privileges of so much and it was time for me to give back. Hayat started tutoring underprivileged children whose parents could not afford tutors and could not help them with school. She even learned to speak Arabic and French fluently to be able to better communicate with the children. Years later, Hayat has continued to give back during her time Dal. She has worked as a peer advisor in the Career Services office of the Bissett Student Success Centre and as an assistant career and recruitment specialist with Management Career Services in her own Faculty, helping students fine-tune their resumes, cover letters, interview skills and job searches. At Bissett, she also found support to take on more initiative and decided to develop a workshop on creating change in diversity and inclusion efforts. I turned my leadership into something where not only am I empowering myself and moving up, but Im taking my community with me, she says. Hayat says she appreciates being a student at Dal because the university community seems open to new ideas. It has an environment where you can speak and be heard by people who not only believe you, but by people who dont and want to see your side, she says. I feel like that really empowers people to make change. Hayat says the recognition from 3M and STLHE has given her a boost to do even more as she heads into the second half of her degree at Dal. Its telling me, youve got this, keep going, this isnt the end point. This is just the beginning. You have to keep trying and doing more and giving back.'" Mariam Ragab Computer Science As someone who enrolled at Dalhousie when she was just 15, Mariam Ragab got to learn earlier than many young people the power of the post-secondary educational experience. But she has also had the chance to learn through her community outreach work how education systems sometimes dont work for people, particularly for economically disadvantaged youth in Canadas North. I work with people who dont necessarily have an opportunity to access education, says Mariam, now a third-year Computer Science major at Dal. Mariam volunteers with Global Vision, a national Canadian non-profit that connects the countrys best and brightest youth with communities in need to help build a stronger world through entrepreneurship and learning. She has also travelled to Ottawa, Peru, Papua New Guinea and even China with the NGO, helping provide youth in different communities with skills sets they might not otherwise have an opportunity to learn. What we do is centred around the challenges you see in your community and how you can take those challenges and turn them into something positive, she says. Mariam has also stepped up to support people in her immediate Dal community as well, working as a teaching assistant in Faculty of Computer Science and serving as vice-president internal of the Dal Computer Science society. The importance of education and learning was clear to Mariam early on. Her parents decided to emigrate from their home country of Egypt to Halifax in search of a better education for their daughter. It was an interesting time for me to come from there, barely speaking English, and going to school here for the first time. It was a jump, but I definitely learned a lot from seeing almost two completely different worlds, she says. As a 3M fellow, Mariam says she is most excited to meet other people who have been selected and learn them and what they do to be great leaders. My vision is to find a way to impact as many people as possible, she says. For me, if you can help one person, then that person can go and help another person and eventually you help the entire world. Kia will enter Indian market with SP2i, a Creta rival. It will follow it up with four more launches in the next two years. Kias Venue rival likely to be launched in India in 2020. The carmaker will have a presence in even tier 3 and tier 4 cities, when the SP2i is launched. South Korean carmaker Kia will begin its India innings with the SP2i compact SUV, which is based on the SP Concept shown at the 2018 Auto Expo. It was recently showcased in near-production form overseas as the SP Signature concept. After the SP2is India launch, which is slated to happen in September 2019, Kia is looking to add a new product to its lineup every six months. While Kia is yet to formally announce its next offering for India, CarDekho has learnt from reliable sources that the brand is likely to launch a sub-compact SUV in 2020. This Kia sub-4m SUV will remain the carmakers entry-level model for some time, at least until its first five cars arrive in India by 2022. Sources in the know tell CarDekho that Kia is not planning to offer a sub-Rs 7 lakh car in India at the moment, and that is where the prices of the sub-4m SUV are expected to start from. The carmaker doesnt want to enter segments which have multiple established players competing for market share, like the midsize hatchback space where Maruti Suzuki offers the Swift and Hyundai has the Grand i10. Its worth noting, though, that Kia does offer its own version of the Grand i10 overseas. Kias subcompact SUV will rival the Hyundai Venue and the rest of the sub-4m SUV brigade in India. It is likely to be launched in 2020 and should share its platform with the Hyundai Venue. But dont expect it to be a badge-engineered version of the Venue. Kia would rather stick to its own design language and might offer a different set of equipment as well to separate the two in terms of buyer appeal. Are you looking forward to Kias entry in India? Were you expecting it to offer a Santro or a Swift rival for India? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned to CarDekho for the latest news from Kia Motors. Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho. Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani is expected to meet Kumar on Friday to discuss his plans of leasing five Jet Airways' B777s. Air India is keen to launch more international routes and enhance frequencies on the existing ones, said a source. Mumbai: Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani is likely to meet State Bank chairman Rajnish Kumar on Friday over the national carrier's plans to lease five wide-body Boeing planes from the now grounded Jet Airways. Weighed down by a mountain of debt and falling revenue, Jet Airways announced suspension of its entire operations from Wednesday night and owns 16 wide-body planes, 10 B777-300ERs and six Airbus A330s. The SBI-led consortium of lenders are now running the Jet Airways under a debt recast plan. The Air India chairman had written to SBI chief on Wednesday expressing interest in taking on lease five of the Boeing 777s from Jet and deploy them in key international routes. And the meeting, expected to take place in New Delhi, is in furthering this. "Lohani is expected to meet Kumar today to discuss his plans of leasing five Jet Airways' B777s. Air India is keen to launch more international routes and enhance frequencies on the existing ones. But it does not have additional aircraft to do so. If it is able to strike a deal with Jet lenders, it can expand the international operations further," a source privy to the development told PTI. The Air India spokesperson was not available to confirm or deny the meeting. In a dry-lease arrangement, the lessor gives out only the aircraft to a lessee, while in wet-lease, the aircraft comes with the complete crew, maintenance and insurance. After the grounding of Jet, Air India is the only domestic carrier now operating services on long haul and ultra-long haul routes like London, Paris, New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco, among other cities. Bharti Airtel said its board of directors in a meeting held on Friday approved rights issue which is scheduled to open on May 3 and close on May 17. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Bharti Airtel's biggest rights issue of Rs 25,000 crore will open on May 3 and close on May 17, the company said in a regulatory filing. Bharti Airtel said its board of directors in a meeting held on Friday approved rights issue which is scheduled to open on May 3 and close on May 17. "Last date for receiving request for split application form (is) May 10, 2019," the filing said. Bharti Airtel has already fixed April 24 as the 'record date' to determine shareholders' eligibility to apply for the equity shares. Airtel has announced rights issue to raise up to Rs 25,000 crore through issuance of fully paid-up shares at a price of Rs 220 per share, and additional Rs 7,000 crore through a foreign currency perpetual bond issue. The company said the capital infusion will help it continue investments in future roll-outs to build large network capacity and create content and technology partnerships to ensure the strong customer experience. Last month, Airtel received commitment from its single-largest shareholder Singtel, promoters, and GIC Singapore to participate in the Rs 32,000-crore capital raising programme. Singapore telecom major SingTel said it will infuse Rs 3,750 crore in Bharti Airtel by subscribing to the proposed Rs 25,000-crore rights issue of the company, while GIC Pvt Ltd, on behalf of Singapore government and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has made a commitment of Rs 5,000 crore in the proposed programme. The sources said the lenders are actively considering proposals, including from Air India, for utilising the planes owned by Jet Airways. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Lenders are exploring ways to utilise about 15 planes owned by Jet Airways and also discussing with authorities on protecting the valuable assets, including airport slots, of the now-shuttered airline, banking sources said. As they wait for completion of the bidding process for stake sale, the domestic lenders, led by SBI, are looking at options to raise funds from available assets of the carrier, which has served the Indian skies for nearly 26 years. Left with no cash to continue flying, the once-mighty Jet Airways on Wednesday suspended operations temporarily -- a decision that has also left more than 20,000 employees as well as various other stakeholders in the lurch. The sources said the lenders are actively considering proposals, including from Air India, for utilising the planes owned by Jet Airways. The use of these idle planes would ensure that they remain in good condition as well as earn revenues, they added. Jet Airways owns 16 aircraft, including 10 wide-body Boeing 777-300 ERs, rest of the planes were on lease. The full-service carrier had more than 120 planes in its fleet last year. Earlier this week, Air India Chairman and Managing Director Ashwani Lohani wrote to SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar saying that the airline is looking at leasing five of Jet Airways' Boeing 777s and operate them on London, Dubai and Singapore routes. As concerns mount over the future course of Jet Airways, the sources said lenders have been proactive and cannot be blamed for the current situation at the airlines. "They (lenders) have been actively engaging with the company for almost nine months ever since the airlines started incurring cash losses and have been urging the management to come forward with a definite plan for resolution. "Unfortunately, the management and the promoter delayed in taking a decision leading to the present situation. The lenders continued to support the airline during this period," one of the sources said. The decision of founder-promoter Naresh Goyal to step down came as late as March 25 and he signed a binding agreement to facilitate stake sale only in the second week of April. By then, the airline's operations had been severely affected, the source added. The source also said that banks have now put in place a transparent bidding process for a new investor to take over the airline and the outcome would be known by May 10. According to the sources, lenders have also reached out to relevant authorities to protect valuable assets for the airline, such as airport slots, as it would improve the chances of a better revival. The best revival prospect would be to have a new investor who brings in sufficient cash and also has a definite plan going forward, they added. It is also learnt that while the promoter has stepped down and entered into a binding agreement, there has been no change in complexion of the board of the airline due to technical reasons. "The conversion of debt into equity was conceived as a way to allow a new investor to come in. Also, while the lenders have nominated A K Purwar and Kapil Kaul to the board of Jet Airways consequent upon stepping down of the promoters, this is yet to take effect on account of some technical reasons," another source said. The banks have been working with the same executive management team who have been in charge of running the company even after stepping down of the promoter, the source added. On Thursday, lenders said they were "reasonably hopeful" that the bidding process for the airline will end successfully. "The lenders after due deliberations decided that the best way forward for the survival of Jet Airways is to get the binding bids from potential investors who have expressed EOI (Expression of Interest) and have been issued bid documents on April 16," they had said in a statement. A consortium of seven domestic lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI), has invited bids from potential suitors. Their debt exposure to the airline is more than Rs 8,500 crore. "Lenders are reasonably hopeful that the bid process is likely to be successful in determining the fair value of the enterprise in a transparent manner," it said. Banks had rejected emergency funding request of Jet Airways that forced it to ground operations. "Religare Enterprises has suffered over the years on account of unbridled mismanagement and misappropriation of funds orchestrated under the erstwhile promoters (Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh) and Sunil Godhwani," the company statement said. New Delhi: Religare Enterprises on Friday said the new management team is committed to ensure that good governance and accountability are the hallmarks of the group as it dubbed allegations made by its former chief Sunil Godhwani as an attempt to divert attention from fraudulent transactions. Godhwani has alleged conspiracy of the company's current management and erstwhile promoters Malvinder Singh and Shivinder Singh against him. In a submission to the corporate affairs ministry, he had also said that an investigation should be started into the management change that happened in February 2018. Against this backdrop, the company said allegations are being made by Godhwani to divert attention from the fraudulent transactions carried out in a listed company and the perpetrators need to brought to book. "The company has the full support of its shareholders to bring to justice the erstwhile promoters and management and recover all the monies siphoned away by them," it added. It also said that the new management team is committed to ensure that going forward the ethos of good governance, ethics and accountability become the hallmark of the Religare Group. "Religare Enterprises has suffered over the years on account of unbridled mismanagement and misappropriation of funds orchestrated under the erstwhile promoters (Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh) and Sunil Godhwani," the statement said. The ministry had sought a response from Godhwani on a complaint filed against him in the case of Religare Enterprises, which is under the scanner for alleged financial irregularities. He is also under the lens. Last year, the Singh brothers had blamed him for the troubles faced by the group. Cybersecurity blog KrebsOnSecurity had previously stated that Wipro's systems had been breached and were being used to launch attacks against some of its clients. New Delhi: Wipro Ltd on April 19 said a cyber attack on few of its employee accounts has not impacted its critical business operations and the firm has taken remedial measures. In a regulatory filing, the company said it became aware of potentially abnormal activity within its network about 10 days back in respect of few of its employee accounts, who were "subjected to an advanced phishing campaign". "Upon learning of the above, the company promptly kicked off its standard operating procedure for addressing such incidents. We began investigating the incident, identified and isolated the employee accounts which were impacted, took remedial steps to contain the incident and mitigate any potential effects of the incident," Wipro said. It also informed the handful of customers where the affected employees are engaged. "We would like to clarify that the incident did not impact the company's ongoing critical business operations," it said. Cybersecurity blog KrebsOnSecurity had previously stated that Wipro's systems had been breached and were being used to launch attacks against some of its clients. "Like any large enterprise, the company investigates over 4.8 million alerts in a year," Wipro said without elaborating on what its investigation had revealed. Wipro said it has used its industry-leading cybersecurity practices and partner ecosystem for remedial steps and has shared this intelligence with its partners to develop the AntiVirus signatures. "The same has been applied to our enterprise systems. We are collaborating with our partner ecosystem to collect and monitor advanced threat intelligence for enhancing our security posture. We continue to monitor our enterprise infrastructure at a heightened level of alertness," it said. KrebsOnSecurity, in its blog, had cited sources to state that Wipro was "dealing with a multi-month intrusion from an assumed state-sponsored attacker" and that Wipro's systems were seen being used as jumping-off points for digital phishing expeditions targeting at least a dozen Wipro customer systems. There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan. New Delhi: India suspended cross-border trade with Pakistan-controlled Kashmir because it was being used to funnel weapons and drugs, the government said on Thursday, in a further crackdown in the volatile territory. Trade across the Line of Control (LoC), or the heavily militarised de facto border that divides the two parts of Kashmir between India and Pakistan, has served as a confidence-building measure and to help the local population. But tensions between India and Pakistan have been running high ever since a Pakistan-based militant group claimed responsibility for bombing a security convoy in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the middle of a tightening election race, ordered air strikes on a suspected camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammad group in northwest Pakistan, prompting a retaliatory air raid by Pakistan. On Thursday, the Indian home ministry said it had been receiving information that militant groups were using the cross border route to send arms, drugs and fake Indian currency. Unscrupulous and anti-national elements are using the route as a conduit for money, drugs and weapons, under the garb of this trade, the ministry said. It said that inquiries by the National Investigation Agency had shown a significant number of firms engaged in the cross border trade were being operated by people with links to militant groups. It did not name anyone. Trade operates on a barter system, where no money is exchanged. Indian traders export cumin, chilli pepper, cloth, cardamom, bananas, pomegranate, grapes and almonds. Prayer mats, carpets, cloth, oranges, mangos and herbs return from the Pakistani side. Soon after the attack on the Indian security convoy, India withdrew Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan, accusing the neighbour of not doing enough to rein in militant groups operating from its soil. Pakistan denied any involvement in the attack. The Indian government said on Thursday it believed that following the withdrawal of favoured status, more goods from Pakistan could be routed through the cross-border channels in Kashmir to avoid the higher duties. It has, therefore, been decided by the Government of India to suspend the LoC trade at Salamabad and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect, the government said referring to the points from where the trade took place. There was no immediate reaction from Pakistan. Inevitably, especially in the age of Donald Trump, TikToks fast growth and Chinese ownership have made it the subject of scrutiny. Last month, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), ordered Beijing Kunlun Tech Co. Most nights, from around 7 till midnight, Sydney Jade is on TikTok, the smartphone app of the moment. The platinum blond teenager films herself singing show tunes, doing jumping jacks, and joking around with store clerks at a Walmart not far from her home in Oklahoma. Her short music videos and livestreams are popularJade has 284,000 followers, some of whom periodically send her virtual gifts, like 99 Rainbow Puke stickers. Jades parents resisted TikTok at first. They hadnt heard of the app and, Jade says, didnt like the idea of strangers watching me sing alone in front of the pink curtains in my bedroom. But she convinced them that TikTok was friendlier for kids than other apps like Facebook. They let her join last year, just as, it seems, every other teenager signed on as well. In January, TikTok was the most downloaded app in the Android and iPhone stores, according to research firm Sensor Tower Inc. The story sounds a lot like the rise of other social media powers such as Instagram and Snapchat, both of which pitched themselves as alternatives to Facebooks big blue app. But TikTok wasnt created by Stanford students Mark Zuckerberg could buy off or spend into the ground. Its a subsidiary of a Beijing startup, Bytedance Ltd., thats built a collection of valuable apps in China powered by vast troves of data and sophisticated artificial intelligence. Last year, Bytedances investors valued the company at $75 billion, the most of any startup in the world. Inevitably, especially in the age of Donald Trump, TikToks fast growth and Chinese ownership have made it the subject of scrutiny. Last month, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), ordered Beijing Kunlun Tech Co., a little-known Chinese gaming company that bought the very well-known gay-dating app Grindr, to sell the business over apparent concerns that Chinese intelligence agencies could potentially use data from the app to blackmail users. In an April 1 filing, the company said its in talks with CFIUS. US authorities havent said theyre investigating Bytedance in connection with its ownership, but the companys large user base could conceivably make it a target. Social media platforms are increasingly considered sensitive by CFIUS, says Farhad Jalinous, Chair of the National Security and CFIUS practice at law firm White & Case LLP. Bytedance says it now stores all TikTok data outside of China and that the Chinese government has no access. (The companys privacy policy had previously warned users it could share their information with its Chinese businesses, as well as law enforcement agencies and public authorities, if legally required to do so.) Separately, TikTok has faced concerns over privacy and child safety. In February, Bytedance was fined $5.7 million by the Federal Trade Commission to settle allegations that Musical.ly, which Byteda-nce bought and renamed TikTok, illegally collected information from minors. It was the largest FTC penalty in a childrens privacy case. The settlement didnt scare off Bytedances inve-stors or the company itself, which is spending hundreds of millions of dollars to advertise on Facebook in the hope of luring away more users. Over the past three months, for instance, 13 per cent of all the ads seen by users of Facebooks Android app were for TikTok, says app-analytics firm Apptopia. Bloomberg India is one of the largest gold importers in the world, and the imports mainly take care of demand from the jewellery industry. New Delhi: The country's gold imports dipped about 3 per cent in value terms to USD 32.8 billion during 2018-19, which is expected to keep a lid on the current account deficit. Total imports of the precious metal in 2017-18 had stood at USD 33.7 billion, according to data from the commerce ministry. Trade experts said softening prices of the yellow metal in the global markets could be the reason for the contraction in the value of imports. After recording negative growth in February, the imports grew 31.22 per cent to USD 3.27 per cent in March. India is one of the largest gold importers in the world, and the imports mainly take care of demand from the jewellery industry. Jump in imports during March helped gems and jewellery exporters push their exports. The outbound shipments dipped only marginally by 0.37 per cent to USD 3.42 billion in March. The country's current account deficit (CAD), or the difference between outflow and inflow of foreign exchange in the current account, widened to 2.5 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the third quarter of the fiscal, against 2.1 per cent in the year-ago period, mainly due to a large trade deficit. The government had introduced several measures to restrict the import of gold. Import of the yellow metal attracts 10 per cent duty. The domestic jewellery industry always demands a cut in the duty and relaxation of other import norms for increasing availability of the yellow metal to boost jewellery exports. Vaigarai Balan, a former associate of Sasikumar, has chosen a script revolving around elderly people titled Chiyangal. Chiyan is the word used by the people across few areas in Southern Tamil Nadu to address the elderly men in their neighborhood. The film talks about the problems old people face and how the society looks at them, not in preachy style but in a fun filled manner. The film also delves into the lives of old people, their joys, pains, emotions an sentiments, says Balan. Vaigarai Balan He adds, The film is based on the inspirations of what I have seen growing up. Besides, for a few familiar faces like Nalinikanth and Karikalan, we are introducing around 70 new faces in the film and all of them were given proper training. We have shot the film in and around Theni. On her first visit to the city last year, German dramaturge Verena Regensburger had a chance to attend a south Indian wedding. Understandably, she remembers being taken aback at the sight of half naked men serving food. I was told it is a cultural thing and that the servers were Brahmins, she recalled over phone from Germany. Chatting at a ridiculous hour of late night and early morning (both, for her and me, as she joked - two crazy women), Regensburger talked of her time spent in BangaloREsidency which is a collaboration between the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan and contemporary cultural spaces. In her case, the Abhinaya Taranga, a theatre training school, hosted her stay and thus began a collaboration between her and three actors from the school; Vishal Patil, Ajay Sharma and Raghu Dayear. It resulted in the play My Name is I love you which is essentially the aspirations and struggles of the three actors that were discussed through the various discussions between the director and the actors. I come from an acting school, Regensburger said. But instead of conducting workshops, I preferred writing the text of the play along with the actors. Sometimes, I wrote and they improvised it and so on. From the start, she had wanted the play to be devised from her experiences rather than make a play from the outsiders angle. Coming back to the cultural shock, it exposed (pardon the pun) her to the castes prevalent in the Indian society and the role it plays in society. Swetha Shashank, who is doing the production of the play, said, The play is about intercaste marriages; basically about how caste plays a big role as well as the typical male and female role expectations. It is also about the pressures of fulfilling these expectations. Regensburger graduated in Theatre Sciences as well as languages, literature and culture from the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. During her studies, she did several internships at theatres to specialize in directing, video and stage designing. As a director, she and her team developed a theatre play wherein the stage became an experimental space for what is communicated consciously and subconsciously. Her fascination for the languages led to Regensburger consciously learning particular phrases in foreign tongues. I try to learn something nice in a new language, like I love you, or my name is Verena and so on. That led to the title which reflects her penchant for phrases to learn as well as an underlying message of love surpassing all barriers. We dont really say something new in the play, she pondered. Instead, we highlight the way it is said. It is an ironic and a bit funny way of saying something and that is important. The set, Regensburger explained, has a simple set design where the stage is decorated with plastic bottles. Until the end of the play, the bottles remain as props and provide a striking visual. In fact, the light on the water bottles give a very interesting perspective, Shashank added. But in the end, which the duo felt is the highlight, the bottles become analogies to the caste system. The 2 litre bottles depict the Brahmins are at the top of the spectrum and at the other end are the small cups which represent the shudras, Regensburger explained. Also explored in the play are the traditional and modern ways to deal with the caste system. Talking about the gender roles, one question I ask Regensburger is the choice of three male actors. She laughed. The actors were already selected by the school. When I found that they were only men, I decided to come back once more to direct one play with women. Or else, the actors could come to Germany. But that aside, the play does talk about the gender roles. What: My Name is I Love You When and where: April 21, 7.30 pm, The Bohemian House (Ashok Nagar) Mumbai: Telugu actress Sri Reddy, who is known for stripping down publicly as a protest against the biggies of Tollywood has recently expressed her happiness for getting tremendous support from fans. The actress has given sleepless night to Telugu film industry's people for sexually exploiting many struggling actresses before giving them an opportunity to make it big in the industry. Sri Reddy during strip protest in front of the Film Chamber in Film Nagar. Sri Reddy stated in her Facebook post, I got a tremendous response for removing clothes. Further, the actress thanked Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao aka KCR for supporting her. In a FB post, Sri Reddy wrote, "Being a Hyderabadi Proud moment today..Thank u soooooooo much real hero kcr garu..my dream came true today..from mark of bitch now you made me a heroine to this world..1 year of my pain gave the birth..g.o passed by government against sexual harrassment..for movie industry committee is forming soon on sexual harrassment..now got tremendous result for my removing clothes..main persons who made this true is sandya ,vasudha,sajaya,tej love u all..for this movement heart is "apoorva"..thank u every one.. (sic)" Notably, Sri Reddy had accused big names like Raghava Lawrence, Nani and Koratala Siva from the Telugu film industry for these misconduct. She had questioned the Movie Artists' Association (MAA) and the Telangana government on why there is no provision of a committee to look into cases of sexual harassment. Due to her bold step, she was banned by MAA but after a few days, they lifted it. Telugu filmmakers seem somehow a lot more interested in working with non-Telugu actresses. Although Tollywood boasts of actresses like Eesha Rebba, Poojitha Ponnada and many others who not only look good on the screen but are also great performers. But Telugu filmmakers have mostly been roping in actresses from Delhi, Mumbai or Kerala. Eesha Rebba, for instance, has proven that she can deliver a good performance if given the opportunity. Unfortunately, however, that is precisely what she has failed to land a big break. She was given a small role in the director Trivikram Sreenivas Aravinda Sametha, and regardless of the length of her appearance, she did a good job in the role. Eesha Rebba Further, as far as the actress social media footprint is concerned, Eesha Rebba has been posting a ton of glamorous pictures of herself on Instagram and has about one million followers on her official account. We wonder what shes not doing right. Poojitha Ponnada is another Telugu actress who has acted only in a few films so far and has not received a good, big break yet. Filmmakers have been preaching a fair bit on the camera about encouraging Telugu actresses. However, are they really practicing what they preach? Reportedly, actress-turned-politician Vijayashanti has demanded the Telangana government to take action against Nagarjuna for land encroachment, and even tweeted to K. Chandrasekhar Rao in this regard. The Chief Minister recently announced that he was cleansing the revenue department, and Vijayashanthi took the occasion to ask the CM to initiate action against Nagarjuna. It was reported a few years ago that Nagarjuna had encroached land in Madhapur to build his convention centre. Now, everybody awaits Nagarjunas response to Vijayashanthis allegations. Even prior to the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, a few Telugu Desam leaders had accused Nagarjuna of land encroachment, but no action was taken at that time. After the bifurcation, however, Nagarjuna has been careful to maintain a good relationship with the present TRS government. However, now that Vijayashanthi has raised the issue, the actor certainly needs to come up with a tight response. Nag is at present in Portugal, shooting for his upcoming romantic drama, Manmadhudu 2. Dubai: India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri has commended the launch of a book containing English translation of the Punjabi poem, Khooni Vaisakhi, saying the100-year-old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience. The poem was translated by Suri, whose grandfather Nanak Singh, a revolutionary poet, novelist and a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing the events first-hand. On April 13, 1919, British troops fired upon crowds of protestors peacefully demonstrating against the Rowlatt Act of the British Raj, and it lead to the loss of well over a thousand lives. The book was also released in New Delhi on April 13, marking 100 years of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place in Amritsar. Suri spoke at a panel discussion that followed the launch of the book in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Its release in India has attracted exceptional media and public interest and many have commented on the timeless quality of its message, Suri said. I am happy that this translation of a 100-year old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience, he said. Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at NYU New York, Toral Gajarawala moderated the panel discussion on the poem and its impact on Indian nationalism and the British Raj. The panel discussion was also attended by BBC South Asia Correspondent, Justin Rowlatt, whose great-grandfather, Sir Sydney Arthur Taylor Rowlatt, drafted the Rowlatt Act. Chennai: The Kancheepuram all-women Police have launched a search for a man who allegedly molested a young girl near Kavalan gate in Kancheepuram. The accused, Kotteshwaran (45), an employee of a roadside eatery in Kavalan gate, has been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(Pocso) Act, 2012. According to police, the victim's mother, a private export company employee, a resident of Valantheeswaran Kovil Thoppu street near Kavalan gate, lodged a complaint with the Kancheepuram superintendent of police on Friday. On Wednesday afternoon, the accused noticed the 8-year-old girl while she was playing near her house, and asked her to go with him to his house. When she refused, he forcefully took her to his house on his bike, where he allegedly raped her. The girl managed to escape later. Next day, her mother noticed that her child seemed exhausted and fragile. She further noticed some bite marks and bruises on her daughter's body, but sexual harassment did not occur to her as a possibility. Upon enquiry, the child said nothing. The mother took her child to the doctor as the bruises seemed serious. The doctor, upon examination of the child, immediately identified what had happened and informed the mother that her daughter had been molested by someone. Later, the girl opened up to her mother, who immediately lodged a complaint with the SP of Kancheepuram to take action against the man. Subsequently, the Kancheepuram AWPS were informed and a case was registered. The accused has been charged with kidnapping, assault, and physical contact under the Indian Penal Code. He has also been booked under the Pocso Act. Probe is on to nab Kotteshwaran, who has gone missing after the incident, said the police. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. (Photo: File) New Delhi: The Congress parties most vocal face, its national spokesperson and media cell convenor, Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the party on Thursday evening, a day after she had gone public with her anguish that the party had reinstated cadres who had misbehaved with a few days ago, sources said. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. There is no confirmation that her resignation has been accepted. It was also learnt that Chaturvedi will join the Shiv Sena. Sanjay Raut,Shiv Sena: Priyanka Chaturvedi will join Shiv Sena today pic.twitter.com/957p0hl35U ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 This is what Chaturvedi had tweeted on Wednesday. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 She also removed from her introduction on her Twitter account about the posts she held in the party. Photo: ANI | Twitter She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during her press conference in Mathura a few days ago. The party which had suspended those workers reinstated them on April 15. Addressing a press conference with Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Friday afternoon, Chaturvedi said she had left the Congress after being upset over reinstatement of party workers who misbehaved with her. "It is not true that I quit the Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket," Chaturvedi said in response to a query. Welcoming her to the party fold, Thackeray said Shiv Sena workers had got a "good sister" in Chaturvedi. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Hardik Patel had to later travel by road to Lunawada, around 100km from Ahmedabad, to address an election rally. (Photo: File) Ahmedabad: Congress leader Hardik Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat Thursday at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad, an official said. Hardik Patel had to later travel by road to Lunawada, around 100km from Ahmedabad, to address an election rally. The 25-year-old, who led the Patidar reservation stir in Gujarat since 2015 and joined the Congress last month, has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, criss- crossing the state in a helicopter to address poll rallies. His helicopter ride to Lunawada to address an election rally for Congresss Panchmahal Lok Sabha candidate Vechatbhai Khant got into trouble after a farmer, Vinay Patel, went back on his permission to allow the chopper to land on his private field, the official said. Vinay Patel sounded upset with Hardik Patel, saying he is playing politics on the bodies of those who died during the Patidar reservation agitation. Hardik was to attend an election rally at 5 pm Thursday at Lunawada and two days ago permission was granted for his helicopter to land at a private land. But the owner of the private land on which the temporary helipad was to be constructed for the chopper to land declined (permission) at the last moment, said resident additional collector R R Thakkar. Since the permission to land his helicopter was cancelled, Hardik Patel travelled to the town by road to address the rally, Thakkar said. Vinay Patel claimed permission for the helicopters landing was sought from district authorities here by a local Congress leader without his knowledge. On April 16, local Congress leader Suresh Patel had sought permission (from authorities) for a helipad without my knowledge. When I learnt that he was given permission, I raised objection after which action was taken, he said. I know Hardik, the Patidar leader from our community, and I know who he is. I object to him putting foot on my land because he is doing politics on the dead bodies of 14 Patidar youths (killed during the quota agitation), he said. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Madhav said, 'We are doing so. It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions.' (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Backing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's theory that Congress might be plotting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said it would be "better that Imran Khan keeps off Indian elections. Speaking to ANI, Madhav said: "Who will be the prime minister of India will be decided by the people of India. We are wise enough; we don't need advisers from across the border. When we come back to power, we know how to deal with our neighbours. We don't need advisers or suggestions from across the border." Sitharaman had told ANI that she believes that Khans statement on peace talks between the neighbours and resolution to the Kashmir issue would be a possibility if BJP is voted back to power, as merely a ploy by the Congress to oust PM Modi-led government. Earlier, Khan had reportedly said that there might be a better chance of peace talks with India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the upcoming elections. Responding to a question on whether there is a deliberate attempt to politicise the country's armed forces, Madhav said, "We are doing so. It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions." "They are not questioning the government but the very credentials of the Army itself," he said. Hyderabad: With the Election Commission objecting to the review meetings held by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, chief secretary L.V. Subrahmanyam has instructed all IAS, IPS and other officials not to attend any review meetings. He also directed Director General of Police R.P. Thakur not to attend any law and order meetings called by Mr Naidu. Mr Subrahmanyam ma-de it clear to government officials that without taking permission from him they are not allowed to attend meetings held by Mr Naidu. Mr Naidu on Thursday held review meetings on the Polavaram project and construction of the new capital city Amaravati. He intended to hold a review meeting with police officers on law and order issues, but has cancelled this meeting. Mr Subrahmanyam has vetoed these meetings on the grounds that when the election model code of conduct is in force, the Chief Minister of a state cannot hold any review meetings with officials, and government officials should not attend such review meetings. He said that officers should not meet the Chief Minister on any work, whether he calls them or on their own. If anything, the Chief Minister will inform the concerned department secretary, and in turn the secretaries should bring it to my notice. Depending on the issue, I will take a decision, the Chief Secretary told government officials. Rule 19.6.1 of the model code of conduct says: During the period of operation of the Model Code, no video conferencing shall take place between the Chief Minist-er/ ministers/ political functionaries of the Union and state governments with the government officials. Mr Subrahmanyam confirmed to this newspaper that he had issued such instructions. When the election code is in force, the Chief Minister and cabinet ministers cannot hold review meetings, and if they do, officials should not attend them, he said. He added that he has informed officers not to go to the Chief Minister without his prior permission. Shimla: The Election Commission has banned Himachal Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party president Satpal Satti from holding public rallies for 48 hours for his derogatory remark against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Satti, who had read out a cuss word against Mr Gandhi from a message circulating on social media, has been barred from holding public rallies from 10am on Saturday. According to an EC order, which said the remark was indecent, derogatory and totally uncalled for. The ban bars Satti from holding public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in (electronic, print, social) media in connection with the Lok Sabha election under way, EC Secretary Rahul Sharma said in the order. The EC has barred Satti from holding rallies under Article 324. The Article gives the poll panel the powers of superintendence, direction and control of elections. The commission is convinced that the statement is in violation of the provisions contained in para 2 of part-1 of General Conduct of Model Code of Conduct and the commission's advisory, dated November 28, 2013, a state electoral official said. New Delhi: The Election Commission of India on Friday sent a notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi for an alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct over banners put up in his Lok Sabha constituency Amethi earlier this week. The banners, which had a picture of Rahul Gandhi, said: Ab hoga Nyay. The party chief has been asked to reply to the poll panels notice within 24 hours. The election panel, in its notice, said the banners were put up without the permission of the local election officers and the owner of the building. Flying squads of the EC came across seven 10x25 foot banners across Amethi, the EC said. It further said that when its officers had asked for the relevant papers, the Congress workers could not produce any documents. The EC said action would be taken if the Mr Gandhi was unable to give a satisfactory reply. Nyay, which means justice, is a flagship scheme that has been promised by the Congress Party to provide basic minimum income support to the poorest of the poor families in the country if it is voted to power. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. Mumbai: Disgruntled former Congress national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree. Mr Thackeray said that his party would give her a post well-suited to her capabilities while Ms Chaturvedi said that she would work for women and Mumbai. Meanwhile, the Congress hinted that the move was not spontaneous as its not easy for even Shiv Sainiks to meet Mr Thackeray. Ms Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had allegedly misbehaved with her during a press conference in Mathura a few days ago, resigned from the party on Friday. Hours after quitting the Congress, she joined the Shiv Sena. Mr Thackeray while speaking to media said, Parties keep fighting elections. However, only fighting and winning is not life. The work of party workers should be to accept an ideology and work towards the cause. Asked what post Ms Chaturvedi would be given, Mr Thackeray said, I will give her a post befitting her capabilities and one in which she wo-uld be beneficial for the Sena. Ms Chaturvedi sa-id she would work tow-ar-ds strengthening the Sena not only in the state but also across the country. I am thankful to Uddhavji for giving me respect and welcoming me into the party, she said. Declining to comment in detail on the matter, Congress state spokesperson Sachin Sawant said, My good wishes are with her. But I want to say one thing. Her decision was not something that happened overnight. It is not easy to meet Mr Thackeray in a days time. Even his party workers can tell you how it is difficult to meet Mr Thackeray. This is the second such incident in the state this month after a seven-year-old boy died due to injuries sustained in the assault by his mothers friend at Thodupuzha. KOCHI: A three-year old boy, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here for serious head injuries after he was allegedly battered by his mother, died on Friday morning. This is the second such incident in the state this month after a seven-year-old boy died due to injuries sustained in the assault by his mothers friend at Thodupuzha. According to hospital sources, the child was in critical condition and unresponsive to treatment after a three-hour-long neurosurgery. He was on ventilator support and was administered anti-edema measures and given supportive treatment in the ICU till his death was confirmed at 9.05 am on Friday. The post-mortem was held at the Government Medical College Hospital, where it will be kept for three days, the police said. The Eloor police had arrested the childs mother, who hails from Jharkhand, on Thursday after she reportedly confessed to physically torturing the child. Following this, she was slapped with charges, including attempted murder, under Section 307 of the IPC. However, she claimed that the child had fallen from an 8-feet-high concrete slab and become unconscious immediately, which the police found untrue. Meanwhile, the man claiming to be her husband, who hails from Kolkata, remains under police surveillance. According to police sources, a decision on arraigning him as accused will be taken after further investigation. It is learnt that he had been working in a private crane services company here for the last one year while the mother had come to Kochi only 20 days back. Special police teams have been sent to Jharkhand and West Bengal to verify the accused's statement that they were married four years ago. We are yet to find out whether they are husband and wife or that the man is the biological father of the deceased child. A detailed investigation is being carried out in the two states, a source said. Voting machines being taken to the strongroom at S.S.M.R.V. College in Jayangar. (Image DC) Bengaluru: Thousands of Bengaluru residents, who were looking forward to vote on Thursday for the Lok Sabha election, were furious after they found that their names were struck off from the electoral rolls for no valid reason. Many of them had voted in the previously held elections. Similar cases were also reported from other constituencies in the state where elections were held on Thursday. Many of the aggrieved voters took to social media and lashed out at BBMP and Election Commission officials for recklessly deleting their names from the electoral rolls. Some are even planning to move court and file public interest litigations. A. Kumar, a resident of Koramangala, said that his and his wifes name were deleted without validating and they could not vote. He said that he had voted in the recent assembly elections and after that he has neither shifted his residence nor submitted any form for deletion. How could names of his family members be deleted? he questioned. Like him thousands of people across the city. About 27,000 voters from Basavangudi and V.V. Puram have been reportedly deleted. At an apartment complex located in Bengalore South constituency the names of all the eligible voters have gone missing. Ramesh Reddy, one of the residents, said he was collating the names of all who could not vote to file a PIL. Ramesh alleged that Congress party was behind it. An official from the Karnataka Election Commission told Deccan Chronicle that they usually seek the help of BBMP to finalise electoral roll. Summary revision was announced during October and November after the due process of Block Level Officers (BLO) visiting the houses. For every deletion, mahazar would have been done by taking approval from the residents or from the neighbours if the house is locked. It is mandatory to revise the electoral roll annually and citizens are provided chance to include their names, if it is missing. It can also be done online and through mobile applications, the officer added. BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad, who is also District Electoral Officer (DEO), said the residents were provided opportunities to get their names included, if they were missing in the final electoral roll available on the election commissions official website. Over 2.84 lakh new voters have been enrolled in the city. Every year BBMP revises electoral rolls and it is made public in January. Hyderabad: The state Congress has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started playing the caste card after hitting out at the slogan chowkidar chor hai. TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy said in a statement on Friday that Mr Modi had always displayed an unhealthy pattern of thinking, functioning and behaviour. He alleged that Mr Modi was suffering from a personality disorder. Mr Reddy said Mr Modi served as Chief Minister of Gujarat for three terms but enjoyed calling himself chaiwala. Despite serving as Prime Minister, he calls himself as chowkidar and now he is calling himself as someone to the backward classes, he said. He condemned the suspension of IAS officer Mohammad Mohsin in Odisha for checking Mr Modis helicopter. He said the Election Commission had acted in haste in taking action against the IAS officer, and the provisions under which action was taken do not exist. He said no one, including the Special Protection Group which protects like the Prime Minister, is exempt from checks during the elections. As a general observer of Sambalpur constituency, the IAS officer had just done his job but was wrongly punished, Mr Reddy noted. Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan dared Prime Minster Narendra Modi to show a single case which was registered against any person for uttering the name of God. In a statement here, Pinarayi said cases were registered in Kerala but none of those was related to invoking God's name. Only those who unleashed violence misusing religion were booked. Such criminals may be going scot-free in BJP- ruled states. But in Kerala, they will face strict action, he said. Earlier, he had made similar remarks outside Kerala. People in Kerala know the truth. And what impression his statements would have made on their minds,he asked. The Prime Minister says tradition and belief will be protected. Tradition and belief are already protected across the country because of our rich secular culture, he said. The Chief Minister refuted Modis allegations that poojas and rituals were not being allowed in Kerala. The believers are observing all religious practices, customs and rituals of their choice in the state. There is no bar. It is the BJP and RSS which oppose customs and rituals that they dont like, he said. Pinarayi said Modis reference to Lavalin case was a challenge to the rule of law and judicial system. It is strange that he termed a person who has been acquitted by the court as accused. These statements are being made by someone who is facing serious allegations in the Rafael deal, he said. The chief minister said Modi's accusation that the state government was responsible for the worst floods of the century was totally baseless. Central Water Commission had already stated that the floods were caused by unprecedented rainfall. Modi denied special package for rebuilding Kerala post flood, denied permission to accept assistance offered by foreign countires. UN agency had pegged the total loss at Rs 31,000 crore. The chief minister said the state government's Rs 7,000 crore project proposal for the development of coastal area was yet to get Modis sanction. He made tall promises about middle class but didn't utter a word on controlling the rising prices of essential commodities. Pinarayi refuted the allegations regarding the killing of hundreds of BJP RSS workers in Kerala. So far in Kerala, 209 workers and leaders belonging to the CPM had become victims of BJP and RSS. Bhopal: Malegaon blast accused and BJPs Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur has claimed police officer Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 attacks as she cursed him for torturing her. This was his (Karkare's) cunningness. It was treason. It was against religion. He used to ask all kinds of questions...Why did it happen? Why did that happen? I said, I don't know, God knows. So he asked whether he has to approach God to know all this. I told him, definitely if you want it, you must go. It will be difficult for you to believe it and it will take time. I told him he will be destroyed, she said. He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended, she said. She tendered the apology for her emotionally-charged remarks, at a public meeting in Berasia area, 45 km from the district headquarters, her aide Upma Singh said. Pragya ji said if her remarks have hurt someone, she was sorry for it, he said. I felt that the enemies of the country were being benefited from it (my remarks), so I take back my statement and apologise for it. It was my personal pain, an aide quoted her as saying. The Congress said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise for Pragya Thakurs remarks. While Congress condemned the remarks describing it an insult to the martyr who laid his life while fighting the terrorists, Indian Police Service officers association too took strong exception to it saying martyrs should be respected by one and all. Karkare was martyred while fighting terrorists. The comment (by Pragya) is an insult to the martyr. It demonstrates double standard of BJP, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath said while reacting to comments by Pragya. Finding itself in the dock on the issue, BJP issued a statement here on Friday, saying that the partys stand is very clear that it is our duty to give highest regard to martyrs in the country. Late Karkare gained martyrdom while fighting the terrorists. Pragyas comment may be her emotional outburst in the backdrop of her inhuman torture in police custody, the statement said. The BJP distanced itself from the controversial comment saying it was her personal view which she might have made due to years of physical and mental torture. BJP considers him a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya's personal statement which she might have given because of the mental & physical torture she had faced, the party said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the remarks were an insult to every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the country while fighting terrorism. AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi also slammed Pragya. Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. He didnt die because a terror accused felt bad & cursed him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote. he dog biting so many people within few hours stirred up a serious public health issue in no time with all the 62 persons who suffered the dog-bite being rushed to the Mohan Kumaramangalam government general hospital here. (Representational Image) Salem: It was a bizarre day for the people of Salem on Friday, as 62 persons suffered dog bites on a single day when a stray dog went amok here. The menacing creature was later beaten to death by members of the public. The dog which was loitering in Kichipalayam area this morning, suddenly went crazy as it began to chase and attack pedestrians passing by. It also pounced on members of the public who in turn tried to shoe out the dog from the area. But the dog in a fierce mood went from one adjacent locality to another and bit as many as 62 persons in all including in Kalarampatti, Gandhi Mahan Street, Kurinji Nagar, Narayanan Nagar and Pachapatti. The dog biting so many people within few hours stirred up a serious public health issue in no time with all the 62 persons who suffered the dog-bite being rushed to the Mohan Kumaramangalam government general hospital here. They were all administered anti-rabies vaccine and 60 of them were discharged and allowed to go back home. Two others who suffered serious multiple bites have alone been admitted as in-patients in the hospital. The hospital dean said it had adequate stocks of the anti-rabies vaccine and they were ready to meet any such emergency. All the affected patients as a precautionary measure were administered the vaccine and other measures to prevent the spread of rabies were also being taken, the dean said. Even as a large crowd gathered before the GH, infuriated members of the public demanded that the Salem municipal corporation should take necessary steps immediately to stop the menace of stray dogs going on a biting spree as the number of such unhealthy canine has rapidly gone up in the steel town. Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur along with Shivraj Singh Chouhan after announcing Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as the BJPs candidate for Bhopal. (Photo: PTI) Bhopal: Malegaon bomb blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has grabbed the spotlight since the BJP pitched her candidature from Bhopal parliamentary constituency against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. With BJP blaming Congress for putting Sadhvi behind bars, the Opposition party has now hit back at the ruling party. Sadhvi Pragya, who is facing trial in the Malegaon bomb blast case, was accused of a terrorism-related crime by the BJP state government in Madhya Pradesh under the chief ministership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Raising the question on her contesting the Lok Sabha Elections, Congress spokesperson Pankaj Chaturvedi asked, While announcing her candidature, former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan forgot that she is accused of the 2008 Malegaon blast and is out on bail. How could she be the protector of the nation? Shivraj should not forget that his own police had arrested her twice for her alleged involvement in Sunil Joshis murder in 2008 and 2011. Shivraj should explain how a terrorist and murder accused can protect and strengthen the nation, he further said, reported PTI. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had on Wednesday, while announcing Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as the BJPs candidate for Bhopal, described her as someone who was born to keep the nation secure. Earlier this month, in a campaign speech in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the single largest Opposition party for terming the Hindu terror slur and said that Hindus would never forgive Congress. Many BJP leaders have described Thakur as a victim of a Congress conspiracy to defame Hindus. Sadhvi Pragya, along with eight others, was arrested on October 23, 2008 in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government for the murder of right-wing activist Sunil Joshi. Sunil Joshi, whose name figured in the Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta and Malegaon blast cases, was killed on December 29, 2007, in Dewas. On March 25, 2009, the police closed the case on the order of Dewas SP and all the accused, including Sadhvi Pragya, were released. A Madhya Pradesh court on February 1, 2017, acquitted Pragya Thakur, along with all other accused of all charges in connection with the Joshi murder case. The Madhya Pradesh police on July 9, 2010, reopened the murder case and filed a chargesheet alleging that Sadhvi Pragya, and four others had killed Joshi fearing he might expose the entire conspiracy from Samjhauta to Ajmer blasts. On February 26, 2011, police issued an arrest warrant against Pragya Thakur. However, she was already in jail due to her alleged involvement in the Malegaon bomb blast which claimed six lives and left 100 people injured. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Soon after Priyanka Chaturvedi shifted loyalty and joined the Shiv Sena, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is a matter of pain for the party and wished her luck for future. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Soon after Priyanka Chaturvedi shifted loyalty and joined the Shiv Sena, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is a matter of pain for the party and wished her luck for future. Every time a party member leaves, it is a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression. We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi... I must frankly and on the record concede, yes, it is a reflection on my leadership, Surjewala said. Meanwhile, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said, My best wishes to Priyanka Chaturvedi. She has fought lots of battle with Congress. The incident involving her didnt happen during my tenure. The people involved pleaded forgiveness from her. Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was disappointed over the party's decision to reinstate men who misbehaved with her at a press conference in Mathura last year, on Friday, joined Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. Shiv Sena is a BJP ally in Maharashtra. Chaturvedi joined party shortly after she sent her resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. While addressing a press conference in Matoshree along with the Shiv Sena chief, Chaturvedi said, "I was disappointed when those who were suspended following my complaint were reinstated. I am thankful to Uddhav ji, Aditya ji for giving me respect and welcoming me into the party and family." "I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining the Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought," she added. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. Former union minister and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday said that Congress is like a sinking ship and that is the reason why its spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has left the party. (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Former union minister and BJP national spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday said that Congress is like a sinking ship and that is the reason why its spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has left the party. Addressing a press conference here, Hussain said: "Congress party is like a sinking ship and its members are abandoning it, and that is why the Congress spokesperson also left the party." Speaking about the Lok Sabha elections and impact of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said: "After the second phase of voting, it has become clear that there is a Modi wave throughout the country. The opponent also knows this and that is why SP and BSP are conducting a rally with arch-rivals Mayawati and Mulayam Singh Yadav coming together on one platform." "They are doing the rally together despite allegations that Mulayam Singh Yadav once planned to kill Mayawati," he added. The BJP leader further said, "Both SP and BSP are corrupt and dynastic parties. They are coming together because they are afraid of Modi wave in the polls." Shahnawaz also mocked Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha who was till recently in the BJP. On Shatrughan campaigning for his wife and SP leader Poonam Sinha in Lucknow, the BJP leader said: "Sinha even praised BSP's Mayawati during the campaign. The Congress candidate in Lucknow was hoping for the actor-politician to campaign for him, instead he campaigned for the SP leader." He also claimed that he witnessed massive support for BJP in an election rally in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses etc all. Happy reading. The remarks virtually reiterate his earlier announcement that he will float a party by the next assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, due in 2021, and contest from all the 234 seats. (Photo: ANI) Chennai: Tamil 'superstar' Rajinikanth Friday said his formal political entry will coincide with the next assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. The remarks virtually reiterate his earlier announcement that he will float a party by the next assembly polls in Tamil Nadu, due in 2021, and contest from all the 234 seats. "Whenever the assembly elections are held," was the actor's brief response to a question as to when his political entry was expected. Asked if he would take a decision based on the outcome of bypolls to 18 assembly segments held on Thursday along with 38 Lok Sabha seats, Rajinikanth said he will respond after the results are out. To a question if the results may lead to assembly polls in the state and whether he would then face them, the actor shot back, "Ready to face, whenever they are held." The outcome of the bypolls to a total of 22 assembly segments in Tamil Nadu could decide the continuance of the AIADMK government in the state. The bypolls to four other seats will be held on May 19. In the 234-member House, the K Palaniswami government has 113 MLAs, excluding the Speaker. It needs a simple majority of 117 to continue. All eyes are on the outcome of the bypolls, as a loss for the AIADMK could well lead to the next assembly polls. In December 2017, the superstar had announced that he would take the political plunge and contest the next assembly polls in the state whose politics is dominated by Dravidian majors-the DMK and AIADMK. Since he made his announcement on December 31, 2017, speculations had often been rife about the launch of his political party, although 'Rajini Makkal Mandram', a forum seen as a forerunner to his political ambitions, is in vogue. Even in the past, the actor had dropped hints of taking the political plunge, but it was only in 2017 that he made a definitive statement on launching his own political party. To a question on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will get a second term, he said it will be known on May 23, the counting day. The BJP has become a force to reckon with in Indian politics, and its leaders feel they can indulge in calculated improprieties and get away too. One of the temptations of the right-wing Hindutva party is to thumb its nose at genteel liberals on the one hand, and on the other challenge other parties, from the Hindi heartlands socialist parties, regional parties elsewhere and the Communist parties, that if they can field candidates with questionable reputations, so can the saffron party. The fielding of Pragya Thakur, who was inducted into the BJP overnight and given a party ticket from the prestigious Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, is calculated to ruffle feathers. And of course there is the Digvijay Singh factor. The Congress candidate in Bhopal, a practicing Hindu, has needled saffronites for decades. He is neither a secular atheist nor a secular agnostic. He is a typical example of that ideological oxymoron the religious Hindu who is also secular. It cannot get more maddening and provocative. Mr Singh has literally driven the BJP to find an extreme figure who would match his strident ideological posture. The ochre-robed political Hindutva propagandist has turned out to be an ideal match for Mr Singh. In contrast, a parallel ceremony of innocence was being played out in the neighbouring capital of Lucknow, where Poonam Sinha, actress and wife of Shatrughan Sinha, joined the Samajwadi Party and was straightaway given the Lucknow Lok Sabha ticket to fight the BJPs candidate, Union home minister Rajnath Singh. It seemed the SP was quite aware that it does not have a strong enough political heavyweight to challenge the senior BJP leader, and that it would be better to field someone who would evoke surprise and interest, if nothing else. There was no cynicism in this as there is in the choice of Pragya Thakur in Bhopal. The BJP indulged in something of this kind of empty dramatic gesture when it fielded Smriti Irani, then a television actress, against Congress Kapil Sibal in Chandni Chowk in the 2004 Lok Sabha election. That streak of innocence continued when the party fielded her against Rahul Gandhi in Amethi in 2014. Of course, in 2019, it has turned into a heated, even malicious, political battle between Ms Irani and Mr Gandhi in Amethi. It is a gamble political parties are willing to take as they know they cannot field candidates in every constituency who would stand up to the stature of their chief opponent. And sometimes, the gamble even pays off. The party that tried this trick in the first place was the ever-cunning Congress, when it fielded Rajesh Khanna against Lal Krishna Advani in the 1991 Lok Sabha polls for the New Delhi constituency, when Mr Advani won by a whisker of 1,500 votes-plus. Similarly, in 2004, actor and political greenhorn Govinda defeated seasoned BJP leader Ram Naik in the North Mumbai constituency. But Pragya Thakurs case doesnt fall into the same playful category as that of Rajesh Khanna, Govinda and Poonam Sinha. There is a cynical intent here, and it comes at the cost of tarnishing the image of the BJP, though many BJP leaders in the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah era might believe it is legitimate policy. The complication for the BJP in the case of the ocher-robed Ms Thakur comes from the fact that she is an accused in a terrorism case. Had a Muslim accused in a terror case been fielded by any party, the BJP would have gone to town that the secular parties were hands-in-glove with Muslim terrorists. In fielding Ms Thakur, the BJP wants to score the polemical point that theres no such thing called saffron terror. It is a difficult point to sustain because the BJP and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and other Hindutva affiliates like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal) believe in resorting to violence against other religious groups, especially Muslims and Christians, on the fallacious base that Muslims and Christians are trying to convert Hindus to their faith and therefore pose a danger to Hindus. This is the bare-knuckle ideological point. The Hindutva organisations tacitly believe that resort to violence and terror is justified in certain circumstances. They would not have Mahatma Gandhis moral courage of denouncing violence in all circumstances. The Hindutva folk then fall into the pit they dig for others when they unconsciously believe that terrorism is justified when they use it to protect their own faith. Ms Thakur is just an accused so far, and it could be the case the court would acquit her, either because the prosecution fails to prove its case or the court decides, based on evidence, that Ms Thakur was not involved in the bomb blast in Malegaon. The BJP and other Hindutva organisations fail to recognise that even if Ms Thakur is acquitted, the tag of saffron terror is unlikely to vanish as they subscribe to violence in principle. The Hindutva ideologues also do not have the cunning sophistication to argue that the use of violence against the enemy is the prerogative of the State, and not that of the individual. So the BJPs knee-jerk reaction to Digvijay Singhs saffron terror label remains unconvincing and ineffective. The unstated reason the BJP fielded Ms Thakur is that it did not have good enough leaders in the party in Madhya Pradesh to field in major constituencies like Bhopal and Guna. In the same way as the SP did not find a matching political leader from its ranks to field against Rajnath Singh, the BJP was at a loss about fielding a credible candidate from the party ranks to stand against Digvijay Singh. The decision to field Ms Thakur is not a smart one as the party leaders may want to believe. The BJP veers off from the political track and it doesnt know what to do with the hotheads it has inducted into its own ranks. The party is also aware that people will not accept its Hindutva tantrums, and if it wants to attain political legitimacy it has to spurn its own variant of ideological frenzy. Ms Thakur doesnt pose any challenge to Indias polity, but her presence threatens the BJP from inside. It must restrain its inner demons if it wants to govern the country. The joke then is on the BJP. The key lesson learnt from the second phase of the polls is violence tends to creep in at a higher level if the polls are stretched out. The voting in three West Bengal seats was one reason why higher violence was seen on the second day of the seven-phase general election. The police also opened fire in Tamil Nadu while a woman polling officer was killed by Marxists in Odishas Kandhamal. Remarkably, Chhattisgarh, that is most rocked by Marxist trouble, polled above 70 per cent as if to stress fear of violence would not deter voters. A significant worry for democracy, however, is that Srinagars voters virtually stayed away from the polls after the separatists boycott call, which was somewhat balanced by people turning up enthusiastically in Udhampur. The exercise, however, is seen in a completely different way in Jammu, as opposed to the Kashmir Valley. The violence in West Bengal may be just a teaser as only three seats were at stake in Phase 2. Reining in those who believe knives and swords are greater than the ballot will be quite a task in the coming phases. Opponents on both the Left and Right are blaming the ruling Trinamul Congress for the open attacks on candidates in at least two constituencies, and the loss of at least one life. The only conclusion to draw is that bloodletting has become a part of the states political culture. Given the clash of hardline attitudes between the states ruling party and the Centre, West Bengal will be a major cause for worry as communal polarisation was also allowed to take place freely. The couple of Bangladeshi actors asked to leave India for campaigning illegally only highlights the minority votes issue. Bees from a disturbed beehive causing a holdup in rural Tamil Nadu was the least of the problems faced in the conduct of polls across the state. The liberal use of money by all parties except Kamal Haasans fledgling MNM is illustrative of how far the states poorer people have been pushed into acquiescence by the offer of freebies in the poll season. The people have found many arguments to justify taking money, even contending that it was theirs anyway. The kernel of the issue is more to do with how politicians can afford to bribe voters if they are dont plan to recoup their expenses by making an enterprise of their functions on behalf of the State if elected to power. The countermanding of polls in those constituencies found to be indulging most in cash-for-votes also affects those who have not bribed voters. Will the Election Commission, which is said to be more aware of its powers after being rapped on the knuckles by the Supreme Court, find a better solution to tackling the menace of bribes to voters? Eleven states and one Union territory went to the polls this week, marking the second phase of this unwieldy, gargantuan election often called the greatest show on earth. The numbers show voter indifference for the most part so far. Clearly, there is no wave this time. A 68 per cent turnout isnt bad, but it isnt brilliant either. However, heres the good news first: At the time of writing, nothing too terrible had taken place. In India, we are prepared for anything when we go to the polls kidnapping, murder, looting, robbery and that quaint term known only to us booth-capturing. This weeks big noise was over a controversial sadhvi (Pragya Thakur), known for her rabid, vicious and rabble-rousing speeches, getting a BJP ticket to contest from the prestigious Bhopal seat. The fact that she is an accused in the Malegaon bomb blast case (2008), in which six people were killed and 11 injured, has clearly not made any difference to her candidature. The brazenness of this act has shocked the country, but BJP veterans sanguinely say its all good after all, this RSS-endorsed firebrand has not been convicted so far. Plus, there is the twisted possibility that someone like her would actually appeal to hardliners. So There she is, confidently striding around, dressed in saffron silk, claiming she is fighting a crusade (dharmayudh) against her opponent, Congress leader Digvijay Singh (he of the notorious saffron terror tag). She is certain of a win, she boasts, since her victory will be a win for dharma Ms Thakur (48), who is out on bail, may just pull off a win, which would be seen as a feather in the BJPs cap given that the party lost the state to the Congress after 15 years of rule. The disturbing aspect of this election is how little moral issues matter. Nobody is particularly bothered by a candidates criminal past, present or future. It is a done deal. A given. The predominant sentiment is one of resignation. I overheard a Congress critic exclaiming, If Robert Vadra can turn up to campaign for his wife Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and urge voters to back her what more is left? Mr Vadra is under investigation on various corruption charges and is seen as a liability, even an embarrassment to the Gandhi family. In my mind, corruption charges, no matter how serious, fall into a different category. Ms Thakur is linked to a terror attack. Discharged by a court on charges under MCOCA, she is facing trial under other criminal provisions. No problem! Let the voters decide, say party bosses, as they go ahead and give tickets to goons (Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedis description of her own partys reinstated functionaries who had insulted her. Ms Chaturvedi has now left the party and joined the Shiv Sena). What can we possibly tell our bewildered young voters as they line up enthusiastically to exercise their franchise for the first time? We definitely cant fool them. Which is my point. They will accept and take for granted that our political leadership features men and women with dodgy reputations, shady pasts and dubious track records. We will be legitimising netas who have lied blatantly about nearly every aspect of their messy lives from inventing college degrees to covering up for lynchings and murders. As of now, the two men battling one another for the top job have stopped at nothing to belittle one another. Words that have become a part of the narrative of election 2019 are chor and chowkidar. These are but the milder ones. Epithets galore have been freely traded, without even a semblance of decency. Azam Khans nauseating comment about Jaya Pradas khaki underwear (chuddi) may have shocked conservative old-timers, but other younger political commentators let it pass as a part of the ugly, no-holds-barred scenario. Funny that nobody is putting candidates on the mat and asking tough questions. The Prime Minister himself is cautiously responding to questions on serious failures of his government by dodging direct replies and resorting to wordplay. Both men, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi, have totally demolished the dignity of their respective positions by indulging in below-the-belt sparring devoid of any substance. Name-calling and finger-pointing are no substitutes for actual issue-based debates. But the young are being tricked into accepting this is how it works! They dont know better! Their knowledge of history Indias included is sketchy at best. I doubt they are all that interested in reading those masterful speeches made by great political stalwarts during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s urging citizens to cast their votes. All they are exposed to and know today is the pathetic exchange between political opponents who shamelessly stoop to shockingly low levels while campaigning. And yes, they know the names of movie stars in the fray whether or not they actually vote for them once inside that booth remains to be seen. The only inspiring images so far have involved poll officers and workers in distant places carrying EVMs and VVPATs as they climb up steep mountainous slopes, cross rivers on precarious bamboo bridges, walk through dense jungles and arid deserts just to make sure every registered voter in the remotest part of her vast and diverse country has the opportunity to perform an important duty as citizens in a democracy cast their votes. Like Tashigang, the polling station at 15,256 ft in Himachal Pradesh, which is being readied for 48 voters. It is these dedicated folks who deserve our respect and admiration. Such a pity there isnt a single leader who inspires the same. One of the multicultural mystical celebrations in India Shab-e-Barat is forthcoming. It is known only in the Indian subcontinent as Shab-e-Barat which are Persian words meaning the night of pardon or general forgiveness. In Arabic, Barat also means: deliverance from errors or sins. Thus, Arabs call this occasion Laylat ul Barat, the night that they believe the Almighty descends from heaven and forgives all sinners very generously. This year, Shab-e-Barat will be celebrated on the 20th of April. In fact, Lailatul Barat or Shab-e-Barat occurs in the middle of the ongoing Islamic month, Shaban, the month before Ramazan. The one-night celebration mainly includes supplications and invocations to Allah and Darood-o-Salam (peace greetings) upon Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Throughout the night, seekers and worshippers ask for divine forgiveness after they have sought pardon from their relatives, neighbours and all acquaintances. Scores of people attend the mosques and recite the Quran in order to make a great deal of supplication to the Almighty. This is why the 15th night of Shaban is believed to be so special for Muslims, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. Replete with divine bounties and spiritual blessings, Shab-e-Barat assumes a great festive flavour in India with fireworks and lighting of homes. Epitomising the special mercy of God bestowed on this night, the clusters of decorated houses look very beautiful in the shimmering lights. Customary practices like preparing halwa (Indian sweets), offering Nazar-o-Niaz (charity food) to the poor and keeping awake throughout the night, praying until the predawn prayer (Fajr), are integral parts of the Shab-e-Barat. People with a good festive spirit in India add to their delights by arranging sweets and sending them to their relatives and friends. Some people organise delicious feasts and invite others to their houses. Thus, they try, especially on this night, to maintain bonds of kinship from their entire life, as Imam Bukhari reports the Prophet to have said: Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, should maintain the bonds of kinship. Many believe that it is an innovation (bidat) to celebrate the Shab-e-Barat, as they think Prophet Muhammad and many of his companions and their successors did not observe it. But it should be patently clear that bidat or innovation in Islam is of two kinds: bidat-e-hasana (noble innovation) and bidat syyia (erroneous innovation). Any innovation which violates any basic Islamic tenet like Taqwa (God-consciousness), Amana (trustworthiness) and Sadaqa (truthfulness), is bidat Syyia. But if something does not conflict with them, or rather corroborates some of these principles, it is bidat hasana. The multicultural celebration of Shab-e-Barat is one such noble innovation in Islam. An authentic Hadith reported in Mishkat relays: He who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is reward for him for this (act of goodness) and a reward for those who act according to it subsequently, without any deduction from their rewards and he who sets in Islam an evil precedent there is upon him the burden of that as well as the burden of those who act upon it subsequently, without any deduction from their burdens. Several authentic hadith traditions state that on this night God writes the destiny of all living creatures for the upcoming year. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi is an alim (classical Islamic scholar) and a Delhi-based writer. He can be contacted at: grdehlavi@gmail.com Washington: Russia tried to interfere in the 2016 US presidential polls, according to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe which did not find any evidence that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with Moscow, Attorney General William Barr said on Thursday. The special counsels report states that his investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, Barr told reporters at a crowded news conference here. Briefing reporters on the details of the recently concluded Mueller investigations, Barr said the report makes clear, the Russian government sought to interfere in American elections. But thanks to the special counsels thorough investigation, we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign or the knowing assistance of any other Americans for that matter, he said. The report details efforts by the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company with close ties to the Russian government, to sow social discord among American voters through disinformation and social media operations. Following a thorough investigation of this disinformation campaign, Mueller brought charges in federal court against several Russian nationals and entities for their respective roles in this scheme. Those charges are pending, and individual defendants remain at large, Barr said. But special counsel found no evidence that any Americans including anyone associated with the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government or the IRA in carrying out this illegal scheme, he said. It details efforts by Russian military officials associated with the GRU (Russian intelligence agency) to hack into computers and steal documents and emails from individuals affiliated with the Democratic Party and the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton for the purpose of eventually publicising those emails, he said. Asserting that obtaining such unauthorised access into computers is a federal crime, he said following a thorough probe, Mueller brought charges in federal court against several Russian military officers for illegal hacking activities. "But again...there was no evidence of Trump campaign collusion with the Russian governments hacking," Barr said. US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump during their arrival at Palm Beach International Airport on Thursday in West Palm Beach, Florida. Trump travelled to Florida on Friday to spend the Easter weekend as his Mar-a-Lago estate. (Photo: AP) Washington: There is enough evidence that US President Donald Trump obstructed justice that merits impeachment hearings. That in one sentence, is the most important summary of the redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report released on Thursday running to 448 pages. The report in short, could be called an impeachment referral. Footnote 1991 on page 390 of the report states: A possible remedy through impeachment for abuses of power would not substitute for potential criminal liability after a President leaves office. However, the report explains why criminal allegations against a sitting president should be considered by Congress and not the Justice Department. That is because in the American criminal-justice system, every accused, no matter how big or small, is entitled to a fair defense and a chance to clear their name. Mueller explained in detail why he determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment as to whether the president had broken the law by obstructing justice. He begins by noting that he accepted the opinion of the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) that a sitting president cannot be indicted. That, Mueller explained, posed an insurmountable problem. A normal investigation would end with a prosecutor deciding to bring charges, or to drop the case. Its a binary choice. But fairness concerns counselled against potentially reaching that judgment when no charges can be brought. Ordinarily, a criminal charge would result in a speedy and public trial, with all the procedural protections that surround a criminal case. But if Mueller were to state plainly that, in his judgment, the president had broken the law, it would afford no such adversarial opportunity for public name-clearing before an impartial adjudicator. In other words, because a sitting president cannot be indicted, making such a charge publicly would effectively deny Trump his day in court, and the chance to clear his name. Mueller also pointed to the OLCs guidance on seeking sealed indictments, which could be unsealed when a president leaves office, or leveling such charges in an internal (and, presumably, nonpublic) report. Secrecy, the OLC counselled, would be difficult to preserveand so either step could place a president back in the same unfair situation, accused of a crime without the chance to clear his name. Crucially, the same concerns dont operate in reverse. If examining the evidence and the law a prosecutor were to determine not to charge an individual, there would be no fear that public disclosure of that decision would be unfair. But if Mueller believed he could not fairly say that the president had committed a crime, he also believed he could not honestly say that he hadnt. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, the report explained. While the report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. Attorney General William Barr reviewed the same evidence, though, and came to a different conclusion. In his summary of the report, he wrote, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and I have concluded that the evidence developed during the Special Counsels investigation is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. There is a vital distinction here between the two findings. Mueller wrote that his evidence was not sufficient to clearly establish that the president had not committed a crime; Barr insisted that it was not sufficient to establish that he had. Its possible to read the two conclusions as different ways of stating the same finding; its equally possible to read them as fundamentally at odds with each other. Agencies They stopped the buses on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistans Ormara area, checked some three dozen passengers identity cards and offloaded 16 people before shooting them dead, police said. ( Representational Image) Islamabad/Karachi: Unidentified gunmen donning uniforms of paramilitary soldiers on Thursday massacred at least 14 passengers, including Pakistan Navy personnel, after forcing them to disembark from buses on a highway in the restive Balochistan province, in the latest targeted killing in the country. Around 15 to 20 gunmen stopped five to six buses travelling between Karachi and Gwadar. They stopped the buses on the Makran Coastal Highway in Balochistans Ormara area, checked some three dozen passengers identity cards and offloaded 16 people before shooting them dead, police said. Balochistan inspector-general of police Mohsin Hassan Butt said around 15 to 20 unidentified gunmen in uniforms of paramilitary Frontier Corps were involved in the attack carried out early morning at Buzi Top area. A total of 16 people were offloaded and 14 killed while 2 managed to escape, the officer said. Balochistan home minister Zia Langove said the attackers used their fatigue as a disguise to carry out a routine check on the passengers. We have launched a probe to arrest the attackers, he said, adding that the deceased have not been identified. Speaking to Frances CNews television channel Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said: We mustnt say the cathedral is closed for five years and thats it. Paris: Catholic worshippers feeling orp-haned by the fire that ravaged part of Notre-Dame will be welcomed in an ephemeral cathedral of wood in front of the Paris monument until it reop-ens, Notre-Dames chief priest said on Thursday. Speaking to Frances CNews television channel Monsignor Patrick Chauvet said: We mustnt say the cathedral is closed for five years and thats it. To give the faithful somewhere to congregate next to Notre-Dame, he suggested: Can I not build an ephemeral cathedral on the esplanade (in front of Notre-Dame)? Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo had backed the idea and agreed to give over part of the esplanade to the church for a wooden structure, he said. Chauvet said the wooden cathedral would host priests who could address some of the millions of tourists who throng the original 850-year-old Go-thic cathedral each year. On Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron said he aimed to rebuild Notre-Dame within five years. The government said it would launch an international architecture contest to replace the burning steeple which came crashing down during Mondays inferno, along with a large part of the roof. Chauvet said the surrogate cathedral would be erected quickly, as soon as the esplanade reopens after work to secure the cathedral is completed. Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze. (Representational Photo) London: A woman has been shot dead during riots in the city of Londonderry in Northern Ireland and the killing is being treated as a terrorist incident, police said Friday, following the latest upsurge in violence to shake the troubled region. Although the woman had yet to be formally identified, several reporters named her as Lyra McKee, a fellow journalist who had earlier posted an image that appeared to be from the riots in the city, also known as Derry, accompanied by the words "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." Images of the unrest posted on social media showed a car and van ablaze and hooded individuals throwing petrol bombs and fireworks at police vehicles. "Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed," Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said in a statement on Twitter. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder enquiry." It was not immediately clear who had fired the shots that killed the woman, but a leading republican politician blamed "so-called dissidents". Journalist Matthew Hughes identified the dead woman as one of his friends, McKee. "I just received the heartbreaking news that my friend @LyraMcKee was murdered tonight in a terrorist incident in Derry," he wrote on Twitter. Leona O'Neill, a reporter with the Belfast Telegraph, said she had been next to the woman when she was shot. "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight," she tweeted. The violence came in the run-up to the Easter weekend, when Republicans opposed to British presence in Northern Ireland mark the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. A car-bombing and the hijacking of two vans in Londonderry earlier this year were also blamed on a dissident paramilitary group. Michelle O'Neill, the deputy leader of Irish republican party Sinn Fein, condemned those responsible for the killing. "My heart goes out to the family of the young woman shot dead by so-called dissidents," she wrote on Twitter. "This was an attack on the community, an attack on the peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement," the peace deal that largely brought an end to violence on the island exactly 21 years ago, she added, calling for calm. Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Union Party, which is in favour of Britain's presence in Northern Ireland, described the death as "heartbreaking news". "A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," she wrote on Twitter. The Good Friday Agreement in 1998 largely brought an end to three decades of sectarian bloodshed in Northern Ireland between republican and unionist paramilitaries, as well as British armed forces, in a period known as "the Troubles". Some 3,500 people were killed in the conflict -- many at the hands of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Police have blamed a group called the New IRA for the flare-up in violence in recent months. Some have expressed fears that recent attacks could be a sign that paramilitaries are seeking to exploit the current political turbulence over Northern Ireland and its border with the Republic of Ireland caused by Brexit. Londonderry was the scene of one of the darkest episodes in the Troubles in 1972, known as Bloody Sunday, when British troops opened fire on a civil rights demonstration and killed 13 people. A 14th victim later died of his wounds. A photograph of a Catholic priest waving a bloodstained handkerchief as he tried to help 17-year-old victim Jackie Duddy to safety became a defining image of the incident. Following a long-running public inquiry in 2010, Britain's then-prime minister David Cameron issued a formal state apology for the killings, calling them "unjustified and unjustifiable". A former British soldier was charged with murder last month over the killings. The ex-paratrooper, identified only as Soldier F, is accused of murdering two people and the attempted murder of four others in what was an early turning point in the history of the Troubles. The statement by army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor came hours after Swaraj said that no Pakistani soldier or civilian died in the air strike on a terror camp at Balakot in Pakistan in February. (Representational Image) Islamabad: Pakistan Army took a jibe at India on Thursday after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj acknowledged that no civilian or soldier was killed in the Balakot attack, saying New Delhi should also take back its claim about the shooting down of a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet and the 2016 surgical strike. The statement by army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor came hours after Swaraj said that no Pakistani soldier or civilian died in the air strike on a terror camp at Balakot in Pakistan in February. "Hopefully, so will be about other false Indian claims i.e. surgical strike 2016, denial of shooting down of 2 IAF jets by PAF and claim about F16. Better late than never," Ghafoor said in a twet. Pakistan has denied that the Indian Air Force jets attacked terrorists in Balakot. In Ahmedabad, addressing BJP's women workers, Swaraj said that the Indian military was given a "free hand" in the operation but was clearly told that no Pakistani civilian should be killed and also there be "not even a scratch" on the Pakistani army. "We told them (the international community) that our air strike was in self-defence...we had given a free hand to the Army but had also given two directions too - no civilian of Pakistan (Pakistan ka koi nagrik) should die. Pakistan's Army should not be touched. "Your target should is those terrorists of JeM which had taken responsibility for killing 40 persons in Pulwama," she said. The IAF had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror training camp in Pakistan on February 26, in response to the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Pakistan had categorically said that no F-16 fighter jets were used and denied that one of its planes had been downed by the IAF. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after the Pulwama attack. India 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. Instances like almonds produced in California finding their way to Kashmir violating norms and using profits earned from it for terror funding as well as using the cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade route for drug trade prompted the government to indefinitely suspend the mechanism from Friday. New Delhi has promised to re-visit it after enforcing stricter measures to ensure that the benefits of LoC trade can be availed by local population only and not terrorist organisations and unscrupulous traders who aim to syphon off benefits to fuel instability in Kashmir. The announcement on suspension of trade between India and Pakistan through the LoC, which started on 21 October 2008 and saw intermittent stoppage, was made on Thursday came two months after withdrawing the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan following the Pulwama terror strike. Sources said a combination of factors prompted the decision to suspend trade across Chakan-Da-Bagh and Salamabad, which was manipulated by third parties for trading goods being produced from outside Jammu and Kashmir. "For example the almonds produced in California finding their way through LoC trade involving a large transport network spread in many countries," a senior Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official said. During investigations, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had found out about the "dubious hawala transactions for terror financing". It claimed that "inimical elements in Pakistan used to identify a suitable Pakistani trader firm and hand over the money that is to be transferred to anti-national elements and terrorists organisations on the Indian side. "The Pakistani trader under invoices the product like California almonds to the extent of money received by him. On receipt of the consignment, trader on the Indian side sells California almonds at the prevailing market price and makes an extra and undue profit to the extent of under-invoicing. Extra money so generated is handed over by the trader to anti-national elements and terrorists organizations in the valley to fuel anti-India operations," the official said. DH had in December 2016 reported about the NIA investigating large-scale transfer of funds from Pakistan to India through import of California almonds through the cross-LoC trade mechanism. Sources said a large number of trading concerns engaging in cross-LoC trade were being operated by those closely associated with terrorist organisations, especially Hizbul Mujahideen. Some India nationals who have crossed over to Pakistan and joined militant organisations have opened trading firms in Pakistan. As a result, many trading firms under the control of militant organisations are doing LoC trade with Indian traders who are their own relatives on the Indian side," the official said. The route was also used by cartels indulging in arms smuggling and drug trade into the Kashmir valley. Fake currency was also being sent through this route, sources said. Former Assam chief minister and veteran leader of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), who had opposed the alliance with BJP, skipped voting on Thursday as a protest against the saffron partys Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Prafulla Mahanta, who recently urged people to vote against those supporting the bill (AGP-BJP), did not cast his vote under Nagaon Lok Sabha constituency, where polling was conducted on Thursday, along with four other constituencies. Although Mahanta could not be contacted, his aides said the former chief minister decided to abstain from voting as a last resort to oppose the Citizenship bill. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah said in election campaigns in Assam that BJP will bring the bill again despite protests by indigenous people, he decided to boycott the vote, one of them said. AGP had contested the assembly elections together with BJP in 2016 and formed a coalition government. The regional party, however, quit the alliance on January 7, a day before the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha. The BJP, however, did not table the bill in Rajya Sabha mainly owing to Congress opposition and strong public protests in most parts of the Northeast. Mahanta, one of the signatories of the historic Assam Accord of 1985, says the bill that sought to offer citizenship to non-Muslims migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan till December 2014, would nullify the accord. He says the foreigner issue in the state should be solved as per the accord, which decided March 24, 1971 as the cut-off mark, irrespective of religion. As a leader of All Assam Students Union (AASU), Mahanta had led the Assam Agitation or anti-foreigners movement between 1979 to 1985, before signing the Assam Accord and becoming the chief minister twice. Terming it communal and unconstitutional, Mahanta had told DH earlier that the bill was a threat to the states indigenous communities as it would give citizenship to large number of illegal migrants. He has constantly opposed the AGP-BJP alliance saying the saffron party posed a serious threat to the unique identity of the indigenous people. However, AGP leaders including its president, Atul Bora neglected Mahantas opposition and restored the alliance with BJP and decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections together. BJP is contesting in 10 seats, AGP in three and Bodoland Peoples Front in one. BJP leaders said Mahantas vote boycott had no significance as the former chief minister lost relevance in the state politics. But political observers said it would give a boost to the agitation against the bill. Five of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, where elections was conducted on Thursday, reported 73.32% voting till 5 pm. CONCORD For a second time, a criminal case charging a counselor at the Glen Mills Schools for the same alleged on-campus assault involving a 17-year-old student back in the summer of 2018 has been dismissed. Patrick Jameson Raquet, 35, of West Chester, appeared Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing on two counts of simple assault and one count of harassment before Magisterial District Judge Wendy Roberts. The about hour-long proceeding concluded with the judge dismissing all charges in the case, both defense attorney Arthur T. Donato Jr. and a court clerk said. Last December, more serious charges of two counts of aggravated assault, as well as five counts of simple assault and one count of recklessly endangering another person against Raquet were all dismissed by Roberts, according to Donato and online court records. We were pleased with the outcome on Dec. 6, 2018, when the court found there was insufficient evidence of a prima facie case as to any of the offenses. While the commonwealth has the right to rearrest, we disagreed under those circumstances, Donato said Thursday afternoon. We are pleased the court again found insufficient evidence of a prima facie case as to all offenses. We agree with the commonwealths assertion they would not rearrest again. Guy Vilim, an attorney for the Glen Mills Schools as it battles widespread allegations of abuse that resulted in the removal of all students, revocation of operating licenses and staff layoffs following a series of articles by the Philadelphia Inquirer, expressed some vindication for the more than century-old Thornbury institution, the oldest U.S. reform school for court-ordered boys. Justice arrives in Delaware County, Vilim stated in a release issued Thursday afternoon. All of the accusations against Glen Mills have been based on the unchallenged accusations of former students and on the unquestioned assertions of former staff, all of whom were dismissed for performance deficiencies. Today, in a court in Delaware County, a place where evidence counts and where the accused finally have a chance to challenge the accusations against them, a court dismissed all charges. Allegations against Raquet in both criminal cases stem from an incident at the school on July 19, 2018. Charges in both cases were filed by the Pennsylvania State Police, capping an investigation that began on July 23, 2018 when Trooper John Hanosek responded to the school for the report of a former employee had assaulted a student, according to the initial affidavit of probable cause against Raquet. Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland, at a joint press conference with state police Lt. James Hannigan at the Troop K station in Middletown in September 2018, announced charges against Raquet and another counselor, 32-year-old Christopher Medina of Kennett Square. Copeland alleged the student was hit in the head, power-slammed to the floor and choked during a group session involving about 26 students after the alleged victim had words with another student. Hennigan said the counselors were the aggressors, and a confrontation was caught on video. According to an affidavit of probable cause written by Trooper John Hanosek, the assault occurred at about 3 p.m. in a day room at Johnson Hall, where a guided group meeting was taking place. Hannigan said there was some sort of verbal dispute between the alleged victim and another student that caused Medina to stand up, walk over to the 17-year-old and assault him. The affidavit states that Medina slapped the victim in the head with both hands, then pulled him up out of the chair and threw him to the ground. Medina then pushed the alleged victims head into the ground and put his full weight on the boys right arm, according to the affidavit. Hanosek said Medina is 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 320 pounds. Medina then allegedly picked the boy up and walked him to a side door, where he grabbed him by the collar and forced him up a flight stairs. Once upstairs, Medina allegedly tried to push the boy into a bathroom. As the alleged victim was trying to talk to Medina, he punched the boy in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him, according to the affidavit. As the boy sat on a couch and cried in pain from the punch, Raquet came out of his office, grabbed the victim by the head and also punched him several times in the face, according to the affidavit. The affidavit indicates state police were called to the school and interviewed the alleged victim in the presence of his mother. Hanosek also watched video footage that matched the victims account, according to the affidavit. Donato, whose argument for a full dismissal prior to Thursdays hearing was rejected by Roberts, said the prosecutor, Assistant District Attorney Christopher Boggs, indicated the D.A.s office would not move for a third arrest against the defendant at the outset of the proceedings. In arguing for dismissal before Thursdays hearing, Donato said, Our position was the only new evidence against my client was the testimony of the 17-year-old kid. While there was testimony at both hearings to alleged conduct by his client, by Hanosek in 2018 when he cited the victims statement, and by the victim on Thursday, Donato said the video does not support any aggressive behavior by his client. While the video was played in court at the hearing in December, Donato said Roberts remembered its contents and indicated a replay Thursday was unnecessary for her benefit. In December, Donato objected when Hanosek testified regarding the teens statements as heresay. When he took the stand Thursday, according to Donato, the 17-year-olds account differed from previous statements. According to Donato, the teen indicated Thursday that Raquet punched him in the chin one, two or three times, but he wasnt sure. Donato stipulated Thursday to transcripted testimony from Hanosek and other witnesses from the 2018 preliminary hearing, which was held for both his client and Medina at the same time. Previous court testimony estimated Raquet stands about 6 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 320 pounds. The fact is my client is a very big guy. This kid says he reared back and punched him in the chin there was no medical evidence and it was not in the video, Donato said. If he punched that kid in the face multiple times during that video, would it surprise you that theres not a contusion on his face? Donato asked Hanosek during the 2018 hearing, to which the trooper had no initial response, according to a court transcript. No black eye. No broken nose. No broken eye orbit. No blood in his eyes. No break in his skin. That doesnt surprise you? Donato continued. No, because Ive weve gotten in fights before. As a trooper, Ive been punched. I might not have a black eye till the next day, Hanosek testified. Well, did you ever ask him whether he had a black eye? continued Donato. Yeah, I asked him what injuries he had, the trooper responded. And what did he tell you? asked Donato. He couldnt remember, the trooper stated. According to Donato, a supervisor testified in court last December that Raquet had been at the school for 10 years, and in that time there was never a complaint against him. Donato described his client, a personal fitness trainer and son of a retired law enforcement officer, as a soft-spoken, polite young man a really good guy very devoted to these kids. Added Donato, I would imagine this is the outcome he would have expected because he knows he never hit this kid. In an email following the counselors arrests, then-Glen Mills Schools Executive Director Dr. Randy Ireson said, We promptly self-reported this incident to the Pennsylvania State Police This isolated incident did not uphold our stringent ethical standards or protocols. Ireson announced he was taking a leave of absence for health reasons soon after the Inquirer reports. A week after the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services revoked all 14 operating license, the Glen Mills Schools on Tuesday filed an appeal. The revocation action followed an emergency removal order of all students remaining at the school on March 25. There are currently no students residing at the facility. Glen Mills has appealed the March 25 removal order, arguing that much of the evidence was unsupported and suspect. Medina is scheduled to go on trial May 13 on aggravated assault and related offenses, according to online court records. He is free on $200,000 unsecured bail. Citing court testimony, Donato said the 17-year-old was from Philadelphia and was at Glen Mills on a probation violation involving a car theft, marking this third stint at the reform school. UPPER DARBY A man accused of robbing a group of people of their phones with a gun Wednesday night turned himself in to police Friday afternoon, authorities said. Anthony Devero-Smith, 18, of the 800 block of North 66th Street in Philadelphia, surrendered to Upper Darby police and is now facing a dozen felony robbery charges, a gun charge, and over a dozen more charges for simple assault, theft, receiving stolen property and making terroristic threats for allegedly sticking up two teenagers and an adult. He was arraigned before Magisterial Judge Leon Hunter Friday and remanded to the George W. Hill Correctional Facility for failing to post bail at 10 percent of $1 million. Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood said Devero-Smith and another man were walking along the back of a property in the 2200 block of South Harwood Avenue around 10:30 Wednesday night when they approached two teenaged girls and one adult male who was with them. He allegedly used a semiautomatic handgun to threaten them and take their phones. If they said anything they would kill them, said Chitwood relaying the threat that was made against the three individuals. The two robbers fled on foot. None of the victims were injured. One of the victims was able to identify Devero-Smith because she went to high school with him. He was identified in a yearbook and social media was used to make contact with him and his father before turning himself in. Devero-Smith was considered armed and dangerous before his voluntary surrender, police said. Police are still trying to identify the second robber, identified as a black male, standing about around 5 feet 10 inches tall. Devero-Smith has not told police who the other robber is, said Chitwood. Devero-Smith is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 7. HILL AIR FORCE BASE Utah airmen from the 388th Fighter Wing and 419th Fighter Wing deployed to the Middle East this week, marking the first time Hill Air Force Base has sent F-35A fighter jets to support the United States Air Force Central Command mission in the region. The aircraft arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates on April 15. For those of us who have been a part of the F-35 program for a while, this is a huge milestone, Col. Lee Kloos, 388th Fighter Wing commander, said in a statement. Speaking to a group of airmen gathered in Hills Deployment Control Center, he said, Youre the first. Were proud of you and well be watching you as you bring this jets capabilities to bear in support of our nations defense. The group of airmen is made up of pilots from the active duty 4th Fighter Squadron and 466th reserve Fighter Squadron, along with active duty and reserve airmen in the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit as well as other support personnel. For Staff Sgt. Riley Curry, who has been in the F-35A program his entire career, preparing for the deployment was challenging but carrying out the mission should now be second nature. Its neat to be on our first deployment and part of the first operational F-35A deployment, but were going out to do our job the same one we do here every day, he said. The F-35A, the conventional takeoff and landing aircraft of the Joint Strike Fighter jet, provides greater operational capability by combining advanced stealth capabilities with the latest weapons technology, a news release states. We are adding a cutting edge weapons system to our arsenal that significantly enhances the capability of the coalition, said Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command. The sensor fusion and survivability this aircraft provides to the joint force will enhance security and stability across the theater and deter aggressors. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. SALT LAKE CITY April 26. That's the date Taylor Swift has been referencing for the past five days on Instagram, and fans are convinced its when the artist will drop her seventh album. It isnt the first time Swift has dropped hints related to April 26, however. In fact, Swift has left a series of clues for the past few months that something big is coming this month, and fans recently discovered that one of those clues may be found in her song The Story of Us. Heres how Back in October 2018, Swift took the stage at the American Music Awards to receive her Artist of the Year award. In her award speech, Swift said, I always look at albums as chapters in my life. To the fans, Im so happy that you liked this one but I have to be really honest with you about something. Im even more excited about the next chapter. If the line seems familiar for Swift, its because next chapter is a lyric in her song Story of Us. The story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now. Next chapter, Swift sings at the 1:26 mark. While that seems irrelevant to her next album, it gets more interesting when you look at the numbers behind the song. A few fans have pointed out that The Story of Us is four minutes and 26 seconds long. Taylor's countdown on her IG is giving me chills. April 26th? Is this it? TS7? Is this the "next chapter"? You know what else has "next chapter" written on 'em? The Story of Us. You know how long this song is? 4:26. And do you know what number it is on the album? 7. pic.twitter.com/JnUj7If00w Kurtsky the Frustrated Artist (@frustrated_rtst) April 15, 2019 She said Next Chapter at the AMAS and in The Story of Us but look how long the song is... bye. pic.twitter.com/kg7mEdOhjK Olivia (@repugaytion22) April 14, 2019 Furthermore, the song is the seventh on Swifts Speak Now album, which adds to the theory that Swift could be using the song to allude to her seventh album. A few fans also noted that Swifts songs picked up a new background on Spotify this week, all but The Story of Us, that is. A fan discovered that all of Taylor's songs on Spotify have the new "4.26 Midnight Eastern" backdrop EXCEPT "The Story of Us." If you remember earlier this week, Taylor liked a post about "The Story of Us" containing the lyric "Next Chapter" and being 4:26 in length. pic.twitter.com/ep20VOuXen Taylor Swift News | TSwiftinAsia (@TSwiftinAsia) April 17, 2019 all of @taylorswift13s songs on spotify have this new background... except the story of us ive had enough yall pic.twitter.com/zKGlyZFMfo ellie (@eleanorbate) April 17, 2019 Elle Magazine The Story of Us isnt the only way Swift could be hinting at an April 26 release date. Back in March, Swift wrote a piece for Elle Magazine titled 30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30. If you read through that list, youll note that Swifts 26th item is I make countdowns for things Im excited about. If Swifts Instagram is any indication, shes certainly counting the days for something. Either fans are jumping for any information they can get about the artists next album or Swift is one of the greatest Easter egg masters of our time. LITTLE WOODS 3 stars Lily James, Tessa Thompson, Luke Kirby, Charlie Ray Reid, James Badge Dale; R (language and some drug material); Tower; running time: 105 minutes SALT LAKE CITY Little Woods is about good and desperate people who have made bad decisions and work their way into more bad decisions as a result. Set in present day North Dakota against the burgeoning fracking industry, the film is built around the interconnected plight of two sisters. Ollie (Tessa Thompson) is a former drug dealer who is a few days from completing probation, trying to get by selling coffee and doing laundry for rig workers while she applies for more lucrative jobs. In an early meeting with her parole officer Carter (Lance Reddick) she hears the famous last words: Youre so close. Please stay out of trouble. Ollies sister Deb (Lily James) has her own set of challenges, including a sick son named Johnny (Charlie Ray Reid), a deadbeat baby daddy named Ian (James Badge Dale). Shes also living under the constant fear of having her RV towed out of the parking lot where she and other residents have set up a makeshift community, thanks to the local housing shortage. Debs got a steady job at a local diner and is studying for a college entrance exam, but then she discovers shes pregnant again. Taking the baby to term is going to cost Deb at least $8,000, which is two thousand more than its going to cost Ollie to settle the foreclosure that is threatening to put her in a parking lot as well. Every other person Ollie meets pesters her about going back to dealing prescription meds, including Bill (Luke Kirby), the towns top dealer since Ollie went clean. Ollies one solution seems to be a stash of 500 pills she buried in the woods up near the Canadian border prior to her arrest. It isnt hard to guess where things are going from here. The only question is what is going to happen to Ollie once she decides to start dealing again, and the simple answer is: a lot. Director Nia DaCostas moody film is a portrait of desperation, and how life and/or the system can seem to cut you off at every pass. Its a well-produced and sobering bummer and, if anything, its primary fault is that it tries to make a depressing ending feel slightly upbeat and a little too conclusive. Starting with Thompson, continuing with James and working right down through supporting turns from Dale and Reddick, Little Woods is anchored by a cast that draws out the best of their characters. It also manages to touch on a variety of issues like drug addiction, abortion and health care without getting too preachy, remaining ambiguous enough to let the audience just feel the pain of the circumstances. There are some tense moments, and some twists that are easy to see coming, but overall, Little Woods is a thoughtful movie built on a compelling story. Just dont put it on at a party. Rating explained: Little Woods draws an R-rating for sporadic profanity and regular drug references, as well as some frightening moments and brief sexual content. SALT LAKE CITY With Easter coming this Sunday, there are plenty of costumed Easter Bunnies at malls and shops. But have you ever wondered who's behind the mask? Gail Harding, a longtime Easter Bunny at Trolley Square, spoke to the Deseret News about the job. Turns out, she's pretty passionate about it. I have one little girl who comes every year faithfully to see me, Harding said in a recent phone interview. Last year, I got a new bunny suit where I'm a girl and not a boy bunny, and she told her mom that she knew it was the same bunny inside. She always brings me flowers or a little card that she's drawn for me or something. All the little kids do it's great. They're a lot of fun. They're never mean. It's just pure innocence and the belief in something bigger, I guess. As a former Easter party organizer, Harding was in need of a bunny character and decided to get a suit herself. For 30 years since then, Harding has been playing the role of the Easter Bunny at malls, schools, private parties and grocery stores. While Harding isn't a full-time bunny shes the owner of the Commercial Driver's Licence driving school Utah Trucking Academy she continues to do what she (does), she said, for the joy of it. Bunny never talks, Harding explained. I shake my head and interact. I've had kids that are really afraid of me, so I just sit down on the floor and scrunch closer to them, so I'm at their level. And then they come and sit with me. Harding's two costumes, custom-made by a gentleman in Wisconsin, she said, have seen more than just ordinary shops and malls. Putting the costumes to good use, Harding has visited schools for the disabled and, with the assistance of her daughter my mini-bunny reads to young kids in elementary schools. It's just pure innocence and the belief in something bigger, I guess. I've had blind kids that can feel the bunny, Harding said. Every little child touches my heart in some way. For the most part, a costumed Easter Bunny brings delight to children. But as anyone who has dealt with small children knows, the unpredictable a giant, clothed rabbit that looks unlike any other worldly creature can be scary for some kids. Some of them run, Harding said. If they're 2, they run. If they're babies, they're OK because I'm fluffy and soft and they sleep. At 3, 4, 5, they're really sweet. They're just adorable. When they get to be around 10, they're skeptical. But for the children that Harding does manage to connect with, her loving attitude comes through. (A girls) mom wanted to take her to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny at the Grand America and she refused to go because she knew the real Easter Bunny was going to be at Trolley, Harding said about a young girl who comes to see her every year. Even my own granddaughter she knows it's me. But, she's 5, and last year she told her dad, 'I know grandma came down in the middle of the night and hid everything and then left.' America's Easter Bunny tradition likely came over with early German immigrants, according to History.com, whose children would make nests in which a mythological rabbit could leave its colored eggs. The tradition evolved over time to include leaving chocolates and other goodies. Similar to Santa on Christmas who also travels with presents the bunny vaguely resembles the original religious intention of the Easter holiday and acts as a bringer of springtime and renewal. But for those who celebrate Easter differently, Harding said, the bunny costume can come as a surprise. Especially at (places like) Trolley Square, I've noticed different cultures that come in. Even adults that have never experienced the culture, seeing their reactions (is incredible), Harding said. I adopted a (child) from Japan, and she's never heard of the Easter Bunny. To this day, she doesnt know I'm the bunny in the suit. We've kept it from her. As the owner of a semitruck driving school, Harding may come off as an unlikely Easter Bunny. But it turns out, the gig has proven to have transferable skills. My day job is like dealing with preschoolers so my bunny job transfers over to dealing with adult men, Harding joked. What lead Harding to commit to this 30-year gig as a costumed bunny? Among other characters that Harding has portrayed, including Mrs. Claus and the Cat in the Hat, the Easter Bunny holds a special place in her memories. When I was little, I just always loved Easter," she said. "I remember waking up and seeing a little basket on the table and the eggs were hidden," Harding recalled. "I was the youngest by long way from my brothers, so they let me have the whole day to myself and (I was) the only girl. It was kind of my day. Now, we do the normal thing (to celebrate) is that funny or what? I don't do any gigs on Easter because I spend it with my family, Harding said. But beyond personal fulfillment, there's a larger purpose behind Harding's bunny costume. I think whats important about the job is giving faith back to humans," she said. "You know, that not everything is bad and horrible. That there's some happiness, some light. Everything doesn't have to be so serious. SALT LAKE CITY The results of special counsel Robert Muellers nearly two-year investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election were released to the public on Thursday. Muellers report, which you can read on the Department of Justice website, identified a number of key takeaways. Ive outlined a few of the major ones that are circulating through the news right now. Trump's possible efforts to influence investigation were unsuccessful because ... The report said Trump's efforts to influence the election were unsuccessful. But there's a reason why. On page 370, the Mueller report says "the President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Page 370: The Mueller report states that "the President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests."https://t.co/iqaoEftQFP pic.twitter.com/mm3YryZyt9 NBC News (@NBCNews) April 18, 2019 Mueller: "The President 's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." pic.twitter.com/9vpRXOFmIm Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) April 18, 2019 Trump's campaign reportedly had its eye on several states early in 2016. Per Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight, The Trump campaign was apparently targeting Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Minnesota as early as mid-summer, at least according to Rick Gates's account of the briefing (Paul) Manafort gave to Konstantin Kilimnik. The Trump campaign was apparently targeting Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Minnesota as early as mid-summer, at least according to Rick Gates's account of the briefing Manafort gave to Konstantin Kilimnik. pic.twitter.com/PYbAulaLop Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) April 18, 2019 Press Secretary Sarah Sanders reportedly admitted to lying. The report says that Sanders told investigators that she lied to the press about the White Houses decision to fire FBI Director James Comey, according to the New York Post. The presidents draft termination letter stated that morale in the FBI was at an all time low and Sanders told the press after Comeys termination that the White House had heard from countless FBI agents who had lost confidence in Comey, the report said. But the evidence does not support those claims. The president told Comey at their January 27 dinner that the people of the FBI really like (Comey), Muellers report said. No evidence suggests that the president heard otherwise before deciding to terminate Comey, and Sanders acknowledged to investigators that her comments were not founded on anything. White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told investigators she lied to the press after Comey firing pic.twitter.com/JNN9ObzKFd Dorey Scheimer (@DoreyScheimer) April 18, 2019 White House Counsel Don McGahn refused to get involved, according to the report. According to the The Associated Press, the report said that in June 2017, Trump directed White House Counsel Don McGahn to call the acting attorney general and say that Mueller must be ousted because he had conflicts of interest. McGahn refused." Russia may have targeted Clintons personal office really quickly. According to The Hill, Russia military officers tried to hack Secretary of State Hillary Clinton five hours after Trump called for Moscow to find her emails. The report said that on July 27, 2016, "candidate Trump made public statements that included the following: Russia if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. ... Within approximately five hours of Trump's statement, GRU officers targeted for the first time Clinton's personal office." Mueller and team concluded that Congress can police obstruction of justice. The report said Congress still has the ability to find if the president obstructed justice, according to CNN. (W)e concluded that Congress has the authority to prohibit a presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice," the report said. BIG: Mueller and his team concluded that Congress has authority to police obstruction of justice. MUELLER: [W]e concluded that Congress has the authority to prohibit a presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice." Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) April 18, 2019 The report doesnt fully exonerate Trump. The report doesn't fully exonerate Trump. According to BuzzFeed News, Mueller said he would have exonerated the president on obstruction if the evidence supported it. But he couldn't find any such evidence. On page 220, Muellers report says, "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state ... while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Congress could recommend prosecution. As The Guardian reported, the Mueller report didnt recommend any prosecution. But Congress still could, according to the report. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the Presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law." ST. GEORGE A teacher at a southern Utah school has been arrested for inappropriately touching a student, according to police. Shaun Michael Timothy, 46, of Santa Clara, was booked into the Washington County Jail on Thursday for investigation of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. On Saturday, a 13-year-old girl who attends Tonaquint Intermediate School, 1210 W. Curly Hollow Drive, told St. George police that her teacher, Timothy, touched her buttocks while she was sitting on her desk, according to a Washington County Jail report. "(The girl) disclosed when she realized what was happening she jumped off her desk and moved away from Mr. Timothy and sat in her chair," the report states. "(She) disclosed that she felt sick and was physically and emotionally upset about what had happened." The girl also told investigators of other moments when Timothy allegedly touched her inappropriately or sat on the girl's lap or the laps of her friends, according to the report. Detectives interviewed other students who were in the classroom at the time of the alleged incident and they corroborated the girl's story, the report states. According to the school's website, Timothy teaches seventh-grade science. EAGLE MOUNTAIN A gym teacher at an Eagle Mountain charter school was cited Thursday for allegedly slamming a student against a wall and throwing him to the ground. The teacher said it happened after daily bullying he's received from students. The alleged incident happened about 9 a.m. at Rockwell Charter High School. A teacher had a "bad reaction" to a 14-year-old boy not doing what he was supposed to do, said Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon. After some words were exchanged, the teacher grabbed the boy by the neck and shoulders and slammed him against a wall before throwing him to the floor, Cannon said. The student suffered minor injuries but had visible scrapes and bruises on his shoulder and neck, he said. The incident was recorded on a school surveillance camera, Cannon said. The teacher, Anthony Robbie Chidester, 40, was immediately escorted from the school and later fired. Cannon said deputies went to his home in Cedar Hills to interview him and determined his reaction to the student's behavior was "clearly inappropriate." Chidester was issued a citation for child abuse, a class A misdemeanor. Rockwell Charter High School Executive Director Darren Beck called the incident "just ugly, hideous and extremely damning." Chidester issued a statement Thursday evening apologizing for his actions and explaining what led up to it. He said he was "absolutely mortified" by what he'd done. "I allowed an incident of disrespect, bullying, teasing and insubordination from a student to escalate. As an educator I have been bullied, I have been threaten(sic) with physical harm, told to 'F off' on a daily basis, teased that I am powerless, told that I am worthless, had balls and weights thrown at me," Chidester said in the statement. "Students have touched my legs and pulled the hair out of my calves and filmed me while I taught and mocked me. Again this in no way excuses my behavior, and I truly am sorry for my actions, but I don't think people realize the conditions that we have to teach in. I am completely heartbroken because have loved my opportunity to teach." Beck said that he talked to Chidester about his side of the story. "But there's absolutely no way that I can condone that kind of action," Beck said. He said the school will discuss anger management with its faculty after the incident. Because Chidester was already off school property, Cannon said it was determined the threat had passed. Otherwise, he said the teacher would likely have been booked into the Utah County Jail. When authorities talked to Chidester, he "readily acknowledged" that he overreacted, Cannon said. "Hindsight for him is working really strong, but its a little late," according to Cannon. Contributing: Sean Moody FARMINGTON A Layton man who beat his girlfriend's 2-year-old son to death out of rage over potty training has been ordered to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Second District Judge John Morris on Wednesday called Joshua Schoenenberger's behavior "indifferent and cruel," the Standard-Examiner newspaper reported. "I can tell you this court has not heard any expression of remorse or any apologies." A jury in October found Schoenenberger guilty of aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. In May 2015, James "JJ" Sieger Jr. was taken off life support after two days in the hospital. He succumbed to extensive injuries, including tearing in his colon, deep bruises and head trauma. Schoenenberger's defense attorney Ed Brass argued at trial the state failed to provide DNA evidence even though investigators took swabs from Schoenenberger, and his client only confessed after a 13-hour interrogation. Prosecutors had argued Schoenenberger grew more and more frustrated after the boy ripped out blinds and defecated in his room. On May 9, 2015, when JJ soiled his diaper, police said Schoenenberger held feces in the boy's face. As he was washing the boy off, the toddler urinated and defecated, and Schoenenberger squeezed him before dropping him on the tile floor and stepping on him, but didn't mean to hurt him, he told police. The child's mother, Jasmine Bridgeman, was sentenced in 2016 to at least one and up to 15 years in prison after admitting she lied about her son's injuries. Prosecutors didnot seek the death penalty for Schoenenberger in the case. MANILA, Philippines (18 April 2019) Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle emphasized the youths need for love and understanding during his homily in the Evening Mass of the Lords Supper at the Manila Cathedral late Thursday afternoon. Ang kabataan ay dapat gabayan, hindi dapat pagsamantalahan. Ang kabataan, minamahal. Hindi ibinebenta, niloloko at pinagkukwartahan. Like Jesus, let us love the youth until the end, he stated. [(TRANSLATION: The youth should be guided, not taken advantage of. Young people should be loved, not sold, duped, or used for profit.] In turn, Cardinal Tagle also emphasized the importance for the youth to turn to Jesus Christ in the midst of problems such as vices, broken families, and hatred. You have someone named Jesus. Someone young, someone as young as you, who knows the longing of young people to be loved, Tagle says. The world will judge you, but Jesus will wash you. In keeping with tradition and Catholic rites, the Cardinal washed the feet of 12 young people who came from various backgrounds during the Washing of the Feet ceremony after his homily. The said ritual is observed by Catholics every Maundy Thursday to commemorate Jesus Christs act of humility and brotherhood in washing his twelve apostles feet. Among the apostles were 23-year-old call center agent Nicole Anne Perez and 18-year-old first-time voter Luna Mirafuentes. Nicole Anne Perez Nicole, who has been serving in the Church for 11 years as a Catechist, Youth Ministry member, and chorister, calls the experience both a blessing and a big responsibility. Perez was also appointed by Pope Francis as a participant to the 2018 Synod of Bishops on Young People in Rome, Italy, where she claims she faced the realities of young people around the world. Minsan, they do not know how to say it or express it and siguro for the young people. If they are afraid to trust, theres only one way and its to trust God, that no matter how broken they are, no matter how lonely they feel, there would always be Jesus to guide us, Perez says. Luna Mirafuentes Meanwhile, Mirafuentes says her participation in the yearly Lenten ritual exemplifies two kinds of responsibilities that she believes Catholic youth should take seriously: that of a voting citizen and a member of the Church. Kailangan po, maging good example kami sa mga youth, she says. For me, malaking bagay yung opinion ng mga kabataan sa pagboto. May mga nakikita tayo na hindi nakikita ng older generation. [TRANSLATION: We need to be a good example to the youth. For me, the youths perspective in the polls is a big deal. We see things that older generations do not.] Luna is also an active member of the Greeters and Collectors Ministry in the San Fernando de Dilao Parish in Paco, Manila. The other participants of this years Washing of the Feet were: * Carlito Sapunto, church volunteer suffering from cerebral palsy * John Rey Nevado, 20-year-old summa cum laude student * Jinky Pelopero, 21-year-old student * Rafael Villegas, 22-year-old college student * Joel Obreo, 23-year-old Indian missionary * Jenezis Caliwag, 25-year-old Quiapo Church staffer * Jeffrey Ranola, 25-year-old youth ministry worker * Sr. Antonisa, MC, 26-year-old nun of the Missionaries of Charity * 31-year-olds Ferdinand John and Daisy Jane Azogue, newlywed couple The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines or CBCP says, this years theme of the Washing of the Feet was in line with the celebration of the Year of the Youth and the 500th year of Christianity in the country. In the past few years, Archbishop Tagle had been washing the feet of ordinary persons or the lay instead of consecrated people following of Pope Francis. In 2017, the Cardinal washed the feet of relatives of victims of extrajudicial killings, as well as drug dependents and surrenderees. The following year, he washed the feet of rescued Marawi priest Fr. Chito Soganub, and the parents of slain OFW Joanna Demafelis, among others. SALT LAKE CITY The Salt Lake Civil Service Commission has upheld Chief Mike Brown's decision to demote one of the officers involved in the high-profile 2017 arrest of University of Utah nurse Alex Wubbels. During their brief monthly meeting, the three-member commission announced Thursday that it agreed with the Salt Lake City police chief's decision to demote James Tracy two ranks from lieutenant to patrol officer. Tracy's attorney, Ed Brass, called the decision "disappointing," but said he could not comment further until he read the commission's rationale behind the decision, which is expected to be released in the coming weeks. Brass said the option to file an appeal with the Utah courts is still an option. Tracy, who was in uniform, left the hearing without comment due to the fact he was on duty, his attorney said. Tracy was one of two Salt Lake police officers disciplined for their roles in the arrest of Wubbels on July 26, 2017. Officer Jeff Payne went to the hospital seeking a blood draw from a patient involved in a fatal crash but was denied because he didn't have the proper authorization. Body camera video of a screaming Wubbels subsequently being dragged out of the hospital and handcuffed by Payne went viral and sparked worldwide criticism of the officers. Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and Brown issued a personal apology to the nursing supervisor for the way she was treated. Payne, a 27-year veteran of the department, was fired in a blistering 17-page letter issued by Brown. Tracy was demoted. Payne filed a notice of intent to sue the city in September for $1.5 million. He contends he was only following orders from Tracy and that the city caved to national pressure and made him the fall guy. But in his appeal to the city to have his rank and pay reinstated, Tracy claims he, too, was made to be a scapegoat by the city, and that his decisions that day were based on bad or omitted information given to him by Payne. In his written final argument submitted to the Civil Service Commission in March, Tracy and Brass said the notion that Tracy told Payne to arrest Wubbels after one phone call was "ludicrous." "No evidence was presented and no evidence could be presented that Tracy ever directed Payne to arrest the nurse in the manner depicted in the videos," according to their written arguments. Most important, Tracy said Payne never told him that Logan police the agency that originally requested the blood draw had informed Payne they no longer needed it. "Payne inexplicably withheld fundamental information from him. Payne failed to inform Tracy that he intended to leave the scene," according to Tracy's written arguments. Tracy also contends that the department's policy of arresting people for misdemeanor crimes "whenever possible" is vague. In his written arguments, he also disputes that he was "discourteous" to hospital administrators, and in fact remained "calm" despite being yelled at. Finally, Tracy argued that his demotion had nothing to do with poor leadership and judgment, and everything to do with "the public outcry over the videos of Payne's actions." "There was a huge public outcry following the release of the video of the arrest of the nurse by the other officer. The chief promised that something would happen and that the citizens of Salt Lake should trust in the process. That process was to offer up Lt. Tracy as a sacrifice to public opinion," he and Brass wrote in their closing arguments. "He should not be made a scapegoat for the actions of others." Payne is scheduled to go before the Civil Service Commission to appeal his firing on July 16 and 17. A pre-hearing was held Thursday for attorneys to discuss discovery issues. Payne's attorneys claim the city has dragged its feet in providing evidence and information, including body camera videos. Before the commission meeting began, Payne and Tracy were seen shaking hands in the hallway and conversing before walking into the hearing. SALT LAKE CITY A longtime officer fought tears Thursday as he recalled finding his police dog spinning in circles and gasping for air after being shot in a ravine two years ago. "He saw me and ran to me as I ran down to meet him," Chad Reyes, a former Unified police sergeant, told a jury Thursday in Salt Lake City. "He was coming to me for comfort and for help." Reyes had heard gunshots and yelping, but could not immediately tend to Dingo, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois. He believed the man now on trial in his dog's death might still be somewhere in the weeds and thistle near a Millcreek parking lot. Once more officers arrived, several began searching for 30-year-old Torey Chase Massey and eventually arrested him. Others pushed Reyes up a muddy hill as he cradled Dingo, then rushed the dog and handler to a nearby veterinary hospital where the K-9 could not be revived. A jury of eight women and one man listened, some nodding, as Reyes recounted spending 24 hours a day with Dingo, a decorated Unified service dog of five years who survived a bout with cancer and was nearing retirement. Reyes, now deputy chief of the Herriman Police Department, recalled putting on his own uniform each morning before dressing Dingo in his. A pet at home and a partner in the field, Dingo understood the difference between his roles at home and at work, Reyes testified. About 1 a.m. on July 6, 2017, a strike team with the U.S. Marshals Service spotted Massey, a parole fugitive wanted in a robbery and aggravated assault case, driving in Millcreek. When spike strips laid by police flattened his tires, Massey got out and ran before Dingo lunged and grabbed a hold of Massey's left side with his mouth, Reyes testified. Massey and the dog then tumbled down a steep slope. Reyes said the dog sometimes wore a heavy ballistic vest, including for SWAT calls, but not for an entire shift on a hot summer day. A year later, the officer returned to the weed-covered patch and retrieved the bandage his colleague had used to triage the dog's wounds. Massey, who is on trial accused of firing several rounds at the dog after giving Reyes a "taunting smirk," showed little emotion Thursday during at times tearful testimony. His attorney Matthew Barraza declined comment outside the courtroom. The 30-year-old West Jordan parolee is charged with two counts of possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a first-degree felony; and injuring a police service animal, a third-degree felony. He faces six other charges, some stemming from baggies of drugs and stolen belongings that police say they recovered from his car. He has pleaded not guilty to each charge. In 2007, Massey was convicted of stabbing another man in the torso during an argument in West Jordan and was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Dingo's death and the 2016 death of another Unified K-9, Aldo, inspired lawmakers last year to strengthen penalties for killing police service dogs. The offense is now a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Previously it was a third-degree felony, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years. The trial continues Friday, when attorneys are expected to make closing arguments. SALT LAKE CITY In a rare twist, the man who is believed to have brought a measlesoutbreak to Michigan originally thought he was immune to the disease because he had previously had measles when he was younger, ABC News reports. The man, who is known as patient zero for the measles outbreak in Michigan, traveled to Michigan from New York. Before that, he had been in Israel in November. Health officials believed he caught the disease in New York, according to ABC News. The man reportedly felt fine during his drive from New York to Michigan but then "he got sick when he arrived, started having a fever, cough and headache," Steve McGraw, the emergency medical services director for Oakland County, Michigan, told ABC News. The man went to the doctors office where he was diagnosed with bronchitis, but then he returned to the doctors with a rash on his face. The mans doctor then called the health department. Initially, officials struggled to find the man because he didnt have a cellphone, according to ABC News. Eventually, health officials found the man and told him that he had measles. They identified him as someone who had been visiting Orthodox Jewish charities and spending time in different synagogues. "He was really upset," McGraw said. "He really had no idea he had been sick that way, especially that he had been contagious." There have been more than 300 confirmed cases of measles in New York City, according to The New York Times. Many of the cases have been confined to the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community. The measles outbreak has yet to arrive in Utah. But Dr. Tamara Sheffield, medical director for community health and prevention at Intermountain Healthcare, told the Deseret News that "we're only one airline flight within a case coming here. "Utahns don't need to panic, but rather carefully consider their vaccination status," she said, adding it isn't too late to get the vaccine. "If we're not getting vaccinated, we're putting other people at risk." SALT LAKE CITY The Washington Post identified a pretty interesting idea if British Americans staged their own form of Brexit, then Utah would be gone from the country. The Washington Post looked into what would happen if the parts of the U.S. that include Americans who claimed to have United Kingdom ancestry split from the rest of the country. An American Brexit wouldnt split the nation as deeply as you might think. Sure, most Americans speak English as their first (or only) language and are taught from an early age about English colonies such as Plymouth and Jamestown, according to The Washington Post. But the share who actively claim English, Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish ancestry on government surveys is small and geographically contained. It shows that any focus on early white settlers doesnt represent the reality according to the self-reported identity of most Americans. Utah and eastern Idaho would split if it was based on ancestry alone, according to The Washington Post. As a rule, areas of Mormon influence report the strongest ancestral ties to the U.K., and both Utah and eastern Idaho have large Mormon populations. By some metrics, northern New England and much of the Deep South and southern Appalachia would also be part of a Brexit bloc, according to The Washington Post. Go deeper: Read more about this thought experiment at The Washington Post. When President Donald Trump heard a special counsel had been appointed to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 election, he groaned, This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency, according to special counsel Robert Mueller's report. Hours after the report was released Thursday, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway reveled in Mueller's findings into Russian interference in the 2016 election and whether the White House obstructed the probe, calling the event the "best day" since Trump's election, The Hillreported. "I called this a political proctology exam," Conway said of the report, claiming Trump had received a "clean bill of health." But other observers are saying Mueller's 448-page diagnosis charts the path for Congress to begin its examination of Trump. Under the attention-grabbing headline, The Mueller Report Is an Impeachment Referral, The Atlantics senior editor Yoni Appelbaum wrote that Muellers explanation of why it would be unfair for the special counsel to recommend indicting Trump for obstruction of justice doubled as an invitation for Congress to take up the case. Appelbaum quoted Mueller concluding that alleging a sitting president committed a crime would preempt the constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct. The senior editor then let readers know what that process is: The constitutional process for addressing presidential misconduct is impeachment. Appelbaum was joined by other writers who honed in on 10 instances of possible obstruction that Muellers team examined to determine if Trump criminally interfered with the special counsels investigation. And despite Trumps claim that the report clears him, Mueller wrote the only reason the president didnt succeed in side-tracking the investigation was because his subordinates didnt follow through. Our investigation found multiple acts by the President that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations, including the Russian-interference and obstruction investigations. The incidents were often carried out through one-on-one meetings in which the President sought to use his official power outside of usual channels. These actions ranged from efforts to remove the Special Counsel and to reverse the effect of the Attorney Generals recusal; to the attempted use of official power to limit the scope of the investigation; to direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony. ... The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Even conservative commentators described Trumps behavior as embarrassing, immoral and damaging. Fox Newsanalyzed the reaction of conservative author Ben Shapiro, who tweeted that Trumps actions followed a pattern that occurs when scandal breaks out around the president: embarrassing and immoral behavior begets more of the same. "Every Trump scandal follows this pattern," Shapiro tweeted. "It holds just as true for Stormy Daniels as it does for Russia and obstruction." https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1118920717460836352Washington Post opinion writers Paul Waldman and Greg Sargent described nine instances of misconduct Mueller examined, and the pair concluded: Taken all together, thats a clear message from Mueller to Congress and the public. Barr may not prosecute Trump; indeed, his intent to protect the president is why hes attorney general today. But Congress can still conclude that the multitudinous acts of obstruction the report lays out provide more than ample reason to take action. Its just a matter of deciding to do it. Noah Bookbinder, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, chimed in for TheNew York Times that only Congress has the power to remove a president, and Mueller gave it plenty of ammunition to consider. Congress, a co-equal branch of government, is also well suited to consider whether exercise of a presidents constitutional powers including firing or directing subordinates for the purpose of impeding an investigation amounts to obstruction of justice under the Constitution. The fact that Mr. Mueller explicitly did not resolve whether the president engaged in criminal conduct only reinforces the need for Congress to consider whether Mr. Trump violated his constitutional obligations to the American people. But while House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., says Congress must now hold the president accountable for his actions in the Russian probe, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has no appetite for impeachment proceedings, unless there is something so egregious that Republicans would also support removal of Trump. "Im not for impeachment," Pelosi said in a Washington Post interview published March 11. "Impeachment is so divisive to the country that unless theres something so compelling and overwhelming and bipartisan, I dont think we should go down that path, because it divides the country. And hes just not worth it." According to Fox News contributor Karl Rove, thats wise counsel that Democratic candidates should follow in the 2020 elections. "I wouldn't be surprised in the next week or two yeah, you're going to have the hot dogs and the lunatics and the wannabes like (Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif.) say 'by God, impeach,'" Rove told Fox. "He added that politicians like 2020 candidate and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., would back away from 'trashing Trump' and recognize it as a losing strategy, Fox reported. Rove said Republicans made that mistake in 1998, voting to impeach President Bill Clinton over lying about his affair with Monica Lewinsky. A New York Times report on how Democrats are responding to the Mueller report says Democrats "will try to finesse the matter. They will push for the evidence underlying the report and demand that Mr. Mueller and others central to his inquiry appear on Capitol Hill while stopping short of any impeachment discussion. That strategy has the advantage of keeping the inquiry and Mr. Trumps conduct in the spotlight without getting into the charged impeachment talk. But Republicans will do whatever they can to portray Democrats as overreaching and maliciously harassing Mr. Trump out of political spite, riling up Republican voters in the process." A Brookings Institution analysis of poll results found voters have been consistent in their opposition to impeachment of the president. A CNN poll in March found that support for impeachment had dropped to 36% of Americans. "The decline from 43% in favor in December to 36% now stems largely from a change in Democratic views on impeaching the President. In December, 80% of self-identified Democrats said they were in favor of impeachment that now stands at 68%, a 12-point dip, CNN reported. Among independents and Republicans, support for impeachment has fallen 3 points over the same time. Democrats and Republicans agree that voters should decide whether to give Trump a second term, but its too early to know what impact the Mueller report and subsequent congressional investigations will have on the 2020 election. SANDY With just a couple of weeks to complete the job, a team of 10 students from Beehive Science and Technology Academy created an egg design to represent the state of Utah at the White House Easter Egg Roll on Monday. The students, some of them sixth-graders, created a design that included images of Delicate Arch, a skier, a seagull and a honeycomb pattern. The design requirements stipulated that only the colors of red, pink, gold, blue, green and white as a background color could be used. U.S. Department of Education criteria said ideally, participating schools should be STEM-centered, referring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson asked Beehive Science and Technology Academy, a public charter school that serves students in grades 6-12, to represent Utah. The White House egg roll dates back to 1878 under President Rutherford B. Hayes. Art teacher Carelene Walloch oversaw the project along with computer science teacher, Sumeyra Gul. Walloch said students at Beehive Science and Technology are highly motivated in STEM, but art instructions helps stir their creativity. I really like some of the choices they made. The seagull, that was on the image, about three kids worked on that, she said. Its so fun, step by step. One person would do something and it springboarded another thing and it springboarded another thing and all these kids putting in these different ideas. It was wonderful. Walloch said it is especially fun to be an arts teacher at a science and technology academy. You got all these kids who are so tech savvy. All my kids are geeks. All the kids at this school are really centered into that technology, that engineering. Its just something that they really enjoy," she said. "They come to my class with that technical mind and they learn to apply creativity to everything they do. Its just amazing what these kids come up with. Im just so proud of my kids. They have such amazing minds." Students who participated in the project were Jamison Wayman, Heather Cloward, Aliah Tedjamulia, Isaac Wilcoxon, Asim Kablan, Elnura Kibarova, Hayden Ure, Michael Mertens, Zaya Harker and Aiden Pasinsky. Beehive Science and Technology Academy was named charter school of the year for 2016 by the Utah Association of Public Charter Schools. It was also designated a Platinum STEM School, just one of only two schools to receive this designation by the Utah State Board of Education and the STEM Action Center for the 2015-16 school year. In October 2017, Beehive was selected an Apple Distinguished School for 2017-19. PARK CITY A Park City teenager linked to the fatal overdoses of her two friends admitted Friday to reduced criminal charges as part of a deal that allows her to chip away at community service and probation as she prepares to leave for college in the fall. Before sentencing the 17-year-old, 3rd District Juvenile Judge Elizabeth Knight called the girl "incredibly bright," but said she has allowed men and boys to manipulate her. "Even in your interview by law enforcement, what I noticed is you know what you need to do, but you get pressured and want to please," the judge told her. "And in every instance, it's been males, in wanting to please them and give them what they're asking you to do. You've made really bad choices, right? That's a really hard thing to learn, of how to be independent and strong." The teen pleaded guilty Friday to reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor, agreeing that she secretly received a package of drugs in 2016. Police said two of her friends had asked to have the shipment of the opioid "pink," or U-47700, shipped to her home so their parents wouldn't see them. Grant Seaver and Ryan Ainsworth, both 13, later overdosed and died after taking the drug in September 2016. Investigators said the teen told them her friends had taught her to order drugs on the darknet hidden networks often used for illegal ends and that she had used Bitcoin to buy them. In addition to the first charge, the teen admitted to trying to receive a package of the drug MDMA, or ecstasy, at the McDonald's in Park City in June 2018. Prosecutors said she was meeting a man who had agreed to accept shipments of e-cigarette refills for her, but the U.S. Postal Service intercepted the package. She pleaded guilty to attempted drug distribution, a class A misdemeanor. Federal agents arrested her at the McDonald's and brought her to the Summit County Sheriff's Office, where the girl began sobbing and told federal agents what happened, the officers testified during earlier hearings. The teen, whom the Deseret News has elected not to name at this time, did not speak Friday except to reply "yes, your honor" at times. "I hope in the future you will really think about doing things that are best for you," Knight told her. The teen's trial had been set to begin Friday in juvenile court, where she was originally charged with four counts of drug distribution, a second-degree felony. The allegations stemmed from the June shipment and three others that authorities said they intercepted last year. Instead of a trial, prosecutors reduced the charges and the teen immediately entered guilty pleas. She has been accepted to several colleges and universities, including several out of state, her attorney Mary Corporon said. The judge ordered a substance abuse evaluation and acknowledged the teen has already spent several months in treatment. She also ordered six months of probation, plus 36 hours of community service, the maximum possible in the juvenile system. The parents of the two boys who died are suing one another in a separate civil case, alleging the others knew or should have known the children were receiving drugs before their deaths. SALT LAKE CITY As part of Friday's Salt Lake Temple renovation announcement, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said the church will make every reasonable effort to honor and maintain the temple's historic beauty. "We will strive to preserve its reverent setting and character as originally directed by President Brigham Young," President Nelson said. "We promise that you will love the results." Here are some questions and answers that will hopefully help those following the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square to better understand how the project will unfold in the coming years. When will the Salt Lake Temple close? The Salt Lake Temple will close on Dec. 29, 2019. How long will the Salt Lake Temple be closed? The Salt Lake Temple will be closed for about four years. It is expected to reopen in 2024. How will the renovation affect the plaza and other buildings on Temple Square? The project will include the removal of the existing temple entry/annex, removal of the South Visitors' Center, renovation of the historic Salt Lake Temple, construction of new temple entry buildings and visitor's pavilions, and new hardscape and landscaping. The plaza between State Street on the east to the Main Street Plaza will be repaired and refreshed with greater emphasis on the visitor experience and on the Savior. West of the Main Street Plaza, the temple renovation and nearby site improvements will extend from North Temple to South Temple and between the Tabernacle and Main Street Plaza. There will still be access to the North Visitors' Center, the Assembly Hall, the Salt Lake Tabernacle and other buildings surrounding the Salt Lake Temple. How much of Temple Square will be closed during the renovation and what can I still visit? Guests can still visit the Family History Library, Church History Museum, Church History Library, the Conference Center, Salt Lake Tabernacle, the North Visitors' Center, the Assembly Hall, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, the Church Office Building, Relief Society Building, the Administration Building and the Beehive House and Lion House. Only the Salt Lake Temple, South Visitors' Center and east plaza area will receive renovation attention. During the renovation, the church will closely coordinate pedestrian and vehicle traffic issues with Salt Lake City. Tours by missionaries from the Temple Square Mission will continue to be available during construction. How will the Temple Square renovation affect the annual tradition of Christmas lights? Visitors will still be able to come and see Christmas lights although it may be somewhat limited and smaller during the construction period. Will there be an open house and rededication of the Salt Lake Temple when the renovation is finished? Yes. When complete in 2024, the church will host a public open house and the Salt Lake Temple will be rededicated. When was the last time the Salt Lake Temple underwent a major renovation? The last major renovation of the Salt Lake Temple was in 1962. The temple closed on July 29 of that year for extensive renovation that included demolition of the old annex; cleaning of the exterior stone; replacement or upgrade of all mechanical systems, plumbing, wiring, carpeting and light fixtures; reupholstering of furniture; and redecoration of the entire building. The temple reopened on May 21, 1963, according to churchofjesuschristtemples.org. On March 7, 1963, the building that would later become the North Visitors' Center was dedicated as a temporary annex. A new annex built to house seven new sealing rooms, a children's waiting room, mechanical systems, two new locker rooms, new initiatory areas, and a new chapel seating 450 patrons opened on March 19, 1966. This new annex was dedicated on October 23, 1967. What will change/remain the same about the Salt Lake Temple's exterior/interior? The church plans to preserve the historic aspects of the Salt Lake Temples exterior wall and hopes visitors will feel more welcomed to Temple Square. The work of the project is a mix of preservation, restoration, renovation and new construction. All of the temples aging mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems will be replaced. Extensive research has been undertaken regarding such things as soil composition, granite strength, concrete and plaster sampling and vibration movement modeling. Additional research has been done in cooperation with the Church History Department on the historic aspects of the temple, including its original design and subsequent modifications. A detailed study of this research includes paint samples, murals, millwork and furniture. The renovation will include a signficant seismic upgrade to help the temple withstand a large magnitude earthquake. A base isolation system will be installed. The stone spires and walls will need to be strengthened. As part of the project, a new access tunnel will be installed under North Temple Street. The tunnel will grant direct entry to the temple from the Conference Center parking area. The renovation of the plaza east of the temple will make it more public and friendly, with seating areas and new corridors. There will be times during the construction when scaffolding will cover the temple and nightly lighting will be reduced. How will the renovation affect Temple Square activities, such as tours, weddings, parties, concerts, restaurants and state tourism? Tours by missionaries from the Temple Square Mission will continue to be available during construction, as will access to all the buildings surrounding the temple and plaza. Couples can still make marriage reservations until the temple is closed on Dec. 29. How much will the renovation cost? The church acknowledged the cost of the renovation will be significant but did not disclose a specific figure. Who is doing the architecture and construction? FFKR Architects and Jacobsen Construction. Will there be any street closures? No. The church will coordinate closely with Salt Lake City to address any pedestrian and vehicle traffic concerns. How much noise and dust will the renovation generate? The project will involve scaffolding on the temple, multiple tower cranes, dust and noise. The church hopes to keep the dust to a minimum and comply with Salt Lake City noise ordinances. How will the church prevent what recently happened with Notre Dame from happening to the Salt Lake Temple? The church acknowledged the recent Notre Dame fire and understands how construction puts any project at greater risk for a fire. The church plans to work closely with the contractor, church risk management and local fire officials to finalize a fire prevention plan. Will the Tabernacle Choir still rehearse at the Salt Lake Tabernacle during the renovation? The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will continue to use the Salt Lake Tabernacle but at times might move over to the Conference Center in coordination with the construction schedule. The church emphasized it still wants visitors to enjoy the Tabernacle. SALT LAKE CITY Salt Lake Temple worshipers displaced by more than four upcoming years of renovations will have to attend other temples in Salt Lake or Davis County, but one other possibility exists a new temple announced just last month in Tooele County, a senior Latter-day Saint leader said Friday. President Russell M. Nelson announced the Tooele Valley Temple on April 7 during his final remarks at the latest global general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many years can pass between a temple announcement and completion while the church's Temple Department navigates site acquisition, permitting, construction and, sometimes, delays. The recently completed Rome Italy Temple took more than 10 years. The Temple Department's executive director, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, told the Deseret News and Church News on Friday that an accelerated process for the Tooele Valley Temple would help relieve the pressure of Salt Lake Temple visitors on other area temples during the Temple Square renovation. "We're hoping that Tooele will be open before the Salt Lake Temple for precisely the reason you indicated," he said. "And we will be moving as rapidly as we can on the construction of that temple." The church operates 163 temples around the world, with 17 in Utah. Other than Salt Lake, three are in southern Salt Lake County. The closest temple to Salt Lake City is 20 minutes north, in Bountiful in Davis County. For two-thirds of Latter-day Saint temples, just getting from announcement to groundbreaking has taken more than three years. On the other hand, nearly a quarter of the church's temples have been completed on a faster track, with ground broken within six months of their announcement. Most of those fast-tracked temples were built during the church's temple-building boom from 1997-2000. During that time, 35 temples were constructed within two years after they were announced. The fastest was the Monticello Utah Temple, dedicated just nine months and 22 days after it was announced in 1997. Since 2000, one other temple has been finished within two years the Manhattan New York Temple, which was constructed in an existing building. Only six other temples outside the 1997-2000 period have been finished within three years the Gila Valley Arizona, Boise Idaho, Redlands California, Taipei Taiwan, Freiberg Germany and Brigham City Utah temples. "There are so many unknowns," Elder Wilson said about the Tooele Valley Temple project. "We're still at the very beginning of that project. So many unknowns related to the design, the governmental approvals and the challenges of the construction process. I would hope that it would be open and I suspect that there's a good prospect of it being opened before the Salt Lake Temple renovation is done. But it's hard to say." Latter-day Saint Sabbath worship takes place in tens of thousands of meetinghouses. Temples are reserved for what President Nelson on Friday called "sacred ceremonies and ordinances that are the crowning facet of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The highest blessings that God offers to his faithful children are available only in a temple." Those ordinances include marriages, called sealings; the endowment, which is a bestowal of knowledge and understanding of gospel principles; and baptisms on behalf of deceased relatives. Tooele City Mayor Debbie Winn looked forward to a Latter-day Saint temple coming to the valley after the announcement last month. "I am thrilled with the news of a temple coming to our beautiful valley!" she told the Deseret News. "Members have waited for this announcement for many years. I look forward to working with church officials as this great edifice comes to our valley!" People have speculated about a temple coming to Tooele for years, said a former mayor, Charlie Roberts. "Our valley is growing and it's going to continue to grow," he said. "I remember when the Jordan River Temple was built and it was out in the sticks, nowheresville. All I've seen with temples is how they spur good development. So I expect that will happen wherever it's built out here." The 17 operating temples in Utah are Salt Lake, St. George, Manti, Logan, Provo, Ogden, Jordan River, Bountiful, Mount Timpanogos, Vernal, Monticello, Draper, Oquirrh Mountain, Brigham City, Payson, Provo City Center and Cedar City. Four additional temples have been announced in the state, in Saratoga Springs (announced April 2017), Layton (April 2018), Washington County (Oct. 2018) and Tooele Valley. SALT LAKE CITY As the news reverberated across Utah that major renovations will begin on the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square at the end of this year, state and city leaders reacted with excitement hopeful it won't negatively impact tourism or business in the heart of the capital city. Calling The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Temple Square the state's "No. 1 tourist attraction," Gov. Gary Herbert said he expects "natural curiosity" will bring church members, visitors and tourists alike to downtown. "So I'm hopeful that tourism doesn't wane at all," the governor told reporters after Friday's announcement. "It will maybe increase, in fact, as people come here and see our beautiful capital city and our wonderful state and most importantly our wonderful people that reside here," he said. The Salt Lake Temple draws more than 3 million to 5 million visitors each year. Herbert joined church leaders and other elected officials for the announcement inside the South Visitors' Center on Temple Square, welcoming the renovations of the church's "keystone temple" as an "exciting event." "It's going to be a very positive event in our state, certainly for members of the church, for nonmembers, for tourism, travel," Herbert said. "The state will benefit significantly." The Salt Lake Temple, which was completed in 1893, underwent a major renovation in the 1960s. Church President Russell M. Nelson announced Friday the temple will close Dec. 29 and remain closed for more than four years, until 2024. "I think it will be an exciting four years," Herbert said. Flurry of construction The renovation project will bring dust, noise, cranes and road closures to downtown Salt Lake City at a time when other major projects are also slated for construction, including a slew of skyscrapers expected to drastically alter the city's skyline. "The logistical aspects of this certainly are going to have some impact," Herbert said. "We're going to have some congestion and traffic and closing off of streets as we have construction work take place here on Temple Square, so that will be a little bit of a frustration I'm sure for people trying to get around. "But on the other hand, it shows the vitality of Salt Lake City," the governor added. "We're not closing things down. We're expanding and growing. We're re-modernizing." Brent Roberts, director of special projects for the church, said it will indeed be a "major construction project," so Utahns should expect scaffolding on the exterior of the temple, as well as "multiple tower cranes." He said church officials and construction crews will "work within the guidelines" of city noise ordinances "unless we receive a special exception for things that would be better for vehicle traffic." "We will work with them with flaggers and vehicle and pedestrian traffic on any closures of North and South Temple," he said, adding that dust will be "mitigated every day" with water, "so we'll try to keep that down." Salt Lake City Council Chairman Charlie Luke, who also attended Friday's announcement, said it will be a "massive construction project" likely similar to what Salt Lake residents endured during the multiyear construction of City Creek Center. "The good thing is, I think folks who live and work in Salt Lake City are used to having major construction projects," he said. "But this one is going to be significant, not just in size and scope, but because of other projects going on in downtown as well," Luke said, pointing to several skyscraper projects slated to begin starting as soon as later this year. Addressing concerns around traffic, dust and noise will be "paramount," he added, "but we've worked with the church and other developers successfully" in the past. "There will be a lot of congestion, but we've dealt with those challenges before and we'll continue to manage them," Luke said. Another concern, however, could potentially surface later on. Controversy arose in the late 1990s when the church sought to harvest granite from the original quarry in Little Cottonwood Canyon from the same slab of stone that was used to build the Salt Lake Temple more than a century ago. Asked Friday whether church officials will take more granite from that quarry for this renovation project, Roberts said, "That has not yet been fully determined." Luke said city leaders will be following that question "closely" as the project evolves because of the city's interest in protecting the canyon's watershed. More than 20 years ago, opponents of the church harvesting granite from that quarry worried it would destabilize the mountainside and cause long-term esthetic damage to the area. 'Heart of Utah' Herbert said the temple renovation speaks to "the heart of Utah" in that it represents the "growth that's taking place, the economic opportunity, the great quality of life" as a place for religious people "not just from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," but also people from other religions. When the renovation is complete and the church hosts the first open house of the Salt Lake Temple since its original dedication in 1893, church leaders expect to see "people from all over the world" come to the temple, said Elder Jack N. Gerard, executive director of the church's public affairs department. Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski left the announcement early to attend another press event, but the mayor told the Deseret News she thinks the renovations will have some impact on tourism, though she expressed excitement for the final product. "It's a four-year project, and Temple Square is one of the biggest attractions in the whole state of Utah, so we'll see some impact, but they are keeping it open and available for tourism," Biskupski said. "It's a massive project, much bigger than I even expected, and very significant investment is going into this development." The mayor said "one of the beauties" of the renovation is the wall surrounding Temple Square is "coming down." She believes that will be a "remarkable change" and allow visitors to have a better street view of the grounds. "The dynamic of that just makes it much more inviting," Biskupski said. "I'm excited about the project. I'm glad my team is partnering with them and working so well together to get this launched by the end of the year. And then we'll see what happens." Luke said he, too, is excited about the renovation, and "probably the biggest difference that really jumped out" at him is that the "fortress feel" currently surrounding Temple Square will come down. "It's going to have a much more open feel than it does now," the councilman said. What will remain open? Church leaders said as the renovations take place, certain areas of Temple Square will continue to be accessible, including the North Visitors' Center, the Tabernacle, and the Assembly Hall on the west side. Temple Square will also continue to host Christmas lights during the holidays, though they may be "somewhat reduced" due to construction areas, said the Temple Department's executive director, Elder Larry Y. Wilson. "Of course there will be some impact because of the affected area, but those not affected will continue to be available for the normal activities there," Elder Wilson said. "We're also looking at other ways to be able to accommodate visitors to Temple Square during this time and expect to share more information about that as it becomes available." Church leaders are also working to make part of the Conference Center available during the construction period, said Elder Gerard. He noted that if visitors go to the upper levels of the Conference Center, it will "give unobstructed views of the work that will be in process." "So, actually we think visitors coming to Temple Square during the project will have better views than they have today of the work that will be underway," he said. Business impact Jay Kinghorn, associate managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, said his office views the Salt Lake Temple as a top tourist destination of Utah, much like what the Vatican is to Rome. As construction progresses over the next four years, Kinghorn said his office isn't expecting a drop in visitation though there will inevitably be some "minor disruption due to the construction process." "But we have a lot of confidence in Temple Square Hospitality in being able to mitigate those and maintain a high visitor experience," Kinghorn said. He also credited church leaders for having a "long-term vision" for the future of Temple Square so it will drive even more visitors when it's completed in 2024. "We appreciate the thought and care that has gone into addressing the visitor experience while construction is underway," Kinghorn said. Dee Brewer, executive director of the Downtown Alliance, welcomed Friday's announcement, calling Temple Square "undoubtedly one of the most visited attractions in Utah." He said the renovations will make it "even more welcoming to visitors." Brewer acknowledged there will be day-to-day impacts during construction, but overall he doesn't expect any major "disruptions" to City Creek Center or other nearby businesses. "I think the biggest concern would probably be North Temple, which is a major thoroughfare in and out of Salt Lake," Brewer said. "But I think commuters have demonstrated themselves resilient and can find alternatives to get into town." Contributing: Lauren Bennett SALT LAKE CITY The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints unveiled major renovation plans for the Salt Lake Temple and Temple Square which will begin at the end of the year. The renovations will begin on Dec. 29. Renovations are expected to last for four years. The temple would reopen in 2024. The Church's Newsroom shared a number of photos of what the Salt Lake Temple will look like once the renovations are complete. Scroll through all the pictures below to see what's coming. FORT WORTH, Texas Heading into Fridays national semifinal, the first of two held at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Utah gymnastics had high hopes that it could outperform its seed. The Red Rocks entered the contest as the third seed in the competition, behind both UCLA and LSU, and ahead of Michigan. A top-two finish was the goal, and with it a position in Saturdays four-team championship final. That goal went unfulfilled. In fact, the Utes underperformed. Utah finished in fourth place Friday afternoon, behind UCLA (197.6750), LSU (197.5125) and Michigan (197.2000), with a final score of 196.7250. It was Utahs lowest team score of the year, a low enough total to end the Red Rocks season prematurely. This was a hell of a competition, Utah co-head coach Tom Farden said. This team was right in the thick of things. We wanted to bring it today, to make it to tomorrow, added senior Kari Lee, trailing off. We always fight for the end, what the end goal is, and that is to be in the top four this is so sad. Utah actually came out to a roaring start to begin the competition, at least in comparison to their opponents. Utah recorded five scores 9.8 and above on floor exercise, highlighted by MyKayla Skinners 9.9375. MaKenna Merrell-Giles added a 9.8750 for the Utes, who finished with a 49.3125. That score, while well below their season best, was tops among all four teams, ahead of Michigans 49.3000 on uneven bars and UCLAs 49.2875 on vault. LSU, meanwhile, struggled on beam and recorded a 49.1875. We went out there and nailed it on floor, Skinner said. The Utes then moved to vault, their strongest event this season, and once again Merrell-Giles and Skinner were on top of their game. Merrell-Giles earned a 9.900 and Skinner followed with a 9.9250. The rest of the rotation underperformed, however, leaving Utah with a 49.2250, the lowest score of any team in the second rotation. That put Utah in fourth place after two rotations, well off its initial pace. Things improved dramatically on uneven bars, however, as Utah posted its best event score of the competition. The Utes were buoyed by solid performances from Merrell-Giles (9.875) and Missy Reinstadtler (9.8625), before Skinner busted out a team-best 9.9125. After vault, I told the girls it is hard to not look at the scores, but we are right in this, said Farden. Bars turned out our best event. Bars were great. The Red Rocks 49.3250 was a significant improvement in a meet that was going to be decided by fractions, per Farden, but the effort still left Utah trailing all three teams heading into the final rotation. It was on beam where the team was forced to try to save its season and ultimately the Red Rocks came up short. No single Ute earned a score at or above their average, as even regular stalwarts Merrell-Giles and Skinner struggled. Merrell-Giles fell, in fact, on the final routine of her Ute career, while Skinners 9.7750 was her season low. The poor performance proved the proverbial nail in the coffin as Utah recorded a meet-low 48.8625. That last rotation, we just pressed too much. said Farden. I told the girls that this is hard to swallow and we are all going to upset here for a little while, but it just wasnt our day on balance beam. It would have been nice to finish with our best, Skinner added. It is really hard to end on beam. It is so nerve-wracking. It was hard because inside we knew the scores were close, but when you have six people in a lineup that have to hit every event, it is hard. That is not easy. We are all disappointed, added Lee. We all think we could have done better. Still, the season was a success as far as the Red Rocks were concerned, early exit or no. Im really proud of the fight of the team and everything we went through, said Skinner. Beam was rough, but I told the team that we were, we are, freaking amazing. SALT LAKE CITY A man accused of shooting a passenger at a bus stop at random this week was sent to prison more than 10 years ago for stabbing a TRAX passenger, according to court records. Shamar Frenyota Murchison, 35, whose last listed address in court records is the Utah State Prison, was arrested Tuesday for investigation of attempted murder, aggravated assault causing serious injury, transaction of a firearm by a restricted person, discharge of a firearm into a terminal, threatening to use a dangerous weapon in a fight, possession of drug paraphernalia and assault. About 5 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting at a TRAX platform/bus stop at 188 W. 3900 South. A man who witnesses say yelled at passengers as they got off of a bus, pulled out a gun and fired a single shot without aiming it anywhere in particular, according to police. One man was hit in the leg and transported to a local hospital in good condition. "The single round penetrated through one of his legs and exited," according to a Salt Lake County Jail report. Utah Transit Authority police were able to get a screenshot of Murchison from surveillance cameras shortly after the incident, the report states. Prior to the shooting, investigators learned that Murchison "had punched a blind man who was exiting the bus. When confronted by other passengers, Murchison pulled a gun from his bag and fired one shot. A female witness stated that she thought Murchison had tried to shoot her because he had told her, 'I got something for you' prior to the shot," according to the report. Murchison was spotted by police near a bus stop at 3875 S. 500 West and was arrested. When interviewed by detectives, who reported that he was in possession of drug paraphernalia, Murchison said he had been talking on his phone when "people began to 'crowd' him," and then someone stepped on him,' the report states. He claimed, however, that at that point he walked away. "I asked Murchison to tell me more about the gun that he had used and where he got the gun. Murchison stated that he did not have a gun and stated he did not know what I was talking about. Murchison then told me that he was going back to prison either way and did not want to talk anymore," the officer wrote in his report. Murchison has a lengthy criminal history, including another incident at a TRAX station in 2006. On Sept. 22 of that year, Murchison stabbed a man in the chest after telling him he would not stab him if the man handed over all his belongings, according to charging documents. He was originally charged with attempted aggravated murder and aggravated robbery, and later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault. He was sentenced to up to five years in prison to run consecutively with a prison sentence he was given in a separate case. SALT LAKE CITY Former Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz, who's seriously considering a third-party run for president, is scheduled to hold events in Utah. Schultz's "Heart of America" tour is set to stop in Salt Lake City Tuesday for a meeting with local business leaders at the Salt Lake Chamber offices and in Kaysville for a town hall meeting at the Davis Technical College. On Wednesday, events are planned at the Lehi offices of Silicon Slopes, a nonprofit organization that represents Utah's technology sector, and the National Ability Center in Park City that provides adaptive outdoor recreation opportunities. Schultz's visit follows a campaign swing by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democratic candidate for president. Warren held a media event in Big Cottonwood Canyon and a rally at The Depot in downtown Salt Lake City. Earlier this year, another Democratic presidential candidate, Julian Castro, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Barack Obama, spoke at the University of Utah. Photo by Jeff Boshart By Jeff Boshart In 2012, the Global Food Initiative (GFI) began supporting a potato project of Evangelistic Training Outreach Ministries of Rwanda (ETOMR) among the Twa people in the village of Bunyove in northwest Rwanda. The Twa, sometimes known as pygmees, have traditionally been a hunter-gatherer people who would hunt game animals and sell the meat to others as a way of garnering some income. Numerous forces caused an end to the nomadic lifestyle of the Twa, including war and forest hunting land being turned into protected areas for wildlife. The Twa were forced to live as refugees in camps that became a collection of mud huts on the edge of farming communities. Conditions in these camps were bleak and the Twa turned to stealing and begging to survive. The founder of ETOMR, Etienne Nsanzimana, is also the leader of the Church of the Brethren in Rwanda, previously serving another denomination as a pastor for many years. Nsanzimana tried for years to make inroads with the Twa in order to share the gospel of Jesus Christ, but without success. After two years of working with Twa leaders and teaching them how to grow potatoes and peas, he and the Brethren had their first breakthrough. Several people gave their lives to Christ and began attending a Brethren church. Along with learning to grow their own food for the first time, the Twa, with the support of Brethren members, were taught the importance of savings and received assistance in opening savings accounts. They also received sewing classes and learned how to sew their own clothing. Another major advance for the Twa came when they were able to purchase health care in Rwandas national health care system. Conflict resolution skills were also taught. In fact, the progress made by the members of the Twa community in Bunyove is so dramatic that Twa from other communities have begun saying that they are no longer recognizable as Twa as they have such nice clothing and their children are going to school, some even graduating from high school. In 2018, in the nearby Mudunde Church of the Brethren, a Twa choir formed called the Makerubi Choir. Nsanzimana believes that this is the first Twa choir ever formed in Rwanda, but the good news doesnt end there! Recently, members of the Makerubi Choir traveled to a neighboring village to evangelize Twa people living in that community. Several community members converted to Christ in Humure and now they too have formed a Twa choir. Alexander Bashame is director of the Makerubi Choir and a man of vision. In a meeting with GFI manager Jeff Boshart and GFI volunteer Chris Elliott, he expressed a hunger to learn much more. His hope for his people is that they will learn to raise pigs and chickens so that they can earn enough money to buy cows. Once they buy cows, he believes they will be able to begin buying land and owning their own homes and farms. This is a story of faithfulness: pastor Nsanzimanas faithfulness in seeking new ways to present the gospel to a hurting people, the faithfulness of the Twa for sticking with the potato project for seven years, the faithfulness of GFI donors in supporting this effort, and ultimately Gods faithfulness to his people for their courage and dedication. In parting, Boshart and Elliott offered words of encouragement to the Twa leadership from Matthew 25:23, Well done faithful servants, for you were faithful with little thingsthings as small as potatoes. The meeting concluded with plans already formulating for a livestock project to begin later this year. Jeff Boshart is manager of the Global Food Initiative. For more information go to www.brethren.org/gfi . Subscriber content preview ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) A powerful New Mexico regulatory authority is requiring the state's largest utility to bill Facebook $39 million for a new transmission line construction. The Albuquerque Journal reports the Public Regulation Commission's on Tuesday ordered Public Service Company of New Mexico to charge Facebook for nearly half the cost of the $85 million transmission project for its New Mexico data center that opened this year. . . . Subscriber content preview CONCORD, N.H. (AP) A new study has found that more than a dozen wild bee species critical to pollinating fruits and vegetables across New England are on the decline. The University of New Hampshire study examined 119 species in the state from a museum collection at the college dating back 125 years. Writing in the peer-reviewed journal this month, Insect and Conservation Diversity, the researchers concluded 14 were on the decline by as much as 90 percent. . . . Subscriber content preview JIM THORPE, Pa. (AP) Pennsylvania officials are closing one of the most scenic and popular hiking trails in the state because of longstanding concerns about its safety, prompting backlash from hikers. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is closing the main Glen Onoko Falls trail in Jim Thorpe as of May 1. . . . RIPLEY Checkers Drive-In is up and running in Ripley, and franchise owner Sedrick Turner said it was the best opening weekend for any of his The weather has been getting delightfully cooler lately, and the mosquitoes seem to be going away. What does that mean? Its time to sit on th HAL flight-tests a modified intermediate jet trainer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has come out with a modified version of its Intermediate Jet Trainer HJT-36 `Sitara, three years after the plane was grounded. The state-owned defence aerospace major has now recommenced flight testing of the modified intermediate jet trainer (IJT) for the armed forces at its Bengaluru facilities. IJT Sitara, which has undergone some critical modifications, took to the skies in a test flight at the companys Bengaluru facilities. Sitara made a flawless flight during Wednesdays test, making an important step forward in the IJT programme. IJT (HJT36), designed and developed by defence and aviation major HAL for stage-II training of IAF pilots, was put on hold after the aircraft encountered a problem in spin test flights in 2016. HAL continued its R&D efforts and undertook modification of the IJT LSP4 aircraft based on extensive and comprehensive wind tunnel studies, said R Madhavan, CMD, HAL. After the failed spin tests, the company has been doing extensive research, and the design and technical teams have carried out the modifications required and is keen to identify any further challenges. The IJT `Sitara has been facing issues from the developmental stage, after it crashed in 2011. Since last year HAL has put the IJT through fresh wind tunnel tests after a design upgrade, during which the aircraft was deliberately stalled midair and recovered as part of the training process. The Rs2,989-crore project, started in 1999, failed after the trainer aircraft was unable to prove its ability to get out of a stall and spin, a critical feature needed in a trainer aircraft that is to be used for training fresh pilots. In 2014, HAL sought the help of UK based BAE Systems in re-designing the aircraft tail which could meet all specifications of the IAF. After passing the tunnel tests, todays flight test was critical for the IJT and it is expected to move to the next stage of development before it is fully safe for the trainees. Sitara, if successful, could be produced for replacing the current `Kiran Mk II aircraft fleet by 2020. The IJT programme has been facing problems from the beginning, forcing HAL to change its time lines at least four times. The aircraft, which was scheduled to be inducted in 2015, is now expected to be inducted in 2020. The IAF has been forced to modify its training programme for pilots from a three aircraft plan to two aircraft plan due to shortage of trainers. The IJT was meant to provide high-speed training for IAF pilots entering the second stage of training, before they move on to an advanced jet trainer (AJT) to finally learn the art of combat flying. India Navy ships to participate in PLA fleet review in China Indian Naval ships Kolkata and Shakti are scheduled to arrive in Qingdao, China on 21 April to participate in the International Fleet Review as part of 70th anniversary celebrations of PLA (Navy). International Fleet Review (IFR) is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational capabilities. IFR also serves as an ideal platform for worlds navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in a global/international arena. The second IFR conducted by India off Visakhapatnam in February 2016 saw overwhelming participation of 50 navies with nearly 100 warships. The Indian Navy would be represented in the IFR at Qingdao by indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and fleet support ship INS Shakti. INS Kolkata is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions of naval warfare. INS Shakti, a replenishment ship, is one of the largest tankers displacing over 27,000 tonnes and capable of carrying 15,000 tonnes of liquid cargo and over 500 tonnes of solid cargo, including victuals and ammunition. The visit of Indian Navys most potent destroyer and versatile fleet support ship showcases Indias prowess, reach and sustainability in addition to indigenous ship building capability. The harbour stay of IN Ships will be marked by interaction between personnel of participating navies, courtesy calls to various dignitaries of PLA (N) and government officials, professional exchanges and various sporting events. Ships will be opened for visits by PLA (Navy) personnel and local populace to showcase Indian Navys prowess and Indias ship building capability. The ships are likely to sail in the evening of 22 April to participate in the Naval Parade of ships scheduled to be reviewed by the Chinese President Xi Jinping on 23 April. TMC resorts to violence, bogus voting in West Bengal polls Voters allege mass bogus voting and intimidation of voters at a polling booth in Raiganj constituency of West Bengal on Thursday. A Times Now report citing locals said miscreants stopped voters from reaching their respective polling booths and also snatched their voter I-cards. The Times Now report said voters in the constituency were discriminated against on religious lines as voting progressed in the second phase of Lok Sabha Elections on Thursday. Hindu voters at a village in the constituency have alleged that some of them were stopped from proceeding towards the polling booth, while some others were told that bogus votes in their names had already been cast as early as in the morning. As per details available with Times Now and eyewitness accounts, voters belonging to the Hindu religion were stopped from casting their votes by some Muslim men and their voter identity cards were also taken away. As reported by Times Now correspondent Tamal Saha, some of the Hindu voters were stopped from casting their votes because they would have voted for the BJP. Violence marred the second phase of elections here on Thursday as BJP's Raiganj Parliamentary constituency candidate Debasree Chaudhuri alleged that TMC workers tried to capture a polling booth in the constituency. Meanwhile, police had to resort to lathi-charge and tear-gas to clear the blockade at Chopra which falls under Darjeeling parliamentary constituency. "TMC workers were trying to capture booth. They were campaigning among Muslims there. This isn't election campaign," Debasree alleged. Security personnel lobbed tear gas shells and caned locals as they blocked NH-34 in protest after unknown miscreants allegedly prevented them from casting their votes at Digirpar polling booth in Chopra, in Islampur subdivision of North Dinajpur. Bangladeshi star Ferdous Ahmed, along with a few Indian actors, allegedly campaigned for TMC's Raiganj candidate Kanhaiyalal Agarwal in the ongoing elections. The government subsequently blacklisted Ahmed from campaigning, cancelled his business visa and asked him to leave India. On 11 April, Coochbehar and Alipurduar went to the polls. While in phase 3 on 23 April, 5 Lok Sabha constituencies will go for polls, 8 Lok Sabha seats in phase 4 on 29 April, while 7, 8 and 9 parliamentary constituencies will vote on 6, 12 1nd 19 May, respectively. There are 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal. A father and son from Lithuania were refused bail over charges of cultivation and possession of drugs at a grow house in Manorhamilton when they appeared at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court this morning. 49-year-old Ramion Stankus with an address at Cartrongibbagh, Manorhamilton is charged with cultivating cannabis plants, possession of illegal drugs and possession of drugs with intent to sell or supply. 22-year-old Airdas Stankus, of the same address, is charged with the same offences. The state objected to bail. The pair arrived in Ireland in January this year and they both previously lived in London. Garda McGovern said the men were found at the grow house which is situated between Manorhamilton and Rossinver which is a very rural area. 50 mature plants and 100 immature plants were found along with 1kg of dried cannabis and cultivation paraphernalia. Solicitor Gerry McGovern made an application for bail, adding all their travel documents are with the Gardai. The court heard the men are not claiming social welfare and are living off cash they brought with them from the UK and savings. The court was also informed that the house was rented by a different person and the two accused had sublet the house. Judge Kevin Kilrane refused bail and remanded the two defendants in custody to appear at Harristown District Court next Friday, April 26. 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. Making modelling clay characters from Disneys Dumbo movie will be the activity as Dundalk children enjoy the latest kids club at Marshes Shopping Centre on Saturday, April 27. There will be lots happening to keep children entertained at Marshes Little Monsters kids club from 12-4pm. The free kids club runs on the last Saturday of each month at the food court, so you can bring your children for an afternoon full of exciting activities. There will be a hive of activity as Dundalk company Clayotic spark creative minds to celebrate Dumbo. This event is a great opportunity for kids to have a super time with clay, said Aoife Kerley of Marshes Shopping Centre. We are looking forward to welcoming children and parents to celebrate Dumbo and to hosting more events in 2019. So, if you have a Little Monster or Monsters with a love of modelling or Disney movies who would love to come along to the childrens club at Marshes Shopping Centre, close to the town centre, dont hesitate. Clayotic, established in Dundalk in 2011, offers a selection of courses, workshops and parties for modellers aged from 3 to 93. It facilitates workshops at nurseries, schools, care homes and craft fairs and also makes personalised cake toppers using lightweight, non-toxic clay. For further information on Marshes Little Monsters Kids Club please see the Marshes Shopping Centre Facebook page. (Photo: Peter Kenny)The World Council of Churches in Geneva, Switzerland on April 5, 2019 A group identifying itself as "The Chinese Expert Group" is threatening World Council of Churches communication director Marianne Ejdersten. The group first made contact on April 17, hacking Ejdersten's private email account, taking a collection of private family photos, and asked for payment of US$159,000 within 72 hours, the WCC said in a statement Thursday. The group also threatened to share the photos worldwide, then hack the WCC website and social media accounts. The WCC did not name any group it suspected of the action. On April 18, WCC general secretary Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit condemned the criminal attack on its staff and system. "It is terrible to experience such things as this, but public roles can lead to attacks like these," said Tveit. "The WCC will never give in to such threats." Ejdersten and the WCC continue to take the necessary steps to protect their security and have already informed the police. "We will continue our work," said Tveit. The threats, received over email and via cell phone, set a deadline for receipt of money. "We won't entertain any delay in the transfer of the required amount today," reads the threat, in part. "If you engage in any illicit delay, we are going to do the most heavy thing to see that your image is brought down to nothing and if you act improper against this instruction given out to you, you will see our supremacy." Ejdersten said she is shocked but not scared. "This is an attack on me, my family, the World Council of Churches, and on freedom of expression," she said. "It is unacceptable to use private material for blackmailing me. I will never, ever pay for my right to have private communication with my own family members and friends." Ejdersten believes the threat might be an attempt to silence or diminish communication of the WCC's public and prophetic voice that help bring to light stories from the most vulnerable in the world. She did not name where those stories were being carried. "After this, I'm more than ever convinced that a strong voice for justice and peace is needed," said Ejdersten. The WCC communication director wrote on her FaceBook page, "Because of a security threat against me, our work in Communication and the WCC, my writing time allocated to follow up on security reports and upgrade security within the system. And read new hate emails. "Why all the hate? Why all these criminal actions? Maybe because of the prophetic voice of the WCC in Israel and Palestine? More to come, I'm sure." To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. "We have to get people demanding that research be supported and demanding to the hospitals that they push to have the replacements available as quickly as possible." Analysis finds several design changes, including a three-stack PCB, quad cameras, and a periscope camera By Junko Yoshida, global co-editor-in-chief, AspenCore Media, and chief international correspondent, EE Times In a flash sale that was reportedly over in 10 seconds, Huawei launched in China today its brand new P30 and P30 Pro smartphones. Along with the launch, different technology outfits scrambled to break apart the new handsets so that they could be the first to post teardown reports. Image: System Plus EE Times tapped the technical expertise of System Plus Consulting (Nante, France), Yole Developpements partner company. We asked the analysts to share their initial observations and reveal any surprises that they encountered. Stephane Elisabeth, costing analyst expert at System Plus Consulting, told us that the focus of their P30 Pro teardown was squarely on quad cameras including a periscope camera capable of 10 zoom. The periscope camera claims no loss in image quality, while the smartphone does not need to use a long-barrel telescopic lens. But as the team dissected the P30 Pro, a few surprises popped up, Elisabeth told us. Three-stack PCB First, Huawei is now using a three-stack PCB configuration in P30 Pro. While Apple was the first smartphone vendor to do three-layer PCB in the iPhone X and Samsung followed suit, the System Plus crew didnt expect Huawei to catch up so soon. It turns out that Huawei has used substrate-like PCB (SLB) assembly from Taiwan-based PCB supplier Unimicron. Apples iPhone X three-stack PCB was assembled by Austria-based AT&S. While both the P30 Pro and iPhone X use similar PCB architecture in three layers, the way in which they use the stacks is different. In the P30 Pro, the bottom layer embeds Huaweis chip division HiSilicon-developed Kirin applications processor, power management ICs, and passives. All RF components occupy the top layer. In between, a mid-frame PCB connects the two and serves as an isolation layer, Elisabeth explained. The Huawei P30 Pro three-stack PCB. The main board uses three pieces of PCB manufactured and assembled by Unimicron. The first PCB has the application processor and the power management ICs and passives. The second is a single-sided PCB with all of the RF components. Between these two pieces, a mid-frame PCB is used to make the connections. (Image: System Plus) In contrast, Apple, in its iPhone X, placed memory on the top layer and an application processor in the middle layer. The third layer, providing thermal dissipation, was left blank. The advance of stacked PCB architecture is important, System Pluss Elisabeth explained, because it enables the development of a substrate-like PCB with very thin copper lines. The end results are a powerful PCB with no loss in power and latency, while saving space, he added. Four cameras Separating Huawei P30 Pro, more than anything else, is its use of quad cameras. The new smartphone literally has four cameras. They include a main camera, plus cameras for wide-angle, time-of-flight (ToF), and periscope view. All four use Sony CMOS image sensors. Its a full design win for Sony, said Elisabeth. The Huawei P30 Pro opened view. The Quad Camera module uses several different architectures. A periscope camera module is used to enable 10 zoom, a ToF camera module coupled with a flood illuminator is used to enable AR functionality, and a dual camera with a wide angle and a main camera. (Image: System Plus) A dual-camera module uses a filter consisting of RYYB [Red, Yellow, Yellow, Blue] instead of the usual RBG. While the main cameras image sensor supplies RGB signals, the RYYB filter helps to bring in more light, according to Elisabeth. Another item to note with P30 Pro is the addition of a Sony ToF camera. While Huawei isnt the first to use Sonys ToF camera (Chinas Oppo is already using it), Huawei uses it not only for augmented reality (AR) applications but also for auto-focus, Elisabeth noted. By processing signals from all three cameras, the ToF camera helps map out a scene and allow a user to focus on a specific object. This is the first time a ToF camera is being used for auto-focus, Elisabeth stressed. For the complete teardown, visit EE Times. Learn more about Electronic Products Magazine Rev. Fr. Elvis Nsaikila Wanyu Njong LinkedIn As Cameroon Forces Battle Separatists in the Countrys English-Speaking North West and South West Regions, the Diocese of Kumbo in the North West has questioned the accuracy of conflicting accounts of civilian casualties from the government and a major NGO, suggesting both may be underestimating the real death toll, Crux reports. In its 2019 report, the activist group Human Rights Watch claimed that more than 170 people have been killed in the crisis since October 2018. The report further states that since the conflict escalated in 2017, some 420 civilians have been killed by belligerents. Human Rights Watch also accused the Cameroon military of having carried out extrajudicial executions, burned property, carried out arbitrary arrests, and tortured detainees. The government rejected that report as biased. The Communication Minister said the report reflected a systematic tendency to discredit public authorities, and the Cameroonian government categorically refutes these accusations made recklessly against Republican Forces engaged in a struggle to preserve the territorial integrity of the state and the protection of persons and property. For its part, the Catholic Church has said that neither party is offering a proper accounting. In an exclusive interview with Crux, Father Elvis Nsaikila Wanyu Njong, the Kumbo diocesan Director of Communications, said that Human Rights Watch can only give (numbers) of those deaths they have verified and are sure of. Meanwhile, he said, the government has rather been on the defensive. Our Justice and Peace Commission has been documenting, Nsaikila said. There are many people being killed daily and they (government and HRW) may not take note. The priests conviction stems from a report by the Kumbo Diocesan Justice and Peace Commission on the deteriorating situation within the Diocese of Kumbo. The report published April 8 states that since the close of 2016, a total of 358 civilians have been killed by the belligerent parties in that diocese alone - a figure likely to be even higher, since corpses are still being discovered. It is hard to know the number of state forces or pro-independence fighters that might have been killed, Nsaikila told Crux. There have recently been disappearances and corpses found in various communities time and again. Within the last seven months, several civilians have been killed. Some of those killed have been persons with disabilities and the aged who could not run away to safety, the report states. The report also talks about cases of looting and rape, and notes that there may be individuals using the crisis situation as a smokescreen for settling personal scores. It said thousands of people have been displaced - more than 9,900 of them as of August 2018 in the dioceses 34 parishes. Many live for days and weeks in the farms and bushes. Kumbo, the seat of the diocese, is largely deserted and many settlements are turning to ruins, the report states. It said within the past seven months, many houses, business centers, and private and public properties have been destroyed. In all, over 750 houses and structures have been burned in the diocese since the end of 2016 - a figure that is also likely to be higher, he explained. He said its scary that such figures should be coming from the Kumbo diocese alone, suggesting the total figure of just 420 given by Human Rights Watch that is disputed by the government is a gross underestimate. He blamed pro-independence fighters for blocking roads, crippling economic activities and disrupting the education and social life of the diocese. There have been repeated reports of abductions, and in some cases, reported torture and demands for ransoms. These abductions have included the disquieting saga of Saint Augustines College: 176 members of the college were abducted on 16 February 2018, including 170 students generally below 18 years of age, Nsaikila said. Three priests who tried to follow the trail of the abductees were also detained, and all were only released the following evening. The incident forced the institution to close down, alongside the Minor Seminary. He also bemoaned the effect the crisis has had on healthcare. Kumbo is home to Saint Elizabeth General Hospital and Cardiac Centre, Shisong (the only cardiac care center in West and Central Africa, both owned by Catholics), Banso Baptist Hospital (B.B.H), and a center run by psychiatrist Dr. Eric Gohla. Several people are said to have died at home who might have survived if they had access to health facilities, Nsaikila said. Its hard to imagine how many lives are being lost for the simple reason that patients are not able to move, he said. Nsaikila said the crisis means medication and other hospital provisions cant flow to the area, and patients referred to those hospitals often get stuck. Those from around, who might manage to find a motorbike to transport them, pay huge sums of money to get to the health facilities. They end up not having money to foot hospital bills or pay for medication, the priest said. The situation has been worsened by attacks on hospital personnel, including three nurses killed. State forces have entered health facilities with firearms, supposedly searching for anyone suspected to be a pro-independence fighter undergoing treatment, he said. Nsaikila said pastoral activities are slowing down and becoming more tortuous, even if no parish has completely shut down. He said that fact alone is evidence of our deepening faith, praising clergy and faithful for such commitment. (CNN) In January of 2018, after the New York Times reported that President Trump had ordered the firing of special counsel Robert Mueller, Trump responded in characteristic fashion. "Fake news, folks," Trump said at the time. "Fake news. A typical New York Times fake story." The White House disputed the accuracy of another explosive story from the Times, published in May 2017, that said Trump had asked for former FBI director James Comey's "loyalty." Trump, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders (then acting as deputy press secretary) said, "would never even suggest the expectation of personal loyalty, only loyalty to our country and its great people." Contrary to the denials, those stories, among several others, were corroborated Thursday with the release of a redacted version of Mueller's report on the results of his investigation. With regard to the Times' report on Trump ordering Mueller's firing, which was also reported by outlets like CNN, Mueller's report said that the president did ask former White House counsel Don McGahn to do just that. "After the story broke, the President, through his personal counsel and two aides, sought to have McGahn deny that he had been directed to remove the Special Counsel," the report said. "Each time he was approached, McGahn responded that he would not refute the press accounts because they were accurate in reporting on the President's effort to have the Special Counsel removed." And as for the 2017 Times story about Trump's request for Comey's "loyalty," the report said that "substantial evidence corroborates Comey's account of the dinner invitation and the request for loyalty." The divergence between the White House's contemporaneous denials and the conclusions detailed in the Mueller report have opened up a new front in the information war between the press and the administration that has defined Trump's presidency. Throughout Mueller's investigation, Trump and his allies were steadfast in their dispute of reporting pertaining to the probe, routinely lashing out at the journalists and news organizations behind the stories. Last month, after Attorney General William Barr said in a letter that Mueller did not find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, the president went as far to say that outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post should be stripped of the Pulitzers they won for their reporting on the investigation. But while there were certainly some errors made by outlets in their reporting on these issues, most of the reporting that Trump and his allies have derided was accurate, including the stories that won the Times and the Post the top prize in newspaper journalism. After the report was released Thursday morning, a number of reporters went on Twitter to memorialize the discrepancies, which places the White House in an awkward position: the administration has been quick to trumpet Mueller's finding that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, but doing so implicitly acknowledges that the report undermines the president's credibility. "As the president now embraces this report and says it exonerates him, it's worth noting that the report confirms a lot of the reporting by NYT, [Washington Post] and others about the president's actions, many of which he or his advisers denied in real time," said the Times' White House correspondent and CNN political analyst Maggie Haberman, one of the co-authors of the 2018 story about Trump ordering Mueller's firing. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The Times was not the only outlet to have its reporting backed by Mueller's team. A January 2017 story published by the Washington Post said that former national security adviser Michael Flynn had communicated with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador, on the same day in December 2016 when the Obama administration expelled 35 Russian diplomats in retaliation for efforts to meddle in the election. The Mueller report details that Flynn directed K.T. McFarland, who was tapped by Trump to serve as deputy national security adviser, to "kill the story," which was written by Washington Post columnist David Ignatius. According to the report, McFarland complied with Flynn's request, calling Ignatius to tell him that there was no discussion of sanctions on the call with Kislyak. "McFarland made the call as Flynn had requested although she knew she was providing false information, and the Washington Post updated the column to reflect that a 'Trump official' had denied that Flynn and Kislyak discussed sanctions," the report said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Trump called some Russia scoops 'fake news' but Mueller report shows they were very real." Camp des refugues de Minawao Archives Authorities in Cameroon have finalized an agreement with Nigerian officials for the return of 4,000 refugees to their home country by April 29, 2019. Far North Governor, Midjiyawa Bakari said in a statement on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 that refugees at the Minawao Camp have voluntarily opted to return home and both countries are working closely in collaboration of other stakeholders to make this dream come true. "We have agreed with the Nigerian government that 4,000 refugees from Adamawa state in Nigeria will be returned. "They are the first ones to return but the process will continue after that," Bakari told journalists. According to him, they will return by air, while Cameroon will provide the security from the refugee camp to the airport. "We (Nigeria and Cameroon) are discussing how we will do with their children that have been going to school here and the property they have obtained here," he said. Officials said that the majority of the refugees at the camp are from Borno state in Nigeria and would be staying. But those from Adamawa asked to be taken home because "there is calm and security there". In early April, Cameroon assisted 40,000 out of about 60,000 Nigerians who fled into Cameroon before Nigeria's February elections to return home. Minawao refugee camp was established in 2012, 56 miles from Nigerian border - refugees fleeing Boko Haram in Nigeria and internally displaced Cameroonians fled here and is administered by UNHCR (also caused by Lake Chad crisis) and hosts over 57,000 Nigerian refugees according to UN figures. This refugee camp has been the focus of much international aid. Organisations like Plan have set up schools in the camp providing necessary hygiene information like digging latrines. Camp residents are employed as much as possible in things like building work to give them a source of income. Refugees in the camp rely on aid for food supplies which are given out with the use of ID cards- each ID card clearly states the number of people in a family and rations are provided accordingly. European humanitarian experts personally visit, and monitor aid projects funded by the EU to ensure the aid is going to the people who really need it. France police arrest 570 in climate change protests The protesters demand urgent action from the government to tackle climate change and ecological crisis. At least 570 climate change protesters have been arrested in London since Monday, British police said Friday. 507 CLIMATE CHANGE PROTESTERS ARRESTED In a Twitter post, the Metropolitan Police said the protesters are using tactics of lying on the ground when approached and this makes at least four officers to remove one person to ensure their safety. They have blocked some main and busy roads in London, which includes Waterloo Bridge, Oxford Street, Piccadilly Circus and Marble Arch since Monday morning. A small group of younger protesters blocked a roundabout in Heathrow Airport area Friday morning but they were removed from the roads to keep the disruption to a minimum. Heathrow Airport said that they were working with police to avoid such disturbance. The protesters gathered by an environmentalist group called the Extinction Rebellion demanded the government to acknowledge there is an environment crisis, enact legally binding policies to reduce carbon emission by 2025 and form citizens assembly to oversee the changes needed to achieve this goal. The group has vowed to increase the tone of their protest and they would be on the streets as long as it takes. London police had issued a public order condition as of Monday evening, which means that protesters should leave the scene when they are asked to. "The same condition has been implemented to those in the Oxford Circus area," the police said. The condition has since been extended for a further three days. In order to impose this condition, the Met required evidence that serious disruption was being caused to communities in London, the police said. Friday is the start of a four-day-long Easter break and the Extinction Rebellion said on Twitter thousands of more people would come and join them in London. The protesters do not resist to arrests and most of them are released in a few hours after giving statements at police stations. Vera Songwe Archives Following Cameroons decision to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission of Africa(ECA), has been drilling stakeholders and economic gurus, amongst others, on the importance of taking such a step. At the International School for Magistracy and International Relations, IRIC, Ms. Vera Songwe gave practical lessons as to how West Africa can boost its economy with a new continental free trade partnership. "Half of the chicken consumed in Africa, comes from Brazil because we dont have enough maize in West Africa to entertain our poultry sector. Why dont we get maize from Malawi, questioned the Economist. When theres no maize in Cameroon, we can buy from Malawi and the reverse. I think this is the power if the free trade agreement, she proposed. Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute on the first day of her visit to Cameroon this Wednesday, assured the UN Under Secretary- General and Executive Secretary of the Commission.To Ms. Songwe, the African Continental Free Trade Area is more than just a trade agreement, but a recipe for engendering domestic growth. "I always use the example of Cotton. Chad produces Cotton, as well as Mali, Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Niger. We export raw cotton to China, the cotton is then processed and sent to Ethiopia, where it is stitched and sent to the United States. We could actually do the concept in the Sahel. We process it and send to Lesotho to be stitched. That is devaluation and stays in the continent and creates jobs in the continent., she said. While wrapping up her talk this Thursday, she paraphrased Nelson Mandela's words which states that theres no pleasure in settling for less when we can a lot more. Libya orders ministry officials to halt dealings with France The UN-backed Libyan government decided to stop all security cooperation with France for the latter's support for the east based army which is trying to take over Tripoli. The interior minister in Libyas Government of National Accord (GNA) has told ministry officials to stop dealing with France due to the latters support for renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar. THE GOVERMENT DICTATED ALL DEALS TO STOP Early this month, Haftar, who is affiliated with a rival government based in the countrys east, launched a military campaign to capture capital Tripoli, where the GNA is headquartered. In a Thursday directive posted on Facebook, Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha ordered all ministry officials to halt all dealings with France, especially those pertaining to security agreements and military training. Bashagha attributed the move to the French government's position in support of the criminal Haftar. Despite two weeks of fighting on Tripolis outskirts that has left scores dead, Haftars forces have so far failed to capture the capital. Libya has remained beset by turmoil since long-serving leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in a bloody NATO-backed uprising in 2011. Since then, the country has seen the emergence of two rival governments: one in eastern Libya, with which Haftar is affiliated, and another in Tripoli, which enjoys UN recognition. Trump to visit Japan in late May Donald Trump will travel to Japan on May 25-28 for meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo, the White House said in a statement on Thursday. Donald Trump will visit to Japan next month to meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the newly enthroned emperor, the White House said Friday. TRUMP WILL VISIT TO JAPAN FROM IN MAY Trump and his wife Melania will "visit to Japan from May 25 to 28, 2019, as the countrys first state guests following the enthronement of His Majesty Emperor Naruhito on May 1," it said in a statement. After meeting with the emperor, Trump will participate in a bilateral meeting with Abe, according to the statement, which said the visit will "deepen the close bonds between the American and Japanese people". Before his visit, Trump will welcome Abe and his wife Akie at the White House on April 26-27. The meeting will focus on the denuclearization of North Korea and bilateral trade and investment, said the statement. Turkish defense minister expresses sorrow over Paris fire Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar offers condolences over the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar spoke by phone Thursday with his French counterpart Florence Parly, Turkeys Ministry of National Defense said in a statement. COOPERATIONS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED They discussed cooperation between their countries defense industries. Akar also expressed his sorrow over the massive fire Monday at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The iconic landmark was severely damaged by the fire before it was extinguished following an eight-and-a-half-hour effort by 500 firemen. The inferno destroyed the cathedrals iconic spire and roof and caused heavy damage to its interior. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foundation congratulates the winning teams in the 2018-2019 Textron Aviation/Raytheon Missile Systems/AIAA Foundation Student Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition, held April 11-14, at the Tucson International Modelplex Park Association (TIMPA) Airfield, Tucson, Arizona. The team representing the University of Ljubljana won the event's $2,500 first-place prize, while the team from Georgia Tech won the event's $1,500 second-place prize. The winner of the event's $1,000 third-place prize was Austria's FH Joanneum of Applied Sciences. The University of Southern California won the "best report" award. Out of 104 eligible teams, 77 competed. Twenty-one teams were international. The competing teams comprised 785 students. There were 96 successful flights, and 26 teams completed all three missions. "Hands-on experience is the best way to learn how to become an engineer and there are few better teachers than the Design/Build/Fly contest," said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA executive director. "I applaud all the teams here for a job well done!" Now in its 23rd year, the DBF competition encourages and recognizes excellence in aerospace engineering skills at the undergraduate and graduate levels by challenging teams to design and fabricate a radio-controlled aircraft conforming to strict guidelines, submit a written report about the aircraft's design, and fly their aircraft over a defined course while carrying a payload and landing it without damage. This year, the design simulated a multi-purpose aircraft to support carrier operations. "More than 30 years ago, I was part of the MIT team that designed and built the record-setting human-powered Daedalus aircraft," said John Langford, AIAA president and CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, a Boeing company. "The sight of it flying inspires me to this day. I am certain many of these teams will be inspired for years to come by the work and comradery they experienced at DBF." ### Official results and rankings for all participants will be available from the DBF website after their final verification and validation. For more information about the Textron Aviation/Raytheon Missile Systems/AIAA Foundation DBF Competition, please visit http://www.aiaadbf.org. About the AIAA Foundation The AIAA Foundation seeks to "make it exciting, make it empowering, and make it fun." That simple, compelling philosophy drives the Foundation's commitment to math, science, and technology education. The AIAA Foundation offers a wealth of resources to support educators from K-12 through university: scholarships, classroom grants, design competitions, and student conferences, improving scientific literacy and advancing the arts and sciences of aerospace. For more information on the AIAA Foundation and its programs for students, teachers, and professionals, please visit http://www.aiaafoundation.org. About AIAA The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is the world's largest aerospace technical society. With nearly 30,000 individual members from 88 countries, and 95 corporate members, AIAA brings together industry, academia, and government to advance engineering and science in aviation, space, and defense. For more information, http://www.aiaa.org, or follow us on Twitter @AIAA. SAN FRANCISCO, CA--April 19, 2019--Since the CRISPR genome editing technology was invented in 2012, it has shown great promise to treat a number of intractable diseases. However, scientists have struggled to identify potential off-target effects in therapeutically relevant cell types, which remains the main barrier to moving therapies to the clinic. Now, a group of scientists at the Gladstone Institutes and the Innovative Genomics Institute (IGI), with collaborators at AstraZeneca, have developed a reliable method to do just that. CRISPR edits a person's genome by cutting the DNA at a specific location. The challenge is to ensure the tool doesn't also make cuts elsewhere along the DNA--damage referred to as "off-target effects," which could have unforeseen consequences. In a study to be published tomorrow in the journal Science, the two first authors, Beeke Wienert and Stacia Wyman, found a new way to approach the problem. "When CRISPR makes a cut, the DNA is broken," says Wienert, PhD, who began the work in Jacob E. Corn's IGI laboratory and who is now a postdoctoral scholar in Bruce R. Conklin's laboratory at Gladstone. "So, in order to survive, the cell recruits many different DNA repair factors to that particular site in the genome to fix the break and join the cut ends back together. We thought that if we could find the locations of these DNA repair factors, we could identify the sites that have been cut by CRISPR." To test their idea, the researchers studied a panel of different DNA repair factors. They found that one of them, called MRE11, is one of the first responders to the site of the cut. Using MRE11, the scientists developed a new technique, named DISCOVER-Seq, that can identify the exact sites in the genome where a cut has been made by CRISPR. "The human genome is extremely large--if you printed the entire DNA sequence, you would end up with a novel as tall as a 16-story building," explains Conklin, MD, senior investigator at Gladstone and deputy director at IGI. "When we want to cut DNA with CRISPR, it's like we're trying to remove one specific word on a particular page in that novel." "You can think of the DNA repair factors as different types of bookmarks added to the book," Conklin adds. "While some may bookmark an entire chapter, MRE11 is a bookmark that drills down to the exact letter than has been changed." Different methods currently exist to detect CRISPR off-target effects. However, they come with limitations that range from producing false positive results to killing the cells they're examining. In addition, the most common method used to date is currently limited to being used in cultured cells in the laboratory, excluding its use in patient-derived stem cells or animal tissue. "Because our method relies on the cell's natural repair process to identify cuts, it has proven to be much less invasive and much more reliable," says Corn, PhD, who now runs a laboratory at ETH Zurich. "We were able to test our new DISCOVER-Seq method in induced pluripotent stem cells, patient cells, and mice, and our findings indicate that this method could potentially be used in any system, rather than just in the lab." The DISCOVER-Seq method, by being applied to new cell types and systems, has also revealed new insights into the mechanisms used by CRISPR to edit the genome, which will lead to a better understanding of the biology of how this tool works. "The new method greatly simplifies the process of identifying off-target effects while also increasing the accuracy of the results," says Conklin, who is also a professor of medical genetics and molecular pharmacology at UC San Francisco (UCSF). "This could allow us to better predict how genome editing would work in a clinical setting. As a result, it represents an essential step in improving pre-clinical studies and bringing CRISPR-based therapies closer to the patients in need." ### About the Study The paper "Unbiased detection of CRISPR off-targets in vivo 1 using DISCOVER-Seq" will be published by the journal Science on April 19, 2019. Gladstone's Hannah L. Watry and Luke M. Judge (who is also at UCSF) contributed to this study. Other authors also include Christopher D. Richardson, Jonathan T. Vu, and Katelynn R. Kazane from IGI, Charles D. Yeh from ETH Zurich, as well as Pinar Akcakaya, Michelle J. Porritt, and Michaela Morlock from AstraZeneca. The work was supported by Gladstone, the National Institutes of Health (grants EY028249 and HL13535801), the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the Heritage Medical Research Institute, the Fanconi Anemia Research Foundation, a Sir Keith Murdoch Fellowship from the American Australian Association, and an Early Career Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council. About the Gladstone Institutes To ensure our work does the greatest good, the Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impact--unsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. The President of the Republic, His Excellency Paul BIYA granted audience to Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, April 18, 2019 at the Unity Palace. The Head of State and the Cameroonian-born economist discussed the following issues: economic growth in Cameroon, the need for the Cameroonian Government to ratify the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), and the development of the digital economy, the Presidency has said. Dr. Vera Songwe was decorated by President Biya with the medal of Grand Officer of the National Order of Valour. Speaking to reporters at the end of the audience, the ECA Chief thanked the Head of State and the Cameroonian Government for hosting UN agencies including the ECA headquarters that is located in Yaounde. The high-level guest noted that Cameroons diversified economy can attain a 10% growth rate, which is a major prerequisite to reach the kind of emergence that the Government has envisaged. Vera Songwe disclosed that she seized the opportunity to show the Head of State the different areas where Cameroon is competitive and can improve on its competitiveness, a Presidency statement read. It was in this light that they exchanged views on the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA), which is the signature African agreement from the African Union as part of Agenda 2063. Cameroon is such an important economy in Central Africa when we look at the overall region with peace and stability, and I think that the AfCFTA is an important part of the equation to reach emergence, Vera Songwe explained. Other countries will be celebrating the AfCFTA ratification in July and we encourage the Government of Cameroon to join the party and also ratify, she added. Should Cameroon ratify the AfCFTA, she will be the 19th African Country to do so. The following states have deposited instruments of ratification for the AfCFTA Agreement: Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Niger, Chad, Congo Republic, Djibouti, Guinea, eSwatini, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda, Cote dIvoire, Senegal and Togo. President Paul BIYA and Executive Secretary Vera Songwe also talked about the importance of regional integration especially in the fight against climate change in the Lake Chad area. They spoke at length about the digital economy that can provide more jobs to youths and women. Vera Songwe said that Cameroon can do more to increase access, reduce cost and improve quality. She added that broadband needs to be faster, while the cost of gigabits needs to be cheaper, and was delighted that the Government is committed to ensure that every Cameroonian has an identity and can participate to develop the digital economy. Researchers in France and Japan have demonstrated a theoretical type of unconventional superconductivity in a uranium-based material, according to a study published in the journal Physical Review Letters. By using very high pressure and a magnetic field, the team demonstrated that the uranium-based material UBe 13 exhibits 'triplet superconductivity.' This is a phenomenon in which electrons form pairs in a parallel spin state. In conventional superconducting materials, electrons of opposite spins pair together, effectively cancelling out each other's spins. "Until now, there have been very few clear-cut examples of triplet superconductivity, even though a number of superconductors have been discovered in various metallic systems in the past century," says Tohoku University materials scientist Yusei Shimizu. "Our pressure experiments at low temperatures have provided strong evidence for spin-triplet superconductivity in UBe 13 ." Materials that become superconducting, often at low temperatures, allow electricity to pass through them with virtually no resistance, minimizing energy loss in the process. This phenomenon, discovered initially in some pure metals, has been found in an amazing variety of different systems. Among these, UBe 13 was one of the earliest discovered 'heavy-fermion' superconductors. The electrons in heavy fermion metallic compounds appear to be 1,000 times more massive than electrons in ordinary metals. With the new insight, scientists can now explain what happens in the enigmatic uranium material UBe 13 at the atomic scale and how it acts as a spin-triplet superconductor in magnetic fields. A team from Universite Grenoble Alpes in France and Tohoku University in Japan measured the superconductivity of UBe 13 under varying high pressures at very low temperatures (Figures). They found that the superconducting state in this material is successfully explained by a theoretical model in which electrons form so-called Cooper pairs with parallel spins. This happens as an 'unconventional superconducting ground state' at ambient and high pressures up to six gigapascals. For comparison, diamonds melt using a high-energy laser at a pressure of 1.5 gigapascals. This peculiar superconducting state successfully explains the very puzzling nature of uranium-based triplet superconductors under high magnetic fields. Currently, superconductors require very low temperatures for peak performance, so they are used primarily in magnetic resonance imaging machines and particle accelerators. Understanding how various materials conduct electricity at the atomic scale could lead to a broader range of applications. In addition to demonstrating triplet superconductivity, the researchers note that UBe 13 could help answer more general questions. For example, the surface excitations of UBe 13 might be suitable for physicists to observe theoretical particles called Majorana fermions, an exotic type of composite particle that is its own anti-particle and that could revolutionize quantum computing in the future. ### The Araguaian river dolphin of Brazil is something of a mystery. It was thought to be quite solitary, with little social structure that would require communication. But Laura May Collado, a biologist at the University of Vermont, and her colleagues have discovered that the dolphins can actually make hundreds of different sounds to communicate, a finding that could help uncover how communication evolved in marine mammals. "We found that they do interact socially and are making more sounds than previously thought," she says. "Their vocal repertoire is very diverse." The findings of May Collado are her colleagues were published in the journal PeerJ on April 18. The Araguaian dolphins, also called botos, are a difficult animal to study. They are hard to find in the first place, and while the waters of the Araguaia and Tocatins rivers are clear, it is challenging to identify individuals because the dolphins are skittish and hard to approach. Luckily, Gabriel Melo-Santos, a biologist from the University of St Andrews in Scotland and leader of the project, found a fish market in the Brazilian town of Mocajuba where the botos regularly visit to be fed by people shopping there. The clear water and regular dolphin visits provided a unique opportunity to get a close look at how the animals behave and interact, and to identify and keep track of various individuals. The team used underwater cameras and microphones to record sounds and interactions between the dolphins at the market, and took some genetic samples. They identified 237 different types of sounds the dolphins make, but even with 20 hours of recordings the researchers don't believe they captured the animals' entire acoustic repertoire. The most common sounds were short, two-part calls that baby dolphins made when they were approaching their mothers. "It's exciting; marine dolphins like the bottlenose use signature whistles for contact, and here we have a different sound used by river dolphins for the same purpose," says May Collado. The river dolphins also made longer calls and whistles, but these were much rarer, and the reasons for them are not yet clear. But there is some indication that whistles serve the opposite purpose than in bottlenose dolphins, with the botos using them to maintain distance rather than for group cohesion. The acoustic characteristics of the calls are also interesting; they fall somewhere between the low-frequency calls used by baleen whales to communicate over long distances, and the high-frequency ones used by marine dolphins for short distances. May Collado speculates that the river environment may have shaped those characteristics. "There are a lot of obstacles like flooded forests and vegetation in their habitat, so this signal could have evolved to avoid echoes from vegetation and improve the communication range of mothers and their calves," she says. May Collado and her colleagues next want to study whether the same diversity of communication is seen in other populations of Araguaian river dolphins that are less accustomed to humans, and compare them to their relatives elsewhere in South America. The Araguaian dolphins are closely related to two other species, the Bolivian river dolphin and Amazon river dolphin; the Araguaian dolphins were only described as a separate species in 2014, and that classification is still under debate. But there seems to be a large amount of variation in the repertoire of sounds each species makes. The Amazon dolphins in Ecuador, studied by May Collado in 2005, are generally very quiet. "We need more information on these other species and more populations," she says. "Why is one population chattier than others and how do these differences shape their social structure?" May Collado says the work could help researchers gain clearer understanding of how communication evolved in marine mammals. Similar calls have been reported in pilot whales and killer whales, for example, and the similarities and differences between different species could help tease out which signals evolved first, and why. The river dolphins are evolutionary relics, represented by just a few species around the world, and they diverged from other cetaceans much earlier than other dolphins. So these calls may have arisen first in river dolphins, then later evolved in marine dolphins into whistles and calls but in a different social context. Or was there a change in the function of the calls, with this kind of sound being used for group identity in killer whales, and individual identity in river dolphins? The calls may also have other functions in addition to identity, perhaps indicating group identity, or providing information on emotional state. "We can't say what the evolutionary story is yet until we get to know what sounds are produced by other river dolphins in the Amazon area, and how that relates to what we found," she says. "We now have all these new questions to explore." ### Friday, April 19, 2019 Where are the modern-day playboys? They dont stand out as much as they did in the 1950s. Its not politically correct nowadays. Story by Wallace Wyss Porfirio Rubirosa was born in the Dominican Republic in 1909. He didnt come from money yet ended up with homes in Paris and Palm Beach. Polo and racing were his claim to fame, and his name is associated with several significant competition Ferraris. A 2002 Vanity Fair article by Gary Cohen stated that during the war, Rubirosa sold Dominican passports to Jews trying to escape Hitlers Europe. At the time, he was in tight with the son of the countrys dictator Rafael Trujillo, a result of having married the dictators daughter. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last. He survived divorcing her and went on to greater glory from his diplomatic base in the Paris embassy. His brother in law, Trujillos son, bragged that Rubirosa was a good liar and very successful with the ladies. During the war, Rubirosa became entranced with one of Frances biggest movie stars, Danielle Darrieux, who had been painted as a Nazi sympathizer. According to Cohen, a few bullets went her way, and Rubirosa took three of them in the gut. He recovered and married her in 1942. His anti-Nazi opinions resulted in imprisonment in Germany and forced his wife to make a promotional trip to Berlin to gain his freedom. The couple lived in Switzerland until the war was over and ended up divorced in 1947. When It Comes to Rich, Theres Money and Theres Big Money Rubirosa was used to money and Darrieux had plenty. But when reporter Doris Duke, a tobacco heiress came to interview him, he realized for the first time the difference between money and big money. He fell in love with the interviewer and on September 1, 1947, in Paris, Duke became wife number three. It cost her a cool million dollars to convince Darrieux to sign an uncontested divorce and release Rubirosa from any further obligations. It didnt seem to matter to big money. Duke later bought him a coffee plantation in the Dominican Republic, a 17th-century house in Paris, a B-25, and threw in $3.5 million. The US State Department pressured Duke to make Rubirosa sign a pre-nuptial agreement because they were worried if she died he might use her money to promote an anti-US political agenda. Rubirosa had to sign off on the inheritance. Poor guy. Now that he had the hang of it, Rubirosa continued to marry for money. In the summer of 1953, he met Barbara Hutton at a seaside resort in Deauville, France. Hutton was an heiress to both the Woolworth clothing store and E.F. Hutton stock brokerage fortunes, making her one of the richest women in the world. Hutton had a car racing connection as well. Her fourth husband, Igor Troubetzkoy drove the first Ferrari to compete in Grand Prix motor racing when he raced in the Monaco Grand Prix, and later won the Targa Florio. He ultimately filed for divorce. Rubriosa married Hutton in 1954, but the marriage lasted only 53 days. His haul for the short time was admirablea twin-engine airplane, a stable full of polo ponies, and $1 million cash. After the divorce, he escorted movie stars Ava Gardner, Jayne Mansfield, Veronica Lake, and Dolores Del Rio. At the 1955 Festival de Cannes, Zsa Zsa Gabor became his choice of arm candy. His Life Ended the Way it was Lived There isnt too much on his final years when he phased out of car racing. He remained involved with polo, playing until the end of his life. On the fourth of July 1965, his favorite team, Cibao La Pampa, won the French Cup and Rubirosa went out to celebrate with the team at Jimmys, a Paris nightclub. He usually had a chauffeur to drive home when he drank too much, but not on this particular night. Around eight in the morning, he roared off in his metallic grey Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Pininfarina bodied Series II (sn 1561 GT). Desperately trying to avoid a BMW in the Allee de la Reine Marguerite on the Bois de Boulogne, he hit a tree head-on. The crash was fatal. Rubirosa was 56 years young. When his second wife, Danielle Daireaux, found out he had been killed in a car accident, she stated, He died the way he lived, and the way he would have wantedin a violent and fast way. Thank you to author Wallace Wyss for allowing us to reprint Rubirosas Last Ride, a story that originally appeared in VeloceToday.com. Wallace is a fine artist of canvas giclee print paintings, and his work can be reviewed and ordered by contacting him at Photojournalistpro2@gmail.com. Thanks to Hugues Vanhoolandt for most of the photographs included in this article. Do you have any stories about Ferraris or other classic cars from the 1980s or any other time? Please share the story here, or leave a comment below. Ex-FourWinds Logistics CEO Stan Bates, who masterminded a Ponzi scheme that involved ex-state Sen. Carlos Uresti, says a federal judge erred in sentencing him to 15 years in prison. In a court filing Thursday, Bates asks the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to set aside the sentence and to direct the U.S. District Court to resentence him. The sentencing guideline range was erroneously calculated and should have been in the range of about 10 years to 12 years and seven months, the filing says. Bates, 47, is serving his sentence in a low-security federal correctional institution in Bastrop. He is scheduled to be released in 2031. In 2017, Bates, Uresti, a San Antonio Democrat, and businessman Gary Cain were indicted for their roles in FourWinds, a now-defunct oil-field services company that defrauded investors. Bates pleaded guilty to eight felonies including securities fraud and money laundering rather than stand trial. A jury convicted Uresti and Cain in February 2018. On ExpressNews.com: Bates sentenced to 15 years Uresti, 55, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, which he is serving in a low-security facility in Beaumont. Cain, 62, is serving a 68-month sentence in Seagoville. The trio and three others also much make $6.3 million in restitution to FourWinds investors who were defrauded. On ExpressNews.com: Carlos Uresti begins serving his prison sentence Uresti dropped an appeal of his conviction and sentence as part of a plea deal in an unrelated case. Cain is appealing his conviction but not his sentence. On ExpressNews.com: Gary Cain appeals his conviction Bates says in his appeal that the stiffer sentence he received was not justified. He received the longer sentence because he made materially false representations to induce investors to sign contracts with FourWind. Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra found Bates abused his position of trust with investors. Unlike Uresti, who recruited investors and served as a lawyer for one of the victims and FourWinds, Bates did not hold a position of trust with investors, the appeal says. Bates did not hold a fiduciary-like or personal trust relationship in any relation to any victim, the appeal states. Urestis positions of trust cannot be imputed to Bates. Kristin Davidson, Bates public defender, couldnt be reached for comment Friday. Daryl Fields, a spokesman for U.S. attorneys office in San Antonio, declined to comment. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD A San Antonio woman who was on the Southwest Airlines flight last year when a passenger was partially sucked out of a cabin window and later died has sued the airline and the aircraft manufacturer. Roshini Mathew, 31, is seeking more than $1 million in damages from Southwest Airlines and the Boeing Co., as well as three other companies that manufacture and install jet engines. The suit was filed Wednesday in Bexar County district court. Mathew, a licensed pharmacist, was one of the 149 people aboard the April 17, 2018, flight from New York to Dallas when the left engines fan blade broke off, damaging the engine cowling. Fragments from the engine inlet and cowling struck the Boeing 737s wing and fuselage, shattering a window. The rapid decompression sucked a New Mexico woman partially through the window before others pulled her back. The woman later died from her injuries. Pilot Tammie Jo Shults, a longtime Boerne-area resident, guided Flight 1380 to an emergency landing in Philadelphia on the aircrafts remaining engine. She was hailed for her actions. On ExpressNews.com: Boerne-area woman became rock star pilot after engine blew Mathew says in her lawsuit she has suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, mental distress, emotional distress, depression, and psychological injuries with physical manifestations for which she has needed to seek professional treatment as a result of the frightful, death-threatening flight. She seeks financial damages for physical pain and suffering, loss of earnings, past and future medical care and emotional anguish, terror and fright. The suit doesnt detail where Mathew was sitting on the plane. Representatives for Southwest and Boeing said in emails they had no comment on the lawsuit. A call to one of Mathews San Antonio lawyers was not immediately returned. Other passengers on the flight have made similar claims in their own legal actions in other courts. Mathew alleges Southwest failed to properly inspect the CFM56-7B engines for defects or flaws. Southwest and the other defendants were aware of a dangerous condition with the engines because of an in-flight engine failure on another Southwest Boeing 737 in August 2016. Southwest Flight 3472 from New Orleans to Orlando had to make an emergency landing in Pensacola, Fla. The National Transportation Safety Board found evidence of metal fatigue at the point where the fan blade failed. Defendants failed to ensure a future fan blade failure would not occur despite being on clear notice that such a failure could and did result in engine failure and projectiles striking the main body of the aircraft, Mathew alleges in her suit. NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwall said the fan blade from the engine of the Southwest aircraft that Mathew was on showed signs of metal fatigue, the Dallas Morning News reported in February. Engine failures like this should not occur, he said. Mathew recounted the harrowing flight in an interview with television station KSAT last year. I remember I was just falling asleep, and then all the sudden, my ears just got shot because we lost cabin pressure, she said. We fell from 30,000 (feet) to 10,000 (feet) in about a three-second time period. The oxygen masks came down. I felt the impact of the explosion but couldnt hear it. Mathew has sued the defendants for negligence and other claims. Also named in the suit are GE Aviation Systems, Safran USA Inc. and CFM International Inc. Jet engine supplier CFM is jointly owned by GE and Safran. CFM didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD Siege du Parlement Europeen archives Members of the European Parliament have said Cameroon authorities must end the use of force against the political opposition and as well take steps to review the countrys electoral system before any elections are organized. This is the outcome of a plenary session held Thursday, April 18, 2019. Parliament also urges the government in Cameroon to initiate a consensual review of the countrys electoral system, with the aim of ensuring a free, transparent and credible electoral process, the European Parliamentarians resolved. They went on to recognize President Biya as one of the worlds longest ruling Presidents, urging him to strengthen the countrys democratic structures. Cameroons current President Paul Biya has been in power since 1982, which makes him one of the longest ruling presidents in the world. Since the last presidential elections in 2018 were marked by suspicions of fraud and the reporting of irregularities, Members of the European Parliament insist that a review of the electoral system takes place before any further elections are held, in order to promote peace and avoid post-electoral crisis. Regional, Municipal and Legislative National Assembly) elections are expected to take place this year within the backdrop of a crackdown on opposition parties. Leading political figure, Maurice Kamto led the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party to emerge second at the October 7, 2018 presidential elections, though he claims victory. Kamto and over 200 of his supporters have since January 2019 been detained for taking to the streets to protest against an electoral hold up in Cameroon. The European Parliament thus demands the immediate release of all detainees held on politically motivated charges. As this year, Cameroons security forces violently suppressed opposition protests and arrested around 200 opposition supporters, including political leader Maurice Kamto, MEPs condemn the use of such force, call for an independent and transparent investigation into the conduct of the police and security forces against protesters and the immediate release of all detainees held on politically motivated charges, they said in a firm tone. They also want the countrys government to confirm that it will not seek the death penalty for political activists and protesters, while recalling that such punishment has not been used in Cameroon since 1997. The resolution on Cameroon was approved by a show of hand. Paul Biya, Yaounde 10 Fev. 2019 PRC Experts of the United Nations have called on Cameroon to amend some provisions of Law No. 2014/028 of 23 December 2014 on the suppression of acts of terrorism. They say the terrorism is so vaguely defined in the law as to restrict fundamental freedoms. Members of the European Parliament have now said they are in support of the proposals made by the UN experts that Cameroons 2014 anti-terrorism law should be reviewed, given that it is being misused. The European Parliament resolution of 18 April 2019 on Cameroon (2019/2691(RSP)) states in its article 11 that: [The European Parliament] expresses concern that the 2014 anti-terrorism law is being misused to restrict fundamental freedoms; supports the requests made by UN experts that the law be reviewed to ensure that it is not used to restrict the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association. The said law has since 2014 been used to try journalists and others opposed to the government of the day. Journalists like Ahmed Abba, Bebie-Ncho Tilarious, Amos Fofung, Thomas Awah Junior and many others have been detained and charged under this law. Political opposition has also been arrested under this law now considered fit for amendments. Maurice Kamto, Barrister Michele Ndoki and other members of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (CRM) party are the latest victims of this law after the likes of Barrister Nkongho Agbor, Dr. Fontem Neba, Mancho Bibixy Tse, Penn Terence et al. Those charged under the 2014 anti-terrorism law are tried in military courts and have the death penalty dangled over their heads. The European Parliament takes exception to this, resolving thus: Recalls that military courts should not, under any circumstances, have jurisdiction over the civilian population; reminds Cameroon of its international obligations to uphold the right to a fair trial for all citizens before independent courts of law. Recalls that the death penalty has not been used in Cameroon since 1997; notes that this is a milestone in the countrys path to full abolition; reiterates the European Unions absolute opposition to the death penalty and calls on the Government of Cameroon to confirm that it will not seek the death penalty for political activists and protesters. Among others, the European Parliament: Reiterates that a vibrant and independent civil society is essential for upholding human rights and the rule of law; expresses concern that the activities of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium have been banned; urges the Government to lift the ban and ensure an open space in which civil society can operate; Notes the decision of the United States to scale back its military assistance to Cameroon owing to credible allegations of gross violations of human rights by security forces; calls on the Commission to undertake an assessment of EU support to security services in this regard and to report back to the European Parliament; calls for the EU and its Member States to ensure that no support given to the Cameroonian authorities contributes to or facilitates human rights violations; Deplores the cases of torture, forced disappearances and extrajudicial killings perpetrated by the security services and armed separatists; expresses particular concern at the actions of government forces in the violence; calls on the security forces to respect international human rights law when carrying out operations, and calls on the Government to take immediate steps to end the violence and impunity in the country; Condemns the use of excessive force against protestors and political opponents, and violations of the freedoms of the press, expression and assembly; deeply regrets the arrest and detention of Maurice Kamto and other peaceful protestors; calls for the immediate release by the Cameroonian authorities of Maurice Kamto and all other detainees held on politically motivated charges, regardless of whether they were arrested before or after the 2018 presidential elections; Further calls on the Government of Cameroon to cease all harassment and intimidation of political activists, including by lifting the ban on peaceful political gatherings, demonstrations and protests, and to take action to clamp down on instances of hate speech; Expresses concern at the Government of Cameroons failure to hold its security forces to account, which has exacerbated the violence and the culture of impunity; calls for an independent and transparent investigation into the use of force by the police and security forces against protesters and political opponents, and for those responsible to be held to account in fair trials; Urges Cameroons authorities to adopt all necessary measures consistent with the countrys human rights obligations to end the cycle of violence; calls in particular for the Government to organise an inclusive political dialogue aimed at finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis in the Anglophone regions; calls on the international community to help facilitate an inclusive national peace dialogue by offering to play a mediating role; Regrets the unwillingness of both parties to the conflict to engage in peace talks; urges the African Union and the Economic Community of the Central African States to push for the organisation of such talks and calls for the EU to stand ready to support this process; considers that, in the absence of progress, the crisis in Cameroon should be considered by the United Nations Security Council; further calls for the EU to use the political leverage provided by development aid and other bilateral programmes to enhance the defence of human rights in Cameroon. The European Parliament instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the European Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU Special Representative for Human Rights, the ACP-EU Council, the institutions of the African Union, and the Government and Parliament of Cameroon. In a classroom at Trinity University on Thursday, a dozen students peppered Mariela Jasso with questions about the border and immigration in South Texas. Jasso, a post-release specialist for RAICES, the locally-based nonprofit that provides legal aid for immigrants, fielded the questions in Spanish. One asked if RAICES resources were sufficient. Another wanted to know the logistics of deportation. Some wondered whether the scope of the border crisis was as massive as theyd heard. Jasso explained the organizations efforts and goals, described detention centers and immigrants legal needs. The students, who attend Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca in Spain, are finishing a 10-day trip to San Antonio, part of the first Reciprocal Visit since the school signed an agreement with Trinity University two years ago. Thursdays itinerary was about economics and entrepreneurship in San Antonio. It included a lunch with the Velocity Texas Business Incubator and a visit to Geekdoms co-working space. Earlier in the week, the students visited City Hall, the Alamo and Mission San Jose, toured the State Capitol and kayaked in Austin, attended the Celebrations of Traditions Pow Wow and tasted San Antonio favorites at Mi Tierra and Whataburger. Related: UIW attracting more applicants from outside San Antonio A Sunday service at Cornerstone Church and a lecture about religion and politics in America were particularly interesting, said Angel Losada, a professor of corporate communication at UPSA. Its very different from the way people behave in church in Spain, and the relation between politics and religion also is not the same, he said. And it helps us to understand what really happens in the U.S. The most important point about this trip is, we really want our students to improve their leadership skills, in order to feel comfortable working with people from different cultures and countries, Losada said. We assume that in the next 10, 20 years in Spain, most young people need to have soft skills in order to relate with people from abroad. Bob Scherer, dean of Trinitys School of Business, said the relationship will expand in coming years to include professor exchanges and classes taught at both schools, where students will work together on projects. A group of Trinity students visited Salamanca last fall during their semester in Madrid program, and will return this fall. Sitting in on class and talking with Trinity professors highlighted the differences between Spanish and American higher education, Juan Carrasco said. His own classes have been really theoretical, he said, while the business administration classes hes seen at Trinity are much more hands-on. Related: San Antonio charter school team is National Science Bowl bound The exchange assists us in doing meaningful projects that integrate experiential learning opportunities, cultural learning opportunities, learning about economics and society in different places, Carrasco said. But really the important thing to me is generating understanding about other people and other places. In popular culture, Texas is portrayed as very intolerant, he added, but in San Antonio, people have been really, really nice. Some of the citys Spanish roots and Latin culture felt familiar, said Camilo Fernandez Moya, one of a few students wearing orange Texas Longhorns hats theyd picked up on the trip. Andres Casares Fernandez grew temporarily speechless describing his stay with a host family this week. At first I was a little bit scared, because Im going sleep in another house, with somebody I dont know, he said. But his experience has been amazing, he said, adding, Our host mother is like a mother for us. Losada said that when his students return next spring, he hopes to schedule a longer visit, so they have more time to experience San Antonio on their own outside the classroom and excursions. We dont want to leave, he joked. The most important thing is they have improved trust, Losada said. And when you trust people, everything is possible. LTeitz@express-news.net The Docket is weekly podcast with courts and crime reporter Elizabeth Zavala as she breaks down the trials in the Bexar County courthouse. The Docket is produced by Joy-Marie Scott and Chance Dorland. Listen and subscribe on: Apple Podcasts Google Play Stitcher TuneIn iHeart Radio All Episodes A San Antonio teenager charged with capital murder in the 2018 death of a former correctional officer has been certified to stand trial as an adult by a juvenile judge here. After a nearly five-hour hearing in the 436th Juvenile District Court on Tuesday, Judge Lisa K. Jarrett agreed with prosecutors that despite his age and troubled upbringing argued by the defense, 16-year-old Raul Ignacio Cervera was aware and is sophisticated enough to be certified to stand trial as an adult in the death of Abram Garcia IV. Previous reports indicated an unidentified 15-year-old had argued with Garcia and shot the man. But according to testimony at the hearing, Cervera was going to buy marijuana from Garcia and his girlfriend, but instead allegedly demanded all of the drugs and shot the man in a robbery attempt. On ExpressNews.com: Teen accused of killing former correctional officer certified as adult Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said his office is almost ready to launch a program that would allow police officers to cite rather than arrest people accused of some low-level misdemeanors, including possession of small amounts of marijuana. In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News, Gonzales said there have been a number of issues that his office had to tackle before the official launch of the cite-and-release program. Gonzales originally had set a goal of getting it up and running with the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriffs Office by Fiesta. But I didnt realize how many moving parts this program would have, Gonzales said, explaining the delay. We've been working diligently on it, and its almost ready to launch. Under cite and release, people accused of certain low-level misdemeanors, such as theft, possession of a few ounces of marijuana or driving with an invalid license, are issued citations rather than arrested. In some ways, the citation is similar to a traffic ticket. What this does is it allows the officer to be immediately released to go back to the street to continue to patrol our streets and keep us safe, Gonzales said. Its both a tax-saving measure and something that can benefit the individual citizen. On ExpressNews.com: How will citation program for low-level crime work? San Antonio officials look to Austin Cite and release also can be paired with programs that divert offenders cases from the regular court system, making the process shorter and faster. Citation programs have have been lauded for freeing up police officers time to focus on more serious crimes, especially violent ones. They also can help unclog courts and open up space in jails. Defendants can benefit, too. Now, someone accused of a Class A or B misdemeanor is arrested, handcuffed, taken to jail and booked. For low-level crime, defendants can typically bond out within a couple hours. But advocates say the person could lose a day of work or school and, in some situations, have his or her car impounded. Worse yet, there is a permanent criminal record, which can hinder a persons ability to get a job or housing. According to Gonzales, the cite-and-release program will apply to cases involving possession of less than 4 ounces of marijuana, criminal mischief, theft, theft of service such as leaving a restaurant without paying the bill and driving with an invalid license. Graffiti, which is eligible under state law for cite and release, will not be included. San Antonio police arrested 6,563 people in 2017 for misdemeanors that could fall under cite and release. On ExpressNews.com: Four initiatives Joe Gonzales plans to prioritize as district attorney After receiving a citation, the individual will be required to report to prosecutors in an office within the Bexar County Re-entry Services building on South Comal Street, where dozens of organizations provide support for people who have been incarcerated. The office will be open on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Individuals will have 30 days to report. Once there, two prosecutor will decide on a case-by-case basis who is eligible to take a class or complete community service within 60 days. Some individuals also may be required to pay a fine, depending on their financial situation. Those with a lengthy criminal record may not be eligible to participate. Those who are diverted will not have their mugshot taken or be fingerprinted, avoiding a criminal record, Gonzales said in January. If the individual does not report, the District Attorneys Office will mail them a notification to remind them. If they still dont show up, a criminal case could be filed and the individual could be arrested. We are going to try to work with these individuals, Gonzales said. We understand that people have job obligations. We also understand they have commitments at home child care issues and the like so well give them the opportunity to comply. But if it appears to us that they are just not interested in taking advantage of this program, then we have to go to the next step. Former District Attorney Nico LaHood, whom Gonzales defeated in last years Democratic primary, launched a similar program with the Bexar County Sheriffs Office last year, but it was marred by problems from the start. According to records obtained by the Express-News, officials with LaHoods office were working to finalize the policy two days before LaHood announced it was available for use. In total, only 31 citations were issued during the three-month pilot program, the records showed. Sheriffs deputies have continued to issue citations, even as Gonzales works out the details of the revised program. On ExpressNews.com: Records show cite and release had rocky beginning Gonzales said there were a number of issues that he did not anticipate that led to the delay in unveiling the program. For instance, his office had to reassign two prosecutors from other divisions to man the office at the Re-entry Services building. Gonzales said he originally anticipated that the program would solely be a collaboration between law enforcement and the Bexar County District Attorneys Office. He did not realize that many other individuals would be involved in the setup, such as the staff at Bexar County Re-entry Services. He hopes to launch the program with the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County Sheriffs Office first, but eventually he hopes other agencies will follow suit. As have officials worked to finalize the programs details, Gonzales said he has been meeting with officers at many of the 30-plus law enforcement agencies in the county. He said many chiefs have expressed an interest. I think this is really important on many levels, Gonzales said. This is consistent with my whole platform of criminal justice reform of not causing people to languish in jail for minor offenses If there is something we can do on the front end to avoid them sitting in jail, then I am all for it. Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeaton Democratic presidential contender Bernie Sanders will hold a rally in downtown Houston on April 24. The U.S. Senator from Vermont was already scheduled to be part of a forum at Texas Southern University with seven other presidential candidates earlier in the day. It will be Sanders first campaign event in Texas since he launched his 2020 presidential campaign. The free rally will be a 5 p.m. at Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney Street, Houston. Starting at 1 p.m. on that same day, Sanders will be among the candidates who will be speaking at a 3-hour presidential forum organized by She The People, a national network focused on issues that are most important to women of color. That sold out event is being held on the TSU campus. Beside Sanders, the forum will include former El Paso Congressman Beto ORourke, former San Antonio mayor and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii. Rev Fonki Samuel, PCC Moderator W. Musa The National Executive Committee of the PEATTU(Presbyterian Education Authority Teachers' Trade Union) has created a commission of 21 members, to sort out the current crisis, rocking the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC), and the reorganisation exercise on the election of church elders. The committee met last April 11 in Bamenda, where they expressed regrets over the scandals and infighting, going on within the PCC, and regretted that some Christians are clinging to power, by privatising positions within the church. The elections of congregational persons, as well church elders of the PCC, took place late March, with PEATTU executives, stating it was filled with some irregularities. Hence they proposed a number of persons, whom they say, will bring back sanity to the church, by peacefully settling the crisis. PEATTU, led by its president Afuh Stephens Kwah, say a nonpartisan structure will also be put in place to check excesses within the church. The newly proposed commission comprises of prominent church dignitaries such as Peter Esoka, and Dorothy Njeuma. The PCC has been on the spotlight since last year, as scandals hit the church with resignations and accusations against the church leading bodies. Apart from these scandals rocking the church, it has also felt the impact of the Anglophone crisis. On Palm Sunday at PCC Bassa, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, Rt. Rev. Fonki Samuel, painted a gloomy picture of the impact of the crisis on the PCC, focusing much on the domains of education and health. In the whole of the North West and South West regions, he explained, only two colleges run by the PCC, PSS Mankon and PCSS Buea, are now fully functional, alongside two primary schools and health centres in Limbe. Churches also, he went on, have become deserted, with only congregations in Limbe, Buea and Bamenda being fully functional, all as a result of the armed conflict. Re: U.S. identity crisis behind border hysteria, Editorial, March 12: It was dismaying to read Ruben Navarrettes article. It is interesting how both political parties and American journalists are intent on stating that many fear the browning of America. The common denominator in America is to want to dwell on the racial divide, in this case, pitting whites against Latinos. After traveling for many years and speaking Spanish to many people in Mexico and other countries throughout Central and Latin America, I realized most immigrate because of the corruption at all levels of government that keeps them unemployed and uneducated. The majority prefer to remain in their countries if they were not riddled with crime and economic instability. By understanding the historical background of Guatemala, for example, it becomes evident on why it is and remains a breeding ground for corruption. Pedro Alvarado, a Spanish conquistador, conquered Guatemala in 1523. He divvied up the indigenous people of the declining Mayan culture and their land among his troops. The Spaniards instituted the encomienda (a repressive system) in the XVI-XVII centuries, which forced the natives to work in the exportation of indigo and cacao to European markets. There is also a history of Guatemalan dictatorships from the 19th and 20th centuries: Rafael Carrera, Justo Rufino Barrios and Manuel Estrada Cabrera. Under the auspices of Cabrera in the early 20th century, the U.S. United Fruit Company obtained large extensions of land for the production of tropical fruits and built a railroad system to facilitate the American business. This represents an example of American imperialism seeking to benefit from an unstable political regime under the rule of Cabrera to enrich the pockets of U.S. businessmen much like the encomienda system of the Spaniards. Recently, Jimmy Morales, the current president of Guatemala, is being investigated by the International Commission against Corruption in Guatemala instituted in 2007. This commission was successful in ousting the ex-president Otto Perez Molina on corruption charges. Morales is being investigated for receiving illicit campaign funds from a well-known drug trafficker. Morales is fervently trying to undermine the international commission by declaring it defunct and corrupt. He attempted to manipulate and gain favor from the Trump administration by supporting the controversial relocation of Israels capital this past year. Although the U.S. has supported the International Commission against Corruption in Guatemala and other Central American countries by contributing $2 billion, it has emphasized the debate over the wall on its border with Mexico as the optimum solution. The U.S. should continue its efforts to combat corruption, the root cause of illegal immigration from Guatemala to the U.S., and it should also acknowledge its role in exploiting Guatemala for profit during the inception of the United Fruit Company that acquired large portions of land for its benefit while contributing to the debt and economic instability of this country. Unfortunately, it is easy to simplify the border crisis and reduce it to blaming one political party or another on the fear of the browning of America. The real identity crisis is turning a blind eye to the historical causes of corruption in Guatemala in which the U.S. also played a part. Lane Carnes is the author of The Archs Prism (El prisma del arco) in 2014, Solitary Impressions in 2016 and City of Voices (La ciudad de las voces) in 2018. A suicide rate that has doubled over five years is a clear sign of problems within the Texas prison system. A Hearst Newspapers investigation found there were 40 inmate suicides in Texas prisons in 2018, the highest number in 20 years of state data reviewed. There were 17 inmate suicides recorded in 2013 in the 104 detention facilities the state operates. There are no quick fixes to magically reduce those numbers. However, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice would benefit from the creation of an independent oversight office that would monitor the conditions of confinement and treatment of offenders and investigate complaints. The proposal is outlined in legislation filed by state Rep. Jarvis Johnson, D-Houston, state Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, and co-authored by state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio. The legislation would create an office of ombudsman under the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, replacing the one currently operating under the TDCJ. Doing so would give the office more independence and latitude in conducting its work without having to worry about whether its work will affect funding for the office. Similar legislation introduced in 2017 made little headway. The latest House bill was voted out of committee on April 8 on a 6-3 vote. We urge bipartisan support. The state needs this. Mental health issues among the approximately 148,000 people in Texas prisons is a major issue but it is not the only problem facing the prison system. The living conditions and the way discipline is administered within the correctional facilities, staffing levels and the training provided prison personal are also of concern. State prison records indicate a big increase in the number of prisoners diagnosed with mental illness. It is no surprise that state officials report about 19.4 percent of the states inmates require mental health treatment. The lack of mental health services in communities often results in the incarceration of people who would best be served by medical treatment rather than being locked up. The unrelenting Texas heat is also a big issue. It affects health and behavior. Only about one-fourth of the state-run prisons and jails provide air conditioning in areas that house prisoners. While most of the state prison units operate without incident, there are also those that necessarily come under law enforcement scrutiny. Last year, four prison employees were indicted as the result of a criminal investigation into claims that detention officers were being punished if they did not meet a prescribed quota on inmate disciplinary measures. The criminal charges stemmed from allegations that a screwdriver was planted in an inmates cell. The state could face legal liability for failure to adequately address the issues facing the prison system. The Sandra Bland Act enacted in 2015 following the suicide of an Illinois woman in the Waller County jail has helped address some of the often ignored problems in Texas county jails. It has helped divert some mentally ill inmates from jail and provided for more training for detention officers. Its a jail, not a prison, but, still, in 2016, Waller County ended up settling a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Blands family for $1.9 million. Realigning the oversight over the Texas prison system is not going to spontaneously resolve all its issues, but it would be a much needed change of direction. House Bill 3292 is a small bill. One that Rep. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat from San Antonio, filed late in the session. Its also a terrible bill that would open the door for predatory lending through a scheme known as sale-leaseback. Under such a transaction a person sells an item and then leases it back at extremely high cost. For example, a person who needs quick cash might have a television that is worth $300. That person would sell the TV for $200 and then lease it for $60 every two weeks (or even more). At best, a person will buy back his or her TV for $260 after two weeks. But that doesnt always happen. A person can easily get caught in a cycle of debt, making lease payments again and again. Sounds more like a predatory loan than a straightforward lease, right? That was the view in 2000 when problems with these types of transactions hit the radar of state lawmakers. If these short-term transactions were stretched out over the course of the year, their fees were often the equivalent of annual percentage rates of 790 percent. As an interim report at that time from the Senate Committee on Economic Development noted, One industry which has embraced the subterfuge of renaming the loan transaction in order to avoid regulatory oversight by the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner is the sale/leaseback industry. Texas lawmakers saw through this subterfuge and in 2001 designated sale-leaseback transactions as loans, meaning they were subject to consumer protections and limits under state law. Now, Gutierrez wants to roll these protections back. He has said this is for technical reasons. He said his bill will bring the Texas statute in line with other states and the Uniform Commercial Code. He said this will give consumers important finance options. Is Texas out of line? We dont think so. South Dakota singles out sale-leaseback as subterfuge and prohibits people from making loans disguised as a personal property sale and leaseback transaction. And Colorado law says much the same: No person may engage in any device, subterfuge, or pretense to evade the requirements of this article, including making loans disguised as a personal property sale, and leaseback transaction. There are other problems with this bill. Perhaps most significantly it undercuts the Military Lending Act, which was passed in 2006 and protects active duty military from predatory lending practices. But as Ann Baddour, director of the Fair Financial Services Project at Texas Appleseed, told us, the Military Lending Act would not cover sale-leaseback transactions if they are not considered a loan in Texas. The same rationale applies to the city of San Antonios ordinance regulating payday and auto title lending. If sale-leaseback transactions are not loans, then the ordinance would not apply. Gutierrez sits on the Houses Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee, and during a recent hearing he heard major pushback about this bill from faith groups from across the state and the United Way of Greater Houston. Speaker after speaker, including Baddour, raised these concerns. Only one speaker, an attorney connected to the payday lending industry, supported the bill. To get around this problem, Gutierrez modified his bill, but the language used is particularly tricky. The updated bill states a sale-leaseback will still be considered a loan except for those sale-leaseback transactions that comply with the Consumer Leasing Act and the Military Lending Act to the extent applicable. What that language really means is these transactions dont have to comply with these laws and therefore are not loans. Its a particularly insidious carveout. Who is asking for more predatory lending in San Antonio and Texas? Gutierrez provided no illumination. Somebody from industry brought it to our office, he said. They dont always come to me. They come to staff. But he has chosen to carry this water, pushing it out of the committee. This bill is bad for Texas consumers. Its bad for San Antonio. It should not be supported by any member of the Bexar County delegation. The devastating damage to Notre Dame has released an emotional outpouring. Unfortunately, there will also be people and organizations seeking to take advantage. There will be several appeals for funds. Many will not be legitimate. Verification is important. Can the cathedral come back? Look at the terrible fire at Our Lady of the Lake University eleven years ago. Our statue fell just as did Notre Dames spire. But, the citizens of the city joined and rebuilt. Look at the university now better than ever. The same will happen in Paris. Star Carey, Canyon Lake Remember the DRT The new plans for the Alamo and Alamo Plaza appear to be grand and good for the city. However, Id like to remind people that the Daughters of the Republic of Texas saved the Alamo from destruction and kept the memories of its role in Texas history alive. If not for them, the Alamo may not exist today. When one San Antonio lady Adina De Zavala decided to save it from destruction and disrespect, the chapel and grounds were run down and uncared for. The state of Texas moved in to take control of the Alamo in 2015, and the Daughters have since been treated shabbily for all their efforts. During Fiesta, the events of the Texas Revolution are honored, but lets also remember whose hard work helped the Alamo be what it is today. Janet Smith DWI solution People with a drinking problem need the kind of help that is certainly not available behind bars. When they repeatedly drive drunk, society has few available choices in which they can offer assistance. In my opinion, the only logical choice is to install a breathalyzer on all commercial and private vehicles. At the very least, those drivers are pulled over for DUI. Did you know kits are available online to prohibit a vehicle from starting when alcohol is detected? Harold Estep CPS Energy has put more than $50 million worth of its properties including its current headquarters in downtown San Antonio and iconic Villita Assembly Building on the market to help cover the costs of its new $210 million headquarters. On ExpressNews.com: Former Andeavor headquarters building on San Antonios North Side up for sale CBRE Group Inc., a Los Angeles commercial real estate firm, will handle the sale of the utilitys downtown headquarters campus which includes two office buildings and parking garages along with surface parking and the Villita Assembly Building, the companies announced Thursday. CPS is also selling a 50,000-square-foot office building at 7000 San Pedro Ave. on the citys North Side and a 3.5-acre lot behind San Antonio Museum of Art and near the Pearl mixed-use development. CPS hasnt set asking prices for the properties but the Bexar Appraisal District valued them at nearly $54 million last year. Board members approved the sale of the properties in September, a move to offset costs of renovating the twin office buildings formerly occupied by by AT&T and Valero Energy Corp. that will house the agencys glossy new headquarters. CPS plans to move into its new headquarters in fall 2020, consolidating about 1,400 workers from across its service area at the downtown campus. On ExpressNews.com: Jefferson Bank plans 12-story office tower on Broadway near downtown San Antonio But what will become of the Villita Assembly Building? The historic CPS-owned building has hosted countless weddings, public meetings and events including A Night in Old San Antonio since it opened in 1959 after its conversion from a power station. CPS spokeswoman Melissa Sorola said it intends to find a buyer who understands the buildings significance but stopped short of saying the buildings use would remain the same. We do appreciate the value of the building, Sorola said. Thats going to be clearly communicated, the importance of maintaining the integrity of that building, to the purchaser. City officials will scrutinize whatever development is proposed for the Villita Assembly Building by its buyer, said District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino. If the buyer plans to do something else with the property, their plans will likely go through the citys historic preservation and design review process, he said. On ExpressNews.com: Mixed-use development with apartments proposed for storage facility near downtown San Antonio The area surrounding La Villita Historic Arts Village has seen increased interest in recent years with the multi-million dollar overhaul of neighboring Hemisfair Park and the ongoing revitalization of downtown San Antonio. City Council voted in December 2017 to lease a portion of Maverick Plaza, long used as a space for events, to Chef Johnny Hernandez of Grupo La Gloria to develop three restaurants, a project that will cost the city about $12 million. Austin-based Weal Development plans to build an eight-story apartment complex near La Villita on a 1.3-acre lot at the southeastern corner Nueva and St. Marys streets leased from St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church. I think the timing is good, Trevino said of CPS putting the Villita building on the market. We will work to help facilitate whatever transition will happen and see what we can do to make sure the historic significance of La Villita and that structure is done through a thoughtful process. Joshua Fechter is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering real estate, economic development and philanthropy. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jfechter@express-news.net | Twitter: @JFreports Serbia's Finance Minister, Sinisa Mali, has said the country's national carrier has operated with a profit over the past year and has not been a recipient of state subsidies. "Air Serbia has not been receiving subsidies for the past two years, and that is not down to me or the government but the European Commission which monitors state support", Mr Mali said, which is contrary to previous statements. Air Serbia's financial results for last year are expected to be made public in late June or early July by the Serbian Business Registers Agency, if the airline itself does not publicise its data beforehand. Air Serbia has posted a profit since 2014 but has also received state funds. In 2014, the carrier's net profit stood at 2.7 million euros, which was followed by a 3.7 million euro profit in 2015. In 2016, upon launching its first long haul service, the airline's figures declined 77% with Air Serbia managing a 990.000 euro profit. However, in 2017 its profit soared to sixteen million euros. Those record results were achieved in part due to a significant reduction in expenditures and an increase in revenue. Furthermore, the state provided a twenty million euro subsidy, which is half of what the company used to receive from its majority shareholder, although the carrier was also granted twelve million euros for the "development of tourism". Late last year, Mr Mali said that the payment credited under tourism development is primarily for the support of the carrier's long haul service to New York. "As part of our tourism development strategy until 2025, the Serbian government has decided to extend its support to whatever contributes to tourism growth. In this case, it is flights to North America. Without that support there would be no service to the US. However, Air Serbia's financial performance would remain unchanged", Mr Mali said. Air Serbia has been listed as one of several companies which will receive subsidies from the state budget this year as well, however, the Finance Minister noted this is in relation to debt accumulated by the airline's predecessor Jat Airways. "We did not have 380 million dollars to pay off the debt straight away. Instead, we will be making payments over a ten-year period. We process the loan a debt repayments either through Air Serbia or directly. However, none of the money goes into Air Serbia itself", Mr Mali said last week. The Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Brnabic, recently noted, "The government of Serbia will maintain its strong support for Air Serbia. This support will be in line with European Union regulations, as it has been so far, however, no one can prevent us or limit our support for Air Serbia". The PM added, "Air Serbia plays an important role in the development of tourism, improves our economic ties with numerous countries and strengthens our country's brand. It has been an important driver of economic growth and I am certain that we will see even better results ahead since there are good prospects for further growth". Bailey Wright / For Hearst Connecticut Media ANSONIA A two-vehicle crash in the city Thursday night left one driver with life-threatening injuries and the other driver with serious injuries, according to police. At 9:05 p.m., Ansonia police, fire and medical personnel were sent to the area of 248 N. Main St. to investigate a report of a collision. BRIDGEPORT More than 2,000 people gathered Friday to follow Itamar Santos as he walked through the citys streets portraying Jesus Christ on his way to crucifixion, a solemn reminder of the sacrifice at the foundation of Christian belief. The Living Stations of the Cross procession, observed Friday in Bridgeport with prayers in five different languages, imitates the path Christ is said to have taken through Jerusalem on Good Friday. Contributed Photo / Department of Justice / Contributed Photo BRIDGEPORT A city resident will serve additional prison time for violating the terms of his release for a previous arrest after getting caught on a voyeurism charge in Milford last year. Michael Drzal, a 29-year-old Bridgeport resident, was sentenced to serve six months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for violating the conditions of a previous supervised release. FAIRFIELD A 1948 mural that could have been lost to neglect and abandonment is getting a facelift in preparation for an expected summer unveiling. And with help from donors, it just may meet that goal. An online fundraiser was started April 9 to fund the restoration of Old Black Rock Harbor, 1810 a large 8-by-20-foot mural painted by Westport muralist Robert Lambdin that depicts harbor life in the nearby city of Bridgeport in the 1800s. The mural once hung in the Black Rock Bank, situated along Fairfield Avenue and Brewster Street, a building that had been abandoned for years. The artwork was donated to the Fairfield Museum after renovations began at the Bridgeport building in 2017. If all goes smoothly, the mural will be displayed at the museums Creating Community exhibition and unveiled June 1 this year as part of Black Rocks 375th anniversary, according to the GoFundMe page. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were a total of 42 donations ranging from $10 to $500. The total amount raised has reached nearly $3,700, just shy of the halfway mark of the $7,500 goal. More Information To learn more and view pictures of the restoration process, visit: https://www.fairfieldhistory.org/old-black-rock-harbor/ See More Collapse I think were on track. We need to raise the last thousand dollars and pay for it to get back here, said Michael Jehle, executive director of the Fairfield Museum and History Center. According to Jehle, the total expected cost of the murals restoration is $40,000. The museum has received a $10,000 grant from Bank of America and private donations, getting the museum three-fourths of the way to the expected cost amount. Currently, the mural is at the Williamstown Art Conservation Center in Massachusetts, a nonprofit institution dedicated to the conservation and preservation of artwork. Donors lauded the restoration efforts; some brought up fond memories about their time in the region. I remember this mural well from banking at the site during my years in Black Rock, Orin Grossman commented on the fundraising page. It is a part of American history that should be preserved that the Historical Society has taken this task on. According to the Bridgeport History Center, the first settlers of Black Rock came from Concord, Mass., in 1644. One of those settlers, Thomas Wheeler, built his house directly on Black Rock Harbor. This beautiful and forgotten mural is an important part of Black Rock maritime history, Nancy Hatfield commented. Please donate towards its restoration! Jehle emphasized this opportunity was a way for people in the community to keep their history alive. These kinds of community-funded and supported efforts help us preserve our artistic legacy and help future generations understand the art and history in this area, he said. humberto.juarez@hearstmediact.com WASHINGTON USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced this week that the February 2019 income over feed cost margin was $8.22 per hundredweight (cwt.), triggering the second payment for dairy producers who purchase the appropriate level of coverage under the new but yet-to-be established Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. DMC, which replaces the Margin Protection Program for Dairy, is a voluntary risk management program for dairy producers that was authorized by the 2018 farm bill. DMC offers protection to dairy producers when the difference between the all milk price and the average feed cost (the margin) falls below a certain dollar amount selected by the producer. Sign-up for DMC will open by mid-June of this year. Calculations At the time of sign-up, producers who elect a DMC coverage level between $8.50 and $9.50 would be eligible for a payment for February 2019. For example, a dairy operation that chooses to enroll an established production history of 3 million pounds (30,000 cwt.) that elects the $9.50 coverage level on 95 percent of production would receive $3,040 for February. Sample calculation: $9.50 $8.22 margin = $1.28 difference, $1.28 x 95 percent of production x 2,500 cwt. (30,000 cwt./12) = $ 3,040 DMC premiums are paid annually. The calculated annual premium for coverage at $9.50 on 95 percent of a 3-million-pound production history for this example would be $4,275. Sample calculation: 3,000,000 x 95 percent = 2,850,000/100 = 28,500 cwt. x 0.150 premium fee = $4,275 The dairy operation in the example calculation will pay $4,275 in total premium payments for all of 2019 and receive $6,626.25 in Dairy Margin Coverage payments for January and February combined. Additional payments will be made if calculated margins remain below the $9.50/cwt level. Helping for the future All participants are also required to pay an annual $100 administrative fee in addition to any premium, and payments will be subject to a 6.2% reduction to account for federal sequestration. Operations making a one-time election to participate in DMC through 2023 are eligible to receive a 25 percent discount on their premium for the existing margin coverage rates. For the example above, this would reduce the annual premium by $1,068.75. The Dairy Margin Coverage program will provide an important financial safety net for dairy producers, helping them weather shifting milk and feed prices, Richard Fordyce, FSA administrator, said. We continue to work diligently to implement the DMC program and other FSA programs authorized by the 2018 farm bill. Additional details about DMC and other farm bill program changes can be found at farmers.gov/farmbill. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. The 17th annual Penn State Equine Science Showcase and Quarter Horse Sale will be held April 27 at the Snider Agricultural Arena on Penn States University Park campus. This years attendees have the opportunity to bid on a 3-year-old gelding by Top 10 AQHA World Champion and Reserve Congress Champion, Mechanic. The doors open at 8:30 a.m., followed by a demonstration of the horses at 10 a.m., tours of Penn States horse barns and lunch at noon, and the auction at 2 p.m. The sale includes offspring sired by Penn States PSU Dynamic Krymsun, Time to Score and PSU He Rox the Nite. In total, this years sale features 13 2-year-olds and one 3-year-old born and bred at the universitys farm. This year will see the addition of a 4-year-old, a 3-year-old, and a yearling from the State University of New York (SUNY) Cobleskill, all sired by PSU Dynamic Krymsun. This is the fourth time the Penn State program has partnered with SUNY Cobleskills equine science program. Student involvement Every year, the sale is organized and run by more than 80 students enrolled in the Penn State Equine Science Programs ANSC 117. The 2019 student sale managers are Kate Meyer, Canandaigua, N.Y., and Cody McLafferty, Elmhurst, Pennsylvania. There are very few other university programs that offer such practical, hands-on experience for students interested in the equine industry, Meyer said. The university offers a wide range of equine-specific curriculum, but our breeding farm offers even more opportunities for learning. To aid in the preparation of the horses, students enrolled in the horse handling and training class work with the horses throughout the spring semester. Through this process, the horses are green broke to ride by sale day in preparation for further training with their new owners. Each year it amazes me what students can accomplish in a semester. As young people, they bring a new perspective to the sale every year, said Brian Egan, Penn State Horse Farm coordinator and adviser of the sale. The day of the sale also features a silent auction and the sale of Penn State Equine Science apparel. The commission from silent auction and apparel sale go toward the Ward Studebaker Horse Farm Endowment. For more Information, visit http://sites.psu.edu/quaterhorsesale or contact Egan at 814-863-0569 or at began@psu.edu. Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at 11:00PM Canada now allows marijuana for recreational use, which means that police are staying on high alert for people who drive after getting high. Its important to know the difference between driving while drunk and driving while high, although you should also realize that many of the symptoms are the same. As most Toronto DUI lawyers know, the law sees very little difference between the two. Both impair your driving, and both can cause you to lose your drivers licence. Penalties for Driving While High Can you go to jail for driving while high? The answer is yes, but usually only if you have multiple offences against you. Driving while under the influence of cannabis opens you up to the same penalties as driving while impaired by alcohol. This means that your initial offence results in a fine and a temporary suspension of your drivers licence. If you get caught multiple times, then you can wind up in jail and could lose your licence for a much longer period of time. Even if you get arrested only one time, you should seek out an impaired driving lawyer to defend against the charges. A first offence can come back to haunt you later if you dont fight it. How Do Police Officers Check for Marijuana? While a police officer can check for alcohol with a simple breathalyzer test, impairment by marijuana has fewer reliable tests. That doesnt mean that officers dont have a way to check for cannabis. The drug shows up in urine and blood tests, meaning that police officers do have a way to determine your level of intoxication if they deem it to be too extreme. However, they also have several field tests that they can perform immediately after making a traffic stop. This includes checking for the smell of marijuana, watching the movement of your eyes, and checking the whites of your eyes for the telltale reddish tint that comes with marijuana intoxication. What to do if You are Accused of Driving While High If you get pulled over for driving while high, you should make sure to remain cooperative with the police officer who made the stop. At the same time, you dont need to volunteer any information beyond the questions given to you by police. Remember that anything you say could potentially be incriminating. It is better to be cooperative but curt and to save the more detailed explanations for your lawyer. After you have resolved matters with the police, talk to an impaired driving lawyer if charges are coming. The faster you act, the stronger a chance you have to overturn the charges against you. Just because marijuana is approved for recreational use doesnt mean that it is now consequence free. You can still get arrested for using marijuana before or while driving, and repeat offences can still lead to a jail sentence. Know your rights and be prepared to reach out to an impaired driving lawyer in your area if charges are coming. Toronto DUI Assistance address 34 Eglinton Avenue West Suite 810 Toronto ON M4R 2H6 Canada (416)-800-1322 The widow of a young farmer who took his own life aged just 27 is now keen to promote awareness of mental health in rural communities. Levels of depression within the farming industry are thought to be increasing in the UK and suicide rates, particularly for males under 40, are among the highest in any occupational group. This was the hard-hitting message from Emma Picton-Jones, a young mum and primary school teacher from Pembrokeshire who recently delivered a series of two-day Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training courses to the local rural community. The training, delivered through her role as an approved mental health first aider, is part of her personal and high-profile campaign to offer training to rural organisations and individuals working in agriculture. Emma lost her young husband Dan, an agricultural contractor, in 2016, when aged just 27, he took his own life. It was a tragedy that has clearly left its mark on Emma, but in the midst of trying to rebuild her life, she has found a way of ensuring that Daniels tragic and premature end, brought on by undiagnosed and untreated depression, has a positive outcome which is now helping many others. Farming is an excellent career and can provide huge benefits to those who work in the sector but it is a career that comes with huge pressure, isolation and demands on a daily basis, says Emma. With the pressures that are facing the industry today, it is vital that everyone working within rural communities is encouraged to talk about mental health and that we work together to remove the stigma of tackling issues such as suicide, depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Through the DPJ (Daniel Picton-Jones) Foundation, which Emma set up soon after losing her husband, it has been able to provide a 24/7 telephone helpline and texting service, as well as one-to-one counselling from qualified counsellors. Emma hopes that through the foundations MHFA training service, she can reach more people working within the industry to spot the signs of poor mental health so that they know the steps to take and where to signpost individuals in need. A proponent of the ALGEE step-by-step process set out in a MHFA training manual, Emmas training focuses on the importance of listening to anyone who may be in need non-judgementally. Encouraging a person to open up and be honest about how they are feeling, mentally, emotionally and physically is critical to signposting them to the help and support they need, she says. The five basic steps of ALGEE are to ASK about suicide and other mental health issues and assess the situation; to LISTEN non-judgementally; to GIVE reassurance and information; to ENCOURAGE the person to get appropriate help and support and to ENCOURAGE self-help strategies. If people were not afraid to ask for help in the first place, many could recover quicker and never reach the terrifying lows often faced by individuals who feel isolated and unable to tell anyone how bad they actually feel, says Emma. Amongst other awards and accolades received, last year Emma won a Pride of Britain award for her work to promote mental health issues in farming communities. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. 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. Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Salman Khan & Katrina Kaif's Bharat 5th posrter released: Check Out Here |FilmiBeat As the trailer release date of Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif starrer Bharat is inching closer, the makers have been upping our anticipation levels by dropping new posters featuring the superstar's different looks in the film. Katrina Kaif CALLED UP Varun Dhawan & Told Him This Before Exiting From Street Dancer! The first poster featured him as an old man followed by another one featuring his younger version. The third poster had Salman as a miner and the fourth one had him in his naval officer avatar. Now, here arrives the fifth poster of the film and it looks as intriguing as the previous ones. Salman took to his Twitter handle to share the new poster and wrote, "Har muskurate chahre ke peeche dard chupa hota hai aur wahi dard aapko zinda rakhta hai! #BharatKaVaada." In this new poster, the actor is seen in a suit and with a stubble and black and grey hair while Katrina looks graceful with her curls. Earlier while speaking about the film to Filmfare magazine, Ali revealed that it was Salman who urged him to make Bharat. "Though I loved the script, I told him, 'Bhai, I'm not good at adaptations because till the time I don't write my own stuff, I don't know whether I'll be able to direct it well." But when they were shooting for Tiger, Salman asked Ali about the film once again. "I shared what I had in mind and why I wanted Bharat as the title. He said it worked for him. That's how Bharat happened," he explains. "It's a different film for both of us. Something Salman's gonna push himself hard to get right. That's exciting because the film is unexplored territory," the filmmaker told the magazine. Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, Bharat has an ensemble cast which includes Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Disha Patani, Tabu, Jackie Shroff, Nora Fatehi and Sunil Grover. The film will hit the big screens on June 5, 2019. Ajay Devgn HITS BACK At Tanushree Dutta; Says An Attempt Is Being Made To 'Single' Him Out! Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - April 18, 2019) - Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. (CSE: PKK) ("Peak" or the "Company") today announced its financial results and reviewed highlights for the year ended December 31, 2018. All amounts expressed are in Canadian dollars. Financial Highlights: Total revenue of $1.68M Net loss of $3.61M Reduction of $1.8M in liabilities as a result of surrender of debentures to exercise share purchase warrants Total assets of $24.68M $760,000 of capital raised through private placement financings Operating Highlights: Creation of ASFC financial services subsidiary Over 1,500 loans extended by ASFC to Chinese SMEs First two non-Peak-related lenders join ASFC on Cubeler Lending Hub platform First transactions by non-Peak-related lenders on Cubeler Lending Hub platform Continued enhancements of Cubeler Lending Hub platform including AI-based credit analysis and support for WeChat Pay and Alipay payment gateways Creation of ASCS subsidiary Takeover of Wenyi Financial Services Ltd. operations by ASCS Review of 2018 In 2018 Peak concluded its transition to becoming a company with the ability to impact small and medium sized business lending in China. Several milestones, as highlighted above, were achieved during the year to confirm that Peak and its group of companies are now in a position to do that. The Company was able to achieve most of its objectives for the year and was able to take advantage of an unexpected business opportunity that led to the creation of a new subsidiary and a new revenue stream. First on the Company's "To Do" list in 2018 was the establishment of its own fully-licenced financial services company. That mission was accomplished with the creation of Asia Synergy Financial Capital ("ASFC") in the second quarter of 2018. With the launch of ASFC, the Company became one of very few foreign companies to control a licenced financial services company in China with the ability to lend and provide financial services to businesses and consumers. In a little over seven months of operation, ASFC extended more than 1,500 loans to Chinese SMEs without a single loan default. After launching the Cubeler Lending Hub platform in China in the second quarter of 2017, the Company's Asia Synergy Data Solutions ("ASDS") welcomed the first two non-Peak-related lenders to the platform in 2018. Those lenders provided valuable feedback which helped contribute to the continued enhancement of the platform to better fit the needs of the Chinese commercial lending space. Some of the enhancements made to Cubeler in 2018 included an artificial intelligence based credit analysis feature capable of taking into account various financial, social media and other input variables, and support for China's two most popular payment gateways. By the end of 2018, the new Cubeler lenders had conducted their first transactions on the platform and Cubeler was poised to make a name for itself as a platform that helps lenders quickly and efficiently find, qualify and lend to Chinese SMEs while limiting loan default risk. Other than the establishment of ASFC, perhaps the most significant event that occurred in 2018 for the Company was the transfer of the operation of Wenyi Financial Services Ltd. ("Wenyi") to the Company's Asia Synergy Credit Solutions ("ASCS") subsidiary, which was created specifically for that purpose. The transfer of Wenyi's operations also brought to ASCS relationships with lenders whose loans Wenyi had been servicing and, at the time of the transfer, ongoing negotiations between Wenyi, Wuxi Union SME Guarantee Co. Ltd ("Wuxi Union") and the Wuxi Rural Commercial Bank ("WRCB"). ASCS eventually entered into a three-way agreement with Wuxi Union and WRCB whereby Wuxi Union will guarantee WRCB loans serviced by ASCS for an amount of up to $1B. The revenue stream generated by the services provided by ASCS amounted to an approximate 6% annual fee of the value of the loans it serviced. The Company wrapped up 2018 with a total of four operating subsidiaries (AST, ASDS, ASFC and ASCS) each fulfilling a specific need in the Chinese commercial lending space, from simply providing loans (ASFC), to providing cutting edge technology to make lending safer and more efficient (ASDS), to providing complete loan outsourcing solutions to banks and other lenders (ASCS), to offering purchase order financing solutions (AST). With most of the R&D heavy lifting behind them, the Company and its group of subsidiaries are of the opinion that they are well-positioned to begin to impact the SME lending space in China. Outlook for 2019 The Company will be looking to repurpose AST's Gold River product procurement platform in 2019 to offer purchase order financing services and referring such requests to the Cubeler Lending Hub. The Company's expectations for 2019 are: for ASFC to continue to provide revenue stability and predictability to the Company; for AST to slowly begin to contribute to the revenue stream by the second quarter; and for ASCS and ASDS to increasingly begin to account for a greater percentage of the Company's revenue. ASCS and ASDS should be able to reach agreements with banks and insurance companies with national reach and to expand their respective service offerings beyond Jiangsu province. As the capital available to be loaned on the Cubeler Lending Hub continues to increase with the expected expansion to other markets in China, it will be increasingly important to find quality loan candidates to ensure that a lack of such candidates does not hinder the Company's revenue generating ability. This is just one of the reasons why the Company plans to continue to pursue the establishment of an agreement with at least one Canadian financial institution that would provide loan guarantees in Canada for loans made to Chinese operating subsidiaries of Canadian companies. Such an agreement would not only provide the Company with a pool of loan candidates able to command higher average loan amounts, but it would also position the Company as a true bridge for business development from the perspective of both the Chinese and the Canadian governments. Fiscal 2018 financial results summary The Company generated $1,679,569 in revenue almost exclusively from ASFC (compared to $7,475,402 in a combination of mostly the sale of raw material products and a few financial services in fiscal 2017). The significant difference in revenue between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2018 can be attributed to the Company's shift in business model going from transactions involving the sale of raw materials generating large revenues and equally large costs of sales resulting in smaller profit margins, to focusing on financial services transactions generating smaller revenues but larger profit margins. Expenses (excluding the cost of sales) for fiscal 2018 amounted to $5,290,454, compared to $3,499,265 in 2017. The net loss for the year was $3,608,920 compared to $3,456,230 in 2017. When removing non-cash items such as depreciation, impairment of intangible assets and share-based compensation that amount comes to $1,297,622 in 2018 compared to $2,251,429 in 2017. Full details of the Company's 2018 financial results can be found in the Audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, which are available at www.sedar.com. About Peak Positioning Technologies Inc.: Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. is an IT portfolio management company whose mission is to assemble, finance and manage a portfolio of promising companies and assets in some of the fastest-growing tech sectors in China, including fintech, e-commerce and cloud-computing. Peak provides a bridge for North American investors who wish to participate in the continued digitization of China's industrial sectors through the latest advancements in technology. For more information: http://www.peakpositioning.com For more information, please contact: CHF Capital Markets Cathy Hume, CEO 416-868-1079 ext.: 231 cathy@chfir.com Peak Positioning Technologies Inc. Johnson Joseph, President and CEO 514-340-7775 ext.: 501 investors@peakpositioning.com Twitter: @PeakPositioning Facebook: @peakpositioning LinkedIn: Peak Positioning YouTube: Peak Positioning Forward-Looking Statements / Information: This news release may include certain forward-looking information, including statements relating to business and operating strategies, plans and prospects for revenue growth, using words including "anticipate", "believe", "could", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "potential", "project", "seek", "should", "will", "would" and similar expressions, which are intended to identify a number of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information reflects current views with respect to current events and is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as may be required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Readers are urged to consider these factors carefully in evaluating any forward-looking information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/44182 Thursday, April 18, 2019 at 6:44PM Embed from Getty Images Amazon Music is coming to more users in the US, specifically those with Alexa devices. These device owners can listen to a limited number of top playlists and stations on Amazon Music for free. It is similar to what Amazon Prime subscribers get access to for free. They dont need to be Amazon Prime subscribers. You can ask Alexa to play music by creating stations based on a song, era, genre, or artist. Or have the voice assistant queue popular global playlists on Amazon Music. If you want access to Amazon Music Unlimited, youll need to subscribe to the paid premium tier, which gives you access to over 50 million songs. Amazon is leveraging the popularity of its smart speakers to get more users to use its servicesespecially since it doesnt come at an additional cost. This just might entice listeners away from third-party services that Amazon speakers support (like Spotify and Apple Music). Source: Engadget GUANGZHOU, China, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 43rd China International Furniture Fair (Guangzhou) (CIFF), which was held in two segments, took place in Pazhou, a subdistrict of Haizhu in southeastern Guangzhou, from March 18 to 21 and from March 28 to 31. At the 760,000-square meter event, over 90% of the exhibitors debuted their new products, while more than 50 companies held new product release conferences. Founded in the spring of 1998, the China International Furniture Fair, usually more well-known by its initials, CIFF, takes place semi-annually, in Guangzhou in the spring and in Shanghai in the autumn. It is regarded as a leading event of its kind in terms of scale, diversity of exhibits, number of visitors as well as turnover. This year's event caused a lot more excitement across the industry in addition to a higher level of diversity in terms of products and services, thanks to a number of new highlights. With a focus on innovation, the event, which has assumed the role as the go-to platform for new product launches, highlighted 25 original products on display in a feature zone of the event entitled Global Exhibit of New and Latest Household Products and Furniture. Several well-known Chinese designers, among them, Wen Hao, Zhu Xiaojie, Hou Zhengguang, Chen Xiangjing, and Chai Xiaodong, gave presentations on new trends in the Chinese original furniture sector. A series of exciting events were held during the expo, including some scenario-focused exhibitions which looked at different ways of creating a new and holistic environment in the home, setting new directions in terms of answering the expectations of new-generation individuals who seek to take control in determining their lifestyle. Over 60 leading multi-disciplinary designers inspired visitors to think about what a high-quality lifestyle looks like by messaging across the many segments of the design sector at the expo via cases sharing, forums, presentations on latest trends in addition to various seminars and workshops. With the presence of a large number of exhibitors from across the world, the event organizers further enhanced their special trade matching service, inviting large buyers and designers from China and abroad to attend, understanding their buying needs and setting up appointments with exhibitors fitting their profiles. To assure that the invited attendees would feel that they had gained something meaningful upon their return home, the event personalized the invitation according to the interest of the invitee in terms of theme, sector and channel, based on the analysis of the visitor database. The invited buyers could enter the expo via a QR code scan without having to wait in line as well as get easy access to exhibition information by querying the guide at the information desk. Targeted marketing and sales as well as the event's massive footprint in the industry has made CIFF unique and unrivaled. The 44th China International Furniture Fair (Shanghai) will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) in Hongqiao from September 8 to 11, continuing CIFF's efforts at creating of a model home that fits the lifestyle of every member of the family. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/870937/CIFF_43rd_furniture_fair.jpg SpendEdge, a leading provider of procurement market intelligence solutions, has announced the completion of their compliance management study for a consumer products company This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005077/en/ Compliance management study for a consumer products company. (Graphic: Business Wire) Project background The company wanted to reformulate, test, produce and distribute over 250 of its products while addressing local municipalities deadlines for regulatory compliance using FDA guidelines. The key objectives they aimed to achieve through this engagement were as follows: Objective 1: The company wanted to distribute products worth $150 million (net sales value). The company wanted to distribute products worth $150 million (net sales value). Objective 2: They were also interested in building a compliance management system that can reduce the pressure on their internal corporate team. They were also interested in building a compliance management system that can reduce the pressure on their internal corporate team. Want to gain more information? Request a free demo and see how our solutions can help you address the FDA guidelines apart from mitigating unprecedented risks. "Compliance management system is imperative for companies to ensure that any business or legal actions taken are within legal parameters. It ensures that the 'appropriate' actions have been taken in order to prevent incidents and mitigate risks," says a procurement expert from SpendEdge. Key findings and solutions offered In collaboration with SpendEdge, the client a global consumer products company - was able to create the user-defined workflows for approvals and reviews based on the organizational hierarchy levels. The solution offered helped them to: Gain various statistics required in the FDA guidelines to determine if the product has been properly manufactured, distributed and stored. Improve built-in and customizable workflow capabilities while ensuring internal compliance in the company. Interested in improving workflow capabilities? Request a free proposal and access our complete portfolio of compliance management solutions today! Outcome: SpendEdge enabled the consumer products company to challenge the status quo to simplify the reformulation process and increase the efficiency of the organization. This allowed the client to consolidate business intelligence across divisions and gain global visibility into the risk and compliance initiatives. The solution offered further helped the company to reformulate products with a Net Sales Value over $230 million and 0.9 million under budget. To access the complete case study on compliance management, get in touch with our experts here! 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. Request free proposal to know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005077/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Regulatory News: Press release Paris, 19 April 2019 The Board of Directors meeting on 17 April under the chairmanship of Alexandre Ricard, decided to distribute an interim cash dividend of 1.18 per share for the current 2018/19 financial year. In line with Pernod Ricard's (Paris:RI) standard practice, the interim dividend is equal to 50% of the total dividend paid out in the previous financial year. The ex-dividend date will be Monday 8 July, and the interim dividend will be paid on Wednesday 10 July 2019. About Pernod Ricard Pernod Ricard is the world's n2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of 8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine's, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouet champagnes, as well Jacob's Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 19, 000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 "Brand Companies" and 86 "Market Companies" established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard's strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005080/en/ Contacts: Pernod Ricard Julia MASSIES VP, Financial Communication Investor Relations +33 (0)1 41 00 42 02 Adam RAMJEAN Investor Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 41 59 Fabien DARRIGUES External Communications Director +33 (0) 1 41 00 44 86 Emmanuel VOUIN Press Relations Manager +33 (0)1 41 00 44 04 GUANGZHOU, China, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mainstream media from the Middle East have visited the leading Chinese automaker GAC Motor's ("the Company") headquarter in Guangzhou, China. The Middle East is the first overseas market that GAC Motor has explored. To date, the Company has entered eight countries in the region, become the best-selling Chinese auto brand in Kuwait and Bahrain, and established a high-end automobile brand image. Mainstream media from the Middle East have visited GAC Motor's Factory, GAC R&D Center, GAC NE Center, GAC Pavilion, GAC Sales and Service Center, and directly gained insights from experiencing the cutting-edge and innovative technologies as well as strict quality management system. Seeing the full picture of the Company's highlighting achievements on smart manufacturing in terms of research, design, production, marketing and sales, they highly recognized the Company's capabilities in independent research, design and manufacture. The group also participated in the roundtable with GAC's senior executives during the visit. Jorge Bialade, a reporter and the General Manager of YallaMotor.com, commented that visiting GAC Motor facilities in Guangzhou helped him to learn about the brand and its true potential, which changed his perception of the brand in a positive way. "We at Yalla Motor were lucky enough to visit GAC Motor's factories, R&D center, showrooms and service centers which allowed us to assess the high tech they are using and the quality of their products. Most importantly, we learned about their ambitious plans for the future in terms of new models, electrification and autonomous driving," noted Bialade. "Last but not the least, we got to know their people, from their president to directors to front-line workers. We saw how they all work in perfect synergy towards building and developing a great automotive brand. We warmly welcome GAC Motor and their people to the Middle East." The group also took rides on GAC Motor's all-star car models, including the SUV GS8 and the MPV GM8, and spoke highly of the product quality as well as the brand's persistence in pushing forward their internationalization process on a firm footing. "I was impressed at how huge GAC Group is, and at the extent of its joint ventures with the biggest automotive brands. GAC Motor has a promising future, and I'm optimistic about GAC entering the Middle East market," noted Hatem Saleh Alkhathlan, a reporter at Saudi Shift Magazine. At the media roundtable, GAC Motor's senior executives had good conversations with mainstream media from the Middle East. Yu Jun, President of GAC Motor, answered media's questions about GAC Motor's products, R&D and design, marketing plans in the Middle East, overseas branding strategies, the Company's business philosophy, etc. "China has lots of economic and trade exchange with Middle Eastern countries; we are reinforcing the GAC Motor brand in the region to raise market awareness and strengthen our competitiveness with innovative designs and high product quality," noted Yu Jun, President of GAC Motor. GAC Motor has partnered with Saudi's Aljomaih Automotive Company, one of the largest auto dealers in the region, to promote GAC Motor's products. Earlier this year, GAC Motor successfully gained the recognition and built the brand awareness in the Saudi Arabia market after launching four independent showrooms there. And through strategic cooperation with the renowned UAE's Gargash Group, GAC Motor's sales and service center in Dubai are now in full operation. GAC Motor will officially release its star models, the GS3 SUV and GA4 sedan, in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, followed by UAE and Bahrain in May 2019. Later in November, GAC Motor will return to the Dubai International Motor Show (the Show), which is the second time that GAC Motor participates in the Show. About GAC Motor Founded in 2008, Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor CO., LTD (GAC Motor) is a subsidiary of GAC Group which ranks 202nd among Fortune Global 500 companies. The company develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories. GAC Motor has now ranked first among all Chinese brands for six consecutive years in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's China Initial Quality StudySM (IQS), demonstrating the company's quality-centric strategy from innovative research and development (R&D), manufacturing to supply chain and sales & services. For more information, please visit: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMotor Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gac_motor Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/874545/Middle_East_Mainstream_Media_at_GAC_Motor_Factory.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/874547/President_GAC_Motor_at_Media_Roundtable.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/874546/Middle_East_Media_Group_Visiting_GAC_Motor.jpg - Conservation scientists, environmental groups, and indigenous leaders urge governments to adopt a "Global Deal for Nature" (GDN) as a companion to the Paris Climate Agreement to tackle the interlinked crises of biodiversity loss and climate change - A new GDN paper is the first effort to establish science-based conservation targets for the entire planet - across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine realms - achieving a milestone of 30% fully protected by 2030, with an additional 20% protected under Climate Stabilization Areas (CSAs) - One Earth, an initiative of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, has launched a petition at globaldealfornature.org along with environmental organizations including RESOLVE, and indigenous federations in support of this goal WASHINGTON, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nations must commit to protect half of the Earth to avoid massive biodiversity loss and the worst effects of dangerous climate change, according to a new scientific paper entitled A Global Deal for Nature: Guiding Principles, Milestones , and Targets , published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The paper lays out a science-driven plan to save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth by protecting natural ecosystems that play a critical function in storing carbon, producing freshwater, and providing food security - the enabling conditions required for humanity to thrive. The proposed GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected no later than 2030 under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with approximately 20% in additional lands designated as Climate Stabilization Areas (CSAs), to help the world stay below the recommended target of a 1.5C rise in average global temperature and to preserve biodiversity. Building on a landmark study from 2017 by many of the same scientists, the new paper provides the rationale for a GDN agreement between nations to protect half of the Earth - adding analysis of existing conservation strategies and a clear pathway to achieving the goal through, for example, a stronger focus on the rights of indigenous communities to steward their lands for effective conservation. This campaign, being spearheaded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation's One Earth initiative, aims to usher in a new era of ambitious conservation in which international institutions, governments and people work together to save nature - from supporting communal conservancies in Namibia's Damaraland that is home to wild lions and elephant herds, to indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon that conserve key ecosystems and safe havens for jaguars and rare primates, to the last home of the orangutan in indigenous reserves in Borneo. Based on the GDN paper, a petition has now been launched by One Earth and leading nongovernmental and indigenous organizations, asking the public to support the most comprehensive conservation targets yet to save biodiversity, avert a climate crisis, and ensure a future for humanity. Eric Dinerstein, lead author of A Global Deal for Nature: Guiding Principles, Milestones, and Targets and Director of the Biodiversity and Wildlife program at RESOLVE , said: "Pairing a new 'Global Deal for Nature' with the Paris Climate Agreement would give us the best chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change, of conserving threatened species, and of ensuring the health of the ecosystems that are so essential for sustaining life on Earth." "Nature provides the ecological building blocks of human civilization - from the mangroves and coral reefs that harbor much of the world's tropical fisheries, to the trees that purify our air and water, to the insects, birds, and bats that pollinate our crops. Simply put, we need wild nature in every one of the Earth's 846 terrestrial ecoregions, conserved in protected areas representing the complex web of nature upon which we all depend." Gregorio Mirabal, president of COICA (Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin), said: "Science is telling us something our traditional knowledge has been warning of for decades: the Earth is dying. We urgently need a Global Deal for Nature to restore half of the natural world as soon as possible and, as guardians of 80% of the planet's biodiversity, indigenous peoples must play a central role in that pact. Indigenous communities truly understand what it means to live in harmony with nature - now governments need to recognize that our ancestral knowledge will be key to ensuring that we all have a future on this Earth." Karl Burkart, Director of Media, Science and Technology at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation , said: "The science is now clear. We must act with boldness and vision if we are to prevent the worsening impacts of climate change - from sea level rise and extreme flooding to prolonged drought, cataclysmic fire events, and collapsing food systems. Ultimately, we will stay below the 1.5C threshold because we must. And the 'Global Deal for Nature' is a big part of how we do it." Thomas Lovejoy, co-author and editor of the book Climate Change and Biodiversity , said: "The science is telling us that if we go above 1.5C, we could experience an 'extinction tsunami' resulting in the collapse of many key ecosystems. We cannot solve the biodiversity crisis without solving the climate crisis, and we cannot solve the climate crisis without solving the biodiversity crisis. The two are interlinked." Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic , said: "The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, are all dependent on other forms of life. We need to give them more space so that the natural world can continue providing for us. If we don't keep hold of the intact nature we still have, it will be impossible to achieve the Paris climate goals, or any of the Sustainable Development Goals on which the future of humanity depends." One Earth One Earth is an initiative of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF). LDF has provided over $100 million in grants to projects around the world that build climate resiliency, protect vulnerable wildlife, and restore balance to threatened ecosystems and communities. The new One Earth initiative offers a vision for the world that is possible by mid-century, a world in which humanity and nature can coexist and thrive. Its three pillars of action - 100% renewable energy, protection and restoration of 50% of the world's lands and oceans, and a transition to regenerative agriculture - provide a way to both avert a climate crisis and protect the planet's biodiversity. After a two-year collaboration with leading scientists, the One Earth climate model was released by Springer Nature in a book entitled Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals (2019). The state-of-the-art modeling framework offers a roadmap to stay below the threshold of 1.5C in global temperature rise using currently available technologies and natural climate solutions. RESOLVE RESOLVE is a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that forges sustainable solutions to critical environmental, social, and health challenges by creating innovative partnerships where they are least likely and most needed. RESOLVE's Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions Program tackles the most pressing conservation problems of our time - the approaching extinction of endangered wildlife and threats to habitats, including tropical forests where most of the world's species reside - through technological innovation, ambitious global agreements, and targeted land protection. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/874614/Meinshausen_LDF_Scenario_chart_10Apr2019_ID_.jpg Jet Airways' last flight landed at the city airport past midnight from Amritsar and became the seventh carrier to shutter operations in the past five years. Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday refused to intervene in the Jet Airways crisis, saying it cannot direct the government and the Reserve Bank of India to rescue a "sick company". A bench of Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog and Justice N M Jamdar dismissed a writ petition seeking the government and the central bank be asked to direct the consortium of banks help the cash-starved airline, which was grounded from Wednesday indefinitely. Jet Airways' last flight landed at the city airport past midnight from Amritsar and became the seventh carrier to shutter operations in the past five years. The over 25-year-old airline had sought a Rs 400-crore emergency fund from its lenders to whom it already owes over Rs 8,500 crore, but was refused as the airline was not ready to offer more collaterals. The writ petition, filed by advocate Mathew Nedumpara, sought among other things a direction to the government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to ensure that the airline resumes operations till a potential investor was identified. SBI-led banks had invited bids for selling anywhere between 31 and 75 percent stake in the airline and have already received four initial bids from Jet Airways' foreign partner Etihad Airways, the sovereign wealth fund NIIF, and two private equity funds TPG Capital and Indigo Partners. Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, who along with his wife Anita were forced out of the airline late last month by the banks, had also put in bids, but was asked to withdraw after the four bidders threatened to walk out. The banks hope to complete the sale process by 10 May. The market reacted badly to the shuttering and Jet Airways stock tanked over 32 percent on the BSE against a 0.32 percent correction in the benchmark Sensex. The company has put at stake over 20,000 jobs and owes money to millions of passengers following flight cancellations that began since January apart from owing thousands of crores to its vendors and suppliers. The petitioner said the airline is an "essential service" and therefore, the court must pass orders directing banks, led by the State Bank of India (SBI), "to provide such bare minimal funds to Jet Airways as required to keep its flights operational". The plea also sought the court direct RBI to convene a joint meeting of the banks and Jet Airways management to take emergent steps to keep the airline afloat, during the completion of its ongoing stake sale process. The bench, however, said it cannot ask the government or RBI to release funds for a sick company. "We cannot ask the government to rescue a sick company. The only thing we can do is that if you get a hat, we can pass it around this court room for collecting money for charity," the court said, dismissing the petition and advised the petitioner to approach the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). (Reuters) - (This version of the story removes Reuters Instrument Code in paragraph 1, clarifies in paragraph 3 Hudson Media CEO's 'family used to own the Hudson chain of airport newstands') American Media Inc (AMI) said on Thursday it is selling its tabloid the National Enquirer to James Cohen, chief executive officer of Hudson Media. (Reuters) - (This version of the story removes Reuters Instrument Code in paragraph 1, clarifies in paragraph 3 Hudson Media CEO's "family used to own the Hudson chain of airport newstands") American Media Inc (AMI) said on Thursday it is selling its tabloid the National Enquirer to James Cohen, chief executive officer of Hudson Media. The National Enquirer had admitted to paying hush money to help U.S. President Donald Trump get elected and been accused of attempting to blackmail Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. The weekly tabloid, along with two of its sister publications, will be purchased by the head of Hudson Media, whose family used to own the Hudson chain of airport newstands. This comes a week after AMI said it was looking at "strategic options" for the National Enquirer as well as for the Globe and the National Examiner brands. The sale is expected to reduce AMI's debt to $355 million. Earlier in the day, the Washington Post reported about the AMI's decision to sell its tabloid to the head of Hudson News for $100 million. Last week, the New York Times reported that owners of the National Enquirer were in talks to sell the tabloid to the California-based billionaire Ronald Burkle. Besides, Paul Pope, one of the heirs of the National Enquirer founder Generoso Pope Jr, had also been in the list of bidders, according to media reports. On Tuesday, Pope dropped his bid to buy the supermarket tabloid from American Media, the New York Post report said. Over its 92-year history, the National Enquirer has enticed readers in supermarket checkout lines with sensational headlines and photos about celebrities. The tabloid's website claims it has a viewership of 5 million. Earlier in February, Amazon.com Inc CEO Bezos accused the publication of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing intimate photos. (Reporting by Arjun Panchadar and Vibhuti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and James Emmanuel) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The 440 slots vacated by Jet Airways at Delhi and Mumbai airports would be allocated to other airlines on an interim basis through a 'rational, fair and equitable' manner. New Delhi: With Jet Airways suspending operations, as many as 440 slots are vacant at Delhi and Mumbai airports which will be allocated to other airlines in a transparent manner, a senior official said Thursday. Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola also said Jet Airways is expected to provide information next week to the ministry about tickets booked by passengers and how it plans to refund them. The grounding of planes by Jet Airways has resulted in capacity reduction in the domestic sector, which has also led to a spurt in airfares in many sectors. The ministry has also asked airlines to keep fares at affordable levels and not indulge in predatory pricing ways. The ministry on Thursday held separate meetings with airport operators and airlines, where issues related to slots, passengers and fares were discussed. Kharola on Thursday said the 440 slots vacated by Jet Airways at Delhi and Mumbai airports would be allocated to other airlines on an interim basis through a "rational, fair and equitable" manner. There are 280 vacant slots at Mumbai airport and over 160 at Delhi airport. These two aerodromes are among the busiest in the country. The slots would be allocated for three months by a committee, comprising officials from the DGCA, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and respective airports. Kharola also said around 30 more planes would be inducted by various airlines in next three months. Besides, a decision on 20-30 leased planes of Jet Airways that have been grounded is likely next week as some airlines have expressed interest in taking them, he added. With the additions, Kharola said there would be a "healthy growth in capacity". In the last five months, around 75 planes were out of the domestic sector due to groundings by Jet Airways. During the same period, about 58 aircraft were inducted by various carriers, he noted. Kharola also said that some airlines are in talks with banks for taking wide body planes of Jet Airways. As per official data, a total of 74 planes have been inducted by carriers since October last year. "We wanted to know from Jet Airways on how many passengers have booked tickets and how they plan to refund it. "Jet has said that they have to collect information from all over the world and they will be coming to meet us on Monday or Tuesday...," he said. He was responding to queries about refund of tickets booked with Jet Airways. Further, he said that global airlines' grouping IATA holds back some money of the booked tickets. International air tickets are booked through IATA system. "The credit card companies are also holding back some money. They have not been transferring all the money to Jet Airways. We have the cushion there," Kharola said in response to the question about refund to passengers. (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co has named Jose Munoz - previously seen as an ally of Nissan Motor's ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn and his potential successor as CEO - as global chief operating officer and head of operations in the Americas. (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co has named Jose Munoz - previously seen as an ally of Nissan Motor's ousted chairman Carlos Ghosn and his potential successor as CEO - as global chief operating officer and head of operations in the Americas. Munoz was cited as a "person of interest" in Nissan's widening internal investigation into corporate governance following Ghosn's arrest on suspicion of financial misconduct. Ghosn denies wrongdoing while Munoz has not commented publicly on the matter. Munoz resigned from Nissan in January having been chief performance officer and head of the Japanese automaker's China operations. He previously oversaw Nissan's North American operations. The appointment marks the latest management shake-up at Hyundai's U.S. operations as the South Korean automaker pushes to rejuvenate sales in the world's second-biggest auto market and grapples with a widening probe into its vehicle recalls. Munoz will take over from William Lee, who has been in charge of Hyundai's North America business since June. From May 1, he will effectively assume two newly created positions - Global Chief Operating Officer and Head of Hyundai Motor Americas Region. "(Munoz's) focus will be to deliver profitable growth and to improve overall performance of Hyundai Motor," the company said in a statement issued on Thursday in the United States. He will be based in California and report to "top leadership" in Seoul, Hyundai said. The appointment marks the latest foreign executive to be brought in to an automaker dominated by South Korean lifers, under group heir-apparent and Executive Vice Chairman Euisun Chung. Munoz, 53, joined Nissan in 2004 in Europe and led its expansion in North America after the global financial crisis. Since then, Nissan has raised its market share in the United States and posted record sales. Hyundai was an outperformer during the 2009 global economic downturn but has seen its market share slip in recent years, hit by its delayed response to growing sport utility vehicle demand. The automaker has been recovering slowly, with its U.S. sales rising 2 percent in January-March period from a year prior. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in SEOUL and Sanjana Shivdas in BENGALURU; Editing by Christopher Cushing) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The grounding of India's oldest private airline company sent shock waves among its 20,000-odd employees, of whom Jet Airways owes over three months salaries to 15 percent of the staff. The management of Jet Airways has reportedly asked thousands of its disgruntled employees to not speak to any outsider including their media about their problems as it may affect the bidding process for its stake sale, said media reports. We are currently at a critical stage of our bid process that is being led by our lenders. We urge you to refrain from engaging with the media and let the task of interaction with external stakeholders (especially the media) be restricted to our colleagues at corporate communication team, Hindustan Times reported citing an internal mail sent to the airline's employees late on Thursday. The grounding of India's oldest private airline sent shock waves among its 20,000-odd employees. The beleagured airline owes over three months salary to 15 percent of its staff comprising of senior management, pilots and engineers. Besides them, the debt-laden airline has also defaulted on the March salary of its entire workforce, said a PTI report. After weeks of uncertainty, Jet Airways had on Wednesday announced temporary suspension of its operations as it did not receive emergency funds to stay afloat. Hinting at job losses going forward, grounded carrier Jet Airways chief executive Vinay Dube on Wednesday said the airline does not have an "answer" at present on the fate of its employees during the stake sale process, reported PTI. "However, we must also be realistic that the sale process will take some time and will throw up several more challenges for us, many of which we don't have the answer today," Dube said in a communication to the harried employees who have not been paid since March. "For example, we don't have an answer today to the very important question of what happens to employees during the sale process," he added. Nevertheless, he said the leadership team is working on answering such questions alongside the lenders. The consortium of lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) has offered prospective bidders ownership of the airline anywhere between 31.2 percent and 75 for which it had run an online bidding process between 8 and 12 April and had shortlisted four suitors Etihad Airways, NIIF, private equity funds TPG Capital and Indigo Partners who can submit the final bids by 10 May. Hundreds of staff protest in Delhi, Mumbai Hundreds of angry employees have protested in New Delhi and Mumbai, accusing management of leaving staff in the dark about the airlines worsening crisis, reported Reuters. Management never gives us a clear picture, airline union leader Chaitanya Mainkar shouted during a protest at Mumbais international airport on Friday where employees chanted slogans and waved posters that read Save Jet Airways, Save Our Family. Jet pilots had appealed for intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is facing wider criticism over the scarcity of jobs as he campaigns for re-election in polls now underway. Last month, Modi asked state-run banks to rescue Jet Airways without pushing it into bankruptcy, averting thousands of job losses. But the airline never received the agreed stop-gap loan of about $217 million. At least now we know the talks about caring for employment, creating jobs is all an eyewash, Captain Asim Valiani, vice president of the National Aviators Guild (NAG) representing Jet pilots, told Reuters after the shutdown. Employees quitting airline Jet Airways has lost key employees as the crisis unfolded. About 400 pilots have moved to other airlines, leaving Jet Airways with around 1,300 pilots, said a senior Jet pilot. About 40 engineers have also left, a senior engineer said. Some veteran employees remain loyal to the airline and hope it can be restored to its former glory. I have worked here from the beginning - first day, first show, said Anil Sahu, a 50-year-old baggage handler with 25 years of service. Even after all of this, we have trust in Jet. Its a tsunami that has come, but we hope everything will return to normal, he said. Other senior employees like Poojari say they will struggle to find work if the airline fails. If I had quit earlier there was still a chance of moving on, but after 26 years and having crossed 50 (years of age), where will I find a job? With inputs from agencies Thursday, April 18, 2019 at 6:17PM In case you missed the news, some of the review units that hit the hands of journalists and reviewers had some problems almost immediately after they got the unit. It seems to be more than one type of issue related to either the hinge or the plastic-covered OLED display, but some were caused by the reviewers themselves. Samsung, on their part, have released a statement regarding the matter, saying they will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter. And it seems the launch of April 26 in the US is going to happen with no hint of delay. You can read Samsungs full statement under the cut: A limited number of early Galaxy Fold samples were provided to media for review. We have received a few reports regarding the main display on the samples provided. We will thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter. Separately, a few reviewers reported having removed the top layer of the display causing damage to the screen. The main display on the Galaxy Fold features a top protective layer, which is part of the display structure designed to protect the screen from unintended scratches. Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers. Source: Engadget SpiceJet will induct six more Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on dry lease and it has applied to the DGCA for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to import these planes, the airline said in a statement. Mumbai: Budget carrier SpiceJet on Thursday said it will dry lease six more Boeing 737 planes, and roll out of 24 daily new flights connecting Mumbai and Delhi as it seeks to encash void left by the temporary grounding of Jet Airways. The move comes close on the heels of the airline announcing expansion the fleet by 21 more planes 16 B737s and five turboprop Boombardier Q400s, besides connecting the country's financial hub with a host of international destinations. Mumbai was one of the two main bases of Jet Airways, before it temporarily halted operations on Wednesday. "SpiceJet will induct six more Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on dry lease and it has applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to import these planes," the airline said in a statement. Subject to regulatory approvals the aircraft would begin joining SpiceJet's fleet in the next ten days, it added. Last week, in two separate announcements, the Gurugram-based airline had said it dry lease 16 Boeing 737s planes, and induct five regional jets in the fleet to fill the capacity deficit, due the grounding of Jet Airways planes. The total number of planes to be inducted in the immediate future now stands at 27, the airline said. "We will induct as many as 27 planes in a record time of less than two weeks and are hopeful that these inductions will help considerably ease the pressure situation," SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said in the release. The airline is taking taking all possible proactive measures to deal with the sudden reduction of aviation capacity in the Indian market, he said. SpiceJet continues to work closely with the government and regulatory authorities to help minimise passenger inconvenience, he added. The airline also announced the launch of 24 new daily flights connecting Mumbai and Delhi with other cities on its domestic network. Of these, 16 will connect Mumbai, four will connect Delhi while the rest will connect the two metros with each other, it said. The new flights from Mumbai include services to Jaipur, Patna, Bagdogra, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Kolkata and Mangaluru. In addition to this, the airline will also launch flights on Delhi-Patna-Delhi and Delhi-Bangalore-Delhi sectors besides two additional frequencies on the Mumbai-Delhi-Mumbai sector. The new services will become operational between 26 April and 2 May, it said. SpiceJet operates 516 average daily flights to 60 destinations, including 51 domestic and nine international ones. The airline has a fleet of 48 Boeing 737, 27 Bombardier Q-400s and one B737 freighter. By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are seeking more time from a federal court to settle a dispute over Musk's use of Twitter, according to a court filing Thursday. A federal judge in Manhattan on April 4 ordered Musk and the agency, which had previously asked to hold Musk in contempt of court for violating an earlier agreement, to try to reach an agreement and report back by April 18. By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tesla Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission are seeking more time from a federal court to settle a dispute over Musk's use of Twitter, according to a court filing Thursday. A federal judge in Manhattan on April 4 ordered Musk and the agency, which had previously asked to hold Musk in contempt of court for violating an earlier agreement, to try to reach an agreement and report back by April 18. The judge said she would rule on the contempt request if they failed to reach an agreement. Lawyers for Musk and the SEC said in Thursday's filing that "discussions are ongoing" and asked for another week, until April 25, to deliver their report. The SEC sued Musk last year after he tweeted on Aug. 7 that he had "funding secured" to take Tesla private at $420 per share. The agency said the tweet, which sent Tesla's share price up as much as 13.3 percent, violated securities laws. Musk's privatisation plan was at best in an early stage and financing was not in place. Musk settled the lawsuit, agreeing to step down as chairman and have the company's lawyers pre-approve written communications, including tweets with material information about the company. In February, the SEC accused Musk of violating that settlement by sending a tweet about Tesla's production that had not been vetted by the company's attorneys, and asked U.S. District Judge Alison Nathan in Manhattan to hold him in contempt. Musk's lawyers have argued that the tweet did not contain new information that was material to investors, and that Musk did not need pre-approval for all tweets about Tesla under the settlement. At the April 4 hearing, a lawyer for the SEC said that if Musk were found in contempt, the agency would ask the judge to require him to submit regular reports about his Twitter use, and to pay a series of progressively higher fines for any future violations. Nathan declined to rule on the contempt motion at the hearing, instead ordering Musk and Tesla to meet and try to resolve the dispute on their own. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Mallya accused the SBI lawyers representing SBI in the UK of making presentations on their accomplishments against him at the 'cost of Indian taxpayers' money.' New Delhi: Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya on Friday urged Indian media to file an RTI against the State Bank of India (SBI) to ascertain how much money it has spent on the legal fees of the lawyers while recovering money from him in the United Kingdom. Whilst media love sensational headlines, why doesnt anybody ask the PSU State Bank of India under RTI on how much they are spending on legal fees trying to recover money from me in the United Kingdom (UK) when I have offered 100 per cent payback in India, Mallya tweeted. To further substantiate his point, he said: Assets belonging to me in the UK were sold and the costs of sale were almost 50 per cent of value. The remaining assets yet to be sold wont cover legal costs. So whats this all about? To enrich UK Lawyers? He also demanded an answer from the public sector bank on the same lines. Mallya also accused the SBI lawyers representing SBI in the UK of making presentations on their accomplishments against him at the "cost of Indian taxpayers' money." Mallya is facing trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. On 8 April, a United Kingdom court had denied permission to the liquor baron to appeal against his extradition order to India to face trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. Mental Hai Kya posters have angered mental health experts, who have begun an online campaign, demanding the producers to change the name of the movie. On 17 April, a new poster of Ekta Kapoor-produced Mental Hai Kya was released on social media. The quirky poster showed the lead actors Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao balancing an iron blade on the tips of their tongues. While the film posters were welcomed by fans, the title of the film Mental Hai Kya has sparked up controversy. Mental health experts in India have termed it as atrocious and insensitive towards people who are actually suffering from mental health issues. The Indian Psychiatric Society filed an official complaint to Prasoon Joshi, chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), demanding an explanation on the posters and how the movie chooses to represent mental health. Indian Psychiatric Society has officially now asked an explanation for the posters and how the movie is choosing to symbolically represent mental illness. This is a huge step. pic.twitter.com/aRtWBj27zb Sonali Gupta (@guptasonali) April 19, 2019 The letter demands the removal of title, Mental Hai Kya, with immediate effect. The committee further writes, "We take serious objections to the title of the movie which is discriminative, stigmatising, degrading, inhumane in projecting mental disorders and people who suffer from mental disorders." It also shed light on the Mental Health Care act 2017 and claimed that the movie violates the section, further inviting legal action. Clinical Psychologists have took to social media and expressed their concerns. They have begun an online campaign, demanding the producer and director to change the name of the movie, where according to them, the word mental stigmatises mental illness. Even in an electoral arena where candidates accused of rape and murder have been fielded by mainstream political parties, Sadhvi Pragya Thakurs candidature is an explosive development. Pragya Thakur, the 48-year-old Sadhvi who had pleaded infirm health in court during her trial for the Malegaon bomb blasts of 2008, became a member of the BJP a few days ago and was announced as the BJP candidate for the Bhopal seat in the 2019 elections. She will be pitted against the Congress Digvijay Singh on 12 May. Even in an electoral arena where candidates accused of rape and murder have been fielded by mainstream political parties, Pragya Thakurs candidature is an explosive new development. She is yet to be cleared of charges of her involvement in an act of terror, a bomb blast that caused innocent people to die and suffer grievous injuries in Malegaon on 29 September 2008. A group of citizens social workers, activists and lawyers will be travelling to Bhopal from Pune under the leadership of retired Bombay High Court judge BG Kolse-Patil, to oppose her candidature. The BJP may well be fielding her to project her as a victim of the Hindu terror tag first used by the Congress, but no citizen or patriot with any love for their country could accept a terror accused like her to represent them, says Anjum Inamdar, chairman of the Moolnivasi Muslim Manch, Pune. Inamdar is among those who will be travelling to Bhopal and says the group's intention is to "make people aware of what they vote for if they cast their vote for her (Pragya Thakur). Planning to leave as soon as voting in Pune has concluded on 29 April, the group is going to question how Pragya Thakur can be considered a model worth following on any parameter being Hindu, being a woman, or being a good citizen. Says Inamdar, We are not lacking in exemplary women in our culture or history be it Jijau, mother of Shivaji Maharaj, Savitribai Phule who first began educating girls, or Ahilyabai Holkar. We need to remind people of the sacrifices and selfless actions of such women. What a contrast from this person who is associated with the deaths of innocents. The evidence against Pragya Thakur is substantial, says former Inspector General of Police SM Mushrif, the author of the book Who Killed Karkare?: The real face of terrorism in India (2009). She was present in all four meetings of the group that conspired to carry out the Malegaon blasts the first one in Bhopal, the second and third in Indore, and the fourth meeting at the dharamshala of the Mahakaleshwar temple at Ujjain. The meetings and their agenda have been described in the chargesheet first, the venue was chosen for being a town densely populated with Muslims; second, the responsibilities were divided. While it was Lt Col Purohits task to get the RDX, Pragya Thakur offered the manpower. She introduced Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange as her trusted men, and it was decided they will receive the explosives at Pune. There is audio and video evidence of this available with the police, which has been recorded by the accused themselves and stored on their laptops. The case against her stands on solid ground. Mushrif considers Hemant Karkares investigation of the case to have been top class a thoroughly professional job that was not followed up later by other officers. If they had done their duty in the same manner, it would have been difficult for Pragya Thakur to be let off under MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) in 2016, Mushrif says. Former Justice Kolse-Patil makes no bones about having been a fighter for an RSS-Mukt Bharat for many decades. In what way can the BJP say that Pragya Thakur symbolises Hindu pratishtha (prestige)? he asks. Are Hindus to have no say in the matter? And calling her Sadhvi? Is she even deserving of the title? She had to be reprimanded by the judge for asking for a male to be her personal attendant in hospital, he says. He is referring to then 39-year-old Pragya Thakurs plea that her young male disciple Brahmagiri Anant help her in tasks like bathing and using the toilet, as reported in 2009. Kolse-Patil will be in Bhopal with his group by the end of April to lend his voice to citizens groups opposed to the candidature of Pragya Thakur. I am a seasoned campaigner, but I cannot alone be risking life and limb opposing these people. We need to stand up and question how this is being done. When Mohan Bhagwats own people have said that he has taken money from the ISI and the RSS is behind the terror attacks in India, then how is it that people are still getting fooled by such conspiracies? Their conscience should prick them, as Hindus and as Indian citizens. His remarks echo the findings of the sting operation carried out on Swami Aseemanand in a Rajasthan jail, in which he described the role of the RSS in several terror cases. Suggested read: BJP fielding Sadhvi Pragya from Bhopal shows party's hardline fringe has become its mainstream Hindutva core In an election dominated by the worst levels of cynicism and manipulation, where the rhetoric of speeches has made reference to sections of our human population as termites, and the countrys army and air force have been designated as Modi ji ki sena, the BJP may find that the candidature of Pragya Thakur for Bhopal may yet prove to be the morsel most difficult for people to swallow. There are unfortunately, still people around us who welcomed Pragya Thakur and Col. Purohit with a shower of rose petals when they came to the trial courts in Pune, recalls Anjum Inamdar. We need to think very seriously now whether any Hindu Rashtra that the Malegaon bombers hoped to usher in by 2024 will be a place worth living in, for us and our future generations. The EC is aware of the ramifications of its actions, so it usually takes a liberal view when it censures candidates or parties but it doesnt mean it has lost its fangs The Election Commission of India has, in recent days, faced criticism for failing to check violations of the model code of conduct by political parties and candidates contesting the ongoing Lok Sabha and four state assembly elections. The EC is a constitutional body, which means its existence in the eyes of law is through the Constitution, and not any other law passed by Parliament. All constitutional bodies are only answerable to the Constitution and in case of dispute, to the constitutional courts the high court and the Supreme Court. The constitutional status ensures the poll panel operates independently of the government and is able to conduct free and fair elections. To say that the EC has lost its fangs is something that cannot be easily understood under the umbrella of rule of law in India. Article 324 of the Constitution vests powers for superintendence, direction, and control of elections to the EC. The poll panel enacted the model code exercising the powers under this provision. The code, which kicks in the day elections are called, not only governs the conduct of political parties and candidates, but also the government machinery. The point is, the conduct code is similar to any other set of rules such as the Indian Penal Code. The mere presence of the IPC does not mean there is no crime or violations. A robust sanctioning system ensures its compliance. The mere occurrence of crime does not vitiate the sanctity of the criminal justice system and the IPC. Similarly, conduct code violations do not mean the EC has lost its fangs, as long as it keeps sanctions in place. Its decision to put off till the end of the poll process the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows the election panels authority is well in place. Its campaign ban on Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati and Azam Khan is also an assertion of its authority. Also read: It is time for the Election Commission to bare its fangs more The sanctioning, however, is a bit tricky. The poll panel is a constitutional body but the code of conduct is not a statutory enactment. Therefore, its enforcement cant be demanded ipso facto in a court of law. But, there are several overlaps between the conduct code violations and those of other statutory enactments such as the IPC and the Representation of People Act. Hence, if the EC chooses, it can invoke prosecution or proceedings under these statutes and they give it enough authority to get its way. Moreover, the poll panel is the regulator of the democratic process and any disproportionate punishment for a code violation might have a substantial democratic cost. For instance, barring a candidate or a party from an election severely truncates the organic demand and movement of democracy. Irrespective of whether the candidate or the party wins or loses, the cancellation of candidature will interfere with the statistics of the election and will unquestionably have an indirect effect on the outcome. While deciding whether an act is a violation of the conduct code or of some other provision, the poll panel treads a fine line between a genuine appeal to the electorate and something that vitiates the very same appeal or if it is coupled with mala fide. Also, there can be an electoral pitch that doesnt violate the code but is morally wrong in the opinion of a section of society. In such cases, the poll panel has no legal or moral responsibility to act. A parallel can be found in tax administration, where there is tax avoidance, which is legal, and tax evasion, which is illegal. It might be morally wrong to validly avoid paying tax, but it is not illegal. This is akin to an appeal to the voters based on the defence and security policies of the ruling party. To some, it may appear to be immoral, but it is not illegal. Whether something is moral or immoral is subjective, hence, constitutional authorities such as the election commission can only act when there is an explicit violation. The election commission is aware of the ramifications of its actions, so it usually takes a liberal view when it censures candidates or parties but it doesnt mean it has lost its fangs. That said, the code is more of a moral document than a legal one. Its enforceability is based on the moral appeal to the parties, something which is expected of a mature democracy. Whether India is a mature democracy or not cannot be objectively answered today. Till then, the poll panel is doing a fine job of conducting elections in India. (Raghav Pandey is an assistant professor of law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai) Today's top stories: BSP chief Mayawati will campaign with SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh today, Narendra Modi will address traders in Delhi, and more Mayawati to campaign with Mulayam Singh Yadav today At loggerheads for decades, Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati are scheduled to share the dais at a joint rally of the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the Samajwadi Party stronghold of Mainpuri on Friday. Preparations are underway for the rally at Christian Field to send out a message to our political opponents that the alliance against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh shares a strong bond, PTI reported. Mulayam and Mayawati have been bitter rivals since 1995 when SP cadres allegedly attacked the state guest house where the BSP chief had been camping with her supporters. The SP patriarch, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the party bastion of Mainpuri was conspicuous by his absence at the three joint rallies held earlier in Deoband, Badaun, and Agra due to his aversion to his party's alliance with the BSP. Reports suggest that Mulayam was not too keen on attending Friday's rally either but was cajoled by his son and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav who has confirmed the SP founder's presence at the Mainpuri rally. Narendra Modi to address traders in Delhi; Digvijaya Singh to file nomination With the second phase of the Lok Sabha election concluded on Thursday, the BJP and Opposition leaders are on the campaign trail in preparation for the remaining five phases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a "thanksgiving" seminar organised by traders in support of the BJP in Delhi. Reportedly, the event has been organised to "express gratitude" for the various measures promised for businesspersons in the party's manifesto. Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address rallies in Gujarat's Tapi and in Karnataka's Raichur and Chikodi. Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi will hold a roadshow in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, reports said. BJP chief Amit Shah is also scheduled to address rallies in Gujarat's Valsad and Chhota Udaipur. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh is likely to file his nomination for the Lok Sabha polls, as a candidate of the party from Bhopal. The BJP has fielded Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur against him. Govt to allocate 440 vacant Jet Airways slots to other airlines With Jet Airways suspending operations, as many as 440 slots are vacant at Delhi and Mumbai airports which will be allocated to other airlines in a transparent manner, a senior official said on Thursday. Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola also said Jet Airways is expected to provide information next week to the ministry about tickets booked by passengers and how it plans to refund them. The grounding of planes by Jet Airways has resulted in capacity reduction in the domestic sector, which has also led to a spurt in airfares in many sectors. Kolkata Knight Riders host bottom-placed Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2019 The Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore will be desperate for a win to stay afloat in the IPL when they take on Kolkata Knight Riders in Kolkata on Friday. It would be a great opportunity for the Bangalore outfit to post a win against an opponent who are low on confidence having slipped from second to sixth position in the points table after suffering three straight defeats. Google Home now supports YouTube Musics free service with ads Google's smart speaker Google Home can now play music from YouTube Music's free ad-supported version. However, this free version will not let you request songs from your speaker. Dardenne Brothers, Jim Jarmusch, Terrence Malick and Xavier Dolan nominated for Cannes' top prize Cannes Film Festival organisers announced its 2019 line-up on Thursday, pitting leading names in world cinema including Ken Loach and Pedro Almodovar against each other in competition for the top prize, the Palme dOr. Festival veterans Loach and Almodovar, as well as the Dardenne Brothers, Jim Jarmusch, Terrence Malick and Xavier Dolan all of whom have previously won accolades at the French Riviera festival will return for the 14-25 May event. Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda has said that unlike BJP veteran LK Advani, he is not going to retire from active politics, and that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister of the country, he will be by his side. Bengaluru: Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda has said that unlike BJP veteran LK Advani, he is not going to retire from active politics, and that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister of the country, he will be by his side. Talking about his decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Gowda said, "I announced three years back that I will not contest elections. There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. There is nothing to hide. I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics. Gowda is contesting from Karnataka's Tumkur parliamentary constituency against GS Basvaraj of BJP. When asked if he wants to retire like Advani, he replied with an emphatic no, adding, I want to save my party first and last the office building." Commenting on his son and Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy's statement that there is a possibility that Gowda might become the prime minister as a consensus candidate, he said: "I am not bothered about this. My concern is Modi will come to Parliament. I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the prime minister. I have the courage. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the prime minister." Speaking about his commitment to the Congress, he said: "Madam Sonia Gandhi has taken the decision to support Deve Gowda even though we are a small party. Now it is my responsibility to move forward with Congress, though I do agree in some states there is no question of any coalition. But in Tamil Nadu, there is a coalition between Congress and DMK and with Sharad Pawar's party in Maharashtra. Responding to accusations of saving the family rather than the party, the JD(S) chief said: "Several leaders who worked with me collectively, have left. Some people are in Congress, some in BJP. I was able to keep the party intact but suffered. I have not allowed my family members to become president of the party. The NUIS will provide anytime-anywhere access to government services, delivering real-time updates while ensuring a KPI based service delivery The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is planning to implement National Urban and Innovation Stack (NUIS) which will support several key programs including the India Urban Data Exchange (IUDE), India Urban Connect (IUC), Smart Procure, Research and Innovation for Urban India, National Urban Learning Platform, SmartCode and Smart Governance. Vikas Kanungo, senior consultant World Bank - Smart Cities, Digital Platforms and Services explains how the government felt the need for NUIS. He says, It is been four years now that the Smart Cities scheme has been launched. By 31 March, around 1 lakh crore tenders have been done. They have moved from planning and conceptualisation state to the implementation stage. However, the capacity at the city level remains very low. Smart Cities is all about using Industry 4.0, Digital Technologies and IoT, whereas the commissioners of the cities or special purpose vehicle (SPVs) guys typically are urban people. They know how to dig roads, how to install lamp posts but they have never done cyber-physical integration in their life. That capacity to do cyber-physical integration and make infrastructure intelligent or smart needs to be created in cities. Expecting that we will be able to quickly train the city commissioner and everybody in SPV team in Industry 4.0 technologies is difficult. So we will have to look for skill of capacity enhancement. It means that we create a shared service platform for each State, the way state data centres were created. The move to go to a shared service kind of project is now being understood by the government of India. They have now launched an initiative to create the National Urban Innovation Stack. The process has just started and it will take some time. The pilot testing of prototypes has already been done. The NUIS has been envisioned as a shared infrastructure which will be available to all stakeholders. Citizens, academicians, government, NGOs, Industry and other stakeholders in the urban space will be able to access the infrastructure. The same will help in reducing duplication of effort and facilitate interoperability. States and cities will have a choice to customise the solutions enabled through NUIS according to their needs. This will create an equal opportunity for all cities to implement solutions which are based on cyber-physical integration. The first layer in NUIS will be Core Data Infrastructure layer which will be made of registries and data infrastructure. Registries will be a single source of truth and will manage master urban data for the nation. The data infrastructure will have data standards and specifications. The second layer in NUIS will be core enabling service layer. This layer will constitute building blocks of reusable open APIs and libraries. Some services will be adopted as open source services and others will be adopted as open libraries. Some services will be developed by various stakeholders. Payment, authentication, localisation, GIS services, entity management will be part of these services. The third layer will be India Urban Data Exchange (IUDE) which will help facilitate data discovery and sharing between various stakeholders in the urban system, using open standards and APIs. The fourth layer will be of Urban Solutions Platforms (USP) which will have a functional solution that can be assembled by urban stakeholders like National Learning Platform, Citizen Centric Smart Government etc. As per government statement in Parliament a total of 5,151 projects worth Rs. 2,05,018 crore have been included by the selected 100 cities in their Smart City proposals. These projects are executed through the convergence of resources from central/state government/local body as well as externally funded Schemes/projects. It also envisages around 20 percent of the funding through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). So far, Rs 13,846.20 crore has been released to State governments/Union Territories (UTs) under the mission. As on 30 November 2018, 2,342 projects worth Rs 90,929 crore have been tendered, of which 1,675 projects worth Rs 51,866 crore are under implementation/have been completed. The pace of implementation of these projects has picked up significantly during the last year. There has been a 290 percent increase in projects tendered, 332 percent increase in projects grounded/completed and 479 percent increase in projects completed since October 2017. According to Dinesh Harode, senior Urban Planning/Management Specialist, IPE Global Limited, Projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore are under implementation. They have been awarded and are at different stages of implementation. If you talk about major projects, they are integrated control and command centres which are being made in most of the cities. Some of them are already operational like in cities of Bhopal, Vizag, Surat and Ahmedabad. They are now going to the next level of integrating various kind of data and helping the policymakers. Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) interventions are being made for core utilities like water and sewage. Surajit Biswas, head e-Governance Solutions, AVP, at 3i Infotech Ltd spoke in his personal capacity, Smart City, in my opinion, has seen partial success and the success percentage is on the lower side. Among the cities I know, Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam, Indore have made some visible changes, though its actual impact on the citizens is not known yet. I understand that it may take some time to see actual impact on social-economic development, while infrastructure change can be visible. However, most other cities are far away from the objective. In my view, the foremost reason for lack of progress is the inability to provide professional leadership to the SPV clubbed with autonomy. Today whether it's documented or not, most smart city management is marred by bureaucracy and lack of transparency. The autonomy of SPV is being used as a means of easy manipulation. The government is trying to address such issues in the implementation of smart cities scheme. Kanungo adds, World Bank has created a knowledge platform for Smart Cities. Talks on how to build this stack came from interactions under the Smart Republic Initiative. Some people from Europe representing Fiware Foundation has done a similar project in 129 cities across 40 countries presented this concept of having an open standard based platform. The World Bank commissioned a small prototype, then the successful prototype was shown to the ministry. They wanted them to do it at a national level. Further, the bank is trying to build a bigger project under the capacity building programme. There are about nine universities from Australia and 12 from Europe and a couple of them from the US who have these training programmes for Smart Cities. Under the World Bank project, we already have got an expression of interest from all these universities willing to be part of NIUS once it is created. Our role is to facilitate interaction amongst all the stakeholders." The NUIS will provide anytime-anywhere access to government services, delivering real-time updates while ensuring a KPI based service delivery. With the increased availability of open data, Citizens can collaborate with their government with higher trust and with increased frequency. It will also empower field level officials and the government will be able to drive and monitor national urban policy and practice in a focused manner by leveraging NUIS. Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Bhopal for Lok Sabha Election 2019 Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said that Hemant Karkare, Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief who died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, got what he deserved. Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Bhopal for Lok Sabha Election 2019 Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said that Hemant Karkare, Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief who died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, got what he deserved. She said the IPS officer died because of his 'karma' referring to his investigation which led to the arrest of Pragya and other Hindutva outfit members. While in Bhopal, Pragya alleged that Karkare had apparently said that he does not need evidence against the BJP candidate to prove her crime in court of law. "ATS took me from Surat to Mumbai on 10 October, 2008. I was a hostage for 13 days. Male ATS personnel tortured me a lot during this time. Karkare was cursed by the sannyasis and just 45 days after I went to jail he was killed by terrorists in 26/11 terror attacks." Pragya, however, skips the part where she has been named prime accused in the Malegaon blasts. "The investigating officers told Karkare to let me go. They said he does not have any proof. But Karkare said that he will do anything, bring evidence against me, but will not let me go." Pragya, who is facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, joined the BJP on 17 April, 2019 and is contesting from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat and is pitted against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh. "I will contest the election from Bhopal and win. Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is with me," Pragya said. The BJP has been holding Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, where about 4.5 lakh of the 18 lakh voters are Muslim, since 1989. According to sources, BJP leaders went into a huddle after Digvijay Singh's candidature was announced. In the 2018 Assembly elections, the Congress won three out of the eight assembly segments in the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, and in the remaining segments the BJP's victory margin decreased. Thakur had recently said she was ready for a "Dharm Yudh". "I am ready to take on Digvijaya Singh if the sanghatan (organisation, apparently referring to the BJP) asks me to do so," Pragya had told PTI last month. Born in Bhind district of Madhya Pradesh, Thakur has had a long association with the Sangh Parivar. A post-graduate in history, she worked with the RSS' student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and Durga Vahini, women's wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Arrested in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, she was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), but the trial court refused to discharge her from the case. The court dropped the charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against her, and she is now being tried under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. She was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017. Six people were killed and over 100 injured when a bomb went off near a mosque in Malegaon in north Maharashtra, on 29 September, 2008. According to the prosecution, it was the handiwork of a Hindu extremist group. With inputs from agencies (CNN) In the deepest chasms of the Indian Ocean, a mysterious new creature's been spotted, potentially for the first time. Diver Victor Vescovo was on a pioneering trip to the bottom of the Java Trench -- believed to be the deepest point in the Indian Ocean -- as part of the Five Deeps Expedition, that's being filmed for Discovery Channel. In the trench's murky depths, Vescovo and his team spotted what they think is a previously unseen species of jellyfish. They captured footage of the creature, which the team describes as an "extraordinary gelatinous animal" which "does not resemble anything seen before." Incredible moment Alan Jamieson, the expedition's chief scientist, spoke to CNN Travel about the incredible find. "I normally have a pretty fair idea of what we're going to see -- but every now and again you get thrown this curveball," says Jamieson. "It really looks artificial -- it rolls out the darkness and suddenly it turns and you're like, 'Jesus, that's some kind of weird jellyfish.'" The team gathered around the lens and kept repeating the footage, trying to work out what they'd found. Back in his hotel room in Bali, Jamieson scrolled through the Internet looking for clues. He came across a team of Japanese scientists who'd spotted something similar and spoke to them about the find. "We came to a conclusion it's called a tunicate, which is a sea squirt. This particular one is called, we think, an ascidian," he explains. "It doesn't really have a common name, because we're not quite sure what it is. But it looks like it's a tunicate which would normally be anchored to the seafloor -- using that big long tentacle, it would naturally be physically anchored. And it's for some reason raising its body above the sea floor so it can filter food out the water." Jamieson concluded that the creature has adapted to the particular conditions inside the Java Trench. "Trenches are quite seismic -- and normally tunicates would be attached to the sea floor. And, now, if it's quite a seismic environment, you run the risk of being buried -- so an adaptation to destructive environments is to raise yourself off the sea floor and in this case using this big long tentacle." Memorable moments It's one of many memorable moments for Scotsman Jamieson, who, by embarking on the Five Deeps Expedition, is believed to have become the deepest-diving British citizen in history. The Five Deeps Expedition aims to conduct a detailed, sonar mapping mission at the deepest spot in the Indian Ocean. It's all part of the Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project to map the world's seafloor in detail by the end of the year 2030. "For me, it's a personal thing and these sort of badges of being the first British [diver] to do it or the deepest [...] It's nice, but it's not ultimately why I do it," says Jamieson. "I just do it because I thought it was a whole different experience." So far this year, the team's covered 5,000 miles across Antarctica and spent two weeks in the Indian Ocean. And the adventure's not over yet. Jamieson's also had to adapt to the omnipresent film cameras, but he says it's a great project to be part of and he's excited to share the findings. "So far, we've made up something like 150,000 square kilometers of deep sea floor now -- and we're only halfway through it. Those maps, once we've processed them and cleaned them up, they will get put on online repositories, so they will be made available to anyone who wants to use them." Without a doubt the jellyfish will be one of the highlights of the expedition. "It seems to be is an absolute one in a million shot, where one of them has broken off from the others and is drifting in the current," says Jamieson. "It just so happened to drift right up to our camera, make a 90 degree turn, give us a beautiful shot of it and of it went -- so it's just such an unbelievably lucky shot." Jallianwala Bagh: The empire is still seen by some as a huge achievement for a tiny island nation On the hundredth anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh demanded an unequivocal apology from Britain, deeming prime minister Theresa Mays days-old expression of deep regret as insufficient. What would change had May used the word sorry? Would a formal apology convince India that its former coloniser is contrite about its controlling and extractive rule? Any honest answer to that last question must address two contradictory truths. First, Britain has never indicated any particular angst over the global imperial project. In fact, the empire is still generally seen as an enormous achievement for a small island nation, a venture that should arouse pride for its ambition, scale, longevity and discipline. The empire is supposed to have been a proto-globalisation project, spreading civilisation, rule of law, the postage stamp, the railway and the English language. Second, a debate is on in Britain over decolonising university curriculums as well as museum collections. Last year, Varsity, Cambridge University's main student newspaper, which is the same age as independent India, carried a piece that demanded British history be taught in a truthful rather than whitewashed way. And in line with other European imperial powers such as France, Germany and Belgium, Britain is also more willing than before to question the propriety of holding on to colonial-era masks, thrones, statues and jewellery. Last year, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London said it was willing to return to Ethiopia on long-term loan a gold crown, chalice and other treasures taken by the British army in 1868. Thus far, that new mood to repatriate cultural wealth does not extend to the Kohinoor diamond in the Tower of London. The two contradictions suggest Britain wants to move past the truths of history without disavowing it entirely. This is the context of Britains repeated refusal to explicitly say sorry for Jallianwala Bagh, as well as other shocking passages from colonial history. The 1943 Bengal Famine, for instance, left at least two million dead and Pakistans information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry recently said it was only right for Britain to apologise for this too. Little heed has been paid to this demand, even though the famine toll was a third of the numbers killed in the Holocaust. Germany has repeatedly displayed official public remorse for the Nazi atrocities, but post-imperial Britain has never felt the need to apologise for the deaths, oppression, societal upheaval and social engineering in India and other colonies. Perhaps thats because Germany was a defeated power in World War II and Britain has only ever felt it lost the battle of time with historys pendulum swinging away from the age of empire. This is one reason Britain now usually picks sober, reflective phrases but never sorry to respond to horrific instances of colonial violence. And as with Mays deep regret for Jallianwala Bagh, Tony Blair expressed deep sorrow for Britains role in the slave trade. Blair also spoke apologetically about London standing by while the Irish potato famine caused mass starvation in the mid-19th century. In 2013, the British government offered sincere regret and unusually, something more substantial too 2,600 each to roughly 5,000 people imprisoned and tortured during the Mau Mau rebellion in Kenya in the 1950s. The actions that accompanied the regret expressed to the Kenyans probably stands out as one of the strongest and most meaningful gestures of post-imperial atonement even though it didnt include a sorry. Is there still a case to be made for a simple and heartfelt sorry for Jallianwala Bagh rather than ever more convoluted attempts to sidestep an outright apology? May called it a shameful scar on British Indian history; her predecessor, David Cameron, said it was deeply shameful and Winston Churchill, secretary of war at the time of the massacre, described it as monstrous. But, there is a growing Western distaste for the fashion of apology for historical events. UK foreign office minister Mark Field said Jallianwala Baghs hundredth anniversary was a good moment to focus on our modern relationship with India I feel a little reluctant to make apologies for things that have happened in the past". Thats also been Spains response to Mexicos demand for an apology in the run-up to the 500th anniversary of the 1521 conquest of the Aztecs. Spain's foreign minister Josep Borrell said it was weird to receive now this request for an apology for events that occurred 500 years ago. Does it help to apologise for history? Can the living authentically say sorry for something done by other people, long since dead? It could be argued that the late Pope John Paul IIs many apologies, not least for the Crusades and the Inquisition, did no more than trigger a trend. After that, FW de Klerk apologised for apartheid, Jacques Chirac for the Vichy governments help to the Nazis and Boris Yeltsin for the Bolshevik Revolutions many mistakes. Did these apologies really change anything? Perhaps not. But there is still a powerful symbolic purpose in saying sorry for something. So long as you are genuinely sorry, that is. The Supreme Court asking all political parties to furnish details of donations through electoral bonds by 31 May put this problem back into the spotlight. Black money hogged the limelight in 2014. The promise of bringing back kala dhan or black money dominated the poll promises of the then Narendra Modi-led BJP and played a big role in delivering to the saffron party a landslide victory which decimated the Congress-led Opposition. The then BJP president Rajnath Singh publicly stated that if voted to power at the Centre, the party would bring back all the black money stashed in foreign banks 'within 150 days'. Come 2019, black money is a rarely used word in Modis election rallies; for his bete noire, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, kala dhan is not a priority. What happened to BJPs promise? First, what is black money? Any income upon which the tax is not paid to the government as per rules and not disclosed to the government is unaccounted cash. Since it came to power, BJP launched a few initiatives to target black money. The biggest of all was demonetisation: The sudden withdrawal of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that constituted 86 percent of the currency in the system, hoping that at least Rs 3 to 4 lakh crore of unaccounted cash will not return to the system and the government can ask the RBI to transfer that amount for its use. This calculation went horribly wrong. Not only over 99 percent of demonetised money came back to bank branches, such inflows put the income tax authorities in a spot since the onus to filter good money from bad in these deposits fell on them. Till, date there is no major progress as far as recovery is concerned. At the same time, this exercise came at a heavy cost to the RBI and the economy The RBI had to spend not less than Rs 20,000 crore for implementation. So far, the government has not commissioned any official study or released its assessments on the impact of demonetisation. But at least 50 lakh jobs were lost since demonetisation in 2016, found a study commissioned by Centre for Sustainable Employment (CSE) at Azim Premji University. Another study by a group of US economists, in a working paper Cash and the economy: Evidence from Indias demonetisation authored by Gabriel Chodorow-Reich, Gita Gopinath, Prachi Mishra, and Abhinav Narayanan said demonetisation shaved off two percent from Indias GDP in the immediate period following the note ban. To sum up, demonetisaton did very little to recover black money. A handful of schemes were launched subsequently to induce tax cheats to comply. These included the Income Declaration Scheme, Black Money and Imposition of Tax Act and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY). The exact figures are not available, but if the information from the government till now offers any clue, PMGKY was largely a failure with just about Rs 5,000 crore disclosed under it and around Rs 65,000 crore under other IDS. The taxmen are after these accounts. If we add the reported figures under other schemes such as Benami Act and findings of income tax searches, the combined figure of black money identified comes to around Rs 1.15 lakh crore. But the problem is that even if they manage to tax this money at 45-50 percent, these figures form only a miniscule of the total amount of black money speculated to have been stashed abroad and in India mostly converted to other form of assets. Retired IIM (B) professor R Vaidyanathan, who wrote a book entitled Black money and Tax Havens, puts the figure of domestic black money at Rs 15 lakh crore and Rs 65 lakh crore abroad. So, one reason why black money is missing from BJPs political rallies this time could be the fact that there isn't really a good figure to talk about as far as black money recovery is concerned when compared with the estimated unaccounted cash in the economy. The second could be electoral bonds. Latest vehicle for black money? Electoral bonds were introduced with the goal of bringing in greater transparency to political funding. Under this scheme, donors could walk into a designated bank and buy electoral bonds of a certain value, then deposit into the account of his/her preferred political party. No questions asked. The electoral bonds, thus, proved to be even more non-transparent an instrument than even straight cash donations which were even partly (high-value donations) disclosed to the Election Commission. If anyone thought that common man used this instrument to donate to the political party of his liking, they're wrong. According to an RTI reply, 99 percent of donations received by political parties between March 2018 and 24 January, 2019, were as electoral bonds of Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore. Guess who was buying these bonds? Not surprisingly, the ruling BJP got 95 percent of the funds through electoral bonds (around Rs 210 crore). The Election Commission woke up to the problem a tad late. The Supreme Court asking all political parties to furnish details of donations through electoral bonds by 31 May put this problem back into the spotlight. Now, lets come to the central point. What is the link between the now forgotten black money issue and the mysterious electoral bonds? To put it simply, one could be the facilitator to the other to thrive: with no questions asked. This could happen in two ways: One, companies can transfer black money to political parties through such bonds, either by self or through a subsidiary firm set up for this purpose. This can also prove to be a channel to bribe the ruling party if a corporation needs favours from the government. Second, opaque political funding could also hinder the black money battle through other channels. How will the government take action against a firm found to be involved in black money transaction if the same company has contributed generously to the party through electoral bonds? The Election Commission has raised the right questions in the Supreme Court, albeit a little late. Handing over the names of donors in a sealed envelope to the court is no solution to the threat posed by this instrument to the idea of clean political funding. Electoral bonds needs to be scrapped outright or the details must be made accessible to the public on the EC website to bring in real transparency in poll funding. Fighting black money will remain a gimmick until political parties come clean. A Malegaon blast victim's father and a political activist on Thursday moved the special NIA court and the Election Commission respectively seeking barring of prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a day after the BJP fielded her from Bhopal. Mumbai/New Delhi: A Malegaon blast victim's father and a political activist on Thursday moved the special NIA court and the Election Commission respectively seeking barring of prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a day after the BJP fielded her from Bhopal. The BJP, meanwhile, said it will contest the polls in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh as a fight against the alleged "conspiracy" by the Congress to defame Hindu religion by linking it to terrorism. The application before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai was filed by Nisar Sayeed, who lost his son in the blast in 2008. Special judge VS Padalkar sought replies from both the NIA and Thakur and posted the matter for Monday. The applicant pleaded that Thakur, who is out on bail, be asked to attend court proceedings in Mumbai and be barred from contesting the election as the trial is in progress. Thakur has spent nine years in jail and is out on bail since 2017 on health grounds. If Thakur was "healthy enough to fight elections in the crippling summer heat", then she has misled the court, Sayeed alleged. A petition seeking cancellation of her bail is pending before the Supreme Court, the applicant said. Six people were killed and over 100 injured in a bomb blast at Malegaon, a communally-sensitive textile town in north Maharashtra, on 29 September, 2008. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Thakur and others in the case, alleging they were part of a Hindu extremist group which carried out the blast. The NIA later gave Thakur a clean chit, but the court did not discharge her. It dropped charges against her under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, but she is still facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code sections. In a letter to the Election Commission, Poonawalla said the Maharashtra ATS had found Thakur to be the "principal conspirator" in the Malegaon blast. Her name has also cropped up in the Ajmer Dargah blast case, he said. "I would humbly request the Election Commission of India to take further necessary steps to uphold the Model Code of Conduct 2019 and take appropriate action against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and debar her from contesting elections," the letter said. He said in his letter that "a candidate accused with terror links must not be permitted to contest elections." She also stands accused of "murder, attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, and of promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion", said Poonawalla, who is known for his proximity with the Congress. However, as per the law, any citizen above 25 years of age is eligible to contest polls unless convicted for any crime that entails punishment for two years or more. Calling Thakur an innocent person, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said she was tortured and asked Opposition parties what problem they had if the BJP has fielded her as its candidate. "We are contesting this election in Bhopal as a fight against the Congress conspiracy to insult Hindu religion by linking it to terrorism. Digvijaya Singh was the face of this conspiracy," Rao told reporters in Delhi. Singh is the Congress candidate from the seat. Rao alleged that Congress president Rahul Gandhi had "masterminded" this conspiracy, claiming that it was meant to appease a minority community. Rohit Shekhar Tiwari came into the limelight for fighting a long drawn paternity battle with ND Tiwari who had refused to accept him as his biological son Three days after former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand chief minister ND Tiwari's son Rohit Shekhar Tiwari was brought dead to a hospital in New Delhi's Saket area, a post-mortem report of the deceased has revealed the cause of death to be "unnatural", reports News18. A case has been registered under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC against unknown persons by the Delhi Police. #NewsAlert Post mortem report of late ND Tiwari's son Rohit Shekhar Tiwari reveals 'unnatural death'. Case registered under section 302 of the IPC (murder case) against unknown persons: @DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/v1fxHZqAvc News18 (@CNNnews18) April 19, 2019 Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) (South) Vijay Kumar had earlier said that Rohit, a resident of Defence Colony in south Delhi, was brought to the hospital around 5 pm in an ambulance. His mother Ujjwala Tiwari was also admitted to the same hospital when she received a call from their home about her son being "unwell and bleeding from the nose". She was later quoted as saying that Rohit was "depressed for a long time". " "There are a few people responsible for the same. I will reveal the names of the people who caused him depression," she said. ND Tiwari had died at the age of 93 on 18 October 2018, his birthday. Rohit, 40, had joined the BJP ahead of the 2017 Uttarakhand Assembly polls. He first came into the limelight for fighting a long-drawn paternity battle with his father who had refused to accept him as his biological son. The Congress veteran had later went on to accept him as his son. Ramayana narratives of Wayanad blend facts, history, myths, legends and beliefs seamlessly in a way that transforms a major Hindu epic into a conduit for cultural identity and protest BJP chief Amit Shah may have had trouble differentiating Wayanad, now famous as Rahul Gandhis Lok Sabha constituency, from Pakistan, but he might be somewhat reassured if he took a closer look at the local culture in this verdant Kerala district. It wouldnt be far-fetched to say that Wayanad is the land of the Ramayana, or, more accurately, of many Ramayanasretellings of the epic that have become part of the oral traditions and belief systems of several tribal communities living here. Wayanads association with Hinduism goes back millennia. This is manifest in many stone inscriptions and temples in the regionincluding the ancient Thirunelly temple where Congress president Rahul Gandhi recently offered prayersas well as in communities such as the Nair, Nambiar, Namboothiri, and Chetty. Here you will also see Jain rock temples dating between the 9th and 14th centuries. In contrast, Muslim migrations to Wayanad started happening only around three centuries ago. The Christians were even later to arrive, with the largest migration occurring between the 1930s and 60s. Notably, Wayanad has Keralas highest concentration of tribal communities, which comprise 17.34 per cent of the districts population. Wayanad has 12 distinct tribal communities (which are further divided into subsects). While these tribes have long suffered human rights violations (for example, members of the Adiya and Paniya communities were sold as slaves on the occasion of the Valliyoorkavu Temple festival until 1975, when the practice was banned by law), their rich oral traditions and folklore have kept their voices from being completely silenced. These stories, legends and songs, it is believed, have their roots in the tribal communities need to assert their identity and overcome the kind of existential crisis that comes with living in the margins of civilisation for centuries. Part of this process is cultural and spiritual appropriations from the dominant Hindu communities. This is evident in cultural narratives of the Ramayana (as opposed to literary ones such as those by Valmiki, Ramanujan, Kambar and Tulsidas) in oral tribal traditions. Wayanad and the Ramayana The Ramayana plays a major role in the belief systems of different sects and classes of the Hindu religion, but also beyond it. Just as Malabar Muslims developed their own narrative of the Ramayana, known as the Mappila Ramayanam, the tribal communities and sub-communities of Wayanad have also retold the epic in their own ways. There are some similarities across retellings: most have planted the Ramayana into their local context, and have introduced characters from other tribal legends into the story. Many regional communities also have certain beliefs and stories in common. For example, the Hindus as well as adivasis in the region believe that Sita disappeared from where the famous Seetha Devi Temple stands today, near Pulpally town. It is believed that as Sita was sinking into the earth, Lord Rama held onto her hair, resulting in her tresses getting torn off. She is venerated here as Chedattilamma. Locals also believe that Valmikis ashram was situated in Ashramakoly, and that though it was run by the upper castes, the responsibility of thatching its roof fell on the Mulla Kuruma adivasi community. It is believed that Sita gave birth to Lava and Kusa in this ashram, and that it was adivasi women who provided postpartum care. Similarly, there are numerous legends that link hills from Ramayana stories to those in Wayanad. For instance, scores of tribal communities, as well as upper-caste Hindus, believe that the war between Banasura and Krishna happened on Banasuramala in Wayanad. It is believed that during the war, Krishna chopped off Banasuras karam (hand), and thus the place is named Karabanam (an eponymous temple at the foot of Banasura Hill is well known in the region). Then there is Thirunelly, known as the Kashi (an important site of spiritual pilgrimage) of the south, which is central to the beliefs and legends of upper caste Hindus and subaltern communities. Most of these legends place the original ancient texts into the landscape. One legend is that Lord Rama, along with Lakshmana, Bharata and others conducted the last rites for their father King Dasaratha on the banks of the Papanashini River, which is considered to be the regional counterpart for Ganga, complete with sins-cleansing properties. A tale of two Ramayanas Oral texts, in the form of folklore, riddles, myths and legends, are the more ancient forms of literature in cultures around the world. The Ramayana, despite being a written text, has also survived in the form of oral narratives that have modified and adapted it to reflect living circumstances and socio-economic realities. The spoken Ramayana, unlike written versions, is flexible, flowing, and constantly undergoing change. Lets take a closer look at two of the local versions of the Ramayana in Wayanadthe Adiya Ramayana and Chetty Ramayana. Storytelling is an intrinsic part of the Adiya community and many of their leaders are expert storytellers. The most notable names among these are Mathai Vaidyar, PK Kalan, and PK Kariyan. What distinguishes the Adiya Ramayana is the contextualisation of the main Ramayana narrative to settings in Wayanad in Kerala, and Coorg in the neighbouring Karnataka. Lanka is not across an ocean but near a river. In this story Sita is a woman from the Adiya tribe and hails from Pulpally, Wayanad. Tellingly, major characters like Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman are lower in status than Adiya tribal gods like Siddappa, Nenjappa and Mathappa. Another point of deviation in the Adiya Ramayana is the introduction of new episodes. For example, there is a scene where Rama and Lakshmana are tied to a tree and questioned by tribal chiefs about Ramas abandonment of a pregnant Sita. Also, here Ravana takes Sita to Lanka with her full consent. She knows Ravana even before she meets Rama. Certain episodes are also omittedthe Adiya Ramayana is the only version that eschews a battle scene. Social issues concerning the Adiya tribe also feature prominently. Lack of personal property among the adivasis is one such issue. Mathais Ramayana starts with a conversation between Sita and Pakkathappan (Lord Pakkam; Pakkam is a place in Wayanad). Pakkathappan commands Sita to leave his country with her belongings. This situation is reminiscent of an adivasi being removed from his land by a landlord. Mathai says he heard this tale as a bedtime story from his grandfather. This points towards an autobiographical element in Mathais retelling of the Ramayana, since his forefathers for generations had worked as slave labourers in the Thrisseleri, Thirunelly and Kodagu regions. The Chetty Ramayana also converts the epic into the oral tradition by transporting stories in the landscape of the communitys existence, but there are some differences in style from the Adiya Ramayana. The Chettys migrated to Wayanad centuries ago. According to Rao Bahadur C Gopalan Nair, Wayanadan Chettys hail from Dharapuram near Coimbatore, Edanadan Chettys from Edanadu in Kodagu, and the Mandadan Chetty from Gudalur in Nilgiri. Their language and culture corroborate this argument. Most of the legends created in the oral tradition were likely created to glorify the place of migration, probably in an attempt to gain social acceptance among the dominant indigenous communities. It is also possible that some such stories were already prevalent as oral traditions in the areas from which they had migratedTamil Nadu and Karnatakaand were thus transplanted into the landscape of Wayanad. Migration may drive the need to recreate the cultural imprints of a communitys native place into the new landscape. When this recreation is done, some elements of the former self remains. One example of this is Bammathan Daivam, a Kannada-speaking god of the Wayanadan Chettys. Unlike many adivasis, the members of the Wayanadan Chetty community are generally literate and also have a connection with the temple culture. They have knowledge about the Ramayana texts of Valmiki and Ramanujan. Thus, when they narrate oral stories they try to relate it with the written text, even as they adapt episodes into the landscape of Wayanad. Traditional deities of the Wayanadan Chetty community also feature in the story. It is their forest goddesses who inform Rama and Lakshmana that the horse in the Ashwamedha Yaga has been reined in by Lava and Kusa. Thus, the Ramayana narratives of Wayanad blend facts, history, myths, legends and beliefs seamlessly in a way that transforms a major Hindu epic into a conduit for cultural identity and protest. The Ramayanas of Wayanad attest to the diversity among Hindus in the regionwhich, perhaps more than its Muslim population, makes it a tricky wicket for the BJP. (Azeez Tharuvana is an assistant professor at University of Calicut) Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Congress national spokesperson, has resigned from the party on Friday over inaction regarding an incident when party workers allegedly 'misbehaved' with her. Priyanka Chaturvedi, former Congress national spokesperson, has resigned from the party on Friday over inaction regarding an incident when party workers allegedly "misbehaved" with her. Chaturvedi on Wednesday lashed out at the Congress for reinstating those who had reportedly "threatened" her with a rape threat. Tweeting out the resignation letter addressed to party chief Rahul Gandhi, Chaturvedi said, "I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey." I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey. pic.twitter.com/WhUYYlwHLj Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 19, 2019 "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get preference in @incindia over those who have given their sweat and blood. Having faced brickbats and abuse across the board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate," Chaturvedi said on Twitter after reports of the party workers getting reinstated. On Friday, Chaturvedi removed 'Convener - AICC Communication' and 'national spokesperson' from her Twitter description and exited the Congress' WhatsApp groups, reports said. After her tweet slamming the Congress on Wednesday, Chaturvedi was unavailable and no party colleague was able to communicate with her, News18 reported. She also refused to speak to reporters. The Uttar Pradesh Congress had suspended some workers for misbehaving with Chaturvedi during a press conference in Mathura a few days ago. But, on Monday, the party issued a communication in which it rescinded all actions taken earlier against such workers who "misbehaved" with Chaturvedi in Mathura. The action of rescinding the suspension, party leaders claimed, was taken on the recommendations of Congress general secretary for West Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chaturvedi has also been trending on social media for her "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi" jibe at Union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Journalists spoke in support of Chaturvedi soon after reports of her resignation. The way the @INCIndia has behaved with @priyankac19 is unacceptable. Her hurt is genuine. How can the party protect goons who misbehave? Huge loss for the congress. Articulate feisty spokie gone in the middle of elections Swati Chaturvedi (@bainjal) April 19, 2019 Priyanka Chaturvedi has spunk and commitment. Congress has lost an erudite spokesperson who came with no dynastic background, not that that is wrong, but just saying that she was committed to the party and leadership and carved a niche for herself. See you in another avatar PC Smita Prakash (@smitaprakash) April 19, 2019 With inputs from agencies Chaturvedi had lashed out at the party in public on Thursday and accused it of giving preference to 'lumpen goons' over those who had given their 'sweat and blood' to the Congress. New Delhi: Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala Friday said the resignation of Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was the party's national spokesperson and convenor of its media cell, was a reflection on his leadership. Chaturvedi was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers, who had misbehaved with her, and she resigned from the party and joined the Shiv Sena on Friday. Addressing a press conference, Surjewala said, "Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression. We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi. I must frankly and on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership." After quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi had sent her resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. "In the last few weeks certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self respect and dignity,"Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter. Chaturvedi had lashed out at the party in public on Thursday and accused it of giving preference to "lumpen goons" over those who had given their "sweat and blood" to the Congress. Asked if India's opposition to the BRI would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan city Beijing: China said Friday it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year to improve ties, notwithstanding the differences over the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative in which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project. Addressing a media conference ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from 25 to 27 April to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi appealed to India to shed its opposition to the $60 billion CPEC, saying it no way "undermined" the basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Asked if India's opposition to the BRI would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan city. "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. "After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. After the Wuhan summit hosted by China, the second summit will be held by India. President Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd informal summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries organisations' close to 5,000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries who would take part in the meeting. Informed sources told PTI there was no official invitation from China to the Indian leadership or at the ministerial level to take part in its 2nd BRF meeting. For its first BRF meeting held in May 2017, China had invited India to take part in the six separate forums that China organised as part of the meeting. Indian Ambassador to China, Vikram Misri flagged India's concerns over the CPEC in an interview to State-run Global Times last month stating that "above all, connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". The BRI is a multi-billion-dollar initiative launched by President Xi when he came to power in 2013. It aims to link Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. The CPEC which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. "It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. The Indian side wants to put our difference at a proper level in order not to interfere in the development of our relations," he said. "I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see," he said. "One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has their concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country and has nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries," he said. Besides India's protests over the CPEC, China's doling out of huge sums of money specially to smaller countries raised concerns after Beijing acquired Sri Lanka's strategic Hambantota port on a 99-year lease as a debt swap. "India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," Wang said, apparently suggesting that it would not alter even Pakistan's position on the disputed status of the PoK. China has been maintaining that Kashmir dispute is left over from history and it should be resolved between India and Pakistan. "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area. "I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities of development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India," Wang said. Asked whether the US is taking part in the 2nd BRF meet, Wang, while criticising Washington's stand, said America took part in the first BRF meet in 2017. "We welcome their participation. According to what we know American diplomats, local government and business leaders have confirmed their participation in the 2nd BRF," Wang said. Wang said besides the US, France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the EU will send high-level representatives to the forum. Reuters When Ohio University integrative biologist Nancy Stevens peered into a drawer in the wooden cabinets on the top floor of a Nairobi museum in 2010, she saw a chunk of rock containing massive teeth and knew she had come across something important. The overlooked fossils stored at the National Museums of Kenya belonged to one of the largest meat-eating mammals ever to walk the Earth, a beast called Simbakubwa kutokaafrika that stalked Africa 22 million years ago, according to research by Stevens and co-author Matthew Borths published on Thursday. Bigger than any carnivorous land mammal alive today - even a polar bear - Simbakubwas skull was the size of a rhinos, its eight-inch (20-cm) canine teeth as large as bananas. It weighed about a ton and was 8 feet long (2-1/2 meters) snout to rump. According to the research published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the fossils were excavated around 1980 in western Kenya and never closely examined. "Most of the specimens that I study are quite small, so you can imagine my surprise when I opened a drawer that I hadnt examined yet, and saw the enormous teeth glinting up at me. The specimen had been collected decades before, and the team that discovered this fossil was more focused on other parts of the fauna, particularly primates, Stevens said. Simbakubwa was a member of a group called Hyaenodonts that appeared 62 million years ago, 4 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs paved the way for mammalian dominance, and went extinct 9 million years ago. Hyaenodonts preceded carnivore groups like cats, bears, hyenas and wolves, and were closely related to none of them. At first glance, it would have looked like a gigantic hyena or long-tailed wolf with a head that was a little too big for its body. I imagine something like the wargs from Lord of the Rings, said Borths, a Duke Lemur Center paleontologist, referring to fictional monstrous wolves. Simbakubwas name means big lion in Swahili though it was not a cat. It was the largest predator in its ecosystem, a fragmented forest inhabited by early apes, hippo relatives and elephant relatives, and was probably the largest carnivorous land mammal in Africa up to that time. It was not an animal built for long efficient runs across open ground. Instead, its foot was flexed. Carnivores with this posture tend to be ambush hunters like tigers rather than pursuit hunters like wolves, Borths said. The decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to suspend trade across the Line of Control (LoC) has hit a large number of businessmen. Srinagar: The decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to suspend trade across the Line of Control (LoC) has hit a large number of businessmen in Srinagar by blocking their goods consignments in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) which they had ordered, officials and traders said. President of the Salamabad Traders Union, Hilal Turki, said that the decision of the authorities to suspend trade will cause large-scale losses to them after the blocking of movement of goods. He said that the traders were set to get the consignments in lieu of the goods that had been transported across the LoC. This is sudden and without any notice, we will face heavy losses. Our goods which were in transit have been blocked, he said. The MHA has said that the trade which was running four days a week was being suspended until the authorities had put in place fresh regulations to check the funneling of illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency through the two trade routes of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkote. The order further read that significant number of trading groups engaged in LoC trade are operated by persons closely associated with banned terror organisations involved in fuelling terrorism/separatism. The move to suspend the trade has come several months after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested many separatist leaders and also questioned some cross-LoC traders in its ongoing investigating in the routing of funds raised through the trade for fomenting separatist activities in Kashmir. The police and NIA officials have said that since the trade was done in barter, a mechanism of under-invoicing and over-invoicing was being used to raise the funds for seperatist activities in Kashmir. However, both the traders and separatists have denied this. The suspension order was issued also in the wake of the 14 February attack on a CRPF convoy by a Kashmiri militant in which at least 40 paramilitary force personnel were killed. Turki said that the traders were never against introduction of a better regulatory mechanism and had earlier asked the government to set up truck scanners for proper monitoring. He said that since the trade was carried out in barter, it was not possible to recover the money that was to come in the form of goods. The trade has remained temporarily suspended for several days during shelling along the LoC, but it is for the first time that it has been closed completely by the government, citing reason that it was being used for narcotics supply and raising of funds for anti-India activities. In July 2017, the police had claimed to have recovered around 66 kg of heroin costing over Rs 300 crore from one of the trucks used in the LoC trade. However, after that, no major haul was claimed by the authorities in Srinagar. On the contrary, during the time of PDP-BJP government, the state had been pushing for increasing the number of goods which are allowed for trade. From along the Srinagar-Muzafarbad route, there are at least 229 traders who are registered for business while the number was 380 along the Poonch-Rawalakote side, officials and trade representatives said. Fareed Ahmad, custodian of Cross LoC trade, said that each week, at least 280 trucks transport goods on the two sides of LoC. He, however, said that he has not received an official intimation that the trade was being suspended. Ahmad said that many traders had money lying with those in PoK and added that the measures were already being put in place "to strengthen monitoring". "The work is currently going on over the setting up of a full-body truck scanner at the trading point in Poonch," he said. Pawan Anand, a cross-LoC trader, said that he had been doing business for a long time and the decision to halt the trade will affect me badly. During the trade, all sorts of goods that range from dry fruits to embroidery items are being exchanged across the LoC. There are 21 items which have been identified and are allowed to be traded, he added. The LoC trade was seen as a major confidence-building measure between India and Pakistan and the traders have been seeking banking facilities. The government in Kashmir had earlier also been working on setting up regular phone lines between the traders divided by LoC, and even facilitated meetings to sort out issues that were coming in the way of trade. The trade has been running since the time of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, it makes no sense to suspend this, said Turki. Along the Poonch-Rawalkote route, the shells from Pakistani side have been landing near the trade facilities, which had earlier prompted the authorities to suspend it for several days. The trade remained suspended earlier for several days this month when the election process started here, but that was temporary, said Pawan Anand. Eleven years later, on 18 April 2019, the Government of India decided to suspend the trans-LoC trade with immediate effect on grounds of its severe misuse. The background to the earlier decision on trade and the developments in the intervening period between 2008 and 2019 will explain why the Government of India took this decision. By virtue of having commanded the Uri Brigade at the Line of Control and at the Baramula-based Dagger Division in Jammu and Kashmir during most challenging times, I was witness to and formed a part of the execution of two major decisions that were designed for long term strategic effect in the highly charged Jammu and Kashmir situation. The first decision was in 2005 with the opening of the Srinagar-Uri-Muzaffarabad road on 7 April, 2005 to allow divided families of Kashmir and others to have mutual exchanges of visits with their relatives without resort to the expensive air route or via Wagah border. It was a major confidence-building measure (CBM) by India and Pakistan in the light of the peace process set up by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and president Pervez Musharraf, which was continued by Vajpayee's successor Manmohan Singh. After Uri's famous Kaman Post the second transit point for the cross LoC bus service was opened at Chakkan-da-Bagh (CDB) in Poonch. The next major decision was in 2008; the opening of two trade routes at both transit points of the bus service, to facilitate trance LoC trade in local produce between Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir. Eleven years later, on 18 April 2019, the Government of India decided to suspend the trans-LoC trade with immediate effect on grounds of its severe misuse. The background to the earlier decision on trade and the developments in the intervening period between 2008 and 2019 will explain why the Government of India took this decision. In 2008, the four-year-long peace process, involving various confidence-building measures between India and Pakistan appeared tapering off with the separatists perceiving the ground slipping under their feet. A chain of contrived events led to the Amarnath Shrine Board agitation in Kashmir. The immediate fallout was the commencement of a similar agitation in Jammu to blockade movement of goods to Kashmir. The resultant effect was a demand by traders of Kashmir for an opportunity to set up trade with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir as an alternative to trade with Jammu which had blocked them and held them to ransom for some time. On 11 August 2008 a massive march, with almost a lakh of people from Sopore to Uri, was attempted to forcibly press for trans-LoC trade by trying to cross the LoC. Hurriyat leader Sheikh Abdul Aziz was mysteriously killed during the march. It led to a period of intense agitation, the precedent to the stone throwing agitations which havent stopped till today. However, the government accepted a fledgeling system of cross-LoC trade through two identified transit points with the proviso that the goods exchanged would be only identified ones and those produced locally. Since no banking facility or even communication facility was set up, everything commenced on an ad hoc basis with barter being the system rather than payment through banks. Unlike Chakkan-da-Bagh, due to lack of space, the Kaman transit point had to be shifted to a location 18 kilometres inside at Salamabad, close to Uri. That meant initially once and later four times a week as many as hundred Pakistani trucks with Pakistani drivers entered 18 kilometers to unload their goods and many times could not exit the same day. How many of these drivers were agents of the ISI or simply Pakistani soldiers or officers in disguise could never be ascertained. The promised banking facility was never provided since after the 26/11 Mumbai attack the peace process and CBMs came to an end. The trans-LoC trade continued as a barter trade, a travesty in the 21st Century. However, expansion from one to four days a week took place on demand of traders of both sides. The effect of drift without any clear understanding of the threats posed by the trade did compromise security. If a banking system had been set up with verifiable bank records it would have afforded at least a semblance of control. In the absence of that, the barter allowed the Indian side to send fewer goods and pay the dues meant for the PoK counterpart, to the Separatists; the PoK trader could be compensated by agencies of Pakistan. A system of tampering with invoices was not difficult to set up. With such a large volume of trucks permitted it was a matter of time before contraband found its way into the system. Pakistani mobile sim cards could be smuggled by the drivers at will and were in much demand on the Indian side in a period before Whatsapp existed. Trans LoC mobile communication on Pakistani sim cards continues to pose a threat in terms of coordination of terror-related activities. The large volume of truck movement and the need for a hasty return to the other side obviated major checks for contraband such as narcotics or even explosive material. On one or two occasions the trade remained suspended when weapons were apprehended from within hiding places inside the trucks. Although the system was reviewed several times it appeared that the real threats never really caught attention. For many months even coconuts from Kerala were the export from India when it clearly prohibited trade in any goods other than local produce. The Indian Army was never comfortable with a large number of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir trucks permitted to enter and stay at Salamabad at night. It prevented proper checks and afforded enough scope for mischief. However, it was never understood as to why India was facilitating activities against its own security. Delhi knew what was happening but Srinagar appeared to have the last say. All Delhi needed to do was to streamline the system through banking and formal communication infrastructure with mandatory records. Even the simple long demanded full body scanner for large trucks to facilitate a peep into fully loaded vehicles without unloading was never provided. The purchase of that equipment has remained in process for the better part of twenty years without fructification. It seems no one can offer an explanation on why this is so. Thus, with the suspension of most favoured nation status for Pakistan by India after the Pulwama incident the zero duty proviso no longer remains in vogue. India has decided to do away with the trans-LoC trade on the premise of the security threats it poses. The truth of it is that both India and Pakistan remained reluctant players in the entire exercise of trade, refusing traders what was due to them in terms of banking, interaction and communication facilities. Instead of becoming a confidence-building exercise it became one of increasing suspicion. The involvement of clandestine networks supported by Separatists and terrorists was obvious but given the NIAs competence, this could be made foolproof if a commitment was undertaken and some degree of formalisation of procedures beyond the barter system was instituted. In the absence of any major verifiable systems, the most prudent decision, for now, is to temporarily suspend the trade. However, it is still a retrograde step in Indo Pak relations when each CBM is rolled back. Given the prevailing environment, especially after the botched Banihal attempt at a second car bomb attack in less than two months, the authorities have reason to perceive that all facilitators for terror activity in Kashmir which have insufficient scope for surveillance be placed under temporary suspension. The social impact in terms of loss of jobs among common people and revenue by traders will no doubt be very negative; the value of the trade over three years being approximately Rs 3,433 crore. In comparison to the very unpopular decision regarding closure of the National Highway to the public on two days of the week, this decision can yet be justified. However, with a difficult job market, the administration could do well to work overtime to ameliorate the social effects of the decision. The Tamil Nadu board is expected to declare the results for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), or Class 12, examinations on Friday, 19 April (today) at 9.30 am. TN Board Result 2019 declared| The Tamil Nadu board declared the results for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC), or Class 12, examinations on Friday, 19 April (today) at 9.30 am. Candidates who appeared for the HSC Class 12 exams can check their scores on the official website tnresults.nic.in, dge1.tn.nic.in and dge2.tn.nic.. Students can also can also access their results on examresults.net. The Tamil Nadu board is also expected to release the SSLC, or Class 10, scores on 29 April. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE updates ON TAMIL NADU BOARD RESULT 2019 This year, around eight lakh students appeared for the HSC exams, which was held from 1 March till 19 March by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations. According to the Tamil Nadu School Education Department, to pass these exams, candidates need to secure at least 30 out of 150 marks in the theory exams and 40 out of 50 marks in the practical exams. The state education board has announced that an instant exam will be conducted for candidates who fail to obtain the minimum pass percentage. This test will be held between 3 June and 10 June. How to check your TN HSC Class 12 results 2019: Step 1: Visit the official website tnresults.nic.in or examresults.net. Step 2: Click on the link that says 'TN HSC Class 12 results' Step 3: Fill in the required details in the window that opens Step 4: Your results will appear on the screen Step 5: Download your results and keep a printout for future reference In 2018, 9,82,097 students had appeared for the TN HSC Class 12 exams. The pass percentage for the Tamil Nadu Education's Class 12 exams was 91.1 percent in 2018, with 87.7 percent boys and 94.1 percent girls having passed. TN Board Result 2019 Declared | Tamil Nadu 12th result has been released on the official websites: tnresults.nic.in, dge.tn.nic.in, dge1.tn.nic.in and dge2.tn.nic.in. 'HSE (+2) March 2019 exam results expected on 19th April @ 09:30 Hrs,' confirmed Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu regarding the TN 12th result. TN 12th Result 2019 Declared | Tamil Nadu 12th result has been released on the official websites: tnresults.nic.in, dge.tn.nic.in, dge1.tn.nic.in and dge2.tn.nic.in. "HSE (+2) March 2019 exam results expected on 19th April @ 09:30 Hrs," confirmed Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu regarding the TN 12th result. This year, overall 91.3 percent students of the total have passed, reports have said. Girls have outshone boys this year too with 93.64 percent and boys pass percentage is 88.57 percent. The top three districts are Tirupur with overall pass percentage is 95.37 percent, Erode with 95.37 percent and Perambalur at 95.15 percent. A total of 8,87,992 students will receive the Tamil Nadu 12th result today. Last year, the pass percentage for the Class 12 exams was 91.1 percent. 87.7 percent boys and 94.1 percent girls cleared the tests last year. CLICK HERE FOR LIVE updates ON TAMIL NADU BOARD RESULT 2019 Candidates who appeared for the HSC Class 12 exams can check their scores on the official websites tnresults.nic.in, dge1.tn.nic.in and dge2.tn.nic. Students can also can also access their results on examresults.net. This year, around eight lakh students appeared for the HSC exams, which was conducted between 1 March and 19 March by the Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examinations. In 2018, 9,82,097 students had appeared for the Tamil Nadu HSC Class 12 exams. According to the Tamil Nadu School Education Department, to pass these exams, candidates needed to secure at least 30 out of 150 marks in the theory exams and 40 out of 50 marks in the practical exams. Earlier, the state education board announced that an instant exam will be conducted for candidates who fail to obtain the minimum pass percentage. This test will be held between 3 June and 10 June. Indias poorest district, Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh, is a place where nothing shines in the gloom of all-pervasive deprivation Kamal Mandloi hung from the big neem tree, the only one on the parched land, his body mottled with deep blue bruises, punctuated by great gashes. One eye hung from its socket. Strangely, the villagers of Chapria noted, the 21-year-olds hands were neatly tucked into his pockets. His fiancee, Geeta (name changed), sat nearby, her clothes torn, her body covered in dried blood, unable to register anything that was being said to her. This month, leaders from major political parties have fanned out across the dusty roads of Alirajpur, the district in Madhya Pradesh with the unhappy distinction of being Indias poorest, promising drinking water, schools and hospitals. Local residents have waited decades for those words to turn into reality. Now, they have one more thing to wait for: justice for a young man who dared demand that promises be kept. Its been a bruising summer for Mukesh Rawat Patel, the Congresss Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Alirajpur. Five surveys conducted by the party, he says proudly, named him the most popular politician in the area, ahead of six competitors three of them kin. His pursuit of the people is relentless. Ive attended 80 weddings in the last 10 days, says Patel. Plus, Ive attended each and every funeral in Alirajpur. Except, that is, Mandlois funeral. The bruises on Geetas body are beginning to fade; her memories arent. According to her testimony, the young couple was returning home from Alirajpur town when they were stopped by a gang of men led by the village sarpanchs husband, Phoolsingh. Phoolsinghs son and men from the single Thakur family in the adjoining tribal villages of Chapria and Amba were with him. Geeta was raped by at least three men, she alleges, while Mandloi was beaten. Three days before his murder, Mandloi had complained that Phoolsingh misappropriated funds meant for the villagers Mahatma Gandhi National Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) and Swacch Bharat entitlements. The police insist that Mandloi committed suicide after a love affair gone wrong. Local residents say the police hasnt visited the village to search for the men Geeta has named let alone question them. In most parts of the country, politicians would have used the shocking tragedy for all it was worth to target the government. In Alirajpur, however, not a single politician thinks its worth their while to even visit the bereaved family. FORGOTTEN DISTRICT Sixty-eight years after the elections were first held in 1951, Alirajpur has been found to be Indias poorest, according to the 2018 United Nations multi-dimentional poverty index (MPI). The index looks beyond economic aspects at 10 indicators such as nutrition, health, years of schooling, sanitation, housing and drinking water. In every election since 1951, politicians have promised to develop social infrastructure but it simply doesnt exist. What does a tribal farmer want? asks Alirajpurs former MLA, Nagar Singh Chouhan, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who won the seat three times running since 2003. A well, electricity, and that too free, he says. The shortage of doctors in Alirajpur is startling: out of the 44 posts for specialist doctors in the district, 42 are vacant. People from outside do not want to work here, says Dr Priti Rathod, the district programme manager for the National Health Mission. The moment they get to know that they have been posted here, they apply for transfers. Or they dont come at all. Education is doing just as badly. In Bardala villages Ukla hamlet, 15 kilometres from Alirajpur town, young boys have saved phone numbers in their cellphones but without names. The first and the last number of the 10s digits are used as a guide for memory, instead. No one here has ever been to school except one boy who dropped out in Class 5. He can barely read. This isnt, perhaps, surprising: Ukla has never had a school and the nearest one is a kilometre away on uneven terrain, which no one ever bothers to attend. A few months ago, a mini anganwadi opened in the hamlet only to distribute take-home ration packets once a week. No hot cooked meals are prepared or served here for children up to the age of six, a legal requirement under the National Food Security Act. In the next hamlet, five children come to eat food if it is prepared at the local anganwadi. Not one child can recite any poem or recognise numbers. The primary school in Badala village, just a few kilometres away, shut down a year ago as it had no teacher. From this village of 150 children, only a handful can now afford education at the nearest privately-run school, 15 km away. The rest have dropped out. In a district where 43 per cent of all sanctioned posts for school teachers and principals and 71 per cent of hostel warden posts are vacant, Mandloi and Geeta were exceptions. Mandloi was pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Alirajpur. Geeta had completed intermediate. She was filling forms to apply for a job of an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) worker, a first from her village. After passing Class 8, both of them used to walk for more than 6 km to reach a high school. Both were first-generation learners. Mandloi would often chat with the village teacher on how the students are learning. He would call the children in his family to encourage them to continue schooling. With a lettered person in the village, the power eco-system in the village was disrupted. Illiterate Phoolsinghs authority began to be questioned. People started going to Mandloi with their problems, says Kavli Mandloi from Chapria village, and Phoolsingh felt threatened. Then, on March 5, Mandloi filed a written complaint against Phoolsingh at the district jan sunwayi. He alleged that Phoolsingh had not passed on to villagers the Rs12,000 each family was entitled for building toilets. He was also alleged to have not paid MNREGA wages due for irrigation work. The poor families had spent out of their pocket; some had even mortgaged their land. POLITICAL INDIFFERENCE Why havent political leaders succeeded in bringing development to Alirajpur? Part of the answer might be the lack of real competition until recently. Ever since it won the Alirajpur Assembly seat in 1957one of two in the districtthe Congress had an extraordinarily powerful influence over political life in the region. Mukesh Patels uncle, Magan Singh Patel, won the seat in 1980 with an extraordinary 54 per cent of the vote, and continued as its legislative representative until his death in 1999. Now, the nephew has taken his place, ending three successive wins by the BJP. In the districts other Assembly constituency, Jobat, the Congress held power from 1957 to 1998, losing it to the BJP only in 2003 and 2013. The Congress did not have power over Ratlam, the Lok Sabha constituency, of which Alirajpur is a part, only between 1971 and 1980. Dileep Singh Bhuria won the seat for the Congress five successive times from 1980 to 1996, and then switched sides to win it for the BJP in 2014. But Bhuria passed away the next year after which the Congress retook power in a by-election. A second possibility, often voiced, is that the adivasi politicians from the region dont have the heft to get things done in state and national capitals. But Kantilal Bhuria, the victorious Congress candidate for the Ratlam Lok Sabha seat from 1998 to 2009, served as a Cabinet minister in the second United Progressive Alliance government, and, at other times, as minister of state for agriculture, and consumer affairs, food and public distribution. Kantilal could have done a lot for this region, but he didnt, says Chouhan. If you compare what the BJP has done in just 15 years for Alirajpur, to what the Congress did in more than 50, youll have to admit there was progress. But Congress leaders say the BJP was voted out of power despite its work on rural electrification and roads. The reality is thousands of adivasis have to migrate out of Alirajpur in search of work, says Mukesh Patel. If there was development, they would be staying here. Leaders have a long list of reasons for the regions poverty. Land laws, Nagar claims, are one key problem. Land was once acquired here to set up industry, Nagar says, but people protested. He doesnt explain how industry would help a low-literacy population. Agriculture isnt much of a solution either. The land here is not fertile, which means that even if irrigation is improved, it is not sure much will grow, explains district magistrate Shamim Uddin. Besides, there is a severe water shortage and this region is not rich in any natural resource. No one wants to come to Alirajpur to set up an industry, Uddin says. With no employment or agriculture, no party has been able to stop large-scale migration across the border to Gujarat, where the wages for farm and construction labour are better. When the state elections were held last year, 15,000 people had migrated out of Alirajpur. Teams were sent by the district administration to encourage people to return to vote. The turnout was of 69.49 per cent. This year, the counting of migrant families is on. But as summer has arrived and water in Alirajpur is drying up, families are packing to leave already. In the upcoming elections, the Congress has declared Kantilal as its candidate, once again, while the BJP has given the ticket to Jhabua MLA Guman Singh Damor. The election noise is absent in the villages of Alirajpur. Door-to-door campaigning by the parties has not started yet and in the absence of smartphones with illiterate villagers, proliferation of Facebook and WhatsApp forwards in rural areas is also minimal. A day after this reporter questioned the police and the district collector on the murder, Geeta was given police protection. She was also taken to a magistrate to record her statement. But on May 19, the turnout in Lok Sabha elections from Alirajpur may not include the 1,700 registered voters from Chapria and Amba villages. For the first time since Independence, the locals have a demand: they will only vote for a party which promises them justice. BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday said his party would win Baramati Lok Sabha seat, a pocket borough of NCP chief Sharad Pawar. Pune: BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday said his party would win Baramati Lok Sabha seat, a pocket borough of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, with a "huge margin" and stressed there was no "friendly fight" between the two parties. Pawar's daughter and sitting Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule is pitted against the BJP's Kanchan Rahul Kul. Addressing a poll rally in Baramati, Shah said, "There was no plan to have my rally in Baramati as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is doing a great job and that is why the party had reduced (number of) my rallies in Maharashtra. However, there was a rumour doing the rounds that there is a friendly fight between BJP and Pawar." "I have come here to clarify that BJP is going to win Baramati seat with a huge margin. There cannot be a friendly fight here because the BJP is pulling out all the stops to win the seat," he added. Challenging Pawar in his own bastion, Shah asked the people to "hit at the root". "Today I have come here on his (Pawar) land. He is a very big leader. He was chief minister of the state, he was defence minister and agriculture minister in the Centre. Only Pawar saheb knows the art of being in power for the last 50 years," he said. "Pawar claims to have brought development to Maharashtra but I would like to ask him what exactly has he given to Maharashtra," Shah said, adding that his party's youth wing leader could debate with the NCP chief on this account. He said Maharashtra got Rs 1.15 lakh crore during the Congress-led UA regime while it had got over Rs 4 lakh during the current NDA dispensation. "Before Congress-NCP came to power, Maharashtra was a leader in all sectors, be it industry, agriculture, cooperatives, milk production etc. But after their rule, the state's ranking went down. Now the Devendra Fadnavis government has once again put the state in the top position," Shah claimed. Praising Modi, Shah said the PM's name was being chanted across the country as he had brought about huge transformation in the past five years, and change in the lives of poor people. Among the most important things Modi did was to end dynastic politics, he said. "The politics of sisters, nephews, daughters, nieces was rampant in the country. But Modiji put an end to this parivarwad," he claimed. Shah lashed out at the Congress for not doing anything during its stint in power to eradicate poverty. "Recently Rahul baba (Gandhi) said if they (Congress) come to power, they will eradicate poverty. I would like to ask him for how long are you going to say the same thing," he asked, adding that former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi as well as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi spoke on similar lines. He said Modi understood poverty as he hailed from a poor family. Lauding the prime minister for enhancing the country's security, Shah said only "Pakistan and Rahul and company" were upset with the air strike post the February 14 Pulwama terror attack. "These people were asking proof (of the air strike). Let me tell you the Army does not belong to any party, but to India and your are doubting them," he said. He lashed out National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for demanding a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, and said the northern state would be part of the country irrespective of whether the BJP is in power or not. He also attacked the Congress for promising in its manifesto that the sedition law would be scrapped if it came to power. Talking about the issue of infiltration, he said, "We identified 40 lakh such infiltrators through NRC (National Register of Citizens). But Rahul, Pawar saheb and company were upset." He reiterated the BJP's commitment towards expelling infiltrators, who the BJP chief referred to as termites, from the country. Pawar was MP from Baramati in 1984, 1991, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004, while Sule won in 2009 and 2014. Kul, wife of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha MLA from Daund Rahul Kul, is contesting on the BJP's lotus symbol unlike in 2014 when state minister Mahadev Jankar fought on his RSP symbol with support from the BJP. "Last time, Mahadev Jankar fell short by only a few thousand votes. But this time, we have not repeated that mistake and have fielded a candidate on the (BJP) party symbol," Shah said. Sule had won the 2014 Lok Sabha polls beating Jankar by 69,000 votes, down from her 3.36 lakh victory margin in 2009 against the BJP's Kanta Nalawade. As an engineer, a technical expert, I am not satisfied with EVM, but I have not been able to pinpoint because we do not have EVM. If someone gives us EVM to study for one year, we'll be able to tell you something, Pitroda said while addressing a press conference Ahmedabad: Sam Pitroda, a confidant of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday said that he is not satisfied with the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. As an engineer, a technical expert, I am not satisfied with EVM, but I have not been able to pinpoint because we do not have EVM. If someone gives us EVM to study for one year, we'll be able to tell you something, Pitroda said while addressing a press conference. You will have to understand the design, its software. Every little signal will have to be analysed. Then only you can say something. But one thing is clear that there is some problem, what is the problem we don't know, he added. In reference to Congress partys manifesto, Pitroda said, People's opinion was heard for Congress manifesto. We spent five-six months listening to people, spoke to villagers. We went from countries to countries, met domain experts, held a huge meeting in Dubai where members from 12 countries came. He added, In total, 52 things have been listed in the manifesto. If and when we come to power, I assure you this manifesto will be implemented. It will not be a false promise. When we say something, we deliver. Pitroda also criticised the NDA government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said, You can openly and shamelessly lie to people of India and people take that as truth. Young people have no idea of what went on in building a nation of this size and magnitude with the kind of diversity we have. We have created millions of jobs. We know how to create jobs. Congress party created jobs in agriculture, IT, space, atomic energy, auto industry, pharmaceuticals. The government led by Mehbooba Mufti had maintained silence over the Article 35A issue when cases were filed against it in the Supreme Court. Theres a growing belief in Srinagar circles that former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, whose tenure saw Kashmir plunging into chaos, is now rebranding herself, especially on Twitter. However, Mufti, in her new avatar, is only resorting to old tactics: emotional appeals, invoking her late fathers legacy and her helplessness as the BJPs alliance partner. This is how the two-time member of Parliament from Anantnag is now eyeing another Lok Sabha berth. However, Mufti's present activism, after having lost power, is in contrast to her public positions in the past. But then, as they say, in Kashmir, even the staunchest pro-India politicians tend to behave like separatists in Opposition. Mufti is a classic case, keeping in mind her recent flip-flops. The PDP chief is now Delhis vocal opponent in Kashmir. She endorses the Vajpayee-era confidence-building measures, including dialogue with separatists and Pakistan, although she couldnt even implement her own Agenda of Alliance as the BJPs ally. In poll-bound Jammu and Kashmir, however, her growing critique of the anti-Kashmir policies of Narendra Modi and the BJP is now determining much of her profile. The vintage Mufti mannerism is on display in Kashmir as of now, said Aijaz Ahmad, a political commentator based in Srinagar, who has observed the advent of Mufti since 1996. He further said, "She has been doing it throughout her career. Her party was in alliance with the Congress in 2008, when peaceful protesters were first fired upon. Later, she sought justice for victims' families when her opponent repeated the script in 2010. Her mishandling and sheer arrogance created mayhem in Kashmir in 2016, when the forces she commanded ran amok to kill, maim and blind Kashmiris. In this context, Mufti's present stance now intrigues many. Her government, especially PDP ministers and party members, had maintained silence over the Article 35A issue, when cases were filed against it in the Supreme Court. Her detractors termed her conduct as part of a "conspiracy." But now, shes vocal about the issue, even telling Delhi that any tinkering with the Article will render the Accession of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the Union of India as null and void. Her role reversal, however, doesnt end there. Recently, after people pelted stones on her motorcade during campaigning in her hometown of south Kashmir, she invoked her fathers legacy to placate people in her constituency. Shaheen Bhat, a businessperson based in Anantnag, said, What she conveniently forgot to mention during that recent rally was how she once derided us when her forces were showering bullets and pellets on our kids. She mocked our martyrs with her cheap remarks in which she asked if children went to army camps to 'buy toffees'. Did she expect a hero's welcome? War criminals like her have no place in Kashmir now. Mufti had subsequently apologised for her remarks. However, given the public anger and New Delhi's muscular policy on Kashmir, her out-of-power activism is hardly making any difference. A Jama'at-e-Islami supporter said, She always used Jamaat-e-Islami cadres for her politics. However, it was her partys senior leader Muzaffar Baig who first endorsed a ban on the organisation in 2016. She would deride Jamaat members and supporters as people whom she rescued from STFs (Jammu and Kashmir Polices ruthless counter-insurgency force) knives during the nineties. And now, shes rooting for Jamaat, once again, when her long elusive dream of banning the outfit has already been fulfilled by Delhi. What hypocrisy is this! Further, Mufti's recent claim that security forces use chemicals at encounter sites to mutilate militants' bodies led many to recall the death of top militant Majid Zargar. After Zargar was killed in an encounter during Mufti's tenure in December 2016, only a few charred body parts were retrieved from the site. Wasnt Mufti at the helm when the forces, probably for the first time, started mutilating militants bodies in Kashmir? asked a south Kashmir-based activist. Why is she creating a hue and cry over something which took shape during her tenure? Questions like these are now making Muftis new avatar a subject of scrutiny in Kashmir. Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur statement on Friday about slain Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, reiterated the Hindu extremists' vitriolic stand against the IPS officer whose investigation into the Malegaon blast case had unearthed a Hindutva terror network "Woh desh-drohi tha, woh dharm-virudh tha", Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur said on Friday of slain Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, reiterating the Hindu extremists' vitriolic stand against the IPS officer whose investigation into the blast case had unearthed a Hindutva terror network in the country and introduced the terms "Hindu terror" and "saffron terror" for the first time. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s decision to field Thakur from Bhopal for the ongoing Lok Sabha election seems to have given legitimacy to the extremists' anger against Karkare for investigating and arresting several prominent Hindutva leaders and some members of the Indian Army. The Karkare-Thakur standoff has completed a full circle since her arrest in connection with the case in October 2008 and Karkare's death in the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008. On Friday, Pragya, who was addressing a gathering as part of her election campaign said that Karkare had died because he had been "cursed" for his investigation into the Malegaon case. She also alleged that Karkare had apparently said that he does not need evidence against the BJP candidate to prove her crime in court of law. "ATS took me from Surat to Mumbai on 10 October, 2008. I was a hostage for 13 days. Male ATS personnel tortured me a lot during this time. Karkare was cursed by the sannyasis and just 45 days after I went to jail he was killed by terrorists in 26/11 terror attacks." Ever since the announcement of her candidature on 17 April, Pragya has been dialing up the Hindutva rhetoric, saying that she was ready for a "Dharm Yudh (religious battle)". "I am ready to take on Digvijaya Singh if the sanghatan (organisation, apparently referring to the BJP) asks me to do so," PTI quoted her as saying. Hindutva extremism from fringe to mainstream Analysts argue that the BJP's support for Pragya not only as an ideological partner but also as a political player unmasks a new emergence of the party's approach to Hindutva. Pragya was considered a "fringe force" at the beginning of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure and has now become the face of the mainstream political ideology of the party, this Firstpost report says. "There could be no better mainstreaming of the politically impatient Hindu, for whom violence is no longer a strict no-no. Those believing in Hammurabi's modified credo bomb-for-bomb need not lurk in dark alleys any more, but can march in daylight on New Delhi's broad avenues which go right up to Parliament," the report says. "In the coming years, more of Thakur's kind the new-age Hindutva mascots can be expected to be inducted into mainstream electoral politics." With backing for anti-minority, hyper-nationalistic sentiments from the highest in the political hierarchy, (refer to BJP president Amit Shah's blatantly communal statement promising to root out "all" infiltrators "except Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists" at an election rally), Pragya has taken the BJP vs Karkare fight to a new low. 'Villain in life, hero in death': BJP's flip-flop on Hemant Karkare Karkare's last days before he was shot dead by terrorists who lay siege on Mumbai in the November 2008 terror attacks were replete with threats from Hindu leaders, including the BJP's then prime ministerial candidate LK Advani, against his family and himself. He was at the receiving end of a poisonous attack from BJP and Shiv Sena leaders, alleging that the Maharashtra ATS investigation into the Malegaon blasts was "biased". According to this report, "The BJP, RSS and VHP leaders, among others from the Hindu nationalist brigade, accused the ATS of being on a witch-hunt, with some even demanding that ATS officers be subjected to a narco-analysis to establish their motives. No less a leader than the BJPs Prime Ministerial candidate, LK Advani, had demanded a change in the ATS team and a judicial inquiry into the torture allegations made by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key suspect in the Malegaon case." Modi, then the Gujarat chief minister, launched an almost slanderous attack on Karkare and called him a "desh-drohi (traitor). However, Modi visited Karkare's grieving family after his death and also only a few days after his accusation against the IPS officer. "...but the two parties are now singing eulogies to the valour demonstrated by the departed ATS chief," the report said, noting that BJP and the Sangh Parivar organisations had "personally blamed" Karkare for allegedly "implicating the Hindu religious leaders and outfits" in the probe. After Modi's visit to Karkare's family, some reports claimed that Karkare's widow Kavita had repeatedly refused to meet Modi and also turned down an offer for financial compensation. However, others claimed that even though Modi had, in fact, paid a visit uninvited, he had not made an offer of compensation. "Thakur's nomination has pushed the BJP campaign to a point of no return. Categorical corroboration of this comes in the form of Thakur's words when asked what will be her plank in the polls Bhagwa ko samman (respect for the saffron colour) topped her list of promises." With inputs from agencies Some billboards in central Delhi put up by a BJP sympathiser have turned the Congress' 2019 pre-poll catch phrase 'Ab hoga Nyay' on its head. They feature an image of of an ill and pale looking Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from a time when she was in custody during the UPA regime Some billboards in central Delhi put up by a BJP sympathiser have turned the Congress' 2019 pre-poll catch phrase "Ab hoga Nyay" on its head. They feature an image of of an ill and pale looking Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from a time when she was in custody during the UPA regime and had to be hospitalised after she started suffering from ailments allegedly due to sustained "third degree torture". Pragya's picture on billboards with the tagline "Ab hoga nyay" is intended to hurt the Congress on multiple counts. Since the time the NIA and Mumbai STF took a U-turn in the Malegaon and Samjhauta Express cases, and arrested her along with some others in 2008, BJP leaders have believed that she was innocent and was framed by the Congress-led UPA because it wanted to turn the heat from Islamic terrorism to Hindu terror. She was targeted because she wore saffron robes and thus it was easy to paint her and the likes of Aseemanand with the tag of Hindu terror. Ironically, while her face symbolised saffron or Hindu terror for the Congress, her face symbolised victimisation of an innocent Hindu sadhvi by the UPA regime because of its policy of "Muslim appeasement". Since then the entire rank and file of the Sangh Parivar had been clamouring for justice for Pragya. The billboard and posters that have come up in National Capital with the tagline borrowed from Rahul Gandhi's tagline for this election is a reflection of that anguish, that belief. The turn of events from Wednesday evening when she joined the BJP and was given party ticket from Bhopal to take on Digvijaya Singh former Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Rahul's one-time political guru and perceived creator of the term Hindu terror suggests that the BJP has succeeded in getting what it desired. It became the biggest news of the day on Wednesday and was all over prime time TV debates and made headlines in morning newspapers. The issue continues to be discussed at length in the media and at informal corner meetings in a large part of north India. The news around Pragya's nomination by the BJP has revived the "Hindu terror" debate. It had generated a great deal of political heat in the run-up to 2013 Assembly and 2014 parliamentary polls. The Congress badly burnt its fingers over the issue as results of those elections proved. The party has since then been on the defensive on the subject of Hindu terror, about which it talked so aggressively in 2012, 2013 and 2014. By fielding Pragya, a Malegaon blast-accused, the BJP has given a twist to the electoral discourse. It has given it an opportunity to rake up what top Congress leaders including Rahul and Digvijaya, and those like Sushil Kumar Shinde and P Chidambaram who were home ministers in the erstwhile UPA government then said about Hindu terror. Wikileaks revealed that Rahul told the US that Hindu extremism was a bigger threat to India than Pakistan-based terror outfir Lashkar-e-Taiba. At a Congress conclave in Jaipur in 2013, Shinde had said it had come up during investigation that the BJP and RSS conduct terror training camps to spread terrorism. He linked the Mecca Masjid, Samjhauta Express and Malegoan blasts with that line of thinking. He even claimed that there have been instances when they have planted bombs and blamed the minority community for them. Digvijaya's alleged obsession with Hindu terror came from a series of his statements made by him for over the years. He was also on the forefront claiming that the Batla House encounter was fake, completely discounting the fact that an inspector of the Delhi Police, Mohan Chand Sharma, was killed in that encounter. All of that has come to back to haunt the Congress. Interestingly, the Congress went into such an intense holding pattern on the issue that none of its leaders, whether from the party's authorised fora or elsewhere, responded to Pragya's candidature from Bhopal for 48 hours. When the party eventually decided to respond, it restricted itself only to reacting to a statement by Pragya wherein she had said that Hemant Karkare, the ATS chief died (killed by terrorists in the 26 November, 2008 attacks) because of his karma. Incidentally, in December 2010, Digvijaya released a book titled 26/11 RSS ki Sazish (26/11: An RSS conspiracy). Pragya's candidature and the way it has turned the electoral discourse has severely hurt the Congress on another count the party has been trying hard to portray itself as a Hindu-friendly party and its leader Rahul as a 'Janeudhari Shiv Bhakt Brahmin'. The BJP's discourse around the Congress' Hindu terror charge combined with Rahul Gandhi choosing Muslim-Christian majority Wayanad in Kerala as an alternate constituency for the Lok Sabha polls is intended to demolish the Congress' conscious and considered efforts to regain Hindu credentials for the party. Those who are surprised by BJP move to field Pragya as its candidate should note what Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said while addressing his first public rally in Maharashtra over a fortnight ago. He spoke at length as to how the Congress invented Hindu terror theory and framed terror charges against some innocent persons. The crux of his argument was the philosophy of Hinduism was such that no Hindu could be a terrorist. "They insulted mainstream culture.. will you forgive them?" Modi asked at that rally. Delhi dramatically broke away from old patterns of political behaviour in 2013. It is now Begusarai's turn to dare. Kanhaiya Kumar has every reason to hope he could do in Begusarai what AAP did in Delhi in 2013. Kanhaiya Kumar, the former president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election on the Communist Party of India ticket from Begusarai, has generated the sort of excitement that the Aam Aadmi Party did before the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections. Yet doubts regarding his victory persist, as was also true of AAP in 2013 nobody had thought it could batter the Congress and snap at the Bharatiya Janata Party's heels to win 28 seats and poll around 29.48 percent of votes. AAP generated excitement in 2013 because it could inspire voters to question their loyalty to established political parties. The party's very presence in the electoral arena triggered a conflict of emotions in Delhi's voters. This is precisely the role Kumar is playing in Begusarai. Kumar and AAP of 2013 are ideologically apart, yet they are similar in their style of politics. From its inception in November 2012, AAP was disdainful of the political class, daringly hurling charges of corruption against the political class. The party struck a chord among the people because a slew of scams had rocked the United Progressive Alliance government then. Kumar burst into the national limelight in 2016, through a spirited speech he delivered after his release from custody on the charge of sedition. He mocked Narendra Modi. Kumar elicited a nationwide response because the tide of intolerance had started to rise alarmingly from May 2014 onwards. His persistent criticism of Modi and Hindutva in public meetings and TV studios endeared him to those perturbed at the erosion of India's democratic ethos. From this perspective, Kumar symbolises in 2019, as AAP did in 2013, not only the worries and anxieties of a large segment of India's population, but also the possibility of resolving them, of settling the churn in the moral universe, so to speak. Yet for this segment of voters, Kumar's presence in Begusarais electoral arena poses a dilemma: Could their support for the new kid on the block help him to victory, or merely enable the party they consistently oppose to win Begusarai? This was precisely the worry of Delhiites, who were impressed by AAP. Yet they wondered whether their support for AAP could fracture the Congress base and enable the BJP to capture power. Likewise, BJP voters were confused about backing AAP lest it facilitated a Congress victory. This dilemma was arguably the most significant reason why AAP fell short of the majority-mark in the Delhi Assembly by eight seats. Delhi's dilemma of 2013 is now Begusarai's. In 2014, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tanveer Hassan lost to the BJP's Bhola Singh by a little over 58,000 votes. The CPI's Rajendra Prasad Singh bagged 1.92 lakh votes. Those who don't traditionally vote for the CPI will likely think that by voting for Kumar they might facilitate the victory of either Union minister Giriraj Singh, who is the BJP's candidate in Begusarai, or Hassan, whom the RJD has fielded again. Voters are always faced with a challenge whether they should back a candidate of their caste or religion or support one on the basis of his or her partys agenda. The final choice is often a mix of both. At times, though, a rational argument is invoked to justify caste and religious affinities. In Begusarai, there are around 4 lakh Bhumihars, 2.5 lakh Muslims, 1.5 lakh Yadavs, 1.5 lakhs Kushwahas, around 3 lakhs of groups comprising Extremely Backward Castes, 1.5-2 lakh Dalits, 1 lakh Brahmins, and around 75,000 Rajputs, among others. Kumar has not harped on his Bhumihar identity, but it has not dissuaded his caste brethrens from appropriating him. In 2013, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal did not highlight his Bania identity, but his caste in Delhi took immense pride in his rise. Likewise, Begusarai's Bhumihars bask in Kumar's glory, the rebel's courage he displays. Kumar could have been the natural choice of Bhumihars but for the presence of Giriraj Singh, who is also a Bhumihar. Singh and Kumar represent different sensibilities and possibilities. A Union minister, Singh represents success in the present. At 67 years, though, he does not symbolise the future as Kumar, who is 32, does. Singh is an unabashed votary of Hindutva. By contrast, Kumar harps on India's pluralistic culture. Kumar will be the choice for Bhumihars aligned with the CPI and the dwindling stock of those among the caste opposed to Hindutva politics. Singh will be a compelling argument for Bhumihars who root for the BJP. But the choice of Bhumihars gets complicated because they are classified into three groups on the basis of the place from where they migrated to Begusarai. Three subgroups dominate Jalebar, Chakbar and Dighbia. Kumar is a Jalebar and Singh a Dighbia. The degree of affinity for Kumar is expected to be higher among the Jalebars than it would be among the Dighbias. The significance of these subgroups in electoral politics was pointed out by Sanjay Kumar Pandey, professor of economics, College of Commerce, Patna: "Begusarai's Ram Jeevan Singh, who was elected to the Lok Sabha twice and was a minister in Bihar, did not rise to even a greater prominence because he was a Jalebar and could not get the support of other subgroups." It remains a delicious thought whether Kumars national prominence can bridge the divide among the Bhumihar subgroups. Yet they will also have to countenance that peculiar dilemma: Could their vote for Kumar only end up helping the RJDs Hassan to win? This question assumes significance because the hegemony of Bhumihars in Begusarai is challenged by the RJDs backward caste supporters, not to forget Hindutva followers among the former wanting to deny victory to a Muslim. Kumar also poses an ideological challenge to Muslims, who are traditionally inclined to the RJD, not least because its incarcerated leader, Lalu Prasad Yadav, rooted out, to a great degree, the menace of communal riots, from which they suffered most. Yet Kumar is an attraction to Muslims because of his spectacular opposition to Modi and the BJP. Begusarai's Muslims are likely to think that Kumar would be more effective in representing them in the Lok Sabha than Hassan, who is likely to be dwarfed by the more famous of RJD leaders. There is also the CPI's role in opposing Hindutva. During last year's Ram Navami celebrations, when Hindutva footsoldiers sought to provoke Muslims in Baro and Ninga villages, CPI cadres countered them with that forgotten slogan, "Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai, aapas mein sab bhai bhai Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians are brothers." Kumar's emphasis on education and jobs privileges the politics of interests over that of identity, which is always disadvantageous to Muslims as they are a numerical minority. Yet their traditional political loyalty will have them wonder: What if their support to Kumar fails to propel him to victory and the BJP takes Begusarai? Should they desert a Muslim candidate in a context in which political parties are reluctant to field community members? Social groups in the categories of the Other Backward Classes and the Scheduled Castes will likely suspect Kumar's Bhumihar identity, as did Delhi's Dalits about the upper caste background of AAP leaders in 2013. They might perceive Kumar as the Trojan Horse of the Bhumihars, even though he often invokes Dr BR Ambedkar in his speeches and interviews. He seeks to convey to OBCs and Dalits that his politics too focuses on caste inequalities. There is also the factor of Kumar having pitchforked Begusarai into the national limelight a fact its residents have appreciatively iterated in just about every media report. It could well kick in the Hawthorne effect, a theoretical postulate which asserts that people alter their behaviour when they are aware of being observed. The nation is, indeed closely monitoring Begusarai, about which its residents should be acutely conscious of because of the media coverage. Kumar desperately needs the Hawthorne effect the CPI was 2.35 lakh votes and 1.77 lakh votes behind the BJP and RJD, respectively. These leads are too huge to overcome in just one election. Kumar should draw confidence from the AAP's victory of 2013 it polled 29.9 percent of votes on its debut. Kumar has at least the CPI's base of 1.92 lakhs to build upon. True, class, not caste, is the principal driver of Delhi's politics. Yet Begusarai, in some ways, is uniquely different from most constituencies in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. For instance, NOTA, or None of the Above, bagged a whopping 26,622 votes, or 2.5 percent of the total 10,77,365 votes cast in the 2014 election, which also saw two Independent candidates together bag 23,287 votes. These figures suggest that Begusarai is politically aware and that nearly five percent of its voters do not base their voting decisions on the popular perception of who is likely to win or lose. There is also Begusarai's past to reckon with. In the 1970s and 1980s, the CPI and the Congress fought bloody battles to control Begusarai. These clashes were largely a consequence of the CPI's Bhumihar leadership, with the support of backward caste groups, challenging the Bhumihar feudal landlords. A hundred people died in Kumar's village of Bihat alone, which earned it the sobriquet of a "village of political widows", as this report bears out. Delhi dramatically broke away from old patterns of political behaviour in 2013. It is now Begusarai's turn to dare. Kanhaiya Kumar has every reason to hope he could do in Begusarai what AAP did in Delhi in 2013. KL travelled across Uttar Pradesh, the state that sends the most MPs to Parliament, to ask voters if they knew about the NOTA option on the Electronic Voting Machine an opportunity to select None Of The Above if the candidates were not up to scratch. Nine hundred million people vote this general election, the largest election in the world, for 543 seats and at over 10 lakh polling stations in the country. KL travelled across Uttar Pradesh, the state that sends the most MPs to Parliament, to ask voters if they knew about the NOTA option on the Electronic Voting Machine an opportunity to select None Of The Above if the candidates were not up to scratch. It was in 2013 that the Supreme Court ruling on the NOTA option, making it a valid choice available to voters, came into being. It came after a notice submitted by the Election Commission, and a supporting public interest litigation filed by the Peoples Union for Civil Liberties in 2009. The 2014 general election saw the option used for the first time, and 60 lakh voters (1.1 percent) chose it. In a region where candidates have criminal charges against them, politicians are seen in their constituencies once every few years, development and progress seem to have passed by, and smart cities are light years away, boycotting the election in protest has been a common tool for citizens on the margins to make a point. But do they know that there is an option to register their protest at the ballot machine? Jitendra Kumar from Mahoba has used it all four times that he has voted. If you dont like any candidate, you can press NOTA. Im using it this year too. You ask why? Why do you think? Were educated people, and were out of work. No party is going to work for us, we know it. So Im pressing NOTA and Im going to tell all my friends to do the same. Salim Ahmad from Mahoba has used the option once in the last assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. Is he considering it this time too? Im not interested in the party, Im interested in which local candidate is going to work for my constituency, he says, adding, No development happens in our area, if it happens, it happens on paper and never reaches people. Candidates who are from outside do nothing to improve this, and so Id rather use NOTA. But the knowledge about NOTA, like much else, seems to be restricted to the men, especially the young and educated ones, and those living in kasbahs or small towns, as opposed to the rural interiors. Munni Devi from Mahoba close on 80 years old and an old hand at the voting game says she has encountered pressure cookers, elephants, cycles, palms, lotuses while voting through the years, but never NOTA. Suggested read: Explainer What is NOTA option? Can it have an impact on the outcome of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections? Mahendra Singh from Chitrakoot, offers his view on the subject, If we dont like a politician, and when we know that he isnt working for the people, we dont have to vote for him. We can simply use NOTA. He confesses that hes never used it himself though. Advocate Rajmani Chakravarti, at the Civil Court in Ayodhya, is of the view that NOTA is a good initiative driven by the government and the Election Commission: If a voter doesnt think theres a worthy candidate, they can use this NOTA option, Rajmani says. Voters are also aware of the strength of this option, according to Anil Kumar from Chitrakoot, Were citizens of India, and we can say that we dont think any of the politicians contesting MPs or MLAs are any good. We can say that we dont like their work by exercising this right. Rajesh Pal from Fatehpur adds, NOTA means that we dont like any of the candidates, but we also want to mark our presence as voters. We want to exercise our right to vote. Despite the 0.73 percent (close to 10 lakh) voters from Uttar Pradesh who went with NOTA in the last general election, there is still some lack of clarity about this option, I used it last time, says Mathura Prasad from Chattarpur. I actually thought it was a candidate. But I dont think those votes get counted anyway. Khabar Lahariya is a women-only network of rural reporters from Bundelkhand The BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, from the Bhopal parliamentary seat against Digvijaya Singh, a senior Congress leader in the state and two-time chief minister can be read as an explicit attempt to polarise the electorate. The BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, from the Bhopal parliamentary seat against Digvijaya Singh, a senior Congress leader in the state and two-time chief minister can be read as an explicit attempt to polarise the electorate. Pragya is known for her rabble-rousing remarks and her alleged role in the Malegaon blast case for which she is still being tried. Linked in the past to a clique of Hindu Right Organisations, including the ABVP, Durga Vahini and Abhinav Bharat among others, she joined the BJP on Wednesday in order to chart out her political career from Bhopal. Political overview Madhya Pradesh is one among the three states where sitting BJP governments lost out in the state Assembly elections, held a short while ago. In Madhya Pradesh, a BJP government had been in office for three consecutive terms, but in the recent election, the balance was tipped and the Congress scraped through, with a slim margin. In the state capital of Bhopal, out of a total of seven Vidhan Sabha seats, the BJP's share slid down to four, while that of the Congress rose to three. The BJP has traditionally commanded a decisive presence in the state Assembly as well as parliamentary elections. The Bhopal parliamentary seat has been a stronghold of the party and has not been wrested from the BJP since 1989. Historical trajectory A former Muslim princely state, Bhopal is known for the rule of a line of Begums (women rulers). The last Nawab of Bhopal State gave up the reins of the administration in 1949, two years after the Instrument of Accession had been signed in 1947. Initially, Bhopal was taken over as a chief commissioner's province and in 1956, it became the capital of the reorganised state of Madhya Pradesh. In the early 1960s, a Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) plant became operational there. These cumulative developments brought in hordes of new settlers and the city expanded. Communal fractures Bhopal, which had been remarkably free of any major episode of communal discord and violence, flared up in late 1992, in the wake of the Babri Masjid demolition. The riot lasted for over a week. It disoriented and disfigured many lives, signalling a powerful breach. In its aftermath, Bhopal has begun to be classed as 'a hyper-sensitive city as far as communal disturbances are concerned' (Justice KK Dube Commission Report: Inquiry Commission on Bhopal and Ujjain riots, 2003). The riot gave rise to stiffened attitudes and sharpened fault lines. It has bred new insecurities. A Baseline Survey carried out in Bhopal in 2008, under the purview of Minority Concentrated Districts Project launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs (Government of India), reported that the 1992 violence and the widespread losses that it engendered have 'left a pervasive feeling of insecurity amongst the minorities'. Segregation of residential localities along religious lines has intensified in the city and socio-spatial boundaries are being increasingly cemented. In Bhopal, as things stand today, Muslims across different classes, occupational backgrounds and a range of other affiliations are found to be overwhelmingly concentrated in the northern or old part of the city, while Hindus remain numerically dominant towards south (new) Bhopal. The alignment and identification of north (old) and south (new) Bhopal with distinct religious communities have been lodged and rooted in popular consciousness. As a testament to this, the former gets labelled a Muslim block, while the latter stands identified as a Hindu zone. Such ascriptive associations have been impressed upon with growing immediacy and force in recent decades. These have been invested with considerable salience in dominant representations and imaginings of the city. It seems telling that the northern or old part of the city widely lacks access to necessary infrastructure and faces overcrowding. Conversely, its southern part or new Bhopal with well laid-out roads and streets, relative ease and smoothness of traffic, and better quality of services in general houses a discernibly large proportion of government establishments, multiplying commercial centres as well as other institutions. These two segments of the city, rather than developing as integrated parts of a homogeneous whole, appear to be locked in a strained and uneasy relationship. The interconnected trends of growing segmentation of city spaces and reification of boundaries urge attention. The division of housing along communal lines has become steadily pronounced. At the ground level, the sedimentation of a clear divide and a growing distance between religious communities and their residential localities is palpable. These processes have with time metamorphosed into invisible, yet often impermeable, mental borders. Attempted polarisation In a taut and fiercely-contested Lok Sabha election, where a lot seems to be at stake for most contenders, the BJP has decided to field Pragya from Bhopal. With her entry into the fray, political discourse and rallies are bound to get more and more aggressive and acrimonious. This will only add to tensions and suspicions on the ground, and further strain existing forms of cross-community engagement. The decision to field her from Bhopal explodes, yet again, the myth of the BJP's dissociation from the RSS and its auxiliaries. As has often been seen, its members can shift readily to different Sangh affiliates, including the BJP to meet strategic requirements, electoral or otherwise. Whether this playing of the 'Hindu Card' will translate into political dividends for the BJP in one of its long-held Parliamentary segments remains to be seen. But, Pragya's candidature from Bhopal certainly serves to corrode further the fast-crumbling edifice of the city's composite culture and harmony by which many of its long-term residents still swear and hold dear. Follow all the latest updates from the Lok Sabha election here The acknowledgement by the Election Commission in the Supreme Court that it is now aware of its powers after the court ordered the commission to act decisively against offenders, reduces the status of the poll panel to that of a minor in need of guardianship The acknowledgement by the Election Commission in the Supreme Court that it is now aware of its powers after the court ordered the commission to act decisively against offenders, reduces the status of the poll panel to that of a minor in need of guardianship. If there has to be a Supreme Court to handhold the Election Commission into doing things, it raises serious questions about the integrity and future of the commission, which is tasked with the most important job of holding free and fair elections in the world's largest democracy. It was a pathetic sight when the commission claimed in the Supreme Court that it was helpless if candidates engaged in communal diatribe during their campaign speeches. Apparently, Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi felt so irritated that he threatened to ask for the presence of Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in half-an-hour's time. The dressing down given by Gogoi forced the commission to act and issue strictures against Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP leader Mayawati, the Samajwadi Party's Azam Khan and Union minister Maneka Gandhi for their provocative and communally-divisive speeches. The curbs restrained the leaders from campaigning for various periods. It took less than 24 hours for the commission to change from intransigence into decisive action. But in those 24 hours, nothing had changed for the panel and no new rules were announced to expand the commission's powers. This means that the problem was not with the commission or its powers, but with those who were in charge of its affairs. This is in fact the crux of the problem. The Constitution has given the commission all the powers that it requires for the smooth discharge of its responsibilities. But there is problem in the exercise of such powers. It is naive to blame the statute for the problem. It may be sheer coincidence that an NRI petitioner filed a petition in the Supreme Court calling for strict action against political leaders and party representatives spreading hatred on religious and caste lines through social media platforms and other forums; that the matter came before the chief justice and the Gogoi acted in the manner that he did. The petition had expressed doubts over the fairness of the Election Commission and wanted the court to direct the constitution of a committee headed by a former apex court judge to closely watch the poll process and check the fairness of the commission. It is an interesting question as to what would have happened if anyone of these conditions was not met. Obviously, the offenders would have got away without any harm. The commission would have remained ensconced in its own comfort zone, doing nothing other than extolling the virtues of free and fair elections and making songs and drama to spread awareness about the importance of voting for the success of parliamentary democracy. Some people are known to bring prestige to the office they hold, while some others drag down their office to their own level. We have had instances of both and the present dispensation probably fits the bill for the second scenario. But we have had chief election commissioners like TN Seshan, who despite the failings of the system and his own tantrums at times, did so much to tame the unruly politicians and ensure more transparent and free elections. He caught the bull by the horns and effectively put an end to criminalisation of the electoral process. In north Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar, booth capturing was rampant and large sections of underprivileged people were never allowed to exercise their franchise. Polling day violence claimed a number of lives and polling was routinely suspended or deferred. Criminals enjoyed a field day during elections. But Seshan changed all that. For the first time, the Model Code of Conduct, pinning down political parties and candidates to acceptable behaviour, became known for its observance rather than breach. The code itself was made more vigorous: The practice of party workers taking over the functions of the election personnel, such as distribution of voters list, transportation of voters and similar activities was stopped forthwith. The Election Commission under Seshan also clamped down on the use of excessive money for elections, putting an enforceable sealing on the amount parties and candidates can spend in each constituency. It put the fear of law in the mind of politicians and political parties. Over the years, a certain pattern emerges in the working of the poll panel: Its effectiveness largely depended on the persons heading it. This meant that when the setup was under conscientious officers, the law took its course and everyone played ball. But at other times, things were back to square one. And that is a potentially dangerous situation. There is a strong case for reforming the selection of election commissioners, so that only the best men and women make it. Election commissioners are appointed by the government and there is an inherent clash of interest there. Often, people who served the government as key officials, when made election commissioners, are unable to adjust to the independence that their new position demands and tend to show continued loyalty to their old masters. Such people become absolute misfits in their new role. Luckily, the issue of finding a foolproof, independent and transparent system for the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner in now under the consideration of a constitution bench. Reports of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission and the Law Commission have underlined the need for the institution to be truly independent for the success of democracy and the rule of law. During the hearing of a petition on the issue before a bench headed by Gogoi and including Justice SK Kaul, which referred it to the constitution bench in October last year, senior activist advocate Prashant Bhushan pointed out that when the provision for selection of the election commissioner was being inserted in the Constitution, Dr BR Ambedkar had suggested that Parliament make a law for this. Bhushan pointed out that while various election commissioners favoured a more transparent system of appointment and the politicians supported the idea, when they come to power they tend to be happy with the system under which the appointments were made by the Union Cabinet. It was known that the prevailing situation left much to be desired. But the dramatic manner in which the vulnerability of the institution has been exposed in this weeks developments in the Supreme Court shows the need for great urgency as the issue at stake is most fundamental to the success of parliamentary democracy. The BJP had approached the Election Commission seeking a ban on the release of the Mamata Banerjee biopic till the Lok Sabha election is over. New Delhi: The Election Commission has sought a report from the West Bengal chief electoral officer on an alleged biopic on chief minister Mamata Banerjee. The biopic titled Baghini is slated to release on 3 May. The BJP had approached the poll panel seeking a ban on the release of the movie till the election process is over. The BJP has also asked the poll body to review the alleged biopic on the Trinamool Congress supremo. The last of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election will be held on May 19 and counting will be done on 23 May. Click here for constituency lists, dates and all other poll-related updates in West Bengal Narendra Modi said he has in the five years of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders. New Delhi: In a strong re-election pitch to the business community, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday promised collateral-free loan of up to Rs 50 lakh, Rs 10-lakh accidental insurance to GST-registered entities, credit card facility for traders, a pension scheme for small shopkeepers and a new retail policy. Addressing a traders' convention, Modi said Opposition Congress abused businessmen by calling all of them 'chor' (thieves), while the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi used to take pride in hailing from the businessmen community of Baniya. The BJP government, he said, has stood by traders through thick and thin and will upon re-election set up a National Traders' Welfare Board to address their issues. Stating that the country has seen the "insults" meted out by Congress to traders, he said the Opposition party has in its 70-year rule only "insulted" businessmen. "They called all businessmen chor (thieves) without realising the contribution of the business community in the economy, he said. "Congress' naamdaars (dynasts) cannot see anything but themselves. Gandhiji used to proudly proclaim himself as a Baniya, yet Congress abuses all businessmen, calls them chor (thieves). Today's Congress is neither aware of history nor the ground reality. Congress' naamdaars are unaware of the traders' contribution towards the country's development." The prime minister said he has in the five years of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre worked to simplify lives and businesses of traders by scraping 1,500 archaic laws, simplifying processes and providing easy credit. Traders are the "backbone" of the Indian economy but had in past never got the respect they deserved, he said adding doubling the side of the economy to USD 5 trillion is not possible without their contribution. "I am impressed by the hard work of traders... their business has helped the economy bloom," he said. "I have tried to make your life and business easy in last five years." Modi said the trading community is like weather forecaster who can anticipate future tidings. "On 23 May, once again the Modi-led government will come to power, after which a National Traders' Welfare Board will be constituted. The board will be a permanent arrangement which will create an institutional mechanism for communication between the traders and the government," he said. Modi said the BJP will formulate a National Retail Policy to boost retail trade and provide accidental insurance up to 10 lakh to all businesses registered with the GST. "We will introduce a traders' credit card scheme on the lines on the Kisan credit card. We will bring a policy for providing pension to small businessmen," he said. Modi also promised that a provision will be made to provide loans of up to Rs 50 lakh without any collateral. Congress-led governments blamed traders for ills like price rise when it was the party's own hoarders who were black marketing commodities, he alleged. "For promoting entrepreneurship among youth, the new BJP government will invest Rs 20,000 crore in the startup sector... We will get 50,000 start-ups established in the country by 2024," the prime minister said. He promised that several new incubation zones and incubators will be set up in local bodies to boost startups, adding that the new BJP-led government will strengthen businesses financially and institutionally in such a manner that they can leave a mark in the export sector, and also boost Brand India. Listing his government's achievements, he said he has ended 1,500 archaic laws at the rate of one per day in the last five years to make doing business easier in the country. Processes have been simplified, inspector raj largely checked and personal interference in income tax assessment removed. "I consider you (traders) as biggest stakeholder of the economy. Opposition parties remember you only on special occasion," he said. Modi said the Goods and Services Tax, which was brought in July 2017 by amalgamating 17 different central and state taxes, has made doing business transparent, ended state check-posts and resulted in doubling of registered traders. "I do not say there have not been any mistakes (in implementing GST) but we have quickly addressed any anomalies based on suggestions from traders," he said. Based on suggestions of traders, most daily use items are taxed at zero rate while 98 per cent of the commodities are taxed at less than 18 per cent, he said adding the process of filing tax returns under GST has also been simplified and exemption limit for small businesses doubled. "We are continuously making this process simple," the prime minister said. Stating that he is a 'sevak' (servant) and not a 'malik' (lord), Modi said his government has on a daily basis released 70,000 free LPG gas connections to poor women, provided electricity connection to 50,000 households, opened 2 lakh Jan Dhan bank accounts for poor, given loan under Mudra scheme to 1 lakh entrepreneurs. Modi said India has jumped 65 places on the World Bank's ease of doing business ranking to rank 77 in the world and the target is to break into top 50 in the next 5 years. The BJP on Wednesday announced Sadhvi Pragya Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. Srinagar: If Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, is fit to contest election, she is fit to be in jail, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah said Thursday. The BJP on Wednesday announced Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. After spending over eight years in jail in connection with the blast case, she was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 on health grounds. During the hearing of Thakur's bail plea, her lawyer had told the court that she was suffering from cancer. "We are getting to hear new things from the BJP every time. First, they tried to fight elections on Balakot and Pulwama (attacks). Then, they tried speaking about development and when people did not digest it, they tried the religion card," the National Conference leader said. Click here for constituency lists, dates and all other poll-related updates in Uttar Pradesh Omar Abdullah, who was talking to reporters after casting his vote, along with his father Farooq Abdullah, from Srinagar parliamentary constituency, said he hoped that the court hearing the case would cancel Thakur's bail. "They know that they will not get votes with 'mandir-masjid' (Ayodhya issue), so they gave the mandate from Bhopal to a person who is an accused in a terror case and is out on bail citing poor health," he said. "I hope the court which gave her bail cancels it as if she is fit enough to contest (election), she is fit to be in jail," he added. The NC leader, whose father is the party's candidate from Srinagar, said these elections have been significantly different from the 2017 by-elections that Abdullah Senior had won. "In that election, we barely managed one or two public meeting outdoors. All our election activity was confined to closed rooms and walled-off areas. In this election, thankfully, we found the electorate far more receptive," Omar Abdullah said. The former chief minister expressed hope that assembly elections would also be held in the state soon. The Centre is now "running out of excuses to delay the assembly elections", Omar Abdullah said. "Assembly elections were delayed because of parliamentary (elections) and now that parliamentary elections are due to conclude, we can only hope that the Centre, together with the EC (election commission), gives the people of Jammu and Kashmir an elected government which is their right," he said. Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party and joined the Shiv Sena Friday. Chaturvedi's decision to join Sena was not received so well by netizens, especially because the ideological jump was a rather drastic one. Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi, who was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, resigned from the party and joined the Shiv Sena Friday. She joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of the party president Uddhav Thackeray, sources said. Earlier, after quitting all posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders. "In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organisation and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in her resignation letter. Responding to reporters' questions on whether not getting a Mathura ticket had prompted her departure from Congress, Chaturvedi at Matoshree on Friday sought to make it clear that she had thought of the Sena because she was born and brought up in Mumbai. "I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought," she said. Congress leader Sanjay Jha was one of the first party leaders to react to the report. Within 48 hours Shiv Sena , alliance partner of #BJP , has no goons in it. Awesome! Kya baat hai! Political opportunism touches a new nadir. The self-righteous bullshit is sickening. But hey, tomorrow is another day. Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) April 19, 2019 Chaturvedi's decision to join Sena was not received well by netizens, especially because the ideological jump was a rather drastic one. Twitter erupted with a barrage of messages for the former Congress leader: If #PriyankaChaturvedi had a moral point to make about Congress hooligans, surely lost in joining party inimical to ideology she spouted till yday? And on hooliganism, historically Sena can out thrash Cong any day. She will be protected. Can't wait for pic greeting Modi n Shah. Saba Naqvi (@_sabanaqvi) April 19, 2019 After she announced her resignation from Congress over inaction regarding an incident when party workers allegedly "misbehaved" with her, Twitterati had praised her for being upright, but soon after the reports came in claiming that Chaturvedi was joining Sena, Twitter slammed the former Congress leader for not standing her ground. "She quit over 3 lumpen goons. And so she is joining the SS, a Hindutva party made up of 100 per cent lumpen goons. How quickly some people lose their desire for a secular, inclusive nation when denied a ticket," one Twitter user noted. Ma'am thoda time lekar ye sab old tweets delete krke aaram se Shiv Sena join kar sakti thi aap,itni bhi kya jaldi thi ?#PriyankaChaturvedi https://t.co/3zOou3WZjv Mere Achhe Din Ayenge (@VotHardVotHard) April 19, 2019 If ideology was important, you would've waited for the elections to get over. @priyankac19 You've disappointed us by joining Shiv Sena, an Ally of the BJP... https://t.co/x0anAZYL6g Syed ???? (@hameedsyed981) April 19, 2019 From Congress to Shiv Sena in twelve hours. All politics is opportunism, there is no such thing as ideology.. https://t.co/FUQ3lYS34g Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) April 19, 2019 And I am joining Shiv Sena today! Priyanka Chaturvedi https://t.co/m7LuaRQsmf Vimlendu Jha (@vimlendu) April 19, 2019 That is quite an ideological jump. Nothing surprises in Indian politics anymore - no permanent friends, no permanent enemies https://t.co/SKKb1OWQoi Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) April 19, 2019 When you quit a party based on issue of harassment by party workers, and then you join a party whose party workers harass women of the entire city. That is called being a politician. Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) April 19, 2019 She quit over 3 lumpen goons. And so she is joining the SS, a Hindutva party made up of 100 per cent lumpen goons. How quickly some people lose their desire for a secular, inclusive nation when denied a ticket. BMKJ, @priyankac19. Thanks for the lesson in integrity. https://t.co/AoRGmfZ7Nm Rupa Gulab (@rupagulab) April 19, 2019 This is like getting divorced one morning and marrying another in the afternoon. Not good for @priyankac19s credibility. https://t.co/pbbDCURJcr Anant Rangaswami (@AnantRangaswami) April 19, 2019 Best wishes to @priyankac19 on her quick change Safronisation! Tushar (@TusharG) April 19, 2019 The leap to politics, she reveals in a 2012 interview, was 'unplanned'. On her joining the Congress as a youth member in 2010, Chaturvedi said she had found the party in 'sync with her own thought process' Hours after she tweeted about some "lumpen goons" who were being let off and reinstated in the Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi, who had been an aggressive foot-soldier for the grand old party, tendered her resignation as its national spokesperson. As soon as she shared her resignation letter on Twitter, the 39-year-old also changed her bio to being a columnist, a blogger, mother and even a "saree hoarder". Born and raised in Mumbai, Chaturvedi is a graduate in Commerce from the Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. She started her career as a young entrepreneur who was selected to participate in Indian School of Business's '10,000 Women Entrepreneurs Certificate' programme in 2010, a scholarship programme by Goldman Sachs for women entrepreneurs. In 2015, she was nominated for and participated in Observer Research Foundation and Zeit Stiftung's programme 'Asian Forum on Global Governance'. The leap to politics, she reveals in a 2012 interview, was "unplanned". On her joining the Congress as a youth member in 2010, Chaturvedi said she had found the party in "sync with her own thought process". Her rise in the party's fold has been tremendous. Three years after joining Congress, she was made its spokesperson in 2013. One thing, however, stood constant throughout her career in the party and even beyond it Chaturvedi had always, earnestly argued and voiced for women's causes. She has been a regular on television channels when it came to issues of women empowerment, education and child rights. In a 2016 column for the DNA, she spoke about "wardrobe woes" for women, while also making pointed remarks about the Censor Board's reluctance to clear movies based on ideas about morality and culture : "In other news, was wondering what a filmmaker should do these times to get a movie cleared without cuts and without upsetting our sanskari Censor Board. If Udta Punjab becomes Udta Pannchi, also with the suggested 90 cuts becomes a SnapChat video will it solve the problems of Punjab?" Her tweets on sexist and misogynistic comments on women leaders have been always been sharp. Reacting to SP leader Azam Khan's "khaki underwear" comment on actor-turned politician Jaya Prada recently, Chaturvedi said it was a "filth in discourse": The comment made on Jaya Prada by Azam Khan is absolutely unbecoming & this kind of filth in discourse needs to be condemned by all. Fight on issues, BJP has given us enough& more reasons to defeat them but do not lower the discourse to sexist/misogynistic comments on opponents. Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 15, 2019 In another tweet, she also criticised how the BJP too had made it the "party's strategy to shamelessly make sexist or misogynistic comments". Dont confuse Congress for the BJP. The BJP has made it part of their strategy to shamelessly make sexist/ misogynistic comments about women from the opposition. I am yet to see a single tweet by their (women) leaders condemning it, forget naming and shaming them. https://t.co/rcH6BlLDq4 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 15, 2019 No wonder then that Chaturvedi's resignation letter to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi specifically mentions how her remaining in the party would be at the cost of her "self respect and dignity". She writes: "What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members in the party." Chaturvedi had earlier alleged that Congress members had misbehaved with her during a press conference on the Rafale deal in Mathura. She retweeted a Congress notice which stated that the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee has reinstated some party leaders who were suspended for misbehaving with her. Later in the day, on Friday, she held a press conference with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree. Talking to reporters, she reiterates how she wanted to make every city as safe as Mumbai is for women one of the reasons she lists for joining the BJP-ally in Maharashtra. "Mumbai is known for being bindaas. I can go out late in the night, wear anything I like. I want to make several such Mumbai everywhere. Women's issues have always being close to my heart," she said. Priyanka Chaturvedi, the now-former Congress spokesperson quit the party because it preferred 'lumpen' and 'goons', and she had been compelled to part ways because party workers who misbehaved with her had their suspension over the incident revoked Priyanka Chaturvedi, the now-former Congress spokesperson quit the party because it preferred "lumpen" and "goons", and she had been compelled to part ways because party workers who misbehaved with her had their suspension over the incident revoked. Her angst against such a stand that allowed a woman leader unprotected despite her being its voice is understandable. What is curious is that she switched to the Shiv Sena, a party known for strong arm tactics, muscle-flexing, violence, all of which inspire dread, and an instrument of enforcing bandhs that's what makes Sena-sponsored bandhs successful. If anything, the word "lumpen" and "goons" are words often used by the media, both print and television, to describe the party's cadres. National Spokesperson for @INCIndia , @priyankac19 ji met Shivsena President Uddhavsaheb Thackeray at Matoshree today, to take his blessings, and joined Shivsena. pic.twitter.com/fIa6KDM1QC ShivSena - (@ShivSena) April 19, 2019 Call it irony or contradiction, that is what is a strong facet of Indian politics. One easily shifts stands overnight, from blasting a party to gushing over it the next day. It will be interesting to revisit what she may have said as Congress spokesperson. Tom Vaddakan, who leapt from the Congress to BJP, hopes to carry conviction with people. Gaurav Bhatia, from the Samajwadi Party to the BJP too turns a nice trick on nightly TV news. Voters seem to accept it. The only person who had been kind to the Shiv Sena, which was known more for its violence in the initial days than anything else, strange as it may seem, was Roza Deshpande, a leading light of the United Communist Party of India, and daughter of SA Dange, the CPI leader. She had said, "[The] image of the Shiv Sainik as a lumpen proletariat is incorrect and has been entertained by 'petty bourgeoise intellectuals'." This was virtually a compliment. In The Sena Story, Vaibhav Purendare cites her saying that the party's base "wasn't lumpen. Even the Communist leaders' children joined the Sena. They were of course the members of the working classes, they were from the labour and the poor constituencies. Would Communists call their own children lumpen? The Sena was a mass upsurge, and lumpens may have been one of the constituents of the Sena support-base, as a mass upsurge involves every section of society". But that party "was certainly wasn't dominated by lumpens, as is made out to be. The educated classes backed the Sena, so many professors and intellectuals swore instant allegiance to it when it appeared on the scene. Plus, the party has won so many elections over the years. Do the lumpen dominate the whole of the electorate?" Deshpande had said, "The lumpens will wither away, they will associate themselves with elements like Haji Mastan, Yusuf Patel and Arun Gawli. But the Shiv Sena was a genuine movement, a movement of the people against the establishment." Then, "[U]nfortunately, the Communists haven't objectively analysed the growth of the Sena." We dont know about where the lumpen moved away to if they did, as Deshpande had said. The Sena's growth, especially since it tied up with the BJP in the late 1980s, and willingness to persist with politics and governance, took into its ambit those who were left out from the mainstream of political flows in Maharashtra. They were aspiring to growth that included not just jobs and a share of the economic slices that were denied to them the reason the Shiv Sena was started but also a share in the power structure and power. There were many who were social elites of the State and yet left out because of their politics. They could be called the counter-elite as well. If the emerged structure of the Shiv Sena had a mass base, it also had the support of the counter-elite and many of the mass base later became the counter-elite, moving away from a spectator status on the edge of the mainstream, successfully offering them an alternate affiliation and ladder for political aspiration. The Sena, with the BJP in tow, helped convert Maharashtra's polity into a bipolar one. This meant a successful schism being created in the rural this is less in urban areas oligarchical power structure that was hitherto the handmaiden of the Congress and was specific to each of the local areas that acted as nodes. It diluted the Congress stranglehold on the structure of the elites because the local configurations consisted of even those who fled the Congress-affiliated configurations. The monopoly was successfully broken. Deshpande had put her neck out and spoke what was politically incorrect, but that is an angle worth ruminating on for a while. After all, look at the cadres from which the Trinamool Congress draws its strength, and fist-for-fist, countrymade firearm-for-countrymade firearm, and stick-to-stick match the Communist Party of India. The use of "lumpen" and "goons" haven't been much of a descriptor when anyone talks or writes about these parties. No party, actually, has been free of a lumpen content, and if you look at the DMK, you will find them there too. Even in the Congress. Or any other party. BJP's strong arms are merely "bhakts". Of course, in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, you have bahubalis. If there are bahubalis, there are bound to be a base for such leaders, and no prizes for guessing what sort of elements they contain. The existential threat posed by Narendra Modi-led BJP made Samajwadi Patry patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav forgive and forget Mayawati. "Mile Mulayam Kanshiram hawa ho gaye Jai Sri Ram (BJP)." In the early 1990s, this catchy slogan hit the air in Uttar Pradesh. That was the post Babri Masjid demolition era. After a spell of President's Rule for a year, in 1993, Assembly elections took place, with two unlikely parties BSP and SP joining hands as partners to oust BJP from power. BJP emerged as the single largest party with 177 seats, down by around 20 percent seats it had last time. The SP-BSP combine, during the heydays of Mulayam-Kanshiram, managed 176 seats in a 425-member state Assembly. The slogan is still remembered as one of the turning points in the political history of the state. On 2 June, 1995, the infamous guest house episode took place in which Samajwadi Party goons attacked Mayawati and Kanshiram. Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mayawati-Kanshiram became sworn enemies and never saw eye to eye with each other. The existential threat posed by Narendra Modi-led BJP made Samajwadi Patry patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav aka Dharti Putra aka Netaji forgive and forget Mayawati and join hands with her to keep their political fortunes floating. 24 years after the guest house episode, on Friday, they came together at Mulayams home turf, with SP patriarchs son Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawatis nephew Akash Anand by their side. Mulayam is now 79 and not in best of his health. It had been reported, based on what he had indicated, that he was not happy with the alliance stitched by Akhilesh with Mayawati. He was initially very tentative when he appeared on stage and was told by son Akhilesh to move ahead a bit so that a picture perfect pose with Mayawati could be made. He didnt exchange a word with Mayawati while on stage. But after a while, reality seems to have struck him and when he rose to speak, he spoke good words about Mayawati, welcoming her and saying that today, they had come together and will have to stay together in the future. He also told his party workers that he would always be beholden to Mayawati for coming there and seeking votes for him and appealed to them to be respectful to her. The idea was to turn political alliance between the leaders, Mulayam-Akhilesh and Mayawati, into a Yadav-Dalit social alliance for larger political gains. The SP patriarch was conscious that son Akhilesh was playing second fiddle to Mayawati in the alliance, something which the core social support base, the Yadav community, may not be very comfortable with. It was thus important for him to make an appeal to them to honour Mayawati. Mayawati, on her part, explained to the vast mass of gathered audience as to why 24 years after the guest house incident, they came together. Modi, according to her, was the catalyst because it was incumbent on politicians of all hues to get rid of nakli and fargi (fake) backward caste leader and a prime minister who had apparently failed on every count and was hellbent on destroying the country, its social and economic fabric. They came together because Mulayam was the real leader of backward class, claimed Mayawati. Her landing in Mainpuri was intended to send a strong message among their social constituents that they were now friends and their bondage was so strong that they were welcomed in each others home turf. The first two phases were in areas where it was mostly about Muslim-Dalit combination from gathbandhan or SP-BSP-RLD coalition perspective. Third phase of polling is in Yadav stronghold areas Sambhal, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Etah, Badaun, Aonla, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Moradabad and Rampur where Mulayams persona has a great deal of influence. Akhilesh, who had been very keen to have what many call 'Bua-Babua' alliance with Mayawati, had a different reason as to why they came together. He said Modi says this election was about building a new India, but for them, it was an election to choose new a prime minister. The SP chief, however, did not clarify whom he wants to see as the new prime minister. Even as he is in alliance with BSP and BSP leaders have publicly said that Mayawati was the prime ministerial contender, he didnt say that Mayawati could be the next prime minister. tech2 News Staff Emtek, the company that partnered with and took over BlackBerry's Messenger service since 2016 has now made it official that the messaging app will be shutting down on 31 May. The service which was launched in 2005 will finally shut down in a month's time but BBM fans need not worry because there is a way out. The announcement came from the official BBM blog in a post where the company explained why it was shutting down the service. Goodbye BBM When Indonesia-based Emtek took over the messaging service from BlackBerry, its goal was to revamp the service by adding a payments system and bring it up to speed with competing messaging offerings like WhatsApp and Messenger. But as the blog post explains, things did not go as planned despite all the efforts made to revive the platform. "Three years ago, we set out to reinvigorate BBM consumer service, one of the most loved instant messaging applications, as a cross-platform service where users can not only chat and share life experiences, but also consume content and use payment services. We poured our hearts into making this a reality, and we are proud of what we have built to date. The technology industry however, is very fluid, and in spite of our substantial efforts, users have moved on to other platforms, while new users proved difficult to sign on." read the post. BBM fans can still use the service Emtek, for now, is only shutting BBM. As per TechRepublic, the company has now opened up BBM Enterprise (called BBMe) for personal use as well. The BBMe app is currently only available for Android users in the Google Play Store but will "soon" be available for download in the App Store for iPhones as well. As far as the plans go, the same report claims that BlackBerry will offer the messaging service for free for the first year, after which users can purchase a six-month subscription for $2.49. So if you are holding on to your BBM in the age of WhatsApp, it is not the end of the road yet, but you will have to pay up to use the service. As pointed out by The Verge, BBMe also offers end-to-end encryption and the ability to edit and unsend messages as well so it's worth a try if you still want to stick to good old BBM. BlackBerry smartphones almost don't exist BlackBerry's smartphone portfolio has been growing smaller and smaller by the year and is only available in key markets like India and Indonesia. While the smartphones now run Android instead of BlackBerry's own operating system, they still come with BBM and the BlackBerry Hub built in. The old signature physical QWERTY keyboard is still available in BlackBerry's newer models like the Keyone and the Key2 but is gradually disappearing as seen from newer models like the Evolve and the Evolve X. tech2 News Staff Google Home, which supports a wide variety of music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube Music, till now did not support the free version of YouTube Music. Now the Mountain View-based giant has announced that starting from 18 April, the company's smart-speaker will start supporting the free version of YT Music. You can now play the ad-supported version of YouTube Music although there is a slight caveat to it which is that you can't request specific songs from the smart speaker. There will obviously also be ads in between songs. Spotify and Google Music's free versions are also supported by the Google Home lineup. If you wish to set YouTube Music as your default streaming music service by heading into the Music section under the Settings menu of the Google Home app. After that, youll be able to select YouTube Music as your default music service. YouTube Music recently crossed three million downloads, within a week of its launch in the country. In what was a surprise launch from Google, YouTube launched both YouTube Music, as well as, the company's paid subscription service called YouTube Premium in India in March. The launch of the service happened right after streaming giant Spotify launched in India, stiffening competition for existing players which included the likes of Gaana and JioSaavn. Reuters By Aparajita Saxena (Reuters) - Shares of Pinterest Inc surged 25 percent in their debut on Thursday, giving the online scrapbook company a market capitalization of $15.8 billion and signaling increased investor appetite for new tech listings. The successful debut bodes well for the U.S. IPO market as it readies for the much-awaited listing of ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies, particularly after smaller rival Lyft Inc's struggles to hold onto its gains since its flotation earlier this month. "All of the gyrations that you read about in the press and the drama that you read about in other cases, we can certainly fall victim to a lot of those things if we are distracted by the news cycle or things that are short-term by nature," Pinterest Chief Financial Officer Todd Morgenfeld said in an interview. "But we're focused on building the best version of Pinterest we can over the next several years." Investors are hopeful that Pinterest, the most high-profile social media company to list in the United States since Snap Inc in 2017, will have a strong run in the market, given the company's ability to grow revenue and increase its user base. Its shares opened at $23.75, well above the $19 they were priced at, and touched a high of $24.99 in its first hour of trading. "When you see an initial pop in price like this it's a pretty clear indicator interest is strong out of the gate," said Chris Larkin, senior vice president of trading at E*TRADE Financial Corp. Thursday also saw a successful debut by U.S. video conferencing firm Zoom Video Communications, which soared 80 percent above its IPO price of $36. "It is a very favorable market at the moment," Zoom Chief Financial Officer Kelly Steckelberg said in an interview. "Investors really see the opportunity for Software As a Service companies." "RIGHT TRACK" Pinterest allows users to search for topics from home improvement projects to travel tips, with results often showing handy infographics. It also lets users create themed social "boards." It earns money through advertisements, which are placed among the "pins" or posts that users upload on the site. In 2018, the company recorded a net loss of $63 million on revenues of $756 million. It expects to report 291 million global monthly active users as of March 31, an increase of 22 percent from a year earlier. Pinterest was showing a clear path to profitability but was overvalued, said Haran Segram, professor of finance at NYU Stern School of Business. The IPOs of Pinterest and other loss-making unicorns - startup companies with valuations of at least $1 billion - have presented a predicament for investors. While they do not want to miss out on popular companies with fast growth, they also have to weigh the risks of businesses with unproven economics. Pinterest's IPO was underwritten by a 12-member team led by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. (Reporting by Aparajita Saxena in Bengaluru, Additional reporting by Bharath Manjesh, and Joshua Franklin and Carl O'Donnell in New York; editing by Sweta Singh and Rosalba O'Brien) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Reuters Shares of Pinterest Inc surged almost 30 percent in their stock market debut on Thursday, valuing the online scrapbook company at around $16 billion and signalling investor appetite for new tech listings. That bodes well for the U.S. IPO market as ride-hailing company Uber Technologies Inc prepares for its highly anticipated debut, particularly with shares in smaller rival Lyft Inc floundering below their March offering price. "All of the gyrations that you read about in the press and the drama that you read about in other cases, we can certainly fall victim to a lot of those things if we are distracted by the news cycle or things that are short-term by nature," Pinterest Chief Financial Officer Todd Morgenfeld said. "But we're focussed on building the best version of Pinterest we can over the next several years." Pinterest shares opened at $23.75, well above the $19 they were priced at, and closed at $24.40 Zoom Video Communications Inc shares also surged in the U.S. video conferencing company's first day of trading on Thursday, closing 72 percent above their IPO price of $36. "It is a very favourable market at the moment," Zoom Chief Financial Officer Kelly Steckelberg said in an interview. "Investors really see the opportunity for 'software as a service' companies." Investors are hopeful that money-losing Pinterest, the most high-profile social media company to list in the United States since Snap Inc in 2017, will have a strong run in the market, given the company's ability to grow revenue and increase its user base. "When you see an initial pop in price like this it's a pretty clear indicator interest is strong out of the gate," said Chris Larkin, senior vice president of trading at E*TRADE Financial Corp. Right track Pinterest allows users to search for topics like home improvement projects and travel tips, with results often showing handy infographics. It also lets users create themed social "boards." The company brings in revenue through advertisements, which are placed among the "pins" or posts that users upload on the site. Pinterest had a net loss of $63 million on revenue of $756 million in 2018. It expects to report 291 million global monthly active users as of March 31, up 22 percent from a year earlier. Pinterest was showing a clear path to profitability but was overvalued, said Haran Segram, a professor of finance at New York University's Stern School of Business. The IPOs of Pinterest and other loss-making unicorns - startup companies with valuations of at least $1 billion - have presented a predicament for investors. While they do not want to miss out on popular companies with fast growth, they also have to weigh the risks of businesses with unproven economics. Pinterest's IPO was underwritten by 12 banks led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Reuters By Nandita Bose WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday said it has launched a pilot program in New York that allows consumers dependant on food stamps to use them to buy groceries online, a move that is likely to boost sales at retailers like Walmart Inc and Amazon.com Inc. Both companies are participating in the initial pilot launch with Wakefern Food Corp's ShopRite supermarket chain expected to join the program early next week, the USDA said. Walmart will offer the service in upstate New York, while ShopRite and Amazon will service the New York City area. Food stamps are part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides free food to some 40 million Americans, or about 12 percent of the total U.S. population. "People who receive SNAP benefits should have the opportunity to shop for food the same way more and more Americans shop for food by ordering and paying for groceries online," U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said in a statement. Walmart, the world's largest retailer, already has 40 stores in other parts of the country that allow shoppers to pay for groceries ordered online using food stamps. The new program will expand to Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington, and additional retailers are expected to take part, the USDA said. Walmart spokeswoman Molly Blakeman said the company has nearly 275 stores that offer grocery pickup in the nine states eligible for the pilot. Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, in a blog post on Thursday said New York customers can shop on AmazonFresh and Prime Pantry without requiring a membership fee. "Amazon believes the program will dramatically increase access to food for more remote customers and help to mitigate the public health crisis of food deserts," the retailer said. The pilot program will involve the use of electronic benefit (EBT) cards issued by New York to allow for the online purchases. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. tech2 News Staff Gene-editing technology CRISPR is finally moving out laboratories and into clinical settings around the world. A university in the US has made a massive leap towards popularising this technology worldwide. Three years after have passed since the National Institute of Health gave a research team at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) the green-light to begin trials for gene-editing technology CRISPR in humans. On 15 April, a spokesperson from the University confirmed that the trial has begun, paving the way for the technology to be used in humans more. Researchers at UPenn have used CRISPR to treat two cancer patients so far, the spokesperson told NPR. While one of them suffers from multiple myeloma (a blood cancer related to lymphoma and leukaemia), the other has a rare form of cancer known as a sarcoma (grows in connective tissue, the cells that connect/support other kinds of tissue in the body). While both patients underwent standard cancer treatments in the past, they relapsed since. But CRISPR isn't your average pharma drug. It's a tool that can be used to cut out or replace any length of faulty DNA with life-threating consequences. It offers the potential to cure diseases permanently, and alter short to long lengths of DNA with minimal side effects. But considering how complex the genome of humans is, it can't be said for sure that a small change won't trigger unexpected effects elsewhere. The Human Genome Project that was completed in 2003 mapped all the genes in human DNA, but not all the interconnections between them. This is something that remains a work in progress for geneticists today. We've also learnt our lessons from how not to run wild and free with the technology as a Chinese researcher He Jiankui was recently fired and charged for doing. "Findings from this research study will be shared at an appropriate time via medical meeting presentation or peer-reviewed publication," a spokesperson told NPR. Considering UPenn researchers just announced the beginning of the trials, it could be months before we hear back from them with an update. But beyond the cancer study, researchers in the West are also launching other scientific efforts carefully designed at using CRISPR to treat diseases. We could be staring in the face of a new era in health. One where some of the biggest issues plaguing healthcare today can be dismissed with a versatile and potentially safe tool. tech2 News Staff When the Universe came to exist, 13.8 billion years ago, space was a sea of undifferentiated, simple, one-atom elements. Molecules were the odd ones out. Stars wouldn't be formed for another 100 million years back then. But 100,000 years after the Big Bang that created the universe, the first molecules emerged. It was a marriage of some involving the lightest elements in space at the time helium and hydrogen. And the very first molecule in the universe, known as a helium hydride ion (or simply HeH+), was formed. Now, scientists have detected HeH+ in space for the first time. "It was the beginning of chemistry," David Neufeld, co-author of the study from John Hopkins University told AFP. "The formation of HeH+ was the first step on a path of increasing complexity in the Universe," he added. This molecule was also the foundation for a parade of other increasingly complex and heavy molecules that later formed. Then came single-celled life and multicellular life on Earth around 3.5 billion years ago. Despite the massive role HeH+ played in the universe, scientists have been restricted to studying versions of this primordial molecule in laboratories for nearly a century (since 1925). It has never been detected in its natural setting until now. "The lack of definitive evidence of its very existence in interstellar space has been a dilemma for astronomy for a long time," Rolf Gusten, lead author from the Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy in Bonn, told AFP. But this time around, astrophysicists knew exactly where to look for it. Models of HeH+ from the 70s pointed to significant quantities of the molecule in glowing gas clouds thrown out by dying stars like our Sun. At this stage of a star's life, its conditions (in terms of temperature and the elements it contains) resemble that of the early Universe. The real challenge in spotting them wasn't to do with the molecule's abundance or technological capabilities, it was the Earth's own atmosphere. Protective of us as it is, the water vapour and density of gases in the atmosphere cuts out the range of electromagnetic waves that HeH+ gives out, in the far-infrared wavelength. Effectively, HeH+ was undetectable from the ground. NASA joined forces with the German Aerospace Center to overcome this challenge with an airborne observatory. The results? The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, which could make observations from a cruising altitude of ~14,000 metres. This allowed researchers to avoid 85 percent of the "noise" from the atmosphere picked up by ground-based telescopes when making observations in the distant universe. SOFIA is a massive 2.7-metre telescope, an infrared spectrometer, and a Boeing 747 with a window-like square cut away from its fuselage, from which the instruments peek out. From three flights in May 2016, researchers found molecular evidence for HeH+ in the planetary nebula NGC 7027, 3,000 light-years away. The researchers published their findings Wednesday in Nature after a multi-decade search to catch a glimpse of the universe's oldest molecule. tech2 News Staff Hubble scientists commemorated the gloriously successful telescope turning 29 with an annual release of a heavenly, haunting photograph it captured this year. This year's subject is none other than a very festive and colourful-looking Southern Crab Nebula, with its tentacle-like extensions and peculiar hourglass shape. The nebula is among the many objects in the known universe that Hubble has helped demystify over the course of its productive life. And this newest image just goes to show that Hubble's still got game. 29 years on, Hubble still got it On 24 April 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched in a collaborative effort between a NASA and ESA on space shuttle Discovery. The telescope saw its fair share of failures in early years but has revolutionised the entire field of astronomy with its glimpses of distant stars and galaxies. The Hubble has brought the universe closer to astronomers and the general public unlike any telescope before or after it. But the past year hasn't been an easy one for the ageing telescope. It suffered from a broken gyroscope, a crucial pointing instrument that it uses to pinpoint star systems in the sky, but also to keep itself stable. The telescope was put in "safe mode" for two weeks, during which time, Hubble engineers tried to repair it using a strategy we know only too well: switch it off, wiggle some things around, and turn it back on again, Gizmodo reported. It worked. And now, several months after this mini-crisis that threatened the remaining agility Hubble is still clinging on to, Hubble is back to shooting images as pretty, as informative as ever. The raw images from Hubble look very different than the wallpaper-worthy images NASA releases publicly. Hubble captures light (images) in four different wavelengths, from four different kinds of space radiation that astronomers use to study objects in space. The Southern Crab Nebula: All you need to know The nebula, also known as 'Hen 2-104' is thousands of light-years away in the southern hemisphere of the Centaurus constellation. Its hourglass-shaped structures give it a distinctive appearance. The nebula was formed from material ejected from a red giant (a dying star in the final stages of its evolution) in close quarters with a white dwarf (stars like the Sun become white drawfs once they run out of nuclear fuel). The red giant in the Southern Crab Nebula is shedding its outer layers, and some of this "ejected" material is pulled towards its companion white dwarf by its gravity. What a shot, Hubble. Can't wait to see what's next. The Sittwe port built by India in northern Myanmar will not only cut travel time to the North-East but also reduce Indias dependence on the vulnerable Siliguri Corridor The Chabahar port in Iran that opened for business at the end of 2018 has been hailed as a big strategic success for India. It is the first time India is operating a port outside its borders, but it is not the only time it will do so. India is about to commence operations in another deep-water port this time on the eastern front it built in Sittwe, in Myanmars northern Rakhine province. This Sittwe port that I visited late last year is part of the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project which is as important, if not more, as Chabahar. When completed, the project will facilitate transit between Indias northeastern states and Kolkata Port, bringing down Indias dependence on the vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, the so-called Chickens Neck. This corridor will not only facilitate the economic desegregation among the various Indian states, but also integrate India into the larger economic fortunes of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations states. And, equally important, Sittwe port, built on the Kaladan river, and the transit corridor it supports, will help counterbalance in some measure the Chinese plan for a port at Kyaukpyu which is part of Beijings so-called Belt and Road Initiative. Strategic push The need to strengthen Indias presence in the neighbourhood and retailoring of the foreign policy to fulfil the goal started in 1991. Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao one of Indias most accomplished yet under-appreciated prime ministers began restructuring foreign as well as domestic policies. At home, he began the economic liberalisation that paved the path for ongoing growth. Abroad, he pursued strategic dialogue with Indias neighbours in Southwest, Central and Southeast Asia. Whereas subsequent governments continued his Look East policy, the Modi government rechristened it Act East. Raos vision has fructified along many dimensions. India has important relations with virtually every near and far neighbour, managing partners who are otherwise at odds with other. India taking over operations at one of three berths in Chabahar in December 2018 consummated Indo-Iranian relations, which were kickstarted by Narasimha Rao. These efforts are much-needed because China is ahead and the stakes are high for India and its neighbourhood. The Kaladan project India has a problem: its northeastern states, with their 40 million citizens, are connected to the rest of the country only via the precarious 22-km Siliguri corridor, which at its narrowest is a mere 27 km wide and 60 at its widest. The Siliguri corridor is not only critical for commerce and tourism between the North-East and the rest of India, it also supplies and links the military formations that will confront China in the event of a conflict. The geography of the corridor is perilous and discomfits Indias security elites. This narrow stretch of land located in West Bengal is bounded by Nepal to the west, Bangladesh to the south, Bhutan to the north-east and Sikkim, which borders China, to the north. Moreover, the khukri-shaped Chumbi Valley in Tibet cuts between Sikkim and Bhutan. While India has been slow to buff up its infrastructure, China has not. In fact, China has been busy building roads from the 1980s, including a road that was built in 2005 (perhaps earlier) that is a mere 68 metres from the Indian border post at Doklam, which puts the road within the visual range of Indias forces. In 2017, the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army engineers began work on a motorable stretch extending the road up to the Bhutan Army camp at Jampheri, which precipitated pre-emptive Indian military action and a three-month standoff at Doklam. By extending this road, China would be well-positioned to block off the Siliguri corridor that would not only cut off the North-East but also make it very difficult for India to resupply three primary military formations and their units based in the region. The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project will create a redundant but a shorter and cheaper supply route. Goods will travel 540 km via ship from Kolkata port to Sittwe and be transferred to barges for a 15-km northern journey up the Kaladan to Paletwa in Myanmars Chin state. A 110-km journey by road will take them to Zorinpui, a border town in Mizoram. From there, goods will move via road to Lawngtlai in Mizoram which will connect to the National Highway-54. The project will almost half the distance: from 1,880 km via the Chickens Neck to a mere 950 km. An alternate route is also in the works. After long delays, Bangladesh has allowed India the use of Chittagong port, which will shorten distances further. Once the bridge over the Feni river is complete, Tripura will enjoy the closest possible route to a port. While this may diminish traffic through Sittwe, such redundancies are strategically important in the event of a conflict with China. Delays hinder Indias progress The Kaladan project sounds promising but much work remains to be done. The port facilities at Kolkata need to be upgraded. Roads that will link Paletwa to Zorinpui and Zorinpui to the national highway, which is also part of the larger East-West corridor, have to be built. The roadwork has been delayed due to problems with locals and labour disputes that have led to an indefinite strike. The work on the Indian side that was to be finished by 2014 is still incomplete. The Feni bridge effort seems interminably delayed. India needs to redouble its efforts to make these transit corridors fully functional if it wants to catch up with China, which is busy creating the infrastructure it needs to undermine Indian security while facilitating logistical support for its military. Time is not on Indias side. (C Christine Fair has authored the books Fighting to the End: The Pakistan Armys Way of War and In Their Own Words: Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba) Pearl, who was the South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped and later beheaded by terrorists in Pakistan. Peshawar: Two Pakistan Taliban militants have been arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping and killing of American journalist Daniel Pearl and several terror-related activities in the country, officials said on Friday. The Counter-Terrorism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Manshera district said they are the most dreaded terrorists of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Azeem Jan and Muhammad Anwar were arrested during an intelligence-based operation, officials said. They were involved in the kidnapping and killing of American journalist Pearl in 2002. Pearl, who was the South Asia Bureau Chief of The Wall Street Journal, was kidnapped and later beheaded by terrorists in Pakistan. Azeem, an active member of the TTP Karachi, TTP Swat and Shagla districts, was a trained terrorist and a suicide bombing trainer who supplied trained suicide bombers to the TTP, they said, adding that he was also the chief of financial affairs of TTP Miranshah. He was also involved in the terrorist attack on the French embassy staff in Karachi and provided suicide bombers for an attack on former president General Pervez Musharaf. Anwar, who was trained in Khbyer, was the mastermind behind the attack on Daewoo Bus terminal Peshawar in which two policemen were killed. QUITO (Reuters) - A judge in Ecuador has ordered former foreign minister Ricardo Patino be held in pre-trial detention on a so-called instigation charge, the attorney general's office said on Thursday, but the ex-official's whereabouts are unknown. The administration of President Lenin Moreno has said that Patino, who served as foreign minister under the previous government of President Rafael Correa, is connected to WikiLeaks. Moreno stripped WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of his diplomatic asylum last week. QUITO (Reuters) - A judge in Ecuador has ordered former foreign minister Ricardo Patino be held in pre-trial detention on a so-called instigation charge, the attorney general's office said on Thursday, but the ex-official's whereabouts are unknown. The administration of President Lenin Moreno has said that Patino, who served as foreign minister under the previous government of President Rafael Correa, is connected to WikiLeaks. Moreno stripped WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of his diplomatic asylum last week. Assange was given refuge in the London embassy in 2012 by Correa, but Moreno has accused WikiLeaks and Assange of violating his privacy by publishing private family photographs. WikiLeaks has denied those allegations, arguing that Moreno was attempting to deflect attention from corruption allegations against him. Patino, an economist who called on supporters to carry out "combative resistance" against Moreno in October 2018, fled the country by road on Wednesday, the attorney general's office said in a statement. "The attorney general's office began a criminal process against Ricardo Patino for the alleged crime of instigation," the office said. "(Patino) had given a speech in which he instigated people to take over public institutions and close roads." "The judge accepted the request of the attorney general's office, ordered pre-trial detention and asked for the release of an Interpol red notice," the office said. It was not possible to reach Patino immediately for comment. He has previously denied the allegations. Patino is also under investigation for having supposed ties to alleged Swedish hacker Ola Bini, who was arrested last week, the attorney general's office has said. The government alleges that Patino and Bini have taken similarly timed trips out of the country and that they visited Assange when he was living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. The interior minister has said Patino is part of a plan to "destabilize" the government. (Reporting by Alexandra Valencia; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Jan Wolfe and Noeleen Walder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Attorney General decided that President Donald Trump did not obstruct a probe into whether his campaign colluded with Russia, but some legal experts said prosecutors laid out a wealth of evidence to the contrary and that they intended to leave that determination to Congress By Jan Wolfe and Noeleen Walder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Attorney General decided that President Donald Trump did not obstruct a probe into whether his campaign colluded with Russia, but some legal experts said prosecutors laid out a wealth of evidence to the contrary and that they intended to leave that determination to Congress. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report revealed new details about Trump's attempts to impede his investigation on Thursday. They included how the president tried to fire Mueller and limit his investigation, kept details of a June 2016 meeting between senior campaign officials and a Russian under wraps, and possibly dangled a pardon to a former adviser. Democrats said on Thursday the report contained disturbing evidence of wrongdoing by Trump that could fuel congressional investigations. Some legal experts echoed that view. They said the evidence should have given prosecutors a strong basis for bringing an obstruction case against Trump, but Mueller demurred because a longstanding Department of Justice policy against indicting a sitting president. Jens Ohlin, a law professor at Cornell University, said the evidence laid out by the Mueller report was "really exhaustive in terms of the number of incidents and how severe they are." In his report, Mueller focused on a series of actions, including Trump's conduct toward law enforcement officials and witnesses. At one point, Mueller says the Congress has powers to check a president. At least half a dozen legal experts said the special counsel intended Congress to take up the matter. "There is a wink, and a nod, and another wink to Congress that I have a lot of evidence and now the ball is in your court," said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. House Democrats took that view as well. In a joint statement, the House chairs said "the Special Counsel undoubtedly anticipated" the Congress must assess the evidence. But Republican Congressman Doug Collins disputed that Mueller intended for Congress to decide on the view. "The report doesnt say Congress should investigate obstruction now. It says Congress can make laws about obstruction," Collins tweeted. A spokesman for Mueller declined to comment. Trump's legal team called the report "a total victory" for the president. "If they thought they had an obstruction case they would have made it. They did not," said Jay Sekulow, a lawyer for Trump, in an interview. It is unclear whether the Democrats will push on Congressional censure. And even if the House votes to impeach, it is highly unlikely the Republican controlled Senate would convict Trump. Attorney General William Barr, a Trump appointee, defended the president in a press conference Thursday by saying there was insufficient evidence to bring an obstruction case against Trump. In an earlier letter to lawmakers, Barr said the case was also undermined by Mueller's finding that the Trump campaign did not conspire with Russians to interfere in the election. WATERGATE-ERA OPINION Under U.S. law, it is a crime to attempt "to influence, obstruct or impede the due administration of justice." To prove obstruction, prosecutors must show an individual acted with a "corrupt" or improper motive - a specific intent to impede an investigation. Obstruction of justice is often coupled with some underlying wrongful act that is being covered up, legal experts said. With a sitting president, the issue takes on additional complications. A Justice department policy dating back to the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s advises against indicting a sitting president. The U.S. Constitution is silent on the question. In his report, Mueller said he "accepted" the department's legal opinion and was unable to come to a conclusion about whether there was enough evidence to charge Trump with obstruction. QUESTION OF MOTIVE The president's actions and intent "presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred," Mueller wrote. But Mueller added that his report "also does not exonerate" Trump of the crime. In reaching his decision not to charge Trump, Barr said the president had been "frustrated and angered" by a belief that the probe was undermining his presidency. Despite this, Trump did not deprive Mueller of documents and witnesses needed to complete the investigation, Barr said. "Apart from whether the acts were obstructive, this evidence of non-corrupt motives weights heavily against any allegation that the president had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation," he said. (Additional reporting by Sarah N. Lynch, Richard Cowan and Karen Freifeld; Editing by Paritosh Bansal and Edward Tobin) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. From terror strikes to finances, Masood Azhars brothers and brothers-in-law are in complete control of the terror outfit He is dead. No, alive but grievously ill. He is keeping the ministers and the military generals in Pakistan informed about his health and whereabouts. In the last two months, everything possible has been said and written about Masood Azhar and his Jaish-e-Mohammed. This is a story Mario Puzo would have loved to write, if only he had known Pakistan and its terror organisations. In fact, if one looks closely Jaish-e-Mohammed is structured and operates like the Mafia did in the United States and south of Italy in the 1950s. It is based on blood ties: the blood running through the veins of the members of the family and the blood they shed to enhance their power. Because, at the end of the day, everything is about keeping the power in the family. In this story, the 50-year-old Azhar could be Don Vito Corleone, the founder, the Father and the Godfather. A part of Azhars story is known. Born in Bahawalpur, he was third of 11 children of a Deobandi cleric who ensured his son received good religious education. He graduated from the Jamia Uloom Islamic madrassa, notorious for ties to the extremist Harkat-ul-Ansar (HuA) that backed the proxy war against India in Kashmir. Azhar was arrested in Anatnag in 1994 during a visit to Jammu and Kashmir. The Harkat-ul-Ansar made several unsuccessful attempts to secure his release. And, here is when the family begins to make an appearance. Azhar was released on December 1999, with other two terrorists, in exchange for hostages of a hijacked Indian Airlines flight. Azhars elder brother Ibrahim Azhar was among the hijackers. His brother-in-law Yusuf Azhar and younger brother Abdul Rauf Asghar planned the hijacking. Soon after his release, Azhar, with the support of ISI, launched Jaish, vowing to destroy India and liberate Kashmir. A year later, Jaish announced itself to the world by attacking Indian Parliament and has since expanded its activities much of which are in public domain. The lesser known fact is that Jaish is a family-run terror enterprise. In perfect mafia style, its legal businesses provide a cover for illegal dealings. Jaish owns huge real estate in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir madrassas, training centres and properties from where its charity organisation, the al-Rahmat trust, runs its offices. Azhars brothers and brothers-in-law control the groups functioning and finances. Asghar is the de facto amir, or commander-in-chief, of Jaish, possibly due to Masoods ill health. The two older brothers Ibrahim Azhar and Modh Tahir Anwar are the supervisor of Afghan operations and the commander of the Jasihs armed cadres. Younger brother Talha Saif is responsible for the student wing while another brother, Mohd Ammar, supervises the al-Qalam, Jaishs in-house journal. At least four of Masoods six brothers-inlaw are with the Jaish. Mohd Anas, Mansoor Ahmed and Abdul Rasheed are involved in various capacities with Markaz Usman-O-Ali in Bahawalpur. Yusuf Azhar was in charge of the now famous Markaz Syed Ahmad Shaheed in Balakot. In recent years, the second generation has joined the terror enterprise. Azhars two sons, Abdullah and Waliullah, are involved in operations in Afghanistan and jihadi training. At least three of his nephews have been killed in Kashmir. The family has taken its network abroad through marriages. Talha is married to a British national and so is Azhars sister Safeya Bibi. Her husband Anas handles the stores at the Bahawalpur markaz. Some family members, including brothers of Masoods wife, Shazia, and some of his paternal uncles are settled in Saudi Arabia. The al-Rehmat trust is the principal source of income and continues to operate despite being sanctioned by several countries. It has a worldwide funding network. Money comes from Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and other European countries. Recently, France froze the bank assets of the organisation. Even though it misses a Michael Corleone, the Jaish family has done what a mafia family would do: networking and penetrating the state and the deep state. Azhar, like Vito Corleone, made Pakistan an offer it could not refuse: jihad in Kashmir. And now Pakistan state is bound to return the favour, even if it means bankrupting the country. Which is what happens when you strike a deal with the devil. (Francesca Marino is a journalist and a South Asia expert who has written Apocalypse Pakistan with B Natale) A statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said he had accepted Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's resignation, along with those of his ministers, two weeks after mass protests erupted over the rising tide of violence. Bamako: Mali's prime minister resigned along with his entire government on Thursday following criticism over their handling of an upsurge of violence in the centre of the country and a massacre last month that left 160 people dead. A statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's office said he had accepted Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga's resignation, along with those of his ministers, two weeks after mass protests erupted over the rising tide of violence. Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties had submitted a motion of no confidence against the government on Wednesday, blaming Maiga and his administration for failing to clamp down on the unrest. "A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces" from both the ruling and opposition sides, the statement from Keita's office said. The president had on Tuesday said in a televised address that he had "heard the anger", without explicitly naming the prime minister. The government had come under mounting pressure over its handling of violence in the restive Mopti region and especially a massacre on 23 March in which 160 people were killed in the village of Ogossagou near the border with Burkina Faso. Members of the Dogon ethnic group, a hunting and farming community with a long history of tension with the nomadic Fulani people over access to land, were accused of being behind the mass killing. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bamako on 5 April to protest against the upsurge of violence, accusing the government of not doing enough to stop it. The protest was called by Muslim religious leaders, organisations representing the Fulani herding community, opposition parties and civil society groups. Mali has been struggling to restore stability since Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the country's vast desert north in early 2012. While the jihadists were largely driven out in a French-led military operation that began in January 2013, huge areas are still in the grip of lawlessness, despite a 2015 peace agreement with some armed groups that sought to definitively stamp out the Islamist threat. Since then, militants have shifted from the north towards the more densely populated centre of the country, where they have sharpened ancient rivalries and ethnic conflicts that date back years. Jihadist attacks have also spread to Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. By Hani Amara and Ulf Laessing AL-SUANI, Libya/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of Tripoli on Thursday, almost hitting a clinic and adding to people's suffering after two weeks of an offensive by eastern troops on the Libyan capital, which is held by an internationally recognised government. Shelling could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli, residents said By Hani Amara and Ulf Laessing AL-SUANI, Libya/TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of Tripoli on Thursday, almost hitting a clinic and adding to people's suffering after two weeks of an offensive by eastern troops on the Libyan capital, which is held by an internationally recognised government. Shelling could be also heard late at night in parts of Tripoli, residents said. No more details were immediately available. The shelling came a day after seven people were killed when Grad rockets hit a densely populated district of Tripoli, which the eastern Libyan forces of commander Khalifa Haftar have been trying to take, deepening the chaos that has plagued the oil-producing nation since 2011. The Libyan National Army (LNA) of Benghazi-based Haftar has become bogged down in the southern suburbs of the capital. In al-Suani, a southwestern suburb, Reuters reporters saw two mortar bombs almost hitting a clinic. The fighting has killed 205 people, including 18 civilians, and wounded 913 since the start of the campaign, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday. Locals blamed Haftar's forces for the shelling, saying the rockets had been fired from the direction of his positions south of the capital. "We say to the United Nations and the Security Council: listen. Listen to the bombing... Rockets are coming down on us. For this reason, please find a solution for us," said Youssef Salem, a displaced man from al-Suani. The LNA has denied shelling residential areas. The Tripoli government issued arrest warrants for Haftar and other top eastern officials, blaming them for Wednesday's shelling. Eastern officials have already issued arrest warrants for Tripoli premier Fayez al-Serraj and other western officials as there is no sign of a political solution or even of a ceasefire. Foreign powers are worried but unable to present a united front over the latest flare-up in the cycle of anarchy and warfare that has gripped Libya since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011. The internationally recognised interior ministry accused France of supporting Haftar and said it would halt security cooperation with Paris. "Any dealings with the French side in bilateral security agreements" will halt, the Tripoli-based interior ministry said in a statement. A French presidential source said in response to the accusation that France supported the internationally recognised government in Tripoli and that Emmanuel Macron's legitimate interlocutor was Serraj, with whom he spoke on Monday and reaffirmed that. The French government was not immediately available for comment. France has helped train Serraj's presidential guard and in October 2013 signed a deal between a consultancy of the French interior ministry and the Libyan interior ministry to train 1,000 police. Most recently in February, France provided the Tripoli government with six patrol boats for its coastline. Paris has given Haftar support in the past, however, viewing him as the best bet to end the chaos that has reigned since a NATO-backed rebellion to end Gaddafi's murderous four-decade rule. Italy, with considerable oil interests in the OPEC member, supports the Tripoli government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and was furious with French reluctance to back a recent European Union resolution urging Haftar to halt his advance. The conflict threatens to disrupt oil flows, foment migration across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, and allow jihadists to exploit the chaos. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, who view him as an anchor to restore stability and combat Islamist militants. His forces came under attack on Thursday by an armed group at the Tamanhint base near the main southern city of Sabha. The LNA managed to expel the attack, which killed two of its soldiers, an eastern official said. But it exposed a vulnerability as Haftar has moved much of its forces north. The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear. The LNA force seized earlier this year the south and its two oilfields, although tribesmen with flexible loyalties remain strong in the sparsely populated desert region. On the weekend, the LNA dispatched a unit to the eastern oil ports of Ras Lanuf and Es Sider to prepare for a possible attack there. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, Ahmed Elumami, Ulf Laessing, John Irish and Stephanie Nebehay; editing by Mark Heinrich, Hugh Lawson and Diane Craft) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Rafael Marchante, Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira CANICO, Portugal (Reuters) - In a show of solidarity, the foreign ministers of Germany and Portugal laid two wreaths near the site where 29 German tourists died on Wednesday after their bus overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira. By Rafael Marchante, Catarina Demony and Miguel Pereira CANICO, Portugal (Reuters) - In a show of solidarity, the foreign ministers of Germany and Portugal laid two wreaths near the site where 29 German tourists died on Wednesday after their bus overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The bus - carrying 55 tourists, a guide and a driver - veered off a steep road in the coastal town of Canico, near Madeira's capital city, Funchal, and came to a halt next to a house, which was damaged in the crash, authorities said. Portugal's public prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the accident, the cause of which authorities said they could not yet determine. Local TV channel SIC attributed it to either brake failure or a problem with the accelerator cable. Heiko Maas, Germany's foreign minister, landed in Madeira on Thursday evening with a team of doctors, psychologists and consular officials to meet those affected and thank Portugal for its help. As soon as he touched down, the minister and his team headed to the scene of the crash, where he paid tribute to the victims and, alongside his Portuguese counterpart, held a minute of silence. Shocked residents also laid flowers by the road where the accident took place. "This is a terrible event," Maas told reporters during his visit to the site. "We can't just stay in Germany watching and celebrating Easter." Maas then visited Funchal's hospital, where 28 people were treated for head, abdominal, chest and other injuries, a hospital spokesman said on Thursday morning. A statement released on Thursday evening by Madeira's regional health service confirmed that 17 of the 28 injured remained in hospital and that 10 people were already discharged. None of those injured are currently in a life-threatening condition, Portugal's foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva, told reporters after he arrived in Madeira on Thursday afternoon. "We are working flat-out to bring people who are injured and capable of being transported, to identify those who have died and to inform their families." Maas said. "It is very difficult work." MANY VICTIMS WERE RETIREES Authorities on the island confirmed all 29 people killed were German. Madeira's regional health service said 17 were women and 12 were men. Many were retirees, said Germany's best-selling daily, Bild. The 29 victims were members of a bigger holiday group, other members of which were travelling on another bus, a regional civil protection spokesman said. Two of the injured were Portuguese and the rest were foreign nationals, a hospital spokesman said. Santos Silva confirmed the two Portuguese citizens were the driver and the tour guide. Images taken by Reuters photographers on Thursday showed the bulk of the wreckage had been removed, leaving some debris still scattered on the ground. Tributes poured in and three days of mourning were declared in Portugal on Thursday in honour of the victims of the bus crash. "I have no words to describe what happened. I cannot face the suffering of these people," Canico Mayor Filipe Sousa told SIC TV. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa sent his "deepest condolences" to victims' families, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed "sadness and shock" at the scale of the tragedy. (Reporting by Rafael Marchante and Miguel Pereira in Canico and Catarina Demony in Lisbon; Additional reporting by Thomas Escritt and Madeline Chambers in Berlin; Editing by John Stonestreet and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Michel Rose and Julie Carriat PARIS (Reuters) - A time lapse camera installed just hours before Monday's devastating blaze at Notre-Dame de Paris may contain vital clues as to what caused the inferno, a French scaffolding company working at the cathedral said on Thursday. Europe Echafaudage was one of five companies contracted to restore Notre-Dame's 90-metre (295-foot) spire, which collapsed in the blaze, crashing through the cathedral's vaulted ceiling. Footage from the camera, which was placed on the northern belltower and is now in the hands of investigators, shows the first smoke coming out of the spire's base, Marc Eskenazi, a representative for Europe Echafaudage, told Reuters By Michel Rose and Julie Carriat PARIS (Reuters) - A time lapse camera installed just hours before Monday's devastating blaze at Notre-Dame de Paris may contain vital clues as to what caused the inferno, a French scaffolding company working at the cathedral said on Thursday. Europe Echafaudage was one of five companies contracted to restore Notre-Dame's 90-metre (295-foot) spire, which collapsed in the blaze, crashing through the cathedral's vaulted ceiling. Footage from the camera, which was placed on the northern belltower and is now in the hands of investigators, shows the first smoke coming out of the spire's base, Marc Eskenazi, a representative for Europe Echafaudage, told Reuters. "Shots were taken every 10 minutes starting from Monday at 2 p.m.," Eskenazi said. "Smoke can be seen on these images. It starts on the south side," he said. The catastrophic fire at one of France's best loved monuments caused national heartbreak. At a reception for many of the 400 firefighters who extinguished Monday's blaze, President Emmanuel Macron said he had spoken to Pope Francis by phone and that the pontiff would visit France "at a time of his convenience". Earlier this week, Francis thanked rescuers who put their lives at risk to salvage the centuries-old cathedral and its priceless artefacts. The Vatican has said it is willing to offer restoration expertise to help rebuild the landmark. So far the authorities have said the fire appears accidental, although they have not ruled out arson. Police sources say an electrical fault is one possibility. The office of Paris public prosecutor Remy Heitz did not respond to a request for comment on the images. Investigators have been able to access some areas of Notre-Dame, including its two bell towers, though parts of the historic nave remained too dangerous to enter more than 72 hours after the fire. Scaffolding specialist Europe Echafaudage, a unit of Le Bras Freres, a family-owned business of 140 employees based in Lorraine in eastern France, had almost finished erecting the scaffolding around the spire, 14 months after starting. The company's 12-strong team was the only one working on site on the day of the blaze. Europe Echafaudage, and a second company involved in the project, Pro Tech Foudre, have said they followed strict safety procedures. Pro Tech Foudre, which was to start work removing the lightning rod that ran down from the spire's top, described Europe Echafaudage as a reputable company with a strong safety record and experience working on prestigious sites, including the Pantheon and Louvre museum in Paris. "These are very serious people. They go beyond the architects' demands. When they're asked for a Porsche, they deliver a Rolls," said Anthony Dupuy, manager of Pro Tech Foudre. "There are other companies for which I'd have said they were asking for it, but not this one." Dupuy, who was involved in work to Notre-Dame in 2013, said safety regulations were very strict at the centuries-old site, with a focus on fire prevention. All extension chords had to be unplugged every night and smoking was not allowed anywhere. TWO ALARMS The scaffolders started leaving work at 5:20 p.m. on Monday evening and by 5:50 p.m. - half an hour before the first alarm sounded - all were gone, Eskenazi said. "The procedure says that at the end of the day, electricity on the site is turned off. So we turn off the lifts and the scaffolding's lights, and we hand over the keys to the sacristy's concierge," he said. "That's exactly what the workers did. They followed the procedure, and it was of course duly noted in the registers at the sacristy." There was no welding machine or blowtorch on the site, he added. Police sources confirmed no welding was being done at this stage to the site. The outside scaffolding had no sprinkler system, but was equipped with movement detectors which did not go off, Eskenazi said. The alarms that activated were the cathedral's own, he added. That may also yield clues as to where the fire started. Investigators are trying to understand why the fire was not detected when the first alarm rang at 6:20 p.m., prosecutor Heitz has said. A second alarm sounded at 6:43 p.m., at which point the fire was detected in the roof. An hour later, the spire, engulfed in flames, collapsed to the gasps of hundreds of dumbstruck onlookers. Andre Finot, Notre-Dame's spokesman said, there were "smoke detectors everywhere" that were connected to the cathedral's safety HQ at the presbytery, where a firefighter is posted 24 hours a day. "If something goes off, there is an agent inside the cathedral who can go make checks," Finot said. He said he was not able to comment on the checks that were carried out after the first alarm sounded. If indeed the fire was not arson, an electrical source would almost certainly be to blame, one police source said. (Graphic: The fire at Notre-Dame: https://tmsnrt.rs/2XgGCRi) (Additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry; Writing by Michel Rose; Editing by Richard Lough and Raissa Kasolowsky) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. worth paying multiplex prices for worth a look, but wait for DVD, unless your favorite actor is in it give it a miss my reaction under consideration my reaction under gag order for now not yet seen by me We already know that the Redmi Y3, selfie-focused smartphone with a 32-megapixel front will launch in India on April 24th. Now the company has posted that it has shipped 7 million Y series smartphones since the launch, and also said that it has more surprises lined up at the launch hinting at number 7, so the company could launch the Redmi 7 alongside. 7 Mn+ Y series phones shipped since launch. They ask Y do we call our fans the best. We say this is Y. And to celebrate this, we have a few surprises lined up for you. Youll know exactly in 7 days. But whats with 7? RT if you know it. #32MPSuperSelfie pic.twitter.com/8kSWF63uLq Redmi India (@RedmiIndia) April 18, 2019 Xiaomi Redmi 7 specifications 6.26-inch (1520 720 pixels) HD+ 19:9 2.5D curved glass display, 84% NTSC Color Gamut, 1500:1 contrast ratio, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection 1.8GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 632 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 506 GPU 2GB RAM with 16GB storage / 3GB RAM with 32GB storage / 4GB RAM with 64GB storage, expandable memory up to 512GB with microSD Android 9.0 (Pie) with MIUI 10 Dual SIM (nano + nano + microSD) 12MP rear camera with LED Flash, 1.12um pixel size, f/2.2 aperture, PDAF, secondary 2MP camera 8MP front-facing camera Fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor Splash resistant (P2i nano coating) 3.5mm audio jack, FM Radio Dimensions: 158.7375.588.47mm; Weight: 180g Dual 4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2, GPS + GLONASS 4000mAh (typical) / 3900mAh (minimum) battery It was introduced in China last month starting at 699 yuan (US$ 104 / Rs. 7,150 approx.) for the 2GB RAM with 16GB storage version, but it will likely launch the 3GB RAM with 32GB storage version is India, which could start at Rs. 7999, same as the predecessor. Update: May 2, 2019: Thanks to @evleaks, we now have press image of the Moto Z4 that shows a waterdrop notch display, single rear camera and support for Moto Mods. It also shows 3.5mm audio jack on the bottom. Motorola launched the Moto Z3 and Z3 Play last year in India with support for Moto Mods. The rumours about the successor to the Z3 smartphone has been all over the web for over six months now and today, new reports have emerged regarding the key specifications and features of the upcoming Moto Z4 smartphone. Moto Z4 is said to be powered by the Snapdragon 675 Octa Core SoC along with support for Moto Mods. The Z4 will also have support for 5G with the help of 5G Mod from Motorola. The smartphone will reportedly flaunt a 6.4-inch OLED display with a full-HD resolution. With regards to optics, the Z4 is said to have a single 48MP rear camera and like the other 48MP camera smartphones in the market, the Z4 will use Quad Pixel technology to combine four pixels into a single large pixel in order to deliver images in 12MP resolution. The front-facing camera is said to be a 25MP shooter with support for a Group Selfie mode. The camera will reportedly feature AI mode, Night Vision mode, 6MP photos to deliver incredibly sharp images in low lighting conditions, etc. All these are said to be backed up by a 3600mAh battery with support for TurboCharge fast charging. Motorola is not getting rid of the 3.5mm jack and this smartphone is expected to come with a splash-proof nano coating. On the software side, Moto Z4 will run Android 9 Pie operating system with Googles Digital Wellbeing and Lens along with Motorolas Moto Display, Moto Actions, Moto Experiences, etc. There is no mention on the pricing of Moto Z4, but the reports suggest that the smartphone will be half the price the flagships retail at. We should know more information once the smartphone goes official. Source 1, 2 YouTube Music was launched in India last month with the company offering a free version with ads and Premium version starting at Rs.99 per month. YouTube Music Premium comes with background play, offline downloads, and an ad-free experience. Today, Google has announced that YouTube Music can be streamed for free on Google Home and other Google Assistant powered smart speakers. Users can ask Google Home to play the right music for any moment or mood, and YouTube Music will play the perfect station, customized to the users taste. On the free version, there is no support for the ability to request specific albums, songs, artists, and playlists on-demand. But, users can upgrade to YouTube Premium to enjoy the benefits of the subscription including player controls like unlimited skips and song replay. Google is offering a 30-day free trial of YouTube Premium for new users. In order to select YouTube Music as the default music service on Google Home, navigate to Account Settings in your Google Home app, tap Services, and select Music. Then, select YouTube Music as the default music service. If you are setting up a new Google Home speaker, choose YouTube Music as the default music service during the setup process. The free, ad-supported YouTube Music on smart speakers is available to users in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan, Netherlands, and Austria. The feature will be available in other countries soon. Commenting on this, James Goddard, Software Engineer for YouTube Music, said: With YouTube Music and Google Home, you can ask Google Home to play the right music for any moment or mood, and YouTube Music will play the perfect station, customized to your tastes based upon your request. Source After years of consistent economic growth, and dramatic stock market increases, a growing number of investors, economists, and analysts are predicting a recession and downturn within the next couple of years. When we asked three Motley Fool contributors what defensive stocks they would consider buying before the next market crash, Waste Management (NYSE:WM), Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) were at the top of their lists. One man's trash... Daniel Miller (Waste Management): If you're looking for safer stocks to own in the event of a swift downturn or market crash, investors would be wise to find companies with a business model that will remain resilient. One perfect example is Waste Management, the leading provider of waste management environmental services in North America and owner of landfill facilities. Regardless of how the economy or stock market is doing, America will still need Waste Management's services, and that means the company's business will remain healthy over the long term. Investors should first consider Waste Management's long-term competitive advantages. We often overlook, or are just unaware, that there are significant barriers of entry to Waste Management's business. Operating a landfill, for instance, requires facility permits, a number of licenses, and federal and local government approvals for zoning and other environmental concerns. Add to those hurdles the fact that many populations don't want a new landfill in their backyard and that Waste Management has a cost-efficient and dense route structure, and it's easier to understand that Waste Management has a nice niche carved out in the waste services industry with new competitors less likely to pop up. Waste Management should be well positioned as the nation's population increases and we produce more trash, but management is also willing to pull the trigger on acquisitions that fold nicely into the company's business model. Just this week, it announced it would acquire all outstanding shares of Advanced Disposal Services for $33.15 per share in cash. Waste Management believes it can generate more than $100 million in annual cost savings and capital expenditure synergies, and the acquisition will be immediately accretive to its adjusted earnings per share and cash flow. Regardless of what happens with the market, we're almost guaranteed to need Waste Management's services, and that makes it a stock to own before any potential market crash or downturn. A good way to drown your sorrows Jeremy Bowman (Constellation Brands): Though it may surprise some investors, alcohol stocks actually tend to outperform during a recession as people turn to vices and distractions like alcohol, cigarettes, movies, and video games during tough times. Given its diversified position in alcohol with medium-to-high-priced wines, spirits including Svedka vodka and High West whiskey, and beers like Modelo and Corona brands, as well as craft beers like Ballast Point, Constellation has a good defensive position to withstand a market crash. In addition, its exposure to the marijuana industry through its 39% stake in Canopy Growth (NYSE: CGC) also provides an upside as marijuana legalization in the U.S. is likely to get a push during a recession as governments look for additional tax revenue. Canopy has also set itself up to take advantage of U.S. legalization with a deal to take over Acreage Holdings once cannabis becomes legal in the U.S. Furthermore, Constellation is already trading at a discount and management has pledged an aggressive share buyback program. The stock is down about 14% from a year ago as investors balked at its $4 billion deal with Canopy and slowing earnings growth due to problems in its wine business. However, the company took a big step to solving both of those problems with the sale of its lower-end wine business for $1.7 billion to E&J Gallo, ditching a drag on its growth and shoring up its balance sheet. Finally, Constellation is a prolific acquirer of brands, and a market crash should present ample opportunity for bargain-priced acquisitions, putting the company in a stronger position once the economy returns to growth. An all-weather blue chip stock Jordan Wathen (Berkshire Hathaway): If there's one company that tends to exit crises in a better position than it entered, it's Berkshire Hathaway. The conglomerate run by Warren Buffett is undoubtedly one of the world's best acquirers, built by buying businesses at low prices during market panics. Buffett has snubbed his nose at major acquisitions in recent years, citing high prices for businesses that he describes being of only "decent" quality. Instead, Berkshire is accumulating cash at an extraordinary pace, considering that its $112 billion of cash makes up roughly one-third of book value. To put it another way, Berkshire's cash position would enable it to make its largest-ever acquisition (Precision Castparts) roughly three times over. Few businesses get better when things turn for the worse, but Berkshire Hathaway is undoubtedly one of them. A rapid decline in stock prices would enable Berkshire to finally put cash to work and make the elephant-sized acquisition Buffett has long waited for. But it's not just about the capacity to make a deal -- it's also about who is doing the buying. With more than a century of collective stock-picking wisdom between Buffett and Charlie Munger, it's hard to imagine a better management team to allocate capital on your behalf. Shares of footwear company Skechers (NYSE:SKX) slumped on Thursday following a first-quarter report that left investors wanting more. A combination of unfavorable currency translation effects, the timing of the Easter holiday, and what CFO John Vandemore called "challenging conditions" led to weak revenue growth that missed expectations. Metric Q1 2019 Change (YOY) Compared to Average Analyst Estimate Revenue $1.28 billion 2.1% Missed by $20 million Adjusted earnings per share $0.73 (2.7%) In line Operating income $165.9 million 11.5% N/A Currency trouble and domestic decline Skechers generates more than half of its revenue from international markets, so when the U.S. dollar strengthens against foreign currencies, the company's results take a hit. In the first quarter, revenue would have grown by 5.2% if not for the headwind from currency. That's still slower growth than Skechers investors may be used to, and that's because the domestic wholesale business struggled in the first quarter. Segment sales were down 10.9%, enough to offset much of the growth in international markets. The timing of Easter, being a few weeks later this year, played a role in the domestic wholesale sales decline. The company expects domestic wholesale revenue to be flat for the full year. The international business continued to be Skechers' growth engine, but currency knocked down the growth rate. The overall international business grew by 9.3% year over year, but it would have grown by 15% if not for the currency headwind. Within the international business, international wholesale revenue grew by 8.7%. Germany, Spain, India, Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea all performed well during the quarter. The global retail business grew, although mostly due to new stores. Total company-owned retail revenue was up 6.7% year over year in the first quarter, but comparable-store sales increased by just 0.7%. Comparable-store sales rose 0.2% in the U.S., with stronger 2.3% growth in international markets. These numbers exclude stores in India that Skechers recently transitioned from third party to company owned. Rising profits and so-so guidance While Skechers' earnings per share fell on a year-over-year basis in the first quarter, taxes were the culprit. The company enjoyed a tax benefit in the first quarter of 2018 that boosted its per-share earnings by $0.07. Backing that out, earnings per share would have increased. Operating income, which is pre-tax, did go up, to the tune of 11.5%. While Skechers' gross margin dipped slightly thanks to higher discounts and currency effects in international markets, that was more than offset by lower operating expenses and higher revenue. Skechers' total operating expenses dropped 2.3% year over year as the company pulled back a bit on domestic advertising. The company boosted spending in China by $7.8 million to support growth, and spent $8.0 million related to new stores, but this spending was offset by a $15.8 million performance-based government rebate in China. Looking forward to the second quarter, Skechers expects to produce revenue between $1.200 billion and $1.225 billion and earnings per share between $0.30 and $0.35. That represents year-over-year growth of 6.9% and 12.1%, respectively, at the midpoints of those ranges. This guidance isn't anything to write home about -- Skechers has routinely produced double-digit revenue growth over the past few years. But it does show an improvement over the first quarter. While the market didn't like Skechers' first-quarter results, the company still managed to grow revenue despite multiple headwinds. The international business, excluding currency effects, continued to fire on all cylinders. Skechers still has room to grow in China, and it's in the early innings of its growth story in India. This growth slowdown may last for a while, but there are plenty of reasons to believe it won't last forever. When Omaha Beach held off Improbable to win the Arkansas Derby (G1) April 13 at Oaklawn Park, it wrapped up an especially exciting Road to the Kentucky Derby prep season. Before turning our focus to the actual race, I thought we could take a final look back at this year's prep season in a "by the numbers" format. 150 Points earned by Road to the Kentucky Derby points leader Tacitus. 2 Years in which the points leader has gone on to win the Kentucky Derby: Orb and California Chrome. 3 * Horses ranked in the top 12 who made their initial starts on turf: No. 2 Omaha Beach, No. 4 Plus Que Parfait, and No. 12 War of Will. * Trainers with multiple horses in this year's top 19 by points: Bob Baffert (No. 5 Roadster, No. 8 Game Winner, and No. 11 Improbable), Bill Mott (Tacitus and No. 17 Country House), and Todd Pletcher (No. 15 Cutting Humor and No. 19 Spinoff). * Horses who won 100-point races this year who did not earn any other points in the series: Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Roadster, Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby (G2) winner By My Standards, and Xpressbet Florida Derby (G1) winner Maximum Security. * Horses with $1 million or more in non-restricted stakes earnings who are ranked in the top 19: Omaha Beach, $1,050,000; Plus Que Parfait, $1,540,400; Game Winner, $1,810,000. 4 Owners with interests in multiple horses among the top 19 points earners: Randy Hill (part owner of both No. 3 Vekoma and No. 14 Tax), Gary and Mary West (No. 7 Maximum Security and Game Winner), Starlight Racing (part owner of Improbable and full owner of Cutting Humor), and Gary Barber (full owner of War of Will and part owner of No. 18 Gray Magician). 5 * Times the points leader has finished with exactly 150 points: Tacitus this year, Magnum Moon last year, Girvin in 2017, California Chrome in 2014, and Orb in 2013. * Horses among the top nine points earners who are conditioned by Racing Hall of Fame trainers: Tacitus, Bill Mott; Omaha Beach, Richard Mandella; Roadster and Game Winner, Bob Baffert; and No. 9 Code of Honor, Shug McGaughey. 9 Lowest ranking of a horse to win the Derby: Justify last season. 40 Points earned by the current final horse in the field, Spinoff. It would be the highest total ever needed to make the Derby field. 100 The lowest point total accumulated by horses who won the Derby: Justify last year and Always Dreaming in 2017. Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt Tests Rollout of Carrot Straws Better-For-You QSR Brand Explores Edible Straw Options April 19, 2019 // Franchising.com // MORRISTOWN, NJ - Just in time for Earth Day, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, the quick-service brand known for serving real fruit smoothies with over 30 locations nationwide, can today announce an exciting new exploration into the field of sustainability, as it begins testing carrot straws for use in its smoothies and fresh squeezed juices. Recent estimations using trash collected on U.S. coastlines during cleanups over five years show that there are nearly 7.5 million plastic straws lying around America's shorelines. These straws are damaging not only aquatic life nationwide, but are also polluting Americas natural resources, causing long-lasting damage to the country. While many businesses have taken to banning straws altogether, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt wanted to explore alternative options that still take guests who need to use straws into consideration creating the first prototype for the carrot straw, a hollowed-out carrot that performs like a plastic straw but can be either eaten or composted after use. As Im sure everyone is well aware, plastic straws are one of the worlds top polluters, damaging our national resources irreparably, said Andrew Steinberg, Chief Operating Officer, Villa Restaurant Group. At Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, we feel for the sea turtles and all our ocean creatures. As such, we wanted to begin thinking about an alternative to the simple plastic straw we use so often in smoothie and juice consumption. Weve started testing a prototype for a carrot straw in the hopes that one day we may be able to serve all our nutritious juices, smoothies and more with a healthy, edible and ultimately environmentally friendly straw option nationwide. At this time, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt is still in the testing and planning phase of product design. About Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt also offers real fruit smoothies, fresh-squeezed juices, nonfat frozen yogurt sundaes and an assortment of natural grab-and-go snacks. Its customizable menu model offers guests the option of choosing a delicious smoothie from a list of classic flavor combos, which can be made dairy-free upon request, or creating their own by combining fresh ingredients and adding a nutrient rich boost. For more information, please visit www.greenleafsbananas.com, or follow along on Instagram @greenleafsbananas. About Villa Restaurant GroupSM (previously known as Villa Enterprises) Villa Restaurant GroupSM is a global multi-brand restaurant operator and franchisor. Founded in 1964 by Michele (Michael) Scotto, a Naples, Italy native, Villa Restaurant Group, began as a small pizzeria next to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City. Today, Villa Restaurant Group is an international organization that recently celebrated its 52nd anniversary with nearly 350 restaurants in malls, airports, casinos and other high-traffic locations. Villa Restaurant Groups quick-service restaurant brands, including Villa Italian Kitchen, Green Leafs Beyond Great Salads, Bananas Smoothies & Frozen Yogurt, South Philly Cheesesteaks & Fries, Far East Asian Fire, and other emerging brands, can be found throughout the United States and internationally. Villa also operates full service restaurants in New Jersey under the 40North Restaurant Group brand including The Black Horse Tavern & Pub, The Office Tavern Grill, The OFFICE Beer Bar & Grill, Steelworks Buffet & Grill, Piattino: A Neighborhood Bistro and George + Marthas. For more information, please visit www.villarestaurantgroup.com. Media Contact: Nick Gustaitis Assistant Account Executive BML Public Relations 973-337-6395 (Direct) SOURCE Villa Restaurant GroupSM ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus In this rapidly developing topic, we aim to provide you with the ability to share your experiences, questions and news with us. Simply choose one of the options below and your story may be featured in this section. Learn More Essential Businesses Share Your Story Ask Questions Submit News Subscribe My Eyelab Announces Continued Expansion in the San Antonio Market Residents in Windcrest, TX community will now have easy access to affordable and stylish eyewear. SAN ANTONIO (PRWEB) April 18, 2019 - My Eyelab shows no signs of slowing down, announcing they are once again expanding its footprint in the state of Texas with a fifth store in San Antonio. The new store, located at 8208 N Interstate 35 in Windcrest, opened on Monday, Apr. 15, reaffirming the commitment to provide both employment as well as fast, friendly and affordable eye care solutions to the San Antonio market and Texas as a whole. My Eyelab is committed to delivering on their promise of easy eye care, which goes well beyond the exam process. Each My Eyelab location has an inventory of over 2000 frames you can browse, ranging from fashion forward to technology styles, and you dont have to go at it alone. The friendly and well educated staff are ready to assist in finding the perfect fit for your style, as well as suggesting the appropriate offer or package for your budget. Whether you prefer eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses or contacts, My Eyelab works with you to ensure you get everything you need "The world is a beautiful place when you can see it clearly, and everyone deserves to! Our main objective is to be able to provide that access to everyone; quickly, affordably and amicably. We are so excited and grateful for the support of the community thus far, and we cant wait to further build the relationship with the San Antonio market., said Aimee LeClear, My Eyelab Regional Vice President of District 12. Vision Precision Holdings, now known as, Now Optics, whose retail divisions include Stanton Optical and My Eyelab, has seen explosive growth, with a combined 139 corporate and franchise locations across the country. The new store is Now Optics' 33rd location in the state of Texas. My Eyelab aims to grow in additional Texas markets, such as Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and Odessa, bringing its cutting-edge technology and easy eye care to new communities. With the help of qualified franchisees who have the drive and skill set to help spread the company's vision for easy eye care, My Eyelab plans to strategically target nationwide developments through single and multi-unit agreements. Visit the new My Eyelab location at 8208 N Interstate 35 in Windcrest for a special offer on two pairs of eyeglasses for $59.95 plus a FREE eye exam, or visit MyEyelab.com for more information. Also available at My Eyelab is a contact lens value pack, which includes an eye exam and contact lenses, starting at just $129. About My Eyelab Founded in 2013, My Eyelab is one of the fastest-growing full-service teleconsulting and retail optical centers in the nation. With a vision of easy eye care and the mission to provide fast, friendly and affordable eye care services, My Eyelab has become a leader in the eye health industry by developing an accessible alternative to its overpriced competitors. Franchising since 2016, My Eyelab consistently ranks among the largest optical retailers in the United States by Vision Monday. For more information, visit http://www.MyEyelab.com. Media Contact: Salena Youngman My Eyelab +1 (561) 275-2020 Ext: 2043 SOURCE My Eyelab ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Scooters Coffee Adds First Coffee Drive-thru Location To Clear Lake, IA New Store To Celebrate Grand Opening On Friday, May 3 April 19, 2019 // Franchising.com // Clear Lake, IA - Scooters Coffee, the Midwest-based coffee franchise that has experienced tremendous growth over the past year, added its first location in Clear Lake, IA, with the companys latest opening at 1903 HWY 18 East. To celebrate, the location will be hosting a Grand Opening on Friday, May 3, with giveaways throughout the day. As we continue to open stores throughout the Midwest, becoming a part of the Clear Lake community was a natural fit, stated Mike Rogers, Chief Operating Officer of Scooters Coffee. This community has welcomed us with open arms, and we are thrilled to be bringing our specialty coffee, real-fruit smoothies, and baked-from-scratch pastries to the residents of Clear Lake. On Grand Opening Day, customers can expect to receive several fun giveaways: 10 a.m. First 50 customers will receive a free $5 gift card with purchase 1 p.m. First 50 customers will receive a free Scooters Coffee tumbler with purchase 4 p.m. First 50 customers will receive a free Scooters Coffee t-shirt with purchase Scooters Coffee serves coffee, smoothies, tea, blenders, iced drinks, pastries and more. In addition, the brand offers a mobile app. The app allows customers to quickly pay for purchases by scanning a barcode linked to a registered Scooters Coffee gift card. The app also includes a loyalty program and other features. Acting as a digital punch card, customers earn smiley faces when they use the app for purchases, then can redeem their smiley faces for a free drink after collecting 12. In addition, the app will enable customers to access special offers, view the nearest locations, browse the full Scooters Coffee menu and track purchases. In line with their successful and robust grand opening strategy, Scooters Coffee recently opened five locations throughout Kansas and Missouri, opened the second of many locations in Arkansas and is opening additional locations in markets such as Dallas, Texas and Northern Colorado. Scooters Coffee is a drive-thru franchise that has been serving world-class coffee for over 20 years. It roasts only the finest beans, and it makes that first-morning sip convenient and rewarding for its customers across the nation. Scooters Coffee has over 200 locations in 14 states and has over 200 franchise commitments to build new stores. To find out why Scooters Coffee is among the best coffee franchises in the nation and to learn more about franchise opportunities, visit ownascooters.com. About Scooters Coffee Founded in 1998 by Don and Linda Eckles in Bellevue, Nebraska, Scooters Coffee roasts only the finest coffee beans in the world at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. In more than two decades of business, Scooters Coffees success is simple: stay committed to the original business principles and company core values. The Scooters Coffee Brand Promise, often recited to franchisees, customers and employees is: Amazing People, Amazing Drinks Amazingly Fast! It represents the companys business origins from 1998 and reflects a steady commitment to providing an unforgettable experience to loyal and new customers. Scooters Coffee specializes in hand-tamped espresso drinks, fruit smoothies, baked-from-scratch pastries and features its signature drink, the Caramelicious. The company also serves a line of hot and iced organic teas, single-origin coffee and the original Cold Brew & Cream. This year, one of Scooters Coffees drink innovations includes Red Bull Infusions. Scooters Coffee is at the dawn of a strategic growth phase in the Midwest and nationwide. The U.S. coffee market is an estimated $48 billion a year recession-resistant industry, and Scooters Coffee is striving to become the #1 drive-thru coffee franchise in the nation. Visit ownascooters.com to learn more about the benefits of owning a franchise of a well-established company. For more information, visit scooterscoffee.com, facebook.com/scooterscoffee, ownascooters.com or call 877-494-7004. SOURCE Scooters Coffee ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Announces First Ever Day of Hiring Event Across State of North Carolina on April 25 Leading moving franchise is looking to hire nearly 400 movers, drivers and customer service representatives to prepare for its busiest season LANSING, Mich., April 18, 2019 // PRNewswire // - Leading moving franchise TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is putting its mission to Move People Forward in action with its Day of Hiring Event on Thursday, April 25 in North Carolina. With 51.8 percent of the company's business falling between May and September, the brand is launching a strategic hiring initiative to fill 5,000 jobs nationally. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has put a focus on key states within the system for frontline positions including movers, drivers and customer service representatives to prepare for the upcoming busy season. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has grown from one location in 1985 to more than 375 territories in 2019, and has more than 5,800 employees in the system. To support its system-wide growth goal of more than 10,000 employees, the brand is placing emphasis on hiring in North Carolina with 10 markets seeking new employees. "To show how serious we are about finding qualified candidates in North Carolina, we're giving every applicant a face-to-face interview on April 25," said Chief Talent Officer Sara Bennett. "We are focused on bringing the right people into the system who can provide excellent customer service and grow with an established brand." What sets TWO MEN AND A TRUCK apart from other brands is its focus on career development at all levels of the company. In fact, one-third of the system's franchisees and 75 percent of managers started as frontline employees. In 2017, the brand developed an internal program called XCELERATE that focuses on career development, with specific initiatives for managers and frontline staff, as well as a scholarship program to help standout employees in the system become franchisees. "We know the success of our franchise system is dependent on the team members who are serving our customers day in and day out. Our mission is to provide the tools and courses to help our employees build a career at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK," said Bennett. "I'm proud to say that I started off at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as an administrative assistant and now serve on the executive team. With the right work ethic, anything is possible at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK." Interested job seekers can visit careers.twomenandatruck.com to submit an application and find more information about the Day of Hiring events, as well as other open positions in the system. Job seekers can also win! All franchise employees who are hired between March 1 and May 15 will be entered into a drawing to win one of five, $500 prizes! About TWO MEN AND A TRUCK Headquartered in Michigan, TWO MEN AND A TRUCK is the largest franchised moving company in North America. Currently, there are more than 375 locations and 2,900 trucks operating in 44 U.S. states in addition to Canada, Ireland, and the UK. TWO MEN AND A TRUCK has performed more than 7 million moves since its inception in 1985 and has seen consistent monthly growth dating back to December 2009. In 2018, Entrepreneur Magazine ranked TWO MEN AND A TRUCK as one of the top 500 franchises in the U.S for the 24th consecutive year and ranked the company No. 1 in the moving/junk removal category for the third year in a row. In 2017, the company also made the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the fourth time. Each location is independently owned and operated. Media Contact: Lauren Kaminski No Limit Agency 312.526.3996 lauren@nolimitagency.com SOURCE TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Nintendo and Tencent have joined forces in an attempt to bring the Switch to China, and the pair are making significant headway. As reported by Reuters, Chinese tech giant Tencent recently received approval from regulator in the southern province of Guangdong to distribute the Switch and a test version of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe in the country. The Chinese video game market is currently the largest and most lucrative in the world, making this a big victory for both companies. According to "people familiar with the matter," the Guangdong approval will eventually lead to the Switch being sold nationwide, although no timeframe for the rollout was given. Launching the Nintendo Switch in China is a massive opportunity for both Nintendo and Tencent, said Newzoo analyst Gu Tianyi, explaining the significance of the news to Reuters. What sets Nintendo apart [from competitors like Sony and Microsoft] it that its intellectual property roster -- including Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon -- is already extremely popular in the market. Whats more, the mobile aspect of the Switch is a great fit for Chinas mobile-first culture." Nintendo's new partner Tencent was one of the companies affected by China's recent licensing freeze, which saw the new State Administration of Press and Publication halt approvals in an attempt to weed out games that didnt abide by the governments values. The freeze prevented companies big and small from launching their games in China, and created a massive approvals backlog that regulators have only recently begun to wade through. Fortunately for Tencent, test versions of games like New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe can be distributed without a license, meaning it can effectively skip the queue (for now). V is a violent, unpredictable criminal and your primary antagonist for the first half of Katana Zero. After capturing you during the Mansion level, he leaves his henchmen to deal with you. That doesnt go quite how he planned, though, and youll catch up with V a short while later just outside. Both V and your character grab motorcycles for a high-speed pursuit along a scenic highway. Once youve dealt with Vs motorcycle-riding goons, youll catch back up to him. At this point, you can just rush him, using your time-slowing powers to avoid his shots if you need to and knock him off his bike. Of course, it wouldnt be much of a boss fight if that were the end of it. V reappears moments later, having traded his motorcycle for a conveniently placed attack helicopter. Despite Vs obvious advantage when it comes to vehicles, this fight is actually pretty simple. Avoiding missile attacks The fight will start with V launching a missile barrage. Wait until you see the red targets appear on the highway, then simply move out of the way. For this attack, the missiles will always hit in orderly columns along the highway with safe spots between them. V always launches two waves of missiles, and dodging the first will put you in the path of the second. Once the first wave hits, just move forward the same distance you did to avoid them again, and youll be fine. V has a second missile attack with a different pattern. This attack will actually track your movement, placing blue targets at your current position, with red targets showing up randomly across the highway. This pattern is much more difficult to dodge. Youll have to keep moving to avoid the missiles from the blue targets while taking care not to end up on a red target when the missiles hit. Its best to either make a big circle around the entire screen or in a snake pattern to avoid blue targets, making sure not to hit any red targets that come up. Its easy to tell which pattern is going to be launched. When the helicopter stays stationary in the middle of the screen while launching missiles, the attack will follow the first static pattern. When it swoops from one side of the screen to the other, it will use the tracking attack. Dodging and deflecting gunfire Between missile attacks, V will swing closer to attack with a machine gun and a pistol. When the helicopter hovers above the highway, but you cant see V, its about to spray a line of machine gun fire across the road. The best way to avoid this is simply to get directly underneath the helicopter when it appears. If you cant get there in time, get all the way to the top or bottom of the screen to draw the attack there, then switch sides when it starts firing. You can slow time if you need to, but keep in mind that you cant dash on the motorcycle. Its also possible to deflect these bullets back at the helicopter, but its much safer just to wait for the next phase. After the machine gun attack, the helicopter will appear again, this time with V hanging from its side. This is your chance to attack. When he starts to fire, slow time and deflect a bullet back toward him, then you just have to repeat that whole sequence a couple more times, and V will come crashing back down to Earth. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Japanese Master of Wine representing Georgian wine to the world - GeorgianJournal Georgian wine in Tokyo Metro Station How does Japanese embrace Georgian culture and cuisine? - GeorgianJournal TikTok Ban in India: Will it solve the "inappropriate content" issue? Features oi-Vivek Here is everything you need to know about TikTok Ban in India Supreme court recently passed a new order to take out Tiktok app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store. For starters, Tiktok is a platform to create and short videos. Tiktok in India was initially called musically, and the two platforms merged to become the almighty Tiktok, which has a 13 million active user base, just in India. Reason for the ban A petition was raised against Tiktok in Madras High Court and Supreme Court of India, stating that the app exposes children to pornographic and inappropriate content. After a thorough investigation, the Supreme Court of India has passed an order to take out the app from the Apple and Google App store. With the latest law in order, the TikTok app is no longer available on the Google Play Store or Apple App store in India. However, users can still use the app, if the app has been already installed on the smartphone. As the app is no longer available on the store, you will not receive any updates or new features, until further notice from the court. Is using the TikTok app is illegal in India? The latest decision from the Supreme court does not say anything about using the apps by individuals. In fact, one can easily download the app from third party websites, and it just works fine. TikTok India officials have officially released a statement, which claims that users can continue to use the app to generate and share content without any issue, and the company is working day and night to bring back the app to the Apple Store and Play store. TikTok and inappropriate content Even I have used TikTok, and there are a dozen of apps, at least on the Google Play Store, which mimics TikTok and offers similar content. Due to the unprecedented grown, the TikTok app has come into the limelight. In TikTok, users can create any sort of content, like most of the social media platforms. However, to get quick attention, some users have been creating shady and pornographic content on the platform, which is visible to the entire TikTok community. For certain extent, TikTok does remove content, which are highly inappropriate and some videos missout from the algorithm, which has caused this issue. TikTok is not the only platform that has explicit and pornographic content, in fact, social media apps like Instagram and Facebook also face similar issues, and the robust algorithm and content monitoring team will make sure that the illegal and pornographic content is being removed as soon as possible. Conclusion You heard us right, TikTok is just the tip of the iceberg, and banning the app will not solve the issue, as millions of users have already installed the app on their phones. By removing TikTok from app stores, more apps with similar features will come into existence, which is a bigger problem to deal with. According to me, de-listing the app from the Google Play Store and App Store is not a solution to control pornographic and inappropriate content. Instead, govt should bring in more laws, where content on apps like TikTok is continuously monitored to filter out inappropriate content at all time. Apps like TikTok should develop a better algorithm to filter the content, and the company should manually monitor the content, ensuring safe content for users under every age group. 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 Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 get new update with March 2019 Android security patch News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The Nokia 6 firmware update weighs around 375MB and the Nokia 5 update weighs 267MB in size. HMD Global the Finnish brand licensee to the Nokia smartphones is known for consistent roll-out of Android updates to its smartphones. The company is now pushing out a new firmware update for two Nokia smartphones. The latest Nokia devices to receive a firmware update are Nokia 5 and Nokia 6. Both the Nokia 5 and Nokia 7 smartphones were launched back in 2017 and have received timely updates in the past. However, the new firmware update which is being released for both the devices was delayed due to some issues. Now, both the smartphones are receiving the latest Android firmware update. The new update rolling out for the Nokia 6 and the Nokia 5 smrtphones brings along the March 2019 Android security patch. Notably, this update was delayed for Nokia 2 and Nokia 8 as well; however, the Nokia 8 had received the update yesterday itself. While the update for the Nokia 8 weighed at 100MB, the Nokia 6 firmware update weighs around 375MB and the Nokia 5 update weighs 267MB in size. Following the update, the security of the both the devices will be improved. Nokia 6 and Nokia 5 specifications and features: The Nokia 6 comes with a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display panel with a screen resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels. The device is powered by a Snapdragon 430 processor with Adreno 505 GPU. It comes with 3GB/4GB RAM with a storage space option of 32GB/64GB. The internal storage is expandable via microSD card to up to 128GB. The Nokia 5 features a 5.2-inch IPS LCD display with 720 x 1280 pixels. The device is powered by Snapdragon 430 processor with Adreno 505 GPU. The smartphone comes with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD card to up to 128GB. via Best Mobiles in India OnePlus 7 Pro top features leaked: 90 Hz display, triple camera and more News oi-Vivek Here are the top (alleged) features of the OnePlus 7 Pro OnePlus is Known for launching two flagship smartphones a year with 6 months gap between the model. Now, for the first time, OnePlus is most likely to launch two smartphones at the same time, the OnePlus 7 and the OnePlus 7 Pro. We have already learned that the OnePlus 7 looks a lot like the OnePlus 6T, which was launched in the Q4 of 2018, whereas the OnePlus 7 Pro seems like the high-end model of the lot, which supposedly comes with a lot of features, that none of the previous OnePlus smartphones have. QHD+ display with 90 Hz refresh rate According to the latest leak, the OnePlus 7 Pro is most likely to feature a 2K QHD+ resolution display (probably OLED) with whopping 90Hz refresh rate, which makes it the second smartphone in the world to offer 90Hz refresh on an OLED panel, which offers smoother animations and transitions, compared to a typical 60Hz refresh rate display panel found on most of the flagship smartphones of 2019. The smartphone will also have a pop-up selfie camera with a 2nd Gen in-display fingerprint sensor, similar to the OnePlus 6T. The OnePlus 7 Pro will have a notch-less bezel-less design, offering higher screen to body ratio, compared to the previous OnePlus smartphones. Unlike the base variant, the Pro will have a triple camera setup with a dedicated telephoto and a wide angle lens, which again makes the OnePlus 7 Pro, the OnePlus smartphone with the triple camera setup. The smartphone is also expected to carry-in a massive 4000 mAh Li-ion battery with a USB C Gen 3.1 support, offering fast 30W Warp Charging, similar to the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition. The leak also suggests that the company is most likely to hold launch events at three different venues on the 14th of May, in New York, London, and, Bengaluru. Considering all these features, the OnePlus 7 Pro is expected to cost as much as the Samsung Galaxy S10, making it one of the most expensive OnePlus smartphones ever. Via Best Mobiles in India Panasonic eyes Rs.1000 crore revenue from smart factory solutions business in 3 years News oi-Priyanka Dua The company is also planning to open a technical center for its smart factory solutions which will act as a strategic base that validates smart factories. Japenese consumer electronic Panasonic has announced that its plans to ramp up its smart factory solutions business in India, is targeting a revenue of around Rs 1,000 crore from the segment in three years. Panasonic also expects its solution and digital manufacturing to contribute around 15 percent to the total revenue from the smart factory business. "The company targets to achieve Rs 1,000 crore in revenue from its smart factory business in the next three years, with solutions and digital manufacturing expected to contribute 15 percent to the total smart factory business revenue," said Panasonic. "To be able to cater to these growing demands, having the right and smart capabilities in manufacturing will be key, and this is what we are addressing today," Hiroyuki Aota - President & CEO, Global Panasonic Smart Factory Solutions said. The company is also planning to open a technical center for its smart factory solutions which will act as a strategic base that validates smart factories with customers and be used as a training center where customers can learn the skills required to operate a digital factory. Manish Sharma, President & CEO Panasonic India said, "The key technology to realize a Smart Factory is to connect various equipment through the Internet of Things (IoT), to synchronize them and collect and control data from the equipment in real time for entire production processes. We are extremely focused on building solutions that cater to the real needs of our customers and will aggressively ramp up our portfolio of smart factory solutions." The company is focused on building India as its innovation hub for the globe, and create a strong ecosystem of component and automated manufacturing in the country. Best Mobiles in India Tencent reportedly working on a gaming smartphone News oi-Vishal Kawadkar Tencent might team up with already established manufacturers. Chinese internet giant Tencent is said to be working on a gaming smartphone. However, the company won't be developing the device alone. It is reportedly teaming up with a major manufacturer for the gaming-centric phone. China's 36KR outlet has made such claims, citing "several independent sources." The outlet also reported that the alleged device will be powered by a Qualcomm processor and it might either be Tencent-branded or dual-branded. The report also suggets that Tencent is in talks with Asus, Razer, Wentai, and Xiaomi's Black Shark. Three of these brands already have a gaming phone in their arsenal. It is believed that Tancent will use its own branding if it joins forces with Wentai. If the company makes a gaming smartphone, it would pre-install its own services and storefront on the device and generate more revenue. As Tencent studios also makes a lot of mobile games, we could expect exclusive collaboration with various titles. This will help them lure more users to buy its gaming smartphone. If the company teams up with already established brands, then we might see a device that borrows some of the features and design elements from existing devices. This also indicates towards a Snapdragon flagship chipset, a huge battery, and a dedicated gaming mode. We might also get to se screens with high refresh rate and air vents. There's no certainty that the Tencent-branded phones will make it to western coast, although the company has a stake in major Western gaming studios such as Games, Supercell, and Riot Games. 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 Two Xiaomi flagship phones with Snapdragon 855 SoC, pop-up camera to launch in India News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Xiaomi might launch pop-up selfie camera smartphones in India. / Previously, Xiaomi revealed that it is in plans to launch smartphones with pop-up cameras. Also, the Product Director at Xiaomi, Wang Teng Thomas confirmed that the release of such smartphones from the company depends on consumer demand. A few weeks back, there were countless leaks regarding an upcoming Redmi flagship smartphone with a pop-up selfie camera. It was speculated that this smartphone will use the flagship Snapdragon 855 SoC. It was also leaked via a video teaser suggesting what we can expect from the smartphone. Later, the brand's General Manager Lu Weibing confirmed that they are not working a device with a pop-up camera. Upcoming Xiaomi smartphones in India Now, a report by XDA Developers suggests that the Chinese smartphone maker is in plans to release two new smartphones in India. Both these models are believed to feature a pop-up selfie camera. The report further notes that these smartphones have the codename davinci and raphael. It is said that they have been tracking the development of these upcoming Xiaomi smartphones for the past five months. During some hardware tests conducted by the company, the device codenamed davinco was spotted online with the rising camera. Since then, the speculations regarding the development of the pop-up camera emerged online. From the code that was obtained by the source, these two smartphones will feature mechanically rising cameras instead of those that use slider mechanism as the Mi Mix 3. As of now, there is no word regarding the exact camera specifications but these are believed to be flagship smartphones that use Snapdragon 855 SoCs and in-display fingerprint sensor. As these are speculated to be launched in India, the company is said to be working on optimizing the MIUI software versions for the Indian market. But it remains to be seen when these smartphones will be launched in the country. 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 Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro might get Fortnite support soon News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Redmi Note 7 Pro to get Fortnite support, hints the companys India head. In India, the mid-range smartphone segment is growing pretty well with many brands bringing their best offerings in this category. Especially, this category was dominated by the Chinese brands Xiaomi, Honor, Asus, etc. Recently, Samsung brought its Galaxy M series phones too to make the competition fiercer. One of the latest entrants in this segment is Realme and the company is gearing up to take the wraps off the Realme 3 Pro sometime soon. This smartphone is all set to be announced on April 22 and a few details have been teased by the company. One of the teasers showed the support for Fortnite, the popular battle royale game. This video teaser showed that its rival - the Redmi Note 7 Pro struggling to open this game. Redmi Note 7 Pro Fortnite support Notably, the smartphone supports PUBG Mobile and not Fortnite. Now, Xiaomi is gearing up to roll out support for this game to the Redmi Note 7 Pro. The company's India head Manu Kumar Jain has taken to Twitter to dig at Realme saying the Snapdragon 710 SoC powering its upcoming smartphone is a year old while the Snapdragon 675 SoC used by the Redmi Note 7 Pro is new and powerful. He also claimed that Fortnite is popular in the US but there is no smartphone using the SD675 SoC in the region. #Fortnite on #RedmiNote7Pro SD 675 is a new chip & isn't available in USA (Fortnite's primary market) yet. Hence, unlike some old processors, it hasn't been whitelisted. Read more: https://t.co/rKb4luUZ1C Do u want Fortnite? If yes, we'll work w/ @Qualcomm to get it certified. Manu Kumar Jain (@manukumarjain) April 18, 2019 Besides this, he posted a poll asking if the Indian users want to play Fortnite on their Redmi Note 7 Pro smartphones. The tweet further added that they will work with Qualcomm to bring support for the same. And, we can expect this support to be rolled out in the coming weeks via an update. This is possible as the company recently rolled out an update to provide a great user experience. Redmi Note 7 Pro price The Redmi Note 7 Pro went on open sale yesterday in the country alongside the Redmi Note 7. And, it is priced at Rs. 13,999 and Rs. 16,999 for the two variants - one with 4GB RAM + 4GB ROM and the other with 6GB RAM + 128GB ROM respectively. 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 April 18, 2019 News Release Press Operations Release No. NR-095-19 Readout of Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan's Meeting with Albanian Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka Acting Chief Pentagon Spokesperson Charles E. Summers, Jr., provided the following readout: Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan met with Albanian Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka today at the Pentagon to reaffirm the important defense relationship between the United States and Albania. The leaders discussed a broad range of defense issues, including Albania's significant contributions to U.S. and NATO operations in the region and their continued leadership on countering Russia's malign activities in the Balkans. They agreed on the importance of burden sharing within the alliance, and Secretary Shanahan praised Albania's efforts to reach the Wales Summit goal for defense spending by 2024. https://dod.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1818495/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address April 18, 2019 Transcript Press Operations Media Availability by Acting Secretary Shanahan Prior to an Honor Cordon Welcoming Albania's Minister of Defense Olta Xhacka to the Pentagon Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PATRICK SHANAHAN: Courtney said today's the day that I should come out and talk. (UNKNOWN): (inaudible) Because it's a nice day. SEC. SHANAHAN: Right? Yeah, yeah. That's right. (CROSSTALK) Q: Can you help us a little bit on the North Korea test? Has the U.S. determined that anything at all was launched yesterday, even if it was something small and -- SEC. SHANAHAN: I'm not going to go into the detailed intelligence. But the way I'd characterize it is, it's not a ballistic missile. And then also, there's no change to our posture or to our operations. Q: So you are confirming that there was a test of some kind. SEC. SHANAHAN: There was a test, yes. Q: It's just that it wasn't of significant altitude to -- SEC. SHANAHAN: It's not a -- it's not a ballistic missile. Okay? Q: You're specifically using the word "test," rather than "launch." SEC. SHANAHAN: I mean, how -- how about "launch"? I can use "launch." Q: Did they actually fire something? That's what we're all trying to figure out, or whether it was some kind of a ground test. SEC. SHANAHAN: I think the way you want to look at it, it wasn't a ballistic missile, all right? Q: But they did launch something, just not that big? SEC. SHANAHAN: You could use "shoot," "launch," "test." Q: Test. SEC. SHANAHAN: I mean, they're very synonymous terms. Q: Well, sir, was -- it -- was it more than components? Was it a finished piece of ordnance? SEC. SHANAHAN: It was not ballistic. Q: Was it more than components? SEC. SHANAHAN: What else would you guys like to -- Q: Was it new? SEC. SHANAHAN: (inaudible) Q: I mean, was it some kind of a new capability or technology that shows any kind of new progress or concerns, or -- that you can share? SEC. SHANAHAN: No change to our operation or posture. And I'm not being, you know, cagey here. It's just that what's important is, it wasn't ballistic. Q: And -- and did it -- did it -- SEC. SHANAHAN: Jeffrey? Q: Does the Defense Department have the ability to counter the reach of the GRU [Eds: (sic) G.U. is the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, formerly known as GRU], as shown in the Mueller report? Are you better than the GRU? SEC. SHANAHAN: I haven't read it. Can you tell me more about what was in the Mueller report? Q: They broke -- broke into personal computers, government computers, corporate computers, and (inaudible) to disseminate a lot of information seemingly at will. Is this something that concerns the Defense Department, at just how capable the Russians are at cyber warfare? SEC. SHANAHAN: I'd need to look at the specifics of the report. We're -- you know, the Russians present a risk. I mean, my job is to manage the risk. We have tremendous capability at Cyber Command and the NSA. Q: Can we ask you a question about the Albanians? So -- from the Voice of America. SEC. SHANAHAN: Hi. Welcome. Q: Mr. Secretary, what do you expect -- SEC. SHANAHAN: Are we -- are we okay on time (inaudible)? Q: -- from Albania in terms of military collaboration? Would we expect more from Albania? SEC. SHANAHAN: Yes. Q: I know that you have a base there, a new one. SEC. SHANAHAN: Right. Q: NATO. SEC. SHANAHAN: Mostly, our conversation today will be about the contributions Albania's making and where we can best place those resources, and how to participate with the U.S. We'll also talk about the important capabilities that the Albanians must develop. So part of the minister's visit here was to New Jersey to look at partnering with the National Guard, and this is with respect to helicopter maintenance. But we'll talk more about what's the right U.S. participation. (CROSSTALK) Q: Did you make your progress yesterday in your discussions with the Turks? SEC. SHANAHAN: I did, yeah. Look, Minister Akar -- they are a strategic partner, right? There will always be challenges to navigate, and that's why we took the time, since he was in town, to sit down together and I like seeing him. This was one of those, you know, meetings, where there were no notes. It's like, "Okay, where are we stuck? How do we get unstuck?" And I mentioned this. We stay focused on interests, not positions? Okay. (CROSSTALK) SEC. SHANAHAN: I told him I'd be happy to come visit him when we deliver the Joint Strike Fighter. https://dod.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1818427/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France, UK and U.S. Navies Complete Artemis Trident 19 Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190418-05 Release Date: 4/18/2019 10:35:00 AM From U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- France's Marine Nationale, the United Kingdom's Royal Navy and the U.S. Navy completed the U.S. 5th Fleet mine countermeasures exercise Artemis Trident in the Arabian Gulf. The scenario for the defensive exercise was for coalition forces to provide safe passage to humanitarian relief vessels through a mined area. "Mines threaten maritime traffic indiscriminately," U.S. Navy Capt. Jeffrey Morganthaler, Commodore of Task Force 52 and lead for the exercise, said. "Training together ensures we can collectively protect unfettered operations of naval and support vessels, as well as commercial shipping movements, throughout the maritime domain." In the fictional scenario, 70 nautical miles of channels and routes were cleared for simulated shipping using multiple, integrated sensors. Geographically dispersed forces practiced choke point clearance and harbor breakout. The exercise involved over 700 personnel, 10 ships, and five helicopters from the three nations. The ships included the U.S. Navy expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), fleet ocean tug USNS Catawba (T-ATF 168), Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship USS Sentry (MCM 3), Island-class coastal patrol boats USCGC Maui (WPB 1304) and USCGC Wrangell (WPB 1332); the United Kingdom Royal Navy's RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009) and minehunters HMS Shoreham (M112) and HMS Ledbury (M30); and the French Marine Nationale's minehunters FS L'Aigle (M647) and FS Sagittaire (M650). As part of the exercise, FS L'Aigle and HMS Ledbury simultaneously rafted with the RFA Cardigan Bay. RFA Cardigan Bay's support increased the endurance of the mine hunters, demonstrating how a multinational force could conduct sustainment and repairs during extended mine clearance operations. In another scenario, six of the ships practiced collective self-defense, working together to defend themselves from simulated air and surface threats. "The exercise has been a highlight in our current deployment, and it exemplifies how we are stronger together, in an area that is so complex," said France's Marine Nationale Lt. Pierre, mine clearance diving officer aboard FS L'Aigle. "France deploys MCM vessels on a regular basis to the Arabian Gulf, to maintain expertise of the local environment, and I am looking forward to the next exercise." Command and control was fully integrated throughout the exercise. The Commander UK Mine-Counter Measure Forces and his staff led Combined Task Group 52.2 from aboard the RFA Cardigan Bay, leading RFA Cardigan Bay, HMS Ledbury, FS L'Aigle and a U.S. Navy mine hunting unit. The United States Navy led Combined Task Group 52.3, focused on expeditionary mine countermeasures with diving forces from all three nations. The French Battle Staff, embarked on USS Lewis B. Puller, served as Combined Task Group 52.4 and led Puller, USS Sentry, FS Sagittaire and HMS Shoreham. "There are many similarities between all three MCM communities from the comradeship and professionalism onboard these small ships, to the quest to embrace emerging maritime autonomous technology," Royal Navy Commander Steven White, commander of Combined Task Group 52.2, said. "MCM is a complex and dangerous business that many people do not understand, these exercises allow me along with my fellow task group commanders, and commanding officers of ships and diving units to practice and refine our skills and procedures so we are ready when called upon to do this for real." Task Force 52 plans and executes mine warfare operations in support of U.S. 5th Fleet operational objectives. U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse comprises 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Mitscher Departs Piraeus, Greece Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190418-07 Release Date: 4/18/2019 12:17:00 PM From USS Mitscher (DDG 57) Public Affairs PIRAEUS, Greece (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57) departed Piraeus, Greece, after a scheduled port visit April 16. Mitscher's visit to Piraeus strengthened the U.S.-Greece partnership, fostered enduring relationships and emphasized the U.S. Navy's shared commitment to promoting security and stability within the region. "Mitscher's crew had an incredible time in Piraeus and Athens," Cmdr. Ian Scaliatine, commanding officer of Mitscher said. "It was a wonderful opportunity to experience Greek culture and history, and to learn so much about the people of Greece." Sailors aboard Mitscher toured many ancient sites including the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon, the Temple of Poseidon, and Delphi. Mitscher's port visit to Greece demonstrates the shared commitment to promoting safety and stability in the region, while seeking opportunities to enhance interoperability with our allies. Mitscher, homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied 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 Porter Returns to Naval Station Rota Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190418-06 Release Date: 4/18/2019 12:09:00 PM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James R. Turner, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, April 14, and remains in a ready condition after a four-month patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. Porter departed Rota Dec. 27, 2018, and began its sixth forward-deployed naval force patrol in support of regional allies and partners, and U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. "I'm very proud of this crew of champions for a wildly successful patrol," Cmdr. Craig Trent, Porter's commanding officer, said. "We worked hard together as a team, flexed to overcome many obstacles, and accomplished the mission as a team. I'm excited for our return home and the opportunity it provides to reconnect with ourselves and our loved ones." While on patrol, Porter conducted missions in support of regional allies and partners and earned numerous qualifications and certifications in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Baltic Sea. The certifications included Aviation Certification, Mobility Aviation, Mobility Damage Control, Submarine Warfare, Intelligence, Cryptologic Warfare, Electronic Warfare and Naval Surface Fire and Support. During the patrol, the ship moored in five countries to include; Turkey, Latvia, Demark, Scotland and England. While in port the crew hosted three luncheons and a reception in Denmark for over 100 local officials including the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, and Danish Lt. Gen. Max Nielson, the Danish vice chief of defense. The crew gave back to the communities by volunteering in community relations by helping refurbish a house into a storage facility for animal food at one of Latvia's animal parks and refurbishing the 'Maid of the Lock,' the oldest steam powered paddle boat in the United Kingdom (UK), while in Scotland. At the midpoint of the patrol, Porter returned to Rota for a three-week training and maintenance availability (TRAV). This availability allowed Porter to do any necessary maintenance and continue to earn certifications while in port. Following TRAV, Porter participated in Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) which originates from the UK's naval bases with the purpose of delivering operational training across all disciplines for the Royal Navy and other navies desiring to make use of its services. "FOST represents the pinnacle for building cohesion and teamwork within a warship," Lt. j.g McKenzie Anderson, Porter's training officer, said. "Porter's crew has learned to flex to new casualties, new reporting procedures, and new methods of communication between ships in a task group. Our ability to work with other NATO units highlights our ability to be anywhere, at any time, and work cohesively with any NATO ship to accomplish any mission." During FOST, Porter Sailors participated in loss of steering drills, man overboard exercises, six general quarters drills, one towing exercise, seamanship training team scenarios, gunnery exercises, damage control training, engineering training, a weekly war environment, and one moor to a buoy exercise, all in multiple training team environments to include combat scenarios. After completing FOST, Porter participated in exercise Joint Warrior (JW) 19-1 along with the guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) and approximately 10,000 military personnel, 35 warships, five submarines, and 59 aircraft from 13 countries in the Northern Channel and North Sea, before turning its bow toward Rota and home. Joint Warrior is a series of biannual exercises designed to provide NATO, allied, and partner forces with a unique multi-warfare environment in which to prepare for global operations. Exercise JW 19-1 provided a full spectrum of real-life training opportunities for damage control. Participating ships encountered simulated damage, which produced interconnected causalities affecting other systems. In total, Porter and its crew covered nearly 23,000 nautical miles burning 2,329,451 gallons of fuel conducting 123 damage control drills and expending approximately 3600 combined live rounds from the ship's Mark 45 5-inch, close-in weapon system and 25mm guns. Porter served 131,752 meals to the crew and provided 1,615 haircuts. This patrol they also received 133 pallets of cargo and food provision, and 3,000 ponds of mail. Porter returned to Naval Station Rota April 14. With their loved ones waiting for them on the pier, the Sailors aboard Porter returned to Rota, but remained at the ready to answer the nation's call. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied 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 NMCB 133 Conducts Quarry Demolition with Air Force Counterparts Navy News Service Story Number: NNS190418-03 Release Date: 4/18/2019 9:12:00 AM By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class John Philip Wagner, Jr., CTF 75 Public Affairs ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 133 Det. Guam and airmen assigned to the 554th Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers (RED HORSE) conducted a controlled quarry demolition at Andersen Air Force Base's quarry April 9. This was the first time that NMCB has conducted a blasting operation since the Mineral Products Rock Quarry on U.S. Naval Base Guam closed in 2012. "We (NMCB's) did blasts at the quarry for about a year," said Chief Equipment Operator Roy Summerville, NMCB 133's blast operation quality control manager. "Since the old quarry closed, there have been no blasting operations by any NMCB Sailors here on Guam." Summerville also added, "These types of operations are important because it allows Seabees deployed to Guam to keep up their proficiency levels with these types of operations." The demolition not only provided Seabees a chance to hone their blasting skills. It also provides recourses that can be used for future projects within the region. "Developing the quarry blasting skillset will increase the Seabees expeditionary construction ability, enabling us to create material to conduct construction projects from schools and medical clinics, to runway repair," said Master Chief Equipmentman Tim Taylor, 30th Naval Construction Regiment logistics department leading chief petty officer. During the operation, Sailors and airmen worked together to plan and execute a safe effective blast at the quarry site. "I was actually part of the drill team that made 40 holes," Equipment Operator 2nd Class Justin Sobieralski, NMCB 133, explosive ammunition coupler. "Being able to help ammunition and explosives become one and make into blasted rock allows NMCB 133 to get our name out and also show we have a unified force on the quarry team." Throughout the operation, the two teams worked together to show that while they may wear different uniforms, they still have a common goal. "With the military going to a joint operations environment, its huge to be able to inter-operate with the Seabees," said Air Force Capt. Nicholas Spivey, 554th RED HORSE explosive demolition team officer-in-charge. "Being able to leverage each other's forces and experiences we can learn from them and they (NMCB) can learn from us." Spivey added, "I feel it's especially important in this theater with some of the challenges that we face. It's a huge plus and value to be able to use each other's skills to accomplish the mission." During the joint blast operation the two groups were able to create approximately 5,000 tons of rock that will be used for different projects around the area. "The rock blasted today will create approximately 5,000 to 6,000 tons of base course," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Brian Polk, 554th RED HORSE Squadron's shot boss. "The rock will be processed into a couple of different sizes of rock for projects later this summer." All involved in the operation believe this was a beneficial, and successful operation that will benefit all involved. "I feel it's important to learn how [Seabees] do things," said Polk. "I have been working for a month to coordinate everything, and I have learned a lot about how they operate, and what I have learned will benefit me running the quarry. It was beneficial." "This evolution benefits both entities," said Summerville. "For NMCB 133 it keeps our proficiency, we are stationed in Gulfport, Mississippi, and don't have the opportunity to do blasting operations." "I think it was an awesome exercise," said Spivey. "I think it's great to see two different uniforms working together. The team got in there, figured things out, it was a well-planned and organized evolution." The Sailors of NMCB 133, based out of Gulfport, Miss. and the airmen from the 554th RED HORSE Squadron will continue processing the blasted rock into smaller more manageable pieces for future projects. NMCB-133, on a rotational deployment to Guam, provides expeditionary construction and engineering capabilities that includes maintenance and operation of expeditionary bases and facilities, tactical sustainment bridging, humanitarian assistance through construction civic action details and civic action teams and theater disaster response capabilities in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Attorney General William Barr says Mueller report found 'no collusion' between Trump and Russia Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 03:26PM US Attorney General William Barr says the Special Counsel investigation led by Robert Mueller did not discover any evidence that President Donald Trump's election campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential election. Speaking on Thursday at a media conference at the US Justice Department, Barr also said the Mueller's two-year investigation did not uncover any clear evidence that Trump obstructed the special counsel probe, though he desperately sought to derail it. The press conference came before the release of a redacted version of the 400-page report to Congress and the public. The full findings are still emerging as journalists and congressmen scour the full document. The Special Counsel investigation, also known as the Russia probe, was launched in May 2017 and concluded on March 22, 2019. "The deputy attorney general and I concluded that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction of justice offense," Barr said. "Although deputy attorney general and I disagreed with some of the special counsel's legal theories and felt that some of the episodes examined did not amount to obstruction as a matter of law, we did not rely solely on that in making our decision," he added. "Instead we accepted the special counsel's legal framework for purposes of our analysis and evaluated the evidence as presented by the special counsel in reaching our conclusions." Both Trump and Russia have repeatedly denied the accusations of collusion. Trump has sought to discredit the investigation, calling it a "witch hunt." US intelligence agencies claim Moscow meddled in the election with a campaign of email hacking and online propaganda aimed at sowing discord in the United States, hurting Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and helping Trump. Democratic Party lawmakers had warned that Barr's decision to hold a press conference before Congress or the press had seen the report amounted to a diversion tactic. Barr acknowledged that officials at the Justice Department met with White House lawyers repeatedly in recent weeks to discuss the contents of the report, in a process that helped the president's team prepare a rebuttal. Former Justice Department spokesman Matthew Miller called Barr's performance "shameful". "Never thought I would hear an attorney general stand up and make excuses for a president's repeated attacks on the department of justice and its lawful investigations," Miller tweeted. In his news conference, Barr repeatedly claimed that Trump and his election campaign staff had been cleared of suspected wrongdoing connected with Russia's alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election. "We now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign, or the knowing participation of any other American," Barr said. Mueller 'unable' to clear Trump of obstruction Mueller's final report detailed multiple instances in 2017 and 2018 in which Trump desperately sought to derail the probe, including firing FBI director James Comey, demanding that Mueller himself be removed, and publicly dangling pardon offers to witnesses. It cited a furious Trump, just months into his term, swearing over Mueller's appointment and saying his presidency was doomed. Mueller's report said there was "substantial evidence" in many of the cases, including Comey's firing, showing Trump's intent was to stifle the investigation -- though the president was ultimately not successful. That led Mueller to conclude that he could not exonerate the president from criminal allegations of obstruction of justice. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House, Justice Department officials discussed Mueller report ahead of release: NYT Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 05:17AM White House lawyers and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials have met recently to discuss the conclusions of a report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller on alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, according to The New York Times. Citing people with knowledge of the discussions, The Times said Wednesday the discussions had helped President Donald Trump's legal team prepare for the release of the report and strategize for the public relations and political battles that are likely to follow. Mueller submitted his confidential report to US Attorney General William Barr in late March, triggering calls from lawmakers in Congress for the document's quick release. Barr was supposed to decide how much of the report to disclose. The top US law enforcement officer is scheduled to hold a news conference on Thursday to discuss the report more than an hour before Congress or the public gets a chance to see it. Democrats have complained about both the discussions between White House and DOJ officials as well as Barr's much anticipated conference. US House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler said Wednesday he had been told by the DOJ that Congress would not receive Mueller's report until after Barr's 9:30 a.m. EDT news conference. "The attorney general appears to be waging a media campaign on behalf of President Trump, the very subject of the investigation at the heart of the Mueller report," Nadler, D-N.Y., told reporters. "Rather than letting the facts of the report speak for themselves, the attorney general has taken unprecedented steps to spin Mueller's nearly two-year investigation." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Twitter blasted Barr, saying he "has thrown out his credibility & the DOJ's independence." Meanwhile, a US prosecutor said Wednesday that some Congress members can see a less-redacted version of Mueller's report after the initial public release. "The Justice Department plans to make available for review by a limited number of Members of Congress and their staff a copy of the Special Counsel's report without certain redactions," Jessie Liu, the attorney for the District of Columbia, said in a court filing. "The Justice Department intends to secure this version of the report in an appropriate setting that will be accessible to a limited number of Members of Congress and their staff," she added. Mueller, a former FBI director, had been examining since May 2017 whether Trump's election campaign colluded with Moscow to try to influence the 2016 presidential election and whether the Republican president later unlawfully tried to obstruct his investigation. Throughout his investigation, Mueller has brought charges against 34 people and three companies. It is not clear yet whether the report contains allegations of wrongdoing by Trump or exonerates him. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen agreement should be implemented without delay: UNSC Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 04:48AM The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has called on warring parties in Yemen to withdraw from the embattled port city of Hudaydah "as soon as possible" in line with a ceasefire deal reached in December 2018. In a statement on Wednesday, the council expressed "grave concern" that the UN-brokered deal reached between Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and the country's former Saudi-backed regime in Sweden has yet to be implemented, urging the parties to conflict to act on their commitments "without delay." The council said it will monitor the compliance of all sides with the "redeployment plans" agreed in the deal as it awaits a report by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on whether they are upholding their commitments. The council members welcomed Monday's announcement by UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths that said fighters of Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and militants loyal to the ex-Yemeni government had agreed to a detailed plan for the initial withdrawal of forces from Hudaydah. The statement urged the warring sides to engage with Griffiths and the head of the UN operation monitoring the withdrawals "to swiftly agree on local security force arrangements" and on the second phase of the redeployment. It also called on the parties "to redouble efforts" to finalize arrangements for a prisoner exchange and to establish a coordinating committee in southwestern city of Ta'izz, as called for in the Stockholm agreements. The council further reiterated its concern about "the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation across Yemen." The Houthis have repeatedly complained that the Saudi-led coalition has been violating the ceasefire. UN diplomats earlier said the Houthis refused to pull away from Hudaydah ports as part of the first stage, citing fears that forces linked to the Saudis will move in to take over facilities there. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates launched the Hudaydah offensive in June 2018 but have been facing strong resistance from Yemeni armed forces, led by the Houthis, as well as the city's residents. Hudaydah, a lifeline for millions of Yemenis, has seen some of the heaviest fighting in the Saudi-led war, which Riyadh began in 2015. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched the devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the Houthi Ansarullah movement. According to a 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 about 56,000 Yemenis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mueller's Russia Report Released; Democrats Concerned About Obstruction By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed satisfaction after the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigative report into Russian efforts to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign but congressional Democrats are pointing to a series of actions by the president that could be considered obstruction of justice. The lengthy report was distributed to Congress and publicly released online on April 18 after remarks by U.S. Attorney General William Barr. In his first public remarks since the release of the report on April 18, Trump declared at an event in Washington that he was "having a good day." "It was called no collusion. No obstruction," Trump said. "There never was by the way, and there never will be. We do have to get to the bottom of these things." "This should never happen to another president again," Trump said, calling the allegations against him that were being investigated by Mueller's team "a hoax." Trump's first public reaction to Barr's remarks was to post a meme on his Twitter account that showed a photograph of himself with his back turned to the camera and the declaration: "No Collusion, No Obstruction. For the haters and the radical left Democrats -- Game Over." Shortly before the report's release, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said at a press conference in Washington that Mueller's investigation "confirmed" that the Russian state tried to interfere with the election that brought Trump into office. But Barr said the investigation did not find evidence that Trump or members of his campaign team colluded with the Russian effort. "After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, hundreds of warrants and witness interviews the special counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those efforts," Barr said. Barr also said Mueller's report did not present any evidence that Trump attempted to obstruct justice during the investigation into the Russian attempts to interfere in the election. A senior congressional Democratic leader said the redacted Mueller report offered proof that Trump obstructed justice. Jerrold Nadler (Democrat-New York), the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said the long-awaited report unveiled a two-year campaign of obstruction by Trump. "Even in its incomplete form, the Mueller report outlines disturbing evidence that President Trump engaged in obstruction of justice and other misconduct," Nadler said shortly after the release of the report. "The responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the president accountable for his actions," he added. Democrats in Washington accused Barr of attempting to shield Trump from negative findings in the report by calling his press conference just before releasing the redacted version. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Democrat-California) said Barr was involved in a "staggering public effort" by the Trump administration to put a positive face on Mueller's report. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat-New York) mocked Barr's press conference on Twitter, calling it a "campaign press conference" for Trump and saying "it's time for Congress and the American public to see the #Mueller Report." Earlier, Schumer had criticized Barr, saying, "The process is poisoned before the report is even released." "Barr shouldn't be spinning the report at all, but it's doubly outrageous he's doing it before America is given a chance to read it," Schumer added. Pelosi said earlier that Barr had "thrown out his credibility & the DOJ's independence with his single-minded effort to protect" Trump. The redacted version of Mueller's report shows that Trump tried to take control of the Russia probe and force Mueller's removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the president. The report says that Trump appeared to perceive Mueller's appointment as special counsel as a serious threat to his ability to govern, according to the chief of staff to the then-acting attorney general, Jeff Sessions. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me," Trump reportedly said. The Mueller reports says Trump said: "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm f***ed." It says that in June 2017, Trump directed White House lawyer Don McGahn to tell acting Attorney General Jeff Sessions that Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed. It says McGahn refused, deciding that he would rather resign than set into motion what he considered to be a potential "Saturday Night Massacre" of firings -- a reference to the Watergate scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. Mueller reported multiple times in which Trump directed staffers or officials to curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017. It said those efforts "were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Despite those revelations, Mueller said in his report that he could not conclusively determine that Trump committed criminal obstruction of justice. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state," the report said. "Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment." Possible new indictments against the president by federal prosecutors in New York could overshadow the Mueller report. The report noted that it had made 14 criminal referrals that were outside the scope of the special counsel's authority -- 12 of them were redacted. The report said evidence was sent to "appropriate law enforcement authorities," mainly other offices within the Department of Justice and the FBI. The report also included 12 pages of Trump's written responses to Mueller's questions. Under an agreement with Trump's legal team, they did not include any questions about obstruction of justice. Though Mueller said the answers were inadequate, he said he decided against issuing a subpoena for the president to meet with investigators to answer questions because his office "had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the president's testimony." Trump's response said that his comment during a 2016 political rally asking Russian hackers to help find e-mails erased from rival candidate Hillary Clinton's private server was made "in jest and sarcastically." Trump also wrote that he did not recall being told during the campaign about any Russian effort to infiltrate or hack the computer systems of his Democratic rivals. Barr's remarks just before the release of the report repeated his conclusions made in a four-page letter to Congress on March 24 in which he summarized the Mueller report. In explaining the process for redacting the report for its public release later on April 18, Barr said no material was redacted on the basis of Trump invoking "executive privilege," though he said that Trump officials did review the redacted report. Trump has repeatedly criticized the Mueller investigation as a "witch-hunt," and called the process "an attempted coup" aimed at taking down his presidency. Mueller investigated whether Trump's campaign coordinated or conspired with Russia to win the election and if Trump or his associates unlawfully attempted to obstruct justice by trying to hinder the investigation. Mueller's report was completed on March 22, and Barr sent Congress a summary of the findings two days later in which he said the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." Barr's summary did not detail what Mueller learned about several Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 campaign and postelection transition period. It also did not explain why several of Trump associates lied to federal investigators or Congress during the investigation. He did not comment on those issues on April 18 during his press conference ahead of the report's release. Democratic lawmakers have been pressuring Barr to make Mueller's entire report available to Congress and the public. Barr said on April 18 that he would make a special version with far fewer redactions available to a small group of high-level congressional leaders. Barr said on April 18 that he withheld grand-jury and classified information along with information related to ongoing investigations and the privacy or reputation of uncharged "peripheral" people. Democrats say they will fight in court for the disclosure of additional information from the report. They say they are ready to submit subpoenas if the report is heavily redacted. In Moscow on April 18, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the release of Mueller's report as unimportant. "This is not an issue for us. It is not a thing that interests us or causes us concern," Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin had "more interesting and important things to do." But Peskov did admit that "It is first necessary to leaf through [the document] and understand whether it contains something that is worthy of analysis" before informing President Vladimir Putin about the report. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-attorney-general -says-no-trump-mueller-redaction-by-executive -privilege-/29889865.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 U.S. Attorney General Under Fire Before Release Of Redacted Mueller Report By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 Democrats in Washington are accusing U.S. Attorney General William Barr of attempting to shield President Donald Trump from negative findings in the special counsel's report on Russian election interference and the Trump campaign by calling a press conference just before releasing a redacted version of the report to Congress and the public. Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. Washington time on April 18 to present his interpretation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's nearly 400-page report on his Russia investigation. Justice Department officials say that after Barr answers questions about his "process," he plans to deliver the report to Congress between 11 a.m. and noon Washington time. The redacted version of the report will then be posted on the special counsel's website. Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi said Barr had "thrown out his credibility & the DOJ's independence with his single-minded effort to protect" Trump. The Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said: "The process is poisoned before the report is even released." "Barr shouldn't be spinning the report at all, but it's doubly outrageous he's doing it before America is given a chance to read it," Schumer said. Trump has repeatedly criticized the Mueller investigation as a "witch hunt" and called the process "an attempted coup" aimed at taking down his presidency. Trump said in a radio interview on April 17 that he may hold a news conference of his own after Barr completes his on April 18. Mueller investigated whether Trump's campaign coordinated or conspired with Russia to win the election and if Trump or his associates unlawfully attempted to obstruct justice by trying to hinder the investigation. Mueller's nearly 400-page report was completed on March 22, and Barr sent Congress a summary of the findings two days later in which he said the investigation "did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." Barr also wrote that the evidence uncovered in the probe was "not sufficient" to establish that Trump had obstructed justice. Trump said after Barr's summary was released on March 24 that he thinks the report amounts to "total exoneration." But Barr's summary directly quoted only one sentence from Mueller's report. It said: "While this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it does not exonerate him." Barr's summary did not detail what Mueller learned about several Trump associates who had Russia-related contacts during the 2016 campaign and postelection transition period. It also did not explain why several of Trump associates lied to federal investigators or Congress during the investigation. Since Barr released his summary, Democratic lawmakers have been pressuring him to make Mueller's entire report available to Congress and the public. Barr is expected to face scrutiny over how much of the document he blacks out and whether Mueller's report is accurately reflected in the letter he released last month. Barr has said he is withholding grand jury and classified information along with information related to ongoing investigations and the privacy or reputation of uncharged "peripheral" people. Democrats say they will fight in court for the disclosure of additional information from the report. They say they are ready to submit subpoenas if the report is heavily redacted. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, a Democrat from New York, said on April 17 that he will "probably find it useful" to call Mueller and members of his team to testify after reading the version of the report that Barr releases. In Moscow on April 18, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the release of Mueller's report as unimportant. "This is not an issue for us," Peskov said. "It is not a thing that interests us or causes us concern." "All the reports on the matter that have been released so far contain nothing but cursory statements," Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin has "more interesting and important things to do." With reporting by AP, Reuters, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/trump-russia -mueller-barr/29887160.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 No Collusion, Obstruction Maybe: Key Takeaways From the Mueller Report Sputnik News 21:22 18.04.2019(updated 21:45 18.04.2019) The long-awaited report by former FBI Director Robert Mueller took nearly two years to complete, cost over $25 million, led to 34 indictments and five convictions, and gave President Trump's opponents ammunition to accuse him of being a Russian pawn. The two volume report is divided into sections, including a summary of the investigation, Russia's alleged 'active measures' and 'hacking and dumping' meddling campaign, discussion of alleged "Russian government links to and contacts with the Trump campaign", "prosecution and declination decisions," and a 200+ page portion on possible obstruction of justice by the president and his associates. Conclusion: No Collusion Arguably the single most important blurb in the report can be found on page 5, and reads as follows: "Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." The report specified at the outset that because the term "collusion" is "not a specific offense or theory of liability" which could be found under the US criminal code, investigators conducted the probe using the concept of "conspiracy as defined in federal law," i.e. an agreement by two or more people to commit a crime or accomplish a legal end through illegal actions. But 'Russia Did Meddle' Despite clearing Trump of conspiracy due to a lack of evidence, the report does allege that Russia did directly interfere in the 2016 election, and "in sweeping and systemic fashion." The document points to two principle Russian meddling operations: "First, a Russian entity carried out a social media campaign that favoured presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and disparaged presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Second, a Russian intelligence service conducted computer-intrusion operations against entities, employees, and volunteers working on the Clinton Campaign and then released stolen documents." As its evidence for the first claim, the report points to "interference operations" by the Internet Research Agency, a private St. Petersburg-based public opinion analysis firm which it claims conducted "a social media campaign designed to provoke and amplify political and social discord in the United States." Specifically, the report notes, the IRA "used social media accounts and interest groups to sow discord in the US political system through what it termed 'information warfare'." Crucially for the president, however, the report notes that the investigation "did not identify evidence that any US persons conspired or coordinated with the IRA." Twitter released an archive of just over ten million tweets posted by 3,841 accounts the company said were associated with the IRA and the 2016 election in 2018. Bizarrely, however, the vast majority of the tweets were written in Russian (making it difficult for them to influence Americans), with Twitter later revising its summary of the archive, and saying furthermore that several hundred of the accounts previously attributed to the IRA were actually linked to suspected Venezuelan and Iranian "troll farm" operations. In addition to the Twitter campaign, the report accuses Russia of "cyber intrusions (hacking) and releases of hacked materials damaging to the Clinton Campaign." These operations were said to have been carried out by the GRU (Russian military intelligence). Specifically, the report claims that Russian operatives hacked the email accounts of Clinton campaign employees, including campaign chairman John Podesta. The report also alleges that the GRU hacked DNC servers and stole hundreds of thousands of documents in 2016, and disseminated them "through the fictitious online personas 'DCLeaks' and 'Guccifer 2.0'," and through WikiLeaks. Again, importantly for Trump, the report does not have evidence that the president or members of his campaign conspired, coordinated or coordinated with Russia on the leaks, even though he publicly "showed interest in" and "welcomed" WikiLeaks' releases. WikiLeaks, and its founder Julian Assange have consistently denied Russian state involvement in the DNC email dump, telling US media in no uncertain terms in late 2016 that although he could not reveal the leak's source, "it wasn't a state party," thereby contradicting the report's conclusions. Charges The report said that although it identified "numerous links" "between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump campaign," the evidence was "not sufficient to support criminal charges" for the conspiracy charge. "Among other things, the evidence was not sufficient to charge any Campaign official as an unregistered agent of the Russian government or other Russian principle," the report indicated. Five Guilty Pleas Five of the president's associates and campaign staffers did plead guilty in the probe, mostly for crimes such as tax fraud and lying to Congress or the FBI. Significantly, none of these individuals' charges had anything to do with the probe's main purpose the search for evidence of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. The five convicted individuals include Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, who was sentenced to three years in prison for lying to Congress, fraud, tax evasion and making unlawful campaign contributions, including 'hush money' payments to women claiming to have had sexual relations with the president. Other convictions include Michael Flynn, Trump's short-lived National Security Advisor, and George Papadopoulos, a former campaign advisor. Both men plead guilty to lying to the FBI. Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign chairman, plead guilty to a series of financial and tax crimes, and to foreign lobbying charges during his work in Ukraine. Manafort was given a sentence of 47 months in jail (38 months plus time served) and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine. Rick Gates, the campaign's former deputy chairman, plead guilty to financial crimes and to lying to investigators. Obstruction? Maybe Volume II of the report details 11 instances of possible obstruction of justice by Trump and members of his campaign, stopping short of prosecution but suggesting that Congress might prosecute the acts as crimes. The possible obstruction instances include Trump's firing of former FBI Director James Comey, his alleged effort to fire Mueller himself, his indirect denial that he tried to fire Mueller, an alleged attempt to 'hijack' oversight of the Mueller probe, and the president's conduct with regard to former associates Flynn, Manafort and Cohen after charges were laid against them. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. However, we are unable to reach that judgement," the report obtusely notes. "The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," it adds. How Things Got Started The Mueller investigation was officially started in May 2017, with the Attorney General's Office authorising the special counsel and his team to look for "any links and/or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald Trump, and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation." The probe has its origins in the 2016 presidential election, and began to gather steam after the WikiLeaks' release of the DNC emails, which revealed damning evidence of possible wrong-doing by the Clinton campaign, including possible coordination with the Democratic Party executive against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders to secure the Democratic nomination for Clinton. Soon after the leaks, the Clinton campaign began accusing Russia of meddling in the election, citing an internal audit of the DNC's cybersecurity using private firms to carry out forensic analyses allegedly pointing to Russia. Democratic lawmakers Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Adam Schiff made a joint statement on September 2016 (before the election) claiming that Russia engaged in efforts to influence the race. On January 7 2017, just weeks before Trump's inauguration, Obama Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Moscow favoured Trump's candidacy, and that President Vladimir Putin personally ordered an "influence campaign" against Clinton and in favour of Trump, Sanders and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The Russian government has vigorously denied claims that it meddled in the 2016 election. President Putin said the allegations were "utterly ridiculous." "Do you really believe that someone acting from the Russian territory could have influenced the United States and influenced the choice of millions of Americans?" he asked, in a testy 2018 interview with Fox News. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Suspends Cross-Border Trade With Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir Sputnik News 16:08 18.04.2019(updated 16:33 18.04.2019) Relations between India and Pakistan took a turn for the worse earlier this year. Tensions soared after a deadly attack in Kashmir on 14 February, when a suicide bomber attacked an Indian security convoy, killing over 40 troops. Indian authorities announced in a press release on Thursday that they were suspending cross-border trade in Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistan-based elements were using commercial routes to smuggle drugs, weapons and money. "The LoC trade mechanism is therefore being suspended pending the introduction of a tighter regulatory system. This is to ensure that only bona fide trade takes place, for the benefit of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, through this mechanism," the government said in a document obtained by Sputnik. This comes after earlier this month, a source in the Indian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that the state was ready to "respond firmly and decisively" to any provocations by Pakistan in the disputed region of Kashmir. Relations between India and Pakistan took a turn for the worst earlier this year. Tensions soared after a deadly attack in Kashmir on 14 February, when a suicide bomber attacked an Indian security convoy, killing over 40 troops. Responsibility for the attack was later claimed by Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed. The tragedy led to heightened tensions between the two South Asian neighbors and an exchange of air raids. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting the militants and having a "direct hand" in the Kashmir incident. Pakistan, however, has rejected all allegations. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address MiGs and Rafales to Slug It Out in Largest Indo-French Naval Exercise - Report Sputnik News 14:24 18.04.2019(updated 14:32 18.04.2019) French Rafale aircraft will be pitted against Indian-owned, Russian and Soviet-made MiGs atop a Russian-made aircraft carrier. The event constitutes part of the expanding strategic partnership between the two countries to counter China's footprint in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). New Delhi (Sputnik): The largest-ever joint naval exercise involving the Indian and French navies will take place off the coast of Goa and Karwar from 1 May, reports the English-language daily The Times of India. The joint-exercise has been christened 'Varuna' and will involve major, heavy naval assets like aircraft carriers, naval destroyers, submarines, fighter jets, frigates etc. The naval exercises form part of the expanding strategic partnership between the two nuclear powers. According to the report, India will deploy its sole aircraft carrier, the INS Vikramaditya, with Russian-made MiG-29K jets aboard. The French navy will field their FNS Charles de Gaulle carrier, which will have Rafale-M naval jets. "It will be a top-level naval exercise, with intensive dual carrier task group operations and anti-submarine warfare manoeuvres. India and France are also working to implement their action-oriented joint strategic vision for cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which was finalised in March 2018," the Times of India report read, quoting a source. France and India have activated a reciprocal military logistics support agreement. This is the second such arrangement for India; the first one was penned with the US in 2016. The Indo-French agreement provides Indian warships with access to French bases along the Horn of Africa, Reunion Island near Madagascar, the naval air station in Abu Dhabi and other bases in south-east Africa. China's naval and military expansion in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has been a cause of worry for India as well as France, as major transcontinental shipping lanes traverse the region. The 42,500-tonne French aircraft carrier is about 1,900 tonnes lighter than the INS Vikramaditya, nuclear powered and features Rafale-M fighters, E2C Hawkeye early-warning aircraft, the AS-365 Dauphin and other naval helicopters. These will be pitted against Indian MiG-29K fighters and helicopters. The joint-exercise will also feature the INS Shankul, the guided-missile destroyer INS Chennai, the stealth frigate INS Tarkash, the tanker INS Deepak, P-81I long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Dornier planes. India has been expanding naval collaboration to obtain operational 'inter-operability' with friendly nations and has just concluded 'AUSINDEX', the largest-ever Indo-Australian exercise that took place at Visakhapatnam on the eastern coast of India. India, Japan and the US will hold a trilateral series of joint-exercises, the 'Malabar Exercises', later this year, the report read. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France Rejects Claims its Weapons Were Used in Yemen War Despite Leaked Report Sputnik News 11:29 18.04.2019(updated 11:38 18.04.2019) The statement comes a few days after the investigative website Disclose reported the "massive use" of French-made weapons, including tanks, helicopters and fighter jets, in war-torn Yemen. France's Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly has again rejected reports about the use of French-made weaponry in the Yemeni conflict. "To my knowledge, French weapons are not being used in any offensive in the war in Yemen. I do not have any evidence that would lead me to believe that French arms are behind the origins of civilian victims in Yemen," Parly told France's Radio Classique. She spoke after Radio France and investigative reporters from the NGO Disclose claimed earlier this week that they had obtained a classified 2018 report which documents the French weapons being used in the war in Yemen. "These include Leclerc battle tanks, Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets, COBRA counter-battery radar systems, Aravis armoured troop-carrying vehicles, Cougar and Dauphin helicopters, and CAESAR truck-mounted howitzers", a statement on Disclose's website reads. The leaked report specifically contains a map titled "Population under threat of bombs", which singles out the deployment of 48 CAESAR guns near the Saudi-Yemeni border. According to the document, at least 129 such howitzers are due to be delivered to Saudi Arabia by 2023. In a radio interview in February, Parly insisted that the French military had "recently sold no weapons that can be used in the Yemeni conflict". The statement echoed Parly's remarks last October, when she claimed that French weapons "have not been used against civilians", quipping that "we don't sell weapons like they're baguettes" and citing France's "relatively modest" arms exports to Saudi Arabia. Since 2015, Yemen has been engulfed in a violent conflict pitting the government, headed by President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, against the Shiite Houthi movement backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Refrains From Condemning Afghan Taliban's Offensive By Ayaz Gul April 18, 2019 Pakistan warned Thursday that an escalation in hostilities could derail U.S.-led peace efforts in Afghanistan, although it apparently refrained from condemning Taliban insurgents for unleashing their annual spring offensive in the neighboring country. The Taliban announced the new offensive last Friday amid expectations their ongoing direct peace talks with U.S. interlocutors would discourage the insurgent group from going ahead with this year's spring operations, which mark an intensification in the Afghan war, now in its 18th year. U.S. chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad swiftly condemned the insurgent move, saying it would not advance Afghan peace efforts. He also called on Pakistan, Qatar and other nations to do the same. The two countries, along with Russia, China and Iran, are known for maintaining ties with the Taliban. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal, when asked Thursday to respond to Khalilzad's remarks, noted that chances of peace in Afghanistan "have become brighter" in the wake of direct U.S.-Taliban talks. But he avoided denouncing the insurgent offensive. "Pakistan believes that all sides must give peace a chance and continue the dialogue, which is the only way to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan. There is a danger that any increase in hostility has the capacity to derail the peace process," Faisal told a weekly news conference in Islamabad. The spokesman noted that Pakistan has arranged the ongoing U.S.-Taliban talks by bringing the insurgent group to the negotiating table. "This has been acknowledged by the U.S.," he added. Islamabad has long maintained that continued use of military force against the Taliban or attempts to treat the insurgent group as a "non-Afghan entity" would not help find a political settlement to years of bloodshed in Afghanistan. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, while testifying before a Congressional committee last week, defended the Trump administration's dialogue with the Taliban. "With respect to why we are talking to the Taliban, they control a significant amount of resources. And to get the reconciliation we need, to take down the violence level, the Taliban are going to have a say," Pompeo said. U.S. and Afghan officials have until recently blamed Pakistan alone for covertly sheltering Taliban leaders and helping them in sustaining cross-border insurgent activities in Afghanistan charges Islamabad denies. In recent years, however, Moscow, Beijing, Doha and neighboring Iran have increased their contacts with the Taliban. Afghan officials have also regularly accused Tehran in recent years of arming the insurgent group. Russia hosted an international conference last November where it also invited Taliban delegates and representatives of the Afghan government. Moscow claimed the event as a major success for its diplomacy because it was the first time insurgent officials appeared in a public gathering since a U.S.-led foreign military coalition ousted the Taliban from power in 2001. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mueller Found Trump Sought to Remove Him as Special Counsel By VOA News April 18, 2019 Special counsel Robert Mueller investigated 11 instances in which he suspected that President Donald Trump had obstructed justice by trying to thwart his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election that Trump won, but ultimately he could not prove the president's intent to break the law. The 448-page report released Thursday concludes there is no evidence that Trump or his campaign aides coordinated with Russians to interfere on behalf of Trump's 2016 presidential election campaign against Democrat Hillary Clinton. While the investigation documented many links between people with ties to the Russian government and individuals involved in the Trump campaign, "the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges," Mueller wrote. However, the report cites numerous efforts by an angst-ridden Trump to derail or impede the federal probe of suspected Russian meddling in the campaign. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Mueller found that in June 2017 Trump asked White House Counsel Don McGahn to pursue Mueller's removal by the Justice Department in the midst of the prosecutor's investigation, but that McGahn refused the president's directive. Mueller said that McGahn feared that the prosecutor's dismissal would provoke a U.S. constitutional crisis reminiscent of the 1973 Saturday Night Massacre at the height of the Watergate scandal when President Richard Nixon fired top Justice Department officials. In other instances, Mueller investigated Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey, who led the Russia investigation before Mueller's appointment; efforts to force then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to take control of the investigation after he had already recused himself; dangling a possible pardon of Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for financial crimes he has been sentenced to prison for, and demands that McGahn deny that he had asked him to seek Mueller's ouster. The report said Trump's attitude toward Michael Cohen, his former personal attorney, changed from "praise" to "castigation" after Cohen admitted that he lied to Congress about pursuing construction of a Trump Tower in Moscow long after Trump was telling voters in early 2016 that he had ended his Russian business ventures. The report said that Trump at first publicly asserted that Cohen would not turn against him and privately passed messages of support to him. "But after Cohen began cooperating with the government in the summer of 2018, the president publicly criticized him, called him a 'rat,' and suggested that his family members had committed crimes," the report said. Mueller said, however, he could not reach a definitive decision on the obstruction issue. Attorney General William Barr reiterated Thursday as the report was released that no obstruction charges are warranted. Mueller said in his report that "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment." "The evidence we obtained about the president's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred," Mueller said. "Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." Part of Mueller's problem in reaching a decision on obstruction of justice was Trump's refusal to participate in a face-to-face interview with prosecutors. Instead, the president would only agree to provide written responses to questions posed by the prosecutors, under pre-arranged ground rules. Mueller's final report contains 12 pages of Trump's written responses. They included no questions regarding obstruction of justice. Mueller's report said prosecutors didn't subpoena Trump because it would have created a "substantial delay" at a "late stage" in the investigation. But it said Mueller and his team of prosecutors viewed Trump's written answers as "inadequate." In early 2018, after news organizations reported about Trump's order to McGahn to seek Mueller's ouster by the Deputy Attorney General and his refusal to comply, the Mueller report said the president told McGahn "to dispute the story and create a record stating he had not been ordered to have the special counsel removed." When Trump raised the issue again, questioning why McGahn had told Mueller about his demand to dismiss the prosecutor, "McGahn refused to back away from what he remembered happening and perceived the president to testing his mettle," according to the report. From the start of Trump's presidency in January 2017, Mueller portrays a besieged White House. Before the release of the report, Attorney General William Barr described Trump as "frustrated and angered" at the outset "by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks." Mueller said Trump "reacted negatively" to Mueller's May 2017 appointment by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein after Sessions had removed himself from oversight of the probe. "He told advisers that it was the end of his presidency," the Mueller report said. Shortly before the report went public, Barr told reporters that it exonerated Trump of colluding with Moscow and said that later, after assuming power, Trump had "no corrupt intent" to obstruct the probe. Barr, a Trump appointee as the country's top law enforcement official, said the president "took no act that in fact deprived" Mueller of "documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation." Barr concluded, "Apart from whether [Trump's] acts [as president] were obstructive, this evidence of non-corrupt motives weighs heavily against any allegation that the president had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation." The attorney general said Trump's lawyers were shown an advance copy of the Mueller report in recent days but were not allowed to make any changes. He said the president's lawyers made no attempt to assert executive privilege about White House conversations to delete any material from the report. Barr detailed extensive Russian interference in the U.S. election three years ago. But Barr said Mueller "found no evidence that any Americans including anyone associated with the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government," either in a disinformation campaign through social media accounts in the U.S. aimed at helping Trump defeat his opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, or in the hacking of computers at the Democratic National Committee to steal and then release emails damaging to Clinton. As the special counsel's report was being released, Trump declared in the White House East Room that "I'm having a good day, too. It's called no collusion, no obstruction." Late last month, in a summary of Mueller's findings, Barr said the special counsel had concluded that Trump had not colluded with Russia, but reached no decision on whether he had obstructed justice. With Mueller not making a decision on the obstruction issue, Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decided that no obstruction charges against Trump were warranted. Barr told reporters it was his prerogative to make the decision to not charge Trump. Opposition Democrats protested that Barr held the news conference before the report was made public, saying it was an attempt to spin Mueller's findings into a favorable view of Trump's role. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Charles Schumer said in a statement they "believe the only way to begin restoring public trust in the handling" of the Mueller investigation was for Mueller himself to testify publicly before congressional panels "as soon as possible." Moments after Barr finished speaking, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler called for Mueller to testify before his panel no later than May 23. U.S. intelligence agencies in early 2017 assessed that Russia, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin, carried out a campaign to undermine the U.S. vote and had a clear preference for Trump to win.. The issues covered in the report are certain to endure in U.S. political discourse in the short-term, with Barr scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on May 1, followed by an appearance before the House Judiciary Committee the next day. Looking to the longer-term, it is highly unlikely the investigation will fade to irrelevance before the next presidential election in November 2020. In one measure of public demand for the information, several publishers are offering people the ability to purchase printed copies of the report, and pre-orders alone on Amazon's website ranked among its top 100 in book sales before the report was released. What have long been public are the legal ramifications of Mueller's probe. Five Trump campaign associates pleaded guilty or were convicted of a range of offenses and a sixth is awaiting trial, some for lying about their contacts with Russians during the 2016 campaign or just before he took office in January 2017 and some for offenses unrelated to Trump. In addition, Mueller also charged 13 Russian nationals with trying to influence the 2016 election by tricking Americans into following fake social media accounts with material favorable to Trump and against his opponent, Clinton. Another dozen Russian military intelligence officers were charged with the theft of emails from Democrat Party officials. None of the Russians is ever likely to face a trial in the United States because the two countries do not have an extradition treaty. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address What We Know About the Mueller Report By VOA News April 18, 2019 Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference in the 2016 election concludes that Moscow used two main operations to try to impact the vote: a social media campaign that favored then Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and disparaged his opponent Hillary Clinton, as well as a hacking effort targeting Clinton that published stolen documents. While the investigation resulted in numerous guilty pleas by former Trump campaign associates for a variety of financial and other crimes, it did not find that any campaign officials knowingly conspired with Russian authorities to swing the election. However, the report did not exonerate the president of wrongdoing. Presidential testimony? The report details President Trump's actions toward the FBI and Special Counsel investigations that he routinely decried as a "witch hunt," as well as the legal reasoning for whether or not his actions constitute obstruction of justice. The president's lawyers declined requests for investigators to interview the president in person. Instead, they offered written answers to their submitted questions. The Special Counsel team wrote, "We viewed the written answers to be inadequate. But at that point, our investigation had made significant progress and had produced substantial evidence for our report." The team said that instead of waging a potentially lengthy legal battle to force the president to testify, "we determined that the substantial quantity of information we had obtained from other sources allowed us to draw relevant factual conclusions on intent and credibility." After detailing the president's actions and potential legal exposure, the report ultimately declines to conclude whether or not the president committed a crime.It does suggest that Congress should be the ultimate venue for determining a president's actions are impeachable. "The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law." Russia campaign links Investigators said they established that Russia believed it would benefit from a Trump presidency, and the Trump campaign believed it would benefit from the Russian hacking efforts. More than 100 pages of the report detail the numerous links and meetings between campaign officials and Russian individuals, starting soon after Trump announced his candidacy in June 2015. These links include Donald Trump's business discussions for a Moscow high rise tower that predated his presidential campaign, the contacts among various Trump campaign officials and Russian officials before his election victory, as well as the infamous June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower that involved Russian-government-linked authorities and top campaign officials. "Those links included Russian offers of assistance to the Campaign. In some instances, the Campaign was receptive to the offer, while in other instances the Campaign officials shied away," the report said. After Trump won the election, investigators examined meetings involving former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, and Trump allies including Steve Bannon and Erik Prince. Investigators detailed the substance of these meetings, but they said there was not enough evidence to support criminal charges. "Among other things, the evidence was not sufficient to charge any campaign official as an unregistered agent of the Russian government or other Russian principal." Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. 11 episodes scrutinized for obstruction The report did not offer the president exoneration on obstruction of justice charges. Nearly half of the report focuses on Donald Trump's actions during the course of the investigation and whether he abused his position to try to thwart the probe of his campaign. It highlights 11 separate episodes, including Trump's efforts to curtail the Special Counsel's investigation and the termination of former FBI Director James Comey, which raise legal questions about the president's conduct. "The evidence we obtained about the President's actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him." The scrutinized episodes include the president asking subordinates to take steps to remove the Special Counsel and directing aides to take action to prevent the public disclosure of evidence. They also include the president's public statements about members of his team who are under investigation. The report says the president's actions included "public attacks on the investigation, non-public efforts to control it, and efforts in both public and private to encourage witnesses not to cooperate with the investigation." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Mueller Report Lays Bare Deep US Partisan Divide By Michael Bowman April 18, 2019 Democratic and Republican lawmakers had sharply differing reactions to Thursday's release of special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted Russia report and what steps, if any, Congress should take next. Investigators determined no one on Trump's campaign knowingly conspired with Russians in Moscow's 2016 election interference, however they declined to exonerate the president on charges that his actions obstructed justice. In a statement, Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Inhofe described Mueller's report as "a lot of nothing: no collusion, no obstruction" and accused Democrats of "an effort to smear the president." Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Democrats, meanwhile, pledged to continue examining Trump's actions. "The special counsel made clear that he did not exonerate the president, and the responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the president accountable for his actions," the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, said at a news conference. "Congress must get the full unredacted report, along with the underlying evidence uncovered by special counsel Mueller." Democrats highlighted portions of the Mueller report documenting contacts between Trump's inner circle and foreign operatives bent on damaging the president's 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, by hacking and releasing sensitive emails from her campaign. They also noted the report's documentation of instances where Trump sought to thwart the Russia probe. "Mueller shows collusion, but perhaps not criminal collusion," California Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman tweeted. "Collusion in dissemination [of emails], but not in the hacking. And Mueller show lots of criminal obstruction." Democratic Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania tweeted that a thorough examination of the Mueller report "will not change what we already know: Russia attacked our election in 2016, [and] President Trump and his closest aides and allies welcomed that attack." "This report is far from the end of the inquiry that this country needs and deserves," Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said. Republicans, meanwhile, focused on the special counsel's bottom line: no recommendation of charges against Trump. "Nothing we saw today changes the underlying results of the 22-month-long Mueller investigation that ultimately found no collusion," House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in a statement. "Democrats want to keep searching for imaginary evidence that supports their claims, but it is simply not there." That view was echoed by the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. "The special counsel's 22-month investigation found no Americans conspired with Russia to interfere in our elections and Democrats' accusations of criminal obstruction are unfounded," Georgia Rep. Doug Collins said in a statement. Earlier in the day, Nadler released a letter requesting that Mueller testify before the panel "as soon as possible." At a news conference, Attorney General William Barr indicated he had no objection to Mueller appearing before Congress, a stance some Republicans applauded. "If Mr. Mueller were to testify, it could give Congress and the American people another opportunity to better understand the facts and conclusions he reached during his investigation," Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said in a statement. Some lawmakers urged the American people to weigh in, as well. "I'm reading it [the Mueller report]. More importantly, the American people should read the report for themselves and draw their own conclusions," Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin tweeted. Cardin noted that the report contains alarming information about Russian efforts to undermine American democracy. "We have an obligation to protect our country from Russia and others who would want to do us harm, including trying to twist our system for their own purposes," he said. Inhofe echoed the concern. "[T]he Mueller report did remind us of Russia's clear and persistent efforts to disrupt our democratic process," the Republican senator said, accusing Moscow of a continuing "effort to sow discord and distrust" within the American electorate. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Declares Himself Fully Exonerated By Steve Herman April 18, 2019 Although the special counsel's 448-page report into Russian interference in the 2016 election campaign does not fully exonerate President Donald Trump he is certainly taking it that way. "I'm having a good day, too," Trump declared in the White House East Room as the report was released. "It's called no collusion, no obstruction." Special Counsel Robert Mueller's 22-month investigation, while not concluding Trump committed any crime, also states specifically that it does not exonerate him. During the Thursday morning event with wounded military veterans, as bulletins flashed across television screens detailing the findings contained in a redacted version of the report, Trump said, "This should never happen to another president again, this hoax." The president's lawyers, Rudy Giuliani, Jay Sekulow, Jane Raskin and Martin Raskin, say in a statement, "The results of the investigation are a total victory for the President ... it is clear there was no criminal wrongdoing." His attorneys also characterize the special counsel's report as demonstrating Trump acted properly when he fired James Comey from his position as director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mueller's report says the special counsel found "substantial evidence" that Trump's firing Comey was due to the FBI director's "unwillingness to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation" and the investigation determined Congress can make a determination on whether this constituted obstruction of justice by Trump. The president was not interviewed by the investigators. Instead he submitted answers to written questions which the special counsel's office considered "inadequate." But the report says the special counsel did not pursue an interview with Trump that would have been restricted to certain topics because that would have caused a "substantial delay." Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, called the special counsel's lengthy and intensive investigation "a political proctology exam." Speaking to reporters outside the West Wing early Thursday afternoon, she predicted the aftermath of the Mueller report may go in a different direction than of that many of the president's opponents had desired. "Let's investigate the investigators," Conway said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chides EU for refusing to take back its members of Daesh Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 06:00PM A UN official has called on countries to take responsibility for their nationals, including thousands of children of Daesh fighters, who are stuck at a camp controlled by US-backed militants in northeast Syria. Panos Moumtzis said on Thursday that home nations must take responsibility for repatriating children of their citizens who fought along the ranks of Daesh and other terrorist groups. "There is a prime responsibility of states vis-a-vis their own nationals," Noumtzis, who is the UN regional coordinator for Syria, told a Geneva news briefing. "All member states have to do all measures possible to make sure the protection, the prosecution, the repatriation the rehabilitation and the reintegration of these women and children in compliance with their obligations under international law." The remarks come as several governments have been grappling with the problem of what to do with captured fighters from their country, the women who married them and their children. Children's plight at the al-Hol camp in northeast Syria is also a dilemma for several Western nations, whose citizens fought along the ranks of Daesh and other foreign-backed terrorist groups. Britain revoked the citizenship of a teenager who left at 15 to join Daesh in Syria, while Austria and Switzerland have said they will not help bring home adults who joined Daesh. But Moumtzis said states had a legal responsibility, especially for children, many of whom were born in Daesh camps. "The right to nationality is really very important under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights," he said, stressing that "really nobody should be rendered stateless." "These children do have a father and a mother, (who) have a nationality, and therefore a solution has to be found." The UN official said the situation is further complicated because most states lack the capacity to offer consular services or access their nationals in the area. "There has to be a concerted effort, this is not about blaming or 'naming and shaming', but it's really about being practical and finding a way forward that would find a solution." According to the UN children's agency UNICEF, about 3,000 foreign children from 43 countries are housed at the al-Hol camp alone, which has taken in most of the people fleeing territories once held by Daesh. The children are among 10,000 non-Syrian and non-Iraqi nationals kept in a "restricted" section of the sprawling, Kurdish-run camp where 75,000 people live in total. The latest UN figures show some 211 children were among at least 260 people who have died of malnutrition or disease en route to the camp since December, Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU, Canada vow to fight new US sanctions on Cuba Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 01:40AM The European Union and Canada have warned of reprisals after the United States for the first time allowed lawsuits against foreign companies operating in Cuba, including EU and Canadian firms. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Wednesday that Washington will end routine wavers to the 1996 Helms-Burton act on May 2 and allow for lawsuits over property seized by Cuba. "The EU and Canada consider the extraterritorial application of unilateral Cuba-related measures contrary to international law," they said in a joint statement from Brussels. It was signed by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, along with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland. "We are determined to work together to protect the interests of our companies in the context of the WTO," they noted. "Our respective laws allow any US claims to be followed by counter-claims in European and Canadian courts," the three officials said. "The US decision to allow suits against foreign companies can only lead to an unnecessary spiral of legal actions," they warned. Mogherini and Malmstrom had previously sent a similar warning to Pompeo in a letter dated April 10, according to a copy of a letter obtained by AFP. "Any person or company doing business in Cuba should heed this announcement," Pompeo told reporters in the US. Under the Title II provision of the Helms-Burton Act, any companies that operate in property seized by Cuba during Fidel Castro's 1959 communist revolution could face lawsuits in US courts from the vast and politically powerful Cuban American diaspora. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Secretary of State Slammed Korean Central News Agency of DPRK Date: 18/04/2019 Pyongyang, April 18 (KCNA) -- Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the Department of American Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, gave the following answer to a question raised by the KCNA on Thursday as regards the fact that Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of the State, is letting loose reckless remarks and sophism of all kinds against us every day: In his historic policy speech at the First Session of the 14th Supreme People's Assembly, Comrade Kim Jong Un, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has clarified the principled stand on the DPRK-U.S. relations and settlement of the nuclear issue and said he would wait in patience till the end of this year to see whether the United States makes a courageous decision or not. Everyone has a clear interpretation of his speech which says that the U.S. should change its way of calculation and come up with responsive measures before the end of this year. Just at this time, only Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of the State, is talking nonsense that its meaning is to finish the working level negotiation between the DPRK and the U.S. by the end of the year, which subjects him to public ridicule. We cannot be aware of Pompeo's ulterior motive behind his self-indulgence in reckless remarks; whether he is indeed unable to understand words properly or just pretending on purpose. However, it is a very dangerous situation if he really did not grasp the meaning. If his behavior is intended, I think it is none other than silly calculation to be free from the constraint that the U.S. should make a move until the end of the year, misrepresenting the meaning of our requirement as the finalization of the working level negotiation by the end of the year by help of his talented skill of fabricating stories like a fiction writer. As our Chairman of the State Affairs Commission has clarified, the U.S. cannot move us one iota by its current way of thinking. In his previous visits to Pyongyang, Pompeo was granted audiences with our Chairman of the State Affairs Commission for several times and pleaded for the denuclearization. However, after sitting the other way round, he spouted reckless remarks hurting the dignity of our supreme leadership at Congress hearings last week to unveil his mean character by himself, thus stunning the reasonable people. I would like to take this opportunity to make clear once again to Pompeo the meaning of the stand towards the U.S. clarified by our Comrade Chairman of the State Affairs Commission in his policy speech. The meaning is that the U.S. should get rid of the root cause that pushed us into a nuclear state and obstacles on the way to denuclearization by its own hands; otherwise no one can predict how the situation on the Korean peninsula will turn out. While Pompeo is fabricating stories after his own taste and trying to raise his publicity stunt at the sacrifice of the DPRK-U.S. relations as a whole, it is fortunate that the personal relationship between our Chairman of the State Affairs Commission and President Trump is on good terms as usual and our Chairman is pleased to get on well with President Trump. Hanoi summit gives us a lesson that whenever Pompeo pokes his nose in, the talks go wrong without any results even from the point close to success. I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled. Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialogue with the U.S., I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but other person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us. -0- NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. North Korea hints it wants Pompeo removed from US talks Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:08AM North Korea suggests that it wants US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo disengaged from stalled negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington, blaming the top American diplomat for the derailment of bilateral talks. In a statement run by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday, Kwon Jong-gun, a North Korean Foreign Ministry official, criticized Pompeo for "fabricating stories like a fiction writer." "I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled," Kwon said. He also blamed Pompeo for the collapse of the second summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi in February, saying the summit "gives us a lesson that whenever Pompeo pokes his nose in, the talks go wrong without any results." "Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialog with the US, I wish our dialog counterpart would be not Pompeo but [an]other person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us," Kwon added. Kwon cited Pompeo's remarks at an event in Texas this week when the US official said that the North Korean leader had promised Trump to denuclearize and that "our teams are working with the North Koreans to chart a path forward so that we can get there by the end of the year." The North Korean official said Pompeo had uttered "nonsense" by suggesting that working-level negotiations between the countries would be finished by year's end. Trump himself had previously said that he would impose no deadline on negotiations with North Korea. "We cannot be aware of Pompeo's ulterior motive behind his self-indulgence in reckless remarks... whether he is indeed unable to understand words properly or just pretending on purpose. However, it is a very dangerous situation if he really did not grasp the meaning," Kwon said. Diplomacy between Pyongyang and Washington has effectively stopped since the failed Hanoi summit. And North Korea may stop negotiating with America altogether. Hours before the broadside against Pompeo came out, the KCNA reported that Kim had overseen and directed a "new tactical guided weapons firing test." Also, while Trump has said he is considering a potential third summit with Kim, the North's leader has said he has no interest in a third summit if it is going to be a repeat of Hanoi. There was no immediate reaction from the US to the statement by the North Korean Foreign Ministry official. But Washington is unlikely to remove its top diplomat from negotiations with Pyongyang. Pompeo is said to be President Trump's point man on North Korea, reportedly even sidelining US National Security Adviser John Bolton who is more hawkish on Pyongyang when discussing North Korea-related matters with the US president. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea's Kim 'oversees test-fire of tactical weapon' Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 07:02AM North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has overseen the test-firing of a new type of "tactical guided weapon," North Korean state media report, the first public test since the collapse of a second round of top-level negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) announced in a report on Thursday that the test-firing had been personally overseen by Kim from an observation post. The KCNA said the North Korean leader "climbed the observation post to observe the new tactical guided weapons firing test plan and gave directions." The report added that the test, which was "conducted by various firing method[s] on... different targets, had perfectly proved the design specifications of this tactical guided weapon which is evaluated to be superior due to its special flight guidance method and powerful warheads." The report did not specify the kind of the weapon tested or its potential range. There was also no indication that the test involved a nuclear detonation or an intercontinental ballistic missile since "tactical" implies a short-range weapon rather than a long-range armament, according to the KCNA. The North Korean news outlet, however, said Kim had praised the weapon's capabilities and described the event as having "very weighty significance." "The development of the weapon system serves as an event of very weighty significance in increasing the combat power of the People's Army," Kim said, referring to the North Korean army. "I was often completely moved in admiration at the time of strategic weapons development, but seeing this, it seems our scientists, engineers and the labor class is truly great. If they are willing, then no weapon is beyond creation." The Thursday report came as a US-based monitor said recent satellite images had shown activity at the main North Korean nuclear site of Yongbyon, which could be associated with the reprocessing of radioactive material into bomb fuel. Yongbyon, about 100 kilometers north of the capital, Pyongyang, is home to the North's first nuclear reactor, and is the only known source of plutonium for the country's weapons program. During the second summit between US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader, which was held in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, in February, Kim proposed a deal that included an offer to dismantle the Yongbyon complex. Trump, however, walked away from the summit, claiming that Kim had insisted on the removal of all sanctions on North Korea in return. Pyongyang rejected that account, stressing that it had only asked for a partial lifting of the bans. Disappointed by the collapse of the talks, Pyongyang is considering suspending talks on denuclearization with Washington and resuming its nuclear and missile tests, a senior North Korean official said last month. Pyongyang has taken several steps toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula by suspending missile and nuclear testing, demolishing at least one nuclear test site, and agreeing to allow international inspectors into a missile engine test facility. The US, however, has insisted that all sanctions on the North must remain in place until it completely and irreversibly dismantles its nuclear program. Trump and Kim met for the first time at a historic summit in Singapore in June last year, when they agreed to "work toward" denuclearization. US-North Korean diplomacy has effectively stopped, however, with the US's position of zero compromise since the second summit, in Hanoi. Meanwhile, Trump has said he is considering a potential third summit with Kim. The North's leader, however, says he has no interest in a third summit if it is going to be a repeat of Hanoi. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kremlin Says North Korean Leader To Visit Russia Later This Month By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 The Kremlin has announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un plans to visit Russia within the next 12 days. In a brief statement issued on its website on April 18, the Kremlin said Kim plans to visit Russia "in the second half of April" after being invited by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin is due to visit China next week to attend the April 26-27 Belt and Road Forum in Beijing -- a gathering that brings together heads of state from dozens of countries to discuss the building of roads and maritime trading routes across the world. Some media organizations have speculated that Putin could meet with Kim around that time in Vladivostok, the Far Eastern port city near the border with North Korea. The Kremlin's announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is pushing for a deal to end nuclear tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Two earlier summits between Kim and Trump failed to reach an agreement on a denuclearization deal. Trump's administration has suggested the possibility of a third summit, but North Korea on April 18 demanded that Washington remove Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from any future negotiations. U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was due in Moscow on April 17-18 to meet Russian officials to discuss ways to advance a "final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea," Washington said on April 16. In March, the United States imposed fresh sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. With reporting by TASS, Reuters, and AP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/kremlin-says- north-korean-leader-to-visit-russia-later- this-month/29889678.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 North Korea Demands Pompeo's Removal From Nuclear Talks With US Sputnik News 14:14 18.04.2019(updated 14:17 18.04.2019) The highly anticipated second meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un in Hanoi ended abruptly earlier this year without agreement after Washington refused to offer North Korea any relief from its economic sanctions while pushing for the country's complete nuclear disarmament. A North Korean Foreign Ministry official has said US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was "talking nonsense" in suggesting that working-level negotiations between the countries would be finished by the year's end, reported state-run KCNA. The official, Kwon Jong Gun added: "I am afraid that if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled. Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialogue with the US, I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but other person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us." In addition, Kwon said that Kim remains "on good terms as usual" with US President Donald Trump, perhaps signalling North Korea's desire to drive a wedge between the US president and his advisers, including Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, who, according to Pyongyang, have been pushing for the country's complete disarmament before guaranteeing any economic relief. Speaking at an event in Texas this week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the North Korean leader had promised Donald Trump to denuclearise, saying "our teams are working with the North Koreans to chart a path forward so that we can get there. He said he wanted it done by the end of the year. I'd love to see that done sooner." North Korea's Kwon blasted the top US diplomat for making "reckless remarks" and "fabricating stories like a fiction writer." Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that a third summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would be a good idea. "I agree with Kim Jong-Un of North Korea that our personal relationship remains very good, perhaps the term excellent would be even more accurate, and that a third Summit would be good in that we fully understand where we each stand", he tweeted. The US president went on to praise North Korean potential under Kim's leadership, saying: "North Korea has tremendous potential for extraordinary growth, economic success and riches under the leadership of Chairman Kim. I look forward to the day, which could be soon, when Nuclear Weapons and Sanctions can be removed, and then watching North Korea become one of the most successful nations of the World!" North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has sharpened his rhetoric since the summit between his country and the US, urging top ruling party members last week to deal a "severe blow to hostile foreign forces" by resisting sanctions. Just hours before the KCNA quoted Kwon blasting Pompeo, it reported that North Korea had tested a "new-type tactical guided weapon." The dispatch announcing the test was brief, noting the missile has a "peculiar mode of guiding flight" and "a powerful warhead," according to the KCNA. This is the first public weapons test since the 28 February summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, which ended without a deal on denuclearisation. The much-anticipated second meeting between Trump and Kim in Hanoi ended abruptly earlier in the year without an agreement after the US refused to offer North Korea any economic sanctions relief. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Kim Jong Un Watches 'Tactical' Guided Weapon Test - North Korean State Media Sputnik News 01:19 18.04.2019 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the testing of a "tactical" guided weapon Wednesday, an event the country's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) described as "of very weighty significance." The dispatch announcing the test was brief, noting only that the missile has a "peculiar mode of guiding flight" and "a powerful warhead," according to KCNA. This is the first public weapons test since the February 28 summit between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Hanoi, Vietnam, which ended without a deal on denuclearization. Described as "tactical" rather than "strategic," the weapon is likely a short-range device, Reuters noted, for use on the battlefield rather than internationally. It's unclear if the weapon is the same one that KCNA announced Kim had inspected last November, which had reportedly been "researched and developed for a long time," since Kim's father and predecessor, Kim Jong Il, ran the country between 1994 and 2013. Kim said at the time that the weapon was "another display of our rapidly-growing defense capabilities to the whole region," Sputnik reported. No details on the weapon were given by any North Korean media outlets. For nearly a year, Pyongyang has suspended weapons tests, including those of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, in an attempt to arrive at a peace agreement with the United States and South Korea, which since 1953, at the conclusion of the Korean War, have only had a flimsy ceasefire with the country and not a complete peace treaty. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address North Korea: Pompeo Not Welcome at Nuclear Negotiations By William Gallo April 18, 2019 North Korea is demanding that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo no longer take part in any further talks involving its nuclear weapons program. Kwon Jong Gun, a senior official in the North's foreign ministry, says Pyongyang wants someone who is "more careful and mature in communicating," according to a report by the official KCNA news agency. When asked about the development, a State Department spokesperson said "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation." On Wednesday, North Korea announced that it had tested a new "tactical guided weapon," the latest display of Pyongyang's military capabilities. KCNA said Kim Jong Un supervised and guided the Wednesday test, calling it an operation of "very weighty significance." The KCNA report did not elaborate on the type of weapon tested, but the phrase "tactical" suggests it is not a ballistic missile. Still, the test could be seen as a warning to the United States, amid an impasse in talks over North Korea's nuclear program. "Kim is trying to make a statement to the Trump administration that his military potential is growing by the day, and that his regime is becoming frustrated with Washington's lack of flexibility in recent negotiations," says Harry Kazianis, director of Korean Studies at the Center for the National Interest. A U.S. military official said late Wednesday the Pentagon is aware of the reported test, but has no further comment. North Korea has not carried out a nuclear or long-range missile test for well over a year, since Kim began talks with the United States and South Korea. Instead, the North has carried out smaller provocations. In November, Kim oversaw the test of what KCNA also referred to as a newly developed "high-tech tactical weapon." U.S. officials later played down the significance of that test. Stalled talks Nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea have been stalled since a February meeting in Hanoi between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump ended in no deal. Trump wants Kim to completely abandon his nuclear weapons program in exchange for sanctions relief. Kim has only offered limited steps toward denuclearization. Kwon Jong Gun warned Thursday that "no one can predict the situation" on the Korean Peninsula if the United States does not give up "the root cause" that led the North to seek nuclear weapons. Last week, Kim said he was open to another summit with Trump, but warned he would only give the U.S. until the end of the year to change its "approach" to the negotiations. A North Korean official said last month that Kim is considering resuming missile tests and pulling out of the talks with the United States. What did North Korea test? It isn't clear the weapon North Korea tested Wednesday was even a missile KCNA referred only to a "tactical guided weapon." Regardless, the weapon doesn't appear to have been nuclear-capable, since usually such arms are referred to as "strategic," rather than "tactical." "The design indexes of the tactical guided weapon, whose advantages are appreciated for the peculiar mode of guiding flight and the load of a powerful warhead, were perfectly verified at the test-fire conducted in various modes of firing at different targets," KCNA said. "It is likely to be a new cruise missile" with a limited range, says Kim Dong-yub, a North Korea specialist at Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies. "If it is a cruise missile, then it has no relevance with the current sanctions. Existing sanctions only apply to ballistic missiles." Increase in provocations? Even though North Korea's latest test is not likely a ballistic missile, it is still meant to send a message to Trump, said Vipin Narang, a nuclear expert and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The test amounts to "calibrated signaling to remind us where things can go if we don't moderate our negotiating position," Narang says. It isn't clear how Trump will respond to North Korea's latest test. Earlier this week, Trump said talks with North Korea "are moving along just perfectly." Meanwhile, commercial satellite photos from last week showed increased activity at North Korea's main nuclear site, according to a U.S. research organization. The Center for Strategic and International Studies noted the presence of five specialized railcars at the Yongbyon nuclear complex. "In the past, these specialized railcars appear to have been associated with the movement of radioactive material or reprocessing campaigns," the report said. Also Wednesday, Kim carried out a public inspection of a military unit for the first time in several months, reviewing a flight exercise of the Korean People's Army. Kim is expected to meet next week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. With U.S. negotiations stalled, Kim is likely to push Putin to provide economic aid and sanctions relief. Juhyun Lee and Cindy Saine contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Makes 'Emergency Purchase' of Israeli Spike Anti-Tank Missiles Sputnik News 22:01 18.04.2019(updated 23:29 18.04.2019) India's Defense Ministry has moved to buy 240 Spike guided anti-tank missiles and 12 launchers from Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, part of an "emergency purchase" authorized by New Delhi following the February showdown on the Pakistani border. Under a special emergency provision, Indian Army Vice Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Devraj Anbu has the authority to buy up to $71.8 million worth of goods and war materiel without seeking Ministry of Defense (MOD) approval, and he's using that to stock up on guided anti-tank missiles in the wake of a tense showdown with Pakistan earlier this year. It's unknown what the cost of the deal is, but sources told the Israeli business journal Globes it was worth "tens of millions of dollars." Rafael hasn't commented on the deal. While India once passed on a deal that would've made the Spike medium-range (MR) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) its primary anti-tank weapon, the army was still interested in obtaining some of the weapons systems for tests this summer. The decision to make the emergency purchase prior to that testing was made during the five-day biannual Army Commanders' Conference in New Delhi that ended on April 13, IHS Jane's reported, during which the military leaders made frank and damning assessments of their current situation. India has repeatedly toyed with buying the Spike missile. In 2011, New Delhi elected to sign a $500 million deal to buy thousands of the weapons, but a dispute between the Defense Ministry and India's Defense Research and Development Organization, the government agency in charge of R&D, caused the formal scrapping of the deal by November 2017, Sputnik reported. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make-in-India" policy, the DRDO pushed for the service to adopt the domestically made NAG-190 missile instead, also known as the man-portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM). It was a valuable deal, too: MOD says it needs 68,000 anti-tank missiles in the next 20 years and about 850 launchers, and the deal would've had Rafael supply 8,356 of them, Sputnik reported. However, the MPATGM won't be ready for years, even as successful tests of the weapon continue to push the program forward. A source inside the Indian government told Sputnik last September that mass production was expected to begin in 2021. Until then, the Indian Army still needs lots of anti-tank missiles. A larger deal is still in the works for India to buy 2,500 Spike missiles as a stopgap measure until the MPATGMs come into full service, but that deal has yet to be finalized, according to The Diplomat. However, on January 31, the Indian Defense Acquisition Council did approve the purchase of 5,000 French-made, second-generation MILAN ATGMs, The Diplomat noted. Spike is a versatile weapon. It can be fired from land, sea or even from a helicopter, and it has a fire-and-forget mode that locks onto its target before it fires, instead of acquiring it once the missile is in the air. The missile has a range of four kilometers, and it beat out tough competitors in the contest for the now-cancelled deal, such as the United States' FGM-148 Javelin, which is built jointly by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Resumes Flight Testing of HJT36 Intermediate Jet Trainer Amid Shortage Sputnik News 13:42 18.04.2019 Flight testing of the intermediate jet trainer, designed and developed by government-owned and run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the stage-II training of the Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots, was suspended after the aircraft encountered problems during spin test flights in 2016. New Delhi (Sputnik): Flight testing of India's modified HJT36 intermediate jet trainer (IJT), which was considered almost dead by the government a few months back, was restarted this week by state-owned aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). "The flight was flawless and its success is an important step towards the IJT programme," the company said in a statement on Thursday. The flight testing of the HJT36, designed and developed by HAL for the stage-II training of IAF pilots, was suspended after the aircraft encountered problems during spin test flights in 2016. However, the successful flight on Wednesday has come as a boost for the IAF, which is facing a dire shortfall of such trainer jets. "Design and Development project is yet to be completed due to HAL's inability to resolve the critical design issues related to Spin/ Stall characteristics of IJT. A case is being taken up for foreclosure of the program," the Indian Defence Ministry told a parliamentary committee in January this year. The design and development project was sanctioned by New Delhi in 1999 and the contract was signed with HAL to supply 12 limited series production (LSP) aircraft in 2005 and 73 series production (SP) aircraft in 2010. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence said it was "perturbed to note that due to non-availability of IJT and failure on the part of HAL to deliver the same, despite being in the process since 1999, the IAF has had to modify their training programme from a 'three level approach' to two levels. This is indicative of an unsavoury state of affairs." The parliamentary committee also said that it fails to understand how the IAF will manage to continue with the two level training pattern with such a scarcity of first level trainer aircraft. The IAF has 310 trainer aircraft over 100 fewer than the sanctioned strength of 432. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Second Phase of Voting Begins in India's General Election By VOA News April 18, 2019 More than 150 million voters are casting their ballots in the second phase of India's massive general elections. Thursday's round of balloting covers more than 90 parliamentary constituencies across a dozen states, including the troubled Indian-controlled Kashmir region, where more than 40 Indian security forces were killed in a suicide car bomb attack back in February. New Delhi responded by sending fighters jets across the border into Pakistan to conduct airstrikes on an alleged training camp operated by the Pakistan-based outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant group, which reportedly claimed responsibility for the Kashmir attack. The airstrikes pushed the two longtime nuclear-armed rivals to the brink of war, but it boosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's public standing. Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party are considered the favorites in this election, but are facing growing discontent in rural districts because of plunging farm incomes. As many as 900 million of India's 1.3 billion citizens are eligible to vote for thousands of candidates competing for 543 seats in the India's lower house of Parliament. The election, which began last Thursday, will be scattered over six weeks in the world's most populous democracy. Voting will conclude May 19, with the final results announced May 23. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Commander: New destroyers become operational IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, April 18, IRNA -- Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced on Thursday that the force will add several new destroyers to its fleet in current Iranian calendar year of 1398 (March 21, 2019 to March 21, 2020). He said that this year, several destroyers as well as missile frigates 'Paykan-Class' will become operational in the force. He added that destroyer 'Dena', the latest version of a moudge-class vessel, will also be unveiled this year. The commander also said that the destroyer 'Damavand' is passing through the final stages of rennovations and will join the northern navy fleet soon. The Rear Admiral had already announced that the first generation of boats 'Mishka' in 'Saba-Class' will join Navy in year 1398. About the international interactions of the Iranian Navy force, the commander said that Iranian Navy will participate in joint maneuver of Indian Ocean regional forces this year. The aim is to have a share in the collective security in the region, he said. Currently, Iran is the chairman of the international meeting of Naval Forces of Indian Ocean littoral states for two years. 1391**1424 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military forces of Iran, Oman hold joint naval rescue, relief drills Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 04:24AM Military forces of Iran and Oman have held joint naval rescue and relief exercises in the waters of Oman as the two neighbors move to build stronger relations. The maneuvers took place off the coast of Muscat within the framework of the Omani-Iranian Military Friendship Joint Committee, reported the media center of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Wednesday. Units from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force of Oman as well as the Border Guard Brigade along with units from the Navy of Islamic Republic of Iran Army and the Navy of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) took part in the drills. The drills come as a high-ranking Iranian military delegation, headed by Brigadier General Ghadir Nezami who leads the joint military committee with Oman, is on a visit to Musca He was present at the naval drills and held fruitful talks with senior Omani military officials, parliament speaker and deputy foreign minister. Speaking at a meeting in Muscat with 120 representatives from Iran's business and economic sectors, Iranian Ambassador to Muscat Mohammad Reza Nouri Shahroudi highlighted a growth in ties between the two neighboring nations in the area of defense and trade. The diplomat announced that two neighbors plan to create a new direct shipping route by the end of this month. Shahroudi further pointed to a rise in the number of direct flights between the two countries, adding that the enhancement of maritime transportation between Iran and Oman help further strengthen bilateral economic cooperation. The ambassador added that Iran-Oman trade hit $700 million in an 11-month period during 2018-2019. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN envoy warns of 'widening conflagration' amid Haftar's push to seize Tripoli Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 05:19PM The UN envoy to Libya has warned of a "a widening conflagration" in the North African country amid a Saudi-backed push by strongman Khalifa Haftar to seize the capital Tripoli. Ghassan Salame said Thursday international divisions have emboldened Haftar, the leader of the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), to launch his offensive to oust the government in Tripoli. Libya has been divided between two rival governments - the House of Representatives based in the eastern city of Tobruk and the Government of National Accord (GNA) headed by Fayez al-Serraj in Tripoli. Haftar, who is presumably loyal to the government in the east, commenced his deadly campaign on April 4 to conquer Tripoli, in a move rebuked by UN chief Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council. Salame, the head of the UN Support Mission in Libya, said the fighting south of Tripoli between Haftar's forces and those of the GNA have reached a "deadlock". "After the very first successes of the Libyan National Army two weeks ago, we are witnessing a military deadlock," he said. On Wednesday, the Security Council was divided on how to defuse the crisis after fresh talks on a draft resolution demanding a truce in Tripoli failed to yield an agreement. During the council's session, Germany which holds the council presidency proposed the draft resolution but Russia and South Africa opposed it, arguing that Haftar's offensive is unlikely to produce a humanitarian crisis. The council was due to meet Thursday to hear a briefing on the situation on the ground and consult on the way forward, according to AFP. The 75-year-old Haftar who enjoys the loyalty of a group of armed militia and backing from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt has taken upon himself to protect the government in Tobruk. Armed forces and militia loyal to the GNA have been fighting back. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, the fighting has so far killed at least 205 people and wounded more than 900 others. On Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 25,000 people have been displaced by the clashes. Libya has been the scene of increasing violence since 2011, when former dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled from power after an uprising and a NATO military intervention. His ouster created a huge power vacuum, leading to chaos and the emergence of numerous militant outfits, including the Daesh terrorist group. WHO: Death toll from Libya's Tripoli clashes exceeds 200 In a related development on Thursday, the World Health Organization said at least 205 people have been so far killed and more than 900 others wounded in the battle for control of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Reporting at least 205 people dead and 913 wounded, WHO added that its medical and surgical teams were deployed to field hospitals near the front lines. According to a report by the International Organization for Migration on Wednesday, more than 25,000 people have been displaced by the clashes between GNA forces and Haftar's fighters south of Tripoli. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armed Groups Attack Haftar-Controlled Air Base in Southern Libya - Reports Sputnik News 12:42 18.04.2019(updated 14:09 18.04.2019) On Thursday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that as many as 205 people have been killed and 913 more injured since the beginning of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) offensive on Tripoli. Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's army regained control over the Tamanhint Base on Thursday following the withdrawal of the South Protection Force loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA), The Libya Observer reported. This comes after earlier in the day Reuters reported, citing a source in the military that an armed group attacked on Thursday a key air base in Southern Libya under the control of Khalifa Haftar. The attack was followed by clashes at the Tamanhint Base located in the vicinity of Sabha, a strategically important city in southern Libya, according to the source. No additional details are immediately available. Earlier in the day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that, according to its data, since the launch of Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) offensive on Tripoli, which is controlled by the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), as many as 205 people have been killed and 913 more injured. Prior to that, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) urged all parties in a draft document to "immediately de-escalate the situation, commit to a ceasefire and engage with the United Nations to ensure a full and comprehensive cessation of hostilities throughout Libya." The new wave of clashes in Libya commenced on 4 April, when Haftar ordered his troops to advance on the Libyan capital to free it from what he called terrorists. As a result, the LNA gained control over the cities of Surman and Garyan located near Tripoli. After the move, the GNA announced a counteroffensive on 7 April, dubbed Volcano of Rage, to confront the LNA. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gunmen kill 14 after kidnapping them from buses in southwestern Pakistan Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 02:09PM Heavily-armed assailants have shot dead at least 14 people after pulling them from several passenger buses in a remote area of Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, officials say. The attack took place on the Makran coastal highway between Karachi and the Gwadar port in the troubled region early Thursday morning, they said. Ziaullah Langove, home minister for Balochistan, said the passengers were killed after the attackers checked their identity cards and forced them out on the highway. "Terrorists offloaded 14 persons from different buses after checking their NICs. They took them and killed them," Langove said, referring to Pakistani national identity cards. The dead passengers had their legs and hands tied and were found close to the town of Ormara, about halfway between Karachi and Gwadar, he added. Hours after the ambush, the little-known separatist group Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar claimed responsibility for the latest assault. Its spokesman, Baluch Khan, denied any civilian passengers had been killed and claimed that the group had only targeted coast guard and navy service members. "Those who were targeted carried cards of the Pakistan Navy and Coast Guards, and they were only killed after they were identified," the statement read. The Pakistani Navy said its sailors and officers who were traveling to work were among the slain men. The attack drew nationwide condemnation and Prime Minister Imran Khan called it "an act of terror." The premier later ordered authorities "to make every possible effort to identify and to bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice." The latest attack came less than a week after a bomb blast claimed by a Takfiri terrorist group in the provincial capital of Quetta killed 20 people, mostly Hazara Shia Muslims. Balochistan has witnessed a series of bomb and gun attacks in the past several years, mostly blamed on Pakistan's Takfiri militants and a number of separatist groups. Despite frequent offensives by the Pakistani Army, acts of terror by militant outfits continue to target security forces as well as civilians. Thousands of Pakistanis have lost their lives in bombings and other militant attacks since 2001, when Pakistan entered an alliance with the US in Washington's so-called war on terror. Thousands more have been displaced by the wave of violence and militancy sweeping the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fourteen Killed In Bus Ambush In Southwestern Pakistan By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal April 18, 2019 QUETTA, Pakistan Fourteen passengers have been killed after unidentified attackers halted their bus on a remote coastal highway in the restive southwestern Balochistan Province, officials said. Hours after the ambush on April 18, a new separatist group claimed responsibility for the killings. The attack sparked national outrage, with Prime Minister Imran Khan calling it "an act of terror." Officials and local media said the gunmen forced passengers off the bus, which was traveling from Karachi to Gwadar. Survivors told police the gunmen selectively killed the passengers after going through their identities. The motive behind the killings is not known. Mir Zahoor Buledi, a provincial government spokesman, told RFERL's Radio Mashaal on April 18 that the incident took place on the Makran Coastal Highway. Jehangir Dashti, identified as a local official, told AP that "dozens of gunmen" were involved in the attack. Security forces from the nearby town of Buzi Top were dispatched and had reached the area, about 600 kilometers from the provincial capital, Quetta, he added. The Pakistani Navy said its sailors and officers who were travelling to work were also among the slain men. In a statement, Khan ordered authorities "to make every possible effort to identify and to bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice." Separatists have for years waged a low-level insurgency in oil-rich Balochistan, complaining of discrimination and demanding a fairer share of the province's resources and wealth. The newly formed separatist group Baloch Raji Aajoi Sangar claimed responsibility for the attack. Other militant groups also operate in Balochistan. On April 12, a suicide bomber targeted an open-air market in Quetta, killing 20 people in an attack claimed by the Islamic State extremist group. With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/fourteen-killed-in-bus-ambush- in-southwestern-pakistan/29887882.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 Gunmen Kill 14 Bus Passengers in Pakistan By Ayaz Gul April 18, 2019 Suspected separatist militants ambushed a bus in southwestern Pakistan before dawn Thursday and killed 14 passengers, mostly navy personnel. Witnesses and authorities reported the bus was stopped in a remote area on the coastal highway linking the Pakistani port cities of Karachi and Gwadar. A group of about two dozen assailants disguised as paramilitary forces went through identification cards of all the passengers before forcing 16 of them out and spraying them with bullets. Two of the hostages managed to escape in the process and reached the nearest security check post to report the incident, a local security official, Jehangir Dashti, told VOA. Insurgents claim responsibility A Pakistan Navy spokesman later confirmed its personnel were among the slain men but gave no further details. An alliance of three ethnic Baluch separatist groups, known as Bras' (meaning brothers in local language), took responsibility for the violence in Baluchistan province. The insurgents routinely carry out attacks against government installations and security forces in the natural resource-rich Pakistani region. Khan: act of terror Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned Thursday's carnage as "the dastardly act of terror." An official statement quoted him as directing authorities "to make every possible effort to identify and bring the perpetrators of the barbaric act to justice." Baluchistan hosts several under construction Chinese-funded infrastructure projects, including the deep-water Arabian Sea port in Gwadar. Last week, a powerful bomb ripped through a market in Quetta, the provincial capital, killing 20 people and wounding more than 50 others. Police said that attack was aimed at minority ethnic Hazara Shiite Muslims. Loyalists of Islamic State terrorist outfit, who are also active in Baluchistan, claimed responsibility for plotting the bomb attack. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Damascus should take control over northeast Syria: Russia FM Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 09:10AM Russia says the legitimate Syrian government should immediately take control over the country's northeastern region, including the East Euphrates River, which is held by US-backed Kurdish militants. "There is a need to resolve the issue concerning the country's northeast and the left bank of the Euphrates River in order to achieve one of the priority tasks and ensure the restoration of the legitimate government's control over the region," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a press conference on Wednesday. The top Russian diplomat underlined the need to build dialog with Kurdish groups and secure the interests of Turkey "as far as security in Syria's border areas is concerned." Northeastern Syria is currently controlled by the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a US-backed anti-Damascus alliance of mainly Kurdish militants, which include the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984. The United States is a key advocate of autonomy for Syrian Kurds which Damascus has roundly rejected. Many observers believe Washington plans to carve out a foothold in the region through supporting Syrian Kurds. In February, a senior adviser to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad flatly rejected the idea of giving Syrian Kurds a measure of autonomy, saying such a move would open the door to the partition of the country. The Kurdish-led authority that runs much of north and east Syria has presented a roadmap for a deal with Assad in recent meetings with Russia. Also in February, President Assad called on SDF militants to return to the Syrian army, warning them against reliance on the United States. "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, and they have started with it," he said. Russia has been helping Syrian forces in their fight against foreign-backed Takfiri militants. The military assistance began in September 2015 at the official request of the Syrian government. Foreign-backed militancy, supported by the United States and many of its Western and regional allies, erupted in Syria in 2011. The militants and Takfiri terrorists overran large swathes of Syria's territory. The Daesh terrorist group, which once held large swaths of land in Syria, has now been completely defeated in the Arab country and has lost almost all of its occupied territories. Syria has now reestablished its reign over nearly its entire expanse. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'Foreign children' in overwhelmed Syrian camp need urgent international help, says top UN official 18 April 2019 - Help is needed urgently from the international community to help some 2,500 apparently stateless "foreign children" at a camp for the displaced, in north-east Syria, a top UN official said on Thursday. Panos Moumtzis, Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis made the "special plea" to journalists in Geneva, noting that 75,000 people now shelter in Al Hol camp, after fleeing ISIL extremists. "Today I am making a special plea for the children," Mr Moumtzis said, noting that UNICEF had estimated that they number around 2.500: "These children do have a father and a mother, and their father and mother have a nationality, and therefore a solution has to be found - particularly with this - for the children." In a plea to Governments whose citizens had been drawn to Syria "to find a way forward", the UN official highlighted the massive challenges in dealing with the arrival of 65,000 desperate people in just 100 days most of them women and children. "This is an extreme, extraordinary situation; I don't think we have ever seen such a large number in a complex protection situation, and clearly this requires many actors to work together to be able to find a way forward." Noting that humanitarian agencies in Al Hol are "still in emergency mode", Mr. Moumtzis nonetheless insisted that the situation had "stabilized". His comments follow reports that well over 100 people en route to the camp or at Al Hol had died or become gravely ill after travelling for days in harsh winter conditions since fleeing Baghouz, the former ISIL stronghold in eastern Syria. Asked about the nationalities of those in the camp, Mr Moumtzis replied that "about 43 per cent are Syrian nationals, 42 per cent are Iraqi nationals and 15 per cent are foreign nationals". He said 90 per cent were women and children, and 66 per cent of the total were children. Nationals "who have been suspected of having committed crimes, then they need to be treated according to national, international law, in this country," the UN official added, before insisting that there was no question of the Organization providing help to violent extremists. "What I can categorically say first of all is the people who we are helping are all civilians," he said, adding that "we do not help people according to ideology." Civilians in Idlib, still in peril Elsewhere in Syria, where the UN and partners help 5.5 million people every month, there is ongoing and serious concern for civilians in Idlib. The region is home to some three million people, who rely on cross-border humanitarian supplies arriving from Turkey. Half of these people have been displaced during the Syrian conflict, which has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and destroyed much of the country's infrastructure since it began in 2011. Since August 2018, Idlib has been largely protected from the worst fighting by a ceasefire agreement implemented by Russia and Turkey, although clashes are ongoing. This had forced more than 70,000 people to flee from the front line of a demilitarized areas since the beginning of the year, Mr Moumtzis said. "A continuation of the ceasefire - it was put in place since last summer - is really crucial, in order to make sure we do not all see a catastrophe as we have all been worried given the large number and the overpopulation and also the nature of who is there," he explained. Turning to Rukban camp on Syria's southern border with Jordan, Mr. Moumtzis said that while another 700 people had "spontaneously departed" on Tuesday to Government-controlled areas, significant protection and humanitarian concerns remain for the many thousands of displaced people still there. "A key ask that is still pending is a next convoy," Mr Moumtzis said. "We really remain concerned about the needs of more than 35,000 people who are in Rukban. The last assistance convoy that was brought in was more than two months ago, and therefore is really long overdue to be able to move forward." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN Calls for Repatriation of IS Wives, Children in Syria By Lisa Schlein April 18, 2019 The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is calling on countries to repatriate thousands of wives and children of Islamic State militants in Syria, who are living in dire conditions in the al-Hol camp in al-Hasakeh governorate in northeast Syria. More than 75,000 people who fled Islamic State's last stronghold in Baghuz are living in overcrowded, desperate conditions in al-Hol Camp. Women and children comprise 90 percent of the population. Among them are more than 11,000 foreign women and children, including those born of a foreign father or mother. Governments have expressed reluctance to repatriate their nationals, who left their countries of origin to join the Islamic State militant cause in Syria. But Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis Panos Moumtzis said all member states have an obligation under international law to repatriate their own nationals. He said no one should be rendered stateless. Moumtzis is appealing to states to accept the children who have the nationality of their foreign mother or father. He said children should be treated first and foremost as victims. Children have special rights for protection that apply in all situations, he told VOA. "This has to be irrespective of the children's age, sex, and including any perceived family affiliation," he said. "The perceived family affiliation should really not affect the determination of the best interests of the child.So, it is really a special plea for the children." The U.N. children's fund estimates there are about 2,500 children living with their mothers in a separate area of the al-Hol camp. Moumtzis said women are being kept apart from the rest of the population to reduce tensions. He said there is hostility toward them because of their suspected involvement with IS fighters. He said the area where the foreign women and their children are staying is more restricted than the rest of the camp. The United Nations, he added, has not been allowed to access the area, which is run by the Kurdish-led Syrian Defense Forces. He said the International Committee of the Red Cross is one of a few organizations allowed to go in and out. The United Nations, he said, provides the ICRC with life-saving supplies, which they distribute to the residents. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Imamoglu becomes Istanbul mayor, re-run appeal still pending Iran Press TV Thu Apr 18, 2019 07:43AM Turkey's main opposition party candidate in local elections has been declared mayor of Istanbul after recounts of the votes despite a pending appeal from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ruling AK Party for the vote to annulled and re-run. Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People's Party (CHP) on Wednesday received his certificate of election from electoral authorities to become mayor of Turkey's economic heartland, state-owned Anadolu news agency said. The formal mandate followed recounts in districts of the metropolis such as Maltepe, Buyukcekmece, and Fatih. Speaking to reporters at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality building on Wednesday, Imamoglu said, "I've received the certificate of the election on behalf of the 16 million people [of Istanbul]." "We are aware of our responsibility. We know the needs of this city. We know the demands of all the people living in this city and we will immediately start serving them," he said. Binali Yildirim, Istanbul mayoral candidate of the AK Party, tweeted, "The Provincial Election Council has given the certificate of election to Mr. Imamoglu. I hope the decision will bring well-being." "Our party continues to use its legal rights. The YSK [Supreme Election Council] has the final say," he said, hinting that legal challenges to the race may continue. Yildirim had earlier said that it was "clear" that his votes had been stolen during the March 31 elections and gone to Imamoglu. Imamoglu, however, said he hoped the election board would deal with the AKP challenge in a "just way," adding he had won his mandate from the voters and only they could take it away. Following days of appeals and recounts, the AKP on Tuesday asked the High Election Board to annul and re-run the election in Istanbul over what it said were irregularities. Its nationalist MHP allies made a similar request on Wednesday. Imamoglu won the city by a slim margin. Any decision to annul the elections rests with the High Election Board. The board has already once rejected an AK party appeal to recount the votes cast in 31 of Istanbul's 39 districts. The electoral body has only agreed to a recount of 51 ballot boxes in 21 of the districts. The polls saw Turks voting to elect scores of mayors, municipal councils, and other local officials. Erdogan's AK Party secured an overall victory with some 51 percent of the votes. The AK party, however, suffered major defeats in the elections, which handed a victory to the main opposition party CHP in the political power base, Ankara, and the third-largest city of Izmir. The final count put him about 13,000 votes, or less than 0.2 percentage points, ahead of the AKP candidate and former prime minister Binali Yildirim A defeat in Istanbul will be particularly sensitive for Erdogan who commenced his political career as mayor of the city.The AKP or its predecessors had held Istanbul and Ankara since 1994. The latest local elections were also a test for the country's new Erdogan-backed presidential system, which the Turkish public voted in favor of in a referendum in 2017, awarding sweeping powers to Erdogan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address As Turkish-US Tensions Escalate, Ankara Looks to NATO By Dorian Jones April 18, 2019 As tensions escalate between Turkey and the United States over the procurement of Russian missiles, Ankara is looking to NATO, which it sees as taking a more nuanced stance on the controversial weapons purchase. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's warning this month that Turkey's future in NATO could be at risk if Ankara takes delivery of Russian S-400 missiles drew an angry response from Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin. "We are one of the members. We are a country that has a say in all decisions," Kalin said. "Therefore, we will not allow the questioning of Turkey's position in NATO." Washington claims the S-400 missiles, which are due to be delivered in July, pose a security threat to NATO military systems in Turkey in particular, America's latest fighter jet, the F-35. Russia is developing the S-400 system to counter the F-35's stealth technology. U.S. warning While America is warning of far-reaching military and financial sanctions if the Russian missile system is delivered to Turkey, analysts say NATO appears to be taking a different stance. "We have to make a difference here between Turkish-NATO relations and Turkey-American relations," said international relations professor Huseyin Bagci of Ankara's Middle East Technical University. "Bilaterally [between Turkey and the U.S.] speaking, it's not a good [situation], but concerning NATO, there isn't a problem." "There is not one sentence from the NATO secretary-general that Turkey cannot buy this [S-400] system," he added. "NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg tells Turkey every ally has the right to buy any system; however, the political consequences, the strategic consequences, of such a purchase, he does not say anything. So the Turks are confused [about] whom to believe, the Americans or NATO." This month, Stoltenberg again refused to be drawn into the controversy over Turkey's S-400 purchase, reiterating his stance that it was a "national decision of each NATO ally to determine on its own." Stoltenberg appears to be seeking to position NATO as an honest broker in resolving the dispute. "We see that this is an issue which has created disagreement between allies, and NATO provides a platform for allies to address issues like this," he said. With Turkey devoting military resources to many NATO theaters of operation, from Afghanistan to Kosovo, analysts suggest the military alliance will be wary of being drawn into the increasingly bitter dispute between Ankara and Washington. Regional role Turkey's geographical importance bordering many of the world's most unstable regions and its preparedness to play an active role were acknowledged this month at a NATO gathering at the Turkish Mediterranean resort of Antalya. Turkey "sees itself as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East," said Madeleine Moon, head of the NATO Parliament Assembly, "which gives it a leading role in promoting security and stability" in the Middle East and North Africa. While Ankara is deepening its ties with Moscow, it's also stepping up its support of NATO efforts to counter Russian influence. "Turkey relations with Moscow are very close, so there is an antagonism there [with its Western allies]," said Aydin Selcen, a former senior Turkish diplomat. "But also at the same time, although the rhetoric is very harsh against some allies, Turkey's participation in NATO exercises in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea is at unprecedented levels and quality." Selcen offers two explanations for the apparent contradictory foreign policy of Ankara toward NATO and Western allies. "Either there is some sort of disconnect or lack of coordination between the Turkish presidency and national defense ministry," Selcen said, "which is, in today's Turkish national regime, quite improbable, or Ankara is trying to extract some flexibility from Washington, which is not forthcoming." Turkey's more robust approach toward its NATO partners could be threatening a new quarrel within the alliance. According to reports, Ankara is set to veto Macedonia's NATO membership unless Skopje extradites Turkish nationals wanted in connection with the failed 2016 Turkey coup. Turkey's future in alliance Turkey's stance toward some NATO members and its deepening ties with Moscow are leading some to question the country's future within the alliance, a fear Turkish presidential adviser Gulnor Aybet appears happy to stoke. "If the United States continues to approach Turkey with a zero-sum game then the doors, which are currently open for the future of relations, could turn toward another partner, and that is Russia," Aybet said this month during a panel discussion in Washington. However, international relations professor Bagci said it's essential to look beyond the political rhetoric and understand that the decades-long strategic importance of NATO to Turkey remains unchanged. "Russia is not an alternative [to Turkey]. Turkey will not look to Russia as a most trusted ally. It is not the case and will not be," Bagci said. "Turkey always uses Russia as a balance of power, as leverage. Turkey will not leave NATO unless NATO leaves Turkey. Then, Russia is an alternative." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Presidential Front-Runner Pledges To Hold Referendum On NATO By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 Ukrainian presidential front-runner Volodymyr Zelenskiy has pledged to hold a referendum on whether or not Kyiv should join NATO if he is elected president. Zelenskiy, a comic actor who is far ahead in the polls ahead of the April 21 election pitting him against incumbent Petro Poroshenko, said on April 18 that "we have clearly chosen our path to Europe." But he said it was critical to build a nationwide consensus on joining the alliance. "It's obvious that NATO means security and a high level of [our] military, but I want to unite the country," he told RBK Ukraine. Zelenskiy added that he would work to convince people in the mostly Russian-speaking eastern parts of Ukraine to overcome their negative view of NATO. "I will record daily video appeals to the eastern regions of Ukraine to tell them that NATO isn't a beast that is going to swallow you," he said. Poroshenko has pushed for Ukrainian membership in NATO and the European Union, though membership in either grouping is unlikely due to the country's rampant corruption and five-year-long conflict with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskiy also said he would push for early parliamentary elections if elected president as the unicameral Verkhovna Rada is controlled by Poroshenko's ruling party. The next parliamentary elections are scheduled for October. He said early elections were part of his idea of a "renewal" of Ukraine's ruling class. Zelenskiy added on April 18 that he would include former Finance Minister Oleksandr Danylyuk in his government if he was elected president. Danylyuk was fired from his post in 2018 and joined Zelenskiy's campaign team earlier this year. The latest opinion poll, conducted by the Rating agency, shows Zelenskiy with 58 percent support while Poroshenko has just 22 percent. With reporting by AP and Ukrinform Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian -presidential-front-runner-pledges-to-hold- referendum-on-nato/29890298.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 Ukrainian President Criticizes Court Decision On Nationalization Of PrivatBank By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has warned that a court decision declaring the nationalization of a major bank was illegal could pose great risks to Ukraine if the bank is returned to its previous owner, oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskiy. A Ukrainian court ruled on April 18 that the government's decision in 2016 to nationalize the country's biggest lender, PrivatBank, violated the law. Poroshenko called the court verdict "a reckless move" and said it could cause Ukraine to default on its loans and create a "new economic crisis." Kolomoyskiy's chances of receiving compensation for the loss of the bank or even of having the bank returned to him increased due to the court decision. "That means I won. I won the lawsuit," Kolomoyskiy said after receiving word of the decision. The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) vowed to appeal the ruling, arguing it would be impossible to reverse the nationalization of PrivatBank, which was founded by Kolomoyskiy, who in the past filed multiple court cases against the decision. "Therefore the government and the national bank are doing the right thing to challenge this decision," Poroshenko said. Kolomoyskiy is also a backer of Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the comic actor facing off against incumbent Petro Poroshenko in the country's presidential runoff on April 21. The government took PrivatBank from Kolomoyskiy in 2016 and then propped up the lender with billions of dollars. The government wants to recover money it says was siphoned out while Kolomoyskiy owned it. Kolomoyskiy denies any wrongdoing and says the bank was forcibly nationalized without proper justification. "The court ruling has yet to come into effect and will be appealed by the NBU," Viktor Hryhorchuk, head of litigation at the central bank's legal department, said in a statement. Lawsuits challenging the nationalization of PrivatBank "deal irreversible damage to Ukraine's international image," the central bank said in the same statement. With reporting by UNIAN, Reuters, AP, and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukrainian- court-rules-nationalization-of-privatbank- violated-the-law/29889704.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 Fresh Poll Shows Zelenskiy Maintains Large Lead Over Poroshenko In Ukraine Vote By RFE/RL April 18, 2019 KYIV A fresh opinion poll shows Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedic actor with no political experience, far ahead of incumbent Petro Poroshenko just days before Ukraine's presidential runoff. The poll issued on April 18 by the research group Reiting showed Zelenskiy with 57.9 percent of the vote and Poroshenko at 21.7 percent. Reiting polled 3,000 voters in all regions, except annexed Crimea, from April 12-16. A previous poll by Reiting from April 5-10 gave Zelenskiy 61 percent while Poroshenko received 24 percent. Zelenskiy, who stars on a TV comedy series about a teacher who becomes president after denouncing corruption, won nearly twice as many votes as Poroshenko in the first round of voting on March 31. Poroshenko's popularity has plummeted as many Ukrainians blame him for the country's slow pace of reform and for failing to tackle corruption. The fresh opinion poll comes a day ahead of a key debate between the two candidates at Kyiv's 70,000-seat Olimpiyskiy Stadium. Writing on Twitter on April 17, Zelenskiy said 12,000 seats had been booked just a half hour after the free tickets were made available to the public. The two men took drug tests earlier this month at Zelenskiy's insistence in a campaign that has been marked by theatrics on both sides. Poroshenko's campaign team said on April 17 that supporters will be bused in for free for the event, according to Interfax. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said a crowd of "up to 60,000" was expected to attend the debate and that security would be beefed up. His comments on April 17 come after Ukrainian authorities announced they had captured a Russian military intelligence hit squad responsible for the attempted murder of a Ukrainian military spy ahead of the presidential runoff. The issue of how to deal with Russia, which annexed Crimea in 2014 and backs separatists in eastern Ukraine, is prominent ahead of the vote, with Poroshenko casting himself as the commander in chief Ukraine needs to defend the country. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/fresh-poll-shows- zelenskiy-maintains-large-lead-over-poroshenko- in-ukraine-vote/29889374.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 Inexplicably Halts Disclosure of Info on Size of Nuclear Arsenal Sputnik News 12:53 18.04.2019(updated 13:08 18.04.2019) Washington began a $1.5 trillion 30-year modernisation of the US' nuclear arsenal in 2010, with President Trump's 2018 Nuclear Posture Review calling for the creation of new tactical and sea-launched weapons, and lowering the threshold for their use including the possibility of a US nuclear response to "significant non-nuclear strategic attacks." The US Department of Energy has rejected a request by the Federation of American Scientists to disclose the size of the country's nuclear weapons stockpile, the organisation stated in a press release. "After careful considerationit was determined that the requested information cannot be classified at this time," the DoE wrote in an April 5 letter, offering no further information, except to say the decision was made by Department of Defence and DoE officials from the Formerly Restricted Data Declassification Working Group. FAS Nuclear Information Project director Hans M. Kristensen blasted the decision, calling it "unnecessary and counterproductive" and saying it "walks back nearly a decade" of practice and places the US in "the same box as over-secretive nuclear-armed states, several of which are US adversaries." The analyst warned that Washington's decision will make it harder to secure new arms control agreements with Russia and China. The Trump administration began its withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-Nuclear Forces Treaty earlier this year, with Moscow also expressing concerns that the fate of the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) could be in question. The Obama administration began the declassification of US nuclear stockpiles in 2010, with the Trump administration continuing the practice, releasing the 2017 figures last year. The figures showed the total stockpile to consist of 3,822 nuclear warheads of all classifications as of 30 September 2017. Kristensen said there was no clear indication about why Washington rejected the nuclear stockpile disclosures, noting that "the answer may be as simple as 'because it can' with no opposition from the White House," or an indication that the US has already begun to increase the size of its nuclear stockpile (although that option was less likely, in his view). According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute figures from January 2018, Russia and the US have the largest nuclear stockpiles, with 6,850 and 6,450 nuclear warheads, respectively, with France, China, the UK, Pakistan, India, Israel and North Korea having access to 300, 280, 215, 140-150, 130-140, 80 and 10-20 nukes, respectively. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dublin, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Kuwait Express Delivery and E-Commerce Logistics Market Outlook to 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. It is expected that Kuwait E-commerce logistics will grow at a robust CAGR of 21.1% in the market in terms of revenue in the 5 years till the year ending 2022. Kuwait Express Logistics Market Overview and Size Express delivery systems have been considered as a crucial segment of the Kuwait logistics market, utilized for faster delivery of shipments in comparison to general services. Express delivery companies have created a door to door linkage across domestic and international markets and have developed advanced shipment tracking facilities to cater time-sensitive needs of the logistics sector. The gradual shift of the population from retail shopping to online shopping of electronic items, high internet penetration, daily grocery needs, apparels and others in the country has triggered the demand for express logistics in the country. The geographical location of Kuwait has aided the overall market growth majorly due to good connectivity with Asia Pacific countries and GCC regions. Kuwait Express Logistics Market Segmentation Mode of Transport Road express has dominated the express delivery market in terms of revenue and has accounted for maximum revenue share during the period. Road infrastructure is highly developed which ensures majority of the express logistics player to use roadways to transport goods within the Kuwait as compared to air express as shipment through air is more costly. In order to transport the goods internationally, the air cargo takes lesser hours as compared to road express logistics. Delivery Type Kuwait express delivery market has been dominated by international express in 2017. Factors such as high volume of international trade, shipments from expats and increase in business activities have resulted in a higher volume of international express shipments in Kuwait. Domestic players have contributed through effective collaborations with global companies in order to enhance their reach to the remote areas of the country. B2B segment has dominated the Kuwait express logistics during 2017. These express logistics services are used by businesses to deliver goods within a specific time frame. Competitive Landscape in the Kuwait Express Delivery Market The domestic express and logistics firms have a strong presence in several cities nationwide. In Kuwait express delivery market is largely dominated by major global players such as DHL, FedEx, Aramex, UPS and others which collectively contribute to the majority of revenues in the international express delivery market. Kuwait Express Logistics Market Future Outlook and Projections The use of information technology is anticipated to increase in the express delivery services in Kuwait with rising competition among the express delivery players in the country. The last mile delivery step to the consumer will gain more importance in future due to the rising share of B2C parcel logistics in the market. Kuwait E-Commerce Logistics Market Overview and Size The Kuwait E-commerce industry has witnessed a positive growth over the past three years. Rise in the smart phones shipments in the country has augmented the growth of E-commerce sector in the country. Various logistics service provider offers additional services and offer discounts for online orders as they help in reduction of additional management processes. Kuwait E-Commerce Logistics Market Segmentation E-commerce merchant through in-house logistics have captured the majority of the market share in terms of the total number of shipments in the year 2017. It has been observed that logistics companies in the Kuwait prefer to manage operations on their own which has resulted in the supremacy of this segment. On the other hand, it was witnessed that international E-commerce companies prefer to outsource logistics to 3PL companies to avoid the obstacles in establishing their own operations. Same day delivery within five hours has dominated the market in terms of number of orders owing to increasing focus of the companies on providing better services coupled with increasing customer needs for better service. Clothing, Fashion Accessories, White Goods, Furniture and Others are the major products which are delivered through same day delivery beyond five hours duration. Comparative Landscape in the Kuwait E-Commerce Logistics Market The E-commerce logistics industry of the Kuwait was observed to be concentrated with the presence of major players such as Aramex, DHL and FedEx covering around majority of the market share in 2017. These companies were witnessed to compete on parameters such as shipping points, coverage area, delivery assistance (last mile) and others. Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 2. Research Methodology 2.1. Market Definitions 2.2. Abbreviations 2.3. Consolidated Research Approach 2.4. Variables (Dependent and Independent) 2.5. Correlation Matrix 2.6. Regression Matrix 2.7. Limitations and Conclusion 3. Kuwait Express Logistics Ecosystem 3.1. Supplier Side 3.2. Demand Side 4. Kuwait Express Logistics Market Overview and Genesis 5. Value Chain for Kuwait Express Logistics Market 6. Express Logistics Market 6.1. Market Size by Revenue, 2012-2017 6.2. Market Segmentation by Express Movement (Air Express and Road Express), 2017 6.2.1. Cross Comparison by Express Movement, 2017 6.3. By Delivery Type (International Express and Domestic Express), 2017 6.4. By Business Mode (B2B, B2C and C2C), 2017 7. Pricing Analysis for Kuwait Express Logistics Market 8. Issues and Challenges in Kuwait Express Logistics Market 9. Government Role in Kuwait Express Logistics Market - Customs Clearance Process 9.1 Government Role in Kuwait Express Logistics Market - Documentary Requirements for Customs 9.2 Government Role in Kuwait Express Logistics Market - For Vehicles 10. Competitive Scenario of Kuwait Freight Forwarding Market 11. Directory of Major Players in Kuwait Express Logistics Market 12. Company Profile of Major Express Logistics Companies 12.1. DHL Express Kuwait 12.2. ARAMEX Kuwait 12.3. FedEx Express 12.4. UPS Express 12.5. SKYCOM Express and OCS ANA GROUP 12.6. Jeezan Cargo and Frontline Express 13. Future Outlook and Projections 13.1. Kuwait Express Logistics Market - Future Outlook and Projections, 2017-2022 13.2. Kuwait Express Logistics Market - Future Segmentation by Express Movement and By Delivery Type, 2022 14. E-Commerce Market 14.1. Overview and Market Size, 2015-2017 14.2. Segmentation by Time Duration (Same Day delivery Beyond Five Hours, Delivery Within Five Hours and Others), 2017 14.3. Segmentation by Distribution Channel (E-Commerce Merchants and 3PL Companies) and Mode of Payment, 2017 15. Competitive Scenario for Kuwait E-Commerce Logistics Market 16. Kuwait E-Commerce Logistics Market - Future Outlook and Projections, 2017-2022 17. Kuwait Express Logistics Market - Analyst Recommendations Companies Mentioned ARAMEX Kuwait DHL Express FedEx Express Frontline Express Jeezan Cargoa OCS ANA GROUP SKYCOM Express UPS Express For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v9div5 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. TORONTO, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Teranga Gold Corporation ("Teranga" or the "Company") (TSX:TGZ; OTCQX:TGCDF) will release its first quarter 2019 financial and operating results on Friday, May 3, 2019 at approximately 6:00 a.m. ET. A conference call and webcast hosted by management will follow at 8:30 a.m. ET to review the Companys results and discuss the quarters highlights. Those wishing to listen can access the conference call and webcast as follows: Date & Time: Friday, May 3, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. ET Telephone: Toll-free +1-877-291-4570 Local or International +1-647-788-4919 Please allow 10 minutes to be connected to the conference call. Webcast: Available on Terangas website at www.terangagold.com/Q12019. Replay: The conference call replay will be accessible for two weeks after the call by dialing +1-416-621-4642 or toll-free at +1-800-585-8367 and entering the conference ID 1368305. Note: The slide presentation will be available for download at www.terangagold.com for simultaneous viewing during the call. About Teranga Teranga is a multi-jurisdictional West African gold company focused on production and development as well as the exploration of approximately 6,400 km2 of land located on prospective gold belts. Since its initial public offering in 2010, Teranga has produced more than 1.7 million ounces of gold at its Sabodala operation in Senegal. Focused on diversification and growth, the Company is advancing construction of its second producing gold mine, Wahgnion, which is located in Burkina Faso, as well as carrying out exploration programs in three West African countries: Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire and Senegal. The Company had more than 4.0 million ounces of gold reserves as of June 30, 2018. Teranga applies a rigorous capital allocation framework for its investment decisions and is focused on funding future organic growth plans responsibly. Steadfast in its commitment to set the benchmark for responsible mining, Teranga operates in accordance with the highest international standards and aims to act as a catalyst for sustainable economic, environmental, and community development as it strives to create value for all of its stakeholders. Teranga is a member of the United Nations Global Compact and a leading member of the multi-stakeholder group responsible for the submission of the first Senegalese Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative revenue report. Contact Information Richard Young President & CEO T: +1 416-594-0000 | E: ryoung@terangagold.com Gettysburg, Pa, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OPEN MINDS has released an updated suite of Medicaid market intelligence resources on the state of North Dakota. The resources include analysis of the North Dakota Medicaid system, Medicaid managed care vendor contracts, and additional state-specific information. North Dakota operates two Medicaid managed care programsa primary care case management (PCCM) program and a managed care organization (MCO) program. The PCCM program serves the non-Medicaid expansion population. Members may choose their primary care provider (PCP). If they do not make a selection, a PCP is assigned. PCPs receive a $2.00 per member per month case management fee. The MCO program serves the Medicaid expansion population (childless adults with income up to 138% of the FLP). Under this program, the state contracts with one full-risk capitated health plan, Sanford Health Plan. Medicaid expansion individuals who are medically frail, which includes individuals with serious mental illness, may enroll in the traditional Medicaid fee-for-service program. The contract for Sanford Health Plan is available for download: Sanford Health Plan The North Dakota Medicaid Managed Care Contracts are available now for all Elite OPEN MINDS Circle members. Individual contracts may be purchased in the OPEN MINDS shop for $1,500 each. Additionally, the OPEN MINDS team has four in-depth profiles of the North Dakota state health system: North Dakota Health Care System Landscape: An OPEN MINDS State Profile, which provides information on each states largest health plans, Medicaid expansion policy, health insurance marketplace plans, demographics, population health insurance coverage by payer, and more. North Dakota Medicaid System: An OPEN MINDS State Profile, which provides a detailed exploration of each states Medicaid financing system, including a review of the managed care financing systems, largest health plans by enrollment, key players in the state Medicaid department, and plans for future system changes and contract reprocurements. North Dakota Behavioral Health System State Profile Report, which provides a comprehensive listing of behavioral health benefits in the state, care coordination programs related to behavioral health, and behavioral health subcontractors for health plans. North Dakota Medicaid/Medicare Dual Eligible System: An OPEN MINDS State Profile, which provides an overview of each states dual eligible financing system, as well as the largest Medicare health plans serving dual eligibles and details on new initiatives involving the dual eligible population. The North Dakota suite of state profiles is now available now for the Elite OPEN MINDS Circle members. In addition, the OPEN MINDS team has a wealth of additional North Dakota-specific resources. A monthly OPEN MINDS market intelligence update is available to all health and human services executives. To sign up, OPEN MINDS Circle members should set their email preferences under the My Account Settings. All of these resources, and more, are available as part of an OPEN MINDS Circle Elite membership. Membership includes unlimited organizational access to all OPEN MINDS content and databases, plus executive education events, and other exclusive Elite member benefits. Learn more about becoming an Elite OPEN MINDS Circle member online at www.openminds.com/elite. ABOUT OPEN MINDS OPEN MINDS is a national market intelligence and strategic advisory firm focused on the sectors of the health and human service field serving consumers with chronic conditions and complex support needs. Founded in 1987 and based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the 175+ associates provide market insights and innovative management solutions designed to improve operational and strategic performance. Learn more at www.openminds.com. New European research project on supporting social inclusion and helping the elderly remain physically and mentally fit. Vienna, Austria (AIT): The TACTILE project kick-off meeting was held at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology in Vienna on 4 & 5 March 2019. The EU project is designed to foster the well-being of older adults living alone in their own homes, and to encourage an active lifestyle. An additional project focus lies on the prevention of dementia. The project is co-funded by the European AAL JP programme, national institutions and research grants in Austria (Austrian Research Promotion Agency, FFG), Switzerland and the Netherlands. The coordinating institution isCareCenter Software GmbH, an Austrian company specializing in software solutions for the social economy. The challenge Elderly people are frequently affected by a decline in their mental and physical abilities, potentially resulting in anxiety, frailty, loneliness and reclusiveness. They often live alone, spatially separated from their families and friends, and unable to meet or visit them on a regular basis. Studies have shown that the risk of developing dementia can be reduced by playing challenging games, interacting with other people and physical exercise. For that reason, TACTILE aims to provide a user-friendly, game-based solution that addresses these challenges through the medium of innovative mixed-reality software. The solution The solution will offer board games that can be played remotely with family or friends when wearing mixed-reality glasses. The users will be able to play with real game figures while seeing their opponents virtual game figures on their own real game board. The tactile feedback as well as intuitive user interaction will enhance the usability of the system. TACTILE will also train the physical health of elderly users via training sessions, with a virtual assistant blended into the real environment using the mixed-reality glasses. This assistant will explain the training exercises and accompany the user during each session. AIT is contributing its extensive expertise in the fields of computer vision and machine learning (Center for Digital Safety & Security in the context of the Sensing & Vision Solutions research focus) as well as training exercise and virtual avatar development in the field of Active and Assisted Living (Center for Health & Bioresources, Biomedical Systems) to the project. Elisabeth Broneder, project coordinator at AIT: In TACTILE we apply a novel mixed-reality technology to support the elderly, helping them maintain a healthy lifestyle by providing mental and physical training, and keeping them socially included by connecting them with family and friends, even if they are unable to visit on a regular basis. A crucial element during all the phases of the project will be the involvement of end users within the group of elderly people living alone. Feedback from this group will be actively sought and considered in designing and developing the TACTILE solution. To ensure that the developed system meets user needs, the prototypes will be continously enhanced and evaluated in cooperation with the end users over the course of 3 workshops as a means of gathering ongoing feedback from the end users during the development phase. During the last 6 months of the project, field trials will be held in Austria and the Netherlands where end users will test the system in their own homes, together with other elderly friends or relatives. The partners From an interdisciplinary perspective, the challenges of developing ICT technologies for dementia prevention, and to support independent living for those suffering from social exclusion, demand a holistic and interdisciplinary approach involving experts from the fields of computer science, software development, human-computer interaction, software architecture, UI design, sociology and dementia prevention. The project partners are CareCenter Software GmbH (project coordination & development, Austria), AIT Austrian Institute of Technology (research institute, Austria), CREAGY AG (UI and UxD design, Switzerland), GedachtnistrainingsAkademie (training academy, Austria), Mythronics (exploitation & development, The Netherlands) and Tante Louise (nursing home, The Netherlands). Further information about TACTILE is available on the website of the project coordinator CareCenter Software GmbH: https://www.carecenter.at/news/internationales-forschungsprojekt-tactile-gestartet (German) Press contact: Michael W. Murling Marketing and Communications AIT Austrian Institute of Technology Center for Digital Safety & Security T +43 (0)50550-4126 michael.muerling@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at Michael H. Hlava Head of Corporate and Marketing Communications AIT Austrian Institute of Technology T +43 (0)50550-4014 michael.hlava@ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at Attachments Governments around the nation are working to design the best vaccine policies that keep both their employees and their residents safe. Although the latest data shows a variety of polarizing perspectives, there are clear emerging best practices that leading governments are following to put trust first: creating policies that are flexible and provide a range of options, and being in tune with the needs and sentiments of their employees so that they are able to be dynamic and accommodate the rapidly changing situation. A judge dismissed a lawsuit Thursday that challenged an emergency declaration in New York City requiring residents of certain neighborhoods affected by a measles outbreak to receive mandatory vaccinations.Mayor Bill de Blasio issued the order last week that would require unvaccinated people living in four ZIP codes in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, to receive the measles vaccine in response to one of the largest outbreaks in decades. The outbreak has infected 329 people so far, most of them children from Orthodox Jewish communities in Brooklyn.This is the epicenter of a measles outbreak that is very, very troubling and must be dealt with immediately, de Blasio said.The outbreak started when an unvaccinated child acquired measles on a visit to Israel, where a large outbreak of the disease is occurring, according to the city health departments website. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a controversial abortion bill Thursday, saying it's unnecessary and ill-advised.The bill would create new criminal and civil penalties for infanticide, specifically for situations in which a baby survives an abortion procedure. The new punishments apply to doctors and nurses who don't provide care for the surviving newborns.Supporters of the "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" have not shown evidence of it happening in North Carolina. And if it were to happen, the perpetrator can already be charged with murder. But they say the bill is needed, to make sure it doesn't happen.Cooper disagreed."Laws already protect newborn babies and this bill is an unnecessary interference between doctors and their patients," the Democratic governor said in his veto message. "This needless legislation would criminalize doctors and other healthcare providers for a practice that simply does not exist."Republicans quickly criticized the veto. In a joint statement two of the bill's top supporters, Sen. Joyce Krawiec of Forsyth County and Rep. Pat McElraft of Carteret County, said that "caring for a living, breathing newborn infant is too restrictive for Governor Cooper's radical abortion agenda.""We thought Democrats would agree that children born alive should be separate from the abortion debate, but it's clear they want the 'right to choose' to even extend past birth," they wrote.However, Democrats have frequently pointed out that killing babies is already illegal, even without this bill. The North Carolina Democratic Party tweeted support for Cooper on Thursday, calling it "a partisan bill grounded in anti-choice rhetoric, not medical science."When the bill passed the legislature on Tuesday, Republicans strongly defended it. Rep. Sarah Stevens, one of the top Republican leaders, said that in addition to the various punishments laid out in the bill, it also has a section requiring health care professionals who suspect an infanticide to report it to authorities."We don't know if it's going on here," Stevens said in the Tuesday debate over the bill. "But what we did say is you now have a duty to report. Nurses, doctors, if you see something, you have a duty to report. And that's a big part of this bill."Democrats questioned the timing of the bill, with major elections coming up next year."Do any of you really think that infanticide is legal in North Carolina today?" Democratic Rep. Susan Fisher of Asheville asked her Republican colleagues on Tuesday. "If so, then why didn't you do anything to stop it in the decade you've had a supermajority?"Nearly all of Cooper's previous vetoes have been overridden by the legislature, although this is the first bill he has vetoed since Democrats flipped enough seats in the 2018 elections to take away Republicans' veto-proof supermajority.Now, Republicans will need at least some Democrats to join them to override Cooper's veto.While normal bills only require a simple majority to pass, veto overrides require support from 60 percent of the legislators present. When the bill passed the House and the Senate earlier this week, it did not gain 60 percent support in either chamber.However, neither vote was taken with all legislators present, so it's unclear what might happen if an override vote is called in the future. Dozens of doctors and medical professionals across five different states were charged Wednesday with illegally prescribing more than 32 million pain pills in what officials have dubbed the biggest bust of its kind in the United States.The charges stem from more than 350,000 illegal prescriptions written by 60 medical professionals -- 31 doctors, seven pharmacists eight nurse practitioners and seven other licensed professionals -- across Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama and West Virginia, according to a Department of Justice press release. They include unlawful distribution or dispensing of controlled substances by a medical professional and health-care fraud, which both carry a maximum 20-year prison sentence.Most of the defendants face several counts and one of them has been charged in connection with an overdose death.Brian Benczkowski, an assistant attorney general at the Department of Justice, told the Cincinnati Enquirer that the phony prescriptions could have yielded "enough pills for every man, woman and child to get one dose across the five states."In one case, a dentist allegedly unnecessarily pulled the tooth of a patient, who paid him cash in order to obtain opioid prescription afterward. Another doctor is accused of using Facebook as a hub for illicit substances, signing off on prescriptions through social media without ever seeing a patient.And several doctors across the region are accused of trading prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone for sex."If so-called medical professionals are going to behave like drug dealers, we're going to treat them like drug dealers," Benczwkoski said.The widespread arrests were the result of a months-long investigation headed by the federal Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike force, created at the end of 2018 to specifically combat the growing opioid epidemic in the region.According to the Centers for Disease Control, the Appalachian area is among the hardest hit by opioid abuse. Ohio, for example, ranks second in the nation for overall overdose deaths."The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, and Appalachia has suffered the consequences more than perhaps any region," Attorney General William Barr said in a statement. "But the Department of Justice is doing its part to help end this crisis."In 2017 alone, the opioid epidemic claimed the lives of 47,600 people. The CDC notes that 115 Americans die every day from opioid-related overdoses. A federal appeals court decided unanimously Thursday that most of California's so-called sanctuary laws can continue to be enforced, rejecting the bulk of a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration.The decision, authored by a Republican appointee on the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, was a sweeping victory for California. The court's only concern about the legality of the three sanctuary laws was that no costs should be imposed on the federal government.The three-judge panel refused to block the centerpiece of the sanctuary package -- a law that prohibits police and sheriff's officials from notifying federal immigration authorities of the release dates of immigrant inmates.That law "may well frustrate the federal government's immigration enforcement efforts," Judge Milan D. Smith Jr., who was appointed by President George W. Bush, wrote for the court. "However, whatever the wisdom of the underlying policy adopted by California, that frustration is permissible."The court also upheld a law that requires employers to notify workers of inspections by immigration agents.The court said the law did "not treat the federal government worse than anyone else; indeed, it does not regulate federal operations at all."But the court said that the state, in inspecting federal detention centers, cannot impose requirements on the federal government that will force it to spend money.Specifically, the federal appeals court cited a provision that allows California to examine the circumstances surrounding the apprehension and transfer of immigrants in federal centers."Only those provisions that impose an additional economic burden exclusively on the federal government are invalid," the court said.The panel sent that part of the case back to the district court to reconsider.The Trump administration sued California in March 2018 to invalidate the three sanctuary laws.U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez, also appointed by Bush, upheld most of the package of laws several months later. He rejected a provision that established fines for private employers who voluntarily allow immigration agents to visit workplaces.California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra expressed pleasure with Thursday's ruling."As much as all the attention is on whether Donald Trump obstructed justice," he said, "we continue to prove in California that the rule of law not only stands for something but that people cannot act outside of it."The 9th Circuit ruled in our favor today, demonstrating that the rights of states and the 10th Amendment continue to thrive," he added.Grisel Ruiz, staff attorney at the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, praised the ruling for rejecting "the federal government's attempt to force localities into carrying out a hateful and discriminatory agenda.""This decision underscores what we've always known: Local governments are within their right to limit their involvement with deportations and detention," he said.The U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately respond for a request for comment.The Trump administration could ask a larger panel of the 9th Circuit to review Thursday's ruling or ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision.The administration's challenge of the sanctuary laws last year prompted then-Gov. Jerry Brown to declare that Trump was "basically going to war against the state of California" and "initiating a reign of terror."Then-U.S. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions at the time accused California of "actively obstructing federal law enforcement.""California, we have a problem," he told a conference of the California Peace Officers Assn. a day after filing the suit.Sessions pledged to fight the state's "irrational, unfair and unconstitutional policies." Kamala Harris, who has made her prosecutorial record a centerpiece of her presidential bid, said she now has misgivings about a California law she championed that punished parents of habitually truant schoolchildren.Speaking on the liberal podcast "Pod Save America," Sen. Harris said the arrests and, in some cases, jail sentences of parents in multiple California counties were an "unintended consequence" of the statewide law, which built on her tough-on-truancy approach as San Francisco district attorney.The interview, released on Wednesday, marks the first sign of remorse from Harris about the anti-truancy effort, a signature cause throughout her career that she had steadfastly defended on the campaign trail. Her contrition reflects the difficult politics of running in a Democratic presidential primary as a career prosecutor at a time of widespread discontent within the party about racial disparities in law enforcement."I just think the whole concept of 'progressive prosecutor' is going to strike a lot of people as an oxymoron," said Garry South, a veteran Democratic strategist who is unaligned in the presidential race.Harris has cast herself as a pioneer of reformist criminal justice, promoting social programs that aimed to keep first-time offenders from falling into a life of crime. But her background as a prosecutor has provided fodder for skeptics, particularly on the left.When Harris was a district attorney, it was more common to approach social problems with the threat of incarceration, but voters now "are far more attuned to criminal justice as an issue of civil rights," said Hadar Aviram, a law professor at UC Hastings College of the Law.Harris' crusade on truancy has been particularly fraught.As San Francisco district attorney from 2004 to 2011, Harris issued citations to parents whose children missed more than 50 days of school, but none of them were put in jail. She called truancy a public safety issue, saying high school dropouts had a higher chance of winding up as victims or perpetrators of crimes. Each year, she sent a letter to every San Francisco parent of public school students, warning them of potential prosecution for truancy.During her 2010 campaign for state attorney general, Harris explained her focus on chronic school absences."I believe that a child going without an education is tantamount to a crime," Harris said in a speech to the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. "So I decided I was going to start prosecuting parents for truancy. Well, this was a little controversial in San Francisco."And frankly my staff went bananas," she recounted with a laugh. "They were very concerned, because we didn't know at the time whether I was going to have an opponent in my reelection race.""I have a huge stick" as a prosecutor to get kids in school, Harris said. "The school district has a carrot -- let's work in tandem."Harris took that advocacy statewide, sponsoring a 2010 law to make it a misdemeanor for parents whose young children miss more than 10% of school days a year without a valid excuse. Parents could be punished with a maximum $2,000 fine, up to a year in county jail or both. Violators of the law could defer judgment by participating in regular meetings with school officials and improving their children's attendance."With children missing significant amounts of time from kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and no one paying attention or doing anything about it, we were seeing 8-year-old kids having their futures carved into stone -- which was just tragic," said Mark Leno, who wrote the bill when he was a Democratic state senator from San Francisco.Former Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, another San Francisco Democrat and a former public school teacher, voted against the bill because he believed it wouldn't address the problem."It was a stinker of a law," Ammiano said.Harris and her allies have said the law's purpose was to prod school districts to provide resources to families of truant children, not to lock up parents. But the Huffington Post reported that several counties in California arrested, charged and sometimes jailed parents under the law backed by Harris.In the "Pod Save America" interview, Harris distanced herself from that approach."My regret is that I have now heard stories where, in some jurisdictions, DAs have criminalized the parents. And I regret that that has happened," she said. "And the thought that anything that I did could have led to that, because that certainly was not the intention -- never was the intention. Never was the intention."Leno echoed that sentiment, saying the law explicitly stated that "before law enforcement can use this new misdemeanor, every available attention must be brought to the student and the student families. Everyone must join hands to find a way to get this child to class."Robert Dempsie, an assistant district attorney in Tulare County, said he recalled Harris twice presenting the truancy law at meetings of the state district attorney's association. She recommended imprisonment for truancy only in the most extreme cases, he said.Dempsie said he could recall three parents charged under the law in his county; all the cases were settled without jail time. Still, he said, prosecutors could pursue jail time in circumstances "when the school district is doing what it can to assist the parents but the parents are doing nothing in return."Ammiano, who is supporting Harris' rival Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, said he saw progress in her show of remorse. But he disagreed that harsh punishments for parents were an unforeseen outcome of the law."That is a cop-out," he said. "You can't say, 'I didn't really mean for this to happen.' Then what did you mean?"Aviram of UC Hastings noted the law's good intention of keeping kids in school, but said the jailing of parents should come as no surprise."This was approached as a criminal justice problem, so it's not such a shocker that it has criminal justice consequences," she said. "There are all kinds of ways to do this without threatening punishment." In Other Public Finance News: A Tax Credit to Reduce Child Poverty No Bachelors Degree? Move to Ohio. This week, the federal government released new guidelines for the nations more than 8,700 "opportunity zone" communities trying to attract venture capital investment and boost their struggling economies.Rural areas account for 40 percent of the designated opportunity zones, which offer private companies and investors tax breaks in exchange for investing in certain low-income communities. But some warn that even with the tax incentives, many rural areas still likely won't benefit unless state and local governments intervene to make the investment less risky.A lot of investors are hesitant to work with rural communities, says Grey Dodge, who implemented Floridas Opportunity Zone program as the state's economic development policy director and now supports the program through Madison Street Strategies, a consulting firm. In contrast to six or seven opportunity zone counties in Florida that dont have to do much -- the investment is already flowing there -- these other areas havent seen investment in decades.The zones were created by the 2017 federal tax overhaul as a way to entice companies to invest in underdeveloped areas. Investors can reduce the capital gains taxes they owe on previous investments if they invest those gains in opportunity zone communities for at least seven years. They can eliminate that tax bill entirely if they let the money ride for a decade.But thats not enough for most firms and investors to take the leap in rural areas -- even if places try to sweeten the deal with additional state and local tax breaks.The investors I talk to [say] the tax benefit is nice to have, but its not motivating any decision-making, says Aaron Seybert, social investment officer for the Kresge Foundation. Until you get a risk-free model, I dont see much changing.Dodges and Seyberts comments came at the Council of Development Finance Agencies annual federal policy conference in Washington, D.C. The panel discussions on opportunity zones were held within hours of the new federal rules being released.Under the new rules, investors will be allowed to share or sell their stakes in an opportunity zone fund or their interest in a start-up as long as the money is reinvested in another qualifying business or asset. The new rules also clarify that long-vacant properties will immediately qualify for the tax breaks.John Lettieri, president of the Economic Innovation Group, praised the new guidance, saying it removes many of the impediments that have kept capital on the sidelines instead of flowing into communities and supporting local growth.But Stephanie Copeland, CEO of the Governance Project, is skeptical that the new guidelines and the extra tax breaks that some states and cities are offering will actually be enough to bring investment to rural areas. She suggests governments backstop (essentially insure) certain high-risk investments to make venture capital firms or so-called angel investors more willing to put money in struggling rural communities.New Jersey is exploring Copeland's idea, and Colorado is already working on creating such a program.Most of these local development experts and leaders are really good at business development and planning, but they have no idea how to talk to investors, says Jana Persky, Colorados opportunity zone program director.Colorado officials are working with rural leaders to help them map out what their needs are, what they have to offer and how to package that together in a way thats attractive to investors.There are signs, however, that some rural communities may not need to go the extra mile.For example, after rural Montrose County, Colo., was featured in a Forbes article last year, Persky says the state got calls from investors who had $50 million to invest and wanted to know about the countys offerings. The county isn't topping on tax breaks or backstopping high-risk investments. Nevertheless, it has several other potential $10 million or $15 million investments, Persky says.Montrose has fewer than 42,000 people. A $50 million investment is close to the revenue the county makes in an entire year.If more states allowed families to claim a child tax credit on their state income taxes, it would reduce the high cost of raising a child and help combat childhood economic insecurity, says the left-leaning Center for American Progress (CAP).Currently, only California, Colorado, Idaho, New York, North Carolina and Oklahoma offer the credit to residents.Congressional Democrats have introduced bills to expand the federal child tax credit. But Rachel West, CAP's former director of research for the Poverty to Prosperity Program, says states don't have to wait.Rising costs and stagnant wages are increasingly squeezing middle- and low-income families nationwide, she said in a statement. State child tax credits would give state governments a ready-made policy solution to increase economic stability without having to wait for Congress to act.CAP also suggests an extra tax benefit for the youngest children, for whom expenses are often the greatest; and extending the credit to families with disabled adult children.Even though two out of three adults dont have a bachelors degree, finding a decent-paying job without one is still a big challenge. According to a new study from the Federal Reserve Banks of Cleveland and Philadelphia, Ohio offers people in that position some of the best prospects for economic mobility.The report ranks two of the state's cities -- Cleveland and Toledo -- as the best for people without a bachelor's to find a well-paying job. They are both home to more skilled trade job opportunities.Washington, D.C., ranked last among the 121 metro areas analyzed The study aims to help regional leaders better understand the factors that influence current employment opportunities for workers without a four-year college degree.Some of the largest opportunity occupations, including a number in health care and the skilled trades, could experience above-average growth through 2026 and are not considered to be at significant risk of automation, the report says, while the reverse is true for some occupations in office and administrative support. Chi Hack Night Introduces First Board of Directors Chicago Releases Wide Swath of Transportation Data Start Learning GIS with 17 Free Lessons This Saturday is April 20, colloquially known as 4-20 and celebrated nationwide by those who enjoy recreational marijuana. To honor the day, the cannabis platform Eaze will donate up to $100,000 to help the civic tech group Code for America (CfA) clear criminal records as part of its ongoing Justice at Scale campaign.Eaze is a platform that connects consumers with legal and licensed retailers of marijuana. This April 20, it will donate $4.20 to CfA for every delivery it makes, capping its total donation at $100,000. The money will go toward Justice at Scale , which is continuing work by CfA to help eligible individuals expunge their criminal records.Supporting that particular civic tech project is a natural fit for Eaze. CfA recently announced that with the help of an algorithm it had assisted in clearing more than 54,000 total convictions for eligible individuals in Los Angeles and San Joaquin, Calif., counties. This came after it did the same thing in San Francisco County, helping to clear more than 8,000 convictions there. Meanwhile, the Cook County, Ill. state's attorney announced this week that her jurisdiction, which contains Chicago, was interested in working with CfA as well.The work to clear past marijuana convictions comes as more states move to legalize recreational marijuana, joining those that have already done so, such as Colorado, California and Oregon. The work being done by CfA involves tools that governments can use to quickly and efficiently determine eligibility without investing large amounts of work hours, subsequently clearing them.Millions of Americans are eligible to clear their records, but the process of record clearance is complicated and costly, said Evonne Silva, senior director, criminal justice and workforce development at CfA, in a statement. Our partnership with Eaze will help open the door to jobs, housing and opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Californians by making record clearance automatic.Chi Hack Night, a once-informal weekly civic tech meetup in Chicago that has grown into a nonprofit organization, announced its first board of directors this week.In November, Chi Hack Night stakeholders announced that the weekly meetup would transition into a nonprofit organization. Since then, the groups founders have worked to put a framework for that new organization in place. A big part of that was finding a Chi Hack Night Board of Directors to govern the new group, continue to oversee its weekly events, manage its website, and tend to any number of organizational duties. That board is now in place.The Chi Hack Night Board of Directors consists of 11 members, all of whom the group notes are slated to serve one- or two-year terms, either appointed by members of the group or voted for in elections. The board members come from diverse backgrounds, with some having prior involvement with the group and others being entirely new to it.Their professional backgrounds are also widely varied, including software engineers, attorneys, executives, GIS developers, content managers, educators, and positions in the media. A full list of the new board members can be found on the Web page with the announcement . That same announcement also notes that continuing priorities for the new organization include sharing more information about working committees, bylaws and how interested parties can get involved.Chi Hack Night is one of the largest weekly civic tech meetups in the nation. Convening every Tuesday, the group begins by welcoming a speaker. In the past, these speakers have included members of the local governments technology staff, politicians running for governor and other major regional stakeholders.Also in Chicago this week, the city released one of the largest and most diverse transportation data sets made public by any major jurisdiction in the country.The comprehensive data largely has to do with so-called transportation network providers such as Uber, Lyft and others. The information was published through the citys existing open data portal, and includes data about the services drivers, vehicles and the trips customers book through ride-hailing apps. Chicago detailed the data in an announcement on its website In a separate posting on the citys website , developers shared how the city is protecting the privacy of its residents while sharing so much information about transportation network providers and taxis. A deidentification and aggregation technique was developed and applied to reduce the risk of reidentification while allowing for beneficial public use of the data, developers wrote.What this means is that the information does not include any identifying passenger information, in part because taxi companies and transportation network providers dont give that kind of data to the city. In other words, the city cant share users private information because it does not have it. Such information includes names, dates of birth, zip codes, phone numbers, genders or anything else that could be used to identify a passenger.Other privacy measures shared by the city include rounding all the trips in the data to the nearest 15-minute interval, using census tract locales rather than exact locations, and more.Moving forward, the data sets will be updated on a quarterly basis as the city receives information from the transportation network providers.For aspiring civic technologists, there are 17 free lessons online now to start learning GIS.These lessons are available through Esri , one of the largest and most prominent GIS product providers in the gov tech space. Each lesson starts with a lesson plan that explains what participants are being asked to do and why, along with a duration for how much time it will take. The lessons, of course, increase in complexity as you go.The first lesson, for example, asks users to simply create a map. The second lesson then steps that up to story map, while the third moves on to learning the Esri product ArcGIS Earth. From there, the sophistication continues to increase incrementally, with users building as they go.GIS is a key facet of civic tech work, with data visualizations based on maps and geography serving as a common overall project for some, or a component of other civic tech work for others. The lessons are all available for free now on Esris Learn ArcGIS website , all 17 of them. (TNS) A small but enthusiastic group of Bay County residents gathered at Florida State University-Panama City on Wednesday evening to listen, discuss and add their inputs to the comprehensive recovery plan that will chart the community's recovery from Hurricane Michael.The county's Long-Term Recovery Task Force hosted the public gathering at the Holley Center, where its six working group branches provided information displays and copies of the emerging plan's 300-plus concepts and programs. The event marked a final opportunity for county residents to contribute to the process, which will culminate with a roster of projects for possible federal, state and private-sector financing."We've come a long way, but we have a real long way to go," Recovery Task Force Chairman Robert Carroll said in welcoming remarks to the almost 100 residents who came to the meeting. "I want to thank you for your time and effort."Bay resident Brian Davidenko, a longtime housing developer, said he has been closely following the task force's four-month effort to identify needed recovery projects. Asked why he chose to attend the public meeting, he said, "I'm interested in getting an overall feel for the direction the recovery is taking."Davidenko and several other local developers have become involved in a project by developer Mike Ross' firm, New Community Homes of Florida LLC, which is advocating a new technology using advanced 3-D concrete printing to create low-cost single-family houses in the county. Their plan is to build a proof-of-concept house this fall.Ross said his plan is to demonstrate that storm-proof single-family homes can be constructed for less than $100,000, and will be affordable for families with incomes in the $30,000-to-$50,000 range.Panama City resident Jo Shaffer and her husband, John, came to the session as part of their own involvement in the county's recovery, where she said providing housing poses one of the biggest challenges. A board member of the nonprofit organization Doorways of Northwest Florida, Shaffer is leading a team that will assume management of the county's Community Resource Center this summer as it assumes many assistance roles played by the Federal Emergency Management Agency immediately after the hurricane struck."This is the first transition of its type in the country," Shaffer said. The nonprofit's staff will work with more than 90 other community organizations to provide continuing assistance to people. "I am very interested in the plans for recovery and rebuilding," she said.Tracy Rudhall, a Panama City Beach business co-owner and a leader of the Grand Lagoon Association, said the task force's work is critical to Bay County's future."There is nothing more important than this," she said. "This is our path forward."The next step in the recovery planning process will occur April 26 when the nine-member panel receives the draft recovery report document and begins a final review before its formal presentation to the Bay County Commission and city governments.2019 The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.)Visit The News Herald (Panama City, Fla.) at www.newsherald.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. VIDEO: Yesterday we invited media to check out the #AutonomousVehicle that will be touring the state over the next year. This partnership with @RideUTA aims to let people experience autonomous technology. Check out https://t.co/mVpwpU2zaF for more info. #avshuttleutah pic.twitter.com/6GfobgBjyZ Utah DOT (@UtahDOT) April 12, 2019 Its not every day the Lt. Governor of the State of Utah steps in front of your bus. But as expected, the autonomous shuttle stopped in the nick of time! @SpencerJCox #utautonomousshuttle pic.twitter.com/9syhjTLTK8 John Gleason (@johnegleason) April 11, 2019 Small self-driving shuttles will begin traveling through Utah as the state launches a pilot to introduce the technology to residents.The Utah Transit Authority, in partnership with Utah Department of Transportation, will launch the Autonomous Shuttle Pilot Project. The shuttle will first be deployed at Station Park, a retail complex in Farmington.A shuttle provided by the company EasyMile, will tour various communities across the state for the next year, said Lisa Miller, outreach and growth manager with the Utah Department of Transportation.The goal is to allow as many Utahns to experience the shuttle so they can better understand the technology," said Miller. "Currently, office parks with proximity to transit, hospital campuses, university campuses, special event centers and the Utah State Capitol are tentative deployment locations. This AV shuttle program, like many similar projects across the country, will have a human operator on board which UDoT refers to as a host who is there to answer questions and generally put riders at ease with the technology. EasyMile electric vehicles accommodate about a dozen passengers and travel at speeds up to about 25 mph.The small AV shuttles are often viewed as one of the most near-term applications of self-driving car technologies, as the vehicles are being deployed in parking lots, college campuses, government agencies and other locations to offer low-impact transit and help to close first-mile-last-mile gaps. (TNS) California's Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health will host four public meetings regarding a proposed behavioral health innovation project.The Mental Health Services Act also known as Proposition 63 was passed by California voters in 2004 to expand mental health services for children and adults, according to a press release. The act is funded by a 1 percent tax surcharge on personal income of more than $1 million per year and provides money to counties to fund mental health programs.The goal is to transform the public mental health systems in ways that make it easier to access behavioral health care services, increases information available to the community about behavioral health conditions and how to access services and decreases the stigma of accessing behavioral health care, said Sarah Eberhardt-Rios, Health and Human Services branch director for acute psychiatric and forensic services.Funding from the act is organized into five categories community services and supports, prevention and early intervention, innovation, and workforce education and training, and capital facilities.Eberhardt-Rios said Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health is seeking feedback on a proposed innovation project involving a mobile, field-based engagement team the team would go to individuals in need of behavioral health care instead of them having to go to the agency.The people the mobile team would meet with would be those who have been recently hospitalized or had an emergency psychiatric service, but are having a difficult time following up, she said.This team would be focused on folks that have trouble connecting with outpatient care, Eberhardt-Rios said.She said innovation projects must meet at least one of three conditions: introduce a new mental health practice or approach; make a change to an existing mental health practice or approach (such as adaptation for a new setting or community); or apply to the mental health system a promising community-driven practice or approach that has been successful in a non-mental health context or setting.The proposed project also includes a training component that would be available to community members.This portion would be funded under the prevention and early intervention funding of the Mental Health Services Act and would be offered at no cost to the community, Eberhardt-Rios said.The training would focus on recognizing and responding effectively to early signs of mental illness and how to access services, she said.The trainings would be open to people in Sutter and Yuba counties, employers, law enforcement, college students, etc.Really anyone who is interested in attending a training could do so, Eberhardt-Rios said.She said, based on current projections, they expect that $4.8 million in innovation funding will be available for the proposed project over a five-year period (through June 2024).Funding is based on availability and fluctuations in tax payments can impact projects and available funding, Eberhardt-Rios said.The meetings that Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health will host will include a brief overview of the Mental Health Services Act, what innovation funding is, what it can be used for and what it cant, a description of the proposed innovation project, time to discuss and have attendees give their opinions on the proposal, what the next steps are for the plan and the required approval processes.We believe that hearing from the community about behavioral health care, whats needed, where we do well and what we need to improve is one of the most important things we can do, Eberhardt-Rios said. One of the best ways for us to do that is to hold community meetings the community members can attend and share with us their ideas and thoughts.Under the Mental Health Services Act, Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health is required to get community feedback through meetings for programs funded by the act.Currently, the project is in the development phase but, based on feedback, is planned to be finalized and posted online for review in May, Eberhardt-Rios said.Following the meetings and the finalization of the project proposal, it will be posted online for 30 days and the public can view it and further comment on it, she said.If no substantive changes are made to the proposal, it will be reviewed by the Board of Supervisors and if approved, Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health will present it to the states Mental Health Oversight and Accountability Commission.Eberhardt-Rios said not all projects have to be taken to the commission, all innovation projects are required to be reviewed by it before the county can implement them.For more information, contact Peter Sullivan, Mental Health Services Act coordinator for Sutter-Yuba Behavioral Health, at 822-7327, ext. 216, or psullivan@co.sutter.ca.us (TNS) The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday passed a resolution that opposed legislation that would place unfair regulations on municipalities, which includes the bill banning plastic bag bans.Some bills that have been presented are pre-emption bills, said District 5 Councilor Darrell OQuinn. They will basically take away cities ability to impact important issues. The plastic bag bill and [SB 246] are two that stand out in particular that were really concerned about.Two of the bills discussed during the meeting include the plastic bag bill, which would prevent cities from banning plastic bags and other single-use containers, and SB246 , which councilors said would limit the citys say in where small cell 5G antennas are placed on city rights of way.The bill by Republican Sen. Steve Livingston of Scottsboro would prohibit local governments from banning the use of plastic bags, foam cups and other single-use bags and containers.These small 5G antennas are placed around 500 feet apart, usually attached to existing light poles. The 5G technology will provide much faster wireless service, but more small equipment is required.About two weeks ago, some coastal Alabama cities also expressed their opposition to the plastic bag bill. Those cities include Orange Beach, Dauphin Island, Fairhope and Mobile.Coastal Alabama joins together in opposition of plastic bag legislationPublic officials in Mobile, Dauphin Island, Orange Beach and elsewhere are expressing concerns over legislation that would remove any local authority to regulate plastics. Police-operated drones in Southern California have been given permission for broader operation, allowing them to fly beyond where operators can see them.The Chula Vista Police Department has been granted a certificate of authorization by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly drones beyond visual line of sight, (BVLOS), opening the door for the expanded use of drones in public safety and emergency response.It helps to protect citizens, and helps to protect suspects. If we have better information going into a call, we can use the best tactics and hopefully de-escalate and have better outcomes, said Capt. Vern Sallee, head of the patrol operations division at the department and leader of the Drone as a First Responder Operations program.The police department began exploring the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) in 2015. After a number of community and other meetings to establish regulations and rules around the technology, the department launched UAVs as first responders. They were only allowed to be operated in an area about one mile from the pilot.Its a major regulatory win. Its something that were very proud of, said Kabe Termes, director of business operations at Cape Aerial Telepresence , the company providing the cloud platform that supports video streaming from the drone.The relaxation of the rules allows them to fly three nautical miles from the pilot, said Termes.To be clear, department regulations stipulate the drones can only be used as a first responder to emergency calls and cannot be used for patrolling or any sort of surveillance operations, said Sallee. In the police world, surveillance is a legitimate concern of a lot of people, and so for us, it was important to make sure that we address the fact that were not using drones to peek into people's houses without a warrant, or that we would just randomly patrol and look into backyards, he added.Since October 2018, drones have been sent on some 300 flights and logged more than 80 hours of flight time, say Cape officials. They have aided in more than 40 arrests.The new certificate of authorization, which took effect March 15, expands the footprint of drone operation. However, the Chula Vista Police Department is still in the process of working through a number of technical and other details before it can graduate to a wider coverage area, said Sallee.We have to really wring out those problems, and then other things pop up. Were extraordinarily cautious as we move forward, so that as we do our first BVLOS flight we want to ensure that, first, the safety of the public is paramount, said Sallee. The confidence of the FAA and the public is a huge consideration as we do this.The current system requires a person to stand on the roof of the launch building to observe the drone, which is actually being controlled from an operator in the police facilities. While they aren't piloting the drone, they are able to immediately take over the drone if there is an airspace incursion, Sallee explained.Federal regulations prevent the drones from flying above 400 feet, and UAVs must also weigh no more than 55 pounds. Though flying the devices over crowds is not allowed, Sallee said the department is able to pass over people incidentally while on the way to another location. (TNS) Russian efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election included attempts to infiltrate Florida election offices computer systems and the FBI concluded that the operation was successful and the intruders were able to gain access to the network of at least one Florida county government.The tantalizing and alarming information about the FBIs findings came out on Thursday, as part of the public release of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian attempts to influence the presidential election. The attempt to infiltrate Floridas elections system has been reported previously; the Mueller report provided a few more details but didnt answer critical questions about just what was accessed, and where.State and local elections officials on Thursday repeated what theyve said before: They have no evidence that Florida elections systems were infiltrated by the Russians, and the presidential election wasnt compromised.Supervisors of elections offices in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties each said it wasnt them. Their technology systems werent compromised, the supervisors or their representatives said.The 2016 elections in Florida were not hacked. The Florida Voter Registration System was and remains secure, and official results or vote tallies were not changed, said a statement from Sarah Revell, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Laurel Lee, who is responsible for overseeing elections.Paul Lux, the Okaloosa County supervisor of elections and president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, said the Mueller reports description of the FBIs conclusion which refers to a county government doesnt mean an elections office was affected.In the Mueller report, the ambiguity of that statement is not specific to an elections office. It says a county government office, Lux said. He said he does not know of any Florida elections office that was compromised. I have not heard that from any county in Florida.The Florida Department of State added that it has no knowledge or evidence of any successful hacking attempt at the county level during the 2016 elections. Upon learning of the new information released in the Mueller report, the Department immediately reached out to the FBI to inquire which county may have been accessed, and they declined to share this information with us.The Mueller report said that the GRU, the Russian Military intelligence agency, attempted to gain access to election systems.In November 2016, the Mueller report said, the GRU sent spearphishing emails to over 120 email accounts used by Florida county officials responsible for administering the 2016 U.S. election. The spearphishing emails contained an attached Word document coded with malicious software [commonly referred to as a Trojan] that permitted the GRU to access the infected computer.The FBI was separately responsible for this investigation. We understand the FBI believes that this operation enabled the GRU to gain access to the network of at least one Florida county government, the report said. The Special Counsels Office did not independently verify the FBIs belief and did not undertake the investigative steps that would have been necessary to do so.Sarah Schwirian, press secretary for U.S. Sen. Rick Scott , R-Fla., said via email that The FBI needs to provide any and all available information in relation to what is in the report to state elections professionals in Florida and Congress in order to ensure free and fair elections across the nation.Last year, then-U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson , D-Fla., warned that Russians had gained access to Florida voter data. But he declined to identify which counties had been penetrated, saying the information was classified. No other officials backed up Nelsons claim.Scott, who defeated Nelson in November, doesnt view whats in the report as vindicating his predecessors assertions, Schwirian said via email. Bill Nelson made claims about Russian interference without providing any evidence. Senator Scott called on then-Senator Nelson to provide evidence, which he refused to do. The Florida Department of State had no information to corroborate Nelsons claims and the FBI and Department of Homeland Security did not provide any information to support the claim. Photo: Makaan.com This guide outlines an aggressive real estate investment strategy which maximizes working capital and takes advantage of loan programs available to Canadian home buyers. In this example, we share how an investor with $50,000 can build up a $4-million portfolio over 20 years. Starting out with $50k: A Real Estate Pros Guide to Empire Building I met with an aspiring real estate investor in my Kelowna office for a planning session last week and the young man asked me a great question: If I have $50k in working capital to begin investing, what should I do and where would I start? I took some time to seriously consider his ambitious question and came up with a relatively simple plan to maximize his $50k of working capital while making the most out of the loan programs available to Canadian home buyers today. This strategy takes advantage of the high ratio financing available to purchasers moving into a primary residence. You will incur some Canadian Mortgage Housing Corp. fees, but the benefits of being able to control a $500k asset with as little as $25k plus closing costs is where the magic happens. Finding your first investment property We are looking for a property valued around $500k that has a suite or could be renovated to have a suite and needs some basic cosmetic help. Home renovation Once youve found such a property, I recommend taking advantage of the Purchase Plus Improvements Program (PPIP), which lets you invest up to $40k of the banks money to make value adding improvements to the property. The additional loan funds from the PPIP get rolled into one easy-to-manage mortgage. Things such as suites, kitchens, bathrooms, floors, and paint are the go to renovation items. The PPIP lets you to build sweat equity or what we call forced appreciation in the real estate world. This increase in your homes market value will come in handy in the future when were ready to withdraw equity and use it to expand our real estate portfolio. Renting out your first property Once your first property is fixed up perhaps with multiple suites youre ready to move out and find quality tenants. With two tenants renting your property, you should be cash-flow positive, which would allow you to reinvest all cash-flows into reducing your mortgage debt. This slashes the amount of interest youd pay over time, shortens the amortization period and rapidly builds up your equity. New tenants With this strategy in play, it becomes a waiting game. Over the next few years, the combined effects of the mortgage buy down and natural property appreciation can quickly increase your portfolio value. Expanding your portfolio Your first property investment will eventually give way to your second investment as youll be able to borrow equity using a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). For example, lets assume your first property was purchased for $500k with a 10% down deposit of $50k. You then utilized the banks money to do a full cosmetic renovation to the property, which increased the propertys value from $500k to $600k. At this point in time, youd owe $450k on your original loan plus $40k for the home renovation loan for a total of $490k. Equity Debt $600k - house $450k - mortgage $40k - renovation loan Total Equity: $600k Total Debt: $490k Net Equity: $110k As you can see your net equity position is now $110k. While this is a handsome figure, $110k is not yet enough to utilize your Home Equity Line of Credit to finance a second investment property. The HELOC only lets you borrow on up to 80% of your homes value, which in our example is $480k ($600k equity * 80%). But lets see what happens in three years. Assuming you top up your mortgage by a couple hundred dollars every month, you would cut the amortization period down to around 20 years. By year three, your mortgage balance would be about $435k. Lets assume the property value appreciates by 10% in this same three-year period a very conservative estimate based on long term averages, but it does pay to be conservative here. Now, the property would be worth $660k, which means your HELOC would let you borrow up to $528k ($660k * 80%). Business agreement Here is how the math works on a potential home equity line: the bank will lend you the difference between your maximum available HELOC balance (in our case $528k) and your outstanding mortgage balance (~$435k), which nets to $93k. You would then use this $93k loan as a down deposit on your second property ideally repeating the exact same process as before: moving into the home, completing renovations, and then benefiting from both forced and natural price appreciation. Duplex property For the second property, I would consider moving up in price point and putting 10% down on a $750k suited duplex. After renovations this property could be worth $850k and you would owe $715k ($750k less your 10% deposit of $75k). With two properties in your portfolio producing positive cash flows while increasing at the typical market average of 3.5% per year, you should have enough equity available to repeat the same process again but this time in two years instead of three. Ill spare you the math, but I will point out that with three properties under your belt with a combined value of $2 million, your net worth would now be approximately $500k and you would have used no additional savings along the way. This is the power of real estate investing and the leverage available to us. In conclusion: This post describes the journey the vast majority of residential real estate investors take myself included. It will feel like slow going at first but after about five years in this game things really start to take off. After 10 years and with multiple properties under your belt, youre off to the races and will have essentially created a bullet-proof future for yourself. Most people don't realize that by owning just three good rental properties, you can bring in enough cash flow to fund a very comfortable retirement. Retirement Lets say your three investment properties have a combined market valued of $2 million today and are bringing in $10k/mo in rental fees. Assuming 3.5% yearly price growth, in 20 years, these properties would be fully paid off, worth over $4 million, and bringing in $20k/mo in cash flows. Not a bad retirement by most peoples standards. Photo: The Canadian Press As time continues to tick down towards a fall federal election, the Okanagan will get a visit from its first federal party leader. Maxime Bernier, leader of the upstart People's Party of Canada, will spend two days in Kelowna at the end of next month. Bernier is scheduled to touch down in Kelowna the evening of Thursday, May 23. A news release states he'll attend several events the following day, including a fundraising dinner featuring Greenpeace co-founder Patrick Moore. The following day, Bernier will tour UBC Okanagan before attending a rally at Pioneer Town at the end of Pioneer Road in Kelowna. Bernier finished a close second to Andrew Sheer in the Conservative Party leadership race in 2017. Last September, less than a month after leaving the Conservative Party, Bernier formed the People's Party of Canada. GREENWICH For women in poverty, the start of their period means jerry-rigging shelter-provided pads into tampons. And failing that, when they do not have supplies, turning to socks, clothes, rags or plastic bags. When Sacred Heart Greenwich sophomore Caroline Guza and her older sister Stephanie realized what poor women are forced to do, they decided to help. Last week, the girls raised money and purchased period products, which they assembled into care packages Wednesday that they will donate to area shelters. We want to show other girls that its important to help women in need because we are women, Caroline said. This is something every woman goes through. First, the students had to educate people about period poverty. It was surprising, Caroline said. No one talks about it. Theres a stigma that its embarrassing to talk about it. They gave a presentation at school on period poverty and how common it is before they held the one-day fundraiser last Friday. They encouraged fellow students to dress down and bring $5 in exchange for a sticker. The girls raised $950, which they used to purchase Tampax and Always brand super tampons, regular tampons, night time pads, ultra-light pads and maxi pads from Costco. On Wednesday, the Guzas recruited some friends to make period kits that they will distribute to Inspirica in Stamford, Providence House in New Rochelle, N.Y., and at Person to Person, and Neighbor to Neighbor. Tampons are just as necessary as food, Caroline said. Its not something that women should be facing, she said The tipping point for Caroline was seeing the alternatives the plastic bags and rags that women are sometimes forced to use and the health dangers associated with these. It was really heartbreaking to see what products they turn to, she said. The fundraiser came about through their participation in LiveGirl, a nonprofit based in New Canaan. Founded in 2014, the organization aims to empower and equip the next generation of female leaders through year-round leadership development and mentoring for girls from fifth through 12th grades. Stephanie and Caroline entered a #GirlBoss contest, hosted by LiveGirl, with an idea to change the world, and was one of the groups that won. In March, they spoke to a panel of influential women: author Alyson Gerber, Rand Insurance President Barbara Stevens, Picture That art consultants founder Valerie A. Cooper, and Making Authentic Friendships founder Juliana Fetherman. These women encouraged the girls to move forward with the period poverty fundraiser, the first ever for Sacred Heart. Their efforts have been met with support from teachers as well as strangers. When we were out buying, this woman came up to us and said, This is such a new thing to do. Its so great that youre willing to do this for other women who are in need, Caroline said. jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.com On the eve of the ninth day of the Stop & Shop workers strike, a man called a Wethersfield Stop & Shop and threatened to shoot them (strikers) with an AK-47 when he learned they were still on strike, according to police. The Stop & Shop on the Berlin Turnpike in Wethersfield was evacuated Thursday after the store received the threat. Wethersfield police said the man made the call around 6 p.m. Police got a call from the store manager of the store to report the suspicious call. An unidentified male subject called the store and asked if the employees were still picketing in front of the store, police said. After the manager stated that the employees were still in front of the store, the male stated he was coming to the store to shoot them with an AK-47. All the employees outside were brought into the store, which was closed to the public. We are aware of the situation that occurred earlier at our Wethersfield store ... We closed the store out of an abundance of caution for our customers and associates, and we are co-operating with local police, said Jennifer Brogan, Stop & Shop's director of external communications, in a statement. Several Wethersfield police units responded and remained on scene for about an hour. There were no injuries or acts of violence reported after the call, police said. Detectives are continuing to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wethersfield Police Department at 860-721-2901. Union leaders express gratitude to Wethersfield police for their quick response. Vice President of Union 919 Michael Calderon was at the rally in Dorchester, but came straight to the Wethersfield store when he heard about the threat. Im here to just check on the lines to make sure my people are safe, Calderon told Fox 61. We are trying to fight for the lives of the people that work in the stores so this is our lives please dont do this to us no need for this. The threat came hours after former Vice President Joe Biden attended a rally of hundreds of Stop & Shop workers. Biden spoke at the gathering of unionized Stop & Shop employees outside a store in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. The 76-year-old Biden, mulling a run for the Democratic nomination for president, said workers at the supermarket chain are not being treated across the board with dignity. We've got to start recognizing what people do, because it matters to everybody, Biden said. It matters whether or not they feel respected. And I'm sick and tired, I'm sick and tired, of the way we're not being treated. In a video, WFCW Connecticut Union President Mark Espinosa said Stop & Shop is trying to break the union. I have never seen your employer take such an anti-union stance, he said. They feel the pressure. They know that you guys are out there and they are now trying to coerce you, divide you. They want to see if they can bring you back into the store without a contract. Both sides were expected to return to the bargaining table Friday morning. In a statement, Stop & Shop said, Negotiations are continuing with the five UFCW local unions. Our primary goal remains to get our associates back to work with a contract that has pay increases for all associates, continued health benefits for eligible associates and increased pension contributions. We remain focused on getting back to fully serving our customers every day. Lisa Backus and Tara ONeill contributed to this story. We knew this was coming - here's our first look at the official leather case for the Samsung Galaxy Fold, thanks to Roland Quandt. The case comes in two colors - black and white - and will cost around 100, which is nearly twice as much as a Galaxy S10 leather case. But when you factor in that the Galaxy Fold's leather case requires nearly twice the material, it makes sense. Like the imitation carbon case you get in the retail box, the leather case is be made up of two parts for each individual side of the Galaxy Fold - they converge on the hinge once you've opened up the phone to its full width. Samsung Galaxy Fold leather case, source: Roland Quandt Meanwhile everyone is focused on those early screen issues - Samsung says that it will look into them but the key takeaway is this - don't peel that protective layer on top of the screen! Photo: Nicholas Johansen - file photo Kelowna's Gospel Mission will again open its doors for a free Easter dinner for anyone in need in the community. Dinner will be served in the Mission's dining room on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. "Everyone will be able to enjoy a traditional Easter meal of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and all the fixings, followed by pie generously donated by the Bernard Avenue Safeway," the Mission said in a news release. "I am constantly encouraged by the generosity of our donors," said Gospel Mission executive director Randy Benson. "As well as providing the Easter meals, they write notes of encouragement on placemats that will brighten up the tables. I love seeing the impact of Easter played out daily in the lives of those we serve. What better way is there to celebrate the resurrection of Christ than to share his love with others?" Numerous politicians, community leaders and other volunteers will be on hand to help prepare, and serve meals. The Gospel Mission has been hosting their annual Easter dinner for more than 30 years. Up to 900 people are expected to be fed. Lenovo will introduce its latest flagship - the Z6 Pro in Beijing on April 23. One of its highlights includes the new Hyper Vision camera which we learned will feature four modules, capable of outputting 100MP shots. The main shooter will have a 48MP sensor, but we still dont have any details on the other three. Today Lenovos VP Chang Cheng revealed some sample shots taken with the Z6 Pro camera. Theres three shots in daylight, three night shots as well as a trio of sunrise/sunset photos. We cant judge the overall capabilities of the camera yet since we dont have confirmation that the samples are straight from the phone, however they seem to pack quite some details. Lenovo Z6 Pro night shots Day time shots Sunlight/sunset samples A separate video focuses on the phone's macro photography prowess. Again, it's hard to pass any judgement without a reference phone, but it does look great. The Z6 Pro is already listed on both Lenovo's site and JD.com and we are looking forward to the April 23 event to see what the Hyper Vision camera is all about. Source | Via Back in February, Motorola rolled out the Android Pie update for the Moto G6 Play in Brazil. Now, the company is seeding this update to the G6 Play units in the US as well. This update brings in the usual Pie goodies like adaptive battery, adaptive brightness, new UI, and better navigation. It also bumps up the Android security patch level on the Moto G6 Play to April 1, 2019. You can head over to the source link at the end of this article to check out the full changelog of this update. Android Pie is rolling out over-the-air and it will be at least a week or two before it reaches all the G6 Play units in the US. But, if you get impatient, you can always check for it manually by heading over to your phone's Settings > System > System updates menu. Source | Via Samsung Galaxy Fold disassembled, giving us a look at the hinge and the main screen The Samsung Galaxy Fold is an expensive, complicated piece of kit, so were both fascinated and appalled to see someone take it apart. Still, it sure is interesting to see what makes the phone tick. The hinge is a complicated mechanism consisting of five parts, whose goal it is to unfold the screen and keep it flat when the phone is open and fold it back up when the user closes it. The gears of the mechanism are reminiscent of a mechanical watch. This hinge was reportedly redesigned many times during the development process. A close up look at the Galaxy Fold hinge mechanism The person who disassembled the Galaxy Fold and posted the photos on Weibo reports that the hinge relies on very precise alignment (which hugely complicates the assembly process). If the components go out of alignment, the hinge could damage the screen. Samsung is investigating reports of failing screens, it will be interesting to see if theres more to the issue than just the protective foil that some removed. Anyway, it turns out that the large foldable screen is fairly easy to remove, its soft like rubber. The small external screen is the one that caused issues, shattering during the disassembly. The internals of the Samsung Galaxy Fold The two halves of the Samsung Galaxy Fold are connected by a pair of ribbon cables. Curiously, the two batteries are of different shape. Its not clear if their capacities are identical, though (the labeling says TBD mAh, TBD Wh). Were yet to see how much Samsung will charge for replacing either screen on its $1,980 phone. But in case the price didnt make it clear, this is an early adopters device. Source 1 | Source 2 (in Chinese) PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Ingalls Shipbuilding celebrated another construction milestone recently with the keel authentication ceremony for the amphibious transport dock Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29). The keel authentication is the formal recognition of the start of a ships construction. It is typically one of four milestones celebrated in a ships construction, along with launching, christening and commissioning. LPD 29 is the first U.S. Navy ship named in honor of World War II hero Richard M. McCool Jr., who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of infantry landing support craft at the Battle of Okinawa in June 1945. McCool graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1944 and was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy. On June 10, 1945, off the coast of Okinawa, McCool helped rescue the survivors of the sinking destroyer USS William D. Porter. The following day, his own ship was hit and severely damaged by a Japanese kamikaze aircraft. Despite suffering severe burns and shrapnel wounds during the attack, McCool continued to lead his crew in the firefighting and rescue efforts. McCool also served in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars and retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain in 1974, ending a distinguished 30-year career. He died of natural causes in 2008 at the age of 86. McCools granddaughters, Shana McCool and Kate Oja, are serving as the ship sponsors for LPD 29 and declared the ships keel truly and fairly laid during the ceremony. Thank you for having us here today and allowing us to say few words about our grandfather," Shana McCool said. "Our grandfather was very humble and one of the most caring men you could ever hope to meet. He never showed off. When asked about the war, he just said, I did my job, and I did what any other person would do. "My cousins and I grew up seeing pictures on the wall of the Medal of Honor from President Truman, pictures of his ship, but to us he was always just grandpa. Ingalls has delivered 11 San Antonio-class ships to the Navy, with two more currently under construction, including the McCool. The Fort Lauderdale is scheduled to launch in 2020 and delivered in 2021. In March, Ingalls received a $1.47 billion contract from the Navy for the design and construction of LPD 30, which will be the 14th in the San Antonio class and the first Flight II LPD. Fabrication of LPD 30 is set for 2020. The ships in the San Antonio class are designed to land Marines anywhere in the world in support of a wide range of military operations from power projection to threat mitigation to humanitarian aid," said Kari Wilkinson, Ingalls vice president for program management. "They are truly remarkable ships and ones we are proud to build. LPD 29 is the 13th San Antonio-class ship under construction at Ingalls. Like the ships hero namesake, Richard M. McCool Jr., LPD 29 will be strong and capable. Our men and women in the Navy and Marine Corps deserve nothing less. Haiti - USA : Haitian sentenced to 2 years in prison for aggravated identity theft Following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Removal Operations (ERO), a Haitian national Alain Nezius (36), present illegally on American soil was sentenced Wednesday, April 17, 2019, to 2 years of federal prison for aggravated identity theft. "ICE places a high priority on investigating document and benefit fraud," said acting Miami Field Office Director Michael W. Meade, Acting Director of Miami Field Office stressing "The U.S. passport is one of the most coveted travel documents in the world. Illegal aliens who fraudulently acquire U.S. passports threaten our national security." According to court documents, in 2007, Alain Nezius, was removed to Haiti following multiple convictions for possession of cocaine, delivery of cocaine, and possession of cocaine with the intent to sell or deliver it. He illegally returned to the United States after being deported and has a current outstanding order of removal with the Department of Homeland Security. After illegally reentering the United States, Nezius assumed his deceased brothers identity and obtained a Florida driver license in his brothers name. On April 17, 2018, Nezius attached and submitted his own photo with an application to renew his brothers U.S. passport. The U.S. Department of State recognized that the alleged passport applicant was deceased and that the submitted photograph did not match the previous photographs associated with the passport. On the passport application, Nezius represented himself to be his deceased brother, who was a naturalized U.S. citizen. Nezius had pleaded guilty on January 29, 2019. Let's note that this case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Bayliss, on assignment from the Office of Principal Legal Advisor, ICE. SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - DR : 3 million contraband cigarettes from Haiti seized at sea As part of the reinforcement of border controls between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, a patrol vessel of the Dominican Navy, in coordination with the General Directorate of Customs, intercepted in the area of Punta Rucia, Puerto Plata (North), a boat carrying a cargo of nearly 3 million contraband cigarettes from Haiti. Reports provided by the Navy indicate that the boat's captain, Margarito Balbuena Vargas and ten other people on board, were stopped by the naval patrol boat. Subsequently, during a ground operation, members of the Naval Intelligence M-2 seized a van-type vehicle to be used for carrying contraband cigarettes and a Runner-branded SUV, whose occupants were arrested. Customs officers recorded and seized 2,910,000 cigarettes in 291 boxes, which were sealed. All those arrested are under investigation in Puerto Plata by members of the Customs Intelligence and M-2 agents of the Navy to learn more about the sector in Haiti and the sponsors before being placed in the hands of Dominican justice. See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26872-icihaiti-dr-important-seizure-of-contraband-products-from-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26364-haiti-dr-seizure-of-more-than-5-000-bottles-of-contraband-alcohol-from-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26021-icihaiti-dr-seizure-of-4760-packets-of-contraband-cigarettes-in-jimani.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-26004-icihaiti-dr-seizure-of-500-kg-of-contraband-garlic-from-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-25900-haiti-dr-seizure-of-more-than-100kg-of-marijuana-from-port-au-prince.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-25363-icihaiti-economy-dr-effectively-fights-haitian-smuggling.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-23721-icihaiti-rd-partial-assessment-of-the-fight-against-haitian-smuggling.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19097-icihaiti-dr-seizure-of-104-kg-of-narcotics-from-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17849-haiti-security-over-230-kg-of-narcotic-from-haiti-seized-in-dr.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16698-haiti-dominican-republic-drug-seizure-at-the-border.html SL/ HaitiLibre Photo: The Canadian Press Attorney General William Barr speaks alongside Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, right, and acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Edward O'Callaghan, left, about the release of a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report during a news conference, Thursday, April 18, 2019, at the Department of Justice in Washington. President Donald Trump sought the removal of special counsel Robert Mueller, discouraged witnesses from co-operating with prosecutors and prodded aides to mislead the public on his behalf, according to a hugely anticipated report from Mueller that details multiple efforts the president made to curtail a Russia probe he feared would cripple his administration. Trump's attempts to seize control of the investigation, and directions to others on how to influence it, "were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," Mueller wrote in a two-volume, 448-page redacted report that made for riveting reading. In one particularly dramatic moment, Mueller reported that Trump was so agitated at the special counsel's appointment on May 17, 2017, that he slumped back in his chair and declared: "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm f---ed." With that, Trump set out to save himself. In June of that year, Mueller wrote, Trump directed White House Counsel Don McGahn to call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw the probe, and say that Mueller must be ousted because he had conflicts of interest. McGahn refused deciding he would sooner resign than trigger a potential crisis akin to the Saturday Night Massacre of firings during the Watergate era. Two days later, the president made another attempt to alter the course of the investigation, meeting with former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski and dictating a message for him to relay to then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The message: Sessions would publicly call the investigation "very unfair" to the president, declare Trump did nothing wrong and say Mueller should limit his probe to "investigating election meddling for future elections." The message was never delivered. The report's bottom line largely tracked the findings revealed in Attorney General William Barr's four-page memo released a month ago no collusion with Russia but no clear verdict on obstruction but it added new layers of detail about Trump's efforts to thwart the investigation. Looking ahead, both sides were already using the findings to amplify well-rehearsed arguments about Trump's conduct, Republicans casting him as a victim of harassment and Democrats depicting the president as stepping far over the line to derail the investigation. The Justice Department released its redacted version of the report about 90 minutes after Barr offered his own final assessment of the findings at a testy news conference. The nation, Congress and Trump's White House consumed it voraciously online, via compact disc delivered to legislators and in loose-leaf binders distributed to reporters. The release represented a moment of closure nearly two years in the making but also the starting bell for a new round of partisan warfare. A defiant Trump pronounced it "a good day" and tweeted "Game Over" in a typeface mimicking the "Game of Thrones" logo. By late afternoon, he was airborne for his Mar-a-Lago private club in Florida with wife Melania for the holiday weekend. Top Republicans in Congress saw vindication, too. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said it was time to move on from Democrats' effort to "vilify a political opponent." The California lawmaker said the report failed to deliver the "imaginary evidence" incriminating Trump that Democrats had sought. Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale said Republicans should turn the tables and "investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation." But Democrats cried foul over Barr's preemptive press conference and said the report revealed troubling details about Trump's conduct in the White House. In a joint statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer wrote that "one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Mueller's report appears to undercut that finding." Mueller wrote that he would have exonerated Trump if he could, but he wasn't able to do that given the evidence he uncovered. And he said the Justice Department's standing opinion that a sitting president couldn't be indicted meant he also couldn't recommend Trump be criminally charged, even in secret. Trump's written responses addressed no questions about obstruction of justice, as was part of an agreement with Trump's legal team. He told Mueller he had "no recollection" of learning in advance about the much-scrutinized Trump Tower meeting between campaign officials and a Russian lawyer. He also said he had no recollection of knowledge about emails setting up the meeting that promised dirt on Clinton's Democratic campaign. He broadly denied knowing of any foreign government trying to help his campaign, including the Russian government. He said he was aware of some reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made "complimentary statements" about him. It wasn't just Trump under the microscope. But Mueller wrote that he believed prosecutors would be unlikely to meet the burden of proof to show that Donald Trump Jr. and other participants in the Trump Tower meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful." Nor did Mueller's probe develop evidence that they knew that foreign contributions to campaigns were illegal or other particulars of federal law. Barr's contention that the report contained only "limited redactions" applied more to the obstruction of justice section than its look at Russian election meddling. Overall, about 40 per cent of the pages contained at least something that was blocked out, mostly to protect ongoing investigations. Barr had said that he would redact grand jury information and material related to investigations, privacy and intelligence. Haiti - News : Zapping... Important police device in Martissant Thursday in Martissant and the surrounding neighborhoods, agents of different units of the National Police of Haiti (PNH), including the members of the SWAT and the Departmental Unit of Maintenance of Order (UDMO) supported by agents the UN police (UNPol) have been deployed to ensure the safety of the population. PAP Customs Insecurity Due to the armed clashes between gangs, the security situation of the Port-au-Prince customs office is becoming more and more precarious. The Association of Customs of Haiti (ADH) launches a call for help to the police and judicial authorities and calls for emergency measures. If nothing is done, the ADHdoes not rule out the use of binding pressure. 12th Festival Destination Aquin The 12th edition of the festival Destination Aquin / Festival International of Traditional Music and Dance, organized by the Aquins Solidarity Foundation will take place on 18-19-20 April 2019. This edition was launched with a parade of children from the seaside to the location which ended with a release of balloons. A cultural and tourist event, with a rich program for 3 days (workshops for children and teenagers, board games, concerts, exhibitions, street theater, tourist excursions etc...) that highlight the seaside, historical and cultural potential of the city of Aquin. Secretary of State for Security calls on armed groups Thursday at a press conference Leon Ronsard Saint-Cyr State Secretary for Public Security, appealed to armed groups to lay down their arms and join the Government's reintegration program. Moreover, he explained that the reason why gang leaders are still at large is simply because the government wants to avoid losses in the population if the forces of the order attempt to capture them by force. Canadian Embassy closed The Canadian Embassy in Haiti will be closed on Friday, April 19 and Monday, April 22. Emergency consular assistance services for Canadian citizens are available at (509) 2812-9000 or in Ottawa at 1-613-996-8885 or via email at sos@international.gc.ca. DGI has collected more taxes than expected Miradin Morlan on the air of a TV of the capital reported that in February 2019, the Directorate General of Taxes (DGI) had collected more than 3.6 billion Gourdes or 300 million more than forecasts and this, despite the difficult context. In addition, he announced that a measurement package was underway to obtain even more revenue in state coffers. HL/ HaitiLibre By William Schwartz | Published on 2019/04/17 On April 17th the upcoming MBC drama "Different Dreams" released still cuts of Yoo Ji-tae's character. In them, he can be seen handling a firearm and also riding a horse. Advertisement "Different Dreams" takes place during the Japanese colonial era of Korean history. The main character, played by Lee Yo-won, is a Korean doctor who was raised by the Japanese. Yoo Ji-tae's character, by contrast, is a Korean resistance fighter who through some specific means as yet unknown comes into contact with the doctor. The new still cuts are intended to demonstrate that "Different Dreams" will be an action-oriented drama. Yoo Ji-tae's highly dramatic posing in the pictures has obvious heroic undertones. Saturday/Sunday timeslot notwithstanding the drama may be attempting to hit a filmic styled niche similar to that of "The Assassination" or "The Age of Shadows". The production company behind "Different Dreams" has expressed strong confidence in Yoo Ji-tae's being well-suited for the role. They say he brings tough, manly charisma to the heroic life of a hot-blooded-hero. "Different Dreams" is expected to start airing sometine in June. Written by William Schwartz ___________ "Different Dreams" is directed by Yoon Sang-ho, written by Jo Gyoo-won, and features Lee Yo-won, Yoo Ji-tae, Lim Ju-hwan, Nam Gyu-ri, Lee Hae-young-I, Lee Young-sook. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2019/05/04~Upcoming, Sat 21:05 on MBC. Published on 2019/04/18 | Source "Doctor Prisoner" is dominating the ratings. Advertisement According to Nielsen Korea, the KBS 2TV drama "Doctor Prisoner" rated 12.3% and 14.7%, which is an increase from the previous episodes. MBC's "The Banker" rated 2.6% - 3.0%, SBS's "Big Issue" 2.6% - 2.8% while tvN's "Her Private Life" rated 2.3%. They have a long way to go to catch up to "Doctor Prisoner". "Doctor Prisoner" is a prison and medical suspense drama about a genius ace doctor who gets kicked out from the university hospital and turns into a medical director at a prison. Photo: CTV News UPDATE: 10:15 a.m. The parents of celebrated Austrian climber David Lama said Friday that he had "lived his dream," as hopes he and two other top climbers survived an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies faded. Lama, fellow Austrian Hansjorg Auer and American climber Jess Roskelley have been missing in Alberta's Banff National Park since Wednesday. Their sponsor, outdoor apparel company The North Face, said the three members of its Global Athlete Team are presumed dead following an avalanche. "David dedicated his life to the mountains and his passion for climbing and alpinism shaped and accompanied our family," Claudia and Rinzi Lama said in a statement posted on their son's website. "He always followed his own path and lived his dream. We will accept what now happened as a part of that." The family expressed gratitude for the support it received "from near and far" and asked that their son be remembered "for his zest for life, his enthusiasm." ORIGINAL: 5:30 a.m. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said Friday his thoughts are with the friends and families of two of the country's best-known climbers missing and feared dead in Canada along with an American alpinist following an avalanche. David Lama and Hansjorg Auer have been missing in Alberta's Banff National Park since Wednesday together with American climber Jess Roskelley. Their sponsor, outdoor apparel company The North Face, said the three members of its Global Athlete Team are presumed dead. Kurz said Lama and Auer had "shaped the international climbing and alpinist scene in recent years with many achievements." Lama, 28, was feted for achieving the first free ascent in 2012 of the Compressor Route of the Cerro Torre, one of the most striking peaks in the Andes. The feat was captured in the 2013 documentary "Cerro Torre - A Snowball's Chance in Hell." The son of a Nepalese mountain guide and an Austrian woman, Lama had also won numerous climbing competitions in his younger years before devoting himself full-time to mountaineering in 2011. Auer, 35, became the first person to free solo climb Italy's Marmolada peak via the south face in 2007. Parks Canada said the three men were attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak on the Icefields Parkway on Wednesday. Officials said safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment. Roskelley climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at age 20. At the time he was the youngest American to climb the world's highest peak. His father, John Roskelley, told The Spokesman-Review, that the route his son and the other climbers were attempting was first done in 2000. In the 2013 documentary, Lama addressed the constant peril extreme climbers are exposed to, insisting that the risks were carefully calculated more like a game of poker than Russian roulette. "I think it's important to be aware of the risks, but in the end there will always be things that are out of our hands," he said. The Havre Public Schools Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday at 12:15 p.m. in the Robins School Administration Building. The agenda for the meeting is: A. Call to order 1. Pledge of Allegiance 2. Roll call 3. Welcome to visitors 4. Agenda deletions or corrections, and additions allowed by policy, if any B. New business 1. Personnel Open Agenda An opportunity for any member of the audience to bring to the attention of the board questions or relevant comments concerning district matters not on the agenda. The board will not discuss or take action on items not on the agenda, but may refer a matter presented to a future agenda. C. Executive session 1. Grievance hearing D. Closing The next board meeting will be Tuesday, May 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Havre Middle School The Montana Association of Chiefs of Police has opened applications for its Montana Junior Leadership Academy this year, with next Friday the deadline to apply. Its a really good learning experience for the kids, Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich said. Montana Junior Leadership Academy is a week-long event from July 7 through July 13, he said. The academy is open for high school students of all ages and allows participants to spend a week at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy in Helena. While the students are there, they will learn leadership skills through a law enforcement perspective, he said. Students dont have to have an interest in law enforcement in order to apply, he said the academy is for building better skills in leadership for the life of students. The academy is completely free and students will sleep, eat and learn at the academy. Matosich added that the only expense of the program to the students is the price of travel to get to the academy. Classes will be taught by police officers and will include basic training, physical training, driving skills training, shooting skills training, classes in crime scene investigation and other classroom courses, he said. Students will also go on a variety of different hikes and have the opportunity to repel from mountains as well as work on search and rescue skills. They are really going to get a good look at the academy and what police officers go through and how they train, Matosich said. At the end of the week the academy will have a graduation ceremony, he said. Within the week you get to see the kids kind of transform into more of an adult, and learning experiences, it really has a huge impact on them, he said. Interested students can go online to http://macop.com/Upcoming_Events.html/ and fill out an application, he said. The application will also include a short essay portion. The essay has a large impact on getting a ticket to go to the academy, he added. Once the student has filled out the application they can bring it to the Havre Police Department where Matosich can sign off on the application before the student sends it to Great Falls. Last year Havre had one student who was accepted into the academy, Matosich said, adding that because it is a statewide program, having one student accepted is average. Havre usually has at least one or two students accepted. This years space is limited because of on-going construction at the academy, he said. The program accepts 30 students statewide. Earlier you get the application in, the better off you are, Matosich added. Montana Association of Chiefs of Police is a 401(c)(3) organization, he said, and accepts donations from businesses and private donors. He said the organization pays for everything while the students are at the academy, including backpacks, water bottles and other items they will receive throughout the week, and are always welcoming donations. People who wish to donate to the organization can contact Matosich at the Havre Police Department. Its a blast, though, the kids have a lot of fun during that week, he said. Three bills proposed to regulate electronic logging devices Cattle graze Friday just outside Havre. All three members of Montana's congressional delegation are pushing to fully or partially exempt livestock haulers from hours of service regulations using electronic logging devices that went into effect in 2017. All three members of Montana's congressional delegation have stepped into the ring on the issue of livestock haulers being required to use electronic logging devices in their trucks. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and Sens. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Jon Tester, D-Mont., all have opposed a U.S. Department of Transportation rule that drivers hauling animals follow the same time constraints monitored by electronic logging devices used for all commercial truckers that went into effect December 2017, although Congress keeps passing extensions for livestock haulers. Gianforte has sponsored or co-sponsored several bills on the issue and Tester announced this week he is co-sponsoring legislation in the Senate. In February, Tester, Daines and Gianforte helped push through a delay on implementing the rule for livestock haulers. "When you're transporting live animals, you need flexibility to get loads to market on time and protect your bottom line," Tester said this week in a release about his new proposal. "Ranchers and livestock haulers know the unique circumstances they face better than anyone in Washington and they should have the flexibility they need to safely transport their product across the country." Tester's bill would exclude livestock haulers from these new ELD requirements until a driver travels more than 300 air miles from their starting point while also allowing them to complete their trip if they come within 150 air miles of their destination regardless of their Hours of Service. The bill, which Tester plans to introduce with Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., exempts livestock haulers from including loading and unloading times - which can take up to a few hours - in their Hours of Service and grants more flexibility in the amount of time they can drive while imposing longer mandatory rest after a trip is completed. Gianforte co-sponsored a companion bill introduced in the House by Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla. Gainforte and Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., also reintroduced two pieces of legislation on the ELD mandate. The Small Carrier Electronic Logging Device Exemption Act will exempt businesses which operate 10 or fewer commercial trucks from the requirements of the ELD mandate, and the Agricultural Business Electronic Logging Device Exemption Act will exempt agricultural businesses. "Electronic logging devices are more Washington red tape that ties up truckers and puts livestock and Montana livelihoods at risk," Gianforte said in a release about the bill. "These bills will help reduce the unnecessary burden this federal mandate pushes onto Montana's small trucking operations, farmers, and ranchers." During a U.S. Senate Appropriations Hearing, Daines pressed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao on finding a permanent solution to the mandate that impacts Montana. In the hearing, Daines stressed that in every corner of Montana, from Great Falls to Miles City, he hears concerns from farmers and ranchers on the burdensome ELD mandate. Daines questioned Chao on what measures she is taking to find a workable, permanent solution for Montana's farmers and ranchers, a release from Daines office said. "This one size fits all regulation has had harmful effects on Montana's farmers and ranchers and across the trucking and agriculture industries," Daines said in the hearing. "What are you doing presently to ensure you receive and incorporate feedback from agriculture stakeholders and find a workable solution for our farmers, ranchers and small businesses regarding the ELD mandate and hours of service regulations?" Daines asked Chao, Chao said the department will continue to prioritize this issue and listen to Montana's farmers and ranchers. From U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana GREAT FALLSA California man who admitted supplying prescription pain pills for distribution on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation was sentenced on April 18 to 92 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Devon Draper, 45, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and to conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Prosecutors presented evidence of a conspiracy to traffic oxycodone pills on the Rocky Boys Reservation that occurred in 2017 and 2018. In September 2017, Draper and co-defendant, Isaiah Standingrock, were pulled over in a vehicle on the reservation. During a consent search, law enforcement found $22,500 in cash. Officers seized Drapers phone, got a search warrant for its contents and found information that showed extensive conversations between Draper and Standingrock about the sale of oxycodone on the reservation. As part of the investigation, Standingrock told investigators in July 2018 that Draper had come to the reservation eight to 10 times since December 2017, had provided about 2,500 prescription pills during that period and had just flown to Los Angeles with about $15,000. Agents arrested Draper at the Los Angeles airport and seized $14,141 from his bag, including $470 in marked funds from the investigation. Standingrock pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing. A third defendant, Charly McLain Rosette, was sentenced to three years in prison and to three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McCarthy prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tri-Agency Task Force. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justices violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Havre Police Department Officers were called to a hit-and-run vehicle crash on the Montana State University-Northern campus Thursday at 10:56 a.m. -- A vehicle crash was reported on Third Street at 3:48 p.m. Thursday. -- A 10th Avenue caller reported Thursday at 5:34 p.m. that a dog attacked a man. -- Thursday at 6:24 p.m. a crash was reported between a Grand Am and a pickup truck on First Street Northeast. -- Stolen license plates were reported Thursday at 11:12 p.m. by a Second Street caller. -- Sarah Jean Nalder of Big Sandy, 34, was arrested on charges of no proof of insurance in vehicle; driving under the influence, refused to test; and changing lanes when it's unsafe to do so, during a vehicle stop on Fifth Avenue Thursday at 11:43 p.m. Hill County Sheriff's Office Sheriff's office dispatch reported no arrests or investigations from Thursday morning to this morning. Havre Fire Department Emergency medical personnel responded to four calls Thursday. Havre Animal Shelter The Havre shelter this morning held three medium-hair cats, one long-hair cat, one short-hair cat, a medium-hair 14-week-old kitten and a medium-hair 8-month-old kitten all of unknown gender, two medium-hair male cats, one short-hair female cat and one medium-hair female cat. Two other cats were being held at a foster as part of the trap-spay/neuter-release program. -- The Havre shelter also held this morning three female mixed-breed dogs, a female shepherd-Labrador retriever dog, a female mixed-breed 14-week-old puppy, a female husky dog, a male pit bull terrier dog and a female Australian cattle dog-blue heeler-border collie dog. Mitch Grubb launches a softball in preparation for the long distance throw event at the Great North Spring Games in Havre. The Great Northern Games are coming back to Havre next week with track and field at the Havre Middle School track, with bowling at Harvest Moon Lanes. Last year, because of the harsh, long winter, the Great Northern Area of the Montana Special Olympics had to cancel the Great Northern Spring Games, but this year the Special Olympics are back with approximately 60 athletes signed up to compete Wednesday. "A lot of athletes in our area don't have the financial means or the ability or have someone that can take them to the state games in Great Falls," Special Olympics Local Program Coordinator Brandon Berreth said, "so what we are doing is we are basically hosting kind of a miniaturized version of the state games here in town for our local athletes who can't make it to state games." Teams from Turner, Chinook, Big Sandy, Harlem as well as two groups from Havre are signed up to participate in the event, he said. The Special Olympics are open for all ages 8 and older. Berreth added that this year a couple of athletes coming from Big Sandy who are in their early 70s are participating in the events. The Great Northern Spring Games are free to attend, Berreth said. Events will take place all day Wednesday with the opening ceremony taking place at 9 a.m. at the Havre Middle School track, he said. Track and field events will include a shot put competition, standing and running long jump competition, a soft ball throw competition and various lengths of runs, walks and wheelchair races. One relay team coming from Chinook is a four-person unified partner relay team, Berreth said. A unified partner team is when a Special Olympics athlete will run part of the relay and a non-special-needs athlete will run the second part. "I have never seen that before," he said, adding that he is interested in seeing the team participate. Berreth said that the morning events will run until noon when a barbeque luncheon will be provided by Frontier Lawn and Landscaping Inc. and Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods. The luncheon will be followed by an award ceremony in the middle school auditorium. In the afternoon, starting at 3:30 p.m., the bowling competition will start at Harvest Moon Lanes, he said. Events will include single competitions and team competitions. At the end of the night, at 6:30 p.m., Berreth said, the Great Northern Area of the Montana Special Olympics will be hosting a dance at the bowling alley for the athletes. "That's when you see the athletes get out and socialize and have a good time," he said, "just really cut loose and enjoy themselves, and I guess that is my favorite part, when you get to see them just being them and having fun." The dance ends at 8:30 p.m., he added. Berreth said that they started planning for the event in January with the athletes practicing for the past two months. Track practice was every Monday and bowling practice every Thursday. He added that it is his first year as the local program coordinator with he and his wife, Stephanie, sharing the title. He and his wife first got involved because she fell in love with working with special-needs students while working at the middle school and Highland Park Early Primary School, Berreth said. His wife's supervisor and area director for the event, Ann-Marie Carlson, then asked if they wanted to DJ for the dance for the past two years. "Then we kind of fell in love with it and just got more involved," he said. He said that in the previous years approximately 300 people attend the track meet and approximately 200 people for the bowling competition. He said Special Olympics receives some donations from anonymous donors throughout the year and raises money through a raffle. The Special Olympics raffle is a statewide raffle which can be purchased from local athletes at Walmart and Gary & Leo's Fresh Foods in Havre. Tickets are $5, with 80 percent of the money going toward local teams. The winner of this year's raffle can win a new truck. Berreth invited everyone to Wednesday's games "Feel free to come out and support the athletes," Berreth said. "Cheer on the athletes during the event and get out and buy some raffle tickets." People who want to help with Special Olympics or volunteer in the future can contact Berreth at 390-0394. By Leia Larsen Montana Free Press HELENA After a turbulent ride through the Montana Legislature, a bill extending Montanas Medicaid expansion program cleared its final legislative hurdle Thursday. House Bill 658, carried by Rep. Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, revises the states Medicaid program considerably. While the bills short title describes the legislation as generally revising health care laws and permanently expanding Medicaid, amendments added by the Senate add a sunset date of June 30, 2025. That means lawmakers will again need to evaluate the program in a future session. Senators also increased a fee on hospital outpatient revenue to help cover a bigger share of programs cost, and amended the bill to include income verification requirements. Montana lawmakers first made Medicaid expansion law in 2015 under the HELP Act. It currently covers about 96,000 low-income people making less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Republican lawmakers voiced concerns that the program enrolled more patients than initially estimated. Some claimed that out-of-state residents, able-bodied adults, and those with wealthy land holdings were gaming the system. Buttrey drafted HB 658 to include conditions for residency, work requirements, and tighter asset-testing measures. The House approved the Senates amendments in an 87-13 vote during second reading Thursday morning. A few hours later, on third reading, the chamber voted 61-35 to send the bill to the governors desk, with several Republicans flipping their votes. The HELP Act would have expired this summer if legislators did not authorize the extension. Democratic lawmakers, including Gov. Steve Bullock, initially spurned the addition of another sunset provision and work requirements, advocating that the HELP Act be made permanent and kept largely intact. The minority party ultimately got on board with the changes, and spun Thursdays vote as a victory. Since Legislative Day One, Democratic lawmakers promised that we would not walk out of this building without passing Medicaid expansion, House Minority Leader Rep. Casey Schreiner, D-Great Falls, said in a press release. Today, we did exactly that. Medicaid expansion has created thousands of jobs, thrown a lifeline to our rural hospitals, and provides critical health care for one in 10 of our neighbors. The Montana Hospital Association, which supported both parties efforts to renew the HELP Act, praised lawmakers for finding a compromise. Were grateful for the bipartisan team of legislative leaders in the House and Senate who were willing to reach across the aisle because they know Montana Medicaid works, said Rich Rasmussen, the associations CEO, in a press release. Other bumps on HB 658s road to the governors desk included an effort by some GOP lawmakers to tie the bills fate to Senate Bill 331, the controversial Save Colstrip proposal. A handful of senators led by Sen. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, initially refused to give the expansion bill their vote of approval in order to send a message to Democrats and the governor. A few of those senators, including Ankney, ultimately flipped to support HB 658 in the waning hours before a transmittal deadline. Meanwhile, SB 331 failed to garner enough votes in the House, but the bill could make a reappearance in the last week of the session. A conference committee could add the legislation to a related energy bill, House Bill 597, through amendments. Buttreys Medicaid expansion bill now goes to the governors desk, where it will likely be signed into law. This is a good day for Montana. We have once again demonstrated that when we put partisan politics aside and come together to do right by Montanans, government can make a meaningful impact in peoples lives, Bullock said in a press release. A HORSE that survived the First World War after serving on the front line has had a plaque unveiled in her memory. Nancy left Lower Farm in Ewelme in 1914 with her owner, Sergeant Thomas Orpwood, who was in the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars. She endured horrendous conditions in France during the conflict but, against the odds, returned to the village with Sgt Orpwood in 1919. The plaque was unveiled by his eldest grandson Simon at Ewelme Pound, off Parsons Lane, with Lady Jay of Ewelme, the new High Sheriff of Oxfordshire. More than 100 people gathered at Fridays ceremony, including several generations of the Orpwood family, councillors, Thames Valley Police officers and personnel from RAF Benson. The service including the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille before Rev Patrick Gilday, the rector of Benson with Ewelme, blessed the memorial. It finished with the National Anthem. Mr Orpwood, who was 15 when his grandfather died, said: I knew him very well. He loved his horses and he loved his animals. You think of all the horses that died during the war and here we have a horse my grandfather was very fond of and managed to bring home. Mr Orpwood told those present that on September 19, 1914 a telegram was received from Winston Churchill, himself a member of the Hussars, ordering embarkation to France. They boarded a train for Southampton and then sailed to Dunkirk. Mr Orpwood said: Nancy and the other horses had to put up with some awful conditions in heavy mud but grandfather, being a skilled stockman and farmer, would have looked after her. The first reality of war came in October 1914. For three years the Oxfordshire Hussars shared the experience of all those fighting around Flanders extreme discomfort. Hay for the allied horses was sent over from England and on one occasion Sgt Orpwood went to get some for Nancy and found the consignment had come from H W Orpwood, Ewelme, his fathers farm. Sgt Orpwood also served at the Battle of Guillemont Farm in 1917 before he was demobbed on February 27, 1919. On being decommissioned to Culham station, he rode Nancy back to Ewelme. He went into the pub, leaving his horse outside, but when he came out she had disappeared. Mr Orpwood said: Nancy decided to leave early and made her way home and found her stable... having been away for four years, she remembered where to come. It is our belief that Nancy was six or seven years old when she went to war and lived to 22 or 23 when she died in 1931 or 1932. The horse lived the rest of her life on the farm and is buried behind Lower Farm farmhouse. The Hussars were keen to enlist farmers as they knew how to ride and had their own horses. At the outset of the First World War the British army only owned 25,000 horses. However, it compulsory purchased 115,000 horses during the war under the horse mobilisation scheme, shipping out 500 to 1,000 animals a day. The animals lived a harsh and difficult life and about eight million were killed during the conflict. Another of Sgt Orpwoods grandsons, David, said: Nancy was one of the exceptional ones; she survived the entire war and was decommissioned back home alive. Thomas was a farmer and we are sure his care and experience with animals was a contributing factor to Nancys survival. Lady Jay, who was undertaking her first official engagement, said it was a honour to be at the unveiling. It is the feeling of gratitude to our fellow beings, she said. Its a momentous moment in the ongoing history of Ewelme. After the war Sgt Orpwood farmed Levers Farm in Ewelme, now known as Church Farm. He served as chairman of the parish council and was a school governor. He died in 1965. He was one of three brothers sent to fight in France. Jack Orpwood went to the front on May 20, 1915 and was shot dead by a sniper on June 22 that year, aged 22. His name is on the Menin Gate. Jim Orpwood survived the war and returned home. He died in 1964. The plaque also commemorates all the men and horses that went to the First World War. In total 26 men left Ewelme at the outbreak of war to join up, many into the Royal Navy. Others followed during the course of the conflict. Twenty men were killed in action. There is no record of how many horses returned after the war as only cavalry horses were returned by the army. Others, like Nancy, were returned at their owners expense. Most were sold for farm work and others were killed for their meat as there was a food shortage after the war. Photo: The Canadian Press Delegates, from left, U.S. Congressman Brendan Boyle, Irish Education Minister Joe McHugh, U.S. Congressman Richard Neal and US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, cross the Irish border from Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland, at Bridgened in Co Donegal, Thursday April 18, 2019. It's now up to Congress to decide what to do with special counsel Robert Mueller's findings about President Donald Trump. While the special counsel declined to prosecute Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate him, all but leaving the question to Congress. Mueller's report provides fresh evidence of Trump's interference in the Russia probe, challenging lawmakers to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning. "The responsibility now falls to Congress," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has the power to launch impeachment proceedings. Attorney General William Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations, and grand jury evidence. Nadler told ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday that he expects to issue a subpoena within "a couple of hours" for the full report, including the normally secret grand jury evidence. That would likely spark a lengthy legal and political battle over whether that material can be released. How far lawmakers will go, though, remains unclear. Republicans are eager to push past what Trump calls the "witch hunt" that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. And while Democrats say Mueller's findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Barr's four-page summary, they've been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling Thursday on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer only that Mueller's report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. "As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Mueller's report appears to undercut that finding," they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Pelosi vowed: "Congress will not be silent." Biding their time, Democrats are putting the focus on their next investigative steps. Nadler summoned Mueller to testify and the chairman said Thursday he will be issuing subpoenas for the full report. And next week, both the House and Senate are scheduled to hear from Barr, whom Democrats accuse of distorting the report's contents to Trump's benefit. But it's unlikely that the full Mueller report or the public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017, and Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow "the end of my presidency." The special counsel wrestled with what to do with his findings, unable to charge or exonerate, and sided with the department's guideline that indicting a sitting president would impair the ability of the executive branch to function. "We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a President's corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice," the report said. Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the acts described in the report "whether they are criminal or not, are deeply alarming in the president of the United States. And it's clear that special counsel Mueller wanted the Congress to consider the repercussions and the consequences." Schiff, the California Democrat, said, "If the special counsel, as he made clear, had found evidence exonerating the president, he would have said so. He did not. He left that issue to the Congress of the United States." Republicans sought to portray Democrats as unwilling to let go of the idea that Trump colluded with Russia to swing the election. "What you're seeing is unprecedented desperation from the left," tweeted Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a top Trump ally. "There was no collusion. It's over." A young man has been accused of endangering motorists by throwing metal fencing on to a road as he tried to free horses from an enclosure. Karl Smith (23) allegedly threw the fencing on to the road where a driver was unable to stop in time and crashed into it. The horses had earlier been rounded up as they wandered loose in west Dublin. Mr Smith, of Croftwood Drive, Ballyfermot, pleaded not guilty to charges of endangering traffic and criminal damage. Judge Paula Murphy adjourned the case before Blanchardstown District Court for hearing on a later date. Gda Sgt Maria Callaghan told the court it was reported that stray horses were wandering on Station Road, Clondalkin, on December 9, 2017. It was 9.02am and horses were running between traffic and on to a small green area directly opposite a new housing estate. The green area had fencing around it. It was closed off, and it had been agreed by security that the horses should be kept there until arrangements were made to remove them. Broke The horses were still in the enclosure waiting to be picked up when three men arrived on foot. It was alleged that the accused was one of these men, and they left the area when gardai were called. It was alleged that Mr Smith returned and broke the fence securing the horses, throwing part of it on to the road. A man and his wife travelling in a black Audi drove into the fence, damaging their car, the court heard. It was claimed they saw the accused throwing the fence on to the roadway, but the driver could not avoid crashing into it. The value of the damage caused to the fence was 500, and there was no charge in relation to the damage to the car, the court heard. Judge Murphy accepted jurisdiction to deal with the case at district court level. Defence barrister Jennifer Jackson said Mr Smith was pleading not guilty. The case was adjourned to a date in October. Photo: The Canadian Press Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker speaks at the provincial leaders debate Summerside, P.E.I. on Tuesday. After a brief provincial election campaign devoid of drama, voters on Prince Edward Island appear poised to stir things up and make some history when they cast their ballots Tuesday. The Island's Green party, led by Scottish-born dentist Peter Bevan-Baker, has recorded upward momentum in the polls for more than a year, suggesting the smallest province may be ready to elect Canada's first Green government. "It has not been a particularly fascinating campaign, but I think it's going to be a fascinating election night," says Don Desserud, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island. "There's something going on here. You can't deny that after a whole year of solid numbers for the Green party that they've attracted attention and are being regarded with great favour." A Narrative Research poll for the Charlottetown Guardian released this week suggests the Greens had maintained a lead, but it was within the margin of error and the Tories and Liberals were not far behind. The close numbers also raised the spectre of a minority government, which would itself mark a historic moment for the Island: The last time a minority was elected in P.E.I. was 1890. Islanders have been electing either Liberal or Conservative governments since Confederation. And a clear pattern has held since the mid-1960s, with majority governments being regularly replaced after serving three terms though the Liberals eked out a fourth term in 1978, only to lose power a year later. Premier Wade MacLauchlan's Liberals will be seeking a fourth term on April 23, which has prompted some critics to suggest the party has overstayed its welcome. So what is it about the Greens that has moved the Island's traditionally small-c conservative voters to consider a more progressive party? Bevan-Baker says the shifting political sentiments on P.E.I. are a reflection of a broader movement away from traditional, mainstream politics. He's called it the local expression of a global phenomenon. "People are looking for something that doesn't sound or smell or taste like a conventional politician," he said in an interview late last year. Bevan-Baker became the first member of the Green party to win a seat in the P.E.I. legislature in 2015, having failed to win a single election after 10 attempts on the Island and in Ontario. As party leader, he has spent the past three years carefully crafting the party's brand by consistently challenging the notion that the Greens are a single-issue entity devoted only to environmental activism. When it comes to climate change and carbon taxes, Bevan-Baker has been careful to link a healthy environment with a prosperous economy. On Tuesday, voters will also learn the results from a binding referendum on electoral reform, which will determine if Islanders want to keep the first-past-the-post system or change to a mixed-member-proportional-representation model. In a 2016 plebiscite, 52 per cent voted in favour of switching to a mixed-member system, but MacLauchlan rejected the results, saying the 36 per cent turnout rate was too low. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to abolish the first-past-the-post system federally during the 2015 election, but he later abandoned that pledge, saying Canadians were not eager for change. Voters in British Columbia rejected making such a change in December 2017. An Extinction Rebellion protester being arrested in London. Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images Gardai have drawn up contingency plans for today's Extinction Rebellion Ireland protest in the heart of the capital. The climate change protesters are planning to take over O'Connell Bridge at midday as people leave Dublin for the Easter bank holiday weekend. A senior garda told the Herald that multiple public order units will be on standby and extra uniformed patrols will be in place in the O'Connell Street area. Operations are being co- ordinated by Store Street Garda Station. Disorder Gardai south of the Liffey have been put on standby should the protest spread or disorder breaks out. "From a garda point of view, it is good that the protest is happening on Good Friday, a quiet day in terms of traffic in the city," said the senior garda. "But nothing is being left to chance and extensive plans have been drawn up to deal with any public order issues. "Of course, people have a legitimate right to protest, and there is no intelligence that there will be any violence." The demonstrators are planning a "no-move march" and "sit-down" on O'Connell Bridge. The timing of the protest will coincide with the large numbers of people leaving Dublin for Easter. Protesters will gather at the Spire in O'Connell Street at 1pm to demand that the Government takes urgent action to tackle climate change. After speeches, they will "slow-walk to O'Connell Bridge" where they will remain until they get a response from the Government or are forcibly removed by gardai, said a spokesman. Extinction Rebellion Ireland is part of a movement in 43 countries organising various forms of protest this week to highlight the threat of climate change facing the world. There has been chaos in London throughout the week as protesters stage sit-ins. It is understood that more than 500 people have been arrested in the city since Monday. Three of them were charged with maliciously obstructing a railway after they glued themselves to a train in Canary Wharf, the busy financial centre in east London. The group's spokesperson, Ciaran O'Carroll, said members caused traffic chaos in busy Oxford Circus when they "locked themselves on to a structure". March Mr O'Carroll said the protesters now had their sights firmly set on Dublin's O'Connell Bridge. "We will gather at the Spire at 1pm and will have a very slow march over O'Connell Bridge," he said. "We will take the march down to a 'no-move march', and stay on O'Connell Bridge for as long as it takes to get a response from the Government. "We won't be blocking the Luas or emergency vehicles, but the bridge will be blocked to road traffic. "We have people prepared to stay there for as long as it takes." Selina Hogan and her children Scott (10) and Lauren (16) outside the family hub where they live in Ballyfermot. A mother who has been living in a family hub with her two children for a year-and-a-half has described it as "like prison", saying her son's ADHD medication has been almost doubled just to help him cope. Selina Hogan (32) has been staying in a hub in Ballyfermot, Dublin, with her son Scott (10), who has ADHD and Asperger's syndrome, and daughter Lauren (16). The family had lived in a hotel for six months beforehand after her landlord announced the home she had been renting in spring 2017 would be sold. "Scott missed out on playing on his own street with friends," Ms Hogan told the Herald. "He got really frustrated and because he has ADHD his medication had to be doubled in the last 18 months as he had no space. "My son has Asperger's as well, so he has trouble expressing his emotions. Scott kept saying he didn't know why he was so angry but he didn't like it and I knew it was because of the way we've had to live. Expand Close Fr Peter McVerry / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fr Peter McVerry Trauma "He was only on 20mg of Ritalin 24 months ago but now he's on 35mg. "For special needs children like Scott, in this situation, sleeping in one room, in a bed with his mother - that's not acceptable." Ms Hogan said families were being left with "emotional trauma". "You have nothing, no space. We've had nearly two years with no proper amenities, having to live like prisoners," she added. "We have a bunk bed. My daughter sleeps on the top bed and my son and I in a double bed at the bottom." Ms Hogan spoke about her family's experience in the wake of the No Place Like Home report from the Ombudsman for Children's Office, which revealed children as young as five have tried to run away from hubs. Other children described the facilities as being "like a children's jail". The first publicly-funded study of children living in hubs involved discussions with 37 aged five to 17. Some children said they had a lack of space and privacy, triggering stress. A nine-year-old girl said she read in the toilet while her sister slept. Children also told how they wanted friends to play with but visitors were not always allowed and the families endured shame for being homeless. Ms Hogan said that, while children and friends could theoretically visit the hub where she lives, it was only for two hours at a time. She said they were not able to visit the play or communal areas. "So there was no point. If kids visited you'd have to take them out to the park," she said. "There wasn't room for them to sit in the one room with us to play. "Even if we wanted to stay out overnight, to go away on a trip spontaneously, we couldn't. We were only allowed three nights a month to stay out. And to access those nights I'd have to ring the homeless unit and request booking ourselves out. "That's like a prisoner asking can I go away for the weekend. "My daughter told me she went from being 14 to feeling like she was 25. "She missed out on a whole period of her teenage life, when she should have been having friends on sleepovers, doing her hair and make-up and going off to teenage discos." Ms Hogan added: "There's only two cookers in the entire hub, so we have to cook dinner quickly - within 20 minutes. Suicidal "That means there's no time to prepare healthy meals - it's quick oven meals like chicken goujons. The only time the kids eat healthily is when I take them out for Sunday dinner." Ms Hogan said she had heard extremely concerning stories from several mothers at other hubs. "They told me about their teenage children, some as young as 16, feeling suicidal," she said. "We're about to move into our own council house finally but it's going to take time to convince my children this is a permanent home, that we won't have to leave. "The kids had to see a part of life they should never have seen and they now know life isn't fair and the Government let them and all the other homeless families down. "We were made to feel less by a system that treated us like criminals for being homeless." Homelessness campaigner Fr Peter McVerry said: "When the Government first announced the hubs, they were meant to house families for three to six months. Now they're being used as a medium-term option. "They are better than hotel rooms, with more space and access to cooking facilities, but the problem is the length of time families are staying in them. "The report has showed the damaging effect on families. In 20 years time, we will be setting up a redress board for the damage inflicted by the State for failing to provide homeless families housing." According to the latest Dublin regional homeless statistics from February, 740 families, made up of 1,079 adults and 1,724 children, live in hotels and B&Bs. Some 114 families - or 153 adults and 215 children - live in private emergency accommodation; 42 families - 56 adults and 86 children -live in supported temporary accommodation; and 392 families - 537 adults and 781 children -live in hubs. Altogether that adds up 1,288 families - 1,825 adults and 2,806 children - living in homeless services. A DHRE spokeswoman said: "Family hubs are an important first response to families who become homeless and have no alternative other than commercial hotels for emergency accommodation. "Family hubs are considered to be more appropriate and suitable accommodation for families, with a range of support services including cooking facilities, meals on site, play space, cooking and laundry facilities, communal recreation space, key-working and homework clubs. "Significant progress has been achieved in moving families from hotels/B&Bs to family hubs. Currently there are 392 families residing in family hub-type accommodation across the Dublin Region." A Department of Housing spokesperson said: "Family hubs are a more appropriate first response than hotels. However, they must be run to the highest possible standards and they must remain a temporary response for families living in them. "This year some 10,000 homes will be added to the social housing stock and in excess of 5,000 individuals will leave homelessness. "Addressing homelessness is a priority for this Government." US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi (centre) with Pat Hume (centre right) on the Peace Bridge in Derry yesterday, as part of her four-day visit to Ireland and Northern Ireland. Photo: PA Having used a historic speech in the Dail to defend Irish peace, Nancy Pelosi yesterday went to see the benefits of the Good Friday Agreement for herself. The speaker of the US House of Representatives recalled scenes of "tanks and barbed wire" from a previous visit to Northern Ireland as she observed the now frictionless border. Ms Pelosi, who visited Belfast with her daughter more than two decades ago, recalled how different things were now. She underlined the important legacy of the Irish peace deal to other regions that have been marked by conflict, hailing it as a "beacon to the world" and a model for reconciliation. Tensions Her contribution to a gathering in the Dail on Wednesday has received widespread coverage in the US because of comments she made about the potential for a US-UK trade deal after Brexit. Fox News, which routinely backs US president Donald Trump, reported that she had attempted to create "domestic tensions" while speaking on "foreign soil". However, America's third most powerful politician did receive the backing of former president Bill Clinton. He posted a link to a news report on her speech, saying she had "perfectly" captured "the special bond between the United States and Ireland - a partnership of the past, present and future". In Northern Ireland yesterday, Ms Pelosi expressed pride in the role of Mr Clinton and senator George Mitchell, as well as senior congressman Richard Neal. "What it means to the world to have this example of reconciliation, really ending hundreds of years of conflict, recent thousands of deaths," she said. She repeatedly railed against the prospect of a hard border during her tour with congressional colleagues. Ms Pelosi was greeted at the border, at Bridgend, Co Donegal, by anti-Brexit campaigners during her short stop at what will become the EU-UK frontier. "We believe that Brexit should be just an aberration in this discussion as we con- tinue to build and strengthen our peace that was generated by the Good Friday accord," she said. Bridge "Far be it for any of us to want that beacon's lustre to be dimmed by anything that the Brexit conversation could bring down on the Good Friday accord." Ms Pelosi walked across the Peace Bridge over the River Foyle in Derry. Education Minister Joe McHugh, who accompanied the delegation from the US, said the visit was very important. "Since Brexit, there has been a very loud voice along the border communities and further away that we cannot go back to the past," he said. "We cannot go back to a border that is going to obstruct the free-flowing movement of goods and people on a day-to-day basis." CRIMINAL investigations should be conducted into former mother and baby homes, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has said. The call comes after the Commission of Investigation into the institutions reported on the burial of children there. The commission's fifth interim report found that the final resting place of hundreds of children who died at the homes is unknown. The ICCL said the report "reveals disturbing detail on the failure of institutions to provide dignified burials for hundreds of children who died in their care". abuses It also said the report "raises more questions than it is able to answer". The ICCL called on the Government to initiate criminal investigations "to ensure that where the law was broken, or where human rights abuses have been committed, accountability is prioritised". It also raised concern about "strict rules" on the use of evidence gathered by the commission. It said witnesses in future cases would need to be re- interviewed and are "likely to be revictimised as a result". Fianna Fail children's spokesperson Anne Rabbitte said there was "deep anger and hurt" among people who experienced the institutions, and she understands the desire for accountability. However, she stopped short of calling for a criminal investigation, saying she did not want to preempt the commission's conclusions, which are due next year. The Department of Children said criminal investigations are a matter for gardai. The commission's fifth interim report will be referred by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to gardai for "appropriate attention". The commission operates under a legal framework that provides an effective mechanism to investigate complex and sensitive matters while respecting fair procedures and natural justice. Its report on the homes was published on Wednesday. Children's Minister Katherine Zappone has appealed to anyone with information on burials at the former homes to come forward. "Let us know where they are buried," she said. "Maybe then, finally, they could be treated with dignity in death." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the report makes "gruesome reading" and "gives us a further insight into a very dark part of our history". He said it was a time "when women and their babies were appallingly treated, often simply just for being unmarried, or even just for being poor". He said they were badly treated by the State, by the Catholic Church, by their own families and also by wider society. mortality Mr Varadkar said it "happened at a time when infant mortality was very high, few vaccines, no antibiotics, very poor public health and sanitation, huge numbers of people living at close quarters in congregated settings". "However, none of that excuses the indignity in the way in which these babies were treated in death," he added. The commission's report found that the final resting place of the "vast majority" of hundreds of children who died at Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork is not known. It also said that 802 children died at the Mother and Baby Home in Tuam. Many of those are said to have been buried in an underground chamber built inside an old sewage tank. Photo: The Canadian Press With Notre Dame cathedral, background right, religious officials pray during the Good Friday procession, Friday, April 19, 2019. Architects and construction workers have now stabilized the damaged structure of Notre Dame cathedral, four days after a fast-spreading fire ravaged the iconic Paris building, and firefighters will leave the site Friday night, a fire brigade spokesman said. "There is no more risk the edifice's walls could fall down," Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus told The Associated Press, adding that firefighters have been able to cool down the walls and debris from the roof inside the cathedral. "It's a miracle that the cathedral is still standing, and that all the relics were saved," he said. Earlier, the cathedral's rector said a "computer glitch" may have been behind the rapidly spreading blaze that devastated the 850-year-old architectural masterpiece. Rector Patrick Chauvet did not elaborate on the exact nature of the glitch. "We may find out what happened in two or three months," he told a meeting of local business leaders. The fire burned through the network of enormous centuries-old oak beams supporting the monument's vaulted stone ceiling, dangerously weakening the building. The surrounding neighbourhood was blocked off as stones continued to tumble off the sides of the cathedral after Monday evening's devastating blaze. On Thursday, Paris police investigators said they believe an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire. The Parisien newspaper has reported that a computer glitch might have misdirected firefighters responding to the initial fire alarm. The unsourced report said investigators are also looking into whether the fire was linked to temporary elevators being used in a renovation that was underway at the time the cathedral caught fire. Chauvet said there were fire alarms throughout the building, which he described as "well protected." Charlotte Hubert, president of a group of French architects who specialize in historic monuments, told BFM television that experts plan to spread a custom-made peaked tarpaulin across the cathedral's roof, with enough space to also shield workers rebuilding the frame. As Catholics carried out the Way of the Cross ritual near the cathedral to mark Good Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron met with officials from the United Nations' cultural agency, UNESCO. UNESCO representatives have offered their technical expertise to help with the reconstruction. Macron is moving quickly on the fire-ravaged monument's reconstruction, which is being viewed both as a push to make it part of his legacy and a way to move past the divisive yellow vest protests over social inequality in France. Notre Dame's reconstruction is prompting widespread debate across France, with differing views over whether it should involve new technologies and designs. Macron's office has, for example, said the president wants a "contemporary architectural gesture to be considered" for the collapsed 19th-century spire, which wasn't part of the original cathedral. Over $1 billion has already poured in from people from all walks of life around the world to restore Notre Dame. Amidst the face-off between India and Pakistan following the Pulwama terror attack, India government had had withdrew the Most Favored Nation status and had imposed a 200% hike on the custom duty for the import of Pakistani products and now, the government has put on hold the trade with LoC. The officials have alleged that the route across the LoC was being misused for the terror activities and hence, the decision has been taken and the trade has currently been suspended as the facility across the border might be getting used by the terror outfits across the border. A statement issued by the Home Ministry read as, Government of India has decided to suspend the LoC trade at Salamabad and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect. A stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked out and will be put in place in consultation with various agencies. The issue of reopening of LoC trade will be revisited thereafter. India and Pakistan As per a report published in The Indian Express, a spokesperson of the Home Ministry has stated that the government received some reports that the trade across the LoC is being misused by the Pakistan-based elements and weapons, fake currencies, narcotics are being transferred to India via the business route. The official further added that the government has acted upon the inputs from the NIA and the Intelligence Bureau in order to resist the the consequent higher duty (after the MFN status was lifted), cross-LoC trade is likely to be misused to a much larger extent by Pakistan. India and Pakistan have been involved in a bitter relationship since the Pulwama terror attack took place and India responded with a pre-emptive non-military air strike in Balakot at the terror camps of Jaish-e-Mohammad. Also read: Sadhvi Pragya justifies her candidature from Bhopal, breaks down alleging 'torture' in jail Fred Chavis hired as executive director of Robert W. Johnson Center Fred Chavis, vice president of the Washington County NAACP, the new executive director of the Robert W. Johnson Community Center in Hagerstown. (Kveller via JTA)-My son is 4 1/2, a delightful age when he is still full of sometimes grammatically incorrect sentences that provide a glimpse into the magical and unique way that children see the world. In everything, my husband and I look for teaching moments. Our policy is to tell the truth, even if we need to simplify it a little bit. Like most first-generation Americans, he hears the words "when I was little..." from us a lot. It's followed by a comparison of how different his American childhood is from our Soviet childhoods: everything from toys and food, to freedom of religion and celebrating diversity. Once we went to our local Chabad for a model matzah baking. At the end, the kids received real shmurah matzah, and the rabbi even mentioned to us that it comes from Dnepropetrovsk, in Ukraine. (When I was little, there were no matzah bakeries in Dnepropetrovsk.) That morning, as I was getting my tortilla out of the fridge, I mentioned to Will that once Passover starts, I won't be eating any tortillas and we giggled about the difficulty of spreading peanut butter and jelly on matzah without breaking it. Somewhat thoughtfully, Will remarked: "You'll probably be really sick of matzah by the end of Pesach! Aaaaaand, you can't have pancakes!" Even though I was already risking being late for work, I decided that the moment was right to share my thoughts on Passover with my son since he had brought it up. "You know what? You're right, by the end, I do miss real bread," I said. "But you know what else? I'm really happy when I eat matzah. It reminds me that I'm free to eat it and free to celebrate Pesach. Did you know that when I was little, we weren't allowed to?" Aha! I saw the spark of interest in his eyes; my cue to continue. "When I was little, and even when Grandma Yana was little, we weren't allowed to celebrate Pesach and eat matzah," I said. "In the Soviet Union, the government didn't want Jews to celebrate their holidays. We couldn't go to the library and learn to make matzah. And Jews couldn't even speak Yiddish in public. Can you imagine what it would be like if you were only allowed to speak Russian at home and never, ever outside?" Confused surprise flashed across my son's face. "Is that why everyone only remembers some words in Yiddish but not all?" he asked. "And is that why you want me to speak Russian? So I don't forget it like they forgot Yiddish?" Bingo! A connection had been made. It was imperfect, but I'll take it. I came back to eating matzah. Yes, I miss hametz by about Day 5. But the truth is, Passover is one of my favorite holidays precisely because it celebrates freedom. Freedom of my Jewish people from slavery, freedom of refugees/Americans by choice like us to be Jewish, and most recently, freedom of self-determination for Jews in Ukraine, who joined Ukrainians of all backgrounds to proclaim that they, too, want to live free of corruption and outside political influence. My son is the new generation that will not know political oppression and religious suppression. He is the pure generation that hears about things so unthinkable to him that he probably assumes we exaggerate. Watching him grow up free and teaching him what it means to be Jewish is an honor and a joy. It is something I do openly, buying Jewish books in Barnes & Noble and celebrating holidays in public spaces. These are such simple things, yet so unthinkable for my parents and grandparents. They managed to pass on what little they knew out of sight and with some apprehension. I eat matzah for them, to be reminded that Jewish freedom comes with a heavy price. But in today's America, passing on the significance of that freedom is both my luxury and my responsibility. Olga Chernov-Gitin is a first-generation American who lives with her husband and two children in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. (Kveller via JTA)So Im just going to come right out and say it: We dont keep kosher for Passover. I feel a bit like a party-pooping high school senior who chooses not to go to the prom revealing that. After all, we moved to Israel to bring our kids up Jewish and live close to our Israeli family. But we are secular Jews and the simple truth is that we pick and choose how we observe in line with our beliefs about whats important for us and whats not. Ive read on Kveller about how Mayim Bialik makes her Passover meaningful, how Amanda Bradley secretly loves Passover and Tamara Reeses wonderful ideas to make observance less intimidating. I applaud and respect all those suggestions, opinions and choices. I know that people who observe the holidays from a strong sense of spirituality and tradition get a tremendous amount of nourishment from them. Thats something to envy. Seventy percent of Israelis will be joining those ladies in banishing the hametz from their homes and digestive systems for the week. But while they will be cleaning, shopping and dusting off their Passover recipe books, puzzling out how to get through this week without bread, pasta and rice, Ill be chilling out and stocking up on the banned goodies before they perform their annual weeklong disappearing act. Although we choose not to rid our house of hametz or refrain from eating it, it doesnt mean we dont honor or celebrate the holiday; we do. For the past six years Ive been taking turns hosting the sederand yes, that part we do without the presence of hametz at the table. We read the Passover Haggadah, we dip our fingers in wine as we recite the plagues, we recline. But mostly we wait for the bit where we can eat the food, sing the songs and let the kids hunt for the afikomen. In hol hamoed, the week after the seder, Israeli supermarkets hide their wheaty wares on burka-dressed shelves, forbidden to purchasers one and all. Most restaurants keep kosher and the whole country is shrouded in a barbecue fog as Israelis cook up their choice of the tastiest alternative to wheatmeat! We tend to eat at home during this period, delving into our pile of forbidden hametz like thieves. If we feel a little like outsiders in the swimming sea of observance, its OK. Its true in a way that we are choosing all the fun, warm and fuzzy bits of the holiday while ignoring the restrictive, roll-up-your-sleeves challenging parts. As secular Jews, the rules and dogmas of religion dont play a big role in our lives. I dont think it makes us any less Jewishit just makes us less observant. We are still book-loving, family-hugging, charity-giving, kugel-eating Zionists struggling to make it work in our homeland and to find a way thats meaningful to us. Even without observing the weeklong prohibition of hametz, my kids still learn about the history of their people at school and from the seder, and they are still laying down traditions to be carried over to their children. They inhale the spirit of the holiday, even if practically we dont do everything that Exodus commands us to do. So happy and kosher Passover to those of you who doand just happy Passover to those of you who dont. May we always be free to determine our own way. Nerys Copelovitz lives in Israel, where she is the mother to two teens and a first-grader. You can catch her ruminating on Jewish, Israeli and parenting issues on thoughtfondue.com. (JTA)-At Passover each year we are reminded that even though the original story is generations old, we are supposed to engage with the narrative as if we were slaves in Egypt. Unfortunately, most Haggadahs are about as engaging as a Maxwell House percolator. This year, however, two Jewish artists have created a vibrant addition to the alternative Haggadah canon: a graphic novel version of the Passover story that also takes readers through the seder. It's the creation of Jordan B. "Gorf" Gorfinkel, a former DC Comics editor (he oversaw the Batman franchise for a decade), and Israeli artist Erez Zadok. The pair met at a Limmud event in Britain. "When Gorf told me about his concept for this Haggadah, I was hooked," says Zadok, a Bezalel Academy of Arts graduate who is known for his autobiographical series Bundle of Joya. The Haggadah has traditional seder text on the right-hand pages, while the left-hand pages contain an action-packed graphic novel that expands on the Passover story and alternates between modern and ancient times. Zadok suggests that the goal was to engage readers and seder participants of every age. While many still see graphic novels as kid stuff, Zadok and Gorfinkel tried to make sure that the Haggadah was able to deal with some mature issues-slavery and inhumanity, for example-in a way that was appropriate and approachable. "This book is for everyone," Zadok says, "but it would make me very satisfied to know that a mature audience enjoys it as well." While this is not the first collaboration between Zadok and Gorfinkel (who also co-created the "3 O'Clock Club" comic series), Zadok says it was still difficult to orchestrate. "This project was very challenging to illustrate because we had so many restrictions," he says, noting that the multi-era illustrations involved considerable research in order to ensure accuracy and authenticity. "We wanted the readers to feel like the book was made especially for them, regardless of their knowledge or religious practice." Perhaps this is why Zadok is looking forward to spending Passover with family and friends and then returning to other projects that may be more personal in nature. "I have nothing against illustrating other traditional biblical stories," he said, "but right now I prefer... to create worlds based on my own imagination. Let's see what the future holds." Ellen Grossman (r) pictured with volunteer Barbara Feder, has been organizing the seder for nine years. OCEANSIDE, N.Y. (JTA)-Nine years ago, Ellen Grossman wanted to do something special for her birthday. "I said we've had enough parties and enough pocketbooks and enough jewelry-do something different," the Great Neck resident recalled. So she decided to organize a Passover seder for Holocaust survivors, many of whom who had no actual seder to go to during the holiday. That was in 2011. When the first seder was a success, Grossman decided to keep going. On Wednesday, some 85 guests-Holocaust survivors and their spouses or caretakers-came together for the ninth annual seder in a brightly lit hall at the Barry and Florence Friedberg Jewish Community Center in Oceanside, on New York's Long Island. Grossman organized the seder with the help of the UJA-Federation of New York. This year, she raised around $7,000-more than enough to cover the cost of the event-and recruited some 30 friends to serve food and clean up. A local kosher cafe, Bagel Boss, catered the event and donated some of the food for the seder, which was held two weeks before the start of the Jewish holiday. For many attendees, coming to the seder has become a tradition of its own. "It's been very exciting," said Hedy Lebovitz, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, who now lives in Lawrence. "You get to see people that you really don't see a whole year." Cantor Ofer Barnoy, of Temple Beth Sholom in Roslyn, led an abbreviated seder as attendees munched on matzah, haroset, eggs and bitter herbs. The meal-salmon, roasted potatoes, broccoli, beans and carrots-was "very good," said Lebovitz, 87, though she was careful to clarify that the food not her reason for coming. "I'm coming to see other people," she said. "To be together, to spend an afternoon with other survivors. That is what it's all about." Tibor Horovitz, who happily sang along to many of the blessings and songs, said his favorite part of the event was "the tradition." But there was one tradition the 86-year-old couldn't get on board with: the lack of salt in the food. "My husband is very particular with food," his wife, Livia said, after Tibor complained several times about the meal's lack of flavor. Kvetching aside, the event resonated deeply with the couple. "Twenty eight relatives of mine died in Auschwitz-my grandparents, my great grandmother, my aunt, my cousins," Livia said. "So for me when I see all the people, it's something special in my heart." Saul Itizovicz, who wouldn't give his exact age but said he was "around 90," found comfort in being surrounded by others. "It's really nice and a healthy one to be invited to a place where you can forget the loneliness in the home," said Itizovicz, who came to the seder with his wife Malka. "Sometime because the children are not around no more, so we feel a little lost in space, because we have to wait for a telephone [call] from here, a telephone [call] from there," he continued. For Sarah Knecht, 81, the seder provided a way to celebrate Passover without having to worry about time-consuming preparations. "I've always celebrated it in my own way with my own family and now it's getting a little bit harder to cook up these big meals. So I'm really grateful that we have a place to go where we can have a kosher seder," said Knecht, who came with her husband Ted. Josefin Dolsten Tibor (l) and Livia Horovitz are Holocaust survivors from Hungary. For other attendees, the seder provided a new cultural perspective. Sharon Williams, who works as a caretaker for Charlotte Schwimmer, has been attending the seder with her client for four years. Williams, who is Christian and originally from Jamaica, said that she has learned about the similarities between Judaism and Christianity. This year, she even sang along to some of the songs. "It's exciting," she said. "It's interesting because you want to learn. You learn so many things and see that they are the same thing in your culture." Meanwhile, Lebovitz, who used to go to the event with her late husband, loved seeing the joy on other attendees' faces. "Everybody is happy when they come," she said. "They're happy to see each other and all this atmosphere of being together, getting to see others." ABC News(NEW YORK) -- The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for the full, unredacted Mueller report, setting up a potential legal battle with the Justice Department for the special counsel's full findings and underlying materials. Chairman Jerry Nadler, the Democrat from New York, asked for the department to comply by May 1, the day U.S. Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and one day before he is scheduled to appear before the House. "I am open to working with the Department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability," Nadler said in a statement. Nadler teased the subpoena action to get the full report from special counsel Robert Mueller's 22-month investigation on ABC News' Good Morning America Friday. "That subpoena will come in the next couple of hours," Nadler said. "We need the entire report unredacted, and the underlying documents, in order to make informed decisions." Barr released the report with redacted sections to the public on Thursday around 11 a.m. EDT. The report, which is 448 pages, does not conclude the president or his campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russians and does not reach a conclusion on obstruction of justice. However, the report does document "numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign" and 11 possible instances of obstruction of justice. Nadler's calls for the full report echo demands from Democrats on the Hill, including most 2020 presidential candidates. The subpoena is also for the "underlying evidence" of the report, despite a federal procedural rule that requires information from a grand jury to remain secret. U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr has stood behind this rule, noting in his four-page summary of the Mueller report that the "restriction protects the integrity of grand jury proceedings and ensures that the unique and invaluable investigative powers of a grand jury are used strictly for their intended criminal justice function." During his confirmation hearing, Barr was asked by Rep. Ed Case, a Democrat from Hawaii, whether he would ask the court to release grand jury material under certain exceptions. Barr turned the tables, saying, "The chairman of the Judiciary Committee is free to go to court if he feels one of those exceptions is applicable." While the shroud of grand jury secrecy has been lifted in some notable cases, including Watergate and the investigation that led to President Bill Clinton's impeachment proceedings, Congress will be up against a challenge in persuading a court for disclosure of grand jury material from the Mueller probe. Some legal experts believe the case for getting grand jury material would be stronger if the House opened an official impeachment proceeding, but Nadler, who can open the proceedings as chairman of the judiciary committee, rejected that option on GMA Friday. "Yes, some people believe that," Nadler said. "I believe that one of the things that we need that evidence for is to determine whether to do that or not." On impeachment proceedings, Nadler said, "We're not there." He added that Congress first has to hear from Barr and Mueller. Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. (JTA)In a reversal of a 2018 policy announcement, Airbnb will not remove West Bank settlement listings from its website. The policy change came after two federal court settlements Monday between the vacation rental company and two groups of American Jewish plaintiffs who had sued the company. One was organized by Shurat Hadin-Israel Law Center, a pro-Israel law organization, and the other was represented by lawyers Marc Zell and David Schultz. A copy of the Shurat Hadin settlement obtained by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency says that Airbnb will now allow rentals in both Palestinian areas and Israeli settlements of the West Bank. Airbnb takes no position on the Host-Plaintiffs claims, or others claims, to legal title to the properties on which the accommodations are located, the court settlement reads. All listings for accommodations located in the Affected Region [the West Bank] will at all times be permitted on its platform, subject to applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Airbnb announced in November that it would remove some 200 rental listings in West Bank settlements because it contended that the settlements are at the core of the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. The movement to boycott Israel saw the decision as a victory. But Airbnb never actually removed the listings. And in a statement posted to its website Tuesday, Airbnb said it will now donate any profits from the West Bank to humanitarian groups. It also will apply the same policy to Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two disputed territories adjacent to Georgia, and evaluate its listings in other disputed territories. Airbnb has yet to announce where it will donate the profits. We understand the complexity of the issue that was addressed in our previous policy announcement, and we will continue to allow listings throughout all of the West Bank, but Airbnb will take no profits from this activity in the region, the statement reads. Any profits generated for Airbnb by any Airbnb host activity in the entire West Bank will be donated to non-profit organizations dedicated to humanitarian aid that serve people in different parts of the world. Airbnb said in its statement that it does not support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel. Airbnb has always opposed the BDS movement, the statement reads. Airbnb has never boycotted Israel, Israeli businesses, or the more than 20,000 Israeli hosts who are active on the Airbnb platform. We have always sought to bring people together and will continue to work with our community to achieve this goal. Shurat Hadin organized its suit on behalf of a dozen American Jewish families, most of whom own properties in West Bank settlements. The Zell and Schultz suit came on behalf of five similar clients. Both suits were filed under the Fair Housing Act, which was meant to prevent discrimination against minorities in the United States. The plaintiffs said that because Airbnb is based in the United States, it must adhere to the act in all its listings worldwide. In the lawsuits, the plaintiffs claimed that Airbnb was discriminating against them for being Jewish, given that it still allowed listings by Palestinian Muslims and Christians in the West Bank. The policy Airbnb announced last November was abject discrimination against Jewish users of the website, Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, the president of Shurat Hadin, said in a statement. Whatever ones political view, discrimination based on religious affiliation should never be the solution. Two Palestinian Americans, as well as two Palestinian villages, filed counterclaims to the Shurat Hadin suit. The villages lay claim to the land that two of the plaintiffs Airbnb rentals sit on and are therefore accusing the settlers of theft. The Palestinian Americans are also claiming discrimination based on national origin, as Palestinians are not allowed to enter Israeli settlements without a special permit. Their motion to intervene in the suit was filed by the Center for Constitutional Rights, a U.S.-based legal advocacy group that advocates for Palestinian causes. In a statement, the center said it was seeking to have the counterclaim proceed, even though the lawsuit itself has been settled. Airbnbs policy change also came after a dialogue with the Anti-Defamation League on the issue. The group had sent an open letter to Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky when the initial policy was announced, asking what territories it applies to, which experts Airbnb consulted and whether it applies to other disputed areas as well. Jonathan Greenblatt, the ADLs national director, subsequently exchanged emails with Chesky and met with him in person in January to discuss the issue. Greenblatt said the ADL had some indication there was an announcement pending on the matter. He said that while the ADL supports the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, it opposes boycotts as a tactic to advance that goal. The company demonstrated a kind of maturity that I dont always see from young companies, a willingness to thoughtfully engage with stakeholders on the issue, to listen in an attentive way and take action, he said. They have a desire to be a values-driven business and what we pointed out was that this decision was inconsistent with that approach. NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTSTaxpayers suing to stop anti-Israel and anti-Semitic history lessons in Newton Public Schools have added to their lawsuit new claims under the First Amendments religion clauses. The amended complaint alleges that instructional and educational materials used to teach about the religion of Islam in NPS ninth-grade world history classes have no secular purpose, advance religious beliefs, and coerce participation in religious exercises. As detailed in the extensively-documented 495-page complaint, public school students in Newton are evaluated and graded on how well they participate in Islamic rituals. Students are required to create banners proclaiming there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger, and their grades are penalized if they failed to comply. Teachers present disparaging Islamic religious beliefs about Jews and Christians as fact. Students must memorize, recite, and analyze Islamic religious texts, including verses from the Quran such as, Is not Allah the best of the Judges? and, Surely Allah is High, Great. While teaching about religion from a literary and historic viewpoint, presented objectively as part of a secular program of education, is constitutionally permissible in public schools, said Karen Hurvitz, attorney for the taxpayers, teaching religion itself is not. It is unconstitutional for public schools and their employees to promote religious belief, or to have the students practice religion. A significant research effort by Americans for Peace and Tolerance, which was made available to the plaintiffs, brought to light the process by which these highly problematic instructional and educational materials on Islam have been developed, approved, and taught at Newton high schools. Charles Jacobs, APTs president, said, There are reports that things like this are happening around the country. Its outrageous. I hope this lawsuit provides a model for parents across America. We stand ready to help. There is a manipulative dynamic at Newton high schools, said APT executive director Ilya Feoktistov. The most ideologically extreme teachers develop instructional and educational materials on controversial topics, and then influence other teachers to adopt these materials into their own curriculum. In addition to the First Amendment claims, plaintiffs allege that NPS, through their curricula, promote stereotypes against Jews and Israeli-Americans, in violation of the Equal Rights Amendment of the Massachusetts Constitution, the Massachusetts Student Anti-Discrimination Act, and civil rights regulations. According to the complaint, students are taught that Zionism has little connection to Jewish history in Palestine; that the Jews exploited the Holocaust to gain sympathy for Zionism at the expense of Arab plight; and that the Israelis treat the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews. Encouraged by the taxpayer lawsuit, Jewish and Israeli-American NPS students have begun to publicly speak out about the hostile environment they face in the school. Plaintiffs seek a court ordered review of the NPS curriculum for constitutional and civil rights law violations, a declaratory judgment that NPS curricula violate the First Amendment, and an injunction against the use of unconstitutional curricula in NPS classrooms. The last shot Beresheet sent of landing before crashing onto the moon's surface. The Israeli SpaceIL spacecraft Beresheet-Hebrew for Genesis-is on the moon, but not in the way that was hoped. Beresheet snapped its first "selfie," with the help of NASA, as it was landing, 22 kilometers (13.67 miles) from the surface. Then it was over. Apparently it crashed on the moon's surface after traveling 47 days and 6.5 million kilometers (4,038,912.75 miles) through space. In the last few moments before it was to land, communication was lost, then recovered. Then the main engine failed and recovered, only to have complete communication lost in the final moments of the landing. "We had a failure in the spacecraft, we were unable to land successfully," a SpaceIL engineer said during the live stream. Still the crowd in the control center applauded the attempt. "If at first, you don't succeed, you try again," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in front of the SpaceIL team and viewers. "Three superpowers have launched spaceships to the moon and little Israel is now the fourth country to accomplish this," he added. SpaceIL chairman Morris Kahn said he "doesn't regret for a moment" the decision to back the Israeli spacecraft Beresheet. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives at the control center for the Beresheet landing on April 11, 2019. "We have a lot to be proud of," he said. President Reuven Rivlin, who had invited children to his residence in Jerusalem to watch the Beresheet moon landing, reassured the children that this "is a big and excellent achievement-that has not yet been accomplished. There is no need to be disappointed. We need to praise what we accomplished." NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine also sent regrets of the failed moon landing via Twitter: "While @NASA regrets the end of the @TeamSpaceIL mission without a successful lunar landing, we congratulate SpaceIL, Israel Aerospace Industries and the state of Israel on the accomplishment of sending the first privately funded mission into lunar orbit." "A[n Israeli] spacecraft will land on the moon-whole," said Netanyahu, predicting that it will happen in two to three years. YEHUD, IsraelPreliminary data supplied by the engineering teams of SpaceIL and Israel Aerospace Industries suggests a technical glitch in one of Beresheets components triggered the chain of events yesterday that caused the main engine of the spacecraft to malfunction. Without the main engine working properly, it was impossible to stop Beresheets velocity. Beresheet overcame the issue by restarting the engine. However, by that time, its velocity was too high to slow down and the landing could not be completed as planned. Preliminary technical information collected by the teams shows that the first technical issue occurred at 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) above the moon. At 150 meters (492 feet) from the ground, when the connection with the spacecraft was lost completely, Beresheet was moving vertically at 500 km/h (310.7 miles) to the inevitable collision with the lunar surface. Comprehensive tests will be held next week to gain a better understanding of the events. IAI, together with SpaceIL, built the first Israeli spacecraft, Beresheet, which succeeded in traveling 400,000 kilometers (248,548.5 miles) from Israel until it touched the moon, said Harel Locker, chairman of IAI. This is a tremendous technological achievement for the State of Israel, which is now among only seven superpowers who have reached this close to the moon. This project lasted eight years and contributed significantly to the Israeli space industry, which today became one of the leading space industries in the world. Space travel is infinite, exciting, and inspirational. IAI is the core of the Israeli national knowledge when it comes to space technology, and it will continue to lead Israel to more technological achievements in this field. IAI engineers and staff are working 24/7 on developing new technology for Israel and its security. For them, the sky is not the limit, its just the beginning. (JTA)-After the smoke clears from this contentious Israeli election, which amounted to a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's tenure, it appears that Netanyahu will again be asked by Israeli President Rivlin to form the next government. How did he win again? As Israel's former U.S. Ambassador Michael Oren said, "Our economy is excellent, our foreign relations were never better, and we're secure... we know him, the world knows him-even our enemies know him." Unlike American voters, most Israelis choose security and stability over the unknown. In this election that was Gen. Benny Gantz and his new Blue and White party, which featured sterling security credentials among those headlining the ticket. Gantz's strategy highlighted Netanyahu's corruption scandals, which apparently resonated with enough voters that his party received over 1 million votes, the most ever by a Israeli political party-except for Likud, also in this election. However, the nation-and particularly its youngest voters-have moved sharply to the right following the second intifada in the early to mid-2000s, prioritizing security over domestic concerns. Paradoxically, compared to Americans, young Israelis lean more to the right than older generations because they came of age during and after the violent Palestinian uprising. This is what enabled Netanyahu to keep his job. The prime minister is perceived as a steady hand in turbulent waters: Israel is surrounded on all sides by growing threats of radical jihadism-Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood. Netanyahu is trusted on what he considers the No. 1 threat to the survival of Israel, the revolutionary theocracy of Iran. Netanyahu has also been a very pragmatic leader, successfully managing Israel's many conflicts. He has skillfully avoided a war with Hezbollah and Iran despite targeting hundreds of Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Syria and Lebanon over the past few years. And even with pressure from his own base to be more aggressive with Hamas, Netanyahu has avoided undertaking a major operation to overthrow the terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip. He knows it would be a disaster if Israel conquered the coastal strip and became responsible for the lives of its 2 million residents. Under his unprecedentedly long tenure, Israel has become more secure, with significant economic advancements and diplomatic achievements, especially in forging relations with the Arab world and Africa. Many observers said that couldn't happen unless there was peace first between the Palestinians and Israel. Netanyahu was the first Israeli prime minister in 24 years to visit Oman. Last year he met with an Emirati ambassador-a meeting that Business Insider said "sheds light on one of the worst-kept secrets in the Arab world: the quiet ties between Israel and some of its Arab neighbors that are increasingly coming out in the open as they find common cause against mutual foe Iran." But what may be the most important legacy of this election may be the annexation debate over the West Bank. Will Netanyahu really annex some or all of the disputed territories? Was his promise to the faithful just more hyperbole, or was it a signal that the window of opportunity to act is now, as President Donald Trump may be gone from the scene in less than two years? The annexation debate is complex, and it is legitimate for Israel's security establishment to discuss which disputed territory beyond the Green Line is indispensable for Israel's security interests. Proponents of the status quo and those for disengagement should join the debate. American Jewry, which is as liberal as Israeli Jewry is conservative, has legitimate criticisms of Netanyahu. He reneged on his promise to expand the egalitarian space at Robinson's Arch next to the Western Wall, and the Israeli government has failed to recognize Conservative and Reform Judaism-the movements that the majority of American Jews belong to-as equally legitimate to Orthodoxy. However, the hyperpolarized politics of America have blinded many American Jews, who don't realize the real harm they do to Israel and themselves in siding with those whose criticism veers into delegitimization of the state. After the euphoria and depression of the 2019 Israeli election results subside, we'll be left with something extraordinary to be celebrated by all Israelis and Americans: Israel's vibrant democracy again elected new national leadership in a peaceful vote. Israel is a beacon of Western democratic and Jewish values-and whether you love or hate Bibi Netanyahu, Israel is still a miracle at 71. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media. In a celebration that stressed the importance of all family structures, The Roth Family Jewish Community Center on April 5 hosted its first-ever 5th Commandment Shabbat for families of its Richard S. Adler Early Childhood Learning Center. The event was a fusion of Mothers Day and Fathers Day Shabbats and created memories that will be cherished for years to come. The school, which is participating in the JCCs national Sheva Center Leadership Institute for Early Childhood Professionals, is focusing on the seven best practices of early childhood seen through seven Jewish philosophies and core values of Judaism. ECLC Director Melissa Youngblood and her staff decided to take the traditional Mothers and Fathers Day Shabbats and combine them into a special family experience focusing on the Sheva lenses of kdushah (intentionality and presence) and tzelem elohim (uniquiness). We want to be intentional with everything we do, Youngblood said. Over the years we have seen a variety of family structures that include a mom and dad, single parents, same-sex parents and grandparents. We all agree that celebrating holidays specifically designed for mothers or fathers does not fall in line with our core value of inclusion. We set out to change that with this new celebration In preparation for the special day, teachers discussed the idea of ldor vdor (generation to generation), talking with children about who they would like to honor, and how to best honor them. On the morning of April 5, parents joined their children for a Shabbat celebration on the Maitland campus, where they took time to be present in the moment and created a special experiences together. After the Shabbat services, parents joined their children in the classroom to enjoy a special activity, snacks or lunch with their children. We set out to invite parents to be present, put their phones down, put worries out of their minds for an hour, and create sacred time and space with their children, Youngblood said. After observing all of these special Shabbats with our infants all the way through to our pre-K students, I can say, with confidence, that we accomplished that mission. For more information about the Early Childhood Learning Center, visit http://www.orlandojcc.org/preschool. For more information about the Sheva program, please contact Melissa Youngblood at melissay@orlandojcc.org. On Sunday, March 31, JFS Orlando hosted A Brunch for Madeline. This was a special event held in honor of the late Madeline Wolly and all of her love and support of JFS over the years. George and Madeline Wolly, long-time supporters and great friends of JFS, worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for the less fortunate in the community. They began their Jewish communal work in 1985 when they both joined the JFS Board of Directors. George served as Board President from 1987 - 1989 and Madeline from 1996 - 1998. For many years, they raised funds and awareness for their beloved JFS so that the most vulnerable in the community could be helped. To recognize their efforts, the JFS building was named in honor of the late George Wolly in 2001. When Madeline passed away last year, it only seemed fitting to add her name alongside her husband's. Included in A Brunch for Madeline was a re-dedication of the JFS building as "The George & Madeline Wolly Center." "Sometimes affectionately called 'Mrs. JFS,' Madeline was the epitome of what JFS Orlando stands for," said Executive Director Mike McKee. "Madeline loved JFS for a reason and it's not hard to see why. This humble building on Lee Road makes the world a better place." More than 10,000 individuals are positively impacted annually by the programs and services they receive at JFS. In 2018, the Pearlman Emergency Food Pantry provided food for more than 68,000 meals, the Counseling, Growth and Development Program provided nearly 2,400 counseling sessions, and the Reliable Independent Drivers for the Elderly program transported elderly and disabled adults to more than 600 doctor's appointments. JFS is proud to name its building after the Wolly's and to continue the legacy of this remarkable couple by serving those in need in the Central Florida community. (New York Jewish Week via JTA) Signaling a red line on how far Modern Orthodoxy is prepared to bend to adjust to societal changes, a liberal New York City seminary will not ordain an openly gay student who is engaged to be married and completing his fourth year of rabbinical studies this spring, The Jewish Week has learned. In a statement to The Jewish Week, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah student Daniel Atwood, 27, wrote: Four years ago I came out as gay during my first year at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School, and it was decided that I would receive semicha [ordination] as their first openly gay student. After four years of study and my completing almost all of the programs requirements, YCT decided not to give me semicha, news delivered to me only a few weeks ago, three months before my graduation, without any prior conversation on the matter. Atwood became engaged in the fall and is living with his partner. The decision marks a turning point for the rabbinical school, which has served for nearly 20 years as the flagship institution for a subgroup of Modern Orthodoxy often dubbed Open Orthodoxy. Founded by Rabbi Avi Weiss as an alternative to the more right-leaning Yeshiva University, the school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx ordained its first class in 2004 and has since ordained more than 100 rabbis. Since its founding, the yeshiva has sought to balance its Orthodox credentials with its progressive values. The decision on Atwood is being perceived by some as an attempt by the yeshiva to more firmly ground itself in the traditional Orthodox world, which maintains that Jewish law prohibits homosexual relations. While there has been a significant increase in empathy for LGBT Jews in recent years within the community, inclusion has rarely reached the level of communal leadership, and same-sex marriage is universally prohibited. I always knew that being in the position that I am in would be a difficult process, he wrote. I was always willing to navigate those challenges and work with YCT throughout this process. And I have always been fully committed to living my life according to Orthodox halacha [Jewish law]. At the same time, I refuse to live anything but a dignified life, something I was always transparent about, including not being closeted or secret about my Torah, my identity, my beliefs, or my relationship. Most importantly, I am grateful for all the support my immediate family and my partner, Judah Gavant, have given me over my years in rabbinical school. In his statement, Atwood said he is pursuing an independent ordination. In an email to The Jewish Week, Rabbi Dov Linzer, YCTs president and rosh yeshiva, declined to comment on the specifics of the case. We accept all students regardless of sexual orientation, provided that they are fully committed to Orthodox halachic observance, he wrote. There have been students in the past that did not receive semicha, each one for reasons specific to his case. Out of respect for all our students, the yeshiva does not discuss particular students and why any student may or may not be receiving semicha. Linzer added that the yeshiva could have handled the process of informing Daniel, and coming to a timely decision, in a much better manner, and we are sorry for the hurt that was caused as a result. Rabbi Asher Lopatin, the previous president of YCT, weighed in with his dismay about the decision to deny Atwood ordination. Ive never been more disappointed in Modern Orthodoxy and its institutions, he said. We are supposed to stand for an unfearing loyalty to halacha, and it seems to me that there are so many who are acting out of fear and not who they really believe halachically can be a rabbi. Were supposed to fear God alone, were not supposed to fear what other Jews are going to say about it. So its a real shameful moment, continued Lopatin, who headed the yeshiva when Atwood was accepted as a student and stepped down last year. I hope that there will be dozens of Orthodox rabbis that step forward and say that we want to give this student semicha and not dozens that are cowering behind closed doors. Seminarians at YCT interviewed for reactions said they were pained by the decision. The last few weeks have been a very challenging and painful time to be a student at YCT, one student, who asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the situation, wrote in an emailed statement. We feel upset and angered about the process that led to this decision. When Daniel got engaged, I was excited because I thought YCT would affirm his choice and still grant him semicha. It was deeply saddening for me to learn that they wouldnt. Alumni of the school said they were informed that Atwood would not be ordained last month in a conference call. Several described feeling distraught at the news, having felt hopeful that Atwoods ordination would set a path for future gay students. Several graduates of the school said alumni are divided over the schools handling of this decision. People look to Chovevei to be a beacon for people who are trying to stay committed to the Orthodox world and at the same time not have to compromise their moral values, said Rabbi Aaron Potek, an alumnus and now the rabbi at GatherDC in Washington, D.C. If the leadership at Chovevei cant find a way to make space for gay Orthodox rabbis, that sends a pretty devastating message to that community and to the broader Orthodox community about what is and is not possible to be included in that world. Rabbi Avram Mlotek, founder of the Base Hillel outreach project and also a graduate of YCT, said he felt heartbroken for Atwood and his family. Others defended the school, noting the requirement for YCT students to be fully committed to Orthodox halacha and Atwoods recent engagement to his partner with whom he lives. In 2010, YCT faculty members issued a document urging compassion and inclusion for LGBT members of the Orthodox community, but also asserted that Halakhic Judaism cannot give its blessing and imprimatur to Jewish religious same-sex commitment ceremonies and weddings, and halakhic values proscribe individuals and communities from encouraging practices that grant religious legitimacy to gay marriage and couplehood. Were living at a time when people are trying to figure out how someone can be gay and keep halacha at the same time, said Rabbi Chai Posner, associate rabbi of Beth Tfiloh Congregation in Baltimore and a graduate of YCT. This would be the first time an Orthodox rabbi would be granted semicha while being openly gay and, fair or not, that reality carries with it a certain level of expectations in terms of adherence to halacha. The bar is certainly raised for someone who is going to be a rabbi. Rabbi Aviad Bodner, a graduate of YCT, is rabbi of Stanton Street Synagogue on Manhattans Lower East Side. He said nearly one-third of his synagogues leadership is LGBT. The Orthodox community must do more and can do more to be more welcoming to the LGBT community, Bodner said. Without addressing this specific case, he said that YCT must ensure that every one of its musmachim [ordained rabbis] is observant and follows halacha. Several alumni emphasized the constant tension YCT deals with in navigating between the broader Jewish world and more traditional Orthodox elements. Chovevei is being pulled in two directions, Potek said. Theres a group of alumni and students who want Chovevei to be taking these important steps toward greater inclusivity, and then there are alumni who are paranoid about what right-wing Orthodox Jews will think about their Orthodoxy. This is not the first time YCTs actions have sparked debate among its alumni. In 2016, several graduates wrote an open letter opposing the practice of partnership minyanim, traditional-style services in which women lead parts of the service and a practice embraced by several YTC alumni. In 2009, Rabbi Weiss privately ordained Sara Hurwitz as rabba in a controversial move that further alienated the movement from the mainstream Modern Orthodox community. Weiss and Hurwitz subsequently founded Yeshivat Maharat to ordain women as Orthodox spiritual leaders. Linzer, who has been the rosh yeshiva of YCT since its founding and assumed the role of president last fall, has long been an advocate for acceptance of LGBT members of the Orthodox community. In his email to The Jewish Week, he noted that the yeshiva regularly brings in members of Eshel, JQY [two support groups for gay people from traditional backgrounds], and the LGBTQ community, as well as rabbis, poskim, and community leaders, so that we can best chart a path forward that is rooted in Torah, halacha, and responsible rabbinic leadership, and that honors the inherent dignity of every human being created in Gods image. We continue to grapple with this issue and are always learning in the process. In an online discussion organized by the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, Linzer discussed the Jewish legal ramifications of two men living together and wrote that our focus has to be not on halacha, but on communal acceptance and on making gay men and women, and their spouses or partners, as well as their children, fully welcome and fully a part of our communities, synagogues, and schools. He continued: On a communal level, we should be very wary of assuming that we know what goes on behind closed doors. It also is none of our business. We do not presume to know, or believe it our business to know, which family is or is not keeping the laws of niddah [ritual purity], and to judge them accordingly, and this should be no different. (JTA)-Benjamin Netanyahu appears likely to win a fifth term as Israel's prime minister as right-wing parties apparently have maintained their majority in the nationwide elections held Tuesday. With more than 95 percent of the vote counted, Netanyahu's Likud party and the opposition Blue and White party are virtually tied with more than 1 million votes apiece. According to Israeli news websites, each party is likely to win 35 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, or parliament. Despite the tie, Netanyahu appears to have won the election overall, as his right-wing allies won a solid majority of votes. Israel is governed by coalitions of parties, so the total number of the right- and left-wing blocs matter more than the size of the biggest party. In total, right-wing parties won 65 seats, while centrist and left-wing parties took 55 seats. That math gives Netanyahu a clear path to forming another governing coalition. A total of 11 parties will likely enter the Knesset. "The right-wing bloc, led by Likud, won a decisive victory," Netanyahu tweeted Tuesday night as results rolled in. "I thank the citizens of Israel for their trust. I will begin assembling a right-wing government with our natural partners tonight." Netanyahu faced a fierce challenge from Blue and White, a new party led by former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benny Gantz. The prime minister was hounded as well by an impending indictment for fraud, bribery and breach of trust. He spent the final days of the race in what pundits called a "gevalt" campaign, warning his voters that unless they turned out, a left-wing government would be established. On Saturday night, he promised to annex West Bank settlements in the coming term in an effort to shore up his right-wing base. But if the coalition math holds, Netanyahu is poised to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister. He has held the office for a decade consecutively, in addition to his initial three-year term in the late 1990s. This election also saw Likud increase its seats in Knesset to 35 from 30-the most held by the party since 2005. The 35-seat tie also represents a new high for the opposition. The largest party in the outgoing Knesset, called the Zionist Union, held 24 seats, six fewer than Likud. Alongside Gantz, Blue and White is led by Yair Lapid, a centrist and former news anchor who entered the Knesset in 2013. Gantz had yet to concede the race as of early morning Wednesday in Israel. Haredi Orthodox parties also succeeded on Tuesday. United Torah Judaism and Shas, which represent Ashkenazi and Sephardi haredi voters, respectively, each won eight seats. Further down the list, the election featured some surprises. Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, two prominent figures on the right, may not serve in the next Knesset, as their New Right party finished with less than 3.25 percent of the vote-the threshold for entering the parliament. Likewise, the Zehut party, which combined far-right nationalism with libertarianism-and favored legalizing marijuana-appears likely to fall short of the threshold despite garnering significant media attention during the campaign. The Union of Right-Wing Parties, a slate that includes the extreme-right Jewish Power, won five seats. So did Israel Beiteinu, the right-wing party led by Avigdor Liberman that caters to Russian speakers. Kulanu, a center-right party focused on economics, won four seats. On the left, the Labor Party, which dominated Israeli politics decades ago, won just six seats, an all-time low. Meretz, which is further to the left, picked up four seats. The Arab-Israeli parties, Hadash-Taal and Raam-Balad, won a total of 10 seats. The numbers may change a bit on Wednesday, as the votes of Israeli soldiers have yet to be counted. Likud won a slim plurality of votes in Jerusalem, Israel's largest city. Blue and White garnered more than 45 percent of the vote in Tel Aviv. Here are the results by party, according to Israeli news websites: Likud-35 Blue and White-35 Shas-8 United Torah Judaism-8 Hadash-Taal-6 Labor-6 Israel Beiteinu-5 Union of Right-Wing Parties-5 Meretz-4 Kulanu-4 Raam-Balad-4 The Zionist Organization of America condemned New York University today for deciding to confer a Presidents Service Award on NYUs Students for Justice in Palestine chapter, a group with a horrific record of harassing and intimidating Jewish and pro-Israel students. After SJP announced on Facebook that it had been selected to receive a presidential service award, the ZOA repeatedly reached out to NYU officials to confirm the truth of SJPs announcement. Officials have not responded. The Presidents Service Award recognizes student groups that have had an extraordinary and positive impact on the University community. SJP has had exactly the opposite impact. As the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs stated in its 2017 research and policy study, SJP is a terror-affiliated anti-Semitic network that currently operates with autonomy and impunity at colleges and universities across the United States. At NYU, SJP has caused Jewish and pro-Israel students to feel unwelcome and unsafe. For example: In April 2018, when NYUs pro-Israel group organized a Rave in the Park celebration of Israels 70th birthday in Washington Square Park, SJP tried to shut it down, encouraging passersby to file a noise complaint. At the celebration, SJP members and their allies wiped their feet and stomped on an Israeli flag. One SJP member set an Israeli flag on fire. Another was filmed grabbing the arm of a pro-Israel student who was singing Hatikvah, Israels national anthem, and forcibly seizing the microphone from the pro-Israel student before shouting, Free Palestine, end the occupation. The pro-Israel student reportedly suffered injuries. SJP was crystal clear about its objective to shut down free speech in support of Israel, and to harass, intimidate, and silence Jewish and pro-Israel students at the Israel celebration. SJPs president said, Were not going to let them stand by and support Zionism. Our point is to make being Zionist uncomfortable on the NYU campus. Also in April 2018, SJP and its allies assembled over 50 other student groups to join them in an anti-Israel boycott, which included a pledge to boycott NYUs pro-Israel student clubs. In October 2018, SJP singled out Israel again, spearheading a pledge by more than 30 student groups to not participate in or apply to study abroad programs hosted at NYU Tel Aviv. SJP initiated and fought for an anti-Israel boycott resolution that NYUs student government passed in December 2018, breeding a threatening, hateful and anti-Semitic environment. Days after the BDS resolution passed, NYUs Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life alerted the community to several public online postings by an NYU student, which were antisemitic in nature and potentially threatening. On December 3, 2018, an NYU student wrote on Twitter that his Twitter account was suspended because i expressed my desire for zionists to die. Separately, this student applauded the passage of SJPs BDS resolution at NYU, writing on social media, i hope every zionist kkkunt @nyu is crying right now. NYU President Andrew Hamilton has made it clear that boycotting Israel is contrary to NYUs core principles of academic freedom and antithetical to the free exchange of ideas. Given SJPs pro-BDS and other hateful and divisive actions, it is incomprehensible and appalling that President Hamilton would deem SJP deserving of a Presidents Service Award. Morton A. Klein, the ZOAs national president, and Susan B. Tuchman, Esq., director of the ZOAs Center for Law and Justice, called on NYU to rescind its decision to confer the award on SJP. SJPs hateful, anti-Semitic, and divisive actions are the exact opposite of what this award is supposed to recognize. President Hamilton should apologize to the community for the decision to reward SJP, rescind the decision and explain why: because anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry wont be tolerated at NYU, and groups like SJPmust be condemned, not rewarded. If NYU does not withdrew the award, then we urge all alumni, donors and supporters to contact NYU and demand that the award rescinded. If NYU fails to do so, then tell NYU that you will no longer support a university that tolerates and rewards anti-Semitic hate groups like SJP. In an unprecedented event, hundreds from San Antonio's Jewish community, joined by Jewish leaders from throughout the U.S. and Israel, celebrated and expressed appreciation the past four decades of the ardent Israel support of Pastor John and Diana Hagee. Arguably, this is the first time any Jewish community came together to express true respect and appreciation for a Christian leader. This was not just a once-in-a-generation event, it's the first in any generation. The event was historic for another reason. The Hagees have dedicated most of their lives to make support for Israel central for themselves, their ministry, and establishing that as a pillar of what it means to be a Christian. There are many ministries that are pro-Israel and lend their support and raise money for Israel. Some have been in existence for decades longer than that of Hagee Ministries'. However, Hagee Ministries is unique in its raising and disbursing over $100 million to various Israeli causes. In addition, the Hagees made recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital as a centerpiece of its mission and were recognized for doing so, perhaps more than any other Christian leaders in the world, by Pastor Hagee being recognized to give a benediction at the opening of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem last year. Their work is historic, and no less unprecedented than the Jewish community honoring them. Introducing one another at the outset of the formal program, Pastor Matthew Hagee and Rabbi Avraham Scheinberg brought the importance of the relationship established between their respective fathers to a new generation, in the presence of their children, a third generation. Through a video presentation and in their respective remarks, Pastor John Hagee and Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg related the genesis of their relationship, how a friendship evolved to which they feel like brothers. This was echoed in Pastor Matt's comment about having an Orthodox Jewish rabbi as an uncle. As Rabbi Avraham introduced Pastor Matt, the symbolism of continuing of a relationship that grew into a close friendship of their fathers was vivid. The verse from Psalm 133 that's sung in Hebrew epitomized the event, and this special relationship. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Among the dignitaries, Israel's Consul General Gilad Katz recited a blessing that he noted he's never had the occasion to say before. This is typically said upon seeing a king, president, or prime minister and acknowledges God for "giving wisdom to flesh and blood." Many others expressed their appreciation long distance. Governor Greg Abbot and Senator Lindsay Graham sent their greetings by video, as did representatives from several organizations in Israel that Hagee ministries has supported over the past decades. This was the tip of the iceberg-the recognition could go on for days. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton noted that one of the things that the Hagees deserve credit for, when pursuing a plan that's divine, it also requires hard work and the Hagees did just that. Celebrating them, he blessed them that they could now sit back and watch God's work because while the actions were those of the Hagees, "ultimately it is His plan, His work." Echoing this, Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations noted that "when we follow our hearts like the Hagees taught us, we know God will do his part." Hoenlein used a biblical example to underscore how important the Hagees' work has been. He spoke of the spies that Moses sent to scout out the Land and noted, "Today few can name the ten spies who came back with a negative report, but everybody can remember the name of the two spies who came back with a positive report. This teaches us that those who stand with Israel will be remembered forever and those who stand against Israel will be written off and forgotten." Rabbis Aryeh Scheinberg and Pesach Lerner served as the chair and co-chair of the event. In their warm introduction of Pastor Hagee, Rabbi Scheinberg recalled the time nearly four decades ago when Pastor Hagee approached the Jewish community to put together the first Night to Honor Israel. Some in the Jewish community looked at Pastor Hagee with suspicion. In his advocacy to work together, Rabbi Scheinberg recalls imploring, "We know how to deal with our enemies but what if this guy is our friend?" Ultimately this was born out and Rabbi noted, "No attempts were made to proselytize or to denigrate the Jewish community." And he concluded, "God doesn't perform miracles because we deserve them but because we need them. And we sure needed Pastor Hagee." Rabbi Lerner noted that through his ardent support of Israel, Pastor Hagee "risked his life, his future, and his family." Rabbi Scheinberg added that in his lifetime, he's been blessed to see many miracles including Israel's rebirth, the reunification of Jerusalem, recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and no less significantly the rise of Christian support for Israel embodied by the Hagees, CUFI, and its 5.6 million members. He included in the miracles the emergence of the "friendship of a rabbi from Brooklyn who didn't find a friend but a brother." In addition to presenting the Hagees with gifts including a 410-year-old Bible, and antiquities from the time of King David, they also presented a check for $75,000 to CUFI. In response, Pastor Hagee spoke personally and emotionally. He shared how he paid a price for his support of Israel including being called a heretic, which he noted "is the accusation of teaching people things that will damn them to hell. It's like being told to go to hell in a special way." Yet he expressed no regrets and only affirmed his calling. He shared how "the return of the Jewish people to Israel was the greatest miracle in the 20th century," and reminisced as an eight-year-old boy hearing his father saying that Israel's rebirth under Jewish sovereignty "proves that the Bible is true." LAS VEGAS (JTA)President Donald Trump questioned traditional Jewish support for Democrats in a stem-winding speech to Jewish Republicans. How did you support President Obama, how did you support the Democrats? Trump said Saturday addressing the annual Republican Jewish Coalition conference in Las Vegas. We didnt, the crowd replied, twice. You guys didnt, probably you guys in this room didnt, he said. Jewish voters have for decades favored Democrats in elections, usually by substantial majorities of about 70 percent. Trump received a heros welcome, with speaker after speaker noting his shifts in Israel policy, accommodating the hawkish policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Among Trumps policy changes popular with this crowd: Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal, ending U.S. funding for Palestinians and recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. That the President chose to be with the RJC today proves just how committed he is to the needs of the Jewish community, CEO Matt Brooks said. We will reward that commitment with victory in 2020! The last time Trump spoke with the RJC, at a candidates forum in 2015, it did not go so well. Trump in that forum told Republican Jews he was not popular among them because he could not be bought. Despite the warm welcome, there were awkward moments on Saturday in Trumps hour-long speech, which he devoted to noting his differences with Democrats. He mocked asylum seekers and said of refugees, Our country is full, cant come, Im sorry, earning only mild applause. Jewish groups have generally favored generous refugee allowances. He also addressed the RJC audience in the second person at odd moments, referring to Netanyahu as your prime minister, and noting what he said was the unexpected success of his reimposition of tariffs on major trading partners: Maybe you could explain that to some of your people who say Oh we dont like tariffs. Its not the first time that Trump has called Netanyahu your prime minister in addressing American Jews, and the American Jewish Committee scolded Trump on Twitter. Mr. President, the Prime Minister of Israel is the leader of his (or her) country, not ours, the tweet said. Statements to the contrary, from staunch friends or harsh critics, feed bigotry. A Democratic congresswoman, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.whom Trump mocked in his speechhas come under fire from Republicans and fellow Democrats for her invocation of the dual loyalty canard. On another occasion, Trump said failing to defeat Democrats in 2020 would endanger Israelagain, using your. If implemented, the Democrats radical agenda would destroy our economy cripple our country and very well likely leave Israel all by yourselves, he said. The Democrats have even allowed the terrible scourge of anti-Semitism to take root in their party and their country, he said. The Jewish Democratic Council of America scoffed at Trumps claim to the Jewish vote, saying that it was he who was tainted with associations with white nationalists. Polling demonstrates that Trumps presidency has only solidified the fact that the Democratic Party has beenand will remainthe political home of the American Jewish electorate, said the JDCA director, Halie Soifer. This is because Trumps policies and rhetoric are antithetical to Jewish values and because anti-Semitism has increased to unprecedented levels due to Trumps divisive words, policies, and willful blindness. Vice President Mike Pence also addressed the forum, as did a number of leading GOP lawmakers in Congress. Dear Editor; The American Jewish Congress applauds the Trump Administrations decision to classify Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. This marks a dramatic step forward in properly identifying the Iranian threat. Until now, the U.S. has never named an entire entity of a foreign government as a Foreign Terrorist Organization; it is entirely fitting and necessary that Iran is the first. Irans state sponsorship of terrorism goes far beyond that of any other country on Earth, in scale, ambition, and blatancy. Moreover, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps actively promotes, supports, and participates in terrorism in pursuit of Irans goal of regional hegemony. It is imperative that when nations take part in global terrorism, we hold those nations accountable and recognize their actions for what they are. President Trump has shown courage in recognizing the realities of the modern Middle East in a way that other world leaders do not. The Iranian government is a threat to the region and to global security at large, and an undeniable source of terrorist violence against civilians. We cannot afford to stay in denial about Iran. Jack Rosen President, American Jewish Congress When Democrats failed to explicitly rebuke Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for her anti-Semitic remarks, they sent a disturbing message beyond the Beltwaynamely, that it is acceptable to use anti-Semitic tropes without facing any consequences. This was the latest sign of the normalization of anti-Semitism, which is also reflected in the tolerance of anti-Semitism on college campuses, and the effect that it is beginning to have on younger Jews. I recently met with a group of high school students, and asked if any of them had experienced anti-Semitism at school. Shockingly, 18 of the 20 (one was not Jewish) raised their hands. At a private Christian school where there are only a handful of Jews, one of the most vocal students is a frequent target. She said that someone in a computer science class programmed a robot to say Heil Hitler and salute. He showed it to me because Im pretty much the representative of the Jews for my grade. Another student said that one of her Catholic friends told her she was going to hell. When she replied, I dont think thats how that works, the friend said that he would check with his father. He came back later and said, Yeah, I was right. One young woman said that a kid in her class said something to someone next to me about how he was going to hire a Jewish lawyer to take all of his money. In another instance, he told her he loved Hitler. When she asked him to stop making these comments, he laughed. A freshman was horrified when a boy asked if she wanted to hear a Holocaust joke. Why would I want to? she replied. The next day, someone from the National Guard came to speak at her school. When the teacher asked if anyone was considering joining the Guard, this kid who sits behind me looks at me and goes, I want to go to Israel to shoot Jews. She said that her first reaction was to get up and walk away. I didnt know what to say, didnt know how to react. In some cases, teachers and principals are unaware of whats going on under their noses. But when an anti-Semitic incident is brought to their attention, their response is often inadequate. For example, when someone asked a girl about the bracelets she was selling for a bat mitzvah project, He said, Youre Jewish, and I said, Yeah, and he said, Well, Im German so get the fout of here and go back to Auschwitz. She was stunned. Knowing someone who escaped Auschwitz, I was appalled. Its disgusting and its hurtful. The next day, she reported the student, and was told that since it was his first offense, they were going to give him a do better talk. She recognized a double-standard, one that she will also find when she gets to college: If a white person had said that to an African-American, the school would be all over it. But when someone told me to go to Auschwitz, the only thing they were going to do was give him a do better talk. The harassment didnt stop: The next PE class, he and a bunch of his friends shouted at me, basically cat-calling and saying awful insults, and calling me a kike. I didnt know what to do. I kept telling myself its not my fault, I didnt do anything to them. One Jew from the Christian school doesnt let the abuse go unanswered. She wrote a speech about how anti-Semitic jokes arent funny, and a lot stems from ignorance and making assumptions, and thinking things are funny because thats their way of explaining things they dont understand. She gave the speech to the entire high school, and the Board of Trustees. Sadly, the harassment continued. Young Jews often get little or no support from their peers or their schools. Like other bullies, anti-Semites are encouraged if they see they are getting to their victims, and the targets of abuse are reluctant to say anything for fear of getting a reputation for telling on others and making things worse. One student said, If you call someone out, people think youre some sort of prude. We are a nation that now tolerates anti-Semites at the highest level of American politics. Bigots are emboldened, and Jews are threatened. But why should anyone worry about teenagers who express hatred for Jews; after all, one day they could be elected to Congress. Mitchell Bard is executive director of American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise and Jewish Virtual Library. My mother, Tess Wise, a Holocaust survivor and an indomitable force in Central Florida, founded the Holocaust Center in the early 1980s, along with my father, Abe. Today I lead that same organization as board president at a pivotal time when we have a chance to imagine a new museum, reinvigorate our mission and significantly broaden our impact. It is an extraordinary opportunity and one that we are meeting with thoughtful deliberation, widespread community input and deep respect for our roots. Our mission is to use the history and lessons of the Holocaust to build a just and caring community free of anti-Semitism and all forms of prejudice and bigotry. The Center has always been an inclusive place, collaborative and welcoming and belonging to everyone. The Holocaust was not only a Jewish tragedy. It was a human tragedy. Creating a better world in its aftermath is not only a Jewish triumph. It is a human triumph. Teaching this has always been our mission. These lessons may be more relevant today than at any other time since the end of World War II. No one feels the weight of this responsibility more than I. My mother dedicated her life to this mission. But I am encouraged in the knowledge that I dont lead this effort alone. We have a large, diverse board of directors made up of our communitys finest leaders, each one deeply dedicated to this work. We have a tremendous staff of educators and program directors. We have partners, agencies, schools, city leaders and respected colleagues whove joined forces with us. And we have staunch supporters who have invested much more than funds. They have invested themselves. Recently, we began a fundraising effort and visionaries have invested more than $10 million. An additional $10 million from an Orange County Tourist Development Tax grant is awaiting final approval by the Board of County Commissioners. The goal is to be able to raise $35 million to build a new museum. For more than 30 years, our current home in Maitland has served as the setting for teaching the Holocaust, giving our community a profound sense of place. But we must acknowledge the physical limitations of the small building, unable to meet the growing demand for more programs and exhibit space. Central Florida has grown exponentially in those same years and is now the worlds largest tourist destination. A new museum offers the ability to connect with generations of new students in creative ways, where learning about the Holocaust can be more than a brief field trip, but a life-changing experience with ongoing engagement. A more accessible location and a larger facility will also help us reach hundreds of thousands of visitors to Orlando who increasingly seek more meaningful and transformative travel. So we look to the future and dare to imagine an iconic Holocaust museum at the very center of our region with a central role to play in our education, discourse and civic life. The intimacy and power of hearing directly from an eyewitness to history will someday be lost. What will remain is a story, one that we tell and retell hoping that each new generation absorbs it and understands the obligation they have. Lets be bold in telling that story and in passing on the legacy. Yet, we are taking it slowly. For the past several days, the foremost Holocaust museum exhibit designer in the world, architect Ralph Applebaum, has led various community groups in discussions and exploring possibilities. This pre-planning stage will take a long time. He notably said, The Holocaust is a threshold into a whole range of issues that help make a better society. And that affects us all. I hope every reader of the Heritage will join us in this process and help support what will be the new Holocaust Museum for Hope & Humanity in Orlando. There is a need for every voice, every heart and every mind. Ellen Wise Lang is the president of the board of directors of the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida. Morton Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, testifies before a House Judiciary Committee hearing discussing hate crimes and the rise of white nationalism, April 9, 2019. (JTA)-The head of the Zionist Organization of America, Morton Klein, told a congressional committee that the New Zealand mosque shooter was a "left-wing" terrorist, basing his assessment on the killer's discursive 74-page manifesto. Klein testified on Tuesday during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on "Hate Crimes and the Rise of White Nationalism." "The New Zealand mosque murderer was actually a left-wing self-described 'eco-Fascist' who also published a manifesto praising Communist China as 'the nation with the closest political and social values to my own,'" he said. Experts on white nationalism believe that the Christchurch gunman's overarching motive for carrying out the massacre was the threat he perceived to whites rather than any economic philosophy, and say he likely threw multiple red herrings into his manifesto to sow confusion. The killer, Brenton Harrison Tarrant, also said he was inspired by the black conservative commentator Candace Owens, who testified at Tuesday's hearing. No mainstream analyst has suggested that Owens inspired the killer. In the manifesto, Tarrant called President Donald Trump "a symbol of renewed white identity and common purpose." Klein, a Trump supporter and longtime opponent of a Palestinian state, made a point of rejecting claims that Trump's rhetoric has contributed to a rise in white nationalist violence in the United States. "The Tree of Life synagogue massacre perpetrator was a neo-Nazi who hated President Trump for not being anti-Semitic, called Jews in the Trump administration a 'kike infestation' and also hated anti-Trump Jews," Klein said. The alleged Pittsburgh killer depicted Trump as controlled by Jews, but Trump's critics say the shooter acted on the belief that Jews were organizing a migrant invasion of the United States. That belief was fueled in part by the unsubstantiated theory, advanced by Trump, that the Jewish billionaire George Soros funded the migrant caravan. (Officials associated with Soros denied that he or his charitable organization provided support.) Klein also said that the media misreported the context behind Trump's claim that there were "fine people on both sides" at the far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August 2017 that resulted in the death of a counterprotester. Klein seemed to reference an explanation of Trump's remarks recently popular among his supporters that the president was referring broadly to those who want Confederate monuments removed and those who oppose removal. However, in his remarks, Trump referred multiple times to the marchers in Charlottesville. A white national group obtained the permit for the march, where participants chanted anti-Semitic and racist slogans, and hoisted Nazi flags. On the evening before the hearing, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., tweeted that Klein and Owens would be testifying at the hearing. "Both have elevated hate rhetoric and extremism in our country," Tlaib wrote. She was probably referring to Klein's statement that 49 percent of Muslims worldwide hate Jews, including 34 percent of American Muslims. He continued, stating that the present greatest threat to Jews comes from Islamic anti-Semitism. Klein, who was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany, responded in a statement to the Daily Wire: "As usual, Tlaib resorts to name calling without any facts. I know what unbridled hate looks like firsthand as I lost nearly all of my family in Hitler's Holocaust." "Tlaib knows what hate looks like as she put a sticky note over Israel on a map in her office and called it Palestine and she wrote for Louis Farrakhan," he added. "Tlaib also supports BDS. Tlaib promotes anti-Semitism more than almost any other member of Congress that I've ever known." Meanwhile, YouTube disabled the comments on a livestream of the hearing after it was flooded with racist and anti-Semitic comments, CNN reported. "Hate speech has no place on YouTube," a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. Alexandria Walden, the counsel for free expression and human rights at Google, which owns YouTube, testified at the hearing. Facebook also was represented. "This just illustrates part of the problem we're dealing with," Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., the Judiciary Committee chairman, said during the hearing after learning of the comments from an article posted on The Washington Post website. Eileen Hershenov, senior vice president for policy at the Anti-Defamation League, told the hearing that a "driving force for the resurgence of white supremacy is the role of social media in enabling this hate to spread." Hershenov also said that there has been a rise in polarizing and hateful rhetoric on the part of candidates and elected leaders. "I implore you and all public leaders to consistently call out bigotry and extremism at every opportunity," she said. "We all have a responsibility to make clear that America is no place for hate." Protests have swept through Bangladesh after an 18-year-old girl was burned to death by four men dressed in Burkhas for refusing to withdraw her complaint of sexual harassment against the principal of the madrasa where she was a student, reports India Today. The victim had filed the complaint with local police on 27 March alleging that the principal, Maulana Siraj Ud Doula, used to touch her inappropriately at his office. After the police arrested the principal, the victim and her family began to receive death threats from associates of the principal. On 6 April, the girl was confronted at the roof of the Madrasa by four men who were covered in burqas in an attempt to hide their identities; they asked her to withdraw her complaint and then proceeded to douse her in kerosene and set her on fire when she refused their demand. The victim succumbed to the burn injuries on 10 April at a hospital in Dhaka. Police have taken the attackers into custody and it has been revealed that they were all students of the same Madrasa. Massive protests broke out throughout Bangladesh after the incident, with demonstrators pushing for justice for the victim. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina me the kin of the girl and gave her assurance that everyone connecting with the murder would face legal action. Source : Swarajya Magazine Evolution in mammals is difficult to observe because of long generation times. But in the case of fungi, bacteria and parasites, evolution happens in a relative blink of eye and causes death and disability. As surely as night follows day, drug resistance is a natural consequence of the use of medications for infectious disease. The problem has reached epidemic proportions in recent years and has been highlighted as one of the most serious threats to modern medicine by the World Health Organization. Focus on drug resistance has largely been on bacterial pathogens, but a recent article in the New York Times has shed light on the growing threat posed by infections caused by the Candida auris fungus that have become resistant to the drugs commonly used to treat it. The fungal species was first discovered in the ear of a Japanese patient and in the past decade it has spread across five continents. C. auris can cause life-threatening infections if it enters the blood of patients with a weak immune system. All microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, have the ability to develop resistance to the antimicrobials (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, anti-parasitics, etc.) used to treat the diseases they cause. When all the other microbes are suppressed, there are more resources available for the resistant microbes to grow and spread rapidly. Drug resistance is particularly worrying in the case of antifungals because treatment options for fungal infections are more limited than for bacterial infections. C. auris is resistant to the drugs most commonly used to treat fungal infections. So patients are sicker for longer and survival rates are lower. In India, as many as half of those who develop a blood stream infection with C. auris die, but since in many cases they were already critically ill, C. auris is not recorded as the ultimate cause of death. Unlike other fungi that rarely transmit between humans, C. auris can be passed from patient to patient in a hospital. This is because of its unusual ability to last for long periods of time on hospital surfaces, such as bed rails and door handles. The combination of being transmissible, hard to remove from hospital surfaces and difficult to treat, make it capable of causing deadly outbreaks. C. auris is not commonly on clinicians radar as it poses little threat to humans unless they are vulnerable to infection for some other reason, such as a recent surgery, for example, or a patient whose immune system has already been weakened by infection with HIV/AIDS. The occurrence of C. auris in India varies by hospital. In one hospital in north India, a third of Candida infections were due to C. auris, but in a hospital in the south, this figure was closer to 10%. A broader look across 27 Indian intensive care units found 5.3% of Candida cases were caused by C. auris (compared to 0.04% in the United Kingdom). Although data are limited, studies suggest that C. auris has spread widely across India though the majority of cases have been reported in public sector intensive care units in the north of India. Receiving antimicrobial drugs, whether antibiotic or antifungal, is a risk factor for C. auris infection. Across India, antimicrobials are available over the counter without a prescription, meaning they are used even when they are not needed or the correct treatment regimens are not followed. This overuse increases the rate at which resistance emerges, and is causing these drugs to become ineffective. In hospitals and clinics, antimicrobials are also often used incorrectly as physicians may not have specific training, may perceive they are needed to satisfy paying patients, or may receive money from drug companies to encourage sales. Patients who stay for longer in the hospital are more likely to be infected by C. auris. Invasive interventions, such as the placement of a catheter, provide an opportunity for disease-causing microbes, such as C. auris, to bypass the bodys natural defences and can lead to the life-threatening infections, particularly when hospital staff do not have time or training to ensure cleanliness is maintained. Health care cost constraints have led to overcrowding of patients in some hospitals and this facilitates the spread of infections, including those caused by C. auris. Access to clean water and sanitation facilities is essential to maintain hygiene and prevent infections spreading many healthcare facilities in rural India are unable to provide access to these provisions. As more people crowd into hospitals, whether because of the greater institutionalisation of births, wider available of health insurance that covers hospital stays or just population ageing, the public health threat posed by hospital acquired infections is increasing. These are infections that patients acquire when they are hospitalised. In India, it is estimated that roughly one in 20 patients will acquire an infection while in hospital. And when these infections are drug-resistant, the risk of death and longer hospital stays goes up significantly. There is no doubt that increasing access to essential health services, through interventions such as Ayushman Bharat, saves lives. However, for health services to serve their communities and prevent outbreaks of deadly resistant infections such as C. auris, failures in infection control must be addressed, antimicrobial use reduced and the emergence of C. auris monitored. Isabel Frost and Ramanan Laxminarayan are researchers at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, a Washington DC-based public health research organisation The views expressed are personal One of Bollywoods most adored couples, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan celebrate 12 years of togetherness on April 20. The actors got married in a ceremony in 2007 and have been setting relationship goals for their fans ever since. She was the beauty queen and a successful actor in Bollywood and he was a superstars son and a powerhouse of talent, when they met almost 20 years ago. Abhishek and Aishwarya worked together in films like Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (2000) and Kuch Naa Kaho (2003). It was after the New York premiere of Guru (2007) in January that Abhishek proposed to Aishwarya in the balcony of their hotel in New York. Aishwarya said yes to the proposal immediately. In a recent interview, Aishwarya talked about the magical moment when she got engaged. The actor said that the moment was surreal for her as she was on the sets of her 2008 film, Jodhaa Akbar. Aishwarya recalled how her director, Ashutosh Gowariker, and co-star Hrithik Roshan reacted to the news as well. Pictures from Aishwarya and Abhisheks wedding. Also read: Neena Gupta called Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar cheapy and mean kind of people. Heres why Ashutosh is like you are engaged and I am like yeah, Aishwarya said, while Duggu (Hrithik), gave her an excited thumbs up. Aishwarya remembered that the crew was filming the Khwaja Mere Khwaja scene that day and how bizarre the experience was, considering that it, too, is about a wedding. Were doing Khawja Mere Khwaja, sitting as a bride, and I am like, oh my god this is surreal, all happening on-screen, off-screen, this is bizarre, she said. Aishwarya and Abhishek announced their engagement in 2007 and were married shortly afterwards in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence in Mumbai. The two welcomed daughter Aaradhya in 2011. To celebrate their anniversary check out the 10 more adorable and romantic Instagram posts they have shared about each other: Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, who just delivered Kalank on Wednesday, has said that Katrina Kaif called and informed him before she walked out of Street Dancer. The film, that initially starred Katrina in the lead, now features Shraddha Kapoor. Directed by Remo DSouza, Street Dancer will release on November 8. The dance film also features Aparshakti Khurana, Nora Fatehi and Shakti Mohan in important roles. Katrina and Varun appeared together on Koffee with Karan. Also read: Kalank box office day 2: Alia Bhatt-Varun Dhawan film registers major dip, earns estimated Rs 10 crore Media reports claimed Katrina made an abrupt and sudden exit from the project. Varun has now refuted the rumours and told Mid Day, She called me and discussed why she would have to exit the film. That shows her maturity and respectfulness, and it means a lot to me. I am sure we will work together in the future. Katrina had to walk out of Street Dancer as she was busy with the shoot of Salman Khan-starrer Bharat. The two actors even appeared together on Karan Johars chat show Koffee With Karan to promote the film. He further told the tabloid, It would have been a wonderful opportunity, but things didnt work out due to the unavailability of dates. She was keen to do the film and even requested us to postpone it slightly. But logistically, that wouldnt have been possible since a lot of arrangements was already done. Talking about working with Shraddha in the film again, Varun said, Its amazing to have Shraddha in the film; its a reunion for us. Were attempting something that hasnt been seen on screen before the film may be in 4DX format. Shraddha will reportedly essay the role of Pakistani dance enthusiast while Varun may play a dancer from Punjab. The film has been shot in India and the UK. Initially supposed to be a sequel to Remos dance film franchise, ABCD, Street Dancer marks the second collaboration of Varun and choreographer-filmmaker Remo. They earlier teamed up for the second installment of the hit franchise ABCD. Shraddha was also seen alongside Varun in ABCD 2. Follow @htshowbiz for more China at its Limits; Matthias Messmer, Hsin-Mei Chuang; 415pp, 59; Kerber Verlag; Available at select art book stores and at China is ever at our shoulder, setting off crackers at our borders, playing mahjongg with unfriendly neighbours, seducing us with cheap toys, dazzling us with gleaming cities that inspire and frighten, taking control of the water tap like the local slum dada, and glowering down at our unruly democratic ways in incomprehension. The average Indian thinks about that great giant beyond the Himalayas only when some politician, usually of authoritarian bent, proclaims that he will transform Mumbai into Shanghai. Urbs Prima in Indis hears this, laughs for a bit and jumps onto the local train to work. Her more well-heeled citizens might post holiday pictures alongside the terracotta army in the mausoleum of the Chinese Emperor Qin and write of yearning for Indian-Chinese chow mien doused in green chilli sauce while in the belly of the Red Dragon but, as China at its Limits by Matthias Messmer and Hsin-Mei Chuang recognizes, there is surprisingly little cultural interaction between the peoples of the two most populous Asian nations, and a good deal of mistrust: A Chinese propaganda poster depicts a scene from Premier Zhous 1954 visit to India. Hes shown here with Nehru. (From China At Its Limits; Used with permission from the authors) It is probably only natural that China and India have become rivals since they emerged as modern nation-states. Their differing mentalities are mirrored in the fact that India built the Taj Mahal because of a romantic sentiment, whereas the Chinese constructed the Great Wall for military purposes. Taking their beliefs in the afterlife as an example, Hindus hold that death eventually liberates all human beings from material dependence. Quite to the contrary, Chinese constantly try to ensure their comfort in the afterlife by burning paper houses, furniture, money and even servants. In other words, worldly needs are, in one case, a burden that ends in death, and in the other a desire that transcends physical limits. This intrinsic difference might well have significant implications for the twenty-first centurys Great Game. The observation thats both imaginative and acute is just one of many in this superbly produced volume that combines history, photography, culture and travel writing, reportage, and political analysis to provide the reader with a portrait of China by looking at her borders, at the ghosts of forgotten conflicts and old shifting friendships, at waves of migration, at tribal rivalries, at once busy ancient trade routes that now lead nowhere, at the constant push and pull between Beijing and the peripheries of the nations vast expanse, at contemporary fears and past dreams, at the real and the imagined-and-therefore-no-less-real. To achieve this, the authors, one from a tiny country in Central Europe, the other from a slightly smaller island in the Pacific Ocean (Switzerland and Taiwan), travelled to the borderlands, to areas in and adjoining North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, the stans, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bhutan, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos, and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao, ambitiously attempting to map place memories and show how circumstances and events in less familiar parts of the country often have a deeper meaning and impact than their seemingly minor status suggests. This isnt easy to do but the authors succeed by combining a telescopic view of long-ago events with a fine focus on individual lives. Heres 85-year-old Cheng Yi-feng who, to escape an arranged marriage, enlisted at 16 in the Kuomintang to fight the Communists. Captured by the Peoples Liberation army at 18, he switched sides and was sent off to fight in North Korea. By his early twenties he had already spent three years in a POW camp after an attack on his unit by US troops. The spectacular accompanying portrait shows a wizened man lifting his shirt to show his tattoos that include a call to Destroy the Communists and recover the nation. Heres Bavuu standing next to relics of a Chinese trading outpost on the Mongolian-Russian border. The retired director of a provincial museum, he secretly left his home in Western Mongolia for this frontier as a young man to serve the cause of socialism. Heres a Tajik wedding party in Tashkurgan county, the veiled bride in a rich red sequined burqa alongside her groom as beaming family matriarchs look on. And heres retired sailor Lawrence with his family on the roof of a building in Kolkatas Chinatown. Indian readers will feel a creeping sense of shame at their travails: After the breakout of the Sino-Indian war, Lawrences family was dragged from its home in Malbazar in North Bengal, where his father worked as a carpenter in a tea plantation, and sent to the Deoli camp. After being released in 1964, they were sent to Kolkata without their belongings. Right here, we were dropped off in the middle of the night, Lawrence pauses in front of an open trash dump We spent the night in a yard, and we woke up the next morning to find it was a Chinese funeral home. The piece on the citys Chinatown goes deeper than many Indian essays on the now largely assimilated community: The small Chinese community in Kolkata is a diverse group: Hakkas traditionally work in the leather-processing industry, Cantonese as carpenters, people from Zejiang as tailors, those from Hubei as dentists Messmers photo collages that place once eminent figures in contemporary settings helps the viewer make connections and appreciate how human life might have changed in material terms but has possibly stayed the same when it comes to the reptilian brain that controls hunger, the sex drive, and the ownership of territory. While the image on the cover recalls the young women who comforted Taiwanese soldiers, the one featuring Marshal Su Yuanchun, sent by the Manchu court to protect its interests against the French at the porous border with Vietnam, and French Consul Auguste Francois, commemorates their unlikely friendship. After peak business hours, the receptionist of a restaurant in Dongxing, a city in China on the Vietnamese border, whiles away the time playing with a cellphone. (Matthias Messmer) The writing and the images complement each other allowing even the non-scholarly reader to better understand Chinas internal conflicts with the Uyghurs, the possible impact of its tortured history with Tsarist and Soviet Russia, the peculiarities of its relations with North Korea, the spoiled child with a time bomb, the nature of Vietnamese antipathy, Mongolian resentment at the Chinese appropriation of Genghis Khan, and how all these could affect OBOR, Chinas ambitious Belt and Road initiative. Like a glittering reflection on murky waters, Beijings OBOR is dazzling yet annoying to Delhi, Messmer and Chuang write, adding a few paragraphs later, though both (India and China) often display military restraint, we can expect recurrent clashes and skirmishes in the medium term as the price of an all-out war would be too high for both. A visual feast, this 415-page tome escapes strict categorization: Is it an art book? Is it a work of political history or foreign policy? Is it a travelogue? It is all of these? Whatever label you choose, this is a rewarding read that gives a clear sense of China and its national character. 215pp, 399; HarperCollins The cover of Sabyn Javeris Hijabistan, a collection of short stories, is full of spunk: A confident woman, hidden from head to toe in an abaya, not just a hijab or headscarf, and who finds the long-flowing garment liberating. She is wearing make-up, funky rainbow sunshades and licking a red ice-lolly, with femnst scribbled on it, from under a titillating veil covering her half-open mouth. The abaya is her parallel universe, as the stars embossed on it suggest, even as she seemingly successfully navigates the real. The blurb on the book endorses this sentiment: A young kleptomaniac infuses thrill into her suffocating life by using her abaya to steal lipsticks and flash men; An office worker feels empowered through sex, shunning her inhibitions, but not her hijab; A young Pakistani bride in the West asserts her identity through the hijab. A promising read, you think. But not for long. Though the stories give the much-needed peek into the parallel universe of a hijabi, more often than not, the protagonists come across as helpless, instead of in control of their lives, as the blurb would have you believe. The book opens with Javeris grandest story the one that captures the fine nuances of the life of a (triumphant) hijabi. A middle-aged boss in Karachi is showing unusual interest in his young receptionist and she is beckoned into his cabin often. The routine normalises with small talk, advance salaries and the gifting of a silk headscarf as beautiful girls should be hidden from prying eyes. When he takes her to bed, he delivers a sermon on piety and the significance of removing pubic hair in Islam. The girl laughs at the irony, without any sense of guilt or remorse, choosing to rather think about how best she could use the money she has squeezed out of him. The girls parents are pleased to notice their daughters switch to the hijab and her embracing of the right path. When a 13-year-old hijabi loses interest in stealing fire-engine red lipsticks from shops and hiding them under her tent-like abaya, she flashes a shopkeeper from her balcony. Flashing him becomes a norm till she is caught by her mother - not flashing - but making eye-contact with the shopkeeper. Her mother makes the most of the opportunity and forces the shopkeeper to marry her daughter. The 13-year-old spends the rest of her life locked up in his house, lest she flashes her ankle to an ant. Javeri does a fine job of letting us into the little-known world of hijabis. Her stories have fabulous plots, her writing skills are extraordinary, but what is bothersome is that the stories are not balanced they tilt towards the constricting dimension of the hijab, one has already been overdosed on. Her attempt to lighten up the stories with a dash of humour does not nullify this bleakness: In this sea of black burkhas, I cant tell who is who a brother tells his sister, when he goes to pick her up at the bus stop. Or wearing a hijab is like travelling in your own private marquee. Author Sabyn Javeri (Courtesy the publisher) The first few stories do set the right tempo for the book. But the repetitiveness of the plots, such as the thrusting of the hijab on the onset of puberty, is irksome, and some stories just do not make the cut. What can indeed be liberating about a hijabi househelp who invites her boyfriend over to her madams house in the middle of the night and is caught making love on her madams favourite piece of furniture the dining table? Or about two lovers caught spending time together in a public space by the cops, pretending to be married? By the third or fourth story, the reader gets a fair idea of what connects the hijab-wearing protagonists whether they are in the UK or in Pakistan -- which is where the book is set, and that they can do little to change their destinies. There are heart-wrenching stories of hijabis in the UK, the land where one assumes they espouse feminism, have ice-lollies with femnst stamped on it, and have a better chance to break free than their counterparts in their country of origin. Aliya is a budding poet who is sent back to Pakistan as she might bring disgrace to her family. Saira has feelings for the same sex but chooses to relocate to Pakistan to have an arranged marriage even as her mother is against the idea. In an attempt to uncover the many layers of the hijab that extend beyond the symbolic head cloth, Javeri delves deep. Some stories do hold promise, but just about. Zara returns home to her mothers house in Lahore from London with her little son. Her mother imagines that Zara wants to end her marriage as her husband is a womaniser. However, its not Zaras husband who has erred, it is she who is The Adulteress. The hijabi women who populate Hijabistan from the angelic to the sinister - show potential to conquer the universe, but, like Zara, are unable to ignore patriarchal injunctions or fight societal stereotyping. On the rare occasion, when they do put their foot down, they go the whole hog google ISIS! Read more: Review: Nobody Killed Her by Sabyn Javeri Sixteen short stories down the line, some of which have been published before in literary journals and magazines, the dearth of stories of triumph pinches. Of hijabis choosing to wear the headscarf and making a dent in their careers or lives, without having to compromise and without feeling constricted by the garment. When Javeri does attempt a story which is out-of-the-box, her portrayals are over-the-top of kleptomaniacs, bisexuals and adulterers. Javeris book is a let-down because she set the benchmark high for herself with her debut Nobody Killed Her, which documented the political journey of two headstrong and ambitious women. The often unrealistic, regressive and caricaturish portrayal of hijabis - one might think they are in dire need of professional counsellors - is likely to put off sensitive readers, especially in a world where hijabs and hijabis are under perpetual scrutiny. It would have been uplifting to read spunky stories of women, the ones we hear about in real life, the ones who choose to wear the hijab and feel liberated. Lamat R Hasan is an independent journalist. She lives in New Delhi. Indias SpiceJet Ltd said on Friday it will prioritize hiring employees of Jet Airways Ltd who are losing their jobs after the crisis-hit Indian airline halted all flight operations indefinitely this week. We have already provided jobs to more than 100 pilots, more than 200 cabin crew and more than 200 technical and airport staff, said Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director of SpiceJet. We will do more. Hundreds of Jet Airways employees protested in Delhi and Mumbai on Thursday to push its management for answers about their future after the airline shut down all flight operations on Wednesday having failed to secure new funding from its lenders. Jet Airways has lost many employees as the crisis unfolded. About 400 pilots have moved to other airlines, leaving Jet with about 1,300 pilots, a senior Jet pilot told Reuters. About 40 engineers have also left, a senior engineer said. Lenders, led by State Bank Of India, say they are hopeful of a successful bidding process for Jet. The carrier is saddled with about $1.2 billion in debt. Low cost carrier SpiceJet, which pledged to add 27 planes over the next two weeks to help to fill in the slots left vacant by Jets grounding, said that it is making all possible efforts to minimise passenger inconvenience. The government plans to form a committee to temporarily allocate takeoff and landing slots left vacant by the grounding of Jets flights, a senior official said on Thursday. Local airlines including InterGlobe Aviation Ltd and state-run Air India are likely to benefit. Air India on Thursday offered special fares to passengers stranded in international routes due to Jets grounding. With the candidature of Pragya Thakur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ensured a tectonic headline shift. And perhaps this was their plan: Field a terror accused out on bail, seize the news space and convert even the apoplectic criticism of the decision into an opportunity. After all, no one is talking about the new unemployment report that shows how five million Indians lost their jobs in the past two years, beginning with the demonetisation debacle. Or for that matter any other governance-related issues. Instead, we are all consumed and enraged by the BJPs choice of the Bhopal candidate and the brazen defiance and disregard for all constitutional norms. Yet, in a week from now, get ready for the mainstreaming of Thakur, whose campaign will soon be reported on by the national media, as if she were a regular candidate and not a woman charged in a bomb blast that killed six people, including a five-year-old girl, who was returning home to have Ramzan dinner with her grandmother. There will be breathless reportage of the mother of all contests as the BJP nominee goes up against the Congressman who is said to have coined the phrase saffron terror. Her rallies, press conferences and speeches will get massive play as the media will invariably normalise her. Now imagine, if you will, if the victims of the Malegaon blast were primarily Hindu. Would the BJP still have fielded Thakur? And what if she had been a Muslim? Would they have spared another party for endorsing a terror accused? The BJP routinely hands out certificates of nationalism and tags anyone who disagrees with the dominant narrative as a traitor; today, it is openly advocating for an accused in a terrorism case. If this is not anti-national, what is? Where are the all the hyperventilating TV anchors who claim all dissenters are urban Naxals and anyone with an alternative perspective is the so-called tukde tukde gang? Today, isnt it their nationalism that has collapsed into smithereens or tukde? Their prime time arsenal is otherwise full of weapons to take aim at terror apologists. So why are they silent against an actual terror accused? There are no hash tag wars on these channels against Thakur or the right wing for defending her so staunchly. Not even after she has launched a disgusting broadside at Hemant Karkare, the hero of the 26/11, who died fighting Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai. He also happened to be the officer who led the investigations into the Malegaon blasts and against Thakur. Now, already emboldened by her potential electoral respectability, Thakur has declared that Karkare died because of his karma. And that he was cursed to die this way. This humiliation of a gallant Ashok Chakra hero is an insult not just to Karkares individual sacrifice; it is a smear on the uniform. In this campaign, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself, the BJP has repeatedly called the opposition treacherous for questioning the security forces after the Balakot strike. BJP spokespersons are hastily distancing themselves from the comments on Karkare. BJPs spokesperson has said it believes Karkare is a martyr and these are her own beliefs because of the torture she was subject to. But after the sacrifice of an upright and courageous martyr has been mocked in so coarse a manner, this is hardly enough. Will Modi publicly disown the words of Thakur? Or will she be permitted to mock the sacrifice of a respected and upright police officer? And will she be called an urban Naxal or a traitor or are those words only to be used selectively and politically? Finally, will all those eminent Indians who supported Modi for PM in 2014 and perhaps again in 2019, appeal to him to withdraw the candidature of Thakur? After all, they have often said their support has been rooted in promises of economic reform, zero corruption and efficient clean governance? But the BJP is not contesting on these issues. Its rhetoric is all about national security and, with the formal advent of Thakur, also about religious polarisation. Or are we going to pretend that Thakur is the fringe? The last time we used that description was when Yogi Adityanath was in Dadri defending the men accused of murder of Mohammed Akhlaq. He went on to become chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Dare we even wonder to what heights Pragya Thakur may rise? If nationalism is the new Hindutva, which clearly has been the BJPs strategy, the party may just have fallen into a trap of its own making. Even arguing that the charges against Thakur were politically motivated will not explain her disgraceful remarks about Karkare. Nor will a win in Bhopal for the BJP have the last word on the decision to give her a ticket. Because only a court of law and not elections will determine her innocence or guilt finally. But the very fact of her candidature dents the BJPs claim to muscular nationalism. This is beyond the pale. And lets measure the right wing by its own standards. To borrow from their lexicon, it is most certainly anti national. As is the decision to field her. Barkha Dutt is an award-winning journalist and author The views expressed are personal Sam, Coco, Kiwi and Tuffy are the newest and the youngest members of the Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) canine unit. The four Labradors will now be trained to become explosive detectors to secure Delhi Metro. The three-month-old puppies arrived at CISFs Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) unit at Shastri Park about two weeks ago from a breeding centre near Kuruskhetra in Haryana. In another two weeks, they will leave for Ranchi, where they will be trained for six months. Sam and Coco are white Labradors, Sam is the only male puppy in this lot. The other two are black Labradors. We had a vacancy after our dogs retired while some had to leave because of health issues. So, these four puppies were inducted. The four are at present being made familiar with each other and other dogs to make them submissive and be able to accept their new life, said Ombir Haldia, inspector in-charge of CISFs dog squad. Once their training starts, Haldia said, for the first 21 days, the puppies will go through a marrying period where they develop a bond with their handlers. They will have to be used to getting leashed. They develop a friendship with their handler and start accepting his commands. Gradually, they are introduced to physical training and a routine will be set for them, the inspector said. He said once the dogs are familiar with their new atmosphere, they are taught to learn commands. After obedience training, they are trained in explosive detection. Since the puppies are young, they are fed dog food. As they grow older, we start feeding them meat, chappati and rice. Also, now instead of bathing them, we clean them with a wet towel, dry wash them and groom them every week, the in-charge said. Assistant inspector general of CISF, Hemendra Singh, said these puppies will return after six months as trained commandos -- the best in sniffing out explosives in Delhi Metro. At present, the DMRC unit of CISF has 63 dogs, including the ones who secure the airport express metro. The CISF also plans to procure a Belgian Malinois puppy for the first time. Belgian Malinois dogs shot to international fame for assisting US Navy Seals in sniffing out Osama Bin Ladens hideout in Pakistan. In India, they are being used at Kaziranga, Assam, for wildlife protection and to sniff out rhino poachers. Earlier this month, two Belgian Malinois dogs have been inducted in Madhya Pradesh polices dog squad. A special squad that had landed in Delhi in 2015 to sanitise and conduct anti-sabotage checks before US President Barack Obamas visit included these dogs. Delhis new iconic structure the Signature Bridge was constructed allegedly violating at least two specific conditions stated in the environment clearance (EC), experts and activists have pointed out. On Wednesday, Hindustan Times had reported how even five months after the Signature Bridge was opened for traffic, construction and demolition debris has not been removed, and how that has almost choked Yamunas flow. The bridge was given an environmental clearance by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) in February 2017 with specific conditions that no waste, including construction spoils, should be dumped into the river and that the rivers flow should not be obstructed at any point. Point number one of the specific conditions mentioned in the EC which HT has a copy of states: Project proponent shall ensure that there shall be no disposal of construction spoils/waste into the river Yamuna and its floodplains. All the pictures show that it is a clear violation of the conditions laid down in the EC. Debris has been dumped into the river and the rivers flow has been obstructed. It is also clear that a road has been built below the bridge so that heavy machinery can move in, CR Babu, professor emeritus and head of the Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystem (CEMDE) at Delhi University, said. In a spot check, HT had found that almost of the entire stretch of the river from its eastern bank to the western bank was blocked by construction and demolition waste and soil leaving only a few metres for the river to pass through, like a trickle. A senior official of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation Ltd (DTTDC), the government agency which was responsible for constructing the bridge, however, said: No fresh debris was dumped into the river. Before the EC was given, we had constructed more than 30 temporary structures and the foundation was laid. These are being demolished and the debris is being removed on a priority basis. Point number eight of the specific conditions of the EC states: Project proponent shall take appropriate measures so that river flow is not obstructed during the construction phase and operation. The HT report had mentioned how the rivers flow has almost been stopped and the Yamuna appeared to be a stagnant pool of waste-water just beyond (upstream) the Signature Bridge. We can clearly see that the rivers flow has been obstructed by the bund-like structure that has been formed by dumping of construction and demolition waste. This is a clear violation of the EC, said Vikrant Tongad, an activist who had moved the National Green Tribunal in 2014. It was after hearing his case that the NGT had directed the authorities to get the EC from the SEIAA. The DTTDC official, who was closely associated with the Wazirabad Bridge Project, later renamed the Signature Bridge, however, said: The width of the river at that point is 251 metres. No permanent pillar has been built on this stretch. So the river is not obstructed. Only temporary pillars were built, which have now been demolished. We will remove the demolition debris before the 2019 monsoon. Experts said non-compliance of the EC conditions hasnt been monitored because the SEIAA has been non-functional for almost a year now. The dumping is a clear violation of the EC conditions and safeguards suggested by the Delhi SEIAA. This non-compliance has not been monitored as the Delhi SEIAA, which has powers to do it, has been non-operational over the past one year, said Kanchi Kohli, a legal researcher with the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). The DTTDC, however, maintained they have been regularly submitting quarterly reports to a cell, which was set up to monitor the compliance of the EC, with representatives from DTTDC, forest department, irrigation and flood control, the DDA and the DJB. The last quarterly report was submitted on March 8, 2019. There were more than 90 conditions laid down in the EC. All but one condition, for which a study needs to be conducted by experts, has been met till date. The study report is expected by this month-end and the same would be submitted to the monitoring cell in the next quarterly report, said Shishir Bansal, chief project manager of the Wazirabad Bridge Project. Calls and messages to Delhi environment minister Imran Hussain went unanswered. Tamil Nadu Higher secondary public examinations or Class 12th results were declared on Friday by the Directorate of Government Examination. Students who have appeared in the exam can check their results on the official website of Tamil Nadu Board at www.tnresults.nic.in, www.dge1.tn.nic.in, www.dge2.tn.nic.in. Here is the direct link to check the results. The Tamil Nadu board class 12th examination were held between March 1 and March 19 by the Directorate of Government Examination in the state. A total of 8.8 Lakh students have written the exam this year. Last year, 91.1% students passed the Class 12 board examinations in the state. Girls performed better than boys. The pass percentage of girls was 94.1 and for boys it was 87.7. Of the 8,60,434 students who appeared for the examination in 2018, 7,84,081 cleared it. The highest pass percentage was recorded in Virudhu Nagar (97.05), followed by Erode (96.35) and Tiruppur (96.18). TN 12th Result: Heres how to check: 1) Log on to tnresults.nic.in 2) Click on the link for 12th results 3) Key in your registration number and date of birth 4) Click on Get Marks 5) View your result and take a print out Actor Sonakshi Sinha was spotted at designer Manish Malhotras bash called The Party Starters and it was attended by Khushi Kapoor along with Student Of The Year 2 actors Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria. While Ananya and Tara wore short dresses in metallic hues, the Kalank actor chose to wear a powder blue pantsuit and she completely nailed the look. The apparel, the colour palette and the silhouette are ideal for those who like to keep it edgy yet elegant during summers. The gorgeous actor kept her hair sleek and pulled back and completed the look with heels and minimal accessory. The make-up was subtle and complemented the look. The look was styled by Mohit Rai and seems like the Dabangg 3 actor look to Instagram saying, Fighting the mid week blues, in blue! Sonakshi Sinha was recently seen in Karan Johars Kalank and she has been apprecaited for her acting, poised demeanour and the classic looks in the film. We hope to see more style experiments from the beautiful actor. Her recent top 5 looks: Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Tamil superstar and aspiring politician Rajinikanth on Friday said he is ready to contest assembly elections in Tamil Nadu whenever the state goes to the polls. Whenever it is announced I am ready. I will decide after May 23, news agency ANI quoted Rajinikanth as saying to a question whether he will contest state polls if AIADMK falls short of majority in the just held assembly bypolls. Tamil Nadu voted for 18 assembly seats along with 38 Lok Sabha seats in the second phase of the national elections on Thursday. The assembly bypolls are crucial for the stability of the AIADMK government in the state. The state government will come into minority if it fails to perform well in the bypolls. The total strength of the Tamil Nadu Assembly is 234. There are 22 vacancies currently. Bypolls were held for 18 assembly seats. The AIADMK government needs at least 116 seats for majority on the floor after May 23 when the election results will be announced. The AIADMK currently has 114 excluding the Speaker. The party has been facing dissensions. Three AIADMK MLAs have recently turned Independent and it is not clear if they will vote for the government if floor test is conducted after the election results are announced. Another three MLAs of the party declared their support to TTV Dhinakaran, the rebel leader who won the RK Nagar bypoll in Chennai. This was the assembly constituency from which late chief minister J Jayalalithaa used to contest. The twin developments have made AIADMK vulnerable in a test of strength on the floor of the assembly fueling speculation that the Tamil Nadu may see mid-term polls. The tenure of the current Tamil Nadu assembly ends in 2021. Rajinikanth had previously said that he would filed candidates in all 234 assembly constituencies in 2021 Tamil Nadu polls. In December 2017, Rajinikanth had announced entering politics with his own political outfit. External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday took to Twitter to reach out to relatives of those Indians who are living in Libya. In a tweet she said that though there had been massive evacuations from Libya, more than 500 Indians were still stranded in Tripoli. Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. Pls ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later, she tweeted. Libya has been witnessing intensifying fighting in Tripoli ever since the self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, launched an assault on the countrys capital on April 4. The move has been seen as one that could potentially drag the country into a civil war. An arrest warrant has been issued against Haftar and six of his aides, even as the Libyan prime minister Fayez Al-Sarraj called on the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes and violations by the forces of warlord Khalifa Haftar and bring them to justice. Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. /1 PL RT Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 19, 2019 Pls ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later. /2 Pls RT Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 19, 2019 More than 205 people are reported to have died with more than 900 others being injured. Libya has been in witnessing unrest since 2011 when an uprising led to the overthrowing and killing of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. On April 7, Swaraj had tweeted that the entire Indian contingent of peacekeeping forces comprising 15 CRPF personnel from Tripoli had been evacuated after the situation there suddenly worsened. The situation in Libya has suddenly worsened. There is fighting in Tripoli. Indian Embassy in Tunisia @IndiainTunisia has evacuated the entire contingent of 15 CRPF personnel yesterday itself. I appreciate the excellent work by the Indian Embassy in Tunisia. #Libya, Swaraj tweeted early on Sunday. The Chandigarh Consumer Commission recently ordered Bata India Ltd to pay 9,000 in fine for charging 3 from a customer for a paper bag to carry the shoebox. Legal experts say the order is legally valid across the country and that stores cannot charge consumers additional charges for the bag if the product is purchased from the same store. The forums order came on a complaint filed by a consumer, Dinesh Prasad Raturi. Raturi told the consumer panel that he had purchased a pair of shoes on February 5 from the shoe store located in Sector 22D. The store charged 402, which also included cost for the bag. Raturi contested that by charging him for the bag, Bata was also endorsing its brand on the bag which was not justified. Raturi sought a refund of 3 and compensation for deficiency in services. The forum slammed Bata for charging an additional amount for the paper bag. The forum ordered that a customer cannot be compelled to pay for the bag, and that it was a clear deficiency in service. The consumer forum ruled that it was the stores duty to provide a free bag to the customer who purchased their product. Sagar Saxena, an advocate based in Delhi, said: This consumer courts decision is legally valid across India. People can cite this order anywhere in the country and have the bag charges waived. The order establishes that even if the bag is environment-friendly, the retailer cannot charge an additional amount for the bag. The consumer forum observed that if the companies are eager to protect the environment, they should provide free environment-friendly bags to the customers. Nikhil Majithia, an advocate in Delhi, said: After this order, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs should come out with guidelines to protect consumer rights. Shopkeepers are not allowed to charge extra from consumers, as they brand the bag with their logo, so it becomes part of their advertising. The Chandigarh commission in its decision directed Bata India Ltd to refund the cost of the bag ( 3) and litigation charges, i.e. 1,000 along with 3,000 as compensation to the customer for the mental agony caused by deficiency in services. The forum also directed Bata to deposit 5,000 in the legal aid account of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission. The Tripura police have registered a case against Congress president Pradyot Kishore Deb Burman for slapping a man accused of attacking the convoy of his partys Lok Sabha candidate, inside a police station at Tulasikhar in Khowai District, nearly 70 kilometres from Agartala. We will serve him a notice to appear for interrogation within 2-3 days, Khowai Police Stations officer in-charge Partha Chakraborty said. Khowai police registered a case against Pradyot after a video showing him slapping Mintu Debbarma inside the police station on Thursday went viral on social media. The BJP has criticized him for taking the law into his hands. If he can slap someone in a police station, he can murder anyone anywhere, state Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said. Mintu Debbarma, 30, and a few others allegedly pelted stones at the convoy of Pragya Deb Burman, the Congress candidate for the East Tripura constituency (ST reserved) and elder sister of the party chief while she was returning from an election rally on Thursday afternoon. The police arrested four people, including Mintu, for their involvement in the incident. Two separate cases including one suo moto by the police were lodged against the four. We have lodged a suo moto case against the four for attacking other convoys besides the Congress candidates convoy. They have been taken to court on Friday, said Uddab Debbarma, officer in-charge of Champahowar Police Station. Both Pradyot and Pragya accused the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an alliance partner of the ruling BJP of being the mastermind of the incident. NC Debbarma, the IPFT chief and cabinet minister in the states BJP-IPFT government admitted Mintu was his partys supporter but claimed he was falsely linked with the attack. Protesting against the attack on Pragyas convoy and the arrests, activists of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), a regional party that signed a MoU for an alliance with the Congress for Lok Sabha polls, blocked the road at Tulasikhar on Friday morning. The blockade was later withdrawn after the police resorted to a mild lathi-charge. No one was injured, the police said. NC Debbarma, also a contender for the East Tripura seat, accused Pradyot of distributing money to influence voters and trying to create ethnic violence with his slogan Poila Jati Ulo Party that means The people first, party later. The slogan was initially raised during a series of anti-Citizenship Amendment Bill protests in January this year. Huge amounts of money are being given away to lure the voters. Our four leaders, including three women leaders joined the Congress in exchange for money. The Congress chief has violated the model code of conduct and we demand that the chief electoral officer should take action against him, NC Debbarma said. Polling in the East Tripura constituency is scheduled to be held on April 23. China said on Friday that it is preparing for a summit with India despite New Delhi skipping next weeks Belt and Road Forum, billed as the biggest event in Beijings diplomatic calendar for the year. State Councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi, played down differences between the two sides on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinpings flagship connectivity project. New Delhi has consistently told Beijing a key component of BRI, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), violates Indias territorial sovereignty as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Addressing a news conference on the second Belt and Road Forum to be held in Beijing during April 25-27, Wang all but dismissed Indias sovereignty concerns over CPEC, but couched his remarks in diplomatic jargon. One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has its concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI, including the CPEC, is only an economic initiative and does not target any third country and they have nothing to do with sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries, Wang said, referring to differences between New Delhi and Islamabad over Kashmir. Our cooperation will not undermine any partys position on those issues, he said. Responding to a question on whether Indias decision to boycott the forum will undermine momentum generated by last years informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan. Particularly, they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations, he said. After the Wuhan meet, there had been progress in all areas between the two countries and a bright prospect for bilateral ties, he said, adding: We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders. Wang contended as Chinas foreign ministry always does that CPEC doesnt undermine Beijings position that India and Pakistan should resolve the Kashmir issue through dialogue. He deftly avoided Indias consistent argument that when Xi launched the BRI and CPEC soon after six years ago, Beijing was aware of New Delhis position on PoK and any third party project in that region. Wang then repeated another stock statement: The BRI is for common development of all and India should essentially forego its sovereignty concerns. Now, we are trying to achieve common prosperity through cooperation under BRI. Those issues (the Kashmir issue) left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area, he said. Wang who is also Chinas interlocutor for with India on the disputed border had some advice for New Delhi on the BRI. I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and, at the same time, provide you with more opportunities for development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India, he said. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is set to deliver a keynote address at the forum, an indication of how cozy Sino-Pakistan ties are. India had also boycotted the first Belt and Road Forum in Beijing in 2017. Wang said it was natural for China and India to have differences. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. Indian side wants to put our difference at a proper level and it (wont allow) it to interfere in the development of our relations, he said. I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see, he added. Wang said 37 heads of state and government had confirmed their participation in the forum. Some 5,000 participants from 150 countries and 90 international organisations will take part, he said. The crime branch of the Delhi Police has lodged a case of murder against unknown persons in connection with the death of Rohit Shekhar, who won paternity suit against late Narayan Dutt Tiwari, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Rohit Shekhar was declared dead by Delhi hospital on Wednesday. RS Krishnia, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) confirmed that the crime branch is investigating the case on the basis of autopsy report. Sources said the autopsy report pointed to unnatural death caused by smothering. The forensic and crime branch teams visited Rohit Shekhars residence as the agency took over the investigation in the case. A statement issued by the hospital said, Max Hospital received an emergency call from the residence of Mr Rohit Shekhar Tiwari at 04:41 pm this afternoon (Wednesday). An ambulance brought Mr Tiwari to Max Hospital, Saket, where he was declared brought dead at the hospital emergency. Rohit Shekhar Tiwari had left Haldwani in Uttarakhand for Delhi on Monday morning with plans to join the Congress. He was in Haldwani to cast his vote in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 11. In Haldwani, Rohit Shekhar stayed with his paternal cousin, Deepak Balutia, and interacted with locals with the intention of joining the Congress. Balutia later said Rohit Shekhar told him about joining the party calling it his home. A lawyer by profession, Rohit Shekhar, had worked as an advisor to the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav from 2015 to 2017 following which he stayed with ND Tiwari, his biological father, until the latters death in October last year. Rohit Shekhar is survived by his mother, Ujjwala and wife. ND Tiwari had not married Rohit Shekhars mother before his birth. In 2012, he filed paternity suit claiming ND Tiwari to be his biological father. A DNA test confirmed his claim and in 2014, ND Tiwari married Ujjwala. A man has been arrested in Goa for his unruly actions after he questioned state minister Vishwajit Rane over the lack of a job during an election campaign. Darshan Gaonkar rose up during the public meeting in North Goa from the audience on Thursday and interrupted the Rane, a BJP leader from Valpoi, to question him about not being given a job despite being promised one. I only asked him why I was overlooked for a job despite being promised one for years now. I was only asking a question at the meeting and I was arrested after the meeting ended, Gaonkar said while speaking to reporters on Friday. Gaonkar was arrested by Valpoi Police on Thursday night under preventive sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC ) before being released on a bond. While Rane chose not to comment on the incident, the opposition Congress lost no opportunity to accuse the ruling party of misusing its powers out of frustration. This can only happen when the ruling government is misusing the police. The Congress condemns this action, Congress spokesperson Trajano DMello said. According to the BJP workers who organised the meeting, Gaonkar was unruly and was instigated by the opposition to embarrass everyone and cause chaos. But they denied that they reported the matter to the police, saying one of the ministers supporters could have informed authorities. Police said they registered a complaint based on a phone call they received from an aide of the minister. The meeting was held to campaign for the reelection of sitting member of Parliament from North Goa and Union minister of state for AYUSH with independent charge Shripad Naik, who is seeking reelection for a fifth consecutive term from the seat. Voting will be held on April 23 with parties hurrying through the last few days of campaigning which comes to a close on April 21. The results are scheduled to be accounted on May 23. The Bombay high court on Thursday dismissed a petition seeking directions to the government to provide interim funding to Jet Airways. Meanwhile, Kiran Pawaskar of Jet Airways Officers & Staff Association said around 22,000 employees are without a job after Jet Airways, once Indias largest private airline, suspended operations on Wednesday. On Thursday, the division bench of chief justice Pradeep Nandrajog and justice NM Jamdar heard a petition by advocate Mathews Nedumpara and three others, pleading the court to direct the government to give Jet Airways minimum funds to continue operations until the cash-strapped airlines is sold. The petition said the airline had been forced to suspend services because the State Bank of India (SBI) and a consortium of lenders had refused to provide critical interim funding. However, the bench said that it had no jurisdiction to interfere and directed the petitioner to take the matter to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) before dismissing the petition. Also Read | Cant sleep at night: Despair over jobs as Jet Airways grounded Meanwhile, more than 200 ground staff gathered outside Jet Airways office on Thursday afternoon. Many said they have gone without pay for two to four months. Pawaskar said, Around 22,000 people are jobless since the announcement of temporary shutdown. This is a huge number and the government should work on this. I have written to the prime ministers office, he said. Captain Asim Valiani, vice president of the National Aviators Guild, said, Ive been with Jet for 23 years and am shattered today, he said, adding the guild would take the airline to court to seek unpaid wages. Approximately 400 pilots have moved to other airlines, leaving Jet with about 1,300 pilots, said a senior Jet pilot. About 40 engineers have also left, a senior engineer said. For some, like 53-year-old baggage handler Bhoja Poojari, finding a new job is a daunting prospect. He has not been paid in nearly two months and may be forced to sell his house. I feel like my hands are tied and I cant sleep at night, said Poojari. Also Read | We are at critical stage: Jet asks staff to keep off media Founded by Naresh Goyal in 1993, Jet Airways is Indias oldest private airline. At the height of its operations, Jet Airlines had a fleet of 123 planes and operated more than 600 flights daily on domestic and international routes. The airlines made losses in all quarters of 2018 and started defaulting on salaries from July 2018. In December last year, Jet Airways, faced with a debt of Rs 7,299 crore, defaulted on aircraft lease rentals. The airlines fleet size dropped to double digits and finally to six earlier this month. On March 25, Goyal was forced to resign from the board of directors after the SBI-led consortium of lenders took control of the airlines management. In April, SBI began the process to sell Jet Airways, which is expected to conclude on May 10. The Home Ministry on Friday denied that the Assam government had been asked to act on a complaint against journalists. This is an absolutely baseless and a mischievous interpretation of the facts, the home ministry said. The factual position is that one individual, Vinay Joshi from Maharashtra, sent public grievance petition to the home ministry on the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 stating that the issue had been exploited by different militant groups such as ULFA and media has propagated militant ideology. This petition was forwarded to the state government in the normal case. Here is the full text of the statement: It has been reported in a section of media that Union Home Ministry has asked Government of Assam to take action against the Editors opposed to the Citizenship Bill. This is absolutely baseless and a mischievous interpretation of the facts. This is to clarify that Union Home Ministry has not asked the State Government of Assam to initiate any enquiry against any Editor or any member of the press/media. The factual position is that one Shri Vinay Joshi with the address of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra sent a public grievance petition to the MHA on the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) on 14.02.2019 related the issue of Citizenship Amendment Bill- 2016 stating that the issue has been exploited by different militant groups like ULFA and the media has propagated militant ideology to give fresh boost to the militant groups. A very large number of such petitions/grievances on a host of issues are received in the Ministry on a daily basis on CPGRAMS. The annual figure being 33,000 for the year 2018. Every such petition is routinely forwarded to the Ministries/States concerned. Following this standard practice, the petition of Sh. Vinay Joshi was routinely forwarded to Government of Assam. No enquiry of any kind has been ordered by the Ministry. No report has been called from the Government of Assam in the matter. It is mischievous to suggest that Central Government has asked Government of Assam to initiate action against any Editor or any media person in Assam. It is reiterated that it is standard practice to forward every petition received on CPGRAMS to the Ministry/State Government concerned. Two Maoists allegedly involved in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Bhima Mandavis killing on April 9 were shot dead in an exchange of fire with security forces in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada on Thursday, the state police said. Special director general of police (anti-Naxal operations), Girdhari Nayak, identified the two as Vargese and Linga. He said they were a part of the group of Maoists involved in the ambush in which Bhima Mandavi, the legislator, and his four security personnel were killed. On specific intelligence, a team of security forces moved inside a jungle, and near Daulikarka village, the encounter started at 5.30 am. After the encounter ended in about 30 minutes, bodies of two Maoists and a .315 bore gun were recovered from the spot, said Nayak. He added an injured Maoist was arrested from the spot. Linga was an expert on assembling and planting IEDs [improvised explosive devices]. We have started a search operation in the region and more bodies of Maoists could be recovered, said Nayak. Officials familiar with intelligence reports said Vinod Hunga, 55, had carried out the attack on Mandavi and his team in the jungles of Dantewada. Hunga is also believed to be behind the October 2018 attack in which a Doordarshan journalist and two security personnel were killed in Dantewada. Vinod alias Hemla alias Supo Hunga alias Bangalu had planned the attack on Mandavi with the help of about 60 Maoists from different units in the region, according to police officers familiar with the matter. In an article published in The Indian Express on 18 April, Harish Damodaran has argued that production glut, not dearth of cold storage and processing infrastructure, is the real cause of farm distress (in India) today. The argument, if true, has serious ramifications for Indian agriculture. This is because it suggests that the only way to deal with farm distress is to reduce agricultural production in the country. This is an interesting argument, but does it have a macroeconomic justification? The article cites problems of potato and sugar cane farmers in some districts of Uttar Pradesh, but such anecdotal evidence may not warrant the radical inference. Indeed, such an argument focuses almost entirely on supply side factors without looking at demand side issues. And two, it does not recognise the fundamental asymmetry which characterizes global agricultural markets. Whether or not a particular commodity is in excess supply in a market also depends on the level of demand for it, which is a function of many things including purchasing power and preferences. For example, if all billionaires were to vanish from the world tomorrow, we would suddenly have a glut of private jets. Similarly, if the number of billionaires suddenly doubled in six months, there would be a severe scarcity for these jets. Both of these situations can arise without any change in the supply of private jets in the world. What many commentators do not realise is that demand for food also varies drastically among countries. This becomes clear by a comparison using the data published by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO). The relevant category to look at in the FAO database is per capita supply of food items. FAO calculates supply by deducting net exports, addition to stock and other wastages from the total production for a commodity. In other words, this is a good proxy for effective demand for food in a country. FAO also gives out information on per capita supply of food (in kilo calories per day) and protein and fat (in grams per day). The latest available data (for 2013) shows that among 177 countries in the FAOs list, India is ranked 137th in food supply per capita, 145th in protein supply per capita and 146th in fat supply per capita. To put these numbers in context, China is ranked 54th in per capita food supply, 38th in per capita protein supply and 60th on per capita fat supply. The countries which are ranked at the top in each of these lists are developed economies. What is interesting is that Indias per capita supply of calories, protein and fat used to be more than Chinas until the 1970s. China adopted large scale economic reforms after this period and since then its per capita supply figures (a proxy for demand) has surpassed that of India. This is also the period when Chinas per capita incomes have increased at a faster pace than Indias. One can argue on the basis of these numbers that lack of mass income growth has acted as a roadblock to any increase in effective demand for food in India. There is nothing to suggest that the current supply-demand situation in Indian agricultural is very different from what it has been until 2013, the latest period for which the FAO data is available. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) or Gross Value Added (GVA) in agriculture at constant prices under the present government (2014-15 to 2018-19) is lower than what it was under the second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and marginally higher than the value for UPA-I. This does not suggest any radical overproduction problem in Indian agriculture in the recent period. However, the current price growth, which is the function of prices, has fallen drastically under the present government, taking the ratio of current price to constant price growth in agriculture at the lowest level under the past three governments for which data is available under the 2011-12 GDP series. If prices did not collapse when agricultural production was growing at a much faster pace, why should they crash when production growth has actually decelerated? India is nowhere close to reaching peak food consumption levels in the world. This (price crash for food items) could have happened if mass purchasing powers have come under squeeze in the recent period. Unfortunately, there is no consumption expenditure data to accept or reject this claim. The recently leaked findings of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) employment survey did suggest that the Indian economy has fared badly on the employment front. If these findings are true, there is bound to have been a negative impact on mass purchasing powers. To be sure, farm incomes have also suffered in India due to the adverse turn in international food prices, which have brought down export opportunities and earnings and also created problems for crops such as sugar cane. Also, agrarian distress is not something which has suddenly appeared in India in the past couple of years. Viability of the average Indian farmer has been in crisis for a long time now. What many people do not realise is that this is not a problem which is unique to India. Even in a country like the US, where farming is extremely mechanised and practiced on very large farms, prices cannot cover the cost of production for important crops such as wheat and cotton. Statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture show that the difference between value of output and total costs has been continuously negative in the US. It is the extremely high level of farm subsidies which sustains commercially unviable farming in countries such as the US. The US gave almost $120 billion in Green Box category farm support to its farmers in 2015. This is nearly one-third of the nominal agricultural output in India in 2015-16. Although Green Box subsidies are permitted under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, they do play an important role in sustaining what would otherwise be commercially unviable cultivation and creating a glut in the global market. The US is among the top exporters of both wheat and cotton in the world. If the global agricultural markets did not suffer from such distortions, third world countries like India would actually have a better chance at exporting their products. These factors are probably more important for the current predicament of Indian agriculture than overproduction is. The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right, the Supreme Court said, as it allowed an Indian Police Service officer to travel abroad, permission for which was denied to him due to a pending departmental enquiry. A bench of justices LN Rao and MR Shah also said the right extended to private life. The right to travel abroad is an important basic human right for it nourishes independent and self-determining creative character of the individual, not only by extending his freedoms of action, but also by extending the scope of his experience, the judges held while allowing IPS officer SC Vermas appeal against the decision of Madras High Court. The officer can now travel (visit his family in the US) between April 28 and June 1. The right also extends to private life; marriage, family and friendship are humanities which can be rarely affected through refusal of freedom to go abroad and clearly show that this freedom is a genuine human right, the court said. Posted as the Inspector General of Police at the Central Training College, Central Reserve Police Force at Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, Verma was not allowed to travel in December 2018 because there was a departmental enquiry pending against him. He moved the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that declined him permission to go on the private trip. CATs decision was upheld by the Madras High Court last year . Before the SC, Verma contended that there were no criminal cases pending against him and that the departmental enquiry initiated against him was under challenge. SC relied on an earlier verdict delivered in the Maneka Gandhi case, wherein the right to travel was held as a fundamental right by the top court, to set aside the HC order. A pending departmental enquiry cannot be a ground to restrain Verma from travelling on a private trip, the top court said while ordering the Centre to grant him the requisite permission for travelling. A two-year-old girl and four others were trampled to death by a wild elephant in Odishas Angul district on Thursday night, the casualty count being the biggest in a tusker attack in a single day, according to officials familiar with the man-animal conflict in the state. Kalia Saar, a 40-year-old brick kiln worker of Sandha village, was asleep with his daughters, aged 2 and 12, on the verandah of their house when the elephant crushed them to death, the officials said. The beast then trampled another woman asleep in front of a neighbouring house. Later, it killed a 70-year-old man who had stepped out to relieve himself in the nearby Santhapada village. Angry over the killings, the residents of the two villages staged a road block on Friday morning, demanding adequate compensation to the family of the deceased. Forest authorities have offered an immediate compensation of 40,000 to the surviving members of Saars family, including his wife. At least 92 people were killed by elephants in Odisha in 2018-19, officials said. The fragmentation of elephant corridors is forcing wild animals to head towards human habitations, said Biswajit Mohanty of the Wildlife Society of Odisha. Officials said the Delhi-based NGO, Wildlife Trust of India, was given ~2.67 crore to prepare an elephant conflict mitigation plan in 2016, but claimed it has yet to submit its final report. Several draft reports have, however, been submitted. Three men were killed and another injured after an autorickshaw in which they were travelling overturned upon ramming a divider on Mathura Road in south-east Delhi, during the early hours of Friday. According to the police, the auto driver, who was allegedly speeding, lost control of the vehicle while trying to simultaneously clean the windshield while driving. He fled the spot following the incident but was tracked down and arrested. The three men who died were identified as Ram Singh (40), Dev Raj (23) and Ashok (18). Police said all of them were Uttar Pradesh natives and used to live at Nehru Nagar in Lajpat Nagar. They were returning from a catering job at a party in Jaitpur, the police said. The New Friends Colony police said they received a call around 1.15am about a speeding auto crashing into a divider. When a police team reached the spot, an overturned three-wheeler was found. The injured had already been taken to Apollo Hospital in the police control room vehicles. On reaching the hospital, we found that three men who were riding in the auto were dead, while another man, 25-year-old Amar Singh, survived with injuries, a police officer, who is not authorised to speak to the media, said. Singh was seated in the front, with the driver, the police said. Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal said that Singhs statement has been recorded. He said that the four of them work as caterers on a contract basis. He said they were returning from one such contract in Jaitpur (when the incident took place). Singh alleged that the driver was driving rashly and at a high speed, the DCP said. Singh told the police that despite their repeated warnings, the auto driver did not slow down. He said that soon as they reached a traffic signal on Mathura Road, the driver took out a cloth and started cleaning the windshield. As he was speeding, he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a divider. The auto fell and all of them were injured, Biswal said. The officer said that the auto driver was identified as Vijender Kale. He was traced with the help of the vehicle and arrested within hours. He was booked for rash driving and causing death due to negligence, he said, adding that CCTV footage from the accident spot is being checked to see if any other vehicle was involved in the incident. Ashu, sister of Ram Singh who died in the accident, said he is survived by his eight-year-old son and a wife. I got a call around 3am, asking me to visit AIIMS. When we reached there, we found that my brother had died. He was the sole breadwinner of the family. His wife keeps repeatedly fainting and is in a state of shock, she said. Raj and Ashok used to live in Delhi alone and their families are based in Rampur and Sambhal of UP. Ram Singhs brother-in-law, Sonu, who is an acquaintance of Amar Singh, said he got married only four months ago. Doctors said he is out of danger and that his condition is stable, he said Likening Congress leader Hardik Patel to Hitler, the man who slapped him at a rally in Gujarats Surendranagar on Friday, said he had decided in 2015 that he would hit the Patidar leader. My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then, Ill hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow, the attacker Tarun Gajjar was quoted by ANI as saying During his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarats Hitler? added Gajjar, who was admitted in hospital after being attacked by Congress workers following the slapping incident. WATCH: Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped at a rally in Gujarat Hardik Patel had spearheaded the Patel agitation in 2015 demanding that government scrap quotas for Muslims, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) or reclassify Patels to OBCs, guaranteeing them a share of government jobs and school places. In August 25, 2015 Patidar rally in Ahmedabad, 14 people had died during clashes with police. On Friday morning, Gajjar attacked Patel while shouting: We lost 14 Patidars, referring to the youths killed in clashes. Video footage shows the 25-year-old leader addressing a rally where he is thanking people for support and seeking backing for the Congress candidate when a man walks up to him and slaps him. Theres a good chance of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman returning to a fighter cockpit soon but the final clearance will be given by the Bengaluru-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) where the 35-year-old will undergo a series of tests in the coming weeks, two Indian Air Force officials with direct knowledge of the matter said on the condition of anonymity. Varthaman created military aviation history by shooting down a Pakistani F-16 during a dogfight with the Pakistan Air Force over the Line of Control on February 27, seconds before his own MiG-21 Bison was hit by a missile forcing him to eject. Experts have hailed it as the first ever kill of an F-16 by a MiG-21 Bison, fighter jets of two different generations. He could be recommended for a Vir Chakra, Indias third-highest war-time gallantry award, HT learns. The aerial skirmish took place a day after Indian Mirage 2000s struck targets in Pakistans Balakot in response to the Pulwama suicide attack in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force men were killed on February 14. Also Read |Balakot an intel-based pre-emptive strike: Nirmala Sitharaman Varthaman was in Delhi last week for a medical review at the Air Force Central Medical Establishment, the same facility where he was first brought to on March 1 after his repatriation from Pakistan where he spent almost 60 hours in custody. The medical establishment is a specialist facility where aircrews from the three services are assessed for flying fitness. Doctors at the Army Hospital (Research and Referral) have also been involved in his medical assessment and treatment. He was diagnosed with injuries to his spine and rib. In such ejection cases, specialists usually assess a pilots health for up to 12 weeks before they clear him for flying again. So we will know about Abhinandan by May-end. But going by the current health indicators and the officers determination to return to fighter flying, we hope to see him in a g-suit soon, said the first official. Varthaman has now returned to his unit in Srinagar --- the air forces No.51 squadron, which is also known as Sword Arms, said the second official. Also Watch | Radar image proof that Abhinandan downed Pak F16: IAF counters Pakistan In mid March, Varthaman went on four-week medical leave and took complete bed rest at his home base. He is likely to be assigned light ground duties before moving to the IAM for the final clearance for fighter flying, the second official added. Varthamans wife Squadron Leader Tanvi Marwah (retd) and their seven-year-old son Tavish are with him in Srinagar. The 12-week timeline for assessing a pilots health after an ejection is not cast in stone. Pilots can also be given a grace period to recover fully. We have a tie up with the United States Air Force and if required, we can seek their opinion too, said Air Marshal Pawan Kapoor, who retired as Director General Medical Services (Air) in December 2017. Senior IAF officials, who did not want to be named, said Varthaman could be recommended for a Vir Chakra for bringing the PAF F-16 down. Also Read | IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman returns to his squadron in Srinagar during sick leave: Officials As the action happened on the other side of the LoC, he could be awarded the war-time gallantry award. The government will have to take that call, whether he gets a Vir Chakra or a Shaurya Chakra, one of the officials said. The Vir Chakra and Shaurya Chakra are the countrys third-highest war-time and peace-time gallantry awards, respectively. The Mirage 2000 pilots, who carried out the Balakot strikes, could be recommended for the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry, another official said, asking not to be identified. On April 8, the IAF released radar images for the first time to rebut Pakistans claim that it hadnt lost a US-manufactured F-16 fighter jet in the February 27 dogfight. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Thursday named the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Haryana in which it will be fielding candidates, while its ally in the state, the Jannayak Janata Party(JJP), went on to name its candidates in four constituencies. The two parties said they will together contest in all 10 seats in Haryana JJP will field candidates in seven seats, while AAP will do the same in three of the remaining seats. The state will go to polls on May 12, the same day as Delhi. While AAP indicated that an alliance with the Congress in Haryana is now unlikely, the potential tie-up between the two in Delhi continues to be uncertain. In a joint press conference in Delhi on Thursday, AAP said that it is fielding candidates from Faridabad, Karnal and Ambala (reserved) Lok Sabha seats, but did not disclose their names. The JJP, on the other hand, have named candidates from Hisar, Sirsa (reserved), Rohtak and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh seats. JJP chief Dushyant Chautala shall be contesting from Hisar, Nirmal Singh Malhadi from Sirsa, Pradeep Deswal from Rohtak and Swati Yadav from Bhiwani-Mahendergarh. In Haryana, the constituencies from which the JJP is yet to name candidates include Kurukshetra, Sonipat and Gurgaon. People have speculated about the Congress. But we have maintained that Chaudhari Devi Lal left the Congress in 1971. And since then we have been fighting the Congress. We will never go with the Congress, said JJP chief Dushyant Chautala, who named himself as the candidate from Hisar. AAPs Delhi convener Gopal Rai said: The AAPs fight is against a Hitler-like regime. The attempts to tie-up with the Congress was part of the larger goal. Yesterday [Wednesday], we tried till the last moment. But the Congress just doesnt seem to realise how important it is to join hands and fight against the BJP. Thursdays announcement came a day after senior functionaries of AAP and the Congress said the two parties were failing to reach a consensus over seat sharing in Haryana. The AAP has so far maintained that a tie-up will the Congress will happen in Delhi only if it happens in Haryana. On Wednesday, Sanjay Singh of AAP and Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Congress had met to discuss over the alliance in Haryana. The Congress had offered a 7:2:1 deal for Haryana, taking the largest share and leaving two for the JJP and one for AAP, senior party functionaries had said. AAP, on the other hand, insisted on the Congress giving up one more seat to the JJP (which means a seat sharing formula of 6:3:1), a senior AAP functionaries said, and that was where the deal got stuck. On Thursday, the AAPs Haryana unit chief Naveen Jaihind confirmed the developments of the meeting. Delhi Congress in-charge PC Chacko, on Thursday, said that the alliance with AAP was almost finalised in Delhi, however the AAP leaders backtracked at the last moment. When Silchar in Assam voted on Thursday, all eyes were trained on the fight between sitting Congress lawmaker Sushmita Deb and the BJPs Rajdeep since both parties have wrested the seat several times in the past decades. Yet, the National Peoples Party (NPP) candidate Nazia Yasmin Mazumdar grabbed eyeballs, for, despite the BJPs amazing rise and the Congress sharp decline in the past three years, it is the regional party that has emerged as the biggest player across the seven states in the northeast. And whats more: the former Congress general secretary Mazumdar is upbeat and confident about beating rivals even from established national parties. I got a lot of support from the rural belt, Mazumdar told HT. Over the past three decades, both the BJP and the Congress indulged in divisive politics and didnt develop the Barak valley. I have tried my level best to reach out and convince voters and am confident of a good show, he said. The NPP gaining such clout is not without irony since it is one of many regional parties that are part of the anti-Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) and has yet charted its own course across the region. It has fielded candidates in 11 of the 25 Lok Sabha (LS) seats of the northeast. Besides its home-turf and stronghold of Meghalaya, the NPP has floated contestants in Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. Tripura was the only state not on the agenda for these elections, but it is only a matter of time. We have the desire to expand our wings across the northeast. We have our limitations in being a party that is relatively new. We tried to reach out to Tripura. It was very difficult to reach out to Tripura for logistical and tactical reasons. But itll take time for us to expand everywhere, said NPP president Conrad Sangma. The NPPs rapid rise would have been thrilling for founder PA Sangma. The former Congressman and LS speaker had formed the NPP in 2012 with a definitive purpose in mind. Sangma wanted the consolidation of tribal constituents. He wanted to make the NPP a tribal party with a national presence. And if he had lived longer, it would have materialised by now, said the editor of The Shillong Times, Patricia Mukhim. In 2013, the party which had joined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured barely 9% of the total votes and just two seats in the Meghalaya assembly polls. In 2017, the NPP won four assembly seats in Manipur and helped the BJP for its first government in that state. By 2018, the NPPs vote share in Meghalaya increased to over 20%. It won 19 seats of Meghalayas 60-member assembly, the NPP was able to form the current government headed by NPP chief and the late PA Sangmas second son Conrad with support from other regional players but also the BJP. In the Nagaland assembly polls last year, the NPP with two seats joined the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP coalition government. After the senior Sangmas death in 2016, the partys mantle passed to his second son Conrad K Sangma, who along with his older brother James and sister Agatha, has been able to strengthen the NPP and expand its presence across the region. Ironically, it is the BJPs determination to push through the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) despite near-unanimous opposition across the northeast, that came as a blessing in disguise for the NPP because the regional partys fierce campaign against the proposed law rapidly made it a household name in all seven states. So unified was the northeast against the controversial bill that envisages Indian citizenship to all minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan but excludes Muslims that ten regional parties many of whom were BJP allies were persuaded by the Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma to come together on one platform and oppose CAB together. It is this pan-northeast narrative that attracts many voters to the NPP. People like the NPP because they feel it is a northeast party, unlike Congress, and there are many people who are unsympathetic to the BJP. They see NPP as kind of a neutral party. Within the power, but separate from the BJP, said Taba Ajum, editor of The Arunachal Times. For the first time Meghalaya voter David Thangkhiew, the NPP is appealing as unlike bigger parties like the Congress and BJP, the regional outfit is genuinely concerned about issues in the region. The NPP may not be able to produce magic so soon but it is slowly building its base in the region, he said. Conrad Sangma is clear on the NPPs goals. Our mission and focus have been simple we want to touch the lives of our people and work for the people. We want to become a platform for the people of the northeast to voice their concerns in Parliament, he said. His older brother and Meghalaya home minister James Sangma says that the NPP has complete faith in the CMs leadership. Conrad has been active in politics from his early childhood. He used to travel with our late father when he was only 12 years old. He is meticulous in his actions and does his job with perfection, James said. Conrad also has the backing of sister Agatha, a former Union minister who is the partys candidate from the Tura seat in Meghalaya which was once represented by her brother Conrad and several times by her father PA Sangma. All the other so-called regional parties are state-centric. The NPP is now stepping into that void. The party spearheaded and coordinated the protests against the CAB which served as a rallying force, said political analyst and former minister Robert G Lyngdoh. The BJP admitted that the NPP has become a force to reckon with across the northeast, due to its many successes at assembly polls but dismisses its chances in the Lok Sabha elections. The NPP wont make a big impact this time, the BJPs spokesperson in Assam Rupam Goswami said. Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav, who had once counted the Congress as part of the grand alliance in Uttar Pradesh, on Friday delivered a stinging comeback to the Congress chief for running down his alliance with Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party and Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Lok Dal. Rahul Gandhi, who was in the state this week, had described the Akhilesh-Mayawati-Ajit Singh team as an opportunistic alliance that was afraid to stand up to the ruling BJP alliance at the Centre. The CBI and ED have their keys. They could not speak freely due to their fear but I can speak freely, Gandhi told a rally at Badaun, 60 km from UP capital Lucknow on Thursday. Rahul Gandhi had presented himself as a sharp contrast to the alliance leaders. I do not fear anyone... no one can subdue my voice, he said. Rahul Gandhis swipe at the alliance had taken some in the Samajwadi Party by surprise. The alliance had decided not to field candidates on Rae Bareli and Amethi seats that former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have represented in the Lok Sabha. When initial talks to include the Congress in the alliance did not work out, Akhilesh Yadav had gone to great lengths to insist that the Congress was still a part of this grand alliance. Some of the initial bonhomie did though wear thin in subsequent weeks. Rahul Gandhis statement jibe appeared to have scraped-off another layer. The Congress is the biggest betrayer party in the country, he shot back to a question on Rahul Gandhis comment. It was a reference to the recent review petition filed by a Congress leader in the Supreme Court about an old disproportionate assets case against Mulayam Yadav and his family. Akhilesh Yadav rubbed it in. It was the Congress that first used the CBI against us, he said, a reference to allegations that the Congress governments at the Centre including the previous UPA government had used central probe agencies to arm-twist regional leaders. Akhilesh Yadavs strong defence of the alliance and the counterattack on Rahul Gandhi came hours after a string of joint rallies by the three alliance leaders. The first one, in Mulayam Singh Yadavs Mainpuri, stood out because it had brought his father Mulayam and the SPs arch rival-turned-ally Mayawati on the same stage. To many Samajwadi Party supporters, this joint rally also messaged that it had the unequivocal support of SP founder Mulayam Singh Yadav who has sometimes, given out confusing signals. Like this impromptu meeting at the SP headquarter lawns where Mulayam Yadav was heard blaming his son for the alliance that would reduce the number of seats that the SP would contest. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi, 39, is contesting his third Lok Sabha election from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh. He spoke to Hindustan Times about his partys prospects and the challenges he faces as he seeks re-election. Edited excerpts: Q. What were the reasons for swapping your seat, Sultanpur, with your mother, Maneka Gandhi, who won from Pilibhit in 2014? A. As loyal soldiers of the party, we will go by whatever the party decides for us. We are the only two people from a family, who have got BJP tickets... The party has given us a lot and we respect whatever decision it takes about us. Pilibhit is like home for us for the last 30 years. Q. How sure are you about your victory? A. Absolutely sure. Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership generates a lot of hope, and it is benefitting all of us. Q. How is this hope pitted against the caste arithmetic of the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Partys grand alliance? A. Two things have happened in the last five years. One is that the BJPs social policy initiatives be it agricultural, educational or health [related] have transformed the rural landscape in terms of the delivery mechanism. For instance, this Kisan Samman Nidhi [under which farmers with less than two-hectare land will get cash transfers of Rs 6,000 annually into their bank accounts] I did not realise the enormous impact it has had on the marginal farmer, which we found only when we started campaigning. A lot of benefits have gone to members of the SC [Scheduled Caste], ST [Scheduled Tribe] and minority communities or those of the backward communities. Therefore, there is a sense in them that the government has looked out for them in an individual as well as in a societal capacity. That in terms of voter share will blunt the arithmetical syntax of the grand alliance. A vote for hope and aspiration is not an abstract concept. It has to be realised on the ground in terms of benefits So, there have been significant benefits and this has led to attrition in the monolith of the Maha Gathbandhan [grand alliance] vote bank. Q. Will the government benefits ensure people will rise above their caste identities? A. Identity politics is extremely difficult to break down... But my understanding of the identity is that economic transformation whether seen in Bihar, Tamil Nadu or Uttar Pradesh has always trounced the feeling of clanship. The politics of the Maha Gathbandhan is largely medieval in nature. It is a politics based on clan identity. That is not a weak idea in India. But the idea that we see resurgent and formidable in all people under 50 is an idea of a better tomorrow and that idea has to have roots in economic transformation. So, all these initiatives have led to the emboldening of that idea, and have actually led to my belief that the BJP will do better than what pollsters are suggesting. Q. How would you respond to the Opposition criticism that hopes have not translated into action? A. Narendra Modi understood one thing which earlier prime ministers did not. And that is villages have to be looked at as social economic units, rather than looking at the interlinking of the economics of villages to city centres. So the benefits that have come from Narendra Modi to villages have been direct. It is for the first time and therefore you see a strengthening of the idea that there is a leader, and hopes and aspirations of the villages and villagers are directly linked to his coming back to power. That is the linkage between economic transformation and political dividends. Q. What difference do you see between the 2014 and 2019 polls? A. 2014 was an election centred on the persona of Narendra Modi. But he had not been tested. This time we can fight on the basis of the work that has been done. And so when we talk about it, then lots of hands go up. One can speak now with a certain amount of authenticity. That time it was based on dreams and hopes. This time, it is also based on results and the groundwork. Q. Do you see a 2014-type wave for Modi and the BJP? A. I see it. But the nature of the wave is different. It is a wave that is based on Modis coming of age as a leader, who has delivered what he promised and now there is hope as to how he can take things to the next level. It is like [former US president] Barack Obamas wave in the first election and then his re-election in 2012. There was a wave both the times and he won with a big majority. In the first election, there was freshness and hope of the untested, and the second time there was a feeling that he has brought the country forward -- he has delivered. So people wanted to see what he had to offer in the second term. So I would draw a parallel. Q. Is the BJP also facing anti-incumbency? A. A certain amount of anti-incumbency would have set in against individual candidates But there is huge goodwill for Modi. The BJPs ticket distribution has been on point and the organisational revamp has helped. Q. How is the organisational revamp helping the BJP? A. There is a huge impact. I have fought two elections, but this time I feel there is an army working for me. There is almost an invisible muscle that is working for you this time. I have a feeling that it is going to pay rich dividends across the country. Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday formally joined the Shiv Sena. She announced this at a press conference held at Matoshree in Mumbai with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. Before announcing her entry into the Maharashtra-based party, she said that she wanted to connect to her roots. During my political career, I had gone astray and had forgotten what I wanted to do. I want to address the issues related to women, the youth of the country and their aspirations, she said. Watch: Committed to work for Mumbai: Priyanka Chaturvedi on joining Shiv Sena She said that she knew there would be a lot of questions regarding her leaving the Congress after 10 years in the party and joining the Shiv Sena, she said that it was a well thought out decision. I used to be trolled on social media for what I used to tweet. I took Mumbais bindaas culture and let the people troll me, she said. I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that I have taken this decision to join the Shiv Sena after a lot of thought, she said, saying that it was the perfect platform for her to raise issues about women. If I dont talk about my self respect, or womens self-respect, how will I enable women to join politics, she said. Referring to last years incident in Mathura where some Congress leaders had misbehaved with her at a press conference, she said, I felt let down when those people were reinstated after being suspended. As far as her work with the Shiv Sena is concerned, she said that anyone who comes to Mumbai or Maharashtra is automatically connected with the party and that she would work hard to disseminate the message of her new party and would go anywhere in the country if needed. I know what is my responsibility and towards which issues. I will go wherever I can strengthen the party, not just in Mumbai but in the entire country. I will disseminate the partys issues across the country, she said. I come with no acrimony, no misgivings, just my aspirations and what I espouse, I need to take it to the next level, she said. Answering a question as to whether she had resigned from the Congress because she hadnt been given a ticket from her home town Mathura, she clarified that she had not asked for a ticket from there. Early on Friday, Priyanka exited the Congresss WhatsApp groups with a simple thank you message. I wanted to thank you whole heartedly for all the love, support and encouragement I have got from you. With a heavy heart, I must announce, that I have chosen to move on but that in no way means that I dont hope to stay in touch with all of you, read her message. She also thanked her communication department colleagues, saying, A special thanks to the communication department- Girish ji, Binesh ji, Abhishek ji, Sanjeev ji, Vineet ji, Abhay ji, Radhika, Rachit, Mohammed, Manoj ji, Rohan, Shailendra ji. Thank you to Pranav Jha who was not just a colleague but my sounding board, friend and guide, the message further read. To the best boss ever, Randeep Singh Surjewala ji for giving me the wings to fly, for having total faith in me and standing by me, she wrote. She signed off by saying, Wish you guys all the very best, this is where I get off! PS: also I have thought over this very thoroughly :) (sic). Immediately after that she posted her resignation letter that she had sent to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday. Chaturvedi then took to twitter to post her resignation letter to party president Rahul Gandhi, which she said she written with a heavy heart. She wrote that she joined the party via the Youth Congress a decade ago and has since served in various platforms in different capacities. I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey, she wrote in her tweet. In her resignation, which she said she had written with a heavy heart, she thanked the party for giving her various platforms to learn and grow in political/public space, she said she had taken forward the partys vision and message. She further wrote that she had represented the party at various forums when it was at its lowest ebb. I dont even have to remind you of having faced personal threats, slander and abuse and so have my family members including my kids in the course of my service to the party, she said, adding, I have not asked, sought rewards or returns for myself in the hop ethat party and its leadership will take care of my aspirations. Referring to the Congresss call to action for safety, dignity, empowerment of women, she wrote in her letter, that the same is not not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party. A serious incident and mibehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC. Prime Minister Narendra Modi renewed attack on the Congress on Friday while seeking support of the traders community for the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha elections at a national convention of traders in New Delhi. The naamdars of the Congress dont see anything except themselves. Gandhiji called himself a baniya (trader) with pride. But the naamdars of the Congress brand all the businessmen as chor (thieves). Todays Congress doesnt know about history. The naamdars dont know about the traders contribution to the progress of the country, said PM Modi at the national convention of traders. This was a veiled reference to the Congress campaign against the Modi government linking it with fugitive businessmen including Nirav Modi, Vijay Mallya and Mehul Choksi. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for whom PM Modi uses the naamdar jibe in public speeches, has attacked the government, accusing it of helping the fugitive businessmen in escaping the rule of law after committing alleged fraud. The prime minister said the previous governments under the Congress created an impression that traders were thieves, which hurt the self-respect of the community. At the event organised by the Confederation of All India Traders, PM Modi said, You (traders) are the biggest stakeholders in the development of the country. The prime minister spoke about the goods and services tax (GST) at length at the meet in a bid to address the concerns of the traders following the roll-out of the new indirect tax regime in July 2017. He said, GST has brought transparency in trade. This is why the number of registered traders has doubled. Revenue of the states has doubled. The GST Council works on your suggestions. Earlier we had to wait for one budget to the next budget now concerns of traders are addressed in two months, said PM Modi, adding, After GST roll-out, children of traders are sticking to the family business ducking the trend of looking for new avenues. PM Modi promised to create a traders welfare board and introduce traders credit card if the party is voted to power. He also announced a scheme for the traders registered under the GST regime. The beneficiary would be entitled for accidental insurance of up to 10 lakh. PM Modi also listed out the achievements of the government in the last five years at a traders meet in New Delhi on Friday. He said every day 70,000 women are getting LPG connection under Ujjwala scheme. The Bharatiya Janata Partys Bhopal candidate and Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur said on Friday that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare, who died in action during the Mumbai terror attacks, had tortured her. She added that the top cop and died after she cursed him. He tortured me I said may you perish, his inauspicious time started from that moment and he was killed by terrorists in a month, Sadhvi, who is out on bail in the case, said at a press conference in Bhopal. Read: I am not a terrorist, says Pragya Thakur Pragya Thakur is among the seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case in which six people were killed and over 100 injured on September 29. Hemant Karkare was heading the probe and Pragya Thakur was arrested as the motorcycle used in the blast was registered in her name. Watch: ATS chief Hemant Karkare died after I cursed him: Sadhvi Pragya sparks row In May 2016, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) gave a clean chit to Sadhvi Pragya. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying the motorcycle used in the blast was registered in her name. Meanwhile, a Malegaon blast victims father has moved the special NIA court seeking a ban on Sadhvi Pragya contesting the Lok Sabha election. In his petition, the complainant Nisar Sayeed, who lost his son in the 2008 Malegaon blast, said Pragya Thakur should attend court proceedings in Mumbai and be barred from contesting the Lok Sabha election. A total of 800 complaints related to irregularities and violence in the polling process in Tripura have been filed by different parties and officials since April 11, S Taranikanti, the states chief electoral officer, said on Friday. Officials are assessing video footage from CCTV cameras in polling centres in the first phase on April 11, when voting was held in the Tripura (West) constituency, he said. We have noticed some irregularities during scrutiny of the video footage. The scrutiny process is still on. The opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded re-polling in 774 of the 1,679 booths where voting was held on April 11. The Congress, too, alleged violations by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in several booths, demanding the resignations of Taranikanti and director general of police AK Shukla. Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats; the Tripura (West) constituency recorded a turnout of 83% on April 11. The Election Commission on Tuesday announced that it was deferring voting in the Tripura (East) Lok Sabha seat in the third phase to April 23 from April 18, saying the prevailing law-and-order situation was not conducive for holding a free and fair election. The BJP has accused both the CPI(M) and the Congress of being involved in a conspiracy to defer polling. The Election Commission got confused with complaints of violence lodged by both the CPI(M) and the Congress. It was a conspiracy of both the parties to defer the poll, said state law minister Ratan Lal Nath. In a last ditch effort to form an alliance with the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party has postponed the nomination of its candidates, senior party leader Gopal Rai said Friday. The effort was being made to save the country from the Modi-Shah duo, he said. On Saturday, AAPs East Delhi candidate Atishi, Chandini Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta and North West candidate Guhan Singh were to file their nominations on Saturday. But to give a last chance to the Congress to come on the table for holding talks over the alliance, we are postponing these candidates nominations from Saturday to Monday, Rai said. On Monday, these candidates would file their nominations along with South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha, North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey and New Delhi candidate Brijesh Goyal, he added. On Thursday, after holding a roadshow, the partys West Delhi candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar filed his nomination papers. Sources said AAP leader Sanjay Singh has proposed to the Congress that the party would not field its candidate from Chandigarh and give the grand old party outside support in the Union Territory, if an alliance is formed in Delhi with the 5:2 seat-sharing formula, five for the AAP and two for Congress. Uncertainty prevails over the tie-up in Delhi, with the AAP seeking an alliance in Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. The Congress, however, offered to tie up only in the national capital. On Thursday, the AAP-JJP alliance announced that there is no possibility of a tie-up in Haryana as the JJP said that it could never join hands with the grand old party. In Haryana, the AAP has proposed an alliance in the ratio of 6:3:1 with six seats for Congress, three seats for AAPs alliance partner in the state Jannayak Janata Party and one seat for itself. In Delhi, an alliance in the formula of 5:2 has been proposed by the AAP with five seats for the ruling party while the Congress has refused to form an alliance anywhere except in Delhi and that too in a ratio of 4:3. The ongoing Lok Sabha elections has delayed the launch of Nepals private airlines Buddha Airs proposed flight between Kolkata and Kathmandu by over a month. The airline will now begin its operation from May 27 instead of its earlier plan to start from April 16, Buddha Airs Marketing Director Rupesh Joshi said. We will operate three weekly flights between Kathmandu and Kolkata on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from May 27, he said. Both the India government and all agencies involved with aviation business suggested to begin the service post election. So we decided to defer it, he said. Buddha Air would be the second Nepali Airline to connect Kolkata with Kathmandu after the Royal Nepal Airlines withdrawal from Kolkata two decades back, Joshi said. The Royal Nepal Airlines now operates flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore to Kathmandu, he said. Joshi said grounding of Jet Airways will affect tourism in Nepal and a large number of booking for hotels and tour operators have been cancelled. He said Jet was the key airline to bring foreign tourists to the Himalayan country. Now, return fare from Indian destinations from Nepal had soared four times the normal rate owing to grounding of the Jet Airways. Congress leader Hardik Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in Mahisagar district of Gujarat Thursday at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give his nod for its use as a helipad, an official said. Hardik Patel had to later travel by road to Lunawada, around 100km from Ahmedabad, to address an election rally. The 25-year-old, who led the Patidar reservation stir in Gujarat since 2015 and joined the Congress last month, has emerged as a star campaigner for the opposition party, criss- crossing the state in a helicopter to address poll rallies. WATCH: Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped at a rally in Gujarat His helicopter ride to Lunawada to address an election rally for Congresss Panchmahal Lok Sabha candidate Vechatbhai Khant got into trouble after a farmer, Vinay Patel, went back on his permission to allow the chopper to land on his private field, the official said. Click here for full coverage of Lok Sabha elections Vinay Patel sounded upset with Hardik Patel, saying he is playing politics on the bodies of those who died during the Patidar reservation agitation. Hardik was to attend an election rally at 5 pm Thursday at Lunawada and two days ago permission was granted for his helicopter to land at a private land. But the owner of the private land on which the temporary helipad was to be constructed for the chopper to land declined (permission) at the last moment, said resident additional collector R R Thakkar. Read: All you need to know about Gujarat Since the permission to land his helicopter was cancelled, Hardik Patel travelled to the town by road to address the rally, Thakkar said. Vinay Patel claimed permission for the helicopters landing was sought from district authorities here by a local Congress leader without his knowledge. On April 16, local Congress leader Suresh Patel had sought permission (from authorities) for a helipad without my knowledge. When I learnt that he was given permission, I raised objection after which action was taken, he said. I know Hardik, the Patidar leader from our community, and I know who he is. I object to him putting foot on my land because he is doing politics on the dead bodies of 14 Patidar youths (killed during the quota agitation), he said. The Congress high command has formally asked Punjab cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu whether his wife Navjot Kaur could contest from the Bathinda Lok Sabha. But Sidhu has conveyed to the party top bosses that he would not be able to do justice to his wifes campaign. Kaur had applied for ticket to contest from Chandigarh from where the party has yet again fielded its old warhorse Pawan Kumar Bansal. Bathinda is being seen as the big fight in Punjab as it is represented by Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. I am honoured by the offer, but I told the party that I will not be able to canvass in Bathinda for my wife while crisscrossing the country for the partys campaign. It will not be fair to her or to the party, said Sidhu, who was on Thursday campaigning at Wayanad in Kerala, the second seat from where Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting. The waiting game is still on between the Congress and the Akalis on Bathinda and Ferozepur seats ever since Sukhbir has given indications that both he and Harsimrat could contest from the two segments. But the Congress does not wish to prolong the battle of wits as April 29 is the last day for filing nominations for Punjab which goes to polls in the last phase on May 19. The Badals have nothing to lose. They are fighting for their survival and desperate to win at least one seat, Bathinda or Ferozepur. We were waiting for them to reveal their candidates to know who to field against the Badals. Maybe Harsimrat or Sukhbir might not contest at all. There are now reports that former CM Parkash Singh Badal may fight from Bathinda, said state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar. The party is also learnt to have taken the mind of finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who contested against Harsimrat in the last polls but lost. Manpreet who had refused to fight earlier, seems to have softened his stand. On whether he had declined the Bathinda offer, Manpreet said discussions are on and they will arrive at a solution thats best for Punjab. Gidderbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, former Indian Youth Congress chief, is also among the probables. BJP SCARED BY MY CAMPAIGN: SIDHU Sidhu brushed aside the controversy over his remarks at a rally in Bihar where he was reported to have asked Muslims to vote en bloc against the BJP. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has no answers to my questions and the BJP is getting jittery of the crowds at my rallies. So, they are creating controversies by distorting my statements. I challenge them to answer my posers first, Sidhu said. About 107 million people voted on Thursday across 12 states and Union Territories in the second of Indias seven-phase staggered general elections amid reports of violent clashes from eastern and southern regions and sporadic complaints of faulty electronic voting machines (EVM). The voter turnout stood at 67.94% at 11pm, as reported by the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) official app. The highest turnout was reported from Manipur (78.19%) , where one seat went to polls, followed by Puducherry (77.49%) where voting took place on the lone seat of the Union Territory. The lowest turnout was reported from Jammu and Kashmir (45.64%), where two Lok Sabha seats went to polls. The turnout numbers are provisional and likely to be updated as many people were waiting to cast their votes at polling stations. The turnout in the second phase of the 2014 general elections was 69.6%. Deputy election commissioner Sudip Jain said 1,000 ballot units, 769 control units and 2,766 paper trail machines were replaced due to glitches. The poll watchdog announced that the total number of electors across India currently stood at 909 million, with nearly 10 million people added in the past two months. The seven-phase exercise ends on May 19 and the results for all 543 Lok Sabha seats will be declared on May 23. Violence was reported from West Bengal, where three Lok Sabha seats went to polls. The car of Communist Party of India (Marxist)s leader Mohammad Salim, the incumbent MP and Left candidate in Raiganj, came under attack allegedly by supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Several booths were captured by the TMC and the presiding officer and the state police personnel stood helplessly, alleged Salim, who is facing a tough challenge from Congresss former MP Deepa Dasmunshi, Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Debasree Chaudhuri and TMC candidate Kanaia Lal Agarwal. The BJP alleged that TMC-backed troublemakers fired in the air outside a polling booth at Ghughudanga within Jalpaiguri constituency which the BJP hopes to wrest from the TMC. Poll officials said they had no confirmation of the incident. In Kalimpong under the Darjeeling constituency, which the TMC is trying to wrest from the BJP, a polling agent of the latter party, Topden Tshering Bhutiya, was attacked. In Chopra in Darjeeling, security personnel fired tear gas shells and baton charged protestors who accused workers of the ruling party in the state of obstructing them from casting their votes. The protestors, who were blocking NH 31, also hurled crude bombs at the police, officials said. And in Purulia, which goes to the polls on May 12, the body of a BJP worker was found hanging from a tree. BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said the election commission has appointed special poll observers, yet on Wednesday the body of a BJP worker was found hanging from a tree. We condemn this violence and expect the EC to seek a report on this killing, he said. As reports of clashes poured in, an additional 50 companies of paramilitary forces each company comprises about 150 soldiers was rushed to the eastern state, senior government officials who did not want to be named said. With the additional deployment, the total number of paramilitary forces in the state goes up to 330 companies and a total deployment of about 50,000 troops. Senior government officials in New Delhi expressed concern over poll-related violence in West Bengal. Despite best efforts, deployment of troops is often delayed by pliant state-government officials and local police officials, a second senior official, who did not want to be named, said. .Let the election commission deploy central forces everywhere. We are not bothered, said Bengal minister Sadhan Pande. Clashes were also reported from Tamil Nadu, where elections were held on 38 Lok Sabha seats and 18 vacant assembly segments. A worker of the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), MS Pandian, was hacked to death at Keerathurai in Madurai while violence erupted in Ambur and Gudiyattam assembly seats. At least 20 houses were damaged in a clash between the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK an ally of DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) workers in Chidambaram. Polling was temporarily halted at Solapurs Shastri Nagar due to faulty EVMs. Reports of glitches also came from Silchar in Assam, Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, and Bolangir in Odisha. The second phase is crucial for opposition parties, which had cornered a lions share of these seats in 2014. Of the 95 seats that voted on Thursday, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 33, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) won 15 while non-NDA, non-UPA parties won 47 seats. The largest chunk of seats are up for grabs in Tamil Nadu, where the ruling AIADMK has cobbled together a jumbo coalition, including the BJP, to stave off a strong challenge from the DMK-Congress alliance. In 2014, the AIADMK had won 37 of the 39 seats on offer but the party has since suffered an erosion in support following the death of chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The state is also witnessing crucial bypolls on 18 assembly seats the results of which will have the potential of upsetting the state government. The AIADMK government commands a slim majority in the 234-member assembly currently. Neighbouring Karnataka saw 14 seats go to polls with a turnout of 68.16%. The state is witnessing a straight contest between the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance and the BJP. The BJP had won six of these seats the last time but is facing a stronger challenge from the coalition partners this time around. In Maharashtra, 10 seats in the drought-hit central and eastern Maharashtra saw a turnout of 61.79%. The Congress-Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP-Shiv Sena coalitions are facing a third front in the form of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, an outfit headed by BR Ambedkars grandson, Prakash Ambedkar. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP will look to retain control of all eight seats that voted on Thursday, though it is facing a tougher battle because of an alliance between traditional rivals Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party. In the north, Voting was especially low in Srinagar amid a boycott call by separatists, stray incidents of violence and a suspension of mobile internet. The capital city recorded a turnout of 14.1%, higher than the 2017 bypolls but lower than the 2014 general elections. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The BJP on Thursday attacked Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot for his purported statements on surgical strikes by Pakistan, saying the CM seemed to have a hotline to Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and got direct information from there. BJP MLA Kalicharan Saraf also criticised Gehlot for his casteist remark on President Ramnath Kovind and asked the election commission to ban him from campaigning. Saraf said Gehlot during a press conference on Thursday had said that not only India but Pakistan had also carried out surgical strikes but it was not talked about. Our government doesnt know about it, people dont know about it, their leader Rahul Gandhi doesnt know about it. I think there is a hotline between Gehlot and Imran Khan through which Imran Khan has directly contacted Gehlot and told him that they carried out surgical strikes. There cant be a more nonsensical and shameful statement, Saraf told reporters. I want to ask Gehlot how he got this information. He should tell who gave him this information and when and how he got the information. He should explain why he made this statement. Saraf said the Congress claims they are true nationalists but their manifesto talks of removing the sedition law and abrogating articles 370 and 35 A of the constitution and removing AFSPA and supports those who made anti-national slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University. He claimed said that Modi was a true nationalist and had taken revenge on Pakistan for the Uri and Pulwama terror attacks by carrying out the surgical strikes in Pakistan territory. Saraf said Gehlot had also insulted the President by his statement that Kovind was made president because he is a Dalit. He said these statements show that Gehlot and the Congress are desperate as they know they are losing all 25 LS seats in the state. Congress spokesperson Archana Sharma said the BJP was misinterpreting Gehlots statements for its own political gain. Gehlot is a seasoned politician; he does not make loose statements, Sharma said. In Silchar, as in the rest of the state, the flashpoint is the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), a poll promise of the BJP, which has found support among the Bengali-speaking Hindus here. However, most migrants in the Barak Valley are Hindu refugees from Bangladesh. According to locals, they form the majority of the over 200,000 names excluded from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Cachar districta move that has angered many, say local leaders. Congress candidate Sushmita Dev cannot openly support the bill, which offers citizenship only to Hindus, Sikh and Buddhist immigrants, and excludes Muslim immigrants. Dev is also a stringent critic of the NRC. The seat is traditionally a Congress strongholdDevs father Santosh Mohan Dev, won it five times but the BJP has won it thrice, too. Despite the Modi wave in 2014, Dev won riding on sympathy after her father, a veteran Congress leader, died a few months before polls. Also Read | BJP, Congress locked in a straight poll contest in Assam and Manipur Earlier, the BJPs dogged determination to push the CAB through without discussion had lost it a vital ally, the Asom Gana Parishad. The alliance was stitched back last month, and Roy, a doctor, was fielded. The voters seem to have been polarised with the majority community mostly backing the BJP because it is pushing the CAB, said Dharmananda Dev, a local lawyer adding this may help the Congress. The constituency has more than 35% Muslim voters, while the rest comprise of Bengali speaking Hindus, Tea Tribes and other tribal groups among others. Also Read | Congress will look to retain Inner Manipur in second phase polling Nearly 73.89% votes were polled in this constituency in Bengali-speaking Barak Valley in Southern Assam. In 2014, polling percentage stood at 75.4%. Laya Madduri, Deputy Commissioner Silchar said polling has been peaceful barring some incidents of EVM malfunction. The machines were readily replaced. A day after the Election Commission of India (ECI) suspended an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer for checking Prime Minister Narendra Modis helicopter in Odishas Sambalpur district, the poll watchdog sought a report and opposition parties launched a fresh attack over the incident. EC acted against Mohammad Mohsin, a 1996-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, over what it said were actions contrary to its instructions concerning those protected by the Special Protection Group (SPG), though the Congress contested the argument and said there was no such guideline. The rule cited governs the use of official vehicles for campaigning. It does not exempt PMs vehicle from being searched. What is Modi carrying in the helicopter that he doesnt want India to see? the Congress party posted on its official Twitter feed. Senior deputy election commissioner Umesh Sinha told reporters that an official has been sent to Odisha to seek a report from the state election commission. The incident came to the notice of the EC. It was reported by the field officer and the chief electoral officer, and the matter was enquired into, he said. Modi was in Sambalpur to address an election rally on April 16 and was learnt to have been held up for nearly 15 minutes because of Mohsins actions, according to news agency PTI. The commission said it issued an order in 2014 that said those guarded by SPG were excluded from checking during polls; the order was not available on the commissions website. As cited in the order...instruction dated 10.4.14 states that SPG protectees are excluded from checking, an election commission spokesperson said. A March 2019 order that was supposed to be in continuation of the 2014 order circulated by the commission did not make any mention of the specific rule for SPG protectees. A former chief election commissioner, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he was not familiar with the rule cited by the poll watchdog. The 2014 rule cited by EC is related to an absolute ban on the use of official vehicles for campaigning, electioneering or election-related travel by SPG protectees. The only exception from the above said prohibition will be Prime Minister and other political personalities, who might, in view of extremist and terrorist activities and threat to their lives, require security of a high order and whose security requirements are governed by any statutory provisions made by the Parliament or the State Legislature in this behalf, it said. While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) did not comment on the issue, Delhis ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised Modi. Suspension of the officer who checked PMs helicopter. The chowkidar [watchman] lives in his own protected shell! Is the Chowkidar trying to hide something, it tweeted, highlighting the term the PM uses to describe himself. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday rushed to cap the massive controversy that erupted over the statement of its Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur that she had cursed former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare a month before he died in 2008. BJP considers him a martyr, the party said in a statement seen as a response to a barrage of criticism from the opposition that accused the BJP candidate of belittling the senior officers supreme sacrifice. The Indian Police Service Association had also condemned Pragya Thakurs insulting statement and demanded that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected. Also watch: ATS chief Hemant Karkare died after I cursed him: Sadhvi Pragya sparks row Thakur, while addressing a press conference in Bhopal on Thursday, accused Karkare of torturing her and said: He tortured me... I said may you perish, his inauspicious time started from that moment and he was killed by terrorists in a month. This is Sadhvi Pragyas personal statement which she might have given because of the mental and physical torture she had faced, the BJPs central office said in its statement. The partys state spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal had earlier declined comment, underlining that what she is saying is from her personal experience. Also read: I am not a terrorist, says Sadhvi Pragya Her comment is a violation of Election Commissions order of not making any political statements on the Army and martyrs. Hemant Karkareji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom to save the life of people in 26/11 Mumbai Terror attacks. The BJP statement on Sadhvi Pragyas remarks on former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai attack. The state chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao said: Congress lodged a complaint against BJP candidate from Bhopal Pragya Thakur for her comments on former ATS chief Hemant Karkare. We are inquiring into the matter. While addressing the party workers in Bhopal late on Thursday Thakur said: The probe committee called Karkare and said let her go, if you dont have any evidence against her. It is wrong and illegal to detain herbut Karkare said I would do anything, will make or get the evidence but I wont leave her. The BJP candidate said the officer used to ask her how and why it (Malegaon blasts) happened and I used to reply that only God knows. Karkare would then ask me sarcastically whether he needed to go to Gods place to know the truth. I told him that if required, you will have to go. He hurled abuses on me, harassed me, insulted me a lot. Aparajita Sarangi is candid about having got the best postings under the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha. Yet, she wants to change the way chief minister Patnaik runs his state. The 1994-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer quit last year, forgoing as many as 11 years of service, to take a plunge into electoral politics. By her own admission, she is one of the lucky few who was sort of assured about the choice of seat even before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Poverty and backwardness are writ large on Odishas face. We are 25th in terms of poverty and per capita income in the list of 29 states. The state government has no long-term vision. They lack maturity in decision-making, says Sarangi, BJP candidate from Bhubaneswar, attacking the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as she relaxes at home between campaigns. Sarangi is one of the BJPs best hopes in the coastal Odisha region, which has been a BJD stronghold for years. Having been Bhubaneswar municipal commissioner from 2006 to 2009, she knows the city and its problems. The people are also familiar with her work. I have an advantage over my competitors, says Sarangi, with a smile, I enter homes to chat with women. I share their food in their kitchen. They open up to me very easily. I hope to get their support. She campaigns for long hours every day but is well aware that winning the state capital is a tall order. The BJD has continuously won the seat since 1996. Bhubaneswar has elected Congress MPs and even Communist Party of India (Marxist) MPs, but never one from the BJP. Sarangi calls her tryst with the BJP a mutual love affair. When she was joint secretary in the Union rural development ministry in charge of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, she observed very closely how the Modi government worked. Last year, she returned to Odisha with the hope of joining politics. According to the former bureaucrat, its the bureaucrats, not the politicians, who run the state. Comparing Patnaik with Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, she says, Naveen babu inaugurates projects through video conferences from Bhubaneswar but look at Naidu. Every month he travels across the state for at least 20 days. She adds, The person who is at the top cant be remote-controlled. Naveen has ruled for 19 years as there was no alternative. There was a political vacuum so he could rule. But things have changed now. Her bureaucrat friends label her as efficient and very ambitious. But a BJD leader said, She has been a career bureaucrat. She doesnt know ground-level political realities. People of Odisha are firm about supporting Naveen Patnaik. Bhubaneswar has always stood for the BJD. A day after the BJP announced the candidature of Pragya Singh Thakur, accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast, against Congress stalwart and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, a 59-year-old man who lost his son in the blast has asked the special NIA court on Thursday to bar Thakur from contesting. Thakur, who is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), is standing trial along with four others, including Major Ramesh Upadhyay and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit. Sayyed Nisar Ahmed approached the court through advocates Sharif Shaikh and Shahid Nadeem, stating that Pragya may be asked to attend court proceeding here in Mumbai and barred to contest the election as trial is still in progress. Many have criticised Thakurs nomination as she is facing terror charges in the blast that killed six people. Among the victims were Ahmeds son Azhar. Azhar was killed when the blasts ripped through Bhikku Chowk in September 2008. Read | Tortured in jail for confession: Sadhvi Pragya breaks down at Bhopal event Ahmed stated that while Thakur was granted bail on grounds of her health conditions, she has been seen participating in various programmes and giving objectionable and instigating speeches since her release from jail. Thakur, the application states, had filed a written statement in support of her health and claimed that, she cannot even walk without support. Ahmed further said in his application that she is clearly healthy enough to fight elections in the crippling summer heat, which means she has misguided the court. The court has directed Thakur and NIA to file a reply to the submitted application. Also Read | If Sadhvi Pragya is fit to contest election, she is fit to be in jail: Omar Abdullah The NIA charge-sheet had exonerated her of all charges, saying that no evidence against her existed, but the court did not acquit her of all charges. While the special court dropped the MCOC charges against the accused, the five people including Thakur continue to face trial under UAPA. In 2017, the Bombay high court granted her bail after she submitted that she has breast cancer. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) led by late IPS officer Hemant Karkare had arrested Thakur in 2008. The case was cracked after the forensic science laboratory was able to restore the engine number of the motorcycle, used in the blasts, registered in the name of Thakur. The NIA charge-sheet had stated that there is not enough evidence to prosecute Thakur as all the witnesses have retracted their confessions. Read | Time to expose Congress on saffron, Hindu terror: Sadhvi Pragya Thakur In 2016, Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited Trimohi, the last village on the India-Pakistan border in Barmer, to console the family of 17-year-old Dalit girl Delta Meghwal, who was found dead in a water tank in her college in Bikaner. Delta was a daughter of this land. She was intelligent too and just like Rohith Vemula, she was oppressed, the Congress president tweeted, and demanded a CBI investigation into the case. Rahul Gandhi visited the village, 678km from the Rajasthan capital, on April 13, 2016; three years later, with just 10 days to go for the Barmer Lok Sabha polling on April 29, theres zilch political activity in Trimohi. No political leader has visited the village and there are no posters or other campaign material here. Its as if Trimohi is off the radar for Indian elections. No one from any political party has visited us neither the leaders nor the candidates, says Hiralal Bheel, a local. The village has 206 voters in 94 households, mostly scheduled caste (SC). There are two households each of Muslims and other backward classes (OBC). Bheel says the sarpanch will decide their vote. On the voting day, he will tell us which symbol to vote for. He takes everyone to the polling booth, he adds. The man, however, is unaware about the candidates. Congresss Manvendra Singh is contesting from the constituency against BJPS Kailash Choudhary. Singh has represented Barmer in the Lok Sabha in 2004. Choudhary has been an MLA from Baytoo assembly segment. Wo hamara neta hai. Usko pata hai kon hamara kam karega or kisko vote dena sahi hoga. (He is our leader and he knows who will do our work and voting for whom will be right), said a woman when asked why the sarpanch should decide their choice. The woman didnt want to be named. Some other women, who spoke to HT, said on condition of anonymity, said that they will follow their husbands decision. The state government did not recommend a CBI probe into the Delta case. Her father, Mahendra Meghwal, a government teacher, is a frustrated man. He said he is fighting to avenge her daughters death and refused to comment on the political mood of the village. For some others, it doesnt matter who wins the constituency and who comes to power for them its a daily struggle to survive that is more important. We have to struggle for our problems and nobody will solve them, said Harish Meghwal, another local. Other villages on the 90-km stretch between Barmer district headquarters and Trimohi are also off the campaign route. People in Kelan Ka Paar, Sajjan Ka Paar, Gagriya, Bhachbhar and Ramsar also said no political worker had approached them so far for Lok Sabha election. Barmer is the second largest parliamentary constituency in India in terms of area. It comprises Barmer and Jaisalmer districts (minus Pokaran Assembly segment). Political workers say because of the area, it sometimes becomes difficult for them to touch every village. The candidates may not be able to cover the total constituency but political workers like us make an effort to reach out to most people, said Bhikha Khan, Congress leader and former sarpanch of Sajjan Ka Paar village. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will campaign for Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradeshs Amethi on Friday and Wayanad in Kerala a day later. Her brother and Congress president, Rahul Gandhi, is contesting the elections from their family pocket borough of Amethi along with Wayanad. Amethi will go to the polls in the fifth phase of the national polls on May 6 and Wayanad in the third on April 23. In UP, Priyanka will also hold a roadshow and address a public meeting in Kanpur. She will reach Amethi on Friday at about 10 am, and then meet a number of delegations of local people and review the partys preparations for the polls, said a party leader. Later in the afternoon, she will leave for Kanpur where she is scheduled to hold a roadshow. After reaching Chakeri airport in Kanpur around 3 pm, Priyanka will leave for Ghantaghar where she will begin her roadshow. The road show will pass through Ramadevi, COD Flyover, Tatmil crossing, Ghantaghar, Naayaganj, Sarafa and Birhana Road. Priyanka will address a corner meeting at Phoolbagh crossing and end her road show at Bada Chauraha from where she will leave for Lucknow by road. Priyanka is expected to be back in Amethi on April 23. On April 20 and 21, she is likely to visit Keralas Wayanad, the second Lok Sabha seat from where Rahul is contesting. The Congresss Kanpur Lok Sabha in-charge Pankaj Upadhyaya said party chief Rahul Gandhi will hold a road shows in Kanpur and Akbarpur later. After Amethi, Priyanka will campaign in Wayanad, where she will take part in a roadshow and hold two public meetings, said Congresss Kerala unit chief, Mullappally Ramachandran. Rahuls held his last rally in Wayanad on Wednesday. She will also take part in a farmers convention, and will meet representatives of the tribal population in the constituency, said Ramachandran. At the convention, she is likely to highlight Congresss key poll promise of waiving farm loans, and will also address the issue of farmer suicides in Kerala. Farmers account for 80%, of Wayanads population. Priyanka will meet party workers to take stock of the state units poll preparations. In the evening, she will hold two public rallies. One of the public meetings will be at Nilambur while the other in Malappuram. Priyanka will stay overnight in Wayanad and then leave for Uttar Pradesh on April 21. Vehicle carrying EVMs meets with accident, officials hospitalised Army rescued 3 police officials and 1 civilian whose vehicle met with an accident, while they were escorting vehicles carrying EVMs, near Bokajan village in Karbi Anglong yesterday night. The injured were taken to the Military Hospital in Dimapur, and are said to be in a stable condition. :ANI Assam: Army rescued 3 police officials & 1 civilian whose vehicle met with an accident, while escorting vehicles carrying EVMs, near Bokajan village in Karbi Anglong y'day night. The injured were taken to the Military Hospital in Dimapur, and are said to be in a stable condition. pic.twitter.com/fsWXe1N816 ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Hope faith in democracy is reaffirmed: Sitaram Yechury after reports of irregularities in polls came out in Tripura Now that its established in a probe by Election Commission that there were large-scale irregularities & booth capturing by goons to thwart free & fair franchise in Tripura West, we hope that EC will ensure faith in our democracy is reaffirmed, CPI Marxists Sitaram Yechury said. :ANI CPI(Marxist)' Sitaram Yechury: Now that it's established in a probe by Election Commission that there were large-scale irregularities & booth capturing by goons to thwart free & fair franchise in Tripura West, we hope that EC will ensure faith in our democracy is reaffirmed. pic.twitter.com/fT1m9vKbjB ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Will serve you irrespective of whether we win elections: Priyanka Gandhi I am nothing compared to Indira ji, but the intention of serving the people that drove her drives me and my brother. Nobody can take this away from us. We will serve you irrespective of whether we come to power or not, said Priyanka Gandhi Vadra after supporters compared her with former PM Indira Gandhi. :ANI PG Vadra after supporters compare her with former PM Indira Gandhi: Mai Indira Ji ke saamne kuch nahi hu, lekin jo seva ki bhavna unke dil mein thi, mere dil mein hai, mere bhai ke dil mein hai, ye hamare dil se koi nahi nikal sakta. Hum seva karenge, aap chahe mauka dein na dein pic.twitter.com/vx7cjwgizY ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019 Congress aims to generate employment, fill vacancies: Rahul Gandhi Every day, 27,000 youth lose their jobs. 22 lakh vacancies are waiting to be filled. Congress wants to fill these posts, we want to generate employment, said Rahul Gandhi in Chikodi. Rahul Gandhi addresses public meeting in Karnataka We will deposit money in the bank accounts of 25 crore poor people. Narendra Modi brought about demonetisation, we will re-monetise the economy, said Rahul Gandhi in Karnatakas Chikodi. 10 lakh insurance promised to traders registered under GST: PM Modi We will form a permanent National Traders Welfare Board after we come to power. There will be trader credit card and pension scheme for small shopkeepers. You will be an important part of our decision making process, we will interact with you through the board. All traders registered under GST will get an insurance of 10 lakh, said PM Modi while addressing traders. I make a note of my everyday activities, just like traders: PM Modi I make a note of what work I have done during the day for the people, just like the traders. You make assess your day to keep a track of your profit, I do it for the nations, said PM Modi. BJP wants to change all Indians lives for the better: PM Modi The image of our community is such that it wants people to forget what we say during elections as soon as possible. But I am an exception, as I am reminding you what I had said. We abolished 1500 laws in 5 years, said PM Narendra Modi. :ANI PM Narendra Modi at traders convention in Delhi: The image of our community is such that it wants people to forget what we say during elections as soon as possible. But I am an exception, as I am reminding you what I had said. We abolished 1500 laws in 5 years https://t.co/QXpjTq1knT ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Income Tax Assessment now a transparent process: PM Modi Income Tax Assessment is now being carried out without human interface. The official will not know who he is assessing. He will not be able to contact people directly, only a computerised system will be able to interact with them. This will curb corruption, said PM Modi. Traders can take loan up to 1 crore without going to bank: PM Modi We are making the process of taking loans much simpler for traders. The 59 minute loan portal helps you get up to 1 crore loan in less than one hour without even going to the bank, said PM Modi/. Traders are the backbone of the country: PM Modi Traders are the backbone of the country. We are trying to make the process simpler for traders. 98% of the things are under less than 18% tax slab under the GST, said PM Modi. Number of registered traders doubled after GST :PM Modi GST has made your life easier. The number of registered traders has doubled after GST was introduced. The e-way bill helps you transport your material from state to state, said PM Modi. Traders suffered under Congress: PM Modi at national convention Congress created an impression that traders were responsible for inflation. But it is the traders who are the worsts affected by inflation. Traders have suffered under Congress, Modi Traders are like weathermen, they know peoples needs in advance: PM Traders are like weathermen. They know in advance when and what the people would need. Before winters, they stock themselves with woollen clothes.They know what to do to keep people comfortable, said PM Modi. I am impressed by your hardwork, social service: PM to traders I am impressed by your hardwork. The work you do is like social work, said PM Modi while addressing traders in New Delhi. Traders have always worked to fulfil countrys demand: PM Modi I have tried to make your business and your life better for the past five years. I want you to work with confidence, I want there to be transparency, this will help the countrys economy. Traders have always worked for the country and have linked themselves to the countrys demands. It is power of the traders of our country that India was once called Sone Ki Chidiya, said PM Modi. PM Modi addresses traders convention Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a convention of traders in Delhi.:ANI #WATCH Live via ANI FB: PM Narendra Modi addresses a convention of traders in Delhi. https://t.co/s6NjZ0zXci pic.twitter.com/1YnI8v266B ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Priyanka Gandhis roadshow in Kanpur begins Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary for UP (East) holds a roadshow in Kanpur.:ANI Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary for UP (East) holds a roadshow in Kanpur. pic.twitter.com/FXF7oqVd7i ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019 National Traders Welfare Board will solve all traders problems: Vijay Goel Traders have welcomed the promises made by BJP in its manifesto. The National Traders Welfare Board will help solve the day to day problems faced by traders, said Vijay Goel at the convention. GST was amended to make things convenient for traders:Vijay Goel It needs a determined leader like Narendra Modi to implement something like GST. When people started to complain about it, the same leadership amended it and made things convenient for traders, Vijay Goel said at the traders convention. PM Modi to address close to 5,000 traders in Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address close to 5,000 traders from different parts of the city and neighbouring states at the Talkatora Stadium. The confederation of all India Traders (CAIT), which has organised the event, has constructed a separate temporary structure in the stadiums premises, to accommodate the crowd. Members leaving party a matter of pain but we wish them well: R Surjewala Every time a party member leaves, its a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression.We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi...I must frankly & on record concede, yes, its a reflection on my leadership, said R Surjewala, in-charge of communications. :ANI R Surjewala, In-charge of Communications, Congress: Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. Ppl look for career progression.We wish all of them well,including Priyanka Chaturvedi...I must frankly & on record concede, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership pic.twitter.com/K0Cia4wbns ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Chowkidar does not talk of what he did in five years: Rahul Gandhi Chowkidar does not talk of what he has done in the past five years. He does not talk about the wrongdoings of his government. Youth is loosing jobs by the hour. When we come to power, 22 lakh youths will get jobs. As soon as we come to power, the tax regime will be simplified, promises Rahul Gandhi in Raichur. Rahul Gandhi addresses public meeting in Raichur, Karnataka Congress President Rahul Gandhi addresses public meeting in Raichur, Karnataka. Candidate having helmet symbol in LS fighting to scrap helmet compulsion in Pune Peoples Union Party candidate Ramesh Dharmavat who is contesting the election from Pune Lok Sabha constituency, got the symbol of helmet but his election promise is to scrap the helmet compulsion rule in Pune city. Shiv Sena workers have got a good sister in Chaturvedi: Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena workers have got a good sister in Chaturvedi: Uddhav Thackeray. Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket: Priyanka Chaturvedi Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket, Priyanka Chaturvedi. After a lot of thought, I took decision of joining Shiv Sena: Priyanka Chaturvedi I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought, says Priyanka Chaturvedi. Felt let down: Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena after leaving Congress Felt let down: Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena after leaving Congress. I felt there was a need to stand for what I stand for: Priyanka Chaturvedi I felt there was a need to stand for what I stand for, says Priyanka Chaturvedi. I hoped the party would give me the opportunity to take it to next level: Priyanka Chaturvedi I hoped the party would give me the opportunity to take it to next level, says Priyanka Chaturvedi. I was trolled for raising women-related issues: Priyanka Chaturvedi I was trolled for raising women-related issues, says Priyanka Chaturvedi. We want to have new prime minister to make a new nation: Akhilesh BJP talks of creating a new nation but we want to have new prime minister to make a new nation, says Akhilesh Yadav. Uttar Pradesj progressed only in tenure of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party, says Akhilesh Yadav Nation is passing through sensitive time: Akhilesh Yadav Nation is passing through sensitive time. Agriculture is backbone but farmers are cheated, says Akhilesh Yadav. We should always respect Mayawati and Netaji: Akhilesh Yadav We should always respect Mayawati and Netaji, says Akhilesh Yadav. This is a historic moment seeking vote for Mulayam by Mayawati: Akhilesh Yadav I thank Mayawati. This is a historic moment seeking vote for Mulayam by Mayawati, says Akhilesh Yadav. Vote for Mulayam and make him win: Mayawati Mainpuri is the old seat of Mulayam Singh Yadav and he has done development. Despite age, he never left Mainpuri and is determined to serve Mainpuri as a real sevak. He is not fake like Modi. Vote for Mulayam and do not forget cycle. Make him win, says Mayawati. Do not fall to opponent and make alliance successful: Mayawati Two phases of elections left the BJP in panic and further it would deteriorate. Do not fall to the opponent and make alliance successful, says Mayawati. PM Modi has called alliance but this crowd is now intoxicated to uproot BJP: Mayawati PM Modi has called alliance but this crowd is now intoxicated to uproot BJP, says Mayawati. PM Modi has adopted tactics to mislead the masse All chowkidars will lose power because Narendra Modi in last election had fooled masses by acche din slogan. Modi has again adopted tactics to mislead the masses, says Mayawati PM Modi is fake backward: Mayawati PM Modi is fake backward and came to power. Thus dalit and backward are not getting benefit in jobs. It is necessary to differentiate in fake and real backwards. We have to look for real leader for backward, says Mayawati. Modi claims to be backward to earn benefit and become prime minister: Mayawati Modi during his regime in Gujarat had declared his forward caste as backward. Modi claims to be backward to earn benefit and become prime minister, says Mayawati Mulayam Singh Yadav had united many in his party: Mayawati I want to clarify why I came here despite the guest house case. In the interest of movement we have to take tough decision. We have thus decided and now want to say that Mulayam Singh Yadav had united many in his party. Most people here hold him as his leader. He is not a fake backward like Narendra Modi, says Mayawati. Vote for Mulayam Singh, says Mayawati, his rival-turned-ally Vote for Mulayam Singh, says Mayawati, his rival-turned-ally Thankful to her, would remain obliged to her: Mulayam Singh Yadav I am thankful to and would remain obliged to her for coming here to seek vote for me, says Mulayam Singh Yadav. I welcome her as she came to seek vote for me: Mulayam Singh Yadav Today has come. I welcome her as she came to seek vote for me, says Mulayam Singh Yadav. Let me win by big majority: Mulayam Singh Yadav After a long gap we are together. Let me win by big majority, says Mulayam Singh Yadav In a first in 24 years, Mulayam Singh shares stage In a first in 24 years, Mulayam Singh shared stage at his Mainpuri rally. It will be a historic day: Mulayam Singh When asked about the rally, Mulayam said: Ask those who are organising it. I have to address it. It will be a historic day. Big leaders of several parties are coming. This will be the first time that Mulayam Singh will share the stage with since 1995 This will be the first time that Mulayam Singh will share the stage with since 1995 when the infamous guest house incident took place in Lucknow. SP-BSP-RLDs joint rally to begin shortly in Mainpuri SP-BSP-RLDs joint rally to begin shortly in Mainpuri; BSP Chief and Mulayam Singh Yadav to share the stage. SP-BSP-RLD's joint rally to begin shortly in Mainpuri; BSP Chief and Mulayam Singh Yadav to share the stage. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/yLgtaM3ytA ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 19, 2019 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur has said that former Mumbai anti-terror squad chief Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 attacks as a result of her curse, triggering angry reactions from political leaders and police officers who saw it as an insult to a martyr, before she announced she was taking back the statement. Thakur, who joined the BJP on Wednesday and, hours later, was announced as the candidate from Bhopal, is among the main accused in a separate terror incident, the 2008 Malegaon blasts. Karkare, who was killed in the line of duty when terrorists from Pakistan laid siege to Mumbai on November 26, 2008, led the investigation into that case. He was posthumously awarded the Ashok Chakra, the highest peacetime gallantry award in India. He would ask me how and why it [Malegaon blasts] happened and I used to reply that only God knows... He hurled abuses on me, harassed me, insulted me a lot, she said while addressing party workers in Bhopal late on Thursday. Maine kaha, tera sarvnash hoga [I said, may you perish], she added. As condemnation poured in, Thakur held a press conference on Friday evening and apologised. I felt that the enemies of the country were being benefited from it, therefore I take back my statement and apologise for it, it was my personal pain, she said. He [Karkare] died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country, he is certainly a martyr, she added. Earlier in the day, several Congress leaders criticised her remark while her own party distanced itself from it. Hemant Karkare gave his life protecting India. He must be treated with respect, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a tweet. Modi ji, only BJP leaders can commit the crime of declaring 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor Apologise to the country and take action against Pragya, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Twitter. The partys Bhopal candidate and Thakurs competitor for the election, Digvijaya Singh, said the remark violated the Model Code of Conduct for elections. Her comment is a violation of the Election Commissions order of not making any political statements on the Army and martyrs. Hemant Karkare ji was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom to save the life of people in 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, he said. The BJP said Thakurs views were her own. The BJP believes that Karkare died while bravely fighting terrorists. The BJP has always considered him a martyr, the party said in a statement. As far as Sadhvi Pragyas comments on this issue are concerned, those are her personal remarks which could have been made due to the years of physical and mental harassment that she has suffered, it added. The Malegaon blasts was among a clutch of terror incidents that had become a subject of political debate between the then Congress government and the BJP, with some ruling party members at the time referring to these as cases of saffron terror. The BJP has insisted that people like Thakur were implicated since the Congress wanted to malign right-wing Hindu groups. The probe committee called Karkare and told him, if you dont have any evidence against her, it is wrong and illegal to detain her but Karkare said I would do anything, will make or get the evidence but I wont let her go, Thakur said at the Thursday event, purportedly referring to Karkares investigation into her role. Thakur, who is on bail for health reasons, has been indicted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which deals with conspiracy to commit, advocate, incite or knowingly facilitate a terrorist act. A motorcycle on which the explosives were placed was traced back to her as the owner, according to the anti-terror squad charge sheet in the Malegaon case. The Indian Police Service (IPS) Association, too, criticised Thakurs remarks. Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected, it said. The Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao said a complaint had been received in connection with Thakurs remarks. We are inquiring into the matter, the officer added. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav too criticised Thakurs comments. The Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, the controversial Pragya Thakur, spoke to Ranjan about the charges against her, the issues in the Lok Sabha elections, and whether or not her entry will polarise the elections. Edited excerpts: What issues are you going to raise in the elections? The issues are the same ones that the Congress raised from time to time as per its nefarious design. Now, this is the time to expose them on the issue of saffron and Hindu terror. I will create awareness among people through this election as to how Congress misuses its powers, violates rules, and brands people terrorists and imprison them illegally under false charges. I will tell people how the Congress dubs saffron colour and Sanatan dharm as symbols of terror for its political gains and giving a bad name to the entire country. Your statements since yesterday suggest development will not be any issue in the elections. is that correct? Development is certainly an issue in the election. It can happen only when our borders are safe. But, unfortunately, questions are being raised against our army. The Congress want to suggest that our country is not safe. Such people strengthen the enemy countries. You are still facing terror charges in Malegaon bomb blast case but the BJP chose to field you as its candidate? I am not a terrorist. I am pure and living evidence of the Congress s misdeeds. I have got a clean chit in all the cases. The NIA which was set up by them [the UPA government] has given a clean chit to me. They put me in jail illegally and tortured me physically, mentally and in every way. They misused law and violated the Constitution. Now, its time to create awareness in public. Thats why it is giving the Congress heartburn. WATCH: Tortured me day and night: Sadhvi Pragya breaks down at BJP event Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani was born on April 19, 1957, to Kokilaben Ambani and Dhirubhai Ambani. He has three siblings, one brother and two sisters, Anil Ambani, Dipti Dattaraj Salgaocar and Nina Bhadrashyam Kothari. He was born in Aden, Yemen and later came back to India with his father and was brought up in Mumbai. He received his degree in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology in the early 1970s and later enrolled for an MBA at Stanford University but withdrew in the 80s to help his father, Dhirubhai Ambani to build Reliance. The richest Asian who turned 62 today has been named among Time magazines 100 most influential people earlier this week. On his birthday, we bring to you 10 inspirational quotes that define the man, his philosophy and vision. Top 10 inspirational quotes by Mukesh Ambani on his birthday: Relationships and trust. This is the bedrock of life. ~ Mukesh Ambani Dance to your own music and take some risks in life, because it is often the risk taker who changes the course of history, and contributes to the well-being of millions of lives. ~ Mukesh Ambani My view is to give everyone the space to grow in his own way. When you see restructuring or separations in a family firm, value has almost always been destroyed. This is the first case where value has been enhanced. In that way it has been a win-win ending. ~ Mukesh Ambani All of us know that the energy from the sun can now be harnessed, and we need to convert it sensibly to use it. ~ Mukesh Ambani I am personally a big believer that technology is the biggest driver of human development, and if you can use technology to benefit people, then thats the best business you can have. ~ Mukesh Ambani I generally think that I should only speak by action and not by words. ~ Mukesh Ambani All of us, in a sense, struggle continuously all the time, because we never get what we want. The important thing which Ive really learned is how do you not give up, because you never succeed in the first attempt. ~ Mukesh Ambani Any business that has the soul purpose of making money is not worth doing. ~ Mukesh Ambani As long as youve got your courage of conviction, it works for you. I think that the same applies, too, even where you dont, because in todays world, financial resources are the least important. World has moved to the power of ideas. ~ Mukesh Ambani In the journey of an entrepreneur, the most important thing is self-belief and the ability to convert that belief into reality. ~Mukesh Ambani Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Deonar police have booked a 45-year-old man for allegedly raping his 17-year-old wife thrice in four days. The 53-year-old father of the minor had got her married to the accused after being told by the accused that the girl had a dream in which a saint had ordered him to marry her. According to the complaint, the accused raped the teenager from April 4-6, when they were in Haji Malang in Kalyan. Pandurang Darade, senior inspector, Deonar police station, said the accused has fled to Bihar. The minors medical examination was done. The accused has been booked under sections 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and 6 and 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. We are searching for him, he said. According to the police, the minors father the complainant and the accused work in an envelope-manufacturing firm and were devotees of a saint, who has a dargah in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh (UP). In 2017, the accused started living with the complainants family in Govandi after his wife went away to her native village in Bihar. According to the FIR, on March 25, the accused told the complainant that the saint had appeared in the minors dream, and had ordered him to marry her and visit the UP dargah. Although the complainant initially refused saying his daughter was studying and was too young, the accused told him that if they didnt get married, the saint would get angry. He asked the complainant to not to tell anyone about this, said an officer. On April 3, the complainant got his daughter married to the accused. After their wedding, the accused took the minor on a three-day trip to Haji Malang. After they returned, on April 7, the accused, the complainant, his daughter, and his family members left for Gorakhpur, the officer said. While travelling, the accused told the complainants son that he had married his sister. This angered the minors brother, who fought with the complainant and the accused. On reaching Gorakhpur, the accused, the complainant and the minor left for Mughalsarai. In Mughalsarai, the accused asked the complainant to return to Mumbai along with his daughter, and left for Bihar. On returning home, the complainants sister asked the minor if the accused did anything wrong to her. This is when the minor told them that the accused had raped her. Her father then approached the police on Wednesday and an FIR was registered. Thursday was the citys cleanest air day since beginning of the year, with an air quality index (AQI) of 71, which falls in the satisfactory category. Mumbais air is expected to stay relatively pollution-free on Friday, too, with an expected AQI of 79 (satisfactory). The System of Air Quality Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR), which records the data, categorises AQI levels for PM2.5 in the 0-50 range as good; 51-100 as satisfactory; 101-200 as moderate; 201-300 as poor; 301-400 as very poor and above 400 as severe. Researchers from SAFAR said a combination of factors have led to clean air across north, northwest and western India. Earlier this week, thundershowers and dust storms raised air quality into the severe category for the entire north and northwest India. But, with the sudden rainfall and high speed winds in the form of westerlies (north westerly winds), pollutants have dispersed, said Gufran Beig, project director, SAFAR. On Thursday, moisture levels were high in Mumbai, which reduced the pollutant carrying capacity in the air, and high speed sea breeze helped disperse the pollutants. Of the 10 Mumbai locations where AQI is monitored, Worli had the cleanest air at 39 (good) and Navi Mumbai was the most polluted at 123 (moderate). AQI at the other locations was either in the good or satisfactory categories. Meanwhile, temperatures across the city were near the normal mark for April, with the suburbs recording a maximum of 32.8 degrees Celsius and south Mumbai recording a 32.4 degrees Celsius. The early setting in of sea breeze did not allow maximum temperatures to rise, said an official from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Mumbai. A clear sky is expected during the day on Friday, with the evening and night expected to be partly cloudy. Terrorism is a serious charge even if you have not been convicted for it. The fact of the matter is that the courts refused to let the 2008 Malegaon blasts accused Pragya Thakur off the hook. Her motorcycle was allegedly used to transport explosives and for a blast that killed six people. It is not enough for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to put out the narrative that the Sadhvi was implicated by an overzealous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) keen on coining the adage of saffron terror. The BJP has many uncomfortable questions to answer for why it got a terror suspect to join the ranks of the party overnight. The party might think it was a political masterstroke to field her against the Congresss Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal, but what stands out instead is the fact that the ruling party is unwilling to pay heed to terror charges. What message is the government sending not just to investigating agencies but to the courts still hearing a case involving an act of terror? Will they proceed against her if she gets elected and finds a seat in the august house of Parliamentarians? What, indeed, do the BJP leaders have to say to her now that she believes she cursed Hemant Karkare to death? Karkare was the head of Maharashtras anti-terrorism squad and was probing charges against her. He was shot dead in Mumbai in 2008 by Ajmal Kasab, one of ten terrorists, who held Indias financial nerve centre to ransom for close to 72 hours. Is it the BJPs case that martyrs should be differentiated on the basis of the work they were doing? The ruling party, led by its two stalwarts Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are running the fight for 2019s big electoral battle on the issue of nationalism and in the name of the 40 Central Reserve Police Force troopers who were killed in a deadly blast in Kashmirs Pulwama in February. How is their martyrdom at the hands of a human bomb less or more than Karkares who was killed by a terrorist who had taken the sea route from Pakistan? India first, self last is what BJP leaders never tire of saying. How is Thakurs entry into the electoral fray in Indias interest? Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, is not wrong when she says, Imagine the anger if Id fielded a terror accused. Channels wouldve gone berserk by now trending a mehboobaterrorist hashtag! According to these guys terror has no religion when it comes to saffron fanatics but otherwise all Muslims are terrorists. Guilty until proven innocent. There are some who believe Pragya Thakur is innocent until proven guilty but many would differ with that view. At the end of the day, she is a terror suspect and if she is so politically valuable, the BJP could have waited for the court case to conclude. It is not only the liberals (this one has been coined by the right-wing as an insult) who are gobsmacked by Thakurs political debut. Her calling Karkare an anti-national who died because she cursed him is a bit too much for many to stomach. Who is anti-national? Thakur or Karkare? No jury is needed to answer that one. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Actor Tabu, who last made an appearance in a Telugu film opposite Nandamuri Balakrishna over a decade ago in Pandurangadu, has signed two Telugu projects in quick succession. After landing a key role in Allu Arjuns next film with Trivikram, the Andhadhun star has been roped in to play a social activist in Rana Daggubatis next yet-untitled Telugu project. Reports suggest that Tabu has been signed to play a pivotal role in director Venu Udugulas next Telugu outing which will feature Rana as a cop and Sai Pallavi as a naxal. Also read: Inside Aishwarya Rai, Abhishek Bachchans Maldives vacation with daughter Aaradhya. See pics Venu flew to Mumbai last month to narrate the story to Tabu. She immediately gave her nod after listening to the script and finding it really interesting. However, she is yet to officially sign the contract, a source from the films unit said. The project, tipped to be an action-drama, will most likely go on the floors from July. In Trivikrams film, Tabu will be seen playing Allu Arjuns mother. Tentatively titled Naana Nenu, the project marks the third time collaboration of Trivikram and Arjun after movies such as Julayi and S/O Sathyamurty. Apparently, Trivikram had two options in his mind. If not Tabu, he had planned to approach Nadiya, who had worked with him in Attarintiki Daredi. Looks like Tabu was more than happy to accept the offer after listening to the script. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Arjuns film is reportedly based on the Hollywood film The Invention of Lying. Written and directed by the team of Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson, the film revolved around the first human with the ability to lie in a world where people could only speak the truth. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop With its mountains and desert, beach resorts and Berber villages, Morocco is a feast for travellers of all kinds, including those who want to explore the kingdoms deep Jewish roots. The presence of Jews in Morocco stretches back more than 2,000 years. Before the founding of Israel in 1948, estimates put their number as high as about 275,000, which was considered the largest Jewish community in the Muslim world, said Roy Mittelman, director of the Jewish studies program at The City College of New York. Today, after vast waves of departures over the years, only about 2,000 Jews remain in Casablanca and about 500 elsewhere in Morocco, but the Jewish presence is still alive in a variety of sights. The Museum of Moroccan Judaism in suburban Casablanca, for instance, is the only museum on Judaism in the Arab world. Jews of Moroccan descent, in Israel and around the globe, return to the North African kingdom often and some maintain second homes in familial regions. Jewish heritage tours to Morocco are abundant and easy to track down. Most cities have a mellah, which is an old Jewish quarter, along with Jewish cemeteries and synagogues. Mittelman, who has spent 40 years absorbing the history, culture and religious practices of Jews in Morocco, leads groups of students on tours of Jewish sights as part of an advanced seminar. He said theres plenty to read ahead of a visit. He recommends Shlomo Dessens The Mellah Society: Jewish Community Life in Sherifian Morocco for more on pre-colonial Morocco, based on the writings of 18th- and 19th-century Judeo-Moroccan sages. To learn more about the spiritual history of the Jewish quarter in Marrakech, he recommends the travelogue of Bulgarian Jewish writer Elias Canetti, The Voices of Marrakesh: A Record of a Visit. Mittelman has honed his travel itineraries over the years. Here are some of his favourites and other sights: CASABLANCA The last Moroccan Jewish day school, Neve Shalom, is in Casablanca, which is the economic and business center of the kingdom. Ask for Principal Jacky Sebbag. Watch the children playing outside in the yard, enjoy them singing Jewish songs and learn more about the schools Hebrew classes and Bible studies, Mittelman said. Visit the Tahiti Beach Club, once a local Jewish hangout. Among Mittelmans walking tours of Jewish residential areas in Casablanca are stops at the Beth El and Eim Habanim synagogues. Theres also a newer synagogue, David Ha-Melech, in the tony, beachside Corniche quarter not far from the beach club. Casablanca has a traditional kosher bakery and kosher restaurants, as do other cities. The city is a good place to start for a grounding in Jewish heritage and history. MARRAKECH Just over 100 Jews remain in Marrakech, including a handful who live in the old Jewish quarter, Mittelman said, but the mellah is bustling. Among the synagogues that remain is the tiny blue-and-white Lazama, along a narrow street. Ask a local how to find it. Visitors may enter for a small fee. Theres an inviting riad-style courtyard with a fruit tree and a few chairs for weary travellers. The original synagogue dated to 1492 but it was later rebuilt. The synagogues Torah scrolls were written on gazelle parchment, according to the synagogues Muslim guide. Visitors can have a look at Lazamas mikveh, the traditional Jewish ritual bath down some winding stone steps. The mellah isnt the only place for synagogues. Head to the citys newer section of Gueliz, with a heavy European influence, for shabbat services at Temple Beth El Synagogue. Any taxi driver should know how to get there. Two hours south of Marrakech is a little town called Anouim, where the mysterious rabbi and healer Wazana once lived. For another day trip out of Marrakech visit the Jewish heritage sites at Essaouira, once a thriving Jewish center and a former Portuguese fishing town. It was also a stop for 1960s and 70s rock stars who made pilgrimages to Marrakech. The town, dating to the 1700s, has a synagogue, cemetery and mellah, with plaques indicating buildings where ancient, long-gone synagogues once stood. A particular highlight for Mittelman is the Tomb of the Sainted Rabbi, Haim ben Diwan, just over an hour south of Marrakech. Jews still gather at the spot in the high Atlas Mountains in the village of Tagadirt nBour near Anrhaz for a traditional hiloula celebration of his life. Mittelman leads groups up a hill for a picnic near the tomb. Its our little pilgrimage spot. You see mountains all around you and you hear wind going through the mountains. Sensually its an incredible experience, he said. FES The city had a large Jewish community in the 17th century and has a well-known Orthodox synagogue, Ibn Danan. Once crumbling, it was refurbished in the 1990s with help from the World Monuments Fund and American Express. King Mohammad VI has committed to reviving Jewish sites around Morocco. The mellah here is a maze within walls. You WILL get lost and thats half the fun. It was the first mellah in Morocco, dating to around 1438. In addition to a Jewish cemetery, where a couple of eminent medieval rabbis are buried, theres a site in Fes that is considered sacred among women, the Tomb of Solika. With a last name that varies, Solika as one retelling goes was a Jewish woman of great beauty who was beheaded in 1834 for refusing to convert to Islam. Maimonides, one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars in the Middle Ages, lived in Fes from 1159 to 1165. His stone home, with weathered engraving marking the location, is worth a stop. Walk a few steps and youre bound to find somebody willing to guide you in Fes and elsewhere, but one who knows Jewish Morocco is harder to come by, Mittelman said. Do some research beforehand to find just the right drivers and guides if youre travelling independently. OFF THE BEATEN PATH If you favour this style of travelling, Mittelman said you should have no trouble in small towns and villages tracking Jewish influences and history. Find yourself the first 80-year-old and say, Do you remember Jews here? Chances are theyll say, Yeah and here are their names and that crumbling house over there is where they used to live. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter China on Friday said it was preparing for a summit meeting with India despite New Delhi boycotting next weeks high-profile Belt and Road forum touted to be Beijings biggest diplomatic event of the year. Foreign minister Wang Yi played down the differences between India and China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), President Xi Jinpings flagship connectivity project, though New Delhi has consistently told Beijing that its key component, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), violates Indias territorial sovereignty as it passes through PoK. Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan is expected to deliver a keynote address at the forum to be held in Beijing between April 25 and 27 a solid indication of how cozy Chinese-Pakistani ties are. Addressing a press conference on the Belt and Road International Forum for Cooperation (BRF), Wang all but dismissed Indias sovereignty concerns over CPEC albeit couching his statement in diplomatic jargon. One of our differences is how to look at the BRI. The Indian side has its concerns. We understand that and that is why we have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI including the CPEC is only an economic initiative and do not target any third country and they have nothing to do with the sovereign and territorial disputes left from history between any two countries, Wang said referring to the differences between New Delhi and Islamabad on Kashmir. Our cooperation will not undermine any partys position on those issues, Wang, who is also the state councillor, added. India had boycotted the first Belt and Road forum held in Beijing in 2017. Wang continued, as the Chinese foreign ministry always does, that the CPEC doesnt undermine Beijings position on Kashmir that India and Pakistan should resolve it through dialogue. He deftly avoided Indias consistent argument that when President Xi launched the BRI and the CPEC soon after six years ago, Beijing was very well aware of New Delhis staunch position on PoK and on any third-party project in that region. Wang then repeated another stock statement: the BRI is for the common development of all and India should essentially forego its sovereignty concerns. Now, we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under BRI. Those issues (the Kashmir issue) is left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area, he said. Wang who is also Chinas interlocutor for ongoing border talks with India had advice for New Delhi on BRI. I think such cooperation will not undermine your basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same time provide you with more opportunities for development and help India in your modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India, he said. Responding to a question whether Indias decision to boycott the BRF would undermine the new momentum generated by last years informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan. Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations, he said. After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have a bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders, Wang said. Wang said China and India were two major countries, besides being neighbours. It is natural for us to have differences. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minister Modi mentioning many times that we cannot escalate our differences into disputes. Indian side wants to put our difference at a proper level and it would not for it to interfere in the development of our relations, he said. I believe this is in the fundamental interest of the people of the two countries and that is what China is happy to see, he said. On the BRF, Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation at the forum. Representatives from over 150 countries and 90 international organisations, adding up to some 5,000 participants, will take part, he said. Wall Street executives combing through Robert Muellers report will notice the name of one of their own: Bob Foresman. Hes an investment banking vice chairman in New York at UBS Group AG, the biggest Swiss bank, after earlier stints working for Barclays Plc and Renaissance Capital in Moscow. Two sections of the 400-plus-page report describe efforts by Foresman: He unsuccessfully tried to meet with Donald Trump during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign about a Kremlin request, and later he used his Russia knowledge to pursue a job in the administration. A spokeswoman for UBS declined to comment, and Foresman didnt respond to a message. Industry employment records show that he still works at the bank. In early 2016, Foresman emailed Trumps office to tell him about an approach he had gotten from senior Kremlin officials about the then-candidate, according to a redacted version of Muellers report released Thursday. The banker added that he once helped set up a private channel between Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. The report says that Foresman, who had previously served as the head of Russia business for Barclays, told Trumps office he wanted to discuss concrete things, preferably not over unsecure emails. Mueller didnt find an underlying crime by President Trump or any Americans related to Russian interference in the 2016 election, and Foresman told the special counsel he hadnt looked to set up a back channel between Trump and Putin. Instead, he said he was asked by a Russian presidential aide to see if the Republican candidate could speak at an economic forum. Muellers report said there isnt evidence the campaign followed up with Foresman until after the election. By then, Foresman was pursuing a possible position in the incoming administration, meeting with future National Security Adviser Michael Flynn to give his thoughts on Russian officials and later traveling to Moscow. Early last year, Senator Dianne Feinstein asked Foresman in a letter to provide any communication since mid-2015 with Trumps campaign or representatives of Russias government and banks. As a long-time investment banker in Russia, the California Democrats letter began, you have developed relationships with senior Kremlin officials and have expressed your passion for private diplomacy. Russia on Friday once more dismissed the Mueller report, saying it failed to present clear evidence of any meddling by Moscow in the 2016 US election and called its impact on relations regrettable. As a whole the report as before does not present any reasonable proof at all that Russia allegedly meddled in the electoral process in the US, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists, saying it contained no new information. Russia has consistently rejected any suggestion that it interfered in the election won by Donald Trump. The politically explosive probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller ruled that Trumps campaign did not criminally conspire with Russians to skew the election, and drew no conclusion on allegations of obstruction. We regret that documents of such quality have a direct influence on the development of US-Russian bilateral relations which are not in the best shape as it is, Peskov said. He even suggested that US taxpayers should question why their money was spent on the lengthy probe with such a result. In our country, the Audit Chamber would probably take an interest in such a report: what did American taxpayers money get spent on? But let the US taxpayers themselves ask that question, Peskov added. In the latest case of Saudi women fleeing the ultra-conservative kingdom, two sisters are seeking international help and have urged the UN to help them get to a safe country. The sisters -- Wafa, 25, and Maha al-Subaie, 28, -- are currently in Georgia and under state protection in a shelter. But they say they dont feel safe there because it would be easy for their male relatives to find them, the BBC reported. We have to cover our face, we have to cook... like slaves (in Saudi Arabia). We dont want this, we want real life, our life, said Wafa. Georgia is a small country and anyone from our family can come and track us down. We want a country that will welcome us and protect our rights, the sisters said. The women have made their case for international help on Twitter, under the account @GeorgiaSisters and appealed to the UN to help them get to a third, safe country. They travelled to Georgia as Saudis do not require entry visas. Looking distressed and terrified, the Saudi sisters arrived at Georgias migration department on Thursday evening accompanied by immigration authorities. Asked why they felt threatened in Saudi Arabia, Wafa said it is because we are women. In Saudi Arabia, women are forced to obtain the permission of their male guardians if they want to work or travel. Our family threatens us every day in our country, she said, while her sister Maha said they had proof of this. In a similar case this year, Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed al-Qanun made international headlines in January after she flew to Thailand and barricaded herself in a hotel while appealing on Twitter for help to avoid deportation. She has since been granted asylum in Canada. And in March, two other Saudi sisters who spent six months hiding in Hong Kong were granted humanitarian visas after fleeing to escape lives of violence and oppression. In Saudi Arabia, men control womens lives from birth until death under the male guardianship system, said Human Rights Watch Middle East Director Sarah Leah Whitson. The Georgian authorities have said they will respect the sisters right to claim asylum, which is the appropriate and welcome response. The real focus now should be on removing the systematic discrimination that women face in Saudi Arabia and providing meaningful and effective assistance to Saudi women subjected to abuse, she added. Three renowned professional alpinists are missing and presumed dead after an avalanche in Canadas Rocky Mountains, Parks Canada said on Thursday. Climbing media named the men as American Jess Roskelley, 36, and Austrians David Lama, 28, and Hansjorg Auer, 35, saying they were killed after attempting to climb a challenging route on Howse Peak in Banff National Park. Canadian authorities did not release the names of the three men, but said they were one American and two Europeans and described them as highly experienced professional mountain athletes. Roskelley was best-known for climbing Mount Everest at age 20 in 2003, making him the youngest person at the time to have climbed the worlds highest mountain. Lama and Auer were also world-class mountaineers who had climbed some of the toughest routes around the globe. Parks Canada said in a statement the party was attempting the east face of Howse Peak. The three men probably started their ascent on Tuesday, Stephen Holeczi, Parks Canada visitor safety specialist said. They were reported overdue on Wednesday. Parks Canada visitor safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment, the statement said. Without providing details, Holeczi said there was strong evidence that all three climbers were deceased. There currently is no timeline for when search and recovery efforts can begin, Holeczi said, because of bad weather and avalanche risk in the area. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Turkish authorities have arrested two suspected United Arab Emirates spies in Istanbul, Anadolu state news agency said on Friday. The agency said Turkish officials are investigating whether the two UAE citizens are connected with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. A critic of the Saudi regime, Khashoggi was killed October 2 in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of 15 agents sent from Riyadh. His body has never been recovered. gkg-pma/dcr US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed unfavorable testimony in the Mueller report on Russian election interference as fabricated and labelled the document crazy. Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue, the president tweeted. A 400-page document outlining the findings of Special Counsel Robert Muellers 22-month investigation, made public on Thursday, cleared Trump of criminal conspiracy but left open whether he had obstructed justice. Muellers report recounts 10 episodes involving the president and potential obstruction of the investigation. After reviewing the document, Attorney General Bill Barr and his deputy Rod Rosenstein concluded there was insufficient evidence to charge the president with obstruction. Mueller, however, noted that while he was following Justice Department policy in not charging Trump, the evidence he gathered does not exonerate the president. Because I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the Report about me, some of which are total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad), Trump added, repeating his description of the investigation as an Illegally Started Hoax. ft/wd Anibal Milhais stood alone on a hill in the Portuguese sector of the Western Front in France in 1918. Before him two German divisions advanced across no-mans-land. Behind him his battalion of the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps and a Scottish regiment fled, having been decimated by a massive preparatory artillery barrage. The Kaiserschlacht (Kaisers Battle in German)a spring offensive ordered by General Erich Ludendorffwas under way, and Allied lines were reeling from the onslaught. What Milhais, a farm boy from northern Portugal, did next would earn him due recognition and the nickname Soldado Milhoes (Soldier Million in Portuguese). Portugal was a latecomer to World War I. Neutral in 1914, it was drawn into the conflict after Germany declared war on it in 1916. The 55,000-man Portuguese Corps saw action in northern France at Neuve-Chapelle, Fauquissart and Ferme du Bois, near the Belgian border. Born on July 9, 1895, Milhais had been a farmer when drafted in 1915. He was assigned to the corps 2nd Division, which deployed to France in 1917. By all accounts he was a rather quiet, modest young man. By April 1918 the Portuguese were reeling from nearly nine months of frontline action. The 2nd Division was to rotate out on April 9. At 4 that morning, on the heels of a two-day artillery bombardment that had pummeled the Portuguese sector, the Germans launched Operation Georgette (aka the Battle of the Lys). Milhais was behind the lines when the attack started. Grabbing his Lewis light machine gun, he ran forward with another soldier. Climbing a hill overlooking the village of La Couture, the pair noted with alarm their battalion was in full retreat. As they set out to join their countrymen, a German grenade killed Milhais comrade. Alone, Milhais took cover in a shelter and waited. When he re-emerged, the attacking Germans had nearly summited the hill. Knowing his unit would need time to regroup, Milhais set up his Lewis gun and repulsed two more assaults, killing scores of Germans. Milhais fired from different locations to give the impression his position was heavily defended. Believing they had encountered a full regiment, the Germans ultimately bypassed the hill to resume their advance. Milhais remained in place until he ran out of ammunition. Left stranded behind enemy lines, he stayed on the move for three days before coming to the aid of a Scottish major who had also been separated from his unit. Together, they made their way back to friendly lines. Milhais did not mention his actions against the Germans. His heroics might have gone unnoticed if not for the Scottish major, who filed a report with his superiors. Others also came forward to relate what they had seen, and that summer Milhais was honored for his bravery in a ceremony witnessed by some 15,000 Allied troops. As Major Joao Ferreira do Amaral presented Milhais with the Ordem Militar da Torre e Espada (Military Order of the Tower and Sword)Portugals highest honorhe said, Tu es Milhais, mas vales milhoes (You are Milhais, but you are worth millions [of soldiers]). Milhais also received the French Legion dhonneur, for a similar action in defense of a retreating Belgian unit. In 1924 the Portuguese Parliament renamed his hometown of Valongo as Valongo de Milhais. But he remained a struggling farmer. Appalled at his predicament, the Portuguese public mounted a fundraiser for Milhais, and the government provided him with a small pension. The ever humble farmer died at age 74 in 1970. Press Release 19 April 2019 HTNG announces two new Strategy Chairs to join its Global Strategy Team and lead the Staff Recruiting and Engagement Pillar, and the newly launched Distribution Pillar. Advertisements Hyatt Hotel Corporation's Director of IT - Hotel Openings, Mark Retnam, and VP of HR ASPAC, Katie Carter, have been elected to serve as Strategy Chairs for HTNG's Staff Recruiting and Engagement Pillar. The mission of this pillar is to improve technology and its use to increase staff engagement, to make staff members' lives easier and to generate greater productivity while also making careers in hospitality operations and IT more attractive. HTNG has grown their partnerships with the OpenTravel Alliance and the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) to now facilitate joint workgroups which support improved distribution strategies. The first two efforts include the recently launched Open Payments Alliance (OPA) and Unique Global Identifier (UGI) working groups. These groups align to a new Strategic Pillar between HTNG and OpenTravel which focuses on distribution. Oracle Hospitality's Senior Director Distribution Strategy, Tom Coulthurst, has been elected to serve as the Strategy Chair for the Distribution Pillar. Press Release 19 April 2019 Eating out in one of India's new generation of restaurants is as much as the social media friendly design as it about the food. Advertisements Theme restaurants - think dining in a rainforest or a replica Italian bistro from years gone by - are gaining ground among middle-class consumers keen for new experiences. Bombay Canteen, a theme restaurant in Mumbai, is housed in a recreated, old-fashioned Mumbai bungalow that represents the city's architectural history. It offers a view into the city's history through its decor, printed tiles and manually-lettered pricing boards. Patrons at Plum, a collaboration between hospitality company First Fiddle F&B and Bent Chair, a home furnishing and decor brand, can buy every item they see, from the pictures hanging on the wall to the cutlery at the Mumbai and Delhi outlets. "Theme-based restaurants are here to stay in India," says Shubhranshu Pani, managing director - Retail Services and Stressed Asset Management Group, JLL India. "Today's consumers, which largely comprise of young people, are keen to try new kinds of cuisines, especially if the restaurant is endorsed by a celebrity and offers a different experience." Others such as Toy Room in Aerocity, New Delhi, and Social at Sarjapur Road, Bengaluru are designed on similar lines, with a particular focus on encouraging visitors to take photos and post them on their social handles. "Interactive elements in the restaurant's design are responding to Millennials' social media needs," says Pani. "This group, in particular, prefers the unconventional over traditional dining options." Designing for the consumer The food and beverage (F&B) sector - the fastest-growing part of retail in India - grew at a rate of 11 percent compounded annual growth between 2013 and 2017, according to JLL. Having a top-class menu is important. But India's theme restaurants connect with consumers through great spaces that tell a story, creating an inviting atmosphere and making for a memorable experience. Designing picture-perfect spaces that customers share within their social media networks, is part of the strategy. "While theme restaurants often present us a story, tales are shared with consumers in a manner that makes the visitors feel special," says Pani. "People visiting these outlets expect quality food and service. Much of the brand positioning through these stories are a result of the reinvention of the local tradition and culture. And the youth across our cities is willing to splurge on the small, yet meaningful differentiating factor." Finding the right space The cost of opening a restaurant tends to be higher than retail segments. Because of this, F&B companies often negotiate for longer lease periods with the space owners. But the biggest challenge these chains face is in taking their brand story to different locations and still making a strong connection with the consumer. While some chains are location specific, expansion to other regions depends on the right partner and entry strategy. "It is because of this reason the expansion of concept has been slow," says Pani. "While a number of other smaller metros may offer a good catchment they may not have the right landlord, ready to partner with the brand or the right location to open an outlet." "As brands work on their expansion strategy to new locations, entry into newer markets will be based on a combination of strategies including location assessment, competitive landscape, pricing models, infrastructure and operational costs," he says. Nevertheless, Pani believes that there is both a strong appetite and growing potential for this new generation of restaurants. "Concept restaurants are busy building a strong brand in the country. The good part is that a large section of consumers is aware and is ready to accept the innovation that these brands are bringing in. Brands that are positively impacting the consumer journey will see growth in the long term," Pani says. Opinion Article 19 April 2019 The tragedy of Notre Dame de Paris is nothing anyone is about to forget. Just like I remember gasping when I saw the Towers of the World Trade Center collapse, I could not help doing the same when the "fleche" of Notre Dame fell. Advertisements The big difference between the World Trade Center and Notre Dame is the number of casualties: the fire at Notre Dame (at least so far) did not result in any deaths. The World Trade Center, 18 years later, is still killing first responders and others. There stops my comparison. Let's look now at the hypocrisy of those willing to give millions to rebuild Notre Dame. Notre Dame, an asset of the city of Paris, is well insured as a landmark monument. When it caught on fire, it is likely the cause was negligence from the construction company handling renovations: they too, have to be bonded and heavily insured before being authorized to start a project of that magnitude. The French government, who is NOT supposed to have any connection with the Catholic Church, will find large sums to contribute to the disaster. Last but not least, the Vatican, although it does not own Notre Dame, has a very clear interest in demonstrating financial support. Why, you will ask me, the ongoing "pissing contest" (for lack of a better expression) between France's richest citizens pledging ridiculous amounts to rebuild the cathedral: so far, I believe they have committed enough to rebuild Notre Dame ten times over. Bernard Arnault, Forbes' third richest man in the world, when he heard that Francois Pinault (Salma Hayek's husband) had pledged $100 million euros, went ahead and offered $200 million euros. Then the daughter of the late Liliane Bettencourt (who was, for 30 years, the richest woman in the word) committed $100 million euros of her personal money AND $100 million euros from L'Oreal, the family business. A few "small timers" helped the numbers grow by gifting $10 million euros apiece. I betcha some of these generous donors never set foot in Notre Dame, for religious and other reasons. By the way, the great majority of the above "gifts" are tax deductible. Let me ask the following question: with close to one billion dollars, what would a hypothetical Jesus do? He does not need money to buy fish, since he can make as many as necessary. Likewise, with bread. He could, however, save Puerto Rico from decay. He could finally have clean water for the residents of Flint, Michigan. He could support high school students marching for a world without guns. He could keep politicians from building bridges to nowhere, just because they can. He could work on the mental health issues in our country. And, with the leftovers, he could try to save our planet. I think what we've seen is a period of acknowledgement from the larger hotel brands needing to diversify their brand options in order to stay relevant and protect market share. We've also enjoyed very strong hospitality market growth, up until this year. You're always going to see a greater number of mergers and acquisitions of brands during market peaks. The acquisition of the soft-brand Worldhotels by Best Western and of course the large Marriott acquisition of Starwood in recent years are both moves by large chain companies to diversify their brand portfolios towards boutique and lifestyle branded hotels. It's no coincidence that brands are adding sub-brands in the boutique and lifestyle sections of the market. That is a section of the market that I feel is best equipped to compete against Airbnb and target the experiential traveler market. Its fascinating to me that Airbnb is predominantly debated as a distribution channel when it has had a far wider impact on travel trends. I think that's where many hoteliers miss the point about the rise of the experiential traveler and their desire to feel connected to a city's vibe, to its culture, its food and its people. To me, that's the threat that Airbnb poses to traditional hotels and to brands in particular because it's so hard to create if you are a cookie-cutter branded hotel. In the last couple of years, we've seen some of the largest book direct campaigns ever produced. Hilton launched 'stop clicking around' and Marriott launched 'it pays to book direct'. Both were loyalty drives aimed at improving that distribution challenge that you mentioned in the original question. According to Phocuswright data released in February 2019, direct bookings accounted for 49% versus 51% OTA and is trending in favor of direct bookings again so it looks like that's a battle that's starting to be won by branded hotels. I agree that loyalty schemes are losing popularity, a recent study showed that 39% of millennials believe that it is not worth it to join a loyalty program and that's a real challenge from a brand engagement perspective for the large hotel chains and their many brands. Most loyalty schemes were devised pre-internet and pre-OTAs and have had little change other than a new name and a website re-launch. Mainly it is the same tired programs that amount to little more than spam emails about credit card offers for points that no one wants to redeem anyway. I think the exception is Marriott's Bonvoy, simply due to the scale of choice of brands and because they have started incorporating experiences as part of their loyalty schemes. I believe that's directly targeted at the experiential traveler type of guest e.g. a cooking class with a Michelin starred chef or a tour by a local guide who can provide a unique local experience. They are an example of a loyalty scheme that's genuinely innovative and trying to do something different. 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 We haven't heard much music from Tekashi 6ix9ine since his incarceration with the exception of DUMMY BOY. There have been a few collaborations that surfaced but there hasn't been any word on whether his label has any intention of releasing new music from him while he's away. However, a Danish rapper has filed a lawsuit against 6ix9ine and his label, 10k Projects on claims that they've blocked the release of a collaboration. According to TMZ, a Danish rapper named Sleiman is going after 6ix9ine after he was prevented from dropping their collaboration. Sleiman claims that he collaborated with Tekashi 6ix9ine on a song called "Red Bandnna [sic]/Black Hoodie." The Danish artist said that he and 6ix9ine worked out a deal where Tekashi would sign over the rights to the song for 88,000 euros -- nearly $100K. Sleiman said that after the song was recorded, he began to work on the release of the single but unfortunately, 10k Projects intervened. Sleiman claims that 10k Projects told him they have exclusive rights to Tekashi so they would need to sign off on the song before its actually released. Sleiman said that 10K projects threatened him legal action if he did decide to release the track. Sleiman claims that 10K Project have prevented him from landing a record deal to drop the song as well as leaving him dry of 88,000 euros. He's now requesting that the judge give him the rights to the song as well as the money he paid 6ix9ine for the track. Jordan Brand has a trio of snakeskin Air Jordan 11 Lows set to release in the coming weeks, and it all starts today, with the return of the Air Jordan 11 Low "Blue Snakeskin." The eye-catching kicks first debuted back in 2001, but they'll be back on shelves today, April 19, starting at 10am ET. Priced at $185 in men's, the "Blue Snakeskin" Air Jordan 11 Low will also be available in grade school ($135), pre-school ($75) and toddler ($55) sizes. Check out some of the purchase links below. https://twitter.com/_/status/1119232941912203266 https://twitter.com/_/status/1119232941593374721 https://twitter.com/_/status/1119236612573896706 Styled just like they were in '01, the 2019 rendition of the "Blue Snakeskin" Air Jordan 11 Low consists of a white leather upper with a dark blue snakeskin in place of the traditional AJ11 patent leather. In addition to "Blue Snakeskin" Air Jordan 11 Low, Jordan Brand will also be releasing the "Light Bone" colorway as well as vibrant "Watermelon" rendition featuring the same reptilian detailing. Scroll down for the official images. Air Jordan 11 Low "Blue Snakeskin"/Nike Air Jordan 11 Low "Blue Snakeskin"/Nike Air Jordan 11 Low "Blue Snakeskin"/Nike Air Jordan 11 Low "Blue Snakeskin"/Nike Ever since the third installment of Bad Boys was announced and the filming began, Will Smith has been sharing lots of behind-the-scenes updates of the action that's set to take place, keeping us on our toes for the official premiere. Will has now taken to Instagram to announce that the filming has come to an end meaning no more snippets of on-set happenings. The good news is that the third installment is closer than ever, arriving on January 17th, 2020. "Thats a Wrap! @BadBoys For Life - Ciudad de Mexico. Now hand me a Margarita and a pack of tropical fruit bubblicious," Will captioned some set locations in Mexico. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwarC9MBjau "The film will see Lawrences character Marcus Burnett working as a private eye after a falling out with Smiths Mike Lowery, who is going through a midlife crisis as a bachelor who finally wants to mature, all while dealing with a new a young and cocky partner who is loyal to Lowery but that loyalty is not reciprocated, and finds bond with Burnett when he returns to the fray," the official synopsis reads. "Lowery and Burnett are brought together again when a lean, mean, skilled, Albanian mercenary with a vendetta puts a death order on Lowery and Burnett for the death of his brother. Now the two must work together once again to bring him down." San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan has carried the torch for Nike's Kobe Bryant signature sneaker line since the Black Mamba retired. DeRozan ushered in a new wave of Kobe retros last season with the Nike Kobe 1 Protro, including some exclusive Undefeated x Kobe 1 collabs. This season, the 29-year old All Star has taken to the Nike Kobe 4 Protro and he broke out another exclusive colorway for Game 3 in San Antonio on Thursday night - which the Spurs won 118-108 to take a 2-1 series lead. Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4 Proto/@Spurs According to sneaker source @J23App, the teal Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4, equipped with patent leather and yellow detailing, will release in limited quantities in August alongside multiple other Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4 collabs. @SoleHeatonFeat reports that other UNDFTD x Kobe 4 colorways rumored to release in August include: "Black/Black/Multi-Color," "Sail/Sail/Multi-Color" and "Team Orange/Team Orange/Multi-Color." Check out some more photos of the teal UNDFTD x Kobe 4 below, and stay tuned to see what DeRozan pulls out for Game 4 on Saturday night. Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4 Proto/@NBAKicks Ronald Cortes/Getty Images https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwa_51Jpmlg DJ Khaled's anticipated 2019 Days Of Summer Cruise Fest has been in the works for some time now since Post Malone and Cardi B were the first headliners announced back in February. Now just two months later (as the weather has made itself cruise ready) the full list of acts set to jump on board has been announced and it's enough to make you cancel any plans between June 28th and July 1st, to grab a ticket and join the ride. Steven Ferdman/Getty Images City Girls, DaBaby, Soulja Boy, Def Loaf, Lil Nas X, Pardison Fontaine, Murda Beatz, Kent Jones, Tay Money and Tyla Yaweh will all be joining DJ Khaled, Post Maone and of course Cardi B for one of the biggest boat parties the open sea has ever seen. Even more, Waka Flocka, Flipp Dinero and special guests will be performing the beach of Half Moon Cay for guests to enjoy the musical selection with their feet planted on the ground. The cruise will pick up all attendees in Miami, head to the Bahamas and head right back. Head to the official site to book your cruise or to simply get more information. If you poll a group of Lil Peep fans on their favorite song of his, you're guaranteed to hear "Star Shopping" a number of times. The song has never been released on streaming and it's unfortunate that it has had to arrive after the artist's untimely death but, alas, the track has made its way onto streaming. It's been a fan favorite for years and although it wasn't included on Come Over When You're Sober Pt. 2, "Star Shopping" is officially out today. The song gives an eye into how Peep began his genre-shifting revolution with his mother recalling, "Gus actually composed the lyrics to Star Shopping on his phone, in his Notes app, on August 16, 2015--right after a trip to Cambridge for his grandfather's birthday." Until now, we've only been able to listen to the song through dubious measures but thanks to Liza Womack and the rest of Peep's estate, we can now officially enjoy the early stages of Lil Peep. Quotable Lyrics: Losin' your patience, and, girl, I don't blame you The Earth's in rotation, you're waitin' for me Look at my face when I fuck on your waist 'Cause we only have one conversation a week That's why your friends always hatin' on me Fuck 'em though, I did this all by myself Matter fact, I ain't ever asked no one for help And that's why I don't pick up my phone when it rings Joyce Vieira, an amateur MMA fighter hailing from Brazil, was reportedly taking part in a swimsuit photo shoot on a beach in Rio de Janeiro recently when she was interrupted by a creep who was masturbating nearby. According to reports, the 27-year-old fighter claims the man had his shorts down and was standing in front of her and her friend while pleasuring himself. Vieira then took matters into her own hands and punched the dude until he retreated. https://twitter.com/_/status/1119304952646635520 Vieira reported the incident with police and the man, identified as 26-year oldJ osenei Viana Ferreira, was later arrested for committing an 'obscene act.' However, he has since been released after denying the crime, claiming that he was merely peeing in some nearby bushes. After his release, Vieira told local media: "We feel powerless. It's very strange because he's going to be in the same city as me, and who knows he might be in the same places. "That's why I have received an innumerable number of messages from women saying that [in similar situations] they didn't file a report, because they know the suspects would end up being released. I think the punishment for these cases should be more severe." https://www.instagram.com/p/BwIlJ_NHOqG https://www.instagram.com/p/BpXj_luB1Xw Andrew Gratz had been on the job as a senior in-house corporate lawyer at Houston-based LyondellBasell for about three months when his boss called him at home. He told me that we were about to file bankruptcy and asked if I wanted to be on the team preparing the company for bankruptcy, Gratz recalled. I had never been involved in a bankruptcy before. It was new to all of us. Gratz agreed, feeling both nervous about his job security and excited to be part of an obviously transformational assignment. Every single day, we were never sure we would have a job at the end of the day, he said. There were a lot of goodbye parties every few days at the Flying Saucer. Every Friday, we would wait to see if our paychecks cleared the bank. Seriously, Im not kidding. Gratz played a critical role in LyondellBasells extremely complex and highly successful restructuring and is now the companys associate general counsel for commercial and strategic transactions. Despite being only 42, Gratzs recent accomplishments at LyondellBasell are significant. Last year, he guided the $35 billion multinational petrochemical corporation through its $2.25 billion acquisition of A. Schulman Inc. He leads LyondellBasells cross-border M&A activity for the legal team, and he is a finalist for the 2019 Houston Corporate Counsel Award's Senior Counsel of the Year. George Casey , a partner at Shearman & Sterling, said that the Schulman acquisition was such a huge success for LyondellBasell because of Gratzs leadership. Andrew led a large team and was directly involved in all aspects of the transaction, said Casey, who was one of three lawyers who nominated Gratzs for the award. Andrews experience is combined with outstanding personal traits - he is very collegial, even-keeled and calm even in the most demanding, stressful and fast paced situations in the middle of transactions, Casey said. Andrew is a Swiss Army knife in that he has several practice areas in his background, and he has mastered all of them, said LyondellBasell Chief Legal Officer Jeff Kaplan. From litigator to collaborator Born in the Bronx, Gratz moved with his family to Las Vegas in 1984 when he was seven. His father worked for several years as a security officer at a casino at night. An early memorable moment for Gratz came in 1992 when he was a junior in high school and watched the inauguration of President Bill Clinton as part of his government class. I was transfixed - everything about it was fascinating, he said. I wanted to go to the nations capital for college and I went to American University with every intent of getting into politics. While in Washington, D.C., he gained invaluable experience working in a congressional office on Capitol Hill, with a public policy newsletter and for the American Gaming Association, a trade group for the casino industry. After returning to Nevada to work on three political campaigns. Each candidate lost and Gratz lost his passion for politics. At the time, he was dating a woman who lived in Texas. So, he applied to the University of Houston Law Center. The law school accepted him and so did his girlfriend, as they were later married. There were no lawyers in my family, and the only basis I had for being a lawyer was what I had seen on TV and I decided I would be a litigator, he said. Gratz joined the litigation section of Gardere in 2002, where he focused on labor and employment cases and commercial disputes. Not long after I started practicing, I knew something wasnt right and that I wasnt enjoying the job, he said. I learned that it wasnt the practice of law I disliked; it was litigation. In litigation, each party is aiming for a different target. Theres no shared goal. It just wasnt for me. Gratz started taking classes to obtain his MBA, fully intending to leave the law. In 2004, Gardere moved him to its mergers and acqusitions practice in Houston, which he enjoyed much more. Corporate work allowed me to collaborate and work with people to accomplish the same goal, he said. Gratz received his MBA from the University of Texas in Dallas in 2006. A few weeks later, he accepted an offer from Baker Botts, where he spent two years working on mergers, acquisitions, securities and corporate governance. In the summer of 2008, a recruiter called Gratz to entertain his interest in going in-house. I liked the idea of working for one client and helping that client achieve its strategic and commercial goals, Gratz said. A few weeks later, he started as a senior lawyer in the legal department at the then-newly merged LyondellBasell, one of the largest petrochemical companies in the world. At the time, LyondellBasell had about 50 attorneys in-house. Integrating while nearly liquidating Then came the bankruptcy. LyondellBasell filed its Chapter 11 petition in January 2009, as the credit markets were collapsing, and the country was in the midst of the Great Recession. After 15 months, LyondellBasell exited bankruptcy after shedding more than $20 billion in debt, and a few months later, the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Gratz was awarded a new assignment: lead a multidisciplinary and multifunctional effort to draft the companys Delegation of Authorities policy. The merger of Lyondell and Basell took place in 2007, but the business units and functions - including the legal departments - were still operating separately, he said. Our mission in drafting a policy was to align and fully integrate Lyondell and Basells values and instill a culture of responsibility and accountability. In 2015, LyondellBasell promoted Gratz and gave him the title Lead Compliance Counsel. For two years, he traveled the world, educating his colleagues in 32 countries about anti-corruption and antitrust matters, data privacy protections and other compliance concerns. Between 2011 and 2016, LyondellBasell did very few mergers and acquisitions. That changed in April 2017 when the company started building up its business development efforts. Kaplan appointed Gratz as the corporate development groups chief legal counsel. In February 2018, LyondellBasell announced its $2.25 billion purchase of A. Schulman - an acquisition that resulted in the worlds largest compounding business. Gratz said the acquisition had multiple complexities that required his deal team to be creative. There was a lot of pressure on us because this was our first big deal since the bankruptcy, he said. A significant issue was the potential allocation of recoveries from pending litigation after the transaction was closed. Gratz and his team made it part of the agreement that A. Schulman shareholders would receive cash and contingent value rights, known in M&A circles as CVRs. The use of CVRs in this transaction is noteworthy, as CVRs are highly unusual in non-pharmaceutical M&A transactions, Gratz said. However, to get the deal done and advance the strategic goals of the company, we decided to propose creative ideas to bridge the parties fundamental differences in valuation. Andrew strikes a terrific balance of being both a deal leader who is able to push transactions forward and a willing and capable listener who shows great respect for his team, said Latham & Watkins partner Ryan Maierson. Like all excellent in-house lawyers, he thinks beyond purely legal issues, taking into account the strategic considerations that underpin the deal for LyondellBasell. For a longer version of this article, please visit TexasLawbook.net. Robin Mueck has long seen the potential for residential real estate in downtown Houston. The native Houstonian likes to say her company, Heritage Texas Properties, was downtown before it was cool to be downtown. Her company took a sizable chunk of market share downtown early in its history. Today, it has the largest share of the residential real estate market there and boasted of more than $1.2 billion in sales last year. Mueck, owner and CEO, built Heritage since the mid 1980s with her husband through rapid acquisitions, an aggressive focus on interpersonal connections and deep knowledge of the community. Her company specializes in corporate relocations for families, which represents approximately 30 percent of the business. She still does business with a handshake and a hug. If we could bottle our culture and sell it, wed be rich, she joked. Mueck spoke with Texas Inc. about how she built Heritage into one of Houstons largest real estate players. Q: How have you seen the real estate market in Houston shift? A: Our city has become an attractive destination for younger people, professionals and certainly businesses. Because of that, I think youre seeing a lot more urbanization. Architects and builders are designing product that is alluring to a younger professional. It is modernizing. You see new real estate developments in a number of parts of the city now that you would have never guessed in the past that anyone would invest money in. Q: What are some examples? A: Any direction in the city, youre going to see an urban strategy to develop it and transportation being connected to it. You may see high-density housing like mid rises and high rises. On all sides of the central business district, theres an aggressive development of all real estate and at all price points. The vertical aspect of whats happening in our city is a welcome addition. I think people are comfortable with vertical living, where maybe 15 years ago it was a new trend. As Texans, we like to sprawl, but ... people that come from other urban cities may have always had vertical living, say New York or Chicago. But I think if you live here and if you've not had exposure to that, it has taken a while for developers to make that combination of decisions work. Q: It's not necessarily cheap to live downtown. What are some difference in serving clients inside the loop versus outside? A: I think if you compare Houston to any other major metropolitan, this city is by far the most affordable. But when you are comparing inside the loop versus outside the loop, the dirt, the real estate inside the loop, is so expensive. Outside the loop is going to be more affordable than inside, but theres luxury in every corner of the city. Some of the parcels outside the loop are expensive because they are large, so developing it into a community it takes a long time and money. Greater Houston is gigantic. Theres a lot of land yet to be developed that allows for affordable housing. But I do think we are seeing an urban design even in areas that are not close in. Q: Where do you see the market in 10 years as the city focuses on this urban strategy? A: Not everyone wants the same thing and thats whats beautiful about Houston. If you want peace and tranquillity, you can find it. If you want hustle and bustle, you can find it. People that are in their 70s are starting to migrate to locations that are going to offer them medical solutions. Were seeing, no matter what age, more people that want adventure. The aesthetics are driving decisions. That is changing the way architects are designing. Theyre really having to weigh the amenities, which is becoming more and more important. Q: What about this new trend of buying directly online, like Zillow, Open Door and other companies? Have you much considered it? A: It makes us look closer at everything, maybe even sharpen the saw. I think it comes down to: Do you trust the process and are your interests first? That's where I tend to suggest people slow down and look closer. In 43 years, Ive seen a lot of new processes and new companies and some of those companies are successful. Others come and go. Theres no doubt in my mind that if you are not fast, you're dead. If you do not move quickly, you're irrelevant. If you do not have technical solutions, your value is less. If you don't have a deep knowledge of the process and the marketplace, then people cannot rely on you. Q: So, you value the personal relationship moreso than perhaps the new technology? A: Well, I value both of them. I value the technology solutions as long as the relationship of the individual is considered to be the No. 1 most important piece of that transaction. While I appreciate data everything we do is measured I think its scary sometimes that you get caught up in the process of having so much information, you may miss the forest for the trees. Every business today is probably challenged with how much innovation is enough and how much technology is enough. Ive also seen individuals appreciate my eyes connecting to theirs, my ears listening to their needs, and my hand shaking their hand. Q: How did you come into the position youre in today? A: I was recruited to manage a real estate company on Memorial Drive, at the time called House Hunters Inc. That was probably the springboard that really made a difference for me in terms of the desire to own a business, because that particular company grew out of the energy business. Gulf Oil was a very big company back in that day, and Memorial was filled with oil executives. So that boutique firm became the firm I managed, and ultimately I just asked the owners if they would consider an exit strategy. If I was going to work that hard I wanted to own it too. They were a little surprised because I was a young person, but a few years later they agreed. I was in my early 30s then and became a partner and then became an outright owner. That brokerage firm grew to a point where we decided to purchase a building on Memorial Drive, which quickly became a strategy to acquire other firms. The strategy in the 70s was to connect yourself to the energy corridor or the energy cycle and that will eventually turn into a long term opportunity it did because today we work with over 200 corporations and 55 relocation management companies. Q: Do you think thats still a strategy today, to tie yourself to the cycles of the energy business? A: Were native Houstonians. Our roots are very deep here, and the energy business is, of course, what has built this city, so I would say absolutely yes. Although, there are a lot of other aspects of the energy business and oil business that have developed over time. Q: How do you think its changed since the 70s, the strategies you were using in the business compared to the strategies youre using now? A: Partially there is no difference when it comes to relationships. Thats the foundation of how we built our company: We started with quality people, and those, in turn, built relationships that created trust within these large corporations. Like everything in life, when you treat people the right way and you have a reputation built on a foundation of trust, youre able to garner more business. Heres whats different: The businesses back then didnt necessarily have the same costs that they did today. The cost to relocate a family back in the 70s would be very different now. Over time, relocation management companies became more and more crucial to large corporations. Heres where the strategy begins to change: That corporation then wanted your brokerage business to be in their backyard so that you could be more connected to them. Q: With new digital innovations, are corporations you work with less concerned with your physical presence? A: Eventually, corporations, like everything in life, became a little bit more digital, so it was more about your performance and your relationship. They werent as concerned that you had a physical location in every corner of the city. Theyre less concerned that you have a storefront in your neighborhood. Theyre more concerned that every single encounter be personal and impactful. Once they have that comfort of your track record and reputation, its more about them measuring your performance than it is about having multiple storefronts all over the city. But, when we initially expanded by acquisition, in 20 years we bought 15 companies. That's a very aggressive growth and it worked. Q: Is that still a strategy, and are you looking at more acquisitions? A: We are not. Its interesting. We know everyone so well, having been here for 43 years, it makes it nice to have your competitive neighbor be someone that you know. I think the need to acquire neighboring companies probably isnt the best strategy today. Maybe the best strategy today is growing organically so that youre not also acquiring all the additional infrastructure, cost and layers of another culture to blend into yours. Q: How are you driving growth by focusing internally? A: Our eyes are on the consumer; how to simplify the process for them, and in doing so, that brings about the challenge internally to make the process more streamlined for our sales associate. The consumer is really wanting things to happen faster than we ever thought. I think all of us are pretty accustomed to having what we want when we want it these days. Weve created what I would call something similar to an internal advertising agency ... that allowed us to bring in equipment not typical of a brokerage office. Thats an advantage to our clients because we can shorten the process (of marketing). Q: Whats a challenge that made you change your strategy? A: Ive kissed a lot of frogs. But probably the most profound lesson was bringing 24 real estate CEOs from around the country to evaluate how we perform. They were able to show my husband and I that by bringing in young leaders, the company could be more dynamic. I dont think I wouldve let go of the reigns of the company had I not had 24 objective opinions that said, You need youthful leaders to take you into the next 40 years. Having a team of leaders that includes the original owners is a great blend of talent. And were going to preserve the most important part: the foundation of trust. erin.douglas@chron.com Twitter.com/erinmdouglas23 When the late Hugo Chavez nationalized Venezuelas gold mining industry eight years ago, it was hard to see how the impact of that decision could one day ricochet to Houston. Yet that is exactly what could happen as a now defunct Canadian mining company, Crystallex International, seeks to recoup its losses stemming from the gold mines expropriation in 2011. The company is trying to collect a $1.4 billion award it won through a World Bank arbitration court in 2016. Venezuela has paid Crystallex $500 million, but still owes Crystallex about $900 million, according to a company spokesperson. Crystallex, now owned by the New York hedge fund Tenor, is trying to force Venezuelas hand in repayment by targeting the countrys biggest U.S. asset - the Houston refiner Citgo Petroleum, a subsidiary Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA. On HoustonChronicle.com: Citgo gets $1.2B loan amid concerns over Venezuelan sanctions A federal judge sided with Crystallex in August 2018 that PDVSAs assets in the United States, including Citgo, could be used to satisfy Venezuelas debt. If Delaware Federal District Court Chief Judge Leonard Starks decision is upheld by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, that could eventually put Citgo on the auction block and open the refiner up to the swarm of creditors seeking repayment from Venezuela. Citgo and the U.S. government could take several steps to prevent that from happening. But hypothetically, said Russ Dallen, managing partner at the international investment bank and consulting firm Caracas Capital Markets, we are just two pen strokes away, from Crystallex being able to auction off Citgo. Delicate political situation In the nine months since Judge Stark sided with Crystallex, much has changed in the tumultuous South American country. The Trump administration and several countries have recognized Venezuelan National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate leader of Venezuela as he tries to wrest control from President Nicolas Maduro. Guaido intervened in the Crystallex case last month in attempt to block Venezuelas creditors from raiding the coffers of the countrys most-prized foreign asset. Guaido wants to consolidate control over Venezuelas assets abroad as he tries to rebuild the country stricken by one of the worst economic depressions in modern history. Attorneys for Guiado argued in court documents that the case could endanger U.S. foreign policy. In oral arguments, Guaidos attorneys appealed to the judges to take the delicate political situation into account when making their decision, according to media reports and Dallen. Earlier: Board named by Venezuelan opposition takes control of Citgo Crystallexs attorneys argued that a changing political situation doesnt absolve Venezuela of its debt. "As much as everyone may wish President Guaido will ultimately succeed in attaining true power the Maduro government continues to wield the levers of power in Venezuela with the support of the army, Russia, and other powers, said Miguel Estrada of the law firm Gibson Dunn, who is representing Crystallex. Even after months of increasingly severe sanctions by our government, the rogue Maduro regime remains, and for all a court can know, may remain indefinitely into the future. Dallen of Caracas Capital predicts that it is likely that the appeals court will affirm Judge Starks decision. PDVSA and Venezuela could appeal the case to U.S. Supreme Court though. Friend in Trump The U.S. government has been sympathetic to Citgos cause and wants to preserve the companys 3,400 jobs including 800 jobs in the Houston area. Already the Trump administration has granted Citgo some exemptions from oil sanctions against Venezuela that allow the Houston refiner to keep its doors open. And it could look into other legal measures to keep Citgo intact. Based on the Trumps administrations earlier actions, including increasing sanctions against the Maduro regime, and the tone of Vice President Mike Pences visit to Houston earlier this month, I wouldnt be surprised if the U.S. takes every step it can to protect the Houston refiner from the chopping block. Speaking at an event about Venezuela at Rice University, Pences message to the Venezuelan people was clear through his heavily-accented Spanish: Estamos con ustedes (We are with you). marissa.luck@chron.com twitter.com/marissaluck7 Federal regulators are echoing endangered species concerns in their second environmental review of three liquefied natural gas export terminals proposed to be built in the Rio Grande Valley. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission released the final draft of a 484-page environmental review of the proposed Annova LNG export terminal at the Port of Brownsville. Although Annova LNG got the green light as an individual project, federal regulators expressed concern about the cumulative impacts on three endangered species that the export terminal would have alongside natural gas pipelines and two other proposed LNG projects in the same area. Combined traffic, noise and habitat fragmentation from the projects would have "permanent and significant" impacts on the movements of the ocelot and jaguarundi between the United States and Mexico as well as a "significant" impact on the aplomado falcon, FERC officials wrote. Those concerns echo similar ones raised by regulators last month in an environmental review of the Texas LNG export terminal, a project proposed to be built on the opposite side of the Brownsville Ship Channel from Annova LNG. Politics: Texas LNG green light in environmental report alongside endangered species warning Keeping ocelots and other endangered species in mind, Annova LNG has pledged to include a 185-acre wildlife corridor on its 731-acre site along the southern shore of the ship channel in addition to restoring and enhancing another 250 acres of wetlands. The company has also pledged to use electric-powered motors to reduce pollution and noise. Located within an area of land that will closed during rocket launches at SpaceX's nearby facility at Boca Chica Beach, Annova LNG has also pledged to develop a safety plan for construction workers and the plant during launches and in the event of rocket failures. "We appreciate the extensive reviews conducted by FERC and the cooperating agencies," Annova LNG CEO Omar Khayum said in statement. "We are pleased they recognize our proactive approach to minimizing our impact on the environment, including investing in mitigation that is above and beyond what is required by local, state and federal regulations." Fuel Fix: Get daily energy news headlines in your inbox Headquartered in Houston, Annova LNG is a subsidiary of Exelon, a Chicago utility company that reported a $2.1 billion profit on nearly $36 billion of revenue in 2018. The release of the final environmental impact statement begins a 90-day countdown for a final permit decision on the Annova LNG project that ends on July 18. If approved by FERC and the project signs enough customers, Annova LNG plans to build a plant that will produce 6 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas per year and export it to customers in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Growing Industry: Top 10 destinations for U.S. LNG exports in 2018 Annova LNG and the two other proposed export terminals face stiff opposition from a coalition of shrimpers, fishermen, environmentalists, neighbors and communities working under the banner Save RGV From LNG. In addition to filing more than 1,000 public comments against the Annova LNG project, Save RGV From LNG members successfully persuaded board members of the Point Isabel School District to vote down a tax break for the project in 2015. Rebekah Hinojosa, a Sierra Club organizer working with Save RGV From LNG, said the cumulative impacts from the three liquefied natural gas projects would be "devastating" to fishermen, shrimpers, the local ecotourism industry and wildlife. "Texans from across the state have spoken out countless times in opposition to Annova LNG and the other fracked gas projects proposed for our community," Hinojosa said in a statement. "We shouldn't have to sacrifice our health, our pristine coastline, our ecotourism industry, and our diverse wildlife, all so that fossil fuel companies can export more fracked gas overseas." Regulatory Moves: FERC approves LNG projects in Texas, Louisiana Steve Everley, a spokesman for the industry-funded group Texans For Natural Gas, said Annova LNG and the other two projects will bring billions of investment and thousands of construction jobs to the impoverished region along the U.S./Mexico border. "America's path to continued energy dominance runs through Brownsville," Everley said in a statement. "LNG exports represent a generational opportunity to create thousands of high paying jobs and boost the local economy. The minimal and manageable environmental risks demonstrate that exports are a win-win for Brownsville, for Texas, and the entire country." WASHINGTON The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the construction Thursday of two liquefied natural gas export terminals in Texas and Louisiana, adding to the momentum of an expected yearslong expansion of the burgeoning U.S. LNG industry. The commission, in a 3-1 vote, approved Driftwood LNG in Calcasieu Parish, La., and the Port Arthur LNG in Southeast Texas. The developers of the projects, Tellurian of Houston and Sempra Energy of San Diego, respectively, plan to make final investment decisions this year. We are one step closer to reaching a final investment decision and delivering low-cost, reliable and clean U.S. natural gas to world markets, said Carlos Ruiz Sacristan, CEO of Sempra North American Infrastructure, a unit of Sempra Energy. Port Arthur LNG should help us achieve our goal to become one of the largest exporters of North American liquefied natural gas. SOUTH AMERICA: Citgos future ensnared in international feud over Venezuelas debts The Driftwood and Port Arthur projects are the latest LNG export terminals to move ahead. In February, FERC approved a Calcasieu Pass LNG project, which is being developed in Cameron Parish, La., by the Venture Global LNG of Arlington, Va. On Wednesday, the Houston pipeline company Kinder Morgan Houston said the the first of 10 production units at its Elba Island LNG export terminal in Savannah, Ga., is expected to be placed into service by May 1. FERC also gave Kinder Morgans proposed Gulf LNG export terminal in Pascagoula, Miss., the green light in a final environmental impact statement released Wednesday. FERC is expected to make a final permit decision on the project in July. The LNG boom is driven by the flood of cheap natural gas from U.S. shale basins and growing demand for natural gas as customers around the world seek cleaner-burning alternatives to coal and other fuels that emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. Natural gas is considered a bridge fuel to renewable energy as governments seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change. KEEP ON TRUCKING: 18-wheelers haul LNG exports into Mexico The approval of the Driftwood and Port Arthur projects signaled that FERC commissioners have reached a lasting resolution on their disagreement earlier this year over accounting for he impact of LNG projects on climate change. That disagreement had delayed a decision on the Calcasieu Pass project earlier this year. Todays orders show that FERC is making a lot of headway on processing LNG applications in a more efficient manner, FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee said in a statement. LNG exports can help increase the availability of inexpensive, clean-burning fuel to our global allies who are looking for an efficient, affordable, environmentally friendly source of generation. The Driftwood LNG facility in Louisiana is expected to reach a capacity of 27.6 million metric tons of LNG per year. The Port Arthur Liquefaction Project, which is to be built on the site of an LNG import facility, is projected to have an export capacity of 13.5 million metric tons per year. james.osborne@chron.com A teaching job at Stanford University left Richard Powers nestled between a hive of technological activity in Silicon Valley and the Santa Cruz mountains with their majestic varieties of redwood tree. As a novelist interested in all manner of systems from ecosystems to computer programming Powers found this intersection intriguing. Our culture would refer to the tech as progress and the mountains and trees as nature. But Powers isnt much for such labels, even those that were codified ages ago. His 12th novel, The Overstory, tells a longer story about humans and trees. He compresses generations of human life into rings that extend outward over time (and printed on recycled paper). But more than telling an epic story about people, Powers book asks for a paradigm shift in how we consider the planet. As evidenced in the conversation that follows, he thinks humankind has allowed the concept of exceptionalism to blind it to the fact that nature isnt some other entity. Powers interest in systems prompts him to maximize the data available. So hes willing and able to envision consequences of behaviors across time. For humans, his view sounds ominous in The Overstory as well as our current existence. Richard Powers with Tayari Jones When: 7:30 p.m. Monday Where: Stude Concert Hall, Rice University, 6100 Main Details: $5; 713-521-2026, inprinthouston.org See More Collapse But anybody who has visited ruins of old civilizations in Central or South America will know that the entity we call nature will ultimately prevail, even if it suffers casualties along the way. Like the Tom Waits song: You can drive out nature with a pitchfork, but it always comes roaring back again. Powers last week won a Pulitzer Prize for The Overstory. Hell appear in Houston on Monday with Tayari Jones at an Inprint Houston event. Q: Congratulations on the Pulitzer. Im sure you dont start an epic novel about trees or any novel, for that matter thinking, This ones the Pulitzer bait! But it must be nice just the same. A: (Laughs.) Well, thank you. No, you dont really write with any of that in mind. But it is a wonderful recognition. Q: The book touches on the 90s timber wars. I figure youd appreciate this: Years ago my wife and I were in Washington, and she thought it would be funny to take a Twilight tour. And the tour guide wasnt a vampire-loving fanboy or fangirl but rather an out-of-work logger. A: Thats interesting. I came across so many references to that town while researching passages in the book that are set during the timber wars. That town really is a case study of this belief that we somehow have to choose between the economic or the environmental, or economy verses ecology. But its very interesting to see a town like that change and reinvent itself. Q: The book starts out with an interesting chapter on the Hoel family, westward-moving immigrants who salvaged a chestnut tree. I thought the way you compressed numerous generations was a little like making them rings in a tree. A: Yeah, yeah, its kind of a narrative time lapse in a way. A seed germinating and a flower blooming, you understand that and see the intentionality of a plant; thats a visual that makes sense to us. But to me, this was the inverse of that. In order to give a sense of the narrative arc of an individual tree or a forest, you had to have human beings scurry around in the foreground. That had to happen to give you a sense of a grand narrative arc of the life beyond human life. Q: One of the key ideas you wanted to get across was that nature isnt this other thing with which we interact. A: Thats right. So if anything, this is a story about the tragedy in the belief of human exceptionalism. That somehow we make our own rules, and we can master and dominate all these elements. The inconveniences of the world. Where we try to simplify things down to what can be controlled and managed. And if you take exception with exceptionalism, you have to take exception to the idea of nature as something outside of us. Theres no separate thing called nature. Were interdependent. If we understood interdependence and saw other living creatures not as an inconvenience, then we wouldnt be in the catastrophe that were in. Q: So you dont like our long-range odds? A: (Laughs.) No. Weve been under the influence of this dream of mastery for so long. Even as the planet itself changes; as freak weather becomes the norm; familiar patterns of cyclical life change so drastically; species counts crash; catastrophic emergencies skyrocket we still have this belief that well be able to handle it as it comes. Well build a bigger sea wall. That will do it until things settle down. We havent as a species awakened to the fact that its not going to work that way. Q: The book, like our culture, is full of people who suggest ecology and progress cant be reconciled. A: And the word economics and the word ecology come from the same root. They come from the old Greek word meaning housekeeping. We do think economics and ecology are at war with each other. And as long as we think of them as separate and opposed to each other, were hosed. The problem with our idea of economics is were good at externalizing cost. But were not doing the bookkeeping to pay for the things were doing as we go along. Q: I was reminded of that book The Song of the Dodo, about the fragility of ecosystems. I believe the metaphor was to envision a nice Persian rug cut into 36 pieces. Take away a piece, and you can still observe the detail. But the rug isnt what it was. A: Thats right. And one thing I had my eyes open to working on the book was time and the scale of regeneration. The cutters in the book used the phrase, that idea (of) why worry about these things. They grow back. The reality is, yes, the tree will grow back quickly, but an ecosystem does not. And they dont go back to what they were before they were destroyed. The reality is theres not a human being who has lived who has seen the complexity and richness and stability of an old-growth forest. It hasnt happened in the course of human history. Its like the Aldo Leopold thing: Dont throw away the parts. Hold onto the parts. But were losing the parts. And not everything comes back. andrew.dansby@chron.com Busting Texas barbecue myths is an unenviable task. Last week I discussed the fading tradition of using only salt and pepper to season meats such as brisket and turkey. I described the use of a spritz a small spray bottle of liquid that pitmasters use to moisten and flavor meat on the smoker. To say that this using an adulterant like apple cider vinegar or Worcestershire sauce caused much consternation among purists would be an understatement. However, as is often the case in the long history of Texas barbecue, whats old is new again. Though the delivery mechanism may be different, spritzing meat is simply a continuation of a long tradition in barbecue cooking known as the mop. Anyone who grew up watching their dad cook barbecue in the backyard knows about the mop. If you were like me, Fathers Day gifts rotated yearly among socks and ties and some type of grilling tool kit. The tool kits invariably included tongs, a spatula, various skewers, an apron with a nominally clever logo (Daddio of the patio) and a long-handled basting brush. Because most backyard cooks feel the need to actually do something while cooking rather than sitting back and patiently waiting for the meat to cook, the basting brush got a lot of action. A typical grill session featured a rack of ribs that was occasionally flipped using the tongs and constantly mopped with a sweet, Kansas City-style sauce. Millheim Harmonie Vereins Dance Hall 3384 FM 949, Sealy Community barbecue on Father's Day, June 16 See More Collapse By the end of the cook, the sauce was laminated to the ribs like chrome on a bumper, and the ribs essentially became a delivery mechanism for the sweet sauce. Basting or mopping meat to add flavor and moisture is one of the oldest traditions in American barbecue. Cooking whole hogs over coal-filled trenches always included mopping the meat with a sauce made of vinegar and peppers. For leaner meats, the mop included a certain amount of fat to add flavor. In the 1913 cookbook Dishes & Beverages of the South, author Martha McCulloch-Williams describes dipney, or the sauce that was mopped on the meat at the end of the cooking process that savored the meat when it was crisply tender, brown all over, but free from the least scorching. McCulloch-Williams described how her father made dipney: Two pounds sweet lard, melted in a brass kettle, with one pound beaten, not ground, black pepper, a pint of small fiery red peppers, nubbed and stewed soft in water to barely cover, a spoonful of herbs in powder he would never tell what they were and a quart and pint of the strongest apple vinegar, with a little salt. In contemporary commercial barbecue, mopping and basting are mainly associated with Carolina-style whole-hog barbecue. Other than the occasional spritz, Texas barbecue avoids heavy mopping and basting of meats. Fortunately, the traditions of cooking barbecue in Texas are alive and well in community barbecues that occur throughout the state, usually on various holidays. Every Fathers Day in Millheim, a small town near Sealy, a community barbecue is held to raise funds for the historical German dance hall there known as the Millheim Harmonie Verein. A long, concrete-lined trench is filled with wood that is burned down to coals, over which traditional meats perhaps beef shoulder, pork shoulder and various cuts of mutton (sheep) are grilled and smoked. Throughout the process, volunteer cooks holding long mops baste the meat with a thin liquid made up of vinegar, salt and onions. Historically, this recipe wasnt developed as much for flavor as it was for necessity in the earliest days of the Texas republic, more flavorful ingredients would have been few and far between. Texas barbecue has come a long way from coal-filled trenches and tart-and-tangy mops used to impart flavor to leaner meats such as beef shoulder clod. Still, you will occasionally see a contemporary pitmaster spray a flavored liquid onto a too-dry brisket or paint a sweet sauce onto a rack or pork ribs. Fear not, barbecue purist such techniques are long established in the history and traditions of Texas barbecue. jcreid@jcreidtx.com twitter.com/jcreidtx A striking piece of Houston history sold earlier this week on eBay, a reminder of how criminal justice was once meted out in Harris County. The medal, about the size of a quarter, depicts a hooded, suit-wearing figure hanging from the gallows. Inscribed on the front is the name Henry McGee, his ethnicity is described as "colored" and the date of his execution is provided: Aug. 12, 1892. Also inscribed is the name of McGee's victim, Houston police officer James Fenn. We then learn the time it took for McGee to die on the gallows, 2 minutes, 30 seconds. The back of the medal reads, "Presented to R.E. Sutton by J. Warfel." A city directory from that period lists a Robert E. Sutton as deputy sheriff and assistant jailer. There are two Warfels listed in the directory, one of whom was a watchmaker. The medal, which came from a Houston-area estate sale, baffled some Texas historians. "I never came across anything like that," said Mitchel P. Roth, professor of criminal justice and criminology at Sam Houston State University and co-author of "Houston Blue: The Story of the Houston Police Department." At the time of McGee's execution, the Houston Daily Post looked back on the case and noted "there was strong talk of lynching" after he was jailed. Four men are known to have been lynched in the county in the 1800s and early 20th century. No doubt that when McGee was arrested, the mob-fueled slaying of John Walton, suspected in a burglary and attempted rape the previous year, was on many Houstonians' minds. A brother-in-law of the burglarized homeowner, also a Houston cop, took part in the lynching. McGee's arrest came at time when the South was experiencing a rising number of lynchings that continued for decades. Patricia Bernstein, author of "The First Waco Horror: the Lynching of Jesse Washington and the Rise of the NAACP" said it was amazing that McGee was not lynched and that he was tried twice for Fenn's death. "It was almost like there were two separate systems of justice, for blacks and whites," she said, noting that wealthy, well-placed whites tended to fare better in the criminal justice system than poor whites. The system, though, was always going to be worse for African Americans, she said. Cary Wintz, distinguished professor of history at Texas Southern University saw the medal as a personal item, given its rarity. "To me, the issue is how many did he make?" he said, speculating that there could have been some personal connection between Sutton and Fenn that led Warfel to create it. He and other historians also wondered what was it about the case that prompted this. "This one is just off the wall," Wintz said. Bernstein found the medal appalling, even if it depicts a lawful execution. "It's a medal that celebrates the murder of somebody," she said. Roth said badges, and even ball-and-chains, will appear in police and criminal justice collections, but he had never seen anything like this object. Here's what is known about the crime: On March 14, 1891, Fenn was at a gathering spot known as the Broom Factory where alcohol and music mixed in the Second Ward. Fenn was sent there by the chief of police to maintain order, according to a decision by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. This was not his first time there as he was considered popular in the African-American community. McGee, who once worked as a waiter at the Capitol and Grand Central hotels, apparently held a grudge against Fenn over an earlier arrest for shooting a pistol and threatened to kill the officer if he "was ever sent to the poor farm in consequence of an arrest." "Very soon afterwards a pistol was fired, and Fenn and another officer, Frank Michael, went in the direction of the pistol shot, where a man stood flourishing a pistol in his right hand," according to the appeals court. "As they got close to him, he deliberately lowered the pistol in front of him, and holding it (in) both hands, fired upon Fenn and killed him." McGee fled but was captured a few days later at a home occupied by two women in the First Ward. McGee soon went on trial and was convicted and sentenced to death. That conviction was reversed on appeal and sent back to the trial court because of the admission of improper testimony. The following year, McGee was tried and sentenced to death again. *** At 7 a.m. on Aug. 12, 1892, a crowd of Houstonians gathered outside the Harris County Jail for McGee's execution. "Men, women and children of all conditions congregated about the jail and gazed with renewed interest at the iron-girded pile of brick and mortar which barred their morbid curiosity by shutting out sight of the condemned man," the Houston Daily Post noted. "As time worn on the [motley] crew increased, until the sidewalks could no longer hold them." About four hours later, inside the jail, McGee made his way to the gallows assisted by the Rev. Jack Yates and the Rev. Henry Watts. He asserted his innocence and instead put blame on an unidentified person for killing Fenn. McGee also talked openly of his religious conversion and offered goodbyes to Sheriff George W. Ellis and his jailers, including Sutton. After his execution, relatives took McGee's body to Lynchburg for burial. Fenn is buried in Glenwood Cemetery. WASHINGTON As President Donald Trump met with advisers in the Oval Office in May 2017 to discuss replacements for the FBI director he had just fired, Attorney General Jeff Sessions slipped out of the room to take a call. When he came back, he gave Trump bad news: Robert Mueller had just been appointed as a special counsel to take over the investigation into Russias interference in the 2016 presidential election and any actions by the president to impede it. Trump slumped in his chair. Oh, my God, he said. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. It has not been the end of his presidency, but it has come to consume it. Although the resulting two-year investigation ended without charges against Trump, Muellers report painted a damning portrait of a White House dominated by a president desperate to thwart the inquiry only to be restrained by aides equally desperate to thwart his orders. The White House that emerges from more than 400 pages of Muellers report is a hotbed of conflict infused by a culture of dishonesty defined by a president who lies to the public and his own staff, then tries to get his aides to lie for him. Trump repeatedly threatened to fire lieutenants who did not carry out his wishes while they repeatedly threatened to resign rather than cross lines of propriety or law. At one juncture after another, Trump made his troubles worse, giving in to anger and grievance and lashing out in ways that turned advisers into witnesses against him. He was saved from an accusation of obstruction of justice, the report makes clear, in part because aides saw danger and stopped him from following his own instincts. Based on contemporaneous notes and FBI interviews, the report draws out scene after scene of a White House on the edge. At one point, Reince Priebus, then the White House chief of staff, said the presidents attacks on his own attorney general meant that he had DOJ by the throat. At another, the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, complained to Priebus that the president was trying to get him to do crazy shit. Trump was equally unhappy with McGahn, calling him a lying bastard. Well Take Care of You From its first days, Trumps presidency struggled to contain the threat stemming from Russias interference in the 2016 election and suspicions about his teams contacts with Moscow. Just weeks after taking office, Trump pushed out his national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, who lied to the FBI about his conversations with Russias ambassador. But Trump hugged Flynn, telling him: Well give you a good recommendation. Youre a good guy. Well take care of you. Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, mistakenly assumed that getting rid of Flynn would derail the investigation then being led by James Comey, the FBI director. During lunch with Chris Christie, then the governor of New Jersey, Flynn called, and Kushner spoke with him. The president cares about you, Kushner told Flynn. Ill get the president to send out a positive tweet about you later. Trump was worried about Comey, too. During the lunch, he asked Christie to call Comey, a friend. Tell him hes part of the team, Trump instructed. Christie thought the presidents request was nonsensical and never followed through. Other advisers feared Trump was not telling the truth to the public. After a news conference at which he denied any business dealings in Russia, Michael Cohen, then the presidents personal lawyer who had been trying to arrange a Trump Tower in Moscow, expressed concern. Trump said that the project had not yet been finalized. Why mention it if it is not a deal? he said. You Left Me on an Island With the investigation bearing down on him, Trump wanted to make sure Sessions remained in charge at the Justice Department, and he asked McGahn to tell the attorney general not to recuse himself because of his work on the Trump campaign. McGahn tried to head off a recusal by calling the attorney general three times, but Sessions announced his recusal that afternoon. Trump was furious. Summoning McGahn to the Oval Office the next day, he said, I dont have a lawyer, and added that he wished Roy Cohn, the famed bare-knuckled attorney who once worked for him in New York, was still his lawyer. Trump said that Robert F. Kennedy protected John F. Kennedy, and Eric H. Holder Jr. protected Barack Obama. Youre telling me that Bobby and Jack didnt talk about investigations? he demanded. Or Obama didnt tell Eric Holder who to investigate? Trump screamed at McGahn about how weak Sessions was, and Stephen Bannon, then the presidents chief strategist, thought he was as mad as he had ever seen him. The president asked Adm. Michael S. Rogers, director of the National Security Agency, if he could do anything to rebut news stories on the Russia matter. The admirals deputy, Richard Ledgett, who was present for the call, considered it the most unusual experience of his 40 years in government and prepared a memo describing the call that he and Rogers signed and put in a safe. Trump groused about the Russia investigation with his intelligence chiefs on multiple other occasions. At one point, Rogers recalled a private conversation in which the president said something like the Russia thing has got to go away. But the intelligence chiefs said they did not feel pressured to take specific actions. Trump increasingly focused his ire on Comey, who during testimony on Capitol Hill on May 3, 2017, refused to answer questions about whether the president himself was under investigation. Angry, Trump wheeled on Sessions. This is terrible, Jeff, he said. Its all because you recused. He added: You left me on an island. I cant do anything. Sessions said he had no choice, but said that a new start at the FBI would be appropriate and that the president should consider replacing Comey. Trump was fixated on the FBI director. Bannon recalled that he brought up Comey at least eight times May 3 and May 4. He told me three times Im not under investigation, the president said. Hes a showboater. Hes a grandstander. I dont know any Russians. There was no collusion. Bannon told Trump that he could not fire Comey because that ship has sailed and that it would not stop the investigation. The Beginning of the End? Trump ignored the advice and fired Comey on May 9, justifying it on criticism of his investigation into Hillary Clintons email the year before. Overruling objections by McGahn and Priebus, Trump insisted that the letter firing the FBI director state that Comey told him three times the president was not under investigation. Aides were alarmed. Is this the beginning of the end? Annie Donaldson, the attorney generals chief of staff, wrote in her notes. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, then the deputy White House press secretary, told reporters that she had talked to countless members of the FBI who supported the presidents decision to fire the director but she later admitted to investigators that it was not true. Her comment, she said, was a slip of the tongue made in the heat of the moment and not founded on anything. Comeys dismissal led the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, to appoint Mueller, a former FBI director, to take over the investigation. Fearing it would mean the end of his presidency, Trump lashed out again at Sessions. How could you let this happen, Jeff? he demanded. He told Sessions, You were supposed to protect me, or words to that effect. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency, he added. It takes years and years, and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. Trump demanded that his attorney general resign. Sessions said he would, and he returned to the Oval Office with a resignation letter he handed to Trump. The president put the letter in his pocket and repeatedly asked Sessions whether he wanted to continue serving as attorney general. When Sessions finally said he did, the president said he wanted him to stay. The two shook hands, but Trump kept the letter. When they learned about the letter, Priebus and Bannon worried that if he kept it, Trump could use it to improperly influence Sessions; it would, said Priebus, serve as a shock collar keeping the attorney general on a leash. The next day, May 19, Trump left the White House for the Middle East. On Air Force One flying from Saudi Arabia to Israel three days later, the president took the letter from his pocket and showed it off to aides. Later on the trip, when Priebus asked Trump for the letter, the president claimed he did not have it and it was actually back at the White House. Three days after the president returned to Washington, he finally returned the letter to Sessions with a note: Not accepted. But he did not give up trying to regain control of the investigation, calling Sessions at home to ask if he would unrecuse himself and direct the Justice Department to prosecute Clinton. Sessions refused. Mueller Has to Go If the attorney general would not rein in the special counsel, Trump resolved to find someone who would. On June 17, Trump called McGahn from Camp David and told him to have Rosenstein fire Mueller because of conflicts of interest. During a 23-minute conversation, Trump said something along the lines of: You got to do this. You got to call Rod. McGahn, who along with other advisers believed that the supposed conflicts were silly and not real, was perturbed by the call. The president then called again. Mueller has to go, he told McGahn. Call me back when you do it. McGahn decided he would resign, determined not to repeat the experience of Robert H. Bork, who complied with President Richard Nixons order to fire the Watergate prosecutor during the Saturday Night Massacre before going on to serve as an appeals court judge. McGahn, saying that he wanted to be more like Judge Bork and not Saturday Night Massacre Bork, drove to the office to pack his possessions and submit his resignation. When McGahn told Priebus and Bannon, they urged him not to resign, and he backed off. Undeterred, Trump summoned his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to the White House two days later and dictated a message for him to deliver to Sessions that would have effectively limited the scope of the investigation to Russian interference in the 2016 election. In the message, Trump ordered Sessions to give a speech declaring that Trump was being treated very unfairly by the investigation. He shouldnt have a Special Prosecutor/Counsel b/c he hasnt done anything wrong, Sessions was to say. I was on the campaign w/him for nine months, there were no Russians involved with him. I know it for a fact b/c I was there. He didnt do anything wrong except he ran the greatest campaign in American history. A scheduling conflict scotched the meeting, but Trump raised it again a month later, saying that if Sessions did not meet, Lewandowski should tell him he was fired. Lewandowski assured him that the message would be delivered. Hours later, the president criticized the attorney general in an interview with The New York Times. While the meeting with Lewandowski was never held, Sessions understood his tenuous position and carried a letter of resignation in his pocket every time he visited the White House. Boss Man Worried In late June, presidential advisers and lawyers learned about a Trump Tower meeting with Russians during the campaign hosted by Donald Trump Jr., along with Kushner and Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman. But the president said he did not want to hear about it. A few days later, at the office of Kushners lawyer, Hope Hicks, the presidents communications adviser, saw emails about setting up the meeting and offering dirt on Clinton on behalf of the Russian government. In a meeting, Kushner played down the encounter with the Russians, telling the president it was about adoption. Hicks suggested getting ahead of the story by having Donald Trump Jr. release the emails as part of an interview with softball questions. She warned that the emails were really bad and the story would be massive when it broke, but the president again said he did not want to hear about it. On July 7, while the president was at the G-20 summit in Germany, Hicks learned that The Times was preparing a story about the Trump Tower meeting. Hicks, on the flight home from Germany, recommended disclosing the entire story, but the president rebuffed her, saying a draft statement said too much. Instead, Trump suggested the statement say that his eldest son had attended a meeting about Russian adoptions. Hicks then texted Donald Trump Jr. a statement asking if that was all right. The presidents son wanted to insert that they primarily discussed Russian adoption because, as texted to Hicks, they started with some Hillary thing which was bs and some other nonsense which we shot down fast. Hicks responded: I think thats right too but boss man worried it invites a lot of questions. The Times then published the emails, making clear that the meeting was set up to talk about dirt on Clinton. Ill Have to Get Rid of Him Trump did not stop pressing Sessions to take back control of the investigation. On Oct. 16, the president met privately with Sessions and said he should look again at Clintons emails. Sessions made no promises. Two days later, the president posted the first of several tweets in the coming weeks complaining that the Justice Department was not investigating Clinton. One of the tweets concluded: DO SOMETHING! The pressure on the president rose in November when Flynns lawyers told Trumps team that he would be accepting a plea deal. One of Trumps lawyers left a voicemail message for one of Flynns: [R]emember what weve always said about the president and his feelings toward Flynn and, that still remains. On Dec. 6, five days after Flynn pleaded guilty to lying about contacts with the Russian government, Trump pulled Sessions aside after a Cabinet meeting and again suggested he unrecuse himself. Youd be a hero, he said, while saying he was not going to direct you to do anything. In January 2018, The Times reported about the presidents June 2017 effort to have Mueller fired. A livid Trump pressed McGahn to publicly rebut the story, but he would not because the article accurately reported the presidents desires. Trump insisted that McGahn deny it. If he doesnt write a letter, then maybe Ill have to get rid of him, he said, or something to that effect. John F. Kelly, who replaced Priebus as chief of staff, then arranged a meeting between Trump and McGahn. I never said to fire Mueller, Trump said. I never said fire. This story doesnt look good. You need to correct this. Youre the White House counsel. Did I say the word fire? he asked. What you said is, Call Rod, tell Rod that Mueller has conflicts and cant be the special counsel, McGahn replied. He refused the presidents request that he do a correction. Trump then complained about McGahn writing things down. Why do you take notes? Lawyers dont take notes. I never had a lawyer who took notes. McGahn maintained he took notes because he was a real lawyer, and they create a record. Ive had a lot of great lawyers, like Roy Cohn, Trump said. He did not take notes. But McGahn did. And so did plenty of others. This article originally appeared in The New York Times WASHINGTON - The report from special counsel Robert Mueller III lays out in alarming detail abundant evidence against President Donald Trump, finding 10 "episodes" of potential obstruction of justice but ultimately concluding it was not Mueller's role to determine whether the commander in chief broke the law. Submitted to Congress on Thursday, the 448-page document alternates between jarring scenes of presidential scheming and dense legal analysis, and it marks the onset of a new phase of the Trump administration in which congressional Democrats must decide what, if anything, to do with Mueller's evidence. The report suggests - though never explicitly states - that Congress, not the Justice Department, should assume the role of prosecutor when the person who may be prosecuted is the president. "The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the President's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law," Mueller's team wrote. Trump once feared Mueller could destroy his presidency, but the special counsel may instead define it. By releasing a thick catalogue of misconduct and mendacity that, if not criminal, is deeply unflattering, Mueller's report may mean long-term political problems for a president seeking reelection next year. 2 1 of 2 Washington Post photo by Bill O'Leary Show More Show Less 2 of 2 Washington Post photo by Bill O'Leary Show More Show Less Still, Trump's electoral base has not been swayed by such stories in the past, and he has already claimed victory on the investigation's bottom line: no conspiracy with Russia, no obstruction of justice. Since Mueller ended his investigation last month, a central question facing the Justice Department has been why Mueller's team did not reach a conclusion about whether the president obstructed justice. The issue was complicated, the report said, by two key factors - the fact that, under department practice, a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime, and that a president has a great deal of constitutional authority to give orders to other government employees. Trump submitted written answers to investigators. The special counsel's office considered them "inadequate" but did not press for an interview with him because doing so would cause a "substantial delay," the report says. The report said investigators felt they had "sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the President's testimony." Trump's legal team declared Mueller's report "a total victory" for the president. It "underscores what we have argued from the very beginning - there was no collusion - there was no obstruction," they said. In their statement, Trump's lawyers also attacked former leaders at the FBI for opening "a biased, political attack against the President - turning one of our foundational legal standards on its head." Trump said little publicly about the report's release. At an event Thursday, he indicated he was having a "good day," and adding that "this should never happen to another president again, this hoax." Ahead of the report's release, the president lobbed a familiar attack on the investigation. "PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!" he tweeted. "The Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats." If Mueller's report was a victory for the president, it was an ugly one. Investigators paint a portrait of a president who believes the Justice Department and the FBI should answer to his orders, even when it comes to criminal investigations. During a meeting in which the president complained about then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions's decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, Trump insisted that past attorneys general had been more obedient to their presidents, referring to President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert, as well as the Obama administration. "You're telling me that Bobby and Jack didn't talk about investigations? Or Obama didn't tell Eric Holder who to investigate?" Trump told senior White House staffers Stephen Bannon and Donald McGahn, according to the report. "Bannon recalled that the President was as mad as Bannon had ever seen him and that he screamed at McGahn about how weak Sessions was," the report said. Repeatedly, it appears Trump may have been saved from more serious legal jeopardy because his own staffers refused to carry out orders they thought were problematic or potentially illegal. For instance, in the early days of the administration, when the president was facing growing questions concerning then-national security adviser Michael Flynn's conversations about sanctions with a Russian ambassador, the president ordered another aide, K.T. McFarland, to write an email saying the president did not direct those conversations. She decided not to do so, unsure if that was true and fearing it might be improper. "Some evidence suggests that the President knew about the existence and content of Flynn's calls when they occurred, but the evidence is inconclusive and could not be relied upon to establish the President's knowledge,' " the report said. The report also recounts a remarkable moment in May 2017 when Sessions told Trump that Mueller had just been appointed special counsel. Trump slumped back in his chair, according to notes from Jody Hunt, Sessions' then-chief of staff. "Oh my God, this is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm fucked," Trump said. The president further laid into Sessions for his recusal, saying Sessions had let him down. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency," Trump said, according to Hunt's notes. "It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me." The special counsel's report on possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russians to interfere in the 2016 election is extremely detailed with only modest redactions - painting a starkly different picture for Trump than Attorney General William Barr has offered, and revealing new details about interactions between Russians and Trump associates. Mueller's team wrote that though their investigation "did not establish that the Trump Campaign coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," that assertion was informed by the fact that coordination requires more than two parties "taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the other's actions or interests." And Mueller made it clear: Russia wanted to help the Trump campaign, and the Trump campaign was willing to take it. "Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," Mueller's team wrote. The report detailed a timeline of contacts between the Trump campaign and those with Russian ties - much of it already known, but some of it new. For example, Mueller's team asserted that in August 2016, Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the FBI has assessed as having ties to Russian intelligence, met with Paul Manafort, Trump's campaign chairman, "to deliver in person a peace plan for Ukraine that Manafort acknowledged to the Special Counsel's Office was a 'backdoor' way for Russia to control part of eastern Ukraine." The special counsel wrote that both men believed the plan would require candidate Trump's "assent to succeed (were he elected President)." "They also discussed the status of the Trump Campaign and Manafort's strategy for winning Democratic votes in Midwestern states," the special counsel wrote. "Months before that meeting, Manafort had caused internal polling data to be shared with Kilimnik, and the sharing continued for some period of time after their August meeting." Mueller's report suggests his obstruction of justice investigation was heavily informed by an opinion from the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) that says a sitting president cannot be indicted - a conclusion Mueller's team accepted. "And apart from OLC's constitutional view, we recognized that a federal criminal accusation against a sitting President would place burdens on the President's capacity to govern and potentially preempt constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct," Mueller's team wrote. That decision, though, seemed to leave investigators in a strange spot. Mueller's team wrote that they "determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes." They seemed to shy from producing even an internal document that alleged the president had done something wrong - deciding, essentially, that they wouldn't decide. "Although a prosecutor's internal report would not represent a formal public accusation akin to an indictment, the possibility of the report's public disclosure and the absence of a neutral adjudicatory forum to review its findings counseled against determining 'that the person's conduct constitutes a federal offense.' " Barr said during a news conference Thursday that Justice Department officials asked Mueller "about the OLC opinion and whether or not he was taking the position that he would have found a crime but for the existence of the OLC opinion." "He made it very clear, several times, that he was not taking a position - he was not saying but for the OLC opinion he would have found a crime," Barr said. Mueller did not attend the news conference. Barr addressed the media before releasing the report. He made repeated references to "collusion," echoing language the president has stressed even though it is not a relevant legal term. Barr also described how the nation's top law enforcement officials wrestled with investigating Trump for possible obstruction of justice. He and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein "disagreed with some of the special counsel's legal theories and felt that some of the episodes did not amount to obstruction as a matter of law" but that they accepted the special counsel's "legal framework" as they analyzed the case, Barr said. It was the first official acknowledgment of differing views inside the Justice Department about how to investigate the president. Barr also spoke about the president's state of mind as Trump responded to the unfolding investigation. "As the Special Counsel's report acknowledges, there is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks," he said. The report also said there was a critical distinction to be drawn when analyzing Trump's conduct - what he did before and what he did after The Washington Post reported in June 2017 that he was under investigation for potential obstruction of justice.* "That awareness marked a significant change in the President's conduct and the start of a second phase of action," Mueller's team wrote in their report. "The president launched public attacks on the investigation and individuals involved in it who could possess evidence adverse to the President, while in private, the President engaged in a series of targeted efforts to control the investigation."* Mueller's team said those efforts included attempting to remove Mueller as special counsel, pressuring Sessions to unrecuse himself from the investigation, and using "public forums to attack potential witnesses who might offer adverse information and to praise witnesses who declined to cooperate with the government."* The Mueller report is considered so politically explosive that even the Justice Department's rollout plan sparked a firestorm, with Democrats suggesting that the attorney general was trying to improperly color Mueller's findings before the public could read them. Barr is preparing to testify to Congress about the report next month, and Democrats are moving to secure Mueller's testimony soon after. The attorney general also notified Congress after the report's release that a small number of senior members of each party would get a chance to review a less-redacted version of the document next week. Democrats, who have vowed to fight to get the entire report without redactions, as well as the underlying investigative documents, immediately panned the offer, calling it a non-starter. Prompted by a reporter, Barr responded to a call earlier Thursday from the top two Democrats in Congress to have Mueller appear before House and Senate committees. "I have no objection to Bob Mueller personally testifying," the attorney general said. In a letter, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said they wanted testimony "as soon as possible" from Mueller. And after Barr's news conference, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., released a letter to the special counsel seeking an appearance before his panel "no later than May 23." - - - The Washington Post's Greg Miller, Spencer S. Hsu, Karoun Demirjian, Ellen Nakashima, Philip Rucker, John Wagner and Felicia Sonmez contributed to this report. - - - Report Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/context/robert-mueller-s-report-on-the-investigation-into-russian-interference-in-the-2016-election/?noteId=f5fe536c-81bb-45be-86e5-a9fee9794664&questionId=2b6869ce-67e8-47f9-b4d2-ddeeec37f6d4&utm_term=.7d73ce09209b WASHINGTON - James McCord, a retired CIA employee who was convicted as a conspirator in the Watergate burglary and later linked the 1972 break-in to the White House in revelations that helped end the presidency of Richard Nixon, died June 15, 2017, at his home in Douglassville, Pennsylvania. He was 93. The cause was pancreatic cancer, according to his death certificate obtained at the Berks County Register of Wills office in Reading, Pennsylvania. McCord's death was first reported in "Dirty Tricks," a 2018 history of the Watergate investigation by filmmaker Shane O'Sullivan. But the news did not appear in local or national media outlets and surfaced online in March, when the website Kennedys and King published an obituary referencing his gravesite in Pennsylvania. McCord served in the CIA for 19 years, including as chief of the agency's physical security division, before his supporting, at times sensational role in the events that precipitated the first resignation in history of a U.S. president. He had retired from the spy agency and was privately employed as head of security for the Committee for the Re-Election of the President - commonly called CREEP - when he became entangled in a scheme to burglarize and bug the Democratic national headquarters at the Watergate building in Washington. McCord had once taught a college course on how to protect buildings from intrusions, and he helped lead the operation. Preparing for the break-in, the conspirators rigged door latches at the Watergate complex with adhesive tape to prevent the doors from locking. The tape caught the attention of a security guard, Frank Wills, who alerted the police to suspicious activity in the building. In the early morning hours of June 17, 1972, plainclothes officers entered the Democratic headquarters and found five burglars clad in suits and surgical gloves. Those men - McCord, Bernard Barker, Frank Sturgis, Eugenio Martinez and Virgilio Gonzalez - were carrying bugging devices, cameras, film and a walkie-talkie. McCord initially used the alias Edward Martin but was quickly connected to the reelection committee. His arraignment, covered by Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward for one of the newspaper's first articles about the events now collectively known as the Watergate scandal, was memorably dramatized in the 1976 film "All the President's Men." Portrayed by actor Richard Herd, McCord is asked by a court official about his previous line of government work. "C-I-A," he whispers, in an early hint that the break-in was more than a "third-rate burglary attempt," as White House spokesman Ronald Ziegler dismissively described it. In September 1972, a federal grand jury indicted McCord, the other burglars, and Nixon aides Howard Hunt and Gordon Liddy on charges stemming from the bugging attempt. Hunt and four burglars pleaded guilty. McCord and Liddy were tried in January 1973 and were convicted of conspiracy, burglary and bugging. John Sirica, the federal judge who presided over the Watergate cases, controversially threatened defendants with stiff sentences if they did not assist investigators. Facing a possible 45 years in prison, McCord submitted to Sirica a letter that The Post described years later as a "bombshell." "There was political pressure applied to the defendants to plead guilty and remain silent," McCord wrote in the March 1973 document, delivered to the court after his conviction and before his sentencing. "Perjury occurred during the trial in matters highly material to the very structure, orientation, and impact of the government's case, and to the motivation and intent of the defendants." He further wrote that "others involved in the Watergate operation were not identified during the trial, when they could have been by those testifying." Days later, McCord appeared before the Senate Watergate committee and testified that Liddy had told him John Mitchell, the reelection committee chairman and former U.S. attorney general, had approved the bugging scheme. McCord further said he had been informed that White House counsel John Dean and Nixon aide Jeb Stuart Magruder knew in advance of the plan. McCord continued to deliver allegations of misconduct at high levels. In a May 1973 memorandum to Senate and other investigators, he wrote that he and the other burglars were pressured to falsely testify that the Watergate scheme was executed at the behest of the CIA - an account that would have exculpated the reelection committee and one that he refused to give. "Even if it meant my freedom, I would not turn on the organization that had employed me for 19 years," he wrote. "I was completely convinced that the White House was behind the idea and ploy which had been presented, and that the White House was turning ruthless." McCord also testified that John Caulfield, a Nixon administration official, relayed an offer for clemency and a future job if McCord would agree to not testify against Nixon officials and to accept a prison sentence. McCord's statements, some of them made in closed-door Senate sessions and reported by the media, were credited with helping to break open the Watergate investigation by connecting the burglary to high-ranking Nixon officials. Nixon resigned on Aug. 9, 1974. McCord served four months in prison. "I have no regrets in telling the truth," he said when he reported to the penitentiary in March 1975. "I think in the long run it's been extremely beneficial to the country to have become aware of what occurred. I was probably the first to tell the truth on Watergate." James Walter McCord Jr. was born in Waurika, Oklahoma, on Jan. 26, 1924. He was a second lieutenant in the Army Air Forces, serving as a bombardier during World War II, and graduated in 1949 with a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas. He was an FBI special agent before joining the CIA in 1951, and in 1965, he received a master's degree in international affairs from George Washington University. After retiring from the agency, which bestowed on him an award for distinguished service, he ran a security consulting firm in Rockville, Maryland. In subsequent years, he worked in Colorado for a company that promoted alternative energy. His wife, Sarah Berry McCord, died in 2014. He had three children, but a complete list of survivors was not available. Calls seeking comment from his family were not immediately returned. In 1974, McCord self-published a book, "A Piece of Tape - The Watergate Story: Fact and Fiction," that discussed at least one scenario of events that might have been. Shortly before the Watergate break-in, McCord wrote, the burglars considered calling off the plan when they discovered that someone had noticed and removed the adhesive tape they placed on the door latches. Rather than aborting the operation, they rigged the locks again. It was Wills, the security guard, who spotted the tape the first time. He did not overlook it the second. - - - Morgan reported from Reading, Pennsylvania. For 10 years, Tayari Jones lived in New York, where she found herself immersed in an environment rich with other writers. At a certain point, though, she wondered if that was a good or bad thing. Its a hub for the publishing business, Jones says. So there were so many writers living in Brooklyn walking distance from each other. And you start to wonder, Is this homogenizing our literature? We all go to the same coffee shop. So Jones returned to her native Atlanta, where her interest in the intricacies of American regional cultures was rekindled. I felt at times when I was up in the North that people dont really understand the complexity of the South, she says. To say the South is often a shorthand for African-American suffering, stories about grandmothers and mules. When I told people in New York I was from Georgia, they thought I got up there on the Underground Railroad. But what makes the United States such a fascinating canvas is that regional diversity. New York is obviously different than Savannah, Ga., which is also very different from Atlanta, Ga. We can better figure out what it means to be American by looking at American literature in a specifically regional way. Tayari Jones with Richard Powers When: 7:30 p.m. Monday Where: Stude Concert Hall, Rice University, 6100 Main Details: $5; 713-521-2026, inprinthouston.org See More Collapse That interest led Jones to write An American Marriage, her fourth novel and first in seven years. Her story is told through three narrators. Roy and Celestial are a year into their marriage at the storys outset. Hes a sales rep from a small town in Louisiana, shes an artist from Atlanta. Theyre just beginning to navigate the complicated interactivity of marriage when hes falsely accused, convicted and incarcerated for rape. The third point of view is provided by Andre, Celestials childhood neighbor and lifelong confidant and friend. Without further spilling plot points, the already fraught road of marital coexistence twists more sharply when Roy goes to prison. Jones unfolds the story with an expert hand: She compresses a big swath of time with a chapter of prison correspondence. And when the novels central interruption ends, she fills it with jerking stops and starts of thought and action, dappled with beautifully applied metaphor: locks and keys and enduring old trees. And Jones who comes to town Monday thanks to Inprint Houston credits returning to Atlanta with seeding the story. Shed spent time at Harvard University researching incarceration trends, which she thought might yield a story. It left me outraged and distressed, Jones says. But not inspired. Jones was in an Atlanta mall, of all places, and it happened to be the right place at the right time. She overheard a couple arguing. She said, Roy, you know you wouldnt have waited on me seven years, Jones recalls. And he turned to her and said, I dont know what youre talking about. This wouldnt have happened to you in the first place. And I thought, Oh thats a novel. The construction of An American Marriage is intriguing because none of its storytelling characters are unreliable narrators in the classic sense. Theyre certainly not trying to pull one over on the reader. But each processes the storys data differently. To me, its like moving into a new house, Jones says. Youre trying to figure out what to do with the paint. You stand in one place and get that point of view, then you change places, and the view of the room changes with it. So I try to approach it not as reliable and unreliable but just as different vantage points. Her panoramic view of lives that intertwine, are pulled apart and then twisted back together is unflinching. But Jones also avoids tropes at every turn. Her presentation of Roy a mix or rage and hurt and devastation is haunting. It was important to me that the characters reflected a reasonable human experience, she says. I didnt want any of them to feel symbolic. We want suffering to elevate people, but to force that elevation deprives them of something fundamental about humanity. Jones says, you might laugh, but she had Mick Jagger and his lines about what you want and what you need on the mind as she concluded her story. I wanted to find a way to end this book where everybody had a chance, she says. I felt all I could give them was a chance. andrew.dansby@chron.com After nearly two years of work and weeks of waiting, special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's report has been released. The lightly redacted report runs more than 400 pages, and it offers new insight into ties between President Trump's associates and Russia, and whether Trump obstructed justice. As part of our coverage, we asked readers on Thursday what questions they had. Below are some questions I picked to answer. Q: Do you see even the most remote possibility of impeachment proceedings beginning? Much as I desperately want to see the Trump administration gone, I can't help but believe that a House vote for impeachment would destroy any hopes for a Democrat being elected to the White House in 2020 and might very well endanger the majority in the House. (Bruce, 69, Silver Spring, Maryland) A: I think the odds of impeachment were and continue to be very slim. Democratic leaders have decided they don't want to do it for the very reason you note: the possibility that it would backfire. There is always a chance things would get to a point that would push them over the edge - whether because of some new smoking gun or because the Democratic base simply demanded it - but I don't see that coming from this report. Q: Trump responded "I'm f----d" when he learned of the Mueller probe. That was early in his presidency. To what do you think he was referring? (Sandra Sell-Lee, 72, Bainbridge Island, Washington) A: I think it's easy for Trump critics to read that and think, "He had something to hide!" An alternate theory would be that he believed the scrutiny by itself would be bad for his presidency - or that he truly believed the investigation meant to take him down. Mueller actually addresses this in the report. After noting Trump's potential obstruction motive wasn't found to be an actual Russia conspiracy, Mueller adds, "But the evidence does indicate that a thorough FBI investigation would uncover facts about the campaign and the President personally that the President could have understood to be crimes or that would give rise to personal and political concerns." Remember: Several people very close to Trump's presidency have been found guilty or indicted: Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, Michael Cohen, etc. Trump has also been implicated in a campaign finance violation (though not accused of a crime) by the Southern District of New York. That might not have come to light were it not for the Mueller probe. Q: Has Trump outwitted his opponents thus far?(Lawrence King, 71, Washington, D.C.) A: To my mind, there are a couple of ways in which Trump has helped mitigate the damage from this report. One is his constant "no collusion" refrain, which kept the focus on that aspect of the probe, when it was always the one less likely to get him in trouble. If you know you're innocent of something, you make the debate about that thing so that the final verdict looks like a complete exoneration. The other thing he did is desensitize us. By constantly pushing the bounds of the debate and presidential conduct, he's made all of this seem less shocking. If you had read this report in a vacuum without all the controversy of the past four years, I'm not sure how you'd read it as a good thing for Trump. Q: How much money has the investigation of President Trump's conduct cost the American taxpayer?(Laura Minnick, 54, Phoenixona, Ariz) A: We will eventually know the answer to that, because it is required that expenditures be reported. Through Sept. 30, 2018, it had spent $25.2 million. It's important to note that some of these are "indirect" costs, which means that staff members who were already funded to work on other things were simply moved over to the Mueller probe - meaning no additional cost (even as other priorities might have been negatively affected). But consider this: The investigation resulted in Manafort being forced to forfeit an estimated $22 million in New York real estate, in addition to several bank accounts and a potentially large insurance policy. It's entirely possible that nearly offset the cost of the full probe. Q: Was there any evidence supporting the claim that Trump asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to tell the FBI to stop the investigation?(Steve Eddy, 60, Lafayette, Indiana) A: This is a point of significant contention. Daniel Coats says Trump never asked him, but others remembered it differently. From the report: "Coats told this Office that the President never asked him to speak to [James B.] Comey about the FBI investigation. Some ODNI staffers, however, had a different recollection of how Coats described the meeting immediately after it occurred. According to senior ODNI official Michael Dempsey, Coats said after the meeting that the President had brought up the Russia investigation and asked him to contact Comey to see if there was a way to get past the investigation, get it over with, end it, or words to that effect. Dempsey said that Coats described the President's comments as falling 'somewhere between musing about hating the investigation' and wanting Coats to 'do something to stop it.' Dempsey said Coats made it clear that he would not get involved with an ongoing FBI investigations." Another ODNI official, Edward Gistaro, told Mueller's team that Coats said Trump had asked him what Coats could do to "help with the investigation." Q: Given the definition of "coordination" and that Paul Manafort shared campaign strategy and polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, and that Kilimnik provided Manafort with a "Peace Plan" that would provide a "backdoor" way for Russia to control part of eastern Ukraine, how is it that Manafort's interactions with Kilimnik are not considered "coordination"?(John Bruder, 56, Hawaii) A: The report defines "coordination" thusly: "An agreement - tacit or express - between the Trump Campaign and the Russian government on election interference." First off, it's not clear whether there was any quid pro quo agreement here. And second, while the Mueller team said Kilimnik had ongoing ties to Russian intelligence, he is not the "Russian government." There has been some suggestion that this was too high a bar for the collusion side of things, but that's the bar that was set. So, even though the report says Manafort continued to share polling data after their August 2016 meeting, that apparently isn't enough. Q: The basis of this investigation stems from the dossier, which has been proven false yet was used to obtain FISA warrants. Will this lead AG [Attorney General William] Barr to investigate the potential illegal spying on the Trump campaign, election and current situation?(Grandy Allison, 42, Highland Falls, New York) A: As the Mueller report states, the investigation was launched not based upon the Steele dossier but because of the George Papadopoulos situation: "In late July 2016, soon after WikiLeaks' first release of stolen documents, a foreign government contacted the FBI about a May 2016 encounter with Trump Campaign foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos, Papadopoulos had suggested to a representative of that foreign government that the Trump Campaign had received indications from the Russian government that it could assist the Campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That information prompted the FBI on July 31, 2016, to open an investigation into whether individuals associated with the Trump Campaign were coordinating with the Russian government in its interference activities." The Steele dossier was used to obtain the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants for Carter Page, but it was part of a package of evidence. It's also not true that the dossier has been proved false. Many of the claims have not been corroborated (including by the Mueller report) and some haven't proved accurate. As for these efforts to gain information from the likes of Papadopoulos and Page, Barr has already said he intends to investigate them. Q: The Mueller Report expressly states (at least twice) that it didn't want to interfere with Congress's constitutional powers to hold the executive accountable for misconduct or crimes. Contrary to what Barr stated today, doesn't the report, at a minimum, suggest it is up to Congress, not Barr, to determine if Trump obstructed justice? (Betty Bowers, 38, Atlanta) A: Great question. The report does make a point of emphasizing Congress's role in this. And that was always where this was headed, given existing Justice Department guidelines that a sitting president can't be indicted. That means - even if Mueller said, "Trump obstructed justice" - it would be up to Congress to decide whether it warranted punishment, which would be via the impeachment process. But Mueller decided it wasn't his place to even make any allegation of a crime. He said he couldn't clear Trump of obstruction but that he wouldn't accuse him of it. That's a key distinction, because it suggests it doesn't matter how damning the evidence was. Either way, he wouldn't call it a crime. Two points: First, Barr has said that Mueller didn't expressly ask him to make this call. Indeed, given that Mueller thought it wasn't the Justice Department's place, it makes you wonder how he feels about Barr's decision. And second, Barr seemed to suggest this was more about the evidence being inconclusive. Mueller lays out both sides, but he doesn't say he didn't accuse Trump for lack of evidence. Q: How can Team Trump claim it fully cooperated with the investigation when he refused to do a face-to-face interview? (Paul, 56, San Francisco) A: This was a curious inclusion in Barr's news conference Thursday morning. The White House did cooperate extensively by providing documents and making aides available for interviews. But Trump's decision not to interview is a significant hole. I would argue that "full cooperation" would have included Trump granting an interview, rather than giving written answers. Mueller clearly wanted to talk to Trump. In fact, he said he opted not to subpoena Trump because it would have prolonged the process significantly. Former Houston City Councilmember and Police Chief C.O. Brad Bradford has joined the Harris County District Attorneys Office as a senior adviser. District Attorney Kim Ogg has hired Bradford to serve in a senior-level position as special prosecutor and law enforcement liaison, said spokesman Dane Schiller. We welcome his expertise and experience as a respected member of the community, a lawyer for 25 years, and a former chief of the Houston Police Department, Schiller said, declining to offer details about the motives for the high-profile hire. COST OF TURNOVER: Ogg details the cost of voluntary and involuntary departures Bradford said he would be using his expertise in both law enforcement and jurisprudence to analyze the processes of the DAs office, the criminal cases police bring for prosecution and how the DAs office handles those cases. Thousands and thousands of cases are being filed by police, and theres a need to look at those cases and see if something can be done other than the police filing formal charges on those people, Bradford said. Some of them, you lock them up in jail still; they need that. Others may need prevention programs. They need mental health treatment. They may need diversion. The new hire comes on the heels of repeated requests for more prosecutors, the most substantial of which $21 million for over 100 new positions the Harris County Commissioners Court shot down earlier this year. The initial wave of new positions would have targeted felony courts, where lawyers are most needed given the post-Harvey backlog, Ogg has said. The hire marks a return to law enforcement for Bradford, who became Houstons police chief in 1996 after 17 years with the department. He ultimately served seven years as the citys top cop, during a period in which residents fear of crime plummeted. In that time, he won police officers the right to negotiate their salaries and benefits, remodeled the police departments domestic violence unit, started a program for resolving civilian complaints against officers and developed a crisis intervention team for dealing with mentally ill suspects. Bradfords tenure at the top was also marked by significant scandals and problems at the departments crime lab. He came under fire for a crackdown on illegal street racing after one operation culminated in 278 arrests in a Kmart parking lot and sparked years of lawsuits ending in legal settlements with dozens of plaintiffs. He also was charged with perjury over allegations he lied under oath about using foul language with subordinates charges he called trumped up but a judge ultimately dismissed the charge. Bradford retired from the department in 2003. Five years later he ran for district attorney, losing narrowly to Pat Lykos. A year later, he was elected to Houston City Council, where he served two terms. Since taking over as the countys top prosecutor, Ogg has clashed with police. She recently came under fire from the Houston Police Officers Union for bringing in a special prosecutor who found former death row inmate Alfred Dewayne Brown actually innocent of the slaying of Houston Police Officer Charles Clark. Her progressive agenda has raised eyebrows in other areas, too, including her decision not to prosecute for low-level marijuana possession and her ongoing support of misdemeanor bail reform. Its unclear what impact Bradfords hire will have on those issues. Its certainly encouraging to see someone of Chief/Councilmember Bradfords caliber being hired by the DAs Office, said HPOU President Joe Gamaldi. However, unless District Attorney Ogg is going to change her current revolving door policies of letting repeat offenders with violent histories (out on low bails) and agreeing to low sentencing and deferred adjudications, then Im not sure what improvement can be made unless shes willing to change her philosophy. For some defense attorneys, Bradfords lack of experience working as a line prosecutor despite his decades working as a lawyer raised doubts, as did his track record at HPD. Im very curious what he brings to the prosecutorial table, said Murray Newman, who spent nearly a decade at the DAs Office before becoming a private defense attorney in 2008. Im sure hes getting a stellar salary, just as he did when he was chief of police and it smacks of cronyism. Others, however, said they were encouraged by continued efforts to reform the countys criminal justice system. It seems there are more diversionary and rehabilitation programs available, and more people qualify for them, and thats a breath of fresh air, said Norm Silverman, a local defense attorney. If there is going to be some czar brought into the DAs office to try to make the system more equitable to where everybody gets the same type of treatment and same chances, then Im all for it. st.john.smith@chron.com keri.blakinger@chron.com In the 28 months since a new reform-minded district attorney took over as the countys top prosecutor, more than 140 lawyers have left the office, generating a sharp uptick in turnover that officials attribute to low pay and fallout from Hurricane Harvey. That figure, which includes the slew of lawyers District Attorney Kim Ogg let go at the start of her term, represents a combination of voluntary and involuntary departures that have cost the county more than $1.5 million in comp and vacation time pay-outs. Since Harvey, the criminal justice system in Harris County has been strained, still lacking a fully functioning courthouse, Ogg said. The community should be concerned that we still do not have a fully functioning criminal justice system nearly 20 months after Harvey. But some current and former staffers chalked up the departures instead to changing office culture and lack of leadership, while defense lawyers wondered if the turnover might stem from a reluctance to embrace the new administrations progressive priorities. BIGGER ISSUES: DA opens up to Houston's LGBT magazine There are some folks who just will not embrace Kim Ogg's progressive views of trying to use treatment courts, drug treatment diversion, and less reflexive use of the death penalty if Jesus came down and told them it was the right thing, said defense attorney Pat McCann, a former president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association. Whatever the cause, constant churn can have consequences: seasoned prosecutors have left the office, leaving behind less guidance and less consistency though some experts wondered if that could have upsides. More departures About 40 lawyers more than 10 percent of the office were let go, quit or retired effective Dec. 31, 2016 as Ogg prepared to take office the next day after unseating her Republican predecessor. Some were notified they would not have jobs in the new administration; others left voluntarily. During her first year, another 43 attorneys left, according to the county budget office. In 2018, that number ticked up to 56 more than any other year in the past decade. Given some additional departures since the start of this year, that adds up to more than 140 attorneys who have left the office since Ogg took the helm. Thats more departures per year than during any other administration in the past decade and roughly the same as in all four years Pat Lykos held the office. But over that time, the number of attorneys on staff has grown, dipped and grown again, so a few dozen departures would have slightly less impact now than in years past. Last year, attorney turnover hovered just under 18 percent, according to budget office data. In Oggs first year in office, turnover hit 27 percent when the Dec. 31 departures are included. In the decade before, only two years 2011 and 2013 saw turnover hit as high as 17 percent. Harsh working conditions One of the most commonly cited culprits driving the uptick in turnover is the fallout from Hurricane Harvey. Since the storm blew through and flooded the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, courtroom space has been at a premium, making it harder for judges to schedule trials and harder for prosecutors to gain the valuable courtroom experience that brings many to government work in the first place. To be fair to her, I dont think theres an administration on the planet that would have not lost a large number of people just due to the conditions of Harvey, McCann said. Why would you take public servant money if you cant even get trial experience because you cant get to trial? Multiple current prosecutors, who asked not to be named as they were not authorized to speak on the record, highlighted that as a problem impacting office morale. They and Ogg also pointed to the logistical headaches of moving buildings repeatedly after the storm, sometimes doubling up in offices and lugging files across town to court every day. That isnt something any of our employees signed up for, public servants or not, Ogg told the Chronicle last year. Post-Hurricane Harvey, working conditions have been so harsh that when combined with the long hours and low pay, it is becoming harder as employers to compete with the private sector. Loss of experience To some current and former prosecutors, though, culture and leadership seem as much the problem as the shifting work conditions and lack of trials. Harvey did legitimately throw a wrench in everyones system, said defense attorney Nathan Hennigan, who worked as a prosecutor until he resigned in 2016 as Ogg took office. But at some point you have to stop blaming everything on that. Former felony prosecutor Josh Phanco, who left the office last month, concurred. Basically its a leadership issue, he said. Theres a lot of different things going around theyre overworked because of the hurricane or theyre not going to trial but really its that theres no leadership. Theres no one you look at and say, Oh, I want to be that guy. They all got fired. Among the concerns they cited were micromanagement and the reliance on top attorneys without recent prosecutorial experience, issues also voiced by a number of current employees who declined to be named on the record. Danny Werlinger, an ex-assistant district attorney who left the office last year, complained about a lack of prosecutorial discretion, and echoed concerns about leadership. When that purge came through, he said, referencing the large number of departures at the start of Oggs term, a lot of the people that we would go to for, Hey what do you think about this? a lot of the mentoring was gone. Culture shift Even though a spike in turnovers represents a loss of institutional knowledge, some experts said that isnt necessarily problematic. When prosecutorial administrations change, there are always winners and losers and there is frequent turnover among senior personnel, said Robert Dunham, an attorney and executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. When that happens, you lose an awful lot of good experience but you also lose an awful lot of bad experience, too. If theres going to be a culture change, the only way that effectively happens is when the existing personnel buys into the change or leaves. BLASTED: Reformers criticize request for 100 more prosecutors Jennifer Laurin, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law, said higher turnover could be expected in any office where the new DA ran against past practices. Thats a call for culture shift within an office, she said, and you can either do that by changing hearts and minds or bringing in new hearts and minds. It could also, she said, lead to less consistent outcomes. But introducing randomness and uncertainty doesnt necessarily mean that you have less justice than you otherwise did, she said. Local attorneys like Hennigan and McCann worried that less-seasoned prosecutors could actually make life harder for the defense. Less-experienced prosecutors are less likely to dismiss cases that should be dismissed, said Hennigan, who now does defense work. The vast majority of cases never go to trial, so in resolving those cases I think defense attorneys like having experienced prosecutors. But if you know youre going to trial you probably want more of a novice to go up against because then you have an advantage. keri.blakinger@chron.com Nothing about Vijay Goradias persona suggests grandeur. But the soft-spoken, gentle-mannered Indian immigrant has built a formidable legacy with a global impact for millions of people. Goradia, with a fortune estimated at $1.3 billion by Forbes magazine, is best-known in the business arena as the founder and chairman of Vinmar International, a petrochemical marketing and distribution company headquartered in Houston, with over 50 offices in more than 35 companies through several subsidiaries. He is also the funder, principal owner or shareholder of other corporations. Perhaps less known is the work of the nonprofit organization he founded, Pratham USA. Goradias work with the organization will be honored Saturday with a gala marking its 20th anniversary and the 60 million children it has assisted in India and other countries. Goradia established Pratham USA in Houston after visiting India in 1999 and learning about an educational program in the slums of Mumbai founded by D. Madhav Chavan, who went back to his native country after teaching chemistry at the University of Houston. Goradia was impressed with Chavans approach: Instead of building schools infrastructures, he simply developed a teaching methodology which was very basic, very joyful in nature and with a very low cost, he said. Chavans prorgram trained women with high school educations to teach slum children between the ages of 3 and 7. Lessons were presented in small huts or under trees. It was amazing that these kids, even though they probably barely got one square meal or have a decent pair of shoes, were so hungry to learn that all they needed was a chance, an opportunity, said Goradia. It cost only in those days $8 dollars per child for a whole year! Applying business principles Goradia said he applies the same principles to his charity work as he does to his business. What got me attracted in the first place was the scalability of the model, because it doesn't have to build schools so they can scale up very fast, he said. Back in Houston, Goradia pledged the first $125,000 for a similar venture and pledged to match the next $125,000 raised in the community. He upped the ante the next year, and invested larger sums with every fundraising cycle. During the 2018 annual gala in Houston, Pratham USA raised a record $2.8 million. The organization expects to surpass that sum at Saturdays sold-out event, featuring Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor, known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire and other films. Pratham USA has several chapters around the country and holds a four-star qualification, the highest standard, from Charity Navigator. Goradia noted that during its initial years, 90 percent of Pratham USAs funding was raised in the U.S. Today, however, the U.S. share has shrunk to 60 percent even as the overall budget has grown. It has around 12,000 full-time employees worldwide. Goradia likes to see in his projects the capacity to multiply, replicating the model over and over and over again, he said. He also strives for accountability and measured outcomes. To accomplish this, Pratham mobilizes around 25,000 people every two years to traverse India evaluating the impact of its services. They produce an annual status report, and those results then are published where the government has no way to hide or make up numbers, said Goradia. Life was simple Goradia, 67, was born in Mumbai in what would be considered a middle-class household under Indian standards. He grew up in a one-bedroom apartment in a family of five brothers and five sisters. But even with limited means, he said, his parents made sure to educate all of them. Life was simple back them, he said, but his ambitions were great. His first entrepreneurial adventure, at 17, was the creation of a small plastic processing factory in his native town, which he and a brother later replicated with two more shops. A few years later, a backpacking trip with a friend through Afghanistan, Iran, Greece and other countries taught him important lessons: I learned that I have the ability to survive on my wits; second, that there were honest, decent good people in this world that you could trust; and the third is that, if you are genuine and you are willing to help others, others are going to help you as well. He moved to New York, where he began earning money by helping Indians in the plastics business who wanted him to check on their interests in the United States. This gave him access to the petrochemical industry. He moved to Houston and founded Vinmar as the industry shifted to the Houston area. Houston has been very good to me in more ways than one, said Goradia. It's such a welcoming, very friendly city where you could be a stranger and your neighbors will, as they did, welcome you. He said he warmly remembers that, moving to the first place he lived in Houston in the Kingwood area with his wife Marie, ladies would come and bring welcome packages. I had never known what a Pecan Pie was until a neighbor brought one for us. I liked it, but its more than the pie itself, he said. With his adventurous, inventive spirit, Goradia recognized that he is a man who tends to take great leaps for the right purposes. What makes me happy more than anything else is knowing that I am making a meaningful difference in the life of many, many people, without them knowing me personally and me knowing them personally, said Goradia. I dont expect anything in return. The next exploration: I signed up with Virgin Galactic to travel to space. A state district judge on Thursday ordered the city, the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association and the Houston Police Officers Union to enter into mediation as they seek to resolve lingering differences over the implementation of Proposition B, the measure granting firefighters the same pay as police of corresponding rank and seniority. Judge Tanya Garrison of the 157th Civil District Court ordered the mediation after hearing arguments in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the pay parity amendment. During the hearing, Garrison said she would not issue a ruling on the case any time soon, concluding it would only set back ongoing negotiations to phase in firefighters Prop B-mandated raises. If I make a decision on this one way or the other it will be the equivalent of throwing a bomb in the middle of the attempts to negotiate a resolution, Garrison said. The judge gave the parties until noon Monday to agree on a mediator. The court would appoint a mediator if they cannot settle on one. The mediation is mandatory but not binding. The mediator may suggest ways to resolve the dispute but cannot impose judgment, according to a list of rules attached to Garrisons court order. If the parties do not voluntarily agree to a settlement, the issue returns to Garrison. During mediation, the city and fire union are expected to continue trying to hash out disagreements that so far have prevented them from agreeing to phase in Prop B raises over several years, a step Turner has said would eliminate the need for layoffs. City council is scheduled on Wednesday to consider sending 60-day layoff notices to 220 firefighters, which Turner says are necessary to account for the added cost of Prop B. Turner has estimated Prop B would cost the city $79 million a year if fully implemented at once, requiring layoffs of hundreds of employees, including firefighters. Phasing in the raises over five years, Turner has said, would require no layoffs. Fire union officials say the mayor is being vindictive and could find a way to avoid the layoffs, while Turner repeatedly has noted that Prop B came without a funding source. The city, already facing a massive deficit, must approve a balanced budget by the end of June. The city sent Prop B-related pink slips to more than 100 fire cadets and municipal employees earlier this month. Though it is non-binding, the city will comply, Turner said in a statement issued by his office late Thursday. What is important is that the mediation occur as soon as possible, preferably Monday or Tuesday. Thursdays hearing and subsequent mediation order marked the latest developments in a lawsuit filed Nov. 30 by the police union seeking to strike down Prop B, which voters overwhelmingly approved Nov. 6. City council adopted it into the city charter Nov. 28. Named as a defendant in the police unions suit, the city filed a legal claim contending that Prop B conflicts with a section of Texas Local Government Code tying compensation for firefighters and police officers to that of comparable private sector employees. The city focused on that argument Thursday, contending that Prop B unconstitutionally violates the private sector pay provision by requiring the city to pay firefighters the same as public sector employees in the police department. Reagan Brown, an attorney from the Norton Rose Fulbright firm representing the city, contended the state provision preempts Prop B and any contradicting local laws. The fire union, meanwhile, argued that Prop B does not conflict with the private sector provision, and instead complements the part of the Local Government Code that deals with police and fire employment conditions, known as the Fire and Police Employee Relations Act. Garrison, who took over the case after winning the bench in the November midterms, at one point asked the unions lead attorney, Travis Sales, what would happen if firefighters comparable private sector hourly pay was $20, while the comparable police rate was $50. Sales characterized Garrisons scenario as a remote hypothetical, and noted that in a separate lawsuit between the city and fire union, the city argued that no such private sector standard exists to compare with city-employed firefighters. They are saying that this is contrary to something that they say does not even exist, Sales said. Near the end of the hearing, as Garrison weighed how to move forward, the two sides discussed the idea of mediation, which they previously attempted in 2017 before talks broke down. City Attorney Ron Lewis told Garrison the Turner administration does not believe a mediator could resolve the matter. Instead, Lewis suggested Garrison provide a window during which she would agree to not rule on the matter, which he said could act as an incentive for both sides to reach an agreement before that time expired. Troy Blakeney, an attorney for the fire union, generally agreed with the idea. I'm not here to say that some time frame as referenced by Ron would be detrimental, he said. Blakeney also gave a brief update on the state of negotiations, saying the fire union received financial information from the city Wednesday. The city and union have tussled over the data, which the union repeatedly had requested to verify that Turners offer to phase in the raises over several years honors the charter amendments terms. "Last night, we got financial data we've been looking for, Blakeney said. It came in yesterday afternoon, or something some of the data so that we could try to understand the citys position. After the hearing, Lancton said the data, which was sent around 6 p.m., was the absolute same regurgitation, the same information weve gotten previously that answers none of the questions that we have asked. In any case, Garrison made clear that she would make a ruling if it becomes necessary, but for now would prefer the two sides strike a deal outside her courtroom. "Y'all are close, she said. And if I rule Prop B is unconstitutional or it's been preempted, or if I rule that it isn't, I just set y'all back. I can only make this situation worse." At one point, Garrison asked why Prop B did not include language nullifying the law that ties public safety compensation to that of comparable private sector employees. A bill introduced by state Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, would do exactly that, stripping the language from the local government code and instead requiring that firefighters and police officers receive pay equal to that of comparable fire and police departments. The police unions attorney, Kelly Sandill, contended at Thursdays hearing that state law ties fire and police compensation to that of private sector employees for the sake of stability, arguing that the provision gives employees an idea of what sort of pay they will receive. The police union also has contended that Prop B impairs the unions ability to bargain freely for the fair compensation of its members, saying pay parity undermines and interferes with the unions independent meet-and-confer-style salary negotiations. Fire union officials disagree, saying the two unions still can negotiate on behalf of their constituents because they remain separate bargaining units. MD Anderson Cancer Center is ousting three scientists in connection with concerns China is trying to steal U.S. scientific research, the first such publicly disclosed punishments since federal officials directed some institutions to investigate specific professors in violation of granting agency policies. MD Anderson took the actions after receiving e-mails last year from the National Institutes of Health, the nations largest public funder of biomedical research, describing conflicts of interest or unreported foreign income by five faculty members. The agency, which has been assisted by the FBI, gave the cancer center 30 days to respond. As stewards of taxpayer dollars invested in biomedical research, we have an obligation to follow up when asked to investigate grant recipients, Dr. Peter Pisters, president of MD Anderson, told the Chronicle. This is part of a much larger issue the country is facing trying to balance an open collaborative environment and at the same time protect proprietary information and commercial interests. Pisters said the NIH could withhold MD Anderson funding if it didnt take action, if information provided in its grant materials is inaccurate or incomplete. The cancer center received $148 million in NIH grant money in 2018. MD Andersons action comes amid heightened concern in Washington, D.C., and around the country that China and other foreign governments are exploiting U.S.-funded research for their own benefit, enlisting students and visiting scholars to pilfer intellectual property from confidential grant applications, luring scientists to run shadow laboratories in their countries. Pisters said MD Andersons reputation as the worlds No. 1 cancer center has made it an obvious target. Academic espionage The cancer center invoked the termination process for three of the NIH-identified professors, two of whom resigned ahead of proceedings and one of whom is just beginning due process requirements, said Pisters. Officials determined termination was not warranted for one of the other professors and are still investigating the fifth. The cancer center gave the Chronicle copies of internal documents regarding the five cases. The names of the scientists were redacted, but Pisters said all are Asian. The Chronicle and Science magazine have confirmed at least three are ethnically Chinese. The departures are the first to become known since Dr. Francis Collins, director of the NIH, told a Senate panel earlier this month to expect related firings at institutions across the country soon. The panel and others in Congress have raised concerns about foreign theft of intellectual property at academic institutions. The departures also follow an unprecedented Houston gathering last summer at which FBI officials warned Texas academic and medical institution leaders of the threat, particularly from insiders, and called on them to share with the agency any and all suspicious behavior and information. The meeting, closed but reported on by the Chronicle, was one of the first events to call attention to a new federal effort nationally to thwart economic foreign espionage occurring at the academic level. But Pisters noted the FBI first notified MD Anderson about such concerns in 2015 during the Barack Obama administration. The cancer center consented to give the FBI computer hard drives containing emails for several of its staff members in December 2017, some eight months before Collins sent academic institutions across the nation a letter alerting them to the threat and requesting help curbing unacceptable breaches of trust and confidentiality. Collins told reporters after a Senate hearing last week that the FBI has played a major part in providing us information. Soon after Collins letter was sent to more than 10,000 U.S. institutions, the NIH began emailing MD Anderson and dozens of other agency grant recipients outlining its concerns about specific individuals. Racial profiling alleged The crackdown has roiled Chinese and Chinese-American communities in the United States and particularly at MD Anderson and the Texas Medical Center. They contend the investigations involve racial profiling and targeting and claim the probes are driving out some researchers for relatively minor offenses, sometimes based on a misreading of science. Scientific research depends on the free flow of ideas, said Frank H. Wu, president of the New York-based Committee of 100, a group of influential Chinese-Americans. Our national interest is best advanced by welcoming people, not by racial stereotyping based on where a person comes from. The Committee of 100 was among attendees at a meeting in Washington, D.C., in December at which representatives of Houstons Asian community joined others in expressing concern to the FBI about the fear and suspicions created by the agencys investigations and actions. And in March, a group of Chinese-American scientists voiced concern in a strongly worded letter in Science that recent rhetoric and proposals by the NIH and FBI could lead to unjust targeting of Chinese scientists. One of the co-authors was Mien-Chie Hung, a Taiwanese-born researcher who retired as MD Andersons vice president for basic research in February to take a job as president of China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan. (His move wasnt connected to any investigation, he says.) Sources close to the MD Anderson researchers who were investigated expressed concern that the five cases dont represent the total number of employees affected by investigations conducted by the FBI and the Houston cancer center. The sources say the number is probably more than 20, given documents theyve reviewed say the FBI access to MD Anderson computer hard drives involved the emails of 23 employees. In the past 18 months months, they also note, 10 MD Anderson senior researchers or administrators of Chinese descent have retired, resigned or been placed on administrative leave. Some purportedly left of their own accord, but supporters say a toxic climate and perception of racial profiling hastened their departures. Two of the researchers subsequently took positions at Chinese institutions. Talent drain These are the top talents foreign countries have been trying to recruit unsuccessfully, said Steven Pei, a University of Houston professor critical of the actions by MD Anderson. We are now pushing them out of the Texas Medical Center, out of Houston, out of Texas and out of the U.S. It seems were helping foreign countries to accomplish what they could not do by themselves. We are hurting the American competitiveness. Pisters downplayed the loss of talent, arguing that those affected involve just a handful out of MD Andersons 1,700 faculty. Citing the cancer centers demographic breakdown 30 percent white, 29 percent Asian, 23 percent black and 17 percent Hispanic Pisters argued MD Anderson faculty and employees know the institution doesnt discriminate on the basis of gender, ethnicity, race or sexual orientation. Still, Pei wants to know why MD Anderson has become such an epicenter of the crackdown. The NIH contacted Baylor College of Medicine about issues involving four of its faculty, for instance, but the Houston medical school didnt fire any, said Adam Kuspa, Baylors senior vice president for research. He said the institution instead worked to educate the faculty members, all ethnically Chinese, to make sure they disclose and fully describe foreign collaborations in the future. Pisters said he has no way to know if MD Anderson has been harsher than other institutions. He said its unfortunate a small group of individuals feel we have not been consistent with our core values. In situations where individuals, small in number, have undergone investigations like this, I can understand why groups might feel that theyre being singled out, said Pisters. Thats not our intent. Were simply acting on NIH letters weve received and our obligation as recipients of NIH funds. $600B in thefts There is no disputing the threat is real. After a 2017 report that found intellectual-property theft by China costs the U.S. as much as $600 billion annually, FBI Director Christopher Wray called China the broadest, most significant threat to the nation and said its espionage is active in all 50 states. In recent years, much media coverage focused on Liu Ruopeng, a billionaire Chinese inventor who came to the United States 13 years ago to study in a Duke University researchers lab and later was accused of stealing information there used to develop a so-called invisibility cloak on behalf of the Chinese government. U.S. government agencies, including the NIH, consider Chinas Thousands Talents program the top vehicle for transferring U.S. technology, intellectual property and know-how to China. A recruitment effort launched by the Chinese Communist Partys powerful Organization Department, the program aimed at luring back leading researchers of Chinese descent generally has been unsuccessful. But some U.S.-based scientists have used Thousands Talents grants as a way to fund trips to China and maintain access to research teams there. The FBIs Counterintelligence Divisions Strategic Partnership Program argued in a 2015 handout that the program allows China to benefit from years of scientific research conducted in the United States and severely impacts the U.S. economy. The Chinese government censored the term Thousand Talents last fall after a General Electric engineer who had been a grant recipient was charged with trade secrets theft in New York state. MD Andersons investigations mentioned that three of the five professors likely were involved in the Thousand Talents program, none of whom had disclosed the affiliation. By contrast, none of the investigated Baylor faculty were affiliated with the program. MD Anderson policy permits participation in Thousand Talents, though Pisters said he wants faculty to be aware of how it operates and called it predatory. The policy requires disclosure of all foreign sources of research, complete with collaboration agreements that include legal and intellectual property sharing provisions approved by the institution. Serious violations MD Andersons involvement with the FBI dates to a November 2015 letter from Perrye K. Turner, special agent in charge of the FBIs Houston field office, to Less Stoltenberg, MD Andersons chief information security officer. The letter requested assistance in a national security investigation Turner described as pursuant to an authorized foreign counterintelligence investigation. In July 2017, chief legal officer Steven Haydon received a letter from Turner about an investigation pertaining to the possible theft of MD Anderson research and proprietary information. A month later, MD Anderson was subpoenaed for certain emails in the matter. A third letter from the FBI was sent to Haydon in November 2017. The next month Pisters consented to provide the bureau with access to a number of staff accounts. In August 2018, MD Anderson received its first NIH email about a specific researcher. It noted the researcher had violated several NIH policies specifically, confidentiality of peer review, failure to disclose other research resources and possibly failing to disclose a financial conflict of interest. In the weeks that followed, NIH sent four more letters to MD Anderson, each asking for more information regarding what were described as serious violations by cancer center professors. Max Weber, MD Andersons compliance and ethics officer, looked into the cases and responded with lengthy reports detailing email correspondences the accused researchers had with people in China and the titles they held at Chinese institutions. He reported examples of professors sharing confidential grant application materials with unauthorized third parties, undisclosed payments by institutions in China and the leadership of a shadow laboratory in China. Weber reported no evidence that any MD Anderson proprietary data was transferred to China or any other foreign nation. The investigations were questioned by a source familiar with one of the cases because of Webers lack of expertise in matters of scientific collaboration. Pisters responded that you dont need a scientific background to understand these ethical issues. In response to the foreign threat, MD Anderson in 2018 developed a plan to reduce risks. In an email, Pisters warned employees of the accelerating risks of intellectual theft and cyberattacks and announced staff traveling internationally will need to use loaner laptops and phones. Later, the center restricted the use of USB devices. A few blocks away in the medical center, Baylor is revising policy to prohibit researchers from having laboratories at two locations, domestic or foreign. The only other local academic institution apparently contacted by the NIH about possible violations by a researcher was the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, which received one such letter, still under review. Neither Rice University nor the University of Houston received one. In the meantime, Baylor and MD Anderson are still waiting to hear back from the NIH about the actions they took. If the NIH makes a determination the individual we determined didnt warrant termination should have been sanctioned, wed have to revisit employment status, said Pisters. This story was produced in collaboration with Science Magazine, with reporting by Mara Hvistendahl. todd.ackerman@chron.com A woman allegedly set herself on fire Friday morning as Houston police tried to execute a murder warrant against her, authorities said. A grand jury this week indicted Janet Alexander, 69, after she allegedly killed her 64-year-old husband, Lionel Alexander, in April 2018. The Houston Police Department said that detectives and officers with the Major Offenders Division were executing the warrant on Alexander in the 9900 block of Valley Wind Drive off Tidwell Road around 10 a.m. when she set herself on fire. Now Playing: Janet Alexander, 69, set herself on fire as police tried to arrest her for the murder of her husband, authorities say. Video: Jay R. Jordan, Houston Chronicle She was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in unknown condition. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox Charles Williams, who lives on the same block, said he heard a "boom" and came out to find black smoke filling the air. "I thought it was maybe somebody burning something or a car backfire at first," Williams said. "The whole sky was full of smoke." He said he's praying for the woman's full recovery. Her condition was not immediately clear. HPD INVESTIGATION: Body found under mattress at SW Houston apartment could be tied to missing persons case "That's a horrible way to go," Williams said. "I don't know what would make her do that." Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and helped paramedics pull the woman into an ambulance. HFD's arson detectives are working to determine how the fire started and are focusing their investigation to the house's garage, which is charred black from fire. They are also utilizing an accelerant-sniffing dog to assist them in their investigation. On April 27, 2018, Alexander and her husband had gotten into an argument inside the home on Valley Wind Drive that escalated to a physical fight, police said. During the fight, the woman allegedly stabbed her husband several times. Officers found the woman with several lacerations on her chest, and she was briefly hospitalized for those injuries, police said. Paramedics pronounced Lionel Alexander dead inside the home, while Janet Alexander was questioned and released while a grand jury mulled charges. She was eventually indicted on a first-degree felony murder charge for the incident. She faces up anywhere between five and 99 years, or life in prison, if convicted. 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 Twenty years ago last summer, Americans reacted with disgust at sordid revelations contained in the report of independent counsel Ken Starrs investigation into the conduct of President Bill Clinton during his affair with a White House intern and his attempts to cover it up. Many worried the presidency had been forever diminished. This newspapers editorial board concluded that whatever the outcome of impending impeachment proceedings, Clinton had disgraced himself and his office. Thursdays release of special counsel Robert Muellers report is no less depressing a milestone in the history of the American presidency. Understanding why wont be easy. Thursdays announcement and the immediate hyperpartisan spin from all sides offered little consolation to the average American looking for some measure of truth not filtered through prisms of political advantage. In the end, Muellers report delivers. The truth is there for anyone willing to search it out amid the nuance. Attorney General William Barrs redacted version is pocked with a distressing tally of bad behavior by Trump as both candidate and president, and includes a litany of lies, crimes and other misdeeds by his aides that should nauseate readers. Mueller spent nearly two years to determine whether Trump or his aides illegally coordinated with Russia in its cyberattack on the 2016 American presidential election. The report explains for the first time what evidence led Mueller to stop short of exonerating Trump on criminal allegations that he tried to obstruct the Russia investigation. It also revealed some mischaracterizations on the part of Barr, who has attempted for weeks to shield the White House from the more damning findings. His four-page summary to Congress in March stated unequivocally that Mueller had concluded Trump was not guilty of colluding with Russia. That turns out to have been only partly true. Mueller explains that collusion is not defined in federal criminal statutes. Instead, he sought evidence Trump or his aides had participated in a conspiracy with Russia to affect the outcome of the election. Mueller found no evidence that team Trump had conspired and coordinated with Russians as part of their enormous efforts to defeat Hillary Clinton. Therefore, he concludes, no one was guilty of the crime of illegal coordination. But hes just as clear that Trump and his aides met time and again with Russians eager to help Trump win, even if Trumps camp didnt ultimately join forces with them. Mueller concluded that there is no evidence Trump and his team knew they were being used by the Russians, even if they sometimes unwittingly furthered the cause as when Kellyanne Conway, Donald Trump, Jr. and Trump himself all retweeted information from individuals working for Russia. In still other cases, top campaign officials did know Russia was trying to help, but there is no evidence that they initiated these efforts. In the now-infamous meeting at Trump Tower, which included Trumps campaign chairman, his son and son-in-law, the Trump team had been promised damaging information from the Russians who then then failed to deliver it. Days later, when WikiLeaks released thousands of emails hacked from the Democrats computers, WikiLeaks didnt reveal that the data had come from a unit set up by Russia to infiltrate Trumps opponents computers. Nor was there proof that the Russians had given the information to Wikileaks at the behest of the Trump campaign. There are many examples of these kinds of events in Muellers report. He may be legally correct that they do not amount to proof that Trump or his team are guilty of criminally betraying their country. But who could call such cavorting with an adversarial foreign power innocent or patriotic? Muellers findings are no less distressing on a second question: whether President Trump obstructed justice in trying to stymie the Russia investigation. Trump is revealed to have repeatedly attempted to control the outcome of the investigation, first by asking FBI Director James Comey to spare disgraced national security adviser Michael Flynn to let Flynn go, in Trumps words and later on, after it became clear that Trump was being investigated , to inveigh ceaselessly against the inquiry itself, against Mueller, and against any aide who might testify. This deeply disturbing conduct, on its face signaling obstruction, wasnt enough to warrant criminal charges, Mueller decided, in part because he wasnt sure he could prove Trump acted with corrupt intent. Barr quickly seized on that indecision and made his own determination in March that no criminal obstruction had occurred. He repeated Thursday that Trump had been exonerated on that point, too. Thats absurd. Iffy evidence for a criminal charge is one thing. Common sense leaves no doubt that Trump tried to impede the investigation. The report has dealt America a dilemma. It is not an exoneration of President Trump. Nor is it the smoking gun that would give impeachment proceedings bipartisan validity. The report shatters the most damning accusation against the president: Trump is not, in fact, a traitor under the law, according to Muellers findings. But the report stacks brick upon brick of examples that substantiate another well-known case against the president: He is an opportunist and a bully willing to put Americas interests second to his own. For some, no revelations there. For others, we hope this report provides the nudge or the swift kick needed for American voters to hold Trump accountable in November 2020 for his disastrous leadership. No experienced CEO or manager would fire a large number of high-performing employees all on the same day. But that is our norm for judicial selection in Texas. In the 2018 election, many voters pulled the straight ticket lever based on non-judicial candidates or issues at the top of the ballot. Perhaps as an unintended consequence of those voters call for change, around 440 Texas judges lost their jobs, according to Nathan L. Hecht, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, in his February State of the Judiciary speech. If we assume that each of the fired judges handled an average of 500 cases (that is a low estimate), thats 220,000 cases likely delayed at a time when many Texans are already unable to afford the cost of resolving their disputes in court. Tens of thousands of our citizens learned that there is a change in the judges handling their cases midstream. The 2018 judicial sweep underscored what many people in Texas already knew. Texas Supreme Court Justice John Hill, a Democrat, spoke out against our current system in the 1970s and 80s , and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Tom Phillips, a Republican, decried our system in the Houston Chronicle in 2003. They both agreed that partisan elections of our judges are no way to run a judicial system. Texas is one of only six states in our country still relying on partisan elections to select all their judges. I have practiced law for more than 50 years and can attest that an R or a D by a candidates name is not a sufficient reason to support his or her candidacy. Qualifications such as the jurists commitment to the rule of law, good work ethic, years of experience and temperament are far more important. In the mid-19th century when our judicial election laws were enacted, many voters knew their judicial candidates or at the very least, one of their friends or neighbors did. Today, most voters in the major urban counties not only dont know the judicial candidates, they dont have sufficient time or inclination to evaluate their fitness to serve. There are just too many candidates on the ballot. Its a difficult task even for the lawyers who practice in the major cities of our great state to do so. To fix this decades-old problem, we need a bipartisan appointment system for judicial selection, with retention elections to remove, if necessary, poorly performing judges. Let me be clear: No criticism of our newly elected judges is intended. In the months since the election, my firm has handled cases in front of some of the talented new judges of Harris County and around the state. Some of our new judges have ably performed their jobs from day one. But even though most incoming judges across the state have buckled down to learn the details of thousands of pending cases, ranging from complex litigation to child custody disputes to criminal matters, an abrupt judicial makeover on such a major scale cant help leaving a legacy of unnecessary inefficiency and uncertainty and demoralizing our judges. Or as Chief Justice Hecht characterized the sweep in his February speech: Our system allowed the loss of seven centuries of judicial experience in one stroke. The 2018 sweep confirms to me that almost any other system would be better than the one we have today, and I havent even mentioned the most distasteful part of this flawed system: money. Typically, the only parties that care enough to provide substantial funds to candidates for the judiciary are lawyers who may appear before the judges or clients who may want to influence them. As lawyers, we are proud to serve as officers of the court, but when judges have to solicit dollars to run a competitive race for election, it, unfortunately, raises in the eyes of the public the appearance of impropriety. Judges make hundreds of decisions every day. These decisions can affect peoples lives, their livelihoods and their freedom. The make-up of the Texas judiciary should not be left to the prevailing political wind. Our state needs to enter the current century and start hiring and firing judges in a rational manner based on relevant qualifications and not on issues raised by candidates at the top of the ballot that have nothing to do with a sitting judges performance. Judges should be chosen and retained based on their qualifications and performance, not politics. Beck is president of Citizens for Judicial Excellence in Texas; former president of American College of Trial Lawyers, and former president of the State Bar of Texas. The market for a critical component in next-generation smartphones is undergoing a dramatic shift at the dawn of the 5G era. At its center is Qualcomm, the silicon chipmaker whose miniature modems help put the "phone" in iPhone. Now, analysts say, two key developments this week stand to make Qualcomm the only major U.S. supplier of 5G wireless chips. It's a momentous change in the industry's balance of power whose effects likely will last for years. On Tuesday, Qualcomm and Apple announced that they'd agreed to bury a long-running legal dispute, and that the iPhone maker would become Qualcomm's customer for the next several years. The deal could mean Apple's future mobile devices will use Qualcomm's chips to connect to high-tech 5G networks, which promise ultra-fast download speeds and access to new technologies, apps and services. FAUX 5G: No, AT&T customers, that '5G E' icon doesn't mean you have 5G on your smartphone Within hours of the settlement's announcement, Qualcomm's biggest rival, Intel, said that it was abandoning the market for 5G chips altogether to focus on other aspects of 5G technology. Intel had been slated to provide Apple with 5G chips for its 2020 iPhone. That essentially left the market for 5G chips - which is expected to grow to $20 billion globally by 2025 - to Qualcomm and a handful of other producers. "In the U.S., around 5G, it's Qualcomm's world and everyone else is just paying rent," said Dan Ives, an industry analyst at Wedbush Securities. "Qualcomm's competitive position is significantly strengthened now." Qualcomm's major competitors now are China's Huawei and South Korea's Samsung. But those companies produce chips primarily for their own lines of branded smartphones, rather than selling them to phone makers like Apple. Qualcomm also competes in the chip market with Taiwan-based MediaTek, said Roger Entner, an industry analyst at Recon Analytics. But MediaTek, he said, is typically found in lower-end devices, not premium phones like the iPhone. "If you want to make a really cheap phone, you use MediaTek chipsets," said Entner. "They're not as good as Qualcomm." HOLD UP: Wait a while before jumping aboard the 5G wireless train That leaves Apple in a difficult position. Between its deal with Qualcomm and Intel's exit from 5G chips, Apple is now beholden for the foreseeable future to a single 5G modem supplier. Both Qualcomm and Apple declined to comment. Apple has used Qualcomm exclusively in the past, but it has shown a distaste for that kind of arrangement. Last year, Apple sought to gain leverage over Qualcomm by hiring Intel to supply roughly half of the 4G chips in its iPhones. By playing one company off the other, Apple hoped to keep its costs down. But with Intel out of the market, Apple can no longer count on that dynamic. Nor can any other phone maker that must buy their 5G chips on the open market. Intel had been struggling for years to build wireless chips that were as good as Qualcomm's, analysts say. On key metrics such as battery life and mobile data speeds, Qualcomm's chips simply performed better. "Generation after generation, Qualcomm has demonstrated they have an ability to develop products faster than their competitors," said Walt Piecyk, an industry analyst at the research firm BTIG. He added: "Qualcomm has shown over the past 20 years their ability to make better products than not only their competitors, but also the attempts companies have made to build [chips] internally." AT HOME: Houston couple gets first Verizon 5G broadband installation in the U.S. Intel acknowledged its disadvantage in 5G chips in its announcement Tuesday. "It has become apparent that there is no clear path to profitability and positive returns," chief executive Bob Swan said in a statement. Some have speculated that Apple, much like Samsung and Huawei, could seek to design its own chips in the future - either to gain independence from Qualcomm or to compete head-to-head on wireless chips. Several Apple job listings have suggested the company may be exploring that strategy. But analysts said it can take years of investment and hard work to develop what can be purchased from other vendors in an instant. The Chinese technology giant Huawei said this week it is open to selling its wireless chips to Apple. But a number of analysts dismissed the offer as "trolling," saying ongoing U.S. government concerns about the security of Huawei products - along with Apple's privacy-conscious marketing - would make it challenging if not impossible for Apple chief executive Tim Cook to accept. "The political environment would make it difficult for Huawei to find their way into Apple's phones, particularly given the focus that Tim Cook has placed on privacy," said Piecyk. For U.S. phone makers, few major vendors remain in the market for 5G chips. And they cannot afford to wait for another developer to come along, particularly when federal officials and wireless carriers are pushing rapid adoption of 5G as a national imperative. "By late 2020 in the U.S., we will have nationwide 5G networks in the traditional [airwave] bands," said Entner. "If you don't have a good 5G phone [to sell], you're in trouble." Get more tasty tech news at TechBurger. And follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe to the Chronicle for regular access to TechBurger stories and to be able to comment. 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. 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. Oil production Total OECD annual production of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL), and refinery feedstocks increased by 10.3% in 2018 compared to 2017, reaching a record total monthly production of over 100 million tons at the beginning of the year and remaining above this for almost all of 2018. This trend was observed across all OECD regions with the OECD Americas seeing the largest growth (+12.2%), followed by OECD Europe (+0.6%) and OECD Asia Oceania (+2.5%) in absolute terms. Absolute change Percent changeUnited States 105.006 17.1Canada 19.165 8.1United Kingdom 4.827 10.1Other OECD 1.846 7.4Italy 0.731 12.6Australia 0.612 4.4Germany 0.124 1.7Denmark -1.072 -15.2Norway -5.502 -6.2Mexico -6.856 -6.3{ "chart":{ "type":"bar" }, "plotOptions":{ "bar":{ "borderWidth":0, "stacking":"normal" } }, "title":{ "text":"Crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks production growth in selected OECD countries, 2017-18" }, "yAxis":[{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" }, "min":-60, "max":120, "tickPositions":[-60,-40,-20,0,20,40,60,80,100,120] },{ "title":{ "text":"" }, "min":-20, "max":40, "tickPositions":[-20,0,20,40], "labels":{ "format":"{value}%" }, "opposite":true }], "tooltip":{ "shared":true }, "xAxis":{ "type":"category" }, "series":[{ "colorIndex":2, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt", "valueDecimals":1 } }, { "colorIndex":8, "yAxis":1, "type":"line", "lineWidth":0, "states":{ "hover":{ "lineWidth":0, "lineWidthPlus":0 } }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":"%" } }]} Production from the United States rose to a record high in the third quarter of 2018, and increased by 17.1% or 105 Mt in 2018 compared to 2017. Canadian production also increased on an annual basis (+8.1%), due to robust production of crude oil, while Mexicos production continued to fall (-6.3%). The United Kingdom experienced the largest growth in production in OECD Europe (+10.1%) due to multiple new projects on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf coming online in late 2017. Italy also experienced significant growth (+12.6%), reflecting the re-opening of facilities in the Val d'Agri region which was closed in mid-2017 due to leaks from on-site storage tanks. Within OECD Europe, the growth in Italy was partially offset by declines in Norway (-6.2%), where several fields were under maintenance in 2018. Production decreases in Norway are also due to natural production declines from mature fields that are not being compensated by new fields coming online. Growth in production in OECD Asia Oceania was driven by growth in Australia (+4.4%), where the production of condensates increased due to new LNG projects coming online. The OECD Americas was responsible for 85% of total OECD production of crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks in 2018, with 56% of this being produced in the United States. Refinery gross output Refinery gross output of total products within the OECD remained relatively stable (-0.3%) in 2018 compared to 2017. On a regional level, moderate growth in the OECD Americas (+0.6%) was offset by decreases in output in both OECD Europe (-1.5%) and OECD Asia Oceania (-0.4%). Total gasoline Middle distillates All other productsOECD Americas 1 7 -2OECD Asia Oceania -1 -2 2OECD Europe -1 -3 -7{ "chart":{ "type":"bar", "height":"45%" }, "plotOptions":{ "bar":{ "borderWidth":0, "stacking":"normal" } }, "title":{ "text":"Refinery gross output per OECD region, 2017-18" }, "yAxis":{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" }, "reversedStacks":false }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt" }, "xAxis":{ "type":"category" }, "series":[{ "colorIndex":7 }, { "colorIndex":3 }, { "colorIndex":8 }]} The United States was responsible for the growth in the OECD Americas (+2.2%) and experienced the largest growth in refining activity in the OECD as a whole. This was due to a large increase in the production of middle distillates (+1.9%). In contrast, Mexico experienced the largest decrease in the OECD in absolute terms (-19.7%), due to prolonged maintenance at the Madero refinery in the last half of 2018. Within OECD Europe, the largest decline in refinery output was observed in Germany (-4.4%). This was mainly due to an explosion in the Bayern oil refinery in September 2018, which led to a decrease in production levels for this last quarter of the year. This was also compounded by maintenance activity in several other refineries throughout 2018. A large decline was also observed in France (-5.9%) due to increased maintenance activity in the second quarter of 2018. Decreases in the output of all products were observed in OECD Europe. OECD Asia Oceanias decrease was driven by Japan (-4.9%) due to a combination of scheduled maintenance programs and the unscheduled shut-down of the Hokkaido refinery following a large earthquake in September. Growth in both Korea (+2.5%) and Australia (+12.6%) was able to offset the drop in Japan, and there was an increase of output of all other products (+2.6%) in the region as a whole. Absolute change Percent changeUnited States 19 2.2Korea 4 2.5Australia 3 12.6Italy -3 -3.8Turkey -3 -9.6France -4 -5.9Germany -4 -4.4Canada -5 -5.4Japan -8 -4.9Mexico -8 -19.7{ "chart":{ "type":"bar" }, "plotOptions":{ "bar":{ "borderWidth":0, "stacking":"normal" } }, "title":{ "text":"Refinery gross output growth in select OECD countries, 2017-18" }, "yAxis":[{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" }, "min":-10, "max":20, "tickPositions":[-10,0,10,20] },{ "title":{ "text":"" }, "min":-10, "max":20, "tickPositions":[-10,0,10,20], "labels":{ "format":"{value}%" }, "opposite":true }], "tooltip":{ "shared":true }, "xAxis":{ "type":"category" }, "series":[{ "colorIndex":2, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt", "valueDecimals":1 } }, { "colorIndex":8, "yAxis":1, "type":"line", "lineWidth":0, "states":{ "hover":{ "lineWidth":0, "lineWidthPlus":0 } }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":"%" } }]} Oil trade Total imports of crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks to individual OECD countries were 2.7% lower in 2018 compared to 2017, with all OECD regions contributing to this decline. OECD Europe experienced the largest decline in imports (-3.0%), followed by the OECD Americas (-2.7%) and OECD Asia Oceania (-2.0%). Overall OECD imports of crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks from Iran and Russia decreased significantly by 41.6% and 9.8% respectively, while imports from the United States grew by 55.1%. Imports from Saudi Arabia also decreased (-2.8%), however it was the largest exporter to the OECD in 2018, taking the lead from Russia which was the largest supplier to the OECD in 2017. Saudi Arabia Canada Russian Federation Iraq United States Norway Iran Kuwait2017 195 172 197 99 42 71 68 502018 190 188 178 93 65 61 40 43{ "chart":{ "type":"line" }, "plotOptions":{ "line":{ "marker":{ "symbol":"circle", "radius":2 }, "dataLabels":{ "enabled":true, "useHTML":true, "format":"{series.name}" } } }, "title":{ "text":"Imports from major suppliers to total OECD, 2017-18" }, "subtitle":{ "text":"Crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks" }, "legend":{ "enabled":false }, "yAxis":{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" }, "min":25, "max":200, "tickInterval":25 }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt" }, "xAxis":{ "tickPositions":[2017,2018] }} Total imports of total products to individual OECD countries increased by 3.1% in 2018 compared to 2017. Growth was observed in both the OECD Americas (+11.0%) and OECD Asia Oceania (+6.1%), while OECD Europe experienced a slight decline (-0.5%). Most notably, imports of other kerosene increased across all OECD regions, by 18.1% in total. Overall, the OECD continues to be a net exporter of refined products, but exports remained relatively stable in 2018 compared to 2017 (+0.3%). Exports of crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks increased by 13.3% in 2018, with the largest volumes destined for the United States and the Far East. Oil net deliveries Total OECD net deliveries of refined products grew by 1.0% in 2018 compared to 2017, reflecting growth in the OECD Americas (+2.4%) and OECD Europe (+0.15%), while deliveries decreased in OECD Asia Oceania (-1.6%). Growth in the OECD Americas can be attributed to higher deliveries of gas/diesel oil (+4.8%), where the most notable growth was in the United States (+5.1%) and Canada (+3.8%) due to a particularly cold winter. The OECD Americas also saw a large decrease in the demand of naphtha (-13.6%). OECD Asia Oceania experienced similar trends to the OECD Americas, with the largest increase in deliveries being for gas/diesel oil (+1.5%) and the largest decrease being for naphtha (-5.5%). The trend for gas/diesel oil was driven by Australia (+6.9%), while Korea (-5.4%) and Japan (-5.5%) were responsible for the decreases in demand of naphtha in the region. The upward trend in OECD Europe was partially driven by higher demand for total kerosene (+4.3%), particularly in the United Kingdom (+3.8%) and France (+3.7%). Increased demand for total kerosene was seen across the OECD, with a growth of 2.6% in the OECD as a whole. OECD Americas OECD Asia Oceania OECD Europe 245 90 307 256 91 306 473 61 75 473 60 81 90 42 68 92 42 71 104 19 51 111 19 49 15 79 48 13 75 41 40 23 34 45 22 34 14 13 13 14 12 13{ "chart":{ "type":"bar" }, "title":{ "text":"Net deliveries of refined products in OECD regions, 2017-18" }, "plotOptions":{ "bar":{ "borderWidth":0, "stacking":"normal" } }, "yAxis":{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" } }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt" }, "xAxis":[{ "categories":["2017","2018","2017","2018","2017","2018","2017","2018","2017","2018","2017","2018","2017","2018"], "plotLines":[{ "value":1.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" },{ "value":3.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" },{ "value":5.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" },{ "value":7.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" },{ "value":9.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" },{ "value":11.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" }] }, { "offset": 40, "lineWidth":0, "categories":["Gas/diesel oil","Total gasoline","Total kerosene","Other products","Naptha","LPG","Residual fuel oil"], "tickLength":40 }], "series":[{ "colorIndex":2 },{ "colorIndex":6 },{ "colorIndex":0 },{ "data": [0,0,0,0,0,0,0], "showInLegend":false, "xAxis":1 }]} Oil Stocks Total OECD stocks of total oil on national territory remained broadly unchanged in 2018 compared to 2017 and closed at 531 million metric tons. A stock build was observed in the OECD Americas (+1.0%), and was balanced by stock draws in both OECD Europe (-1.2%) and OECD Asia Oceania (-1.0%). In the OECD Americas, stocks of total oil on national territory grew by 2.3 million metric tons due to increases in both primary products (+1.7 Mt) and secondary products (+0.6 Mt). This was despite large drawdowns of United States crude stockpiles at the Cushing, Oklahoma storage hub in the first quarter of 2018. Stocks of total oil in OECD Europe decreased by 2.2 million metric tons, due to large stock draws of refined petroleum products (-2.6 Mt). The largest decrease was observed in Germany (-0.5 Mt). Stocks of total oil also decreased in OECD Asia Oceania (-1.1 Mt), due to large stock draws of crude oil, NGL and refinery feedstocks in Korea (-3.1 Mt). OECD Americas OECD Asia Oceania OECD EuropeCrude oil, NGL, refinery feedstocks 1.7 -3.6 0.4Total products 0.6 2.5 -2.6{ "chart":{ "type":"column", "height":"45%" }, "plotOptions":{ "column":{ "borderWidth":0, "dataLabels":{ "enabled":true, "format":"{point.y} Mt" } } }, "title":{ "text":"OECD stock changes on national territory, 2017-18" }, "yAxis":{ "title":{ "text":"Mt" } }, "tooltip":{ "valueSuffix":" Mt" }, "xAxis":{ "type":"category", "plotLines":[{ "value":0.5, "width":1, "dashStyle":"longDash", "color":"#ccc" }] }, "series":[{ "colorIndex":2 }, { "colorIndex":6 }, { "colorIndex":0 }]} Notes [Updated on April 23rd] Journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead while she was covering the riots at the Creggan housing estate in the city of Londonderry (Derry), Northern Ireland, on Thursday night 19 April. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) join their affiliate the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the UK and Ireland in condemning this killing and call on a full investigation into her death. A former Belfast Telegraph journalist and a NUJ member, Lyra McKee, 29, was a freelancer and a novelist. She was named by Forbes Magazine in 2016 as one of their "30 under 30" outstanding figures in media. The riots took place in the run-up to the Easter weekend, which also marks the anniversary of a 1916 uprising against British rule. Violence exploded in Northern Ireland following police searches in the Creggan area in Londonderry. According to media reports, Lyra McKee was killed after a gunman appeared and fired shots towards the police position near which she was standing. The journalist had been live tweeting prior to the shooting from the scene. The Irish police launched a murder inquiry and blamed dissident republicans for the death. The National Union of Journalists(NUJ)s General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. Our thoughts are with her partner, family and many friends and colleagues. A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us into darkness. Her death is a major loss to journalism. IFJ President Philippe Leruth said: We express our deep condolences to Lyra McKees family and relatives. Lyra's death is a real loss for press freedom in Europe and for the young generation of journalists. We urge the authorities to ensure a full investigation into her death. EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregardsaid: "Lyra McKee was a very dedicated journalist. She has extensively covered the Northern Irish conflict, focusing on the victims of violence. She was killed on duty, while informing the public about last night's police operations. We call on the authorities to shed light on this crime. Her case cannot become a new case of impunity." Lyra McKee is the first journalist to be killed in the United Kingdom since Martin OHagan in 2001. [UPDATE - APRIL 23rd] In a statement published by The Irish News, the New Irish Republican Army (New IRA) ackowledged its responsiblity Lyra McKee's death and offered "apologies" to the journalist' relatives. In the course of attacking the enemy [this refers to the police] Lyra McKee was tragically killed while standing beside enemy forces", the statement said. The New IRA is a dissident Irish republican paramiltary group fighting for a united Ireland. Sandra Oh Lin's career had zigzagged enough times for her to know that at some point it would probably take another major detour. Armed with a degree in chemical engineering, the Harvard MBA got her first job at Proctor & Gamble, before spending most of her career at startups, such as eBay. In 2010, by the time her two kids were 3 and 5, she was running eBay's $2 billion fashion business. Still an engineer at heart, when Lin wasn't at the office, she'd often arrange elaborate crafting projects and science experiments for her kids. She loved what they were creating, but realized sourcing all the materials was a drag. Once she invited friends to join, her new calling became clear: "You should start a business!" they implored Lin. After equal parts soul-searching and market research to determine whether it might be a viable company, in 2011 Lin launched KiwiCo, the company behind Kiwi Crate, a subscription STEM crafts, arts, and projects box for kids. (Disclosure: I recorded a commercial for KiwiCo, which advertises on the Inc. Uncensored podcast.) Eight years later, the company has defied the odds of subscription-box mania. After raising a mere $10 million in venture capital in three small rounds, it quickly soared to profitability. In 2018, the Mountain View, California-based company sold almost $100 million in crates, and has been debt free and profitable for three years. It turns out, Lin had stumbled onto a major pain point for parents who were busy but wanted to help educate their kids in science, technology, arts, and creative problem solving. If she could keep the costs contained while creating mind-opening, time-occupying projects, maybe it could work? Today, KiwiCo, nestled amid the worker-hive of tech giants including Google, Siemens, and Semantec, has grown into a 100-person tinkering-parent's haven. The staff is more than 70 percent female, and about four times a week a troupe of tiny humans--ranging from toddlers to teens--comes to test the company's proposed new offerings. The largest team is product design, a wide-ranging crew of mechanical engineers, designers and artists, and NASA-veteran rocket scientists. They collectively put more than 1,000 hours into designing each crate, which includes finding parts that are lightweight (to keep shipping costs low), visually appealing (to kids), sturdy and safe (parents thank them), and easily made (again, costs). While the company started with a single monthly kit, today it offers seven different lines that range from $16.95 and $19.95 per month, and mirror specific age groups. The first crate, for school-aged kids, has STEM-y projects to assemble, like a small circuit board that powers an instrument, or a trebuchet that, when pieced together as kid-friendly instructions dictate, will launch small balls into the air. There are two crates for older kids, ages 9 to 16-plus, who can choose between the Doodle Crate for artists or the Tinker Crate for engineers. Ages 6 to 11 can branch out to the Atlas Crate for world exploration. And there are now even crates for toddlers: babies can get the Tadpole, which contains things like color-matching exercises, and the Koala Crate for 3- and 4-year-olds has felt crafts that explore nature. The company encourages parents to give feedback, which helped fuel Lin's broad expansion in 2014. In May of that year, she developed three new subscription boxes. It strained the company's product-development team nearly to its limit--and tore apart their year right through the holiday season. "It was a bit of madness," says Lin, whose production facility is linked to the Mountain View office. "But it was extremely helpful and a turning point for the business." The timing, it turned out, was perfect. One of the new kits, the Tinker Crate, sold incredibly well. "It corresponded with that moment in the zeitgeist that STEM was really taking off," says Lin. From that point, the compaplaceholderny leaned more heavily on its STEM focus--and also began to operate more nimbly and quickly. The other new offerings, the Koala Crate and Doodle Crate, sold out within a month. Rather than dousing Instagram with paid ads, like many other direct to consumer e-commerce companies, KiwiCo largely relies on word-of-mouth. placeholderLin credits her early subscribers with helping her land on ideal product lines and says that's translated to low customer-acquisition costs, with more than 25 percent of sales from families that get more than one different crate every month. "If you map our customer acquisition cost from 2011 to now, it looks very, very even," says Lin. "Our gross margins are continually improving, too." Bob Gore in 1982, with ePTFE, the basis of the waterproof fabric used in Gore-Tex outerwear. Courtesy W.L. Gore When you hear W. L. Gore and Associates' origin story, it sounds very Silicon Valley: a couple of entrepreneurs in their basement, determined to make a breakthrough. But instead of 21st-century California, this was Sputnik-era Delaware. Bill Gore was a materials scientist at DuPont who saw broad applications for a fluoropolymer called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)--used to make Teflon. When DuPont didn't seem as excited about these applications as Bill and his wife, Vieve, were, the couple raided their savings in 1958 to start their own company. Together with their son, Bob, they created unique technologies across more than 15 industries. You might be wearing one of Bob's: ePTFE (expanded PTFE), which led to Gore-Tex, the waterproof fabric that reinvented outerwear. The Gores also created a corporate culture in which anyone can take the lead, there are no organizational charts, and people collaborate in teams, rather than compete for the corner office. "You can't fake this stuff," says Jason Field, just the fifth CEO in the company's history. "If you say you want to empower people to make decisions, you can't revert to top-down decision making if things get tough."placeholder Field was a large-animal veterinarian before joining Gore's medical-device team, and quickly realized he was part of an unusual organization. In structuring their company, the Gores were more inspired by humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow and Douglas McGregor's management theories than by, say, Peter Drucker's. It's a bottom-up approach that companies often talk about, but few execute well. Gore remains innovation-focused and market-agnostic. More than 45 million medical valves, stents, sutures, and other devices it created are walking around inside people. It makes vents for smartphones and materials for the Mars rovers. Today, the Newark, Delaware-based company has 10,000 employees worldwide and $3.5 billion in revenue. The Gore culture is sort of a lateral ecosystem. Leaders aren't appointed; they create "followerships." Anyone can pursue an idea and persuade others to join. Employees build "lattice" networks, connecting with others across divisions, to encourage the flow of knowledge and ideas. Compensation--most of the company is owned by employees--is decided by a panel of peers. Associates use "dabble time" to create products that don't yet have a market, as was the case for mercury filters for industrial plants, developed long before regulation demanded them. "Going forward, the strategic differentiator is going to be the ability to learn faster, and at higher quality, than the competition," says Edward D. Hess, a professor at University of Virginia's Darden School of Business and co-author of Humility Is the New Smart. "Gore has been working on this since they started." Like many college students, Francis Davidson needed to find someone to sublet his apartment in the summer of 2012. Unable to find anyone who could commit for three months, the rising McGill University sophomore figured travelers wanting to book brief stays in Montreal might be interested. A quick search online confirmed his instincts. Outside of hotels, there weren't a lot of options--he says when he looked on sites like HomeAway and Airbnb, he was surprised at how few listings were available in the city. In short order, Davidson teamed up with Lucas Pellan, whom he met at a dinner party, to sign leases on five other apartments and turn them into vacation rentals for travelers. It turned out to be a lucrative summer job--by 2014, Davidson and Pellan hit $1 million in revenue--and very soon a full-fledged startup idea. Short-term vacation rentals were booming at this point, with Airbnb and HomeAway offering unique alternatives to chain hotels. The co-founders saw an opportunity to create something that could combine the two models: the quality standards of a hotel with the character and convenience of an alternative rental. In 2015, Davidson and Pellan raised a seed round of $3 million to build the hospitality brand Sonder. Now headquartered in San Francisco, Sonder leases entire apartment buildings or floors within a building and adds amenities like a 24/7 concierge and gyms. Each boutique-like short-term rental has a living room and kitchen, and the company says on average the properties are 20 percent less expensive than nearby hotel rooms. Tourists currently can book a Sonder in at least 16 cities across North America and Europe through its site, Airbnb, Expedia, and other booking sites. "The idea is that the hotel industry hasn't changed in so long and, frankly, there's a way to offer a stay that is far more authentic and less cookie-cutter," the 26-year-old Davidson says. Sonder takes a data-driven approach to expansion. Before launching in a new city, the company considers, among other factors, the size of the market, the number of existing hotel rooms and short-term vacation rentals, and people's travel patterns. Sonder partners mainly with developers to find new units. Outsourcing the cleaning and maintenance to third parties helps keep the operation streamlined. The startup is in hyper-growth mode--the 700-person company has 26 offices and plans on doubling headcount by end of year. With $135 million in funding to date from investors such as Spark Capital and Greylock Partners, Sonder is adding 200 rental units a month, says Davidson. In 2018, revenue hit $100 million; Davidson estimates revenue will quadruple to $400 million in 2019. While moving fast has served the brand well, Davidson says he realizes it's not only OK to slow down, it's also become necessary--he can't make decisions on the fly as he did when the company was starting out. Sonder now has much more data to consider. "I have a better dial for uncertainty," he says. "And what I'm learning as the business gets larger, moving quickly isn't always a virtue." Sonder now takes a collaborative approach to entering new markets. The company will spend months working with local experts and studying regulatory matters such as zoning laws and building size requirements. For instance, the team has been out in L.A. for the past two years, but only in 2020 will Sonder open its first building. The company suggests that its deliberate approach to growth--and its focus on commercial and mixed-use zones--is what sets it apart from other vacation rental companies, especially as the industry has come under fire for driving up the cost of local housing and hurting communities. Now Sonder has reached a critical inflection point. "The biggest challenge for any company that has gotten to this breakout stage of their growth is just holding it altogether, making sure the product is amazing even as you're trying to scale like crazy and keep up with the culture," says Nabeel Hyatt, Spark Capital investor and a Sonder board member. The company faces competition from many VC-backed startups trying reinvent the $570 billion hotel industry. Other startups in this space include Stay Alfred, which raised $47 million in funding last year, and the Guild, with $9 million in funding. Last February, Airbnb launched a hotel-like service called Airbnb Plus, homes that come with higher-end amenities and a "verified for quality" badge. This month, Airbnb was the lead investor in a $160 million funding round for Lyric, another company in the business of leasing apartments for travelers. Meanwhile, Davidson likes to say that his biggest competitors are hotel giants like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt. While Marriott has over a million units worldwide, Sonder currently has lease agreements on just north of 4,000 units. "We think there's an opportunity to make a consumer brand that people would really fall in love with that resonates in the next generation of travelers [in a way] that Hilton or Marriott doesn't," he says. Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled co-founder Lucas Pellan's last name. EXPLORE MORE Rising Stars COMPANIES Which is the better ride-share service, Lyft or Uber? To find out, New York Times lead technology writer Brian X. Cheng spent a week using one or the other to get everywhere he needed to go, and comparing their prices, service, and availability. He declared a winner. It was Uber. The timing couldn't have been much better for Uber, which filed for its initial public offering just a week ago. But the timing was on purpose, Chen wrote, noting that Lyft's recent IPO and Uber's upcoming one are proof that both companies plan to stick around for the long haul. Why did Chen prefer Uber? Here's a quick look at his most important criteria: 1. Availability This is a no-brainer: Uber is available in many more places than Lyft. To begin with, Uber operates in 63 countries, while Lyft only works in the U.S. and Canada. For this reason alone, Chen suggests keeping the Uber app on your phone in case you need a ride while traveling abroad, even if you routinely use Lyft at home. Within the United States, the picture may be murkier. As of 2017, Lyft says it offers 100 percent coverage in 40 U.S. states. That includes Alaska but alas, not Washington, where I live. And indeed, while at a party recently, I had to use my Uber app to summon a ride for a friend who only had Lyft on her phone and discovered that Lyft didn't serve the suburbs-of-Seattle area where we were. It turned out that Uber did. And though it's hard to tell from either company's publicly offered information, other observers also found that Uber is available in more locations within the U.S. than Lyft is, although Lyft may be in some places Uber is not. 2. Features and options Here again Uber wins, first and foremost because it offers wheelchair-accessible rides in about 15 cities, Chen writes. Lyft has a much more limited wheelchair-accessible program. Beyond that, both services offer a variety of vehicle choices and allow passengers to share rides with strangers who may be going the same way they are. Uber also offers something called Uber Express Pool which allows you to treat it almost like a bus service: You walk a short distance to a convenient location for the driver to pick you up, and then you get dropped a short distance from where you're going, for a lower fare. Chen notes that this service doesn't seem to be widely available yet. 3. Pricing Uber and Lyft, being fierce competitors in most markets, charge pretty much the same during normal times. But both also charge higher prices in high-demand situations so as to bring in more drivers when they're needed. Uber calls this "surge pricing" and Lyft calls it "prime time." Both Chen and other observers have noted that Uber's surges can lead to higher prices than Lyft's prime time. But, Chen notes, Lyft also wins this category on transparency. When its prices are increased due to high demand, it shows the rider what the percentage increase is. Its receipts also include the time spent on the trip and mileage traveled, making pricing easier to figure out. Uber, on the other hand, has gone out of its way to make its pricing less transparent. It used to alert passengers to surge pricing with a multiplier, for example if it was raising fares 50 percent, that multiplier would be 1.5. But it's removed that information from its app, so that now the only information you have is the total price of the trip. 4. Rewards programs In this area, Uber really outshines Lyft, so if you're a frequent ride-share user, this could be the deciding factor. Uber offers a points system where you mostly get two points for every dollar you spend. At 2,500 points (i.e. about $1,250) you reach platinum level which gives you benefits including priority at airports, which could come in very handy. But lower levels get rewards too, ranging from a $5 credit to free cancellations within a 15-minute window. And at a higher level you get free upgrades to Uber Black, the company's black car service with professional drivers. Since Uber also has the restaurant delivery service Uber Eats, you can also earn Uber points when you get food brought to you. In addition, Uber offers Uber Cash, which gives you a discount when you pre-pay for future rides. Lyft has a points-based rewards program too, but only in a few cities. And to participate, you need an invitation. The program was launched last November, so perhaps it will be available to more people once it's more fully rolled out. In the meantime, Lyft has partnered with some other companies, so you can earn one Delta mile for every mile you ride in a Lyft car, and 30 JetBlue points for Lyft rides to an airport. And if you have a World Elite MasterCard, you can earn a $10 credit a month if you take five Lyft rides. Asked to comment on the comparison, a Lyft spokesperson pointed out some ways that Lyft distinguishes itself. Its rides are 100 percent carbon neutral, which makes Lyft a very large purchaser of carbon offsets. It offers riders the option to round fares up to the nearest dollar amount and donate the difference to a range of charities. And Lyft provides free or low-cost rides to people who need them most, including hospital patients, low-income seniors, and those in "food deserts" who need help getting to grocery stores. Its staggering to think that 10 years ago, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was yet to assemble any Avengers. Now, 24 films later and with the epic conclusion reached in Endgame, which is celebrating its first anniversary the film series has introduced 27 world-saving characters. After the introduction of the originals including Iron Man, Captain America and Black Widow it seemed unlikely that characters introduced in future films would rank alongside them. It turns out that assumption was wildly incorrect thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Panther and the MCUs first female-led film Captain Marvel, starring Brie Larson, those originals have been given a run for their money. Below, we rank every single Avenger (NB: weve omitted SHIELD agents Nick Fury, Phil Coulson and Maria Hill). Scroll through the gallery to see our picks. Avengers characters - ranked Show all 27 1 /27 Avengers characters - ranked Avengers characters - ranked 27. War Machine Played by: Don Cheadle Don Cheadle Imagine Iron Man but without a backstory or humour. That's War Machine. Terrence Howard saw that the character would be underwritten and dropped out after filming the first Iron Man. Still, it's hard to dislike Don Cheadle, even when he's shortchanged. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 26. Mantis Played by: Pom Klementieff Pom Klementieff The forgettable Mantis is purely there to make up the numbers. It doesn't help that she was introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, one of the MCU's weakest films to date, as the servant to Kurt Russell's tedious villain, Ego. In a crowded ensemble, Mantis is drowned out by the larger personalities. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 25. Hawkeye Played by: Jeremy Renner Jeremy Renner "Oh no! It's a man with no superpowers and a bow and arrow! I, an alien with futuristic technology who has travelled through the galaxy to invade Earth, am terrified!" Thanos's army of Outriders, probably. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 24. Doctor Strange Played by: Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Cumberbatch Oh, Doctor Strange. Perhaps there's a good character there, but Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't the man to play him. He's probably the least likeable presence in the MCU, even if a few kick-ass moments in Avengers: Endgame almost pull him back from the brink. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 23. Gamora Played by: Zoe Saldana Zoe Saldana Although the father-daughter relationship between Gamora and Thanos is interesting, it's completely overshadowed by the dynamic between her half-sister Nebula and the Mad Titan. And now she's AWOL. Perhaps. No one really knows. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 22. Star-Lord Played by: Chris Pratt Chris Pratt Star-Lord the half-man, half-Celestial remains one of the funniest Marvel characters to date. Yet, the Avengers would have saved the universe the first time around if it weren't for his (quite understandable) temper tantrum over the death of Gamora in Infinity War. For that, the leader of Guardian of the Galaxy falls many places. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 21. Nebula Played by: Karen Gillan Karen Gillan Nebula has all the makings of being a vintage Marvel character, but the feeling that she's been slightly short-changed by her appearances to date cannot be escaped. Going forward, she'll undoubtedly have an elevated role in the MCU, so here's hoping she's handed the justice she deserves. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 20. The Winter Soldier Played by: Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan's Bucky was a bit of a non-entity in the otherwise underrated Captain America: The First Avenger, which is why his do-over as the villainous Winter Soldier in the sequel three years later injected the character with some much-needed intrigue. His shift back to being a good guy, though, has dampened the interest around him once again. Still, that teased romance with Shuri (Letitia Wright) is sure to do him some favours. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 19. Vision Played by: Paul Bettany Paul Bettany Vision is the purple embodiment of Tony Stark's AI butler JARVIS, brought to life by the Mind Stone. One of the only other characters capable of wielding Thor's hammer (oi oi, Cap!), Vision is overpowered to the point of being boring. Still, he doesn't know his paprika from his cayenne. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 18. The Wasp Played by: Evangeline Lilly Evangeline Lilly Sidelined during the first Ant-Man, The Wasp finally became a headline name in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Not only is she smarter, quicker and a better fighter than Ant-Man, she can also fly thanks to a set of wings. Fingers crossed we'll be getting more Wasp post-Endgame. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 17. Falcon Played by: Anthony Mackie Anthony Mackie There's no two ways about it: if Falcon wasn't played by Anthony Mackie, he'd be far lower down this list. His character remains memorable solely due to the vibrancy the ever-entertaining actor brings to the role. Falcon might be a lesser Avenger, but no appearance since his debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier has left fans wanting more. For that, Falcon should be celebrated. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 16. Captain Marvel Played by: Brie Larson Brie Larson There's no doubt that Captain Marvel could become one of the best characters in the MCU. Fresh off her billion dollar-grossing debut the series's first female-led superhero film the character returned to save the day (well, help the crew out) in Avengers: Endgame. Now her origin story is out of the way, the sky's the limit for her; it'll be exciting to see which planets her story scales next. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 15. Groot Played by: Vin Diesel Vin Diesel To be quite honest, it's hard to screw up a character who is literally a tree that's able to speak just one word (his name). There's no denying that Vin Diesel's Groot was one of the best things about the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, and his camaraderie with Rocket Raccoon a highlight. Sadly, being turned into a baby for the entirety of the sequel made his character slightly more annoying. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 14. Valkyrie Played by: Tessa Thompson Tessa Thompson Introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie has the swagger of Han Solo and the powers of Wonder Woman. The result is probably the coolest and smoothest Avenger yet, and someone we very much look forward to seeing again in Thor: Love and Thunder. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 13. Hulk Played by: Mark Ruffalo Mark Ruffalo The Hulk was originally played by Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo took over for the Avengers films. The actor brought out a manic unpredictability to the character, who remains a skittish presence in every film. Since the first Avengers outing, though, Bruce Banner/Hulk has been less integral to the team. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 12. Black Widow Played by: Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Johansson Black Widow has had a rough ride. Introduced during Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson's agent was a fierce fighter with an intriguing back story. However, this has rarely been explored since, with the Avengers films focusing on the lads rather than the one female character in the team. Almost 20 Marvel films on and the character is finally getting a solo film but it's a prequel film arriving after her death in Endgame that's been delayed because of coronavirus. Ouch. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 11. Shuri Played by: Letitia Wright Letitia Wright One of Black Panther's biggest revelations was Shuri, T'Challa's kid sister who might just be the cleverest character in the entire MCU. She's brought to life by British actor Letitia Wright, who capitalised on the several opportunities she had to steal the film from under her co-stars' noses. Great, another broken white boy for us to fix," she says as Martin Freeman's Everett Ross is carted into her workshop and thus, a star was born. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 10. Scarlet Witch Played by: Elizabeth Olsen Elizabeth Olsen Scarlet Witch doesn't really do much save for wave her hands around while looking concerned about the well-being of her love, Vision (Paul Bettany) but it doesn't matter considered she's played by the the extremely talented Elizabeth Olsen who, as ever, gives it an admirable stab. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 9. Captain America Played by: Chris Evans Chris Evans On paper, Captain America should be the most boring Avenger. Yet, with Chris Evans at the wheel, the patriotic super-strong OAP who fought in the Second World War has been enjoyable company in every film he's been in, his righteous values never being too overbearing. Captain America, with his pure heart, really is one of the ultimate superheroes. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 8. Iron Man Played by: Robert Downey Jr Robert Downey Jr The leader of the MCU used to be its greatest character. But with the influx of newer additions, Tony Stark has been pushed down that list which isn't to say he isn't still a reason why the series has been such a success. No Marvel actor has thrown themselves into a role more than Robert Downey Jr, whose larger-than-life personality made him the only candidate to have brought the billionaire industrialist and former playboy to screen. Among the big-budget explosions, he's a breath of fresh air and without him, the MCU would have run out of steam long ago. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 7. Ant-Man Played by: Paul Rudd Paul Rudd A man who presses a button and takes on the powers of an ant: not exactly a thrilling premise for a superhero. Thankfully, Marvel accepted that Ant-Man's power are a bit of a joke and cast the ever-delightful comic actor Paul Rudd as the mini-hero. And despite his stature, Ant-Man stole the show in Captain America: Civil War when he reversed his powers and became Giant Man. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 6. Rocket Played by: Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper In many ways, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel's first true move away from the cleaner cut Avengers (see: Captan America, Thor) rested on the shoulders of Rocket Raccoon. Many questioned whether it'd work, but thanks to impressive effects, Bradley Cooper's terrific voice work and not to mention James Gunn's knockout screenplay Rocket found himself with more range than most characters on this list. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 5. Black Panther Played by: Chadwick Boseman Chadwick Boseman Few characters have had the cultural impact of Boseman's Black Panther. First appearing in Captain America: Civil War, T'Challa's measured demeanour was a counter to the quip-making norm of the other Avengers. Come the character's solo film, the noble leader finally accepted his role as King of Wakanda and, in the process, unleashed the inner Panther. It's no wonder that the film became a box-office sensation, even out-grossing Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in the United States. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 4. Drax Played by: Dave Bautista Dave Bautista Drax is proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. His burly appearance suggests he should be fighting for the bad guys, but the opposite couldn't be truer thanks to Dave Bautista, the character is given a cuddly sheen that belies his full name (Drax the Destroyer). The only thing Drax, who first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy, truly destroys is your rib cage he's one of the MCU's funniest characters. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 3. Spider-Man Played by: Tom Holland Tom Holland Spider-Man's back. Again again. Where Tobey Maguire's webslinger was an out-and-out dork, and Andrew Garfield's version was arguably too slick to really be Peter Parker, Tom Holland has found the perfect middle ground: still obsessed with making Star Wars references yet also capable of talking coherently with members of the opposite sex. It's a miracle that Marvel Studios managed to bring Spider-Man into their cinematic universe and a miracle they managed to make him feel this fresh third time around. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 2. Okoye Played by: Danai Gurira Danai Gurira Black Panther was a landmark moment for cinema, let alone Marvel. It was a film filled with selling points the lustrous visuals of Wakanda; a villain you actually cared about but sitting at the top of the heap was Okoye. The Walking Dead star Danai Gurira swapped the katana for a vibranium spear and showed audiences that not only was she more than just television character Michonne, she could translate a comic book character into one of the very best characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 1. Thor Played by: Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth Thor was not a great film. Thor: The Dark World was even worse. Yet, against all odds, the God of Thunder has established himself as the greatest Avenger. How? It's namely thanks to Taika Waititi's revisioning of the character in Thor: Ragnarok. Rather than making Hemsworth deliver sub-par Shakespearean prose, the filmmaker enthused Thor with a sense of humour something that played to Hemsworth's strength as an actor. The result was a charismatic, short-haired, smouldering superhero who was finally able to charm Marvel fans. If only Thor had been this way all along. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers: Endgame is available to watch on NOW TV and Disney+. An Ancestry.com advert featuring a slavery-era love story between a black woman and a white man has been removed following criticism. In the commercial, titled "Inseparable", the man presents a wedding ring to the woman, before saying that they can escape to the north to "a place we can be together across the border". The short film appears to be set in a southern region of America, during a period of slavery in the country. The advert's storyline sparked a huge backlash online, with several critics stating that it romanticises the reality of slavery. One Twitter user pointed out that while some black people may be able to trace their lineage back to white ancestors, in many cases, this is due to the "rampant sexual assault of black women during slavery and Jim Crow". In the advert, the man tells the woman that they can escape together to the north (Ancestry.com) "I cannot believe that they are airing this commercial. Most 'white' DNA African Americans have was from rape, sexual coercion in the pre civil war years ... most decidedly non consensual," another person tweeted. "What a horrible commercial. Somebody did not think this one through." Someone else remarked that for many black Americans, discovering information about their ancestry can be "as painful and traumatic as it is illuminating". Writer Clint Smith found it odd that the north was depicted as a region where the couple could escape prejudice. "It is so wild both that this depicting of such a 'relationship' was ever approved for public consumption *and* that they treat the north as some sort of promised land where they will be able to live happily ever after," the scholar tweeted. "There were clearly no history books at this marketing meeting." Following the widespread condemnation of the advert, Ancestry.com has taken it down from YouTube and is in the process of removing it from television. "Ancestry is committed to telling important stories from history," the company told The Independent. "This ad was intended to represent one of those stories. "We very much appreciate the feedback we have received and apologise for any offence that the ad may have caused." Charlize Theron has said she is raising her first child, who was born male, as a girl. The Oscar-winning actor discussed the identity of seven-year-old Jackson, who is one of her two adopted children recently, acknowledging that she used to think Jackson was a boy. Yes, I thought she was a boy, too. Until she looked at me when she was three years old and said, I am not a boy! Theron told the Daily Mail. The Mad Max and Monster star went on to say: So there you go! I have two beautiful daughters who, just like any parent, I want to protect and I want to see thrive. They were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide. "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Show all 10 1 /10 "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents, children and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Child protesters hold signs against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching A sign outside the Parkfield Community School reads "we are a UNICEF gold rights respecting school" Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching A child protester holds a sign against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parents, children and protesters outside of the Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where the 'No Outsiders' programme teaches children about LGBT rights Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Child protesters hold a sign against the 'No Outsiders' programme Getty "No to No Outsiders" - protests against LGBT rights teaching Parkfield Community School in Birmingham where protests are being held against the 'No Outsiders' programme which teaches children about LGBT rights PA Theron adopted Jackson in 2012 followed by her other daughter, August, three years later. Charlize Therons comments have been received positively, with several transgender activists expressing their support on social media. American lawyer and transgender activist Chase Strangio said: Thank you Charlize for being the type of parent all kids deserve. Transgender broadcaster India Willoughby posted several messages for Theron, saying she is setting a fantastic example. Willoughby also said: Go Charlize! LOVE this attitude ... this is the future. Beautiful. FANTASTIC PARENT. During the interview, the 43-year-old actress added: My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that. This year, the Jewish festival of Passover, or Pesach, as it is known in Hebrew, starts on Saturday 27 March. The observance commemorates Moses leading the Jewish people out of Egypt to the "promised land" of Canaan, following years of slavery. Every year, Jewish families celebrate the first two nights of the festival by sitting around the Seder table and eating foods that symbolise the plight of their ancestors. These include matzah, which represents the unleavened bread the Jewish people took with them as they embarked on a 40-year journey through the desert. Here's everything you need to know about the meaning behind foods eaten during Passover: Matzah Matzah (Getty Images/iStockphoto) When the Jewish people fled Egypt, as the story of Passover goes, they didn't have much time to prepare food for the long journey ahead. They were forced to leave their homes with unleavened bread, as the bread they'd been making hadn't had enough time to rise. Recommended Everything you need to know about the Jewish festival Passover This is why matzah, an unleavened flatbread, is eaten during the festival. Plain matzah is made from flour and water, although other variations of matzah may also contain ingredients including egg, milk and fruit extracts. During the Seder meal, three pieces of matzah are placed on top of each other and covered with a napkin. These three pieces of matzah represent three groups of Jewish people: the Kohanim (priests), the Levites (members of the Levi Hebrew tribe) and the Israelites, Jewish organisation Chabad explains. The piece of matzah in the middle of the pile is broken, and half of it is hidden for an activity later on in the evening. During the Seder night, Jewish children play a game with the aim of finding the hidden piece of matzah, called the afikoman. The child who finds the afikoman at the end of the meal wins a prize. Maror Maror (iStock) The maror which appears on the Seder plate is bitter herbs, often in the form of the root vegetable horseradish. This item represents the bitterness of the lives of the Jewish people who were enslaved and put through hard labour for years in Egypt. In a verse in the Torah, the books of Jewish scripture, it states: "And they embittered their lives with hard labour, with mortar and with bricks and with all manner of labour in the field; any labour that they made them do was with hard labour." Romaine lettuce is also frequently used as maror, due to its bitter aftertaste. Charoset Charoset (iStock) A pasty concoction made from fruits and nuts, charoset is representative of the mortar the Jewish slaves used for their hard labour in ancient Egypt. During the Seder meal, it's tradition to eat a "Hillel sandwich", made by combining charoset and maror within two pieces of matzah. According to historian Dr Susan Weingarten, the tradition of eating charoset, which isn't mentioned in the Torah, stems back to the ancient Romans. Dr Weingarten states that the Romans believed that eating bitter foods was "bad for you". "I reckon that what happened was that ever since leaving Egypt, the Jews had been eating their maror and parsley. The Romans arrived and said: 'You need to dip it into this charoset to stop them harming you'. So it became part of the service." Parsley Parsley (Getty Images) Parsley, or another form of green vegetable, appears on the Seder plate for the opposite reason to the bitter herbs - to represent hope and renewal. This is particularly poignant for the story of Passover, as the Jewish people were able to look forward to a new life in the "promised land" following years of slavery. It's custom to eat the parsley after dipping it in salt water, a symbol of the tears of the Jewish slaves. Shank bone Shank bone (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The shank bone that appears on the Seder plate is usually that of a lamb, although bones from other animals, such as chickens, are sometimes used. This represents the lamb that the Jewish people would sacrifice as a Passover offering at the Holy Temple in ancient Jerusalem. Nowadays, the shank bone isn't eaten during the festival meal. When Jewish people read the story of Passover from a book called the Haggadah, they articulate how God inflicted terrible plagues upon Egypt, the last of which involved the deaths of all firstborn sons. In order to protect the Jewish people from the last, deadly plague, God instructed Moses to tell the Jewish people to mark their front doors with lambs' blood. God then proceeded to "pass over" the houses that had been daubed with the blood when inflicting the plague, hence where the name for the festival comes from. Hard-boiled egg Hard-boiled egg (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The hard-boiled egg eaten during the feast of Passover is a symbol of mourning. Eggs are a symbol of mourning in Judaism because, as an object with a round shape, it represents the symbol of life, a component of which is death. For some Jewish families, it's tradition to eat a hard-boiled egg dipped in salt water, a symbol of the Jewish slaves' tears, for the first course of their Seder meal. Wine Wine (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Wine plays an important role during the Passover proceedings. At a certain point when reading the story of the festival from the Haggadah, the 10 plagues inflicted on Egypt by God are read out. As the plagues are read out, Jewish people spill a small amount of wine for each one. It's widely believed that is done in recognition of the fact that while the Jewish people were liberated, the Egyptians suffered. Recommended Jewish and Muslim paramedics pray together in Israel amid outbreak Throughout the Seder meal, four cups of wine are drunk, as a symbol of the Jewish people's freedom. It is custom to lean to the left while drinking these cups of wine, as only those who are free are able to recline while drinking wine. During the feast, an extra cup of wine is placed on the table for the prophet Elijah. This is done with the belief that one day, the prophet will signal the arrival of the Messiah. For everything you need to know about Passover, click here. Avengers: Endgame is not supposed to be out until 25 April. But leaked footage of the film means that it is possible and relatively easy to find details of what happens across the internet. Doing so doesn't even require watching the leaked videos. Numerous summary articles and ruinous posts are littered across the internet, and you might even come into contact with one without trying. That means that any fans should be advised to take proactive measures if they don't want to find out what happens in the film before it comes out at the end of the month. Thankfully there are a whole host of tools that can make it easier to ignore anyone trying to ruin 2019's biggest film for you. Avengers characters - ranked Show all 27 1 /27 Avengers characters - ranked Avengers characters - ranked 27. War Machine Played by: Don Cheadle Don Cheadle Imagine Iron Man but without a backstory or humour. That's War Machine. Terrence Howard saw that the character would be underwritten and dropped out after filming the first Iron Man. Still, it's hard to dislike Don Cheadle, even when he's shortchanged. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 26. Mantis Played by: Pom Klementieff Pom Klementieff The forgettable Mantis is purely there to make up the numbers. It doesn't help that she was introduced in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2, one of the MCU's weakest films to date, as the servant to Kurt Russell's tedious villain, Ego. In a crowded ensemble, Mantis is drowned out by the larger personalities. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 25. Hawkeye Played by: Jeremy Renner Jeremy Renner "Oh no! It's a man with no superpowers and a bow and arrow! I, an alien with futuristic technology who has travelled through the galaxy to invade Earth, am terrified!" Thanos's army of Outriders, probably. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 24. Doctor Strange Played by: Benedict Cumberbatch Benedict Cumberbatch Oh, Doctor Strange. Perhaps there's a good character there, but Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't the man to play him. He's probably the least likeable presence in the MCU, even if a few kick-ass moments in Avengers: Endgame almost pull him back from the brink. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 23. Gamora Played by: Zoe Saldana Zoe Saldana Although the father-daughter relationship between Gamora and Thanos is interesting, it's completely overshadowed by the dynamic between her half-sister Nebula and the Mad Titan. And now she's AWOL. Perhaps. No one really knows. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 22. Star-Lord Played by: Chris Pratt Chris Pratt Star-Lord the half-man, half-Celestial remains one of the funniest Marvel characters to date. Yet, the Avengers would have saved the universe the first time around if it weren't for his (quite understandable) temper tantrum over the death of Gamora in Infinity War. For that, the leader of Guardian of the Galaxy falls many places. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 21. Nebula Played by: Karen Gillan Karen Gillan Nebula has all the makings of being a vintage Marvel character, but the feeling that she's been slightly short-changed by her appearances to date cannot be escaped. Going forward, she'll undoubtedly have an elevated role in the MCU, so here's hoping she's handed the justice she deserves. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 20. The Winter Soldier Played by: Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan Sebastian Stan's Bucky was a bit of a non-entity in the otherwise underrated Captain America: The First Avenger, which is why his do-over as the villainous Winter Soldier in the sequel three years later injected the character with some much-needed intrigue. His shift back to being a good guy, though, has dampened the interest around him once again. Still, that teased romance with Shuri (Letitia Wright) is sure to do him some favours. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 19. Vision Played by: Paul Bettany Paul Bettany Vision is the purple embodiment of Tony Stark's AI butler JARVIS, brought to life by the Mind Stone. One of the only other characters capable of wielding Thor's hammer (oi oi, Cap!), Vision is overpowered to the point of being boring. Still, he doesn't know his paprika from his cayenne. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 18. The Wasp Played by: Evangeline Lilly Evangeline Lilly Sidelined during the first Ant-Man, The Wasp finally became a headline name in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Not only is she smarter, quicker and a better fighter than Ant-Man, she can also fly thanks to a set of wings. Fingers crossed we'll be getting more Wasp post-Endgame. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 17. Falcon Played by: Anthony Mackie Anthony Mackie There's no two ways about it: if Falcon wasn't played by Anthony Mackie, he'd be far lower down this list. His character remains memorable solely due to the vibrancy the ever-entertaining actor brings to the role. Falcon might be a lesser Avenger, but no appearance since his debut in Captain America: The Winter Soldier has left fans wanting more. For that, Falcon should be celebrated. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 16. Captain Marvel Played by: Brie Larson Brie Larson There's no doubt that Captain Marvel could become one of the best characters in the MCU. Fresh off her billion dollar-grossing debut the series's first female-led superhero film the character returned to save the day (well, help the crew out) in Avengers: Endgame. Now her origin story is out of the way, the sky's the limit for her; it'll be exciting to see which planets her story scales next. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 15. Groot Played by: Vin Diesel Vin Diesel To be quite honest, it's hard to screw up a character who is literally a tree that's able to speak just one word (his name). There's no denying that Vin Diesel's Groot was one of the best things about the first Guardians of the Galaxy film, and his camaraderie with Rocket Raccoon a highlight. Sadly, being turned into a baby for the entirety of the sequel made his character slightly more annoying. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 14. Valkyrie Played by: Tessa Thompson Tessa Thompson Introduced in Thor: Ragnarok, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie has the swagger of Han Solo and the powers of Wonder Woman. The result is probably the coolest and smoothest Avenger yet, and someone we very much look forward to seeing again in Thor: Love and Thunder. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 13. Hulk Played by: Mark Ruffalo Mark Ruffalo The Hulk was originally played by Edward Norton, but Mark Ruffalo took over for the Avengers films. The actor brought out a manic unpredictability to the character, who remains a skittish presence in every film. Since the first Avengers outing, though, Bruce Banner/Hulk has been less integral to the team. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 12. Black Widow Played by: Scarlett Johansson Scarlett Johansson Black Widow has had a rough ride. Introduced during Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson's agent was a fierce fighter with an intriguing back story. However, this has rarely been explored since, with the Avengers films focusing on the lads rather than the one female character in the team. Almost 20 Marvel films on and the character is finally getting a solo film but it's a prequel film arriving after her death in Endgame that's been delayed because of coronavirus. Ouch. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 11. Shuri Played by: Letitia Wright Letitia Wright One of Black Panther's biggest revelations was Shuri, T'Challa's kid sister who might just be the cleverest character in the entire MCU. She's brought to life by British actor Letitia Wright, who capitalised on the several opportunities she had to steal the film from under her co-stars' noses. Great, another broken white boy for us to fix," she says as Martin Freeman's Everett Ross is carted into her workshop and thus, a star was born. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 10. Scarlet Witch Played by: Elizabeth Olsen Elizabeth Olsen Scarlet Witch doesn't really do much save for wave her hands around while looking concerned about the well-being of her love, Vision (Paul Bettany) but it doesn't matter considered she's played by the the extremely talented Elizabeth Olsen who, as ever, gives it an admirable stab. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 9. Captain America Played by: Chris Evans Chris Evans On paper, Captain America should be the most boring Avenger. Yet, with Chris Evans at the wheel, the patriotic super-strong OAP who fought in the Second World War has been enjoyable company in every film he's been in, his righteous values never being too overbearing. Captain America, with his pure heart, really is one of the ultimate superheroes. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 8. Iron Man Played by: Robert Downey Jr Robert Downey Jr The leader of the MCU used to be its greatest character. But with the influx of newer additions, Tony Stark has been pushed down that list which isn't to say he isn't still a reason why the series has been such a success. No Marvel actor has thrown themselves into a role more than Robert Downey Jr, whose larger-than-life personality made him the only candidate to have brought the billionaire industrialist and former playboy to screen. Among the big-budget explosions, he's a breath of fresh air and without him, the MCU would have run out of steam long ago. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 7. Ant-Man Played by: Paul Rudd Paul Rudd A man who presses a button and takes on the powers of an ant: not exactly a thrilling premise for a superhero. Thankfully, Marvel accepted that Ant-Man's power are a bit of a joke and cast the ever-delightful comic actor Paul Rudd as the mini-hero. And despite his stature, Ant-Man stole the show in Captain America: Civil War when he reversed his powers and became Giant Man. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 6. Rocket Played by: Bradley Cooper Bradley Cooper In many ways, the success of Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel's first true move away from the cleaner cut Avengers (see: Captan America, Thor) rested on the shoulders of Rocket Raccoon. Many questioned whether it'd work, but thanks to impressive effects, Bradley Cooper's terrific voice work and not to mention James Gunn's knockout screenplay Rocket found himself with more range than most characters on this list. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 5. Black Panther Played by: Chadwick Boseman Chadwick Boseman Few characters have had the cultural impact of Boseman's Black Panther. First appearing in Captain America: Civil War, T'Challa's measured demeanour was a counter to the quip-making norm of the other Avengers. Come the character's solo film, the noble leader finally accepted his role as King of Wakanda and, in the process, unleashed the inner Panther. It's no wonder that the film became a box-office sensation, even out-grossing Avengers: Infinity War (2018) in the United States. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 4. Drax Played by: Dave Bautista Dave Bautista Drax is proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. His burly appearance suggests he should be fighting for the bad guys, but the opposite couldn't be truer thanks to Dave Bautista, the character is given a cuddly sheen that belies his full name (Drax the Destroyer). The only thing Drax, who first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy, truly destroys is your rib cage he's one of the MCU's funniest characters. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 3. Spider-Man Played by: Tom Holland Tom Holland Spider-Man's back. Again again. Where Tobey Maguire's webslinger was an out-and-out dork, and Andrew Garfield's version was arguably too slick to really be Peter Parker, Tom Holland has found the perfect middle ground: still obsessed with making Star Wars references yet also capable of talking coherently with members of the opposite sex. It's a miracle that Marvel Studios managed to bring Spider-Man into their cinematic universe and a miracle they managed to make him feel this fresh third time around. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 2. Okoye Played by: Danai Gurira Danai Gurira Black Panther was a landmark moment for cinema, let alone Marvel. It was a film filled with selling points the lustrous visuals of Wakanda; a villain you actually cared about but sitting at the top of the heap was Okoye. The Walking Dead star Danai Gurira swapped the katana for a vibranium spear and showed audiences that not only was she more than just television character Michonne, she could translate a comic book character into one of the very best characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Avengers characters - ranked 1. Thor Played by: Chris Hemsworth Chris Hemsworth Thor was not a great film. Thor: The Dark World was even worse. Yet, against all odds, the God of Thunder has established himself as the greatest Avenger. How? It's namely thanks to Taika Waititi's revisioning of the character in Thor: Ragnarok. Rather than making Hemsworth deliver sub-par Shakespearean prose, the filmmaker enthused Thor with a sense of humour something that played to Hemsworth's strength as an actor. The result was a charismatic, short-haired, smouldering superhero who was finally able to charm Marvel fans. If only Thor had been this way all along. Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Twitter With the potential to be the most frustrating of platforms links can fly into your feed without you realising it's helpful that Twitter offers built-in tools to make it easy to mute just about whatever you like. Recommended Every Avengers character ranked from worst to best Head into the settings on desktop or mobile and find the "Muted Words" option. You can then add all the words you want, and they'll be banned from showing up on your Twitter, even if you then move to other devices. Facebook Last year, Facebook finally added the option to mute keywords, something that previously could only be done with fiddly extensions and a lot of work. The relatively new feature, called Keyword Snooze, is made for exactly this kind of situation. The unfortunate thing is that you'll have to wait until you see an Avengers: Endgame post before you can actually mute them, by which point you might already have fallen victim to the spoilers. If you do see something that includes keywords that you want to mute, you can click the option in the corner of the post, which will give you the option to "snooze" a selection of the words included in there for 30 days. Instagram Instagram doesn't let you mute specific words in your feed. Helpfully it's probably not all that likely that anyone will actually ruin a film through their posts, though of course it's always possible someone will post the leaked footage or some other annoying spoiler. It does however let you mute topics in the Explore tab, which might be useful, since they come from strangers and are so more likely to include surprises in them. Do that by long pressing on any of the topics that pop up there, which should let you mute that channel. Remember, too, that Instagram does have the option to mute people, as well as topics. So if there's someone you're worried about spoiling it for you, you can head to their profile and select the mute option either pre-emptively or in anger. The rest of the internet It is possible to pick the nuclear option and, Thanos-like, remove the half of the internet that is threatening you with spoilers. Searching through the extensions available for your browser should give you a whole host of options that will let you mute certain keywords, in a variety of different ways. Always be vigilant about doing so. First, you might miss important information if your keywords are chosen too widely: you're probably safe muting "Avengers", but "Endgame" might get in the way a little more. And secondly, these extensions work by reading through the pages you're browsing on, so make sure they're made by someone dependable. Leave the internet Keyword muting and vigilance will only get you so far: the fact is, there are some people out there desperate to share spoilers, whatever the cost. And if they are sufficiently clever about it, they are always going to be able to get around keyword filters, by using unexpected or very generic wording. The only foolproof way to avoid spoilers entirely is to leave the internet. But even then you are faced with the possibility that someone might mention something in person, or that you'll accidentally stumble into an annoying billboard or magazine cover... As such, avoiding spoilers entirely and without any risk at all might be impossible. It is probably best just to take the advice above and adopt a mindful approach towards anyone who does happen tor ruin everything for you. Reese Witherspoon has expressed her joy in ageing, saying that she feels she's "earned" her grey hair. When asked by Allure magazine why she enjoys becoming older, the Oscar-winning actor stated that she feels her world views are more well-defined than they were during the early stages of her career. "I have a point of view because I've been on this planet for 43 years, and I didn't feel the same way when I was 25," the Big Little Lies star said. "I didn't have the same things to say. I'm 43 and I've had a whole bunch of experiences, and I can speak with a thoughtfulness about the changes I'd like to see in the world." Witherspoon continued, explaining why she doesn't mind that her hair has started to grey. "I just feel like I earned that grey hair and my fine lines. I like 'em. I so prefer 43 to 25," she said. Witherspoon added that her long-time hairstylist Lorri Goddard refers to the actor's grey hairs as "hyper blondes". Despite the progression that's been made in Hollywood in recent years to become more representative of different races, sexual orientations and ages, discrimination still prevails in Tinseltown. In 2017, the University of south California conducted a study to investigate the ages of characters in films from 2014, 2015 and 2016 that were nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Show all 12 1 /12 The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Anne Hathaway The 32-year-old actress said she has already experiences job rejections because of her age. Now I'm in my early thirties and I'm like, 'Why did that 24-year-old get that part? I was that 24-year-old once. I can't be upset about it, it's the way things are, she told Glamour. EPA The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Helen Mirren On news that Maggie Gyllenhaal had been turned down for being too old, aged 37, to play a 55-year-old mans partner: Its f***ing outrageous. Its ridiculous. Honestly, its so annoying. And twas ever thus. We all watched James Bond as he got more and more geriatric, and his girlfriends got younger and younger. Its so annoying. Getty The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Maggie Gyllenhaal Gyllenhaal revealed she was told by a Hollywood producer that she was too old, aged 37, to play the love interest of a 55-year-old man. It was astonishing to me. It made me feel bad, and then it made feel angry, and then it made me laugh, she said at the time. Getty Images The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Meryl Streep Meryl Streep has helped fund an all-female screenwriters group called The Writers Lab to encourage more women to pen Hollywood scripts. She previously told Vogue in 2011: Once women pass childbearing age they could only be seen as grotesque on some level. Getty The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Emma Thompson The actress said she thought Hollywood is still completely s*** when it comes to treating women equally to men. When I was younger, I really did think we were on our way to a better world. And when I look at it now, it is in a worse state than I have known it, particularly for women, and I find that very disturbing and sad. EPA The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Elizabeth Banks Banks said she was driven from acting to directing due to the lack of roles for older women in Hollywood. "[Industry sexism] drove me to direct for sure. I definitely was feeling that I was unfulfilled and a little bit bored by the things that were coming across my desk. I mean look at Gwyneth Paltrow who has her Oscar [for Shakespeare in Love] and played fifth banana to Iron Man, she told Deadline. PA The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Viola Davis I had never seen a 49-year-old, dark-skinned woman who is not a size 2 be a sexualised role in TV or film. I'm a sexual woman, but nothing in my career has ever identified me as a sexualised woman. I was the prototype of the mommified role, she told The Hollywood Reporter. Getty The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Liv Tyler The Lord of the Rings actress said she only get cast in roles where she is treated as a second class citizen at the age of 38. When youre in your teens or twenties, there is an abundance of ingenue parts which are exciting to play. But at [my age], youre usually the wife or the girlfriend - a sort of second-class citizen. There are more interesting roles for women when they get a bit older, she told More magazine. Getty Images The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Cate Blanchett The actress famously called out sexism on the red carpet at the 2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards. When a camera operator scanned her up and down, she said: Do you do this to the guys? In her Oscar acceptance speech for Blue Jasmine, she reminded the film industry that movies with leading women can still be successful. And thank you to... those of us in the industry who are still foolishly clinging to the idea that female films, with women at the centre, are niche experiences. They are not -- audiences want to see them and, in fact, they earn money. The world is round, people. Gareth Cattermole/Getty The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Ellen Page Asked if she had ever encountered sexism in Hollywood, Page told The Guardian: Oh my God, yeah! It's constant! It's how you're treated, it's how you're looked at, how you're expected to look in a photoshoot, it's how you're expected to shut up and not have an opinion, it's how you... If you're a girl and you don't fit the very specific vision of what a girl should be, which is always from a man's perspective, then you're a little bit at a loss. Getty Images The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Zoe Saldana The actress says she refuses roles where she has to play the generic girlfriend, wife or sexy bombshell. "It's very hard being a woman in a man's world, and I recognised it was a man's world even when I was a kid. It's an inequality and injustice that drove me crazy, and which I always spoke out against and I've always been outspoken, she told Manhattan magazine. Getty The actors fighting against sexism in Hollywood Charlize Theron The actress spoke to ELLE about negotiating equal pay for the Snow White and the Huntsman sequel: "This is a good time for us to bring this to a place of fairness, and girls need to know that being a feminist is a good thing. It doesn't mean that you hate men. It means equal rights. If you're doing the same job, you should be compensated and treated in the same way." Andreas Rentz/Getty Images According to the researchers, of the 1,256 speaking or named characters assessed, only 11.8 per cent were aged 60 or over. In 2015, Witherspoon gave an empowering speech at Glamour's annual Women of the Year event, in which she called out ageism and sexism in Hollywood. While praising Amy Schumer, Witherspoon joked that as she's five years the comedian's senior, "by Hollywood standards", she would likely be cast to play her grandmother. The Legally Blonde star also defended films with female protagonists, saying that they are "not a public service project". "They are a big-time, bottom line-enhancing money-making commodity," she stated. The second series of Big Little Lies, the hit television show starring Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern, Zoe Kravitz and Shailene Woodley, is due to air on Sky Atlantic later this year. A primordial bone found in our primate ancestors but thought to be redundant and rapidly dwindling in humans appears to have made a quiet comeback over the past century Scientists from Imperial College London have admitted they are stumped as to why the fabella, a small bone buried in a tendon behind the knee, is now three times more common than it was in the early 1900s. They speculate that its re-emergence could be linked to joint problems, and understanding why could help treat or protect those most at risk. We dont know what the fabellas function is nobody has ever looked into it, lead author Dr Michael Berthaume, said. We are taught the human skeleton contains 206 bones, but our study challenges this. The fabella is a bone that has no apparent function and causes pain and discomfort to some and might require removal if it causes problems. People with osteoarthritis of the knee are twice as likely to have a fabella, and its presence can interfere with joint operations, but it is not clear if the tiny bone is the cause or a symptom of joint problems. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary Dr Berthaume likened it to the appendix, another potentially harmful vestigial organ. But unlike the appendix, which is shrinking in humans but is larger in other mammals, fabellae are becoming more common. The findings, published in the Journal of Anatomy, come from over 21,000 scientific articles, detailing the physiology of 21,676 knees in in 21 countries over the past 150 years. It shows that in 1918, 11.2 per cent of the worlds population had fabellae, but today that has risen to 39 per cent a 3.5-fold increase. Fabella are small bones which appear in tendons behind the knee cap with no known purpose (Imperial College London) Fabellae are sesamoid bones, which means they grow in the tendon of a muscle the knee cap being the largest example in the human body. In monkeys the fabellae can act as a secondary knee cap, increasing the potential leverage and mechanical force, but it began to disappear in apes and early humans. Dr Berthaume and colleagues speculate that it could be the shifting forces on the knee cap that are behind its comeback. The average human, today, is better nourished, meaning we are taller and heavier, he said This came with longer shinbones and larger calf muscles changes which both put the knee under increasing pressure. This could explain why fabellae are more common now than they once were. However as they occur in all groups around the world, but only in some individuals, there is likely to be more to understand in our genetics to piece together its recurrences. There are local elections in England, outside London, and in Northern Ireland on 2 May, as well as European parliament elections in the whole of the UK three weeks later. Together, they will give the nation the chance to say who should collect their bins and who should scrutinise EU law. And also to express its view on what is happening to Brexit. A few predictions can be made with some certainty. First, that the Conservatives will do very badly. The standing of national parties always affects voting in local elections, so Tory councillors will suffer from the drop in support for Theresa Mays government. But at least they have some chance of campaigning on their local record and it is worth remembering that most people are broadly satisfied with the services provided by their local council. The last time these seats were contested, in 2015, the Tories were six points ahead of Labour in vote share, according to figures from David Cowling; this time they will be lucky to be only six points behind. In the European elections, on the other hand, there seems little to stop the Tory vote from collapsing altogether. These are elections that the prime minister repeatedly said would not be held because the UK would have left the EU by then. She still hopes they can be cancelled but this seems unlikely. A journalist has been shot dead in Northern Ireland in what police have described as a terrorist incident. Lyra McKee, 29, was killed after a gunman opened fire as violence erupted in Derry on Thursday night. Dissident republican group the New IRA is believed to have been responsible for her murder, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said. The force said officers were searching for firearms and explosives being stored by the group ahead of suspected planned attacks when they came under attack in Derrys Creggan area. More than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at police and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. Witnesses said a masked gunman opened fire at officers and McKee was hit. She was rushed by police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Police are hunting for the shooter and no arrests have been made. Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA McKee, from Belfast, was a freelance journalist and author who extensively covered the legacy of Northern Ireland's The Troubles. She had written for publications including The Independent, The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News, and was also an editor at California-based news aggregator Mediagazer. Ann Travers, whose sister Mary was murdered by the IRA in 1984, paid tribute to McKee was a "kind, gentle, witty and stubborn soul". Lilly Dancyger, who had some of edited McKee's work for digital publication Narratively, said she had been dedicated to covering the lasting trauma and violence of the Troubles. Devastating to hear she was killed tonight by that same violence, she tweeted. Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton said McKee was not thought to have been "actively working" as a journalist when she was shot but was a "perfectly innocent" bystander. A crowd had gathered after police began a search operation in Creggan at about 9pm. PSNI said about 100 people, including children and media, were in the area when gunman fired "a number of shots" at 11pm. Footage posted on social media appeared to show the shooter partially shielded by a fence firing towards police. Another video showed a burning car and police vans being pelted with petrol bombs and other objects. A journalist she had been standing beside McKee when she fell wounded beside a police Land Rover. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died, Leona ONeill. Just 29-years-old. Sick to my stomach tonight. Mr Hamilton said: "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified." Lyra McKee was shot dead during dissident republican violence in Northern Ireland (EPA) He said the police search operation had been aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of the 1916 Dublin uprising that led to Irish independence. Republican group Saoradh released a statement on Friday claiming McKee was "killed accidentally" by a "Republican volunteer" while "standing behind armed Crown Force personnel and armoured vehicles". It described the police operation which preceded the violence as an "attack" on republicans. "The inevitable reaction to such an incursion was resistance from the youth of Creggan," the statement added. "This outcome is heartbreaking and we extend our sincerest sympathy to the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased." Saoradh has previously denied being the political wing of the New IRA, a paramilitary group which has has claimed responsibility for parcel bombs recently sent to London and Glasgow. Creggan, a large housing estate on the outskirts of Derry, saw frequent attacks on the British Army during the Troubles and was controlled for a period by the IRA. Recent years have seen regeneration projects carried out but a recent report by the Institute for Conflict Research found that sectarian violence and vigilantism persists. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Prime minister Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. "My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. "She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." Irish Taoiseach Leo Vardakar said his government condemned the violence in the "strongest possible terms". He added: "We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past." Friends have set up a crowdfunding page help McKee's family pay for her funeral and had raised 16,500 by Friday afternoon. Councils have been accused of using a form of social cleansing after it emerged they were misusing powers to hand out fines for rough sleeping. There has been an 89 per cent rise in local authorities issuing Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), which criminalise acts such as rough sleeping and begging, in the last three years, according to data obtained through freedom of information requests. The figures revealed a sharp rise in on-the-spot fines for breaches of PSPOs almost 10,000 penalties of up to 100 were handed out in 2018. Guidance from the Home Office in 2017 said PSPOs should not target rough sleeping or restrict the everyday use of public places. Introduced in 2014, the orders allow local authorities to ban behaviour deemed to have a detrimental effect on the local communitys quality of life. Critics said the petty powers are being used over-zealously to punish people for entirely innocuous actions. Rosie Brighouse, of human rights group Liberty, said the orders were a particularly cruel way to respond to peoples poverty. She added: PSPOs are a very blunt instrument they can only lead to people being fined. We also worry in a lot of ways its a form of social cleansing. The figures, obtained by civil liberties group the Manifesto Club, reveal that 276 orders were made by 147 councils between August 2017 and January 2019. This is an average of 15 per month compared with an average of eight per month between November 2014 and February 2016. Josie Appleton, director of Manifesto Club, said: Thousands of people are being criminalised for actions such as sitting on the floor, appealing for charity donations, or asking for casual work. PSPOs often target the homeless and others who lack the power to defend themselves. These orders are illiberal, scary and a public joke. Meanwhile, the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA) has warned that the governments claim that rough sleeping fell by 2 per cent in England last year was based on unreliable figures. Chair of UKSA, Sir David Norgrove, said the official figures for 2018 should not be used to make claims about rough sleeping until ministers address concerns that some councils had deliberately underreported the scale of the crisis. The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Show all 10 1 /10 The Stats: Homelessness in the UK The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Sleeping rough up 165% from 2010 The total number of people counted or estimated to be sleeping rough on a single night in autumn 2018 was 4,677, up 2,909 people or 165% from the 2010 total of 1,768 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK London rough sleepers up 13% The number of people sleeping rough increased by 146 or 13% in London since 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK London accounted for 27% of people sleeping rough in England London accounted for 27% of the total number of people sleeping rough in England. This is up from 24% of the England total in 2017 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 64% of rough sleeps UK nationals 64% were UK nationals, compared to 71% in 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 14% of rough sleepers are women 14% of the people recorded sleeping rough were women, the same as in 2017 Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK 6% were aged 25 years or under, compared to 8% in 2017 AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Thousands of families staying in temporary housing Almost 79,000 families were staying in temporary housing in the last three months of 2017 because they didn't have a permanent home, compared with 48,010 in the same period eight years before Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Reduction in families living in temporary housing before Coalition government There had been a significant reduction in families living in such conditions before the Coalition government came into power, with the number having fallen by 52 per cent between 2004 and 2010 under the Labour government AFP/Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Families staying in temporary has risen since But the figure has crept up in each of the past seven years, from 69,140 in the last quarter of 2015, to 75,740 in the same period in 2016 and 78,930 at the end of last year Getty The Stats: Homelessness in the UK Nearly 58,000 families accepted as homeless (2018) Nearly 58,000 families have been accepted as homeless by their local council in the past year (as of March 2018), equating to an increase of 8 per cent over the last five years Getty A Home Office spokesperson said: We are clear PSPOs should be used proportionately to tackle anti-social behaviour, and not to target specific groups or the most vulnerable in our communities. We set this out clearly when we refreshed the statutory guidance for frontline professionals on the use of the anti-social behaviour powers and councils must consult with the local police and appropriate community representatives before they publish the draft order. It is for local agencies to determine whether their use of the powers is appropriate, and that they are meeting the legal tests set out in the legislation. Dame Emma Thompson joined the Extinction Rebellion protests in London after flying from Los Angeles. In a video shared by the campaign group, the Hollywood star urged viewers to "come and join" the demonstrations. She said she was unable to be at the first day of the protest because she was "away" with her husband as she turned 60. "I absolutely wanted to be arrested on my 60th birthday but I didn't quite manage that," she said. "I'm so proud and thrilled to be part of Extinction Rebellion." A representative of Dame Emma said she needed to take the 5,400-mile flight home to London after working in LA. She joined the protests on the day organisers announced plans to target Heathrow Airport at the start of the Easter bank holiday weekend. Dame Emma said: "We will occupy until you take action because that's the only way we are going to save our planet. "We have to be here, we have to do this. It's inconvenient for people sometimes but its much more inconvenient to leave a planet that's so completely destroyed." Press Association Friends and colleagues have paid to tribute to a 29-year-old journalist shot dead in a terrorist incident in Northern Ireland. Lyra McKee was described as a gifted investigative reporter with courage, style and integrity and a kind, gentle, witty and stubborn soul. Born in Belfast, she extensively covered sectarian violence in Northern Ireland and had been published by The Independent, The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News. Her partner Sara Canning said: "Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential was snuffed out by this single barbaric act." Lilly Dancyger, a New York-based editor at digital publication Narratively, said McKee was dedicated to covering the lasting trauma and violence of the Troubles. Devastating to hear she was killed tonight by that same violence, she tweeted. Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Police have blamed Irish dissident republicans for McKees murder. Ann Travers, whose sister Mary was murdered by the IRA in 1984, described McKee as a kind, gentle, witty and stubborn soul. She added: I have just heard, that my lovely friend Lyra was murdered tonight in Derry. I just cant believe, that this witty, clever human being has been taken ... Feel sick. Journalist Matthew Hughes said he had been devastated by the death of one of his closest friends. She was my mentor. She was a groomswoman at my wedding. I cant imagine life without her, and yet now I must, he tweeted. Lyra McKee was seen as a rising star in investigative journalism (EPA) Seamus Dooley, Irish secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), said: We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends. NUJ general secretary said McKee was was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She added: "A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. "A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us in to darkness." McKee was seen as a rising star of investigative journalism. In 2016 she was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30, and last year she signed a two-book deal with Faber and Faber. The first of those books, The Lost Boys, was scheduled to be published next year and would focus on the the indirect ways the violence of war plays out, through its secondary waves of victims, and through the way trauma is passed on to subsequent generations, according to literary agents Janklow and Nesbit. McKee had also written about her struggle growing up gay in Belfast, and had been an editor at news aggregator Mediagazer since 2011. Ms Canning said: "Victims and LGBTQI community are left without a tireless advocate and activist and it has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. "This cannot stand, Lyra's death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone else's life and her legacy will live on and the life that she has left behind." Gabe Rivera, McKee's colleague at Mediagazer, tweeted: We are shocked and anguished by reports that our brave and wonderful colleague Lyra McKee has been murdered amid violence in Derry. Writer Brooke Magnanti said she was stunned by the news of McKees death. She wrote on Twitter: She struck me as a thoughtful journalist unafraid to challenge her own beliefs. Rare and precious. Friends have set up a crowdfunding page for McKee's family and had raised more than 6,500 within hours. Politicians also paid tribute to McKee and condemned her murder. Prime minister Theresa May said: "The death of Lyra McKee in last night's suspected terrorist incident in Londonderry is shocking and truly senseless. "My deepest condolences go to her family, friends and colleagues. She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mayor of Derry John Boyle, who had known McKee since she was 16, said she was "bright, she was warm, she was witty, but most of all she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us". He added: "There's an awful lot of anger in this city today. It has to be said again, this was not done in the name of the people of this city. Those responsible need to understand that. I can't put it any stronger than that." Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley said she was "deeply shocked and saddened" to hear of the journalist's death. She added: "Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. "Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland." US House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is visiting Belfast with a delegation from American congress, extended her condolences after taking part in a minute's silence in Northern Ireland's parliament. She said: "We join you on the sadness of the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, and your moment of silence at this time, on Good Friday is especially poignant," she said. Northern Ireland will not be dragged back to the past, leaders have vowed after the murder of a journalist covering riots in Derry. Investigators believe Lyra McKee was accidentally shot by a dissident republican who was aiming a handgun towards police officers, whose vehicles were petrol bombed and pelted with missiles. The violent scenes were another unwelcome reminder of the Troubles in Derry, which has already been shaken this year by a New IRA car bombing. Mayor John Boyle said the killing was not done in the name of the people of this city. He said: Those responsible need to understand that. The citizens of Derry, or Londonderry it doesnt matter what you call this city everyone is united with one voice today to speak out. Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA As vigils sprung up around Derry and Northern Ireland in memory of Ms McKee, an award-winning journalist and author who was herself a Catholic, local residents made their feelings known by defacing a mural near where she was shot. Originally reading IRA Undefeated Army Unfinished Revolution, the wall was painted on Friday to read: IRA are done Defeated Army 2019 Finished Revolution. Violence had broken out after the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) launched a major security operation in Creggan on Thursday evening. Officers said they were aiming to disrupt planned violence by dissident republicans ahead of this weekends commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising, and searching for guns and explosives. But police were met by protesters who launched fireworks and bricks at their vehicles. They also hijacked cars and set them on fire before the shooting at 11pm. Police said the New IRA were the most likely culprits, but another dissident republican group called Saoradh issued a statement claiming a republican volunteer had opened fire while attempting to defend people from the PSNI/RUC. Deputy chief constable Stephen Martin said the instigators were out of step with the local community and denied police had stoked tensions. "The police didnt react to that disorder," he said, "We didnt respond with any use of force, we absorbed it. An altered dissident republican mural in Derry that was changed after violence that saw a journalist shot dead on 18 April (Getty) Another senior officer said it was a cruel twist for violence to break out on the 21st anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement, which was intended to foster a lasting ceasefire between republicans, unionists and security forces. Deputy chief constable Stephen Martin urged Creggan residents to help police investigate Ms McKees death. You have to help make this madness stop, he said. We all want to live in peace. We all want a better future for our children, and last nights actions are just so out of step with what all of us want. Ms McKees partner, Sara Canning, said she had lost the love of her life and the woman I was planning to grow old with. This cannot stand, Lyras death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone elses life and her legacy will live on, and the life that she has left behind, she said. Catholic priest Father Joseph Gormley comforted Ms McKees family in hospital and accused the killers of forcing their viewpoint on others using the barrel of a gun. He asked: Have you no sense of humanity or dignity about yourself? Irish Taoiseach Leo Vardakar said: Twenty-one years ago today on Good Friday, we as a people, north and south, chose peace, democracy, power-sharing and ever closer cooperation, and we will not be dragged into the past. There is no place or any justification for political violence in Ireland or Northern Ireland today. This was an act of fear, this was an act of hate and this was an act of cowardice. Those who carried it out do not share the views of our nation nor of our republic and we reject them. Lyra McKee, 29, was hailed as a rising star of journalism and avid campaigner on LGBT+ rights and suicide (PSNI/McKee family) Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley said those responsible for the violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland, she added. Derry, a Catholic-majority city on the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic, has long been the scene of sectarian tensions. The Troubles are widely regarded as being triggered by a 1969 riot in the Bogside district, which was later the scene of the Bloody Sunday massacre, and the city was heavily militarised amid widespread civil unrest. Creggan, a large housing estate on the outskirts of Derry, was temporarily controlled by the IRA and despite regeneration and peace projects, a recent report found that sectarian violence and vigilantism persists. Police are hunting for a gunman who shot a journalist dead during riots in Derry, amid fears of rising sectarian violence in Northern Ireland. Lyra McKee, 29, was covering violence in the citys Creggan district on Thursday night, which saw cars set on fire and police vehicles hit with petrol bombs and fireworks. Republican terrorist group the New IRA is believed to be behind the shooting, as well as a car bombing that struck Derry in January and a parcel bombs sent to targets on the British mainland. How did the violence start? The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) launched a major security operation in Creggan on Friday evening. Officers said they were aiming to disrupt dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence. Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Footage showed people gathering to watch forensic officers enter homes, before the police came under attack. Violent dissident republicans are planning attacks in this city and we were carrying out a search operation in Creggan, said Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton. The searches were being carried out because we believed that firearms and explosives were being stored in the area. We believe that dissident republicans have a number of attacks planned and we assess it is likely that these would have been used over the Easter period. As we began those searches just after 9pm a crowd gathered and before long upwards of 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers. Police said more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers, as well as fireworks and bricks, and vehicles were hijacked and set on fire. By the time of the shooting, there were an estimated 100 people on the streets in the area. Republican Twitter accounts supporting the violence described police as British crown forces and characterised the search operation as an incursion. Creggan, a large housing estate on the outskirts of Derry, saw frequent attacks on the British Army during the Troubles and was controlled for a period by the IRA. Recent years have seen regeneration projects carried out but a recent report by the Institute for Conflict Research found that sectarian violence and vigilantism persists. A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police on 18 April (Niall Carson/PA Wire) Was Ms McKee targeted? Police believe that the gunman was targeting police and accidentally hit the journalist, who was standing next to an armoured vehicle. In footage from the scene, at least two gunshots could be heard followed by screaming. One clip, apparently filmed on a member of the publics phone and shared on social media, appeared to show the gunman opening fire. The figure, dressed in dark clothing and with their face covered, could be seen firing around the corner of a wall in view of numerous witnesses who were standing just metres away. They fled as a second figure appeared to crouch to the ground to pick up bullet casings and other potential evidence. Leona ONeill, a freelance journalist, was also among reporters in Creggan and filmed cars being set on alight and fireworks and petrol bombs being thrown at police minutes before the shooting. I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan, she wrote on Twitter. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight. (PA) Mr Hamilton said: At 11pm a gunman appeared and fired a number of shots towards the police and a young woman, Lyra McKee, was wounded. She was taken away from the scene in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died and we have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans. Our assessment at this time would be that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. But Saoradh, a dissident republican group that has denied links to the IRA, issued a statement claiming a Republican Volunteer had opened fire while attempting to defend people from the PSNI/RUC. Characterising the police searches as an attack on republicans, the statement said: The inevitable reaction to such an incursion was resistance from the youth of Creggan. The blame for last night lies squarely at the feet of the British Crown Forces, who sought to grab headlines and engineered confrontation with the community. During this attack on the community, a Republican Volunteer attempted to defend people from the PSNI/RUC. Tragically a young journalist covering the events, Lyra McKee, was killed accidentally while standing behind armed Crown Force personnel and armoured vehicles. This outcome is heartbreaking and we extend our sincerest sympathy to the family, friends and loved ones of the deceased. Lyra Mckee was shot dead during dissident republican violence in Northern Ireland (Facebook) What is the New IRA? The newest incarnation of the IRA and currently the biggest dissident republican group operating in Northern Ireland. The New IRA is believed to have been formed between 2011 and 2012 following the merger of a number of smaller groups, including the Real IRA - the group behind the 1998 Omagh bomb. It is strongest in Derry, north and west Belfast, Strabane in County Derry, Lurgan in County Armagh, and pockets of Tyrone. It was held responsible for a car bombing outside Derrys courthouse in January. The explosives-laden vehicle was left on the city centre street on a Saturday night and scores of people, including a group of teenagers, had walked past before it detonated. The New IRA also claimed a number package bombs posted to targets in London and Glasgow in March. Ms McKees death is the fourth murder it has been linked to, including a car bombing that killed PC Ronan Kerr in Omagh in 2011. The group is also linked to the deaths of prison officers David Black, who was shot as he drove to work at Maghaberry Prison in 2012, and Adrian Ismay, who died in 2016 after a bomb exploded under his van outside his home in east Belfast. Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Show all 7 1 /7 Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to The Compass Centre at London Heathrow Airport. The package burst into flames upon opening AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to London City Airport AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain An improvised explosive device that was sent to London's Waterloo train station AFP/Getty Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Emergency responders are seen outside Glasgow University after a suspicious package was found Lilli Schlossbach/Reuters Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Counter-terror police investigated a suspicious package at Heathrow on Tuesday 5 March AP Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain London's Waterloo station was closed after a suspicious package was found on Tuesday 5 March PA Suspicious packages delivered to various locations in Britain Counter-terror police investigated a suspicious package at London City Airport on Tuesday 5 March PA Who was Lyra McKee? Lyra McKee was a 29-year-old journalist who had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner. She worked as an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry but had also freelanced for outlets including Reuters, the Belfast Telegraph, Buzzfeed and the Atlantic. Ms McKee had three stories published by The Independent, including a piece exploring the treatment of the LGBT community and Catholics in Northern Ireland. Another explored the impact on sectarian violence on the Good Friday Agreement generation and suicides, including that of her childhood best friend. She had written a book on the Troubles murder of the Reverend Robert Bradford, the MP for South Belfast, and had been investigating the disappearance and young men for her second book The Lost Boys. Publisher Faber called Ms McKee a rising star of investigative journalism and in 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. Her last tweet showed a photo of burning cars and police vehicles at the scene of the unrest with the caption: Derry tonight. Absolute madness. Lyra McKee How have people reacted? Northern Ireland, already shaken by the Derry car bombing and a wave of pipe bombings, is in shock. Politicians from all parties have condemned Ms McKees murder and called for justice. Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. "No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community." Social Democratic and Labour Party representative Mark H Durkan said he was heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life. Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done, he added. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace. CCTV shows moment of Derry 'car bomb' Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill condemned those responsible. The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement, she added. We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry. We remain united in our determination to building a better and peaceful future for all. Northern Ireland secretary Karen Bradley said she was "deeply shocked and saddened" to hear of the death. "My thoughts and condolences are with her family at this time, she said. Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. (PA) "Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland. Mr Hamilton called the shooting a horrendous and totally unjustified act of violence. Not only is it the murder of a young woman, its an attack again upon the people of this city, he said. I stood here in January and we talked about the bomb, and yet again we see another act of violence in this city that has had horrendous consequences and which will affect people for many, many years. I would appeal to people, particularly this Easter weekend, to stay calm, I would appeal to people who are intent on violence to draw back, I would appeal to people with influence to use your influence and make sure this is peaceful weekend. Not only this weekend but going forward in this city. "These acts of violence are bringing nothing to this city, all they are doing is bringing misery to one family, but also particularly to this city and also to our broader province." People in the UK are paying billions of pounds more for everyday goods because of Brexit-related price hikes, new research has found. The fall in the value of the pound after the 2016 Leave vote means money spent by individuals and businesses on imported items does not stretch as far as it used to. As a result, consumers and businesses have had to pay at least 15bn more for the same items, according to analysis by the People's Vote campaign. Divided between the UK's 27 million households, it suggests the average household will have paid at least 550 more since 2016. The group said the price of filter coffee has risen by 10 per cent, the cost of bananas has increased by the same amount and a glass of wine bought in a pub or restaurant has gone up by 8 per cent. Combined with flat-lining wage growth, it suggests households are having to spend more for less. Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Show all 30 1 /30 Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Pro-Brexit leave the European Union supporters attend a rally in Parliament Square after the final leg of the "March to Leave" in London AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The protest march which started on March 16 in Sunderland, north east England, finished on what was the original date for Brexit to happen before the recent extension Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter sips a can of Stella in protests outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Dedicated anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray and likewise pro-Brexit campaigner Joseph Afrane go head to head near the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit marching band in Parliament Square Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Remain supporters wave EU flags from a bus in Parliament Square PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter shouts slogans outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter protests outside of the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside of the Houses of Parliament REUTERS Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A pro-Brexit flag is waved in Parliament Square AP Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit The March to Leave nears the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit protester holds a sign outside parliament EPA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters carry the coffin of democracy AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters march outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters take part in the March to Leave protest in London PA Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Brexit supporters protest outside parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter holds a sign outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A man holds satirical paintings of politicians Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit An pro-Brexit float on the March to Leave march in London Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit Far-right activist Tommy Robinson addresses protesters outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament Reuters Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Tommy Robinson supporter arrives at the Houses of Parliament Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A jogger gestures rudely at a Brexit supporter outside of the Houses of Parliament AFP/Getty Opposing protesters flock to parliament on would be date of Brexit A Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament PA Previous research by scientists at University College London (UCL) found that Brexit also resulted in the cost of energy bills increasing by an average of 75 a year. The data on price rises applies only to products imported from outside the EU. Goods bought from European countries will also have risen in cost because of the fall in the value of the pound, meaning the real figure is likely to be much higher. Companies appear to have borne the brunt of the price increases, with 4.4bn of the 15bn in additional costs having been spent on machine and transport equipment. A further 2.9bn more was spent on "mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials" and 924m went on "chemicals and related products". Read more Tories and Labour to lose out to Farage's Brexit Party in EU elections The analysis is based on data published by the government last week. Ministers were forced to issue a hasty correction after it emerged that the figures Liberal Democrat MP and People's Vote supporter Jo Swinson said: The great Brexit squeeze is already leaving many families worse off and making it more difficult for British businesses to invest and compete. A Brexit elite might hope to profit from leaving the EU but for millions of people who are just about managing, leaving the EU offers no answers to the problems of everyday life. We now know that any Brexit deal will be a million miles away from what was promised in 2016, inflicting real costs on our country and resulting in years more negotiations and arguments." Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events She added: It is neither fair nor reasonable to force a particular form of Brexit on the public without letting them decide whether or not we should go ahead. Thats because giving the public the final say is ultimately the only way to deliver a stable settlement that can command the confidence of both Parliament and the country. Labour has deleted a tweet wishing Jewish people a happy Passover after mistakenly including an image of a loaf of bread. Leavened bread is not eaten during the Jewish holiday, with the post prompting a barrage of criticism on social media. One Twitter user responded: Astonishing (but sadly unsurprising) basic religious illiteracy from @UKLabour. Another wrote: Got to laugh. @ukLabour trying to [be] inclusive to Jews celebrating Passover. The one thing observant Jews specifically avoid at Passover is bread. And Hugo Rifkind, the newspaper columnist, replied simply: Its...its...its...a loaf of bread. Protests against Labour antisemitism Show all 14 1 /14 Protests against Labour antisemitism Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters clashed during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of the Jewish community hold a protest against Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn and antisemitism in the Labour Party AFP/Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Protesters hold placards and flags during a demonstration, organised by the British Board of Jewish Deputies for those who oppose antisemitism, in Parliament Square Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Hundreds of people gathered in Parliament Square to protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP Luciana Berger speaks during the protest PA Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester blows through a shofar during the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism Members of London's Jewish community protest in support of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn outside parliament EPA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour MP John Mann speaks during a protest against antisemitism PA Protests against Labour antisemitism People protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party as Jewish community leaders have launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, claiming he has sided with antisemites again and again PA Protests against Labour antisemitism Labour politicians Stella Creasy and Chuka Umunna leave after attending the demonstration Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A pro-Jeremy Corbyn protester holds a placard during a counter-protest Getty Protests against Labour antisemitism A support of the Labour Party hold up a placard during the demonstration Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism Jeremy Corbyn supporters during the demo Reuters Protests against Labour antisemitism A protester holds up a sign reading For the many, not the Jew AFP The message, also featuring a Star of David and a goblet, read: As Jewish people prepare for Passover, were wishing everyone in the Jewish community chag sameach [happy holiday]. The mistake comes amid continuing tensions between Labour and Jewish groups, because of the antisemitism scandal that gripped the party. In recent weeks, Labour is believed to have suspended four council candidates because of their behaviour, including one who posted Rothschild and Israel conspiracy theories online. Jeremy Corbyn has rejected calls to sack Richard Burgon, his shadow justice secretary, after footage emerged of him claiming Zionism is the enemy of peace a comment he had denied making. Labour later reposted the message without the images of the bread or goblet. Theresa May also tweeted a Passover message in which she wished Jewish families gathering around the seder table this evening a very happy and peaceful Pesach. Today is a chance to celebrate the enormous and lasting contribution made by the Jewish community in the UK, in every walk of life, she said. Theresa May wore a hi-visibility jacket to help marshal a Good Friday race in her constituency, after returning from her Easter holiday in Wales. A smiling prime minister handing out water to thirsty runners at the Easter 10 contest in Maidenhead and walked the route with her husband, Philip. She also shared selfies with spectators before directing the runners, who unlike so many Conservative MPs followed her instructions, slapping the hands of some of them with the odd high-five as they passed by. Ms May has returned earlier than expected from her walking holiday in the Welsh mountains, but before parliament resumes next Tuesday for a further bid to resolve the Brexit crisis. Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Nigel Farage speaks at the launch of his new Brexit Party's campaign for the European elections Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Brexit Party candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg, sister of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, speaks at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A supporter waits for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters wait for Farage to speak AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage's socks Reuters Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Farage and prospective candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg wait at the launch AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Supporters listen as Farage speaks AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Free T-shirts for all attendees AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures Posters on the seats for supporters of the Brexit Party AFP/Getty Farage launches his new Brexit Party: in pictures A safety sign is pictured AFP/Getty No meaningful compromise talks took place with Labour in her absence Jeremy Corbyns party still insisting she has yet to move on her red lines, without which there can be no cross-party agreement. Isis has claimed its first attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Two Congolese soldiers and a civilian were killed in a shoot-out on Tuesday in Bovata, near the town of Beni. Isis also claimed to have established a province in central Africa, declaring it the Central Africa Province of the caliphate through its Amaq news agency. It was not possible to verify the terror groups claim, which included a higher toll of five soldiers killed and three wounded. There are more than a dozen different militia groups and criminal outfits operating in this area of eastern DRC. Timeline of the Isis caliphate Show all 19 1 /19 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Timeline of the Isis caliphate ISIS began as a group by the merging of extremist organisations ISI and al-Nusra in 2013. Following clashes, Syrian rebels captured the ISIS headquarters in Aleppo in January 2014 (pictured) AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi declared the creation of a caliphate in Mosul on 27 June 2014 Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis conquered the Kurdish towns of Sinjar and Zumar in August 2014, forcing thousands of civilians to flee their homes. Pictured are a group of Yazidi Kurds who have fled Rex Timeline of the Isis caliphate On September 2 2014 Isis released a video depicting the beheading of US journalist Steven Sotloff. On September 13 they released another video showing the execution of British aid worker David Haines Timeline of the Isis caliphate The US launched its first airstrikes against Isis in Syria on 23 September 2014. Here Lt Gen William C Mayville Jnr speaks about the bombing campaign in the wake of the first strikes Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis militants sit atop a hill planted with their flag in the Syrian town of Kobani on 6 October 2014. They had been advancing on Kobani since mid-September and by now was in control of the citys entrance and exit points AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Residents of the border village of Alizar keep guard day and night as they wait in fear of mortar fire from Isis who have occupied the nearby city of Kobani Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Smoke rises following a US airstrike on Kobani, 28 October 2014 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate YPG fighters raise a flag as they reclaim Kobani on 26 January 2015 VOA Timeline of the Isis caliphate Isis seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on 20 May 2015. This image show the city from above days after its capture by Isis Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces are stationed on a hill above the town of Sinjar as smoke rises following US airstrikes on 12 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Kurdish forces enter Sinjar after seizing it from Isis control on 13 November 2015 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi government forces make the victory sign as they retake the city of Fallujah from ISIS on 26 June 2016 Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Iraqi forces battle with Isis for the city of Mosul on 30 June 2017 AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of the Iraqi federal police raise flags in Mosul on 8 July 2017. On the following day, Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi declares victory over Isis in Mosul Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Members of Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Female fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces celebrate in Al-Naim Square after taking back the city of Raqqa from Isis. US-backed Syrian forces declare victory over Isis in Raqqa on 20 October 2017 after a four-month long campaign AFP/Getty Timeline of the Isis caliphate Trucks full of women and children arrive from the last Isis-held areas in Deir ez-Zor, Syria in January 2019 They were among the last civilians to be living in the ISIS caliphate, by this time reduced to just two small villages in Syrias Deir ez-Zor Richard Hall/The Independent Timeline of the Isis caliphate Zikia Ibrahim, 28, with her two-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter, after fleeing the Isis caliphate, on Saturday 26 January 2019 Richard Hall/The Independent Witnesses at the scene blamed an Islamist group called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which may have links to Isis, a UN source and local civil society leader told Reuters. A report by New York Universitys Congo Research Group and the Bridgeway Foundation published in November said the ADF had received money from a financier linked to Isis, suggesting ties between the Congo insurgents and other jihadis in Africa and beyond. Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi has recently said Isis poses a threat to his nation and said his government would join the fight against extremists. He has accused the ADF of allowing the infiltration of extremists. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Rival militia groups control parts of eastern Congo, which is rich in minerals, long after the official end of a 1998-2003 war in which millions of people were killed. The town of Beni, near to where the attack happened, is suffering through both an Ebola epidemic and militia violence. Three renowned mountain climbers are feared to have died after an avalanche in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer were attempting to scale a challenging route up the east face of Howse Peak in Albertas Banff National Park, Canadian officials said. The group was last heard from on Tuesday morning when Mr Roskelley spoke to his father, John Roskelley, himself a world-renowned climber. Search efforts began on Wednesday when the climbers failed to check in as planned and Parks Canada said a helicopter crew saw evidence of several large-scale avalanches that had engulfed climbing equipment. Stephen Holeczi, Parks Canadas visitor safety specialist, said there was strong evidence all three climbers had been killed, without going into further detail. Mr Holeczi said the avalanche that hit the group rated three on a five-point scale, roughly strong enough to destroy a small building or uproot several trees. John Roskelley said the group had been attempting a route that was first conquered only in 2000. Its just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare, he told Washington newspaper The Spokesman-Review. The elder Mr Roskelley said he had climbed the 10,810-foot Howse Peak himself in the past and would travel to Canada in an attempt to help with the recovery effort. The area where the climbers were presumed to have got into trouble was above a basin, he said. There must have been a lot of snow that came down and got them off the face. When youre climbing mountains, danger is not too far away... Its terrible for my wife and I. But its even worse for his wife. The younger Mr Roskelley, 36, was most famous for having climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at the age of 20, then becoming the youngest American to have scaled the worlds highest peak. His father John joined him on that climb. Mr Lama, 28, was the subject of a documentary film in 2014 about his attempt to free-climb the Compressor Route on the Cerro Torre mountain in Patagonia, something never achieved before. His father was a mountain guide from Nepal, and he won numerous climbing competitions as a teenager. Mr Auer, 35, grew up near the Dolomites in Austria and was best known for completing the first ascent of the south face on Nilgiri South in Nepal. The North Face, which sponsored the trio, said in a statement that the group were missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst. We are doing everything we can to support their families, friends and community during this difficult time, the firm said. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has announced his government is preparing new laws to make it easier to carry guns in public. The far-right leader said his plans would benefit collectors, shooters and hunters and expand the legal protection for people using firearms to defend their own lives or property. Mr Bolsonaro promised during his election campaign to overturn Brazils strict firearms laws, despite the countrys high murder rate. He argued that guns will help people defend themselves. You can be sure the bums will think twice before committing a crime, knowing that someone might be armed," he said. Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Show all 20 1 /20 Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro waves as he drives past before his swear-in ceremony Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Supporters wait in front of the Planalto Palace, where he will take office EPA Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro gestures at the Congress before he is sworn AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Supporters take pictures as Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro drives past Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Flanked by first lady Michelle Bolsonaro, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro waves to the crowd, as he rides in an open car after his swearing-in ceremony AP Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro reacts as he drives past Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration The National Congress before Brazil's President-elect Jair Bolsonaro is sworn in AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Jair Bolsonaro gestures at the Congress AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AP Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration EPA Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration Reuters Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty Jair Bolsonaro: Brazil's far-right leader inauguration AFP/Getty He took the first step by signing a decree easing restrictions on civilians buying guns in January. It allowed Brazilians to keep up to four guns in their homes or places of business. During an internet broadcast earlier this week, Mr Bolsonaro revealed he had discussed the new legislation with the Ministry of Defence, according to a report in the Estadao newspaper. He said: We will have news. Thats what you want. What we want is to treat collectors, shooters and hunters with the due respect they deserve. The president said that in cases of invasion of a home or a farm, the owner can defend himself by firing, and if the other side resolve to die is his problem. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events He added: Private property is sacred in Italy, and it has to be in Brazil as well. No further details were provided about the planned legislation. Mr Bolsonaro, whose trademark gesture was his fingers pointing two imaginary guns, portrayed himself as a tough-on-crime candidate during the election campaign. Brazil recorded 64,000 murders in 2017, with with 43,000 of those the result of firearms. About 330,000 civilians in Brazil were legally registered to have a gun during the same year. Additional reporting by Associated Press Last week, Pipeline announced it would cut many services at the hospital early, saying declining staff levels were jeopardizing patient safety. The Village of Melrose Park, in turn, sought and received a temporary restraining order to keep the hospital open, at least until the review board could consider Pipelines closure application. Melrose Park then accused Pipeline of violating that restraining order, and a judge agreed, finding Pipeline in contempt of court and ordering it to continue most services. An appeals court on Thursday reversed the restraining order, and the state Supreme Court then recalled that order later in the day. Twenty years ago, two armed gunmen entered Columbine High School and, in just under an hour, killed 12 students and one teacher. While the shooting was not the first in an American school, the trauma of that day sent shock waves through the US. For the first time, news crews were stationed outside of a mass shooting at a high school for weeks, providing 24/7 coverage. Calls for changes to Americas gun laws were made. Since those 13 deaths on 20 April 1999, here is what we have seen as Americas gun violence epidemic has continued on almost uninterrupted. In the days, weeks and years since Columbine, 226,000 children have been exposed to gun violence while at school, according to an analysis published by The Washington Post, illustrating the vast reach of a shooting epidemic that scars those who are fortunate enough to escape with their lives. That exposure has occurred in least 233 schools where incidents of gun violence have taken place in the past 20 years, according to that Post analysis. Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 Show all 5 1 /5 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 con0.ap.jpg AP Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 Connecticut.jpg AP Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 con1.reut.jpg REUTERS Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 con2.reut.jpg REUTERS Sandy Hook elementary school shooting 2012 obama.reut.jpg REUTERS During those shootings at schools, some 143 children, educators, or other individuals were killed in the gunfire. Those shootings had a much higher injury rate, however, with 294 injuries across those 20 years. While press coverage of mass shootings at schools and colleges in America often focuses on instances where there are white victims, black students are overwhelmingly impacted. While black students make up 16.6 per cent of the student population in American schools, they represent 33 per cent of the victims. White students, meanwhile represent 56.7 per cent of students in US schools, but 38.1 per cent of the victims. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Since Columbine, there have been three school shootings with a higher death toll than the 13 in Littleton, Colorado. The shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, last year left 17 students and faculty dead. The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012 left 28 dead including 20 children. The shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007 left 33 dead. While school shootings remain relatively rare in the United States, there was an up-tick in 2018. That year there were at least 25 shootings at schools across the US including the deadly attack in Parkland. The epidemic facing America has fuelled a $2.7bn market for school hardening infrastructure, with that approach being a go-to response for politicians who do not want to cross the National Rifle Association. That figure doesnt even take into account the money spent on police officers hired to patrol schools under the auspice of keeping students safe and some studies have indicated that school hardening might not be as effective as one would hope. More than 1.3 million would-be firearm owners have been denied access to guns since 1998, when the FBI launched its background check programme. Thats out of more than 287m background checks conducted by the organisation. But, a range of loopholes have meant that an unknown number of purchases of firearms have been made without any background check at all. A federal judge ruled that residents of Flint, Michigan who were affected by water contamination have a right to sue the US government. Judge Linda Parker deemed that the case brought by Flint residents against the Environmental Protection Agency for mishandling the 2014 crisis can move forward, despite attorneys for the agency arguing that the agency wasnt liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act discretionary function exception. Linda Parker, who serves as a judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan said the government is not immune from a lawsuit. There was no ruling on if federal employees were negligent in addressing Flints contaminated water. Flints water issues arose after it was found that after switching sources from Lake Huron to the Flint River in 2014, which according to Virginia Tech researchers, is 19 times more corrosive. In pictures: Flint water crisis Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Flint water crisis In pictures: Flint water crisis Anthony Fordham picks up bottled water from the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan to deliver to a school after elevated lead levels were found in the city's water in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Michigan National Guard Staff Sergeant William Phillips (L) assists a Flint resident with bottled water at a fire station in Flint Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents Arthur Woodson, left, and Tony Palladino Jr. protest the arrival of Flint native and filmmaker Michael Moore as Moore accuses Gov.Rick Snyder of poisoning Flint water during a rally outside of city hall in Flint AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Flint residents pick up bottled water and water filters at a fire station in Flint. Michigan National Guard members were set to arrive in Flint to join door-to-door efforts to distribute bottled water and other supplies to residents coping with the city's crisis over lead-contaminated drinking water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Soldiers from the Michigan Army National Guard Flint prepare to give Flint residents bottled water at a fire station in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis Justin Roberson (L), age 6, of Flint, Michigan and Mychal Adams, age 1, of Flint wait on a stack of bottled water at a rally where the Rev. Jesse Jackson was speaking about about the water crises at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis A man sits next to a stack of bottled water at the Heavenly Host Baptist Church in Flint 2016 Getty Images In pictures: Flint water crisis The top of a water tower is seen at the Flint Water Plant. President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Michigan and ordered federal aid to be used to help state and local response efforts to an area affected by contaminated water Reuters In pictures: Flint water crisis Rosie Wright, center, rallies with the crowd over Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP In pictures: Flint water crisis Rick Catherman participates in a rally around Flint's water crisis in Ann Arbor, Michigan AP Almost immediately after the switch, Flint residents began to suffer from hair loss, rashes, lead poisoning, foetal death, and Legionnaires disease, which affected 87 and killed 12. The water was discolored and infused with high levels of lead. This was ongoing for months, with low-level employees reporting to higher level EPA officials who failed to take action. Residents blame the EPA for mishandling the crisis, not warning residents of ongoing contamination. Plaintiffs in the case argue that the EPA failed to use its authority under the Clean Water Act to address the health risks from lead-laden water. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Then-President Barack Obama declared a federal state of emergency for the town, but even that was not enough to fix the crisis. Mayor Karen Weaver of Flint, Michigan had previously told The Independent that had the city not been predominantly people of colour, the crisis may not have happened, or been handled differently. Recommended American bitcoin trader and his girlfriend may face death penalty over One of the things we cant forget is, the facts are the facts. This is a majority minority city. Not only did race play a factor, but class played a role, because of our high unemployment rate Ms Weaver said in an interview with The Independents Andrew Buncombe. Marc Lamparellos story seemed off from the start. It was nearly 8pm on Wednesday when Mr Lamparello, a 37-year-old graduate student and lecturer on philosophy, entered St Patricks Cathedral in midtown Manhattan toting two gasoline cans, lighter fluid and lighters, police said. Hours before, he had purchased a $2,800 (2,150), one-way plane ticket to Rome, which was set to depart the next day. Mr Lamparello was about 20 feet into the church when ushers approached him and said he could not be inside the building with the cans of gasoline, police said. He explained that he was trying to take a shortcut through the iconic sanctuary to reach his van, which he claimed had run out of gas. Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Show all 5 1 /5 Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Fenice theatre, Venice The Fenice theatre in Venice illuminated with the colors of the French flag EPA Notre Dame fire: Global tributes The dome of the Chapel of the Shroud, Turin The dome of the Chapel of the Shroud in Turin illuminated with the colors of the French flag EPA Notre Dame fire: Global tributes One World Trade Centre, New York City One World Trade Centre is lit in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the people of France REUTERS Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Stari Most bridge, Mostar The Stari Most bridge in the Bosnia and Herzegovina city of Mostar lit in colours of the French flag AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Empire State Building, New York City Empire State Building is lit in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the people of France REUTERS Mr Lamparellos gold minivan, though, turned out not to be out of fuel, police said, and a stroll through St Patricks was hardly a shortcut. Denied entry, Mr Lamparello left the sanctuary, sloshing gasoline on the floor as he went, police said. He was stopped outside the church by police officers, who noticed the twin gas cans. The incident came just before Easter and two days after a devastating fire tore through the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. Mr Lamparello, who has addresses in New Jersey and in Brooklyn, was taken into custody on Wednesday night and questioned by detectives, including officers from the Police Departments intelligence division and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He was being held on charges of attempted arson and reckless endangerment, senior police officials said. But on Thursday afternoon, he was transported from the Midtown North Precinct to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, police said, and it remained unclear when he would appear in court. It was the second church-related arrest this week for Mr Lamparello. On Monday night, he was arrested inside Newark, New Jerseys Sacred Heart Cathedral after he refused to leave the sanctuary. He told officers the church was a house of God and should be open at all hours before throwing himself on the floor and vowing to stay. [He] said, If you want me to leave, youll have to take me out in handcuffs', Armando B Fontoura, the Essex County sheriff, said. He described Mr Lamparello as very respectful, if obstinate. Remarkable footage shows firefighters battling Notre Dame flames Mr Lamparello was taken to a police station that evening and charged with resisting arrest, defiant trespassing and interfering with the administration of law. He was evaluated by emergency medical technicians, who found nothing wrong with him, Sheriff Fontoura said. His mother escorted him that night from the precinct to his parents home in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, he said. It remains unclear what may have driven Mr Lamparello to go to St Patricks Cathedral on Wednesday. Police officials would not say what, if any, motive he disclosed to officers. There doesnt appear to be any connection to a terror group, said John Miller, the Police Departments deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism. Mr Lamparello is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the City University of New York. His mother told New Jersey authorities he had an apartment in New York City. He was a 2004 graduate of Boston College and was listed as teaching courses at Brooklyn College this spring. Police said Mr Lamparello also taught at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. He had written and published a book, Reason and Counterpoint, in 2016. His online biography on Amazon.com suggests an interest in questions of religion and higher powers; it said he was working on a book-length project that would wrestle with the existence of God. At least one of the courses he has taught, Introduction to the Problems of Philosophy, touched on religion. The course included such topics as the nature and scope of knowledge, meaning and verification, the existence of God, determinism and free will, the mind-body problem, and the nature of moral judgments, according to an online course description for Brooklyn College. The New York Times David and Louise Turpin, the parents of the 13 children who were found starved, abused, and shackled to beds in California, have been sentenced to 25 years to life today. The couple, aged 57 and 50, were charged with 12 counts of torture, 7 counts of abuse of a dependent, 6 counts of child abuse, 12 counts of false imprisonment - and one count of a lewd act on a child against David. The Turpin children were rescued after one of the siblings, aged 17, made a daring escape from the family home in Perris, California and called police using a deactivated mobile phone. She was so malnourished that authorities believed she was around 10-years-old. Two of the couple's adult children, Jennifer and Joshua, read victim impact statements at the trial, publicly speaking on the case for the first time since being freed in January of 2018. In an emotional testimony, Jennifer said, "My parents took my whole life from me but now I'm taking my life back." Jennifer is now living independently and attending university. Accompanied by an emotional support dog, Jennifer continued, "I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad, but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. I'm a fighter, I'm strong and I'm shooting through life like a rocket." Other Turpin children had submitted written statements asking for leniency for their parents and offering their forgiveness. Although the couple had originally pleaded not guilty, they've accepted a plea deal that stipulated a sentence of 25 years to life in prison at Riverside County Superior Court. The plea agreement assured that the parents pleaded guilty to one count per child, and spared the children from having to recount their abuse in court. Louise Turpin apologised to her children, saying "I'm sorry for everything I've done to my children. I love my children so much, I'm blessed to be the mother of each one of them. Their happiness is very important to me." "I want them to know mom and dad are going to be okay. I believe God has a special plan for each of them... I love them more than they could ever imagine." Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Show all 15 1 /15 Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David and Louise Turpin with their 13 children who were being held captive by their parents in the family home in Perris, California. Facebook Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin speaks during a press conference announcing charges against David Turpin and Louise Turpin in relation to their 13 malnourished children found chained in their home, in Riverside. The two parents were charged with multiple counts of Child abuse, torture, abuse of dependent adults and false imprisonment and could face close to 100 years to life in prison if convicted. EPA Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents The home of David Allen and Louise Anna Turpin, where some of their children were bound with chains and padlocks. Reuters Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David Allen Turpin poses for a mugshot after being arrested. Riverside County Sheriffs Department via Getty Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents One of the captives, a 17-year-old girl, escaped over the weekend and notified the Riverside Sheriffs Department. Facebook/David-Louise Turpin Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Perris residents watch as media gather in front of Turpin family home. The Sheriff's deparmtent said "the parents were unable to immediately provide a logical reason why their children were restrained in that manner." AFP/Getty Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents The children were found in dark and foul-smelling surroundings and "The victims appeared to be malnourished and very dirty, the department said. Facebook/David-Louise Turpin Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Neighbours stand outside the home. Getty Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Louise Anna Turpin poses for a mugshot after being arrested. Not all of their victims were children: of the 13 victims, seven were between the age of 18 and 29, according to the Sheriff's Department. Riverside County Sheriffs Department via Getty Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David and Louise Turpin in 2015. Authorities arrested them on torture and child endangerment charges, setting bail at $9m (6.5m) apiece. Facebook/David-Louise Turpin Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David Turpin and Louise Turpin appear in court for their arraignment in Riverside Reuters Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David Allen Turpin and his wife, Louise Anna Turpin celebrate a renewal of their wedding vows with Elvis impersonator Kent Ripley in Las Vegas in 2011 A Elvis Chapel via AP Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents David Allen Turpin appears in court for his arraignment in Riverside. Prosecutors filed 12 counts of torture, seven counts of dependent adult abuse, six counts of child abuse and 12 counts of false imprisonment against Turpin and his wife, Louise Anna Turpin. The Press-Enterprise via AP Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Neighbour Liza Tozier, and her son, Avery Sanchez, 6, drop off his large "Teddy" as a gift for the children. AP Turpin family: 13 siblings who were held captive by their parents Louise Turpin appears in court for her arraignment in Riverside. Authorities say the abuse left the children malnourished, undersized and with cognitive impairments. Reuters The children, whose ages ranged from two to 29, were forced to live in dangerous and dirty conditions. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events 12 of the 13 were malnourished, sexually abused, and physically abused. They were only permitted to shower once annually, and were often shackled to their beds as punishment for weeks, sometimes months, only occasionally being freed to use the bathroom. The parents, while starving the children and feeding them one meal per day, would tempt the children with sweets and new toys that they would face punishment for touching. The youngest Turpin child, aged two, did not seem to be mistreated. Armed vigilantes are illegally detaining hundreds of migrants attempting to cross the southern US border, human rights activists have claimed. Ex-military veterans dressed in camouflage and armed with semi-automatic rifles can be seen rounding up Central Americans on videos shared online. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claimed the Trump administrations vile racism has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to act outside the law. The United Constitutional Patriots (UCP) has patrolled a stretch of the border in Sunland Park, New Mexico, since late February, regularly uploading footage of its activities on Facebook. In one video, thought to have been shot on Tuesday evening, UCP members are seen detaining hundreds of migrants. Many appeared to be families with children, who were then held until border patrol agents arrived. This group was so huge we wont [sic] have an accurate count until the [Border Patrol] is finished processing them, the group wrote. This needs to stop!!!!! Build the wall. Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Show all 20 1 /20 Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The prototypes for President Trumps border wall are being demolished. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The US Customs and Border protection had built the eight 30-foot tall steel and concrete models near San Diego on the US-Mexico border. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A 2018 report from the Government Accountability Office found that the construction challenges presented by the four concrete models would be extensive and those presented by two of the other models would be substantial. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California It was intended that Mr Trump would choose his favourite of the designs after testing had been completed. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The President is yet to comment. AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Each prototype cost $300,000 to $500,000 to build and they are being knocked down in order to make way for the San Diego Secondary Wall project which will see up to 14 miles of barrier being built to support the existing steel border fence. AP Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new barrier will not employ the design of any of the prototypes, instead being built of the favoured steel bollards which make up the current section of the wall at San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The new secondary barrier being built near San Diego. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California The rubble of one of the demolished prototypes. Reuters Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A wall prototype made from a mix of steel and concrete AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A steel wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A concrete wall prototype AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California A digger approaches the prototype wall AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California Aerial view of the wall prototypes at the US-Mexico border after they were torn down AFP/Getty Trump prototypes for Mexico border wall demolished in California An aerial view showing Tijuana, Mexico on the left and the demolished wall prototypes on the right AFP/Getty Dozens more videos show similar detentions of the migrants an increasing number of whom are seeking asylum in the US after fleeing gang violence in their home countries. The organisation says its members stand up for the rights of every American and help keep America safe. However, the vigilante detentions on the border have been condemned by the ACLU, which described UCP as a fascist militia organisation. In a letter to New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and state attorney general Hector Balderas, the ACLU alleged the detentions were illegal and called for an investigation into the situation. It blamed Donald Trump anti-migrant rhetoric for encouraging the vigilante groups. [The United Constitutional Patriots] actions undermine the legitimate efforts of our states law enforcement officials to keep New Mexico families safe and they erode community trust, the letter added. The Trump administrations vile racism has emboldened white nationalists and fascists to flagrantly violate the law. This has no place in our state: we cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum. We urge you to immediately investigate this atrocious and unlawful conduct. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The offices of Ms Lujan Grisham and Mr Balderas did not respond to requests for comment. In March, then-US Customs and Border Protection commissioner Kevin McAleenan said authorities did not need the help of citizens to police the border. We are not asking for civil society groups to provide border security assistance, he said during a visit to Texan city El Paso. Additional reporting by Reuters Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Mueller report has convinced her that Donald Trump must be impeached. The Congresswoman said she had resisted calling for the president to undergo investigation, and that she would rather work on other priorities, but that the behaviour detailed in the newly released report had forced her to back calls for his removal. Ms Ocasio-Cortez said she took "no pleasure" in the discussion, "but the report squarely puts this on our doorstep". The stance puts her at odds with more senior Democrat colleagues. House speaker Nancy Pelosi last month said impeaching Mr Trump would "divide the country" and that he is "not worth it". But Ms Ocasio-Cortez claimed the report clearly pointed to wrondoing on the president's part and that Congress must investigate. 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 "Muellers report is clear in pointing to Congress responsibility in investigating obstruction of justice by the president," she wrote on Twitter. "It is our job as outlined in Article 1, Sec 2, Clause 5 of the US Constitution. Recommended Trump erupts over explosive Mueller revelations "As such, Ill be signing onto Rashida Tlaib's impeachment resolution." She acknowledged the proceedings were likely to run into problems with objections from the Senate and elsewhere. But she said she was unable to justify backing the investigation all the same. "While I understand the political reality of the Senate and election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate." She wrote on Twitter that she would rather be working on other priotities but that she had no choice but to give it her backing. "Many know I take no pleasure in discussions of impeachment. I didnt campaign on it, and rarely discuss it unprompted. "We all prefer working on our priorities: pushing Medicare for All, tackling student loans, and a Green New Deal. "But the report squarely puts this on our doorstep." Fellow new Congresswoman Ilhan Omar also said she had been convinced to back the impeachment of Donald Trump. "Impeachment is part of our constitutional responsibility," she wrote on Twitter. We have an obligation to investigate whether the President committed impeachable offenses", pointing to "obstruction of justice, violating the Emoluments Clause, collusion, and abuse of power" as possible avenues for investigation. House Democrats issued a subpoena Friday for Special Counsel Robert Muellers report into Russian election interference, a day after Attorney General William Barr released a redacted version of the nearly 450-page document. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said in a statement he expects the Justice Department to comply by 1 May. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward, he said. The subpoena has escalated a confrontation resulting between Congress and the Justice Department in the wake of the explosive report. Mr Barr, an appointee of Donald Trump, has been criticised for his handling of the report after the special counsel concluded its investigation, including his decision to hold a press conference defending the president hours before it was released to the public. While the special counsel declined to prosecute Mr Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress. 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 Mr Muellers report provides fresh evidence of the presidents interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning. My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice, Mr Nadler said in the statement. But the committees top Republican, Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was wildly overbroad and that Mr Trump already declined to assert executive privilege in a move of unprecedented openness. Mr Collins said Nadler was rushing the process for political gain. This is politically convenient, Mr Collins said, allowing the chairman to grandstand and rail against the attorney general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline. The attorney general sent Congress a redacted version of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Nadler said he is open to working with the department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability. The materials are due the day Mr Barr is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee and one day before the attorney general is set to appear before Mr Nadlers committee. The chairmen also has summoned Mr Mueller to testify. The Associated Press contributed to this report The release of the 400-page, redacted version of special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian election meddling and possible links to Donald Trumps presidential campaign is one of the most eagerly-awaited events of his first term. Following the release of attorney general William Barrs summary of the report last month, many have been waiting for a more detailed look at Mr Muellers findings. There have been particular questions still lingering over the issue of possible obstruction of justice by Mr Trump since the release of that summary. Here are the key points in the report, which has been split into two volumes. The first section covered the issue of Russian election interference and the second deals with the evidence surrounding possible obstruction. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin The instances of possible obstruction by the president Mr Muellers report makes clear that he did not feel able to pass a traditional legal judgement on whether Mr Trump obstructed justice, but the report does not exonerate him with a number of episodes of possible obstruction examined. There were at least 10 such episodes, such of which will be explained in greater detail later in this article. They include: The Trump campaigns response to reports about Russian support for the would-be president Conduct involving FBI Director James Comey, who initially led the Russia investigation until Mr Trump fired him in May 2017, and former White House national security advisor Michael Flynn Mr Trumps reaction to the Russia investigation as it was taking place including angry tweets deriding the investigation The presidents termination of Mr Comey The appointment of Mr Mueller special counsel and efforts to remove him. This includes attempts to have White House lawyer Don McGahn deny that Mr Trump ordered him to have Mr Mueller removed Efforts to curtail Mr Muellers investigation Efforts to prevent public disclosure of evidence that could prove useful to the investigation Further efforts to have the attorney general take control of the Russia investigation Conduct towards Mr Flynn, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and another redacted individual Conduct involving Mr Trumps former personal lawyer Michael Cohen Mr Muellers says at the start of the report: A statement that the investigation did not establish particular facts does not mean there no evidence of the facts. Mr Barr and attorney general Rod Rosenstein have decided that none of this evidence passes the threshold required to bring a criminal case. The investigation team involved dozens of investigators and lawyers At its height, the investigation had 19 attorneys, five from private practice, and 14 from the Department of Justice. There was also a number of other lawyers used to shift possible evidence. There were also three paralegal staff, nine administrative staff and more than 40 other FBI workers. There were 500 witnesses, 80 of whom were out in front of a grand jury. Trump thought he was f***** after Mr Mueller was appointed The president did not react too kindly to Mr Mueller being given the job as special counsel by Mr Rosenstein. The president is said to have slumped back in his chair and said: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f*****. Trumps campaign expected help from Russia but nobody conspired The report concludes that Russia definitely interfered in the 2016 election, but there was no conspiring between those on Trumps team and people connected to Russia despite a number of links between individuals. Here is what the report says: [T]he investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. The investigation was slowed by messages being deleted, including by Trump campaign officials As well as numerous guilty pleas from a number of people over lies told to Congress and the FBI during the Muller investigation, the report also registers the seeming frustration of the Mueller team that a number of potentially useful communications were deleted by those investigated. This included some people in the Trump campaign. Some of the individuals we interviewed or whose conduct we investigated including some associated with the Trump campaign deleted relevant communications or communicated using applications that feature encryption, the report says. Mueller chose not to subpoena Trump The report states that the written responses by the president to questions from investigators were inadequate, including that possible questions over obstruction of justice being left unanswered. However Mr Mueller said that due to the late stage of the investigation at the time, calling the president for testimony would cause a substantial delay and therefore one would not be issued. Donald Trump shares a no collusion megamix on Twitter Trumps attempts to fire Mr Mueller and influence Jeff Sessions were stopped Mr Mueller reports that aides and advisors in the White House refused to carry out orders from the president, preventing him from influencing the special counsels investigation through their own efforts. The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests, the report says. White House counsel Don McGahn received a phone call at home from Mr Trump on 17 June, 2017 directing him to call Mr Rosenstein and tell him Mr Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed. Mr McGahn is said to have refused and responded he would rather resign. In another section, a message from Mr Trump to then-attorney Jeff Sessions about limiting the special counsels investigation to future election interference was not passed on as the White House official involved, Rick Dearborn was uncomfortable with the task. 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 Mueller decided not to prosecute Trump Jr or Jared Kushner over Trump Tower meeting Mr Mueller decided that prosecuting either Donald Trump Jr, or White House advisor, and President Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner over actions in accepting and attending a meeting in June 2016 at Trump Tower with a Russian national who promised damaging information about election rival Hillary Clinton. Investigators could not prove Trump Jr or the other campaign officials at the meeting willfully violated the law. The other Trump official at the meeting was campaign chair Paul Manafort, who agreed to meet with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. The special counsel concluded that prosecuting the campaign officials present for campaign-finance violations would be too difficult to pursue. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mueller has left door open for Congress to investigate As part of the special counsels constitutional justification for its own investigation, it also points out that Congress can also apply obstruction laws in investigating and impeaching a sitting president. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, the report states. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has defended herself against accusations of lying to the American public after Robert Muellers report refuted several statements she previously made to the media. The White House press secretary joined Good Morning America a day after the report was released, where she was grilled about her previous claims that countless members of the FBI told her they were dissatisfied with James Comeys leadership at the agency before he was fired by Donald Trump. The report said those comments were not founded on anything and that Ms Sanders told investigators they were a slip of the tongue. On Friday, Ms Sanders attempted to clarify her comments in the report, telling ABCs George Stephanoloulos, Actually, if you look at what I said, I said the slip of the tongue was in using the word countless. There were a number of FBI both former and current that agreed with the presidents decision, she said. 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 While that may be true, it does not substantiate the claims the press secretary made in May 2017. Ms Sanders said during a 10 May press briefing that the president had countless conversations with members from within the FBI and ultimately determined the rank and file of the FBI had lost confidence in their director. She then told reporters the following day, I have heard from countless members of the FBI that are grateful and thankful for the presidents decision and I think we may have to agree to disagree. I can speak to my own personal experience, she continued. When asked how many members of the FBI she spoke to, Ms Sanders replied, Were not going to get into a numbers game here. The press secretary attempted to shift the focus Friday back to Mr Comey, calling him a disgraced leaker and claiming he used authorisation to spy on the Trump campaign. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The host continued pressing Ms Sanders, asking at one point, Why cant you acknowledge that what you said then was not true? She replied that her statements were made in the heat of the moment, adding, Im sorry that I wasnt a robot like the Democrat Party. Donald Trump has launched an angry and expletive-laden tirade in response to statements about him revealed in the Mueller report into Russian involvement in his election as president. The angry early morning outburst came after the release of the special counsel's findings revealed he had repeatedly attempted to obstruct justice, but that aides had refused to follow his instructions. "Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue," he said. In what is thought to be the first example of a sitting president swearing in a tweet, he added: "Watch out for people that take so-called notes, when the notes never existed until needed. "Because I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the Report about me, some of which are total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad)." 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 Mr Trump's tweet included an unfinished sentence and ellipsis at the end, usually suggesting a further post is to follow. But at the time of publication, two hours had passed from the "bullshit" tweet with no follow-up appearing on his feed. Recommended Pelosi refuses to comment on Trump impeachment after Mueller report While Mr Trump did not indicate which notes or statements he was objecting to, the 400-page Mueller report includes a series of embarrassing claims about the president. Some of those are said to be taken from contemporaneous notes, including the suggestion he described himself as "f**ed" when the probe began. "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im fucked," he said, according to notes from Jeff Sessions then-chief of staff, Jody Hunt. Mr Trump had initially attempted to present the Mueller report as a complete exoneration. Just before it was announced, he posted another tweet to his feed, addressed to his "haters" in which he referenced Game Of Thrones and wrote "Game Over" and "No Collusion. No Obstruction". A further statement from Mr Giuliani and Mr Trump's lawyers said "the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegations" and insisted that "the results of the investigation are a total victory for the president". Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was featured prominently in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at TrumpTower in June 2016. Although the report said "the campaign anticipated receiving derogatory documents and information" from Russians that "could assist Trump's electoral prospects", it said "the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that the participants at that meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful". The younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats. "Better luck next hoax!" he said. Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said that because the White House did not interfere with Mr Mueller's work, that "should make people feel good about democracy". "We're accepting apologies today, too," Ms Conway told reporters, adding that Mr Trump watched Mr Barr, talked to his lawyers and was in "a great mood". The president, who normally talks to reporters on his way out of the White House, declined to speak as he left to spend the Easter weekend in Florida. But from Air Force One, he tweeted: "I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didn't!" Appearing relaxed earlier on Friday at a military event, Mr Trump said a statue he had been presented with as a memento would have a permanent home "at least for six years, in the Oval Office". As the audience applauded and laughed, Mr Trump said he was going to joke and say "at least for 10 or 14 years, but we would cause bedlam if I said that". Additional reporting by agencies House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi has refused to comment on whether Congress could launch impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump in the wake of damning revelations in the newly released Mueller report. "Whatever the issue and challenge that we face, the Congress of the United States will honour its oath of office to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, to protect our democracy," Ms Pelosi told journalists in Belfast when asked about possible impeachment proceedings. "The legislative branch has a responsibility of oversight of our democracy and we will exercise that." Robert Mueller's report on his special counsel investigation into the Kremlin's role in the 2016 US election provided extensive details of links between the Trump campaign and Russians, as well as multiple instances in which the president attempted to interfere in the probe. Democratic leaders, including Ms Pelosi, have previously played down talk of impeachment, especially now the 2020 election is coming into view. But influential members of the party, including congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, yesterday backed a resolution calling for Mr Trump's impeachment. "While I understand the political reality of the Senate + election considerations, upon reading this DoJ report, which explicitly names Congress in determining obstruction, I cannot see a reason for us to abdicate from our constitutionally mandated responsibility to investigate," Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted on Thursday. 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range Show all 6 1 /6 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The mug 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler Jamie Raskin, a Democratic member of the House judiciary committee, said his reading of the report showed Mr Trump "almost certainly obstructed justice" and it was only his staff intervened to prevent certain actions. "We have a very serious situation on our hands," he said. "It's an awesome and solemn responsibility that Congress has now to try to deal with the crisis that's contained in this report." Did the report exonerate Trump? TRUMP: "As I have been saying all along, NO COLLUSION - NO OBSTRUCTION!" tweet Thursday. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE: "Today's release of the Special Counsel's report confirms what the President and I have said since day one: there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia and there was no obstruction of justice." KELLYANNE CONWAY, White House counselor: "What matters is what the Department of Justice and special counsel concluded here, which is no collusion, no obstruction, and complete exoneration, as the president says." THE FACTS: No. The special counsel specifically leaves open the question of whether the president obstructed justice. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment," the report states. The report identifies 10 instances of possible obstruction by Trump and said he might have "had a motive" to impede the investigation because of what it could find on a multitude of personal matters, such as his proposal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. "The evidence does indicate that a thorough FBI investigation would uncover facts about the campaign and the President personally that the President could have understood to be crimes or that would give rise to personal and political concerns," the report states. In explaining its decision, Mueller's team said reaching a conclusion on whether Trump committed crimes would be inappropriate because of Justice Department guidelines indicating that a sitting president should not be prosecuted. It nevertheless left open at least the theoretical possibility that Trump could be charged after he leaves office, noting that its factual investigation was conducted "in order to preserve the evidence when memories were fresh and documentary material were available." "Accordingly, while this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him," the report states. If special counsel Robert Muellers investigation makes one thing clear, its that many of the news reports that President Donald Trump branded as fake news were, in fact, very real news indeed. While Mr Muellers report didnt establish a criminal conspiracy and was unable to conclude that obstruction of justice occurred contrary to hours of speculation among cable-news pundits during Mr Muellers long investigation it also largely validated news accounts that Trump dismissed or disparaged. Instead, at least in the Mueller teams analysis, the fake news seems to have flowed not from the media but from the other direction. His report, released Thursday, cites multiple instances in which Trump and White House aides misled or lied to journalists or in public statements as the investigation was unfolding. On the day of Mr Muellers appointment, in May 2017, for example, White House aides said Trump reacted calmly to the news. 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range Show all 6 1 /6 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The mug 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The tee 'WITCH HUNT!' Trump cashes in on Mueller report with merchandise range The can cooler In fact, according to Mr Muellers report, Trumps first reaction was anything but calm. According to notes taken by an aide, Trump responded by saying: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f***ed ... This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters repeatedly in May 2017 that she personally had heard from countless members of the FBI that they were grateful and thankful to Trump for firing FBI director James Comey. That never happened, Mr Mueller said. He wrote that Ms Sanders later acknowledged to investigators that her comments were not founded on anything. Trump also dictated a press statement saying that he had fired Mr Comey based on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. But Mr Mueller found that Trump had already decided to fire James Comey before Gen Rosenstein had weighed in. Mr Trump backed down and later publicly acknowledged he intended to fire Mr Comey regardless of Gen Rosensteins memo after unnamed Justice Department officials made clear to him that they would resist the bogus justification, Mr Mueller said. Incoming White House aides also lied about press accounts they knew were accurate. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn directed an aide, KT McFarland, to call Washington Post columnist David Ignatius during the presidential transition in January 2017 and deny Mr Ignatius reporting about Mr Flynns conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. Ms McFarland knew she was providing false information when she called Mr Ignatius to dispute his surmise that Mr Flynn had discussed removing sanctions on Russia with Sergey Kislyak. (Prompted by Ms McFarlands call, The Post updated the column to note that a Trump official denied that Mr Flynn discussed sanctions.) Donald Trump shares a no collusion megamix on Twitter Mr Trump and his aides also knocked down an accurate New York Times story in May 2017 reporting that the president had asked Mr Comey for loyalty during a private dinner several months before his firing. Mr Trump even lied about who invited whom to dinner: He told NBC News anchor Lester Holt in an interview that month Mr Comey had asked for it because he wanted to stay on. Mr Mueller found evidence that the president extended the invitation to Mr Comey on 27 January. On the eve of Mr Comeys testimony to Congress that May, Mr Trump sought to raise questions about his credibility, when as Mr Mueller found it was Trumps credibility that was questionable. At the time, Trump tweeted, James Comey better hope there are no tapes of our conversation before he starts leaking to the press! Mr Comeys contemporaneous accounts of his meeting with Mr Trump and corroboration from his FBI colleagues also show that another New York Times story, branded as fake news by the president, was true. The Times reported that Trump had asked Mr Comey to end the investigation of Mr Flynn; Mr Mueller found substantial evidence that this was true, despite Mr Trump publicly saying otherwise. Mr Trump also tried to persuade then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn to deny stories in The Washington Post and the Times in early 2018 that Trump had asked Mr McGahn to fire Mr Mueller about seven months earlier. Mr McGahn refused repeatedly to undercut the stories because he knew they were accurate in reporting on the Presidents effort to have the Special Counsel removed. Mr Mueller noted that Trump challenged his lawyer for taking notes of their conversation. US attorney general William Barr says there was no collusion between Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election Why do you take notes? he asked Mr McGahn, according to the report. Lawyers dont take notes. I never had a lawyer who took notes. Mr McGahn said he kept notes because he is a real lawyer and to establish a record. Mr Trump replied, Ive had a lot of great lawyers, like Roy Cohn. He did not take notes. Mr Cohn, who was chief counsel to Senator Joseph McCarthy, during Mr McCarthys communist-hunting hearings in the 1950s, was disbarred by a New York court in 1986 because of dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation. The Washington Post - additional reporting by Margaret Sullivan Donald Trump ordered the man who would later serve briefly as his national security adviser, Michael Flynn, to find thousands of missing emails from Hillary Clintons computer server at the height of the 2016 presidential campaign, the special counsels report revealed on Thursday. The episode is among the closest that investigators came to uncovering an instance in which Mr Trump himself appeared to use whatever means necessary to locate the messages. However, it stops short of saying he encouraged a breach of his opponents computers, networks or email accounts. Trump had insisted at the time that he was only joking when he encouraged Russian hackers to find and disclose 30,000 deleted emails from Ms Clintons servers. But behind the scenes, Trump was serious, according to the report by special counsel Robert Mueller. 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 It said that Mr Flynn, by then a retired three-star Army intelligence officer, told the investigators that Trump made this request repeatedly, and Flynn subsequently contacted multiple people in an effort to obtain the emails. As it turned out, Russias military intelligence unit and supporters of Mr Trumps campaign had apparently independently sought the email trove, convinced that it contained embarrassing material that could prove decisive on election day. Ms Clintons use of a private email server while she was secretary of state had been the focus of a lengthy investigation by the FBI, and Mr Trump, calling his campaign opponent Crooked Hillary, was eager to turn attention to her actions. Moscows most intense efforts came just five hours after Trump first signalled his desire by declaring in Florida in July 2016, Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. Skilled Russian attackers working for two different military units of Russias GRU intelligence agency one called Unit 26165, another Unit 74455 went to work on exactly that task. Mr Muellers investigators never cracked the mystery of how they knew, within hours, which servers and accounts to try to breach. They failed. But Trumps deputy campaign manager, Rick Gates, was so certain that the emails would soon be on the way that by late summer 2016, he was planning a press strategy, a communications campaign and messaging based on the possible release of Clinton emails by WikiLeaks. The picture of those and other hacking efforts that emerged from Mr Muellers report is, not surprisingly, a complex mix of political desires in Moscow and New York, and a complex series of computer breaches that, at times, the Russians carried out with remarkable precision. Mr Mueller concluded that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, and for nearly 200 pages it lays out details of that effort. Because there will never be the equivalent of a 9/11 Commission report on perhaps the most famous and consequential state-sponsored attempt to hack an election, the report will stand as the final word on what happened, even if it does not address how to prevent future breaches. Meanwhile, a candidate who understood very little about how computers and networks operate was clamouring for the leak of data from Clintons private server, the special counsels investigation found. Mr Mueller found no evidence that Russians and the Trump campaign worked together, and that while the Russians easily infiltrated the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, they appeared to have a difficult time doing so with Clintons own personal server. Donald Trump says he's 'having a good day' following Mueller report release The account of those efforts may be the closest the nation comes to understanding the details of the largest cyber-operation ever initiated against a US election. Mueller found that Russian military intelligence units and Trumps campaign found themselves working opposite ends of a mutually beneficial, but uncoordinated, effort. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the report concludes, there was no finding that any member of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. When General Flynn received the request from Trump, he contacted Barbara Ledeen, a former Senate staff member close to the retired general, and Peter Smith, an investment adviser. The investigators concluded that as early as December 2015, long before the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee became known, Ms Ledeen had sent a 25-page proposal to Smith about how to obtain what she believed were classified emails that had already been purloined by our enemies. The exchange was included in emails the special counsel obtained during the investigation. Ms Ledeen urged a search of public sources, in hopes that some of the Clinton emails had been leaked by foreign intelligence services that she believed had perhaps already extracted them from Ms Clintons server in Chappaqua, New York. If that failed, she wanted to make contact with various foreign services to see if any of them had cracked the server. After initially turning down the idea, Mr Smith eventually had a change of heart, the report states, after Trumps requests in July 2016. Ms Ledeen later contended she had found a trove of the emails on what she termed the dark web referring to parts of the web that are not searchable, and that are often used for criminal activity. But it turned out that the trove was not authentic, the report says, prompting a more fevered search. Donald Trump shares a no collusion megamix on Twitter Mr Smith wrote in one message that all 33k deleted emails would be released by 1 Nov on WikiLeaks, a week before the election. They never appeared. Trump continued to insist that Russia was unlikely to have been responsible for any of the hacking activity around the 2016 campaign. After meeting President Vladimir Putin of Russia for the first time in Hamburg, Germany, in 2017, Mr Trump called a reporter and noted that Mr Putin had denied being behind the breaches, quoting him as saying, If we did, we wouldnt have gotten caught, because were professionals. Trump said he believed that explanation, because they are some of the best in the world. Mr Muellers report concluded that they were good but ultimately failed to cover their tracks. The New York Times With the release of the Mueller investigation on Thursday, albeit in lightly redacted form, there are now as many questions as there are answers. And while the investigation did not find evidence the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, it uncovered multiple links between Trump campaign officials and individuals tied to the Russian government. The Independent spoke to legal expert and writer Colin Kalmbacher, who had much to say about Mr Muellers findings. The report highlighted that multiple members of the Trump campaign received some form of communication from Russian officials. Paul Manafort, Rick Gates, George Papadopoulos, Michael Flynn, Michael Cohen, Roger Stone, Alex van der Zwaan, Konstantin Kilimnik, and 25 Russian nationals were indicted by the Special Counsel. On that, Mr Kalmbacher said that: Its beyond implausible the Trump Administration was unaware of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and any sleight-of-hand responses from administration officials that downplay such knowledge are not only off-base but, because theyre so ridiculous, also read as suspect. President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr, and other campaign officials have touted the claim of no collusion as the Special Counsel was unable to come to the conclusion that the group willfully violated the law in the case of the Trump Tower meeting, or intentionally colluded with Russia, but could not prove overall that justice was not obstructed. 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 Kalmbacher said that "it is imperative to differentiate between: (1) Russian government actors; and (2) non-governmental actors. Mr Muellers redacted report and years worth of public knowledge have established that highly placed Trump 2016 campaign officials made contact with Russian nationals not directly affiliated with the Russian Federation. In other words, obviously the Trump campaign had contacts with Russians but theres nothing immoral, illegal or otherwise untoward about that. Only the most irresponsible and reckless and almost certainly incorrect reporting has suggested that Trump campaign apparatchiks actually had conspiratorial meetings with Russian Federation agents keyed toward cheating Donald Trump across the finish line by way of razor-thin margins in the Midwestern United States. As far as the latter is concerned, if I were summing up the extent of the Trump campaigns efforts with Russian Federation agents, Id have to emphasise the Mueller report's bottom-line finding that 'the investigation did not establish such coordination.'" Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events As for the charges laid against Manafort in Virginia? They weren't linked to collusion at all. Mr Kalmbacher said: I covered the Manafort trial in Virginia in person. This was all fairly run-of-the-mill gilded upper crust tax evasion and bank fraud. In other words: the story of American wealth. It would have been nice if the Manafort prosecution led to an American Spring focused on uprooting the methods by which the wealthy and well-connected game our system: but thats not where things were headed. Manafort, the president's former campaign manager, was in March sentenced to nearly four years in prison on tax and bank fraud. "You could prosecute most people who make over six figures for the same kind of stuff Manafort was convicted of in Virginia but our system is actually set up to facilitate white collar crime and none of that had anything directly to do with politics; he was interested in finding ways to launder his money earned in Ukraine, sure. But even these white collar crimes were fairly pedestrian stuff: lying on his taxes, hiding income, inflating assets. Is this the kind of thing society really thinks people should be caged for? The section on Trump Campaign and the Dissemination of Hacked Materials begins with: The Trump Campaign showed interested in WikiLeakss releases of hacked materials throughout the summer of 2016, and is mostly redacted from that point. The report states On July 22, 2016, WikiLeaks posted thousands of internal DNC documents revealing information about the Clinton Campaign. Within days, there was public reporting that US Intelligence agencies had high confidence that the Russian government was behind the theft of emails and documents from the DNC. Recommended AOC accuses GOP of double standards over impeachment Was Mr Mueller aware that the Trump campaign knew the emails were going to be released before they were? Mr Kalmbacher believes so. He replied, Well, yes. But thats hardly surprising and not the least bit incriminating because Wikileaks themselves teased the existence of the leaks before they were released. Continuing, he added: This is one of the more hare-brained episodes in the entire Russiagate drama. The idea that a hatchet man like Roger Stone had access to some secret pool of knowledge or that he was buddying around with Julian Assange in a bid to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House. Its absolutely ridiculous. Theres no need for grand designs or cloak-and-dagger espionage. Were not dealing with a Graham Greene character here. Anyone on either side of the equation should think twice about romancing Roger Stone. Hes not a scheming mastermind or a windswept hero. The Trump campaign knew about potentially harmful Clinton-related releases because Roger Stone was capable of using a Twitter account. The report notes that "Beginning in June 2016, [redacted] forecast to senior Campaign officials that WikiLeaks would release information damaging to candidate Clinton. WikiLeakss first release came in July 2016." "What an interesting coincidence," said Mr Kalmbacher. "Except that its not interesting whatsoever. Wikileaks publically teased the forthcoming release of Clinton-centric data in May of 2016. May comes before June. The real story here and the revealing piece of information is why it took Roger Stone at least two weeks to alert his superiors about this impending release. Thats hardly expert timing or even great ability to read for comprehension. But, of course, its not Roger Stones timing or reading comprehension thats important here. The key point: the narrative of Stones scheming nefariousness is almost completely fictitious. As for the legal implications of the report? Most of the report on this subject is redacted. So, there are, presumably legal implications and Id imagine the lines dedicated to those implications outline some of the still-working parts in the ongoing Stone prosecution. Mr Kalmbacher continued: More directly: dont be so stupid as to lie about non-crimes. Other than that, no. Theres nothing illegal about relying on Wikileaks for campaign dirt. Wikileaks is a publishing company. They provide information they do journalism that powerful people do not like." Recommended Russia mocks US over Mueller report Mr Mueller has decided to not prosecute those involved with the Trump tower meeting (Donald J Trump Jr, Manafort, and Jared Kushner) despite Mr Trump Jr setting up the meeting due to the offer of some official documents and information that would incriminate Hillary and her dealings with Russia and would be very useful to your father as there was no proof that they willfully violated the law. But which campaign law is this based on, and what exactly about their behaviour didn't violate it? This is based on 11 CFR 110.20. Ive actually written about why Mr Mueller wouldnt charge Trump Jr. over this meeting before. Turns out my prediction was half right. Mr Mueller, like most lawyers, has a habit of arguing with himself. In essence he decided not to prosecute Trump Jr. for two reasons: (1) it would be hard to classify opposition research as a thing of value and this would have been the first time in US history that such an effort would have been made; and (2) because of a tick (feature or bug?) in campaign finance law, ignorance of the law actually is an excuse and here, Mr Mueller determined that Trump Jr. was not familiar with the intricacies of campaign finance law. Who really is, though? Campaign Legal Center thats about it. "Mr Mueller is a conservative Republican whose interests and loyalties are pretty clear he wasnt there to rock the boat or make precedent. So, its no surprise that he didnt go after the 45th presidents oldest son. Finally, why did none of this add up to collusion? Collusion was almost always never going to be proved or shown simply because its not the legal term of art applicable here. He continued: Collusion only exists in antitrust law in the US. I cant recall exactly when or how it transposed itself into our cultural lexicon but its basically been used as a smokescreen. "Mueller obviously cant prove something thats entirely inapplicable. But, again, prosecutors can easily prove conspiracy if they want to. They can easily prove campaign finance crimes if they want to. They can easily go after regulatory infractions a la Manafort if they want to. The decision not to charge here was a conscious one not to create controversy because the case, if charged, would have, simply, ruined peoples lives. And, it seems, Mueller didnt deem that damage equivalent to the potential crimes he probably saw." With a wall of red-orange flames rapidly advancing, and Notre Dames vast chambers reaching oven-like temperatures, the commander of the Paris fire brigade made a painful choice on Monday evening. He told his firefighters to retreat. Losing a beloved medieval relic would be devastating, of course, but losing human lives in a hopeless effort to save the building would be even worse. But Jean-Claude Gallet, the commander, had a backup plan: Colossus, a 1,100-pound tank-like robot with the ability to venture into danger zones where conditions would quickly kill a person. Using a motorised water cannon capable of firing more than 660 gallons per minute, Colossus took aim at the stone walls of the ancient cathedral and began spraying. Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Show all 5 1 /5 Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Fenice theatre, Venice The Fenice theatre in Venice illuminated with the colors of the French flag EPA Notre Dame fire: Global tributes The dome of the Chapel of the Shroud, Turin The dome of the Chapel of the Shroud in Turin illuminated with the colors of the French flag EPA Notre Dame fire: Global tributes One World Trade Centre, New York City One World Trade Centre is lit in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the people of France REUTERS Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Stari Most bridge, Mostar The Stari Most bridge in the Bosnia and Herzegovina city of Mostar lit in colours of the French flag AFP/Getty Images Notre Dame fire: Global tributes Empire State Building, New York City Empire State Building is lit in the colors of the French flag in solidarity with the people of France REUTERS In an interview with The Times, Mr Gallet credited the fire-fighting robot with lowering temperatures inside the glass-filled nave and saving the lives of its human counterparts as an even greater disaster loomed. Time was against us, the wind was against us and we had to get the upper hand, Gabriel Plus, a spokesman for the Paris fire brigade, told the paper. The priority we set was to save the two belfries. Imagine if the timber of the belfries had been weakened and the bells had collapsed. That was really our fear. In the beginning, it was not impossible to imagine that the cathedral structure could collapse. The machines heroic role in the Notre Dame fire may be remembered as the beginning of a new era of robotic firefighting. Over the last decade or so, experts say, different countries and organisations have begun developing machines that fight fires and gather information, potentially offering a sophisticated new tool in a fire departments arsenal. The machines keep people out of harms way and provide an alternative to the age-old practice of hauling a heavy, unwieldy fire-hose into a cluttered building. Colussus is far from the only robotic firefighter available for action. In China, video has emerged of firefighting robots taking part in drills alongside human firefighters. Howe and Howe Technologies a company that specialises in creating military vehicles and robots has developed several firefighting robots that are designed to operate in industrial environments using foam or water. Remarkable footage shows firefighters battling Notre Dame flames Lockheed Martins Fire Ox, a robotic fire truck that can be controlled using a game style controller, was designed to fight wildfires or structure fires, Myron Mills, who helped develop the vehicle, told Bloomberg in 2014. The US Navy has also begun experimenting with a 5'10" humanoid robot to fight fires. The Terminator-like machine was designed to throw propelled extinguishing agent (PEAT) grenades and handle a fire hose, according to CNN. The Colossus robot is deployed with the Paris Firefighter Brigade and other with many other French or foreign Regional Services of Fires & Rescues, according to Shark Robotics, the French company that created the machine. The robotics companys website doesnt reveal the robots price tag and the company didnt respond to a request for comment. Shark Robotics says the Colossus which is 2.5 feet wide and 5.25 feet long can carry 1,200 pounds and be operated from almost 1,000 feet away. Controlled using a joystick, the machine is waterproof, fireproof and can even withstand thermal radiation, according to the company. It can crawl up stairs. The machines lithium ion batteries can last for up to eight hours, and the robot can be equipped with cameras, sensors and a smoke extracting fan. Brian Lattimer, the vice president of research and development at the safety engineering and consulting firm Jensen Hughes, said operating in dangerous environments is only part of the appeal of firefighting robots. In the near future, he said, robots will be equipped with sensors that allow them to see through heavy smoke and steam, locating obstacles and identifying hot spots that can be targeted with water. Right now, he said, one of the downsides to robots is they operate best in open environments like a warehouse or a spacious cathedral. Over time, he said, the machines will be equipped with increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence that will allow them to operate with more autonomy, presumably as the machines become more agile. The goal will be for firefighters to be in the loop with these robots to assist and evaluate the hazards so they can plan an effective response, Mr Lattimer said. Eventually, well have collaborative teams of robots in the air and on the ground that will work closely with people and reduce the risk to human life. The Washington Post Lines of corrugated iron, black hats and sidelocks guide you to the tomb of Rabbi Nachman. Somewhere inside the maze, dozens of joyous Hasidic pilgrims are reciting the 10 psalms they hope will will bring them relief from all sins. They are some of the hundreds of thousands of Hasidic pilgrims that each year make their way to Uman, a town lost in the middle of Ukraine and arguably a previous century too. Nachman, a mystical teacher somewhat obsessed with the transgression of "wasted seed" (masturbation), came to Umans hills in 1810, as a seriously ill man, close to death. According to legend, he wanted to rest here in order to die alongside the some 2,000 martyrs killed in the towns infamous 1768 pogrom. Nachman told his disciples that they too should make the trip to Uman after his death and since that time, the town has become the equivalent of a Hasidic Mecca. Like the rest of Ukraine, Uman hasnt always been a good place for Jews. Persecution has accompanied almost every stage of history: from the pogroms of the 19th and early 20th centuries to the Communists, who from 1917 sealed the city off from foreigners. The worst page of history came in 1941, with Hitlers invasion, sending the towns entire Jewish population of at least 17,000 to open pits in one of the very first acts of the Holocaust. Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Show all 26 1 /26 Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Volodymyr Zelenskiy, centre right, and his wife Olena Zelenska, greet supporters after exit polling gave the comedian a commanding lead AP Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Outgoing Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko raises his hand with his wife Maryna at his party headquarters in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy reacts following the announcement of the first exit poll REUTERS Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Comedian and leading Ukrainian presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy plays ping pong with a journalist at his election night gathering in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Election officials count ballots at a polling station in Kiev during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures People walk in front of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen sit in a truck to head to a polling station, near the front line with pro-Russian separatists, near Butivka, Donetsk region AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishke AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian citizens living in Kyrgyzstan vote in Ukraine's presidential election at a polling station in the Ukrainian embassy in Bishkek AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, on. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 2 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky waves in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Former Ukrainian Prime Minister and presidential candidate Yulia Tymoshenko speaks with the media after casting her ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky casts his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky gestures in front of voting booths at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian comic actor, showman and presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky walks with his ballot at a polling station during Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev AFP/Getty Images Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A view of the building of the Ukrainian Central Election Commission in Kiev during Ukraine's presidential election. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (L) casts his ballot at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election, The 53-year-old president has positioned himself during the political campaign as the only person able to stand up to the Kremlin and has promised to return Crimea to Ukraine if he is re-elected. AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A voter emerges from the voting booth after filling out her ballot for Ukraine's presidential election in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21. Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian president Petro O. Poroshenko (C), running for re-election, receives his ballot in Ukraine's presidential election on in Kiev, Ukraine. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters will face off in a second-round election on April 21 Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A woman holds her ballot as she leaves a voting booth at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. - Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures A young girl casts the ballot of a man at a polling station in Kiev on the first round of Ukraine's presidential election. Exit polls are expected when voting stations close at 8 pm local time (1700 GMT). First preliminary results are expected several hours after. Barring a shock result in which one candidate crosses the 50 percent threshold in the first round, a run-off will be held on April 21 AFP/Getty Ukraine Elections 2019 in pictures Ukrainian servicemen queue to cast their ballots at a polling station near the front line line with pro-Russian separatists near Avdiivka, Donetsk region, during the first round of Ukraine's presidential election AFP/Getty But now, it seems, Uman, like the rest of the country, is about to break with tradition and help elect Ukraines first ever president with Jewish origins. Bar a major upset, comedian Volodymyr Zelensky will beat incumbent Petro Poroshenko handsomely in this Sundays elections. Most predictions are now focused on the scale of his landslide, with numbers increasing with each new poll. Its a prospect that has created considerable excitement among locals especially among the 6,000 or so Jewish returnee population. Oleh Vyshnevetsky, head of the local Jewish community group, says Jews can immediately see a kindred spirit in Zelensky. They were especially proud, he says, by the way the presidential favourite stood by his Jewish identity in rebuffing Ukraines populist ethnic-nationalist politician Oleh Lyashko, leader of the Radical Party. Lyashko had accused Zelensky of lacking patriotism. Zelensky jokingly responded by threatening to unleash his Jewish mother on him. We adore the way he manages to find laughter in the tragedy of our country, he says. But Zelenskys appeal stretches far beyond the Jewish population. Remarkably, it extends also into groups who identify with national icons associated with serious antisemitic crimes, including collaboration with the Nazis in extermination practices. Vyshnevetsky hopes Zelenskys election will give the nation an opportunity to come to terms with its past. Almost every national hero is essentially an executioner of the Jewish nation, he says. But even Stepan Banderas supporters in western Ukraine are with Zelensky, he says of the Ukrainian nationalist leader, who was assassinated in 1959. Maybe this will help find some peace. Signs in Hebrew in Umans Hasidic district (Oliver Carroll) Perhaps surprising for a country still commonly associated with antisemitism thanks in large part to the unhindered violent actions of far-right groups like C14 and Azov, who have some links to government Zelenskys Jewish heritage has not been an obvious election issue in the campaign. Early on, there were signs the Jewish card might be used. At one point, one of Poroshenkos advisers wrote a social media post, claiming the country needed a Ukrainian, Christian leader in times of war. Another nationalist writer and commentator, Dmytro Korchynskaya, made the point more explicitly: the president of Ukraine was a coat of arms for the country; he could not be Jewish. But such talk has mostly been limited to fringe commentators and anonymous social media posts. Its obvious from the way the campaign has played out that Jewishness is no longer considered a negative thing, says Vyacheslav Likhachev, head of National Minorities Rights, a group monitoring xenophobia and hate crimes in Ukraine. Likhachevs group has recorded a marked decrease in antisemitism over the past five years. While vandalism still happens from time to time Umans Jewish cemetery remains under lock and key, for example, after a spate of attacks violence has thankfully become very rare. A major study showed Ukraine to have the lowest level of antisemitism across the whole of eastern Europe. A memorial plaque near to Umans central square marks the underground cellar where 2,000 local Jews were poisoned to death with diesel fumes under German occupation in 1941 (Oliver Carroll) The dynamic is a positive one, with data showing that the vast majority of Ukrainians view Jewish people in positive terms and as their own, he says. The conflicts of the past have been largely forgotten. Even more surprisingly, Ukrainians also seem unfussed by Zelenskys association with the oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky. The businessman, who wears his Jewishness even more prominently than Zelensky, has revelled in his caricature image as a tough and cynical tycoon. Under ordinary circumstances, he would be an obvious target for attack. But Kolomoiskys villainous image has been tempered somewhat by the critical role he played in 2014, stopping the wave of Russian-inspired counter-revolutions in the east. Using means fair and foul, the then-Dnepropetrovsk regional governor helped halt the advance, and probably changed the course of history. For that reason, many Ukrainians view him much more positively than before. Under Kolomoiskys leadership, Jewish community organisations across the land were prominent supporters of the push against Russian-backed aggression. Vyshnevetskys Jewish organisations were no exception. They supported the Ukrainian army, and backed the Euromaidan revolution, though they didnt announce it widely at the time. These newest pages of history have changed the way many Ukrainians view the Jewish community, Vyshnevetsky says. We used to get vandals writing piss off to Israel here in Uman, he says. All that stopped once Israel offered to help rehabilitate our wounded soldiers. The switch in attitudes is mirrored in statistical data from the Kiev International Institute of Sociology. For the past 30 years, the centre has asked Ukrainians if they would accept various social groups as their neighbours, partners, friends and family. These polls show a dramatic uptick in numbers after 2014. It seems that Ukrainians began to see the Jewish people as being on their side, as loyal to Ukraine, says the monitor Likhachev. The social distance has decreased exponentially. Back in Uman, the Hebrew signs and the frenzy of the Hasidic quarter, for the most part, maintain an otherworldly distance from the rest of the town. But even here, Sundays elections have brought locals and visiting pilgrims together in a lively discussion. Oleh Vyshnevetsky, head of the local Jewish community group in Uman, says Jews can immediately see a kindred spirit in Zelensky (Oliver Carroll) Nathan, surname withheld, a frequent visitor from Beit Shemesh, Israel, says the topic has caused surprise and interest in the Orthodox community across the world. The election of a Jewish president in Ukraine offers one bright spot in an otherwise dismal picture, he says. When my dad first came to Uman in the 1960s, he was watched over at every moment of the day by Intourist officials that everyone understood were KGB officers. Some people managed to escape and hide in the forests. So weve come far. (Intourist was the Soviet travel company via which all foreigners had to arrange trips to the bloc.) But with the idealisation of the far right here, you understand that the hatred is never far away. Jews can never be too optimistic about the future. Barack Obama was Americas first black president, but he was followed by a racist. Others, like Yaakov Dov Bleich, Ukraines American-born Chief Rabbi, are more sanguine. Adviser to candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine ripe for change Ukraine is a young country in the early stages of its development, he tells The Independent. Yes, the country needed to find new heroes, but that couldnt come quickly. Of course, memory politics, with the repugnant fetishisation of the far right, remained an issue. But democracy and the democratic process were key to improving tolerance. In Bleichs view, Ukraine has progressed significantly in this regard during the five years of Petro Poroshenkos presidency. I happen to think Poroshenko did a phenomenal job, but if democracy does give us Zelensky, so be it, he says. The idea of a Jewish president does not come without risks, he adds. You only need to look at the unjust criticism Poroshenko received to understand this. People are going to have problems with Zelensky too. When you put his Jewishness into the mix, it might get dangerous. The United Nations has urged the international community to take responsibility for the children of their citizens who joined Isis in Syria, as thousands remain stranded in unsafe camps. An estimated 30 British children are currently languishing in camps across the Kurdish-held north of the country, most of whom emerged with their parents from the Isis caliphate in its dying days. The British government has so far refused to repatriate any of its citizens who went to join Isis, citing security fears. Separating the children from their parents would also raise legal questions. The UNs humanitarian envoy for Syria warned on Thursday that some 2,500 foreign children stuck in the camps are in desperate need of help, and made a special plea to the international community to take responsibility for their own citizens. Children should be treated first and foremost as victims and irrespective of family affiliation, said Panos Moumtzis, UN humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis. There is a prime responsibility of states vis-a-vis their own nationals. Really nobody should be rendered stateless and every effort should be made to find a solution for these people, he told a Geneva news briefing. Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Show all 14 1 /14 Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Trucks full of women and children arrive from the last Isis-held areas in Deir ez-Zor, Syria Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Zikia Ibrahim, 28, with her two-year-old son and 8-month-old daughter, after fleeing the Isis caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Men who fled the last Isis-held area of Syria line up to be questioned by American and Kurdish intelligence officials Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate A young girl pulls her belongings after arriving Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate An SDF fighter hands out bread to women and children after they arrive Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Sita Ghazzar, 70, after fleeing from the last Isis-held territory in Syria Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate A family from Russia who recently fled the last Isis-held area of Syria Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent Syria at war: Fleeing the caliphate Richard Hall/The Independent The plight of British children stuck in Syria made the headlines last month when the infant child of Shamima Begum, named Jarrah, died in one of the camps. The British teenager fled her home in Bethnal Green to join Isis in Syria in 2015. In the caliphates final days, thousands of women and children fled the last Isis stronghold in Baghouz, eastern Syria. Ms Begum arrived heavily pregnant at the al-Hol camp in early February, after leaving the last-held areas under the terror groups control. She gave birth to her son there shortly after, having already lost two children. Labours shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott, blamed the death on the callous decision to strip Ms Begum of her citizenship, which rendered her effectively stateless. It is against international law to make someone stateless, and now an innocent child has died as a result of a British woman being stripped of her citizenship, Ms Abbott said. Some 211 children have died at the camp or on the way to it since December, the latest UN figures show, most of malnutrition or disease. Aid groups have been sounding the alarm over conditions in the camps for months. The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which operates at the largest of those facilities, al-Hol camp, said last month that it was at breaking point. We have seen a staggering number of children die on the journey to al-Hol camp due to a combination of malnutrition and hypothermia, said Misty Buswell, the IRCs Middle East advocacy director. There is now an urgent need for thousands more family tents to get to al-Hol to help shelter the latest arrivals as well as increased funding to support the health crisis unfolding at the camp. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish and Arab militia backed by the UK in the fight against Isis, has said previously that it does not have the resources to hold foreign Isis members and their families indefinitely. A UK government spokesperson told The Independent: The government does not have a consular presence within Syria from which to provide consular assistance. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Syria, and that British nationals should leave by any practical means. We will not put British officials lives at risk to assist those who have left the UK to join a proscribed terrorist organisation. If a British child who has been in Syria is able to seek consular assistance outside of Syria, then we would work with local and UK authorities to facilitate their return if requested, the spokesperson added. Q I have a one way, first class flight booking with Jet Airways from Mumbai to London next month, booked using Virgin frequent flyer points and ticketed by Virgin Atlantic. If Jet Airways cant fly me, is Virgin obliged to offer me an alternative flight on another carrier? Theyve offered a full refund but that wont help me secure a one way ticket home, possibly at short notice. What I want is a first class ticket (on another carrier) which I have paid for. Do you know if Virgin are obliged to provide this or can they fob me off with business class? Luke K A From Mumbai to Heathrow, the only other airline with first class is British Airways. I have just checked and the lowest one way fare I can see is 4,500. So I am afraid that I cannot see Virgin Atlantic buying you a first-class ticket on BA. And because the original was booked for travel on a non-European Union airline from an airport outside the EU, the air passengers rights rules, known as EU261, wont help you. (The fact that Virgin Atlantic is British is irrelevant.) Emporium Logan Squares holiday celebration will span two days, beginning with a Friday evening meal from Herbal Notes, a cannabis dinner pop-up series in Chicago. Herbal Notes chef and co-founder Manny Mendoza infuses his food with the non-psychoactive CBD compound, which is what hell do for Fridays menu. A CBD cocktail bar will also be available for the supper. On Saturday, both Emporium locations will get in on the 4/20 action, as the Logan Square arcade bar will host a Cannabis Market featuring all cannabis everything: medical cannabis education, cultivators, authors, glass, art, music, a full CBD bar, Get a Card cannabis sign-ups and other activities. A lineup of vendors including cannabis advocates, product-makers, live art, music and glass will also set up shop during the event. Once again, Herbal Notes will be there, this time with a food truck, as well as a separate CBD cocktail bar. Later, at the Wicker Park location, Terrapin Flyer, a Chicago Grateful Dead-devoted band, will play a special 4/20 show Saturday night. There will be a CBD cocktail bar there as well. Two very different political waves are sweeping through the Middle East and north Africa. Popular protests are overthrowing the leaders of military regimes for the first time since the failed Arab Spring of 2011. At the same time, dictators are seeking to further monopolise power by killing, jailing or intimidating opponents who want personal and national liberty. Dictators in Sudan and Algeria, who between them had held power for 50 years, were driven from office in the space of a single month in April, though the regimes they headed are still there. The ousting of Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir, now under arrest, came after 16 weeks of protests. Hundreds of thousands continue to demonstrate, chanting civilian rule, civilian rule and we will remain in the street until power is handed over to civilian authority. The protesters are conscious of one of the what not to do lessons of 2011, when mass demonstrations in Egypt got rid of President Hosni Mubarak, only to see him replaced two years later by an even more authoritarian dictatorship led by General Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. A referendum is to be held over three days from this Saturday on constitutional amendments that will enable el-Sisi to stay in power until 2030. Given that he was re-elected president last year by 97 per cent of the vote the remaining 3 per cent going to a last-minute candidate who did not campaign and enthusiastically supported el-Sisi there is no doubt about the outcome of the poll. Fortunately, even hypocritical respect for democratic forms can backfire, as shown by recent events in Algeria. In February, it was announced that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, nominally in power for 20 years but apparently in a coma since 2014, would stand for a fifth term. This, like the Egyptian referendum, was an expression of contempt for any real popular mandate. Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Show all 20 1 /20 Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum to demand that President Omar al-Bashir step down Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Alaa Salah leads the protest against President Omar al-Bashir Lana Haroun/Twitter Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Protesters run from tear gas deployed by security forces as they take part in a demonstration to demand the departure of the Sudanese government EPA Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 8 Sudan Congress Party Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 10 Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Alaa Salah, a Sudanese woman propelled to internet fame earlier this week after clips went viral of her leading powerful protest chants against President Omar al-Bashir, addresses protesters outside of the military headquarters in Khartoum AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters march on the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 8 AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters pray as they rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters chant slogans as they march in protest against President Omar al-Bashir Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 8 AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 8 AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters climb onto a military vehicle beside soldiers during protests in Khartoum AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Security forces deploy tear gas to disperse protesters against the Sudanese government Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters rally outside the military headquarters in Khartoum on April 8 AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan A wounded protester rests during a demonstration in front of the military headquarters in Khartoum AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan A Sudanese protester shows bullet cartridges as protesters gather in Khartoum AFP/Getty Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Protesters march on the military headquarters in Khartoum Sudan Congress Party Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan Sudanese protesters march on the defence ministry in Khartoum to demand that President Omar al-Bashir step down Reuters Military HQ occupied by anti-government protesters in Sudan A Sudanese protester picks up waste during a demonstration in front of the military headquarters in Khartoum AFP/Getty But the contempt went a little bit too far and Bouteflika has been replaced by another old regime figure, Abdelkader Bensalah, backed by, among others, the army chief of staff Ahmed Gaid Salah. Protesters reject these cosmetic changes and have continued to demonstrate in the face of mass arrests and beatings by the police. The success of popular action and civil disobedience in Sudan and Algeria has been treated sceptically by commentators speaking in gloomy tones of a rerun of the 2011 protests, which began in Tunisia and sparked further protests in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria and Bahrain. In these last five countries, a brief democratic spasm was followed by savage repression (Egypt and Bahrain) or permanent war (Libya, Yemen, Syria). The pessimists might just be getting it wrong this time round, just as the optimists did eight years ago. The revolutionaries have learned from their past defeats. There are no chants in Khartoum today, as there were in Cairo in 2011, that the army and the people are one. More realise that armies in the Arab world are parasitic entities, bloated maggots that live off the flesh of the rest of the population. The political, social and economic ingredients that went into igniting the Arab Spring are still there because repression and poverty have got worse. Thirty million Egyptians, a third of the population, live below the poverty line on less than $2.50 a day. The public debt is five times what it was five years ago, while the government favours giant vanity projects like a $45bn new administrative capital. It is in the interests of the opposition in Sudan and Algeria to keep their protests peaceful whatever the provocation. Militarisation of a crisis like this is always in the interest of the powers-that-be because they know that, in the words of the Hilaire Belloc rhyme: Whatever happens, we have got/ The Maxim gun and they have not. Once regular soldiers get shot at, they are less likely to defect to the side doing the shooting. Military action also means that an opposition will need money and weapons in large quantities. They can only obtain these from outside powers pursuing their own egocentric agendas which do not include genuine concern for ordinary Libyans, Syrians, Iraqis or Yemenis. The discrediting or defeat of political Islam since 2011 is a bonus for revolutionary forces. Over the past 40 years, religion had become the vehicle for all sorts of grievances and resistance to oppression in the region, a shift dating from the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-80. Shia and Sunni Islamists largely displaced nationalists and socialists as the motivators of mass popular action. Islamic ideology and organisation gave great punching power to opposition movements in Algeria in the 1990s, in Iraq after 2003, and to the anti-government forces in Libya, Egypt, Syria and Iraq after 2011. Fanatical religious belief united people who would die fighting against a more numerous and better-armed enemy. But the prominence of jihadi Islam in these insurgencies was good news for established regimes. Al-Qaeda type groups like Isis might pose a dangerous but temporary military challenge, but they always alienated the large part of the population that were not Sunni Arabs or were only moderately religious. Dictators benefited because the alternative to their brutal rule seemed even more horrific. I remember being in Baghdad in 2004 when Shia office workers were giving blood for wounded Sunnis in Fallujah when it was first besieged by US troops. There was a second siege later in the year but, by this time Shia civilians had been killed and injured by deadly suicide bombs apparently emanating from Fallujah, so the former blood donors were all in favour of US airstrikes and artillery obliterating the town. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It was not just Shia in Iraq, Alawites in Syria and Copts in Egypt who were alienated by militant Sunni Islam. So too were those who might go to the mosque on Friday, but were otherwise broadly secular. People like this were shocked when, as happened in Libya after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, they learned that one of the first acts of the provisional government was to propose ending the ban on polygamy. A trap that opposition movements often fall into is to believe that all the problems of their country are caused by the evil rulers they are trying to displace. This will inevitably be part of opposition propaganda, but it is damaging to act as if this was true. Again and again in Iraq after 2003 and in Syria after 2011, the anti-government forces would compel religious and ethnic minorities to rally to the central government because they feared they faced extinction if they did not. Sectarian exclusivity is less prevalent today and protesters know what damage it can do to their cause. A telling slogan of the Sudanese Professionals Association, which is leading the protests and wants to include non-Muslims, is Christ at the heart of the Revolution. Some of the powerful forces determined to stop revolutionary change in the Arab world are the same in 2019 as they were in 2011. The Arab Spring was a curious mix of revolution and counter-revolution to a degree seldom appreciated in the west. It was extraordinary to see people fighting and dying for liberty and equality with the backing the last absolute monarchies on earth, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE, who most certainly wanted neither of these things. We have seen the same process at work in Libya over the past few weeks where Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt have greenlit an offensive by Gen Khalifa Haftar, whose forces are firing mortar bombs and rockets into Tripoli. Haftar has already shown his determination to be another strongman in the Arab world by posing grim-faced for cameras on a sort of throne of pharaonic proportions. The revolutionaries may have learned some lessons from 2011, but the military dictators are as nasty and pretentious as ever. The death of a journalist on the streets of Derry at the hands, it seems, of the New IRA adds a particularly sad and poignant dimension to the latest outbreak of low-level terror on Northern Ireland (by the standards of the worst years of the Troubles). Lyra McKee was doing her job, and it cost her life. It highlights the risks that brave reporters take in every war or conflict, including riots and demonstrations, and we know only too well that journalists are now actively targeted by some groups, and most barbarically by so-called Islamic State and by Syrian government forces. The Police Service of Northern Ireland, who were the main targets of a gunman firing indiscriminately, say that McKee was not being targeted. In truth, however, the violence would be no less reprehensible and sinister were it a PSNI officer who was left dying in Creggan. A life is a life, whether in uniform or not. It is dismal to see, like a replay of the bad old days, petrol bombs being lobbed at armoured police Land Rovers, the anger and hatred revived by yet another of the very many Irish loaded anniversaries in this case the Easter Rising of 1916. Local elections seem to have stirred up resentments as well. With the Stormont power sharing executive in abeyance for more than two years now and no sign of reconciliation, the atmosphere was becoming combustible. Like the recent amateurish Republican letter bombing campaign, these events serve as a reminder that dissident republican groups are growing more militant. It is not a cheap point to link the upsurge in violence partly on Brexit. The possibility of a hard border on the island of Ireland is something that inflames passions that not enough people on the eastern side of the Irish Sea, especially a new generation of British Tory politicians, sufficiently understand. When Boris Johnson talked about the Irish border issue as the tail wagging the dog in reference to Brexit he betrayed a terrible indifference to the lives of people in the province. When he fetched up at the Democratic Unionist conference to gather some support for himself and his ambition to be PM he showed he simply didnt care about being seen to take sides in the historic divisions. Theresa May also displayed a shocking carelessness when she formed her loose partnership under the supply and confidence agreement with those she described as friends and allies of the Tories, and bunged them 1bn to keep her in power. Much good it has done her. Taking sides with Arlene Foster was a very stupid thing to do. Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Show all 21 1 /21 Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police during riots in Northern Ireland PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Armed police at the scene of unrest PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Petrol bombs being thrown at police PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots Belfast Journalist Lyra McKee was killed during the riots. Police Service of Northern Ireland said that McKee was allegedly shot while reporting on clashes with dissident republican rioters EPA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots The scene on Fanad Drive the following day PA Violence erupts in Northern Ireland as journalist killed during riots PA There is a reason why British politicians have kept their snouts out of Ireland for a long time. John Majors government has it right when it declared it had no selfish strategic and economic interest in keeping Northern Ireland in the UK. He and Tony Blair, like Ted Heath, Harold Wilson and even Margaret Thatcher, were circumspect about taking sides, despite sometimes tough action against the terrorists. By the way, these are also examples Jeremy Corbyn should take heed of: too many unionists in Northern Ireland distrust him as an honest broker for an honest and fair peace. It is now 21 years since the Good Friday Agreement was signed, and too many have come to take peace for granted. The threat of a full-on civil war in Ulster is perfectly real. The war that has been going on, with pauses, for about 400 years was not ended in the 1990s indefinitely. The process was and is just that a process, not an event. The collapse of political democratic arrangements and Brexit have proved too much for the peace process. Trust has gone, and created a familiar vacuum. Brexit doesnt justify violence and shooting journalists dead nothing does. Even if a hard border with customs controls were established, and even if that required police and army backup to deal with terrorism, none of that should prevent a democratic decision about Brexit. The New IRA does not hold a veto over parliament. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events But it is a hard political fact that some violence would undoubtedly be unleashed with a hard border, and we cannot know where it will end. The hard Brexiteers have to be honest about that and face up to years more of British military commitment to an unwinnable war if that wish to stop the tail wagging the dog is to be made effective. These Tories, and some Labour figures such as Kate Hoey, should also reflect that in such a volatile situation a new border poll could lead to Irish unification, just in time for the independence centenary celebrations in 2022. Do not forget Northern Ireland voted Remain (56 per cent) in 2016, and that Sinn Fein and nationalism have probably never been running so strongly since partition. A simple fact can now be briefly restated: Brexit is incompatible with peace in Ireland, and demonstrably so. It is something all should be aware of, and as we were not in the 2016 referendum. The oddest thing about these sad developments is to listen to Sinn Fein condemning Republican terrorism. The ironies are painfully obvious, but no matter. Sinn Fein is saying the right things. It might also be a moment to recall the Real IRAs bombing of BBC TV Centre in London in 2001, in retaliation for a Panorama documentary. Isis is not the only group to target journalists, or indeed care little about any human life. Pub bombings, assassinations of MPs, random sectarian killings, torture, Bloody Sunday, Warrington, Enniskillen... do we really want to go through all that again for a trade deal with Donald Trump? So it turns out that, indeed, President Donald Trump was not exonerated at all, and certainly not totally or completely, as he claimed. Special counsel Robert Mueller didnt reach a conclusion about whether Trump committed crimes of obstruction of justice in part because, while a sitting president, Trump cant be prosecuted under long-standing Justice Department directives, and in part because of difficult issues raised by the presidents actions and intent. Those difficult issues involve, among other things, the potentially tricky interplay between the criminal obstruction laws and the presidents constitutional authority, and the difficulty in proving criminal intent beyond a reasonable doubt. Still, the special counsels report is damning. Mr Mueller couldnt say, with any confidence, that the president of the United States is not a criminal. 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 He said, stunningly, that if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Mr Mueller did not so state. Thats especially damning because the ultimate issue shouldnt be and isnt whether the president committed a criminal act. As I wrote not long ago, Americans should expect far more than merely that their president not be probably a criminal. In fact, the constitution demands it. The constitution commands the president to take care that the laws be faithfully executed. It requires him to affirm that he will faithfully execute the office of president and to promise to preserve, protect and defend the constitution. Recommended The Mueller report shows Donald Trump is beatable And as a result, by taking the presidential oath of office, a president assumes the duty not simply to obey the laws, civil and criminal, that all citizens must obey, but also to be subjected to higher duties what some excellent recent legal scholarship has termed the fiduciary obligations of the president. Fiduciaries are people who hold legal obligations of trust, like a trustee of a trust. A trustee must act in the beneficiarys best interests and not his own. If the trustee fails to do that, the trustee can be removed, even if what the trustee has done is not a crime. So too with a president. The US constitution provides for impeachment and removal from office for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours. But the history and context of the phrase high crimes and misdemeanours makes clear that not every statutory crime is impeachable, and not every impeachable offence need be criminal. Donald Trump says he's 'having a good day' following Mueller report release As Charles Black put it in a seminal pamphlet on impeachment in 1974, assaults on the integrity of the processes of government count as impeachable, even if they are not criminal. And presidential attempts to abuse power by putting personal interests above the nations can surely be impeachable. The president may have the raw constitutional power to, say, squelch an investigation or to pardon a close associate. But if he does so not to serve the public interest, but to serve his own, he surely could be removed from office, even if he has not committed a criminal act. By these standards, the facts in Mr Muellers report condemn Donald Trump even more than the reports refusal to clear him of a crime. Charged with faithfully executing the laws, the president is, in effect, the nations highest law enforcement officer. Yet Mr Muellers investigation found multiple acts by the president that were capable of executing undue influence over law enforcement investigations. President Trump tried to limit the scope of the investigation. He tried to discourage witnesses from co-operating with the government through suggestions of possible future pardons. He engaged in direct and indirect contacts with witnesses with the potential to influence their testimony. A fair reading of the special counsels narrative is that the likely effect of these acts was to intimidate witnesses or to alter their testimony, with the result that the justice systems integrity [was] threatened. Page after page, act after act, Mr Muellers report describes a relentless torrent of such obstructive activity by Trump. US attorney general William Barr says there was no collusion between Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election Contrast poor Richard Nixon. He was almost certainly to be impeached, and removed from office, after the infamous smoking gun tape came out. On that tape, the president is heard directing his chief of staff to get the CIA director, Richard Helms, to tell the FBI dont go any further into this case Watergate for national security reasons. That order never went anywhere, because Mr Helms ignored it. Other than that, Mr Nixon was mostly passive at least compared to Trump. For the most part, the Watergate tapes showed that Nixon had acquiesced in the cover-up after the fact. Mr Nixon had no advance knowledge of the break-in. His aides were the driving force behind the obstruction. Donald Trump, on the other hand, was a one-man show. His aides tried to stop him, according to Mr Mueller: The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. As for Trumps supposed defence that there was no underlying collusion crime, well, as the special counsel points out, its not a defence, even in a criminal prosecution. But its actually unhelpful in the comparison to Watergate. The underlying crime in Watergate was a clumsy, third-rate burglary in an election campaign that turned out to be a landslide. The investigation that Trump tried to interfere with here, to protect his own personal interests, was in significant part an investigation of how a hostile foreign power interfered with our democracy. If thats not putting personal interests above a presidential duty to the nation, nothing is. White House counsel John Dean famously told Nixon that there was a cancer within the presidency and that it was growing. What the Mueller report disturbingly shows, with crystal clarity, is that today there is a cancer in the presidency: President Donald Trump. Congress now bears the solemn constitutional duty to excise that cancer without delay. The Washington Post Top left, Lyra McKee and her partner Sara Canning; below, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald and DUP leader Arlene Foster at a vigil in Derry Sinn Fein Leader Mary Lou McDonald (left), DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) with Sara Canning (centre), the partner of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, at a vigil in Derry Photo: Brian Lawless/PA Wire A vigil is being held in St Stephen's Green, Dublin following the killing of journalist Lyra McKee DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) speaks with Sara Canning (left), the partner of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, at a vigil in Derry, following her death last night after guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident". Brian Lawless/PA Wire FORMER US President Bill Clinton has said he is heartbroken by the murder of journalist Lyra McKee and urged people in Northern Ireland not to let go of "hard-won peace". Mr Clinton, who played a pivotal role in the peace process and Good Friday Agreement negotiations, took to Twitter this evening. "Heartbroken by the murder of Lyra McKee and the violence in Derry," he said. "The challenges in Northern Ireland today are real - but we cannot let go of the last 21 years of hard-won peace and progress. This tragedy is a reminder of how much everyone has to lose if we do." On his most recent visit to Ireland, Clinton urged people not to take peace for granted, and urged the leaders in the North to get the Stormont institutions back up and running - or face the possibility of returning to "hell". Earlier, police investigating the murder of Lyra McKee have released CCTV footage, showing both Lyra and the gunman believed to have murdered her. Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee The footage shows Ms McKee in a crowd of onlookers in the Creggan area on Thursday night shortly before she was murdered. It also shows the gunman at a corner and an individual picking up something from the ground on the same corner. Police said they were releasing the footage "to encourage anyone with information to make contact with us". Ms McKee died after being shot during rioting in the Creggan area on Thursday night. Police said that they believe dissident republicans from the New IRA are behind her murder. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy is now leading the investigation and called on the people of Creggan to help bring Ms McKee's murderer to justice. Lyras death is senseless and appalling beyond belief. It represents the tragic loss of promise and the loss of potential, however it should not be the loss of hope," he said. "We know that the people of Creggan do not support what happened and they stand with us today in outrage and disgust at the mayhem that took place on their streets last night." Detective Superintendent Murphy said that police had already received a large number of calls and information from the public relating to the murder. "I would like to thank them for their support and for their willingness to come forward and to try to help us take a killer off the streets," he said. "We also know that a range of footage is circulating on social media however I cannot stress enough how important it is that people who were in the area last night and who recorded video and took photos share what they have with us via our Major Incident Public Portal. "People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets, people know who they are. The answers to what happened last night lie within the community. "I am asking people to do the right thing for Lyra McKee, for her family and for the city of Derry/Londonderry and help us stop this madness." Anyone with footage or images can uploaded them to the dedicated PSNI major incident public portal via https://mipp.police.uk/operation/PSNI19O09-PO1 or call police on 101. DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) speaks with Sara Canning (left), the partner of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, at a vigil in Derry, following her death last night after guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident". Brian Lawless/PA Wire DUP leader Arlene Foster (right) speaks with Sara Canning (left), the partner of 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee, at a vigil in Derry, following her death last night after guns were fired and petrol bombs were thrown in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident". Brian Lawless/PA Wire The tragic death of Lyra McKee during New IRA-inspired rioting in Derry serves to show a much more cynical and sinister approach by dissident republicans to seize the initiative from the authorities and mainstream republicans. The PSNI have stated they had deployed teams of officers to conduct searches on the Creggan estate for firearms and ammunition in advance of republican commemoration activities over the Easter bank holiday. Intelligence indicated the New IRA were intent on launching armed attacks on police officers during this period. In response to this, dissident republicans manifested large groups to riot and impede the search. It was during this period of violent chaos that what appeared to have been a lone gunman opened fire with a hand-held firearm. It seems the fire was directed at a cluster of PSNI officers and vehicles rather than specifically at Ms McKee. However, she and a colleague were gathered at the vehicles, quite sensibly in view of the chaos, little realising that matters would escalate to live ammunition being expended. There will be the usual outpourings of recrimination from the usual sources, but it will give little in the line of comfort to the family of the unfortunate Ms McKee, or indeed the rest of us who lived through the previous iteration of the Troubles and are viewing what appears to be an lurch in the direction of more of the same. Lets break this down and understand what has happened and what it is likely to mean, both good and bad. To fully comprehend Thursdays events we must plot them against the backdrop of the other more recent events, including the car bomb detonation of January last and the inconclusive claims about the incendiary devices detonated in London and Glasgow. Also we must take into account the growing levels of discontent being manifested not just in the Creggan area of Derry, but also in other volatile areas including Loyalist east Belfast. There has been a battle for the hearts and minds of the youth of these areas. Paramilitaries on both sides have been seeking to maintain the sectarian mindsets that keep them in power in their own little bailiwicks. Much of this has been to do with upholding their power to engage in criminal activities on their own turf. For the most part, the violence has stayed within the respective communities. This is largely because groups like the New IRA have been using staged violent incidents to make themselves seem relevant and appeal to a new audience and potentially fertile recruitment ground. The violence has largely been directed within the community it stems from, rather than at what would be considered the enemy, ie the security forces or an opposing community such as the loyalists. The simple reason for this has been weakness and lack of capacity, both in terms of tradecraft knowledge to conceive, plan and execute such offensive operations. Terrorists are at their most vulnerable when planning and reconnoitring for assaults. The security forces know this and therefore invest large resources, both technological and human in penetrating and interrupting the planning process of these groups. It should be noted that these kind of low level activities have been going on for quite some time. One of the avowed objectives of the Good Friday Agreement, the bringing together the marginalised elements of both loyalist and republican communities never really took off, for reasons explained above. It now seems that Brexit is emerging as the unintended catalyst that is fuelling the New IRA and other dissidents in their desire to return to centre stage in influencing matters in Northern Ireland and beyond. Brexit and the fear and loathing associated with it, particularly in border communities has given them a momentum they hitherto lacked. However, on a positive note, they still lack capacity in terms of firepower, manpower and tradecraft to manifest attacks and violence beyond what we have seen. Those within their ranks capable of strategic thought, and there are certain number, are banking on an additional catalyst serving their needs. This would be the unintended reactions or bungling of both the London and Dublin governments. For example, much of the well-meaning attempts by constitutional nationalists, north and south, to dangle concepts of unity via border polls have had the effect of weaponising the besieged mindset that had been lying dormant in both loyalism and unionism. We have seen the Ulster Unionist party fall into line in supporting Brexit as they feel they have no choice if they want to seem relevant to their support base. This has been a strategic boon for dissident republicans, now not only are the marginalised elements of the two communities further apart, but the more mainstream and educated elements are parting ways. The primary objectives therefore of dissident republicans is to exploit growing divisions in Northern Ireland, fan it with further chaos and violence and hope the governments miscalculate at vital junctures and drive more people to their support base. Declan Power is an independent security and defence analyst with experience of counter-terrorism matters both at home and abroad. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill has said division caused by Brexit has made a united Ireland "a very real prospect". "Brexit, as well as other political and societal changes, will continue to drive events towards the logic of Irish unity," she said. Her statement was issued as DUP leader Arlene Foster said a call for a border poll would be strengthened if Sinn Fein became the largest party in Northern Ireland at the council elections. Mrs O'Neill said the prospect of a return to a hard border in Ireland had "horrified the vast majority of people" and would reverse progress across Ireland. She added it had become increasingly clear that partition had become "a huge obstacle" to prosperity. She said the Good Friday Agreement provides a democratic resolution to the problems caused by Brexit in "a democratic referendum on Irish reunification". "A united Ireland is no longer a long-term aim and a referendum on Irish unity is now a very real prospect," she said. Ahead of events over Easter weekend, Mrs O'Neill said the party was campaigning for a referendum under the slogan 'Time for Unity'. "We want as many people as possible to begin discussing how we share this island as the future unfolds," she said. With the major Christian festival of Easter and the Muslim festival of Ramadan approaching, IFA sheep Chairman Sean Dennehy said there is very strong demand for lamb. These festivals are important dates in the sheep farming calendar. This year Easter is on April 21st and Ramadan begins on May 6th. The IFA sheep farmers leader pointed out that for the next five years to 2024, Easter and Ramadan will be only two weeks apart. This aligning of the calendar should drive strong demand for lamb at an early stage in the year, just as the first of the new season lamb appears on the market. Expand Close 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 199 Weight 47.8Kg Type Spring Lamb Amount 5 Price 135 Photo Brian Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 199 Weight 47.8Kg Type Spring Lamb Amount 5 Price 135 Photo Brian Farrell He said hoggets are making 5.80/kg with some top prices of 5.90 paid and some feeders holding out for 6.00/kg. He said demand is very strong and supplies quite tight. The IFA Sheep farmers leader said farmers should select their stock carefully and be careful not to sell under finished lambs. He said with Ramadan coming in early May, demand should remain strong. Expand Close 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 196A Weight 50kg Type Pring Lamb Amount 11 Price140 Photo Brian Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 196A Weight 50kg Type Pring Lamb Amount 11 Price140 Photo Brian Farrell The first of the new season spring lambs are out this week. Sean Dennehy said numbers will be very tight and prices are in the region of 6.60 to 6.80/kg to 21kgs. He said butchers and wholesalers are active. Ewes are making 2.80 to 3.00/kg, up to 45kgs. Sean Dennehy was very critical of some factories, who he said were trying to talk down prices and attempting to control the trade at this critical time of year. This is totally unacceptable and viewed very negatively by sheep farmers. The IFA sheep farmers leader pointed out that last year prices for hoggets were 6.20/kg and spring lambs were making 7.20. He said sheep farmers are expecting supplies will tighten further over the coming weeks. The kill to date this year is back 97,461 head, pointing to very tight supplies. Expand Close 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 195A Weight 44.6kg Type Sprinf Lamb Amount 6 Price 135 Photo Brian Farrell / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp 11/4/2019 Loughrea Sheep Mart Lot Number 195A Weight 44.6kg Type Sprinf Lamb Amount 6 Price 135 Photo Brian Farrell UK lamb prices trading at 4.38/kg sterling for w/e Apr 3rd, which is the equivalent to 5.36/kg incl vat. Sean Dennehy said the IFA is demanding an increase of the QA bonus to 30c/kg. Some plants have moved to 15c and 20c/kg with additional market specifications. Finance Minister Pascal Donohoe has emphatically ruled out suspending the work of Nama pending the final report of the investigation into the controversial sale of its Northern Ireland loan portfolio. In June 2017, the Government appointed retired High Court judge John Cooke to investigate Nama's 1.24bn (1.43bn) sale in 2014 of the portfolio to US distressed-debt firm Cerberus. Mick Wallace had alleged in the Dail that 7m in fees related to the transaction had been lodged in a bank account in the Isle of Man that was "reportedly earmarked for a Northern Ireland politician or party" following the transaction. The allegation sparked a number of inquiries, including the Cooke Commission. New York-based Cerberus has denied any connection to any wrongdoing, while Nama has said the allegations relate to the buy-side of the transaction. In a written Dail response to Mr Wallace asking Mr Donohoe to consider suspending the work of Nama immediately pending the final Cooke report, Mr Donohoe said: "It is important to note that in no way has the integrity of Nama or the Nama Board or the integrity of its decisions been brought into question in relation to the disposal of Project Eagle. He said: "I therefore have no intention of directing Nama to halt its activities. "To do so would irreparably damage Nama's positive contribution to our recovery and damage our reputation as a credible, open and transparent market." Mr Donohoe stated that the Cooke Commission's final report is scheduled to be published by the end of June next. He stated that neither the Commission's terms of reference or its interim report call for a suspension of Nama's activities. Mr Donohoe said that any interference in the work of Nama "would be detrimental to the interests of Irish taxpayers". He added that "Nama also expects to redeem its subordinated debt by March 2020 and to produce a surplus - currently estimated at 3.5bn - by the time it completes its work subject to continued positive market performance". "Halting Nama's activities would put these achievements at risk. It would entail the State taking direct control of Nama and bring Nama onto the State's balance sheet," he said. "Such action also would raise serious competition concerns limiting the State's flexibility in recovering value from Nama's remaining assets." s f Kingspan's offer of 700m for two divisions of Recticel is "lacking critical information items", the Belgian group has said. It wants to know who Kingspan plans to sell one of the divisions to, and for how much. Cavan-headquartered Kingspan earlier this week made a bid for Recticel's Insulation and Flexible Foams business. Kingspan said it has already entered into an exclusive back-to-back agreement with a third party who will buy Recticel's flexible foams businesses, should the initial deal go ahead. However, yesterday Recticel said it was seeking information and clarification on a number of items, including clarification on anti-trust risks associated with the potential deal and reduction of such risks. It wants information on the identity, rationale, any competition risks, and price in respect to the back-to-back agreement to sell the foams business, as well as clarity on the implications for Recticel's shareholders of a potential deal with Kingspan. Once it receives this information the board of Recticel will review the offer further. Kingspan refused to comment on Recticel's request. Should the deal go through it would tighten Kingspan's grip on the European insulation market, adding Recticel's manufacturing units in Belgium, France, Britain and Slovenia. Robert Eason, analyst at Goodbody, said the potential deal makes "strategic and financial sense for Kingspan." "However it is important to note that this potential transaction is at a very early stage in the process and as such, we can expect some back-and-forth near term, with consummation of any deal likely being in 2020," Mr Eason added. It is likely the group will use a mix of existing cash reserves and debt to fund the proposed acquisition. Last year Kingspan spent 472.3m on acquisitions, including the Spanish Synthesia Group, its first manufacturing presence in Southern Europe. Shares in Kingspan were up 1.3pc in afternoon trading yesterday. Since the possible deal was first reported on Tuesday, Kingspan's share price has reacted positively with the stock closing at over 45 for the first time. "We are litigating the fairness of their procedure. They threw him out without warning and without giving him a chance to respond. There was not even any notice of why. After 40 years on the same day as [Bill] Cosby. Give me a break," Polanski's attorney Harland Brauntold Variety on Friday. Irish Distillers owner Pernod Ricard is having regular and "courteous" talks with activist investor Elliott, although it is not necessarily meeting Elliott any more than it would with any other regular shareholder, the head of Pernod claimed. In a telephone interview, CEO Alexandre Ricard said "There is a regular dialogue between the teams, but we do not see them more than other shareholders. My ambition remains to deliver on our strategic plan." Pernod, which is the world's second-biggest spirits group behind Diageo, is under pressure from the New York hedge fund to improve profit margins and corporate governance - potentially by selling assets. In February, Pernod vowed to lift its margins and shareholder returns under a three-year plan. On speculation that Pernod could sell the whole or part of its wine business, which accounts for roughly 5pc of group sales, Ricard said: "Pernod Ricard has the firm intention to continue to actively manage its portfolio, in terms of either selling or buying." Reuters Gerry Cross: Regulator says management tries to insulate and remove itself Laws must be introduced to prevent bankers hiding wrongdoing, the Central Bank has told an Oireachtas committee. Regulators want to hold bankers individually responsible for the type of dishonesty that led to the tracker scandal. The proposed legislation would stop senior managers in financial firms trying to cover up their dishonest actions by claiming the firm acted collectively. It would set out exactly who is responsible for various duties within a bank, and force them to adhere to certain conduct standards. Director of Financial Regulation, Policy and Risk Gerry Cross told the Oireachtas Finance Committee there was a need for "an individual accountability framework". "We recommended the introduction of an enhanced individual accountability framework, key components of which would apply to all regulated financial services providers," he said. He told how managers sometimes try to cover up their actions. "Management in regulated entities may seek to insulate themselves, or be at a remove, from apparent misconduct," he said. "Senior individuals can seek to escape liability for wrongdoing by hiding behind the collective. "This experience is directly relevant to our proposals for an individual accountability framework." He added that there was a need for a simplified approach to enforcement. The legislation has been delayed because of Brexit preparations, Finance Minister Paschal has said. He told the Dail on Tuesday he had wanted to seek Government approval to draft heads of the bill by the end of March, but said: "My officials involved in this area have also been involved in all the issues in the Brexit Omnibus Bill." Mr Donohoe said he plans to seek Government approval for the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill "well in advance of the summer" and to debate the legislation after the summer recess. The co-founder and chief executive of Cairn Homes, Michael Stanley, saw his pay increase by 123,000 in 2018. Last year Mr Stanley benefited from a total remuneration of 920,000, including a basic salary of 425,000, a bonus of 383,000, and additional benefits worth 112,000, according to the Cairn Homes annual report released yesterday. In 2017, Mr Stanley's package amounted to 797,000. The group's chief financial office, Tim Kenny, who joined the company in August 2017, received 770,000 for the year. This included a bonus of 285,000. Cairn Homes has become one of the most high-profile house builders in the Irish market at a time when the issue of housing is never far from the headlines. Earlier this month the company announced it was looking for an institutional investor, or "cuckoo fund", to buy almost 300 apartments at a development outside Dublin. The decision will mean first-time buyers are deprived of the chance to bid. Meanwhile, last week the founders of Cairn - including Mr Stanley and his brother Kevin - sold 22.8m of shares in the listed house builder. In 2018 Cairn reported revenue of 337m. Its operating profit was 53m. Elsewhere, pay topped 10.5m each for the top bosses at house builder Glenveagh Properties in its first full year in business. The bulk for the top two executive directors at the listed company was a shares windfall last August worth just under 10m each to Justin Bickle and Stephen Garvey, based on Glenveagh's share price at the time. Its annual report published earlier this month shows that in addition to those shares, Glenveagh co-founder and chief executive Justin Bickle was paid salary, bonus and other benefits of 719,500 while co-founder Stephen Garvey, who is chief operating officer, was paid 564,400. No place like home: Actor Meg O'Brien from Co Mayo at Smock Alley, Dublin, as she acted out children's experiences of living in family hubs. Photo: RollingNews.ie The Government will consider taxing so-called 'cuckoo funds' if they continue buying up residential property in blocks, Tanaiste Simon Coveney has conceded. Fine Gael is struggling to defend its housing policy amid growing controversy about the ease with which large-scale investors are muscling families out of the market. The Coalition is accused of pushing people into renting rather than owning their home. Mr Coveney was forced to tell the Dail: "We believe in home-ownership and want everybody to have the opportunity to own his or her own home." The funds pay no corporation tax, no income tax and no capital gains tax in most cases. Yet the Tanaiste also vigorously defended cuckoo funds which are snapping up hundreds of apartments at a time in order to lease them. And one of Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe's top advisers has claimed searing criticism from the UN of policies that facilitate big funds in Ireland contained "many red herrings". The UN condemned the Irish system for allowing investment funds to buy up vast swathes of properties and then rent them out at sky-high costs. Fianna Fail's housing spokesman Darragh O'Brien told the Independent.ie 'Floating Voter' podcast he believes the problems in the housing market now amount to the biggest crisis in the country. "This is the single biggest crisis that we have, and God knows we have one in health as well," he said. The Dublin Fingal TD said the tax treatment of funds "needs to be addressed". He suggested they should be paying corporation tax "at the very least". Big corporations spent more than 1.1bn buying a record 2,923 housing units in Ireland. Yesterday, the Irish Independent revealed how 295 apartments at Clay Farm in south Dublin are being put on the market with a guide price of 130m. It is excepted they will be acquired by a single buyer who plans to release them into the lucrative rental market. Mr Coveney said the institutional investment is adding to the overall supply by financing stock that has not yet been built. "To try to paint this as a matter of institutional investors versus others who want to buy their own homes on an individual basis, however, shows a misunderstanding of what we need to do collectively to try to increase supply across all areas. The latter is what we are trying to do." But in a concession the Government is starting to feel the heat, Mr Coveney accepted the phenomenon needs to be watched "closely". "We need to consider the taxation approach to increasing investment, particularly in apartments," he said. Mr O'Brien said in a diversified market there would be room for institutions but now they are "gobbling" up homes. "There is absolutely a push from Fine Gael to tell people that renting is fine. But I'm telling people from a Fianna Fail perspective, the best security you can have is to own an affordable house," he said. Meanwhile, Mr Donohoe also looks to be on a collision course with the UN's Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing Leilani Farha. She wrote to the Government here and in five other countries accusing them of facilitating the "financialisation of housing" in their own countries by "adopting laws and policies which treat housing as a commodity". The Government has yet to respond to the letter but is expected to do so by the end of May. Ms Farha is due in Ireland in June. However, yesterday using the Twitter social media platform, Mr Donohoe's most senior policy adviser Ed Brophy suggested the UN criticism was unfounded and even disingenuous. "The letter contains many red herrings & we will respond in due course. However, one point, in particular, strikes me - surely the test of international competitiveness of a country in the modern world is its attractiveness for investment. On that measure we are in a very good place," he said. Asked by the Irish Independent what specific 'red herrings' the UN letter contained, Mr Brophy declined to say. "It wouldn't be appropriate to set out our detailed views on the letter in advance of the formal government response." Asked about the intervention, Ms Farha said she has been given no indication what in her letter is being described as a red herring either. Mr Brophy had given her an assurance the Department of Finance is undertaking action to improve housing affordability but that also included "no specifics", she added. Mr Brophy is a former Labour Party insider who was chief of staff to the Tanaiste Joan Burton in the last government. He became a senior adviser to Mr Donohoe last year. A spokeswoman for the minister said the UN letter contained a number of claims in relation to housing that are "not supported by research carried out by the Department of Finance", citing its own report issued last February. The department's research had found that institutional investors and large-scale landlords had little impact in the residential property market. However, it was based on data from 2017 - before the explosion in activity by so-called 'cuckoo funds'. Do people really care if Facebook does unwarranted things with our personal data? Are we, in the press, simply overestimating how much it bothers people? The latest privacy breach involves the company saying it 'mistakenly' uploaded the private email contacts of 1.5m people. It has also admitted that millions, not thousands, of Instagram passwords were stored in plain language. But it's all being greeted by a big 'meh' from the public. Other than a few campaigning media outlets and privacy activists, thi+e latest revelations appear to barely bother anyone. Have we just become numb to a neverending stream of Facebook privacy screwups? Or does the company's unmoved account membership figures suggest that people see the breaches but conclude that it's a price worth paying for the utility they get out of it? In this week's podcast, Adrian and Castlebridge privacy expert Daragh O'Brien debate whether Facebook's privacy issues are regarded with disquiet anymore. They also look at the Irish data protection commissioner's recent guidance to schools, where the watchdog said bishops and principals who tell parents that they can't take photos at school events simply "because of GDPR" are wrong. And they consider the wider legal and ethical implications of when taking photos is and isn't okay. The billionaire head of Blackstone says he wants a radical plan to revive America's middle class, including eliminating taxes for teachers, to improve education, lifting the minimum wage and backing technical innovation. The proposed 'Marshall Plan' for the middle class is a dramatic change of tack for famously hard-nosed private equity titan Steve Schwarzman - who in 2010 was quoted saying his firm was looking at Europe but holding off buying until sellers were in real financial distress. "You want to wait until there's really blood in the streets." In Ireland, Blackstone is best known for swooping in during the financial crisis and buying billions of euro in assets at knock down prices, which at one stage included 25pc of Eir, the Burlington hotel and over 1bn of property loans originally linked to developer Michael O'Flynn. It has already successfully exited the bulk of its Irish deals. Yesterday however, Mr Schwarzman joined a growing number of US business tycoons airing public concerns about income inequality in America. "What we have is less an issue of income inequality than income insufficiency for the bottom 50pc of the society," he told broadcaster CNBC. He was interviewed after Blackstone Group, the world's largest manager of alternative assets such as private equity and real estate, said on it would convert from a partnership to a corporation, in a bid to get more investors into its stock. Blackstone is hoping the move on July 1 will boost its share price, which trades at a discount to traditional asset managers such as BlackRock. A traditionally higher tax burden for corporations has become less severe under President Trump's tax changes. Deutsche Bank is working on an alternative strategy to present to investors if takeover talks with Commerzbank collapse, according to people familiar with the matter. Some top shareholders want the bank to prepare options as obstacles to a combination pile up. CEO Christian Sewing is considering two basic scenarios: a small update that would mainly consist of more and accelerated cost cuts including at the investment bank, and a bigger strategy shift that would create upfront costs. Formal talks have dragged on for almost five weeks and there's no indication that an agreement is near. Opposition has been mounting as unions seek to prevent tens of thousands of job cuts, and political support has waned. Even inside the banks, there's an acute awareness of the many obstacles, leaving executives undecided. At least two of Deutsche Bank's largest investors said they would want to see a new strategy should the discussions fail. A spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank declined to comment. Deutsche Bank Supervisory Board chairman Paul Achleitner has said the bank plans to give an update by the publication of its first-quarter results, on April 26. Commerzbank had been pushing for an earlier announcement to limit uncertainty for employees. Scepticism about the benefits of a tie-up was always high, but the discussions had the backing of the Finance Ministry. Even with all the obstacles, a deal could still happen given what's at stake for the banks and the country. Among the key obstacles are the prospect of revenue attrition, the battle to achieve cost savings, and the question of how to raise the money needed for a transaction. People involved estimate that clients seeking to reduce their exposure to a combined bank could pull as much as 1.5bn of their business. A takeover would probably also trigger a revaluation of some of Commerzbank's assets and then there are restructuring expenses, estimated at around 4bn. All of these obstacles would reduce the benefit from cost savings that could be achieved by cutting overlapping branches and jobs. As many as 40,000 positions are on the line which has labour representatives at both banks up in arms. "We oppose the merger of Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank and that's why there's no possibility, no scenario ... no conditions under which it could be successful," said Jan Duscheck, a union official on Deutsche Bank's supervisory board. Bloomberg Superhero fans are beside themselves with excitement in advance of the release of Avengers: Endgame, which explodes into the multiplexes next Friday. Three hours long and boasting a staggering array of big-name actors, Endgame could be the biggest film of the year, and may even eclipse the $2billion grossed by its predecessor, Avengers: Infinity War. As its title suggests, this is the film that will hopefully tie up all loose ends and settle the long-running Avengers story for good. But that's not going to be easy: across 21 films and more than a decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has created so many competing and interlocking stories that it's easy to forget which superhero is which and wonder what the heck is going on. Be not afraid because our potted guide ought to enable you to confront Endgame with something approaching informed confidence. Not just any old Iron It all started with Tony Stark, the flashy and thoroughly obnoxious billionaire inventor played with such panache by Robert Downey Jr in the first MCU film, Iron Man (2008). Tony is a soulless, entitled git until he sees with his own eyes the horrors his hi-tech weapons inflict and creates a crime-fighting alter ego. Cameos are important in the Marvel world and at the end of Iron Man, S.H.I.E.L.D. boss Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) made an appearance, hinting at sophisticated adventures to come. Green energy A 2008 Marvel movie smartened up the Hulk brand, and starred Edward Norton as scientist Bruce Banner who, after a botched experiment, is doomed to transform into the raging green monster whenever he gets annoyed. It was pretty good but didn't make money, which is probably why Norton was ditched in favour of the more engaging Mark Ruffalo for the Avengers movies. The muscle men Before those Avengers movies could begin, two more protagonists needed to be introduced with origins movies of their own. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is a vain and long-winded Asgardian Prince who's banished from his home planet of Asgard after a dispute engineered by his sneaky brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston), and must lick his wounds on Earth. Thor (2011) was a lot of fun and later that same summer, we were introduced to Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), the 1940s weakling who becomes a pumped-up hero called Captain America after taking part in a secret US Army experiment. He gets cryogenically frozen in an Arctic plane crash and is re-awakened in the present! Any questions so far? The first group hug Video of the Day All these masked egotists were brought together in Avengers Assemble, Joss Whedon's 2012 blockbuster. When Thor's brother Loki uses a wormhole in space to attack Earth, Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. set about establishing a team of superheroes which will become a last line of defence for our planet. Unite they must, so with the help of Fury and two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents called Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), the Avengers were formed. Bloody Marvellous In the three years between Avengers Assemble and its sequel, Age Of Ultron, the good folk at Marvel/Disney were busily pumping out spin-offs: Thor and Iron Man sequels, a sombre, well-regarded Captain America film called The Winter Soldier. With great skill, it has to be said, those films created more and more back stories that would be woven into the unfolding Avengers saga, and in 2014, Marvel showed us they could do funny, introducing the Guardians Of The Galaxy to their heady superhero mix. Chris Pratt played space pirate Peter Quill, who joins forces with a band of intergalactic criminals. The Guardians will return in Avengers: Endgame. Who the hell is Ultron? Ultron started life as an artificially intelligent global defence program invented by Stark to protect us all from space invasion. Then it developed a mind of its own, and in Age Of Ultron (2015), decided that the best way to save the Earth was to wipe out humanity. Obviously Cap and the team were not about to stand by and let this happen. They prevailed of course, but fell out in the process, and major sulks would have to be accommodated in the next Avengers film, along with a much more terrifying enemy. Bugs funny First there was the 2015 action-comedy Ant-Man, then Tom Holland became the latest Spider-Man in the well regarded 2017 film Spider-Man: Homecoming. Both these characters would pop up in the Avengers films. In Thor: Ragnarok (2017), the demi-god suffered all sorts of hilarious indignities after landing on an obscure, rubbish-laden planet. And in the mind-bending Doctor Strange (2016), Benedict Cumberbatch played Stephen Strange, an arrogant neurosurgeon forced rethink his life after his hands are damaged. Love cats The hidden central African kingdom of Wakanda was first introduced to moviegoers in Captain America: Civil War when an assassination at the United Nations in New York brings T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) to the throne. That led to Black Panther (2018), which showed just how sophisticated and culturally aware Marvel's storytelling had become and T'Challa would prove a key player in the denouement of the Avengers saga. Baddie buzz Thanos is a baddie worthy of a two-part $800m budget superhero finale. In last year's Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos (Josh Brolin) searched the universe for six 'infinity stones' that will allow him to have power over everything. In Endgame, the Avengers face a massive task to defeat him and reverse the damage he's done. I expect Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) to play a key role in his downfall. End of days? Not quite. Though we're told that the Avengers cycle will end with Endgame, there are plenty of other Marvel projects in the works. Doctor Strange, Black Panther, Spider-Man and Guardians Of The Galaxy sequels are all underway, as is a project based on the Eternals comic books, there's talk of a Blade reboot and yes, folks, I may finally get my wish - Scarlett Johansson is about to begin filming a Black Widow spin-off. Avengers Endgame is in cinemas on April 25 Criminal investigations should be conducted into former mother and baby homes to ensure accountability for any breaches of the law that occurred in the institutions. The call from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) comes after the Commission of Investigation into the homes released its fifth interim report on the burial arrangements for children who died. It found the final resting place of hundreds of children who died at the homes is unknown. The ICCL said the Commission's report "reveals disturbing detail on the failure of institutions to provide dignified burials for hundreds of children who died in their care". A statement added the report "raises more questions than it is able to answer". It called on the Government to mandate individual criminal investigations "to ensure that where the law was broken or where human rights abuses have been committed, accountability is prioritised." The council also raised concern about "strict rules" on the use of evidence gathered by the commission, saying witnesses in any future cases would need to be re-interviewed and are "likely to be re-victimised as a result". Fianna Fail children spokesperson Anne Rabbitte said there was "deep anger and hurt" among people who experienced the institutions and she understands the desire for accountability. She stopped short of calling for a criminal investigation saying she did not want to pre-empt the commission's conclusions. It is due to report next year. A Department of Children spokesperson said criminal investigations are a matter for the Garda. A statement said the interim report will be referred by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan to the gardai for "appropriate attention". The department said the commission operates under a legal framework that provides an effective mechanism to investigate complex and sensitive matters while also respecting fair procedures and natural justice. An ATM was stolen from a Bank of Ireland in Bank of Ireland Two cash machines were ripped from separate banks in Kells The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath Pic: Mark Condren The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath. Pic:Mark Condren 19.4.2019 Gardai are investigating the theft of four ATMs in Meath, Antrim and Armagh overnight in what is the 18th such incident so far this year. The two cash machines were ripped from separate banks in Kells in the early hours of the morning with a digger. The machine, as well as a tractor and trailer, remain at the scene on John Street with the road currently sealed-off by Gardai. The banks targeted, AIB and Bank of Ireland, are only a short distance apart from one another. Expand Expand Previous Next Close The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath. Pic:Mark Condren 19.4.2019 An ATM was stolen from a Bank of Ireland in Bank of Ireland / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath. Pic:Mark Condren 19.4.2019 Visible damage could be seen outside the Bank of Ireland building, with a smashed traffic light on the ground along with debris from the damage caused during the theft. Similar damage was also caused to the AIB bank, which is around 10m away from the other bank. The street is covered by a large amount of CCTV and Gardai at Kells are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the thefts to contact them. Criminal gang have targeted items on both sides of the border, with similar thefts in Cavan and Monaghan earlier this year. Meanwhile, ATMs were also stolen in separate incidents in Antrim and Armagh overnight. An ATM was stolen from a supermarket in Crumlin, Co Antrim in the early hours of this morning. Video posted on social media show a digger on fire with emergency services at the scene. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan condemned the robberies. Minister Flanagan said: "Im very concerned at the most recent ATM robberies and indeed have expressed that concern to the Garda Commissioner. "He briefed me this morning and assured me that An Garda Siochana are following every lead in their pursuit of those involved. "They continue to work closely with their PSNI colleagues to target crime gangs in both jurisdictions." Police in Northern Ireland have established a special task force to deal with the spate of incidents. Police have urged communities to be their "eyes and ears" and be on the look out for heavy plant machinery on the move late at night. Police have cordoned off a number of roads in the Crumlin area. SDLP Councillor Thomas Burns condemned the theft saying it had caused major disruption to the town and the staff of the local supermarket. "Not only have these thieves taken away a vital amenity for the community of Crumlin, they have also prevented staff from accessing their place of work," he said. "Those carrying out these attacks are not just robbing cash machines or banks, they are robbing the entire community and residents who rely on these services. "The SDLP will meet with retailers and the PSNI in the coming weeks to explore ways in which new innovative security measures can be put in place to deter these gangs." 'Limerick was promised a 60-bed modular unit which was originally expected to be ready at the end of this year. It will not now be open until the middle of 2020, which means the hospital will have to suffer through another winter of overcrowding' (stock photo) Doctors in the most overcrowded hospital in the country - consistently the worst for trolley gridlock - have warned that the crisis will deteriorate further unless they get more beds and staff. The senior medical staff at University Hospital Limerick wrote an open letter to the people of the mid-west expressing profound regret at the conditions faced by "frail and elderly patients" waiting too long for a bed. Although UHL has a new emergency department, they said: "No matter how excellent the ED facility is - and the new one at UHL is a superb modern facility - serious problems will arise if there are not enough doctors and nurses, not enough inpatient beds, nor enough access to critical care or theatre, not enough access to diagnostics, not enough stepdown facility beds and/ or community services." They contrasted their resources with that of Beaumont Hospital in north Dublin which is often praised by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar for bringing its trolley crisis under some control. The Limerick doctors said that Beaumont Hospital has 31pc more staff and 39pc more beds than UHL, but the Limerick hospital saw 21pc more patients in its emergency department than its counterpart in the capital. However, despite this, UHL has the shortest average length of stay, which is regarded as a marker of good management. The letter was signed by five senior doctors in the hospital. Limerick was promised a 60-bed modular unit which was originally expected to be ready at the end of this year. It will not now be open until the middle of 2020, which means the hospital will have to suffer through another winter of overcrowding. Figures compiled by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation yesterday showed there were 426 patients on trolleys across the country. Limerick was again top of the table, with 58 patients waiting for a bed, followed by Cork University Hospital where 38 were on trolleys. Beaumont was the third worst for overcrowding, with 33 patients on trolleys. The problem now is that the trolley crisis is no longer confined to the worst winter months, and last summer was particularly bad. As surgeons carry out more operations on waiting list patients and use beds, this affects space. A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Armed police in Creggan, Derry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. Photo: PA Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Derry. Photo: PA The scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Lyra McKee's death is being treated as a 'terrorist incident' Tributes have been paid to journalist Lyra McKee who was murdered at the scene of rioting in Derry, with President Michael D Higgins calling her a "woman of talent and commitment." Police have opened a murder investigation and are treating it as a "terrorist incident". News of the 29-year-old's killing spread quickly on social media in the early hours of Friday morning with many paying tribute. Lyra was well known not just in Belfast but across the UK and in many parts of the world. She worked mainly as a freelance writer and had worked for Thomson Reuters Foundation. She was author of 'Angels With Blue Faces' on the Troubles murder of the Reverend Robert Bradford, the MP for South Belfast and had been investigating the disappearance and young men during the Troubles for her second book. She was said to have a "promising writing career ahead of her" and in 2016 she was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in media in Europe and Sky News young journalist of the year. President Higgins said that Ms McKee's death has caused "shock and outrage." "The people of Ireland will have heard with both shock, outrage and great sadness of the killing of the young journalist Lyra McKee in Derry last evening - a woman of talent and commitment, who was shot exercising her profession. Expand Close Lyra McKee's death is being treated as a 'terrorist incident' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee's death is being treated as a 'terrorist incident' "Sabina and I send our deepest sympathies to her family and friends and to all those who knew and worked with her." Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the killing of Ms McKee and extended his condolences to her loved ones. He said: "The Government condemns in the strongest possible terms the fatal shooting of journalist and writer Lyra McKee in Derry. "We are all full of sadness after last nights events. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Derry Photo credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Armed police in Creggan, Derry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. Photo: PA Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Police conduct a crime scene search after shots where fired in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Hijacked vehicles one fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA "We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past. "I would like to express my sincere condolences to Lyras family, her partner Sara and her friends. Our solidarity also goes out to the people of Derry and to the entire journalism community." Read More Tanaiste Simon Coveney echoed these sentiments, as he said in a statement: "Shocking and reckless terrorism from the enemies of peace in Ireland." British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan called Ms McKee's death a "reckless regard for human life." "For a 29 year old to be killed while simply doing their job is beyond words. We don't say it enough but journalists play a vital role in society, exposing themselves to danger so we can get a true insight into events The courageous PSNI officers who risk their lives to maintain public safety deserve nothing less than wholehearted support from everyone in the community," Mr Flanagan said. US Speaker at the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is leading a delegation at Stomont. She noted: "Sadly, we join you, on the sadness, the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, coming on Good Friday, it is especially poignant." "Shocked by news that woman shot dead in Derry last night has been named locally as @NUJofficial Lyra McKee," said Seamus Dooley, National Union of Journalists Irish Secretary. "We are shocked by killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity. Sympathy to her partner, family and many friends." Read More "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back," the DUP's Arlene Foster said on Twitter. Britain's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley said she was "deeply shocked and saddened" by McKee's death. Broadcaster and journalist Chris Moore added: "Lyra was a dogged determined journalist but had a heart of gold. We will all miss her." Commentator Ruth Dudley Edwards said: "Lyra McKee and I were long-time friends. She recognised no barriers to friendship except bigotry & badness. "Her commitment & talent were about to bring her undreamt of success as a writer & she was in a loving relationship. What a sickening waste of a lovely, gifted human being!" The brother of slain journalist Veronica Guerin has described the killing of another young journalist in the line of duty as "an act of butchery". "I don't think the term outrage is strong enough," he told Independent.ie this afternoon. "It's an act of butchery," he said. "It was an immoral attack." Fingal county councillor Jimmy Guerin said that while Belfast journalist Lyra McKee (29) did not appear to be targeted specifically because she is a journalist, the fact is she was killed while simply doing her job. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Lyra McKee was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" Photo: Brendan Gallagher Lyra McKee's death is being treated as a 'terrorist incident' / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" Photo: Brendan Gallagher All she was doing was doing her job, he said. Her only crime was standing too close to a PSNI vehicle. Sunday Independent crime correspondent Veronica Guerin (37) was gunned down as she was driving back to Dublin from the Naas District Court on June 26, 1996. The married mother-of-one had been targeted by drug lords for exposing Dublins gangland responsible for flooding the capital with illicit drugs. The ensuing public outcry over her murder lead to the creation of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) which has been instrumental since her death in seizing the proceeds of crime from criminals and bringing them to justice. Expand Close Jimmy Guerin Picture: Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jimmy Guerin Picture: Collins While his sister was targeted specifically for exposing criminals, Mr Guerin said Ms McKee was also murdered because she was out doing her job. I think were very close to heading back to the dark days, he said of a return to The Troubles. Expand Close Veronica Guerin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Veronica Guerin He said the ongoing political stalemate at Stormont and growing division between the DUP and Sinn Fein was the perfect breeding ground for a new generation of paramilitary terrorists. The so-called New IRA is believed to be behind the night of rioting in Derry on Thursday night when Ms McKee was shot in what is now believed to be a random shooting spree. But Mr Guerin said the return to such violence in the North is inevitable unless politicians on both sides of the political divide reach a consensus. Communities see this division, he said. The new (paramilitary) activists see this and are exploiting it, he said. Politicians have a responsibility but theyre not stepping up to the plate (to end the division), he said. The spikes were placed outside the garda station to help prevent an emergency response The crime group who carried out a professional and organised robbery of two ATMs with a digger placed spikes outside a local garda station to prevent a quick emergency response. Gardai are attempting to identify the gang involved in the latest cash machine thefts in Ireland which was carried out in Kells, Co Meath, early this morning. Two ATMs were ripped from separate banks on the towns John Street before the raiders fled in separate vehicles. The digger and tractor used in the raids were stolen overnight in separate counties. The digger was taken from a field in Meath, while the JCB fastrac tractor and trailer, used to transport the excavator to the scene, were stolen in the Louth area. An alert was issued to gardai in surrounding counties in relation to the robbery and descriptions of the getaway vehicles, but they have not yet been recovered. Read More Two similar robberies of cash machines were carried out in Antrim and Armagh overnight, bringing to 18 the number of ATM raids on both sides of the border so far this year. Supt Dermot OConnor, of Kells Garda station, said local officers arrived at the scene within minutes of getting reports of the ATM thefts. The senior investigator said that efforts were made to delay the garda response- understood to have been spikes placed near the garda station- but these were unsuccessful. At a press briefing Supt OConnor said: This morning at 4.20am Gardai received a call in relation to the theft of ATMs in progress here at John Street in Kells. Gardai responded immediately, arriving at the scene within minutes. On their arrival they found that two ATMs had been ripped from bank premises on John Street and they established that those involved had left the scene in two vehicles. Expand Close The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath. Pic:Mark Condren 19.4.2019 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene of two ATM robberies in Kells County Meath. Pic:Mark Condren 19.4.2019 They also found an excavator at John Street, and also a JCB fastrac tractor with trailer attached, Supt OConnor said. Our inquiries so far have established that the excavator was stolen overnight from a field in Co Meath and the fastrac tractor and trailer were also stolen overnight from the Louth area. Those involved left the scene in a dark colour crewcab jeep and also a dark colored Volkswagen car. A full investigation is underway, a technical examination has taken place and an incident room has been set up at Kells garda station. Supt OConnor also appealed for anyone with information on the robbery or the movements of the stolen ATM and machinery to contact gardai. The gardai responded to the scene within minutes. Such was the professional nature in which the crimes were carried out that the thieves had left the area. Asked about spikes being placed outside the Garda station to prevent a quick police response, Supt OConnor said: There were attempts made but it did not have any effect on the garda response to this incident, as I said the gardai were on the scene within minutes. Were currently liaising in respect of similar crimes in both this jurisdiction and the PSNI in relation to similar crimes, and that certainly will form part of our investigation. Hundreds of environmental activists gathered in front of the Spire today as part of the Extinction Rebellion protests against climate change yesterday. Traffic was diverted away from OConnell bridge by gardai as protesters made their way from the GPO to OConnell bridge where they took part in a sit-down protest. Following a week of climate protests in London, where there was some unrest, there was a peaceful atmosphere among those who turned out in the sunny weather to support the cause. There was mixture of young and old at the event, all concerned over the impact of climate change on the planet. Sue Breen of Extinction Rebellion said that while protesters hoped to see moves from the government to support their action, she didnt expect it today. Unfortunately, we dont expect it to happen today, but whatever happens today the campaign will continue with great gusto, she said. She made a powerful speech in front of those gathered yesterday, We are here to tell the truth and to ask the government to tell the truth. And the truth is that this is an emergency. The truth is that there are wild fires burning in the arctic, the truth is that we are destroying 18 million acres of forest per year that is the equivalent of the size of Panama. We are not here to cause trouble or disrupt your day. We are here because the governments and corporations are handing a death sentence to our children and we refuse to be complicit. We will not stay silent. The system is not just broken, it is malignant, and it has poisoned every river, every stream, and has caused dioxins to be present in every mothers breast milk and toxins to be in every breath we take. There were also performances of song, written-word, and rap, as well as a stilt walker and dancers among the crowds. Some protesters had travelled to the city to support the movement, with mum Majella O'Connor (43) accompanying her 11-year-old daughter Eva to the event from Tipperary. "We came all the way from Tipperary. If we don't stand up what chance have these guys got?" she said of her daughter's generation. Liz Barry from Donaghmede, Dublin attended the event for the sake of her grandchildren. She said in the past, Ireland was better at re-using packaging, with less plastic in use too. When we were young you got chips in newspapers and you got your milk bottles, very little plastic, you bought your fruit loose, your cheese loose, your vegetables loose. Now everything is prepacked and it is killing the environment, said the 73-year-old. Meanwhile Sarah Pace and Paul Gaffney, who live in Wicklow, were expecting their first child together in June and feel they need to protest to ensure the health of their future family. It is about our survival so it is great to see everyone getting engaged and being a part of that, said Sarah (36). See more here: For me, the year 1998 is bookended by two events. The first one will stand out in the minds only of those who lived through it or were directly impacted. In the 20 years that have passed since, I haven't heard it mentioned again. Technically, it happened in 1997 - in the last three hours of the year. The local New Year's Eve revellers had gathered in a bar called the Clifton Tavern. It sat on the corner of Clifton Crescent and the lower Cliftonville Road itself. It was a newish addition to the street, sitting beside the local Chinese takeway - which was run by a fierce but pleasant Chinese lady who was more than a match for the midnight drunks, and her good-natured husband - the local pharmacy, and the corner shop. I can't remember if the Chinese was open that night. I can't remember hearing gunshots either. It must have all been over in a matter of seconds: some time around 9.07pm, said a Belfast Telegraph report. Loyalist gunmen had stormed the bar and sprayed it with bullets. In hindsight, it was an ominous scene: a sea of sirens lighting up a dark blue sky, with the light from the street lamps adding an eerie glow to it all. The clock hadn't yet struck 12am on a new year and here were the police, cordoning off what we would later hear was officially a murder scene after it was confirmed one man had passed away from his injuries. According to Lost Lives, he died minutes before midnight. He was an innocent civilian, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. The second event was the Omagh bomb. The collective gasp of revulsion from voters - both Protestant and Catholic - confirmed to those who'd voted 'Yes' in the referendum that they'd done the right thing. Maybe the adults had become desensitised to violence - or maybe they'd been lured into a false sense of security by the peace deal - but there was something about the images from the newspapers' coverage and the UTV bulletins that day that were different. We'd seen atrocities a thousand times, but the outrage over Omagh was palpable, and it extended from homes in Ardoyne to the Shankill. The majority had voted for the Good Friday Agreement because they wanted the senseless violence to end. Omagh, as I remember it, served only to harden their will. Because that was why we wanted peace, no? To stop mothers being robbed of sons, daughters, husbands? To stop the violence from visiting our doorsteps, if it hadn't already? Twenty years on, the peace process has succeeded - in some ways. People are no longer dying at the hands of paramilitaries, but they're still dying, too young and too soon. The culprit now is suicide. According to a report in The Guardian in February, around 4,500 people have died by suicide since the Good Friday Agreement. It's the most tragic of ironies that 20 years of peace could rob us of more lives than 30 years of war did. Researchers such as Professor Siobhan O'Neill, a world-renowned expert on conflict and suicide who works at Ulster University, have established that there is a link between these deaths and the Troubles. "We have found that people who witness violence, or who have been involved in violence are more likely to act on suicidal thoughts," she says. "They are more likely to die on the first suicide attempt because they choose more violent methods." Yet the impact of the Troubles in this respect is not limited to first-generation survivors, she cautions. Trauma can be passed down; the so-called ceasefire babies, who did not witness the violence of the 1970s or '80s and have lived in a time of relative peace, are now suffering from the legacy of a conflict most of them know little to nothing of. Theirs was a generation promised peace, prosperity and a life free from the terrors faced by their parents and grandparents. I can't help but feel that we've failed them. In the BBC report on the Clifton Tavern shooting, there's an ominous line: "About a sixth of all the 3,200 victims of the conflict since 1969 have died in north Belfast." Now, in peacetime, the area is suffering all over again, losing its young people to suicide in droves. It's horrific enough to lose one child, but some mothers in this corner of the city have lost two or three children. Tragedies of this proportion should have been left behind with the Troubles but, 20 years after the Good Friday Agreement, we're still carrying the coffins of the young to their graves. Meanwhile, with Stormont not in session, the strategy for preventing these deaths - called Protect Life 2 - is currently languishing in some civil servant's desk drawer. Apparently, it can't be signed off until we have a government. Yet the evidence, says O'Neill, shows that around 70% of people who die by suicide had not approached any mental health services. What would our suicide figures drop to if we could remove the stigma of saying "I don't feel okay", so that people can make an appointment with their GP about their mental health as casually as they would if they had the flu? What if we accepted that as a post-conflict society, we are more vulnerable to mental distress than our peers on the mainland, and treated mental ill health as a normal affliction that comes with having seen and survived conflict or having been born within a generation of it? News of another death reaches me nearly every week. Again and again, I see the same theatre play out. Statements of condolence from politicians have become as meaningless as the "thoughts and prayers" offered after every mass shooting in America. Northern Ireland is a country where activity tends to be confused with progress, but make no mistake: until the suicide rate is reduced as close to zero as we can get it, the peace process has failed the very ceasefire generation it was meant to save from slaughter. Normally, these - the final paragraphs of any piece I write - are where I deliver some pithy one-liner (or try to) sum up my argument. Yet I didn't write this article to advance an opinion or start a debate. Instead, I want to make an appeal to you, reader. I've talked here about people who are at risk of suicide - who are just not sure if they can go on. Maybe that person is you. If it is, please keep reading - I just want two minutes of your time. In the last five months, I've lost two good friends to suicide. To protect their families' privacy, I'll call them James and Roisin. In the months since their deaths, I have felt like grief is eating me from the inside out. I am wracked with guilt. I've spent so much time talking about mental health and encouraging others to talk about theirs yet I didn't realise just how much my own friends were suffering. Suicide is a thief. It will rob you of the opportunity to see the day when things start to get better, before slowly torturing the loved ones you've left behind. People tell me not to blame myself for my friends' deaths but I do. Not a week goes by when I don't think of all the missed chances, times when I could have talked them out of it, if only I'd realised what thoughts were in their heads. If I could turn back time, I would go to the small flat where James lived. I'd beg him not to leave us. I'd tell him how much we love him and that I know he's suffering but we'll fix it and we'll get him help and we'll make things better. Then I'd go to Roisin's house and do the same. I'd beg them both to keep living because I've seen the devastation their deaths have caused. But I can't turn back time. I can't bring them back. I can only use this opportunity to beg you to reconsider what you're thinking about doing. If you are feeling the same way they did, please, ask for help. Talk to someone. There are amazing volunteers at Samaritans ready to take your call. Talk to your family, friends, neighbours, GP - someone out there will listen. If you feel you have no-one, find me on Twitter and ask me to follow you for a private message - I will give you contact details for professionals who can help. There's a saying within the LGBT community: "It gets better." It's what we tell LGBT youths and others who are currently journeying through Hell. Keep going, we say, because one day you'll wake up and be glad that you lived. That piece of advice applies to all of us who are struggling. So please, I beg you - live. It really does get better and you deserve the chance to enjoy it when it does. Journalist Lyra Mckee was "one of the brightest and best of her generation", with a body of work that included ground-breaking research into suicide in Northern Ireland, the editor of the Belfast Telegraph said. Ms McKee was a regular contributor to the daily newspaper, and editor Gail Walker described her as " prodigiously talented journalist". Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee Ms McKee was shot dead last night during riots in Derry, while doing her job as a journalist. The PSNI say they believe the New IRA are behind her death, and are seeking multiple suspects. "We hoped we had seen the last of these atrocities among us. Instead, this morning Lyra McKee's name joins the long list of those whose lives were ended by gunmen who hadnt a fraction of the humanity they extinguished," Ms Walker said in a statement issued earlier today. "Lyra was a prodigiously talented journalist, one of the brightest and best of her generation, and I am so proud that she was a regular contributor to the Belfast Telegraph. Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee "Over the past few years, she wrote for this newspaper on a wide range of subjects, including her ground-breaking research into the number of suicides in Northern Ireland since the ceasefires as well as brave and insightful political and social comment. "But Lyra was also adept when it came to writing copy about her own life - wonderful, instinctive prose that was at once both revealing, reflective and moving. "She was an Editor's dream - Lyra always responded to calls or messages quickly, was always up for writing copy, always helped if you needed contacts, always rang in if she chanced across a story. "As a friend, she was kind, caring and loyal - and great fun. "It is deeply vexing that the last copy she filed for us was for a Valentine's Day feature, when she talked about the great happiness she had found with "the love of her life", the young woman with whom she recently moved to Londonderry to live with. On the professional front, too, as well as her journalism, she had signed a book deal with Faber & Faber. "That Lyra should have been shot dead at a time of such joy, when life was just beginning to really come together for her, is the cruellest of ironies. "The loss of such a journalistic talent is immense, but the loss of such a genuinely lovely, warm and empathic person is a huge and enduring heartbreak for her family and partner and my thoughts are with them all." Its the reverends daughter, Ariel, who is the real dark brooding cloud of Bomont. And in Lucy Godinezs edgy and watchful performance, shes the real star of the show, even if musical conventions dictate that its Ren who has to help heal her wounds. When she screams at passing trains the ones she hopes will take her far away one day its a real act of catharsis. In fact, Godinezs take on Ariel is so tough, one wishes we could see her simply clock her abusive grease-monkey boyfriend, Chuck (Ryan McBride). One also wishes that the book writers had given Rens mother, Ethel, more to do than a late-in-the-second-act pep talk for her son. Heidi Kettenring is lovely and sympathetic, but its hard to buy her as a licked-by-life single mom who would rather live in a spare room in her sisters house in the middle of nowhere than figure out how to make it work in Chicago. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joins archbishop Diarmuid Martin for the Stations of the Cross in the Phoenix Park Photo: Tony Gavin TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has described the murder of Lyra McKee in Derry as an attack on the nation. He said the people of Ireland, North and South, chose peace, power-sharing and ever-close co-operation on Good Friday 21 years ago. There is no place nor any justification for political violence in Ireland, or Northern Ireland today. This was an act of fear. This was an act of hate. This was an act of cowardice. Those who carried it out, do not share the values of our nation, nor our Republic, he said. Expand Close Journalist Lyra McKee died after being shot on Thursday (Family handout/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Journalist Lyra McKee died after being shot on Thursday (Family handout/PA) Speaking at Government Buildings in Dublin, Mr Varadkar extended the condolences of the Irish people to Ms McKees partner and family. He said the young activist and journalist had changed our lives as she lived and will do so again in death. He said people rejected those engaged in violence. And so, this was an attack not just on one citizen, it was an attack on all of us, our nation and our freedoms. Mr Varadkar added: I want to express my solidarity with the people of Derry today. We stand with you as strong as your walls, and for as long as they stand. I want to acknowledge the work and the bravery of the PSNI and the emergency services. I echo the call that anyone who has information should come forward so that justice can be done. The New IRA, which has been blamed by for the murder of journalist Lyra McKee, is assessed by Garda intelligence and the PSNI as posing the biggest terrorist threat on the island of Ireland since the Provisional IRA. The group, which has around 50 activists and another 200 logistical supporters operating on this side of the Border, has a stronghold in Derry, where last night's fatal shooting and rioting took place. The New IRA was formed in 2012, following an alliance of former factions of the Real IRA, the Derry based Republican Action Against Drugs (RAAD), and republicans elsewhere, who had largely remained unaligned up to then because of the level of infiltration by the gardai and the PSNI of the existing dissident groups. The Real IRA had been highly active in the Derry-Donegal region and had formed links with the organisation's section in Dublin when it was led by Alan Ryan. Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee Ryan's murder was followed by a shake-up in the Real IRA in the capital and the reformed group taken under the control of Tallaght based Kevin Braney before it merged into the New IRA. A murder sentence of life imprisonment, imposed on Braney by the Special Criminal Court in February, dealt a major blow to the New IRA as he had been regarded by anti-terrorist officers as its most important figure on this side of the Border. Most of its terrorist members here are located in the Border counties and in Dublin with a smaller grouping in Cork. They are mainly involved in providing logistical support for active units involved in terrorist attacks in the North, supplying explosives and arms as well as vehicles and safe houses while also raising funds through robberies and extortion. The New IRA is also assessed to be more advanced technologically in developing explosive devices than any of the other IRA renegade groups and has become more skilled at counter surveillance as a result of undergoing training in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and, possibly, Poland. Since the start of the year the terror group has been planning to exploit the possibility of a hard Brexit by stepping up its campaign in Northern Ireland, with particular focus on security targets. Expand Close Lyra McKee / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee The group was responsible for the murder of prison officer, David Black, who was shot dead as he drove to work at Maghaberry prison in 2012, with one of the vehicles used in the attack, supplied by Braney's group in Dublin and handed over near the Border. It was also blamed for the death of prison officer Adrian Ismay, after a bomb exploded under his van outside his home in Belfast in 2016 and another under-car bomb victim, Constable Ronan Kerr at his home in Omagh in 2011. Some of its members were also linked to the murders of off-duty British soldiers, Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar as they took delivery of a pizza outside Massereene barracks in Antrim. Last January the terrorists planted a car bomb outside a courthouse in the centre of Derry city. It exploded shortly after dozens of people, including a group of teenagers, had passed by the vehicle. Nobody was injured in the blast. The New IRA has also been involved in several attempted killings and bombings in recent years and organising punishment beatings, particularly in Belfast. In the North, it is particularly active in Belfast, Derry as well as Armagh and Tyrone in the Border region. The threat level from the dissidents in Northern Ireland is currently put at severe, which is the second highest level. In Britain it is substantial, meaning there is a strong possibility of an attack. Lyra McKee urged a "fight for the hearts and minds" of those who oppose same-sex relationships. The murdered journalist said she was taught as a child by the church that she would go to hell because of her orientation. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK or Ireland where same-sex marriage is not allowed. Ms McKee said: "We need to do the one thing that I didn't want to do when I left school at 16 - we need to have conversations, difficult conversations, and fight for the hearts and minds of those who oppose us." She said she hated herself for much of her life because of what religion taught her about people like her. "When I stopped hating myself I started hating religion." She recalled in a TedX talk at Stormont: "The first lesson I learned about being gay was that it was evil and I was going to hell for it, I learned that from the Bible. "There were times that I would cry in my bedroom as a teenager, bargaining with God, asking him not to send me to hell because I was so convinced that I was going there. "This text, this Bible, for many people it offers them hope and salvation, but for me it offered a prison sentence, and I think it is the same for a lot of other LGBT young people." The journalist was a "hero" to many in the LGBT community, advocacy workers said. John O'Doherty, director of the Rainbow Project, said she had a huge impact on many in Northern Ireland's LGBT community. She supported people in coming out and used her own story to empower others to live as their most authentic selves, he added. She volunteered and raised funds for the organisation with a Strictly Come Dancing event. Mr O'Doherty said: "Lyra described herself as someone with two left feet - but like everything she did in her life, she gave it everything she had and our lasting memory will be of a smiling and dancing Lyra. "To lose someone like Lyra at any age is a difficult thing to accept, but to lose her at 29 in such despicable and avoidable circumstances is devastating. "Our thoughts today are with Lyra's family, partner, friends and everyone across Northern Ireland society who will be feeling this loss today. "Violence to achieve political aims can never be justified and we hope that the perpetrator is brought swiftly to justice." The death of an innocent civilian caught in the wrong place at the wrong time was one of her strongest memories of the conflict. The journalist wrote about loyalist gunmen who sprayed a north Belfast pub with bullets at the start of 1998 as politicians were gearing up to sign the Good Friday Agreement. She recalled the death and added: "He was an innocent civilian, caught in the wrong place at the wrong time." She used a Belfast Telegraph newspaper piece to highlight the loss of people to suicide since the 1994 paramilitary ceasefires. She recalled the revulsion expressed in August 1998 when dissident republicans killed 29 shoppers in Omagh in a bomb attack gone wrong. It was the bloodiest atrocity of the conflict and Ms McKee said the majority had wanted the senseless violence to end. The plight of the homeless was also a foremost concern for her. Friend Ian Shanks said: "Lyra McKee was everything you wanted to be in life - honest, funny, sincere, caring. "I remember how she always wanted to help with our homeless group, she always genuinely cared about everyone around her and beyond." 'Gardai will be patrolling Carlingford in Co Louth across the bank holiday weekend in an attempt to stop what residents feel is destroying the coastal town's streets' Outdoor revellers at a beauty spot could have a rude awakening this weekend, with the prospect of being arrested or facing a fine of 2,500 if they are involved in anti-social drinking. Gardai will be patrolling Carlingford in Co Louth across the bank holiday weekend in an attempt to stop what residents feel is destroying the coastal town's streets. The move has come about after local people campaigned for Louth County Council for action following previous Easter breaks witnessing undesirable scenes. Now bye-laws have been introduced to restrict any consumption of alcohol outside over the Easter weekend. The bye-laws are being publicised by the council across social networks and on street signs. They state: "Where a member of the Garda Siochana is of the opinion that a person has committed an offence, the member may arrest that person." It continues: "Any person who contravenes a provision of these bye-laws is guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 2,500." Councillor Antoin Watters told the Irish Independent the campaign to clamp down on public drinking had come about after two years of residents' lobbying for restrictions. "I've been working with local residents on this, and it's culminated in a special operation over the Easter bank holiday weekend," Mr Watters said. "That means extra garda resources to curb drinking in public spaces. "I'm delighted to see this operation will be put in place." However, Marie Larkin, manager of Riina's restaurant in the town, did not agree with the strict measures. "I think it's going a bit too far, it's a bit overboard," she said. "I don't think this campaign should be targeting young people. If the publicans let them in to get really drunk and then out onto the street, that shouldn't be happening. Carlingford was hit by tragedy on the St Patrick's Day weekend when Ruth Maguire (30) died tragically on a friend's hen party. Ms Maguire's family have called for safety barriers to be erected around the pier in Carlingford, so that another tragedy might be prevented. Her sister, Rachel Wilkinson, said that Ruth was a great mum and was devoted to the three kids she had with fiance James Griffin. Bridging the divide: Nancy Pelosi (centre) and US Congressman Richard Neal (left) on the Peace Bridge in Derry. Photo: PAUL FAITH/AFP/Getty Images Having used a historical speech in the Dail to defend Irish peace, Nancy Pelosi yesterday went to see the benefits of the Good Friday Agreement for herself. The Speaker of the US House of Representatives recalled scenes of "tanks and barbed wire" from a previous visit to Northern Ireland as she observed the now frictionless Border. Ms Pelosi visited Belfast with her daughter more than two decades ago. She reiterated the important example that the Irish peace deal has set for other regions, saying it was a "beacon to the world" and a model for reconciliation. Her contribution to a gathering in the Dail on Wednesday has received widespread coverage in the United States because of comments she made about the potential for a US-UK trade deal after Brexit. Fox News, which routinely backs President Donald Trump, reported that she had attempted to create "domestic tensions" while speaking on "foreign soil". But America's third most powerful politician did receive the backing of ex-president Bill Clinton. He posted a link to a news report on her speech, saying she had "perfectly" captured "the special bond between the United States and Ireland - a partnership of the past, present and future". In Northern Ireland yesterday, Ms Pelosi expressed pride in the role of former president Clinton and senator George Mitchell as well as senior congressman Richard Neal. "What it means to the world to have this example of reconciliation, really ending hundreds of years of conflict, recent thousands of deaths," she said. She has repeatedly railed against the prospect of a hard Irish Border during her tour of Ireland with congressional colleagues. Ms Pelosi was greeted at the Border by anti-Brexit campaigners during her short stop at what will become the EU-UK frontier. "We believe that Brexit should be just an aberration in this discussion as we continue to build and strengthen our peace that was generated by the Good Friday accord," Ms Pelosi said. "Far be it for any of us to want that beacon's lustre to be dimmed by anything that the Brexit conversation could bring down on the Good Friday accord." The congresswoman walked across the Peace Bridge over the River Foyle in Derry. Education Minister Joe McHugh, who accompanied the US delegation, said the visit was very important. "Since Brexit there has been a very loud voice along the Border communities and further away from the Border communities that we cannot go back to the past, we cannot go back to a Border that is going to obstruct the free-flowing movement of goods and people on a day-to-day basis." Armed police in Creggan, Derry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. Photo: PA A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Derry. Photo: PA A burning car in Creggan, Derry after petrol bombs were thrown at police. Photo: PA Lyra McKee was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" Photo: Brendan Gallagher The Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI say they are looking for multiple suspects in the murder of Lyra McKee. At a press conference in Derry this morning, Dep Chief Constable Stephen Martin said "there was certainly more than one person involved in the murder" of journalist Ms McKee. Expand Close Lyra McKee was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" Photo: Brendan Gallagher / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lyra McKee was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" Photo: Brendan Gallagher Addressing the suspected perpetrators, Mr Martin said: This was not done to further any cause this will have achieved nothing other than to plunge a family into grief. Mobile phone footage taken by a bystander appeared to show a masked gunman crouching down on the street in the Creggan estate and firing with a handgun. Ms McKee was standing near a police vehicle and was fatally wounded. She was taken to hospital by officers but later died. Mr Martin's comments came as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar described the murder of Ms McKee as "an act of fear. an act of hate and an act of cowardice". He said the perpetrators do "not share the views of our national, nor our Republic. And we reject them". Expand Close The scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Mr Varadkar said this afternoon: "Twenty-one years ago today, on Good Friday, we as a people, North and South, chose peace, power-sharing and ever-closer co-operation. We will not be dragged back into the past. "There is no place nor any justification for political violence in Ireland, or Northern Ireland today... "And so, this was an attack not just on one citizen, it was an attack on all of us, our nation and our freedoms." His comments came as Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan sympathised with the family and friends of Ms McKee, saying her murder was an "attack on the freedom of the press". "For a 29-year-old to be killed for simply doing her job is beyond words," he RTE Radio One's News At One progamme. "We don't say it enough, but journalists play a vital role in today's society, exposing themselves to danger so we can get a true insight into events. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Heavilly armed police guard a crime scene during unrest in the Creggan area of Derry Photo credit: Niall Carson/PA Wire A PSNI officer conducts a search after shots where reportedly fired in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA A hijacked car explodes after being set on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Armed police in Creggan, Derry after shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police. Photo: PA Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Police conduct a crime scene search after shots where fired in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA Hijacked vehicles one fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Armed police at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA "The courageous PSNI officers who risk their lives to maintain public safety deserve nothing less than wholehearted support from the community". Earlier today, the PSNI said dissident republican group the New IRA was probably responsible for the shooting dead a journalist of Lyra McKee in Derry last night. Ms McKee, 29, was shot in the head in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident", amid disturbances in Derry on Thursday evening, and died later in hospital. PSNI officers were carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence, when a situation developed during which more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. During the unrest a gunman fired a number of shots at police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. He said: "Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded. She was taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died there. "We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. Expand Close Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan, Derry. Photo: PA "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified." Petrol bombs were thrown and images from the scene show vehicles alight and others burnt out, with dissident republican terrorists suspected of being behind the attack. Ms McKee tweeted about the "absolute madness" in Derry in the hours before her death. A journalist has been killed covering riots in Derry. Her name was Lyra McKee. She was 29. She recently signed a two-book deal with Faber, who called her a "rising star of investigative journalism". This is her last tweet, sent from the scene of the unrest. pic.twitter.com/0gk1Fa7Du0 Naomi O'Leary (@NaomiOhReally) April 19, 2019 Ms McKee is the first journalist to have been killed in Ireland or the UK since Sunday World investigative reporter Martin O'Hagan was shot dead by the Loyalist Volunteer Force in Lurgan in September 2001. Ms McKee rose to prominence in 2014 after a blog post called "Letter to my 14-year-old self" in which she spoke about the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast. In the five years since, her letter was turned into a short film, she became a published author with Angels With Blue Faces, and had recently signed a two-book deal with Faber & Faber, as well as appearing in domestic and international publications. Named as one of the "30 under 30 in media" by Forbes Magazine in 2016, Ms McKee was cited for her passion of "dig(ging) into topics that others don't care about". Angels With Blue Faces, a non-fiction book about the Troubles-era cold case murder of South Belfast MP Rev Robert Bradford, was released in 2018 and her latest book, The Lost Boys, is due for publication by Faber & Faber next year. President Higgins said that Ms McKee's death has caused "shock and outrage." "The people of Ireland will have heard with both shock, outrage and great sadness of the killing of the young journalist Lyra McKee in Derry last evening - a woman of talent and commitment, who was shot exercising her profession. "Sabina and I send our deepest sympathies to her family and friends and to all those who knew and worked with her." Tanaiste Simon Coveney echoed these sentiments, as he said in a statement: "Shocking and reckless terrorism from the enemies of peace in Ireland." British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "She was a journalist who died doing her job with great courage." US Speaker at the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi is leading a delegation at Stomont. She noted: "Sadly, we join you, on the sadness, the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, coming on Good Friday, it is especially poignant." Seamus Dooley of the National Union of Journalists saying the organisation was "shocked by (the) killing of a journalist of courage, style and integrity". Read More The Press Association has seen mobile phone footage purporting to be from the scene, showing at least two shots being fired before a distant scream can be heard. "They've shot someone up there," a male voice says on another clip, which has not been verified. Assistant chief constable Mark Hamilton, from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said a murder inquiry had been launched after the death. He said: "Sadly I can confirm that following shots being fired tonight in Creggan, a 29-year-old woman has been killed. "We are treating this as a terrorist incident and we have launched a murder inquiry." Journalist Leona O'Neill said she was at the scene of the killing. Writing on Twitter, she said: "I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. "I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight." The unrest comes ahead of the Easter weekend where republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Politicians have widely condemned the killing. Alliance leader Naomi Long said: "Devastating news. Thoughts are with Lyra's family and friends. At times like this, words fail. My heart is sore. Those who brought violence and death to our streets have nothing else to offer but more of the same. "If you can assist the police, please, come forward. Stop this." Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said the killing in Derry was a "senseless loss of life". She said: "I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. "The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. "I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. "We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry." Read More Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. "No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community." Gary Middleton, a DUP former deputy mayor of Derry City Council and current Member of the Legislative Assembly, tweeted: "Disgraceful scenes of violence in the Creggan estate tonight. "PSNI and members of the public being put in danger by unrepresentative thugs intent on destroying communities." Mark H Durkan, SDLP MLA for Foyle, said he was left "heartbroken and angry" by the killing. "Just leaving Creggan, heartbroken and angry at the senseless loss of a young life," he tweeted. "Violence only creates victims, that's all it ever has done. The thoughts and prayers of our city are with the young woman's family and friends, may she rest in peace." The Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rt Rev Dr Charles McMullen, said the murder of Ms McKee was a "totally appalling, outrageous and unjustifiable act". "The devastating news that greeted us this morning, on this particular day Good Friday would have been news of the worst kind for the family of Lyra McKee, and I offer my sincere condolences to them, and prayers for them, at this awful time. It is also not only a tragic day for the City of Londonderry, it is a tragedy for society as a whole. What happened last night was rooted in a past that has absolutely no place in the present, or future, as it was a totally appalling, outrageous and unjustifiable act by those who have nothing to offer anyone. On a pastoral visit to the PSNI in Derry on Monday of this week, I spoke of societys debt to police officers while praising their selflessness. Last night was yet another example of the debt we owe to them in the face of needless rioting. As I wrote in my Easter Message, Christ reaches into the coldest, darkest tombs of human existence and brings the warmth of his loving kindness and the light of his beautiful presence. It is my prayer that all who mourn Ms McKee today, her family and colleagues who do such a vital job, will know that warmth and his never ending love and compassion, he said. Read More With additional reporting from The Press Association and Reuters There's a small group of Irish gents - U2's lead singer Bono, Point Depot founder Harry Crosbie, developers Sean Dunne and Johnny Ronan - with one little thing in common. Can you guess what that is? The answer is that all of these guys have a penchant for rising to new heights and planning tallest ever Irish towers. But often it's done right at the top of the property market cycle. Just as property prices in Dublin have stopped rising (as indicated by the latest quarterly figures on sales prices), we learned that entrepreneur Harry Crosbie is hoping to erect a huge tower near Pigeon House in Ringsend with a bulbous viewing area at the top for tourists to cling on to. While no height has been mentioned yet, the raw graphic of Harry's Lookout Tower was recently displayed for the public and shows it will rise higher than each of the existing twin Pigeon House chimneys. The latter stand at 681 and 682 feet high, respectively. So with the viewing bulb, Harry's edifice would count as a 'building' and is likely to be about 700 ft high. That would make it Ireland's tallest building by far, dwarfing the current title holder, Capital Dock at Sir John Rogerson's Quay in Dublin, which stands at a piffly 259 ft. But just a week prior we learned that developer Johnny Ronan has gained permission for his own 289 ft monolith to face the Liffey, standing up over Tara Street in Dublin 2. Johnny's would certainly be bigger than Capital Dock although Harry's is more than twice as big as Johnny's. That said seasoned observers will remember that Harry has a history of firing blanks when it comes to super tall constructions. Cork City has also been buzzing with news of its own exciting new supersized totem proposed for the docklands - a block of 40 floors said to be 400 ft high and planned by Irish-born, New York developer Kevin O'Sullivan. The building would rise head and shoulders above the 17-storey Elysian Tower, currently the city's loftiest skyline intrusion. O'Sullivan has the construction cojones to get this big one skywards - his firms have erected parts of the new World Trade Centre and he is currently coaxing up a 77-storey skyscraper in Manhattan. The general scramble to get skywards supersized as property prices are cooling indicates Andrew Lawrence's 1999 Skyscraper Index theory. This suggests that when the highest buildings go up, the economy (or the property market) too often comes crashing down. Lawrence was working as a property consultant with the Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein bank when he measured the relationship between high rise and economic downturns, whether local or international. And Lawrence's theory stands up well: the Empire State Building of 102 floors (1,250 ft) was the world's tallest building until 1954. It broke ground in 1929, the same year as the Wall Street Crash kicked off the century's greatest economic catastrophe. The next great leap skywards in New York on this scale was the construction of the World Trade Centre twin towers (1,368 ft) which opened in 1973 and hailed the start of the oil crisis. Since then we had the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia (1,482 ft) opening in 1998 for the Asian Financial Crash. More recently, Dubai's property boom produced today's tallest building worldwide, the Burj Khalifa (2,717 ft). It opened in 2008 for Dubai's property crash and the state's subsequent bailout by its emirate neighbours (the globe's tallest tower is named after Abu Dhabi's ruling Prince Khalifa, who contributed royally to that bailout). And now we have a new world record building underway in Jeddah - the Jeddah Tower, spearheaded by the diminutive Saudi Arabian prince Al-Waleed bin Tala, will be the world's first one kilometre high (3,281 ft) tower. When completed it will easily cast a shadow over the Khalifa. Experts say improved technology in the years ahead will allow us to build mile-high buildings by 2050 along the lines of Frank Lloyd Wright's Illinois Building (5,680 ft) which he conceived for Chicago way back in 1957 with 18.5 million square feet and 76 elevators. More current is the 2016 Sky Mile Tower (5,577 ft) design by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates designed for Tokyo, planned for reclaimed land in the city's bay area. Here in Ireland, if we rewind to 2007, just before our own near national bankruptcy, none other than Harry Crosbie obtained permission for The Watchtower, a 394 ft high structure at the entrance to Dublin Port. But his prospects of getting it up in front of the maritime entrance to the city were soon dashed by the downturn. In the same year, Bono and U2 were also looking to stick up their own massive monolith on the opposite side of the river. The U2 Tower was similarly sized, with a studio for the band on its top deck. The initial, somewhat fuzzy (and frankly phallic) version was scrapped in favour of a crisper shard-like design, which was also canned as the property crash and recession kicked in. Around that time developer Michael O'Flynn unveiled Cork's highest residential building, The Elysian Tower, to which he added an antennae in 2008 to take it to 259 ft. His rose just in time to be zipped straight into Nama. But the most ambitious plan of all came from Sean Dunne in 2007 who unveiled his massive 446 ft high edifice which was set to project over Ballsbridge in Dublin 4 on a site he bought for 380m. Some of Ireland's richest home owners objected, stating that the massive structure was far too big to stand over Ballsbridge's leafy lanes. So Seanie's record-breaking projection had cold water poured on it. For his part, Johnny Ronan has at least got one up. He unveiled the Millennium Tower, for a long time the tallest residential building in Ireland at Charlotte Quay in 1998. Although this opened in 2000, right in time for the Dot Com Bomb. But perhaps we should be comfortable with the European city average of six to seven storeys for residential buildings, given that city fire brigades tell us they can't reach any higher with rescue equipment. In the post-Grenfell era, surely that's tall enough? And if we do want the sky to be the limit in Ireland, then we're also trusting wholly in standards we've become accustomed to from Irish builders - and their fire safety records in particular. Meantime, for the Skyscraper Index theorists out there, that kilometre-high Jeddah Tower finally tops out in 2021. A FRENCH scholar concludes that despite the Catholic faith of the EU's founding fathers, Christianity has continually lost ground to secularism. Yet, there are signs this Easter that the spiritual has not disappeared from society. The catastrophic fire which enveloped Notre-Dame not only made world headlines, it was striking how many people in so many places were personally upset by the sight of this inferno. It is the most visited tourist site in France and has, literally, an "iconic" status in the narrative of European culture. That is mainly how the cathedral is described: a great historic landmark, a symbol of heritage, a repository of art and architecture. What was once regarded as the realm of the sacred is now defined as a cultural artefact. Earlier this year, the French scholar of religion Olivier Roy published a study examining the place of religion in European society, entitled 'Is Europe Christian?' ('L'Europe - est-elle chretienne?'). After a long and detailed analysis, Dr Roy - whose work is published under the auspices of the European Research Council - concludes that it is not. Although three of the four "founding fathers" of the European Union - Schuman, De Gaspari and Adenauer - were devout Catholics whose commitment to European reconciliation grew out of their faith, Europe today has shed its Christian formation. In 2004, Pope Benedict XVI pleaded with the EU to include an allusion to its "Christian roots" in the European Constitution, but his plea was rebuffed. Europe, says Dr Roy, is now a secular association of nations, and growing more so. At every point where Christian "values" have been opposed to secularism, secularism has won. Taken overall, probably just under 10pc of EU citizens are now church-goers. Even where people "identify" as Christians, it's mostly nominal - 76pc of Danes call themselves Lutherans, yet only 25pc actually believe in Jesus Christ. Some 48pc of the British have "no religion", and although 59pc of the French describe themselves as Catholics, 73pc say that "religion plays no part in their lives". The same patterns can be seen in Germany, Spain - and Ireland - where the "brutal fall" in religious adherence has gathered pace since the 1990s. Historically, secularism has been expanding since the 18th century as the state gradually replaced the Church in social areas, such as welfare, hospitals, hospices, schools and charities. However, the big break in "values" really occurred during the 1960s, according to Dr Roy. Until the 1960s, secularists held similar values to Christians. The family was at the centre of civil society. The structures of civil marriage mirrored those of Church marriage, and divorce was only acceptable as a consequence of "matrimonial fault" - the secular version of sin. Adultery was condemned, and laws against homosexual acts were enacted by the state: Germany, the Netherlands, Britain, Norway and Finland had stern anti-gay legislation under civil law. Abortion was abhorred - even Communists were usually pro-natalist and deplored birth control as hedonism and "bourgeois decadence". The pioneering French secularist Jules Ferry preached that "virtue" must be taught in secular education, and that "every father" should imbue his child with "forceful" ideas of right and wrong. These values were drawn on Christianity. IN the 1960s, secular and religious culture began to diverge. Individualism, hedonism, personal liberty and "the validity of desire" were affirmed. Divorce on demand, abortion rights, gay rights were the new values, to which "the right to die", to transgender choice and to assisted conception by proxy, donor or IVF, were to be added. All of these trends challenged Christian principles. Catholicism sought to liberalise during Vatican II (1963-68). Paradoxically, this worsened the situation, according to Dr Roy. The liberalisation was described as "aggiornamento" - bringing up to date - but the effect was to remove the sense of the sacred, to "de-spiritualise" faith. Seminaries began to empty and vocations fall. Subsequently, of course, the clerical scandals and revelations about the Magdalene orphanages in Ireland added to Church odium. The seeds of the 1960s took time to come to fruition: and between 1995 and 2015, European Christianity everywhere lost ground. The rise of Islam created, across Europe, increased hostility to religion, with bans on the veil and the minaret's call to prayer. 'Populism' sometimes claims Christianity as part of 'national identity' - as Viktor Orban does in Hungary - but Pope Francis has specifically spoken against populism (and in favour of immigration). 'Right-wing' politics in Europe don't particularly favour Christianity - Marine Le Pen endorses secularism, and 'capitalist liberals' like Emmanuel Macron favour market-based, Thatcherite values. Christianity really only survives as something recognised as 'part of our culture' as in a museum. Dr Roy's analysis is detailed and based on wide knowledge of this field. However, I believe that the conclusions he reaches are too pessimistic. There are many signs that, even if society is secularised, there remains a hunger for the spiritual and the sacred. Pilgrimages have had a huge revival over the past 30 years - the Road to Compostela is bustling with seekers. The cathedrals of Europe have never had so many visitors as they have today. Religious art is enjoying an astonishing boom - dozens of books about Leonardo da Vinci's perspectives on Christ have been published this year, the 500th anniversary of Leonardo's death. Dr Roy might say that this is just regarding faith as 'culture', but as the Catholic Church understood when it commissioned great works of art, culture can be a portal to the spiritual and the divine. As Notre-Dame was burning, President Macron, leader of an affirmatively secularist state, nonetheless referred to the great cathedral as "our soul", and its reconstruction as "our destiny". Religion often fails its adherents, but faith is remarkably enduring. Rooneys novels, Normal People and its predecessor, Conversations with Friends, do indeed concern the lives of young people. Not much action happens, but drama seems to attach to the seemingly smallest of moments. Rooneys gift is to wring tension out of two young women sitting on a bed, not talking about the affair one character is having and both know is happening, as in Conversations with Friends. Once you start reading a Sally Rooney novel, you dont stop, even as it is difficult to pinpoint the action beyond the broadest strokes. Much of the current public debate about history in the second-level curriculum is in reality a debate about something else - namely about compulsion in the curriculum. Everyone agrees children should develop an interest in the past and an understanding of how things got to be the way they are. While there are deeply held and sincere views on this matter, they are views which need to be thought through and challenged, particularly given our experience of compulsory subjects in Ireland. It is impossible to create a vision for the future in the absence of a shared analysis of the past. Whether at a personal or social level, an awareness of the past will draw attention to former failings and shortcomings, isolate issues which need to be addressed, and foreground personal and social priorities in shaping the future. But an appreciation of the past is more than this. The tragedy of the fire in Notre-Dame calls attention to the importance of the built heritage to 21st-century civilisation. It enriches life. It binds people together and it enhances the aesthetic in the everyday world. A historical imagination may be viewed as a quality of mind conscious of the interplay between the past and the present. This awareness would inspire a learner to explore further, to interrogate historical dogma, to seek actively to learn from the past, and to critically appraise dominant narratives. It might begin by wondering that, if history is his story, what about her story - or whose story is it anyway! If the learning objective is the development of the historical imagination, how best can this be achieved? Therein is the nub of the issue. While nobody in the current debate has to my knowledge queried the inherent value of history, not all agree it should be a compulsory subject. By way of background, it should be pointed out that every primary school child studies history and currently it is compulsory only in the voluntary secondary schools. It is not compulsory in ETB schools or Community schools or colleges. Irish education has a poor experience when it comes to compulsory subjects. Whether by reason of compulsion or other factors, such subjects beget resentment in learners and undermine the impulse for innovation at the teaching side. The fate of Irish is salutary in this regard. The NCCA/ESRI longitudinal study of 1,000 second-level students as they progressed through second-level education between 2004-2012 drew attention to the fact that in second year about 25pc of the students became alienated from school and never re-engaged at an emotional or psychological level. Their disenchantment coalesced around two subjects - Irish and maths. With regard to Irish, as a society we seem to be content with an outcome which results in little oral fluency, notwithstanding the scale of the investment. History will survive in our schools not because it is compulsory but because it is interesting and meaningful. In the world of adult learning, there has in recent years been an explosion of interest in local history. Groups throughout the country work assiduously in researching the past as it has unfolded in all its richness and multiple tapestries in their own communities over the centuries. This phenomenon is holding out against a background of the collapse of many other communitarian activities in civil society, as people withdraw into the sanctuary of privatised, home-based recreation or learning. Local history groups are thriving because they are inherently enriching and developmental and cast light - sometimes very painfully, as in the case of the Tuam Mothers and Babies home - on corners of our past which are dark and sinister as well as triumphant. The challenge for all second-level education is to engage the students in an active process of exploration of oneself and one's world. There are some examples where it does this very well. Students generally engage enthusiastically in subjects where they learn actively or through their hands - art, music, domestic science, computing, technology. They rise to the challenge and opportunities of extra-curricular activities, be it in sport, drama, music or social care. They are less enamoured of narrow, text-based and teacher-centred subjects where learning is through instruction rather than construction. So the debate on history might be recast as a debate on the limitations of the educational project when confined to the classroom and when it relies on compulsory attendance. Have we the capacity to grow high trust, democratic, active, self-generating and self-sustaining learning? History in the new Junior Certificate is one place where this is happening - and surely this provides the best possible basis for an increase in students taking the subject to Leaving Certificate. So, rather than discussing compulsion should we not be asking how we can create a learning environment in which the past can be animated and explored by children hungry for learning? A child who directly encounters the local landscape as their primary learning platform cannot escape history. The past is everywhere and ever-present. If we narrow it to text books in sterile classrooms, they will find multiple ways of escaping it. Tom Collins is chairperson of Dublin Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown I wish the media, particularly presenters and commentators on radio and TV current affairs programmes, when discussing the mother and baby homes scandal, would not declare with a smug, superior attitude that it was not only the clergy who were responsible but also society at large; and the democratically elected governments of the day who also bore responsibility by turning a blind eye to what was going on in those homes. The Church was also the actual government in every respect but name. Such was the power the parish priest had over his parishioners that anyone offering themselves up to the people for election would first need the blessing from the pulpit. If he/she did not subscribe to the iron-fist Catholic ethos or had what the clergy deemed subversive views on sex, births outside marriage or cohabitation, then, through the pulpit, parishioners were told in no uncertain terms that voting for that candidate or their party would be a stain on their souls. Such was the political grip through religion on the throats of brainwashed parishioners that any disobedience of the parish priests instructions would be tantamount to committing a mortal sin. The Church, and the Church alone, was responsible for those atrocities and no blame can be put on a people who were terrorised by the Vatican through the relentless threat of eternal damnation. To go against or question any aspect of the Churchs teachings or interfere in any of the institutions it controlled would have been almost impossible for a largely uneducated people who were brainwashed into thinking progression into the afterlife depended on their unquestioning obedience. Anthony McGeough Kingswood Heights ,Dublin A warm welcome back to our fine feathered friends It was with great joy in our hearts that we welcomed back into our midst once again our most elegant and graceful friends the returning swallows. As they encircled our fuel shed on Wednesday morning, chattering excitedly among themselves, one could almost hear them saying its great to be back again, after arriving from the southern hemisphere. They then chased each other about shrieking loudly and circling furiously, as though in celebration after their lengthy and challenging flight. Once again we marvel at the great ability of this tiny bird to navigate this huge distance against all the odds. The dangerous African skies, the baking and huge Sahara desert, the wide expanse of water that is the Mediterranean sea, the very intimidating Alps mountain range covering parts of Italy, France, Austria and Switzerland, through France and on to Britain, over the Irish Sea to finally arrive at their destination, the Emerald Isle. As if to herald their arrival, the cuckoo began to sing his unique song in the distance. A further sign that summer is just around the corner. That evening four very tired little swallows settled down for the night on the beams of that same fuel shed, safe in the knowledge that we humans made them feel welcome, and that they were in a safe place, where danger would not threaten their much-needed rest and sleep after their long and exhausting journey. Tom Towey Cloonacool, Co Sligo Not everyone is lucky enough to have a happy marriage EAMON Fitzpatrick (Vote No in divorce poll to avoid more shattered homes, Letters, April 17) uses one phrase which blows a hole in his argument. Every marriage worthy of the name. Im so glad that he concedes this, although possibly unknowingly. There are many marriages which are not worthy of the name, and which deserve to be ended without delay, especially for the women involved. Also we have too many victims of shattered households. Exactly the reason why we should free those who are suffering and trapped in shattered households. He writes from the viewpoint of someone in a happy marriage. Not all are so lucky. Sean Brannigan Dundalk, Co Louth A proper dignified burial for remains of all infants It is strangely disingenuous that Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone would state that there was not a dignified burial of human remains by the Mother and Baby Homes when she did not vote in favour of an amendment in the recent abortion votes to ensure babies aborted would get a proper burial. Owen McDonough Lower Abbeygate Street, Galway Drinking on Good Friday is not as good as it used to be How strange, I can go for a pint to my local pub today. It wont taste the same. How thrilling it was in my wild youth to find this forbidden fruit on this particular day. How times have changed. Brian McKevitt Glenties, Co Donegal The British Government has a lot on its plate at the moment - the small matter of Brexit and the UK's greatest constitutional crisis since the war - so no doubt they'll be pleased to have washed their hands of another irritating thorn in their side, one Julian Assange of WikiLeaks. Since June 2012 Assange has been hiding from the authorities in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London where he fled and claimed asylum to avoid his extradition to Sweden where he faced charges of sexual assault and rape. Assange was, as most readers will be aware, less concerned about his extradition to Sweden than the possibility - to be fair probably more of a certainty - that he would eventually be shipped to the United States. Since 2010 the US has been doggedly pursuing Assange for his and WikiLeaks' role in leaking thousands of confidential US military files that revealed gross human rights abuses during the US invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. When the leaked documents - provided by Chelsea Manning- were published, Assange and his organisation were hailed by many as heroes for exposing the truth of what was happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unsurprisingly, this was not a view shared by the western governments involved in the wars and occupation operations in the Middle East. For a few years Assange was seen as a hero of the global left though this reputation was seriously tainted by WikiLeaks' apparent interference with the 2016 US Presidential Election. Leaked Hillary Clinton emails published by WikiLeaks were seen as instrumental in Donald Trump winning the White House and Assange is now widely viewed as either a willing collaborator or a stooge of Russian intelligence. In recent years - thanks to his hermetic life behind the doors of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London - Assange had largely faded from the public consciousness. That all changed dramatically last week when, after months of behind the scenes negotiations between the Governments in Westminster and Quito, the Metropolitan Police were allowed into the embassy to arrest Assange who was carried from the building to face bail jumping charges. By all accounts, Assange had been a source of constant trouble and irritation to his Ecuadorian hosts. His arrest last week was an international version of the irritated property owner who finally evicts a troublesome tenant who had been given the keys to the house by a previous landlord. Assange now faces an uncertain future. Within hours the United States and the president he helped into office sought his extradition on computer hacking charges. Sweden too is weighing up its options. The WikiLeaks founder faces a two front attack and it looks set to be a long and hard fought battle. Amid the many cries that his arrest is an assault on press freedom, it looks like Mr Assange looks set to appear on the front pages for some time to come. Tributes are being paid to the late Sr Eileen Kiely of Tarbert, who as a Columban missionary brought relief and comfort to thousands worldwide in a vocation that saw her working in places as far flung as Korea and Chile. Sister Eileen Kiely passed away peacefully in March 2019 in the loving and gentle care of nursing staff in St Columban's nursing home in Magheramore Co Wicklow. Sr Eileen was raised in Barrack Street Tarbert. She attended Tarbert girls' national school and St Ita's secondary school in Tarbert. She qualified as a nurse in St Vincent's Hospital Dublin. After a few years there she got her calling to join the St Columban Missionary Sisters. She loved her life with her Columban Sisters and spent years on the missions in Korea, Chile and the USA. In the US, Sister Eileen spent time in Silver Creek, Buffalo NY, New Hyde Park, Boston, San Antonio, Texas, and Chicago. She also delivered pastoral care in Hackney Hospice London. During her time in Chicago she travelled to Notre Dame University Indiana where she received a degree in accountancy. She spent a number of years as the bursar of the order, during which time she visited all Columban Missionary Centers across the world. She kept in frequent touch with each of her siblings and relished the numerous family occasions, all through her life. Sr Eileen had a deep love of nature, flowers, plants, trees, woodlands and all bird life. She always looked forward to the coming of Spring with the arrival of the cuckoo and the swallows. Sr Eileen was predeceased by her father Dan, Mother Tessie, Sisters Mary Joe (Quirke) Gabriel (McGovern), Brother Tim and nephew Daniel Michael. Sr Eileen's death is deeply regretted by her loving Sisters in the St Columban order and also the many Columban priests with who she served abroad on the missions; her siblings, sisters Kathy (Skae) Phil (Moynihan), Margaret (Purtill) Aggie (McMahon) and Imelda (Twomey); Brothers Pete, Dan, Denis, Pat and Michael; sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, aunt Josie (Cork), uncle Pat (Boston), nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, cousins, relatives and a wide circle of dear friends. Sr Eileen was interred in the St Columban's Convent cemetery in Magheramore. Sr Eileen's month's mind Mass will be held in her home parish of Tarbert, at St Mary's Church, on Sunday, May 5, at 11.30pm next. Ar dheis De go raibh a h-anam uasal dilis Daniel Martin backstage at the Tracy Reese fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Art Beam on September 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images) Daniel Martin lead makeup artist backstage during the NYX Cosmetics Makeup Sponsor Of CG Fall/Winter 2014 at The Standard Highline on February 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for NYX Cosmetics) Daniel Martin (L) accepts New Guard Makeup Artist award from actress Jessica Alba during Marie Claire's Image Maker Awards 2017 at Catch LA on January 10, 2017 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Marie Claire) File photo dated 19/05/18 of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle riding in an Ascot Landau along the Long Walk after their wedding in St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle A general view of Frogmore Cottage at Frogmore Cottage on April 10, 2019 in Windsor, England Royal wedding...Prince Harry and Meghan Markle leave St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after their wedding Credit: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire WINDSOR, ENGLAND - MAY 19: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and The Duchess of Sussex leave Windsor Castle in the Ascot Landau carriage during a procession after getting married at St Georges Chapel on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Photo by John Sibley - WPA/Getty Images) Meghan Markles's makeup artist said she gets beauty inspiration from YouTube. Britain's Duchess of Sussex has worked with makeup artist Daniel Martin for several years but he said she urges him to look online at trends she's spotted and wants to try out. Daniel told Grazia magazine: "She makes me go on YouTube to learn about things. She'll be like, 'Oh I follow this person and they did it this way' - and I'm like, 'Oh OK'." Daniel is based in the US and was so busy ahead of Meghan's May 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, he couldn't meet with her face-to-face to test her make-up look for the big day. Expand Close Daniel Martin backstage at the Tracy Reese fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Art Beam on September 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daniel Martin backstage at the Tracy Reese fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2015 at Art Beam on September 7, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images) He admitted: "We did her make-up trial over text - I didn't have time to see her." But the beauty guru insisted that didn't matter because Meghan - who is expecting her first child this month - is so easy to work with. He said: "I've known Meghan for 10 years and I know what she's comfortable and not comfortable in. It's all about being comfortable in your own skin because it's such an iconic moment in anyone's life. "All I knew that day was I wanted Harry to see her...I love her freckles. She has incredible skin so it was easy." And it took until they arrived at Windsor Castle for Daniel to fully realise what a big occasion he was a part of. He said: "I just wanted her to look and feel the best she could. It didn't even hit us until we got to Windsor and saw the people lined up that this was actually happening." Expand Close Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs on October 31, 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meghan, Duchess of Sussex visit the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs on October 31, 2018 in Rotorua, New Zealand Video of the Day The make-up artist was delighted with the response he received afterwards. He said: "A lot of moms reached out to me after the wedding and thanked me for inspiring their daughters." Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, arriving at Cliveden House Hotel on the National Trust's Cliveden Estate to spend the night before her wedding to Prince Harry. Steve Parsons/Pool via REUTERS The Prince of Wales and Doria Ragland, mother of the bride, depart from St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle after the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Prince Louis and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg with their children pose after the Christening ceremony of Princess Amalia at the Saint Ferreol Chapel in Lorgues on July 12, 2014 in Lorgues, France. (Photo by Didier Baverel/Getty Images) Embraced: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry with her mother, Doria Ragland, (left) at the launch of the cookbook. Photo: PA Princess Tessy of Luxembourg leaves the High Court in London. Prince Louis of Luxembourg, a member of a European royal family, separated from Princess Tessy, is embroiled in a fight over money with his estranged wife in Family Division of the High Court Prince Louis of Luxembourg (L) and Tessy Antony (R) pose with their son Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny during the christening ceremony on April 22, 2006 in Gilsdorf. Luxembourg. (Photo by Carlo Hommel/Cour Grand Ducale via Getty Images) Tessy Antony, the former princess of Luxembourg, has spoken candidly about the devastating effects her royal marriage had on her family. Tessy was a 19-year-old army corporal from humble beginnings when she met Prince Louis, eventually marrying him in 2006. She and Louis divorced last year in a controversial court battle that was covered consistently by both the British and Luxembourgish press due to the fact that the proceedings took place in a London court, where the couple both live full-time. They became locked in a battle about the division of their assets after an unknown sum she requested was denied by Louis, who hails from one of the wealthiest royal families in Europe. After they eventually settled on an undisclosed sum, Tessy has become a staunch defender of Meghan Markle, who has come under consistent criticism since marrying into the British royal family last May. Markle's only relative at her wedding was her mother Doria Ragland as her father claimed to have had a heart attack days before he was due to walk her up the aisle and she is estranged from her half-siblings. Expand Close Prince Louis of Luxembourg (L) and Tessy Antony (R) pose with their son Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny during the christening ceremony on April 22, 2006 in Gilsdorf. Luxembourg. (Photo by Carlo Hommel/Cour Grand Ducale via Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Prince Louis of Luxembourg (L) and Tessy Antony (R) pose with their son Gabriel Michael Louis Ronny during the christening ceremony on April 22, 2006 in Gilsdorf. Luxembourg. (Photo by Carlo Hommel/Cour Grand Ducale via Getty Images) But Tessy said that she can empathise with the Duchess of Sussex's experiences as her own family was also demolished after her royal relationship. At the time, she was also attacked for her supposed qualifications to marry a prince and because she became pregnant before they were engaged, he refuted any succession rights for himself and any of his children to assuage the scandal. "My family suffered greatly when I married into the family. My little cousin needed to change school twice," she told Sky News. "My twin brother was incredibly bullied a work - still is today - my sister, my parents suffered...my oldest brother doesn't talk to me any more because of that, because it was too much for him to handle. She was also the subject of tell-alls from former friends and classmates who sold stories and pictures from her pre-royal life to unscrupulous publications, albeit on a smaller scale than the intense global coverage around Meghan, whose own father has published handwritten letters by her with a British newspaper. "That was when I married him and then when I got divorced 'Oh my god the same'. I've learned you can never please everyone," she added. "People will just like to talk bad about you. A person who went to school with me literally wrote me an email a few years ago and said, 'I'm sorry I wrote that about you, I know it's not true but I need to feed my children'." "Why I did it and why I stand up for her and a lot of other people as well is because my children read these things. I don't want my children to grow up in such an environment - this is not the society I want my kids to grow up in." In 2016, she described her divorce as one of the most difficult situations I have ever faced and said the focus remains on raising their sons Prince Gabriel (13) and Prince Noah (12). Expand Close Royal glitz: Meghan arriving for her wedding with her mother, Doria. Photo: Oli Scarff / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Royal glitz: Meghan arriving for her wedding with her mother, Doria. Photo: Oli Scarff Video of the Day We have a very balanced family dynamic. My sons father and I make sure that they remain children as long as possible and receive and experience all the love and fun other children receive, too, she told - of all places - RoyalCentral.co.uk. We have helped our sons to grow up to be confident, informed, happy, engaged and kind little gentlemen. We are very proud of them. Donald Trump is spending the Easter weekend as his Mar-a-Lago estate following the release of Robert Muellers report (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) For nearly two years, President Donald Trump and his allies sought to undermine special counsel Robert Muellers Russia probe, attacking investigators credibility and playing down their findings. As a redacted version of Mr Muellers report was finally released on Thursday, Mr Trump resorted to bluster, broadsides and falsehoods to try, once more, to frame the moment as a political victory. It began even before the public glimpsed the two volumes covering 448 pages. The report included an account of how the president attempted to seize control of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election and force out Mr Mueller from leading the inquiry. But that did not stop Mr Trump from taking a public victory lap, declaring at a White House event that he was having a good day. Twelve times Mr Trump took to Twitter in the hours before Attorney General William Barr outlined the findings of the report. The president proclaimed his innocence and insisted that the investigation was politically motivated. As soon as Mr Barr concluded his remarks, and more than an hour before Mr Muellers report was released, Mr Trump tweeted a taunt over an image inspired by the HBO show Game Of Thrones. No Collusion. No Obstruction, it said. For the haters and the radical left Democrats Game Over. But the report does recount how Mr Trump repeatedly sought to intervene in a probe that has hovered over the first two years of his presidency. And it says Mr Trump had been agitated by the investigation from the start, reporting that Mr Trump reacted to Mr Muellers appointment by saying it was the end of his presidency. At Justice Department headquarters, reporters buzzed around as they awaited Mr Barr and then the Mueller report. Nearby, there was calm on one of the defining days of Mr Trumps presidency. The news media were led into the White House East Room, just before the report came out, for Mr Trumps appearance at a Wounded Warrior event. While newsrooms across the country digested the report, the White House guests, already seated while waiting for the president to arrive, were entertained by the US Marine Band. Among the selections played: Somewhere Over The Rainbow. Knockout, read a text message from Rudy Giuliani, one of the presidents lawyers, to reporters after Mr Barr finished speaking. Expand Close President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up in the East Room of the White House (Andrew Harnik/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up in the East Room of the White House (Andrew Harnik/AP) A further statement from Mr Giuliani and Mr Trumps lawyers said the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegations and insisted that the results of the investigation are a total victory for the president. Donald Trump Jr, the presidents eldest son, was featured prominently in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. Although the report said the campaign anticipated receiving derogatory documents and information from Russians that could assist Trumps electoral prospects, it said the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the participants at that meeting had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful. The younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats. Better luck next hoax! he said. I never thought Id see the day that Democrats would be distraught and in tears that their President DID NOT COLLUDE WITH THE RUSSIANS. Just shows that they dont really care about America, they care only about power. Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 18, 2019 Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said that because the White House did not interfere with Mr Muellers work, that should make people feel good about democracy. Were accepting apologies today, too, Ms Conway told reporters, adding that Mr Trump watched Mr Barr, talked to his lawyers and was in a great mood. The president, who normally talks to reporters on his way out of the White House, declined to speak as he left to spend the Easter weekend in Florida. But from Air Force One, he tweeted: I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didnt! Appearing relaxed earlier on Friday at a military event, Mr Trump said a statue he had been presented with as a memento would have a permanent home at least for six years, in the Oval Office. As the audience applauded and laughed, Mr Trump said he was going to joke and say at least for 10 or 14 years, but we would cause bedlam if I said that. Fans of K-pop band BTS have welcomed a new member after a video of a musician playing the trumpet along to his daughters music went viral. Student Sadie Neighbour, from Cornwall, posted a video of her dad improvising along to BTS song Make It Right with his trumpet, and K-pop fans adore his effort. Posting the video to Twitter, Sadie said My dad is now Army, referencing the nickname BTS fans have given themselves, the BTS Army. my dad is now army pic.twitter.com/gjq9OxpoQM sadie (@lusjeon) April 15, 2019 Sadie told the Press Association: I was streaming BTSs new album Persona with my sister, and my dad came into the room. As hes a musician he picked up the notes to the chorus really well. He just picked up the four notes quickly and played them on the spot! The video gathered almost 150,000 views on the website, with several K-pop fans asking for the full cover version, or even sheet music so they could play along. Sadie said her dad was happy that his trumpet playing was seen by so many fans, and that her whole family are fans of the band. She said: He was so confused but happy it was shown to many people! I really wish BTS would see it! Myself and my family all meet regularly, practically every day, and watch new videos of BTS as we are all huge fans! We have all the albums and are also seeing them at Wembley Stadium! Around 35 people were thought to have been travelling from Karachi to Gwadar when armed men stopped their bus, checked their identities, then shot individuals selectively. Jehangir Dashti, an official in Balochistan province where the attack happened, said: "Fourteen passengers were lined up in a nearby open area and killed." Prime Minister Imran Khan called it "an act of terror". Balochistan separatists have previously targeted Pakistani security forces and people from neighbouring Punjab province. Advice: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gives guidance during his visit to the Shinchang Fish Farm. Photo: Reuters NORTH Korea says it has test-fired a new type of "tactical guided weapon", its first such test in nearly half a year, and demanded that Washington removes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from nuclear negotiations. The test, which did not appear to be of a banned mid or long-range ballistic missile that could scuttle negotiations, allows Pyongyang to show its people it is pushing ahead with weapons development while also reassuring domestic military officials worried that diplomacy with Washington signals weakness. In a separate statement, Pyongyang's foreign ministry accused Mr Pompeo of playing down the significance of comments by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who said last week that Washington has until the end of the year to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement to salvage the high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. The demand for Mr Pompeo's removal from the talks and the weapon test point to Pyongyang's displeasure with the deadlocked negotiations. Mr Kim observed the unspecified weapon being fired on Wednesday by the Academy of Defence Science, the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency said. Mr Kim was reported to have said: "The development of the weapon system serves as an event of very weighty significance in increasing the combat power of the People's Army." Expand Close Invitation: Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Kim Jong-un / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Invitation: Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet Kim Jong-un The Associated Press could not independently verify North Korea's claim, and it was not immediately clear what had been tested. A ballistic missile test would jeopardise the diplomatic talks meant to provide the North with concessions in return for disarmament. A South Korean analyst said details in the North's media report indicate it could have been a new type of cruise missile. Another possible clue is that one of the lower-level officials mentioned in the North's report on the test - Pak Jong Chon - is known as an artillery official. The test comes during an apparent deadlock in nuclear disarmament talks after the failed summit in Hanoi between Mr Kim and US President Donald Trump earlier this year. Some in Seoul worry that the North will turn back to actions seen as provocative by outsiders as a way to force Washington to drop its hardline negotiating stance and grant the North's demand for a removal of crushing international sanctions. A string of increasingly powerful weapons tests in 2017 and Mr Trump's response of "fire and fury" had many fearing war before the North shifted to diplomacy. During a speech in Texas on Monday, Mr Pompeo said Mr Kim promised to denuclearise during his first summit with Mr Trump and that US officials were working with the North Koreans to "chart a path forward so we can get there". "He [Kim] said he wanted it done by the end of the year," Mr Pompeo said. "I'd love to see that done sooner." Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Mr Kim will visit Russia later this month. It said in a brief statement that Mr Kim will visit Russia "in the second half of April" on Russian President Vladimir Putin's invitation. Russian media has been abuzz in recent days with rumours about the rare meeting between the leaders. Mr Putin is set to visit China later this month, and some media speculated that he could meet with Mr Kim in Vladivostok, the port city near the border with North Korea. The announcement of the upcoming summit comes as Mr Trump's administration is pushing for a deal with Mr Kim that would bring an end to nuclear tensions on the Korean peninsula. Two earlier summits between Mr Kim and Mr Trump failed to reach an agreement on a denuclearisation deal. Mr Trump administration officials have floated the possibility of a third summit. The Kremlin gave no further details of the summit between Mr Putin and Mr Kim in a statement on its website, but Moscow has been saying for months that it was working on such a meeting. US Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun was due in Moscow to meet Russian officials to discuss ways to advance a "final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea", Washington said yesterday. Hospitals and nursing homes in California and Illinois are testing a surprisingly simple strategy against the dangerous, antibiotic-resistant superbugs that kill thousands of people each year: washing patients with a special soap. The efforts funded with roughly $8 million from the federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are taking place at 50 facilities in those two states. This novel approach recognizes that superbugs don't remain isolated in one hospital or nursing home but move quickly through a community, said Dr. John Jernigan, who directs the CDC's office on health care-acquired infection research. "No health care facility is an island," Jernigan said. "We all are in this complicated network." At least 2 million people in the U.S. become infected with an antibiotic-resistant bacterium each year, and about 23,000 die from those infections, according to the CDC. People in hospitals are vulnerable to these bugs, and people in nursing homes are particularly vulnerable. Up to 15 percent of hospital patients and 65 percent of nursing home residents harbor drug-resistant organisms, though not all of them will develop an infection, said Dr. Susan Huang, who specializes in infectious diseases at the University of California-Irvine. "Superbugs are scary and they are unabated," Huang said. "They don't go away." Some of the most common bacteria in health care facilities are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, or CRE, often called "nightmare bacteria." E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae are two common germs that can fall into this category when they become resistant to last-resort antibiotics known as carbapenems. CRE bacteria cause an estimated 600 deaths each year, according to the CDC. CREs have "basically spread widely" among health care facilities in the Chicago region, said Dr. Michael Lin, an infectious-diseases specialist at Rush University Medical Center, who is heading the CDC-funded effort there. "If MRSA is a superbug, this is the extreme the super superbug." Containing the dangerous bacteria has been a challenge for hospitals and nursing homes. As part of the CDC effort, doctors and health care workers in Chicago and Southern California are using the antimicrobial soap chlorhexidine, which has been shown to reduce infections when patients bathe with it. Though chlorhexidine is frequently used for bathing in hospital intensive care units and as a mouthwash for dental infections, it is used less commonly for bathing in nursing homes. In Chicago, researchers are working with 14 nursing homes and long-term acute care hospitals, where staff are screening people for the CRE bacteria at admission and bathing them daily with chlorhexidine. The Chicago project, which started in 2017 and ends in September, includes a campaign to promote handwashing and increased communication among hospitals about which patients carry the drug-resistant organisms. The infection-control work was new to many nursing homes, which don't have the same resources as hospitals, Lin said. In fact, three-quarters of nursing homes in the U.S. received citations for infection-control problems over a four-year period, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis, and the facilities with repeat citations almost never were fined. Nursing home residents often are sent back to hospitals because of infections. In California, health officials are closely watching the CRE bacteria, which are less prevalent there than elsewhere in the country, and they are trying to prevent CRE from taking hold, said Dr. Matthew Zahn, medical director of epidemiology at the Orange County Health Care Agency. "We don't have an infinite amount of time," he said. "Taking a chance to try to make a difference in CRE's trajectory now is really important." The CDC-funded project in California is based in Orange County, where 36 hospitals and nursing homes are using the antiseptic wash along with an iodine-based nose swab. The goal is to prevent new people from getting drug-resistant bacteria and keep the ones who already have the bacteria on their skin or elsewhere from developing infections, said Huang, who is leading the project. Huang kicked off the project by studying how patients move among different hospitals and nursing homes in Orange County, and discovered they do so far more than imagined. That prompted a key question: "What can we do to not just protect our patients but to protect them when they start to move all over the place?" she recalled. Her previous research showed that patients with the MRSA bacteria who used chlorhexidine for bathing and as a mouthwash, and swabbed their noses with a nasal antibiotic, could reduce their risk of developing a MRSA infection by 30%. But all the patients in that study, published in February in the New England Journal of Medicine, already had been discharged from hospitals. Now the goal is to target patients still in hospitals or nursing homes and extend the work to CRE. The traditional hospitals participating in the new project are focusing on patients in intensive care units and those who already carried drug-resistant bacteria, while the nursing homes and the long-term acute care hospitals perform the cleaning also called "decolonizing" on every resident. One recent morning at Coventry Court Health Center, a nursing home in Anaheim, Calif., 94-year-old Neva Shinkle sat patiently in her wheelchair. Licensed vocational nurse Joana Bartolome swabbed her nose and asked if she remembered what it did. "It kills germs," Shinkle responded. "That's right it protects you from infection." In a nearby room, senior project coordinator Raveena Singh from UC-Irvine talked with Caridad Coca, 71, who had recently arrived at the facility. She explained that Coca would bathe with the chlorhexidine rather than regular soap. "If you have some kind of open wound or cut, it helps protect you from getting an infection," Singh said. "And we are not just protecting you, one person. We protect everybody in the nursing home." Coca said she had a cousin who had spent months in the hospital after getting MRSA. "Luckily, I've never had it," she said. Coventry Court administrator Shaun Dahl said he was eager to participate because people were arriving at the nursing home carrying MRSA or other bugs. "They were sick there and they are sick here," Dahl said. Results from the Chicago project are pending. Preliminary results of the Orange County project, which ends in May, show that it seems to be working, Huang said. After 18 months, researchers saw a 25% decline in drug-resistant organisms in nursing home residents, 34% in patients of long-term acute care hospitals and 9% in traditional hospital patients. The most dramatic drops were in CRE, though the number of patients with that type of bacteria was smaller. The preliminary data also shows a promising ripple effect in facilities that aren't part of the effort, a sign that the project may be starting to make a difference in the county, said Zahn of the Orange County Health Care Agency. "In our community, we have seen an increase in antimicrobial-resistant infections," he said. "This offers an opportunity to intervene and bend the curve in the right direction." Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. A Bangladeshi teenager has been burned to death for reporting sexual harassment against her head teacher. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, a 19-year-old from a small town 160km south of Dhaka, was killed at her school less than two weeks after she had filed a sexual harassment complaint against her head teacher. The saga has gripped Bangladesh and shone a light on the danger of reporting sexual harassment in the country. Ms Rafi said the teacher called her into his office and repeatedly touched her in an inappropriate manner. She was forced to run out before things could have escalated. A student at an Islamic school, Ms Rafi was filmed by the officer in charge on his phone as she recounted what had happened. This was leaked online. It is alleged she was later tricked into going to the roof of the school where four or five people surrounded her and pressured her to withdraw her complaint but set her on fire when she refused. ( Independent News Service) An electrical short-circuit most likely caused the devastating blaze at Notre-Dame cathedral, a police official has revealed. France yesterday paid a day long tribute to the firefighters who tried to save the the world-renowned landmark. A French judicial police official said investigators have made an initial assessment of the cathedral but don't have a green light to search Notre-Dame's charred interior because of ongoing safety concerns. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the cathedral's fragile walls were being shored up with wooden planks. Yesterday, French President Emmanuel Macron held a ceremony at the Elysee Palace to thank the hundreds of firefighters who battled the fast-moving for nine hours on Monday night. Authorities have said Notre-Dame, which dates from the 12th century, was in danger of going up in flames before fire crews stopped it from spreading into a tower belfry. Fire responders also rescued many of the important relics and works of art inside the cathedral. "We've seen before our eyes the right things perfectly organised in a few moments, with responsibility, courage, solidarity and a meticulous organisation", Mr Macron said. "The worst has been avoided." He said the firefighters will receive a medal for their courage and devotion. As the ceremony took place, investigators continued seeking clues to what sparked the fire. The huge cathedral, including the spire that was consumed by flames and collapsed, was in the initial stages of a lengthy restoration. Investigators so far believe the fire was accidental, and had questioned 40 cathedral staff and workers who were carrying out renovations, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. Fire officials warned the building remains unstable and extremely dangerous, including for the construction workers who rushed to secure an area above one of the rose-shaped windows and other vulnerable sections of the fire-damaged structure. Workers using a crane were removing some statues to lessen the weight on the cathedral's fragile gables, or support walls, and to keep them from falling, since the section lacked the support of the massive timber roof that burned up in the devastating blaze. Police, citing "important risks" of collapse and falling objects, officially closed a large swath of the island in the River Seine on which Notre-Dame sits. Leading the polls: Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage arrives to attend a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Photo: Vincent Kessler/Reuters The EU's Eurosceptic, populist and far-right parties would constitute the largest group in the European parliament after next month's election if they united into a single group. The latest official seat projections show three right-wing Eurosceptic groups - the EFDD, ECR and ENF - would have 184 seats between them, according to current polls. The haul would put them just ahead of the centre-right European People's Party, which is projected to win 180 seats, according to the parliament's calculations. The centre-left socialist group is currently on course to win 149. Far-right leaders such as Matteo Salvini and Viktor Orban have called for anti-immigrant, Eurosceptic and far-right parties across the continent to unite into a single "axis" to take control of the EU institutions. Former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon has also said he wanted to unite the groups, though his overtures have been met with a frosty reception from the parties so far. While the populists have announced their intentions to form a new, consolidated alliance, in practice, splits and rivalries between the ECR, ENF and EFDD groups mean they are extremely unlikely to all join a single faction. Expand Close Nationalist: French far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nationalist: French far-right National Rally party leader Marine Le Pen Some parties in the groups, such as the UK's Conservatives, see themselves as less extreme and would be unlikely to agree to sit with others, such as France's National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen - despite shared Euroscepticism and hostility to free immigration. Some of the Conservatives' allies in the ECR, such as the Danish People's Party, have said they would sit in such a united group, however - going as far as to attend joint rallies. The projected size of the Eurosceptic groups is in part attributable to the last-minute participation of the UK in the elections, with Ukip, the Brexit Party and the Tories all sitting in at least one of the groups and expected to return a significant number of MEPs. Britain's participation is also a boost for the centre-left socialist group, which is likely to benefit from Labour MEPs, and the Greens/EFA, which would be bolstered by Green, SNP and Plaid members. The centre-right still looks set to retain the European Commission presidency under the latest projections, which come just as the election campaign gets under way in earnest across the continent. Under the EU's "Spitzenkandidat" system, the lead candidate for the group that comes top in the elections becomes the commission president, as long as member states approve. The centre-left socialist group is hoping to snatch the presidency with the help of Labour MEPs, but the latest projection has the EPP increasing its lead. The latest YouGov poll for the European parliament elections in the UK has Nigel Farage's Brexit Party winning 23pc of the vote, Labour coming second with 22pc, the Conservatives on 17pc, the Green Party on 10pc, Lib Dems on 9pc, Change UK on 8pc and Ukip on 6pc. The EU-wide European parliament seat projections, released yesterday, are calculated by officials at the parliament. They are based on publicly available polling of the 28 different national contests from across the continent. The European parliament elections are scheduled to last from Thursday, May 23, until the Sunday evening of that week, when the results will be counted. The UK is set to participate if it has not left the EU by then, as is increasingly likely. ( Independent News Service) 'Trainspotting 2' actor Bradley Welsh was shot dead on the doorstep of his home while his partner and young daughter were inside, police have said. A murder investigation has been launched into the death of the 48-year-old father after he was killed by a shot to the head as he was walking down the stairs to his Edinburgh flat. Police were called to Chester Street in the west end of the city at approximately 8pm on Wednesday after multiple reports of a gunshot. A neighbour who heard the gunshot found Mr Welsh fatally wounded outside his flat but it was only once police arrived that his family learned of his "horrific death". Detective Superintendent Allan Burton from the major investigation team said: "We have a lady who's lost a partner, a child who's lost a dad, a family who have lost a son and brother. "And so, for their sake, and the sake of everybody else in this community, please come forward and help us find the person responsible for this horrific death. "Mr Welsh's partner and young daughter were in the house at the time when this took place. Thankfully they were unaware - they never heard the bang, if you like." Detectives believe Mr Welsh was shot in a targeted attack by a man who fled on foot. Mr Welsh starred alongside Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle in 'T2 Trainspotting', playing gangland figure Mr Doyle. He also appeared in an episode of 'Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men' in 2008. Irvine Welsh, the author of 'Trainspotting', tweeted: "Bradley John Welsh, my heart is broken. Goodbye my amazing and beautiful friend. "Thanks for making me a better person and helping me to see the world in a kinder and wiser way." French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting officials from the United Nations cultural agency and is expected to set out ideas for the reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral. He is meeting state delegates from Unesco, which oversees global heritage issues, at the Elysee Palace. "Deep emotion in the face of this dramatic fire at the cathedral #NotreDame de Paris, inscribed as #WorldHeritage in 1991. @UNESCO is closely monitoring the situation and is standing by France's side to safeguard and restore this invaluable heritage." https://t.co/WsGoSym4gD UNESCO #Education #Sciences #Culture (@UNESCO) April 15, 2019 The meeting is taking place as architects and experts assess how to stabilise the World Heritage Sites structure and protect it from the rain. Charlotte Hubert, president of Frances group of architects specialising in historic monuments, told BFM news that experts are planning to install a wide tarpaulin on the roof. The installation will form a pointed roof higher than Notre Dames original roof, to allow renovation workers to rebuild the frame under its protection, she said. Mr Macron has not indicated his view on how the roof should be rebuilt and whether the frame should be in wood, metal or concrete, his cultural heritage envoy Stephane Bern said this week. He has named a general, Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the armed forces, to lead the reconstruction project. More than 850 million has already poured in from ordinary worshippers and high-powered magnates around the world to restore Notre Dame. Mr Macrons push for a speedy rebuild indicates he wants the fire-ravaged Paris monuments reconstruction to be part of his legacy, and is seizing the moment to try to move on from the divisive yellow vest protests. His initial wish for it to be rebuilt in just five years was met with incredulity. The rector of Notre Dame said on Friday that a computer glitch might have caused the fire. Patrick Chauvet did not elaborate, adding only that we maybe find out what happened in two or three months. Le Parisien newspaper has reported that investigators are looking at whether the fire could have been linked to a computer glitch, or temporary elevators used in the renovation work, among other things. Mr Macron had been due to deliver an uneasy speech on Monday setting out long-awaited plans to quell anti-government protests that have marred his presidency, but it was postponed after the fire broke out. Instead, the French leader immediately went to the scene of the fire and announced: We will rebuild Notre Dame. According to an opinion poll by BVA institute the first one since the fire Mr Macron has gained three points in popularity since last month, from 29% to 32%. It places him at a level equivalent to last September, before the yellow vest crisis, BVA said. All French polls show his popularity has hovered at low levels for more than a year, since he applied a tax rise on retirees. Expand Close Yellow vests demonstrations in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Yellow vests demonstrations in Paris (Christophe Ena/AP) But the same pollsters predict that Mr Macrons party may be ahead in May 26 European Parliament elections, in close competition with the far-right party of Marine Le Pen. The French leader is expected to detail his measures to respond to the yellow vest protests next week. According to the text of his pre-recorded speech, Mr Macron was planning to respond to demonstrators concerns over their loss of purchasing power with tax cuts for lower-income households and measures to boost pensions and help single parents. A new round of yellow vest protests is planned across the country, including in Paris. Even the reconstruction of the cathedral will not provide the French leader with a topic for consensus, as experts and politicians debate whether to build it exactly as it was, or whether to introduce new technologies and designs. It is now up to Congress to decide what to do with special counsel Robert Muellers findings about US president Donald Trump. While the special counsel declined to prosecute Mr Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate him, all but leaving the question to Congress. The responsibility now falls to Congress, said Representative Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has the power to launch impeachment proceedings. How far lawmakers will go, though, remains unclear. Republicans are eager to push past what Mr Trump calls the witch hunt that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. And while Democrats say Mr Muellers findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Attorney General William Barrs four-page summary, they have been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling on Thursday on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer only that Mr Muellers report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Muellers report appears to undercut that finding, they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Ms Pelosi vowed: Congress will not be silent. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: AG Barr presented a conclusion that @realDonaldTrump did not obstruct justice while the #MuellerReport appears to undercut that finding. pic.twitter.com/mHCzGc8RGT Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 18, 2019 Biding their time, Democrats are putting the focus on their next investigative steps. Mr Nadler summoned Mr Mueller to testify and the chairman said on Thursday he will be issuing subpoenas for the full report. And next week, both the House and Senate are scheduled to hear from Mr Barr, whom Democrats accuse of distorting the reports contents to Mr Trumps benefit. But it is unlikely that the full Mueller report or the public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mr Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Mr Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsels appointment in May 2017, and Mr Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow the end of my presidency. The special counsel wrestled with what to do with his findings, unable to charge or exonerate, and sided with the departments guideline that indicting a sitting president would impair the ability of the executive branch to function. We concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice, the report said. Expand Close Special counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election (Jon Elswick/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Special counsel Robert Muellers redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election (Jon Elswick/AP) Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, said the acts described in the report whether they are criminal or not, are deeply alarming in the president of the United States. And its clear that special counsel Mueller wanted the Congress to consider the repercussions and the consequences. Mr Schiff, the California Democrat, said, If the special counsel, as he made clear, had found evidence exonerating the president, he would have said so. He did not. He left that issue to the Congress of the United States. Republicans sought to portray Democrats as unwilling to let go of the idea that Mr Trump colluded with Russia to swing the election. What youre seeing is unprecedented desperation from the left, tweeted Representative Mark Meadows, a top Trump ally. There was no collusion. Its over. Other Republicans were more measured. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is one of the few members of Congress mentioned in the report, told reporters in Kentucky, Its too early to start commenting on portions of it. Mr McConnell was among several people the report said former White House Counsel Don McGahn had reached out to on behalf of the president when Mr Trump was trying to stop then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself at the start of the Russia probe. In all, the report revealed 10 areas of potential obstruction, from Trumps firing of FBI director James Comey to his attempts to thwart Mr Muellers investigation. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, the report says. However, we are unable to reach that judgment. The evidence we obtained about the Presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Mr Muellers team hewed to department guidelines. We recognised that a federal criminal accusation against a sitting President would place burdens on the Presidents capacity to govern, the report said. We determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes. The chairman of the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Muellers report into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and the underlying materials. This morning, @HouseJudiciary has issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full the Mueller report and the underlying materials. DOJ is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1. pic.twitter.com/nzu9O5CC36 Rep. Nadler (@RepJerryNadler) April 19, 2019 Democratic Representative Jerry Nadler of New York is asking for the information by May 1. That is also the day when Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to give evidence before a Senate committee and one day before Mr Barr is set to appear before Mr Nadlers committee. Mr Nadler has also summoned Mr Mueller to give evidence. The subpoena is the opening shot in what could be a lengthy legal battle as Congress escalates its investigation of US President Donald Trump. If the Justice Department does not respond, Democrats could hold officials in contempt of Congress or eventually fight the battle in court. Expand Close Four pages of the Mueller Report (Cliff Owen/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Four pages of the Mueller Report (Cliff Owen/AP) The Judiciary Committee voted 24-17 earlier this month to give Mr Nadler permission to issue subpoenas for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mr Muellers investigation. Mr Nadler said: It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. While Mr Mueller declined to prosecute Mr Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress. Mr Muellers report provides fresh evidence of Mr Trumps interference in the Russia investigation and challenges Congress to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning. My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice, Mr Nadler said. Mr Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Mr Nadler said he is open to working with the department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability. Republicans are eager to move beyond what Mr Trump calls the witch hunt that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. While Democrats say Mr Muellers findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Mr Barrs four-page summary last month, they have been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, travelling on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer that Mr Muellers report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Muellers report appears to undercut that finding, they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Ms Pelosi vowed: Congress will not be silent. President Donald Trump pushed for obtaining rival Hillary Clinton's private emails and his campaign was in touch with allies who were pursuing them, according to the special counsel's report. On July 27, 2016, Mr Trump famously said at a campaign rally, "Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," referring to emails that Ms Clinton said she had deleted from her private server. She had used a private account during her tenure as secretary of state. Mr Trump also "made this request repeatedly" during the campaign, former national security adviser Michael Flynn told Mueller's investigation. Flynn "contacted multiple people in an effort to obtain the emails," including Peter Smith, a Republican operative, and Barbara Ledeen, a Republican staffer. Months earlier, Ledeen had written to Smith that Clinton's server had likely been breached long ago, and that "the Chinese, Russian, and Iranian intelligence services could 'reassemble the server's email content'." Smith "created a company, raised tens of thousands of dollars, and recruited security experts and business associates," the investigation found. Smith also claimed that "he was in contact with hackers 'with ties and affiliations to Russia' who had access to the emails, and that his efforts were co-ordinated with the Trump campaign," but Mr Mueller couldn't establish if that was true. ( Washington Post) US president Donald Trump has responded to the release of Robert Mueller's report into Russian election interference, saying: "This should never happen to another president again." President Trump's legal team said the results of the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller vindicate him and show he acted properly when he fired James Comey, the former director of the FBI. Mr Trump said he was "having a good day" following the release of the Mueller report, adding: "It's called no collusion, no obstruction." Mr Mueller, a former FBI director, unearthed "numerous links" between the Russian government and Mr Trump's campaign, but concluded there was not enough evidence to establish that the campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Moscow in its election meddling. Yesterday's release after a 22-month investigation was a watershed moment in Mr Trump's tumultuous presidency and inflamed partisan passions ahead of his 2020 re-election bid. Democrats said the report contained disturbing evidence of wrongdoing by Mr Trump, but there was no immediate indication they would try to remove him from office through impeachment. In the days after a Boeing 737 Max 8 jet plunged into Indonesia's Java Sea last October, company officials said they were moving quickly to update plane software suspected in the crash. Six months and a second Max 8 disaster in Ethiopia later, Boeing has yet to submit its fix to regulators. Last week, pilots and its airline customers left a Federal Aviation Administration meeting with no idea when the grounded model would fly again. "We've taken off our watches and put the calendars in the drawer," American Airlines pilot Dennis Tajer said. Fixing the software is proving a difficult task. "Any time you change software code, it's a major issue,'' said Clint Balog, an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University professor who studies the interaction between humans and computers in planes. "If you change even one small thing in a code, it can have downstream implications.'' The jet's anti-stall device - known as the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System - has now been implicated in October's Lion Air crash and last month's Ethiopian Airlines disaster, which occurred while the software fix was under way. An update turns out to be more complicated than Boeing anticipated, both politically and technically. In a video message, Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said the company had finished its last test flight and was prepared to move forward with certification. The goal, he said, is to make the 737 Max "one of the safest airplanes ever to fly". His company needs to convince the heavily-scrutinised US Federal Aviation Authority - as well as sceptical international regulators - that the fix is safe and capable of being used in the Max 8 without requiring costly flight-simulator training for pilots, as the company has promised customers. That could prove tricky in the current environment, said Richard Aboulafia, an aircraft consultant and vice president at Teal Group in Virginia. "I suspect the time spent so far is less about creating optimal software and more about proving to regulators that it's OK," Mr Aboulafia said. The tradition of non-US aircraft regulators deferring to the FAA's judgment calls is "hanging by a thread. The system now has many agencies who are determined to show that they have independent oversight." ( Bloomberg) I was the first pregnant patient of Jennifer Kamieniak, a lymphedema specialist at Illinois Masonic Hospital in Chicago. Each session began with manual lymphatic drainage, a type of light touch massage. She was careful not to rub my belly, but every time she worked, the baby moved. Hes happy, I told her. He seemed calmer after every treatment. After moving the lymph fluid out of my body, she wrapped my legs and feet in layers of foam and gauze to contain the swelling. I always felt better. French soldiers on patrol along the side of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris (Michel Euler/AP) Architects and construction workers have now stabilised the damaged structure of Notre Dame Cathedral, four days after a fast-spreading fire ravaged the Paris building. A fire brigade spokesman confirmed crews will leave the site on Friday night. It comes as French authorities prepare for more planned protests by the yellow vest movement across the country this weekend. It's a miracle that the cathedral is still standing and that all the relics were savedLieutenant Colonel Gabriel Plus There is no more risk the edifices walls could fall down, Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel Plus said, adding firefighters have been able to cool down the walls and debris from the roof inside the cathedral. Its a miracle that the cathedral is still standing, and that all the relics were saved, he said. As Catholics carried out the Way Of The Cross ritual near the cathedral to mark Good Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron met officials from the United Nations cultural agency, Unesco. Unesco representatives have offered their technical expertise to help with the reconstruction. Expand Close French president Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to Paris Firefighters Brigade and security forces who took part in extinguishing the blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral (Christophe Petit Tesson/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp French president Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to Paris Firefighters Brigade and security forces who took part in extinguishing the blaze at Notre Dame Cathedral (Christophe Petit Tesson/AP) Mr Macron is moving quickly on the fire-ravaged monuments reconstruction, which is being viewed both as a push to make it part of his legacy and a way to move past the divisive yellow vest protests over social inequality in France. Notre Dames reconstruction is prompting widespread debate across France, with differing views over whether it should involve new technologies and designs. Mr Macrons office has, for example, said the president wants a contemporary architectural gesture to be considered for the collapsed 19th-century spire, which was not part of the original cathedral. The president has not offered any specifics on his vision for the roof or whether the frame should be wood, metal or concrete, according to his cultural heritage envoy, Stephane Bern. He has named a general, Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the armed forces, to lead the reconstruction effort. Expand Close Worshippers take part in the Good Friday procession near Notre Dame Cathedral (Francois Mori/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Worshippers take part in the Good Friday procession near Notre Dame Cathedral (Francois Mori/AP) The Notre Dame fire delayed Mr Macrons long-awaited plans to quell anti-government protests that have marred his presidency. The French leader abandoned a planned TV address to the nation on the evening of the fire, heading to the scene instead and declaring: We will rebuild Notre Dame. According to an opinion poll by BVA institute published on Friday, the first carried out since the fire, Mr Macron has gained three points in popularity in the past month with an approval rating of 32%. That puts him back at the support level of September, before the yellow vest crisis, BVA said. Although all French polls show Mr Macrons popularity has remain depressed since a tax increase on retired people last year, they suggest his party may be ahead in Frances May 26 European Parliament election, with Marine Le Pens far-right party, the National Rally, close behind. Mr Macron is now expected to detail his new measures next week. He earlier was planning to respond to demonstrators concerns over their loss of purchasing power with tax cuts for lower-income households and measures to boost pensions and help single parents. Expand Close A yellow vest protester in Paris last weekend (Christophe Ena/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A yellow vest protester in Paris last weekend (Christophe Ena/AP) Despite the destruction of Notre Dame dominating the news in France, a new round of yellow vest protests is planned on Saturday across the country, including in Paris. Interior minister Christophe Castaner said 60,000 police officers will be mobilised and demonstrations near Notre Dame will be banned as he expects some protests to turn violent. A founding leader of the yellow vest movement in France has claimed Mr Macron is exploiting the Notre Dame fire for political gain. Ingrid Levavasseur spoke out ahead of another round of planned protests across the country this weekend. She said: Youre there, looking at all these millions accumulating, after spending five months in the streets fighting social and fiscal injustice. Its breaking my heart. What happened at Notre Dame is obviously a deplorable tragedy. But nobody died. Ive heard someone speaking of national mourning. Are they out of their minds? The blaze at Notre Dame has sent shock waves through France but Ms Levavasseur believes the image of unbroken national unity that arose in the aftermath of the fire is being politically exploited by Mr Macron. It took him less than 24 hours to speak about the fire, while he made us wait for three weeks before addressing our issues, she said. Decrying the struggles of low-paid workers and pensioners, and accusing Mr Macrons government of favouring the rich, yellow vest activists, named after the fluorescent jackets French motorists are required to keep in their cars, have been protesting for 22 consecutive weekends. Frustrated by the lack of government response, Ms Levavasseur has stopped attending demonstrations in recent weeks but is considering returning to the streets on Saturday because of an even greater sense of being overlooked since the Notre Dame blaze. After supporting India in its bid to take counter-action against terrorism in the country, the United States plans to end preferential trade treatment for India that allows duty-free entry for $5.6 billion worth of the countrys exports to the United States. As the U.S federal elections are due to take place next year, President Donald Trump has decided to cut U.S trade deficits. Last week, he called India a very-high tariff nation and told his supporters that he now wanted some kind of reciprocal tax. In a letter to the congressional leaders, Trump wrote, I am taking this step because, after intensive engagement between the United States and the government of India, I have determined that India has not assured the United States that it will provide equitable and reasonable access to the markets of India. On Saturday, in an address to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington DC he said, When we send a motorcycle to India, its a hundred percent tariff. They charge 100 percent when India sends a motorcycle to us, we brilliantly charge them nothing. The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) is a U.S. trade program designed to promote economic growth in the developing world by providing preferential duty-free entry for up to 4,800 products from 129 designated beneficiary countries and territories. It was instituted on January 01, 1976 by the trade act of 1974. India is the worlds largest beneficiary of the U.S GSP program and withdrawal of this treatment is expected to hurt Indias trade revenues the most, since Trump assumed office in 2017. Reuters reported that the U.S. Trade Representatives Office (USTR) said removing India from the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) programme would not take effect for at least 60 days after the notifications, and would be done through a presidential proclamation. This move comes after India made changes in its e-commerce rules to provide a level-playing field to Indian physical stores. It laid out rules for how e-commerce giants Amazon and Walmart-backed Flipkart carry out business in the country. The e-commerce rules followed a drive by New Delhi to force global card payments companies such as Mastercard Inc and Visa Inc to move their data to India and higher tariffs on electronic products and smartphones. According to the USTR, these new rules have affected the U.S commerce business seriously. It further added that India was unable to take successful steps to meet the GSP criterion. It was also reported that the Congress also plans to terminate the GSP beneficiary designation of Turkey. Photo: Reuters An Indian government source though, told Reuters India that the preferential treatment brings actual benefit of only $250 million a year to the country and they hoped that this withdrawal wouldnt lead to any trade hurdles. GSP is more symbolic of the strategic relationship, not in value terms, the source was quoted as saying. However, it is not clear what action would India now take. Indias top GSP exports to the United States in 2017 included motor vehicle parts, ferro alloys, precious metal jewellery, building stone, insulated cables and wires, said business grouping the Confederation of Indian Industry, which had lobbied against the withdrawal of preferential treatment. Certain countries can export products to the U.S duty-free if they meet the GSP eligibility criteria that include respecting arbitral awards in favour of US citizens or corporations, combating child labour, respecting internationally recognised worker rights, providing adequate and effective intellectual property protection and providing the US with equitable and reasonable market access among others. They say that humanity is the true religion of mankind. Perhaps, humanity is dying a slow death. Barbaric and atrocious incidents are coming to light with every passing day. While women safety finds a mention in all political party manifestos, it is a concern only on paper. Women in different parts of India continue to get brutally assaulted by gangsters. In a heart-wrenching incident, a female engineering student was tortured, raped, burnt to death before she was hung to a tree in Karnataka. The incident reportedly took place on April 13 when the girl was reported to be missing from her college. The girl who was in her early 20s was found hanging from a tree on April 16; three days after she went missing. Horrific pictures and videos of the deceased have been surfacing online. The graphic sensitive content has enraged social media users and they are demanding justice for the woman. Appalled by the barbaric incident of alleged rape & murder of an innocent girl in Raichur. I have directed the DGP to conduct thorough investigation & I assure that impartial investigation will be done into this inhumane incident & the culprits will be brought to justice. M B Patil (@MBPatil) April 19, 2019 Her body was discovered around 5-6 kms away from the college. According to local media reports, the police claimed that a suicide note was discovered in which it was mentioned that she committed suicide because she scored poorly in examinations and nobody else was responsible for her death. However, the family has strictly denied that she committed suicide. Some social media users wrote that the killers forced her to write the suicide note. The parents of the girl accused her boyfriend for the ghastly crime. The Raichur SP said the victim's boyfriend had been arrested based on her parents' complaint. The police have confirmed that she was burnt to death though, they are awaiting the post-mortem report for further investigation. Raichur: A protest broke out yesterday (18th April), after the murder of a 23-year-old female engineering student who was missing since April 13 and was found dead on April 16. One person has been arrested in connection with the case. #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/VBkA458P0v ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 A protest broke out on Thursday at Navodaya Institute of Technology, Raichur to demand justice for the student. A hashtag demanding probe in the matter and to bring media attention to the case was also trending on Twitter. An online petition on change.org was also started in the name of the girl by a native from Dharwad district in the state. The petition had gathered 1,50,610 signatures by Friday afternoon. Hundreds of people held a candlelight march in Raichur's Teen Kandil Circle and urged the state government to take required actions against the culprits who claimed her life. Police investigations are based on facts and information. Investigation enables policemen to arrive at concrete pieces of evidence that will help nab the culprit. However, a Delhi cop has turned to astrology to solve a case. In a bizarre turn of events, a probe into the disappearance of Air India official Sulakshana Narula, missing since September 2018, cannot be completed because of what is called 'Maha Dosh' in astrological terms. IANS reported that the case was given to the Delhi Crime branch last year but it cannot proceed with the case until the missing persons bad phase or maha dosh comes to an end. Inspector Vijay Samaria convinced Sulakshna's son Anubhav to provide him his mother's horoscope which he then showed to his astrologer along with his own. Samaria then consulted his personal astrologer along with his own horoscope. Turned out that both Sulakshana as well as Samaria were going through a Maha dosh that will come to an end on April 19. The police officer is confident that he will find Sulakashna anytime after April 20 when the stars bear good tidings. The family is disappointed with the way the case has been handled. Speaking to News18 Anubhav said, We dont believe in such things but it was very odd that an inspector asked us to perform an upaya (remedy). He asked me to go to Chattarpur Temple which has the statue of Goddess Baglamukhi. So I went there and did the upaya. ACP Jasbir Singh also said that Sulakshna's family members consulted their astrologer and believed that she would be found in Haridwar, Mathura or Virandavan. The investigating officer of the case, Vijay Samaria, visited these places more than twice, without any result. Photo: AFP Reportedly, 58-year-old Narula went missing in September last year. His son also created an app called Find Mrs Sulakshna Narula, which has a detailed description of his mother and the familys contact details. They have also declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh for the person who finds her. Reportedly, Narula was suffering from depression since July last year due to personal and professional drawbacks. However, Jasbir Singh said that they had searched all shelter homes as well but all in vain. "We believe in scientific investigation, but if an inspector supports victim's family members with a personal touch, it affects the ongoing probe. I don't know about any horoscope and bad phase theories, he was quoted as saying. Nusrat Jahan Rafi was doused with kerosene and burnt alive at her school for mustering up the courage and reporting sexual harassment in Bangladesh. The horrific incident has one again put the southeast country at the centre of controversy for the vulnerability of sexual assault victims and their treatment. The 19-year-old girl was studying at madrasa. On March 27, she was called into the headmasters office where he continuously touched her inappropriately. Before things could go any worse, she ran out. Where is the uproar from around the world from the MUSLIM WORLD! or #METOO or FEMINISM or the LGBTQ when a straight Muslim girl is savagely burnt alive for demanding protection. BBC News - Nusrat Jahan Rafi: Burned to death for reporting sexual harassment https://t.co/m8LG4lqere lulu berlin (@luluberlin7) April 18, 2019 Justice for Nusrat Jahan: burnt alive for reporting sexual assault via @incpak https://t.co/Yhs70UqCkU INCPak.com (@INCPak) April 19, 2019 She not only spoke out but also went along with her parents to the police station to lodge a complaint against the headmaster on the day the alleged abuse took place. Many women in the conservative Bangladesh choose to remain mum on issues of sexual harassment and hardly report it to their parents or police. She was filmed by the officer in-charge at the police station as she explained her ordeal. In the video Nusrat is visibly distraught and tries to hide her face with her hands. The policeman is heard calling the complaint "no big deal" and telling her to move her hands from her face. The video was later shared on social media. It infuriates me that we live in a world where sexual assault victims speak up to only be dismissed and now even punished. From being told it was what you were wearing to now even being burnt ALIVE. She was a 19 year old girl. Her name is Nusrat Jahan Rafi. Say her name. https://t.co/n03rOH8WCM it's not nestle (@kristen_nestel) April 19, 2019 The day Nusrat filed the complaint, the headmaster was arrested, only to make things worse for her and her family. A few students and local politician protested on streets demanding the release of the headmaster. #MeeToo worldwide campaign is crushed by Men in an Asian country #Bangladesh. Nusrat Jahan,19 year old girl lodged complain against principal of school for sexual harassment & she was put in flames n burnt alive. How helpless our women are n we talk of women empowerment! #Shame https://t.co/NFZRZuzM98 WARSI (@WarsiBlunt) April 18, 2019 On April 6, 11 days after the assault, Nusrat went to her school for exams. reuters/representational image She was told by one of her classmates that a friend of hers was being beaten up at the roof of the school. Knowing this, she went upstairs. When she reached there, at least five people wearing burqas, surrounded her and allegedly pressured her to withdraw the case against the headmaster. When she refused, they poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze. She was able to record a statement on her brothers mobile phone and identified some of her attackers before succumbing to injuries. "The teacher touched me, I will fight this crime till my last breath," you can hear her say. For a girl in her position, reporting sexual harassment comes at a price and she paid for it with her life. The condition of women in southeast Asia has always remained vulnerable. Infants, girls and women are subjected to sexual harassment and assault and are often asked by family members to not speak out as it brings shame to the family, ultimately giving a free reign to perpetrators. Instinctively I reached into my pocket, grabbed some bills, and put them in the old mans hand. I have no idea how much I gave him. I was carrying a bunch of twenties and singles. What I did was an act of faith, not of piety. Im not religious. My small charitable act was inspired by a conviction that, in the richest country in the world, everybody deserves, and someday will have, a roof over their heads. Thats a matter of faith because its not supported by clear-cut evidence. On Thursday, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The report by the former FBI director was handed over to the House and Senate Judiciary committees and was released to public on the DOJs website making it the most sought after document in two-decades in the US. Some sections of the 448-page report were blacked out by Attorney General Bill Barr to protect ongoing investigations and for other reasons. reuters The report focuses on Russias interference in the 2016 election, whether the Trump campaign helped in that effort and whether Trump tried to obstruct justice. There are dozens of instances in the report in which Russian operatives interacted with Trump associates, although Mueller ultimately found no evidence that the campaign worked with Russia in the end. reuters Although Russia perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from Russian hacking efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities, the report said. Kids remember birthdays. Adults remember anniversaries. But legends... Legends remember their BBM pin, even if they haven't shared it with anyone for a few years. Time to dig out those old Blackberries or reinstall BBM on your Android phone, as the long forgotten king of messaging services will finally stop working in just over a month. Crackberry Yeah, it's sad news alright, as BBM or Blackberry Messenger is shutting down on May 31. Even if we all stopped using it some years ago, adopting WhatsApp, Line, Hike, Facebook Messenger or Telegram in its place. In a blog post, Emtek (the company that's been keeping BBM alive since 2016) made the fateful announcement, blaming increasingly few users spending time on it at all. "Though we are sad to say goodbye, the time has come to sunset the BBM consumer service, and for us to move on," the company wrote on its official blog. Time // Barack Obama was a huge Blackberry and BBM fan Only the freely available BBM consumer service is being shut down on May 31, 2019. The paid, enterprise version of the service -- called BBMe -- will continue operating as normal. So if you still want to keep using Blackberry Messenger in some form or the other, you'll have to pay $2.50 for every six months of use. But for others, who don't suffer from separation anxiety, it's time to say goodbye to BBM once and for all. I remember people bought Blackberry phones just to use BBM, because it was that cool at one point of time. When texting didn't exist, and intense "thumbing" was a way of life. And sharing your BBM pin -- an alphanumeric combination unique to every BBM user -- with someone to add you in their contacts was considered woke. So long BBM, you were fun for the brief time I experienced you on a borrowed Blackberry Curve, and later when you arrive on Android and iPhone in October 2013. Christina Koch, an astronaut for NASA, arrive on the International Space Station on March 14 earlier this year. And thanks to a slew of schedule changes by the US space agency, she is all to become the record holder for the longest space flight by a woman ever. Christina Koch conducting botany research aboard the International Space Station - Images courtesy: NASA Koch has so far already conducted one spacewalk, which was supposed to be an all-female spacewalk until a shortage with the spacesuits cropped up. And now, she'll remain in orbit until February 2020. That'll put her in space for just shy of the record for the longest space stay ever - 340 days by Scott Kelly. However, she will massively eclipse the longest space flight by a woman, held by Peggy Whitson with 288 days under her belt. As part of the schedule changes two new astronauts, Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir, will join Koch on the ISS later this year, their first space flights ever. Morgan will also stay at the ISS longer than originally planned, getting there in July and remaining there until mid-2020. Koch waits for pizza By extending the space flights of Koch and Morgan, NASA will be able to gather more data on the changes to human cognitive and bodily functions. They recently completed a major study on Scott Kelly, comparing data gathered from him with identical tests conducted on his twin brother Mark Kelly. And though they gained a wealth of data, they're hoping to gain more from other astronauts in order to refine their inferences And the sooner they can complete those studies, the sooner they can implement all necessary precautions needed when sending astronauts to Mars and beyond in future. One constant fear with the advance of artificial intelligence, is that the robots will come to take all our jobs. No worker, teacher, driver, or other will be safe. Then again, if the bots are as bad as this robotic news anchor, I think we're safe for a long long time. This week, Russian state news channel Russia-24 unveiled their effort at automating the news. Their robotic news reader was developed by tech firm Promobot...and it kind of sucks. Like, a lot. See for yourself. See, that's an actual mechanical robot designed to look like a human. Unfortunately for Promobot, they seemed to have absolutely neglected how powerfully negative a face straight out of the uncanny valley can make you feel. The uncanny valley is a term used to describe robotic faces made to look human but end up looking just a little bit off, enough to creep you out. And seriously, who's going to sit through an entire broadcast looking at that face? Maybe that's the point though, maybe it's a deviously brilliant attempt to get the public to stop watching the news and remain uninformed. The robot, Alex, is supposedly modeled after Promobot co-founder Alexei Yuzhakov. Currently, it's only capable of moving parts of its face, but the engineers are said to be working on a more advanced version that can move its limbs too. Hopefully they don't end up with something like this. Apparently Alex cost the team about Rs 10 lakh to develop, and they've supposedly received 12 orders already. It's not clear who bought them though, or even if they're all for news channels. Either way, human news anchors clearly don't have to worry about something like this replacing them on the air. On the other hand, this AI-powered virtual news reader from China is a heck of a lot better. And it comes with some gender diversity. Two years after her secret trip to Delhi, unseen pictures and a video of the Duchess of Sussex dressed in a sari takes internet by storm. Back in 2017 Meghan Markel visited a few NGOs in Delhi and Mumbai as a global ambassador for World Vision Canada and she raised awareness about young womens health and menstrual hygiene. Twitter/people.com On her maiden India trip, Meghan decided to make it extra special by draping a saree and, boy, she looks elegant. In a video clip, Meghan is seen receiving a traditional bindi on her forehead. Duchess of Sussex's India charity work captured in newly-released footage. via @itvnews | https://t.co/dzIzwhKwnOpic.twitter.com/R4nUuFSUJ1 World Vision UK (@WorldVisionUK) 17 April 2019 Meghan teamed up with World Vision when she starred on Suits, traveling with the humanitarian aid foundation to Rwanda in 2016, and then visiting Delhi and Mumbai in January 2017 , reports The People. Twitter/people.com What we found is that the enrolment at this school went up three times once the latrines were built so that girls had access to clean hygiene and bathroom facilities while theyre at school, the Duchess observed during 2017 trip. During the trip, Meghan also met Shamina Shafiq, a former member of the National Commission for Women. Scientists have captured the deepest radio images of the sun, an advance that may help reliably predict space weather and its possible effects on Earth. Scientists have been trying to unravel mysteries of the star for decades. For example, the origin of coronal mass ejections which can potentially affect the Earth. A team of scientists at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in Pune, Maharashtra have been leading an international group of researchers to understand some of these mysteries. NASA/Picture for representattion "The sun is a surprisingly challenging radio source to study. Its emission can change within a second and can be very different, even across nearby frequencies," said Divya Oberoi, from NCRA, who led the study published in the Astrophysical Journal. "In addition, the radiation due to the magnetic fields is so weak that it is like looking for the feeble light from a candle in the beam of a powerful headlight," Oberoi said in a statement. "On top of this, seeing coronal emission at radio frequencies is a bit like looking through a frosted glass, which distorts and blurs the original image," he said. Source The magnetic fields in the sun's atmosphere, the corona, are the energy source for these massive explosions, and they are notoriously difficult to measure. Observations in radio wavelengths are best suited for this problem, but even there, this information is very hard to extract. A new telescope extremely well suited for solar studies has recently become available: the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) in Australia. To keep up with the rapid changes in solar emissions, it is necessary to make images of the sun at every half-second interval, and also at hundreds of closely spaced frequencies, totalling to about a million solar images every hour. The researchers recently developed an automated software pipeline for making these images. Divya Oberoi of #NCRA and his doctoral students Surajit Mondal and Atul Mohan have carried out pioneering observations of the Sun using the @mwatelescope @TIFRScience https://t.co/dkbQo6QyWZ NCRA Public Outreach (@NCRA_Outreach) 16 April 2019 "The solar images from this pipeline also offer the highest contrast, which has ever been achieved, and are a big step toward understanding space weather," said Surajit Mondal, the lead author the study. NASA/national centre for radio astrophysics This pipeline is called the Automated Imaging Routine for Compact Arrays for the Radio Sun, or AIRCARS. The contrast of the images from AIRCARS is much better than the best solar images available. These high-contrast images have already yielded their first discovery a group of weak radio bursts, researchers said. These images have also led to a technique for estimating, for the first time, the details of exactly how passing through the corona distorts the radiation passing through it, researchers said. Source PTI We all know that Jet Airways has suspended its operations as of now. One of Indias more beloved airlines was extremely strapped for cash towards the end and to the extent that their fleet of 119 planes was reduced to a mere five by the end of the affair. The last JetConnect flight was scheduled to take off from Amritsar to Mumbai at 10:20 pm on Wednesday. Passengers that were booked on flight 9W 2502 were not sure if the carrier would take off and get them to their destination until it actually took off from Amritsar. flickr However, before the flight took off, the pilot had a special and yet emotional announcement to make: This is our last flight. The operations have been temporarily suspended. We hope to fly again soon. When we do, do book with us. wikimediacommons Shareef Abdullah, a resident of Amritsar told the Indian Express that he would often travel by Jet Airways to Mumbai for imitation jewellery work since the airline provided him with good connectivity. Talking about his travels with the airline, he said, I often took this flight. Didnt realise tonight will be the last flight until they announced in plane. Since I travel regularly, I will have to look for alternative airlines. At least, Ill miss it. It is to be seen what the future holds for the employees of Jet Airways. Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi is going that extra mile to woo voters in Kerala and this incident is proof. A 7-year-old boy who is an ardent fan of Gandhi missed him after a five-hour wait and broke into tears. To make things better for his tiny fan, Gandhi personally called him. Rahul Gandhi's new Wayanad Twitter account on Thursday shared a story about Nandan. According to the story, Nandan waited for nearly five hours to meet his favourite leader due to security reasons and had to return home disappointed. Rahul Gandhi's address was scheduled for 9 am. According to local media reports, Rahul later called Nandans father saying: Hi, Im Rahul Gandhi. May I speak to your boy? In a Facebook post shared by his father, which went viral, he detailed this story on the boy missing out on seeing Rahul Gandhi. The post says that Nandan had reached the auditorium with his parents at 5 am on Wednesday, but could not get entry inside the hall. The seven-year-old who had a photo of Rahul Gandhi pinned to his shirt, also carried with him a letter he had written to his "most favourite person", expressing his wishes to meet him some day. The social media head of Congress, Divya Spandana on Thursday tweeted to share the story calling it a "sweet gesture by Rahul Gandhi". Overwhelmed by Rahul Gandhi's gesture, Nandan thanked his favourite person on Facebook saying 'I'll never forget it, I love you Rahul Gandhi.' Gandhi first visited Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi to file his nomination. He also visited the famous Thirunelli Temple dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu and performed "beli tharpanam" in memory of his father, former PM Rajiv Gandhi. Everyone wants that one perfect 'save the date' poster and there are some who are willing to the craziest things to get that perfect shot. This Kerala couple wanted their pre-wedding photo shoot to be memorable. But, it turned into something that will remain a memory for eternity, not just for them, but on social media as well. Facebook Their pre-wedding shoot on the Pamban river left people in splits after the canoe they were sitting on, toppled. To be frank that did not happen haphazardly, our team had pre-planned it without letting it be known to the couple." "We wanted to shoot something funny for our personal website, and the couple had invited us only for a normal shoot, Bincy Nirmalan, from photography studio Weddplanners, told indianexpress.com. "The couple kept laughing after their fall believing it was an accident. We revealed it to them after the shoot, and they said that they really enjoyed it, Nirmalan told the news portal. Tijin Thankachen from Thiruvalla and Silpa from Changanacherry, are set to tie the knot on May 6. Their photo shoot was being held along the banks of the Pamba river at Kadammanitta in Pathanamthitta district. People who are scared of flying have a whole list of blinding superstitions and they're willing to do whatever it takes to 'set things right,' more often than, not without a second thought about the consequences. For one, there are too many plane engines in the modern world that have been the victims of 'coin-flingers' searching for good luck. They believe that it's a prayer for safe flight but it just ends up in an arrest. Facebook/Picture for representation That's what happened to this 66-year-old woman when she thought throwing coins into the plane's engine would be a great idea. The woman named Yang who caused delay to a Tianjin Airlines' plane was taken into custody at the Hohhot Baita International Airport in Inner Mongolia. She threw the coins just before boarding the flight; it was later retrieved from the tarmac near the engine. This led to a two-hour delay, all 100 passengers on flight GS6681 departing for Chifeng city were shifted to a different aircraft. Tianjin Airlines said in a statement on Tuesday said that a crew member alerted the security at around 7:50 am after seeing the woman throwing coins and now she's been detained for 10 days and could face further punishment. THE CONVERSE WAS PROBABLY TRUE: Lucky Air to sue man who tossed coins at jet's engine for good luck https://t.co/5oI7Ju7zpp pic.twitter.com/RPSFjBCCDr AsiaOne (@asiaonecom) 26 February 2019 In a similar incident that took place in February, a man named Lu confessed and said it was because of his crippling fear of flying and threw coins in China's 'Lucky Airline'. What I find difficult in this discussion is, why is it OK for families of color black and brown families, who need an education, a public education, to work for them to not have the ability to direct policy in the spaces in which they are sending their kids to get educated? said Davis Gates, the CTU vice president. Wesley Mathews, the Indian American adoptive father of toddler Sherin Mathews who was found dead in 2017 in a culvert near her Richardson, Texas home, will be tried for capital murder. He is shown here in an undated photo, holding his late daughter. (Twitter/#SherinMathews photo) Insurance fraud seems like it might be an easy thing to do. Insurance companies are often so huge, one wonders how they might not even notic... Chelsea striker Oliver Giroud has now scored 10 goals in the current Europa League campaign after netting his sides third goal during their clash with Slavia Prague at Stamford Bridge today. The French International is now the leading scorer in the current edition of Europes second tie competition. Senator Shehu Sani has revealed how a senate committee had rejected an old man nominated to serve as Nigerias ambassador to South African on age grounds. The lawmaker representing Kaduna central said after the senate rejected the old mans appointment, his name was resent by the executive stating that he is young at heart. The lawmaker revealed this, in a tweet on Thursday. His words; When at the Senate Committee we rejected the elderly man now serving as Nigerias ambassador to the US on the ground of old age,the Executive resent his name. His defenders said he is young at heart and that his spirit is willing & age is just a number. Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Nigerian minister of aviation has alleged that the Igbo ethnic group, has suffered the most humiliation, genocide and persecution of all the ethnic groups in the country. The former aviation minister said this in a tweet on Friday evening. According to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) said although the Igbos have suffered the most, they have refused to bow, tremble, surrender or abandon their culture. Fani-Kayode hailed the resilience or the Igbos for staying true to their identity, heritage and faith. No tribe in Nigeria has been subjected to as much vilification, humiliation, persecution and genocide as the Igbo. Other tribes have suffered as well but unlike them the Igbos have refused to bow, tremble and surrender or abandon their culture, identity, heritage and faith, he wrote. Among the victims the group planned to honor was Aragons brother, Israel Aragon Jr., 21, who was fatally shot in 2016. The group planned to visit six sites where people had been killed in the neighborhood to share stories, pray for justice and create memorials. Organizers partnered with Christ Lutheran Church, but they gave family members of victims the option to share a story instead of saying a prayer at the intersection, Aragon said. Nigerian musician and rapper Eedris Abdulkareem has advised Nigerians that money does not solve all problems by uploading the picture of American actor, Jaden Smith. Eedris Abdulkareem shared then and now pictures of rapper, Jaden Smith looking very handsome when he was a young boy but looking unkempt and haggard now. He wrote; Nigerian Disc Jockey and daughter of oil magnate, Femi Otedola, DJ Cuppy who released a song today titled Abena has said her song must become a hit by all means. Anticipating the release of the song, DJ Cuppy tweeted that Abena must BLOW BY FIRE BY FORCE O DJ Cuppy have more than 3 singles to her name as a DJ. See tweet below; Vanguard ABUJA THE Presidency last night said that the conviction of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN Walter Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Tribunal CCT, was a major victory for the anti-corruption policy of the Buhari administration. This Day The former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, came out smoking yesterday after the Code of Conduct Tribunal convicted him for false assets declaration. The Sun Kano Guber: Appeal court affirms Abba Yusuf as PDP candidate An appeal court sitting in Kaduna has set aside the judgment of a Federal High Court in Kano which had invalidated the candidacy of Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for 2019 governorship election in Kano State. Daily Times Court adjourns suit seeking sack of Saraki, Dogara, 52 others to April 30 Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja sitting in Abuja has adjourned till April 30, a suit seeking the sack of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and 52 other lawmakers. Guardian EFCC re-arraigns dismissed judge, Ofili-Ajumogobia Leadership Following allegations that the state government was intimidating a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state through the demolition of his property, the Edo State government has dismissed the allegation, insisting that nobody was above the law in the state. Daily Trust The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has hailed the conviction of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen. Tribune President Muhammadu Buharis aide on social media, Lauretta Onochie has reacted to the conviction and ban of embattled Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen. The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday convicted Justice Onmoghen and banned him from holding any public office in the country for the next 10 years. The CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar said that Onnoghen was being charged as an ordinary public office holder and not as a judicial officer. Speaking further during the Thursdays proceedings, Umar said that the Tribunal had jurisdiction to try Justice Onnoghen and that his prosecution was competent without regards to Section 158 Subsection 1. Justice Onnoghen was thereafter convicted and removed from office as the CJN and Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB). Apart from being banned from holding public office for the next 10 years, he was ordered to forfeit all five accounts that he failed to declare by him between 2009 and 2015. Justice Onnoghen was found to have breached the Code of Conduct for public officers. Onochie in her reaction wrote: Onnoghen convicted. Banned from holding Public office for TEN Years. One down, Many to go, she said. A former minister of Aviation, Mr Femi Fani-Kayode has describe the conviction and ban on suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Walter Onnoghen by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT as part of a wider scheme. Onnoghen was on Thursday morning convicted by Justice Danladi Umar, chairman of the CCT for failing to rightfully declare his assets And banned him from holding public office in the country for the next 10 years. However in his reaction, the former minister advised Nigerians to brace up as more scripts unfold. His words: The conviction of CJN Onnoghen by the CCT is not surprising. It is part of a wider plan, an unfolding script and a hidden agenda. Nigerians should brace themselves for more. They say a people get the type of govt. that they deserve. I weep not for Onnoghen, I weep for Nigeria. The Nigerian police force has dismissed Daniel Ojo, its personnel who fatally shot Adaobi Ifeanyi and severely injured Emmanuel Akomafuwa in the Ajegunle area of Lagos state. This was made known by the Lagos commissioner of police, Zubairu Muazu, while addressing journalists at the command headquarters, Ikeja, on Thursday. The suspect had opened fire and killed 20-year-old Ada while injuring her boyfriend, Emmanuel after an argument on April 13th Ojo, who as with five other police officers, immediately escaped from the scene but the other policemen were subjected to orderly room trial while. What Lagos CP said On April 13, 2019, at about 7:00 am, police officers attached to Trinity Police Station who were suspected to be involved in the shooting of Adaobi Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Akomafuwa at Akpiri Street, Olodi Apapa, were arrested and detained, he said. Muazu gave their names as Adamu Usman, an inspector; Adeyeye Adeoye, a sergeant; Kashim Tijani, a sergeant; Lucky Akigbe, a sergeant; and Paul Adeoye, also a sergeant. Inspector Dania Ojo who escaped immediately after the shooting was declared wanted. The other police officers were subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings at the command headquarters Ikeja. Investigation revealed that Inspector Dania Ojo unilaterally carried out the shooting without consideration to laid down procedures on the use of firearm. He is, therefore, found guilty of abuse of power, unlawful and unnecessary exercise of authority. He is hereby dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force and declared wanted. Upon arrest, he will be charged to court for murder. A former minister of aviation and a Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) chieftain, Femi Fani Kayode(FFK) has hailed the Igbo ethnic group for standing tall despite being the most vilified, humiliated and marginalized ethnic group in the country. Nigerians while reacting to his comment have agreed with him. Some even went as far as saying they are the most successful ethnic group in Nigeria despite being marginalized. Reactions: I say, they are the most United region and group of people! Every Igbo individual is as powerful as any of their regional leader thats why a JAGABAN wont thrive in Igbo land Jerryabby (@Jerryabby1) April 19, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Even as a Yoruba, I absolutely agree with this. But then isnt it also ironical that despite all that the Ibos are by far the most successful? Maybe God is just justifying their maltreatment with favour. And to my surprise other tribes especially the North are refusing to learn. Dare (@Oludarrey) April 19, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js So true my brother redmond ikpegbue (@RedmondI) April 19, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Imagine how much they shared for Igbos after the civil war But they still excelled! godwin ejembi (@Dsign_plus) April 19, 2019 https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Nollywood actress and teenage sensation, Regina Daniels was spotted in a private jet flight in new pictures she uploaded on her Instagram page. In the pictures, Regina Daniels also took out time to show off her engagement ring. She has been in the rumour mills lately over her alledged marriage to Nigerian lawmaker, Ned Nwoko. Regina Daniels also took out time to explain that not all followers on social media are fans. She said your followers are not always your fans. See pictures below; Senator Shehu Sani has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for building and furnishing more prisons in some Northern States in the country. The federal lawmaker representing Kaduna Central in a tweet on Friday evening, in an unmistakable sarcasm hailed the president for building and furnishing prisons in Kano, Katsina and Bauchi. According to lawmaker, who wont be returning to the 9th Assembly having lost his reelection bid during the last National Assembly election While writing in pidgin said, only God can repay the president for the wonderful thing he has down for the people. Self styled tormenter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Reno Omokri has called out the spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress(APC) presidential campaign organization, Festus Keyamo for trying to mislead Nigerians. Keyamo while defending his statement that possessing the west African Examination Council, WAEC certificate is not a requirement to run for office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria said theres no educational requirement whatsoever to run for presidency in countries like the US, Germany and France. Even the U.S, Germany & France have NO educational requirement for the office of President. These are HARD FACTS, not my personal view. We need to read the proceedings of the making of these Constitutions to know why they left it that way so our conversations may be more informed, he wrote. Omokri in his response via a tweet on Thursday evening, said Keyamo cant mislead Nigerians, the way he misleads President Buhari As education is mandatory for all US citizens. A 25-year-old man also was seen in a stolen vehicle tied to the fraud shortly before getting into a squabble with a security guard Tuesday afternoon near Madison Street and Homan Avenue in the East Garfield Park neighborhood, law enforcement sources said. The man, who had a gun, was shot by the security guard and was stabilized at Mount Sinai Hospital. What does an HNOA policy cover? An HNOA policy typically covers liability claims and defense costs. It can cover attorney fees, settlements or judgments, and other court costs if the business is sued as a result of the accident. The policy will cover the actions of full-time and temporary or volunteer staff. What is NOT covered under a HNOA policy? The HNOA policy does not cover physical repair expenses for the rented or employee-owned vehicle, nor does it cover any damage to property being transported within the hired or non-owned vehicle. So, if an employee rents a van to transport supplies to a business partner, and that employee gets into a road collision in which the van and the supplies were damaged, those physical damages would not be covered under a HNOA policy. Furthermore, the coverage does not cover accidents that happen during an employees commute or of they run a personal errand in the hired vehicle during or outside business hours. Personal auto and HNOA If an employee uses a personal vehicle to run a commercial errand, such as driving to a client meeting, most people assume their personal auto insurance policy will cover everything should the driver get into a collision. The personal auto insurance policy will cover damage to the employee-owned vehicle, but it will not protect the business if the claimant sues. This is where the HNOA policy would kick in. It often works on a primary and secondary coverage basis. Michael Schafer, senior vice president at Risk Placement Services (RPS), explained: In most circumstances, if an employee gets into an accident [in their personal vehicle], their personal auto policy would be the primary policy in the claim. So, if a pizza delivery driver gets into a fender bender, he would submit the claim to his personal auto insurer. Most companies who require employees to use their own vehicles will make their drivers contact their insurance agents to confirm their personal auto policies will respond if they get into an accident in the course of doing business. However, the limits on a personal auto policy are usually pretty small compared to a commercial auto policy. Those limits can be exhausted quite quickly, and, in some cases, the insurance company might turn around and say: Sorry, you were driving for X pizza delivery company at the time of the accident, so were not going to pick up this claim. Youre on their dime. Thats where the HNOA policy would come into play - if a claimant named a company in a suit. Commercial auto and HNOA Commercial auto insurance covers all vehicles that a business owns and that are used for work purposes. This is different to the HNOA policy, which only covers vehicles that are hired or borrowed by organizations for business use. Similar to a personal auto insurance policy, commercial auto policies typically provide: liability coverage, physical damage (comprehensive and collision) coverage, medical payments coverage should the driver or passengers need treatment, and coverage for damages if the at-fault party is uninsured or underinsured. The appetite of the markets HNOA insurance used to be a standard extension to commercial auto policies for a nominal charge. However, years of unhealthy combined ratios, sustained losses and inadequate rates in commercial auto have led to some markets tightening their belts in terms of what risks theyre willing to take on. The HNOA sector has felt the impact of this widespread gear shift. As Schafer told Insurance Business: The carriers really want to get their arms around what the exposure actually is, and the more some have done that, the more theyve realized some companies have huge exposures. How much does HNOA insurance typically cost? Various factors are used when determining how much HNOA coverage will cost. Carriers will factor in the age of a driver, their driving record, the types of vehicles being used, and whether or not the employees will be driving locally, internationally or both. The number of vehicles a company rents or borrows and the extent to which they are operated will also be factored in. Risk mitigation for HNOA vehicles Companies that use hired and employee-owned vehicles for commercial purposes can mitigate some of their exposures by carrying out regular vehicle record checks to ensure their employees have no major driving infractions. They can also enforce strict driver age requirements, driving experience requirements, and so on. Finally, they can make the most of the booming telematics technology market to get accurate feedback on driver behavior. Read more: School bus company accused of forging insurance documents As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Margaret Towell provided false information when she filed her claim with Farmers Insurance when she reported she was the individual driving at the time of the accident, Katayoun Copeland, district attorney for Delaware County, said in a release given to the Delaware County Daily Times. Here in Delaware County we have zero tolerance for insurance fraud, and individuals, such as Margaret Towell, who commit insurance fraud will be held accountable for their actions, said Copeland. According to the Daily Times, Towell was charged with false/fraudulent/incomplete insurance claim, theft by deception involving false impression, and criminal use of a communication facility. A preliminary hearing is scheduled in May. He was being a dad. He was being a father. He was trying to help me out, and it wound up costing him his life in the process, his son said. Read more: School bus company accused of forging insurance documents Smith admitted to filing more than two dozen disability claims between February 2012 and October 2015 with American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac). The claims contained forms allegedly filled out by either Smiths doctors or his employer in connection with injuries he allegedly sustained in several accidents. The sentence handed down to this defendant sends a message of deterrence to individuals tempted to file fraudulent insurance claims to illegally enrich themselves, said Grewal. Insurance fraud is not a path to easy money, its a path to prison which is exactly where this defendant is headed. Were calling on New Jersey residents to help stop insurance fraud by reporting those whose false claims drive up insurance costs for everyone, said Tracy Thompson, acting insurance fraud prosecutor at the OIFP, By blowing the whistle on criminals like this defendant, honest policy holders can help hold the line on their own insurance costs. Read next: How might a merger between two of the top three brokers impact the wider insurance market? Smaller brokerages do have some unique tools in their tool boxes, however. Many are family-owned and have serviced the same communities for multiple generations. Theyve spent years building up good, old-fashioned client relationships, which are difficult for even the most tech-savvy, big brokerages to disrupt. As the large brokerages are busy making acquisitions in order to continue growing, the smaller, independent brokerages are going to have to focus on specialization, said Dan Kusaila, partner, Crowe LLPs Insurance Tax Practice. Good, old-fashioned relationships are also key its hard to fire a good friend! Meeting with clients and really getting to know them is an art thats getting lost in this day in age. One of Kusailas clients a middle-market US insurance brokerage recently surprised the insurance tax expert by disclosing unbelievable growth. When Kusaila asked the client how they achieved their growth, they said they were doing things the old-fashioned way. They had hired more brokers in order to knock on doors and get more face time with more clients. Read more: Ditching the insurance disintermediation hype Their answer surprised me, Kusaila told Insurance Business. While theyre going at it the old-fashioned way, the rest of the world is turning digital. Everybody else is looking to build or buy apps in order to provide consumers with instant gratification and yet, Ive got a decent-sized, middle-market brokerage thats growing rapidly the old-fashioned way. If a brokerage is engrained within a local community, offers solid insurance programs and competitive pricing, its going to be difficult to oust, no matter how much money the competitors have at their backs, according to Kusaila. Ive been with my broker, a local guy at a family-owned brokerage, since I was 16-years-old, he said. Ive never switched because I get that personalized service and those phone calls from someone who knows me. Small, independent brokerages should double-down on that personalized service approach with the bigger firms lurking, he added. Just because these volunteers arent paid employees doesnt mean organizations can skimp on their workers compensation insurance - though the needs of non-profits are different than standard for-profit businesses, namely that there can be gray areas around volunteers employment status. The ways that volunteers are perceived varies widely by state, said Matt Zender, senior vice president and workers compensation product manager at AmTrust Financial Insurance. One state may recognize a volunteer as an employee who could get workers comp coverage. Another state would say no, volunteers are definitely not covered by workers comp. One of the things that we prefer to do when at all possible is to coordinate with a GL policy, so theyve got an ability to help remove some of the gray areas about whether or not those individuals would be covered. Another area where non-profits are unique in their workers comp needs is what Zender refers to as class creep. The risk might start off looking like one type of operation, and then over the course of time, maybe within that policy year, they move into other areas. You might have an operation, for example, that is struggling for funding and obviously funding is a major concern for non-profit risks and maybe theyre working on a grant, explained Zender. They find that they have an opportunity to do something that is substantially similar to what they were doing before [and] allows them to perhaps secure some additional funding to help them with their core overall objectives. When you have class creep like that, or you move from one type of an operation into another, people who are more familiar with underwriting non-profit risks know how to look out for that, and how to help those risks when they go through a premium audit to make sure that everything is properly addressed. Take an organization where people donate cars whose sales are then used to fund educational programs for children. Over the course of the year, that non-profit decides they want to hire somebody to do mechanical work on those cars in order to increase their resale value. Now, the workers comp risk isnt just clerical, and coverage for people who volunteer as mechanics has to be considered as well. The variety of organizations in the non-profit sector also means that the range of risks across the charitable spectrum is broad. Youve got people who are working in a mostly clerical type of a role, and your exposures might be repetitive motion concerns where youre worried about carpal tunnel, to people who are working in very physical environments to people who are working in some difficult geographic locations, said Zender. Sometimes, these non-profit risks are driven by budgetary concerns, so theyre going to look for office space that might be a little bit more dangerous than you might otherwise expect. Youre not going to expect that some of them are going to be in beautiful, Class A buildings because theyre trying to be conscious of where theyre spending their dollars, and returning as much of their dollars into their core mission. The sophistication of workers compensation buyers likewise varies, with some managing their risks effectively, while others might not be as experienced and thus dont purchase enough coverage. An insurer that specializes in these risks can consequently add a lot of value. The agents that specialize in this space tend to be pretty good about knowing not only what needs to be purchased, but who can help with that. There are carriers like AmTrust, but others as well, who specialize in providing non-profit insurance, so the agents need to know where to go for that coverage and they need to know what really is driving the exposures for the firm, said Zender, adding, Utilizing the carriers loss control resources can be a great benefit and its generally included in the premium or the policy, so I would highly encourage non-profit businesses to take advantage of those resources. Read more: Taking the temperature of evolving trends in catastrophic workers comp cases That specialized workers compensation expertise is particularly useful in a competitive market. A regional broker that deals primarily in the western US, including Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, has found that not all state fund markets are adopting the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) rate changes, which has implications for competition in the broader marketplace. A lot of the companies are using more long-term actuarial data to get their rates where they believe they need to be, whereas NCCI is looking at a shorter period of time to make their recommendations, so thats the biggest trend that Im seeing, especially in Colorado, said Eric Richter, president of Virtus Underwriting Group. What that is doing from a rate perspective is opening up competition, [so] other carriers who are confident in their rate structures and confident in their appetites are coming in and potentially competing with a fund or a market thats been predominantly controlled by a state fund-type arrangement. The competition in the workers comp space is likely going to continue in the foreseeable future, added Richter, as some markets become more targeted in their approach to risks, instead of just taking on the 1,000-pound gorilla. Theyre not being asked to come and compete with big funds on a wholesale basis. Theyre coming in and being a little more scientific [so they can be] limited in what theyll write from an appetite standpoint, said Richter. The bill that turned Illinois into the focal point of a bitter debate over car-sharing last year started as a proposal about what happens when a rental car is stolen. The legislation, which would allow rental companies to punish customers if they dont return a stolen vehicles keys and file a police report, had passed the state Senate unanimously and was expected to be similarly uncontroversial in the House. Then an amendment in mid-May scrubbed all the language from the bill and replaced it with a plan to regulate websites that allow people to rent their cars to strangers. The new language echoed the priorities of Enterprise Holdings Inc., Americas largest car-rental company, which contributes tens of thousands of dollars annually to political candidates and parties in the state. The traditional car rental industry began to push last year for new state rules on the upstarts, in part through its trade group, the American Car Rental Association. The gist of the Illinois lawand of numerous other bills the rental industry has supported over the last yearis that rules and taxes that apply to traditional car rentals should also be imposed on car-sharing platforms. These proposed regulations pose an existential threat to Turo Inc., one of the most popular car-sharing startups, said Michelle Peacock, its head of government regulations. She said tactics like those employed in Illinois should be seen as evidence of bad faith. Enterprise knows that if there are fair and forthright discussions on the issues, it will not be successful, she said. Ray Wagner, who runs government affairs for Enterprise, waved off the accusations of legislative hardball and threw the accusations of bad faith back at the startups. The car-sharing platforms, he said, had undermined their own credibility by hiding attempts to avoid regulations and taxes behind populist rhetoric. I have sought to find a compromise, he said. Each time, it seems to break down because they dont want any regulation at all. Wagners and Peacocks paths have crossed a lot since their dispute in Illinois. The traditional car-rental industry is pitted against car-sharing startups in at least 20 states, whose lawmakers are faced with mediating. Its a struggle with echoes of fights over Airbnb Inc., Lyft Inc. and Uber Technologies Inc., pitting incumbents in a regulated industry against upstarts who argue they shouldnt be beholden to the same rules. Each side is rushing to pass friendly laws that might harden into a de facto national standard. Legal Distinction Last week, lawmakers in Colorado sent a bill to the governors desk that would create a legal distinction between car-sharing and traditional car rentals. The bill, based on model legislation developed by the car-sharing companies, didnt include any requirements about taxation, although it does say car-sharing companies have to negotiate fees with airports. The main issue in each states debate is how to define car-sharing. Just as Airbnb has insisted it has nothing to do with hotels and Uber bristles at the suggestion it runs a taxi service, this batch of startups says its not in the automobile rental business but instead acts as a facilitator of transactions between people who use their services. Their marketing materials have blurred that distinction, though. Turos homepage had a banner that read, Rent better cars until last June, when it switched to, Skip the rental counter. The website of Getaround Inc., another car-sharing provider, still offers convenient hourly and daily rentals. Critics say the startups are mostly interested in minimizing tax liabilities. Turo and Getaround dont deny this. They say taxes on rental cars offset other benefits to those businesses, like the exemption from sales taxes in many states that the companies get when they purchase new vehicles. The startups say they wont collect taxes unless the rules explicitly refer to car-sharing. They have also facilitated transactions in or around airports without paying the fees car-rental companies do to operate there, a practice that has resulted in several lawsuits, some of which are ongoing. The car-sharing companies say many regulations related to car rentalslike requirements about the physical design of rental kiosksare irrelevant and would just cause legal hassles. They also say the casual nature of their services justify lighter regulation. At a recent hearing in Arizona, Peacock was asked how Turo guarantees vehicles on its platforms are being maintained. These are their personal cars that theyre using to transport their families to work and to school and to the grocery store, she said. Just like Im sure you take care of your own cars, these people are taking care of their cars. The emerging legislative battle is actually something of a validation for Turo and Getaround. The companies have raised more than $600 million combined from venture capitalists and auto companies, an impressive sum but nowhere close to the more than $20 billion that has gone to U.S. ride-hailing businesses, according to research firm CB Insights. Now Wagner, the Enterprise senior vice president in charge of government relations, said theyve gotten big enough that lawmakers can no longer ignore them. Enterprise has also said it may eventually roll out its own competing car-sharing business. Insurance Matter The first big venue for the fight over car-sharing was in Maryland. Last spring, the state passed a law giving car-sharing its own legal category and told insurers they couldnt cancel personal policies because a customer used a car-sharing platform. The state also required Turo and Getaround to reach agreements with airports on fees and imposed an 8 percent sales tax on car-sharing transactions, a 30 percent discount to traditional rentals. The tax was designed to expire in two years so that lawmakers would be forced to reassess. Enterprise initially opposed the bill but now says it could serve as a model. We wanted something different back then, but in retrospect, it works, said Wagner. Turo and Getaround also said theyre happy with the Maryland bill. But neither side has been content to carry the compromise to other states. The change to the bill in Illinois came a month after Marylands language was finalized. Turo quickly hired six different lobbying firms to oppose it. Getaround hired seven and made its first-ever political contributions in the state. By the end of the year, it had contributed more than $50,000. Bruce Rauner, a Republican who was then the governor, vetoed the bill. When he did so, he included a 40-page proposal of his own, which would define car-sharing separately from car rentals and exempt practically all car-sharing activity from many taxes. He suggested the legislature use his version instead. Getaround didnt contribute to Rauners campaign, according to campaign finance disclosures. This spring, Enterprise supported a late amendment to Ohios transportation budget, leading to a similar scramble in that state. Side-door tactics like these are common but less than savory, said Aaron Scherb, legislative director of Common Cause, a nonprofit advocacy group focused on government accountability and transparency. Such moves are usually used to push legislation expected to be unpopular. As in Illinois, the car-sharing companies declared victory. The startups are pushing their own bills, too. In part, they want clarity on insurance liability. But theyre also interested in locking in favorable tax systems. Some states, like Utah, are throwing up their hands when faced with multiple car-sharing bills and refusing to pass anything. Kim Coleman, the Republican state representative pushing Turos preferred approach, said a deal fell apart over airport fees. Its the same problems in every state, she said. Nobody has cracked the code yet. Brian Pogrund, Getarounds director of markets for North America, said his company was interested in bringing the issue back up in Illinois. But lawmakers warned him that last years fight had sapped any appetite for the issue: People were telling us, I dont want to talk to you anymore.' Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Auto InsurTech Personal Auto Illinois Aviation Maryland Sharing Economy Startups April 19, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The Critical Investor takes a look at the fundamentals for uranium and profiles a company with a uranium-vanadium property in Argentina. 1. Introduction After publishing the results of the Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for its Ivana uranium/vanadium project in Argentina on February 27, 2019, and filing this study recently on April 12, 2019, Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (BSK:TSX.V; BKUCF:OTC) positioned itself immediately as a low-cost development play in the uranium mining sector. At a low base case uranium oxide (O3O8) price of US$50/lb U3O8, the after-tax NPV8 is US$135.2 million and the IRR is 29.3%. These are very decent numbers as most competitors use US$6065/lb U3O8 for their base cases. Initial capex is US$128.05M, and the all-in sustaining costs (AISC) net of vanadium credits is US18.27/lb U3O8. This AISC is amongst the lowest in the industry. This doesn't mean that the entire project is economic at this time as the long-term (or also called contract) uranium oxide price is US$32/lb U3O8 (Source: Cameco), as is any project worldwide except the ISR operations in Kazakhstan and Arrow of NexGen Energy, but it sits at the front of low-cost projects and operations. It is believed by market experts that contract prices need to increase to at least US$50/lb U3O8 before any new project gets developed into a mine, and there are many different views around on this pricing topic if and when this could occur. Blue Sky Uranium has made its mark now, and sets out to potentially grow its flagship Ivana deposit considerably, which in turn could improve economics even further. What this could mean for investors will be discussed in the following article. All presented tables are my own material, unless stated otherwise. All pictures are company material, unless stated otherwise. All currencies are in US Dollars, unless stated otherwise. 2. Company Blue Sky Uranium is an exploration and development company, focusing its uranium and vanadium exploration efforts on southern Argentina, with 100% control of more than 434,000 hectares of mining tenures. The company is a member of the Grosso Group, led by Joe Grosso, and is a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993. The company's Amarillo Grande Uranium-Vanadium Project in the Rio Negro province is a district-scale uranium discovery and includes the flagship Ivana project, containing the country's largest NI 43-101 resource estimate for uranium, with a significant vanadium credit. Blue Sky Uranium currently has 109.79 million shares outstanding (fully diluted 157.61 million), 43.3 million warrants (the majority is due @C$0.300.35 in 2020), and several option series to the tune of 4.5 million options (C$0.30, expiring at Jan 23, 2023) in total, which gives it a market capitalization of C$24.7 million based on a April 14, 2019, share price of C$0.225. The company has no trouble raising cash despite the difficult sentiment for the last year or so, as it raised C$3.4 million in June 2018. This kind of money goes a long way for exploration (drilling) at the Ivana project, as all mineralization is very near surface, at a maximum depth of just 30m, and the host material is soft unconsolidated gravels and sands. The share price showed a bit of a pulse after the PEA results were released last February, but it will be clear that the stock is just coming off bottom levels, which formed strong support: Share price; 3 year time frame This is predominantly related to the current low uranium prices for spot and contract, rendering almost all uranium projects worldwide uneconomic as mentioned, making the uranium juniors and miners an unloved niche sector at the moment. The uranium market itself is a very intransparent and therefore complex market to understand and surely forecast, but I will try to make things a bit more insightful in the next section. The management team is the core of the Grosso Group team, and is led by President and CEO Nikolaos Cacos, who has been with the Grosso Group since inception in 1993, and a director of Blue Sky Uranium since 2005, and a director of Golden Arrow Resources since 2004 and president and CEO of Argentina Lithium since 2013. All three companies are members of the Grosso Group, and operate in Argentina. CFO Darren Urquhart isn't that long with the group but also closely involved like Cacos as he is CFO of all three companies. With all three companies there is a specific metal specialist geologist on board, and with Blue Sky it is Guillermo Pensado, the VP of Exploration and Development, who has over two decades of experience in exploration and economic project assessment in the Americas, with most of it focused on uranium. When we are talking about the Grosso Group, there is no way we can go around the founder and president, Joseph (Joe) Grosso. He became one of the early pioneers of the mining sector in Argentina in 1993 when mining was opened to foreign investment, and was named Argentina's "Mining Man of The Year" in 2005. His knowledge of Argentina was instrumental in attracting a premier team, which led to the acquisition of key properties in Golden Arrow Resources' portfolio, of which the development of Chinchillas eventually resulted in a JV with SSR Mining. He has successfully formed strategic alliances and negotiated with mining industry majors such as Barrick, Teck, Newmont, Viceroy (now Yamana Gold) and Vale S.A., and government officials at all levels. At the moment he is the chairman of Blue Sky Uranium, a director of Argentina Lithium, and executive chairman, CEO and president of Golden Arrow Resources, which is the flagship company of the Grosso Group. To me, Grosso is instrumental in managing any jurisdictional risk in Argentina, and very important for Blue Sky Uranium in this role. So far for management, let's have a look at the commodity in focus, which is of course uranium. 3. Uranium Uranium (chemical element U, better known as U3O8) in its pure form is a silvery white metal of very high densityeven denser than lead. Uranium can take many chemical forms, but in nature it is generally found as an oxide (in combination with oxygen). Triuranium octoxide (U3O8) is the most stable form of uranium oxide and is the form most commonly found in nature. Canada, Australia and Kazakhstan are estimated to account for over half of the world's resources of uranium, which are estimated to total approximately 4.74 million tonnes. Australia has approximately 30% of world resources, Kazakhstan 17% and Canada 12%. Many industrialized nations are heavily dependent on nuclear power generation, with nuclear electricity representing a major component in such countries as the United States (21%), Hungary (36%), Sweden (46%), and particularly France (78%) and Lithuania (80%). As renewable energy (wind, water, solar) is becoming increasingly important, but it's main issue is its lack of continuity, society needs sufficient base load power, and coal and nuclear can provide this certainty, and therefore will not go away anytime soon, especially nuclear. Worldwide, there are 448 nuclear power reactors operating in 31 countries with total installed capacity of 392,000 MWe. The scale of the world's nuclear industry is considerable and uranium demand is projected to be growing again after Fukushima created havoc and Germany and Japan were facing closures of their nuclear fleet. Japan used to be one of the biggest nuclear electricity producers (34%), but since the Fukushima disaster in 2011 all nuclear reactors have been shut down. Since Q3, 2014, Japan is slowly restarting reactors again, which caused some optimism regarding the uranium prices, but the latest news is the Japanese courts are hesitant to approve restarts, and only granted approval for seven reactors so far. The government is very pro nuclear energy so expectations about the prospect of a fleet wide restart remain high. As of January 2019, there were 58 reactors under construction, 167 planned (approved and funded) and another 345 proposed (intended but not approved or funded). New construction is currently concentrated in Asia with China and India in the forefront. There are also a number of reactors being phased out, so it is expected around 2020 to have a net addition of 5060 reactors worldwide, of which the majority will be located in Asia. An important development are the production cuts by Cameco and Kazatomprom as a reaction on ongoing low uranium oxide prices. In general, US$6065/lb U3O8 is believed to be the minimum threshold to bring most idled operations back online again, or start up new mines. Uranium prices; Source Cameco Cameco even shut down its flagship McArthur River Mine last year, the world's largest high-grade uranium mine, for an indefinite period of time, besides Key Lake. This meant it has put its mines on care and maintenance, laying off most of its staff (even firing 150 people at headquarters) at undoubtedly a hefty price tag, and this means it will take a lot of time and much more money, and therefore much higher uranium prices, to restart it all again. Necessary pricing could involve US$50/lb U3O8 levels, and maybe even higher, as it is rumored by experts that the McArthur River mine needs a complex, difficult and expensive expansion to mine the next phase. It is even suggested that it would be cheaper to buy and build Arrow, the Tier I deposit of NexGen Energy, and this seems valid on the longer term as Arrow appears to be much more profitable than McArthur River or Key Lake at the moment. In the meantime, Cameco fulfills its delivery duties by buying in the spot market, buying that could reach as much as 20M lb U3O8 this year. Cameco is not the only one doing this, as for example traders, banks and hedge funds are buying uranium oxides left and right in order to speculate on future price increases. A new fund, Yellow Cake PLC, has an offtake agreement in place with Kazatomprom, which accounted for the buying of 8.1M lb U3O8 at the discounted price of US$21.01/lb U3O8 in 2018, and gives Yellow Cake the possibility, not the obligation, to buy large quantities for the next nine years, to the tune of US$100 million each year. World uranium production is dominated by Kazakhstan, Canada and Australia, which, together, produce about 74% of annual mine supply. These countries are followed by Niger, Russia and Namibia. These leading producers combined account for approximately 95% of worldwide mine production. In 2018, world production of uranium was estimated at about 123M lb of uranium. The four largest producers, Kazatomprom, Cameco, Orano (former Areva) and ARMZ-Uranium One, have a market share of 65%. In 2018 worldwide production of uranium came from underground (34%), open pit (24%) and ISR mines (36%). Prices of uranium are always, just like gold, subject of widespread sentiments and not the result of a healthy supply/demand mechanism, although the uranium markets are well known by the number of utilities (the nuclear power plants) in production, under construction, etc. Something that isn't very well understood however, but obviously key to demand, is the stockpiling by utilities, usually by fulfilling their long term contracts, like the Japanese appeared to be doing during the shutdown since 2011. Because of this, the markets expected a huge stockpile to come on the market sooner or later, when it would be clear Japan would dismantle its nuclear reactors. This development didn't pan out as we know now, and it is expected that Japanese utilities will enter the LT markets in a few years after they restarted. It is also expected that not all Japanese reactors will be restarted, so in my view there should be a lot of idle stockpiles available for restarting utilities. It is widely agreed upon that the growing net number of reactors will eventually generate increased demand, which would in turn create shortages based on current supply levels. However, this can take a few years to materialize. Olympic Dam, BHP, Australia Uranium oxide supply isn't switched on in a short period of time, and an increase in demand by utilities can't be met by the mining industry in time, and this is the catalyst all uranium investors are waiting for. It will probably take at least one year to have McArthur River and Rabbit Lake back online again, and the same or even longer goes for existing or new ISR operations of Kazatomprom. It recently said it could add 7M lb U3O8 of production annually by investing US$100 million many times over, but ISR is slow to ramp up, it takes about 18 months after the wells are in place. Besides this, there is spare capacity waiting in Australia (Olympic Dam, BHP) which will likely be expanded as soon as uranium contract prices improve meaningfully, and the Honeymoon Mine (Uranium One), which was closed in 2013 due to low prices and would be reopened in that case, and possibly Kazakhstan, currently globally the largest producer. In Namibia there is the Langer Heinrich (Paladin Energy) mine waiting for better times, but it will be clear that new production capacity will take a lot of time. And the Chinese-owned Husab mine is coming online this year. But all these mines and projects have one thing in common: it takes time, to the tune of 1.52 years. And when the spot market has dried up and utilities start buying, there is no time. Much has been made of current stockpiles of utilities, but most of these stockpiles are government owned and will not go back to the markets again. According to the World Nuclear Association, global demand is expected to rise to 180M lb U3O8 in 2025, supply will be an estimated 140M lb U3O8 at the time, including restarted McArthur River, Key Lake and Kazatomprom mines. Another issue that might influence supply/demand is the Section 232 investigation, which looks into the potential for imported goods to harm national security, and uranium is one of them. A proposal by Ur-Energy and Energy Fuels has been made for a 25% quota on domestic uranium, whereas domestic production is not even 1% at the moment. The ramping up production of Kazakhstan since 2005 at very cheap prices has effectively put most U.S. producers out of business. A large part of this Kazakh production went to China, which has massive stockpiles, accounting for more than half of total stockpiles worldwide. An organization representing utilities, the Ad Hoc Utilities Group (UHAG) is vehemently opposing this proposal, as such a quota could cause a dramatic spike in uranium prices, which in turn, according to them, could threaten 100,000 direct jobs and 475,000 indirect jobs. It could also force the U.S. to deplete its own stockpiles at rapid pace, as sufficient new production coming online would take a long time and a huge amount of money. I believe these to be unrealistic claims as unprocessed uranium costs only about 6% of total costs for utilities, and such a spike could cause an estimated $300500 million increase in fuel costs for the top eight utilities, but at the same time their combined net income for 2017 was US$18.8 billion, so they have quite a bit of margin in my view. The UHAG furthermore denies the dependency of the U.S. on uranium imports from potential enemies like China and Russia, but this is not true as Canada and Australia accounted for almost 60% of U.S. uranium supply, and Kazakhstan delivered another 11%. This last country enjoys a very strong relationship with the U.S. as a NATO partner, and has no close relations with Russia, on the contrary. As the uranium mining industry in the U.S. is very small (under 500 people work there), it is very likely to see the utilities as a much larger industry having more (political) impact in this discussion. I expect them to mobilize quite a bit more potential presidential campaign donors and influential Republicans so I don't believe the 25% quota to make it. But on the other hand, Trump is Trump, always looking at money, protectionism and enemy countries, so you never know. Anyway, it is very hard to provide a meaningful forecast for something as speculative as the uranium price as there is no transparent market. What is the situation in Argentina these days regarding nuclear energy? Argentina has three nuclear reactors generating about 5% of its electricity. Its current annual consumption is approximately 300 tonnes U3O8 (or 660,000 lb U3O8). The country's first commercial nuclear power reactor began operating in 1974 and collectively the three plants produce 1667 MWe. The current reactors include a CANDU 6 and a Siemens design; the next two planned reactors are to be built by China National Nuclear Corporation. Additionally, five research reactors are operated by the National Commission of Atomic Energy (CNEA) and others. Two further research reactors are under construction. The CAREM-25 nuclear reactor, which has been developed by CNEA with INVAP and others, since 1984, is a modular 100 MWt simplified pressurized water reactor designed to be used for electricity generation (27 MWe gross, 25 MWe net) or as a research reactor or for water desalination. The prototype will be followed by a larger version, possibly 200 MWe with potential to upscale to 300 MWe. Sites in Argentina and internationally are being considered for the CAREM-25. Argentina requires 100% importation of its uranium supply. As shown in Figure 19-1 below, sourced from the Mining and Energy Industry of Argentina, the 2015 price paid for uranium was more than double the international market price for uranium. It doesn't look like this situation will be solved anytime soon in Argentina, and provides an excellent environment for Blue Sky and the Grosso Group to negotiate with the government on long-term contracts. 4. Amarillo Grande Project The Amarillo Grande Project, located in the Rio Negro Province, covers over 280,000 hectares of mineral exploration rights. Within this, the Ivana group of properties containing the flagship Ivana project covers over 118,000 hectares north of Valcheta City in Rio Negro Province. It is the southernmost property along the 145 kilometre NW-SE trend, of which only 7,000 hectares have seen recent exploration, that contains not only the Ivana deposit but also a series of airborne radiometric anomalies that represent future exploration targets. The remaining 111,000 hectares also represent a lot of potential for multiple blind deposits, related or not to superficial anomalies according to management. The project has year-round access through a well-maintained gravel road network, in an area of very low population density.The project is in a semi-arid topographical depression, close to 100m below the elevation of Valcheta City (25km south of the Ivana deposit and the location of the regional office of Blue Sky Uranium), with low rainfall, and within a closed hydrologic system. Therefore, any mining and processing activity developed in the area would likely have a low potential risk to local fresh water aquifers. Blue Sky Uranium has been exploring the Amarillo Grande Project since 2006 after it acquired the private company holding the project, and came up with interesting results for the initial Anit and Santa Barbara targets. Trenching in the Central zone of Anit uncovered an interval 30 meters in length that average 0.397% U3O8. Pit sampling in the West Zone returned 3m of 0.85% U3O8, and aircore drilling also in the West zone returned values of 0.078% U3O8 over 4m (hole AN174) and 0.071% U3O8 over 3m (hole AN186). A follow-up trenching program resulted in an average grade of 0.06% U3O8. After this, a follow-up aircore reverse circulation (RC) drill program in 2010 delivered average grades of 0.03% U3O8. It has to be said that Anit has a much higher vanadium grade than Ivana (0.0750.11% V2O5 vs 0.019% V2O5). Based on these results and size, I would like to estimate for Anit a mineralized envelope of 4,000 x 500 x 2.3m x 2.1t/m3 = 9.66Mt, which would result in 6.3M lb U3O8 and 15,78M lb V2O5. Analyses of early samples from pits at Santa Barbara ranged on average from 0.01 to 0.06% U3O8, although a few soil and rock samples in 2007 even had grades as high as 1.58% U3O8 (on a sidenote for who will study the tables in the resource reports: 10,000 ppm = 1% and 1% U = 1.1792% U3O8). Blue Sky Uranium made the discovery of Ivana in 2010 after flying an extensive airborne radiometric survey. Initial reconnaissance exploration results at Ivana were much more impressive for management compared to Anit and Santa Barbara, as pit sampling over the radiometric anomaly returned on average much higher grades, up to 1.81% U3O8 over 0.75m as can be seen in this table of the 2012 technical report: The resulting recommendation of this report was pretty clear: "The next phase of exploration work on the Properties should focus on the Ivana property." With this report in hand, the company signed a MOU during 2012 with Areva for a 4951% JV on all Argentinian uranium assets. The goal for Areva was to target roll-front type uranium mineralization at a depth up to 400 meters. However, after spending almost US$3 million in exploration, Areva didn't find this and terminated the agreement in May 2014, hereby returning the project to Blue Sky Uranium. Ivana has been basically shelved for quite a while, basically since then until the beginning of 2016, when general mining sentiment started to recover. Of the three projects, the focus still was on the Ivana area where Blue Sky finally found a so-called roll-front deposit covered by surficial mineralization, all in the first 30m from surface. Notwithstanding this, as Ivana is the most economic project so far and probably the first to be developed, management hasn't forgotten about the other two projects, or the various radiometric anomalies along the 145km long potential exploration trend. According to management, this new district may be hiding multiple blind deposits, and its potential may be not only at surface but also in depth, as suggested by Areva in its exploration program. The Blue Sky exploration team, armed with the experience of the Ivana deposit discovery and the development of an exploration model to be applied all over the district, is now focused in the re-assessment of the Anit and Santa Barbara surficial mineralizations, as well as the several radiometric anomalies in between. Management thinks that those areas may represent the superficial expression of multiple blind deeper and higher grade roll-front type deposits representing an estimated potential for about 100M lb U3O8 along the entire district (now 23M lb). I asked them specifically how they got to this concept. This is their explanation and in my view the key to the story: "The surficial mineralization is the indicator itself because the roll front deposits, or the uranium comprised in those deposits, can be remobilized by oxidized ground waters and precipitated as surficial mineralization near surface. This is the model observed at Ivana deposit. Therefore, the several radiometric anomalies along the 145km long district, including Santa Barbara and Anit, may be indicating deeper blind deposits." Let's see if the company manages to prove its concept right. Besides this, the Ivana deposit is not an ordinary one, so let's have a more in-depth look into its geology. The Ivana uranium-vanadium deposit has a rather unique geology, as it is a combination with characteristics of both surficial and sandstone-type uranium deposits. Most of the delineated mineralization has similarities to the surficial uranium deposits of Australia and Namibia in that the oxidized uranium mineralization consists of carnotite coating pebbles and sand grains, and as disseminations, in poorly consolidated sediment or soils of relatively young age. The main uranium mineral in these deposits is typically carnotite (as is the case with Ivana), a yellowish hydrated potassium uranium vanadium oxide. Well-known examples of surficial uranium deposits include the Langer Heinrich deposit in Namibia (93 Mlb P&P reserves @ 471 ppm U3O8) and the Wiluna deposit in West Australia (62 Mlb M&I resources @ 525 ppm U3O8). Yeelirrie, another example from Australia and owned by Cameco, may be the world's largest reported surficial uranium deposit with measured and indicated resources of 128 Mlb of U3O8 at a grade of 0.16% U3O8. The Yeelirrie deposit is a 9 km by 1.5 km horizontal sheet of poorly consolidated fine sediments in which the bulk of uranium mineralization is confined to an interval between 4m and 8m below the surface. Ivana, however, lacks the well-developed calcrete layers generally associated with surficial uranium deposits in semi-arid to arid climates. Calcrete layers are layers of sand or gravel densely cemented with calcium or magnesium carbonates, often occurring above the uranium mineralization. The Ivana deposit contains layers of poorly consolidated sediments that are calcareous, but the strength of the calcite cement is far from being considered calcrete. The absence of these calcrete layers improves metallurgical recovery a great deal. The primary uranium mineralization at Ivana also has considerable similarities to sandstone-hosted uranium deposits in other locations, particularly basal-channel sandstone-hosted uranium deposits, and appears to be related to a redox boundary of possible regional extent. For the ones interested in even more geology and chemistry, or simply trying to understand what is meant here (like myself): redox is a chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of atoms/molecules are changed, involving oxidation and reduction of the atoms/molecules reacting with each other. Redox boundaries in mining have the following definition: the redox boundary in aquatic sediments is the depth below the sedimentwater interface that separates the stability fields of the oxidized and reduced species of a given redox couple. It is loosely represented by the boundary between oxic and anoxic sediment. In our case sediments can be interchanged with sandstone. It appears that uranium enrichment occurs along this redox boundary within sandstone aquifers. Management added this for better understanding: "the way the oxidation/reduction front works is as follows: uranium in the oxidized state (U+6) is very mobile on water and it is almost immobile at the reduced state (U+4). Oxidized groundwater transports U+6 from some fertile source (leaked from volcanics, sediments, granites, etc.), and it is "trapped" when the water finds a reduced environment like black shales, bitumen from mature oil, trunks/logs/veggy debris, etc. The reductant stimulates the "reduction" of U+6 into U+4 and precipitates as uranium minerals at the redox front, where it is accumulated for long periods of time, and potentially generates an economic deposit." Examples of this style of mineralization can be found in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, USA; the Coastal Plain of Texas, USA; and in the Chu-Sarysu and Syrdarya Basins of Kazakhstan, where mapable redox boundaries have been followed for hundreds of kilometers and contain many deposits. Uranium deposits of this type formed along regional redox boundaries can reach large sizes, as at Inkai, Kazakhstan, where the proven and probable reserves are about 270 million pounds of U3O8 at a grade of 0.03% U3O8, and in situ recovery (ISR) production at these deposits (JV of Cameco and Kazatomprom) currently dominates global supply. Of course, this doesn't mean that Ivana could get very large as well, but as Blue Sky has traced uranium on a district scale trend here, this could indicate significant potential in that direction. Thus, the Ivana uranium-vanadium deposit is currently considered a hybrid, in part a surficial deposit, and in part a sandstone-hosted deposit. As all mineralization is positioned very much near surface, drilling by many reverse circulation (RC) drill holes for a total of over 9,000m was done since the summer of 2017 at an average drill hole depth of 15.4m. The Ivana deposit is characterized by two stacked zones of uranium mineralization, the upper zone and the lower zone. The upper zone is composed of oxidized mineralization, and the lower zone contains a mixture of oxidized and altered primary-style mineralization. I was impressed by the sampling at Ivana, were just digging a 2m deep hole often resulted in mineralized rock with very high off-scale (10,00061,000 cps) radiation readings: These readings didn't result in 520% U3O8 as we know from NexGen Energy's similar Arrow readings, but as we will see in a second, the mineralization still generates pretty interesting economics in the PEA. The Ivana deposit has the following highlights: Surficial deposit with a NI43-101 compliant Inferred resource of 22.7M lb U3O8 and 11.5M lb V2O5 (28 Mt averaging 370 ppm U3O8 & 190 ppm V2O5) Hosted by loosely consolidated sediments from surface to just 24 meters depth; mining via open-pit methods Oxidized uranium-vanadium mineralization amenable to upgrading by simple wet scrubbing and screening and alkaline leach processing The Ivana deposit remains open for expansion and additional near deposit (or brownfield) exploration resource potential exists in the Ivana area This is the resource estimate table at different cut-offs, whereas 100 ppm is the base case: It shows that at higher cut-offs the resulting uranium oxide content remains significant, which could prove to be useful for improving economics later on. Talking about economics, let's have a look at the initial Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) that came out recently. The PEA dated February 27, 2019, is describing an open-pit operation with a 13 year life of mine (LOM), a 6,400 tpd throughput and a strip ratio of 1.1 : 1. This is what the mine plan looks like: Overall recovery of uranium oxide is 84.6%, and of vanadium pentoxide 52.5% which is solid. The annual production is 1.35M lb U3O8 on average, which would make Ivana a small uranium project, but as mentioned management sees potential to increase the total amount of pounds to about 100M lb. The PEA showed decent economics for a uranium project, at US$50/lb U3O8 and US$15/lb V2O5 the post-tax NPV8 is US135.2 million, IRR is 29.3% and capex is US$128.05 million. The sensitivity looks like this: So despite the low-grade mineralization, the Ivana project manages to become economic at US$50/lb U3O8, whereas many projects under development or mines in care and maintenance need US$6065/lb U3O8 nowadays. Beneficiary factors are of course the very near surface mineralization and low strip ratio, and the very soft host rock. As mentioned, Blue Sky Uranium could increase the cut-off and improve the average grade, but the PEA doesn't provide a sensitivity on this unfortunately. Because of the vanadium by-product of about 10% of revenues, the all-in sustaining costs are pretty low, at US$18.27/lb U3O8. This means as long as the Ivana project gets financed, it could endure uranium oxide contract pricing as low as US$20/lb, which hasn't happened since July 2004, and will most likely never happen again. The base case price for vanadium was set at US$15/lb, which in my view is a bit on the high side as it trades at US$13.40/lb at the moment. Notwithstanding this, the metal saw a huge spike recently because of potential involvement with grid storage and other aspects of the ongoing renewables paradigm shift: If Blue Sky Uranium indeed manages to delineate 100M lb U3O8 and a useful amount of V2O5, it isn't unrealistic in that case to double or even triple production capacity and double LOM. In this case some economies of scale could kick in, and despite the expected lower average grade and increased capex, the post-tax NPV8 should be able to come in at least around US$300350 million, with the IRR roughly estimated at 2728% as well, maybe higher depending on the amount of higher grade ore the company could delineate in the future. The company is proceeding with the expansion of the current resource and setting up work programs for the upcoming Pre Feasibility Study (PFS), and for this it is not allowed to include Inferred resources, so these need to be converted. The current drill spacing of 100 x 200m appears to be adequate to update Inferred into Indicated resources but this is up to the geologists; however, more extensive bulk density testing is needed before the resource can be moved to the Indicated category. Ideally, there would be enough bulk density measurements to interpolate density into the block model. This has to happen according to the resource estimate report: Uranium production averages 1.35 Mlb U3O8 per annum as mentioned, and totals 17.5 Mlb U3O8 over the life of mine. Vanadium production averages 0.5 Mlb V2O5 per year and totals 6.5 Mlb V2O5 over the life of mine. As can be seen in the table below, as the mineralization is so near surface, it is easy to mine the highest-grade ore in the first years (also called "front loading"): One thing that struck me in the PEA was this remark about export duties: the applicable rate for the recently introduced temporary tax varies generally from 5 to 12 per cent. However, the Argentine government currently indicates that the export duty will expire at the end of 2020. Since the Ivana project will not be in production prior to that time, it will not be burdened with these duties. I consider this a clear advantage of course, now let's see if Macri and his government can live up to expectations this time. And if not, Blue Sky also has the potential option to sell at least 50% of production to Argentina itself, avoiding export duties. On a closing note: Blue Sky Uranium also has numerous projects in Chubut province. Situated directly south of Rio Negro, Chubut hosts several uranium deposits, however, none are currently in production and the provincial government has enacted restrictions against open-pit mining. The company's projects in this area, Sierra Colonia, Tierras Coloradas, Regalo and Cerro Parva, comprising more than 150,000 hectares of 100% controlled mining properties, are shelved now because of this. 5. Conclusion Blue Sky Uranium has been around for quite some time, but after Fukushima, one of the longest bear markets and a JV partner walking away, it seems that management is revitalizing everything again. The recent PEA has a very decent base case price for uranium (US$50/lb U3O8), putting it ahead of many other developers and existing mines currently dormant in care and maintenance that will need higher prices. What is very interesting is that the price for imported uranium oxide in Argentina is currently far above the base case price of the Ivana PEA, which would put Blue Sky in a perfect position to be a preferred supplier. Besides Argentina, at some point it seems likely the world needs more uranium oxide again as well, and then Blue Sky is one of the first developers in line as a perfectly leveraged pure play on uranium. Besides the uranium price, the company also has organic growth opportunities, as according to management it can grow its resources four-fold. This will in turn improve economics a great deal, and will most likely also have a positive impact on the share price. I hope you will find this article interesting and useful, and will have further interest in my upcoming articles on mining. To never miss a thing, please subscribe to my free newsletter on my website http://www.criticalinvestor.eu to get an email notice of my new articles soon after they are published. The Critical Investor is a newsletter and comprehensive junior mining platform, providing analysis, blog and newsfeed and all sorts of information about junior mining. The editor is an avid and critical junior mining stock investor from The Netherlands, with an MSc background in construction/project management. Number cruncher at project economics, looking for high quality companies, mostly growth/turnaround/catalyst-driven to avoid too much dependence/influence of long-term commodity pricing/market sentiments, and often looking for long-term deep value. Getting burned in the past himself at junior mining investments by following overly positive sources that more often than not avoided to mention (hidden) risks or critical flaws, The Critical Investor learned his lesson well, and goes a few steps further ever since, providing a fresh, more in-depth, and critical vision on things, hence the name. Disclaimer: The author is not a registered investment advisor, and has a long position in this stock. Blue Sky Uranium is a sponsoring company. All facts are to be checked by the reader. For more information go to www.blueskyuranium.com and read the company's profile and official documents on www.sedar.com, also for important risk disclosures. This article is provided for information purposes only, and is not intended to be investment advice of any kind, and all readers are encouraged to do their own due diligence, and talk to their own licensed investment advisors prior to making any investment decisions. Streetwise Reports Disclosure: 1) The Critical Investor's disclosures are listed above. 2) The following companies mentioned in the article are sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Energy Fuels. 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. Charts and graphics provided by the author. Get more mining stock investor ideas - news, articles, podcasts and stock directories More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp April 19, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The noted engineer, who has a track record of building companies and increasing their value, is now focusing on Nexus Gold. J. Ian Stalker, who has had a longmore than 45 yearsand storied history in mining exploration, development and operations, including working in West Africa for more than a decade, has become the non-executive chairman of Nexus Gold Corp. (NXS:TXS.V; NXXGF:OTCQB), a gold exploration company with projects in Burkina Faso and Canada. During his career, he has taken more than 10 mining projects through feasibility, development and construction phases, and has raised more than $500 million in capital investment. His high-level positions in gold mining include stints as managing director of Ashanti Goldfields Co. Ltd., which later became AngloGold Ashanti; vice president of Gold Fields Ltd.; and CEO of Brazilian Gold Corp. Companies under Stalker's management have seen significant market cap growth. He was the CEO of UraMin, a uranium company that was acquired by Areva for $2.5 billion in 2007. As president and CEO of LSC Lithium, he guided that company to a recent $111 buy-out, a 30% increase in market price. Alex Klenman, president and CEO of Nexus, told Streetwise Reports, "Ian has been on the Nexus board for almost one year, and is now stepping into a greater role as non-executive chairman. He has M&A success behind him, discovery success and development success." Ian Stalker told Streetwise Reports, "I was part of the team at Ashanti Goldfields when we went from producing 120,000 ounces a gold a year to over 1 million ounces a year by the end of 1998. We began to look at projects outside Ghana, where Ashanti was based, and we looked at Burkina Faso, Mali, a range of countries, so I got very familiar with that part of West Africa." "When the opportunity came up with Nexus, with a prolific exploration area under its control in Burkina Faso, I was very happy to take up the position of non-executive chairman with it," Stalker explained. I was also attracted by the quality of the people; I am working with a really top-class group." "When Ian accepted my invitation to join the board," Klenman explained, "Nexus was in the throes of a Howe Street death grip. We had 147 million shares out and the previous management had depleted the treasury. The share price was under $0.05." "The company has turned around. We have a little bit of money in the bank, we're moving forward, we've had some success on the ground," Klenman stated. Ian Stalker's "experience, knowledge and guidance will be of great benefit to the company, and of even greater importance as the next few years are critical in our growth cycle," stated Klenman. "Having Ian on board in a more prominent and active position with Nexus is something our shareholders can be excited about. His track record in helping to grow company evaluations is impressive." Stalker joins Nexus' chief geologist, VP of exploration Warren Robb, who also has a long history in West Africa. "He was Roxgold's chief geologist in 201112 when the company discovered Yaramoko in Burkina Faso; it is now an extremely high-grade mine," Klenman explained. "That mine essentially made the company." One of Nexus' goals, Klenman stated, "is to become a larger player in West Africa in exploration and development." Jurisdictional risk can be a concern for investors. "On security issues, Burkina Faso has had a couple of incidents, which was never an issue when I traveled there in the 1990s and early 2000s," Stalker stated. "But we have chosen an area where security is very solid; it's been a very strategically controlled area by the government, so security-wise, you can discount a fair bit of the risk." "Additionally, there are a large number of mining companies right around us, so in the area where we are working there are known deposits both of size and economies where companies can mine gold on a regular basis and produce it in an economic fashion. That adds a lot of value to the exploration environment we find ourselves in," Stalker explained. The company's primary and most advanced project is Bouboulou, located in central Burkina Faso; it was once owned by Roxgold, and at the time was known as Bissa West. Roxgold did some work on the property, but after the Yaramoko discovery, the property became available, and Nexus acquired it. According to the company, drilling confirmed five mineralized zones on the 38-sq-km Bouboulou property and three different trends that cross Bouboulou in a southwestern direction. "We felt those trends were going to cross the 250-sq-km Rakounga property, so we acquired it, which gives us a combined contiguous package of about 288 sq km," Klenman explained. "We established three drill tested zones on the western flank for Rakounga. In a subsequent soil program, we were able to connect them at least in terms on anomalous surface; it's about a 16-km trend, with eight known zones. We've put about 5060 holes down between the two concessions and are about a third or halfway to a resource estimate there, depending on how the next bit of work goes. We are hoping we can fill the gaps between the three zones at Rakounga and the five at Bouboulou." Klenman stated. Bouboulou/Rakounga is a typical West African open-pit, low-grade bulk tonnage project. Nexus' other two Burkina Faso properties, Niangouela and Dakouli, have a very different story. "Warren Robb thought that the set-up at Niangouela, which is northeast of Bouboulou, was in his mind very similar to what he saw at Yaramoko, so we did a quick sample program, and came back with 2,950 g/t, 403 g/t samples, absolutely outrageous for West Africa," Klenman stated. Nexus then ran a drill program there, and got a 26 g/t hit over almost 5 meters. "More drilling showed us the nature of the beast, that it's more of a spidery vein with high-grade shoots that requires a lot more money and a lot more drilling to get done, Klenman explained. "We like the grade there and will perhaps joint venture it out." Dakouli is the company's latest addition in Burkina Faso, on which it obtained a nine-year mining lease. The property comprises 98 sq km just south of the Niangouela concession. The company was attracted by the artisanal activity on the property, miners digging down 4050 meters with 400600 meter strikes. At Dakouli, Nexus conducted a very preliminary sample round and came back with "several gorgeous, beautiful visible gold in quartz chunks, very nuggety samples, which you don't often see there," Klenman stated. "They were 2629 g/t, just grab samples, but certainly what you want to see as a phase one or two on the property." Klenman noted that the company just completed another 100 samples at Dakouli and expects the results soon. "We are trying to build our visual databases as to where we think the best drill locations. We are currently doing a soil grid program there; the more data we can build at Dakouli, the better because there really is no history there. We're going to have to make sure we build our data methodically over the next few months before we start a drill program, but we really like the grade at Dakouli and at Niangouela. I think there is a higher grade opportunity there." "From an overview position, there has been a significant amount of work to identify targets on the ground, and these were followed up by preliminary and secondary phase drilling. So we have a pretty good database, one in fact that brought on the streaming company, Sandstorm Gold Royalties, that came to look at our data and gave us money to continue our work a year ago," Stalker stated. With the funding the company has been raising and completing on, "we will run another drill program this year, which will be underway very soon," Stalker noted. We hope that it will add to the growing knowledge of the geology in the area and provide a confirmation of the quality of the targets." "We are optimistic that at the end of this year and into next year, we will have a 43-101 resource available to us," Stalker stated. "All in all, in Burkina Faso we have over 550 sq km of ground, a sizeable package, all in the Boromo-Goren greenstone belts," Klenman stated. "It is a dual narrative. The majors will keep an eye on the low-grade, bulk-tonnage situations at Bouboulou/Rakounga. When we come to market with the size of the compliant resource, that will get some attention," he said. "The retail investor may not be as excited about that, but they would certainly be excited about the high-grade results at Dakouli and perhaps more at Niangouela." Nexus has also been diversifying beyond West Africa. In January, the company completed the acquisition of the New Pilot Gold Project in the Bridge River Mining Camp in British Columbia. A second Canadian project, the McKenzie Gold Project in the Red Lake region of Northwestern Ontario, was acquired in February. The Canadian properties provide year-round activity for Nexus. "We can work on the ground on the Canadian projects in the summer, when it's rainy season in Burkina Faso, and the rest of the year in West Africa," Klenman stated. "The footprint in the Canadian camps, in a very steady, understandable and transparent part of the world, is balanced by the footprint in the Burkina Faso projects, which are hugely exciting from an exploration and potential point of view," Stalker explained. "For investors, that makes for a very interesting investment decision and not just putting all your eggs in one basket." "I think there is the potential to grow Nexus not just into a Burkina Faso company, but to a much larger West African company, that adds a lot of potential value to the company and gives you that size one needs to have in order to get proper attention," Stalker stated. Nexus currently has 42 million shares outstanding, 61 million fully diluted. Sandstorm Gold Royalties is the largest shareholder, having taken a 17% equity stake in the first post-consolidation financing in May 2018, and it holds a 1% NSR on Bouboulou, Rakounga and Niangouela. "Sandstorm will get its revenue when the projects go into production, so given that we are at the exploration and development stage in our lifecycle, that's a tremendous vote of confidence," Klenman explained. Industry analysts have Nexus in their sights. Equity.Guru, in a February 12, 2019 update on the McKenzie project in the Red Lake Mining Camp, noted Nexus "will be active on at least five geologically prospective fronts this year. With 42.29 million shares outstanding and a $0.12 share price, Nexus has a market cap of $5.07M. That strikes me as a rock-bottom valuation for a company stacked with this much potential." Bob Moriarty of 321 Gold wrote on January 11, 2019, in an article titled "Nexus Delivers Gold," the company "got approval for a new concession named Dakouli 2 in early November. The 100% owned Dakouli 2 property is contiguous with their Niangouela project that reported drill results of 26.69 g/t gold over 4.85 meters in March of 2017. If those numbers were for a project in the Golden Triangle, the stock would have tripled after the press release." "Nexus has quality gold projects in one of the most attractive countries in Africa with 3-4 million ounce potential. The company is so far off the radar screens of investors that it hasn't even arrived at the airport. I don't think the company is going up tenfold in the next month but if management can run a tight ship and plank the money into the ground, it has ten-bagger potential over the next year or so," Moriarty added. 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 Nexus Gold. Please click here for more information. Within the last six months, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has disseminated information about the private placement of the following companies mentioned in this article: Nexus Gold. 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 Nexus Gold, a company mentioned in this article. Additional disclosures: Bob Moriarty, 321 Gold: Nexus is an advertiser. I have bought a fair number of shares in the open market. I am biased. They have a lot of information on their site and you should look at it. Do your own due diligence. Equity.Guru: Nexus Gold is an Equity Guru client. Disclaimer: ALWAYS DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH and consult with a licensed investment professional before making an investment. This communication should not be used as a basis for making any investment. Get more mining stock investor ideas - news, articles, podcasts and stock directories More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp The European Commission was given the green light last week to begin talks with the US on agreements to enable tariffs on industrial goods to be slashed by 26bn. More importantly, talks will begin for the differing regulations controlling imports of pharmaceuticals and other controlled goods to be mutually accepted by each region. The EU is anxious to push the message that a new free trade agreement will be a win-win for exporters in both jurisdictions, but the EU has agreed everything is on the table for negotiations except agricultural products. This is good news for Irish farmers and the wide range of agrifood producers here, but the US agrifood sector had high hopes that some of the long-standing concerns regarding the EUs policies on agricultural biotechnology and pesticide laws would be addressed. With the EU now formally excluding agriculture, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to address these non-tariff barriers that severely inhibit trade between the two regions. Agrifood associations in the US have already called on President Donald Trump to push back on the EU and insist that these vital agriculture issues are addressed either in the context of a free trade agreement or through bilateral talks. There are two aspects to the proposed agreement, elimination of tariffs on goods, excluding agriculture, and regulatory conformity whose goal would be to makme it easier for companies to prove their products meet technical requirements for release into markets both in the EU and the US. Of particular interest to Ireland is the high cost and time delays meeting the different regulations controlling the development and approval of new pharmaceuticals in both the EU and the US. Agreement of mutual recognition by the European Medical Agency and the US Food and Drugs administration has the potential to save the pharma industry hundreds of millions in both jurisdictions annually. US foreign direct investment into Ireland could also be further facilitated if the proposed liberalisation in business services, royalties, and licences are delivered on through the agreement. The stakes in EU-US trade negotiations are always high; already they have the largest and deepest bilateral trade and investment relationship in the world and have highly integrated economies. Negotiating tactics have been brought to a fractious level, but the EU negotiators have decided to play Mr Trump and his hard-line international trade negotiators at his own hardball tactics. The EU opening offer states that it will not conclude negotiations with the US as long as the current tariffs on EU exports of steel and aluminium remain in place, and that it would be able to suspend negotiations unilaterally if the US were to impose further trade restrictions against EU products. Further evidence of a toughening in EU stance was the announcement releasing a provisional list of US agricultural goods, including soybeans. The significance of this will not be lost on the Trump administration, which has already lost important soybean exports to China in their ongoing trade spat. According to the EU, between February 2018 and January 2019, the value of agrifood imports from the US increased by 14%. This represents an increase in value of 1.5bn, mainly due to the increase in imports of soybeans, soybean oil cakes and several other products. The EU is now ready to launch negotiations with the US which will cover the set of issues stemming from the July 2018 joint statement of commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and Mr Trump. Much will depend on the agricultural issues and the pressure by lobby groups on both sides. Many will recall that the last major global trade deal the Doha Round, which the WTO tried for many years to negotiate unfortunately died in 2008 because agribusiness lobbies in the US and EU put sustained political pressure on their negotiators. The EU also clarified last week that the negotiating directives for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreed in June 2013 must be considered obsolete and no longer relevant. Chia Bia, a health food company based in Tramore, Co Waterford, has become an industry leader in the supply of seed products to the Irish, European, and international markets. The business was founded in 2009, after owner Barrie Rogers suffered a back injury while on holiday in America. It was then when he discovered the power of chia seeds after they were recommended to him for their anti-inflammatory properties. Chia seeds are native to South America and their optimal growing conditions are in regions close to the equator. They are small, subtle-tasting black or white seeds high in Omega 3 and fibre, a source of protein, and can be added to foods and drinks to boost nutrition. On his return to Ireland, Barrie researched the best way to bring them to Europe. He quickly learned about the tariffs and customs associated with importing a product into the EU. Chia Bia worked with Revenue to ensure the correct classification, and developed a relationship with a clearing agent for all future purchases. Once the company got clearance to import the seed, they faced an additional obstacle in the form of the European Unions Novel Food regulation. Novel Food is any newly developed innovative food food produced using new technologies and production processes as well as food which is or has been traditionally eaten outside of the EU prior to May 1997. Barrie and his team applied for approval through the equivalence process from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and got the go-ahead to sell the seed when the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) completed and issued a safety assessment. Chia Bia, which initially went on the shelves in 120 health stores, later secured its first multiple retail listing in SuperValu, had its first international listing with Holland & Barrett in the UK and is now one of Europes largest suppliers of chia seeds. It participated in Bord Bias Marketplace B2B buyer event, which resulted in sales of the brand to retailers in the Middle East. The company is currently working with existing customers and on building its online sales channels. Health food products were new when Chia Bia launched in the retail market in 2013. It supported the trade and educated consumers on the benefits of health foods to grow the market, and is now category leader. The product range can be found nationwide in SuperValu, Dunnes Stores, Tesco, Centra, Holland & Barrett, and independent retailers. It is also available in over 2,000 outlets worldwide with new product launches, increased exports sales, and new markets in the EU planned for 2019. Chia Bia now has two British Retail Consortium (BRC) accredited packaging and storage facilities, totalling over 15,000 square feet, with semi-automated filling, packaging, and milling machinery. Barrie Rogers, whose first job was as a lifeguard in Tramore Leisure Centre, said the firms success is testament to the hard work of employees. Each member plays a crucial role in the running of the business. The Chia seed is now on many household shopping lists as it is very versatile and can easily be added to foods and drinks to boost nutrition. Ten years ago, this wasnt the case. As pioneers of the chia seed, we have received tremendous support from Irish consumers and membership of Love Irish Food has helped reach a wider audience, influence brand choice, drive sales, and encourage consumers to choose Irish. 2019 marks our 10th year in business. Our success is attributed to a continued emphasis on high-quality health food products, aligned to a desire to innovate and satisfy the needs of our customers We are committed to the quality of our chia seeds and we have a direct relationship with the growers in South America. My most recent trip was in October to Paraguay, he said. Mr Rogers said the company, the first to bring chia seed to Europe, had steady growth over the last few years, with unit sales up 12.5% in 2018. It also opened a cafe bia+brew on its Tramore premises last October. With customer experience and quality ingredients being a major focus for this new venture, our coffee, breakfast and lunch offerings are an ultimate showcase of local Waterford food producers, he said. Mr Rogers said the company ethos is to support the local community as best it can. It gives him great satisfaction to be able to do that through his business. I aim to be open and transparent with my team. I empower them to make decisions, I acknowledge hard work and most of all encourage them to enjoy what they do, he said. I feel you dont have to be an entrepreneur to be entrepreneurial, so if an employee has a creative flair, I nurture it. Mr Rogers said the companys vision is to consistently deliver high-quality products that offer consumers a healthier choice. We only work with chia suppliers who have a direct relationship with their growers. Further to this, we nutritionally analyse each batch of seeds to ensure they meet our strict nutritional criteria, he said. Chia Bia, a member of the Bord Bia initiative Origin Green, implements many initiatives to improve efficiencies, reduce costs and be more sustainable. These include environmental improvements to lower electricity usage, responsible sourcing of raw material and packaging, involvement in local communities and charities, and introducing lean principles to increase efficiencies and productivity in the plant. So where did the name Chia Bia come from? Chia is the Aztec word for strength and Bia means food in Irish. So Chia Bia literally means Strength Food. But Johnson later alleged torture at the hands of detectives under Burges command as well. After winning a hearing into his allegations, Johnson entered into what's known as an Alford plea, a rarely used legal arrangement in which he acknowledged prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him but did not admit wrongdoing. He was then released from custody on time served in 2012, records show. The gang behind the theft of two ATMs in Kells in County Meath tried to use homemade spikes to stop gardai pursuing them. However, Gardai, who described the theft as a 'well-planned, sophisticated' crime, said the use of the device did not delay their response to the theft of two ATMs from the town centre shortly after 4am on Friday morning. In total, four ATMs were stolen in the latest in a spate of robberies since the beginning of the year. As well as those in Kells, two others in Crumlin, Co Antrim and Craigavon, Co Armagh were stolen. 16 ATMs have now been robbed since the start of the year: 11 north of the border and five south of it. In Kells, a gang used a digger to remove the cash machines from the walls of AIB and Bank of Ireland, causing significant damage to both buildings. It is believed that as much as 200,000 has been stolen. Superintendent Dermot O'Connor from Kells Garda Station confirmed that the assailants placed homemade spikes outside Kells Garda Station in a bid to slow down garda progress. The garda station is just 500 metres from the crime scene and Supt O'Connor said that the device did not delay garda response. The thieves left behind a JCB Fastrac tractor and trailer and an excavator, which blocked the main street in Kells. Gardai believe those responsible left the scene in a dark-coloured crew CAB jeep and a dark coloured Volkswagon car in the direction of Carlanstown, north-east of Kells. ne of the ATMs was taken from an AIB branch in Kells. Photo: Seamus Farrelly. Supt O'Connor appealed for any possible witnesses to contact Kells Garda Station on 046 9280820, the Gardai Confidential line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Specifically, he asked for motorists with dashcam footage of heavy machinery being moved or transported between Ardee, Kells, the N52 or adjoining roads in the early hours of Friday morning to reach out. He said: "This crime was an organised planned attack on the community of Kells. This crime is not a victimless crime and will have a significant impact on the community of Kells and the local area over this Easter Bank Holiday weekend." Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has spoken to Garda Commissioner Drew Harris about the recent spate of robberies: "Im very concerned at the most recent ATM robberies and indeed have expressed that concern to the Garda Commissioner. He briefed me this morning and assured me that An Garda Siochana are following every lead in their pursuit of those involved. They continue to work closely with their PSNI colleagues to target crime gangs in both jurisdictions." The JCB tractor and the excavator had been stolen in the Louth and Meath areas overnight. Gardai appealed to anyone who owns or uses heavy plant machinery to 'take every precaution possible' to secure vehicles. A garda spokesman said: "If criminal groups cannot steal diggers and other similar machinery, they cannot tear out ATMs. This will also mean that these expensive pieces of machinery are not destroyed or burnt out after they are stolen." Corca Dhuibhne is on the map after John Paul Phelan, the junior local government minister signed a statutory instrument to change how the electoral area in west Kerry is referred to in the upcoming local elections. A row broke out after it was realised that the name for Dingle-Daingean Ui Chuis, a part of a new seven-seater municipal district was to be called An Daingean the name of a town in Co Offaly. Already, local electoral areas in Kerry are undergoing huge changes in Mays local elections. An interactive map has been launched by the council to help voters cope with the revised boundaries changes, the second major boundary changes in five years in the county. Under the 2014 boundaries, Kerry had the largest municipal districts in the country in geographical terms. The South and West Kerry Electoral Area used to run across three peninsulas and a number of mountain ranges and took in four large towns Kenmare, Cahersiveen, Killorglin, and Dingle. The new boundaries will divide that district. However, there were massive objections after it was realised the name for the new area was not the official name, but one rejected by the people of West Kerry. Local Fine Gael councillor Seamus Cosai Fitzgerald wrote to Mr Phelan asking for a name change and the council backed him. Mr Cosai Fitzgerald drew the ministers attention to the fact the name An Daingean did not exist in the area and said he feared for the validity of the election. There was widespread shock in west Kerry in 2005/2006 when the 700-year-old name, Dingle, was officially removed under the Placenames Order of the Irish Languages Act introduced by the then minister, Eamon O Cuiv, and replaced with An Daingean. A plebiscite was called and resulted in an overwhelming vote for the double barrel bilingual named Dingle-Daingean Ui Chuis. However, it was 2013 before Dingle-Daingean Ui Chuis appeared on official maps and signs as road signs had to be made bigger. Mr Cosai Fitzgerald said: The placename An Daingean no longer exists. He said the reintroduction of An Daingean is inflaming what had been a very divisive situation once again and reigniting a row that took years to resolve. The wrong place name could threaten the election too, he said. My fear is after May 24 [the date of the local election] the legitimacy of the election could be questioned, he added. Mr Phelan has now removed An Daingean and has ordered under Statutory Instrument No 157 of 2019 that he is substituting that name with the compromise Corca Dhuibhne, the name of the clan from whom the people of west Kerry derive. The new municipal district is to be called Castleisland-Corca Dhuibhne. Latest: Gardai insist they responded immediately to a call that two ATMs were in the process of being stolen in Kells, Co Meath overnight. A digger was used to rip the machines from the walls of two banks on the main street in the town at around 4.20am. A digger was stolen from a field in Co Meath, while a tractor and low loader trailer were stolen from Ardee, Co. Louth. They were then brought to John Street in Kells where the digger was used to tear the two ATMs from an AIB and Bank of Ireland branch. The tractor and trailer were used to block off one end of the street Homemade spikes were placed at Kells garda station, which is 550 metres away, in an attempt to impede the Garda response. Speaking at the scene today, Superintendent Dermot O'Conner said: "This crime was an organised planned attack on the community of Kells. This crime is not a victimless crime and will have a significant impact on the community of Kells and the local area over this Easter Bank Holiday weekend. "I appeal to the local and wider community to support An Garda Siochana and to provide any information to bring these criminals to justice." A significant amount of damage was caused to both premises and they remain closed. The scene is preserved pending technical examination from Divisional scenes of crime unit. Gardai believe those responsible left the scene in a dark coloured crew CAB jeep and a dark coloured Volkswagen car along the Maudlin Road towards Carlanstown on the N52. They are appealing for any person who saw these vehicles or knows the whereabouts of these vehicles to contact them at Kells Garda Station 046 9280820, the Gardai Confidential line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Two ATMs were stolen in Kells, Co Meath in the early hours of this morning. Photo: Ciara Wilkinson. Earlier: Four ATMs stolen in Co Meath and Co Antrim Four ATMs have been stolen in Co Meath and Co Antrim overnight. Gardai have launched an investigation following the robbery of two ATMs from Kells in Co Meath. The cash machines were stolen from Bank of Ireland and AIB branches at around 4.30am this morning. Main Street is closed this morning after a digger was used to rip the machines from the walls of the banks. Initial reports suggest a JCB, tractor and a low loader are blocking the road. The ATMs were driven away from the town in a dark coloured crew cab jeep. The jeep left in the direction of the Maudlin Road, towards Carnalstown. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he is "very concerned" at the recent robberies and has expressed that concern to the Garda Commissioner. "He briefed me this morning and assured me that An Garda Siochana are following every lead in their pursuit of those involved. They continue to work closely with their PSNI colleagues to target crime gangs in both jurisdictions." Gardai are appealing for information and anyone who can assist their investigation is asked to contact Kells Garda Station on 046 - 9280820, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. Meanwhile, two ATMs were also stolen in the village of Crumlin in Co Antrim. A double ATM was taken from a Tesco store using a digger, tractor and trailer. The robberies follow a spate of similar raids on both sides of the border in recent months. A disorderly Brexit will turn a planned budget surplus into a deficit, says Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. Mr Donohoe, speaking at the Oireachtas Budgetary Oversight Committee confirmed that his department has revised downward growth forecasts for the Irish economy for 2019 and 2020 because of external factors. The economy continues to perform strongly, but a number of headwinds lying ahead mean we cannot be complacent, he said. The cost to the Irish economy of the UKs departure from the EU and the slowdown in global growth, in particular, pose significant risks, said Mr Donohoe. These international factors have caused an impact on consumer confidence which has dented domestic demand. However, Mr Donohoe emphasised that the economy is in rude health and will continue to grow this year if theres a no-deal Brexit. He confirmed that the pace of growth seen in recent years continued in 2018, with GDP rising by 6.7%. While Irish GDP can be inflated by the activity of foreign multinationals, modified domestic demand a better measure of underlying economic activity increased by 4.5% last year. For this year, we are projecting a slight moderation in the pace of growth relative to what we projected at Budget time, said Mr Donohoe. This is partially due to a slowdown in key export markets, in particular, the UK and the euro area. The external environment has deteriorated in the past six months, and this was very evident to me in my discussions at the IMF last weekend. My department has revised its GDP growth forecast for 2019 down from 4.2% to 3.9%. For next year, GDP growth of 3.3% is forecast. Growth in modified domestic demand is expected to be broadly in line with GDP growth. Over the medium term, a growth rate of around 2.5% is projected. Mr Donohoe said it is clear that the possibility of a disorderly, no-deal exit remains. Research undertaken by my Department and the ESRI shows that the impact of a disorderly exit would be to reduce the level of GDP by around 3.25% after five years, and 5% after 10 years relative to a no-Brexit baseline, with adverse implications for the labour market and the public finances, he said. Other risks to the economy include the possibility of the domestic economy overheating and a rolling-back of globalisation. Mr Donohoe was questioned by Fianna Fails Michael McGrath and People Before Profits Richard Boyd Barrett on the economy and insisted that the Government is not complacent about the various challenges which lie ahead. Our vulnerability to such external threats is one of the reasons the rainy day fund is being established this year which will increase the States resilience to external economic shocks, he said, while accepting that the national debt is still too high. The States environmental watchdog has warned that Ireland is not addressing wastewater deficiencies at a fast enough pace. The country is facing the threat of EU fines. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) director general Laura Burke made the comments as she faced questions from TDs at the Public Accounts Committee over water quality. Sinn Fein TD David Cullinane raised the EPAs 2017 report and cited several damning notices about water quality problems countrywide. He noted that, in 28 of 179 towns and cities, wastewater treatment did not meet mandatory standards to prevent pollution and protect health; that in 38 towns and villages, wastewater flowed into the environment every day; that there were 57 cases where wastewater was the sole threat to rivers, lakes, or was the cause of coastal pollution. Ms Burke said there had been improvements in the quality of drinking water, but that wastewater treatment concerns had not changed. Weve seen, since Irish Water was established, on the drinking water side, certainly a lot of delivery there reduction in the number of boil water notices, said Ms Burke. But what weve said, and weve said very publicly, including in the report you indicated, that Ireland isnt addressing the deficiencies in wastewater treatment at a fast-enough pace. It is something we have been saying and saying for a long time, the legacy of under-investment in our water treatment. Ireland, meanwhile, had been issued with an infringement order from Europe in March this year. A European Court of Justice ruling found almost 30 sewage schemes fell foul of EU directives, raising the possibility of serious fines unless action is taken. The Government, in part, has blamed heavy rainfall for the breaches. Ms Burke said the Department of Environment was engaged with the EU over breaches, adding that Ireland may or may not still face daily fines. Asked by TDs whether fines attached to the EU ruling automatically take effect, she said they did not. Mr Cullinane pointed to a significant decrease in investment in wastewater treatment funds in the recession, dropping from 1bn to a proposed 620m between 2017 and 2021. Asked about the impact on water quality, Ms Burke said that if Irish Water is to meet its commitments, it would have to invest an average of 326m a year on urban wastewater infrastructure and about 1bn in the period 2020 to 2021, in order to meet their commitments. Meanwhile, Fine Gaels Kate OConnell asked the EPA to investigate the possible presence of illicit drugs in waterways, after research in some European cities, including London, found trace of amounts of cocaine. She said a number of recent reports had revealed high levels of illicit drugs in drinking-water supplies and that it was a potential threat to human health. Ms Burke said the EPA would inquire into whether it was required to test for the presence of drugs in waterways. Hundreds of protestors have taken part in a climate change protest at O'Connell Bridge in Dublin. The protestors are calling on the government to take action to reduce the impact of climate change on the environment. Smyth headed Maryville, a home in Des Plaines for troubled children, for more than three decades. He won numerous awards and countless plaudits for his stewardship, but he stepped down in 2003 after state officials removed children from the campus, alleging poor management. The Teachers' Union of Ireland is warning that a significant projected increase in the number of students in the country's third level institutions will greatly worsen the current crisis in the sector unless urgent action is taken. Next week, the TUI hosts its annual congress in Killarney. Speaking ahead of the congress, the TUI warned that the expected increase in student numbers will put even greater strain on academic conditions. The Department of Education & Skills has forecast that full-time student numbers at third-level could grow by 54,000 by 2029 - representing an increase of almost 30%. In recent weeks, staff and students at third-level institutions all over the country protested the current issues in the sector, including imbalanced student: teacher ratios and cuts to essential services. Since 2008, third-level bodies have faced funding cuts which have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated services in some colleges. TUI president, Seamus Lahart, said: "Increased participation at third-level should be something to be celebrated, but the abject failure of successive Governments to address the sectors funding crisis make the latest projections a ticking timebomb for a sector that has already been ravaged by cutbacks. In such a situation, those students who might struggle with aspects of their course lose out and in too many cases drop-out before completion of their course. Gallingly for lecturers, such opportunity to interact has been a major strength of the Institute sector, which benefits students from diverse social and educational backgrounds. Mr Lahart said that issues cited by members include larger class sizes, reduced contact hours and cuts to budgets for classroom and laboratory materials, maintenance, library facilities and tutorials: "The quality of service is only being sustained by conscientious lecturers and other staff going above and beyond the call of duty. "Of course, the development of new courses, the updating of existing courses and the strengthening of research capacity are also severely hindered by cutbacks." The TUI has expressed concern about the introduction of technological universities amid current budget constraints. The creation of four technological universities is allowed for under the Technological Universities Act. Mr Lahart described the current funding allocation as 'a shoestring' and said that failing to inject more substantial sums will prevent technological universities 'fulfilling their mission as laid out in legislation.' The TUI congress takes place in Killarney from April 23 to 25. The union represents 4,000 members in Institutes of Technology and Technological Universities. Next week, the other teaching unions will also meet, with the financing of the sector high on the agenda. ASTI will meet in Wexford from April 23 to 25. The union has already called for a national training programme for all teachers to support the full inclusion of students with special educational needs in schools. INTO will meet in Galway from April 22 to 24. Two men have been arrested after Gardai discovered a "substantial" grow house in Co Waterford. As part of an intelligence-led operation, Gardai from Tramore Drugs Unit, assisted by the Armed Support Unit in Waterford, searched an industrial premises in the Waterford Airport Business Park yesterday at 6pm. Three Cork brothers were killed during the Second World War fighting for the Royal Canadian Air Force, according to never-before-seen records unearthed by a noted author and historian. Damian Shiels, who was researching Irishmen and women who served in US and Canadian forces during the Second World War, stumbled upon the tragic tale of the Sheehan brothers from Fermoy, Co Cork. He had been researching Irishmen who died while fighting for the Canadians when he came across a letter in archives written in 1946 by Thomas Sheehan, who had been serving with a Canadian regiment in post-war Germany. Thomas had been trying to locate the grave of one of his brothers and Damian started to realise that three of his siblings had died in the war. Exploring further, a heartbreaking story began to reveal itself a story of one Cork familys unimaginable loss, said Mr Sheils. Their experience must surely represent one of the worst, if not the worst, loss of life suffered in a single southern Irish family due to Allied combat operations. As far as I am aware, no one in Ireland has previously identified them. Harry was the first to die. He was a wireless operator and gunner on a Lancaster bomber stationed in RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire. A Luftwaffe nightfighter shot the aircraft down following a raid on Duisburg, Germany on May 13, 1943. Harry was just 24 and is buried at Gendringen Roman Catholic Cemetery in Holland. Frank was an air gunner on a Lancaster but out of RAF Binbrook, which is also in Lincolnshire. He and his crew were bombing targets in Munich when they were shot down on October 2, 1943. Frank, 26, was listed missing, presumed dead. It wasnt until 1948 that it was discovered that he was buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. Bomb-aimer Edward Fanahan Sheehan was assigned to a squadron of Halifax bombers at RAF Snaith, in Yorkshire. His bomber was piloted by another Irishman, Patrick Keenan of Frenchpark, in Co Roscommon. The plane was targeting German-used railway yards at Montzen, Belgium, when it was shot down on April 28, 1944. Shortly after he died, Edwards wife Mary gave birth to their son, Michael. Edward, 29, is buried at Heverlee War Cemetery, Belgium. Mr Shiels said: The horrors that the Sheehan family experienced between May 1943 and April 1944 are unimaginable. More than 2,000 people took to the streets of Youghal, Co Cork, last night to pay tribute to the towns newest and greatest double act since Moby Dick and Ahab. Double Grand National winners Davy Russell and Tiger Roll were in town for celebratory mania unseen since John Huston, Gregory Peck, and co strode the harbour sidewalk in 1954. Upwards of 500 people lined Barrys Lane in the shadow of the Clock Gate in advance of the duos arrival. Some travelled from within a furlong of the town while others were at the nether end of a long chase. No doubt for some seasoned punters among them, it would have been the nearest they got to a winner all week. Pauline Daly and her adult daughter Louise had driven from Kilworth. They had had their finances enhanced by Tigers latest Aintree success and just love the horse. Brendan and Anne OConnell, with their children Oisin and Katie and pal Sean OLeary made the short trip from Clashmore, west Waterford, and witnessed Tigers triumphs at first hand. Much as they admired the horse, they would always be fans of Davy no matter what he is on. The equine equivalent of a stretch limo was a large van with inbuilt horse accommodation from which royalty now gingerly stepped, draped proudly in his Aintree Grand National green blanket. Ears flickering in acknowledgment, impervious to the raised phone cameras, he was soon stood beneath the 18th century Clock Gate tower for a formal photoshoot as a lengthy queue of four-wheeled transport grew unceasingly in his wake. Jaysus, hes way smaller than I expected. Look at his behind, gasped one admirer. The reception transferred 800m to Green Park, where the Youghal pipe band had serenaded another waiting throng. Bernie Mullaney from Youghal, a big race fan, was there to see Davy more than the horse and described the encounter as just brilliant. Sarah McMahon, Tina Crowley, and Paul Walshe came specifically from Cork City especially because, Sarah explained, the horse is amazing, Davy is brilliant, and its great for Youghal! I know Ill have goose bumps. Tiger Roll seemed to appreciate having grass underfoot as he circled an impromptu paddock between photoshoots with a litany of human adherents. Davy Russell, accompanied by his wife Edelle, children Lilly, Finn, Liam, and Jaimee, dad Jerry, and extended family, was delighted but not surprised by the turnout. Youghal people are like that, he smiled. They are a very supportive community and I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to bring the horse here tonight for everyone to see him. Tiger Roll breeder Jerry OBrien was also proudly in attendance. Departing the scene, Limerick man Conal Kelly pointed to the buggy being pushed by his partner, Jessica Reynolds, in which their eight-month-old daughter Ruby was snugly ensconced. Tiger Roll paid for that buggy, said Conal. Got him at 14s the first year he won the National! A whale of a time all round. [rating]3[/rating] Is it ever OK to rape someone? asks Jay Conway, the scenery-chewing Irish-American Oscar-winner about to take the lead in a West End production of the new play by hot young Irish playwright Ruth Davenport. (Okay, she identifies as British, but more of that later.) Hes been riffing in a self-regardingly provocative way with the plays director, Leigh, a timid northerner whos graduated to the metropolitan elite. Weve already had the N-word, Ice Cube and James Baldwin (mistaken, of course, for one of the acting clan). And now this. What if there was a gun to your head, Jay probes. For him, it would have to be Lady Diana. Some good might come of it, he muses. Leigh finally gives in, and goes for Thatcher. Its at about this point the first of several walkouts began at the Abbeys opening night of the Traverse production of David Irelands play. Not long after, Leigh, in the way this play often seeks to preempt its own critique, is talking about dramatic constructions of extreme violence not implying approval of same. Does Ireland qualify for the same licence to offend? Is it okay to be this crass? The answer, you feel, has to be yes, for any artist. Or, perhaps, yes, but youd better have a good reason. Here, the off-colour rape stuff is an ill-judged McGuffin. It bookends, violently, the meat of the play: a frantic farce that arises from our trios mutual cultural incomprehension. We have the Irish writer whos actually British; the English director indifferent to such nuances; and the American whos Irish but has never actually been there Ireland gleefully sets them clashing. Its often hilarious, landing punches on a checklist of timely targets: sexual and gender politics, identity, the North, Brexit, and the Irish cultural industry. Leigh and Conway are essentially caricatures, but they are delineated nicely by Robert Jack and Darrell DSilva, respectively. Lucianne McEvoy, as the ambitious Davenport, manages to be feisty but not shrill. A final escalation of violence and the way McEvoys character is embroiled in it is, however, problematic, unconvincing, and clumsy. A play thats been trying to have its cake and eat it finally cant. Final performance Saturday night Some other fodder: The Tribunes Juan Perez Jr. has a terrific piece out this morning about why, after all these years, the scales seem to be tipping in favor of creating an elected Chicago school board. This would yank the power from the mayor, who under the current system appoints the governing body that oversees the roughly $6 billion-per-year public schools operation, and give it to voters. Not surprisingly, there are tensions over the possible change, raising questions about both why havent we done this already? and is it really the panacea for accountability advocates think it is? Arlene Harris speaks to four women in their 50s who, with their children raised, have made big life changes in order to find excitement and inner fulfilment. There was a time in the not-too-distant past when women were considered past their prime when they were barely over 25. Thankfully, these days things are a lot different and people of all ages are enjoying life to the full until they are well past retirement; taking up hobbies, learning new skills and generally adding more strings to their bows for as long as possible. With 50 now being the new 40, we speak to four women about how they are continuing to live life to the full: WALKING THE TALK Maureen Lynch lives with her partner Michael and three children in Dun Laoghaire. Working as a silver (and gold) smith, the 53-year-old runs her own business and describes how she celebrated being 50 by embarking on an adventure. I was at a party when friends mentioned they were doing the Camino in Spain. Being on the fifth floor of life I decided I wanted to go too and have an adventure. At first, it was a fun thing but then became much more sparking inspiration and personal growth I am stronger both mentally and physically than Ive ever been. Family and friends were hugely supportive as to get away for a week (five separate trips over two years) takes a lot of organising. My children thought it was hilarious that my idea of fun was sleeping in a hostel, carrying stuff on my back, wearing the same clothes and coming home with blisters. No-one objected in a negative way but they wondered why I wouldnt lie on a beach and rest instead "But they saw me come home totally refreshed and ready for work as I just love moving forward never staying in the same hostel twice and never booking anything. Now that I dont have to deal with bottles or nappies, it was perfect timing and also taught my kids to be more independent. I started going through menopause suddenly with hot flushes and night sweats and these continued through my travels. A swim in the sea is the best way to cool down family history means I cant take HRT so Im taking the natural route. My advice to any other woman hitting 50 is to step out of the comfort zone and embrace getting older. EMBRACING CHANGE Natasha Labe lives in Dublin with her two daughters. The 51-year-old embraced her 50s by undergoing a career change and says getting older and going through menopause is not something to fear. By acknowledging my reduced physical energy, I reconnected with my intuition to retrain as a certified Feng Shui consultant after being an interior designer for 25 years. Marrying this ancient technique with my designing skills, I now work with clients to make their home or business environment more supportive. Age spurred me on to make this career change and friends were enormously supportive by sharing knowledge and helping me look at my options It also helps that my daughters dont have the same time requirements [as when they were younger], so I dont regret not changing jobs sooner as I wasnt ready when I was motoring on as a single parent and battling to make ends meet. Although the menopause, and getting older, brings up some uncertainties and fears around health, ageing, energy and economic future, many of us deny we have to change. But I believe its an opportunity to decide what you want from life make choices and create opportunities to facilitate change. WORLD WIDE WEB Aisling Grimley lives in Dublin with her four daughters and husband Francis. The 54-year-old created www.mysecondspring.ie when going through the menopause as she found little or no support available online. The comprehensive website, which offers information and support, now has more than two million visitors each year. Having started my career in finance and then setting up my own catering company, in 2000 I took a career break and became a full-time mother for 13 years but did not expect to find another calling in the menopause While researching what was behind my own hormonally-challenged moments, I saw a massive information gap around menopause. I did a dipstick survey of my friends and they were as clueless as me so I set up My Second Spring. Francis supported me every step of the way. At first, it was an adjustment for my daughters who were used to my 100% attention but one of my motivations was to show them how I could change course, take on a new challenge and succeed now theyre very proud of what Ive done. Theres a right time for everything and I feel very lucky to have spent a lot of time with my family when they were young. I believe your body produces messages and the irritation I felt while cooking dinner showed that I was becoming frustrated and somewhat confined by family life I was ready to take on more challenges outside the home. So I would encourage women to follow their passion and instincts at midlife these are well developed and honed by this age so we should trust and honour them. If you have an urge to start something new, go for it and keep going. BIRTH OF A NEW CAREER Bairbre Brooke lives in Spiddal, Co Galway with her husband Stuart and one of her four daughters. The 53-year-old spent most of her married life running a restaurant but was always interested in midwifery. With her family grown, she finally pursued her dream of becoming a doula. When I took the plunge and attended a doula training class, I was hooked. I then recognised parents would be in a much better position to have a positive birth if they had more information so I decided to add Gentlebirth antenatal education to my skill set. My job as a doula is a privilege and an honour. I am with women at the most important and powerful times in their lives, but often their most vulnerable. I can be on call for months at a time and really couldnt do this without the support of my husband, who encourages me through everything. He packs my lunches and turns up at the hospital with food and comfort for the long labours My girls are totally behind me too and love to hear all the wonderful stories of babies and mothers. In the last couple of years I feel my body preparing for menopause there are a few inches I would like to shift and my thermostat is definitely malfunctioning but overall I am embracing the notion that this will pass and will bring with it a sense of freedom. I feel blessed with my job which came about at exactly the right time I wouldnt change a thing. Lunch/Dinner: takeaway sushi at Dashi for lunch; tapas at Feed Your Senses Coffee:an Americano at Orso Bar/Cocktail: wine at Arthur Maynes or a cocktail at Cask Shopping: Brown Thomas is fantastic and the staff are lovely Culture: catching an exhibition, like Harry Clarke, at The Crawford Art Gallery Hidden Treasure: Hotel Inchydoney and the natural beauty of Clonakilty and Courtmacsherry Debbie ODonnell, Executive editor, Virgin Media Television @debbie_odonnell Breakfast/Brunch: the Ballycotton Omelette at Cafe Velo or Idaho Cafe Lunch/Dinner: the hake at Dockland Coffee: Americano at Cork Coffee Roasters Bar/Cocktail: love the buzz at Electric or cocktails at Cask Shopping: hidden gems in Opera Lane or Brown Thomas Culture: The Triskel Arts Centre Hidden Treasure: The Hi-B Bar Our fashion editor, Annmarie O'Connor @aocdotmen Breakfast/Brunch: grabbing a Sir Henry at 12 Tables, Douglas Lunch/Dinner: mushroom ragu on sourdough toast at Dockland; fillet steak at The River Lee hotels Grill Room Coffee: Americano at Three Fools, Grand Parade or The Bookshelf at The Elysian Bar/Cocktail: a tipple and tapas at Pigalle or Cask Shopping: vintage finds at Miss Daisy Blue; Samuis avant-garde goodies; closet staples from Bluefig, Ballincollig Culture: sampling the food stalls at Douglas Market Hidden Treasure: a walk in Ballybrack Woods or the superlative view from Elizabeth Fort Gillian Hennessy - PR & marketing manager at Triskel Arts Centre and 2019 president of Network Ireland Cork branch @theonlygillianhennessy Breakfast/Brunch: the lovely staff and cosy ambience of 12 Tables, Douglas Lunch/Dinner: The Cornstore and Good Day Deli Coffee: a hot chocolate at Fellinis Bar/Cocktail: Arthur Maynes is good fun, especially the cocktail bar upstairs Shopping: Silk Peaches in Ballincollig; Grace has a great eye! Culture: catching a play at The Everyman Theatre Hidden Treasure: walking the beach at Garretstown Lola Desmond, make-up artist @lizzydesmond Breakfast/Brunch: Eggs Florentine at Liberty Grill Lunch/Dinner: Orso for lunch; Bunnyconnellans, Crosshaven for dinner Coffee: a skinny white at Soma Coffee Company Bar/Cocktail: an Espresso Martini at Cask Shopping: unique statement accessories at Bauhaus Culture: catching a concert at St Lukes Hidden Treasure: the luxury treehouse accommodation at Cottages for Couples Lindsay Woods, Irish Examiner columnist @thegirlinthepaper Breakfast/Brunch: people-watching and Eggs Benedict at Perry St. Market Cafe Lunch/Dinner: Farmgate in The English Market for lunch; Ichigo Ichie for a special occasion dinner. Bar/Cocktail: Tom Barrys and the Oyster Taverns bottomless brunch with the girls in tow Shopping: Pinocchios Toys for our children; Salingers and Salingers Little Coffee: a hot chocolate at Cork Coffee Roasters Culture: The Glucksman and The Crawford Art Gallery for new exhibitions and old favourites Hidden Treasure: Good Day Deli at Nano Nagle Place Turning on the style in the bedroom, bathroom and beyond, Esther N McCarthy suggests ways of making everything mellow yellow in your home this spring. This is Maurice Desmonds Autumn Evening III oil on canvas. His New Work opening reception will be held next Thursday, April 25 at 5.30pm-7.30pm in the Lavit Gallery and run until May 11. Born in Co Louth in 1944, Desmond is a long-time Cork resident. Having exhibited regularly in the Oireachtas and Irish Exhibition of Living Art, he has been a regular exhibitor in the Cork arts scene with notable shows in the Triskel Arts Centre and the Vanguard Gallery. Check it out at the Lavit Gallery, Wandesford Quay, Cork. If youre looking for something sleek and slick in the tap department, sneak a peak at this Vado Omika mono basin mixer, 309.15. Available from earthridge.ie. Neptunes Provence round dining table is ideal for small nooks and cosy corners, its dainty and durable and yours for 311, seen here with Provence dining chairs priced at 160. See neptune.com for Irish stockists. A new collection of novelties for the kiddos in the family is set to hit Sstrene Grene stores on Thursday, May 2. This collection will include a new highchair for children 3+, tents, floor cushions and other fairy-tale inspired interiors items. And as something entirely new a bath and care series for babies. The collection will be available in stores in the Republic of Ireland including Patrick St, Cork, South Great Georges S Dublin 2, Dun Laoghaire, Blanchardstown, Limerick and Athlone. Ecologically planet friendly, Bamboo is stronger than steel and its tensile strength makes it one of the most versatile natural materials on this earth. Meadows & Byrne are all about bamboo this spring. Multifunctional, stylish, and versatile, the collection is available online and in store now, meadowsandbyrne.com. Pictured here is the Alfie garment bamboo wrack for 139, its lightweight and includes a nifty fabric storage box for your folded bits and pieces or your shoes. How divine is this vibrant velvet Joules Windsor king-size bedframe? Available exclusively at DFS for 1,429. I love the Chesterfield button-backed upholstery, the raised wooden feet and of course the sunshine yellow. dfs.ie If youre entertaining at home or just like your wine in a rather nice glass, check out the Maxwell Williams vino collection set of six, theres stemless wine glasses for 17.50, white and red wine glasses for 25, all from Harvey Norman. harveynorman.ie With the publication this week of the fifth interim report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, the disturbing spectre of the dead who were confined in those institutions of shame and segregation continues to haunt us. Although the women and infants who died in those institutions were among Irelands disappeared, they have reappeared at the centre of contemporary Irish public life. Although dead, they are giving rise to troubling questions that wont go away about how to understand, prevent and commemorate the everyday forms of violence that resulted in them having lives and deaths that did not matter. They are questioning some of the stories we tell about ourselves, including that in Ireland family bonds are highly valued, and that we do funerals very well. The alternative stories they tell are about a collective willingness to sacrifice certain women and their offspring to maintain the myths surrounding the patriarchal family, and the power and economic relations it upholds. It is important to remember that severe punishment for the transgression of the family referred to as (the thankfully now legally abolished status of) illegitimacy, predates the reign of the Catholic Church in Ireland. Histories of the Foundling Hospitals established in Ireland in the late 1700s record extremely high mortality rates and cruelty that extended to the branding of children. We have a long history of deaths that are not grievable. In the early 1950s, 1% of the population of Ireland endured a social death through confinement in asylums, industrial schools, laundries and other such institutions. But beginning in 1993 with public disquiet about the exhumation of the remains of women (and possibly their children) who had been incarcerated in one of Dublins Magdalene Laundries, these once socially, but now biologically dead, have returned, demanding public attention. Catherine Corless Catherine Corless unsettling historical research into the dead from the Home at Tuam has resulted in Tuam becoming a byword for the uncared-for dead in the sites of many other former Mother and Baby Homes that are only now beginning to be investigated. Examination of the burial arrangements for those who died in these institutions has proven to be considerably more difficult and demanding than originally anticipated. The repeated extensions of the timeframe for the final report of the Commission of Investigation is evidence of the refusal of the confined dead to move from being centre stage in Irish public life. The dead from the so-called Mother and Baby homes are also raising troubling questions about the use of the bodies of the socially and biologically dead by universities, and particularly medical schools. As noted in the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation interim report, between 1920 and 1977, the bodies of more than 950 children (many of whom were identified as illegitimate) who died in these homes and other such institutions were sent to three Dublin medical schools as anatomical subjects. The Commission did not find any evidence that children were used for anatomical studies in University College Cork, but there is extensive archival evidence that tells us that the dead bodies of people confined in asylums, workhouses and other institutions feature prominently in the history of its medical school. A contemporary ethical quandary facing many medical schools in Ireland, and internationally, is what should be done with the many medical specimens once displayed in their now outmoded anatomy museums. Some Irish universities still have substantial remnants of these museums, almost all of whom were obtained without consent. Amongst these collections are also colonial trophies, such as an Inka head that features in the University College Cork archives and that was included in the animal or natural history museum. The 2005 Madden Report on Post Mortem Practice and Procedures, published in the aftermath of the 1990s organ retentions scandal and the recommendations of which are only now being brought into law, recommended that specimens retained in medical museums for teaching purposes should be maintained as a valuable educational resource. This approach to the dead - transferred from Mother and Baby Homes to universities and transformed into anatomical subjects is surely to be questioned. A UCC-based study called Living Well with the Dead in Contemporary Ireland is attempting to respond to the fundamental questions being raised by Irelands confined dead. Our use of the phrase living well with the dead alludes to the French philosopher Jacques Derridas ethical challenge to learn to live with ghosts, based on an understanding of justice that extends beyond responsibility to the living present, to those who are not yet born or who are already dead. On May 10 next, it will host a Thinkery on Living Well with the Confined Dead, a forum for the exploration of new ways of thinking and asking new questions, rather than refining existing answers, about living well with the dead. The event will feature contributions from members of Justice for Magdalenes and the Tuam Mother and Baby Home Oral History Project. Orla ODonovan is a lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies in University College Cork. Burma Bangladesh Govt to Hold Jobs Fair for Coxs Bazar Youth Following Protests Rohingya refugee children pose for a picture at the Balukhali camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on Nov. 15, 2018. / Reuters DHAKABangladesh will hold the first-ever employment skills fair in Coxs Bazar district on May 4 following recent protests by host community youths demanding better access to jobs with the many non-government organizations providing relief to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Ukhia and Tekhnaf sub-districts. District administration officials believe the job fair, at which the NGOs will offer job-seeking youth technical assistance, will create awareness among the job seekers and help them to compete in local job markets, which have reportedly begun to shrink in response to a funding crunch. Coxs Bazar district deputy commissioner Kamal Hossain said that the day-long employment skills fair would be held in Ukhia sub-district, with local and international NGOs and UN agencies setting up stalls. According to the district administration, the Coxs Bazar-based Inter-Sector Coordination Group (ISCG), which led the coordination of the humanitarian response to the influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar on behalf of the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR, will provide technical assistance. The ICSGs national coordination officer, Saikat Biswas, said the employment skills fair would create opportunities for local job seekers, helping them to develop their CVs and post them online. Jobseekers who register at the fair will receive automatic alerts when employment opportunities appropriate to their skill sets arise. According to the office of the Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commission in Coxs Bazar, over 17,000 people are working for more than 120 local and international NGOs and UN agencies in jobs related to the Rohingya crisis. While there is no available data on how many employment opportunities currently exist in Coxs Bazar, various groups have in recent months mobilized local youths to protest alleged job discrimination and termination by the NGOs. At the end of January, Adhikar Bastabayan Committee Ukhiya, which bills itself as a rights-implementation committee, organized hundreds of local job seekers in Coxs Bazars Ukhiya demanding employment by local and international charities working in the districts Rohingya camps. Their 14-point list of demands, issued to the local administration, included taking steps to halt planned job cuts within the host community by the NGOs. Committee leader Imrul Kayes Chowdhury, also a local correspondent for Jamuna television, said the decision to hold the jobs fair was the result of their activities over the past few months. Imrul Kayes alleged that over 2,500 people were fired from different local and international NGOs in the name of job cuts, when in fact they were let go to make room for more internal hiring. We want accountability and transparency in employment, he said. He accused the NGOs of nepotism and said hardly any locals were getting senior-level job opportunities. Employers are providing jobs to their relatives, compromising equality in the employment process, which made us angry. Finally, we took to the streets, Imrul told The Irrawaddy. He also said locals were going without jobs while outsiders were being employed. The campaigners said 70 per cent of total employment in Rohingya response activities should be from the host community, and called for a reduction of the salary disparity between local and international employees. Following the protests, the Coxs Bazar-based Rohingya response NGO Platform on Feb. 3 issued a statement saying it had conducted a survey of 102 local and international NGOs that employed 17,275 people in various posts. Sixty-six percent of the employees were from Coxs Bazar while 34 percent were from elsewhere, but only 2.4 per cent were foreigners. A number of senior and mid-ranking NGO workers said that a few people were using the jobs campaign for their own ends, and in many cases were pushing for the reinstatement of locals who had been fired for failing to perform their duties or after being disqualified. Many NGO officials were unwilling to comment formally because they wanted to avoid further escalation of the tension, but said the so-called movement really aimed to drive a wedge between the host community and Rohingya refugees. They accused the campaigners of spreading hate-speech on social media. Imrul said the campaign sought only to create awareness among the host community. His critics however, told The Irrawaddy he wanted to exploit the movement for his own political purposes. The Coxs Bazar deputy commissioner said he hoped that the jobs fair would ease concerns among the local job seekers, as it would include a technical workshop and would also try to recruit people on the spot, if suitably qualified candidates were found. The inspector general said investigators also uncovered three other emails two that were political in nature and one sexual that were sent to Johnson by two other workers compensation employees in 2014 and 2016. The inspector general said that due to the small number and the age of the emails, it referred the matter to state agency supervisors for further action. Burma Rights Group Urges Myanmar to Drop Charges Against Satirical Performers, Filmmaker Members of the Peacock Generation perform in Yangon on Tuesday. / Htet Wai / The Irrawaddy YANGON Human Rights Watch urged Myanmar on Thursday to drop charges against four satirical performers and a filmmaker arrested after criticizing the military, as an army spokesman defended rules and limits on freedom of expression. Police arrested four members of the Peacock Generation thangyat troupe on Monday after they broadcasted a live show on Facebook during traditional New Year celebrations. Thangyat is a centuries-old tradition of performance that often lampoons ruling powers and social foibles. Myanmars authorities are demonstrating once again their intolerance of criticism, even in satirical form, Linda Lakhdhir, Asia legal adviser at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. During their performance, the troupe criticized the militarys role in politics, chanting its time to say goodbye. The military ruled Myanmar for nearly 50 years tolerating little dissent until democratic reforms began in 2011. The Constitution still reserves 25 percent of seats in Parliament, and control of several important ministries, for the military. The troupe members were charged under Section 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Act, which outlaws defaming, disturbing, causing undue influence or threatening any person using a telecommunications network, and later released on bail. A military spokesman told Reuters authorities planned to bring further charges under Section 505 of the Penal Code, covering public statements, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and does not permit bail. The arrests follow criticism of authorities over restrictions imposed on thangyat during this years New Year festivities. Performers in Yangon, the commercial capital, were required to submit their lyrics to a censorship board, with a spokesman for the ruling National League for Democracy telling Reuters the restrictions were temporary as the country moved towards democracy. Two governments Members of the Peacock Generation did not submit their lyrics to the board before performing under streetlights on a dusty Yangon road on Monday night. In my opinion, the military has taken action against usbecause the government didnt take action, said Paing Ye Thu, one of the members of the troupe and a youth leader for the NLD, adding that there were two governments, referring to the army and civilian authorities. They are not protecting the interest of the people, they are protecting their own interest, he said, referring to the military. Whoever pokes them, they will sue and threaten. Defending the charges, Army spokesman Zaw Min Tun told Reuters freedom of expression was enshrined in the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, but there were rules and limits. Everyone has the right to express themselves but not to insult or disgrace individuals or organizations, he said. In a separate case, a prominent filmmaker named Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi was arrested last week after posting criticism of the Constitution on Facebook. He has liver cancer and recently had surgery, his lawyer, Robert San Aung, told Reuters by telephone. For his case, the highest punishment is two years in prison, he said. His family are crying seeing his bad health, with that severe punishment. President Win Myint pardoned more than 9,000 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the first day of the New Year on Wednesday, but most were convicted of drug offenses and only two were political prisoners, according to a group that helps political prisoners. Burma Shelling Injures Two Civilians in N. Rakhine, Villagers Say Maung Tun Aye is treated for shrapnel wounds at a hospital in Mrauk-U Township, Rakhine State, on Thursday. / Mrauk-U Karuna Wave / Facebook YANGON Two civilians in northern Rakhine States Mrauk-U Township were wounded by shrapnel from artillery fire after the Myanmar Army began shooting and shelling in the area on Wednesday night and into Thursday, according to locals. Mrauk-U resident Ko Than Tun said about 460 people fled Baungdwat Village, about 3 km south of the townships urban center, on Thursday and have taken shelter at the Myothit monastery in central Mrauk-U. Daw Khine Sein Hla, one of the villagers who fled, said two light infantry battalions stationed near Baungdwat on Dataw hill, No. 377 and No. 388, began shooting heavily at about 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday. She said a shell hit a home and injured a man, U Maung Tun Aye, in the face and his daughter, Ma Htay Htay Aung, 14, in the arm. The shooting and shelling prevented emergency rescue teams from taking them to the general hospital in the center of Mrauk-U right away, she added. Daw Khine Sein Hla said other homes were also hit by bullets and shells but no one died. Having gone through a similar experience on Saturday, she said, they were quick to head for makeshift bomb shelters. On the previous occasion one man, U Maung Kyaw Sein, 60, was killed and another man, U Kyaw Thein, was injured. Residents of Baungdwat said U Kyaw Thein was first taken to the general hospital in Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, but later transferred to Yangon. One resident, U Kyaw Hla Sein, said the army has build more than a dozen positions on Dataw hill and claimed that soldiers have periodically been firing randomly and unprovoked into the air since early this month. The Light Infantry Battalion 377 compound is situated a stones throw from my village. Although we did not catch them red-handed, we can sense it, said U Kyaw Hla Sein, referring to the shooting and shelling. In a statement about the shooting near Baungdwat, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief claimed that the rebel Arakan Army (AA) had ambushed a military base in the area from a government-run school on Wednesday night. It made no mention of any injuries to villagers or damage to homes. The statement said military officials met with the villagers who stayed behind in Baungdwat, urging them to not support the AA, to inform security forces if the group tried to make contact with them, and to cooperate with authorities to promote peace and stability. Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Zaw Min Tun could not be reached on Friday afternoon for further comment. Separately, residents of three villages in Buthidaung Township also fled their homes when the army started shelling in the area on Friday. The Rakhine Ethnic Congress, a non-government groups, says more than 10,000 people displaced by the fighting between the military and AA are now taking shelter in Mrauk-U alone. The group estimates that more than 32,000 displaced people are taking shelters across northern Rakhine. Burma Thangyat Troupe Member Arrested over Performance Satirizing Military Ma Kay Khine Tun, a member of the Peacock Generation Thangyat group, was arrested on Friday morning at the Central Childrens Hospital, where she works as a nurse. / Peacock Generation MANDALAYA member of the Peacock Generation Thangyat ensemble was arrested on Friday for participating in a performance that criticized the Myanmar military, the group said. Mayangone Township police arrested Ma Kay Khine Tun at the Central Childrens Hospital, where she works as a nurse, in the morning. The police said she was being charged under Section 505(a) [of the Penal Code] in connection with her performance with Peacock Generation, said Ko Zeyar Lwin, one of the groups leaders. Section 505(a) makes it a crime to engage in activity seen to undermine the military. Four other group membersKo Zeyar Lwin, Ko Paing Phyo Min, Ko Paing Ye Thu and Ma Su Yadana Myintwere sued by Lieutenant-Colonel Than Tun Myint under Article 66(d) of the Telecommunications Acts in Mayangone Township on Monday for their participation in the same event. They were briefly detained at Mayangone Township Police Station on Monday and released on bail. At an event during the Thingyan New Year festival in Yangon, the group performed a number of Thangyat songs that criticized the military. Thangyat is a traditional Burmese performing art in which a group of performers sing satirical songs criticizing the situation in the country, and the government, and highlighting the difficulties and suffering of the people. It is mainly performed during Thingyan. Some members of the Peacock Generation group wore military uniforms during their satirical performance, which featured Thangyat songs critical of the military and government, and of the countrys political and economic situation. We were told we were sued because we used the military uniform and we criticized the military, Ko Zeyar Lwin said. Freedom of speech and expression in our country is declining dramatically and the military has become more sensitive to criticism. The government cant do anything regarding this matter because the 2008 Constitution bars it from doing so, he said. The Peacock Generation group comprises current and former members of the Student Union and has been performing for nine years. The group said that while they have had performances banned and disrupted in the past, this was the first time any of its members had been arrested. Last year, we were forced to stop our performances and some pavilions did not allow us to perform. But this year weve faced many kinds of disturbance. Weve been forced to stop performances, arrested and sued, so this year is the worst year for us, as we have not been able to perform freely, Ko Zeyar Lwin said. According to officers at Mayangone Police Station, the police were preparing to release Ma Kay Khine Tun on bail. Her first trial hearing has been scheduled for April 22. We are finished questioning her and she will be bailed out soon, said the duty officer, who refused to provide further information. The Peacock Generation members said they were astonished that their friend was to be allowed bail under Section 505, when other activists detained under the law, such as filmmaker U Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, had been denied it. If our friend can be bailed under Section 505, we wonder why the courts are not considering allowing bail for U Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, who is sick and needs medical attention, Ko Zeyar Lwin said. A military spokesperson could not be reached for comment on the Peacock Generation case. Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Thursday urged authorities to drop the charges against the members of the Peacock Generation Thangyat group. HRW also urged that the charges be dropped against U Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, who was arrested and sued under Section 505(a) of the penal code for posting comments criticizing the 2008 Constitution on his Facebook page. The court denied bail for U Min Htin Ko Ko Gyi, who is suffering from liver cancer. Meanwhile, in a separate case, ex-Army Captain Ko Nay Myo Zin was arrested Friday and presented to Tike Gyi Township Court to face a lawsuit under Section 505. He is being sued for giving a speech against the military at an event in Aphyuk Township calling for the amendment of the 2008 Constitution. He was denied bail and sent to Insein Prison immediately following the court session. Burma Wa Rebel Group Resists Govt Push to Sign its Ceasefire Deal UWSA Vice Chair Zhao Go An speaks at a press conference in Panghsang, Shan State, on Thursday. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy PANGHSANG, Wa Self-Administered Zone The vice chairman of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) criticized the government of the National League for Democracy for pushing the ethnic armed group to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). At a press conference in Panghsang on Wednesday, Zhao Guo An blamed the current administration for not implementing the deal the UWSA, Myanmars largest rebel group, struck with the administration that preceded it under U Thein Sein. Contradiction is not our problem. It is the problem of the government. There is a contradiction between U Thein Seins government and [State Counselor] Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government. The Wa group has nothing to do with the NCA regarding the implementation of the peace process, he said. He claimed that the UWSA agreed with U Thein Seins government to enter into ceasefire deals at the state and union levels but not to sign the NCA, which Daw Aung San Suu Kyis government is urging it to do. The UWSA struck a truce with the military regime running Myanmar in 1989 and signed two ceasefire agreements with U Thein Seins government in 2011, one in Panghsang and later another in Lashio. We have signed agreements at two levels. Why doesnt the government continue with them? We are being asked to sign the NCA, which we have nothing to do with. We reached many agreements with the previous government. We signed state and union level agreements, Zhao Guo An said. The vice chairman said he was doubtful the truces the UWSA has signed with the government will remain in effect after the next general election in 2020. The NCA was discussed [by the government] with other ethnic armed groups, but the Wa group did not participate, he said. The UWSA held its own peace talks with the government in the past. But in 2017 it allied with the Kachin Independence Army, National Democratic Alliance Army, Shan State Progress Party, Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, Taang National Liberation Army and Arakan Army to establish the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC). Since then it has demanded to hold talks with the government as a bloc. The FPNCC refuses to sign the governments NCA and has drafted an alternative. I dont know what he meant, but I have not heard such remarks from signatories or non-signatories to the NCA, U Hla Maung Shwe, an adviser to the governments Peace Commission and secretary for the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee, told The Irrawaddy. UWSA Commander-in-Chief Bao Youxiang demanded autonomy for his region at a celebration marking the groups 30th anniversary on Wednesday, vowing that ethnic Wa will fight for their lives to make it happen. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing were invited to the event but did not attend. Analysts speculated that they did not attend because the invitation letter referred to the Wa State peoples government. The Union government considers the Wa Self-Administered Zone a part of Shan State. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did send the Wa a message to mark the event in which she urged the group to sign the NCA, adding that the agreement was a step toward the creation of a democratic federal union that would grant ethnic minorities equal rights and self-determination. We have offered to hold talks with Wa Special Region 2, said government spokesperson U Zaw Htay. Article 56 (f) of the Constitution grants the Wa a self-administered zone covering six townships split between two districts. Although such zones are supposed to be under the control of the central government, the Wa effectively exercise total control over the area with their own government and administration. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. Specials Myitsone Dam Roundup Myanmar people living in Malaysia display placards protesting against the Myitsone Dam project outside the Myanmar Embassy in Kuala Lumpur on Sept. 22, 2011. / Reuters The controversy over whether to resume work on the Beijing-backed Myitsone Dam has intensified since Chinas ambassador to Myanmar attempted to pressure Kachin political and religious leaders to support the project late last year. But the people of Myanmar are still in the dark on their governments plans for the damconstruction of which was suspended in 2011 by the previous government following a nationwide public outcryas their leader, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has been silent on the issue. The public is concerned that the US$3.6-billion (5.4 trillion kyats) project will destroy the countrys lifeline Irrawaddy River and disrupt its water flow downstream, and are worried about the projects potential to flood an area the size of Singapore, destroy livelihoods and displace more than 10,000 people. Currently, anti-dam sentiment is running high in the country, with prominent environmentalists, academics, writers and artists rolling up their sleeves to save the Irrawaddy by saying no to the dam. At the same time, people are interested to see what the State Counselor will say on the issue when she meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing next week. The Irrawaddy has been covering the Myitsone Dam issue since the late 2000s. Here we present some of our recent stories dating back to January of this year, when the dam issue was put back on the table by the Chinese side. Cardinal Charles Bo Asks Myanmar, Chinese Leaders to Scrap Myitsone Dam Statement issued Monday is the cardinals second on the topic this year. MyitsoneDecision Time for the Peoples Leader For State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, saving the Irrawaddy River means saving herself. Myitsone Dam Is Now a Sovereignty Issue As the State Counselor prepares to attend the BRI summit in Beijing, the likely political cost of yielding to China is becoming impossible to ignore. Prominent Activists, Writers Form Group to Oppose Myitsone Dam More than 200 environmentalists, writers and civil society leaders formed the national committee on Monday to urge the government to cancel the Chinese-backed project. As China Pushes, Opposition to Myitsone Dam Builds Politicians, Kachin activists, environmentalists join displaced villagers in taking a stand against the BRI project on the Irrawaddy River. Suu Kyi Repeats Call for Wider Perspective on Myitsone Dam She vows a transparent decision that will be socially, environmentally sustainable, but does not offer a personal view or a timeline. Chinese Company Lobbies Locals on Reboot of Suspended Myitsone Dam Project Kachin State locals and officials say Chinas State Power Investment Corporation is urging them to back the dam, which the government suspended under public pressure in 2011. Analysis: Behind the Threats and Warnings of Chinese Ambassadors Kachin Visit During meetings with Ambassador Hong Liang, Kachin leaders felt he pressured them on westerns relations and Belt and Road Initiative projects. Why Is China In a Hurry to Revive the Myitsone Dam Projects? The reasons are many. For one, Myanmars falling out with the West over the Rohingya crisis gives China leverage to insist on a project neither Naypyitaw nor locals want. Govt Working on Final Decision for Myitsone Dam, Minister Says Minister U Thaung Tun acknowledges misguided project has many environmental, social challenges and is deeply unpopular Myitsone Dam Must Be Stopped: Cardinal Bo Mother Irrawaddy in danger of being lost to the greed of a superpower, he warns Military Chief Discusses IDPs, Peace, Myitsone Dam with Kachin Religious Leaders He says Tatmadaw wants to get peace talks on track and facilitate IDPs return; Myitsone Dam in Parliaments hands One Year On, No Response on Myitsone Impact Assessment A commission tasked with assessing impacts of hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River submitted their findings one year ago, but a response is yet to come from the government. Say No to Myitsone As the government equivocates, public outrage against the dam project is building. Police Open Case Against Anti-Myitsone Dam Protest Leader Ja Hkawn faces lawsuit over unauthorized loudspeakers, headbands at huge rally in Myitkyina Chinese Officials Again Pressure Kachin Leaders to Back Myitsone Dam Yunnan officials insist dam will benefit Myanmar, Kachin religious leaders say after meeting in Ruili School of Art Celebrates Senior Achievements with Student Art Exhibition During the Senior Art Exhibit, graduating students will display their best pieces produced during their senior year. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. The 32nd Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition and the Senior Art Exhibit will take place Monday, April 8 through Wednesday, April 24 at Illinois Wesleyans Merwin and Wakeley Galleries. These exhibits will display the finest works from graduating seniors and an array of pieces celebrating all aspects of the art program. A celebratory reception will be held in the galleries on Saturday, April 13 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with an award ceremony at 1:30 p.m. This event is followed by a Presentation by Senior Art Students in conjunction with the John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference at 3 p.m. In the Senior Art Exhibit, graduating students will display their best pieces produced during their senior year. The exhibition, held in the Universitys Merwin Galleries, will include works from class of 2019s Alyssa Kaufman, Anneke Nilles, Emily Wilkes, Emily Chapman, Hieu Vu, Lixuan He and Macey Grant. Displayed alongside the senior art will be the 32nd Annual Student Art Exhibition. This exhibition is designed to represent all disciplines within the School of Art, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, 3D design, ceramics, sculpture and glass. Student artists of all years will be showcased. This 32nd Annual Student Art Exhibition represents all disciplines within the School of Art, including painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, graphic design, 3D design, ceramics, sculpture and glass. The awards to be presented to the senior artists include The Ames Library Purchase Award, the CLA Social Sciences Art Purchase Award, and the Admissions Art Purchase Award. Awards for the student art exhibition range from the Sipich and Mayo Alumni Awards, to the Presidents Award, and the School of Art Purchase Award. The award-winning pieces will be permanently displayed in buildings across campus. Doug Johnson, the executive director of the McLean County Arts Center (MCAC), will be jurying the student show this year. Johnson graduated from Illinois State University with a masters degree in studio art, in addition to a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Northern Illinois University. He is highly involved in the community, from serving on the executive board of Arts Alliance Illinois, to founding and acting as president of the Area Arts Round Table, a consortium of McLean County Arts programmers. Following the reception on April 13, the galleries will host the final segment of the day-long John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference. Here, seniors who participated in the senior critique program will talk about their works on display in the galleries while refreshments are served. All of the events are free and open to the public. The galleries are open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. By Megan Baker 21 Students Campaign to Rescue Yemen from Famine April 18, 2019 Students enrolled in "Perspectives In Global Health" are raising awareness and funds for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. For the 13th year, students enrolled in Perspectives In Global Health are raising awareness for todays most serious crises. This years focus is on the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. As part of Perspectives In Global Health, taught by Associate Professor of Health and Environmental Studies Laurine Brown, students debate various health issues that affect regions around the world and propose possible solutions. Each year, students select an organization to support and build an educational and fundraising campaign around. Ruth Tadesse 19, Kyle Polinski 19 and Rebecca Rochacz 21 are the students who originally researched the Yemen crisis and persuaded the class to make it the focus of their campaign. Tadesse is a co-coordinator of the campaign along with Alexandria Paradis 19. Ross Burandt 20 served as head of the PR committee and recently submitted an article to the Argus student newspaper about the campaign. One of IWUs goals is to foster intellectually challenging teaching practices that actively engage students, Rochacz said. Through this end-of-the-year campaign, I cannot think of a better way to actively participate with my peers, other students on campus, and with the course material. The Yemeni Civil War is an ongoing conflict that began in 2015 between two factions: the Yemeni government, led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, and the Houthi rebel movement, along with their supporters and allies. This armed conflict has progressed into a humanitarian disaster. Students enrolled in "Perspectives In Global Health" are raising awareness and funds for the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. According to the United Nations, 80 percent of Yemens population is in need of humanitarian aid, particularly for food. Yemen is on the verge of a catastrophic famine, with two-thirds of the population at risk for starvation, according to the International Rescue Committee. I specifically chose to focus on the famine in Yemen, because it was one of the most cost effective treatments, explained Rochacz. This meant that we could supply hundreds of malnourished children with a daily supply of therapeutic food such as Plumpy Nut for only about $1.50 per child. With our goal of $1,000, we would be helping hundreds of people. For their efforts to help Yemen, the students planned a fundraising campaign with the International Rescue Committee. The goal is to both raise awareness of the crisis and to raise $1,000 to support ready-to-use-therapeutic food for malnourished children, safe water and sanitation services, temporary shelter, mobile medical clinics and more. I have learned the importance of communication, leadership, and patience in order to achieve our classs goal. Not only this, but I have learned so much about effective time-management and fundraising techniques, Rochacz said. The creativity and art that surrounds fundraising is often overlooked, but after going through this entire campaign, I now realize how much work and dedication is needed to truly make a difference. The students will be campaigning through Wednesday, April 24. On April 22 through 23, the campaign will be stationed in the Memorial Centers Dugout from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and in the Center for Natural Science Learning and Research (CNS) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. On Tuesday, April 23 there will be a special outdoor event featuring activities on the quad. The event, Famine or Feast will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will be moved indoors to the Davidson Room of the Memorial Center in the event of bad weather. Finally, on Reading Day Wednesday, April 24 the campaign will be set up in The Ames Library from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. There are multiple ways to donate to the campaign. In addition to the tables around campus, the campaign is accepting donations via VENMO, a mobile payment service app. The campaigns VENMO is IWURescueFund. To donate online, visit: www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/iwu-rescues-yemen-from-famine/illinoiswesleyan. By Megan Baker 21 Deputies testified that the children said they were only allowed to shower once a year. They were mainly kept in their rooms except for meals, which had been reduced from three to one per day, a combination of lunch and dinner. The 17-year-old complained that she could no longer stomach peanut butter sandwiches they made her gag. Timmothy vanished after his mother pulled him out of kindergarten, took him on a two-day road trip to the zoo and a water park, and then killed herself at a hotel. She left a note saying that her son was safe with people who would love and care for him, adding: "You will never find him." Sanders, pressed on the president's decision to fire Comey, said the White House had "heard from countless members of the FBI" complaining about Comey's leadership and contradicting the conventional narrative that the rank-and-file was devastated by his termination. The next day, she again stood by her claim that she personally had been in touch "between emails and text messages" with a large number of FBI personnel who said they were very happy with the president's decision. For a better experience on our website and avoid any trouble, we strongly recommand to activate Javascript ( click here ). Hello and welcome to Journal des Palaces You are a communication or the PR manager? Click here You are an applicant? Check out our questions and answers here ! In a July 2017 story, the Times reported that the president personally wrote a statement in which he falsely said that an election year meeting between some Russians and his son, Donald Jr., was about the adoption of Russian children, rather than about obtaining potentially damaging information on Hillary Clinton's campaign. Trump's counsel repeatedly responded that the president had no role in writing the statement, yet months later testified under oath to investigators that Trump had dictated it. Over and over, the report cites actions that would have been spectacularly scandalous had they been committed by Barack Obama or George W. Bush. Trump tried to kill the investigation by leaning on FBI Director James Comey, telling his White House counsel to have Mueller fired, demanding that the attorney general intervene despite his recusal, and making threats and suggesting pardons to discourage witnesses from incriminating him. But Trump benefits because sordid conduct is what the citizenry expects of him, and what his supporters defend. A Wilkes County Schools calendar for the 2021-22 school year, similar to others in recent years, was proposed during the Wilkes Board of Education meeting on Dec. 6. TORONTO, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tanzanian Gold Corporations, formerly known as Tanzanian Royalty Exploration Corporation (TSX:TNX) (NYSE American:TRX) (the Companys) Board of Directors is pleased to announce the entering into subscription agreements for the sale of 606,165 common shares at $0.5774 per share raising $350,000 in the aggregate with three investors. The proceeds from the sale of common shares will be used in furtherance of the Companys Three-Phase Drill Program at the Buckreef Project previously announced. The common shares are being offered pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3, which was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and declared effective on September 5, 2018. The sale of the common shares is expected to close on or before on April 22, 2019, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including acceptance of the listing of the common shares by the NYSE American and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Respectfully Submitted, James E. Sinclair James E. Sinclair Executive Chairman For further information, please contact Michael Martin, Investor Relations, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , 860-248-0999, or visit the Company website at www.tanzanianroyalty.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements Certain of the statements made herein may contain forward-looking statements or information within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and forward-looking information can be identified using words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, ,occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information herein include, but are not limited to the Positive Feasibility Study on Buckreef, the timing and the results of the proposed drilling program. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. We have made certain assumptions about the forward-looking statements and information and even though our management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statement or information will prove to be accurate. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements or information. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, the following: gold price volatility; discrepancies between actual and estimated production, mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries; mining operational and development risk; litigation risks; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; risks of sovereign investment; currency fluctuations; speculative nature of gold exploration; global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility; competition; loss of key employees; additional funding requirements; and defective title to mineral claims or property, as well as those factors discussed in the sections entitled Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors in the Companys Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 29, 2018. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Except as required by law, we do not expect to update forward- looking statements and information continually as conditions change and you are referred to the full discussion of the Companys business contained in the Companys reports filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada and the U.S. Cautionary Note Regarding Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources The terms Mineral Reserve, Proven Mineral Reserve and Probable Mineral Reserve used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council on August 20, 2000 as may be amended from time to time by the CIM. These definitions differ from the definitions in the United States Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) Guide 7. In the United States, a mineral reserve is defined as a part of a mineral deposit which could be economically and legally extracted or produced at the time the mineral reserve determination is made. The terms Mineral Resource, Measured Mineral Resource, Indicated Mineral Resource, Inferred Mineral Resource used in this release are Canadian mining terms as defined in accordance with National Instruction 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects under the guidelines set out in the CIM Standards. Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. For a detailed discussion of Buckreef resource and reserve estimates and related matters see the Companys reports, including the Form 20-F Annual Report dated November 29, 2018 and technical reports filed under the Companys name at our website at: www.TanzanianRoyaltyExploration.com. Cautionary Note to US Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources Note to U.S. Investors. While the terms mineral resource, measured mineral resource, indicated mineral resource, and inferred mineral resource are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, they are not defined terms under standards in the United States and normally are not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. As such, information contained in this report concerning descriptions of mineralization and resources under Canadian standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S companies in SEC filings. With respect to indicated mineral resource and inferred mineral resource there is a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and a great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an indicated mineral resource or inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. TORONTO, April 18, 2019 /CNW/ - Roxgold Inc. ("Roxgold" or the "Company") (TSX: ROXG) (OTC: ROGFF) is pleased to report today that it has completed the previously announced acquisition from Newcrest West Africa Holdings Pty Ltd. of a portfolio of 11 exploration permits in Cote d'Ivoire ('the Tenements") which includes the Seguela gold project ("Seguela") for a total upfront consideration of US$20 million (the "Transaction"). "We are very pleased to complete this highly accretive transaction that delivers on creating long-term value for our shareholders. The Seguela gold project provides a second key asset with significant growth potential both in the near term through the near-surface Antenna deposit and attractive satellite opportunities as well as a highly prospective large land package. We will be immediately commencing a drilling program and a preliminary economic assessment study at Seguela", stated John Dorward, President and CEO. Paul Weedon, Vice President, Exploration added, "This acquisition will materially increase Roxgold's overall resource inventory, with work already underway to bring the deposit up to National Instrument 43-101 standards. We also believe there is substantial near-term exploration upside at this deposit, and regionally, with the opportunity to significantly advance Seguela in the near term with an initial 28,000 metre drilling program to commence next week". Drilling program Work is scheduled to start on the 24th of April with 4,000 metres of Reverse Circulation ("RC") and Diamond core ("DD") drilling planned at Antenna to extend and infill the known mineralization. Potential exists for additional ounces along strike and at depth. Multiple priority exploration targets within 15 kilometres of the Antenna deposit also have the potential to increase the mineralization and enhance the potential economics of the Seguela project by adding additional low-cost near surface ounces. A 24,000 metre aircore and select RC drilling program is scheduled to start on the 29th of April testing the highest ranked of these targets based on early stage drilling by Newcrest Mining Limited producing results ranging from trace to 14 metres at 58.1 g/t Au from 0 metres, and including several high-grade intercepts from the nearby Boulder, Agouti, Ancien, Gabbro, P3 and Kwenko prospects. Notable drilling results not previously released Boulder (2km ENE of Antenna) Aircore drilling has outlined a >0.3 g/t Au 1.2km long, 30-50 metre wide anomaly with wide spaced RC/DD drilling returning high grade intervals such as: SGRC161 1 : 7 metres @ 9.0g/t Au from 18 metres (incl. 1 metre @ 61.3g/t Au from 19 metres) : 7 metres @ 9.0g/t Au from 18 metres (incl. 1 metre @ 61.3g/t Au from 19 metres) SGRD1621: 6 metres @ 25.2g/t Au from 145 metres (incl. 1 metre @ 106.1g/t Au from 146 metres and 1 metre @ 42.8 g/t Au from 149 metres) Agouti (2km NE of Antenna, 1.5 km along strike from Boulder) Aircore drilling has outlined three >300 metre long, 30 metre wide anomalies: SGRC152 2 : 5 metres @ 20.4g/t Au from 44 metres : 5 metres @ 20.4g/t Au from 44 metres SGRC187 2 : 11 metres @ 5.1g/t Au from 21 metres (incl. 4 metres @ 13.7g/t Au from 23 metres) : 11 metres @ 5.1g/t Au from 21 metres (incl. 4 metres @ 13.7g/t Au from 23 metres) SGRC1902: 8 metres @ 4.2g/t Au from 14 metres Ancien (5km S of Antenna) SGRC1722: 16 metres @ 9.3 g/t Au from 37 metres (incl. 4 metres @ 36.3 g/t Au from 39 metres) Gabbro (5km NE of Antenna) SGAC39073: 12 metres @ 1.14g/t Au from 0 metres P3 (14km NE of Antenna) SGAC54023: 3 metres @ 15 g/t Au from 0 metres SGAC54033: 14 metres @ 4.5 g/t Au from 3 metres Kwenko (5km SE of Antenna) SGRC1792: 41 metres @ 0.44 g/t Au from 47 metres4 Figure 1: Drilling Location Figure 2: Typical Antenna cross section Note: Potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. There has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource at the Seguela project in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in such property being delineated as such a Mineral Resource. Qualified Persons Paul Weedon, MAIG, Vice-President, Exploration for Roxgold Inc., a Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, has verified and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. This includes the QA/QC, sampling, analytical and test data underlying this information. For more information on the Company's QA/QC and sampling procedures, please refer to the Company's Annual Information Form dated December 31, 2018, available on the Company's website at www.roxgold.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. About Roxgold Roxgold is a Canadian-based gold mining company with assets located in West Africa. The Company owns and operates the high-grade Yaramoko Gold Mine located on the Hounde greenstone belt in Burkina Faso and is also advancing the development and exploration of the Seguela Gold Project located in Cote d'Ivoire. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTC. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: statements with respect to Mineral Resource estimates (including proposals for the potential growth, extension and/or upgrade thereof, the conversion of the deposit at the Seguela project to National Instrument 43-101 standards, and any future economic benefits which may be derived therefrom), the timing and delivery of any future updated resource models, anticipated receipt and maintenance of permits and licenses, proposed exploration plans and the timing and costs thereof, and sufficiency of future funding. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. In certain cases, forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "could", "estimates", "expects", "may", "shall", "will", or "would". Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of Mineral Resources, the realization of resource estimates gold metal prices, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials, the progress of exploration and development activities as currently proposed and anticipated, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and permits, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters, as well as assumptions set forth in the Company's technical report dated December 20, 2017, and entitled "Technical Report for the Yaramoko Gold Mine, Burkina Faso" available on the Company's website at www.roxgold.com and SEDAR at www.sedar.com. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: changes in market conditions, unsuccessful exploration results, possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, changes in the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, inaccurate resource estimates, changes in the price of gold, unanticipated changes in key management personnel, failure to obtain permits as anticipated or at all, failure of exploration and/or development activities to progress as currently anticipated or at all, and general economic conditions. Mining exploration and development is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. ___________________________ 1 RC or DD drill hole 2 RC or DD drill hole 3 Aircore drill hole 4 Hole ended in mineralization Whether Trump can legally follow through on his proposal to send the immigrants crossing our border illegally to sanctuary cities is in question. But there is nothing morally wrong with what he has proposed. There is certainly no harm being done to the immigrants. Far from it, they would be sent to welcoming communities where they would receive free health care, protection from deportation and possibly even the right to vote. And then the Americans who voted to turn their cities into magnets for illegal immigrants could bear the costs of supporting them. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Silver Bull Resources, Inc. (TSX: SVB; OTCQB: SVBL) (Silver Bull or the Company) is pleased to announce the detailed voting results on the items of business considered at its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held on April 18, 2019 (the Meeting). A total of 129,904,401 or 55.07% of the Companys issued and outstanding shares were represented at the Meeting. The following nominees, as listed in Silver Bulls Management Information Circular, were re-elected as directors of the Company. Director Votes For % Withheld Votes % Timothy Barry 64,117,854 97.78% 1,453,936 2.22% Brian Edgar 61,709,754 94.11% 3,862,036 5.89% Daniel Kunz 61,641,904 94.01% 3,929,886 5.99% John McClintock 61,594,904 93.94% 3,976,886 6.06% Silver Bull is pleased to announce that the Shareholders have ratified and approved the appointment of Smythe LLP, as auditors of the Company (125,495,838 or 96.60% voted For, 2,433,884 or 1.87% voted Against and 1,974,679 or 1.52% abstained from voting) until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until their successor is appointed, at a remuneration to be fixed by the Companys directors. Finally, a majority of the Companys disinterested shareholders voted to approve and adopt the Companys 2019 stock option and stock bonus plan and all unallocated entitlements issuable thereunder (53,811,808 and 91.08% voted For, 4,362,963 or 7.38% voted Against, and 902,809 and 1.52% abstained from voting). The Shareholders voted to approve, on a non-binding advisory basis, the Companys executive compensation package (61,248,610 or 93.40% voted For, 2,953,469 or 4.50% voted Against, and 1,369,711 or 2.08% abstained from voting). Full details of all proposals are fully described in the Companys Management Information Circular available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. About Silver Bull: Silver Bull is a mineral exploration company whose shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and trade on the OTCQB in the United States, and is based out of Vancouver, Canada. The Sierra Mojada project is located 150 kilometers north of the city of Torreon in Coahuila, Mexico, and is highly prospective for silver and zinc. On behalf of the Board of Directors Tim Barry Tim Barry, CPAusIMM Chief Executive Officer, President and Director INVESTOR RELATIONS: +1 604 687 5800 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Young adults in Illinois are many of the patients at Northwesterns Neuro COVID-19 clinic tracking long-haulers Young adults make up many of the long-haul patients at Northwesterns Neuro COVID-19 clinic Whats obvious is that Trump should thank his staff for saving him from himself. In particular, he might take McGahn to lunch for having not abided Trumps whim to fire Mueller. The report chronicles several instances in which members of Trumps administration, including Comey, refused or avoided Trumps bidding, thus averting a stronger obstruction case against the president. Take, for example, the drama on June 17, 2017, when Trump called McGahn at home to demand that Mueller be removed. McGahn didnt act, the report says, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre. Thats a reference to President Richard Nixons order to fire the Watergate special prosecutor, which did happen. And we know how Nixons presidency ended. If you dont like the president and/or are willing to look at long strings of words and comprehend their meaning, the Mueller report paints a picture of a presidential candidate who had many campaign workers eager to get help from various Russians while the Russian government was actively trying to swing the U.S. election in Trumps favor. The fact that the actions of Trump team members didnt rise to the level of a criminal conspiracy was more a result of ineptitude and dumb luck than any sense of patriotism or understanding of the law. Much like Trump, they seemed to fail upward. Will Luminary be the breakthrough product? Or my guess will it be Spotify, Pandora, Audible or SiriusXM, established streaming-audio giants that are integrating on-demand programming into a much broader range of offerings? Either way, to change the fundamentals of this medium, some subscription service will have to corner the market on at least one critically hailed it podcast that everyones talking about, the audio equivalent of House of Cards, Game of Thrones or The Handmaids Tale. AJ Freund, 5, was reported missing in April 2019 and his body was found six days later in a shallow grave in a remote area seven miles from his home in Crystal Lake. Andrew Freund is charged with multiple counts of murder, aggravated battery to a child, aggravated domestic battery, concealment of a homicide, failure to report a childs death, obstruction of justice/destroying evidence and unlawful restraint. AJs mother, JoAnn Cunningham, 37, who pleaded guilty to killing her son, is serving a 35-year prison term. (Chicago Tribune) FALL RIVER MILLS, Calif. Authorities are expressing some exasperation after a series of search and rescue missions in a remote and snowbound area near the borders of Siskiyou, Shasta and Modoc counties throughout the month of April that involved a familiar cast of characters. According to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), the first incident occurred on April 5, when a man named Jay Woods reported that his friend Katherine Bishop had gotten her vehicle stuck in the Pondosa area of southeast Siskiyou County. Search and rescue teams responded and were able to save Bishop, her two children and a friend using a Sno-Cat vehicle bringing them all back to Fall River Mills. On April 9, authorities received another call this time from Bishop herself indicating that she and two friends "were again immobilized in the same area when rescued on April 5," SCSO said. "Ms. Bishop evidently got her vehicle out of the predicament from the earlier incident but got stuck in snow and mud on the way out of the area. According to the second report, the trio were out of food and water and needed assistance," the Sheriff's Office said. Again rescuers set out, finding the stranded parties with the help of a California Highway Patrol (CHP) helicopter, recovering them and bringing them back to Fall River Mills. On April 13, authorities received another call this one from the original caller, Jay Woods. He told dispatch that he was stuck in the snow near Whitehorse Reservoir at the Siskiyou - Modoc county line. "SCSOs SAR team determined the reporting party was actually stranded in Modoc County, based on a global position system analysis, but continued their response to the report," the Sheriff's Office said. Just a few hours later, authorities received a call about a missing person from the town of Burney, and determined that he was associated with the call from Woods. "It was determined Mr. Jay Woods and Mr. Cole Rainwater from Fall River Mills summoned help from a good Samaritan to get their vehicles unstuck in the Pondosa area. Due to the dangers associated with the remote, heavily wooded snow and ice-covered terrain where the imperiled persons were suspected to be located, a request was transmitted to the CHP to search the area by air," SCSO said. Unfortunately, the saga did not end there. Although the CHP helicopter crew were able to find the vehicles used by Woods, Rainwater, and the unnamed good Samaritan, they did not sight any people around the stranded vehicles. Search efforts continued into the next day, with no sign. "At about 3:46 a.m., the same date, the daughter of the good Samaritan indicating her father was located in the area but Mr. Rainwater and Mr. Woods ventured away from the immobilized vehicle into the nearby wooded area, and were last seen on Saturday, April 13 at about 1:30 p.m.," SCSO said. Resources from the Shasta County Sheriff's Office and even federal forestry agents joined the search, checking roads leading from the Whitehorse Reservoir. On Monday, April 15, the federal agents found shoe impressions in the snow, "indicating the path of the lost persons." It wasn't until Tuesday, April 16, that the CHP helicopter crew located Woods and Rainwater, landing and spiriting them away. The outcome of this rescue was favorable and we are relieved no one was injured," said Deputy Mike Burns, SCSO Search and Rescue Coordinator. "But the series of rescue missions were time-consuming and costly, especially considering the enormous efforts expended by federal, state, and local resources allocated to search for some of the same citizens subjected to previous search efforts. The rescued persons were previously advised not to return to the hazardous areas until the weather and ground conditions were safer." "The incidents and related searches are being reviewed to determine what action, if any, will be taken in this case involving the actions of the involved parties," said Sheriff Jon Lopey. In an apparent coincidence, a reporter and photographer from NewsWatch 12's sister station in Chico, Action News Now, were conducting a "ride-along" with CHP Northern Division Air Operations when the crew found Woods and Rainwater. The Facebook Live embedded below details the situation which saw the two journalists temporarily stranded in service of the rescue mission. MEDFORD, Ore. A Talent man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for his part in a cocaine trafficking ring, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon announced on Friday. A federal judge sentenced 31-year-old Jonathan Alan Ochoa to 120 months in federal prison and five years supervised release for "conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime." Mr. Ochoas actions show a blatant disregard for the law and public safety. The lengthy prison sentences ordered in this case reflect the seriousness of mixing firearms and drug trafficking, said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. I thank the ATF agents involved in bringing Mr. Ochoa and Mr. Manzer to justice. Our communities are safer thanks to their efforts. Court documents reveal that Ochoa worked with worked with two other men to bring more than 500 grams of cocaine into Oregon from California to be sold and distributed. However, their efforts led to a meeting with an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), who they attempted to give cocaine in exchange for multiple guns. "Mr. Ochoa compounded his drug dealing by accepting firearms in trade for illicit drugs, said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. His willingness to engage in this lawless behavior undermines the safety and security of his community and contributes to other related criminal activities. His sentence is appropriate and serves to send a message to the community that actions like this will not be tolerated. During an attempt in August of 2017 to transport 1000 grams of cocaine from California into the Medford area, agents arrested Ochoa and his co-conspirators as they tried to bring guns and cash back to California. Ochoa previously pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on October 29, 2018. 339 Shares Share Hospitals are busy, hectic, and unpredictable places. Professionals who work in health care are highly trained and competent individuals, and if you are receiving acute care in America the standard of your treatment and access to high-quality tests and an array of specialists, is unparalleled (take it from someone who has worked in different countries). Nevertheless, the hospital experience itself, despite our best efforts, often falls short. Here are things to watch out for if you, or a family member, is ever hospitalized: 1. The emergency room. These are understandably frantic places. Youll receive a dizzying array of investigations from blood tests to CT scans and MRIs and eventually be hit with the unfortunate news that your condition requires admission to the hospital. 2. Transfer to the floor. A whole new team is going to receive you. Because of the rapid nature of emergency medicine, the story of exactly what brought you in, may not be entirely clear. Its a good thing that you have to go over everything again with your new team. Your symptoms and medical history must be made entirely clear to all. Dont take it for granted that everyone knows whats going on. 3. Your medicines are incorrect. You, or a family member, realize on hospital day 2 that your hospital medication list is completely wrong! This could be for a number of reasons including: your latest pharmacy record was not updated in the hospital system, there is an old computer note that was used to generate your medication list, or you have recently seen another physician who changed your regimen around. The best thing to do is to have your latest list with you to go over with the doctor or nurse. 4. You are treated for your condition. This is the part that we are very good at. You may have a surgical procedure or medical treatment, and you begin your recovery. 5. Lots of different doctors. I call this Too Many Cooks in The Kitchen Syndrome. For whatever reason, a lot of different physicians are seeing you (perhaps you developed an unexpected complication). Each doctor is giving you a different opinion, and sometimes they even seem to contradict one another! It seems like your main doctor (whether a medical attending or surgeon), seems a bit confused too and isnt talking to the other doctors. Thats not because they are lazy or bad at what they do. Its a system issue. 6. Not mobilizing. I call this Sinking in Bed Syndrome. You are a few days into your hospitalization, and your recovery seems slow. The less you use your muscles, the weaker they become. Doesnt everyone know that? Your family is asking as well for you to be sat up in the chair and walked. It isnt that hospitals dont want you to do this simple thing; its just another system-wide issue with not prioritizing it enough. Either way, you need to mobilize to regain your strength, so insist on it if you feel its necessary. 7. The discharge process. You are finally feeling better, and your physician walks in and announces that you can leave! What follows is whats called the Discharge Haze, when all the other staff from nurses to case managers, realize that they also have to quickly get all the ducks in a row before you leave. Things move rapidly, you get a whole load of unintelligible computer print-outs and a new medication list. Make sure you understand everything that needs to happen from here (dont be embarrassed about clarifying everything down to the tiniest detail), before you find yourself out of the hospital. 8. Timely follow-up. Whether or not there have been enough studies confirming this, having an expeditious follow-up with your primary care doctor and other specialists is one of the single most important things you can do to make sure you have a complication-free return back to baseline, and prevent coming back into the hospital. Unfortunately, Americas primary care is broken (strong primary care should be the backbone of any health care system). Hopefully you have a good physician you can follow up with, and hopefully, your hospital has been in touch with them about your admission. You better double check this before you leave (it shouldnt all be on you to communicate your medical diagnoses and treatment). Every doctor or nurse sees the above scenarios happen every day, in every hospital, as we do our level best to provide great care to our patients. Do you notice anything about the above issues though? Most of them are not particularly costly to fix. They are simple common-sense communication and system problems. We have a health care system that is outrageously expensive (for both the country and the individual). We may not be able to magically fix the more fundamental problems, but we can at least all take steps to ensure that patients have as smooth a journey as possible when they need our help. And if youre a patient or a family member, expect the above to happen and always be your own best advocate. Suneel Dhand is an internal medicine physician, author, and an independent health care experience and communication consultant. He is co-founder, DocsDox. Image credit: Shutterstock.com 314 Shares Share In recent years, it feels like weve been inundated by stories of greedy pharmaceutical companies jacking up the price of important generic medications. In 2015, Pharma Bro Martin Shkreli, recognized that no other generic companies were manufacturing Daraprim, a drug used to treat infections common among people with AIDS, from $13.50 a pill to $750, confident that no generic competitor was around to cut into his market share. The media had a field day with Shkrelis story, as well as other notorious examples of generic drug manufacturers raising the price of their products by an astonishing amount, even generic drugs; consider the ten-fold increase in the price of generic digoxin (a heart medicine) and doxycycline (an antibiotic). In fact, worried about such price gouging, Massachusetts Senator (and presidential candidate) Elizabeth Warren has called for the U.S. government to go into the business of manufacturing generic medications. Just how greedily have generic manufacturers been gouging the American public of late? The truth is surprising. In the last ten years, the price of generic medications in the U.S. has actually fallen. Thats one of the conclusions of a study by a group of health policy researchers at the University of Southern California. The researchers analyzed the bills that Medicare enrollees received when getting medications through that program which, famously, is not allowed to negotiate prices. Below is a picture of what they saw. It maps out the price trajectories of generic medications. At the top of the picture is a line indicating the 1 percent of medications that had the steepest price hikes over this time period. Typically, that line hovers around 50 percent, meaning that the worst offenders in that given year hiked the price of the given generic medicine by about 50 percent. In 2011 and 2013, however, the biggest price hikes were much larger than that, with the top 1 percent hiking their prices 200 to 300 percent in that calendar year. The exhibit shows price changes for a changing basket of all generic prescription drugs filled in Medicare plans. The percentiles are those of price changes. The price changes for 2007 represent changes between 2006 and 2007. That top line is egregious. And the spikes in 2011 and 2013 are very concerning. But look back at the figure and gaze not at the top line, but at the lines in middle. Specifically, the line representing the average increase of the median generic drug in each of those years. That line is basically flat. Zilch. Nada. In other words, while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) grew about 2 percent per year over the same time period, the typical generic medication remained rock steady, with no accompanying price increase. Another bit of context for that 1 percent line. The drugs that went up in price were, typically, relatively cheap ones to begin with. It wasnt common for companies to take a $200 generic drug and raise that price to $400. Instead, when they doubled the price of drugs, it usually meant taking a $5 drug and now charging $10: Low-price drugs are generic prescription drugs filled in Medicare plans with prices below the 25th percentile. Medium-price drugs have prices between the 25th and 75th percentiles, and high-price drugs have prices above the 75th percentile. The bounds for price-level groups varied by quarter. Does that mean generic price hikes are a creation of media hype? And is the problem bad enough to warrant legislative action? Even after looking at these data, Im still concerned about generic prices. Once a few companies get away with substantial price hikes, others will follow suit. Bad media attention is necessary, to reduce the number of companies willing to raise their prices so substantially. Now I recognize that the generic medication industry is often a low margin operation, which disincentives companies from being, say, the fourth one to manufacture a given generic medication (unless it is a super common prescription). So they need to be able to make enough money to stay in the marketplace. But when they do manufacture a given drug, they probably wont face a tremendous amount of competition, because there arent many companies willing to make peanuts off of such a small part of the market. Media coverage has caused many of us to believe that the price of generics is rising faster than it really is. But that same coverage might explain why price hikes havent been steeper. I hope the media continues to raise a ruckus whenever generic manufacturers raise their prices too high. The ensuing public pressure might forestall the day when we have to consider more drastic ways to keep such prices in check. Peter Ubel is a physician and behavioral scientist who blogs at his self-titled site, Peter Ubel and can be reached on Twitter @PeterUbel. He is the author of Critical Decisions: How You and Your Doctor Can Make the Right Medical Choices Together. This article originally appeared in Forbes. Image credit: Shutterstock.com EUGENE, Ore. -- Hours after the Bethel School District announced they would be canceling classes on May 8 for the teacher walkout, Eugene School District 4J officials said they would also be closing. The planned walkout is part of efforts to put pressure on state lawmakers to increase funding for schools. The Oregon Education Association has called for teachers to make May 8 a Day of Action. Like Bethel, 4J officials said there will not be enough substitutes to fill in for the teachers planning to take part. The 4J School Board and I share our teachers goal of improving school funding in Oregon, Superintendent Gustavo Balderas said. However, the school district does not endorse or condone walkout strikes or any activity that disrupts student learning." The missed school day will not be made up at the end of the year. Officials said it will be an unpaid strike day for teachers. Currently, the district plans to provide free lunch at selected sites and provide transportation to non-4J programs. SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Activist groups held a meeting with the Springfield community to discuss timber sales, such as the purchase of the Thurston Hills "Pedal Power" sale. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sold 394 acres of timber in the Thurston Hills area to Seneca Jones Timber Company in September for just over $1 million. In a press release, Seneca said, in part: "The BLM crafted a dynamic plan that includes areas of riparian reserve around streams, late-successional reserve around an older stand, dozens of wildlife trees left throughout the harvest, and an untouched buffer area near a neighboring property." On Thursday night, Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon Wild and Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics and Ecology held a meeting at Springfield City Hall to discuss timber sales, local forest management and the Pedal Power sale, specifically. With about 70 people in attendance, those groups presented their concerns about the sale, saying they believe a clear cut of about 100 acres in the area would cause an increased fire hazard and hurt recreation. The BLM said their current management plan does not allow them to clear cut, and that they have not done so in over 25 years. Sam Krop with Cascadia Wildlands said all they've done is make small changes in their management plans. "Despite the fact that they can change from logging 100 percent to logging 95 percent of the trees or 94 percent of the trees, a clear cut is a clear cut," Krop said. KEZI spoke with Thurston Hills area residents, who said they didn't find out about the sale until it was nearly completed. "When we found out about this, it was shock and frustration and fear," said area resident Kebrhea Cuellar. "There is a very real level of fear right now for a lot of us." Cascadia Wildlands and Oregon Wild have filed a lawsuit against the BLM for this timber sale, and activists with Cascadia Wildlands said the next steps in their court case won't be happening until July. LANE COUNTY, Ore. --- The rancher who lost 44 sheep after an animal attack believes the dogs that were put down after a separate sheep attack are to blame. Leslie Anthone lost the majority of her sheep while they were grazing at a pasture on Clear Lake Road west of Eugene in early April. RELATED: Dozens of sheep killed in suspected dog attack At least four other sheep were killed on Wednesday in a field off of Fir Butte Road, not far from where Anthone's sheep were killed. Brittanie Thornbrugh said she saw the dogs attack the sheep on Wednesday and said at least four were injured. "We went and checked on them this morning," Thornbrugh said. "They're still here today, so we're just going to see how that will go." MORE: Dogs put down after second sheep slaughter in Eugene The Lane County Sheriff's Office told KEZI 9 News the dogs responsible for Wednesday's attack were put down by their owner and the owner could face a citation as early as Friday. KEZI 9 News talked to the dogs owner, who said hes devastated. Thornbrugh said the owner visited them after the attack to apologize. At this time officials don't believe the dogs in Wednesday attack are responsible for the killing of Anthone's sheep, but she believes they are. "I have sympathy for the dog owners also, but it wasn't solved when it first happened," Anthone said. 1653 W. Grace St., Chicago: $1,875,000 | Listed: Oct. 18, 2021 This six-bedroom home has four full baths, two half baths, six outdoor decks and an in-ground heated resistance pool. The kitchen is equipped with a Thermador double oven with a custom stainless steel hood, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a wine refrigerator and a breakfast island with a vegetable sink. The first floor also has a dining room, a family room with a fireplace, a living room, two built-in pantries and deck access. The second floor has four large bedrooms and an office with custom built-ins. The third floor has a bathroom with a skylight, double sink, large soaking tub, and separate shower. The primary bedroom suite, also located on the third floor, has his and her walk-in closets with custom built-ins and a reading nook. A full basement with radiant heated floors, a wine cellar, a three-car garage and a catwalk from the house to the garage deck complete this home. Agent: Nicole Duran, @properties, 773-905-9472 *Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options. To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com. Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. A record entry of almost 1,000 people participated in the 2019 Streets of Kilkenny on what was a perfect night for running in the Marble City. Record numbers took to the streets of Kilkenny for the second round of the Kia Race Series, with runners flocking from all over the country to the event - some for the fun, some chasing that elusive PB, but all to support Kilkenny City Harriers, who reaped the benefits with a record entry to the race. The race was right in the melting pot, as Hiko Tanosa (Dundrum South Dublin AC), Eric Keogh (Donore Harriers) and local athlete Thos Hayes (KCH) went gung ho, chasing the winning prize and also the 500 course record bonus, kindly sponsored by Kia Ireland. In the end, after an exhilarating race, it was Tanosa who broke clear with 500m to go and win in a time of 14:15, smashing the race record in the process. "It was a fantastic race," said Tanosa, who was delighted with the result. "There were great crowds, great organisation and great competition. I am very happy with the win." If the men's race was close, the women's was even closer again. An epic battle around the streets of the famous city between Sinead O Connor (Leevale) and previous winner Siobhan O'Doherty (Borrisokane AC) was only settled in the last 20 metres, with OConnor finishing strongest to win by a second in a course record of 16:48. Portlaoises Mary Mulhare took a fine third. "That was some race," beamed O'Connor. "Well done to Siobhan, we pushed each other all the way and Im so happy to get the win Some 760 participants crossed the finish line, and without the work of KCH, the Gardai, Council and many volunteers, the event could not be the success that it was. This year's race also saw drastically reduced plastic consumption at the finish line, with Pop Up Races, in conjunction with Refill Ireland, providing the water in reusable cups at the finish line. This saved upwards of 3,000 single use plastic bottles at the event. The Kia Race series moves to Enfield in May for the lightning fast Bob Heffernan 5k. Details of the series, as well as series standings, can be found on www.popupraces.ie . Now in its second year, the series aims to increase entries at club races around the country, as well as increasing competition and improving times at the elite end of the fields. The overall male and female winners at the end of the Series will drive away in a brand new Kia Sonic (which they have use of for 12 months). Make sure to check out the Kilkenny People and The Kilkenny Reporter next week for more pictures from the event. Full results of the Streets of Kilkenny 5K can be found on www.popupraces.ie Story King County civic leaders with Consul General Nasimi Aghayev of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Top: From left: King County Councilmembers Claudia Balducci, Reagan Dunn and Pete von Reichbauer, Consul General Nasimi Aghayev, County Councilmembers Rod Dembowski and Jeanne Kohl-Welles. Below: From left: King County Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer, Consul General Nasimi Aghayev, King County Executive Dow Constantine. The Metropolitan King County Council welcomed Consul General Nasimi Aghayev from the Republic of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the councils April 17 meeting. Consul General Aghayev currently serves as Dean of the Los Angeles Consular Corps, representing 105 nations, and is fluent in seven languages. This was just the second time to the Seattle area for the Consul General, and the Council engaged him in dialogue about the growing cultural and economic bonds between Azerbaijan and the state of Washington. Azerbaijan Airlines is a key partner with Boeing in our state, and Azerbaijan has entered into key partnerships with Microsoft to incorporate a new generation of information technologies into their growing business economy. The Consul General discussed the history and climate of his country, highlighting that Azerbaijan had enacted womens suffrage two years prior to the United States, and was also the first secular majority-Muslim country. It was also a key partner with the United States following 9/11. I was honored to welcome Consul General Aghayev to King County, said Councilmember Pete von Reichbauer. This was the first step in building a meaningful relationship between us moving forward. * Economy faces downward pressure and difficulties - top leaders * Pledges to make counter-cyclical adjustments to support growth * Balance of growth support, reforms and risk controls promised BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) - China will maintain policy support for the economy, which still faces "downward pressure" and difficulties after better-than-expected first quarter growth, a top decision-making body of the Communist Party said on Friday. The statement from the politburo came two days after China reported had steady 6.4 percent annual growth in January-March, defying expectations for a further slowdown, as industrial production jumped sharply and consumer demand showed signs of improvement. "While fully affirming the achievements, we should clearly see that there are still many difficulties and problems in economic operations," the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a politburo meeting chaired by President Xi Jinping. "The external economic environment is generally tightening and the domestic economy is under downward pressure." China will implement counter-cyclical adjustments "in a timely and appropriate manner", while the pro-active fiscal policy will become more forceful and effective, and the prudent monetary policy will be neither too tight nor too loose, it said. For this year, the government has unveiled tax and fee cuts amounting to 2 trillion yuan ($298.35 billion) to ease burdens on firms, while the central bank has cut banks' reserve requirement ratios (RRR) five times since early 2018 to spur lending. Further policy easing is widely expected. On Friday, the politburo reiterated that the government will effectively support the private economy and the development of small- and medium-sized firms. Authorities will strike a balance between stabilising economic growth, promoting reforms, controlling risks and improving people's livelihoods, the politburo said. China will push forward structural deleveraging and prevent speculation in the property market, it said. "We should adhere to the orientation that houses are used for living, not for speculation," the politburo said, reaffirming a city-based approach in controlling the property sector. China's economic growth is expected to slow to a near 30-year low of 6.2 percent this year, a Reuters poll showed last week, as sluggish demand at home and abroad weigh on activity despite a flurry of policy support measures. ($1 = 6.7036 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Beijing Monitoring Desk and Kevin Yao; Editing by Richard Borsuk) BERLIN, April 19 (Reuters) - Finance Minister Olaf Scholz ruled out taking on new debt to stimulate Germany's slowing economy and blamed anaemic growth this year on external factors like unresolved trade disputes and the risk of Britain leaving the European Union without a deal. In an interview with the BBC aired on Friday, the Social Democrat finance minister also dismissed fears that Europe's largest economy could plunge into a recession after the government halved its 2019 growth forecast to 0.5 percent. Chancellor Angela Merkel's right-left coalition government is facing calls from EU partners and the International Monetary Fund to boost investment, while a conservative lawmaker has demanded a stimulus package to jump-start the economy. "We just have softer growth, which is far away from a recession," said Scholz. "And if you are really a globalised economy, if you are a big exporter and importer all the developments in the world economy will have an impact on the development of your country. And we know that there is a slowing of the world economy. And we know where this comes from. It is mostly political reasons." He added that trade disputes between the United States and both China and the EU, as well as Brexit uncertainties, were the main causes of the slowdown in Germany and not structural problems like weak investment. Scholz's decision to take on no new debt has drawn criticism from both Merkel's conservatives and his centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) as well as from business leaders who want lower corporate taxes. "I very much agree with all those in Germany saying that we should not have extra debt," said Scholz. "It is a very good policy that we say that we have enough debt in Germany and that there should not be an increase and that we will stick to the rule of not further increasing the public debt." Scholz said approved tax relief for families to the tune of 10 billion euros ($11 billion) a year, higher spending on pensions and social welfare, and investments in digitalisation, infrastructure and research and development should keep the economy humming. Germany, whose economy has grown in each of the last nine years, has had a "debt brake" law in place since 2011 that forces the federal and state governments to virtually eliminate their structural budget deficits over five to 10 years. (Reporting by Joseph Nasr; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Mark Potter) Malloy, the leader of Catholic churches in 12 counties in the Rockford Diocese, has accepted an invitation to the Living Stations of the Cross in Aurora for the past six years. The presence of the bishop is significant, the monsignor said. He is the first bishop in the 111-year history of the diocese who is bilingual, he said. Also, an agreement was approved in June for a development on the site of the demolished old Village Hall. Yorkville-based Imperial Investments has plans to build an 18,000-square-foot building with a restaurant on the street level, offices on the second floor and optional apartments on the upper level at 113 S. Main St., which is next to the Dairy Hut. President Moon Jae-in and Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev shake hands ahead of their summit in Tashkent, Friday. / Yonhap Leaders agree to upgrade strategic ties in Tashkent By Yi Whan-woo Korea and Uzbekistan agreed to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a "special strategic partnership" and enhance exchanges accordingly, President Moon Jae-in said Friday. Moon, who is visiting Uzbekistan as part of a three-nation Central Asia trip from April 16 to 23, said he hopes to see the two countries connected through a railway network. "We, as friends and brothers, agreed to enhance our relations," Moon said during a speech to the Uzbek parliament. He referred to a summit with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev that took place earlier Friday. "We therefore will elevate bilateral ties to a special strategic partnership and enhance policies to facilitate exchanges." President Moon noted the trade volume between the two countries reached a record $2.1 billion last year and that over 600 Korean companies run business in Uzbekistan. The cooperation varies from information and communications technology (ICT) to health care and the environment, according to Moon. In regards to ICT, the two sides are preparing for the Fourth Industrial Revolution and are jointly working on 5G technology, big data and artificial intelligence. A joint medical care center has opened on the occasion of Moon's Uzbekistan visit as part of Korea's efforts to help innovate Uzbekistan's medical policies. "The two countries are also cooperating on climate change and other environment issues as members of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI)," Moon said. The GGGI is a treaty-based international organization headquartered in Seoul. Moon has sought to open a railway network connecting the two Koreas and Eurasia, as part of his wider push for inter-Korean reconciliation. He added that he has been dreaming of taking a train from the Uzebk capital of Tashkent since his departure from Seoul. "This will be the iron silk road of the 21st century. Koreans will be able to see the prospective future of Central Asia," he said. He thanked the people of Uzbekistan for their hospitality towards ethnic Koreans when the latter were forced to move to Uzbekistan from the Far East region in the 1930s. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 42F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 33F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Partly cloudy skies this morning will become overcast during the afternoon. High 43F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 34F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Immigration solution: My question is how many people from Central America want to come to the United States and what is the total population form Central America. If 50 or 70 percent of the population from the Central American counties want to come here, why dont we take over their country. They would be an American satellite. Wed say if you want to come to America, you are now U.S. citizens. The people who object to Make America Great Again are the people who are doing their damnedest to make America over into their own agenda. They are the piranha in our pond. Without them America is always great. (KANSAS CITY, Mo.) A former St. Joseph, Mo., Boy Scout leader was sentenced in federal court Thursday for distributing child pornography over the internet. Michael R. Goeller, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to six years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Goeller to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration. Goeller, who pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2018, served as an assistant scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America at the time of his arrest. In 2005, Goeller was employed as a counselor by the Marillac Center of Kansas City, a facility that provides youth services and community outreach. He was also previously employed as a counselor at the Family Guidance Center in St. Joseph, working with at-risk youth. The investigation began on Feb. 15, 2017, when a law enforcement officer in Arkansas downloaded a video file that contained child pornography through a peer-to-peer file-sharing network that was later linked to Goellers computer. On Sept. 20, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Goellers apartment and seized a laptop computer and other digital electronic devices and digital media storage devices. Goeller admitted to officers that he used his laptop to access pornographic websites to obtain images and videos of nude children, ranging from 10 to 15 years old. Investigators conducted a forensic examination of the devices seized from Goeller and found approximately 60 images and more than 60 videos of child pornography. Investigators also determined that Goeller was a distributor of child pornography who knowingly shared images and videos with others by utilizing a file-sharing network. After the completion of the search warrant, the affidavit says, investigators learned that Goeller had made contact with a local priest to confess to child pornography having been found on his computer. Goeller also immediately resigned as an assistant scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America due to his interaction with this criminal investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI. (ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Missouri politicians are weighing in on the release of a redacted copy of special counsel Robert Mueller's report. U.S. Senator Roy Blunt released this statement: I look forward to the opportunity to look through the publicly available report. I agree with the four categories of redacted material that will not be made public. I am hopeful that the Senate Intelligence Committee is able to look at all of the report, with the exception of the grand jury material, and believe it will assist us in bringing our investigation of Russian involvement in our elections to a conclusion. U.S. Representative Sam Graves released this statement: After nearly 2 years of thorough investigations, thousands of subpoenas, and more than $25 million taxpayer dollars spent, we now have the special counsel report. There is no evidence that President Trump or anyone on his campaign colluded with the Russian government. Im glad the Mueller investigation has finally concluded and President Trump has been vindicated. I hope we can now focus on real issues that affect the American people such as securing our border and repairing our nations infrastructure. The 400 page report was released Thursday morning. At first, we know there with many types Chinese white granite.In addition, the white granite wall tiles also is very popular now. To choose which style of product? That is depends on the projects. How Many Types Of White Granite Wall Tiles Product? Generally speaking, there with rich types of white stone materials. For example, there not just from China, but also has from Indian,Brazil,etc. Those material all with very good quality too. At the same time, those materials mostly with stable quality and supply too. For instance, this G3609 is a very nice and competitive stone material. We know the white color stone is not popular as grey. In deed, the peoples also like to use it at indoor and outdoor project too. Is This Product With Very Stable Quality? In fact, this material often in small size blocks. That decides the finished product in not big size too. If the project just also need middle size product ,then this product will with very good quality for meet request. Otherwise, if do it in big size, it is can not do. Meanwhile, it is also can do in various surface types too. Of course, if customer need other Chinese granite materials, also welcome contact with us freely. Specifications Between 200 and 300 families each week come to the Chicago Heights pantry, with families limited to one pantry visit a month, Wolf. He said a goal of Respond Now is to allow families two visits a month, but that the nonprofit lacks the space, volunteer staff and food supply to do that. Just by the virtue of the fact we have worked together a number of times, I know they are a great group and I can trust that theyre going to come through with the same artistic quality as the chorale, said Jackson about Lake Shore Symphony Orchestra. Tinley Park would set a semi-annual registration fee of $300 for the holder of a defaulted mortgage, usually a bank or other lender, and ProChamps, which has similar agreements with more than 400 communities nationwide, would receive $100 from each registration, according to the village. Most communities report registration fee collection rates of between 80 and 85 percent, and Tinley Park could realize annual revenue of as much as $128,000, according to the village. The Chicago MSA saw the largest raw decline of any metro area in the nation over the year, shrinking by 22,000 people. Losing so much talent is undoubtedly a bad sign. But 22,000 people is 0.2% of that areas population. In terms of the scale and speed of decline, other parts of Illinois stand among the nations worst-off. The law firm representing the school district withdrew its intervention in the case in September 2016, three months before the case was resolved. Alexander, who was a board member at the time, said he did not recall why the district dropped its challenge to his appeal of his assessment. In the spring of 1915, college student Hagop Abadjian left school to escape conscription into the Ottoman military and embarked on a journey that led him back to Musa Dagh, the mountain in Turkey that was his home. A half-century later, Hagop recounted this trek over seven pages typewritten in English. Theres much more to the story, of course, and a fuller account of his journey is recounted in his memoir, which was written in Armenian and posthumously published in 1986. Eleen Abadjian Bedrosian was just a child when her paternal grandfather died, but she remembers the big stacks of paper in his Toronto home and the typewriter from Egypt with the Armenian letters on the keys. Bedrosian, a graphic designer and artist based in Glendale, has tried reading the memoir in Armenian, but progress is slow. Much of whats in the book was related to her by Vehanosh Abadjian, her mother and Hagops daughter-in-law, who has read it multiple times. The Young Turk regime launched a systematic campaign to purge the Ottoman Empire of its Armenian citizens in 1915. In all, an estimated 1.5 million lives were lost. After the catastrophe, some survivors, as well as their descendants, wrote down the stories, the results forming its own genre of literature: survivor memoirs. These books are part of the overwhelming evidence that the Armenian genocide, which Turkey continues to deny responsibility, happened. But, for descendants of the survivors like Bedrosian, memoirs can also be a link to family histories. In the diasporan community in the U.S., Armenian-to-English translations are a way of sharing that history with those who cant read them in the original language. In the diasporan community in the U.S., Armenian-to-English translations are a way of sharing ... history with those who cant read ... the original language. Advertisement Outside a Glendale coffee house, Bedrosian and her mother show a copy of the memoir, its cover depicting blood falling from a mountain. Bedrosian translates the title, which is written in Armenian, to Pages From My Life Book. The two look through an album of photos as well. Hagop was a photographer who eventually opened his own studio in Venezuela before moving to Canada in his retirement. There are pictures in here from the time of the genocide and the years following it, from Hagops wedding to Bedrosians grandmother in Egypt, of his young family in Lebanon and of an Armenian communitys later return to Musa Dagh. Musa Dagh (also known as Musa Ler) was the site of a resistance against Ottoman forces set on annihilating the empires Armenian population. That event informed Franz Werfels 1933 novel, The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, and more recently the 2016 film The Promise. Its part of Bedrosians family history and she wants to preserve it. Now she would like to have the memoir published in English, not just for herself, but for her children, ages 11 and 7. Sometimes they ask her about the genocide. She says, When they ask me, I tell them about Grandpa. Hagop Abadjian, as a 20 year-old defending Musa Ler (Musa Dagh), 1916. Eleen Abadjian Bedrosian was just a child when her paternal grandfather died, but she remembers him. (From Eleen Abadjian Bedrosian) Survivor memoirs Theres a history of documenting the Armenian struggle inside the Ottoman Empire that pre-dates the genocide. Gegham Mughnetsyan, the Chitjian researcher archivist at USCs Institute of Armenian Studies, notes the archives holdings of books written in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Here, eyewitnesses recounted the Hamidian massacres and the Adana massacre, precursors to the Armenian genocide. The people had already started writing down the stories, he says by phone. Memoirs of the genocide began to appear shortly after the events unfolded. In 1918, Henry Morgenthau, who had been the U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, published his memoirs. This was the account of a witness rather than a survivor, but that same year, Aurora Mardiganian, a survivor who had recently arrived in the U.S., told her story in English through her 1918 book Ravished Armenia. Mardiganian would go on to star in American screenwriter Harvey Gates film adaptation of the book the following year. A photo from the time Hagop Abadjian returned to Musa Dagh (also known as Musa Ler) for a visit in 1931. Musa Dagh was the site of a resistance against Ottoman forces. (Hagop Abadjian) Translating experiences Over time, numerous memoirs have been written in Armenian and English some solely by the survivors, some in connection with family members. They are individual stories that, as a whole, point to a shared experience. Ishkhan Jinbashian is an L.A.-based, Armenian-to-English translator who has worked on multiple genocide memoirs. Typically, he says, hes hired by families who want to have the books in English for relatives who dont read Armenian. Its complex work for more than just linguistic differences. Translating them is often extremely emotional, he says by phone. Through this work, Jinbashian sees similarities within the accounts. The places and names, obviously, differ, he says, but there are similar stories of persecution, deportations, summary execution, the refugee situation that they faced and the diseases. One recent job, a translation of Bloodied, But Unbowed: A Memoir of the Ashur & Arshaluys Yousuf Family by Alice Nazarian, was unusual; its focus is on an ethnically mixed family in the region of Kharpert. Ashur, a professor who was killed in 1915, was Assyrian. Arshaluys was Armenian. The book, written by their daughter, brings together the Armenian genocide with the Assyrian genocide that occurred in the Ottoman Empire at around the same time. The translation became a project of the late authors L.A.-based family: Her son, John Nazarian, funded it; her granddaughter, Arda Darakjian Clark, edited it; and great-grandson, Haig Boyadjian, provided additional research. In her research, Clark, a former technical writer, connected with an archive that had a collection of her great-grandfathers handwritten, monthly magazine as well as an Assyrian publication that was written primarily in Armenian and contained a letter penned by her great-grandmother about Ashurs arrest, incarceration and death. The letter, translated into English and included in the book, helps show the connection between Armenians and Assyrians in the Ottoman Empire. Finding the parallels between the two communities living in this region was an interesting part of the project for Clark. They lived side by side, she says by phone, and shared a similar fate in 1915. A photo taken circa 1939-1940 in Aleppo, Syria, which appears on the cover of Bloodied, But Unbowed: A Memoir of the Ashur and Arshaluys Yousuf Family by Alice Nazarian. The book was unusual in that its focus is on an ethnically mixed family in the region. (Alice Nazarian family archives) Searching for answers Not all genocide survivors wrote down their stories or even spoke of them often. Thats the case in my own family, as far as we know. We have some information about my great-grandparents experiences, which has been passed down orally over the generations. Yet I often find connections reading others accounts. I might recognize the names of the towns or regions where my ancestors lived or come across accounts eerily similar to what Ive heard about my great-grandparents. Survivor memoirs help me understand the extent of the trauma families like mine endured. And I might not be alone in that. When we have 10 stories, there are maybe 10,000 stories that we will never know, says Mughnetsyan. The experiences that were written down provide an important connection for all ethnic Armenians. More or less everybody ended up, in one way or another, facing the exact same atrocity, says Mughnetsyan. This brings it all collectively together. It, in a way, validates the story of those who are searching for some kind of an answer about their own families. Chris Rush was a Catholic kid, the middle child of seven in a brood headed by distracted, sometimes damaging parents. Their mother regarded her children as her audience, Rush writes, and once wed applauded, we could do as we wished. Like his mother, Rush had a flair for the dramatic setting up a life-size statue of the Virgin Mary in his basement bedroom, swanning around in a pink cape he found at a thrift store that set him apart from the other boys. He loved art and the church, both of them serving the same purpose at times. To me, drawing was as calming as prayer, Rush writes. This stunningly beautiful, original memoir is driven by a search for the divine, a quest that leads Rush into some dangerous places. Rush is now a successful artist, his work in many museums permanent collections, but as the book makes clear, its a kind of a miracle he survived his own childhood. At age 11, the summer before hes to be sent away to boarding school because of his alarming intelligence test results (hes too smart, it turns out), he meets his older sister Donnas friend and dealer Valentine, a charismatic acolyte in the church of psychedelics. Its the 60s, and theres an idealistic glow in the air, along with clouds of marijuana smoke. As Valentine tells Rush, dont call them drugs. Call them what they are sacraments. Given to us by the Creator for our spiritual evolution. As soon as hes home from school the following summer, Rush begins to partake in the mood-altering communion. By age 13, hes tripping on acid as often as he can and selling to his eager classmates. The Light Years is funny and harrowing and deeply tender. As Rush recounts his adolescence, which becomes increasingly terrifying, its impossible not to worry about how badly things might turn out. Untethered from family and school, he spends months living with Donna, who has become a drug mule in Marin County. Brother and sister go thrift shopping to buy clothing that will mark her as a square, a young mother who couldnt possibly have a suitcase full of LSD. As the 60s turn into the 70s, the business is booming, and drugs are big business the dealer Donna carries for is becoming a multi-millionaire but, as Rush notices, the cash was always offstage. At age 16, he writes, I completely believed in the power of dope. While my brothers were in New Jersey eating candy and watching television I was eating acid three or four times a week, watching my own visions. On pot and acid, I had always drawn fantasies, strange creatures in strange trees. But now, I wanted to draw what was in front of me. Chris Rush Advertisement Its an Eden that cant last. Rush moves with Donna to Arizona, then moves in with a friends family after his sister returns to New Jersey. Sexuality blooms, but its complicated Rush falls for Owen, the friend whose house hes welcomed into, but after a time, Owens Mormon family expels him. He is sent back to New Jersey, where the households sheen of middle-class perfection has gone blurry. His father is drinking too much, and his mother seems frantically unhappy. They sit in the den watching Walter Cronkite talk about the Vietnam War. In Saigon, there are explosions, Rush writes. But here, in the house, the war proceeds in silence. Before long, hes on the move again. The next few years unfold in a series of poor decisions and dangerous situations. There is a lot of hitchhiking and the kind of missed connections that seem crazy to us now in the age of smartphones. Rush takes drugs, sells drugs, reconnects with the big-time dealers he met through Donna. The sacramental, natural highs begin to give ground to more dangerous drugs. He nearly dies in a mysterious accident, and then again after a very bad cocaine experience. From the grinning cherub, dosed at twelve, Rush becomes a hollowed-out mess, a wandering loner, more or less homeless. Although the books arc bends toward Rushs eventual sobriety, this doesnt read like a typical recovery memoir. His descriptions of his own drug use are unapologetic and even affectionate. And he never soft-pedals how difficult life becomes after he goes straight. Without chemicals, I was unequipped to process everything that had happened, Rush writes. Id been stoned for half my life. Since the age of twelve, drugs had been the only song playing in my head. In the end, The Light Years is both a coming-of-age book and an account of an artists development. In the clear light of the desert, at age 20, he takes up a pencil. I sat before each blank piece of paper, as if before God. Hes done with the surreal. On pot and acid, I had always drawn fantasies, strange creatures in strange trees, he writes. But now I wanted to draw what was in front of me. He sketches his own hands, then a rock, a boot, a box. I took up again with the real. :: The Light Years Chris Rush Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 384 pp., $27 Tuttle is president of the National Book Critics Circle. Last summer, after years of inaction on consumer privacy by the federal government and slipshod privacy protection by big businesses collecting personal data, the California Legislature took matters into its own hands. The California Consumer Privacy Act, signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in June, is a landmark achievement by any standard. According to a legislative outline, the measure gives consumers important rights concerning the collection of their personal information by a business the right to delete it, the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to know whether and what personal information is being sold or disclosed, the right to stop a business from selling their information, and the right to equal service and price regardless of whether consumers grant the business access to their personal data. Thats a lot of power getting shifted from mega-businesses such as Facebook and Google back into consumers hands. The law, which goes into effect Jan. 1, 2020, also covers information collected by banks, insurance companies, auto dealers and supermarkets (via their loyalty programs.) Advertisement There is something unfair about giving Californias consumers new rights but denying them the ability to protect themselves if those rights are violated. California Attorney General Xavier Becerra So you shouldnt find it shocking that business has begun to take steps to roll back parts of the law. The effort began in earnest a couple of months ago, with the introduction in Sacramento of a passel of bills corresponding to the wish list of the California Chamber of Commerce and other business lobbies. Theyre fighting not only the CCPA as enacted, but measures also introduced this year to strengthen the privacy law by giving consumers more power over their data and expanding their right to bring lawsuits against wrongdoing firms. Consumer advocates vow to protect the law. The idea that we would water down landmark legislation is not OK, and we expect the Legislature to stand up and say No to any real erosion, James Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a content-rating service for parents and a major backer of the CCPA, told me. What probably concerns industry the most is that the CCPA is a legal initiative taken by a single state, albeit the biggest in the nation. That raises the specter of as many as 50 or 51 partially incompatible privacy statutes for businesses to comply with. Its not fair for some states residents to have rights others dont, as Roslyn Layton of the pro-business American Enterprise Institute told Congress in February better to have a single common federal standard. Of course, what industry fears is not state-level regulation as such, but strict regulation. Its lobbyists know that any privacy law that could get through Congress would be vastly weaker than Californias; if the concern were merely too many state laws, then the lobbyists could advocate making the CCPA a model act and encourage other states to adopt it. Californias auto emissions rules have become the standard for a dozen states encompassing about 40% of the U.S. auto market, because its rules are comprehensive and aggressive. Now, the state has taken it upon itself to fill the vacuum in consumer privacy regulation, and whats wrong with that? In Sacramento, the cage match over privacy between business and consumers kicks off on Tuesday, when the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection chaired by Assemblyman Ed Chau (D-Monterey Park), sponsor of the CCPA considers 10 follow-on bills, including four that would strengthen or expand the privacy act and five that would carve out exemptions for some businesses or otherwise narrow the law. Its proper to acknowledge that some tweaks to the law are warranted. As my colleagues John Myers and Jazmine Ulloa reported, the measure was drafted and enacted on a tight deadline in order to head off a voter initiative that had qualified for the November 2018 ballot. So it bristles with ambiguities and other shortcomings that make it unenforceable and lead to unintended consequences for consumers, as Sarah Boot, a policy expert at the California Chamber, asserts. Within about a week of the laws enactment, the chamber and 39 other business lobbies submitted a 20-page list of proposed fixes. Weve been very careful about what weve asked for, Boot says. Were not trying to roll any rights back. Yet privacy advocates, while conceding that some cleanup is warranted, say many of the chambers recommendations go too far, in the words of Adam Schwartz of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Some would lead to exemptions that would create a society of privacy haves and privacy have-nots, he says. (The foundation and 19 other consumer groups submitted their own chapter-and-verse objections to the chambers wish list.) Lets look at some of the specific battlegrounds. One is the question of who holds the initiative in controlling personal information. This is the difference between an opt-out model, in which businesses can collect and sell your personal information unless you tell them not to, and opt-in, in which they have to get your explicit permission first. The shortcomings of opt-out are obvious this is the system prevailing today, in which consumers signing up for digital services typically are offered a term sheet of thousands of words and the requirement that they agree to all terms, including the sale of their data, to use the service. The CCPA preserves the opt-out model except for consumers younger than 16, who must opt in to the trading or sharing of their personal information (parents or guardians can opt in for consumers younger than 13). But it requires online businesses to provide consumers with an opt-out button to click on, and generally bars them from refusing to serve consumers or charging them extra just because theyve refused to allow the trading of their information. A cleanup bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) would convert all arrangements for the sale or sharing of personal information to the opt-in model. (The bill is on Tuesdays committee agenda.) Thats the right approach; Facebook, Google and their cousins shouldnt be allowed to assume they can sell your personal data by default. Another battleground is targeted advertising. These are the online ads that pollute your internet screen by pushing products or services at you based on your web surfing history. You know how it works check out bicycles online, and youll be seeing ads for bicycles until the end of recorded time. The privacy law could be interpreted as covering the data used for ad targeting, which would be subject to the opt-out rule. A pro-business measure introduced by Sen. Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) would exempt targeted advertising from the CCPA. Bad move. Targeted advertising is a major source of pollution of the online experience. Dont believe those polls claiming its beloved by consumers; the polls generally are sponsored by the advertising industry. The technology underlying ad targeting is very damaging to privacy, Schwartz says, because it uses personal data to steer ads to consumers without their explicit permission. Target advertising also is the driver of the business model that incentivizes firms such as Facebook to scoop up your personal information, so it can be sold to, yes, advertisers. At the very least, it should be subject to opt-in rules, or preferably banned. Then theres the question of enforcement of the CCPA. The act awards that responsibility chiefly to the state attorney general, although individual consumers could sue companies that left their personal data vulnerable to a security breach. A bill introduced by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) would also allow consumers to sue any business that violated their rights under the CCPA. Wicks measure, meanwhile, would extend enforcement rights to district attorneys and city attorneys. Businesses object to those provisions on the grounds they would produce a blizzard of litigation and confused interpretations of the law. The law needs one regulator, Boot says. Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra disagrees, as it happens. Hes the sponsor of Jacksons bill. Becerra says that saddling his office alone with the task of interpreting and enforcing the CCPA would impose serious workability and operational challenges on his office. In a legislative statement supporting consumers right to sue, he added, There is something unfair about giving Californias consumers new rights but denying them the ability to protect themselves if those rights are violated. One scare tactic the business community is using against the law is the claim that it will become, as Boot asserts, a burden to businesses of all sizes, even a pizzeria down the street. Many might have to pay for legal and technical advice about their obligations under the law. Is that plausible? The law applies to businesses with $25 million in annual sales, or access to the personal information of at least 50,000 consumers or devices per year. That would mean 137 new and unique customers every day, weekends included, which sounds like a ton of new patrons for a neighborhood pizzeria. The fact is that the CCPA is aimed chiefly at big online companies engaged in snarfing up your personal data and selling or trading it for profit. Facebook has become, well, the face of the attack on personal privacy, for good reason: Its been impervious to the consequences of its cavalier, profit-driven approach to its users data (and even to data regarding people who arent its direct users). Thats because effective data privacy laws havent existed at any level of government, until now. This is a complicated field with a lot of moving pieces, says Justin Brookman, director of consumer privacy at Consumer Reports. Becerra will have his hands full writing regulations to implement the California Consumer Privacy Act between now and Jan. 1, because hes filling in blanks that have been left open for years. The business community has been derelict in its handling of consumer personal data for years, and now its about to be held to account. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. Struggling to justify its proposed affiliation deal with UC San Francisco, the Catholic hospital chain Dignity Health complains that my recent column about this disturbing proposal gives the wrong impression about how Dignity Health provides care. Thats according a letter to the editor by Dr. Todd Strumwasser, Dignitys senior vice president for operations in the Bay Area, published Friday by The Times. As it happens, the letter itself proves that the principles followed in medical care by UCSF and Dignity Health are irreconcilably at odds, and that the proposal should be dropped. Strumwassers defense is cobbled together from misrepresentations and irrelevancies. More on that in a moment. As I wrote on April 12, the proposed affiliation between UCSF and Dignity Health puts the university and its medical school in the position of participating in an openly discriminatory model of healthcare one that deprives women and LGBTQ patients of equal medical treatment. [Y]our request ... does not meet the requirement of Mercys current sterilization policy or the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services. Dignity Health rejecting a request to perform a tubal ligation on a patient Advertisement The terms of the affiliation are still murky: No formal contract has been presented to the UC regents, even though the regents health services committee has held two meetings on the proposal so far. But judging from the outlines UCSF officials have presented to the committee, Dignitys adherence to Catholic Church directives affecting medical care, including a near-total ban on abortion, is hopelessly at odds with the values of a public institution such as UCSF. Dignitys hospitals are required to comply with the Catholic Churchs statement of common values, which bars direct abortions and fertility services such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), or the churchs stricter ethical and religious directives (ERDs), which bar abortion, the provision of contraceptives, IVF and gender-affirmation services to transgender patients. Two of the four Bay Area hospitals that would be part of the UCSF affiliation are subject to the statement of common values, and two are subject to the ERDs. The implications go well beyond UCSF and its medical center, one of the premier teaching hospitals in the nation. As Robert May of UC Davis, a regent and chair of UCs Academic Senate, put it during the committees April 9 meeting, the idea of affiliation between a university entity and Dignity Health is an issue the entire university should consider. The Academic Senate, he said, has serious, serious concerns about the arrangement, and serious hesitation on any kind of support for this. That brings us back to Strumwassers letter. He writes, At Dignity Health hospitals, all healthcare decisions are made between patients and their doctors. This is flatly untrue. How do we know this? Because Dignity itself says so. The evidence comes from Dignitys statements in two lawsuits currently making their way through the California court system. The first was filed by Rebecca Chamorro, a patient who sought a tubal ligation at Dignitys Mercy Medical Center in Redding. Chamorro was scheduled for a caesarean delivery of her third child in January 2016. She informed her obstetrician that she wished to have no more children and asked his advice. Her doctor, Samuel Van Kirk, suggested she could undergo a tubal ligation while she was on the operating table for her C-section. The procedure would reliably prevent her from becoming pregnant again. As Van Kirk later asserted in a court declaration, the simultaneous procedure is the standard of medical care because the patient is already under anesthesia, all the necessary equipment is at hand, no additional recovery time would be needed, and the procedure would take one to two minutes. Mercys management rejected Van Kirks request to perform the tubal ligation. Its explanation in a letter the hospital sent Van Kirk was that your request does not meet the requirement of Mercys current sterilization policy or the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services. In other words, the decision on Chamorros care was not made between herself and her doctor at all. It was made by Dignity, adhering to precepts that are religious, not medical. Who makes the medical decision here: Dignitys Mercy Medical Center turns down a patients request for a tubal ligation (Chamorro vs. Dignity Health) This was not a trivial interference in Chamorros rights, but a significant burden. To have the tubal ligation, Chamorro eventually would need to undergo anesthesia a second time a health risk in itself. The only hospitals with labor and delivery units within 70 miles of Chamorros home, where she might have been able to undergo the simultaneous delivery and sterilization procedures, are Dignity hospitals with the same strictures against it. The second case involves a decision by Evan Minton, a transgender patient, to undergo a hysterectomy as a gender affirmation procedure. Dignity refused to allow the operation to be done at its Mercy San Juan Medical Center outside Sacramento. The reason, it says in court papers, is that the procedure was not permitted under Catholic doctrine. Dignity further acknowledges that enforcement of the ERDs is vested in the local Catholic Bishop, who could withdraw Mercys Catholic status and sanction the hospitals leadership if they permitted what is, in fact, a legal and medically approved operation. (Minton had the operation a few days later at a Dignity hospital not bound by the ERDs.) Strumwasser asserts in his letter that nothing in the affiliation deal with UCSF would cause any patient to forfeit access to any care. This is misleading. UCSF officials themselves acknowledge that a patient presenting at a Dignity ERD hospital can be transferred to a Dignity facility where he or she can receive the desired treatment, but transfers in themselves can threaten a patients health. Lets not overlook that Rebecca Chamorro was forced to forfeit her access to care at Mercy Medical Center. Strumwasser also writes that Dignity Health hospitals in the Bay Area are vigorous providers of charity care and other services unavailable at some other hospitals. Thats true, but hardly relevant to the issues implicit in the UCSF affiliation. He also points out that the Gender Institute at Dignitys St. Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco is an outstanding provider of care for LGBTQ patients. Also true, and also irrelevant. The point is that Dignity interposes religious mandates throughout its system including at St. Francis. Strumwasser concludes by asserting, It is unrealistic to expect that agreements between institutions should exist only when their respective beliefs and values entirely align. Thats true, up to a point. The question turns on the nature of the agreements, and the nature of the misalignment. The proposed affiliation between UCSF and Dignity, according to whats known about it thus far, involves a drastic misalignment between an institution based on scientific, evidence-based medicine and bound by law to avoid discrimination and a hospital chain hostile to the equal treatment of all and bound to treatment rules that have nothing to do with medicine and can lead to physical harm. UCs duty to reject this deal is not a close call. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. In a rare retreat for Amazon.com Inc., the e-commerce giant plans to shut down its Chinese marketplace business in July as it shifts its focus to offering mainland consumers overseas products rather than goods from local sellers. Amazon will keep running its other businesses in China, including Amazon Web Services, Kindle e-books, and cross-border operations that help ship goods from Chinese merchants to customers abroad. Starting on July 18, customers logging in to Amazons Chinese web portal, Amazon.cn, will only see a selection of goods from its global store, rather than products from third-party sellers. Pulling out of Chinese e-commerce represents a setback for the company in the worlds largest retail market and for Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, known for his willingness to weather losses to achieve long-term gains. Its also the latest example of an American tech company in China struggling to contend with local leaders such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and JD.com Inc., as well as group buying app Pinduoduo Inc., which went public in New York last year. Amazon entered China in 2004, when it bought a local online book seller for $75 million. Since then, its invested in warehouses, data centers, and programs to teach Chinese sellers how to get their goods to Amazon customers. It launched its Prime membership program in China in 2016 with hopes of luring customers with promises of high-quality Western goods and perks including free international deliveries. But extra perks such as Prime Video, which has been used to woo customers in other markets, arent available to users in China. Advertisement Alibaba, JD and other Chinese platforms also ramped up their offerings of everything from American cherries to Australian baby formula with steep discounts. Amazon still has less than 1% market share in China, according to iResearch. However, Amazon is not entirely pulling out of the country, according to a company spokeswoman. The Seattle e-commerce giant will shift its focus of its online retail business in the country to cross-border sales, which cater both to Chinese merchants selling to consumers abroad and to Chinese customers looking for high-quality goods from around the world. The pullback is the latest sign that Amazon is ceding China so it can focus on India, where it stands a better chance of becoming a dominant player. The company has plowed billions of dollars into the India business since opening its website there in 2013, building more than 50 warehouses to support the business. But Amazon still has to contend with Chinese e-commerce players in India, where Alibaba and others are building up operations or investing in local startups such as Paytm E-commerce Pvt and BigBasket. The U.S. naval fleet of the future may one day include submarines without a sailor from bow to stern that prowl the depths of the ocean, navigating mine-infested waters to gather intelligence or even clandestinely drop explosives. The military views autonomous vehicles as a way to accomplish missions deemed too risky, mundane or expensive for human crews. While aerial drones have largely been tasked with these types of duties for more than a decade, the Navy is now increasingly funding robotic ships and undersea drones to complement the work done by its crewed vessels. Last month, Boeing Co. beat out rival Lockheed Martin Corp. for a $46.7-million Navy contract modification to build an Orca undersea drone. Boeing had previously won a contract to build four of the Orca drones, bringing the total contract value for the five to $274.4 million. A large chunk of work will be done at the aerospace giants Huntington Beach facility, and the drones are expected to be completed by 2022. Neither Boeing nor the Navy have disclosed the size of the robot submarines, but Boeing has previously developed and tested a 51-foot-long underwater drone prototype called the Echo Voyager. Advertisement Analysts say the contract, along with the Navys new fiscal year 2020 funding request for further development of uncrewed surface vessels and undersea drones, indicates a new level of commitment to autonomous sea operations. What it shows is that the Navy is willing to start putting some real money behind the acquisition of unmanned undersea vehicles, said Bryan Clark, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments think tank in Washington, D.C. This is the first time the Navy has put significant money down on UUV [unmanned underwater vehicles] that have a military, war-fighting capability. Analysts say undersea drones could be used for missions once conducted by crewed submarines, while the lack of a crew gives the drones an advantage in conducting persistent surveillance for activities that might take place in an area where there is concern about underwater mines, said Margaret E. Kosal, associate professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Future missions might also include deploying military payloads or weapons into a contested area, Clark said. But developing undersea drones comes with a host of technical challenges not experienced by aerial counterparts. For one, water is a much thicker medium, which makes real-time communication much more difficult than sending transmissions through air, said Rosa Zheng, a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at Lehigh University. Undersea drones can use a few different methods of communication, such as acoustics, but must be willing to trade off a slower data rate, shorter transmission distance, or both, she said. As a result, the drones must be endowed with a greater level of autonomy than aerial drones, said Scott Savitz, a senior engineer at the Rand Corp. think tank. Unlike an aerial drone, which can access satellite communications to gain its bearings and show what it sees in real time to a human operator thousands of miles away, an underwater drone loses access to the electromagnetic spectrum once it is below the waterline, he said. That means the drone would have to handle changing weather conditions or avoid obstacles underwater without human assistance. It would also need to resurface to send faster transmissions and gain access to GPS. Theres a need to develop greater autonomy for UUVs than there was for UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] and ... to have enough trust in the system, which can only be achieved through testing, evaluation, usage and so on, Savitz said. Boeing has worked on some of these issues with its Echo Voyager underwater drone prototype. The 51-foot-long, yellow-and-gray submarine-shaped drone has completed more than 2,500 hours of ocean testing, including two sea trials. During the first tests in 2017, Echo Voyager operated for about three months off the coast of Southern California while monitored by a crewed chase boat. The drone is powered by a hybrid electric-battery/marine-diesel system. A generator kicks in when the battery runs low, and the drone will periodically resurface to snorkel depth to raise a mast that provides air to run the diesel engines, which recharge the batteries. During the first sea trials, Boeing tested the drones ability to surface, recharge and submerge, as well as its control in currents and waves. The drone is designed to be programmable so it can launch from shore, complete its mission and then return when its done, said Deborah VanNierop, a Boeing spokeswoman. Echo Voyager is currently in its second round of sea trials, which began last year, VanNierop said. Testing and lessons learned from Echo Voyager have been incorporated into the Orca design to improve reliability and reduce risk, Boeing said. However, VanNierop said the two vehicles will not be exactly the same. Eventually, the Navy could pair these underwater drones with their uncrewed surface counterparts. This year, the Navys 132-foot-long Sea Hunter autonomous surface vessel sailed from San Diego to Hawaii and back without crew aboard. The ships maker, Reston, Va.-based Leidos, said humans made very short duration boardings only to check electrical and propulsion systems. These kinds of medium-size vessels could be used for sensing operations, to conduct electronic warfare and to support crewed aircraft carriers, Clark said. Larger autonomous surface vessels could even be used to deploy undersea drones. Just as it took some time to figure out how submarines would be interacting with the rest of the fleet, and their various roles ... likewise, theres going to be an evolutionary process with respect to deployment of UUVs for a wide range of missions, Savitz said. Federal regulators are reportedly considering seeking some kind of oversight of Mark Zuckerbergs leadership of Facebook over the social network giants mishandling of users personal information. Discussions between Facebook and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission officials about its data-handing lapses have touched on holding the chief executive personally accountable, the Washington Post reported Friday. Zuckerberg controls a majority of Facebooks voting stock and has run the company since starting it at Harvard in 2004. The Post quoted two anonymous sources familiar with the discussions. It said putting restraints on Zuckerberg could send a message to other tech giants that the FTC could hold their executives accountable for privacy misdeeds. The FTC had no comment, and Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement The commission opened an investigation into Facebook last year after revelations that data mining firm Cambridge Analytica had gathered details on as many as 87 million Facebook users without their permission. The FTC has been examining whether that massive breakdown violated a settlement that Facebook reached in 2011 after government regulators concluded the Menlo Park, Calif., company had repeatedly broken its privacy promises to users, who now number 2.3 billion globally. The FTC decree, which runs through 2031, requires that Facebook get its users consent to share their personal information in ways that arent allowed by their privacy settings. The Post previously reported the FTC is considering hitting Facebook with a multibillion-dollar fine. That would top its previous record fine of $22.5 million, which it dealt to Google in 2012 for bypassing the privacy controls in Apples Safari browser. Facebook has in the past year been buffeted by media coverage highlighting what critics call a cavalier attitude toward protecting user privacy and data and in failing to prevent the dissemination of hate speech and misinformation on the biggest communications medium in history. On Thursday, its Instagram subsidiary said in a blog post that millions more users were affected by a password security lapse than Facebook acknowledged when announcing the problem nearly four weeks ago. In the initial announcement it had said tens of thousands of passwords were stored on the site in plain text, meaning company employees could search them. It said the passwords were stored on internal company servers, where no outsiders could access them. The possible action by the FTC to hold Zuckerberg personally responsible for the social media sites woes comes amid a legal dispute over reports Facebook has submitted to the agency about the adequacy of its privacy-protection measures. Facebook has had to submit to privacy assessments every other year for 20 years as part of the 2011 settlement over charges that it deceived users when it said they could keep their data private. Facebook hired PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to conduct the reviews, and the consulting firm has concluded that the privacy program was working. But in three reports that the FTC has made public, dozens of pages have been blanked out The Electronic Privacy Information Center is suing the FTC to make the disclosures under government open-records laws amid questions about the accuracy and thoroughness of those checkups given Facebooks string of missteps. The FTC redacted parts of the reports under laws intended to protect business and trade secrets, but the nonprofit privacy center is questioning those judgments. The FTCs investigation into Facebook is one of the most high-profile and important privacy enforcement issues in the United States over the last 10 years, and the public has a right to know whats going on, said Alan Butler, a senior counsel at the privacy center. Facebook told the FTC and privacy center on April 9 it planned to intervene in the lawsuit in an effort to block the release of the unredacted records. The judge gave Facebook until May 3 to file. Alysa Hutnik, who chairs the privacy practice at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, said its not always easy to say whether an agency should treat business information as confidential, particularly with respect to privacy protections, which some tech companies now view as part of their competitive value. She said Facebook may seek to postpone the case because a dispute over similar issues is headed to the Supreme Court. PwC declined to comment. Bloomberg contributed to this report. The hugely popular air routes between the U.S. and Europe are dominated by the biggest U.S. airlines, which partner with international carriers to fly travelers to other parts of the world. Icelandic carrier Wow Air tried to undermine the status quo with dirt-cheap flights across the Atlantic Ocean. It shut down abruptly last month. Norwegian Air, another low-cost carrier that tried to shake up the industry with bare-bones transatlantic fares, was forced by cost overruns to sell aircraft, cut routes and postpone delivery of new planes. Now along comes New York-based JetBlue Airways with plans to launch low-cost service from Boston and New York to London in 2021. Advertisement Despite the financial calamity that has fallen on other low-cost carriers, JetBlue may be able to break into the transatlantic market, with ticket prices that even working-class travelers can afford, according to industry analysts. JetBlue may succeed partly because it has a loyal East Coast following and offers a highly popular business-class ticket with lie-flat seats and flat-screen televisions, experts say. And just to be safe, the airline is starting off modestly so it can test the market before investing too heavily. JetBlue seems to be taking a more cautious approach, said Madhu Unnikrishnan, editor of the publication Airline Weekly. They are doing it in a low-risk way, unlike Norwegian and Wow, so its worth launching. If JetBlue succeeds, the introduction of a new low-cost rival for transatlantic flights is likely to put pressure on carriers such as Delta, American and United, which charge as much as $8,000 for a round-trip business-class seat on flights to Europe. A study by the travel research site Hopper found that when JetBlue has launched new domestic routes in the past, overall prices on that route dropped by more than 50%. When the airline added new international routes, overall prices dipped about 12%. There is definitely that potential for them to do the same, Unnikrishnan said. One reason low-cost carriers have struggled to compete against large carriers on transatlantic flights is that Delta, United and American already offer a competitive bare-bones fare, called basic economy on flights to Europe. But analysts say JetBlue might have better luck competing with the bigger rivals because, in addition to offering economy seats, the carrier also sells a business-class fare, dubbed Mint with comfy lie-flat seats and upgraded food and drinks. JetBlue is prohibited by federal law from discussing future ticket prices but Unnikrishnan said that based on JetBlues current fares, the transatlantic Mint ticket could be priced at about $1,200 compared with $8,000 business-class fares on the larger airlines. I think the biggest advantage JetBlue has will be its Mint product, which is very highly regarded in the U.S. transcontinental market and in other long-haul markets where the aircraft is in service, said Helane Becker, an analyst who covers airlines for Cowen & Co. And large rivals will be less likely to try to quash JetBlue with competing fares if JetBlue doesnt expand or price too aggressively, said Philip Baggaley, a senior transportation analyst at Standard & Poors Ratings Services. When JetBlue announced plans to fly to London from Boston and New York, the airlines president and chief operating officer, Joanna Geraghty, took a shot at the fares charged by her rivals, vowing to give travelers another option. Given a chance to compete, JetBlue can have a tremendous effect on lowering fares and stimulating traffic, she said. The announcement got a warm welcome on social media, with many travelers complaining that they have to wait until 2021 to buy the transatlantic tickets on JetBlue. Oh sweet lord yes! The amount of $$$$ I've spent on that route over the years is, ohhhhh one might say "OBSCENE"! Very much looking forward to another horse in the race. Henry R. Lewis (@HenryRLewis2) April 12, 2019 JetBlue has not announced which airport it plans to serve in London, but Heathrow Airport is the closest and preferred airport to Englands largest city. If JetBlue plans to fly to Heathrow, it is not clear whether the carrier will have to pay or trade for slots with another airline that already operates at the airport. Slots are scheduled times when an airline can use a runway. Slots at Heathrow can be pricey. Oman Air, the national airline of Oman, set a record in 2017, paying $75 million in a deal with Air France, KLM and Kenya Airway for a pair of take-off and landing slots at Heathrow. JetBlue spokesman Philip Stewart declined to say which airport the carrier plans to serve or how it would acquire future slots. We are confident that we have a viable path into more than one London airport, he said. JetBlues strategy of starting out with one European destination before expanding quickly may be what will save the carrier from suffering the fate of other low-cost carriers that have ventured into low-cost transatlantic routes. Norwegian Air, the Oslo-based carrier that began in 2013 to sell discounted transatlantic fares, was forced to streamline its operations and delay delivery of new planes due to a rapid expansion, surging fuel costs and mechanical problems that left the carrier with big debt and steep revenue losses. Norwegian Air spokesman Anders Lindstrom acknowledged that the carrier has been growing fast, adding 25 routes from the U.S. to Europe last year. So far this year, Norwegian has only added four transatlantic routes, he said. Our focus is to return to profitability in 2019, he said. Looking forward, its going to be more sustainable rather than rapid growth. As for Wow Air, the low-cost carrier that launched routes between North America and Europe in 2015, analysts say it also grew too fast and was forced to cut service to Europe last year from cities including Cleveland, St. Louis, Miami and Cincinnati. But that was not enough to save the airline. When separate deals to sell the carrier and to bring in capital from an industry investor fell through, Wow Air ceased operations in March, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and frustrated. Stranded in Iceland because of #wowair. Anyone have a private plane to get us out of here? icelandair is booked unless we pay $5000+.... #bankrupcty #stranded #iceland #wowairclosed that ginger girl (@kmbaldau) March 28, 2019 hugo.martin@latimes.com To read more about the travel and tourism industries, follow @hugomartin on Twitter. Ahead of an initial public offering expected next month, Uber Technologies Inc. secured a $1-billion investment in its self-driving unit from three Japanese companies. Denso Corp., Toyota Motor Corp. and SoftBank Group Corp.s Vision Fund bought stakes in the unit, valuing the arm at $7.25 billion, according to a statement. The deal will help Uber, which tallied a $3-billion operating loss last year, to continue funding a very costly endeavor. Uber publicly filed a prospectus to go public last week and is expected to begin a road show to promote the stock before the end of the month. The offering could value Uber at about $100 billion, people familiar with the matter have said. The autonomous-car investment is the second major deal struck in the weeks leading up to the IPO. Uber Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi said last month that the company had agreed to acquire Middle Eastern rival Careem for $3.1 billion. With Uber remaining the majority shareholder in the autonomous-car venture, public investors will still be exposed to a substantial expense. Uber spent $457 million last year on technology investments, including the self-driving-car business. However, the pre-IPO deal will help the company argue that the autonomous program is a valuable component of its business. Advertisement The deal is expected to close in the third quarter, Uber said. Together, Toyota and the auto supplier Denso will invest $667 million in the self-driving unit, while the SoftBank Vision Fund will chip in $333 million. SoftBank was already the largest shareholder in Uber, with a 16% holding. Toyota has a smaller stake. SoftBank hasnt been able to take two board seats at Uber that were granted as part of its investment more than a year ago. Because of an impending U.S. national security review, SoftBank may never get those seats, but it will have rights to join a new board as part of the autonomous-car deal. The new corporate entity will have a board composed of six Uber-appointed members, one appointed by Toyota and one from SoftBanks Vision Fund, a person familiar with the matter said. That seat will also require U.S. security approval. Most large employers offer some type of workplace wellness program efforts to get workers to lose weight, eat better, stress less and sleep more with growth fueled by incentives in the federal Affordable Care Act. But no one has been sure that the $8-billion industry improves employee health or reduces employers medical costs. Studies over the years have provided conflicting results, with some showing savings and health improvements while others say the efforts fall short. Many studies, however, faced a number of limitations, such as failing to have a comparison group, or figuring out whether people who sign up for such wellness programs are somehow healthier or more motivated than those who do not. Advertisement Researchers from the University of Chicago and Harvard may have overcome some of these obstacles with one of the first large-scale studies that employs more sophisticated research techniques. It was published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association. They randomly assigned 20 BJs Wholesale Club outlets to offer a wellness program to all employees, then compared results with 140 stores that did not. The big-box retailer employed nearly 33,000 workers across all 160 clubs during the test. After 18 months, it turned out that yes, workers participating in the wellness programs self-reported healthier behavior, such as exercising more or managing their weight better than those not enrolled. But the efforts did not result in differences in health measures, such as improved blood sugar or glucose levels; how much employers spent on health care; or how often employees missed work, their job performance or how long they stuck around in their jobs. The optimistic interpretation is there is no way we can get improvements in health or more efficient spending if we dont first have changes in health behavior, said one study author, Katherine Baicker, dean of the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. (Dr. Zirui Song, an assistant professor of health policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School, was its co-author.) But if employers are offering these programs in hopes that health spending and absenteeism will go down, this study should give them pause, Baicker said. The Kaiser Family Foundations annual survey of employers found that 53% of small firms and 82% of large firms offer a program in at least one of these areas: smoking cessation, weight management and behavioral or lifestyle change. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.) Some programs are simple, offering gift cards or other small incentives to fill out a health risk assessment, take a lunch-and-learn class or join a gym or walking group. Others are far more invasive, asking employees to report on a variety of health-related questions and roll up their sleeves for blood tests. A few employers tie financial incentives to workers actually lowering risk factors, such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, or making concerted efforts to participate in programs that might help them do so over time. In the study reported in JAMA, the incentives were modest. Participants got small-dollar gift cards for taking wellness courses on topics such as nutrition, exercise, disease management and stress control. Total potential incentives averaged $250. About 35% of eligible employees at the 20 participating sites completed at least one module. Results were compared with 20 sites where workers were not offered the wellness gift cards and classes. Overall employment and health spending data from all worksites were included in the study. Wellness program vendors said details matter when considering whether efforts will be successful. Jim Pshock, founder and CEO of Bravo Wellness, said the incentives offered to BJs workers might not have been large enough to spur the kinds of big changes needed to affect health outcomes. Amounts of less than $400 generally incentivize things people were going to do anyway. Its simply too small to get them to do things they werent already excited about, he said. An accompanying editorial in JAMA noted that traditional, broad-based programs like the one analyzed by Song and Baicker may lack the necessary intensity, duration, and focus on particular employee segments to generate significant effects over a short time horizon. In other words, dont give up entirely on wellness efforts, but consider more targeted approaches that focus on specific workers with higher risks or on health behaviors [that] may yield larger health and economic benefits, the editorial suggested. It could be, the study acknowledges, that 18 months isnt enough time to track such savings. So, Baicker and Song also plan to publish three-year results once they are finalized. Still, similar findings were recently reported in another randomized control trial conducted at the University of Illinois, where individuals were randomly selected to be offered wellness programs. In one interesting point, that study found that wellness-program participants were probably already healthier and more motivated, thus a primary benefit of these programs to employers may be their potential to attract and retain healthy workers with low medical spending. Everyone involved in studying or conducting wellness agrees on one thing: Changing behavior and getting people motivated to participate at all can be difficult. Steven Aldana, CEO of WellSteps, a wellness program vendor, said that for the efforts to be successful they must cut across many areas, from the food served in company cafeterias to including spouses or significant others to help people quit smoking, eat better or exercise more. Behavior is more complicated than simply taking a few wellness modules, Aldana said. Its a lifestyle matrix or pattern you have to adopt. Appleby writes for Kaiser Health News. How would have Yuval Sharons bewildering new production of Mozarts The Magic Flute gone over in Los Angeles? That was the first thing that crossed my mind as I walked out of the opera house and into a Berlin rain on a frigid day in March. Sharon, the ever disruptive artist-collaborator of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and artistic director of the experimental opera company the Industry, has made L.A. the locus for opera reinvention in America and gets national attention for each of his grand experiments. But Americas major opera companies presumably view Sharon as a troublemaker, whereas Berlins most important opera company was willing to entrust this cheeky young American with work that is a national pastime in Germany. The Magic Flute is taught to schoolchildren, and parents bought tickets long before scabrous opening-night reviews warned of a manga-meets-Mozart production that was a disaster on every level, musically and theatrically. But the kids wound up loving what the European critics loathed. Stylish young couples cheered almost as enthusiastically, drowning out a boo or two from the inevitable, grumpily reverent Flute follower. Unless American opera companies get a very loud and insistent wake-up call, well never see 18th century opera characters disguised as Astro Boy and Girl wondrously flying around the stage, eventually gaining surprisingly touching humanity. Well never know what effect that would have on our youth, to say nothing of the perpetuation of the art form itself. Advertisement Manga, video games and puppets mix with Mozart in L.A. director Yuval Sharons production of The Magic Flute in Berlin. (Monika Rittershaus / Saatsoper Berlin) This is not an idle curiosity. Over two recent weeks in Europe, night after night I attended operas that were in one way or another West Coast-centric. Most have little chance of crossing the pond. Yes, we make and mount great opera in this country. Los Angeles Opera can take justifiable pride in having premiered Ellen Reids prism, which just won this years Pulitzer Prize in music. But this is small-scale work, and it makes missing the bigger, more ambitious picture all the more frustrating. The original reason for my trip was to report on the 90th birthday concert for Frank Gehry that pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim put on in the Pierre Boulez Saal, the hall that the L.A. architect had designed for the Barenboim-Said Akademie in Berlin. Then I noticed that the next night there was a performance of Sharons Magic Flute. The night before, at Komische Oper down the road, was director Barrie Koskys re-conceived and revelatory Brechtian production of West Side Story that was supposed to come to Los Angeles Opera until union officials put the kibosh on it because it relies on too much stage fog. There was more in Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Brussels vital and innovative music theater that involved our artists. I had come upon an ad hoc festival that, in the most artistically logical and environmentally responsible worlds, would be within driving distance of anyone in L.A. This is not coincidence. When it came to opera and music theater in the 1970s and 1980s, if you wanted to keep up with Americas most influential composers (notably John Cage, Morton Feldman and Philip Glass), choreographers (Merce Cunningham and Mark Morris) and directors (Robert Wilson and Peter Sellars), you scoured the news from Europe. A few big events in the 1980s and 1990 the L.A. Olympic Arts Festival and its follow-up Los Angeles Festival, New Yorks Pepsico Summerfare and the recently disbanded Lincoln Center Festival brought some of the work back home. But America no longer has any festival on this scale. The Brooklyn Academy of Music was a reliably importer and remains so, if on a smaller scale, and what would we do without the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA or REDCAT downtown? American opera companies do now and then stick their toes into new and adventurous work, so long as its not too challenging or controversial or chance-taking or expensive. But these are the exceptions. That I could stumble on so much more in a two-week period overseas suggests a whole different order of things. Director Barrie Koskys revelatory West Side Story, which was supposed to come to Los Angeles Opera, at Komische Oper Berlin. (Iko Freese/ drama-berlin.de) The reasons are varied. Money remains No. 1. We lack the government support for the arts taken for granted in so many places, from St. Petersburg to Abu Dhabi. That is lessening in certain countries, with the British notably singing the blues. But they find ways to proceed anyway, especially when what they are peddling is imagination. The shining proof that vision sells is the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which has become the best-funded and most financially stable orchestra in America, and maybe the world, by being the least risk adverse. What are we missing in opera? A good place to start might be Austrian composer Olga Neuwirths The Outcast, which I heard in Hamburgs imposing new Elbphilharmonie. Her wildly inventive feminist take on Moby-Dick has an English libretto by Barry Gifford, the L.A. novelist and screenwriter. Neuwirth based her startlingly fresh first opera in 2003 on Giffords screenplay to David Lynchs Lost Highway, which earlier this season had a new production by Sharon at Frankfurt Opera (one he hopes to re-create for the Industry in 2022). She is also the composer of the opera American Lulu. Yet there has never been a professional production of Neuwirths American operas in this country. From Call me Ishmael her very first words in The Outcast, the narrator brings a whole new meaning. I have to masquerade as a boy to be hired as a sailor, Ishmaela explains, never having been comfortable as a woman. Ahab, Queequeg, Starbuck and Pip are all there and true to their Melvillean natures, but so is the cantankerous writer himself. Old Melville sits at his desk mistrusting power, decrying capitalism and its pillaging of oceans and seeking the meaning of life in the self, as Ishmaela must in her identity. This is the Moby-Dick for our times in numerous ways philosophical, societal, personal and interpersonal, governmental, spiritual, institutional, religious, political and environmental. And musical. Through electronics, an original use of instrumental colors (Ilan Volkov conducted the excellent Vienna ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra) and her startlingly effective writing for voice, Neuwirth makes it all matter. At the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, the Munich Boys Choirs sings in The Outcast, composer Olga Neuwirths wildly inventive feminist take on Moby Dick, with an English libretto by L.A. writer Barry Gifford. (Claudia Hoehne) All the more remarkable was the next night in Amsterdam, where I caught up with the Dutch National Operas newly revised version of John Adams Girls of the Golden West. Just as The Outcast recasts Moby Dick from the point of view of women and people of color, Adams latest opera, with a libretto and production by Sellars, takes the same approach to the California Gold Rush. Girls of the Golden West, moreover, is set in 1850, the very year Melville was writing Moby-Dick. San Francisco Opera gets full credit for commissioning and premiering Girls of the Golden West in 2017. The need for revision is only natural for a work of such ambition and seriousness. The outstanding cast and conductor (L.A. Opera resident conductor Grant Gershon) were the same. But my first question to the Dutch National Opera after the final curtain was whether the sets were new. No, the originals were crated and shipped from America. In San Francisco, they looked tacky and unfinished. In Amsterdam, they created a resplendent aura. The difference was that San Franciscos tight budget did not accommodate lighting designer James F. Ingalls proper rehearsal, and light made all the difference in drawing in an audience from the get-go and changing the whole feeling of the show. One lesson from Europe is dont skimp. Its not worth it. Davone Tines, center, in the Dutch National Opera production of John Adams Girls of the Golden West in Amsterdam. (Ruth Walz) Heres another hard-to-believe quirk of chance. Mark Grey, the exceptional sound designer of Girls, had his opera Frankenstein premiering at one of the historically most imaginative European opera companies, La Monnaie, in Brussels. Like Adams, Grey is a Bay Area composer and is a familiar figure at Walt Disney Concert Hall, where he has created sound designs for Adams theater works and his own pieces performed by the L.A.Phil and Master Chorale. Weve been long overdue for a major Frankenstein opera, and this futuristic version filled the bill. The English libretto by Spanish playwright Julia Canosa i Serra proved at times heavy-handed, but her update of Mary Shelleys 201-year-old groundbreaking science-fiction classic to a thousand years into the future is relevant. A fossil of the monster is found trapped in ice and brought back to life. Thanks to the ability to materialize the monsters memories, the creature is still capable of wreaking havoc, and the opera becomes a gripping metaphor for the intersection of machine and humanity. Greys use of electronics aurally modernized the old opera house, and his warmly modernist score compassionately accentuated Topi Lehtipuus frightening portrayal of a monster discovering the meaning of emotions. This Frankenstein illumines the ultimate outcast and could also be interpreted as a metaphysical corollary to Sharons Flute. There is no word of Frankenstein coming to America. (The production can be screened for a limited time on operavision.eu.) But Grey and Canosa i Sierra are writing a chamber opera, Birds in the Moon, that will have its premiere in Berkeley next year. And speaking of Berkeley Lets talk for a minute about Kent Nagano, who transformed a one-time collective of disgruntled music students, amateur musicians and stray hippies into the significant cultural institution that became the Berkeley Symphony and who was the first music director of L.A. Opera. Nagano has next to no presence in the U.S. these days, although he still maintains a residence in San Francisco and is the highly successful music director of the Montreal Symphony. In Europe, he is one of the most important figures in opera. Staatsoper Berlin staged Babylon, a new production of Jorg Widmanns extraordinary opera, originally commissioned by Kent Nagano. (Jens Schlueter / EPA-EFE / ReX) My recent trip included a pair of newsworthy opening nights, both thanks to a behind-the-scenes Nagano. Staatsoper Berlin had a new production of Jorg Widmanns extraordinary grand opera Babylon, which Nagano had commissioned when he was head of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. The Hamburg State Opera, where Nagano is music director, was premiering a production of Verdis Nabucco directed remotely by Kirill Serebrennikov, who is under house arrest in Moscow after reputedly running afoul of the Kremlin. Yet back home, L.A. Opera has lost much of its moxie since Naganos departure a decade ago. The company ignores not only Sharon but also Sellars, two of the worlds most notable directors; the latter also a longtime UCLA professor. Rather than mount Sellars revelatory production of La Clemenza di Tito, created for the Salzburg Festival two years ago (check it out on medici.tv), which gave new currency to Mozarts neglected last opera, L.A. Opera recently made a new production crammed with cliches that sank fine singing and conducting. Its an old story that you have to make it first somewhere else before you can be taken seriously at home. But at the moment, we have a plethora of prodigal sons and daughters we foolishly ignore, thinking we either cant afford them or arent ready for them, when it is just the opposite. SPRING CLASSICAL PICKS: Hannigans Ojai, Central Park Five and more The last time the world saw notorious drug trafficker Teresa Mendoza, she had narrowly evaded capture by Spanish police, survived a shootout that resulted in the death of her most loyal associate, publicly testified over the narcotrafficking roots of a prominent Mexican politician, then disappeared into the clutches of the U.S. witness protection program all while pregnant with the child of a onetime lover whose death she had personally ordered. That was in May of 2011. At that time, viewers of television all over the world thought that was the last they would ever see of La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the South), the smash Telemundo soap that turned Mexican actress Kate del Castillo into an international star and which counted among its most prominent fans none other than El Chapo, then the chief of the Sinaloa cartel. Narcos vs. narco novelas: In Latin Americas cartel TV shows, a compelling complexity Theyd always flirted with the idea of doing a second part, says Del Castillo, as she sinks into a comfortable couch on the terrace of her Los Angeles home, glass of wine in hand. It was such a success that, you know, networks get excited. But I never wanted to do a second part. Advertisement I was, like, this is perfect, she adds emphatically. Lets just leave it like it is. Why tamper with that? But eight years after La Reina made history, becoming a global pop cultural phenomenon and helping Telemundo beat the English-language networks in prime time, the queen is back in a major way. In the second season of Telemundos La Reina del Sur, Teresa Mendoza, played by Kate del Castillo, emerges from hiding to hunt down her daughters kidnappers. (Telemundo) ALSO: She met El Chapo. Now, Kate del Castillo is afraid to return to Mexico Forget the internecine machinations of Game of Thrones. The most intriguing power struggle on TV in the coming weeks will be the hotly anticipated second season of La Reina del Sur, which kicks off Monday night on Telemundo. I always wanted to play Teresa again, I just didnt want to force anything, says Del Castillo, who despite a petite frame looks statuesque in a silky cream duster and high-heeled boots, her mini pinscher Lola trotting around at her feet. You know, there is so much expectation. I mean, even right now, I am really nervous to be honest. For the network, the second season of La Reina is a case of stars aligning. Like Del Castillo, many of the shows other principal players had been skeptical about revisiting a program that had been so wildly successful. And Del Castillo had become very protective of a character that had come to define her career and her life. Kate del Castillo returns as a more mature, more maternal La Reina del Sur. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) Im broke. Ive been paying lawyers in the United States and Mexico for so many years. Kate del Castillo I was going through a very bad moment with my second marriage, she recalls of shooting the first season. So I would cry with her. And when people on the series would get hurt or died because of her, I would suffer with her. I think thats one of the reasons that I made her so mine. Also on the list of skeptics was Arturo Perez-Reverte, the Spanish novelist who wrote the best-selling book upon which the series is based and who would have to approve any new project. It took three years to convince Arturo Perez-Reverte to do this, says Marcos Santana, president of Telemundo Global Studios, which produced the show in conjunction with Netflix. We also had to reunite writers from the original team. That took a long time. The story picks up eight years after the original concluded an ending that left Teresa Mendoza pregnant and alone in an undisclosed location. The new season finds her living under an assumed identity with her daughter in the Italian countryside. It is in this pastoral setting that her past catches up with her, and her enemies in Mexicos Sinaloa cartel kidnap her child. Mexican tabloids cover the story of the meeting between El Chapo and Sean Penn and Kate del Castillo in 2016. (Pedro Pardo / AFP / Getty Images) ALSO: In the Netflix docu-series The Day I Met El Chapo, Kate del Castillo tells her story To be certain, the second season is no simple reboot. If the premiere episode is evidence of what is to come, Telemundo is kicking it up several notches with a visibly better wardrobe budget, plenty of action and oodles of location shooting. (The production traveled to eight countries, including Italy, Spain, Belize, Colombia and Mexico.) Moreover, Del Castillo, who is fiercely committed to authenticity, did her own stunts including a motorcycle sequence in the first episode that has her chasing the baddies around a Tuscan town at life-threatening speeds. (Not entirely unusual for the actress, who keeps a Ducati Monster at home.) Its a more mature Teresa, says Del Castillo of her character, whose drive now is the maternal urge to rescue her child. Shes now blinded. Shes gonna kill everybody. Kate del Castillo in a scene from the second seasons of La Reina del Sur. (Telemundo) If Teresa Mendoza is now more mature, so is the actress who plays her, notes Santana. What we encountered was another actress of incredible skill, he says. She was so committed. Certainly, the intervening years for Del Castillo have played out like one of the convoluted plots in La Reina del Sur. It began with Del Castillos infamous late-night tweet storm from 2012 that was directed in part to Joaquin El Chapo Guzman Loera tweets that led the capos lawyers to reach out to the actress to arrange a meeting about a movie deal. Like the rest of the viewing planet, Guzman was also hooked on La Reina del Sur. The meeting ultimately went down in 2015 in the company of actor Sean Penn, who wrote about it in a rambling 10,500-word piece for Rolling Stone. Guzman was apprehended shortly after this gathering. Later, it came out that the meeting with the actors had helped the authorities track down and arrest Guzman. El Chapo was quickly extradited to the United States and put on trial. In February, he was convicted for drug trafficking and operating a criminal enterprise, among other charges. This sequence of events turned Del Castillos life upside down. Her text exchanges with El Chapo were leaked to the press, she was investigated for possible money laundering, and the investigation left her unable to return to her native Mexico for almost three years. Not a single charge was filed against Del Castillo, but the experience nonetheless took a toll. Im broke, says the actress with resignation. Ive been paying lawyers in the United States and Mexico for so many years. Last year, she filed a $60 million suit against the Mexican government for damages on the unjustified investigation. The actress believes she became a target of the Mexican government because she made them look ham-handed. It did make them look bad because it was like, Look, here a performer was able to get a meeting [with El Chapo] and you guys supposedly cant find him, she says. While Del Castillo has moved on professionally she just wrapped shooting on Bad Boys for Life with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence she says she will never be able to leave this episode of her life completely behind her. I know its something thats gonna be haunting me forever, she says. But I take responsibility for that. I decided to go down there. It was in my hands and I assume the responsibility. In the meantime, Del Castillo is only looking forward. In addition to the film, she is at work on a one-woman stage show that she is not yet ready to announce. And, of course, there is the second season of La Reina del Sur to look forward to which has reconnected her to a character that has been vital to her career. Teresa Mendoza is wily and headstrong. She is a survivor. She somehow manages to surmount the insurmountable. There are so many things of Teresa that I have in me, says Del Castillo. And I think Teresa has a lot of things that Ive given to her. La Reina del Sur Where: Telemundo When: Premieres Monday at 10 p.m.; airs weeknights at 10 p.m. Rated: TV14 DLV carolina.miranda@latimes.com | Twitter: @cmonstah The first half of the musical Falsettos is set in 1979, the second in 1981 years when Marvin, who leaves his wife and son for a man, was on the wrong side of sodomy laws in a number of states and didnt have a lot of rights he could count on. Yet from the start, he emphatically sings: I want a tightknit family / I want a group that harmonizes / I want my wife and kid and friend / To pretend / Time will mend / Our pain. He adds: I swear were gonna come through it. / I fear well probably fight. And fight they do. Discord, heartache and resentment routinely erupt. Yet although one family is pulled apart, it keeps rearranging into new forms and remains, quite resolutely, a family. Advertisement This warts-and-all depiction of daily life makes Falsettos remarkable. Also exasperating. But the honesty is refreshing in the post-Broadway touring production thats visiting the Ahmanson Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Falsettos emerged from three one-act musicals: In Trousers (first seen in 1979), March of the Falsettos (1981) and Falsettoland (1990). The story, music and lyrics are by William Finn, who later delivered the delightful The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. James Lapine Stephen Sondheims collaborator on shows including Sunday in the Park With George directed the premieres of the second and third Marvin musicals and co-wrote the third. Those two were packaged as Falsettos and graduated from off-Broadway and regional productions to Broadway in 1992. Lapine, who also directed the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos, is credited as the combined shows co-writer. Those who havent seen the piece since its 1993-94 swing through the Southland might wonder whether its become dated. Nope, not at all. There will always be Marvins and Trinas (his wife) and Jasons (his preteen son) in the world, getting on one anothers nerves, coping with disruptions, crawling out from beneath grief. The show itself, though, can be a challenge. Its a series of songs with no connecting dialogue, so the storytelling is elliptical. Your ears must be on high alert at all times. Add to that melodies that, in capturing the characters neuroses, are often jumpy and frenetic. Plus: All these sharp-edged personalities put some people off. Ive seen Falsettos with friends whove laughed and sniffled through it and with others whove been restlessly, audibly frustrated. Either response is understandable. But when the agitated melodies relax into lyricism oh, my. The music and words reach deep inside and trigger all sorts of emotions. Marvin is a yuppie-era New Yorker, ambitious and financially secure. Although hes gone off to live with Whizzer, he insists that Trina, Jason and Whizzer spend quality time together. Marvin is in therapy no surprise. Trina soon heads there too to the same psychiatrist, Mendel and precocious Jason is urged to do so as well. The youngster acquiesces, even though he is perhaps the wisest and most self-aware of the bunch, watching the adults in bewilderment. Jason (Thatcher Jacobs) receives batting tips from Whizzer (Nick Adams) while the rest of his family watches from the bleachers. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) Life becomes fights and games, as the lyrics put it. Trina cries and laughs uncontrollably while trying to prepare dinner in the tour-de-force Im Breaking Down. Various characters repeatedly declare, I never wanted to love you and This had better come to an end. Then, just when Marvin might be on the verge of fitting the pieces of his life back together, he ends the first half by sending it crashing down. David Rockwells set leaves the stage mostly bare except for a giant cube that pulls apart into Jenga-like pieces that the actors form into furniture arrangements and doorways. A frustrated push from Marvin topples everything. Characters often remain onstage when theyre not in a scene, tossing comments from the side. Jennifer Caprio costumes them in primary colors brighter than most people would dare wear in real life. Choreographer Spencer Liff sends everyone into fits of giddy or distressed movement. What were watching feels like a dream awaiting our analysis. The second half, by contrast, relaxes into pastels and somewhat more civil behavior. Marvin declares, Its about time, dont you think? / Its about time to grow up. He and Whizzer have split; preparations for Jasons bar mitzvah frequently put him at odds with his ex-wife. But, yes, everyone seems to be growing up. Under Lapines beautifully calibrated direction, the action becomes ever more realistic and Marvin finally seems happy as he sings the scores most ravishing number the hushed, lullaby-like love song What More Can I Say? to the sleeping Whizzer, whom hes managed to find his way back to. The next moment, their doctor neighbor is singing Something Bad Is Happening: Bachelors arrive sick and frightened. / They leave weeks later, unenlightened. And, because this is the early 80s, we fear what that means. The cast arrives bearing solid Broadway credits, but the only names you might recognize are Eden Espinosa, one of the better-known Elphabas in Wicked, as Trina, and Max von Essen, a featured actor Tony nominee for An American in Paris, as Marvin. Both have rich, focused voices that alternately quiver with disquiet and soar with hope. Young Jason (Thatcher Jacobs) takes a spin with Mendel (Nick Blaemire) in Falsettos. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times) L.A. THEATER: Our weekly column on whats opening Nick Blaemire is a treat as playful, funny Mendel. As Jason, Thatcher Jacobs (appearing at Wednesdays opening, one of two young actors in the role) combines a strong boy soprano voice with just the right eye-rolling, give-me-a-break, preteen attitude. Nick Adams Whizzer might be vain, a bit flighty and not a big fan of monogamy but hes a stalwart and compassionate additional father figure. A band of four, led by P. Jason Yarcho, performs from a platform behind the set. Events cause everyone in Marvins life to realize, as Trina puts it: Life is never what you planned / Life is moments you cant understand. But they all want more. ===== Falsettos Where: Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave. L.A. When: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays (some exceptions); ends May 19 Tickets: $30-$145 (subject to change) Information: (213) 972-4400, centertheatregroup.org Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes Support our coverage of local artists and the local arts scene by becoming a digital subscriber. See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts. They may have seemed like a Pitch Perfect couple, but Anna Camp and Skylar Astin are getting a divorce after only a year and a half of marriage. We can confirm that we have decided to separate, and this decision was made mutually and amicably, Camp and Astin said jointly in a statement to The Times. We kindly ask for privacy as we navigate this transition. Camp, 36, and Astin, 31, met while filming the first Pitch Perfect film and started dating in June 2013. They got engaged at the beginning of 2016, bought a place in Los Feliz a few months later and were married that October. Their short married life had at least one challenge: [W]ith competing shooting schedules they do have to work hard to see each other. Astin recently visited Camp in South Africa; she visited him in Bulgaria, The Times reported in May 2018. Advertisement Camps next film, The Lovebirds, with Kumail Nanjiani, is due to be released in March. Astin just wrapped a 10-episode run on the final season of Rachel Blooms Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. cdz@latimes.com @theCDZ on Twitter and Instagram Over the course of 10 years, Marvel has built a reputation for delivering two inevitabilities: meaty post-credits scenes and spoiler-free press runs. Case in point: At the hush-hush Avengers: Endgame press conference in downtown Los Angeles, Paul Rudd and Jeremy Renner (who play Ant-Man and Hawkeye, respectively) managed to talk about the Marvel Cinematic Universe while revealing absolutely nothing about the upcoming superhero team-up. You dont want to ruin it because people spoil stuff, man, said Renner, who skillfully dodged every question that even alluded to the top-secret film. Its terrible. He was right to be cautious. Just over a week before Endgame is slated to hit theaters worldwide, five minutes of credible footage from the film was leaked online. Advertisement According to descriptions, the footage includes scenes from throughout the movie that reveal key details about the plot. Disney has not confirmed whether the footage is indeed from the upcoming film. On Tuesday, the Russo brothers, who have directed four MCU titles including Infinity War and Endgame, issued a statement via Twitter urging the greatest fans in the world not to ruin the movie for other fans. Please know that the two of us, along with everyone involved in Endgame, have worked tirelessly for the last three years with the sole intention of delivering a surprising and emotional powerful conclusion to the Infinity saga, read the statement. When you see Endgame in the coming weeks, please dont spoil it for others, the same way you wouldnt want it spoiled for you. Its a bummer that we are in this place where there are people that really want to find things out and then advertise that to get clicks and sell advertising dollars or whatever it is, said Rudd, prior to the leak. I always think its fun to see a movie and not know anything about it. Its a better moviegoing experience not to know anything, Renner agreed. Keeping fans (and journalists) in the dark is so emblematic of Marvel that it was surprising to find even the slightest hint about the upcoming film hidden in the form of Hawkeyes updated Endgame costume, which was displayed among a decades worth of movie posters from 22 MCU films and mannequins sporting the Avengers uniforms. Not far from Ant-Mans familiar red, white and black suit was Renners costume, which looked more befitting of a ninja, complete with a katana and a hood rather than the usual archers bow and arrow. The refreshed look, plus the few glimpses of the character offered in the movies trailer, hint that Hawkeye will assume the mantle of Ronin, a persona multiple characters have adopted over the years in the comics. (The word Ronin means lone samurai in Japanese.) Im not cleared to say anything, said Renner when asked about Ronin, again proving how seriously everyone involved wants to preserve even the most expected Endgame twists. The finished product is so top secret that Disney even took the unusual step of not screening the film in advance of their press day, instead showing only a meager amount of footage something that was also done for Infinity War and a handful of Star Wars titles, but is typically unthinkable in the world of studio press junkets. That left the stars free to riff on things like the costume display. My favorite one was Bruce Banners, said Rudd of the characters dark blazer and jean-clad mannequin, which was positioned between Captain Americas rogue soldier uniform and Okoyes Dora Milaje armor. Because it was a dude standing like a mannequin at Macys among all these super suits. So was [Tony] Starks, said Renner with a laugh. It was like fancy sweats and a shirt. Like at Barneys, said Rudd. The two burst into laughter. Jeremy Renner and Paul Rudd from the film Avengers: Endgame. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Both Hawkeye and Ant-Man were notably missing briefly referenced as being under house arrest from the action of Infinity War, which saw Thanos decimate half the population of the universe with a single snap of his fingers. Among the victims were Black Panther, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch and Guardians of the Galaxy members Star-Lord, Drax, Mantis and Groot. Only a few heroes including original Avengers Captain America, Black Widow, Thor, Hulk and Iron Man survived to avenge the fallen. A post-credits scene in Infinity War teased the introduction of Captain Marvel, whose solo feature arrived in theaters a month before Endgame and quickly grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. Her addition to the MCU marks an epic conclusion for the current phase of Marvel films, which collectively have minted over $18.5 billion since Iron Man opened in 2008. When the Russo brothers told Renner that his character, also one of the original Avengers, would be sidelined, I was like, Great, I dont have to do press, he said with a laugh. That is the silver lining, isnt it? said Rudd. Infinity War was thus the first Avengers title without Hawkeye. He had even shared the screen with Ant-Man in the pseudo-"Avengers installment Captain America: Civil War. The Russo brothers insisted that both characters were intentionally left out of Infinity War for plot purposes. Everythings always about storytelling, said Joe Russo, who added that it wasnt a matter of struggling to fit the characters into the already bloated cast. I mean, look at how many we were dealing with in that movie, he said. It would be easy to squeeze two more in. But we dont want everyone to have the exact same story or same relationship to the events. Rudd was first informed about the details of Infinity War while shooting Ant-Man and the Wasp, which was released just a little over two months later and featured a post-credits scene that revealed Ant-Mans whereabouts during the snap. In the scene, his character, Scott Lang, becomes trapped in the quantum realm as companions Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) disintegrate into ash. Rudd says he was excited about the post-credits scenes Infinity War tie-in, but wasnt especially upset about being left out of the superhero blockbuster either. I dont think in terms of Oh, I want to be in this, he said. Im more interested in making an interesting, unique story and seeing how it weaves in with the others. I was happy that we got to address it in the way that we did. A popular fan theory circulating the web posits that one way for the Avengers to win the war against Thanos would be for Ant-Man to shrink really small, crawl into his anus and then grow back to full size, causing the mad Titan to explode. Its a theory that Rudd has been asked about in countless interviews, and one hed like to put to rest. Hes been sore, said Renner with a knowing smile. Ive been asked about it a bunch, said Rudd. I am amused a bit at how widespread it seems to have gotten. The Russos confirmed that no, the Thanus theory does not hold weight. Thanus is truly the most ridiculous fan theory weve ever heard, said Anthony Russo. But its a highly inventive one, said Joe. I want to know who came up with it. Paul Rudd, top, covers Jeremy Renners face with his shirt, which bears a picture of his costars face. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) In the past, Hawkeye has been criticized for not being strong enough to compete with the rest of the Avengers team. After all, theres only so much a skilled archer can do to assist a Norse god or an enhanced super soldier. To each their own, I suppose, said Renner of the criticism. Tenacity is a superpower. Besides Black Widow, Hawkeye is obviously the least physically strong Avenger. Despite this, Marvel revealed plans for Widow to receive her own solo movie after serving in a supporting role in six films. Hawkeye reportedly will headline a limited series for the upcoming Disney+ streaming service, but like much of the MCU plans following Endgame, that has not officially been confirmed by Marvel. And Renner, who has two Oscar nominations under his belt, said hed be open to the idea of headlining his own film. Id always do something like that, he said. I love the character. If that was explored, Id be game for it. In the meantime, post-"Endgame Renner is focusing on making music because that keeps me home with my daughter, he said. And though it seems inevitable there will be more Ant-Man adventures in his future, Rudd can only confirm hes set to star in a limited Netflix series called Living With Yourself that streams in the fall. But even with that, hed rather play it safe. I dont know if they have the Marvel policy; I dont know what Im allowed to say. Top secret policy notwithstanding, Renner says the filming process is a lot more fluid now after 10 years. I was talking to Joe Russo last night about [making these films] because its such a massive undertaking, said Rudd. And he said, Were working with people who know their characters already. Everyone kind of knows who they are, so a lot of time is saved. So I think its able to move a little quicker as a result. As for the future of Marvel, what comes next is anyones guess. I dont look back at the past, and I certainly dont have a crystal ball to look into the future, said Renner. I always try to be present. Im really stoked about where were at with Endgame and really, really excited to see it. Its going to be a big, big event for us personally and for the fans. What happens after that is up to the Marvel gods. But both actors are open to another 10 years in the MCU, if theyll have me, said Renner. Its been incredible so far, and I certainly have no qualms with keeping them going, said Rudd. I dont know if Id fit in the suit in 10 years. Renner laughed. Thats what I said when I signed on 10 years ago. ALSO Avengers: Endgame is cathartic, says directors at a spoiler-free press conference Disney assembles Avengers: Endgame stars for charity and Lego time with kids Review: Avengers: Infinity War: a rousing Marvel mash-up, or a truly epic tease? sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak Naples in Veils By the time the noirish thriller Naples in Veils draws you into its enigmatic web which is pretty much from the start youre sufficiently invested to enjoyably coast through the rest of this hypnotic, if ambiguous, Italian import. Giovanna Mezzogiorno stars as Adriana, a Naples doctor haunted by a childhood trauma, who enjoys a night of sexual abandon with Andrea (Alessandro Borghi), a handsome, younger stranger she meets at a party, only to discover him dead soon after. This gives way to a string of events involving ghostly visions, the appearance of Andreas purported twin brother (also Borghi), family secrets, a bedridden psychic, nude photos, a dubious police investigator, and a widowed cop drawn to the attractive Adriana. But how much is real and how much a product of Adrianas perhaps unraveling inner thoughts? Although the script by director Ferzan Ozpetek, Gianni Romoli and Valia Santella becomes more amorphous as it unfolds, the film is so filled with provocative themes and stirring Neapolitan imagery plus such a persuasively passionate undertow that what happens next often becomes less crucial than what were seeing at the moment. Advertisement Still, a bit more clarity, particularly regarding many of Adrianas friends and family members (Anna Bonaiuto, Peppe Barre and others), could have better helped flesh things out without sacrificing the pictures elusive appeal. Gary Goldstein Naples in Veils Not rated In Italian with English subtitles Running time: 1 hour, 52 minutes Playing: Starts April 26, Laemmle Music Hall, Beverly Hills ------------- Daddy Issues Montana Manning in the movie Daddy Issues. (Gravitas Ventures) On the surface, Amara Cashs directorial debut is a sensual feast: all candy colors, sunshine and pop music, like a Katy Perry video stretched out to feature length. But the kinks in Daddy Issues of both a sexual nature and a storytelling one keep the dramas substance from ascending to the heights of its style. Aspiring cartoonist Maya (Madison Lawlor) desperately wants to leave her Los Angeles home for art school in Florence, but a chance meeting with her Instagram crush, fashion designer Jasmine (Montana Manning), finally makes her life bearable. She doesnt know that her new girlfriend is devoted to her long-term sugar daddy (Andrew Pifko), but this love triangle is even more surprising than it initially appears. Theres a core of emotion beneath the sugarcoated exterior here. Daddy Issues cares deeply for each of its trio of flawed characters, which another movie would have simply left as caricatures. Theres a real person beneath the cotton-candy-haired artist, the sexually free designer and the rich, domineering patron. But that affection leads to tonal issues throughout the film, as well as an ending that isnt consistent with the preceding 80 minutes. Written by Alex Bloom, with a story by Bloom and Cash, the dialogue and plot are less developed than Cashs visuals. Her frenetic style is the best part of Daddy Issues, but it cant distract the audience from the films larger problems. Kimber Myers Daddy Issues Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 21 minutes Playing: Starts Friday, Galaxy Mission Grove Luxury+ Theatre, Riverside; also on VOD ------------- Yamasong: March of the Holllows A scene from the movie Yamasong: March of the Hollows. (Random Media) The science-fiction puppet show Yamasong: March of the Hollows recalls some of the funky fantasy cult films of the 70s and the 80s, such as The Dark Crystal, Wizards and Fantastic Planet. Director Sam Koji Hale (who also co-wrote, with Ekaterina Sedia) brings a vivid imagination and rich visual texture to the screen, although his dense mythology and stiff dialogue may limit his audience to genre connoisseurs. The story is set on a distant planet, Yamasong, where a mechanical tribe known as the Hollows led by the rebellious Yari (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg) has gone overboard in defending against the ravenous beasts called the Tricksters. In the process the Hollows have threatened the culture of Yamasongs organic species, including the reptilian Terrapins and the horned Ovis. Nathan Fillion voices Shojun, a Terrapin warrior who works with the cyborg Nani (Abigail Breslin) to rally the different factions, hoping to find a way they can all survive. The situations so complicated that too much of the movie is eaten up by characters explaining whats going on, in the stilted formal language of a Regency drama and thus squandering a good voice-cast that also includes Malcolm McDowell, Freida Pinto and Peter Weller. But while the action stalls too often, the look of Yamasong is enough to recommend it. The puppetrys lo-fi but remarkably expressive, with craftsmanship and design that puts most computer animation to shame. Fantasy fans who enjoy being transported to other worlds and who have a high tolerance for the wonky ought to appreciate this pictures lovingly handcrafted quality. Noel Murray Yamasong: March of the Hollows Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 35 minutes. Playing: Available April 23 on VOD ------------- Stuck Ashanti and Giancarlo Esposito in the movie Stuck. (MJW Films / Eammon Films) Stuck, the film adaptation of Riley Thomas 2012 off-Broadway musical, is a slight and facile piece that feels egregiously past its sell-by date. Michael Berry, who helmed the stage production, scripted and directed here with sincerity. But he simply cant get past the physical and thematic limitations of this unsubtle, contrived tale which finds a diverse group of strangers connecting as they rotate through a checklist of sociocultural issues, racial stereotypes and uncertain life paths while trapped on a stalled New York City subway car. The riders include the homeless, Shakespeare-spouting Lloyd (Giancarlo Esposito); Sue (Amy Madigan), an awkward, middle-aged music professor haunted by loss; nerdy comic book artist Caleb (Gerard Canonico) and the object of his from-afar affection, a blunt, snooty dancer named Alicia (Arden Cho); overworked family man Ramon (Omar Chaparro); and the wary, irritable Eve (Ashanti), whos at a life-changing crossroads. That they are the only folks left on this wayward train in midday Manhattan, no less is just one of this banal tales many unconvincing conceits. Each lead character gets a song to sing that, often aided by flashbacks, sketches their personal story. Save Sues touching and powerful number, Gone, the tunes (original music and lyrics by Thomas, Tim Young and Ben Maughan), if not the vocals, are largely undistinguished. Gary Goldstein Stuck Rated: PG-13, for some mature thematic material including images of a sexual assault, and brief strong language Running time: 1 hour, 23 minutes Playing: In general release ------------- High on the Hog Sid Haig in the movie High on the Hog. (Indican Pictures) The gamy crime comedy High on the Hog rips off two kinds of grindhouse the actual low-budget exploitation pictures of yore, and Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguezs stylishly ironic 2007 homage. In either case, this movies a shoddy copy of something that was pretty tawdry to begin with. B-movie legend Sid Haig stars as Big Daddy, an affable pig-farmer who has a lucrative side business growing marijuana. Surrounded by pretty women who dote on him, Big Daddy lives an idyllic life, until government agents and a hired killer start closing in. Besides Haig, High on the Hog features substantial roles for trash-cinema vets Joe Estevez and Robert ZDar. And unlike the more timid modern genre films, this ones true to its sleazy roots. Its violent, its laced with drug humor, and its so committed to gratuitous nudity that even the closing credits include topless dancers. But while director Tony Wash and writer-producer Kevin Lockharts intentions are honorable (or, at least, appropriately dishonorable), their movies a chore to watch. Scenes run on interminably long, the story goes nowhere, the actors play everything too broadly even the action scenes are flat and slow. Worst of all, High on the Hog borrows the Tarantino/Rodriguez Grindhouse gimmick of making the picture appear all beaten-up and chopped to bits, like its been sitting in a drive-in projection booth for 40 years. What an odd element to swipe from that film: not the clever dialogue or wild twists, but the way it looked like crap. Noel Murray High on the Hog Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 25 minutes. Playing: Starts Friday, Arena Cinelounge, Hollywood; also on VOD ------------- His Fathers Voice A scene form the movie His Fathers Voice. (Indie Rights) Set across both the present and the past, indie musical drama His Fathers Voice centers on a dancer who returns to his childhood home. Kris (played as an adult by Christopher Gurusamy and as a child by brothers Tzur and Yam Yardeni) finds himself frozen when he tries to perform, but he hopes that a visit to the Indian musical school where his estranged father (Jeremy Roske) lives will help him unlock his pain. In his filmmaking debut, writer-director-cinematographer K. Kaarthikeyan has a clear passion for music and for the story he tells. But while His Fathers Voice is earnest and well-intentioned, the resulting film is dull, marred by amateur technique both in front of and behind the camera. Kimber Myers His Fathers Voice In English, Tamil and Hindi with English subtitles Not rated Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes Playing: Starts Friday, Arena Cinelounge, Hollywood calendar@latimes.com @LATimesMovies Hello! Im Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies. This is one of those weeks where a ridiculous number of new releases are opening in Los Angeles. Aside from the three main titles given the spotlight in the body of this weeks newsletter below, there is director Bi Gans Long Days Journey Into Night, with a dazzling section in 3-D, and Nia DaCostas Little Woods, starring Tessa Thompson and Lily James. Terry Gilliams long-awaited The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is being released at last. There is also a pair of strong documentaries, with Penny Lanes Hail Satan? and Pamela B. Greens Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache. And if you simply refuse to leave the house there is even Jennifer Kaytin Robinsons Someone Great, new on Netflix and which has been receiving positive reviews. Well have more screening and Q&A events of our own coming up soon. For info and updates, go to events.latimes.com. Advertisement Elisabeth Moss in a scene from Her Smell. (Donald Stahl / Gunpowder & Sky) Her Smell Written and directed by Alex Ross Perry and told with an unusual five-act structure, each act being a single extended scene, Her Smell is the story of a 90s-era rock star named Becky Something (played with molten fervor by Elisabeth Moss) through the ups and downs of her life and career. Reviewing the film for The Times, Justin Chang called it a blistering, exhilarating eruption of raw talent and nerve, before going on to say about the character of Becky that, Shes a virtuoso construct, a brash and incorrigible persona masking a bundle of insecurities. She is also a reminder that someone we might not care to spend five minutes with in real life can turn out to be riveting, even rewarding cinematic company. For a story that will be publishing soon I spoke to Perry and Moss along with musicians Alicia Bognanno and Anika Pyle, who wrote original songs for the movie. As Moss put it, the music had to serve the emotions of the story and the moments when they would be included: We were making a movie about this band and this woman and this era, but you werent trying to make a movie about music necessarily. So every song had to really be a part of the story. Theres no fun in it if Im just sitting down and playing a song. What is the emotional moment? What am I saying with that particular song at that particular time, and how can I act my way through this? At Vulture, Emily Yoshida wrote about how Keegan DeWitts churning, thrumming score amplifies the movies out-of-control vibes, and that tellingly, the more anxiety-inducing scenes come at the end of the film, when Becky has clawed her way to a hard-won sobriety, and theres suddenly far more to lose than there ever was in those halcyon days bouncing around in label offices for the camera. In a climate in which more and more creators are compelled to discuss and depict disordered states onscreen, Her Smell is a rare project that feels holistic enough to actually capture such a state, not just refract it through an audacious formal exercise. The thrum goes away, but we spend the rest of the film anxiously fearing its return. Reviewing the film for Time, Stephanie Zacharek explored the connections between Becky Something and real-life musician Courtney Love, writing, or me, watching her as Becky brought back that circa-1994 Love, like a ghost from the planet of jagged memories. Her Smell is an uneven movie, occasionally dipping into cliches. But Mosss performance works as a distillation of one of Loves signature lines, from the song Doll Parts: Becky knows what it costs to be the girl with the most cake. For Pitchfork, Kristen Yoonsoo Kim also traced the connections to Love by writing, Even at her high points, Beckys always on the verge of eruption a quality that made Love so enthralling to watch during her early album cycles. Likewise, Moss is all snarls and mischievous mugs, and seeing which one she serves at any given moment is part of the films disturbing thrill. Andrew Garfield in a scene from Under the Silver Lake. (A24) Under the Silver Lake One of the most delightfully devious films to come along in quite a while, Under the Silver Lake is finally being released after numerous delays, unleashing its playful confusion on audiences at last. Written and directed by David Robert Mitchell, the movie stars Andrew Garfield as an L.A. layabout who finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a world of hidden codes and secret conspiracies when a girl from his apartment complex (Riley Keough) goes missing. Reviewing for The Times, Justin Chang wrote, The writer-director David Robert Mitchell can take some comfort in the fact that his latest will be embraced by an ardent few, and indeed has been already. Thats hardly the least fitting outcome for a movie that has been elaborately designed as an object of cult worship. Its the puzzle as pastiche, at once an absurdist riff and an endearing, elephantine folly. I spoke to Mitchell and Garfield for a story that will be publishing soon. For as much as the film garners comparisons to other L.A. detective stories, Garfield compared his character to the very New York persona of Taxi Driver when he said, I liked it because it felt like this kind of West Coast slacker Travis Bickle, responding to a really unjust, [messed] up world and thinking that he was going to be the one to clean up the streets even though he was totally impotent and powerless. But inside there is that longing, there was that desire to be important, to be valued, to be seen and to do something important. In his review for the New York Times, A.O. Scott compares the movie to Mitchells earlier work, noting, The ambitions this time are grander, but also vaguer and duller. Scott added, Which isnt to say that Under the Silver Lake is without some diverting qualities there are some moments of humor and surprise embedded in the overwrought intricacies and long slack stretches of the plot. But beyond the coy nostalgia and the timid satire is a feeling of bottomless exhaustion. Writing for Vulture, Emily Yoshida said, After all the rabbit holes and secret codes and hidden messages, Under the Silver Lake is just sad its not getting laid. But if that doesnt sound like a movie for our time, I dont know what does. Gugu Mbatha-Raw in a scene from Fast Color. (Jacob Yakob / Codeblack Films) Fast Color Directed by Julia Hart, who co-wrote the script with Jordan Horowitz, Fast Color is a low-key science-fiction superhero story that is also very much a tale of family and heritage. Set in a near-future where water has become a scarce commodity, the movie stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint and Saniyya Sidney as three generations of women uncovering the powers they have within themselves and discovering all they are capable of. In his review for The Times, Kenneth Turan called the film, smart, adventurous and surprising before adding, Though most contemporary science fiction is dystopian by design, the thrust of Fast Color is finally anything but. This is a film that leaves you uplifted instead of worn down, and that is another reason, in addition to all the others, to cherish and support it. Jen Yamato will be publishing a new story on the film soon, having already covered the movie off its world premiere at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival. Then, Hart said, Fast Color came out of this idea of moms as superheroes. Id never seen a mom who was literally a superhero in a movie before. At the New York Times, Jeannette Catsoulis wrote, A small, intimate story that hints at much bigger things, Fast Color sometimes feels like a prologue, an appetizer for a meal that may or may not appear Rewarding despite its restraint, the movie has an elasticity that pushes the imagination in any number of directions, offering an expressive allegory for a lineage of powerful black women whose strength, unleashed, could literally shake the earth. For The Wrap, Monica Castillo added, In a sense, Fast Color is like an indie superhero origin story, but it feels so much more profound than that, like a whispered blessing from one generation to the next: Go tear apart the sky, do what our mothers could never have imagined for us. Email me if you have questions, comments or suggestions, and follow me on Twitter: @IndieFocus. SIGN UP for the free Indie Focus movies newsletter Mark.Olsen@latimes.com Follow on Twitter: @IndieFocus While pursuing a graduate degree in London, rising filmmaker Nia DaCosta was unpacking complicated feelings of homesickness when she began to conceptualize the script for her directorial debut, Little Woods. I missed America, but I was like, What does that mean? she said. Especially for me as a black woman [from] New York City. I realized my relative privilege of growing up not well-off, but in a city where I had access to so many things regardless of how much money I had. She compared her experiences to those of women in places such as the Great Plains, where lack of access to healthcare, childcare and abortion services keep many women below the poverty line. I really thought I should tell a story about women who live in a rural part of America, particularly those who are poor, and how that affects them not just as people, but as women, she said. And how poverty can be a gendered experience. Advertisement In the finished film, which is now playing in limited release, Tessa Thompson stars as Ollie, a woman focused on making it through her last week of probation for drug-smuggling charges in North Dakota. She scrapes by, selling coffee to the men working the oil rigs in the titular town. With the promise of a well-paying job in Spokane on the horizon, Ollie sees a way out of her dire situation. But her sister Deb (Lily James) is pregnant, their house is in foreclosure, and Ollie only knows of one way to get the money they both desperately need. That dramatic tension paired with the relationship between the two sisters was more than enough to interest Thompson whose Hollywood profile has been on the rise with roles in hits Thor: Ragnarok and the Creed franchise, and critically acclaimed films including Sorry to Bother You and Annihilation. I think inside of specificity is where you can really make something brilliant and impactful, Thompson said. [Its] really important for people to understand that people are drawn into doing things that are illegal because of circumstance. I thought there was something so empathetic about the screenplay and the story that [DaCosta] wanted to tell. RELATED: Tessa Thompson on Valkyries Avengers: Endgame whereabouts and Captain Marvel shippers Director Nia DaCosta and Tessa Thompson first met at the Sundance Directors Lab. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Another reason Thompson took on the role was the chance to work with DaCosta, whom shed met and become friendly with at the Sundance Directors Lab in 2015. I had done the labs once before and really liked the process, she said. I never went to drama school. I always wanted to, and then, my career happened in a way that my trajectory changed. Also, first-time directors have been so paramount for me in my career. So I always want to engage with people when theyre starting out. Richard Hicks, who was casting for the labs was like, You should look at Tessa Thompson, said DaCosta. And then I just googled interviews that youd done. And there was one where youre talking about sandwiches with Craig Ferguson. And I was like, She seems great. Because what I wanted [for Ollie] was someone who was open and curious and seemed really down to be in a safe space to try and fail. And when we met, we clicked right away. Shooting took place during the winter in 2017 and the film premiered last summer at the Tribeca Film Festival. Rather than filming in the Midwest, much of the production took place in Austin, Texas. We really wanted to shoot in North Dakota, but the window we had to shoot was January and February, said DaCosta. And uh... The weather is very extreme, Thompson said. Insane, said DaCosta. And also wed have had to take everyone, every piece of equipment, everything to North Dakota to shoot and werent given the budget to do that. But we did get two days to shoot North Dakota, so theres a lot of North Dakota stuff in the movie. For research purposes, Thompson took her own solo trip to Williston, N.D., driving up in a pickup truck and staying with a family that had moved there for the oil boom. It was amazing, she said. I got to talk to people and go to bars and sneakily make voice memos and just hang out. I wish I couldve gone, said DaCosta. My producer Rachel and I went [separately] in part to scout but also to do research and talk to people and I had the same experience. Everyones so lovely and open. This woman we met, the same day shes like, Ill take you around to all the rigs and show you where they are. And was very open about life there. I told her the story of the script and she was like, Oh, its so much worse. REVIEW: In the arresting Little Woods, Tessa Thompson and Lily James get scrappy Lily James, left, and Tessa Thompson in a scene from Little Woods. (Neon) Thompson has been flirting with the idea of directing a feature herself in the near future but is wary of the pressure placed on female filmmakers to strike gold right out of the gate. Im sensitive to how many chances we get, she said. I feel this pressure around the idea that the thing you make first has to be good. And that is stifling because you should just be able to make things. To me, that is the true mark of equality that we get to be mediocre and still have opportunities. We should be able to get better, even if its in the public eye, DaCosta agreed, which a lot of our counterparts who are black women did not get to do. Although indie filmmaking is instrumental to launching the careers of women, particularly women of color, both behind and in front of the camera, it is not without its share of inequities. Its very difficult for a woman to just pop up in the studio system, said DaCosta. But I think the same systemic issues that affect how much work women get to make is also inside the indie space. While there are more women working, we definitely get less money ... We shot [Little Woods] for half the budget I wanted. Youre forced into these very scarce resources [for] being a woman or a person of color and then youre told to be extraordinary. But I will say I am standing on the shoulders of giants, she added. Im having a great time, and its because of women who came before me who were not having a good time whatsoever, especially black women. Someone told me they were talking to a friend of theirs, a white male director, who made a joke about the fact that he cant get hired right now because hes not black and hes not a woman, said Thompson. And it made me think about [how] suddenly, you become sort of a commodity. Because the culture is trying to adjust itself because the pendulum is swinging so wildly. Were in this time where were talking about how women need to be hired. But what kind of woman? I just hope we can get to a space where were more specific. Youre forced into these very scarce resources [for] being a woman or a person of color and then youre told to be extraordinary. Nia DaCosta on making films as a woman of color Nia DaCosta, left, and Tessa Thompson are both navigating the space between studio and indie films. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Up next, DaCosta is set to direct a spiritual sequel to the 1992 horror film Candyman for Jordan Peeles Monkeypaw Productions. Theres a really great feminist lens to watch the [original] movie through, said DaCosta. Very much a white feminist lens. If youre generous you can say, Well, its deconstructing white feminism. Absolutely not on purpose, but you could look at it through that lens. And from a black culture lens its really interesting to look through. Production is just getting started on the film, but DaCosta says shes already learned a lot from working with Peele. Hes such a wonderful man, she said. I always wanted to make a bigger movie next, like a genre film, and being in the studio space is something I always wanted. The fact that I have Jordan as sort of my mentor whos shepherding me through that, I feel so protected. Though she has yet to reach out to the star of the original film, Tony Todd, its not because she doesnt plan to. Its just that were at the beginning of this thing, so were getting all our ducks in order, she said. Thompson will appear next in Marvels much anticipated Avengers: Endgame, reprising her breakout character Valkyrie, who was introduced and last seen in Thor: Ragnarok. The superhero blockbuster couldnt be more of a stark departure from the character-driven Little Woods. Each is a palate cleanser to the other, said Thompson. I think when I first started in this business, I had a really limited idea of what I could do. And maybe its just because I didnt see very many examples of somebody like me that was able to occupy a lot of spaces. I never imagined that I would make big studio movies at all. So I always felt very tethered to independent film. Its not even a dream come true because I didnt have the dream, but now it feels really dreamy, at the risk of sounding trite, just to do work that is really varied. I guess its the divine discontent, this idea of never wanting to plateau and wanting to break new ground. sonaiya.kelley@latimes.com follow me on twitter @sonaiyak Nearly one year after he was expelled from the ranks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, director Roman Polanski has filed suit against the organization, arguing that the academy did not follow proper procedure in ejecting him and that he should be reinstated. The academys board of governors voted last May to expel Polanski, who has earned five Oscar nominations for his work on such films as Chinatown and Rosemarys Baby, along with Bill Cosby after instituting new standards of conduct for members in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal. Polanski pleaded guilty in 1977 to unlawful sex with a minor, then-13-year-old Samantha Geimer. Since fleeing the country, he has been living in exile in Europe for the past four decades and is considered a fugitive by the U.S. criminal justice system. According to Polanskis attorney, Harland Braun, the filmmaker had been galled that an organization that gave him a standing ovation in 2003 when he won the directing Oscar for The Pianist had kicked him out without granting him a hearing. The suit filed Friday in Los Angeles alleges that the groups decision to summarily expel Polanski was in violation of the Academys policies and regulations and in violation of California Corporations Code 7341 (b) and (c). Advertisement All we want is a fair hearing, Braun told The Times on Friday. You have an offense thats 40 years old, in which he has admitted his guilt, he has apologized to the victim, he has done more time than the law requires and the victim has come forward and begged the courts to put an end to it. What else do they want from an 85-year-old man? Theres got to be some point at which you forgive. Polanski, who served 42 days in Chino State Prison in 1977, has long contended that the judge in his case engaged in misconduct by reneging on the terms of his plea deal and that he should be allowed to return to America on time served. For her part, Geimer has publicly forgiven Polanski and joined Braun last year in an unsuccessful effort to convince a judge to free the director from his international warrant. In an interview with Vanity Fair last May, she called the academys decision to expel Polanski an ugly and cruel action which serves only appearance. In the wake of the Weinstein scandal, the academy established a new code of conduct under which members are expected to uphold the Academys values of respect for human dignity. Early last year, the group outlined procedures for how claims of violations of its standards of conduct would be reported, investigated and appealed, even as it stipulated that the board retains the right to take action regarding a members status on any matter, whether submitted by the process outlined above or not. Braun argues that, under the law, Polanski was entitled to a chance to respond to the academys concerns before he was expelled. Its a very narrow issue: Does the rule that applies to all corporations, and to the academy in particular, apply to Roman Polanski? Braun said. If [the court] decides yes, he gets readmitted to the academy and they can bring a proceeding if they want. And that we would look forward to. But wed like it to be fair, according to the rules, and public. The academy issued the following statement via a spokesperson: The procedures taken to expel Mr. Polanski were fair and reasonable. The Academy stands behind its decision as appropriate. josh.rottenberg@latimes.com Twitter: @joshrottenberg In Barry, Sarah Goldberg plays Sally Reed, an aspiring actress who practically vibrates with neediness. Simultaneously well-meaning and monstrously self-absorbed, shes too blinded by her desire for adulation to realize her boyfriend, Barry (Bill Hader), is a hit man. Yet shes also heartbreakingly sympathetic: This season has delved into Sallys backstory, revealing that she fled an abusive relationship to pursue her dreams of Hollywood stardom. She is someone whos experienced major trauma and has no language to deal with it, says Goldberg. The actress, who now calls Brooklyn home, grew up outside Vancouver we had fences to keep the bears away before moving to London at the age of 19 to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Advertisement Until Barry debuted last year, she was mostly known for her work on the stage in London and New York, including an Olivier Award-nominated performance in Clybourne Park and a turn on Broadway in a revival of Look Back in Anger. The Emmy-nominated HBO series, created by Hader and Alec Berg, has opened up other opportunities for Goldberg, including a role in The Report, the highly anticipated CIA thriller coming this fall from Amazon with Adam Driver and Annette Bening, and the recent Wall Street drama The Hummingbird Project. She talked with The Times about her blissful stint as a theater student and her love for Phoebe Waller-Bridge. How did you decide that acting was what you wanted to do? I really am one of those, like, annoying cliches. I just always wanted to act. Then, when I was in school, I had this amazing teacher, Michael Weiner, who came when I was in grade 8, and he was like this kind of passionate, fiery man with a big mop of curly hair. He was really intense. We would rehearse from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night. We just lived in that theater when I wasnt in classes. And even when I was in class, I was daydreaming and reading my script in my desk. In my last show, I got to play Sally Bowles in Cabaret. It was all I ever wanted to do. I wish, in a way, Id been open to other things as a teen. I feel my curiosity in other things is peaking now in my 30s where Im like, Can I go back to college now? I just started reading Middlemarch. I had a kind of myopia, I guess. Even so, deciding to go to drama school in London must have been a big leap. I wanted to go to a conservatory and go all the way back to Greek theater, Shakespeare, Chekhov, all these great texts. Theater school was wonderful, but really it was being there, I think, that was the education. It was going to shows three times a week and being so immersed in it. It was a truly creative time. You got to make a fool of yourself for three years and do all kinds of crazy things that you would probably never get to do professionally. Im really grateful that I had that sort of path and I didnt move to L.A. at 19 because I got to fail in private. A week before graduating, I got an audition for A Member of the Wedding, the Carson McCullers play. So when I left school, I had this utopian exit. It was like I went to this beautiful theater on the South Bank. I had, like, the code to the dressing rooms at the Young Vic. I had these beautiful costumes and Im getting paid 350 pounds a week! And then that job ended, and there was nothing to back it up. It sounds like you got into acting for the right reasons. Your Barry character, Sally, not so much. Sally could have used a Michael Wener in high school. I really care about Sally. I just think she developed the wrong set of survival skills out of necessity, and I think she had this calling to go to Los Angeles. Its just a dangerous town for lost souls, and shes one of the ones who got swept up. I always said to Bill and Alec, I really dont care if you like her, you just have to know her, and I feel like I know her. I feel like Ive met her in so many bars in Los Angeles. Sarah Goldberg, right, and Bill Hader in a scene from HBOs Barry. (John P. Johnson / HBO) I feel like Ive met her in so many bars in Los Angeles. Sarah Goldberg on her Barry character Sally Often with antihero shows, theres this strange hostility directed at the female lead, like Carmela Soprano or Skyler White. Have you experienced this with Barry? Definitely, but I was sort of anticipating it a little bit and wanted to flip all that on its head. I kept begging the guys when we were getting original notes on her and there was some feedback that she was too dislikable. I was like, Please dont dilute her. If theyd written the typical rom-com, romantic lead, I wouldnt have wanted the part. In that pilot, shes just this perfect combination of horrific narcissism, but then this small-town girl-next-door, wanting to help. Shes a messy character and shes not one thing. And I really appreciated that theyd done that. Theres a lot of pressure being one of the only female main characters on the show where we do have conversations constantly where we say, What are we saying about women here? I do think were in an exciting moment. I saw Fleabag [the off-Broadway one-woman show] last night. Phoebe Waller-Bridge is my spirit animal. Please print that. She takes you to these incredibly dark places and youre howling with laughter and the next second youre, like, your stomachs falling out and youre going to cry. Her and Sharon Horgan are out there fighting the fight. Actress Sarah Goldberg (Michael Nagle / For The Times) Did you ever have any encounters, in L.A. or elsewhere, that informed Sally? Ive met a lot of people who use their acting class as a form of therapy, either because they dont have health care another reason to move home to Canada or theres this idea that its a really safe space for that kind of conversation. There is competitive grief in acting classes, where the bigger the trauma youve had makes you the best in the class. Ive definitely met a lot of L.A. actors where Im like, the class youre describing is a therapy session with an unlicensed therapist. I am grateful I went the British route, the Laurence Olivier School of try acting, because I think there have to be safe boundaries. The joy of what I do is imagination and really putting yourself in someone elses shoes, more than tapping into some childhood pain. I think empathy is your asset. How does that work in action? I did Look Back in Anger years ago, and I had to do this heavy scene at the end where the character has had a miscarriage. I needed something to make me cry onstage eight times a week. And so I thought of a simple story every night, where this woman gets on a train and shes just had this miscarriage, and theres a woman whos trying to get her bag up, and shes got a baby, and she just says, Here, can you hold my baby? And hands her the baby. I would visualize it every night, like a film, before I had to go on for that scene, and by the end, it felt personal because I was invested in that story. But it wasnt personal to me. And Sally does not have those boundaries at all. Whats it like to collaborate with Bill Hader, who has such a different professional background? Hes made me a lot freer as an actor because in theater, youre so used to having to build something that you can repeat and repeat and repeat, whereas he comes from improv. I make him learn his lines and and he makes me relax. I remember when I had my first round of auditions, they called me in and said, Bill Hader wants to meet you. How do you feel about coming in and improvising tomorrow? I was like, Not good! I dont come from that world, and hes the prince of comedy in this country. But I went in and we improvised for an hour as my callback. From the very beginning, there was a tone of, Lets figure this out together. It was certainly the most fun Ive ever had in an audition. The episode last season where Sally gets dropped by her agent for not sleeping with him was so devastating and you filmed it before #MeToo really took off. [When Hader and Berg] originally wrote that scene, she got defensive and stood up for herself and stormed out. They asked the female writers, Does this read true? And they went, No, she would apologize. I feel like Ive been in that situation where theres passive-aggressive sexual harassment and youre so stunned by it in the moment, your brain doesnt have time to catch up. I thought it was really smart writing. Im fascinated by the backlash [to #MeToo] because I think people are really impatient. I think its a movement; it takes time. Were not done with it and were not finished, and I feel as though were not going to really understand whats changed for a good few years. I feel like its a long overdue conversation that needed to come out on this kind of massive scale. Im 33; I was born in 1985 in Canada. Thats winning the lottery right there as a woman. I feel like I was sold a bit of a lie. All the girls in my class had the best grades. All the girls in my class had their hands up first, and we were sold this idea of equality. It never occurred to me that we were unequal until I got into the workforce. The harsh reality kind of came down harder because I was really naive. Any plans to return to the stage? I feel like my body needs it. I need the routine of the eight-show week, the sleep-in in the morning, and you get to work at 5, and then you do your warm up and go to the pub after. 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. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour meredith.blake@latimes.com Follow me @MeredithBlake Federal health officials announced Monday that 940 people have come down with measles this year, the highest number of cases in more than two decades. The resurgence of measles has inflamed debates about mandatory vaccinations and who is allowed to opt out of them. The outbreak, which now spans 26 states including California, has also prompted people to check their childhood vaccination records or call their doctors to get an extra dose of the measles shot. Many people say theyre particularly worried about their young children, since babies typically dont get the measles vaccine until their first birthday. Parents say they are considering cancelling trips to parts of the world with measles cases, unsure of how else to protect their infants. Advertisement As the number of measles cases continues to climb, here are answers to questions about measles, including how to keep you and your family safe. My baby is too young to get the measles shot. What can I do? Typically babies cant get the measles vaccine until they are 1. But officials are recommending that babies traveling internationally or who are spending time in areas with outbreaks get one dose of the vaccine between 6 months and 11 months for earlier protection. Theres good literature that shows that its safe and effective and itll give your baby a temporary immune boost, said Dr. Roy Benaroch, a pediatrician and assistant adjunct professor at Emory University. Babies have some immunity from their mother that begins to wane around 6 months, which is why six months is the earliest point the vaccine should be given, experts say. Parents who do opt for the early dose of the vaccine, however, will need to give their baby another shot around 12 months, when it would have otherwise been administered, experts say. Devindra Hardawar, who lives in Brooklyn, recently opted to get his 7-month-old daughter Sophia vaccinated against measles due to the outbreak in New York. While giving Sophia her measles shot early wasnt our initial plan, we decided it was better than her being completely vulnerable to measles, Hardawar, 35, said in an email. My kid has had one measles shot. Is it time for a second? Health officials recommend two doses of the measles vaccine. The first offers 93% protection and the additional dose brings immunity up to 97%. The second dose is typically administered between ages 4 and 6, but parents worried about measles can ask to get the next dose as early as 4 weeks after the first. The typical vaccine schedule is set to coincide with children entering school, not for any scientific reasons, said Beronoch. There is really no reason not to get it earlier especially to someone traveling to an area with transmission, he said. Theres absolutely no downsides to giving it early. Children who get the second dose early do not need to get it again, experts say. A few weeks ago, Christine Groffs family was headed to Orange County from the Bay Area when news of measles cases broke. Groffs 18-month-old daughter already had her first measles shot. Groff, who lives in Alameda, rushed her child to the doctor for her second dose, pushing her immunity up close to 100%. I got the vaccine when I was a child. Could I get measles? Probably not. The measles vaccine is one of the most effective immunizations, protecting 97% of people who come into contact with measles from getting sick. Almost everyone in the U.S. who caught measles this year had not been vaccinated. The measles vaccines half-life the time it takes for your immunity to fall by half is 200 years, so people are protected for a lifetime, said University of Maryland public health professor Donald Milton. The vaccine is really, really critical, Milton said. Is there a booster shot? Most people dont need a booster, but there are some exceptions. It depends when you were born. 1989 or after: You most likely got the current version of the vaccine, which is two separate shots and highly effective. You dont need a booster. between 1957 and 1988: Its possible that you got an older single-dose version of the measles vaccine that is less effective. However, officials are not recommending revaccination for this group unless people are traveling internationally or work in healthcare. (There is a smaller group of people who received an alternative version of the vaccine between 1963 and 1967 that was not effective. Officials are recommending re-vaccination for those people.) before 1957: If you were born before 1957, you are believed to have gotten measles and therefore have natural immunity. Officials are not recommending vaccination for this group unless people are traveling internationally or work in healthcare. So basically, most people dont need to be revaccinated unless they work in healthcare or are planning to travel internationally. If you do either of those things, then you should talk to your doctor about measles. A physician can do a blood test to check if youre already immune. Most adults are protected against measles thats what the science says, said Dr. Nancy Messoinner, director of the Center for Disease Control and Preventions National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, in a call with reporters. That includes people who were born before measles vaccine was recommended and even people who only got a single dose of measles. That said, there isnt a downside to getting vaccinated or revaccinated if youre worried about measles, experts say. So ask your doctor about it. What is measles? A highly contagious virus, measles typically makes people sick for a few weeks. Before the vaccine was created, every child in America is believed to have gotten measles by age 15. Measles is spread through coughing and sneezing. It is widely considered one of the most contagious illnesses in the world. Even after a sick person leaves a room, the virus can exist for up to two hours, able to infect an unsuspecting victim. What happens if I get measles? Most people who come down with measles feel sick and get a rash, but then theyre fine. Some people, though, are less lucky. Roughly one in 500 people with measles will die from it, and one in 1,000 will experience brain swelling known as encephalitis. Other serious complications include pneumonia and ear infections that can lead to permanent hearing loss. In general, children younger than 5 and adults older than 20 are more likely to suffer from serious complications. Contrary to what some people think, measles is not a benign childhood disease, said California health department director Karen Smith in a call with reporters in April. Why are these outbreaks happening? American travelers pick up measles from other countries where the disease is spreading widely and then bring it back to the U.S. Californians caught measles this year during trips to the Philippines, India, Ukraine and Thailand, according to the state health department. The Los Angeles outbreak has been linked to travel to Vietnam and Thailand. Once measles is introduced into a community, it starts to spread if people there arent immune. A measles outbreak this year in New York City, where more than 535 cases have been confirmed, began when an unvaccinated child returned from a trip to Israel, where there is a major measles outbreak. The illness then began spreading among unvaccinated members of the Orthodox Jewish community. Measles outbreaks have been increasing in the U.S. and abroad as vaccine coverage falls. For the first time, the World Health Organization in 2019 named vaccine hesitancy one of the worlds greatest health threats. Is my neighborhood at risk? People living in areas where measles is already spreading are most at risk. The CDC has a list of places in the U.S. with outbreaks. In general, California has high vaccination rates, so its less likely there will be a giant outbreak in the state. So far, there have been 46 cases, with the states biggest outbreak in Butte County in Northern California. Communities with low vaccination rates are most susceptible to the spread of measles. Schools keep track of vaccination rates and can be a good indicator of how many people in your neighborhood are vaccinated. You can look up how many kindergartners had their shots at your kids schools here and how many seventh-graders had theirs here. The California counties with the lowest vaccination rates among kindergartners in the 2017-18 school year were largely concentrated in the northern half of the state and include Mendocino, Sutter and Humboldt. The counties in the southern half of California with the lowest vaccination rates are Kern, San Luis Obispo and Imperial. What happens if I get measles? The signs of measles are a lot like cold symptoms, including fever and cough. They usually start about two weeks after exposure. But measles patients also get a characteristic red rash that typically begins on the face and spreads downward toward the feet. If you have a rash, dont run to the emergency room or urgent care. Call your doctors office first so they can make special arrangements for your visit to avoid infecting others. soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com Twitter: @skarlamangla The siblings who were discovered this week living captive in a Perris tract home were tortured and abused by their parents for years, living in conditions that only grew more horrific over time as the family moved from Texas to California, prosecutors said Thursday. David Turpin, 56, and Louise Turpin, 49, whose 13 children ages 2 to 29 were discovered Sunday after one of them escaped and called 911, punished their children by beating and choking them, tied them to beds for weeks or months at a time, deprived them of food and forced them to stay up all night and sleep during the day, said Riverside County Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin. They were not allowed to shower more than once a year. The alleged abuse and neglect started decades ago, when the family lived in Fort Worth, Texas, and only got worse as they moved to Murrieta in 2010 and then to Perris in 2014, Hestrin said in announcing multiple felony charges against the couple. Advertisement Their treatment was so extreme, it caused malnutrition, cognitive impairment and nerve damage in the victims, he said. Louise Turpin consults with her attorney, Jeff Moore, in Riverside County court on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times ) This is severe emotional and physical abuse, Hestrin said. Theres no way around that. This is depraved conduct. Even as the children suffered from lack of food, the district attorney said, the parents would buy food for themselves and leave it out for their children to see. Even as the children were not allowed to play with toys, the couple had numerous unopened toys throughout the house, he said. Though one child was allowed to attend college classes outside of the home, Louise Turpin accompanied him and waited outside the classroom, the district attorney said. When he was finished with class, she would take him home, Hestrin said. The charges include, against each of the defendants, 12 counts of torture and 12 counts of false imprisonment, seven counts of abuse of a dependent adult and six counts of child abuse. David Turpin was also charged with one count of a lewd act on a child under the age of 14. Although there were 13 children, the parents are charged with 12 counts of torture because the 2-year-old was getting enough to eat, Hestrin said. If convicted, they face up to 94 years in prison. Thursday afternoon, the couple appeared briefly in Riverside County Superior Court and pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. They wore black blazers provided to them by the public defenders office and sat separated by their attorneys. Our clients are presumed to be innocent, and thats a very important presumption, Deputy Public Defender David Macher, who represents David Turpin, told reporters after the hearing. The couples children were discovered early Sunday morning after one of them, a 17-year-old, escaped the home through a window and called police. She had planned to escape for about two years, prosecutors said, and she initially left the home with a sibling. But that sibling grew frightened and returned home, Hestrin said. When deputies arrived at the house on Muir Woods Road, three of the children were tied up and it was extremely dirty, Riverside County Sheriffs Capt. Greg Fellows said at a news conference Tuesday. There was a strong, foul stench in the home, he said. David Turpin, left, listens to his attorney, David Marcher, after he and his wife pleaded not guilty to multiple charges of torture and child abuse at the Riverside Hall of Justice. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times ) Even so, Louise Turpin seemed surprised to see authorities, Fellows said. It seemed that the mother was perplexed as to why we were at the residence, he said. Sheriffs deputies had no prior contact with the Turpins or calls from their house, Fellows said. Police in Murrieta also had no interactions with them, said a spokesman for the agency. Deputies at first assumed from the childrens frail and malnourished appearances that all of them were minors but later determined that seven of them were adults, according to the Sheriffs Department. The children had not seen a doctor in four years, prosecutors said. None of them had ever been to a dentist. Though the children were supposedly home-schooled, they lack very basic knowledge about life, Hestrin said. Many of them did not know what a police officer is, and the 17-year-old who escaped did not know what medication or pills are, he said. Their undernourishment was so severe that the 29-year-old weighed only 82 pounds when deputies arrived, Hestrin said. A 12-year-old victim weighed the same as an average 7-year-old. Prosecutors believe the neglect began when the couple lived in Fort Worth for several years in the 1990s. At one point during that time, the parents lived apart from their children and dropped off food from time to time, Hestrin said. The district attorney pleaded with the public for help piecing together what happened when the family lived in Texas. Someone must have seen something. Someone must have noticed something. We need your help, he said. According to public records, the family also appears to have lived in rural communities south of Fort Worth for several years before moving to California. Two officials in the Texas communities of Rio Vista and Blum, near where the Turpins appear to have lived for a time, said in phone interviews this week that they did not recall the family. Jeff Sanders, superintendent of Blum Independent School District, said he had no record of the Turpin children ever being enrolled in local schools. And Rio Vista Mayor William Keith Hutchison said he did not remember the family and had not come across anyone who did. In our area, if someone lives out in the county they might not ever come into our town because theres not a full-service grocery store or things like that, Hutchison said. You may never meet someone or see someone living in our area if they dont come into town for some specific reason. Through their years of isolation and abuse, one thing the children were allowed to do was write in journals, Hestrin said. Prosecutors have recovered hundreds of those journals and plan to use the details in them as they build their case against the couple. To read the article in Spanish, click here Times staff writers Sonali Kohli and James Queally contributed to this report. paloma.esquivel@latimes.com Twitter: @palomaesquivel For decades, the weekly meetings of the Board of Supervisors have been family-friendly, orderly affairs humdrum public discussions of the appointments, motions and ordinances that keep Los Angeles Countys $30-billion government in motion. Lately, though, those discussions have turned offensive. To the exasperation of supervisors, historically called the five little kings for their expansive powers, the countys business is now increasingly interrupted by slurs, epithets and profanity from the public an issue thats long been a headache for their colleagues at City Hall and one the supervisors, for all of their power, seem powerless to stop. According to a Times analysis of a decade of board transcripts, the number of profanities uttered has escalated sharply since the beginning of the year. Advertisement A small but bold group of gadflies has discovered that they can routinely disrupt the supervisors expectations for decorum in the time allotted for public comment, sending routine discussions about housing policy or mental health resources into a gauntlet of foulness, as Supervisor Sheila Kuehl calls it. (Los Angeles Times) It creates a really toxic environment, not for only us, but for the people in the auditorium, she said. It has a chilling effect on other people who come to the board to talk. County officials have been unable to muzzle public speakers even when they use racial slurs and epithets that can inflame tensions in the audience because of the widespread understanding that comments in public meetings are constitutionally protected. Various attempts have been rejected in federal court over the years. Its a common problem in government proceedings across the nation, including for the Los Angeles City Council and even the Los Angeles Police Commission. At those weekly meetings, profanity-laced tirades and middle fingers regularly outnumber the officers assigned to keep watch. In one of the largest cities in the world, it is to be expected that some inhabitants will sometimes use language that does not conform to conventions of civility and decorum, including offensive language and swear-words, wrote U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson in a 2013 ruling on behalf of local residents who had sued City Hall over attempts to control their rants. It is asking much of City Council members, who have given themselves to public service, to tolerate profanities and personal attacks, but that is what is required by the First Amendment. That requirement has led to some awkward and tense moments at the Hall of Administration, where the supervisors meet each Tuesday. According to a Times analysis of a decade of board transcripts, the number of profanities uttered at Board of Supervisors meetings has escalated sharply since the beginning of the year. These clips are from the April 2 meeting. Members of the public are granted up to three minutes to opine about county business as actor Brad Pitt did on April 9 to support funding a new building for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. At the same meeting, dozens of housing advocates pushed supervisors to approve an ordinance extending protections for renters through the end of the year. Amid the mostly civil comments, a meeting regular named Antonia Ramirez used her turn at the microphone to unleash a torrent of profanity aimed at blacks and Latinos watching the meeting, using slurs like wetbacks and chango, the Spanish word for monkey. Deport them. Public safety must be restored. Shut the border and build the wall, Ramirez continued. Again, we want our beloved America back. Some in the audience stood, surprised by the outburst. Others booed. Its obviously hurtful to see people who have these beliefs. Its offensive to hear them, said one attendee, Chris Estrada, director of community organizing with the tenants rights group, L.A. Center for Community Law In Action. Estrada said he spends his time trying to get his clients to feel safe challenging the system. These types of comments in meetings dont help. That adds more of a challenge to reassuring them and encouraging them to fight, he said. Supervisor Janice Hahn, who chairs the board and sometimes interacts with public speakers who use offensive language, later pleaded with Ramirez to steer clear of such talk. Now, you have the freedom of speech and youre allowed to say what you want. But I will say your language is very offensive to a lot of people today, Hahn said. Im just asking you. I cant force you. But Im asking you to work on your language. Ramirez was defiant. I make no apologies for my verbiage, she replied. And if they get offended, ask them why. Days later, Ramirez went to a City Council meeting and complained about Masonic Jewish Zionists, used the N-word and said kill Eric Garcetti, referring to L.A.s mayor all during a one-minute rant. Earlier in April, Hahn sparred with another frequent speaker who often uses profanity, Armando Herman, who regularly exasperates the supervisors. What the hell is going on? Hahn said in an exasperated tone, as the speaker dropped three F-bombs in one sentence. By the end of the public comment period, Hahn exhaled with a Lord, have mercy. The situation improved slightly this week, with speakers spewing fewer expletives. Still, Hahn jousted with Wayne Spindler, a lawyer and frequent speaker who was arrested in 2016 after a particularly caustic appearance at City Hall. He has also sued in federal court over his right to free speech, with mixed results. A transcript from a recent Board of Supervisors meeting details a profanity-filled exchange. The county replaces such words with "[EXPLETIVE]. (Matt Stiles / Los Angeles Times) The Times analyzed more than 400 transcripts of weekly meetings between January 2010 and April 2019, counting uses of the word expletive a catch-all redaction used by those who transcribe the meetings in real time for television closed captioning. The word appeared only occasionally until recent years. In 2013, for example, more than 1.8 million words were uttered during supervisors meetings. Three were redacted with the word expletive. But since last fall, expletive has appeared hundreds of times, spiking in the first two weeks of this month, when nearly 70 profanities and slurs were used. So far this year, offensive words have been used more than 170 times. Its unclear to observers whats driving the trend, which also is evident in recent City Hall transcripts, where foul language aimed at black, Latino and LGBTQ communities has been a sore spot for years. That is the part of the price we pay for this experiment of freedom of expression, said Stephen Rohde, a retired civil rights lawyer who represented the plaintiff, Matthew Dowd, in the case involving L.A. City Hall. It is literally one of the prices we pay for a robust democracy. Kuehl, who also is a lawyer, said she appreciates the right to freedom of expression, but not what she calls assaultive outbursts. She worries it will deter the public from experiencing the business of their government. When a public speaker uses certain words or slurs, Kuehl said people in the audience look stunned. They do expect that we will do something to protect them from this kind of verbal assault, she said. And the fact that we dont makes them feel unsafe. Times staff writers Mark Puente and David Zahniser contributed to this report. The Honduran cattle herder rubbed his hands nervously, perched on the edge of his seat in the baggage claim area of San Diego International Airport, scanning the crowd. Suddenly, a curly-haired teenager caught his eye. Thats my son, he said, his mouth widening into a grin as he launched himself toward an embrace that had been nearly a year in the making. Dont cry, he whispered as he hugged the boy, who had surpassed him in height since the two were apprehended last May by U.S. immigration agents. Redin, 39, and his 16-year-old son, also named Redin, were split up that same night. A month later, the father was deported back to Honduras and the boy was shuttled to a youth detention facility in Texas. Advertisement Last week, Redin was among the first of 17 Central American parents to be reunited with their children, the result of a humanitarian intervention by immigrant rights groups, propelled by a national class-action lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of migrant parents separated from their families. The lawsuit argues that the governments actions violate the Constitutions due process clause, federal law protecting asylum seekers, and the governments own stated directive to keep families intact. Redin, 39, and his 16-year-old son, also named Redin, were reunited after being separated since last May. (Andrea Castillo / Los Angeles Times) Since the Trump administrations family separation policy began last spring, hundreds of parents were deported while their children remained in the United States. Government documents have shown that officials began separating families months before the policy was announced, which could result in potentially thousands more separations than previously known. Though a U.S. District Court judge in San Diego blocked the policy last June and ordered the Trump administration to reunite all separated families, migrant advocates say that the administration has continued to quietly separate hundreds more families. Last month, lawyers with the nonprofit Al Otro Lado (On the Other Side) helped nearly 30 parents from El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala travel to the Mexicali border, across from Calexico, Calif., to demand entry to pursue asylum claims and reunite with their children. Redin and other parents who spoke with The Times did so on the condition that their last names not be published. All the parents who arrived at the border March 2 previously had entered the U.S. and been detained, then deported, while their children were placed in U.S. shelters and foster homes or with stateside relatives. Twelve parents who came with minor children and other family members were processed and released within a week. But the 17 others who arrived alone were held in the detention facility, without explanation, until last week. Al Otro Lado received close to $1 million from the nonprofit Together Rising, which established fundraising campaigns during the height of the separation crisis. After lawyers found the parents, they secured legal permission for them to enter Mexico; the parents then presented themselves to officials at the U.S. border. They all passed credible fear interviews, the first step toward establishing claims for asylum. Erika Pinheiro, Al Otro Lados litigation and policy director, calls her strategy the self-help option for deported parents. She said it became necessary because the federal government wasnt moving quickly enough. The U.S. government isnt providing a clear path for every deported parent, she said. We cant be waiting around. Kelly Overton, founder of Border Kindness, right, reacts after picking up Redin, left, a Honduran migrant and parent released on the US-Mexico border. (JOHN GASTALDO / For The Times) The first parents were released Monday night from the detention facility and dropped off a block from the border in Calexico, where advocates with Border Kindness greeted them. Founder Kelly Overton started the organization after learning about the migrant caravans in late 2017 and realizing there were few resources for those in the Mexicali, Mexico, area. When Al Otro Lado put out a call for help last month, he jumped at the chance. If these were white kids taken from their parents and put somewhere, people would be outraged, Overton said. Many parents decided it was best for their children to stay in the U.S., fearing that they would be killed if they returned. But that decision isnt without consequences. Children not placed in long-term foster care had to adapt to multiple shelters while being shuttled around the country. The kids are super-traumatized, said Pinheiro. Reunification is not the end of the story. Pinheiro and her team talked to nearly 100 parents deported without their children. Some didnt have asylum claims, didnt want to come back to the U.S., or said the first trip crippled them economically and they couldnt afford the risk again. Other parents, desperate to get their kids back, paid smugglers or otherwise somehow made their way back up through Mexico to attempt reunification on their own. Additional parents have been referred to Al Otro Lado through other advocates. Pinheiro said shes exploring how to help a second group of parents get to the U.S. legally to reclaim their children. Among the thousands of separated families who havent been identified, many wont be so lucky. For the 29 parents Al Otro Lado helped return, lawyers advocated to delay their childrens legal cases until they could find out whether the parents would be allowed back in to seek asylum. But other children separated before the policy went into effect have deportation orders. Some, including 52-year-old Lorenzas son, have already been removed from the country. Her son, Jose, was 17 when they were separated by the Border Patrol. He spent a year in a youth facility, where he had a case manager who called Lorenza regularly after she was deported back to Guatemala. But when he turned 18, he was moved to a detention center for adults. Jose had no money to call his mother. He didnt know shed been in contact with lawyers and was on her way back to the U.S. to reunite with him. With the other parents in Tijuana, days before they reached Mexicali, she got a call from Guatemala. It was Jose. Pinheiro submitted a motion to reopen Joses case. Still, she said: For a lot of parents, its going to be too late. For Lorenza and the parents released from Calexico, last week was just the beginning of a likely years-long asylum process. Next theyll show up for appointments with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, apply for work permits and prepare for their first court hearings. Pinheiro will find new lawyers for those who will be living outside of Southern California and connect them with mental health services. One is Nelvi, 36, who fled El Salvador with her then-14-year-old daughter, Ingris, after gang members attempted to rape the girl and threatened to kill them both. They were detained by Border Patrol after entering Texas in April 2018. Two days later, an officer asked if Nelvi ever had been arrested in El Salvador. She told the officer that once, years ago, shed been handcuffed briefly after a hair-pulling fight with her former husbands sister, but shed never been to jail or charged with a crime. The officer cut off her explanation, and said they were taking her daughter because Nelvi was a criminal. Two months later, getting desperate, Nelvi signed for her deportation, while Ingris stayed in a Texas youth detention facility. The weight of her suffering grew to be too much for Ingris, who tried twice to kill herself, the second time spending 10 days hospitalized. Mama, I need you more than ever, she told Nelvi. In San Diego, two days before their reunion, Nelvi showed a reporter the black chiffon dress and matching sequined wedge sandals that shed brought for her daughter. Ingris missed her mothers cooking and had requested a reunion meal of fried fish with bean-and-cheese pupusas. Im going to buy the ingredients and make it for you, a beaming Nelvi told her. Redin, the cattle herder, said he never was offered the option of taking his son with him back to Honduras. But even if he had, he wouldnt have wanted to: It was too dangerous. His lawyers say that Redin escaped human trafficking in Honduras. Worried that his son also could be targeted, Redin borrowed money from his brother in the U.S. and paid a smuggler nearly $4,500 to get them into Texas. He didnt want to leave his wife and five other children, but felt he had no choice. Three hours after crossing the Rio Grande last May, the two were discovered by Border Patrol and taken to a nearby detention facility where they were placed in a hielera, or icebox the nickname given by migrants to the frigid holding cells inside Customs and Border Protection facilities. Redin began to sob when officials informed him that he was being deported while his son would stay in the U.S. Eventually he was brought some papers and told to sign. He cant read and didnt know what they were for but, feeling scared, did as he was told. He had agreed to be deported. Eleven months later, when Redin arrived at the border last week, Border Kindness advocacy director Yolanda Brown drove him to Walmart to buy clothes and snacks. He stayed up late on his first night out of detention, listening to local Spanish radio on his phone. Three days afterward, in the car leaving the airport en route to a new life with a California sponsor, Redin put his arm around his son. When they took away my son, I never lost hope, he said. I prayed to God that someday Id be with my son again. One night I dreamed that I was hugging him. Finally, he was. andrea.castillo@latimes.com Twitter: @andreamcastillo The widower of a homeless woman who died in August after being struck by California Department of Transportation machinery along a highway in Modesto has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the state and the driver. Shannon Marie Bigley had been sleeping in a cardboard box in a grassy field along Highway 99 when she was crushed by the bucket of a front loader. In November, her father, Maurice Bigley, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit in Stanislaus County Superior Court against Caltrans. Her husband, Earnest Gray, filed a separate lawsuit last month against Caltrans and Brady Walker, the machine operator who had been driving the front loader. According to the Modesto Bee, Walker was put on administrative leave in October, two months after Bigleys death, and returned to work in February. A police report obtained by the Bee said Walker drove the front loader into a ravine where Bigley was sleeping after two homeless men identified items nearby as garbage. Advertisement Bigleys attorney told the Bee that he believes the cases will be combined, but Gray has said he is the rightful heir. A judge may have to make the decision if both parties dont come to an agreement. The cost to clean homeless encampments has steadily climbed over the past several years. From 2012 to 2017, Caltrans spent $29.2 million on the issue. According to a March 2018 performance report, the agency spent $10 million in 2017 alone. Shortly after Bigleys death, the union representing Caltrans workers filed a formal complaint with the agency citing health and safety concerns in regards to the practice of cleaning homeless encampments. In January 2018, the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported a finding of 129,972 homeless people in California on a single night. A veteran U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and his ex-wife were both sentenced to 12 years in prison for their roles in a drug trafficking operation, federal prosecutors in Southern California announced Thursday. Manuel Porras Salas, 52, and his former wife, Sayda Powery Orellana, 50, were convicted in December of one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering and making false statements to law enforcement. Orellana was found guilty of an additional four counts of money laundering, prosecutors said. The two took part in distributing hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, heroin and marijuana from Southern California to Chicago, the U.S. attorneys office said. Salas, who had worked at John Wayne and Ontario international airports in his 25 years as a customs agent, was indefinitely suspended after the drug trafficking allegations surfaced. Advertisement While the narcotics distribution was not directly related to Officer Salas position with the government, we cannot tolerate any law enforcement official playing a role in illegal activity that threatens the well-being of American citizens, U.S. Atty. Nick Hanna said in a statement. The investigation began in March 2012 when a commercial truck driver was arrested with 260 kilograms of heroin, cocaine and marijuana worth about $1.5 million as he was driving through Gallup, N.M. The truck driver told officers he was working with Salas and Orellana to transport the drugs to Chicago, prosecutors said. The driver said he would receive drug proceeds and deposit the money into bank accounts at the direction of Salas and Orellana. He eventually pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Phone and bank records pointed investigators to Salas. When confronted, Salas and Orellana told officials that they didnt know the driver and that the money deposited into Orellanas bank account was meant for someone else. Mr. Salas violated the trust placed in him by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the people of this country for his own and his former wifes personal financial gain, said Ryan Korner, an Internal Revenue Service criminal investigator. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra A bicyclist was struck and killed in a hit-and-run late Thursday evening near the 5 Freeway in Sun Valley. First responders with the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived on the scene at 8558 N. San Fernando Road shortly after 8:35 p.m. The cyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. No identification has been released. The Los Angeles Police Department is gathering information about the driver, who was reportedly in a red Dodge vehicle. Gary Turnbull hadnt practiced law in California for 20 years before he reactivated his license last October. Within about a month, he was appointed to defend a man facing the death penalty in the fatal shootings of two men at a bar south of Bakersfield. Soon, a sordid story of the attorneys past would resurface. Decades ago, while representing a woman accused of killing her husband, Turnbull, now 74, had secret sexual relationships with two of her three daughters, eventually having a child with one. Twice he was suspended from practicing law in 1995 for not paying child support and again in 2004 for not paying bar dues. Advertisement Now the American Civil Liberties Union is taking an unusual step of intervening to try to remove him from the death penalty case, arguing that his ethical transgressions and years out of practice make him unfit to take it on. Turnbulls appointment, an ACLU attorney said, is just one example of what she sees as a troubling pattern: Problems with how attorneys for indigent clients are appointed and paid are driving higher numbers of death sentences in some Southern California counties. Many people mistakenly assume that the defendants charged with the death penalty receive the best lawyering available, said Cassandra Stubbs, director of the ACLUs Capital Punishment Project. In fact, we see all too often the worst kind of lawyering provided to the poor defendants charged with capital crimes. Turnbull dismissed the arguments as sour grapes. Theyre saying from a relationship I had 35 years ago, that Im unfit. Yeah, well, thats history and the bar didnt find it was unethical, immoral, illegal or any conflict, Turnbull said. According to court rules, Im totally qualified. In a November declaration requesting to represent the man in the current capital case, Turnbull indicated that he handled more than 100 criminal jury trials and completed 300 hours of death penalty seminars throughout his career. He told The Times that he is now handling two other capital cases. Turnbull said he inactivated his license because he fell ill with cancer, moved to Canada and didnt think hed practice again. He reactivated his license, he said, because he was bored. The ACLUs effort to remove Turnbull is the latest twist in the nearly 4-year-old case of Juan Pablo Vega, who is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Jorge Zavala and Federico Zuniga Moreno. Kern County prosecutors allege that Vega walked into an Arvin nightclub in June 2015 and shot three people, killing two and wounding the other, after his girlfriend called him and said they were bothering her and to come take care of it. Vegas trial is set for January. A handful of attorneys were in and out of the case before a judge appointed Keith Rutman, a San Diego lawyer, to represent Vega in October 2017 because the Indigent Defense Program was unable to find a qualified attorney within the county. The Indigent Defense Program, run by the Kern County Bar Assn., contracts with Kern County to represent defendants when the public defenders office has a conflict or otherwise cannot. The program director, Henry Marquez, did not return multiple requests for comment. As Rutman began building his defense, he needed to hire mitigation investigators to dig into Vegas upbringing in Mexico to find out what led him to this point, he said in a court filing. Rutman requested more funding to send investigators to Culiacan, in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, because the countys rate to pay them was so low $42 an hour that he couldnt find qualified people to take on the dangerous assignment, he said in court filings. Vega, he wrote, is facing disparate treatment from those facing the death penalty in other California counties where there is enough funding for mitigation investigators. The painful life stories of capital defendants are an important part of the mitigation evidence defense counsel are duty-bound to investigate and present, the filing states. A judge granted the request in November, ordering the county to pay an investigator $150 an hour for work done in Mexico and another investigator $120 an hour for work done in the U.S. After Rutman told the Indigent Defense Program director about the developments, he was told another attorney would take over. That turned out to be Turnbull. Joe Hughes, vice president of the bar associations board of directors, said Rutman was not approved to be the lead attorney on capital cases and can only serve as second chair. He did not say why. Stubbs, of the ACLU, filed a declaration saying that an email exchange with the Indigent Defense Program director suggested possible retaliation against Mr. Rutman for his advocacy of Vega in securing additional funds. She also wrote that someone who hasnt practiced law for 20 years and has not maintained regular capital trainings is unqualified to represent clients in death penalty cases. In a motion to clarify counsel, Rutman points to Turnbulls history, saying it raises serious questions about his fitness to serve. Turnbull engaged in such grave misconduct having sexual relations with his clients two daughters that the judge hearing the post-conviction case suggested he intended to refer the case to the State Bar of California, the motion says. Its unclear if the bar opened an investigation, but it does not appear from online records that Turnbull was disciplined. These were young women who had lost their father, their mother was in jail for having killed their father. He steps in, hes a predator, said Linda Starr, an attorney who represented the mother, Glenda Crosley, after her conviction. Crosley was convicted in a second trial. The first trial in which she testified resulted in a hung jury. She did not testify in the second trial. She died in prison in 2013, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. We cant know what he didnt do because he was protecting his relationships more than his client, Starr said. Turnbull said there was no conflict, describing one of the relationships as just two people, both alone, going through divorces. He did not go into detail about the second one. What was unethical about it? Turnbull said. Youre going to rehash something from 35 years ago? I cant believe it. Turnbull and Rutman appeared in a Bakersfield courtroom on Thursday, each one separately approaching and consulting with Vega, who was in a brown jail uniform, his wrists shackled to a chain around his waist. Kern County Superior Court Judge John R. Brownlee postponed the scheduled hearing to clarify counsel to May because the courts presiding judge was out of town. We have a skeleton crew this week, Brownlee said, adding that the matter should be handled by the presiding judge since it has the potential to fundamentally change how we do business with the IDP. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @AleneTchek Standing at a lectern in a Riverside courtroom, just feet away from her parents and their defense attorneys, the woman identified only as Jane Doe No. 4, looked frail. Her sweater seemed too big for her thin body. She shook and cried even before she began to speak. But the message she delivered spoke to an astonishing resilience. My parents took my whole life from me, but now Im taking my life back. Im in college now and living independently, she said. I believe everything happens for a reason. Life may have been bad, but it made me strong. I fought to become the person I am. Her mother, Louise Turpin, who minutes earlier had been chatting and laughing with an attorney, was now crying. David and Louise Turpin, the Perris couple who for years tortured, abused and imprisoned 12 of their 13 children, starving them and at times chaining them to their beds, were sentenced Friday to 25 years to life in prison. Advertisement The Turpins had each pleaded guilty to 14 felony charges in February: one count of torture, four of false imprisonment, six of cruelty to adult dependents and three of willful child cruelty. On Friday, two of the charges were amended from false imprisonment to false imprisonment of a dependent adult, but that did not affect the couples sentence. The siblings lives have been permanently altered in their ability to learn, grow and thrive, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard J. Schwartz told the couple before handing down the sentence. To the extent that they do thrive, and it appears from today that perhaps a couple of them are, it will be not because of you both, but in spite of you both. The horrific details of the case have drawn attention around the world, but Friday was the first time some of the siblings publicly spoke for themselves. They spoke of looking toward the future. Some also described the love they still have for their parents. Jane Doe No. 4, who is 30, said she had watched her father change her mother. They almost changed me, she said. But Im a fighter, Im strong and Im shooting through life like a rocket, she said. When she finished reading her statement, Jane Doe No. 4 took a seat in the courtroom and was followed by her brother, who gave his name, Joshua. He is 27 years old. As the two oldest children, their lawyer later said, Jane Doe No. 4 and Joshua felt an obligation to be in court to speak for their siblings. Joshua began by reading a statement written by another sister, Jessica, 25. I love both my parents so much. Although it may not have been the best way of raising us, Im glad that they did because it made me the person I am today. I just want to thank them for teaching me about God and faith, the statement said. I pray often for them. Jessicas statement went on to describe the things she has learned since her parents were arrested. I am doing well, the statement said. I am going to college full time. I have an apartment and I am able to transport myself independently by bus, bike or walking. We are not supposed to necessarily understand Gods will, but we are only to follow and trust in him, for as the heavens are higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. When Joshua read his own statement, he described how the abuse he endured haunts him. I cannot describe in words what we went through growing up. Sometimes I still have nightmares of things that have happened, such as my siblings being chained up or being beaten, he said. But that is the past and this is now. I love my parents and have forgiven them for a lot of the things that they did to us. He also detailed many of the things he has learned since he was rescued. In June of last year, I learned how to ride a bike and since then I have been hooked and ride it everywhere, he said. Sometimes I just go on long rides because I enjoy it so much. He now lives in an apartment and is studying to become a software engineer, he said. And he spoke of aspiring to get a masters degree. I also have learned to advocate for myself, he said. In another statement, which was read by a victims attorney, one of the Turpins children, who is now 21 years old, expressed an understanding for her parents and what they had done and described her hope that she could talk to them again. I want the court to know that our parents loved each other and loved each of their children, the statement said. I remember our mother sitting in her recliner and crying, saying she dont know what to do. She didnt want to use rope or chain, but she was afraid her children were taking in too much sugar and caffeine. The statement went on to say that the parents continued buying soda because father needed it for work. He would fall asleep driving and got in an accident, the statement said. They didnt know what else to do. I believe our parents feared if they asked for help, they would lose their children. I believe our parents tried their best. They believed everything they did was to protect us, the statement said. She asked to be able to talk to her parents by phone. Despite some of their expressions of love for their parents, the adult siblings all agreed with the sentence that was handed down on Friday, said attorney Jack Osborn, who represents them. They do love their parents, he said. But they understand what happened. They understand there are consequences. Louise Turpin, shown during Fridays hearing, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the abuse of 12 of her 13 children. (Will Lester / Orange County Register via the Associated Press / Pool) David and Louise Turpin also read their own statements prior to the sentencing. My homeschooling and discipline had good intentions, David Turpin said in a message that was initially read by his attorney. I never intended for any harm to come to my children. Im sorry if Ive done anything to cause them harm. Louise Turpin said she had only wanted the best for her children and was sorry for everything Ive done to hurt my children. I love my children so much. Im blessed to be the mother of each one of them, she said. I only want the best for them. I want them to know that mom and dad are going to be OK. The abuse that the children endured had gone seemingly unnoticed in the couples Perris neighborhood until January 2018, when one of them climbed out of a window and called 911 to ask for help. Inside the familys home on Muir Woods Road, deputies found two young girls who had been chained to their bed for weeks. Twelve of the 13 siblings were so frail and malnourished that deputies at first assumed they were all minors; they later learned that seven were adults. Investigators later learned that the chains were punishment for stealing candy. Prosecutors said the couple had abused and neglected their children for years, dating back to the 1990s, when the family lived in Texas. At a hearing in June, investigators said the siblings told them that while they lived in Texas, David Turpin would inflict physical punishments that escalated in severity. At times, the children were placed in cages or a dog kennel. In California, Louise Turpin was the one who inflicted much of the corporal punishment, investigators said. According to investigators, the parents abandoned their children for about three or four years, leaving them to live in a trailer in the small town of Rio Vista, Texas, while the couple lived nearby. During that time, the parents would call the siblings by phone and force the two oldest children to punish the others, investigators said. David Turpin conditioned the children over years, over decades, of physical torment and abuse, all stemming from Texas, Riverside County Deputy Dist. Atty. Kevin Beecham said at the hearing in June. He conditioned them in a way thats unimaginable. When the parents werent there, they were still forced to obey. paloma.esquivel@latimes.com Twitter: @palomaesquivel A parolee who was shot along with Nipsey Hussle on March 31 outside the rappers clothing shop was released from Mens Central Jail early Saturday, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Kerry Lathan, 56, who suffered a gunshot wound to the back, was transported to the jail last week after his arrest on a parole violation, officials said. He was released shortly after 3 a.m. Saturday, according to the Sheriffs Department Inmate Information Center. The charges against him were dismissed, according to the centers website. A Sheriffs Department spokesman could not say how Lathan violated his parole, but parolees often are barred from fraternizing with known felons or gang members as a condition of their release. Hussle was known to be affiliated with the Rollin 60s set of the Crips street gang in South L.A. Advertisement There had been calls for Lathans release from South L.A. activists. Lathan said in an interview posted on YouTube that he was arrested for associating with gang members at Hussles store. I am in a wheelchair now, and they are trying to send me back for life for just being there gang association, Lathan told Big U, a gang interventionist in the territory of the Rollin 60s. I got shot in the back. Lathan said he was there with a peacemaker who was trying to make the community right. This is a straight injustice, said Lathan, who was released last year after 25 years in prison for murder. Eric Holder, 29, was charged with the killing of Hussle. RELATED: How Nipsey Hussle changed South L.A. Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore has said Holders motive was personal, but he declined to elaborate for fear of jeopardizing the investigation. Law enforcement sources have told The Times that Holder had been in a dispute with Hussle, possibly for some time. After they got into an argument earlier that day at the store, Holder left, then returned and opened fire, the sources said. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @lacrimes An appeals court will not reconsider its decision to uphold the conviction of former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, all but extinguishing the chances the once-towering law enforcement figure had to avoid prison. Baca, 76, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, was sentenced in 2017 to three years behind bars after a jury found he oversaw a plan to interfere with an FBI investigation into abuses in county jails and later lied to prosecutors about his role. This year, a panel of judges from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the conviction was fair and legally sound, rejecting claims by Bacas lawyers that decisions by the judge in the case had prejudiced the jury against the former sheriff. On Friday, the panel issued an order denying Bacas requests for another hearing or a new hearing in front of the entire 9th Circuit. Advertisement The decision leaves the U.S. Supreme Court as Bacas only remaining chance for a reprieve. If he does ask the nations high court to review his case, it is exceedingly unlikely it will do so. The courts justices agree to hear just a small fraction of the thousands of cases they review each year. Bacas attorney, Nathan Hochman, indicated that he does in fact plan to petition the Supreme Court, saying in a statement that he believes the governments case against Baca was fundamentally flawed. Mr. Baca will continue to seek justice and avail himself of all legal avenues to do so, Hochman said. Baca has been allowed to remain free throughout the appeals process, and it was not immediately clear whether the 9th Circuit would permit that to continue. The court could now clear the way for U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson, who sentenced Baca, to set a date when he must begin serving his sentence. During his 14 years heading one of the nations largest police agencies, Baca established himself as a prominent, if eccentric, voice in law enforcement who pushed progressive ideals on policing but struggled to put thoughts into action and failed to keep many of the departments deep-seated problems from worsening on his watch. Baca stepped down in 2014 amid increasing controversy and later was indicted on charges stemming from the plot to thwart the FBI investigation into abuses by deputies working in the countys jails. He was the last in a group of Sheriffs Department deputies and commanders to be accused of playing a role in the 2011 scandal, which involved hiding an inmate who was an FBI informant and threatening to arrest the agent who was leading the investigation. All 10 of the people who faced charges in the case either pleaded guilty or were convicted. Baca initially tried to plead guilty in a deal with prosecutors, but Anderson rejected it as too lenient and signaled he would impose a stiffer prison sentence than what was called for in the agreement. Baca nearly won an acquittal when all but one member of a jury wanted to find him not guilty. With the lone juror unwilling to budge, Anderson declared a mistrial. For the second trial, however, prosecutors revamped their case, and Anderson issued a string of rulings that hamstrung the defense. He ruled that a respected geriatrician would not be allowed to testify that Bacas memory could already have been affected by Alzheimers in 2013, when he made false statements about the obstruction scheme in an interview with prosecutors. When the case was heard by the appeals court in November, an attorney for Baca argued Andersons ruling had denied the former sheriff a crucial line of defense. The judges appeared skeptical, asking why Bacas lawyer at trial hadnt tried a different tack that would have informed the jury of the Alzheimers diagnosis without relying on the doctors testimony. A prosecutor from the U.S. attorneys office told the judges Anderson was right to block the testimony, saying it would have been speculative and risked a verdict based on sympathy instead of evidence. In their ruling, the judges dispatched the Alzheimers argument in short order. Agreeing with the government that the doctors testimony would have been rooted in conjecture and possibly confusing to the jury, the judges found the district court did not abuse its discretion. They also rejected a claim by Bacas legal team that Anderson had been wrong to rule that Bacas comment to a senior aide who cautioned him not to interfere with the federal investigation was hearsay and would not be heard by the jury. Bacas response to the aide that he believed that FBI agents were violating state laws and needed to be stopped was evidence that the former sheriff did not have corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation and should have been heard, Bacas lawyers argued. The panel of judges found that Hochman had failed to raise the issue with Anderson during the trial, but concluded nonetheless that Bacas rights had not been infringed because the jury had heard of other instances in which the former sheriff had expressed this belief. joel.rubin@latimes.com Twitter: @joelrubin In the mid-1990s, the Discovery Channel aired a five-part series on Watergate, calling it a refresher course on the audacious White House scandal that drove President Nixon from office. It might be time for a sequel. There was a time when the shadowy cast of characters behind the break-in of the Democratic national headquarters were household names, as familiar to Americans as those on a lineup card G. Gordon Liddy, E. Howard Hunt, John Ehrlichman, on they went. But the years have not been particularly kind to Watergate. Advertisement How else could James Walter McCord Jr. the former CIA operative who helped lead the infamous break-in and later tied it directly to the White House slide into such obscurity that his death, at the age of 93, went unnoticed for nearly two years? Without fanfare or a public announcement, McCord died June 15, 2017, at his home in Douglassville, Pa. His death was first noted on the website Kennedys and King, an activist group lobbying for full disclosure of all records relating to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs confirmed his death on its national gravesite locator site, and the Washington Post, which broke much of the Watergate scandal, obtained his death certificate and reported that he died of pancreatic cancer. Of all the Watergate characters, McCord was the most puzzling, a retired CIA operative who cloaked himself in several layers of mystery and somehow ended up on a security detail for Nixons reelection team. Carrying briefcases and walkie-talkies, McCord and four Cuban nationals who made up a clandestine burglary team known as the plumbers broke in to the Democratic headquarters in the Watergate building. While McCord and the others scoured the offices, Liddy and Hunt equally compromised ex-spies ran the operation from another hotel room. But the break-in was as sloppy as it was bold, and the five plumbers were arrested when a security guard noticed the door ajar to the Democratic headquarters, a piece of tape covering the lock. Liddy and Hunt fled but were arrested the next day. McCord later said that it was never altogether clear to him what they were looking for and that he was working on vague directions to take photos of anything that appeared to be related to money. Watergate was a single chapter in Nixons larger quest to get dirt on his political opponents, whether it was their sex lives, tax records, drinking habits or marital problems. But it quickly became the story, a desperate effort by a deeply paranoid president trying to hold on to power. 1 / 17 In this June 25, 1974, photo released by the White House, President Nixon listens to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger aboard the plane that brought the president to Belgium. Within two months, Nixon had resigned, and in June 1975, the feisty former president defended his shredded legacy and shady Watergate-era actions in grand jury testimony that he thought would never come out. On Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011, it did. (Ollie Akins / White House Photo) 2 / 17 Rose Mary Woods, President Nixon s personal secretary, is flanked by attorneys Charles Rhyne, left, and William Rhyne, father and son, as she arrives at U.S. District Court in Washington for another appearance regarding the presidental tapes. (AP photo) 3 / 17 Senate testimony by former White House aide John Dean, shown here in 1973, helped lead to President Nixon s resignation in 1974. (Associated Press) 4 / 17 Columnist James J. Kilpatrick in 1974 with Nixon. (White House photo) 5 / 17 This was the scene in the hearing room of the House Judiciary Committee in Washington on July 25, 1974, as the panel began another day of debate on the impeachment question. The members of the committee are seated in two rows with Chairman Peter Rodino (D-N.J.) in the center of the back row. Counsels for the panel are seated in foreground with their backs to the camera. (Associated Press) 6 / 17 The Senate Watergate Committee approached its role with awe and a sense of heavy responsibility to the nation. This is a general view of the Senate Watergate Committe hearings on August 3, 1973. From left are: Lowell P. Weicker, Jr, Edward J. Gurney, Fred Thompson, Howard H. Baker Jr, Rufus Edmisten, Sam Ervin, Sam Dash and Joseph M. Montoya. Daniel K. Inouy was absent. Testifying is Lt. Gen. Vernon Walters. (Associated Press) 7 / 17 Senate Republican leader Hugh Scott, left, Sen. Barry Goldwater, center, and fellow Arizona Republican John J. Rhodes speak to reporters after the meeting in which they told President Nixon to quit over Watergate. (Associated Press) 8 / 17 Rose Mary Woods demonstrates how she said she erased a portion of a Nixon-Haldeman tape. (Associated Press) 9 / 17 In this June 21, 1974 , photo, former Nixon White House aide Charles W. Colson arrives at U.S. District Court in Washington to be sentenced for obstructing justice. (Bob Daugherty / Associated Press) 10 / 17 President Nixon tells the nation that he will resign effective at noon the next day: August 9, 1974. (Associated Press) 11 / 17 This is a view of the paperback version of the transcripts of White House tapes that was released to journalists. The 1,308 pages of transcripts as distributed for news media use filled a book 2 1/2 inches thick. (UPI) 12 / 17 In this Aug. 30, 1976, photo Mark Felt appears on CBSs Face The Nation in Washington. Felt, the former FBI second-in-command, revealed himself as Deep Throat 30 years after he tipped off reporters to the Watergate scandal that toppled a president. (Associated Press) 13 / 17 E. Howard Hunt, left, arrives with two unidentified men at U.S. District Court in Washington on Jan 8, 1973. Hunt helped organize the Watergate break-in that led to the greatest scandal in American political history and the downfall of the Nixon presidency (Associated Press) 14 / 17 Former White House aide John Dean holds a copy of a letter that he said exonerated him from unethical conduct in a law firm where he was once employed. This testimony came in Deans second day before the Senate Watergate Committee. (Associated Press) 15 / 17 President Nixon is shown pointing to the transcripts of the White House tapes in this April 29, 1974, photo, after he announced during a nationally televised speech that he would turn over the transcripts to House impeachment invesigators. For nearly a quarter-century, only prosecutors and archivists had listened to 3,700 hours of conversations recorded secretly by Nixon. The government released 201 hours of the tapes in 1996, opening a rich vein of information for historians and Watergate addicts. (Associated Press) 16 / 17 President Nixon says goodbye to members of his staff outside the White House as he boards a helicopter for Andrews Air Force Base after resigning the presidency Aug. 9, 1974. (Associated Press) 17 / 17 On the day of his resignation, Aug. 9, 1974, President Nixon waves goodbye from the steps of a helicopter as he leaves the White House. (Chick Harrity / Associated Press) Indicted, McCord pleaded guilty and then, to get out from under a potential 45-year prison sentence, handed prosecutors what they were seeking a road map connecting the White House to the crimes. There was political pressure applied to the defendants to plead guilty and remain silent, McCord wrote to the court. He later told the court that John Mitchell, the reelection committee chair and Nixons former U.S. attorney general, had approved the break-in. Even if it meant my freedom, I would not turn on the organization that had employed me for 19 years, he wrote. I was completely convinced that the White House was behind the idea and ploy which had been presented, and that the White House was now turning ruthless. McCord served four months in prison. Born Jan. 26, 1924, McCord grew up in small-town Oklahoma, the son of a public school teacher. He was in the Army Air Force during World War II, and later earned a bachelors degree from the University of Texas and a masters from George Washington University. Little is known about his years with the FBI and CIA. What he did, and where he did it, is equally unclear. In the years after Watergate, McCord slipped back into anonymity. He ran a security firm in Colorado and later dabbled in alternative energy. A list of survivors was not available. 40 years past Watergate: A legacy evolves and questions linger Americas first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb, who pushed for equality in space but never reached its heights, has died at her home in Florida. Cobb died March 18 following a brief illness, said Miles OBrien, a family spokesman. She was 88. In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass NASAs astronaut screening process. Altogether, 13 women passed the arduous physical testing regimen and became known as the Mercury 13. But NASA already had its Mercury 7 astronauts, all jet test pilots and all military men, and none of the Mercury 13 ever reached space, which left Cobb bitter. We seek, only, a place in our nations space future without discrimination, she later told a special House subcommittee on the selection of astronauts. Advertisement Instead of making her an astronaut, NASA tapped her as a consultant to promote the space program. But she was dismissed after commenting: Im the most unconsulted consultant in any government agency. My country, my culture, was not ready to allow a woman to fly in space. Jerrie Cobb She wrote in her 1997 autobiography Jerrie Cobb, Solo Pilot, that she was held back because she was a woman. ''My country, my culture, was not ready to allow a woman to fly in space, she wrote. Cobb served for decades as a pilot delivering humanitarian aid in the Amazon jungle. She should have gone to space, but turned her life into one of service with grace, tweeted Ellen Stofan, director of the Smithsonian Institutions National Air and Space Museum and a former NASA scientist. The Soviet Union launched the first woman into space in 1963: Valentina Tereshkova. NASA didnt send a woman into orbit until 1983, when Sally Ride flew in the space shuttle. Cobb and other surviving members of the Mercury 13 attended the 1995 shuttle launch of Eileen Collins, NASAs first female space pilot and later its first female space commander. Jerrie Cobb served as an inspiration to many of our members in her record breaking, her desire to go into space, and just to prove that women could do what men could do, said Laura Ohrenberg, of the Ninety-Nines Inc., an international organization of licensed women pilots. Still hopeful, Cobb emerged in 1998 to make another pitch for space as NASA prepared to launch Mercury 7 astronaut John Glenn the first American to orbit the Earth on shuttle Discovery at the age of 77. Cobb, who was then in her late 60s, maintained that the geriatric space study should also include an older woman. I would give my life to fly in space, I really would, Cobb said in 1998. Its hard for me to talk about it, but I would. I would then, and I will now. It just didnt work out then, and I just hope and pray it will now, she added. It didnt. NASA hasnt flown another senior citizen in space, male or female, since. Geraldyn Cobb was born on March 5, 1931, in Norman, Okla., the second daughter of a military pilot and his wife. She flew her fathers open cockpit Waco biplane at age 12 and got her private pilots license four years later. The Mercury 13s story is told in a recent Netflix documentary and a play based on Cobbs life, They Promised Her the Moon, is currently running at the Old Globe theater in San Diego. In her autobiography, Cobb described how she danced on the wings of her plane in the Amazon moonlight, when learning via radio on July 20, 1969, that Apollo 11s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had landed on the moon. Yes, I wish I were on the moon with my fellow pilots, exploring another celestial body, she wrote. How I would love to see our beautiful blue planet Earth floating in the blackness of space. And see the stars and galaxies in their true brilliance, without the filter of our atmosphere. But Im happy flying here in Amazonas, serving my brethren. Contenta, Senor, contenta. (I am happy, Lord, happy.) Dunn writes for the Associated Press Josine Ianco-Starrels, a dynamic curator whose passion for artistic independence and social justice had a strong influence on Los Angeles burgeoning art scene in the mid-20th century, has died of natural causes at 92. Ianco-Starrels died at her home in Rogue River, Ore., on April 8, her daughter, Elissa Kline, said. Fiery, outspoken and infused with equal portions of romanticism and pragmatism, Romanian-born Ianco-Starrels directed the city-funded Municipal Art Gallery in Barnsdall Park from 1975 to 1987, when professionally run nonprofit showcases for contemporary art were relatively scarce in Los Angeles. Providing an alternative to commercial galleries and conventional museums, she focused on Southern Californias under-recognized artists of all ages and colors. But the Muni was merely the highlight of a career that included curatorial positions at the Lytton Center of the Visual Arts, Cal State L.A. and the Long Beach Museum of Art. She also compiled The Times Sunday Art News column in the 1970s and 80s. Advertisement Ianco-Starrels credentials as one of arts great populists are impeccable, William Wilson, a former Times art critic, wrote in 1990. She specialized in art and artists of the overlooked and undervalued sort. A champion of women, artists of color and forgotten men, she presented Newcomers and Multi-Cultural Focus group exhibitions and shined a spotlight on many individuals who rose to prominence, including Betye Saar, Helen Lundeberg, Vija Celmins and Charles White. She had the confidence to take incredible chances, said Jay Belloli, former gallery director at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena. In terms of diversity, she got there long before other curators. She just had the eye and knew what was really good. Born in Bucharest on Oct. 17, 1926, Ianco-Starrels was the daughter of Marcel Janco, an artist, architect and co-founder of Dada, an anarchic art movement that erupted in Zurich, Switzerland, as World War I began. (German writers changed the spelling of his last name and the new version stuck, but Josine kept the original spelling.) Janco was part of a prosperous family, but he was also Jewish. In a desperate move that sharply reduced his circumstances, he immigrated to Palestine with his wife and two daughters during World War II. Ianco-Starrels, who studied at the University of Tel Aviv but left to go to Paris, moved to New York in 1950 and enrolled in the Art Students League. Her first marriage, to educator and journalist Harold Manson, fell apart, and in 1956 she married Herbert Kline, a documentary filmmaker. They moved to Los Angeles, and her career began in 1960 as curator of the Lytton Center of the Visual Arts, established by financier Bart Lytton. Initially hired to organize Lyttons collection of pre-cinema paraphernalia, Ianco-Starrels was well-positioned when Lytton decided to open a gallery for California art. She found her calling by presenting a landmark show of work by California women, among many other exhibitions. She also met her future third husband, Maurie Starrels, a Lytton banking executive whom she married in 1969. The Lytton gallery closed in 1969, and Ianco-Starrels became director of the art gallery at Cal State L.A., where she designed an innovative program for the universitys multicultural student audience. That experience led to the Muni, where she flourished until a change in management forced her into a bureaucratic position. Awarded an honorary doctorate degree from Otis Art Institute of Parsons School of Design (now Otis College of Art and Design) in 1985, she was senior curator at the Long Beach Museum of Art from 1987 to 1990, then shifted to freelance projects. But her professional life was never the same. I feel like a cavalryman without a horse, she told Wilson. Ianco-Starrels retired in 2000 and moved to Oregon, where she was a volunteer guest curator at the Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University in Ashland. She is survived by her daughter, Elissa Kline; son Ethan Kline; sister Dadi Janco and grandsons Miles Kline and Ian Janco Gillberg. Muchnic is a former Times staff writer. Almost half a century has passed since the Boeing Bust, when the company shed 60,000 jobs and a billboard declared, Will the last person leaving Seattle turn out the lights. Boeing neared bankruptcy, dragging the city with it. Unemployment hit 16% in 1971, the highest in any U.S. urban area since the Depression. Seattle became a poster child for perils faced by company towns. Now the aerospace giant, reeling from the grounding of its 737 Max jets after two fatal crashes, is scrambling to right itself again. While the situation is dire the company faces a grand jury investigation, lawsuits and reduced share prices the outlook for the Seattle area, where the plane is made, is nowhere near as bad as decades ago. Seattle is more resilient because its no longer a one-horse city after having been dependent in turn on timber giant Weyerhaeuser, Boeing and then Microsoft. Advertisement While its no longer true that, as an old saying goes, When Boeing sneezes, Seattle catches cold, Boeing remains a behemoth in Washington state, where the company has 66,000 workers and $55 billion in annual revenue. As such, Boeing remains Washington states largest employer although if Amazons hiring streak continues, the Seattle-based tech dynamo will soon overtake the aerospace giant. Boeing engineers are scrambling to fix software thought responsible for crashes of a Lion Air flight in Indonesia that killed 189 people in October and an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March that killed 157. The accidents have undermined trust in the international aircraft certification system, in which foreign agencies routinely accepted findings of the Federal Aviation Administration. Even after the second crash, the FAA initially expressed confidence in the safety of the 737 Max while most nations suspended flights. If agencies abroad insist on doing their own lengthy certifications or the 737 Max flunks FAA airworthiness standards, Boeings revenues could plummet. This has the potential to be an incredibly complex international mess, said aerospace consultant Scott Hamilton, managing director of Leeham Co., near Seattle. He advises Boeing workers to save more of their paychecks and wait to buy cars and other big-ticket items. For now, few appear to be heeding such warnings. Renton, the city of 100,000 where Boeing makes the 737 Max, sits 11 miles southeast of central Seattle, the site of Amazons glitzy headquarters. Recent arrivals in Amazonia are often only dimly aware of Boeings presence in the region. With every shift change, Renton workers stream into the hulking factory that employs about 12,000. Overtime was routine before the company announced April 5 that it would cut output of 737 Max planes from 52 a month to 42. Renton car dealers say their business remains good as the company refrains from layoffs. Boeing employees pack the Pickled Onion, a favorite pub, for beer bingo, darts and pool. Machinists union leaders, who recently won their members a midcontract pay raise amid a labor shortage, arent talking. Boeing has adopted a humble tone since the second crash, of the Ethiopian jetliner, on March 10. Were focused on testing and implementing the software update, providing pilot training, and rebuilding trust with our airline customers and the traveling public, said Paul Bergman, a Boeing spokesman. In 1968, before the legendary bust, Boeing employed 1 in 5 of Seattles workers. But the company, which debuted the Boeing 747 in 1970, overestimated demand for the worlds first jumbo jet, setting the stage for its drastic fall. Seattle became tagged as Americas food stamp capital in a 1971 congressional report. But as unions looked out for members, business and political leaders laid foundations that helped attract companies including Microsoft to the area, said Andrew Hedden, associate director of the University of Washingtons Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies. Hedden, researching a doctoral thesis on Seattles economic rebound, said laid-off blue-collar workers had the most trouble finding jobs after the bust. He expects that manufacturing workers would again take the brunt if Boeing takes another dive. Hedden worries about the citys increasing reliance on Amazon, given the tech industrys boom-and-bust cycles. Amazons footprint in the city is just enormous, and probably to the point where its not very safe, he said. The wealth bomb that Amazon has dropped on central Seattle in the form of upscale offices, apartments, yoga studios and dog day-care lounges distracts residents from Boeings troubles, said Jeff Shulman, whose Seattle Growth Podcast probes the citys changes. Boeing does matter, and it would be problematic for certain areas of the region if it suffers, Shulman said, but that hasnt reached the public consciousness on a broad scale. Boeing dealt Seattle a blow in 2001 by moving its corporate headquarters to Chicago, though much of its manufacturing operations remain. By then, however, Microsoft reigned supreme in the region that once depended on Weyerhaeuser and other timber and mining businesses. Other cities, notably Detroit after the auto industrys decline, have foundered after major companies waned, said Margaret OMara, a University of Washington history professor and author of a forthcoming book on the U.S. tech industrys rise. Residents of Seattle, relishing its natural beauty and livability, have tended to stick around for second acts sparked by innovation, OMara said. Despite the fact that so much of the economy is often revolving around one company or sector, she said, the Seattle region keeps on going. Seattle takes a small step against gentrification Its Holy Week, and on the U.S.-Mexico border thats an especially busy time for trade, tourism and shopping. April is also the height of Mexican produce season, and just south of the border in Texas, lines of idling tractor trailers stretched for miles waiting to enter the United States. This year, the traffic jams at the border crossings are especially bad, because the federal government has reassigned 750 staff from their usual duties at ports of entry and inland checkpoints to help deal with large numbers of Central American immigrant families who have been showing up at the border to claim asylum. Through March of this year, a total of 189,584 people traveling in families sought asylum at the southern border a 374% increase compared with the same period last year. Advertisement According to Border Patrol policy, all those migrants must be taken to holding areas to be processed interviewed, fed and screened for medical issues. The agents were reassigned this month after President Trump declared a national emergency. Now communities along the border are starting to feel the consequences. On Thursday, three Texas congressmen held a briefing at the Laredo port the countrys second largest by volume after Los Angeles to call for the return of customs agents. They said they had been contacting Border Patrol officials for weeks, offered suggestions to alleviate delays, and received assurances the agency would address the problem. Customs officers staff 328 ports of entry on the southern border. Many of the crossings include multiple booths and several lanes of traffic. Some cater exclusively to commercial traffic. They are a catalyst for economic development in the Rio Grande Valley, said Rep. Filemon Vela, who represents part of the region. Our communities need immediate relief from the extended wait times at border crossings. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, who also represents the valley, said the Trump administration appeared to be ignoring local feedback. It is inexcusable that the concerns, questions and ideas of local officials, business owners, and citizens have fallen on deaf ears, Gonzalez said. The ports arent the only problem. U.S. Customs and Border Protection runs about 170 inland checkpoints, concentrated in the zone 100 miles north of the border. At the checkpoints, Border Patrol agents with drug- and people-sniffing dogs stop and at times search vehicles, questioning drivers. The Border Patrol has long stressed the significance of checkpoints in catching smugglers of people and narcotics and publicizing major busts and programs like Operation Big Rig, created to target tractor trailer smuggling. Some El Paso area checkpoints are notorious for drug seizures, like Sierra Blanca, dubbed Checkpoint of the Stars by Texas Monthly for busting tour buses of celebrities including Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg. Last month, Border Patrol officials closed checkpoints in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas, and redirected staff to process migrant families. Vehicles that would have been stopped and inspected now flow north freely. In southern New Mexicos Otero County, commissioners voted to demand that the governor deploy National Guard troops to reopen the checkpoints and declared a state of emergency Thursday. If this demand is not met by the state of New Mexico in one weeks time, the County of Otero will take action itself to provide security and safety and well-being for the people in this county, said Couy Griffin, who leads the county commission. Griffin said county officials might also sue the state for failing to follow its constitutional duties. Gov. Michele Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, refused to reopen the checkpoints. In February, she had pulled remaining National Guard troops, deployed last year by her predecessor, Republican Gov. Susana Martinez. If Otero County officials are unhappy that a federal checkpoint has been un-manned, so to speak, their concerns would have the best chance of being addressed if registered with the federal agency that made the decision to shift that personnel elsewhere, said Tripp Stelnicki, a spokesman for the governors office. Along many parts of the border, checkpoint closures are rare, usually occurring only before storms and other hazardous weather. In Texas Rio Grande Valley the borders busiest smuggling corridor checkpoints close only to allow people to flee during disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, a former Border Patrol commissioner who took over last week after Kirstjen Nielsens ouster, said this week that processing migrant families remained a crisis. He did not indicate that checkpoints would reopen anytime soon. Its clear that all of our resources are being stretched thin, he said after a visit to Border Patrol migrant holding areas in McAllen, Texas. The system is full, and we are beyond capacity. And so as Easter approaches, cars remain snarled in border traffic, some Mexican shoppers are planning fewer trips north, and workers and students who travel daily between Mexico and the United States worry about arriving on time for their shifts or final exams. When a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed an unarmed woman who approached his squad car after calling 911, it was catastrophic. But was it murder? Prosecutors have given jurors hearing the case against Mohamed Noor multiple options: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The jury will ultimately decide whether any of the counts fit what happened the night of July 15, 2017, when Noor fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond just minutes after the dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia had phoned in a report of a possible sexual assault behind her home. As Noors trial prepares to enter its third week, defense attorneys not connected to the case see a larger and commonly used strategy to overcharge the case in a way that could make it easy for jurors to convict on the lesser manslaughter count. Juries like to be King Solomon, said Earl Gray, an attorney on the team that successfully defended former Minnesota officer Jeronimo Yanez against a manslaughter charge in the 2016 shooting death of Philando Castile during a traffic stop. They want to split the baby and give each side half. Advertisement Prosecution is like hunting, said another defense attorney, Marsh Halberg, who has been sitting in on some of the key testimony. You throw a lot of pellets up in the air and you dont care which one brings down the bird. Obviously you would always like to get [a conviction on] the highest charge, but you want to leave at the end of the day with some conviction. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman was under intense community pressure and international scrutiny as he decided whether to charge Noor in Damonds death, which had led to a police chiefs resignation. Freeman let slip in an unguarded moment captured on video in December 2017 that he didnt have enough evidence at that point to charge Noor, saying investigators havent done their job. When Freeman finally filed charges in March 2018, he said the evidence clearly fit the legal definitions of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. But Noors legal team and other local defense attorneys said the third-degree murder charge was an overreach. Prosecutors added the second-degree murder charge late last year. The presumptive sentences vary from four years for the manslaughter charge to 12 years for third-degree murder to 25 years for second-degree murder. Neither Halberg nor Gray thinks the jury is likely to convict Noor of third-degree murder, because the state statute requires jurors to find that someone acted with a depraved mind, without regard for human life, a term so ill-defined and potentially confusing that prosecutors rarely use the charge. In Noors case, the prosecutions proposed jury instructions specifically avoid the term, and call it instead an act eminently dangerous to others and performed without regard for human life ... committed in a reckless or wanton manner with the knowledge that someone may be killed and with a heedless disregard of that happening. The defenses proposed instructions do use the term depraved mind. Judge Kathryn Quaintance has yet to rule. Halberg was in court Thursday for testimony from Noors partner, Officer Matthew Harrity, and viewed Harritys body camera video as it was shown to the jury. Besides the heartache of seeing Damond dying on camera, Halberg said he was touched by the humaneness of the two officers. They held her up and lowered her to the ground. Noor is doing chest compressions and they were yelling encouragement to her. The care they showed her really flies in the face of the depraved mind argument, he said. Under Minnesota law, second-degree murder involves intentionally causing the death of another person, without premeditation. Second-degree manslaughter requires a finding that the defendant acted with culpable negligence in taking the chance of causing death or great bodily harm. Halberg said it will be hard overcoming the defense that Noors team has invoked that police can legally shoot if they have a reasonable fear that theyre in danger. Noors attorneys have argued that he heard a loud noise and feared an ambush. But prosecutors say there is no evidence of any threat to justify deadly force. But some of the circumstances Noor was in the passenger seat and fired his gun across Harrity through the drivers-side window in a dark alley may give the jury reasons to find him guilty of manslaughter, Halberg said. Thats the charge that would fit the case, Gray said. For the homeless and those teetering on the edge of homelessness, housing vouchers are supposed to be a ticket into safe, stable housing. Federal Section 8 vouchers and other forms of rental assistance use public dollars to make up the difference between what a person can afford to pay and the rent theyre being charged. But at a time when cities and counties are increasingly relying on vouchers to help reduce homelessness, many landlords wont even consider leasing to tenants whose rent would be paid, in whole or in part, by the government. The problem is particularly acute in cities with high rents and low vacancies. In Los Angeles, nearly half the people trying to use a Section 8 voucher had it expire in 2017 before they could find a place to live, up from 18% in 2011. Several cities, including San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco, have already banned discrimination against tenants with Section 8 and other housing vouchers. The Los Angeles City Council voted this week to draft an ordinance doing the same, and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is exploring a similar law. Advertisement In Los Angeles, nearly half the people trying to use a Section 8 voucher had it expire in 2017 before they could find a place to live. But California cant end housing discrimination on a city-by-city basis. State lawmakers need to go further and pass Senate Bill 329, which would enact the ban statewide. The states Fair Employment and Housing Act already makes it illegal for landlords to discriminate on the basis of a tenants source of income, but the prohibition doesnt cover subsidies or vouchers that go straight to the landlord. The bill would make clear that landlords cannot reject tenants solely based on the fact that their rent is partially paid by the government. SB 329 wouldnt require that landlords rent to subsidized tenants. Landlords simply would have to treat tenants who receive rental assistance the same way theyd treat other prospective tenants. Property owners would still be able to screen tenants for rental or credit history, check references and set other common standards. The purpose of SB 329 is to end the rampant discrimination that blocks voucher holders from even being considered for an apartment, regardless of their ability to pay the rent. Housing advocates argue that landlords too often adopt blanket No Section 8 policies as a way to discriminate against the poor and by extension, against the minorities and families who would otherwise have been protected by federal fair-housing law. A Housing and Urban Development Department-funded study released last year found that Section 8 voucher holders are denied by landlords at very high rates. In Los Angeles County, for example, 76% of the landlords contacted refused to accept vouchers. In affluent communities in the county, 82% of landlords wouldnt take vouchers. Denial rates were lower in cities that prohibited discrimination against voucher holders. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Landlords argue that high denial rates arent driven by discrimination but by the paperwork, inspections and restrictions that come with rental subsidy programs. For example, its hard to raise the rent, even modestly, on voucher tenants. Plus, they note, the supposed market rent the federal government is willing to cover is often too low in Californias overheated markets, where the bigger problem is a lack of affordable housing units. These are legitimate concerns. HUD and housing agencies need to reduce bureaucratic barriers for landlords and make sure voucher-funded rents are realistic for high-cost cities. In addition, state and local authorities should expand incentives for landlords who accept vouchers. Vouchers are designed to help people find stable, affordable housing in the community of their choice near good jobs and quality schools. Blanket No Section 8 bans and subsidy discrimination erode the promise of the programs. Lawmakers have a responsibility to make sure vital safety-net programs work for the states neediest residents. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook At the moment you could almost almost pity the National Rifle Assn. Nah, you cant. But the front group for the U.S. gun industry is certainly in an awkward situation. Several, actually. A new report by the Trace (a nonprofit news site covering gun issues) and the New Yorker relies on records and interviews to detail an organization that seems to be hemorrhaging money from the top as it has evolved from supporting training and safety in the use of firearms into a media company, promoting a lifestyle built around loving guns and hating anyone who might take them away. And in the process, it seems to have profited the few. Advertisement A small group of N.R.A. executives, contractors, and venders has extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from the nonprofits budget, through gratuitous payments, sweetheart deals, and opaque financial arrangements, according to the article. Memos created by a senior N.R.A. employee describe a workplace distinguished by secrecy, self-dealing, and greed, whose leaders have encouraged disastrous business ventures and questionable partnerships, and have marginalized those who object. The article should be an eye-opener for NRA members and loyalists. The report goes on to detail disturbingly cozy dealings between the NRA and its longtime PR agency, Ackerman McQueen, and highly questionable dealings and relationships among related entities. Both the NRA and Ackerman McQueen disputed the report, but without specific accusations of inaccuracies. Interestingly, the NRA has filed a lawsuit against Ackerman over billing records, including the withholding of records about Oliver North he of Iran-Contra fame being employed by both the NRA and the agency. The article should be an eye-opener for NRA members and loyalists. If, that is, they have enough independence to look at the NRA objectively. The litany of red flags is just extraordinary, Marc Owens, a former top Internal Revenue Service official, told the Trace. There is a tremendous range of what appears to be the misuse of assets for the benefit of certain venders and people in control. Those facts, if confirmed, could lead to the revocation of the N.R.A.s tax-exempt status. In fact, the Michael Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety advocacy group filed a complaint with the IRS urging an investigation into whether the organization violated the federal laws governing nonprofits based on the article and previous revelations of questionable dealings. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute But thats only one storm front confronting the NRA, as I rounded up last month. They include an investigation into whether Russian agents funneled money to the NRA that then was used in the 2016 election cycle, during which the NRA spent some $50 million backing Donald Trump and six Senate candidates (five of whom won). If true, that too should spark a bit of soul-searching among NRA supporters who would have to deal with the notion that their beloved patriotism-shrouded organization worked with Russians to influence American elections. Not incidentally, using foreign-sourced money in such elections is illegal. Critics of President Trump routinely depict his maneuvers such as shutting down the government and threatening to close the southern border as distractions. He loves the distraction from his other problems, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) has said. Ezra Klein, a political commentator and editor at Vox, goes so far as to declare distraction the core of Donald Trumps political strategy. So pervasive is this notion, political cartoonist Tom Tomorrow titled one of his graphic commentaries, Are Trumps Distractions a Distraction From His Distractions? As a sociologist who studies political rhetoric and, more important, as a magician, I have a different take. Trump isnt trying to distract us; hes misdirecting us. The distinction is important. As Gary Kurtz, a prominent Canadian magician put it, misdirection has nothing to do with distraction and everything to do with controlling audience attention at all times. Advertisement Consider a trick that sleight-of-hand artists perform. The magician has an audience member select a card, sign it, and return it to the deck. Shuffling the deck, the magician bets the audience the contents of his wallet that he can find the card. But despite several attempts, and lots of dexterous flourishes, he doesnt locate it. Much as an earlier generation mistook Ronald Reagan for a washed-up movie star, liberals today underestimate Donald Trump. At last he pulls out his wallet, hands it to the person who signed the card, and asks her to take whatever she finds there. To everyones amazement, inside a zippered compartment is the signed card. Magicians dont reveal secrets, so Ill only say that trick is possible because the magician created an illusion that kept the audiences visual and mental focus exactly where he needed it and away from actions he didnt want them to notice. The same can be said of Trump. Compare his recent threat to close the southern border with the card-in-the-wallet trick. After making his announcement, Trump raised the stakes further by vowing to cut off aid to Central American countries, and he got politicians and pundits chattering about whether in fact he had the ability to seal the border. He got us to focus on the border by creating an illusion that he was about to take startling action there in reaction to a major threat. Then poof, a week later, when tensions were high over what this could do to the U.S. economy, the president announced he wasnt closing the border after all. What had become of the imminent danger to our nation that hed made so much of earlier? It was set aside for now. Mexico was suddenly doing a very good job, he said, even though Mexican authorities reported they hadnt been doing anything different. A magic performance, asserts Jim Steinmeyer, a historian of magic who has created illusions for the likes of David Copperfield and Lance Burton, consists of a collection of tiny lies, in words and deeds, that are stacked and arranged ingeniously to form the battlement for an illusion. If a truer description of Donald Trumps approach exists, I havent seen it. On average, Trump makes more than 100 false or misleading statements a week. To view these as mere distractions or more simplistically still, as witless is to miss the point. His lies create illusions that Americans find appealing. Trumps supporters know he lies, but like fans of magic, they accept his lying as part of the deal. Liberals are entranced by his performance as well. They may not believe the illusions nor excuse the lies, but they cant look away. Liberals talk endlessly about them at social gatherings and on their Facebook and Twitter feeds, and they watch like-minded pundits yammer about them on MSNBC. Liberals discussing Trump remind me of some of the 6-year-olds I used to perform for at birthday parties. Thats just a trick! I know how you do it, theyd exclaim. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute Were those kids annoying? Sure. But they were good for the show. Without them, my sucker effects would have fallen flat. A sucker effect is where the magician leads the audience to believe theyve discovered the secret. Id accidentally let kids see where I was hiding something, only to reveal later that it was somewhere else. Heres a suggestion for liberals. Stop being suckers. Much as an earlier generation mistook Ronald Reagan for a washed-up movie star, liberals today underestimate Donald Trump. The literal-minded were forever troubled by his tendency to sometimes confuse life with the movies, Dan Rather notes of Reagan. But he understood, like very few leaders before or since, the power of myth and storytelling. Equally do those troubled over and over again by Trumps lies fail to appreciate what he intuitively understands: the power of misdirection and illusion. Barry Glassner is a member of the Academy of Magical Arts and author of The Culture of Fear. Along with the far left and far right in the U.S., Russian President Vladimir Putin holds the pieties of liberal democracy in contempt. His nations attacks on American hearts and minds, detailed in the long-awaited Mueller report, carried with them the spirit of the Joker in the Batman myth a malevolent court jester motivated by venality, contempt for pretense and a craving for relevance and thrills. In the special counsels report, one member of WikiLeaks the organization that framed, staged, timed and distributed Russian-hacked material to wreak maximum havoc on Hillary Clintons 2016 presidential campaign described his feckless goals this way: We want this repository to become the place to search for background on hillarys plotting at the state department during 2009-2013. Firstly because its useful and will annoy Hillary, but secondly because we want to be seen to be a resource/player in the US election, because eit [it] may encourage people to send us even more important leaks. To a ghastly extent, the social media attempts to provoke and amplify political and social discord in the United States (Muellers words) and the more formal Russian military cyberattacks to demonize Hillary Clinton (and by extension liberals and centrists) succeeded. Theyve left our cognitive processes in disarray. Advertisement The Mueller report is so rich, and its lessons are infinite. Heres my first one: Refuse to be drafted into the next infowar, and certainly dont enlist. It used to be that Americans didnt feel remotely threatened by invaders at the border; or thwarted by a phantom deep state; or constantly lashed by racist, sexist and violent fantasies. These psychic phenomena, and many more, were seeded in our consciousness on Facebook and Twitter and Reddit, then amplified by traditional media so aggressively that we came to believe and even act on them. Like Iago whispering to Othello, the Kremlins operations convinced the prosperous, peaceful United States that it is teetering on the brink of civil war. Just read the opening pages 19 to 62 of Robert S. Mueller IIIs work product. This section closely resembles the 9/11 Commission Report, the exhaustive compendium of facts issued in 2004 not to build a criminal case but just to show us what happened on Sept. 11, 2001. Likewise, we need to know what happened in 2016, when armies of hostile foreign actors decided to have their way with us. We have to get it straight if for no other reason than that it will clear our heads enough to grasp what follows in the report. Beginning in 2014, the Internet Research Agency, a network of Russian trolls and other information war foot soldiers, went to work online to undermine the U.S. electoral system essentially by making trouble. The will to make trouble is a constant in the report. According to White House Counsel Don McGahn, President Trump wanted his henchmen to do crazy stuff (he used an obscenity) to shut down the Mueller investigation. The founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, intended to create a dramatic rift between Clinton and Bernie Sanders just to keep things interesting. In early 2016, the IRA had moved on to disparaging Clinton nearly full time, while lavishing fond attention on Sanders and praising Trump as a mashup of Superman, Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Jesus. It also staged rallies for candidate Trump, in sync with local activists. People who should have known better picked up the disinfo campaign. And this wasnt just Trumpites like Kellyanne Conway and Michael Flynn. U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, for example, amplified one of the IRAs most prolific personas accounts manned by intelligence professionals on Twitter. The report adds that U.S. media outlets also quoted tweets from IRA-controlled accounts and attributed them to the reactions of real U.S. persons, citing a 2018 study from the Columbia Journalism Review. Russian military intelligence the GRU was more overtly criminal. In short, its operatives hacked both the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, and then made sure to release only the material that would hurt Clinton and the Democrats. Again, some media outlets recycled what was gouged out of the servers. Assange middle-managed the hand-off from the GRU to various illustrious newspapers. Readers no less than reporters were enthralled by the stolen materials and the fraternity-style panty raid on Clinton. Amy Chozick, who covered the Clinton campaign for the New York Times, later described herself as an unwitting agent of Russian intelligence. We all were. What makes the attacks on the U.S. so repellent and ultimately tragic is that so few saw them for what they were viruses, memes and ear worms unleashed in social and traditional media where Americans spend an average of 11 hours every day, and where we are supremely vulnerable to novelty and arousal: #whitegenocide, #invasion, #hillaryforprison a lot of us spread this stuff, if only to complain about it. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute The hackers work is to create, prevent and capitalize on disruptions on the internet. Amoral in themselves, disruptions are pure opportunity: to confound enemies, to make money, to achieve renown. Even the good guys, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which develops emerging technologies for use the military, states as a goal preventing and creating strategic surprise. The Mueller report is so rich, and its lessons are infinite. Heres my first one: Refuse to be drafted into the next infowar, and certainly dont enlist. If something youre being fed hurts the brain, dont believe it. It could be a reference to the Satan thats not quite idiomatic. Or a photo of mostly naked girls demonstrating in favor of Harvey Weinstein. Mueller is careful to a fault to go only where the evidence leads. Trust him on this: If it seems un-American, it is. Twitter:@page88 To the editor: Congress is rolling over. It is abnegating its role to check the executive branch of the government and assert its role in approving the deployment and funding of American troops in overseas conflicts. (Trump vetoes measure to end U.S. involvement in Yemen war, April 16) When the president claims that the vote to end American involvement in Yemen is a constitutional threat to his position, he is misrepresenting his role as commander in chief. He is acting solely to the benefit of corporate interests that will, as they always have, become wealthier from the business of war. For Congress to pass resolutions against the Yemeni incursion and against the financial support of Saudi Arabias military actions, and for it to fail to obtain the votes necessary to overturn Trumps veto, it admits that the body has no power or ability to balance and enforce the roles of each branch of government. That is inexcusable. It undermines the basic foundation of the nation. Advertisement Peter Altschuler, Santa Monica .. To the editor: In the April 17 print edition of the Los Angeles Times, there was the headline of Page 5A, A divided Congress getting little done. Further inside the paper, on Page 8A, we read that Congress passed a bill to end U.S. involvement in Yemens civil war, and Trump vetoed it. That should have been front-page news. Congress, in a rare display of bipartisanship, passed a bill to end our involvement in a war. This is the first time both the House and the Senate passed a war powers resolution. In response, Trump issued a veto for only the second time of his presidency. This is a big deal that deserved more attention. Bruce Wessel, Santa Monica Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Earlier this month, when Atty. Gen. William Barr sent Congress his view of the principal conclusions of Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation, the case for impeachment of President Trump seemed closed. Mueller had found no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian agents who tried to sway the 2016 election, Barr said. And he offered his own judgment that Trump had done nothing to warrant an obstruction of justice charge. Thursday, however, when Barr released a redacted version of the full report to Congress and the public, it quickly became apparent that what Mueller said was very different from Barrs gloss. Among Democratic activists and members of the partys left wing, impeachment talk almost immediately revived. Sign up for the Essential Politics newsletter Advertisement THE IMPEACHMENT CONUNDRUM Renewed discussion of impeachment poses a headache for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders. Pelosi made clear last month that she doesnt want the House to spend the rest of the year in an impeachment debate. Hes just not worth it, she said, referring to Trump, in an interview with the Washington Post. Comments from House leaders Thursday showed that Muellers report hadnt changed their thinking on the issue. Asked about impeachment, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the chair of the House Judiciary Committee, which would handle the subject, demurred. Thats one possibility, he told reporters. There are others. As Jennifer Haberkorn wrote, congressional Democrats see Muellers report as a road map for further investigation. They disagree, however, about their desired destination. The problem as Pelosi and her allies see it: Impeachment excites partisans, but not swing voters and other, less committed sorts who want to see their elected representatives working on issues that affect them personally, such as healthcare. The way to defeat Trump is to beat him in an election, they argue, and the way to do that is to focus on those everyday issues. The argument from the other side: Mueller laid out a clear case of abuse of power, one incident after another in which Trump tried to interfere with a federal investigation. And the special counsel clearly left the final decision up to Congress, which he specifically referred to in his report. What precedent would be set by allowing Trumps conduct to go unpunished, impeachment proponents ask? Pelosi has called a meeting of House Democrats for Monday to discuss how to move forward. MUELLERS KEY FINDINGS Muellers 448-page report provides official confirmation, backed up by sworn testimony and subpoenaed documents, of more than two years of news reporting about the frenzied, dysfunctional and mendacious operation Trump presides over. First, as Chris Megerian wrote, the report makes clear that Trumps campaign had a symbiotic, if not criminal, relationship with Moscows tampering. The evidence doesnt show that campaign aides conspired with Russian efforts to sway the election. It does show that the campaign welcomed the Russian help and, as the report says, expected it would benefit. On the second major issue whether Trump sought to obstruct the investigation the report shows that he surely tried, as Del Wilber and Megerian wrote. The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests, the report says. Indeed, the willingness of high-level administration officials to ignore Trump and fend off his mercurial demands forms one of the recurring themes of the report. As Eli Stokols wrote, Trump panicked early on over the investigation and flailed around trying to block it. His aides insubordination likely saved him from much worse trouble. Lying forms another key theme. Trump aides and associates lied to the public, lied to each other and, especially in the presidents case, lied to themselves. In some cases, they also lied to investigators, leading to the false statement charges that snared several top Trump aides. Most of Trumps aides spoke extensively to Mueller and his team and appear to have testified honestly. Some of them now fear that will get them in trouble with Trump. As for the president, himself, his written answers to questions posed by investigators showed a remarkable lack of memory 34 instances of I dont remember, do not recall and no recollection, as Janet Hook wrote. Trump avoided testifying in person: His lawyers feared he would commit perjury. As David Willman wrote, Mueller decided not to engage in a lengthy fight to compel his testimony. But some former prosecutors think that means he lost some key evidence he might have gotten. For those who dont have time to read the full report, my colleagues summarized what it had to say on all sorts of questions, including whether compromising videotapes of Trump exist and why Mueller decided against charging Donald Trump Jr. on campaign finance violations. And Megerian and Anna Phillips summarized the highlights. NEXT BATTLEGROUND REDACTIONS As Sarah Wire reported, more than one-third of the pages in the public version of Muellers report have redactions of some sort. In some cases, only a few words are blacked out. In others, black bars cover almost the entire page. John Schleuss produced a great visual showing the scope of what has been blocked from public view. Barr said he would let congressional leaders see some of the redacted material passages that were blacked out because they reveal classified material, for example. But material held back because it involves grand jury testimony will remain off limits, he said. Democratic leaders say Congress has a right to see the grand jury testimony, too. Legal precedents are uncertain on that issue. Look for that to form a major point of contention. DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES: THEIR MONEY Mueller wasnt the only news of the week, although it sometimes felt that way. Sen. Kamala Harris released 15 years of her tax returns. As Melanie Mason and Matt Pearce wrote, Harris joined other Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, in releasing their returns as part of an effort to draw a sharp contrast with Trump. We also learned a lot more about the candidates finances. Monday was the deadline for campaigns to file their first-quarter financial disclosure reports. As Evan Halper wrote, the reports made clear that big checks remain the lifeblood of most candidates campaigns. Despite all the talk about grass-roots donors, Sanders, so far, is alone in being able to finance his campaign solely with small donations. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is trying, but shes not raising enough so far to sustain her large campaign operation. Harris is the early favorite among Hollywood donors, Michael Finnegan wrote. AND THEIR ISSUES Harris has had to walk a difficult line in discussing her background as a prosecutor. Her aides believe it will remain a political asset for her in the long term, appealing to general election voters. But in the primaries, she needs to reassure more liberal party activists who mistrust law enforcement. This week, Finnegan wrote, Harris expressed regret for a truancy law that had been one of her signature achievements as California attorney general. The state law, which built on her work as district attorney in San Francisco, led to the arrests of some parents, which Harris called an unintended consequence. Joe Biden also is dealing with problems in his past. In his case, one major issue is his handling of Anita Hills harassment allegations against Clarence Thomas, when he was nominated to the Supreme Court. Hook went back and reviewed the record to answer the question: What did Joe do? And as Mark Barabak wrote, a raft of issues that were little noted in previous campaigns are getting an airing this year: abolishing the electoral college, ending the Senate filibuster, refashioning the Supreme Court, reparations for slavery. In part, the wide range of topics reflects a huge field of candidates looking for ways to distinguish themselves. In part, too, it stems from the overall leftward shift of the party. Not everyone is looking for issues to run on, however. As Doyle McManus wrote, Pete Buttigieg has avoided taking positions on a host of topics. His campaign, like that of former Rep. Beto ORourke, is focused more on biography and generational affinity. Eventually, however, both men likely will need to get more specific. THE GOP TAX LAW On tax day, a new USC-Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll showed that most Americans dont feel like the new law made them better off, even though about two-thirds of taxpayers did receive some amount of a tax cut. Thats a disappointment for Republicans, who once hoped for big political benefits from the law. But it shouldnt come as a surprise. As political scientists have know for years, its hard to convince voters that their taxes have gone down. Thats especially true when the extra money comes in small increments in their paychecks. President Obamas administration ran into the same problem with their tax cut in 2009. President George W. Bush took a more politically beneficial approach to his tax cut in 2001 sending people a very noticeable refund check. Economists say, however, that Bushs approach weakens one of the benefits that is often the goal of a tax cut stimulating growth because many people save the lump sum rather than spending it. KATIE V. KATIE Finally, Haberkorn offers a tale of congressional confusion: Washington has no problem keeping track of numerous members of the House named John, but somehow, two representatives named Katie are too much. Freshmen Reps. Katie Porter of Orange County and Katie Hill of northern Los Angeles County keep getting confused for each other. LOGISTICS That wraps up this week. Until next time, keep track of all the developments in national politics and the Trump administration at our Politics page and on Twitter @latimespolitics. Send your comments, suggestions and news tips to politics@latimes.com. If you like this newsletter, tell your friends to sign up. David.lauter@latimes.com @davidlauter Theres a ritual that plays out virtually every time presidential candidates pay their first visit to a given state. Contestants are asked by a local reporter how important that state is going to be in fulfilling their White House dreams. The correct answer is simple. Reporter: How important is _____ going to be to your campaign? Candidate: _____ is going to be very important! Advertisement That may or may not be true. Candidates could be merely passing through, say, California to pick up buckets of cash to dump into other states. They may be waging the most half-hearted of campaigns. But saying so would be impolite, not to mention impolitic. Thus, presidential hopefuls will solemnly swear, every state matters and every voter is super-duper important. In February, Kamala Harris made her first trip to New Hampshire after declaring her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. She faced the inevitable question, and Californias junior senator aced it. Im here because I believe that this is a very important state, and intend to spend a lot of time here, and I intend to compete for the votes here, and Im going to put a lot of effort into doing that, she told reporters in Concord, the state capital. Kamala Harris regrets California truancy law that led to arrest of some parents The next day, however, Harris appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, where she ascribed a more sinister motive to that most commonplace of queries. The first line of questioning I got was, Youre in New Hampshire, and we heard youre not going to come to New Hampshire. We thought you werent going to compete in New Hampshire, she recounted in a kind of incredulous singsong. And what no one said, but the inference was, well, the demographic of New Hampshire is not who you are in terms of your race and who you are. Actually, no, said the reporter who posed the question to Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India. That was not the implication. The question was not aimed at the candidates race, Paul Steinhauser wrote in the Concord Monitor. Rather, it was based on the lack of any prior visits to New Hampshire by Harris over the past year and on the national media narrative that Harris may spend more time in the other early voting states as well as her home state of California. A narrative, it should be said, that reflects the fact that Harris is, indeed, counting heavily on South Carolina, a state with a large African American population, along with her home state and next-door Nevada to deliver her the Democratic nomination. She has already made several trips to South Carolina and campaigned in Reno, Carson City and Las Vegas; Harris planned visit to New Hampshire next week will be her first since that initial February foray. New Hampshire, of course, is not just any state. It holds the first presidential primary, a politically vital and financially lucrative franchise the state jealously guards and fiercely defends against any who suggest New Hampshire, among its flaws, is too white to bear such weighty responsibility. Harris has done nothing in the intervening weeks to suggest she plans to vigorously compete here. One of the most scarce resources a campaign has is a candidates time, said Dante Scala, a University of New Hampshire political science professor and longtime student of the states presidential history. And by that metric its clear, thus far, Harris is not spending much on New Hampshire. She didnt help her cause by introducing race into the conversation, highlighting an area of particular sensitivity. Its something protectors of the primary are still grumbling about and, Scala said, I can see reporters returning to that comment if Harris candidacy falls flat. Kamala Harris releases 15 years of tax returns There is precedent for a high-flying California candidate losing altitude over the Granite State. In 1995, Gov. Pete Wilson was seen as a political behemoth, fresh off a walloping reelection victory in a state both parties viewed as a key presidential battleground. (Bill Clintons win in 1992 marked the first time a Democrat carried California in nearly 30 years; Democrats have won handily ever since.) There were plenty of reasons Wilsons candidacy imploded before the calendar even turned to the election year 1996. There was his ill-timed throat surgery, a broken promise not to run for president if reelected governor and a relatively moderate record out-of-step with the conservative mood of the national GOP. But it also didnt help that Wilson managed to alienate New Hampshire Republicans on his very first visit. For decades, candidates in the tightfisted state have taken The Pledge, as it is known in political circles, promising to never ever support higher taxes. Asked by a reporter if he would make that vow, Wilson was befuddled. His glib response: Did the pledge have something or other to do with alcohol? The quip exposed Wilsons lack of preparation and betrayed a streak of seeming arrogance. No one laughed. Much time has passed and a great deal has changed politically in the 20-plus years since Wilson tripped and fell in his Granite State debut. Most candidates start fresh and the result of one campaign doesnt necessarily presage the outcome of another. But there is one constant that applies today just as it did when Wilson ran for president. How important is it to avoid heedlessly antagonizing voters and the political press corps in a key early primary state? Very. mark.barabak@latimes.com @markzbarabak Addressing reporters from the White House lectern, then-Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders made a startling claim shortly after President Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey two years ago. Ive heard from countless members of the FBI that are grateful and thankful for the presidents decision, she said, refusing to back down when pressed on the issue. Between emails, text messages, absolutely, she insisted. It wasnt true. She later told prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III that her comments were a slip of the tongue. Its a crime to lie to federal investigators or Congress, a lesson that many of Trumps associates found out the hard way. (Just ask former national security advisor Michael Flynn or disbarred lawyer Michael Cohen; theyre among several who pleaded guilty.) But its not a crime to lie to reporters and the American people, and for that the presidents team can be grateful. Advertisement The redacted 448-page Mueller report, released Thursday, exposed in voluminous detail how the Trump White House is comfortable not only spinning the truth, but outright demolishing it. Sometimes the president did the lying himself. Sometimes he had others lie for him. And sometimes people lied because they thought it was required of them. Sanders refused to back down Friday when questioned on ABC News. She insisted that she had misspoken about countless FBI agents in the heat of the moment, even though she repeated the claim multiple times. It wasnt a scripted talking point, she scoffed. Im sorry I wasnt a robot like the Democrat Party. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders talks with reporters outside the White House on April 4. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Not everyone around Trump has been willing to lie on his behalf. After a March 22, 2017, Oval Office meeting, the president asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats to say publicly that Trump didnt have any links to Russia, the report said. The claim would have been false, since Trump sought to build a luxury skyscraper in Moscow while running for president. Coats declined, telling Trump it was not his role to make a public statement on the Russia investigation, according to the report. Others also pushed back. When Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017, he asked Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein to hold a news conference. Rosenstein responded that this was not a good idea because if the press asked him, he would tell the truth that Comeys firing was not his idea, the report said. But the report showed numerous others were willing to spread falsehoods on Trumps behalf. After the president fired Comey, the White House issued a statement saying that Trump had acted on a recommendation from the Justice Department. But Trump had previously decided to sack Comey. Reince Priebus, then chief of staff, told investigators he believed the president personally dictated the misleading statement recommending the firing. Days later, when Mueller was appointed special counsel, White House officials told reporters that Trump was undisturbed by the development. In fact, he was devastated. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency, he said, according to notes taken by an aide. Trump sometimes lied to his own aides. One episode involved a resignation letter prepared by Jeff Sessions, then the attorney general, who had infuriated Trump by recusing himself from supervising the Russia investigation. The president decided not to push out Sessions at the time, but he took the letter with him on a trip to the Middle East, showing it to senior advisors aboard Air Force One. Priebus was concerned that the president planned to use the letter as leverage over Sessions, and he asked about it during the trip. Trump falsely said the document was back in his White House residence. Donald Trump Jr. agreed to a meeting with a Russian lawyer after being told she had incriminating information about Hillary Clinton. (Chip Somodevilla / TNS) Later that year, Trump tried to prevent the truth from coming out about senior campaign officials June 9, 2016, meeting at Trump Tower with a Kremlin-connected lawyer. Hope Hicks, then White House communications director, recalled telling Trump that emails setting up the meeting looked really bad. The messages showed that the presidents eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., was told the lawyer was working on behalf of the Russian government and would bring damaging information on Hillary Clinton. Trump Jr. had emailed back, If its what you say I love it. The president directed aides not to publicly disclose the emails, the report said. When the meeting was revealed by the New York Times on July 8, 2017, Trump edited a public statement to conceal crucial details. He removed a line admitting the meeting involved someone who might have information helpful to the campaign, and he claimed that participants talked about the adoption of Russian children. The statement was issued under Trump Jr.s name. The embarrassing emails soon leaked, contradicting the statement dictated by the president, but the lies continued. Over the next several days, the presidents personal counsel repeatedly and inaccurately denied that the president played any role in drafting Trump Jr.s statement, the report said. Once the presidents role was revealed, he downplayed the importance of being honest with the public. Its a statement to the New York Times.... Thats not a statement to a high tribunal of judges, Trump told reporters. Pervasive lying is an unsurprising result of having a president whose dishonesty has been a hallmark for years, whether its exaggerating the height of his buildings or claiming that President Obama wasnt born in the United States. While every administration is accused of dissembling or worse at times, the report makes clear that Trump leads a White House where falsehoods and misrepresentations are common practice. When a Washington Post columnist reported on Jan. 9, 2017, that Flynn may have discussed sanctions with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition contradicting what Flynn had told other administration officials Trump was furious. What the hell is this all about? Trump asked Priebus, who told Flynn that Trump was unhappy. Flynn then asked his deputy, K.T. McFarland, to help kill the story, the report said. McFarland called the columnist and denied that Flynn and the Russian ambassador had talked about sanctions, even though she knew she was providing false information, according to the report. Flynn was forced out of the administration about three weeks after Trumps inauguration. He has pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents, and hes awaiting sentencing as he cooperates with another investigation involving his business associates and undisclosed Turkish lobbying. Michael Cohen, President Trumps former lawyer, leaves federal court in New York on Aug. 21, 2018, after entering the first of two guilty pleas. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Muellers report includes new details on how Cohen prepared his false congressional testimony about plans for a Trump Tower in Moscow. During those months in 2017, Cohen was in a joint defense agreement with Trump, and he discussed his upcoming testimony with the presidents legal team. Cohen said the lawyer, who was not named, told him the president loves you and would have his back if he stayed on message. Unless Cohen went rogue, he would be protected, according to the report. A draft of Cohens testimony was circulated among members of the joint defense agreement, and a key line about limited contacts with Russian government officials was deleted. Cohen had, in fact, spoken with a Kremlin office about the proposal. The testimony also included the falsehood that work on the proposal ended in January 2016 rather than several months later, after Trump had secured the Republican presidential nomination. Cohen told prosecutors he wanted to adhere to the party line by downplaying Trumps ties to Russia, according to the report. Hes been sentenced to three years in prison for lying to Congress and several other crimes, and hes scheduled to report to prison on May 6. But Cohen didnt just lie to lawmakers. Months beforehand, he misled a New York Times reporter about the Moscow project negotiations, the report said. He told the special counsels office the lies were intended to dismiss the idea of a substantial connection between Trump and Russia. They were part of a script, Cohen told prosecutors, that he developed with others including the president himself. Shortly before he released the special counsels redacted report on Thursday, Atty. Gen. William Barr announced the document said President Trumps campaign had not conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. But Barr omitted the first part of that sentence from Robert S. Mueller IIIs report. The special counsel wrote that Trumps campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts. The gap between Barrs rosy interpretation and Muellers evidence was another example of how far the attorney general has stretched to portray the president in the best possible light at the end of an investigation that cast a dark shadow over the White House for the last two years. It also was a pointed reminder of Trumps willingness to seek any advantage against Hillary Clinton, even if help came from a hostile foreign government conducting an illegal intelligence operation on American soil. Advertisement Indeed, the first page of the report described Moscows efforts to help Trump and undermine Clinton as sweeping and systemic, undermining Trumps repeated claims that Russia had nothing to do with his unexpected White House victory. In the end, no Americans were charged with conspiring with Russian efforts to interfere with the election. But the report portrays a presidential campaign that had a symbiotic, if not criminal, relationship with Moscows tampering. The Trump campaign focused on WikiLeaks disclosures of Democratic Party emails hacked by Russian military intelligence officers, hoping to capitalize on embarrassing revelations from purloined messages. And they amplified disinformation blasted out by the Internet Research Agency, a troll factory in St. Petersburg that infected social media with inflammatory messages. The 448-page report is out. More than a third of the pages have at least one redacted word At one point, Russian operatives helped organize a political rally with unwitting voters in Florida. After it was over, Trumps Facebook page shared photos from the event with the message, THANK YOU for your support Miami! The Russians then forwarded Trumps praise to other conservative activists. The Russians even took their cues directly from Trump at one point, according to the 448-page document. On July 27, 2016, Trump told a news conference he wanted Moscow to find emails from Clintons private server. Russia, if youre listening, I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, he said. In written answers to questions from the special counsels office, Trump denied that he had urged Moscow to hack U.S. computers. The statement, he said, was made in jest and sarcastically, as was apparent to any objective observer. Mueller made clear that the Kremlin-backed team didnt catch the supposed joke. Within approximately five hours of Trumps statement, the report said, Russian military intelligence tried to hack Clintons personal office for the first time. Live updates: Do those rumored tapes of Trump in a Moscow hotel exist? What the Mueller report says Trump also told prosecutors that he didnt remember warnings that Russia was boosting his candidacy, even though the politically sensitive issue was the topic of widespread reporting. I have no recollection of being told during the campaign that Vladimir Putin or the Russian government supported my candidacy or opposed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. However, I was aware of some reports indicating that President Putin had made complimentary statements about me, the president wrote. The answer meshes with Trumps string of deflections and denials about Russias influence during the campaign out of fears that the issue undermined the legitimacy of his presidency. Last summer, Trump stunned his own national security team when he publicly sided with Russian President Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies during a summit between the two leaders in Helsinki, Finland. He just said its not Russia, Trump said. I will say this, I dont see any reason why it would be. Under intense pressure, Trump later said he had misspoke. During the campaign, Trump sought lucrative business opportunities in Russia at the same time he was proposing closer ties with a traditional U.S. adversary. Michael Cohen, his lawyer, later admitted to lying to Congress about then-secret negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. The project ultimately was shelved. It was another example of how Trump and Russia were intertwined, but Mueller did not see it as part of a criminal conspiracy involving the election. Cohen, the report said, did not recall candidate Trump or anyone affiliated with the Trump Campaign discussing the political implications of the Trump Moscow project with him. Trump was simply seeing dollar signs while running for office, according to the report. Cohen recalled that Trump said the campaign would be an infomercial for Trump properties, the report said. On Thursday, as Muellers report was being released, Trump said the investigation showed there was no collusion and no obstruction. His comments reflected none of the anxiety about Moscows role that Barr had expressed hours earlier. I am sure that all Americans share my concern about the efforts of the Russian government to interfere in our election, the attorney general said. Many of the reports details on how the Trump campaign handled WikiLeaks are redacted, possibly because they overlap with the ongoing prosecution of Roger Stone, a longtime political advisor to Trump. Stone is scheduled to stand trial later this year on charges of lying to Congress about his conversations involving WikiLeaks. He has pleaded not guilty. Among the redactions are Trumps comments to Cohen after WikiLeaks dumped its first round of emails shortly before the 2016 Democratic National Convention. But other new details are revealed. Richard Gates, the deputy campaign chairman, told investigators that officials planned a press strategy, a communications campaign, and messaging based on the possible release of Clinton emails by WikiLeaks, according to the report. At another point, Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman, expressed excitement about WikiLeaks. Manafort has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for financial crimes and conspiracy charges related to his work as a political consultant in Ukraine. Gates has pleaded guilty in a related case, and hes cooperating with investigators as he awaits sentencing. WikiLeaks also communicated directly with Donald Trump Jr., the presidents eldest son, using Twitter direct messages. At one point, he asked WikiLeaks for information about its upcoming release of hacked files, which turned out to be emails stolen from John Podesta, Clintons campaign manager. WikiLeaks did not respond. Once the organization began posting Podestas emails, WikiLeaks messaged Trump Jr. again to suggest his father share a link to their content. Two days later Trump Jr. tweeted the link to his followers. Throughout the campaign, Trump and his associates denied having contacts or business in Russia. The investigation, however, identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign. Some of those contacts resulted in criminal charges. For example, Michael Flynn, Trumps first national security advisor, pleaded guilty to lying about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition. But many of them did not add up to crimes, Mueller determined. For example, top campaign officials met with a Russian lawyer in June 2016 at Trump Tower after Trump Jr. was told she was a Kremlin emissary who had damaging information on Clinton. Muellers team considered charging Trump Jr. and other campaign officials with violating campaign finance laws in connection with that meeting. Before the meeting, Trump Jr. was told the lawyer, Natalia Veselnitskaya, had political dirt on Clinton and represented the Kremlins support for his father. Trump Jr. responded, If its what you say, I love it. There are reasonable arguments that the offered information would constitute a thing of value, the report said. But prosecutors decided not to bring charges because they could not prove Trump Jr. and others intended to violate the law in agreeing to the meeting. Muellers lawyers also doubted they could prove the information was valuable enough to convince a jury to convict them, the report said. In the end, Veselnitskaya spent much of the meeting lobbying the Trump campaign officials to support lifting the Magnitsky Act, a 2012 U.S. law that freezes assets of Russian officials responsible for human rights abuses. Times staff writers David S. Cloud and Evan Halper contributed to this report. The crime of obstruction of justice is familiar to many because it drove the impeachment proceedings of two presidents. President Nixon resigned when he faced impeachment for obstructing justice by covering up the White House role in the break-in at the Watergate offices of the Democratic National Committee. And President Clinton was impeached in the House for allegedly lying and obstructing justice to hide his sexual relationship with a White House intern. The report by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III lifted part of the cloud over President Trump by concluding his campaign had not conspired with Russians to tilt the 2016 election. But Mueller said he was unable to clear Trump of attempting to illegally interfere with the governments Russia probe. Even so, the special counsel stopped short of charging Trump with obstruction of justice. His report offered at least three reasons for doing so. Advertisement First, Mueller said Justice Department policy forbids the indictment or criminal prosecution of a sitting president. Because Mueller was acting as a special prosecutor within the Justice Department, he said he had to follow this policy. This suggests Mueller believed that no matter what the evidence showed, he did not have the authority to charge the president with a crime. It is quite clear that Mueller did not make a final prosecution decision because of the [Justice] Departments policy that presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted, said Noah Bookbinder, a former federal prosecutor and the executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Second, unlike a case in which an official seeks to cover up a crime, the evidence we obtained did not establish the president was involved in an underlying crime related to Russian election interference, Muellers report said. In theory, defendants can be charged with criminal obstruction of justice even when they have not committed the underlying crime. However, it would strike many as wrongheaded to charge Trump with obstructing the Russia probe after a lengthy investigation concluded he and his campaign had not conspired with Russians in the first place. If there had been an underlying crime, there would have been a much stronger case, said Laurie L. Levenson, a professor at the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. But theres no break-in at the Watergate Hotel that needed to be covered up. Third, Trump may have been spared further trouble because his top aides ignored him at key moments. The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, the report said, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out his orders or accede to his requests. Among other things, Mueller cited Trumps failed attempts to pressure Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions to curtail the probe and force White House counsel Donald McGahn to fire Mueller. Both men refused Trumps demands. What ends up saving him is that others in the White House did not follow through on his orders, Levenson said. This was not a clear-cut case of obstruction, but the report is not a clean bill of health, either. This mixed conclusion outlining at times what Mueller calls substantial evidence of Trumps efforts to obstruct without making a recommendation on charges made for a perplexing outcome and left legal experts divided. The law against obstructing justice is quite broad, as the report notes. It is illegal to hide evidence, intimidate witnesses, lie to investigators or endeavor to influence, obstruct or impede a pending investigation. For about half the nation, that appeared to be exactly what Trump had been doing since shortly after taking office. But motives are also critical. The law requires obstruction of justice be linked to a corrupt intent, such as urging a witness to lie under oath to mislead the grand jury. Atty. Gen. William Barr who controversially concluded that the presidents actions as described by Mueller did not constitute illegal obstruction insisted that Trump was merely trying to defend his reputation out of a sincere belief that he didnt conspire with Russia and therefore was being unfairly attacked. But critics say Trumps actions firing FBI Director James B. Comey, trying to fire Mueller, moving to limit the scope of the probe and pressuring intelligence officials to speak out in his defense laid out a clear case of illegal obstruction for Congress, or for future prosecutors after Trump leaves office. The Mueller report lays out a vast body of evidence of obstructive conduct by the president, Bookbinder said. This was a classic pattern of threats, firings and use of power to undermine an investigation. It is a danger if this is somehow normalized. Its now up to Congress to take it from here. Jonathan Turley, a law professor at George Washington University, disagrees, saying he did not see a clear case of obstruction of justice. He said Mueller portrayed the president as angry about being under investigation. In my view, the report reveals more obsession than obstruction, Turley said. Trump comes across as someone who is obsessed with the investigation and its impact on his presidency. He was angry that Comey would not say in public that he was not under investigation. Had he fired Mueller, they might have a case. But what you are left with here is that the president issued orders and no one listened. More stories from David G. Savage In her room at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center, overlooking Burbank, Suzanna Djglyan was showing her daughter, Natalie, 8, how to swaddle a baby Monday afternoon. Enfolding her newborn son, Gagik, the first baby born at the local hospital in 2016, in successive triangular sections of a warm, cottony blanket, she said: Like this, then like this, then like this then we get a little burrito. The little boy inside the tight bundle, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces at birth around 8:25 a.m. on Friday, was the second son and third child for Djglyan and her husband, Yeso all three were born at Saint Josephs, all three delivered by Dr. Richard Bardowell, the parents said. The family lives in Lake Balboa. It was actually overwhelming, Suzanna Djglyan said of the New Years Day birth. Overwhelmed with joy. Hes so cute, a healthy baby boy. For Yeso Djglyan, who works in the transportation business, the delivery was the first one hed had to miss, he said. He was at the Rose Parade with clients and came to the hospital later. He said talking about missing the birth still gives him goose bumps, but he had to do it. No work, no eat, he said. Babys gotta eat. The most important thing, he said, was that the baby, who is named after his maternal grandfather, was born healthy. Its a monkey year, and weve got a little monkey, he said, referring to the animal sign for 2016 according to the Chinese Zodiac. The Chinese New Year doesnt take place until next month. Last year, the year of the goat, there were about 2,400 babies born at the Burbank hospital, according to Patricia Aidem, a spokeswoman for Providence Health & Services of Southern California. Among the most popular names in the local nursery is Noah, which may be fitting for the winter of El Nino. Gagik was originally expected to arrive on Jan. 8, but, the new father joked, it would have been better for tax purposes if his second son had been born on New Years Eve. New Years or not, its the best present, best blessing you can get, he said. It just puts more excitement into our lives. Yeso Djglyan said their first son, Harout, 6, named after his paternal grandfather according to family tradition, also had an interesting occurrence surrounding his birth date. He celebrated his first birthday on Oct. 10, 2010, or 10-10-10. Harout said he was happy to have a little brother, but he was shy about whether he thought it mattered what day the baby had been born. Instead, he seemed awed by the sight of his new sibling. I cant stop looking at his face, Harout said. Because hes so beautiful, his sister, Natalie, added. She said she plans to help with the diapers and everything, though her brother wanted no part of it. Natalie said she was excited to have a new brother born on the first of the year. Its amazing because we can celebrate his birthday on a very special day, she said. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland While graduating from high school and enrolling in college is trying enough, the real tribulation for some Burbank Unified students appears to be earning a post-secondary degree. Fewer than 40% of Burbank Unified students from the graduating classes of 2011 and 2012 who enrolled in either a community college or university received a degree within six years, according to a report from the National Student Clearinghouse. The average for 2011 was 33%, and the average rose to 38% for the class of 2012. From the 2011 class of 1,248 graduates, 415 earned a degree from a two- or four-year institution within six years. Of that total, 330 received degrees from a four-year university and 85 were given degrees from a community college. The report also states that 359 of those degrees were obtained within the state. From that 2011 group, 13.5% never attended college, while 29.2% dropped out of college. The 2012 group included 404 degrees from a university and 99 from a community college. Also, 457 degrees were obtained in California. Those statistics come despite more Burbank Unified students enrolling for a post-high school education. Since 2011, 74% of Burbank Unified students enrolled in two- or four-year institutions immediately following their senior year, while that number rose to 82% within the first two years of high school graduation. Burbank Unified also posted a persistence rate of 92% among its students, meaning a majority of students who enrolled for a freshman year returned to school for a second year. However, the statistic also means that most Burbank Unified students who drop out leave school after their freshman year. We see that data nationwide of students that are not able to get out of community college and into a four-year [university] or theyre not getting the courses in community college, so its dragging on, Burbank Unified Supt. Matt Hill said. Hill added, In the four-year universities, youre seeing a lot of students at [Cal State universities] as well as [universities of California] and theyre not making it to that junior year. Theyre paying a lot of debt, and theyre not finishing with that diploma. Persistence has also led to an increase in degrees awarded past the traditional four-year period. From the 2007 class, 10% of Burbank Unified students graduated in five years, while 5% received a college degree in six. The most recent class with six years of data, the class of 2012, posted five-year graduation rates of 11% and six-year rates of 7%. One of the key items I would like for the public and the community to really look at is the number of students that are graduating in six years is going up, said John Paramo, the districts director of secondary education. They are being persistent, they are continuing and were seeing that number rise, he added. In terms of collegiate choice, Glendale Community College was the No. 1 school for Burbank Unified students as 1,558 have enrolled there since 2011, while Pasadena City College (968) and Los Angeles Valley College (813) finished second and third, respectively. Cal State Northridge topped the four-year universities, with an enrollment of 683 Burbank Unified students, while UC Irvine was the top UC school, with 165 students. Woodbury University was the top private school, with 39 students. andrew.campa@latimes.com Twitter @campadresports With a redacted version of the 448-page report about the Russia investigation from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III released on Thursday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) said he has determined there was an extensive campaign by the Russians to interfere with the 2016 election. Standing on the back steps of Burbank City Hall, Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said that although the highly anticipated report did not state that President Donald Trump committed obstruction of justice, the findings in Muellers investigation are damning, he said. Whether these acts are criminal or not, whether the obstruction of justice was criminal or not or whether these contacts were sufficiently illicit or not to rise to levels of criminal conspiracy, theyre unquestionably dishonest, unethical, immoral and unpatriotic and should be condemned by every American, Schiff said. That is not the subject of vindication. That is the subject of condemnation. FULL COVERAGE: Robert Mueller finishes his investigation into President Trumps 2016 campaign In what he could interpret in the report so far, Schiff said there is evidence the president tried to mislead the country, interfered with the investigation and urged others to lie. Those actions, Schiff claims, led to the deprivation or delay of receiving crucial details of what President Trump did or said during his campaign. It made our job, certainly in our committee doing our investigation, that much more difficult as it did the special counsels investigation, he said. Additionally, Schiff disagreed with Atty. Gen. William Barr when he said there was no evidence in the report about the possibility of conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Schiff pointed out that the report mentions Donald Trump Jr. accepted help from the Russians, but a criminal act could not be established. The congressman was also upset with Barr, who he thought put a positive spin on the Mueller report to protect the president. The attorney general did a grave disservice to the country by misrepresenting significant parts of the Mueller report, Schiff said. The attorney general is not the presidents personal lawyer, although he may feel he is. He is supposed to be the highest law-enforcement officer of the land, and he is supposed to represent the interest of the American people. While Mueller stated in his report that he was unable to definitively determine whether President Trump conducted any criminal acts, the special counsel decided that obstruction charges should be handled by Congress. Schiff said he is ready to subpoena Mueller to testify before Congress and will continue to press for the full, unredacted version of the report. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Burbank Mayor Will Rogers died Thursday after battling stage 4 liver cancer and non-alcoholic cirrhosis. He was 60 years old. Rogers, who was a Minnesota native, publicly talked about his battles with cancer in September, saying then that he had been diagnosed and was cleared of any cancer four times during the past two years. However, a recent diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the most common forms of liver cancer, was more serious than his previous diagnoses. He let us know that he was ill, but that he didnt know how much time he had, Councilman Jess Talamantes said Thursday. It was just a matter of time, and unfortunately, it was today. During his press conference in September, Rogers, who was elected in 2015, said he would continue his duties as mayor but to a lesser capacity. Many of his colleagues stepped in for him at events whenever he was unable to attend. However, Rogers still tried his best to fulfill as many obligations as he could, which was something other council members took to heart. Council member Sharon Springer said Thursday that Rogers dedication and commitment to the city was something that could not be ignored, adding that his drive to be transparent with the public was an attribute that she will try to carry during her stint on the City Council. I always hope for a miracle, but he was having a difficult time the last few times that I spent time with him during meetings and at city events, Springer said. Vice Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy, who will now assume the role of mayor, said Thursday that although Rogers was dealing with cancer the best he could, his wittiness, humor and outspoken nature never wavered. Gabel-Luddy reminisced about the Burbank Temporary Aid Centers annual gala on April 6, saying that Rogers was still cracking jokes about himself and that his spirits were high. He really was at the top of his game, she said. He was funny, witty and had that self-deprecating humor. Thats how I want to remember him how much joy and laughter he brought to the community as a whole and certainly how he kept the council laughing. As the newest council member, Springer said Rogers helped her get through meetings, and reminded her to be strong and face adversity head-on when discussions became heated. He would utter words of encouragement under his breath, she said. He always gave me that reminder to be brave and to do the right thing, because he would certainly do it, and he did it. Councilman Bob Frutos echoed Springers sentiment, adding that Rogers was always committed to improving his community. One of Rogers biggest projects was retooling the agenda format for council meetings to get residents more involved, which did not sit well with some constituents. However, Frutos said on Thursday that Rogers thought that changing the format allowing three minutes for general-public comments and three minutes of comment time per agenda item would increase community participation. Will came in with the charge of open-government transparency and allowed people more time to speak, Frutos said. Like the rest of his colleagues, Frutos said Rogers dedication to Burbank before and after his diagnosis was remarkable and that he will be greatly missed. He was very determined to finish his year as mayor, regardless of the personal cost to his health because he believed in service to others above himself, Frutos said. Rogers moved to Los Angeles in 1979 and worked as an actor and writer for several publications, including the L.A. Weekly. In 1990, he worked as a columnist for the Burbank Leader and received several awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Assn. While his career had many highs, Rogers faced a legal hardship in 1996, when then Councilwoman Susan Spanos sued him alleging he had sexually assaulted her after a January 1996 council meeting. Rogers denied the wrongdoing and Spanos, who prosecutors said had a history of threatening people and who was being treated for depression and drug abuse during the suit, dropped her case in 1997 after Rogers agreed to not countersue. Rogers did not pay Spanos any money. Following Rogers death, Burbank officials will have 30 days to fill his vacancy. That person will hold office until the end of Rogers term, which is April 2019. Rogers is survived by his wife, Nancie, daughter, Sarah, and son, Stephen. Plans for his memorial have yet to be announced. anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio UPDATES: 6:11 p.m.: This article was updated with more information about Will Rogers background and additional comments from his council colleagues. This article was originally published at 1:40 p.m. Orange Countys Airport Commission and Board of Supervisors have delayed votes until May on proposed changes to general aviation offerings at John Wayne Airport after Newport Beach objected to what it considers the last-minute release of a key section of the projects environmental review. An outside lawyer for the city sent a letter to the Airport Commission on Wednesday the day it was scheduled to vote on an advisory opinion for the Board of Supervisors in advance of the boards meeting Tuesday saying the final version of the environmental impact report wasnt released until April 9 and that a health risk analysis that was supposed to be included didnt come out until Monday after being mistakenly omitted giving neither the commission nor the public adequate time to digest the information. Given the technical nature and importance of the new health risk analysis, the county should circulate the analysis for public review and comment rather than cramming it into the final EIR at the last minute, wrote attorney Andrea Leisy of the firm Remy Moose Manley. The commission and the Board of Supervisors postponed their votes after Newports objection. The commission will return to the topic May 1; the supervisors May 7. Proposed enhancements to general aviation services at JWA would include a new terminal the airport currently has terminals only for commercial service and dedicated, fee-based customs screening for non-commercial international flights. Plans also include infrastructure updates such as buildings and airfield roads to comply with current Federal Aviation Administration standards. The proposed changes would stay within the airports existing footprint. Airport officials anticipate a few more departures per day under their preferred option. The county, which owns and operates JWA, says the updates would provide facilities to serve an increase in the number of private jets at the airport. Newports letter also called the countys response to the citys comments on the environmental report inadequate and took issue with the assumption that cumulative noise and air quality effects would be mitigated by the Boeing 737 MAX joining the mix. The FAA last month grounded the airliner indefinitely after catastrophic crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Airport Commissioner David Bailey and Chairman John Clarey leaned toward adding time to study the objections from Newport. Theres a feeling of pushing this through and I dont think thats our intent, Bailey said. My intent is to be a good neighbor. I think all of our intent is to be a good neighbor. Newport residents who live near the airport departure path relayed their complaints and concerns. Councilman Jeff Herdman, who also is chairman of the city Aviation Committee, said the countys process was rushed, with a draft version of the environmental report coming out last fall and the final version in the past few days. The City Council backed a plan in March that would allow for FAA-required adjustments but keep the frequency of private aircraft departures the same and not add a new terminal. People in affected communities need to come first in this decision-making process, Herdman said Wednesday after pausing as a jet took off a few dozen yards from the commissions meeting room at John Wayne Airport. Please help to ensure that the [improvement plan] does not sacrifice safety, security and accountability and create more noise and pollution impacts for thousands of Orange County residents for the convenience of a select group of airport users. Newport residents fear that expanded accommodations for private jets would lead to an increase in traffic from the jets, which are nearly as loud as commercial airliners and are not held to the same time restrictions for flights. Resident Dennis Bress said the process doesnt need to be adversarial. But at some point when you have a process that is stemming out of how do you meet demand, were saying at this point, No, dont meet that demand. Dont head in that direction, he said. Were done. John Wayne Airport is big enough. A battery powered by artificial intelligence that was installed recently in the basement of Huntington Beach City Hall will help the city save about $82,000 in energy costs over 10 years, according to city officials. The 235-kilowatt-hour-size battery, created by Stem Inc., will go live next year. The companys artificial intelligence uses predictive analytics, algorithms and other methods to lower costs while relieving overall stress on the power grid, according to Stems senior vice president, Alan Russo. Stems AI anticipates the building energy needs, using AI to discharge the battery in time to help the customer lower their energy bills, Russo said. Artificial intelligence, he said, can predict when demand charges will occur, allowing customers to use the energy stored in the battery as opposed to energy from the grid, meaning customers can avoid the higher costs. City manager assistant Antonia Graham said the battery works in tandem with 2.13 megawatts of solar power and enables the city to buy energy from Southern California Edison when its cheaper. Were a leader in sustainability in the county, she said. Weve retro-commissioned our facilities; bought all our streetlights. It made sense [that] battery storage is the next thing. Councilman Mike Posey said in a statement that Huntington Beach has robust community sustainability goals and a responsibility to control our operating costs. We were attracted to Stems track record with automated customer savings while also using their storage networks to help integrate more renewable energy into the local grid, he said. Priscella.Vega@latimes.com Twitter: @vegapriscella Two men who pleaded guilty to kidnapping a drug dealer after a marijuana transaction ended in a robbery last year at a Newport Coast resort will serve time in state prison. Nicholas Andres Hernandez, 30, of Murrieta was sentenced Wednesday in Orange County Superior Court to 11 years after he pleaded guilty to a felony count of kidnapping. He also admitted to sentencing enhancements for having a firearm and a 2009 felony burglary conviction in Riverside, according to court records. Steele Malone Burnside, 29, of Anaheim pleaded guilty May 10 to a felony count of kidnapping and was sentenced to five years. Prosecutors dismissed two felony charges against Burnside and one against Hernandez in exchange for the guilty pleas, court records show. According to authorities, the case unfolded Feb. 18, 2017, when Thomas Prince of Anaheim met with an unidentified drug dealer in the parking lot of the Newport Coast Shopping Center to buy marijuana. The man brought 30 pounds of marijuana to the center to sell to Prince, but Prince wouldnt move forward with the deal until 60 pounds had been delivered, Det. Joshua Vincelet testified during a preliminary hearing in Princes case last year. Thomas Prince was convicted last year of robbing marijuana sellers at the Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast. (File Photo ) Later that day, authorities said, the dealer and Hernandez met Prince at the shopping center with the rest of the marijuana. Prince instructed them to follow him to the Resort at Pelican Hill to complete the sale, according to court records. When they arrived, Vincelet testified, the sellers put 60 pounds of marijuana in Princes Range Rover. Prince directed them to a suite where he said he had cash, but when they entered the room, several men with guns jumped out and ordered them to the floor, Vincelet said. The armed men said they were police officers and searched Hernandez and the dealers pockets, taking cellphones, wallets and cash. Eventually the gunmen left. When Hernandez and the dealer left the room, Prince was gone. Hernandez and Burnside, whom authorities identified as the dealers associates, kidnapped the dealer to seek a ransom of $130,000, the estimated value of the marijuana lost in the robbery. They took him to an apartment in Anaheim and told him to call his father and request money for the ransom, prosecutors said. Newport Beach detectives launched an investigation after the mans father reported him missing. Police arrested Burnside and Hernandez shortly after midnight Feb. 20 near the apartment where the dealer was being held. Prince was identified as a suspect in the robbery and was arrested March 29. In October, a Superior Court jury found him guilty of four counts of robbery. He was sentenced in December to 21 years in state prison. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN A physician assistant who worked at a Fountain Valley medical clinic was sentenced this week to more than three years in federal prison for writing prescriptions for narcotics without a medical purpose. A federal jury in September found Kaitlyn Phuong Nguyen, 32, of San Jose guilty of 10 felony counts related to illegal distribution of oxycodone, methadone and alprazolam. On Monday, U.S. District Judge James Selna sentenced Nguyen to 41 months in prison and ordered her to pay a $12,500 fine. She is expected to begin serving her sentence by April 6, according to court records. During Nguyens trial, jurors heard evidence that four people died of drug overdoses after obtaining prescriptions from her, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Victor Boon Huat Siew of Laguna Beach, a former doctor who ran the Fountain Valley clinic, was sentenced in September to nearly six years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of illegal distribution of a controlled substance by a practitioner. Siew admitted to illegally prescribing oxycodone, methadone and alprazolam from his clinic from 2009 through 2015, prosecutors said. Physician assistant Thanh Nha Pham of Fountain Valley, who also worked at the clinic, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and is scheduled to be sentenced March 12. Prosecutors said Siew, Pham and Nguyen issued prescriptions without a medical purpose in exchange for cash and insurance payments, despite red flags in many of the patients files that indicated they were abusing their pain medication. Nguyen, who worked at the clinic for six months in 2012, performed cursory examinations on patients before prescribing the drugs, prosecutors said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN The patients gathered around tables at Los Alamitos Medical Center speak clearly and strongly. Its no coincidence. The power of their individual voices is threatened by their shared diagnoses. They are living with Parkinsons disease, a progressive, degenerative neurological condition that affects movement not just obvious motor skills but the abilities to speak and to swallow. To keep and improve their voices and by extension, their agency and identity they participate in specialized speech therapy called Loud Crowd. May, me, my, they chant in unison as a warm-up, the M sounds buzzing. Moe, moo. I like that voice, speech-language pathologist and Loud Crowd creator Samantha Elandary tells one of the men. It sounds good. Advertisement With her trained ear, Elandary can hear the tell-tale softening and slowing caused when neurons die and stop producing the neurotransmitter dopamine, which sends messages to throat muscles that direct their normal function. She has patients put effort into their words without shouting. This is what she calls speaking with intent, using pathways in the brain that are less reliant on dopamine. We need to be in control of our voices, she encourages the bunch. They hold a monotone ahh for about five seconds, gliding their voices to higher and lower registers to drill the use of inflection. They count and read aloud, connecting words and sounds the way they might stitch together if written in cursive. Los Alamitos Medical Center was one of 92 clinics and hospitals nationwide to win grants last year in order to offer Loud Crowd and its sister program, Speak Out, to patients like Sam Sebabi. Like the others in the therapy group, Sebabi, 71, is older and accomplished. He speaks with the lilt of his native Uganda. He was diagnosed with Parkinsons nine years ago, and though his doctors tell him he has a slow-progressing form, his voice began to falter. He described his speech as babbling. By nature I have a loud voice, and when I stammer, people have a hard time understanding me, he says. He fancies himself funny and competitive. With the Loud Crowd therapy, Sebabi, who now lives in Signal Hill, regained his confidence. Before, I was avoiding people, he said. Parkinsons disease patients Mark Curley, left, and Samuel Sebabi work on their speech during a therapy session directed by Samantha Elandary on March 13. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer) Los Alamitos neurologist George Wang explains that as neurons, or nerve cells in the brain, die off, patients lose coordination. This can lead to tremors, shuffled gait and slurred, stuttering or whispery speech. Wang says directed speech therapy maximizes the remaining potential ability, but cannot reverse degeneration. The conscious effort Elandary stresses as a foundation of speech maintenance can also save lives. Speech, eating and breathing rely on the same muscles, all of which are impacted by Parkinsons. She says the majority of deaths in Parkinsons patients are caused by aspiration pneumonia, a lung infection that develops after breathing in food, saliva or stomach acid instead of swallowing. Speech therapist Lynn Gallandt, who works at the medical center, says the mechanics of speech are automatic in healthy people. We dont have to think about our breathing, where our tongue is, she says. As Parkinsons forces movements to get smaller, speech patterns change. Though the disease is progressive and has no cure, patients can gain back some control through their vocal exercises. I see hope, Gallandt says. I see them starting to realize, I have a voice again. Tom Wright, center, participates in a Parkinsons disease therapy session at Los Alamitos Medical Center. (Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer) Elandary started Loud Crowd 20 years ago in her Texas living room as a monthly speech and social group that follows the foundational program started by Speak Out. The programs have been replicated worldwide and providers are available in Orange County hospitals, including Hoag in Newport Beach and Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley. To learn more, visit parkinsonvoiceproject.org. Fundraising and fun-raising were the order of the day last Thursday at the Victorian fashion show and luncheon put on by the Womens Council at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale. Already having raised over $3 million to benefit the hospital, the council ponied up with another $20,000 for the hospitals new neonatal intensive-care unit. For the record: The caption for the third photo in this posting was updated with additional names. Keith Hobbs, the hospitals chief executive, accepted the giant mock-up of the $20,000 check presented to him by the councils incoming president, Purnima Panchal, and outgoing president, Tiffany Ajaryan. Hobbs introduced himself to his audience of some 70 council members and supporters by announcing that USC has put $30 million into the hospital, part of which will go toward enhancing labor and delivery services. Hobbs described the nicview cameras that will be set up in each of six private rooms on the eighth-floor neonatal intensive-care unit. Through the use of their iPhones and iPads, grandparents and family members will be able to watch their little ones off-site. However, let the fashion show begin. Dressed in Victorian fashion, the events commentator and former hospital staff member Esther Hanna reminded her audience that before the 1851 introduction of the sewing machine, all clothing was handmade. Womens clothing was made up of voluminous layers, all to protect feminine modesty during the Victorian era in England. The intricacies of dressing the fashionable Victorian woman were demonstrated by three models. Each one came out in her muslin underwear, fully covering all but her arms and lower limbs. The models then put on thick, white stockings. Next, each had to help the other tie heavy corsets worn around their waists. Then came the lattice-like hoops, put on over each others heads. Model Eileen An modestly puts on her Victorian stockings with the help of Womens Council member Ruth McNevin, also dressed in Victorian style. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press ) Only now could the Victorian-style dresses be donned, replete with big bustles in back and puffy sleeves at the shoulders. Feathered hats and parasols completed the ensemble. Commentator Hanna described the difficultly in sitting dressed as such. Each Victorian lady had to relearn how to sit down by not revealing skin if her hoop popped up. Council member and real estate mogul Ruth McNevin, resplendent in a blue Victorian dress and hat, helped change the models. She was also recognized for her 6,600 hours of volunteer service to the hospital since 1987. As the councils publicity chair, McNevin organized the paparazzi that shot photo after photo of the models at each stage of dress. Alas, the afternoon came to a close, too early for many. Proceeds came to about $3,000, earmarked for more equipment for the neonatal intensive-care unit. Another group of energetic, giving women in Glendale was also recognized. Phoencia restaurant was the setting on June 7 for the gathering of 65 former Women Achievers, sponsored by Business Life magazine. Altogether, 480 Women Achievers have graced the magazines covers. Ready for a reunion are Glendale Soroptimist Women Achievers, from left, Sandy Moreno, Margo Bottcher, Seda Khojayan, Jacqueline Hawley (Soroptimist president), Jory Potts, Edith Fuentes, Stella Fejtek. Kathy Lefkovits and Liz Mirzaian.. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press ) This year marks the 29th publication of Women Achievers. The next group will be revealed to the public and honored in October. But the reunion mixer this month was strictly for the alums. Hugging and chatting took the place of formal introductions as old friends were welcomed and new friendships were made. Greg Krikorian, president and chief executive of Business Life, and emcee Sandy Moreno recognized past Women Achievers, including former Glendale Mayor and current Glendale City Councilwoman Paula Devine, a Woman Achiever in 2010. Devine offered greetings from the city. Also recognized was former Burbank Mayor Marsha Ramos, named lifetime Woman Achiever in 2017. Lynn White-Shelby was honored as the most longstanding Achiever present, having won the designation in the early 90s. The late John and Elsie Krikorian were the founders and editors of Business Life. It was John Krikorians idea to publish a special issue in 1989 to showcase women. Son, Greg, is now president and chief executive of the magazine. The other hat he wears is as president of the Glendale Unified school board. It was his love of education and his parents passing that inspired Greg Krikorian to create two scholarships in his parents names to recognize deserving female students pursuing careers in journalism, marketing or business management. Devine ended the program with words of advice to the Achievers: Keep on doing what youre doing. Youre fabulous. RUTH SOWBY RANDS may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com. Addressing a class of seniors at Clark Magnet High School in Glendale as part of a series of high school voter-education events, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said on Wednesday that politics was the last thing on his mind when he was their age. It was only with the voter approval of a California ballot initiative in 1994 which would have prohibited immigrants living in the country illegally from receiving public benefits such as healthcare and public education that he really began to tune in to politics. While the initiative, known as Proposition 187 was ultimately struck down by the court, thats when the voice of his government teacher at San Fernando High School, who taught him about representational government, started ringing in his ears. [I realized], if I dont vote, Im forgoing my opportunity to decide the future of my community, and I didnt want my community, geographic or otherwise, to continue to be harmed, said Padilla, who is the son of parents who emigrated legally from Mexico. At the time, Pacoima-raised Padilla was working in aerospace after earning an engineering degree from MIT. I began organizing before I knew what organizing was, he said, helping people register to vote and volunteering for political campaigns. About five years after the passage of Proposition 187, Padilla was elected to Los Angeles City Council. At Clark Magnet on Wednesday, booths were set up outside the schools auditorium, where students could opt to preregister to vote after the one-hour assembly. Under an initiative helmed by Padilla, 16- and 17-years-olds have been able to preregister since September 2016. Once they turn 18 years old, they are already set to vote. Two years after the program went into effect, 200,000 16- and 17-year-olds had registered to vote, Padilla said last September. With registration forms in hand, 17-year-old Shelia Mgrtichian said prior to the assembly she hadnt given much thought about voting but is committed to cast a ballot as soon as shes eligible. Ive been finding out more so what my beliefs and ideals are, said Mgrtichian, adding that she became more politically aware following the election of Donald Trump. If I can vote and make a change, 100%, I would do it. Abdullah Hassan, Clark Magnets student body president, said his interest in politics started earlier, beginning his public service in middle school as his class vice president. According to Hassan, inspirational stories like Padillas are the best ways to touch the hearts of people who are out of it in politics. Its the first time the school has hosted a preregistration voting event like this, said Nick Doom, who teaches U.S. government at Clark Magnet. While theres a core group of students who are deeply engaged in politics, nationally and otherwise, the vast majority arent as motivated or dont understand, Doom said. So we have to educate them about the importance of living in a republic, the importance of voting and the difference they make, Doom said. Once you spark that interest, that will carry them the rest of their lives. Padilla is making a handful of stops at high schools across the state over two weeks to mark High School Voter Education Weeks, the states twice-annual push to promote civic education among high school students. Previously in Anaheim, he will be speaking at high schools in Inglewood, Van Nuys and Montebello before heading back to Northern California, according to one of Padillas staff members. It made sense for Padilla to stop at Clark Magnet, given its ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, according to Glendale City Clerk Ardashes Kassakhian, who has served on the Secretary of States language accessibility committee for several years. Also, because of Clarks status as a science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, magnet, it didnt hurt that Padillas background is in engineering, in terms of having his story resonate with the student body, Kassakhian added. Pointing out that Padilla is Latino and was elected to public office at a young age, Its an honor to have someone who has just been a real role model for a lot of Californians, to come here and energize and excite these kids about what the future can hold if they get involved, if they get active, if they vote, Kassakhian said. lila.seidman@latimes.com Twitter: @lila_seidman One look at Glendale City Council candidate Mark MacCarleys history and it would be difficult to question his commitment to civil service. A retired U.S. Army general and business owner, MacCarley, a Glendale native, joined the Los Angeles Sheriffs Department shortly after law school in a reserve capacity, including 10 years on the sheriffs Montrose Search-and-Rescue Team. He also spent 12 years as an active-duty Army officer, serving during the height of the United States conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning the rank of a two-star general before retiring the Army uniform. Join the conversation on Facebook >> Still, MacCarley will tell constituents that hes not running as some sort of military candidate, but as a Glendale resident who wants to continue a commitment to his community. This time around, he would like to be a member of City Council, where MacCarley said he can bring the broad scope of his military service to a position that can help resolve the citys challenges. The council people that are elected are going to have to develop some form of consensus or work with at least two other council members in order to drive forward a vision thats consistent with what the people of Glendale want, and thats what I learned overseas, MacCarley said. Its all about bringing people together. MacCarley currently runs a law firm and was previously involved in multiple philanthropic and community organizations including the Verdugo Mental Health Assn., the Bridge-Away Across Drug Rehabilitation Center and the Family Service Center. Running with a campaign that wants to Make Glendale Livable Again, MacCarleys platform is influenced, in part, by what he says are the detrimental changes hes seen in the city since returning from military service. At the forefront of the MacCarley campaign is slowing down luxury development which he said may require a one-year moratorium and supporting local law enforcement officers as they handle a 20% increase in violent crime, according to midyear crime statistics released last summer. With those two issues in mind, MacCarley said building a better relationship between the city and small businesses will help in funding services that go toward public safety and reducing traffic congestion brought on by recent development. Small business is the engine that generates the revenues that infuse the city with the necessary funds to address my No. 1 and 2 [priorities], MacCarley said. Last year, MacCarley ran as a Republican in the state Assemblys District 43 primary, but failed to make the runoff, trailing in third place behind Ardy Kassakhian and the eventual winner, Laura Friedman. If you ask me why [Im running for City Council] and I know this is absolutely alien to most people but its a motivation that those of us who have served know, its this concept of selfless service, MacCarley said. It means you dedicate yourself to do the right thing at the right time regardless of personal cost. -- Jeff Landa, jeff.landa@latimes.com Twitter: @JeffLanda Too often students cant relate to literary or historical figures they read about in books. If only such a figure could come to a school and speak directly to the students. Well, Terrence Roberts did just that during Hoover High Schools Human Rights Assembly this week. Who is Terrence Roberts? He is one of the famous Little Rock Nine, a group of teenagers in Little Rock, Ark. who attended the all-white Central High School in September 1957 as a test of the U.S. Supreme Courts Brown vs. Board of Education decision in 1954 that abolished segregation in public schools. When then-Gov. Orval Faubus had the Arkansas National Guard prevent the students from entering the school, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to escort the nine students from classroom to classroom. That action continued into October. Hundreds of adults shouted racial epithets and insults at the students who stoically ignored the abuse, though Roberts said that it was one year of sheer hell. Then, in 1958, Faubus supported a voter-approved referendum that closed all Little Rock high schools. If he was going to be forced to integrate, he would rather not have even whites attend school. Imagine an elected official depriving all young people of an education? Yet, that is what Arkansas voters wanted as they reelected him to an unprecedented six terms. Since then, Roberts has earned three college degrees including a doctorate degree in psychology. At 77, he exudes more vigor than some students. President Bill Clinton awarded all members of the Little Rock Nine with the Congressional Gold Medals in 1999. Along with Roberts, Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Gloria Ray, and Carlotta Walls are still living; Jefferson Thomas died in 2010. In preparing for his visit, I tried to paint a picture for my students about what it must have been like to be a 15-year-old barred from school, then to have federal troops serve as escorts just to get to class. I think about the students who loiter around campus, in no rush to get to class, taking their education for granted, and comparing it to the experience of the Little Rock Nine. Remarkable, the courage it took those unintentional civil-right warriors just to go to school. Thats how much they wanted to learn. Roberts told the audience that when his first-grade teacher said that students have to take responsibility of their own learning, thats when he established the Terry Roberts Learning Academy in 1947, dedicating his life to shrinking what he calls the storehouse of ignorance all people have. If you know what happened in the past, you can understand whats going on today, he said. He closed his speech by encouraging students to read one book a week from now on. It can be frustrating when young people are, well, young, and you struggle getting them to absorb the magnitude that Roberts visited their school, a real civil-rights pioneer, not an entry from Wikipedia. I know I will remember his visit. I felt privileged to shake his hand, honored to meet him. He was someone who I studied about in my U.S. history class, and he is someone who I teach about when we cover civil rights issues when studying Maya Angelous I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and Harper Lees To Kill a Mockingbird. Right behind my desk on a book shelf is Dont Know Much About History, with an entry about the Little Rock Nine. Now, right in front of me, was Terrence Roberts himself. I couldnt wait to tell everyone I knew that I had met him. Heres hoping a few students did the same. Brian Crosby is a teacher in the Glendale Unified School District and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at www.brian-crosby.com. When Peter Bachmann first stepped foot on the grounds of Flintridge Preparatory School to interview for a teaching position in December 1979 his fate was sealed. Then 27, he was charmed by the La Canada campus the beauty of its trees, its intimate spaces and the warm welcome he received from the people there. It was one of those moments where your intuition tells you what to do, he recalled. Once I visited the campus, talked to a few people and met the kids, I thought this place feels like home. And so, though hed gotten another more lucrative offer at another school, Bachmann went with Prep. In the next four decades, he went from history teacher to dean of students to assistant headmaster and, in 1991, to headmaster. On Thursday, Bachmann announced he will retire at the end of the 2019-20 school year. The move is part of a strategic plan thats been in the works since 2014, when trustees convened a transition committee to begin the long search for a headmaster for the 500-student campus. This has been years and years in the making, Bachmann said Friday. We always knew [the transition] was going to be around this time. In a Jan. 22 release issued by the school, Flintridge Prep board chair David Codiga said the board has assembled a search committee, led by vice chair Kris Leslie, and hired Boston-based faculty recruitment firm Carney Sandoe & Associates to conduct a search for a new headmaster. Feedback from the schools constituents will also play a role in selecting a new leader. Codiga praised Bachmann for being strategic and mission focused, while always remaining humble and kind. Peters commitment to Prep is both absolute and everlasting, Codiga said. [He] has helped make all of us better listeners, better students, better educators and a better Prep community. Bachmann will continue his job duties for the current and next school year, including teaching the schools Great Books class for seniors and overseeing the campus as it implements a multiphase master plan. Upon his retirement the La Canada resident will be named Head Emeritus and, in that capacity, will serve and support the school and its board. In a Jan. 17 letter to Flintridge Preps Board of Trustees officially announcing his retirement, Bachmann drew upon a school slogan to confirm his continued commitment to the school during his remaining tenure and beyond. As a charter member of Prep for Life, I will, of course, remain tied to the community, particularly with alumni and their parents, he wrote. But Im getting ahead of myself we still have a lot of work to do together in the next 18 months, and I plan on savoring every moment. sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine The California Department of Transportation released its initial environmental review for the proposed 710 Freeway extension project Friday, causing a flurry of activity among agencies and activists whove waited months for the data and their chance to respond. The public was given 120 days to put forth their comments and concerns on the project, which floats five potential alternatives, including beefing up bus and rail lines as well as a dual-bore tunnel connecting the cities of Alhambra and Pasadena. The public comment period, required by law to be at least 45 days, was initially extended to 90 days and then, last Wednesday, to 120 days to allow more time and opportunities for groups and individuals to respond. On the day of the release, local 710 activist Jan Soo Hoo said shed reviewed the reports executive summary. The report and its appendices are 2,260 pages in length, but technical studies provided by Caltrans bring the total page count to 26,625. Soo Hoo said the comment period extension will help, but advised residents to contact Caltrans officials to ask for an extension to 180 days. She also said it would be better if there were more than two public hearings scheduled during the comment period. Were going to press for more public hearings, Soo Hoo said. Given the volume of the report, (two) is crazy. Its just not OK. Meanwhile, the city of La Canada Flintridge will be working as part of the 5 Cities Alliance, a coalition with four other cities Glendale, Pasadena, South Pasadena and Sierra Madre to examine the environmental, health and safety aspects of the alternatives described in the EIR. La Canada Flintridge City Manager Mark Alexander said consultants in each subject area have been lined up and are ready to review various technical aspects of the massive document and attached reports and studies. They have their marching orders and are ready to get underway, Alexander said of the consultants in an email interview. We look forward to examining what the (draft environmental impact report) has analyzed. Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian, a vocal opponent of the tunnel option, said Friday hed completed the executive summary and took objection to the fact that the documents traffic statistics were provided by the Southern California Association of Governments, a group whose executive director has publicly spoken in favor of the tunnel option. Any information that comes out of SCAG should be treated as highly suspect and have very little credibility and validity, he said. Najarian encouraged citizens to do what they could to make their voices heard before Caltrans and Metro during the 120-day comment period. Id like them all to try and make sense of a very complicated document and submit their comments, addressing their concerns to Caltrans, so at the end of the period no person says, Gee, I wish I would have issued a concern, he said. -- EDITORS NOTE: An earlier version of this story mentioned a forum that was scheduled for Monday, March 9, hosted by the Pasadena League of Women Voters and Cal State Los Angeles Pat Brown Institute of Public Affairs. The forum was postponed until further notice. -- Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com Twitter: @SaraCardine Tel Aviv is Israels version of New York: Its intensity and energy seem boundless. You can visit Tel Aviv, a gateway to the country, for $695 from fall to spring. Tel Aviv, about 40 miles northwest of Jerusalem, is the economic and business center of Israel. It is a port city and offers nine miles of shoreline for sunning and swimming in the Mediterranean, including a sex-segregated beach and an LGBTQ beach. Among tourists, Jerusalem seems to be the favorite child; it is a holy city that is home to a rich mixture of people and religions. The State Department rates Israel as a 2 out of 4 on its risk-level scale. A 2, its website says, means travelers should be aware of heightened risks to safety and security. It recommends avoiding travel to Gaza and to the West Bank. Advertisement Israel is a small nation, about the size of New Jersey. It is less than 300 miles north to south and about 85 from east to west at its widest point, so you need not choose just one place to visit. Here are the fare details: Fare: $695 round trip, including all taxes and fees, from LAX to Tel Aviv on Lot Polish. Restrictions: Subject to availability. For travel Oct.14-March 6 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Info: Lot Polish, (212) 789-0970, Source: Airfarewatchdog travel@latimes.com @latimestravel You can celebrate the countrys parks units on Saturday for free as they kick off National Park Week with a range of special activities. National Park Week, a nine-day week, runs through April 28, at a time of year when the parks are shedding their winter wear for the flowers and greenery of spring. National parks give us more than 400 reasons to celebrate together, National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth said in a statement. The foundation is the nonprofit partner of the park service. The 419 units include the well-known parts, such as Joshua Tree and Yosemite, as well as national seashores, historic sites, battlefields and more. Advertisement All entrance fees are free, but camping and other fees still apply. Looking for options? To find a nearby park, use the Find Your Park / Encuentra Tu Parque for the park that fits your adventure. You can search by activity biking, kayaking, childrens programs or by proximity to where you live. California is full of national parksthe beauty spots, as we call themas well as historic sites, one seashore and other designations. The 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park is sure to be a popular place Saturday, as Americans celebrate Earth Day. Visitors can start the day with a 30-minute ranger chat at 10 a.m. Later, a 90-minute geology hike begins at 2:30 p.m. Check the calendar of events for other options in the amazing park, where two desert eco-systems merge: the Mojave and the Colorado. Yosemite will also be a popular choice in California. On Saturday, it will also be celebrating Earth Day, National Junior Ranger Day and John Muirs birthday. Among the activities: Junior Ranger guided walks at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Music, games and booths at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A walk and ecology talk around Ahwahnee Meadow at 10:45 a.m. A photo walk at 11 a.m. that will explore Yosemite Valley with photographers from the Ansel Adams Gallery Face-painting and art activities. Visitors are encouraged to arrive before 9 a.m. Parking will be available at the Yosemite Village Parking Area and Yosemite Falls Parking Area, located across from Camp 4 Campground. Visitors are encouraged to jump aboard the free park shuttle to get to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center. For more info on public transit, visit Yarts Public Transit. Travelers headed to Yosemite should know that Mariposa Grove Road has reopened to traffic. The free visitor shuttle to the Giant Sequoias has also resumed service for the spring and summer. The park service asks visitors to park at the South Entrance and ride the free shuttle to the Lower Grove, two miles away. Every year, Mariposa Grove Road closes for winter and reopens as conditions allow. travel@latimes.com Forest bathing might sound like a synonym for skinny-dipping. Instead, its spending time in a forested area (fully clothed) and soaking up the atmosphere a metaphorical bathing of your senses in the forest. In Japan, the practice of shinrin-yoku, which means forest bathing, has been recognized for decades. Health benefits of forest therapy, which its also known as, include stress reduction and increased immunity. With Earth Day on April 22, its the ideal time to get out there and connect with nature. Here are six places to bathe yourself in the forest. Sierra Nevada Advertisement Forest bathing is more about a slow, relaxed walk in the woods rather than strenuous hiking or exercising. I have been forest bathing for years, not knowing it. One of my favorite spots is the Ansel Adams Wilderness of the Inyo National Forest. This landscape is filled with rushing waterfalls and colorful wildflowers along with countless places to lean against a tree and feel the sunshine on your face. The Ansel Adams Wilderness about 360 square miles of Sierra Nevada splendor borders Yosemite National Park, but you will see a fraction of Yosemites crowds here. Even so, Yosemite (and most national parks for that matter) can offer prime opportunities for forest bathing. This weekend kicks off National Park Week. To celebrate, entrance fees to national parks will be waived on Saturday, April 20. Info: Ansel Adams Wilderness, Yosemite National Park San Francisco Bay Area Muir Woods National Monument has no cellphone service, making it ideal for forest bathing. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Forest bathing can be done anywhere where there are trees. Check out Muir Woods National Monument, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, in Marin County less than an hour drive north of San Francisco. Muir Woods, named after naturalist John Muir, is known for its massive old-growth redwood trees. Forest bathing, or connecting with nature, involves being mindful. That means no texting or taking photos. Better yet, choose a place such as Muir Woods where no cellphone service or Wi-Fi is available. Sonoma County to the north is a forest bathing hub. In July, Forest Bathing International (abbreviated FOBI, not FBI in case you were wondering) will host its inaugural International Forest Therapy Conference, Congress and Celebration at Sonoma State University. Info: Muir Woods National Monument, Forest Bathing International Waldport, Ore. The sign welcoming visitors to Waldport, along the Oregon coast about a three-hour drive south of Portland reads: Where the forest meets the sea. Sounds as if its ideal for forest bathing. Make sure to explore the citys Woodland Trail, a mile-long path featuring a thick canopy of trees. The trail is also known for attracting diverse wildlife including cedar waxwings and rough-skinned newts. Info: waldport.org Costa Rica After youve tried forest bathing, why not try rain forest bathing? The Costa Rica Tourism Board touts the countrys wellness tourism, including forest baths, which it describes as breathing in the fresh air of the forest. Sensoria, an eco-tourism attraction in northern Costa Rica, offers a Forest Therapy Tour, which according to its website focuses on slowing down and connecting with the primal energy of the forest and the planet. Sensorias three-hour experience consists of a half-mile Forest Therapy Trail along a lush rain forest and ends in a private thermal pool. Info: Costa Rica Tourism Board, Sensoria Amazon rain forest The worlds largest tropical rain forest naturally lends itself to forest bathing. The Forest Bathing Club, based in San Francisco, will host aJourney to the Amazon Oct. 28 to Nov. 10. The club has teamed up with Pachamama Alliance to bring forest bathers on a transformational journey to the most significant forest on Planet Earth: The Amazon. The groups two-week trek includes a traditional Ecuadorian dinner, a bus ride through the Avenue of the Volcanoes and hiking in the rain forest. Cant make it to South America? The club will bring forest bathing to Wanderlust Squaw Valley, a festival held July 18-21 in North Lake Tahoe. Info: forestbathing.club/events Southern California Closer to home, forest bathing programs will be held at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden in Arcadia on April 20, May 4 and 18 and June 1 and 15. The guided walks end with a ceremony in which participants sip tea made from plants foraged on site. Info: arboretum.org/events/forest-bathing On April 21, 1930, Ford Motor Co. opened its new Southern California assembly plant in Long Beach. The plant replaced an earlier one at East 7thStreet and Santa Fe Avenue in Los Angeles. The next morning, the Los Angeles Times reported, Henry Fords idea of the last word in an automotive factory went into operation at Long Beach yesterday when Lieut. Gov. (Herschel) Carnahan, in the presence of some 600 luncheon guests of the Ford company at the Pacific Coast Club, pressed an electric button that started the assembly line of the plant in motion. And it may be regarded in some quarters as another one of those Ford stories, but it is a fact that hardly had the button been pressed than the sound of the horn on the first completed car came back from the factory over the broadcasting system connecting the plant with the club dining-room. Fords Long Beach facility closed in 1958, replaced by a new plant in Pico Rivera. April 21, 1930: Workers on the assembly line at new Ford Motor plant in Long Beach. Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA Undated photo of Adminstration Building of the Ford Motor Co. Long Beach assembly plant. The plant opened in 1930 and closed in 1958. Library of Congress See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Faced with the strong possibility of being trounced by a comedian with no political experience, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has started throwing Hail Marys. In the week leading up to this Sundays election, the 53-year-old president awkwardly performed a folk song on stage. He promised young voters hed hire more of them in his next administration. And he apologized for past mistakes and met with civil society leaders to say hed listen more if given another chance. In what appeared to be a direct response to accusations from his opponent Volodymyr Zelensky that he did nothing to battle the countrys endemic corruption, Poroshenko appointed 38 judges to the countrys new anti-corruption court in one fell swoop. If the latest polls are correct, the election will be a blow-out, with 72% of voters ready to cast their ballot for Zelensky, compared to 25% for Poroshenko. Advertisement Zelensky, 41, has more than doubled his lead over the president since the first round of voting in March, when he beat out 38 other candidates, in a surprise upset. Because none of the candidates got more than 50% to win outright, the top two candidates now face a runoff. Zelensky rose to fame as an actor in his comedy troupe Kvartal 95. His latest hit is a television series, Servant of the People, in which he plays a history teacher who is elected president after a video of him ranting about corrupt politicians goes viral. He has run an anti-establishment campaign that has relied heavily on a savvy social media program that crowdsourced policy suggestions from voters. The approach has won over voters who say they are looking for a new, fresh face in a landscape of Ukraines usual political elite. Poroshenko, a billionaire chocolate tycoon, was elected in 2014, months after street protests forced out a Kremlin-friendly president, Viktor Yanukovich, and Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and starting backing a pro-Russian separatist movement in the east. The ongoing conflict in the east has cost the country more than 13,000 lives. The big loser in Ukraines presidential election? Vladimir Putin Under Poroshenkos watch, the countrys weakened economy stabilized. He oversaw the rebuilding of the army to fight the Russian-backed militias. He has pushed for the passage of a law that made Ukrainian the state language and made it the primary language in education. Last year, Poroshenko claimed victory when the Ukrainian Orthodox Church became an independent church blessed by the Patriarch of Constantinople a landmark move that separated it from the Russian Orthodox Church. But neither Poroshenkos experience nor his campaign slogan Language. Faith. Army were enough to win over voters who said they were fed up with corruption and the presidents connection to the political elite. This isnt the same Ukraine as it was five, 10 or 25 years ago, said Dmytro Bedratenko, 38, an entrepreneur from the central region of Cherkassy. Ukrainians are tired of the language issue and the nationalism stuff. Mostly, we just want to see something new. At a debate between the candidates Friday the only one of the campaign Poroshenko told thousands of people gathered in Kievs main soccer stadium that the election was about whether Ukranians will decide to stay on the course toward Europe of go back toward Russia. Zelensky said it was about voters judging Poroshenko for his failures. Im not just your opponent, he said. Im your verdict. Poroshenkos patriotic campaign worked to win over his supporters in the first round, many of whom would probably vote for him regardless, said Taras Berezovets, a political analyst and host of a television talk show, The Week. But I think it was a mistake to concentrate only on these logos: language, army, and the like, he said. This tactic limited his political maneuvers. He needed to present something very different for undecided voters. Poroshenko won in 2014 by presenting himself as the president who would bring peace. This time, he inspired more fear than reassurance at a time when many Ukrainians want first and foremost for the war to end, Berezovets said. In campaign speeches, he emphasized the idea that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to attack Ukraine at any moment. People got scared with his message, Berezovets said. He should have come with a message of peace. Zelensky is riding a wave that has brought anti-establishment politicians to power around the world. Still, many analysts expressed worry over how little is known about his politics. Zelensky, like Poroshenko, says he wants to pursue a pro-Western agenda. But he has given few interviews, and his platform offers few details. To stop the war, for example, Zelensky has said both sides need to stop shooting. What does that mean, that our soldiers should just stop defending themselves against Russian attacks? asked Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, a deputy prime minister for Ukraines European and Euro-Atlantic integration. Klympush-Tsintsadze said she worried that a Zelensky win would destroy the progress made over the last five years and make the country more susceptible to destabilization from Russia. If theres a reversal of this momentum and it creates instability in some of the still fragile institutions we have rebuilt, this could make Ukraine vulnerable to another attack from the outside, she said. But Ukrainians are willing to take a risk with Zelensky in order to change the political system completely, said Olena Tregub, the secretary general of Independent Defense Anti-Corruption Committee, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to fighting corruption in the government defense and security sectors. Distrust of the current political elite is a major driving force of this election, with polls showing that just 9% of the population trusts the current government. Voters are desperate for a new face, and they are so desperate that, at this point, the bar is very low, Tregub said. They dont care that this new face may not be prepared. They dont care that he may not be professional. All they want is for this person to be fresh and have not been in politics. sabra.ayres@latimes.com Twitter: @sabraayres Ayres is a special correspondent. Talks between Afghan leaders and Taliban insurgents that were scheduled to begin Friday were canceled, in a move seen as a blow to a U.S.-led peace process in the country. The talks, which were to start in Doha, Qatar, where the Taliban maintain an office, were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan, Americas longest conflict, and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country. It would have marked the first time that Taliban and Afghan government officials sat together, with the Taliban previously refusing to hold direct talks with the Kabul government, calling it a puppet of the U.S. Leaders of the group subsequently gave in to pressure and agreed to talks that included Kabul representatives, though they said they would recognize them only as ordinary Afghans, rather than government officials or ministers. On Thursday, however, Qatars Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, which is sponsoring the talks, announced an indefinite postponement, saying this is unfortunately necessary to further build consensus as to who should participate in the conference. Advertisement Plans for the talks went awry when the Qatari hosts said the Afghan government side could bring 243 people to the talks. Their lists differed from Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis list of 250 people, which included many more women, according to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. In a statement Friday, the Taliban said Ghani had sabotaged the talks by declaring the people on his list were government representatives. Ghani in turn blamed the Taliban for scuttling the talks by getting Qatar to allow a different list, one that had dropped several government ministers and 44 women. Afghanistans former president, Hamid Karzai, said Friday that peace in his homeland, ravaged by more than 17 years of war, will only be possible when Afghans from all sectors of society sit together and negotiate including the Taliban. Karzai expressed disappointment that the scheduled gathering for Afghan-to-Afghan talks was off. In an interview with the Associated Press, Karzai would not blame either side for the cancellation, instead urging the United States to put force behind it to make it [the talks] happen. He also praised Washingtons peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, as the very best person for the job of resolving the Afghan crisis. I believe the United States wants some sort of settlement in Afghanistan, Karzai said. I do believe that, but I want the U.S. to be much clearer about its roadmap ... to do everything it can to make the process move forward. Karzai was not among those planning to attend Qatar talks but he had attended a round-table meeting in February in Moscow in which the Taliban met with dozens of prominent Afghans. Though government representatives were not sent by Ghani to Moscow, there were some senior officials present, including a deputy to Afghanistans chief executive, Abdullah Abdullah, as well as a member of a government-appointed High Peace Council. Ghani was critical of the Moscow meeting. The organizers in Qatar could take lessons from the Moscow meeting, Karzai said. Together with the Taliban we all sat together under the Afghan flag, he said. We discussed the constitution, womens rights. Why couldnt this happen this time? Karzai said he has pressed the Taliban to talk directly with the government, but urged the government to be the bigger side and look at an intra-Afghan dialogue that does not have an official government seal as a possible precursor to direct talks. The process has to continue, Karzai said. I am sad today, but still hopeful as ever that we will definitely ensure an intra-Afghan dialogue takes place. This is what Afghans want. They want peace. We need to be united, he said. Ukrainian presidential candidates Volodymyr Zelensky and Petro Poroshenko will face off in a much-anticipated debate on Friday night. At the same time, a block away at Kievs central synagogue, hundreds of the capital citys Jews will be sitting down for a Passover Seder. It was suggested that I should invite Zelensky to the Seder supper, said Ukraines chief rabbi, Moshe Reuven Azman. But I dont want to do something political. He will be at his debate. We will be here. Zelensky, the candidate leading in the polls, has Jewish heritage. But it rarely comes up in the public discussion of this countrys hotly contested presidential election. Advertisement Zelensky, 41, is a comedic actor who stars in a hit television comedy about a schoolteacher who is elected president after a video of him ranting about the corruption of the political elite went viral. The actor shocked the nation when he declared his intention to run in Ukraines real presidential election, and further when he gained the most votes in the first round. Zelensky has rarely discussed his religious background, saying his beliefs are personal and will remain that way even if he is elected in Sundays polling. In a 2016 interview with a TV talk show, well before he became a political candidate, Zelensky told a reporter: I have Jewish blood. I am a Russian speaker, and Im a citizen of Ukraine. Voters dont seem to care either way. His anti-establishment campaign is leading in the polls by nearly 40 percentage points against President Poroshenko, 53. Experts still say its a remarkable turn for Ukraine, with its centuries-long history of persecution of Jews. In the 17th century, Cossacks massacred entire Jewish communities in Ukraine during an uprising against the Polish rulers. The Russian czars restricted Jews from certain professional and educational opportunities. Eager for change, these Ukrainian voters back a comedian for president. Seriously Almost 1 million Ukrainian Jews were killed from 1941 and 1944 during World War II. Over the course of two days in 1941, some 34,000 Jews were executed in a ravine just outside central Kiev known today as Babi Yar. Anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union, an atheist state, was rampant. Soviet passports listed Jewish as a nationality. Now, Russia, involved in separatist fighting in eastern Ukraine, is spreading false propaganda portraying the country as a fascist state where nationalists readily speak of killing Jews. But even though anti-Semitic violence and vandalism are growing in France and other European countries, human rights monitoring groups say such attacks and crimes in Ukraine have decreased during the last decade. In 2018, there was a drop in anti-Semitic vandalism from the previous year and an increase in the arrest and prosecution of those accused of perpetrating such crimes, according to the 2018 Report on Xenophobia in Ukraine published by the Congress of National Minorities of Ukraine. There have been no acts of anti-Semitic violence in Ukraine over the last two years and relatively little anti-Semitic vandalism, wrote Halya Coynash, an analyst with the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, a nongovernmental organization in Ukraine. Political will is important in this issue, as are statements of concern from international organizations about the level of anti-Semitism, said Vyacheslav Likhachev, a human-rights monitor with the Congress of National Minorities of Ukraine. He said law enforcement reforms helped lead to more enforcement. The government understood that the pressure was on and so they tried to do something about it. Drug tests and dueling videos: Ukraines presidential election enters second, more surreal round Given its history, its a miracle that Ukraine has the possibility to have a Jewish president, Azman said. Perhaps more than anything, it shows that Ukraine is a democratic, normal Western country that has distanced itself from its past Soviet traditions, Azman said. The rabbi cautioned that there could be consequences if Zelensky does win and his presidency doesnt meet his supporters expectations. If he does well, Ukrainians will say, OK, hes a Ukrainian, he said. But if the countrys economy takes a turn for the worse or the parliament blocks the presidents initiatives, they could blame it on him being a Jew. Still, Azam said, hes optimistic about Ukraine. The countrys prime minister, Volodymyr Groysman, is Jewish, he noted. Ukrainians finally understand that the Jewish people arent the problem, corruption is. Ayres is a special correspondent. sabra.ayres@latimes.com Twitter: @sabraayres - Governor Yahaya Bello has been described as the ambassador of Nigerian youths in governance, by his aide, Kingsley Fanwo - Fanwo said Bello has demonstrated sound leadership in the way he has managed the affairs of the state - The governors aide said the Kogi government has been able to encourage hundreds of youths to invest their energy in various agricultural programmes - Fanwo asserted that Bello has been able to do such because he is a youthful governor The governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, has been described as the ambassador of Nigerian youths in governance, by his director general of media and publicity, Kingsley Fanwo. In an interview with Daily Independent in Lagos, Fanwo said youths in Kogi and Nigeria-at-large are proud of the governor and will want him to continue in office for a second term. READ ALSO: Police Reform Bill: Resist an officer, get 6 months jail term Legit.ng gathers that the DG described the governor as a hardworking and courageous leader; asserting that since he was sworn-in over three years ago, Bello had devoted all his time and energy into delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Kogi. Contrary to claims by the opposition that the governor is an example of failure of youths in governance, Fanwo said Bello has demonstrated sound leadership in the way he has managed the affairs of the state which in turn, has won him several awards both locally and internationally. According to Fanwo, the manner in which the challenges of insecurity in Kogi were addressed by Bello and the provisions of jobs to many unemployed youths through various agricultural programmes, are clear testimonies to prove that the governor is indeed an ambassador of youths in governance today. He said: Governor Yahaya Bello is a big role model to Nigerian youths today. He is a reference point in governance. I will cite the example of his approach to the issue of security in Kogi state. The energy he invested in fighting security in Kogi state would have been very difficult for a 70-year-old person to do. The way he moved around and the way he was able to put in place Operation Total Freedom is highly commendable and a lot of people in Kogi can testify to the fact that he is devoting his youthful zest and energy into ensuring that the people of Kogi get the best in terms of democracy dividends. He is a big role model and I am always proud whenever I am opportuned to represent him picking up awards both in Nigeria and abroad from organisations and agencies that are very happy with what he is doing in the state, especially for the youths. When you look at youth empowerment in the state, it has never been this good. He said the Kogi government has been able to encourage hundreds of youths to invest their energy in various agricultural programmes in collaboration with the federal government, like the Anchors Borrowers Programme. He added: A lot of them also benefited from the lands we cleared. We prepared lands across the 21 local government areas and encouraged youths. We facilitated loans for them, gave them agricultural machineries and today, they are millionaires because they could practice agriculture. Its not enough to tell these youths not to go into crimes. If they dont go into crimes, what alternatives are you offering? That is exactly what Governor Yahaya Bello has been able to do. According to Fanwo, Bello has been able to do such because he is a youthful governor. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Governor Yahaya Bello stated that the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, respects him as the governor of Kogi and as the political son of President Muhammadu Buhari. The governor made the assertion via his director general of media publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, on Wednesday, April 17. When asked if the governors second term was not being threatened by the APC national leader, Fanwo said: "Governor Yahaya Bello has tremendous respect for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Asiwaju Tinubu too also respects Governor Yahaya Bello as the governor of Kogi state and as the political son of President Muhammadu Buhari. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: Same great journalism, upgraded for better service! 2019 Election: Why did Nigerian youths ignore Sowore, Durotoye, Moghalu? - on Legit TV: Source: Legit - A former PDP governorship aspirant in Anambra state, Zeribe Ezeanunna, slammed the ruling APC for claiming Atiku is a Cameroonian, not a Nigerian - Ezeanunna alleged that APC came up with the claim in order to divert Nigerians' attention because it knew that Atiku won the election clearly - The PDP chieftain, however, boasted that the APC's ploy will fail, adding that Atiku would eventually be declared winner of the 2019 presidential election A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra state during last election, Zeribe Ezeanunna, has also reacted to the claim by the All Progressive Congress (APC) that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, was not a Nigerian but a Cameroonian. Ezeanunna, according to Daily Independent, slammed that ruling party, saying the claim is evil, idiotic, diversionary and a deliberate ploy by APC to divert attention that they did not win last presidential election in the country. The PDP chieftain, however, boasted that the APC's ploy will fail, adding that Atiku would eventually be declared winner of the 2019 presidential election. READ ALSO: Minimum wage: Show more commitment to your work - Buhari tells workers Ezeanunna also reported said that Atiku is a full fledged Nigerian, born in Nigeria and that any attempt to distort history was evil and should be condemned. He reiterated that Atiku was born a Nigerian and that APC leadership was aware of it and was trying to divert attention because it knew that Atiku won the election clearly. Reacting to the alleged plan by the APC leadership to exclude the southeast from occupying key leadership positions in the ninth National Assembly, Ezeanunna said that the development had confirmed Igbo people's belief that the party did not want them. He appealed to Igbo people in the APC to learn their lesson in time and have a rethink and start looking for other parties where they would be accommodated. The PDP chieftain also said that the belief that APC would give Igbo the presidency position in 2023 was a mere joke. PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Atiku had also reacted to the claim by the APC that he is not a Nigerian citizen. The APC had filed a motion at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja saying Atiku has no right to challenge the result of the 2019 presidential election as he was not a Nigerian. The APC said Atikus case lacked merit as he was a Cameroonian and therefore has no right to stand for election. However, reacting to the claim, Atiku, who spoke through his media aide, Paul Ibe, said that it is an insult to Nigerians and the office of Vice President, which he (Atiku) occupied for eight years, for the APC to allege that he is not a Nigerian. NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have upgraded to serve you better. 2019 Election: Atiku heads to court to contest election result, can he win? | Legit TV Source: Legit Accused of sexually abusing children, a Roman Catholic priest who served a church in Hunterdon County has been permanently removed from priesthood by Pope Francis. The Diocese of Metuchen on Friday -- Good Friday -- announced the laicization of Mark Dolak. He was ordained in 1979 and faced multiple accusations of abuse that were deemed credible, the diocese had announced in February. Dolak had been assigned to six churches in the diocese, including St. Catherine of Siena in Pittstown. Dolak is now returned to the status of layperson. Because of the accusations against him, the Diocese of Metuchen says it removed his ability to serve as priest more than 20 years ago. Metuchen Bishop James F. Checchio said Friday in a statement about Dolak: "Upon receiving the news from the Holy See about the removal from the priesthood of Mark Dolak, my first thought was to pray for the survivors of child sexual abuse, particularly for the survivors of Mark Dolaks abuse. "While his crimes and sins are decades old, as is so much of what we hear about today, they are no less shameful and horrific and their effects sadly remain. "I asked diocesan staff to let his survivors know of this latest step which permanently removed Mark Dolak from the priesthood, a priesthood ordained by God to be a source of healing and strength to His people and not of abuse, manipulation nor harm. "I pray that this action in at least some small way aids his victims in the healing process. Dolak was among 188 clergy across New Jersey who were named in February as having faced credible accusations of sexual abuse of a minor. They included 63 priests and deacons accused in the Archdiocese of Newark, 56 in the Diocese of Camden, 30 in the Diocese of Trenton, 28 in the Diocese of Paterson and 11 in the Diocese of Metuchen. The Diocese of Metuchen reiterated Friday it has taken steps to create safe environments for children to ensure that such patterns of abuse never occur again. Since 2002, the diocese says it has required background checks, child protection training for all who work or volunteer with children and has implemented zero-tolerance policies; no cleric who has had a credible accusation of child sexual abuse is in ministry. Just before the publication of the names of credibly accused clergy, New Jerseys five Catholic dioceses commissioned an Independent Victim Compensation Program, available for survivors who were sexually abused by clergy as minors. Since its founding 38 years ago, the diocese says it has provided $1.5 million of compensation to survivors regardless of whether they fell within the civil statute of limitations or not. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Whitehall Township police are asking for the publics help in their investigation of shots fired early Friday morning near the Mickley Run apartment complex. Police said they were called at 4:53 a.m. for a report of shots fired on Pennsylvania Street, between Mickley Road and Congress Street. Officers found spent shell casings in the road, which runs alongside the apartment complex. Police said no one was injured and there were no reports of property damage. Anyone with any information about the incident, or who has home security camera footage, should call township police at 610-437-3042. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A 33-year-old trucker from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, rear-ended a tractor-trailer at 3:14 p.m. Thursday on Interstate 78 East in Upper Saucon Township, causing that driver to lose control and crash though the concrete median and overturn across the westbound lanes, police report. The wreck forced the closure of the westbound lanes of the highway for several hours. Traffic was tied up through the evening rush in the area of Route 309. David W. Brubaker, who suffered a minor injury and was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, was cited with following too closely in a 2011 Kenworth Northwest T600, Pennsylvania State Police from Fogelsville said. The driver of the overturned 2006 Freightliner Columbia 120 Conventional, who a news release didnt identify other than to say he or she was from Georgia, was not hurt, police said. The news release didnt explain why the driver wasnt identified and a state police spokesman said that information was not available on Friday afternoon. A westbound 2017 Honda Pilot drove off the side of the highway to avoid hitting the Freightliner, police said. The driver of that SUV, who police also didnt identify, was treated for minor injuries at LVH, police said. After the initial crash, the eastbound Kenworth sideswiped a 2017 Nissan Rogue going that direction, causing minor injuries to driver Choi Younsoo, 68, of Wharton, New Jersey, and a passenger who police identified with the same name, age and hometown. They were also treated for minor injuries at LVH, police said. The Kenworth eventually stopped on the left shoulder, police said. Everyone was wearing a seat belt, police said. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported the crash was cleared by 8:42 p.m. Yocum Towing, PennDOT, Upper Saucon EMS, Lower Saucon EMS and Salisbury Township police assisted at the scene, police said. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. By Jeff Tittel Next year is the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day, a defining moment for the environment in the United States. To really understand what happened then, and the years after, we need to look back at the year before, 1969. That year there was a series of wakeup calls. Major oil spills and river fires exposed rampant pollution. Our forests and open spaces were being destroyed. Dirty air days were so bad that in some places residents wore surgical masks. Raw sewage was closing down New Jersey beaches. Battles raged over highways and power plants. Public awareness of our environmental crisis had grown in the 1960s. The Santa Barbara spill in 1969, which killed thousands of birds, fish and sea mammals, helped give birth to the modern environmental movement. The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland burned, becoming a national symbol for pollution. Debris in the Passaic River caught fire. These events helped spark a public outcry, inspiring the first Earth Day. In New Jersey, industrial waste and sewage were falling into waterways. Along the Raritan River, the Benjamin Moore company dumped blue and green paint to improve the look for fishermen while making fish they caught dangerous to eat. Water under the Driscoll Bridge some days looked like a Jackson Pollock painting. One of my first environmental battles was fighting the Interstate 78 highway project cutting through the Watchung Reservation. Other highways targeted environmentally sensitive areas and threatened neighborhoods and cities. Interstate 95 was supposed to run along the D&R canal, a major source of drinking water. Interstate 287 aimed at the Highlands. Public backlash led to Gov. Brendan Byrne stopping all three projects. Tom Kean restored two, but we still enjoy the D&R Canal today. The 1960s featured successful opposition to Port Authority plans for a massive jetport at several sites, including the Great Swamp, Bowling Green Mountain and Bearfort Mountain. The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge emerged from that battle. In 1969, the Great Swamp became New Jerseys first wilderness area. New Jerseys first open space plan emerged in 1969, as did a Highlands bill called the Skylands Conservation Act. The bill passed the Assembly, but unfortunately didnt move forward because the bills sponsor died. However, the bill language provided the foundation for the Pinelands Act and later the Highlands Act. Proposals for power plants and massive dams threatened the environment. I became active in the fight against the Storm King Mountain power plant in New York. The Sierra Club won a Supreme Court case challenging that project. Public activism forced government to react. The National Environmental Policy Act was adopted in 1969, requiring environmental impact statements. The Presidents Council on Environmental Quality emerged the same year. We had many problems in 1969 but it was also a time of hope, when we walked on the moon, and the Mets won the World Series. Public outcry energized the 1969 UNESCO conference, when the first Earth Day was proposed. Sen. Gaylord Nelson founded the first Earth Day as an environmental teach-in on April 22, 1970. Within two years, major pieces of environmental legislation like the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act were passed, and the Environmental Protection Agency was formed. Activism works. Even the fish in the Cuyahoga River are now safe to eat. Now we have a climate crisis thats getting worse. Sea levels are rising and we have more extreme weather. New Jersey residents worry about climate damage and the potential impact of 13 proposed power plants and pipelines. Those projects would raise greenhouse gases 32 percent. Fifty years ago, people stepped up to stop reckless pollution. Today, people are rising again to fight. In New Jersey climate strikes were held in Morristown, Montclair, Mahwah and Princeton. Students called on government to support the Green New Deal and slash greenhouse gas emissions. More than 70 groups across New Jersey have formed a coalition called Empower NJ - No Fossil Fuel Projects to call on Gov. Murphy to put a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects. This Earth Day we are seeing a new commitment that could lead to important climate legislation and the Green New Deal becoming a reality. New Jersey needs to take bold action on climate change. Thats why Murphy needs to put in place a moratorium on all fossil fuel infrastructure. By putting in a moratorium we can accelerate to get to 100% clean energy, create new green jobs, and have a New Jersey version of a Green New Deal. Jeff Tittel is the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. The killing of a journalist Lyra McKeen in the Derry shows a 'horrendous reckless regard' for human life, according to Laois TD the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan. Minister Flanagan expressed his condemnation of the killing of journalist last night which she was shot by terrorists during an incident in the city. I am utterly shocked by the killing last night of Lyra McKee. Such a reckless regard for human life is horrendous. "My thoughts are with all the family and friends of Lyra and all those impacted by this dreadful killing. For a 29-year-old to be killed while simply doing their job is beyond words. "We don't say it enough but journalists play a vital role in society, exposing themselves to danger so we can get a true insight into events "The courageous PSNI officers who risk their lives to maintain public safety deserve nothing less than wholehearted support from everyone in the community, concluded the statement. No group has claimed responsibility for the killing but it is suspected that dissident republicans were involved. The killing took place on the eve of the anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. A new photo series celebrating local community organisations in Kildare has been released by Intel to coincide with latest matching grant funding to community organisations Cormac and Isabelle Keane, both aged 9, from Leixlip GAA club in Kildare were just two of a number photographed for the series. Intel rewarded 249 community organisations and schools from across Ireland with 912,684 in 2018. The scheme encourages Intel employees to engage in outreach and volunteerism in their communities by supporting employees giving their time and talent to qualified nonprofits organisations and schools. For every hour that is volunteered by an Intel employee at a school or qualified nonprofit organisation, a donation or match of 10 is paid from the Intel Foundation directly to that organisation. In 2018 Intel employees volunteered just over 102,000 hours that were eligible to be matched through this initiative. The photographs, which were taken by portrait photographer Nicola Webster, capture the diversity of community organisations at which Intel employees volunteer and highlight the range of important services and actives provided by schools and non-profit organisations across Ireland. The images were proudly displayed at the recent matching grant celebration where employees were recognised for their volunteer efforts at a special event held recently at the Springfield Hotel in Leixlip which was attended by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, Mayor of Kildare Sean Power, Intel Ireland General Manager Eamonn Sinnott and a number of representatives from each of the recipient organisations. SEE ALSO: Kildare TD selected as Director of Elections for Divorce Referendum Sheila Burroughs (nee Reid) Maryville, Kildare Town April 16 2019, Peacefully, at Naas General Hospital. Beloved wife of Michael and loving mother to her son Lee and her daughter Tanya. Sadly missed by her family, her granddaughter Rayne and Tanya's partner Bernard, her brothers and sisters in Scotland, nieces, nephews, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, relatives, neighbours and many friends. Reposing at Mc Wey's Funeral Home, Abbey View, Kildare Town, on Thursday, 18th April, from 3 o'clock with rosary there at 8 o'clock. Removal on Friday to Newlands Cross Crematorium for Service at 2 o'clock. House private, please. Donations, if desired, to Irish Guide Dogs for The Blind. Evelyn Kierans (nee Uwobakunze) Naas / Johnstown April 16, 2019, (after a short illness, surrounded by her loving family), Evelyn, beloved wife of Gerald, dear mother of Nathan and Saoirse, loving daughter of Seraphine and Christope and dear sister of Degaulle; Very sadly missed by her loving husband, son, daughter, father, mother, sister, uncles, aunts, mother-in law, brothers-in-law, nieces, relatives and friends. Reposing at Murphy Brothers Funeral Home, Church Lane, Naas on Friday from 6:00pm to 8.00pm with Prayers at 7.00pm. Removal on Saturday to The Church of the Irish Martyrs, Ballycane, Naas arriving for Prayer Service at 11.00am. Funeral immediately afterwards to St. Corbans Cemetery, Naas. Enquiries to Murphy Brothers Funeral Directors Church Lane, Naas Ph: 045 897397 Betty Murphy Kilkea, Castledermot April 17 2019, Deeply regretted by her loving sisters and brother, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives and many friends. Reposing in Dunnes Funeral Home, Mill Road, Castledrmot from 2pm on Thursday with prayers at 9pm. Removal from there on Friday at 10am to The church of The Assumption, Castledermot arriving for Funeral Service at 10:30am followed by Burial in Nicholastown Cemetery. Family Flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to The Friends of Our Ladys Ward, St. Vincent's Hospital, Athy. Donation Box In Church. David Passmore Newtown Great, Naas April 16 2019. Peacefully at home, surrounded by his family. Husband of Rita, loving father of Julie, Paul and the late Edward John. Will be dearly missed by his family, son-in-law Mark, sister Maureen, brother-in-law Dave, niece Nicola, nephew Martin, grandniece Emily, extended family Catherine, Margaret and Beatrice, relatives and friends. Reposing at his home on Friday from 2.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Removal on Saturday afternoon to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Eadestown arriving for 2 oclock Funeral Service, followed by burial in Eadestown Cemetery. Plans for a second motorway service station just off Junction 14 of the M7 near Monasterevin are being challenged by local businessmen Donal and Liam Fitzpatrick. The businessmen brothers, who operate the Junction 14 service station in the area say that the proposal runs counter to Kildare County Councils Development Plan and Transport Infrastructure Irelands guidelines. The Fitzpatricks own an existing service station at the junction called Junction 14 Mayfield, which has been operating since 2011, and is currently undergoing an upgrade that will double its capacity. The brothers, whose businesses employ over 200 people in the Monasterevin area, believe the proposed new station creates needless duplication in an already well served site and that to be viable the new facility will need to suck business from shops and restaurants in nearby towns. They argue that motorists on this stretch of the M7 are already well-served with service stations at Kill and Rathcoole in an eastbound direction and a new service station planned 25km westbound near Portlaoise. They say that according to KCCs planning objectives the project must show it would not impact on the safety, capacity or efficiency of the road network and would not impact negatively on the vibrancy or vitality of adjacent town or village centres. A social care worker is to run for Sinn Fein in the Celbridge local area in the local election on May 24. John Paul Monks, who lives between Leixlip and Celbridge, was formally selected by the party on April 9. Originally from Dublin, he moved to the area eleven years ago with his family and has daughters. He said he has been heavily involved with the local Sinn Fein cumann, working with Cllr Ide Cussen, who is not running for the party. I am very familiar with the area, said John Paul, is a social care worker with St Michaels House which looks after adults with intellectual disabilities. It is a tough job but a rewarding one, he said. SEE ALSO: Kildare TD selected as FF Director of Elections for Divorce Referendum A graduate in social care he said this week that crime has been coming over as a huge issue in Celbridge. There needs to be more Gardai in the town and the station should have longer opening hours, he said. There has been a huge spike in crime, burglaries and anti social behaviour, he said. If elected to the Council he will work on increased social and affordable housing in Kildare, he said. He works with the charity Sophia Housing, which supports people as they emerge from homelessness. He will also seek increased funding to deal with mental health issues. A father and son from Lithuania were refused bail over charges of cultivation and possession of drugs at a grow-house in Manorhamilton when they appeared at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court this morning. Also read: 60,000 worth of cannabis found in Leitrim growhouse 49 year old Ramion Stankus with an address at Cartrongibbagh, Manorhamilton is charged with cultivating cannabis plants, possession of illegal drugs and possession of drugs with the intent to sell or supply. 22 year old Airdas Stankus at the same address is charged with the same offences. The state objected to bail. The pair only arrived to Ireland in January this year and they both previously lived in London. Garda McGovern said the men were found at the grow-house which is situated between Manorhamilton and Rossinver is a very rural area. 50 mature plants and 100 immature plants were found along with 1kg of dried cannabis and cultivation paraphernalia. Solicitor Gerry McGovern made an application for for bail, adding all their travel documents are with Gardai. Mr McGovern said disputed the value of the drugs put forward by the state. The court heard the men are not claiming social welfare and are living off cash they brought with them from the UK and savings. The court was also informed that the house was rented by a different person and the two accused had sublet the house. Judge Kevin Kilrane refused bail and remanded the two defendants in custody to appear at Harris District Court next Friday, April 26. Angela Collins never saw the glass ceiling. A pioneer in the construction industry who became the first woman in Ireland to work on steeples, the 75-year-old Kilkishen lady is encouraging the people of Limerick to follow her footsteps up - and down - some of our iconic buildings. To be specific, Angela is abseiling down Thomond Park for a charitable cause in the very near future. The former steeplejill was inspired to organise the event when she recently took part in a similar event in Croke Park. Having originally been there to watch three of her daughters take to the ropes, Angela couldnt help but join in herself. Dressed in high style, she pulled a borrowed jacket on over her dress and took to the skies with her daughters by her side. Seeing them alongside her up in the air was a very proud moment for Angela. The climb invigorated her, she said, admitting that she thought life was over and it was time to act her age. Following the Croker adventure, however, she came to the realisation that it was only the last third of my life and I should stop dwelling on age, I should be doing more volunteer work and going on more adventures. She is encouraging people of all ages to get on board, saying some people may even surprise themselves. Though I was climbing regularly from age 17 while running Collins Steeplejacks it was still a great surprise to me that I was able at 75. I have been taking things very easy due to a bad heart and having four stents and I had recovered from colon cancer some years back, said the inspirational mother-of-four. Plan International is set to be the beneficiary of the event. Its all good fun while raising much needed funds for the protection of children she said, praising Plan Internationals organisation of the Croke Park climb. They were really welcoming, courteous, and safety-conscious from beginning to end which was encouraging. Plan International works all over the world to provide much needed support in the fight for rights of vulnerable children, particularly young girls, in disadvantaged countries. Angela doesnt want to stop at the Thomond Park event however. With Plan International on board, theres loads of buildings we could climb in the Mid-West, she said. This is the latest of Angelas ventures who set up Irelands first Steeplejack company, Collins Steeplejacks, in the 1960s, at a time when it was unusual to have a female entrepreneur challenging the status quo within the construction industry. The Steeplejack firm turned out to be a huge success, hiring 62 people at its peak, and it is still operating today. The Leader will provide updates when details of the Thomond Park abseiling event are finalised. A MAN who is accused of growing cannabis plants in a field near a public walkway was granted bail after he appeared in court to face drugs charges. Granting bail, Judge John King remarked that "there must be good soil down there". David Doran, 56, of Fairview House, Rathkeale, faces a number of charges in relation to a detection which was made at Ardnaveagh, Rathkeale, on September 1, 2017. In addition to being charged with cultivation and possession of the drugs, he is also accused of having a knife for harvesting purposes on the same date. After submitting evidence of arrest, charge and caution at Newcastle West Court Inspector Andrew Lacey said a file was prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions who has directed summary disposal of the case in the district court. He told Judge King it will be alleged the defendant was observed by gardai watering and tending to the plants at around 9pm after they were alerted to them by a member of the public. Garda Johann Hunt told the court 12 fully grown plants each around four feet tall were found by gardai and that the estimated street value of the plants was around 3,000. They were thriving, he said adding the location where they were found is outdoors and adjacent to a public roadway. After hearing details of the allegations, Judge King commented there must be good soil down there and he suggested the estimated value of the drugs was the hope value rather than the actual value. In the circumstances, the judge said he was satisfied the case was suitable to be heard in the district court and he formally accepted jurisdiction. Mr Doran, who is in receipt of disability allowance, was granted free legal aid and solicitor Michael ODonnell was assigned to represent him. Mr ODonnell sought disclosure of all garda material relating to the case and the matter was adjourned until July to allow him to consult further with his client before entering a plea. The defendant, who was previously released on station bail by gardai, was remanded on continuing bail pending his next court appearance. HE may have arrived at journalism a little later than most, but Malachy Browne has made up for lost time. Not alone has he landed a job with the most famous newspaper in the world, The New York Times, but he also played a key role in seeing the publisher land an Emmy award last October. The Broadford native who is a multimedia journalist and senior story producer with The Times, joined his colleagues from the Visual Investigations Unit, at the 39th Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards in New York last October. The Times won the award for an investigative film documentary into the Las Vegas massacre of 2017. Malachy and his team were presented with the prestigious accolade exactly one year to the day after the massacre took place in which 58 people attending a concert were gunned down and slain. Called 10 Minutes, 12 Gunfire Bursts, 30 Videos, Mapping the Las Vegas Massacre, the film won the Outstanding New Approaches: Current News award. Having completed his formative education in Broadford National School and St Munchins College in Limerick city, Malachy studied engineering in UCD before going on to complete a masters in international relations in UL. That was very good - a great year, Malachy tells the Leader from The New York Times headquarters in New York. It was a very good course. For me, it formalised writing and researching international affairs and that was kind of what lead me into journalism. His uncle, veteran broadcaster and journalist Vincent Browne gave him an apprenticeship at Village, the current affairs and cultural magazine which ceased publication in 2008. He needed a website and I needed experience in journalism, and a job, laughs Malachy of the alliance. I helped build a website and then we started doing online features around elections and what not and then I started getting involved more in the production of the magazine and gradually writing articles and learning how to report. Then the magazine changed from a weekly to a monthly so there was a bit more space to do features. Malachy had just turned 30 at the time. He lived with Vincent -who is currently researching a book on Charlie Haughey - both while he was in college and working in Dublin. One wonders what it was like living and working with probably the most feared, and indeed revered, journalists in the country. Vincent has very high standards of journalism and you learn a lot in a very short space of time. It was a good foundation, I would say. He was very much about fact-based journalism and opinion and also one of the things we learned there is to build on other reporting that already exists - to try and get a new angle. OK, thats work, but what was he like to live with? Wed be fighting over Weetabix in the morning, Malachy laughs. No, ah he was great. He and Jean were very generous letting me stay with them for so long. And I grew up with Emma and Julia, their daughters, so we are all very close - my sister and I are very close to them. Hes going on holidays with us later this year. Before he dipped his toe into the world of journalism Malachy did computer programming and returned to that after Village folded during the recession. A group of us from Village set up another website called Politico. We had a stab at that but it was hard to sustain that and then I joined Storyful around 2011. That was foreign news basically and what we were doing was building a news agency that used technology to detect events through social media. Malachy was with Storyful for about four years before joining Reported.ly which was set up by the founder of eBay, Pierre Omidyar. Malachy was based in Dublin and they were based in New York so he was over and back to New York quite a bit and that lead to a conversation in The New York Times. And just how did that conversation come about? Around that time The New York Times had done what was called an innovation report which was basically to assess their place in terms of a very changing media landscape and trying to address the gaps that they were seeing with other more digitally progressive news organisations, he explains. And so off the back of that they were looking for people who came from non-traditional journalism backgrounds and that was the pretext for me having a conversation with some of the editors in here and then that all happened really quickly and we ended up applying for a Visa and coming over here. That all happened three years ago this week. It was a sacrifice for Siobhan really, she gave up her job and moved over. She was fully behind it. She said it was a great opportunity - if we were to turn it down we could be thinking in 10 or 15 years down the line, well, what would have happened? Malachy is married to Siobhan, a native of Rathkeale and they have three children Diarmaid, 8, Sarah, 6, and Emmett, 5. Malachy gets back to Limerick at least once a year, if not twice, to see his parents Mary and David, sister Susan and her family. In The New York Times Malachy is a senior story producer on the Visual Investigations team (with whom he is pictured below, credit Earl Wilson/New York Times) I didnt know what to expect, he says of arriving to work on his first day at The Times. I was very naive coming in here, about the size of it. And coming from two start-ups its a very different beast altogether. It moves much more slowly, there are a lot more checks and balances in here but the standard of journalism is at a different level. The Visual Investigations Team specialises in, well, visual investigations - that could be reconstructing a major news event to better explain it or to make it an immersive experience for readers so they can almost feel what that was like. For instance, the Las Vegas shooting, or we could deconstruct and investigate a chemicals weapons attack using eyewitness footage as well and try to figure out how it happened and who carried it out. Essentially, we are using anything from cellphone footage, to an Instagram picture to satellite imagery or scanner audio to try and connect the dots and try to make sense of an event. He worked on the Las Vegas Massacre for three weeks. That was a short one. What happened there is the police were very tight-lipped about the investigation and they were very sparing with the details they released and they also changed or revised the information they gave to reporters on several occasions and, of course, conspiracy theories started to swirl and we wanted to see if we could establish a timeline that was independent of what the police were offering and really try to understand what happened. I think it was the third visual investigation we did. The process was to gather as much cellphone footage as they could. A number of the concert goers, despite the rampage, had kept filming. And that allowed us, in watching those videos back, as awful as they were, to detect the patterns and the gunfire, the duration of each burst of fire, the intervals to the next one and we realised that a lot of these are overlapping. Then when we put 35 videos or so on a timeline, I realised we actually have the entire event in video but also from multiple different angles so we were able to assess whats going on at different locations over at the hotel, to front of stage where people are trapped, where people escaped, when the police first arrived and so on and so forth. It ended up being a minute by minute account of what happened and I think people found it very immersive. A lot of the feedback we got from people who were there and even people who had lost family members was that they better understood what had happened. They had been craving that information even though it was such an horrific event. And, finally, Malachys advice to journalists either starting out on their career or looking to boost their CV? I would say develop skills that distinguish you and give you an edge, he says. Understand the digital landscape. Understand how to use data, FOI, use the open web - all the tools and information thats available on the open web to bolster your reporting. Over here one thing that I have admired is the focus on visual journalism and thats a field thats growing, definitely. Right now, we are focusing on building our team and doing more on the ground reporting to bring more narrative elements into the videos we are producing and also to hear more from people directly affected by the events we cover. To learn more about the work the Visual Investigations Unit do and to view some of their work see https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/world/visual-investigations.html HERMITAGE Green have announced that they will perform a second date at King Johns Castle due to exceptional popular demand for the Limerick city gig this summer. Speaking at the announcement, Mick Dolan, of Dolans Presents, said: The ticket demand for Hermitage Green confirms them as one of the most popular bands to emerge from Limerick in recent years. We are delighted to be able to facilitate a second night for the guys and want to thank the team at Shannon Heritage for the work they have put in to making the castle such a popular venue. Hermitage Green has made a significant impact on the Irish music scene with their first full length album, released via the SONY Ireland label. Their 2017 EP, Gold and Rust, was produced by Matt Lawrence (Adele, Amy Winehouse, Mumford & Sons) was received to critical acclaim. The band has developed a huge international following and has performed sell-out shows across Ireland, the UK, Middle East, Australia and the US. Speaking at the recent gig announcement, Barry Murphy of Hermitage Green said: We are delighted to return to King Johns Castle for a hat trick of gigs in our favourite venue in the country. 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. The level of demand for tickets for Hermitage Greens upcoming castle performance was such that it makes perfect sense to schedule a second date. We are delighted to see these local lads continuing to draw such great crowds. We are looking forward to what will now be two superb evenings at the castle, he said. Tickets for this event are expected to be in demand so early booking is recommended. Tickets for Hermitage Green Live at The Castle on Friday July 26 will go on sale this Friday morning from 10am. Tickets are priced 30 Booking Fee from Dolans.ie and Ticketmaster.ie. The trafficking of people for sex and labour is a global issue fueled by des ... The Niger state police command have arrested a 25 year old son, Babangida Usman and his mother, Hafasat Aliyu for beating their father/Husband, Ali Haruna, to death at their home in Shango Primary School Minna in Chanchaga local government area. According to police reports, Haruna and his wife Hafasat, got involved in a fight after she accused their daughter of stealing her money. Haruna was on the daughter's side and this angered Hafasat who engaged him in a fight. As soon as he heard his parents were fighting, Babangida ran home and while defending his mother, joined her in beating his father which led to serious injuries. He died while he was being rushed to the IBB Specialist Hospital for treatment. Speaking to newsmen, Usman said he was only protecting his mother and did not know it will lead to the death of his father. According to him, his father was always maltreating his mother over things that should not cause quarrel saying, that was why I always protect my mother from maltreatment of my father. My mother is not safe with my father because of his temperament, everyday there must be an issue that would escalate to fight. I never knew he would die, I was only protecting my mother, he explained. Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the state police command, Mohammad Abubakar, confirmed the incident saying that the suspects had confessed to the crime and would be charged to court soon. The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Chief Gani Adams on Thursday took on the Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on the claim that life had improved under Buhari s watch . This was as Prof Akin Onigbinde described the statistics on Buharis achievements as the reality that we cannot see. The three men were among speakers at the 2 nd annual lecture of Freedom Online , which held in Ikeja , Lagos on Thursday . At the event, which had the Ekiti State Governor , Dr Kayode Fayemi , as guest speaker, both Adesina and Adams were guests of honour while Onigbinde was the keynote speaker. Adesina had reeled out statistics on the achievements of the Buharis administration since 2015 , saying only those who chose to be wilfully blind would not acknowledge government s achievements . Adesina said under Buhari s watch in 2017, Nigeria s agricultural export grew by 180.7 per cent ; while raw materials export in the same year rose by 150. 2 per cent . "Before we export, it means that, to a large extent , we have satisfied domestic demand" he said. Adding that rice importation had reduced by 90 per cent , saving the country billions of dollars on a daily basis . How about the stock market in 2017 ? The Nigerian stock market ended as one of the best performing in the world. Five million new taxpayers were added since 2016 , Adesina said , adding that between 2016 and 2017 government spent N 2 .7 tn on infrastructure , unprecedented in Nigeria s history. Adesina said it was only those playing politics that would claim not to have seen or felt the impact of government s achievements. "If you choose to be wilfully blind , even if they put something in your face you won t be able to see it , the presidential spokesman said. But in his remarks, Adams said though Adesina s analysis was beautiful, it meant little to the man on the street . He said, you made a very good analysis , but by the time we check it , I know you are a very honest person and you are telling us the truth , but with this analysis , I think the grass -roots people should feel the government ; they should feel the impact of government by all means . I am a regular traveller; I ve travelled to about 46 countries and I know what is happening in the developed world and when you see most of their economic analysts , they won t tell you what they are doing theoretically but you will see what is happening . He, therefore, called on Adesina to go back to Abuja and tell the President that the people were hungry . He said, When my brother , Mr Femi Adesina was making the analysis , it got to a point, I was so shocked because I know the background of my brother , Femi Adesina , as a brilliant journalist . When he was at The Sun Newspaper , you d love to read his articles and for trying to package their government , I was not surprised . Turning to Adesina , the Aare Ona Kakanfo said, But I want you to pass this message to the President because I remember when President Goodluck Jonathan was in power , he said when they are in that Villa , it s just like being in a prison or a cage ; they don t know what is happening at the grass roots . But coming to this event, we need to pass this information that you can tell Mr President that Nigerians are suffering. Ebi n pa awon ara ilu ( the people are hungry). What is Passover? Passover is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish calendar. It's an eight-day festival (seven days for Reform Jews and Jews in Israel) celebrated in the early spring, starting on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. The 14th day of Nisan begins on the night of the first full moon after the vernal equinox. On the Gregorian calendar, Nisan usually falls in March or April. This year, Passover will start on April 19, 2019. What does Passover commemorate? It commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. How were the Israelites emancipated? The story goes like this, according to the Old Testament: After generations of backbreaking labor and unbearable horrors at the hands of the Egyptian people, God saw the Israelites' distress. He sent Moses to Pharaoh with a message: "Send forth My people, so that they may serve Me" (Exodus 8:1). But despite numerous warnings, Pharaoh refused to heed God's command. God then sent upon Egypt ten devastating plagues, afflicting them and destroying everything from their livestock to their crops. At the stroke of midnight of the 15th day of Nisan, God sent the last of the 10 plagues to the Egyptians, killing their firstborn. However, he spared the Children of Israel, "passing over" their homes hence the name of the holiday. Pharaoh's resistance was broken, and he virtually chased his former slaves out of the land. Led by Moses, an estimated 600,000 men, plus many more women and children, began the trek to Mount Sinai. Seven days later, the Red Sea parted and they left Egypt. If the journey out of Egypt took seven days, why is the festival eight days long? Orthodox Jews living outside Israel celebrate an extra day due to the doubt as to which day is actually the start of the holiday. Traditionally, that decision was made at the Temple of Jerusalem, and the news had to travel far to reach them. Reform Jews and Jews living in Israel do not celebrate the extra day. What's unleavened bread? Unleavened bread is made without yeast or sourdough culture. It is a simple, unfermented bread made with flour, water, and salt and then thoroughly rolled into flattened dough. During Passover, Jews eat cracker-like unleavened bread called matzah. Why do Jews eat unleavened bread during Passover? According to the Passover story, the Israelites left Egypt in such a hurry that the bread they baked as provisions for the way did not have time to rise. To commemorate the unleavened bread that the Israelites ate when they left Egypt, observant Jews don't eat or even retain in their possession any leavened grain (or chametz) from midday of the day before Passover until the conclusion of the holiday. They rid their homes of any food or drink that contains even a trace of wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt or their derivatives, and which wasn't guarded from leavening or fermentation. This includes bread, cake, cookies, cereal, pasta and most alcoholic beverages. Moreover, almost any processed food or drink can be assumed to be chametz unless certified otherwise. What is the search for chametz? Traditionally, Jews do a formal search for remaining chametz after nightfall two evenings before Passover. A blessing is read, the lights are turned off, and, by candlelight, one or more members of the household proceed from room to room to check that no crumbs remain in any corner. This search, known as bedikat chametz, is described in Pesachim, a tractate of Passover laws in the collection of Jewish oral traditions known as the Mishnah. Bedikat chametz is typically conducting with a feather and a wooden spoon; the former, to dust crumbs out of their hiding places, and the latter, to collect the crumbs. Customarily, 10 morsels of bread no smaller than the size of an olive a measure called a "kezayit" are hidden throughout the house in order to ensure that some chametz will be found. The next morning, on the 14th of Nisan, any leavened products that remain in the householder's possession, along with the 10 morsels of bread from the previous night's search, are burned. What is the Seder? The highlight of Passover is the Seder, observed on each of the first two nights of the holiday. The Seder is a ritual-packed feast. The focal points are eating matzah, as explained above, eating bitter herbs to commemorate the bitter slavery endured by the Israelites, drinking four cups of wine or grape juice to celebrate the freedom obtained by the Israelites at the time of the first Passover, and the recitation of the Haggadah, a liturgy that describes in detail the story of the Exodus from Egypt. Jews have a Biblical obligation to recount to their children the story of the Exodus on the night of Passover. What are the four questions? During Seder, to spark discussion of the Exodus, the youngest child in the household is encouraged to ask, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" The storytelling begins, and at key moments the child asks these four questions: On all other nights, we eat either unleavened or leavened bread, but tonight we eat only unleavened bread? On all other nights, we eat all kinds of vegetables, but tonight, we eat only bitter herbs? On all other nights, we do not dip [our food] even once, but tonight we dip twice? On all other nights, we eat either sitting or reclining, but tonight we only recline? Thus prompted, the adults explain the celebration of Passover. Can Jews work during Passover? In Israel, Jews cease working for the duration of the festival. In most other places, Orthodox Jews celebrate the first two and last two days of the festival by ceasing all manual labor, but they may do work during the days in between. Reform Jews actively celebrate only the first and last days of their seven-day-long Passover. Do Christians celebrate Passover? Some Christians do celebrate a form of Passover, albeit with an abbreviated Seder that is tied to Easter and only loosely tied to the Old Testament Exodus. Christians focus on redemption from the bondage of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, rather than the Jewish Passover's celebration of redemption from bondage in the land of Egypt. Christian Passover Seders are sometimes held on the evening corresponding to the 14th of Nisan rather than the 15th, since the former is taken to be the day Jesus was executed in Jerusalem. This article was updated on April 19, 2019. Live Science senior writer Mindy Weisberger contributed reporting to this story. Originally published on Live Science. Tiny particles of light can travel in a superposition of many different states at the same time. Researchers used this quantum quirk to design a prototype computer that can predict 16 different futures at once. When Mile Gu boots up his new computer, he can see the future. At least, 16 possible versions of it all at the same time. Gu, an assistant professor of physics at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, works in quantum computing. This branch of science uses the weird laws that govern the universe's smallest particles to help computers calculate more efficiently. Unlike classical computers, which store information as bits (binary digits of either 0 or 1), quantum computers code information into quantum bits, or qubits. These subatomic particles, thanks to the weird laws of quantum mechanics, can exist in a superposition of two different states at the same time. Just as Schrodinger's hypothetical cat was simultaneously dead and alive until someone opened the box, a qubit in a superposition can equal both 0 and 1 until it's measured. Storing multiple different outcomes into a single qubit could save a ton of memory compared to traditional computers, especially when it comes to making complicated predictions. [Twisted Physics: 7 Mind-Blowing Findings] In a study published April 9 in the journal Nature Communications, Gu and his colleagues demonstrated this idea using a new quantum simulator that can predict the outcomes of 16 different futures (the equivalent of, say, flipping a coin four times in a row) in a quantum superposition. These possible futures were encoded in a single photon (a quantum particle of light) which moved down multiple paths simultaneously while passing through several sensors. Then, the researchers went one step further, firing two photons side-by-side and tracking how each photon's potential futures diverged under slightly different conditions. "It's sort of like Doctor Strange in the 'Avengers: Infinity War'" movie, Gu told Live Science. Before a climactic battle in that film, the clairvoyant doctor looks forward in time to see 14 million different futures, hoping to find the one where the heroes defeat the big baddie. "He does a combined computation of all these possibilities to say, 'OK, if I changed my decision in this small way, how much will the future change?' This is the direction our simulation is moving forwards to." Flipping a quantum coin The researchers tested their quantum prediction engine using a classic model called the perturbed coin. "Imagine there's a box, and inside it is a single coin," Gu said. "At each step of the process, someone shakes the box a little bit, so the coin has a small probability of flipping." Unlike a traditional coin toss, in which the outcome always has an equal chance of being either heads or tails, the outcome of each perturbed coin toss depends on the state the coin was in during the previous step. If the coin flipped from heads to tails during the third shake of the box, for example, then the fourth shake would be likely to remain tails. The researchers ran two different versions of the coin experiment, one in which the box was jiggled a little more strongly and another with weaker jiggles. In each experiment, the box was jiggled four times, providing 16 possible combinations of heads and tails. Following the fourth step, the team encoded its the superposition of all 16 outcomes in a single photon, simultaneously showing the probability of every possible outcome based on the strength with which the box was shaken. Finally, the team combined the superpositions of the strongly shaken coin and the weakly shaken coin to create one master map of possible futures. "This showed us how quickly the futures diverged depending on how hard I shook the box at each step," Gu said. Right now, constraints on computing power mean the team's simulator can look at only 16 possible futures at once. One day, however, as quantum computers become larger, more powerful and more commonplace, simulators like this one could be expanded to see infinitely many futures at once, Gu said. This could aid in things like weather prediction or making more-informed investments in the stock market. It could even help improve machine learning, which is all about artificial intelligence teaching itself to make better and better predictions. This is all "highly exploratory," Gu added, and will require lots of further experimenting to figure out all the quantum simulator's applications. Alas, this clairvoyant computer's own destiny is one future that remains a mystery. Originally published on Live Science. A young paramedic in the United Kingdom recently cracked her neck while stretching and ended up partially paralyzed. On the night of March 4, 23-year-old Natalie Kunicki was watching a movie in bed with a friend after a night out drinking; she stretched her neck and heard a loud cracking sound, but was unconcerned because her joints often cracked, British news site Unilad reported. However, when Kunicki tried to walk to the bathroom about 15 minutes later, she couldn't move her left leg. She was rushed to University College London Hospital early on March 5, where doctors discovered that the neck crack had ruptured a vertebral artery one of the major arteries in the neck. This created a blood clot that triggered a stroke, causing paralysis on her left side, according to Unilad. [Strange Stroke Stories: Ebola, Hickeys and Other Weird Causes] When a person cracks their neck, back or fingers, the sound is caused by the "popping" of nitrogen bubbles inside capsules that protect the joints, or by ligaments as they stretch and snap back into place, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM). In most cases this is harmless, but if joint popping is followed by pain or swelling, it could indicate an injury and may require medical attention, JHM said. In general, neck cracking and aggressive manipulation of the neck vertebrae should be avoided, because they can cause ruptures in the walls of critical blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, told Live Science in an email. "A tear in the wall of the blood vessel can lead to a stroke if a blood clot forms at the site of the injury, and later breaks free to block blood flow to the brain," Glatter said. Strokes can cause weakness and loss of sensation in the extremities and may even lead to paralysis in extreme cases, he added. Cracking the neck can also damage nerves, ligaments and bones, Glatter said. In Kunicki's case, she wasn't even trying to crack her neck: "I just moved, and it happened," she told Unilad. Kunicki's surgeons were able to repair her damaged artery, though they were unable to remove the blood clot, according to news reports. While the blood clot is expected to dissolve over time without causing further damage, Kunicki's paralysis persisted in the weeks after the surgery, The Sun reported. After a month of physical therapy, Kunicki has regained some movement in her limbs and digits, though she still faces months of rehabilitation, according to The Sun. "There is really no 'safe' way to crack your neck," Glatter said. "Simply put, it's best to avoid doing it in the first place, to avoid any potential complications." Originally published on Live Science. The most famous crucifixion in the world took place when, according to the New Testament, Jesus was put to death by the Romans. But he was far from the only person who perished on the cross. In antiquity, thousands upon thousands of people were crucified, which at the time was considered to be one of the most brutal and shameful ways to die. In Rome, the crucifixion process was a long one, entailing scourging (more on that later) before the victim was nailed and hung from the cross. How did this terrible death sentence begin? And what types of people were usually crucified? Here's a look at the history of this savage practice. [Proof of Jesus Christ? 6 Pieces of Evidence Debated] Crucifixion most likely began with the Assyrians and Babylonians, and it was also practiced systematically by the Persians in the sixth century B.C., according to a 2003 report in the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ). At this time, the victims were usually tied, feet dangling, to a tree or post; crosses weren't used until Roman times, according to the report. From there, Alexander the Great, who invaded Persia as he built his empire, brought the practice to eastern Mediterranean countries in the fourth century B.C. But Roman officials weren't aware of the practice until they encountered it while fighting Carthage during the Punic Wars in the third century B.C. For the next 500 years, the Romans "perfected crucifixion" until Constantine I abolished it in the fourth century A.D., co-authors Francois Retief and Louise Cilliers, professors in the Department of English and Classical Culture at the University of the Free State in South Africa, wrote in the SAMJ report. However, given that crucifixion was seen as an extremely shameful way to die, Rome tended not to crucify its own citizens. Instead, slaves, disgraced soldiers, Christians, foreigners, and in particular political activists often lost their lives in this way, Retief and Cilliers reported. The practice became especially popular in the Roman-occupied Holy Land. In 4 B.C., the Roman general Varus crucified 2,000 Jews, and there were mass crucifixions during the first century A.D., according to the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus. "Christ was crucified on the pretext that he instigated rebellion against Rome, on a par with zealots and other political activists," the authors wrote in the report. When Rome's legions crucified its enemies, however, local tribes wasted no time in retaliating. For instance, in 9 A.D., the victorious Germanic leader Arminius crucified many of the defeated soldiers who had fought with Varus, and in 28 A.D., Germanic tribesmen crucified Roman tax collectors, according to the report. What did crucifixion entail? In Rome, people condemned to crucifixion were scourged beforehand, with the exception of women, Roman senators and soldiers (unless they had deserted), Retief and Cilliers wrote. During scourging, a person was stripped naked, tied to a post, and then flogged across the back, buttocks and legs by Roman soldiers. This excessive whipping would weaken the victim, causing deep wounding, severe pain and bleeding. "Frequently the victim fainted during the procedure and sudden death was not uncommon," the authors wrote. "The victim was then usually taunted, then forced to carry the patibulum [the crossbar of a cross] tied across his shoulders to the place of execution." [In Photos: A Journey Through Early Christian Rome] The cruelty didn't stop there. Sometimes, the Roman soldiers would hurt the victim further, cutting off a body part, such as the tongue, or blinding him. In another heinous turn, Josephus reported how soldiers under Antiochus IV, the Hellenistic Greek king of the Seleucid Empire, would have the victim's strangled child hung around his neck. The next step varied with location. In Jerusalem, women would offer the condemned a pain-relieving drink, usually of wine and myrrh or incense. Then, the victim would be tied or nailed to the patibulum. After that, the patibulum was lifted and affixed to the upright post of the cross, and the feet would be tied or nailed to it. While the victim awaited death, soldiers would commonly divide up the victim's clothes among themselves. But death didn't always come quickly; it took anywhere from three hours to four days to expire, the professors wrote. Sometimes, the process was sped up by additional physical abuse from the Roman soldiers. When the person died, family members could collect and bury the body, once they received permission from a Roman judge. Otherwise, the corpse was left on the cross, where predatory animals and birds would devour it. To investigate crucifixion (without actually killing anybody), German researchers tied volunteers by their wrists to a cross and then monitored their respiratory and cardiovascular activity in the 1960s. Within 6 minutes, the volunteers had trouble breathing, their pulse rates had doubled, and their blood pressure had plummeted, according to the 1963 study in the journal Berlin Medicine (Berliner Medizin). The experiment had to be stopped after about 30 minutes, because of wrist pain. That said, victims could have died from various causes, including multiple-organ failure and respiratory failure, Retief and Cilliers wrote. Given the pain and suffering entailed, it's no wonder that crucifixion spawned the word "excruciating," which means "out of the cross." Originally published on Live Science. Heres the rundown: A book and record shop is reopening in a new spot, Pier 1 and Bed Bath & Beyond are looking at closing stores and Walmart is rolling out new technology at some San Antonio stories. Imagine Books and Records, located in a shopping center at 8373 Culebra Rd., is moving a few doors down. The owners, Don and Irma Hurd, are hosted a reopening event starting Saturday. They had a big sale in their old location Saturday as well, Don Hurd said. On ExpressNews.com: Robots, scanners, towers: Heres how technology is changing retail The new space has a stage for Imagines live-music shows, and the Hurds plan to open a coffee shop in partnership with Estate Coffee. They launched a GoFundMe campaign last month to raise $5,000 for moving expenses, setting up the coffee area and buying an espresso machine. It had raised more than $2,200 as of Friday morning. Fort Worth-based Pier 1 Imports is considering shuttering up to 45 stores in fiscal 2020, the struggling retailer announced while reporting fourth-quarter earnings last week. That figure could rise to 15 percent of stores if Pier 1 misses its sales targets, performance goals and other metrics, the company warned. Pier 1 has about a half-dozen stores in the San Antonio area. The retailer closed 30 stores in fiscal 2019. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonios legacy as ice house capital of the world still growing Bed Bath & Beyond will close roughly 40 stores and open 15 new locations in fiscal 2019, USA TODAY reports. The retailer announced its plans during a recent fourth-quarter earnings call. The company has at least five stores in the San Antonio area. Its not clear whether any stores will be closing or opening locally, and a spokesperson for Bed Bath & Beyond didnt specify. Were focused on optimizing our real estate portfolio to better align with our strategic direction through the opening of new locations, re-negotiating leases and closing stores where the lease terms dont support our goals, the spokesperson said. Walmart is adding automated pickup towers, floor scrubbers and unloading machines to some of its San Antonio locations this year. Stores that will be getting one or a combination of these features include the following locations: 6703 W. Loop 1604 N., 7239 S.W. Loop 410, 12639 Blanco Rd., 3302 S.E. Military Dr., 1200 S.E. Military Dr., 2100 S. East Loop 410, 16503 Nacogdoches Rd., 5555 De Zavala Rd., 11210 Potranco Rd., 8923 W. Military Dr., 1603 Vance Jackson Rd., 8030 Bandera Rd., 1515 N. Loop 1604 E., 8538 I-35 Access Rd. and 1430 Austin Hwy. Stores in Pleasanton and Schertz nearby will also see new technology. The retailer is spending roughly $265 million on upgrades to stores across Texas. A new Coffeecionado shop opened on the South Side recently, staff writer Mike Sutter reports. The Colombian spot is located at 502 W. Mitchell St. Maren Morris prepared for Thursday's show in Houston in a unique way. "Floored by the Beyonce documentary," she tweeted. "I seriously recommend all artists/band musicians/crew people to view and get inspired to go to work. And I'm playing Houston tonight. Texas, I'm hoooooome!" GIRL TALK: Maren Morris on Beyonce, BTS and 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Morris, who is from Arlington, performed at Revention Music Center as part of her Girl: The World Tour. She's carved a unique place for herself by confounding expectations. It's earned her a wide swath of fans and genre-crossing hits, including "My Church" and "The Middle" with Zedd. And it feels like she's just getting started. Baytown's RaeLynn opened the show. She made the top 16 during the second season of "The Voice" and is arguably the series' most successful contestant. Further proof winning a reality show doesn't always mean much? Morris was also rejected by "The Voice," "American Idol" and "America's Got Talent." NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Find fun things to do and see around Houston in our weekly Preview newsletter. Subscribe here. With 60 of 300 Customs and Border Protection officers having returned to their posts at international bridges in the Laredo Field Office, commercial traffic is nearing normality after two weeks of extreme, sometimes day-long wait times. A couple of weeks ago, 545 CBP officers from stations along the U.S.-Mexico border were temporarily reassigned to help process asylum-seekers in the Rio Grande Valley. More than half came from the Laredo Field Office, which spans Del Rio to Pharr. One hundred of the 545 officers returned to their posts on Monday, 60 of which were assigned to the World Trade Bridge and Colombia Solidarity Bridge, Laredo's Rep. Henry Cuellar said at a news conference Thursday. Cargo, rather than pedestrian and passenger traffic, is the emphasis here, Cuellar said. "Because if we have $1.5 billion worth of trade, that's where we need to emphasize right now as we bring additional officers over," he said. Mayor Pete Saenz said Laredo's two commercial bridges will go back to operating with all lanes open in order to catch up with the backlog of the last two weeks. "It's great news, but more improvement is required. We still have a shortage of agents at our other ports of entry, and we're working with CBP to bring those people back as soon as possible," Saenz said. Jerry Maldonado, vice president of the Laredo Motor Carriers Association, said traffic at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge is essentially back to normal, and the World Trade Bridge is still about an hour behind typical wait times. "It's something that is very manageable nowadays. Our wait times were double (during) the past couple of weeks when we had the issues," Maldonado said. However it may take months for Laredo's bridges to be fully staffed again. Saenz said 165 of the officers who were initially moved out of the Laredo Field Office may not be coming back for another two or three months. "This is in spite of the volunteers from the other federal agencies. ... So as far as bridge 1 and 2, we may have some issues there," the mayor said. Saenz said the timing of the officers' return will depend on the flow of migrants making their way to the valley to be processed. So wait times for commuters, tourists and family members crossing from Nuevo Laredo to Laredo aren't likely to see improvement any time soon, especially in the midst of Semana Santa. Semana Santa is an out of the ordinary time, where the expectation is controlled chaos, Co-Interim City Manager Robert Eads. But Eads doesn't believe the city is suffering from a drop in tourism or retail spending due to the lines at bridges 1 and 2. "If anything, it's increased. We understand that Pharr is not receiving non-commercial (traffic) and they're directing non-commercial traffic to other ports of entries. So we expect an even greater number coming through our ports," he said. Due to the shortage of CBP officers, Pharr began a pilot program on Wednesday that limits northbound international traffic to cargo vehicles only. "We're going to do both (commercial and passenger)," Eads said. "But, I will say too, seven out of 10 trucks that come into this country, come through here. So our emphasis as well is high on commercial. But ... it would be difficult for us ever to envision a time that we would redirect any sort of traffic." Laredo has open doors here for people to come through its ports of entry and stay and shop, Eads said. Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com The Laredo Sector Marine Unit rescued a Mexican citizen from drowning in the Rio Grande near Laredo. On Wednesday, agents apprehended a group of undocumented immigrants near a ranch close to the river, authorities said. One of the individuals attempted to flee and swim back to Mexico, but began to struggle to remain above the water. Border Patrol agents immediately rescued the individual and brought him aboard the vessel. READ ALSO: Border Patrol agents apprehend nine individuals, including two with gang affiliation near Bruni Medical attention was offered, but the individual declined, the agency said. The group was transported to the station to be processed accordingly. Record checks revealed the individual was from Mexico. Laredo police have seized more than 4,700 pounds of marijuana and arrested three people in connection with the case. The case unfolded Wednesday when an LPD patrol officer pulled over a maroon Lincoln Navigator for a traffic violation in the intersection of Katiana Drive and Lomas del Sur Boulevard. Police said the Navigator pulled over in the 3800 block of Katiana. The driver and passenger exited the vehicle and ran away from the scene. Authorities detained the driver, Juan Carlos Moreno, 42, at the front of a nearby residence. READ ALSO: Photos: See the coolest low riders at Laredo car show Police said the passenger ran into a brushy area adjacent to the home. While searching for the passenger, officers said they saw cellophane bundles inside a bedroom. LPD's narcotics unit responded to the scene. They executed a search warrant and found 50 bundles of marijuana inside the home, LPD said. An additional 38 bundles were found inside the Navigator, according to police. LPD said the 88 bundles weighed 2,131 pounds and had an estimated street value of $427,020. Assisting officers continued canvassing the area and eventually found the passenger, who was identified as Jesus Hernandez, 28. During the investigation, narcotics officers were able to locate a potential second location where marijuana was being stored, according to police. Authorities went to Botello Road by Texas Highway 359. RELATED: WCSO: Teenager found driving with over $125K worth of pot in central Laredo LPD approached the area and detained the man, who was identified as Jose Gerardo Gonzalez-Gutierrez, 20. On Botello, police seized an additional 111 bundles of marijuana from a residence. Combined with the prior seizure on Katiana, the pot weighed 4,707 pounds with an estimated street value of $1,412,070. Hernandez, Gonzalez-Gutierrez and Moreno were arrested and charged with felony possession of marijuana and engaging in organized criminal activity. Laredo police said they have dismantled a group that carried out serious crimes throughout the city. Authorities said this "rip crew," a term used for a group that steals drugs and other contraband, also has a link to a Mexican cartel. Several months of investigation concluded with the execution of search and arrest warrants Thursday morning. The Juvenile and Gang Enforcement Team, or JAGET, task force, comprised of Laredo police officers, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, served the warrants. READ ALSO: Laredo-area family pleads guilty in illegal gambling case, sentenced to probation SWAT team members came under fire while raiding an apartment in the 2500 block Monterrey Avenue. Police said a 16-year-old boy armed with an assault rifle fired shots at them. "The SWAT team's training, skills and great restraint prevented anyone from being injured and were able to detain the male juvenile without firing a single shot," said LPD Chief Claudio Trevino Jr. "This is the reason such extreme planning and execution was taken during these raids." Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman, said the SWAT team took part in the raids given the high-risk offenders. "The SWAT team was the one who made entry at all these locations. There were certain factors that were taken into account regarding serving these warrants out to ensure safety," Baeza said. Trevino said the officers participating in the raids should be commended because they showed courage and skill while removing dangerous criminals from the streets. Authorities arrested the following suspects during the raids: Steven Byfield, 21, in the 3200 block of St. Kathryn Loop Carlos Ibarra Jr., 18, in the 100 block of Alicante Drive Carlos Daniel Rodriguez, 20, in the 4900 block of Marcella Avenue Angel Camero, 19, in the 100 block of Arizona Loop The four suspects and the juvenile detained were charged with four counts of aggravated robbery, one count of burglary of habitation with intent to commit another felony and one count of engaging in organized criminal activity. Police said the juvenile is expected to face additional charges for firing at police. Byfield was also allegedly found in possession of 14 pounds of marijuana and 11 grams of cocaine. He was additionally charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. A sixth suspect identified as Arturo Flores, 20, remains at large. To report his whereabouts, call police at 795-2800 or Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477). Calls made through Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward. RELATED: Laredo man sentenced to 120 months in prison for role as drug trafficking leader Baeza said the case began to unravel when a home invasion occurred in 2018 on Comal Loop. The suspects had gone to the residence looking for drugs, according to police. From there on, authorities were able to piece together the case and secure the warrants. "The suspects of this home invasion had a history of forming a part of a cell, a group of persons involved in criminal activity, to include ... human smuggling, narcotics trafficking, weapon smuggling and home invasions," Trevino said. He added, "The suspects of this home invasion investigation ... formed a meticulous one organized group of persons involved in carrying out serious crimes. (There) is a nexus to cross-border criminal organizations involved in this case as well." Cape Canaveral, Fla. America's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb, who pushed for equality in space but never reached its heights, has died. Cobb died in Florida at age 88 on March 18 following a brief illness. News of her death came Thursday from journalist Miles O'Brien, serving as a family spokesman. In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing. Altogether, 13 women passed the arduous physical testing and became known as the Mercury 13. But NASA already had its Mercury 7 astronauts, all jet test pilots and all military men. None of the Mercury 13 ever reached space, despite Cobb's testimony in 1962 before a Congressional panel. "We seek, only, a place in our nation's space future without discrimination," she told a special House subcommittee on the selection of astronauts. Instead of making her an astronaut, NASA tapped her as a consultant to talk up the space program. She was dismissed one week after commenting: "I'm the most unconsulted consultant in any government agency." She wrote in her 1997 autobiography "Jerrie Cobb, Solo Pilot," "My country, my culture, was not ready to allow a woman to fly in space." Cobb served for decades as a humanitarian aid pilot in the Amazon jungle. "She should have gone to space, but turned her life into one of service with grace," tweeted Ellen Stofan, director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and a former NASA scientist. The Soviet Union ended up putting the first woman into space in 1963: Valentina Tereshkova. NASA didn't fly a woman in space Sally Ride until 1983. Cobb and other surviving members of the Mercury 13 attended the 1995 shuttle launch of Eileen Collins, NASA's first female space pilot and later its first female space commander. "Jerrie Cobb served as an inspiration to many of our members in her record breaking, her desire to go into space, and just to prove that women could do what men could do," said Laura Ohrenberg, headquarters manager in Oklahoma City for the Ninety-Nines Inc., an international organization of licensed women pilots. Still hopeful, Cobb emerged in 1998 to make another pitch for space as NASA prepared to launch Mercury astronaut John Glenn the first American to orbit the world on shuttle Discovery at age 77. Cobb maintained that the geriatric space study should also include an older woman. "I would give my life to fly in space, I really would," Cobb told The Associated Press at age 67 in 1998. "It's hard for me to talk about it, but I would. I would then, and I will now." "It just didn't work out then, and I just hope and pray it will now," she added. It didn't. NASA never flew another elderly person in space, male or female. On Thursday, the eve of his last day as French ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud tweeted an analysis of France's "yellow vest" protests; questions about the use of sanctions as a tool of foreign policy; a U.S.-topped list of national prison populations; and a soothing Monet painting, "to remind us of the simple beauty of the world." The range of subject matter was typical for Araud, 66, who became known as the diplomatic dean of social media during his five-year tenure in Washington. He tweeted his tears this week as Notre Dame burned. He has regularly posted his favorite cartoons and tirelessly touted French culture. He quotes philosophers and is a master of economically worded put-downs. On the night President Donald Trump was elected, he wrote that "a world collapses before our eyes," an admittedly undiplomatic observation that he quickly deleted - although not before it led the morning news broadcasts at home. In a recent farewell interview, before moving to private life in New York from the early-20th-century Kalorama mansion that is the ambassador's official residence, Araud reflected on a particularly turbulent time in Washington. He arrived in 2014, after five years as French ambassador to the United Nations. "I think I have a great advantage on the Americans," he said. "First, I am not an American, which means I am not emotionally committed to what is happening in your country. So I believe I can be coldly clinical." "Second, I also know what is happening in Europe . . . and our political scenes are compatible." In France as well as the United States, Araud said, anger and resentment are being translated into nationalism. Trump, he said, is merely the manifestation of the phenomenon. "I think that too many people are obsessed by the way the president is behaving," he said. "It would be much more interesting to have a real debate on the social, economic and political crisis of the United States . . . and also the crisis of the Western democracies." In some ways, the sharp shift in personality and modes of governance between President Barack Obama and Trump was far more challenging for an ambassador than any policy changes, Araud said. "I want to emphasize, and when I say this, most of my liberal friends are fainting, that foreign policy between Obama and Trump has a lot of things in common - especially that the two men understood the fatigue of American public opinion for foreign involvements," he said. But on the level of a diplomat in Washington, there were adjustments to be made. "On the one side, you had the president who was, in a sense, the ultimate bureaucrat . . . going to bed every night with 60 pages of briefs, coming back the next morning with answers," he said of Obama. With Trump, Araud said, the traditionally chaotic transition period between presidents was exacerbated by the absence of personnel in senior jobs and continual turnover. "Two months after the election, the people from Paris were telling me, we're coming over to meet the new guys. I was obliged to say, there are no new guys," he said. "Four months later, six months later, they hardly believed me." He joked to staff, Araud said, "maybe we should rent people to pretend they're the new guys." "On top of that," he said, Trump "is the opposite of a bureaucratic president," and "the chain of command, of information up and down, is basically broken. So it's quite difficult to pick up information or transmit messages" from the administration. Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, elected in May 2017, began a bromance that quickly descended into bickering and thinly veiled insults, many of them via Trump tweets. As relations fell apart, "my advice to Paris," Araud said, "was don't answer." When protests broke out in France last year, Trump tied the complaints of French demonstrators to Macron's climate change policy, saying they proved that his own decision to withdraw from international climate agreements was right. He retweeted an inaccurate claim that the protesters were chanting "We want Trump." While France's foreign minister quickly advised Trump via Twitter to mind his own business, Macron did not take the bait. "Every European leader has been the target at some moment" of Trumpian tweets, Araud said. "That's part of this strange period that we are living in." France, he said, was "still trying to adjust. We really don't want to enter into a childish confrontation and are trying to work with our most important ally, the most important country in the world." AMHERST, Mass. - Hampshire College has endured much this year: dire fiscal warnings, speculation about mergers, an abrupt decision to halt recruiting and reduce enrollment, a prolonged student occupation of the president's office, the sudden resignations of that president and leading trustees. Now, this icon of alternative higher education - where no admission tests are considered and no one gets a letter grade - is fighting for its life, embarking on a frantic fundraising campaign and an urgent effort to cut expenses without losing its soul. Whatever Hampshire's fate, its travails serve as a case study for the growing ranks of small liberal arts schools in financial jeopardy. For private colleges, pressures have intensified in regions where the student supply is stagnant or dwindling. Several here in New England are closing or merging. Others around the country have slashed prices, hoping to generate buzz and revenue. Moody's Investors Service estimated last year that about 1 of every 5 small private colleges is "under fundamental stress." To avoid closing, Hampshire is banking on the goodwill of alumni and others with allegiance to an unconventional brand developed since the college opened here in 1970 as an experiment that offers no preset majors and lets students design their own paths to degrees. "It's a very spirited community, a very strong sense of mission," said Barbara E. Brittingham, president of the New England Commission of Higher Education, the region's college accrediting agency. "They want to make this work. Time will tell." But, she said, there's no denying the school's plight: "It's precarious." Hampshire trustees took an extraordinary step Feb. 1, voting to forgo enrolling a full new class this year as they explored restructuring through a merger or other partnership. The decision meant the student body of 1,120 would shrink in the fall to about 600. As recently as 2013, enrollment had topped 1,400. Mounting backlash to that decision - including the student occupation of the executive offices, which ended this week - led President Miriam Nelson and two board leaders who supported her to resign. The board voted April 5 to set the merger talk aside and focus on fundraising to plug budget deficits and rebuild. Ken Rosenthal, 80, a founder of the college, was named interim president. He announced his annual salary will be $1. Jolted by the tumult, students and faculty say they want to preserve a school that has produced notable graduates, including filmmaker Ken Burns and Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o. But they are also bracing for the unknown. Ronan Levy, 18, a first-year student from Connecticut, took part in the sit-in at the presidential suite. Students hauled in mattresses, stuffed animals, granola bars and other gear, decorating the office with protest art as Nelson was forced into makeshift quarters for two months. Levy said she hopes to finish her degree at Hampshire but applied to transfer elsewhere as "a backup plan if things suddenly go down the tubes." Behind every struggling college lies a unique set of questions about its price, curriculum, faculty, management, reputation and marketing. Many prospective students these days are hunting for the best value or a degree that will put them on a fast track to a good job. Hampshire and other liberal arts schools reply that the critical thinking skills they teach are essential for career success. But demographics also pose a major challenge. It's hard for regional colleges to recruit when the numbers of high school students in those regions are flat or declining. It's especially hard in places with an abundance of colleges - such as New England. Here in Massachusetts, analysts estimate the high school class of 2018 was 3 percent smaller than the class of 2008. In neighboring Vermont, the graduating classes shrank 25 percent in that time. That is one factor behind recent and pending closures in those states of Southern Vermont, Green Mountain, Atlantic Union, Mount Ida and Newbury colleges and the College of St. Joseph. Wheelock College last year folded into Boston University. Market tremors are not confined to the Northeast. Inside Higher Ed and Gallup found in a national survey of college and university presidents that one-third predict six to 10 schools will close this year. Nearly as many believe more than 10 will close. "I don't understand how anyone in private higher education should be overly optimistic," said Ronald A. Crutcher, president of the University of Richmond. The private liberal arts school in the Virginia capital, with 4,000 students and an endowment of more than $2.5 billion, is well-positioned to ride out the turbulence. But with tuition, fees, room and board exceeding $60,000 a year at his school and many others - before discounts and financial aid - Crutcher said he wonders when the sticker price for private colleges will hit a ceiling. "I would venture to say there's schools in Virginia that are nervous," he said. Sweet Briar College, in Amherst County, Virginia, recently survived a near-death experience. Leaders of the women's college announced it would close in 2015 because of financial distress, but graduates and others mobilized to save it through fundraising and restructuring. The college, which had 337 students in the fall, lowered its sticker price in an effort to boost enrollment. Tuition, fees, room and board for the coming year will be about $35,000. Many in higher education dismiss price cuts as gimmicks. Hampshire last year considered and rejected the idea. Its total charge this school year is about $63,000, although nearly all students receive scholarships and grants. Data reveals a tenuous situation. Net tuition revenue - what Hampshire receives after discounts and financial aid - has fallen since 2015 at an accelerating rate, with this year's decline projected at 11 percent. The $52 million endowment provides scant cushion. Even seemingly modest drops in revenue can do major damage to a school as small as Hampshire that relies on close faculty contact with students. Two months before Nelson took office last summer, she learned the college had missed its enrollment targets for the entering class by 19 percent. "We need to report that we are deeply sobered by the school's fiscal state," an independent group of prominent alumni, parents and former trustees wrote March 26 in a letter to the campus after receiving an in-depth briefing. Burns, who graduated in 1975, was among them. Time, they wrote, "is not on the College's side." Those realities weighed on the board of trustees, said Kim Saal, 66, who was vice chair of the board until he resigned April 5. One of Nelson's key backers, Saal was among the college's first students in 1970 and fervently supports its ideals. But he said he grew convinced of the need to reboot Hampshire and pursue what Nelson called "a strategic partnership" with an outside entity. For too long, he said, the college had relied on emergency gifts and other improvised measures to balance its books. "The road we were traveling down," Saal said, "the college was about to close." Critics say Saal and Nelson overreacted and failed to engage key constituents. Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld, a professor of management at Yale University, said it was a prime example of "lazy boards falling victim to lack of imagination." Sonnenfeld said it was "self-destructive" when Nelson and the board closed off a crucial revenue source by choosing not to enroll a full class in the fall. Explaining that decision, Nelson said she feared Hampshire could not guarantee new students the same level of education for the next four years. Sonnenfeld scoffed at that rationale. "There's no limit to what the imagination could come up with to bail them out," he said. Nelson, in a farewell letter, lamented that she and the board had been forced to make "very tough decisions without putting them up for collective debate" - steps that provoked "anxiety, sorrow and anger" on campus. Hampshire has enormous assets that set it apart from other struggling colleges, including its placid 800-acre campus in a Connecticut River Valley hub of learning. Together with the public University of Massachusetts at Amherst and private Amherst, Smith and Mount Holyoke colleges, Hampshire belongs to the Five College Consortium. Leaders of the other four schools - all far older and wealthier - helped conceive Hampshire in the 1950s and '60s. They envisioned an outside-the-box school, unencumbered by tradition and rules, with students and faculty free to roam across disciplines. To a large extent, that's what happens. Hampshire students move through three steps, called "Divisions," and execute an ambitious independent project in their final year. Professors give them narrative evaluations instead of letter grades. When students finish their projects, they ring the brass Division Free Bell that hangs in the library portico. They also are allowed to take classes for no extra charge at the neighboring schools, using a bus network that links the consortium. (Some at Hampshire with an eye on graduate school confess they like having a few letter grades on their transcripts.) College routines are continuing this year, in surreal contrast to feverish talks among administrators, faculty, trustees and alumni about how to save the school. A visit in March found students immersed in seminars on brain plasticity, indigenous sovereignty and theater education for schoolchildren. Sula Gordon, 19, a second-year student from Rhode Island, said after the theater class that Hampshire drew her because of its emphasis on projects. "You're not just studying so you can spit out words and get a diploma," she said. Gordon said she plans to return in the fall in part because she feels "cornered by the situation" and doesn't have a better option. Rosenthal, the interim president, is striving to prevent a student exodus. "They always say your best customers are your current customers," he said. "Let's try to bring them back." In a letter to the campus last week, Rosenthal said the college must raise $15 million to $20 million over the next year and perhaps $100 million over the next five or six years. "It's not unprecedented, and we'll have to move fast and work hard, but I'm optimistic," he wrote. "Alums, parents, and friends are already making major gifts." One group called A Campaign for Hampshire College said it has collected pledges of more than $2.6 million. As of late March, Hampshire said it had 101 faculty members and a staff of 295, plus 13 adjunct instructors. Those numbers are expected to shrink as enrollment drops, but professors hope to minimize cuts. Some are looking for visiting positions at neighboring schools until enrollment rises again. "To avoid a death spiral, it is crucial not to have layoffs," said Salman Hameed, an associate professor of integrated science and humanities. He and others want to restart student recruiting as soon as possible, probably for students to enter next spring, and ramp up fundraising. "We have momentum," he said. "We need time to figure things out - how Hampshire can develop into a new kind of institution." Safia Francis, 20, from Tucson, Arizona, is among many watching and waiting. The second-year student is exploring urban design. "I'm hoping the idea that created Hampshire and brought me and my friends and classmates here will continue to keep going," Francis said. "If everyone is miserable and scared the entire time, it won't be a good place to be." The United States is experiencing its second-highest number of measles cases in nearly two decades. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the diagnosed cases have climbed to 465. At least 20 states have reported cases of the highly contagious virus. New York City officials have ordered mandatory measles vaccinations to halt an outbreak. The outbreaks are linked to people who traveled from countries such as Israel, Ukraine and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring. The disease is spreading in U.S. communities that have relatively high numbers of people who have not been vaccinated against measles. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about measles, which can cause serious complications among all age groups, especially young children, adults with weakened immune systems, and the very elderly. Do I need another dose of the measles vaccine? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends children get two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. For adults, if you were born before 1957, the CDC says it is unlikely you need more MMR shots. That's because most people born before then caught measles and thus have natural immunity. If you have no written documentation anywhere that you have had an MMR shot, talk with your doctor. People born between 1957 and 1989 generally only had one MMR dose. One dose is about 93 percent effective at preventing measles, but anyone in that age group can still get a second dose, says Russell Faust, medical director for Michigan's Oakland County health department. The county, part of metropolitan Detroit, has an ongoing measles outbreak with 39 cases reported. Two doses are about 97 percent effective. Even if you had two doses (or can't remember), it's okay to get a third dose, he says. "There's no downside to getting an MMR, especially during an outbreak," says Faust. How dangerous is measles for adults? Adults who have weakened or impaired immune systems caused by diseases, cancers or medications, or those who may have altered immunity such as the very elderly, are at higher risk for severe complications from measles, including pneumonia. They are also at higher risk for adverse reactions to the vaccine, and they should talk with their doctor. Faust says protection with a protein injection called immune serum globulin may be more appropriate. How long does it take for the body to develop immunity after getting an MMR shot? It takes seven to 21 days for the body to mount the maximum immune response, and can be as long as one to two months, Faust says. How does measles spread? Measles is one of the most contagious diseases on Earth. It is a respiratory infection caused by a virus. The virus lives in the nose and throat of an infected person. It can spread by direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses or mouths, they can become infected. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90 percent of the people close to that person or who walk through the same area and are not immune also may become infected. Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the appearance of a rash. That's why many health officials in places experiencing outbreaks, such as New York's Rockland County and New York City and Washington state, have declared public health emergencies. Rockland County executives tried to ban unvaccinated minors from public places, including churches, schools and shopping centers. New York City just announced mandatory vaccinations in affected Zip codes. Can antibiotics treat measles? No. Antibiotics are used for infections caused by bacteria. Measles is caused by a virus. There is no specific treatment for measles. Health-care professionals try to prevent the disease by administering the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine to children. Nonimmunized people, including infants, may be given the measles vaccination within 72 hours of exposure to the virus to provide protection against the disease. Pregnant women, infants and people with weakened immune systems who are exposed to the virus may receive a protein injection called immune serum globulin within six days of exposure to prevent measles or reduce the symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. How dangerous is measles? Measles can be deadly, especially for babies and young children. Some people may have severe complications, such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (swelling of the brain), which can lead to hospitalization and death. Measles may cause pregnant woman to give birth prematurely or have a low-birth-weight baby. According to the CDC: 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, which can lead to convulsions and can leave the child deaf or with intellectual disabilities. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die from it. Recent findings from researchers in California indicate a rare neurological complication that kills children years after they have been infected by the measles virus is more common than previously thought. The neurological disorder can lie dormant for years, and then is 100 percent fatal. There is no cure. For babies who get measles before being vaccinated, the rate is one in 609. How effective is the measles vaccine? The MMR vaccine is very effective. One dose is about 93 percent effective at preventing measles. Two doses are about 97 percent effective. The CDC recommends children get two MMR doses, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. What about pregnant women? If you are pregnant, clinicians say to wait to get the MMR shot until after the baby is born. It is safe for women who are breast-feeding to get a measles shot, according to Wendy Sue Swanson, a Seattle pediatrician. Why are infants at risk of measles? If a baby's mother has had her MMR shots or had a measles infection in her life, she passed antibodies to her baby during fetal development. Those antibodies provide protection for young infants and typically are thought to protect infants for up to six months or more, but researchers don't really know the length of protection. Immunity wanes for these babies as they age and the mom's antibodies fail to persist. Does the measles vaccine cause autism? No, there is no link between autism and the MMR vaccine. This has been carefully examined by many doctors and scientists from around the world in large and thorough studies. Scientists are studying what does make a child more likely to have autism, such as genes or an older father. How did the idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism originate? The debunked claim that there is a relationship between vaccines and autism largely stems from the late 1990s. At the time, autism diagnoses had been increasing, and doctors did not know why. In 1998, British researcher Andrew Wakefield published a fraudulent paper, which was subsequently retracted, linking autism to the MMR vaccine. Evidence emerged that Wakefield had been paid by attorneys for parents who were suing MMR manufacturers and that Wakefield's data were fraudulent. The Lancet retracted his study in February 2010. That year, Wakefield was found guilty of professional misconduct by Britain's General Medical Council, and his license was revoked. How are vaccines tested for safety? Vaccines are among the most thoroughly tested medical products available in the United States. Before a vaccine can be considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration, the manufacturer must show it is safe and effective through clinical trials. This scientific process can take over a decade and cost millions of dollars. The FDA then examines these studies and determines whether a vaccine is safe, effective and ready to be licensed for use. The FDA licenses only those vaccines that have data showing their benefits outweigh the potential risks. If there is any question about the data, or any holes in the data, the FDA will request further studies before approving the vaccine. Vaccinate Your Family, the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to advocating for vaccinations, provides a good explanation of the four systems in the United States that work together to help scientists monitor the safety of vaccines and identify any rare side effects that may not have been found in clinical trials. For example, some side effects may happen only in 1 in 100,000 or 1 in 500,000 people. Vaccine trials may not include certain populations, such as pregnant women or people with specific medical conditions who might have different types of side effects or who might have a higher risk of side effects than the volunteers who got the vaccine during clinical trials. One system, known as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, relies on individuals to report vaccine reactions. Anyone can report a reaction or injury, including health-care providers, patients and patients' representatives, such as caregivers or attorneys. The system is co-managed by the FDA and the CDC. The purpose of VAERS is to see whether unexpected or unusual patterns emerge, potentially indicating a vaccine safety issue that needs to be researched further. Another system, called the Vaccine Safety Datalink, is a collaboration between the CDC's Immunization Safety Office and eight large health-care organizations across the country. It conducts studies based on questions or concerns raised from the medical literature and reports to VAERS. In addition, when new vaccines are recommended or if changes are made in how a vaccine is recommended, the VSD will monitor the safety of these vaccines. The system has information on the kind of vaccine given to each patient, the date of vaccination and other vaccinations given on the same day. It also uses information on medical illnesses that have been diagnosed at doctors' offices, urgent-care visits, emergency department visits and hospital stays. A third system, called the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment Project, or CISA, is a national network of vaccine safety experts from the Immunization Safety Office, seven medical research centers and other partners. It also addresses vaccine safety issues and conducts clinical research. A fourth system, called the Post-Licensure Rapid Immunization Safety Monitoring, or PRISM, is a partnership between the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and leading health insurance companies. It actively monitors and analyzes data from a representative subset of the general population. Are religions opposed to vaccines? No. Scholars believe no major religious group advocates against vaccinations on the basis of official doctrine, and experts say the majority support vaccinations. Large majorities of Americans from all major religious groups say healthy children should be required to receive vaccinations to attend school, according to the Pew Research Center. However, some individuals from various faith traditions believe vaccinating goes against their religious beliefs. When selecting the best cleanup alternative for Zone 1, it is very important the EPA not dismiss the danger to human health posted by the presence of construction debris remaining below ground level on the footprint of the West Calumet Complex and possibly Goodman Park from the decades-old demolition of the lead manufacturing operations, which were the cause of the contamination at the site, Copeland said. For years, Mali has struggled to rein in an extremism problem that has destabilized the West African nation and aggravated tensions between its various ethnic communities. This week, fed up with what they called a failure to control the security situation, lawmakers said they planned to submit a no-confidence motion against their government - and Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga and his entire government promptly resigned. The development paves the way for new leadership in Mali at a time when experts say a solution is urgently needed for the country's growing insecurity. "A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces," President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said in a statement, without explaining Maiga's departure. Maiga did not immediately respond to requests for comment Friday. But public pressure against him ramped up after an attack on a village in central Mali last month left more than 150 people dead. The attack appeared to have stemmed from tensions between the Fulani, who are traditionally Muslim herders, and other local groups. In Mali, extremists have recruited some Fulani by preying upon widespread feelings of marginalization within their herding communities. In response, armed self-defense groups from other ethnic communities have at times carried out attacks against the Fulani. One such group is believed to have been behind last month's attack. A number of the victims were children, and in Mali, many saw the extraordinary death toll as evidence that the government was not doing enough to quell violence and save civilian lives - even with the help of a U.N. peacekeeping mission that is supposed to help stabilize the country. Earlier this year, gunmen attacked a military base in the same region where the massacre took place, killing more than a dozen soldiers. Maiga visited Washington just days after the attack on civilians, and in an interview with The Washington Post at the time, he said he was in the United States in part to request additional security assistance for the fight against extremism in Mali. In addition to intracommunal violence, he warned that a weakened Islamic State in Iraq and Syria could prompt fighters to shift their focus to the Sahel, where porous borders and lax security have already provided fertile ground for extremist groups. In 2012, al-Qaida-linked extremists took control of part of the country, although a French-led operation eventually beat them back. "The United States should have the same engagement in the Sahel as it does in the Middle East," he said at the time. "Malian security is the essential key to international security." Mali is a sprawling nation that shares borders with seven countries, a number of which are dealing with their own security issues. The government lacks the manpower to cover its territory, and many civilians have lost confidence in government troops amid accusations that they have killed villagers suspected of terrorist activity without giving them a fair trial. Such abuses outrage communities and can drive more people into the ranks of the extremists, human rights experts warn. But even before last month's deadly attack, frustrations were mounting against Maiga's leadership. Alexis Arieff, a specialist in African affairs at the Congressional Research Service, warned against oversimplifying Maiga's departure as being the result of the attack. "The pressures on Maiga and on President Keita to get rid of Maiga predate the recent massacre," she said. "A sense of insecurity in central Mali may well be leading popular frustration against the government, but there are also a lot of other political dynamics at play." Abdoul Salam Bello, a visiting fellow at the Atlantic Council's Africa Center, said last month's attack does offer insight into "the capacity of the state as an institution to provide protection to all citizens." As it grapples with insecurity, Mali needs to prioritize early-warning systems that can mitigate the risks of these attacks and focus on national reconciliation, he said. Joshua Meservey, an Africa analyst at the Heritage Foundation, said the country's next leaders must also focus on strengthening the country's armed forces. "The Malian military is terribly inept," he said. "That needs to be dramatically reformed." --- The Washington Post's Danielle Paquette contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - The outreach had begun by August 2015, when Donald Trump was a newly announced presidential candidate in a crowded Republican field and a Russian news outlet emailed a top Trump aide to request an interview. It persisted through the next 15 months of the 2016 campaign and into the presidential transition, when a Russian banker back-channeled a plan for reconciliation between the United States and the Kremlin to the new administration through a friend of Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. The portrait painted by special counsel Robert Mueller in his report released Thursday is one in which, again and again, Russian officials and business executives offered assistance to Trump and the people around him. The campaign was intrigued by the Russian overtures, Mueller found, which came at the same time that the Russian government was seeking to tilt the outcome of the race in Trump's favor. The special counsel did not find any of the contacts between Trump associates and Russians constituted a crime. Mueller said his "investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." But the episodes detailed in his report show that Trump aides declined to forcefully reject the Russian offers or report them to law enforcement. Amid a growing awareness that Russia probably had hacked and disseminated Democratic emails, the campaign eagerly made use of the material - and its flirtation with Russian figures continued. The "Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome," Mueller wrote, and "the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts." There were, Mueller wrote, "numerous links" between individuals tied to the Russian government and people associated with Trump. The special counsel said the communications consisted of business contacts, offers to assist the campaign, invitations for Trump and Putin to meet and for campaign aides to meet with Russian government officials, and policy proposals to improve U.S.-Russia relations. "The number of meetings with Russians during the campaign was extraordinary and unprecedented," said Michael McFaul, a Russia scholar who served as U.S. ambassador to Russia during the Obama administration. "I cannot understand why there were so many contacts," he added. "I would like to know more about motivations on both sides." Various episodes detailed in Mueller's report were revealed in news coverage during the past two years. But investigators laid out intriguing new details about those incidents - and also identified moments of interaction previously unknown publicly. - - - Mueller wrote that Russian interest in Trump's campaign began soon after the celebrity mogul announced he was running for president in June 2015. On Aug. 18, 2015, the editor in chief of an online news outlet called Vzglyad emailed Hope Hicks, a Trump campaign aide, to request an interview with the new candidate. The publication was founded by a former Russian lawmaker who days earlier had registered two pro-Trump websites in Russia, according to the report. The interview apparently never took place - the first of numerous moments in which Russian outreach appeared to falter through happenstance, the hectic nature of the campaign or, at times, lack of interest from the Trump campaign. "In some instances, the campaign was receptive to the offer, while in other instances, the campaign officials shied away," Mueller wrote. At times, the Russians sought to make connections with Trump through business ties and his children's professional contacts. Twice, longtime Trump attorney Michael Cohen fielded offers to build a Trump tower in Moscow during the campaign, even as the candidate was publicly claiming he had no business ties to Russia. Cohen reached out directly to the Kremlin for assistance with one of the projects, though it did not ultimately advance. Later, a fashion world contact reached out to Trump's daughter Ivanka to pass along an invitation from a Russian deputy prime minister to attend an annual economic forum in St. Petersburg with her father. Trump's assistant Rhona Graff declined the invitation but received a follow-up email from Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Prikhodko in March 2016 renewing the invitation, according to the report - perhaps the only instance during the campaign of a Russian government official directly reaching out to Trump. Graff declined, noting Trump's busy campaign schedule, but added that he would otherwise "have gladly given every consideration to attending such an important event." New York investment banker Robert Foresman used a connection to Mark Burnett, the producer of Trump's television show "The Apprentice," to try to pass along an invitation to the same event from a Russian presidential aide, the special counsel wrote. In an email to Graff, Foresman wrote that he'd had an "approach" from "senior Kremlin officials" about Trump. Foresman did not respond to a request for comment. Mueller wrote that investigators did not locate evidence that Foresman reached Trump. The banker told prosecutors that he was merely trying to burnish his credentials with the campaign and not establish a Russian back channel to Trump. In one of the best-known examples of Russia overtures, Russian business executives Aras and Emin Agalarov, who had hosted the Trump-owned Miss Universe pageant in Moscow in 2013, helped arranged a meeting for a Russian lawyer with Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. Trump Jr. agreed to the meeting after being told the lawyer would share damaging information about Hillary Clinton as part of a Russian government effort to assist his father's campaign, responding: "I love it." Mueller's team assessed whether the meeting violated campaign finance prohibitions on accepting foreign contributions. The special counsel concluded that charges would not meet Justice Department standards requiring that "admissible evidence will probably be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction" because it was not clear the offer of information on Clinton would have constituted an in-kind contribution and because it would be difficult to demonstrate that participants knowingly and willfully broke the law, the report said. - - - The Russians also sought to forge relationships with people involved directly in Trump's campaign - particularly through aides with their own connections to Russia. One of the first contacts came through Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, who was told by London-based professor Joseph Mifsud in April 2016 that the Russians had dirt about Clinton in the form of thousands of emails, according to court documents. Mueller revealed in his report that Mifsud "maintained various Russian connections," including with people associated with entities involved in the Russian election interference operation. The report delves deeply into the relationship between Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and figures in Russia and Ukraine with ties to Putin, revealing the extent of Manafort's efforts to leverage his role on the campaign to get work in Eastern Europe. Immediately upon joining the Trump campaign in March 2016, Manafort instructed deputy Rick Gates to send memos announcing his appointment to four "friends" with Russia connections: three Ukrainian business titans and one Russian, the Putin ally Oleg Deripaska, the report said. Soon after, Manafort told Gates to begin sending "internal polling data" to the business executives, the report said. The man Manafort and Gates trusted to translate and disseminate the information was Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime Manafort associate assessed by the FBI to have ties to Russian intelligence, according to court documents. Gates told the special counsel he suspected Kilimnik was a "spy," a characterization Manafort disputed. In a 2017 statement to The Washington Post, Kilimnik denied ties to Russia intelligence. That spring, Manafort briefed Kilimnik in person on the campaign. Kilimnik requested the second meeting, at a New York City cigar bar, to deliver a proposal from former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych that would guarantee Russian control over a new autonomous region in eastern Ukraine, according to Mueller. Manafort claimed he dismissed the plan as crazy, but he continued to discuss it with Kilimnik through Trump's victory and presidency, the report said. In one email, Kilimnik wrote that with a "minor 'wink' (or slight push)," Trump "could have peace in Ukraine basically within a few months after inauguration." Manafort, who was deeply in debt, told the special counsel he hoped to revive a once-lucrative consulting relationship with Deripaska and the Ukrainians. He denied bringing the peace plan to Trump or the campaign. The special counsel noted that Manafort lied repeatedly in interviews and before the grand jury about his interactions with Kilimnik, who could not be reached. Meanwhile, Dimitri Simes, the Russian-born head of a Washington think tank, the Center for National Interest, who has advocated improved U.S.-Russian relations, had repeated communications with Kushner during the campaign, the special counsel found. Simes has numerous Russian government contacts, Mueller said. Simes helped arrange an April 16, 2016, speech by Trump at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington that was attended by the Russian ambassador. The report provided new details about an August 2016 discussion between Simes and Kushner to discuss how to respond to Clinton campaign criticism of Trump and Russia. Before the meeting, Mueller wrote, "Simes sent Kushner a 'Russia Policy Memo' laying out 'what Mr. Trump may want to say about Russia.' " In an email setting up the meeting, Simes also told Kushner about "a well-documented story of highly questionable connections between Bill Clinton and the Russian government." Kushner forwarded the email to top campaign officials and met with Simes to discuss the matter, but he told investigators that he didn't believe Simes had provided anything that could be "operationalized" for the Trump campaign. In an interview Thursday, Simes said that the information he discussed with Kushner came from U.S. government sources, not from Russia. He said the Mueller report was "on target in that it found there was no collusion but that there was Russian interference" in the U.S. election. - - - Russian overtures to Trump world intensified after the election, Mueller found. Putin was anxious after Trump's victory that he didn't know the new president's team better, Russian businessman Petr Aven told Mueller's investigators. Aven, who sits on the board of Alfa Bank, said that in late 2016, Putin appealed to his country's most influential business executives to make contacts with the Trump transition team. Aven said the Russian president made it clear "there would be consequences" if they did not deliver, the report said. In early 2017, Aven said, he met again with Putin and told him he had failed to build contacts with the Trump team. In subsequent meetings, the Russian president continued to press him to make further efforts, he told investigators. At one point, Aven told Putin's chief of staff he had been subpoenaed by the FBI and asked about whether he had tried to create a back channel between Russia and the Trump administration. A spokesman for Aven declined to comment. At 3 a.m. on election night, Hicks received a call on her cellphone from a man who said something about a "Putin call," she told investigators. The man, an official at the Russian Embassy, sent her a note the following morning with the subject line "Message from Putin." Uncertain about the man's identity, Hicks forwarded the email to Kushner, writing, "Can you look into this? Don't want to get duped but don't want to blow off Putin!" Two days before Trump's inauguration, the chief executive of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, Kirill Dmitriev, submitted a "a proposal for reconciliation between the United States and Russia" to Kushner via an associate, according to the report. Kushner gave the proposal to incoming chief strategist Stephen Bannon and incoming Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, but neither ever followed up before Trump and Putin spoke later in January, Mueller found. Even after 22 months of investigation, the special counsel's team was unable to fully examine all the Russian contacts, Mueller said. Some key players communicated using encrypted apps or ones that do not preserve records. Some witnesses provided false or incomplete testimony, and some could not be interviewed because they were overseas. Among the remaining mysteries: the full story of a meeting at a Seychelles resort between Trump associate Erik Prince and Dmitriev, a Russian banker close to Putin, and why Manafort shared polling data with Kilimnik - and then lied about it. Prosecutors said they did not establish that Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page, who was under surveillance for nearly a year, conspired with Russia. But they also said they were unable to fully determine his activities during a July 2016 visit to Moscow. Page said Thursday he was not surprised. "As I have been explaining for years, this was a big nothingburger," he said in an interview. The special counsel indicated he believes there is more to learn. "While this report embodies factual and legal determinations that the Office believes to be accurate and complete to the greatest extent possible," Mueller wrote, "given these identified gaps, the Office cannot rule out the possibility that the unavailable information would shed additional light on (or cast in a new light) the events described in the report." Cannabis industry trends evolve faster than most markets. Not only havent regulations been finalized, but methods of consumption, investment and the geography of the market itself are in constant flux. Though all the noise, these are the top six cannabis industry trends that entrepreneurs should pay attention to. 1. Cannabis industry trends indicate higher sales than ever. The biggest evolution within the cannabis industry is that sales will be higher this year than they were in 2018, and investors, consumers and entrepreneurs alike should expect to see legal weed sales blossom for the next few years as the market grows annually. The biggest of all cannabis industry trends for the next few years is the national and global expansion of the legal weed market. Despite a grinding legislative product that has gone much slower than advocates hoped or expected, both New Jersey and New York weed legalization is anticipated this year, along with states in Midwest (particularly Illinois) and other East Coast states. The global recreational cannabis market is projected to reach $31 billion by 2021. The CBD market alone could reach $22 billion by 2022 according to a Brightfield Group report. The weed consumer demographic is growing ever more diverse. The average cannabis consumer is now middle-aged, with more women and seniors consuming weed in its various forms. This means that the market is growing and demand within the market is shifting to alternative products. 2. Products other than flower are gaining market share. Like many trends that spread from California eastward, vaping in 2018 outpaced flower as the most popular method of consumption in California. Similarly, people curious to try marijuana but unwilling to smoke it are turning to edibles. Expect one of the most significant cannabis industry trends to be the continued shift away from flower and towards other methods of consumption. Vapes: Vapes are one of the hottest cannabis products in 2019. In the first quarter of 2018, vape sales grew 69 percent total, according to BDA Analytics. CBD vape sales alone rose 105 percent over the same period. Edibles: Regardless if we're talking chef-prepared cuisine, the humble gummy or anything in between, edibles of either the CBD and THC variety are also booming in popularity across all legal states. Here are a few statistics to show how much demand for these products increased in 2018: CBD gummy sales grew 925 percent. Chocolate edible sales increased 166 percent. CBD chocolate sales are up 530 percent. Beverages: Though classified as edibles, consumers and investors are giving infused beverages more attention than ever. The following trends indicate that beverages will become bigger in the next few years: Big investors including Anheiser Bush and Coca Cola have entered into talks to invest in infused beverages. Weed companies are already manufacturing products like hangover proof beer infused with THC. Beverages containing CBD for medicinal benefits are also increasingly popular, like lattes and smoothies infused with cannabis oil. Related: Hangover-Proof Beer Infused With THC and CBDs? Cheers! 3. Massive CBD market growth. 2018 saw the rise of CBD products ranging from tinctures to gummies. In 2019, expect the rapid expansion of the CBD market to be among the most notable cannabis industry trends. With an annual growth rate of over 140 percent, the CBD market could eclipse the adult-use marijuana market by 2022. This is largely due to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill which legalized hemp farming nationally. With its new legal status, hemp and the CBD derived from it are now legal and lucrative to produce. Compound that with CBDs reputed health benefits and the CBD industry is set for impressive growth. In addition to promoting general well-being, CBD can help with difficult medical conditions according to research. Related: Move Aside, CBD: New Data Finds THC Is the Real Medicine in Medical Marijuana 4. A flood of investment. One of the cannabis industry trends shaping the entire market is growing investment from all sides. Large non-weed-related corporations are increasingly likely to invest in legal cannabis in the form of distribution deals, product design or investment in producers. It's not just corporate players who are investing. Individuals looking for a way to cash in on the cannabis boom can simply purchase stocks. With eye-catching growth over the course of 2018 that has continued into 2019, weed stocks are attracting investor and media attention. This is especially true for large Canadian weed producer stocks. Both plant-touching and non-plant touching weed businesses are listed on Canadian and American stock exchanges. This means more access to capital and bigger operations than ever. Related: With 4/20 Burger Carl's Jr. Ventures Where Most Corporations Only Dream of Going 5. Product variety and branding. Above all, the cannabis industry trends towards a more sophisticated customer base that wants a variety of products with different effects, potency levels and prices. One manifestation is the growing demand for luxury products in both wellness-focused CBD products and a larger-than-ever adult-use market. These include items like luxury skincare products, high-quality edibles, and organic options, all of which is driving an ever sharper focus on branding. Brand ambassador is one of the most in-demand cannabis jobs right now. The two best-known cannabinoids, CBD and THC, arent the only aspects of the plant attracting attention from producers and consumers alike. Terpenes, which are organic compounds that give weed its flavor and odor, are a growing focal point. Wonder why a certain strain tastes like blueberries or pineapple? These scents and tastes come from terpenes. As the market grows in size and product diversity, people want access to products with a variety of flavors. Terpenes are easier to taste and therefore more important than ever with the rise of concentrates. Related: The Next Big Thing in Cannabis? Terpenes 6. Legal weed spreads eastward. The one cannabis industry trend that encompasses all the others is the expanding geography of the legal marijuana industry. Every state that legalizes instantly creates a major new industry. For example, socially conservative Oklahoma, ranked just 28th in population among the 50 states with slightly fewer than four million residents, legalized medical marijuana in 2018. Within a few months the demand for medical marijuana cards swamped state regulators, who have registered more than 3,000 marijuana related businesses. The likeliest states to legalize in 2019, including New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois and Minnesota, are much larger. Most other states at least considering legalizing medical marijuana, if they have not done so already, or expanding existing programs. For weed businesses, this means shifting their attention from the West to the East Coast as opportunities emerge in untapped markets. When New York legalizes it will be the single largest recreational market in the country. This will translate to big dividends for the businesses who capture even a small part of that market first. Keep in mind, starting a cannabis dispensary can be more profitable in newer markets than in already saturated ones. Above all, the most significant among all cannabis industry trends are continued growth and change. Prepare for more shifts, and more opportunities, in legal weed. Related: 7 Stats to Know About Legal Cannabis and CBD This 4/20 Canopy Growth Agrees to Buy Acreage When the US Ends Prohibition Pay Attention to These 6 Cannabis Industry Trends Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Washington For nearly two years, President Donald Trump and his allies sought to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, attacking investigators' credibility and playing down their findings. As a redacted version of Mueller's report was finally released Thursday, Trump resorted to bluster, broadsides and falsehoods to try to frame the moment as a political victory. The report included an account of how the president attempted to seize control of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and force out Mueller from leading the inquiry. But that didn't stop Trump from taking a public victory lap, declaring at a White House event that he was having "a good day." Twelve times Trump took to Twitter in the hours before Attorney General William Barr outlined the findings of the report. The president proclaimed his innocence and insisted that the investigation was politically motivated. As soon as Barr concluded his remarks, and more than an hour before Mueller's report was released, Trump tweeted a taunt over an image inspired by the HBO show "Game of Thrones." "No Collusion. No Obstruction," it said. "For the haters and the radical left Democrats Game Over." But the report does recount how Trump repeatedly sought to intervene in a probe that has hovered over the first two years of his presidency. And it says Trump had been agitated by the investigation from the start. At Justice Department headquarters, reporters buzzed around as they awaited Barr and then the Mueller report. A few blocks away, there was calm on one of the defining days of Trump's presidency. The news media were led into the White House, just before the report came out, for Trump's appearance with wounded warriors. "Knockout," read a text message from Rudy Giuliani, one of the president's attorneys, to reporters after Barr finished speaking. A further statement from Giuliani and Trump's lawyers said "the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegations" and insisted that "the results of the investigation are a total victory for the president." Current and former White House officials eagerly rushed through the report. They scanned for their names to see what Mueller had said about them and how he had characterized their testimony, and wondered how those depictions might sit with a mercurial president. Staffers had been told by the White House to cooperate fully with Mueller's team and answer their questions truthfully. But many were nervous about how Trump would react to their testimony. Talking points went out to Trump allies while his supporters' phones buzzed with text messages from the campaign looking to raise money off Thursday's developments. Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was featured prominently in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. Though the report said "the campaign anticipated receiving derogatory documents and information" from Russians that "could assist Trump's electoral prospects," it said "the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that the participants at that meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful." Though a seemingly backhanded exoneration, the younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats. "Better luck next hoax!" he said. Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said because the White House didn't interfere with Mueller's work, that "should make people feel good about democracy." "We're accepting apologies today, too," Conway told reporters. The president, who normally talks to reporters on his way out of the White House, declined to speak as he left to spend the Easter weekend in Florida. But from Air Force One, he tweeted: "I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didn't!" Pull out your fishing rods and get ready to catch some catfish. On Wednesday, as part of its Neighborhood Fishin' program, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) began stocking thousands of catfish at 19 lakes across Texas, including four in the Houston area, according to a recent release. 'That's the biggest fish we have ever pulled in': 198-pound alligator gar caught in the Brazos River Each lake will receive continuous stockings of channel catfish every two weeks now through early November, with Mary Jo Peckham Park receiving a total of 9,230 catfish and Missouri City C.P.L. receiving 5,538. Burke-Crenshaw Lake in Pasadena is set to get 7,020 total catfish and Herman Little Pond in Spring is scheduled for 5,538. Other lakes in the Lone Star State being stocked include five in Dallas-Fort Worth, two in the Austin area and in San Antonio, and one in Abilene, Amarillo, Bryan-College Station, San Angelo, Waco and Wichita Falls. It's official: 67.1-pound fish caught by 13-year-old sets a new Texas record All anglers can keep up to five fish per day without a minimum length limit, according to a recent release. At some locations, cleaning tables are available to make it easy for you to clean your catch. "Our Neighborhood Fishin' lakes are conveniently located in these urban and suburban areas so that Texans don't have to travel outside the city to have a great fishing experience," TPWD inland fisheries management and research chief Dave Terre said in the release. "Catfish are fun and easy to catch for anglers of all ages and experience levels," he added. To find the Neighborhood Fishin' lake near you, head to the Neighborhood Fishin' website. See the biggest fish caught off the Texas shores in the photos above. Marcy de Luna is a digital reporter. You can follow her on Twitter @MarcydeLuna and Facebook @MarcydeLuna. Read her stories on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | Marcy.deLuna@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message A Confederate rally planned in Houston in November 2015 was the "earliest evidence" that Russians attempted to interfere in the 2016 presidential election, according to the Mueller report released Thursday. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on the two-year-long investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election states that an Instagram post on an account called Stand For Freedom (which was later linked to Russian online trolls) tried to organize a rally in Houston. "Good evening buds!" the post read, according to the report. "Well I am planning to organize a confederate rally in ... Houston on the 14 of November and I want more people to attend." It is unclear if the protest ever happened. "(We) identified dozens of U.S. rallies organized by (Russia's private Internet Research Agency)," the report said. "The earlier evidence of a rally was a 'confederate rally' in November 2015. The IRA continued to organize rallies even after the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The attendance at rallies varied. Some rallies appear to have drawn few (if any) participants, while others drew hundreds." Another protest in Houston organized by Russians was in May 2016, designed to rally against Islam outside the downtown Houston Islamic Da'wah Center. Organized by a group called the Heart of Texas, it called for protesters to come out and rally against the "Islamization" of Texas. The rally drew only a small group of protesters, while an even larger group of counter-protesters showed up, according to earlier Houston Chronicle reports. None of the roughly dozen protesters were part of the Heart of Texas group, instead only showing up on their own accord wearing "White Lives Matter" shirts and waving the Confederate flag. Heart of Texas was later identified as a fabricated social media account made by the IRA, for which a dozen IRA employees were indicted in the United States. 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 You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll be glad you're not mentioned here. Texas Game Wardens summarized some of their more, well, interesting, interactions with the public in the last few months, including an investigation into three so-called hunters who bludgeoned a whitetail deer to death in a convenience store parking lot. STAY IN THE KNOW: Get all the news you need to know to start your day, delivered to your inbox They also include a story about a six-hour stakeout to catch illegal anglers netting dozens of catfish, a high-tech Facebook investigation and a (high-speed?) boat chase. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Public input sought on propose fishing, hunting rule changes Click through the slideshow to see some of the best Texas Game Warden notes. 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 A Bexar County grand jury has returned multiple indictments against a 38-year-old man in connection with a January shooting that killed a Bexar County Sheriffs Office police dog that had been deployed to restrain him following a multi-county chase. Matthew Reyes Mireles was indicted on a charge of interfering with a police service animal by killing him with a firearm, according to a statement released late Thursday by the Bexar County District Attorneys Office. In a second indictment, Mireles is alleged to have pointed a firearm at eight police officers, resulting in a charge of eight counts of aggravated assault of a police officer. On ExpressNews.com: Suspect in critical condition after officers open fire on Loop 410 According to reports, Mireles led authorities trying to arrest him on a chase through multiple counties after he allegedly fled from Karnes City police officers as they tried to pull him over around 10 p.m. Jan. 25. He was wanted on several warrants. Authorities said as the chase continued along U.S. 281 to Interstate 37 North and toward San Antonio, Mireles began firing shots at pursuing officers. Two Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and three Bexar County sheriffs deputies also joined the chase. Near Loop 1604 and Texas 151, Mireles exited his car, left it running and in drive, which caused the vehicle to hit a patrol car, officials have said. The man ran and continued to fire shots wildly, Sheriff Javier Salazar said. He said at the time that officers attempted to keep traffic back and away from the escalating situation as Mireles walked and pointed his gun at officers, himself, a helicopter flying overhead and a bystander. At some point, Chucky, a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, was deployed by his handler. He bit Mireles once, then the animal was shot twice. He died at the scene. The canine had worked with a deputy for two years. On ExpressNews.com: Hundreds turn out to honor slain police dog After Chucky was shot, law enforcement opened fire on Mireles, striking him several times in the lower extremities. He was taken to University Hospital in critical condition after officers performed life-saving measures on him, authorities said at the time. He was taken to jail after he recovered. In addition to the other charges, Mireles was indicted on a charge of evading arrest with a vehicle, alleged to be a deadly weapon, for the pursuit that preceded the shooting, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the statement about the indictments said. All charges against Mireles include a habitual offender enhancement because of his previous convictions on assault on a public servant and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, prosecutors said. His cases will be heard in the 175th state District Court, with Judge Catherine Torres-Stahl presiding. Elizabeth Zavala covers county and state courts in San Antonio. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 A woman struck and killed by a vehicle Wednesday near a West Side elementary school has been identified. Regina Ann Benavides, 41, died as a result of blunt force injuries at about 7 a.m. near Cable Elementary School, 1706 Pinn Road, the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office said. San Antonio police said Benavides was crossing the street in a dark and unlit area and that the driver failed to see her. After Benavides was struck, the driver stopped to call police. She was taken to University Hospital where she was pronounced dead at 7:45 a.m., investigators said. Jacob Beltran is a reporter covering San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbeltran@express-news.net | Twitter: @JBfromSA A third party law firm determined in October that the lease agreement, which took effect in 2000 and had multiple extensions, did not follow state statute and was invalid. The county council also voted at the time not to fund the rent for this year as a result of the legal opinion. Longford chefs, get the utensils ready and show eggactly why you deserve to win a prize worth over 1,000. Bord Bia and the Irish Egg Association are calling on professional chefs in Longford to embrace the culinary versatility and value of eggs by featuring them on menus beyond breakfast and brunch to be in with a chance of winning an 'eggciting' prize. As part of Bord Bias Eggs for Anytime campaign, professional chefs and cooks around Ireland are encouraged to devise their most creative recipe featuring Bord Bia Quality Assured eggs, submit the recipe to Bord Bia and feature the dish on their menus with the chance of winning an 'eggcellent' prize. Also read: Temperatures to hit 23 degrees over the weekend But there is one catch, the recipe cannot be a breakfast or brunch dish or feature on a breakfast or brunch menu. The winning dish will then be selected by Bord Bia eggsperts with the help of food and hospitality writer, Georgina Campbell. The main prize for the winner is a 500 One4All Voucher, a 500 voucher to spend in an Irish hotel or restaurant of the winners choosing and their recipe will feature in a national newspaper. The four regional winners chosen will also receive prizes worth 250 each. All entries must be submitted online at www.ireland-guide.com and accompanied by a photo of the finished dish. Closing date for entries is Tuesday, April 29, at 12 noon. Happy Good Friday and Bank Holiday Weekend lovely ones! I really hope this article finds you well and rested and looking forward to a little down time over the next couple of days? As I write this post, Im deep in the middle of some incredible projects for Love My Dress that will evolve this beloved business of ours into a new creative arena and position us well for the tidal wave of change were being swept along within the social media and digital marketing scene. Were in a huge transitional stage currently, pivoting away from the old way of blogging and social media and into a new way. Believe me when I say, its exciting, thrilling and scary all at once! This new way will see us working more directly with our partner brands to create the kind of content we want to publish online. I could talk about this forever and will find time to update you on everything that is happening very soon. Today however, I wanted to celebrate one of the businesses that has played a significant part in inspiring me to evolve my business and Love My Dress in this way. Regulars to Love My Dress may already be familiar with the name Sanyukta Shrestha an extraordinary woman who has, from the very off, set out to make a positive impact in the world through the design of ethical wedding dresses. If youre keen to learn more, take a look through these past articles. Sanyukta feels deeply passionate about encouraging brides to go ethical and in a hugely generous effort to do this, she is giving away 20 vouchers worth 500 to put towards a beautiful wedding dress from her London boutique. Since launching her first eco-friendly bridal collection back in 2011, Sanyukta has pioneered the concept of sustainable luxury. Sanyuktas commitment to sustainable fashion comes from a place of true compassion. Having been born in Nepal, Sanyukta has strong emotional links to this beautiful part of the world. She believes that Fairtrade Fashion empowers women and keeps traditional craftsmanship alive, and thus, she is devoted to supporting artisan communities in Nepal with handmake all her dress fabrics by hand, with love, care and using 100% natural, organic and skin-soothing fabrics. My decision to use these natural fibres in the collection underlines my commitment to environment and development. Through blending sustainability with my ethical beliefs, I also try to create opportunities for village women in Nepal, by merging and turning their traditional skills into delicate fabrics and designs. Sanyukta Shrestha We need to talk for a moment about those fabrics; when I last visited Sanyuktas London boutique, she showed me a gown created from milk silk and it was breathtakingly beautiful; the softest-to-touch fabric ever and pretty much blew my mind! Sanyukta also creates gowns using organic bamboo silk. The quality and craftsmanship of her wedding dresses is outstanding. That Sanyukta is exploring innovative fashion and garment production techniques like this that support Fairtrade producers around the world, and has been for several years, distinguishes her from a sea of other designers now hopping on the sustainability bandwaggon. Win a 500 towards an ethical wedding dress To celebrate the move towards more sustainable luxury bridal fashion, Sanyukta Shrestha is giving away 20 gift vouchers worth 500 to brides who share her passion for eco-friendly choices when it comes to their wedding day. We want to see more and a more brides celebrating their big day with sustainability and support those who are already living the ethical fashion dream for the eco-friendly lifestyle. Sanyukta Shrestha If you are a bride (or if you know one) who believes in choosing quality over quantity, who follows their heart rather than trends, who loves luxury with a conscience not cruelty, who respects originality in design rather than mass fashion, then this is a wonderful opportunity for you to join the ethical bride movement and be a part of something special. I encourage all of you yet to find your wedding dress to enter this competition. Not only will you get to save some precious p0unds, and get to contribute to Sanyuktas #ethicalbridalmovement, youll also receive the very special, warm and welcoming Sanyukta Shrestha boutique experience. I envy you! What a wonderful treat this would be. To enter this promotion, please visit this post Instagram and follow the super simple instructions in the caption. Terms and conditions of entry can be found at the end of this article. If you want to know what the Sanyukta Shrestha experience is like, please read the words below from real brides I was aware of eco-friendly clothing but had never invested in it, says Lucy. I knew I didnt want the typical fussy wedding dress that felt heavy and artificial but I didnt know it was possible to find an eco bridal gown until I met Sanyukta at a wedding fair. Now Im proud to tell everyone that I went against the norm and bought a dress that was ethically made in Nepal. From the moment I stepped into the boutique, the team were so helpful and made the whole experience memorable, says Rusa. I love the fact that the dresses are eco-friendly and hand-woven. I cannot emphasise enough how much I support the Fairtrade and ethical aspect of Sanyuktas dresses. Knowing that these fabrics have been sourced ethically to support womens employment in Nepal will mean I shall walk down the aisle with great pride on my wedding day as a Sanyukta Shrestha bride. To find out more about Sanyukta Shrestha wedding gowns, do take a look at the website. Annabel x Terms & Conditions This competition will run from Friday 19th April through to midnight on Friday 3rd May. Entry is restricted to persons aged 18 or older and resident in the UK or Republic of Ireland The organisers reserve the right to verify the eligibility to enter. The winner will be chosen at random and notified of their prize via Direct Message on Instagram. The winner must redeem their prize in person, in-store. If the winner cannot be contacted within 30 days, an alternative winner may be chosen. All prizes are non- exchangeable, non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. The prize will be in the form of a 500 voucher which can be used against the purchase of a single wedding gown over the value of 1800 from Behuli Boutique, London, SW6 1QR. Alterations etc will be charged separately and are not included. The winner must redeem their prize within six months of the date from which they were notified that they were the winner. Prior to receipt of the voucher, the winner must agree to provide the following information to Behuli boutique. Name, address, wedding date, telephone number and email address. This information will be held confidentially and not shared with any third parties. Should the winner refuse to provide this information then the prize will not be redeemable and the Behuli Boutique has the right to select a new winner. The winner agrees to provide Your Behuli Boutique with high res picture of them on their wedding day in their chosen gown within 3 months of the wedding. The winner agrees that the Behuli Boutique can, at their discretion, use this picture and the winners name on a winners page on Social media promoting #ethicalbridemovement Like: [zilla_likes] Share: Special counsel Robert Muellers report found insufficient evidence of a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. The question of obstruction proved more challenging. WSJs Ashby Jones analyzes the legal underpinnings of the report. Photo illustration: Laura Kammermann More than 1,000 climate activists met at the Strand Theatre in Dorchester Thursday night urging Congress to take bold and ambitious action with the Green New Deal before it is too late. The only dangerous and reckless thing is to not act all, Rep. Ayanna Pressley said to a packed theater Thursday night. Pressley, along with Sen. Ed Markey, Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu, and other advocates spoke in support of the legislation. The event was organized by the Sunrise Movement - a youth-led climate coalition- which launched its a Road To A Green New Deal Tour in Boston Thursday night. In February, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from New York and Sen. Ed Markey from Massachusetts introduced legislation that seeks to aggressively beat back the effects of human-caused climate change. It should begin in Boston because we are the city of revolutions, Markey said. Among the listed goals for HR 109 and its senate companion are achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, establishing millions of high-wage jobs, as well as securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy good, access to a nature and a sustainable environment for all, according to the bills text. It also set ambitious goals - like building smart power grids, upgrading all existing buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency and removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors - through a 10-year national mobilization effort. Varshini Prakash, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, began the speaking program with a call to action that she said has been at the center of the movement she helped launch in 2017. Everyone must make climate action rooted in racial and economic justice and equity, the 25-year-old activist from Boston said. No person in this country and no person in this world should have to lose the people they love or the places they call home because of crisis that are completely preventable, she said. Pressley spoke to the packed theater, telling the crowd she will fight for a safe climate which she called a human right. Together we assert climate justice is intrinsically linked to our human rights, Pressley said to loud applause. Markey attacked President Donald Trump, as the denier in chief during his remarks. He said the Green New Deal was created at a two-hour lunch with Ocasio-Cortez. We are going to save all of creation by engaging in massive job creation, Markey said. He said an intergenerational movement will help save the planet. Make no mistake. The planet is running a fever. There are no emergency rooms for planets. We need to put in place preventative care, Markey said. Thank you Ed for leading with @AOC @SenMarkey + @sunrisemvmt for this youth led movement to save us. Boston is the home of revolutions and this is why this journey must begin here. #therevolutionwillbetelevised #ourtimetorise #ourtimetolead #GreenNewDeal pic.twitter.com/co9tZq8R3t Rep. Liz Miranda (@lizforma) April 19, 2019 Many speakers focused on the irrefutable science behind the threats of climate change, including Roxane Rivera, the vice president of the 32BJ SEIU labor union. Climate change isnt an opinion - its a fact. Our members live it, Rivera said. The Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, the founding pastor of New Roots AME Church said without action Dorchesters Carson Beach will flood and water will flow down Columbia Road where activists were gathered in the theater. This is about climate change but it is about so much more than that, she said. Will America become the nation she always should have been? Wu spoke of taking her two young sons hiking in the Blue Hills Reservation recently. My boys havent yet been told that preserving the planet is too bold of an idea...but the adults around them wouldnt think of telling them no when they dream for a better future. Isnt it outrageous that adults do that to each other in politics and government?" Wu said. The tour will continue to other cities including Detroit and Los Angeles, before ending in Washington D.C. The pedestrian struck and killed by a MBTA bus in Chelsea has been identified as 60-year-old Mary Pettiglio of East Boston, MBTA Transit Police said. Pettiglio was struck by the Route 111 bus around 5:35 a.m. Thursday in the area of Everett Avenue near the on-ramp to the Tobin Bridge. The MBTA is deeply saddened by this tragic event, and we extend our condolences to Ms. Pettiglios family and loved ones, transit police wrote in a statement. The bus driver has been suspended, transit police said. MBTA Transit Police, Massachusetts State Police and the Suffolk District Attorneys office are investigating. Another day, another presidential hopeful on the Stop & Shop picket line. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, joined protesters at a Stop & Shop in Malden, Massachusetts, on Friday afternoon and praised the workers for standing up for their rights. Freedom depends on understanding how changes in our society work for working people, Buttigieg said. What Stop & Shop is doing is the opposite of that, the 2020 presidential candidate said. About 31,000 Stop & Shop workers in New England are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers International, which has spent months negotiating a contract with the company. The workers last contract expired in February. They walked off their jobs on April 11. Buttigieg is the third presidential hopeful to join workers since they walked out. Vice President Joe Biden, who has not officially announced a campaign, spoke to workers at a Stop & Shop in Dorchester on Thursday. Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined striking workers on April 12. Buttigieg spoke to press for about five minutes, before interacting with the protestors. He thanked them for feeling a generational obligation to improve rights of workers. Politicians need to be there and have their back, he said. Stop & Shop workers and their supporters at the picket line have called upon an unlikely ally in their strike against the parent company: Marty, the grocery stores robot. The tall, googly-eyed devices are used in stores to help locate spills, then page for humans to clean up the mess. Theyre not among the 31,000 workers, for whom United Food & Commercial Workers is negotiating a contract with Stop & Shop, but the robots have made appearances at the picket line. Union workers, whose contracts expired in late February, walked off the jobs on April 11 amid negotiations with the parent company. Theyre entering their second week on strike, protesting proposed cuts to health care coverage, reduced contributions to retirement benefits and other changes that workers say even with raises would affect their take-home pay. Stop & Shop said its is the only major food retailer thats fully unionized in New England. The company argues the labor costs hurt its profits and make it less competitive against Big Y, Whole Foods, Walmart and other stores that arent unionized. According to the company website, those stores enjoy both much lower labor costs and access to low prices and great locations, according to the store website. The robots seemed to be the target of politicians and labor leaders speeches on Thursday. Steven Tolman, president of the Massachusetts American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, said robots and self checkouts will never replace working people in these stores. Even a Marty Twitter account has joined the debate, with the person behind the account supporting the strike and cracking jokes about the grocery store. Massachusetts business officials appear to be courting Hasbro as the company considers moving out of its headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. The Massachusetts Office of Business Development said in a statement that it is working to establish a dialogue with the company, as it regularly does with businesses both in and outside the commonwealth that may benefit from learning more about the many opportunities to grow in Massachusetts. The toy and board game company has mulled over moving out of its current space for more than a year, according to the Providence Journal. Its been there since the 1970s. Rhode Island is already losing the PawSox, which announced plans in 2018 to move to Worcester. The move sparked an 18-acre, $240 million redevelopment project in the citys Canal District. An estimated 1,500 Rhode Island jobs could be affected if Hasbro leaves the state. Hasbro is known for iconic family-friendly board games such as Monopoly, Connect Four and Trivial Pursuit. It also has a license to sell Star Wars merchandise, including action figures, blasters and lightsabers. Hasbro missed the latest quarterly profit estimates and is struggling with the collapse of Toys "R" Us, Reuters reported. MassLive has reached out to Hasbro for comment. A doctors group that is suing the federal government has insisted that meat products sold in American grocery stores contain feces and that its legal. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has been ringing the alarm on hazardous feces in meat for years, but it reiterated its concerns in a lawsuit filed this week against the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Among other things, the committee wants the government to make companies place labels indicating the presence of feces in their meat products. Although USDA implements a zero tolerance policy for fecal contamination, this policy only applies to visible fecal contamination, the committee wrote in a statement. Chicken products pass inspection as long as feces are not visible to the naked eye. The lawsuit said the USDA violated the Freedom Of Information Act by not responding to requests about fecal contamination rates. It also calls on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to respond to a petition the committee submitted on March 14, 2013, which requested that the agency regulate feces as an adulterant under the . Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act. The committee 120 supermarket chicken samples and found that 48 tested positive for feces, according to an addendum to the 2013 petition. The group also cited a Consumer Reports test finding more than half of the 257 packages of raw ground meat and patties tested positive for feces. In 2009, a USDA study found that 87 percent of chicken carcasses tested positive for E. coli, a sign of fecal contamination, according to the addendum. The committee is requesting to change the federal code to remove the word wholesome from the food inspection legend so it does not appear on poultry products and mislead consumers. The committee posted what it describes as a USDA training video on its website, showing chicken carcasses being soaked in cold water which the committee called fecal soup for an hour before being packaged and shipped to retail stores. "They usually remain in the chill system approximately one hour and will exit in an internal temperature of less than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, the training videos narrator states. After chilling, the carcasses will either be packaged, cut up or further processed. According to the lawsuit, The petition argued that the public deserves fair notice that food products deemed wholesome by USDA would be deemed disgusting by the average consumer and adulterated under any reasonable reading of federal law. Eight current and former Springfield police officers and a bar manager will be arraigned May 2 on charges that they perjured themselves before a statewide grand jury or lied to investigators. The arraignments are the latest development in an 2015 alleged beating of four civilians by off-duty officers following an argument at Nathan Bills Bar and Restaurant. Thirteen current and former officers were arraigned in Springfield this month on charges that they either participated in the beating or filed false police reports. The upcoming arraignments will be held in Worcester, where defendants allegedly lied to a statewide grand jury that operated for a year before bringing indictments against 14 officers and two bar staff in March. Several of the accused have already been indicted in connection with the alleged assault and false reports in Springfield, and will now be arraigned on perjury or false statements charges in Worcester. The following people are scheduled for arraignment the morning of May 2: Springfield Police Officer Darren Nguyen, age 40, of Holland: Perjury, misleading an investigator Springfield Police Officer Shavonne Lewis, age 29, of Springfield: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Retired Springfield Police Sgt. Louis Bortolussi, age 57, of East Longmeadow: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Springfield Police Officer James DAmour, age 42, of Hampden: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Springfield Police Officer John Wajdula, age 34, of Springfield: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Current Massachusetts State Police trooper and Former Springfield Police Officer Nathaniel Perez, age 27, of West Springfield: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Springfield Police Officer Melissa Rodriguez, age 32, of Springfield: Perjury. Nathan Bills manager Joseph Sullivan, age 42, of Hampden: Perjury, misleading an investigator. Springfield Police Officer Jose Diaz, 54, of Springfield: Misleading an investigator. Officer Derrick Gentry-Mitchell will be arraigned in Worcester at a future date and Nathan Bills co-owner John Sullivan will be arraigned in Springfield on April 24, the Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said. Several off-duty officers and John Sullivan have been accused of assaulting Paul Cumby, Jackie Ligon, Jozelle Ligon and Michael Cintron in the early morning hours of April 8, 2015 following a verbal argument at Nathan Bills, a popular Springfield watering hole and off-duty police hangout. On-duty officers who responded to the fight are facing charges of lying and filing false reports to cover it up. All the defendants arraigned so far have pleaded not guilty. Shawn Allyn, Billingsleys defense attorney, has said that his client was a victim in the fight and alleged that Cumby and his group were the actual aggressors. All the current Springfield officers indicted in the case have been suspended without pay. CHICOPEE A fire that started outside a two-story home spread to the eaves and second floor Thursday night. A woman and child escaped the fire at 38 Ward St. safely. A third resident was not home at the time, said Deputy Fire Chief David Beauregard. Several people reported the fire at about 8:15 p.m. When firefighters arrived they saw flames had extended up the back side of the house, under the eaves and into the second floor of the house, he said. They knocked it down quickly, he said. Firefighters then spent time in the home ensuring the fire was completely extinguished and doing overhaul. No one was injured in the fire, Beauregard said. By 9:30 p.m., firefighters had not determined if the family could return to the home. The American Red Cross of Western Massachusetts was called as a precaution in case they cannot, Beauregard said. The cause of the blaze is under investigation by Chicopee firefighters, he said. Westover Air Reserve Base firefighters assisted by providing station coverage while firefighters were working at the blaze, he said. SPRINGFIELD Staff in Hampden Superior Court Clerk Laura Gentiles office have been busy changing court records to remove drug convictions invalidated by the actions of former state chemist Sonja Farak. Although Faraks 18-month jail sentence is long over, courts are now burdened with righting the wrongs she caused by tampering with alleged drug samples. That includes changing court records as well as returning fees and forfeitures to defendants whose convictions were overturned. The problems that must be solved and procedures that must be put in place are massive. Defendants could have forfeited tens of thousands of dollars as well as vehicles and other property in convictions that are now nonexistent. Monthly probation fees, as well as other court fees, must also be determined and in some cases refunded. People have spent years in prison for convictions now overturned. For some, family members died when they were in prison. They have lost a chunk of their lives based on drug testing by a lab technician that was admittedly high during many of her days at work at a state lab in Amherst. Some defendants were convicted of drug offenses as subsequent offenders. If one or more of the previous offenses were overturned, the subsequent offender convictions also must be changed. Kevin J. Claffey, first assistant Hampden Superior Court clerk, said the latest batch of cases for which records must be changed numbers 1,500. That includes 2,300 individual counts. The office adjusted records in 1,200 cases in September, Claffey said. Claffey said the state Executive Office of the Trial Court gives the Hampden Superior Court clerks office information on the convictions to be taken off court records. Farak, who worked at the drug lab for nearly nine years, was arrested in 2013 for stealing samples to feed her own addiction. She pleaded guilty in 2014 to charges of drug possession and evidence tampering. Cases being dismissed include those for which Farak signed papers certifying that she had tested drugs used as evidence. Other cases involving evidence tested at the Amherst lab while Farak worked there are also being dismissed, even if she didnt sign the drug certificate. The dismissals are based on Faraks misconduct and the misconduct of two former assistant attorneys general who withheld related evidence. In 2018 the state Supreme Judicial Court determined defendants in three types of cases were entitled to have their convictions vacated and dismissed with prejudice, meaning the charges cant be brought again. The categories are: Any case where the alleged drugs were tested by Farak at the Amherst lab; any case where the alleged drugs were tested by any chemist at the Amherst lab after Jan. 1, 2009; and any cases where the alleged drugs were methamphetamine and tested at the Amherst lab after Aug. 1, 2004. The state and other organizations are working to get the word out to defendants whose cases were tainted by Farak and Annie Dookhan, a chemist at a state lab in Boston from 2003 to 2012 who also tampered with drug evidence. Dookhans misconduct affected defendants mainly from the eastern part of the state. Statewide, Farak and Dookhans misconduct has resulted in the dismissal of around 47,000 charges in 28,000 cases. Many lawyers who work in Springfield courts said they began to get calls from former clients after they received notification letters from the SJC in February. Letters were sent to about 7,500 Farak defendants. The state provides further information for defendants at www.mass.gov/courts/druglab. The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and the state Committee for Public Counsel Services have distributed cards, with one side in English and the other in Spanish, that say, Were you convicted of a Massachusetts drug crime in a case that started between 2003 and 2013? The cards are prominently displayed for people going to the clerks offices in superior and district court in Springfield. Find out if your charges were dismissed, the cards say. Call the public defender drug lab hotline: 1-888-999-2881 or visit www.publiccounsel.net/dlclu. Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed by Rolando Penate, one of those affected by the Amherst lab scandal, is still working its way through federal court. Penates 2013 conviction for heroin possession was vacated by a Hampden Superior Court Judge Richard Carey, who issued a blistering decision saying state prosecutors and investigators tried to conceal evidence about the breadth of Faraks drug use. Penate, represented by attorney Luke Ryan, then sued Farak and 17 others in U.S. District Court, alleging they conspired to violate his constitutional rights. A police department reform plan put forward by Mayor Domenic Sarno appears to have sparked division on the Springfield City Council, fracturing a voting bloc that had repeatedly supported placing a civilian board of commissioners in charge of the Springfield Police Department. At a Public Safety Committee hearing on Thursday, councilors quizzed City Solicitor Ed Pikula on the effects of the new ordinance, which has been pitched as a compromise proposal that would strengthen the departments civilian oversight while keeping a single commissioner in charge. Its really an effort to get everybody on the same page," Pikula said. "Its an indication that the legislative body and executive are working together to move the city forward. The proposal, backed by both Sarno and Acting Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood, has won the support of some councilors who were strong advocates of reinstating the civilian police commission. Councilor Michael Fenton said that while he still supports placing civilians in control of the department, the gridlock between the mayor and the council is having negative effects that should not be ignored. Fenton cited the citys improper acquisition and destruction of phone records related to the alleged 2015 beating outside Nathan Bills Bar and Restaurant -- a scenario that could potentially have been avoided if the citys Community Police Hearing Board had been granted subpoena power by the council at the time. We cant in my opinion look the other way," Fenton said. And Councilor Timothy Ryan, who sponsored legislation last year to bring back the commission, cited his own experience as a police commissioner to praise the legal support and disciplinary guidelines included in the new ordinances Civilian Review Board. We kind of fended for ourselves," Ryan said of the old Police Commission, which was dismantled by a state financial control board in 2005. "We came up with the discipline and procedure almost out of whole cloth. But other members of the committee appeared skeptical, pressing Pikula on why he believes the creation of a new civilian police commission is legally invalid. Pikula, as he has repeatedly argued at council meetings, said that the citys charter gives the mayor the exclusive right to appoint department heads -- and that even a commission whose members are appointed by the mayor would violate that right. After a back-and-forth, Councilor Orlando Ramos called into question the departments entire personnel system, which is governed by state civil service laws that strictly regulate how officers can be hired, fired and disciplined. Are we ever going to have a conversation about whether civil service is the appropriate system for our city?" Ramos asked. Pikula did not rule it out, but said the proposed ordinance had been drafted in accordance with best practice recommendations by the Police Executive Research Forum -- the consultant hired in 2018 to review the citys internal affairs and civilian complaint process. Councilor Jesse Lederman asked whether the mayor would be open to compromises, such as allowing council confirmation of civilian review board members or choosing some members of the board from a list provided by the council. Pikula said that too would violate the city charter. The full city council is expected to consider the ordinance on Monday. In addition to preserving the position of police commissioner, the mayors proposal would replace the citys current seven-member Community Police Hearing Board with a nine-member Civilian Review Board. Like the CPHB, the CRB would have all its members appointed by the mayor and would be responsible for reviewing complaints and internal investigations, holding hearings and recommending discipline if the complaint is sustained. The ordinance seeks to professionalize and standardized the complaint process by requiring that at least three members of the board review every case and developing a penalty matrix to ensure consistent application of discipline. The board would also formally gain the ability to subpoena witnesses and require the production of evidence in its cases -- an issue that came to the forefront last week, after MassLive reported on the improper acquisition and subsequent destruction of the Nathan Bills phone records. Pikula said in a statement last week that after the city concluded it could not legally obtain the records, it informed other agencies of their existence. Phone records were later obtained by the Attorney Generals Office, which indicted 14 current and former officers last month -- nearly four years after the alleged off-duty beating of four civilians after a barroom argument. HOLYOKE State Rep. Alice Peisch and Sen. Jason Lewis, who co-chair the legislatures Committee on Education, visited city schools and met with local officials on Thursday. Finding ways to pay for two proposed middle schools topped the agenda during a lunchtime meeting at Peck School. Stephen Zrike, the state-appointed receiver overseeing Holyoke schools, said he wanted Peisch and Lewis to understand the Holyoke story, including successes and the challenges that lie ahead. He said while constructing the middle schools received broad support, how to fund them remains the roadblock. Its important for our state leaders to learn more about the fiscal challenges for Holyoke as we try to do something we think is the right thing to do, invest in schools and our students, Zrike said. Holyokes public schools remain heavily reliant on state dollars. Zrike said that while Peisch and Lewis are aware of the funding gaps, providing a local perspective was critical. He wants more money for academic programs and social and emotional support services for students. Lewis, who visited the Maurice Donahue School, said he found students engaged and enjoying the spring break programs, which included arts and academics. While he found some positives, he added that Holyokes schools face very serious challenges. The school district does not have adequate resources to meet the needs of children, he said. There are a lot of children where English is a second language or have special needs or coming from very challenging economic circumstances and home environments. He added, The reason Rep. Peisch and I are here is because the state has a significant responsibility to help the city meet the needs of schools and students. Compared to other Massachusetts gateway cities, student enrollment in Holyoke continues to decline as parents look to charter schools or school choice options, Lewis said. The declining enrollment affects funding from the state. As we fix our school funding formula, it will have a very positive impact funding for Holyoke, he said. School Committee Vice Chairman Devin Sheehan told Peisch and Lewis the current Massachusetts School Building Authority reimbursement formula falls short for the Holyoke middle school projects. He said building two schools at the same time was unprecedented for the authority, which supports the plan. The proposal calls for demolishing and replacing Peck School and building the second middle school near Lawrence School on Cabot Street. Each building would serve 550 students. Sheehan said Peck School cannot meet the needs of Holyokes students. He pointed to windows in the community room covered in a grimy film. He added a debt exclusion or Proposition 2 override is the only option to fund the schools. The city of Holyoke is at or near the state-mandated levy limit, unable to raise additional revenues for the proposed schools. The School Building Authority provides up to 80% reimbursement for construction or renovation costs. After adjustments, Holyokes reimbursement rate falls under 60%. The city needs $55 million in bonding to cover the School Building Authority reimbursement shortfall. The City Council continues to debate holding a special election for the debt exclusion. The ballot question remains in the councils Charter and Rules Committee chaired by Ward 2 Councilor Terence Murphy. State Rep. Aaron Vega, D-Holyoke, said Proposition 2 overrides passed in Easthampton but failed in Lynn and recently in Amherst. He said Holyoke must demonstrate to the School Building Authority that funding is in place. When that happens, were locked into the current rates. If next year we do something legislatively, we wouldnt necessarily benefit from that, Vega said. Is there another mechanism? When Holyoke presented the middle school projects to the School Building Authority, Vega said the delegation told the authority the district was under receivership, therefore, everyone is onboard. He added the School Building Authority stepped up and performed the required evaluations, including the viability of Peck School. They are trying to go above and beyond, Vega said. Zrike said the middle schools represent right-sizing the district, with present inefficiencies around $4 million annually. Were running too many buildings for the number of kids we have. Were stuck in a very difficult position because we have no appropriate middle school space expect for this inappropriate space, Zrike said. No collusion, but lots of contacts with foreign agents. No proof of obstruction of justice, but a host of questions regarding efforts to impede investigators. Neither, it should seem clear, would make for an especially snappy re-election campaign slogan. Though numerous advisers to President Donald Trump had dealings with Russians looking to influence the outcome of our nation's 2016 presidential election, there was "insufficient evidence" to claim that there'd been a conspiracy. So said special council Robert S. Mueller III in his report, which was released, with some redactions, on Thursday morning by Attorney General William P. Barr. Not exactly what a reasonable person would term a complete exoneration, is it? Further, questions regarding Trump's efforts to thwart Mueller's inquiry remained unanswered. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state," Mueller's team wrote. "Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment." The bottom line: Russia wanted to see Trump elected, and worked to aid his campaign even as it sought to damage Democrat Hillary Clinton. And though there is no direct evident that members of Trump's campaign colluded with Russian efforts, neither did anyone affiliated with the campaign bother to inform the FBI about the many times Russian operatives reached out to the campaign. Twenty-three months after Mueller was named special counsel, his 448-page report provides ample evidence that the Trump campaign was often playing by its own rules, and that the Trump White House is not infrequently a pit of paranoia, deceit and obfuscation. But, Trump supporters will say of their main man, there was no proof of criminal conspiracy, and that's good enough for us. In our hyper-partisan era, with minds made up even before the evidence is in, some will see the inability to prove a crime as the moral equivalent of a Nobel Prize. But for those whose eyes are open and whose minds are not already made up, for folks who've long believed that there are plenty of reasons to be mighty suspicious of this president, the Mueller report will be the gift that keeps on giving. And not only because of the lurid details exposed in the redacted report. Such as the 10 areas that Mueller looked at as possibly constituting obstruction, but was unable to reach a conclusion one way or the other. The next battle, of course, will be over whether Congress will see the full, unexpurgated document and its underlying evidence, including grand jury materials. Barr has already said that won't happen, but don't expect congressional Democrats to give up without a fight. Nor should they. The attorney general works for the people, not for the president. Though you wouldn't have known that from watching Barr's press conference before the release of the Mueller report on Thursday morning. One could have been forgiven for having thought that the man doing the talking was a friend of Trump's, or perhaps his personal lawyer, not our nation's top law-enforcement official. The White House may believe that the release of Barr's version of Mueller's report marked the end of this story, but that's simply not true. Congress still has a role to play -- its constitutionally mandated oversight role -- and unless and until lawmakers get to see everything -- not only what Barr wants them to see -- there'll be serious questions over what Trump's attorney general is shielding from view. No proof of criminal conspiracy isnt just a lousy campaign slogan, its also only a very small part of a much larger story. How do you measure the cost of evidence tampering by former state chemists Annie Dookhan and Sonja Farak? One farmer in the Pioneer Valley counts the ways. The man, who spoke to MassLive on condition his name not be used, was convicted of possessing two bags of heroin in 2013. He paid a $750 fine in lieu of probation. He lost his license for a year and often had to hitchhike 20 miles to work in Hadley. He had to pay a $500 fee to get his license reinstated. Then theres the $100 increase in his monthly car insurance payments. Six years later, he still pays that higher rate. I was listed as an excellent driver for 30 years until that happened, the 50-year-old said. The man is one of tens of thousands of people who are starting the uncertain process to get reimbursed for payments they made related to their court cases. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled in October that the state must return the fees to individuals whose cases were thrown out due to the drug lab scandals, but law enforcement officials across the state are still hammering out the logistics. A spokesperson from the Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office said officials are working with attorneys representing the class-action lawsuit related to the Jamaica Plain drug lab and an outside vendor to find out the states reimbursement obligations. The state is expected to lay out their progress in a state report to the SJC on April 30. The Attorney Generals Office did not elaborate on what the status report will say. The case is still being heard in federal court, though plaintiffs asked the judge to temporarily stop proceedings while the state finalizes its guidelines for reimbursement. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs in federal case declined to comment. The process has caused some confusion for people who were recently notified that their convictions were overturned. When the 50-year-old farmer received a notification letter listing him as a Farak defendant," he called the state hotline to find out what he could be reimbursed. He couldnt get a clear answer. Still, he said, hes luckier than some of his friends. Following his conviction, he talked to his bosses, who let him continue working even though he would show up late on days that he hitchhiked. His friends who were put on probation often ended up going to jail because they couldnt afford the regularly scheduled payments and they couldnt drive to appointments with probation officers. Those costs are harder to quantify. How do you even put a value on that kind of stuff? he asked. More than 21,000 court cases were dismissed due to test result tampering by Dookhan, who was a chemist at the Hinton drug lab. Another 8,000 were dismissed, and more are expected to be thrown out, after Amherst drug lag chemist Farak stole drug samples to feed her addiction. A 2017 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Nelson v. Colorado ordered that defendants who are wrongly convicted have the right to collect reimbursement for fees and fines associated with those cases. In October, the SJC ordered the state to pay back more than $8,000 in fines and probation fees to two Dookhan defendants, Stephanie Green and Jose Martinez. The court also ruled that defendants who pleaded guilty or were found guilty on drug charges, and whose convictions were vacated, will be reimbursed for their probation fees, victim-witness assessments, fines and court costs. They will not be reimbursed for forfeited property. The money will come from the states general fund. It is still unclear how much money will be reimbursed, but an assistant attorney general estimated that it could cost the state more than $10 million. In its October ruling, the SJC warned the state that without a clear strategy, the reimbursements could overwhelm the court system. The court ordered the attorney generals office and the public defenders office to submit a status report by the end of this month. In the meantime, the farmer who spoke to MassLive is trying to put the drug case behind him. He went to a recovery clinic in 2014 and started meeting with a therapist. Hes been in recovery for a few years now, in part, because of his grandchildren. Now hes just waiting for reassurance from the court that he can get reimbursed for his motor vehicle fees and get the conviction wiped from his record. How do you explain to them what addiction is and what it does to you in that kind of way, he said. Youve got to be able to look at your grandkids in the eye and have some self-respect. I can say, there was a problem, but grandpa took care of it. President Donald Trump took to Twitter early Friday morning to express anger over special counsel Robert Muellers findings. Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue, Trump wrote in a tweet Friday morning. In a follow-up tweet, the president addressed his decision not to sit down for an interview with investigators, saying it was not necessary to respond to statements made in the report. He called some statements made to special counsel b------- and only given to make the other person look good. Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue. Watch out for people that take so-called notes, when the notes never existed until needed. Because I never.... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2019 ...agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the Report about me, some of which are total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad). This was an Illegally Started Hoax that never should have happened, a... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2019 The Justice Department released a redacted version of the special counsels report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and the Trump campaign Thursday morning, following nearly two years of investigations by Mueller and his team. The president has denied collusion with Russia, repeatedly referred to the special counsel investigation as a witch hunt" and hoax." Special counsel did not find a criminal conspiracy between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign but did not exonerate the president on obstruction of justice. The report details the presidents fear over the investigation, detailing the moment two years ago when he learned a special counsel had been appointed to investigate believed interference in the 2016 election by a foreign agency. The president slumped back in his chair, Mueller wrote in his report, citing statements from those in the room, and said, Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f-----. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. Trump then became angry at Jeff Sessions, the then-attorney general for recusing himself from the investigation, stating, How could you let this happen, Jeff? The report details attempts by the White House to seize control of the investigation, from the president seeking the removal of Mueller to discouraging current and former members of the administration from speaking to investigators. Investigators did not sit down with the president for the report. Special counsel went back and forth with the presidents attorneys to negotiate terms of an interview. The report states Trumps attorneys requested a list of questions from investigators and did not want the president to answer follow-up questions. Mueller threatened to subpoena the president during a 2018 meeting, but that step was ultimately not taken. Instead, the report features the presidents written responses to special counsels questions. We made that decision in view of the substantial delay that such an investigative step would likely produce at a late stage in our investigation. We also assessed that based on the significant body of evidence we had already obtained of the Presidents actions and his public and private statements describing or explaining those actions, we had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the Presidents testimony, Mueller wrote in the report. Fridays response by the president to the report marks a shift from his initial reaction. He spoke at a White House event for wounded warriors shortly after the report was released, telling the crowd Im having a good day. He repeated past remarks, saying No collusion, adding that there never was, by the way, and there never will be. Trump said such an investigation should never happen to another president again. SPRINGFIELD Ward 4 City Councilor E. Henry Twiggs will not seek reelection in November, saying he wants to encourage a new generation of political leaders. Twiggs, who has served on the council for 10 years, said he decided after much consideration not to seek a sixth two-year term. Although Ive been urged by many to run for another term on the council, Ive decided to continue my pursuit of social and economic justice in other ways, Twiggs said in a prepared statement. I want to begin by encouraging a new generation of political leaders, people on the caliber of Councilor Jesse Lederman, to enter this arena and fight wholeheartedly for the public good. Twiggs is the second incumbent councilor to announce he will not be on the 2019 ballot. In March, Ward 6 Councilor Kenneth Shea announced that he would not seek reelection. Sheas tenure on the council began in January 2012; he was a School Committee member for 24 years. Twiggs said he has entered many arenas to uphold ideals that are dear to me" throughout his life. At the risk of appearing grand, I sought election to the City Council guided by a similar spirit that led me to engage in front-line activism during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, Twiggs said. Holding public office offered another means in which I could remain true to my values and serve the people of my community and our city. Twiggs was first elected in 2009 when the City Council changed from nine at-large seats to a 13-member elected body with eight ward seats and five at-large seats. "The struggle to create a better future through political involvement goes beyond any term of office, or single lifetime," Twiggs said. "It is a cause that must be shared with those who will put the public interest ahead of their own. The people of our city deserve nothing less." Twiggs said he is proud of his efforts to get city departments to accept residency requirements for its workers, and his efforts to promote economic development and jobs. He said he has also been an advocate for improving police-community relations and for creating a civilian Police Commission. He also took pride in helping other newcomers who ran successful campaigns for council seats, including Lederman. Lederman, an at-large councilor, said Twiggs was a friend, mentor and like a father to him. In addition, Lederman praised Twiggs as "among the most dedicated and bold public servants I have ever met. His leadership and service to the City of Springfield, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the United States of America has gone far beyond his ten years on the Springfield City Council." His voice and contributions will be greatly missed in the Council chamber, though I have no doubt he will be heard in many other capacities as he begins this next chapter, Lederman said. "I am grateful to him for his mentorship, his support, and for teaching me the meaning of public service, Lederman said. Ward 4 consists of the neighborhoods of Old Hill, McKnight, Bay and part of Upper Hill. Three people have taken out nomination papers to run for the Ward 4 council seat: Jynai S. McDonald, Malo Brown and Larry Lawson. Free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel is moving closer to deciding where he will sign, according to a recent report from Jon Morosi of MLB.com. Morosi cautions that no team has emerged as a frontrunner yet. Morosi lists the Brewers and Braves as teams still involved with Kimbrel, which should come as no surprise. Milwaukee has been flirting with idea of bringing in the seven-time All-Star for weeks, especially in the wake of losing closer Corey Knebel for the year due to Tommy John surgery. Atlanta could theoretically get more aggressive in the wake of the news that Arodys Vizcaino wont pitch again in 2019 after undergoing a shoulder procedure. Kimbrel originally sought a five- or six-year deal in free agency, but recent reports have him currently looking at three-year contracts. MLB Networks Jon Heyman reported Thursday that interested clubs are beginning to believe he would in fact take a three-year deal and listed the Nationals and Phillies as other potential suitors. The Kimbrel saga has gone on for the better part of six months, with the player and interested teams clearly holding different ideas of the closers value. A reunion with the Red Sox remains extremely unlikely. Kimbrel, who turns 31 next month, posted a 2.74 ERA and saved 42 games for Boston last season. He has 333 career saves with Atlanta, San Diego and Boston. A 63-year-old Connecticut man suffered serious injuries Friday morning are crashing on Interstate 395 at the Auburn and Oxford town line, officials said. A 1998 Mazda B2500 pickup truck crashed around 9:30 a.m., according to state police. No other cars were involved. The truck rolled over and became fully engulfed in flames, the Auburn Fire Department wrote on Twitter. Firefighters from Auburn and Oxford responded, state police said, and gave the driver emergency medical aid. The driver was taken to the hospital. No further information was immediately available. The Tunisian state television said Thursday it will host the "Chinese Film Week in Tunisia 2019" starting on April 22. The launching ceremony of this event was held Thursday at the headquarters of the Tunisian state television, in the presence of its Secretary-General Faisal Al-Sahrawi, Chinese Ambassador to Tunisia Wang Wenbin and Cao Ying, head of the China Movie Channel, a partner in organizing this cultural event. During the film week, five Chinese feature films and documentaries will be screened on the national television channels "Watanya 1" and "Watanya 2". Speaking at the ceremony, Wang underscored the importance of the Chinese Film Week in Tunisia and its role in promoting cultural exchange and enhancing the friendship between China and Tunisia. This event is also part of the celebration marking the 55th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Tunisia diplomatic relations. Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities unveiled on Thursday evening a 60-ton statue of ancient Egyptian King Ramses II at the Luxor Temple after its restoration and re-erection on the Nile River's east bank in the southern province of Luxor. "This statue is 12 meters tall and it is made of pink granite. It was broken into 14 pieces when we started its restoration eight months ago," Mostafa Waziri, head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said during an open-air ceremony held near the giant pylon. Waziri explained that the pylon that has six giant statues, two sitting and four standing, used to have only three before the restoration work started in November 2016. "Now we send a message to the world that we have the pylon of Luxor Temple with its six statues just as it was in ancient times," said the SCA chief. The event is part of the activities held by the Ministry of Antiquities to mark the World Heritage Day, an international day for monuments and sites celebrated on April 18 each year since it was approved by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1983. The ceremony was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anany, Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat, Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem and Luxor Governor Mostafa Alham, in addition to other Egyptian officials, parliamentarians and celebrities, as well as some foreign ambassadors. Ramses II, also known as Ramses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the 19th dynasty. He ruled ancient Egypt about 3,300 years ago, leaving behind a rare legacy of monuments including his well-known great temple in the Nubian village of Abu Simbel village in Aswan province in southern Egypt. A scene from the previous BBC Planet series that include Planet Earth and Frozen Planet. The BBC has announced a slew of new natural-history shows that'll be broadcast in China. [Photo provided to China Daily] Keen to build on the success of hit series like Blue Planet, BBC Studios has unveiled plans for five new natural-history shows scheduled to air in China, Xu Haoyu reports. The BBC announced a slew of new natural-history shows - One Planet: Seven Worlds, Planet Earth III, Green Planet, Perfect Planet and Frozen Planet II - to be broadcast in China. The producers of the highly successful BBC Planet series, which examines the relationship between humankind and the natural world while tackling the major issues affecting the planet, have confirmed that five new natural-history series are currently under production. Julia Noccoiolino, the commercial director of the BBC Studios brand in China, and Chaldean Hunter, an Australian wildlife biologist and filmmaker, who worked on Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, made the announcement recently at a media conference in Beijing. Since the release of Planet Earth in 2006, BBC Planet titles have become a global phenomenon, with Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II attracting over a billion viewers over the past three years. The productions of the five new series are expected to involve over 10,000 days of filming across more than 120 countries over several years. Chemotherapy is excessively used for the treatment of different types of cancer such as lung cancer, bone cancer, blood cancer, etc. The technological advancements in the treatment are further expected to boost the future trajectory of the chemotherapy market. According to the analysis offered by Market Research Future (MRFR), the global chemotherapy market has been presumed to strike a CAGR of 6.2% during the forecast period 2017 to 2023. Chemotherapy is an effective treatment for cancer which infuses drugs into the bloodstream to target specific cancer sites. The growth trajectory of the market is anticipated to be dominated by the rising burden of the disease. Get Free Sample Copy @ www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5791 The global chemotherapy market is driven by an increasing prevalence of cancer such as lung cancer, breast cancer, and others and the growing demand for the new treatments of cancer. Furthermore, the market is also accelerated with an increasing focus on research in oncology. However, the market growth is restrained by the high cost of treatment and side effects of chemotherapy. Emphasis is placed on research & development for bringing more precision and effectiveness. It is prognosticated to have a favorable impact on the expansion of the chemotherapy market. On the flip side, factors such as the high cost of treatment and poor reimbursement policies remain impediments to the market growth. In addition, the side effects of the treatment such as hair loss, hearing impairment, alopecia, etc. are projected to further hinder the proliferation of the chemotherapy market in the upcoming years. Industry News: In May 2018, Advanced Chemotherapy Technologies, North Carolina, has started working on large coin-sized implant for delivering chemo agents into the pancreas. In September 2018, Alan B. Pearson Regional Cancer Center in Lynchburg announced the installation of Dignicap Cooling System that cools down the scalp by 37 degrees for preventing hair loss during chemotherapy. In December 2018, a team of experts is reported to work on the development of dry powder for inhaled chemotherapy. The Belgian spin-off project, InhaTarget Therapeutics, aims at treating lung cancer locally. Competitive Analysis: Some of the key players profiled in this MRFR report are Sanofi (France), Eli Lilly & Company (U.S.), GlaxoSmithKline (U.K.), Novartis (Germany), Pfizer Inc. (U.S.), ImClone Systems Inc. (U.S.), AstraZeneca (U.K), Schering-Plough (U.S.), Bristol-Myers Squibb , Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries (Japan), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd ( Switzerland), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany), Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.), CELGENE CORPORATION (U.S.), Amgen Inc (U.S.), Chemo Espana SL (Spain), Bayer AG (Germany), and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Japan). Market Segmentation: On the basis of drugs, the global chemotherapy market has been segmented into anti-tumor antibiotics, topoisomerase inhibitors, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, mitotic inhibitors, and others. The alkylating agents segment has been further sub-segmented into mustard gas derivatives, ethylenimines, alkyl sulfonates, hydrazines and triazines, and others. The anti-tumor antibiotics segment is further sub-segmented into anthracyclines and chromomycin. The topoisomerase inhibitors segment has been sub-segmented into Topoisomerase I inhibitors and Topoisomerase II inhibitors. On the basis of indication, the chemotherapy market has been segmented into lymphoma, leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, myeloma, ovarian cancer, sarcoma, and others. On the basis of the route of drug administration, the global chemotherapy market has been segmented into oral and intravenous. On the basis of end-user, the chemotherapy market has been segmented into hospitals, research institutes, and others. Regional Analysis: By region, the global chemotherapy market has been segmented into Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. Americas is expected to thrive significantly in the foreseeable future. The rising burden of cancer is poised to dive the expansion of the chemotherapy market in the region over the assessment period. Other factors that are likely to propel the expansion of the regional market are changing lifestyle, advancements in healthcare, rising healthcare expenditure, etc. Europe is projected to witness considerable growth owing to the availability of funds and government support for research & development. Also, Asia Pacific is likely to flourish during the projection period due to rapid developments in the healthcare sector. It is estimated to strike a comparatively higher CAGR across the review period. Meanwhile, the Middle East & Africa resonates growth opportunities owing to the increasing awareness about the disease. Browse Complete 100 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/chemotherapy-market-5791 Detailed Table of Contents: Table Of Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Definition 1.2 Scope Of Study 1.3 Research Objective 1.4 Assumptions & Limitations 1.5 Market Structure: 2 Research Methodology 2.1 Research Process 2.2 Primary Research 2.3 Secondary Research 3 Market Dynamics 3.1 Drivers 3.2 Restraints 3.3 Opportunities 3.4 Challenges 3.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 4 Market Factor Analysis 4.1 Porters Five Forces Model 4.1.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 4.1.2 Bargaining Power Of Customer 4.1.3 Intensity Of Competitors 4.1.4 Threat Of New Entrants 5 Global Chemotherapy Market, By Material 5.1 Introduction 5.1.1 Synthetic Materials 5.1.2 Genetically Engineered Materials 5.1.3 Biologically Derived Materials 5.1.4 Others TOC Continued! Send an Enquiry @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/enquiry/5791 About US: Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. Contact Us: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India Phone: +1 646 845 9312 Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.com In Vitro Fertilization Device Market Overview IVF is a landmark achievement in assistive reproductive technology, which has become extremely popular in recent years. IVF helps in overcoming issues in conceiving or natural impregnation. The technology has undergone tremendous improvements, making it a trusted treatment option. IVF has a high success rate, however, is an expensive procedure and is viewed among the last resorts. Patients usually opt for IVF upon failure of the other treatments. IVF procedures have increased over the years, thereby expanding its global market. Increased incidences of genetic abnormalities in embryos and miscarriage is also leading to a higher demand for IVF procedures. Moreover, wider acceptance of surrogacy is reflecting favorably on the IVF industry. Get Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/2289 Modern individuals both women and men are delaying marriage to over the age of 30 and beyond where reproduction, especially for women usually becomes much more complicated. Such trends are partly driving the popularity of IVF. Other factors that are linked with the growth of the global IVF device market, include increased rate of infertility and reproductive tourism. In Vitro Fertilization Device Market Key Players Some of the key players in this market are: EMD Serono, Inc., Irvine Scientific, Cooper Surgical, Inc., hermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Genea Biomedx, Auxogyn, Inc., Oxford Gene Technology and OvaScience, Inc Vitrolife AB, Cook Medical, Inc., Esco Micro Pte. Ltd and others. In Vitro Fertilization Device Market Regional Analysis Europe is likely to be a major contributor to the global IVF market over the forecast period. The medical research sector in Europe is highly advanced and houses well-developed IVF procedures. Medical tourism in Europe has also taken off in a big way, with countries such as the Czech Republic emerging as a popular destination for Americans looking to obtain IVF treatments at a cheaper rate. The U.K., France, and Germany are likely to play key roles in the development of the in vitro fertilization market in Europe over the forecast period. The Asia Pacific in vitro fertilization market is also likely to take off spectacularly over the forecast period due to the growing medical tourism in the region, including medical tourism for fertility treatments, and growing prevalence of infertility problems in APAC countries themselves. The growing population of APAC countries is likely to provide fertility clinics with a rich market in the coming years, leading to steady growth of the in vitro fertilization market over the forecast period. North America is also likely to remain a steady contributor to the global in vitro fertilization market over the forecast period due to the growing prevalence of infertility conditions among North American men and women. In Vitro Fertilization Device Market Segments The Global In Vitro Fertilization Market report segments the global market on the basis of type, product, end user, and region. By Type, the global in vitro fertilization market is segmented into intrauterine insemination, in-vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and IVF using donor eggs. The share of intracytoplasmic sperm injection in the global IVF market is likely to remain strong over the forecast period, as the method has become extremely popular in recent years. By Product, the global in vitro fertilization market is segmented into devices and reagents. The devices segment is sub-segmented into imaging systems, sperm separation systems, ovum aspiration pumps, cerosystem, and micromanipulators. The reagents segment is divided into embryo culture media, cryopreservation media, sperm processing media, and ovum processing media. By End User, the IVF market is segmented into fertility clinics, hospitals, and clinical research centers. Industry News: In September 2018, it was revealed in Australian Financial review Friday that the Asian investment firm Aldworth Management, Hong Kong-listed financial services and wealth company Mason Group and Chinese company WeDoctor which is backed by Tencent Group Holdings Ltd. are have teamed up to buy Genea, Australias third-largest in vitro fertilization services provider based in Sydney. In January 2018, A team of researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Stanford University, developed a SPARTAN sperm sorting device that Could Improve IVF Success. The device uses an obstacle course to sort and select faster and healthier sperm cells which can be used in IVF treatment. In November 2016, The Cooper Companies, Inc. announced the acquisition of Wallace, the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) segment of Smiths Medical by CooperSurgical. The acquisition provides strategic benefit to CooperSurgicals existing IVF portfolio as Wallace brings the gold standard of embryo transfer catheters along with some of the premier products like oocyte retrieval needles. In June 2016, CooperSurgical acquired Reprogenetics UK of Oxford, United Kingdom. Reprogenetics UK is a terrific addition to CooperSurgicals industry leading ART portfolio of IVF and genetic testing solutions. Browse Complete 80 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 150 Respective Tables and Figures @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/in-vitro-fertilization-market-2289 About Market Research Future: At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members. Contact: Market Research Future Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar, Pune 411028 Maharashtra, India +1 646 845 9312 Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com by Alex Weprin , April 18, 2019 Streaming giant Netflix says it will build a new production hub in New York City. The company, in conjunction with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, announced it will directly hire 127 executive-level jobs in content, marketing and production, with thousands of production crew jobs to follow. The 127 new employees there will join 32 existing New York-based staff. Netflix says it will expand its office in Manhattans Flatiron district to 100,000 square feet to house the new and existing hires. In addition, the company will build six sound stages and support buildings in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The company has leased 161,000 square feet for those projects. The company says the jobs and sound stages will be filled within five years. advertisement advertisement Empire State Development has offered $4 million in tax incentives, which will require Netflix to fill those roles by 2024, as well as keep them and the existing roles in New York for a minimum of five years. Netflix is expanding in New York City after Amazon decided to abandon its plans to build a second headquarters there. Amazon had planned to build a campus in Long Island City, in exchange for $2.5 billion in tax credits and $500 million in state construction subsidies, per the New York Post. Public pressure resulted in Amazon abandoning its plans, although it says it will add jobs in its existing New York City office. China and the United States have made new progress in negotiating the text of an economic and trade deal, but much work remains to be done, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. Negotiating teams from the two countries are hashing out the text of the deal, including an enforcement mechanism, on the basis of mutual respect and benefit, said Gao Feng, ministry spokesman. The remarks came as the world's two biggest economies have been intensifying their consultations and aiming to break the deadlock in a timely manner. In the most recent round of trade consultations, the negotiators discussed technology transfers, protection of intellectual property rights, nontariff measures, the service sector, agriculture, trade imbalances and enforcement mechanisms, according to earlier reports. The American Chamber of Commerce in China said in a recent white paper that the US business community in China, long an advocate of good bilateral relations, can no longer be relied on to be a positive anchor. Gao cited data to rebut that view and urged AmCham China to evaluate China's market access and business environment for foreign investors in a "comprehensive, objective and fair" way. The ministry's data showed that US investment in China jumped 71.3 percent year-on-year in the first three months of this year. In 2018, US investment increased 7.7 percent year-on-year. Gao said expansion of the investment figures fully demonstrates that US companies continue to be optimistic about the market and accelerate the pace of investing in China. Gao cited another survey published in February by AmCham China that showed that most US companies with operations in China said they have continued to see their revenues grow there. Gao said the ministry will maintain close contact with foreign enterprises and business associations, and continuously improve China's business environment. China's trade with the US amounted to 815.86 billion yuan ($121.7 billion) between January and March, a decrease of 11 percent year-on-year, according to the General Administration of Customs. In March, Sino-US trade climbed 0.1 percent to 291.35 billion yuan, the administration said. Li Kuiwen, spokesman for the customs authority, said trade tensions between the two countries have had certain impacts on companies' operations, but the impact is "generally controllable". Li said economic and trade cooperation remains the ballast of Sino-US relations, and he is hopeful that China and the US will achieve mutually beneficial results. by Sara Guaglione , April 19, 2019 Pride Media CEO Nathan Coyle is moving out of the media business to become CEO of modeling agency Ford Models. Chief Revenue Officer Orlando Reece will fill his shoes as interim CEO of Pride, effective immediately. Reece has served as CRO since August 2018. He is responsible for Pride Medias advertising and sales growth, according to the company, which owns LGBTQ-focused media brands Out, The Advocate, Out Traveler, Plus, Chill and Pride. The company expects earnings to grow 50% year-over-year in Q2. Pride Media traffic has nearly doubled across all digital properties, the company claims. Adam Levin, chairman of Pride stated: Reeces leadership has helped drive not only sales, but readership across our various publications, and we are certain no one is more appropriate than him to captain this ship. advertisement advertisement Coyle spent less than a year as CEO of Pride, a role he took on after he served as the chief executive of Domino Media Group, which publishes interior design magazine Domino. WWD reports Pride Media was recently plagued by a payment controversy. Former contributors to Out complained about not receiving payment, or receiving it late, as did new staffers and freelancers at Pride. A $10 million lawsuit was slapped on McCarthy Media, owned and operated by Evanly Schindler, the previous owner, by Pride Media, which claims it is being blamed for the late payments. Reece seemed to allude to the management drama, stating he would be ushering in a new level of transparent leadership for our incredible employees and our valued partners and advertisers. Reece previously served as Chief Operating Officer-Chief Revenue Officer for Swoup, a financial management platform. by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, April 19, 2019 T-Mobile's proposed $26 billion merger with Sprint, which would leave the country with three major wireless carriers, will result in less competition, fewer choices, and higher prices for consumers, two dozen advocacy organizations and unions say in a new letter to the Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission. The organizations -- including Consumer Reports, Open Markets Institute and Writers Guild of America West -- are urging regulators to block the deal. If allowed to proceed, this transaction would consolidate the nations wireless market from four to just three carriers, lead to price increases for virtually all wireless customers, substantially raise wholesale rates for smaller wireless carriers, and cause significant job losses -- all while failing to deliver the promised benefits of accelerated 5G deployment or expanded rural coverage, the groups write. advertisement advertisement The letter comes days after reports surfaced in The Wall Street Journal and other publications that DOJ is unlikely to approve the merger. (T-Mobile CEO John Legere and Sprint executive chairman Marcelo Claure disputed the Journal's story in tweets.) The organizations opposing the merger argue to regulators that it could lead to price hikes, while also leaving the combined company in control of more than half the pre-paid wireless market. This concentration means that pre-paid wireless consumers, who are primarily lower income Americans, would likely see even greater price increases, they write. T-Mobile and Sprint have said that if the merger goes through, they will invest nearly $40 billion to roll out a nationwide 5G network. The companies say the new network will offer 5G speeds four to six times faster than each company could achieve independently, which will spur competition by forcing Verizon and AT&T to improve their own networks. But Consumer Reports and the other critics say the companies have already started to build out 5G networks, and can continue to do so without merging. Sprint boasted about its 5G progress at the recent Mobile World Congress, citing plans to bring 5G to four cities in May 2019 and another five cities in the first half of 2019, they write. T-Mobile, for its part, claims it will deploy 5G in 30 major American cities this year. The opponents also say the deal won't benefit rural parts of the country, because the combined spectrum of T-Mobile and Sprint would not be particularly well-suited for rural coverage. by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, April 19, 2019 Google has introduced a new search engine setup procedure for new phones in Europe that allows users to customize preferences on their Android devices. Marketing for Google may become a bit more strategic. Android users in Europe will see an option to download search apps and browsers and can now personalize the design, installing any app they want and choosing the types of default services to use such as Google Chrome. The changes were made to comply with the European Commission's ruling last year. The EU fined Google, saying it had an unfair advantage by pre-installing its Chrome browser and Google search app on Android smartphones and notebooks. To comply with the EU, the new screens will serve up the first time a user opens Google Play after receiving an upcoming update, explains Google Product Management Director Paul Gennai in a post. Two screens will serve up -- one for search apps and another for browsers. Each will contain a total of five apps. Apps that are not already installed on the device will be included based on their popularity. They will, however, serve up in a random order. advertisement advertisement Users can tap to install as many apps as they want. If an additional search app or browser is installed, the user will be shown an additional screen with instructions on how to set up the new app. Where a user downloads a search app from the screen, Google will ask the user whether they want to change Chrome's default search engine the next time they open Chrome. Lobbying group FairSearch told Reuters it rejects Googles announcement because it does nothing to correct the central problem that Google apps will remain the default on all Android devices. On February 14, when most people were celebrating the day of love i.e. Valentine's Day with their respective partners, some families were weeping and mourning the death of their loved ones, who were in the Central Reserve Police Force. The nation has not forgotten their death and never will, and in order to salute their courage and bravery our Bollywood actors recently took out time to pay tribute to the martyrs. AP In memory of the bravehearts, actors Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor recently paid a soulful tribute, called 'Tu Desh Mera'. The official Twitter account of CRPF posted their BTS pictures on social media and thanked them for their tribute. CRPF wrote, "Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs." Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs. pic.twitter.com/sw6MpDP05b CRPF (@crpfindia) April 18, 2019 Almost two months ago, over 40 CRPF jawans were martyred in Pulwama, when an SUV laden with explosives rammed into the convoy carrying the jawans, in one of the worst terrorist attacks ever in the state of Jammu & Kashmir. Post that, things have worsened between India and Pakistan with reports of attacks coming almost every other day. Visual China Group, which owns Chinese photo platform vcg.com, was fined 300,000 yuan ($44,758) for flawed supervision of user content, according to a company statement late Thursday. The Tianjin cyberspace affairs authority decided that the platform's administrators failed to detect in time illegal user content, some of which seriously breached the law, the statement said. The company said it was not clear when the platform which shut down April 11 for address the situation will resume service, but that it will notify clients when this is confirmed. The punitive measures followed the false claims from the company regarding copyright of the recently released black hole picture, which angered a number of media platforms. The issue received public attention after the Chinese Communist Youth League accused Visual China of selling images of the national flag and national emblem on its website. The company said that the photos were uploaded by users and it failed to supervise this. "Mr President of the Hellenic Parliament, Dear Colleagues, first of all I would like to thank the Cross-Party Commission for the report it prepared, a coherent report that is fully reasoned and constitutes the roadmap for the establishment of a national strategy. I would like to thank all the representatives of the associations and the organisations that are here with us today from the martyred cities and villages, the people who have sought, for so many years, the debt that Germany owes Greece. But I would like to begin with something else. A day which is truly - based also on the reports of the Parliament's Commission - a day during which we must think about how it is that this national strategy will be realised, will be established, a day which tends to develop into an exchange of accusations of one party against the other, for what one did and the other failed to do. In order to clarify things a bit -since certain things were heard before, which are not valid - I would like to mention the following: As early as March 2015, our Government has broached, at the most formal and highest level, the issue of reparations for the occupation loan, and generally of Germanys debt to Greece. It was in March 2015 that the Prime Minister visited Chancellor Merkel in Berlin. I am referring to the joint Press Meeting at that time between the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. I would also like to remind that since 2016 - if I am not mistaken - the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the orders of then Minister Nikos Kotzias, designated the collection of all the archival material which exists in the historical archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which amounts to quite a few pages - hundreds of pages I would say - which is due to be published shortly. But I would like to remind, in order to raise this issue to a high level, that during a visit of then Minister of Foreign Affairs Kotzias with his counterpart, then Minister of Foreign Affairs and currently the President of Germany, Mr Steinmeier, the issue was also raised. I shall not refer to the numerous statements by the President of the Republic, to the statements and interventions of the President of the Hellenic Parliament, but I will again remind that in January 2019, the Prime Minister again broached the issue during the Chancellor's official visit here, speaking indeed about the inalienable claims of the Greek State during the joint press meeting. I can also submit it here to Parliament. I do not wish to ask Mr Venizelos but, if it is valid, it would be good for us to know. It would be good for it to be submitted when, by the latter, a note verbale was issued in January 2015 to Germany. Because we have all the material in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs archives. If this exists, it is a trump card for our country. We are familiar with the one and only note verbale that was issued in 1995. So, we do not wish to get into such a dispute, because we would be able to say that for a number of years, nothing was done, or that the actions were minimal. We want, from this Podium of the Parliament, to proclaim in the most emphatic manner, that no Greek government has existed to date, if one were to exclude the dismal interlude of the military junta - to have renounced the claims of the Greek State. This must be heard by everybody. Secondly, whether at the low, medium, or high level, at times in a more decisive manner, and at other times more interspersed, Greek governments have sought this debt that the German State owes. What we ought to also add is that work has been done in recent years. And I shall refer to and highlight the work done by Mr Staikouras, which is apparent, I believe, also in the report of the Cross-Party Commission, as well as the work that has been done at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the great work that the Parliament did and is submitting this report to us. These is our strong leverage, which we must utilise, and not just barren disputes. But there is also another point which I would like to respond to, and it pertains to the Communist Party of Greece. I will not get into the dispute now with a thousand other individual issues. This is the first time, though, that we have another tool in our hands, as Greece, which we must utilise. For the first time on the part of Germany, there is an autonomous movement by German citizens, including prominent figures in German political, cultural and artistic life who are taking Greece's side. Is there value in this? There is great value in this, and if I have time, I will say a few things more. Is it important that a party such as Die Linke is staunchly in support of Greeces claims? It is very important that there are others from other parties. Not systematically, but they do exist. And this is important for one reason. To date, officially, Germany insists that no issue exists. So, with the work we did today - and this is what we must concentrate on - we want first of all to persuade Germany also, as well as the European and international communities, that the issue does exist and that the issue remains open in all respects: ethical, political, legal. And I will describe how further on. Therefore, these are crucial issues which we must keep in mind, so that we do not lose ourselves in things that are not important. What is the German debt? You will permit me to very briefly mention this, so that the issue is clear. It is one of our great arguments now that we also have all the sums, thanks to the Cross-Party Commissions report. First, the occupation loan. A forced loan, a coercive loan which is not provided for by any international agreement, neither by the Hague Convention, based on any interpretation. And the interpretation of Nuremberg later comes to say that the occupation loan, to be within certain limits that are permissible by International Law, is only for the occupying forces and for the period of the Occupation. The occupation loan that was forced upon Greece was coercive and was a Nazi mechanism to neutralise the country. We know that it was not used for the occupying forces here, but it was used also for the German army, the Nazi army in general; therefore, it is not a loan which is not written off, and it is thus contestable. Secondly, the German reparations. The reparations for all the damage that the Nazi powers inflicted here in Greece against infrastructure, against structures, for anything that degraded the country itself, and society. Let me also note that the results of the occupation loan was hunger and the death of so many people, that the country lacked the basic resources for society to be able to survive during this entire period. Finally, compensation for the victims, for all those thousands of victims from the martyred villages, from the cities etc., the victims of the war, of occupation during the course of the Occupation. All these were mechanisms of the Nazi powers to destroy a country. And I say this because the Nazis themselves, as early as 1943, admit that what they imposed upon the country is unsustainable. They themselves recognise the loan and that it must be repaid. It is in not written off. Therefore, this a something important. They themselves admit that this country paid a great deal over this entire period of the Occupation. Many others have admitted to same thing. I would also like to note that in this firm stance of Germany, in which certain flaws exist, it is good for it to also be heard here, to recall the phrase of Helmut Schmidt in 2015, when he responded to a journalist's questions, on a German television channel, who asked him about reparations, about the German debt to Greece, and he said, It does not suffice for Germany to say that the issue is closed. Greece must also agree. I believe that this is the square one from which one can begin. One cannot say unilaterally that an issue is closed and beyond that, that there is no chance for something like that to be sought. On the other hand, we have international agreements. It has been said by many that the Greek State did nothing for seventy years. So that we can be consistent and because, at least personally, I feel that a national strategy is being forged here today and we must be familiar with certain things, I would like to say that up to 1990, the closure of peace had been suspended, the peace treaty in other words, because the two Germanies were not unified. From 1990, with the famous 2+4 Treaty between the then Soviet Union, the US, England, France, and the two Germanies, peace is signed, but this does not bind Greece, under any circumstances with regard to not having any claims. Moreover, Greece did not sign. Greece simply recognised the proclamation of the CSCE. So, there is no signature or commitment on the part of Greece whatsoever of having renounced through this agreement, the 2+4 Treaty, any claims that is has. Thus, the issue of re-energizing the matter essentially begins from 1990 onwards. Inter-state agreements had been made between Greece and Germany since 1960. They did not pertain to the occupation loan. They did not pertain to reparations. In other words, they did not pertain to State debt. They pertained to certain compensation to private individuals, victims of the Nazis, which was limited as was any money that was given by Germany. And I say it was limited - and here I will go into another subject with the limited time that I have got - because, if I am not mistaken, 114 million was given, while in Holland, which did not have even one-hundredth of the victims that Greece had, 400 million was given. I say this with reservation, for fear that I am making a mistake with regard to the figures. Therefore, there is an issue with the German people and the German government here. We are friends and allies, and we must not forget this. And I say that we must not forget this because we do not raise the issue of German debt in order to implicate another people as being an enemy, the German people. On the contrary, indeed. We dont wish for this Europe to give birth to beasts again. And herein lies the irony of the story, when a Nazi party-organisation comes here and points fingers about what the Greek state has done with regard to German reparations, when its Leader takes an oath in the name of Hitler. Because this is what we are talking about. So, we dont wish to make enemies. On the contrary, we wish to invite the democratic German people to recognise this issue. Because recognition, remembering is a painful process. Remembering does not mean carrying out commemorative events at Kalavryta, on the anniversary, at Distomo, Kandanos, Viannos - lest I list all the places. It is a painful process and it implies an initiative also from the party whose history has such destructive black holes. Therefore, we call upon the German people to undertake its democratic responsibility to its history and to the history of Europe, to concede to and accept what happened. Because you know what? When such wounds remain, such trauma, which is not confessed, not discussed, this always leaves space for beasts to sprout, as we are seeing today. The economic crisis immediately showed how many stereotypes spring up, and how easily these stereotypes spring up when these things have not been resolved. Because Greece is not yet enshrined in the conscience of European peoples, and particularly the German people, as to how much it has paid for Democracy and Liberty to exist in this Europe. Because for me this is the most important thing, for it to become part of conscience. We are not begging. We are not seeking restoration. Pay attention to the terms. We are seeking compensation, reparations for the occupation loan as a tribute that this country, this people paid with its blood and was completely destroyed for democracy in Europe. It is only in this manner that we can establish democracy. Not looking towards the future and casting stones in the past, but when we light up the past with every light in order to move forward. So, it is important for us to mobilise Germanys democratic public opinion, as well as that of Europe as a whole. And I say this because we had an unfortunate moment. Because Mr Venizelos said that we have not stated in a formal manner, even I who was at the time the Alternate Minister of Education, I had stated it to my counterpart, because as luck would have it, prior to my visit to her Ministry, I stopped by the German Historical Museum, which had an exhibition on what happened during World War II. This exhibition ran for one year. Do you know which country was completely absent? Greece, which I dont know whether it paid the greatest price in this battle but paid one of the steepest prices in terms of bloodshed and destruction in this battle. So, it is important. So that I dont take up too much time, what will happen going forward with regard to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs? Inter-state agreements, inter-state negotiations. I believe that Greece has the tools to negotiate, so that Germany accepts the debts on all levels, those that I mentioned, the occupation loan, compensations, reparations, and to show that this ethical, political, financial problem does exist. I am not going to say that the problem is solely an ethical one. It is also financial, because peoples must realise that in every stage of our history, that History has materiality. It is not something that just finished, which happened once and was then over. There is destruction, and this destruction burdens us all. So that we know what to do going forward. Thus, inter-state negotiations which will include the problem. Because now, in recent years, we are doing coordinated and collective work. Inter-state negotiations. Updating of the German public. This first citizens movement which has been created in Germany is very important. Die Linke is very important, which is along these lines. Raising awareness. Raising awareness in any manner necessary. In addition, a committee (will be created) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which will co-ordinate all the actions, everything being carried out on the part of Greece and beyond that, any steps that need to be taken on an international level. I believe that we will manage, because we are on the right side of history, and we have something else that is very important: Presently in Europe, a large battle is being waged between Democracy and the beasts that are trying to resurface. This is why we have a duty to win, not only as Greek, but as Europeans, the European peoples and states. Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Katrougalos will chair a meeting of the National Council on Foreign Policy (NCFP) at 13:30 on Friday, 19 April. The main subject for discussion will be the plan to establish a National Security Council, while briefing and discussion related to current issues of Greek foreign policy, including the Cyprus issue, will also take place. Chalabala/iStock(NEW YORK) -- A journalist from Northern Ireland was shot and killed by what authorities called "terrorists" during rioting in the country ahead of this weekend's religious holidays. Lyra McKee, 29, was fatally shot Thursday night in Derry/Londonderry near Creggan, a large housing complex in the northwest town, about 70 miles west of Belfast, the nation's capital. McKee was a freelancer, who had written for The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News. The Northern Ireland Police Service said, "Lyra McKee was murdered during orchestrated violence in Creggan last night. A single gunman fired shots in a residential area of the city and as a result wounded Ms McKee." "Officers quickly administered first aid before transporting her in the back of a landrover to hospital," police said in a release. "Tragically she died from her injuries." The rioting apparently erupted as homes belonging to Irish republicans, those who believe all of Ireland should be separate from British rule, were raided ahead of the Easter weekend. "Protecting the public is and will always be our priority," Northern Ireland police said. "The searches were being carried out because we believed that violent dissident republicans were storing firearms and explosives for a number of planned attacks and these may have been used over the Easter weekend in the city." There were about 100 people in the area, including "young people and members of the media," when the unknown shooter fired into a crowd of people, police said. Prior to the shooting, the protesters had gathered near Creggan at about 9 p.m. Police said the rioters threw over 50 petrol bombs at police officers and hijacked two vehicles, which were then set on fire. McKee had tweeted earlier in the evening, "Derry tonight. Absolute madness." "This murder demonstrates all too starkly that when terrorists bring violence and guns into the community, members of the public are placed in severe danger," authorities said in a release. "It is abundantly clear that they do not care who they harm." McKee was also an author, with a book deal with publisher Faber and Faber. Her first book, the nonfiction novella Angels With Blue Faces, from Excalibur Press, is due to be published this year. Her second book, The Lost Boys, was to be released in 2020. She appeared on Forbes' European 30 under 30 list for media in 2016, with the magazine saying her "passion is to dig into topics that others don't care about." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. You are here: Business China's white goods (including components) export reached a record high last year, according to a report issued by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products Thursday. The report shows that white goods export recorded 75.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, a year-on-year rise of 9.6 percent. The export of large electrical goods used domestically such as refrigerators and washing machines continued to increase, and the export of small household appliances began to see growth last year. European countries remained the strong buyers of China's white goods, accounting for around 45 percent of China's total export, said Shi Yonghe, vice director of the chamber. Shi added that more buyers in emerging markets such as the ASEAN countries also contributed to the growth. Chinese white goods companies are expanding their global service network and enhance the protection of intellectual property rights to cope with the growing demand, said Shi. You are here: Business Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam on Thursday said the air carrier is considering adding China's C919 passenger planes to its aircraft fleet. Speaking to Xinhua, Gebremariam said ET has formed a joint committee with Chinese counterparts to follow up the progress of C919 passenger planes. "ET's engineers are working with COMAC engineers to evaluate the suitability of C919 passenger planes. ET is currently considering adding the C919 planes to its aircraft fleet when the airplanes are ready for sales," said Gebremariam. The Commercial Aircraft Corp. of China (COMAC) is China's major commercial aircraft developer. Gebremariam also told Xinhua, ET is working with Chinese government to make Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa a hub for Chinese aviation technology in Africa. "ET is working with Chinese government to make Addis Ababa an aviation hub between China and Africa. Addis Ababa will not only be a transfer point for air traffic and cargo, but also a hub for growth of Chinese aviation technology in Africa," he further said. Ethiopian Airlines already buys a variety of goods from China including aircraft related machinery and furniture. Ethiopian Airlines currently operates daily passenger flights from Addis Ababa to Guangzhou and Beijing, and thrice-weekly passenger flights to Chengdu, as well as daily passenger and cargo flights to Hong Kong and Shanghai. The C919, China's first self-developed trunk jetliner, conducted a successful maiden flight on May 5, 2017, at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Ukraine's state-run energy company Naftogaz and China Export & Credit Insurance Corporation, also known as Sinosure, have discussed prospects for their cooperation, the press service of the Ukrainian company said on Thursday. During a meeting in Kiev, Sinosure president Wang Tingke and Naftogaz chairman Andriy Kobolyev exchanged their views on the directions of future cooperation between the two corporations. During his visit to the Ukrainian capital, Wang also got acquainted in detail with the activities of the Naftogaz group. Earlier this month, Naftogaz said it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sinosure to get an insurance quota of 1 billion U.S. dollars, which could be used for attracting loans and investment from China into Ukraine's oil and gas industry. You are here: Business Genesis, a high-end brand with South Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai Motor Company, intends to enter Chinese market, said an executive with Genesis Wednesday at 2019 New York International Auto Show. "China is on our agenda, so we will go to China in due course. And there you will have the entire product portfolio," said Manfred Fitzgerald, executive vice president and global head of the Genesis Brand. "Now we're not there yet but we're working on it," Fitzgerald added. Genesis unveiled its electric vehicle Mint Concept targeting urban drivers Wednesday at 2019 New York International Auto Show. Mint Concept would be capable of an estimated 200 miles per full charge and 350-KW fast recharging, according to Genesis. Genesis would roll out its first electric vehicle on the market in 2021 with a dedicated power train, said Fitzgerald. As a design-focused luxury brand, Genesis' product lineup consists of the flagship G90 luxury sedan, the G80 and G80 Sport midsize luxury sedans, and the G70 luxury sport sedan, according to the company. China posted 28.08 million units of automobile sales in 2018 including 23.71 million units of passenger cars, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. In particular, Beijing Hyundai Motor Company sold 790,000 cars ranking as the ninth largest automobile manufacturer in China in terms of sales volume. Farming is a way of life. For me, the first day of spring is a reminder of this feeling. It ignites that instinct all growers have when we know its that time again for us to begin planting. Farming has been in my family for decades. I grew up on my familys farm in Cass City, and currently live there with my wife, Kristine, and our two children. Farming is so much in our blood that even my son, after he graduated from Purdue, came back to the farm. He makes the fifth generation of Milligans to continue our operations. As a farmer, I do have a great sense of pride, but recently things have been challenging for all growers. We have always been told that we need to produce enough to feed, not only our nation, but those who are hungry around the world. Technology and trade have greatly improved the way that we farm. Just look at the numbers. In 1860, each U.S. farm fed an average of 15 people. In 2010, each farm could feed more than 140 people. The American farmer has done an amazing job of increasing productivity, and markets overseas have been developed in which consumers look for U.S. and even Michigan-labeled products. However, access to overseas markets is shrinking, and when you take a market away from a prolific producer, you create stockpiles of food that have nowhere to go. The U.S. population is stable, so it is those increasing markets abroad that we look to for selling our crops. As crop prices plummet, input costs including land continue to rise, it has been very difficult for growers to make a living. In some instances, it is causing farmers to sell or rethink whether to continue their operations. Growers want to farm, so they need to make a return on their investment in order to stay in production. Sound trade deals and access to global markets can help us achieve this goal and run a successful business. Simply put, we need more market access abroad, and more trade deals like the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Todays economic realities keep me up at night because agriculture is so important to not only me and my family, but to all of Michigans economy and citizens. The agriculture industry in the Great Lakes State is worth $101 billion a year and employs 932,000 people. In wheat alone, Michigan produces 50 million bushels a year worth $390 million to the states economy. Nearly 8,000 wheat farmers grow a crop for our states five major millers, who have been around for 150 years. Those millers in turn sell to the many final users in the Great Lakes region including cereal and cracker companies. In addition to the Great Lakes region, there are other users across the US, but the markets that dont get enough attention are those markets abroad. A lot of the wheat we produce in this country is exported to Mexico and other countries. In fact, agricultural exports account for 22,800 jobs in our state alone. Im proud to be a farmer and I want future generations of Milligans to be able to farm, too. Thats why Im strongly backing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. It updates the old North American Free Trade (NAFTA) and locks in our access to the Mexican market while improving the wheat grading system in Canada. U.S. trade negotiators and their counterparts in both nations, signed the agreement last year. Its now time for Congress to call for a vote and ratify the deal. Im so supportive of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that I opened my farm this week to a tour organized by Farmers for Free Trade. The nonprofit is traveling the nation to tell the stories of farm families like mine who support expanding trade opportunities for American agriculture. Trade is arguably the biggest issue facing agriculture today. We need to sell more product abroad and we need our trading partners to play by the rules USMCA delivers on both accounts. Now, we just need Congress to give it the green light. Dave Milligan grows wheat, corn, soybeans, navy beans and black beans with his son, Mike, in Cass City. He is chairman of the Michigan Wheat Program and has served in that position since December 2011. Milligan also serves as vice president of the National Association of Wheat Growers. The upcoming Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, slated to be held later this month in Beijing, is a vital platform to spur Ethiopia's economy and infrastructure, Ethiopian officials and scholars told Xinhua. Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, who served as an economic advisor to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said on Thursday that more than any other nation in Africa, Ethiopia is the first beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through the Addis Ababa-Djibouti rail link, as well as various other infrastructure projects across the nation. The East African country, which is one of the countries cooperating with China in implementing the BRI, has made various achievements, which also included the 500-million-U.S. dollar Addis Ababa-Adama expressway, the first expressway in Ethiopia and East Africa, as well as the Addis Ababa Light Rail, a 475-million-U.S.-dollar project built with Chinese technology and expertise. Costantinos, also a professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said that Ethiopia "can still harness various other achievements from the Belt and Road by fostering its positive relations with China." According to the expert, the upcoming forum in Beijing is "an important platform to foster the ties," with particular emphasis given to strengthening cooperation on the BRI. Proposed in 2013, the BRI aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Costantinos's remarks came amid the Ethiopian government's recent announcement that it will send a strong delegation to the forum, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and various other high-level officials. Nebiat Getachew, spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also told Xinhua recently that Ethiopia and China already enjoy multifaceted ties, which are expected to be further strengthened at the upcoming forum. "Ethiopia is a strong partner of China in the African continent. Ethiopia's expected attendance at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is a further testament to the strong bilateral ties," said Getachew. As Beijing is presently gearing up for the success of the forum, Costantinos also outlined various other areas of cooperation with the potential to be further developed during the upcoming forum. "The various industrial parks that are active across Ethiopia, the new airports and potentially the Eritrean ports that are now available to Ethiopia's growing economy have all the potential to further benefit from the Belt and Road," the expert argued. Ethiopian enterprises, such as the Ethiopian Airlines Group, have also expressed their keen interest in harnessing various opportunities that are available during the forum. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said the approaching forum would be an "ideal platform" to boost the airline's global presence. The CEO stressed the airline's aspiration to use the BRI to augment its flight networks. Ethiopian Airlines, which is considered as Africa's largest airline, expects to establish partnership agreements with two Chinese airports on the sidelines of the forum, Gebremariam said. He revealed that the airline looks forward to signing cooperation agreements with Chinese Chongqing and Zhengzhou airports to start cargo flights between Ethiopia and China," Gebremariam added. LANSING Local school districts could get a reprieve from snow days that occurred during state-declared emergencies under a bill that was approved this week by the Michigan House. This past winter, all of the local Tribune coverage area schools had at least 12 snow days, while many had more than that. The state allows six days or equivalent hours of forgiven time, and allows the filing of a waiver that could potentially add three days to that total. The bill would allow schools to receive an exemption for a five-day period from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, where severe cold temperatures caused a state of emergency in Michigan. This offers important flexibility to schools on waiving the snow days that occurred during the state of emergency that we had earlier this year, said state Rep. Ben Frederick, R-Owosso, who brought the legislation to the House. It allows for more sensible end times for schools and it just seems like the right thing to do. The state requires a minimum of 1,098 hours of instruction over 180 days. Under the bill, districts with 14 or more snow days due to a state of emergency or other conditions beyond their control could qualify for an exemption for the 180-day minimum, as long as they meet the hours requirements. They would have to add instruction time to scheduled days in increments of at least 30 minutes. I think you have diminished returns the later that students are going to be in school deeper into the summer, Frederick said. Weve seen very good innovation on the part of the schools to accommodate the reality of these closures through technology integration, additional assignments, off hours and things of that nature. Im confident the local schools can make the best decision. The bill now heads to the Senate for its consideration. UPPER THUMB New Census Bureau estimates show population in the Upper Thumb has continued to decline. Tuscola County lost the most residents between 2017 and 2018, according to new estimates the Census Bureau released Thursday. Its population loss was 278, and its current population (as of 2018) is estimated at 52,516. Huron County lost 105 residents, and its current population is estimated at 31,166. Sanilac County lost 37 residents, and its current population is estimated at 41,182. Thursdays findings are from Census estimates that found counties in Americas South and West are leading the nation in population growth. Texas, in particular, had four out of the top 10 spots. By metropolitan area, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas, had the largest numeric growth with a gain of 131,767 (1.8%) in 2018, followed by Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. with an increase of 96,268 (2%), according to information the Census Bureau published Thursday. Migration, both domestic and international, as well as natural increase contributed to the growth in each of these areas, with natural increase serving as the largest source of population growth in Dallas and domestic migration serving as the largest source in Phoenix, the Census Bureau reports. One interesting trend we are seeing this year is that metro areas not among the most populous are ranked in the top 10 for population growth, stated Sandra Johnson, a demographer in the Census Bureaus Population Division. Though no new metro areas moved into the top 10 largest areas, Phoenix, Seattle, Austin, and Orlando all experienced numeric increases in population since 2010, rivaling growth in areas with much larger populations. This trend is consistent with the overall growth we are seeing in the south and the west. Among counties with a population of 20,000 or more, Williams County in North Dakota was the fastest-growing county by percentage, increasing by 5.9% between 2017 and 2018 (from 33,395 to 35,350). The rapid growth Williams County experienced was due mainly to net domestic migration (1,471) in 2018. The county also grew between 2017 and 2018 by natural increase (427) and international migration (52). Of the other nine fastest-growing counties, all experienced positive domestic migration. All but Brunswick, North Carolina, and Hood, Texas, experienced growth through natural increase (having more births than deaths), and only Brunswick had negative net international migration. Regarding the Upper Thumb, Huron, Tuscola and Sanilac counties have all experienced decreases since the 2010 Census. Census data issued last year found the following population decreases since the last Census: 5.9% in Huron; 5.8% in Tuscola; and 4.5% in Sanilac. WALLINGFORD U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said Thursday the nation is in a race with the China in the energy sector it can not afford to lose. Murphy said the Chinese are working with energy technology companies in a variety of areas, including developing new ways to make hydrogen that will be used in such things as power storage and vehicles that run on the fuel. The real danger here is that China gets into this business and essentially creates so much scale that it puts American companies out of business, he said Thursday after touring Proton OnSite, which makes equipment that produces hydrogen. We have to understand what the Chinese are doing. The Chinese are doing direct government-to-business partnerships on this kind of new technology and if we dont do the same, the Chinese are going to own all of these new technologies. Murphy last visited the companys Technology Drive headquarters before Proton OnSite was acquired by Nel, a Norwegian company, for $70 million in February 2017. To be fair, Proton OnSites Technology isnt really new. But the company is fighting to get a stronger foothold in the United States; about 60 percent of its business is with overseas clients, according to Blake Carter, direcetor of quality and HSE for Nel. The companys technology uses electrolyzers to create hydrogen gas. The process takes water and splits it into oxygen and hydrogen. One of the key differences between Protons technology and the traditional way of making hydrogen is the electrolyzer process makes no pollution. Once the hydrogen is extracted from the water, Carter said the oxygen is released into the air. The traditional method of hydrogen production results in carbon dioxide being released into the air. Kathy Ayers, Proton OnSites vice president of research and development, said that by creating an alternative to the traditional method of making hydrogen and using the fuel to make gains in the motor vehicle market, were trying to displace fossil fuels. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com MIDDLETOWN Middlesex Community College and Eversource Energy are again offering natural gas field technician certificates, part of a program designed to help develop the future workforce in the growing natural gas industry. Classes will begin on Aug. 13 at Eversources new state-of-the-art training facility, according to a press release. The application period closes May 15. Eversource is partnering with Middlesex Community College and the Workforce Alliance, a private nonprofit agency working with the underemployed to train new gas field technicians. The 108-hour curriculum includes evening college classroom instruction and days outdoors at Eversources state-of-the-art training facility, all to equip students with the skills needed to perform real-life tasks once they complete the program, the release said. The transition from small business owner to an Eversource gas technician has been fulfilling and liberating, Middletown resident Darrell Kuhne, a natural gas field technician program graduate, said in a prepared statement. Kuhne is an 18-year veteran of the home building trade and is now training to become a supervisor at Eversource. The gas certification training was a good fit. Im used to learning new things in a non-formal setting. I hit the ground running in January, and easily interact with guys in the field who are working on a job, Kuhne said in the release. Interest in the program has grown since the inaugural class graduated in November. For details about the program and how to apply, visit mxcc.edu. Interested students are invited to an open house on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Eversource Training Yard, 107 Selden St., Berlin. The event is designed to provide applicants the opportunity to visit the outdoor training facility and meet Eversource employees involved with the program. To register for the open house, email DBordonaro@mxcc.edu. Walk-ins are also welcome. MIDDLETOWN - For two decades, Faith Jackson has committed herself to working for and monitoring the efforts to ensure the city is a welcoming home to an increasingly diverse population. Jackson is the citys director of equal opportunity and diversity management. In that role, she is responsible for planning, developing, implementing and overseeing programs related to affirmative action, equal employment opportunities and fair housing. Warm by nature and blessed with a welcoming smile, Jackson is the go-to person on issues of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and age. She serves as a representative for the citys veterans, for residents with disabilities, for the LBGTQ community as well as for developing communities, including residents from Southwest Asia: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. During the Common Councils budget review earlier this week, Jackson was praised for her work in reaching out to Hindus in the city. The citys population remains overwhelmingly white. African Americans are the largest minority community, accounting for 10 percent of the population, Jackson said during an interview this week. Six percent of the citys population is Hispanic, while the rapidly developing Asian community - which includes both people from Southwest and Southeast Asia - currently make up 4.6 percent of the population, Jackson said. Nationally, 13.4 percent of the U.S. population is African American, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Hispanics are now the largest minority group nationally, at 18.1 percent, while Asians make up 5.8 percent of the population. Jackson is constantly checking to see how effectively the city is succeeding it is goal of serving all its residents. To find out, she is starting at the top. Next week, she is holding a two-day workshop with city department heads and members of the Common Council to take a look at our internal house. She is partnering with the National Conference for Community and Justice to gauge how well - or, how poorly - the city is doing. The NCCJ, which is headquartered in Windsor, was originally established as the National Conference for Christians and Jews in 1927. The 1920s saw a revival of the Ku Klux Klan, the attack on black residents in the 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma, race riot, and a surge in anti-Catholic bias in 1928 when New York Gov. Al Smith was nominated for president by the Democratic party. In the 1990s, the groups name was changed to better reflect the breadth and depth of if its mission, the growing diversity of our country, and the need to be more inclusive, according to the organizations website. Jackson said she chose the NCJJ because it is a local organization and therefore more familiar with Connecticut. The workshop is the first of two she intends of hold to review a whole gamut of things, the most important of which is whether Middletown is an inclusive and welcoming city. We cant go outside until we look into our own house first, she said. This is a very important subject and wed better take the time to do it right. The second workshop will include representatives from the Board of Education and other city departments such as the Russell Library, she said. It is her intention to assess and evaluate where we need to be systemically and how well we are working in getting our services our constituents and their sometimes different interests. Jackson said she is heartened to see how the city can come together for big events like the July 4th fireworks, the annual car show and Motorcycle Mania. But, then all too often, once those large assemblages are over, people retreat to their own silos. She wants to see more people of different races and ethnicities socializing, she said. (But do do that) we have to get more comfortable with one another, Jackson said. Different groups may view interaction in profoundly different ways, she acknowledged. A white person might not want to go out among groups of blacks and Hispanics for fear of being attacked - while blacks and Hispanics may be just as afraid that they will be arrested, she said. People fear putting themselves in jeopardy, she said. We need to have more of these community events so that we can bring more people together. jmill@middltownpress.com You are here: China A mountain fire that broke out in northeast China's Liaoning Province was basically put out at 6 a.m. Thursday, local authorities said. As of 5 p.m. Thursday, efforts are still being made to prevent the fire from reigniting. More than 4,000 people have been dispatched to battle the fire. The fire broke out near Qipan Mountain in the city of Shenyang at about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday and spread fast due to strong winds. No casualties have been reported so far, and an investigation of the cause of the fire is underway. Eastern Connecticut State University WILLIMANTIC Eastern Connecticut State University held its inaugural Iota Iota Iota (Triota) induction April 12, launching the Epsilon Gamma Chapter by recognizing student and alumni members. Triota is a national service-based Womens and Gender Studies honor society that promotes academic excellence and facilitates activism. Among the inductees was Lindsey Hopkins, 20, of East Hampton, who majors in womens and gender studies. The application process for Triota began in the spring of 2017. Faculty voted on criteria and bylaws to submit to the National Chapter in Denver, which are slightly more demanding than required. Eastern Triota members must have achieved second-semester standing with at least nine credit hours of womens and gender studies courses, an overall GPA of at least 3.0, a GPA within the program of at least 3.3 and without a history of academic dishonesty or other unfitness. Fairleigh Dickinson University MADISON, N.J. Samuel Laraia of East Hampton, a student at Fairleigh Dickinson University, was named to the deans list for the fall 2018 semester. To qualify, a student must carry a 3.2 or better grade-point average out of a possible 4.0, and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 letter-graded hours. The following area residents were named to the honors list for the fall 2018 semester: Carli Villa of East Hampton, Nicole DAmico of Middletown, Kira Bradley of Cromwell, Cameron Shaw of Cromwell and Alexander Ruth of Old Saybrook. To qualify, a student must carry a 3.5 or better grade point average out of a possible 4.0 and be enrolled in a minimum of 12 letter-graded hours. Assumption College WORCESTER, Mass. Assumption College recently recognized 75 students with awards for academic excellence during the 35th Annual Honors Convocation April 15. Awards ranged from departmental honors to special recognitions, to the schools highest honor, Augustine Scholarships. During the ceremony, Daniella Pitruzzello of Cromwell, a member of the class of 2019, received the departmental award for sociology. In other news, local Assumption students presented original academic research projects at the annual undergraduate symposium April 15 to 16: Orsolina ONeill of Middletown, class of 2020, presented Disability in Viking Culture: The Case of Ivar the Boneless. ONeill used various primary sources from the Viking Age alongside contemporary research to investigate the portrayal of Ivar the Boneless, a disabled warlord who invaded what is now Northern Britain and Ireland and established a formidable dynasty. Although the Vikings are typically considered to be a ruthless and cutthroat people, the empowerment and respect that was given to Ivar suggest that Viking culture was able to see disabled people as contributing members of society, overlooking their disabilities and utilizing their special abilities, according to the project. Pitruzzello presented An Intersectional Analysis of Race, Class, and Gender. Her project is an analysis that adopts a traditional research approach in examining the government housing market and addresses the current problems that exist within. It considers the problems that individual renters encounter including stereotypes from surrounding communities and inability to become independent of the program. The research additionally suggests potential solutions proposed by experts that could benefit those utilizing the program, according to her project. In order to account for all affected groups, the analysis considered an intersectional perspective analyzing the race, class and gender of its residents. It specifically focuses on poor, African American single mothers who comprise a majority of beneficiaries of the program. University of Connecticut BATON ROUGE, La. University of Connecticut student Elena Masiello of Cromwell was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nations oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Masiello is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction. University of Alabama TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Kiley Lord of Portland, a senior in the College of Communication and Information Sciences at The University of Alabama, was awarded the Franklin Shirley Award for the Top Undergraduate Honors Conference Paper at the Southern States Communication Association Convention in Montgomery, Alabama. The conventions purpose is to promote the study, criticism, research, teaching and application of the artistic, humanistic and scientific principles of communication. SSCA is a nonprofit organization that exists for educational, scientific and literary purposes only. Lords research specializes in a popular YouTube series, S- Southern Women Say, and examines gender roles and expectations for women in the south. She bases her research on the idea that gender is something that people perform and points to examples in the series as being representative of cultural norms compared to other regions in the United States, according to her project Lord grew up in Connecticut, but spent her summers with family in Mississippi. This upbringing sparked an interested in the duality of cultural norms in the south vs the east coast. She received a monetary award and a plaque in addition to presenting her research in the undergraduate research forum April 6. Wilkes University WILKES-BARRE, Pa. Wilkes University student Emma Fantoli of Portland was inducted into the Passan School of Nursing during an April 7 ceremony. Fantoli received her lab coat and signed the nursing pledge. Beijing plans to add more kindergarten slots and strengthen security measures to make sure children can receive an affordable and safe preschool education, officials said on Thursday. Feng Hongrong, deputy inspector of the Beijing Education Commission, said the city plans to enroll another 30,000 kindergartners through renovating and expanding existing operations, and to support State-owned and private enterprises, institutions, communities and individuals in building of new ones. The city already added 30,000 new kindergarten slots last year to meet the increasing demand of preschool education with the implementation of the second child policy and more migrant workers coming to the city, he said at a news conference in Beijing. Beijing has 450,000 kindergarten students, 63 percent of whom attend public kindergartens, he said. The city has made great efforts to ensure the safety of kindergarten students by making sure the public areas in the facilities are covered by surveillance cameras and that camera footage is guarded and stored for 30 days, Feng said. At least two kindergarten caretakers should be present at all times with students, he added, noting that educators have worked closely with public security authorities. Tian Gewen, principal of the Kindergarten of the General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals in Beijing's Haidian district, said the municipal government has offered 1,000 yuan($149) per month of subsidies for each student and the district government has offered another 500 yuan per month for each student. The students are only required to pay tuition of 900 yuan per month. Apart from ensuring students get a high-quality education, the subsidies are also used to increase the salaries of teachers and give them better training, she said. To ensure that more students receive inexpensive yet high-quality preschool education, the school added 270 new kindergarten slots in 2016, she said. It now has 18 classes and more than 540 students. Children attending public kindergartens or affordable private ones will account for 80 percent of all preschoolers by 2020, according to a directive issued recently by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. Affordable, quality preschools will be the priority, the ministry said. Governments at all levels are encouraged to establish public kindergartens, aiming to get about 50 percent of all preschool children into public education by 2020, it said. Communities, State-owned enterprises and public institutions such as universities are also encouraged to establish their own kindergartens, it said. Lyu Yugang, director of the ministry's basic education department, said the central government will allocate 16.8 billion yuan to support preschool education. More than 40 companies and organizations will be honored May 9 at the Middlesex United Way Campaign Awards Breakfast for their incredible support during 2018-19. Our highest campaign honor, the Corporate Spirit Award, will be presented to Liberty Bank. This award recognizes a company that has established a strong culture of philanthropy and support of Middlesex United Way. Some of the other top awards will be given to Sandy Phillips, Barbara Thompson and Kelly Haeckel from Middlesex Health, who will be honored as coordinators of the year. Mike Weaver of Standard-Knapp will receive the leadership award, and St. Vincent de Paul Middletown will be honored with the Funding Partner Achievement Award. We will also be awarding Brown & Brown CT with the Small Business Community Partnership Award, Clinton Youth and Family Services Bureau with the Social Media Shout Out Award, and FedEx with the Special Achievement Award. These three achieved great strides and distinguished results for the campaign. We cant wait to recognize so many more generous companies and their employees, as well as a few key individuals, for their outstanding support. With the campaign ongoing, we expect additional companies and organizations to be added to this impressive list. A & A Office Systems, A.R. Mazzotta Employment Specialists, ACT Group, Charles IT, Child & Family Agency of Southeastern CT, the city of Middletown, CNG, Colebrook Financial, Comcast, Community Foundation of Middlesex County, Cooper-Atkins, Eversource, FedEx, Gilead Community Services, Girls Scouts of CT (Middlesex County area), GKN, Guilmartin, DiPiro & Sokolowski, Hanover Insurance, Jarvis Product Corp., MARC: Community Resources, Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Also, Middlesex Habitat for Humanity, Middletown Public Schools, Portland Schools, Rice, Davis, Daley & Krenz, Russell Library, Shoreline Publishing, St. Vincent dePaul, Standard-Knapp, State Farm Insurance, Caleb Carney; Suburban, The Connection, The Flood Law Firm, The Middletown Press, Tower Labs, Webster Financial Corp., Wesleyan University, Wright-Pierce, Zygo Corp./Ametek Inc. We will give out awards to recognize companies who achieve high rates of employee participation, companies who have experienced five consecutive years of growth in their campaigns, and much more. So many people come together to support the United Way campaign, and we are so grateful for each and every one of them. We hope youll join us at the breakfast to learn more and to celebrate the good work of our community members. Tickets are $20, and a full breakfast will be served. To register, visit middlesexunitedway.org/rsvp or email Maria Wood at maria.wood@middlesexunitedway.org. Kevin Wilhelm is president and CEO of Middlesex United Way. WASHINGTON While President Donald Trump and his team exulted in release of the Mueller report, Connecticut Democratic lawmakers were culling through its 400-plus pages for unflattering details surrounding its twin conclusions: insufficient evidence of Trump 2016 campaign coordination with Russia, and neither confirmation nor exoneration on whether Trump obstructed justice. Whats demonstrated in powerful and compelling detail in this report is nothing less than a national scandal, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal at a news conference in Hartford. This report is far from the end of the inquiry that this country needs and deserves. It is the beginning of another chapter. Release of the report, with close to 160 pages partly or fully blacked out, capped a tumultuous nearly two-year investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller on whether Trump and his campaign staff conspired with Russian intelligence to disseminate hacked emails aimed at denigrating Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and thereby elevating Trump. The report contained more information on the role of New Britain-born Paul Manafort in efforts to win Trump agreement to follow a pro-Russia peace plan in Ukraine, and the worry of Trump communications adviser Hope Hicks, of Greenwich, that emails on the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians were really bad and the result of news reports breaking on them would be massive. While the Mueller report came to no conclusion on whether Trump was liable for prosecution on obstruction, Attorney General William Barr said he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded the president was not. In the second of two volumes, the report delves into new details about Trumps early efforts to derail Mueller soon after then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions recused himself and Rosenstein appointed him to take over the FBIs Trump-Russia probe in May 2017. Trump had just fired FBI Director James Comey, later admitting in a television interview that this Russia thing was among the deciding factors. Trump wanted to fire Sessions immediately after Sessions recused himself, an act that had cleared the way for appointment of Mueller. And after Muellers appointment, the report states, Trump directed his legal counsel, Donald McGahn, to have Mueller fired because of a conflict of interest for which Mueller had already been cleared by the Justice Department. McGahn agonized over the decision but ultimately decided not to follow through because it would be tantamount to the Watergate-era Saturday Night Massacre in which President Richard Nixon fired his two top Justice Department officials before he found one who would fire special counsel Archibald Cox. I was startled by the gangster-like behavior of Trump, said Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District, a member of the House Intelligence Committee. Sections of it read like The Godfather. Sen. Chris Murphy said in an interview that notwithstanding Muellers conclusions, what we know is the Trump campaign had numerous opportunities to alert law enforcement of the interest in manipulating our election by people close to the Russian government. And they didnt. The Mueller report stated that while the investigation could not conclude Trump committed the crime of obstruction, it also does not exonerate him. It also concluded that while Trump campaign officials welcomed Russian efforts to denigrate Clinton through release of hacked emails, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the government Russia in its election interference activities. Mueller said it would be up to Congress to address the question of obstruction. For Democrats including the Connecticut delegation, the shifted terrain also includes whether or not impeachment is appropriate - or possible. Murphy stopped well short of calling for impeachment proceedings, but pointed out that one of the key facts that might have led to Nixons impeachment (had he not resigned first in 1974) was his effort to get the CIA to block the Watergate investigation on national security grounds. Himes said there was little point in pursuing impeachment because while the Democratic-controlled House might vote to impeach, the Republican-controlled Senate would never convict Trump. Im a believer there is nothing in the report, sleazy as it is, that would cause the Senate to turn on Trump, he said. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-5th District, also expressed doubt on impeachment. Regardless of the results of the Mueller report, President Trump and his administration give the American people evidence on a daily basis that we need a change of leadership, she said in a statement. However, I believe that change should come through an election rather than impeachment. Murphy said he needed to take time to read the report, but that he believed Barr was acting less like the nations top law enforcement officer and more like Trumps personal lawyer. In a news briefing early Thursday before release of the report, Barr used the phrase no collusion four times in describing Muellers conclusion that neither Trump nor his campaign conspired with Russian intelligence to win the election. No collusion was Trumps frequent mantra over the course of the Mueller investigation. Barr told reporters he would have no objection to Mueller testifying before Congress. Barr last month issued a four-page summary of the Mueller report, which Blumenthal, Murphy and other Connecticut lawmakers charged was insufficient. They said in addition to the full report, Congress should be allowed to see the materials Mueller blanked out because of grand-jury secrecy and unnamed multiple on-going investigations, one of which is the prosecution of Trump adviser and long-time GOP operative Roger Stone. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, also criticized Barr. Despite Attorney General Barrs political spin, the Mueller report details multiple instances in which President Trump attempted to obstruct justice and end the Special Counsels investigation, she said in a statement. At the White House, Trump rejoiced over the report, telling reporters that he was having a good day. He tweeted a photo declaring Game Over in a typeface mimicking the Game of Thrones logo. The section of the report on Hicks has to do with emails preceding the June 9, 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between Donald Trump Jr., Manafort and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and a group of Russians, one of whom was described as able to provide derogatory information on Clinton as part of Russia and its governments support to Mr. Trump. Donald Jr.s response: If its what you say, I love it. Hicks is the former Greenwich High School lacrosse-team co-captain who pursued a modeling career and wound up as a close confidante of Trump during his campaign and later at the White House. The report shows her deep angst over the impending email revelations, describing them as really bad. Hicks then played an important role in drafting a statement from Donald Jr., saying the meeting was primarily about Russian adoption. Ultimately Donald Jr. himself released the emails, after the New York Times ran a story about the meeting. The section on Manafort mostly reiterates the New Britain political-family scions interactions with powerful Russian oligarchs and a Russian employee that the FBI deemed was connected to Russian intelligence. Manafort acknowledged turning over Trump campaign polling data to the operative, Konstantin Kilimnik. Manafort is serving seven-and-a-half years for violating tax and foreign-agent-registration laws, and bank fraud. The case against him related to his representation of the Ukraine political party backing Ukraines pro-Russia leader, Viktor Yanukovych, who was overthrown in 2014. At the time Trump appointed him to manage his 2016 campaign, Manafort was in the midst of discussions over a peace plan that amounted to turning the eastern portion of Ukraine into a separate pro-Russia state. Manafort at first told Muellers team he thought the plan was crazy. But he pursued it with Kilimnik even after departing the Trump campaign in August 2016. The report concluded the plan was never presented to Trump or his campaign. The report shows Manafort joined the campaign because he thought it would be good for his consulting business. After Trump won, Manafort let it be known he had no interest in a position in the administration because, again, his Trump connections would be good for business. Hearst Connecticut Media columnist Dan Haar and staff writer Ken Dixon contributed to this story. The U.S. Air Force is exploring the possibility of creating two-piece flight suits for all pilots and aircrew. "We're looking at how we bring along two-piece flight suits to our aviators," said Maj. Saily Rodriguez, the female fitment program manage officer for the human systems program office within the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center. Military.com spoke with Rodriguez Thursday about upgrading current fighter pilot and aircrew flight suits, which are typically a one-piece garment for men and women. Advantages of a two-piece suit include greater ease in using the bathroom and improved overall comfort. "Two-piece flight suits are being looked at right now across the board; however, they need to go through a 'safe-to-fly' process to make sure they have been vetted and tested and can be used aboard aircraft," Rodriguez said. That would mean the suits would need to comply with the same fire-retardant requirements current flight suits have. Safety aside, a two-piece flight suit, which would be comprised of a standard top and bottom, would have to accommodate the needs of all aircrew members, she said. "That includes, for example, going and relieving yourself, which would be simplified ... with a two-piece suit," Rodriguez said. Related content: A similar uniform is already in use in the Air Force for those flying cargo airlift or helicopters. The service in 2017 said that airmen flying these aircraft -- anything aside from a fighter and without an ejection seat -- had begun wearing the Army Aircrew Combat Uniform, known as the Airman Aircrew Combat Uniform in the Air Force, or the A2CU. The uniform looks very much like the Air Force's Operational Camouflage Pattern, or OCP. "The two-piece [A2CU] uniform has OCP-patterned fabric and the same fire-retardant properties as the flight suit, making it certified for wear by pilots flying aircraft without ejection seats," Capt. Kathleen Atanasoff told Military.com at the time. "Since the [uniform] pattern matches the OCP, it is often the uniform for downrange locations where many aircrews are operating," she said. The A2CU in some cases has also been in use stateside, Air Force officials have said. Commanders across the force had begun giving some airmen the option to wear the A2CU as a duty uniform during training or while deployed. For example, that year, Air Mobility Command's director of operations authorized AMC pilots to wear the uniform for Exercise Mobility Guardian. So far, feedback has been positive during experimentation with and testing of a two-piece flight suit, Rodriguez said. "This is not an adventure that the Air Force is going solo -- other services are certainly looking at two-piece options as well," she said, referring to the Army. Rodriguez could not say whether more airmen can expect to two-piece flight suit anytime soon. "Right now, we are just making sure that the uniform is safe to fly," she said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @oriana0214. The Army & Air Force Exchange Service recently sent out a message to airmen that they should buy the new Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform only at AAFES stores. But it appears the situation is even more complicated -- and frustrating -- for airmen trying to get their hands on OCPs. Facebook and other social media sites have been flooded with comments describing frustrations with trying to purchase the OCP uniform at military clothing stores and being refused. "Barksdale [Air Force Base] has boxes of OCPs all over their clothing sales floor. Yet they wouldn't sell them to me when I was there for a week and the people stationed there can only buy 2 sets," Joe Soblosky wrote, responding to a Facebook post on the subject. Soblosky receive the following reply on Facebook from a moderator at the Exchange page: "The Army & Air Force Exchange Service does not own Military Clothing Sales stores but operates them on behalf of the services. Per Air Force [manpower regulations], Airmen are restricted from purchasing OCP uniforms outside of the fielding plan. At this stage in the Air Force's fielding plan, Airmen are not authorized to purchase OCPs from Army MCS stores." AAFES put out an April 10 release advising airmen to buy OCPs only from AAFES stores because those uniforms have a government-certified contract number on the inside label and comply with the Berry Amendment, a federal regulation that requires uniforms, equipment and other military items to be made by U.S. manufacturers. It wasnt clear from the message, though, that AAFES-operated Army Military Clothing Sales stores were also off-limits. Military.com reached out to AAFES for comment on the issue and received this statement: "Unfortunately, there have been some supply constraints for certain uniform items supplied by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA)," according to a statement from AAFES spokesman Chris Ward. "Uniform manufacturers, in coordination with DLA, are committed to meeting the increased demand for OCP uniforms for Airmen as swiftly as possible," it continued. "The mandatory wear date for the OCP is not until April 1, 2021, by which time DLA expects to be fully supplied with OCP uniforms for Air Force personnel." -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Meet Captain the cat. Captain is the mascot and official mouser of the Honor Guard at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. The gray-and-white cat was recruited from a local animal shelter for her hunting skills after rodents took up winter residence at the base's Hoban Hall. "We found out quickly that she was good at her job," Air Force Master Sgt. Brandon Henry said in a Department of Defense video. The friendly feline quickly joined the ranks as master mouser and emotional support animal for Barksdale Honor Guardsmen, who have the somber and stressful job of providing military funeral honors for service members and veterans who have served in the Air Force. When airmen return from a detail late at night, Captain is there to console them. "Captain's always there to meet and greet," Henry said. In addition to her mice-chasing and pet-therapy duties, Captain boosts morale. "Captain is a really good cat, and I don't even like cats," Senior Airman Trey McClain, 2nd Medical Group diagnostic imaging technician and Honor Guard Airman, said in a 2017 2nd Bomb Wing news release. "I tried to hate her, but it was impossible. She is here for everybody, and we enjoy seeing her around." "There's something about that cat," Henry said. Related Video: As the White House reportedly considers creating a committee to review the scientific evidence for climate change, the military services not only face the task of rebuilding bases destroyed by storms, they are planning replacement installations hardened to the weather and training forces with an eye toward global instability caused by rising temperatures. In a series of congressional hearings this month, Navy and Air Force leaders told lawmakers that rising sea levels, fires and storms affect military personnel at home as well as at work, where they must train for scenarios such as humanitarian crises and civil war brought on by flooding and drought. Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer said rising waters are a "threat at all times" to the sea services, while Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein and Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said their service must have resilient installations and prepare for climate-related global unrest. The world is seeing weather-related humanitarian crises and weather-related conflicts that the U.S. must be prepared to handle, Goldfein said. "If you take a look at Syria, as an example," he said, "most don't remember what caused the Syria conflict to start. It started because of a 10-year drought." Related content: The statements follow the release of a memo written in February by Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller, who said the combat readiness of II Marine Expeditionary Force, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, has taken a hit from a number of economic factors, including damage from Hurricane Florence, which struck the base Aug. 31. He warned that the units readiness "will continue to degrade given current conditions." The month before, the Defense Department released a report that said climate change threatens more than two-thirds of 79 installations reviewed by the Pentagon. The report found that 53 bases routinely flood, seven more have the potential to flood, 43 bases are experiencing drought -- with another six facing desertification, and 43 have the potential to be affected by wildfires. "A changing climate can impact DoD's operations through changes in the manner in which DoD maintains readiness and provides support [and] changes to what DoD may be asked to support," the report noted. The push by the Pentagon for funding to rebuild military bases destroyed by weather, including Camp Lejeune; Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, hit by Hurricane Michael last October; and Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, which faced massive flooding last month, comes as President Donald Trump reportedly has planned to form an ad hoc committee to review climate change science. The Washington Post reported in February that this National Security Council initiative would include scientists who question the extent to which humans contribute to the changing climate, as well as the severity of climate impacts. As of Thursday, the White House had not released any information about the group or whether one actually has formed. As an informal committee and not a task force or commission, the committee would not be subject to public disclosure laws. Speaking before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee on climate change on April 9, former Secretary of State John Kerry said the goal of what he called a "council of doubters and deniers" is to "pretend there are two side to an issue that's been settled." "The designation of climate change as a security issue wasn't settled by President Obama," Kerry said. "It was settled 28 years before that by a Republican president. ... In 1991, the Bush administration assessed in its national security strategy that threats like climate change 'respect no international boundaries, were already contributing to political conflict.'" In March, 58 retired military leaders and former Pentagon officials wrote Trump expressing concern about the potential committee and urging him to trust defense and science agencies that have found climate change a national security threat. "We support the bipartisan finding of the U.S. Congress, which you signed into law on December 2017, stating that 'climate change is a direct threat to the national security of the United States,'" wrote the group, which included, among others, former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, former Navy Secretary Gordon Sullivan, former Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft and retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Military leaders, these national security experts said, are worried about strife over natural resources, including water, humanitarian crises, climate-driven unemployment, displacement and migration, and increased tensions in the Arctic as the waterways open. "The first step in combating the national security impacts of climate change [is] to recognize that we are already dealing with them," retired Vice Adm. Dennis McGinn, former assistant secretary of the Navy for energy, installations and the environment, told a House subcommittee. "We cannot now, nor as future challenges bear down on us, treat any of this as a surprise." The services are grappling with the cost of repairing damage to bases, an estimated $3.6 billion for Camp Lejeune and $5 billion for Tyndall and Offutt. Neller said the Corps needs $600 million to start repairs at Lejeune, while Wilson said she needs $1 billion for Tyndall this fiscal year -- money that otherwise would have gone for other construction and modernization projects. The DoD fiscal 2020 budget request includes $2 billion for storm damage. Wilson told members of Congress that the Air Force will rebuild based on an infrastructure investment strategy that addresses weather concerns. "The resilience of our bases is very important because we fight from our bases," Wilson said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @patriciakime. The Marine Corps' Aging Amphibious Vehicle Fleet Will Be Kept Out of the Water Eight Marines and a Navy corpsman died when an AAV sank hundreds of feet into the ocean during exercises on July 30, 2020. With the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion into Normandy, France coming June 5, a group of veterans are planning a reenactment jump as part of the celebration. But they'll be jumping with an item not on the packing list of World War II U.S. soldiers -- or at least not the official one: bourbon. The group of 15, backed by the American Freedom Distillery based in St. Petersburg, Florida, plans to jump out of the C-47 "Tico Belle," the same plane that dropped soldiers on D-Day. Now owned by the Valiant Air Command museum in Florida, the plane will be flown to France for the anniversary. The distillery is owned and operated by a group of special forces veterans whose story was featured in the 2018 film "12 Strong," an account of the first operators deployed to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The team will parachute into the historic drop zones of Normandy on June 5th, along with the airdropped barrel of bourbon. "Our brand is founded by a team of former special forces members, so it's an incredible honor to be invited to this celebration as a brand, but also as veterans and represent our country and brethren of past, present," Scott Neil, co-founder of American Freedom Distillery and Green Beret veteran said in an email. "This is a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity for us and it's incredible to not only be invited to participate in the 75th anniversary but to be the lead aircraft for the D-Day reenactment of airborne celebrations." Retired Army Maj. Mark Nutsch said that the Tico Belle made drops into German-occupied territory five nights in a row, and that it was exciting to be jumping from the same historic aircraft. "We really wanted to honor the resistance fighters, who many people don't know about," said Nutsch, who works with the distillery as a brand representative. "We want the younger generation of warriors to understand what these men put on the line." The reenactment will be meticulous, down to authentic WWII Allied uniforms, military round parachutes, weapons, and equipment. "We're excited to the jump and really show our respect for the untold stories and sacrifices," said Nutsch. "We're looking forward to the camaraderie with other veterans along with our families." When he found out they were going to be able to honor the heroes of D-Day with a jump, retired Chief Warrant Officer Bob Pennington "felt like a kid again." "It may be the last time we have any WWII veterans," Pennington, who also works with the distillery, said. "It's an opportunity to honor the little known WWII resistance special operator teams, if not for them D-Day wouldn't have been a success." -- Sean Mclain Brown can be reached at sean.brown@military.com. Follow him on Twitter at @seanmclainbrown. Key Select Mineral List Type Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Dana Chemical Elements References Sort by Year (asc) Year (desc) Author (A-Z) Author (Z-A) Fusciardi, L.P.1, Guven, J.F.1, Stewart, D.R.A.1, Carboni, V. & Walsh, J.J. (2004): The geology and genesis of the Lisheen Zn-Pb deposit, Co. Tipperary, Ireland. In: Kelly, J.G. et al. (eds.): Europe's Major Base Metal Deposits. Irish Association for Economic Geology, Special Publication, pp. 455-481. [ https://www.fault-analysis-group.ucd.ie/Publications/87Lisheen.html Guven, J. (2015) Lisheen (1990-2015) IAEG Annual Review 2015, 67-75. Hitzman, W.M., Redmond, P.B., Beaty, D.W. (2002): The Carbonate-Hosted Lisheen Zn-Pb-Ag Deposit, County Tipperary, Ireland. Economic Geology, 97, 1627-1655. Pannalal, S.J., Symons, D.T.A., Sangster, D.F. (2008): Paleomagnetic Evidence for an Early Permian Age of the Lisheen Zn-Pb Deposit, Ireland. Economic Geology 103, 1641-1655. Wilkinson, J. J.; Eyre, S. L.; Boyce, A. J. (2005): Ore-forming processes in Irish-type carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb deposits: evidence from mineralogy, chemistry, and isotopic composition of sulfides at the Lisheen mine. Economic Geology 100, 63-86. Yesares, L.; Drummond, D.A.; Hollis, S.P.; Doran, A.L.; Menuge, J.F.; Boyce, A.J.; Blakeman, R.J.; Ashton, J.H. (2019) Coupling Mineralogy, Textures, Stable and Radiogenic Isotopes in Identifying Ore-Forming Processes in Irish-Type Carbonate-Hosted ZnPb Deposits. Minerals 9, 335. External Links Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary. Stratabound, carbonate-hosted Zn-Pb deposit.The orebody was found in 1990 using soil geochemistry, and mining commenced in 1997. Delays caused by higher than expected water ingress meant that the first ore was not produced until September 1999. The deposit was initially worked by an Anglo American-Ivernia West joint venture, until Anglo bought out Ivernia's share in 2003. They then sold out to Vedanta in 2010. The mine produced 5,000 tonnes of ore every working day, and closed at the end of 2015 following exhaustion of the economic reserves, having produced 22.3 million tonnes grading 11.7 % Zn and 2.0 % Pb. A further 4.4 million tonnes, grading 14.5 % Zn and 2.6 % Pb remains in the ground, for various reasons (sub-economic, inaccessible or unsuitable for mining for geotechnical reasons). The main ores consisted of galena, sphalerite and pyrite found as compact fine-grained material.Lisheen orebodies are usually stratiform, varying in thickness from 1 m to 30 m and "room and pillar" mining was the predominant method used for extraction, though "drift and fill" and "long hole stoping" were also employed according to conditions. The Main Zone, which had distinct northern and southern halves, lay at the west end of the mineralized area. A few hundred meters east of this was the substantial Derryville Zone and two smaller ones further east again (Bog Zone West & Bog Zone East). The discovery, in 2005, of a satellite orebody (Island Pod) over half a kilometer to the NNW of the northern tip of Derryville Zone, added another two years to the mine's life. The orebodies were divided up into north, south, east zones etc., these in turn were divided into panels.Thousands of tonnes of massive nickel arsenide ore (gersdorffite and nickeline) were found in the Killoran fault zone, in the southern part of the Main Zone. For a while a stockpile of this lay underground, soon becoming coated with soft green annabergite. Fragments of limestone mixed in with this acquired encrustations of pharmacolite, all post-mining and forming within a matter of months. Unfortunately, the high arsenic content of this ore deterred smelting companies, and no buyer could be found. Thousands of tonnes of rich copper ore (chalcocite, bornite, tennantite) also occurring along fault zones likewise failed to find a buyer owing to an inability to guarantee a consistent grade, despite its high (sometimes ca. 1 %) silver content.The orebodies were compact and vugs, even of calcite, scarce. However, a few dozen small specimens of bright yellow sphalerite crystals were recovered from one small area (Panel 18) in the Main Zone (North). Most Lisheen sphalerite was dark treacle brown, and good crystallised specimens are very rare. Bisma Amjad petitions LHC against hearing on the new JIT Bisma Amjad, the daughter of Shaheed Tanzila Amjad, has submitted an application to the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court in which she prayed that the bench established to hear plea against the formation of the new JIT is against the rules. She said that no such precedent exists. She said that at a time when a divisional bench was considering an application against the JIT including its maintainability or otherwise, a fact that the honorable justice had mentioned, the accused party had the gall to move another petition for the formation of a full bench. She said that the fact remains that change in the composition of the divisional bench can be made on the recommendation of the bench. Bisma Amjad appealed in her application that the matter of hearing about the new JIT should be referred to the divisional bench and if considered necessary, more judges can be added to the same bench. Bisma went to the chambers of the Chief Justice of LHC along with the application but her meeting with the honorable CJ could not be held. She then submitted the application to the secretary to the Chief Justice and returned after getting its diary number. Talking after submitting the application, Bisma Amjad said that she is hopeful that the Chief Justice will dispense justice to her. She said that judiciary is the only hope after Allah Almighty in this world. She said that 14 people including her mother Tanzila Amjad and aunt Shazia Murtaza were martyred on June 17 in broad daylight. She said what to speak of justice, even the fair investigation into the tragedy is not being allowed. She said that it was only now that a neutral and fair JIT was made, which also had our confidence. She said that the principal accused also submitted their statements before it but as soon as it had completed its investigation, it was stopped to function all of a sudden. She said that it is a request of a daughter of Pakistan to the honorable Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to play his role in the provision of justice to the aggrieved. Correction: This story originally named the incorrect prison at which the attack occurred. IONIA, MI -- A mentally ill man convicted last year of killing a Detroit policeman has attacked another officer, this time from behind bars. Marquise Cromer, 23, apparently unprovoked, cold-cocked an unsuspecting Michigan Department of Corrections officer while waiting in line at the cafeteria of Gus Harrison Correctional Facility in Adrian on Wednesday, April 17, MDOC spokesman Chris Gautz said. This is the third time he has assaulted someone behind bars since he began serving his 40- to 77-year sentence for second-degree murder in the shooting death of Detroit Police Officer Kenneth Steil, according to the MDOC. Cromer repeatedly punched another inmate in an outdoor recreational area at Bellamy Creek Correctional facility in Ionia on March 22, 2018; and on Nov. 25, after enduring several blows initiated by his cellmate at the Saginaw Correctional Facility, Cromer retaliated with a punch so hard he knocked the aggressor to the ground, Gautz said. He pleaded guilty, but mentally ill to second-degree murder and two counts each of assault with intent to murder and felony firearm in February 2018. Cromer, who has a long history of psychiatric problems, went on a rampage Sept. 12, 2016, earlier that day shooting his father, Sterling Cromer, in the foot, later blasting a Hamtramck man in the chest during a carjacking and finally opening fire on Steil near Seven Mile and Hayes roads in Detroit. Struck in the shoulder area, Steil was initially listed in stable condition and was expected to make a full recovery. But while he was preparing to return home to his wife and two sons five days later, Steil unexpectedly collapsed and died short afterward. The autopsy report, conducted by Wayne County Medical Examiner Dr. Carl Schmidt, indicated Steils body shut down due to internal bleeding that occurred after a tube was removed from his body. MLive previously explored Cromers case in a series about the prevalence of mental illness in police-involved killings, and the lack of effective treatment options available to the severely mentally ill. Months before his fatal encounter with Steil, a Wayne County Jail psychologist recommended Cromer be placed in inpatient psychiatric care. That never happened. He was released due to a lack available beds in a state-run psychiatric center. Cromers father said his son has held animosity for police since 2004, when his half-brother, Makarra Sanders, died in Warren police custody following a drug arrest. While the death was attributed to complications Sanders suffered after consuming two large rocks of crack cocaine when confronted by police, relatives in a settled wrongful death lawsuit claimed Sanders appeared to have been severely beaten prior to his death, citing autopsy reports. SALEM TOWNSHIP, MI -- If you own a pet, its your legal obligation to care for it, Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office says. Deputies are now looking for the former owners of a dog and pair of pet bunnies recently found abandoned in public places around Washtenaw County, including a landfill and park. Deputies rescued a black and white English bulldog that someone appears to have deliberately dumped at Arbor Hills landfill in Salem Township on April 15, the sheriffs office said. Nearby was soaking wet bedding and two containers of food and water. On April 16, two pet rabbits, including one that was emaciated, were found abandoned in a bright blue and white duffel bag intended for transporting pets at Ypsilantis Waterworks Park. The dog and rabbits were taken to Huron Valley Humane Society for medical care and possible adoption When becoming a pet owner, you accept the responsibilities set forth by (Michigan law), which declares the intentional infliction of pain and suffering, failure to provide care and animal fighting as punishable crimes, sheriffs officials said. A message requesting photos of the abandoned animals was left with the Huron Valley Human Society. Anyone with information about the former pet owners is asked to call the Washtenaw County Sheriffs Office, 734-994-2911 or anonymously to 734-973-7711. Pet owners who feel they can no longer care for their animals may contact the Huron Valley Humane Society, 734-661-3528, to discuss possible options. Lost in the chaos that surrounded the release of the Mueller report Thursday was a proposal from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to raise the national minimum age to buy tobacco to 21 years old. According to the Associated Press, McConnell considers the legislation to be extremely important and things Republicans and Democrats can work together on getting the law passed. I hope and I expect this legislation to achieve strong bipartisan support in the Senate, McConnell said. As you all know, Im in a particularly good position to enact legislation. And this is going to be a top priority that Ill be working on. The senior senator from Kentucky says the bill will cover all tobacco products, including vaping devices and would require retailers to verify ages for any products related to tobacco. While the bill targets all types of tobacco, McConnell said he is seriously concerned about the rise in vaping, especially with teenagers. For some time, Ive been hearing from the parents who are seeing an unprecedented spike in vaping among their teenage children, McConnell said. He announced his plans to introduce the legislation at the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky in Louisville. McConnells home state of Kentucky has seen cancer rates climb as a result of tobacco use. Coincidentally, lawmakers in Kentucky rejected a proposal earlier this year to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco in the state to 21. Currently 12 states have raised the minimum age to 21. Fiat Chrysler has issued a recall for about 298,000 Dodge vehicles in the U.S., and more than 300,000 in North America to replace the shift-cable bushings. In affected 2013-2016 Dodge Dart sedans, the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker says that an internal investigation revealed certain cars are equipped with a cable bushing that may degrade after prolonged exposure to high ambient heat and humidity. Related: EPA says FCA will recall 862K vehicles in US that dont meet emissions standards If this were to occur, there is a risk the vehicle could lose the ability to shift. The recall is limited to 2013-2016 Dodge Darts equipped with an automatic transmission. If the shifter cable detaches from the transmission, the vehicle may not perform the sifts performed by the driver, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration writes on its website. Additionally, despite selecting PARK with the shifter, the vehicle may roll away. Related: FCA recalls 767K Ram trucks due to potential steering loss, brake pedal detachment The automaker will start notifying owners of the potential defect starting via the mail May 31. Once this happens, dealers will replace the transmission side shifter for free. FCA says the recall also covers 20,177 vehicles in Canada, 3,389 in Mexico and another 874 outside North America. To search active recalls, use the NHTSAs website to search your 17-character VIN at this link. VIN numbers are typically located under the drivers side windshield, or along the inside of the doors behind the seat or under the steering wheel. To sign up for NHTSA safety alerts for a specific vehicle, sign up at this link. Dozens of unlicensed medical marijuana provisioning centers will likely get some relief from a state compliance deadline that would have forced them to shut their doors. After a four-hour hearing on eight similar cases Thursday afternoon, Michigan Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello did not issue an order -- but did tip his hand as to his opinion. Im leaning towards giving the plaintiffs their relief, Borrello said. My hold up is, how far does that relief extend? Borrello plans to issue a written ruling within a weeks time. His ruling determines the fate of about 50 medical marijuana provisioning centers allowed to operate without a state license. Those facilities had applied for a license as of February 2018. Ten of those facilities have applications considered inactive, officials said. For now, that means those 50 provisioning centers can continue to keep their doors open -- and it means caregivers can continue selling untested product directly to provisioning centers. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has been trying to hold the temporary operators to a licensing deadline since June 2018 but have been thwarted by court orders. Borrello has previously extended the deadline. The most recent attempt to enforce a deadline was brought forward by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, who had proposed March 31 -- but another barrage of last-minute legal filings from medical marijuana businesses stopped that under a ruling from Borrello. Last week lawyers representing temporarily operating medical marijuana provisioning centers met privately with Borrello, and could not come to a settlement agreement. Thursdays hearing was a lively one for the Court of Claims, as the chamber was filled with medical marijuana patients, caregivers and business owners. Exhibits included a jar of marijuana flower, medical tinctures and oils -- which Borrello appreciated. Of the eight cases before Borrello Thursday, they each involved a medical marijuana business that had difficulty gaining their medical marijuana license from the state. This case is sexy because its marijuana; but this case has nothing to do with marijuana, Borrello said. This is an administrative procedures case and a constitutional case. Since state regulators have allowed certain provisioning centers to operate unlicensed for the past year, they have essentially granted them a provisional license, Borrello argued. The states attorney, Erika Marzorati, disagreed with that claim during the hearing. The eight cases before you seek to delay the inevitable, Marzorati said. Borrello said the legislature has not done its part to provide clarity and guidance to the medical marijuana industry. Im being asked in some instances to legislate from the bench, in large part because theres being a complete lack of action from the legislature, Borrello said. Just before Borrello convened his hearing Thursday, the legislature did act -- on the same deadline issue that Borrello is deliberating. The House voted 102-4 to pass House Bill 4440, which sets a new compliance deadline of June 1 for temporary operators. In addition to the criminal penalty that temporary operators would face for keeping their doors open after that time, the bill would make it impossible for them to apply for a new license for the following year. The bill heads to the Senate for consideration. Borrello said hes motivated to bring a conclusion to the medical marijuana licensing deadline issue swiftly, as he has applied to be reassigned from the Court of Claims and may end his tenure there May 1. He has served for four years in that role. -- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical marijuana. ANN ARBOR, MI - A 53-foot high, 21,220-pound companion is returning to the University of Michigan Museum of Art next week, along with the artist that created it. After a yearlong hiatus, abstract expressionist Mark di Suveros Orion will be reinstalled in front of the museum on April 23. The following day, di Suvero will participate in a public conversation with UMMA Director Christina Olsen at 5 p.m., where they will discuss the role public art plays on a university campus. The event is free and open to the public. di Suvero will also receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at UMs Spring Commencement ceremony May 4. Initially exhibited at Chicagos Millennium Park, di Suveros Orion (2006) first arrived at UMMA as a long-term loan in 2008, helping to celebrate the Museums then-new Maxine and Stuart Frankel and the Frankel Family Wing. In April 2018, it was removed in preparation for storm water repairs on UMMAs grounds, according to the university, which provided an opportunity to send the sculpture back to the artists studio in New York for conservation and a fresh coat of paint. The sculpture is one of two of di Suveros massive steel works that welcome visitors to UMMA. Shang (1984-85) is a kinetic sculpture that invites passersby to swing on its suspended platform. Mark di Suvero is one of last living abstract expressionist artists, and arguably the most important 20th-century American sculptor of outdoor, public art, Olsen said in a news release. An opportunity to hear from him is a rare occurrence, especially with one so steeped in the concerns of our present social, political and environmental debates. LANSING, Mich. -- The battle lines have been drawn in Michigans medical marijuana industry, as big business interests lured by new regulations and the promise of a recreational market are clashing with caregivers and patient needs. The tension played out Thursday afternoon in Lansing, as medical marijuana patients, caregivers and business owners filled a courtroom at the Hall of Justice. Court of Claims Judge Stephen Borrello heard eight cases Thursday, all regarding medical marijuana regulation. Though most of the cases regarded a compliance deadline for licensure, which state officials have been trying to impose since June 2018, a bigger conflict was at hand. One case before Borrello on Thursday -- The Curing Corner v. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs -- specifically asks for caregiver product to supply the licensed industry through the end of the year. The states two largest licensed growers, VB Chesaning and Green Peak Industries, had attempted to become a party to that lawsuit -- but Borrello denied their motion. Their representatives were still in the courtroom Thursday, carefully watching. Fueled by caregivers For the past year, state regulators have allowed untested medical marijuana grown by caregivers to be sold to patients at provisioning centers. Its fueled the newly regulated market -- and has continued to do so in 2019 under a resolution backed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Medical marijuana products produced by state-licensed growers and processors available for provisioning centers to distribute, as seen at the Greenhouse in Walled Lake April 17, 2019. (Amy Biolchini | MLive.com) But even as fully regulated growers have come on-line, theyre not producing the specialty medicinal products that patients need. Amy McKinnon-Glun, manager of licensed provisioning center Curing Corner in River Rouge, testified in court Thursday that the major licensed growers in Michigan are selling marijuana flower and edibles like chocolate bars and gummies -- not tinctures or Rick Simpson Oil. A lot of the medicinal products that our patients are used to using, and have been used to using for years, Ive not been shown from licensed growers or processors, McKinnon-Glun said. Stevie Cuttitta, 28, of Lapeer, turned to a marijuana tincture to help treat her four-year-old son Gabriel Wilsons severe non-verbal autism and mild cerebral palsy. Two years ago, Gabriel struggled on multiple pharmaceutical products to control his behavioral issues; hitting his head on the floor so many times he needed a helmet. I want this choice, Cuttitta said. I feel like I have the right to decide if an untested product is worth it. She drives from Lapeer to the Greenhouse in Walled Lake to buy the CBD/THC blend tincture for Gabriel. Dispensaries closer to home are more recreational-focused and dont carry that kind of product, she said. Medical marijuana products grown and processed by caregivers include a variety of CBD/THC tinctures and Rick Simpson Oil, as seen April 17, 2019, at the Greenhouse in Walled Lake. (Amy Biolchini | MLive.com) In addition to trying to close unlicensed medical marijuana facilities April 1, state regulators also want to change how caregiver marijuana gets to the market. Instead of allowing caregivers to sell untested product directly to shops -- as they have been doing for the past year -- regulators wanted caregivers to sell only to growers and processors, who would then have to test the product. Greenhouse owner Jerry Millen said if that switch happens, hell have to shut down. It would take too much time -- and become too costly -- for medical products like the tinctures Gabriel needs to get into the hands of patients. The thought of losing access to Gabriels medicine brings tears to Cuttittas eyes. Our life would start to unravel, Cuttitta said. Growers in peril As patients face the possibility of losing specialty medical products, licensed growers in Michigan are also facing a grim prospect: no market. Jason Pasko, COO of VB Chesaning, said his company cant sell its product to licensed provisioning centers due to competition from caregivers. The company does business as High Life Farms, a 6,000-plant grow facility in Chesaning owned by Vincenzo and Benedetto Celani. The Celanis father is Tom Celani, an influential businessman who owns a vineyard and was involved in building Motor City Casino in Detroit. High Life Farms made $14,000 in sales last week, Pasko said to MLive, noting: "That doesn't cover my light bill." Without the sales it needs, High Life laid off 17 people last week, according to company officials. The business has threatened state regulators with a letter, stating it does not want to renew its grow licenses in July and does not want the state to continue to process its five applications for more grow licenses until caregivers are cut out of the regulated market. Our licenses are now worthless in this market, the letter signed by High Life Farms Chief Financial Officer James LaPorte. Green Peak Industries, the biggest licensed grower in Michigan, has previously objected to the use of caregiver product in the regulated system, citing potential patient safety issues. Tests of caregiver marijuana resulted in a series of recalls in early 2019. Contaminants including mold, E. coli, Salmonella and heavy metals were found in the flower. No illnesses have been reported to state officials from consumption of caregiver marijuana, officials said. Judge Borrello did not indicate Thursday how he would rule in the Curing Corner lawsuit, but a written decision is expected within a week. -- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana. ANN ARBOR, MI Ann Arbor is downzoning a neighborhood from multi- to single-family housing, a move drawing criticism from some density and affordability proponents. City Council voted 9-2 to OK the rezoning Monday night, April 15 after hearing from several people on both sides of the issue. A total of 62 residential lots are being rezoned along Hoover and Davis avenues west of Main Street, and along Edgewood Place, Wilder Place and Myron Court. The neighborhood is already mostly single-family homes, and the downzoning aims to keep it that way, preventing additional multi-family condo and apartment buildings. Its been correctly noted that this is essentially a reduction in the allowable density in this neighborhood, said Council Member Chip Smith, D-5th Ward, who supported the downzoning. I understand, certainly, the pinch that were in regarding affordable housing, he said. However, I also look at our 2009 master plan, which identifies this as a lower zoning designation. The neighborhood is just south of Wurster Park, a stones throw from Michigan Stadium. It has some multi-family housing, including houses broken up into multiple rental units, a larger apartment building and some new townhouse-style condos. Only 13% of the properties conformed with the multi-family zoning, and now 75% are conforming under the new single-family zoning, one of the citys reasons for the move. Some residents in favor of the downzoning hope it helps preserve the neighborhoods lower-density character, drawing a line against the continued encroachment of larger housing developments like the new attached townhouses built on Davis Avenue. The city is letting some apartment and condo properties at the east end of the study area keep their multi-family zoning designations. But some landlords with rental properties in the neighborhood arent happy theyre falling under single-family zoning. Some spoke out Monday night, telling council it will devalue their properties and limit ability to get financing and insurance or to rebuild in case of a fire or other disaster. By removing this zoning from this area, you are preventing growth, which is something we shouldnt necessarily be scared of, Jen Langenburg of Eladott Real Estate and Property Management told the council. We just had a beautiful new project constructed at 105 W. Davis that has R4C zoning. Preventing multi-housing projects like this does not make sense. Jeff Starman, who owns a rental property at 413 W. Hoover, also spoke against the rezoning. Currently you can rent a nice apartment in a neighborhood for about $900 to $1,000, he said. Youll leave us with a 5,000-square-foot single-family home in theory under this rezoning, which most of these larger properties would be, which directly flies in the face of affordable housing and it flies in the face of the character of this neighborhood. Properties that have operated as multi-family rentals can continue in the same manner under the single-family zoning as theyre grandfathered in, said Brett Lenart, city planning manager. But as properties are redeveloped over time, theyre expected to come into compliance with the single-family zoning. That can restrict the ability to rebuild in the same fashion or add additions or expand use, Lenart acknowledged, but he noted many of the properties already were nonconforming. In some cases, the Zoning Board of Appeals may approve expansions of non-conforming uses, and things can be rebuilt when theres smaller-scale damage, Lenart said. The rezoning is an attempt at striking a balance between appropriate scale and quantity of development in the neighborhood and bringing more properties into conformance with the zoning, which might facilitate more investment in them in the long term, Lenart said. Lesli Hoey, a homeowner in the area, argued against the rezoning, saying the city needs to allow more density. Id like you to take a look at what the city of Minneapolis just passed recently, she said. The entire city now has eliminated single-family zoning and is allowing up to three units in all neighborhoods. As much as he would like to move toward that, Ann Arbor isnt there right now, Smith said. He hopes the city can address density and affordable housing issues as the master plan is updated in the next year. The only two council members against the downzoning were Jeff Hayner, D-1st Ward, and Kathy Griswold, D-2nd Ward. Griswold is concerned it could have a negative impact on some property owners by lowering property values. Hayner and Lenart discussed the larger issues the city still wants to resolve with its R4C zoning, the multi-family zoning in question. A majority of R4C properties are nonconforming and developers have been combining lots for larger developments. Its a conversation thats decades in the making and probably decades overdue, Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, said of addressing what he called a broken zoning district that, in this case, wasnt serving a mostly single-family neighborhood. Council voted 11-0 Monday to reject rezoning seven other properties along Ashley Street south of Washtenaw Dairy from C2B (business district) to R2A (two-family dwelling district). Council had asked the citys staff to look into rezoning the area, which would discourage commercial uses and maintain the existing scale and residential character, but city planning officials recommended against it. Residential properties along Ashley Street are in an area impacted by pollution from the historic operation of a dry cleaner. By maintaining the existing commercial zoning, theres more potential for a brownfield redevelopment that could support environmental remediation, according to city planning officials. FLINT, MI-- Interstate 475 will be closed overnight on April 20 and 23 while overhead truss signs are replaced, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. Northbound Interstate 475 near Robert T Longway Boulevard will be closed between midnight and 5 a.m. on Saturday, April 20. Southbound Interstate 475 between Court Street and Robert T Longway Boulevard will be closed between midnight and 5 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23. Crews with the MDOT will require intermittent 15-minute full closures of the roadways to accommodate the work. Additional lane closures are expected as work is ongoing. Drivers are warned to be cautious when approaching these closures and watch for workers. More information on the Federal Highway Administrations guidelines for sign improvements can be found here. FLINT, MI-- A 16-year-old has been charged as an adult and could face life in prison for firing a shot at a Flint school on Wednesday, April 17. Dajae Mayfield, of Flint, is charged with three counts of assault with intent to murder, three counts of felony firearm, one count of discharge of a firearm into a building, one count of carrying a concealed weapon, one count of carrying a concealed weapon in a gun-free school zone and one count of possessing a revolver in a weapons free zone, according to Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. Officers with the Flint Police Department were called out shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 17, to Flex High School, 4121 Martin Luther King Ave., near Max Brandon Park for a report of shots fired. There was an altercation between four students when one of the four left the school, went out through the loading dock, turned around and fired back into the building at the three individuals, Leyton said. Flint Police Deputy Chief Devon Bernritter previously said the single shot was fired outside the school and it was not an active shooter incident. No injuries were reported at the scene. A lockdown put in place following the incident was lifted around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. A law enforcement presence remained at the school until all students were released. Three suspects were initially taken into custody. Flint Police Detective Sgt. Tyrone Booth confirmed a fourth person was apprehended at approximately 6 p.m. Wednesday evening. Police now consider the three people taken into custody as victims in the case. Theyve since been released without charges filed. MUNDY TWP, MI-- A lockdown was put in place at Carman-Ainsworth Middle School Thursday afternoon after a middle school student in a GISD center-based program made threats while at the building. Officers from the Metro Police Authority of Genesee County responded April 18 to the school off West Maple Avenue in Mundy Township. Steve Tunnicliff, associate superintendent for the Genesee Intermediate School District, said the student made threatening remarks after leaving the classroom. The building was placed on lock-down and police responded, Tunnicliff said. The lock down was lifted shortly thereafter and students were dismissed at the end of the school day as normal." Metro Police Chief Matt Bade said the student involved attends Elmer A. Knopf Learning Center. Michigan State Police and deputies with the Genesee County Sheriffs Office also provided assistance at the school. No weapons were involved in the situation, Tunncliff said. LANSING, MI -- After recent news that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appears to be back at the negotiation table with Enbridge Energy on a Line 5 replacement, some environmental groups are skeptical shell cut a better deal than her predecessor. Whitmer told the Detroit News editorial board Monday, April 16, she remains open to former Gov. Rick Snyders plan to encase a Line 5 replacement in a tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac if it can help me get the pipeline out of the water earlier. Should the governor not be able to hammer out a solution with Enbridge to remove the 66-year-old pipeline earlier than seven to 10 years, as was expected under Snyders tunnel plan, her office is then going to look at all the alternatives, she told the Detroit News. Revised estimates, according to Enbridge Energy, show the tunnel could be operational by 2024, or in five years. Whitmers office declined to comment on how soon she wants the controversial Line 5 oil and gas pipeline removed from the Straits. Activists and environmental groups, fearing an oil spill in the Straits, have called on state officials for years to shut down the controversial, aging pipeline. Two environmental groups who spoke with MLive on Thursday said theyre concerned Whitmer is trying to cut a better deal with Enbridge but not doing anything different than Snyder -- chiefly, that she isnt leveraging the states power to revoke Enbridges lake bottom easement, which would shut down Line 5. We are concerned about the direction if it involves protracted negotiations with Enbridge without utilizing the leverage the state has first, said Mike Shriberg, regional director of the National Wildlife Federation. Former Gov. Rick Snyder tried this strategy and it failed miserably If shes trying the same approach, why would she expect a different outcome? Snyders biggest failure in the negotiations, Shriberg said, is the tunnel deal he secured with Enbridge would only decommission Line 5 after the tunnel was operational. If the tunnel wasnt feasible or Enbridge later decided against it, there was no condition in place to decommission Line 5. Liz Kirkwood, director of For Love of Water (FLOW), concurred with Shriberg on leveraging a potential easement revocation, saying one of the greatest errors the Snyder administration made is they did not negotiate from a position of power. Shriberg said Whitmer should negotiate a Line 5 replacement and her campaign promise to decommission the current pipeline as two separate issues. Gov. Whitmer was elected on the promise to remove Line 5 from the Great Lakes, he said. I think patience with her on this issue will wear thin quickly. Whitmers office declined to answer questions on Line 5 policy and ongoing negotiations, issuing only a brief statement that says Whitmer wants a solution that protects the Great Lakes, removes Line 5 as soon as possible and meets the Upper Peninsulas energy needs. The news that Whitmer is open to the tunnel option comes mere weeks after she halted all state department work on the project, as state Attorney General Dana Nessel deemed the law that established the project oversight body as unconstitutional. Whitmer had asked Nessel to evaluate the constitutionality of the law, which was pushed through during lame duck and signed by Snyder in his final days as governor. The law created a Mackinac Straits Corridor Authority to take ownership of the proposed tunnel about 100 feet under the Straits to house a Line 5 replacement and other utilities. Under agreements with the state, Enbridge would pay for the roughly $350 million to $500 million project and then hand tunnel ownership over to the authority. The authority was to have an oversight role during construction. Ryan Duffy, an Enbridge spokesperson, said the Canadian energy company continues to provide information to Whitmers office and seek clarification on whats next for the tunnel project. We believe the project is the best way to protect the waters of the Great Lakes while ensuring families, manufacturers and other businesses safely receive the energy transported through Line 5, Duffy said in a statement. The Detroit News reports Whitmer suggested her next steps on Line 5 could be announced within a month. Kirkwood said although she understands negotiations require some degree of private discussion, the lack of details on the talks, and specifically when she wants Line 5 out of the water, is very frustrating. Its not consistent with what she promised on the campaign trail," Kirkwood said, referring to Whitmers campaign criticism of the Snyder administrations transparency on Line 5 decisions. Whitmer told the Detroit News that, once she has a tentative plan of action on Line 5, shell share the rationale behind her decision with Michigan residents. When we have an idea of where we think we can be headed, were going to get around the state and make sure people understand how and why we get to the conclusion that we do, she told the Detroit News. But I havent prejudged it. I just know that my goal is to protect the Great Lakes and get energy to the U.P. Whitmers pause on the tunnel project hasnt slowed it down so far, Duffy said. Drill work to determine the rock composition beneath the Straits and the feasibility of a tunnel wasnt slated to start until late April, and Enbridge is preparing to start that work, Duffy said. Michigan House Republicans welcomed the reopening of talks with Enbridge on the tunnel and called on Whitmer to stop her partisan gamble on our Great Lakes. Proponents of the tunnel say it will maintain energy security and the continued transportation of natural gas used to heat homes in the Upper Peninsula. Opponents say there are other options to do so without endangering the Great Lakes. The Line 5 pipeline, built in 1953, runs 645 miles from Superior, Wisconsin, to Sarnia, Canada, and transports up to 540,000 barrels of light crude oil and natural gas liquids per day. Calls to shut down the pipeline were renewed earlier this year, when an anchor struck it on April 1. The line was damaged with three dents and an abrasion but has since been patched up with composite sleeves. KENT COUNTY, MI -- Police are investigating a possible cell phone scam after two residents in the Caledonia area recently received fake iPhones in the mail. Kent County sheriffs deputies issued an advisory to Neighborhood Watch groups. Deputies said two residents in two days received iPhones in the mail they did not order. One of those people received one phone on Monday, April 15 and two the following day. Police said the phones appear to be a fake Chinese-made phone, but they do power on. Deputies said they are investigating why they arrived in the mail to unsuspecting people. They are investigating a report of a person trying to sell fake iPhones in a business parking lot, but are not sure if the situation is related to the mailings. HUDSONVILLE, MI - Katie Farrell, a first grade teacher at Bauer Elementary in Hudsonville schools is among 10 educators named as 2019-20 Regional Teachers of the Year, according to the Michigan Department of Education. While we have some phenomenal educators in Hudsonville, Katie is definitely one of our shining stars,'' said Hudsonville Superintendent Doug VanderJagt. "Her dedication and service to her students and our district is a true example excellence. Farrell represents West Michigans Region 3. On Tuesday, April 16, she interviewed with a panel of education stakeholders charged with determining which regional winner will be Michigans Teacher of the Year. Recognizing and tapping the skills and expertise of outstanding educators across Michigan helps improve all of our schools, said Interim State Superintendent Sheila Alles, in a statement this month. We benefit greatly from the broad perspectives of teaching and learning taking place in our great state. Michigan is fortunate to have many talented educators. Farrell, who has taught for 14 years, said the regional honor is really a reflection of who educators are in the Hudsonville School District as a group. "Teaching is not something you do by yourself but with the colleagues around you, who you rely on for expertise, advice, and support,'' she said. The married mother of two said that she has always known she wanted to teach. After her first year, she said she fell love with teaching first-graders. "First grade is just so much fun with these tiny little people figuring out themselves and life,'' she said. "They go from little babies just coming out of kindergarten to learning how to read and becoming whole different people.'' Farrell said her first grade teacher, Ms. MacDonald, made her want to teach. She said she made her feel like she was special, loved, and care for and she wanted to be able to make that connection with children. "You dont realize until you are a teacher how much of an impact you can make,'' she said. "I want to make kids feel as special as she made me feel when I was their age.'' Farrell, a Grand Rapids native, went to Catholic Central High School. She has her bachelors degree in elementary education and her masters degree in literacy studies, both from Western Michigan University. This year, the Michigan Department of Education received more than 400 nominations from students, staff, and community members across the state. Those nominees then were invited to take part in a multi-part competitive application process through which the 10 Regional Teachers of the Year were selected by a panel of reviewers. Farrell does not know who nominated her. East Kentwood High School math teacher Luke Wilcox was was the last West Michigan educator to win Michigan Teacher of the Year in 2017-18. Last year, Lowell music teacher Wendy Tenney was the regional teacher of the year. The other nine regional winners are: OTTAWA COUNTY, MI -- A 21-year-old Hudsonville man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle collision at the M-6 exit ramp to Eighth Avenue, police said. The man had exited eastbound M-6 and was at the stop sign at the end of the ramp about 2:50 p.m. Thursday, April 18. He then pulled into the path of another vehicle going south on Eighth Avenue. Ottawa County sheriffs deputies said the 21-year-old was pinned in his vehicle for a half-hour and had substantial injuries. He was taken to Metro Health Hospital. Two passengers in the vehicle on Eighth Avenue, women ages 76 and 49, had minor injuries and were taken to Holland Hospital for treatment. HOLLAND, MI A 61-year-old man has been arraigned on an open-murder charge in the stabbing death of his ex-girlfriend in her home. Salvador Gonzales Ruiz is accused of killing Linda Sylvia Rodriguez, 61, in her home in the 500 block of West 24th Street. Holland police say Ruiz broke in around 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 16, then fatally stabbed her. A man who was in the home with the victim told police that they were sleeping when the sliding-glass door was smashed. He said he saw a man dressed in all black on Rodriguezs side of the bed and recognized Ruizs voice. He knew that Ruiz was her former boyfriend. He could see Sal Ruiz right arm coming down over and over again over Linda, and she was screaming, Holland police Officer Kort Nyland said, according to a transcript of a hearing in which he obtained an arrest warrant. The witness did not know if Ruiz was punching or stabbing the victim. Ruiz was calling her names, the man told police. The man ran to the kitchen to get his cell phone and call police. Linda Rodriguez was found lying on the floor of her bedroom in a pool of blood with multiple stab stab wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene, Nyland testified. He said police believe that Ruiz smashed the window in a sliding-glass with a brick paver - from the back yard - that was found on the floor inside Police found a bicycle nearby that was registered to a man who had just loaned it to Ruiz a couple of hours earlier. After searching nearly eight hours for the suspect, police had information that Ruiz had a storage unit on the south side of town, on M-40 near the Pilot gas station. Witnesses reported seeing him put property into a garbage container, police said. Investigators saw him coming out of camper and arrested him. Police seized evidence, including his cellphone, which showed he had been texting the victim in the hours before her killing, police said. Police said a quick check of his phone showed that he was upset with her, calling her names. The man who was with the victim said he also heard a voicemail from the defendant that showed he was upset. Ruiz was ordered held without bond in the Ottawa County Jail at his arraignment in Holland District Court. He asked that an attorney be appointed to represent him. Rodriguez was a life-long resident of Holland. Services are next week, according to her obituary. SUMMIT TWP., MI Authorities have identified a man killed by police Wednesday night after he shot a Jackson County Sheriffs deputy multiple times. Akeen Brown, 34, of Flint, was shot and killed by police responding to a domestic violence incident Wednesday, April 17, inside a home in the 1300 block of Westlane Drive, Jackson Director of Police and Fire Services Elmer Hitt said. Three deputies entered the home about 9 p.m. and encountered Brown on the second floor, where he opened fire on them, striking one deputy in the upper right leg and left hand, Hitt said. The deputies returned fire, killing Brown at the scene, Hitt said. The injured deputy was taken to Henry Ford Allegiance Health to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The Jackson County Major Crimes Task Force is handling the investigation, although the sheriffs office will not take part because of its direct involvement in the incident, police said. All deputies involved are on administrative leave until the investigation is finished. Brown was listed as a parole absconder by the Michigan Department of Corrections, records show. He was on parole for manslaughter, unarmed robbery, felony firearms, possession of a firearm by a felon and delivery of a controlled substance marijuana, MDOC records show. BANGOR, MI -- Marijuana is coming to Bangors Main Street Saturday for the first 420 Festival in the small town in Southwest Michigan. The Green Door is hosting the 420 Festival from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 20, in downtown Bangor in Van Buren County, according to a press release from The Green Door. The festival is free and open to anyone at least 21 years old, the release said. Nearly 30 vendors will line Main Street, including veteran organizations, cannabis compassion groups, local businesses and food trucks. The event will also include glass blowing demonstrations, live music and guest speakers to talk about the benefits of cannabis, the release said. Those with a valid medical marijuana list are invited to purchase cannabis from The Green Door during the festival. There will be a small outdoor area for those with medical cards to partake in the cannabis, the release said. The Bangor police and fire departments will be on-site monitoring the event. Those interested in participating are encouraged to medicate responsibly, the release said. Camping for the festival will be available from Talking Trees Campground. Go online or call 269-252-1120 to make a reservation. Additional questions about the festival should be directed to The Green Door at 269-427-1435, by email at thegreendoor.bangor@gmail.com or on Facebook. KALAMAZOO, MI The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners voted down a proposal to add the word marijuana to its drug testing policy, that would have allowed drug testing of employees suspected of being high on the plant, which recently became legal in Michigan. After discussion on April 16, commissioners voted against the measure recommended by county staff. It would have updated a policy to test non-union employees for the presence of marijuana if they are suspected of being under the influence, in some cases. Refusal to submit to such testing would have resulted in immediate dismissal, according to a presentation on the policy recommendation by Human Resources Director Kristine Cunningham in March. The recommendation was presented to the county board a few months after the legalization of the adult use and possession of marijuana in Michigan. Commissioner Meredith Place said she doesnt think the policy is consistent in its language. I dont think we should be making statements that employees are prohibited from being under the influence of legally prescribed medication because I dont know what under the influence means and by whose barometer? Place said. Commissioner Mike Quinn said he is concerned about possible false positives from the tests that could label someone as being under the influence when that isnt actually the case. I bring this up because I think the manufacturers of the tests have kind of convinced us their tests are very very reliable. Theyre doing the best they can, but the high number of false positives on this test just scares me," Quinn said. Commissioners questioned the wording of the proposed policy, asked about how the policy would be implemented. Where management has reason to believe that an employee may be under the influence of a controlled substance, marijuana or alcohol, they may require the employee to submit to breath, urine or blood testing to determine the presence of a controlled substance, marijuana or alcohol," the defeated proposal reads. Commissioner Tracy Hall said the proposed policy was too subjective. Commissioner Christine Morse said there is no way to get around the process being subjective, but said the county needs a policy in place. You cannot not have a policy in place. You then open yourself to lawsuits -- someone crashes a car, they were drunk, they were high, and theres evidence they have been, someone can prove that, Morse said. Commissioner Roger Tuinier said the process will always be subjective, and he supports the measure. I think this is good, youve got to start somewhere, he said. Commissioners discussed the issue at previous meetings and voted down the proposed policy this week. Human Resources Director Kristine Cunningham said the latest reading was the third time the policy was before the board, and after the proposal was defeated, county staff has requested a report from a labor attorney about what liabilities the county may face without approving an updated policy to reflect changes in the state law. The countys current drug free workplace policy remains in place and states the county expects to have a workplace free of drugs, alcohol and illegal controlled substances. Any employee exhibiting suspicious behavior or activity consistent with the use of illegal drugs or alcohol may be subject to drug testing. The current policy does not specifically mention marijuana in the section of the policy about testing for substances. However, the current policy mentions illegal substances, and would have included marijuana within its definition, until the recent change in state law. Under the current policy, the use of medical marijuana while working or being under the influence of medical marijuana while working is strictly prohibited, and a violation of the drug-free workplace policy will result in discipline including termination. The updated policy would have included the word marijuana in the section about drug testing employees and was recommended to bring the countys policy in line with the updated state law. The plant remains illegal on the federal level, despite its legal status in Michigan since voters approved a proposal in November 2018 to legalize use and possession of marijuana for people 21 and older. Commissioners Ron Kendall, Stephanie Moore, Meredith Place, Mike Quinn, Paul Haag and Tracy Hall voted against the measure. Commissioners Christine Morse, Julie Rogers, Michael Seals, Roger Tuinier, and John Gisler voted for the proposal. Sino-African relations are witnessing unprecedented breakthroughs at all levels, whether it be in the political, economic, commercial or cultural spheres. The deepening of Sino-African relations came as a result of China's policy toward Africa, which is based on the principles of sincerity, equality and mutual benefit, solidarity and common development. Africa has been conscientiously exploring a road to development suited to their national conditions. It is seeking peace, stability and development through joint efforts with international partners, and China has been its key partner. African countries have a strong belief in the importance of working closely with China to help Africa develop and flourish. China and African countries are continuing to deepen their strategic partnership, vigorously advancing cooperation in economic and trade issues, and actively exploring a common path that reflects both China's and Africa's realities. Under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China has constantly provided financial support to Africa, starting from US$1 billion in 2000 to US$60 billion in the last two FOCAC summits. Moreover, China has pledged 10 plans and eight development initiatives to help African countries advance in the areas of infrastructure, industrialization, agriculture, trade, environmental protection, health, education, security and peace. It has become customary for African leaders to discuss their important projects and sign partnership contracts during the FOCAC forum. For example, Egypt signed US$18 billion worth of contracts with Chinese investors in 2018, which include the construction of the world's biggest power plants and many other mega projects. Thanks to the support of the Chinese government, more and more Chinese companies are doing business in Africa. At present, over 3,500 Chinese enterprises are investing in more than 50 African countries, and the areas of cooperation have expanded from mining, agriculture and building industry to intensive processing of resource products, industrial manufacturing, finance, commercial logistics and real estate. China has built a fiber-optic transmission backbone network in Tanzania that covers major provinces and cities of the country, linking it with six neighboring countries and connecting it to undersea optic cables in Eastern and Southern Africa. Moreover, six special economic zones have been established in Zambia, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Egypt in a bid to promote local industrial development. China has become Africa's top trading partner since 2009. With China's efforts to further open its market to African products, all of the 30 least developed African countries now enjoy zero-tariff treatment for 60% of their exports to China, which covers 4,762 items. Due to this policy, African exports to China have grown rapidly. According to statistics from China's General Administration of Customs, in 2018, China's total import and export volume with Africa was US$204.19 billion. This marked a year-on-year increase of 19.7%, exceeding the overall growth rate of foreign trade in the same period by 7.1 percentage points. In this same time period, China's exports to Africa were US$104.91 billion, up 10.8%, and China's imports from Africa were US$99.28 billion, up 30.8%, with a trade surplus of US$5.63 billion, down 70.0% year on year. The improvement in trade between China and African countries is expected to increase this year as a result of the import exhibition which was held by China for the first time in Shanghai in November last year. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), proposed in 2013, aims to improve global governance and the globalization process by providing equal opportunities for all to achieve prosperity and growth. So far, 37 African countries have joined the initiative. Their participation in the project is completely in line with the African Union Agenda 2063, which aims to link all 54 African nations through transportation infrastructure projects, including modern highways, airports, and high-speed railways. African countries have already benefited from the various BRI infrastructure projects such as the construction of power plants, highways, railways, ports and airports. Moreover, the improved level of infrastructure in those African countries has also become a driving force for local economic growth. From this perspective, the BRI is actually China's way of addressing the infrastructure gap in African countries. The Sino-African cooperation has no limits, and it represents a comprehensive strategic partnership that pushes for growth enabling Africa to fight poverty and build a better future. Hisham Abu Bakr Metwally is the first economist researcher with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Industry. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. PARCHMENT, MI -- State Sen. Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo, will hold a town hall Thursday to discuss Michigans latest efforts to protect drinking water from PFAS contamination. The town hall will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Parchment High School auditorium, 1916 East G Ave, according to a news release from the state senators office. The event will focus on ongoing response from state and local officials to discoveries of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS or PFCs, found to be contaminating water supplies and the environment in Michigan and elsewhere. Representatives from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and Michigan PFAS Action Response Team will present information about the statewide response to PFAS and provide a status update on PFAS contamination in Kalamazoo County. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services will also be there Thursday to present information on new PFAS screening and advisory guidelines, according to the release. The public will also have an opportunity to ask questions and provide comment on the topic. Parchment is one of many Michigan communities that has combated PFAS contamination in drinking water. A drinking water advisory was issued on July 26, 2018, after PFAS were found entering the municipal water supply serving Parchment and part of Cooper Township at levels 20 times greater than a state and federal health standard. One month later, the Kalamazoo Department of Health and Community Services said PFAS levels were low enough to drink from the tap again. Then-Lt. Gov. Brian Calley declared a state of emergency on July 29, 2018, after contamination was found in Parchments water supply. A temporary connection was made with the Kalamazoo water system in August to provide Parchment with potable water while a longer-term solution was considered. On March 4, the Kalamazoo City Commission and Parchment City Commission approved two agreements regarding the delivery of water services to Parchment and Cooper Township residents. Kalamazoo agreed to purchase the water system for $492,137, assuming responsibility for operations, maintenance and repairs. Kalamazoo did not acquire Parchments municipal well field. The well field has not been used to draw water since and will remain shut down. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Western Michigan Universitys president was selected, alongside other fellows like Michelle Obama, for a prestigious academy created by the nations founding fathers. Edward Montgomery was selected to join the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an academy recognizing people for outstanding achievements in academia, the arts, business, government and public affairs, according to a press release from Western Michigan University. Montgomery joins former First Lady Michelle Obama and about 200 other people as the academys 239th class. The academy was founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock and others. It has elected more than 13,500 members since its founding more than two centuries ago, according to the organizations website. Montgomery is the first of Western Michigans president to earn such a distinction, according to the member database. I am deeply honored by my election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Montgomery said in the release. To be numbered among such an august and accomplished group of individuals is incredibly humbling. Montgomery joins a list of academy fellows that include founding father Benjamin Franklin, poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson and civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., the release said. Members are selected through nominations and canvass committees, the academys website said. Montgomery began as WMUs president in 2017. Prior to his time in Kalamazoo, he was a dean and professor of economics at Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy. Hes held faculty positions at Carnegie Mellon and Michigan State universities and the University of Maryland. During former President Bill Clintons administration, Montgomery served as chief economist, then deputy secretary of labor for the Department of Labor. Under the Obama administration, Montgomery was a member of the presidents auto task force and led the inter-agency White House Council for Auto Communities and Workers, a position national media dubbed the Auto Czar. Montgomery earned a bachelors degree from Pennsylvania State University and both masters and doctoral degrees in economics from Harvard University. Montgomery and other fellows will be inducted into the academy at a ceremony in October, the release said. NORTON SHORES, MI Plans for a 200-plus apartment and condominium community are in the works for property on Seminole Road near Seaway Drive in Norton Shores, according to city officials. The development, while still in its earliest phases, is considered to be a sign of life for Norton Shores as the city continues its push to reinvigorate commercial activity in the Seminole Road corridor. Redstone Commercial Investments, of Grand Rapids, plans to create a 224-unit, multi-level apartment and condo community to be built across seven parcels in the citys Eastowne Centre property, according to city documents. The property was purchased by the city a year ago after the former owner couldnt carry out development plans. Redstone is in the process of designing the Mona Kea Condominiums, which will be loft-style dwellings with an urban design, according to a site plan provided to MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Redstone also is the developer behind the nearby Cottages at Mona Kai, a $10.5 million condo development. The Mona Kea property is bordered by Seminole, Seaway and Peninsula drives. The parcels being eyed for development are located to the south and east of Verdonis Event Center, 211 W. Seaway Dr. This map shows two locations eyed for the development of a new apartment and condominium community in Norton Shores, dubbed Mona Kea Condominiums.Courtesy of Google.com Norton Shores City Manager Mark Meyers said the community will be supervised by an independent board which plans to make the apartments and condos available for lease and sale. Meyers added that the development fits perfectly into the citys Seminole Road PlacePlan, which was completed and adopted in 2017. The PlacePlan encourages mixed-use buildings, increased walkability and creation of public spaces. The new condo development meets many of those goals. In a letter sent to Meyers in 2018, Redstones Ross Pope wrote that his company hopes to reinvigorate the area by encouraging the return of casual food service which disappeared when Verdonis restaurant closed in 2016. The venue has since reopened as an events center and catering service Hopefully, well bring enough energy back to the project, Pope said. Included in the plans are a new fitness facility that Pope said could also offer space for short-term residential dwellings, conferences and personal health training. Meyers said he hopes the development will have a positive impact on a nearby strip mall that includes a vacant coffee shop at the corner of Seminole Road and Seaway Drive. Wed like to see casual dining come back, Meyers said. We hope to find a tenant for the coffee shop ... You would hope that by bringing residents in, these (businesses) would be encouraged to flourish. The city purchased the seven parcels being eyed for development for $120,000 from the propertys previous developer, said Meyers, who declined to identify the former owner. The property previously was owned by Eastowne One, Eastowne Two and Eastowne Three, all limited liability corporations, Muskegon County Register of Deeds records show. The Grand Rapids companies were formed in 2004 and their registered agent is Robert Dykstra, state records show. Dykstra had ambitious plans for the site, proposing a multi-million dollar, 17-acre Eastowne urban village in 2004. The plan involved 19 three-story, Chicago-style townhouses and a village green that could be used as an ice rink and concert space. But the Eastowne Centre property languished for years in development limbo, Meyers said. The sites previous developer attempted but could not market the seven parcels, he said. They couldnt sell them for what was invested, and we as a city just didnt see it moving forward, Meyers said. In addition, each of the seven properties was on the verge of foreclosure because the previous developer was late on mortgage payments, Meyers said. When city officials created the Seminole PlacePlan, Meyers said their consultants identified the struggling Eastowne Centre site as a top priority for redevelopment. The consultants suggested the city approach the bank with an offer to purchase the properties in lieu of foreclosure. The city made an offer in 2018 knowing Popes Redstone was interested in a new project. The bank was very gracious and felt like the right thing to do would be to sell them to the city so that it could be redeveloped, which was always the ultimate goal, Meyers said. The total principal owed on all seven properties was approximately $3.2 million. Meyers said the city purchased them for $120,000, which included back taxes. The agreement was finalized in 2018. Five months later, the city struck a deal with Redstone, which purchased the properties for $200,000, including a brokerage fee of $10,000. The sale agreement was approved by the Norton Shores City Council in December 2018. Aside from the Eastowne Centre property, another long-struggling commercial property in Norton Shores may soon be revitalized. The city recently approved a planned unit development to transform its decaying former Kmart site into new apartments with the same goal of boosting commercial activity. MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI A Muskegon Heights man will not serve jail time for accidentally shooting and killing his girlfriend of 50 years. Otha Lee Wade Jr., 70, was sentenced to a year on an electronic tether for the shooting death of Wilma Jean Roberson at their home on July 13, 2018. Muskegon County Circuit Judge Annette Smedley on Friday, April 19, also ordered Wade to serve five years of probation. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on March 15. Im just so sorry I hurt her, Wade told the judge in a quiet and raspy voice. It was an accident I swear to God. Wade told MLive/Muskegon Chronicle earlier that he was laughing at a joke when he slammed his handgun down on the kitchen table. He had removed the guns magazine, but didnt realize there was a bullet in the chamber, Wade said. Roberson, 71, happened to be walking past at the time and was shot in the chest, police said earlier. Wade, stooped and walking slowly, sat at the defense table for his sentencing rather than standing at a podium in front of the judge as is customary practice. His attorney, Michael Oakes, told Smedley that Wade has lost weight and his health has declined since the shooting. He has lost his soulmate here, your honor, Oakes said, later adding Hes hurting from what hes done. Wade had arrived home at 2 a.m. that day and Roberson had gotten up to prepare him something to eat a reflection of her devotion to him, Oakes said. Wade had recently purchased the handgun because he had been assaulted and felt he needed protection, Oakes said. It was, the defense attorney said, a senseless crime. Its a situation that should not have happened, he said. Muskegon County Senior Assistant Prosecutor Benjamin Medema called Robersons death a preventable accident that became manslaughter because of the choices Wade made that night. The victims family in this case has shown grace and said (they) dont want him to go to prison, Medema said. They indicated that alcohol likely had a big factor in the choices that led up to this. He asked for the five years of probation and that Wade be monitored for alcohol use. He noted that sentencing guidelines start at 12 months. Wade has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Oakes said. Smedley said her sentence reflected the wishes of the victims family and expressed condolences to them. Wade pleaded guilty as part of a Cobbs agreement with the judge, to which the prosecutor agreed, that he avoid prison time. I cant imagine how you deal with the fact that an accident caused you to lose the woman you spent over 50 years with, Smedley said. MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, MI Demolition of a blighted former Muskegon Heights school building will begin on Monday, April 22, to make room for affordable housing. Clearing the 2.5-acre Glendale school site, 3001 Jefferson St. in Muskegon Heights, will begin at 8:30 a.m. in preparation for a $2 million development of up to 20 single-family homes in the $80,000-$90,000 range. Melching Inc. has been contracted for the demolition. The redevelopment of Glendale is the first of a three-phase project that will also develop housing at the former Lindbergh School at Barney and Hoyt streets, and the former Dr. Martin Luther King School, at East Barney and Dyston streets. The goal is to establish at least 100 new housing units between the three sites. The Glendale project will reintegrate an underused city block into the surrounding neighborhood with owner-occupied housing in a price range thats affordable to city residents, said former Muskegon Heights City Manager Jake Eckholm when he announced the plans during October 2018. It will be the first major single-family housing development in the city since before the Great Recession. The former Glendale school property is owned by the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, which is leading the development effort in partnership with the city. The land bank also owns the former Lindbergh school parcel. Jeff Huntington, interim director of the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Authority, and Muskegon Heights Mayor Kim Sims will be present for the demolition kickoff on Monday. The state land bank had initially intended to demolish the building before the end of 2018, officials said in October. While demolishing blighted buildings is commonplace for the land bank, acting as a developer is not - but this project is more "proactive," said Josh Burgett, a land bank official, previously. Factors expected to help keep the homes affordable include that the water and sewer infrastructure is in place and there's an option to build modular homes, Burgett said previously. If a private developer is hired, the land bank would pass the parcel to the developer at no cost. The homes could have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and measure 1,100 to 1,400 square feet on 50-by-100-foot lots, Eckholm said previously. The expectation is that all 20 would be sold before they're built as the result of "aggressive" marketing. Timelines for Lindbergh and MLK are further out. Another former Muskegon Heights school was recently opened as affordable apartments and supportive housing for the homeless. The former Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, 525 W. Summit Ave., was shuttered in 2010. It was purchased by Grand Rapids-based Dwelling Place in 2016 and reopened this month as Roosevelt Apartments. SAGINAW, MI A charter school student barred from attending Carrollton High Schools prom with his girlfriend has received some good news. The couple will get to attend a different prom, all expenses paid. Jomar E. Washington, 19, cant attend his girlfriends senior prom because he is enrolled in a charter school that Carrollton schools recognizes as an alternative school. Its policy does not allow students of an alternative school outside the district to attend prom. After learning about the couples problem, Washington and his girlfriend were invited by Crystal Brown to attend the 3rd annual Prom in the City event that she organizes. I was really surprised and excited because I didnt know nobody was going to invite me to another prom, Washington said. I feel good about the support from the community, he said. Brown held her first event in 2017 after her niece, who has Down syndrome, told her that she had never been to a prom. Washington graduated with his Arthur Hill High School classmates last year and received a Certificate of Career Pathways instead of a diploma. The certification replaced the Certificate of Completion offered last year to students with learning complications. Washington was a cognitively-impaired student at the time. He wanted to obtain an actual diploma so he enrolled in Covenant Academy in Saginaw when it opened in November, his mother said. Brown said when she heard about Washington not being able to attend prom this year with his girlfriend, she reached out to them. Both of them are excited, Brown said. Everything for them will be covered. Prom in the City is at 6 p.m. May 4 at The Dow event center. Sponsors will provide necessary items for the couple. Washington will receive a haircut and clothing provided by Thread 128, at no cost. His girlfriend will receive hair, makeup and nail services and a dress, also provided by sponsors. Their entry into the venue also is free. Washington said he looks forward to attending Prom in the City but still hopes administrators in Carrollton schools will reconsider the districts policy for future students in the same quandary. I hope that they dont do this again for someone else, Washington said. China is ramping up its oil drilling initiative in Cuban waters, using cutting-edge technology to reach deposits that Cubans couldnt touch. Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua said on Tuesday that an affiliate of Chinese oil major CNPC, Great Wall Drilling, was drilling for oil off Cubas coast as part of a joint venture with state-owned oil firm Cuba Petroleum Company (CUPET). "Our deposits extend out to sea, so increasingly, wells are longer and to reach them we need cutting-edge technology that we have accessed through the Great Wall Company," Julio Jimenez, CUPET's director of drilling, told Xinhua. Also on rt.com US cracking down on tourism, remittances and banking in Cuba sanctions push Bolton The site of the drilling operation is reportedly near the coastal town of Boca de Camarioca, about 75 miles east of Havana, and is a 1,475-meter-deep well extending some 4,692 meters out to sea. Workers hope to reach 6,950 meters where geological studies show a hydrocarbon deposit is located. Great Wall management claims that several new wells have been drilled more effectively using Chinese drilling technology. "We have increased the efficiency of drilling, lowered the cost of building the wells, and drilled several highly productive wells, in addition, we have supported the finding of new deposits," said Meng Fanji, Great Walls deputy manager. The Chinese company, which first signed deals to explore for oil in Cuba in 2005, is also working on another exploration well in Celimar, about nine miles east of Havana. The Celimar well is 2,141 meters deep and, after reaching an angle of 79 degrees, runs for 5,100 meters out to sea. The objective is to reach a crude deposit estimated to lie 6,300 meters offshore, Xinhua added. Also on rt.com Cuba's new president reaches out to old allies Russia & China, seeking trade deals Cuba desperately needs new oil to help meet its energy needs. Unlike many of its other neighbors in the region, the one-party state uses crude oil to meet around half of its energy needs, while it relies on foreign imports, often Venezuelan crude along with generous subsidies, for the rest. Fighting against sanctions together In a statement that shows how oil and geopolitics often intersect, even in the Caribbean, Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on April 9 that his country would fulfill its commitments to Cuba despite US sanctions targeting oil shipments from the South American country to its ideological ally. Arreaza said he would not reveal Venezuelas strategy, but that the sanctions would not stop the shipments. When the conventional power of capitalism attacks you, you have to know how to respond through non-conventional means, always respecting international law, Arreaza told reporters. The Trump Administration hasnt only taken a tougher stance with Venezuela than his predecessors, leveling crippling sanctions against the countrys president Nicolas Maduro in efforts to remove him from power, it has also renewed tensions with Cuba in the aftermath of President Obamas warmer ties with the country. In November, Cuba criticized the Trump administration for putting new sanctions against more than two dozen Cuban companies, in a move that Havana said was a futile attempt to change its policies, which would only isolate Washington further internationally. Though the US coast is less than 100 miles from Cuba, American companies are prohibited from owning any Cuban oil or gas assets due to the decades-long trade embargo put in place against the country by Washington. However, according to the US Energy Administration (EIA) US oil companies are allowed to participate in drilling as well as sending technology and supplies with an executive license in Cuba. Other countries as well as China, including Russia and Australia, have explored for oil in waters off the countrys coast. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com Contact Group fails to reach agreement on Donbass ceasefire Russias envoy Contact Group fails to reach agreement on Donbass ceasefire Russias envoy Participants in the meeting of the Contact Group on peaceful settlement in Donbass have failed to agree on a comprehensive and stable ceasefire, according to Russias envoy Boris Gryzlov. The issue of establishing ceasefire between Kiev, Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine was discussed at the videoconference, Gryzlov said on Thursday. The dialogue took place in the format of the working group on security, and then in the format of the Contact Group, he said. Unfortunately, the discussion did not yield any results. Kiev refused to take additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime which were supposed to ensure strong security and transition to political settlement, the envoy said. Proposals of Donetsk and Lugansk, which were supported by Russia and earlier by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) were refused, he added.Source : RT - Daily news The CEO of energy major Total has announced plans to buy a share in projects aimed at constructing terminals for transferring liquefied natural gas (LNG), led by Russias biggest independent gas producer Novatek. According to Patrick Pouyanne, who also serves as chairman of the French energy giant, the company will buy a 10-percent stake in Novatek-led terminal projects in the Russian northwestern city of Murmansk and the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Far East. We have just announced that Total is investing into Arctic LNG-2, but we are also planning to invest into LNG terminals in Murmansk and Kamchatka. Thats part of our deal with Novatek, Pouyanne said, as quoted by TASS. Also on rt.com Russia to expand annual LNG production to 140 million tons The top manager said that both LNG hubs are vital for the development of the Arctic LNG-2 project. The volume of annual transshipments through the future terminal in Murmansk will be 20 million tons of LNG, while the Kamchatka hub is set to facilitate the transfer of 40 million tons of LNG per year. Also on rt.com Russia, US compete for Asian LNG market share Total and Novatek have an ongoing relationship in LNG. The French firm owns 19.4 percent of Novatek, and 21.6 percent of the Yamal LNG project led by the Russian company. Earlier this year, the two corporations reached a deal allowing Total to acquire up to 15 percent direct interest in all LNG enterprises led by Novatek on the Yamal and Gydan peninsulas in the Russian Arctic. The joint project is expected to produce 19.8 million tons of LNG per year at full capacity. The projects overall costs are currently estimated at $9 billion, nearly half the initial $21 billion planned and about a third of the $27 billion spent on the Yamal LNG. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Now that Julian Assange has been unceremoniously removed from Ecuadors London embassy, theres no shortage of opinions on the founder of whistleblowing website WikiLeaks. There are two very distinct tribes forming. His supporters see him as a champion of free speech for shining a light on the activities of spies, politicians and diplomats. His detractors tend to focus on his, shall we say, quirky personality. Oh, and the allegations of sexual assault in Sweden. So, ICYMI asks, is it possible to be a freedom fighter and a flawed human? For more, follow #ICYMI on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Flash Turkey is not just a buyer of U.S. F-35 fighter jets but also a technology partner in the production program, Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Thursday. "Turkey is, and will continue to be, a partner of F-35 technology. We are not just a client or buyer of F-35s, " Kalin told reporters following a cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara. Turkey is one of the participants in the U.S. F-35 international program, but its decision to buy the advanced Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system has strained its relations with the U.S., which threatened to suspend the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey unless it scraps the S-400 deal. Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated that Turkey's procurement of the Russian S-400 air defense systems is a national security deal, criticizing U.S. for halting the F-35 deliveries. Indian forces have retrieved a sizeable stockpile of weapons and ammunition all bearing Chinese markings in Kashmir, where there has been a recent spike in terrorist attacks involving frag grenades, local media report. Some 70 Chinese-made grenades have been seized by Indian security forces in the troubled state of Jammu and Kashmir since January last year, according to the Hindustan Times, citing an internal government report. The publication comes after a string of fresh terrorist acts hit the Indian part of Kashmir. These attacks had a mix of both grenades made in China and Pakistan, but there is a sudden spurt in the use of Chinese ones, said an unnamed officer from a police counterterrorism team who was quoted by the paper. Frag grenades are easier to carry, and they cause much more damage if thrown from a distance, he explained. The seizures also included pistols, armor-piercing incendiary shells, and tracer rounds of Chinese origin. The armor-piercing ammunition can penetrate bulletproof vests worn by Indian troops and its use brings a new dimension of threat for the security forces, the document warned. Also on rt.com Pakistan deploys Chinese air defense systems, more attack & surveillance drones at Indias border The newspaper widely quoted police officials who maintained that the main purpose of using Chinese-made ammunition is that Pakistan, which India blames for aiding Kashmir militants, doesnt want any weapons used in Jammu and Kashmir to be traced back to it. Separately, an unnamed intelligence officer suggested that the Chinese-made ammunition might have been smuggled across the Line of Control, which is a heavily militarized frontier dividing the Pakistani and Indian parts of Kashmir. However, none of those sources gave any credible proof of such claims. If true, the revelation could to hit a nerve in India, which is highly sensitive to any issues related to the contested area of Kashmir. India has long been at odds with China over its support for arch-rival Pakistan, where close ties with Beijing are seen as a counterweight to New Delhi. READ MORE: Pakistan claims no terror camps or detainee connections to Pulwama attack China has been a steady source of military equipment for the Pakistani Army for decades. Just recently, Pakistans military deployed Chinese-made air defense systems and radars to cover airspace over the Indian border. Notably, Chinese fighter jets were flown by the Pakistan Air Force during a deadly clash over Kashmir in February, according to Indian reports. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! The Mueller report left some of President Donald Trumps conduct up for debate, but clearly stated no collusion with Russia took place. Not for one journalist, who launched a Twitter crusade to prove otherwise...with 453 tweets. Beginning on the evening before Attorney General William Barrs pre-report press conference, Newsweek columnist and English professor Seth Abramson set out to live-tweet the reports release. Helpfully, Abramson pointed out that hes the bestselling author of Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America. Clearly, he found some things to disagree with in the Mueller report which showed the exact opposite going on an epic rant in 453 tweets of anger, disbelief, and white-hot liberal rage, (condensed here for easy reading). Also on rt.com MSM defends extremely accurate Russiagate coverage despite Mueller report Abramson greeted Barrs press conference as a chance for the Attorney General to misrepresent the reports conclusions, and called on Democrats to unleash subpoenas on the Justice Department for the full, unredacted report, before he had even seen it. Democrats have since heeded this call, with Rep. Jerry Nadler firing off a subpoena first thing Friday morning. Abramson accused Trump of running a domestic disinformation campaign by claiming he did not collude with Russia, and accused Mueller of not going after enough types of collusion. The enraged columnist went on to draw a distinction between collusion and conspiracy, the first being a catch-all term for shady behavior and the second a criminal offense. Muellers report focused on the criminal definition and found nothing, but thats because Abramson insists Trumps collusion with Russia was part of a *multinational* conspiracy Mueller didnt investigate. On and on the tweetstorm went, with Abramson making sure to remind readers that nearly all of this content is in my book, and giving the finger to critics. Im sorry I had the full story more than you did, he said. I was right. This continues until he arrives at the main thrust of his insanely long Twitter thread: a plug for another upcoming book, promising to blow the lid on a wider, grander conspiracy to help Trump win the 2016 election. Whether the #Resistance will still be hungry for Proof of Conspiracy by the time its August release date rolls around, however, is a different story. Thursdays Twitter MEGATHREAD broke the record set by the infamous December 2016 game theory tweetstorm by the self-described strategic analyst Eric Garland, a 120-tweet thread linking supposed Russian election interference with 9/11, Bill Clinton and Edward Snowden. Abramsons Twitter incontinence was mocked by the Right as another case of Trump Derangement Syndrome and an inability to let the Russiagate narrative die. However, the self-appointed chief scribe of the #Resistance has also been slammed by the Left. Hard-liberal news site Slate even published an article in 2017 entitled Democrats: Please, Please Stop Sharing Seth Abramsons Very Bad Tweets. As Abramson tweeted bombshells and smoking guns, fishing for likes and retweets day in and day out, The Atlantic and New Republic called the professor a conspiracy theorist, while Deadspin called him the king of diarrhea tweeting. As #Resistance journalism goes, Abramson is closer to the notorious Krassenstein brothers than he is to even the most partisan hacks at CNN. Whats more, Abramson has been busted for outright lies before. Reporting for the Huffington Post in 2016, he declared that Bernie Sanders was actually winning the path to Democratic nomination, while the opposite was true. Confronted about the claim, Abramson called his reporting experimental journalism that embraces the multi-dimensionality of the metanarrative. In this dimension, however, Trump did not collude with Russia. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Japan to cooperate with Russia on N. Korea ambassador Japan to cooperate with Russia on N. Korea ambassador Japan will continue to cooperate with the international community, including Russia, on the issue of settlement and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, Japanese Ambassador to Russia Toyohisa Kozuki told TASS. The issue of ensuring peace and security in the region should be discussed by all interested countries, including Japan, the envoy said in an interview. Kozuki stressed the need to urge Pyongyang to take concrete measures. The Japanese diplomat also reaffirmed Tokyos intention to continue supporting the US-North Korea negotiation process.Source : RT - Daily news Even with the Russian collusion narrative buried by the Mueller report, some mainstream journalists have come out to claim their anti-Trump coverage was backed up by the report. Were they reading a different report? The Mueller report, CNNs Shimon Prokupecz said on Thursday, really corroborated a lot of the good journalism that was done during the last two years. One of my main conclusions from the #MuellerReport so far is that the vast majority of *reporting* on Trump and Russia was extremely accurate, GQ magazines Julia Ioffe chimed in. Prokupecz is not entirely wrong. Both CNN and Muellers team shared an obsession with chronicling every last inconsequential encounter between anyone connected to candidate Trump and anyone remotely connected to Russia, no matter how peripheral. From handshakes at the Republican National Convention to missed calls and unanswered emails, Muellers report is completely absent of bombshells, but heavy on humdrum contacts. When it came to examining these tidbits, however, they were often completely wrong. Both Mueller and the media focused heavily on the infamous Trump Tower meeting, during which Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner met with a Russian delegation to discuss US/Russian relations, and potentially damaging information to Hillary Clintons campaign. The meeting was, as Kushner told Manafort, a waste of time, and no information was provided. Not to CNN, who reported the collusion bombshell that President Trump knew about the meeting in advance, accompanying the headline with the lede: holy crap. Of course, the source for the article was none other than former Trump lawyer and convicted perjurer Michael Cohen, but that didnt stop CNN from suggesting that Cohens word could be the biggest step to date in proving real collusion, and finishing with the poetic and barf-inducing: Where have you gone Robert Mueller? Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you. Well, Mueller was investigating, and found no documentary evidence that Trump knew about the meeting or its Russian connection. Sorry CNN. And it wasnt just Trump tower. CNN claimed that Trump Jr. was given advanced access to the WikiLeaks archive of leaked Democratic Party emails in 2016. Muellers report proved this to be false, and even at the time CNN issued a retraction. A year later, three CNN employees resigned over a false story about an alleged investigation into a Russian investment fund with ties to Trump officials. CNN was far from the only outlet to cry collusion where Mueller found none. Buzzfeed famously broke the scoop earlier this year that Trump had directly instructed Cohen to lie to Congress about shelved plans to build a Trump Tower property in Moscow. Buzzfeeds lie was so egregious that Mueller himself spoke out and denied it, three months before the report landed. As the media peddled conspiracy after conspiracy about Trump and Russia, Muellers team combed through federal statutes, looking for a way to make something stick. They ultimately failed to establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. CNN had circled the wagons ever since Attorney General William Barr released a summary of the reports main findings late last month, with host Jake Tapper claiming I dont know anybody that got anything wrong in the networks two years of puffing from the collusion crack pipe. We never stated that there was conspiracy/collusion, Tapper tweeted at the time. Yes some others did. CNN certainly dropped enough collusion bombshells, and regularly featured guests who swore up and down that collusion had taken place. Tapper himself seemed happy to send his Twitter followers to articles claiming the same, including one from the Washington Post entitled bungled collusion is still collusion. Now, several weeks and a full report later, the business end of that crack pipe is still hot to the touch. After a panel discussion attacking Attorney General Barr for his excessive pronouncement that there was no collusion, CNNs chief legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin drew his own conclusion, tweeting that Trumps frustration with the investigation against him was somehow evidence of guilt. Never change, CNN. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Two New York City council members have introduced legislation that would ban the spraying of glyphosate-based herbicides and other toxic pesticides in parks and other public spaces. The measure would prohibit the application of synthetic pesticides within 75 feet of a natural body of water. It would encourage city agencies to start using biological pesticides, which are derived from naturally occurring substances rather than synthetic ones. Parks should be for playing not pesticides, a co-sponsor of the measure, New York City council member Ben Kallos, told Environmental Health News. All families should be able to enjoy our city parks without having to worry that they are being exposed to toxic pesticides that could give them and their families cancer. Also on rt.com Bayer beware! Monsanto found guilty of poisoning French farmer Glyphosate is the worlds most widely used herbicide. It is the active ingredient in agrochemical firm Monsantos Roundup, which is a very popular weed killer in the US. The herbicide is commonly used in New York, sprayed hundreds of times a year in public green spaces to treat weeds and overgrowth. Kallos said he fears letting his young daughter play in New York's Central Park because of the dangers of pesticide exposure. He expressed hopes that public awareness generated by the trials will drive support for his bill. A similar measure introduced four years ago failed to gather enough support to pass. The science gets stronger and stronger every day, and public interest around the issue is getting stronger, said Kallos. Also on rt.com Bayer must pay another $80mn in Monsanto Roundup cancer trial The number of lawsuits against Monsanto has been surging lately and, according to expert estimates, could cost its new owner Bayer billions of dollars in damages in the coming years. The surge in litigation followed a $289-million California court verdict in which Monsanto was ordered to pay damages to a man who alleged its glyphosate-based weed killers, including Roundup, caused his cancer. More than 11,000 cancer victims are currently suing the firm alleging exposure to Roundup and other glyphosate products it sells caused them to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Bayer, however, rejects all the accusations, asserting that glyphosate herbicides are not carcinogenic. Also on rt.com Completely safe: Monsanto owner Bayer hit by new wave of lawsuits over Roundup weed killer The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic. It had labeled glyphosate a carcinogen in 1985, but reversed the position in 1991. The World Health Organizations cancer research agency classified glyphosate as probably carcinogenic to humans in 2015. California has listed glyphosate in its Proposition 65 registry of chemicals known to cause cancer. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Russias ban on exports of oil and petroleum products to Ukraine in response to Kievs latest sanctions could be a catastrophic blow to Ukraines economy, according to one of the leading Ukrainian oil refiners. Now that the suspension of such supplies becomes a reality, it can really lead to the collapse not only in the fuel market, but also in the Ukrainian economy and undermine the national security of the country, Ukrtatnafta said in a statement on Thursday. To stabilize the situation and provide the country with necessary oil products, the company has offered to boost processing the oil stock of the Caspian fields. READ MORE: Russia strikes back at Ukrainian sanctions with export ban on oil & petroleum products Commenting on concerns about the consequences of the embargo, Russian Senator Aleksey Pushkov noted that Kiev has long been willing to tear apart everything linked to Russia and purchase goods from its Western allies. He noted that Ukrainian authorities mistakenly thought that Russia wouldnt respond to its provocations and warned that its sanctions reserve is not exhausted. Also on rt.com Russia remains Ukraines key trade partner despite Kievs claims of cutting economic ties Moscow expanded restrictions on specific Ukrainian goods on Thursday. Apart from exports of oil, Russia banned some Ukrainian imports, such as clothes, bulldozers, pipes and pipe-laying vehicles, among other goods. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said that the new restrictions target goods worth $250 million as of last year. Russias move came around a week after Kiev expanded its own sanctions against Moscow in addition to earlier restrictions on trade. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section The UK should get its stupid Brexit right now and face the hardest divorce deal possible if it extradites Julian Assange to the US, which is keen to cover up Iraq War crimes, a German MEP said in an emotive speech. The controversy over Julian Assanges arrest in London seems to have spilled over into the European Parliament this week. Martin Sonneborn, a long-time contributor to Spiegel and ZDF, used his time to tella couple of words to the Brits who are likely to remain in the EU until Halloween. If you extradite Assange to the US, may you get your stupid Brexit right now, and may it be as hard as possible! Sonneborn also reminded the parliament that earlier this week it approved a bill protecting whistleblowers from being exposed to various forms of persecution, adding it is now against the EU law to blow such people away. Further into his emotional speech, Sonneborn recalled a renowned 2007 video showing a US helicopter crew gunning down a dozen civilians, including Reuters staff, and then laughing at the dead. Assange, who was behind the release of the video in 2010, now risks being handed over to those who deny or conceal it. The footage, released by WikiLeaks and known as Collateral Murder, quickly went viral, sparking outrage across the globe. WARNING! The video below contains images that you may find disturbing. Sonneborn wasnt the only lawmaker to speak in defense of Assange, who was forcibly removed from the Ecuadorian embassy last week and brought to Londons Belmarsh prison. On Monday, two German MPs and one Spanish MEP held a media conference outside the prison to oppose the detention of the WikiLeaks founder. Assange is a whistleblower who needs international protection, not criminalization, Heike Hansel, Germanys Left Party MP told RT. We say that he delivered the truth to the public about US war crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan, and therefore he should be awarded, not [persecuted]. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! Trump spoke to Libyan commander Haftar on Monday, White House says Trump spoke to Libyan commander Haftar on Monday, White House says The White House has said that President Donald Trump spoke by phone on Monday to Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar and discussed ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya. The statement on Friday said Trump recognized Field Marshal Haftars significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources. The two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system, according to the statement. It was unclear why the White House waited several days to announce the phone call, Reuters said. On Thursday, both the US and Russia said they could not support a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Libya at this time. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said.Source : RT - Daily news US envoy disappointed by collapse of peace talks between Taliban, Afghan team US envoy disappointed by collapse of peace talks between Taliban, Afghan team The US envoy for peace in Afghanistan expressed disappointment on Friday after the collapse of a planned meeting between the Taliban and a group of Afghan politicians and civil society figures in Qatar. A 250-strong Afghan delegation had been due to meet Taliban officials in Doha at the weekend. The event was abruptly cancelled on Thursday amid arguments over the size and status of the group, which included some government officials attending in a personal capacity, Reuters said. Im disappointed Qatars intra-Afghan initiative has been delayed, Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special representative for Afghan reconciliation, said on Twitter. I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans.Source : RT - Daily news A terrorist incident in which a young woman died took a further tragic twist when the victim turned out to be a promising journalist who had reported on the long-term violence in Northern Ireland. Derry Tonight, absolute madness were Lyra McKees last words on social media before being gunned down in the Northern Irish city on Thursday. Fire from petrol bombs can be seen in a photo she posted as clashes between security forces and nationalists turned into chaotic violence. McKee was a journalist with Buzzfeed, and had written for several other news outlets in the past. Just last year, an article described her as a rising star of investigative journalism. Unfortunately, at 11pm last night, a gunman appeared and fired a number of shots towards police and a young woman, Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told the press. McKee later died in the hospital from the gunshot wounds, and now police are launching a murder investigation. Police say the New IRA, a group of violent dissident Republicans, are likely responsible for the killing. This weekend is the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a day when conflict traditionally flares up in Northern Ireland as Republicans mark the first significant armed uprising in the fight for independence from Britain. Also on rt.com Terrorist incident: Woman gunned down during riot in Derry, Northern Ireland (VIDEOS) McKee had written a novella based during a period of heightened violence in Ireland known as the Troubles 30 years of clashes that left some 3,000 dead. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! You are here: World Flash At least four foreigners have been identified among nine suspected oil thieves arrested in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, a navy commander said Thursday. Three Greek nationals, an American and five Nigerians were arrested aboard SEA ANGELS 3 during an operation named "Junction Rain", Navy Commander Dickson Olisemenogor told reporters, while handing over the suspects to the police in Lagos. The suspects were arrested for alleged possession of firearms and suspected crude oil theft within the maritime domain, the navy chief said. Further search on the boat showed they had four MI riffles and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and various military kits, he added. The suspects and the vessel would be handed over to the authorities for prosecution after investigations, the official added. Nigeria has been a hot spot for piracy incidents over the past decade. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), in its recent report, said that Nigeria experienced a decrease in reported piracy incidents in the first quarter of 2019. Nigeria reported 14 incidents of piracy for first quarter of 2019, in comparison to 22 incidents in first quarter of 2018. The results confirmed the Nigerian Navy's increased efforts to actively respond to reported incidents by dispatching patrol boats. Flash The Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities announced on Thursday the discovery of a large 3,500-year-old tomb on the Nile River's west bank near the Valley of Kings in Upper Egypt's monumental province of Luxor. Located on a hill at Draa Abu el-Naga necropolis, the rock-cut tomb, or "saff" tomb as known in Egypt, has 18 entrances. It belonged to a man called Shed Sou Djehuty, who was a prince, a mayor and a royal seal holder in ancient Egypt. He might have served under King Thutmose I who ruled Egypt about 3,500 years ago. "We celebrate the World Heritage Day by the announcement of this unique discovery. We have a very active excavation season this year as we have made several discoveries over the past few weeks," Egyptian Antiquities Minister Khaled al-Anany told Xinhua at the site, noting such discoveries boost cultural tourism in Egypt. The announcement marks the World Heritage Day 2019, an international day for monuments and sites celebrated on April 18 each year since it was approved by the UNESCO in 1983. The event was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Tourism Minister Rania al-Mashat, Luxor Governor Mostafa Alham, several senior parliamentarians and about 20 foreign ambassadors. The saff tomb was discovered after eight months of excavation by a team from Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities led by its secretary general Mostafa Waziri. "This is the largest saff tomb with the largest number of entrances in the west bank necropolis. It is 55 meters wide with a total size of 550 square meters," Waziri told Xinhua outside the tomb, noting the tomb has two shafts with each about 11 meters deep. He explained that the drawings on the entrance columns showed several ancient crafts such as making boats of papyrus, leather tanning, fish and bird hunting and others, adding six other smaller tombs were discovered beneath as an extension of Shed Sou Djehuty's tomb. During the ceremony, the Egyptian ministry displayed in glass showcases some artifacts found inside the tombs, including a collection of ushabti statues, 50 funerary seals, a cartonnage funerary mask and other small objects. A couple of wooden coffins recently discovered in nearby Assasif necropolis were also displayed during the event. Later in the evening at Luxor Temple on the east bank, a large colossus of Ramses II is scheduled to be unveiled after its restoration and re-erection as part of the World Heritage Day activities. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes, was the pharaohs' capital at the height of their power during the New Kingdom from the 16th century BC to the 11th century BC. Seen by many as the world's largest open-air museum, it is home to famous Tutankhamen's tomb in the Valley of the Kings and the ruins of the huge Karnak Temple Complex and Luxor Temple. You are here: World Flash The leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un will pay a visit to Russia and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the second half of April, the Kremlin said Thursday. The visit of the DPRK's leader was initiated by the Russian side, the Kremlin said in a statement, without giving further details. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov extended Putin's invitation to Kim to visit Russia during his trip to the DPRK on May 31 last year. It will be the first official meeting between Kim and Putin. The time and venue of the meeting will be made public once finalized, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said previously. Speculation has grown recently that the meeting could take place in the Russian Far East city of Vladivostok. Kim has met U.S. President Donald Trump twice. They ended the latest summit in Vietnam's Hanoi on Feb. 28 without an agreement. Flash Following a recent report saying that the United States canceled Chinese scholars' visas or placed them under administrative review by the FBI, experts warned that Washington's ramping up measures to treat China as a rival could significantly harm normal bilateral exchanges and damage the country's open and inclusive national image. According to a New York Times report on Sunday, the U.S. intelligence and security service has mounted a "counterintelligence operation" aimed at barring Chinese academics from visiting the U.S. if they are "suspected of having links to Chinese intelligence agencies". The report said the number of affected Chinese scholars in the social sciences and among heads of academic institutes and experts "who help explain government policies" reached 30 in 2018, citing Chinese scholars and their U.S. counterparts. Wang Wen, executive dean of the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, a think tank at Renmin University of China, said his 10-year B1/B2 visa was canceled via an email in February. The cancellation came after he attended a symposium in January at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, marking the 40th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic ties. After he returned to China, he received an email from the U.S. embassy, informing him his visa was canceled without saying why. It did say he could apply for a new visa. When Wang went to the embassy to get a new visa: "They kept asking me questions like whether I visited the U.S. to obtain intelligence information or technology. I said no, and they kept my passport." Days after, Wang received another email from the embassy telling him to provide extra information, including his travel record for the past 15 years, his family members' information, social media accounts, bank accounts and some other personal information, "for no reason, again", he said. As a scholar in international relations, Wang had visited the U.S. about 60 times for academic exchanges in the past decade, but he said the embassy's requests are "intrusive and unreasonable" and that he'll choose not to travel to the U.S., at least for the next few years. "It's regrettable that the U.S. treats academics like me in such an unfriendly and offensive manner," Wang said, adding that Washington's decision shows that the country has become an "oversensitive and paranoid one which has a lack of confidence in dealing with diplomatic relations". A number of Chinese social scientists have had similar experiences when their U.S. visas were revoked. Zhu Feng, executive director of the China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea at Nanjing University, told the Global Times newspaper in Beijing that his 10-year U.S. visa was crossed out by FBI agents, canceling it, when he was about to board a flight back to Beijing at Los Angeles International Airport in March 2018. Zhu said the FBI first threatened to revoke his visa if he did not cooperate with their inquiry. "'Go back to China'," Zhu recalled an agent telling him during that visit. "You will receive a notification." As a prominent expert on China-U.S. studies for decades, Zhu also was twice denied single-entry visas to the U.S. "This shows how the U.S. is trying to block normal social exchanges between the two countries, an important channel for mutual understanding and trust," Zhu said. Besides scholars in social sciences, the U.S. also began last year to make it harder for Chinese graduate students to get visas if they study in "sensitive research fields". It warned biomedical researchers at U.S. universities to beware of "Chinese spies trying to steal information from their laboratories", according to The New York Times report. Jon Taylor, a professor of political science of the University of St. Thomas in Houston, said the decision is "both absurd and exceedingly shortsighted". "These scholars and researchers are social scientists with a long history of interacting with their American counterparts as well policymakers in both countries," he said. "They are scholars teaching and researching what I teach and research. What are they going to steal?" Taylor said the U.S. will ultimately "pay the price for this", in the form of an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of China by barring scholars who have great familiarity with U.S. politics and policymaking and have the ear of Chinese officials. Douglas H. Paal, vice-president of the Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said it appears that the scholars who best understand the U.S. and communicate well with China's leaders are being denied visas or threatened with denial. "I don't see how this is in America's interest," Paal said. Some U.S. media have mentioned that China also denies visas to U.S. academics, but Taylor and Paal said that has not been their experience when applying for Chinese visas to visit China for academic exchanges. In a news conference on Thursday, when asked if China rejected a visa application from an adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Chinese embassies and consulates overseas always handle visa applications according to law. China welcomes cultural exchanges between China and the U.S. and will actively promote mutual understanding between the two countries, Lu said. Wang, the Chinese think tank member, said many of the international relations scholars of his generation think of the U.S. as an example of the value of "freedom, democracy, fairness and human rights". "But those words are no longer applicable to describe the U.S. today," he said. Wang said that for him, cancellation of the visa is nothing more than a short-term absence from U.S. academic activities, and "it is the U.S.' loss, not ours". He also said the decision would not affect the Chinese think tank he leads in continuing academic exchanges with the U.S., and he suggests that China should not take countermeasures over such matters. "No matter how petty the U.S. becomes, China should still stick to its open attitude rather compete for who's worse," he said. National carrier Air India is looking at leasing five of the grounded carrier Jet Airways Boeing 777s and operate them to London, Dubai and Singapore. Jet Airways, which halted its operations on April 17 due to financial distress, owns 10 wide-body Boeing 777-300 ER planes along with a few Airbus A330s, which it used to fly to medium and long-haul international destinations such as London, Amsterdam and Paris connecting New Delhi and Mumbai. "We are exploring the possibility of operating five of the grounded B777s on the established routes, hitherto operated by Jet Airways," Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani wrote to SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar on April 17, the day the private carrier went belly-up. The government has formed a committee to distribute Jets unused landing slots in airports all over India. "Jet's slots are critical for potential bidders. There is a mad rush for prime slots at major airports. The committee will look for uniformity in allocation of slots like what will be the duration of this arrangement, whether historicity will be protected for future allocation," Airports Authority of India Chairman Guruprasad Mohapatra told The Financial Express. Jet Airways' grounding has caused panic and confusion among the travelling public. Those who have booked a flight with Jet will get a refund, but the timeline is not clear yet. The airline may not be able to process the refunds of the passengers just yet. "In tune with to our role and responsibilities as the national carrier, we would be happy to alleviate this inconvenience by considering the possibility of operating a few B777s," Lohani said. He said that the move is subject to approvals and financial viability, and Air India can examine the possibility of taking five B777s on wet/dry lease basis from SBI on mutually agreed terms. It is unclear when the crisis at Jet Airways will be solved as it depends upon the success of the stake sale. The carrier is now under the management control of the SBI-led consortium of lenders, which has offered to offload between 32.1 and 75 percent stake to any eligible investors. So far, it has received four interested parties, Etihad Airways, the sovereign wealth fund NIIF and PE players TPG Capital and Indigo Partners. Air India also offered special fares to Jet Airways international passengers who were stranded due to the grounding. The special fares can be availed by passengers at overseas airports including Paris, London Heathrow, Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Dammam, and Muscat, among others, Air India said in a statement. (With inputs from PTI) Amazon and Google announced on April 18 they had agreed to allow each other's streaming media applications to work on their platforms, ending a spat over video between the tech giants. The companies said in a statement that the official YouTube apps will be available on Amazon's Fire TV in the coming months, allowing users of the Amazon platform to access the music videos, movies, shows and other content from the Google-owned service. The agreement also enables Amazon Prime members streaming to Chromecast or using Android TV devices to access Amazon's video content. The deal appears to end a spat between the two tech giants that made it difficult or impossible for users of one of the video services to use the platform to access the other's. "We are excited to work with Amazon to launch the official YouTube apps on Fire TV devices worldwide," said Heather Rivera, head of product partnerships at YouTube. "Bringing our flagship YouTube experience to Amazon Fire TV gives our users even more ways to watch the videos and creators they love." Andrew Bennett, head of business development for Prime Video, aid the agreement would "give our customers convenient access to the shows and movies they love... customers will have even more ways to stream what they want, whenever they want, no matter where they are." Amazon and Google are in fierce competition over streaming, but their spat had sparked concerns of anti-competitive conduct by locking out an important rival. The joint statement said Fire TV users will be able to sign in to their existing YouTube account and access their full library of content. Chromecast users will meanwhile have similar access to the Prime Video catalog. The deadline for Jet Airways corporate insolvency resolution process is October 21 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Aviation industry body, International Air Transport Association (IATA), has suspended clearing house membership of Jet Airways. Due to this, travel agents around the world won't be able to book tickets on the airline now. While the suspension's impact won't be immediate, as the airline has stopped operations, this will impact the refund process of Jet Airways' customers whose tickets were cancelled. And it does complicate things for a new owner. Jet Airways had suspended operations on April 17, soon after banks refused to give interim funding. "In accordance with Clearing House regulation...for reason of suspension from all IATA settlement systems as the airline has ceased operations, the Clearing House Membership of Jet Airways, 9W-589 has been suspended with immediate effect," the Association said in a communication to its members on April 18. Mark Martin, founder and CEO of Martin Consulting LLC, an aviation advisory and consulting firm, explains the impact: "IATA accredited travel agents can longer sell tickets and get IATA credit on the ticket value. This will reduce the availability of Jet Airways seats in the domestic and international markets." An IATA accredited travel agent uses the association's system to book tickets for its customers. Jet Airways' customers have been advised to submit refund request with the travel agent, who will then work with IATA and Jet Airways to give the money back. "Claims by an against the above-mentioned airline will not be princesses by the clearing house with effect from and including Period 02 of the April 2019 clearance month. Claims already submitted for clearance have been excluded by the Clearing House," IATA said. The latest setback comes even as the bidding is on for Jet Airways. Four suitors are in the fray - Etihad Airways, TPG Capital, Indigo Partners and NIIF. The suspension of the IATA clearing house membership will further delay and complicate the revival of the airline. Sachchidanand Shukla Inequality and growth have been rather touchy topics lately. Empirical work in this area posits that greater equality can help sustain growth. This, in turn, is based on a loose consensus that inequality can undermine progress and reduce the pace and durability of growth. To be sure, there is also an opposite take. In his book Equality & Efficiency: The big Tradeoff Arthur Okun focussed on the negative effect of redistributive policies and highlighted the trade-offs between efficiency and equity, and on efficiency leaks. In the case of India, the notion of a trade-off between redistribution and growth seems deeply embedded in policymakers consciousness and public discourse. Ever since Dr Arvind Subramanian proposed Universal Basic Income as a radical new vision in the 2016-17 Economic Survey, there has been a rather dramatic shift not only in discourse but also in terms of acceptance from the political economy. Both the ruling party and the opposition have proposed redistribution schemes to benefit sections of the poorest families. That is not all. At least 8 states have now rolled out a quasi-UBI kind of income transfer schemes on the lines of the PM-KISAN scheme with Telangana being the first off the blocks with its Rythu Bandhu Scheme. Note that these schemes are late entrants. India was one of the first countries to make an elaborate effort at redistribution. The central government alone runs about 950 central sector and centrally sponsored sub-schemes which cost about 5 percent of GDP. However, the most common and biggest gripe has been that it often leaves out the really deserving and needy. Thus, the 2016-17 Economic Survey advocated that serious consideration be given to the new idea of a universal basic income as a more effective way of achieving Mahatma Gandhis objectives of wiping every tear from every eye. It also averred that UBI is less likely to be prone to exclusion errors; by directly transferring money to bank accounts, and circumventing multiple layers of bureaucracy, the scope for out-of-system leakages will be low. The intent and policy drift are crystal-clear now. The key question then is how can India make room for large entitlement-based transfers? Will it mean a compromise on fiscal targets? If the government sticks to fiscal targets, then there are only two options: Raise the tax-to GDP ratio or rejig expenditure. Party manifestoes offer little clarity on implementation. Some have even promised to lower tax rates while doing so! A look at global experience shows that typically welfare expenditure is enhanced when the tax- to-GDP ratio is at least 20 percent.. However, India has embarked on such expenditure at much lower levels of tax revenue (approximately 17 percent of GDP if one combines centre and state revenues). Indias core tax revenues (i.e. excluding non-debt capital receipts such as divestments) have largely remained stagnant in single digits over the last couple of decades, witnessing an uptick only lately. Yes, the successful implementation of GST should boost the tax-to-GDP ratio over time. However, there is a dire need for direct tax reform to enhance the tax effort. Rising welfare expenditure cannot go hand in hand with a stagnating tax-to-GDP ratio. Another way, of course, is expanding the pie or nominal GDP itself. The size of population makes it clear that India should depend on growth rather than just redistribution. But political parties as well as people, like in other places including some of the developed world, seem to be giving up on the ability of economic growth to lift living standards. The second option, rejigging expenditure, is also a tough policy act which may not be politically palatable. The central government spends almost three-quarters of its total expenditure on non-discretionary (interest payments, salary & wages and employee pensions) and semi-discretionary items (such as subsidies, MGNREGA and grants to states/UTs). It is very tough politically to withdraw or take away subsidies or grants once given. Remember that binding entitlement-based transfers can balloon over time and the net present value of such promises should be taken into account. Recurring expansionary safety nets, espoused by leading parties at the Centre and states, would only constrain fiscal flexibility further and could lead to a deterioration in the quality of spending. In the end analysis, if income transfers are used alongside continuing subsidies and rising procurement prices etc, it will cause a fiscal hiccup. There are no easy answers if the next government wants to prop up welfare spending without compromising the fiscal deficit. (The author is chief economist Mahindra Group. Views are personal) The World Trade Organization on Thursday largely sided with the United States in its Obama-era case against Beijing over Chinese restrictions on imports of American grain. Back in December 2016, Washington filed a complaint with the global trade body over what it claimed were illegal Chinese restrictions on imports of American rice, wheat and corn, describing China's use of the tariff-rate quota (TRQ) system as "opaque and unpredictable". Washington estimated at the time that American farmers could have exported some $3.5 billion more of such crops to China if the system had been used properly, and charged that Beijing had violated its commitments under international trade rules. A panel of experts established by the WTO's Dispute Settlement Body agreed Thursday that China had failed to adhere to the commitments it made when it became a WTO member in 2001 to administer the TRQs on a "transparent, predictable, and fair basis". The panel, however, said that the US had failed to show that China violated its public notice obligation under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in respect to TRQs. TRQs are two-level tariffs, allowing for a limited volume of imports to come in at a lower "in-quota" tariff level, and all other imports charged at an often much higher "out-of-quota" tariff. Countries like China that joined the WTO after its creation in 1995 have had their TRQ commitments set out in their accession agreements. When China joined the WTO, it agreed to allow 2,660,000 metric tonnes of short and medium-grain rice and the same amount for long-grain rice, as well as 9,636,000 metric tonnes of wheat and 7,200,000 metric tonnes of corn to enter the country at the lower duty rates. Both sides have up to 60 days to appeal Thursday's ruling. China is the world's largest producer of wheat and rice, holding significant sway over world markets. The news of the WTO ruling comes as Washington and Beijing strive to reach a new trade agreement to avoid escalating their trade war. The two sides have exchanged tariffs on more than $360 billion in two-way trade since last year, weighing on both countries' manufacturing sectors and unnerving global stock markets. Rushabh Maru Crude-oil prices have been rising sharply in international markets as OPEC is committed to rebalancing the crude oil market. The latest update shows that OPECs crude-oil production in March further declined to 30.02 million barrels a day, from 30.56 million b/d the previous month. A steep decline in production from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Iraq led to rise. Saudi Arabia has signaled that it is determined to do whatever it takes to rebalance the market. The country has cut production by more than it agreed to under the pact. Venezuelas crude-oil production continues to fall due to US sanctions and a string of blackouts. The IEA says that Venezuelas crude-oil output has fallen to 870,000 b/d. The US may impose additional sanctions in the future. The Trump administration has been pressurising India and China to cut off oil purchases from both Iran and Venezuela. Hence, the situation in Venezuela is becoming cumbersome. Media reports say that Irans crude-oil exports in April have fallen to the lowest level in 2019. The US had exempted till May 2 a few countries from importing Irans crude oil. Now, the US will have to decide whether to extend such waivers or not. Renewed militant activity in Libya is a matter of concern for the market. Escalation of the tension might have an impact on crude-oil production. The situation is much worse than it was in 2011 during the civil war. The IEA says that OPECs compliance jumped from 94% in February to 153% in March. The market expects that OPEC will extend its production-cut deal till this year-end. OPECs bi-annual meeting is scheduled for June 25-26, at which it may decide to extend the deal or not. Since January, OPEC and its allies have been cutting production (by 1.2 million b/d) for six months to rebalance the market. The EIA has raised its Brent crude-oil forecast to $65 a barrel in 2019, up from its earlier projected $63 due to the tighter global oil market. Overall, the outlook for crude oil is bullish. (The author is Research Analyst-Currency and Commodity at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers) The views and investment tips expressed by investment expert on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Flash The second Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation will be held in Beijing on April 25-27, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday. With the theme of "Belt and Road Cooperation, Shaping a Brighter Shared Future," the second forum aims to bring about high-quality cooperation under the BRI framework. More side events are planned for this year's forum, including 12 sub-forums focusing on practical cooperation. Also, a conference will be organized specifically for the business community for the first time. President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech, Wang said. A total of 37 heads of state or government and other leaders from Austria, Egypt, Italy and Laos will attend the forum. France, Germany, the UK, Spain, Japan, South Korea and the EU will send high-level representatives to the forum. The BRF is the highest level platform for international cooperation under the Belt and Road framework and is the most important event China will host this year, the foreign minister said. Wang said that 126 countries and 29 international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China to jointly build the Belt and Road. He revealed that the total trade volume between China and participating countries has surpassed $6 trillion, investment has exceeded $80 billion and the 82 cooperation parks built by China and relevant countries have created nearly 300,000 jobs, bringing enormous development opportunities for the countries involved and laying a solid foundation for China to host the second forum. "Over the past two years with concerted efforts, the Belt and Road is becoming a clean road for cooperation, prosperity, openness, green development and win-win outcome that will benefit people of all countries," he said. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Manoj Gaur, promoter of embattled real estate firm Jaypee Infratech Manoj Gaur, on April 19 once again offered to complete the much-delayed real estate projects within a period of four year by pumping in Rs 1,500 crore in an escrow account. Homebuyers were however skeptical and termed the meeting as an 'eyewash' and questioned the timing of the meeting, saying that it was perhaps called to garner support from homebuyers, whose approval is required for any resolution plan or settlement plan to go through. Gaur, during the meeting with homebuyers, claimed that he was a 'victim of circumstances', made a presentation and proposed that Rs 1,500 crore would be set aside in an escrow account for completion and construction of the projects within four years. Briefing reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Ajit Kumar, adviser Jaypee Group, said that the company is aware of the problems faced by homebuyers. "We have submitted a proposal under Sec 12A of the IBC procedure in April. To begin with, we will set aside Rs 1,500 crore in an escrow account, which will be monitored by a committee. The entire amount will be used for construction and completion of the houses. The monitoring committee would constitute a retired judge of a Supreme Court, a technical member and I will be the convenor. Its been 18 months since the resolution process is on and there is still no solution. Our Chairman has apologised for the delay. We need one more chance. The final decision ultimately lies with the NCLT. Today we have made a presentation to the buyers. We are committed to delivering their houses. "The houses in Wishtown will be delivered within three years and the remaining will handed over within the next one year. All houses will be delivered within four years. A 100-acre land parcel worth Rs 500 crore has been set aside. Besides we also have unsold inventory and payments due from homebuyers that would be utilized for completion," Kumar said. Over 600 buyers attended the meeting. Some homebuyers decided to boycott the meeting to protest against the almost decade long delay in possession of their flats. They even demanded that banks should be asked to suspend monthly EMIs for the time being to provide some relief. As many as 22,000 homebuyers are stuck due to delay in delivery of flats by Jaypee Group's debt-ridden firm Jaypee Infratech. Some buyers who attended the meeting on Friday, questioned the timing of organising such a session. "Under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, for any settlement plan to come through, approval of 90 percent financial creditors is required of which 59 percent are homebuyers. This means that even if banks support is 100 percent, the promoter still requires the support of homebuyers. For a resolution plan too approval of 66 percent financial creditors is required. This meeting was a means to garner support from homebuyers," said homebuyers. "The promoter did not have any answers to our questions. We asked him about the sudden sympathy and compassion for the homebuyers and asked him to come out with clean hands as the compensation offered as per the allotment letter is one-sided - barely Rs 5 per sq ft - which works out to be around 1 percent to 1.5 percent of the total amount paid by us," said a buyer. Homebuyers were scathing in their assessment of the new offer made by the promoter and raised doubts over his ability to walk the talk. "If he actually had moral responsibility, he should have come up with commercial compensation for buyers. We also asked him about the Rs 6,000 crore required to complete the project. He did not have any answers. He only said that Rs 1,500 crore would be raised from banks. He did not have anything of his own to offer. There was no takeaway from the meeting. At one point, he even brought his father on the stage, who asked us to have faith and promised that our homes would be completed," homebuyers said. Buyers also said that they still had hope in the NBCC bid. State-owned NBCC Ltd is expected to submit its revised bid by April 25 for acquiring Jaypee Infratech and complete the housing projects. NBCC and Suraksha Group are in race to acquire bankruptcy-bound realty firm Jaypee Infratech. Some buyers fear that May 6 is the deadline for expiry of the resolution process and that if a resolution is not worked out by the deadline, the company may go into liquidation as it is unlikely to be granted more time for the resolution process. But legal sources said that these fears are unfounded as a case has already been filed by buyers pertaining to the modus operandi for calculating homebuyers' vote share at a CoC meeting is still pending in NCLT. The last order has clearly stated that period spent on the litigation should be excluded from the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) deadline, sources said. In its earlier resolution plan, NBCC offered 1,400 acre land worth Rs 6,000 crore as well as Yamuna Expressway to lenders. It had proposed that banks should raise about Rs 2,000 crore against the expressway and provide half of the amount (Rs 1,000 crore) to the state-owned company, which would utilise the fund as an upfront payment. NBCC had offered to fund the gap of about Rs 1,500 crore between estimated construction cost and receivables from customers. In contrast, Suraksha Group made an offer of about Rs 20 crore as an upfront payment and land worth Rs 5,000 crore, sources had said. The Mumbai-based group promised to complete the pending projects in three years. The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in 2017 had admitted the application of a consortium led by IDBI Bank seeking resolution of Jaypee Infratech, and appointed Anuj Jain as the insolvency resolution professional (IRP) to manage the company's business and invite bids from investors. In the first attempt under the insolvency process, lenders had rejected the Rs 7,350 crore bid of Lakshdeep, part of Suraksha Group, as they found it to be substantially lower than the company's net worth and assets. Therefore, the IRP in October 2018 started a fresh initiative to revive Jaypee Infratech. The realty firm has an outstanding debt of nearly Rs 9,800 crore, of which Rs 4,334 crore pertains to IDBI Bank. Other lenders are IIFCL, LIC, SBI, Corporation Bank, Syndicate Bank, Bank Of Maharashtra, ICICI Bank, Union Bank, IFCI, J&K Bank, Axis Bank and Srei Equipment Finance. Jaypee Infratech is developing about 32,000 flats, of which it has delivered 9,500 units. JAL had deposited Rs 750 crore in the registry of the Supreme Court for refund to buyers. However, this amount was transferred to the NCLT as per an order of the apex court. vandana.ramnani@nw18.com File image Sujata Anandan Raj Thackeray is taking Maharashtra and slowly the nation by storm. After near decimation in the 2014 Lok Sabha and assembly elections, he gravitated towards Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar. Now, after a very public and televised interview of the Maratha strongman that was the envy of most journalists, Raj Thackeray is believed to be working on Pawar's advice on how to rejuvenate his party, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Accordingly Raj Thackeray decided not to field a candidate for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. That, however, does not mean that he is sitting back and watching the world go by. The NCP had wanted an open alliance with the MNS but the Congress is believed to have baulked at tying up with someone who has consistently targeted north Indians and Muslims over the years. However, just like the Congress helped Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray grow to become a huge force in Mumbai, now it seems to have put together and fine-tuned a strategy that will help it have its cake and eat it too. Accordingly, after a pre-election rally for Mumbai's north Indian community where, where he spoke in Hindi and toned down his rhetoric against them and explained why he opposed their eating into the job opportunities of locals, Raj Thackeray has now taken to the campaign trail with gusto. It is noteworthy that Raj Thackeray holds these meetings only in constituencies where prominent Congressmen or NCP leaders are contesting and the fight is a tough one such as in Nanded from where former chief minister Ashok Chavan and Solapur from where Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde are contesting. Later this month Raj Thackeray is expected to hold a meeting in Nashik where Sameer Bhujbal, former MP and nephew of former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal, is facing a tough fight. Both the Bhujbals were jailed for two years on charges of corruption and this is something the other political parties are highlighting for example, in a recent meeting, Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray asked the people, Do you want to elect a jailbird as your MP? Its clear that Raj Thackeray does not campaign openly for the Congress-NCP combine. In fact, he never mentions these parties or the Shiv Sena in his speeches. However, armed with facts and figures, what he does is a sharp clinical takedown of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Portions of various speeches by Modi are projected onto huge screens and the MNS leader highlights the contradictions in it. It is a campaign style he has pioneered and it is so effective a style that one need not be surprised if other leaders copy it. For example, at a recent meeting, he played a speech by Modi from Bihar wherein the PM claimed that his government had built more than 800,000 toilets in a week. Clinically, Raj Thackeray broke down the figure to the bare minimum and concluded that 800,000 toilets a week meant seven toilets every five seconds! At another rally, he exposed the Maharashtra governments lies about digitising a remote village in Amravati district, by sending his own team to discover that far from digitisation, the village did not have Wi-Fi, mobile phones or even ATM cards. People in the know of it said that this expose of sorts left Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis embarrassed. Raj Thackeray seems to be on a mission to expose Modis tall claims and warn the people not to fall for such promises. His singular focus reminds one of the adage that there is no enemy worse than a friend-turned-foe. This is intriguing because Raj Thackeray was one of the first few politicians who had wholeheartedly endorsed the Gujarat model of development. I went there at the behest of Ratan Tata who asked me to study the miracle that Modi had pulled off in Gujarat. I got taken in like all the others but it is only later that I discovered it was all a sham. If you travel incognito in Gujarat, the picture of poverty and lack of development you see is quite dismal. That is my anger against Modi and I am determined to unmask him before the people, he has been saying at his rallies to explain his change of heart. While Modi might be regretting befriending Raj Thackeray, the MNS chiefs diatribes against the PM suits the Congress and NCP leaders just fine. In many ways Raj Thackeray says the things that the Congress or NCP cannot say, he says it far more vociferously and has so far gotten away with it. For example, he has raised doubts over the Pulwama attack and has said that another Pulwama-like attack may happen! Congress or NCP leaders cannot even think of making such an alarmist statement. After the last phase of voting in Maharashtra on April 29, Raj is slated to head for the north Indian states where he will be addressing rallies in Hindi. So whats in it for him? Possibly a covert seat arrangement at the assembly elections in October that will get him a foot in the door. It would be a much-needed resurrection he has been waiting for and if in the process the Shiv Sena, headed by his estranged cousin Uddhav Thackeray, is pushed back, all this effort now would be well worth his time. Sujata Anandan is a senior journalist and author. Views are personal. For more Opinion pieces, click here File image: Vijay Mallya Embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya once again used social media to reiterate his offer to pay back the debt owed to public sector banks in India, targeting this time the State Bank of India (SBI) for allegedly wasting Indian taxpayers' money on expensive legal fees in the UK. Days after a UK High Court judge refused to dismiss an interim order freezing nearly 260,000 pounds in one of his London bank accounts, the 63-year-old issued a string of statements on Twitter to allege that the SBI led consortium of PSU banks were wrongly going after him in the UK courts. "SBI Lawyers in UK making presentations on their accomplishments against me. Indian Tax payers cost. Despite full recovery in India confirmed by the Prime Minister himself, he tweeted on Friday. His statements were illustrated with a series of document screenshots showing TLT LLP, the banks' law firm, hailing its victory in the 1.142 billion pounds worldwide freezing order judgment in their favour last May. SBI UK Lawyers in self-promotion at Indian public cost. SBI must answer, reads Mallya's tweet. In his characteristic style, the media was once again at the receiving end of the former Kingfisher Airlines boss' social media comments. He noted: Whilst media love sensational headlines, why doesn't anybody ask the PSU State Bank of India under RTI [Right to Information] on how much they are spending on legal fees trying to recover money from me in the UK when I have offered 100 per cent payback in India. To substantiate my point, assets belonging to me in the UK were sold and the costs of sale were almost 50 per cent of value. The remaining assets yet to be sold won't cover legal costs. So what's this all about? To enrich UK Lawyers? SBI please answer. On Thursday, Mallya had made another reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's interview from last month, in which he had claimed that the government had recovered assets worth Rs 14,000 crores related to the now-defunct airline's loan defaults. Mallya is wanted in India on charges of fraud and money laundering amounting to an alleged Rs 9,000 crores. The series of statements follow a ruling by Master David Cook, a judge in the Queen's Bench Division of the Royal Courts of Justice in London, earlier this week which went against Mallya. Master Cook ruled that an interim debt order in favour of SBI and other banks seeking access to funds in Mallya's ICICI UK bank account should remain in force. However, the application to make it final has been adjourned until after the hearing of Mallya's pending bankruptcy petition, expected by the end of this year. The funds held in the account 258,559.79 pounds will meanwhile remain frozen as part of the worldwide freezing order in favour of the Indian banks last year. Mallya's lawyers had argued for the dismissal of the interim order on a number of grounds, including a claim that it was a deliberate ploy to prevent Mallya reasonable court-sanctioned living expenses. However, the judge rejected the assertion and noted that the Indian banks are within their rights to discover the true extent of Mallya's assets in order to recover the estimated 1.142 billion pounds owed to them, arising from proceedings in the Bangalore Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT) against Kingfisher Airlines and others. The DRT case was registered in the UK under the Foreign Judgments (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1933 and went in favour of the Indian banks in an appeal in May 2018. The banks SBI, Bank of Baroda, Corporation bank, Federal Bank Ltd, IDBI Bank, Indian Overseas Bank, Jammu & Kashmir Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, State Bank of Mysore, UCO Bank, United Bank of India and JM Financial Asset Reconstruction Co. Pvt Ltd have since also filed a bankruptcy petition against Mallya, which is being challenged by the former Kingfisher Airlines boss and is expected to come up for hearing around December this year. TLT LLP, the law firm acting for the Indian banks, has been pursuing a series of court orders in the UK courts as part of efforts to enforce last year's High Court judgment in favour of the banks. Meanwhile, Mallya remains on bail after his extradition was signed off by UK home secretary Sajid Javid in February and is seeking leave to appeal against that order in the UK High Court. An oral hearing on his appeal renewal application is expected in the coming weeks. Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya, who was recently inducted into the BJP and given a ticket to contest Lok Sabha polls from Bhopal, on April 19 said former Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare was killed because she had cursed him. Karkare, who was leading the investigation into the 2008 Malegaon blast case, had died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 terrorist attack in Mumbai. At a public address, she is seen saying in a video, "Tera sarvanash hoga. (You will be ruined)" I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him you will be ruined," she is seen saying during the address. Karkare, along with senior police officers Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar, was killed outside Cama Hospital in Mumbai after Ajmal Kasab and his accomplice Abu Ismail opened fire at a police van on November 26, 2008. Sadhvi Pragya is facing trial in the Malegaon blast case. On September 29, 2008, an explosive device attached to a motorcycle went off outside a mosque in Malegaon, in northern Maharashtra, killing six and leaving 100 injured. Pragya, who is a prime accused in the case, has pleaded not guilty and is out on bail. In October 2018, an NIA special court had charged her with the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for conspiring and abetting a terror act. Congress national spokesperson and convenor of the party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi resigned from the party on April 18. She announced her resignation in a Twitter post on April 19. I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey. pic.twitter.com/WhUYYlwHLj Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 19, 2019 She was miffed at the reinstatement of some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during a press conference in Mathura a few days ago. The party which had suspended those workers reinstated them on April 15. After this, on April 17, she expressed her resentment against the party high command for reinstating members who had harassed her during a visit to Mathura. A day after this, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass after quitting from all posts in the party. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about the posts she held in the party. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 After the report on Chaturvedis resignation surfaced, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted that it was a pity to know that she quit the party and wished her all the best. Its a pity @priyankac19 (Priyanka Chaturvedi) will not be seen defending the Congress on our TV screens any longer. She was an asset to the party & a fearless advocate for the party & its leadership. To have lost her to selfish personal interests would have been no loss but to lose her because she felt her party didnt stand up for her is all the more unfortunate. All the best going ahead Priyanka (sic), tweeted Abdullah. Meanwhile, Congress leader Milind Deora said he wasn't aware of Chaturvedis resignation, according to CNN News18. (With inputs from PTI) Azam Khan, Samajwadi Party | People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear. Khan faced social media backlash for his language and sexist jibe addressed towards veteran actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada, contesting polls against him in Rampur. The SP leader is barred by the EC from campaigning for 72 hours, enforced since 6 am on April 16. Firoz Khan, SP | NCW on March 28 had issued a notice to SP leader Firoz Khan for his alleged remarks on BJPs Rampur Lok Sabha seat candidate Jaya Prada. Media reports claim that Khan had called upon on the BJP candidate with this derogatory remark - enthral the people of Rampur with her ghungaroos and thumkas. Furthermore, he seemingly referred to Jaya Prada when he said Rampur's evenings are going to become "rangeen" (colourful) during this election season. A subsequent case was registered at the Hayat Nagar police station. Gopal Shetty, BJP | BJPs Gopal Shetty went on the offensive by claiming that actor Urmila Matondkar was chosen by the party solely on the basis of her looks. Urmila ji has been brought to politics because she is a celebrity and because she is a celebrity, she has been brought due to how she looks, why anyone would feel bad about it, theres no reason She is a bholi bhali ladki who is zero in politics." (Image: Twitter) Jayakaran Gupta, BJP | Addressing a rally in Meerut, BJPs Jayakaran Gupta said One Congress leader loudly asks if 'ache din' has come. He can't see the 'ache din'...Skirt waali bai has started wearing sari and visiting temples, those who hate Ganga jal are now visiting the Ganga. The BJP leader was commenting on Priyanka Gandhi. After his comment faced social outrage, Gupta said his remark was not intended for anyone in particular. (Image: ANI Twitter) Jaydeep Kawade, PRP | PRP leader and Congress ally Jaydeep Kawade said Smriti Irani sits beside Gadkari and talks about changing the Constitution. Let me tell you a thing about Smriti Irani. She wears a big bindi on her forehead and someone told me that when a woman changes her husbands frequently, the size of her bindi keeps growing. (Image: Twitter) Harish Dwivedi, BJP | In a derogatory slur hurled at Priyanka Gandhi, BJP MP Harish Dwivedi said ..Everyone knows that when Priyanka Gandhi is in Delhi she wears jeans and top but dons saree and sindoor when she comes to the constituencies. (Image: Twitter) Surendra Narayan Singh, BJP | BJP MLA Surendra Narayan Singh commented on BSP chief Mayawatis anatomical features. He said She takes facial every day. The person who herself takes facial daily is telling our leader that he is 'shaukeen'. Wearing clothes is not being 'shaukeen'. Colouring hair at the age of 60 to look young is 'shaukeen'. Her hair have turned grey but she colours it black. (Image: ANI Video) Sajjan Singh Verma, UPA | UPAs Sajjan Singh attacked BJP candidate Hema Malini. He said, The BJP has no attractive faces. It has only one good face - Hema Malini. The party makes her dance on the classical songs to woo voters. So, she gives appealing dance performances to earn votes for the party. (Image: ANI Twitter) Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi joined the Shiv Sena on April 19. She had resigned from all posts and primary membership of the party on April 18. Addressing a press conference flanked by Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya, she said, "I want to go back to my roots and work for the development of Mumbai. And that is why I joined the Shiv Sena. I want to the champion for women empowerment and for the youth, and there is no better platform than Shiv Sena to accomplish my goals." She added, " I know my previous comments will be used against me and my ideology will be questioned, but I am satisfied with my decision. Being a Mumbaikar, I have always had an association with the Shiv Sena. There has been no change of heart." Chaturvedi was miffed after the Congress reinstated some party workers in Uttar Pradesh who had threatened and misbehaved with her during a press conference in Mathura a few days ago. The party, which had suspended those workers, reinstated them on April 15. Following this, on April 17, she went public and expressed her resentment against the Congress high command. She had tweeted: Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia (Indian National Congress) over those who have given their sweat and blood. Having faced brickbats and abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. Also read | Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi resigns after party reinstates men who allegedly harassed her In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organization and that I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time I spend in the organization will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity, Chaturvedi mentioned in her resignation letter. 2019 - Renault CITY K-ZE live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Demand uncertainty and a lack of clarity over governments assistance program are two main reasons why Renault, one of worlds leading developer of electric vehicles (EV), will go slow on its introduction in India. Renault has multiple EV programs in progress for several countries including China where it is looking to launch the electric version of the Kwid mini car. But, the French car maker which is in a revival mode in India, is keen to focus on getting its regular product portfolio in order under the mid-term plan before venturing into newer spaces, such as electric vehicles. Speaking to Moneycontrol Venkatram Mamillapalle, managing director, Renault India said, It is a matter of time and maturity of the technology for EVs to come to India. There is a regulation which is coming in FAME II but how well will it be accepted by customers we dont know about it. Mamilapalle, who took over on March 1, 2019, has promised to do four launches over 18 months, including those of two all-new products. This is done to revive the ailing India business and to double its market share to five percent. Renault wants to focus of petrol and diesel engines at a time when its rivals including Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Tata Motors and newcomer MG Motors are gearing up to launch battery-powered cars. At the 2018 India Auto Expo, Renault showcased the Zoe e-Sport Concept (compact electric car) which is on sale in Europe. But, Mamillapalle has not ruled out the electric Kwid completely. When asked specifically if the launch of e-Kwid is off the table for India, Mamillapallle said, Carlos Ghosn had spoken about the electric Kwid for China but for India yet. We still dont know how we will come up with EV. Renaults EV product range is huge and we are world number one in EVs. So based on the market we can play with EV two three years from now, how the competition comes. We have time to react and we will do it accordingly. We need to get the right product at the right price. Just because we have an EV we cant throw it in the market. Renault unveiled the production version of the Kwid electric called K-ZE at the Shanghai Motor Show in China, which will be the first market for the car. Having a range of more than 220 kms on a full charge, the K-ZE can be charged up to 80 percent in less than an hour. The price of the car, though, has not been shared yet. The government of India announced the second phase assistance programme for electric and hybrid vehicles through the FAME II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) scheme. Though it set aside a budget of Rs 10,000 crore which is multiple times higher than FAME-I, the scheme does not provide subsidy for private cars. Besides lack of charging infrastructure, there is no eco-system to support the promotion of electric vehicles in India. Representative Image Hopes for a breakthrough in a push to end Afghanistan's gruelling conflict suffered a major setback on April 19 after a key summit between the Taliban and Afghan officials was indefinitely postponed. The so-called intra-Afghan dialogue, due to take place in Doha this weekend, fell apart at the last minute in a row over the large number of delegates Kabul wanted to send. The collapse comes at a critical time and amid continued bloodshed. The Taliban now control or influence about half of Afghanistan and 3,804 civilians were killed there last year, according to a UN tally. Washington, which is leading an effort to end the war, signalled its disappointment and urged both sides to return to the table, though organisers provided no hint about when the conference might be rescheduled. Sultan Barakat, who heads the group that was to host the event, said in a statement the postponement was "necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate". "Clearly the moment is not yet right," added Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies. President Ashraf Ghani's administration had on Tuesday announced a list of 250 people from all walks of Afghan life, including government figures, who it wanted to send to Doha. But the Taliban poured scorn on the lengthy list, saying it was not "normal" and that they had "no plans" to meet with so many people. The conference is "not an invitation to some wedding or other party at a hotel in Kabul," the Taliban said this week. Though the insurgents insisted they would only talk to Ghani officials in a "personal capacity", any contact between the two parties in Doha would have been hugely signficant, especially at a time when Afghanistan is being ripped by fresh violence after the Taliban announced their annual spring offensive. Ghani officials blamed the Qatari government for the summit's derailment. In a statement, the presidential palace said Qatar had rejected the long list of delegates and suggested a shorter one which was "not acceptable". Analyst Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center in Washington said the breakdown illustrated the tough path ahead for peace. The conference "mess and its dysfunction amplifies just how much of a long, hard slog a reconciliation process will be," he told AFP. "If an event billed as a mere informal ice-breaker causes so many problems, imagine what could happen when it's time to put something more formal together." Even some of those Ghani said would attend dropped out, slamming the guest list as rigged to politically strengthen the president, who faces delayed elections in September. The Doha summit was separate from ongoing direct talks between the Taliban and the US. While the insurgents did meet with Afghan politicians outside the government in Moscow in February, they have steadfastly refused to meet with Ghani and his administration, which they view as a puppet regime. US Special Representative to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad said he was "disappointed" the summit had been postponed. "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy wrote on Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." Barakat said both parties had undertaken "tireless and well-intentioned" efforts to find a way to a way for the summit to proceed, but ultimately a "shared understanding on how to achieve inclusivity couldn't be reached." After US-Taliban talks in February, Khalilzad announced a "draft framework" for a peace deal, though he warned major hurdles remain. Flash During five days of Lao New Year celebrations, 37 people died and another 532 people were injured in 303 road accidents across the country, the Traffic Police Department under the Lao Ministry of Public Security said. Speeding was cited as the major cause of fatal crashes that occurred on April 13-17, accounting for 16 fatalities, followed by drink-driving with 13 fatalities. Champassak province in southern Laos had the highest number of accidents at 45, while Vientiane province reported the most fatalities with a record nine deaths. The provinces of Phongsaly, Oudomxay and Khammuan reported no deaths due to road accidents. Over the three days of Lao New Year holiday last year, 29 people were killed and 385 people injured in 207 road mishaps nationwide, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday. Deputy Director General of the Traffic Police Department, Lieutenant Colonel Keomala Sengthong, said, "Some 579 people were charged with traffic law violations such as speeding and having no driving license or other requisite document. About 387 people were informed of the regulations, 133 people had their driving licenses confiscated, and 100 people were fined." Honda Cars India (HCIL) has voluntarily recalled 3,669 units of its premium brand Honda Accord to replace faulty driver side front airbag inflators. An inflator system is used to pump-in gas at a high-speed to inflate airbag in case of an accident. Accordingly, the company will replace the "Takata driver side front airbag inflators" of 3,669 vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2006 as part of a precautionary global recall campaign. "The replacement will be carried out free of cost at HCIL dealerships across India from 18th April, 2019 and the company will communicate with the customers directly," the company said in a statement. The company further said that Takata airbag inflator recalls have impacted several carmakers globally and that HCIL continued to urge owners of Honda vehicles affected by the recall to get their vehicles repaired by authorised dealers as soon as possible. "HCIL reiterates the importance of replacing the affected Takata front airbag inflators urgently as they may deploy with excessive internal pressure when activated," the statement said. "The airbag inflator casing might rupture, which may result in injury or safety risk to the vehicle occupants," it added. 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. Seeking immediate intervention from the government, in resolving the Jet Airways crisis, the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) has asked the government not to put pressure on banks for giving further loans to the carrier. CH Venkatachalam, general secretary of one of the largest union of bank employees, in a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi says, "The attempts to side track the whole issue by building pressure on banks to extend further loan and save the company is only with a view to keep Naresh Goyal, the promoter of Jet Airways, out of the picture whereas he is the real man who is answerable for the whole crisis." "Incidentally, everyone is looking to the banks to bail out the airline as though banks are the owners of the company. Mr Goyal is still the promoter and major shareholder with 51% of the shares with him and it is his headache to run the company or sell it someone. There are reports that most of the woes of the company are due to their own wrong and unwise business decisions and hence there should be a thorough enquiry into the affairs of Jet Airways and the wrongdoers should be punished," Mr Venkatachalam says. Jet Airways is facing deep trouble on account of its financial difficulties caused due to various business decisions of the management of the airline, AIBEA says adding, "Banks have already extended credit of around Rs8,500 crore to Jet Airways and these huge loans have turned non-performing in view of the company not being able to service the loan in due time. This has not happened overnight and the airline has been facing problems for the past few years. Yet, Banks have been helpful with the hope that the company would soon come out of the problems. But it was not to be and the company is now in crisis for its survival." Expressing concerns on Jet Airways' employees, AIBEA says, "...staff of the company have not been paid their salaries and the proposals of the banks to temporarily help to tide over the problem are not being accepted by the company." "When such companies make huge profits, the same is paid as dividend to the owners on which no tax is payable to the government. But when they are in trouble due to their mismanagement, they expect banks to rescue them," the bank employees union contended. AIBEA pointed out that the Bombay High Court too had declined giving a direction to the government to ask banks to extend further loans to the ailing carrier. "We learn banks have invited bids to possible investors to take over the company. If it does not happen and no bidder is willing to invest and take over the airline, we urge upon the government to take over the airline so that the jobs and future of the thousands of employees, most of whom are young, are safe and without jeopardy," the bank employees union concluded. Flash New Zealand is accelerating the pace to involve with China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which provides an win-win opportunity to build some momentum into the relationship between New Zealand and China, said a New Zealand expert in a recent interview with Xinhua. Stephen Jacobi, executive director of the New Zealand China Council, who will attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing later this month, made the remarks when commenting on how should New Zealand involve with the Belt and Road. "Belt and Road (Initiative) provides us with the opportunity to build some momentum into the relationship between New Zealand and China," said Jacobi. "New Zealand is a far off partner of China. It's not easy sometimes to work out how we could participate in Belt and Road." That's why the News Zealand China Council and its partners last year issued its own report on BRI, which put BRI in context for New Zealand and provided suggestions about how BRI could contribute to enhancing connectivity between China, New Zealand, and potentially also other BRI participants. Jacobi spent several weeks presenting this report to mostly business audiences around the country, which sets out four areas for future cooperation -- trade facilitation, innovation, creative sector and the idea of New Zealand as a conduit between China and Latin America. "These are all areas where we can turn the opportunities of Belt and Road into tangible outcome that will benefit both China and New Zealand," said Jacobi. "We are accelerating the pace with New Zealand's involvement with Belt and Road. The trade minister would be attending the (second) Belt and Road Forum (for International Cooperation) in Beijing, and the New Zealand delegation of business people will accompany him. I will be there for that event also, that's a very good thing to be doing." "Officials are working on the programe of work to be established under Belt and Road memorandum, that's another really good thing. And business people in New Zealand are also discussing how Belt and Road could be turned into tangible outcomes," he said. "We need to move forward step by step, but I do think things are speeding up, that's a very good thing," said Jacobi. After the Belt and Road forum, Jacobi will fly back New Zealand to host a conference on how to build a link between China, New Zealand and South America. "I have lead discussions and spoken to events all over New Zealand about Belt and Road. One particular thing we are working on is an important conference that would look at how to build that link between China, New Zealand and South America. And we've got a lot of interest in this," said Jacobi. "Of course today is a very complicated environment for international trade. So New Zealand and China had a chance to model their relationship on the way we would like to see the other relationships work: Clear rules, willingness to examine these win-win outcomes, and some very tangible projects, such as the ones we put in place under Belt and Road," said Jacobi. To the future of the relationship between China and New Zealand, Jacobi was very optimistic. "Every time we try to set a target for growing trade between New Zealand and China, the target is met before the time frame. That's because China wants to buy the products that New Zealand has to sell, and New Zealand needs a lot of things that China has to sell, these are complimentary relationship here. So I foresee that the trade and investment and people-to-people flows between China and New Zealand will continue to grow," said Jacobi. April 19, 2019 Libya - U.S. Reveals Support For Hafter's Side The situation on the ground in Libya has changed little since we last looked at it two weeks ago. The Libyan National Army (LNA) troops of General Hafter attack the militias which support the UN recognized government in Tripoli from the south. The LNA still lacks forces for a larger break through. Several objects at the front changed hands several times. There are bloody skirmishes but no big fights. Those are still to come. Map by South Front - bigger Some people doubt that Hafter can be successful: Analysts believe that Haftar over-estimates the strength of his LNA. They say the controversial field marshal, who backs an administration rival to the GNA based in eastern Libya, was counting on a quick collapse of Tripoli militias. But pro-GNA reinforcements from around Tripoli rushed to assist in driving back his forces. It was never clear if Hafter really hoped that a lightning attack on Tripoli would achieve a fast victory, or if his sudden move was intended to rally support from outside. He is now certainly getting such support and that will be to his decisive advantage in the longer play. As we described it: Hafter has open support from France, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia. The Trump administration is not interested to step into the mess. Hafter is an old CIA asset and if he takes control there is a good chance that the U.S. will have influence over him. As long as Libyan oil flows and keeps the global oil price down Trump will be happy. Russia is trying to stay in the background to not give the anti-Russian forces in Washington an excuse to intervene. The Muslim Brothers, supported by Turkey and Qatar, are still in play in Misrata but have otherwise lost their influence on the ground. Since then the Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia pledged tens of millions of dollars to support Hafter's move on Tripoli. During the last week Hafter visited President Sisi of Egypt. Europe is disunited over the issue. Italy wants to keep its influence in its former colony Libya and its historical position in the Libyan oil industry. It is also concerned about a new wave of refugees. It supports the government in Tripoli. France is supporting Hafter with an eye on taking over some oil business. It is also concerned about Islamist activities in former French colonies west and south of Libya. With Italy and France in a clinch, the European Union only issued a weak statement that called for a stop of fighting without naming any side. Concern over the militias which support the Tripoli government increased too. They not as harmless as many seem to have thought: A week after an aspiring strongman launched a surprise attack on the Libyan capital, an assortment of criminal gangs and extremists are rushing into the fight against him, raising new questions for the United States and other Western powers that have condemned his attack. ... But an increasingly unsavory cast has joined the coalition against him, including a group closely tied to a militia sanctioned as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations; an extremist warlord sanctioned for undermining Libyas stability; and other militia leaders sanctioned for migrant trafficking. That mix so alarms Western powers that some may deem General Hifter the lesser evil. Yesterday the U.S., which had said little when Hafter launched his assault on Tripoli, came out of the closet: The United States and Russia both said Thursday they could not support a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in Libya at this time, diplomats said, as mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. The United States gave no reason for its position on the draft resolution ... Today we learn that Trump spoke with Hafter several days ago: President Donald Trump spoke on Monday with a Libyan strongman whose forces are advancing on the nations capital, the White House said, in a move that may undermine support for the countrys internationally recognized government. ... Trump discussed ongoing counterterrorism efforts and the need to achieve peace and stability in Libya with Haftar, White House Deputy Press Secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement. Gidley called Haftar by the title field marshal. The president recognized Field Marshal Haftars significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system, Gidley said. The key point for Trump is the oil price. His administration put sanctions on sales of Iranian and Venezuelan oil. Since the beginning of the year crude oil prices rallied from the low $50 per barrel to over $70 per barrel. Trump plans to reduce waivers he gave to some of the countries that continue to buy Iranian oil. That would further decrease Iran's output. Any additional disruption of Libya's oil production would increase the oil price and harm the U.S. economy. It would thereby make Trump's plan for total sanctions on Iranian oil impossible. Hafter controls most of Libya's oil supplies. With open backing from the U.S., Russia and France, support from the military in Egypt, and with enough Saudi cash to finance his army, he surely has all the needed support to sustain a longer fight. His next move will likely be against the small air force the Misrata gangs assembled. The U.S. might give him a helping hand in that. Hafter could then close down the airspace for flights from Turkey and Qatar. That would cut into the resupply Misrata and Tripoli need for a longer fight. Those who say that "there is no military solution" to the situation in Libya will likely be proven wrong. Hafter has all he needs to win the fight. Posted by b on April 19, 2019 at 17:30 UTC | Permalink Comments April 18, 2019 Security Breach At U.S. Embassies In Tunisia And Kuwait Almost Caused A Disaster by L. W. A U.S. security intelligence officer at the U.S. embassy in Kuwait said: "Kuwaiti authorities discovered 200 gram of C4 high explosive packed in a hole inside a book in a rucksack belonging to a U.S. Marine, minutes before the bag was to be placed on a U.S. civilian carrier flight with destination the U.S. The airline and passengers were spared a real catastrophe." This took place several days ago but US authorities declined to reveal the breach in security at two U.S. embassies, one in Tunisia and the other in Kuwait. According to the source, who requested anonymity, an "investigation by U.S. intelligence personnel was carried out to find out the origins of the explosive and the responsibility of the soldier involved." "The soldier, on duty in Tunisia, was supposed to be posted to a U.S. base in Kuwait. His belongings were sent from the U.S. embassy in Tunisia, following the usual inspection, to the embassy in Kuwait. On the same day that his luggage was sent to Kuwait, he was asked to depart from Tunisia to the U.S. because the post in Kuwait was no longer available. By the time the transfer of the U.S. soldier to Kuwait was revoked his belongings were already in Kuwait and certainly had already been inspected by U.S. personnel", said the source. When the US soldiers posting was revoked, his belongings were supposed to follow back home. The U.S. embassy in Kuwait contacted a contracted private company to send the package to the U.S. on board of an American airline. A rapid inspection was carried out by the U.S. carrier during which the content was cleared for shipment. The source confirmed that the belongings of the U.S. soldier were sealed in Tunisia and sent to Kuwait. The seal remained and the luggage was delivered as such to the contracted carrier who accepted it, among other goods, for shipping to the Kuwait airport on a scheduled day. "At the airport, Kuwaiti security officers were doing their routine check for explosives when a bag set the monitors red-light beeping, signaling suspicious content. Personnel from the U.S. embassy were called upon and asked to open the package. After meticulous inspection, 200 gram of highly explosive material, C4, were found encased in a book", said the source. The source revealed that the soldier is not a Muslim. An interrogation carried out by U.S. authorities determined that the soldier was apparently not aware of the content of his package. The source refused to deliver further information about the investigation but said the breach is very serious and could have ended in disaster had the explosive been triggered. No further information was disclosed. However, the source confirmed that 200 gram of C4 are enough to blow up an entire airplane in the air with all its passengers. According to the source, the US embassies in Tunisia and Kuwait have taken further security measures following this incident. --- Note by b: L.W., the writer of the above, is a person I trust. S/he has the connections and sources needed for such a story. It is however difficult to verify. Assuming that it is correct, who might be the most likely culprit? Posted by b on April 18, 2019 at 20:14 UTC | Permalink Comments The Freddie Mac-CAHEC fund will give priority to transactions in areas that have been underserved over the past 10 years, including rural communities and developments that give intensive, supportive services for their residents. The fund has already provided $50 million in selected affordable housing investment across eight properties in North Carolina (three properties), Kentucky (two), Tennessee (two), and in West Virginia (one). Overall, the investments support 441 units of LIHTC housing in some of the most underserved communities in the country. Freddie Mac is proud to partner with CAHEC as a LIHTC syndicator, and our fund is already supporting affordable housing in rural and underserved markets, said David Leopold, vice president of targeted affordable sales and investments at Freddie Mac. From Middle Appalachia to rural North Carolina, the investments we are making will help upgrade housing stock while preserving affordability for low-income individuals and families in need of decent places to live. CAHEC is thrilled to partner with Freddie Mac as a conduit for furthering their LIHTC equity investment goals, said CAHEC President and CEO Dana Boole. Synergy with our respective missions, outlooks on affordable housing, commitment toward 'duty to serve' communities and our vibrant corporate cultures, were all drivers to creating, and now furthering, this thriving relationship. Crude connections the sequel is in the works, according to Concho Resources and Frontier Midstream Solutions IV LLC. The two, which formed a joint venture to build and operate the Alpha Crude Connector system in the northern Delaware Basin before selling it to Plains All-American in 2017, have announced plans to build and operate the Beta Crude Connector system in the northern Midland Basin. Concho is supporting the project with a long-term acreage dedication agreement, and Concho officials told the Reporter-Telegram the joint venture gives the company more optionality and more delivery points for its northern Midland Basin production. "We are excited to partner again with Frontier in the development of the Beta Crude Connector," Jack Harper, Concho president, said in a statement announcing the project. "Through the joint venture, we will leverage Frontier's midstream expertise and enhance the value of our high-quality footprint in the Midland Basin with a reliable, cost-efficient gathering and transportation solution. Importantly, this is a compelling investment opportunity that we can make with no changes to our capital plans." OIL REPORT: Petroleum index turns higher as crude prices strengthen Chris Guglielmo, director of business development at Frontier, told the Reporter-Telegram by email that the opportunity to reteam with Concho was a compelling part of the project. "Concho is a homegrown Permian group, just like much of our company. We had a great partnership with Concho with the Alpha Crude Connector (ACC) we developed together. We successfully supported their highly active exploration and production operations with the ACC and Concho was supportive of our midstream operations, which seemed to grow without ceasing. "Based on our experience with the ACC, we know that Concho is a great joint venture partner.," he said. "So, when this opportunity came about, we knew if we moved forward together, aligned as we were with the ACC, the operating relationship would be good. Alignment is critical to us as we form a joint venture or partnership." Guglielmo said that since the sale of ACC, Concho had grown significantly with its acquisition of RSP Permian last year. "We look forward to what that scale and size may accomplish," he said. Both the Delaware and Midland basins are exciting places to be, and the dynamics created by the unprecedented activity in both basins are exciting to anticipate, Gugliemo said. But both are different, he said. "ACC was a large system built to support a tremendous geography of dedicated acreage and network of production plans and volumes," Guglielmo said. "I would say the knowledge of the ACC area of the Delaware was less mature than it is today, so the exploration was significant. This led to the necessity of having a system that was 500 miles in length by the time we sold it to Plains. "This Midland project, the Beta Crude Connector, is an acreage position that is significantly blocked up. This concentration will allow us to be very efficient with our system design and operations, and Beta Crude Connector's proximity to downstream markets is even closer than it was with ACC," he said. "Further, the Midland Basin is a world-class resource and the science of the resource is well known. So, we are looking forward to what BCC can do to assist with the production in the area." OIL REPORT: De Nora, Neptune Enterprises team up to address water management Beta Crude Connector will be a gathering and transportation system consisting of an approximately 100-mile gathering system, 250,000 barrels of crude oil storage facilities and truck terminals. Guglielmo said the storage facilities and truck terminals initially will be located near the Midland-Martin county lines, and additional storage tanks will be located throughout Midland and Martin counties. Throughout Midland, Martin and Andrews counties, he estimated there will be more than 200 people working on various components of the construction. Initially, the pipeline system will have the capacity to deliver 150,000 barrels per day of crude to multiple delivery points, accessing local refineries and connecting to several downstream pipelines. An open season is planned for later this month, after which construction will begin. Initial flows are expected to begin by mid-year. Plans are to file with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for Beta Crude Carrier to operate as a common carrier pipeline and solicit interest from other producers and marketers for capacity on the system. "Historically, crude flowed from Midland to Cushing, then from Cushing to the Gulf Coast to be refined," Guglielmo said. "Some went to the Midwest and some stayed in the Permian Basin. Crude flows from lowest to highest price, so prices in the Gulf Coast were traditionally higher than Cushing, and Cushing was higher than Permian. The path from Cushing to the Gulf Coast recently filled to the brim, caused by continued flow into Cushing from the Permian and more growth from the north, pushing the differential on that path to a level that exceeds the pipeline tariffs. "But new Permian pipes are coming to the rescue to support the continued production and allow for additional transport directly to the Gulf Coast from the Permian," he said. "The Permian Basin will transition from a shortage of long-haul takeaway capacity to an abundance of options by mid-2020." A House bill that would put more resources into commercial vehicle enforcement in energy- impacted areas has passed out of the Texas House and moved into the Senate. House Bill 917, authored by Midland Republican Tom Craddick, would address this issue by allowing additional peace officers to become certified to enforce commercial motor vehicle safety standards in certain areas of the Permian Basin heavily impacted by the energy industry. The Missouri House has passed legislation that could block the developers of one of the nations largest wind energy projects from using eminent domain to string a high-voltage power line across the Midwest, including a large swath through west-central Illinois. The line is expected to enter Illinois in Pike County and go through Pike, Scott, Greene and Macoupin counties on its route to Sullivan, Indiana. Grain Belt Express hoped to begin construction on its 780-mile-long Clean Line project in 2017 and start transmitting electricity by 2019. The Illinois Commerce Commission, in approving Grain Belt Express application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity in a 3-2 vote, required that the project backers secure funds to cover total project costs before construction begins. It also prohibits project expansion without commission approval and requires commission approval prior to recovery of any project costs from Illinois retail ratepayers. Missouri has been the sticking point for the project and that was compounded Thursday when the Missouri House passed legislation that could effectively block the project by prohibiting its developers from using eminent domain to run a high-voltage power line across the Midwest. The projects private developers say it has the potential to bring affordable, renewable energy to millions of homes. But the long-delayed power line has faced opposition from some property owners in its path and trouble clearing some regulatory requirements. It appeared to overcome a major hurdle in March when Missouri utility regulators reversed previous denials and granted their approval a step that could allow developers to pursue condemnation cases to acquire easements from unwilling sellers. But legislation intended to block that passed the House 115-35 and now heads to the Senate. Republican Gov. Mike Parson appeared Thursday to show support for the legislation. I am a firm believer in protecting individual freedom and rights of private property owners, especially our farmers and ranchers, Parson said in a statement to The Associated Press. We will continue to stay engaged with the legislature to ensure that we are equipped to protect all Missourians from potential threats of government overreach for private gain. Former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat, had backed the project and, after leaving office in 2017, successfully argued a case before the Missouri Supreme Court that overturned a prior regulatory rejection of it. If the Missouri legislation against eminent domain becomes law, the Grain Belt Express power line could be zapped or at least forced to zigzag along a new route, if developers can find cooperative landowners. Houston-based Clean Line Energy Partners has been working since 2010 to develop the direct-current line capable of transmitting about 4,000 megawatts of power. Chicago-based Invenergy announced last fall that it was acquiring the project, though the sale still needs regulatory approval. A coalition of municipal utilities already has agreed to buy a portion of the 500 megawatts of power that would be made available in Missouri a deal that helped persuade utility regulators that the project is in the public interest. Invenergy spokeswoman Beth Conley said the company is disappointed that Missouri lawmakers are attempting to stop the project. She said the power line could result in $32 million in payments to Missouri landowners and $7 million in property taxes to local Missouri governments in its first year of operation. The Missouri Public Utility Alliance said the cheaper wind power from the transmission line could save $12.8 million annually for the residents served by 39 municipal utilities. But some lawmakers said discounted electricity rates for certain people shouldnt justify taking property rights away from others. Though most opponents focused on the potential use of eminent domain, Republican Rep. Tim Remole also questioned the wisdom of relying on renewable energy. The wind does not always blow, and the sun does not always shine, Remole said. We can depend on fossil fuels. One of the projects defenders is Democratic Rep. Deb Lavender, whose suburban St. Louis hometown of Kirkwood plans to buy some of the wind power. Its time for us to take our head out of the coal bin and realize there is a future for our children on this planet that we dont seem to be watching out for, Lavender said. This time last year I wrote about communities innovatively responding to local economic and social challenges. The trend continues, strengthening democracy at the grassroots level. One new wrinkle is the Aspen Institutes Weave project, the goal of which is to identify ways to heal the social fragmentation chipping away at many levels of American society. Led by New York Times columnist David Brooks, the project asks participants what they can do to replace loneliness, division and distrust with relationship, community and purpose. This movement is encouraging, but as it gains momentum, local journalism organizations are still struggling to find a sustainable economic model. Without one, they will not be able to maintain their connection to local readers and viewers as well as attract the younger readers and viewers they need for the future. (For the purposes of this piece, I am concentrating on print and TV, not local radio.) Nor will they be able to cover their communities well. Some news organizations, like the Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News, have suffered deep cutbacks in staffing and coverage after new ownership took over. This challenge affects not only journalism but also our democracy. An informed public is essential in a system of government that relies upon the consent of the governed. Perhaps that is why a 2016 Pew Research Center study reveals a strong correlation between people who consume local news and people who vote in local elections. Of course, national newspapers like the New York Times and Wall Street Journal draw national, even international audiences to their print and digital products. But local, state and even regional journalism organizations lack that reach. They instead are searching for economic security in a digital age, often to no avail. According to a University of North Carolina study, 60 percent of U.S. counties are news deserts that lack a local newspaper. The Pew Research Center just finished a new look at local journalism and found 73 percent of respondents follow local news somewhat closely. But only 14 percent of local news consumers pay for it. Whats more, 71 percent think media organizations are doing fine financially. This discrepancy is at the heart of the problem. The internet has made news ubiquitous and largely free, so why should we have to pay for it? That question is natural, and vexes local news organizations. It also is prompting alternative models, such as nonprofit news organizations. The Pulitzer Prize-winning Philadelphia Inquirer, for example, is now part of the nonprofit Philadelphia Media Network, which the Lenfest Institute for Journalism owns. Two drivers of the nonprofit model recently raised $42 million to rebuild local news operations. John Thornton, the venture capitalist who banked the launch of the successful nonprofit Texas Tribune site, and Elizabeth Green, founder of the popular Chalkbeat education site in places like New York and Colorado, recently created the American Journalism Project. They are taking their experiences in providing compelling coverage of state and local issues and supporting existing and startup local news organizations. The initiative wants to involve philanthropies in rejuvenating civic news organizations, much like philanthropy has had a major impact on education, health care and the arts. Report for America also offers a new model for local journalism. Like Teach for America educators, participants sign up for stints in local communities. This time it is in news organizations, where grants from Report for America help finance their enterprising work. These are encouraging developments, but more needs to be done to sustain vibrant local news operations. And the challenges are not all financial. For one thing, local journalists need to keep searching for more people to involve in their reporting. That Pew 2016 study revealed those who vote less often in local elections are less likely to think their local news organizations are in touch with their communities. And they are far less likely to have been interviewed by a local journalist than those more highly engaged local citizens. I am not saying journalists should interview more people in order to get them to vote. But expanding the network of sources can broaden their work while also increasing community engagement, which is one of the goals of Weave and others in the localism movement. The potential and hope of that movement is that it results in stronger communities, the kind with firm enough bonds that they can work through the social and economic challenges that inevitably hit every community. Journalism has a role to play in meeting that challenge. William McKenzie is editorial director for the George W. Bush Institute, where he also serves as editor of The Catalyst: A Journal of Ideas. Ironstone Easter Egg Hunt View Photos Many events are planned this Easter weekend, plus this Saturday is the kick-off event for the upcoming Mother Lode Round-Up, the Great Steak BBQ. All the Round-Up events are listed here. Thursday thru Saturday the Christian Heights Church will present The Road To Calvary a one hour Easter Production. Tours leave every 15 minutes starting at 7:30 pm and often sell out. Saturday the Discover Life Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Sonora is hosting The Rescue A live reenactment of the biblical Easter Story with a petting zoo for kids between services. Performances of the Route 66 will wrap up at Sierra Repertory Theaters Fallon House in Columbia on Sunday. As reported here the 40th Annual Old Mill Run features a 10K Run, a 2-Mile Walk, a 2 Mile Run and two Kids Run all to benefit the Tuolumne County Community Christmas Eve Dinner at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora, as well as the WINGS Fund through the Sonora Area Foundation. The event listing is here. PAWS Captive Wildlife Sanctuary will open its doors to public for its 35th Anniversary on April 20. PAWS organization rescues and cares for elephants, big cats and bears Saturday is also the Family Fun Fish Fest at New Melones in the Tuttletown Recreation Area. Day use fees to enter will be waived and children 15 years old and under will be provided fishing poles and bait. Park rangers and volunteers will provide fishing information and assistance if needed. The Saints and Sinners Motorcycle Club will prepare a BBQ lunch for the event participants. That event listing is here. Saturday there are also several egg hunts. At 9AM the Wildcat Ranch will host its 4th Annual Community Egg Hunt. Christian Heights Church will host an Easter Egg Hunt at 10AM sharp, at the West Side Memorial Park in Tuolumne the Easter Egg Hunt will be held at 11AM. From 11AM to 4PM visit Downtown Angels Camp Sidewalk Sale and Easter Fun. Get pictures with the Easter Bunny, enjoy an Easter Egg Grab, Easter Hat Contest, live music and more. Details are here. Sunday there are more Easter events and services. Easter activities at Railtown 1897 State Park include meeting the Easter Bunny, egg hunts and more beginning at 9:30AM. Sunday an Easter Celebration called Resurrection, hosted by Creekside Community Church, will take place this Sunday at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds from 11 AM to 3 PM. There are three egg hunts for ages 0-12, food, and a raffle. There will also be an Easter Worship led by the pastor of Creekside Community Church. The event listing is here. Columbias Victorian Easter Celebration will feature a parade and egg hunts for children. The costume contest includes awards for; fanciest Victorian hat, best dressed couple, lasses and lads, groups, and pets. Egg hunt times and more details are here. In Calaveras a Community Easter Egg Hunt will be held near Big Trees Fitness and Ironstones Easter Egg Hunt Times are 10:00 AM for children under 5, 10:30 AM for ages 6 to 8 and 11 AM for ages 9 to 12. Lastly bring your Easter Basket to Eproson Park where the Twain Harte Rotary sponsored hunt begins at 1PM sharp. Easter Egg Hunt ages 2-12 and the egg toss is for any age. There are great white sharks, and then there are Great White Sharks. The 1,200-pound giant in this story falls into the latter category. On Thursday, OCEARCH, a non-profit organization that tracks and collects scientific data about great whites announced that it is currently tracking a massive female of the species in the Gulf of Mexico. 'Miss Costa,' (the name given to her by the organization) was spotted right off the coast of Panama City, Fl. a few days ago. Her tracker pinged her entering the Gulf at the beginning of April, according to OCEARCH. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox Miss Costa was 12 feet 5 inches long when she was tagged in 2016 off the coast of Nantucket, MA and could between 14 and 15 feet long today, reports OCEARCH. HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: Shark tangled in car engine belt rescued off Gulf Coast shore She is now the third documented great white to make the rare journey outside the normal migratory patterns into the Gulf. Above, you can click through to see Miss Costa's unique growth, her rare journey to the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the two others that made similar trips before her. All of the quotes in the slides above are from the OCEARCH press release. Check out the size of the Great White Shark caught in the Gulf of Mexico, near northwest Florida on Houston Chronicle.com Peter Dawson is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | Peter.Dawson@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. The father of a 1-year-old boy who was left outside in central Oregon with a broken leg, cracked skull and meth in his system has accepted a plea deal that will send him to prison for over two years. Brandon Blouin agreed this week to enter an Alford plea to criminal mistreatment, endangering the welfare of a minor and felon in possession of body armor. In exchange, charges of custodial interference, child neglect and abandonment of a child were dismissed. Under the plea, Blouins lawyer acknowledged that prosecutors had sufficient evidence to prove the charges. Authorities say Blouin and the childs mother took the boy from his legal guardian in West Virginia. Authorities say Blouin allegedly told authorities hed set the child down in the woods outside Bend but couldnt find him. "Blouin is believed to have been under the influence of a controlled substance when he made the choice set him down and walk away," deputies wrote. The Deschutes County Sheriffs Office launched a massive search effort, utilizing ground and horseback searchers, as well as drones and helicopters with thermal image sensors. More than six hours after he went missing, a detective assisting with the search found the child lying facedown, naked, in the dirt. The boy was sleeping, and covered in dirt and pine cones. Detective Doug Jackson told The Oregonian that he and a sheriff's sergeant had come upon the child by following footprints left by the boy's father. "I don't think we could've gotten a much bigger win than this," said Jackson. "When you have a needle in a haystack situation like this, it could go a number of different ways. It was very much a team effort, and I'm just thankful that we found the kiddo." The Bulletin reports that the boy now lives with his grandmother. If special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation makes one thing clear, it's that many of the news reports that President Donald Trump branded as "fake news" were, in fact, very real news indeed. While Mueller's report didn't establish a criminal conspiracy and was "unable" to conclude that obstruction of justice occurred - contrary to hours of speculation among cable-news pundits during Mueller's long investigation - it also largely validated news accounts that Trump dismissed or disparaged. Instead, at least in the Mueller team's analysis, the fake news seems to have flowed not from the media but from the other direction. His report, released Thursday, cites multiple instances in which Trump and White House aides misled or lied to journalists or in public statements as the investigation was unfolding. On the day of Mueller's appointment, in May 2017, for example, White House aides said Trump reacted calmly to the news. In fact, according to Mueller's report, Trump's first reaction was anything but calm. According to notes taken by an aide, Trump responded by saying, "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. I'm f-----. . . . This is the worst thing that ever happened to me." White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters repeatedly in May 2017 that she personally had heard from "countless members of the FBI" that they were "grateful and thankful" to Trump for firing FBI director James Comey. That never happened, Mueller said. He wrote that Sanders later acknowledged to investigators that her comments were "not founded on anything." Trump also dictated a press statement saying that he had fired Comey based on the recommendations of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. But Mueller found that Trump had already decided to fire Comey before Rosenstein had weighed in. Trump backed down and later publicly acknowledged he intended to fire Comey regardless of Rosenstein's memo after unnamed Justice Department officials "made clear to him" that they would "resist" the bogus justification, Mueller said. Incoming White House aides also lied about press accounts they knew were accurate. Former national security adviser Michael Flynn directed an aide, K.T. McFarland, to call Washington Post columnist David Ignatius during the presidential transition in January 2017 and deny Ignatius' reporting about Flynn's conversations with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. McFarland "knew she was providing false information" when she called Ignatius to dispute Ignatius' surmise that Flynn had discussed removing sanctions on Russia with Kislyak. (Prompted by McFarland's call, The Post updated the column to note that a "Trump official" denied that Flynn discussed sanctions.) Trump and his aides also knocked down an accurate New York Times story in May 2017 reporting that the president had asked Comey for loyalty during a private dinner several months before Comey's firing. Trump even lied about who invited whom to dinner: He told NBC News anchor Lester Holt in an interview that month Comey had asked for it because "he wanted to stay on." Mueller found evidence that the president extended the invitation to Comey on Jan. 27. On the eve of Comey's testimony to Congress that May, Trump sought to raise questions about Comey's credibility, when - as Mueller found - it was Trump's credibility that was questionable. At the time, Trump tweeted, "James Comey better hope there are no 'tapes' of our conversation before he starts leaking to the press!" Comey's contemporaneous accounts of his meeting with Trump and corroboration from his FBI colleagues also show that another New York Times story, branded as "fake news" by the president, was true. The Times reported that Trump had asked Comey to end the investigation of Flynn; Mueller found "substantial evidence" that this was true, despite Trump publicly saying otherwise. Trump also tried to persuade then-White House Counsel Donald McGahn to deny stories in The Washington Post and the Times in early 2018 that Trump had asked McGahn to fire Mueller about seven months earlier. McGahn refused repeatedly to undercut the stories because he knew they were "accurate in reporting on the President's effort to have the Special Counsel removed." Mueller noted that Trump "challenged" his lawyer for taking notes of their conversation. "Why do you take notes?" he asked McGahn, according to the report. "Lawyers don't take notes. I never had a lawyer who took notes." McGahn said he kept notes because he is a "real lawyer" and to establish a record. Trump replied, "I've had a lot of great lawyers, like Roy Cohn. He did not take notes.'' Cohn, who was chief counsel to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., during McCarthy's communist-hunting hearings in the 1950s, was disbarred by a New York court in 1986 because of "dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation." The Washington Post's Margaret Sullivan contributed to this report. Houston police found skimmers at 13 gas stations, one apartment building and one airport terminal throughout the month of March, according to records obtained by Chron.com. The terminal was located at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, but the report did not specify the exact terminal number or what led police to the skimmer. It's also unclear what led police to the apartment. BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: Get your Houston breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox The majority of the gas stations carried the Valero brand, but the company no longer owns any stores, Valero spokeswoman Lillian Riojas said. "Valero is very concerned with credit card skimming incidents," she told Chron.com. "We have proactive efforts to identify potential skimming activities and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement and station owners. We actively monitor credit card transactions made with Valero credit cards to look for possible fraudulent activity. While Valero does not own or operate any convenience stores, we work with the station owner, who is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of the gas pumps." JAN-FEB 2019: Houston police found skimmers at more than just gas stations in Jan. and Feb. 2019 Federal and county investigators in the Houston area say gas pumps are the preferred medium for people who plant skimmers. The pumps offer a way for people to place the skimmer inside the machine, whereas most ATMs require some type of physical attachment to the exterior, according to law enforcement officials. William Smarr, the deputy special agent in charge at the U.S. Secret Service in Houston, recently told Chron.com he didn't notice any disproportionate skimmer activity at gas stations. Smarr, whose office investigates skimming reports with other agencies, said skimmers can be found anywhere in the city, regardless of the storefront. "Typically the [gas stations] that are more vulnerable are more unattended," he said. SKIMMERS FOUND: Where the most card skimmers have been found in Houston so far in 2018 The data shown above reflects confirmed skimmers that were found. Police records only indicated different cases in which a skimmer was located not the exact number of skimmers found in each case. Therefore, some of skimmer totals in the slideshow may reflect a lower number than what police found. >>> Click through the slideshow to see all the locations where police found skimmers last month Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@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. Federal agents arrested several alleged members of a well-known gang Thursday on charges that they were trafficking methamphetamines and other drugs in San Antonio and Austin. More than 15 members or associates of the gang were targeted as part of a joint yearlong investigation involving the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, San Antonio police, Bexar County Sheriffs Office and other state and local law enforcement agencies coordinated by the Texas Anti-Gang Center. In Thursdays sweep, authorities said they seized cash, nine firearms, 20 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine pills and cocaine and marijuana. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox A 10-count federal indictment unsealed Thursday charges 10 of the suspects with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and/or methamphetamine. Some also face charges of actual possession of the drugs. Todays operation marks a major strike in the battle against gangs in San Antonio, said U.S. Attorney John Bash. Ensuring that our streets are safe for every child, no matter where he or she lives, is the most important social-justice issue of our time. I am grateful to the DEA and our many other law-enforcement partners. I am also grateful to the Governors office for backing the important Texas Anti-Gang Center in San Antonio. Its making a real difference. Those arrested on the federal charges include San Antonio residents Deuandre Jermore Williams, 31; Andre Jarrell Williams, 32; and Marshall Lee Braddy, 38, along with Austin residents Justin Tremayne Wooley, 28; Derek Deshon Williams, 42; and Darrial Gene Carter, 33. Already in custody were Freddie Lee Scott, 28, of San Antonio, and Johnny Earl Hughes, 40, and Salvador Barrios Mesas, 38, both of Austin. Cynthia Corina Valdez, 26, of San Antonio, remains a fugitive. RELATED: Eagle Pass man charged with embezzling from Kickapoo tribe According to court records, the group, led by suspected gang member Deuandre Williams, distributed narcotics provided by Austin suppliers throughout San Antonios East Side since June 2016. Deuandre Williams was also indicted by a Bexar County grand jury Thursday with six other alleged gang members on charges including engaging in organized criminal activity, felon in possession, manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and evading with a vehicle. Those suspects include San Antonio residents Henry Cochran, 31; Daveion Zacharie, 22; Anthony Sanks, 29; Trevon Campbell, 25; Leon Smith, 31; and, Quonta Newes, 32. For too long, residents of San Antonios East Side have lived in fear of gang members like those arrested this morning that have sold drugs and committed violent crimes with no regard for the safety of the innocent, said Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales. We stand with our partners in this collaborative effort to continue to protect all the citizens of Bexar County. 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 Two suspects accused of killing a man and injuring another during a shootout on the East Side last week were arrested moments after the incident, police said. Fernando Javier Gonzalez, 23, and Jose Recarrdo Serrano Jr., 17, are each charged with murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the death of Alonzo Cantu Jr., 19, San Antonio Police confirmed. Gonzalez is also charged with tampering with evidence, while Serrano is charged with assault causing bodily injury. RELATED: Teen killed in shootout at San Antonio intersection identified Officers were called to the shootout at about 1 p.m. April 9 in the 1100 block of Virginia Boulevard, police said. When they arrived, Cantu and an unidentified 15-year-old boy were found lying on the street with multiple gunshot wounds, according to preliminary information from a police report. The two were taken to San Antonio Military Medical Center in critical condition, authorities said. Cantu died at the hospital, the report said. An updated condition for the 15-year-old was not available Wednesday. Moments after the shooting, officers found one of the two suspects at a nearby home. Police said they surrounded the home, contacted a family member inside and convinced the suspect, who was not identified in the report, to surrender peacefully. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox That same day, the second suspect turned himself in to police a short distance from the shooting, the report said. Gonzalez is being held on bail totaling $800,000, while Serranos bail totals $857,000. Police have not said what motivated the shooting. An inmate at the Bexar County Jail booked on an assault charge is now facing a murder charge Friday after police linked him to a fatal shooting in February. Police identified Claborn Jones, 46, as the alleged killer of Anthony Crawford, who was shot multiple times Feb. 7 in the 3100 block of East Commerce Street. An 18-wheeler truck overturned early Friday morning at Finesilver Curve, according to San Antonio police. At 2:20 a.m., police responded to that stretch of the highway, which has been a problematic curve for trucks. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio's notorious 'Finesilver Curve' bedevils trucks, defies easy solution The driver of the truck was allegedly speeding around the curve, which caused the 34,000-pound load of metal coils to shift, causing the the car to rollover. Several officers were needed to close the ramp and the curve was closed for hours as tow trucks worked to clear the scene. The accident was cleared before the morning commute on Friday, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. 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 3-year veteran with the San Antonio Police Department is now on administrative leave after police arrested her early Friday morning on a domestic violence charge. Nicolette Muniz was arrested around 3:19 a.m. on suspicion of assault family violence, according to a news release from the police department. A woman accused of injuring a 2-year-old boy told police "she was feeling lazy and had no motivation" to take him to the hospital, according to San Antonio police. Patsy Therese Ramirez, 25, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of injury to a child. FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox On Wednesday, police were called to her home to conduct a welfare check on the baby, an investigator wrote in the arrest affidavit. When officers arrived, they saw several bruises and injuries on the child's body, including bruises on his hip, forehead, palm, and arm. Police interviewed Ramirez, who admitted to spanking the child with a leather belt. She also admitted to hitting the child on the back of the head because he urinated on the floor, according to the affidavit. She also told police the bruise on the child's forehead was caused by him falling and hitting his head on the ceramic tile. READ ALSO: Millions watched her kids on YouTube. Off-screen, she was beating and starving them, police say. "(Ramirez) admitted that she didn't take the victim to the doctor because she was feeling lazy and had no motivation to take the victim to receive medical treatment," the affidavit states. The child is now in Child Protective Services custody and was taken to the children's hospital for further medical evaluation, according to the affidavit. 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 treasurer for the Boerne High School Band Boosters, her husband and the couple's friend are accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the organization and a cabinetry shop, according to police. Nicole Villanueva, Joel Villanueva and Laura Lancaster are all charged with misapplication of fiduciary property and theft, according to the Boerne Police Department. They were arrested Thursday after a grand jury returned the indictments. For more than a week, Houston Zoo keepers were unsure if Joy, one of their youngest Asian elephants, was going to survive. She had contracted the herpes virus, called EEHV (elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus), the zoo announced Friday a virus that afflicts both Asian and African elephants across the globe and has a 85 percent mortality rate. STAY IN THE KNOW: Get all the news you need to know to start your day, delivered to your inbox It was touch-and-go for a while, zoo officials said, but Joy came through on the other side. She completed her treatment on April 12. "While we are confident that the treatment protocol our incredible team enacted worked, Joy's immune system will be vulnerable for the next couple of weeks; we'll continue to monitor her and the rest of the herd closely," said Dr. Christine Molter, Houston Zoo veterinarian, in a statement. "At this time, Joy is improving and the virus level in her blood has decreased." Elephants with EEHV become lethargic and lose their appetite. Their head starts to swell and they become lame. The disease is a problem for young elephants both in captivity and in the wild. Herpes has been found in dead elephants in India and Cambodia and these are only cases where humans have conducted necropsies, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. READ MORE: Baylor doctor dedicated to saving young elephants As of 2016, more than 100 possible or proven cases of lethal herpes have been recognized in both captive and wild Asian elephants, according to an article published in ILAR (Institute for Laboratory Animal Research) Journal. The Houston Zoo has had its fair share of problems with the disease: Between 2000 and 2008, three young elephants at here died from it. But last week, Joy was spared from being the fourth. She received antiviral medications as well as blood and plasma transfusions between April 4 and April 12, and zoo officials received help from Baylor College of Medicine, who they have worked with on EEHV for a decade. The protocol zoo vets and Bayor's Paul Ling, associate professor of virology and microbiology, have developed to diagnose, monitor and treat the disease is used all over the world. Now that Joy's treatment is done, she has rejoined the 10-member elephant herd. Guests can again see her daily at the zoo and no other elephants have shown signs of the virus. Zoo vets will continue to monitor the herd, which includes two young elephants: Joy, who was born in 2017, and baby Tilly, who was born last year. A GROWING HERD: Newborn elephant brings Houston Zoo's herd to 10, helps save elephants in Borneo To have two Asian elephants born at the zoo in as many years is a big deal given that only two to four elephants are born in captivity across the country every year. Tilly, for example, is one of only two elephants born in captivity in the U.S. this year, according to Absolut Elephant, the oldest and largest database of elephants worldwide. Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and science for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey. 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. Its not enough that President Trump and his advisers have been arguing for years that official government data is bad, untrustworthy, phony, manipulated for political gain. Now they are working to lend credence to these smears and conspiracy theories by making them true. Unless, that is, the Supreme Court intervenes. During the Obama administration, Trump repeatedly claimed that official numbers released by our independent federal statistical agencies such as the unemployment rate were fake. Legions of career civil servants were all cooking the books to make Democrats look better, he claimed. Trumps economic advisers and boosters joined in the baseless conspiracy theorizing. As did some other high-profile Obama critics who should have known better. Troublingly, it turns out a lot of other Americans are on board with this numerical nihilism. In a poll last fall from Marketplace and Edison Research, about 4 in 10 Americans said they either completely or somewhat distrust data about the economy reported by the federal government. And since Trump has taken office, he has worked to justify such distrust by actively degrading the quality of data specifically, by seeking to make the 2020 Census less accurate. The Trump administration wants to add, at the last minute, a new question to the census. I say last minute because usually new survey questions go through years of research, field-testing and public comment, as required by law and federal regulations. This is to make sure that, among other things, any changes will not disrupt the accuracy of an enumeration mandated by the Constitution. The question the administration wants to shoehorn in without this process turns out to be particularly disruptive: It asks about citizenship. Given rising levels of government distrust among immigrant and ethnic minority populations, the question could be reasonably expected to depress response rates among these groups and lead to significant undercounts or otherwise inaccurate data. In fact, in unrelated survey testing in 2017, respondents told census workers that they fear how their data might be used against them or their loved ones. They expressed concerns about the Muslim ban, anxiety over registering household members and the dissolution of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Some falsified their names, birthdates and other demographic information. Despite such warning signs, as well as an explicit recommendation against inclusion of a citizenship question by experts within the Census Bureau and six former bureau directors appointed by Republicans and Democrats alike, the Trump administration barreled ahead. Three federal courts have so far blocked the question, finding that the administration violated administrative law. Two of those courts also found it violated the Constitution. Next week, the issue heads to the Supreme Court. So what happens if the Supreme Court sides with the Trump administration instead? In the near term, the consequences could be severe. Hundreds of billions of dollars are allocated annually based on the decennial census. Congressional seats are apportioned, and districts are redrawn. Perhaps not coincidentally, blue states are likely to be the biggest losers in both dollar terms and political representation if, as expected, this new survey question results in significant undercounts of immigrant and Latino populations. The decennial census data is also the baseline against which virtually all other surveys are calibrated. Which means that whatever its motives, the administrations innumeracy is likely to skew all sorts of other critical information that government agencies use to evaluate economic trends and health epidemics; that businesses rely on to decide how much to invest and hire and where; and that workers and families use to determine where to live, what to study, how much to spend on a home. Even giving the public reason to believe the numbers have been either manipulated or mismanaged will cause people and businesses to make worse choices. Just like the Fed, our statistical agencies must be free of political influence both in practice and perception to be useful. And thats the longer-term risk here. One basis of a democracy is good official statistics so that the people and their representatives can make informed decisions. By throwing the numbers into doubt, the administration jeopardizes our democratic and economic health, not only today, but for many years to come. crampell@washpost.com The surge in popularity of farmhouse chic, featured on shows like HGTV's "Fixer Upper," has led to a surprising rash of criminal activity, as crowbar-wielding thieves have descended on America's heartland in search of authentically weathered wood planks. In places like Kentucky, criminals are dismantling century-old barns plank by plank under the cover of night, according to the Louisville-based Courier Journal. The rustic booty can then be sold for a pretty penny to suppliers and builders, to be used in handcrafted tables and cabinets or Pinterest-perfect statement walls. At least 13 Kentucky counties have reported such thefts, according to the Courier Journal. There's no telling how prevalent barn-wood theft is across the country, but the sheriff's office in Cumberland County, a community with fewer than 7,000 residents, is now seeing 20 or more barns burglarized a year, the Courier Journal reported. Miscreants stole the doors and some of the wood off the sides of 95-year-old Lois Coffey's barn in Burkesville, KY. Her father-in-law had put up the building decades ago to store tobacco. Coffey reported the theft to the police and her insurance company. She's also had cameras installed to spot the bandits if they come back to her farm. "It's pretty low," the retired elementary school teacher told realtor.com. "They ought to get a job or [find] work to do instead of stealing people's stuff." Watch: Converted Utah Church Comes With a Miniature Mining Town What's the appeal of old barn wood? Battered, old wood planks may seem like an unlikely candidate for a gold rush, but they became popular about a decade ago for use on ceilings or as box beams (to camouflage wiring, plumbing, or other unsightly systems), say design experts. Today, the weathered beams have also become a popular material for accent walls thanks to its gray hue. "That washed tone just suggests resort living, mountain living, relaxed living," says Marc Thee, co-founder of high-end interior design firm Marc-Michaels, in Winter Park, FL. "The irregularity of it is part of its beauty." Barn wood is also one of the most rustic and easiest of the reclaimed woods to work with. It's a more sustainable option than cutting down trees growing today. And the wood is often 150 to 200 years old, much older than what's being used today. Older wood is often stronger and more resistant to pests. Plus, there's a vast supply of it in rural America. Why is there so much barn wood? "The whole country was built on the back of barns," says Karl Kirven, owner of Barnstormerswood. The Gilson, ILbased company dismantles old barns and uses the wood as flooring and in new homes. The company also sells it. "Barns were the heart and soul of the agrarian country." But with the move toward industrial farming, the machinery is often too big to put into these barns. More farmers also are having trouble making ends meet and are going out of business. That means there are plenty of fallow structures, particularly throughout the Midwest, Rust Belt, and the South. "The barns are becoming obsolete," Kirven says. That makes them easy targets for criminalsand the ill-gotten gains can be hefty. A single square foot of barn wood, which is 12 inches long and 1 inch thick, can sell for $5 to $10. The wood in an average-size barn can fetch anywhere from $12,500 to more than $500,000 in some cases. "The demand for barn wood is really high," Kirven says. "[So] there's a gold rush to take these barns down." The post Thieves Plunder Barns for Precious Loot: Farmhouse-Chic Wood appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. Expelled Zanu-PF members who are rejoining the revolutionary party are not going to be given positions, President Mnangagwa has said. Several Zanu-PF members, who were expelled for various reasons, have been making a beeline to rejoin the ruling party. Last week, former secretary for administration Didymus Mutasa and Ambrose Mutinhiri were readmitted into the party. Speculation was rife that the two were earmarked for some senior positions in the party after their readmission. In an interview with ZBC ahead of this years 39th Independence Celebrations, President Mnangagwa said there was no responsibility for the prodigal sons. Zanu-PF is a mass party, he said. No question about that. Not everybody who is in Zanu-PF is actually Zanu-PF. Its like those who go to church, not all of them who say Christ, Christ are Christians. The same is in Zanu-PF. The fact that it is a mass party we take the cue from former chairman Mao Tse Tung, who said as the revolution unfolds, some will fall by the wayside, but as they fall and want to come back you receive them back and re-orient them, but take heed that you dont give them responsibility again. Commenting on the unfolding National Dialogue, President Mnangagwa said they had taken on board all progressive political parties keen to see the development of the country. When I took office I said let bygones be bygones, he said. I must live by that principle. We must not look back and live in the past. Let us endeavour to live in the present and try to work today and make tomorrow a better place for all Zimbabweans. My view is that let us differ on how to run Government, on how to build a bridge, how to build a school, how to craft economic policies, how to run agriculture, but we should all remain Zimbabweans and united. Zimbabwe is a unitary State. It is my view that dialogue between people who do not agree is a good thing. Its good therapy between contestants. I have said from day one let us talk about differences and move forward, talk about our country and share about the vision for making the Zimbabwe we want. A prosperous Zimbabwe we want. This is why I initially had proposed that whoever is the leader of the opposition whether you are in Parliament or outside it we should make provision so that such a leader is recognised as an official leader of Government or Parliament so that he is given status. This is found in the Commonwealth parliamentary system, but we do not have it in Zimbabwe. President Mnangagwa continued: But I said that those who could have benefited from that felt that they didnt want to be spoon-fed, they must get things for themselves, we say yeah very good. So if you want to be given recognition and you want to earn it by yourself it is okay. The fact that you become the official leader of opposition is a recognition that you have some share in the electoral system which is significant and you need to be recognised. But that was denied. Herald Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News Yves here. It is quite distressing to see the Mueller report take up as if it were settled fact the idea that Russia influenced the 2016 Presidential election, particularly since his investigation didnt provide any information that supported this theory. So this Real News Network interview with professor Stephen Cohen provides a badly-needed counterpoint. Please also view the preceding segment Is Russian Meddling an Attack on America? RAI with Stephen Cohen. PAUL JAY: Welcome back to Reality Asserts Itself on The Real News Network. Im Paul Jay. And were continuing our series of discussions with Stephen Cohen. And his biography is down below the video player, and you really should watch the first few segments anyway and youll get where we are. Thanks for joining us again. STEPHEN COHEN: Thank you. PAUL JAY: So Ive watched several of your interviews. Youve done Larry King and others, and youve been positive about Trumps attitude towards sort of a detente, lowering tensions with Russia. And in terms of my personal view, I think youre right. I think anything that lowers tensions between two nuclear powers is a good thing, and I think this self-righteous American attitude towards Putin and Russia when you look at the scale of crimes committed by countries internationally, there is nothing that Russia has done that compares to the Iraq war, and go on and on with the United States has done, and to have some self-righteous attitude Two, its clear its so hypocritical to worry about political rights in Russia, because its clear in terms of U.S. foreign policy if you can ally with Saudi Arabia, the Israeli occupation, and you name it how many dictators the United States has supported over the years, its not about democracy. So whatever Trumps intent is, I think I agree that this is a good thing. I actually think Trump framed it quite well himself, where he said, Russia is not our adversary, theyre our competitor, the way other big capitalist countries are our competitors. I think all that makes sense. Where I push back is I think you need to add that one of the prime reasons Trump wants to diminish tensions with Russiaassuming he really does, because some of the people that work for him, Nikki Haley in the UN and others, have said as outrageous stuff about Russia as any Democrat has said. All that being said, I think the Trump presidency is one of the most dangerous presidencies ever, and he is planning and his whole foreign policy agenda has been regime change in Iran. And I think that if they dont accomplish that through economic warfare against Iran, with John Bolton there, the possibility of some kind of at least bombing attack on Iran before 2020 is very possible. One of the reasons I think he wants to lower tensions with Russia is so he can go after China. His acting defense secretary justified this new military expenditure, the new budget, the 765 billion dollar budget, with three words, China, China, China. Their strategic visionand you can see this in Steve Bannons interviews and languageis diminish the tensions with Russia, go after Iran and go after China. And I think one needs to say this, otherwise it kind of looks like Trump is some kind of peacenik. And far from it, I think theyre militarists. STEPHEN COHEN: Not sure what the question is, though. Is it about PAUL JAY: Well, my question is, I think when you are saying positive things about Trump diminishing tensions with Russia, which I think is correct, but I think you need to add this guy does not have peaceful intentions, hes very dangerous. STEPHEN COHEN: I live in a social realmto the extent that I have any social life at all anymore where people get very angry if I say, or anybody says, anything positive about Donald Trump. When Trump was campaigning in 2016, he said, I think it would be great to cooperate with Russia. All of my adult life, my advocacy in American foreign policyIve known presidents, the first George Bush invited me to Camp David to consult with him before he went to the Malta Summit. Ive known presidential candidates, Senators and the rest, and Ive always said the same thing. American national security runs through Moscow, period. Nothings changed. In the era of weapons of mass destruction, not only nuclear, but primarily nuclear, ever more sophisticated, the Russians now have a new generation of nuclear weaponsPutin announced them on March 1, they were dismissed here, but theyre realthat can elude any missile defense. We spent trillions on missile defense to acquire a first strike capability against Russia. We said it was against or Iran, but nobody believed it. Russia has now thwarted us; they now have missile defense-evading nuclear weapons from submarines, to aircraft, to missiles. And Putin has said, Its time to negotiate an end to this new arms race, and hes 100 percent right. So when I heard Trump say, in 2016, we have to cooperate with Russia, I had already become convincedand I spell this out in my new book, War with Russia?that we were in a new cold war, but a new cold war more dangerous than the preceding one for reasons I gave in the book, one of them being these new nuclear weapons. So I began to speak positively about Trump at that momentthat would have been probably around the summer of 2016just on this one point, because none of the other candidates were advocating cooperation with Russia. And as I told you before, Paul, all my life Ive been a detente guy. Detente means cooperate with Russia. I saw in Trump the one candidate who said this is necessary, in his own funny language. Mrs. Clinton, on the other hand, was very much a hawk. When she said publicly that Vladimir Putin has no soul, you could not commit or utter a more supreme statement of anti-diplomacy, and particularly addressing the Russians, who put a lot of stock in soul. To say somebody has no soul and then go on to equate him with Hitler, I found that so irresponsible. I didnt vote for Trump, but I did begin to write and broadcast that this was of vital importance that we have this discussion, that we needed a new detente because of the new and more dangerous Cold War. Since hes been president, I think hes been ineffective in regard to pursuing detente with Russia for a couple of reasons. I think that the people who invented Russiagate were the enemies of detente, and they piled on. So theyve now demonized Russia, theyve crippled Trump. Anything he does diplomatically with Putin is called collusion. No matter what Mueller says, its collusion. This is anti-democracy, and detente is pursued through democracy. So whatever he really wants to doits hard to sayhes been thwarted. I think its also one of the reasons why he put anti-detente people around him. PAUL JAY: Why didnt he pull out of the arms treaty? STEPHEN COHEN: So this is a separate issue now, and a complicated one. We have been in violationlets be clear for folks which treaty were talking about. Were talking about the so-called Intermediate-Range Treaty. This band of deployment of missiles that could fly roughly from 500, I think, to 3000 miles, they were exceedingly dangerous. The American ones have been based in Europe. They were very dangerous because they tested high-alert systems. They flew low, fast, they could elude radar. They were dangerous. Reagan and Gorbachev abolished them in 1987, correct? Now, stop and think for a minute, Paul. What Reagan and Gorbachev did in 1987 was the first ever, ever in history, act of nuclear abolitionism. They abolished an entire category of nuclear weapons. That was a sacred act. It needed to be cherished and preserved forever, no matter what difficulties emerged. But then comes the history, and we need to remember the history. In 2002, the second President Bush withdrew the United States unilaterally from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty, correct? Now, this treaty was related, because it forbid the deployment of so-called missile defense in a way that either side, American or Russian, could think that it had such great missile defense, it had a first strike capability. And everybody agreed nobody should think that. Mutually assured destruction had kept us safe in the nuclear age. But if Russia or the United States gets a first strike capability, then you dont have assured mutual destruction, and some crazy person might be tempted to risk it. So how did the Russians react to that? They began to developas I said before, when we began to deploy missile defensea new generation of weapons. In other words, youre getting this classic action, reaction, action, reaction that drove the previous nuclear arms race, and now its happening again. So that brings us to Trumps decision. We dont know yet where its going to lead, because Trump has said were withdrawing. He said the Russians have been in violation. But in fact, weve been in violation since we deployed the missile defense systems. Just for the record, by the wayand professor Theodore Postol at MIT has been very good about thisthese missile defense installations that weve installed around Russia, land, air, and sea, can actually fire cruise missiles. They are in violation of that Intermediate-Range Treaty, so weve been in systematic violation. Pushes come to shove, we withdrew, the Russians have now withdrawn. But Trump has said two things that are interesting and maybe correct, that technically the treaty was out of date because of the new weaponry. And secondly, who has the most cruise missiles? China. 30 years ago in 1987, it was only the United States and Russia, the Soviet Union. But now China, because of its vast regional presence, has all these intermediate range missiles. So Trump says offhandedly, maybe in a Tweet, Have you ever looked at the military budget of Russia, China, and the United States? Its obscene. We should cut it. What does that mean? What does that mean? Its a good idea, right? Then he said, We cant have such a treaty without China. The Russians know this too, so let us hope that what theyre stumbling toward is a new, modernized intermediate-range ban that would include China. China, however, will never sign it. But if they begin the negotiations and China doesnt deploy any more during the negotiations, and the negotiations go on indefinitely, we are safer than we now are. Now, do I think that Trump is cunning and thought this up? Im not sure, but hes got China on the mind, and I dont quite agree with you thathes got a kind of dualistic attitude toward China. Its a threat, but every time he makes a new trade deal with China, he brags on it that its great for us. You would agree with that, right? Hes always talking about, Were going to have this wonderful trade agreement with China, its going to be so good for us. So in his mind, Trumps mind, China is kind of potentiallyin his businessman mindthis big economic plus that he alone is going to get right. Let him try. PAUL JAY: I dont know how much of this policy at all is Trump or not Trump. I think the brains behind a lot of this policy now is Bolton and some of the other neocon crazies around him. STEPHEN COHEN: But Trump has been saying the same thing about cooperating with Russia long before he took on Bolton. Theres two ways to look at this. PAUL JAY: But his attitude towards China STEPHEN COHEN: Well, just stay for one minute on Russia, because the China thing is worth talking about too. But he says, almost alone, for the first timehow long has it been since we had a president really pursue detente? Its been a very long time. Obama called it a reset, but it was fraudulent. It was basically saying to the Russians, Give us everything, and we arent going to give you anything. It was doomed from the beginning. Plus, they wagered that Putin wouldnt return to the presidency. Do you know, by the way, speaking of meddling, that Biden went to Moscow and told Putin not to return to the presidency in 2012? PAUL JAY: No. STEPHEN COHEN: Wrap your head around that a minute. The vice president of the United States goes to Moscow and tells Putin, whos now prime minister because he termed out, but he could return, We dont think you should return to the presidency. So you know what Im wondering, Im wondering whether Bidens calling up Putin today and asking Putin whether Biden should get into the presidential race here. I mean, what the hell? What the hell? And we talk about meddling? So the point about Trump, to finish this, is for the first time in many, many years, a presidential candidate, one that I didnt vote for and didnt care for, had said its necessary to cooperate with Russia. PAUL JAY: OK, but Ive got to contextualize it. Because its not enoughbecause first of all, Trumps a big liar, and everyone, from beginning to end, for real. STEPHEN COHEN: Politicians lie, Paul. Welcome to the world, PAUL JAY: No, but I think he lied on Russia. STEPHEN COHEN: About what? PAUL JAY: Well, on two things. I think number oneI think two things drove his Russia STEPHEN COHEN: Let me get my word in. Then Ill give it to you, I promise Ill pass it right to you, because this is going to set you up beautifully. When he said, Trump, 2016, Its necessary to cooperate with Russia, there are two ways to interpret that. He was wise and smart, or the Kremlin had something on him. PAUL JAY: No, I dont think either of those are true. STEPHEN COHEN: And then we go straight to Russia. PAUL JAY: Neither of those are true. STEPHEN COHEN: Well, Im not saying you say that, but thats the way it was taken. PAUL JAY: No, I think theres two things drove the Russia thing. Number one, they wanted sanctions lifted because Tillerson and the American oil companies, especially Exxon, wanted a big energy play in Russia, and they needed to lift the sanctions to do it, and Tillerson was all positioned for it. And if it hadnt been for this whole Russiagate stuff, they would have sailed along, had a detente, lifted the sanctions, and had a whole realm of new energy. STEPHEN COHEN: You mean under Trump. PAUL JAY: Under Trump. And I think that would have been a good thing. Im not critiquing that in the sense that anything that reduces tensions between the United States and Russia is a good, thing normalizing, even if its exploitive and ripping off the Russian people in their oil, I dont care. The nuclear threat is so paramount, anything that reduces those tensions are good. But these are not peacenik intentions. STEPHEN COHEN: Where do we disagree? Youve lost me. PAUL JAY: Im not saying we necessarily disagree on this. The second part of it isand this is where I think is the dangerous part. Because I think sometimes when Trump and Putin get together and talk quietly, part of that conversation could well be about Iran. Because when they had the first big round of sanctions on Iran, Russia supported them, Russia came in on it. And if your foreign policy objectiveand clearly it is, between whether it was Flynn, or whether it was Mattis, or whether it was Bolton, all of them are regime change in Iran is the prime objective. And if you want to do that, wouldnt you want Russia to at the very least step back a little bit? STEPHEN COHEN: I got you now, I see where youre going. PAUL JAY: Number one. And number two, the big strategic guns are focused on China. So if you want to focus on China, wouldnt it be nice to have a strategic normalization with Russia, try to split Russia from China? Because in their minds, the real enemy is not Russia, the real enemy is a superpower economy STEPHEN COHEN: In whose mind? PAUL JAY: Much of the American foreign policy establishment, both Democrat and Republican. STEPHEN COHEN: The real enemy is? PAUL JAY: China. Because thats the global economy, thats going to be the competing superpower. STEPHEN COHEN: Lets say youre right. PAUL JAY: And that doesnt in any way say its still, in the final analysis, a good thing if Trump can diminish these tensions. But lets give it the whole context. STEPHEN COHEN: Well, but it doesntIm not sure what the whole context is. It seems to me you just said to me that Trump or these people were playing for Russias support against Iran in China. PAUL JAY: As one piece of this, yeah. STEPHEN COHEN: Well, if so, its a fools folly. Russia is leaving the West. I mean, it cant leave the West geopolitically, because Russia is so big, its half in the West and a half in the un-West geographically. But American foreign policy, NATO expansion, the unwise policies made in Brussels and Washington, are driving Russia from the West. PAUL JAY: No doubt. STEPHEN COHEN: And when you leave the West, where do you end up, Paul? PAUL JAY: They are pushing exactly the kind of a line STEPHEN COHEN: Where do you go? PAUL JAY: Well, with China, of course. STEPHEN COHEN: And not only China, where else? All major powers that are not members of NATO, including Iran. So when Putin came to power, he was very much in the tradition of Gorbachev and Yeltsin. He wanted a strategic alliance with the United States. Who was the first person to call up Bush after 9/11? Putin. And he said, George, anything. And if you go back and look at what the Russians did to help the American ground war in Afghanistan against the Taliban, whether you think it was a good idea or not, that ground war, Russia did more to save American livesRussian soldiers fighting in Afghanistanthan any NATO country did. PAUL JAY: No, Iran did more than any NATO country to help America. STEPHEN COHEN: But Russia had assets, unbelievable assets, and corridors for transportation, and even an army, the Northern Alliance, that it kept in Afghanistan. It gave it all to the United States. Putin wanted a strategic alliance with the United States, and what did he get in return? He got from Bush, the second Bush, more NATO expansion right to Russias borders, and as I mentioned before, American withdrawal from the Antiballistic Missile Treaty, which had been the bedrock of Russian nuclear security for 30 or 40 years. He got betrayed, and they use that word, We were betrayed by Washington. This is serious stuff. The pivot away from the West begins there and continues with these crazy policies that Washington has pursued toward Russia. It doesnt mean that Russia is gone forever from the West, but if you look at the billions of dollars of investment, you look at which way the pipelines flow, you look at RussiaPutin meets like six times a year, maybe more, with the leader of China. Theyve each called each other their best friend in politics. Trump meets with Putin and we think, Oh my god, how can he meet with him. I mean, its normal. PAUL JAY: Netanyahu just met with Putin; nobody said a word. STEPHEN COHEN: But the point here is that Russia has been torn between East and the West forever. Its best policy, in its own best interest, is to straddle East and West, not to be of the East or the West, but its impossible in this world today. And U.S.-led Western policy since the end of the Soviet Union, and particularly since Putin came to power in 2000, has persuaded the Russian ruling elite that Russia can not count any longer, economically, politically, militarily, on being part of the West. It has to go elsewhere. So all this talk about wanting to win Russia to an American position thats anti-Iranian and anti-Chinese is conceived in disaster and will end in disaster. They should think of some other foreign policy. PAUL JAY: I agree, but I think thats what Trumpsthe people around Trump that wanted the detente STEPHEN COHEN: We should get new people. PAUL JAY: Well STEPHEN COHEN: Ill tell you truthfully, if Trump really wants to cooperate with Russia for the sake of American national security, if we forget all this Russiagate stuff and we say, The guy is a little dim, but his ideas are right, youve got to cooperate with Russia, he has to get some new advisors. Because the people around him dont have a clue how to do it. PAUL JAY: I dont think that is the intent, the intent is make money. I dont think theres any other intent. Make money for arms manufacturers, fossil fuel STEPHEN COHEN: Well, hope dies with us. I just dont see that constant bashing of Trump demeaning him, though its so easy to do, helps us think clearly about American national interests. PAUL JAY: I dont think bashing Trump by dredging up the demons of the Cold War is anything but war mongering. On the other hand, I dont think we should create any illusions about who Trump is. STEPHEN COHEN: So let me give you the part with a paradox. We shouldnt have any illusions about who Trump is, that seems like PAUL JAY: Or who the system is, really. STEPHEN COHEN: OK. So lets sayI mean, that seems a sensible point of view. But let me ask you a question. Why was it that American presidents since Eisenhower could do detente with Soviet communist leaders, and they werent demonized after Stalin, but were not permittedand certainly Trump is not permittedto do detente with a Russian Kremlin anti-communist leader, which Putin is? Did we like the communists better than the anti-communists in the Kremlin? PAUL JAY: No. Ill give you what I think, its just a laymans opinion. I think the foreign policy establishment, the elite, they were absolutely furious that after all these decades of trying to overthrow the Soviet Union, and they finally accomplishalthough I think it was mostly an internal phenomenon, but stilland then they get Yeltsin and they have open Wild West, grabbing all these resources. I think they were really pissed that a state emerged, led by Putin, that said, Hold on, it may be oligarchs, but theyre going to be Russian, and you Americans arent going to have a free-forall, taking up the resources and owning the finance. Were not going to be a third world country to your empire. STEPHEN COHEN: Thats correct. PAUL JAY: And theyre pissed off at that. STEPHEN COHEN: They, meaning? PAUL JAY: The Americans. STEPHEN COHEN: Our people. PAUL JAY: Our people. Well, I dont want to even take ownership for it. STEPHEN COHEN: Dont run away. I dont know your age PAUL JAY: Im 67. STEPHEN COHEN: So weve established that Im older than you. PAUL JAY: No doubt. But you look younger, and Im pissed at that. STEPHEN COHEN: Well, thats a separate subject. PAUL JAY: Youve got more hair. STEPHEN COHEN: Ive got more hair. Youve distracted me. What we share, despite the age difference, is that we grew up at a time when we were toldwhether you or I believed it or not, but our generations, two generations, were told we are against Russia because its communist. We were told that for decade after decade after decade. Now, Russia, the Kremlin, is not communist, its anti-communist, and were still against Russia. How do Russian intellectuals and policy-makers interpret that turnabout, that it was never about communism, it was about Russia? Theres a saying in Russia formulated by a philosopher, his name was Zinoviev, he passed on but he was very influential, they were shootingmeaning the Westthey were shooting at communism, but they were aiming at Russia. And the view, very widespread among the Russian policy intellectual class today, is that Washington, in particular, will never accept Russia as an equal great power in world affairs, regardless of whether Russia is communist or anti-communist. And if that is so, Russia has to entirely reconceive its place in the world and its thinking about the West. And that point of view is ascending in Russia today due to Western policy. But just remember the view that all during the previous Cold War, they claim they were shooting at communism, but it was really Russia. And they still are today. PAUL JAY: Yeah, I agree with that. I just STEPHEN COHEN: But we dontyou and I may agree, but we dont want Russians to think that way. PAUL JAY: But I think the view coming out of World War II about being the global hegemon, the superpower, what that also means is you cant have any adversarial regional powers. And whether its Russia or Iran, if youre not in the smaller American sphere of influence, the umbrella, you cant be there. STEPHEN COHEN: Its funny you say that. I mean, Im not a Putin apologist or a Trump apologist, but I do like intellectual puzzles. If youre saying that we have to give up our thinking about a multipolar world, so to speak, that therell be other regional superpowers or great powers, then isnt Trump the first American president who seems to be OK with that? I dont see in Trump much a demand that we be number one. PAUL JAY: Oh, I think Make America Great Again? STEPHEN COHEN: But he didnt say Make American Number One Again. Maybe thats what he means, but you dont have Trump PAUL JAY: I dont think it kind of matters what the hell Trump thinks or says. And I think STEPHEN COHEN: Have you heard Trump say this thing that Obama and Madeleine Albright ran around saying for years, that American is the indispensable nation? Do you know how aggravated that made other states in the world? I mean, stop and think about it. Who runs around saying were indispensable? I havent heard Trump say that, maybe he has. PAUL JAY: I just dont think we should put too much weight into whatever Trump says. I think hes a vehicle, hes a vessel. STEPHEN COHEN: You take what you can get these days. PAUL JAY: Hes a vessel, first and foremost, for the arms manufacturers, for the fossil fuel industry. Hes a vessel for right-wing evangelical politics. Hes not a philosopher king. Hes not a peacenik. STEPHEN COHEN: You have to have priorities. PAUL JAY: I think hes rather banal. STEPHEN COHEN: Yeah, probably, but you have to have priorities. My priority in international affairs is to avoid a military conflict with Russia. In my book, my new book, War with Russia?, when I start writing that book in 2013, I never intended to give it that title. But as I worked and watched events unfold since 2013 to 2019, for the first time in my long career, I thought war with Russia was possible. I didnt even think there was going to be a waras I remember it, I dont remember it vividlyduring the Cuban Missile Crisis. Today, I assure you, the new Cold War is fraught with multiple Cuban Missile Crises. Take your pick; in the Baltic area where NATO is building up, in Ukraine where weve got ourselves involved in a proxy war, in Georgia where NATO is trespassing again as we talk, in Syria where American and Russian forces are flying and fighting on the ground in close proximity. By the way, Trump was absolutely right in withdrawing thosewhat were they3000 Americans in Syria because whatever, Russia had killed just one of them. With Trump in the White House, the trip wires, a war between nuclear Russia and nuclear America, are far greater and more multiple than they have ever been. Thats the danger. Therefore, at this moment, if Trump says its necessary to cooperate with Russia, on that one issue we must support him. Its existential at this moment. And believe me, and believe me, people love to hate on Putin in this country; Putins evil, Putins bad. Its nonsense. Putin is a recognizable leader in Russias tradition. Putin, as you said I think before, came to power wanting an alliance with the United States. Hes spoken of his own illusions publicly. Leaders very rarely admit they ever had an illusion, rights, its not something they do. He is reproached in Russia, reproached in Russia, for still having illusions about the West. You know what they say about him in high places in Russia? Hes not proactive, he just reacts, he waits for the West to do something abysmal to Russia, and then he acts. Why doesnt he first see whats coming? What do they cite? They cite Ukraine. PAUL JAY: Well, thats the next segment, because my question to you is going to be, Did Putin make a mistake in Crimea? So please join us for the continuation of our series of interviews with Stephen Cohen on Reality Asserts Itself on The Real News Network. Kakapow! Rare worlds fattest parrot has record breeding season Jakarta Post Decades of Neglect Threatened Notre Dame, Well Before It Burned WSJ The weakest link: Why your house may burn while your neighbors survives the next wildfire Sacramento Bee Brexit Britain is once again the sick man of Europe Martin Wolf, FT Journalist shot dead during rioting in Derry RTE and Four ATMs stolen in Meath, Antrim and Armagh overnight RTE. It brings to at least 15 the number of ATMs stolen on both sides of the border in recent months, five of those south of the border. Hmm. A little self-financing? There is No Alternativelessness n+1. On German domestic politics. Syraqistan India Indonesia election: Widodo declares victory amid dispute BBC Jung lovers: BTS delve into psychology on their album, Map Of The Soul BBC. I didnt know Jessica Jung was a published author as well! China? Assange RussiaGate Trump Induces Hysteria. Its Worth Resisting. Zaid Jilani, Forward Will the Mueller Report Make the New Cold War Even Worse? Stephen Cohen, The Nation. Worth reading the Mueller Report through this lens. New Cold War Bernie Steals the No More Wars Issue From Trump Patrick Buchanan, The American Conservative The Saker interviews Dmitry Orlov Vineyard of the Saker The Persisting Relevance of Walter Rodneys How Europe Underdeveloped Africa Los Angeles Review of Books Big Brother Is Watching You Watch 737 MAX Health Care Neoliberal Epidemics The Depths of Despair Among US Adults Entering Midlife American Journal of Public Health. Results suggest that generally rising despair among the young adult cohort now reaching midlife that cuts across racial/ethnic, educational, and geographic groups may presage rising midlife mortality for these subgroups in the next decade. As Syphilis Invades Rural America, A Fraying Health Safety Net Is Failing To Stop It KHN. Everythings going according to plan! Class Warfare Selfie Deaths Are an Epidemic Outside (Re Silc). Planets ocean-plastics problem detailed in 60-year data set Nature Antidote du jour (CK): CK writes: Heres another lovely creature from Patagonia. So beautifully camouflaged! See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. Yves here. This is a personal vignette about setting up government for failure. A teacher describes how budget cuts to schools in her district produced predictable results: overcrowded classrooms, diminished attention to students, particularly ones who would have benefitted from support. And perhaps as important, exhaustion and demoralization among teachers trying to cope. Belle Chesler, a visual arts teacher in Beaverton, Oregon. Originally published at TomDispatch Three weeks ago, I sat in a cramped conference room in the large public high school where I teach in Beaverton, Oregon. I was listening to the principal deliver a scripted PowerPoint presentation on the $35-million-dollar budget deficit our district faces in the upcoming school year. Teachers and staff members slumped in chairs. A thick funk of disappointment, resignation, hopelessness, and simmering anger clung to us. After all, weve been here before. We know the drill: expect layoffs, ballooning class sizes, diminished instructional time, and not enough resources. Accept that the teacher-student relationship one that has the potential to be productive and sometimes even transformative will become, at best, transactional. Bodies will be crammed into too-small spaces, resources will dwindle, and learning will suffer. These budgetary crises are by now cyclical and completely familiar. Yet the thought of weathering another of them is devastating. This is the third time in my 14-year-career as a visual arts teacher that weve faced the upheaval, disruption, and chaos of just such a budget crisis. In 2012, the district experienced a massive shortfall that resulted in the firing of 344 teachers and bloated class sizes for those of us who were left. At one point, my Drawing I classroom studio built to fit a maximum of 35 students had more than 50 of them stuffed into it. We didnt have enough chairs, tables, or spaces to draw, so we worked in the halls. During that semester I taught six separate classes and was responsible for more than 250 students. Despite the pretense that real instruction was taking place, teachers like me were largely engaged in crowd management and little more. All of the meaningful parts of the job connecting with students, providing one-on-one support, helping struggling class members to make social and intellectual breakthroughs, not to speak of creating a healthy classroom community simply fell by the wayside. I couldnt remember my students names, was unable to keep up with the usual grading and assessments were supposed to do, and was overwhelmed by stress and anxiety. Worst of all, I was unable to provide the emotional support I normally try to give my students. I couldnt listen because there wasnt time. On the drive to work, I was paralyzed by dread; on the drive home, cowed by feelings of failure. The experience of that year was demoralizing and humiliating. My love for my students, my passion for the subjects I teach, and ultimately my professional identity were all stripped from me. And what was lost for the students? Quality instruction and adult mentorship, as well as access to vital resources not to mention a loss of faith in one of Americas supposedly bedrock institutions, the public school. And keep in mind that whats happening in my school and in Oregons schools more generally is anything but unique. According to the American Federation of Teachers, divestment in education is occurring in every single state in the nation, with 25 states spending less on education than they did before the recession of 2008. The refusal of individual states to prioritize spending on education coupled with the Trump administrations proposed $7 billion in cuts to the Department of Education are already beginning to make the situation in our nations public schools untenable for both students and teachers. Sitting in that conference room, listening to my capable and dedicated boss describe our potential return to a distorted reality I remembered well made me recoil. Bracing myself for the soul-crushing grind of trying to convince students to buy into a system that will almost by definition fail to address, no less meet, their needs to get them to show up each day even though there arent enough seats, supplies, or teachers to do the job is an exercise in futility. The truth of the matter is that a society that refuses to adequately invest in the education of its children is refusing to invest in the future. Think of it as nihilism on a grand scale. Teachers as First Responders Schools are loud, vital, chaotic places, unlike any other public space in America. Comprehensive public high schools reflect the socioeconomic, racial, religious, and cultural makeup of the population they serve. Each school has its own particular culture and ecosystem of rules, structures, core beliefs, and values. Each also has its own set of problems, specific to the population that walks through its doors each day. Coping with the complexity and magnitude of those problems makes the job of creating a thriving, equitable, and productive space for learning something akin to magical thinking. The reflexive blame now regularly heaped on schools, teachers, and students in this country is a misrepresentation of reality. The real reason we are being left behind our global peers when it comes to student achievement has to do with so much more than the failure to perform well on standardized tests. Our kids are struggling not because weve forgotten how to teach them or theyve forgotten how to learn, but because the adults who run this society have largely decided that their collective future is not a priority. In reality, the tattered and rapidly deteriorating infrastructure of our national system of social services leaves schools and teachers as front-line first responders in what Id call a national crisis of the soul. So its no surprise to me that teachers, even in the reddest of states, have been walking out of their classrooms and demanding change. Such walkouts in Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Washington, and West Virginia have reflected grievances more all-encompassing than the pleas for higher pay that have made the headlines. (And in so many states, they are still being paid less than a living wage.) Demands for just compensation are symbolic and easy for the public to grasp. The higher pay won through some of those walkouts represents an acknowledgement that teachers are being asked to do a seemingly impossible job in a society whose priorities are increasingly out of whack, amid the crumbling infrastructure of the public-school system itself. The idea that the real world is somehow separate from the world inside our schools and that issues of inequality, poverty, mental health, addiction, and racism wont impact the capacity of our students to thrive academically sets a dangerous precedent for measuring success. Assuming that the student living in a car, not a home, should be able to stay awake during a lecture, that the one returning from a week in a psychiatric ward should be able to instantly tackle a difficult math test, and that the one whose undocumented father was just picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers should have no problem concentrating as her teacher diagrams sentences in English is a grand delusion. In fact, among the many demands of teachers and their unions during the strikes of the past year were calls for more financial support for comprehensive social services for students. In Los Angeles, teachers fought for legal support for students in danger of deportation. In North Carolina, teachers are planning a new round of strikes that will, among other things, demand Medicaid coverage expansion aimed at improving student health. In Chicago, teachers included a call for affordable housing in their negotiations and so drew attention to the importance of supporting students both in and out of the classroom. If schools are expected to pick up the slack for the gaping holes in our social safety net, it follows that they should be designed and funded with that purpose in mind. If teachers are supposed not only to teach but to act as counselors, therapists, and social workers, they should be paid salaries that reflect such weighty demands and should have access to resources that support such work. Why Prioritizing School Funding Matters There is a large disconnect between the lip service paid to supporting public schools and teachers and a visible reticence to adequately fund them. Ask almost anyone save Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos if they support teachers and schools and the answer is probably yes. Bring up the question of how to actually provide adequate financial support for education, however, and youll quickly find yourself mired in arguments about wasteful school spending, pension funds that drain resources, sub-par teachers, and bureaucratic bloat, as well as claims that you cant just continue to throw money at a problem, that money is not the solution. Id argue that money certainly is part of the solution. In a capitalist society, money represents value and power. In America, when you put money into something, you give it meaning. Students are more than capable of grasping that when school funding is being cut, its because we as a society have decided that investing in public education doesnt carry enough value or meaning. The prioritization of spending on the military, as well as the emphasis of the Trump administration and congressional Republicans on a staggering tax cut for the rich, corporate tax evasion, and the dismantling of whats left of the social safety net couldnt send a louder message about how much of a priority the wellbeing of the majority of this nations kids actually is. The 2019 federal budget invested $716 billion in national security, $686 billion of which has been earmarked for the Department of Defense (with even more staggering figures expected next year). Compare that to the $59.9 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education and the expected future cuts to its budget. Point made, no? However, since federal school contributions add up to only a small percentage of local and state education budgets, all blame cant go there. In Oregon, for instance, restrictions placed on property taxes in the 1990s artificially limited such revenue, forcing the state to start relying heavily on income taxes to keep schools afloat. Corporations are an important source of income for states. Yet, though corporate profits in the U.S. rose by $69.3 billion to an all-time high of more than two trillion dollars in the third quarter of 2018, over the last 40 years the states share of income-tax revenue has fallen to half what it was in the 1970s. Take Nike, whose worldwide headquarters are located only a few miles from the high school where I teach. It stands as a shining example of a corporation that has profited handsomely from sheltering income abroad while evading local tax responsibilities. Nike has a special relationship with the state of Oregon, which taxes only the companys local profits, not those earned elsewhere. Adding insult to injury, according to The Oregonian, by the end of 2017, Nike had put $12.2 billion of its earnings into offshore tax shelters. Had that money been repatriated, the company could have owed up to $4.1 billion in U.S. taxes, which means it has a modest hand in the monetary shortfalls that leave schools like mine in desperate straits. In reality, Oregons economy is thriving and yet how little it all matters, since here we are again on the precipice of another crisis. In 1999, the state government formed a committee made up of educators, legislators, business leaders, and parents to create a reliable budgetary tool that would correlate school funding needs with student performance. This Quality Education Model set out a standard for what a quality education would look like for every student in Oregon. In the 20 years since then, the state legislature has reliably failed to meet the funding goals set out by that model. This year, it calls for $10.7 billion in education spending, while the state legislatures joint ways and means committee recently released a budget that included spending of just $8.87 billion on the school system. Such annual shortages of funds have, over time, helped create the present gaping hole in our public education system. And each year that hole grows larger. Restoring Faith in Our Nations Institutions Public schools represent one of the bedrock institutions of American democracy. Yet as a society weve stood aside as the very institutions that actually made America great were gutted and undermined by short-term thinking, corporate greed, and unconscionable disrespect for our collective future. The truth is that there is money for education, for schools, for teachers, and for students. We just dont choose to prioritize education spending and so send a loud-and-clear message to students that education doesnt truly matter. And when you essentially defund education for more than 40 years, you leave kids with ever less faith in American institutions, which is a genuine tragedy. On May 8th, educators across the state of Oregon are planning to walk out of schools. The action, a precursor to a strike, is a direct response to the inadequate funding in the upcoming state budget and a referendum on the continuing divestment in public education. Teachers like me will be stepping out of our classrooms not because we dont want to teach, but because we do. (Natural News) Lawmakers in Texas are considering a bill that would pave the way for women who undergo abortions to potentially be charged with capital murder, a crime that carries the death penalty in Texas. The Bill, House Bill 896, would remove the penal code exception for criminal homicide applying to women and doctors related to an unborn child. This would mean that women who obtain an abortion and the doctors who perform the procedure could be charged with assault or criminal homicide; exceptions would be made in cases involving rape or the endangerment of the mothers health. Also known as the Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act, the bill would essentially be seen as a blanket abortion ban in Texas as the language allows it to be enforced regardless of any contrary federal law, executive order or court decision: such as Roe v. Wade. The bill states: A living human child, from the moment of fertilization on fusion of a human spermatozoon with a human ovum, is entitled to the same rights, powers, and privileges as are secured or granted by the laws of this state to any other human child. It was introduced to the Texas House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee by Republican Representative Tony Tinderholt. Committee Chairman Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican, stated he wouldnt let a bill make it out of committee that targets women with criminal or civil liability, but he did say hed grant a hearing for any bill a member requests. In a hearing, the committee heard from hundreds of witnesses. Leach reported that 446 witnesses had given the bill their approval, and 54 were against it. He said that despite his pro-life stance, he thinks this legislation is moving in the wrong direction and will ultimately not advance it. The president of West Texans for Life, Bim Baxa said: A woman who has committed murder should be charged with murder. Tinderholt told the committee that his bill brings equal treatment to all unborn humans under the law, pointing out that people who kill a pregnant woman are charged with a double homicide. He had introduced the bill on a previous occasion in 2017 with the aim of reducing unplanned pregnancies. He said he believed that it would help people consider the repercussions of unprotected sex. However, the bill was never given a public hearing the first time around. Other states considering stricter stances on abortion Similar efforts have been taking place in other states, with around a dozen states moving on legislation that would ban abortion once a doctor is able to detect a fetal heartbeat. Alabama has taken it further, introducing legislation that would criminalize carrying out an abortion at any stage except in the case where a mothers life is in danger. A recent heartbeat bill in Georgia would ban abortions at the same point, but the doctors would be punished for carrying out the procedure, not the women who undergo it. In Mississippi, a bill was signed last month by the Republican governor there that bans abortions once doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat via ultrasound, which can occur as early as six weeks in the pregnancy. Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and Missouri are expected to give approval to similar measures this year. Ohio and Tennessee, meanwhile, are also mulling trigger laws that would immediately ban abortions should Roe v. Wade be overturned. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NYTimes.com (Natural News) Attorney General William Barr held a press conference this morning to address the contents of the Mueller report, just as he promised to do. Not long after, Barr delivered the full Mueller report to the public with necessary redactions, also as promised. And yet the mainstream media, which demanded all of these things and has now received them, still isnt happy. In fact, most fake news media pundits are now foaming at the mouth, questioning Barrs loyalties and accusing him of colluding with President Donald Trump to convey the spun message that hes innocent which it would seem as though no amount of evidence will ever convince those with Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) is actually true. In a nutshell, Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whom Leftist Democrats have been hailing for the past two years as their savior and hero who was going to take down Trump, didnt end up procuring what these Trump haters were wishfully thinking he would. And in response, Trump haters everywhere are reeling with more anger than ever, demanding that Mueller be burned at the stake for failing to prove their deranged conspiracy theories. CNN White House Correspondent Jim Acosta about had a coronary in response to Barrs press conference, accusing Barr of clearly laying out a sympathetic presentation of whats supposedly in the Mueller report. Twenty-twenty presidential hopeful and Leftist Democrat Cory Booker similarly accused Barr of undermining the independence of this entire process for his speaking publicly about the Mueller report prior to releasing it. Its the same merry-go-round of liberal hysteria that sparked and fueled the more than two-year investigation which many of these same Democrats, assuming the Mueller report would conclude what they wanted it to conclude, promised to accept as a final ruling on the matter. But because the Mueller reports exonerated President Trump by showing no collusion, the Left is furious. For more related news, be sure to check out Faked.news. Why is Google News still indexing fake news outlets that are PROVEN hoaxers and liars? One wonders if the fake news media will ever drop this ridiculous conspiracy theory and just move on already, perhaps switching into support-mode for our lawfully elected president. We certainly wont hold our breath on this one, though it would obviously help to unify Americans and strengthen our nation. One thing is for sure: The mainstream media has obliterated all remaining traces of credibility by engaging this baseless witch hunt. The Clown News Network is toast, as is MSNBC, The Washington Post, and the entire social media and tech cabal nearly all of which has conspired to spread this and other anti-Trump conspiracy theories while actively censoring the truth. We now know that Facebook, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Wikipedia, and many others are already trying to thwart the 2020 election against Trump by censoring independent news outlets that have anything positive to say about him, as well as by generating fake news articles to steer voters away from supporting him. Google in particular has continued to index fake news outlets at the top of its search results list, despite the fact that these purveyors of propaganda have been actively peddling Russian collusion conspiracy nonsense virtually nonstop for more than two years and counting. For two years, the liberal media created hundreds of stories that insinuated some dark conspiracy that cheated Hillary Clinton out of a win in 2016, writes Matt Vespa for Townhall.com about the liberal medias assault against both truth and free speech. In reality, it was Hillary Clinton who did that to herself, ignoring the Rust Belt, having piss poor messaging, and being an all-around terrible candidate. And even after Special Counsel Robert Mueller submitted his report, which was summarized by Attorney General William Barr, after two years of investigating there is still zero evidence of Russian collusion. Sources for this article include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com Breitbart.com Townhall.com (Natural News) The media narrative has collapsed. The Trump / Russia collusion hoax has been exposed. The full report from Robert Mueller completely clears President Trump of both collusion and obstruction. This means it is now confirmed the media has been running a massive, coordinated, insidious disinformation campaign to misinform the American people and destroy our democratic Republic. Glen Greenwald is perhaps the last remaining honest progressive reporter in the world. Hes a gay, left-leaning reporter who despises President Trump. Yet Greenwald recognizes the pathetic hypocrisy of the left-wing media and its brazen abandonment of logic, reason and journalism. Thats why Im quoting heavily from Greenwalds piece here, entitled, Robert Mueller Did Not Merely Reject the Trump/Russia Conspiracy Theories. He Obliterated Them. Mueller contrary to weeks of false media claims did not merely issue a narrow, cramped, legalistic finding that there was insufficient evidence to indict Trump associates for conspiring with Russia and then proving their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, Greenwald writes. That would have been devastating enough to those who spent the last two years or more misleading people to believe that conspiracy convictions of Trumps closest aides and family members were inevitable Mueller, in addition to concluding that evidence was insufficient to charge any American with crimes relating to Russian election interference, also stated emphatically in numerous instances that there was no evidence not merely that there was insufficient evidence to obtain a criminal conviction that key prongs of this three-year-old conspiracy theory actually happened. In other words, the Mueller report annihilates every last shred of the conspiracy house of cards that Democrats and left-leaning journalists have been peddling for years. Greenwald writes: Several of the medias most breathless and hyped bombshells were dismissed completely by Mueller. Regarding various Trump officials 2016 meetings with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, Mueller said they were brief, public and nonsubstantive. Concerning the much-hyped change to GOP platform regarding Ukraine, Mueller wrote that the evidence does not establish that one campaign officials efforts to dilute a portion of the Republican platform was undertaken at the behest of candidate Trump or Russia Mueller also characterized a widely hyped meeting between then-Senator Jeff Sessions and Kislyak as one that did not include any more than a passing mention of the presidential campaign. Regarding one of the most-cited pieces of evidence by Trump/Russia conspiracists that Russia tried once Trump was nominated to shape his foreign policy posture toward Russia Mueller concluded that there is simply no evidence to support it. Not a single American linked to any conspiracy with Russia Remarkably, despite years of investigations, hundreds of subpoenas and millions of dollars spent, in the end there wasnt a single American who has been charged with anything remotely related to conspiracy to work with the Russians. In fact, there isnt even a single shred of evidence linking any American at all to such antics. As Greenwald explains: But so vacant is the Mueller investigation when it comes to supporting any of the prevailing conspiracy theories that it did not find even a single American whom it could indict or charge with illegally working for Russia, secretly acting as a Russian agent, or conspiring with the Russians over the election not even Carter Page. That means that even long-time Russiagate skeptics such as myself over-estimated the level of criminality and conspiracy evidence that Robert Mueller would find In sum, Democrats and their supporters had the exact prosecutor they all agreed was the embodiment of competence and integrity in Robert Mueller. He assembled a team of prosecutors and investigators that countless media accounts heralded as the most aggressive and adept in the nation. They had subpoena power, the vast surveillance apparatus of the U.S. government at their disposal, a demonstrated willingness to imprison anyone who lied to them, and unlimited time and resources to dig up everything they could. The result of all of that was that not a single American whether with the Trump campaign or otherwise was charged or indicted on the core question of whether there was any conspiracy or coordination with Russia over the election. No Americans were charged or even accused of being controlled by or working at the behest of the Russian government. None of the key White House aides at the center of the controversy who testified for hours and hours including Donald Trump, Jr. or Jared Kushner were charged with any crimes of any kind, not even perjury, obstruction of justice or lying to Congress. Fatal to the conspiracy theorists who have recklessly pushed the Trump / Russia collusion fiction for years As Greenwald goes on to explain, the revelations found in the Mueller report utterly obliterate the Rachel Maddow / MSNBC / CNN / Adam Schiff / Maxine Waters / Jerry Nadler conspiracy nut cases who have been knowingly deceiving the American people for years: These facts are fatal to the conspiracy theorists who have drowned U.S. discourse for almost three years with a dangerous and distracting fixation on a fictitious espionage thriller involved unhinged claims of sexual and financial blackmail, nefarious infiltration of the U.S. Government by familiar foreign villains, and election cheating that empowered an illegitimate President. They got the exact prosecutor and investigation that they wanted, yet he could not establish that any of this happened and, in many cases, established that it did not. Astonishingly, the very same fake news journalists who pushed their false narrative all these years are now defending their actions instead of apologizing for them. Im not going to let people say that, you know, CNN or the media, or whatever, have been creating a false narrative, CNN host Chris Cuomo stated on air, as reported by Breitbart News. Yes, CNN is now tripling down on this massive hoax, claiming every single one of its reports was factually true even though the entire network has now been exposed as a complete joke. Yet CNNs fake hacks are still somehow convinced they are Gods gift to journalism. The reporting was, almost in every case correct, says CNN reporter Chris Cillizza. All that reporting, we and a lot of other outlets did, had it nailed. Nailed? For over two years, weve been told by CNN and other fake news media outlets that Trump colluded with Russia, that the evidence to prove the collusion existed in abundance, and that Robert Muellers report would collapse the Trump presidency and lead to his arrest, impeachment and removal from office. In truth, Robert Muellers report found zero evidence of collusion, no conclusion of obstruction and no Russian conspiracies committed by any Americans at all. Yet desperate Democrats and fake news hacks are now tripling down on their massive hoax, continuing to claim the Mueller Report somehow proves that Trump colluded with Russia and must be impeached. We have finally reached peak delusion in America where Democrats flee from facts as if they were Ebola. Facts are actually offensive to Democrats, so they invent their own fake facts to replace real facts in order to keep their demented delusions alive. Deep state traitors and fake news hacks absolutely will not stop until they are behind bars There is no shame among all those on the Left who lied, colluded, leaked and committed criminal acts to try to destroy President Trump and bring down our constitutional Republic. And its now abundantly clear that these horrible people absolutely will not stop spreading destabilizing lies until they are arrested at gunpoint, indicted for their criminal behavior and put behind bars to stop them from hurting America any further. Its time to arrest and prosecute all those involved in the deep state coup attempt against President Trump, and this includes all the fake news hacks dont even pretend to call them journalists at CNN, WashPost, NYT, MSNBC, Buzzfeed and all the other radical left-wing fake news rags that very nearly ripped America to shreds in their effort to destroy our democratically elected president. Its time for Trump to dispatch the Military Police to carry out mass arrests across America. The American people are with you, President Trump. And its time to shut down the domestic enemies who have been working feverishly to try to destroy America from within. (Natural News) Many therapeutic modalities in natural and non-conventional medicine share principles in common with parapsychology. This is particularly true of Mind-Body medicine, the power of the mind to initiate and facilitate healing. Some medical practices are based upon theories of energy, such as acupuncture, energy medicine and therapeutic touch, and the healing abilities of martial arts such as Tai Chi Chuan and Qi-gong, and energy and theories of consciousness play a large role in parapsychological or psi research. Therefore, in addition to investigating persons in non-conventional medical professions who have been victimized by Skeptics on Wikipedia, we will also consider many prominent scientists who have suffered from character assassination by Skeptics who consistently ignore Wikipedias editorial rules for living persons. (Article by Richard Gale and Gary Null republished from PRN.fm) Dr. Dean Radin is currently the Chief Scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) and a distinguished Associated Professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies. Although much of his current scientific research has explored paranormal phenomenon and theories of non-local consciousness, he has never identified himself as a psychic. His states his role has been strictly that of a scientist investigating and researching such phenomenon. With degrees in electrical engineering, focusing on cybernetics and control systems, Radin later received a doctorate in psychology from the University of Illinois. He has held appointments at AT&T Bell Laboratories, Princeton University, the University of Edinburgh and the Stanford Research Institute (SRI). He was also on the faculty at the University of Nevada for a stint. Back in 1979, Dr. Radin was one of the first to develop the first computer-based artificial intelligence training system. For Skeptics and reductionist scientists in general who embrace a strict mechanistic view of reality, Dr. Radins sin was to explore parapsychological phenomenon, although national surveys conducted by IONS indicate that over 90% of scientists and engineers state they have personally experienced psi experiences. His Wikipedia page makes no acknowledgement that he was already a highly respected scientist when accepted to work with the secret Stargate Project coordinated by the US Army, the Defense Intelligence Agency and SRI International at Fort Meade. The Project was dedicated to researching the potential use of psychic skills, including clairvoyance and remote viewing, for domestic intelligence and military operations. Although the Project was purported to have been officially terminated in 1995, it had been active for 17 years. It was only after the Project was transferred to the CIA that the government publicly stated the Projects research was inconclusive and therefore it did not warrant further investigation. Certainly, Skeptics would accept the Projects conclusions at face value. It fits well with their campaign to discredit the existence of paranormal and psychic experiences and capabilities. But controversies have remained over the Projects successes and failures. Many who were involved in the Project, such as Dr. Radin, have continued research in parapsychology and the field of consciousness studies. Others have gone public to speak about the Projects achievements. In 2001, Dr. Radin moved on to become a senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences, a parapsychological research organization, co-founded in 1973 by Apollo 14 astronaut and the sixth person to walk on the moon Edgar Mitchell. It was during the Apollo lunar mission that Cpt. Mitchell claimed to have had mystical experiences that he later found described in ancient Hindu yoga texts. It was due to his personal mystical experiences in outer space that inspired Mitchell to dedicate his future work towards a scientific investigation into parapsychology. Upon retirement from NASA, Mitchell founded a company to promote ecologically-pure products and services. Very early, Mitchell had realized our planet and society would face severe ecological problems in the future. Dr. Radins Wikipedia page, launched in August 2004, has been edited numerous times during the past 14 years. It is an excellent example of Skeptics editorial strategies. The original biography was short and innocuous. Five short paragraphs containing a straightforward biographical profile of 11 sentences has now morphed into a lengthy essay devoted to referencing Radins critics in a manner that promulgates the Skeptic doctrine that paranormal experiences do not exist and most claims are hoaxes by charlatans. In his pages editorial history, one typical Skeptical editor under the pseudonym Susha23 attempted to include the sentence, Dean Radin (born February 29, 1952) is a pseudoscientist who defrauds millions of people a day with his books The Conscious Universe. Fortunately Susha23 was banned from editor privileges. During a conversation with Dr. Radin, he stated that numerous attempts, by him and others, to correct his biographical page have been made over the years. He noted that corrections can be immediately reverted back within 30 minutes. Even the Nobel Prize laureate in physics, Dr. Brian Josephson, made unsuccessful efforts to edit Radins page in August 2014. Keeping true to a legitimate scientific perspective, Radin acknowledges the controversies and debates regarding parapsychological research and the conflicting neuroscientific theories about the nature and function of consciousness. As with many scientists, medical doctors, and alternative health practitioners with whom we have spoken regarding misinformation, distortions and character assassinations by Skeptic editors on their Wikipedia pages, Dr. Radin simply wants balance. As he writes, there should always be room for scholarly debates. But there is no sense of balance whatsoever on his biography because Wikipedia Skeptics are largely not scholars, and certainly not experts nor professionals in the subjects they criticize. Dr. Radin is outspoken against the Skeptical creed and its tactics on Wikipedia. He has written about the Skeptic fallacy in his books. Perhaps this is one reason why he has been so harshly targeted by Skeptics on Wikipedia. He states that his Wikipedia article is slanted by only citing the opinions of extreme skeptics, most of whom are ignorant of the relevant literature, methods, and history of psi research. For example, these skeptics often claim that the results of experimental psi research are so rife with fraud that none of it can be believed. That claim confuses con artists who pretend to be psychic with the scientific study of psi. The fact is that there are less than a handful of demonstrated or suspected cases of experimenter fraud in the entire history of psi research. People visiting a Wikipedia page get their first snap shot of a persons biography or a subject from the first lead paragraphs. These are the principal statements that frame the remainder of an entry. For biographies of living persons, it is the lead section that can boost or destroy a persons career and reputation. Radins lead section doesnt identify him as a doctor. And the fourth sentence immediately starts a rampage of criticisms and accusations that continue throughout the page. Dean Radins books have been praised by two Nobel Prize winners (Dr. Kerry Mullis who invented PCR technology and Dr. Brian Josephson, who received the Nobel in Physics at the age of 22 while at Cambridge University). Other noteworthy voices praising his work are molecular biologist and neuroscientist David Presti at the University of California at Berkeley, cognitive neuroscientists Mario Beauregard at the University of Arizona and Michael Block at the University of San Francisco, Dr. Paul Werbos (program director at the National Science Foundation), Stanford professor emeritus of physics Peter Sturrock, and the renowned public advocate attorney Daniel Sheehan, best known for his roles in the Pentagon Papers, Silkwood Murder, Iran-Contra, Ten Mile Island and Standing Rock trials. Nevertheless, his Wikipedia biography fails to mention any of the scientists who have endorsed my work, including two Nobel Laureates, a program director from the National Science Foundation, a past president of the American Statistical Association, recipients of major awards from the National Institutes of Health and the National Academy of Sciences, and many other scientists and scholars. Radins book The Conscious Universe was Amazons number 1 parapsychology book, received the 1997 Book Award from the Scientific and Medical Network and the Best Book Award from The Animist. It has also been translated into eight languages. None of this is noted on Radins Wikipedia page. Rather the books description is confined to the comments and reviews of noted Skeptics, including the radical Skeptic Robert Todd Carroll, author of the Skeptics Dictionary and a fellow on the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, and a review of the book published in Nature. The Nature review later was found to contain blatant errors. Skeptics have based their criticisms on these errors which Nature eventually corrected. But his Wikipedia page does not indicate these corrections. Critiques of another of Radins books, Supernormal, published by Deepak Chopra, relies upon a review from the Skeptical Inquirer to discredit its premises. The Wikipedia review of the book makes no clear mention of what the book is actually about or states in any clear words Radins premises described in the book. The Skeptical Inquirer is a popular bi-monthly magazine popular among Skeptics and targeted to a general audience. It is not peer-reviewed nor is it recognized as a major publication of any valuable means for objective analysis and commentary. It is propaganda publication on par with religious evangelical magazines. It is intended to advance a religious belief under the banner of Skeptical scientism. Referencing the Skeptical Inquirer as a legitimate resource for information about living persons is in direct violation of Wikipedias editorial policies. In summary, for over three decades, Dr. Radin has become a leading scientist and commentator on parapsychological research. Besides his work being recognized by numerous famous and accomplished scientists and professors worldwide, who hold credentials far above what is necessary for referencing on Wikipedia, he actually shares something in common with Skeptics. He writes on his web page, Regarding religion, I am agnostic and religious beliefs have played no part in my life. I have maintained a daily meditation practice for many years for the same reason that I exercise the health benefits are obvious. But his treason has been to accommodate a scientific perspective towards subjects that are held anathema by the fundamentals of Skepticism. For this breach against Skeptics 19th century view of reality, he has been forced into a limbo of condemnation on Wikipedia. Read more at: PRN.fm (Natural News) In the first four months of 2019, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have confirmed 555 cases of measles across 20 states. In comparison, there were 382 cases in all of 2018 and just 120 back in 2017. Five years ago, there were 667 confirmed cases, spurring media frenzy. In their latest report, the CDC admits that measles cases are actually coming from international travelers. These outbreaks are linked to travelers who brought measles back from other countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines, where large measles outbreaks are occurring, says the CDC. In early April, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency over a cluster of reported measles cases in the Orthodox Jewish community. The emergency order demanded that all un-vaccinated residents within four zip codes take a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine. Violators face imprisonment and fines up to $1,000. The order includes children as young as six months, even though the MMR package insert states that the vaccine is not recommended for anyone under twelve months of age. If authorities are worried about one benign illness, why not target the source of the virus: international travelers from outbreak-stricken areas? If Bill de Blasio insists on forcibly injecting six month old babies, (who do not have an adequate immune system to handle the MMR vaccine), then why doesnt he stop all international travelers coming from outbreak-stricken areas such as Israel, Ukraine, and the Philippines? What about all the disease that pours over the Southern border? If the government insists on micromanaging viruses in the vast world, why do they target healthy, un-vaccinated children and ignore verifiable virus sources from other regions of the world? If stopping measles is so important, why not forbid international travel until the travelers have proven they have overcome infectious disease? The bigger questions are: Should the government micromanage benign illnesses in the first place? Should governments have the power to track down people, coerce them with fines and threats of imprisonment, to inject them against their will, all based on the presumption that Mercks vaccine works for everyone? And the question that the CDC should ask themselves: Is vaccination really the answer in all this? Or at least, shouldnt the parents decide for themselves if augmenting part of their childs immune system and damaging their cell-mediated immunity is the right way to handle a benign illness like measles? Measles infection is typically a benign illness that begins with a fever and ends with a rash. After natural infection, an individual gains lifelong immunity because their humoral antibody response and intra-cellular cytotoxic T-cell response have learned to target measles viruses both outside and inside the cells. Today, measles is over-hyped in the media and used as a selling point for MMR vaccinations (which only spur an allergic-style B-cell response in healthy individuals). Are vaccines really the answer for these outbreaks? The MMR vaccine contains a live attenuated measles virus that is grown in WI-38 and MRC-5 cell strains, which are self-replicating culture mediums derived from 2-4 month old aborted fetal lung cells. After the virus is cultured and replicated in the aborted fetal cells, it is retrieved and processed for use in the combination vaccine. Upon injection, this antigen is intended to augment an immune response from the individual. An aluminum adjuvant is added to the vaccine to further incite an immune response, while adding to the vaccines toxicity. Upon injection, T-helper-2 cells respond to the artificial infection, increasing the bodys production of B-cell antibodies. The vaccine is intended to increase the humoral response, but the consequence of this science is rarely discussed. This augmentation causes an imbalance in how the human immune system deals with future viruses. There are two principle parts to the immune system. The first is the humoral response, mediated by T-helper-2 cells which encourage B-cell antibody response for killing viruses outside of cells. The second part takes place in the cell. This part is mediated by T-helper-1 cells which communicate with cytotoxic T cells to kill viruses that are replicating within cells. When vaccines are used, the first part is spurred into hyper-action, but the second part is hardly used, weakened. With repeated use of vaccines, cell-mediated immunity weakens, encouraging viral mutations, and future infections of the cells. The measles death rate dropped considerably before a vaccine was introduced, so its hard to say whether the vaccine was the savior even as measles fatality continued to fall after the vaccine was employed. If anything, people today should thank their ancestors for facing benign illnesses like measles, mumps, and rubella. According to studies on antibody levels in the vaccinated versus the un-vaccinated, naturally acquired immunity is more effective for preventing disease over the long haul, and this also helps build stronger herd immunity in a population. People today should also thank their mothers for passing on passive immunity through breast milk antibodies. Vitamin A has also been studied to shorten the duration and severity of measles infection. In a dose-dependent manner, vitamin A prevented measles complications, including croup, diarrhea, and death by pneumonia. If the government is going to micromanage disease, then they can mandate vitamin A and halt international travelers who are coming from outbreak-stricken areas. Targeting smart people who dont want to weaken their cell-mediated immune response does nothing to protect the public. The CDC, the media, and government mouthpieces are blinded by their own agenda. Stay up-to-date at Vaccines.News. Sources include: Breitbart.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com EthicalResearch.net YouTube.com VaxTruth.org Academic.oup.com NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov A dog believed to be taken from her yard near Highway 680 and Mabury Road in San Jose earlier this month is back home. San Jose resident Vannie Nguyen shared surveillance video of the moment she said Diamond, her Boston terrier, was taken from her yard on April 7. The video shows a woman carrying what appears to be a dog walking away from Nguyen's home. "I felt so despaired at the fact that I may not get her back," Nguyen said. The family canvassed the neighborhood putting up hundreds of fliers on poles and trees and finally, someone called the number on the flyers Thursday saying they bought the dog off the street near Story Road. A San Jose family's beloved dog was snatched from their front yard earlier this month, and they say the crime was caught on video. Marianne Favro reports. "They had seen NBC News last night and wanted to return the dog," Nguyen said. "So what happened was just truly a miracle." Nguyen previously called a search party for Thursday night but since Diamond was returned, they decided to have a community meeting instead. "Im really appreciative of my neighbors here," Nguyen said. "I've knocked at their house. I've cried with them." Many neighbors connected for the first time, pledging to start a neighborhood watch. A community in action brought together by a dog. "While this was going on, it's good to get to know your neighbors and share some of the things going on and helping each other," said neighbor Marivel Araiza. Even though Diamond is back home, the San Jose Police Department continues their investigation into the matter. Search efforts briefly resumed Friday morning after Naphtali Moimoi went missing in the waters off Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay on Thursday. Dense fog continued to be an issue in the search from the air and in the ocean for the missing 18-year-old Hayward High School student who had been boogie-boarding offshore when he became distressed, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said. Lisa Moimoi said she spotted her son not too far off in the water Friday morning but the sheriff's office concluded the search for Moimoi not long after it resumed. Two friends went into the water and attempted to help the teen but they needed help themselves getting back to shore, officials said Thursday. Authorities fear the teen drowned, and many rescue workers were preparing to leave the scene Thursday evening. A Coast Guard unit was expected to continue searching the waters until midnight, officials said. Janet Sylvesters grandson A.J. was one of the other teens in the water boogie boarding with friends when a rip current pulled them into the ocean. "As soon as it hit, you had maybe a second or two to breathe, and it would come rolling in again," Sylvester said. "There just wasnt time to get a breath." She said her grandson tried to swim into the current to help but wasnt able to get to his friend. Rescue crews launched two boats and two helicopters with infrared cameras aboard to pick up the 18-year-olds body heat. But the helicopters had to be turned away. "Because of the dense fog, they cant penetrate ... through the fog to see direct down to the water," Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brian Ham said. Most of the teens at the beach were fellow athletes at Hayward High School on spring break. Dozens gathered a the high school Friday night for an emotional vigil, a time for his church friends and teammates to mourn the football star. "He was loyal, persevered despite all the circumstances in front of him," said football coach Justin Redemer. "He was a great football player great teammate great friend." At the same time, the boy's parents held a vigil at the popular beach. "I just want him to come back," his mother Lisa said. A South Florida man is facing federal charges after authorities say he left threatening, racist voicemails for three Democratic members of Congress. John Kless, of Tamarac, was arrested Friday on charges of making threatening communications over the threatening voicemails sent to Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, according to the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. The voicemails, described in prosecutors' criminal complaint, included racist slurs that refer to black people and Muslims, threats to the lives of the members of Congress and suggestions that the country will erupt in a civil war. "Don't you worry, you government officials, will be in the graves where you ... belong," Kless allegedly said in one of the voicemails, after minimizing the impact of a deadly 2017 car attack at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Prosecutors said Kless, 49, made the calls to the politicians' Washington, D.C., offices on Tuesday morning. The complaint said Kless was also investigated in February for leaving profane and harassing voicemails for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Kless made his first appearance in federal court Friday morning. Attorney information wasn't available. The world reacted with shock and prayers to the massive fire at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, united in grief and in solidarity with the people of France. As the flames tore through the 12th-century cathedral, Spain's prime minister offered France the help of his country in the recovery. The fire is a "catastrophe for France, for Spain and for Europe," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted Monday, adding that the flames are destroying "850 years of history, architecture, painting and sculpture." French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters near the scene that he will seek international help, including from the "greatest talents" in the world, to rebuild Notre Dame. President Donald Trump, speaking at an appearance in Minnesota, spoke of the "terrible, terrible fire" that devastated "one of the great treasures of the world." "It's a part of our growing up, it's a part of our culture, it's a part of our lives," Trump said of the landmark. The Notre Dame Cathedral, situated on an island in the Seine River in the heart of Paris, is one of the world's most visited tourist destinations, drawing some 13 million people each year. The fire's emotional impact was widely felt. People from all over described in Facebook posts how they cried when they heard about the fire. Nicolas Marang, 47, has lived in Paris for more than 25 years and told NBC News he was running along the Seine River when he saw the smoke, which looked like a "dark smog," coming from the Notre Dame. "Something just collapsed inside me. [It was] one of the worst things I've ever seen," Marang said. Former President Barack Obama posted an old photo of himself, his wife Michelle and their two daughters lighting candles in the cathedral. "Notre Dame is one of the world's great treasures, and we're thinking of the people of France in your time of grief," Obama said on Twitter. Michelle Obama, who was in Paris on Monday on a book tour, said "my heart aches with the people of France." "The majesty of Notre Dame - the history, artistry, and spirituality - took our breath away, lifting us to a higher understanding of who we are and who we can be," she tweeted. She predicted the cathedral would rise again. Japan's government early Tuesday expressed sympathy and said it would consider sending support to the French government. "Its damage is a loss to the world and our hearts ache," said Yoshihide Suga, the chief cabinet secretary. The Vatican said Pope Francis "has seen with shock and sadness the news of the terrible fire." As the flames spread, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, prayed at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan for intercession. "God preserve this splendid house of prayer, and protect those battling the blaze," Dolan said in a statement. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said many works of art and holy objects inside the church had been saved, but the art world was distressed about what might have been lost. Barbara Drake Boehm, senior curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's medieval Cloisters branch in New York, was desolate about damage to the cathedral, which she called "one of the great monuments to the best of civilization." "Civilization is just so fragile," Boehm told a reporter in a trembling voice. "This great hulking monument of stone has been there since 1163. It's come through so many trials." Jeff Ament, bass player for Pearl Jam, remembered spending hours at the cathedral in his first visit, in 1991, with record executive Michael Goldstone. "Thinking about Paris," Ament tweeted, with photos of the cathedral. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tweeted that he's "horrified," calling the cathedral "a unique example of world heritage." In Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church's secretary for inter-Christian relations Hieromonk Stefan called the fire "a tragedy for the entire Christian world and for all who appreciate the cultural significance of this temple," the state news agency RIA-Novosti reported: On Twitter, Trump suggested using planes to drop water on the flames. France's Civil Security agency said that wasn't feasible. "All means are being used, except for water-bombing aircrafts which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral," the agency tweeted. Associated Press reporters Jocelyn Noveck, Kiley Armstrong, Jim Heintz, Edith M. Lederer and Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report. From Syria to Turkey and beyond, President Donald Trump's abrupt declaration that Washington will recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights drew strong condemnation on Friday. The Syrian government called it "irresponsible" and a threat to international peace and stability, while Iran's foreign ministry said it plunges the region into a new crisis. The Foreign Ministry in Damascus said Trump's statement confirms "the blind bias of the United States to the Zionist entity," referring to Israel, and added that it won't change "the fact that the Golan was and will remain Arab and Syrian." The ministry also said Damascus is now more intent on liberating the Golan, "using every possible means." Trump's announcement the day before was a major shift in American policy and gives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a political boost a month before what is expected to be a close election. The administration has been considering recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the strategic highlands, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967, for some time and Netanyahu had pressed the matter with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week. Israel unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights in 1981. The U.N. Security Council resolution 497, issued after the annexation, refers to Israel as "the occupying power" and says Israel's attempt to "impose its laws, jurisdiction and administration in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights is null and void and without international legal effect." Damascus also said Trump's statement "clearly shows the U.S. disdain to the international legitimacy and violates its resolutions, especially Security Council resolution 497" while also threatening "international peace and stability." Syria's Foreign Ministry later announced that a letter was sent to the presidents of the U.N. Security Council and United Nations over Trump's "irresponsible and dangerous statements over the Golan." The statement urged the U.N. secretary-general to confirm the organization's stance regarding Israeli occupation of the Golan. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said Trump's "personal and arbitrary decisions" plunge the region into a new crisis, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit also criticized the American stance, saying it "comes outside the international legitimacy and no country, no matter how important it is, can make such a decision." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Trump's "unfortunate" declaration has brought the region "to the brink of a new crisis and new tensions." "We will never allow the legitimization of the occupation of the Golan Heights," Erdogan added. Egypt also issued a statement, saying the Golan is occupied Arab territory and calling for respect for international resolutions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Trump's comments "can destabilize the already fragile situation in the Middle East." "The very idea is not helping the goals of the Middle East settlement, quite the other way round," he said. "Right now, it's merely a declaration. Let's hope it will stay this way." In Germany, government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said there was no change to Berlin's position on the Golan Heights, pointing to the 1981 U.N. resolution. She said Germany opposes "unilateral steps," but is well aware of the territory's significance to Israel. "A peace settlement would have to take account of Israel's very justified security interests and of course stop once and for all the potential dangers to Israel from the Golan Heights," Demmer said. "But for the present, the tensions that already exist should not be deepened." The U.S. will be the first country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan, which the rest of the international community regards as territory occupied by Israel whose status should be determined by negotiations between Israel and Syria. Attempts to bring Israel and Syria to the table have failed. It was not immediately clear how a U.N. peacekeeping force that is in place in the Golan might be affected by the U.S. move. That force's mandate expires at the end of June. There had been signals that a U.S. decision was coming. Last week, in its annual human rights report, the State Department dropped the phrase "Israeli-occupied" from the Golan Heights section, instead calling it "Israeli-controlled." ___ Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo; Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey; Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow, Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Geir Moulson in Berlin and Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report. What to Know The man arrested with gas cans and lighters at St. Patrick's Cathedral had booked a flight to Italy earlier that morning, police say Marc Lamparello, 37, also had a run-in with NJ officers two days before; cops say he refused to leave a cathedral after it was closed Lamparello faces resisting arrest and other charges in the NJ case; he was charged with attempted arson and other crimes in the NYC one The man taken into custody Wednesday night after allegedly trying to walk into St. Patrick's Cathedral, in the heart of New York City, with two gasoline cans and lighter fluid had booked a one-way $2,800 flight to Italy for Thursday, police said. He was also arrested days earlier at a New Jersey church, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell News 4. Marc Lamparello, 37, would've been out of the country by Thursday night, NYPD officials said in announcing formal charges against him. Police said he had purchased the ticket to Rome Wednesday morning, hours before they say he was found at St. Patrick's Cathedral with gallons of gas and lighting fluid. Authorities are still looking into his possible intentions regarding St. Patrick's; he had told police his minivan, parked nearby, was out of gas but that allegedly wasn't the case -- and he was evasive when asked questions by police. Investigators initially said Lamparello may have been emotionally disturbed. John Miller, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, described him as being "known to police." Two days before the St. Patrick's incident, sources say Lamparello had a confrontation with police after refusing to leave the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. When an officer told him it was closed, Lamparello said, "If you want me to leave tonight, you're gonna have to handcuff me and arrest me tonight and take me to jail," law enforcement sources tell News 4. He still didn't leave. Other officers arrived, at which point Lamparello threw himself onto a pew and yelled, "No!" then scuffled with police who tried to apprehend him, sources say. As he was being taken out of the cathedral, Lamparello told police he wasn't leaving. "God wants me to be here. I know all the sins the priests have committed," he said, according to law enforcement sources. Eventually he was handcuffed and taken to police headquarters to be booked on charges of defiant trespassing, obstruction and resisting arrest. Officials say they called in EMS to do an evaluation because Lamparello wasn't exhibiting rational behavior at the time; they found nothing wrong with him. Then the man's mother showed up, said he had an apartment in Manhattan and said she was taking him to her home in Hasbrouck Heights. The van allegedly involved in the St. Patrick's case was parked outside the New Jersey cathedral, but it was never searched because investigators had no reason to do so. Lamparello now faces charges of attempted arson, reckless endangerment, and trespassing in the St. Patrick's incident in addition to the New Jersey charges. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney. He has no prior criminal history of note. No one was hurt in either case, but some gasoline did spill on the floor of St. Patrick's as Lamparello was leaving; he had been stopped by a security guard. Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Thursday said the incident "in a way, as scary as it is, shows that our security is working." "Now, I hope [Lamparello] is getting mental care, because I think he's emotionally disturbed," he said. Heightened security at St. Patrick's is normal, but the NYPD has ramped up its efforts at the cathedral since the fire that tore through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, Miller noted. Lamparello, who published a book and teaches at Seton Hall, according to police, is a PhD student at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. As part of that PhD program, students are required to teach on other CUNY campuses. Lamparello taught one course at Brooklyn College, the school said, but was never employed there. He did, however, work at Lehman College, a spokeswoman said. In a statement Thursday, Lehman College spokesperson, Sarah Ramsey said the institution was aware of the arrest and taking action to terminate Lamparello. We are aware that an individual was arrested last night after an incident at St. Patricks Cathedral. The individual was hired at Lehman College during this academic year, and was a part-time, online instructor this semester. We are taking the appropriate steps to terminate the individuals employment with the college, she said. Lamparello had a separate incident in Hasbrouck Heights in December in which he went to police to say he thought he was being stalked by someone while at work and school in New York. He also said he had seen a Hasbrouck Heights police vehicle outside of his New Jersey home in late November and was jarred when it left moments later. Police told him the cruiser had nothing to do with any police business, and he left, apparently comfortable with the explanation, according to the incident report. All southbound lanes on the Edens Expressway were shut down Friday after a fatal crash, state police said. A car traveling on the I-94 southbound fatally struck the passenger of a semitrailer which had pulled over on the shoulder near Dempster Street just after 3 p.m., Illinois State Police said. Skokie police also arrived on scene to assist state police. The investigation was ongoing and there was no further information immediately available. A former suburban high school student has been charged with threatening to kill another student via Facebook Messenger as the 20th anniversary of the Columbine massacre approaches. Police in Lombard say that 18-year-old Jaris McCullum has been charged with felony Disorderly Conduct and Harassment through Electronic Communications after he allegedly messaged a female student at Glenbook East High School and threatened to kill her boyfriend and harm her. According to DuPage County prosecutors, McCullum threatened to show up at the school, and that he sent a photo showing himself wearing all black and holding a firearm to a female student at the school. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More The former student is also alleged to have sent several threatening messages, including one that said I really shoot and I got (expletives deleted) who dont like you thatll pay to get rid of you, according to prosecutors. McCullum was taken into custody after the threats were reported to the Lombard Police Student Resource Officer. Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most horrific events in American history, the Columbine school shootings, an anniversary that serves as a sad reminder to us all of us about the possible dangers that unfortunately, our children and school personnel must consider each day, DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin said. As I have said in the past, any threat or even the hint of a threat to our schools will be fully investigated and anyone suspected of such behavior will be held accountable. McCullums next court appearance is scheduled for May 13, and bond was set at $75,000 for the former student. A West Side church displayed an incredible artifact this week, as parishioners gathered to see what Catholics believe is a piece of the Crown of Thorns that Jesus Christ wore at his crucifixion. Given to Saint Louis of France, the full Crown of Thorns was saved from a recent fire at the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, but Chicagos St. John Cantius Church has shown its piece of that crown every year during Holy Week. I think we were elated to see that the Crown of Thorns was saved, Father Joshua Caswell said. We were overjoyed to see that the most precious relics of Notre Dame were saved, especially when we have such a special connection. Thousands of parishioners make their way to the church every year to see the relics, which include the thorn, a wax seal, and a piece of wood believed to be from the cross that Jesus was crucified on. Many visitors say that the items help strengthen their faith and give them a stronger feeling of connection with the story of Jesus crucifixion. We come down here because the relics are on display, and particularly in the light of Notre Dame, parishioner Jeremy Dee said. Its so powerful, and it was such a personal moment to be that close to something that was truly a part of history. The relics will only be on display through 5 p.m. Friday evening. An appeals court has reversed a lower court ruling barring the closing of a Chicago-area hospital. The Illinois Appellate Court on Thursday ruled unanimously the village of Melrose Park had no grounds to request a temporary restraining order against Pipeline Health, owner of Westlake Hospital. Village officials asserted the hospital's closure would adversely affect the community. Earlier this week, Cook County Circuit Judge Moshe Jacobius said Pipeline Health must restore services at the 225-bed hospital by Thursday or will be fined $200,000 a day. Pipeline Health said staffing issues caused it to suspend services. CEO Jim Edwards says the company is pleased the appellate court has ruled in its favor. In a statement, Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico said the village will continue to fight the hospital's planned closure. The state Health Facilities and Review Board is scheduled to consider Pipeline's application to close the hospital. The Boys and Girls Club of Hartford held their annual Great Futures celebration Thursday. The Boys and Girls Clubs of America began in Hartford back in 1860. On Thursday they celebrated another year of helping children in the community grow up and do amazing things, and honored one very special Youth of the Year. The Connecticut Convention Center was filled with people from across the state celebrating 159 years of the boys and Girls Club of Hartford. The event, emceed by NBC Connecticuts Leslie Mayes, generates money that funds the clubs programs around the Capital City while keeping costs for families as low as possible. The star of the evening was this years Youth of the Year Aracelis Figueroa, a senior at Pathways Academy of Technology. Figueroa has been part of the club for 12 years and says it has been her safe space and a second home over the years. I feel like its built a sense of community and it brings people in and we have a big teen outreach program. So it brings teens out of the streets and into the club and to do academic work, tutoring work, leadership roles, she said. Figueroa is headed to the University of Connecticut this fall, where she plans to study computer science so she can pursue a career in cybersecurity as a member of the Class of 2023. Ultimately, we want every kid that goes through the doors of a Boys & Girls Club to have a plan for the future. And Aracelis is a true testimony of the work that we do with thousands of young people here in the greater Hartford Community, said Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford President and CEO Sam Gray. The Boys and Girls Clubs footprint is getting bigger- a new club is coming to the citys South End, where they hope to help 1,500 more kids each year. Learn more about the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hartford here. New Haven clergy concerned about the police shooting in their city involving a Hamden and Yale officer met Friday morning with Hamden's mayor and acting chief of police. "We are really outraged in reference to what has transpired, but we did want to come and share our concerns," Rev. Dr. Boise Kimber said after he and other pastors had their private meeting in the mayor's office. "This is about working together," Mayor Curt Leng (D) said, "and trying to make meaningful change moving forward we can't take away what happened, what happened was horrific." The faith leaders said they plan to continue the conversation with Leng and acting Chief John Cappiello. "We would also like the board of commission(ers) to look like this community," Kimber said. "At this present, time there's only one African American that sits on this board," The pastors and police chief said they have agreed to bring in an urban trauma specialist to train Hamden's officers. "I know we deal with trauma but the urban trauma is very important because it's generational trauma," Pastor John Lewis said. "They need to understand the individuals, their environment they're going in and their deescalation is based on Dr. King's philosophy of non-violence." Another recommendation accepted by the mayor and chief is to establish in writing a more clear-cut policy on notifying neighboring police forces when Hamden officers go into their city or town. "I just want to make sure everybody understands if you're going into another town what you need to do," Cappiello said. It's been three days since the investigators said Hamden police officer Devin Eaton and Yale police officer Terrance Pollock shot at the red car seen in surveillance video by the Dixwell and Argyle intersection. The young woman in the passenger seat, 22-year-old Stephanie Washington, is recovering from a gunshot wound. The driver has been identified as 21-year-old Paul Witherspoon, but he was not shot. "I thank god that my family and the young lady that nobody passed," Witherspoon's uncle Rodney Williams from New Haven said. State police said Hamden police got the report of an attempted armed robbery of a newspaper deliveryman around 4 a.m. Tuesday at a Hamden gas station on Arch Street near the New Haven line, about a mile away from the shooting scene. Williams told NBC Connecticut his nephew did get in a heated argument, but that he was not carrying a gun nor committing a crime. "It was a verbal type thing," Williams said, "you know a back and forth with him and the newspaper guy. All this and that's what Paul is upset about, they're making it seem like he was trying to rob somebody." NBC Connecticut has requested the body camera video and radio transmissions leading up to the officers opening fire. When asked if that video and transmissions will eventually come out to the public, Cappiello said yes. "Yes, the state's attorney has assured us that as they go through the investigation, once they've looked at they will be releasing information through the state police for everybody to have," he said. Hamden officer Eaton remains on paid administrative leave. Witherspoon's attorney declined an interview with NBC Connecticut on Friday. He is planning to file a lawsuit against Hamden and Yale police. What to Know Camden County police officers helped rescue two men as flames raced through their cars after a crash on I-676. The Camden officers, a Delaware River Port Authority Police officer and a group of bystanders worked through the heat of the fire. The officers also freed two other men whose SUV caught fire after also being involved in the crash, Newly released body camera footage shows police officers and bystanders race to rescue two men trapped in the burning wreckage of a car crash on Interstate 676 in Camden, New Jersey, this month. Camden County Police Department officers Vaughn Edwards, Joseph Mair, Brian McCline and Vincent Russomanno were honored Friday. They shattered windows and withstood the heat of the fire as flames engulfed the vehicles and began burning the drivers trapped inside in the April 7 crash, county spokesman Dan Keashen said. Though the men in the crash suffered "extensive" burns, things could have been a lot worse but for the officers, Keashan said. Aided by Delaware River Port Authority police Officer Franklin Flash and various bystanders, the officials pulled the men away from the wreckage just before the flames fully engulfed their cars. "Your adrenaline's rushing, but at the end of the day you have a job to do and you don't want anyone getting hurt. Our motto here is, 'Service before self,' so we have to put that before ourselves," Edwards said. Body camera video from one of the officers shows him running toward the crash as flames rise from the wreckage, with other officers and bystanders already at the scene trying to free a trapped driver. "I gotta get the door. I gotta get the door," someone shouts. "Pull, pull, pull," others shout as they drag the man by the legs away from the car. The rescuers' attention then turns to another trapped person. "Give me your hand, give me your hand," an officer shouts. A hand reaches out through the flames as another officer repeatedly uses his baton to shatter the windshield and create an escape point. The flames continue to race through the vehicle until an officer and a bystander are able to pull the man out. At one point during the frantic rescue, Russomanno said he didn't notice his uniform caught fire, though he had a lighthearted recollection of the situation when he and his fellow officers were honored Friday. "I definitely didn't tell my fiancee that I was on fire," he said. Likewise, McCline initially kept details of the recue from loved ones. "I didn't tell my mom because she worries about me, so I didn't want to make her more nervous than she already is," he said. The officers also freed two other men from an SUV involved in the crash that caught fire, Keashan said. The department now hopes the Good Samaritans who helped in the recue will come forward so they too can be recognized for their bravery. "These people could have been a mailman, an accountant a real estate agent, and yet they stopped and put their lives on the line to help their fellow man," CCPD Lt. John Martinez said. France paid a daylong tribute Thursday to the Paris firefighters who saved the internationally revered Notre Dame Cathedral from collapse and rescued many of its treasures. As the ceremonies took place, construction workers hurriedly secured key sections of the fire-weakened cathedral, including an area above one of its famed rose-shaped windows. Fire officials warned that the massive cathedral still remains very fragile and extremely dangerous for construction workers and other specialists. On Thursday, workers using a crane were removing some statues to lessen the weight on cathedral's fragile gables, or support walls, and to keep them from falling, since the section lacked the support of the massive timber roof that burned up in Monday's evening's devastating blaze. They were also securing the support structure above one of Notre Dame's rose windows with wooden planks. Several hundred Paris firefighters, who are members of the French military, filed into the presidential Elysee Palace courtyard for a gathering hosted by President Emmanuel Macron to share what his office said were "words of thanks." Top government ministers also attended. Paris City Hall was holding a ceremony in the firefighters' honor later in the day, with a Bach violin concert, two giant banners strung from the monumental city headquarters and readings from Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." More than 400 firefighters took part in the nine-hour battle to save the 12th-century Notre Dame on Monday. Its spire collapsed and roof was destroyed, but its iconic towers, rose windows, famed organ and precious artworks were saved. Remarkably, no one was killed in the fire, which began during a Mass, after firefighters and church officials speedily evacuated those inside. Among the firefighters being honored Thursday is Paris fire brigade chaplain Jean-Marc Fournier, who says he was falsely credited with helping salvage the crown of thorns believed to have been worn by Jesus at his crucifixion. The chaplain says a team of rescuers broke the relic's protective covering and an official who had the secret code to unlock the protection finished the job. Fournier told France Info on Thursday that his own team arrived on the heels of the salvaging and praised the action "to preserve this extraordinary relic, this patrimony of humanity." However, Fournier told the daily Le Parisian that he himself was able to save the most precious thing for Catholics from the fire, the cathedral's consecrated hosts. The paper said he climbed on altars to remove large paintings, but that he felt especially proud of another personal salvaging operation: "to have removed Jesus" from the Cathedral. For Catholics, consecrated hosts are the body of Christ. Among others honored is Myriam Chudzinski, one of the first firefighters to reach the roof as the blaze raged. Loaded with gear, they climbed hundreds of steps up the cathedral's narrow spiral staircase to the top of one of the two towers. She had trained at the site for hours for just this moment. "We knew that the roof was burning, but we didn't really know the intensity," she told reporters. "It was from upstairs that you understood that it was really dramatic. It was very hot and we had to retreat, retreat. It was spreading quickly." She heard a roar, but her focus was on saving the tower. She learned later that it was the sound of the spire collapsing. Investigators so far believe the fire was accidental, and are questioning both cathedral staff and the workers who were carrying out renovations to the cathedral before the fire broke out. Some 40 people had been questioned by Thursday, according the Paris prosecutor's office. The building would have burned to the ground in a "chain-reaction collapse" had firefighters not moved as rapidly as they did to battle the blaze racing through the building, Jose Vaz de Matos, a fire expert with France's Culture Ministry, said Wednesday. An initial fire alert was sounded at 6:20 p.m., as a Mass was underway in the cathedral, but no fire was found. A second alarm went off at 6:43 p.m., and the blaze was discovered to be consuming the roof. The island in the Seine River housing Notre Dame at the heart of the French capital remained largely empty Thursday and closed to everyone but residents. Businesses were shuttered and the usual tourist throngs were nowhere to be seen. The lack of tourists was a significant concern for neighborhood merchants. A large swath of the Ile de la Cite is currently inaccessible, with numerous bridges linking it with mainland Paris closed. Macron wants to rebuild the cathedral within five years in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics that Paris is hosting but experts say the vast scale of the work to be done could easily take 15 years, since it will take months, even years, just to figure out what should be done. Nearly $1 billion has been pledged for the cathedral's restoration. Benedicte Contamin, who came to view the damaged cathedral from afar Thursday, said she's sad but grateful it's still there. "It's a chance for France to bounce back, a chance to realize what unites us, because we have been too much divided over the past years," she said. Cathedral bells rang out across France in a moving tribute Wednesday to Notre Dame and the firefighters. Angela Charlton contributed. A strong earthquake shook eastern Taiwan on Thursday afternoon, causing scattered light damage in the capital and along the eastern coast. The 6.1 magnitude quake was centered northwest of the city of Hualien at a depth of nearly 12 miles, Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau said. Water pipes at the city's train station burst and rail traffic was briefly suspended. Schools along the east coast were evacuated, with students holding their backpacks over their heads for protection. TV news showed at least one landslide in a lightly populated area. Two hikers in the famed Taroko Gorge national park, including one from Malaysia, were injured by falling rocks, the Hualien government reported. Traffic through the gorge has been halted while drones and helicopters check for damage, Premier Su Tseng-chang said. "If it rains, (retaining walls) could fall down, so we urge people not to get close," he said. Su said schools, worksites and water, power and transit lines had also been checked for damage. While no major problems were found, cracked road surfaces on the east coast could become a problem if rain falls soon, he said. In Taipei, about 70 miles from the epicenter, people felt buildings shake, and one multistory building was leaning against its neighbor after its foundation shifted. The city's subway system suspended service. At the leaning building in downtown Taipei, area resident Ayumi Lin said the earthquake's force was considerable. "It was really scary," Lin said. "The quake shook strongly twice." The owner of a travel agency in the adjacent building, who gave only his surname, Huang, said all his employees evacuated safely from their 7th floor office. "No one was hurt," Huang said. People in Chinese cities close to the Taiwan Strait dividing Taiwan from mainland China reported on social media that they also felt the quake. Taiwan is on a string of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean known as the "Rim of Fire" and is frequently rocked by tremors, including a 1999 quake that killed more than 2,300 people. An earthquake in February 2018 in Hualien killed 17 people when four buildings partially collapsed. Two years earlier, an apartment building in the southwestern city of Tainan collapsed in an earthquake, killing 115 people. The government has set up an elaborate system of alerts, inspections and recovery measures to cope with the frequent quakes. Hao Yilin, an exchange student from China studying at Chinese Culture University in Taipei, said he received a notice on his cellphone seconds before the ground began to shake. "I wasn't scared because an earthquake like this is very common and the shaking was tolerable. So I didn't think of going outdoors and continued to eat lunch while watching a TV series," Hao said. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena Friday for special counsel Robert Mueller's full report as Democrats intensified their investigation of President Donald Trump, but leaders stopped short of liberal demands for impeachment proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has insisted on a methodical, step-by-step approach to the House's oversight of the Trump administration, and she refuses to consider impeachment without public support, including from Republicans, which seems unlikely. But in light of Mueller's findings , Democratic leaders are under mounting pressure from the party's rising stars, deep-pocketed donors and even a presidential contender to seize the moment as a jumping-off point for trying to remove Trump from office. Speaking Friday in Belfast as Pelosi wrapped up a congressional visit to Ireland, she declined to signal action beyond Congress' role as a check and balance for the White House. "Let me assure you that whatever the issue and challenge we face, the Congress of the United States will honor its oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States to protect our democracy," she told reporters. "We believe that the first article Article 1, the legislative branch has the responsibility of oversight of our democracy, and we will exercise that." That approach isn't enough for some liberals who see in Trump's actions not just a president unfit for office but evidence of obstruction serious enough that Mueller said he could not declare Trump exonerated. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is now signed on to an impeachment resolution from fellow Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, bringing new energy to the effort. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., a presidential candidate, said Friday the House "should initiate impeachment proceedings against the president." And billionaire Tom Steyer, a leading advocate of impeachment, has grown impatient with the House's pace of investigations and wants televised hearings to focus Americans' attention on Trump. "Let's get the show on the road," Steyer said in an interview Friday. "The Mueller report very clearly outlined obstruction by the president and basically said, I can't do anything about it, it's up to Congress to hold the president accountable." Democrats, though, may see greater power in pursuing an investigative effort, leaving impeachment on the shelf as a break-glass option. The Judiciary chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., says he expects the Justice Department to comply with the committee's subpoena for the full report by May 1. That's the same day Attorney General William Barr is to testify before a Senate committee and one day before Barr is to appear before Nadler's panel. Nadler also has summoned Mueller to testify by May 23. "It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward," Nadler said. A Justice Department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupac, called Nadler's move "premature and unnecessary." Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the Mueller report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Nadler said he was open to working with the department on accommodations, but he also said the committee "needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice." But the committee's top Republican, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was "wildly overbroad" and that Trump already had declined to assert executive privilege over the Mueller report in a move of "unprecedented openness." "This is politically convenient," Collins said, allowing the chairman "to grandstand and rail against the attorney general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline." Mueller's report provides fresh evidence of Trump's interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond. For Congress, though, organizing an immediate response been complicated by the spring recess that left leadership in both parties away from Washington and rank-and-file lawmakers. GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has been on a delegation trip to South America, and GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been in Africa. One Republican, Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah was one of the few who spoke out Friday, saying he was "sickened" by the report's findings of dishonesty at the highest levels of the administration, "including the president," and appalled that some Americans were working with Russians during the 2016 election. Pelosi will convene House Democrats for a conference call Monday, after the holiday weekend when many lawmakers are celebrating Easter and Passover. With Barr, Democrats expect a long battle ahead. The attorney general has come under intense scrutiny over his handling of the Mueller report and subsequent comments that have left him exposed to criticism he is acting in Trump's interest. Late Friday Democrats rejected an offer from Barr for a limited number of congressional leaders to view some of the redacted materials in a confidential setting. They said it was inadequate. It's unlikely that the full Mueller report or the special counsel's public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017, and Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow "the end of my presidency." Democratic leaders are walking a delicate line on what to do with Mueller's findings. The No. 2 Democrat, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, drew criticism for refusing to consider impeachment, and quickly revised his comments to say "all options ought to remain on the table." And Pelosi, in an interview last week, before the report's release, reiterated her "high bar" for impeachment. But she also didn't close the door on the option. "The fact is the president has engaged in activities that are unethical, un-American. ... In every way he is unfit to be president of the United States. Does that make it is that an impeachable offense? Well it depends on what we see in the report." North Korea said Thursday that it had test-fired a new type of "tactical guided weapon," its first such test in nearly half a year, and demanded that Washington remove Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from nuclear negotiations. The test, which didn't appear to be of a banned mid- or long-range ballistic missile that could scuttle negotiations, allows North Korea to show its people it is pushing ahead with weapons development while also reassuring domestic military officials worried that diplomacy with Washington signals weakness. Separately, the North Korean Foreign Ministry accused Pompeo of playing down the significance of comments by leader Kim Jong Un, who said last week that Washington has until the end of the year to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement to salvage the high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. Both the demand for Pompeo's removal from the talks and the weapon test point to North Korea's displeasure with the deadlocked negotiations. In a statement issued under the name of Kwon Jong Gun, director general of the American Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry, North Korea accused Pompeo of "talking nonsense" and misrepresenting Kim's comments. During a speech at Texas A&M on Monday, Pompeo said Kim promised to denuclearize during his first summit with President Donald Trump and that U.S. officials were working with the North Koreans to "chart a path forward so we can get there." "He (Kim) said he wanted it done by the end of the year," Pompeo said. "I'd love to see that done sooner." The North Korean statement said Pompeo was "misrepresenting the meaning of our requirement" for the negotiations to be finalized by the year's end, and referred to his "talented skill of fabricating stories." It said Pompeo's continued participation in the negotiations would ensure that the talks become "entangled" and called for a different counterpart who is "more careful and mature in communicating with us." In Washington, the State Department said in a short statement that "We are aware of the report. The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation." In a speech at his rubber-stamp parliament last week, Kim said he is open to a third summit with Trump, but only if the United States changes its stance on sanctions enforcement and pressure by the end of the year. Kim observed the unspecified weapon being fired Wednesday by the Academy of Defense Science, the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency said. Kim was reported to have said "the development of the weapon system serves as an event of very weighty significance in increasing the combat power of the People's Army." The Associated Press could not independently verify North Korea's claim, and it wasn't immediately clear what had been tested. A major ballistic missile test would jeopardize the diplomatic talks meant to provide the North with concessions in return for disarmament. A South Korean analyst said that details in the North's media report indicate it could have been a new type of cruise missile. Another possible clue: one of the lower level officials mentioned in the North's report on the test Pak Jong Chon is known as an artillery official. Some in Seoul worry that the North will turn back to actions seen as provocative by outsiders as a way to force Washington to drop its hard-line negotiating stance and grant the North's demand for a removal of crushing international sanctions. A string of increasingly powerful weapons tests in 2017 and Trump's response of "fire and fury" had many fearing war before the North shifted to diplomacy. Russia announced Thursday that Kim will visit later this month for talks at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, but gave no further details. Russian media have been abuzz in recent days with rumors about the rare meeting between the leaders. Putin is to visit China later this month, and some media speculated that he could meet with Kim in Vladivostok, the far eastern port city near the border with North Korea. Trump said last month that he "would be very disappointed if I saw testing." There have been fresh reports of new activity at a North Korean missile research center and long-range rocket site where the North is believed to build missiles targeting the U.S. mainland. North Korean media said Wednesday that Kim guided a flight drill of combat pilots from an air force and anti-aircraft unit tasked with defending the North from an attack. Kim Dong-yub, an analyst from Seoul's Institute for Far Eastern Studies, said North Korea's descriptions of the test show the weapon is possibly a newly developed cruise missile. The North's report said the "tactical guided weapon" successfully tested in a "peculiar mode of guiding flight" and demonstrated the ability to deliver a "powerful warhead." The analyst said the test could also be intended as a message to the North Korean people and military of a commitment to maintaining a strong level of defense even as it continues talks with Washington over nukes. Melissa Hanham, a non-proliferation expert and director of the Datayo Project at the One Earth Future Foundation, said the North Korean weapon could be anything from an anti-tank weapon to a cruise missile. The North said Thursday that Kim Jong Un mounted an observation post to learn about and guide the test-fire of the weapon. This is the first known time Kim has observed the testing of a newly developed weapon system since last November, when North Korean media said he watched the successful test of an unspecified "newly developed ultramodern tactical weapon." Some observers have been expecting North Korea to orchestrate "low-level provocations," like artillery or short-range missile tests, to register its anger over the way nuclear negotiations were going. North Korean officials accompanying Kim at the test included Ri Pyong Chol and Kim Jong Sik, two senior officials from the North's Munitions Industry Department who have been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for their activities related to the country's ballistic missile program. Ri is believed to be a key official involved in North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile development, while Kim Jong Sik has been linked to the country's efforts to build solid-fuel missiles. The Pyongyang-based Munitions Industry Department is sanctioned both by the United States and the U.N. Security Council. "Even if this is not a 'missile' test the way we strictly define it, these people and MID are all sanctioned entities for a reason," Hanham said. The White House said it was aware of the report and had no comment. The Pentagon also said it was aware but had no information to provide at this point. South Korea's presidential office said it has no immediate comment. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it is analyzing the test but did not specifically say what the weapon appeared to be. After the animosity of 2017, last year saw a stunning turn to diplomacy, culminating in the first-ever summit between the U.S. and North Korea in Singapore, and then the Hanoi talks this year. North Korea has suspended nuclear and long-range rocket tests, and the North and South Korean leaders have met three times. But there are growing worries that the progress could be killed by mismatched demands between the U.S. and North Korea over sanctions relief and disarmament. Associated Press writers Hyung-jin Kim, Matthew Lee and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. A candidate for Plano city council is defending himself over a homophobic slur in an email. The derogatory term is used to describe members of the LGBTQ community. Daniel Long denies writing the email. He claims it was the latest in a string of hacks he's experienced since February. "It almost sounds like Washington, D.C.," Long said. "It doesn't sound like suburbia Plano, Texas at all." The email exchange in question can be confusing. On Monday, Long said he mistakenly sent an email to the Plano Police Association, thinking it was to a former firefighters group. In the email, Long claims he never saw an invitation to meet for an endorsement. When the police association replies with the date its invitation was sent, they received a one-word homophobic slur in response. "I would not say it. I would not write it. Never," Long said. Long insists the reply was the result of hackers who hijacked his email and campaign website. He said the hackers have also stolen $324 from his banking account. Long said he's filed a police report. "I do not know who hacked me. Someone was put up to hacking me. Someone in Russia asked me to send them $650 in bitcoins, that's filed with the police, too," Long explained. The Plano Police Association confirmed the email exchange. A screenshot of the conversation was shared online by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of North Texas. In a statement, GALA President Dawna Hubert said, "GALA North Texas was disappointed to see the comment allegedly made by Daniel Long, a candidate for Plano City Council. We are offended by both the use of the homophobic slur and also the fact that it was directed at our first responders. If this is proven to be a statement made by Long, we encourage residents of Plano to voice their opinions on this matter at the polls, starting with early voting this Monday. Plano is a city of great diversity and compassion. The overwhelming majority of those that have been elected to serve embody this spirit. We trust the citizens of Plano to review the facts and make a decision which best serves the interest of ALL members of community." Long said he is as pro-police as it gets and told us one of his children is gay. "I don't like it but I don't condemn her any more than I would condemn you or anybody else if that's your lifestyle," Long said. Early voting begins on Monday, April 22. Half of Plano's city council seats, places 1, 3, 5 and 7, are up for grabs. A retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and convicted felon must serve 18 months in federal prison for having dozens of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition in Texas. Robert D. Whittington III was sentenced Thursday in Texarkana. Whittington pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Officers in March 2018 raided Whittington's home in Hooks, 150 miles (241.39 kilometers) northeast of Dallas. Authorities found more than 100 firearms and 19,000 rounds of ammunition. Prosecutors say Whittington in 2011 was convicted of terrorizing in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, over threatening letters and a deer-hunting camp. He was sentenced to five years in prison. The Texarkana Gazette reports Whittington has written books about firearms and last June mailed a letter to the newspaper stating he's opposed to gun control. A federal grand jury indictment that was filed Thursday has accused an Ohio man who claimed to be a missing child from Aurora, Illinois of lying to federal agents and of identity theft. Brian Michael Rini, 23, of Medina, now faces two counts of lying to federal agents and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman's office in Cincinnati said making false statements carries a possible sentence of eight years in prison with conviction, while the identify theft count would bring a mandatory two years if he is convicted. He had been arrested earlier on a single false statement count after DNA testing proved he wasn't Timmothy Pitzen, who disappeared in 2011 at age 6. Rini is being held without bond, with arraignment scheduled Friday. A message seeking comment was left Thursday with his federal public defender. Police picked up Rini the morning of April 3 on the streets of Newport, Kentucky. They said that he told them he was Timmothy and that he had escaped two kidnappers after years of sexual abuse. Police took him to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for treatment and testing. Federal authorities have said they were skeptical, especially after he refused to be fingerprinted, but didn't want to miss a chance to possibly solve the Pitzen disappearance. The FBI said DNA testing established his identity as a convicted felon who had been released on probation in March from an Ohio prison after serving more than a year on burglary and vandalism charges. Federal authorities said he also has twice before portrayed himself to be a juvenile sex trafficking victim, as he did in this case. A federal magistrate last week cited Rini's lack of a permanent address, past mental health issues and "a lengthy criminal history" that goes back to age 13 as she ordered him held without bond. In 2017, Rini was treated at an Ohio center for people with mental health or substance abuse problems, according to court papers. What to Know David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty in February to torture and other abuse charges involving The case came to light after a daughter escaped from the Riverside County house where she lived with her 12 siblings When deputies responded to the girl's 911 call, they were shocked by what they discovered Emotional statements from their children, some recalling years of abuse and imprisonment, were read in court Friday before a Riverside County couple was sentenced to life in prison for child-torture and other crimes. David and Louise Turpin pleaded guilty in Riverside County Superior Court in February to torture and other abuse and neglect so severe it stunted their children's growth, led to muscle wasting and left two girls unable to bear children. Some of the 13 children living in the Perris home were shackled to beds. "My parents took my whole life from me, but now I'm taking my life back," said a 30-year-old daughter, one of two adult children who spoke Friday morning in court before the sentence, life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. As the sentence for her parents was read, she began petting a comfort dog. A 27-year-old son -- none of the children were publicly identified -- said he still loves his parents, but recounted years of horrific abuse. "I cannot describe in words what me and my siblings went through," he said. "Sometimes, I still have nightmares about what happened, like my sibling being chained up and beaten. "I love my parents and have forgiven them for all of the things that they have done to us." He said he learned to ride a bike last year and is enjoying newfound freedom. "Sometimes, I go on long rides just because I like it so much." The Turpins began crying when one of the children read a statement in which he said he prays often for them. One of the children asked for a lighter sentence. In another statement read in court, a child said, "I want the court to know that our parents loved each other and loved each of their children." The case came to light with a desperate cry for help from a girl who had lived in such isolation for 17 years that she didn't know her address, the month of the year or what the word medication meant. But after jumping out a window from the filthy home where she lived with her parents and 12 siblings, she knew enough to punch the digits 9-1-1 into a barely workable cellphone and then began describing years of horrific abuse to a police dispatcher. The brave girl's call that freed her siblings some who had been chained to their beds led to the opposite fate for their parents. David Turpin's lawyer read part of a statement because he was too upset. "My homeschooling and discipline had good intentions," he said. "I'm sorry if I've done anything to cause them harm." Louise Turpin spoke for herself, saying, "I'm sorry for everything I've done to hurt my children. I love my children so much. ... I only want the best for them. Before the 17-year-old escaped from the home in a middle-class section of the city of Perris, about 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles, the Turpins had lived largely out of view. David Turpin, 57, had been an engineer for Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. Louise Turpin, 50, was listed as a housewife in a 2011 bankruptcy filing. Their home was neatly kept and neighbors rarely saw the kids outside the home. When deputies arrived, they were shocked by what they discovered. A 22-year-old son was chained to a bed and two girls had just been set free from their shackles. The house was covered in filth and the stench of human waste was overwhelming. Deputies testified that the children said they were only allowed to shower once a year. They were mainly kept in their rooms except for meals, which had been reduced from three to one per day, a combination of lunch and dinner. The 17-year-old complained that she could no longer stomach peanut butter sandwiches they made her gag. The Turpin boys and girls weren't allowed to play like other children. Other than an occasional family trip to Las Vegas or Disneyland, they rarely left the home. They slept during the day and were active a few hours at night. Although the couple filed paperwork with the state to homeschool their children, learning was limited. The oldest daughter only completed third grade. "We don't really do school. I haven't finished first grade," the 17-year-old said, according to Deputy Manuel Campos. Children said they were beaten, caged and shackled to beds if they didn't obey their parents. Investigators found that the toddler had not been abused, but all of the children were hospitalized after they were discovered. The seven adult children were living together and attending school in February when their parents pleaded guilty. Attorney Jack Osborn, who represents them, said Friday that the trial and sentence are part of a long and difficult process. "They do love their parents," said Osborne. "I think none of our clients disagree about the outcome today... Ultimately, our clients are working toward forgiveness." The couple pleaded guilty to 14 criminal charges. Prosecutors said the deal would likely keep them in prison for the rest of their lives and spare the children from testifying. "The defendants ruined lives, so I think it's just and fair that the sentence be equivalent to first-degree murder," District Attorney Mike Hestrin said at the time of the plea. A Vermont fourth grader is expressing her frustration after her feathered friend became the butt of a joke on a recent episode of Saturday Night Live. The joke featured her disabled pet chicken, Granite Heart, learning to walk with a custom wheelchair. The SNL joke suggested that instead of helping the animal walk, she should "just eat the chicken." "Be more sensitive," said 10-year-old Alora Wood of Vermont. Wood is disgusted at the thought of eating chicken for dinner. "Never," she said, asking, would you put your pet on a plate? "I know it was meant to be a joke, but what if it was a dog?" she added. Wood does admit its cool to see Granite Heart grab the spotlight because her handicapped chicken has quite the story. "She couldnt move around like all the other chickens and live a normal life," Wood explained. Granite was born with a deformed foot and cant walk, but thanks to Wood and her family things are looking up. They got Granite a custom wheelchair from Walkin Pets, a company in Amherst, New Hampshire that makes and sells pet wheelchairs to families around the world. "I think its going to be easier for her when she learns to push with her foot," Wood said. "Shes still working on it but I think shell get it really soon." Owner of Walkin Pets Mark Robinson feels badly that Wood was offended by the SNL joke, but for him, he says he was thrilled to see his wheelchairs on his favorite show. "It was great, I loved it," Robinson said. With their 15 minutes of fame, this fourth grader, and her feathered friend are proving that pets come in all shapes and sizes. "Any creature, no matter how big, no matter how small, they deserve to have a perfect life," Wood said. Click here for more information about Walkin Pets. Local lawmakers react to the Mueller Report. Here is what we are hearing from some of our Texas lawmakers. U.S. Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX 25th District), Fort Worth. "For the past two years, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian collusion in the 2016 election has consumed the Nation and spent millions of taxpayer dollars. Americans deserve full transparency, which is why I voted in favor of releasing the Special Counsel's final report, and I am grateful to Attorney General Barr for doing so today. The Nation should be pleased with the conclusions drawn in Mr. Mueller's report, which confirms that the defamation campaign against the president was unfounded and baseless. I hope that my Democrat colleagues will use this opportunity to recalibrate and turn their attention to the important work that the American people elected us to do." U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX 33rd District), Fort Worth. "Despite coordinated attempts by President Trump and AG Barr to bury the facts, Special Counsel Mueller's investigation did not exonerate President Trump. In fact, Mueller could not confidently conclude no criminal conduct occurred," adding, "This is why I stand with Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Nadler in calling for Special Counsel Mueller to publicly testify in front of Congress. We need to hear the facts of the report from Mueller himself." U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX 26th District), Denton. Burgess tweeted "Special Counsel Mueller's investigation, conducted over two years, has cost American taxpayers millions of dollars. Now that this process is complete, I will review the #MuellerReport thoroughly and carefully," also tweeting "It is unfortunate that Democrats will continue to oppose the President, regardless of Special Counsel Mueller's investigation and findings. For the good of the country, we need to move on and address the real issues facing our nation." U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX 30th District), Dallas. "It is clear from even this redacted version of the Mueller Report that the President of the United States and his campaign engaged in wrongdoing involving both his campaign's connections to Russian interference in the 2016 election and the obstruction of justice. I am deeply displeased by the president's behavior as outlined in the findings of this report and the implication this behavior has on the president's ability to govern. This is a day unlike any our country has faced before. "Though unsurprising based on previously uncovered evidence, the investigation found sufficient links between the Trump campaign and Russian officials seeking to aid and assist his candidacy for president, and that at times, the campaign was receptive to these offers. Mueller further states that lies told by individuals affiliated with the president materially impaired' the investigation. In total, the report all but established that the President of the United States committed obstruction of justice and clearly outlined that it is within Congress' constitutional authority to look into such matters. As a senior member of Congress, I am reminded that it is our duty to thoroughly investigate and act on behalf of the American people. In order to do this, however, Congress must have access to the full, unredacted report and the underlying evidence. "I am perplexed that the Attorney General has still not indicated that this will be provided to Congress. I have strong reservations with his conduct since Robert Mueller concluded his investigation, and the American people should share my concern that Attorney General Barr is acting as the president's personal defense lawyer, rather than in the interest of the American people. "We as a nation deserve better than such improper and unbecoming behavior from the president and his administration." For nearly two years, President Donald Trump and his allies sought to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, attacking investigators' credibility and playing down their findings. As a redacted version of Mueller's report was finally released Thursday, Trump resorted to bluster, broadsides and falsehoods to try, once more, to frame the moment as a political victory. It began even before the public glimpsed the two volumes covering 448 pages. The report included an account of how the president attempted to seize control of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and force out Mueller from leading the inquiry. But that didn't stop Trump from taking a public victory lap, declaring at a White House event for the Wounded Warriors Project that he was having "a good day." Twelve times Trump took to Twitter in the hours before Attorney General William Barr outlined the findings of the report. The president proclaimed his innocence and insisted that the investigation was politically motivated. As soon as Barr concluded his remarks, and more than an hour before Mueller's report was released, Trump tweeted a taunt over an image inspired by the HBO show "Game of Thrones." "No Collusion. No Obstruction," it said. "For the haters and the radical left Democrats Game Over." It is true that Mueller did not charge that Trump's campaign colluded with Russia. And Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in the attorney general's four-page summary of the Mueller report that was released last month, declined to charge obstruction of justice. But the special counsel specifically leaves open the question of whether the president obstructed justice. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the President clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment," the report states. The report identifies 10 instances of possible obstruction by Trump and said he might have "had a motive" to impede the investigation because of what it could find on a multitude of personal matters, such as his proposal to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. The report said that in June 2017, Trump directed White House counsel Don McGahn to call Rosenstein, who oversaw the investigation, and say that Mueller must be ousted because Mueller had conflicts of interest. McGahn refused, deciding he would rather resign than trigger what he regarded as a potential repeat of the Saturday Night Massacre firings from Watergate. During that crisis, President Richard Nixon first ordered his attorney general, and then the deputy, to fire the Watergate special prosecutor; they refused and quit on a weekend, but did not derail the independent investigation or Nixon's collapse for long. As for the question of whether Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential race, Mueller wrote: "While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges." Democrats criticized Barr for a news conference they said amounted to an attempt to frame the findings before the report was released. "The differences are stark between what Attorney General Barr said on obstruction and what Special Counsel Mueller said on obstruction," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. in a joint statement. They said Mueller's report "appears to undercut" Barr's finding. To some, Barr's bristling appearance seemed to be the latest move by Trump and his allies to shape the narrative surrounding the investigation featuring his incessant tweeting of "No Collusion" and his attacks on the credibility of the investigators. The White House seized upon Barr's four-page summary last month as vindication and played down the contents of the report itself. "Knockout," read a text message from Rudy Giuliani, one of the president's attorneys, to reporters after Barr finished speaking. A further statement from Giuliani and Trump's lawyers said "the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegations" and insisted that "the results of the investigation are a total victory for the president." Talking points went out to Trump allies while his supporters' phones buzzed with text messages from the campaign looking to raise money off Thursday's developments. "Now the tables have turned, and it's time to investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation into President Trump, motivated by political retribution and based on no evidence whatsoever," said Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale. Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was featured prominently in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. Though the report said "the campaign anticipated receiving derogatory documents and information" from Russians that "could assist Trump's electoral prospects," it said "the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that the participants at that meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful." Though a seemingly backhanded exoneration, the younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats. "Better luck next hoax!" he said. Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said that because the White House didn't interfere with Mueller's wok, that "should make people feel good about democracy." "We're accepting apologies today too," Conway told reporters, adding Trump was in "a great mood." The president certainly seemed relaxed at the veterans' event at the White House. Presented with a small statue, Trump said it would have a permanent home "at least for six years, in the Oval Office." As the audience applauded and laughed. Trump said he was going to joke and say "at least for 10 or 14 years, but we would cause bedlam if I said that." Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report. What to Know "Real Housewives of New Jersey" husband Joe Giudice has lost his appeal to avoid deportation to Italy His attorneys said Thursday they have appealed to the federal circuit court in Philadelphia Giudice is an Italian citizen who was brought to the U.S. as a baby and says he wasn't aware he wasn't an American citizen "Real Housewives of New Jersey" husband Joe Giudice has lost his appeal to avoid deportation to Italy. His attorneys said Thursday they are "extremely disappointed" by the Board of Immigration's decision and have appealed to the federal circuit court in Philadelphia. Giudice and his wife, Teresa, pleaded guilty in 2014 to financial fraud. Giudice is an Italian citizen who was brought to the U.S. as a baby and says he wasn't aware he wasn't an American citizen. Teresa Giudice served nearly a year in prison and was freed in December 2015. Joe Giudice was released from prison last month and was sent to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facility in southeast Pennsylvania. What to Know Garcetti announced his budget proposal one day after delivering his State of the City. The proposed budget is his strongest to date since taking office in 2013. Roughly 19.4% of the budget is dedicated to pension funds and retirement healthcare costs for city workers. Big increases in infrastructure investment, police technology, police overtime, illegal cannabis enforcement and support for the homeless were called for Thursday by Mayor Eric Garcetti in his proposed 2019-20 budget, with projections that continue years of revenue increases. Garcetti's proposed budget includes a jump in general fund revenue from $6.19 billion this fiscal year to a record $6.53 billion, and as the national economy continues to be strong, some statistics show Los Angeles outpacing other big cities. The proposed budget is his strongest to date since taking office in 2013, Garcetti told reporters. "It's a budget that lifts up people in need. It's a budget that gives everyone an opportunity to share in growth and opportunity, and it's a budget that tells a story of a back-to-basics approach to delivering services that people depend on and need," Garcetti said. The total $10.6 billion budget and $6.53 billion in general fund revenue continues an upward trajectory for the city's coffers, and an increase from $5.24 billion for the general fund in 2014-15. Garcetti announced his budget proposal during a news conference with reporters at City Hall one day after delivering his State of the City address at Lincoln High School. He said among the biggest increases were for infrastructure, which includes $348 million for streets repairs and maintenance; $117 million for the Vision Zero street safety program and overall traffic improvements; and $38 million for clean water infrastructure. The total $940 million proposed for infrastructure would be an increase of $140 million. New computers for the Los Angeles Police Department and other technology are also among the large increases ($14 million), as well as an increase of 40% for overtime for the LAPD ($52 million), and enforcement to crack down on the hundreds of illegal cannabis shops in the city ($12.5 million). The proposal also includes keeping the LAPD above 10,000 sworn officers. A total of $457 million also is being proposed for homeless housing and services, which Garcetti said was a record number and includes $281 million from the 2016 Proposition HHH bond measure that aims to raise $1.2 billion over 10 years for permanent supportive housing. Garcetti also proposed allocating $36 million in 2019-20 out of $85 million that was given to the city by the state in 2018 from the California Homeless Emergency Aid Program. Garcetti also is proposing a significant increase for his A Bridge Home program, which has been one of his signature programs that aims to open temporary homeless shelters around the city. Last year's budget dedicated $20 million from the general fund with another $10 million available in the unallocated balance, and the mayor is now proposing $47.5 million for the program. Three Bridge Home shelters have been opened so far, and Garcetti pledged during his State of the City speech that at least 15 would be open in the next year. A total of $20 million would also be set aside just for services and other programs in the Skid Row neighborhood, where an estimated 2,000 people sleep on the street. Garcetti also said his budget proposal includes the highest reserves in the city's history, with 8.05% set aside, including a reserve fund of $399 million, a budget stabilization fund of $106.9 million, and an additional $20 million in the unappropriated balance. By comparison, in 2008-09, the reserve was 4.3% and $192 million. Roughly 19.4% of the budget is dedicated to pension funds and retirement healthcare costs for city workers. Chief Administrative Officer Rich Llewellyn said the pension plans are predicting a 7.25% return in the coming years, and Garcetti said he is "comfortable'' with that projection. Garcetti also said the budget proposal is the first in many years that does not include a structural deficit. Jack Humphreville, a neighborhood council budget advocate, said future pension costs should be a concern for the city, despite the booming economy. "We're still playing games with the pension plans at 7.25%, that's very optimistic," Humphreville told City News Service. "Let's put it this way, this hayseed from Omaha, Nebraska named Warren Buffet thinks 6% is a pretty decent rate, and if that were the case, the city contribution would increase by $500 million or probably more like $600 to $650 million." Garcetti's proposed budget will be discussed at upcoming meetings of the City Council's Budget and Finance Committee before being voted on by the full City Council. The new fiscal year begins July 1. The budget proposal can be found at here. What to Know There is also no indication Zhang was connected to Chinese intelligence, although her arrest has reignited concerns. Chinese diplomats have been informed of the arrest of a Chinese woman at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club over the weekend and are providing her with consular services, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters that the Chinese Consulate General in Houston had been notified of the March 30 arrest, had gotten in touch with the person involved and was providing her with consular assistance. Geng gave no details. Yujing Zhang is being held on charges of illegally entering and lying to U.S. agents. Court documents allege 32-year-old Zhang told a Secret Service agent Saturday she was a Mar-a-Lago member there to use the pool. Agents were later summoned and they say Zhang began arguing during an interview. Agent Samuel Ivanovich wrote in court documents that Zhang told him that she was there for a Chinese American event and had come early to familiarize herself with the club and take photos, contradicting what she had said at the checkpoint. He said Zhang said she had traveled from Shanghai to attend the nonexistent Mar-a-Lago event on the invitation of an acquaintance named "Charles," whom she only knew through a Chinese social media app. Ivanovich said Zhang carried four cellphones, a laptop computer, an external hard drive and a thumb drive containing computer malware. She did not have a swimsuit. There is no indication Zhang was ever near the president or that she personally knew Cindy Yang, a Chinese native, Republican donor and former Florida massage parlor owner who made news recently after it was learned she was promising Chinese business leaders that her consulting firm could get them access to Mar-a-Lago, where they could mingle with the president. A man named Charles Lee ran the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association and was photographed at least twice with Yang, who also goes by the name Yang Li. Yang previously owned a spa where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution. Archived images of the United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website, which has since been taken down, show that the organization advertised itself as a non-profit registered with the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs. A page of "registration documents" purports to show certificates from the States of Delaware and New York, as well as a screenshot of a listing on the U.N.'s official website. But a search Thursday for the association on the U.N.'s database did not turn up any results. The United Nations Chinese Friendship Association's website also shows Lee in photos with several government officials of various countries, including Trump, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as well as officials from China, Canada, Turkey and South Korea. It is not clear whether any of the photos have been digitally altered. While no espionage charges have been filed against Zhang, her arrest has reignited concerns, especially among Democrats that Trump's use of the club constitutes a security risk as long as members and guests are allowed to come in and out while he is there. Zhang's arrest attracted comments from Chinese internet users on the popular Weibo microblogging service, many of whom portrayed her as having been tricked by those seeking to exploit her desire for attention and connections. The Communist Party newspaper Global Times, known for its strident nationalism, ran a lengthy report on the Zhang and Yang cases, accusing the U.S. media of hyping them as examples of Chinese "Trojan horses" entering Mar-a-Lago out of an excess of "Cold War thinking." UPDATE: William Korzon confessed to the murder and was sentenced. New details here. The once ice cold case of Gloria Korzon, who vanished in 1981, has been reignited suddenly in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Korzon's ex-husband, William Korzon, has been arrested and was arraigned in a county court Thursday on a homicide charge, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's office. Korzon, now 76 and living in central Pennsylvania, allegedly responded to new questioning by investigators this year by asking, "Did you find the body?" according to the criminal affidavit released Thursday. That question, on top of years of alleged abuse and documented injuries during the Korzons' marriage before Gloria disappeared led authorities to charge William with criminal homicide and related charges, the affidavit. Gloria Korzon, who disappeared in 1981 from her home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was on the FBI's "Missing Adult" list. He is being held without bail at county jail. It is unclear if he has a lawyer. The two married in January 1967. In December of that year, William Korzon was arrested in Springfield, Massachusetts, for allegedly threatening to kill his wife. He spent time in a Massachusetts mental institution. In 1968, the Korzons moved to Philadelphia. Three years later, they moved to Pickertown Road in Warrington, Bucks County. From 1968 to 1981, when Gloria Korzon disappeared, the affidavit said law enforcement authorities "investigated and documented numerous violent assaults where William Korzon assaulted and threatened to kill Gloria Korzon." William Korzon has been charged homicide and related charges 38 years after his wife, Gloria, disappeared. "During these incidents of domestic violence, Gloria suffered multiple injuries, including a broken arm, a broken collarbone, damage to her nasal bone and a black eye," the affidavit said. Gloria Korzon vanished March 6, 1981. She was supposed to be on her way to work in Horsham Township. William Korzon then allegedly lied about his wife's whereabouts and forged her signature on legal documents over the course of months and years, the affidavit said. A roommate who moved into the Korzon home after Gloria disappeared also told investigators that Korzon asked for help killing a Warrington Township detective, the affidavit said. "A recent check of all available records and databases by law enforcement show no activity by Gloria Korzon from her March 6, 1981 disappearance to the present day," the affidavit said. "It is as though she has ceased to exist." What to Know Trump reacted to Mueller's appointment by saying it was the "end of his presidency," according to the special counsel's report Trump's "efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful" in part because staffers "declined to carry out orders" Trump's legal team called the results "a total victory for the president," though top Democrats were far less convinced Public at last, special counsel Robert Mueller's report revealed to a waiting nation Thursday that President Donald Trump tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller's removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the president. Trump was largely thwarted by those around him. (Read the full report here.) Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017. Those efforts "were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests," Mueller wrote. The report's bottom line largely tracked the findings revealed in Attorney General William Barr's four-page memo released a month ago no collusion with Russia, no clear verdict on obstruction but it added layers of detail about Trump's efforts to thwart the investigation. Looking ahead, both sides were already using findings to amplify well-rehearsed arguments about Trump's conduct, Republicans casting him as a victim of harassment and Democrats depicting the president as stepping far over the line to derail the investigation. Trump's legal team called the results "a total victory for the president" while top Democrats House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement that the report undercut the conclusion from Barr that Trump didn't obstruct justice. The Justice Department posted a redacted version of the report online Thursday morning, 90 minutes after Attorney General William Barr offered his own final assessment of the findings. Mueller was not present at Barr's briefings but is likely to have his own say on his report in public, as he's been asked to appear before multiple congressional committees to discuss it. The report's release came as Trump spoke at the White House during an event for wounded soldiers, offering a unique split-screen for TV viewers as reporters began reading out the findings. Trump said he was having a good day, adding, "It was called, 'No collusion, no obstruction." After nearly two years, the two-volume, 448-page redacted report made for riveting reading. Some takeaways: NO COLLUSION: On the question of whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, Mueller wrote, "While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges." Mueller also said there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge any campaign officials with working as an unregistered foreign agent of Russia. On the question of whether the Trump campaign had colluded with Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign, Mueller wrote, "While the investigation identified numerous links between individuals with ties to the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign, the evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges." Mueller also said there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge any campaign officials with working as an unregistered foreign agent of Russia. OBSTRUCTION FOCUS: Mueller evaluated 10 episodes for possible obstruction of justice, including Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, the president's directive to subordinates to have Mueller fired and efforts to encourage witnesses not to cooperate. The president's lawyers have said Trump's conduct fell within his constitutional powers, but Mueller's team deemed the episodes deserving of criminal scrutiny. When former national security adviser Michael Flynn agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, Trump's lawyers told Flynn's that this decision would reflect hostility towards the president. Prosecutors believed that message could have been intended to prevent Flynn from testifying truthfully, and therefore could constitute obstruction. But, they added, "we could not determine whether the President was personally involved in or knew about the specific message his counsel delivered to Flynn's counsel." Mueller evaluated 10 episodes for possible obstruction of justice, including Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, the president's directive to subordinates to have Mueller fired and efforts to encourage witnesses not to cooperate. The president's lawyers have said Trump's conduct fell within his constitutional powers, but Mueller's team deemed the episodes deserving of criminal scrutiny. When former national security adviser Michael Flynn agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, Trump's lawyers told Flynn's that this decision would reflect hostility towards the president. Prosecutors believed that message could have been intended to prevent Flynn from testifying truthfully, and therefore could constitute obstruction. But, they added, "we could not determine whether the President was personally involved in or knew about the specific message his counsel delivered to Flynn's counsel." TRUMP'S REACTIONS: Mueller reported that Trump had been agitated at the special counsel probe from its earliest days, reacting to Mueller's appointment by saying it was the "end of his presidency." In May 2017, Trump directed McGahn, the White House counsel, to call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to have Mueller removed as special counsel. McGahn told prosecutors he was ordered to say "not only that conflicts existed but also that 'Mueller has to go.'" McGahn refused and was prepared to resign over it he told White House chief of staff Reince Preibus that the President had asked him to "do crazy s***," according to the report. Mueller was never fired. Mueller reported that Trump had been agitated at the special counsel probe from its earliest days, reacting to Mueller's appointment by saying it was the "end of his presidency." In May 2017, Trump directed McGahn, the White House counsel, to call Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to have Mueller removed as special counsel. McGahn told prosecutors he was ordered to say "not only that conflicts existed but also that 'Mueller has to go.'" McGahn refused and was prepared to resign over it he told White House chief of staff Reince Preibus that the President had asked him to "do crazy s***," according to the report. Mueller was never fired. TRUMP'S RESPONSE: A 12-page appendix contains Trump's written responses to the special counsel. They included no questions about obstruction of justice, as was part of an agreement with Trump's legal team. Trump told Mueller he had "no recollection" of learning in advance about the much-scrutinized Trump Tower meeting between campaign officials and a Russian lawyer. He also said he had no recollection of knowledge about emails setting up the meeting that promised dirt on Hillary Clinton's campaign. He broadly denied knowing of any foreign government trying to help his campaign, including the Russian government. He said he was aware of some reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made "complimentary statements" about him. Trump said that his comment during a 2016 political rally asking Russian hackers to help find emails scrubbed from Clinton's private server was made "in jest and sarcastically" and that he did not recall being told during the campaign of any Russian effort to infiltrate or hack computer systems. A 12-page appendix contains Trump's written responses to the special counsel. They included no questions about obstruction of justice, as was part of an agreement with Trump's legal team. Trump told Mueller he had "no recollection" of learning in advance about the much-scrutinized Trump Tower meeting between campaign officials and a Russian lawyer. He also said he had no recollection of knowledge about emails setting up the meeting that promised dirt on Hillary Clinton's campaign. He broadly denied knowing of any foreign government trying to help his campaign, including the Russian government. He said he was aware of some reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made "complimentary statements" about him. Trump said that his comment during a 2016 political rally asking Russian hackers to help find emails scrubbed from Clinton's private server was made "in jest and sarcastically" and that he did not recall being told during the campaign of any Russian effort to infiltrate or hack computer systems. TRUMP'S ANSWERS: In December 2017, prosecutors advised the president's lawyers that Trump was the subject of an investigation although Trump repeatedly said since that he was not the subject of an investigation. Mueller's team sought an interview with the president "for more than a year" before the two sides agreed to accept written answers to Russian-related questions. "The President stated on more than 30 occasions that he 'does not recall' or 'remember' or have an 'independent recollection' of information called for by the questions. Other answers were 'incomplete or imprecise.'" And Trump "did not similarly agree to provide written answers to question on obstruction topics or question on events during the transition." In December 2017, prosecutors advised the president's lawyers that Trump was the subject of an investigation although Trump repeatedly said since that he was not the subject of an investigation. Mueller's team sought an interview with the president "for more than a year" before the two sides agreed to accept written answers to Russian-related questions. "The President stated on more than 30 occasions that he 'does not recall' or 'remember' or have an 'independent recollection' of information called for by the questions. Other answers were 'incomplete or imprecise.'" And Trump "did not similarly agree to provide written answers to question on obstruction topics or question on events during the transition." SUBPOENA THE PRESIDENT? Prosecutors called Trump's answers "inadequate" and considered issuing a subpoena for Trump, but decided against it after weighing the likelihood of a long legal battle. They believed their had enough evidence and information from other sources to draw "relevant factual conclusions on intent and credibility." Prosecutors called Trump's answers "inadequate" and considered issuing a subpoena for Trump, but decided against it after weighing the likelihood of a long legal battle. They believed their had enough evidence and information from other sources to draw "relevant factual conclusions on intent and credibility." CAMPAIGN-RUSSIA: While the special counsel found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian effort to undermine the election, it did find connections between the campaign and the Russians. On multiple occasions, members of the Trump campaign liked or promoted social posts originally posted by the Russian Internet Research Agency, which was indicted in the probe, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, Tump campaign staffer Brad Parscale and Flynn, the former national security adviser. IRA employees also posed as Americans to communicate with members of the Trump campaign in efforts to coordinate IRA-organized political rallies in the U.S. While the special counsel found no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian effort to undermine the election, it did find connections between the campaign and the Russians. On multiple occasions, members of the Trump campaign liked or promoted social posts originally posted by the Russian Internet Research Agency, which was indicted in the probe, including Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway, Tump campaign staffer Brad Parscale and Flynn, the former national security adviser. IRA employees also posed as Americans to communicate with members of the Trump campaign in efforts to coordinate IRA-organized political rallies in the U.S. INFO DELETED: Some of the people prosecutors interviewed or investigated, "including some associated with the Trump campaign" had "deleted relevant communications" or used encrypted applications that did not provide for long-term retention of data, prosecutors said. In those cases the office could not corroborate witness statements or fully question witnesses about statements that "appeared inconsistent with other known facts." Some of the people prosecutors interviewed or investigated, "including some associated with the Trump campaign" had "deleted relevant communications" or used encrypted applications that did not provide for long-term retention of data, prosecutors said. In those cases the office could not corroborate witness statements or fully question witnesses about statements that "appeared inconsistent with other known facts." NEW THREADS: The investigation found 14 potential cases of criminal activity that it referred to other parts of the Justice Department, because they were outside the scope of the investigation. Twelve are redacted because they are ongoing, while two have already reached the courts: the cases of former Trump personal attorney Michael Cohen's admitted wire fraud and former Obama White House counsel Gregory Craig's alleged foreign lobbying violation. The department plans to make a largely unredacted version available to a limited number of members of Congress and their staff at a later date, according to a court filing Wednesday. Last month, Barr shared his own "principal conclusions" of special counsel Mueller's findings, releasing a four-page summary less than two days after the nearly 400-page report was submitted to him. Barr said then that Mueller didn't find "members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities," but also did not exonerate Trump on the issue with obstruction of justice. Barr said there wasn't sufficient evidence to charge Trump with obstruction. Congress, the White House and the American public anxiously awaited the release of the report itself. Justice Department officials scoured the document to remove grand jury information and details relating to pending investigations, among other materials. Democrats had said they will not accept any redactions and criticized Barr for quickly releasing his summary and for holding a news conference before the report was released. Pelosi said Wednesday that Barr had "thrown out his credibility & the DOJ's independence with his single-minded effort to protect" Trump. Schumer said, "The process is poisoned before the report is even released." Both said Thursday that Mueller should testify in public before Congress "as soon as possible," which Barr said he wouldn't oppose. Barr has defended how he dealt with the report and said portions must remain hidden to comply with the law. Trump took Barr's summary as a full exoneration, despite that it explicitly did not exonerate him on obstruction. He tweeted inaccurately on Monday that Mueller and Barr "ruled No Collusion, No Obstruction," and called for an investigation of the people investigating him. Ahead of the report's release on Thursday, Trump took to Twitter to attack Mueller's investigation, repeating earlier jibes by calling it "The Greatest Political Hoax of all time" and "PRESIDENTIAL HARASSMENT!" Senate Democrats blocked a Republican disaster aid bill, saying more money is needed to help hurricane-torn Puerto Rico. But President Donald Trump opposes additional funding and says the U.S. territory is getting more disaster money than some states. The move tossed long-sought relief for victims of hurricanes, floods and Western wildfires into limbo and escalated a fight between Democrats and Trump, who said Tuesday that he is the "best thing" that ever happened to Puerto Rico. He claimed additional funding would come at the expense of U.S. farmers and states. Puerto Rico's residents are U.S. citizens. Monday's 44-49 vote fell short of a majority, much less the 60 votes required to overcome a Democratic filibuster, sending GOP leaders back to the drawing board and seeming unlikely to kill disaster aid efforts outright, since there is much political support to send aid to Southern farmers, wildfire-ravaged California towns and Midwestern flood victims. Trump allies such as Sens. David Perdue, R-Ga., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., are among the strongest backers of the legislation. "We will get this done eventually," Perdue said, promising relief to struggling farmers in his state. The path forward is unclear, but a leading option is for the Senate to pass a more narrowly drawn bill simply to get the issue into a House-Senate conference committee. House Democrats insist the talks must produce a final measure with help for Puerto Rico. Democrats say Trump has been slow to release already appropriated funding for Puerto Rico and has shown little urgency in helping the island. Trump criticized the island's government at a meeting with Senate Republicans last week and suggested Puerto Rico has gotten too much disaster help compared with states such as Texas, using inflated numbers to make his case. "Just as we leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we help our fellow Americans when there's a disaster, wherever the disaster strikes. We do not abandon them. Period," said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Trump complained in a pair of tweets Tuesday about the island's leadership and said $91 billion destined for Puerto Rico is "more money than has ever been gotten for a hurricane before, & all their local politicians do is complain & ask for more money." He said the politicians there are "grossly incompetent, spend the money foolishly or corruptly, & only take from USA." "The best thing that ever happened to Puerto Rico is President Donald J. Trump," the president continued. "So many wonderful people, but with such bad Island leadership and with so much money wasted. Cannot continue to hurt our Farmers and States with these massive payments, and so little appreciation!" Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello responded with his own tweets, stating in part, "Mr. President, this 'place' you refer to, #PuertoRico, is home to over three million proud Americans that are still recovering from the storm and in need of federal assistance. We are not your adversaries, we are your citizens." Rossello also asked that all senators approve the disaster aid bill and disputed Trump's numbers, claiming that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved only $300 million in permanent work projects, not $91 billion. The $13.5 billion Senate measure mostly mirrors a $14.2 billion measure the House passed in January, combining aid to Southern farmers, California communities devastated by last summer's wildfire, and hurricane-hit states such as Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Hurricane-damaged military bases in Florida and North Carolina would receive rebuilding funds. Democrats want to add almost $700 million more to unlock further disaster aid for Puerto Rico and several states, including help to rebuild badly damaged water systems. Democrats are also trying to force the administration to release billions of dollars in rebuilding funds that have already been approved. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the Senate measure is the fastest way to get aid to the South and the Midwest, along with nutrition aid to Puerto Rico, where food stamp benefits have already been cut. "It is the only bill on the table with any provision for the Midwest flooding," McConnell said. "And it's the only bill on the table that could earn a presidential signature in time to deliver urgent relief on the nutrition assistance in Puerto Rico." Political momentum for the measure strongly backed by Trump's allies in Georgia, Florida and North Carolina, among other states has only been heightened by massive flooding in Midwestern states such as Nebraska and Iowa, whose nominating caucuses are the first test for Democrats hoping to challenge Trump next year. The GOP measure would make Midwestern states eligible for more aid, and by blocking the bill, Democratic presidential contenders in the Senate are likely to face criticism. Trump has yet to veto a spending bill despite some tough talk, and he has signed off on $600 million to ease food stamp cuts in Puerto Rico. Actual aid to Puerto Rico has flowed slowly from federal coffers. Trump's $91 billion estimate, said a White House spokesman, includes $41 billion that's already been approved and about $50 billion in expected future disaster disbursements. Puerto Rico has so far received $11 billion (of the $41 billion that's been set aside) and the $50 billion estimate would be expected "over the life" of the recovery effort, which could span several decades, The Washington Post reported. "Hamilton" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, a prominent advocate for hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico, lashed out at Trump over the $91 billion figure. "Puerto Rico is still WAITING for most of their allocated relief funds, while our president lies to himself and lies to you," he said on Twitter Tuesday. What to Know Its Friday, April 19th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day. Its Friday, April 19th and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day. No. 1 Keep that NBC 6 app handy as showers and storms are in the forecast for most of Friday and morning and return in the afternoon and evening hours but the wet weather clears out before the holiday weekend. No. 2 - The Broward County Sheriff's Office is investigating cellphone videos that show deputies pepper-spraying and tackling teenagers Thursday afternoon outside of a McDonald's in Tamarac. A witness told NBC 6 that a large crowd of students from J.P. Taravella High School had formed outside of the restaurant before 3 p.m. after rumors that a fight was going to happen. No. 3 - Two women are facing armed robbery charges after police say one of them pulled a knife on a Doral liquor store clerk as they tried to steal bottles of cognac while accompanied by two children. Police said the women entered the store with two children who were around 10 years old. The women distracted a store employee while one concealed two cognac bottles worth about $100 each in her purse, police said. No. 4 - After facing a rocky road on its way to Tallahassee, a bill expanding access to medical insurance benefits for Florida firefighters with certain cancers was approved unanimously by a House committee. With a resounding "yes," Florida House State Affairs Committee on Thursday passed House Bill 587. If approved and signed by the governor, it would make firefighters diagnosed with certain types of cancers automatically eligible to receive disability or death benefits. Last week, NBC 6 highlighted two South Florida firefighters who lost their lives to cancer and their loved ones' battle for lawmakers to pass the bill. No. 5 - It's now up to Congress to decide what to do with special counsel Robert Mueller's findings about President Donald Trump. While the special counsel declined to prosecute Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate him, all but leaving the question to Congress. How far lawmakers will go, though, remains unclear. No. 6 - This year, the start of Passover and Good Friday fall on the same day. Passover is celebrated for eight days while Christians across the world prepare for the Easter celebrations this Sunday. For a list of community events and whats open and closed, click here. Giving himself credit for tough diplomacy, President Donald Trump is describing a burst of activity by Mexican authorities to keep Central American migrants from getting to the U.S. border. That's an apparent mirage as Trump retreats from his latest threat to seal off the U.S. from Mexico. Trump was wrong when he said last week that Mexico was doing "NOTHING" about migrants coming north. It markedly tightened migration controls during the Obama administration and detained over 30,000 foreigners in the first three months of this year. And it's not evident now that Mexico has suddenly cracked down as a result of his threat, "apprehending everybody" and making "absolutely terrific progress" in just a matter of days, as Trump put it Friday. Mexico's apprehensions of foreigners have not surged. During his visit to the border in Southern California on Friday, Trump denounced a landmark immigration case he blamed on "Judge Flores, whoever you may be." The case in question was named for Jenny Flores, a migrant teenager from El Salvador in the 1980s, not a judge. Trump's recent statements on border matters and how they compare with the facts: MEXICO TRUMP, on why he is pulling back on sealing the border imminently: "Because Mexico has been absolutely terrific for the last four days. They're apprehending everybody. Yesterday they apprehended 1,400 people. The day before was 1,000. And if they apprehend people at their southern border where they don't have to walk through, that's a big home run. We can handle it from there. It's really good. ... Mexico, for the last four days, it's never happened like that in 35 years." remarks to reporters Friday. TRUMP: "Mexico has brought people back, they've told people you can't come in. And that's happened really, they've done, as I understand it, over 1,000 today, over 1,000 people yesterday, over 1,000 people the day before that. Before that they never did anything." remarks to reporters Thursday. THE FACTS: This depiction of Mexico going from strikeout to home run is inaccurate at both ends. Mexico reports that its interception and detention of migrants from the south are "about average" in recent months. Over the first three days of April, it apprehended 1,259 foreigners not 1,000 or more a day, as Trump claimed. "There is no very substantive change," Mexico's foreign secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, said this week. "There has not been a drastic change." "I don't know what (Trump) was referring to," he added. Mexico is requiring migrants to register with authorities, but that's been the case since President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador took office Dec. 1, Ebrard said. "What Mexico is doing as far as the review of the southern border well, it's the same thing it has been doing since this government began." On Thursday, Mexico's ambassador to the U.S., Martha Barcena, told The Associated Press her country is working to make its own border "more orderly" but "migration will never be stopped." Mexico took a substantial step in 2014, implementing a "Southern Border Plan" that established checkpoints and raids to discourage migrants from riding trains or buses from Guatemala. Its detention of foreigners, almost all Central Americans, surged to 198,141 over the next year, from 127,149. Last year, it detained 138,612. The White House has refused to substantiate Trump's claim about Mexico's migrant apprehensions. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday credited Mexico with the "will" to help stem migration, but he did not cite results. Even as Trump claimed a Mexican crackdown, Pompeo said the U.S. needs to see action from Mexico, telling Fox News that it's "one thing to talk about it." Trump has abandoned his vow to shut the border imminently. He now says that if Mexico does not continue cooperating on migrants, he will try to put heavy duties on autos from Mexico and revive his border-closure threat if that doesn't work. ___ THE FLORES SETTLEMENT TRUMP: "The Flores decision is a disaster, I have to tell you. Judge Flores, whoever you may be, that decision is a disaster for our country, a disaster." remarks at a meeting with local officials in Southern California. THE FACTS: There's no Judge Flores involved. Jenny Flores , a 15-year-old El Salvador native, was held in what her advocates said were substandard conditions, contending she was strip-searched in custody and housed with men. They launched a class-action lawsuit on behalf of migrant children in the country illegally. Her mother was a housekeeper in the U.S. who feared deportation if she picked up her daughter. The case worked its way to the Supreme Court, which sided with the government and against the girl's advocates. But the case gave rise to an agreement in 1997 setting conditions for the detention of migrant children and the codifying of those conditions in law a decade later. It generally bars the government from keeping children in immigration detention for more than 20 days and guides how they are to be treated. The Democratic-led House failed Tuesday to override President Donald Trump's first veto, salvaging his effort to steer billions of extra dollars to erecting border barriers and delivering a victory to the White House in a constitutional and political clash that's raged for months. Lawmakers voted 248-181 to overturn Trump's veto, but that fell 38 votes shy of the required two-thirds margin. Just days after Attorney General William Barr announced that special counsel Robert Mueller had found Trump didn't scheme with Russia to help his 2016 election, Tuesday's vote bolstered Trump's drive to build a wall along the boundary with Mexico, a hallmark of his 2016 presidential campaign and a priority of his presidency. While clearly a defeat for Democrats, the vote afforded them a chance to reemphasize policy differences with Trump and change the subject from collusion allegations that have lost political clout. Underscoring that, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi placed her name atop a House Democratic fundraising email referencing the failed veto override entitled, "My heart just sank." Just 14 Republicans joined all voting Democrats in Tuesday's futile effort to void Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the Southwest border. By invoking that power, Trump has said he will shift $3.6 billion from military construction to erecting barriers along that boundary. Congress has voted to provide less than $1.4 billion for border barriers, leaving Democrats and some Republicans fuming that Trump is abusing his powers by ignoring Congress' constitutional control over spending. Despite his veto remaining intact, Trump may not be able to spend the money for barriers quickly because of lawsuits by Democratic state attorneys general and others that could take years to resolve. Even so, Democrats hope to use the border emergency battle in their 2020 election campaigns, both to symbolize Trump's harsh immigration stance and claim he was hurting congressional districts around the country. The Pentagon sent lawmakers a list last week of hundreds of military construction projects that might be cut to pay for barrier work. Though the list was tentative, Democrats say that by backing Trump, GOP lawmakers were endangering local bases to pay for the wall. Unhappiness over Trump's plan to siphon the money from the military has become a bipartisan concern. On top of the $3.6 billion from construction, the Pentagon has formally informed Congress that it wants to steer another $1 billion from personnel accounts to barriers instead. At a House Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, panel Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., said it was wrong to use the Pentagon as "sort of a piggybank-slash-slush fund." The committee's top Republican, Mac Thornberry of Texas, also said he opposes redirecting defense funds. Congress had sent Trump a resolution annulling the national emergency that Trump declared at the US-Mexico border. That included passage by the Republican-led Senate, in which 12 GOP senators nearly 1 of every 4 joined Democrats in blocking him. Trump vetoed that measure almost immediately. "We take an oath that we must honor" to protect the Constitution," Pelosi, D-Calif., speaking on her 79th birthday, said Tuesday. "The choice is simple, between partisanship and patriotism. Between honoring our sacred oath or hypocritically, inconsistently breaking this oath." Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, called Trump's declaration "constitutional vandalism." Republicans said Trump was merely following a 1976 law that gives presidents emergency powers, and was trying to head off Democrats with little concern about border security. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., said Trump was acting against the "radical left in this House that would dissolve our borders entirely if given the chance" a stance that no Democrat has taken. Rep. Paul Mitchell, R-Mich., called the veto override effort "a partisan whack job" because of its certain defeat. All 13 Republicans who voted with Democrats last month to oppose Trump's declaration did the same Tuesday. That group of moderates from swing districts and conservatives was joined by Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., who missed the earlier roll call. In a symbolic move, presiding over the House was freshman Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, representing a border district surrounding El Paso. The showdown began building last year. Trump's insistence on wall money prompted this winter's record 35-day partial government shutdown, which ended when he surrendered in January without getting any funds. Eventually a compromise was struck for $1.4 billion. Opponents of Trump's emergency warned that besides usurping Congress' power over spending, he was inviting future Democratic presidents to circumvent lawmakers by declaring emergencies to finance their own favored initiatives. Trump's declaration was the 60th presidential emergency under that statute, but the first aimed at spending that Congress explicitly denied, according to New York University's Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks the law. National Security Writer Robert Burns and reporter Lolita C. Baldor contributed. What to Know The hamlet of Glen Head in Long Island paused in grief Friday as a Marine Honor Guard carried a fallen brother home Sgt. Robert Hendriks was fighting in Afghanistan when roadside bomb killed him and 2 other Marines, including an FDNYer, earlier this month Hendricks' wake and funeral are scheduled for next week The hamlet of Glen Head in Long Island paused in grief Friday as a Marine Honor Guard carried a fallen brother home. Sgt. Robert Hendriks, 25, was fighting in Afghanistan when a roadside bomb killed him and two other Marines, including a New York City firefighter, earlier this month. Fridays sad homecoming was not what anyone had planned in this community, but many showed up to pay their respects. I cant imagine what the family is going through and we want to support them as well and tell them, Thank you, Glen Head resident Danielle Granelli said. It just brings it all home and makes you realized what theyre fighting for, Friend Christopher Tasso says Hendriks was looking forward to coming back to Long Island in two weeks last time he spoke with him. I spoke to him the day before he died, Tasso said. He lived a short life but a fulfilling life. Everything he did he gave 110 percent. He died with no enemies and he's gonna be continued being remembered as a hero. Hendricks' return was greeted by flags of all sizes many held by people who didn't know Hendriks personally, but honored his sacrifice for our country. I have two sons and neither one of them is in the military but I feel for this mother and this family, Glen Cove resident Nancy Kroeger said. A motorcade had carried Hendriks' body back to Long Island from Dover Air Force base in Delaware. Chopper 4 captured FDNY crews pausing to pay their respects. An FDNY veteran, 43-year-old Christopher Slutman was one of the other Marines killed with Hendriks. It hurts. It's our family, Mary Guastella, a Hendriks family friend, said. Great young man. Wanted to fight for our countryvery tragic what happened. Hendricks' wake and funeral are scheduled for next week. What to Know An NJ man was arrested after allegedly luring a Philadelphia woman through a dating site and then attacking her, police say He allegedly tossed her out of his car and kept some of her personal items after the attack; she flagged down a passing motorist Cops used the same dating site to catch the suspect, they say Authorities say a New Jersey man sexually assaulted a Philadelphia woman he met through an online dating site, but they then used the site to capture him. Cinnaminson police say Jerell Manson used the dating site POF, formerly known as PlentyofFish, to entice the woman to travel to New Jersey on Monday. They say the 22-year-old Florence man drove her to a remote area of Cinnaminson, attacked her and tossed her out of his car while keeping some of her personal items. The victim soon flagged down a passing motorist and was taken to a hospital. Authorities determined the location where the attack occurred and found some of her belongings there, including her driver's license. Police used the site to get Manson travel to Cinnaminson on Wednesday, thinking he was meeting a woman. They searched his vehicle and found the victim's license. What to Know A 7-year-old boy was fatally pinned between a van and a school bus in Far Rockaway on Wednesday The boy was transferring between the van and the school bus when the bus somehow accelerated and hit him, police said The boy's aunt described him as a straight-A student who was always smiling. She wants to see charges filed against those involved A 7-year-old boy who was fatally pinned between a van and a school bus was a straight-A student who was always smiling, his aunt said. Cameron Brown was walking between a red van and a yellow school bus on Gipson Street in Far Rockaway Wednesday afternoon when he was pinned by the van, police said. He was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His aunt, Maureen Brown, told News 4 her family had hired a private bus company to take Cameron and his sister to and from school. In recent weeks, the siblings were asked to make a transfer during the ride, getting off the red van and onto the yellow school bus. Cameron was crossing in front of the van when the driver somehow accelerated, pinning him against the bus, police said Thursday. Maureen said she and family members were unhappy with the transfer arrangement, and had been planning to find an alternative transportation method soon. I tried to switch buses, and I feel like I failed him, because I didnt [switch] fast enough, she said. Hes like a breath of fresh air. I cant even explain, she said. Hes just a good, humble kid. Cameron and his siblings had been living with relatives since their mother was deported to Jamaica a year ago, she said. The family isnt sure whether she will be allowed to fly in for her son's funeral. Maureen said she hopes to see charges filed against everyone involved in the incident. "If you were protecting [the kids] then this wouldnt have happened," she said. News 4 went to the van owner's apartment Thursday, but a building manager said the family was too upset to speak. Police havent charged anyone in connection with Camerons death, and its unclear if they will. What to Know Godiva opened its first permanent cafe in Manhattan A "croiffle" a stuffed croissant pressed into a waffle is on the menu in savory varieties The cafe is targeted towards people ages 25 to 35 who live busy, on-the-go lifestyles Godivas first permanent cafe is opening in Manhattan, with a menu that includes a croissant-waffle hybrid known as the "Croiffle," in addition to their other delectable Belgian treats. The Godiva Cafe in Midtown is geared towards the busy, on-the-go lifestyle of millennials, according to executive chef and chocolatier Thierry Muret. Inside the cafe, you will not find walls covered with millennial pink, but instead, a decades-old brand of quality, inventive, forward-thinking and delicious food. The prioritization of the brand and the quality is sure to reign supreme over the pure aesthetics approach of other millennial-targeted shops. Muret is the mind behind the new buzzworthy Croiffle a stuffed croissant pressed into a waffle. A fan favorite is sure to be the savory variety, especially the expertly-crafted three-cheese Croiffle. Through simplicity, Muret has actually created something quite unexpected and unique. The croissant is first precisely warmed in an oven to ensure thorough internal heating. Then, the whole croissant is pressed into the waffle maker, creating a flaky and and slightly crispy crust around the outside that wasnt there before. Through the two-step heating process, Muret solves the internal temperature problem that comes with the iron alone, as well as the mushy, uninteresting texture that comes from the oven alone, he said. Muret said his dream and a validation of the cafes success would be to see a customer ordering at the counter hurriedly while on the phone, receiving a freshly-made item in minutes, and watching the customer stop everything for a mere second in awe of the first bite. With a background in crystallography and engineering, science inspires all of Muret's creations. His method is similar to that of chefs of molecular cuisine, who decompose and recompose the food as an exploration. Science not only helps food taste better, but it helps with predictability when it comes to recreating it over and over again, Muret mentions. Being a chef wasnt exactly where Muret expected his career to take him, Muret told NBC 4 New York. After his sister came to the U.S. in the 80s, she asked Muret to start a Belgian chocolate shop with her in Chicago. He then switched to food and went into a traditional Belgian apprenticeship, where his master told him that chocolate is all about forming crystals, he said. After the president of Godiva tasted Murets chocolates at The Fancy Food Show, the rest was history. Though his path is unusual, universities like Purdue have created "culinology" programs in which students go into culinary after obtaining their bachelors degrees. Though the international brand of Godiva exudes decadence through the well-known premium Belgian chocolates, accessibility is very important to Muret. Not only do the menu prices need to stay affordable, Muret mentions that he is exploring ways to create vegan and gluten-free menu items without sacrificing texture and flavor. Though thats one of the biggest challenges, especially with foods like a croissant, Murets relationship with science will surely help. Currently, Muret is trying to perfect the foundation of the menu items, many of which are already vegetarian friendly. In one of the worlds most diverse cities, Muret is hopeful that the cafe will be a destination for chocolate lovers and beyond. According to Muret, the Godiva Cafe is even going to have a new mystery customization feature coming as early as 2020. You can try the full menu now at the Godiva Cafe at 560 Lexington Ave. in Manhattan. What to Know The man arrested with gas cans and lighters at St. Patrick's Cathedral had booked a flight to Italy earlier that morning, police say Marc Lamparello, 37, also had a run-in with NJ officers two days before; cops say he refused to leave a cathedral after it was closed Lamparello faces resisting arrest and other charges in the NJ case; he was charged with attempted arson and other crimes in the NYC one The PhD candidate who was arrested after law enforcement confrontations at churches in two states in a matter of days, including at New York City's iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral, is being evaluated at Bellevue Hospital, his attorney said. Marc Lamparello, 37, was arrested on attempted arson and other charges after allegedly trying to walk into St. Patrick's Wednesday night with two gasoline cans and lighter fluid. He was scheduled to face a judge Friday, but his arraignment was moved, his attorney Christopher DiLorenzo said. He is expected to be arraigned from Bellevue Hospital next Wednesday, April 24 if he is still admitted there, according to DiLorenzo. Lamparello had booked a one-way $2,800 flight to Italy for Thursday, police said. He was also arrested days earlier at a New Jersey church, law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation tell News 4. Authorities are still looking into his possible intentions regarding St. Patrick's; he had told police his minivan, parked nearby, was out of gas but that allegedly wasn't the case -- and he was evasive when asked questions by police. Investigators initially said Lamparello may have been emotionally disturbed. John Miller, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, described him as being "known to police." Two days before the St. Patrick's incident, sources say Lamparello had a confrontation with police after refusing to leave the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, New Jersey. When an officer told him it was closed, Lamparello said, "If you want me to leave tonight, you're gonna have to handcuff me and arrest me tonight and take me to jail," law enforcement sources tell News 4. He still didn't leave. Other officers arrived, at which point Lamparello threw himself onto a pew and yelled, "No!" then scuffled with police who tried to apprehend him, sources say. As he was being taken out of the cathedral, Lamparello told police he wasn't leaving. "God wants me to be here. I know all the sins the priests have committed," he said, according to law enforcement sources. Eventually he was handcuffed and taken to police headquarters to be booked on charges of defiant trespassing, obstruction and resisting arrest. Officials say they called in EMS to do an evaluation because Lamparello wasn't exhibiting rational behavior at the time; they found nothing wrong with him. Then the man's mother showed up, said he had an apartment in Manhattan and said she was taking him to her home in Hasbrouck Heights. The van allegedly involved in the St. Patrick's case was parked outside the New Jersey cathedral, but it was never searched because investigators had no reason to do so. Lamparello now faces charges of attempted arson, reckless endangerment, and trespassing in the St. Patrick's incident in addition to the New Jersey charges. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney. He has no prior criminal history of note. No one was hurt in either case, but some gasoline did spill on the floor of St. Patrick's as Lamparello was leaving; he had been stopped by a security guard. Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Thursday said the incident "in a way, as scary as it is, shows that our security is working." "Now, I hope [Lamparello] is getting mental care, because I think he's emotionally disturbed," he said. Heightened security at St. Patrick's is normal, but the NYPD has ramped up its efforts at the cathedral since the fire that tore through Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Monday, Miller noted. Lamparello, who published a book and teaches at Seton Hall, according to police, is a PhD student at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. As part of that PhD program, students are required to teach on other CUNY campuses. Lamparello taught one course at Brooklyn College, the school said, but was never employed there. He did, however, work at Lehman College, a spokeswoman said. In a statement Thursday, Lehman College spokesperson, Sarah Ramsey said the institution was aware of the arrest and taking action to terminate Lamparello. We are aware that an individual was arrested last night after an incident at St. Patricks Cathedral. The individual was hired at Lehman College during this academic year, and was a part-time, online instructor this semester. We are taking the appropriate steps to terminate the individuals employment with the college, she said. Lamparello had a separate incident in Hasbrouck Heights in December in which he went to police to say he thought he was being stalked by someone while at work and school in New York. He also said he had seen a Hasbrouck Heights police vehicle outside of his New Jersey home in late November and was jarred when it left moments later. Police told him the cruiser had nothing to do with any police business, and he left, apparently comfortable with the explanation, according to the incident report. A wealthy benefactor of Keith Raniere, the disgraced leader of a self-improvement group in upstate New York convicted of turning women into sex slaves who were branded with his initials, was sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison Wednesday in the federal conspiracy case. Seagrams liquor fortune heir Clare Bronfman will spend 81 months behind bars after her sentencing in Brooklyn federal court. Her lawyers wanted a judge to give her three years' probation instead of prison time, while prosecutors said she deserved at least five years behind bars. Bronfman was also ordered to pay a fine of $500,000 and will pay almost in restitution to victim "Jane Doe 12." U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis gave Clare Bronfman the harsh sentence at a hearing lasting more than three hours and featuring emotional statements from several victims gathered in a courtroom under strict coronavirus safety protocols. The judge repeatedly scolded Clare Bronfman for standing by Raniere and his upstate New York organization, even after the evidence made clear she eventually became aware of his sex-trafficking scheme. With that knowledge, she could have distanced herself from him, the judge said, his bench fitted with a sheet of plexiglass. Instead, she chose to double down on her support of Raniere. Before hearing the sentence, the 41 year-old Bronfman had told the judge in a soft voice that she was thankful for the prayers of her supporters. It doesnt mean I havent made mistakes because I have made mistakes, said Bronfman without mentioning Raniere. Acting U.S. Attorney Seth DuCharme said Bronfman "twisted out immigration system to serve a reprehensible agenda, and engaged in flagrant fraud to the detriment of her victims and in the service of a corrupt endeavor." Bronfman, 41, admitted in a guilty plea last year that she harbored someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid labor and services and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Raniere, leader of the group called NXIVM. Between Oct. 2015 and Jan. 2018, prosecutors said Bronfamn recruited individuals into NXIVM-related organizations, including one woman referred to as "Jane Doe 12" from Mexico. The heiress submitted documents that stated she would pay the woman $3,600 a month, but in reality that woman only received $4,000 for more than a year of work, prosecutors said. Bronfman responded to the woman's pleas for a living wage by saying she would have to "earn" her visa by doing additional uncompensated work, according to prosecutors. "While her fate in no way removes the trauma NXIVM's victims will likely continue to suffer, it does highlight the government's efforts to bring to justice all of those involved in a series of illegal acts carried out for the benefit of this organization," said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney. In a letter to the court last month, Bronfman wrote that she never meant to hurt anyone, however I have and for this I am deeply sorry. Still, she said that she couldnt disavow Raniere because NXIVM and Keith greatly changed my life for the better. At trial, prosecutors told jurors the 60-year-old Ranieres organization, NXIVM, operated like a cult whose members called him Vanguard. To honor him, the group formed a secret sorority comprised of brainwashed female slaves who were branded with his initials and forced to have sex with him, the prosecutors said. Bronfmans lawyers argued she deserved leniency because she had no direct involvement in the most disturbing allegations and has a health condition that could put her at greater risk for a coronavirus infection if incarcerated. But in court papers, prosecutors argued she deserved a serious punishment since, There can be little doubt that Raniere would not have been able to commit the crimes with which he was convicted were it not for powerful allies like Bronfman. The defendant had long been affiliated with NXIVM, giving away tens of millions of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes. She also paid for lawyers to defend the group against a lawsuit brought by its critics. Barbara Bouchey, a former Raniere girlfriend who worked as a financial planner for Bronfman before quitting the group, described how Bronfman used lawyers to threaten litigation and seek false criminal charges. She claimed the harassment has continued even as the defendant was approaching sentencing. Youve been under house arrest for two years, yet you have never stopped, Bouchey said through tears. Will you never stop? Along with Bronfman, Ranieres teachings won him the devotion of Hollywood actresses like Allison Mack of TVs Smallville. Mack also has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. As part of a plea agreement, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune prosecutors have said is worth $200 million. For the second straight day, national political figures showed support for striking Stop & Shop workers. Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg joined Stop & Shop employees on the picket line at the Malden, Massachusetts, store at noon on Friday. He was already scheduled to be in New Hampshire campaigning this weekend. "I'm running for president largely because I believe that our freedom depends on understanding how to make sure the changes in our society work for working people. What's happening at Stop & Shop is an example of the exact opposite," Buttigieg told the crowd. He said what's so inspiring about the strike is that workers are saying they are not going to stand for the cuts that make it difficult for them to get by. "This largest private sector strike in three years is sending a message that is going to ripple out far beyond New England," said Buttigieg. "And the message is that companies have to do right by their workers." Fellow Democratic presidential contender Amy Klobuchar also visited with striking workers Friday afternoon in Somerville. She said on Twitter that she stands in solidarity with the Stop & Shop workers. I stand in solidarity with the Stop & Shop workers who are asking for fair wages and compensation. Stopped by the Somerville, Massachusetts picket line today to lend my support @UFCW pic.twitter.com/47sz58uR2K Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) April 19, 2019 Their visits come a day after former Vice President Joe Biden rallied with Stop & Shop workers in Boston. More than 31,000 employees from more than 200 Stop & Shop stores in New England walked off the job on April 11 over stalled negotiations between the company and their union, the United Food and Commercial Workers. Friday marked the strike's ninth day. With Passover having begun and Easter just days away, Stop & Shop reiterated Friday that they are working on getting employees back to work and putting an end to the strike. "There is nothing we want more than having our associates back in the stores, taking care of customers and our communities," the company said. "We have offered fair and responsible contracts and remain in active negotiations to reach new agreements as quickly as possible that keep our associates among the highest paid grocery retail workers in New England, while also providing excellent health care and increased contributions to a defined benefit pension plan." Employees have received support from various politicians in recent days. Biden, who is expected to run for president in 2020, joined workers at a rally in Dorchester on Thursday. "People who bust their neck, people who go out and make a living, people who play by the rules, people who have done everything they were supposed to do, and people are entitled to be treated with respect and decency and fairness," said Biden. Former Vice President Joe Biden was among the big-name politicians who attended a rally Thursday afternoon in Bostons Dorchester neighborhood to support the 31,0000 striking Stop & Shop workers. "This is morally wrong what's going on in this country, and I've had enough of it. I'm sick of it, and so are you," Biden added. "We gotta stand together, and if we do, we will take back this country I mean it." Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, another Democratic presidential hopeful, met with Stop & Shop employees at the Somerville store last week. And fellow Democratic contenders Cory Booker and Kamala Harris have also shown their support for the workers on Twitter. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, who also attended Thursday's rally, said he supports the employees and union. "When I heard about this strike and I saw some of the papers going back and forth, and one, the company wanted to take away health insurance that's something we can't stand for," he said. Numerous rabbis in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut have also advised their congregations to refrain from crossing picket lines. "Stop & Shop and the five UFCW local unions are continuing negotiations into the evening," said Stop & Shop officials in a statement Friday night. "We remain focused on reaching fair new agreements that provide market-leading wages, excellent health benefits for eligible associates and increased pension contributions for all our associates." South Korean President Moon Jae-in will travel to the United States in two weeks for a summit with President Donald Trump on stalemated North Korean nuclear diplomacy. It would be their first meeting since Trump's second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Hanoi last month collapsed due to disputes on U.S.-led sanctions. The breakdown of that summit put Moon, a liberal who has shuttled between Washington and Pyongyang, in a difficult position on how to further engage North Korea and facilitate the nuclear diplomacy. Moon's office said Moon will visit the United States on April 10-11 to discuss how to strengthen their countries' alliance and achieve North Korea's complete denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. The White House said Trump and first lady Melania Trump will welcome Moon and his wife Kim Jung-sook to the White House on April 11. It said in a statement the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea "remains the linchpin of peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the region." Earlier this month, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui threatened to pull out of the nuclear negotiations with the United States citing a lack of its corresponding steps to match some disarmament measures North Korea took last year. She said Kim would soon decide whether to continue the talks and his moratorium on nuclear and missile tests. South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers in a private briefing Friday that North Korea has nearly completed its work to restore a long-range rocket launch facility that it had partially dismantled last year at the beginning of the nuclear diplomacy, according to Kim Min-ki, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The lawmaker also cited the National Intelligence Service as saying the North's uranium-enrichment facility at its main nuclear complex remains operational. The NIS said it doesn't comment on intelligence assessments provided to lawmakers. Citing analyses of commercial satellite imagery, many civilian experts in the U.S. have previously given similar assessments on the North's Tongchang-ri launch facility and the Yongbyon nuclear complex. But there have been no reports that North Korea is preparing for a long-range rocket launch or a nuclear test anytime soon. Before their summit, Kim Jong Un sent a letter to Trump heaping praise on him and making clear that he only wanted to negotiate with the president, current and former U.S. officials told NBC News. Officials across the U.S. government and in allied governments worked to stop Trump from giving up too much in negotiations, they said. "A huge amount of energy was devoted to avoiding disaster," one former U.S. official said. Moon's push to expand ties with North Korea and resume dormant inter-Korean economic projects is in doubt as U.S. officials maintain that sanctions on North Korea would stay in place unless the country takes significant denuclearization steps. North Korea recently withdrew its entire staff at a frontline liaison office with South Korea before sending some of them back to the office. Seoul's Defense Ministry said Friday that North Korea hasn't responded to its offer 11 days ago to hold military talks to discuss planned joint searches for Korean War dead at their border area. Also Friday, South Korea received the first two of the 40 F-35A fighter jets that it has agreed to buy from Lockheed Martin by 2021. The F-35A jets that arrived at an airport in southern South Korea have become the country's first stealth fighter jets. North Korea has previously called the introduction of F-35A aircraft a plot by Seoul to attack North Korea. Some experts say North Korea still hopes to keep diplomacy with the United States alive because it is desperate to win sanctions relief to revive its trouble economy. In a possible reflection of its resolve to press ahead with its engagement policy on North Korea, South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday reiterated its position that it will push to hold a regular summit with North Korea and realize Kim's promise to travel to Seoul. President Donald Trump lashed out Friday at current and former aides who cooperated with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, insisting the deeply unflattering picture they painted of him and the White House was "total bullshit." In a series of angry tweets from rainy Palm Beach, Florida, Trump laced into those who, under oath, had shared with Mueller their accounts of how Trump tried numerous times to squash or influence the investigation and portrayed the White House as infected by a culture of lies, deceit and deception. "Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue," Trump wrote, adding that some were "total bullshit & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad)." The attacks were a dramatic departure from the upbeat public face the White House had put on it just 24 hours earlier, when Trump celebrated the report's findings as full exoneration and his counselor Kellyanne Conway called it "the best day" for Trump's team since his election. While the president, according to people close to him, did feel vindicated by the report, he also felt betrayed by those who had painted him in an unflattering light even though they were speaking under oath and had been directed by the White House to cooperate fully with Mueller's team. The reaction was not entirely surprising and had been something staffers feared in the days ahead of the report's release as they wondered how Mueller might portray their testimony and whether the report might damage their relationships with Trump. While Mueller found no criminal evidence that Trump or his campaign aides colluded in Russian election meddling and did not recommend obstruction charges against the president, the 448-page report released Thursday nonetheless paints a damaging picture of the president, describing numerous cases where he discouraged witnesses from cooperating with prosecutors and prodded aides to mislead the public on his behalf to hamper the Russia probe he feared would cripple his presidency. The accounts prompted Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, who has sometimes clashed with Trump, to release a statement saying he was "sickened at the extent and pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection by individuals in the highest office of the land, including the President." "Reading the report is a sobering revelation of how far we have strayed from the aspirations and principles of the founders," he said. The report concluded that one reason Trump managed to stay out of trouble was that his "efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful ... largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." That didn't spare those who defied Trump's wishes from his wrath. Trump appeared to be especially angry with former White House counsel Don McGahn, who sat with Mueller for about 30 hours of interviews, and is referenced numerous times in the report. In one particularly vivid passage, Mueller recounts how Trump called McGahn twice at home and directed him to set in motion Mueller's firing. McGahn recoiled, packed up his office and threatened to resign, fearing the move would trigger a potential crisis akin to the Saturday Night Massacre of firings during the Watergate era. In another section, Mueller details how Trump questioned McGahn's note-taking, telling the White House counsel that, "Lawyers don 't take notes" and that he'd "never had a lawyer who took notes." "Watch out for people that take so-called "notes," when the notes never existed until needed," Trump said in one of his tweets Friday. Others whose contemporaneous notes were referenced in the report include former staff secretary Rob Porter and Reince Priebus, Trump's first chief of staff. Trump ended his tweet with the word, "a..." suggesting more was coming. More than eight hours later, he finally completed his thought, calling the probe a "big, fat, waste of time, energy and money" and threatening investigators by saying, "It is now finally time to turn the tables and bring justice to some very sick and dangerous people who have committed very serious crimes, perhaps even Spying or Treason." There is no evidence of either. Trump, who is in Florida for the Easter weekend, headed to his West Palm Beach golf club Friday after some early morning rain had cleared. There he played golf with conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh "and a couple friends," according to the White House. He'll spend the rest of the weekend with family, friends and paying members of his private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. As Trump hopped off the steps from Air Force One on Thursday evening, he was greeted by a throng of supporters, who clamored for autographs and selfies. He repeatedly told the crowd "thank you everybody" as they yelled encouragement. Ari Fleischer, who served as White House press secretary to former President George W. Bush, said in an appearance on Fox News that he didn't understand why Trump decided to send his tweets lashing out at former aides. "I think it's over," he said. "If I were the president, I would have basically declared victory with the Mueller report and everything that came out and move beyond it." Still, he said he hoped the White House had learned some lessons. "The president and his entire team needs to realize how close they came to being charged with obstruction," Fleischer said. "Asking your staff to lie and engaging in some of the activities that the Mueller report stated the president engaged in is too close to obstruction. And that's a lesson I hope everybody at the White House takes with them going forward." Buoyed by word that the special counsel didn't 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 he's 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 administration's 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 "we're 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 Obama's 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 repeal's 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 couldn't tackle health care when they had unified control of Washington, and the prospects in divided government are even bleaker. Instead, aides said, Trump's 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 Mueller's 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 administration's course reversal, warning that it made little political sense after the GOP's losses in the 2018 midterm elections, according to people familiar with the call. They spoke only on condition of anonymity to discuss private discussions. Trump's White House had already been supportive in the lawsuit brought by Republican state attorneys general to challenge the law's 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 didn't 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 administration's efforts to push the poor toward self-sufficiency were dealt a blow Wednesday when a federal judge ruled that Medicaid work requirements undermined the program's mission of providing health care for the needy. AP's 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 Obama's 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 don't 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 Pelosi's 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 Trump's attention? "What is the number one issue still out there? It's 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 we're making a mistake." Associated Press writers Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Alan Fram contributed to this report. What to Know A local-federal task force has announced the arrest of a Philadelphia man in connection with a $1.8M fire that destroyed a thrift shop. The April 7 blaze tore through a Port Richmond warehouse that housed the Thrifty Irishman. The ATF said Friday they arrested Joseph Wolbert. Wolbert, 65, is charged with arson, causing a catastrophe and related offenses. A Philadelphia man has been charged with setting a 4-alarm fire that consumed a popular thrift store in Philadelphia's Port Richmond section earlier this month. Joseph Wolbert is charged with arson, causing a catastrophe and related crimes for the April 7 blaze at the Thrifty Irishman thrift shop along E. Butler Street, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said Friday. The shop was housed in a warehouse that was completely destroyed by the fire. An estimated $1.8 million in damage was inflicted by the fire, the ATF said. No one was injured. Federal investigators were called in to assist in determining a cause of the fire. The ATF dispatched a National Response Team to the scene which, through its investigation, found evidence that linked Wolbert to the fire, the agency said. Investigators did not say how the fire was set. Wolbert, 65, is being held on $100,000 bail at the city correctional facility. It is not clear if he has retained an attorney. Pennsylvania court records link him to a long criminal history including a 1998 guilty plea for murder and homicide by vehicle. He served at least eight years for that crime, records show. What to Know Henry Tomah, 62, of Yeadon, was driving to work when he was struck and killed by a driver who fled the scene. The hit-and-run driver has been identified as Terry Lanier, 27, of Philadelphia. Police continue to search for Lanier, who's charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, and other related offenses. A Delaware County family is mourning a man who was on his way to work when he was struck and killed by a speeding, hit-and-run driver, police said. "I am hurt," Danlette Tomah told NBC10. "I want to know why. Why they did this and ran." Danlette Tomah's husband, 62-year-old Henry Tomah, was leaving his home in Yeadon, Pennsylvania, Tuesday around 3 p.m. and heading to work. At the same time, two white vehicles were stopped at a traffic light at Bailey Road and Church Lane. Both drivers spotted an officer exiting a business on foot. Once the light changed they accelerated, driving up to 70 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to investigators. One of the vehicles made it through the intersection at Church Lane and Darnell Avenue. The second car crashed into Tomah's vehicle. The impact forced Tomahs car 15 to 20 feet into a telephone pole. Tomah was trapped inside his car until he was extricated by responding Yeadon Fire personnel. He was taken to the Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he died from his injuries later that night. "He was everything for us," Tomah's sister, Mary Zou, told NBC10. "Now we've lost him." Police identified the driver of the striking vehicle as Terry Lanier, 27, of Philadelphia. Another vehicle picked Lanier up and fled the scene moments after the crash, police said. Investigators said Lanier may have been involved in a street race at the time of the crash. "A complete and reckless indifference to human life," Yeadon Police Chief Anthony Paparo said. "This guy needs to come in. He needs to atone for what he did." After fleeing the scene, Lanier allegedly told his sister to call in the getaway vehicle as stolen. Police checked a network of license plate readers and found the car, which was about to be painted, inside a garage, according to investigators. While police found the vehicle, they continue to search for Lanier. Hes charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, accidents involving personal injury or death and related offenses. Tomah was originally from Liberia but had been in the United States for decades. He worked at the King of Prussia Mall and was also a counselor at a group home. Investigators said Lanier likely has bruising on his face from the airbag. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please call police. What to Know Six teenagers were arrested after fights broke out during the annual Spring Carnival in Aston, Pennsylvania. Police say the fights stemmed from a rivalry between two out of town groups. No one was seriously injured. The carnival was shut down for the weekend due to the fighting. At least six teens were arrested and the annual Spring Carnival in Aston, Pennsylvania, was closed after fights broke out Thursday night. Police responded to the fights shortly before 10 p.m. on the 2900 block of Dutton Mill Road. Investigators said there were initial reports of possible shots being fired and guns being pulled but those reports proved to be unfounded. Responding officers requested the assistance of multiple police departments for crowd control. The crowd was evacuated and at least six teenagers were arrested. They were charged with disorderly conduct and later released. No one was seriously injured during the incident. Police told NBC10 the fights stemmed from a rivalry between two groups and that everyone involved were from neighboring townships outside of Aston. After the incident, Sean Joyce, the President of the Aston Township Fire Department, announced the carnival would be shut down. [What] was once a local family tradition, has turned into a landing spot for out of town troublemakers, he wrote. In an effort to maintain the great relationship we have worked so hard to develop with the residents of Aston we have collectively made the decision to shut the carnival down permanently. Be sure to watch NBC10 News starting at 4 a.m. for more details on this developing story. A Colorado community will mark the 20th anniversary of the attack on Columbine High School on Saturday with community service projects and a ceremony remembering the 13 people killed by teenage gunmen. Saturday's events in and around the suburban community surrounding Columbine end a three-day slate of somber ceremonies honoring the 12 students and a teacher who were killed and lending support to their families, survivors of the attack and the school's students and staff. The days surrounding the anniversary remain emotionally fraught for survivors of the attack, including hundreds who escaped the building without physical wounds. Some describe their response to the month as an "April fog," dominated by their own memories of the sunny Tuesday in April that shocked the world. Since 1999, American schools have tried to prevent a threat that had once been unthinkable. Districts across the country formed teams to assess threats and cooperate with law enforcement on a response. Drills training students to evacuate their school or "lockdown" and hide from a shooter are routine. School security has become a multibillion-dollar industry, adding specialized doors, surveillance video and other technology. This week brought a new demonstration of that burden as federal authorities led a manhunt for a Florida teen described as "infatuated" with the 1999 shooting who traveled to Denver on Monday and purchased a shotgun. On Tuesday, authorities published the young woman's name and photo after learning of her obsession with Columbine and the gun purchase. They said she had not made specific threats but dozens of schools, including Columbine, locked their doors Tuesday. More than 400,000 kids stayed home on Wednesday when schools shut down across the metro area. The 18-year-old was discovered dead of an apparent suicide Wednesday morning in the foothills west of Denver, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Columbine. Long-planned events marking the anniversary continued as scheduled, beginning with a Thursday evening church service and a community vigil Friday night at a memorial constructed within sight of the school. The Columbine perpetrators, who took their own lives during the attack, have inspired cult-like admirers including some who have committed other shootings or were prevented from doing so. Officials overseeing security at Columbine and other schools in Jefferson County acknowledged the dark interest this week and warned off those who would treat the school as a destination. "We are not a place to come visit if you're not a student, if you don't have business there," John McDonald, security chief for the school district, said Wednesday. "We're not a tourist attraction and we're not a place for you to come and gain inspiration." Security remained heightened at Denver-area schools through the week. People who plan to attend the public remembrance ceremony Saturday afternoon at a park near Columbine also have been warned of security checkpoints. The school itself will be closed to the public. SUICIDE PREVENTION HELP: Here is information on suicide prevention from the National Institute of Mental Health. If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting Home to 741741. Rep. Tim Ryan announced Thursday that he is running for president, adding to the growing 2020 field of Democratic candidates, NBC News reported. The Ohio congressman made the announcement online as he was set to appear on daytime talk show "the View." According to his campaign, he plans a kickoff rally with local union leaders in Youngstown, Ohio, highlighting his longstanding ties with the area's working class community. Ryan is known for having challenged then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is now speaker of the House, for the leadership of the Democrats in Congress after the 2016 election. The attempt was unsuccessful, but he became a fixture on cable news. His message is progressive and worker-friendly, and he's already made several trips to New Hampshire and Iowa. There's a super bloom impostor out there, masquerading as a colorful wildflower as it blankets some of Southern California's scenic hillsides. From a distance, it looks like a vibrant yellow flower -- just another part of the rich tapestry that bloomed after a wet winter. Maybe you've even seen it in a few Instagram posts. But black mustard is actually a harmful weed that can push out native plants like California's celebrated poppies, lupines and others. The aggressive bully of a weed spread this spring along the 101 Freeway, Pacific Coast Highway, Mulholland Highway and locations throughout the Santa Monica Mountains. The winter annual produces chemicals that prevent native plant germination. They also grow quickly, sucking up water that would otherwise be available for native plants. Black mustard has already taken over wildfire-scarred hillsides in the Malibu area, growing up to 10 feet tall in clumps with thick stalks that make it difficult for hikers and mountain bikers when it overruns trails. And, the problems don't end there. "In a couple of months, the mustard will dry out, turn brown and become tinder for wildfire," said Joseph Algiers, a restoration ecologist for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. "Sadly, newly burned sites are more subject to invasion." Of the 300 non-native plant species in the Santa Monica Mountains, biologists have identified the worst offenders as the Evil 25, but black mustard isn't part of the list. There are projects in place to combat the spread of plants on the list, but black mustard is another type of beast. "It would probably be easier to get another man on the moon than to get rid of this invasive plant on a regional scale," Algiers said. The National Park Service is looking for volunteers to help battle invasive plants. Click here for information. San Diego-area political science professors pointed out the most concerning aspect of the Mueller Report had nothing to do with the president but rather, the security of our elections. Undermining the integrity of the system, explained Evan Crawford, Assistant Political Science Professor at the University of San Diego. Shaking our faith that the results are going to be the results. UC San Diego Professor Thad Kousser pointed out that behind the debate over alleged obstruction and collusion, we find hundreds of pages in the Mueller Report discussing a foreign government attacking our election systems. This is an unprecedented attack on Americas Democratic institutions, Kousser said. We have never had a foreign government essentially try to invade our elections at the same scale and with the same success that Russia had. The report details Russian social media ploys and hacking and social media posts not only bashing candidates but also bashing election legitimacy. There was hacking not only into partisan groups and campaigns but also into local and state governments, targeting elections. Crawford believes eroding confidence in our election systems is the most concerning aspect of the report. We have no reason to believe theyre not going to continue to keep doing it, he adds. So what is California doing about it? California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said our voting systems are safe, in part, because we require paper ballots. We keep our voting system offline to make it impossible to systematically hack or rig an election, Padilla said. Adding in partnership with our counties, there is added cyber security training for election officials and even poll workers. Padilla said the state has doubled down on security. By all measures, 2016 was a safe and secure election, 2018 was a safe and secure and smooth election and were prepared to deliver the same in 2020, Padilla said. A criminal investigation will not be launched after the remains of twin fetuses were discovered in a treatment plant in downtown San Diego, police said Friday. The San Diego Police Department said the human fetuses, discovered at a facility on Harbor Drive on Thursday, were not at a viable stage of development to warrant a criminal investigation. While no criminal investigation will be launched, police are still searching for the mother, SDPD Lt. Matt Dobbs said in a written release. They are concerned she may have suffered some sort of medical distress while giving birth. "This is obviously a very difficult time and the investigators hope these developments will give the mother the confidence to seek whatever medical or emotional assistance she may need," Dobbs said. The SDPD said the Safe Surrender Baby Law allows for the anonymous surrender of a newborn to any emergency room or fire station across San Diego County. California passed the law 20 years ago to prevent the abandonment of babies that could result in injury or death. Dobbs said it was unclear if the Safe Surrender Program would have prevented the death of the fetuses discovered Thursday. Anyone with information on the case was asked to call SDPDs Homicide Unit at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. The committee behind a multi-million dollar proposal to add parking and change routes through Balboa Park announced Thursday they have terminated the public-private partnership approved by the city three years ago, effectively dissolving any chance of the renovation moving forward. In a statement released Thursday afternoon, the Plaza de Panama Committee said they had looked into proceeding with the project in stages however, they were not able to gain the support of City Councilman Chris Ward, District 3. Read the entire statement here. The Plaza de Panama project in Balboa Park has been put on hold due to rising construction costs and legal delays, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer revealed two months ago. Construction bids were coming in millions of dollars over earlier estimates. In February, Faulconer said the city would focus on improving the park by repairing and renovating museums, promenades and general infrastructure. "The City is fully committed to strengthening Balboa Park's position as the cultural heart of San Diego," his statement said. The project to create acres of pedestrian-friendly public space in Balboa Park was approved by the San Diego City Council in 2016. Proponents believed the changes will help preserve the park. Environmentalists and historic preservationists fought the efforts through city hall and legal challenges. A Massachusetts man who sent threatening letters filled with white powder to President Donald Trump's sons, Antonio Sabato Jr., Sen. Debbie Stabenow and a law professor was sentenced Friday in federal court to five years of probation. The judge declined to send Daniel Frisiello to prison, as prosecutors had sought, because of concerns the 25-year-old man from Beverly, who is developmentally disabled, would not respond well to incarceration. But he stressed the sentence wasn't "lenient." "Do not underestimate how serious I am treating your crimes," Judge Nathaniel Gorton said to Frisiello as the dozens of his family members, friends and supporters who had packed the court proceeding hugged, cried and sighed in relief. Frisiello was also ordered to serve his first year of probation in home confinement, and has been banned for the full five years from accessing the internet or sending mail without prior approval. Frisiello also won't be allowed to have a computer, tablet or other device with access to the internet. Frisiello, who pleaded guilty in October to sending the threatening letters, thanked Groton in brief remarks in court for not sending him to prison. The past year, he said, has been "hell" for his family. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Garland, who had sought a three-year prison sentence, argued that Frisiello had carefully considered the letter writing campaign, which included 13 letters over three years. He researched the best addresses and took steps to avoid detection, like dropping them off at different mailboxes, Garland said. "This was not an impulsive thing," he said. "At every step, there was a chance for deliberation." Imposing only probation, Garland said, was akin to sending Frisiello back to the life he had before his arrest, which was largely spent at home on the internet. Frisiello and family declined to comment after the hearing, but William Flick, his lawyer, argued in court that prison would be physically and mentally harmful to Frisiello, who he said has significant developmental issues from brain damage at birth, autism and anxiety disorder. Flick also argued probation is appropriately severe for a person with Frisiello's condition because it takes away what few opportunities he has to interact with society, such as going to work or spending time with family and friends outside the house. Acknowledging the nearly 90 letters of support written to the judge on Frisiello's behalf, Flick said it was "tragic" no one in his client's extensive support network had noticed the signs that his penchant for writing letters to celebrities and other notable people had gone from a seemingly harmless obsession to something far darker. "He clearly felt like he wasn't being heard, and so he became threatening," Flick said. Prosecutors say Frisiello sent a letter to Donald Trump Jr. that was opened in February by his now-estranged wife, Vanessa, at their New York City home. She called 911 and was briefly hospitalized after she reported she was coughing and felt nauseous. He also sent a white powder letter to Eric Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign that said his father must drop out of the race or the next letter wouldn't be fake. The substance in all of the letters turned out not to be hazardous. Other letter recipients included Stabenow, the Democratic U.S. senator from Michigan; Michele Dauber, a Stanford University law professor who promoted an effort to recall California judge Aaron Persky; and Sabato, a former underwear model and soap opera actor who is running for Congress in California as a Republican and spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Hoaxes involving white powder have been common since anonymous letters laced with anthrax spores were sent to media companies and congressional offices days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, killing five people and infecting 17 others. Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says his heart is in the commonwealth, which is why hes not running for president. Instead, hell work to get Democrats re-elected to the General Assembly. It really was a tough decision, he said. I really wanted to run for president. Normally, it would be Gov. Ralph Northams job to campaign with Democratic candidates and help them raise funds, but he was forced to cancel a Northern Virginia appearance for a state senator Sunday when demonstrators gathered at the venue. The top three elected officials in Virginia Democrats Northam, Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax and Attorney General Mark Herring each has faced scandal. Northam and Herring both admitted in February to having worn blackface as young men, while Fairfax has been accused by two women of sexual assault, which he denies. Ive had a steady drumbeat of folks saying you need to come back, you need to do this, McAuliffe said. Then Monday, word came that donations to Northam, Fairfax and Herring had all but dried up. Party needs me now. Why? Because I can help them, McAuliffe said. We can win the House; we can win the Senate and really take Virginia to the next level. McAuliffe said his decision is also about preserving his legacy from his four years as governor. Prince William County Del. Hala Ayala, who was part of the 2017 blue wave that almost gave Democrats control of the House of Delegates, said she welcomes McAuliffes help. I think Gov. McAuliffe is a surge of energy that we need here in the commonwealth, she said. She doesnt think the cloud over Northam, Fairfax and Herring will hurt her campaign. I think what my focus is as a legislator is not what happens at the top of the ticket but what happens right in my backyard, she said. Republican Party leaders will continue to keep the spotlight on troubles facing the top three Democrats, but at the local level, the focus is different. Republican Rich Anderson, who is trying to win back the seat he lost to Ayala two years ago, said the scandals in Richmond factored in his decision to run again. It was very embarrassing, and as a result I wanted to get back into the fray, so thats why I presented myself as a candidate, he said. But he said he wont bring up the governors troubles to voters. Ill tell you what Im hearing, and its the classic kitchen-table issues: transportation, education, public safety, jobs, economy, those sort of things, he said. A young man with a promising future was gunned down in his Maryland apartment complex. Those close to the victim say there were potentially missed warning signs involving the suspected killer. Tyrique Hudson, 22, grew up in North Carolina and was hired to work as an engineer at a company in Maryland after graduating from college early, a family friend told News4 by phone. "Tyrique was the most amazing young man that I have ever met," family friend Candice Winstead-Holden said. Hudson lived in an apartment in Glen Burnie and was leaving for work Monday morning when police say his neighbor, 53-year-old James Verombeck, shot and killed Hudson near the stairwell. One resident said her husband heard the shooting and saw the aftermath. "He said that they heard gun shots and, you know, he came out just to see what was happening and someone was already on the ground," she said. She did not want to be identified. Verombeck barricaded himself inside his apartment for 10 hours before SWAT officers made the decision to move in and arrest him. Court documents show Hudson had reported previous incidents involving Verombeck. In February, Hudson tried to get a protective order on Verombeck after telling a judge Verombeck used his hands to threaten his life. "He did this gesture under his neck like, you know, how somebody would slit somebodys neck? And he did that," Winstead-Holden said. But the judge denied the request saying there wasnt enough proof... Now family members and friends are devastated and left with so many unanswered questions. "We just couldnt wrap our minds around why? Why? Why?" After a big catered event at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, pounds upon pounds of food are left over. For several years, the chamber has donated that food to So Others Might Eat (SOME), using their own employees to donate the food. Since April 3, however, a new app in town has allowed the chamber to get food to SOME and other nonprofits much more efficiently. Goodr closes the gap between food providers with leftovers and nonprofits looking to feed the hungry, and it does so while paying its drivers a living wage. Jasmine Crowe started Goodr after witnessing firsthand just how much needed to be done about food insecurity. Since 2014, she had been running "Sunday Soul" Pop-Up Dinners for homeless people in cities like Atlanta and Washington. When she realized how much wasted food could be used for these dinners, she knew she had to help others connect the dots. "I was providing [food] to kind of these vulnerable populations," Crowe said, "but at the same time, all this perfectly good food was going to waste." Goodr launched in Atlanta in 2017, and by the beginning of 2018 its app was ready. By using the app, caterers can track how many pounds of food theyre wasting, what food theyre wasting the most of and their estimated tax savings to date. Crowe says the service, which does cost food providers a volume-based fee based on how much food is donated, is a more ethical and cost-effective alternative to just throwing the food away. "You're already paying a waste management bill, with Goodr we are coming in and serving as a waste management bill just as a different realm," Crowe said. Because Goodr quantifies exactly how much food is being donated, it aids caterers in filing for tax breaks on their donations. Under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Act, a federal law signed by President Clinton in 1996, caterers operating under good faith arent liable for any unintended risks associated with food donations. According to food waste nonprofit ReFED, corporations who are donating food under certain circumstances may be eligible to "deduct up to 15% of their taxable income for food donations." For Crowe, though, the focus isnt on tax breaks, but rather on finding ways to redistribute food from those who have too much to those who have too little. "I think there's a lot of opportunity," Crowe said. "We show them what it really means to get food to people in need." In the midst of a regional crisis over Venezuela and tough economic straits, the Cuban government is about to launch a sweeping makeover of its centrally planned, single-party system with dozens of new laws that could reshape everything from criminal justice to the market economy. Nearly a year of debate and discussion ended last month with the approval of Cuba's first constitutional reform since 1976. Some observers see the new constitution as a merely cosmetic update aimed at assuring one of the world's last communist systems won't get another revamp until long after the passing of its founding fathers, now in their late 80s and early 90s. Others see the potential for a slow-moving but deep set of changes that will speed the modernization of Cuba's economically stagnant authoritarian bureaucracy. Cuban legal experts told The Associated Press that they expect the government to send the National Assembly between 60 and 80 new laws over the next two years to replace ones rendered obsolete by the new constitution. The assembly is virtually certain to unanimously approve all government proposals, as it has for decades. "I expect to see big changes in Cuba with the new constitution," said Julio Antonio Fernandez, a constitutional law professor at the University of Havana. "A new state structure, a transformed political system, led by the Communist Party, of course, but different and confronting big challenges." One of the first changes will be in Cuba's political system. Within five months, the government is required to pass a new electoral law that splits the roles of head of state and government between the current president and the new post of prime minister. A new set of governors will replace the Communist Party first secretaries as the highest official in Cuba's 15 provinces. While the Communist Party remains the only permitted political group, the wording of the new constitution could allow voters to choose between various candidates rather than simply voting yes or no for a candidate pre-selected by a government commission, experts said. A new business law could create a formal role for small and medium-sized businesses. Until now, all private workers and employers are legally classified as "self-employed," leading to situations in which hundreds of thousands of "self-employed" waiters, cooks, maids, construction workers and janitors go to work each day for the "self-employed" owners of restaurants, bed-and-breakfasts and construction contractors. Business owners hope legal recognition will bring them privileges like the right to import and export, now held only by state monopolies. "There's a full-on effort to give life to the new constitution, to accompany it with laws so it doesn't become a dead letter," Homero Acosta, the secretary of the Cuba's Council of State and one of the key figures in the reform, said on state television this month. A new family code is expected to address the issue of gay marriage, which was struck from the new constitution after popular resistance. A new criminal code will for the first time create the right of habeas corpus, requiring the state to justify a citizens' detention, and give Cubans the right to know what information the government holds about them. The revamped criminal law could also, experts said, contain stronger provisions against domestic violence, greater environmental protections and animal rights and create tougher punishments for government mismanagement and corruption. Cuba's powerful military and intelligence ministries employ tens of thousands of agents and informants, control much of the economy and are often exempted from the rules governing civilian sectors of the government. Whether the Interior Ministry and Revolutionary Armed Forces will be subject to the new limits in the legal reform remains an open question. Cuba is in its fourth year of expected zero to minimal growth, and the government feels increasingly threatened by the Trump administration's effort to overthrow Venezuela's Cuban-allied government as the first step in an offensive against socialist states throughout Latin America. Only 78 percent of registered voters, some 6.8 million out of 8.7 million, said "yes" to the new constitution in a Feb. 24 referendum. That's a massive approval rate in any other country but relatively low for Cuba, where voters usually approve government proposals by margins well over 90 percent. In this case, some 700,000 voted "no," while others abstained or filed marred or blank ballots. That could put unusual pressure on the government to come up with new laws that win widespread public approval, rather than simply imposing new regulations after closed meetings of Communist Party and government leaders. "The referendum showed that Cuba is a more politically diverse society than it often seems on the surface," constitutional lawyer Raudiel Pena said. "Now let's hope that lawmakers really take that into consideration." Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election identified 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Mueller said in his report that he could not conclusively determine that Trump had committed a crime or that he hadn't. A look at the 10 instances: PRESSURE ON COMEY TO END PROBE OF MICHAEL FLYNN This includes the president's statement to then-FBI Director James Comey regarding the investigation of then-national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump told Comey: "I hope you can see your way to letting this go." PRESIDENT'S REACTION TO THE CONTINUING RUSSIA INVESTIGATION Among the evidence is the president telling then-White House counsel Don McGahn to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself from the Russia investigation and Trump's subsequent anger at Sessions. Trump also contacted Comey and other intelligence agency leaders to ask them to push back publicly on the suggestion that Trump had any connection to the Russian election-interference effort. FIRING OF COMEY AND AFTERMATH Mueller's report says "substantial evidence" indicates Trump's decision to fire Comey in May 2017 was the result of the FBI director's unwillingness to say publicly that Trump was not personally under investigation. On the day after Trump fired Comey, the president told Russian officials that he had "faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL AND EFFORTS TO REMOVE HIM Trump reacted to news of Mueller's appointment by telling advisers that it was "the end of his presidency." The president told aides that Mueller had conflicts of interest and should have to step aside. His aides told Trump the asserted conflicts were meritless. Following media reports that Mueller's team was investigating whether the president had obstructed justice, Trump called then-White House counsel Don McGahn at home and directed him to have Mueller removed. McGahn refused. FURTHER EFFORTS TO CURTAIL THE SPECIAL COUNSEL's INVESTIGATION Trump instructed former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to have Sessions publicly announce that, notwithstanding his recusal from the Russia investigation, the investigation was "very unfair" to the president, the president had done nothing wrong, and Sessions planned to meet with Mueller to limit him to "investigating election meddling for future elections." EFFORTS TO PREVENT PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF EVIDENCE In summer of 2017, Trump learned that the news media planned to report on the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between senior campaign officials and Russians offering derogatory information about Hillary Clinton. The president directed aides not to publicly disclose the emails setting up the meeting. Before the emails became public, the president also edited a press statement for Donald Trump Jr. by deleting a line that acknowledged that the meeting was "with an individual who (Trump Jr.) was told might have information helpful to the campaign." ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO HAVE SESSIONS TAKE CONTROL OF INVESTIGATION At several points in between July 2017 and December 2017, Trump tried to get Sessions to declare that he was no longer recused from the Russia investigation and would assert control over it. The report says there's evidence that one purpose of asking Sessions to step in was so that the attorney general would restrict the investigation's scope. TRUMP ORDERS WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL TO DENY THAT PRESIDENT TRIED TO FIRE MUELLER In an Oval Office meeting in February 2018, Trump told McGahn to "correct" a New York Times story that reported Trump had earlier instructed McGahn to fire Mueller. Trump also asked why McGahn had told Mueller's investigators about the directive to remove Mueller. McGahn told Trump he had to tell the investigators the truth. TRUMP'S ACTIONS TOWARD, FLYNN, MANAFORT AND OTHER POSSIBLE WITNESSES Mueller looked at whether Trump's sympathetic messages to Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort and others were intended to limit their cooperation with Mueller's investigation. When Flynn began cooperating with prosecutors, Trump passed word through his lawyer that he still had warm feeling for Flynn and asked for a "heads up" if Flynn knew of information implicating Trump. Trump praised Manafort during and after his criminal convictions, and refused to rule out a pardon for his former campaign chairman. TRUMP ACTIONS TOWARD MICHAEL COHEN Mueller noted that Trump's conduct toward Cohen, a former Trump Organization executive, changed from praise to castigation after Cohen began cooperating with prosecutors. The evidence could "support an inference that the president used inducements in the form of positive messages in an effort to get Cohen not to cooperate, and then turned to attacks and intimidation to deter" cooperation and undermine Cohen's credibility, Mueller wrote. The deaths of three recent patients at the Washington DC VA Medical Center are raising questions about whether the medical center thoroughly checks on its patients after discharge. In each of the deaths, family members reported failures by the VA to follow through on medical issues raised by patients in the days after treatment or consults. Officials at the medical center acknowledge its failures in handling the three cases, but declined to offer details about the cases. Internal VA records obtained by the News4 I-Team and interviews with families of two of the patients reveal how breakdowns occurred. In a February case, a Fairfax County, Virginia, veteran sought to be admitted to the hospital, citing drug withdrawal, panic attacks and acute pain. An internal report on the mans case said the hospital declined to admit the man and scheduled him instead for an outpatient appointment later in the week. The internal report said the man was not a patient of the medical centers suicide prevention team, therefore they didnt follow up on him. The report said the man had not received psychiatric care at the DC VA Medical Center since 2014. According to the report, the mans wife found him dead of a gunshot wound in their home one week later. Police and fire reports said the shooting was a suicide. According to the internal VA report, the mans wife expressed her concern that veteran was not hospitalized on the day of his visit to the medical centers emergency room a week earlier. Through an attorney, the woman declined requests to speak with the I-Team. Medical Center Director Michael Heimall did not discuss the details of the case. That was a veteran who came to us for help, and we failed, he said. We failed that veteran and that family. We have to do better." In a May 2017 case, the I-Team found a patient died of a drug overdose in his car in the medical center parking lot after an appointment at the medical center. According to a police report and interviews with his family, the body of Navy veteran Woodrow Reed went undiscovered in the car for nearly two days after his death. Reeds sister, not medical center employees or police, found the body. I went looking for him, Loretta Funderburk said. I went back to try to see if I could find him. She said she found his car in the farthest parking lot from the main entrance. Funderburk said her family had asked staff to search for her brother when he failed to promptly return home from his appointment. But she said they did not do so thoroughly, so she and a friend went searching. I put my hands on him, Funderburk said. For those two days it had been real hot. He was hard and hot. It was almost like he had regurgitated. Weeks after the death was first reported by the I-Team, a medical center administrator said police would add extra cameras and patrols in the lots to prevent further incidents. VA staffers, who spoke with I-Team under the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak with media, said the medical center learned just weeks ago about the 2016 death of a patient who had undergone a lung biopsy. The staffers and the victims daughter said the man died of blood clots in his lungs after being transported by family to a private hospital in D.C. just hours after undergoing lung biopsy at the DC VA Medical Center. The 73-year-old mans death was unknown to medical center officials until spring 2019, when the private hospitals business office sent a bill to the VA seeking payment. The mans daughter said she and her family never received a follow-up call from the medical center after her fathers 2016 procedure, even though at least one relative was listed as an emergency contact. Heimall, the medical center director, told the I-Team he is familiar with the mans case, but said details cannot be released by the VA. A VA spokesperson said, under medical center policies, patients are supposed to receive a follow-up call after undergoing procedures. If we did something wrong, we have to disclose it to the family, Heimall said in describing each of the three cases. That's one of the strengths of the medical center. (Staffers) do a great job sitting down with patients and families and explaining how we made mistakes. The I-Team asked the medical center to describe the procedures undertaken by staff when a patient enters the emergency room with mental health concerns. In a statement, the medical center said, Veterans who present to the Emergency Department are triaged using the Emergency Severity Index, screened for suicidal ideations, and evaluated by an Emergency Department provider. When there is a clinical indication for a mental health evaluation, a psychiatry consult is obtained. This is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Depending upon the results of the evaluation from the Emergency Department provider and Mental Health provider, a care plan could include admission to medicine, admission to psychiatry or discharge from the Emergency Department with a follow up referral. Reported by Scott MacFarlane, produced by Rick Yarborough, and shot and edited by Steve Jones. It was a punt that will be examined for years, if not decades. Special counsel Robert Mueller found he couldn't exonerate President Donald Trump of obstruction of justice, but he wouldn't recommend charging him, either. In explaining the decision to eschew a "traditional prosecutorial judgment," Mueller said he faced not only having to untangle Trump's motivation for trying to curtail the Russia investigation but difficult issues of law. That included the Justice Department's position that a sitting president can't be indicted, the basic tenets of fairness in the American criminal justice system and whether some acts fell within the power of the presidency. Mueller found that Trump made numerous attempts to interfere with the investigation but he was largely foiled and saved by those around him, most notably former White House counsel Don McGahn. He and others either refused to follow Trump's orders or let them die quietly through inaction. But in examining a series of episodes, Mueller laid out a process that will almost certainly be questioned during any congressional testimony and be debated in law school classrooms and bars for years to come. From the outset, Mueller said he was bound by the Justice Department's opinion: He couldn't indict Trump. He also felt he couldn't recommend criminal charges even in a secret Justice Department memo or in a charging document filed under seal until after Trump left office. Mueller's team worried such moves could leak, leaving Trump in the position of having a prosecutor say he committed a crime without the ability to defend himself at a public trial. "The concerns about the fairness of such a determination would be heightened in the case of a sitting President, where a federal prosecutor's accusation of a crime, even in an internal report, could carry consequences that extend beyond the realm of criminal justice," Mueller wrote. Mueller said he recognized that any charging recommendation could "potentially pre-empt constitutional processes for addressing presidential misconduct," an apparent reference to Congress' impeachment powers. But Mueller rejected Trump's lawyers' broad interpretation of presidential authority. They argued that the president has expansive powers under the law, and the special counsel couldn't investigate Trump's decisions to fire an appointee, such as FBI Director James Comey, or to try to close a federal investigation. Mueller said he could investigate Trump and he thoroughly examined 10 episodes looking at whether there was an "obstructive act" and whether Trump had a corrupt intent. Ultimately, he laid out the facts, finding that while there wasn't an underlying crime of Russian collusion, Trump still took steps that "were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations." "The President's efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful," Mueller wrote, "but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Josh Blackman, a professor at the South Texas College of Law Houston, said to find that the president obstructed justice, Mueller needed much clearer evidence that the president acted solely with "corrupt intent." But Nick Akerman, a former federal prosecutor who served as a member of the Watergate prosecution team, said Attorney General William Barr, who cleared Trump of obstruction of justice, had "no business" doing so. "There's just so much here it's just impossible not to conclude that he was guilty of obstruction of justice," said Akerman, who had not yet gotten through all of the report. Still, he said Mueller was bound by the Justice Department's position that a sitting president can't be indicted. "He charged people he could charge," he said. "He couldn't charge Trump." Meanwhile, Barr took great pains in his Thursday morning news conference ahead of the Mueller report's release to repeat the presidents rallying cry that there was no collusion. But the redacted report itself provides detailed and nuanced examples of the encounters. Here's a look at what the Mueller report did and didn't find with respect to what the special counsel said was his investigation into conspiracy and coordination: [[508809321 ,C]] ___ Associated Press writers Chad Day, Jessica Gresko, Zeke Miller, Eric Tucker, Michael Balsaro, Mary Clare Jalonick and Desmond Butler contributed to this report. A Massachusetts man is facing charges after police say he carried a woman into a Gloucester roadway and into the way of an oncoming dump truck after a dispute Friday morning. Michael Baker, 41, of Beverly, is facing charges of attempted murder, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. State police responded to the crash at about 11 a.m. in the area of 951 Washington St., where a man, later identified as Baker, and a woman had been struck by a light-duty dump truck. Baker was taken by medical helicopter to a Boston hospital with serious injuries. The woman, who has not been identified, was taken to Beverly Hospital, with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening. Police said a preliminary investigation showed that during a dispute, Baker allegedly picked up the woman abruptly and entered the roadway in the path of the truck where they were both struck. The driver remained at the scene and was cooperative with police. Neighbors said before the crash, they heard Baker and the woman arguing. "Just started yelling, bickering back and forth," recalled neighbor Joseph Calnan. "Like, he said she said stuff. But nothing like someone's going to get thrown in front of a car." Baker is expected to be arraigned in Gloucester District Court on Monday. It's unclear if he has an attorney. The Essex County District Attorney's Office is continuing to investigate. Firefighters battled a large 3-alarm fire in Lawrence, Massachusetts, in a home that was abandoned in the wake of last fall's Merrimack Valley gas disaster. The fire was reported shortly before 4 p.m. Friday at 21 Brookfield St. Video from the scene of Friday's fire showed heavy smoke and flames pouring from the multi-story building. Lawrence Mayor Daniel Rivera said the home was among the buildings that caught fire during the Merrimack Valley disaster on Sept. 13, 2018, when an accidental overpressurization of gas lines caused a series of explosions and fires that killed one, injured dozens of others, damaged hundreds of buildings and left thousands of customers without natural gas service for months. Former tenants who were at the scene were glad they moved out. They said the fire was deja vu. "I'm standing here watching this thinking, 'Man, it's a good thing I did, because it could have been me,'" former tenant Tom Duggan said Friday. Duggan also said that witnesses had seen kids running from the building prior to the fire. Columbia Gas said on Twitter that it was aware of the fire, but that the property had been without gas service since September of 2018. The gas company said it sent a tech to the site on Friday to "reconfirm" that there is no gas service and said they are in contact with fire officials and are closely monitoring the situation. No injuries have been reported and state police are still investigating. A beloved candy shop in southern New Hampshire could be closing, and the news has longtime customers very concerned. A heavy equipment rental company is trying to buy the land that houses Sanborn's Fine Candies on the busy Route 125 in Plaistow. If the sale goes through, Plaistow Planning Director John Cashell says the developer plans to demolish the white building that has become a landmark over the last six decades. Inside Sanborn's Fine Candies, life is a little sweeter. "It's the people," said customer Marie Fournier. Something about the store makes people feel at home. Maybe it's because it is home for the Sanborn family. "It's happiness, it's love and memories," said Joyce Hovnanian. Her in-laws started Sanborn's back in 1958 as one of the first businesses in the town. "Mr. and Mrs. Sanborn went to department stores and sold their candy in there to make enough money to earn the store," Hovnanian said. Hovnanian's son, Teddy Sanborn, owns the business, but rents the building. Now, after 60 years, the property owners are looking to sell and a heavy equipment rental company called ProQuip wants to buy. "We're happy here," Hovnanian said. "We don't want to go anywhere." According to Cashell, ProQuip would demolish the candy store to build a 12,000 square foot maintenance facility. "Oh my God, that would be a disaster," said Elizabeth Golas. The news is devastating for nearby residents who can't remember a time when Sanborn's wasn't there. Over the years, it's become a staple. "It's part of the area. Now, if it's gone, part of our heritage is gone," Fournier said. "That's how I feel." "It's a landmark," said another customer, Donna Compani. "It would be a loss to the surrounding communities." Hovnanian's son is trying to save it. "If the deal does not go through with ProQuip, he wants to buy the business," Hovnanian said. But even if he can't, there's no doubt that his grandmother's legacy will live on. "Mrs. Jennie Sanborn used to tell us, 'No matter what happens in your life, candy is always a comfort food,"" Hovnanian recalled. And thankfully, her family has plenty of that. According to the Cashell, there are environmental concerns with the developer's proposal. He's expecting some revisions and a presentation from ProQuip at the next public hearing on May 15. Maine's Senate and House passed a bill Wednesday banning polystyrene food containers which would include single-use foam boxes many restaurants have used for years. The bill now heads to Gov. Janet Mills' desk but not everyone is on board with the move. Depending on what its final language looks like, it could include common foam containers used for eggs and meat products at grocery stores as well. Christine Cummings, executive director of the Maine Grocers and Food Producers Association (MGFPA), says businesses she represents would take a financial hit. "This ban is quite impactful to the grocer and food producer community," said Cummings. "This will really make Maine an outlier." Other states and cities, however, have or are considering similar proposals. New York City already has a ban on single-use polystyrene containers and Maryland's state legislature approved a similar law to Maine's that is awaiting a signature from Gov. Larry Hogan. Maine also has a few cities and towns like Portland, South Portland, and Bar Harbor that have their own municipal bans citing how long it takes polystyrene to decompose and how complicated it is to recycle. Cummings says the MGFPA would prefer individual communities decide on their own bans because that would mean "consumers not governments" are driving the decision. In Wiscasset, a town that does not prohibit polystyrene containers, local restaurant owners and employees say a ban would not impact them because they've either moved away from foam containers or never used them in the first place. Staff at Sarahs Cafe explained they gave up foam packaging around 2008. Meghan Olcott, owner of Creamed, a bakery which just opened for its second season, said the idea of using non-sustainable packaging or utensils never crossed her mind. Instead, Olcott pointed out her brand new biodegradable straws, which come in various colors. "I like the green and black ones," she said. Even at Wiscasset's big and famous player, Red's Eats, where customers were lined up for lobster rolls before the stand opened at 11:30 a.m., co-owner Deborah Gagnon is no foam fan. In fact, new this year at Red's are signs about the restaurant "going green." Gagnon says being environmentally conscious is personal to her because she's found trash in hay bale shipments for her horses. New for 2019, Red's will try to go strawless, offering only paper straws upon request. "I hope that because we're well-known, it will encourage others to do the same," said Gagnon. Gagnon also said she hopes more restaurants switch to environmentally-conscious packaging and utensils because a greater demand will lower the price of sustainable items for businesses. Whether Maine's legislature views polystyrene the same way it's viewed at a trio of Wiscasset businesses is another matter. The state Senate will have an opportunity to tweak the law and Mills will also have to approve it as well. Authorities in Maine are searching for a man who fell in a river overnight. Bath Police said David Dieterich, 25, of Racine, Wisconsin, was out with coworkers shortly before 10 p.m. when authorities received a call that he had fallen into the Kennebec River from a floating dock behind the Kennebec Tavern. Two of Dieterich's coworkers told officials they were all standing on the dock at the time. The men told authorities the dock was roped off before the trio were able to access it. They described it as "very unstable," according to police. Authorities said no foul play is suspected. Officials said Dieterich works for Marshall Erecting from Wisconsin that's been subcontracted by Bath Iron Works. Several departments including the U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Patrol and the Maine State Police Dive Team are searching to locate Dieterich. The Coast Guard Station Boothbay Harbor will use a 29 foot response boat to search for Dieterich. A side-scan sonar is being used to search below the water, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The water in the Kennebec River is at about 40 degrees and the currents' swift movements are making the search dangerous, the U.S. Coast Guard said. The U.S. Coast Guard warns anyone who plan to go out in the water to wear lifejackets and avoid alcohol. State economic development officials in Massachusetts are considering trying to lure Rhode Island-based toy company Hasbro across the border. Colleen Arons, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Office of Business Development, tells The Boston Globe for a story Friday that the agency is "working to establish a dialogue" with Hasbro. Pawtucket-based Hasbro Inc., which employs more than 1,000 people in Rhode Island, has made no secret of the fact it is in the process of evaluating several options for its corporate headquarters. Rhode Island's governor and legislative leaders, as well as the mayors of Pawtucket and Central Falls, have said they will do everything they can to keep Hasbro. Gov. Gina Raimondo has previously said she's confident Hasbro will stay in Rhode Island. Hasbro's brands include Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh, and Monopoly. School officials are apologizing after a 15-year-old New Hampshire student was told to remove her Donald Trump T-shirt. Freshman Ciretta MacKenzie was taken out of class last week by Epping High School Principal Brian Ernest. She was told to remove or cover up her "Make America Great Again" shirt. "I want each and every one of you to know, from the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry," Epping Superintendent Valerie McKenney said at a meeting Thursday. "People have no respect for each other anymore, and that needs to be brought back," the girl's mom, Rose McKenzie, said. Ernest's decision sparked a firestorm of criticism. "Teachers have no business putting their political views in the schools," said NH Rep. Al Baldasaro. The school says "appropriate action" has been taken against Ernest, but wouldn't specify what that was. "This incident caused a tsunami that impacted the school community, and the community, and even the state, and the country, who would have thought, said McKenney. While school officials say that all the attention has made students nervous in the week following the incident, they're pleased to address the matter thoughtfully and move forward with diversity training. McKenney says kids will be allowed to wear "Make America Great Again" shirts in the future. An affidavit says an off-duty police officer accused of driving drunk in a crash that killed a New Hampshire woman was seen weaving in and out of traffic and traveling in the wrong direction beforehand. The affidavit also says Londonderry police officer Tyler Berry told a first responder following the April 5 crash in Amherst that he had been drinking "adult sodas." State police said Berry crossed the center line in a pickup truck and hit a vehicle on Route 101. Police say 21-year-old Sierra Croteau, of Manchester, was pronounced dead at the scene. Berry was hospitalized with injuries. The 27-year-old Berry was scheduled to appear in court Thursday on a charge of aggravated driving while intoxicated. He waived arraignment and entered a not guilty plea. If you come across a stray parrot who calls you "beautiful," chances are she belongs to a Massachusetts woman who is searching for her missing pet. "Lolita" the yellow-crested Amazon parrot was last seen on Sunday, according to WJAR. The wayward bird took off after her owners neighbors spooked her by trying to help catch her with a net when she flew onto their porch in Rehoboth. Since Lolita does not have clipped wings, she is reportedly able to fly anywhere. The birds owner, Kella Woodard, pleaded on Facebook for locals to be on the lookout for her beloved pet. She asks people to shout the birds name in a high pitched voice to see if Lolita responds. WJAR reports the talkative pet can say various phrases. She can reportedly introduce herself by saying her own name, say "E=MC2, Dr. Einstein" and can imitate Woodards laugh. Anyone who spots Lolita is asked to message Woodard on Facebook. Editors note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly credited another publication for first uncovering the emails. It was actually VTDigger that first published a report on the topic. The police chief in Vermonts largest city said he was simply looking out for the best interests of Burlingtonand was not meddlingwhen he pushed back on the medical findings into a mans death. There wasnt pressure to change it, Chief Brandon del Pozo of the Burlington Police Department said of an autopsy report. Del Pozo insists he merely wanted to understand the findings of Vermonts chief medical examiner when he reached out to the forensic pathologists boss to ask about a recent autopsy. In mid-March, investigators said Douglas Kilburn of Burlington was acting unruly inside the UVM Medical Centers emergency roomlater punching a responding Burlington police officer. The officer hit back. Kilburn was treated for an injury and within a few days, was found dead at home. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide, but was unable pinpoint a cause. The report lists a skull fracture, and also notes serious health conditions like obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. A journalist with the news website VTDigger then discovered an email to the medical examiners boss, in which the chief argued, It does not seems [sic] possible to rule [Kilburns] death a homicide, and writing, The need to clarify this is urgent and acute, because it will bear greatly on the career and life of a police officer who was attacked by the decedent. Dr. Mark Levine, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Healththe department under which the state medical examiner workssaid in an interview Friday with necn that he did not feel pressured or influenced by that email from Chief del Pozo. Not influence as much as challenge, Levine said in response to a question about how he interpreted the email. [An intellectual] challenge to really make sure we could stand by what we said and that it had a firm foundation of science to back it up. Levine said he believes the finding of the manner of death as a homicide is, indeed, firmly rooted in science. The health commissioner noted that he has a positive relationship with Chief del Pozo, and that the two have often spoken or had friendly debates about complex issues before. Levine said he would allow readers to decide for themselves the tone of the chiefs email, which necn has published as a part of this article. Thats democracy, its not meddling, del Pozo said of his email to the health department. We have a responsibility here in Burlington to make sure if something impacts our city and our community and our police department that its done right, and that we understand that its done right. VTDigger, the online news source that first uncovered this story, reported the office of Gov. Phil Scott, R-Vermont, also had concerns about the way Burlington leaders acted. The investigative journalism nonprofit, which obtained additional internal email communications, learned the governors chief of staff said the request does not feel right to [him], at any level, referring to a request from the mayors office for state leadership to step in and delay the autopsys release until the city could learn more about it. Jason Gibbs, Gov. Scotts chief of staff, added a warning to Burlington that the move could be misconstrued as the city interfering in the case, VTDigger reported. An aide to Mayor Miro Weinberger, D-Burlington, sent this written statement from the mayor in response to a request by NBC 5 News, an necn affiliate: "It's my job as Mayor to ensure that anything that has a significant impact on our broader community as well a police officer of ours is done properly and makes sense. I am confident that when this investigation is over, and I can discuss in more detail our questions about the medical examiner's report, any reasonable person will understand why I thought it was urgent to ask them. At the same time, the broader context of this report is a tragic situation: A man lost his life, and even as we continue to seek to understand how that happened, I express my deep condolences to Douglas Kilburn's family. As for Kilburns death, investigators with Vermont State Police are still looking into that emergency room scuffle with the officer that preceded it. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren called for the House to begin impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump in a series of tweets on Friday afternoon. "The Mueller report lays out facts showing that a hostile foreign government attacked our 2016 election to help Donald Trump and Donald Trump welcomed that help. Once elected, Donald Trump obstructed the investigation into that attack," said Warren, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender. "Mueller put the next step in the hands of Congress: 'Congress has authority to prohibit a Presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice.' The correct process for exercising that authority is impeachment." Special counsel Robert Mueller's report, made public Thursday, revealed that Trump tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller's removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice by the president. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017. Trump was largely thwarted by those around him. Warren said ignoring a president's "repeated efforts to obstruct an investigation into his own disloyal behavior would inflict great and lasting damage on this country, and it would suggest that both the current and future Presidents would be free to abuse their power in similar ways." She said the severity of Trump's misconduct "demands that elected officials in both parties set aside political considerations and do their constitutional duty. That means the House should initiate impeachment proceedings against the President of the United States." Other Democratic presidential hopefuls have said the report puts the question of impeachment on the table. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, told NBC News Friday that there's "evidence that this president deserves to be impeached" but added that he is not in Congress and will leave it those who are to decide whether to pursue proceedings. Democratic presidential contender Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota dodged the question of whether Trump should face impeachment on MSNBC's "All in With Chris Hayes" Thursday, while Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., did not rule it out. Son-Rise service in Broadland setting Christians from the Stalham area will be gathering at How Hill near Ludham at dawn on Easter Sunday, April 21, to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Each year, around 50 Christians from several local Churches gather together at this beautiful Broadland location to celebrate the risen Christ. The service will start at 6.30am and will be led by David Osbourne, Methodist Church Circuit Steward, and Stalham Baptist Church Minister Ron Skivington. The service has been held for more than 30 years, and over that time the hardy flock have been treated to ice, snow, balmy spring mornings, marsh mist, magical sun rises and cutting winds sweeping up off the wetlands and river below, and testing the musicianship of the frozen-fingered guitar players. David Child from Stalham Baptist Church, said The celebration of Gods love is so much more physically and emotionally powerful on an exposed hillside rather than the cosy comfort bubble of our churches. Breakfast will be available afterwards at the Stables at Stalham Baptist Church for all those who attend the service. If you would like breakfast, please phone 01692 582091. Visit: http://www.stalhambaptist.org.uk/index.php Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in East Norfolk? Retailer planning to move onto site PLANS to bring retailer Home Bargains to the site of a derelict Newbury pub have been withdrawn. The Narrow Boat pub on the A4 would have been demolished under the scheme and replaced with a 12,000 sq ft retail unit. At the time of the plans being submitted in June last year, documents said that a tenant for new unit had been identified, but discussions were not at an advanced enough stage for them to be named. However, a source later told the Newbury Weekly News that Home Bargains was looking to move into the unit. West Berkshire Council said that the applicant, PIL Newbury Ltd, had decided to withdraw the application this week and would be resubmitting an amended proposal. The Narrow Boat closed in December 2016, with the applicant saying that there was no genuine prospect of a continuing pub use. The new store will create around 30 full and part-time jobs. The application sparked concerns from Kennet Shopping centre owner HIG Luxembourg Holdings and Parkway Shopping owner Aberdeen Standard. The two companies said that the retail unit would be harmful to the vitality and viability of Newbury town centre. BRIDGEPORT City residents are invited to join in efforts to make Bridgeport the cleanest city in Connecticut. Volunteers are wanted for Park City Pickin it Up, a neighborhood clean up event, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 27. Initially, the event was planned for Saturday, April 20 two days before Earth Day but organizers postponed it because of impending bad weather. The volunteers will meet at McGovern Park, 960 Norman St. and will be dispersed to clean up the areas of North Avenue, Maplewood Avenue, Park Avenue and Wood Avenue. Join the effort to make our City of Bridgeport the cleanest city in Connecticut, a flyer for the event said. Thank you for doing your part to Pick it Up. Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to contact pickinitup@bridgeportct.gov or call 203-576-3964. The next phase of trial where jurors will recommend whether a Cleveland man found guilty of killing a Euclid couple should get sentenced to death has been delayed. That phase, known as the mitigation stage, has been delayed after 31-year-old Joseph McAlpin requested a mitigation report and pre-sentence investigation report, which he previously refused. The hearing was scheduled to begin April 22. Court officials said a new date has not yet been set. A Cuyahoga County jury April 16 found McAlpin guilty on all charges related to the 2017 shooting deaths of 50-year-old Michael Kuznik and 46-year-old Trina Tomola. Charges included aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, grand theft and cruelty to animals among others. Findings from these reports could be used to help convince jurors not to recommend the death penalty. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brian Corrigan will make the final decision on McAlpins punishment. Prosecutors said that McAlpin and two others drove to the Mr. Cars dealership owned by Kuznik and Tomola to steal cars with the intention of selling them and splitting the profits.The two others allegedly waited outside as McAlpin went into the dealership. McAlpin shot Kuznik twice in the head near the front area of the dealership showroom, according to prosecutors. Tomola was shot once in the head in an office in the back of the building. Their dog Axel was also shot and killed. Their daughter spoke with Tomola on the phone only minutes before the shooting occurred, prosecutors said. Tomola told her daughter that she and her husband would be heading home soon and would be picking up food for dinner on the way back. After several hours went by with no communication from either parent, their son went to the dealership to check on them. Upon arriving, the 19-year-old found his stepfather unresponsive on the floor with a gunshot wound and called 911. According to the prosecutors office, investigators were able to link McAlpin to the location of the 726 E. 185th St., Cleveland dealership. His DNA was found on one victims back pocket, a computer modem inches away from one victims body, and on the steering wheel and inside of the drivers side door of the stolen BMW. Prosecutors said records showed he and his co-defendants cell phones pinged off towers and wireless internet routers in the area at the time of the murders. McAlpin represented himself during trial. Extracts from the seeds of the Ginkgo biloba tree show antibacterial activity on pathogens that can cause skin infections such as acne, psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema, a study at Emory University finds. Frontiers in Microbiology is publishing the results of laboratory experiments showing that the extracts inhibit the growth of Cutibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. A nearly 200-year-old copy of a 16th-century text on traditional Chinese medicine, the Ben Cao Gang Mu, guided the researchers in their experiments. "It was like blowing the dust off knowledge from the past and rediscovering something that had been there all along," says Xinyi (Xena) Huang, co-first author of the paper. Huang, a native of China, began the project for her senior thesis as a biology major at Emory. She has since graduated from Emory and is now a student at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. "To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the antibacterial activity of ginkgo seeds on skin pathogens," says Cassandra Quave, senior author of the paper and assistant professor at Emory's Center for the Study of Human Health and the School of Medicine's Department of Dermatology. "This paper is just one more example of how much we still have to learn about the pharmacological potential of the complex chemistry of plants." Quave is an ethnobotanist, studying how indigenous people use plants in their healing practices, to uncover promising candidates for new drugs. "Our results give validity to the use of ginkgo seeds as a topical antimicrobial as prescribed in this 16th-century text," says Francois Chassagne, co-first author of the paper and a pharmacist in the Quave lab. Many hurdles remain, he adds, before ginkgo seed extracts could be considered for use in a modern-day medical context. In its concentrated form, the main compound that a statistical analysis identified as likely responsible for the antibacterial activity, ginkgolic acid C15:1, has been demonstrated to have skin toxicity. "One possible strategy in the search for new antibiotics would be to investigate ways to modify the structure of the particular ginkgolic acid tied to the antibacterial activity, to try to improve its efficacy and also to reduce its toxicity to human skin cells," Chassagne says. James Lyles, a chemist in the Quave lab, is an additional co-author of the study. The ginkgo tree, a native of China, is one of the oldest tree species, going back at least 270 million years. The tree is known for its distinctive fan-shaped leaves and its long history in traditional Chinese medicine. Modern-day researchers have studied ginkgo extensively in search of medical benefits for everything from memory enhancement to macular degeneration, but there is still "no conclusive evidence that ginkgo is helpful for any health condition," according to the web page of the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Most previous studies have focused on the ginkgo leaves. When walking across campus, pondering what to focus on for her senior thesis, a ginkgo tree caught Huang's eye. She knew that the tree was used in traditional Chinese medicine, although she did not know any details, so she decided to research it. Huang's interest grew when she learned that Emory has an 1826 version of the Ben Cao Gang Mu, or Compendium of Materia Medica. Considered the most comprehensive book on traditional Chinese medicine, it was compiled and written in the 16th century by Li Shi-zhen during the heyday of the Ming Dynasty. The original compendium is vast, encompassing dozens of volumes, but Huang had only seen greatly condensed versions that are sold in Chinese bookstores. Emory's copy resides in the Candler School of Theology's Pitts Theology Library. The 1826 version passed at one stage through a London book dealer. The unnumbered pages are block-printed in Chinese characters, but at some point were rebound into 10 volumes with covers labeled in English. Huang never imagined she would be touching such an old copy of the Ben Cao Gang Mu. "You can feel the history in it," she says. "The paper is so yellow, thin and fragile that I was afraid I would break the pages as I was turning them." A volume labeled "Grains, Vegetables, Fruits" described 17 traditional uses for the ginkgo seed, including eight for skin disorders such as chapped hands and feet, rosacea, crab louse-induced itchiness, dog-bite wound abscesses and pustules. Li Shi-Zhen recommended preparing a paste of ground up seeds mixed with rice wine or other alcohol, or by immersing the crushed seeds in rape seed oil. The paste could then be applied to the affected area. A previous study found that ginkgo seed coats demonstrated antibacterial activity against some intestinal bacterial pathogens. And ginkgo leaves have shown antibacterial activity on both some intestinal bacteria and on the skin pathogen S. aureus. Huang, however, wanted to test the information she had gleaned from the ancient text for the use of ginkgo seeds as a topical treatment for skin disorders. Skin pathogens are of particular interest to the Quave lab, which focuses on finding new approaches to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Huang gathered ginkgo samples for testing. Extractions from the seeds were processed as closely as possible to the recommendations of the Ben Cao Gang Mu, using either water, ethanol or rape seed oil. Huang and Chassagne conducted microbial experiments -- including the evaluation of ginkgo extracts from the seed nut, immature seeds and the seed coat -- on 12 different bacterial strains. The results showed that the ginkgo seed coats and the immature seeds exhibited antibacterial activity on three of the strains tested: C. acnes, S. aureus and S. pyogenes. Statistical analysis also found a positive correlation between the antimicrobial activity of the ginkgo samples and the concentration of ginkgolic acid C15:1, suggesting it was involved in the activity. "Our finding is still in a basic, benchtop phase -- these extracts have not yet been tested in animal or human studies -- but it is still a thrill for me to learn that this ancient story in the Ben Cao Gang Mu appears to be real," Huang says. "As a student pharmacist, this gives me more appreciation for the value of using ancient plant remedies to guide modern-day research." Source: http://whsc.emory.edu/ Previous research has suggested that specific factors about the doctor performing colonoscopy - for example, a gastroenterologist versus a surgeon, female versus male - were associated with different rates of detection of precancerous polyps. However, a Cleveland Clinic-led research team found that those previously described differences among endoscopists are not true. Adjusting for a myriad of both patient- and doctor-related factors not previously accounted for, Cleveland Clinic researchers concluded that the previously cited differences disappeared in adenoma detection based on the endoscopist features - except when it comes to the detection of sessile serrated polyps, which are difficult to detect and a known precursor of colorectal cancer. The study data - published in JAMA Surgery - showed that lower sessile serrated polyp detection was only associated with endoscopists who had a lower annual volume of colonoscopies and longer years since completion of medical training. A colonoscopy is a common endoscopic procedure, with more than 14 million examinations performed in the U.S. annually. The efficacy of a colonoscopy to prevent colorectal cancer depends on the quality of the endoscopist to detect and remove lesions that can turn into cancer, such as adenomas and sessile serrated polyps. "There are national benchmarks that define a high-quality endoscopist. Asking your endoscopist about their personal colonoscopy quality metrics can empower patients to make informed choices about their colonoscopy provider," said Carol Burke, M.D., vice chair of the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition at Cleveland Clinic and senior author of the study. Cleveland Clinic's research team conducted a large, single-center retrospective study that analyzed data from 16,089 average-risk, screening colonoscopies performed by 56 providers (gastroenterologists, 60.7 percent; surgeons, 26.5 percent; advanced endoscopists, 12.5 percent) between January 2015 and June 2017. Twenty-five percent of endoscopists were female and 25 percent were international medical graduates. The providers' median time from training was 16.3 years and they performed a median of 267 colonoscopies per year. Provider characteristics considered in the study included endoscopist specialty, gender, location of medical school, years since fellowship, number of colonoscopies performed per year, practice setting and presence of trainee during colonoscopy. The analysis also accounted for numerous patient characteristics not considered in some studies, including age, gender, smoking status, comorbidities such as diabetes and coronary artery disease, medication use, and colonoscopy-related factors, including timing of procedure (month and time of day), location where colonoscopy was performed, cecal intubation rate, number of polyps found, quality of bowel preparation and withdrawal time. Using natural language processing, the researchers were able to extract and read large amounts of textual data from the electronic medical records of the 16,089 patients that would otherwise have been difficult to access. Only endoscopists performing more than 100 colonoscopies per year were included. In the study, the average adenoma detection rate was 31.3 percent, which was above the minimum national standards suggested by the ASGE-ACG quality task force guidelines. The results of this analysis showed that no endoscopist characteristics - including medical specialty and gender - are associated with adenoma detection rate. Regarding the proximal sessile serrated polyp detection rate, the overall rate of 4.6 percent was similar to other recent studies. The only endoscopist factors associated with a lower proximal sessile serrated polyp detection rate included endoscopists who perform lower volumes of colonoscopies and who are further from their medical training. "Sessile serrated polyps were characterized in 2005. They are often in the proximal colon, very subtle with their flat appearance, and thus difficult to detect. These features are probably why proximal sessile serrated polyps are a major cause of interval colon cancer - cancer that occurs between two colonoscopies. Our findings reinforce the need for endoscopists to stay abreast of current resources to improve their detection and resection of sessile serrated polyps," Dr. Burke said. Researchers have discovered a key clue into the development of the pancreas and brain by studying rare patients born without a pancreas. The study from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the University of Exeter and collaborators also identified a previously unexpected pathway involved in the development of the human pancreas, and confirmed this in mice. Understanding how the human pancreas forms could help researchers develop replacement cells to treat patients with type 1 diabetes in the future. Published today (18th April) in the American Journal of Human Genetics, the study revealed that all three patients without a pancreas and with abnormal brain development had an identical change in the CNOT1 gene. The team went on to show how this genetic change kept stem cells in their original state, preventing them from developing into pancreatic cells. The pancreas is part of the digestive system and makes various hormones, including insulin that controls the amount of sugar in the blood. Problems with the insulin producing cells in the pancreas can cause type 1 diabetes, which affects over 10 million people worldwide. Type 1 diabetes develops when insulin-making cells in the pancreas, called beta cells, are attacked by the immune system. People with this disease need daily injections of insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Replacing the damaged pancreatic cells with cells derived from stem cells could treat the disease, but the pancreatic development pathways are not yet fully known. In very rare cases, the pancreas fails to develop - called pancreatic agenesis - and babies born with this condition need immediate and lifelong treatment with insulin and other hormones to survive. To learn more about the development of the pancreas, researchers from the University of Exeter studied the genetics of 107 international patients with pancreatic agenesis. They discovered that three unrelated patients with very similar clinical features, including a possible neurological disorder, had an identical mutation in the CNOT1 gene. This gene had never been implicated in pancreatic or brain development before. The Wellcome Sanger Institute researchers then bred mice with this mutation in the mouse version of the gene to see how it affected development. They found the mouse embryos with the mutation in Cnot1* had a much smaller upper pancreas than usual, directly linking the Cnot1 gene with pancreas development. They also saw changes in the mouse brain development. Dr Elisa De Franco, co-first author from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "We found that three patients with pancreatic agenesis had an identical spelling mistake in the CNOT1 gene. This was the first time that anyone had realised that CNOT1 was important in pancreatic and neurological development, and has revealed a new genetic cause for pancreatic agenesis." Dr Ines Barroso, co-senior author on the paper from the Wellcome Sanger Institute** and University of Cambridge, said: "Through a great collaboration between clinical and mouse research disciplines, we have provided compelling evidence that the CNOT1 gene is involved in the formation of the pancreas in both humans and mice. We are now able to investigate the developmental mechanism, to understand how the pancreas develops." The CNOT1 gene had previously been implicated in keeping human and mice embryonic stem cells in a state where they can develop into any type of cell, known as pluripotency. Studying which genes were active in the developing mouse pancreas, the researchers discovered that the Cnot1 mutation changed the levels of a key developmental factor, preventing the stem cells from developing. Dr Rachel Watson, a joint first author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: "Once we knew the CNOT1 gene was involved in pancreatic development, we wanted to find out how it worked. Changes in some developmental factors in Cnot1 mutant mice indicated that the stem cells remained as stem cells, rather than developing into pancreatic cells. This suggested an entirely new mechanism for pancreatic agenesis, which involved maintaining stem cells in a pluripotent state." Prof Andrew Hattersley, co-senior author on the paper from the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "In the future, therapies that created new pancreatic beta cells, could end the need for insulin injections for millions of people with type 1 diabetes. This type of therapy would require a very good understanding of how the pancreas develops. Our multidisciplinary collaboration has allowed us to unravel a new gene and mechanism involved in pancreas development, and revealed further avenues for investigation." Cutting-edge discovery in the lab of Catherine Hunter, MD, from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago offers a new direction toward treatment of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) - a devastating intestinal emergency that occurs in up to 10 percent of premature infants. NEC is a leading cause of overall infant mortality in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Dr. Hunter and colleagues found that a protein that causes pores in the intestine (called claudin 2) is increased in NEC, which makes the intestinal wall more permeable and allows bacteria to enter, which can result in sepsis or possibly death. They also found that they can prevent this process in an animal model by inhibiting a special molecule (called ROCK) that upregulates claudin 2. They used an inhibitor that is currently in adult clinical trials for prevention of cardiac injury, but has never been studied in intestinal disease. Results were published in Scientific Reports. "Now that we have identified a cellular mechanism that causes this life-threatening disease in premature newborns, we are pursuing a new potential treatment strategy to stop NEC in its tracks," says Dr. Hunter, a Manne Research Institute scientist and pediatric surgeon at Lurie Children's, who also is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Our exciting discovery brings us closer to solving the complex jigsaw puzzle that is NEC." One of the theories on why NEC develops holds that in preemies the intestinal barrier is not strong enough to defend against bacteria that lives in the gut. Findings from Dr. Hunter's lab explain what makes the intestinal wall porous and vulnerable to bacteria, which causes inflammation and intestinal tissue damage characteristic of NEC. These insights will help develop treatments to strengthen the intestinal barrier in premature babies. The study used animal models, cell lines and human intestinal samples, which allowed Dr. Hunter and colleagues to confirm that their findings are relevant to patients. "In our lab, we always try to incorporate human tissue in studies, in order to see if our discoveries in animal models apply to people," says Dr. Hunter. "We are very grateful to families who participate in these studies with us. This is one of the important ways we can move forward in understanding NEC and developing treatment." Dr. Hunter will present this research at the NEC Symposium on June 2 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The conference, which brings together researchers and families, is hosted by the NEC Society, a clinician-family collaborative. Research at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is conducted through the Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute. The Manne Research Institute is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children's is ranked as one of the nation's top children's hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. It is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Last year, the hospital served more than 212,000 children from 49 states and 51 countries. A scientific breakthrough provides new hope for millions of people living with multiple sclerosis. Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have developed a compound that stimulates repair of the protective sheath that covers nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The discovery, involving mice genetically engineered to mimic multiple sclerosis, published in the journal JCI Insight. MS is a chronic condition that affects an estimated 2.3 million people worldwide. In MS, the sheath covering nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord becomes damaged, slowing or blocking electrical signals from reaching the eyes, muscles and other parts of the body. This sheath is called myelin. Although myelin can regrow through exposure to thyroid hormones, researchers have not pursued thyroid hormone therapies due to unacceptable side effects. Although several treatments and medications alleviate the symptoms of MS, there is no cure. "There are no drugs available today that will re-myelinate the de-myelinated axons and nerve fibers, and ours does that," said senior author Tom Scanlan, Ph.D., professor of physiology and pharmacology in the OHSU School of Medicine. Co-author Dennis Bourdette, M.D., chair of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine and director of the OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center, said he expects it will be a few years before the compound advances to the stage of a clinical trial involving people. Yet the study provides fresh hope for patients in Oregon and beyond. "It could have a significant impact on patients debilitated by MS," Bourdette said. The discovery, if ultimately proven in clinical trials involving people, appears to accomplish two important goals: Myelin repair with minimal side effects: The study demonstrated that the compound - known as sobetirome - promotes remylenation without the severe side effects of thyroid hormone therapy. Thyroid hormone therapy has not been tried in people because chronic elevated exposure known as hyperthyroidism harms the heart, bone, and skeletal muscle. Efficient delivery: Researchers developed a new derivative of sobetirome (Sob-AM2) that penetrates the blood brain barrier, enabling a tenfold increase in infiltration to the central nervous system. "We're taking advantage of the endogenous ability of thyroid hormone to repair myelin without the side effects," said lead author Meredith Hartley, Ph.D., an OHSU postdoctoral researcher in physiology and pharmacology. Co-authors credited the breakthrough to a collaboration that involved scientists and physicians with expertise ranging across neurology, genetics, advanced imaging, physiology and pharmacology. One patient said the research could be a "total game-changer" for people with MS. Laura Wieden, 48, has lived with multiple sclerosis since being diagnosed in 1995. The daughter of Portland advertising executive Dan Wieden, she is the namesake and board member of the Laura Fund for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis, which funded much of the research involved in the study published today. "I am really optimistic," Wieden said. "I hope that this will be literally a missing link that could just change the lives of people with MS." Scanlan originally developed sobetirome as a synthetic molecule more than two decades ago, initially with an eye toward using it to lower cholesterol. In recent years, Scanlan's lab adapted it as a promising treatment for a rare metabolic disease called adrenoleukodystrophy, or ALD. Six years ago, Bourdette suggested trying the compound to repair myelin in MS. Supported by funding provided through the Laura Fund and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the team turned to Ben Emery, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurology in the OHSU School of Medicine. Emery, an expert who previously established his own lab in Australia focused on the molecular basis of myelination, genetically engineered a mouse model to test the treatment. With promising early results, researchers wanted to see if they could increase the amount of sobetirome that penetrated into the central nervous system. They did so through a clever trick of chemistry known as a prodrug strategy. Scientists added a chemical tag to the original sobetirome molecule, creating an inert compound called Sob-AM2. The tag's main purpose is to eliminate a negative charge that prevents sobetirome from efficiently penetrating the blood-brain barrier. Once Sob-AM2 slips past the barrier and reaches the brain, it encounters a particular type of brain enzyme that cleaves the tag and converts Sob-AM2 back into sobetirome. "It's a Trojan horse type of thing," Scanlan said. Researchers found that the treatment in mice not only triggered myelin repair, but they also measured substantial motor improvements in mice treated with the compound. "The mouse showed close to a full recovery," Scanlan said. Scientists say they are confident that the compound will translate from mice to people. To that end, OHSU has licensed the technology to Llama Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company in San Carlos, California. Llama is working to advance these molecules toward human clinical trials in MS and other diseases. Bourdette said even though it may not help his patients today, he's optimistic the discovery eventually will move from the lab into the clinic. "Right now, what it means is hope," he said. Whether a wound--such as a diabetic foot ulcer--heals or progresses to a worse outcome, including infection or even amputation, may depend on the microbiome within that wound. A new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found specific strains of the common pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are associated with wounds that do not heal. Researchers also identified other common bacteria in these wounds that can impair or even improve healing, suggesting that monitoring the microbes of diabetic foot ulcers could provide doctors with information on how best to treat these wounds. Cell Host and Microbe published the findings today. About 10 percent of Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and one quarter of these patients will develop a wound that does not heal. In the worst case outcome, which occurs in up to 25 percent of these wound-developing patients, the wounds will require an amputation. Many patients who develop these ulcers may not notice the initial signs, since the high blood glucose of diabetes can lead to a lack of feeling and deformation of the feet. As a result, patients with diabetes commonly develop foot ulcers that may go unnoticed over time. Current treatments are insufficient, meaning patients can live with these wounds for months or even years without healing. The mortality rate associated with diabetic foot ulcers is equivalent to that of breast cancer and prostate cancer combined - higher than 70 percent when they lead to amputation. "While wounds don't receive the attention of other diseases, they're incredibly common, and our study increases our understanding of how microbes impair or promote healing," said the study's senior author Elizabeth Grice, PhD, an associate professor of Dermatology. The lead author, Lindsay Kalan, PhD, now an assistant professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, began this work as a post-doctoral researcher in Grice's lab. Previous studies have used lower resolution techniques to catalogue the microbes that reside in chronic wounds. This study built on that research by using higher resolution DNA sequencing to identify specific species and subspecies and how they are related to patient outcomes. Researchers collected samples from 46 patient ulcers every two weeks for six months, or until the wound healed or was amputated. S. aureus, a common and difficult-to-treat pathogen, was found in the majority of wounds, but researchers note the presence of the bacteria itself did not predict whether or not a wound would heal. However, the high resolution DNA sequencing showed certain strains of S. aureus were only in the wounds that did not heal over the course of the study. Further testing revealed that the "non-healing" strain was better equipped to cause tissue damage and evade antibiotic treatments. Researchers further validated their findings in mice. They also noted that another common microbe found in diabetic wounds, Alcaligenes faecalis, was associated with quicker healing. "It is possible there are bacteria that actually benefit the wound, and we can use what we learned in this study to develop new treatment strategies for non-healing wounds," Grice said. "We hope this research will eventually help identify patients at risk for bad outcomes and lead to treatment innovations that these patients desperately need." This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health through the National Institute of Nursing Research (R01-NR-009448, R01-NR-015639, P20 NR018081), the National Institute of Arthritis, Musculoskeletal, and Skin Disease (R01-AR-006663, R00-AR-060873), the Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Linda Pechenik Montague Investigator Award. Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $7.8 billion enterprise. The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top medical schools in the United States for more than 20 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $405 million awarded in the 2017 fiscal year. The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Medicine Princeton Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, a leading provider of highly skilled and compassionate behavioral healthcare. Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2017, Penn Medicine provided more than $500 million to benefit our community. Source: https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2019/april/certain-strains-of-bacteria-associated-with-diabetic-wounds-that-do-not-heal Spider-Man goes dark after he reads from the Darkhold in new Marvel special Spider-Man gets the Darkhold - what could possibly go wrong? (Spoilers: lots) Chainline Brewing in Seattle's suburb of Kirkland, Washington is celebrating their 4th Anniversary this Saturday, April 20th. The brewery will use their birthday party as the debut of their Old Growth Barrel Series, and will also be giving away swag all day, giving tours every hour and have Pecos Pit BBQ food truck on site noon to 5pm. The Old Growth Barrel Series is a barrel-aged lineup of beers including a traditional saison amongst four different styles. Chainline will have these beers on draft and for sale to-go and in bottles. We have barrel aged a traditional Saison in four different styles and will release these on draft and in bottles at our party. More from a press release: Old Growth Saison 1-4 is the first iteration of this new rotating barrel series from Chainline. These bright and delicate beers feature two different kinds of yeast and two different kinds of wine barrels. Saison One is our base Saison aged for a year in a clean red wine barrel. Saison Two is the base Saison aged in a Grenache barrel. Saison Three is the base Saison aged in a red wine barrel and underwent secondary fermentation on Brettanoymyces Bruxellensis. Lastly, Saison Four is the base beer aged in a Grenache barrel with Brett Brux. 7.2-7.4% ABV Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Wheat Hops: Magnum, Herbsbrucker, Saaz Yeast: Napoleon, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis Additionally, we have a ton of beers that will make short visits to the taps including an extremely limited Barleywine, Double Cerne, our recent Steinbier, and the return of Flowtron IPA. Chainline Brewing 4th Anniversary Party Saturday, April 20th noon - 5pm503 6th St South, Kirkland, WA 98033 (Newser) There's no body, no DNA evidence, and no confession. The Thursday arrest of the husband of a woman who vanished in Bucks County, Pa., in 1981 instead came after an odd question: "Did you find the body?" William Korzon, who had a history of assaulting his wife, asked that of investigators who questioned him this year, according to an affidavit, though he told reporters Thursday that Gloria Korzon "went to Florida," per the York Dispatch. Police believe that's one of many lies the 76-year-old has told regarding his wife's whereabouts since she seemingly "ceased to exist" after leaving work on March 6, 1981. While Bucks County DA Matthew Weintraub notes officials are "very sad to say we have not [found the body]" which "makes this case difficult," he tells CBS Philadelphia "we can't just wait and hope this case will improve. Gloria's family has waited long enough." story continues below The case against Korzoncharged with homicide, solicitation to commit homicide, forgery, and perjurywill therefore rest on instances where Korzon "assaulted and threatened to kill" his wife, per the affidavit. In 1967, the same year the couple were married, Korzon allegedly threatened to kill Gloria and spent time in a Massachusetts mental hospital. After the pair moved to Philadelphia in 1968, Korzon allegedly left Gloria with "a broken arm, a broken collarbone, damage to her nasal bone and a black eye." Gloria then "sent a letter to her father and advised him not to open it unless something happened to her," the affidavit reads. After her disappearance, Korzon is accused of asking a former tenant for help in killing a detective on the case. Police say he also forged documents in an effort to profit from Gloria's death, recognized by the courts in 1997. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Investigators say an electrical short-circuit was the most likely cause of the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, a Paris police official said Thursday, as France paid a daylong tribute to the firefighters who saved the world-renowned landmark Monday. A judicial police official told The Associated Press that investigators have made an initial assessment of the cathedral but don't have a green light to search the charred interior because of ongoing safety hazards. The cathedral's fragile walls were being shored up with wooden planks, said the official. The lead roof and soaring spire were destroyed, but the bell towers, rose windows, organ, and artworks were saved. Investigators say the fire appears to have been accidental, and are questioning cathedral staff and workers who were carrying out renovations. Some 40 people had been questioned by Thursday, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. story continues below At the Elysee Palace, President Emmanuel Macron thanked hundreds of firefighters who battled the blaze for nine hours; City Hall honored them with a Bach violin concert and readings from Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame." Jean-Marc Fournier, a chaplain, said he climbed onto altars to remove paintings but was especially proud "to have removed Jesus" from the Cathedrala reference to the Catholic belief that consecrated hosts are the body of Christ. Myriam Chudzinski and other firefighters reached the roof after climbing a narrow, spiral staircase to the top of one of the towers. "It was from upstairs that you understood that it was really dramatic," she said. "It was very hot, and we had to retreat, retreat. It was spreading quickly." (Read more Notre Dame Cathedral stories.) (Newser) America's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb, who pushed for equality in space but never reached its heights, has died. Cobb died in Florida at age 88 on March 18 after a brief illness, the AP reports. In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing. Altogether, 13 women passed the arduous physical testing and became known as the Mercury 13. But NASA already had its Mercury 7 astronauts, all jet test pilots and all military men. None of the Mercury 13 ever reached space, despite Cobb's testimony in 1962 before a congressional panel. "We seek, only, a place in our nation's space future without discrimination," she told a House panel on the selection of astronauts. story continues below NASA instead tapped her as a consultant to talk up the space program. She was dismissed after saying: "I'm the most unconsulted consultant in any government agency." She wrote in her autobiography Jerrie Cobb, Solo Pilot, ''My country, my culture, was not ready to allow a woman to fly in space." Cobb was a humanitarian aid pilot in the Amazon jungle for decades. "She should have gone to space, but turned her life into one of service with grace," tweeted Ellen Stofan, director of the National Air and Space Museum. The Soviet Union put the first woman in space in 1963: Valentina Tereshkova. NASA didn't fly a woman in spaceSally Rideuntil 1983. Still hopeful, Cobb emerged in 1998 to make another pitch for space as NASA prepared to launch Mercury astronaut John Glenn on shuttle Discovery at age 77. "I would give my life to fly in space, I really would," Cobb said at age 67. "I would then, and I will now." (Read more astronauts stories.) (Newser) To impeach or not impeach? That is the question Democrats are pondering after the release of the Mueller report. Democrats are split on whether to use the report's findings to impeach the president or campaign against him in 2020, the Wall Street Journal reports. Left-wing Democrats including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez say they will sign an impeachment resolution, but others fear the move will only energize Trump supporters. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly argued against opening impeachment proceedings, saying she will only back the move if there is Republican support. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, who has asked Robert Mueller to testify before his committee, says impeachment is "one possibility" as investigations continue. More: Waters breaks ranks . Rep. Maxine Waters was among Democrats who broke ranks with party leaders Thursday, arguing that Congress has a responsibility to act, the New York Times reports. "Congress's failure to impeach would set a dangerous precedent and imperil the nation as it would vest too much power in the executive branch and embolden future officeholders to further debase the US presidency, if thats even possible," she said. . Rep. Maxine Waters was among Democrats who broke ranks with party leaders Thursday, arguing that Congress has a responsibility to act, the New York Times reports. "Congress's failure to impeach would set a dangerous precedent and imperil the nation as it would vest too much power in the executive branch and embolden future officeholders to further debase the US presidency, if thats even possible," she said. Republicans want an apology. Politico reports that House Republicans celebrated what they saw as an exoneration, while their Senate counterparts were more cautious, saying they would study the report. Leading House Republicans called for an end to the Democratic investigations of Trump, with Rep. Steve Scalise arguing that the party "ought to apologize to the American people." story continues below "Not worthwhile." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says that while the report shows that Trump tried to obstruct justice on multiple occasions, he would rather let the American people decide. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point," Hoyer told CNN on Thursday. "Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgment." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says that while the report shows that Trump tried to obstruct justice on multiple occasions, he would rather let the American people decide. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point," Hoyer told CNN on Thursday. "Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgment." Bernie Sanders weighs in . The Vermont senator, like other Democratic 2020 hopefuls, denounced the behavior described in the report but stopped short of mentioning impeachment, the Washington Post reports. "While we have more detail from todays report than before, Congress must continue its investigation into Trumps conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election," he said Thursday. . The Vermont senator, like other Democratic 2020 hopefuls, denounced the behavior described in the report but stopped short of mentioning impeachment, the Washington Post reports. "While we have more detail from todays report than before, Congress must continue its investigation into Trumps conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election," he said Thursday. "Damning portrait of the White House." Politicoone of many news outlets calling Mueller's report a "damning portrait"calls the report a "damning portrait of a dysfunctional Trump White House," where "aides routinely disregard the wishes of a president with little regard for the traditional boundaries of his office." "Damning portrait of the president." Julie Pace at the AP calls the report a "damning portrait of a president consumed by the investigation." He "pushed the boundaries of presidential powers and the law, revealing a commander in chief consumed by self-interest and intent on having his top lieutenants lie or obfuscate on his behalf," she writes. "The fact that many refused to do so may have helped save Trump from being charged with obstructing justice." Julie Pace at the AP calls the report a "damning portrait of a president consumed by the investigation." He "pushed the boundaries of presidential powers and the law, revealing a commander in chief consumed by self-interest and intent on having his top lieutenants lie or obfuscate on his behalf," she writes. "The fact that many refused to do so may have helped save Trump from being charged with obstructing justice." "Damning portrait of Trump's presidency." At the Washington Post, Dan Balz says the report "provides a damning portrait of the president and those around him for actions taken during the 2016 campaign and while in office." Beyond the question of criminality, he writes, the report should lead to "questions that go to the heart of what is acceptable or normal or advisable in a democracy." (Read more Mueller report stories.) (Newser) Parents of three children from separate Brooklyn households found to be in violation of a mandatory measles vaccination order face the first fines over such a case in at least a century, reports the Washington Post. New York City health officials issued summonses to the parents Thursday after finding the children were exposed to measles but hadn't been vaccinated by the end of last week, per NBC New York. Fines of $1,000 apply if the summonses are upheld at a hearing. Health officials also closed four schools that failed to meet vaccination requirements. story continues below Also Thursday, a judge struck down a lawsuit from five parents who sought to fight the order applying to certain zip codes of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They argued that New York City's worst measles outbreak in 28 yearswith 359 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, up from 329 on Mondaywasn't dangerous enough to warrant it. "A fireman need not obtain the informed consent of the owner before extinguishing a house fire," Judge Lawrence Knipel countered, reports Gothamist. "Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion." Health officials expect the outbreak to worsen, as it can take up to three weeks for symptoms to appear. (Read more measles stories.) (Newser) President Trump appears to have spent the day the Mueller report was released in a familiar wayposting on Twitter and watching Fox News. He responded to the report's release Thursday with a flurry of tweets, including one in which he says he could have fired the special counsel, the Hill reports. Trump quoted Fox host Jesse Watters' claim that he was defending himself against being "framed" and added: "I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didnt!" In another tweet, Trump said: "Anything the Russians did concerning the 2016 Election was done while Obama was President. He was told about it and did nothing!" story continues below Later Thursday, Trump quoted remarks from other Fox hosts, including Tucker Carlson, who said: "The Mueller Report is perhaps the single most humiliating thing that has ever happened to the White House Press in the history of this Country. They know they lied." In a tweet issued after Attorney General William Barr's pre-release press conference, Trump used a Game of Thrones meme and received a mild rebuke from HBO, Fortune reports. "Though we can understand the enthusiasm for Game of Thrones now that the final season has arrived, we still prefer our intellectual property not be used for political purposes," the network said. "No Collusion, No Obstruction," Trump's meme stated, though Mueller's report listed 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice. (Read more Mueller report stories.) (Newser) Strong storms again roared across the South on Thursday, killing two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama while leaving more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. National Weather Service forecasters said they believe multiple tornadoes hit southwest and central Mississippi, although they won't be sure until damage is surveyed, the AP reports. Heavy winds also were reported in Louisiana earlier in the day and in central Alabama as the system quickly pushed eastward. Forecasters predicted the system would push into Georgia before sunrise. On the back side of the system, there were also reports late Thursday of high winds in southern Oklahoma. story continues below Schools and colleges sent students home early across much of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The same storm system produced tornadoes and hail earlier in North Texas, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma, and southeastern Kansas. Seven tornadoes were reported across the Plains from the northeastern Texas Panhandle to southeastern Kansas. Strong winds hit elsewhere Wednesday evening, toppling utility poles and trees and downing power lines in parts of North Texas. The storms came days after more than 40 tornadoes from East Texas to Georgia left at least nine dead. That outbreak damaged more than 250 homes, businesses, and public buildings across Mississippi. (Read more severe weather stories.) (Newser) The $1 billion raised to rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral is now receiving a dose of controversy. The Washington Post is among several outlets reporting that criticism is mounting in regard to income inequality about the large donations that came from billionaires like Francois-Henri Pinault and Bernard Arnault. While most want to see Notre Dame restored to its former glory or beyond, critics see the donations as proving "social problems could be quickly addressed if the wealthy were motivated to do so," per USA Today. "If two men can provide [$337 million] to restore Notre Dame, within six hours, then there is enough money in the world to feed every mouth, shelter every family and educate every child," writes Carl Kinsella at Joe.ie. "The failure to do so is a matter of will, and a matter of system." story continues below Adds journalist Simon Allison, who is based in South Africa: In just a few hours today, 650 million euros was donated to rebuild Notre Dame. In six months, just 15 million euros has been pledged to restore Brazils National Museum. I think this is what they call white privilege. Critics were pointing to other examples, including the need for money to ease the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Though the French government usually grants corporations a 60% tax deduction on culture donations, Pinault and Arnault say won't get any such deduction. "It's pretty dismaying to see that in France you are criticized even for doing something for the general interest," Arnault says, per Reuters. It's "an act, which in many other countries, we'd be congratulated for." (The fire has drawn attention to other causes.) (Newser) Sears Holdings Corp. is suing its former chairman and largest shareholder Eddie Lampert, alleging the billionaire stripped the once iconic company of more than $2 billion in assets. The lawsuit, which was filed late Wednesday with the US Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, also names former Sears directors, including US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as well as executives at Lampert's hedge fund ESL. Sears, which also operates Kmart, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October amid years of massive losses and sales drops. Lampert saved the company by acquiring the assets in a court-approved auction through an affiliate of ESL in February. Unsecured creditors had tried to block the sale, reports the AP, maintaining that Lampert was to blame for the company's downfall. story continues below The 110-page lawsuit cited sales or spinoffs of key assets that were allegedly used to line Lampert's own pockets and that of his hedge fund. That includes the spinoff of Lands' End in 2014 and Lampert's real estate investment trust Seritage Growth created four years ago to extract revenue from Sears' properties. "Altogether, Lampert caused more than $2 billion of assets to be transferred to himself and Sears' other shareholders and beyond the reach of Sears' creditors," the suit states. ESL calls the claims "baseless" and "fanciful" in a statement. "The debtors' allegations are misleading or just flat wrong," ESL said, adding that Sears received proceeds of more than $3 billion from the transactions, which were applied to reduce debt and fund operations. "ESL was a constant source of financing for Sears Holdings for many years," it said. (Read more Sears stories.) (Newser) There have only been two White House press briefings in 2019. Should Sarah Sanders hold another, she can expect to spend it in the hot seat. The White House press secretary is under fire from journalists in the wake of the release of the Mueller report. It confirms that she made statements from behind the podium that weren't grounded in fact. At issue are two comments made in May 2017. In the first, she asserted that "we've heard from countless members of the FBI" who were glad James Comey was out. A day later, she said, "I've heard from countless members of the FBI that are grateful and thankful for the president's decision." In an interview with Mueller's office, she called the first statement a "slip of the tongue." As for the second comment, she said it was made "in the heat of the moment" and acknowledged to Mueller's team that it was "not founded on anything," per the report. story continues below Sanders has gone on the defense. In an appearance on Hannity on Fox News Thursday night, Sanders said, "Look, I acknowledged that I had a slip of the tongue when I used the word 'countless,' but it's not untrue. ... A number of both current and former FBI agents agreed with the president. James Comey was a disgraced leaker who tried to politicize and undermine the very agency he was supposed to run." She doubled down Friday, saying much the same thing on ABC's Good Morning America. "Actually, if you look at what I said, I said the 'slip of the tongue' was in using the word 'countless.' ... James Comey was a disgraced leaker and used authorization to spy on the Trump campaign despite no evidence of collusion. I stand by the fact, George" George Stephanopoulos interrupted, pushing back: "Why can't you acknowledge that what you said then was not true?" She replied, "It wasn't a scripted talking point. I'm sorry that I wasn't a robot like the Democrat Party that went out for two-and-a-half years and stated time and time again that there was definitely Russian collusion." Other journalists weighed in: "So there it is"not founded on anything"a remarkable admission from a government official who is paid to communicate accurately with the public," writes Brian Stelter for CNN. In an opinion piece for NBC News, Kurt Bardella argues for her ouster while contextualizing the position: "The job of White House press secretary is more than just a spokesperson advocating for the president of the United States. ... The press secretary serves as a living, breathing reminder of the free press constitutionally protected right to question the most powerful office in the world." Among the many lessons to emerge from this revelation is how little regard Team Trump has for reputations," writes Erik Wemple for the Washington Post. "They thought nothing of trashing the man Trump had suddenly decided to fire, regardless of the facts." (Read more Sarah Huckabee Sanders stories.) (Newser) "The teacher touched me, I will fight this crime 'til my last breath," Nusrat Jahan Rafi spoke into a cellphone as she was taken to a Bangladeshi hospital with burns covering 80% of her body. She would die four days later, and now her case has gained international attention. In late March, Nusrat told police the headmaster of her school in the small town of Feni had called her into his office and touched her inappropriately, reports the BBC. He was arrested, but a police video of Nusrat making her complaint surfaced, and soon she became a target of harassment. When she returned to school for her final exams on April 6, authorities say a female student lured her to the roof on a false pretext. There, a small group confronted Nusrat and demanded she clear the headmaster. When she refused, they set her on fire, per the Guardian. story continues below "None of the culprits will be spared from legal action," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says, per the BBC, which notes 15 people have been arrested along with the headmaster. The Dhaka Tribune reports he had a known "history of condemnable behavior." In the police video, Nusrat, who was 18 or 19, can be seen trying to keep her face covered as the officer orders her to remove her hands from her face and tells her the allegation is "no big deal." The case "shows how badly the Bangladesh government has failed victims of sexual assault," a rep for Human Rights Watch says, per Sky News. "It leads the victim to give up on seeking justice," a human rights lawyer adds. (Gay people aren't safe in Bangladesh, either.) (Newser) The Great Synagogue of Warsaw, which was destroyed by German forces during World War II, made a brief reappearance as an apparition of light during commemorations for the Ghetto Uprising of 1943. Light was projected Thursday night onto the modern glass building in the place where the synagogue used to stand, reports the AP. For two hours, a grand building fronted by classical Greek-style columns was returned virtually to a city where most traces of a large prewar Jewish community have vanished. Archival recordings of the synagogue's cantor, Gerszon Sirota, revived the sounds of Jewish Warsaw. Sirota died in the ghetto. The light-and-sound show was the work of Polish multimedia artist Gabi von Seltmann, whose grandfather was a Polish school director killed at Auschwitz. story continues below The Warsaw Ghetto uprising broke out April 19, 1943, when about 750 young Jewish fighters armed with just pistols and fuel bottles attacked a much larger and heavily armed German force that was "liquidating" the ghetto, meaning sending its inhabitants to the Treblinka death camp. In their last testaments, the fighters said they knew they were doomed but wanted to die at a time and place of their own choosing. They held out nearly a month, longer than some German-invaded countries did. The Germans razed the Warsaw Ghetto and killed most of the fighters, except for a few dozen who managed to escape through sewage canals to the "Aryan" side of the city. They blew up the Great Synagogue in a symbolic victory gesture. (Read more Nazis stories.) (Newser) Chad Elwartowski and his girlfriend remain in hiding, possibly in Thailand, after that country's government accused them of building a "sea home" that violates the country's sovereignty. It's a charge that can carry a death sentence, and on Friday, a Thai official urged the couple to get a lawyer and "fight this case." The deputy provincial governor of Phuket tells Reuters "we are not threatening them." Elwartowski, an American bitcoin investor, has been making his case on Facebook, where he on Thursday posted a map showing the GPS coordinates of nearby land and the sea home. "This proves that the seastead was outside of Thailand territorial waters. The law Nadia and I are accused of violating (which carries a death sentence) only applies in Thailand's territory and within it's [sic] territorial waters." story continues below He links to a longer technical post from the Ocean Builders group that he's a part of. The group elaborates in a second post: The sea home "is clearly outside the 12 miles-zone. Here are the coordinates: 7.487162, 98.581792. Everybody can check this on his or her own." The sea home in question was the first built by Ocean Builders and has been up since February. Elwartowski claims he did not construct it and lived in it for just a few weeks. CNN credits Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel with getting the "seasteading" movement off the ground in 2008 when he co-founded the Seasteading Institute. That group is in talks with French Polynesia about putting up homes in its territorial waters. (Read more Thailand stories.) Sorry! This content is not available in your region New Delhi: Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani on Friday held preliminary talks with his State Bank of India (SBI) counterpart Rajnish Kumar on the national carriers interest in leasing five Boeing 777s from Jet Airways, which announced temporary grounding of its operations earlier in the week. Weighed down by a mountain of debt and falling revenue, Jet Airways, which owns 16 wide-body planes, 10 B777-300ERs and six Airbus A330s, announced suspension of its entire operations from Wednesday night. The SBI, which is the lead lender of Jet Airways, is currently running the airline under a debt recast plan. The meeting between the two lasted for over more than an hour at the Airlines House, the headquarters of the flag carrier in the national Capital. Speaking to the news agency PTI, sources close to the development said, "During the meeting with Kumar, Lohani discussed his proposal on leasing five B777s of Jet Airways". As per the latest reports, the AI chairman will now take the proposal to the airlines board for approval, after more internal discussions and if all goes well, then the proposal will be sent to the aviation ministry for the final approval. The AI board is scheduled to meet on April 27 and the subject may come up for discussions. Earlier on Thursday, there were reports that Lohani has written a letter to the SBI chief expressing interest in operating Jet's five wide-body Boeing 777 aircrafts. The meeting between the two for furthering proposed plan is expected to take place in New Delhi this evening. However, there were no immediate words either from SBI or Air India on the development. In a dry-lease arrangement, the lessor gives out only the aircraft to a lessee, while in wet-lease, the aircraft comes with the complete crew, maintenance and insurance. The airfare on most of the foreign routes such as India-Gulf, India-UK and Mumbai-London witnessed a sudden surge ever since Jet Airways suspended its international operations earlier in the week. In the meantime, the tactical move by the Air India to deploy the additional capacity is considered to be an attempt to capture the traffic, catering the peak demand on those international routes. After the grounding of Jet, Air India is the only domestic carrier now operating services on long haul and ultra-long-haul routes like London, Paris, New York, Washington, Chicago and San Francisco, among other cities. Last week, low-cost carrier SpiceJet also announced to induct 16 B737 into its fleet which were earlier operated by Jet Airways. The airline is in talks to take another six aircraft and operate them on domestic routes in near future. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: No-frills airline SpiceJet on Friday said it is giving first preference to those who have lost their jobs due to the debt-ridden Jet Airways decision of suspending its operations temporarily. Left with no cash to continue flying, the once-mighty Jet Airways on Wednesday suspended operations temporarily -- a decision that has also left more than 20,000 employees as well as various other stakeholders in the lurch. Spicejet, in a statement, said it has already provided jobs to over 500 employees of Jet, including more than 100 pilots, more than 200 cabin crew and more than 200 technical and airport staff. "As we expand and grow, we are giving first preference to those who have recently lost their jobs due to the unfortunate closure of Jet Airways. We have already provided jobs to more than 100 pilots, more than 200 cabin crew and more than 200 technical and airport staff," read the statement. "We will also induct a large number of planes in our fleet soon. SpiceJet is making all possible efforts to minimise passenger inconvenience and serve Indian customers who are finding it difficult to get seats in this busy season," it added. Jet Airways owns 16 aircraft, including 10 wide-body Boeing 777-300 ERs, rest of the planes were on lease. The full-service carrier had more than 120 planes in its fleet last year. Meanwhile, the lenders ways to utilise about 15 planes owned by Jet Airways and also discussing with authorities on protecting the valuable assets, including airport slots owned by the carrier. As they wait for completion of the bidding process for stake sale, the domestic lenders, led by SBI, are looking at options to raise funds from available assets of the carrier, which has served the Indian skies for nearly 26 years. On Thursday, a government official had said that with Jet Airways suspending its operations, as many as 440 slots were vacant at Delhi and Mumbai airports which will be allocated to other airlines in a transparent manner. From being clueless on how to find money for their children's school and college fees, to paying rent for their accommodations, the 22,000-odd employees of Jet Airways are looking for answers and for most, the answers lie in immediate funding from lenders. With substantial number of employees having been with Jet Airways for around 20 years, getting another job is also not easy considering the age factor and the job market situation. For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Congress stalwart N D Tiwari, died an 'unnatural death' and was probably killed by being smothered with a pillow, according to sources in Delhi Police. Sources added that the post-mortem report has revealed that Rohit had consumed alcohol before he was murdered. Meanwhile, the investigation pertaining to Rohit's death has been transferred to the Crime Branch which was registered a murder case under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unknown people. Rohit was taken to Delhis Max Hospital by his mother where he was declared brought dead. According to police, no external injury marks were observed on his body. His mother, who was in Max Hospital at that time for her treatment, received a call from home that Rohit was unwell and bleeding from his nose. She took an ambulance that brought Rohit to the hospital. While the servants at his house told police that he suffered nose bleed, his mother Ujjwala Tiwari claimed that her son died natural death. "His death is natural. I have no suspicion, but I will reveal later what circumstances led to his death," she had said. Rohit had fought a six-year-long legal battle to prove that he was ND Tiwari's "biological" son born out of an affair between the former Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand chief minister and his mother Ujjwala. Tiwari married Rohit's mother at the age of 89 in 2014 after Rohit won the paternity suit against him. Narayan Dutt Tiwari died at the age of 93 on October 18, his birthday, last year. He too was undergoing treatment for age-related complications at the Saket hospital. The Congress veteran, who had served in various positions at the Centre, was the chief of minister of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Rohit Tiwari joined the BJP ahead of the 2017 Uttarakhand assembly polls and recently indicated he could join the Congress. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: TN HSE +2 Result 2019: The Directorate of Government Examinations (DGE), Tamil Nadu has announced the HSE (+2) i.e., Class 12th results today, April 19, 2019 at 09:30 am. The declaration of Tamil Nadu +2 Result 2019 has sealed the fate of 8 lakh students who have appeared for the examination. The TN Board HSC (+2) exam 2019 was held from March 1 to 19, 2019. Now that the results are over, the candidates can check the scorecards on the official websites of the board i.e. www.tnresults.nic.in, www.dge1.tn.nic.in, www.dge2.tn.nic.in. The candidates must also note that we have also activated a direct link here through which the candidates can view the results. CLICK HERE FOR TN CLASS 12 LATEST UPDATES LIVE Updates: 9.59 am: 8,69,423 have appeared for the examination and 7,69,225 have passed the examination. The overall pass percentage is 91.3 percent this year. 9.51 am: TN 12th Result 2019 is now declared by the Board. The overall pass percentage is 91.3 percent this year. Girls have outshined boys this year too with 93.64 percent and boys pass percentage is 88.57 percent. The top three districts are - Thirupur with overall pass percentage is 95.37 percent, Erode with 95.37 percent and Perambalur at 95.15 percent. 9.50 am: A total of 8,87,992 students have received the TN 12th Result 2019. The examination was conducted in the month of March 2019. 9.48: 9.48 am: A total of 8,87,992 students can check TN 12th Result 2019 now on the links given in the table below. Candidates will have to score 30 out of 150 marks in the theory exams and 40 out of 150 marks in the practical exams to pass in TN 12th Result 2019. 9.40 am: The candidates can now check 12th public exam results on the official sites at tnresults.nic.in. A total of 8,87,992 students can check TN 12th Result 2019. The candidates will have to score 30 out of 150 marks in the theory exams and 40 out of 150 marks in the practical exams to pass in TN 12th Result 2019. 9.36 am: TN 12th Result 2019 on tnresults.nic.in Live Updates: Result Declared @tnresults.nic.in 9.31 am: TN 12th Result 2019 will be declared at tnresults.nic.in. Candidates can also check HSE(+1) Arrears - March 2019 Results as well. A total of 8,87,992 students will receive TN 12th Result 2019. 9.22 am: A total of 8,87,992 students will receive TN 12th Result 2019. The examination was conducted in the month of March 2019. 9.10 am: Tamil Nadu Directorate of Government Examination will declare TN 12th Result 2019 anytime soon. The press conference is about to begin. Media persons have already arrived at the venue. 9.07 am: The press conference to begin now. Board officials are about to announce the TN 12th Result 2019. 8.58 pm: The press conference to begin now for declaration of 12th public exam results. 8.50 am: Press conference to begin shortly. Board officials will declare the TN 12th Result 2019 today anytime between 9 am to 10 am. 8.37 pm: TN 12th Result 2019 is expected anytime soon. 8.22 am: The Board officials will arrive at the venue for the conference soon. 8.12 am: The press conference will begin before the scheduled time at around 9 am today: reports 8.00 am: Only one and half hour wait and candidates who have appeared for Tamil Nadu HSC 2019 can check their result from the official sites of dge1.tn.nic.in, dge2.tn.nic.in and on tnresults.nic.in. 7.48 am: The candidates who have appeared for the examination are asked to keep all the details ready for the fast and easy access to the results. 7.41 am: The declaration of the TN HSE Result 2019 will seal the fate of more than 8 lakh students. 7.40 am: Tamil Nadu Board to announce HSE (+2) Results at 9.30 am. Click Here For Tamil Nadu HSE (+2) Result 2019 UPDATES For the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the process through which the candidates can check their results: Log on to the official website - tnresults.nic.in Click on the link that says "TN HSC (+2) Result 2019 A new page will open on your screen Enter your roll number Your Class 12 result will appear on your screen Download the result and take a printout for future reference Once the Class 12 exam result is declared, the students will be able to download their mark statements through their schools from April 20, 2019 to April 26, 2019. It may be noted that the candidates can apply for the copy of their answer scripts and retotalling through their schools from April 22 to 24, 2019. Last year, the TN Board 12th results were declared on May 16, 2018. The students have to pay Rs 275/- to get the copy of the answer script. For retotalling they have to pay Rs 205 all subjects except biology. For biology, they have to pay Rs 305. Students can pay the fees for retotalling and revaluation in their respective schools. "The students who fail to clear the Class XII exam can apply for instant supplementary exams in June. The dates would be announced separately," the DGE said in a release. The supplementary exams will be held from June 6 to 13. New Delhi : Pragya Singh Thakur, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and key accused in Malegaon blast has stoked controversy with her remarks against former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare, who sacrificed his life during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. The BJP leader, who is facing charges of terrorism in Malegaon blast under the UAPA, said that Karkare died just 40 days after she cursed him. I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him You will be ruined. And within 40 days, he was killed by terrorists, she said. Karkare had lost his life along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Thakur, also known as Sadhvi, is facing trial in Malegaon terrorist attack in which six people were killed and over 12 others sustained serious injuries in an explosion in Maharashtras Malegaon on September 29, 2008. In 2015, one year after the Narendra Modi government came to power, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) gave Thakur clean chit for lack of evidence, the trial court refused to acquit her, saying that it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. In 2017, she was granted bail by the Bombay High Court. She was also cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). She, however, remains a terror accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. In the wake of Lok Sabha elections, the Malegaon blast accused joined BJP on Wednesday. The saffron party also named her as candidate from Bhopal against Congress Digvijay Singh. Pragya Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtras Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Thakur has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. On Wednesday, she formally joined the BJP and will contest against Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal parliamentary constituency. The BJP has been at the receiving end for its decision to field a terror accused in the Lok Sabha elections. New Delhi: Amid the efforts to forge an alliance with the AAP reaching a deadlock, the Congress has sent a list of probables for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi to party president Rahul Gandhi for his approval, according to a senior party leader. Notably, the nomination process for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi is set to close on Tuesday. The list of party probables, including Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, was sent to Rahul and party's organisation secretary KC Venugopal on Friday, said AICC in-charge PC Chacko. "The list is likely to be out on Saturday since Rahul Gandhi is out of Delhi for campaigning and will be back late tonight," Chacko said. Another senior Congress leader said efforts to forge an alliance with the AAP in Delhi were stuck as there was an impasse on seat sharing in Delhi. "They (AAP) are coming out with new formulae instead of agreeing to contest four seats and leave three for Congress in Delhi. Time is running out for nomination and campaigning, so we are focusing on announcement of our candidates," he said. Sources said AAP has proposed to withdraw its Chandigarh candidate in favour of Congress if it agreed to have two seats in Delhi. After several rounds of talks involving Chacko, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and other leaders of two sides, disagreement prevailed on scope of tie up and seat-sharing formula. The AAP insisted on including Haryana in alliance while Congress stuck to 4-3 formula of seat sharing for Delhi alone. Later, the AAP said Congress cannot be given more than two seats in Delhi if Haryana is kept out of the ambit of alliance. The Congress rejected it. Sources in Congress said the party has finalised its seven candidates but some adjustments could be made on 2-3 seats. Dikshit whose name was making the rounds as the party's probable candidate from East Delhi has now shown interest on Chandni Chowk seat, they said. "If Dikshit is fielded from Chandni Chowk, former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely could be East Delhi candidate," said a top leader associated with screening of names for the Lok Sabha polls. Former South Delhi MP Ramesh Kumar was considered on the seat. Olympic medal winner Sushil Kumar's name was also under consideration from South Delhi. On West Delhi seat, the party was trying to field a prominent Purvanchali celebrity but the plan did not materialise. A former MP from the seat, Mahabal Mishra, is front-runner as party candidate on the seat due to his Purvanchali roots, sources claimed. The nomination process for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi will conclude on April 23; nomination will not take place on Sunday. The AAP has announced its candidates on seven seats while the BJP is likely to do so on Saturday. New Delhi: Urmila Matondkar on Thursday said the biopic made on Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a joke as he has failed to fulfil his promises. Urmila is contesting the Lok Sabha election as a Congress candidate from Mumbai North. The biopic on Modi, starring Vivek Oberoi, was set to hit the screens on April 11. However, the Election Commission ordered a stay on its release during the poll period. The biopic made on his (Modis) life is nothing but a joke as the prime minister, who claims to have a 56-inch-chest, has miserably failed to deliver anything. The movie made on his life is a joke on the democracy, poverty and diversity of India, which has been damaged, news agency PTI quoted him as saying. What can be worse than a prime minister of a democratic country not holding even a single press conference in the last five years, she said. Earlier, officials of the Election Commission, drawn from its model code and legal divisions, Wednesday watched the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the directions of the Supreme Court. The EC had asked the producers of the film to arrange for a screening for its committee. The screening was "longish" as officials also discussed various aspects, sources said. Now the EC will take a considered view on whether the ban should continue and submit its decision to the Supreme Court by April 19 in a sealed cover. The Supreme Court had on Monday directed the EC to watch the full biopic on Modi and take an informed decision on banning its pan-India release. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna had said it will consider the EC report and hear the matter on April 22. The Modi biopic, starring Vivek Oberoi in the lead, has been the most-talked about movie in this election season. Directed by Omung Kumar, it tells the story of Modi's rise to power from his humble beginnings. New Delhi: The BJP on Friday distanced itself from partys Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakurs remarks that former Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. Releasing statement, the party said it considers Karkare a martyr and that Pragya might have given statement because of the mental and physical torture she had faced. BJP considers him a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya's personal statement which she might have given because of the mental and physical torture she had faced, the statement read. The Congress had demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologise to the country and take action against Pragya Thakur. Partys chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the remark was an insult to every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the country while fighting terrorism. Meanwhile, the Election Commission took cognisance of the incident and filed a complaint against the BJP leader. Addressing a gathering of BJP workers on Thursday, Thakur said Karkare committed an anti-national act by falsely implicating her in the Malegaon blast case and keeping her behind bars without evidence. "It was treason. It was against religion," she said. Thakur alleged that she was tortured during her detention and she had cursed him. "He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start...Just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said. Pragya Singh Thakur is an accused in the Malegaon terror blast case. Hemant Karkare, a former Mumbai Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) chief, died fighting terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack. He was also leading the probe into the Malegaon attack. New Delhi: A complaint has been filed with the Election Commission on Friday against BJP candidate and Malegaon Blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Thakur over her controversial remarks on 26/11 terror attack martyr and former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemank Karkare. Pragya, who is fielded by the BJP from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, earlier in the day, courted controversies, saying Karkare was killed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks because she cursed him. Confirming the news, Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) told ANI, "Complaint received against BJP Lok Sabha candidate for Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, for her comments on 26/11 martyr (former Mumbai ATS Chief Hemant Karkare). Cognizance taken. The matter is under enquiry". Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer: Complaint received against BJP Lok Sabha candidate for Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, for her comments on 26/11 martyr (former Mumbai ATS Chief Hemant Karkare). Cognizance taken. The matter is under enquiry. (File pic of Pragya Singh Thakur) pic.twitter.com/CiHl0a1WgD a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Karkare had lost his life along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008. Pragya, however, claimed that Karkare died just 40 days after she cursed him. "I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him a You will be ruined. And within 40 days, he was killed by terrorists," she said. Thakur, the newly-inducted BJP leader also accused Karkare of abusing and torturing her. Pragya, who is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case, on Wednesday joined the BJP and is pitted against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the Bhopal parliamentary constituency, which is scheduled to go to polls in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 12. On Thursday, a Malegaon blast victim's father and a political activist moved the special NIA court and the Election Commission respectively seeking barring of prime accused Pragya from contesting the Lok Sabha polls. The application before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai was filed by Nisar Sayeed, who lost his son in the blast in 2008. Sayeed pleaded that Thakur, who is out on bail, be asked to attend court proceedings in Mumbai and be barred from contesting the election as the trial is in progress. Special judge VS Padalkar sought replies from both the NIA and Thakur and posted the matter for Monday. The BJP, meanwhile, said it will contest the polls in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh as a fight against the alleged "conspiracy" by the Congress to defame Hindu religion by linking it to terrorism. Six people were killed and over 100 injured in a bomb blast at Malegaon, a communally-sensitive textile town in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested Thakur and others in the case, alleging they were part of a Hindu extremist group which carried out the blast. The NIA later gave Thakur a clean chit, but the court did not discharge her. It dropped charges against her under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, but she is still facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code sections. Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Congress on a plea seeking deletion from the party's election manifesto the promise of the minimum income guarantee scheme to grant Rs 72,000 per annum to the poorest families. The bench comprising Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Justice Rajendra Kumar passed the order based on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by advocates Mohit Kumar and Amit Pandey. The court directed the Congress party and the Election Commission of India to file their replies within two weeks and fixed May 13 as the next date of hearing. The petitioners contended that such a promise in a manifesto amounted to bribery and is in violation of the Representation of the People Act. A political party cannot make such promises as it is violation of the law and the model code of conduct, the plea said. New Delhi: Patidar and Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by a man during a rally at Surendranagar in Gujarat on Friday. A man climbed onto the stage and slapped him. Reacting to this, the Patidar leader said that BJP was sending people to attack him. The police have begun investigation into the case.A As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him. The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by Congress workers, who also beat him up and took him away from the venue. The man was identified as Tarun Gajjar and he said that he wanted to teach Patel a lesson. "My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then that I'll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow," he said. He also said that again during his rally in Ahmedabad, when he had gone to fetch medicines for hischild, everything was shut down. "He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler?" Gajjar asked. #BREAKING | Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Gujarat's Surendranagar. Watch video Video credit: ANI@HardikPatel_ Track all election updates here: https://t.co/u47yJ3eCLQ pic.twitter.com/4ruL2wFQ6C a News Nation (@NewsNationTV) April 19, 2019 Congress leader Hardik Patel files complaint with police after he was slapped during a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat, earlier today. pic.twitter.com/ioZNWMjZy2 a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Tarun Gajjar: Then again during his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler? (2/2) https://t.co/QXo30wJmAB a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Gajjar was later taken to a hospital because of the injuries he sustained after being beaten by Congress workers. Gujarat: Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar earlier today was admitted to hospital after being thrashed following the incident pic.twitter.com/aTrgQ1nhIU a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 On Thursday, Patel had to cancel his helicopter ride to Lunawada in the Mahisagar district of the state at the last moment after the farmer on whose field the chopper was to land did not give permission to use it as a helipad. Patel later travelled by road to the election rally. Patel, who is all of 25, has emerged as the Congress' star campaigner in Gujarat after being denied persmission from the Supreme Court declined an urgent hearing of his plea seeking a suspension of his conviction in a 2015 Vispur rioting case. He had moved the top court in order to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.A The top court, while declining his petition, asked Patel why did he not come earlier. aYou allowed the order to attain finality. We can't help you if you don't help yourself,a the Supreme Court said, adding "There is no urgency as he was convicted way back in 2015, says Supreme Court." He had joined the Congress on March 12.A Polling for 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held on April 23. New Delhi: HD Deve Gowda, Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former prime minister, said that he will stand by Rahul Gandhi if the later becomes the prime minister of the country. He thinks JD(S) ought to support the Congress and move forward with it. "Madam Sonia Gandhi has taken the decision to support Deve Gowda even though we are a small party. Now it is my responsibility to move forward with the Congress, though I do agree in some states there is no question of any coalition. But in Tamil Nadu, there is a coalition between Congress and DMK and with Sharad Pawar's party in Maharashtra," Deve Gowda said as quoted by news agency ANI. Though the former prime minister had three years ago announced that he would not contest the elections, this time around he is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Karnataka's Tumkur parliamentary constituency against GS Basvaraj of the BJP. On this, Deve Gowda said, I announced three years ago that I will not contest elections. There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. There is nothing to hide. I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics." When asked if he wants to retire like LK Advani, he replied with an emphatic ''no'', adding, "I want to save my party first and last the office building." Commenting on his son and Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's statement that there is a possibility that Deve Gowda might become the prime minister as a consensus candidate after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he replied: "I am not bothered about this. My concern is (Narendra) Modi will come to Parliament. I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the PM. I have the courage. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the prime minister." When asked on allegations of saving the family rather than the party, the JD(S) chief said: "Several leaders who worked with me collectively, have left. Some people are in Congress, some in BJP. I was able to keep the party intact but suffered. I have not allowed my family members to become president of the party." New Delhi: When Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party Mayawati will share stage at a joint rally in Mainpuri on Friday, it will certainly be a sight to behold. Once steadfast rivals have now joined hands to take on the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections. Preparations are underway at the Christian Field in Mainpuri to send out a message to political opponents that the alliance against the BJP in Uttar Pradesh shares a strong bond, news agency PTI quoted a Samajwadi Party worker as saying. In 1995, Samajwadi Party workers had allegedly attacked a state guest house where Mayawati was camping with her supporters. The immediate provocation was Mayawati's decision to withdraw from the government and join hands with the BJP. Ever since then the two had become sworn enemies. The SP patriarch is contesting from Mainpuri and Mayawati campaigning for him is proof that they have buried their hatchet, at least for now. Mulayam had not attended the other SP-BSP joint rallies in Deoband, Badaun and Agra because of health issues. Besides Mulayam Singh Yadav, both Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati will address the rally along with Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh. Raj Kumar, the party's Sadar legislator, said Mulayam Singh Yadav will reach the venue by noon. Around 35,000 people will be provided with food packets on the occasion, he added. Mayawati with Akhilesh Yadav. (File photo) The allied SP-BSP will be contesting on 37 and 38 seats respectively, and its smaller ally the RLD will be fielding candidates in 3 constituencies in the states. While the SP and BSP kept the Congress out of the alliance, they decided not to field any candidate on the Rae Bareli and Amethi seats the two strongholds of the Congress in the state. The Congress party in return announced that it will not contest on seven seats including Mainpuri and Kannauj from where Mulayam Singh Yadav and Dimple Yadav are expected to contest. SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had created a flutter in the Lok Sabha last month when he said he wished to see Narendra Modi back as prime minister, a sentiment that the PM had acknowledged with folded hands. And pointing to Modi, the SP founder had added he wished the BJP leader too to come back as the prime minister. His remarks had drawn applause from the treasury benches. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a thanksgiving convention at Talkatora stadium in Delhi on Friday organised by traders supporting the BJP to express "gratitude" for various measures promised in the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, Delhi BJP leaders said Tuesday. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls has raised hopes of the people including traders in the country who want to bring Modi back as prime minister. Union minister Vijay Goel earlier said prominent business leaders and office-bearers of all market associations in Delhi have been invited to Rashtriye Vyapari Dhanyawad Mahasammelan. Crores of traders want to express their gratitude to the Prime Minister for the BJPs Sankalp Patra promising measures like accident insurance of Rs 10 lakh, pension after 60 years, traders credit card, simplification of GST and also exemption from income tax up to Rs 5 lakhs, Goel said Tuesday. Delhi BJP chief Tiwari claimed only the saffron party can permanently solve the problems of traders. The traders of Delhi are wise and very well understand the falsehood of the Kejriwal government. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has never raised his voice in the interest of the traders. If any party can solve the problems of traders on a permanent basis, it is the BJP, Tiwari asserted. AAP leaders, including party chief Kejriwal, have been at the forefront of charging the Modi government of destroying small and medium businesses through its twin decisions of demonetisation and goods and services tax. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday defended the partys decision to field Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, saying she is a "symbol" for those who described Hindus as terrorists an apparent jibe at the Congress over saffron terror remarks. She will give a tough fight to the Congress there, he said. Thakur is pitted against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the seat in Madhya Pradesh. "The decision (to field Thakur) is a befitting reply to individuals who linked a whole religion and culture to terror, the prime minister said in an interview to Times Now news channel. The recent remarks of Pragya on IPS officer Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, raised a political storm with opposition parties attacking the saffron party and the Congress demanding an apology from PM Narendra Modi. Pragya had claimed that Karkare died during the attacks as she "cursed" him for torturing her. Following severe criticism from different quarters, Pragya on Friday tendered her apology for her "emotionally-charged" remarks. PM Modi also said the recent Income Tax raids on certain politicians were not part of "political vendetta" and things were happening as per the law. He said the Income Tax raids were happening as per the law and were not part of any "political vendetta". He said the raids have all yielded proof of corruption, including siphoning of money from schemes meant for the most vulnerable sections of the society like children and expectant mothers. Responding to a question on loan defaulters Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi escaping the country, Modi said when they realised that under the present government, they will have to return the loan. They escaped taking benefit of the system, he said. In 2019, they have been brought to the steps of jails, after 2019, they will be in jail, Modi said. "Why aren't the critics talking about the fact that some have lost their cases on extradition while others are rotting in jail, he said. He asserted that the BJP will return to power with greater numbers and said even the NDA allies would do better than 2014 polls. It will be a complete majority, Modi said. New Delhi : Ending decades-long rivalry, Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday shared the dais at a hisotric election rally of SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Mainpuri on Friday. During the rally, both Mayawati and Mulayam showered praises at each other. Addressing the rally, Mulayam Singh asked his supporters to always respect Mayawati, saying that the BSP chief always helped the Samajwadi Party in need. The BSP chief also appealed people to vote for Mulayam. Calling the SP patriarch a real backward, Mayawati said that Mulayam united all the section of the society. Mayawati and Mulayam shared the stage nearly 24 years after the infamous "guest house episode" in 1995 when SP workers attacked the BSP cheif at a state guest house. Earlier, Mulayam was not happy with the SP-BSP alliance and had skipped several joint rallies citing health conditions. However, to ensure the smooth tranfer of votes, Akhilesh Yadav convinced father Mulayam to share the stage with Mayawati wherever the gathbandhan has fielded joint candidates. Below are the live updates: 13:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The country today is going through a very fragile phase...our farmers are in distress...BJP is busy stealing our fertilizers.. our youths are losing jobs. BJP says they want to build a 'Naya Bharat', but the mahagathbandhan says we need a new Prime Minister in the country. One who changes this and ushers the country to development and prosperity: Akhilesh Yadav 13:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In SP chief Akhilesh Yadav in Mainpur. This is a historic moment. Mayawati has appealed to voters to help Mulayam Singh Yadav to win and I am sure that Mainpuri will vote for Mulayam in record numbers. 13:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mayawati in Mainpuri: Mulayam Singh Yadav is a real Backward class, unlike PM Modi, who is a fake one and projected his upper caste as a lower one just for votes. 13:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "I appeal to the people to vote for Mulayam Singh Yadav who is the true leader of the backward classes," says BSP chief. 13:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "I am confident that BJP will lose these elections and will be voted out of the centre soon...this 'chowkidari' farce will not save the BJP," says Mayawati. 13:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Unlike Modi, Mulayam Singh Yadav is real backword. In the first two phases, BJP has released that the atmosphere is against them: Mayawati 13:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In "People want to know why I had entered an alliance despite my past equations with Mulayam singh ji and the state guest house episode. But sometimes, we have to take such tough decisions, keeping national interests in mind," says Maywati. 13:18 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mulayam Singh Yadav united all the sections of the society with his party. I have come to seek votes for him: Mayawati 13:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In I have already answered the questions raised about the 1995 guest house incident when we announced our alliance. I don't want to waste time by speaking about it again: Mayawati 13:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mayawati seeks votes for Mulayam Singh Yadav. Says he will win with historic mandate. 13:23 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mualayam Singh Yadav at Mainpuri rally: Today, Mayawati Ji has come and I welcome her. Always respect Mayawati ji as she has always helped us whenever we needed. I am happy she came here in my support. 13:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Mulayam Singh Yadav: After a long time, me and Mayawati are together on stage. I am fighting the elections for the last time. New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said it would be ff Pakistan Prime Minister keeps way from the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in India. "It would be better if Imran Khan keeps off Indian elections," he said. He was backing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's theory that Congress might be plotting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to influence elections. "People of India will decide who will be the prime minister of India. We are wise enough; we don't need advisers from across the border. When we (BJP) come back to power, we will see how to deal with our neighbours," news agency ANI quoted him as saying. "It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions. They are not questioning the government but the very credentials of the Army itself," he said. Earlier, Nirmala Sitharaman had said that Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's statement endorsing another term for Narendra Modi as Indias PM could be a ploy by the Congress party to oust him from power. "Such statements come around elections in India and also there have been eminent Congress leaders who've gone there to seek help 'Modi hatane ke liye madad karo business'. I wonder if this is also part of scheme of things which have been put forth by the Congress' side," Sitharaman said. The Opposition parties led by the Congress alleged a secret understanding between Modi and his Pakistani counterpart after the latters open endorsement for his victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. "Pak has officially allied with Modi! A vote for Modi is a vote for Pakistan, says Pak PM Imran Khan. Modiji, first affection with Nawaz Sharif and now Imran Khan has become your loving friend. He has called your bluff," the Congress had said. Following Imran Khans statement, Opposition leaders also started questioning the timing of Pulwama terror attack and Balakot strike, with some alleging that the attack was planned by PM Modi to swing the voters in his favour. Several pre-poll surveys conducted after the Pulwama attack and Balakot strike showed BJP gained from these incidents. The saffron party, that fought the 2014 elections on the issue of development, planned its 2019 Lok Sabha elections campaign around nationalism. New Delhi : Leaving behind the animosity of 24 years, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav came together to address a joint rally in Uttar Pradeshs Mainpuri on Friday. During the historic rally, the old rivals showered praised upon each other with Mayawati terming the SP patriarch a true leader of the backward classes. The BSP chief said that she rose above the 1995 'guest house incident' for the sake of the country. Thanking the BSP chief for coming together with Samajwadi Party in the time of need, Mulayam asked his supporters and party workers to always respect Mayawati. Below are the top quotes of Mayawati, Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh Yadav during Mainpuri rally: Mayawati 1. People want to know why I had entered an alliance despite my past equations with Mulayam singh ji and the state guest house episode. But sometimes, we have to take such tough decisions, keeping national interests in mind: Mayawati 2. For the OBCs, Mulayam Singh is the tallest leader. It was under his leadership that the SP banner was able to unite people from all sections of the society. Mulayam Singh Yadav is a real Backward class, unlike PM Modi, who is a fake one and projected his upper caste as a lower one just for votes. 3. I am confident that BJP will lose these elections and will be voted out of the centre soon...this 'chowkidari' farce will not save the BJP. 4. PM made many promises to UP in 2014 but he has not even fulfilled 1/4th of those promises and this time too, he is rallying around do the same thing. 5. The Congress is now trying to come back to power...for that they are traveling the country and promising financial schemes to the poor to get their votes. 6. I appeal to you that you should ensure that BJP does not return to power...they will use religion to entice you but I appeal to you that you should not fall for their lies...the sense that I get from the last two phases of elections is that BJP's condition has worsened. Akhilesh Yadav 7. This is a historic moment. Mayawati has appealed to voters to help Mulayam Singh Yadav to win and I am sure that Mainpuri will vote for Mulayam in record numbers. 8. The country today is going through a very fragile phase...our farmers are in distress...BJP is busy stealing our fertilizers.. our youths are losing jobs. BJP says they want to build a 'Naya Bharat', but the mahagathbandhan says we need a new Prime Minister in the country. Mulayam Singh Yadav 9. Today, Mayawati Ji has come and I welcome her and respect her. Always respect Mayawati ji as she has helped us whenever we needed. I am happy she came here in my support. 10. This is the last time I stand in front of you, the people of Mianpur to appeal for votes. Give us your love and respect once again. New Delhi: In a veiled attack at former prime minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) chief HD Deve Gowda, senior BJP leader and former Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa on Friday asked how someone who is contesting only on seven seats, can harbour the dreams of becoming the prime minister or his advisor. Yeddyurappa was replying to Deve Gowda's statement supporting Congress president Rahul Gandhias aspirations of becoming the prime minister after 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Speaking to news agency ANI, Yeddyurappa said, "He (Deve Gowda) is fighting on 7 seats and has ambitions of being Prime Minister or advisor to Prime Minister?". Former Karnataka CM & BJP leader, BS Yeddyurappa, on former PM HD Deve Gowda's statement 'If Rahul Gandhi becomes PM, I will sit by his side': He is fighting on 7 seats and has ambitions of being Prime Minister or advisor to Prime Minister? pic.twitter.com/UnbPpnjUdX a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Gowda had, earlier in the day, said he has no plans to retire, but doesn't need to be prime minister either, adding that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the PM, he will sit by his side. "Madam Sonia Gandhi has taken the decision to support Deve Gowda even though we are a small party. Now it is my responsibility to move forward with Congress, though I do agree in some states there is no question of any coalition. But in Tamil Nadu, there is a coalition between Congress and DMK and with Sharad Pawar's party in Maharashtra," the former prime minister added. The JDS formed an alliance with the Congress in a bid form a government in Karnataka after a hung verdict in the state Assembly polls in 2018. In a reference to BJP veteran LK Advani, who has been side-lined by the BJP top leadership, ever since it came to power in 2019, the Deve Gowda further said, "I have no plans to "retire like Advani" and wanted to " save my party first and the office building last." On his decision to contest Lok Sabha polls, even after announcing he would not, the JD-S chief said, "There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. There is nothing to hide. I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics". Deve Gowda is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Karnataka's Tumkur parliamentary constituency where he will take on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate GS Basvaraj. General Elections to 543 Lok Sabha constituencies across India is scheduled to be held between April 11 and May 19. The counting of votes for all the phase will be taken up on May 23. New Delhi: Today, we are celebrating the birthday of Lord Hanunan, the ultimate devotee of Lord Ram. It is one of the most important Hindu festivals and celebrated with pomp and prayers across the country. On Hanuman Jayanti, people worship Lord Hanuman and visit temples to offer their prayers. The day falls on the 15th day of Shukla Paksha in the month of Chaitra, which is a Purnima. On this auspicious day, we have compiled Happy Hanuman Jayanti quotes, Hanuman Jayanti messages, wishes for your family, friends and relatives: On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, I wish that Bajrang Bali blesses you with unmatched strength and wisdom to live your life with confidence and courage. Wish you be accompanied with auspiciousness and blessings on Hanuman Jayanti. May you always have the blessings of Lord Hanuman to win over every challenge of life and to be always successful in what you do Happy Hanuman Jayanti. Let us bow to Bajrangbali and offer our prayers to Him by folding our hands and remembering Him... Let us chant Hanuman Chalisa and seek His blessings to bring us a better life Wishing you and your loved ones Happy Hanuman Jayanti Bolo Bajrangbali ki Jai!!! May God Hanumaan bless you with Power and Wisdom. Happy Hanuman Jayanti Lord Hanuman is the symbol of selfless services and unmatched devotion Let us take inspiration from the greatest devotee of Lord Shri Ram and aim to follow his footsteps to become better human beings.. Wishing you a very Happy Hanuman Jayanti. Wishing a very blessed and Happy Hanuman Jayanti. I wish that you follow the teachings and footsteps of Bajrang Bali for a happier and contented life. May you earn the blessings of Bajrang Bali and have a Happy Hanuman Jayanti... May you are always successful in everything you do. I wish joy, Harmony and Prosperity on Hanumaan Jayanti for you and your family. Wishes on Hanuman Jayanti May Lord Hanuman bless your life with happiness, peace and prosperity. Wish you all a very Happy Hanuman Jayanti For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: One terrorist has been gunned down on Friday in retaliation operation by the Indian ArmyA after rebels open fired on a patrolling party of 38 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) at Watergam area of Rafiabad in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district. An under-barrel grenade launcher was fired towards the Army camp, followed by indiscriminate firing in Midoora hamlet of southern Tral township in Pulwama. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation is underway to nab the remaining terrorists who carried out the attack. The forces have also recovered arms and ammunition from the location. The gunfight was underway when the last reports came in. "Jammu and Kashmir: One unidentified terrorist killed in a brief exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in Sopore's Watergam area. Arms and ammunition recovered," the news agency ANI reported. Jammu & Kashmir: One unidentified terrorist killed in a brief exchange of fire between terrorists and security forces in Sopore's Watergam area. Arms and ammunition recovered. More details awaited. a ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 On February 14, at least 42 CRPF personnel were killed and dozens of others injured in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Pulwama district. The CRPF cavalcade that came under attack had seventy-eight vehicles and the ill-fated bus plying on the Jammu-Srinagar highway was fifth in line. Pakistan-based banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed had claimed responsibility for the attack. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: Being bullied can change the physical structure of the adolescent brain, increasing the risk of mental illness, a study has found. Researchers from King's College London in the UK suggest that the effects of constantly being bullied are more than just psychological. The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, is the first to suggest that chronic peer victimisation during adolescence impacts mental health via structural brain changes. Researchers analysed data, questionnaires and brain scans of 682 participants from England, Ireland, France and Germany. As part of this project, high resolution brain scans of participants were taken when they were 14 and 19 years old. At the ages of 14, 16 and 19 these participants also had to complete questionnaires about whether they had been bullied, and to what extent. Overall, the results showed that 36 of the 682 young people were found to have experienced chronic bullying. The data of these participants were compared with those of the others who had experienced less chronic/severe bullying. Changes in brain volume as well as the levels of depression, anxiety and hyperactivity at age 19 were taken into account. The subsequent findings validate and extend the literature linking peer victimisation with mental health problems. However, the novel finding is that bullying is linked to decreases in the volume of parts of the brain called the caudate and putamen. These changes were found to partly explain the relationship between high peer victimisation and higher levels of general anxiety at age 19. "Although not classically considered relevant to anxiety, the importance of structural changes in the putamen and caudate to the development of anxiety most likely lies in their contribution to related behaviours such as reward sensitivity, motivation, conditioning, attention, and emotional processing," said Erin Burke Quinlan, lead researcher of the study. Boston: Prosecutors are seeking three years in prison for a Massachusetts man who admitted to sending threatening letters filled with white powder to President Donald Trump's sons and others. Daniel Frisiello is set to be sentenced Friday in Boston federal court. He pleaded guilty in October. The letter Frisiello sent to Donald Trump Jr. was opened last year by his now-ex-wife, Vanessa. She was briefly hospitalised as a precaution after she reported feeling ill. The substance turned out to be nonhazardous. Other recipients of Frisiello's letters included Democratic U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan. Frisiello's lawyer is seeking five years of probation, including one year of home confinement. His lawyer says the 25-year-old has developmental delays, is autistic and would be susceptible to "exploitation, violence and isolation" in prison. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Zayed Alzayani yesterday pledged the government s full support to start-ups and new commercial businesses in the Kingdom. The minister was speaking during the Bahrain British Business Forum (BBBF) meeting held yesterday at The Gulf Hotel Convention Centre which focused Bahrains Trade, industry, business and services with the UK. More than 120 BBBF members and guests attended the event held in the presence of BBBF Chairman Khalid Al Zayani and Simon Martin, the British Ambassador to Bahrain. The forum aims to promote trade and investment between Bahrain and Britain by offering opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing between the two business communities. In his address, Zayed Alzayani highlighted the governments efforts to offer major facilities for all businesses, especially for start-ups and new commercial businesses. For this purpose, the SMEs Development Board (SDB) was established in 2017 to nurture the entrepreneurial ecosystem and enable the development of SMEs, consisting of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism (MOICT), the Economic Development Board (EDB), Labour Fund - Tamkeen, Bahrain Development Bank (BDB) and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Have an opinion on a recent story or event around the University of Cincinnati? Let us know what you think! If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click the button below to email David Rees, editor-in-chief. For news tips or story ideas, contact one of our editors. Email the editor Have you spent any time in the past 18 months worrying, in an existential way, about whether President Donald Trump tried to scuttle a federal investigation into Russian interference at the core of America's political process? Fear not. On Thursday, Attorney General William Barr explained that there was a perfectly reasonable explanation for any acts that appeared "obstructive": The president was emotional. Donald Trump "was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency," Barr announced at the news conference on Thursday. "Apart from whether the acts were obstructive, this evidence of non-corrupt motives weighs heavily against any allegation that the President had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation." One might have argued that frustration and anger actually do sound like corrupt motives, but Barr presented them as excuses: The president was not obstructing, and if he was obstructing it was due to some sincere feelings, so let's give him a mulligan, OK? Throughout the 448-page Mueller report, the president is very emotional. He is forever "becoming angry" or "expressing anger" or "expressing frustration." He "was furious" at Jeff Sessions for not protecting him. He "screamed" at and "lambasted" his attorney general, demanding, "How could you let this happen?" Regarding perceived "horrible treatment" of an adviser, the president was "upset for weeks." At one point, the president became so "unhappy" and "upset" with then-national security adviser Michael Flynn that "he would not look at him during intelligence briefings." I see no almost no benefit in imagining parallel universes. Hypotheticals are difficult and not always comparable. But, my God: Can you imagine if a female president became so paralyzed by her emotions that she was notably upset for weeks? Can you imagine if a female politician's strategy for dealing with her staff involved screaming at them, then lambasting them in public, and then not looking at them? Can you imagine how hard she would have tried not to put herself in that situation, knowing how eager people have been throughout our political history to hold women's emotions against them? Anti-suffragists claimed women's rash temperament should exclude them from voting. Stubborn voters claimed women's rash temperament should exclude them from running for office (Hillary Clinton spoke of learning to "control her emotions" as far back as college). In a Georgetown University study released just this week, 13 percent of Americans still believed that women were less emotionally suited to political office than men. Can you imagine if the president was a person of color? If an attorney general waved away a black man's bombastic behavior in the Oval Office by explaining he was often just really angry? The president was emotional, and this isn't exactly news. President Trump's most consistent character trait is his tendency toward knee-jerk reactions to the situations and people surrounding him. In many ways, the behavior described in the Mueller report is an understandable version of this tendency: Who among us wouldn't be ticked off to see our legacies tarnished via a drawn-out investigation? Here is why it matters now, though. The attorney general of the United States of America has stated that the president's emotions are relevant to the legal analysis of the obstruction case. And there's a way we tend to talk about the emotional displays of men in power: as if they're extremely relevant. Righteous, even. Justice Brett Kavanaugh's outraged, tearful outbursts during his confirmation hearings last summer could have been taken as a sign that he lacked the dispassionate mien one would hope for in a Supreme Court nominee. But instead of putting a damper on the judge's outraged approach, committee member Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., mirrored it, shouting and literally shaking a finger at his Democratic colleagues. His anger was rewarded. "Lindsey Graham may have single-handedly saved Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation," read a CNN headline. As much as Barr's statements about President Trump are about the specifics of the Russia investigation, they also reflect broader questions: Whose emotions are valid? Whose anger is righteous, and whose anger is hysterical? Whose frustration is "sincere," and whose is a sign that they are unfit to serve? The answer isn't for female politicians to start screaming, or male politicians to become robots. It's to recognize that we can't dignify emotion in one sex and dismiss it in another. It can't be righteous indignation for some people, and hysterics for others. The president is an emotional man. What a luxury. So many of the rest of us are forced to just be crazy women. News From Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900-1945 By Heidi J. S. Tworek Harvard. 333 pp. $29.95 --- On the evening of the 2016 presidential election, I sat in my apartment playing a virtual-reality game. My vibe was complacent. I was sure that Hillary Clinton would win the presidency, so I didn't track the early results. For months, I'd taken solace in daily newspaper polls that showed her with a sizable lead. Around 10 or 11 p.m., I removed my headset just to confirm my belief. Embarrassing as it is to say, I couldn't grasp what I saw. I refreshed my phone repeatedly, thinking there must be something wrong with the projections, as two images popped into my mind: The first was of Republican strategist Karl Rove's prolonged inability to countenance that Barack Obama had won Ohio in the 2012 election. The second was the famous line from Karl Marx's "Manifesto of the Communist Party": "All that is solid melts into air." Judged from the perspective of Heidi J.S. Tworek's "News From Germany: The Competition to Control World Communications, 1900-1945," I'd committed the mistake of conflating published opinion with public opinion - a classic folly. Tworek's book examines how, at the dawn of the 20th century, political, business and military elites realized the influence of published opinion on public opinion. And how from this understanding arose attempts to control the supply of news available to the masses. Using state and business archives, Tworek demonstrates how German bureaucrats and businessmen came to fix their attention on the news agencies that were responsible for gathering domestic and international stories for dissemination to regional and national newspapers. Her book reaches back to the second half of the 19th century when three pioneering news agencies were formed: Agence Havas, Wolff Telegraphisches and the Reuters Telegraph Company. These French, German and British companies, respectively, transformed the journalistic landscape by broadening the news available to readers and bringing it to them at a faster pace. According to Tworek, as late as 1926, "90 percent of all newspapers had no correspondents abroad or in Berlin." The high costs of maintaining a stable of international reporters and dispatching their reports over telegraph conferred particular value to the three news agencies that could afford to do so. Telegraphy, as Tworek points out, was the first technology that allowed information to travel faster than people. Because these communications required significant infrastructure to operate and maintain - in the form of undersea cables that facilitated wired telegraphy - the three major news agencies were heavily dependent upon their respective governments for access to technology. In scholarly detail, Tworek traces how successive German governments from the 1860s until the early 1930s variously supported Wolff's enterprise. This involvement spurred the creation of other institutions and prompted government-funded research into other technologies, such as wireless telegraphy and radio. Many contemporaries viewed Wolff as the lesser of the three agencies, which in 1870 formed a cartel to divvy up their areas of activity. Tworek notes that in 1890, "Wolff had to cede 25% of its annual profits to Reuters and Havas ... as it used so much of their news."Around 1900 German leaders began to wonder if Wolff's lesser status was undercutting Germany's ambition to move from a Eurocentric power broker to a major player on the world stage. Such concern led government and business leaders to look toward investing in wireless telegraphy as a way to circumvent Britain's superior network of telegraphic cables. The outbreak of World War I prompted all of the major antagonists to look closer at the news that was being produced within and outside their borders. At this time propaganda began to flourish as the warring governments rallied their citizens to support the conflict's expense and loss of life. During and after the war, many German elites believed that the international news system had sullied the reputation of Germany abroad. Some felt that the best way to counter this trend was to spread German news farther afield, particularly to neutral countries. "The News From Germany" illuminates how this strategy led to increased government intervention. Tworek reveals how officials in the Weimar government, believing they were acting in the best interests of democracy, created structures to oversee and regulate news supply. This led to policies, such as restricting political advocacy from the radio, intended to forestall inflaming partisan passions. Ironically, it was the state's tight control over the news supply that allowed the Nazis to swiftly take over the country's communications channels and remake them to serve their interests. Tworek shows how access to the main levers of the news supply sometimes helped to distort reality, as when a telegram disseminated through the Wolff agency convinced the German population that Emperor Wilhelm II had abdicated in early November 1918, nearly three weeks before he in fact stepped down. She also highlights the inefficacy of such control of information. "Readers," she notes, "did not react positively to Nazi measures and complained bitterly about the monotony of their news." Though Tworek is sensitive to propaganda's ability to restrict opposing points of view, she is mindful that readers are not automatons and that news is something individuals interpret in their own way. As I reached the end of "The News From Germany," I remembered a line from Jacques Ellul's ever-timely book "Propaganda: The Formation of Men's Attitudes." "Propaganda," he writes, "ceases where simple dialogue begins." --- Byrd is a Brooklyn-based writer. Cathy Zuraw / Cathy Zuraw Redding will use up to $50,000 from its contingency fund to cover capital projects. First Selectwoman Julia Pemberton has submitted a long list of projects that need to be done to the finance board, but will determine which projects to tackle. President Donald Trump sought Friday to discredit portions of the special counsel's report in which others described behavior that could be seen as obstruction of justice, calling their assertions "total bullshit." On Thursday, Trump and his allies took a victory lap after the 448-page redacted report was made public, saying that the findings fully exonerate him. But in morning tweets, Trump complained about the report's finding, arguing that because he chose not to testify during the probe, he never got to tell his side of the story. Robert Mueller tried to get the president to sit for an interview for more than a year, but Trump and his attorneys resisted. "Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue," Trump wrote. "Watch out for people that take so-called 'notes,' when the notes never existed until needed. Because I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the 'Report' about me, some of which are total [expletive] & only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad)." Tweeting from Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where he is spending Easter weekend, Trump did not specify which portions of the report he is disputing, but he was likely pushing back against descriptions of acts that Muller catalogued as possible instances of obstruction of justice. While Mueller found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy by the Trump campaign, he did lay out 10 scenarios in which the president sought to intervene in the investigation that could be deemed criminal. Mueller chose not to draw a conclusion about that in the report, leaving it up to others to determine whether Trump's actions amounted to crimes. In his tweet, Trump mentions note taking, probably a reference to Donald McGahn, who plays a prominent role in the report. McGahn, who was a top lawyer in the White House, in several instances blocked Trump's efforts to interfere in the investigation. In one account, McGahn refuses to release a statement repudiating a New York Times story that Trump had asked McGahn to have Mueller fired. The reason, according to McGahn, was that the story was accurate. McGahn said he took contemporaneous notes during his meetings with Trump, adding that it seemed to irritate the president, who told him: "Lawyers don't take notes. I never had a lawyer who took notes." McGahn responded that "real lawyers" do. Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, appearing on "Fox and Friends," said the reference to note taking could also be about former FBI director James Comey. Giuliani also said that given the level of detail in the report, it's not possible that "some of it isn't wrong." "They don't give you the other side of it," he said. SDTC investment will help greenhouse tomato growers increase crop yields NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, April 18, 2019 /CNW/ - A strong economy and a clean environment go hand in hand. That's why the Government of Canada is supporting the development of technologies that lead to less pollution, healthier communities and the creation of well-paying middle-class jobs. The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced an investment of $3 million to increase the crop yield of greenhouse growers. This investment in Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc. supports an autonomous AI-powered platform for pest management and yield prediction technology that will increase the crop yield of greenhouse tomato growers while reducing spoilage and eliminating the need for pesticides. Ecoation's technology uses autonomous robots, light and laser-based chemical measurement and machine learning to detect early signs of stress in plants in large-scale farms and greenhouses. This technology allows growers to find and fix their crop problems faster. It will also result in lower greenhouse gas emissions and chemical consumption. This project received investment and support from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), which helps Canadian entrepreneurs accelerate the development and deployment of globally competitive clean technology solutions. This investment will contribute to maintaining 25 jobs at Ecoation and creating 23 additional ones. Investments in clean technology are part of the Government's Innovation and Skills Plan, a multi-year strategy to position Canada as a global leader in innovation and create good middle-class jobs right across the country. Quotes "We are boosting growth in Canada's clean technology sector to foster the growth of Canadian technologies and companies. The technology developed by Ecoation will have a positive economic and environmental impact on the ever-growing farming industry." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard "The future of innovation is in clean technology. There are opportunities to make money and create jobs in industries all across Canada. That's why the government is making clean tech a priority. We are securing Canada's international leadership position today so all Canadians can reap the benefits of this fast-growing market now and into the future." The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development "With a rapidly increasing demand for food production, farmers are actively seeking environmentally and economically beneficial ways to increase crop yield. SDTC is investing in Ecoation's technology because it provides greenhouse growers with a chemical-free means of improving their yields through early plant-stress detection." Leah Lawrence, President and CEO, Sustainable Development Technologies Canada "At Ecoation, we believe access to clean food is a human right. Our made-in-Canada technology democratizes healthy eating. Our platform captures and digitizes the knowledge of growers and translates the signals of stressed plants before symptoms become visible. We use robotics and AI to expand growers' presence and push their knowledge beyond the boundaries of time and geography. Through this platform, we can pinpoint issues at the earliest stages and eliminate the need for pesticide applications. Ecoation merges the art and science of food production. We are extremely honoured to receive this investment, which will enable us to take our Canadian technology to the global stage while creating more jobs and opportunities here in Canada." Dr. Saber Miresmailli, Founder and CEO, Ecoation Innovative Solutions Inc. "The information gathered by the Ecoation robot would be extremely helpful for increasing efficiency and reducing risks within our operations in Delta. We would highly endorse this as being a valuable project for the future sustainability and profitability of the greenhouse industry in Canada." Casey Houweling, Proprietor, Houweling Greenhouses Quick facts The world is taking notice of Canada's clean technology leadership: 12 Canadian companies were recently recognized on the 2019 Global Cleantech 100 list. Of those, 10 have received support from Sustainable Development Technology Canada. That's 10% of the world's leading clean tech companies. clean technology leadership: 12 Canadian companies were recently recognized on the 2019 Global Cleantech 100 list. Of those, 10 have received support from Sustainable Development Technology Canada. That's 10% of the world's leading clean tech companies. According to the BC Greenhouse Growers' Association, growers lose up to 10% of their crops to pests and diseases each year. Ecoation's technology enables growers to find and fix their crop problems faster, minimize loss and gather more insight about their crops, thereby increasing yield. The technology also enables more robust yield prediction that further reduces spoilage and brings economic benefits to growers. SDTC has invested over $1 billion in more than 300 companies, creating 12,000 well-paying jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 13.8 megatonnes annually. in more than 300 companies, creating 12,000 well-paying jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 13.8 megatonnes annually. Budget 2017 set aside more than $2.3 billion to boost growth in Canada's clean tech space. That's the largest public investment ever committed to this area in Canada . to boost growth in clean tech space. That's the largest public investment ever committed to this area in . Clean tech companies can get advice from a team of experts from across government through the Clean Growth Hub. The Hub provides a single, easy point of contact for connecting with clean technology programs and services. Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA Follow Sustainable Development Technology Canada on Twitter: @SDTC_TDDC SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada For further information: Dani Keenan, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, 343-291-1710; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]; Media Relations, Sustainable Development Technology Canada, 613-234-6313, [email protected] Related Links http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/home NEW HAVEN Body camera footage of the police-involved shooting in New Haven earlier this week that involved a Hamden police officer is expected to be released next week, according to Commissioner James C. Rovella of the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Rovella revealed the decision in a prepared statement Friday. We ask for a little patience but we expect to release to the public details of the investigation including body camera video next week, he said. At the request of the New Haven States Attorney, the Connecticut State Police Major Crime Squad was designated as the lead investigating agency for the officer-involved shooting that happened early Tuesday morning in New Haven. The investigation includes, but is not limited to, all public and private video camera data available of the shooting, Rovella said. As of Thursday, Hamden police made the body camera footage available for investigators to analyze and evaluate, he said. Activists, local leaders and community members have been calling for the release of the footage in the aftermath of the shooting. We support everyones rights to free speech, Rovella said. His statement goes on to say, The integrity of the investigation, fair treatment for the individuals in the vehicle, Officers involved and Transparency is paramount in these types of investigations. Hamden and Yale police officers opened fire on a vehicle early Tuesday morning, shooting 22-year-old Stephanie Washington, according to Connecticut State Police. She was a passenger in the vehicle. According to state police, a car was stopped by Hamden police in New Haven as they were investigating an armed robbery of a newspaper delivery driver at the Gas and Go station on Arch Street in Hamden. State Police Trooper Josue Dorelus said Tuesday that officers fired after the driver of the vehicle, a suspect in the alleged robbery, exited the vehicle in an abrupt manner and turned toward them. Thats when both Hamden and Yale officers fired their weapons. No one is seen getting out of the vehicle in surveillance video that circulated in the press and the community Tuesday. In that clip, a Hamden officer appears to bring his car to a stop, get out, and fire toward the passenger-side door. On Wednesday, Hamden police identified their officer as former New Haven Officer Devin Eaton. He has been an officer for nearly five years, started in New Haven before getting hired in Hamden almost three years ago. The next day, in a statement, Yale identified Terrance Pollock, a 16-year veteran of the department, as the university officer involved in the shooting. An Ohio church has apologized for an Easter lesson in which a pastor encouraged students to slap, cut and spit on him incidents that were captured in videos and posted online. Justin Ross is lead pastor at Impact City Church in Pataskala near Columbus. He said the incident happened Monday at an organized hangout session for middle and high school students. Ross said an associate pastor encouraged the attacks on himself as a way to help students learn about Easter and the crucifixion of Jesus. PREACHERS WITH SNEAKERS: An Instagram account reveals celebrity pastors' extravagances "My intention was just to show them how much Jesus loved them," associate pastor Jaddeus Dempsey told WCMH. The Columbus Dispatch reports that several students took the associate pastor up on the offer, and one cut him on the neck. "He's like, 'I don't want you to go crazy with it, but I do want you to slice it down my back and make me bleed,'" 12-year-old Ai'janae Parker said. "I thought it was pretty weird. I didn't like it all." Cellphone recordings of the incident sparked backlash. "Jesus did that for us so we wouldn't have to go through it and that's the part I don't understand," Parker said. Her mother said she was deeply disturbed by the video. "I couldn't even make it through the whole video before I stopped it and I went right up there to pick her up," Amanda Quick said. "I feel like there are plenty of different ways they could have gone about this." Ross said the topic was important, but the lesson went too far and was inappropriate. Former CEO of Lynch, Jones & Ryan brokerage now works to improve the business district of Fifth Avenue in New York City. 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 Newsfrom Japan Sendai, Miyagi Pref., April 19 (Jiji Press)--The Miyagi prefectural police said Friday that a corpse discovered in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, after the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami has been identified as a then-60-year-old woman from the Miyagi town of Onagawa. The identification was made with DNA samples from a postage stamp she mailed a decade ago. According to the police, the skeletonized body was found on the sea surface near the seawall in Ishinomaki on April 9, 2011. The coastal city was hit by a massive tsunami the previous month following a 9.0-magnitude earthquake that occurred off the coastline. The woman had sent the letter to a relative in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, northeastern Japan, 10 years ago. The authorities gained access to the letter in March this year and found that the DNA found in the saliva on the stamp matched that of the corpse. The discovery brought the number of unidentified corpses from the disaster in Miyagi down to nine. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] The 37-year-old New Jersey man charged with attempted arson after police say he brought two gas containers, lighter fluid and lighters into St. Patricks Cathedral in New York City on Wednesday night was admitted to Bellevue Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, his attorney said Friday. Marc Lamporello, of Hasbrouck Heights, also faces charges after he refused to leave Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark on Monday. He is now admitted as a patient at Bellevue Hospital due to his medical condition, said Christopher DiLorenzo, an attorney who practices in both New York and New Jersey. He will be there indefinitely. DiLorenzo said Lamporellos parents in Hasbrouck Heights retained him Thursday. Marc Lamparello, 37, center, is escorted out of a police precinct in New York, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Police say Lamparello was arrested after entering St. Patrick's Cathedral Wednesday night in New York with two cans of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters. Lamparello is facing charges including attempted arson and reckless endangerment. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)AP Lamporello will likely be arraigned at the hospital on Wednesday, April 24 as long as he is still admitted there, DiLorenzo said. If the medical professionals deem that he is stabilized and in better condition, he could be booked and go through the normal arraignment process he said. In addition to attempted arson, New York police charged Lamporello with reckless endangerment and trespassing. Police allege Marc Lamparello of Hasbrouck Heights carried gasoline, lighter fluid and lighters in St. Patrick's Cathedral on Wednesday.NYPD Police said Lamparello drove his minivan to St. Patricks Cathedral about 8 p.m. Wednesday, parked near the church and walked inside carrying a pair of two-gallon canisters of gasoline, lighter fluid and butane lighters. He was stopped and questioned by church security, police said. After his arrest, the NYPD said they found Lamparello had booked a one-way flight to Rome, Italy. Two days earlier, Lamporello was arrested for refusing to leave Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, according to Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura. Lamporello threw himself onto the floor between two pews and told sheriffs officers Im not going, this is Gods house and Im not leaving, Fontoura said. Lamporello was charged in Newark with defiant trespass, obstruction and disorderly conduct. He was released to the custody of his mother, Fontoura said. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A career criminal with a long rap sheet who goes by the street name Chief was sentenced to life in prison this week. Not for murder. Not for violence. For smokes and quick cash. Frederick Owle, 49, of Mount Holly, had been arrested 21 times for assault, theft and weapons during his criminal career and was sentenced to life in prison this week for two robberies that netted a pack of cigarettes and $500 in cash, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office announced. Owle robbed a Florence convenience store at knifepoint in 2017. He first asked a Wawa clerk for a pack of Newports, and when she handed them over, he pulled a knife and demanded cash. Instead of doing that, she got on the store loudspeaker and announced the robbery. Owle grabbed the smokes and ran. He then robbed a nearby Valero gas station. He wore a mask and wielded a pipe for this job, making off with the $500, prosecutors said. He was arrested hours later in a Burlington Township motel. Owle was found guilty in January on two counts of first-degree robbery and weapons charges, and prosecutors argued for an extended sentence because of his violent history. Superior Court Judge Philip E. Haines obliged and sentenced Owle to life on one robbery count and a concurrent 17-year term for the other. A life sentence equates to 75 years in prison. This was Owles ninth Superior Court conviction. Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said this sentence wasnt about what Owle took in his final robberies. On the surface, it might appear that Mr. Owle is going to spend the rest of his life in prison for stealing a pack of cigarettes and a few hundred dollars, but the justification for this sentence is irrefutable, Coffina said in a statement. This defendant has demonstrated total disregard for the law and safety of others time and time again, which warrants the tough sentence we sought. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. 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 Florence man used the dating site Plenty of Fish to entice a Philadelphia woman to travel to Burlington County Monday, then drove her to a remote area of Cinnaminson, raped her and tossed her out of his car, authorities alleged Thursday. Cinnaminson police said they caught Jerell Manson, 22, with his own alleged tactics - they went on the dating site, lured him back to Cinnaminson and when her arrived Wednesday, officers surrounded him. In his vehicle was the rape victims drivers license, they say. Police say they also suspect Manson in a sex assault committed under similar circumstances in Edgewater Park last year. Police, in a statement by Cinnaminson Police Chief Richard Calabrese, said a detective interviewed the victim in a local hospital Monday night shortly after she flagged down a passing motorist and asked for help. She told Detective Geoffey Chiumento she met Manson in Cinnaminsons East Riverton neighborhood Monday night at about 7:30 p.m. after they connected on Plenty of Fish. He then convinced her to get in his vehicle under false pretenses, and he drove to the remote, wooded area and forced her to have sex, police said. Manson threw her out of the vehicle and kept her cell phone, keys and license, police said. During the interview, Chiumento was able to figure out the suspected crime scene, and went to the intersection of Taylors Lane and Rover Road, where he found some of her belongings, which they say Manson threw out of his car as he drove away. On Wednesday, Chiumento and police used the dating site to get Manson travel to Cinnaminson, thinking he was going to meet a woman, police said. When he arrived, undercover officers handcuffed, and searched his vehicle, finding the license. Police did not elaborate on the Edgewater Park crime from last year. Manson was being held in the Burlington County jail Thursday on a sexual assault by force charge. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. A new fresh grocer chain is gearing up to open its first store in the state by holding a walk-in job fair next week. Sprouts Farmers Market said it plans to hire up to 150 full- and part-time workers for the store. A hiring fair is scheduled on April 23 and 24 at Aloft Mount Laurel on Fellowship Road, the company said. It is scheduled to open June 5 in the Marlton Crossing Shopping Center on Route 73 in Evesham. The chain has 300 stores in 19 states. Sprouts says it offers 19,000 products, 90 percent of which are organic or natural. Among those products are what Sprouts says are thousands of organic, gluten-free and non-GMO, vegan and plant-based products. More than 2,400 of the products are Sprouts brand name items. The new store will located in the 200 block of Route 73 S. in the Marlton Crossing shopping center, which also features T.J. Maxx, DSW, HomeGoods and Michaels. It will be 33,000 square-feet and have a minimum of 140 parking spaces. Sprouts opened its first store in Chandler, Arizona, in 2002 and has been on a steady expansion ever since, according to its corporate history. 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. Four men likely owe their lives to a group of police officers and good Samaritans who smashed windows and dragged them from their burning vehicles recently on a highway in Camden. Two of the victims suffered extensive burns but are expected to survive, Camden police said. The driver of one of the vehicles was charged with drunk driving in the crash April 7 on Interstate 676 northbound, according to New Jersey State Police. The Camden County Police Department on Friday made public video footage of the heroic rescues and asked the other drivers who helped in the rescue to come forward to be recognized. If those good Samaritans werent there, it probably would have been much worse, said Officer Brian McCline, one of the rescuers. At the police station Friday, the four Camden officers said adrenaline and training propelled them forward through the rescue, even to the point that one of the officers didnt notice his uniform had caught on fire. Officer Joseph Mair, 32, was patrolling in Camden around 2:30 a.m. when he heard the crash and saw flames coming from I-676. He called the crash in and was first on the scene, where he found two vehicles, side-by-side, badly damaged and on fire. He was joined by Camden officers McCline, 24, Vaughn Edwards, 28, and Vincent Russomanno, 28, Delaware River Port Authority Police Officer Franklin Flash and several other drivers who stopped to help, Camden police said. The car involved in the crash, a Hyundai Sonata, was engulfed in flames and by the time Mair arrived on scene, someone had already removed the unconscious driver from the car. The video shows Flash use his baton to shatter windows and the windshield. An officer yells, Give me your hand! Give me your hand! before McCline, Edwards and a civilian successfully pulled man, whose clothes were on fire, out of the flames and onto the ground. It literally took everyone. Everyone and every second, Edwards said of the rescue. The Mitsubishi SUV, whose driver was later charged, was also on fire but was not fully engulfed until after both occupants were removed, police said Friday. McCline said he had to use brute strength to rip the door open due to the damage from the crash. The State Police investigated the crash and charged Mario Pancho-Morales, 23, of Camden, with assault by auto, driving while intoxicated and other traffic violations, according to State Trooper Alejandro Goez and court records. Goez said investigators believe Pancho-Morales vehicle struck the Hyundai Sonata while both vehicles were traveling north. Camden County Police Officers (left to right) Brian McCline, Vincent Russomanno, Joseph Mair, and Vaughn Edwards talk about an April 7th rescue of four men from burning cars at a press conference in Camden April 19, 2019. (Rebecca Everett | For NJ.com)Rebecca Everett | For NJ.com The Camden police department held a press conference the Friday not just to recognize the heroic officers but to ask anyone who recognizes or knows the four good Samaritans in the video to identify them. Wed very much like to have them recognized as the heroes they are, Lt. John Martinez said at the event. He said police are used to doing this dangerous work. "But these people could have been a mailman, an accountant, a real estate agent, and yet they stopped and put their lives on the line to help their fellow man. Meanwhile, the four Camden cops have been named Officers of the Week by their department. They were humble about the rescue and admitted they didnt tell their loved ones what happened because they didnt want them to worry. I definitely didnt tell my fiancee that I was on fire, Russomanno said with a grin. Edwards has been on the force since 2015, Mair and McCline since 2016 and Russomanno since 2017, according to Camden police. They also praised Flash, who couldnt make the press conference Friday, and noted he was a former Camden cop. 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 New Jersey police captain who took leave in order to care for his ailing mother has filed a lawsuit alleging his chief was angered by his absence and retaliated by demoting him and ultimately forcing him to retire. Harrison B. Cranmer is suing the City of Millville and police Chief Jody Farabella, alleging violations of the New Jersey Family Leave Act. Cranmer, a 25-year department veteran, was serving as a captain in January 2018 when his mother grew severely ill and was hospitalized, according to the suit filed in state Superior Court. He applied for leave under the state family leave act in order to care for his mother and also planned to use some of his nine months of unused sick time. When he told the chief about his plans, Farabella was immediately hostile and said Cranmers absence would be disruptive to the chiefs plans, according to the lawsuit. Cranmer took leave Feb. 1, 2018, and was summoned to the chiefs office on Feb. 28, according to the lawsuit. Canmer was told that his promotion to captain a year earlier was a one-year provisional appointment that would expire March 20, the lawsuit said. Cranmer claims this was the first time anyone suggested his promotion wasnt permanent, the lawsuit said. During the meeting, Farabella said he needed guys showing up for work, which Cranmer took as evidence he was being demoted for using leave time, the lawsuit said. Days later, the Millville City Commission voted to introduce an ordinance decreasing the number of police captains in the department from two to one, a move Cranmer saw as directed at him, though city officials claimed it was an effort to free up money to hire more cops, the lawsuit said. Once the ordinance was adopted, Cranmer was demoted and his pay cut. In his suit, he cited several examples of how the city violated both his rights and state law in how it handled the ordinance. Days before his demotion took place, Cranmer filed for retirement, since his pension would have decreased as a result of the reduction in pay, the suit said. His salary was $117,000, according to state pension records. He had a change of heart a week later and tried to rescind his retirement because he realized he was not ready and wanted to continue serving the community but city officials refused and his last day was June 1 of last year, his lawsuit said. When Cranmer arrived at the police station to turn in his city equipment, Farabella greeted him with a hug and said, I love you, according to the suit. Cranmer doubted the chiefs sincerity. (He) was deeply offended by Defendant Farabellas false display, as it was clear that Defendant Farabella was very happy (he) was leaving. Answering the claims on behalf of the city and Farabella, attorneys denied that Cranmers family leave rights were violated and that any retaliation took place. They also denied the claim that his promotion to captain was permanent. Further, they claim Cranmer failed to exhaust administrative remedies before filing his suit. Farabella and attorneys for the city did not respond to requests for comment Friday. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. 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. Joe Giudice, husband of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, tried to avoid being deported to Italy after spending more than three years in prison. But Giudice, 46, saw his hopes dashed his appeal has been denied. James Leonard Jr., the Giudice family attorney, confirmed to NJ Advance Media that the Board of Immigration Appeals denied Giudices appeal of a deportation order. In October, a judge ordered that Giudice be deported after finishing a 41-month sentence in federal prison in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. In March, Giudice finished his prison sentence, but was not allowed to return home. Instead, he was directly transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Leonard said that Giudice is being held at a facility for immigration detainees in western Pennsylvania. The attorney issued a statement on Thursday about the failure of the appeal, saying Giudices lawyers would continue to do everything possible to prevent his deportation to Italy. We are extremely disappointed that the Board Of Immigration Appeals has denied Mr. Giudices appeal," Leonard said in the statement. We have filed a stay with the Third Circuit Court Of Appeals and will continue to fight to keep Mr. Giudice in the United States, the only country he knows, and reunite him with his wife and four daughters. In 2014, Teresa and Joe Giudice were sentenced in federal court after they pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Teresa was sentenced to 15 months in prison and served almost a year in 2015. Joe started his sentence in 2016. The Giudices live in the Towaco section of Montville and have four daughters ranging in age from 10 to 18. Giudice was born in Saronno, Italy, and came to the United States when he was 1 but never became a citizen. Permanent residents who commit crimes of moral turpitude are eligible for deportation. Teresa Giudice, 46, who has been married to Joe since 1999, has made it clear that she would separate from her husband if he is deported. Im not doing a long-distance relationship," she told Bravo host Andy Cohen during a reunion episode of the RHONJ that aired in March. "Im just not doing it. You know, I want somebody with me every day and I know exactly what happens, Giudice told Cohen. Like, you know, Im sure hell be with other women. You know, it happens. We do the long distance thing, its not going to work. Like, Ill be like, bye-bye. On Wednesday, Lynne Patton, an official in the Trump administration, posted a photo on Instagram that showed her out to dinner with Teresa Giudice at the Wayfarer at the Quin Hotel in New York. She called Giudice a longtime friend. Patton, a regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in New York and New Jersey, used to work as an event planner for Donald Trump and planned his son Eric Trumps wedding. In February, Patton stood up behind Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., when former Trump fixer Michael Cohen testified in front of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Meadows talked about Patton, who is African American, when trying to refute Cohens claim that Trump is racist. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said it was racist in itself" for Meadows to treat Patton like a prop (Patton did not speak during her appearance). Giudice was a contestant on the 12th season of Celebrity Apprentice," which was hosted by Donald Trump and aired in 2012. In her Instagram post, Patton shot down any speculation that Giudice was meeting with her to seek a presidential pardon for Joe Giudice (or that Patton was going to be on a reality show). Media: OMG!@lynnepatton IS going to be on a REALITY SHOWl!" Patton posted. OMG, @teresagiudice must be seeking a pardon for her HUSBAND!! #Reality: 'Or GEE! Maybe its just TWO LONGTIME FRIENDS having DINNER for f***s sake. #BuckleUpForFakeNews. Teresa Giudice supported Trumps bid for president in 2016, though she could not vote. The reality star previously addressed the idea of asking Trump about a pardon for Joe. I would love to speak to him if he would like to call me, she told Cohen during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live" in 2018. I havent, but I said if he wants to speak to me, I would love it. Have a tip? Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was clear this week when he said Gov. Phil Murphy would not build a new youth jail in his city. The mayor said it again this morning on the citys Facebook page -- to squash any notion he had changed his mind. A joint statement with Murphy on Thursday gave the impression that Baraka was thinking differently, when it talked about establishing a new secure residential center in North Jersey for young offenders." The statement published yesterday with Governor Murphy in no way represents a change in position," according to Barakas statement on Facebook. Frank Baraff, the citys communication director, said they didnt see a problem in the joint statement. Maybe its semantics, but Baraff said use of the word, new looks like it created doubt and led to reports that the mayor had shifted his stance. If we had caught the implication, we would have asked the governors office to make some changes in it to clarify it," Baraff said. We didnt see an implication." The governor could not be reached for comment. Neither could the state Attorney Generals Office, which identified Newark as one of three places in the state to build smaller rehabilitative centers four young offenders. The other two sites have not been identified. Baraka reiterated that he supports closing youth prisons and creating rehabilitative youth development centers as the state considers closing current juvenile correctional facilities. They are the New Jersey Training School for Boys (also known as Jamesburg) in Monroe Township and the Juvenile Female Secure Care and Intake Facility (also known as Hayes) in Bordentown. Baraka said he believes the existing youth facilities, which are not filled, should be renovated instead of building expensive new facilities. The savings, he said, should be used for trauma-informed prevention programs. In the joint statement, Baraka and Murphy agree that a small number of juveniles engage in serious, violent conduct, and we must find a safe, secure way to house them." It remains unclear, however, where one of these centers would be built in North Jersey. The statement said the city and state look forward to opening smaller regional facilities so young people would be closer to their families and communities, but unfortunately, there has been misinformation spread over the past few days by those who are opposed to any sort of secure youth residential center." The fact that Newark was a consideration upset local officials, including a notable social justice organization that is part of the task force Murphy created to improve the juvenile justice system. Ryan Haygood, president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, said the state Attorney Generals Office identified Newark after one task force meeting last month. The location in the city is vacant land that was once home to the Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery on South Orange Avenue. In a letter last week to the governor, Haygood asked Murphy to scrap whatever plans the state has for new juvenile facilities. He said the state currently has 11 residential facilities, which are not at capacity, that could be modernized to handle the juvenile population. Since 2017, Haygoods organization has said the states system of incarcerating youth is flawed and doesnt reduce recidivism. In its report, "Bring Our Children Home: Ain't I a Child?" the institute found that disproportionately 90 percent of black and Latino children return to the facility within three years of release. Separate from the joint statement, Baraka said he hopes the task force looks at reinvesting current youth incarceration funds in alternative policing strategies that can end the systemic problems created by jailing children. Lets work together to ensure that no child is incarcerated," he said. Read More Barry Carter may be reached at bcarter@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@BarryCarterSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. JERSEY CITY The proposed new contract for Jersey Citys public school teachers has led to dramatic allegations from a school board member who said he was purposely left out of the negotiations over the new deal. Matt Schapiro, who has a hostile relationship with local teachers union officials, is accusing the board of acting illegally and unethically by approving the terms of the new contract even though most board members have conflicts that Schapiro said should have barred them from reviewing the deal, which teachers ratified on Tuesday. Schapiro also noted that, according to a letter the boards attorney sent state officials this month, negotiations began in December, before board authorization. They kept it secret from me, the only board member who has no conflict, Schapiro told The Jersey Journal The Jersey City Education Association has voted on this contract that has been completely illegally done by the Jersey City Board of Education. The comments elicited a strong rebuttal from Board of Education President Sudhan Thomas, whose relationship with Schapiro is so strained Thomas has blocked Schapiro on his Facebook account. In February Schapiro texted Thomas and called Thomas a complete disaster, a text Thomas read aloud at a board meeting. Any allegations of secret or illegal is just modern day McCarthyism and another dimension to his quixotic pursuits on the board, which are disruptive and a drain on taxpayer dollars, Thomas said, adding that Schapiro has an anti-teacher bias. The terms of the new contract, which could be approved by the board later this month, have not been revealed. Most of the boards nine members have conflicts that would ordinarily keep them from involvement in contract negotiations. Three members received $24,000 from the statewide teachers union during last years school board race, another belongs to that union and a fifth has a relative in the local union. But the board in March invoked the doctrine of necessity, an action taken when so many board members are conflicted a vote is impossible. It permits all members to participate in negotiations and vote on the final deal, conflict or not. Schapiro said the board erred by invoking the doctrine of necessity during a special board meeting and a caucus the state Department of Education says doctrines of necessity should be read at regularly scheduled board meetings so the board members conflicts still exist. Thomas said a board caucus is a regularly scheduled meeting. Schapiro also says there is a sixth conflict: Lorenzo Richardson, the board vice president who was on the boards negotiation committee. The state School Ethics Commission in an April 3 letter advised Richardson to refrain from negotiations with the JCEA because Richardson in 2016 joined the union in a lawsuit targeting Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles contract renewal. Richardsons actions in that matter, the subject of an ethics inquiry launched by Schapiro that remains unresolved, give the appearance of paying allegiance to the JCEA, the letter says. The letter was sent after Schapiro asked for an opinion on Richardsons and Thomas alleged conflicts. A request for comment from Richardson was not returned. Thomas declined to comment on the letter. First elected in 2017, Schapiro has become a pariah on the school board. He is the only remaining member who was an ally to now-suspended Schools Superintendent Marcia V. Lyles. When Gerald Lyons was appointed to the board last year, an occasion usually met with warm congratulations, Schapiro read from a prepared statement blasting Lyons as a rubber stamp" for the teachers union. A board member who once sat next to Schapiro during meetings moved his seat elsewhere in January. Schapiro has also become a target of the union, whose members turned their backs on Schapiro when he spoke during a February board meeting. Ron Greco, the union president, has mocked him as Lyles busboy. And teachers sharply criticized Schapiro for playing with Bananagrams tiles at a January board meeting during which teachers spent hours criticizing Lyles leadership (someone snapped a photo of the tiles at Schapiros seat when the board moved the meeting behind closed doors). Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY A man riding a motorcycle was killed when he collided with car Friday afternoon at the intersection of Bergen Avenue and Morton Place. A witness said the motorcycle was going south at a slow speed on Bergen Avenue at Morton Place when a car traveling in the other direction made a u-turn, crossed the double lines and collided with the motorcycle at around 2:15 p.m. She ran over the motorcycle but I couldnt see if she ran over the driver too, said a man who identified himself only as Josh. The witness said the motorcycle driver was stretched out on the blacktop after the crash and was gasping for air and losing consciousness for a short time. Eventually, a police officer felt for his pulse on his throat and said he was gone. They then covered the man with a towel. Oh Jesus, cried former Jersey City council candidate Lavern Webb-Washington as she got to the scene where her nephew lay dead beneath a tent set up by police. Shaky on her feet, she begged police to allow her cross the police tape to get to the mans wife. Webb cried Oh my God. Oh my God. Web was eventually allowed to cross the police tape. She identified her nephew only as Reggie. Numerous Jersey City police officers and vehicles were at the scene of the crash. Investigators from the Hudson County Prosecutors Office also responded. Dozens of people gathered along the police tape and traffic in the area was snarled as vehicle were diverted off Bergen Avenue. The Hudson County Prosecutors Office confirmed on Twitter that it is investigating a fatal crash involving a motorcycle, but no other official information has been released. Nearly two hours after the crash, the mans body remained under the tent. The motorcycle lay in the street on its side next to the tent covering the body. Some parts were scattered on the pavement around it. A man who identified himself as the victims son argued with police demanding to be allowed to cross the tape and saying his fathers body had been left in the street too long. He had a brief but emotional confrontation with officers who told him they were sorry for what happened but they could not cross the tape. Eventually he calmed down. He chose not to speak to the press. A person taking a stroll in Bayonnes Dennis P. Collins Park Friday morning made the disturbing discovery a noose hanging from a tree, police said. Officers responded to the park after getting a call from the person at 8:14 a.m. and found the noose in a tree off West First Street, near the skate park, along the waterfront, Bayonne police Capt. Joseph Scerbo said. The rope fashioned into a noose was taken down by police and placed into evidence, Scerbo said. Asked if the incident is being investigated as a possible bias crime, Scerbo said only that matter is currently under investigation by the Bayonne Police Detective Bureau. A reference to lynching is the only thing it can mean, said Clarence E. Hilliard, president the Bayonne Branch of the NAACP. "Its not an apple, its a noose. A noose. Thats not a good sign. Hilliard said racism is raising its head again and its happening all over the country. We are certainly going to look into it from our end and get to the bottom of it, Hilliard said. Hopefully we can have a sit-down (meeting) with the police chief. Bayonne is a very small town and its happening everywhere. JERSEY CITY Michael K. Williams, the actor best known as stickup man Omar Little on The Wire, gave an impassioned plea for support of ex-offenders during former Gov. Jim McGreeveys annual prisoner re-entry conference on Thursday. Williams, 52, discussed his own history with drug addiction during the all-day conference, held at Saint Peters Universitys Glenwood Avenue student center. Williams said he was an addict when The Wire began filming in 2002. I was living on the streets on Newark, New Jersey, struggling in my addiction, he said. Thats who I really was until God blessed me to come through the doors of Christian Love Baptist Church. This was McGreeveys first conference since he was essentially booted out of Jersey City. The board of the quasi-public Jersey City Employment and Training Program fired McGreevey as its executive director in January. The agency ran the citys jobs training and prisoner re-entry program. McGreevey remains chair of the statewide NJ Reentry Corporation nonprofit and thats what hosted Thursdays confab, a day of roundtable discussions and speeches about addiction, recovery and prisoner re-entry services. State Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham, D-Jersey City, has championed second chances for ex-offenders. In 2014, she led an effort to approve a statewide ban on employers asking about prospective employees criminal histories on job applications. Cunningham on Thursday referenced the oft-told tale of two cities here in Jersey City, citing the beautiful apartment buildings and clean streets of affluent Downtown neighborhoods. However if you go out of here and you make a left turn and go all the way down, youre going to run into another kind of Jersey City, she said. And this is the Jersey City that has always motivated me to try to do a little bit more to help people. Because this is the Jersey City where you see hopelessness. The Rev. Al Sharpton was scheduled to appear alongside Williams. But at about 10 a.m. Sharpton took the stage to say he had to head to MSNBCs studios to discuss the Mueller report. Special counsel Robert S. Muellers much-anticipated report on his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was made public moments before Williams panel was set to begin. Who knows some of the people in Washington may be in re-entry in the future, Sharpton said to cheers from the crowd. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Two New Brunswick Parking Authority employees serving five-year prison sentences for official misconduct related to thefts on the job are headed back to court for re-sentencings after the Middlesex County Prosecutorss Office was successful in arguing to an appeals court that they should have mandatory minimum terms. Emil Hanna, 64, and Emad Naguib, 56, both of Old Bridge who worked as security employees at the authority, failed to report or prevent the theft by other employees of $5,000 to $75,000 stolen from automated payment machines between 2007 and 2010. After a nearly two week trial in 2013, in Superior Court of Middlesex County in New Brunswick, a jury convicted the two, but a Superior Court judge overturned their convictions that same year. The county prosecutors office appealed that decision, and in 2016, an appellate court agreed and reinstated the convictions. A judge then sentenced Hanna and Naguib in January 2018 to each serve five years in prison, with a mandatory two years behind bars before theyd be eligible for parole. The two were sent to prison, but the prosecutors office fought the two-year minimum as well, arguing that it was improper for the judge not to impose the full five years, which an appellate court panel decided April 10 they agreed with and sent the case back to Superior Court once again, the Middlesex prosecutors office announced Thursday. In addition to the prison time, Hanna and Naguib two also had to forfeit their employment at New Brunswick Parking Authority and were forever banned from future public employment. The thefts occurred during their overnight shifts at the now-demolished Ferren, and Lower Church Street parking decks. Before this appeal, Hanna and Naguib were eligible for parole this coming December. Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. 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. Dear Annie: My husband has a friend, Ralph, who is half his age and was recently married. Ralphs wife, Katherine, is always texting my husband, and not me, to make plans to go out to eat. I have asked my husband several times to text Ralph back instead of his wife, but he has not. When we go out to eat, Ralphs wife always wants to sample my husbands food and taste his drink; she never samples mine. She never asks if she can taste test. She just does it. She also likes to sit beside my husband. The other night, she stood at the bar talking to both of us with her arm on the back of my husbands chair and not mine. One time, I got back to the table just in time to hear her say that she wouldnt be getting any love from Ralph tonight. My husband replied that he wouldnt be getting any from me either. Thats because my husband falls asleep as soon as he gets home. Her reply was that my husband should leave with her and I should leave with Ralph. She once told me that she and a girlfriend had read that they could make $7,000 a month if they worked for a sugar daddy. She has been married 10 months and is already complaining about Ralph. I see no love between them when they are together. My husband feels that his relationship with her is more like a father/daughter relationship and does not see anything wrong with it. My husband tells me nothing would ever happen between them and its all in my head. I think she is looking for a sugar daddy. What are your thoughts? -- Am I Right to Be Suspicious? Dear Suspicious: Trust your instincts on this one. She sounds like a shark circling your marriage. Picking food off your husbands plate, texting him instead of you and placing her arm on the back of your husbands chair are all signs that she is going in for the kill. The question is how to put an end to this shark and not allow your marriage to be swallowed up by her. Dont continue to be put in a situation where you are accusing and complaining about her while your husband rushes to her defense. Instead, trust your instincts and insist that the friendship ends. The alternative is that she continues to drive a wedge through your marriage, and that is not OK. You and your husband should be a unified front protecting your marriage from circling predators. Dear Annie: Ill never forget my mothers comments about a co-worker who was over 50. There was talk for years about this persons flawless complexion but nobody bothered to ask about her secret. At my mothers retirement luncheon, my mother finally asked. The co-worker replied that it was Vaseline! Her family was poor and she had tried anything cheap. Later, when she had the money for more expensive skin care products, she tried them all but found that still Vaseline worked best. -- Glowing Complexion Dear Glowing: Thank you for this great tip. I have also heard that Aquaphor has the same effect as Vaseline and is around the same price. Heres to beauty on a budget and keeping things simple. Annie Lane grew up in California and headed east to graduate with honors from New York University, where she majored in English literature and specialized in psychology. She earned her Juris Doctor from New York Law School. Since July 2016, Annie has offered common-sense solutions to everyday problems in her column, Dear Annie. Her advice is unusually perceptive. She is firm, funny and sympathetic, echoing the style of her biggest inspiration, Ann Landers. Annie lives outside Manhattan with her husband, two kids and two dogs. When not writing, she devotes her time to play dates and Play-Doh. COPYRIGHT 2019 CREATORS.COM Authorities say a Florida man left threatening rants about gun control, illegal immigration, homosexuals, black people and Muslims for three Democratic members of Congress. The U.S. Attorney's Office says 49-year-old John Kless was arrested Friday and charged with making threatening communications. A federal criminal complaint says Kless called the Washington offices of Rep. Eric Swalwell of California, Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey on Tuesday and left profanity-laden voicemails for each politician. The messages specifically mentioned the elected officials being killed. Swalwell and Booker are both running for president. Presidential Booker launched his national two-week cross-country tour last week as he seeks the Democratic nomination for president. Investigators say they traced the phone number back to Kless, who lives in Tamarac, Florida. U.S. Capitol Police previously investigated Kless for a message left in February for Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Court records didnt list an attorney for Kless. The Hasbrouck Heights man was charged with attempted arson after the NYPD said he brought two canisters of gasoline, two bottles of lighter fluid and lighters into St. Patricks Cathedral on Wednesday night was an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University. Marc Lamparello, 37, was hired in the spring of 2018 and teaching at the college as late as this winter as a part-time adjunct philosophy teacher, but no longer is employed there, Seton Hall University Spokeswoman Laurie Pine told NJ Advance Media Thursday. Although Marc Lamparello had an appointment as a part-time adjunct instructor at Seton Hall for the Spring 2019 semester, he is no longer working at the University," Pine said. Its not clear if he was an active teacher at the college at the time of the incident. Lamparello has also taught philosophy at New York Citys Lehman and Brooklyn colleges. Lehmans website listed him as a Ph.D. candidate at the City University of New Yorks Graduate Center. In a statement, Lehman College spokesperson Sarah Ramsey said, We are aware that an individual was arrested last night after an incident at St. Patricks Cathedral. The individual was hired at Lehman College during this academic year, and was a part-time, online instructor this semester. We are taking the appropriate steps to terminate the individuals employment with the college. Lamparellos name was no longer on Brooklyn Colleges web site Thursday afternoon. In addition to the attempted arson charge, he was also facing reckless endangerment and trespassing charges in the New York incident. Lamparello remained in police custody Thursday and had not been arraigned. He also was issued three summonses charging him with defiant trespass, disorderly persons and obstruction of the administration of justice on Monday after he refused to leave Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura said. After his arrest Wednesday, the NYPD said they found Lamparello had booked a one-way flight to Rome, Italy. The Associated Press contributed to this report Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon 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 Somerset County man who smuggled 13 guns, including assault rifles, and thousands of rounds of ammo to Paraguay and planned to sell them on the black market was sentenced Thursday to nearly four years in prison. Pedro Vergara, 55, of Branchburg, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty last year to one count of smuggling firearms from the United States, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito. Vergara bought the guns and ammo from New Jersey-based firearms dealers from May 2017 through November 2017, federal prosecutors said. His purchases included 10 assault rifles with defaced serial numbers, a 9mm caliber pistol a .22 caliber rifle and a revolver and 3,275 rounds of ammunition, officials said. Vergara concealed the weapons in shipping boxes and transported them from New Jersey to a New York-based shipping company, authorities said. His plan was to resell the smuggled weapons on the black market in Paraguay, Carpenito said. U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp also sentenced Vergara to two years of supervised release and fined him $10,000, according to the release. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon 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. On what was termed the best day of the Trump presidency by a hyperbolic Kellyanne Conway, it was officially established that the presidents campaign staff had multiple links with a foreign adversary and encouraged its sweeping and systematic interference in the 2016 election. It was also determined by Special Counsel Robert Mueller that the Trump campaign planned broad media strategies based on material stolen by Russia and published by WikiLeaks, and that it expected it would benefit electorally from this relationship. It was revealed that there were 10 examples of obstructive behavior by the president designed to torpedo investigations about Russia, multiple acts of undue influence that were not indictable because of Department of Justice rules that protect the president from prosecution. And it was determined that many of those efforts were blunted by people like former White House chief counsel Don McGahn, who in one case refused to comply with Donald Trumps crazy s--- and threatened to quit. If this was the best day of the Trump presidency, it is time to start pondering what the worst might be like. Robert Mueller essentially told a crime tale, a 448-page thriller about a grisly assault on the American democracy that makes your nerves jump and skin itch, but he found no evidence that Trump or his best people helped the Russians interfere in our election, which would be the most lurid development of all. Still, he found copious evidence that Trump obstructed justice and abused power both were articles of impeachment for Richard Nixon and he left it to Congress to discern whether it rises to the level of high crimes or misdemeanors. His report vividly describes a president who thinks he is above the law, and as stated on Page 370, Trump launched public attacks on the investigation and individuals involved; sought to remove the Special Counsel; sought to have Attorney General Sessions un-recuse himself and limit the investigation; sought to prevent disclosure of information about the (2016) meeting between Russians and campaign officials; used public forums to attack potential witnesses, and praised witnesses who declined to cooperate with the government. Mueller concluded, If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. We are unable to reach that judgment. Most of the details in the report were already known, largely because a half-dozen of Trumps closest associates have already been convicted, with Mueller indicting dozens more. But its official rollout marks the moment when foreign interference in American elections became normalized, at least by a buoyant president who has maintained silence about the Kremlins dark political arts. That in itself is chilling. But Mueller suggests that the obstruction allegations should inform Congressional action going forward. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the president's corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, he wrote. That is a gilded invitation to expand the two existing House committee investigations to examine obstruction, if only to determine whether the next step is impeachment, the main mechanism we have to determine whether a president is fit to serve. It is a tough political step to take, but it cannot be ruled out: The only alternative is for Congress to forfeit its oversight responsibility, which is no option at all. Congress also needs to view an unredacted version of the report, as William Barr had promised. It still needs to hear Mueller testify, and learn more about the 14 secret criminal investigations he referred to other offices. It must codify protection of future investigators, who must never be subjected to the stonewalling Mueller faced. And Congress must protect election systems from hackers and prevent our enemies from using cyber intrusion and information warfare. That was part of Muellers original mandate. We have yet to hear the president call election security a priority, which is no surprise, because his electoral success has been aided by foreign subterfuge. Only in a dystopian fiction version of American government should he be allowed to get away with it. Rudy Giuliani: "If we're going to start making moral judgements about everybody in public office, we will have nobody in public office." pic.twitter.com/kkV52GDj58 The Hill (@thehill) April 19, 2019 Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Can Americans still have a sensible and friendly political discussion across the partisan divide? The answer is yes, and we intend to prove it. Julie Roginsky, a Democrat, and Mike DuHaime, a Republican, are consultants who have worked on opposite teams for their entire careers yet have remained friends throughout. Here, they discuss the weeks events, with prompts from Tom Moran, editorial page editor of The Star-Ledger. Q. Robert Muellers magnum opus has been released, and while it shows how the president appeared to attempt to obstruct justice in nearly a dozen ways, the special counsel makes it clear that he was bound by Department of Justice rules not to indict a sitting president. So hes handing it off to Congress, as expected. What happens next? Roginsky: Congress needs to see the full, unredacted report. Mueller makes it very clear that the remedy has to be congressional, not judicial, because of guidelines that prevent a sitting president from getting indicted. So it is up to Congress to determine whether the report outlines whether the president committed high crimes and misdemeanors. But here is what you dont need to be a legal scholar to figure out: The Trump campaign and its associates tried everything possible to obtain stolen information from a hostile foreign power to benefit their electoral efforts. They tried to work with our enemies to the detriment of their fellow Americans. Regardless of whether I agreed with other presidents in the past, there was never any question in my mind that each one was a patriot. We cannot say the same about this president. DuHaime: Without the allegations of interference in the investigation, this report would have been a clear win for the Presidents team. The president need not have ever tried to obstruct because there was never any collusion. The ham-handed attempts to interfere were unnecessary and will give his detractors much ammunition for criticism. Now that has become the focus instead of the misdeeds by Russia or the lack of collusion. Q. One of the states most powerful Republican figures, Ocean County Chairman George Gilmore, was convicted on three felony counts of tax evasion, but says he will not resign his post. Should he? And will his conviction have any political impact? DuHaime: George has been my friend for 20 years, and he has always done whats right for the party in Ocean County and the state. Right now, I dont think voters care too much about someone who is not on the ballot. Roginsky: George Gilmore has been a powerhouse in New Jersey politics for many decades. It certainly doesn't help Ocean County Republican candidates to be asked about whether they support a convicted felon's desire to continue serving as their leader. Whether the chairman believes that he was legally railroaded or not, he must understand that he doesn't help his own organization by allowing Democrats to use that narrative as a bludgeon against his candidates. Q. State Sen. Tom Kean announced Tuesday that he will challenge freshman Congressman Tom Malinowski (D-7th) in the 2020 election, taking aim at what he called radical progressives in Congress. What are his odds? DuHaime: Tom Kean is the strongest possible challenger to Rep. Malinowski. Tom wins big in the eastern part of the district, which is typically the most difficult area for Republicans. As long as the Democrat party and its presidential candidates lurch far to the left to appease its socialist wing, Malinowski will have trouble holding off a very strong candidate like Tom Kean. Roginsky: Tom Kean has one big advantage and two big disadvantages. He has a storied and respected last name. But he is also saddled with the fact that he was Governor Christie's right-hand guy in the State Senate and Governor Christie's numbers are toxic everywhere at the moment -- including in the 7th Congressional District. And he is running on the line with Donald Trump, who is largely responsible for turning the 7th CD blue. Senator Kean can use the Trump playbook to paint Congressman Malinowski as a socialist, but voters didn't buy it the last time around and I doubt they will buy it again, especially if Democrats tie Kean to Christie and Trump. DuHaime: Its going to be great when Malinowski campaigns with Bernie, Hillary and AOC. Roginsky: I dont recall Malinowski ever carrying the water for Bernie, Hillary or AOC, as Kean did for years under Christie. Q. Gov. Phil Murphy asked for the resignations of several board members at the embattled Economic Development Authority who were appointed by former Gov. Chris Christie, and Christie responded by calling it a political assassination. Whats the back story on this? Is Christies new outspokenness a problem for Murphy? DuHaime: The governor would be better served to ask for the resignation of the people who have overseen the hiring scandals in his own administration. Gov. Murphy has been quite political in his hirings and firings since day one. Unfortunately, many of the people who have been given cushy jobs in his administration are unqualified as newspapers are now reporting, yet the EDA people he is asking to step down all seem to have solid qualifications in understanding governments role in economic development. Roginsky: As I said last week, the more Governor Christie speaks out against Governor Murphy, the happier Governor Murphy will be. Despite his frustration, Governor Christie might consider that he is not the most effective messenger for NJ Republicans these days. DuHaime: Gov. Christie is the best messenger as he is the only known Republican statewide, won with 61% of the vote and was unafraid to work with both parties for the betterment of New Jersey. Gov. Murphy doesnt even work with his own party. Roginsky: We're a long way away from Christie winning with 61%. His approval ratings are in the tank. That's not my opinion. That's empirical data contained in every poll I have seen over the last year. And it is exactly because he is so well known and so disliked that he is a poor messenger for the GOP. If you disagree with me, I dare you to have him campaign with Senator Kean next year or with any vulnerable Republican candidate this year. Q. Sen. Bernie Sanders is raising more money than any other Democrat, is strong in the polls, and even won over a town hall crowd during a Fox News appearance. Is his hard-left agenda a gift to President Trump in 2020? DuHaime: Yes, President Trump would love for his re-election campaign to be a referendum on capitalism vs. socialism. Roginsky: I'm old enough to remember when we all thought Donald Trump's nomination would be a gift to Hillary Clinton. I am of the belief that the president would paint even the most conservative Democratic nominee as the second coming of Hugo Chavez, so Democrats just need to change the narrative and not allow the debate to be framed on his terms. DuHaime: It becomes easier when the nominee actually is the second coming of Hugo Chavez. Q. President Trump attacked Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress, with a tweet that included clips of the 9-11 attacks. What do you make of the Democratic response, and the claim of some progressives who say Speaker Nancy Pelosis defense was too late and too weak? DuHaime: Speaker Pelosi does not want her party to go so far to the left. She knows Democrats will lose the presidential election and lose Congress if Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Omar continue to set the agenda for the party. Again, this radical movement to the left is all a gift for President Trump and Senator McConnell. Roginsky: Unlike some of her other statements, Rep. Omars comments on this issue were absolutely spot on. There has been a tendency in some quarters, from the White House to Fox News to the right-wing Twitterverse, to paint all Muslims as complicit in the terrible acts of some Muslims who were responsible for 9/11. Its abhorrent, it is un-American, and it is ascribing collective guilt to an entire religion. I dont recall all white people being blamed when a few of them shoot up black churches or all teenage boys being blamed when a few of them go on shooting rampages in schools. Rep. Omar was absolutely right to call out this unacceptable double standard. I recall that Trumps initial reaction to the horrific events of 9/11 was to say that, with the collapse of the Twin Towers, he now had the tallest building in downtown Manhattan. Separately, he lied about helping to clear rubble at the Trade Center and lied when he said that he lost hundreds of friends that day despite being unable to provide the name of even one. If our media didnt spend so much time chasing shiny objects by allowing him to define the terms of the narrative, we might reflect upon the fact that Rep. Omar was doing nothing more than standing up for American values in refusing to allow an entire religion to be demonized, while the president is continuing his well-worn pattern of exploiting and dishonoring the horrific events of 9/11 for his own selfish purposes. By Arthur E. Imperatore Allegations by Hoboken attorneys that NY Waterway could remain in Weehawken (The site no one knew about) are part of a continuing and expensive - effort by Hoboken leaders to mislead Hoboken taxpayers about Union Dry Dock. Claims that NY Waterway has an alternative site in Weehawken for a repair and maintenance facility are just not true. NY Waterway has had a work dock with two barges on the site in question for more than 10 years. The ferry company also had equipment storage and workshops on the land adjacent to this dock. This was a makeshift arrangement, less than satisfactory for the repair and maintenance of a fleet of 35 ferries, which must operate reliably every day. NY Waterway has known for years that it ultimately would be forced to leave the upland portion of this site and has examined alternatives, resulting in the November 2017 purchase of Union Dry Dock. It also executed an agreement in April 2016 with the owners of the property adjacent to the Weehawken work dock allowing NY Waterway an easement to access the work dock once the company was evicted from the site. We provided The Jersey Journal with drawings of the site in question that show the work dock and barges where they have been for years. The drawings show no operation on the land adjacent to the dock. The 2016 agreement also allows NY Waterway to move the dock and barges 200 feet south on the Weehawken waterfront, but provides no land use, just the easement. NY Waterway examined that option and determined that the cost of a fully workable facility would be prohibitive. NY Waterway was evicted from the land area in question on March 29. Since then, the company has been forced to conduct repair and maintenance operations from the two barges. The easement negotiated in 2016 allows workers to get to the dock and barges, nothing more. Contrary to what Hobokens attorneys claimed, we did not keep this agreement a secret. It was filed with Hudson County and has been a public document for three years. In January, we fully briefed aides to the governor on the agreement. Maintaining our ferry fleet without land access is an impossible situation that must be rectified if NY Waterway is to continue operating at the high level of service, including emergency service, on which the people of Hoboken, Hudson County and their leaders have come to rely. NY Waterway must have the Union Dry Dock site. We will develop the Union Dry Dock site as an attractive amenity, improving Hoboken Cove for recreational boaters and fishermen. We will continue our long-term partnership with Stevens Institute, developing the most modern, most environmentally-friendly ferries, including possibly hybrid electric-diesel ferries. We are paying taxes now, even though Hoboken is blocking us from operating there. We will pay more taxes once the site is improved. We will not be pushed off the Union Dry Dock site by a handful of people who want to improve the value of their condos by blocking us. We will not be pushed off this site by a campaign of misinformation designed to mislead the people of Hoboken. Arthur E. Imperatore is president and founder of NY Waterway. The 15 public high school academies in Paterson are getting a big assist in computer science, courtesy of the worlds largest Internet company. Amazon announced in February a $50 million program in which it would provide introductory and advanced placement (AP) computer courses - via a corporate partner, Edhesive - to more than 1,000 high schools in the Amazon Future Engineer program. Amazon spokeswoman Allison Flicker confirmed on Friday evening, one day after Paterson officials disclosed the decision, that it had selected the public school district in New Jerseys third-largest city. We are looking to support schools and districts and programs that reach students from under-served and under-represented communities. We are really excited to be working with Paterson schools, Flicker told NJ Advance Media. It is a welcome development for the Paterson district as it grapples with the possible loss of up to 232 jobs and steep programming cuts in September. Paterson Schools Superintendent Eileen Shafer, who on March 27 requested an additional $28 million in state aid to prevent the reductions, said the Amazon grant offers a tremendous infusion of resources that will benefit high school students throughout the district. Having Edhesives cutting-edge teaching resources available to our schools will help our students be better prepared to succeed in the computer sciences in college," Shafer said via an emailed statement from the district on Thursday. The 15 high school academies are located in nine buildings, including four at the John F. Kennedy Educational Complex and three at Eastside High School, Paterson spokesperson Paul Brubaker said. In explaining the origins of the program, Amazon noted two months ago an attention-grabbing U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projection - that, by 2020, there will be 1.4 million computer science jobs available, but with only 400,000 qualified graduates in the application pool. Computer science is the fastest-growing profession in the STEM field - the acronym stands for science, technology, engineering and math - but, according to Amazon, only 8 percent of STEM graduates obtain a computer science degree, and of that only a small number hail from under-privileged backgrounds. High school students from under-privileged backgrounds are 8 to 10 times more likely to seek college degrees in computer science if they have taken AP computer science classes, Amazon said. Patersons assistant superintendent, Eric Crespo, said students taking part in the program will be getting the best computer science education possible at the high school level, and the best preparation for competitive assessments such as AP exams. Most importantly, our students will be developing the skills and the knowledge that will be critical to so many entities in our society through the rest of this century, Crespo said in a statement emailed by the district. Amazon recently passed on opening a new headquarters in Newark, despite being offered $7 billion in tax credits from state and city officials. Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect corrected information from Paterson schools and Amazon. 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 NEW YORK Door No. 1: Third baseman Miguel Andujar returns from the injured list and the slight tear in his right shoulder labrum hardly affects him, allowing him to play third base full-time. Door No. 2: Andujar gets surgery to repair the cartilage and his season ends. Whats behind Door No. 3? Yankees manager Aaron Boone said the team hasnt ruled out a position change that would keep Andujars dangerous bat in the lineup. Those will be, when we get to a point, conversations that well have, Boone said before a game against the Royals at Yankee Stadium on Thursday. Andujar has been on the IL since April 1. The day before, he suffered the tear diving back to third base. On Thursday, the 24-year-old took his most significant steps toward avoiding surgery yet. He took several rounds of batting practice, clubbing a couple home runs. He also played catch and appeared to throw without hesitation. Andujar said he was very happy with his shoulders progress. Still, its early in his rehab. He said he expects to try to throw to bases sometime this weekend and that hell join the team on its three-city road trip. Hell also need to play in minor-league games on a rehab assignment before coming back. Hitting is not an issue for him, Boone said. (Friday), I believe hell actually throw from the infield. Its continuing to actually progress to getting to a point where do we think he can truly make the throws he needs to make and not hurt himself more? I definitely think hes making steady progress. Boone said the Yankees will do whats best for Andujars future. If that means surgery, then fine. But, Boone said, surgery isnt always the answer and is not always the way to go. So, could the Dominican Republic native and 2018 American League Rookie of the Year runner-up be a full-time first baseman? Or maybe a DH? Can we do that on a short-term basis and put things off? Those will be conversations that were going to have to have, but I dont were there yet, Boone said. Were kind of trying to get through these rehab days, seeing where we could get to from a throwing standpoint and then make those evaluations. But thatll be probably in the conversation somewhere. Brendan Kuty may be reached at bkuty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook. A man charged with killing a tourist in Armstrong Park in 2011 pleaded guilty last week to manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Tomarcus Porter, 31, was indicted Nov. 17, 2011, on a second-degree murder charge in the death of 47-year-old Gisela Graeble-Dagmar, whose body was found Aug. 11, 2011, near the Municipal Auditorium in Armstrong Park. Her throat had been slashed. Porter pleaded guilty April 11 to the reduced manslaughter charge, and to several additional charges he picked up in jail while he was awaiting trial. Those include aggravated battery, criminal damage and contraband possession charges. Authorities said Graeble-Dagmar was last seen across the street from the park holding a suitcase four days before her body was found on Aug. 7. Tips called in to police and statements from witnesses identified Porter as the person last seen with her. According to District Attorney Leon Cannizzaros office, investigators determined Graeble-Dagmar lived in south Florida for about 10 years prior to her death. She had been in New Orleans for about three weeks to visit a friend. After she and her friend had a fight, police said Graeble-Dagmar left to find somewhere else to stay. Police said in 2011 she met Porter at a bar, and someone saw them walking down Basin Street near where her body was discovered sometime later. Porter was booked Aug. 26, 2011, in her killing. His DNA was found under her fingernails, police said. The case was delayed, in part, by two stays at the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System in Jackson, according to court records. Since his 2011 indictment, Criminal District Judge Benedict Willard found Porter incompetent twice, in 2013 and again in 2015. At a Feb. 21, 2013, competency hearing, a forensic psychiatrist on the court-appointed sanity commission said Porter was paranoid and delusional, which made him combative and extremely violent. Dr. Nicholas Vergara said Porter repeatedly said he thought his attorney was involved in a plot to kill him. Willard found Porter incompetent at that hearing and ordered he be sent to the state mental hospital for treatment. Based on doctors recommendations, Willard found Porter competent to proceed with his case on Nov. 12, 2013. 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 Accused murderer believes defense attorney plotting to kill him, found incompetent to stand trial He again found Porter incompetent at another hearing on May 7, 2015, according to court records. After hearing from doctors at a Sept. 24, 2015, hearing, Willard found Porter irrestorably incompetent and incapable of standing trial for the foreseeable future, according to court records. Porter was found competent at a June 14, 2018, hearing, but Willard ordered he stay at the hospital instead of returning to the Orleans Justice Center. Porter was discharged from the state hospital on Jan. 31, 2019, according to court records. Porters next court appearance was April 11, when he entered his guilty pleas. Cannizzaros office said Willard approved the 20-year sentence Assistant District Attorney Kevin Guillory and defense attorney Barksdale Hortenstine Jr. agreed on. Authorities never were able to locate Graeble-Dagmars family, Cannizzaros office said. Porter will serve the sentences imposed for his jail charges which range from six months to 10 years concurrent with his 20-year sentence for manslaughter. Jail is not conducive to the treatment of people suffering from mental illness, Hortenstine said. They are vulnerable to exploitation, manipulation and harm. Hortenstine said jail has become a dumping ground for mentally ill people, and the care available is barebones at best. Sheriff deputies and guards are not nurses or doctors, they are not trained in the care and treatment of mentally ill patients, he said. That lack of knowledge in treatment and care often leads to further harm and more charges for mentally ill inmates. A Metairie man was arrested and booked with committing a hate crime after he accelerated his truck toward an interracial couple, hitting and seriously injuring the woman, according to authorities. Metairie man pleads guilty in North Shore bank robbery The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday (April 16) in the parking lot of Birdies service station, 3738 Airline Drive, Metairie, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office. The couple told deputies they were walking to the store when they spotted James Descant, 50, a man with whom theyd had an earlier run-in, said Capt. Jason Rivarde, spokesman for the department. The 32-year-old male victim, who is black, said Descant threatened to kill him a week earlier because the victims girlfriend is white, according to the sheriffs office. Descant, who has disdain for interracial relationships, also used a racial slur to describe her involvement with a black man, the sheriffs office report said. As the couple stood in front of Birdies Tuesday night, Descant is accused of swerving left in an attempt to hit them, authorities said. The man managed to jump out of the way. 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 But the truck hit the woman, 31, injuring her right hip, right wrist and left foot, according to the sheriffs office. She was taken to Ochsner Medical Center in Old Jefferson where doctors also determined the woman suffered a broken foot, the report said. The man said he did nothing to provoke Descant. The man told deputies he believed Descant acted because of hatred for the couples relationship, according to authorities. Descant is also accused of slamming into $500 worth of bottled water cases that were in front of the convenience store. Deputies arrested Descant about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday at a motel in the 3500 block of Airline Drive in Metairie. He was booked with aggravated second-degree battery, aggravated assault, hate crimes, simple criminal damage to property and being a fugitive from Kenner police. Descant was being held Friday at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna in lieu of a $101,000 bond on the charges related to the incident. But he was being held without bond on the fugitive charge. New Orleans police are looking for a 43-year-old man in connection to Thursdays (April 18) homicide in New Orleans Easts Pines Village neighborhood. Alfred Simmons is wanted for second-degree murder in connection to the fatal shooting of a woman in the 5000 block of Dwyer Road, police said. When police arrived on the scene around 8:40 p.m., they found a woman, later identified as Shereen Smith, in the middle of the road suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. Simmons was last seen driving a black, four-door 2004 BMW 530 bearing Louisiana temporary tag 16928950. The vehicle identification number is WBANA73534B8016. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Homicide Unit at 504-658-5300 or call Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111 and toll-free at 1-877-903-7867. This post was updated Thursday evening with details on the car driven by Simmons. Woman fatally shot in New Orleans East One of two people New Orleans police said were trying to steal a generator from a home in the St. Roch neighborhood was shot in the chest by the homes resident early Friday (April 19), NOPD said. The shooting was reported about 2:10 a.m. in the 2300 block of Franklin Avenue, NOPD said. The wounded persons condition was not immediately known. A 33-year-old man who lived in the home heard an alarm indicating his shed had been opened, then saw two males in his yard, the report states. The resident armed himself with two handguns, the report states, and went outside to confront the people who were trying to steal his generator. Police said one of the males confronted by the resident turned around and faced the resident. The resident then fired more than one shot, police said, hitting one of the males in the chest. The second male fled the scene. The ages of the males accused of trying to steal the generator were not immediately available. 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 NOPD did not immediately respond to questions about whether the wounded person or the resident would possibly face charges, or if the investigation is ongoing. The preliminary report on the incident, part of an internal daily log of major offenses, referred to the wounded male and the male who fled as suspects, and the resident who fired the shots as victim. NOPD notes that information in the report, called a Major Offense Log, is subject to change as investigations progress. Check back with NOLA.com on this developing story. Understanding Louisiana's Stand-Your-Ground and Castle Laws The University of New Orleans has agreed to create a new pathway for Nicholls State University students to more easily transition into a bachelors degree program in UNOs College of Engineering. UNO President John Nicklow and Nicholls President Jay Clune on Tuesday (April 16) officially kicked off the new partnership at a ceremony held at Nicholls States Thibodaux campus, according to a news release. In a statement, Nicklow said the partnership creates a road map for Nicholls students to earn an engineering degree. By creating new pathways, were making those degrees more accessible to a wider population, which is ultimately what were trying to do: create a more educated community and region, Nicklow said. UNO wants to guarantee admission to eligible transfer students from Delgado The partnership will also allow students from UNO to complete courses at Nicholls State to help them attain a professional land surveying certification from the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Survey Board, the release said. UNO has the only civil, electrical and mechanical engineering programs in the greater New Orleans area, according to the release, as well as one of the few naval architecture and marine engineering programs in the nation. Nicholls has the only geomatics program in Louisiana. 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 Together, the institutions plan to collaborate on research projects focused on issues in engineering, surveying and the environment, the release said. In a statement, Clune noted coastal engineers will play a key role in saving Louisianas coast. Civil engineering provides the foundation for a specialty in coastal engineering, he added. Clune said Nicholls partnership with UNO will allow students to complete most of the coursework for a civil engineering degree at Nicholls before finishing at UNO. The goal, he said, is to keep students in the region, rather than going to a faraway university, staying there and not returning home. We need our students to come back and help us save our coast," Clune said. UNO stated the agreement, which is effective immediately, outlines specific courses that will transfer between the two universities. The University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors approved the agreement at its Feb. 22 meeting. Want to be a pilot? Degree program at UNO moves closer to fruition 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. Hunched over, hands covering his face, Paul Mainieri sat on the LSU dugout bench defeated and ready to move on to the next game. Inning after inning, the scene repeated itself: 6-0, 7-0, 10-0, 13-0. His body again hunched over, his hands again covered his face. LSUs head coach was ready for this night to end. Florida came into Baton Rouge on Thursday (April 18) and dominated LSU, beating the Tigers, 16-9, on a night of LSU throwing bullpen arms without its normal Game One starter Zack Hess. It was just one of those games where you got into a big hole right out of the gate, and you didnt want to use all of your top arms when youre down 6-0 against a quality pitcher like that," Mainieri said. Scott Woodward talks leaving Texas A&M for LSU, Will Wade, gumbo Sophomore MaKhail Hilliard made the start for Hess, who is not quite 100 percent from a groin injury suffered last weekend. Hess could have thrown one inning in relief if needed, but starting wasnt an option. Hilliard only lasted two innings. Florida scored three runs in the second inning before Hilliard could retire a single batter. He said Florida was sitting on his fastball and taking curveballs. He gave up six runs total on six hits in the inning, and hes now allowed 11 runs in his past 6 2/3 innings pitched. Things didnt get much better from there, as freshman Chase Costello allowed four runs in two innings. In the third inning, he gave up one run on three hits. The next inning, Floridas Cory Acton drove a three-RBI home run to right field to push the lead to 10-0. LSUs other pitchers were similarly unsuccessful in quieting Floridas bats: Clay Moffitt allowed three runs in 2/3 inning. Will Ripoll gave up one run in three innings, and Aaron George allowed two runs in two innings. If Zack Hess had started for us and he was healthy, Im pretty confident you wouldnt have seen that kind of baseball game," Mainieri said. "Im not saying we would have beaten them for sure. Im just saying we wouldnt have, you know, dug ourselves into a hole like that. It was by no means a bad offensive night, as LSU compiled 16 hits and put a runner on base each inning. The problem the first four innings was stranding runners. By the time LSU did produce runs the deficit was already in double digits. Antoine Duplantis went 4-for-5 with an RBI. Josh Smith and Giovanni DiGiacomo had two hits each. Cade Beloso had three RBI, and Saul Garza hit his first career home run. Brandt Broussard hit a two-RBI triple in the ninth. But the story of the night was the Florida offense teeing off on LSUs pitching, which gave up 20 hits, four home runs and 16 runs in an ugly loss. The score was 14-2 before some late-inning LSU runs. The message from Mainieri and players in the moments after the game was that it cant let this loss feel too large. In the grand scheme of things, LSU is just a game and a half out of first place in the SEC West. LSU was out of this game in innings, and by the time it was over it was already moving on. It has its best starter in Cole Henry on the mound Friday. Every game counts the same, and in this league everybody beats each other up and you just gotta keep your chins up and you gotta come out the next day and you gotta play great," Mainieri said. Starting pitching is everything. If you get off to a good start, youve got a chance to win. Records: LSU (24-16, 9-7 SEC); Florida (26-14, 7-9 SEC) Whats next: LSU and Florida play Game Two at 7 p.m. Friday. Cole Henry will be on the mound for LSU. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted final approval Friday (April 19) for the first generic naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, commonly known as Narcan, a medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. The agency also plans to prioritize the review of additional generic drug applications for opioid overdoses, officials said in a news release. The FDA ... is exploring other ways to increase the availability of naloxone products intended for use in the community, including whether naloxone should be co-prescribed with all or some opioid prescriptions to reduce the risk of overdose death," Dr. Douglas Throckmorton, deputy center director at the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. All together, these efforts have the potential to put a vital tool for combatting opioid overdose in the hands of those who need it most friends and families of opioid users, as well as first responders and community-based organizations. Fridays approval will make available the first generic naloxone nasal spray for use by individuals without medical training. Generic injectable naloxone products have been available for years for use in health care settings. The FDA has previously approved a brand-name naloxone nasal spray and an auto-injector for public use. The FDA did not provide a timeline for when the generic nasal spray would be available to the public. The product received tentative approval in June 2018, and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. was given approval to market it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 400,000 people died from opioid overdoses from 1999 to 2017. More than 130 Americans die every daily from overdoses involving opioids, which includes medications such as fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine. DEA announces strategy to fight opioid, heroin abuse in New Orleans area Trailblazing is nothing new for Alexandria native Katrina Lloyd. She just made history when she became the second African-American woman to be promoted to the rank of colonel by the Louisiana National Guard, on April 12, the Guard reports on its website. And shes also the first woman and the first African-American to hold these three positions: battalion commander of the Louisiana Medical Detachment, full-time state surgeon-Army for the Louisiana National Guard, and Louisiana Medical Detachment administrative officer. She is also the first soldier to hold all three of the those positions simultaneously, the Guard reports. Lloyd was honored by Alexandria Mayor Jeff Hall when he declared April 12 as Col. Katrina E. Lloyd Day in Alexandria in honor of the achievements. "After serving as an enlisted Guardsman for 10 years and achieving the rank of sergeant, Lloyd commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1996. Throughout her career, she has held several key leadership positions, including chief clinical nurse and deputy commander of clinical and administrative services. Of officers who commissioned in 1996, only 2 percent have made it to the rank of colonel,'' the Guard reports. Its pretty powerful when you look at the support Ive had from oldiers all around, Lloyd was quoted as saying. It makes you take a step back and say OK God, I must be doing something right. You dont think doors open, but when they do you have to be prepared to walk through them. She earned a bachelor of science in nursing from Grambling State University and a master of science in nursing, family nurse practitioner from Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Read more about Lloyd here. An ugly fight over an audit that found the city of Zachary paid two vendors $3.5 million without having contracts in place has died down some, but the city councilman most upset about the matter has made clear he is not giving up on his quest for 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. 2014: Russia sends troops into Ukraine and occupies the Crimean Peninsula. That helps set in motion a chain of events that brings us to here. I call it the Russian witch hunt. The public release of special counsel Robert Muellers report, the investigation into whether people associated with Donald Trumps campaign Lock him up! conspired with Russia in 2016 Its a whole big fat hoax. and whether Trump or his aides tried to obstruct this investigation. The people doing that investigation, theyre dirty cops. So how did we get here, from this to this? There was no collusion, theres no Russia. O.K., starting with Crimea, Russia enters and eventually annexes the region from Ukraine. The U.S. supports Ukraines government, so the U.S. responds with sanctions. To impose a cost on Russia. Russia decides to strike back to undermine U.S. democracy. Show me what hypocrisy looks like! How? Use Americas polarized politics to turn people against each other. Dont shoot! Perfect timing, because its 2015, and here comes the presidential election. The months tick by. Trump does well. I consider myself the presumptive nominee. Then several members of his campaign get approached by people with ties to Russia. Those people claim to have information that can hurt the Hillary Clinton campaign. See, the Russians dont like Clinton. They dont want her to become president. They say that she meddled in Russian affairs when she was secretary of state. But Trump Wouldnt it be nice if we actually got along with Russia? Then we learned that Russian hackers had infiltrated the Democratic National Committees computer system. And just over a month later, Wikileaks publishes 20,000 hacked Democratic emails. All of this makes the F.B.I. more suspicious of Russian meddling and suspicious of ties between Trump campaign aides and Moscow. Trumps campaign chairman at the time, Paul Manafort, denies this. We have no relationship. The F.B.I. investigates. Then election victory, and the stakes get higher. President Obama gets ready to leave office. But before he does The Russians were responsible for hacking the D.N.C. he announces new sanctions on Russia. Enter Michael Flynn, Trumps soon-to-be national security adviser. He urges Russias U.S. ambassador from Moscow not to retaliate over those Obama sanctions. Russia agrees. Thats a problem because Trump hasnt been inaugurated yet. Flynn isnt part of the U.S. government. He may have broken federal law by doing this. Then So help me God. Soon Flynn has to resign because he misled the vice president and others I was disappointed. about those conversations with the Russian ambassador. These chats become part of the F.B.I. investigation into Russian ties with the Trump campaign. The day after Flynn resigns, Trump meets with F.B.I. Director James Comey. According to Comey, Trump asked him to stop investigating Flynn. I took it as this is what he wants me to do. Three months after that meeting, Trump fires Comey. According to the White House He fired him because he was not fit to do the job. Its that simple. Eight days later, the Justice Department taps former F.B.I. Director Robert Mueller to lead the investigation now that Comey is gone. His inquiry now includes Comeys firing. Did Trump try to obstruct the investigation by asking Comey to stop investigating Flynn? Lets move ahead to five months after Mueller took the job. He begins charging several Trump associates with a variety of crimes, like lying to the F.B.I. and bank fraud. See, thats important because they may have information that helps Muellers investigation. He can offer them lesser punishments in exchange for that information. Now its been almost 11 months since Mueller took over the investigation. And who gets caught up in this? Michael Cohen, Trumps personal lawyer. Hes mostly charged with crimes that arent part of the Mueller investigation. Mr. Cohen will continue to cooperate. But Mueller wants to talk to him to see if he knows anything about Trump business dealings in Russia while Trump was running for president. How do you feel about you may have changed an election? By the time Cohen testifies before Congress, its clear hes done being loyal to Trump. He is a racist. He is a con man. And he is a cheat. And so we come to the present, about five years since Russia annexed Crimea. The investigation You wouldnt oversee a witch hunt, would you? speculation There was no anything, so thats the nice part. and anticipation Robert Mueller may be ready to submit his findings. are all in the past. Only the future will tell us how the Mueller report will go down in American history. But yes, positive attitude. Mind of a warrior, and all that. Do not let it bother you that you might have to go through the clue list a few times to find something, anything, that you can fill in. That is what the chocolate is for. I had an embarrassingly low number of (correct) entries on the first and second pass. Im not sure why. Mr. Madison, who used to be the constructor for the Buzzfeed crossword, has a distinctive style of cluing and filling, but he and the editors have kept his former (according to his notes below) freewheelingness in check here. The weird thing is that as soon as I got a few entries in the southwest, the entire south fell for me. But that northern part of the grid held me at bay for quite a while. It was a thrilling challenge, I thought as I tugged at it, trying to keep my attitude as positive as possible. Im kind of embarrassed to tell you which entry was my way into this puzzle, but Im going to anyway, just so you dont think that I automatically know these things: My first correct answer was SETH Green at 47A from the Austin Powers movies, because I am tragically lowbrow and marinate myself in pop culture. There, I said it. I may not be dizzyingly intellectual, but I found a way in. You can do that, too. Maybe your point of entry was the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner, MALALA Yousafzai, who was in the news for a variety of reasons. If youve been solving for a while or just love reading, you could drop ANAIS Nin in at 9D. Opera lovers will no doubt plunk in CARMEN without even thinking at 36A. Netflix, the video-streaming company, said on Thursday that it would spend up to $100 million to expand its presence in New York City by creating a production hub in Brooklyn that would include six soundstages. The company already has been producing some of its most popular shows, including Orange Is the New Black and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, in Queens and Brooklyn. The proposed expansion would build on New Yorks growing role in the booming business of film and television production. Soundstages have opened up in previously industrial sections of Brooklyn and Queens, and even on Staten Island, fueled in part by the states program of production credits, which offers savings on production costs incurred in New York. New York has created a film-friendly environment thats home to some of the best creative and executive talent in the world, and were excited to provide a place for them at Netflix with our production hub, said Jason Hariton, the companys director of worldwide studio operations and real estate. James W. McCord Jr., a security expert who led a band of burglars into the shambles of the Watergate scandal and was the first to expose the White House crimes and cover-ups that precipitated the downfall of the Nixon administration in 1974, died on June 15, 2017, at his home in Douglassville, Pa. He was 93. The death went unreported by local and national news organizations at the time. It was apparently first reported by the London-based writer and filmmaker Shane OSullivan in his book Dirty Tricks: Nixon, Watergate, and the CIA, published last year. The news of the death surfaced again on March 31 on the website Kennedys and King. The United States Department of Veteran Affairs confirmed his death on its online Nationwide Gravesite Locator. (Mr. McCord was buried in Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pa.) The Washington Post said the cause was pancreatic cancer, quoting Mr. McCords death certificate, which the newspaper said it had obtained from the Berks County Register of Wills office in Reading, Pa. In the large cast of liars, schemers, money launderers, character assassins and other scoundrels who devised dirty tricks to damage President Richard M. Nixons political opponents, it was Mr. McCord, a retired spy with a shadowy past, who broke the silence of a shaky Oval Office conspiracy. It had been held together with hush money, fears of prison and, if all else failed, promises of presidential clemency. The French philosopher and literary critic Rene Girard held that such scapegoating and ritual sacrifice is an essential part of group identity and solidarity. That seems to apply here. Mr. Trump ran against American elites and their insular culture. Their response was to load onto him all of the sins they see in American society and attempt to sacrifice him to appease their gods. Mr. Girard asked a question that is pertinent today: Why is our own participation in scapegoating so difficult to perceive and the participation of others so easy? To us, our fears and prejudices never appear as such because they determine our vision of people we despise, we fear, and against whom we discriminate. But the ritual sacrifice of Donald Trump didnt work at least not in the sense of removing him from office. It certainly did have the effect of catalyzing and uniting his opponents. Still, one of the many ironies here is that the Trump-hating media has handed him an incredibly powerful weapon for the 2020 campaign, one that may ensure his re-election. Again, the operating principle was that of the zealot: Believe the narrative regardless of the lack of evidence, squint to see justifications where there are none and then in an intoxicated frenzy of moral superiority use any weapon at hand to destroy your enemy. Shortly after Mr. Mueller concluded his investigation without any indictments related to Russian collusion with the Trump campaign, Representative Adam Schiff, now the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, did not admit he was wrong far from it. He brazenly doubled down, saying during a committee hearing, You may think its O.K. how Trump and his associates interacted with Russians during the campaign. I dont. I think its immoral. I think its unethical. I think its unpatriotic. And yes, I think its corrupt. The problem is that the Mueller investigation, as Mr. Barr explained, did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes. Mr. Schiff must know this. He must have known it for a long time. But he has persisted in slandering innocent people for personal political gain. His selfishness has led to a level of civil discord and political acrimony not seen since the late 1960s. That is what I call immoral, unethical, unpatriotic and yes, corrupt. So much for complete and total exoneration. To the contrary, it turns out that Robert Mueller and his team of prosecutors and investigators found substantial evidence that President Trump broke federal law on numerous occasions by attempting to shut down or interfere with the nearly-two-year Russia investigation. In addition to pointing to possible criminality, the report revealed a White House riddled with dysfunction and distrust, one in which Mr. Trump and his aides lie with contempt for one another and the public. Some of the presidents efforts to interfere with the investigation failed, the report concluded, only because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Put another way, Mr. Trump may survive, thanks to advisers who chose to refuse or simply ignore his demands to do what the former White House counsel Donald McGahn at one point referred to as crazy shit. Mr. Trump referred to repeatedly by aides as the boss is shown as so attentive to covering his tracks that at one point he scolds Mr. McGahn for taking notes during a meeting. I never had a lawyer who took notes, Mr. Trump is quoted as saying. Mr. McGahn responded that he was a real lawyer. WASHINGTON In the months before the 2016 presidential election, Russias military intelligence agency penetrated computer systems in at least one Florida county government and planted malware in systems at a manufacturer of election equipment, the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, said in his offices final report on Russian interference in the election. The report did not cite any evidence that the breaches compromised election results in Florida or elsewhere, and said Mr. Mueller had left further investigation of the incidents to the F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security. The disclosure of the suspected breach added to accounts of Russias systematic effort to access voter-registration rolls and other election systems outlined last year by American intelligence officials and in federal indictments. The special counsels report also cited another attack on computers in Illinois, which had already been reported, while the attack in Florida had not previously been disclosed. The penetration of the election equipment manufacturer, identified elsewhere as VR Systems of Tallahassee, Fla., had been known but not that malware specifically had been planted. The company makes electronic pollbooks and other devices that help officials run elections, but does not make voting machines. Were just here to support the Border Patrol and show the public the reality of the border, said Mr. Benvie, 43, who recently came to New Mexico from Minnesota. He said the organization plans to remain on the border until the extended wall proposed by President Trump is built or Congress changes immigration laws to make it harder for migrants to request asylum. Militias have recently stepped up their activities in New Mexico and other states as the authorities scramble to respond to a surge in families from Central America, with total apprehensions on the border reaching more than 92,000 in March. Elsewhere on the border, the mayor of Yuma, Ariz., declared an emergency this week as the city sought federal and state assistance to deal with migrant arrivals. Mr. Benvie, the spokesman for the United Constitutional Patriots, declined to specify how many of its members were in Sunland Park, a city in New Mexico about nine miles west of El Paso. He said the group included people with military or law enforcement experience. If these people follow our verbal commands, we hold them until Border Patrol comes, Mr. Benvie said. Border Patrol has never asked us to stand down. The governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, said in a statement that it was completely unacceptable that migrant families might be menaced or threatened in any way, shape or form when they arrive at our border. It should go without saying that regular citizens have no authority to arrest or detain anyone, she added. The video of this week's episode in the New Mexico desert shows Border Patrol agents arriving on the scene at some point after members of the militia have already come into contact with the migrants. Before the arrival of the federal agents, a woman narrating the video tells a man who appears to be a militia member Don't aim the gun in the direction of the families. The migrants can be seen kneeling on the ground and embracing one another. Meanwhile, a candidate who understood very little about how computers and networks operate was clamoring for the leak of data from Mrs. Clintons private server, the special counsels investigation found. Mr. Mueller found no evidence that Russians and the Trump campaign worked together, and that while the Russians easily infiltrated the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, they appeared to have a difficult time doing so with Mrs. Clintons own personal server. The account of those efforts may be the closest the nation comes to understanding the details of the largest cyberoperation ever initiated against an American election. Mr. Mueller found that Russian military intelligence units and Mr. Trumps campaign found themselves working opposite ends of a mutually beneficial, but uncoordinated, effort. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the report concludes, there was no finding that any member of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government. When Mr. Flynn received the request from Mr. Trump, he contacted Barbara Ledeen, a former Senate staff member close to the retired general, and Peter Smith, an investment adviser. The investigators concluded that as early as December 2015, long before the Russian hacking of the Democratic National Committee became known, Ms. Ledeen had sent a 25-page proposal to Mr. Smith about how to obtain what she believed were classified emails that had already been purloined by our enemies. The exchange was included in emails the special counsel obtained during the investigation. Ms. Ledeen urged a search of public sources, in hopes that some of the Clinton emails had been leaked by foreign intelligence services that she believed had perhaps already extracted them from Mrs. Clintons server in Chappaqua, N.Y. If that failed, she wanted to make contact with various foreign services to see if any of them had cracked the server. Equal Access for Ohio Christian Clubs NEWS PROVIDED BY Liberty Counsel April 19, 2019 ORLANDO, Fla., April 19, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- A school district in northeast Ohio has ended discrimination against a high school student-led Bible study and a Christian encouragement club, both of which have now been allowed to resume meetings on campus. Liberty Counsel sent a letter to the district on behalf of the students, requesting equal access on the same terms as other noncurricular clubs. The school board voted unanimously this month to recognize the Christian student-led clubs and to extend equal treatment in all respects, including permitting the students to invite guest speakers during noninstructional time. When the two clubs were cancelled in Fall 2017, the students were told they could no longer meet as "official school club[s]" and would be treated as "outside organization[s]." The Christian club could no longer have guest speakers, and neither it, nor the Bible study, were permitted to meet during noninstructional time or distribute flyers announcing their meetings. The clubs were told they would also be assessed a facilities fee. However, the school district permitted other "student-led" clubs such as the Gay-Straight Alliance, an environmental club, a fashion club, a vegan club, and others, to meet. These clubs met at no charge, were allowed faculty advisors, and had full access to all the information channels at school, including distribution and display of flyers, and announcements on the school PA system. In addition to meeting for encouragement and discussion, student leaders of the Christian club had hoped to demonstrate love and acceptance toward their fellow students by doing acts of kindness on various days. When they were first allowed to meet in 2017, this club met at school during noninstructional time. The students opened the meetings, and when they had a speaker, the students introduced the guest speaker. After the speaker, the students closed the meeting. No guest speaker spoke more than once. However, the Christian club was still told "no outside speakers" would be allowed unless the club moved off campus for such meetings. After the clubs were cancelled, the students involved in both clubs prepared documentation referencing the Equal Access Act and met with administrators to appeal these decisions. They were told they could "meet informally during lunch to read the Bible and pray" with a faculty advisor, but they could not be given club privileges, including sharing announcements about the club, or displaying club flyers. Liberty Counsel then sent a letter demanding equal access. After receiving the letter, the school board voted to allow the Christian student-led clubs. Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "We are pleased that this Ohio school district has agreed to abide by the law in granting equal access to school facilities to the Bible study and the Christian club. The law is clear that public schools cannot discriminate against the Christian viewpoint of student-led clubs. Equal access means equal treatment in terms of use of the facilities, ability to meet, and announcements about the clubs. Equal access is a simple concept. Public schools cannot discriminate against Christian viewpoints on otherwise permissible subject matters," 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/ WASHINGTON By the time President Trump woke up on Thursday morning, he was ready for the Mueller report. The day before, his lawyers had given him a matter-of-fact recounting of the special counsels sprawling, 448-page document during a briefing in the White House residence. It left Mr. Trump concerned about its damaging details but convinced that the report would help further the White Houses narrative that he had been cleared of all wrongdoing. Before 9 a.m., the president began that public relations effort in earnest, using Twitter to confidently urge people to watch a morning news conference by Attorney General William P. Barr. The moment Mr. Barr ended the news conference having repeatedly insisted there was no collusion the president tweeted again. Game Over, the Game of Thrones-styled tweet said, showing a picture of Mr. Trump from behind, staring into a mist. No Collusion. No Obstruction. For the haters and the radical left Democrats. The president angrily asked for Mr. Sessionss resignation the day the special counsel was appointed. But when Mr. Sessions gave the letter to Mr. Trump the next day, he was in a different mood. Mr. Trump pocketed the letter, asking Mr. Sessions several times if he wanted to keep his job and shaking his hand when he said that he did. But the president did not return the letter, according to the report. Reince Priebus, the former chief of staff, and Stephen K. Bannon, the presidents former chief strategist, were concerned that Mr. Trump had kept the letter. Mr. Priebus told Mr. Sessions that it could function as a shock collar and that as long as he had it, the president had the Justice Department by the throat, the report said. Mr. Priebus spent almost two weeks trying to wrest the letter back from Mr. Trump, who took it with him on a trip to the Middle East. The president showed the letter to aides as they flew from Saudi Arabia to Israel, asking them what he should do with it. Later on the trip, when Mr. Priebus asked Mr. Trump for the letter, the president told him it was at the White House. The president did not hand over the letter to Mr. Sessions until May 30, three days after he returned, with a note, Not accepted. Hi. Welcome to On Politics, your guide to the day in national politics. Im Lisa Lerer, your host. I have to open this newsletter with a shameful admission. So, Im sitting at my desk in The New York Timess Washington bureau, waiting, like everyone in town, for the release of Robert S. Mueller IIIs report. CNN is on, Twitter is open and the office is wired. This is a moment, people: Its a major crossroads in Donald J. Trumps presidency. Its the conclusion of 23 months, 34 indictments and guilty pleas, 500 search warrants and 2,300 subpoenas. Finally it drops. I open the 448-page document, with all its legalese and redactions, breathe in the history of the moment and immediately open five different tabs of junk on the internet. I mean, this thing is long. And overwhelming. WASHINGTON In the deep leather chairs of Manhattans luxurious Grand Havana Room late on Aug. 2, 2016, Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman, met with an associate who has been linked to Russian intelligence and discussed a plan to give Moscow control over part of eastern Ukraine. All that is required to start the process is a very minor wink (or a slight push) from Donald J. Trump, the associate, Konstantin V. Kilimnik, later wrote to Mr. Manafort. If Mr. Manafort could succeed in pushing the plan forward and positioning himself to oversee it, he would be welcomed in Moscow at the very top level, Mr. Kilimnik wrote. Those exchanges are part of an extraordinary set of contacts between more than two dozen Russians and aides or associates of Mr. Trumps documented in the report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, that was released Thursday. In great detail, the report highlights a steady stream of overtures from a cast of Russians, including a mysterious woman pretending to be a niece of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Russian billionaires. Striving to forge inroads with and wield influence over the Trump team during the campaign and the transition, they dangled potential business deals, floated foreign policy options and repeatedly suggested a meeting between Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin. speaker Its up. All right. Its up. The reports up. Sorry. [interposing voices] [music] michael barbaro From The New York Times, Im Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily. speaker O.K. Mike? mike Yeah. speaker I want you to start on page 215 factual results of the obstruction investigation. michael barbaro Today speaker Sharon, heres what I want you to excerpt. I want you to start on page four. Nick, I want you to start at the bottom of page eight. michael barbaro 448 pages, two years in the making. speaker Thats new. We didnt know that. michael barbaro What we learned from the Mueller report. speaker 1 That quote is new. speaker 2 Its a pretty good quote. michael barbaro Its Friday, April 19. michael schmidt Michael, can you hear us? mark mazzetti Hey, Michael. michael barbaro Yeah. Hey, guys. michael schmidt Hey. mark mazzetti Hey. michael barbaro All right. Mike Schmidt, Mark Mazzetti, its 9:15 on Thursday night. Youve both now spent about 10 hours reading the Mueller report. Tell me about this thing. michael schmidt Its a breathtaking document. Its over 400 pages of detailed insights and accounts of enormous issues weve been focused on over the past two years. Its divided into, essentially, two halves one for Russia, one for the presidents actions in office. michael barbaro In other words, collusion and obstruction. Those are the two buckets. mark mazzetti Right. The first half detailing the contact between Russians and Trump advisers isnt enormously revealing, in the sense that we had already heard some weeks ago that there had not been a, quote, criminal conspiracy found by Mueller. At the same time, theres an enormous amount of detail concluding that in the midst of this really historic effort by the Russians to sabotage the election hacking and leaking of emails, social media manipulation, fake news it says that the Trump campaign welcomed this. They saw a real benefit of what the Russians were doing, even if at the end of the day there wasnt an active conspiracy. michael schmidt Hes essentially saying that they were interested, they sought out information about emails, they wanted to know more about how they could get their hands on these messages. They welcomed all this, but they never crossed the line into breaking the law. Just because they sought out the fruits of the Russian hack doesnt mean that they were part of the crime. michael barbaro And just to be very clear, how is what youre describing, collectively, not collusion? mark mazzetti Well, I think we need to be careful, because the attorney general said that there was no collusion. And the president said there was no collusion. But the Mueller report is more nuanced. And the Mueller report says, you know, this collusion word doesnt really mean anything to us. Theres no legal standard of collusion. So what were going to look at is what is a crime, and that is conspiracy. And thats what we have to judge all of this voluminous evidence against. And they said that a conspiracy is two parties acting together in concert to break the law. And what Mueller is very clear about is that there is, quote, insufficient evidence of a conspiracy. He is not saying there was nothing. He is not saying full exoneration. But hes saying there is insufficient evidence to meet the standard that he had established of a criminal conspiracy breaking the law. michael barbaro And what would Mueller have needed to see for this to add up to conspiracy? michael schmidt That would have looked like a conversation between the Trump campaign and the Russians where the Trump campaign was saying, hey guys, can you go break into the D.N.C. and steal some emails so we can then get them out and embarrass the Democrats and help us politically during the campaign? That would have gotten you down the conspiracy path. And they did not find that. michael barbaro O.K. So lets talk about obstruction. Mike, last time we talked, a couple weeks back, Mueller had sent his report to Barr. And Barr had sent a summary of that report to Congress in advance of this full report. And the most confusing thing about that summary was that Mueller had not made a call on whether the evidence added up to obstruction of justice. michael schmidt And today, we get to see what Muellers explanation is for why he didnt make a determination on whether the president broke the law. And its not clear-cut. What it essentially is is that the president, under Justice Department policy, cannot be indicted. And because the president cannot be indicted, its unfair to accuse him while hes in office of breaking the law, because theres no way for him to go to court to defend himself. So, dear American public, Mueller essentially says, I am not going to make a determination on that issue. That could be made after the president leaves office. But for now, that would be unfair. So what I will do is I will lay out for you what I found, what the potential obstruction was, why it may be illegal. And after the president leaves office, the Justice Department could make a determination that he indeed broke the law and bring a case. And at the end of explaining why a determination was not made, Mueller says, if we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. So Mueller is basically saying, if we felt comfortable that the president had done nothing wrong, we would tell you. And we are not telling you that. michael barbaro Well, Mike, you mentioned the incidents that he was not going to use as a basis for charging the president, because he felt he couldnt charge the president. What were those that he laid out in the report? michael schmidt Well, theres about a dozen. And they follow in chronological order how Trump misled the public about his relationship with Russia, misled the public about his knowledge that Russia was behind the hacks. And as the presidency goes on and Mueller is appointed in May of 2017, right after he takes office, the president starts to sort of lose his grip as he tries to maintain control of the investigation. He was intent on using his power as the head of the executive branch to protect himself and use the tools at his disposal the people running the Justice Department, the F.B.I., the intelligence community to help protect him from this investigation. michael barbaro And what are some examples of that specifics? michael schmidt Well, a lot of them are ones that we know well. The firing of James Comey. His efforts to get his attorney general, Jeff Sessions, to un-recuse himself from the Russia investigation, essentially reassert his control over something that he has stepped aside from because he has a conflict of interest. And when the president cant get that done, he basically tries to get rid of Sessions and install a loyalist atop the Justice Department. These are things that had been reported in the press. We get a fuller, richer picture of them. And we really see what the president was saying behind closed doors and the immense pressure he was putting on people to try and use the system to protect himself from the system. But then we learn about incidents that we knew little about, like how the president went completely outside of his administration in government to Corey Lewandowski, his first campaign manager. michael barbaro Mm-hmm. michael schmidt And he leaned on Corey in the summer of 2017 to try and pressure Sessions, his attorney general. So heres the president of the United States using someone who doesnt even work for him to get to Sessions and try and get Sessions out there publicly to help clear Trumps name. Its just a remarkable way of using presidential power. michael barbaro Which suggests that the president was meeting resistance within his own administration, and therefore reached out to somebody who didnt even work for the government to try to get him to achieve this end. michael schmidt I dont think many in the public will want to hold up the presidents aides as heroes, and a lot of them are probably not. But there is a picture here of folks that stopped the president time and time again and thwarted him from doing things that may have actually gotten him into trouble, that may have crossed that line, that may have made a stronger argument for Mueller about why the president did obstruct justice. One of the most detailed ones is on Trumps efforts to get rid of Mueller and how his White House counsel would not do that. He would not call the Justice Department on the presidents behalf and say Mueller has to be removed for what the White House counsel, Don McGahn, thought were some bogus reasons Trump had cooked up about why he didnt like Mueller. And in the document, as Mueller is recounting what happened in this incident, there are Nixonian echoes. It says, on June 17, 2017, the president called McGahn at home and directed him to call the acting attorney general and say that the special counsel had conflicts of interest and must be removed. McGahn did not carry out the direction, however, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre a reference to when Richard Nixon fired the special counsel who was investigating him. michael barbaro I recognize that this question is a little bit meta, but if getting rid of Mueller had meant that the report was never completed, wouldnt that have finally been obstruction of justice? Because, literally, an investigation was obstructed. mark mazzetti There does seem to be a determination here about the success of the presidents efforts, or lack of success that the fact that the Mueller investigation continued and finished means there is less of a case that the president obstructed justice. If there had been more of a Nixonian moment, where there was an 18-minute gap in tapes that were deliberately erased, that there was some tangible thing that had happened that had meant that prosecutors couldnt get to the truth, there might possibly have been a different judgment and a different outcome. michael barbaro Right. I keep thinking of that 18-minute deletion when I think about Don McGahn. Its as if nobody had ever said to Nixon what Don McGahn had said to President Trump no, Im not going to delete that tape. Sorry. But thats what Don McGahn did to the president. Thats what happened with Trump over and over again. mark mazzetti Because everyone has seen All the Presidents Men, and they know what happens. And, you know, you dont want to be the guy who carries out the Saturday Night Massacre. michael barbaro So the president really has these people around him to thank, in a lot of ways. michael schmidt At the end of the day, there were these folks that were not going to go that extra inch and go over the line for him. And it looks like those measures probably saved him. mark mazzetti I mean, Mueller lays this point out explicitly. This is a quote from the report. The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful. But that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or cede to his requests. Comey did not end the investigation of Flynn, which ultimately resulted in Flynns prosecution and conviction for lying to the F.B.I. McGahn did not tell the acting attorney general that the special counsel must be removed, but was instead prepared to resign over the presidents order. Lewandowski and Dearborn did not deliver the presidents message to Sessions that he should confine the Russian investigation to future election meddling only. And McGahn refused to recede from his recollections about events surrounding the presidents direction to have the special counsel removed, despite the presidents multiple demands to do so. michael barbaro Hmm. And Mike, before seeing this report, our understanding of why Mueller may not have reached a conclusion on obstruction of justice was that obstruction has a lot to do with intent. Why did the president take the actions that he took? What did we learn from the report about how Mueller might have been thinking about that? michael schmidt We learn that the president was intent on ending the investigation into himself, but its less clear about what was truly motivating him. michael barbaro I guess I dont quite understand that. If his intent is to end the investigation, how is that not obstruction of justice? mark mazzetti This is the heart of this dispute right now. michael schmidt Yeah. mark mazzetti Its a clash of two theories. I mean, Muellers team clearly indicated that the actions come up to the line of obstruction of justice that the intent to end the investigation to preserve his presidency does, in fact, approach something that is criminal obstruction of justice, even if they did not make that determination. The rub here is that it is at odds with the theory of Robert Muellers boss, Attorney General Barr. He got the job of attorney general, some say, based on his theory that the president cant really obstruct justice. Barr says, today, in his press conference archived recording (william barr) President Trump faced an unprecedented situation. As he entered into office and sought to perform his responsibilities as president, federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office. mark mazzetti At the heart of a obstruction of justice investigation is whether that person has corrupt intent. And his determination is that the president didnt. And in a way, this big debate over the intent of the president Barr kind of goes out of his way today to fill in the blanks, to sort of say, well, lets look at the presidents intent. archived recording (william barr) At the same time, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the presidents personal culpability. Yet, as he said from the beginning, there was, in fact, no collusion. mark mazzetti The president felt that this was consuming his presidency. archived recording (william barr) There is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by his sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. Nonetheless, the White House fully cooperated with the special counsels investigation. mark mazzetti Yeah. He wanted this thing over. So in a way, what was one of the things that was so extraordinary about Barrs press conference was that he explains the presidents reasoning in a way that the president hasnt himself. michael barbaro So Barr would say that trying to end the investigation to protect the presidency is not corrupt motive. In fact, in his telling, its arguably even important, maybe even a little bit noble. Its in the best interest of the American people. michael schmidt Perhaps patriotic. michael barbaro Hmm. mark mazzetti So theres this totally compelling moment in the middle of the report that paints a scene of the president being told that a special counsel had just been appointed. And Ill quote directly from the report. The president slumped back in his chair and said, Oh, my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. The president became angry and lambasted the attorney general for his decision to recuse from the investigation, stating, How could you let this happen, Jeff? The president said the position of attorney general was his most important appointment, and that Sessions had, quote, let him down, contrasting him with Eric Holder and Robert Kennedy. Sessions recalled that the president said to him, You were supposed to protect me, or words to that effect. The president returned to the consequences of the appointment and said, Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years, and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. The way this passage reads is the presidents anger about the appointment of a special counsel comes mostly from the recognition that its going to imperil his presidency. It means nothing will get done. It means that hes going to spend the rest of his term fighting it. Its not because hes worried that Robert Mueller might find something that will one day land Donald Trump in jail. Thats one reading of this passage that would bolster the argument made by the attorney general that the president faced this extraordinary situation. michael schmidt I dont think that makes any sense. Or at least I dont understand it. I dont understand how the attorney general can say theres no issue of an underlying crime here when Donald Trump is sitting there acknowledging the potential threat from the depth and breadth of a special counsels investigation. He knew at that point, in May of 2017, that he had had his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, make hush money payments to women. Donald Trump was smart enough to know that a special counsel like in Bill Clinton or any other presidency rummages around on one issue and ends up on another. And what happens? Mueller finds these weird transactions. He refers it to another U.S. attorneys office. And the president is ultimately in a completely separate investigation, named as an unindicted co-conspirator. michael barbaro Hmm. michael schmidt How is there not an underlying crime that Donald Trump was afraid about? In July of 2017, myself and two colleagues go into the Oval Office to interview the president. He says, if Mueller looks at my finances, its crossing a red line. So what were Trumps motivations for getting rid of Mueller? Was he really worried about Russia? Or was he worried that, hey, if this guy rummages around on Russia, hes going to find something else? Indeed, he did. michael barbaro So Mike, youre saying that Barrs argument that the president is just protecting the presidency doesnt really hold up. Because we know for a fact that the president understood, at this point, that when he says, Im effed, that he has these payments made in coordination with Michael Cohen to these women as hush money, which have nothing to do with the Russia investigation, but which obviously could be incredibly damaging to him, and maybe even criminal. michael schmidt Look, no one has questioned the president about this in a law enforcement setting. I dont know exactly what the presidents intentions were, but the idea that there was no underlying criminality in Donald Trumps life in May of 2017, when Mueller got appointed, is bogus. Because there was. Further, in December of 2017, there is a report out there that Mueller has subpoenaed the presidents bank records. michael barbaro Mm-hmm. michael schmidt Before the presidents lawyers are able to get the message to him that the report is wrong, he starts telling White House aides that Mueller has to go. michael barbaro Hmm. michael schmidt I do think theres a decent case to be made that there were underlying issues of criminality within his life. The Justice Department has said that itself. michael barbaro O.K. So regardless of the presidents intent, is it important whether or not he was successful in impeding this investigation, in thinking about the question of obstruction of justice? michael schmidt Well, I think for the folks at the Justice Department who had to make the call about whether the president broke the law, one of the factors that played into their declination decision was the fact that when you looked at the investigation, the efforts that the president took did not significantly damage the inquiry. michael barbaro Right. michael schmidt Despite the presidents best efforts, he was not very good at obstructing justice. michael barbaro Right. The existence of the Mueller report today suggests that the investigation did not get obstructed. michael schmidt Despite all of Donald Trumps huffing and puffing and trying to get this person to do this and this person to do that, Bob Mueller moved ahead unimpeded for two years, finished his investigation, and the entire country got to see the fruits of it. Show us where the obstruction is, is what the presidents defenders would say. [music] michael barbaro Well be right back. So finally, I want to talk about Bill Barrs role in all this. Because the position of many Democrats today was that Barr in reaching a decision on obstruction of justice where Mueller did not, in holding a press conference ahead of the reports release seeming to defend the president, all taken together has undermined any credibility that he had, and that Democrats and the country need to see for themselves what Mueller had found. How are you thinking about Barr in this moment, having now spent time with the Mueller report? mark mazzetti I mean, the one thing is clear is that this has been a lot of red meat for Democrats in Congress to keep investigating. And one of the things that theyre going to keep investigating is Barrs role in this entire process. They are going to try to get him up to testify. They are going to try to get more underlying documents in the Mueller investigation. They now see Barr as a clear target for them. I think a lot of people, because of all these actions, have a much different picture of the attorney general than they did a month or two ago. michael barbaro And theyre going to try to understand the differences between what Bob Mueller thinks about all this the supposedly nonpartisan figure and what Bill Barr thinks about this the presidential appointee whose allegiances are clearly closer to the president. michael schmidt Theres one answer to this. And that is that after this entire investigation in which Bob Mueller has said nothing publicly, including today, when there was a press conference held to talk about his report, we need to hear from Bob Mueller. We need for him to explain to us more how they came to this determination that they couldnt say whether the president violated the law or not. Does Mueller think that Barr has misrepresented some of his findings? What was his relationship with the Justice Department? Did he believe that Congress should deal with this issue and that Barr shouldnt have made a call on whether the president violated the law? We need to hear from Mueller. We have never heard his voice in the past two years. michael barbaro So inadvertently, in seeming to protect the president and not be representing Mueller, Bill Barr may be extending Democrats interest in this investigation and the trouble for the president. mark mazzetti Absolutely. If you look back at what Barr has done in the last month, this could have turned out differently for him if he had put out the report immediately after the letter or as soon after the letter as he could have, if he had characterized the report differently in that four-page letter, and if he hadnt had a press conference on the day of the release before anyone had seen the report that had this appearance of trying to spin it for the president and protect the president. That seems to have created more problems both for Barr and the president than if they had just released the report. michael barbaro Mark, thank you very much. Mike, thank you very much. mark mazzetti Thank you. michael schmidt Thanks for having us. [music] michael barbaro Two Virginia police officers who worked for different agencies were fired this week after an anti-fascist group linked them to white nationalist organizations. The first case involved Sgt. Robert A. Stamm of the Virginia Division of Capitol Police, who had been assigned to protests calling on Gov. Ralph Northam to resign over a racist yearbook photo that surfaced in February. Anti-Fascists of the Seven Hills, which said it was based in Richmond, Va., wrote online in February that Sergeant Stamm came to its attention because he had a large Band-Aid covering his neck while patrolling. The group found photos on social media of Sergeant Stamm with tattoos, flags and banners that used white supremacist symbols and images, it said in a blog post. It also said he was linked to the Asatru Folk Assembly, which the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as an extremist group that invokes pre-Christian Nordic spirituality. In 2015, the F.B.I. foiled a plot by men it described as followers of an extremist variant of the Asatru faith to attack black churches and synagogues in the Chesterfield area. And, as I learned while traveling around the province before Tuesdays vote, it was clear that even though Mr. Kenneys opponent was Premier Rachel Notley, the New Democrat who broke a decades-long tradition of Conservative governments four years ago, he was also running against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. With a lengthy victory speech that was almost more of a battle cry than celebration, Mr. Kenny made it clear that his fight against Mr. Trudeau and other politicians outside of Alberta was just beginning. Last fall, we asked our writers and editors, and some of our favorite artists, to select the five minutes or so theyd play for friends to make them fall in love with classical music. (See the picks.) Choosing was hard, but we loved it so much that were bringing it back this month, with the goal of persuading those same curious friends to love the piano, the most powerful and protean of instruments. We know youll make memorable discoveries, and we hope you enjoy. Jean-Yves Thibaudet, pianist Chopin makes the piano sing. Hes a poet. When I play an encore by him, you hear people immediately relax. This nocturne is one of the most popular ones; it catches the ear. And Arthur Rubinstein is my idol. He has a way that is so simple that it touches your soul without needing to know anything about the music. Just four years ago, Ophira Eisenberg, a comedian and the host of NPRs trivia and comedy show, Ask Me Another, said that some bookers had warned her that she might alienate her audience by talking about her pregnancy on stage. For years weve heard men talk about their penises, she said, and we were supposed to accept that thats universal! And today? Forget the pitter-patter. All the questions everyone asks What are you having? Do you know what youre having? Schumer said in her Netflix special. Her answer: Hemorrhoids! So how did we get here? There is no comprehensive count of women in comedy, but comedians, club owners and bookers say there are more of them working today, even though they remain vastly outnumbered by men. And with women starting families later than they used to, these female comics are now more likely to have established careers by the time they start having babies. My peers and I kind of hit it, so to speak, just as youre right at the end of your fertility window, Pazsitzky, whose children are 9 months old and 3, said. Ive worked 15 years to get here. Like most working women, she said, I cant take a year off to have a baby. So there they are, with an audience and microphone, and a whole lot of material. 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. Special Delivery The Mueller report has finally arrived, and while its going to take time to comb through all 448 pages of heavily redacted content, one thing that has boggled the minds of the late-night hosts is its method of delivery. The official report was shared with members of Congress this morning via CD-ROM. Organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the event featured 700 booths of enterprises from 40 localities nationwide. They brought together businesses from 15 countries and territories, including Japan, the Netherlands, India, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Cambodia, Kenya, Afghanistan, Australia, Madagascar, Nepal and Russia. Addressing the opening ceremony, Nguyen Minh Tien, director of the Department for Economic Cooperation and Chief of the National Coordination Office of National Target Program on New Rural Development said the events look to advertise standout new handicraft products and souvenirs made by handicraft villages in the country. They provide an important platform for promoting trade with a view to improving the competitiveness of handicraft villages products and spurring production and domestic and overseas sale, he said. Handicraft production earned over USD2 billion in export value and generated jobs for nearly 1.5 million rural laborers in 2018. Approved by the Government, the OCOP program has been carried out efficiently across the country. The OCOP International Trade Fair and Lifestyle Vietnam 2019 will last until April 20th. They are expected to welcome over 1,600 foreign customers from 47 countries and territories./. I am ashamed of the pain I have caused my daughter, my family, my friends, my colleagues, and the educational community, Huffman said in a statement accompanying the announcement of her plea deal, adding, My desire to help my daughter is no excuse to break the law or engage in dishonesty. Huffman will also appear in another forthcoming Netflix project, the parenting-themed film comedy Otherhood, but its release has been delayed. (Fairstein, who has since become a novelist, made headlines herself in November when the Mystery Writers of America withdrew an award for her because of her role in the Central Park Five case.) The streaming service will release all four episodes of When They See Us on May 31. THE BIRD KING By G. Willow Wilson Readers who enjoy G. Willow Wilsons Ms. Marvel comics (as my 10-year-old son and I do) know with what a deft, sympathetic hand she depicts her heroine, Kamala Khan, a superhero who by day is a teenage Muslim girl from Jersey City: four characteristics that can make people in her world and ours foolishly doubt her powers. In Wilsons new novel, The Bird King, she creates an equally appealing protagonist in Fatima, the favored concubine of the last sultan of Granada, whose emirate is about to fall to the Spanish. Fatimas story begins in 1491 in Abu Abdullahs court, just as an enemy delegation arrives. Her friend Hassan has the ability to draw maps of the unseen, including a map of Cadiz that shows secret tunnels behind the Spanish lines. Tipped off that the supposed emissary of peace is a representative of the Inquisition planning to seize Hassan as a sorcerer, he and Fatima escape from the palace. After stumbling into a netherworld called the Empty Quarter, where a mangy dog comes to their aid in his true form as the jinn Vikram (whom readers of Wilsons novel Alif the Unseen may fondly recall), they head for the coast, inquisitors in hot pursuit. Fatima and Hassan have a choice: to flee across the Strait of Jebel Tareq (Gibraltar) to Morocco or to follow one of Hassans maps to Qaf, the mystical isle of the Bird King, as described in the 12th-century poem The Conference of the Birds. Of course they choose to venture into the unknown, where theyre aided by a host of characters including the jinn, his sister, a salty Breton monk and a gelding they lovingly call Stupid. Image An adept writer of historical fiction, Wilson relies less on period detail than on vivid, multisensory description. Fatimas mistress at the court, Lady Aisha, bathes in a stone tub strewn with lavender buds and dried linden, which clung in sticky clumps to the flesh of her calves. On the gorier side, when Vikram eats an enemy assailant, we hear the stony crunch of teeth through bone and another more unspeakable sound, the slip and hiss of viscera being separated from itself. It is not surprising that Mr. Sanderss supporters trend young, a group for which the word socialism holds no fears of conflict with the Soviets or baggage associated with the Berlin Wall. Some people are trying to attach more emotions to the historical legacy of socialism, which was never the same as communism, but in the United States those distinctions have gotten blurred, Mr. Stiglitz said. The attacks from the right have been anything but subtle. Just this month , Mr. Trump declared, Were going into the war with some socialists. And Republicans have posited that Venezuelas challenged economy is the inevitable result of any movement in the policy directions embraced by the left. The word leaves a bad taste even in the mouths of many on the left, including Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, who lived through the height of the Cold War. I do reject socialism as an economic system, she said on 60 Minutes last weekend. If people have that view, thats their view. That is not the view of the Democratic Party. (In Europe, Mr. Stiglitz said, similarly minded politicians might rightly be called social democrats. A simple switch in word order emphasizes the social instead of socialist.) It all comes back to semantics, Mr. Stiglitz said. And perception was on his mind when titling his new book, People, Power and Profits: Progressive Capitalism for an Age of Discontent, which is to be published next week. In it, he maps out a plan that he calls a social contract to improve jobs, health, education, housing and retirement. In fact, it wouldnt be surprising if it turned into the economic platform for a presidential candidate. FRANKFURT If the proposed merger between Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank were a film, it would already be racking up the rotten tomatoes. The powerful labor unions are against it. Regulators are wary, and could impose onerous conditions. Shareholders are skeptical. There is some formidable political momentum behind it, but the government is split over the wisdom of morphing Germanys two largest banks into one. The banks are expected to announce in coming days or weeks whether they will pursue becoming a megabank in order to capture a critical mass of the German consumer market and share the cost of shifting services to the internet. Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank began talking a month ago, spurred by support within both banks and lawmakers in Berlin for creating a lender large enough to take on Wall Streets giants. Say this much: The saga is particularly German. It is hard to imagine a bank merger in any other country generating as much emotion and debate. The thousands of images of Fisher-Prices Rock n Play sleeper posted on Instagram include many of babies snuggled serenely in the cloth-covered cradle, free of its harness and surrounded by blankets and stuffed animals. To sleep-starved parents, the photos and videos seemed to underscore the Rock n Plays ability to lull fussy infants into a peaceful slumber. But the posts also suggest something else: that the risks long associated with the sleeper did not register with many consumers. Doctors, safety groups and now several lawsuits say Fisher-Price and its parent company, Mattel, should have done more to fix that. [Some day cares used dangerous infant sleeper after it was recalled.] When Fisher-Price agreed last week to recall all 4.7 million Rock n Plays on the market, it said it was not at fault for the more than 30 infant deaths the Consumer Product Safety Commission had linked to the sleeper. Medicare for All isnt a new idea. It may be defined, basically, as universal health insurance under a single government-run, taxpayer-financed plan. It would certainly alter, and probably limit, the role of private health insurance companies like UnitedHealth. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has supported the idea for years. But it wasnt much of an issue for investors because it never went anywhere in Congress. Now, however, Mr. Sanders is the front-runner among the announced aspirants for the Democratic presidential nomination. Whats more, he appears to have moved the entire political conversation into territory that is exceedingly uncomfortable for health care companies. When he introduced a new version of his Medicare for All legislation in the Senate on April 10, the stock market noticed that his co-sponsors included at least four Senate Democrats who are also running for president: Kirstin Gillibrand of New York, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala Harris of California. Its far too early to divine whether Medicare for All particularly a version that bans or severely limits private insurance has even a modest chance of coming into existence after the 2020 election. Even now, amid all the hoopla, the odds may not be propitious. The current Democratic leaders in Congress Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, and Nancy Pelosi of California, the House speaker have not supported it. President Trump and Republican leaders in Congress have been demanding a smaller government role in health care, not a larger one. And the giant health care companies, which have enormous wealth and influence, are, for the most part, committed to blocking the idea. I dont know if you know this, but in order to keep what has happened to you from happening to anyone else who is agreeable and underpaid, laws have been passed in New York City, as well as other parts of the country, prohibiting employers from asking prospective employees for their compensation history. At first I thought this was a little weird. In my old job as a recruiter, we asked all applicants for their compensation history before we even looked at their materials. But I worked at a big company where unacceptable kinks like having reports make more than their managers had for the most part been worked out. In fact, many big companies have what are known as compensation bands, which means that people in similar roles make roughly similar amounts. Though Im glad that when confronted your boss admitted he had taken advantage of you based on your compensation history, thats not reason enough to keep you at your current pay. This boss has shown you how he rolls, and you can never trust him again, at least not with your salary. Stay where you are for now, asking for raises every chance you get. In the meantime, start sending your resume out but avoid corporate servers, please! Your boss could easily be looking for a reason he can fire you without being sued. Essential Grandma Im in my early 50s, but people tell me I look much younger. The last rounds of layoffs in my organization have primarily affected people my age and older, with a few much younger people also let go. (I think the company, a huge corporation, is carefully covering its bases to avoid age-discrimination lawsuits.) Im going to become a grandparent soon, and I think its better to keep this news to myself, possibly forever. Obviously H.R. knows my true age, but perception is everything. Any thoughts? New Jersey First things first: You are correct. It is better to keep the news of the imminent birth of your grandchild to yourself if you can manage it. This is not so much because being a grandma will get you fired, but rather because it is unlikely to get you a promotion or raise. There is, in other words, no professional upside to disclosure. Why take the risk? But reading your letter, I wonder if you havent been retained not as a fig leaf for this companys systematic ageism but rather because your work is indispensable or inexpensive, or both. Seniority correlates to pay, and in a layoff situation what looks like systematic ageism can be the result of straightforward if chillingly ruthless cost-benefit analysis. Virtue is its own reward as is being an underpaid but functionally integral woman in a layoff situation, apparently. Ageism is real, and I would never discount it. But its knock-on effects being the only person in a company who understands the Rube Goldberg machine of some esoteric operational process or, if youre an older woman in particular, being paid less than market rate even relative to junior peers are potentially more direct inputs in the situation youre describing than your age. Note to teachers: The main article includes a curse said by the president. Before reading the article: On March 22, the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, submitted his report to the Justice Department, ending a 22-month investigation into Russian efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Two days later, Attorney General William P. Barr sent Congress a four-page summary of Mr. Muellers findings and then released them publicly. According to Mr. Barrs summary, the investigation found no evidence that President Trump or any of his aides coordinated with the Russian governments 2016 election interference. On Thursday, Mr. Barr released the full report with some redactions. Set a stopwatch to five minutes (or longer if you have more interest or patience) and scroll through the 448-page report until the timer goes off. Try to get a sense of what this document looks like; what information it contains; what the redactions look like; and any information you can gather while skimming. Then, make two separate lists addressing these questions: What do you notice? What do you wonder? Now, read the article, The Mueller Report Is 448 Pages Long. You Need to Know These 7 Key Things. Then answer the following questions: 1. According to the report, what are two examples of times the president tried to sabotage the Mueller investigation? How did his staff prevent him from doing so? Forgive us if we dont trust Allison Williams after her characters startling switcheroo in Get Out. Shes back in another horror flick this one will debut on Netflix and she seems to be up to no good again. In this one, she plays a cellist whos ostensibly bent on revenge against a younger rival (Logan Browning). The trailer gives away one of the movies biggest twists, so if you dont want it spoiled, dont watch. But there are plenty more scares in store: Think Black Swan with strings. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] Andy Byford, the transit executive who was hired to rescue New York Citys floundering subway, and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo have increasingly clashed over management of the system, and several of Mr. Byfords colleagues said they feared he might quit. The two men did not speak between January and April, even as Mr. Byford was seeking to move forward on a sweeping $40 billion plan to overhaul the subway in the next decade. If Mr. Byford, who was hired in November 2017, were to step down, it would be a major blow to efforts to improve the system, which has been plagued by antiquated equipment, cost overruns and rising complaints from riders about chronic mismanagement. In recent years, New Yorks subways have had one of the worst on-time rates of any major rapid transit system in the world. Mr. Byford and Mr. Cuomo have disagreed over the plan to fix the L train, new technology to upgrade subway signals, the high cost of Mr. Byfords Fast Forward overhaul plan and Mr. Cuomos regular criticism of the authority. New Yorkers have their passions. For Jessica Zafonte, a Manhattan attorney, hers is rescuing water fowl. On a recent morning in Staten Islands Willowbrook Park, she waved some bread to lure a goose that had a plastic six-pack ring wrapped tightly around its neck. Nearby stood two New York City parks rangers and a group of animal rescuers who had already collected five white ducks into pens. Moments later, there was a flash of stomping and quacking, as John Di Leonardo, executive director of the Long Island Orchestrating for Nature (LION) animal advocacy group, sprinted after a brown duck with a broken wing. At the edge of the lake, Mr. Di Leonardo dove, arms outstretched, like a receiver flying into the end zone, and somehow grabbed the female mallard. We rescue ducks like this all the time, said Mr. Di Leonardo, panting. Yes, but have you saved 3,000? said Caroline Lee, of Douglaston, N.Y., a retiree who is considered the Godmother of duck rescue in New York City. She said she has taken so many to upstate sanctuaries that she stopped counting. [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] Clare Bronfman, an heiress to the Seagram liquor fortune, was among the most high-profile members of a cultlike organization in which some women were branded and compelled to have sex with the leader. Her wealth helped finance the group, known as Nxivm. But on Friday afternoon, Ms. Bronfman, 40, pleaded guilty in Federal District Court in Brooklyn to charges arising from an indictment filed last year against her and several other followers of the groups leader, Keith Raniere. I am truly remorseful, Ms. Bronfman told Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis as she pleaded guilty to conspiring to conceal and harbor an undocumented immigrant for financial gain, and fraudulent use of identification. I wanted to do good in the world. A few minutes later, the groups longtime bookkeeper, Kathy Russell, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of visa fraud. DUBLIN Lyra McKee, the 29-year-old Northern Ireland journalist who was shot dead on Thursday night in Londonderry, considered herself a member of a generation whose lives would be haunted by the legacy of the Troubles of 1968 to 1998 but who would never know such violence themselves. In an article she wrote in 2016 for the website mosaicscience.com, Ms. McKee spoke of her generation as the Ceasefire Babies those too young to remember the worst of the terror because we were either in nappies or just out of them when the Provisional I.R.A. cease-fire was called. I was four, she wrote, adding: We were the Good Friday Agreement generation, destined not to witness the horrors of war but to reap the spoils of peace. The spoils never seemed to reach us. [Update: 2 men arrested in killing of Lyra McKee.] Ms. McKee, an author and freelance journalist, was killed while reporting on a night of violent unrest in Londonderry. Shortly before she died, she posted a picture of the rioting on Twitter with the words Derry tonight. Absolute madness. Sally ONeill, a prominent human rights worker from Ireland who helped investigate the 1981 massacre in El Mozote, El Salvador, in which more than 900 civilians were slain, died on April 7 in a car crash in Guatemala. She was 68. Killed in the car with her were Ana Paula Hernandez, 42, a fellow human rights worker from Mexico, as well as Ana Velasquez, 22, a Guatemalan human rights advocate, and the driver, Daniel Tuc, 43, also Guatemalan. Ms. ONeill and Ms. Hernandez were in Guatemala on behalf of the Fund for Global Human Rights, a nonprofit organization based in Washington that supports local activists in 16 countries, including many in Latin America. At the time of the crash, which occurred in the Huehuetenango region of western Guatemala, they were visiting some of the funds grantees, Regan E. Ralph, the funds president and chief executive, said in a telephone interview. Ms. Ralph said that the road was dangerous and visibility low when the car went off a cliff. Warren Adler, a late-blooming novelist who wrote The War of the Roses, a best-selling dark comedy, and the basis of a hit movie, about the nightmarish deterioration of a marriage, died on April 15 at his home in Manhattan. He was 91. His son David said the cause was liver cancer. Mr. Adler wrote thrillers, love stories, mysteries and historical fiction. But he found a niche in depicting dysfunctional relationships, like that of Jonathan and Barbara Rose, the couple immersed in a domestic free-for-all in The War of the Roses (1981). The idea for that novel came to Mr. Adler after he encountered a real-life marriage in which the husband and wife loathed each other and yet remained together. He and his wife, Sonia Adler, were attending a dinner party in Bethesda, Md., in the 1970s when one guest, a lawyer who was dating a friend of the Adlers, abruptly announced that he had to leave. As a non-Christian friend of mine put it to me recently, the idea that people would worship a God who is compassionate toward us is one thing, but to worship a God who suffers and dies as a condemned criminal, no less is distinct to Christianity. In my friends understated words, When you think about it, it is a little strange. Perhaps the aspect of the crucifixion that is easiest to understand is that according to Christian theology, atonement is the means through which human beings broken, fallen, sinful are reconciled to God. The ideal needed to be sacrificed for the non-ideal, the worthy for the unworthy. But the cross is more than simply a gateway to the City of God. I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross, John Stott, one of the most important Christian evangelists of the last century, wrote in The Cross of Christ. The only God I believe in is the One Nietzsche ridiculed as God on the cross. In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it? From the perspective of Christianity, one can question why God allows suffering, but one cannot say God doesnt understand it. He is not remote, indifferent, untouched or unscarred. Scott Dudley, the senior pastor at Bellevue Presbyterian Church in Bellevue, Wash., and a lifelong friend, pointed out to me that on the cross God was reconciling the world to himself but God was also, perhaps, reconciling himself to the world. The cross is not only Gods way of saying we are not alone in our suffering, but also that God has entered into our suffering through his own suffering. Scott readily concedes that theres no good answer to the question, Why is there suffering? Jesus never answers that question, and even if we had the theological answer, it would not ease our burdens in any significant way. What God offers instead is the promise that he is with us in our suffering; that he can bring good out of it (life out of death, forgiveness out of sin); and that one day he will put a stop to it and redeem it. God, Revelation tells us, will make all things new. For now, though, we are part of a drama unfolding in a broken world, one in which God chose to become a protagonist. Like many of her generation, my mother, Ethel, never outgrew Manischewitz. That liquefied grape jelly was our house wine, and she served it every week on the Sabbath and on every holiday. Even after I stopped observing Sabbath rules myself, and made my professional life in wine, my mother could never quite grasp my desperation to find something palatable for Passover. Each year, Id plunk down way too much money, hopes high, expectations low, ferrying the rabbi-approved bottles over to Moms apartment in Long Beach. Somewhere around the second cup, Ethel would ask, You know what this needs? and mix some of her sweet Concord with the $35 kosher Burgundy Id brought. I was brought up in a kosher and fairly observant household, and attended 12 years of religious school. I was raised to go to the womens college at Yeshiva University , not Stony Brook, and I certainly wasnt supposed become a wine writer. But I did both of those things. And almost 20 years ago, I dedicated myself to the cause of natural wine: organic viticulture with none of the more than 70 legal additives things like yeast, bacteria, tannin, acid, anti-foaming agents and wood chips that may be present in most wines, kosher or otherwise. The secular bottles I drink are mostly made from one ingredient: grapes. Natural wine is unpredictable. It boasts a huge variation in flavors. The winemakers goal is to translate the place the grapes come from into the glass, and each bottle carries an imprint of what happened the year it was made. These wines bear no resemblance to conventional or kosher wines that often follow a cookie-cutter path, full of additives to get them there. Those wines are not ones I want to sip at the holiday or any table. This article is part of David Leonhardts newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it each weekday. In the years after Watergate, Justice Department officials from both parties worked hard to banish partisan cronyism from the department. Their goal was to make it the least political, most independent part of the executive branch. Our law is not an instrument of partisan purpose, Edward Levi, Gerald Fords attorney general, said at the time. Griffin Bell, later appointed to the same job by Jimmy Carter, described the department as a neutral zone in the government, because the law has to be neutral. Attorney General William Barr clearly rejects this principle. Hes repeatedly put a higher priority on protecting his boss, President Trump, than on upholding the law in a neutral way. He did so in his letter last month summarizing Robert Muellers investigation and then again in a bizarre prebuttal news conference yesterday. As The Times editorial board wrote, Barr yesterday behaved more like the presidents defense attorney than the nations top law-enforcement officer. On Nov. 9, 2016, according to the Mueller report, some redacted figure wrote to a Russian regime crony, Putin has won. Based on the assessment of the intelligence community and the findings of Robert Mueller, President Vladimir Putin of Russia did indeed succeed in his efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election on behalf of Donald Trump. But Mr. Putins ultimate victory may have come on Thursday morning, during Attorney General Bill Barrs news conference. By seamlessly conflating the terms collusion and conspiracy, and absolving President Trump of both, Mr. Barr revealed that the Russian information warfare technique of reflexive control has officially entered American public discourse and threatens, with his recent allegations of campaign spying, to stay there for a while. Reflexive control is a uniquely Russian technique of psychological manipulation through disinformation. The idea is to feed your adversary a set of assumptions that will produce a predictable response: That response, in turn, furthers a goal that advances your interests. By luring your opponent into agreeing with your initial assumptions, you can control the narrative, and ultimate outcome, in your favor. Best of all, the outcome is one in which your adversary has voluntarily acceded. This is exactly what has happened with much of the American public in the course of Muellers investigation. The assumptions that culminated in Mr. Barrs conclusions began almost two years ago, when the White House, Trump supporters and the media characterized the focus of the special counsels investigation as collusion. The word collusion does not appear anywhere in Mr. Muellers appointment letter: His mandate was to investigate any links and/or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. There is a good reason for this: Collusion is the legal equivalent of Jell-O. Outside of specific factual contexts such as price fixing in antitrust law the word collusion has no legal meaning or significance. In fact, in his report, Mr. Mueller explicitly stated that his conclusions were not about collusion, which is not a specific offense or theory of liability found in the United States code. He and his team have now given us the clearest picture yet of the murky events surrounding Trumps ascension. The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, they wrote. The Trump campaign welcomed this interference, but, we now know, did not assist in it. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, and that the Campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. Once in office, Trump sought to thwart the investigation into what Russia had done. He believed correctly, as it happens that Russias actions cast doubt on the legitimacy of his victory. The report says he may also have feared that what appears to be his advance notice of the WikiLeaks dumps of hacked Democratic emails and his campaigns now infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russian emissaries offering dirt on Hillary Clinton could be seen as criminal activity by the President, his campaign, or his family. Further, although the President publicly stated during and after the election that he had no connection to Russia, his company was negotiating to build a Trump Tower Moscow throughout most of the campaign, a fact that could have hurt him politically if it got out. Numerous commentators have said that the report reads like a road map for impeachment, and in a remotely functional country thats what it would be. Mueller makes it clear that because of the Office of Legal Counsels opinion that a sitting president cannot be indicted, we determined not to apply an approach that could potentially result in a judgment that the President committed crimes. Instead, the evidence is laid out for congressional action, or even for prosecutors to indict after Trump leaves office. The test for us now is how much evidence still matters. Before the report came out, William Barr, Trumps attorney general, created a fog of disinformation around it, blatantly misleading the public about what it contained. Weeks before anyone else could read the report, he tried to close the door on obstruction, implying falsely that Mueller meant to leave the decision to him. In a news conference on Thursday, Barr repeatedly said that Mueller had found no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mueller, however, never examined the case through the lens of collusion, which isnt a term in criminal law: In evaluating whether evidence about collective action of multiple individuals constituted a crime, we applied the framework of conspiracy law, not the concept of collusion, the report says. Barr claimed that evidence of non-corrupt motives weighs heavily against any allegation that the President had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation. The report is overstuffed with evidence of corrupt motives. But most people arent going to read the nearly 500-page report. Republicans have already seized on Barrs words and on the lack of criminal charges in a document that was never going to contain criminal charges to claim total vindication for Trump. The presidents manifest disloyalty to the country in trying to halt an investigation into a foreign attack on an American election is, to the right, of no account. Nor are the counterintelligence implications of Muellers findings, which arent part of the report. In the eyes of the presidents supporters, his campaign did not participate in the criminal conspiracy that helped elect him, so no more needs to be said. The reaction to the report shows that between the minority of Americans who support Trump and the majority who do not, there may no longer be even the possibility of a shared sense of reality or national purpose. Even as exemplary a figure as Mueller cannot change that. An intelligence assessment makes two determinations: a conclusion about the type of influence a foreign power may have over an individual and the degree of confidence in that conclusion. For example, when Mr. Trump boasted to the Russian foreign minister and ambassador in the Oval Office that he had fired the F.B.I. director, it raised only the possibility a circumstantial inference, as its called in counterintelligence that the president was wittingly working on behalf of the Russians. This apparent desire to please these officials indicates a high level of Russian influence and, in the context of other actions that pleased Mr. Putin, like his sudden decision to withdraw American troops from Syria could support a modest to high level of confidence in that conclusion. But reaching very high confidence that Mr. Trump is wittingly doing Moscows bidding would require something we don't have and would not expect to have, like an email from Vladimir Putin ordering Mr. Trump to fire the F.B.I. director James Comey. Similarly, there is no "smoking gun" order in the incidents below. They indicate a strong influence by the Russians, but only low to moderate confidence that he acted at Russias behest. Theres simply no clear sign that Mr. Trump was following directions of acting under pressure from the Kremlin. The former Trump adviser Roger Stone directly communicates with the Russia-linked actor Guccifer 2.0 and coordinates with WikiLeaks to get Mr. Trump elected and he is likely aware that one is a Russian front organization and the other is working with the Russians. A Trump campaign national security adviser is informed by a Russian intelligence operative that the Kremlin has stolen Hillary Clinton-related emails and could assist the Trump campaign through anonymous release of derogatory information; the campaign then works on setting up backdoor meetings with senior Russian government officials (though the meetings do not materialize). Members of the Trump transition team conduct secretive, back channel meetings with Putin operatives. Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin speak alone in Helsinki, then Mr. Trump accepts Mr. Putins claim that he didnt meddle in the 2016 election and repudiates the intelligence communitys assessments to the contrary. Those incidents raise the possibility that Mr. Trump has wittingly sought to advance Russian interests, but the evidence is merely circumstantial and consequently suggests low to moderate confidence in that assessment. In many but not all respects, witting assets can be more dangerous because they have deliberately entered into some sort of understanding or agreement to work on behalf of the foreign powers interests. But unwitting assets pose their own dangers. They have significant vulnerabilities that can be exploited with minimal actual coordination. In other words, they look and act more like puppets. The episode raises the question of the obligations of a White House counsel when he realizes that he is the lawyer for a fundamentally dishonest president who is ready to violate the criminal law to achieve self-interested or political ends. The counsel in these circumstances may have to consider what it means for him to remain in this post for a president who considers him a lying bastard for refusing to follow an unlawful order. Mr. McGahn perhaps stayed on in the belief that the larger objectives of the administration, like moving judicial nominations and achieving deregulation, were well worth pursuing. But that is a judgment more about the administrations policy imperatives than the working conditions required for the maintenance of the rule of law in the presidency. The choice Mr. McGahn faced was unprecedented. He was not, for example, in the position of John Dean, White House counsel to Richard Nixon, who did testify against the president in the Watergate affair but who was an original party to the wrongdoing that ended that presidency. There has never been a suggestion that Mr. McGahn ever encouraged or participated in unlawful activities. In fact, Mr. McGahn acted appropriately and admirably to resist involvement in the presidents scheme to commit obstruction and cooperated truthfully and at length with Mr. Muellers investigation. The special counsel declared him a credible witness with no discernible motive to lie or exaggerate, and accepted his account over the presidents denials. But should a future White House counsel have a clear obligation to alert the Department of Justice when the president attempts to obstruct justice? Federal law mandates that department and agency employees alert the attorney general to any information that relates to violations of federal criminal law involving government officers and employees. The code of ethics for government service requires reporting of corruption to the authorities. The application of these requirements to the presidents White House counsel poses unique and difficult issues, but they need to be confronted. And what does the discovery of the presidents lawless instincts or the presidents belief that his lawyer is a lying bastard mean for the counsels continued service? A lawyer in this situation could conclude that he should not serve such a president, or that, lacking a relationship of mutual trust and confidence, he cannot function in the role. Mr. McGahn was stuck working with a president who, pressuring his counsel to end an investigation and fake records about a presidential order, also admonished him for taking notes. Lawyers dont take notes, he told Mr. McGahn, and Mr. Trump urged on him the role model of Roy Cohn, counsel to Senator Joe McCarthy. This is unexplored ground. In the government of a president like Mr. Trump, a White House counsel faces unprecedented challenges, and we might reflect on options for answering them beyond the threat or act of resignation. But history also is cruel. Only a little bit of information about the governments proposed reforms has been disclosed, and its difficult to imagine that it will have any of the soothing, much less redemptive, effects the government may have hoped for. If anything, the Macron administrations continued vagueness about major demands a wealth tax, greater democratic participation suggests that it is still dead-set on reducing deficits and refusing to put pressure on the rich, that it will not bow to the Yellow Vests demands for fiscal justice. Yet even as the government was whimpering, in effect, that the countrys coffers were running low, money came pouring in for a cathedral. In a matter of hours, Francois-Henri Pinault, one of Frances wealthiest men, offered 100 million euros to rebuild Notre-Dame; Bernard Arnault, who heads the luxury brand LVMH, offered 200 million. Within less than two days, about 850 million euros (more than $960 million) had been pledged for the cathedrals reconstruction. A journalist sarcastically asked Philippe Martinez, the leader of a major labor union, whether the flood of donations was evidence of trickle-down economics. Money doesnt trickle down for everything, Mr. Martinez answered, adding that the outburst of generosity from French billionaires only exposed the inequalities that divide the country. Such gifts arent just a private matter; they cost the state, too. For one thing, and certainly in the eyes of some Yellow Vests, these philanthropists are offering only a small fraction of enormous fortunes they have amassed partly by avoiding taxes otherwise needed to fund basic public services. And since their proposed gifts are destined fo r Frances national heritage, the bulk of them could benefit from major tax exemptions up to 90 percent if a proposed bill presented this week were to pass. A number of state bodies also have offered to contribute, drawing on strained budgets. Laurent Wauquiez, who heads both the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region and the conservative party Les Republicains, has offered two million euros in public funds. Other local governments have followed suit. The rush to rebuild Notre-Dame, however well-intentioned, risks only underscoring the governments slowness in helping the people whose lives, some say, have been ruined by neoliberalism and globalization. Frances elites quote Victor Hugo in the name of saving the cathedral he wrote about, apparently forgetting that he also wrote Les Miserables. It is a sad, and dangerous, signal to be sending. That other, greater, fire still needs putting out . Michael Foessel is a professor of philosophy at lEcole Polytechnique, where Etienne Ollion, a research fellow at National Center for Scientific Research, is an associate professor of sociology. This essay was translated by The New York Times from the French. 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. I must have been no older than 6. I was in church in my hometown, Los Angeles. Parishioners fanned themselves to stay cool in the packed, stuffy room. On one side of each fan was an illustration of an Ozzie and Harriet-like American family father, mother, son, daughter. All were black, like the parishioners in the church. On the other side was an illustration of Jesus Christ fair skinned, fair haired, blue eyed. Something seemed amiss to me about that depiction of Christ. Why was he white? Why was he not black, like my family, like me? As I grew older, I learned that the fair-skinned, blue-eyed depiction of Jesus has for centuries adorned stained glass windows and altars in churches throughout the United States and Europe. But Jesus, a Jew born in Bethlehem, presumably had the complexion of a Middle Eastern man. Farther north, a different auto-body shop and car-detailing business near President Street is being replaced by Parlour, a dun-brick condo with arched windows at 243 Fourth Avenue. Developed by Brodmore Management, the 12-story building, which began selling in March, is offering 19 two- to five-bedroom units starting at $1.7 million. Perhaps no developer has taken more interest in the corridor than Adam America Real Estate, which has undertaken more than a half-dozen projects since 595 Baltic Street, a rental, opened in 2017. Other rental buildings include No. 470, which is open, and Nos. 535 and 555, which will welcome tenants later this year. Also among Adam Americas latest projects is Arbor Eighteen, a condo at 185 18th Street being codeveloped with CGI Strategies in the Greenwood Heights neighborhood. The building has 73 units, which sell for about $1,200 a square foot, or starting at $565,000 for a studio. It came to market in January and is set to open by the end of the year, said Omri Sachs, an Adam America co-founder. There, too, developers are offering owners a way to tune out traffic, courtesy of a tucked-away courtyard thats lush with bamboo and ferns. But if that doesnt do the trick, they say residents can leave the tree-challenged block and head to nearby Prospect Park (which is nearly a mile away). Image A rendering of Parlour, a condo at 243 Fourth Avenue that is offering 19 two- to five-bedroom units starting at $1.7 million. Credit... Binyan Studios A few blocks closer is Green-Wood Cemetery, the sprawling historical landmark that is a bullet point in Arbor Eighteens marketing campaign. Its a place where people can go with their strollers, Mr. Sachs said. The buildings location, Mr. Sachs added, is also ideal for Manhattan commuters. An R subway station that also offers occasional D, N and W service is a block away; the financial district can be reached in about 25 minutes. For years, Fourth Avenue served almost like an electric fence, especially for those coming from points east, corralling people into Park Slope, residents say. The whirlwind tour included a Spotify event at the Brooklyn Museum in which life-size statues of him, Cardi B, Gunna and Jaden Smith were unveiled for temporary display; an appearance on The Tonight Show; and shopping at Flight Club, a consignment sneaker store in Greenwich Village. A detour at a Victorian cemetery seemed an appropriate setting for a fast-rising star with goth-leaning inclinations in both his music and style. Its an interesting subject, Juice WRLD said of death. Its an enigma. [Juice WRLD has died at 21. Read the Times obituary.] Led by a pair of Green-Wood staffers, they trudged up a stone path that slipped between pale crucifixes, weathered tombstones and birches the color of palomino horses. Juice WRLDs pink camouflage jacket and fuchsia Palm Angels hoodie were bubble gum bursts in a hillscape of matted grass and leafless trees. Just as the most important context for an Amazon review might not be the online storefront, where a customer sees it, the most important context for that Seamless star average might not be a Google result, or even how it appears in the Seamless app. The real context is how the Seamless algorithm interprets stars and uses them to determine whether to show a prospective meal-orderer one establishment over another. The Uber Trial Nowhere is this mutated, empowered role of the star rating clearer than in the gig economy. Star ratings are an enforcement tool that Uber has for how users should behave on the job, said Alex Rosenblat, a researcher at Data & Society and the author of Uberland. Star ratings are integral to Ubers operation, but how they appear is subtly and significantly calculated. Riders will see their drivers star rating before they get in the car, but only after the driver has been assigned to them; there is no actionable comparison, or reading of reviews, or customer evaluation. Thats taken care of by Ubers own software, behind the scenes. (Drivers can see riders ratings before they choose to accept jobs. However, turning down too many jobs can affect their status in the app as well, although not in the form of star ratings.) Uber drivers are contractors, not full-time employees. This is both integral to Ubers business model and, in different markets and courtrooms around the world, currently in dispute. In the meantime star ratings provide a conduit through which Uber can assertively command and micromanage its partners. Drivers receive communications from Uber not about what Uber wants them to do, exactly, but about what five-star drivers do. Rather than telling its drivers to open doors, or not to solicit cash tips, or to stock water bottles in their cars, or not to ask for a five-star review, Uber can tell its drivers that users have shared that they prefer some behaviors, and dislike others, and that acting on these observations is a way to optimize their own ratings. The possible upside is limited to remaining on the app, and perhaps being privy to certain driver promotions. In addition to the quality of the ride, and, say, the riders moods, or feelings about Uber in general, a crude star rating system might serve as a facially neutral route for discrimination to manifest in the platform, and to eventually creep in to employment decisions, according to a paper to which Ms. Rosenblat contributed. Contrary to the star rating as a symbol of the wisdom of the crowd, or the circumvention of critical gatekeepers, Ubers system seems mostly to empower Uber, as a marketing tool and as a system of control. How else to explain a five-star scale whereby customers never see a rating lower than a 4, while many working drivers live in a state of constant anxiety about how they will be reviewed? SAN FRANCISCO In July 2013, a broadcaster affiliated with the Islamist group Hezbollah posted a threatening video on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. It featured gun-toting militants practicing an ambush to kidnap Israeli soldiers. The message: This is how we kill you. In December, the broadcaster posted another video that showed how Hezbollahs social media strategy had changed. This one contained close-up footage of Israeli soldiers on patrol, with no Hezbollah members visible. The message was also dialed back: We are watching you. Hezbollah is among dozens of groups classified by the United States as terrorist entities that have learned how to stay a step ahead of the social media giants. In the past, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have taken down the official pages of these militant groups dozens of times and banned their accounts. But Hamas and Hezbollah, in particular, have evolved by getting their supporters to publish images and videos that deliver their message but that do not set off the alarm bells of the social media platforms. Today, the groups mostly post images of festive parades and religious celebrations online, as well as videos of speeches by their leaders. The uproar prompted the company, which is based in Lehi, Utah, and offers DNA testing to help people research their genetic roots, to issue an apology. Ancestry is committed to telling important stories from history, Gina Spatafore, an Ancestry.com spokeswoman, wrote in an email. This ad was intended to represent one of those stories. We very much appreciate the feedback we have received and apologize for any offense that the ad may have caused. We are in the process of pulling the ad from television and have removed it from YouTube. Ms. Spatafore declined to elaborate further. But, according to a report in The Salt Lake Tribune, the online ad was originally targeted at Ancestry.coms Canadian audience. Many people who escaped slavery fled to Northern states or went farther, crossing the border into Canada. The journey, though, was perilous, with escaped slaves beaten or killed if they were captured. Some made their escape via the Underground Railroad, a network of people who offered shelter as slaves made their way north. Sexual relations between white men and black women during that era often involved rape, given that Southern slave owners treated the women as property and the women had no power to protest advances. Women who had to acquiesce to their owners demands sometimes bore them children of mixed race. Most famously, Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman, had several children with Thomas Jefferson, the former president and a slave owner. If a cruise ship is a floating city, then the captain is its mayor. But when it comes to law and order, there is no police force and no courts. That can leave victims of crime aboard the ship unprotected because it is not clear which laws apply. A reported sexual assault case aboard a Mediterranean cruise ship last week highlighted that legal ambiguity when a Spanish judge released the detained suspect after the ship docked in Valencia. The judge declared that Spain had no jurisdiction in the case because the alleged crime was said to have taken place in international waters, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper Levante. If Spain cannot prosecute, then which country can? Theres no cut-and-dried rule, said Frederick Kenney, the director of legal affairs and external relations for the International Maritime Organization, a United Nations agency responsible for global shipping safety. There is no international law that covers this situation at the moment, he said. Maritime law establishes that a ship is subject to the laws of the country whose flag it flies. But for tax reasons and other legal advantages, few cruise ships are flagged with the countries of their home port, or even their corporate headquarters. The investigation moves to the Capitol. The investigation of Mr. Trumps activities related to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including efforts to impede the inquiry, is moving from the executive branch to Congress, where the matter is anything but resolved. Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued a subpoena on Friday, demanding that the Justice Department hand over the complete and unredacted version of the report and all of the underlying materials by May 1. [Read the subpoena.] Even the redacted version of the report outlines serious instances of wrongdoing by President Trump and some of his closest associates, Mr. Nadler said on Friday. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. Mr. Nadler has said it is too early to decide whether impeachment proceedings are warranted. He and other Democrats criticized the attorney general for a sparse summary of the report favorable to the president last month and for publicly defending the president and making excuses for some of his actions during a news conference on Thursday morning before the report was even released. Similarly, Mr. Barr truncated the special counsel explanation of what coordination meant and didnt mean From William P. Barr In assessing potential conspiracy charges, the special counsel also considered whether members of the Trump campaign coordinated with Russian election interference activities. The special counsel defined coordination as an agreement tacit or express between the Trump campaign and the Russian government on election interference. From Robert S. Mueller III Vol. I, Page 2: We understood coordination to require an agreement tacit or express between the Trump campaign and the Russian government on election interference. That requires more than the two parties taking actions that were informed by or responsive to the others actions or interests. In the second sentence, which Mr. Barr omitted, Mr. Mueller again emphasized that there can be a type of complicit conduct that falls short of how the special counsel defined coordination. Mr. Barr omitted the reason Mr. Mueller trumpeted the thoroughness of his factual investigation From William P. Barr After making a thorough factual investigation into these matters, the special counsel considered whether to evaluate the conduct under department standards governing prosecution and declination decisions but ultimately determined not to make a traditional prosecutorial judgment. From Robert S. Mueller III Vol. II, Page 2: Second, while the O.L.C. opinion concludes that a sitting president may not be prosecuted, it recognizes that a criminal investigation during the presidents term is permissible. The O.L.C. opinion also recognizes that a president does not have immunity after he leaves office. And if individuals other than the president committed an obstruction offense, they may be prosecuted at this time. Given those considerations, the facts known to us, and the strong public interest in safeguarding the integrity of the criminal justice system, we conducted a thorough factual investigation in order to preserve the evidence when memories were fresh and documentary materials were available. In his letter to Congress, Mr. Barr did not explain that Mr. Mueller was trying to leave open the possibility that prosecutors in the future, after Mr. Trump leaves office, could look at the evidence he gathered and decide then whether to indict Mr. Trump. That rationale which stemmed from the view of the Justice Departments Office of Legal Counsel, or O.L.C., that sitting presidents cannot be indicted but former presidents lose such immunity conflicted with Mr. Barrs move to pronounce Mr. Trump cleared now. Mr. Barr portrayed Mr. Mueller as encountering difficult issues in reaching a decision on obstruction From William P. Barr The special counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. Instead, for each of the relevant actions investigated, the report sets out evidence on both sides of the question and leaves unresolved what the special counsel views as difficult issues of law and fact concerning whether the presidents actions and intent could be viewed as obstruction. The special counsel states that while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. [Read more about the decisions facing House Democrats on impeachment.] Democratic leaders are sharply divided on whether to pursue an impeachment effort against Mr. Trump, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and several presidential candidates uneasy about a Democratic-led impeachment attempt and preferring to let voters judge Mr. Trump in the 2020 election. Democrats are mindful that the Republican-led impeachment of President Bill Clinton in the late 1990s was a political boomerang on the G.O.P. that contributed to the party suffering deep losses. But some progressives are appalled at the prospect that Democrats would turn a blind eye to what they believe is criminality in the Oval Office, even if it may complicate their electoral prospects next year. [Keep track of the latest politics news with our newsletter.] Ms. Warrens call for impeachment comes as she is laboring to stand out in a sprawling Democratic field and is looking for opportunities to create contrasts with her rivals in the primary. Her comments stood in contrast to much of the rest of the Democratic field, as several other candidates for president have treaded carefully around the impeachment question since the Mueller report was released. Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. has begun accepting financial donations for a 2020 presidential campaign, an unambiguous sign that he intends to begin his challenge to President Trump within days. Several Democratic donors and party fund-raisers received emails in recent days encouraging them to write sizable checks to support Mr. Bidens planned candidacy, and to mail them to a Democratic consulting firm in Northern Virginia. Two fund-raising solicitations, circulated by Democratic donors in California and Pennsylvania, said Mr. Bidens campaign committee would be called Biden for President. The pre-emptive push for large donations stands in sharp contrast to the effort many Democratic candidates have made to court small donors as a sign of their appeal to the partys grass-roots base. In the emails reviewed by The New York Times, Mr. Bidens allies acknowledged he was not yet able to accept online contributions because he has not become a candidate. He is expected to announce his campaign next week. WASHINGTON Minutes after the Justice Department released the special counsels report on the inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by President Trump, Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, delivered his own verdict: Case closed. It is time to move on, Mr. McCarthy said in a rapid-fire response. That wont be happening. Despite furious Republican demands to drop the subject altogether, Democrats, if anything, appear more alarmed about the presidents conduct as outlined in the report and more determined to pursue several lines of inquiry and hear from the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, himself. Their characterizations were damning. Representative Bill Pascrell Jr. of New Jersey called it one of the most tragic documents in the history of the American presidency. The Democratic National Committee said the redacted report paints a stunning picture of bottomless corruption. Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader who chooses his words carefully, said that the report indicates that President Trump tried on multiple occasions to obstruct justice. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut called the report a portrait of criminal wrongdoing and national scandal. These are not the kind of words that flow from those who are about to say all is forgotten, if not forgiven. Rather than walking away, Democrats appear to be gearing up. Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York, who oversees the House Judiciary Committee, called the report a road map to holding the president accountable and suggested Democrats intended to follow it. It has been a hallmark of the Trump White House never to admit a mistake, never to apologize and never to cede a point. This case was no different. The White House staff will never be lectured on truth-telling from the media that pushed a flat-out lie about Donald Trump for two years, Hogan Gidley, a White House spokesman, said in an email. Ms. Sanders, who has often taken news media outlets to task for what they write and report and has accused them of spreading fake news about Mr. Trump, was just a footnote in Mr. Muellers 448-page report. But because of her public role, the anecdote involving her false statement loomed large in the broader portrait by the special counsel of a White House defined by a culture of dishonesty. And it remains to be seen how the incident and Ms. Sanderss response will affect her credibility with reporters, with whom she has had fewer interactions than many of her predecessors since the White House quietly phased out the daily press briefing over the past nine months. More often, Ms. Sanders speaks for the president on friendly programs like Fox & Friends. She has also come to view her role as a person who defends her colleagues and the president, rather than someone who delivers a message to the press about the work that is underway at the White House. Some of Mr. Trumps aides and allies acknowledged on Friday that it was problematic for the presidents chief spokeswoman to spend airtime defending her own credibility. But White House officials some of whom think Ms. Sanders is taking an unfair beating in the press do not expect Mr. Trump to be fazed by the controversy. Unlike previous administrations, in which officials feared blows to their credibility in public, Mr. Trumps press aides are generally performing for an audience of one the president. GROVE CITY, Pa. More than a year after the phrase Mueller report entered the national conversation and after an exhausting stretch of subpoenas, arrests and furious presidential tweeting the country on Thursday was finally met by the real thing. And while Americans disagreed about what the report meant, one reaction seemed nearly unanimous: disgust with the countrys political leaders. I dont know how he gets out of it all the time, said Judy Campagna, a 58-year-old Democrat, of President Trumps ability to remain in office while so many of his associates have been indicted. A colossal waste of time, said Ray Ablanalp, a 63-year-old Republican standing at a bar with Judys husband, Gene, of the special counsels investigation. Muellers findings showed that the real culprits were Democrats and other backers of the investigation who had just wasted two years of time and money, Mr. Ablanalp said. Somebody should be accountable for that, and it should not be the taxpayers. Mr. Campagna, a 68-year-old Republican who reluctantly voted for Trump in 2016, had only one conclusion about what could happen next: All the options are lousy. KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo The Islamic State has claimed its first attack in the Democratic Republic of Congo, planting a flag in a region already troubled by violence and an outbreak of the Ebola virus. Eight soldiers were killed in the attack, which took place on Tuesday, according to Congolese officials. They initially said that the assailants appeared to have belonged to the Allied Democratic Forces, a rebel group with origins in neighboring Uganda that is accused of killing hundreds of people over the past three years. But on Thursday Islamic State propagandists asserted responsibility and described Congo as the Central Africa Province of the Caliphate, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamic State announcements. It was the first time that the Islamic State has asserted responsibility for an attack in Congo, a vast country where the central government has limited reach and where rebel groups have proliferated for many years. CAPE TOWN, South Africa A church building in eastern South Africa partially collapsed at the start of the Easter weekend, killing at least 13 people and injuring 16, during heavy rainfall that caused flooding, power outages and structural damage. A wall caved in at the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Dlangubo, a small village in KwaZulu-Natal province, shortly after 10 p.m. on Thursday, according to Robert McKenzie, a spokesman for the provinces emergency medical services department. There was an electrical storm in the area and it might have contributed, Mr. McKenzie said of the disaster, which took place three days after a devastating fire ripped through the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris and caused extensive damage to one of the citys most famous landmarks. In the decade since Sri Lankas civil war ended, a former wartime defense chief has successfully dodged accusations of crimes against humanity. He may soon run for president. But the accusations, which are supported by United Nations inquiries, recently caught up with him in a California parking lot. The former official, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, oversaw the final stages of a quarter-century-long conflict with Tamil separatists that ended in 2009. So far he has avoided prosecution at home and abroad over the allegations of crimes against humanity. But in early April, a private investigator tracked Mr. Rajapaksa, now an American citizen, to a Trader Joes parking lot in a Los Angeles suburb. He was then personally served with civil court complaints accusing him of a journalists murder and the torture of an ethnic Tamil who had Canadian citizenship, court documents show. Ben Du Toit, a paramedic who arrived on the scene, told reporters the child had been dragged several yards away from the van after midnight while the family was sleeping. The father fought off several other dingoes besides the one that grabbed his son, Mr. Du Toit said. Fraser Island gets about 400,000 visitors per year and is well known for its roughly 200 dingoes, which roam free on most of the island. Human-dingo interactions are relatively rare, and attacks on humans are even rarer. But it was the third dingo attack this year on the island, where officials train visitors on how to stay safe from the dogs. A 6-year-old boy was bitten on the legs in January, and the following month a 9-year-old boy and his mother were both bitten. The latter attack led to the euthanization of two dingoes. A dingo was also euthanized in July after biting a woman and a child. When dingoes do attack humans, children are often the targets because their size does not intimidate a dingo as much as an adult person, according to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science. It was not known why the dingo attacked the toddler on Friday. Visitors to Fraser Island are encouraged never to feed the dingoes, which have a diverse range of prey, including fish, small reptiles, rodents, bandicoots, wallabies and kangaroos. LONDON Young Britons may not often struggle to be served a beer or a glass of wine, but soon they will need a porn pass or must otherwise prove that they are at least 18 to watch pornography online. British lawmakers, concerned that teenagers faced few impediments accessing pornography on the internet, approved a bill last year designed to prevent those under 18 from viewing X-rated sites. So beginning on July 15, anyone who wants to watch an online porn site will have to submit official forms of identification, including passports, drivers licenses or credit card information, to demonstrate that they are at least 18. They will also be able to go to designated shops to obtain what has already been dubbed a porn pass. Who owns the green and pleasant land of the English countryside can be a well-kept secret, in part because a large segment of it does not even figure in public records. Government efforts to make a public accounting of land ownership date to the 19th century, but according to the Land Registry, about 15 percent of the countrys area, most of it rural, is still unrecorded. Much of the land owned by the Crown, the aristocracy, and the Church has not been registered, because it has never been sold, which is one of the main triggers for compulsory registration, the registry, which covers England and Wales, says on its website. Mr. Shrubsole began documenting Englands estates after the referendum on Britains withdrawal from the European Union, known as Brexit, in 2016. If Brexit really meant taking back control of our country, then Id like at least to know who owns it, he wrote in an op-ed in The Guardian a year after the vote. Real estate prices in England are among the highest in Europe and have soared over the last generation. Mr. Shrubsoles book documents ownership, maps unregistered land and argues that the concentration of ownership helps keep available land scarce and expensive. Houses, stores, office buildings, schools and farms are often held under long-term leases, paying a steady stream of rents directly or through intermediate leaseholders to major landowners. Mr. Shrubsole said that by publishing his research, he wanted to start a conversation. It should prompt a proper debate about the need for land reform in England, Mr. Shrubsole said. The issue of land relates to the countrys housing crisis, to economic inequality, to climate change and the intensive use of farmland, he added. The ancient idea that wealth meant land does not always hold true in modern times. But in Britain, land accounted for half of the countrys net worth in 2016, according to data from the Office of National Statistics double that of Germany and higher than in countries like France, Canada and Japan. DUBLIN The police in Northern Ireland on Friday blamed militants opposed to British rule there for the killing of a young journalist who was covering a night of violent unrest in Londonderry. We are treating this as a terrorist incident, and we have launched a murder inquiry, Mark Hamilton, an assistant chief constable, said of the fatal shooting of the journalist, Lyra McKee, 29. A deputy chief constable, Stephen Martin, told reporters that the police were searching for several suspects. There was certainly more than one person involved, he said, adding: This was not done to further any cause. This will have achieved nothing other than to plunge a family into grief. [Update: 2 men arrested in killing of journalist Lyra McKee.] Mr. Hamilton said the police were attributing the violence and the killing to the New Irish Republican Army, a militant republican group formed several years ago from the merger of several splinter groups. It is not affiliated in any way with the Provisional Irish Republican Army, which renounced violence in 2005. PARIS The architect who oversaw the design of the fire safety system at Notre-Dame acknowledged that officials had misjudged how quickly a flame would ignite and spread through the cathedral, resulting in a much more devastating blaze than they had anticipated. The system was based on the assumption that if the cathedral ever caught fire, the ancient oak timbers in the attic would burn slowly, leaving ample time to fight the flames, said Benjamin Mouton, the architect who oversaw the fire protections. Unlike at sensitive sites in the United States, the fire alarms in Notre-Dame did not notify fire dispatchers right away. Instead, a guard at the cathedral first had to climb a steep set of stairs to the attic a trip Mr. Mouton said would take a fit person six minutes. Only after a blaze was discovered could the fire department be notified and deployed. That means even a flawless response had a built-in delay of about 20 minutes from the moment the alarm sounded until firefighters could arrive and climb to the attic with hundreds of pounds of hoses and equipment to begin battling a fire. Staying true to the intended role of a butler (the word is derived from an Old French term for bottle bearer), good knowledge of fine wines and food service is listed as a minimum requirement for the job, since the butlers must also take care of the governments wine cellar. Malcolm Rifkind, the British foreign secretary from 1995 to 1997, said that having a staff to supervise the governments hospitality program was nothing out of the ordinary. There is not a single country in the world that would not offer that type of hospitality, Mr. Rifkind said. He added that most national governments would employ someone to oversee events held for foreign dignitaries though not all would officially be called butlers. It is perfectly normal to have a luncheon or dinner for visiting foreign minister or heads of state, he said. He explained that for such a formal occasion, wine would be served by hospitality workers. You do not use diplomats to do that; it is not in their training, Mr. Rifkind said. It would be a waste of diplomats skills. Nestled among the business-jargon-filled job titles on the Civil Service website, the ad for government butlers is distinctive. The role is not new, and there are currently three government butlers on payroll. Applicants are required to work odd hours and complete physically demanding tasks, but the maximum salary offered is only marginally better than the median annual income for a full-time worker in Britain: 29,574. President Trump on Friday abruptly reversed American policy toward Libya, issuing a statement publicly endorsing an aspiring strongman in his battle to depose the United Nations-backed government. The would-be strongman, Khalifa Hifter, launched a surprise attack on the Libyan capital, Tripoli, more than two weeks ago. Relief agencies said Thursday that more than 200 people had been killed in the battle, and in recent days Mr. Hifters forces have started shelling civilian neighborhoods. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement a few days after Mr. Hifters militia began its attack that the administration at the highest levels had made clear that we oppose the military offensive and urge the immediate halt to these military operations. Most Western governments and the United Nations have also condemned the attack and demanded a retreat. Mr. Trump, however, told Mr. Hifter almost the opposite, the White House said Friday. A militia leader who has given himself the title of Field Marshal, Mr. Hifter, 75, has long sought to portray his fight for power over Libya including his advance on Tripoli as a battle against terrorism. In the statement on Friday the White House said Mr. Trump had called Mr. Hifter on Monday to endorse that campaign. High school students opening their college financial aid offers may be excited to see that they have received an award. After all, it sounds like a prize, but award has its own meaning in the student aid world. An award could be a grant or scholarship. It could also include a loan that must be repaid, with interest, or work-study aid that requires a student to first land a job to earn the money. Celebrate, said Laura Keane, the chief policy officer at uAspire, a nonprofit group that aims to help students afford college with less debt. Then, decide. Industry jargon and arcane terminology can make it challenging for students to figure out just how much money they are being offered by each college, and how much more theyll need to come up with to pay for their college education, student advocates say. The original World Trade Center, completed in the 1970s, was also new to the tax photographs. The shorter building beneath them was the first hotel opened in Lower Manhattan since 1836. The twin towers and the hotel were destroyed in the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001. For the seventh time in the last couple of years, a Chinese person has been arrested for trying to drop a handful of metal coins into an airplane engine, for good luck. On Monday morning a 66-year-old woman surnamed Wang was detained for attempting to throw six metal coins into the engine of a Tianjin Airlines plane just before take-off, in an effort to guarantee a safe trip. Fortunately, the coins ended up on the ground instead of into the multi-million dollar engine, and were noticed by an airport worker before the planes departure. When an announcement was made, asking whoever threw the coins to come forward, Wang refused to take responsibility, but she soon identified using surveillance footage. Photo: Weibo The superstitious woman was detained on the airport of Inner Mongolian capital Hohhot, and placed under administrative detention for 10 days. The other passengers had to be moved to another plane and their flight to the city of Chifeng was delayed by two hours. The incident comes just a month after a 31-year-old man was detained for trying to drop coins into the engine of a Hainan Airlines plane, to ensure a safe flight for him and his family. He was spotted dropping three small coins through the narrow gap between the jet bridge and the plane. Luckily, he missed his mark, but his attempt still landed him in jail for 10 days. In January, Chinese media reported that two women in their 20s were arrested Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport in Shandong province, for the exact same thing. Shangha.ist reports that at least seven cases of people trying to throw metal coins into airplane engines for good luck have already been recorded this year. Such attempts have been making international headlines since 2017, and either they are becoming increasingly popular or the media is reporting cases more diligently than they used to. In the beginning, airlines showed lenience towards passengers foolish enough to throw coins into airplane engines, but as such incidents became more frequent, some have adopted a harder stance. For instance, in February of this year, Chinese airline Lucky Air sued a passenger for $20,000 for delaying their plane for several hours by trying to drop coins into its engine. Luckily, all attempts to throw coins into airplane engines failed, with the metal pieces landing on the ground, but if one such superstitious person ever managed to reach their target, the consequences could be devastating. Ouyang Jie, a professor at Civil Aviation University of China, told Asia One that if a coin reached the delicate engine core, it could cause it to stop working midair. Modern airplane engines are designed to handle multiple types of foreign objects, from the debris found on airport strips, to birds or hail, but small pieces of refined metal are not on the list. In a best case scenario, they could cause damage to the engines fan blades, and if they actually make it into the engine, they could cause catastrophic damage. Its for this reason that companies always delay their flights and make sure that all thrown coins are accounted for. When riding an escalator, its recommended that you keep a tight grip on the handrail, just to be safe. But what if you choose to disregard that advice? Well, one Canadian woman has been fighting a 10-year-long court battle for her right to ride escalators hands-free. In 2009, Bela Kosoian was riding an escalator at a subway station in the city of Laval when a police officer told her to respect a pictogram on the escalator that said Caution, hold the handrail, in French. The Montreal-area woman refused to obey the officers command and instead started arguing with him. She ended up being detained and getting a $100 ticket for refusing to hold the rail and another $320 for failing to identify herself. She was also handcuffed and detained for 30 minutes. Kosoian was acquitted of her crimes in municipal court in 2012, and then filed her own lawsuit against the city, arguing that she was not obligated to hold the escalator handrail or identify herself in front of the police officer. She has so far lost twice in Quebec courts, but refused to give up, and this Tuesday her unique case was heard by the Supreme Court of Canada. Photo: Marcus Bellamy/Unsplash According to court documents, Bela Kosoian refused to hold the escalator handrail because she didnt consider the Caution pictogram to be an obligation. Tensions between her and the overzealous police officer escalated after she refused to identify herself, and she ended up being taken by force, after another officer arrived as backup. The judges in the previous two cases ruled that the officer had an honest but false belief that a law requiring escalator passengers to hold the handrail, but also that he had reasonable grounds to believe that an infraction had been committed, which justified his actions. A police officer who has a sincere but false belief that a law exists and decides to punish a party on the basis of this law could be exonerated of all responsibility . It goes squarely against important principles of law, Kosoians lawyer, Aymar Missakila, said last year, after losing the trial at the Court of Appeal. Supreme Court hears case of woman ticketed for not holding escalator handrail https://t.co/DYuBcCX0OX pic.twitter.com/BkydTp8GSD CTV News (@CTVNews) April 17, 2019 Things may turn out differently this time around though, as Supreme Court Justice Clement Gascon has already hinted that he disagrees with ticketing people for not holding escalator handrails. I suppose if we were to give tickets to people not holding the handrail, wed be issuing hundreds per hour, Gascon said at one point during the proceedings. The US is becoming a more dangerous place for reporters to do their jobs, according to the just-released 2019 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders. The US slipped three notches to No. 48 of the 180 countries/territories measured, falling from the "satisfactory" to "problematic" category. The slippage, according to RWB, goes beyond the "fake news" taunts of Donald Trump. "Never before have journalists been subjected to so many death threats or turned so often to private security firms for protection," says RWB. The group cites the June shooting of four journalists and another staffer of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis as an example of hatred of the media. The Americas region showed the biggest deterioration (3.6 percent) of media freedom sparked by declines in the US, Brazil, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Mexico. The EU and the Balkans registered the second biggest deterioration at 1.7 percent. France slipped a notch to No. 32 due to violence at the Yellow Vest protests. French news crews now require bodyguards to cover the demonstrations and conceal the logos of their channels from the protesters. Hungary fell 14 places to No. 87 as officials in prime minister's Viktor Orban's Fidesz political party refuse to answer questions from journalists viewed as non-friendly to Fidesz. Poland slipped as its "state-owned media have been turned into propaganda tools and are increasingly used to harass journalists," according to the report. Russia was down a notch to No. 149 as the Kremlin used arrests, arbitrary searches and draconian laws to pressure independent media and the Internet. Norway, for the third year running, is the best place for journalists. Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands follow. The Index is based on the level of pluralism, media independence, environment for the media and self-censorship, legal framework, transparency and the quality of the infrastructure that supports the production of news and information. Fianna Fail TD for Offaly, Barry Cowen, has said the revised GP contract, announced recently by the Government, must take into account the services which were previously lost. Deputy Cowen was commenting following the announcement from the Government that there will be a 210m investment in General Practice. Deputy Cowen explained, Minister Harris and Taoiseach Varadkar made many promises recently in regards to General Practice. They have pledged to increase rural allowance, provide a fund for areas of deprivation, expand maternity and paternity supports and hire more practice nurses among other proposals. What they should have promised was to restore the Midoc services to Birr and Edenderry and other areas where GP services were downgraded." At the time of the closures, I called for HSE management to work with Midoc to ensure these clinics remained open. If additional funding could have been made available to help Midoc maintain their existing services then that should have been explored. Now we know new funding is available and I believe it needs to be looked at again," Barry added. "The focus should be on growing primary care services instead of cutting back on them. All week I have been hearing Fine Gael colleagues lauding the revised contract, yet they should be insisting that services like Midoc are restored." There has been significant frustration and anger amongst family doctors at their treatment by the government, anger we believe to be genuine and warranted. They have waited a very long time for this revised contract, and let there be no doubt about it, it is a revised contract, not a new one." "The downgrading of services was totally unacceptable and the situation now is that many people cannot get on to GP lists or else wait a week or more for an appointment. This new funding for General Practice must take into account the areas which went without before," concluded Deputy Cowen. The Department of Agriculture has issued a status orange fire warning for large swathes of the country, including the midlands, as the weather heats up for the Easter weekend. The warning was issued on Thursday and remains in place until 12 noon on Tuesday, April 23. The Department warns of a "high fire risk." They are appealing to all forest owners and managers to prepare for likely outbreaks of fire. "Recent weeks have seen significant fire activity and losses in forestry. Fire lines, fire plans, fire suppression equipment should be reviewed and made ready and other relevant contingencies such as insurance, helicopter contracts etc., checked and confirmed," they said. "The need for increased vigilance at this time cannot be overstated. Forest owners, farmers, rural dwellers and other countryside users are asked to be extremely vigilant regarding fire activity, to report any suspicious or illegal activity to the Gardai and to report all fires immediately to the Fire and Emergency Services via 112/999." "Members of the public and visitors to recreational areas should cooperate with all requests regarding fire safety, obey all relevant bye-laws and be considerate in parking vehicles so as not to impede access by emergency vehicles," the warning stated. "Where fire outbreaks occur at or near recreational areas the following actions should be taken by visitors in the interests of safety. The advice is: Do not light fires in and around forests or open land; Do not attempt to intervene or fight fires under any circumstances; Gather all family/group members and move to a safe fuel-free location such as a car park, upwind of the fire; Telephone Fire and Rescue Services via 112 and report the fire and its location; Evacuate if instructed to do so, and cooperate with all Emergency Services. Find out more advice for the public and forestry owners here. Independent TD for Offaly, Carol Nolan, has said that she is to write to the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) asking his office to immediately investigate claims that nursing home residents in HSE-run facilities in Laois and Offaly are being charged almost 200% above the cost of private and voluntary nursing home care. Deputy Nolan was speaking after it emerged that within Laois, the average cost of a weeks care in the three HSE operated nursing homes is 2,720, as opposed to 910 in four private and voluntary nursing homes a 199% cost differential. "The situation is just as concerning for nursing home residents in Offaly; where Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) claim families are paying up to 107% above the private and voluntary sector fee," Nolan said. "NHI also claims that within neighbouring Westmeath the differential is 135% - with two HSE operated nursing homes averaging 1,899 per week as opposed to average 808 for the 12 private voluntary providers." The publication of these comparative fees demonstrate that the HSE is either wilfully engaged in the financial exploitation of elderly people or it is utterly indifferent to the appropriate market price for nursing home care," Carol continued. "Either eventuality is unsustainable and demands answers. It is for that reason that I will write to the C&AG, whose statutory remit is to improve the use of public money and resources and strengthen public accountability." "We must have accountability on this matter from the HSE especially in light of the fact that as I highlighted recently, the operational reform of the entire Fair Deal Scheme and the broadening of its services is already under threat." "In the legal profession, if a solicitor or barrister charges exorbitant and unjustifiable fees, then the matter can be referred to the Taxing Master who provides an independent and impartial assessment of legal costs and recommendations to refund fees," Nolan claimed. "The same should happen here. If farming families, or any family for that matter, has been the victim of profiteering by the HSE then they should be immediately reimbursed, concluded Deputy Nolan. Kerry Lathan, Man Wounded In Nipsey Hussle Shooting, To Be Released From Jail Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are reportedly working to get Lathan released. Kerry Lathan, one of the men wounded during the shooting that resulted in Nipsey Hussles death, will soon be released from jail after he was initially accused of violating his parole. READ: Fox News Host Mocks Nipsey Hussle A Day After His Memorial Service Initial reports about Lathan said he was a friend of Hussles, but he recently revealed that he wasnt too close with the late Los Angeles rapper, having only taken a couple of pictures with the artist when he was released from prison last year. He was convicted of murder in 1994 and sentenced to 25 to life. After serving more than 24 years in prison he was released in 2018. Still, following the shooting Lathan is currently in a wheelchair after he got hit close to his spine he was accused of violating his parole for coming into contact with a known gang member Hussle. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation had determined that the rapper was a documented gang member, resulting in Lathans return to jail. I said, Man, I didnt come into contact with nobody. I was visiting some people, going to pay respects to a persons father who just passed away. My buddy Ronnie, his father just died that Sunday. So, thats all I was doing, Lathan said in a recent interview. And I was just gonna change my shirt so I could look presentable in front of they people. Thats it. And when I stopped over there with Nip, I got shot. Now, Lathan will be released from jail according to ABC7 News. The Department of Corrections announced Thursday it will drop the new allegations and work to get Lathan released. Source: ABC7 News Family hero Sharwanand of late is not seen on screen. He for all his talent failed to impress movie lovers with his youthful romantic entertainer Padi Padi Leche Manasu romancing Sai Pallavi. He is now romancing Samantha in the remake of Tamil hit 96 under the direction of C Prem Kumar. Meanwhile, Sharwanand stunned all with his scuba diving skills. The film unit flew to Mauritius to shoot few Scuba diving scenes on Sharwanand who will be seen as a wildlife photographer in the film. Advertisement Since Sharwa was new to scuba diving, he was trained for a day in the sport. Later, Shawa surprised all by indulging in scuba diving without any help. A source reveals, Sharwanand took a quick look at the basics of scuba diving and picked it up almost instantly. The entire unit was impressed by his objective approach as an actor towards the larger interest of the film. The film unit will fly to Kenya, after wrapping up Mauritius schedule. Sharwanand is also starring in Sudheer Varma's direction. He is turning gangster in the film romancing Kajal Agarwal and Kalyani Priyadarshan. After lashing out at Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi quits party India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Apr 19: A day after venting her anger out on the Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi has quit the party. The Congress spokesperson is said to have quit the party on Thursday night, several media reports suggested. She was upset with the party for taking back workers who had been suspended for misbehaving with her. "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats & abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate," she had tweeted. Congress directs candidates to continue with 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan She has also changed her Twitter bio, following the incident. The AICC spokesperson is missing and currently it just states that she is a columnist, blogger, saree hoarder, mother etc. Local Congress leaders had allegedly misbehaved with her when she was addressing a press conference in Mathura. The Congress had initially removed them, but as the elections approached, they were taken back. Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena, says hurt that Cong let her down India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 19: After Priyanka Chaturvedi quit the Congress on Thursday night, Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackaray addressed a press conference where he officially welcomed Priyanka Chaturvedi into the party fold. " Maharashtra is my birthplace. I live and breathe this place and its my honour to be able to serve the state now. When i decided that I want to return to Mumbai and serve the people here and more importantly work for women's rights extensively, I couldn't think of any other party but the Shiv Sena," said Priyanka. "Congress let me down and I know that a lot of questions will be raised over my intentions and the reason behind me joining Shiv Sena after being with the Congress for so many years. But I want to declare that this is a well thought of and a completely conscious decision, one that I am proud of. Today I join Shiv Sena with happiness and gratitude," she also said. "I spent good ten years of life in politics, but respect of women remains my top agenda. I was disturbed after goons were reinstated in the party. I felt let down .. This meant that me as a party member did not matter to them," she added. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi resigned from party on Thursday night, a day after expressing publicly expressing her resentment. Upset with her party, she went public with her grievances with a tweet lambasting the Congress for reinstating UP party workers who she says misbehaved with her. On Friday, the upset Congress leader also removed the 'AICC Spokesperson' from her Twitter profile and is reported to have exited the Congress media WhatsApp group. After lashing out at Congress, Priyanka Chaturvedi quits party After tendering her resignation as the Congress spokesperson, Priyanka in a tweet thanks the country for their support, while attaching her official resignation letter. "I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey," she said. One of the Congress' most vocal and known faces, Priyanka Chaturvedi, was viral on social media recently with her parody of a popular TV serial starring actor-turned-politician Smriti Irani, a Union Minister who is the BJP's candidate against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi. Priyanka Chaturvedi was attacking the minister over discrepancies on her official declarations on her educational background. TMC delegation to meet Election Commission in Delhi today; To request for early bypolls in Bengal EC declares bypolls to seven Rajya Sabha seats in six states Bypoll: EC notice to Assam minister for 'give and take' remark Analysing the voter turn out for phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa New Delhi, Apr 19: Moderate to high voter turnout was recorded in the 95 constituencies in 11 states and Puducherry that went to polls in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections which were marred by sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Manipur and EVM glitches. There were also reports of EVM malfunctioning in some seats. Puducherry saw a high voter turnout of 78 per cent while in Manipur, the polling percentage was nearly 75, sources in the election office said. Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 2: 66% voter turnout, polling peaceful barring stray incidents Srinagar, which in 2014 witnessed the lowest voter turnout in the country at 25.86 per cent, saw 12.43 per cent polling, with highest 17.1 per cent recorded in Shia-dominated Budgam district till 3 pm. No untoward incident was reported during polling which was being held amid tight security due to militant threats and a boycott call by separatists in Kashmir. Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency recorded 58.13 percent polling. In Tamil Nadu, where polling is being held in the maximum 38 seats, the voter turnout was 52.02 per cent at 3 PM. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo said no reports of booth capturing or any other untoward incident regarding law and order has been received so far. Karur recorded the highest voter turnout at 56.85 per cent while Chennai Central clocked the lowest at 45.65 per cent, according to the EC data. Dry days in April and May 2019: Dates when liquor shops be open in your city Elections for the 18 assembly segments where bypolls are being held saw a turnout of 55.97 per cent at 3 pm. Besides Tamil Nadu, polling is being held in 14 seats in Karnataka, 10 in Maharashtra, eight in Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, two in Jammu and Kashmir and one seat each in Manipur and Puducherry besides 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha. Polling in Tamil Nadu's Vellore LS seat was cancelled Tuesday by the Election Commission following recovery of cash allegedly from an associate of a DMK leader recently. The EC also announced postponement of polling in Tripura (East) Lok Sabha seat to the third phase on April 23, saying the prevailing law-and-order situation there is not conducive for holding free and fair polls. Isolated incidents of violence, road blockades, bombings and police firing marred polling in the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal with 65.43 per cent of voter turnout recorded till 3 PM. Police fired in the air and burst tear gas shells to control a mob, who threw stones at them in Raiganj Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal. Bombs were also hurled by unknown miscreants in Chopra area, a senior EC official said. A reporter and a camera person of a local news channel were allegedly manhandled when they went to cover polling at Kataphulbari in Raiganj constituency. CPI(M) candidate from Raiganj, Md Salim, claimed his car was attacked by unknown persons when he went to a polling booth at Islampur. Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey, however, described the voting as "more or less peaceful" with a few isolated incidents reported from places in the three seats. An average 57.22 per cent polling was recorded till 5 pm in 10 constituencies of Maharashtra. Around 59.72 per cent polling was recorded till 3 pm in Chhattisgarh's three Lok Sabha seats, all having Naxal presence, amid tight security. According to police, except for an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Mohla-Manpur assembly segment of Rajnandgaon Lok Sabha constituency, no other untoward incident was reported in the poll-bound areas. About 53 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 3 pm in five Odisha Lok Sabha and 35 assembly seats, some of them in Naxal-affected areas. Karnataka saw a turnout of 61.84 per cent till 5 pm. In Assam, Karimganj recorded the highest polling of 63.66 per cent till 3 pm followed by Mangaldoi and Autonomous district- both at 62.7 per cent, Silchar with 57.06 and Nowgong with the lowest at 56.78 per cent. The five seats in Bihar saw an estimated 45.77 per cent voting till 3 pm. The Election Commission put the overall voter turnout in Uttar Pradesh at 50.39 per cent till 3 pm. Lok Sabha polls are being held in seven-phases for 543 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19, and counting will be on May 23. Rahul should be sent back to school to know what ministries exist under Centre: Giriraj Singh At Begusarai, will the Bhumihars back Kanhaiya Kumar or Giriraj Singh India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Patna, Apr 19: The fight at Begusarai will be a triangular one. Contesting on this seat at Giriraj Singh of the BJP, Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI and Tanveer Hassan of the RJD. Ideally this should have been a direct fight between the CPI and BJP. However the RJD which initially showed interest later backed out from including the CPI into its fold to fight the Bihar polls. Kumar is contesting his first election and is expected to give Singh a tough fight. However it would be investing to see if the RJD candidate who is relying heavily on the Muslim-Yadav vote will end up playing spoilsport. Youths want to study but some people want them to make 'pakodas': Kanhaiya Hassan had contested this seat in 2014, but lost by a margin of 58,000 votes. In 2009, it was Monazir Hassan of the JD(U) who won this seat by a margin of 40,800 votes.The CPI would look to better its performance, but would also look at the fact that it has always finished either second or third here, with its vote share being intact. This constituency was a CPI stronghold in the early 1990s, but gradually lost ground to the regional parties in the state. Elections in Begusarai are usually decided by the dominant upper caste community, Bhumihar. Both Singh and Kumar are from this community. Hence for the RJD, it would crucial for it to bag a large number of the Muslim-Yadav votes in order to take on the CPI or BJP. Can Kanhaiya Kumar keep BJP at bay in 'Leningrad of Bihar'? The Bhumihars are 4.5 lakh in number, while Muslims account for 2.5 lakh of the population. The Yadavs on the other hand are 80,000 in number. The backward castes are 1 lakh in number. AugstaWestland: Michel a flight risk says Delhi court India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 19: A Delhi court while rejecting an interim bail plea filed by alleged AgustaWestland middleman, James Christian Michel termed him as a flight risk. He has no roots in India and could also tamper with the evidence, if granted bail, the court also said. Christian Michel had moved a Delhi court seeking 7-day interim bail to celebrate Easter with his family. Want to celebrate Easter, grant me bail says AugustaWestland middleman Michel "It is submitted that the applicant was in the ED custody even during Christmas week ie. December 22 to 28, 2018 and was interrogated by the agency even during the Christmas day. Being a Christian, he was not even allowed to offer a Holy mass even during Christmas...," said the application moved by the accused. "It is submitted that the week commencing form 14th April to 21st April is a holy week for the Christian's and 21st April is the Easter which will be celebrated universally. The petitioner wishes to attend the holy mass on the Easter day and would like to make offerings during the Easter day," it said. The ED filed a supplementary charge sheet against Michel and others on April 4, Michel was arrested by the ED on December 22 last year after his extradition from Dubai. He is among the three alleged middlemen being probed in the chopper scam by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation. The others are Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa. The agency had earlier told the court that Michel received 24.25 million euros and 1,60,96,245 pounds from the AgustaWestland deal. The ED told the court that it had identified Michel's properties purchased with the proceeds of the crime. Explain how AgustaWestland chargesheet was leaked, court tells ED The ED, in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he had received 30 million euros (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. The CBI, in its charge sheet, has alleged an estimated loss of 398.21 million euros (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on February 8, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth 556.262 million euros. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 8:44 [IST] BJP govt about publicity, only concerned about its own progress: Priyanka Gandhi India oi-PTI Kanpur, Apr 19: Attacking the ruling BJP government, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said it was concerned only about its "own progress" and not that of the country's. "Governments are of two types... one that works for people's progress and the other concerned only about its own progress.The BJP government is about show-off and publicity," said Gandhi while addressing an election meeting here. The Congress general secretary and eastern Uttar Pradesh in-charge, who held a massive roadshow here earlier, was campaigning for party candidate and former Union minister Shriprakash Jaiswal. Country will see Priyanka as a 'thief's wife': Uma Bharti "They (BJP) were making Kanpur a smart city but nothing has happened so far. Youth are unemployed and farmers are committing suicide due to debts," she said. Gandhi stressed that the Congress works for the people, while the BJP only favours industrialists. "We have promised Rs 72,000 per year for the poor, but BJP is saying that there is not enough money... they have enough money for industrialists," she said. "I went to Varanasi where Modi ji, despite being the prime minister, was unable to ensure development," she added. During the road show, Gandhi stopped at the Nageshwar temple and paid obeisance before moving on. She was also gifted a 'chadar' by some local Muslims. When the procession reached Birhana, people on one side of the road began chanting Modi's name while those on the other raised slogans against him. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 23:45 [IST] BJP will get rosogolla in West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee India pti-PTI Kolkata, Apr 19: Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will get a 'rosogolla' (zero) in West Bengal in the general elections, asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim of winning a large number of seats will remain a daydream. Banerjee said the Prime Minister's promise of offering 'laddoos' to the voters of Bengal in both their hands will never be fulfilled. Mentioning a popular Hindi adage, she said, "Delhi ka laddoo - jo khaya wo pastaya (whoever has eaten laddoos of Delhi has regretted), they will get a big zero in Bengal this time," she said at two election rallies in North Bengal's Dakshin Dinajpur district. Before the 2016 Assembly elections in West Bengal, PM Modi had said in public meetings that if the people vote the BJP to power in the state, they would have 'laddoos' in both their hands, with one as the NDA government at the Centre and the other in the state. Taking a jibe at the BJP's aim of winning at least half of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, Banerjee said, "In 2014 they got two seats, they will get a rosogolla (zero) here this time." Rosogolla, the famous sweetmeat associated with the name of Bengal, is also colloquially referred to when someone gets a zero in an examination. Asserting that the saffron party will not get past 100 seats across the country in the general elections, the TMC supremo claimed that in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala they will not win any seat. "In Uttar Pradesh they had 73, I doubt whether they (BJP) will get even 13 seats this time around," she said, adding that the saffron party will not be able to win a single seat in the North Eastern region and Odisha. Lambasting Union minister Arun Jaitley for having said that elections in Bengal will spring a surprise, the firebrand TMC leader said, "I also say there will be surprise for them by getting a big zero." The minister, who is in-charge of the BJP's publicity committee, had on Thursday tweeted that "North East, Bengal and Odisha will be the biggest surprises of this Lok Sabha election." Referring to Jaitley as the "kettle Finance Minister of the chaiwala Prime Minister," Banerjee said PM Modi "has got a biopic made in his name and what not for his publicity, only making shoes in his name is yet to be done." "Five years ago he said he was a chaiwala. Now he says he is a chowkidar. After losing the elections, what will be left with him is his chowki (cot in Bengali)," she said. The Chief Minister claimed that the TMC will win all the five seats for which elections have been held in the first two phases in the state, including in Darjeeling, which BJP won in 2014. Banerjee claimed that if Narendra Modi comes back to power, people will lose their right to free speech. She urged adivasis, who constitute a fair percentage of voters in Balurghat constituency where she held the two campaign meetings, not to vote for the BJP, claiming that the saffron party has brought upon them a lot of atrocities. The Chief Minister urged the central forces deployed in West Bengal to work in tandem with the state police, saying that the administration is there for them to work impartially. PTI TMC delegation to meet Election Commission in Delhi today; To request for early bypolls in Bengal Congress directs candidates to continue with 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan India oi-Hardeep Singh Bedi New Delhi, April 19: Despite the Election Commission's ban on Congress' 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' (Watchman is a thief) ad campaign, the party has asked its candidates to continue chanting the slogan at the rallies. The media certification and inspection committee has already cancelled the advertisement after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed it as a personal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who in his election rallies has often referred to himself as a "chowkidar", a watchman who is determined to safeguard Indians' interests. It is notable that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attacking Prime Minister Modi with the "Chowkidar chor hai" slogan over the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets. Gandhi alleges that the Modi government canceled Congress government's cheap deal and purchased the fighter jets at a higher price just to help businessman Anil Ambani. Rahul's candidature in Wayanad sign of appeasement politics: PM Modi Anil Ambani's Reliance Group is the "key partner" for Dassault Aviation, manufacturer of Rafale, for the discharge of offsets. The total value of offsets from the deal is estimated to be around Rs 30,000 crore. In a letter to the Congress on Wednesday, Madhya Pradesh joint chief electoral officer Rajesh Kaul said the Congress should immediately stop the broadcast of the advertisement campaign. The Election Commission has said that if the ban has been imposed by a state then the advertisement cannot be shown in other states also. A senior Election Commission official was quoted by NDTV as saying that it is possible to appeal against the decision. However, the Congress leadership has cleared confusion of its candidates and asked them to continue chanting 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan during their campaigning. The decision has been taken as the leaders of the Congress campaign committee believe that the 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' slogan has hit the BJP very hard and that is why every BJP leader, including Prime Minister Modi, has been forced to declare himself/herself a 'Chowkidar' on the social media. Does it behove Rahul to label all Modis as thieves? asks PM Modi A leader says that 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' has become so popular that people start chanting the slogan even before they are asked to do so at the Congress rallies. A senior Congress leader says that getting notices is normal and the party would give its reply at the appropriate time. The BJP has alleged that the Congress is raking up Rafale controversy because of its relations with other defence companies. In February, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said, "Rahul Gandhi and the Congress are working to get the Rafale deal scrapped. They are playing in the hands of foreign forces and companies with vested interest." The BJP also alleges that Rahul Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra have relations with controversial arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari. (CNN) The Samsung Galaxy Fold is launching next week as planned, despite reports from some early reviewers that their devices broke after just a few days of use. It might seem like a risky move for Samsung to move forward with the launch on schedule, but the company has a lot riding on the luxury $1,980 device a 4.6 inch-smartphone that opens up into a 7.3-inch tablet. Analysts say the device could shake up the mobile device market, which has plateaued in terms of both sales and innovative new features. Pre-orders of the Galaxy Fold have already sold out online. (Samsung declined to share how many were originally available.) But now Samsung is grappling with news that some reviewers discovered defective hinges and their screens broke after removing the Fold's protective film. In a statement sent to CNN Business, the company said "removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers." Moving ahead would be risky for any company, but the stakes are higher for Samsung given its history. The South Korean company has worked hard for the past two and a half years to win back consumer trust following its Galaxy Note 7 debacle. Millions of those devices had to be recalled due to reports of exploding batteries. Despite this week's setback, experts say the Galaxy Fold isn't necessarily dead on arrival. "Was the [Galaxy Fold] risky? Of course," IDC research director Ramon Llamas told CNN Business. "But risk travels hand in hand with innovation, and something that companies have learned to embrace. Very rarely does a first-generation product especially something as hyped up as this one live up to expectations." It's currently unclear if these are isolated incidents or part of a larger issue, but not pushing back its April 26 launch potentially suggests Samsung believes it is the former. The company said it will "thoroughly inspect these units in person to determine the cause of the matter." Either way, it will be critical for Samsung to be transparent about what it learns and move swiftly. "Samsung needs to look into these cases quickly and be clear with the public, particularly those with pre-orders, about the cause of the issues, how they will be fixed, and how they will be prevented moving forwards," said Stephanie Tomsett, research analyst at ABI Research. "Consumers are likely to be concerned about this news, and their concerns need to be addressed to ensure that this new device is as popular as previously expected." Following the Galaxy Note 7 recall, the company redesigned its battery system to prevent future explosions. It also benefited from the fast-paced cycle of the smartphone industry, which allowed consumers to shift their focus to the Galaxy S8. "It worked," Llamas said. "If anything, setbacks like these tend to bolster companies' drive to get it right." Samsung doesn't want to be so safe that it abandons its reputation as an industry innovator. "We have arrived at the point where innovation has reached a plateau, and most new features that companies hawk are variations on a theme we have seen before," Llamas said. "Bigger screen? Seen that. Camera taking great pictures? Got that too. And staying on that path practically dooms the market into becoming a commodity business, and no one wants that." At the same time, senior analyst Ben Stanton of Canalys called the Galaxy Fold "not a great risk" from a business perspective. "The Galaxy Fold is the most daring technical innovation we have seen in smartphones for some time. But it was not intended to be a volume driver this year," he said. "Samsung does tend to innovate in this low-risk way, where its cutting-edge technology tends to sit in a different device to its tried-and-tested flagships." He likens it to Samsung's first shot at a curved display with the Galaxy S6 Edge. On the other hand, Apple tends to mostly innovate with its most important flagship devices. For example, Face ID is only a feature on its latest models. "Samsung, unlike Apple, doesn't need to get it right the first time," he said. "It has invested heavily to develop folding displays and it is only just getting started." Samsung also offers everything from mobile products to smart home gadgets and TVs. Apple, however, still generates the bulk of its profits from iPhones, even as it tries to diversify into services. Samsung isn't the only company with a foldable phone in the works: Royole, Huawei, and Motorola are reportedly developing similar models. "Their devices will be held up to the same scrutiny, or even held under a harsher light, to see if their quality can hold up," Llamas said. "It's the price of playing in this market. They need to be ready for that." As for the consumers clawing to get their hands on first iteration of the technology, it might be wise to follow the age-old wisdom for new devices and software: hold off until the bugs are worked out. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Samsung Galaxy Fold phones are breaking. Here's why it doesn't matter." Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped at public rally in Gujarat India oi-Madhuri Adnal Ahmedabad, Apr 19: Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by an unidentified man in Gujarat's Surendranagar district on Friday while he was addressing a public rally. The man then pushed Hardik Patel a few times before people intervened. In the video shared by ANI, the man can be seen shouting angrily at Hardik Patel after slapping him and trying to manhandle him. #WATCH Congress leader Hardik Patel slapped during a rally in Surendranagar,Gujarat pic.twitter.com/VqhJVJ7Xc4 ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Patel later filed a complaint with police. However, the man is yet to be identified and his reason behind this action could not be immediately confirmed. Man who slapped Hardik Patel at a rally in Surendranagar, Gujarat said,''My wife was pregnant when Patidar agitation happened, she was undergoing treatment at a hospital, I had faced problems then, I had decided then, I'll hit this man. I have to teach him a lesson anyhow.'' ''Then again during his rally in Ahmedabad when I had gone to get medicine for my child, everything was shut down. He shuts down the roads, he shuts down Gujarat whenever he wants to, What is he? Gujarat's hitler?,'' he said. Hardik Patel takes the road after farmer refuses to let his chopper land Later, people present at the venue got hold of the man and he was beaten up. Police had a tough time trying to recue him. He was later taken to a local hospital. The incident came a day after a farmer refused to let Patel's chopper land on his field. This led to the delay in Congress leader's visit to Lunawada in Gujarat's Mahisagar district at the last moment. Patel, 25, joined the Congress party last month. He was earlier the face of the Patidar quota agitation in the state that had started in 2015. Delhi police says ND Tiwaris son Rohit was smothered with pillow; murder case filed India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 19: The crime branch of the Delhi Police has lodged a case of murder against unknown persons in connection with the death of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, son of former Uttar Pradesh chief minister ND Tiwari. Rohit Shekhar was declared dead by Delhi hospital on Wednesday. RS Krishnia, Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) confirmed that the crime branch is investigating the case on the basis of autopsy report. According to reports, the autopsy report pointed to "unnatural death" caused by "smothering with pillow". Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, ND Tiwari's son, brought dead to Delhi hospital The death case was on Friday transferred to the Crime Branch. Forensic and Crime Branch teams are at his Defence Colony residence in Delhi to probe the case. Rohit was brought dead to Delhi's Max Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The news was confirmed by DCP South Delhi Vijay Kumar, who also added that no external injuries were observed on his body and a postmortem would be done on Wednesday. "We received an emergency call from the residence of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari at 04:41 pm this afternoon. An ambulance brought him to Max Hospital, Saket, where he was declared 'brought dead' at the hospital emergency. As per the established procedure, we have informed the authorities. We express condolences at the passing away of Mr Tiwari," Max Hospital said in a statement. He was undergoing treatment for age-related complications at the Saket hospital. The Congress veteran, who had served in various positions at the Centre, was the chief minister of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. Rohit Tiwari joined the BJP ahead of the 2017 Uttarakhand assembly polls and recently indicated he could join the Congress. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 16:51 [IST] Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump Did Donald Trump ever wish to work like PM Modi? India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Apr 19: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday claimed that US President Donald Trump had once said if he becomes US president, he would work like Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Today, whenever there are elections in any part of the world, the issues are India and PM Modi. In 2016 US Presidential election, Donald Trump had said 'If I become the President I will work in the way PM Modi is working for the development of India'," Adityanath said in Etawah. However, according to the reports, during the elections, Trump had tweaked 'ab ki baar Modi sarkar' slogan to make it 'ab ki baar Trump sarkar'. But he never said that he wants to work like him. Hours after EC ban ends, Adityanath's 'Babur Ki Aulad' jibe at SP leader "I will look forward to working with Prime Minister Modi, who has been very energetic in reforming India's bureaucracy," said Trump while addressing Indian Americans at a rally in Edison at New Jersey in 2015. "Great man! I applaud him for doing so, Trump had said. During the elections, Trump released an ad targeted at Indian Americans in which said he appreciated PM Modi's work in trimming the bureaucracy and hoped to emulate the same in his administration. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 23:33 [IST] For why thieves have Modi surname remark, Rahul Gandhi dragged to court India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Patna, Apr 19: Rahul Gandhi was dragged to court over his "why all thieves have Modi in their name" remark, with Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi filing a defamation suit against the Congress president. The senior BJP leader filed a criminal complaint before the court of Patna Chief Judicial Magistrate Kumar Gujnan under Section 500 of IPC (punishment for defamation) against Gandhi for his comment at a rally in Maharashtra which he claimed was defamatory to the people with Modi surname. Rahul's candidature in Wayanad sign of appeasement politics: PM Modi Sushil Kumar Modi said in his petition that he "felt hurt" by Gandhi's "sweeping remarks" at the April 13 rally, which was telecast live on TV news channels, as it tarnished the reputation of those who shared the surname, including himself. The matter will come up for hearing on April 22. Gandhi had on Monday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over corruption and asked how all "thieves" have 'Modi' as the common surname as he referred to fugitive businessman Nirav Modi and former IPL chairman Lalit Modi. "I have a question. Why all thieves have Modi in their names whether it is Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi or Narendra Modi? We don't know how many more such Modis will come out," Gandhi had said. Does it behove Rahul to label all Modis as thieves? asks PM Modi Soon after, the Bihar leader had threatened to sue the Congress chief, saying lakhs of people in the state had Modi as their surname and they felt hurt by his remark. Have given Congress last chance to form alliance for Delhi polls: AAP India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 19: Alliance talks between AAP and Congress saw another twist on Friday after AAP leader Gopal Rai said it would give the Grand Old Party a last chance to formalise a pact. "Today also we have again given a chance, people of the country want that. We have given Congress a last chance to think it over, let's see what happens," ANI quoted AAP leader Gopal Rai as saying. Delhi Congress in-charge PC Chacko Thursday blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for "backtracking" on the alliance in Delhi at the last minute when the deal was "almost finalised". The development comes after both AAP and Congress announced this week that alliance talks had failed. Why Congress proposed 4-3 formula for alliance with AAP? Maken explains Congress has offered four seats to the AAP as part of the alliance and has opted for the Chandni Chowk, North West Delhi and the New Delhi seats for itself. Chacko said that both the parties had, till Wednesday, agreed to the seat-sharing split of 4:3 - four for AAP and three for Congress. The AAP leaders, however, went back on their words soon after. "I have been in touch with AAP's Sanjay Singh and we had decided that we will go ahead with 4:3 seat-sharing in Delhi," Chacko said. Meanwhile, the Delhi Congress leaders said they have finalised candidates from their party to fight the upcoming parliamentary elections from all seven constituencies of Delhi. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 17:02 [IST] Pakistan uses fake Islam is in danger narrative as main theme of its terror indoctrination Here is why trade along LoC with Pakistan was suspended by India India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 18: Citing misuse India on Friday suspended trade along the Line of Control (LoC) with effect from April 19. The action was taken after it was reported that Pakistan based elements were using the trade route to smuggle weapons, fake currency and narcotics. The Home Ministry said that a stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked and the issue of the reopening the trade routes will be revisited once they are implemented. The Union Home Ministry order stated that it has been "decided by the Government of India to suspend the LoC trade at Salamabad and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Jammu and Kashmir". India suspends LoC trade with Pakistan The LoC trade, at present, is conducted through two trade facilitation centres located at Salamabad in Uri of Baramulla district, and Chakkan-da-Bagh in Poonch district. This trade takes place four days a week and is based on barter system and zero-duty. The measure has been taken in the backdrop of the Pulwama terror attack following which India stepped up its military and strategic offensive against Pakistan and also withdrew the most favoured nation (MFN) from its neighbour. "Meanwhile, a stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism is being worked out and will be put in place in consultation with various agencies. The issue of reopening of LoC trade will be revisited thereafter," the government said in the statement. The decision has been taken after reports of "cross Line of Control trade routes being misused by Pakistan based elements for funneling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency etc", a statement by the Home Ministry read. "During ongoing probe of certain cases by NIA, it has been brought out that significant number of trading concerns engaged in LoC trade are operated by persons closely associated with banned terror organisations involved in fueling terrorism/separatism," the statement also read. It was found that cross-border traders had been tapped by terror groups to help raise funds for terror activities in J&K. The NIA had found that a food item would be imported from Pakistan at a very low price and then sold at double the amount in India. For instance, Californian almonds would be imported by the trader at Rs 350 a kilogram and then sold at Rs 700 in the Indian market. The profit investigators say would be used to fund terror. Escalating tension as Pakistan mobilises additional troops, weaponry There is a select network of traders that the terror groups have tapped into to further their agenda. These traders work under terror groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, an NIA official informed. The NIA has also found a list of 21 items that are being imported by traders from Pakistan at a very low cost. Out of this the highest profit margin is for the California almond which sells at double the cost in India, the NIA official also informed. UP CM warns Owaisi: Followers of 'abba jaan', don't try to inflame passions over CAA Yogi Adityanath didn't take dip in Ganga as he knows rivers are not clean: Akhilesh Hours after EC ban ends, Adityanath's 'Babur Ki Aulad' jibe at SP leader India oi-Deepika S Lucknow, Apr 19: Back after a 72-hour Election Commission ban, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday called a Samajwadi party candidate (SP) "Babur ki Aulad" or "Babur's child". Taking on the SP candidate from Sambhal, Shafiq-ur-Rehman Burq, the Chief Minister said: "What can be said about SP... It fielded a candidate in Sambhal who claims himself to be the descendant of Babar, hesitates in garlanding the statue of Baba Saheb and does not recite Vande Matram," he said. "Once I was in parliament, I asked the SP candidate, who was also an MP, as to who were his predecessors, he said he was the successor of Babur. I was surprised," Yogi Adityanath claimed. After 48 hour mute order, Mayawati goes all out against Yogi "On the one hand, there is a candidate from a party which developed places linked to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gautam Budhha. On the other hand, there is an opposition candidate who calls himself a ''Babur ki Aulad''," Yogi Adityanath was quoted by news agency ANI. Yogi Adityanath had been reprimanded for referring to the Indian Army as "Modiji ki Sena", or Prime Minister Narendra Modi's army, at an election rally in Uttar Pradesh. The importance of arresting Bengal origin naxal, Kishan da who had Rs 1 crore bounty on his head Justice done: 2 naxals who killed BJP MLA gunned down India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Bhopal, Apr 19: Justice was meted out after two naxalites involved in the killing of a BJP MLA were gunned down by security forces. It may be recalled that the BJP MLA, Bheema Mandavi was killed along with four security personnel by naxalites in Dantewada last week. The naxalites triggered an improvised explosive device, killing the MLA and the security personnel. P Sunderraj, deputy inspector general of police 9anti-naxal operation, informed that the two naxalites were killed in an encounter with a search party comprising commandoes of the district reserve group. Naxals had frighteningly specific details on BJP MLAs convoy The encounter took place in the village of Dailikarka at Dantedwada. Those killed have been identified as Linga and Vargese. Another naxalite was injured in the encounter and later arrested. The forces recovered a .315 bore gun from the site of the encounter. The police say that Vargese was in charge of the Malinger Area Committee and carried a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head. The others were members of a local squad that functioned under the committee. 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: The mangoes are provided with a code from the Vietnamese Plant Protection Department and the US Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for management and tracibility. Nguyen Thi Hong Thu, Director of the Chanh Thu Fruits Import and Export Ltd Co, said the company shipped the first batch of eight tonnes of mangoes to the US by air on April 18th. The batch came from the My Xuong Mango Cooperative in Dong Thap. At present, the company has managed over 25 regions growing all kinds of fruit over an area of nearly 400ha, including 175ha of mango. In addition, the company has worked with many cooperatives growing fruits, including the My Xuong Mango Cooperative in Dong Thap province and the Binh Phuoc Xuan in An Giang province. At a ceremony announcing the first mango exports to the US, Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Peoples Committee of Dong Thap, said the province is home to 9,200ha of mangoes, producing 100,000 tonnes per year, topping the Mekong Delta region. Mangoes are among the provinces five key products to be boosted for export. Dong Thap has applied Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGap) and Global Good Agricultural Practices (GlobalGap) in mango cultivation, which has helped to improve quality. Mangoes are grown in 59 among 63 localities in Vietnam. Of which, the Mekong Delta region accounts for 48 per cent of mango plantations in the country. About 96 per cent of Vietnamese mangoes are produced and sold locally. Vietnamese mangoes have been exported to 40 countries, including the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, China and Thailand. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Plant Protection Department said the US had finally agreed to import Vietnamese mangoes after 10 years of negotiations. Vietnam gained an export value of USD4 billion from fruits and vegetables last year, according to the ministry./. Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. Malegaon to Samjhauta: How politics of terror derailed these cases India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Apr 18: The BJP after selecting Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal said that the decision was taken to punish the Congress for its Hindu terror bogey. It was in the year 2008 that the word Hindu terror cropped post the blasts on the Samjhauta Express, Ajmer, Mecca Masjid and Malegaon. Each one of these cases saw a major flip-flop. In all the cases, investigators first blamed groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Harkat-ul-Jihadi Islami and Students Islamic Movement of India. The investigations subsequently turned around and Hindu elements were blamed for all these attacks. The case against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: What is the latest However almost ten years later, while the trials in these cases are still pending, the narrative has changed once again. For instance in the Samjhauta case the accused including Swami Aseemanand were acquitted. In the Malegaon case, the NIA said that there is no evidence against Thakur. The court however in this case said that she would have to face trial. Take the Samjhauta blasts case for instance. When the probe into the case began, Safdar Nagori of the Students Islamic Movement of India had told investigators that the attack was carried out by the members of his outfit with the help of some elements from Pakistan. Nagori, who was arrested in 2008 told the police that the Mumbai train bombings and the Samjhauta attack were carried out by the same set of people. He said that the primary idea of the Samjauta attack was to derail peace talks between India and Pakistan. It was not just Nagori, but two other operates Kamruddin and Amil Pervez who took the same link. All of them spoke about the link between the attack and the SIMI. At around the same time the United States too pointed out about the role of a Lashkar-e-Tayiba financier Arif Qasmani in the attack. Shah defends Sadhvi Pragya's candidature, says she's answer to Congress's Hindu terror coinage The state department said that the blasts were funded by Qasmani. A further probe into this revealed that the SIMI operatives Ehtesham Siddiqui and Abdus Subhan were in touch with the Lashkar cadres and had planned this blast. The investigations also found that the Lashkar orchestrated this blast at the behest of the ISI to derail peace with India. However the case took a sudden turn after 2009. The Ajmer Dargah, Malegaon, Mecca Masjid and Samjhautha Express blast cases were all blamed on the Hindus. Each of these cases had two chargesheets and two sets of accused. Many had even cried foul stating that the UPA had deliberately changed the focus of these probes. The BJP which was in the opposition at that time blamed the UPA's appeasement policy for this role reversal. All these cases were then handed over to the NIA. At the start of the probe, the NIA secured a confessional statement by Swami Aseemanand. In the statement he confessed to be part of the conspiracy to carry out the attacks including the one on the Samjhauta Express. Meet Pragya Thakur, Malegoan blast accused and now, BJP's pick against Digvijaya Singh However, this statement did not pass legal scrutiny as it was made under duress. Subsequently the man the NIA termed as the prime accused in the case was acquitted in most of them. The case one could say is far from over. Recently a team of the NIA had sought information on Qasmani from the United States. The NIA would continue to probe that angle, especially in the wake of the four persons being acquitted by the special court on March 20. A soldier in Kashmir is also human, lest we forget No compensation for human shield Dar in Kashmir: Here is why Man who was used as human shield in J&K was on poll duty India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Srinagar, Apr 19: The Kashmiri artisan, Farooq Ahmad Dar who was tied to the bonnet of an Army jeep during the 2017 by-elections was posted on poll duty in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency. He was on health duty related to the polls, the Chief Medical Officer, Budgam, Nazir Ahmad said. Dar however did not cast his vote. Nearly two years ago, when Srinagar voted in a Lok Sabha bypoll, Farooq Ahmed Dar was used as a 'human shield' to ensure safe passage for army jawans as they came under intense stone-pelting, but now he finds himself posted on election duty. Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Phase 2: 66% voter turnout, polling peaceful barring stray incidents "Farooq Ahmed Dar is working on consolidated terms as sweeper in the Health Department. He has been posted on election duty," said Budgam Chief Medical Officer Nazir Ahmad. In 2017, a picture of Farooq Ahmed Dar tied to the bonnet of an army jeep splashed across the front pages of newspapers, invoking sharp but divided reactions. Investigations later found he was on his way to his sister's place for a condolence meet after casting his vote in the bypoll on April 9, 2017 when the army picked him up and tied him with ropes, parading him through nearly 28 villages. "What was my mistake? Going to the polling booth and casting my ballot?" Farooq Ahmed Dar had told PTI in a video interview last year. At this village, nearly 40 km from Srinagar city, where Farooq Ahmed Dar was tied to the army jeep, the incident is still fresh in the minds of the locals. After the polls opened at the Utligam polling station, only two of the registered 1,016 voters had cast the ballots in the first 100 minutes. The residents allege the stone-pelting was in response to the "unprovoked harassment" of the locals by the army officer and the "vandalism" by the troops. "It was the army personnel who went berserk and started beating up people and broke window panes of many houses that day. The youngsters were infuriated and retaliated by pelting them with stones," Nazir Ahmad, a local resident, told PTI. Ahmad admits the stone-pelting was very intense, which probably forced Major Leetul Gogoi to catch hold of Farooq Ahmed Dar and use him as a human shield. "He is not even from our village. He is from Cheill-Brass village, 15 km from here. That incident has brought only unwanted attention from all sides to our village. If we vote, it is a problem and if we do not vote, it is a problem," he said. Mohammad Aslam, another villager, said the police picked up 22 youths from the village over the past couple of days without any charge. "Most of them are labourers and students. We are least bothered about if any one comes to vote or not. We have formed a committee to ensure there is law and order problem in our village this time because we are concerned about our boys," he said. There is a sense of deja vu among some residents here. Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Dushyant Chautala to be AAP-JJP candidate from Hisar A young woman died on Thursday morning due to brain hemorrhage. Preparations were underway for her final rites at the graveyard right next to the polling station. "You would not have been able to come here had it not been for the death of the woman this morning. The scenes here would have been different," said a youth, who wished not to be named, indicating that disturbance in the area was planned. As this PTI reporter travelled to Cheill-Brass, a remote village just at the foot of the mighty mountain, Dar was not at his home. "He has gone for election duty," his mother Fazi Begum told PTI. She said Farooq Ahmed Dar was appointed as a daily wage employee in the state Health Department and has been on election duty since Wednesday. Asked if the eligible members of her family had cast their votes, Fazi Begum said, "I almost lost my son due to voting two years ago. Do you think we will go to vote again?" The 65-year-old woman said her son had to seek daily wage employment in the government department as he could not work on shawls anymore. "His thumb has been damaged after he was tied to the jeep by army people. Now he cannot work on shawls," she said. The State Human Rights Commission had awarded Rs 10 lakh compensation to Dar but the state government refused to pay up. "We have not got any help from the Government. (Then chief minister) Mehbooba Mufti did not honour the ruling of the SHRC," Fazi Begum said. She has now pinned hopes on the court where the case is under consideration. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 8:35 [IST] Not retiring, will be by Rahul's side when he becomes PM, says Deve Gowda on future plans India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 19: Former prime minister and Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) supremo H D Deve Gowda has said that he will not retire from active politics and that if Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister of the country, he will be by his side. Talking about his decision to contest the Lok Sabha polls, Deve Gowda in an interview with ANI said,"I announced three years back that I will not contest elections. There are circumstances now in which I have been forced to contest. There is nothing to hide. I have no ambition of anything but what I always said is that I am not going to retire from active politics," he said, adding "If Rahul Gandhi becomes the Prime Minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the prime minister." Deve Gowda, son, grandson turn emotional; BJP dubs it 'drama' Deve Gowda is contesting from Karnataka's Tumkur parliamentary constituency against G S Basvaraj of the BJP. Commenting on his son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's statement that there is a possibility that Deve Gowda might become the prime minister, he replied: "I am not bothered about this. My concern is (Narendra) Modi will come to Parliament. I have got the guts and conviction to tell it to the face of the PM. I have the courage. If Rahul Gandhi becomes the prime minister, I will sit by his side. It is not necessary to become the prime minister." Speaking about his commitment to the Congress, Deve Gowda said: "Madam Sonia Gandhi has taken the decision to support Deve Gowda even though we are a small party. Now it is my responsibility to move forward with the Congress, though I do agree in some states there is no question of any coalition. But in Tamil Nadu, there is a coalition between Congress and DMK and with Sharad Pawar's party in Maharashtra." Rahul's candidature in Wayanad sign of appeasement politics: PM Modi Responding to accusations of saving the family rather than the party, the JD(S) chief said: "Several leaders who worked with me collectively, have left. Some people are in Congress, some in BJP. I was able to keep the party intact but suffered. I have not allowed my family members to become president of the party." JKSSB SI Recruitment 2021: Last date to apply for 800 Sub Inspector posts, direct link here EC revises poll timing for J&K's Anantnag due to security threat India oi-Deepika S New Delhi, Apr 19: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday revised the timings for voting in Jammu & Kashmir's Anantnag and other three districts, where polling is scheduled to be held on April 23. As per the notification issued by the EC, the voting time in all the polling stations falling in the Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts has been revised to 7:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The earlier timing notified by the poll body was 7:00 pm to 6:00 pm. EC has made the amendment taking into account "all material circumstances including law and order situation," the notification said. Lok Sabha Elections: No vote cast in 90 booths in Srinagar parliamentary seat Polling in all districts of Anantnag will take place on April 23 (third phase), in Kulgam district on April 29 (fourth phase) and Shopian and Pulwama districts on May 6 (fourth phase). Several security forces personnel, including two officers, were injured in stone pelting incidents during polling for the Srinagar parliamentary seat. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 22:59 [IST] Rahul Gandhi should explain whether he wants to fight BJP or Left: Yechury India pti-PTI Kolkata, Apr 19: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury has urged Rahul Gandhi to explain whether he is keen on fighting the BJP or the Left as he feels that the Congress chief's decision to contest from Left stronghold-Wayanad has sent out a different message. Hinting that Gandhi's decision won't prevent the two parties from coming together after election, he spoke about 2004 when the CPI(M)-led Left Front had extended outside support to the Congress-led UPA. He said out of the 61 Left MPs, 57 had won by defeating the Congress. "In all the 20 seats of Kerala, the contest is between the Congress-led UDF and Left-led LDF, whether its Rahul Gandhi or XYZ candidate. We are saying today that defeating the BJP is necessary to save India today," Yechury told in an interview. "Now what does Rahul Gandhi want to do is up to him. What is the message he is giving by contesting against the Left in Kerala unlike his mother or grandmother who had contested against the BJP from Karnataka. He should tell the country whether he is keen on fighting BJP or the Left. He should clarify this," he said. Indira Gandhi had contested from Chikmagalur in October 1978 and Sonia Gandhi from Bellary in 1999 in Karnataka. Fighting against the BJP is one thing, fighting against the Left sends out a different message, he said. Yechury said if Gandhi was keen on sending a message of united India by contesting from a southern state he could have contested from Tamil Nadu or Karnataka. He was commenting on Gandhi's recent speech where he had said that the reason behind contesting from Kerala was to give a message that "India is not just one idea but millions of different viewpoints". Asked whether Gandhi contesting from Kerala would act as a roadblock for the CPI(M) in supporting the Congress in a post-poll scenario, Yechury said, "Roadblock for what? If Rahul Gandhi is not there then there will be some other Congress candidate." "We are fighting Congress politically in Kerala and we will fight it," he said, noting that in 2004 when Left supported UPA-1, out of the 61 seats, the Left had won 57 by defeating the Congress. Yechury exuded confidence that a secular democratic government would come to power post elections and said the these polls will be the most crucial since Independence as the outcome will determine whether the country will remain a secular, democratic republic, as enshrined in the Constitution. "The BJP, which is an arm of the RSS, has a game plan to convert India into Hindu Rashtra. They have undermined every democratic institutions of the country. We will never allow this to happen and that is why it is crucial to defeat this government," he said. Asked whether the CPI(M) will be a part of the proposed secular government or will it limit its role up to providing outside support, Yechury said it will decided post polls. "According to our party programme, the question of participating or not participating in government will be decided on the basis of the concrete situation that emerges at such a time, by our central committee. This decision will be taken at that time," he said. Criticising the BJP for its effort to polarise the elections on the basis of religion and nationalism, Yechury referred to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's recent comment that he would like the BJP to win and said the statement had only made it clear "who is pro-Indian and pro-Pakistani". "The BJP has been branding opposition and those who have questioned them as Pakistani. But after Imran Khan's statement we know who Pakistan actually wants as PM. Pakistan wants Modi to win and India wants Modi to lose," he said. In an interview to foreign journalists, Khan said he believed there was a better chance of peace talks with India and settling the Kashmir issue if the BJP wins the general elections. The 66-year-old communist leader slammed BJP president Amit Shah for terming infiltrators "termites" and said it is one of the "most obnoxious and offensive comments" and wondered why the Election commission is yet to take cognisance of it. He said it was clearly a case of hate speech and violation of the Model Code of Conduct. "I really cannot understand why the EC is yet to take notice of it," Yechury said. On the issue of failure of the seat-sharing deal with the Congress in West Bengal, Yechury said the grand old party should answer why it decided to go alone. "The CPI(M) was sincere in its commitment to ensure maximum polarisation of anti-BJP and anti-TMC votes in Bengal. We unilaterally announced that there should be no mutual contest in six seats. But the Congress on the basis of its own wisdom announced candidates, so it is for them to answer," he said. Yechury said that as far as the people of Bengal were concerned, the most sincere efforts for defeating the TMC and the BJP were being made by the CPI(M) and Left. With the BJP emerging as the main contender of the ruling Trinamool Congress, the CPI(M) in Bengal is fighting a tough battle to retain its political ground. In the 2014 parliamentary election, the Trinamool Congress won 34 seats in Bengal, the Congress four and the Left and the BJP two each. PTI No permanent judgeship for Justice Ganediwala over her skin-to-skin contact judgment Scribe gets relief in suicide abetment case of Army jawan India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Mumbai, Apr 19: The Bombay High Court quashed a case lodged against a senior journalist and a retired soldier for allegedly abetting the suicide of an Army jawan and carrying out a sting operation in a prohibited area. While quashing the case, a division bench of justices Ranjit More and Bharati Dangre observed that accused journalist Poonam Agarwal had not done anything that affected the national interest. The court also noted that the Army was being "vindictive" in the present case. On March 27, 2017, the Deolali Camp police in Nashik registered a case against Agarwal and Deepchand Singh, a retired soldier and war veteran, under various IPC sections for abetment of suicide of jawan Roy Mathew and trespassing, and also under provisions of the Official Secrets Act for allegedly carrying out a sting operation in a prohibited area. Bombay HC restores Good Friday as public holiday in Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu The case was registered after Mathew, a sahayak with the Army, allegedly committed suicide on February 7, 2017. According to police, Mathew featured in the sting operation carried out by Agarwal and Singh, exposing the sahayak system in the Army, and that he allegedly committed suicide out of fear and shame. Agarwal and Singh had later approached the high court seeking to quash the case against them. Army's counsel Sandesh Patil argued that the accused entered a prohibited area and made videos. "Our contention is that the accused were spying," Patil said. The bench, however, refused to accept the contention. "Spying has a different meaning. We do not find anything in this case that says the accused persons did something that affected the national interest," Justice Dangre said. "She (Agarwal) did not have any intention to go and commit an offence. We do not understand why you (Army) are so vindictive," Justice More said. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 11:03 [IST] Got an idea of what was to come, former Pak envoy on meeting Ram Madhav Stay away from Indian elections, don't need your advice: Ram Madhav to Pakistan PM Imran Khan India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 19: Backing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's theory that Congress might be plotting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said it would be "better that Imran Khan keeps off Indian elections". Speaking to ANI, Madhav said, "Who will be the prime minister of India will be decided by the people of India. We are wise enough; we don't need advisers from across the border. When we come back to power, we know how to deal with our neighbours. We don't need advisers or suggestions from across the border." "It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions. They are not questioning the government but the very credentials of the Army itself," he said. DRDO achievement pride for nation, let us not play politics on it: Ram Madhav Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said she believes that Imran Khan's statement that Indo-Pak peace talks would have a better chance of the BJP comes to power was just a ploy. "Such statements come around elections in India and also there have been eminent Congress leaders who've gone there to seek help 'Modi hatane ke liye madad karo business'. I wonder if this is also part of scheme of things which have been put forth by the Congress' side," Sitharaman said. Earlier, Khan had reportedly said that "there might be a better chance of peace talks with India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the upcoming elections". Superstar Rajinikanth says,' he is ready to face next elections' India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Apr 19: Actor Rajinikanth on Friday said that 'he is ready' for contesting the state elections if the need arises. He said that the decision will be taken post the conclusion of Lok Sabha Elections 2019, that is, on May 23. Rajinikanth said,"Whenever the state assembly elections happen, I'm ready to face it. I dont want to disappoint my followers. No change in my stand," he said. Rajinikanth was asked if he will contest the state polls if All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) fell short of a majority after the assembly bypolls to which the actor gave an affirmative response. Soundarya Rajinikanth, Vishagan Vanangamudi tie the knot; Celebs, politicians make a beeline Earlier this year in February, the actor had announced that he will not contest the coming Lok Sabha polls nor will he support any political party. The superstar had also urged people to vote for the party (which they feel) would be able to form a decisive majority and solve the water woes of Tamil Nadu and introduce adequate schemes to bring a permanent solution. These are worst days for country, says Mehbooba Mufti on remarks of Sadhvi Pragya against Karkare India oi-PTI New Delhi, Apr 19: "These are the worst days for the country", said former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday, reacting to remarks on former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. "I think these are the worst days for our country that you are giving such a choice of candidates to the people who use such language against a martyr like Hemant Karkare," Mehbooba told reporters here. Thakur on Friday said Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her badly. Karkare, along with two other senior police officers, was killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP on Wednesday had fielded Thakur from the Bhopal parliamentary seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh. Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mehbooba asked the BJP what the party wanted to convey to the people of the country by fielding a candidate like Thakur. "What do you want to convey to the people by fielding in the elections a lady against whom there is a charge sheet and such grave charges and who was in jail? That whatever the lady stands for, the BJP stands for those things?" the PDP president said. She also termed as a "huge setback" the suspension of the cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan. Also read | 'Cursed ATS chief Hemant Karkare, he died', says Sadhvi Pragya; sparks row "This is a huge setback. All the work done by (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, whatever he has done, it seems that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi wants to demolish all that. The present NDA government wants to turn upside down and demolish all of Vajpayee's CBMs and steps whether political or others like the negotiations or dialogue with Pakistan, or dialogue in J-K and opening of routes and trade," Mehbooba said. The former chief minister said it was ironical that the decision to suspend the cross-LoC trade was taken on the same day when Vajpayee had visited Kashmir in 2003 and extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan. "I think this is very unfortunate, very ironical also, because it was on this day that Vajpayee had come to Kashmir and had extended the hand of friendship with Pakistan and had said he will address the Kashmir issue within the ambit of humanity. "The opening of Muzaffarabad road was initiated by Vajpayee. It seems that we are going backward rather than moving forward because the solution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue is only this that all the routes have to be reopened," she said. India had on Thursday indefinitely suspended the cross-LoC trade at two points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, following reports that it was being "misused" by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency. In an official statement, the Home Ministry had said orders have been issued for halting the trade at Salamabad of Baramulla district in the Kashmir region and Chakkan-da-Bagh of Poonch district in the Jammu region after reports of very large scale "misuse" of the cross-LoC trade. Mehbooba said the BJP wanted to suspend the trade when she was the chief minister, but she had resisted the move. "When I was the chief minister, even then they (BJP) had tried to suspend the cross-LoC trade, but I resisted. I want to tell the government of India that the problem of Jammu and Kashmir is very serious and difficult - an instance of which we saw in the unfortunate attack in Pulwama. "If we choke the routes which have been opened and also choke the space further here, then its consequences will be dangerous, because, ultimately, the solution to the J-K issue is that Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkote, Uri-Muzaffarabad, and all such old routes connecting us with Central Asia or South Asia since 1947 have to be restored," she said. Mehbooba said, " I think J&K is being involved in the elections across the country and it is being shown that they are using a muscular, a tough policy and all of it is being done for polarisation." PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 18:57 [IST] Masks to social distancing: The security nightmare that COVID-19 is posing Gautam Gambhir's father's SUV stolen from outside his home in Delhi Hit and run or murder: CCTV footage of Jharkhand judges death raised in SC Tripura Cong chief slaps man part of BJP ally at police station India oi-Oneindia Staff By Anuj Cariappa Agartala, Apr 19: Tripura Congress president Pradyot Dev Burman courted controversy after he was seen in a CCTV footage slapping a supporter of the IPFT, an ally of the ruling BJP, inside a police station. Police arrested the IPFT supporter earlier in the day on the charge of trying to attack the convoy of Congress' Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Dev Burman in Khowai district of Tripura on Thursday. Pragya is the sister of the state Congress president. Congress fails to find replacement of Sarma in North East The accused supporter of the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) allegedly tried to throw brickbats at the convoy of the candidate but he was captured by the security guards escorting her car, Deputy Inspector General of Police Arindam Nath said. The incident took place while Pragya was on her way back from a rally at Tulashikhar, a tribal hamlet in Khowai district. Pragya Dev Burman is the Congress candidate for East Tripura (ST) constituency which will go to polls on April 23. "We were returning after attending a public meeting at Tulashikhar area. An IPFT supporter tried to hurl a stone at my car. It seems there were more people with him," Pragya told reporters. Senior BJP leader and Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath showed the CCTV footage of Tulashikhar police station where the accused was taken and Pradyot Dev Burman slapped him. It showed that the state Congress president took law into his hands and wanted to send the message that he would terrorise and attack his political opponents, Nath claimed. "If he can manhandle a person inside a police station, he can also murder anyone anywhere," the law minister said. Polling in Tripura (East) LS seat deferred to April 23: EC Pradyot Dev Burman, however, remained unapologetic. "He is a goon. He and many others were trying to attack my sister. Why is the BJP trying to protect a goon? Let the BJP go and file an FIR against me. Let them put me in jail. I will not even seek a bail," he said. The state Congress chief earlier said, "Very sad to see that my sister Pragya was attacked by paid goons in Tulashikhar. One person was arrested. I have no words to condemn it." IPFT spokesperson Mangal Debbarma claimed that the arrested supporter was there by co-incidence and neither he nor the party was involved in the attack. BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya denounced the incident saying "any attempt of attack is condemnable". The BJP-IPFT combine ousted the CPI(M)-led Left Front from power after 25 years in early 2018. The Election Commission had on Tuesday announced postponement of polling in the East Tripura seat to the third phase on April 23 from April 18, saying the prevailing law and order situation there is not conducive for holding free and fair polls. Tripura has two Lok Sabha seats. Elections for the first phase were held in West Tripura seat on April 11, and the Congress and CPI (M) demanded re-poll in 460 polling stations on the ground of alleged rigging by the ruling BJP. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, April 19, 2019, 9:37 [IST] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 18) Photos released by a U.S. based think tank showed vessels believed to be part of Chinas maritime militia in the vicinity of Philippine-occupied island features in the South China Sea. A report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) on Tuesday showed the vessels drawing as close as less than a kilometer (km) away from Kota and Panata Islands, which are part of the hotly-contested Spratly Island group. The two features are around 44 km away from Pag-asa Island, where a Chinese flotilla was seen from between January to March this year. Satellite images collected on March 12, 16, and 29, and April 7 confirm the presence of Chinese vessels in the area, most of which show every indication of belonging to the maritime militia. In almost every instance, the vessels are riding at anchor, many in large clusters, and without fishing gear in the water, the AMTI reported. On March 12, a single Chinese fishing trawler about 50 meters long was visible near Kota Island (Loaita Island). Four days after, the number increased to eight, and by March 29 there were at least 15 large Chinese fishing vessels and eight small boats spotted. Chinese trawlers near Loaita Cay, March 29, 2019 Two 20-meter Chinese vessels which towed three smaller boats appeared similar to the boats harvesting giant clams through destroying coral reefs around the South China Sea. The most recent incident of Beijings clam harvest was in Scarborough Shoal, which Manila had denounced. Philippine Navy tank landing ship and Chinese fishing vessels east of Loaita Cay, March 29, 2019 This month-long deployment around the two features shows that the flotilla around Thitu Island is not a one-off incident. As prior research has shown, the maritime militia is and will likely remain the most visible arm of Chinas power directed at its neighbors in the Spratly Islands, the report said. Manila and Beijings territorial dispute over the West Philippine Sea was reignited following the presence of Chinese vessels in Pag-asa Island, also known as Thitu Island. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs is studying filing a case against China over reports of Chinese fishermen harvesting the clams, and the department secretary claimed he has sent diplomatic notes to the East Asian country. Beijings recent actions in disputed territories have prompted the Philippine government to assert the July 2016 arbitration award which recognized the countrys sovereign rights in its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. This area is referred to as the West Philippine Sea, which includes some of the islands in the Spratlys. China ready for Wuhan-style summit meet with India despite differences over BRI: Foreign Minister International oi-PTI Beijing, Apr 19: China said on Friday it was ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit meeting with India this year to improve ties, notwithstanding the differences over the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative in which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project. Addressing a media conference here ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held from April 25-27 to showcase China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appealed to India to shed its opposition to the USD 60 billion CPEC, saying it no way "undermined" the basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Asked if India's opposition to the BRI would undermine the new momentum generated by last year's informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan city. Here is why trade along LoC with Pakistan was suspended by India "Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. "After the Wuhan summit, we see all areas or progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders," he said without specifying any time line. After the Wuhan summit hosted by China, the second summit will be held by India. President Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd informal summit after the general elections, currently underway, are over. Wang said so far 37 heads of state and governments had confirmed their participation in the BRF. Representatives from over 150 countries organisations' close to 5,000 participants have confirmed their participation. Leaders of Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries who would take part in the meeting. North Korea to attend China's Belt and Road Summit International pti-PTI Beijing, Apr 19: China said on Friday leaders from 37 nations and North Korean representatives will attend a summit for its Belt and Road Initiative next week as it hit back at criticism of the massive trade infrastructure project. Chinese President Xi Jinping's pet project is a USD 1 trillion programme that includes maritime, rail and road projects in Asia, Africa and Europe. The Belt and Road Initiative has divided Europe, and Washington has called it a "vanity project", but a growing number of nations are signing up despite warnings about debt and opaque deals that favour Chinese firms. N.Korea tests of new weapon with 'powerful warhead', first since Kim-Trump summit in Singapore Italy became the first G7 member to join the scheme this month and will be among the 37 nations represented at the leader level at the April 25-27 summit in Beijing, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said at a press briefing. Most other nations on the list have traditionally warm ties with Beijing, including most of Southeast Asia and eastern European countries that were former members of the Soviet bloc. The United States has said it will not be sending a high-level delegation. Wang said that "China's neighbour North Korea" will be sending a delegation. "This is very normal because it is an economic cooperation initiative... but (no countries) have the right to prevent others from participating," he said. He did not say whether leader Kim Jong Un, who will meet President Vladimir Putin in Russia this month, would participate. There has been growing concern over China's Belt and Road ambitions, with many western leaders calling the projects "debt traps". Last year, Sri Lanka had to give a 99-year lease to China on a deep sea port after it was unable to repay loans for the USD 1.4 billion project. But Wang hit back at criticism, saying that those who are are unable to do something well should not prevent others from doing it. "This sort of mentality is unconstructive and not helpful to others," Wang said. While some see the project as a geopolitical powerplay, Beijing has insisted that the Belt and Road is open to everybody. "I want to emphasise that this sort of partnership is not a geopolitical tool, but a platform for cooperation," he added. PTI Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 19) A Scottish national, who sustained injuries in a boat accident along the shores of Cebu, was rescued by officials on Thursday. The Coast Guard District Central Visayas came to the aid of Ronald Cruickshank, captain of sailing vessel My Hawkeye, after the 64-year-old made a distress call. Cruickshanks vessel was inoperable as it suffered complications in its main engine. According to the Coast Guard, My Hawkeye was drifting north towards the open waters off the Visayan sea. Cruickshank then sought medical assistance after sustaining head and back injuries while on board the vessel. The Scottish boat captain was then brought by officials to the provincial hospital of Danao. His boat was meanwhile towed to Carmen town. (CNN) North Korea's Foreign Ministry has issued a stinging rebuke of United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, hours after the country claimed to have tested a new tactical weapon. In a statement released by the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Foreign Ministry official Kwon Jong Gun said Pompeo had been "letting loose reckless remarks and sophism of all kinds against us every day." Kwon said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had made his "principled stand" on negotiations between Pyongyang and Washington clear in a recent speech to the country's rubberstamp parliament. "Everyone has a clear interpretation of his speech which says that the U.S. should change its way of calculation and come up with responsive measures before the end of this year," Kwon said. North Korea has been pushing for more sanctions relief before it continues denuclearization, while the U.S. has demanded greater evidence that the country is prepared to reduce its nuclear arsenal. The disagreement is believed to be the primary reason the most recent round of talks between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump fell apart in Hanoi, Vietnam. Pompeo was one of the primary drivers in Washington of those talks, and the historic first summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore. That meeting came about after Pompeo traveled to Pyongyang, where he was photographed smiling and shaking hands with Kim. The shine appears to have come off the relationship now, however. Kwon complained that Pompeo had characterized Kim's speech as being about finishing "working level negotiation between (North Korea) and the U.S. by the end of the year," an interpretation he said was "talking nonsense." "We cannot be aware of Pompeo's ulterior motive behind his self-indulgence in reckless remarks; whether he is indeed unable to understand words properly or just pretending on purpose. However, it is a very dangerous situation if he really did not grasp the meaning," Kwon said. "The meaning is that the U.S. should get rid of the root cause that pushed us into a nuclear state and obstacles on the way to denuclearization by its own hands; otherwise no one can predict how the situation on the Korean peninsula will turn out." He also appeared to blame Pompeo for the collapse of the Hanoi talks, saying that summit "gives us a lesson that whenever Pompeo pokes his nose in, the talks go wrong without any results." Kwon's statement concluded, "Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialogue with the U.S., I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but other person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us." A US State Department spokesperson said Thursday they were "aware of the report" of Kwon's remarks. "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation," the spokesperson said. Pyongyang has been growing frustrated with both Pompeo and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, particularly over recent testimony Pompeo gave to Congress on the lack of progress towards denculearization, said CNN International correspondent Will Ripley, who has visited North Korea and interviewed top officials numerous times. "From North Korea's perspective, the remarks that Pompeo gave (in Congress) were disrespectful to Kim Jong Un himself and so they want him to no longer be their negotiating partner," he said. "This puts President Trump in a very difficult position, because Pompeo has been his lead negotiator. If he acquiesces to North Korean demands and puts someone else front and center, that could be perceived as weakness by the North Koreans. On the other hand, if he insists Pompeo remains the negotiator, there is no guarantee that the North Koreans will agree to sit down and talk with him." New weapons test Kwon's broadside against Pompeo, Thursday, came soon after North Korea announced Kim had inspected and directed a "new tactical guided weapons firing test." "The development and completion of this weapons system will be a great historic event in strengthening the combat capability of the People's Army," Kim said, according to KCNA. The state media report was scant on details about the weapon. A tactical weapon is designed to be used on the battlefield, and is typically not a long-range armament. Pyongyang last conducted a "tactical" weapons test in November 2018. A South Korean government source with military knowledge told CNN that weapon was likely a piece of artillery "likely to be a multiple rocket launcher." At the time, South Korean Unification Ministry deputy spokeswoman Lee Eu-gene downplayed the significance of the 2018 event, saying Kim had been continuing his inspections in the military sector "intermittently." United States Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun has also dismissed the significance of Pyongyang's non-nuclear or ballistic missile tests. Harry Kazianis, a Korea expert at the Center for the National Interest, a Washington think tank, said the latest test serves as a reminder that Kim "never promised to stop testing all weapons in his military arsenal, just nuclear weapons and ICBMs that have the potential to hit the U.S. homeland." "Kim is trying to make a statement to the Trump Administration that his military potential is growing by the day, and that his regime is becoming frustrated with Washington's lack of flexibility in recent negotiations," Kazianis said. "Sadly, we are only one ICBM test away from another crisis with Pyongyang, and these smaller tests only bring us closer to such a moment." This story was first published on CNN.com, "North Korea: If US wants to talk, put someone 'more mature' than Pompeo in charge." Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market: Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2024 Top Key players like Top Key players like Mitsubishi Chemical,Evonik,Chi Mei,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/440187/global-poly-methyl-methacrylate-pmma-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/440187/global-poly-methyl-methacrylate-pmma-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) 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:Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) is a thermoplastic polymer of Methyl Methacrylate (MMA). It is a clear, strong and lightweight plastic generally used as a substitute to glass due to its energy efficiency and weather resistance.The main market players are Mitsubishi Chemical, Evonik, Chi Mei, Arkema, Sumitomo Chemical and LG MMA. The sales of poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) increases to 2567.2 K MT in 2018 from 2294.1 K MT in 2013 with an average growth rate of about 2.28%.Poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) is mainly applied in construction, photoelectricity, lighting and transportation, etc. Among those, construction application occupies the largest consumption share of 34.33% in 2018. With the development of economy, the downstream application industries will need more poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA). So, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) has a huge market potential in the future.According to this study, over the next five years the Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) market will register a 2.0% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 8920 million by 2024, from US$ 8080 million in 2019. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) business, shared in Chapter 3.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversMitsubishi ChemicalEvonikChi MeiArkemaSumitomo ChemicalLG MMADouble Elephant Optical MaterialKurarayPlaskoliteAsahi KaseiPTTGMShanghai JingqiZhongmeng LongxinLotte MCCMarket Segment by Type, coversGeneral PMMAHeat Resistant PMMAImpact Resistant PMMAMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoConstructionPhotoelectricityLightingTransportationOthersFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024United States Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024Global Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) Market Growth 2019-2024China Poly Methyl Methacrylate (PMMA) 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: Exclusive Report On Liquid Fabric Softener Market Analysis And Forecast Till 2025 by P&G, Unilever, Church & Dwight, Colgate, Henkel, Ecover, Scjohnson, Werner & Mertz, Sodalis Liquid Fabric Softener Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/106425 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/106425 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/106425 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/106425 www.upmarketresearch.com Up Market Research published a detailed report on Liquid Fabric Softener Market. The report provides an in-depth overview of industry and competitive landscape, covering multiple market segments and elaborates market outlook and status to 2025.Get Sample Copy Of This Report @The report contains 122 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Liquid Fabric Softener Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Liquid Fabric Softener Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 20192025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Liquid Fabric Softener Market analysis & forecast 2019-2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Global Liquid Fabric Softener Market Segmentation Includes:Region-wise Analysis covers:North AmericaEuropeChinaJapanIndiaSoutheast AsiaOther regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players include:P&GUnileverChurch & DwightColgateHenkelEcoverScjohnsonWerner & MertzSodalisKAOLionMitsueiPigeonAlEnBlue MoonLvsanLibyYipinjingProduct Type Analysis:General Fabric SoftenerEnvironmental Fabric SoftenerApplication Analysis:ClothingHome TextileGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Liquid Fabric Softener Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Key Reasons to Purchase:- To gain insightful analysis of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Liquid Fabric Softener Market and its commercial landscape.- Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations.- To understand the future outlook and prospects for Liquid Fabric Softener Market analysis and forecast 2019-2025.Avail Discount On This Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free 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 UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. 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.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States. Automotive Paint Robots Market Expansion to be Persistent During 2018 to 2028 | Key Players are ABB Ltd., FANUC CORPORATION, KUKA Roboter GmbH, etc. https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2232 https://www.factmr.com/report/2232/automotive-paint-robots-market https://www.factmr.com/checkout/2236/S https://www.factmr.com/ In order to dissert the market scenario prevailing across the automotive paint robots market sector, FactMR has evenly presented a new examination titled Automotive Paint Robots Market Expansion to be Persistent During 2018 to 2028 | Key Players are ABB Ltd., FANUC CORPORATION, KUKA Roboter GmbH, etc., to its extensive online repository. With all vital market facets enclosed into this single assessment, readers can learn about different market drivers, opportunities and trends which are likely to influence the overall market space for the automotive paint robots market in the coming years. In addition, factors such as market size, Y-o-Y growth and revenue share are investigated so as to make this research highly authentic and reliable.Get a Free Sample Report from Here Majority share of the automotive paint robots market continues to remain concentrated among well-established companies, particularly among top 5 players, namely, Durr AG, ABB Ltd., FANUC CORPORATION, KUKA Roboter GmbH, Yaskawa Electric Corporation. FactMR study opines the lead of these Tier 1 automotive paint robots market players will continue, with their collective revenue share estimated at over 80% throughout the assessment period (2018-2028). Operating margin of these prominent market participants is expected to oscillate between 7% and 9%. New product development, collaborations, and merger & acquisition activities prevail as pervasive expansion strategies for Tier 1 automotive paint robots manufacturers. Acquisition of AB Rotech by ABB Group, Durr AGs collaboration with KUKA AG for technically-advanced painting robots, and launch of P-40iA an intelligent, lightweight robotic arm for efficient & dynamic automotive painting are prime examples of expansion strategies of Tier 1 automotive paint robots market players.Orange peel prevails as an aesthetics-related challenge in the automotive industry, wherein variations in the finish paint quality stand out when compared. This is mainly the result of different locations associated with coating process of a diverse array of substrates that include various alloys of aluminum and steel.Process-oriented approaches have therefore gained emphasis among automotive paint robots market players for consistent conformance to rigorous aesthetic standards. Increasing sophistication among automotive end customers, apropos of uniform finish on both interior and exterior vehicle surfaces, has further led key automotive paint robots manufacturers to focus on developments to alleviate concerns related to orange peel.Request Automotive Paint Robots Market Report with TOC Here -Key automotive paint robots market stakeholders such as BYK Additives & Instruments, and Saint Clair Systems, have introduced robotic automation-based paint uniformity and thickness measurement systems. These systems include 2K paint temperature control system, and Wave-Scan measurement technology, which have become global standards for distinctness of image measurement and objective orange peel identification.Automotive paint robots market has witnessed several research efforts, particularly by research institutions and universities, targeted toward automating the painting trade. A prime example of such research projects being the development of mobile paint spraying system by the Nanyang Technological University, the arms of which can reach heights up to 10 meters.Developments such as aforementioned have served as a boon for established commercial vehicle manufacturers. Several other relevant projects, such as that of Hubert Palfinger Technologies GmbH, which focuses on development of a robotic painting system that can coat ships with area output of nearly 1400 square meters per hour.Relative efficiency and enhanced productivity offered by such developments point at their significant future penetration into the automotive paint robots market, thereby contributing to the market size.To Buy Global Market Research Report, Go with this Link -About FactMRFactMR 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb: CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. A statewide not-for-profit serving professionals who work in the field of recreation and parks recently recognized a local mans unremitting effort to help his community by declaring him its 2019 Citizen of Distinction. Jonesville resident, retired math teacher, nature lover, and longtime community volunteer Frank Berlin was recognized as the recipient of the award by the New York State Recreation and Parks Society at its 2019 New York Rec Summit last weekend in Lake Placid. Due to another commitment, Berlin was unable to make the ceremony in Lake Placid, and the award was presented to him on Monday by the organizations executive director Lisa Morahan as part of the Town Board meeting agenda. The April 15 ceremony drew about 25 residents who belong to many of the organizations Berlin has helped through the years. Morahan, a Shenendehowa High School graduate, said she was surprised and happy to learn that one of the organizations most competitive awards had been given to a resident from her hometown. She added that Berlins nomination received 19 letters and articles of support. The organizations Distinguished Citizen Award recognizes a private citizen, park board member, or volunteer who has demonstrated exceptional efforts towards enhancing and supporting parks and recreation in their community and/or the state. Names may be placed in nomination for cumulative service or for a single project. Berlins name was put in for consideration for the award by Clifton Park Parks, Recreation and Community Development Director Myla Kramer. Kramer read part of her submission letter recommending that Berlin be considered for the award. Our Exit 9 area is a premier commercial destination in the Capital Region, Kramer wrote. Recently our local school district planned on selling 37-acres of wooded property right in the heart of that area. The highest bidder had plans to build a grocery store, and Frank led the charge to have residents in the district vote on the future of that land. The Town of Clifton Park has purchased the land, and it will remain as parkland. Kramer noted that when she came to the Parks and Recreation Department as its director 14 years ago Berlin was one of the first community volunteers she met. She noted his enthusiasm, dedication, and scope of knowledge saying they were essential components to the growth of the towns outdoor programming and its open space. Frank has led nature walks highlighting animal tracks, foxes, ducks, and stewardship development, Kramer said. Hes been involved with local farms and agro-tourism and has created educational outreach on important issues such as the diminishing numbers of honey bees as well as Monarch and Karner blue butterflies. In recognition for local green advocacy, education and town programs the town awarded Frank its Town Advocacy Award in 2011. Kramer added that Berlin has been a role model not only for herself, but for countless town residents who have been touched by his advocacy, education, and enthusiasm. His most recent effort in conjunction with the town Parks and Recreation Department is for the towns first Kite Flying Day. Franks vision and pure dedication is truly unstoppable, she said. In accepting the award Berlin was emotional and generous noting that the recognition he was receiving was the result of many peoples efforts. Every one of you are advocates, he said. The thousands of people that helped us get the school land, the people that come and walk in our parks and appreciate them and then tell other people about them and may never have come to a meeting, people Ive met, its all of you. I accept this award for all of you. You cant do this alone. He credited the Town Board for always having an open ear to ideas and for lending support where needed. When I first started [volunteering] a friend told me you cant fight city hall and you cant, but you can work with them, he said. For me, its been wonderful because Ive met so many people. He added that its not just people who enjoy the parks and open spaces but the wildlife too. Some of the places may not be nice for people, but the animals love them so we leave them that way, he said. Town Supervisor Phil Barrett, who was given the Recreation and Parks Societys Public Service Award in 2011, made note of Berlins many appearances before the Town Board on a variety of issues. We joke with Frank a lot at these meetings, but we truly adore him, Barrett said. Nobody is more committed to the town, whether its environmental issues or any other issue that might come before us. Frank is there providing his ideas, his council, and his guidance. He is a tireless advocate for our community. He is always there, and thats important. Frank, you lead by example. The Market of Automotive Active Aerodynamic to grow beyond US$ 1,113.5 million by 2023 https://www.stratviewresearch.com/330/Automotive-Active-Aerodynamics-Market.html https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/330/Automotive-Active-Aerodynamics-Market.html https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Automotive-Transportation.html The new report of Stratview Research analyses the Automotive Active Aerodynamics Market over the trend period from 2012 to 2017 and forecast period from 2018 to 2023. The insights of the report shall enable informed decision making and strategy formulation for the near future to capitalize on the opportunities.Salient Features of the ReportThe Research Report offers an in-depth view of the market, its health and growth, the factors shaping the industry, the competitive dynamics and a glimpse of the future.The following are the key features of the report: Strategic segmentation Market analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porters five forces analysis, SWOT analysis Detailed Competitive Rivalry landscaping Market trend and forecast analysis Future Growth BoulevardsClick for detailed description:Get a free sample of the report:An overview- Aerodynamic technologies in automotive industryThe automotive industry is very keen to adopt technologies that can reduce carbon emission levels and meet or exceed emission norms imposed by different regulatory authorities of various countries. Aerodynamics is the third most effective technique for reducing emissions in the automotive industry after powertrain improvement and weight reduction. Active aerodynamic is the advanced aerodynamic technology, which selectively admits or restricts airflow based on real-time requirements and contributes towards the reduction in drag and thereby reducing emissions.The auto industry has efficaciously been ushering in a new era of aerodynamic vehicles with a meticulous investment into advanced components that can address the changing business requirements in the most effective manner. All the major automakers have vigorously been incorporating active components in their most-renowned vehicle models with the purpose to improve the overall fuel efficiency of vehicles in order to address stringent government regulations, such as CAFE Standards and EU Commission on Carbon Emissions Reduction Targets.The global automotive active aerodynamics market is likely to grow at an impressive double-digit over the next five years to reach US$ 1,113.5 million in 2023. Increasing vehicle production coupled with an increasing penetration of active aerodynamic components in newer vehicles, a rise in demand for improved aerodynamics in vehicles, and the implementation of stringent emission norms for reducing carbon emissions in the automotive industry are the major growth drivers of the automotive active aerodynamics market.Passenger car: The growth engineThe global automotive active aerodynamics market is segmented based on vehicle type as Passenger Car, LCV, and M&HCV. The passenger car is expected to remain the growth engine of the global automotive active aerodynamics market during the forecast period. An increased dependency on active aerodynamic components to achieve better fuel efficiency and to reduce carbon emissions in cars is primarily driving the segments market over the next five years.Dominance of: Active grille shutterBased on the component type, the market is segmented into Active Grille Shutter, Active Spoiler, Active Rear Wing, and Others. Active grille shutter is likely to remain the most dominant active aerodynamic component in the automotive industry during the forecast period. Over the last decade, active grille shutter has experienced a tremendous gain in various segments, especially in luxury and premium vehicles. On an average, 20% of the air in front of the vehicles goes below the hood of vehicles and reduces the aerodynamic drag. Active grille shutters perform a vital role in efficiently managing such airflow and improving aerodynamic efficiency.There are various other active aerodynamic components currently at the development stage for mass usage. These components are also likely to mark their presence in mass-selling vehicle models in the coming years. For instance; recently launched active air dam in Ram 1500 pickup truck is the first such active aerodynamic component being launched in a serial production vehicle model.A highly/moderately/fragment consolidated MarketThe top players are Rochling Group, Magna International Inc., Valeo SA, HBPO GmbH, and SRG Global.Other important firms are BASF SE, Celanese Corporation, and Lanxess AG.Regional Hegemony of EuropeBased on the regions, Europe is expected to remain the largest automotive active aerodynamic components market during the forecast period. Stricter emission norms of European Commission have led to a faster adoption of active aerodynamic components, especially active grille shutter, into the European vehicles. BMW AG, Audi AG, Ford Motors, Daimler AG, Lincoln, Volkswagen AG, Groupe Renault, and PSA Group are some of the key OEMs in Europe, which are increasingly adopting active aerodynamic components in some of their vehicle models.Comprehensive Market CoverageClick Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Automotive Industry:About Stratview ResearchStratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.400 Renaissance Center, Suite 2600, Detroit, Michigan, MI 48243 United States of America Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances Market Top Key Players Analysis | Panthera Dental, ResMed, OravanOSA, Whole You, Myerson, SomnoMed, DynaFlex, Oventus, and Apnea Sciences https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3608 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3608 Oral appliances are gaining traction across patients with obstructive sleep apnea, the most popular type of apnea. The disease is characterized by recurrent episodes of cessation of nocturnal breathing due to impairment in upper airway while in sleep. The episodes substantially affects the functioning of vital organs and the disorder is associated with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in global populations. Oral appliances are dental-fitted devices that have soared in popularity over the past decade as a potential alternative to continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) world over. Their rising acceptance can be attributed to the marked convenience and comfort the oral appliances bring to patients. That aside, the higher compliance rate of oral appliances with the patients than any corrective surgeries, including the CPAP, has stoked the popularity of these devices. They are being increasingly recommended for mild-to-moderate form of obstructive sleep apnea. One of the most common of them is mandibular advanced splints (MAS).Get Brochure of the Report @Most sleep apnea oral appliances are considered safe with negligible side-effects. MAS rectifies the function of upper airway muscles in patients, thereby reducing the risk of sleep apnea events. In recent years, there have been several randomized trials evaluating the safety and efficacy of various sleep apnea oral appliances on patients. These developments are catalyzing the expansion of the market. Researchers are focused on developing sleep apnea oral appliances that markedly reduce daytime somnolence, helps in better managing the nocturnal as well as diurnal blood pressure control, and are compliant with a larger patient population. The sleep apnea oral appliances market also witnesses the rising demand for modern devices, particularly tongue-retaining devices. However, the market awaits more clinical research and studies to evaluate the efficacy of these devices to ascertain how do they fare against MAS. The larger goal would be to increase their efficacy to match the level of CPAP.Global Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances Market: OverviewWith respect to numerous associated factors, the global sleep apnea oral appliances market has been thoroughly covered in the report. Some these factors which are comprehensively described in the report are chief growth drivers, prime restraints, competitive analysis, geographical outlook, and latest trends and opportunities. The compiled study covers a forecast that extends from 2017 to 2025. This study acts as a valuable insight for businesses which are already operating in the global sleep apnea oral appliances market, as well exists as a helping hand for those who intend to newly establish themselves in this environment. The report also prognosticates the market to witness extensive growth during the forthcoming years. Prime market dynamics associated with key trends are also detailed in the study.The global sleep apnea oral appliances market is mainly segregated into several segments on the basis of product, type, and region. Under product, the market consists of mandibular advancement devices and tongue retaining devices as primary segments. On the basis of type, the global sleep apnea oral appliances market consists of physician-prescribed/customized oral appliances and online OTC oral appliances as key segments.Global Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances Market: Trends and RestraintsA rampant surge in sleep apnea all over the world owing to changing lifestyles, rising geriatric population, and increasing stress levels among the masses are key reasons driving the global sleep apnea oral appliances market. Another factor making this market witness substantial expansion involves widespread technological advancements occurring in terms of improved oral appliances. The awareness about sleep apnea and its treatment is gradually rising, consequently propelling the global sleep apnea oral appliance market to depict outstanding growth.However, high costs setting up medical equipment for treating sleep apnea exists in the form of steep medical fees for patients and their kin, thus making many people refrain from opting for the treatment processes. This has been substantially hindering the markets growth from a global perspective. Nonetheless, several companies are trying to expand their presence from a geographical perspective as well as introduce cost-effective treatments. These factors are anticipated to reduce the effects of restraints substantially.Global Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances Market: Geographical OutlookFrom a regional perspective, this market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Of these, North America grabs the lions share in terms of revenue gained thanks to the presence of a strong healthcare infrastructure and rapidly increasing cases of sleep apnea among the masses. A favorable reimbursement scenario facilitated by governmental bodies as well as other organizations has also made the market grow extensively in this region. Apart from North America, the next few years are also expected to depict Europe to grow at a rapid pace in the global sleep apnea treatment market owing to rising sleep apnea cases and high demand for treatment processes with this malady.Global Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances Market: Competitive LandscapeThis market mainly depicts the existence of a highly fragmented and competitive vendor landscape, majorly due to the presence of innumerable players. Bringing about widespread innovations and development efficient treatments are prime strategies implemented by most businesses working in global sleep apnea oral appliances market. Most businesses have been operating in this market for numerous years, and have relied on carrying out extensive research as a key tool for attracting success.However, several local players are witnessing a substantial cutthroat competition owing to a mammoth influence cast by the larger players present in the market. Airway Management, Panthera Dental, ResMed, OravanOSA, Whole You, Myerson, SomnoMed, DynaFlex, Oventus, and Apnea Sciences are key players operating in the global sleep apnea oral appliances market.Get TOC for Detailed Facts and Numbers @Highlights of the report:A detailed analysis of key segments of the marketRecent developments in the markets competitive landscapeDetailed analysis of market segments up to second or third level of segmentationHistorical, current, and projected future valuation of the market in terms of revenue and/or volumeKey business strategies adopted by influential market vendorsOutline of the regulatory framework surrounding and governing numerous aspects of the marketGrowth opportunities in emerging and established marketsRecommendations to market players to stay ahead of the competitionAbout Us:TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact Us:Rohit BhiseyHead Internet MarketingTel: +1-415-520-1050 Download Global Cell Therapy Market, Clinical Trials, Therapy Price and Opportunity Insight 2026 https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-global-cell-therapy-market,-clinical-trials,-therapy-price-and-opportunity-insight-2026.php "Global Cell Therapy Market, Clinical Trials, Therapy Price and Opportunity Insight 2026" Report Highlights:Global Cell Therapy Market Opportunity: More Than US$ 35 Billion by 2026Cell Therapy Clinical Trial Insight by Indication, Company and CountryGlobal Cell Therapy Clinical Pipeline: 767 Cell TherapiesGlobally Marketed Cell Therapies: 25 Cell TherapiesMaximum Number of Marketed Cell Therapies In USA: 15 TherapiesPrice and Product Insight By Region/CountryRegional Analysis of the Cell Therapy MarketIn recent years, there has been a steady increase in the interest shown in the cell therapy segment from big pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies. Earlier, the idea for altering a cell or a gene to cure or treat a disease was considered impossible. But with the ongoing advancements, it has now become possible in the treatment or cure of a disease with the help of cell therapy.Cell therapies are still in the early stages of the clinical development and are expected to evolve in the market with a vast number of opportunities in the healthcare industry. In order to form a stable base for process evaluation and development it will be essential to understand the quality of cell based products. With an increasing number of cell therapies and clinical indications being assessed, it is clear that consideration will be given on how these therapies will be carried out and subsequently be delivered to the patients on a clinically relevancy scale.Currently, there are more than 750 cell based therapies in clinical pipeline. Most of the cell therapies are in Preclinical phase followed by Phase-I clinical trials. Analysis of the pipeline shows that majority of the cell therapy products that are currently under development are targeted towards treatment of complex disease like cardiovascular disease, neural disease and cancer. More than 20 cell therapies are commercially available in the market. However, when it comes to marketed products, more than half of the products that are currently available are in the tissue and skin treatment segment such as Apligraf and Dermigraf.Few cell therapy products such as Kymriah, Provenge and Yescarta have emerged as the most promising therapeutics of the decade with excellent result in treatment of various clinical indications, but the market remains widely untapped due to the high price tag.The cell therapy technique finds wide usage in almost all types of therapeutic areas. However, majority of the cell therapy research is currently being done in the cancer, Neurological, Cardiovascular and Inflammatory segments due to their high mortality rate among the global population. Few cell therapy research is being done in the diabetic segment too where the aim is to develop an artificial pancreas using cell therapy which would work just like a natural pancreas.Cell therapies will also have the potential to replace many risky, costly and invasive surgeries. For many disease conditions, such as diabetes, patients are required to take a prescription on a daily basis. A cell therapy approach will substantially reduce the healthcare costs of this disease by providing a one-time treatment. In the same way cell therapy approaches to pain management will also reduce the costs of opioid-based pain medications. Cell therapy, in combination with the recent advances in iPS cell generation and CRISPR-Cas 9, also has a great opportunity in the future.The path towards the success for cell therapy will consist of a combination of scenarios that is being imagined for the cure of diseases and is hoped that these will definitely come true in the near future. The advantages and risks of current cell therapy practices will improve translational success and accelerate clinical development of safe and efficient cell products in the future.For Report Sample Contact: neeraj@kuickresearch.com or +91-11-47067990Download Report:Report Table of Contents1. Overview of Cell Therapy1.1 Introduction to Cell Therapy1.2 History and Evolution of Cell Therapy2. Types of Cell Therapy2.1 Allogeneic Cell Therapy2.2 Autologous Cell Therapy2.3 Human Embryonic Stem Cell Therapy2.4 Neural Stem Cell Therapy2.5 Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy2.6 Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation3. Mechanism of Therapeutic Action in Cell Therapy4. Manufacturing of Cell Therapies4.1 Models for Manufacturing Cell Therapies4.2 Facilities for Good Manufacturing Practice5. Advantages of Cell Therapy Over Conventional Therapy5.1 Anti-Aging with Cell Therapy5.2 Addressing Other Diseases with Cell Therapy6. Personalized Cell Therapy6.1 Overview of Personalized Cell Therapy6.2 Personalized Cell Therapy Using Epigenetic Tools6.3 Personalized Cell Therapy through Mesenchymal Stem Cells6.4 Treatment of Parkinsons Disease through IPSCs6.5 Case Study: Personalized Cell Therapy for Pulpitis Using Autologous Dental Pulp Stem Cells and Leukocyte Platelet Rich Fibrin7. Cell Therapy Application by Therapeutic Areas7.1 Cardiovascular Disease7.2 Neurological Disorders7.3 Inflammatory Diseases7.4 Diabetes7.5 Cancer8. Global Cell Therapy Market Outlook8.1 Current Market Scenario8.2 Cell Therapy Market by Cell Source8.2.1 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (IPSCs)8.2.2 Bone Marrow8.2.3 Umbilical Cord Blood Derived Cells8.3 Global Cell Therapy Clinical Pipeline (Company,Indication, Region) Overview9. US - Cell Therapy Dosage and Cost Analysis9.1 Allocord9.2 Laviv9.3 Maci9.4 Clevecord9.5 Hemacord9.6 Ducord9.7 Provenge9.8 HPC, Cord Blood (Clinimmune Labs, University of Colorado Cord Blood Bank)9.9 HPC, Cord Blood (LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc)9.10 HPC, Cord Blood (Bloodworks)9.11 HPC, Cord Blood (MD Anderson Cord Blood Bank)9.12 Gintuit9.13 Kymriah*9.14 Yescarta*9.15 Carticel10. South Korea - Cell Therapy Dosage and Cost Analysis10.1 Cartistem10.2 Chondron10.3 KeraHeal10.4 Cellgram10.5 Cure Skin Injection11. Australia, Europe and Japan - Cell Therapy Dosage and Cost Analysis11.1 Holoclar (Europe)11.2 Yescarta (EU)11.3 Kymriah (EU)11.4 Temcell HS (Japan)11.5 Chondrocytes-T-Ortho-ACI (Australia)12. Cell Therapy Market Trends: Geographically12.1 US12.2 South Korea12.3 Europe12.4 Japan12.5 China12.6 Rest of the World12.6.1 Africa12.6.2 Middle East12.6.3 South America13. Advancements in Cell Therapy13.1 Drug Based Therapies Advancements in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia13.2 Advances in Cytomegalovirus Infection Prevention and Treatment13.3 Stem Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Parkinsons Disease13.4 Stem Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Alzheimers Disease13.5 Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis via Stem Cell Therapy13.6 Role of Stem Cell Therapy in Treating Infertility13.7 Stem Cells for Eye Diseases13.8 Cell Therapy for Stroke and Angina Pectoris13.9 Stem Cell Therapy in Improving Wrinkles and Acne Scars14. Treg Cells - The Next Edge of Cell Therapy14.1 Introduction to Treg Cell14.2 Isolation and Expansion of Treg Cell14.3 Mechanism of Action14.4 Clinical Trials of Treg Cell Therapy14.4.1 Adoptive Cell Therapy of Treg cells to Prevent GvHD14.4.2 Adoptive Cell Therapy of Polyclonal and Alloantigen-specific Treg cells to Prevent Solid Organ Transplant Rejection14.5 Treg Cell Therapy for the Treatmet of Autoinflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases14.5.1 Inflammatory Bowel Disease14.5.2 Systemic Lupus Erythematosus14.5.3 Autoimmune Hepatitis14.5.4 Pemphigus Vulgaris14.5.5 Allergy and Asthma14.6 Future Prospects of Treg Cell Therapy15. Global Cell Therapy Market Dynamics15.1 Market Drivers15.2 Commercial Challenges16. Global Cell Therapy Market Future Prospects17. Marketed Cell Therapies Clinical Insight by Company and Indication17.1 Tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah)17.2 Axicabtagene Ciloleucel (Yescarta)17.3 Allogeneic Cultured Keratinocytes And Fibroblasts (Gintuit)17.4 Adipose Stem Cell Therapy (Adipocell (Anterogen), Cupistem and Queencell)17.5 Tonogenchoncel-L (INVOSSA-K inj)17.6 Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapies (Stempeucel)17.7 Remestemcel-L (Prochymal and TEMCELL HS Inj.)17.8 Sipuleucel-T (Provenge)17.9 Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy - Pharmicell17.10 Autologous Cultured Chondrocytes (MACI)17.11 Autologous Cultured Chondrocytes (Chondrotransplant DISC)17.12 Autologous Corneal Epithelial Stem Cell Therapy (Holoclar)17.13 Nalotimagene Carmaleucel (Zalmoxis)17.14 Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy For Cartilage Repair (Cartistem)17.15 Autologous Chondrocyte Implant - TETEC17.16 Muscle-Derived Autologous Stem Cell Therapy (MyoCell)17.17 Human Skin Replacement (CellSpray)17.18 Leukocyte Cell Therapy (CureXcell)17.19 Autologous Cultured Chondrocyte Implant (Carticel)17.20 Azficel-T (Laviv)17.21 Autologous Cultured Chondrocytes (CHONDRON)17.22 Autologous Chondrocytes (BioCart)17.23 Amniotic Cell Therapy (NuCel)17.24 Dendritic Cell-Activated Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells - Shanghai Jia Fu Medical17.25 Autologous Cultured Myoblasts And Fibroblasts (Urocell)18. Global Cell Therapy Clinical Pipeline by Company, Indication and Phase18.1 Research18.2 Preclinical18.3 Clinical18.4 Phase-018.5 Phase-I18.6 Phase-I/II18.7 Phase-II18.8 Phase-II/III18.9 Phase-III18.10 Preregistration18.11 Registered19. Competitive Landscape19.1 Athersys Inc.19.2 Baxter Healthcare Corporation19.3 Bone Therapeutics19.4 Celgene Corporation19.5 Cell Medica19.6 Cellerant Therapeutics19.7 FibrocellScinence19.8 Genzyme Corporation19.9 Green Cross Cell19.10 Histogenics Corporation19.11 Intrexon Corporation19.12 Intercytex19.13 ISTO Biologics19.14 Macrocure19.15 Mesoblast19.16 Molmed19.17 Nuo Therapeutics Inc19.18 OmniCyte19.19 Opexa Therapeutics19.20 Organogenesis19.21 Pharmicell19.22 TCA Cellular Therapy19.23 Stem Cell Inc.19.24 Teva Pharmaceuticals19.25 Tigenix19.26 Vericel CorporationKuick Research is a market research and analytics company that provides targeted information for critical decisions at business, product and service levels. We are quick, predictive and known by the recommendations we have made in the past. Our result-oriented research methodology offers understanding of multiple issues in a short period of time and gives us the capability to keep you full with loads of practical ideas. By translating research answers into strategic insight and direction, we not only rate the success potential of your products and/or services, but also help you identify the opportunities for growth in new demographies and find ways to beat competition.Neeraj Chawlaneeraj@kuickresearch.comKuicK ResearchNew Delhi 110 001, India+91-11-47067990 Marketing Automation Software Market top manufacturers 2015 - 2025 : HubSpot, Inc., Act-On Software, Inc., Marketo, Inc., Infusionsoft, Salesforce.com, Inc., Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, and Adobe Systems Inc. https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2573 https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2573 Global Marketing Automation Software Market: OverviewMarketing automation is the use of software that pertains to the complete or partial automation of actions in the marketing process. At the moment, some of the key features of marketing automation software involve those actions that are extremely repetitive in nature and take vast amounts of time to do manually. This includes the use of social media platforms and emails to reach out to potential buyers or clients or promote a companys product or service. Marketing technology is primarily there to make this task easier. There are also several types of marketing automation software that allow for a completely hands-off approach towards managing transactions and sending through orders for shipments of products. These type of services are often given a touch of personalization and interspersed with manual customer relationship management.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Marketing Automation Software Market: Key TrendsSome of the key advantages that marketing automation software bring to the table is their ability to improve a clients customer retention, customer lifecycle marketing, and lead generation management. These solutions can prove to be invaluable for a marketing company, thereby giving the global marketing automation software market a huge boost. Over the coming years, as digital marketing gets more and more complicated, it is likely for companies to look towards marketing automation solutions. Another key trend in the global marketing automation software market is the shift in the way consumers receive and give away information, as well as perform research before purchasing any product or service. These factors are crucial for understanding for marketing firms, and the global marketing automation software market can provide the right answers.Global Marketing Automation Software Market: Market PotentialWith a giant percentage of the worlds population now in possession of mobile devices and internet connectivity, the changes that online media and data are bringing about in all market sectors is opening up scope for the global marketing automation software market. The majority of the businesses in the world today are using some form of marketing automation software and the trend is likely to continue over the coming years. One of more potent segments of the global marketing automation software market is account-based marketing, which can create highly personalized and dynamic marketing platforms that can morph as per consumer searches and needs.More and more players from the global marketing automation software market are allowing for a dynamic approach towards marketing, with a greater level of organized targeting of consumers and how the marketing means will reach out to them. Even nonprofit organizations are making large scale use of marketing automation software to improve their outreach as well as the way their marketing strategies help gain more donations or contributions.Request TOC of the Report @Global Marketing Automation Software Market: Regional OutlookNorth America has had a key role to play in the advancement of the global marketing automation software market over the past few years. The presence of a large number of buyers of marketing automation software as well as optimistic investment potential have allowed this region to consistently hold the lead in the market. It is also likely for the region to hold a prominent place in the global marketing automation software market over the coming years. Meanwhile, the rate of investments made into the global marketing automation software market by companies from Asia Pacific is increasing at a swift pace, thanks to the growing interest shown by companies from the emerging economies of China and India. Both regions are especially an interesting prospect for players from the global marketing automation software market, due to the very high levels of cultural and social diversity within the nations, which makes it difficult for companies to fully understand their consumer demographics without the help of automated solutions.Global Marketing Automation Software Market: Competitive AnalysisThe leading players in the global marketing automation software market, as of now, include HubSpot, Inc., Act-On Software, Inc., Marketo, Inc., Infusionsoft, Salesforce.com, Inc., Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, and Adobe Systems Inc. The degree of competition within the global marketing automation software market is expected to grow stronger over the coming years, as the demand for these solutions increases.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050 Healthcare Analytics Market 2019: Technological Advancement with Top Leading Vendors like All scripts Health Solutions, Cerner Corporation, IBM Corporation, Health Catalyst, HP Development Company L.P Healthcare Analytics Market https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/request_sample.php?id=29137 https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=29137 https://www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=29137 www.healthcareintelligencemarkets.com This report, Global Healthcare Analytics Market, defines and briefly describes products, applications and specifications to the reader. This study lists major companies operating in the global market and highlights key trends of change adopted by the company to maintain its dominance. Using SWOT analysis tools, all the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the major companies are mentioned in the report. All major players in this global market are profiled with details such as service type, end users, applications and specifications.Healthcare analytics encompasses various technologies, methods, and skills employed at synthesizing and analyzing healthcare data from across a wide spectrum of health industries, with an aim to unravel crucial patterns and gain insights for improving healthcare outcomes. The centralized healthcare operations and improvements in the function of analytics platforms are factors for the growth of the market.Request for Sample PDF Copy of this Report@:The Major Players Reported In the Report Are: Inovalon, McKesson Corporation, Mede Analytics, Inc., Oracle Corporation, Optum, Inc., Verisk Analytics, SAS Institute Inc.It provides a refined view of the classifications, applications, specifications and much more for Healthcare Analytics Market. Recent developments and policies with respect to this market are clarified with maximum data. The report also examines the descriptions, analytics in terms of value & volume, several events and chain assembly of the industry for various practices in the global market.By Type, market can be split into: Prescriptive Descriptive PredictiveBy Component, market can be split into: Software Hardware ServicesBy Application, market can be split into: Clinical FinancialMoving forward, a competitive landscape of Healthcare Analytics Market is presented for understanding the market importance. This section gives the prime strategies, weaknesses and strengths and the major contributed of the growth have been highlighted. Regionally, market can be split into: North America, Europe, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, India.Get Reasonable Discount on this Premium Report @:With the help of Porters Five Forces analysis, the report provides a detailed analysis of the various factors influencing the industry. The analysis also helps to understand the degree of competition prevalent in the market. Furthermore, the report analyzes the value chain and various drivers and restraints of the Healthcare Analytics Market.Key questions answered in the report include: What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global Healthcare Analytics market? What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the global Healthcare Analytics market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the global Healthcare Analytics market?Get More Information @:HealthCare Intelligence Markets:HealthCare Intelligence Markets Reports provides market intelligence & consulting services to a global clientele spread over 145 countries. Being a B2B firm, we help businesses to meet the challenges of an ever evolving market with unbridled confidence. We craft customized and syndicated market research reports that help market players to build game changing strategies. Besides, we also provide upcoming trends & future market prospects in our reports pertaining to Drug development, Clinical & healthcare IT industries. Our intelligence enables our clients to take decisions with which in turn proves a game-changer for them. We constantly strive to serve our clients better by directly allowing them sessions with our research analysts so the report is at par with their expectations.Contact us:Marvella Lit+1 (888) 616-276690 State Office Center90 State Street Suite 700, Albany,NY 12207sales@healthcareintelligencemarkets.com Automotive Control Arms Market to Pave Path for Augmented Revenue during the Period 2018-2028 // by key player like - ZF Friedrichshafen, ThyssenKrupp, Magneti Marelli, Magna International https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=3190 https://www.factmr.com/report/3190/automotive-control-arms-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=3190 https://www.factmr.com/ https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ The factors that are driving the global Automotive Control Arms Market includes anti-corrosive, quick and easy-to-fit highly reliable features. The strict regulations for the fuel economy propels the automakers to upgrade the automotive control arms features, which aids in the increase of suspension arm sales. The rise in the sales of passenger and commercial vehicles will increase the demand for automotive control arms in the forecast period.Request TOC of this Report-The rising OEMs and aftermarket tie-ups with the advancement in technology and substantial investment by automotive manufacturers will boost the global automotive control arms market in the forecast period. Automotive control arms help in improving comfort level for passengers and are crucial parts of the steering system and suspension system in vehicles. Aftermarket vendors take considerable efforts for maintaining the material quality as well as the structure of the automotive control arms. These efforts are likely to pave remunerative opportunities for automotive control arms sales in the aftermarket. The advancement manufacturing industries have enabled them to use newly invented materials such as alloys of steel and aluminum that makes the automotive control arms stronger and durable under extreme conditions. There is a significant rise in the per capita income coupled with up surging living standards of people in developing countries, which has been an essential factor that increases the demand for passenger vehicles and driving the global automotive control arms market across the globe. Additionally, the stringent government regulations for consumer safety regarding LCV, HCV and passenger vehicles is also leading to an increase in the demand for automotive control arms market.The factors that are driving the global automotive control arms market includes anti-corrosive, quick and easy-to-fit highly reliable features. The strict regulations for the fuel economy propels the automakers to upgrade the automotive control arms features, which aids in the increase of suspension arm sales. The rise in the sales of passenger and commercial vehicles will increase the demand for automotive control arms in the forecast period. The low cost of ownership of these control arms make them budget-friendly components, which drives their penetration rate in suspension systems that are used in the majority of vehicles. With the increasing urbanization and rising disposable income of middle-class people are escalating the demand for passenger cars and anticipate the growth of automotive control arms market. The growth of technology and automation in the manufacturing and supply of recreational off-highway vehicles has further increased automotive controls arms attractiveness among the customers and industries.The high initial investments and lack of flexibility are stifling the growth of automotive control arms market. The cost of maintenance and replacing the damaged part of the automotive control arms is expensive and is impeding the expansion of the automotive control arms market.Browse Full Report with TOC-The rising sales and production of passenger cars and commercial vehicles in East Asia and South Asia region is expected to dominate the automotive control arms market during the forecast period. Automotive manufacturers are investing heavily on the development of innovative products to compete in the automotive control arms market. North America is expected to be the second largest automotive control arms market due to an increase in the demand for new passenger and commercial vehicles. North America is a mature economy as far as investment in the automotive industry is concerned. Europe is supposed to be the third largest automotive control arms market due to high competition in the automotive industry.Manufacturers are engaged in enhancing the value chain to maintain supremacy in the global automotive control arms market. The leading manufacturers in the automotive control arms market are mentioned below.America Axle & ManufacturingZF FriedrichshafenHyundai MobisThyssenKruppMagneti MarelliMagna InternationalTRWBharat ForgeYorozuCTETower Inc.BentelerThe research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the Automotive control arms market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, and 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 Automotive control arms market segments such as geographies, application and industry.The Automotive control arms 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 Automotive control arms market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on automotive control arms market segments and geographies.Request Brochure of this Report-About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Read Industry News at - Cement Clinker Market to Witness Robust Expansion by 2024 Top Key players like CNBM,Anhui Conch Cement,LafargeHolcim,Inc. https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/440244/global-cement-clinker-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/440244/global-cement-clinker-market https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Cement Clinker 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:Clinker is a nodular material produced in the kilning stage during the production of cement and is used as the binder in many cement products.CNBM has the largest global export quantity and manufacturers in Cement Clinker market, while the North America is the second sales volume market for Cement Clinker in 2017.In the industry, CNBM profits most in 2017 and recent years, while LafargeHolcim and Anhui Conch Cement ranked 2 and 3.The market share of them is 12.82%, 8.96% and 6.94% in 2017.The gap of market share is keep on enlarged due to different strategy.Nowadays, there are four mainly types of Cement Clinker, including Portland Clinker, Sulfate Resistant Clinker, White Clinker and Others. And Portland Clinker is the main type for Cement Clinker, and the Portland Clinker reached a sales volume of approximately 2155.85 M MT in 2017, with 89.93% of global sales volume.According to this study, over the next five years the Cement Clinker market will register a -0.4% CAGR in terms of revenue, the global market size will reach US$ 78600 million by 2024, from US$ 80300 million in 2019. In particular, this report presents the global market share (sales and revenue) of key companies in Cement Clinker business, shared in Chapter 3.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversCNBMAnhui Conch CementLafargeHolcimHeidelbergCementJidong CementChina Resources CementHuaxin Cement CoChina Shanshui CementTaiwan CementHongshi Holding GroupChina Tianrui Gr CementAsia Cement CorporationCemexUltraTech CementVotorantimInterCementCRHBuzzi UnicemEurocementDangote CementMarket Segment by Type, coversPortland ClinkerSulfate Resistant ClinkerWhite ClinkerOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPortland CementOthersFor More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024United States Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024Global Cement Clinker Market Growth 2019-2024China Cement Clinker 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: Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillators Market Top Key Players- Medtronic, Cardiac Science, LivaNova, Boston Scientific 2018-2026 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/6895 https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/6895 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Recent research and the current scenario as well as future market potential of Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillators Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026A wearable cardioverter defibrillator is a lightweight, easy to wear device worn by patients who are at a high risk of a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). A wearable cardioverter defibrillator is an external device that mainly consist of two components, garment and monitor. The garment is worn under the clothing as a vest to continuously to monitor the heart and on detection of an arrhythmia, it releases a shock to restore hearts normal rhythm. The monitor is worn around the shoulder using a shoulder strap or around the waist. It records the intensity of the arrhythmia. This whole process happens within a minute, as SCAs are unpredictable and need to be treated via a shock treatment to save victims life. A wearable cardioverter defibrillator is an alternative treatment method used to prevent SCAs in non-pacemaker-dependent patients who are awaiting an implant of a cardioverter defibrillator.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality globally. These diseases account for 31% of total global mortality. According to the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association, in the U.S., more than 325,000 people succumb to SCA each year and among those the survival rate is only 10%. According to the European Resuscitation Council, SCAs cause approximately 20% of all deaths in Europe. As per statistical projection of the United Nations (UN), the global number of people over the age of 60 years is projected to increase from 901 million in 2015 to 1.4 billion by 2030.Get Sample Copy of this report @Cardiac arrest is a public health issue, which has a severe impact on the wellbeing of human health. Prevalence of sudden cardiac arrest is directly proportional to the increasing population, worldwide. Rapid growth in the global geriatric population and rise in the number of sudden cardiac arrest cases are driving the wearable cardioverter defibrillators market. Increasing per capita income of people, rising awareness about cardiac diseases and cardiac arrests are fuelling the wearable cardioverter defibrillators market in developing countries. Technological advancements in wearable cardioverter defibrillator devices, such as reduction in the noise of electrodes, improvements in signal detection, weight and size reduction of the device to make it more comfortable for the patient, is another key factor boosting the wearable cardioverter defibrillators market. However, less awareness about the wearable cardioverter defibrillator device in developing countries and device lacking potential to detect atrial arrhythmia signals are key restrains of the market.The global wearable cardioverter defibrillators market can be segmented based on application, end-user, and region. In terms of application, the market can be segregated into congenital heart diseases, inherited arrhythmias, and peripartum cardiomyopathy. Based on end-user, the wearable cardioverter defibrillators market can be divided into clinics, hospitals, and home care settings, and others.In terms of region, the global wearable cardioverter defibrillators market can be categorized into North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounts for a dominant share in the global wearable cardioverter defibrillators market owing to the increase in awareness among the people regarding sudden cardiac arrests and wearable cardioverter defibrillator devices. Europe constitutes a large share of the market due to technological advancements and rise in the number of cardiac arrest and SCA incidences in the region. The market in Asia Pacific is expanding at a rapid pace owing to the increase in government support, rise in health care expenditure, and surge in per capita income. Increasing demand for wearable cardioverter defibrillator devices in Asia Pacific due to Rise in awareness about these devices, government support, rise in per capita income are some of the factors likely to fuels the market in the region.Prominent players in the global wearable cardioverter defibrillators market include Medtronic, Cardiac Science, LivaNova, Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical LLC, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Nihon Kohden Corporation, Defibtech LLC, and Physio-Control Inc.Request For TOC Report @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 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 strategiesThe main aim of the report is to:-Enable key stakeholders 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 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.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:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz Near Infrared Medical Imaging Market Industry Summary with Top Players Constraints Bruker Corporation, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Shimadzu Corporation, PerkinElmer,MIZUHO Corporation, Karl Storz Near Infrared Medical Imaging https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1682 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/1682 Near infrared medical imaging, also known as near infrared spectroscopy, uses near infrared light waves of wavelength between 650 to 950 nm to non-invasively probe the oxygenation and concentration of hemoglobin in the muscles, brain, and other tissues. The near infrared diagnostic imaging modality is advantageous over various other existing radio-imaging techniques due to its non-invasive nature that facilitates repeated usage of this technique on the patient without any side effects and harm. Moreover, specific absorption by natural chromophores allows to obtain functional information of the patient such as the concentration of oxy-hemoglobin within particular tissues. A variety of possible clinical applications are focused in near infrared (NIR) medical imaging research and most importantly, highlights development of a technique for screening of breast cancer. Moreover, near infrared imaging is advantageous in terms of portability and cost-effectiveness. This technique involves use of incoherent light source that is typically safer than that of the strong invasive lasers used in the invasive imaging techniques such as electroencephalography (EEG), positron emission tomography (PET), and others. Furthermore, the near infrared imaging allows considerable motion to the patient undergoing the test, which again serves as an advantage when compared to the other existing alternatives.Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the global near infrared medical imaging market is segmented into:Near Infrared Fluorescence Imaging DevicesNear Infrared Bioluminescence Imaging DevicesOn the basis of application, the global near infrared medical imaging market is segmented into:In-vivo ImagingCancer SurgeriesCardiovascular SurgeriesGastrointestinal SurgeriesPlastic/Reconstructive SurgeriesOthersRequest For Sample Copy:Market DynamicsIncreasing incidences of cancer and neurological diseases that demand imaging techniques for their diagnosis are expected to foster growth of near infrared medical imaging market. For instance, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International, breast cancer was reported to be the most common type of cancer detected in females with nearly 1.7 million new cases diagnosed in 2012. The data also suggests that this number is expected to increase by 2020 across the globe. Moreover, increasing prevalence of neurological disorders such as Alzheimers disease, epilepsy, dementia, and other diseases are also driving growth of global near infrared medical imaging market. According to the World Health Organization 2016, hundreds of millions of people are affected worldwide due to neurological disorders. The data suggests that over 50 million people across the globe suffer from epilepsy, whereas around 47.5 million people are suffering from dementia and around 7.7 million new cases are reported every year. However, high penetration of alternative medical imaging techniques in the market is expected to hinder the market growth over the forecast period.Regional InsightsOn the basis of region, the global near infrared medical imaging market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America holds a dominant position in the global near infrared medical imaging market and is expected to retain its dominance over the forecast period, owing to large population suffering from breast cancer and other neurological diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, invasive breast cancer was diagnosed in around 231,840 patients in the U.S. in 2015. Furthermore, key players in the market are introducing novel products, which is expected to aid in growth of the market in the region. For instance, in April 2017, Leica Microsystems introduced augmented reality near infrared fluorescence integrated imaging system GLOW800 at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting that facilitates full visual spectrum of white light into a single, real-time image. Asia Pacific is expected to witness a significant growth in the market, owing to increasing investments by international players by collaborating with regional players in the market. For instance, in June 2012, Infradex, Inc., a medical device company signed an exclusive agreement with Nipro Corporation for the distribution of TVC near infrared spectroscopy imaging system in Japan.Competitive LandscapeKey players operating in the global near infrared medical imaging market include Bruker Corporation, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Shimadzu Corporation, PerkinElmer, Inc., MIZUHO Corporation, Karl Storz GmbH, and NOADAQ Technologies, Inc. among others. Market players are focused on providing technologically advanced products to sustain their position in the competitive market. For instance, in April 2018, Shimadzu Corporation introduced new LIGHTVISION near-infrared fluorescence imaging system for visualizing lymph nodes and blood vessels for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.Download the PDF brochure:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Global (United States, European Union and China) Submersible Pool Lighting Market Research Report 2019-2025 https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/547766/global-united-states-european-union-china https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com/reports/547766/global-united-states-european-union-china https://www.marketresearchreportstore.com Market Research Report Store offers a latest published report on Submersible Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 158 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:In 2019, the market size of Submersible Pool Lighting is million US$ and it will reach million US$ in 2025, growing at a CAGR of from 2019; while in China, the market size is valued at xx million US$ and will increase to xx million US$ in 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during forecast period.In this report, 2018 has been considered as the base year and 2019 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Submersible Pool Lighting.This report studies the global market size of Submersible Pool Lighting, especially focuses on the key regions like United States, European Union, China, and other regions (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia).This study presents the Submersible Pool Lighting production, revenue, market share and growth rate for each key company, and also covers the breakdown data (production, consumption, revenue and market share) by regions, type and applications. history breakdown data from 2014 to 2019, and forecast to 2025.For top companies in United States, European Union and China, this report investigates and analyzes the production, value, price, market share and growth rate for the top manufacturers, key data from 2014 to 2019.In global market, the following companies are covered:AstelPentairWibrePahlenpHorizon S.R.LKichlerWestinghousePhilipsJ&J ElectronicsSavilightsGAMEINTEXMarket Segment by Product TypeLED Pool LightHalogen Pool LightOtherMarket Segment by ApplicationHouseholdCommercial UseOtherKey Regions split in this report: breakdown data for each region.United StatesChinaEuropean UnionRest of World (Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)The study objectives are:To analyze and research the Submersible Pool Lighting status and future forecast in United States, European Union and China, involving sales, value (revenue), growth rate (CAGR), market share, historical and forecast.To present the key Submersible Pool Lighting manufacturers, presenting the sales, revenue, market share, and recent development for key players.To split the breakdown data by regions, type, companies and applicationsTo analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends, drivers, influence factors in global and regionsTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Submersible Pool Lighting are as follows:History Year: 2014-2018Base Year: 2018Estimated Year: 2019Forecast Year 2019 to 2025For More Information On This Report, Please Visit @Related Information:North America Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024United States Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024Asia-Pacific Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024Europe Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024EMEA Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024Global Submersible Market Growth 2019-2024China Submersible 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: CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. Hundreds of youngsters living in the Shenendehowa School district poured into High School East last Friday night set on a mission to have fun while learning about science and health. Shens annual Science and Health Discovery Fair on April 12 didnt disappoint them. With parents in tow, the students moved about the building in a random pattern that took them from the lobby to the gym, up and down hallways, through the library and into several classrooms. And as they moved from table to table, the students were soaking up knowledge while enjoying an entertaining experience and, hopefully, for many parents, gaining an interest in one or both of the disciplines. The Discovery Fair gives elementary and middle school students the opportunity to learn how science and health surround ones daily life, are constantly changing, offer plenty of employment opportunities, and are anything but boring. Nonprofits and commercial businesses were represented by GlobalFoundries, the Pine Bush Preserve Discovery Center, Huntington Learning Center, Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, Wellspring, St. Peters Health Partners, Albany Medical Center, CAPTAINs CAPTeens, and the Southern Saratoga YMCA. The district was well represented also with information and demonstration tables from groups like Shen Forensics, the Science and Honor Society, Shen Robotics, Middle School Mathcounts Club, and the Science Department with its Engineering Design and Development Design Challenge. Though the event was geared to the younger set, many high school students could be found across the Shen tables regaling the youngsters about the benefits of their respective disciplines. One of the most heavily visited hands-on exhibits was that of Shens Forensic Science Course. The line of folding tables, set end to end gave visitors a chance to stop at any one of four stations that dealt with individual aspects of forensic science. Students and their parents could take part in fingerprinting, bone examination to determine gender and age, gel electrophoresis for separating DNA, or footprinting and tire track printing. A lot of us take the course because of all the crime shows on TV and because it gives you a look at the field to see if you want to go into it in college, said Lauren Mundinger, a Shen senior. Weve been pretty busy tonight. Teacher, James St. Denis, was overseeing all his student assistants as they helped prospective forensic scientists and pathologist learn what it was they were doing. When we first came to this event, there were two of us, me and the other teacher and we got bombarded with all the kids, St. Denis said with a smile. The next year we planned it out a little more and got some of our students to help us and its worked out fine ever since. One of the events hidden gems was the exhibit table from Silent Wings Raptor Rescue, Rehab, and Education. The group brought in five live raptors that comfortably looked on at all the activity going around them in the school hallway. Perched on their stands behind those dispensing information on them and the organization were Lilly, a red tail hawk, Wyatt, a Eurasian eagle owl, and Darwin, a barn owl. Not far away, Bailey, a 12-week old yellow Labrador retriever was being trained as a service dog for the group Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Though tired of all the petting and hugging, Bailey toughed it out between occasional rests on his blanket. Several demonstration tables in the gym were instant hits with students. Make your own slime drew a constant line of participants as did the CAPTeens table, Fun With Magnetism. At the exhibit table for the Childrens Museum of Science and Technology, young visitors took handfuls of three-foot-long wood dowel rods and set out to build something; the higher the better. I enjoy doing this, said Joel Wong, 9, a student at Karigon Elementary School. I like the creativity. Im trying to build something thats two stories [tall]. A visual scan of the room found a large number of students wearing blue and white headbands, reminiscent of a ninja warrior. The headbands were being presented to any student stopping by the demonstration table for Code Ninjas, a private, for-profit, a coding center for kids thats scheduled to open in Clifton Park Plaza next month where students can explore the coding intricacies of Minecraft and Roadblox. Also taking part in the event was the Town of Clifton Park with a pop-up mobile workshop on proposals for the 37-acre town park and an environmentally-friendly giveaway from its G.R.E.E.N. Committee. We usually give out tree seedlings for the Science and Health Fair but we couldnt get them this year, so were distributing seed packets for flowers, said Councilwoman Amy Standaert. Theyll beautify the town much quicker. India Medical Implants Market Expected to Grow faster according to new research report 2018-2025 India Medical Implants Market https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-toc-and-sample/2940 https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/2940 www.alliedmarketresearch.com Medical implants are the devices or tissues transplanted inside the body by a surgery temporarily or permanently. The implants are generally used to replace any damaged organs of the body or used for diagnosis or prevention of any function.Increase in incidences of chronic diseases, changes in lifestyle and adoption of sedentary lifestyle, technological advancements, rise in aging population, and growth in disposable incomes in the developed countries drive the medical implants market in India. However, high price issues and problems associated with implantation restraint the market growth. Factors such as technological advancements and increase in awareness amongst patients, rise in preference for a better quality of life, and untapped market opportunities in India are projected to provide market growth opportunities.Download Sample Report @The India medical implants market is segmented on the basis of type and biomaterial. On the basis of product, it is segmented into orthopedic implants (reconstructive joint implants, which include knee replacement implants, hip replacement implants, extremities, orthobiologics, and craniomaxillofacial), cardiovascular implants (pacing devices and stents), spinal implants (interbody fusion devices, thoracolumbar devices, cervical fixation devices, spinal electrical stimulation, vertebral compression fracture (VCF) devices, and motion preservation devices), neurostimulators (deep brain stimulators, sacral nerve stimulators, spinal cord stimulators, vagus nerve stimulators, and other neurostimulators), ophthalmic implant (intraocular lens and glaucoma implants), dental implants (plate form dental implants and root form dental implants), facial implant, and breast implant. On the basis of biomaterials, it is classified into ceramic biomaterials, metallic biomaterials, polymers biomaterials, and natural biomaterials.The key players of the market include Abbott Laboratories, Biotronik SE & Co. KG, Boston Scientific Corporation, C. R. Bard, Inc., Cardinal Health, Inc., Conmed Corporation, Globus Medical, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, LivaNova plc, and Medtronic plc.Key Benefits The study provides an in-depth analysis of the market with current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets. It offers a quantitative analysis from 2016 to 2023 which is expected to enable the stakeholders to capitalize on prevailing market opportunities. Extensive analysis by product helps understand various types of implants used for implantation. Comprehensive analysis of all geographical regions is provided, which elucidates the prevailing opportunities. Key players are profiled and their strategies are analyzed thoroughly, which helps understand competitive outlook of the global market.Send Enquiry on this report @About usAllied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies client's insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free: +1-800-792-5285UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1(855)550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb: Business Strategy of Conversational Marketing Software Market Is Expected To Grow 1120 million US Till 2023 | Analysis by Drift, Snaps, Verloop, iAdvize, LiveWorld, Automat, Intercom, HubSpot Conversational Marketing Software Market https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/147559 https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/147559 This report provides in depth study of Conversational Marketing Software Market using SWOT analysis i.e. Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat to the organization. The Conversational Marketing Software Market report also provides an in-depth survey of key players in the market organization.Global Conversational Marketing Software Market Synopsis:The Global Conversational Marketing Software Market research 2019 highlights the major details and provides in-depth analysis of the market along with the future growth, prospects and Industry demands analysis explores with the help of complete report with 125 Pages, figures, graphs and table of contents to analyze the situations of global Conversational Marketing Software Market and Assessment to 2023.Get Sample Study Papers of Global Conversational Marketing Software Market @The Conversational Marketing Software industry has also suffered a certain impact, but still maintained a relatively optimistic growth, the past four years, Conversational Marketing Software market size to maintain the average annual growth rate of 15 from XXX million $ in 2014 to 220.0 million $ in 2018, Market analysts believe that in the next few years, Conversational Marketing Software market size will be further expanded, we expect that by 2023, The market size of the Conversational Marketing Software will reach 1120.0 million $.Conversational marketing platforms help provide a higher standard of customer service at scale and simplify the overall buying process for potential customers around the world at any time of day. Successful use of these platforms can also generate valuable, qualified leads, provide high-level insights into customer demographics and preferences, and accelerate the sales cycle.Drift, the worlds leading conversational marketing platform, announced that the company has been recognized in the Comparably Awards. Drift was ranked in both the Best Companies in Boston list and in the Best Company Outlook category. The company was also listed in the Best Department Awards 2019 for Marketing, Engineering, Sales and Product.Drift, the leading conversational marketing platform, today announced that Conversational ABM for Market Engage, a first-ever conversational capability for account-based experiences (ABX) a new way to identify, understand, and engage B2B customer buying teams.Conversational Marketing Software Market Covers Table of Contents With Segments, Key Players And Region. On the Basis of Product Type, Conversational Marketing Software Market is sub segmented into Cloud Based and On-Premises. Based on Industry, Market is sub segmented into Large Enterprises and SMEs.Key players profiled in the report include: Drift, Snaps, Verloop, iAdvize, LiveWorld, Automat, Intercom, HubSpot, Conversica, Saleswhale, Whisbi.Region segment: This report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Conversational Marketing Software in these regions, from 2013 to 2023 (forecast), covering: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America.Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report @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.Report contents include1 Analysis of the Conversational Marketing Software Market including revenues, future growth, market outlook2 Historical data and forecast3 Regional analysis including growth estimates4 Analyzes the end user markets including growth estimates.5 Profiles on Conversational Marketing Software including products, sales/revenues, and market position6 Market structure, market drivers and restraints.About 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 Global Skin Cooling Systems Market Expected to Deliver High-End Opportunities during the Forecast Period 2018 2028 https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=T&rep_id=2186 https://www.factmr.com/report/2186/skin-cooling-systems-market https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=2186 https://www.factmr.com/ http://westminsternewsonline.com FACTMR has been actively involved in offering comprehensive research data concerning various topics which are associated to industrial reference and investor utility. This particular research report titled Global Skin Cooling Systems Market Prime Economies Expected to Deliver Major Growth until 2028 has been added to the wide online database of FACTMR which discusses the present as well as future market scenario. Readers can access knowledge related to market volume, regional expanse as well as competitive landscape prevailing in the Global Skin Cooling Systems Market. In order to study development patterns, this smart assessment also focuses on market dynamics, which talks about drivers, restraints and opportunities estimated to influence the concerned market during the period until 2028Request TOC of this Report-Skin cooling systems are devices primarily used to relieve pain caused due to laser treatments or cosmetic surgeries. Laser surgery is used for plethora of medical treatments ranging from plastic surgery, dentistry treatments, reconstructive and rejuvenation surgery, dermatology, otorhinolaryngology, podiatry, anti-aging therapies, lipolysis, pre-cancerous skin conditions, treatment of varicose veins, hair and tattoo removal, Telangiectasia treatment, removing skin lesions, etc. Laser treatment causes pain, swelling, inflammation, disturbed pigmentation and erythema.Skin cooling systems work by chilling the skin layer, thereby minimizing the pain at the injury or pain point. This application in which the skin is exposed to cold air or liquid that constricts the blood flow to the target site, decreases pain and inflammation and helps recover faster. Skin cooling systems apply cold treatment to the areas of trauma and decrease the demand for oxygen and reduce muscle spasms. Traditional methods of cooling treatment such as ice packs, cooling creams, painkillers, etc. are being replaced by the skin cooling systems, as they are drug and chemical free, safe and increase the efficacy of laser therapy. There are two types of skin cooling systems used with laser surgeries, namely contact and non-contact. Contact skin cooling systems include ice packs, dynamic cooling systems (cryogen spray/cryotherapy) and non-contact skin cooling system, which introduces cool air directly on the site where the laser beam interaction occurs. The skin cooling system can be used pre-treatment, parallel treatment or post-treatment of laser therapy. The burst of cool air on the skin layer numbs the epidermis allowing professionals to use higher levels of laser for treatment and yet making the patient pain free and comfortableAnother type of skin cooling system is cooling vest which is an apparel worn to maintain the body temperature. Heat stress is a major issue in medical science as it contributes to possibilities to impaired judgment, confusion, seizures and even to strokes. Cooling vests absorb heat and lower the body temperature. Moreover, cooling vests have also been a great influence on the market and are certain to be the potential product in the skin cooling systems. Cooling vests also help the patients of multiple sclerosis to maintain their body temperature and remain calm. Skin cooling systems in the form of cooling vests also aid athletes in body heat catastrophes. These cooling vests have also been used for firefighters and army officers. Contagious disease care experts are also using skin cooling systems to enhance performance and work duration and reduce heat stress, dehydration and rest.To know more about the Skin Cooling Systems Market Visit the link-Skin Cooling Systems Market: Drivers and RestraintsSkin cooling systems are highly recommended in laser and dermatology clinics because of the vital part in patient comfort and ease after treatment. Confidence in laser treatments after accidents and traumas is attributed to high adoption of laser treatments and in turn demands adjuvants such as skin cooling. Skin cooling systems are thus exponentially being utilized in health and skin spas. Economic growth of the country, stability, and demand from the aesthetic industry are some other factors driving the demand for skin cooling systems due to penetration of cosmetic surgeries and anti-aging treatments. Adoption of the skin cooling systems by these clinics result in higher demand for the cooling systems over the period. However, skin cooling systems are expensive which restricts the widespread adoption of skin cooling systems across the globe. Moreover these skin cooling systems must be handled by medical experts only and lack of trained professionals to handle skin cooling systems also limits their use in specialized clinics and hospitals. Technological advances in skin cooling systems would bring the revolution and provide cheaper, compact and easy-to-use skin cooling systems. For instance, transition from trolley mounted to table top skin cooling systems is a step towards this revolution.Skin Cooling System Market: OverviewThe skin cooling system market is expected to register high growth over the forecast period primarily due to the increase in aesthetic surgeries and growing dependency on laser surgeries for disorders or accidents. Skin cooling systems are greatly recommended in clinics and hospitals. Non-contact skin cooling systems are in more demand than contact skin cooling system, primarily because non-contact skin cooling systems are chemical free, extremely fast and safe to use. It is estimated that the demand for non-contact skin cooling systems will exponentially rise and will hold a prominent market in the upcoming years.Skin Cooling Systems Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global custom nucleic acid market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Among these, North America is expected to be the dominant regional market for custom skin cooling systems owing to presence of high number of dermatology and laser treatment clinics. Also, highly established healthcare infrastructure would contribute to adoption of such costly devices by hospitals and clinics in the U.S. The climatic conditions in the southern part of America demand for skin cooling systems in the form of cooling vests. Europe is expected to contribute second large share in the global skin cooling system market throughout the forecast period, because of adaptation of advance technology and economic growth. The skin cooling system market in Asia Pacific excluding Japan is expected to expand at a high CAGR due to presence of a large number of regional and local manufacturers in China and South Korea.Request Brochure of this Report-About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Read Industry News at - Sperm Bank Market Overview with Detailed Analysis, Competitive landscape Forecast to 2025 - Cryos, FairFax cryobank and Androcryos ReportsWeb https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012542234/sample https://www.reportsweb.com/inquiry&RW00012542234/discount https://www.reportsweb.com/buy&RW00012542234/buy/3250 Sperm Bank is a repository of sperms that are collected from men known as sperm donors. These are used by women who wish to get pregnant either via IVF procedures. These banks are a source of providing healthy sperms to women, couples who want to have children other than their sexual partners owing to various reasons.Market DynamicsBased on the data collected by the European sperm bank approximately 35% of their clients are infertile couples, thus opting for these banks as a source. The key drivers for the industry are the growing number of infertile couples, same-sex couples, and single women who wish to be a parent. The average marriageable age for women in on an increase, which is inversely proportional to the fertility rate in women. The fertility rate in women decreases as they age.A United Nations report suggested the average fertility rate for women has gone down to 2.5 children per women as opposed to 3 per women and that the average marriageable age for women increased by 1%. However, the key limitation of the industry is the cost of procedures. High costs procedures are required that entails cutting edge technology, that amplifies the overall costs. The government funding for these high end medical procedures research is also quite limited.Top Companies Covered in this report:Cryos, FairFax cryobank and AndrocryosGet sample copy of Sperm Bank Market at:Donor Type TakeawayGenerally, the donors can be broadly categorized into two types i.e. known and anonymous. While most of the donations are anonymous in nature in the U.S, there is a higher remuneration for known donors. In terms of domination, the known donors are in very high demand because clients wish to know basic donor information. It is expected that the known donor revenue share will continue to grow; however, a slow-paced growth can be expected for the anonymous donors. The demand-supply gap for the known donors will drastically affect the revenues of this market to improve in the future.Service TakeawayThe major services in this category are semen analysis, storage and genetic consultation. Semen analysis has dominated the revenue generation. There is a high demand for analyzing good quality semen that is required for artificial insemination. However, the sperm storage market is anticipated to grow during the study period. Genetic consultation will also witness significant growth owing to better collaboration between hospitals, fertility clinics and sperm banks.Techniques TakeawayBanks use either donor insemination or In-Vitro fertilization as a technique. Due to a very high cost associated with semen analysis, donor insemination dominates in terms of revenue generation. An overall increased awareness about this industry has resulted an increase in the number of people opting for donor insemination. In terms of the faster-growing category, In-Vitro fertilization is being adopted as a method to enhance chances of getting pregnant in cases of higher infertility.Have any query? Enquire about report at:Regional TakeawayThe United States is where the highest revenue generations happen. According to the CDC, approx. 10% of the women in the United States are facing fertility related issues. Therefore, it becomes an ideal choice for these banks to be located at. However, in terms of the fastest growing areas, Asia Pacific countries are becoming extremely popular for its IVF procedures. One of the reasons are lower cost procedures, availability of skilled professionals and efficient equipment. Countries like Germany and Italy have restrictions on the number of eggs that can be fertilized, thus opting for other countries.Fundamentals of Table of Content:1. Sperm Bank Market Overview2. Executive Summary2.1. Key Market Facts3. Sperm Bank Key Market Trends4. Sperm Bank Industry Study6. Sperm Bank Market - By Product7. Sperm Bank Market - By Application8. Sperm Bank Market - By Technology9. Sperm Bank Market- By Geography10. Key Vendor Analysis11. 360 Degree Analystview12. AppendixGet complete report at:About ReportsWeb:ReportsWeb.com is a one stop shop of market research reports and solutions to various companies across the globe. We help our clients in their decision support system by helping them choose most relevant and cost effective research reports and solutions from various publishers. We provide best in class customer service and our customer support team is always available to help you on your research queries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@reportsweb.com Telematics in Heavy Equipment Market Worldwide Industry Analysis and New Market Opportunities Explored | ORBCOMM Inc., Geotab Inc., Zonar Systems Inc https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=1370897 https://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1370897 https://www.researchmoz.us https://blogreportstudy.blogspot.com/ Global Telematics in Heavy Equipment Market: OverviewThe report provides analysis of the telematics in heavy equipment market for the period 20152025, wherein the years from 2017 to 2025 is the forecast period and 2016 is considered as the base year. Data for 2015 has been included as historical information. The report covers all the trends and technologies playing a major role in the telematics in heavy equipment market growth over the forecast period. It highlights the drivers, restraints and opportunities expected to influence the market growth during this period. The study provides a holistic perspective on the markets growth in terms of revenue (in US$ Mn) across different geographical regions, namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and South America. Report highlights the key trends affecting the market on a global scale. Furthermore, region wise prominent countries/regions covered in the report include The U.S, Canada, Germany, France, the U.K., India, China, Japan, GCC, South Africa, Brazil and Argentina.Get Free PDF Sample of the Report at:Global Telematics in Heavy Equipment Market: Scope of the ReportThe market overview section of the report demonstrates the market dynamics such as the drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends that is expected to influence the current nature and future status of this market. Key indicators mentioned in the report, provide a robust view about the vital factors that led to the strong adoption of telematics in heavy equipment around the globe. The key indicators also provide significance of the factors which are capable of changing the market scenario. These indicators are expected to define the market position during the forecast period. An attractiveness analysis has also been provided for every segment in the report, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the overall scenario of telematics in heavy equipment market. Moreover, the report provides an overview of various strategies adopted by the key players present in the market in company profile section. The report also includes key industry developments covering significant advances made by leading market players over the period of time.Global Telematics in Heavy Equipment Market: SegmentationThe report segments the market on the basis of end-use application, technology and region. The end-use application segment includes agriculture, construction, and mining. Technology segment includes two segments which are cellular and satellite.The report also highlights the competitive landscape of the global telematics in heavy equipment market, thereby positioning all the major players according to their presence in different regions of the world and recent key developments initiated by them in the telematics in heavy equipment market. The comprehensive telematics in heavy 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 telematics in heavy equipment market growth.Make an Enquiry at:This report provides all the essential information required to understand the key developments in telematics in heavy equipment market, growth trend of each segment and strategy of each company that helps them to efficiently compete in the market. Also, the report provides insights related to trends and its impact on the market. Furthermore, Porters Five Forces analysis explains the factors which are currently affecting the telematics in heavy equipment market.Trimble Inc., Telogis, Heavy Construction Systems Specialists Inc., ORBCOMM Inc., Geotab Inc., Zonar Systems Inc., Teletrac, Navman Group, ACTIA Group, LoJack Corporation, The Morey Corporation, TelliQ AB, Topcon Corporation, GPS TRACKIT, LHP Telematics, LLC, DPL Telematics are some of the major players operating within the telematics in heavy equipment market profiled in this study. Details such as financials, SWOT analysis, business strategies, recent developments, and other such strategic information pertaining to these players have been duly provided as part of company profiling.The global telematics in heavy equipment market is segmented as below:Global Telematics in heavy equipment Market, By End-use ApplicationAgricultureConstructionMiningGlobal Telematics in heavy equipment Market, By TechnologyCellularSatelliteGlobal Telematics in heavy equipment Market, By GeographyNorth AmericaThe U.S.CanadaRest of North AmericaEuropeU.K.GermanyFranceRest of EuropeResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite:Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ bit.ly/1TBmnVGBlog: Testosterone Replacement Therapy Market to Witness Rapid Growth by 2026 | Leading Players: AbbVie, Inc., Bayer AG, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Kyowa Kirin International plc, Pfizer, Inc Testosterone Replacement Therapy https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/2024 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/2024 Hypogonadism in men is primarily characterized by reduced concentration of serum testosterone, causing decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, loss of body and facial hair, decreased bone density, weakness, decreased lean body mass, increased body fat, fatigue and anemia. Hypogonadism in adult men is often overlooked; even in the presence of associated symptoms, because the hypogonadism men often ignore the symptoms or they attribute them with alternate cause such as ageing.Request Sample Copy of Research @Increasing prevalence of hypogonadism in adult men worldwide is expected to drive growth of the testosterone replacement therapy market. According to the European Association of Urology: 2016 report, in middle-aged men, the incidence of hypogonadism varies from 2.1% to 12.8%. The incidence of low testosterone and symptoms of hypogonadism in men aged 40-79 varies form 2.1% to 5.7%, in Europe. Hypogonadism is more prevalent in older men, in men with obesity, those with co-morbidities, and in men with a poor health status. Furthermore, according to the Therapeutics Advances of Urology Journal: 2016, testosterone has become one of the most widely prescribed medications in the U.S. in 2011.Many experts says people with type II diabetes mellitus tend to associated with low testosterone level in the blood. Visceral obesity is important cause of insulin resistance, and important feature in type II diabetes. An increased deposition of abdominal adipose tissue in the hypogonadal patients, leads to decrease testosterone concentrations. According to the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2017; a study conducted on 900 men with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) to evaluate the testosterone deficiency reported that prevalence of hypogonadism in T2DM patients was found to be 20.7%. Moreover, the percentage prevalence of hypogonadism in patients with T2DM was moderate with highest number of patients belonging to age group 5059 year.Request for Customization of Research Report:For instance, according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) Diabetes Atlas: 2017, number of people with diabetes aged between 20 to 79 years in South East Asia region and Western Pacific region in 2017, was 82 million and 159 million, respectively.Some of the key players operating in the testosterone replacement therapy market include AbbVie, Inc., Bayer AG, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Kyowa Kirin International plc, Pfizer, Inc., Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation, and Perrigo Company plc.Key players in these market are engaged in product regulatory approval and new product launch strategies to maintain competitive position in the market. For instance, in March 2017, U.S. FDA approved Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) of Perrigo Company plc, for making the generic version of Eli Lilly and Company's Axiron topical solution, 30 mg/1.5 mL (testosterone topical solution, 30 mg/1.5 mL).Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Endo International Inc. is being an innovative player in the testosterone replacement therapy market, which engaged in launching novel and innovative product in these market. For instance, in March 2015, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Endo International plc, launched NATESTO (testosterone nasal gel), the first and only nasal gel for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males diagnosed with hypogonadism.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.1001 4th Ave,, #3200, Seattle, WA 98154 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Research Report 2019 || Top Players are-Arkema SA (France), Arrmaz (U.S.), Huntsman Corporation (U.S.), Kraton Corporation (U.S.) https://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=2251707 https://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-cold-mixed-asphalt-additives-market-research-report-2019-report.html An up-to-date research report has been disclosed by Market Research Hub highlighting the title Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Research Report 2019 which provides an outlook for current market value as well as the expected growth of Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives during 2019-2025. The report studies the casing heads market worldwide, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, size, growth, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions.Request for sample copy of this reportThe global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives market is valued at million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of during 2019-2025.This report focuses on Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives 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:AkzoNobel NV (Netherlands)E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.)Arkema SA (France)Honeywell International, Inc. (U.S.)Evonik Industries (Germany)Huntsman Corporation (U.S.)Kraton Corporation (U.S.)Sasol Limited (South Africa)The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.)Ingevity Corporation (U.S.)Arrmaz (U.S.)Segment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSegment by TypePolymeric modifiersAnti-strip & adhesion promotersEmulsifiersChemical modifiersOthersSegment by ApplicationRoad construction & pavingRoofingAirport constructionOthersBrowse Full Report with TOCTable of ContentsExecutive Summary1 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives1.2 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Growth Rate Comparison by Type (2014-2025)1.2.2 Polymeric modifiers1.2.3 Anti-strip & adhesion promoters1.2.4 Emulsifiers1.2.5 Chemical modifiers1.2.6 Others1.3 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Segment by Application1.3.1 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Consumption Comparison by Application (2014-2025)1.3.2 Road construction & paving1.3.3 Roofing1.3.4 Airport construction1.3.5 Others1.3 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market by Region1.3.1 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Size Region1.3.2 North America Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.4 China Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.3.7 India Status and Prospect (2014-2025)1.4 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Size1.4.1 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Revenue (2014-2025)1.4.2 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production (2014-2025)2 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.2 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.3 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Average Price by Manufacturers (2014-2019)2.4 Manufacturers Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types2.5 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Market Share by Regions3.1 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Market Share by Regions3.2 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Revenue Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)3.3 Global Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)3.4 North America Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production3.4.1 North America Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production Growth Rate (2014-2019)3.4.2 North America Cold Mixed Asphalt Additives Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019)To be continue@@About Market Research HubMarket Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports of different sector like chemicals market research and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of industry reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email: press@marketresearchhub.com Comprehensive Dementia Drugs analysis on Market | Key Players are Eisai, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Biogen Pharmaceuticals, Forest Laboratories, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis AG, Sanofi S.A Dementia Drugs www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1664 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/1664 https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/buy-now/1664 People suffering from early stage of Alzheimers disease with dementia do not have appropriate access to healthcare infrastructure for diagnosis and treatment of the disease. For instance, according to World Alzheimer Report in 2016, only around 50% patients suffering from dementia undergo diagnosis. The rate of underdiagnoses is 10% in low- and middle-income economies. This is expected to propel growth of the dementia drugs market. As of 2011, there were no standard guidelines for diagnosis of disease. Currently, biomarker tests involving amount of beta-amyloid in the brain, which can be visualized in positron emission tomography imaging are under research to diagnosis develop treatment for Alzheimers disease.Get a Request Sample of Research Report @As a global push is made for early diagnosis and treatment, the surge in dementia cases will require effective therapies. Manufacturers are increasingly focusing on receiving FDA approvals for their products, in turn boosting market growth. For instance, in September 2017, Zydus Cadila announced that it received a final nod from the U.S. health regulator to market Donepezil Hydrochloride tablets used for the treatment of dementia of the Alzheimers type in the U.S.Various companies are developing novel drugs to strengthen their foothold in the market. For instance, Merck and Company bought an exclusive worldwide license from Japan's Teijin Pharma in 2016, to develop an investigational, preclinical anti-tau antibody, which has disease-modifying potential. Genentech and AC immune are also developing anti-tau antibody. In 2017, TauRx announced phase three results of investigational drug LMTX first tau aggregation inhibitor for Alzheimers disease. Moreover, increasing approvals by regulatory agencies is expected to boost market growth.For instance, in January 2018, FDA proposed new guidelines aimed at lowering the clinical study goals of Alzheimer's disease drugs for treating earlier-stage patients who have not yet showed functional disability or clinical abnormality. This is part of efforts to expand access to safe and effective treatment options for serious conditions, including Alzheimers disease through accelerated approval for such drugs.Request for Customization of Research Report:However, failure of drugs in late stages of clinical trials is the major factor hampering growth of the market. In 2012, Pfizer Inc. and Johnson & Johnson, announced plans to discontinue the development of Alzheimer drug, which was in intravenous (IV) formbapineuzumabas drug failed to help patients with memory robbing condition in a second high profile clinical trial. Such failures, deter the expected growth of the market. Dementia market also faces difficulty expanding in certain regions.For instance, in the U.K., issues related to cost-effectiveness of cholinesterase inhibitors impelled the Clinical Excellence and National Institute of Health to edge reimbursements to patients with moderate AD. Additionally, they limit the prescriptions of moderate AD valid only through neurologists, which are usually referred to the patients at later disease stage. Thus, use of these drugs are comparatively less in Europe, however, drug-modifying drugs may gain traction in this region in near future.Some of the top companies operating in the dementia drugs market are Eisai, Inc., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Biogen Pharmaceuticals, Forest Laboratories, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis AG, Sanofi S.A., AstraZeneca GmbH, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck & Co., Inc.., Valeant Pharmaceutical International, Pfizer Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.com Protein Hydrolysates Market 2019 | Worldwide Forecast 2025 | Major Players - Abbott Nutrition , Koninklijke DSM N.V. , Kerry Group PLC, etc. Protein Hydrolysates Market https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/106921 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/106921 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/106921 https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/106921 www.upmarketresearch.com Protein Hydrolysates Marketresearch report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Protein Hydrolysates Market Analysis and Forecast 2019 - 2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 119pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Protein Hydrolysates Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2019 2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Protein Hydrolysates Marketanalysis & forecast 2019 - 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players reported in the market include: Abbott Nutrition Koninklijke DSM N.V. Kerry Group PLC Frieslandcampina Arla Foods Tate & Lyle PLC Archer Daniels Midland Company Glanbia PLC Danone Nutricia Nestle S.A.Product Segment Analysis: Milk protein hydrolysates Animal protein hydrolysates Plant protein hydrolysatesApplication Segment Analysis: Infant nutrition Sports nutrition Dietary supplements NutraceuticalsMajor Topics Covered in this Report: Chapter 1 Study Coverage Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Size by Manufacturers Chapter 4 Production by Regions Chapter 5 Consumption by Regions Chapter 6 Market Size by Type Chapter 7 Market Size by Application Chapter 8 Manufacturers Profiles Chapter 9 Production Forecasts Chapter 10 Consumption Forecast Chapter 11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers Analysis Chapter 12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors Chapter 13 Key Findings Chapter 14 AppendixGet Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @Protein Hydrolysates MarketAnalysis and Forecast 2019 - 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.GlobalProtein Hydrolysates Market: Key Stakeholders: Manufacturers Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size are as follows: History Year: 2013-2018 Base Year: 2018 Estimated Year: 2019 Forecast Year 2019 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Protein Hydrolysates Market Analysis and Forecast 2019 - 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Protein Hydrolysates Market analysis and forecast 2019 - 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free 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.You can also ask for region wise Protein Hydrolysates Market research report, as below: Global Market Status & Trend Report 2013- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data North America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 South America Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 China Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 India Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025 United States Market Status and Trend Report 2013- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. 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.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States. Portlands largest business organization said Thursday it can accept a $2 billion increase in state business taxes, provided lawmakers change the structure of the proposed tax hike. We appreciate the work that has gone into developing this proposal and we are committed to continuing to work with you to reach agreement on a package that will truly make a difference for Oregons entire education system, Portland Business Alliance chief executive Andrew Hoan wrote in a letter to lawmakers Thursday. The letter represents the first time the Portland Business Alliance has taken a position on the tax hike, the biggest issue before the Legislature this spring. Lawmakers and Gov. Kate Brown want to raise taxes on businesses to pay for an additional $2 billion for schools, spread over the states two-year budget cycle. Legislators leading the charge are pursuing a gross-receipts tax levied on nearly all business in the state. That proposed tax structure has split Oregons business community. Some companies, notably Nike, are on board with the current proposal. A gross-receipts tax would have a relatively modest effect on companies that do most of their sales out of state and have small capital budgets. Intel and many other companies say a gross-receipts tax would have a pyramiding effect, layering taxes on each level of a supply chain. And the states largest business organization, Oregon Business & Industry, is fiercely opposed. It has proposed an alternative, a value-added tax, also known as a business activity tax. It would allow companies to subtract capital spending and purchases from other businesses from their taxable activity. 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 a tax just like it. OBI, which had previously indicated it was open to higher taxes under the right circumstances, now seems to be less receptive. It said Wednesday that it wants the Legislature to slow down. The organization wants more study of the tax proposals, and wants it considered in the context of other taxes and fees under review. The Portland Business Alliance, by comparison, said Wednesday that it has talked with its members and has not heard any broad concern with the approximately $2 billion in new revenue for education. In Portland, though, the business alliance said a gross-receipts tax would have a compounding effect on businesses. Thats because of a gross-receipts tax on large businesses city voters approved in November. The Portland Business Alliance, like the state organization, wants action to contain the states soaring pension deficit included along with any tax hike. The governor and lawmakers are considering various proposals to do that, including a proposal from Brown that would take funds from the surplus in the states workers compensation program and require workers to contribute more to their own pensions. The state teachers union is adamantly opposed to higher pension contributions from its members; Oregon Business & Industry is unequivocally against tapping the workers compensation surplus. The Portland Business Alliance took no position Thursday on either idea. Hoan wrote that we are encouraged by the proposals and attention to the matter. -- Mike Rogoway | twitter: @rogoway | 503-294-7699 As Portland gridlock worsens, metro drivers are growing more comfortable with the idea of paying a toll to drive on sections of Interstate 5 and 205, but they remain skeptical it will be an effective way to reduce congestion in the long term. Thats one takeaway from a recent poll commissioned by the Oregon Department of Transportation. State officials on Thursday briefed the Oregon Transportation Commission on its most recent survey from DHM Research regarding tolling and Portland-area congestion. DHM found drivers are fed up with traffic and they are already changing when they leave for work, school or errands, altering the route they take to get there and taking transit if possible, to avoid freeway snarl. People are growing increasingly frustrated about this, Travis Brouwer, deputy director of the state transportation agency said about worsening congestion on metro interstates, and they want us to do something. According to the recent survey, the state found a virtual tie between metro area respondents who strongly or somewhat favor tolling versus those who strongly or somewhat oppose the idea altogether. The poll of roughly 400 residents found 48.3 percent supported the idea and 48.3 percent opposed it. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percent. But Brouwer said the number of respondents who said they would either strongly support or somewhat back tolling as an option was up 3.8 percentage point from a similar survey conducted in 2017. That improvement is an indication Oregon is on solid ground, he said, and ahead of Washington state in its public opinion polls before that state pursued tolls on regional highways. We actually have a pretty good starting point for this, Brouwer. said. DHM polled roughly 400 Portland-area residents in November 2018, just as the state was readying its formal application to the federal government for authorization to toll sections of I-5 and I-205. Oregon is still awaiting formal federal approval to toll the freeways, and actual tolls are years away and tolling plans could be referred to the ballot in 2020 irrespective of any federal action. The Oregon Legislatures 2017 transportation package, a $5.3 billion plan signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown, set a blueprint for state officials to pursue tolling as one alternative to addressing congestion on Portland freeways. According to the November survey, 30 percent of respondents identified tolls as the fairest way to bring in more money for transportation projects. Respondents were allowed to choose just one funding option, and tolls trailed increasing the gas tax (33 percent) as the top response. Increasing registration fees netted 19 percent of responses, while 19 percent said they didnt know the best way to raise more money. That lack of knowledge overall in how highways are funded in Oregon and what options are available to bring in more revenue will be a key issue in helping the state market its tolling program going forward, pollsters and agency officials said. Michelle Neiss, chief executive officer of DHM Research , told the commission support for tolling grew after survey takers learned more about how tolls work and what revenue could be directed to. Respondents were more likely to support tolling if it was used to invest back in the highway (65 percent strongly or somewhat support that idea) or would work to seismically retrofit bridges (61 percent). Strong support still exists for expanding freeways, with 51 percent saying they would like expanded and improved interstates and freeway bridges to address congestion. But people remain skeptical that tolls will work in Oregon. Just 13 percent of those polled said they find it very believable that tolls will lead to reliable travel times. Thirty-one percent said it is somewhat believable that freeway times will be reliable. Information can shift public opinion, but movement will be gradual in the face of skepticism, pollsters wrote in a summary presented to state decisionmakers. The state will face a steep learning curve to educate the public about tolls, as some respondents were unaware of the technological advances made decades ago that prevent the need for physical toll booths. Bob Van Brocklin, a state transportation commissioner, said that learning curve would be critical: We have to get the public a lot of information so they can be good decision makers. And if its a major concern, theyll want to learn about it. Neiss said freeway commuters, in particular, were more likely to get behind the idea of tolling sections of I-5 and 205. Thats because they see benefits that they can get from the tolls are desirable, she said. She said many metro residents felt like they had no option other than to drive, and it would be important for transportation officials to acknowledge that and be empathetic. The poll reached residents of Washington, Clark, Multnomah and Clackamas Counties, and DHM said It tried to ensure the 400 respondents cited represented the local population. Van Brocklin and other commissioners said they hoped to have more polls of metro residents in the future. -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. A romance novelist charged with murdering her chef husband in Portland not only penned a treatise on offing ones spouse she also saved an online listicle detailing how to conceal such a crime, according to documents unsealed Friday in Multnomah County Circuit Court. Detectives discovered Nancy Crampton Brophy kept 10 Ways To Cover Up A Murder bookmarked on an iTunes account she shared with her husband, Daniel Brophy, a probable cause affidavit shows. She also stood to reap more than $1 million from multiple life and accident insurance policies in the event of Brophys death, according to court documents. The new details emerged more than seven months after authorities arrested the author, whose work includes the essay How To Murder Your Husband, on suspicion of killing her spouse. The couple had been married 27 years. While court documents dont specify whether the listicle was used by Crampton Brophy, 68, for story ideas or for attempting to concoct the perfect crime, the newly released records show authorities had other reasons to believe she was behind her husbands killing. Despite telling police she was at home, surveillance video captured Crampton Brophy driving her car near her husbands work around the time he was fatally shot there, prosecutors allege. Court documents claim the author had also recently purchased multiple firearms and related gun parts that matched the same type of weapon used to kill Brophy, 63. And then there was the windfall of cash Crampton Brophy stood to collect should her husband suddenly die, records show. Police found her listed as the beneficiary on six life insurance policies taken out in Brophys name totaling nearly $800,000, according to a search warrant affidavit. An additional accident insurance policy would pay Crampton Brophy up to another $440,000 if her husband died at work, the records show. Authorities also claimed the author, whos described her steamy books as featuring rugged men, strong women and a good story, sold life insurance policies in the past. Brophy, a beloved instructor at the Oregon Culinary Institute, was found gunned down in a kitchen at the school June 2, 2018. He was shot through the back and chest with a 9mm handgun, police and the medical examiner found. Both bullets pierced Brophys heart, according to court documents. The early morning shooting baffled Brophys family, students and co-workers. Police found no apparent signs of struggle in the kitchen. The assailant never touched the chefs keys, wallet or phone, records show. Nor was the chef known to have any enemies that would seek to hurt him, according to prosecutors. But investigators soon zeroed in on Crampton Brophy, whose self-published novels include The Wrong Husband and Hell on the Heart. Court documents claim she appeared on scene the morning of the shooting, telling police a friend had called her after seeing a news story about an incident at the culinary school. Crampton Brophy said she had been in bed when her husband left for work and had stayed at home, records show. Yet investigators soon found surveillance video that shows Crampton Brophy driving her Toyota minivan near the culinary school minutes before and after the shooting, according to search warrant affidavits. Nancy never offered any explanation as to why she lied about her whereabouts on the morning that Daniel was killed, the probable cause affidavit alleges. She did, however, give police a 9mm handgun she purchased the previous February at a Portland gun show, according to court records. Ballistics testing couldnt tie that weapon to the murder. But detectives would later discover she owned other weapons, records allege. One was a build-it-yourself 9mm Crampton Brophy purchased on Christmas Eve 2017. Less than a week after her gun show purchase, she also bought the slide and barrel for another 9mm off of eBay. Though not mentioned in court documents, prosecutors believe Crampton Brophy swapped the parts of the different guns to carry out and later cover up the alleged crime, a source with knowledge of the evidence gathered by authorities told The Oregonian/OregonLive this month. In September, three months after Brophys death, police took his wife into custody. Youre arresting me? Crampton Brophy asked police while she was being detained, court records allege. You must think I murdered my husband." A Multnomah County grand jury later indicted her on one count of murder. The case garnered national and international headlines after The Oregonian/OregonLive found a copy of Crampton Brophys How To Murder Your Husband archived online. As a romantic suspense writer, I spend a lot of time thinking about murder and, consequently, about police procedure, the author wrote in the 2011 essay. After all, if the murder is supposed to set me free, I certainly dont want to spend any time in jail. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632 Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Authorities are investigating a sexual assault reported at one of Southeast Portlands most popular bars and night clubs, staff and police told The Oregonian/OregonLive. The alleged attack occurred March 31 at the White Owl Social Club during a daytime dance party celebrating Holi, a renowned Hindu festival held worldwide, according to the bar and cops. In the weeks since, a person claiming to be a parent of the alleged victim has placed a number of enlarged photos publicly around town that show a man the person claims raped their daughter. The posters, copies of which have also been shared on social media, ask anyone who may have seen the man at the party to call Portland police. Authorities have yet to make an arrest. We were upset to hear that a patron had reported being victimized on our premises during a privately promoted event, Cara Mahon, the White Owls general manager, said in a statement. We are cooperating with law enforcement by doing everything we can to support the investigation. Sgt. Stephen Yakots, a bureau spokesman, confirmed police took a sexual assault report but declined to provide additional detail, citing the ongoing investigation. Around 100 people dressed in white and paid $20 to attend the White Owl rendition of Holi, which celebrates the coming spring and involves participants throwing colorful powders on each other. Its like the best 4 hours of Burning Man, with colors AND Bollywood, reads a description of the event published on the bars website. The event ran from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. -- Shane Dixon Kavanauagh; 503-294-7632 Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. On the morning of Wednesday, April 19, 1995, a former Army soldier parked a rented Ryder truck in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He got out, locked it and ignited two fuses. At 9:02 a.m. the explosion ripped through the building where 500 people worked and children attended America's Kids day care. Emergency workers search through the debris after an explosion at the Alfred Murrah Federal Building Wednesday, April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)ASSOCIATED PRESS According to history.com, the explosion blew off the buildings north wall. The building housed the Social Security Administration, Secret Service, Drug Enforcement Agency, ATF and recruiters for the U.S. military. The truck was loaded with almost 5,000 pounds of explosives - a mixture of fertilizer, diesel fuel and other chemicals. An unidentified injured woman holds an unidentifed child following a blast that destroyed a large portion of a federal building Wednesday, April 19, 1995, in downtown Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)ASSOCIATED PRESS The bombing in the heartland killed 168 people including 19 children younger than 6 years old. More than 500 people were injured. The bomb destroyed or damaged 324 buildings within a 16-mile radius. Medical assistants, Janet Froehlich, left, Wilma Jackson and Kerri Albright run from the Alfred Murrah Federal Building after being told another bomb device had been found Wednesday, April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City. An explosion ripped through the federal office building Wednesday morning. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)AP The next day police had a suspect and discovered he was already in jail. Just 90 minutes after the explosion Timothy McVeigh had been stopped 90 miles north of Oklahoma City for driving a car without a license plate and carrying a concealed weapon. On April 21, his co-conspirator, Terry Nichols, surrendered. Both men were charged. McVeigh was convicted of murder and other charges. Nichols was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and other charges. McVeigh was sentenced to death and executed on June 11, 2001. The Alfred Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City after a car bomb ripped through it Wednesday, April 19, 1995. (AP Photo)ASSOCIATED PRESS Nichols is serving life in prison. A third man, Michael Fortier, who knew about the plan to bomb the building, testified against McVeigh and Nichols, and was sentenced to serve 12 years in prison. He was released in 2007 and entered in the witness protection program, according to history.com. An unidentified man, his face smeared with blood, looks at the bomb damaged Alfred Murrah Federal Building, April 19, 1995. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)ASSOCIATED PRESS It was the worst act of terrorism in the United States until the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. According to fbi.gov, The bombing was quickly solved, but the investigation turned out to be one of the most exhaustive in FBI history. No stone was left unturned to make sure every clue was found and all the culprits identified. By the time it was over, the Bureau had conducted more than 28,000 interviews, followed some 43,000 investigative leads, amassed 3-and-a-half tons of evidence, and reviewed nearly a billion pieces of information. Two U.S. Park Service employees lower the 50 flags surrounding the Washington Monument on April 20. President Bill Clinton ordered the flags lowered as a sign of mourning for the victims of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City, Okla. (PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)AFP/Getty Images McVeigh and Nichols were members of a radical survivalist group. According to history.com, the men were deeply radicalized by such events as the August 1992 shoot-out between federal agents and survivalist Randy Weaver at his Idaho cabin, in which Weavers wife and son were killed, and the April 19, 1993, inferno near Waco, Texas, in which 75 members of a Branch Davidian religious sect died. McVeigh planned the attack on the Murrah Building, which housed regional offices of such federal agencies as the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives, the agency that had launched the initial raid on the Branch Davidian compound. McVeigh claimed that he chose the building and the date to avenge the raid on Waco. Timothy James McVeigh, a suspect in the car bombing of the Alfred Murray Building in Oklahoma City, is escorted from the Noble County Courthouse in Perry, Okla., Friday, April 21, 1995. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)ASSOCIATED PRESS In May 1995, the Murrah Building was demolished. The Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum is located on that site. The memorial and museum includes the outdoor field of empty chairs. Matt Story, with his sister, Dawn Mahan, mourn at the chair June 11, 2001, that represents their mother, Frances Williams, who was killed in the 1995 Oklahoma bombing. Story and Mahan came to the Oklahoma National Memorial in Oklahoma City after witnessing the execution of convicted bomber Timothy McVeigh on a closed-circuit broadcast. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)Getty Images The 168 chairs represent the lives taken on April 19, 1995. They stand in nine rows to represent each floor of the building, and each chair bears the name of someone killed on that floor. Nineteen smaller chairs stand for the children. The field is located on the footprint of the Murrah Building, according to the memorial and museum. Also at the sight are the Gates of Time. An Oklahoma City police car, decorated with the words "We will never forget" and a small American flag, sits near the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on Monday, April 24, 1995. Rescue efforts continue in the nine-story building which was car-bombed on April 19. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)ASSOCIATED PRESS "These monumental twin gates frame the moment of destruction 9:02 a.m. and mark the formal entrances to the memorial. The East Gate represents 9:01 a.m. on April 19, and the innocence of the city before the attack. The West Gate represents 9:03 a.m., the moment we were changed forever. And the hope that came from the horror in the moments and days following the bombing. Multnomah County has agreed to pay $100,000 to a black employee who claimed the county fostered a racially insensitive workplace after she complained about a co-worker who pinned up a Blue Lives Matter flag. Karimah Guion-Pledgure claimed in her January lawsuit that the flag demeans and denigrates the Black Lives Matter movement. But some co-workers didnt agree, and Guion-Pledgure claims they harassed her for it -- leading her to suffer debilitating stress and health problems, the suit said. A probation officer hung up the flag in September 2017 above the probation officers desk, and after Guion-Pledgure and other black co-workers complained, supervisors refused to require it be removed, the suit said. Proponents of the Blue Lives Matter flag say its meant to support and honor the work and sacrifices of law enforcement officers. Guion-Pledgures lawsuit said the Blue Lives Matter movement co-opts the Black Lives Matter movement and "repurposes it to shift focus to law enforcement a chosen profession, not a racial identity and thus denigrates, dilutes, and demeans the purpose of the Black Lives Matter movement. Thursday, Multnomah County commissioners approved the $100,000 settlement, which was first reported by the Portland Mercury. As part of the agreement, Guion-Pledgure must resign, effective Friday, said her attorney. She will be allowed to re-apply for a job with the county, though. A county spokeswoman, Jessica Morkert-Shibley, said Friday that although commissioners approved the settlement, she couldnt comment on the lawsuit until the settlement was finalized. Guion-Pledgure was hired by the county in 2011 and worked for the Department of Community Justice as a corrections technician, according to her suit. Shes disappointed that she has to leave there and that they couldnt make it a safe and welcoming work environment, said Guion-Pledgures attorney, Ashlee Albies. They say theyre working on that, and we hope they really are. Albies said she believes the commissioners and many others who work for the county want it be a safe and welcome workplace. Albies added that her client will use her time away from the county to focus on her health. She was out of work quite a lot, Albies said. It was incredibly stressful for her. I think its important that she take care of herself. Among the hostility that Guion-Pledgure says she felt: More than six months after the probation officers flag remained on the wall, Guion-Pledgure erected an equity wall that displayed photos of minorities killed by police, the suit stated. Managers told her to take down the photos, the lawsuit says, but she refused because the Blue Lives Matter flag remained. A week later, managers responded with a new rule that all personal photos displayed needed to be smaller than 5-by-7 inches, according to the suit. That same day, Guion-Pledgure found two sticky notes affixed to her equity wall reading Thanks a lot and Bitch, according to the lawsuit. In response to a question Friday from The Oregonian/OregonLive, the county spokeswoman said that Blue Lives Matter flags or photo displays, such as the collage of minorities killed by police, arent allowed under a new policy at the Department of Community Justice, which is where Guion-Pledgures lawsuit originated. We are currently working on a countywide policy addressing this issue, Morkert-Shibley said. Displays of personal family photos are currently allowed, at least pending the development of that countywide policy, Morkert-Shibley said. About a month before the probation officer put up the Blue Lives Matter flag, white supremacist demonstrators displayed that same flag alongside Confederate flags during a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the lawsuit notes. One person died and dozens of others were injured when a man deliberately rammed his car into the crowd of counter-protesters. Members of Blue Lives Matter condemned the use of their flag at the rally. Guion-Pledgure originally had sought $420,000 in her lawsuit, which was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court. -- Aimee Green agreen@oregonian.com o_aimee Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox. Updated at 9:35 p.m. A man convicted in the 1989 killing of the Oregon Department of Corrections director should be retried or released from prison because evidence was excluded from his trial that pointed to someone else as the possible killer, a federal judge ruled Thursday. Frank Gables attorneys during his 1991 Marion County Circuit Court trial also didnt adequately help him assert his due process rights in light of the error, according to an opinion and order written by U.S. Magistrate Judge John V. Acosta. Gable, 59, was found guilty of aggravated murder and murder in the January 1989 stabbing of Michael Francke, 42, in Salem and has been serving a life sentence without parole since his conviction. Its not immediately clear Thursday if Marion County prosecutors plan to retry Gable. Acosta said prosecutors should make a decision within 90 days of his order. [Read the judges opinion and order] Gable has appealed his conviction several times, taking his contentions to the Oregon Court of Appeals and Oregon Supreme Court, but failed to get the ruling overturned. Acostas ruling comes after he heard arguments in 2016 by federal public defenders and state lawyers on Gables petition for a new trial or parole. The federal public defenders office filed a brief in 2014 saying the prosecution of Gable was flawed and that about half a dozen witnesses had recanted statements directly linking Gable to Franckes death. The Oregon Innocence Project has also filed a brief on Gables behalf raising questions about the case. Federal public defenders also argued that John Crouse, a Salem man who was on parole for a robbery at the time, repeatedly confessed to killing Francke, telling numerous law enforcement officers as well as his own mother, brother and girlfriend that he stabbed Francke when he caught Crouse burglarizing his car on Jan. 17, 1989. Crouses confession, they said, matched the crime scene and autopsy evidence, corroborated by eyewitness testimony and considered truthful by an FBI polygrapher. The federal defenders argued that the trial court that convicted Gable improperly excluded Crouse's earlier confession to the crime. The Oregon Department of Corrections said in a statement late Thursday that our hearts go out to Michael Franckes family. "We do not have many details as to next steps and we are working with the Department of Justice and other partners to determine what those steps may be," the statement said. The agency declined to say where Gable is incarcerated. He has long been in prison out of state. Michael Francke's brothers, Kevin and Patrick, have long maintained that Gable is innocent. After Thursday's ruling was handed down, Patrick Francke posted an excerpt of the judge's ruling on Facebook. "My brother and I have been working toward this day for almost 30 years," he wrote. Francke was found dead by a security guard Jan. 17, 1989 on a covered porch on the Oregon State Hospital grounds in Salem. Gable, then in his early 30s, was indicted in the killing by a Marion County grand jury in April 1990. Marion County prosecutors argued that Francke came upon Gable as Gable was breaking into the state prison system directors car. They said Gable stabbed Francke three times and then fled. Francke staggered to the porch and died. Gables attorneys at the time pointed to a lack of physical evidence tying Gable to the killing and suggested other people could have been involved in the death. Police began speaking to Gable about the killing four months later after receiving a tip. Gable was interviewed by detectives several times and was accused in Franckes death in April 1990. Associates of Gable offered testimony against Gable, including that they saw him drive away from the state hospital grounds around the time Francke was stabbed, that Gable asked to get rid of a plastic bag with unknown items inside, and that Gable alluded to doing something that would make the news. Gables wife at the time, who worked at the state hospital, testified that Gable often carried knives. Gables trial lasted four months and ended in him being found guilty of aggravated murder and murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole in July 1991. During a court break in the trial, Gable married an attorney who represented him on an unrelated federal gun charge. They divorced in 1997. Federal public defenders said seven witnesses in Gables murder case, two of whom initially said they saw Gable stab Francke, and five others who claimed Gable confessed to killing the prison official, later recanted their accounts. They said they felt forced, coerced or intimidated by police investigators into giving false or misleading statements related to the death, according to the federal judges order. Noelle Crombie of The Oregonian/OregonLive staff contributed to this report. -- 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. The legislative session has reached its second half, and as usual, the topic of spiraling public pension costs is looming over the budget and tax policy discussions that will dominate the remainder. Suddenly, it seems, everyone has a plan to reduce costs in the Public Employees Retirement System. The governor wants to protect schools by diverting state revenues, tax rebates and employee contributions to pay for increased pension costs. The business community has filed ballot measures looking to limit any new pension debt, establish a 401(k) program for new employees, and institute new employee contributions to the pension plan. Now comes House Speaker Tina Kotek and Senate President Peter Courtney. The two havent publicly unveiled a plan yet, and Courtney flatly refuses to discuss any of it Kotek, however, is a member of the Ways and Means subcommittee holding hearings on PERS financing this session, and she offered her thoughts on PERS at two recent press conferences. She discussed what she liked in the governors plan, including tapping a portion of the $2 billion surplus at SAIF Corp: Absolutely. I think its a very legitimate discussion. She said what she didnt like: the business communitys proposals, for the most part, as well as the governors laser focus on protecting schools, while leaving other public employers to fend for themselves with the same problem. My purpose is to affect the whole system, she said. Those impacts are affecting local government and our ability to provide public safety, not just schools. Kotek didnt rule out new employee contributions to the pension fund: I want to make sure what we propose is balanced and fair, and that could, at some point, maybe, involve employee contributions, but only if its fair and balanced with other things. Finally, she described the back and forth shes had with Courtney and the committee chairs as a technical discussion about system financing. She didnt specifically endorse the proposal, but most of her remarks focused on one option: extending the period over which PERS plans to repay its $27 billion funding deficit. Lengthening the amortization period for the unfunded liability, in pension speak, is not a new idea. It receives airtime virtually every session, and was among recommendations the Legislative Fiscal Office shared with lawmakers earlier this session. Many pension experts are skeptical of this kick-the-can strategy, as it shifts risks and costs into the future. It would also involve lawmakers with little expertise dictating financial terms to the independent board members who are regularly briefed on the issue and statutorily charged with safeguarding the funded status of the system. Heres what Kotek said about the proposal, and some context for the discussion. Kotek: We have one of the shortest amortization periods in the countryWere at 15 years. Neither of these statements is technically correct. Like many public pension systems, Oregons uses a layered amortization approach, with different repayment periods for different portions of its liability. For the Tier 1 and Tier 2 unfunded liability -- the vast majority of the systems deficit -- the PERS Board sets contribution rates to repay, or return it to 100 percent funded status, over a 20-year period. The unfunded liability due Tier 3 employees, hired after August 28, 2003, is amortized over a 16-year period, but its not a big factor in rate setting. Every two years, the actuary recalculates the systems assets and liabilities and recommends adjustments over the applicable amortization period. Oregons fund does not have one of the shortest amortization periods in the country. Many states are longer. And some, such as California PERS, have recently reduced their amortization period to 20 years to align with best practices in the industry. But there are myriad other public pension systems that have equal or shorter amortization periods than Oregons. Kotek: You will pay more costs in the end, just like when you refinance your mortgage. But if the biggest issue over the next several biennia is the rate increases, does (extending) the amortization drop (employer contributions) by a couple percentage points so we can get through this next ten years of the rate increases until the system smooths out and drops off? As Kotek said, lengthening the amortization period would provide some pension cost relief for employers in the short run, while increasing total costs and shifting the burden and the risk further into the future. There is no guarantee, however, that pension costs will smooth out or drop off. Unlike a mortgage, the pension systems unfunded liability is a floating obligation that changes based on the level of contributions and the systems returns on its invested assets. If you extend the repayment period, and expected investment returns dont pan out, the systems deficit can increase rapidly. In fact, some increases would take place even if investment managers do meet earnings expectations. Lengthening the amortization period, even by five years, would turn the pension deficit into a so-called "negative amortization" loan, according to PERS actuary, Milliman Inc. Public employers would effectively be paying only part of the interest and no principle on the debt, so the balance grows. With a 25-year amortization period, no progress is made in reducing the initial deficit until the tenth year, Milliman told the PERS Board at its last meeting. In a 30-year scenario, the deficit increases by almost 10 percent after the first decade, and no progress is made reducing the deficit until 18 years later. Kotek: We have a point-in-time problem in the next 10 to 15 years because of Tier 1 and Tier 2 and how long people are in the system. We sit down and talk about our pension system as being one of the best funded programs in the system, nationally. The point-in-time problem is a common talking point about PERS. It was an implicit part of the plan that the governor detailed for lawmakers last week. But its very much up for debate whether the state has a point-in-time problem or a pension deficit it will never escape. The size of the deficit - $27 billion - is immense compared to the size of the payroll being taxed to dig out of it, hence the affordability problem. There is no silver-bullet solution, and as Kotek suggested in her press conferences, most of the plans being considered would lower employers contributions and create some budget breathing room, but dont meaningfully reduce the deficit. The bulk of Tier 1 and 2 employees may be retired in 15 years, but the pension deficit wont disappear at that point, particularly if the state adopts a slower payment plan. The size of the deficit, and employers future rates, will be largely dependent on whether the system meets its assumed earnings rate on investments. Oregon does not have one of the best-funded pension plans in the country. Its true that Oregon PERS doesnt face imminent insolvency, like a handful of state pension systems that have been badly mismanaged. But its funded status is between 70 and 80 percent, depending on whether you include employers side accounts with PERS. Either way, that puts Oregon in the middle of the pack nationally, according to a recent study by Wilshire Consulting on funding levels in state retirement systems. Kotek: When you look at the PERS board, they do all these (rate) estimates based on a 100 percent funded program. Not a single pension system in the country is 100 percent funded. So if we assume a 90 percent funding is about where we end up, what do we do in the short term to keep us there, knowing that we might not get to 100 percent? Not many state pension plans are fully funded, but there are a few. And while there are a few systems that are targeting funding levels below 100 percent, they tend to be those on the brink of insolvency, with little hope of getting back to fully funded. The only real standard for healthy public pension funding, according to the American Academy of Actuaries, is that they be fully funded or have a plan to get there. Targeting 90 percent doesnt get you there. As it stands, Oregons system is in danger of falling below a funding trigger point 70 percent without side accounts. That would force the system to increase required contributions to protect its funded status. If investment returns dont meet the systems 7.2 percent earnings rate assumption this year, its likely some employers rate increases will be even bigger than forecast in 2021. Kotek: Knowing what our goal is has been part of the discussion, because the PERS Board wants 100 percent funded, they dont care about the rates. Theyre just focused on the numbers. We as legislators have to be focused on the impact. Kotek implied that the PERS Board is making decisions in a vacuum based on technical considerations -- without much thought to how those affect public employers. The speaker has never attended a PERS Board meeting, but one of its guiding principles is to set rates that are stable and transparent. And when it comes to setting economic assumptions like the amortization period, which it reconsiders every two years, it does so in public meetings after getting feedback from employers, consultants and the Oregon Investment Council, which oversees the systems investments. The board already faces considerable pressure to avoid changes that increase employer rates, and it has accommodated those pressures in various ways. One is by limiting rate changes in any given biennium to 20 percent of the existing rate. Its called rate collaring, and in effect, it is already allowing employers to underpay the system every biennium in order to protect their budgets from volatile pension costs. Its not a small break, either. The PERS Board collared off about $1.6 billion in additional employer contributions in the current biennium. Reached Thursday, Kotek said she still has a lot to learn about PERS. She said she doesnt want to compromise the decision making or independence of the board, but that communications and reporting of its actions to lawmakers -- and how they will affect budgets -- is weak. She says the PERS plan she is considering with Courtney will include one-time money from many of the same sources the governor identified, but that it would likely spread that money around the state rather than focusing solely on schools. Freezing all rate increases, as the governors plan attempts to do for schools, is probably not a realistic goal, Kotek said. She added that there are tradeoffs involved in measures like extending the amortization period for the unfunded liability, and that state statute allows the repayments period to be as long as 40 years. We still need to make decisions that will help us mitigate these rate increases, she said. Our goal is to have a light touch if we do anything here. I dont want every actuary on earth coming after us because weve done something irresponsible. The Portland City Council on Wednesday approved spending $50,000 to settle an invasion of privacy lawsuit brought against the Police Bureau by a former Washington County sheriffs deputy. The suit stems from a 2015 domestic violence investigation gone wrong, according to a settlement memo prepared by city officials for the mayor and commissioners offices. The Oregonian/OregonLive obtained a copy of the confidential memo Thursday. A male Washington County patrol deputy was accused of domestic assault against a female jail deputy, and the agency asked the Police Bureau to investigate. The woman gave Portland detectives access to data on her cell phone as a part of that investigation, and they entered it into the criminal case file. (The Oregonian/OregonLive does not name victims of domestic violence.) The patrol deputy ultimately pleaded guilty to three crimes for strangling and mistreating the woman, who has since left her Washington County job. In 2016, the Washington County Sheriffs Office asked for the file in order to investigate another sheriffs office employee. The victim protested against handing over the data, which contained nude photographs. The city memo states Portland detectives were aware that the victim was concerned about the photos being seen. Detectives transferred the data anyway, believing they had no choice but to comply with Washington Countys request. No one but investigators saw the photos, but the memo states the womans situation as a crime victim and state law against invasions of privacy mean there is a possibility that she could be awarded emotional distress damages and attorneys fees by a jury at trial. The potential liability made settling a smart choice, the memo states. The Washington County Sheriffs Office agreed to reimburse Portland for $10,000 of legal expenses once the case settled. -- Gordon R. Friedman GFriedman@Oregonian.com State Rep. Annette Glenn announced she is conducting a photo contest for constituents in Midland and Bay counties. The top three photos will be chosen as winners and receive prizes. The first-place prize will be a tour of he state Capitol, the opportunity to sit on the House floor during session, and a U.S. flag flown over the state Capitol. "We are fortunate to live in a beautiful part of Michigan," Glenn said. "This is an exciting opportunity to highlight the many wonderful things to do in our area during the summer, and I look forward to showcasing the winning photos in my Lansing office." Paducah, KY (42003) Today Rain. Potential for heavy rainfall. High 53F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Potential for heavy rainfall. Low 49F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The UN Security Council on Thursday failed to harmonise the positions of its members on a draft resolution submitted by Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council, aimed at ending the fighting that has raged since 4 April in the outskirts of the Libyan capital, Tripoli Goma, DR Congo (PANA) A Congolese military courts conviction of a warlord for the war crimes of rape and use of child soldiers in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) showed serious shortcomings in the countrys military justice system, Human Rights Watch said on Friday Niamey, Niger (PANA) Nigerien Parliament on Friday approved government's proposal to appoint by decree Chief Officers of public universities, a reform challenged by the trade-union of higher education professors and researchers (SNECS), who instead prefer that the appointments should be by election At the press conference (Source: VNA) Vesak 2019 celebration has the theme Buddhisms Approach to Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Sustainable Societies and is chaired by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) in coordination with the International Council for the Day of Vesak (ICDV). At a press conference held in Hanoi on April 18th, Venerable Thich Gia Quang, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council and Head of the Communications Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, who is Vice Chairman of the Vesak 2019 Organizing Committee, said Vietnam successfully hosted Vesak celebration in 2008 in Hanoi and in 2014 in Ninh Binh province. According to Thich Duc Thien, Deputy Chairman-Secretary General of the Executive Board of the VBS, Vesak 2019 celebration will welcome around 1,500 foreign Buddhist leaders, scholars, researchers from 105 countries and territories together with heads of state and ambassadors and representatives of international organizations in Vietnam. Vietnams Party, State and VBS leaders and around 15,000-20,000 local and overseas Buddhist followers will attend the event. Vesak 2019 celebration will have five forums discussing the responsible leadership for sustainable societies, Buddhisms approach to harmonious family, education, and responsible consumption, and Buddhism and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Some 398 presentations in English from foreign scholars and 110 others by Vietnamese scholars have been sent to the event. Spiritual and cultural events will be held on the sidelines of the event, like the Bathing of the Buddha ritual, requiems, a lantern night, photo exhibitions on world heritage pagodas, an exhibition on Buddhist antiques, and an art exchange. Vesak 2019 is an important diplomatic event affirming of the role of Vietnams Buddhism in international integration. The UN General Assembly on December 15th, 1999 recognized the Day of Vesak to celebrate the thrice-sacred event of the life of the Buddha Gautama. The Buddhist community in different countries has organized activities to celebrate this day every year./. Arizona art-rap trio Injury ReserveMCs Ritchie With a T and Stepa J. Groggs, and producer Parker Coreywill release their self-titled debut studio album on May 17 via Loma Vista Recordings, and theyre raising a glass of Koruna & Lime in celebration. The fierce, skeletal new single arrives alongside a cheeky one-shot video, directed by Corey, as all the up-and-coming outfits visuals are. Shot at Pollution Studios in Los Angeles, the Koruna & Lime video gets in your face in a hurry, with an upside-down Ritchie banging his head directly at Coreys lens. Stepa speaks his mind while seated on a camera dolly, reflecting, Never thought Id be gettin paid offa these rhymes / Aint it funny sometime how things align? Ritchie returns to deliver that spaz rap as discordant horns join the mix, later raising a glass to catching us in [his] next life over acrobatic A-Trak scratches. All the while, Corey doesnt take us behind the scenes such much as inside them, laying the videos artifice bare and even calling attention to the camera itself. Injury Reserve are laying claim to a wavelength all their owneven their latest singles title takes something mundane and spins it in an unexpected direction. Injury Reserve opener Koruna & Lime follows buzzy previous Injury Reserve singles/videos Jawbreaker (ft. Rico Nasty and Proteens) and Jailbreak The Tesla (ft. Amine). Odds are the trio out of Phoenix wont be able to say they dont get enough shine much longer. See the Koruna & Lime video and Injury Reserve album art below. You can preorder the LP here. Injury Reserve Album Art: In a Thursday evening tweet uncharacteristically devoid of all-caps phrases and simple quips, President Trump declared: Anything the Russians did concerning the 2016 Election was done while Obama was President. He was told about it and did nothing! Most importantly, the vote was not affected. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019 While the President has been quick to spout off about NO COLLUSION, WITCH HUNT! and NO OBSTRUCTION, the vote was not affected is a saying heard far less from Trump. Perhaps because its such an indefensibly incorrect claim. First, its untrue that President Obama was told about a Russian effort to undermine the 2016 election and did nothing. From The Washington Posts Philip Bump: He pushed for a sweeping statement addressing the Russian effort, but couldnt get agreement from Republicans in Congress to do so. His Homeland Security director and director of national intelligence did release a report specifically warning state elections officers against the threat of being hacked by Russia. Unfortunately for its impact, it was released on Oct. 7, 2016, right before The Washington Post published the Access Hollywood tape and WikiLeaks began releasing emails stolen from Hillary Clintons campaign chairman, John Podesta. While it may be true that Russia did not successfully manipulate actual voting results, its important to consider their other attempts at result-meddling, especially considering the incredibly narrow margins by which Trump took Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin (he eked out a victory in these three states by only 78,000 votes collectively). So how exactly did Russia go about affecting the vote? Again according to WaPos Bump: Well, [with] those Podesta emails for one. Muellers indictments against a number of alleged Russian intelligence agents details how they accessed the Democratic National Committee network and Podestas email account (among other targets) and transferred the data to WikiLeaks. There, the stolen material became a central component of the election coverage for much of the last month. An analysis by Bump and WaPo showed that in the month leading up to the election, Clinton, Wikileaks and Comey were all referenced far more on cable news than even Access Hollywood. And this matters. In fact, its a point that Mueller explicitly makes. Although the investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome, Mueller writes in his report (upcoming emphasis ours), and that the campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. After the released Wikileaks material was massively influential in redirecting the national conversation, Trump began to continually praise the organization, and his campaign dispatched longtime ally Roger Stone to figure out what else the group had that could help them out. A Suffolk University and USA Today poll from late October of 2016 asked Americans whether leaked excerpts of private Clinton speeches would make people less likely to vote for her. Thirty-seven percent said yes. The Mueller report may not be the immediate smoking gun some Democrats had hoped for, but it certainly doesnt exonerate Trump. In fact, it concludes that the Russian effort to affect our election was successful, and that all the Trump campaign had to do was sit back and watch it work. On Wednesday Patently Apple posted a legal report titled "The City of Roseville Employees Retirement System files a Securities Fraud Class Action Lawsuit against Apple," that included Tim Cook and Luca Maestri as defendants. Today Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC announced that they have filed a similar class action lawsuit against Apple, CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri, on behalf of shareholders who purchased or otherwise acquired Apple securities between November 2, 2018 and January 2, 2019, both dates inclusive. This class action seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose adverse information regarding Apples business and prospects. Specifically, defendants failed to disclose that: (a) the U.S.-China trade war had negatively impacted demand for iPhones and Apples pricing power in greater China; (b) due to Apple discounting the cost of replacement batteries to make up for the Companys prior conduct of intentionally degrading the performance of the batteries in older iPhones, the rate at which Apple customers were replacing their batteries in older iPhones, rather than purchasing new iPhones, was negatively impacting Apples iPhone sales growth; (c) as a result of slowing demand, Apple had slashed production orders from suppliers for the new 2018 iPhone models and cut prices to reduce inventory; and (d) defendants decision to withhold unit sales for iPhones and other hardware, which was a metric relevant to investors and their view of the Companys financial performance, was designed to and would mask declines in unit sales of the Companys flagship product. As a result of this information being withheld from the market during the Class Period, the price of Apple stock was artificially inflated to more than $209 per share. Then on January 2, 2019, post-close, Apple disclosed that, for the first time in over 14 years, Apple would miss its prior quarterly revenue forecast amid falling iPhone sales in China, its third largest market after USA and Europe. The Company announced first quarter fiscal 2019 revenues of only $84 billion, below the expected range of $89 billion to $93 billion the Company had announced eight weeks previously on November 1, 2018. The Company also disclosed that in addition to macroeconomics in the Chinese market, the price cuts to battery replacements a year earlier to fix the Companys prior surreptitious conduct had hurt iPhone sales. This news caused the market price of Apple common stock to decline more than $15 per share, or more than 9%, from a close of $157.92 per share on January 2, 2019 to a close of $142.19 per share on January 3, 2019. Investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firms site here. A copy of the full complaint is provided below. Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC Complaint Against Apple by Jack Purcher on Scribd 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. Foxconn Technology Group said Thursday it remained committed to "long term" job creation in Wisconsin, after Democrat Governor Tony Evers said it was unrealistic to expect the company to employ 13,000 people as promised. However Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos pushed back against the Democratic governor, saying Evers was undermining the project and that any changes to the contract would be rejected by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Vos, whose legislative district includes the site of the Foxconn project, said in an interview on WISN-AM that renegotiating the deal would only make it worse for the state. "Why would we ever want that?" Vos said. "Either fewer jobs or fewer investments. It is beyond my level of understanding to think that a governor of Wisconsin is basically rooting for the failure of the largest economic development in our state's history." Foxconn, meanwhile, said in a statement yesterday that it remains committed to the deal, while being "open to further consultation, collaboration, and new ideas." Foxconn mentioned its other planned projects in the state, including innovation centers in Green Bay, Eau Claire and Racine, and a $100 million partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison for medical and other research. "Foxconn's commitment to job creation in Wisconsin remains long term and will span over the length of the (state) contract and beyond," the company said. Foxconn added the construction on the LCD display manufacturing facility will commence in the summer. The SFGate report added that "Vos and many other Republican lawmakers have spoken out against Evers since he told reporters on Wednesday that the contract may be renegotiated. Vos said Evers and Democrats running for president are "rooting for this project's failure so they can somehow blame Donald Trump." President Trump was involved in landing the deal, announced it at the White House and traveled to Wisconsin last summer for the groundbreaking, as our cover graphic illustrates. He had heralded it as a sign of a manufacturing resurgence in the United States. 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. Patna: Gram Raksha Dal (GRD) jawans in Patna on Saturday clashed with city police on Saturday during a protest march to press for their demands that include minimum wage as recommended by the law, uniform allowance, proper training, identification card, monetary compensation in the event of an accident or death, and status of a policeman, among others. Led by Dal's President Ram Prasad Rout, the protestors, who are on a dharna in Gardanibagh for the past two months, marched towards the Kotwali police station to get arrested a move meant to draw the attention of the administration. When the police tried to intervene, the protesters clashed with the police. In response, police resorted to lathi charge that resulted in injuries to about half a dozen people. Ashutosh Verma, Additional District Magistrate (ADM), to stop the situation from further aggravating, ordered the arrest of the protestors. After being kept at the police station for the rest of the day, they were released at their own cognizance. Verma said that he had talked to the officials at the Panchayati Raj department and they have agreed to hold talks with the Dal representatives on May 3. Patna: A day after the Income Tax department attached an alleged 'benami' property worth over Rs. 3 crore owned by the Lalu family, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi in Patna on Saturday produced a number of documents to prove the property in Sheikhpura was indeed owned by former Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav through a number of shady transfers with the help of fake companies created with the intent to keep the deal hidden. "The property in question was acquired by Tejaswi Yadav and other members of his family through a shell company named Fairgrow Private Limited. The fact that a property worth over Rs. 3.5 crore was transferred in the name of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's family members came into light last June but only recently the investigative agency was able to identify the property itself that happens to be the one in Sheikhpura area. This 2-storied building is located close to Patna Airport and is built on an area of 7,105 sq. ft," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said. Modi further said that after tracing the registration information of the Sheikhpura property, it became clear that it passed through the fake company associated with the Lalu family that had 20 names listed as its shareholders. A number of Lalu's family members, including Tejaswi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav, and their sister Ragini, are listed as the shareholders and members of the Board of Directors of this FairGrow Pvt. Ltd, he said. "This was an elaborate scheme hatched by the Lalu family to defraud the system. False names, false street addresses were used to hide the identities of the owners. In one case, Ragini's home address is listed as 1 Anne Marg, the Bihar Chief Minister's official residence. Ragini's mother Rabri Devi lived in this bungalow until 2005 but this document was prepared in 2014 when Nitish Kumar was the Chief Minister of Bihar. Tejaswi Yadav," Modi said adding Tejaswi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in Bihar Assembly, needed to come out clean on how he came to become the owner of this property when he had never held a job in his entire life. Patna: Officials at the Magadh Mahila College in Patna were not a happy lot on Thursday when the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), following its intensive review, dropped the college one notch below from A grade that it earned in 2013 to B grade. Against its overall score of 3.02 in 2013 that resulted in a A-grade certification by the NAAC, this year the score dropped to a dismal 2.35 that does not bode too well for one of the exclusive girls colleges in Patna. A decline in NAAC grade could result in sharp cut in various funding including University Grant Commission (UGC) and other central agencies funding that affect overall infrastructural development of the college and introduction of new courses. Magadh Mahila College Principal Prof. Shashi Sharma, however, tried to downplay the setback saying the college is yet to receive the NAAC certification. "We are still waiting for the official certification but, in the meantime, we have lodged a complaint against the way the college was evaluated. There were many procedural mistakes in the entire process and we are seeking clarification on many points," Prof. Sharma said. As reported, the college had submitted Institutional Information for Quality Assessment (IIQA) last July and Self Study Report (SSR) in October last year following which a peer team led by the Vice Chancellor of Shankaracharya University of Sanskrit Dharmaraj Adat had visited the college on March 18 and 19 earlier this year to carry out a review. The college was evaluated on seven categories including Student Support and Progression, Curricular Aspects, Teacher Learning and Evaluation, Research Innovation and Extension, Infrastructure and Learning Resources; Governance, Leadership and Management, Institutional Values and Best Practices, Alumni Cooperation, and various students' activities. While the college earned the lowest mark (1.18) in Student Support and Progression, it earned the highest mark in Teacher Learning and Evaluation (2.87 points). The college has the option to ask for a re-evaluation within a month if it's willing to fork out Rs. 1 lakh in fee, officials said. Belles Smokin BBQ in northern Kentucky is facing backlash for selling t-shirts mocking the LGBTQ acronym. The Williamstown, Kentucky-based food truck t-shirts contain the message I support LGBTQ: Liberty, Guns, Bible, Trump, BBQ. Click to Enlarge News of the t-shirts initially went viral when the Fairness Campaign (a Louisville-based organization that fights for equality across the state) brought attention to Belles Smokin BBQ on Facebook. Speaking to the Courier Journal, Fairness Campaign executive director Chris Hartman said, The first thing I thought when I saw it was what a bad idea, he said. What a bad business model, to automatically isolate not just a segment of your potential customer base, but all of their family and friends. He added in another interview, It isolates not just members of the LGBTQ community, but also their family, friends, co-workers, and loved ones. These are the types of messages LGBTQ kids see that make them feel isolated and that they wont be accepted in their community. He didnt realize how fast the initial post a post sharing the now-deleted original post from Belles Smokin BBQ would go viral. The business removed the post and published a brief statement yesterday saying: Thank you all for your comments and your polite phone calls. This wasnt intended to offend.. Its a simple ACRONYM THATS ALL. Suffice to say, LGBTQ is not just a simply acronym and co-opting the LGBTQ community acronym for a message that includes Trump who has been the one of the most antagonistic presidents toward the community in recent history shows intent. (Particularly since the T in LGBTQ represents the transgender community the portion of the LGBTQ community most recently targeted and harmed by the current administration.) The majority of comments responding to this statement made similar observations about the disingenuous nature of the statement and the harm of further marginalizing the LGBTQ community by mocking the acronym for profit. Following that non-apology, Belles Smokin BBQ published another statement with a link to a Fox News article earlier today. Speaking to Fox 19, owner Jamie Smith said, I posted the shirt today for new swag and it just went out of hand and it got blowed up, adding, At the end of the day we have to stand for what we believe in and like I said if I offended anyone that wasnt our intention but it was just a play on words. a play on words that targeted and further marginalized the LGBTQ community in an area of Kentucky already hostile to non-white, non-heterosexual and non-gender conforming persons. The sincerity of Smiths apology in receiving substantial critical feedback from members of the LGBTQ community on the offensiveness of the t-shirt can be summed up by how he finished his Fox 19 interview: Smith says he has already sold out all of his shirts and has a back order for more. Actions speak louder than words especially in the Trump era where words and truth itself are meaningless to an entire swath of the country. Hartmann touched on this when speaking to the Courier Journal: But Hartman said theres no question the shirts were meant to provoke LGBTQ the acronym itself, but then by extension people, identity and while a legitimate apology would be an important first step, it wouldnt be the last step. How are they going to be inclusive? Is there going to be a Pride Month barbecue special? The rainbow sliders, or something, he said. At this point, its not enough to just say were sorry. You actually have to take actionable steps to prove that youre going to be inclusive. As of three hours ago, Smith has begun capitalizing on the viral attention hes received not to atone, but to sell more t-shirts whose entire existence seeks to marginalize LGBTQ people. Actions really do speak louder than words. Peacock Panache readers: Tim Peacock is the Managing Editor and founder of Peacock Panache and has worked as a civil rights advocate for over twenty years. During that time hes worn several hats including leading on campus LGBTQ advocacy in the University of Missouri campus system, interning with the Colorado Civil Rights Division, and volunteering at advocacy organizations. You can learn more about him at his personal website. Like this: Like Loading... Related We hope you enjoyed reading this article! If you would like to support our ongoing work, please consider buying us a cup of coffee. It's not much, but we don't do this for the money. We do, however, need caffeine to keep going some days!If you do donate, send us a message through our Contact Us page or via social media so we can thank you! Even as a criminally charged mayor submitted his resignation, he is disputing charges he pointed a loaded pistol at several teens in a local park. As WTAE-TV and TribLive report, embattled Derry Borough Mayor Kevin Gross is mayor no longer, after submitting his resignation Thursday night. The borough council president was set to step in and fulfill duties of the office. Gross attorney, Tim Andrews, told TribLive his client believed he would be unable to accomplish what he wants to do to help Derry, a borough in Westmoreland County, given all of the attention that has been focused on the incident. But while he is stepping down, the 38-year-old Gross was staunchly defending himself against the charges stemming from accusations he pointed a gun at kids in the park, the attorney told TribLive, which writes: Its our contention that the allegations have factual inaccuracies in many ways, attorney Andrews said. Gross training as a member of the military would preclude him from acting in the manner that theyre claiming, Andrews said. Mr. Gross is an outstanding member of the community, Andrews said, adding that he is an Iraq war veteran who was airlifted out of the war zone with serious injuries. It was unclear the branch of the military with which he served. The pistol-packing Pa. mayor is accused of pointing a loaded gun at a 15-year-old boy and later, three teen girls, ordering them to put down their phones in a park on Sunday. Pa. State police say Gross allegedly pointed a loaded revolver at a 15-year-old boy, ordering him to the ground at the park on Broad Street on Sunday night. He is also accused of pointing the gun at three teenage girls and ordering them to put down their phones. The incidents happened after Grosss son allegedly had a scuffle with some other teens and got a scratch on his arm. That prompted Gross showed up at the park packing a loaded gun, state police say. Shocked parents tried to calm the situation as others called police. After Pa. state police arrived, they say Gross admitted to what he had done and was arrested, then jailed. Gross posted $20,000 bail Tuesday, but Westmoreland County Sheriffs deputies seized more than 55 firearms of all types from his home. His attorney tells TribLive the majority of those firearms are collectible items that have never been used. The remaining guns are used for hunting or target shooting, he said. (Story continues below) NEW: Derry Borough mayor Kevin Gross has submitted a letter of resignation to council following his arrest and felony charges. Gross is accused of holding three teens and a 12 yr old girl at gunpoint. https://t.co/YUHrchuwJ9 pic.twitter.com/3LkovZAeD5 Beau Berman (@BeauWTAE) April 18, 2019 Andrews added that his client plans to fight the charges of aggravated assault, simple assault, harassment and reckless endangerment by demanding a jury trial in the case. Gross was elected mayor of the borough in 2017 when he ran unopposed. Kate Spade is coming to Lancaster County. The designer store, which sells clothing and accessories, will open up in the summer at the areas Tanger Outlets, according to LancasterOnline. The 4,000-square-foot store will open in the space occupied by Kitchen Collection, which will move to a smaller space near the Asics store. This will be the eighth Kate Spade store to open in Pennsylvania. There are already Kate Spades at the King of Prussia Mall, Suburban Square in Ardmore, Crossings Premium Outlets in Tannersville, Ross Park Mall in Pittsburgh, Tanger Outlets Pittsburgh and Grove City Premium Outlets. A Kate Spade opened at the Tanger Outlets Hershey in Derry Township opened in December 2017. The Kate Spade brand is best known for its handbags, which are colorful and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They retail in the $100 to $600 ranges, making them more affordable than other designer bags. You can learn more about Kate Spade at katespade.com. Tanger Outlets Lancaster is located at 311 Stanley K. Tanger Drive in Lancaster. Its open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, and 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. You can learn more about the outlets at tangeroutlet.com/lancaster. Tanger Outlets Lancaster isnt the only retail hub adding new businesses in the coming months. Capital City Mall is adding an Outback Steakhouse, Primanti Bros. and Mavis Discount Tire. Learn more about business news in central Pa. at our Business Buzz blog, run by Daniel Urie. Click here to see his coverage. Julia Hatmaker may be reached at jhatmaker@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter @JuliaHatmaker. Start your day in the know by signing up for our newsletter, Good Morning, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvanias chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is ending a seven-year lawsuit over a lack of funding for public defense in Luzerne County. Pennsylvania is the only state in the country that doesnt provide any funding or central oversight for criminal defense of its poorest people. It leaves the job totally up to counties and some, like Luzerne, have been found lacking. Several years after the ACLU filed its 2012 suit, the state Supreme Court decided defendants in Luzerneand elsewherecan sue their county if they believe they have been given insufficient representation. ACLU Legal Director Vic Walczak said it was a boon to some of the commonwealths poorest residents. But he added, his ultimate goal is broader: getting the state to provide money for public defense. It really has to be lawmakers that make this change, he said. But given that there doesnt appear to be any appetite in the legislature, the ACLU will continue to look at potential litigation to be able to move the process along. The ACLU said it dropped the Luzerne case because the quality of indigent defense in the county has improved significantly since 2012. But Walczak noted, he still thinks most counties simply do not provide anywhere near the necessary funding to run a constitutionally-adequate public defender office. There have been some minor attempts among state lawmakers to allocate money for public defense and create centralized oversight to make sure counties are fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities. The primary champion of the effort for many years was Montgomery County Republican Senator Stewart Greenleaf, who retired in January without making much progress on the issue. It hasnt gotten much purchase this legislative session, though Democratic Representative Joanna McClinton, of Philadelphia, has introduced a bill that aims to create oversight and allocate funding. It has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Governor Tom Wolf has said he supports putting state money toward indigent defense. Heavy rain and possible severe weather are forecast for Friday into Saturday morning. With that in mind and spring overall offering the potential for dangerous storms, the American Red Cross today sent out a list of safety tips and basic information about severe weather. Some of that information dealt with basic knowledge about storms. A weather-related watch means conditions are favorable for an event to occur. A weather-related warning means a situation has developed in the area and extra precautions or immediate action should be taken. Thunderstorms are considered severe if they produce hail at least one inch in diameter or have wind gusts of at least 58 mph. During a thunderstorm, remain in a safe indoor location away from windows and avoid using electrical appliances. If stuck outside, avoid high ground, water, tall and/or isolated trees, and metal objects. Tornadoes are violent and can completely destroy well-made struc- tures, uproot trees, and hurl objects. If a tornado is approaching, seek shelter in a basement, a center building hallway, bathroom, or closet on the lowest floor possible. Floods and Flash Floods can occur quickly when heavy rains cause rivers and streams to rise. Stay aware of the conditions around you and be prepared to evacuate in a moments notice if needed. Do not at- tempt to cross through floodwater. Six inches of fast-flowing water can knock over a person and two feet will float a car. Emergency Preparedness Kits should always be equipped with the proper supplies you might need during emergency situations. When building your kit, be sure it includes items needed by all members of your family - including your pets! Keep the kit located in a place that is easy to access should you need to evacuate your home quickly. Here are some suggestions for that emergency kit: A Lancaster man was arrested this week, accused of beating a boy and endangering him by keeping drugs in plain view. Adrian Jamal Washington, 33, is charged with felony aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to online court dockets. In charging documents filed by Lancaster City police, Washington is accused of hitting a boy younger than 13 with an open hand on the back and left ribcage. He is also accused of hitting the boy with a plastic clothes hanger on the back, left ribcage and right eye. Police said in the beating, the hanger broke. The child suffered soft tissue damage to large portions of the boys back and left ribcage, police said. The boy also suffered a red, puffy eye with irritation and an enlarged eyelid. Police arrested Washington on Wednesday around 8:43 p.m., and said he had left 41 grams of of suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia on the kitchen table since Tuesday. Among the paraphernalia was a digital scale, Blue EVOD vape pen, Mason jar filled with marijuana blunts and rolling papers. Police said the suspected drugs were field tested early Thursday morning, which was positive for marijuana. Washington was arraigned Thursday morning and placed in Lancaster County Prison on $250,000 bail. A York County man was arrested Thursday with the homicide of his wife, who has been missing for 39 years. Warrington Township Police in Bucks County charged William Walter Korzon, 76, who most recently lived in Lower Windsor Township in York county, with homicide, criminal solicitation of homicide and several counts of felony forgery, according to online court dockets. Korzons wife, Gloria Korzon, has been missing since 1981, according to Warrington Police. She was declared dead in 1997. Warrington Township Police Chief Daniel Friel wrote in the press release that there is still investigative work to be done, so they were releasing limited information. This is a big day for Glorias family who lost her about 39 years ago, Friel said in the release. He also said it was the biggest cold case in the departments history. There was a lot of time and effort and a great amount of team work from everyone involved to bring this case to the point we are at today," Friel said. Lower Windsor Township police said they assisted Warrington police with the arrest at 6:30 a.m., Thursday. Korzon was then taken and arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Jean Seaman, who denied Korzon bail, according to online court dockets. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 26. A doctors office in Centre County on Thursday reported a possible case of the measles to the state Department of Health. The Mount Nittany Physician Group Pediatrics location at Mount Nittany Health Boalsburg stayed open for business Thursday but did call patients and gave them the option of rescheduling, the Centre Daily Times reported. As of Thursday, no confirmed measles cases has been reported in Pennsylvania, Department of Health spokesman Nate Wardle told the news organization. Any suspicious cases would be sent to the state lab for testing, he added. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday that 555 measles cases had been confirmed from the start of the year through April 11, a majority in New York. That total is already the most since 2014, when 667 were reported. Before that, the most was 963 cases in 1994. While measles cases havent been seen in Pennsylvania, cases of the mumps have. Temple University in Philadelphia has been in the midst of a mumps outbreak that has grown to more than 100 cases, and Kutztown University said in late March that one of its students had come down with a likely case of it. Its been two and a half months since Kyle Yorlets was killed, and his family is doing what it can to move forward. Law enforcement officials said that Yorlets was fatally shot when five juveniles, ages 12 to 16, tried to take his car in front of his Nashville home on Feb. 7. Kyles parents, Deb and Larry Yorlets, live in Carlisle where Kyle grew up. This has led to some unexpected challenges in the aftermath of his death. Because Kyle was a Tennessee resident, his parents had to find a Tennessee lawyers to help sort out his estate. Staff at Belmont University, where Kyle graduated from with a degree in music business, ended up helping connect the family to lawyers so they could do all these tasks. Even smaller things, like getting bills in the mail for things he had set up on auto-pay, have come to them. Every little thing, Deb said. Its not an easy process. Its a constant reminder. While his parents handle what they can in Pennsylvania, theyre also following whats going on with the individuals accused of their sons murder. Having such young defendants in the case has made for the possibility of complications to what Kyles parents consider to be justice. The first hurdle they are eyeing is making sure all five juveniles are tried as adults and not within the juvenile system. The Nashville District Attorney Generals Office has said its pursuing the most aggressive course of action in the case, which is requesting all five be transferred to adult court. But thats easier said than done. Stacy Miller, an assistant district attorney who was the Juvenile Court Team Leader with the Nashvilles District Attorney Generals Office, outlined some of the complications Thursday. In Tennessee, a juvenile is only placed in the adult court system in a discretionary transfer, which means a judge makes the decision to order the transfer. Miller said for any homicide charge, the District Attorney Generals Office requests the transfer, but there are many factors that go into the judges decision. Among them is the ability for the child to be rehabilitated. Its not going to be that black and white because its a homicide, Miller said. In Tennessee, if a juvenile was convicted of homicide in the juvenile system, he or she would only be under the states jurisdiction until the child was 19, Miller said. After that, he or she would be set free. For prosecutors, that means they might argue that those couple of years in the system isnt enough for rehabilitation. It doesnt do the community and victims and families any good if we warehouse somebody for two years," Miller said. Weve got to use that time wisely. And thats what Kyles parents fear the most. Thats not acceptable, Kyles father said earlier this week. My sons dead; thats not going to change. Theres no justice for that. Something can be done here. Whenever these individuals killed my son, they decided they no longer wanted to be part of a civil society." Miller said her office is hoping to do everything it can to make sure the case goes to adult court. There is a court date set for this summer, when prosecutors will make that argument. Kyles parents have grieved while they have looked for ways to honor their son. This includes starting a scholarship for music students at Kyles alma mater Carlisle High School and other tributes based around Kyles kindness. The couple found that between Kyles Pennsylvania friends and family, and his friends and bandmates in Nashville, its been hard to keep everyone up to date on the legal developments. Deb started a Facebook Page, Justice for Kyle Yorlets, to help keep everyone in the loop. She has also shared articles about the juvenile justice system in Tennessee. The scholarship the family started for music students at Carlisle High School will prioritize the students love of music and their compassion for others. The idea was, we wanted someone that was going to try and make it in the music industry like Kyle had hoped to do, but at the same time was compassionate toward others, Larry said. [It] emulates the kind of person he was. Although the deadline for next years scholarship is already past, Kyles parents are looking forward to maintaining it for years. They also are looking into finding other ways to help honor him. He spread kindness like crazy, Kyles mother said. Because of that, she and other family members are looking into doing some kind of kindness project, which they will name Kyle Yorlets Love Endures." This will give the couple a project to immerse themselves in while they wait for the trial. In July, they plan to travel to Tennessee for the juvenile court transfer hearing. Even though they know not to expect a decision that day, they want to be there, especially if they are able to say something. Kyle cant be there, Deb said. We need to be there to represent him. Because he cant. The former Harrisburg State Hospital property will become the next hot development site in the midstate under a deal struck between Dauphin County and the state to market the historic tract, county commissioners said Thursday evening. It is a no money down deal. Commission Chairman Jeff Haste said the county Redevelopment Authority and the state have agreed the authority will market the 295-acre site across from the Farm Show Complex at Cameron Street and Elmerton Avenue. The authority wont pay anything up front and will split with the state any proceeds of the sale of the site to a developer or developers, Haste said during the annual State of the County program with fellow Commissioners Mike Pries and George Hartwick at the Harrisburg Hilton. Gov. Tom Wolf is expected to sign the agreement in about a month, Haste said. This is a win for our entire region, Haste said. In addition to getting this land back on the property tax rolls, there is a potential for a mix of uses that will create jobs and spur further growth in that section of the city. It is an opportunity that we just cant pass up, he said. The property isnt entirely in Harrisburg. Most of it is in Susquehanna Township. Haste said county officials will work with city and township leaders on development proposals and marketing. The county-state deal comes nearly two years after the Legislature signed off on selling the property. It gave the Department of General Services the go-ahead to start looking for a buyer in June 2017. At that time, state officials said their preferred buyer was the county redevelopment authority. They said the authority was better positioned than the state to take community interests into account in arranging development of the property. No dollar figures were mentioned during Thursday evenings program. However, state officials have said it costs $5 million annually to maintain the state hospital site. A 2017 appraisal rated its market value at around $2 million. Haste and Commissioners Mike Pries and George Hartwick said any development is at least a year away. The state first must subdivide the property and separate the utilities, Haste said. He said several buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places and so cannot be demolished. Interest already has been expressed in developing one of them as a boutique hotel, Haste said. The hospital property has been waiting for some kind of rebirth since the state closed the facility in January 2006. In October 2017, Harrisburg officials unveiled a proposal use the site to lure Amazons new headquarters, and 50,000 jobs to the city. Amazon didnt bite. The hospital opened in 1851 and initially was known as the Pennsylvania State Lunatic Hospital. It was the states first treatment facility for the mentally ill. The Harrisburg facility was among several state hospitals closed in the early 2000s. Supporters of the shutdowns said too many patients were needlessly being institutionalized. Those patients could live more normal lives in the community with the aid of caseworkers, medications and community-based mental health services, advocates said. Today is Good Friday, the Christian holiday held in remembrance of the day when Jesus died on the cross. Heres a rundown of what significant offices and stores are open or closed today and Easter Sunday. Banks: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. Capital Area Transit: Buses will run on a normal schedule on Good Friday. County government: Dauphin and Perry county courts and offices are open Good Friday while Adams, Cumberland, Lancaster, Lebanon and York county courts and offices are closed. Federal government: open Libraries: All local libraries are closed on Easter Sunday. In the Cumberland County Library System, the John Graham Library is closed on Good Friday. Middletown Public Library is closed Good Friday. Dauphin County Library System and Hershey Public Library are open on Good Friday, closed on Easter. Liquor stores: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. Municipal government offices: If you have municipal business to attend to on Good Friday, call first. Closed Camp Hill, Derry Twp., East Pennsboro Twp., Hampden Twp., Hummelstown, Lower Paxton Twp., Middletown and Susquehanna Twp. Open Carlisle, Palmyra and Silver Spring Twp. Pa Media Group business office: Open Good Friday, closed Easter. Parking in Harrisburg: Free on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. PennDOT: Open Good Friday. Post office: Open Good Friday. Public schools: Most public schools are closed Good Friday including Annville-Cleona, Camp Hill, Carlisle, Central Dauphin, Cumberland Valley, Dauphin County Technical School, Derry Township, Donegal, East Pennsboro, Elizabethtown, Greenwood, Halifax, Harrisburg, Hempfield, Lower Dauphin, Mechanicsburg, Middletown, Millersburg, Newport, Northern York, Palmyra, Penn Manor, Shippensburg, Solanco, Susquehanna Township, Susquenita, West Perry and West Shore. Private schools closed include Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg Academy and Trinity. Rabbittransit: Will run on a normal schedule on Good Friday. No service Easter Sunday. Retail stores: Open Good Friday. Supermarkets: Aldi: Open Good Friday, closed Easter Sunday. Giant: Open Good Friday, closes at 3 p.m. on Easter Sunday. Weis: Open Good Friday and Easter. Karns: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. Wegmans: Open regular hours on Good Friday and Easter. (The pharmacy is open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Easter) Sharp Shopper: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. Costco: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. BJs: Open Good Friday, open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Easter. Sams club: Open Good Friday, closed on Easter. State government: Open Good Friday. Trash collection: Penn Waste, Waste Management and Republic Services collections will all run on a normal schedule. Municipal waste collection may be affected. Seven of the 12 candidates running for five Harrisburg school board seats participated in a debate Thursday at HMAC. A sizeable crowd kept the debate going until 9 p.m. Attendees wrote their questions down on index cards, which moderator Brandon Flood read out loud for each candidate to answer. Five questions were asked of them: What do you believe is the biggest issue facing Harrisburg School District? What would you do differently than the current school board of directors during their tenure? Are you for or against charter schools? What will you do to increase cultural awareness? Do you support 100 percent fair funding? POWER, an interfaith organization committed to building communities of opportunity that work for all, was the events host. A POWER representative shared a brief synopsis of its research that showed a flawed narrative in the fair funding formula conversation. The presentation broke down per-pupil spending at a handful of Pennsylvania school districts, which showed the wealthiest school districts receiving more state funding compared to poorer school districts. POWER says it fears historical inequities are locked in forever, unless legislative action occurs. The group wanted to know where prospective school board members stand on supporting House Bill 961, which would require the state to allocate all education funding through the Fair Funding Formula. All candidates said they agreed with the premise of the bill. POWER will host a second debate Saturday at Choice Community Christian Church, 1524 Walnut St. Doors will open at 5:30 for the debate, which will follow the same format. POWER will provide attendees with index cards and pens for them to write down their questions. Tonights debate ended with Flood predicting, I think in May, we will have a pretty diverse board. Even though Flood, the states new secretary for the five-member Board of Pardons, was unable to ask candidates all of the questions from attendees, he said they will be provided to candidates. And, the public can find answers to questions asked of the candidates either on POWERs social media pages or its website. Flood noted that invitations were extended to all 12 candidates, but incumbents Lionel Gonzalez, Lola Lawson, Ellis Roy and Patricia Whitehead-Myers neither responded nor attended. Ralph Rodriguez, a challenger, also did not participate. One of the questions posed to candidates: What do you believe is one of the biggest issues facing Harrisburg School District? Gerald Welch: He said he believes theres a lack of resources, as well as lack of being good stewards of current resources. The district also needs to improve its graduation rate, he said. Jayne Buchwach: Transparency and accountability need to be reinstated, she said, adding that Harrisburg residents have no idea what this school board is doing. And, she said, were in continual fail mode and heres the thing that bothers me, nobody knows why. Cory Williams: Parental involvement is non-existent, he said, adding that when he looked in the audience he didnt see anyone from his neighborhood. He said parents should be involved, and active in helping the school district to ensure their child is working on academics, even when they are not in the classroom. Lewis Butts Jr.: Theres no emphasis on communication, he said. Communication trickles down to the students, and if the district doesnt show respect to its teachers, the community and the school board, the pattern will perpetuate. He said a school board member needs to be in each of the districts schools to open up discussions. Steven Williams: While resources are being wasted, students are entering life unprepared, he said. When money is being directed away from the students, and used elsewhere, learners suffer. Education doesnt benefit one child, it benefits everyone in the community," he said. Jim Thompson: Early childhood education needs to be a focal point of discussion, he said. Once students have a strong foundation, it will set them up for the rest of their lives, he said. Doug Thompson-Leader: Theres no leadership, he said. When he attends school board meetings, the majority of the school board just wants to rubber-stamp everything without question, he said. WASHINGTON (AP) Special counsel Robert Muellers investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election identified 10 instances of possible obstruction of justice by President Donald Trump. Mueller said in his report that he could not conclusively determine that Trump had committed a crime or that he hadnt. A look at the 10 instances: ___ PRESSURE ON COMEY TO END PROBE OF MICHAEL FLYNN This includes the president's statement to then-FBI Director James Comey regarding the investigation of then-national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump told Comey: "I hope you can see your way to letting this go." ___ PRESIDENTS REACTION TO THE CONTINUING RUSSIA INVESTIGATION Among the evidence is the president telling then-White House counsel Don McGahn to stop Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself from the Russia investigation and Trump's subsequent anger at Sessions. Trump also contacted Comey and other intelligence agency leaders to ask them to push back publicly on the suggestion that Trump had any connection to the Russian election-interference effort. ___ FIRING OF COMEY AND AFTERMATH Mueller's report says "substantial evidence" indicates Trump's decision to fire Comey in May 2017 was the result of the FBI director's unwillingness to say publicly that Trump was not personally under investigation. On the day after Trump fired Comey, the president told Russian officials that he had "faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." ___ APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL AND EFFORTS TO REMOVE HIM Trump reacted to news of Muellers appointment by telling advisers that it was the end of his presidency. The president told aides that Mueller had conflicts of interest and should have to step aside. His aides told Trump the asserted conflicts were meritless. Following media reports that Muellers team was investigating whether the president had obstructed justice, Trump called then-White House counsel Don McGahn at home and directed him to have Mueller removed. McGahn refused. ____ FURTHER EFFORTS TO CURTAIL THE SPECIAL COUNSELS INVESTIGATION Trump instructed former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to have Sessions publicly announce that, notwithstanding his recusal from the Russia investigation, the investigation was "very unfair" to the president, the president had done nothing wrong, and Sessions planned to meet with Mueller to limit him to "investigating election meddling for future elections." ___ EFFORTS TO PREVENT PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF EVIDENCE In summer of 2017, Trump learned that the news media planned to report on the June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower between senior campaign officials and Russians offering derogatory information about Hillary Clinton. The president directed aides not to publicly disclose the emails setting up the meeting. Before the emails became public, the president also edited a press statement for Donald Trump Jr. by deleting a line that acknowledged that the meeting was "with an individual who (Trump Jr.) was told might have information helpful to the campaign." ___ ADDITIONAL EFFORTS TO HAVE SESSIONS TAKE CONTROL OF INVESTIGATION At several points in between July 2017 and December 2017, Trump tried to get Sessions to declare that he was no longer recused from the Russia investigation and would assert control over it. The report says there's evidence that one purpose of asking Sessions to step in was so that the attorney general would restrict the investigation's scope. ___ TRUMP ORDERS WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL TO DENY THAT PRESIDENT TRIED TO FIRE MUELLER In an Oval Office meeting in February 2018, Trump told McGahn to "correct" a New York Times story that reported Trump had earlier instructed McGahn to fire Mueller. Trump also asked why McGahn had told Mueller's investigators about the directive to remove Mueller. McGahn told Trump he had to tell the investigators the truth. ___ TRUMPS ACTIONS TOWARD, FLYNN, MANAFORT AND OTHER POSSIBLE WITNESSES Mueller looked at whether Trump's sympathetic messages to Flynn, former campaign manager Paul Manafort and others were intended to limit their cooperation with Mueller's investigation. When Flynn began cooperating with prosecutors, Trump passed word through his lawyer that he still had warm feeling for Flynn and asked for a "heads up" if Flynn knew of information implicating Trump. Trump praised Manafort during and after his criminal convictions, and refused to rule out a pardon for his former campaign chairman. ___ TRUMP ACTIONS TOWARD MICHAEL COHEN Mueller noted that Trump's conduct toward Cohen, a former Trump Organization executive, changed from praise to castigation after Cohen began cooperating with prosecutors. The evidence could "support an inference that the president used inducements in the form of positive messages in an effort to get Cohen not to cooperate, and then turned to attacks and intimidation to deter" cooperation and undermine Cohen's credibility, Mueller wrote. - By Mark Sherman, Associated Press ___ The case of a Lancaster County doctor who is accused of sexually assaulting a patient during an after-hours medical exam is now being investigated by officials at the state attorney generals office, which is encouraging other accusers to make themselves known. Joe Grace, a spokesman for the attorney general, confirmed Thursday that the office had accepted the case against William R. Vollmar, which was offered by referral from the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office. We have begun an investigation, Grace said, declining to provide any other information about the case, including the number of potential victims. Grace said he also could not say exactly why the case was referred. In a post to Twitter, Attorney General Josh Shapiro referenced the case against Vollmar, 55, who was charged last week with indecent assault by state police. We believe more victims are out there, Shapiro said. My office listens to survivors. We will follow every lead. This Lancaster Co. sports medicine doctor had many patients. We believe more victims are out there. Please call @PAStatePolice at 717-299-7650 with any information. My Office listens to survivors. We will follow every lead. https://t.co/qb3OipQZXV AG Josh Shapiro (@PAAttorneyGen) April 18, 2019 Grace said anyone who wants to make an accusation against Vollmar or who has information related to his case should call the state police barracks in Lancaster at 717-299-7650. Early Thursday evening, Brett Hambright, a spokesman for the Lancaster County District Attorneys Office, told PennLive that no referral had been made. He said the referral was only being discussed at that point. As of now, there is no explanation for the contradiction between the offices. Vollmar, who lives in Willow Street, worked as a doctor at Stephen G. Diamantoni & Associates Family Practice in Quarryville. Stephen G. Diamantoni is the Lancaster County coroner. In charging documents, state police said a man accused Vollmar of touching him in a sexual manner while the doctor was treating him for an ankle injury during an appointment that took place outside of regular business hours at the Quarryville practice. After the examination, Vollmar offered to perform chiropractic work and a soft tissue massage on the man, and that is when the assault took place, police said. According to police, Vollmar later admitted to touching the man, telling investigators the assault was the result of a misunderstanding and that he was not very proud" of his actions. Diamantoni said Vollmar sent an email last week to announce he was retiring immediately. Diamantoni said he could not comment further on Vollmars employment or the accusations against him. Vollmar also acted as a school physician in Middletown Area School District in Dauphin County and Pequea Valley, Lampeter-Strasburg and Conestoga Valley school districts in Lancaster County. In the days after Vollmar was charged, officials at three of those districts confirmed that the doctor had either left or was removed from his position as school physician. Earlier this week, a Philadelphia-based attorney said a man he represents has reported to police that he also was sexually assaulted by Vollmar. Guy DAndrea of Laffey, Bucci & Kent LLP in Philadelphia said his client reported that he was 13 years old when Vollmar assaulted him. DAndrea said Tuesday that his law firm was vetting other people regarding allegations against Vollmar, as well. Vollmar is to appear for a preliminary hearing on his indecent assault charge at 10 a.m. May 23 before Magisterial District Judge Stuart J. Mylin. Before Tamaqua School District Sophomore Madelyn Jones went to school on Wednesday, she asked her mom a question. Is it really possible that teachers will be carrying guns in school tomorrow? she said. When her mom said, Yes, Jones hatched a plan. I was like, Just so you know, if I find out there is a gun in my classroom with my teacher, I am going to ask to leave that room immediately because I do not feel safe. Jones was referring to Tamaquas school security plan to arm teachers anonymously. Tamaqua was the first school district in Pennsylvania to pass a policy to let teachers carry guns, but the school board put the idea on hold in January pending the outcome of separate lawsuits from parents and teachers. But in the course of a school board meeting this week, board president Larry Wittig revealed that the policy is back in effect and has been for several weeks, without public announcement. The news came after parent Cheryl Tennant-Humes, who splits her time between Schuylkill County and New Jersey and is running for the Tamaqua School Board, asked the board what she thought was an innocuous question: If contested policy is suspended, what is governing school security now? Wittig replied, We suspended it pending the outcome of the litigation. Considering that both lawsuits are thrown out, we dont consider it suspended anymore. But the plaintiffs say the court battle is far from over. In fact, its still in the preliminary stages, during which the judge decides whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue. The judge did dismiss both initial complaints, but gave plaintiffs a deadline to file an amended complaint. The teachers union has already done so, and the parents who sued will file their complaint soon, according to their attorney, Martin Black. Tamaqua Area School Board member Nicholas Boyle speaks in support of arming teachers and other school employees, to members of the media after a news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Reached for comment, Wittig said it was his understanding that the cases had worked their way through Schuylkill County courts. A lawyer for the school district declined to comment. At Tuesdays meeting, Wittig would not say whether teachers are already carrying firearms in the school. We are not going to answer any specifics about the policy or implementation, Wittig told the meeting. Later, Wittig said the response to his announcement was overblown. We didnt immediately run out and start training teachers, thats absurd, he said. Supporters of the plan say the element of surprise is a crucial to the ideas success. They dont know if everybodys carrying, or nobodys carrying, Wittig said of a potential perpetrator. Thats exactly the question that will never be answered, because it defeats the purpose. The lack of details, though, worries some parents and students leaving them speculating about teachers who may already be armed in the school. If a parent doesnt even know if a child is in a room with a loaded weapon, they cannot then ask that their child not be in a room with a loaded weapon, resident Tracy Perry said. On Wednesday morning, some parents were considering keeping kids home from class. Aimee Dotson planned to write a note that said her daughter was unable to attend school due to the lack of transparency from our school board. But her daughter didnt want to miss state testing, so off she went. Other parents were happy to see the policy move along. Im obviously thrilled, said Jessica Tirpak, who has three children in the district. I want to move forward. I want my children who I send out the door every day to be safe. Theres nothing else to keep my children safe but a staff member in the school, armed. The policy will be a crucial issue in Tamaquas upcoming school board race. Wittig and two other incumbents are up for re-election, and candidates hope to make this issue a referendum. About 20 years ago, Hope Adkins-Durante and her husband moved to the Eastern Lancaster County School District, a largely rural community. It wasnt far from where Adkins-Durante herself went to school. Now, Adkins-Durante is a registered nurse and mother of three children who go to Eastern Lancaster County schools. The past few months, she said, have been a little shocking. The district of about 3,100 students is in the middle of a debate over transgender rights, one that is dividing the community. More than 200 people showed up to the latest school board meeting on Monday night as the board passed a biological sex policy for bathrooms and locker room use. That is the type of policy that the Pennsylvania School Boards Association has said will almost certainly be struck down because it limits transgender students from using facilities aligned with their gender identity. The Eastern Lancaster County policy is set to go into effect May 14. Adkins-Durante opposed the policy. And the public debate over the issue has changed how she sees her community. Im learning that its not as diverse as I thought it was, she said. Its hard now seeing it in a different light, because had I known this, I dont know that I would have raised my family here. Hope Adkins-Durante, a mother of three children in the Eastern Lancaster County School District, speaks during an April 15, 2019, school board meeting. Stu Martin, the father of two children in the district, is one of the people who has encouraged the school board to separate bathrooms and locker rooms by biological sex. After the meeting, Martin described the dispute as a clash of civilizations. He thinks some people have the wrong idea about his side. Were not unloving. Were not monsters, Martin said. What we are doing is were trying to protect our children and our childrens children in the way of life that we embrace and believe. The debate in Eastern Lancaster County shows no signs of going away soon, and its one that other districts could confront. Heres what you need to know about the issue, the potential legal risk for the school district and what comes next. How did the Eastern Lancaster debate start? Stu Martin, 55, attended an Eastern Lancaster County school board meeting on April 15, 2019. In past years, the school district worked with transgender students and their families to allow the students to use single-user restrooms or have alternative locker room arrangements, Jeff Litts, an attorney for the district, said in January. But he said this year, the family of a transgender student insisted that their child have access to boys restroom and locker room facilities at the high school. Litts said the student is a biological female who identifies as male. Locker rooms werent an issue in the first semester, because the student did not have a physical education class, Litts said. But this semester he did. The district allowed him to use the boys locker room, and Litts said the district took steps to protect the privacy of students, including installing changing stalls. But there was still a public outcry, and more than 250 people attended a school board meeting in January, LNP reported. The school district is considering spending about $1 million to get rid of gendered locker rooms. Instead, the district would have private showers and changing stalls for high school students. What happened on Monday? The board approved a student privacy policy with a biological sex addendum that would prohibit transgender students from using the locker room or bathroom that matches their gender identity. No attorney for the district reviewed the addendum. During the meeting, school board members also eliminated language suggesting the new policy was a recommendation as opposed to a requirement. What are community members saying? There are, broadly speaking, three camps. There are people, such as Adkins-Durante, who say the district should support transgender rights. She said there are multiple transgender students in the district. One of her sons is friends with a transgender student. His gender has never been an issue for us. It wasnt even something I thought about until it seemed like the adults started speaking out a lot more and making it an issue, Adkins-Durante said after the meeting. And as a mom, I just it bothers me because hes such a great kid. Glenn Yoder, president of the Eastern Lancaster County school board, voted in favor of a biological sex policy on April 15, 2019. In another camp, there are people who raise legal concerns. Rodney Jones, a school board member who voted against the biological sex policy, focused on the potential costs of a lawsuit on Monday evening. And there are people, such as Martin, who dont want transgender students to use the locker room and bathrooms that match their gender identity. In the Bible, it says that God created them male and female, Martin said. Martin said he expects there will be a lawsuit and that hes not concerned about it. What should one be more concerned about the future of their children or the future of their bank account? Martin said. What does the Pennsylvania School Boards Association recommend? The opposite of what Eastern Lancaster County school board members approved. The association recommended that if students are uncomfortable using the same changing and bathroom facilities as transgender students, then those uncomfortable students should have access to single-user or partitioned areas. We urge public school entities to be sensitive to the needs of transgender students, a vulnerable community who need protection and support and to be aware that the legal landscape presently favors the legal positions of transgender students, the association said. What has happened in other court cases? Multiple court cases have gone in favor of transgender students, including two high-profile ones in Pennsylvania. In 2016, the Pine-Richland School District in Allegheny County passed a policy that said students must either use unisex bathrooms or the school bathrooms of their biological sex. Three transgender students sued with the assistance of an organization called Lambda Legal. A federal district court temporarily blocked enforcement of the policy, and the two sides reached a settlement that Lambda Legal says prohibits the district from ever barring transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity. The district also agreed to pay three transgender plaintiffs who had since graduated $20,000 each, plus $75,000 for attorney costs, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported after obtaining the information through a Right-to-Know request. A community member leads a prayer during the public comment section of the Eastern Lancaster County school board meeting on April 15, 2019. Omar Gonzalez-Pagan, an attorney with Lambda Legal, represented the plaintiffs in the case. He said the policy that Eastern Lancaster County passed Monday is the same as what Pine-Richland attempted. If they were to look at the case law, there is no wiggle room, Gonzalez-Pagan said. In another Pennsylvania case, the Boyertown Area School District in Berks and Montgomery counties was sued by students over its policy of allowing transgender students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. A federal district court and an appeals court ruled in favor of the district, and the wins were seen as victories for transgender rights. In November, the plaintiffs filed a petition, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review the ruling. Whats next? The Eastern Lancaster County school board is scheduled to meet again on May 13. The new privacy policy is scheduled to take effect the following day. That means the board will have the opportunity to change the policy or delay it further. The school board president, Glenn Yoder, said he wasnt going to comment about a potential lawsuit. Im hoping that everybody in the community decides to work collaboratively, Yoder said. Jason Landau Goodman is executive director of the Pennsylvania Youth Congress, which advocates for LGBTQ people. He said members of his organization have talked with students and families in the district about a potential lawsuit. He said the district still has a chance to reverse the policy in May. There is a threat of imminent harm to students here who, come next month, will be forced into the bathroom and locker room that are unsafe and completely harmful to them, Landau Goodman said. U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean is the latest Pennsylvania Congresswoman to weigh in on the findings of Special Counsel Robert Muellers report. Dean takes a harsh view of Muellers findings on possible obstruction efforts by President Donald J. Trump, and also of what she considers Attorney General William Barrs efforts to protect the president. And she leaves the door open to future discussion of impeachment. Heres the Montgomery County Democrats statement, issued earlier Thursday evening: "Special Counsel Muellers report exposes deeply disturbing actions by the president and his administration - equally troubling is Attorney General Barrs decision to act as the presidents defense lawyer, rather than our nations top law enforcer. First and foremost: this report does not exonerate. The president made multiple attempts to thwart any investigation into his campaign or his own conduct: He fired FBI Director Comey; attempted to fire Special Counsel Mueller; he has refused to testify; and his campaign associates have destroyed relevant conmunications. Now, we need the unredacted report, we need the evidence. The American people deserve the truth. And Congress will come to its own determination about obstruction of justice and the possibility of impeachment. A 14-year-old lives in my house. He has for most of his life. When he was a baby, Id carry him on the deck in the evening and sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. When he began to learn numbers, he would tell me he loved me a million billion. Now that hes a teen, Im mainly appreciated for keeping the kitchen stocked with mini-pizzas and cereal. I feed him, I clothe him, I drive him and I help with homework. I also love him as if he were my own. Still, every year I receive a letter from the school district instructing me to deliver to the administration office proof that he lives with me. I understand why: People sometimes say kids live with them when they dont because they want the kid in a particular school district or dont want him in another. So I dutifully trek to the office, income tax record in hand, and prove he lives under my roof. If I dont, there will be consequences. I learned early on that when The Man tells you to do something, you do it. I use this as an example of why I cannot understand how the Harrisburg School Districts School Board thinks it can just tell the state to take a hike. The district received a letter from the state Department of Education signed by Secretary Pedro Rivera saying it must comply with the states demand for an audit. The request came on the heels of some financial shenanigans, including a transportation supervisor accused of embezzling $180,000 and the continuation of health care coverage for 54 employees who had resigned. I have to agree with school board member Judd Pittman who said, Why would we get in a battle with the state and be issued a subpoena and invite more folks to come in and look? If we have absolutely nothing to hide, then open it up and lets move forward. Lets be honest here. Harrisburg is not a school district thats admired for its strengths. At a time when the state was setting a goal of having 92 percent of high school students graduating in four years, Harrisburg had a high hill to climb. Its graduation rate was just under 50 percent. This is a district where two years ago almost half the high school student body was suspended for failing to attend classes. The principal said at the time that rather than go to class, students would congregate in hallways, restrooms, gymnasiums and other nooks and crannies. It sounded like total chaos. Harrisburg also has the dubious honor of making the list of the worst school districts in the state, with 11 percent of students proficient in math and 22 percent in reading. With problems like that, the school board should dig in and focus on improving education and not waste time fighting the state, which is going to win this battle. Someone once said, You cant fight City Hall. Well, you cant fight the state either. So open the books, and move on. NANCY ESHELMAN: columnist1@verizon.net Superintendents: School resource officers play integral role in district safety School threats, and the subsequent responses to them, have highlighted the connections between law enforcement and their local schools. Attending the gala are (from left) Robert Kresberg, Gary Frank, and Michael Dowd. Read more Gary Alan Frank, who wildly overstated the size of his Bala Cynwyd legal services business to obtain a $40 million line of credit, has pleaded guilty to 27 counts of wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud, and six counts of money laundering, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said. To obtain the loan from from Prudential Insurance Co. of America for Legal Coverage Group Ltd. at the end of 2014, Frank claimed that the company had $187 million in revenue that year. In reality the company had $120,000 in revenue that year. The business was sold for $20,000 in December. Spending borrowed money, Frank, 48, worked his way into the cultural life of Philadelphia, including positions on the boards of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Philly Pops. He was charged in March 2018. Prosecuting economic crimes like the large-scale fraud in this case is a top priority for my office, said U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain. Despite the defendants outwardly successful appearance and elite memberships, he is nothing more than a thief swindling individuals and businesses out of money to support his lavish lifestyle. We are making sure that criminals like the defendant are held accountable, McSwain noted. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30. GlaxoSmithKline, the multinational pharmaceutical giant, has its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia. Read more GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical giant with its U.S. headquarters at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, will lay off about 250 staffers at its research and development centers in Upper Providence, Pa., and Stevenage, near London, according to reports. The job cuts are part of GSKs effort to refocus its research on oncology, the immune system, and genetics under recently appointed R&D chief Hal Barron, according to Endpoints News, a biopharmaceutical industry website. Staff chemists and administrators reportedly are among the hardest hit. The latest move follows another round of job reduction announced last September, when GSK laid off around 550 people in its U.S. commercial pharmaceuticals business, including about 100 marketing, sales, and support staff based at the Navy Yard. At the time, the company employed around 15,000 at its U.S. factory, research, and sales centers including about 3,500 in the Philadelphia area, including at its Collegeville research and development offices. A GSK spokesperson declined to comment on the layoffs, but offered a prepared statement. The future direction of our portfolio has become clearer, prioritizing innovation and moving toward delivering a pipeline of transformational medicines with a focus on immunology, genetically validated targets, and finding platforms and technologies that amplify our science, the statement said. We anticipate a small number of roles will be directly impacted by these changes but continue to expect GSKs R&D operations to grow overall with increased investment. Barron, who previously was head of R&D at Google-funded Calico, was hired in January 2018 to turn around GSKs moribund research group. GSK is scheduled to announce its first quarter 2019 results on May 1. Diversity is really just the acceptance of everyone for what they are, says Underwriting Management Experts principal and CEO Anne Marie Chapman in the companys Lansdale office. Read more For a person whose teenage dream job was weather girl, Anne Marie Chapman has come quite a ways. As principal and CEO of Lansdale-based Underwriting Management Experts (UME), she runs the countrys largest privately held managing general underwriter, which does $1.2 billion in business per year. Chapman joined UME in 2015, after more than 20 years in the industry. She got her start at a third-party administrator before becoming a general manager underwriter, then leading a company that sold to a major insurance provider. Today, shes UMEs sole owner. She works with a team of 55 underwriters, claims representatives, and accounting specialists in her Philadelphia-area headquarters, and directs 10 more employees in satellite offices in Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Tampa, Fla. Although Chapman has to keep up with an ever-changing industry, shes decidedly down-to-earth when it comes to strategy and success. UME is a Top Workplace for the second year in a row, and Chapman received the Top Leadership Award for small companies, based on her employees survey responses. What makes an ideal UME employee? Truly, I think its the tenacity to do your job every day. Its just day in, day out, coming to work, performing your job, leading by example, being trustworthy to clients, continuing to grow, and being innovative in our market space. You need to be a person who can solve clients problems and help them out where they need it. Ours is an entrepreneurial business. If youre looking for a regimen, you wont want to work here. You need to be able to be flexible. How do you keep up with frequent industry changes? I watch the news. I pay attention to trends and government regulations. How do you connect with your employees? I spend a lot of time when Im here speaking to people about business. But I make sure to connect on more than just business. If you know your workers on a family level, know their children, their wives names, thats a better way. Describe your employees. I have had people who have worked for me for over 10 years, who worked for me in my prior company. Our president has worked for me since she was 18; shes worked for me for 17 years. At least 50 percent of my staff has worked for me for six or seven years. As weve grown, weve brought on more people from outside, but my core group has stayed with me. How do your millennial and Gen Z employees differ from your longtime workers? I enjoy the diversity of younger people. They bring something new to the table. They have a different thought process, and theyre having their kids later, but I dont find them to be that much different. Everybody here wants to work hard. If you give our younger workers a challenge, they are generally up for the task. What kind of traditions do you have at UME? Every month, we choose a charity, and regardless of what it is, we all participate, by contributing by person or department. Well collect coats for the womens shelter. We do food drives at Christmas and Thanksgiving. We do volunteer work where we go and feed the homeless. We all participate in the Philly AIDS Walk. We have 100 percent participation. Everybody here wants to give back. What does diversity mean to you? Ive believed since, well, forever, that people should feel welcome no matter what. Diversity is really just the acceptance of everyone for what they are. Im the mother of five children, in a blended family: three in college, one at law school, and an 8-year-old. If youre a parent and you want to teach your children, you lead by example. You let them know you can be who you want to be, and theres nothing wrong with that. Do women in particular come to you for advice? Yes, because of the position that Im in. I tell them all pretty much the same thing: Theres no place for gender bias in the workplace. If you go anywhere thinking you are less than you are if you go in thinking youre at a disadvantage then you will be. If you consider yourself an equal, at the end of the day, you will be. If you want to be treated equally, along the way, not all things will go well. You will have things that are negative come along, and you should be OK with having those kinds of things happen to you. Never think that youre at a disadvantage because of your gender. Whats the secret to believing in oneself? In my world, the more willing I was to being uncomfortable to, for example, have an uncomfortable conversation about my pay the more willing my employers were to pay me what I was worth. The first time you do it, youre scared to death. But the 10th time, youre not scared anymore. If youre worked for it, and you outwardly and inwardly believe it, thats the most important thing. If you do the work, you should show it. Whats UMEs culture like, when it comes to promotions and raises? If you work for us, you can work your way up the ladder. Im a big believer in upward mobility. When I started out in the industry, I came in as the director of operations, and then was the president for 17 years. I encourage conversations about compensation within my company. Out of the 60-some employees that I have, two-thirds of them are female. I assure you theres no gender bias as far as pay for me. If you dont want gender bias, get a woman boss. I want to learn how to make my current money grow and to make my financial future even brighter, says Christopher Savo, an engineer with McMahon Associates in Fort Washington. Read more More than four decades separate young people joining the workforce and older employees looking toward Medicare, Social Security, and retirement. So much happens in the middle promotions at work, child rearing at home, health crises, vacations, home-buying. It may seem that the two ends of life have little in common. But, increasingly, employers, including many 2019 Top Workplaces, see connections among younger employees college debt, older workers retirement readiness, and recruitment and retention. Saddled with student loans, young workers dont contribute enough, early enough, to save for retirement. That means they are less likely to retire. Meanwhile, retirees not retiring on time costs companies. In a 2017 study, Prudential Financial Inc. estimated that for an employer with 3,000 employees and workforce costs of $200 million, a one-year retirement delay may cost $2 million to $3 million. In Pennsylvania, 67 percent of graduates carry an average of $36,854 in student loans the second-largest amount of average debt nationally. Delaware ranks fifth, with 62 percent carrying an average debt of $34,144, and New Jersey is just behind at $32,247 average debt for 61 percent of its graduates, according to an analysis of 2017 debt by the Institute for College Access and Success, a nonprofit that tracks debt. College-debt burden weighed on Joe McMahons mind at McMahon Associates, the Fort Washington engineering company he founded in 1976. He very much has the pulse of what this next generation is experiencing, as far as educational costs and not being able to pay for retirement, said Lindsay Sienkiewicz, McMahons human resources manager. In August, McMahon inaugurated a program that directly pays loan agencies $50 monthly toward each employees student debt, while encouraging employees to roll the $50 saved into McMahons 401(k) plan. McMahon provides a partial match. This was a two-pronged approach, said Casey Moore, executive vice president, corporate operations. We found they werent investing in their future. They had too much debt. Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris LLP has partnered with various lending institutions to help with refinancing student loan debt, wrote Andrea Bernotavicius, human resource specialist, in response to a Top Workplaces survey question. Lori Lucas, president of Employee Benefit Research Institute in Washington, said employers are getting more and more creative in addressing financial issues. Its an interesting development, she said. In part, its because of a growing awareness that solving for the retirement part of the equation is just part of [employees] overall financial well-being. Part of it is altruistic they dont want their workers to be stressed. But, she said, its also practical. Companies hire and invest in young employees, only to have them leave for slightly more pay, to pay off loans. Companies dont want to lose people theyve already invested in. Companies are redoubling efforts to educate about finances. At Graham Co., a Philadelphia insurance company, employees can attend basic budgeting sessions. Thats really important for 20-somethings who havent learned about budgeting and why credit card debt is bad, said Karen Boyle, vice president of human resources. Its pizza, salads. People come; its an hour. Lunch-and-learns are common among this years Top Workplaces. Brinker Capitals series helps our employees to better understand ways to invest their money and save for retirement, a new car, new home, or college tuition, wrote Michele Steinmetz, spokeswoman for the Berwyn financial firm. Many firms consider financial education as part of wellness programs, joining nutrition and exercise. Theyve also expanded the reach of traditional Employee Assistance Programs to include more resources for financial issues. We include financial assistance in our wellness program in recognition of the impact financial stress and uncertainty have on the health, morale and happiness of our employees, wrote Jacqueline Poquette, manager of human resources at Westlake Plastics Co. in Middletown Township. So far, these kinds of programs are working out for engineer Christopher Savo, 25, who graduated from Villanova University with $30,000 in college debt. As soon as McMahon Associates offered its student loan payment program, Savo enrolled, the companys $50 contribution augmenting the $200 he pays monthly. He already contributes generously to his 401(k). For me, budgeting is not my biggest issue, he said. I want to learn how to make my current money grow and to make my financial future even brighter. A deal to create Americas largest marijuana-dispensary chain may be derailed as Pennsylvania regulators take a closer look at the companys operations in the state. Arizona-based Harvest Health and Recreation of Arizona, which has cannabis operations in multiple states, announced last week that it was acquiring CannaPharmacy Inc., a company with presence in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and neighboring states. On Friday, Pennsylvania Department of Health officials demanded all records, documents, and correspondence between Harvest, its Pennsylvania subsidiaries, and CannaPharmacy to determine if the companies misrepresented themselves to win permits to grow and sell medical marijuana. The investigation comes at a time when several states, including Maryland and Massachusetts, are trying to ensure big out-of-state corporations do not dominate the nascent market, potentially shutting out locally owned businesses. In the first year of its medical program, Pennsylvania dispensaries recorded sales of about $130 million in 2018. While announcing the acquisition on April 8, Harvest said it owned seven permits in Pennsylvania, which would allow it to open 21 dispensaries in the Keystone State. However, the states laws allow a maximum of five permits to be possessed by any one entity. Harvest won seven permits by applying through different firms with slightly different names. In an April 10 letter, the state which prohibits the transfer of marijuana permits accused Harvest of blatant misrepresentation and warned that the permits would be revoked if the company didnt stop making claims about its oversize footprint. The latest demand for documents also included a similar threat to revoke permits if the company doesnt comply by May 6. A spokesman for Harvest said CEO Steve White had not had a chance to review Pennsylvanias request. Harvest is committed to working closely with the Department of Health and to be fully compliant with all state regulatory policies, said spokesperson Alex Howe. In addition, the proposed merger would give Harvest control of two marijuana grow facilities in Pennsylvania, one more than the state law permits. CannaPharmacy is the parent company of Franklin Labs LLC, which in 2017 was granted one of Pennsylvanias first licenses to grow medical marijuana. Franklin Labs board is helmed by John Hanger, a former adviser to Gov. Tom Wolf. It owns a former Pepsi-Cola warehouse near Reading, where the company planned to cultivate marijuana. Its other grow facility comes as a result of a recent management services agreement with Agrimed Industries. That would allow Harvest to grow marijuana in the southwestern Pennsylvania hamlet of Carmichaels, documents obtained by The Inquirer show. Like Franklin Labs, Agrimed has yet to supply a single gram of cannabis to Pennsylvania patients. Growing pains The recent wave of consolidations has attracted the attention of regulators in other jurisdictions as well. It has prompted regulators in Massachusetts and Maryland to take action to preserve the intent of the medical marijuana laws, which were passed with the often-stated intent of promoting new small businesses. In late March, regulators in Massachusetts launched an investigation into whether national marijuana companies had flouted state laws that limit the number of licenses that can be controlled by any one firm. The probe followed an investigation by the Boston Globe, which found that rivals Sea Hunter Therapeutics and Acreage Holdings had bragged to investors about amassing more marijuana licenses than the three allowed by the state. Sea Hunter operates dispensaries in Pennsylvania under Herbology brand. Acreage, which counts former U.S. Speaker of the House John Boehner on its advisory board, operates a grow in the Keystone State under the Prime Wellness brand. On Thursday, Canadian cannabis giant, Canopy Growth, said it had bought the rights to acquire Acreage in a $3.4 billion deal that would transpire after marijuana is legalized across the nation. Maryland legislators recently capped the number of marijuana businesses that could be owned by any single company at four. State law had initially limited ownership to one grower or one dispensary, according to the Baltimore Sun. The change came after Green Thumb Industries, a Chicago-based marijuana operation, entered into management service agreements with three independent retail dispensaries. The arrangements gave GTI effective control of them all. In Pennsylvania, GTI operates a grow facility in Danville and a chain of four medical marijuana retailers in the state under the Rise brand. Follow the glowing coals. They flicker like an orange lantern inside a basket at the end of a long metal rod that glides through the dining room at the original Seorabol in Olney. A server deftly deposits their radiating heat into a vented hole at the center of our table. And once a hub-cab-looking grill plate rattles down into place, a colorful platter of marinated raw meats arrives and the unmistakable sizzle of true Korean BBQ rises into the night. Smell it, inhale its heady smoke of roasting meat tinged with sesame oil and funky spice and savor this carnivore pleasure while you can. Because although Korean food has never been more popular on mainstream menus in Center City and Phillys suburbs, the old-school charcoal-fired grills of its ancestral Koreatown home in North Philly are becoming an endangered species. And the original Seorabol, the best of those survivors, is definitely still worth the trip. Hand-cut galbi short ribs, expertly butterflied by two generations of Cho men so the meat unspools from their wide flat bones in long ribbons of richly marbled beef, quickly singe atop the flames. The lightly scored surface of meats already marinated in a complex blend of sweet and savory sesame oil, sake, scallions, and pureed Asian pear absorbs the charcoal smoke as a distinctive shade of extra nuanced flavor that caramelizes over the crackling heat. Each hot snip of intense meatiness is then dabbed with sweet ssamjang paste and rolled into the cool crunch of a lettuce bundle with warm rice, raw garlic chips, and slivered moons of hot chili. Spicy variations of the all meats including chicken and tender pork butt, as well as beef amp the base marinade with a blend of both flaked and powdered chilies so red it looks like they were dipped in an active volcano. But theres enough sweetness to balance the heat and leave the lips just pleasantly numb. The thin-sliced bulgogi with onions has a mellower beefy savor without being too sweet. The fat-ribboned slices of thick-cut pork belly are for purists. I always just want to eat the meat and rice straight up, says chef Chris Cho, 33, who co-owns Seorabol with his father, Kye Cho, also a chef, and who is sole owner of Seorabols smaller new downtown branch. But my parents just wont leave it alone when I eat BBQ: You have to eat your veggies! Tradition is strong when it comes to Korean BBQ, an interactive food event thats one of my favorite celebration meals. The genre locally, however, is at an ironic sort of good news-bad news crossroads. Second-generation entrepreneurs have finally brought a welcome wave of new Korean restaurants to Center City and beyond, infusing the regions mainstream menus with spicy gochujang sauce, fermented kimchi funk, hot stone bibimbaps, and the fusion sensation of Korean fried chicken. Places like Bukchon, Dae Bak, Rice & Mix, and Southgate are good examples, as is Chris Chos Seorabol satellite. But as more Korean restaurants spread across the landscape on the lift of generational prosperity to neighborhoods where fire marshals are less friendly to open flames in dining rooms, less-flavorful electric grills or worse (galbi precooked in the kitchen) have become the norm. As a result, Ive come to value even more the remaining stalwarts of Olneys onetime Koreatown a neighborhood in rapid transformation as that community migrates to the suburbs. As a result, the charcoal-fired grill houses there can now be counted on one hand. I feel like its now about 20 percent of what it was 10 years ago, laments Chris Cho. One of my all-time favorites, Every Day Good House, sadly closed last year. Olneys original Korean grill, Kims BBQ (founded in 1982), is still dropping cast-iron grates directly atop the coals in its quirky, drafty old diner car on North Fifth Street, despite a series of ownership changes. But Seorabol (pronounced suh-ra-pull, a reference to an ancient capitol), which Kye Cho opened in 2002, is now the neighborhoods most reliable torch-bearer. And it has held up well as a beacon of consistent traditional cooking frequented by a largely Korean audience for whom the spice and fermented funk require no filter compared to the subtle hedging on intensity I find in many new downtown kitchens that, to me, often seem to be missing an elusive edge. Thats true even at Seorabols new Spruce Street branch, where Chris Cho is trying to make a statement for the culture with fiery hot pots like budae jjigae Army stew. But the lack of tabletop BBQ (yes, its cooked in the kitchen), along with overly soft rice in its bibimbap and the headache-inducing flicker of a fluorescent light wall, has often left me with the sensation I should have just driven 20 minutes north for the old original Seorabol experience where Chos dad and uncle, Guy Cho, run the kitchen with a knowing touch. Hes a way better chef than I am, Chris, who often plays the brash showman on promotional YouTube videos, says of his father. Hes still involved in the original Seorabol kitchen, as well. "He taught me everything I know. My crew was hardly alone on multiple visits when we pulled into the crowded parking lot at Second and West Grange Streets, saluted the security guard, and headed down the entrance ramp into a sprawling 200-seat dining room framed by shoji screen walls. Families gathered around smoking grills and various hot pots with seafood and beef innards bubbling in chili-fired orange broth. A table of 20-somethings beside us was deeply engrossed in a drinking game that involved flicking bottle caps and downing rounds of yogurt-soju shots. (Im not yet quite a fan of Koreas popular distilled spirit, but found the white grape flavor drinkable.) A flurry of complimentary little banchan plates land on the table to jump-start our appetites, with a punchy kimchi to pair sweet soy-pickled daikon radishes, chewy head-on krill with spicy fish cakes, snappy bean sprouts, fresh broccoli and plump cross-sections of braised mackerel, which require some skilled nibbling off the bone. While the BBQ is the primary draw, there is a full roster of classic dishes here to bolster the meal. Seorabol makes some of the best pajeon pancakes Ive had, their crispy rounds of potato starch, flour and scallion-laced eggs perfectly crisped on the exterior without being doughy at the center. And the stuffings exuded bold personalities, like the spicy orange version with kimchi and shredded pork, or the more popular haemul pajeon studded with tender baby octopus, peppers and squid. The seafood casseroles were among my least favorite items. The cod and shellfish hot pot was full of grit. The tempura is also not a forte, unless you enjoy shrimp and veggies lost inside massive clumps of thick batter. The overly soft rice for sushi which is wildly popular in Korea was a good excuse to stick with the sashimi the Chos favor anyway, with boats of raw fish riding out to big tables laden with delicate slices of fluke, salmon and red snapper with Korean-flavored spicy vinegar dip. Theres a more exciting world of noodle dishes here to explore, from the springy glass noodles of well-seasoned japchae, to the house-rolled wheat noodles of jjang myun topped with a hearty black bean sauce enriched with potato cubes and bits of short rib trim. The ice cold buckwheat noodles doused in a spicy vinegary beef broth bibim nang-myun could become my go-to summer dish if only I could figure out how to snap those crazy-elastic noodles with my teeth instead of cheating with scissors (True nang-myun eaters dont use scissors, chuckled Chris.) The clear broth soup of galbi tang, however, is easy eating comfort - with hunks of bone-in short rib bobbing alongside sweet daikon radish and floating veils of whipped egg. The crispy mandu dumplings have a uniquely creamy texture to their centers I liked thanks to the tofu blended along with the chives, beef and onions. The massive repertoire of dishes, including multiple variations on bibimbap, hot pots, soondubu soft tofu stews and chewy duk bokki rice cakes in spicy gochujang onion gravy, is crucial to Seorabols status as an all-purpose destination. But there are other places that meet that role just as well, like Dubu, my current Korean favorite in Elkins Park. What continues to most distinguish Seorabol as an essential cornerstone remains its mastery of hand-trimmed meats kissed by the coals. And the crowds keep coming, based on the 600 pounds of short ribs alone each week that sizzle across its grills, and whose vapors inevitably leave the well-worn tile floors vaguely sticky when you walk across them at the end of a particularly bustling evening. Were still here and still serving the community, says Chris of their continuing commitment to Olney, even though Seorabol has made its own Center City splash. And well be here until the community no longer wants to come. Thats how well go out. As long as its grill baskets glow hot with the fires of real charcoal, Seorabol will remain a beacon of old neighborhood traditions worth seeking out. Gabriel Felix is a fourth-year medical student at Howard University College of Medicine and president of the Student National Medical Association. Read more When Gabriel Felix applied to medical school in 2012, he was rejected from all 15 of his chosen universities. He started to think he wasnt cut out for the profession. Then the 20-year-old from upstate New York attended his first Annual Medical Education Conference (AMEC), an event dedicated to supporting medical students from underrepresented communities. Thats where Felix met a black physician for the first time. The medical professionals there not only looked like him but also had similar stories, too stories of parents who were supportive but unfamiliar with the medical school application process, of struggling to pay thousands of dollars for test prep, of dealing with rejection. It made me realize this is not a reason to give up, Felix said. Armed with advice from admissions counselors, professors, and other students at the conference, he applied a second time. In 2015, he was accepted to Howard University College of Medicine. Hell graduate in May. This week AMEC is in Philadelphia, bringing more than 2,200 pre-med and medical students to the city for four days. Felix, who is now president of the Student National Medical Association, which hosts the conference, hopes it will give other students like him the support they need to become physicians. That could be crucial in addressing the shortage of black male doctors in America. Its a deficiency that has plagued the medical field for decades not only representing inequality but also, research shows, harming patient care. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), less than 6 percent of medical school graduates nationally identify as black, even though black people make up 13 percent of the U.S. population. In the Philadelphia region, no medical school has more than 10 percent black students about half the proportion of black people in the region. There were more black medical students in the 1970s, said Jerry McCauley, chief of nephrology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and vice chair of health equity, diversity, and inclusion for the Department of Medicine. A lot of segregation of health care and medical schools was beginning to roll back then, he said. But weve made no progress since. An AAMC report found that the number of black men admitted to medical schools in the U.S. peaked in 1978 at 542 students. In 2014, 515 black men were admitted. (The number of black women medical students is small, too, but increasing.) The AAMC report cited several reasons for the low numbers: an absence of black male doctors as role models, black males being subjected to stereotypes and suspended from school more than other students, black students disproportionately attending poorly funded urban schools that dont deliver a good foundation in the sciences. Theres also an issue of mistrust in the medical system, McCauley said. Black Americans have experienced a long history of medical abuse, from the time enslaved people were purchased for medical experiments to the more recent Tuskegee syphilis experiment in which black males were misled about the studys purpose and not offered effective treatment. That history not only keeps black students from pursuing medical education, it also alters the relationship black patients have with doctors today, McCauley said. Black patients often come to him for a second opinion on whether they need to undergo dialysis. When I look at their labs, theres no question they should start dialysis soon, McCauley said. But they have concerns about whether its warranted. I know doctors experiment on us, they say. How a doctors race can affect patient care In 2002, the Institute of Medicine published the Unequal Treatment report, using a large body of research to demonstrate that minority communities in the U.S. receive lower-quality medical care than white people, contributing to poorer health outcomes. Seventeen years later, statistics show not much has changed. Black men have the lowest life expectancy of any demographic, living on average five years less than white men. They also have higher rates of chronic disease, hypertension, and stroke. While there are many factors that affect health disparities, the 2002 report found that even when taking into account income, neighborhood, other medical conditions, and health insurance type, health outcomes among black people were still worse than among white people. Recent research has focused on how experiencing racism can harm physical and mental health, as well as how providers sometimes implicitly treat black patients differently. Studies show doctors give black patients less pain medication than white patients, stand farther away from them, make less eye contact, and sometimes feel fear and discomfort around them. From a public-health perspective, the conclusion is clear, said Jeffrey Sterling, CEO of the health-care consulting firm Sterling Initiatives and former chair of the SNMA board. The absence of black faces as physicians, dentists, nurses, and more directly leads to poorer health-care outcomes. Conversely, research has shown that having more black doctors can improve patient care. A 2018 study done in Oakland, Calif., found that black patients seen by black doctors were more likely to agree to such preventive measures as screenings for diabetes and cholesterol. Having a black doctor was even more effective in getting patients to get a flu shot than offering them $10. The difference was driven by better communication and more trust, the study found. Of particular note, patients who had the most mistrust of the medical system were the ones who were most likely to change their minds after talking to a black doctor and have more services done. Preventive services can address such issues as hypertension and high cholesterol that affect black people disproportionately. The study authors estimated that a workforce with more black doctors could prevent enough cardiovascular deaths to close the life expectancy gap between white and black men by 8 percent. Building up black doctors Knowing that more black doctors could mean better outcomes for black patients adds urgency to diversifying the medical field, experts say. But those initiatives have to start early to be successful. As early as preschool, said AMECs keynote speakers: Maxime Madhere, Pierre Johnson, and Joseph Semien Jr., co-authors of Pulse of Perseverance, which chronicles the friends journeys to becoming physicians. Many minority kids dont even know about the resources that exist, let alone having access to them, said Madhere, a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist in Louisiana. That includes everything from the free education website Khan Academy to more costly test prep books. That was the case for Johnson, who recalled the first time he took the MCAT, the scores looked like Id closed my eyes and picked numbers randomly. For the next year, Johnson studied 16 hours a day, determined to master the concepts of biology, anatomy, and chemistry. But when he took the test a second time, he scored only three points higher. It wasnt a knowledge deficiency, Johnson said. It was a test-taking deficiency. Numerous studies have shown that because of the way standardized tests are developed and scored, minority and low-income students score lower even when they have similar knowledge. The key, as Johnson learned the third time he took the MCAT, is in doing as many sample test questions as possible. Until the inequalities of the standardized testing system are addressed, thats what black students need to know, Johnson said. But the need for additional support for students of color extends beyond exams. When Sterling was an undergraduate, a college adviser told him he could never get into medical school. Wanting to ensure that other students of color werent given that same misinformation, he founded a program called MAPS: Minority Association of Prehealth Students. Over the last 30 years, the program has grown to 242 chapters across the country in which medical students of color mentor premed undergraduates and help them navigate the application process. AMEC aims to build on such initiatives with conference sessions such as First Among Firsts: Breaking Down Barriers, Emergency Evolution and Education of the Black Doctor, and How to Respond to Racist Patients. On Wednesday, SNMA members spoke to nearly 150 high school students from Philadelphia and Camden about pursuing careers in health care. Throughout the year, SNMA chapters run health programming in elementary and high schools, bringing in guest speakers and teaching kids such skills as how to measure blood pressure. McCauley said early interventions are key. When hes wearing his white coat and walking around hospital buildings in Center City, McCauley often finds black kids staring at him in surprise. They havent seen anything like me before, he said. We have to give them a sense that it is possible for them to become a physician. DEAR ABBY: My 8-year-old daughter is seriously allergic to most animals, including cats and dogs. Even a little fur sets her off. She was recently sent home from school sick after she had borrowed a sweater from a friend who has a cat. We are working with an allergist, but this isnt something thats going to go away with simple treatment. My sister lives in a different state and has invited my family to spend the holidays at her home this year. However, she recently started fostering stray animals for a local shelter and has between five and 10 of them in her house at a time, in addition to their two cats and a dog. I have told my sister we cant visit her with the animals there. Although she insists that shell vacuum and it will be OK, there is no way this is safe for my kid. Even if we slept at a hotel, spending the day in a furry house will be uncomfortable if not dangerous for my daughter. My brother-in-law has a mild allergy for which he takes over-the-counter medication. My sister refuses to understand that this is different. She thinks Im being difficult and overprotective, and shes angry at me. Shes also unwilling to consider coming to our house. How do I get her to see that this isnt about her, and Im just protecting my kid? FURS FLYIN IN NEW JERSEY DEAR FURS FLYIN: Ask your daughters doctor to please in the name of family harmony write you a short letter explaining that because of your daughters severe allergy, she cannot be in an environment that hasnt been professionally sanitized, and simply vacuuming isnt enough to guarantee your daughter wont wind up in an emergency room. Forward a copy of the letter to your sister with a loving note explaining that you arent trying to hurt her feelings, but your daughters health MUST come first. Then stick to your guns! ** ** ** DEAR ABBY: My husband and I married late in life, and while he has never been married before, I have an adult child from a previous marriage. My husbands parents have long passed away, but his two siblings are torturing him. They are exceedingly bothered by the money and time my husband spends on us, constantly complaining to him that his blood family should be more important than his new family. How can we turn this situation around other than cut them off completely (as his therapist has suggested)? FRUSTRATED SISTER-IN-LAW DEAR S-I-L: Your husband is paying good money for the advice he is receiving from his therapist. What the therapist is telling him makes sense. You cannot change your greedy, envious in-laws. You will s ave yourselves a world of pain and aggravation if you take the advice you have been given and distance yourselves both physically and emotionally. The Rev. Francis Frank Brett stood at the grave in Arlington National Cemetery to perform a priestly duty and an act of love for a military chaplain killed when an enemy rocket hit his bunker in Vietnam. Few who chase the title of hero ever achieve it, Brett said, but this man, who wasnt seeking the accolade when he volunteered for war, deserved it. The year was 1998, and Brett was eulogizing his younger brother, the Rev. Robert Brett, in a ceremony marking the transfer of his remains to Arlington three decades after his death at age 32. On Wednesday, the brothers, who grew up in a large Irish Catholic family in Grays Ferry and both became priests and decorated military chaplains, will be reunited in the Virginia cemetery. The ashes of Frank Brett, who died two years ago at 86, will be placed in the grave with Robert at a 1 p.m. ceremony on Chaplains Hill. The military has not confirmed that they will be the first siblings buried together in that section, reserved mostly for clergy who counsel troops, but their situation is unique, according to cemetery spokesperson Timothy J. Lawson. When Uncle Frank is finally buried, I will feel like I have completed my duty, said their nephew, Edward Rouse, who filed the paperwork. He had even helped arrange the long-ago exhumation of Roberts body from a Bucks County cemetery in a first step to make sure both uncles were buried in Arlington. For a time, Roberts interment at the national cemetery had been out of the question. After her son was killed in Vietnam, Margaret Hannigan Brett was angry with the military, and did not want him in a military graveyard. When his body was sent home, she instead had him laid to rest on the grounds of St. Marys Manor in Penndel, where he had attended school. She and her husband, Frank, had raised seven children, including a nephew and a niece, in a rowhouse on 29th Street in South Philadelphia. The couple led a staunchly Catholic household; attendance at Mass two blocks away at St. Gabriels Church was mandatory. Robert and Frank showed early interest in the priesthood. I think the example of [their parents] religious commitment inspired" them, said Rouse, 64, an accountant in Pensacola, Fla., and Marine veteran. There was a strong sense in the family that people would serve the church and the community. Frank, the funny one in the family, enrolled in St. Bernard College in Cullman, Ala., a Benedictine school and seminary. Robert, quiet and studious, attended St. Marys Manor, then a high school and seminary run by the Society of Mary. In 1959, Frank was ordained and settled in Knoxville, Tenn., where he taught at a Catholic high school. Ordained four years later, his younger brother began his ministry in Bedford, Ohio. Robert also taught high school for several years, but when he heard reports about the horrors of the Vietnam War and the plight of the troops fighting it, he was moved to make a change, and signed up for the Naval Chaplaincy School and Center in Rhode Island. When he graduated in 1967, he came home for a visit before shipping off to the battlefield. At the going-away party, Rouse recounted, at least one relative pleaded with him, Youre a priest, you dont have to go. Robert replied, But thats where Im needed. In Vietnam, he was assigned to the 26th Marine Corps regiment at Phu Bai. He counseled troops who were terrified and shaken by war. He led services and performed baptisms and last rites, repeatedly risking his life to do it, said retired Master Gunnery Sgt. Larry McCartney, who was an 18-year-old Marine newly arrived in Vietnam when he met Father Bob. He was an encouraging and compassionate man. Very much able to give someone the inner strength to take a deep breath and keep plugging, said McCartney, 69, of Black Mountain, N.C. On Feb. 22, 1968, during the 77-day Siege of Khe Sanh, Robert crouched in a trench with a group of Marines waiting for a helicopter to take them back to battalion headquarters. He prepared to board, but at the last minute gave up his spot to a Marine who transported mail to the troops. Robert said he would catch the next chopper and headed back to the trench. Moments later, it was hit by a 122-millimeter rocket. He died instantly, along with seven others. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Legion of Merit. A building at the Rhode Island chaplaincy school was named for him. Within months, Frank, devastated by the death of his brother, decided to give up teaching in Knoxville. He joined the Army to become a chaplain, and eventually volunteered to go to war. When Frank went to Vietnam, [his mother] went ballistic, Rouse said. But she couldnt do anything. He was an adult. Frank was assigned to the military police and then moved onto the combat field. He served for 11 months and earned honors including a Bronze Star for valor in 1970. All told, he was a chaplain for 30 years Okinawa and Germany among his posts until he retired from the military in 1998. That year, with Margaret Brett dead and unable to object, the family moved Roberts remains to Arlington. Soon after, Frank decided that when the time came, he wanted to be buried with his brother, whose grave included enough space for two usually reserved for a spouse. He returned to ministry in Knoxville for an additional 15 years, and then moved to an advanced-living community where he served the spiritual needs of retired residents like himself. In December 2017, Frank died of soft-tissue sarcoma, a condition that has been linked to herbicides used in Vietnam. For his funeral, he elected to be dressed, not in his priestly vestments but in his military uniform. He was cremated, and Rouse kept the ashes in an urn until the day when he would join Robert at Arlington. The ceremony Wednesday is a fine testimony, McCartney said. Both deserve burial in their own right because of what they did with their lives. But putting them in the same plot speaks volumes. 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. Read more Demetrius Anderson is officially a free man. The 43-year-old Philadelphia native, who was facing the prospect of additional prison time after federal officials last month said he was mistakenly released in 2006, has been credited with time served, allowing him to continue living the life hes built for himself in Connecticut. U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond on Thursday granted a joint motion filed this month by the U.S. Attorneys Office and Andersons attorneys, who asked the judge to consider his prison sentence to be satisfied and spare him any period of belated probation. The parties agree that given Andersons time at liberty without any arrests or criminal convictions, there would be no significant interest served by requiring him to serve a three-year period of supervised release at this time, their motion read. U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain said after the filing that the circumstances surrounding Andersons case including the amount of time since his mistaken release, his efforts to rebuild his life, and the fact that the government wasnt totally blameless here led prosecutors to conclude that it didnt serve any purpose" to send Anderson back to prison. Were happy that Mr. Anderson has turned his life around, and he deserves to be a free man at this point, he added. Anderson could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon, but one of his attorneys, Michael Dolan, said Anderson was ecstatic. Dolan said he was glad that the U.S. attorney came around to our position that it wouldve been unjust for Mr. Anderson to have to serve any additional time. Anderson, who grew up in Philadelphia, was arrested last month by U.S. marshals at his New Haven apartment. The marshals said an internal audit discovered that Anderson had been mistakenly freed early from a Connecticut prison in 2006, where he had been serving a three-year sentence for forgery counts unrelated to federal charges he faced in Philadelphia. Authorities said Anderson owed an additional 16 months behind bars. . Andersons case garnered widespread media attention, including CNN commentator Van Jones, who said he had personally lobbied White House officials to prevent Andersons reincarceration. In Andersons original federal case from Philadelphia, he pleaded guilty in 2005 to using counterfeit money worth just over $4,100 at the Ikea store in Plymouth Meeting and Cherry Hill Mall, and attempting to use someone elses identity to buy cars in Philadelphia. The prison term in that case was supposed to begin after he finished his sentence in Connecticut. But after officials there allowed Anderson to walk free, he began rebuilding his life in New Haven working several jobs, living on his own, and finding what he called a church family. The joint motion filed by prosecutors and Andersons attorneys shed more light on the circumstances surrounding his release, saying the marshals had lodged a detainer against him while he was imprisoned in Connecticut, which should have prevented him from being freed. But in November 2006, Anderson was released from custody, the motion says, which federal authorities were unaware of until late 2018 or early 2019. McSwain said that Andersons release was a mistake by Connecticut officials, but that federal officials were not without blame because it took so long to discover the error. Those facts contributed to the decision by his office to resolve Andersons case, McSwain said. Although Anderson will not have to serve additional time in prison or on probation, he will be required to pay back the $4,140 connected to his counterfeiting crimes. Diamond, the Philadelphia judge, canceled a hearing scheduled to take place before him in May. Anderson had been hoping for this day for weeks. Earlier this month, he tweeted: Im grateful that God worked a miracle to bring this injustice to the light so others can be restored like me. James Smith. who'll be in charge of the program, pictured in a hallway during a tour of the VisionQuest facilities on Old York Road in the Logan neighborhood in Philadelphia. The agency is planning to house 60 immigrant children. Read more Its North Philadelphia shelter closed in 2017 after staff members were found to have punched and choked children. Now, the youth-services provider VisionQuest will be paid up to $5.3 million by the federal government to house 60 undocumented immigrant boys at the same site. Those dollars will go to the Arizona-based for-profit agency as part of a three-year agreement with the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), government records show. Thats a lot of money. But its only a fraction of the taxpayer dollars more than $1.5 billion last year alone spent to house and supervise children who have arrived alone at the nations southern border, the unaccompanied minors at the heart of what has become not only a national debate but a growth industry. There are eyes and interest in turning child detention into a new business, a bigger business than it already is, said Jasmine Rivera, a veteran Philadelphia immigration activist. This administration has been very explicit that they want to expand immigrant detention. In December, a record 14,000 migrant children were in government custody, falling to 12,600 this month. Migrant youths have been held in 150 shelters and foster programs in 17 states, from New York to California, Arizona to Florida, according to an Associated Press analysis of ORR data. The agency sent some of the funds it spent on service providers in fiscal 2018 to programs in Camden, Bethlehem, and Emsworth, Pa., a tiny Ohio River town northwest of Pittsburgh. In less than two years, the federal government has doubled the number of shelter beds for children from roughly 6,500 to about 13,000, partly driven by the Trump administrations crackdown on border crossers. VisionQuest, which operates in six states, plans to house a rotating population of Spanish-speaking boys, ages 12 to 17, at its Logan Plaza property on Old York Road. Most of them fled gang violence and crushing poverty in Central America. Our focus is the young people, said James Smith, the VisionQuest facility director. Were not politicians, were not [concentrating on] anything other than trying to help young people. VisionQuest has outfitted its center with new carpeting, beds, showers, dining facilities, and even Xbox and PlayStation video games. Its leaders say they will capably provide education, medical services, and recreation, as required by law, and move quickly to place children with family members or foster-family sponsors. The center, Smith said, is prepared to open the moment it secures a key city approval. For now, the plans are blocked by a ruling from the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment, which upheld a Department of Licenses and Inspections finding that a new zoning permit would be required for the intended use. VisionQuest has said it will challenge that in Common Pleas Court. In the sanctuary city of Philadelphia, the fight to keep VisionQuest from reopening has been joined by City Council members, union leaders, immigrant advocates, and Logan residents bringing home the caustic debate over the treatment of migrant children. Opponents say the city should never allow immigrant children to be confined within its borders, and particularly not by VisionQuest. The Inquirer earlier reported that at least three VisionQuest employees had been fired between 2011 and 2017 for striking or physically handling children. Theyre unfit to provide for the needs of any child, said City Councilwoman Helen Gym, chair of the Children and Youth Committee and a longtime advocate for immigrants. At the end of the day, no matter what they do to it on the inside, its a prison. In the VisionQuest center Inside 5201 Old York Rd., the bedrooms are clean and spacious, each arranged to accommodate two or three children. The dining-hall walls are painted a bright blue. Weve tried to make this as homey as possible, Smith said, leading a tour. Weve done as much as we can, and were adding enhancements as we go. His office and that of his top assistant are located in the heart of the facility, to provide senior oversight and direction to the staff. Almost all the children in ORR custody come from the three Central American lands that make up the Northern Triangle: El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, where gangs shoot to kill, and many people live on less than $2 a day. Kids are kids, said Smith, a former deputy commissioner of youth services in Texas and a former assistant secretary of residential services in Maryland. Their circumstances may be different, but even when we were doing juvenile-justice kids, it was to get them to a state of successfulness and permanency. The mission is still the same. The government said the average childs stay in a shelter is 60 days. Children in ORR custody may not attend local schools or integrate into the community, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Local residents question why the federal government has money to house immigrant children but not to help people in Logan, a mostly African American area where poverty and unemployment are endemic. They say that when VisionQuest previously operated at the site, the youths in its care tended to run free, vandalizing the neighborhood and upsetting people. Now VisionQuest has been hired to operate what ORR calls a staff secure facility. Thats defined as a more homelike setting that maintains a better staff-to-child ratio to control disruptive behavior and prevent escapes. The children are not allowed to leave, except under adult supervision. As good stewards, Smith said, we want to make sure kids are safe. We wouldnt be doing that if we just said, Everybody can go out and do whatever they want. Groups like Juntos, the Latino advocacy organization, dont see the carpeting and video games as signs of the agencys caring attention. They say VisionQuest cares about profit, not children. A golden cage, Juntos tweeted, is still a cage. Some are deported, some give up The growth in the number of children in custody was believed to be spurred in part by the Trump administrations tough enforcement toward potential sponsor families, who themselves might be undocumented. More families came forward after those policies were eased. That doesnt mean all children are being rapidly transferred to family settings, confirmed HIAS PA lawyer Elizabeth Yeager, the supervising attorney for the agencys Immigrant Youth Advocacy Initiative in Philadelphia. Some children are deported, she noted. Or they succumb to detention fatigue and give up, agreeing to whats called voluntary departure, which generally does not carry a ban on a future return. Some children eventually may be granted asylum, a process that can take years. Another way children leave shelters like the one VisionQuest wants to open: On their 18th birthday a third of kids now in government custody are 17 many will be turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, handcuffed, transferred, and locked up in adult detention facilities. As a nation, we just should not be in the business of detaining children, said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, which promotes the value of immigrants. The first phase of the crisis has been organizations and agencies, mission-driven agencies, really intending to care for children put into an awful situation by our government. When the purpose moves from mission to profit in this kind of work, Noorani said, "theres an entirely different set of incentives. University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann (not pictured) talks with former Vice President Joe Biden at the university's Irvine Auditorium in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Biden is the Benjamin Franklin presidential practice professor at Penn. Read more Joe Biden is getting in. Two sources familiar with Bidens preliminary plans said the former vice president will announce his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president on Wednesday in Charlottesville, Va., the site of a clash in August 2017 between white supremacists and counterprotesters that claimed one life. Biden then will fly to Pittsburgh for a rally in the afternoon and then come to Philadelphia, where he will hold a rally at the Art Museum, though the sources said the plans have been shifting in recent days and could change again. Comcast senior executive vice president David L. Cohen, an influential Democratic figure, is planning a fund-raiser for Biden at his Philadelphia home Thursday, one sign of the support the former vice president can expect from much of the party establishment, particularly in Pennsylvania. Former Gov. Ed Rendell said he would support Biden, making him one of the most prominent figures in a host of Keystone State insiders expected to do the same. Rendell has been emailing potential Biden supporters ahead of an expected announcement. As Ive been making calls, Joe Biden has a ton of friends here, and thats not unexpected, Rendell said. He, too, stressed that none of the plans have been given a final go-ahead. Biden is also said to be eyeing Philadelphia as a potential headquarters for his run. WHYY first reported the planned fund-raiser. The Atlantic first reported that Biden had reached a decision to seek the presidency for a third time, following bids in 1988 and 2008. >>READ MORE: Trump, Biden clash as Democrats hope ex-VP can win back working-class voters, maybe White House >>OPINION: Time for Joe Biden to end the apology tour and pass the torch to the 21st Century | Will Bunch The campaign rollout schedule, if it holds, would highlight one of the most divisive moments of President Donald Trumps term when he said there were very fine people on both sides" of the neo-Nazi march and counterprotest as well as Bidens public persona and his political route to the White House. Biden has called for a return to a more decent, civil politics, saying the countrys character is under assault by Trump. "Were in a battle for the soul of America, Biden has said repeatedly as he has toured the country. The Scranton-born Biden, a former senator from Delaware, has long presented himself as a link between Democrats and working-class white voters, many of whom deserted the party in 2016 and helped flip critical states, including Pennsylvania, to Trump. Middle-class American folks have never let the country down, Biden said in a video that played before a recent speech to the Fire Fighters union in Washington. You have been the centerpiece of everything I have done. Bidens supporters say he is the Democrats best option for winning back the swing states likely to determine the 2020 outcome. Im of a strong belief that Donald Trump will not be easy to beat, and we need a moderate, left-of-center Democrat to win back those blue-collar Democrats in Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, Rendell said. Until now Rendell had supported Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.) in the primary, but said Friday he would primarily support Biden if the former vice president runs while still helping Klobuchar raise money. A coalition of old-guard donors in Philadelphia have already pledged support to Biden if he runs, among them influential lawyers Alan Kessler, Tom Leonard, and Stephen Cozen. A Biden spokesman declined to comment Friday. Polling suggests that Biden would enter the race as a clear front-runner in a sprawling Democratic field, with many party insiders seeing him as their safest bet for victory. In particular, some see Biden as the strongest alternative to Sen. Bernie Sanders (Ind., Vt.). Sanders has consistently placed second in public polls, but some establishment Democrats view Sanders as too liberal to win a national race. Despite the former vice presidents advantages in name recognition and the residual benefits of eight years alongside President Barack Obama, Biden, at 76, will face questions about whether he is too old for the presidency, or if he fits with a Democratic Party increasingly reliant on a diverse coalition of activists. His record amassed over nearly 50 years in public includes a number of instances that appear out of step with current Democratic thinking, including his support for a 1990s crime bill that increased incarceration rates, and his leadership of a hearing questioning Anita Hill about her sexual harassment claims against then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. And some of the partys most vocal elements have called for a generational change, particularly as a contrast to Trump, who is 72 and has built much of his appeal on nostalgia. Still, Biden has remained atop polling for the Democratic primary, a sign that supporters cite as evidence that the Democratic electorate as a whole is more moderate than some of its most vocal elements. A spokeswoman for Mayor Jim Kenneys office said no permits had been issued so far for a rally along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, at Eakins Oval, or at the Rocky steps. Beth Woydziak hugs a participant as he arrives to attend a faith-based memorial service for the victims of the massacre at Columbine High School nearly 20 years ago at a community church Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Littleton, Colo. Read more LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) A Colorado community changed forever by the attack that killed 13 people at Columbine High School moved ahead Thursday with ceremonies marking the anniversary of the tragedy while awaiting more details on what led a Florida teen "infatuated" with the shooting to buy a shotgun and kill herself in the snowy foothills nearby. Many questions remained unanswered about 18-year-old Sol Pais, but a friend disputed the contention by authorities that she posed a threat. Adrianna Pete painted a complex picture of Pais, saying she was deeply troubled, lonely and often talked about suicide but was also brilliant, kind and a talented artist who loved to draw. Pete, 19, a college student in Carleton, Mich., said she met Pais online two years ago through a mutual friend and quickly developed a friendship involving near-daily communication. They met in person twice, once when Pete traveled to Florida and once when Pais went to Michigan. Pete faulted authorities for overreacting in portraying Pais as a threat based on her activities before her death. "She never threatened anyone," Pete said. "There are no credible threats and only assumptions that she was just because the word Columbine was included." Pete said Pais had a weird obsession with the Columbine killers but that didn't mean she was planning an attack. The killers were "someone she could relate to" because they were lonely, not because of their violence, Pete said. "She would say I hate life, life sucks and that she was very alone," Pete said. "Then she told me she had it figured out with her parents before so I assumed like she was doing OK She actually posted about it a lot, wanting to die." Two teenagers attacked Columbine on April 20, 1999, killing 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives. They have inspired cultlike admirers, some of whom committed other mass shootings. The days surrounding the April 20 anniversary of the attack are always emotional for school alumni, their families and the suburban community of Littleton surrounding Columbine. Some survivors describe the experience as an "April fog." The manhunt for Pais and the resulting closure of schools added a new layer of anxiety, former Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis said Wednesday after the FBI declared the danger was over. A religious service Thursday night will begin three days of commemorative events themed "Remember. Reflect. Recommit" leading to a day of community service projects and a ceremony Saturday at a park near the school. Pais' body was discovered Wednesday in the mountains outside Denver with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Colorado authorities learned about Pais on Tuesday from an alarmed Miami FBI office that had interviewed people about her obsession with the Columbine shooting. Dozens of schools, including Columbine, locked their doors for several hours on Tuesday and even more closed altogether on Wednesday. More than 400,000 students returned to Denver-area schools Thursday, with visible police presence outside buildings. FBI officials declined Wednesday to discuss Pais' mental health or detail the comments she made indicating an "infatuation" with the Columbine shooting. An FBI spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request Thursday for more information on Pais' background or her Columbine-related comments that sparked a rapid law enforcement response. Officials at her Florida school district said they had no record of Pais being contacted by law enforcement or disciplined in school. Her family has not spoken publicly but worked with authorities this week. Pete described Pais as caring and thoughtful, someone who helped with her Spanish homework and sent her a pair of earrings when she was having boyfriend troubles. When they got together in Miami last summer, they went swimming at the beach, walked the boardwalk, and played with stray cats. Almost daily, Pais walked to a store and bought a coffee energy drink. She was obsessed with them, Pete said. "I believe she was just very mentally ill and had no one but me to confide in and a few people on the internet," Pete said. FBI officials said Wednesday they were reviewing all of Pais activity in recent weeks, including her social media accounts and other online writing. They confirmed that online material includes a blog featuring handwritten journal entries about the authors unhappiness and desire to die along with sketches of guns or knives. Pais did not make threats against a specific school but her history and purchase of a weapon immediately after arriving in Colorado merited a broad response, officials said. Pais arrived Monday and went directly to a gun store, where she bought a shotgun, authorities said. The purchase apparently followed the legal process, officials said. Associated Press writers Ellis Rua, James Anderson, P. Solomon Banda, Colleen Slevin, and Thomas Peipert contributed to this article. A 47-year-old New Jersey state trooper was arrested Thursday and charged with possessing child pornography, prosecutors said. Jefrrey G. Reitz, of Williamstown, was being held pending a court appearance on third-degree possession of child pornography. Reitz, who was assigned to the Commercial Carrier Safety Inspection Unit, has been suspended by the New Jersey State Police. Jeff Reitz is not guilty and we will work through his exoneration and restoration to duty, his lawyer, Stuart J. Alterman, said in an email. Reitz allegedly engaged in an exchange of sexually explicit email with an adult woman in December 2014 when she proposed that he sexually assault her 5-year-old daughter. ANY PICS? he asked. The woman sent him a picture of the childs genitals and Reitz allegedly replied: NICE! Prosecutors said Reitz also sent the woman pictures of his genitals. The email exchange was discovered later during an investigation of the woman, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence for permitting a child to engage in pornography. James Frazier, center, was freed from a life prison sentence April 4, 2019. The District Attorney's Office cited misconduct by fired homicide Detective Philip Nordo as the reason why the office did not retry Frazier after a judge vacated his sentence. With Frazier are is mother, Marva Gardner, and his attorney, Edward J. Foster. Read more The Philip Nordo fallout may be mounting for the City of Philadelphia. As the ex-homicide detective sits in jail awaiting trial on charges that for years he raped, assaulted, stalked, and intimidated male witnesses, more lawsuits have landed against him and the city. In one filed Thursday, James Frazier says that after he rebuffed Nordos sexual advances, the detective coerced him into signing a false confession, and he served nearly seven years of a life sentence for a 2012 double murder in which he had no role. Two weeks ago, Frazier was freed from prison after the Philadelphia District Attorneys Office said there was insufficient credible evidence to prove his guilt. Fraziers suit came one day after a civil claim from another man who was released from state prison in January after serving nine years of a 15-to-30-year sentence for third-degree murder. The lawsuit by Jamal Simmons, who says Nordo and other officers coerced witnesses to make false statements implicating him in a 2009 slaying, seeks $25 million from the city. A 20-year veteran officer with a decade as an often-prodigious homicide investigator, Nordo, 52, was fired in 2017, and prosecutors launched a grand jury inquiry into his work. But it wasnt until February that they charged him and detailed their allegations: that the detective had sexually targeted young men he encountered during the course of investigations, and intimidated them into silence. They contend Nordo sexually abused men in interrogation rooms and prison visiting rooms, and went so far as to ask prisoners about gay inmates who might soon be released and whom he might volunteer to transport. He is being held without bail in Northampton County Prison. Through his attorney, Michael T. van der Veen, Nordo has denied the charges. "He screams his innocence that is our defense, van der Veen said in a telephone interview last week. Prosecutors have not yet said how many cases could be impacted or reviewed because of Nordos involvement. The lawsuits last week were at least the second and third to be filed. Another plaintiff, Gerald Camp, 31, who spent nearly two years jailed before a gun charge was dropped, claimed in a February lawsuit that Nordo arrested him in an attempt to sexually woo another man. All three suits contend that the city knew of Nordos misconduct but turned a blind eye and failed to stop him. (Mike Dunn, spokesperson for Mayor Jim Kenney, said the city would have no comment on the pending litigation.) The paths of Frazier and Nordo crossed after the murders of Rodney Ramseur Jr., 21, and his girlfriend, Latia Jones, 21, on a drizzly night in May 2012. The couple were ambushed by a lone gunman as they sat on the front porch of Ramseurs family home in Olney. Ramseur, who was training to be a barber, was shot eight times, including a shot to the head at close range. Jones was shot three times. Investigators believed the killing was retaliation: The week before, Ramseur had testified about a murder he had witnessed. While investigating the slayings Nordo met Frazier, who lived in Ramseurs neighborhood. According to Fraziers lawsuit, the detective saw an opportunity to cultivate [Frazier] as a sexual conquest. The lawsuit doesnt specify how or when Nordo made sexual advances toward him, but says he did, and Frazier rejected them. He claims Nordo then threatened and intimidated him into signing a false confession in which Frazier identified a friend as the gunman who killed the couple, himself as the getaway driver, and his half-brother as a coconspirator. The statement was the only evidence police had against Frazier no other suspects were ever charged but it was enough to persuade a jury to convict him of third-degree murder. Frazier was sentenced to life without parole. Frazier already had an appeal pending when the prosecutors began their internal review of Nordos cases. On March 5, Common Pleas Court Judge J. Scott OKeefe vacated his conviction and ordered a new trial after the Conviction Integrity Unit of the District Attorneys Office conceded he was entitled to one. After a complete review of available files and a CIU investigation, this office determined that Mr. Fraziers right to a fair trial was violated in several respects," said a statement from Patricia Cummings, supervisor of the unit. "The CIU review and investigation also revealed new evidence which establishes that there is insufficient credible evidence to prove Mr. Frazier committed the crimes for which he was convicted of. On April 4, OKeefe granted the DAs motion to withdraw the prosecution altogether, and Frazier was freed. James Frazier was only 18 when he was wrongfully arrested, tried and convicted of a crime he did not commit as a result of the misconduct of corrupt Philadelphia Police Detective Phillp Nordo, said Fraziers attorneys, Matt Casey and Joshua Van Naarden of the firm Ross Feller Casey. Van der Veen, Nordos attorney, said the DAs Office did not notify him of its decision to free Frazier, so he is not familiar with the cases details. Still, he believes Nordo was wrongly blamed for Fraziers exoneration. As far as I know, my guy has never fabricated any evidence," he said. "My guy is innocent. Any allegation that he fabricated evidence is bogus. Just how many of Nordos cases will get reviewed is not known, said Cameron L. Kline, a spokesperson for District Attorney Larry Krasner. We are in the process of trying to identify all the Nordo cases that need to be reviewed, he said. Fraziers exoneration also means that no one has been identified, caught, or punished for the murders of Ramseur and Jones a sobering fact that Ramseurs mother cant forget. Im just disgusted, Nicole Hyman said in an interview as she and her husband, Christopher Hyman, sat on the porch of their Olney home last week. I dont have faith in the criminal justice system. Every time I hear about a cop or one of their children getting killed and there are no witnesses, no cameras, they can find who did it. But, my son? He didnt deserve this. He cant rest in peace because the person who did this is still out there. "The Girl He Used to Know" by Tracey Garvis Graves; "Devil's Daughter" by Lisa Kleypas; and "In a Badger Way" by Shelly Laurenton. Book covers. Read more New romances include a story about young love rekindled, a second chance at love for a Wallflowers daughter, and hijinks from a honey badger shifter. The Girl He Used to Know By Tracey Garvis Graves St. Martin. 273 pp. $26.99. The Girl He Used to Know is an uplifting novel about a love lost and found again. It opens with Annika running into her old boyfriend Jonathan in Chicago. The awkward encounter ends with her impulsively asking him whether he wants to get together sometime and getting his number. She vows to herself that she will call him, that she will apologize, that she will ask him whether they can start over. The book then flashes back to her days as a college freshman, when she met Jonathan at a chess club meeting. We find out Annika had a hard time adjusting to life on campus. Socially awkward, she was isolated and lonely, but she was good at chess and was persuaded to join the club. Jonathan joined the club later and was drawn to the pretty but shy girl. With gentle persistence, he began a friendship with Annika. Switching back and forth between Annikas viewpoint and Jonathans, between their time as students and as adults, the story of their relationship unfolds. We come to realize the endearingly quirky Annika is a high-functioning autistic person, that judging social cues and communication will always be hard for her. As their young relationship progressed to love, and as their adult relationship warms up again, we see how Annika has matured over the years and become more confident and capable of navigating daily life on her own. What the crisis was that led to their breakup 10 years earlier remains a mystery for much of the book. We root for Annika as she pushes herself to fight for Jonathans love again, to find a way to let him know how much he still means to her. We want Jonathan to realize he has never stopped loving Annika. But a shocking development will test their rekindled love. The climax of the book had me riveted. The Girl He Used to Know may draw comparisons to last years witty, sexy debut by Helen Hoang, The Kiss Quotient. That books female lead is also autistic. Devils Daughter: The Ravenels Meet the Wallflowers By Lisa Kleypas Avon. 384 pp. $7.99. With Devils Daughter: The Ravenels Meet the Wallflowers, Lisa Kleypas continues the long-running historical romance series that began with Secrets of a Summer Night, originally published in 2004. In that novel, we are introduced to the Wallflowers, four women who are tired of being overlooked by suitors and who make a pact to become friends and help one another find husbands. In Devils Daughter, we are introduced to Phoebe, Lady Clare, a young widow with two sons. (Phoebe is the daughter of Evangeline, one of the Wallflowers, and Sebastian; their romance is the subject of The Devil in Winter, the 2006 novel that is the third installment of this series.) Phoebe is preparing to travel to attend her brother Gabriels wedding to Pandora Ravenel (whose story appears in the 2017 novel Devil in Spring). Unfortunately, the wedding means she will probably have to meet Pandoras cousin West Ravenel, who had bullied Phoebes late husband, Henry, when they were at boarding school as children. Upon arriving at the Ravenels estate, Phoebe goes after her wandering son, and they meet a man who is directing the bustling servants. She is struck by his good looks and the vitality that is such a contrast to her late husband. There is an instant attraction between Phoebe and the man, who speaks kindly to her young son. She is shocked when he introduces himself as West Ravenel. During her stay for the wedding celebration, Phoebe tries to keep her distance from West, but they are constantly thrown together, and she eventually warms to him, realizing he is no longer that childish bully and may be someone she wants to know better. West realizes Phoebe is trying to be aloof, but he is drawn to the beautiful young widow. He thinks he should not pursue a relationship he has a disgraceful past as a young rake and is a younger son with no estate of his own. Kleypas is a master at conveying the aching want and emotional turmoil between two people who are fighting their attraction. West believes his unsavory past makes him undeserving of someone like Phoebe. She, in turn, doesnt want to dishonor the memory of her late husband. Devils Daughter can be read as a standalone, but the readers enjoyment is richer if the supporting characters are recognized. (At least do yourself a favor and read the outstanding Wallflowers series.) In a Badger Way By Shelly Laurenston Kensington. 400 pp. $15.95. Shelly Laurenston is the author of a long-running series of hilarious books about shape-shifters. (She also writes about dragon-shifters as G.A. Aiken.) Laurenston is known for her off-the-wall characters who can shift into lions, wolves, bears, etc. In a Badger Way is Book Two of the Honey Badger Chronicles about the three MacKilligan sisters beautiful, smart, and crazy-lethal. Stevie is a genius. Ever since she was a child and her prodigious intellect became known, she has been sought after by governments, underworld figures, and assassins. Her older sisters Charlie and Max have been keeping her protected and soothed all her life. Despite all her talents, Stevie battles crippling anxiety and panic attacks. And when Stevie gets into a full-blown attack, she cant control her shifting or the dangerous hybrid creature she becomes. Stevies young friend Kyle is staying with the sisters for a while to give his jackal family a break from the obnoxious teen. With him is Shen Li, a panda-shifter and Kyles bodyguard. With all the craziness going on at the sisters house, Shen is a laid-back source of calm. He is content to live in the moment, maybe while enjoying some bamboo snacks. Stevie is drawn to his confident serenity and decides the handsome shifter will be her boyfriend, much to Shens surprise and confusion. But whenever she smiles at him, he feels a zing. Stevie is drawn into a dangerous investigation of a lion scientist she used to date; he is suspected of conducting lethal experiments on hybrid shifters. She agrees to help but is also curious to know whether he has figured out a way to change hybrids, to fix them. Stevie is acutely aware that she is only a panic attack away from being a danger to others and is ashamed of her lack of control. For all the joyful zaniness of her characters, Laurenston can also cover some heavy topics amid the hilarity and action. Mental health issues are addressed as Stevie works toward self-acceptance with the love and support of her sisters and Shen. Quick take: The Warden has done it again. Just when you think she cant possibly keep writing any fresh twists on her addictive Black Dagger Brotherhood vampire series, J.R. Ward gives us another masterful installment with The Savior (Gallery Books, 416 pp., $28), Muhrders long-awaited story. Muhrder returns to the brotherhood headquarters 20 years after his expulsion from the group of warriors who protect the race. He comes back after a lonely exile battling his mental demons, seeking redemption and revenge for a victim he had failed. His path crosses with a human during the rescue of a vampire boy being subjected to medical experiments. Muhrder recognizes her as the woman he has been fated to meet. A tornado alert awakened Philadelphia-area residents in the middle of the night on Monday, April 15, 2019. Read more Nothing gets the publics attention like the "T" word even though statistics show that nearly three-quarters of all tornado warnings are false alarms. Consider that tornado warning issued by the National Weather Services Mount Holly office at 3:19 a.m. on Monday, April 15. It covered an area inhabited by 2.7 million people, from Claymont, Del., to all of Philadelphia to Glenside to Palmyra. Thanks (depending on your viewpoint) to the nations sophisticated public-alert technology, thousands were roused from their beds and advised to take shelter, although some were oblivious or disdainful, or just chose to roll the bones. It rained, the winds roared, but in the end no tornadoes were sighted anywhere near Philadelphia, although one did touch down in deep Delaware. Wouldnt it be better to wait until a tornado forms before setting off the alarm bells? Why risk scaring the daylights out of people? A tornado has a spectacular but very brief career. Relative to other cyclones, tornadoes are pinpricks. A winter storm can affect thousands of square miles; a tornado, often only a few. A winter storms fury can last several days. A tornado? The average of life span is a couple minutes, says Joe Miketta, who is the Mount Holly offices warnings coordinator. If we wait for a tornado being sighted, its too late. What triggers a warning? Twisters are spun by tremendously complicated processes interacting at different levels of the atmosphere. Those alignments are difficult to predict. The Storm Prediction Center, a national mayhem center in Norman, Okla., issues generalized tornado watches when it appears that the atmosphere is poised to riot over a given area. This time of year, when the atmosphere is particularly frisky, the forecast floor at the center can resemble that of the National Hurricane Centers on five cups of espresso, with warning bells going off every few minutes. It is up to the local offices to issue warnings, and they rely on Doppler radar images tornado vortex signatures several miles up in the atmosphere that indicate a tornado is possible. Thats a tremendous advance over old technology, but not all those signatures will be followed by tornadoes, and sometimes if they do form, they head in unpredictable directions. So are warnings all sound and fury, signifying nothing but fright? The April 14-15 period was an incredibly active one for tornadoes in the mid-Atlantic. In all, eight were confirmed in Pennsylvania, where, on average, only eight touch down in a year, according to the weather service. Delaware exceeded its quota for the year. On average it sees only one annually; two touched down early on April 15. The first one tore a 6.2-mile-long path, 50 yards wide, through Laurel, in southwestern Sussex County, at 3:38 a.m. Incidentally, at 3:31, the National Weather Service did issue a tornado warning for a far smaller area that included Laurel. The tornado was stronger than most that land in the Tri-State area, according to Sarah Johnson, a meteorologist with the weather service in Mount Holly, an EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds estimated at 120 mph. One person was injured. A weaker tornado touched down nearby in Milton about 20 minutes later. How do we know when a tornado really does happen? The weather service conducted investigations and determined the wind damage was circular, as opposed to straight line winds. Asked why the agency bothers to verify whether winds were linear or circular, Gary Szatkowski, the former head of the Mount Holly office, responded thats because we media people keep asking. The findings do have at least one practical application, in that they help the service keep track of false-alarm rates, the object being to get better at this. Yes, false alarms are quite high for tornadoes, says Miketta. And, yes, they are likely to stay that way for a while. Special counsel Robert Mueller's redacted report on the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election was released Thursday. Read more Predictably, the full 448-page special counsel report into Russian interference in the 2016 election offered a much more complicated picture than the one presented in the four-page summary by Attorney General William Barr that had dominated discussion. While it did, indeed, say that neither President Trump nor his campaign illegally conspired with Russia (or, in Trump parlance, no collusion), it also confirmed numerous contacts between the two sides and detailed a litany of attempts by the president to throttle the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller. The fight now moves to Congress and the political realm. Here are some of the potential ramifications: Impeachment not in the cards Democrats made clear they will continue investigating, including calling Barr and Mueller to testify before House committees. And despite the report finding no criminal conspiracy between Trump or his campaign and Russia, they believe there is enough damning information in the obstruction section to keep the heat on the administration. READ MORE: Read the Mueller report in full It must fall to Congress to assess the presidents improper, corrupt and immoral conduct in an effort to obstruct the investigation, six key House committee chairs wrote in a statement. Not that there is a rush toward impeachment. Yet Trump seems to want the fight, too. He and his allies, while deriding the investigation as politically motivated, also called for their own investigations against Democrats who they accused of ginning up the conspiracy issue. "Its time to investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation into President Trump, motivated by political retribution and based on no evidence whatsoever, the Trump reelection campaign said. So while the Mueller investigation is over, the issue seems sure to play a major factor in the coming campaign. But will Democrats push for impeachment? Despite some calls from the partys most strident members, it seems unlikely for sensible political reasons. Even before the reports release, many Democrats decided the only way to remove Trump from office is via next years ballot. Even if the House impeached the president, the GOP-led Senate would almost surely acquit. A no-win fight that might even backfire electorally, much as impeachment against Bill Clinton did in the 1990s for the GOP. Election time is when you beat Trump, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D., Ariz.), who previously supported impeachment, told Politico. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D., Pa.), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said it would be foolhardy to pursue impeachment at this stage. I dont think were there yet," said Dean, of Montgomery County. "I think we have to actually do our job and speak to the people and expose to the light of the day the details of the investigation and other potential wrongdoing by Trump. Routine lies The report details a litany of instances in which Trump and his aides flatly lied to the public. For example, it says Trump denied having any business in or connections to Russia, even though as late as June 2016 the Trump Organization had been pursuing a licensing deal for a skyscraper to be built in Russia called Trump Tower Moscow. In another instance he urged chief counsel Don McGahn to deny a New York Times report that McGahn said was accurate. And press secretary Sarah Sanders admitted that when she told reporters that FBI agents had lost confidence in former FBI Director James Comey, the comment was in the heat of the moment that was not founded on anything. In the scope of an investigation into potential federal crimes, such routine deceptions were relegated to second-tier discoveries. But, even if many have become inured to them, deceptions so blatant remain remarkable behavior for officials in the countrys highest office, and in nearly any administration would be big scandals. Russia in 2020 Trump has typically lumped together the investigation of possible coordination and even the very idea of Russian interference as one giant hoax. But while Mueller found no crime, he is the latest in a long line of law enforcement officials who have concluded that Russian interference in 2016 was undoubtedly real, and he has documented it in painstaking detail. Even Barr, while echoing most Trump talking points, stated that Russia interfered. Will Trump accept that conclusion now? Its a vital question because his own security aides have warned that Russia is likely to try to disrupt the 2020 campaign as well. Yet Trump, in seeking to dismiss all things Russia-related, has shown no indication that he has made stopping the countrys interference a priority. His allies instead blasted the Obama administration Thursday for not doing enough to stop Russia last time. It remains to be seen if Trump acts where he says his predecessor failed. Teflon Trump The investigation has been the most high profile and, politically, the most dangerous challenge of the Trump administration. Yet if history holds, even this report might not change public opinion very much. One of the most stubborn realities of Trumps tenure is that even major events fail to move the dial. His approval rating has remained fixed in the 35 to 45 percent range, and in the current media age, with voters ability to hear the news they want and the presidents talent for promoting his own message, the contrasting results in the report provide ample fodder for partisans to affirm their previous beliefs. There was no conspiracy, but real Russian contact. No charges for obstruction, but many attempts to obstruct. Voters may simply return to their preconceived views of the president. Most were already there before the report came out. The lingering investigations The report references 14 investigations that spun off from Muellers inquiry. Only two were revealed: one involving accusations against Michael Cohen, Trumps former attorney, and charges against Gregory B. Craig, a former Obama aide accused of concealing work for a foreign agent during his time as a lobbyist. What might the 12 others reveal? Based on the twists and turns of the Mueller probe, it would be foolish to assume anyone can know. But that probably wont stop people on each side from guessing. And spinning. Robert Stone Korach, 95, of Cherry Hill, the former head of operations for the PATCO Lindenwold High-Speed Line and a nationally known expert on public transportation, died Thursday, April 18, of complications from a stroke at Samaritan Hospice in Voorhees. A longtime friend, J. William Vigrass, a transportation economist, said Mr. Korach excelled at generating operating plans for public transit systems. He was a master of scheduling, how to get the most out of the equipment and manpower to provide excellent service at a reasonable cost, Vigrass said. Mr. Korach could do advanced calculations and form plans in his head that few others could follow. He was really something special, Vigrass said. Mr. Korach was recruited in 1967 to become the first employee and head of operations for the PATCO Lindenwold High-Speed Line. He recruited Vigrass to handle fares and set up stations. At the time, the PATCO line was under construction. It was the first of the post-World War II modern rapid rail transit systems, and under Mr. Korachs leadership, it became the national model for effective and efficient rapid rail transit, his family said. Virtually all the new rapid transit systems sent their senior supervisors to PATCO to learn Mr. Korachs management techniques. After a short period of retirement from PATCO in 1983, he returned to work as the assistant general manager of operations for the Southern California Rapid Transit District. He stopped working full time in 1988 and became a consultant for new rail projects across the country. The highlight of his career was being inducted in 1995 into the American Public Transit Associations Hall of Fame for his contributions to the industry. Born in Cleveland, Mr. Korach spent the first half of his life in the Midwest. Right out of high school, he took a job checking the suitcases of rail passengers at Cleveland Union Terminal. The pleasure and reward of this position was my ability to constantly monitor the big blackboard that announced the comings and goings of the [trains], he said in an undated autobiography. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin in 1940, interrupting his studies to join the Army during World War II. He served with the military police and in a Transportation Corps Officers Candidate Training School in New Orleans before being honorably discharged in 1945. He joined the Army Reserves in 1945, retiring in 1965 with the rank of major. After the war, he returned to the University of Wisconsin and graduated in 1947 with a bachelors degree in economics. While there, he took jobs such as baggage handler for the Milwaukee Railroad in Madison and part-time operations manager for the universitys intramural bus system. Mr. Korachs first career job was in the Cleveland Transit System, where he rose to superintendent of schedules. In 1962, he was hired by the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority. He combined the Pacific electric rail routes with the Los Angeles railway system. In 1965, he became the manager of operations planning for the MBTA in Boston before moving to head of operations for PATCO. An avid historian, Mr. Korach was often asked to write, edit, and critique scholarly articles on early electric railways. He also collaborated on books about electric transit systems in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Mr. Korach was a mentor to many young men and women who worked in public transit. He made lasting friendships across generations and traveled extensively into his 90s. He helped to raise funds for the Jewish Chapel at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was a member of Jewish War Veterans Post No. 126 of Cherry Hill. Mr. Korachs marriage to Jeanne Korach ended in 1965 with a divorce. She died in 2010. He is survived by a son, Kenneth; a daughter, Marcia Slattery; and four grandsons. A visitation starting at 9:15 a.m. Monday, April 22, will be followed by a 10 a.m. funeral at Platt Memorial Chapels, 2001 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill. Interment will be Tuesday, April 23, at Mayfield Cemetery in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Memorial donations may be made to the Temple Emanuel Starlight Foundation, 1101 Springdale Rd., Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003. In June of last year, the nations first Clean Slate bill was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf. Read more Think back to the biggest mistake youve ever made. Now imagine that you had to recount that incident to every job interviewer, every landlord, and every college admissions officer for the rest of your life. Where would you be today if you were judged by your worst moment? Thats the reality for Ronald Lewis, a 39-year-old father from Philadelphia, who was convicted of two nonviolent misdemeanors in 2004 and for millions of other Americans. Nearly 15 years later, Ronald is a different person than he was back then. He went back to school and earned top marks graduating as a certified HVAC technician. With his qualifications, he was an ideal job candidate. But as soon as the background-check results came back, Ronald was out of the running, and the rejection letters kept coming. That broke my heart, he said, because you thought your life was starting to amount to something. Despite his hard work, Ronalds second shot at the American Dream was out of reach. Today, Ronalds experience is all too common. Nationwide, there are roughly 100 million Americans with some kind of criminal record. Just like Ronald, they want a stable job, a roof over their head, and the chance to provide for their families. But the vast majority of employers, landlords, and universities now run background checks on applicants. Even a minor record can be the difference between opportunity and rejection. Unemployment among formerly incarcerated people is five times higher than it is for the general public. In effect, its harder to get a job after leaving prison than it was to find work at the peak of the Great Depression. But its not for lack of trying. Formerly incarcerated people are actively searching for jobs at a higher rate than their peers, yet their past continues to stand in the way of their future. In Pennsylvania, historic steps have already been taken to ensure that a criminal record doesnt come with a life sentence to poverty. In June of last year, the nations first Clean Slate bill was signed into law. This groundbreaking policy automatically seals nonviolent criminal records for people who remain crime-free for 10 years. Now, thousands of Pennsylvanians can get the second chance that theyve earned, and they wont even have to go to court and petition for records to be sealed. Its no secret that Democrats and Republicans dont agree on much lately. But in Pennsylvania, the Clean Slate Act passed the state legislature with overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle. Clean Slates popularity is easy to understand: Its just good policy. Clean Slate is an opportunity to help everyday Americans build a better life, while also driving down unemployment rates and improving our economy. And by automating the record-sealing process, the policy takes the burden off the court system and frees up judges for more important matters. Its no wonder then that 70 percent of American voters support Clean Slate policies. Almost a century ago, the Supreme Court famously referred to the 50 states as laboratories of American democracy. Pennsylvanias passage of Clean Slate legislation shows that states are still leading the way with innovative policy solutions, and its time for Congress to follow suit. Thats why we are proud to back the reintroduction of the federal Clean Slate Act, which will be filed during April, also known as Second Chance Month. Modeled after Pennsylvanias successful bill, the Clean Slate Act will automatically seal federal arrest records that didnt result in a conviction, making sure that people who were found innocent arent punished for a crime they didnt commit. Importantly, the bill would also seal records for nonviolent marijuana charges a critical step in righting the wrongs of racially biased drug-enforcement policies. Today, more than three-quarters of people serving time for federal drug charges are black or Latino. The barriers to opportunity are compounded for people of color with criminal records, especially women. Even after paying their debt to society, 40 percent of formerly incarcerated women of color cant find a job. By reducing barriers to employment, like the ones Ronald faced, we can take meaningful strides toward getting more and more Americans back to work a win for the economy, a win for our justice system, and a win for our society. One-third of American adults have some kind of criminal record, so chances are you know someone who is facing a lifetime of consequences for a single mistake. They have held up their end of the bargain by serving their time and staying out of trouble. Now, its time we give them the clean slate that they deserve. Its time for Americans nationwide to have the same shot at a brighter future. Contact your member of Congress or state elected officials today and ask them to become supporters of the Clean Slate Act and policies that will give more Americans the opportunity to live productive and meaningful lives. Tom Wolf is governor of Pennsylvania. Lisa Blunt Rochester is the U.S. representative for Delawares at-large congressional district. The two recent shockwaves in the history community involving the closing of the Philadelphia History Museum and a staff reduction at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania didnt come as a complete surprise, but their quick succession has led many to question the future of collections-based historical institutions in the city. The Philadelphia History Museum, with more than 130,000 artifacts, and the Historical Society, with its 20 million pages of manuscripts, are the two greatest stewards of the citys history. What does it say if Philadelphia, the United States first UNESCO World Heritage City, cannot support its own heritage? Up to this point, there has been something of a Philadelphia model for how struggling cultural institutions, especially collections-based ones, can deal with financial crises. Both the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphias merger with Drexel and the Rosenbachs partnership with the Free Library Foundation saved them from the fate that the Philadelphia History Museum and the Historical Society now face and have served as exemplars of this model. In both cases, a smaller organization formed a long-lasting, strategic partnership with a larger, more financially secure institution. And in each instance, the more stable organization assumed some governance responsibilities and provided a stronger financial footing through direct aid, integrated fund-raising, and administrative support. The apparent success of these two well-known collaborations has fueled others to seek similar deals. But there are only so many larger institutions in town, and only so many institutions they can take on. This model cannot be sustainable. It is time to explore different approaches to institutional sustainability. Rather than looking up for saviors, institutions of similar sizes and with comparable collections-based missions, even those in a strong financial position, should look sideways to each other, and ask how they can work with their peers to lift their collective well-being. Many institutions are pursuing such work through joint programming. But while these group efforts at public outreach are frequent and successful, fewer have cast their eyes to the ways institutions can partner on back-end administrative systems. Consider the inherent redundancy in small and middle-sized nonprofits. Why should, say, five separate nonprofits with $20 million endowments have five CFOs when a nonprofit with $100 million can make do with just one? And what if these five hypothetical institutions pooled their relatively small endowments to create a larger one, which would provide them with access to more sophisticated financial instruments? There are other areas in which joint administration might create efficiencies and build greater opportunities for these institutions and their users. A group of collections-based institutions could adopt and share systems, such as the consortia for a shared ticketing system among many performing arts organizations in Philadelphia. Collection storage and care are also similar responsibilities of these institutions. There may be ways institutions can reach beyond their walls, connect collections, and share the cost of their stewardship of our regions and nations treasures. Such a model would not only provide financial support by reducing costs. It would also empower each institution to focus fully on its programmatic mission. Perhaps the biggest hurdle is that such efforts require institutions to cede some level of administrative independence, even if the inspiring mission of each member stayed untouched. But that may just be the reason it is right for Philadelphia. Collaboration is embedded in our citys DNA. The Quaker tradition that has guided the city since its founding cherishes community and humility over individualism and ego. Philadelphias greatest citizen, Benjamin Franklin, led the city by encouraging civic action rather than competitiveness. And lets not forget that in 1776 and then again in 1787, it was in this city that leaders facing a collective crisis put aside their individual concerns and came together in a great experiment that changed the world. Even if such a model would prove infeasible, I offer it here as a way to show that this moment provides an opportunity for Philadelphia to once again be innovative. And the problem is not faced by our city alone. Nonprofits throughout the country are facing many of the same challenges. Once again, Philadelphia has a chance to experiment and build a new model that can be adopted elsewhere. We should see this moment as an opportunity to not only solve our problem but once again lead the nation. Patrick Spero is the librarian and director of the American Philosophical Society Library. His most recent book is Frontier Rebels: The Fight for Independence in the American West, 1765-1776 (W.W. Norton, 2018). The recent news of significant layoffs at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, combined with last months news of the intended closing of the Philadelphia History Museum and the transfer of its collections to Drexel University, has shaken the community of history organizations in Philadelphia. The bad news doesnt come as a surprise. There has been a crisis developing in slow motion and in plain sight for many years -- but we now have to face it. There are many causes: Steady declines in government funding, reliance on a small group of philanthropists, the apparent waning of popular interest in history, an overpopulation of organizations, a disconnect from the community caused by the lack of diversity in the leadership and staff all have played a role in getting us where we are. But the crisis has brought some clarity to our situation, and compels us to look ahead. What I see in the future is an opportunity -- specifically the opportunity presented by the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Some planning for the 250th on a national scale has begun, but we are just starting to think about what we will do in Philadelphia. When we turn our focus to this major anniversary, more specific collaborations that build from strengths become possible. This cant just be a nostalgic celebration of American greatness. The problems faced by the founders were real and dangerous -- and we face many of the same problems today. Modern democracy was born in Philadelphia and transplanted all over the world. Today many of those democracies (and some would say our own) are threatened by trends toward authoritarianism and nationalism, exacerbated by disparities in income and accelerated by climate change. The founders saw this coming. The common wisdom of the day was that democracy was an impossibly unstable and undesirable form of government, vulnerable to tyrants and demagogues. The key to a successful democracy, they thought, was an educated public gained through public schools, but also through a free press and through the new information technology of the public library. Ben Franklin said he thought the model of public library he invented with the Library Company (a model that proliferated throughout the colonies} played no small role in preparing Americans to seize their independence and run a democracy. The history organizations of Philadelphia have an extremely important mission that they are uniquely qualified to execute -- to remind the world where democracy came from, and what it needs to thrive. Our message is renewal. Our job is nothing less than reminding the world of the potential of democracy, by showing the world its beginnings, its core values, and how it can adapt to a new, more diverse, more technologically sophisticated, more divided world. What would a history community focused on renewing democracy look like? It would use its collections and scholarship to take on ideas and trends that frustrate democracy, issues like gerrymandering, voter suppression, the stoking of voter disenchantment and disaffection. It would measure its success in metrics like voter registration and voter turnout, but also in raising awareness of local heroes and struggles. In the end, we might see the boundaries of the history community dissolve, so that we might no longer see a clear distinction between the institutions and the people they serve. Philadelphians tend to think of history as something for tourists like my grandparents parlor, only used when company came. Tourists will not save us, nor will any new history museum built primarily for them. Mergers, affiliations, and shared back-office arrangements will help, but what is really needed is a shared sense of purpose driving toward a shared goal. And that goal needs to matter to all of us, and nothing matters more to all of us than the fate of our democracy. We dont need to try this alone. Perhaps Ben Franklins greatest genius was his ability to bring people together to solve a problem. Our first step as a community is to create a better platform to share ideas and work together. We need a new Junto, in the style of Franklins informal think tank, to meet regularly and talk about how we can use our history and the approaching 250th to renew and reenergize our democracy. The Library Company was one of the first projects of the original Junto, and the first library to inspire the creation of the United States it would be an excellent place to begin this rediscovery. Michael Barsanti is the director of the Library Company of Philadelphia. Tonetta Graham, president of the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, under a "We Buy Houses" sign in Philadelphia's Strawberry Mansion section. Her organization has been urging neighborhood homeowners to be wary of aggressive home purchasing efforts. Read more Kevin Upshur is one of the ones who stayed. He planted his flag at the corner of 30th and Dauphin Streets in the heart of Strawberry Mansion, which has lost the highest percentage of its population of anywhere else in the city since 2000. But Upshur never thought of leaving. Theres so much to be done here, in a neighborhood that shoulders what can feel like every grim statistic the city measures. Upshur, 58, is the head of the Strawberry Mansion Community Learning Center the prime after-school spot, housed in what was once his familys corner bar. I enjoy having an opportunity to put this puzzle back together, said Upshur, a soft-spoken man with a runners build and a trim salt-and-pepper beard. And he knows what the puzzle looked like before it was shattered: when there were jobs, and people who would hire from the neighborhood. When the houses that line 30th and Dauphin were full. As neighborhoods in Center City and South Philly and even neighborhoods close to Strawberry Mansion have boomed with new arrivals, the recently released Pew State of the City report put this community at the bottom of so many lists. It lost 20 percent of its population between 2000 and 2017. Its police district has the second-highest number of violent crimes, behind only one in North Philadelphia. It has the lowest median home sale price: $20,000. The contrast between the struggling and thriving neighborhood is as dramatic as ever, said Larry Eichel, a project director at Pew, who recently wrote about 10 years of Pew reports on the city ones that tell a depressing story of rising inequity. Unequal Growth Trends in Philadelphia Strawberry Mansion's 19132 zip code lost 20 percent of its residents since 2000, the highest rate of loss among Philadelphia's zip codes. Two other zip codes, 19106 (Old City) and 19123 (Northern Liberties), grew by at least 50 percent. SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau JOHN DUCHNESKIE / Staff Artist The state of Strawberry Mansion is on full display at 30th and Dauphin. Yes, there are the markers that every outsider uses to define a neighborhood by its despair: Abandoned lots. Abandoned houses. Strawberry Mansion High School, built for 1,800 students, which now has only 169. For a year, my colleagues Kristen Graham and Tim Tai have been following students, teachers, and parents as they struggle to keep the proud old schools doors open. But then you have Upshurs haven of a learning center, with the college banners (Ohio State, Minnesota, Oklahoma) hanging on the wall, the fully stocked library (Dreams of My Father, biographies of Spike Lee and civil rights leaders) and Upshur continually hammering home his mantra: In a neighborhood where opportunities can feel scarce, you can still create your own. The report isnt wrong, he says. It just shows only part of the story. The reality and the energy in this community is another thing, he said. Across the street, at the Strawberry Mansion Auto Repair, that pride and energy are carried by Cougar Dancey and Curtis Richardson. They echoed a refrain common among so many living outside Center Citys progress: Strawberry Mansion makes the news only when something bad happens. The auto shop is a 42-year-old institution; Richardson and every one of his brothers has worked here. Greg Blocker inherited the shop from his father, James Pops Blocker an icon in the community, and another who stayed, whose businesses provide stability. For all of them, Strawberry Mansion isnt a place to escape. Its a place to be proud of. Its a sentiment wed do well to remember. My family is still here. My job. My friends, Dancey said. I have moved to other areas of the city. Didnt feel right. I moved back. And as progress sweeps toward Strawberry Mansion, those who have tended the flame have to be part of it. Thats why Tonnetta Graham keeps a map in her office that shows the tide of gentrification coming up from Brewerytown and Center City. Graham, the head of the Strawberry Mansion Community Development Corporation, tells neighbors they used to be up to their ankles in gentrification, and now theyre up to their knees. There are We Buy Houses for Cash signs plastering every pole, and handwritten ones in peoples mailboxes. She encourages people to hang on to be part of the progress. They wont drown in the wave of gentrification, shes certain, and cites a good statistic: Nearly half the residents own their own homes. Its Grahams job to make sure those voices are at the table when change comes. Weve always known that our neighborhood is a treasure Fairmount Park is my backyard, she said. Our transportation is fantabulous. The housing stock is so beautiful you still see the workmanship, the craftsmanship. And theres a resiliency to the neighborhood. For proof, just stop by 30th and Dauphin. Rochelle Bilal (left) and Philadelphia Sheriff Jewell Williams are vying for the endorsement of the Fraternal Order of Police in the May 21 Democratic primary. Williams won support of sheriff's deputies in a vote this week. Read more Philadelphia Sheriff Jewell Williams received some rare good news this week. And it came by way of District Attorney Larry Krasner. Sort of. John McNesby, president of Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police, said about 120 current and retired sheriffs deputies voted unanimously Monday to recommend Williams for endorsement in the May 21 Democratic primary. McNesby acknowledged that some people have issues with Jewell Williams. Thats a soft touch. The city in January agreed to pay $127,500 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed against Williams by a former Sheriffs Office employee, after substantiating her claims last year. The state House Democrats in 2012 settled for $30,000 a sexual harassment lawsuit filed when Williams was a state representative. A third sexual harassment complaint against Williams is pending in federal court. Rochelle Bilal, a retired cop and president of the Guardian Civic League, an organization of black police officers, was also considered for the endorsement. McNesby said the deputies had problems with her politics. She has some loyalty from people who dont really help our officers, he said. Thats a reference to Krasner, who sued the Police Department dozens of times as a civil rights lawyer before being sworn in as district attorney in 2018. Bilal supported Krasners 2017 campaign, and she defended him in January when McNesby, as a guest of Tucker Carlson on Fox News, accused the DA of having great disdain and dislike for cops. Bilal noted that McNesby appeared in a 2017 Oval Office photo with President Donald Trump. Me running for sheriff has nothing to do with who I supported for DA, Bilal said. If they want to support Trump and then support someone who sexually harasses women, thats on them. The FOPs executive board will vote on the endorsement in late April. Two other Democrats, Malika Rahman and Larry King Sr., were not considered because they did not ask for the endorsement, McNesby said. There is no Republican candidate for sheriff. Williams was initially recommended for endorsement by the local Democratic Party this month, but that was quickly revoked after an uproar, and then his fellow ward leaders voted to remain neutral in the primary. On the trail with #Willie4Philly Willie Singletary, the former Traffic Court judge who went to federal prison for 20 months for lying to the FBI, continues to campaign for a City Council at-large seat even though a Common Pleas judge removed him from the Democratic primary ballot last month, after he was challenged by election lawyer Kevin Greenberg. Singletary appealed to Commonwealth Court, where a judge Thursday agreed that he cant appear on the ballot due to a clause in the Pennsylvania Constitution barring those convicted of certain felonies from holding public office. He vowed to appeal to the states Supreme Court. Its been a bumpy ride for Singletary. Just ask Ilya Knizhnik, a Democratic committeeman who saw Singletary at an April 4 candidate event in West Philly. Knizhnik drives a Tesla Model 3, which comes standard with an eight-camera system that records incidents like fender-benders. The car had some damage after the event and the cameras captured the culprit. Singletary can be seen in a video which now has more than 100,000 views on YouTube colliding with the Tesla while trying to depart in a rented black Cadillac Escalade. The former judge, who now runs a limousine service, gets out, rubs the Tesla fender, rubs the Cadillac fender, throws up his hands and drives away. He is wearing a Willie Singletary for Council campaign button for all of it. Because, of course. Knizhnik says Singletary left behind no insurance information and later provided inaccurate information about a claim filed with the car rental company. Singletary claims Knizhnik is not telling the truth about all that and blames him for the accident. It was a scratch, Singletary said. He parked too close to my car. The flip-flop endorsement mystery endures Its been two weeks and Clout still hasnt cracked the case. The Policy Committee for the citys Democratic Party met April 1 and voted, 12-0, to recommend endorsing former School Reform Commission member Sandra Dungee Glenn for City Council at large. Katherine Gilmore Richardson, a former Council staffer, won the other recommendation for two soon-to-be vacant seats. The Democratic City Committee typically follows those recommendations. But later that week the ward leaders gathered and endorsed Richardson and Isaiah Thomas, leaving Glenn out in the cold. Well-placed sources said Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, the partys first vice chairwoman, flip-flopped from Glenn to Thomas at the behest of Chris Woods, executive vice president of Local 1199C of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. Blackwell, who also heads the United Ward Leaders of Color, gave us the dodge when we asked about Woods. I am not going to talk about policy committee, how we ended up or where we ended up, she said. Certainly its my job to try to make sure we keep peace, and try to get along and try to work things out. Woods was more direct, denying any involvement. I dont have any juice in that room, he said. I think people are trying to put it on me. Thomas said he has no clue how the endorsement flipped to him. Glenn was similarly mystified. I was the same person with the same campaign, as far as I know, standing for the same ideas and principles as the Democratic Party, she said after the vote. U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chair of the House Judiciary Committee, speaks during a news conference, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in New York. Read more WASHINGTON (AP) The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee issued a subpoena Friday for special counsel's Robert Mueller's report as Congress escalates its investigation of President Donald Trump. "It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. He expects the Justice Department to comply by May 1. While Mueller declined to prosecute Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress. Mueller's report provides fresh evidence of Trump's interference in the Russia investigation and challenges lawmakers to respond. The risks for both parties are clear if they duck the responsibility or prolong an inquiry that, rather than coming to a close, may be just beginning. "My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice," Nadler said in a statement. But the committee's top Republican, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, said the subpoena was "wildly overbroad" and that Trump already declined to assert executive privilege in a move of "unprecedented openness." Collins said Nadler was rushing the process for political gain. "This is politically convenient," Collins said, allowing the chairman "to grandstand and rail against the attorney general for not cooperating on an impossible timeline." Attorney General William Barr sent Congress a redacted version of the report, blacking out several types of material, including classified information, material pertaining to ongoing investigations and grand jury evidence. Nadler said he is open to working with the department "to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability." The materials are due the day Barr is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee and one day before Barr is set to appear before Nadler's committee. Nadler also has summoned Mueller to testify. Republicans are eager to move beyond what Trump calls the "witch hunt" that has overshadowed the party and the presidency. While Democrats say Mueller's findings are far more serious than initially indicated in Barr's four-page summary last month, they've been hesitant to pursue the ultimate step, impeachment proceedings, despite pressure from the left flank of the party to begin efforts to try to remove the president from office. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, traveling Thursday on a congressional trip to Ireland, said in a joint statement with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer that Mueller's report revealed more than was known about the obstruction question. "As we continue to review the report, one thing is clear: Attorney General Barr presented a conclusion that the president did not obstruct justice while Mueller's report appears to undercut that finding," they said. Later, in a letter to House Democrats, Pelosi vowed: "Congress will not be silent." It's unlikely that the full Mueller report or the public testimony will untangle the dilemma that Democrats face. Mueller laid out multiple episodes in which Trump directed others to influence or curtail the Russia investigation after the special counsel's appointment in May 2017, and Trump made clear that he viewed the probe as a potential mortal blow "the end of my presidency." Rep. Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said the acts described in the report "whether they are criminal or not, are deeply alarming in the president of the United States. And it's clear that special counsel Mueller wanted the Congress to consider the repercussions and the consequences." Schiff, D-Calif., said that "if the special counsel, as he made clear, had found evidence exonerating the president, he would have said so. He did not. He left that issue to the Congress of the United States." Republicans sought to portray Democrats as unwilling to let go of the idea that Trump colluded with Russia to swing the election. "What you're seeing is unprecedented desperation from the left," tweeted Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a top Trump ally. "There was no collusion. It's over." Other Republicans were more measured. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is one of the few members of Congress mentioned in the report, told reporters in Kentucky, "It's too early to start commenting on portions of it." McConnell was among several people the report said former White House Counsel Don McGahn had reached out to on behalf of the president when Trump was trying to stop then Attorney General Jeff Sessions from recusing himself at the start of the Russia probe. In all, the report revealed 10 areas of potential obstruction, from Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey to his attempts to thwart Mueller's investigation. In many cases, the additional details show a president restrained only by aides and others around him. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., a member of the Judiciary Committee, said his reading of the report shows that Trump "almost certainly obstructed justice" and it was only his staff that intervened to prevent certain actions. Associated Press reporters Mary Clare Jalonick, Padmananda Rama, Jennifer Peltz in New York and Dylan Lovan in LaGrange, Kentucky contributed to this report. July 15 Targeted for Pennsylvania Online Poker Launch April 18, 2019 Mo Nuwwarah Pennsylvania online poker players can get their mouse, keyboard, grind playlist and snack of choice ready on July 15. That's because on that date, residents of the state will be able to play legal online poker. Kevin O'Toole, executive director of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, revealed the news in a Wednesday meeting of the PGCB. O'Toole sat right down to kick off the meeting and, barely five minutes in, got to the topic that poker players in the Keystone State have been awaiting. He called online gaming a "key component" of the state's gaming plan. "Staff has reviewed the estimated time that it would take for us and the industry to complete all necessary steps, and it is our view that 90 days would be adequate," he said. "Accordingly, I have advised the 10 iGaming certificate holders and three iGaming operators that a coordinated go-live period for interactive gaming will commence on July 15, 2019." Online Gaming in Pennsylvania The July 15 date drop means it will have been just a little under two years from bill passage to the first hand being dealt, as Pennsylvania's governor approved the law back in October 2017. During the intervening months, casinos have arranged partnerships with online operators in preparation for the launch, with the timeline dragging into 2019 after many hoped cards were still hanging in the virtual air at the turn of the calendar. As for what online poker will look like in Pennsylvania, OnlinePokerReport reports that seven licenses have been paid for and secured. Included among those obtaining licenses are online poker giants PokerStars and partypoker. According to PlayNJ, New Jersey's established market has been producing around $1.8 million per month in revenue in recent months. Pennsylvania has a larger population base with nearly 13 million to just under 9 million for NJ, so the market has some good potential, especially if it can be combined with the established Multi-State Internet Gaming Association that enabled Delaware, Nevada and New Jersey to combine their player pools. Such a scenario would see the potential player pool roughly doubled, greatly increasing the liquidity potential. Wire Act Still Posing an Obstacle For that to happen, though, the ongoing Wire Act drama would have to be resolved in favor of online poker. With the federal government currently fighting a court battle against several states in its efforts to cow to Sheldon Adelson and stamp out online gambling, the future of said multi-state poker remains cloudy. The good news, according to OPR, is that initial processions have favored the side pushing for legalized and regulated online gaming. The current end date of the grace period for Wire Act compliance is June 14, which means by the time July 15 rolls around there should be a resolution that signals the direction of online poker's future in Pennsylvania either fenced in or joining the other states. As Pennsylvania regulators have ordered compliance with the act, it will most likely take some time for the state to enter into the shared liquidity even if the latter situation develops. That means players should probably plan to only play with others within Pennsylvania borders at first. Still, the massive success of expanded gambling in Pennsylvania the state's sportsbooks are making a killing and coming off of a record month leaves plenty of room for optimism about iGaming in general, with hope that online poker can be part of the growth going forward. Photo courtesy of Sam LeVan/freeimages.com Last Chance to Win a Behind the Scenes WSOP Package from the WSOP App April 18, 2019 Jason Glatzer The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary this summer. How would you like to win a memorable behind-the-scenes experience to poker's biggest stage this summer with a free VIP package? The WSOP's social media app is sending 10 players to Las Vegas this summer with a fantastic package in the 2019 WSOP Vegas Guest List Sweepstakes. Sweepstakes winners will be awarded free flights, meals and transportation and a two-night weekend stay at the luxurious Caesars Palace. This is just the beginning as they will also get to meet WSOP champions and legendary commentators Lon McEachern and Norman Chad and gain a unique view of the WSOP with backstage access to the WSOP Main Event. The luxury all-inclusive package includes: Two-night weekend stay for two guests at the world-renowned Caesars Palace Flights, meal and transportation expenses for two guests provided Backstage access to the WSOP Main Event Hang outs with WSOP champions Meet and greet with legendary commentators Norman Chad and Lon McEachern Once you are logged into the WSOP, head to the WSOP Guest List website, fill in some personal details, confirm you are a resident of the U.S. or Canada and are 21-years of age or older to gain an entry to the sweepstakes. It is that easy! You can increase your odds of winning the sweepstakes and a poker trip to remember to the WSOP by earning more entries earn even more entries, ranking up, clubbing up or purchasing more chips in the WSOP Social App. The more entries you have in the sweepstakes, the better your chances are of winning a Las Vegas trip! The sweepstakes only runs until April 20. So hurry up and head to the WSOP Guest List website to get started on your path for a free trip to Las Vegas this summer. 674 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The powerful chairs of all of the major House committees issued a joint statement blasting Trumps lies and obstruction of justice. House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam B. Schiff, Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, Committee on Oversight and Reform Chairman Elijah E. Cummings, Committee on Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, Committee on Foreign Affairs Chairman Eliot L. Engel, and Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal said in a joint statement provided to PoliticusUSA: Despite a series of statements and letters by Attorney General Barr which mischaracterized Special Counsel Robert Muellers findings beginning with his four-page summary almost a month ago, his congressional testimony last week, and todays misleading press conference the Special Counsels report speaks for itself and explicitly does not exonerate the president. Attorney General Barr misrepresented important aspects of the Special Counsels findings and provided the White House advance access to the report. Taken as a whole, Muellers report paints a damning portrait of lies that appear to have materially impaired the investigation, a body of evidence of improper contacts with a foreign adversary, and serious allegations about how President Trump sought to obstruct a legitimate, and deeply important, counterintelligence investigation. We are profoundly troubled by the astonishing efforts by President Trump identified in the report to obstruct the investigation, including his attempts to remove the Special Counsel and encourage witnesses to lie and to destroy or conceal evidence. In direct contradiction to the statements of the Attorney General this morning that the Special Counsel did not consider Department of Justice policy against indicting a sitting president, the Special Counsel stated that fairness concerns counseled against potentially reaching that judgment [of criminal conduct] when no charges can be brought. Nor do we believe it was the Attorney Generals place to make such a judgment, either, and it is now apparent that the Special Counsel expressed no desire to have Barr make that decision himself. Instead, as the Special Counsel undoubtedly anticipated, it must fall to Congress to assess the Presidents improper, corrupt and immoral conduct in an effort to obstruct the investigation. Despite redactions that appear to obscure important details, the Special Counsels report finds that the Russian government interfered in the 2016 election in a sweeping and systematic fashion in order to assist the candidacy of Donald Trump, and that the Trump campaign was aware of those efforts and expected it would benefit electorally from Russias efforts. Contrary to Attorney General Barrs statements, the report catalogues the extensive interactions between Russian officials and agents and Trump campaign associates of a profoundly compromising nature. The report details how Russia deployed a multi-faceted intelligence operation and sought to exploit and influence the Trump campaign and transition, while the Trump campaign, beginning with candidate Trump, sought to benefit from a hostile foreign intelligence operation. The report also details the multiple convictions of Trump campaign officials and associates secured by the Special Counsel for crimes related to obstructing the investigation, which hampered the investigation, according to the Special Counsel. In addition, the report outlines efforts to destroy evidence, conceal evidence through encrypted apps, and otherwise interfere with the Special Counsels ability to conduct this investigation. This apparent coordinated effort to cover up illicit contacts and links with Russia should concern all Americans, whether or not criminal charges were brought. Although the details of the report are shocking, much of it still remains redacted and many questions remain. We must get the full report and the underlying evidence, including grand jury material, in order to perform our constitutional duties, including deciding whether new legislation is necessary. Special Counsel Muellers fact-gathering has concluded. It is now Congress responsibility to review and assess the evidence. The House will investigate Trump for obstruction of justice, and they will get the full Mueller report, after a likely court battle. The process for laying out a sweeping case against Trump has taken a big step forward with the release of the redacted report. Trump and Barr engaged in a cover-up, but their time is running out, and the lies are being exposed. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook (Reuters) There are several aspects of Special Counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russias role in the 2016 U.S. election campaign that were not previously known until the release of his report on Thursday. TRUMPS REACTION TO APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL U.S. President Donald Trump believed the appointment of a special counsel to take over an active federal investigation would spell the end of his presidency, according to Muellers report. When then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump of Muellers appointment on May 17, 2017, the report said, Trump slumped back in his chair and said: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. Trump asked Sessions, whom he had berated for months for recusing himself from the investigation of Russian interference in the election: How could you let this happen, Jeff? and told Sessions he had let him down. Trump told Sessions he should resign, and Sessions agreed to do so. When Sessions delivered his resignation letter to Trump the following day, Trump put the letter in his pocket but said he wanted Sessions to stay on the job. That alarmed chief of staff Reince Priebus and senior advisor Steve Bannon, who worried Trump would use the letter to control the Department of Justice, and they tried to return it to Sessions. Trump took the letter with him on a trip to the Middle East, where he showed it to several senior advisers and asked them what he should do about it. On May 30, he finally returned the letter to Sessions with a note saying: Not accepted. THE PRESIDENTIAL INTERVIEW THAT WASNT Mueller tried for more than a year to interview Trump, but in the end Trump refused. Trump provided written answers on some Russia-related topics, but did not agree to answer questions about possible obstruction of justice or events that took place during the presidential transition. Mueller said he thought he had the legal authority to order Trump to testify before a grand jury, but he decided not to take that course because of the substantial delay that such an investigative step would likely produce at a late stage in our investigation. TRUMPS EFFORTS TO FIRE MUELLER Trump tried to get Mueller fired in June 2017, shortly after he was appointed, according to the 448-page report. Trump called then-White House counsel Don McGahn twice and directed him to order Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller on the grounds that he had conflicts of interest. McGahn felt trapped, but did not carry out the order, deciding that he would rather resign, Mueller said. Other White House advisers later talked McGahn out of resigning, and Trump did not follow up to ask whether McGahn had fulfilled his directive. Trump pressured McGahn to deny that these events took place when they surfaced in news accounts in January 2018, but McGahn refused, according to Muellers report, some of which was blacked out to protect some sensitive information. TRUMPS EFFORTS TO LIMIT THE INVESTIGATION Trump also enlisted his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowksi, to try to narrow the investigations scope. The report said Trump asked Lewandowski in June 2017 to tell Sessions that he should publicly announce that the Russia probe was very unfair to the president, say Trump had done nothing wrong, and limit Muellers probe into interference in future elections, not the one that had put him in the White House. A month later, Trump asked Lewandowski about the status of his request and Lewandowski assured Trump he would deliver the message soon. Trump then publicly criticized Sessions in a New York Times interview and a series of Twitter messages. Mueller says Lewandowski did not want to deliver the message to Sessions, so he asked senior White House official Rick Dearborn to speak to him. Dearborn also did not want to carry out the task. Ultimately, the message never reached Sessions. MANAFORTS EFFORTS TO MONETIZE THE CAMPAIGN Mueller found that campaign chairman Paul Manaforts efforts to work with his former business partners in Ukraine were greater than previously known, as he tried to use his insider status on the campaign to collect on debts owed for his past work by Oleg Deripaska, an oligarch who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shortly after he joined the campaign in the spring of 2016, Manafort directed his deputy Rick Gates to share internal polling data and other campaign materials with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former Ukrainian business partner, with the understanding that it would get passed on to Deripaska, the report said. During an August 2016 meeting in New York, Manafort told Kilimnik about the campaigns efforts to win the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Minnesota, the report said. Trump ended up winning three of those states in the November election. Manafort worked with his Ukrainian allies until the spring of 2018, after he had been indicted by Mueller, to promote a peace plan that would have split the country in two. These efforts did not constitute coordination between the campaign and Russian efforts to disrupt the election, Mueller found. Manafort urged Gates not to plead guilty after they were both indicted by Mueller, apparently believing that they would be pardoned by the president if they did not cooperate with investigators. Trumps numerous sympathetic statements before and during Manaforts criminal trial could be interpreted as an effort to sway the outcome, but they also could be interpreted as a sign that he genuinely felt sorry for Manafort, Mueller said. PLAN FOR U.S.-RUSSIA RECONCILIATION Relations between Washington and Moscow had deteriorated under two previous administrations and the United States had imposed sanctions on Russia. Following Trumps election victory, Russian financier Kirill Dmitriev worked on a proposal to improve ties with Rick Gerson, a hedge fund manager who is friends with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Dmitriev runs Russias sovereign wealth fund and reports directly to Putin. Gerson gave the plan to Kushner before Trump was sworn in, Muellers report said, and Kushner gave copies to Bannon and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. After Trump took office in January 2017, Dmitriev told Gerson that his boss an apparent reference to Putin wanted to know if there was a reaction to the proposal, which called for cooperation on terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and economic matters. When Putin and Trump spoke by phone, Dmitriev told Gerson that their plan had played an important role. Gerson told Muellers team that he acted as an intermediary between Trump and Russia on his own initiative, not at the request of Trumps aides. (Compiled by Andy Sullivan; editing by Grant McCool) 1.5k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Former chief of staff at the CIA and the Defense Department Jeremy Bash said on Thursday that Donald Trumps behavior as laid out in the Mueller report reminds him of authoritarian leaders he has met with or been briefed on during his career. During an interview with MSNBCs Chuck Todd, Bash said just because Trump was upset that he was under investigation or felt that he was under political attack by the intelligence community doesnt mean that he had the authority to break the law, or that he was innocent. Bash said that might be how dictators behave, but the United States isnt an authoritarian regime. Trump cant just trample over the rule of law because he feels hes being attacked. That does exonerate the president, the former CIA and Defense Department chief of staff said. It does not give him a license to obstruct justice or violate our constitution. Video: Bash said: Every authoritarian Ive ever been briefed on from the intelligence perspective, and Ive even met a few, had a sincere belief that they were under political attack, that their standing in their country was somehow under siege. That does exonerate the president. It does not give him a license to obstruct justice or violate our constitution. Trump is behaving like a corrupt dictator For the past two years, Trump has repeatedly expressed anger over the Russia probe through near-daily temper tantrums on social media or in public appearances. According to the Mueller report, Trumps private tantrums over Mueller were even worse than those we all saw publicly. Oh my God. This is terrible, Trump said after a special counsel was appointed in 2017 to investigate his campaigns ties to Russia. This is the end of my Presidency. Im fucked. This is the type of frustration Barr referred to on Thursday morning when he again tried to whitewash the Mueller report by claiming it was okay for Trump to obstruct justice over his hurt feelings. But the bad news for Trump and for Barr is that the United States is not the authoritarian regime he wishes it was at least not yet. Being angry at those trying to hold you accountable is not a defense for breaking the law and it only makes you look guilty. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 3.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard While the Mueller report is filled with damning details about Donald Trumps conduct, Rachel Maddow explained on Thursday why some of the most disturbing information kicks off on page one with the special counsel confirming that Russia did, indeed, meddle in the 2016 election on behalf of Trump. The most frightening detail of that aspect of the report, according to the MSNBC host, is the fact that Russia recognized right away that Donald Trump would be their best bet to topple U.S. democracy. The Russian government was already working on this years-long effort to try to hurt us, to try to somehow specifically infect and rot our electoral system and faith in U.S. democracy. They started working on it, 2014, Maddow explained. Then they get their vehicle to glom that ongoing operation onto. And that vehicle is the candidacy of Donald J. Trump. Video: Rachel Maddow says the Mueller report lays out the alarming ways Russia is using Trump to weaken U.S. democracy. #ctl #p2 #maddow pic.twitter.com/PkhDLV66Jw PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) April 19, 2019 Maddow said: Donald Trump was nowhere near any presidential politics in 2014, but they already literally had operatives here on an intel gathering mission for this ongoing Russian effort. The Russian government was already working on this years-long effort to try to hurt us, to try to somehow specifically infect and rot our electoral system and faith in U.S. democracy. They started working on it, 2014. Then they get their vehicle to glom that ongoing operation onto. And that vehicle is the candidacy of Donald J. Trump. .. That was the Spring 2016 evolution of the overall long-running, years-long running effort to do whatever they could to try to destroy American democracy. Why did they think supporting candidate Donald Trump would do that? I mean, Russia presumably is not trying to make America great again. Theyre running an op, an ongoing op that well preceded the Trump effort to try to weaken us as much as they can. When Trump came along, they decided trump was the perfect vehicle to continue and expand that work. How come? Russia recognized early: Trump is their best bet to take down America The answer to Maddows question is still incomplete. But through his behavior over the past two years, Trump has demonstrated why Russia saw him as the perfect vehicle to weaken the United States. Time and again, Trump has checked off items on Vladimir Putins wishlist, whether its weakening U.S. sanctions against Russia, straining Americas relationship with our NATO allies, or Trump selling out to the Russian leader on the world stage while simultaneously rejecting his own intelligence community. While the details of Russias attack on America laid out in Muellers report should be a disturbing wake-up call for everybody, it should be even more concerning that there is no indication the Kremlins efforts to undermine U.S. democracy have stopped. The man Russia saw as the best way to take down America remains in the White House. That fact alone has likely left Russia more emboldened than ever to continue their long-running operation to topple U.S. democracy. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 3.3k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard As Donald Trump desperately looked for a way to deflect from the politically damning Mueller report on Thursday, he took to Twitter to what else? trash Barack Obama. In a tweet, the president heaped blame on the Obama administration for Russian involvement in the 2016 election, claiming the former president was told about it and did nothing! Anything the Russians did concerning the 2016 Election was done while Obama was President. He was told about it and did nothing! Most importantly, the vote was not affected. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2019 Trumps crackpot tweet comes hours after the redacted Mueller report laid out disturbing evidence showing that it was the Trump campaign who was welcoming and aware of Russian involvement in the election. Former Senior Advisor to Obama laid it out in simple terms on Thursday shortly after the Mueller report was released. 1. Russia interfered 2. They did it to help Trump 3. Trump wanted their help 4. Trumps campaign met with the Russians to seek out that help 5. Trump and his campaign repeatedly lied about those contacts 6. Trump fired the FBI Director to stop an investigation into the matter Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) April 18, 2019 Trump is desperately grasping at straws Trumps claim that Obama is responsible for Russian meddling comes at the very same time he and his attorney general are attacking the decisions made by the previous administration to investigate said Russian meddling. Earlier today, in fact, the Trump campaign released a statement again attacking the Obama administration and the Department of Justice for looking into Russias involvement in the 2016 campaign, saying: [T]he Obama-era DOJ and FBI must answer for their misdeeds and the scam that they perpetrated against the American people. So which is it? Was the Obama administration wrong to look into Russian meddling in the 2016 election which, of course, involved the Trump campaign or were they too weak in responding, as Trump is now claiming in his latest tantrum? Of course, Trump doesnt care about the answer to either question. He is simply throwing the kitchen sink into the ether and hoping something sticks all because he cant figure out how to deflect from the damning findings laid out in Muellers report. Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook and Twitter 438 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard (Advisory: Story includes language that might offend some readers.) By Ginger Gibson and Doina Chiacu WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. President Donald Trump believed the appointment of a special counsel to take over the federal probe of Russian interference into the 2016 election would spell the end of his presidency, according to the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. When then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions informed Trump of Muellers appointment in May 2017, the report said, Trump slumped back in his chair and said: Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. Trump then asked Sessions, whom he had berated for months for recusing himself from the Russia probe: How could you let this happen, Jeff? and told Sessions he had let him down. Details of Muellers investigation were released on Thursday, showing Trump tried to impede the probe, raising questions of whether he committed the crime of obstruction of justice. Sessions, who resigned in November, recalled that Trump said to him, you were supposed to protect me, the report said. The Republican president had bristled at the investigation since taking office in January 2017, belittling Sessions and calling the probe a witch hunt and a hoax. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency, Trump said, according to the report. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me. A month after the appointment, in June 2017, Trump tried to get rid of Mueller, according to the report. He called White House counsel Don McGahn at home twice and told him to call Acting Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and say Mueller should be removed because of conflicts of interest, the report said. You gotta do this. You gotta call Rod, McGahn recalled Trump as saying. McGahn did not carry out the direction, however, deciding that he would resign rather than trigger what he regarded as a potential Saturday Night Massacre, Muellers report said, referring to the Watergate-era firing of key law enforcement officials by President Richard Nixon. Two days later, the report said, the President made another attempt to affect the course of the Russia investigation. He asked former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to tell Sessions he should announce publicly that the investigation was very unfair to Trump, that Trump had done nothing wrong and that Mueller may move forward with investigating election meddling for future elections. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson, Doina Chiacu; editing by Bill Rigby) 1.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) blasted Republicans for having no independence from the president and being a Trump cult of personality. Adam Schiff Republicans Are A Cult of Personality That Threatens Democracy Schiff was asked on MSNBCs Andrea Mitchell Reports if Democrats would move forward with impeachment knowing that Senate Republicans will oppose it. He answered, I think we have seen a wholesale abdication responsibility by the GOP leadership, by people like Kevin Mccarthy, Mitch Mcconnell who do whatever the president says. That includes when the president wants to go around Congress power of the purse. It includes issues of malfeasance, corruption within the administration. Theres been little or no appetite to stand up to the president in no meaningful way. That really has our democracy trembling. An impeachment proceeding cannot be successful if one party decides they are more loyal to the party and the person of the president than the country. Thats a real structural problem right now. The GOP has no independence from this person. Its made itself a cult of trumps personality. It does threaten our democratic institutions. Well have to figure out what that means in terms that we have a GOP so willing to overlook its constitutional obligations, but that is where we are. Video: Republicans Are A Trump Cult The Republican Party is in crisis. The party looks to have been compromised by Russian money. They have abandoned any sense of governing and principles. They have become a cult that exists to bow down to and flatter Donald Trump. Rep. Schiff was right. The Republicans are a threat to the nations Democratic institutions because they refuse to put country first and stand up to their president. The Republican Trump cult is the biggest reason why impeachment will fail. Senate Republicans are afraid of Trumps supporters. Senate Republicans would instead drink the Trump Flavor Aid then grow a spine so they could stand up to this president. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 473 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard (Advisory: Story includes language that might offend some readers.) By Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan WASHINGTON (Reuters) Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on his inquiry into Russias role in the 2016 U.S. election described in extensive and sometimes unflattering detail how President Donald Trump tried to impede the probe, raising questions about whether he committed the crime of obstruction of justice. Thursdays release of the 448-page report after a 22-month investigation was a watershed moment in Trumps tumultuous presidency and inflamed partisan passions ahead of his 2020 re-election bid in a deeply divided country. Democrats said the report contained disturbing evidence of wrongdoing by Trump that could fuel congressional investigations, but there was no immediate indication they would try to remove him from office through impeachment. Mueller built an extensive case indicating the Republican president had committed obstruction of justice but stopped short of concluding he had committed a crime, though he did not exonerate the president. Mueller noted that Congress has the power to address whether Trump violated the law. The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the Presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law, the report stated. Mueller also unearthed numerous links between the Russian government and Trumps campaign and said the presidents team expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, referring to hacked Democratic emails. (Graphic: Redactions in the Mueller report https://tmsnrt.rs/2DnjTvk) But Mueller, a former FBI director, concluded there was not enough evidence to establish that Trumps campaign engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Moscow. Trump appeared to be in a celebratory mood, saying at a White House event with wounded U.S. troops he was having a good day following the reports release, adding, Its called no collusion, no obstruction. Trump, whose legal team called the report a total victory, has long described Muellers inquiry as a witch hunt. The report, with some portions blacked out to protect sensitive information, provided fresh details of how Trump tried to force Muellers ouster, directed members of his administration to publicly vouch for his innocence and dangled a pardon to a former aide to try to prevent him from cooperating with the special counsel. The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests, the report stated. The report said that when former Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump in May 2017 that the Justice Department was appointing a special counsel to look into allegations that his campaign colluded with Russia, Trump slumped back in his chair and said, Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fucked. Attorney General William Barr told a news conference Mueller had detailed 10 episodes involving the president and discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offense. Barr concluded last month after receiving a confidential copy of Muellers report that Trump had not actually committed a crime. Trump was wary of FBI scrutiny of his campaign and him personally, the report said. The evidence does indicate that a thorough FBI investigation would uncover facts about the campaign and the president personally that the president could have understood to be crimes or that would give rise to personal and political concerns, the report stated. Any impeachment effort would start in the Democratic-led House of Representatives, but Trumps removal would require the support of the Republican-led Senate an unlikely outcome. Many Democrats steered clear of threatening impeachment on Thursday, although a prominent liberal congresswoman, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, directly brought it up. The House, when it voted to impeach President Bill Clinton in 1998, included obstruction of justice as one of the charges. The Senate ultimately decided not to remove Clinton from office. The Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerrold Nadler, said he would issue subpoenas to obtain the unredacted Mueller report and asked Mueller to testify before the panel by May 23. Nadler told reporters in New York Mueller probably wrote the report with the intent of providing Congress a road map for future action, but the congressman said it was too early to talk about impeachment. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff added that whether or not the actions of Trump and his campaign rose to the level of criminality, they are unquestionably dishonest, unethical, immoral and unpatriotic, and should be condemned by every American. ELECTION MEDDLING The inquiry laid bare what the special counsel and U.S. intelligence agencies have described as a Russian campaign of hacking and propaganda to sow discord in the United States, denigrate 2016 Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and boost Trump, the Kremlins preferred candidate. Russia has denied election interference. In analyzing whether Trump obstructed justice, Mueller looked at a series of actions by Trump, including his attempts to remove Mueller and limit the scope of his probe and efforts to prevent the public from knowing about a June 2016 meeting at Trump Tower in New York between senior campaign officials and Russians. In June 2017, Trump directed White House counsel Don McGahn to tell the Justice Departments No. 2 official, Rod Rosenstein, that Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed, the report said. McGahn did not carry out the order. McGahn was home on a Saturday that month when Trump called him at least twice. You gotta do this. You gotta call Rod, McGahn recalled the president as saying, according to the report. It also said there was substantial evidence Trump fired James Comey as FBI director in May 2017 due to his unwillingness to publicly state that the president was not personally under investigation. The FBI headed the inquiry at the time. Mueller cited some evidence suggesting Trump knew about former national security adviser Michael Flynns controversial calls with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump took office, but evidence was inconclusive and could not be used to establish intent to obstruct. The report said Trump directed former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to ask Sessions to say the Russia investigation was very unfair. Barr, a Trump appointee, seemed to offer cover for Trumps actions by saying the report acknowledges there is substantial evidence to show that the president was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. President Trump faced an unprecedented situation. As he entered into office and sought to perform his responsibilities as president, federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office and the conduct of some of his associates, Barr said. Muellers team did not issue a subpoena to force Trump to give an interview to the special counsel because it would have created a substantial delay at a late stage in the investigation, the report said. Trump refused an interview and eventually provided only written answers. The report said Mueller accepted the longstanding Justice Department view that a sitting president cannot be indicted on criminal charges, while still recognizing that a president can be criminally investigated. Mueller said evidence he collected indicates Trump intended to encourage his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, not to cooperate with the investigation and that the evidence supports the idea that Trump wanted Manafort to believe that he could receive a presidential pardon. The report said the special counsels team determined there was a reasonable argument that the presidents son, Donald Trump Jr., violated campaign finance laws, but did not believe they could obtain a conviction. The report cited Trumps repeated efforts to convince Sessions to resume oversight of the probe after he had recused himself because of his own prior contacts with Russias ambassador to the United States. Barr said he gave the presidents legal team an advance look at the report. Barr was blasted by Democrats for giving this sneak peek to the presidents team and for giving a news conference before the report was released trying to shape the narrative in favor of Trump. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and Andy Sullivan; Additional reporting by David Morgan, Doina Chiacu, David Alexander, Susan Cornwell, Richard Cowan, Amanda Becker, Jan Wolfe, Nathan Layne, Karen Freifeld and Makini Brice; Writing by Will Dunham, Editing by Alistair Bell) 1.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard It took House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) less than a day to subpoena the full Mueller report and all evidence. Democrats Take Action To Get The Full Mueller Report Nadler said in a statement provided to PoliticusUSA: I have issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full version of the Mueller report and the underlying evidence. The Department is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1. I am open to working with the Department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability. My Committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice. The redactions appear to be significant. We have so far seen none of the actual evidence that the Special Counsel developed to make this case. Even the redacted version of the report outlines serious instances of wrongdoing by President Trump and some of his closest associates. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. Read the subpoena: Barr has been called to testify before the Judiciary Committee on May 2, so if he refuses to comply with the subpoena, he will immediately have to answer to Congress. The Battle For The Full Mueller Report Will Likely End Up In Court There is a mountain of legal precedent on the side of House Democrats, so when this matter goes to court, look for the White House to lose. Winning and losing is the point from Trump and Barrs view. The administration is trying to delay potential impeachment of this president by tying up the report in court and running out the clock until after the 2020 election. Forget politics and optics. The issue is evidence that could potentially be used to impeach Trump for obstruction of justice. The release of the redacted Mueller report wasnt the end, but the beginning of a battle will dominate American politics for the next year. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 6.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) leaked details of the FBIs investigation into the president to Trump. The News & Observer reported: Then-FBI director James Comey briefed congressional leaders, including Burr, about the bureaus investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election on March 9, 2017. The briefing included identification of the principal U.S. subjects of the investigation, according to the Mueller report. The week after that briefing, on March 16, 2017, the White House Counsels Office was in contact with Burr and appears to have received information about the status of the FBI investigation, according to the report. Sen. Burr is a member of the Gang of 8, which is the eight top congressional leaders who get briefed on intelligence. The Senate Intelligence Committee investigation was held up and praised as the better process than the sham investigation that was run by House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), but it turns out that Burr was just better than Nunes at covering his tracks, which is ultimate in damning a member of the House or the Senate with the faintest of praise. Republicans in the House and Senate have been feeding Trump info and making it their professional mission to abuse their power to protect Donald Trump. The national security risk to the United States isnt the deep state. Its the deeply corrupted Republican Party of Donald Trump. For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group. Follow Jason Easley on Facebook 898 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was inappropriate to criticize the U.S. President while abroad, unlike Republicans, many of whom criticized former President Barack Obama while overseas. The Democratic Speaker refused to comment on whether the House might launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, saying it was not appropriate to criticize him while abroad. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and a high-level congressional delegation spent the last two days in a visit to Northern Ireland. Whatever the issue and challenge that we face, the Congress of the United States will honor its oath of office to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, to protect our democracy, Pelosi told journalists in Belfast when asked about possible impeachment proceedings. The legislative branch has a responsibility of oversight of our democracy and we will exercise that, she said. It used to be the norm and indeed borderline treasonous to criticize the U.S. president and his foreign policy while overseas. Republicans made even mild criticism of George W Bush a career-ender, using the war as a justification (see The Dixie Chicks). But then a Democrat took office and suddenly the war didnt matter. Washington Monthly summed up a few instances of Republicans making a sudden 180 degree pivot as soon as President Obama took office: In June, Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) traveled to China, Americas biggest creditor, where he encouraged Chinese officials not to believe the U.S. government when it comes to budget issues. This week, a number of Republican members of Congress traveled to Israel to undermine the administrations efforts on Middle East peace. Muellers report confirmed the entire U.S. intelligence communitys conclusion that Russia favored Trump over Hillary Clinton, provided extensive details on Trumps efforts to thwart the probe, and further noted that the Trump campaign believed it would benefit in the election from Russias interference. (Additional reporting by Amanda Ferguson and Conor Humphries) 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. A major benefactor for the arts and humanities in the U.S. has made a second and much larger contribution to Charleston's International African American Museum. The New York-based Andrew W. Mellon Foundation pledged another $1.5 million toward the project, with a third of it going toward the support of its top curatorial job. The group, which has an about $6.8 billion endowment, first contributed to the museum effort in 2017, when it awarded a $150,000 grant. That gift enabled the museum to hire its lead curator one year ahead of schedule. The Mellon Foundation distributes more than $300 million in grants each year. It has a stated mission to "strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend" the arts and humanities. Foundation president and poet Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement that she was particularly interested in how the downtown Charleston museum would tell the global story of slavery through a "regional framework." The foundation specified that $500,000 of the award should go directly to support its chief curatorial position, which is held by Joy Bivins. Bivins joined the museum staff last summer after spending 16 years working at the Chicago History Museum. Lately, Bivins has been working with exhibit designers to edit the text, photos and other details of the IAAM's gallery displays. She's also tasked with putting together a permanent collection of artifacts for the museum. The newly announced contribution follows two other major donations the museum has received over the last few months. In late February, leaders from the Mormon Church announced that they would give $2 million. The church is also providing support for the IAAM's Center for Family History. And last month, Spartanburg arts boosters Susu and George Dean Johnson Jr. pledged $1 million. Though the museum's original $75 million goal was reached in August, the fundraising efforts have continued. In December, officials announced that construction costs for the building and grounds would be higher than anticipated. Those additional expenses were originally estimated to be $10 million, but the actual amount needed is still unclear. Museum officials say they expect to finalize construction cost estimates early this summer and break ground before the end of the year. The effort to build an International African American Museum in Charleston has been underway for almost two decades. The site where the museum will be built was once part of Gadsden's Wharf, an area along the harbor where many enslaved Africans first stepped on U.S. soil. The approved development plans allow enough housing for nearly 270,000 people, enough to push the area's population past 1 million. MYRTLE BEACH The Grand Strand continues to dominate in East Coast population growth; for t Fastest-growing metro areas Census estimates published April 18 showed which of the nations 383 metropolitan areas gained population the most rapidly from July 2017 to July 2018. The top five in the nation were: Midland, TX Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC St. George, UT Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL Odessa, TX The top five in South Carolina, and their rank nationally: Mary Katherine, who also goes by MK, covers health care for The Post and Courier. She is also pursuing a master's degree in data science. She grew up in upstate New York and enjoys playing cards, kayaking and the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the past four years, India and Malaysia conducted four visits by the Head of Government, notably the visit to Malaysia in May, 2018 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indias High Commissioner to Malaysia Mridul Kumar (Photo: malaysiakini.com) Talking with Bernama, Kumar said This year, once our election is over, we can expect important visitors from Malaysia to India and vice-versa. Indias general election this year is scheduled to be held from April 11th to May 19th. Regarding defence cooperation, India sent the largest delegation to join Malaysias 2019 Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) from March 26th-30th. He also described the India-Malaysia ties as at its best as it was due to the personal rapport between the two countries leaders and based on complementarities and mutual interest. India is Malaysias 10th largest trade partner. The two countries target of two-trade value of USD15 billion set for 2020 was achieved in 2018/2019./. An introductory art showcase in North Charleston will feature some of the Lowcountry's talented black artists in a variety of mediums. The Palmetto Rose Art Showcase will be a monthly series that displays a diverse selection of artistic expression from local black artists. In addition to visual arts, there will be dance, jazz, poetry, R&B music, rap, traditional crafts and ethnic foods. The inaugural event will take place from 3-6 p.m. April 28 at the TIA Banquet Hall, 3300 Rexton Street, and there will be live performances from rapper Ray DeeZy and poets Gina Mocha and Georgia Nubia. Admission is $20. The event is hosted by nonprofit organization The Palmetto Rose Project, whose goal is to combat the effects of gentrification by revitalizing the community through art and other cultural and creative means of expression. For years, palmetto roses have been sold throughout busy streets in downtown Charleston by black youth. There was controversy last year when a teenager was arrested while selling roses without a permit at the Charleston City Market. The Palmetto Rose Project was formed this March in response. For those interested in participating in the Palmetto Rose Art Showcase series, email palmettoroseproject@gmail.com for more information. You are the owner of this article. Thousands of South Carolina Electric & Gas customers are without power as a strong series of storms moves across the states Friday afternoon. SCE&G reported more than 7,000 outages in Charleston County, more than 3,000 in Dorchester and Colleton counties, more than 2,000 in Orangeburg County and around 500 in Berkeley County as of shortly after 4 p.m. Most of the severe thunderstorm and tornado watches and warnings issued across the state by the National Weather Service had expired or were lifted by 4 p.m. A storm warning also remained in place for Charleston County, according to the Weather Service. The band of storms brought down several trees with numerous reports coming in from around the Charleston area. In Dorchester County, fallen trees were reported on Ashley River Road near Middleton Place. Gusts at Shutes Folly in Charleston Harbor were reported stronger than 60 mph, according to WeatherFlow. Wind caused a big rig to lose its trailer on the eastbound span of the Don N. Holt Jr. Bridge over the Cooper River, according to the S.C. Department of Transportation. Shea Gibson, a Charleston-based meteorologist with the private forecasting company WeatherFlow, took pictures of the tractor-trailer. A shipping container had fallen off of the truck. Well well....how many more times does a container need to blow off a truck on our bridges during high wind advisories before fatalities occur? I just snapped these pics on the Don Holt. @NWSCharlestonSC @SCDOTLowCountry @CarolinaWxGroup @WeatherNation @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/uMBKs5fti6 Shea Gibson (@WeatherFlowCHAS) April 19, 2019 Charleston city and county offices, libraries and parks closed at 2 p.m. as did Trident Technical College and schools. State government offices announced early closings in a number of counties. Call to check with your destination or check http://scemd.org/CLOSINGS for state closings. The Charleston area is also under a wind advisory through the evening hours, and forecasters say damaging winds and severe storms could develop along South Carolina's coast this afternoon. Showers and storms started moving in to the tri-county area shortly after sunrise. Winds were expected to pick up with more storms likely as the day went on. The strongest line of thunderstorms can be expected to move into Charleston by 6 p.m. Storms will be capable of wind gusts as strong as 60 mph, frequent lightning and heavy rain, according to the S.C. Climate Office. The weather spun up at least seven tornadoes in Mississippi. Additionally, coastal flooding might disrupt the morning commute in low-lying areas. High tide will be at 8:37 a.m., and a coastal flood advisory is in effect until 11 a.m. Meteorologists say some roads could become impassable. The Colleton County School District on Friday morning announced schools would operate on an early dismissal schedule. That means the Early Childhood Center will dismiss at 10:40 a.m., elementary schools will dismiss at 11 a.m., Colleton County Middle School will dismiss at noon, and Colleton County High School will dismiss at 12:15 p.m. No announcements have been made yet as to whether the inclement weather will impact the Colleton County High School prom scheduled for Friday night. The impacts of the inclement weather in downtown Charleston started just before 9 a.m. The Lockwood Drive office of the South Carolina DMV said on Twitter that they would not be able to complete road tests due to flooding on the route. Along with the wind advisory, the National Weather Service based in North Charleston has so far issued a high surf advisory until 11 p.m. There will be a high risk of dangerous rip currents and 6 to 8 foot breaking waves. Gregory Yee contributed to this report. Charleston nonprofit pumps up its members as it battles the city over $22.8 million 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. A fight over tax incentives for the Carolina Panthers has led to state Senators to call for an audit of state economic incentives for the past 10 years. File/Chuck Burton/AP Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Former S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley will chair The Original Six Foundation she founded in 2011 to help improve education for children in rural parts of South Carolina. In this 2015 photo, Haley (center) and East Aiken School of the Arts principal Lisa Fallaw (left) talk with students as they tour the school. File/Michael Holahan, The Augusta Chronicle/AP Columbia/Myrtle Beach Managing Editor Andy Shain runs The Post and Courier's newsrooms based in Columbia and Myrtle Beach. He was editor of Free Times and has been a reporter and editor for newspapers in Charlotte, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa Leaders in Iowa ethanol and agriculture warn that federal plans to make small refineries exempt from renewable fuel rules "would irreversibly undermine" the nations Renewable Fuel Standard. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, and Iowas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig criticized the small-refinery exemptions being considered by the Environmental Protection Agency at a news conference last week. Naig said there are 39 small-refinery exemptions before the EPA now. "We believe it is time for the EPA to address this threat to the Renewable Fuel Standard," Naig said, adding that during the last two years, the agency has granted waivers accounting for 2.6 billion gallons of ethanol or about 1 billion bushels of corn. "This happens at a time when our farmers and rural America can least afford it." The Renewable Fuel Standard requires refiners to blend certain volumes of biofuels, like ethanol, into their fuel each year or buy credits from refiners who do. Refiners with a capacity of less than 75,000 barrels per day can receive a waiver as long as they can prove that complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard would cause "disproportionate economic harm." ADVERTISEMENT However, with the cost of a gallon of ethanol about $1.30 and Renewable Identification Number credit prices as low as 8 cents in recent weeks, Shaw said economic harm should be incredibly difficult to justify. Shaw said the nearly 40 exemptions out there could "rip the heart out" of the Renewable Fuel Standard. "If you can justify granting a small-refinery exemption under todays circumstances ... where you can buy a (Renewable Identification Number) for 8 cents, then what the EPA would really be saying is that its always going to grant small-refinery exemptions, and the hope of ever having a true 15 billion-gallon (Renewable Fuel Standard) is dead," Shaw said. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, recently sent a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Rick Perry asking for more clarity on the departments process when reviewing refinery hardship exemptions. "EPA has granted an unprecedented number of small refinery hardship exemptions for 2016 and 2017 and even more small refineries are seeking exemptions from the (Renewable Fuel Standard) for 2018," Grassley said in the letter. "With (Renewable Identification Numbers) at multiyear lows, its hard to comprehend the alleged disproportionate economic hardship that any refinery could face." Iowa ethanol plants produced a record-breaking 4.35 billion gallons last year, about 27 percent of the nations total production. Officials said small-refinery exemptions, paired with trade disputes with China, hurt last years margins. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, overall U.S. ethanol consumption declined last year. ADVERTISEMENT The association cites the 48 small refinery exemptions approved last year by former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt as a main factor for the drop in ethanol use. Since the cold weather temporarily quieted the frogs I wrote about last week, it was back to birds, writing about one of my favorites making waves. It began the day after we got the snow, rain, freezing pellets, lightning, and thunder when I noticed quite a few birds in the windy aftermath scrounging for seeds below my feeder. So, I decided to throw out a bunch of sunflower seeds on the hardened snow to see if it might attract more birds than squirrels. It seemed like a failed experiment for about an hour until the word got out, and I was soon counting 30 to 40 feeding birds on the ground. Dominating the pack were juncos, the gray and white "snowbirds," a type of sparrow that I felt should be further north by then. But, interspersed were also other sparrows including smaller tree sparrows, a couple song sparrows, and my favorite, the fox sparrow. From handful to hundreds Fox sparrows are among the largest of sparrows, with heavily spotted and streaked breasts, and beautiful reddish-brown body feathers. They are not typically a feeder bird, as they prefer scratching the ground for seeds and insects, which also makes them a bit more susceptible to predators like cats and other mammals. ADVERTISEMENT Those I saw were undoubtedly part of the peak migration heading to breeding grounds in Canada. They normally dont spend much time here, but were probably bottled up throughout the region when hit by snow and freezing rain. In a normal year, I may see four or five fox sparrows total, and now, on the second day of wind and snow-covered ground, I was seeing six at one time in my backyard. Given it was not again nice enough for bike rides like those I got the week before, I spent quite a bit of time looking out the window watching the birds, and the squirrels which eventually showed up. I assumed I wasnt the only person seeing fox sparrows, and got that confirmed when friend Sue Schreurs called to tell me she had more than she could count in her backyard near Schaeffer Academy. I thought I would check further, and texted birding friend Jerry Pruett to see if he had them visiting his many feeders south of Rochester. He indicated yes, and said he heard they had hundreds at Quarry Hill. So, I called the Nature Center to see if they did, and got only a voice message in three tries. Count for three minutes I couldnt imagine they were so busy looking at fox sparrows that they were unable to answer the phone but, thought if they were, I definitely should check it out. So, off I headed, soon finding I was not the only one there looking at fox sparrows. I first ran into birder-extraordinaire Lance Vrieze, who confirmed there were definitely many of them around. Then I joked with Quarry Hill staff a bit about their phones, and was told they were on voice message because they were indeed all trying to count the fox sparrows. I could tell Office Manager Jenny Doty, also an avid birder, was organizing the count with those who had showed up, including longtime Quarry Hill volunteers and birders Joyce and Terry Grier. Jenny told me, "Yesterday I counted 130 in a small area in front of the Nature Center and there are more now." Before I left for a meeting, I heard her directing where each person should watch from, and said they should "count for three minutes." Later in the day I got calls from a couple other friends seeing fox sparrows. I also found out Quarry Hill counted fewer than a hundred shortly after I left, so I was guessing we had hit the peak of the "wave" hours earlier. That was, until I headed to the river the next morning, traveling a 4-mile stretch of road going down the East Indian Creek Valley. There, every hundred yards or so, I would flush up 25 to 50 birds, most of which appeared to be fox sparrows gleaning grains or gravel from the road shoulder. I guessed I saw well over a thousand, maybe closer to 2,000. ADVERTISEMENT I doubt many have seen this kind of fox sparrows movement, and assume I never will again. I hope to hear from readers who may have also taken it in, and, if our weather again signals spring, I will perhaps discover something besides birds to write about. We climbed 16 flights of slippery, icy stairs in an abandoned apartment building the iron railings long ago pilfered, balcony doors stuck open until we reached the roof and peered over the ghost town of Pripyat, the once-hailed Soviet "futuristic city" where Chernobyl nuclear plant workers and their families lived. Thirty-three years after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion, Pripyats broad boulevards are crowded with tangles of overgrown trees. Its once gleaming buildings are dark and brooding windows gone, interiors looted, hallways littered with crumbling books. It was twilight, and from our rooftop perch, the only light we could see came from the silver dome encasing the Chernobyl reactor, lit up as if it were still on fire. Someone in our group blasted music from an iPhone, and suddenly a dozen Americans broke out dancing. We were among the only humans in this deserted city. "What else do you do at the end of the world?" someone yelled. Welcome to the apocalypse vacation: a weekend in Chernobyl. ADVERTISEMENT Cheap beer and Chernobyl Ever since the Ukrainian government opened Chernobyl to tourists in 2011, the number of annual visitors continues to climb. Last year, the government reported nearly 72,000 visitors, up from 50,000 the year before. "Travel to Ukraine has become cheap," said Sergii Ivanchuk, owner of SoloEast, a company that last year shuttled nearly 12,000 tourists to the site of the infamous nuclear disaster. "We dont have Crimea anymore, and less and less people are interested in religion and churches, he added. "But we have cheap beer and Chernobyl!" In the early morning of April 26, 1986, when this area belonged to the Soviet Union, nuclear reactor No. 4 exploded during a safety test at this power plant north of Kiev. The deadly accident, initially cloaked in Soviet secrecy, spewed radioactive fallout over much of Europe. More than 115,000 people were evacuated from a 1,000-square-mile area known as the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Years later, stories and photos from Chernobyl continue to stoke the worlds curiosity horses born with eight legs, giant catfish found in the waters near the plant, octogenarian "self-settlers" who seemingly thrived after returning to the Exclusion Zone, eating vegetables grown in contaminated soil. Even now, interest in Chernobyl shows no signs of ebbing. Journalist Adam Higginbothams book, "Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the Worlds Greatest Nuclear Disaster," hit shelves earlier this year, and HBOs new drama miniseries "Chernobyl" debuts May 6. Sleep tight I first visited Chernobyl in late October 2016, not long before a massive silver containment shield designed to prevent radiation leaks was rolled over the crumbling sarcophagus encasing reactor No. 4. A hundred yards from the sarcophagus, our Geiger counters shot off readings several times higher than the suggested safe levels; our guide discouraged us from lingering. ADVERTISEMENT Two years later, I stood in the same spot across from the infamous reactor now covered by a shiny arch and the levels on my Geiger counter were only slightly elevated. Id returned to the Exclusion Zone because this time I wanted to sleep in Chernobyl. How many people can say that? Two-day guided tours cost $200 to $300 a person for a group of 12 and include an overnight stay in a spartan, dormlike hotel in the town of Chernobyl, about 12 miles from the reactor. Day excursions are available too. Dozens of companies run trips to the area. Tour buses, often painted with gas masks and radiation symbols, pick up customers from Kievs Independence Square. Id brought along 11 students from Syracuse University where I teach journalism after convincing university officials and the students parents that our visit would be no more dangerous from a radiation standpoint than an intercontinental flight or dental X-rays. As we passed through various checkpoints and entered the Exclusion Zone, some students were nervous. Then they met a pack of Chernobyl puppies, mainly descendants of dogs left behind by evacuees, and their anxiousness about radioactivity subsided. Many of the estimated 300 stray dogs are tagged and tracked by scientists. At night, outside our hotel, packs of dogs yelped and howled. About two-thirds of the Exclusion Zone is a wildlife reserve, populated by increasing numbers of wolves, foxes, lynxes, wild pigs, deer and moose. Our guide, Tatiana Globa, 22, had recently taken a group into a Pripyat elementary school, only to be met by a giant moose. "We backed out of there fast," she said. "I was really scared. It was huge, and they can be mean." Red forest ADVERTISEMENT On our tour, Globa pointed out radiation "hot spots," including the red forest where trees had turned red and orange. As our bus quickly moved through a section of the woods, our Geiger counters screamed warnings with rapid beeping. We visited Pripyats iconic amusement park, with its faded yellow Ferris wheel and its sad, decaying bumper cars that never gave a ride to a single child; the park was set to open the week after the explosion. Theres an enormous sense of loss touring Pripyat, as if the towns population had been suddenly wiped out rather than resettled. A sense of grief followed us as we traipsed through some of the few villages that hadnt been bulldozed kitchen tables set as if the family were about to sit down and poked around deserted schools and hospitals where firefighters were first treated. The remains of their highly radiated clothing still send Geiger counters bleeping and Globa shouting, "Dont touch!" We climbed inside an unfinished cooling tower, abandoned when the reactor exploded. We stared up at the immense structure, as tall as the Great Pyramid of Giza, marveling at the raw beauty of gray concrete, buttressed by steel supports, curving up until it opened to the wintry sky. Chernobyl is a testament to the Soviet affinity for gargantuan architecture and design. An 18-foot-tall Lenin statue is still on display in the town of Chernobyl. Tucked away in the forests near the reactor is the Duga-3 radar station, a sprawling metal structure resembling a giant roller coaster. The contraption served as a listening device, an over-the-horizon radar system meant to detect if the U.S. had launched missiles targeting the U.S.S.R. Its the origami of the sea. The tradition of wandering back to your cabin and finding that it has been invaded by animalistic linens is being challenged by at least one cruise line. Norwegian Cruise Line has said in a statement that it will no longer automatically create towel animals for all of its passengers on some of its ships. The reason for Norwegians towel animal reduction plan is the environment, according to the statement. "We are committed to being a responsible corporate citizen by fostering a culture of awareness and respect for our worlds resources. Our mission is to continually improve our sustainability culture through fresh innovation, progressive education and open collaboration. As such, from time to time we explore opportunities to expand our efforts. In this instance, we are assessing the impact of reducing the number of towel animals we showcase aboard a few of our ships." The towel animals are not extinct on Norwegian Cruise Line though. ADVERTISEMENT According to the statement, cruisers can request they be part of the experience, and then cabin stewards will be happy to oblige, creating little towel swans, bunnies, dogs, crabs and monkeys in whimsical poses atop passengers beds each night. Conservation efforts that also double as cost-reduction practices often hit the travel industry. That includes the trend of cruise lines pushing passengers to using a phone app instead of printing out 4,000 itineraries every sailing day. Disney Cruise Line has been experimenting with that on recent sailings, according to passenger reports to Scott Sanders, who runs the fan site DisneyCruiseLineBlog.com. "Im all for the reduction in paper waste and printing costs, but at least keep the schedules out in various places around the ship for those of us who prefer the old school option," Sanders wrote on his site. "I also appreciate that the paper copies are still available in your stateroom each night upon request." In an email, Sanders applauds cruise lines environmental efforts, but has some suggestions to help mitigate the effect on customers. "The conserving of water and energy with the reduction of towel animals by some lines is a great idea, but instead of stocking the stateroom with enough towels per guest plus the towels for a towel animal, use the towels for the guests to make the towel animal with a note on the first night that explains the subtle change," he said. "Seems like a win-win situation, guests still get a welcoming towel animal, and the ship sees a reduction in loads of laundry." For the record, Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean are not changing their stance on folded wildlife. ADVERTISEMENT "Were continuing our towel animal program as normal," said Carnival spokesperson Vance Gullikssn. "Its a signature and popular element at Carnival." Royal Caribbean provides towel animals to all guests beginning the second day of the cruise, and then every other day. "However, if a guest makes a request or we see that they truly are enchanted by them our stateroom attendants are allowed to go out of their way and to provide daily," said spokesperson Lyan Sierra-Caro. Disney Cruise Line has yet to comment, although in 2014, spokesperson Jonathan Frontado wrote on the Disney Parks blog, "Lets be honest, walking into your stateroom each night to see a new towel animal creation never gets old, does it?" ORONOCO The city of Oronoco would like to bring everyone on line. The water line. Tuesday at its regular meeting, the Oronoco City Council listened to a presentation on the next step to bring water to more areas of the city. That included adding water mains in four areas of the city. The additions are Fifth Avenue and across U.S. Highway 52 to the northwest section of town, a stretch west along Hwy. 52 either down Lake Shady Avenue South or Treetop Lane SW and Forest Lane SW, Third and Fifth streets SW on the east side of Hwy. 52, and Second Avenue SE and Timberline Drive SE. City Engineer Joe Palen said right now about two-thirds of the city gets its water from the city utility. The rest have well water in town. The new water mains would mean another 109 lots 96 already developed and 13 undeveloped lots are able to connect to the citys water services. ADVERTISEMENT "We would need to add water distribution within those areas," Palen said. "We want to create a loop that serves heart of the town and improves fire flow by creating a loop." The $2.9 million water main project the alternative to run the main down Treetop and Forest Lanes SW would cost about $99,000 more but give access to more residents, Palen said would partially be paid for by assessments to residents along the line. The city would spread $680,000 in costs of lateral extensions of the water system among those 109 lots. However, none of this gets done without bonding money from the state. "We cant do it without bonding bill money," said Oronoco Mayor Ryland Eichhorst. The water main extension plan, he said, would piggyback with the wastewater treatment facility project and the installation of sanitary sewer lines throughout the city. "For any community, adequate wastewater treatment and safe drinking water systems are vital to protect public health and the environment," said Paul Kimman, a regional unit supervisor in the Municipal Wastewater Section of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. Kimman said the proposed treatment plant would handle about 491,000 gallons per day and is designed to last at least 20 years. The proposed facility would treat all wastewater in the city and protect the Zumbro River. Just as importantly, a wastewater treatment facility would allow the city to eliminate "all the non-compliant soil-based treatment systems currently located" in Oronoco, Kimman said. ADVERTISEMENT While Oronoco Township in Olmsted County does not have a serious nitrate problem in its well water, according to the Minnesota Department of Agricultures Township Testing Program, townships directly downstream from the city and nearby Lake Zumbro in Wabasha County particularly Zumbro and Hyde Park townships have 14 percent to nearly 16 percent of their wells contaminated with nitrates. Eichhorst said the citys next steps include getting its discharge permits for a treatment plant and getting the site for the plant shovel-ready. That means purchasing the property for the facility and getting the necessary easements for the collection system. "When we say shovel ready, the city has completed the design of the collection system and wastewater treatment plant, such that the city can go out and get construction bids to start construction," Eichhorst said. But those bids are awaiting bonding funds from the Legislature. Currently, the Oronoco wastewater project is in the $1.5 billion, House Capital Investment Committee proposal, Eichhorst said. "Hopefully, it will still be in a Capital Investment bonding bill at the end of the session," the mayor said. "The city is planning on 80 percent funding from the state bonding process and 20 percent would be our city local share for the $37 million project costs." A North Mankato man charged in the shooting death of a man at a Southeast Rochester mobile home park last fall pleaded not guilty Friday to murder charges. Darien Kristopher Klindworth-Woods, 20, entered his plea in Olmsted County District Court to two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Brandon Arndt. He is being held on $1 million unconditional bond. A further court date for Klindworth-Woods was not set at his hearing. Klindworth-Woods half-brother Malcolm Jammal Woods and his cousin Kielah Parsons have also been charged related to Arndts death. Arndt, 38, was found shot in the head Sept. 10 at the rear door of the manufactured home where he lived at Bobs Trailer Court, 1915 Marion Road SE, lot 14. The three allegedly killed Arndt over concerns that he mistreated their elderly grandmother who was hospitalized less than a day before Arndts death. Police said they spoke with the woman and found no wrongdoing on Arndts part. ADVERTISEMENT Klindworth-Woods is believed to have driven Woods and Parsons to Arndts residence the night of the murder, according to court documents. Parsons, 34, was scheduled to begin a jury trial on April 15 but the matter was continued until February 2020. She is currently being held at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center of $500,000 unconditional bond. She pleaded not guilty in November to two felony second-degree murder charges. Woods, 27, is charged with first-degree premeditated murder, second-degree murder with intent and possession of ammunition/any firearm with a previous conviction for a crime of violence. A grand jury returned the indictments on March 14. Woods is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on May 16. He is being held on $2 million unconditional bond. Measles was eradicated 19 years ago in the U.S., yet Rockland County, N.Y., and parts of Brooklyn are under states of emergency because of measles outbreaks. There were 387 cases of measles reported in the country between January and March. Thats primarily because people who never were vaccinated traveled abroad, contracted the disease and brought it back, where it spread among others who were never vaccinated. And a major reason they werent vaccinated more than 50 years after the measles vaccine became available, is because of their religious beliefs. Parents of unvaccinated children have responded to the New York emergency declaration by filing a lawsuit seeking to halt the vaccination requirement. On a parallel issue, Americans stopped losing their teeth to decay after communities began adding fluoride to their drinking water in the late 1940s. In the 1900s, a frequent reason for admission to Mayo Clinic was tooth infection, says an Iowa health official; everyone had dental decay or lost teeth. But due to an amalgam of conspiracy theories, some by promoters of alternative, unregulated health products, some people are turning against fluoridation. The latest to do so publicly in Iowa is the northwestern city of Ida Grove, whose city council voted to stop fluoridating the water after a majority of residents surveyed indicated thats what they wanted. A 2018 report from the federal Centers for Disease Control listed more than 400 non-fluoridated Iowa water systems, each relied upon by anywhere from 30 to more than 2,500 people. Often in these small water districts, they remove fluoridation without notifying the state; the water operators may even do so without informing city elected officials, says Bob Russell, director of the dental division at the Iowa Department of Public Health. ADVERTISEMENT "When its removed, we do see a stark increase in decay," he said. It might take a dental hygienist to start noticing the results. Why are communities revisiting debunked theories after the scientific community has exhaustively documented the health benefits of fluoride and vaccines? Before the measles vaccine became available in 1963, the disease infected 3 million to 4 million people and caused 450 deaths and 4,000 cases of encephalitis a year in the U.S. Its cyclical, says Russell, observing that most people in their 40s, 50s and younger have had the benefit of fluoridated water and dont realize how bad it was before. "We are the victims of our successes," he said, telling stories of the pre-fluoridation 1920s, when women getting married might get dentures as gifts, and men couldnt attend religious services because they didnt have six functioning teeth. State governments like Iowas require vaccination certificates for children to attend public and private schools, licensed child care centers and preschools. But exemptions can be granted for medical and religious reasons. More than three times the religious exemptions from vaccinations were granted in Iowa in 2017-18 than 10 years earlier 8,740 compared to 2,572. How can we have come this far in rejecting myth and superstition in favor of science, yet remain so susceptible to baseless fear-mongering? Although there has always been some resistance to fluoride, says Russell, it tends to peak during periods of high distrust of government. Emotion substitutes for facts, he said. As an engaged public, we should all hold our government and institutions accountable and be skeptical when there are legitimate indications of wrongdoing. But we need to be discerning and base judgments on evidence, not on fabricated theories stemming from some ideological agenda or promoting someones snake-oil sales. The people most likely to suffer when fluoridation is removed or vaccines are withheld are typically those who can least afford to compensate for those lacks, and may be most susceptible to factual fabrications. Public officials must keep fighting back to protect their health. There is a lot to appreciate about living on our island home where there is still a sense of community and where we are still, for the most pa Read more The defense counsel for a former pastor accused of inappropriately touching a 14-year-old girl worked to present a case to the jury that the victim was troubled. Defendant Renato Capili Bosi took the stand during the fifth day of his trial in the Superior Court of Guam. Bosi repeatedly denied the allegations made against him by his former church member. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Other defense witnesses have testified that the victim has a history of lying. The teen testified earlier in the week, alleging the pastor inappropriately touched her private area multiple times and forced her to kiss him. Bosi was indicted on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony, two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as a misdemeanor and child abuse as a misdemeanor. He recalled several negative incidents involving the girl. "It was after a September 2015 situation," he said, adding the victim began staying over at their home. Bosi said the teen's mother called him, begging for them to come over to their house because "(she) kicked her in the chest and pulled her hair." The former pastor and his wife rushed over to find the victim's mother crying and the child "slumped over on the ground packing her clothes," he testified. Recently relocated The victim's family had relocated to Guam from the Philippines that year. Bosi said the fight was due to the teen hating school and wanting to return to the Philippines. It was said in court that the victim had to move to another middle school because she had been bullied. However, the teen's mother denied those claims even after she was called up to the witness stand on Thursday. "Sometimes we argue," the victim's mother said. "(She) never hit me." Bosi contends the victim is a troubled girl who even gave him problems during a church trip to the Philippines. "She was really kicking and stomping her feet in the van," he said, as the teen wanted to immediately be with her sister in the Philippines instead of attending the events scheduled for their church group. Bosi also said he never sent inappropriate messages to the teen. Comment on social media The prosecution previously brought up a comment the pastor made on one of the victim's social media posts. However, Bosi said, "I commented, 'Whoa! Red Lips! Does that mean kiss me.'" He said his wife was with him when he posted that comment, and that he would often teach members of the Living Lighthouse Baptist Church how they should present themselves in public as they represent the church. Trial is scheduled to continue Tuesday. Guam continues to welcome an increasing number of visitors particularly from its primary markets of Japan and South Korea. According to the Guam Visitors Bureau, there were 146,332 tourist arrivals in March 2019, an increase of 6.2 percent compared to March 2018, according to a press release. This is a new record for March arrivals. There were reduced arrivals from the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. An additional 94 chartered flights were scheduled from Japan for March, bringing in more than 17,000 more seats for the market, GVB officials noted. The charters are a direct result of the airline incentive program offered by GVB and Guam International Airport Authority. GVB officials said these numbers translate to an estimated $68.3 million that was infused into the local economy. Increases Officials highlighted the arrivals for the month, which include: Japan: 72,974 an 18.4 percent increase South Korea: 54,087 a 1.8 percent increase United States: 9,472 a 26 percent increase Russia Federation: 644 a 19.3 percent increase Malaysia: 65 an 18.2 percent increase India: 19 an 11.8 percent increase Reductions Areas of reduction include: Philippines: 1,365 a 30.2 percent decrease Hong Kong: 416 a 27.4 percent decrease Singapore: 75 a 14.8 percent decrease "We are pleased to see Japan's recovery reflected in our arrival numbers, especially as we prepare for the upcoming Golden Week travel period toward the end of April into the first week of May," said GVB President and CEO Pilar Laguana. "I want to thank our airline partners, travel agents and stakeholders for helping to sustain demand and grow our top industry. I also want to encourage our island community to share their hafa adai spirit by continuing to welcome all visitors enthusiastically." Visitor arrivals for fiscal year 2019 remain up at 7.1 percent, while the first three months of this year show numbers grew by 7.8 percent compared to the previous year's total for the same period, tourism officials stated. NORRISTOWN Thursdays meeting of the Montgomery County Commissioners began with a special honor to a Plymouth Township resident. Montgomery County Commissioners honored centenarian Louise Basel with a proclamation during the opening minutes of the meeting. Basel was a special guest at the meeting accompanying Doreen Hespell of Aging and Adult Services to welcome Older Americans Month in May. Hespell announced that the beginning of May will mark the 10th annual Centenarian Luncheon with 56 residents who are at least 100 years old expected to attend. Those 56 are part of a group of 420 centenarians in the county that were invited to attend. Additional announcements included a reminder about Drug Take Back Day scheduled for April 27. The event seeks to collect unwanted or unused medications from households to deter drug addictions that commonly begin in homes. This year, 43 locations in Montgomery County will be collecting medications for the event. A full list of locations is available on the county website. I cant overstate how important it is to safely and properly dispose of unused medication, said Montgomery County Commissioners Chairwoman Valerie Arkoosh. The last thing people should do is flush them down the toilet, which seems to be everyones knee-jerk response. When they get flushed down the toilet they get into the water system, they have to be taken out of the water system by water purification plant and its just not that easy. And we really want these things out of peoples homes. Announcements also included a preliminary financial update from Chief Financial Officer Dean Dortone as well as new updates for the Office of the Recorder of Deeds. This is preliminary. They are subject to change as we go through the audit. There could be audit adjustments but as the numbers stand today after we completed our accruals, the performance looks good, particularly compared to the budget and what we were projecting last November, said Dortone. The Controllers Office is expected to issue a comprehensive financial report for 2018 by June 30. Updates for the Recorder of Deeds Office include the consolidation of two systems used for searching land records. Previously, anyone looking into land records prior to 1972 would have to utilize one system while another database would be used for anything after 1972. The department has recently consolidated these two systems to make the process more user friendly. The office is also working to protect individuals against fraud by encouraging property owners to sign up for Fraud Sleuth, a free service provided by the office that offers notifications about anything that is recorded against a persons property. To sign up, visit montcopa.org/ROD. Resolutions Two resolutions were approved at Thursdays meeting including the approval of a trail agreement with Upper Providence Township for the construction of the Lock 60 Upper Schuylkill Valley Park Trail. The long-sought connection would join Upper Schuylkill Valley Park to the rest of the Schuylkill River Trail. The county would be responsible for no more than $300,000. Additionally, the advertisement of amendments to the 2017 and 2018 consolidated annual housing action plans were also approved. The amendment cancels $500,000 in funding in home project funding to the advanced living communities project called The Chalet and increasing funding in the same amount to the advanced living communities project called Susie Clemens. The Susie Clemens is a project building 60 units of affordable senior housing in Hatfield Township. Awards of contract and contract renewals Eleven awards of contract were announced at Thursdays Commissioners meeting: The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited framing contractor Navy Contractors Inc. for willfully exposing employees to fall hazards at residential construction sites in Royersford and Collegeville The company faces $603,850 in penalties, which also include citations for job sites in Center Valley, Lehigh County. OSHA initiated inspections at the three job sites after inspectors saw employees performing framing work without fall protection, according to a press release issued by the agency. OSHA cited the company for failing to provide fall protection equipment and training, improper use of ladders, deficiencies in walking/working surfaces, and inadequate fire protection. At the Royersford site, Navy Contractors Inc. operated as a subcontractor under the supervision of a controlling general contractor, which was Blue Lion Ventures Inc. doing business as Storm Guard of Ches-Mont Inc. in Pottstown. OSHA also cited the general contractor for failing to provide fall protection. OSHA previously inspected Navy Contractors Inc.s worksites and determined in two of the inspections that the company willfully disregarded their obligation to provide fall protection. Knowingly and repeatedly ignoring fall protection requirements places workers at risk for serious or fatal injuries, said OSHA Allentown Area Director Jean Kulp. All construction employers, regardless of their contracting status, are legally required to comply with regulations to protect workers safety and health. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Commission. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHAs role is to help ensure these conditions for American working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov. WEST POTTSGROVE The township pool may not be a pool much longer. Or, if it remains a pool, it wont be owned by the township. The Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Wednesday night on a motion to get the former Colonial Pool appraised and put on the market. If it is not sold six months after the appraisal is received, the motion calls for the township to fill in the pool and turn the property into a park. Voting in favor of the motion were Commissioner Mark Green, who made the motion, and board Chairman Steve Miller and Vice Chairman Thomas Palladino. Commissioners Charles Valentine and Pete LaRosa, the pools most steadfast champion, voted against the motion. The vote comes in the wake of a motion made last month by Green to have the property turned into a park. He subsequently said he was approached by some residents who suggested the property be sold instead, so he brought the change to the commissioners as an amendment to his original motion. Valentine said he was recently at a dinner celebrating the anniversary of the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation and a former official from Pottstown mentioned it was a shame West Pottsgroves pool is closing, particularly given that Pottstown lost its pool years ago. Maybe theres some way we could do this regionally, said Valentine. Earlier in the year, he had suggested the township conduct a feasibility study on other ways to operate the pool for the public, but he could not muster the votes to move forward with that plan. LaRosa, who secured the last company to agree to operate the pool and which shut it down mid-season in July 2016 said he may have another company interested in buying the pool. He said American Pool, the largest pool operator in the country, is part of the family of companies he works for and he recently met the CEO who said American Pool might be interested in the township pool. No, then a few months, or a year or two later, they leave and then were right back where we started, said Green. If they want to buy it, fine, otherwise we put it up for sale. Valentine warned that if the property is purchased by a non-profit entity, the township would get the one-time sale price, but would then lose any tax revenue that the property might have generated with a private owner. Township Manager Craig Lloyd also pointed out that because it is public property, it must be put out to bid and cannot be sold as part of a private transaction. Green said if the appraisal for the pool property comes back at less than $100,000, it might not even be worth selling and it would be better to just move ahead with the park plan. Lloyd, who said the most recent inspection showed the pool to be in good shape, said he would arrange an appraisal and report back to the board as quickly as possible. After the meeting, LaRosa told a reporter the pool is not dead. Operated since 1968 as a private, nonprofit community pool, the Colonial fell behind on its tax payments and finally fell victim to a combination of age, a slow economy and more homes with their own pools in their backyards. The township paid $71,000 in back taxes and unpaid bills to take over the pool in 2010. The township also put as least $250,000 into refurbishing the pool facility by the time it re-opened in August, 2011. In January, Miller said he wanted a resolution for the pool, which has not been open to the public in three years, completed this year, one way or the other. This article first appeared as a post in The Digital Notebook blog. Within hours of the fire that destroyed much of the Notre Dame Cathedral, donors pledged more than $1 billion to restore this magnificent, iconic structure and place of worship. So reports the Washington Post. In the same article, the Post also reports on a backlash against this amazing generosity. A leader of the Yellow Vest movement says that if donors can give so much money to rebuild Notre Dame, they should stop telling us there is no money to help deal with the social emergency. But the donations to Notre Dame are coming from private donors. No one denies they have money. Its the French government thats running out. Some in the Yellow Vest movement probably favor the government taking yet more money from the wealthy to help deal with the social emergency. Thats understandable. There always have been, and always will be, folks who want to take money from the rich. But private efforts to help rebuild Notre Dame arent an argument for doing so. Would the Yellow Vests have a better claim on the wealth of donors if instead of contributing to the Cathedral they hoarded their money or spent it on yachts and planes? Of course not. The Yellow Vests arent the only political faction that feels aggrieved by the generosity of donors to Notre Dame. Right on schedule, some leftists are characterizing the donations as just another example of white privilege. They note the comparatively low amount of Euros that have been pledged to restore Brazils National Museum that burned last September. They also point to the lack of donations to restore ancient sites destroyed by ISIS in Syria. But the donors to Notre Dame are Parisian (or at least French), not Brazilian or Syrian. Notre Dame, the icon of their city, means vastly more to them than a museum in Brazil or a ruin in Syria not because of white privilege but because the Cathedral graces the city where they live and is of immense cultural significance to them personally. The donors might also be serious Catholics which, of course, would be another very good reason to donate to the Cathedral while not donating (or donating much less) to sites not associated with Catholicism. Just as the complaints of some Yellow Vests are based on implicit socialism, the complaints about white privilege are based on the implicit view that ones nationality and ones religion count for nothing in particular. This view is probably even more ruinous than socialism. Finally, the Post reports that some are claiming that the generous gifts of the wealthiest donors are a way of getting tax breaks. Typically, the French government allows corporations a 60 percent tax deduction on donations that further culture. This fact led one economist to tweet: Billionaires should pay taxes, not give when they feel like it, benefiting from enormous tax breaks. Two of the biggest donors, Bernard Arnault ($224 million) and Francois-Henri Pinault ($112 million), promptly shot down this bit of knee-jerk leftism. Arnault told shareholders that his family holding company had already maxed out on tax deductions for charitable contributions. Pinault said that his donation, similarly, will not be subject to any tax deduction. Like every tragedy these days, the burning of Notre Dame is bringing out the best and the worst in people. It has generated an outpouring of interdenominational sympathy and generosity, but also envy, specious claims of victimhood, and contempt for both religion and the West. Yesterday was consumed by the testimony of Mohamed Noors patrol partner Matthew Harrity at the time of the killing of Justine Rusczyk on July 15, 2017. Harrity is the only eyewitness to the killing other than Noor. Harrity provided the defense its best day in court. I want to say at the top that I fear I may have misled readers on one point in a previous post. That point is at the top of my bullets below. The Star Tribune and MPR both have good accounts of Harritys testimony, the Star Tribunes here and MPRs here. Assuming interested readers will start with one or the other of these accounts and have followed the previous posts in this series, I offer these conclusory notes and observations for emphasis: I stated in a previous post that the alleged thump on the squad car preceding Noors shot was invented by Sergeant Shannon Barnette, whom I found to be an untrustworthy witness. I stand by my evaluation of her credibility, but the alleged thump on the car came from Harrity in his interview with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on the third day after the shooting. It is unclear to me where it may have originated before making its way into the BCA search warrant. Harrity did not mention the alleged thump to anyone on the evening of the shooting. Barnette claimed to have spoken with Harrity many times about the shooting; Harrity testified that he has never talked to her at any time but the evening of the shooting (when he didnt mention it). Harrity is to be believed on this point. Barnette may have picked it up from the BCA search warrant. The prosecutions direct examination of Harrity became almost wildly adversarial toward the end. I thought that Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Amy Sweasy made a mistake in contesting certain points unnecessarily, such as whether Harrity drove down the alley too quickly or should have decided to drive around the neighborhood looking for the source of the noise Justine heard when they didnt find it in the alley. Harrity was a good witness and he is the key to the defense case. Defense counsel Peter Wold made good use of him during his concise cross-examination. When Harrity testified to the stress that he felt in the immediate aftermath of the incident, he started crying. Noor started crying. One of the jurors started crying not a good sign for the prosecution. Harrity testified on direct examination that he viewed every call as a threat. He flipped the hood down on his holster and took his seatbelt off as he drove down the alley behind Justines house. His own safety is a primary concern. I want to go home every night, he said. He spent two minutes driving down the alley. He turned off the headlights and dimmed the computer screen to drive dark. He did not turn his or the squad camera on. He had the drivers side window at least halfway down. He asserted that he wasnt going to mess with the camera when he was concerned about safety. He used his spotlight to illuminate the rear of houses near Justines. He stopped the squad at one point when he discerned a sound. The only sound he could make out was a dog moaning barking between 5016-5020 Washburn (Justines address was 5024). Harrity stopped at the end of the alley at 11:39 p.m. and turned lights back on. Seeing the bicyclist coming down the street, Harrity waited for him to go by before they moved on to another call. The lighting was sufficient for Harrity to make out that it was a male on a bicycle from half a block away. Harrity scanned left and right. He had a weird feeling of something coming toward him to his left. He heard a voice. He heard a thump behind him on the drivers side on the squad car. He made out a silhouette. He reached for his gun. He took the safe hood off; he took the trigger latch off. He removed his gun from its holster and raised it to his rib cage pointed down. He was startled. He thought it might be an ambush, but he made out no weapons; he could not make out hands. He thinks he would have exclaimed, Oh, shit! or Oh, Jesus! It didnt occur to him it might be the 911 caller or the possible victim she was worried about. By this point, at the end of the alley and about to move on, he no longer had the 911 call on his mind. To his right there was a flash and a pop. He wondered if he had been shot. He checked himself. He thinks he saw Noor with his hand up (arm not outstretched). He turned back to his left and saw a woman reaching her left abdomen. He stepped out of the squad. He put his gun back in the holster. He heard the woman say, Im dead or Im dying. This took us to the lunch break. Harritys and Noors bodycam videos were played after lunch. The prosecution asked about the 15-second buffer of silence before the audio kicked in. Thats the way the cameras are made, he explained. Other testimony has established that the buffer is 30-seconds. Both Harritys and Noors bodycam video are devastating in human terms. We see Harrity administering CPR to Justine on the ground as she is bleeding to death. We hear her moaning and gasping. We hear her dying breaths. Harrity urges her to keep breathing and assures her shes going to be okay throughout. Those of Justines family who were in court sobbed silently. There was a lot of crying in court yesterday. When Sergeant Barnette arrives, Harrity explains: We both got spooked. He did not mention a thump. After Peter Wolds cross-examination I thought Sweasy made the critical points. He could not have lawfully shot at the silhouette he made out. It was premature to use deadly force. Death or great bodily harm was only a possibility. Im afraid these points were lost. Noor walked around for 1 minute 54 seconds before joining Harrity in administering CPR. I thought very little of the heart of Harritys testimony at trial was based on his present recollection. Justines fingerprints were not found on the squad. The BCA dusted the upper two-thirds of the panels. I cannot reconcile Justines fatal wound in her abdomen on her left side (the bullet moving back toward her spine) with her approaching the squad from behind. I must be missing something. Ammo Grrrll scopes out what happens WHEN CULTURAL NORMS COLLIDE. She writes: For a brief time in my comedy career, I was part of a group that conducted Customer Service Training for companies. One of my colleagues told a story which may have been apocryphal and which I can only dredge up from dim 25-years-old memory. One of the things that will unhinge customers the fastest is being told when making a reasonable request: That is not our policy. The example used claimed that a man went into a large business complex which also housed his long-time bank. Since the bank was on the lower floor, he went into the bank to have his parking ramp ticket validated. The cashier said, It is not our policy to validate tickets when you have not conducted business within the bank. He argues with her, at first calmly, but with increasing anger. A supervisor is called over who agrees that it is not our policy. Finally, the guy grabs a withdrawal slip and closes his account to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars and then asks, Would this count as a transaction within the bank? The clerk agrees that it would and validates his $5.00 parking ticket. Though the anecdote was amusing, illustrative of the point, and clearly meant to be a cautionary tale, I doubted at the time that it had actually happened. Now Im not so sure A friend of mine a libertarian rancher from Montana, named John is a fearless defender of important cultural community norms. Two brief examples: He is nearly 80 years old a fit, but not imposing guy. Once, when he was on his back road, he spotted four young men in a vehicle merrily pitching beer bottles out the window. He pulled over, got out of his car and confronted the miscreants. Please go pick up your trash, he said. The young men first fell back on the old Whats it to ya? He answered that it concerned him because it was his road in his beautiful community and he cared. The guys then mulishly agreed to do it on our way back, but he said, Youll do it now. They neither drove away nor shoved him aside, probably because on some level they knew they were in the wrong. Now in Montana as in Arizona they also may have assumed that this old guy could very well be both crazy and armed. But, generally speaking, littering is not considered a capital crime even by the most militant anti-litterers. So, probably, the cultural norm Dont Litter plus Respect your Elders trumped even their drunken stupidity. They picked up their trash. Community and cultural standards prevailed. On another occasion, this same gentleman, who had recently sustained a temporarily-disabling injury, arrived for Sunday brunch with friends at the favorite local restaurant only to find the Handicapped Parking slot taken up by one of a row of Harleys! Again, he approached the 5 leather-clad obvious bikers at the bar and asked, Whos the handicapped biker? The guilty biker quickly took his point, mumbled something about not having seen the sign, and trudged out to move his bike. All of us have been tempted on a rainy day to limp away from a convenient Handicapped spot, but most of us dont. We are reluctant to risk a substantial fine, but we also recognize the innate fairness of reserving close-in spots for the genuinely impaired. We believe the cultural norm, Its fair to accommodate people. A central tenet of doing any kind of retail or service business is The customer is always right. My father, owner of a drugstore in a small town, phrased it The customer may not always be right, but he is always the customer. He did not waste any time on the kind of costly Customer Service Training my friends and I later provided. As I recall, the 3- or 4-minute orientation session when I was 14 went something like this: If you dont ask a customer May I help you? within 15 seconds of her entering the store, you will be fired. Treat every customer with courtesy at all times, no exceptions, or you will be fired. Under no circumstances should you ever ask a customer what a product he seeks is for or where it goes he just might tell you! If a man asks to speak to the druggist and not a teenage girl, come get me; he probably wants rubbers. Keep an eye on older ladies who hover around the wrinkle cream. For some reason, that is one of the few things that people ever steal. He then taught me to count back change into the customers hand and that was that. As you can imagine, we were all eager not to lose a job in which we made 75 cents each and every hour on the job! Not even to mention the 10 percent discount on cosmetics! Fast forward now, back to Bozeman, MT and my friend. His working ranch is just outside the limit for daily delivery of the Wall Street Journal. It arrives by mail at his place several days late. For that reason, he sometimes would visit his investment company office at end of his long ranch day to look at the neatly-folded Journal set aside specifically for customers. At some point, the young receptionist there asked for a sit-down with her boss and my friend (the long-time customer) because she felt uncomfortable when he came in with almost nobody else around. He had never spoken a word to her outside of the most basic of pleasantries. He was shocked, offended, and more importantly, scared to death. What comes after discomfort? A bogus charge that he verbally abused or touched her? A demand for a pay-off lest she ruin his life? After all, a woman must be believed at all times if she complains about a non-Democrat (not that she asserted any impropriety outside of her discomfort). It costs five times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep an old one. Yet a common cultural norm the customer is a treasured entity has been supplanted by some vague and dangerous notion that at all times young people and especially women are entitled to be comfortable. On campus, students are guaranteed never to have their delicate ears assaulted by unfamiliar opinions. Should an unwanted opinion somehow sneak by, the professionally offended are entitled to scream, swear and shout down the speaker before retreating to Safe Spaces worthy of pre-schoolers rather than adults entitled to vote. We regular workaday folks have felt relatively insulated from the worst of the totalitarian hysteria on campus. But Academia provides a conveyor belt of terrible ideas straight into corporate America. For now, there are other investment firms to which one can take ones considerable assets. But for how long? The day when the vaguely accused can be branded as pariahs and refused service elsewhere cannot be far behind. What then? Re-education camps? Gulags? Or just forced to purchase Discomfort Liability Insurance? On that happy note, I go now to finish prep for the eight days of Passover. Happy Passover to our Jewish readers and a Happy and Blessed Easter to our Christian friends. After Attorney General Barr issued his summary of the Mueller report, rabid anti-Trumpers accused him of misstating what Mueller said. It was an odd accusation inasmuch as the critics hadnt seen the Mueller report. Perhaps some of the anti-Trumpers on Muellers team told their friends that Barr didnt accurately report the special counsels conclusion. The allegation was always highly implausible. No one even half as intelligent as Barr would lie about what was in a report he knew was about to be released for all to see. Now, we know that Barrs summary was completely accurate. Compare it to the conclusions in the Mueller report. You will see that Barr faithfully reported what Mueller wrote. Focus particularly on the first paragraph of the section of Barrs summary under the heading Obstruction of Justice. Given Muellers convoluted approach to this topic, it must not have been easy to summarize this volume of the report succinctly and at the same time accurately. But Barr did. Barrs critics arent admitting they were wrong. Hating Trump means never having to say youre sorry. Instead, they have moved on to the next slander. Now, they are denouncing Barr for his press conference of today, parroting the line that he behaved like Trumps attorney rather than the Attorney General of the United States. This line too is rubbish, as Andy McCarthy shows here. But before turning to that battlefield, I wanted to point out how ridiculously and maliciously off-base some in the Trump-hating crowd were with regard to Barrs summary. Plainly, this crew is prepared to smear anyone who stands in the way of their effort to paint the President of the United States as a criminal regardless of whether hes guilty of any crime. FactMR recently published a research study on automotive gear market for the forecast timespan of 2018 to 2028. Fact.MR PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-19 08:18:56 Press Information Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Basant Manager 353-1-6111-593 email https://www.factmr.com/ # 867 Words 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400Manager353-1-6111-593 In order to dissert the market scenario prevailing across the automotive gear market sector, FactMR has evenly presented a new examination titled Automotive Gear Market to Witness Widespread Expansion During 2018 to 2028 | Key Players are Bharat Gears Limited, Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, Showa Corporation, American Axle, etc. , to its extensive online repository. With all vital market facets enclosed into this single assessment, readers can learn about different market drivers, opportunities and trends which are likely to influence the overall market space for the automotive gear market in the coming years. In addition, factors such as market size, Y-o-Y growth and revenue share are investigated so as to make this research highly authentic and reliable.Request 100 Page Sample Report from Here - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1975 The automotive gear market is a highly fragmented landscape, which can be ascertained from the fact that tier 3 players account for over 60% revenue share of the market. With a large-scale presence across the automotive gear space, the tier 3 players will consistently rely on small and local businesses, on the back of numerous cost benefits. The tier 3 players in the automotive gear market are majorly focusing on expansion of production facilities and introducing warehousing facilities to offer just-in-time deliveries as per customer-specific requirements. Moreover, tier 3 players have been emphasizing on strengthening product integrity in a bid to achieve long-term customer retention.For tier 1 and tier 2 companies operating in the automotive gear market such as Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, Linamar Corporation, Showa Corporation, and many more, geographical expansion is evolving as a preeminent focus area to tap into new customer segments. These companies are looking forward to leverage on evolving opportunities in developing economies across the Asia Pacific, driven by the overwhelming demand for vehicles and aftermarket products. Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) is also likely to offer tremendous opportunities with easy availability of raw materials, emerging as a highly lucrative region in the automotive gear market. Moreover, these companies are entering into strategic collaborations and acquisitions, in a bid to solidify capacity of their production lines.In 2014, Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, a leading player in the automotive gear market, acquired Guardian Industries, a niche supplier of motion control, flywheel, and general industrial couplings. This acquisition helped Altra Industrial Motion Corporation to upgrade its services for both off-highway and general industrial applications.In 2015, Linamar Corporation, a key player in the automotive gear market, signed a mutual agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific, in a bid to fine-tune productivity and enhance user-experience of products offered by both the companies.To View Full Global Market Research Report Click Here - https://www.factmr.com/report/1975/automotive-gear-market The practice of light weighting is becoming increasingly popular with automakers around the world as they are vying to comply with an EPA mandate, which calls for automobiles to average 54.5 mpg (miles per gallon) by 2025. Automakers have started relying on gears made of advanced plastics, as they are relatively lighter and offer better fuel efficiency when compared to that of the metal counterparts. With this trend gaining grounds, manufacturers of automotive gear are intensifying their capacity to offer plastic gears and are no more stuck with the conventional metal-centric perspective. Manufacturers of automotive gear are also looking forward to leverage substantial benefits, on the back of low manufacturing costs involved, while producing highly-durable plastic gears for use in automobiles. Moreover, the demand for plastic automotive gears reinforced with carbon fiber gaining momentum in passenger cars, encouraging automotive gear manufacturers to diversify their existing offerings with new additions.Limited geographical presence and dependency on a limited customer base are some of the crucial challenges to be addressed by tier 2 and tier 3 companies in the automotive gear space. This confinement of the tier 2 and tier 3 companies in the automotive gear market is identified to have adverse impact on their profitability ratios, thereby evolving as a focal point gaining centerstage. In a bid to overcome this challenge, these companies in the automotive gear market are pushing wide-spread establishment of new production units across different regions. Moreover, these companies operating in the automotive gear market are also reinvigorating potential of their sales and distribution channels to expand their reach across multiple regions.The competitive landscape of automotive gear market features all the prominent players operating in the industry. The market players of automotive gear market are featured based on their revenue shares, business strategies, primary areas of focus, and key product offerings. Some of the leading players featured in the automotive gear market report include Eaton Corporation, Bharat Gears Limited, GKN Plc., Inc., Altra Industrial Motion Corporation, Showa Corporation, American Axle and Manufacturing, Inc., Linamar Corporation, NSK Limited, Univance Corporation etc.Buy Useful Figures about Global Market Report from Here - https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1976/S About FactMRFactMR 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@ factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ FactMR complied a report on compact track loader market for the forecast timeline of 2018 to 2028. Fact.MR PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-19 09:06:57 Press Information Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Basant Manager 353-1-6111-593 email https://www.factmr.com/ # 944 Words 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400Manager353-1-6111-593 In order to dissert the market scenario prevailing across the compact track loader market sector, FactMR has evenly presented a new examination titled Compact Track Loader Market to Witness Growth Acceleration During 2018 to 2028 | Key Players are Doosan Bobcat Inc., Yanmar Co. Ltd, CNH Industrial N.V, JCB, Inc., Kubota Corporation, etc. , to its extensive online repository. With all vital market facets enclosed into this single assessment, readers can learn about different market drivers, opportunities and trends which are likely to influence the overall market space for the compact track loader market in the coming years. In addition, factors such as market size, Y-o-Y growth and revenue share are investigated so as to make this research highly authentic and reliable.Get a Free Sample Report from Here https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1661 A huge number of contractors in North America are preferring a compact track loader over a skid steer loader. In a bid to magnify productivity and uptime at low operating expenses, a substantial demand for compact track loader has been recorded from this region. This, in turn, is foreseen to be highly beneficial for the North America compact track loader market. Also, a remarkable demand registered for compact track loader can be attributed to the additional productivity offered.The prevailing trade tensions between the U.S. and other countries are foreseen to have an adverse aftermath on the sales of agricultural equipment, compact track loader being no exception. Levying hefty tariffs on steel and aluminum imports are believed to have a notable impact on the U.S. agriculture machinery equipment industry. This, is turn, might induce a wave of stress in the compact track loader market. The trade tensions are believed to have an adverse influence on the agricultural equipment industry as China would consider tit-for-tat tariffs aimed at U.S. products, which includes agricultural exports.Key American companies operating in the compact track loader market are capitalizing on the sprouting construction projects in developing economies such as China and India. Caterpillar, one of prominent companies operating in the compact track loader market, observed that nearly half of its sales upturn came from construction and recognized China to be a crucial contributor. In the 4th quarter of 2017, Caterpillar recorded that sales in APAC rise 22 percent year on year. According to the company, the surging building construction and infrastructure investment across budding economies is one of the primary reasons for this to happen.Though it is quite evident that compact track loader market is outshining the skid steel loader market in terms of sales, it may not be the same in all cases. There are a quite few applications with specific speed requirements, which will continue seeking skid steer loaders (SSLs). This might be a minor loophole in the growth trajectory of compact track loader market. Also, skid steer loaders will continue stealing the march when it comes to the cost factor. Demolition sites and many others with ample of debris are best furnished by skid steers, primarily those with solid tire modifications. Also, in case of applications where the ground conditions are firm, skid loader is a good fit. The weight of skid loader is less when compared to that of compact track loader, paving ways for greater flexibility and flawless transportation. For all rest of the applications, Compact track loader will continue gaining the market share from skid steer loader.Request Compact Track Loader Market Report with TOC Here - https://www.factmr.com/report/1661/compact-track-loader-market In a bid to upgrade the product versatility of the compact track loader market, manufacturers operating in the compact track loader market are focusing on increasing the number of attachments. A few major manufacturers operating in the compact track loader market are offering more than 70 unique attachments in their products, which include pallet forks, snow pushers, rotary cutters, snow blades, and many more. Also, manufacturers in the compact track loader market quote that more number of attachments result in a better command over season-specific work.The compact track loader market report offers meticulous intelligence to the readers by providing cutting-edge insights on key players indulged in manufacturing and distribution in the compact track loader market. This chapter in the compact track loader market report provides a detailed assessment of vital facets such as product portfolios, SWOT analysis, key personnel, company overview, revenue shares, and latest innovations in the compact track loader market. Key companies operating in compact track loader market and profiled in the report on compact track loader market include Caterpillar Inc., Deere & Co., Komatsu Ltd., Volvo Construction Equipment and Services Inc., Doosan Bobcat Inc., Yanmar Co. Ltd, CNH Industrial N.V, JCB, Inc., Kubota Corporation, Wacker Neuson SE, Kato Works Co. Ltd., Takeuchi Construction Machinery, Zhejiang Hero Time Machinery, and Sany Heavy Industry Co. Ltd.Caterpillar Inc., an eminent player in the compact track loader market, had incorporated the methodology of Operating & Execution (O&E) in a bid to direct resources toward areas representing opportunity for profitable growth. Moreover, the company is expanding its services with an emphasis on aftermarket and digital technologies for attaining high return on investments.To Buy Global Market Research Report, Go with this Link - https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1623/S About FactMRFactMR 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@ factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-19 23:43:17 Press Information Ghostwriters Network 60 Harbor Way, Palm Harbor, FL 34684 Linda Hinkle PR Manager 8323723452 email https://www.ghostwritersnetwork.com/ # 537 Words 60 Harbor Way, Palm Harbor, FL 34684PR Manager8323723452 April 19, 2019 -- A memoir written by the granddaughter of one of the first political prisoners at the Dachau concentration camp has been recently published by Florida resident Laurin M. Haupt.A Miracle at Dachau: My Opas Story tells the riveting story of her grandfather (her Opa) and his time in the infamous Dachau prison camp. A French gentile, Simon Johann Haupt was living in Germany with his wife and daughters in 1933 when he and some friends dared to resist the terrorism of the Third Reich that was starting to destroy the fabric of their peaceful community and would continue to do so for the next decade plus. His subsequent arrest and imprisonment (and the miracle that saved his life) is a compelling story of that awful period in world history.History books dont often talk about the spirit of the unknown hero, and they remain unrecognized shadows in our past unless we talk about them and make them known. Those words, spoken from her grandfather, compelled Laurin to make sure others knew what he had experienced firsthand.Every one of us that stood up to Hitler paid a heavy price. There were many a good man that sat back and did nothing, maybe they felt helpless, afraid, I dont know, said Simon Haupt.My grandfather remained a dignified Frenchman to the very end, standing up for what he believed in. As he shared his experiences with me on a long train ride we took in Germany, other passengers heard his story and they, too, were overcome with emotion upon hearing some of the more gruesome details. I knew then his story had to be written down and shared with the world. Im now working on the sequel to this memoir because there is more that he shared with me regarding what happened after he was released from Dachau. After my Opa passed away from various illnesses he dealt with for years after his imprisonment, I was determined that his passing would have greater meaning beyond just my familys understanding and knowledge of our past, said Laurin. I hope people read this book and realize the depth of the atrocities many brave people like my grandfather had to endure in the fight against oppression. Most of us heard about Hitlers atrocities against the Jews when we were in school, but little is known regarding the way that members of the Third Reich turned against anyone that dared defy them in the early years of their regime. This book is also an excellent example of how performing just one act of kindness can have life-saving consequences, as evidenced by the miraculous turn of events that allowed my grandfather to be released from Dachau, she explained.Laurin Haupt is available to speak about her grandfathers experiences as a political prisoner. If you or your organization would like to schedule a talk or a media interview with Ms. Haupt or have books for your book club or group, please contact her publishers representative. A Miracle at Dachau: My Opas Story is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.###Publishers Contact: Linda Hinkle Phone: 832-372-3452Email: LindaHinkle@ GhostwritersNetwork.com Publish Date: Spring 2019 Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this press release please contact the company added in the press release. Please do not contact pr-inside. We will not be able to assist you. PR-inside disclaims the content included in this release. This report provides prognosis and analysis of the marine shaft power meter market. It offers historical data along with forecast data for 2028. Fact.MR PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-19 09:32:15 Press Information Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Basant Manager 353-1-6111-593 email https://www.factmr.com/ # 676 Words 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400Manager353-1-6111-593 In order to dissert the market scenario prevailing across the marine shaft power meter market sector, FactMR has evenly presented a new examination titled Marine Shaft Power Meter Market Steady Growth to be Witnessed by 2018 to 2028 | Key Players are Hoppe Marine GmbH, Datum Electronics Limited, Kongsberg Maritime, etc. , to its extensive online repository. With all vital market facets enclosed into this single assessment, readers can learn about different market drivers, opportunities and trends which are likely to influence the overall market space for the marine shaft power meter market in the coming years. In addition, factors such as market size, Y-o-Y growth and revenue share are investigated so as to make this research highly authentic and reliable.Request A Free Sample Report Here - https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=1504 The marine shaft power meter market report provides a detailed profile of the leading players including Shoyo Engineering Co., Ltd, Hoppe Marine GmbH, Datum Electronics Limited, Kongsberg Maritime (Kongsberg Gruppen), Aquametro Oil & Marine AG, Trelleborg Marine Systems, Kyma A.S., VAF Instruments BV, and other prominent players.Tier 1 players hold nearly 1/3rd of the share in the marine shaft power meter market. The success of tier 1 players can be attributed to the production of technologically advanced products and their robust distribution network. Leading players in the market are also focusing on strategic partnerships and mergers and acquisitions.Tier 2 and tier 3 players are focusing on development and launch of new products. Development of cost-effective products, leading to the reduction of fuel consumption is one of the key strategies of tier 2 and tier 3 players to retain their position in the marine shaft power meter market.Global maritime trade expanded at 4% in 2017, witnessing the fastest growth in five years, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Companies in Canada, Greece, and China are adding new containerships to their fleet. The growing prominence of developing countries in global seaborne trade flows in terms of both exports and imports is also creating significant opportunities for stakeholders.Read Marine Shaft Power Meter Market Report from Here - https://www.factmr.com/report/1504/marine-shaft-power-meter-market Reduction of greenhouse gas emission from ships remains a key focus area for the global shipping industry. The broader aims of reducing total annual greenhouse gas emission by at least 50% by 2050 will entail a change in existing status-quo. To achieve target reduction in emissions, the use of marine shaft power meter and new devices by ship-owners and operators is growing significantly.The growing use of water crafts for transportation and recreation is also driving the adoption of marine shaft power meter. On account of growing demand in the shipping industry, manufacturers are concentrating on developing new cost-efficient marine shaft power meter with higher safety and eco-friendly technologies. Ship owners are considering inclusion of efficiency measures such as optimizing shaft power and speed, and other measures to comply with MRV regulation that recently came into force in Europe.Fuel charges remain a key operational cost for shipping industry, accounting for over 40% of shipping cost. Unsurprisingly, the focus has shifted to adopting energy-efficient products and solutions. Key players in the marine shaft power meter market are focusing on developing smart shaft power meters to gain critical data pertaining to on propulsion shaft, engine, and propeller performance. High accuracy, low maintenance, and optimization of energy is a key development focus areas of manufacturers. Ship energy efficiency with real-time optimization model has emerged as a cornerstone in marine shaft power meter manufacturing, which is paving lucrative opportunities for manufacturers.Buy online this Report from Here - https://www.factmr.com/checkout/1367/S About FactMRFactMR 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 UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@ factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ PR-Inside.com: 2019-04-19 13:13:35 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 563 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Celebrating 12 years of operation, OnlineTenders outlines it plan for growth across the web, mobile and international marketsPIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA / ACCESSWIRE / April 19, 2019 / The end of March, 2019 was not only the conclusion of the first quarter of the year, but for OnlineTenders it was also the anniversary of 12 years of operation. Founded in March 2007, the company is going strong as it nears the end of another decade. The company's Managing Director and Founder recently shared his plans and top goals for the second quarter of 2019.In short, they are:Upgrading their company websiteUpgrading their mobile appsTargeting international subscribersTo learn more about OnlineTenders and the services that they offer, please visit https://www.onlinetenders.co.za/search-tenders.aspx As Avinash Samlall, Managing Director and Founder, noted, these plans are instrumental in making 2019 an even more successful year for OnlineTenders."Our mantra is 'We provide you with the confidence that no contract opportunities are missed.' And we can only live up to that by continually upgrading difference aspects of our business," he said.The upgrades to the website and mobile apps are intended to improve the usability for all OnlineTenders users. This in turn will improve the efficiency of the user's business. By upgrading these two crucial digital assets, the company help users find tenders and business leads on the go, which is essentially what OnlineTenders is all about.OnlineTenders has both iOS and Android apps and both will be upgraded to ensure better functionality across its user base. Using technology to further business interests has been a core value at the company and these upgrades to the website and apps are a testament to that, Mr. Samlall noted.The third goal focuses on the company targeting international subscribers who are looking for opportunities in Africa. For instance, an Australian company doing agriculture projects and that wants to work in Africa will be able to find and capitalize on business opportunities via OnlineTenders. This move will expand online's reach, benefiting South Africa's economy and local businesses.Mr. Samlall added, "This is the beauty of technology and how it helps business. As an engineer I've always valued the power of technology in all my entrepreneurial endeavors. And we all remember that ultimately it's about simplifying processes, earning more, and living better professional and personal lives. We're confident we'll succeed at these three goals over the next three months while thinking up new ways to improve beyond that." With over 600 new tenders listed daily, OnlineTenders is trusted by an ever-growing number of users looking to grow their businesses. Periodic improvements enable this leading South African online platform help businesses across diverse industries capitalize on more tenders and business leads more efficiently.About OnlineTenders:Founded in March 2007 and based in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, OnlineTenders is a trusted tender notification service throughout Africa. Each day, new opportunities are listed from all levels of government and private sector companies throughout South Africa and Africa. Using hi-tech online Internet software, tenders and business leads are collected and classified by industry type, keywords and regions to match exactly the kind of tenders relevant to businesses. To learn more about OnlineTenders, please visit www.onlinetenders.co.za Contact Information for OnlineTendersAddress: 2 Sanders RoadScottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3201South AfricaEmail: info@ onlinetenders.co.za Contact: Avinash SamlallPhone: (+27) 010 823 2600Contact:Avinash Samlallinfo@ onlinetenders.co.za (+27) 010 823 2600SOURCE: OnlineTenders Nollywood actor, IK Ogbonna, has threatened to sue a US-based Nigerian blogger, Joyce Boakye, for alleged defamation of character. The threat comes days after the blogger, also known as Bold Pink, accused the actor of being a homosexual who is hiding in the closet and running after Nollywood actors despite being married. She made the allegations in an Instagram video. Reacting to the allegations, Ogbonna, through his lawyers, asked the blogger to apologise and retract the slanderous comments within one week. The 35-year-old actor shared the legal documents on his Instagram handle. He added that he would seek redress in court if the blogger failed to meet his conditions. A free platform created for promotion and marketing has given people voices to speak cheaply about peoples hard earned integrity. Most of those who want us to come out with who we truly are as they claim, have themselves nothing to show to anyone. The noises are mostly made and heard from the empty barrels. We give attention to what is of value not what takes our attention from what is of no value, part of his statement read. The blogger has also responded to the actors threats by uploading a video of herself wielding a gun with the caption Always come prepared. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwUregdhxZL/ The April 27 edition of the Abuja Writers Forum flagship event, the Guest Writer Session, will feature Directors-General of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ishaq Kawu and Julie Okah-Donli; and a writer, Niran Adedokun. A press statement signed by Edith Yassin said Mr Adedokun will read from his debut book Ladies Calling the Shots while Ms Okah-Donli and Mr Kawu will be on the Take Five segment and share on books that have impacted on their lives. There will also be reading of poems authored by Pius Adesanmi to honour the late Nigerian scholar. Mr Adedokun, writer, lawyer and public relations practitioner, holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Performing Arts and an LLB from the University of Ilorin as well as a Masters of Arts in English Literature from the University of Lagos, Akoka. As a journalist, Niran worked at various times for the Independent Communications Network Limited, publishers of The News; The Post Express; The PUNCH; and THISDAY. Adedokun Niran His book, Ladies Calling The Shots, is a profile of 17 top female film and television directors in Nigeria. Some of those featured include: Amaka Igwe, Tope Oshin, Pat Oghre- Imobhio, Omoni Oboli, Adeola Osunkojo, Midred Okwo, Lola Fani-Kayode, Ema Edosio, Ola Selhurst, Belinda Yanga Agedah, Ronke Macaulay. Funke Fayoyin, Stephanie Linus, Blessing Egbe and Vanessa Nzediegwu. Ms Okah-Donli is a lawyer, chartered secretary and administrator, who serves as the Director-General of NAPTIP, an agency established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2003 to tackle human trafficking and other related matters. Born to the family of Mr and Mrs Okah from Bayelsa State, she obtained a Diploma in Law and a Degree in Law from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and was called to the bar in 1992. She won the Deans Award of Moot Court Competition. Modibo Kawu Mr Kawu was the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Abuja-based Word, Sound and Vision (WSV) Multimedia Limited, prior to his appointment as the Director-General, NBC. He has wide media experience having reported for Radio Nigeria, Radio France International, Radio Netherlands and BBC World Service. He was one of the pioneer staff of Radio Kwara, and pioneer general manager of Kwara State Television Authority and editor of Daily Trust Newspaper. He was later appointed chairman of the Daily Trust Editorial Board. The Guest Writer Session, apart from the reading segments, features live music and a raffle-draw for books, and is open to the public. The Abuja Writers Forum also runs a weekly Critique Session and a regular Creative Writing Workshop series Emelife Chinelo Stella, who recently won 20 medals for her outstanding performance in the University of Mysore, India, speaks about the poor attitude of Nigerians to academic excellence in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES. Mrs Chinelo, who hails from Enugwu Ukwu in Njikoka local government of Anambra State, just completed her Masters degree programme in the Indian university. As the Best Graduating Student for a Masters degree programme with a final grade point (FGP) of 9.263 per cent, Stella received 20 gold medals and five cash prizes at the convocation ceremony in the university. This newspaper gathered that the 28-year old also graduated with a first class in Usman Dafodio University, Sokoto (UDUS), where she obtained her first degree in applied Chemistry. She finished as the overall best graduating student with a 4.86 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) in the 2012/2013 academic session. In this interview, Mrs Chinelo expressed her thoughts on issues bordering on the reformation of the education sector and sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Excerpts: PT: Aside being a first-class student at UDUS and bagging 20 awards in India that is all over, tell us more about yourself. I come from a family of seven, with me as the first and I am a Nigerian. Im married to Comrade John Oshiobode Amagbor. Im a highly focused lady with much love for science. Im very interested in the research industry, hence look forward to getting an opportunity to make my own mark in the research department of chemical industries or in the academia. Emelife Chinelo Stella, who recently won 20 medals for her outstanding performance in the University of Mysore, India PT: Most Nigerian students go for a Masters degree abroad for a greener pasture. Was your admission to the university of Mysore borne out of the same? I went to India to get a Masters degree in chemistry because I wanted a competitive environment and an environment that is conducive for learning and of course I chose India because I got an Indian government scholarship via the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. PT: You performed excellently in both institutions attended but the sterling performance in India is the most laudable. Can you point out to some factors responsible for that? Both are supposed to be laudable. However, India celebrates academic excellence the way it should. Getting a degree in India is not a childs play however, hard work, resilience and the grace of God saw me through. There is nothing to explain really. Every convocation ceremony in Nigeria, there is a best graduating student but no one ever talks about them except in really rare cases but thats not same with India, as you have seen clearly. Emelife Chinelo Stella, who recently won 20 medals for her outstanding performance in the University of Mysore, India My news is spreading everywhere because the Indian media carried it around. It was all over the news in India. PT: True. But people only saw the gold medals and will like to know some of the additional opportunities winning them has given. Can you share that with us? I am very optimistic about greater opportunities in the future. Thats all I will say about this (for now). PT: You talked about how unlike India, Nigeria doesnt celebrate academic excellence. What were you given after the first class feat in UDUS either from the school or the government? I will like to keep that to myself. But you know this already. How many times has your media house engaged any best graduating student of a Nigerian university in an interview? Obviously because you didnt even know about it. You only got to know about my academic excellence because almost all media houses in India carried this news and that was because the university celebrated me. It has nothing to do with material benefits. Advertisements PT: What are your plans after school? I am a Nigerian and in my experience from the past, I have learnt to keep an open mind about everything. So yeah, Im open to both the academia and the field. PT: A lot of people believe theres need for reformation in the education sector. Do you believe that? The education sector in Nigeria needs all the reformation it can get, starting from the basic to tertiary level. PT: Can you cite past experiences to explain this? This is not really about my very own past experiences. Emelife Chinelo Stella, who recently won 20 medals for her outstanding performance in the University of Mysore, India Truth is, we all know this. Public schools in Nigeria are not well furnished starting from the buildings, to the meagre salaries the teachers receive, which in some states some teachers are still being owed, like my mother who has been working for almost a year now in a public school in Sokoto state without being paid. Tertiary institutions lack the right structures and facilities to facilitate learning within the stipulated period of time. Methods of admission to tertiary institutions are not very clear to the applicants, hence, you have people like me who spent three years and even more at home writing UTME countless times with no admission. The list is endless. PT: Do you think there is anything Nigeria can do to improve the education sector owing to your experience in both Nigeria and India? I just said educational reformation in Nigeria should start from the scratch. I honestly cant pick up anything that is working very fine in the education sector in Nigeria at the moment and to the best of my knowledge. I think enough funds should be pushed into education and it should be intentional. Academic excellence should be highly applauded so that everyone gets inspired and works towards achieving such heights. PT: Away from that, I want us to discuss the rampant cases of sex-for-marks in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Have you ever been a victim of this? No. PT: But do you know of friends, who in one way or the other, were victimised by lecturers for not yielding to their request for a sexual relationship? As much as I can remember, I have not had any friend with such issues in my school or anywhere. However, I see these things on blog posts, and I cant imagine why it should be so. I totally kick against such and (it) should not be taken lightly. PT: Okay. What are your recommendations to curb this menace? I cant say much about this. But all I will say is, the university, I believe, is very much aware of these things, appropriate punishments should be given to culprits and the student who goes through such a should be given that maximum support to ensure she doesnt suffer for doing the right thing: reporting the culprit. PT: And lastly, your words (of advice) to Nigerian youth in various tertiary institutions? Keep at it. Let not the environment or fear of the future discourage you. Just stay focused, work hard and even harder and pray at all times. Im very emotional and I want to cry. (breaks down in tears). Ive done my best for my country. When nobody raised their voice against the military, I came out with the unions to fight for freedom and democracy of my country twenty years after democracy, Frank Kokori, is being oppressed by somebody like Nigige The above quotes were the words of Frank Kokori, a firebrand activist and former secretary-general of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). As he spoke, his hands shook as he strugglez to steady them. His voice was shaky as well. Even after taking a few seconds to calm himself, one could not only hear his voice shaking but also feel his pain as he continued to speak. As Mr Kokori, a former General Secretary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union (NUPENG), broke down in tears, he accused the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, of oppressing him. Mr Kokori, who recalled how he fought for democracy and was detained for years, said Mr Ngige was acting on his own as the president he knows would not treat him unjustly. He said this at the scheduled inauguration of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), shortly after the event was again postponed indefinitely. The inauguration was scheduled to hold at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday at the ministers conference room at the Ministry of Labour. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported the controversy surrounding the inauguration. Although the presidency named Frank Kokori as chairman-designate, the labour minister omitted his name when listing those to be inaugurated. The board was constituted by Yemi Osinbajo in October 2017 in his capacity as acting president. Ministers are empowered to inaugurate boards of agencies in their ministries. Mr Kokori, a former labour leader during the Sani Abacha military dictatorship, told PREMIUM TIMES he would, however, attend the inauguration. The Postponement At about 11:40 a.m., as guests were seated, the Director of Human Resources in the labour ministry, Ajibola Ibrahim, came in to announce that the inauguration has been postponed indefinitely. The minister has sent me to inform you that the inauguration has been postponed indefinitely. He asked me to apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused. He said I should tell you that a new date will be announced later, he said. Mr Ibrahim also said many of the members were not present, hence the postponement. At this point, members of labour unions began to protest the announcement as they accused the minister of planning to hold a secret inauguration with the intention of replacing Mr Kokori as chairman of the board. The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Waba, led other labour activists to the gathering. Kokori laments injustice In his remark, Mr Kokori recalled how he rejected bribes in the past because he decided to stand for democracy. According to him, the labour minister is oppressing him because he (Mr Kokori) is known as a man of integrity. Advertisements Ive done my best for my country. When nobody raised their voice against the military, I came out with the unions to fight for freedom and democracy of my country. I spent four years in one of the worst prisons in the world, in Bama Prisons, in solitary confinement. In 1997, I was declared a prisoner of war by Saint Pope John Paul. The same year, Nelson Mandela declared me a notable world prisoner of conscience. I stood for this country and I fought for democracy and all my years in this country, there were temptations to take the biggest bribes. I stood my ground for democracy. Twenty years after democracy, Chief Frank Kokori, is being oppressed by somebody like Nigige. The reason is because Frank Kokori is regarded as a man of integrity, a man of honour and a transparent man. And this is a government which talks of integrity and you allow a man like Ngige to humiliate me for two years after the appointment, he said. He further said he subjected himself to trauma for over two years after being congratulated several times by the minister and assured of inauguration by the president. I feel Ngige is on his own. He is dragging the name of the president. Not the president I know, he added. Mr Kokori was one of the activists who protested the anulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by business mogul, Moshood Abiola. Mr Abiola went ahead to declare himself president prompting the military to arrest and detain him on charges of treason. The annulment of the election, considered Nigerias freest ever, and the detention of Mr Abiola led to major protests and strikes by workers unions, led in part by Mr Kokori. His union, NUPENG, launched a nationwide strike in 1994 condemning the annulment and demanding that Mr Abiola be freed and inaugurated. He was arrested in August of the same year and detained without charges by the Sani Abacha military government. He was put in solitary confinement in Bama Prison. Mr Kokori was released in 1998 when General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who suceeded Mr Abacha, came into power. Mr Abubakar ordered his release as well as that of other detained political activists and journalists. He was declared Prisoner of Conscience by the late Nelson Mandela and Pope Saint John Paul II in 1997 and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Amnesty International (AI) declared him prisoner of conscience between August 1994 and June 1998. Ngige should be sacked Anti-corruption activist Olarenwaju Suraj, an anti-corruption activist and public affairs analysts, is of the opinion that Mr Ngige violated the directive of the president and as such, should be removed from office. I think it is not just about Kokori, its about some of the individuals that are associated with this government including Ngige. A number of them are not only a disaster to the country, they are an embarrassment to the president and the whole anti-corruption agenda of the government. It is actually arbitrary for a minister to fail in the inauguration of a board constituted by the presidency and for that reason, it is not in anyway, tolerable that the level of insubordination will be tolerated. If it was a serious government, Ngige should have been removed automatically from office by the president for that act of insubordination but it seems to be a government of free-for-all, he said. He explained that the only question still begging for answer is the failure of the president and the vice president to take any decisive action against these characters and elements. While describing the NSITF as a sect full of corruption, he said the minister also, must have been benefitting from it. It is also confirming the fact that the president is not actually in full control of some of his ministers. The secretary to the government should immediately constitute the board and the minister should actually be sacked from office, he said. He added that the minister cannot do any secret inauguration outside those appointed by the presidency except there is a reversal of such announcement. He doesnt have the power to do that. Ministry speaks The labour ministry in a statement late Thursday said the inauguration was postponed because of security breach occasioned by the siege at the venue of the inauguration by suspected thugs. The postponement was to avoid the degeneration of the situation, where thugs were already manhandling some officers of the ministry and policemen attached to the office of the ministry, said Rhoda Iliya, Assistant Director, Press in the labour ministry. She confirmed the fears of the workers that Mr Kokori had been replaced as the chairman of the board of the NSITF. She said the replacement of Mr Kokori and his transfer to the Board of Micheal Imodu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINLS) Ilorin, a diploma awarding institution in Labour Relations as Chairman, followed due process and has the presidents approval. Ms Iliya said the president gave approval for the exercise which was duly communicated to the Ministry of Labour and Employment, saying this is also in line with the Act establishing the NSITF. She described labour leaders who gathered at the inauguration venue as thugs. The violent gatecrashing and the illegal forceful seizure of the conference room of the minister this morning by thugs was therefore uncalled for. Government, therefore, takes serious exception to the dishonourable actions of the NLC leadership and Mr Frank Kokori as well as his cohorts. The Ministry will not tolerate a repeat of hooliganism clearly unknown to ethos of civilised unionism, she added. She said that Mr Kokori was expected to report at his posting at the MINILS where his experience is more relevant. She also said that President Buhari had also appointed Mr Enejamo-Isere as the chairman of the NSITF to bring his wealth of experience as a senior member of Chartered Institute of Insurance as well as Chartered Institute of Taxation to bear on his new position. Government will not tolerate a situation where labour leaders challenge or vitiate the constitutional powers of the president over appointments, she said. (NAN) At least 22 persons are feared killed in fresh attacks between ethnic Jukun and Tiv communities of Wukari local government area in southern Taraba State, residents and local officials have said. The two communities have been at war in the last three weeks, resulting in the loss of lives and property. Witnesses said a Tiv militia stormed Wukaris suburbs around 7 p.m on Friday. A resident, Bwacha David, said the attackers who were over 200 caught the villagers unaware. Mr David said the attackers set many houses on fire. They killed more than 10 persons and burnt many houses, he said. The chairman of the local government, Adi Daniel, confirmed the attack. We just woke up with another fresh attack by suspected Tiv militias who struck at the suburbs of Wukari. We are being provoked now to retaliate because we cannot keep silent while people continue to attack us. This is the eighth attack on us by Tiv militias in the recent time. Over 22 people were killed and we didnt kill even an insect. And todays attack is coming after last Mondays peace meeting, the local government boss said. However, Orbee Uchiv, a Tiv leader, alleged that Jukun militia first attacked the Tiv. On Monday, the Deputy Governors of Taraba and Benue met together with the Aku Uka and Tor Tiv. The political and traditional leaders sued for peace. Unfortunately, in the wee hours of Tuesday, Vaase, a border town was attacked and more than seven people were killed again. On the night of Wednesday, Tse Kaakigh village was completely razed. The security agencies visited the place to assess the level of destruction. Last night, Ikyaior village came under attack. In all these attacks, it was claimed the Fulani were the ones attacking the Tiv. We are confused. Just yesterday, they (Jukuns) killed a nursing mother at the suburb of Wukari and we are being pushed to the wall. The Federal government should urgently step in to restore peace, he said. Police spokesperson in the state, David Misal, confirmed the attacks but could not give details. I was called by some residents and informed me about the attack. But I am yet to be briefed by the DPO or area command, so I cannot speak on the casualties, and presently I am in church for Easter, Mr Misal said. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the new national minimum wage bill of N30,000 for Nigerian workers. The General Secretary of the Congress, Peter Ozoeson, who commended the president for the action, urged him to ensure the law was immediately implemented. The Presidency has already said the bill goes into effect immediately. The NLC statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES reads: We at the Nigeria Labour Congress wish to express our appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the new national minimum wage bill of N30,000. We commend Mr. President for doing the needful. However, we would use this opportunity to call for immediate implementation of the law, given the fact that this process has dragged on for nearly two years. In furtherance of this, we urge employers, particularly federal and state governments, to commence immediate negotiations with the appropriate unions on the impact of the new law on the wage structure with a view to timely and judicious implementation. President Buhari signed the bill into law on Thursday in Abuja. With the presidential assent, the new minimum wage of N30,000 now replaces the previous N18,000. After signing the Bill, the President challenged the workers to justify the new pay by showing more commitment to their work. He also enjoined the NLC to show more understanding of the current socio-economic situation in country by being more committed to their work at whatever level they find themselves. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) will deploy aircraft, military equipment and personnel in Abuja during rehearsals for its 55th Anniversary celebration. NAF spokesman, Ibikunle Daramola, who announced this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja said the rehearsals would hold between April 22 and April 30. The Nigerian Air Force will be celebrating its 55th Anniversary between April 27 and 29 in Abuja. As part of activities to mark the event, the NAF will be showcasing its air power capabilities in an Order of Battle (ORBAT) fly past, the air commodore said. Mr Daramola urged members of the public to go about their normal activities without panic or fear during the activities. (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and its Niger Republic counterpart have signed a pact to eliminate the menace in both countries. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAPTIP signed the agreement with Nigerien Agency Against Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (ANLTP/TIM) at a dinner event on Thursday in Abuja. In a communique signed by heads of both agencies, Nigeria and Niger agreed to work together to stamp out the evil of human trafficking from both countries. Julie Okah-Donli, Director General of NAPTIP, signed on behalf of Nigeria, while her Nigerien counterpart, Goge Maimouna Gazbo, signed for her country. Among agreements in the communique are finalisation and signing of a memorandum of understanding on the collaboration and organisation of joint sensitisation across border communities of both countries. Both agencies also agreed to establish a joint technical working group to work together in the area of investigation and training of counsellors and social workers on how to deal with trafficked victims, amongst others. Speaking at the event, the NAPTIP DG expressed confidence that the collaboration would achieve positive result. I believe that going forward, we have developed strategies for more successful approaches to stemming the tide of human trafficking from our countries. This strong collaboration and partnership by both countries in the fight against human trafficking promises to be very effective and mutually rewarding, she said. She thanked the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) for facilitating the event. The Nigerien anti trafficking boss, Maimouma Gazbo, also expressed confidence on the effectiveness of the partnership. The high point of the event was an award presentation to both Okah- Donli and Maimouna Gazbo by the ICMPD, represented by Moji Sodeinde. NAN reports that officials of the Nigerien anti-human trafficking agency have been in Nigeria for the past one week to work out cooperation and collaboration terms with NAPTIP. NAPTIP had earlier on Thursday unveiled an anti-human trafficking module to be introduced into basic and senior secondary school currriculum. (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says adequate arrangements have been made to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products and gas throughout the Easter period. The spokesperson of the NNPC, Ndu Ughamadu, said the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Maikanti Baru, gave the assurance in Abuja on Thursday during the conferment on him the Distinguished Merit Award by the Association of Business Managers and Administrators of Nigeria. He said the NNPC has adequate stock of petroleum products to meet the demands of consumers in all nooks and crannies of the country during the Easter holidays and beyond. We currently have about 1.7 billion litres of petrol in stock at different depots across the country, which is equivalent to about 35 days sufficiency without adding a drop, he said. Also, Mr Baru said there were plans to increase the stock to about 2.4 billion litres by the end of the month. In addition, Mr Ughamadu said the GMD also assured of adequate supply of gas to power plants to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity during the period. Currently, the NNPC is responsible to supply over 300 million standard cubic feet (Scf) of gas per day, or 75 per cent of the volume to power plants in the country. Meanwhile, the NNPC GMD said he dedicated the award to President Muhammadu Buhari for his support for the oil and gas industry. The registrar of the Association of Business Managers and Administrators of Nigeria, Ike Christopher, said Mr. Baru was selected for the merit award because of his role in the disappearance of fuel queues from fuel stations in the country, especially during the last Christmas and New Year festivities. Officials of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), have reportedly raided a popular night club in Abuja, Caramelo, and arrested 34 female nude dancers. During the raid on Wednesday night, the front perimeter fence of the nightclub, which is located at Utako district of Abuja, was also demolished, an official said. Addressing journalists on Thursday, the Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Umar Shuaibu, said the FCTA Joint Task Team, which comprises of the Department of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the Social Development Secretariat (SDS) stormed the premises of the night club. In response to security reports and complaints from the residents of area adjoining the location of Caramelo Night Club on plot 630 Cadastral zone B05 along T.O.S Benson Street within Utako District, the relevant authority deployed its officers to carry out surveillance in order to validate the complaints. The outcome of the surveillance revealed that the complaints are genuine and real. Please note that the substance of these complaints include, noise nuisance from loud party music, nude/strip dancing club activities intractable traffic challenge, resulting from uncontrolled patronage to the commercial nightclub within the residential precinct, he said. Mr Shuaibu said the plot under reference is zoned as Health Clinic on the Utako District Landuse Plan, and in line with this plan , the building plan approval granted was for the development of the health clinic. Accordingly, the property was developed as a health clinic however, the use of the building has been changed to a commercial night club (Caramelo Night Club), he said. Mr Shuaibu noted the authority has repeatedly engaged with the operator of Caramelo and other operators on the need to stop their operations but all to no avail. He assured the public that his department will continue to ensure the city remains a safe place for living, working and recreating. High calibre arrest Also, Acting Secretary, Social Development Secretariat (SDS), Safiya Umar, said the owner of the club would be punished according to the law, considering the calibre of girls arrested. Mrs Umar said the preliminary investigation showed that the nude dancers were from wealthy homes. She said some of them were married and have children. She said the dancers have been taken to Wuse General Hospital for medical checkup, after which they would be taken to FCT rehabilitation centre in Lugbe, where they will stay for three months. The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and that of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, took turns to testify at the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God during the churchs April Holy Ghost Service. Governor Ortom started with a simple self-introduction, I am Samuel Ortom, but what was to follow was expected by the congregation. He said but for the encouragement of the General Overseer of the church, Enoch Adeboye, and his wife, Folu, he would have quit contesting for a second term in office, which he eventually won. He recalled: When I wanted to contest for the 2015 election, I came to the Redemption Camp to pray and I went to Daddy and Mummy G.O. They prayed for me and despite all the challenges that accompanied the race, I became the governor and I was sworn in. In 2017, challenges came over me and I said I was not going to contest again in 2019, let me remain a one-term governor. The following day during my devotion, God asked me why I had decided to be a lone ranger. He assured me He is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. I picked up the courage, came to the altar and Daddy G. O. again. He prayed for me. But so many challenges came as we went through the race and there was this particular day before the election that Daddy GO called me when I was completely depressed and did not know what to do. The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye After the prayer, we were encouraged again and went through the race. Again, despite all the challenges, God saw me through and I was elected the Governor of Benue State again. Praise be to the Lord. Governor Emmanuel, who is a regular at the Holy Ghost Services, said: The Bible says Thine O Lord, is the Greatness, and the Power and the Glory and the Victory! People say you can never win elections through prayers, I want to say that through prayers some of us have won elections. And it can only be God. To God only be glory, honour, majesty forever in Jesus name! Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State. There was also a testimony of a Kano-based lady who said Jesus appeared to her and although she could not speak nor understand English then, she is now able to evangelize in the language. Despite the powerful testimonies, the night belonged to children and early youths of the church, who thrilled the congregation with songs and dance, drama sketches and Bible recitals. Some of the youth from various parts of the country preached inspirational sermons to the delight of the congregation. Very pleased about the performance of the children and youths, Mr Adeboye said, My children have done excellently well tonight. They are increasing my joy every day. I noticed that even the little ones among them can preach my sermon and I am very delighted. I am pleased. I am Blessed! I want to say thank you to all the teachers, all those who helped those children. I can see some of these children are so good now. I am just looking at what will happen in a couple of years as they become better and better. Glory be to God! May the Lord bless you all, in Jesus Name, Amen. Mr Adeboyes own sermon for the day dwelt on Joseph, who he described as a classic example of someone born to shine. Joseph dreamt, he had a glimpse of his future and told his brethren; then war began, but he could not be destroyed, he said. His brothers threw him into a pit but the pit was dry and they didnt cover it to bury him, he continued and assured the congregation that there is no pit so deep that is beyond the everlasting arms of God. He gave an example of this with a personal testimony. There is one incident I recall very well. Each time I remember it, I shake. Even when I wake up in the night and somehow I remember it, I shudder before I say, God, I thank you. Some of you have heard the story before. I was very young then. In those days in our village, only two lorries ever came, so you could hear the sound of their entry far away before they arrived. White men were ruling us then, and there were some people digging gold in the surrounding area of my village. So, the white man would come once in a while in a jeep to collect the gold that had been dug. In those days, if a white man killed your child or knocked down your child and he died, you picked him up and ran, saying Thank you, thank you, because you didnt want to be arrested for being careless. They would say you were not careful with your child and could lock you up for that. In those days, we used to call them Alapadupe, i.e. after a white man has killed your child, you say thank you. Advertisements One fateful day, my eldest sister of blessed memory and I were coming from the village farm on the only road leading into the village, having fun by singing on our way. All of a sudden, we heard the sound of a vehicle. Before we knew what was happening, a white man had turned the corner in his jeep and was heading straight for us. My sister grabbed me and we jumped off the road. We landed in an abandoned pit where they had been digging for gold. Our hearts were beating fast, thumping, because we had narrowly escaped death from the Alapadupe. Hmm, just as the beatings of our hearts were beginning to subside, we heard a sound, the hissing of a snake. A black, poisonous snake was in the pit into which we had jumped. It was very angry that we had come to disturb it. I froze! My heart stopped beating and I was sure my sisters too had stopped beating. It seemed like hours, but it was only probably a minute when the snake, still hissing, crawled out of the pit and went away. See! I am still standing before you today by the Grace of God. Is there anybody who has ever had a close encounter with death? Continuing with the story of Joseph, he said he was later thrown into prison because he refused to commit adultery with the wife of his master, but even there he shone. If you belong to Christ, nobody can keep you in prison. Why? If they put you in prison you will come out; He will bring you out, he said, pointing out that another name of Jesus Christ is the Door, and there is no door that can hinder the Door. He concluded by noting that, the greatest thing, for those of us who are Christians, is not only that we can shine in the pit; we can shine in slavery; we can shine in prison; we can shine in the palace. The greatest thing is that we are going to shine before the King of kings. Ooh! Thats the greatest thing of all. The Nigerian Army, on Thursday, in its ongoing special operations in Zamfara State, said it killed seven armed bandits and arrested informants. The troops achieved this, in conjunction with the Nigerian Army Deep Blue Special Forces, the Nigerian Air Force Component and Vigilantes, the Army said in a statement. According to the statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, the spokesperson of the operation, Clement Abiade, a major, said the troops killed the bandits in a fierce encounter that ensued, while on a clearance operation in Aljumana Fulani and Ketere villages in Zamfara State. The bandits, who were armed with sophisticated automatic weapons were overpowered by the superior fire power of the troops, thus compelling the survivors among them to flee with gunshot wounds, abandoning their camp and logististics, which were destroyed by the troops, the release said. It said during the encounter, troops also recovered, 934 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, one AK 47 Rifle, one steel chain used by bandits to restrain kidnapped victims and seven motorcycles. In a separate sting operation, troops on patrol to Kara market in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State arrested a suspected informant who stealthily provides information to armed bandits in the general area. The arrest has further led to the bursting of three other suspected informants who are currently undergoing investigations with the relevant prosecuting security agencies, the statement added. It added that, however, during the operation, one soldier paid the supreme sacrifice (died), while six others and a vigilante, who sustained injuries have been evacuated to hospital for medical treatment. DUBAI, UAE, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Highlights: Acquisition follows a $120 million investment by General Atlantic in Property Finder in November 2018 investment by General Atlantic in Property Finder in Decision comes close on the heels of Property Finder increasing its stake to circa 40% in Turkish property portal Zingat Property Finder also announced the acquisition of competitor JRD Group in the UAE, this time last week Property Finder, the leading real estate portal in the MENA region, has recently acquired Bahrain Property World, a pioneering property portal in Bahrain. The Group has been operating through Propertyfinder.bh in the Bahrain market for over five years, making its foray into the country in 2013. This acquisition comes a few months after Property Finder raised $120 million in funding from private equity firm General Atlantic in November 2018. Michael Lahyani, CEO and Founder of Property Finder Group, said: "This is one of three high-powered strategic moves since closing our latest round of investment led by General Atlantic. The first being the increase in our share in Turkish portal Zingat, and our recent acquisition of UAE competitor JRD Group. We are very happy to further instill our confidence in the Bahrain region and continue to invest in a market in which we see a lot of potential and have been present since 2013." Lahyani said the acquisition would provide an opportunity to promote Bahrain property to Middle Eastern investors. ''It is also a testament of the potential growth that we expect from the country, where we want to continue to bring the best real estate listings and data to Bahrain citizens and residents.'' Lahyani added that this was another milestone that would help the Property Finder Group to further expand its footprint in the Middle East and North Africa. "Property professionals in Bahrain will have the opportunity to introduce their inventory in multiple markets where Property Finder Group has on-the-ground operations and a large audience of investors," the CEO and Founder said. Steven Filipowicz, Founder of Bahrain Property World, will continue to play a role and be involved in the day-to-day operations of the combined entity. "This is an exciting new chapter for my family and I. As a company, we are happy to join the Group and benefit from the vast experience, knowledge, extensive MENA network, advanced technology guidance and expertise that the Group of portals will provide to us. We look forward to an exciting future of synergies with Property Finder in Bahrain," said Filipowicz. About Property Finder www.propertyfinder.ae Property Finder is the leading digital real estate platform in the Middle East and North Africa region that facilitates the house hunting journey for both buyers and renters. Founded in 2007, the website has evolved over the years as the go-to platform for developers, real estate brokerages and house hunters to make informed decisions on all things real estate. A UAE-born startup, Property Finder has branched out of the country's shores and operates in a total of seven markets, including Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Egypt and Morocco, and has a significant stake in the second largest property portal in Turkey, which has over 6 million monthly visitors and more than 18,000 real estate agents. US private equity firm General Atlantic led Property Finder's latest round of investment of a total of $120 million in 2018. This is being used to hire further exceptional talent and investing in its technology and product capabilities. The property portal employs over 450 employees globally, of which 204 people work out of its Dubai office, and generates over six million monthly visits as a Group. In April 2019, Property Finder announced acquisition of JRD Group, following an increased investment in Turkish portal Zingat in April 2019. In 2014, Property Finder acquired eSimsar.com, the top property portal in Saudi Arabia, while in 2013, the Group bought out realestate.com.lb , the number 1 property portal in Lebanon, and lastly, the acquisition of Selektimmo, a Moroccan portal, to pad out sarouty.ma, Property Finder's Moroccan offering, in 2016. Related Links https://www.propertyfinder.ae/ SOURCE Property Finder Originally released by Schoolboy/SRC/Universal Motown, Asleep In The Bread Aisle features guests Cee-Lo Green, Busta Rhymes, Keri Hilson, Jazze Pha, Chester French, and New Kingdom. The album fuses Roth's influences spanning hip-hop, rock, and R&B for a masterpiece of contemporary popular music, featuring the double-Platinum hit "I Love College" and three more singles: "Lark on My Go-Kart," "Be By Myself," and "She Don't Wanna Man." Asleep In The Bread Aisle debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and is Gold-certified by the RIAA. "Asleep In The Bread Aisle as an album and the experiences it gave meas a major label debut and for my lifeit made me who I am, and led me to where I am right now," says Asher Roth. "It gave me the most insight into how the world works, and who I want to be in this world. Asleep In The Bread Aisle set me off on this crazy, 10 year journey." Read Urban Legends' exclusive new interview with Asher Roth here. In May, Asher Roth will tour to 13 cities in the UK and Europe for '10 YEARS OF BREAD WITH ASHER ROTH (A Celebration of Asleep In The Bread Aisle and Beyond)': MAY 9 London, UK 02 Islington Academy 10 Manchester, UK YES (The Pink Room) 11 Berlin, GER Gretchen 12 Frankfurt, GER Zoom 13 Cologne, GER YUCA 14 Nurnberg, GER ZBau 15 Prague, CZ Futurum Music Bar 17 Zurich, SWI Mascotte 18 Strasbourg, FRA Pelpass Festival 20 Hamburg, GER Knust 22 Amsterdam, NL Melkweg 24 Paris, FRA La Bellevilloise 25 Toulouse, FRA Le Rex https://retrohash.com/ twitter.com/asherroth instagram.com/asherroth facebook.com/asherroth Asher Roth: 'Asleep In The Bread Aisle' [1LP gold vinyl] SIDE A 1. Lark On My Go-Kart 2. Blunt Cruisin' 3. I Love College 4. La Di Da 5. Be By Myself (featuring Cee-Lo Green) 6. She Don't Wanna Man (featuring Keri Hilson) SIDE B 1. Sour Patch Kids 2. As I Em (featuring Chester French) 3. Lion's Roar (featuring Busta Rhymes and New Kingdom) 4. Bad Day (featuring Jazze Pha) 5. His Dream 6. Fallin' Asher Roth: 'Asleep In The Bread Aisle' [Deluxe Digital] 1. Lark On My Go-Kart 2. Blunt Cruisin' 3. I Love College 4. La Di Da 5. Be By Myself (featuring Cee-Lo Green) 6. She Don't Wanna Man (featuring Keri Hilson) 7. Sour Patch Kids 8. As I Em (featuring Chester French) 9. Lion's Roar (featuring Busta Rhymes and New Kingdom) 10. Bad Day (featuring Jazze Pha) 11. His Dream 12. Fallin' Bonus B-Sides 13. The Lounge 14. Y.O.U. 15. Perfectionist SOURCE SRC/UMe ST. LOUIS, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In late 2018, SmileDirectClub and Dr. D. Blaine Leeds (collectively "SmileDirectClub") filed a lawsuit against the Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama (the "Board") in federal court for the Northern District of Alabama. (See D. Blaine Leeds and SmileDirectClub v. Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama et al., Case No. 2:18-cv-01679-RDP.) The lawsuit arises out of a cease-and-desist letter sent to Dr. Leeds and SmileDirectClub by the Board after SmileDirectClub opened its first Alabama location in or around August of 2018. On January 9, 2019, the American Association of Orthodontists filed a motion seeking permission to file an Amicus Curiae Brief (friend of the court brief) in Support of the Alabama Board's Motion to Dismiss SmileDirectClub's lawsuit; supporting the position of the Board and its members in the lawsuit; and in opposition to the claims and arguments made by SmileDirectClub and Dr. Leeds. The AAO has a significant interest in the outcome of the case as it involves the health, safety, and well-being of patients seeking orthodontic care. On January 11, 2019, the Court granted the American Association of Orthodontists' Motion and allowed the American Association of Orthodontists to file its brief, which referenced alleged "Customer Complaints" regarding SmileDirectClub on the Better Business Bureau's website - https://www.bbb.org/us/tn/nashville/profile/cosmetic-dentistry/smiledirectclub-0573-37111672. (The AAO's Motion and Amicus Curiae Brief can be viewed here.) On April 17, 2019, the Court entered an order on the Alabama Board's Motion to Dismiss, and threw out six of SmileDirectClub's counts against the Board: [The Dental Board's] motion [to dismiss] is GRANTED with respect to the following claims: All [of SmileDirectClub's] claims against Defendant Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to terminate Defendant Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama . All [of SmileDirectClub's] claims against Defendants Adolphus M. Jackson , T. Gerald Walker , Douglas Beckham , Stephen R. Sticklin , Mark R. McIlwain , Kevin M. Sims , and Sherry S. Campbell (the "Board members") in their individual capacities are DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for failure to state a claim. [SmileDirectClub's] Equal Protection claims (Counts Five and Six) are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE for failure to state a claim. [SmileDirectClub's] Substantive Due Process claims (Counts Seven and Eight) are DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE for failure to state a claim. [SmileDirectClub's] Alabama Due Process claim (Count Nine) is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. To the extent [SmileDirectClub's] claim for a declaratory judgment in Count Ten is based on a violation of Alabama law, it is DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Defendants' motion [to dismiss] is DENIED with respect to the following claims: [SmileDirectClub's] Dormant Commerce Clause claims (Counts One and Two) against the Board members in their official capacities may proceed. [SmileDirectClub's] section 1 Sherman Act claims (Counts Three and Four) against the Board members in their official capacities may proceed. (Emphases added). View the full order here. Given the Court's Order, other than SmileDirectClub's count for injunctive relief, the remaining causes of action that SmileDirectClub and Dr. Leeds can legally continue to proceed with, although there have been no findings on the merits, are their Sherman Act and Dormant Commerce Clause claims against the Alabama Dental Board members in their official capacities ( not their individual capacities ). And even then, for SmileDirectClub's Sherman Act claims the Court stated that "[f]urther factual development will be required to determine whether the Board members are entitled to . . . immunity . The Board members may therefore raise the . . . immunity defense at a later stage in this litigation , in a motion for summary judgment, if appropriate." (p. 19) (emphases added). If the Court determines there is immunity, then the Sherman Act claims brought by SmileDirectClub and Dr. Leeds will fail as well. The American Association of Orthodontists' involvement as an amicus party, in the interests of the health, safety, and well-being of patients seeking orthodontic care, did not go unnoticed by the Court, which specifically referenced the American Association of Orthodontists in its Memorandum Opinion: . . . [SmileDirectClub and Dr. Leeds] cannot possibly mount a successful challenge to the Board's regulation under the deferential rational basis standard, and their equal protection and substantive due process claims therefore necessarily fail. Defendants and their amicus [the American Association of Orthodontists] have identified several legitimate goals for requiring the physical presence of a licensed dentist at facilities where [a digital intra-oral scanner] is used. Using [a digital intra-oral scanner] to make digital images of teeth is an intraoral procedure that involves inserting the device into patients' mouths. Hypothetical legitimate goals for requiring a dentist's physical presence at facilities where [a digital intra-oral scanner] is used include: (1) ensuring proper sterilization procedures are followed to prevent the spread of illness; (2) ensuring that a skilled, trained dentist is available in the event of a sudden medical emergency caused by the [digital intra-oral scanner] inadvertently dislodging a patient's crown; (3) ensuring that a licensed dentist has the opportunity to diagnose preexisting conditions that contraindicate the use of clear aligner therapy in the first place, such as gum disease; and (4) ensuring that a dentist can verify in real time that the [digital intra-oral scanner] is accurately capturing a patient's oral cavity, to avoid having the procedure repeated and to prevent patients from receiving clear aligners that were fabricated based on inaccurate images. All of these purposes are legitimate state interests that could justify the Board's regulation. Moreover, a rational basis undoubtedly exists for believing that the regulation would further those hypothesized purposes. Rational arguments exist that requiring a licensed dentist to be physically present at facilities where [a digital intra-oral scanner] is used would advance each of the interests identified above. . . . (pg. 41). View the full Memorandum Opinion here. The American Association of Orthodontists has also submitted an amicus brief in the Georgia lawsuit involving SmileDirectClub. See SmileDirectClub, LLC v. Georgia Board of Dentistry et al., Case No. 1:18-cv-02328 (N.D. Ga.). About the American Association of Orthodontists Founded in 1900, the AAO is the world's oldest and largest dental specialty organization. It represents more than 19,000 orthodontist members throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. AAO member orthodontists have successfully completed an accredited orthodontic residency program, after previously graduating from dental school. As a professional organization, the AAO is dedicated to, among other goals: (a) ethically advancing the art and science of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics worldwide; (b) improving the health of the public by promoting quality orthodontic care, the importance of overall oral healthcare, and advocating for the public interest; and (c) educating the public about the benefits of orthodontic treatment and the educational qualifications of orthodontic specialists. For more information visit aaoinfo.org, which includes the AAO's "Questions to Consider When Researching Direct-To-Consumer Orthodontic Companies." Comprehensive orthodontic treatment is a complex medical process, and the AAO has long held the position that it is in the best, and safest, interest of the public to have that treatment conducted under the direct and ongoing supervision of a licensed orthodontist. SOURCE American Association of Orthodontists Related Links https://www.aaoinfo.org TALLAHASSEE, Fla., April 22, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With out-of-pocket costs rising for patients, policymakers at the state and federal level are focused on finding solutions to lower costs. The Oncology Managers of Florida, a statewide professional organization committed to providing information and educational support as well as implementing changes in medical policies and governmental issues for oncology practice managers in Florida, urges policymakers to oppose drug importation proposals that could put Floridians at risk. "If we rush to resolve our long-standing issues of the rising out-of-pocket costs by importing drugs both from Canada and abroad, we are placing all Floridians at risk," said Michelle Flowers, President of the Oncology Managers of Florida. "There are several other proposals being discussed, such as ensuring the billions of dollars in rebates are seen in direct out-of-pocket costs by the patient at the pharmacy counter." In the past four years, Florida oncologists have been prosecuted in Federal courts for purchasing black market and/or counterfeit medications for use in their practice and placing their patients' lives at risk. Florida has had issues with counterfeit/adulterated medications since the mid-1990s. During that time, oncologists purchased the drug Procrit, used to stimulate the growth of red blood cells for use in patients receiving chemotherapy, from a wholesale distributer to later discover certain lots of the medication had been tampered with prior to reaching the distribution network, and posed serious risks to their patients. The FDA is responsible for ensuring that food, drugs, biological products, and medical devices are effective and safe for public consumption. They prohibit any drug from being introduced or delivered into interstate commerce unless approved by the FDA. The supply or distribution chain allows numerous opportunities for drugs to become mishandled or adulterated, whether in the United States or abroad. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, MD, who recently stepped down as Director of the FDA, shared on social media that he has "seen too many cases where intermediaries purporting to import Canadian drugs really source drugs from unreliable parties and counterfeiters. Just because they say a drug is from a physical Canadian pharmacy, too often that's false advertising." This sentiment is shared by the federal Health and Human Services as well, with no Secretary ever supporting an importation proposal. In a recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal, the Editorial Board indicated that the importation proposal was "impractical, unsafe and unlikely to reduce prices at the pharmacy." The editorial continues on the ramifications of this proposal, "This is a dangerous moment for the world's most productive and dynamic market for medicine." About the Oncology Managers of Florida: The Oncology Managers of Florida is a statewide professional organization committed to providing information and educational support as well as implementing changes in medical policies and governmental issues for oncology practice managers in Florida. Learn more by visiting www.omflorida.org. SOURCE Oncology Managers of Florida Related Links http://www.omflorida.org TORONTO, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing Bitcoin's energy consumption is completely unsustainable, a group of hackers created an eco-friendly iteration of the cryptocurrency known as PIVX. It offers the fundamentals of Bitcoin, but with a faster, cheaper and more efficient way to transact and earn using the environmentally friendly Proof of Stake (PoS) protocol. The PIVX network uses such little electricity, it could be completely powered by a single wind turbine. PIVX is an eco-friendly fork of Bitcoin whose entire network could be powered by just one single wind turbine. Apparently, the only thing Bitcoin lovers hate more than government-backed currencies is the environment. The disruptive digital currency has brought tremendous innovation with how it transfers value securely, quickly and without the need for a third party, but not without other significant costs. Bitcoin produces more Co2 in a year than one million transatlantic flights. In more relatable terms, one single Bitcoin transaction uses enough power for 13 American homes for an entire week. According to Princeton computer scientist Arvind Narayanan's testimony to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Bitcoin is now responsible for nearly one percent of global energy consumption. The Inefficiency of Mining Bitcoin This issue is connected to the algorithm used to "mine" Bitcoin transactions, known as Proof of Work, which requires a seemingly insatiable hunger for computer power that has led to wealthy miners setting up enormous facilities just to house more machines. The solution is simple: change the way coins are mined. The execution of that solution is far from simple, yet it's already been done by a global group of hackers behind the cryptocurrency known as PIVX. PIVX is an evolution of the Bitcoin code that embraces the best parts of the technology while making improvements in areas that could be better. One significant improvement is the move away from Bitcoin's power-hungry "Proof of Work" algorithm to majorly reduce energy consumption. Ethereum Founder Embraces Proof of Stake PIVX uses an alternative method to "mine" coins known as Proof of Stake that even major players in the space such as Ethereum and EOS (a combined market cap of over $21.8 billion) are incorporating it into their blockchains. This is a move that Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin believes will significantly reduce Ethereum's carbon footprint noting blockchains sharding based on proof-of-stake is "thousands of times more efficient." Proof of Stake allows participation in the network without having costly mining equipment. An average PIVX holder can connect their wallet and PIVX holding to the network to earn staking rewards, all on a regular personal computer. The entire PIVX network, which has approximately the same number of nodes as the Bitcoin network, could be powered by a single wind turbine, making it not only more energy efficient but cost effective as well. Their Bitcoin mining counterparts require major equipment and pricey electricity bills that can reach into the millions for industrial mining operations. A Protocol For All, Not Just Wealthy Miners PIVX's Proof of Stake protocol also allows for Masternode owners (10,000 PIV / Masternode) to vote on PIVX proposals. This decentralized style of governance helps to encourage sustainable solutions to the maintenance of the network with a diverse group of stakeholders not just a few wealthy Bitcoin miners. Cryptocurrency brings tremendous benefits to society as long as we focus on protocols with efficiency and sustainability in mind. Bitcoin mining in its current iteration just won't cut it. PIVX stands for Private Instant Verified Transaction and is a community-centric cryptocurrency with a focus on decentralization, privacy and real-world use. PIVX is a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) with no full-time team, no headquarters and no executives. It is governed and run by the PIVX cryptocurrency community. For more information: www.PIVX.org or visit our YouTube channel. For media statements or interview requests for the PIVX team, contact Global PIVX Ambassador and PR Spokesperson Kelsey Cole - [email protected]. Related Images environmentally-friendly.jpg Environmentally friendly Cryptocurrencies? PIVX is an eco-friendly fork of Bitcoin whose entire network could be powered by just one single wind turbine. Related Links PIVX Website PIVX YouTube SOURCE PIVX Related Links http://www.PIVX.org "We've received a lot of feedback from customers who have asked for an exclusive device variant of the BlackBerry KEY2, and we're happy to respond by delivering the BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition to customers in the U.S.," said Eric Anderson, General Manager for TCL Communication, North America. "In addition to a new color, this limited edition BlackBerry-branded smartphone comes with increased memory, specialized headphones and new styling, all while providing the reliability, productivity and security our customers have come to expect from this brand." Powered by Android, the all-new, beautifully crafted BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition includes support for popular features like Google Lens and Google Pay, and comes with the recently introduced Google Assistant profile in the Convenience Key. With the Google Assistant profile in the Convenience Key, it's now easier than ever to manage tasks, plan your day, make a phone call, send a message or control your home IoT devices. It also features a dual rear camera and the popular Speed Key, while packing some extra performance with 6GB of memory and 128GB of storage. The limited Red Edition will also launch with a Hub+ software refresh which includes a UX update giving the productivity suite a modern and stylized look. It also features a new Action bar added to the bottom of the Hub+ applications - improving ergonomics by giving users quick access to primary features like search, sort, and compose. BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition is available now on Amazon and Best Buy for $699, and also includes a special edition set of red BlackBerry-branded earbuds. For more information on the BlackBerry KEY2 Red Edition and the other BlackBerry-branded smartphones from TCL Communication, please visit www.BlackBerryMobile.com. About TCL Communication TCL Communication Technology Holdings Limited (TCL Communication) designs, manufactures and markets an expanding portfolio of mobile devices and services worldwide through a comprehensive, multi-brand portfolio that includes TCL, Alcatel and BlackBerry branded products. Additionally, TCL Communication is the brand owner, R&D developer and manufacturing partner of Palm branded devices. The company's products are sold in more than 160 countries throughout North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Incorporated in Hong Kong, TCL Communication operates its own manufacturing in China as well as global R&D centers. For more information, please visit www.tclcom.com. TCL is a registered trademark of TCL Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Alcatel is a trademark of Nokia used under license by TCL Communication. Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, used under license, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services. Palm is a trademark owned by TCL Communication and under license by Palm Ventures Group through Wide Progress Global. SOURCE TCL Communication Related Links http://www.tclcom.com CEDAR CITY, Utah, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday issued a Mortgagee Letter that restricts down payment assistance provided by nationwide governmental entities, discriminates against Native Americans, and will substantially harm consumers especially minorities who rely on such help to become homeowners. The Letter prohibits national housing finance agencies owned by Native American tribes from providing down payment assistance to anyone except tribal members purchasing properties on their own reservation. That restriction effectively puts such organizations out of business immediately. "HUD's appalling new guidelines put Indians back on the reservation and deal a heavy blow to Native Americans' efforts to establish businesses that provide jobs and revenue for our people," said Bobby Rowser, a board member of the Cedar Band Corporation, which operates the down payment assistance provider known as CBC Mortgage Agency and is wholly owned by the Cedar Band of Paiutes of Utah. "Let's be clear: This painful government action will cause serious erosion of Native American progress toward self-determination." Rowser said the CBC Mortgage Agency would seek an order barring implementation of HUD's new policy in federal court as soon as possible. In advancing the policy change, HUD officials claimed that federally chartered tribal entities such as CBC Mortgage Agency pose a risk to the FHA's Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF), simply because these housing finance agencies operate nationally. But HUD has no data to support this conclusion, and targeting Native American down payment assistance programs to put them out of business will do nothing to protect the solvency of the MMIF. "Aside from its discriminatory effect, this new policy fails to do anything to reduce risk associated with FHA-insured mortgages," said Paul Terry, chief executive officer of the Cedar Band Corporation. "HUD is using that claim as a smokescreen to obscure its real intent, and it's consumers who will suffer." Terry noted that the Mortgagee Letter, which takes effect immediately, will create chaos for borrowers who have recently been approved to receive down payment assistance to purchase homes, and for lenders who currently have loans in the pipeline. He added that minority borrowers, in particular, will be disadvantaged by the new HUD policy. Under federal rules, borrowers must put down 3.5% toward the purchase of a home to obtain an FHA-insured mortgage. Borrowers who lack sufficient funds can seek down payment assistance from friends and family, governmental entities (i.e., national, state and local housing finance agencies), and nonprofit organizations. Data show that minority borrowers rely more heavily than other homebuyers on down payment assistance programs offered by governmental entities. Statistics show that more than half of the loans made through CBC Mortgage Agency's Chenoa Fund, for example, are provided to minority borrowers. Since 1934, the federal government has embraced a policy of self-determination and self-governance toward Native American tribes. Under the policy, Native American tribal organizations have been encouraged to establish businesses and operate them, without geographic limitations, in order to provide for themselves. The new policy unveiled by HUD contradicts that policy and sets a damaging precedent. Moreover, HUD failed to comply with Executive Order 13175 and HUD's own policy, which require that federal agencies engage in tribal consultation before they make a policy change that would affect a Native American tribe. Instead, the new policy was released quietly in the mortgagee letter, a clear attempt to avoid the requirements of an Office of Management and Budget memorandum issued April 11. Under the memorandum, federal agencies will be required to submit all regulatory guidance materials to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs for review prior to publication. Contact: Doug Elmets 916-329-9180 SOURCE Cedar Band Corporation CORONA, Calif., April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Crafter's Companion is celebrating after winning a prestigious award from US TV shopping network, HSN. The company received the Merchandising Excellence accolade, in the Home category of HSN's Vendor of the Year Awards, out of hundreds of the network's partners across various segments including food, clothing, accessories and more. Sara Davies, MBW HSN's annual awards celebrate the vendors that exceed expectations for the network and its customers, in addition to delivering consistent sales through innovative growth strategies. Crafter's Companion has partnered with HSN, which is now owned by QVC, for more than 11 years. This is the first time Crafter's Companion has won the Merchandising Excellence award. The company was commended for its customer-centered approach, commitment and ongoing support of the channel. Crafter's Companion was also praised for supporting the network with engaging and insightful on-air presentations; fostering a community of avid fans with interaction on social media platforms in addition to its dedicated TV team, which provides educational and inspiring content through comprehensive online magazines, videos and project blog posts. Sara Davies MBE, founder of Crafter's Companion and the company's US CEO, Gary Barbee, travelled to QVC's Philadelphia-based headquarters to receive the award. Sara said: "We work very closely with HSN's buying team, to ensure that our products and demonstrations are as exciting, educational and as inspirational as possible. We put a great deal of work into engaging the customer, both on and off air, and in walking her through the many exciting things that she can do with our products, which I think really sets us apart from other vendors in this category. This encompasses everything from our e-brochures, the way the product is displayed on screen and how we explain different functions and techniques through finished samples, in addition to promotions on our social media sites, all of which we support HSN with on a regular basis. This is such a huge achievement for Crafter's Companion but winning this award has definitely been a team effort. There are lots of people at our company who dedicate their time and effort to make sure that the journey from product design to hitting the screen is as seamless as possible. I would like to thank HSN for recognizing everyone's hard work and also a huge thank you to my incredible team. Without them none of these fantastic achievements would be possible." Notes to editors Crafter's Companion is a market-leading craft retailer headquartered in the North-East of England. Founded in 2005, the company now employs more than 180 staff and exports products to more than 40 countries across Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and North and South America. Having traditionally sold its products online, through independent retailers and on TV shopping channels across the world, Crafter's Companion opened its first three UK stores between 2016 and 2017. For more information, please contact Ashleigh Vincent 011 +44 13 8866 3251 [email protected] or Mel Joyce [email protected] SOURCE CC International, LLC VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vancouver-based retail cryptocurrency brokerage Bittreo today announced it will begin offering its crypto brokerage software in June of this year. Bittreo's new SaaS (Software as a Service) product will greatly simplify the process for anyone starting a retail crypto brokerage, anywhere across the globe. Yum Kasukawa, Co-Founder of Bittreo underlined the benefits of having a physical location; Bittreo "This is a game-changer for global crypto adoption. The main obstacles facing the mainstream adoption of cryptocurrencies are a lack of trust and difficult access. Our physical location where investors can transact face to face with trusted professionals solves both of those problems." Kasukawa continues; "By using our software, we can empower entrepreneurs to start their own retail crypto locations, anywhere in the world. We envision thousands of businesses using our software across the globe providing access to a trusted source for cryptocurrency to millions of customers." Key Features Some of the main highlights of the Bittreo software include the ability to connect via API to a host of exchanges, execute trades in real time, record transactions, automate receipts, store customer data, manage user roles and permissions, and perform extensive business intelligence reporting. While this is standard for software platforms for traditional industries such as currency exchanges, nothing like this exists for the crypto industry. Bittreo developed this SaaS, based on their first-hand experience operating a retail crypto brokerage. Since December 2017, Bittreo has operated a highly successful retail location in Vancouver, BC. In 2018 alone, Bittreo's retail sales at this location exceeded $20M. Bittreo has surpassed all odds by recording their first year of business in 2018, (a relentless bear market) yet still achieving such impressive sales, really underlining how well developed their retail model for cryptocurrency is. The company now anticipates strong demand for its software offering in 2019, and beyond. Malcolm Weed, Co-Founder of Bittreo explains the level of response from the Industry since Bittreo's launch; "The response has been overwhelmingly positive. Since the first day we opened Bittreo in Vancouver, we've had numerous requests from customers, industry peers and businesses to help them open their own crypto brokerages across Canada, the U.S., Europe and as far as Australia." Weed continues; "Whether someone wants to open their own Bittreo location, build their own brand or integrate our software into their existing business, we can help. Now that we've officially announced June 1st as our launch date, we anticipate even more signups to the waitlist on our website." Bittreo's Vancouver location is clearly a proven use case for their business model. If enough entrepreneurs can replicate this by utilizing Bittreo's software, this really could be a turning point for global crypto adoption. ABOUT BITTREO Bittreo is a Vancouver based crypto retailer committed to helping people trade and invest in cryptocurrency. Its retail brokerage in Vancouver is a trusted location where people can buy and sell cryptocurrencies in person. The company is the first to offer Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) that empowers anyone to start a retail crypto brokerage anywhere in the world. Bittreo strives to become a multi-faceted financial services company for crypto, offering retail trading services at its physical brokerage and online through its trading platform. For more information, visit the website. Media Contact Info Contact Name: Yum Kasukawa Phone: 604-559-9499 Email: [email protected] For more information, visit the Bittreo website https://bittreo.com Check out the Bittreo Blog https://bittreo.com/blog Connect with Bittreo on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Bittreo Connect with Bittreo on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bittreo Stay up to date with Bittreo on Twitter https://twitter.com/bittreo Bittreo is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. Related Images image1.jpg Related Links Bittreo SOURCE Bittreo Related Links https://bittreo.com SINGAPORE, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Singapore-based global derivatives exchange Bybit has launched a new Trading Competition for users to match their skills against one another in the hunt for over $6,000 in total prize money. The trading competition will see participants demonstrate their trading mastery in an attempt to place among the top 5 traders at the end of the period to qualify for a prize pool worth over 6,000 USD, and the 1st place prize is 3000 USD. Bybit The best traders will be calculated using 'Realized Profit and Loss,' which means that all traders can fairly participate, regardless of factors like trading volume. Interested Individuals can join by following Bybit on Twitter, retweeting the Competition Poster, having at least 0.02BTC in deposits in a Bybit account, and filling out a brief registration form. Bybit will DM all participants on Twitter to confirm registration and send out a $20 Competition Bonus. The registration will take place from April 8th to 15th and the competition will run from April 15th to May 6th. Additionally, any weekly retweets of the campaign posters from April 8th to May 6th will enter participants into a Weekly Raffle to win a Ledger Nano S. For a full list of terms see here. Welcome Bonus Bybit is also offering a Welcome Bonus to all new traders so they may try out the platform at no risk to themselves. The Welcome Bonus will reward new users registering on the platform with a $10 Bonus and an additional $50 Trading Bonus with an initial deposit of at least 0.2 BTC for a grand total of $60 of Trading Bonus. Only the initial BTC deposit will count towards the Trading Bonus. The Trading Bonus is a margin amount transferred directly to client's Bitcoin wallets and is meant to be used for trading on the platform. It cannot be withdrawn but can be used for trading fees, order margin, funding fees and to cover potential losses. Profits made from the Trading Bonus can be freely withdrawn, but doing so would forfeit any Bonus remaining About Bybit Bybit is a global cryptocurrency derivatives exchange established in March 2018 and registered in the BVI. It is headquartered in Singapore and has offices in Hong Kong and Taiwan. We have users from all over the world including North America, Europe, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. We are focused on serving everyone from individual retail clients to professional derivatives traders. Our technology team includes experts from numerous leading companies such as Morgan Stanley, Tencent, Ping'an Bank and Nuoya Fortune. Our liquidity ranks second because we put our clients first. To these ends, we provide a professional 24/7 multi-language online customer support and direct access to our CEO via Twitter. Our matching engine never overloads with over 100,000 TPS dedicated to every single trading pair, and our servers are never down with our grey release feature and hot patches released on the go. Lastly, all funds are kept safe with our Hierarchical Deterministic Cold Wallet System storing all assets. All of these and much more are what makes Bybit committed to creating a fair, transparent and efficient trading environment for all. Currently, the products on the platform include BTC/USD and ETH/USD perpetual contracts and Bybit will soon launch EOS/USD, XPR/USD and LTC/USD perpetual contracts. Find out more about Bybit on the Official Website - https://www.bybit.com/?regist_channel=PR2 Chat on Telegram - https://t.me/BybitTradingChat Check out Bybit on Twitter - https://twitter.com/Bybit_Official Follow Bybit on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/bybit-fintech-limited/ Follow Bybit on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bybitfintech/?modal=admin_todo_tour Stay up to date on Medium - https://medium.com/bybit Media Contact Details Contact Name: Joseph Imbruglia Contact Email: [email protected] Bybit is the source of this content. Virtual currency is not legal tender, is not backed by the government, and accounts and value balances are not subject to consumer protections. This press release is for informational purposes only. The information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. Related Images image1.png Related Links Bybit SOURCE Bybit Related Links https://www.bybit.com CLEVELAND, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Goldman Scarlato & Penny investor rights lawyers have filed claims in arbitration on behalf of former clients of former registered representative Darrin B. Farrow for alleged sales of unlawful investments in a cannabis business. The claims were filed against a broker-dealer firm that employed Darrin Farrow as its agent at the time of the alleged conduct. According to the Statement of Claims, filed in FINRA arbitration, Farrow improperly sold to his former clients unregistered investments in a company called MAD Oregon, LLC, established to grow and supply legally grown cannabis in Oregon. Thereafter, Farrow switched the investors from MAD Oregon to Green Mile Enterprises. Cleveland securities attorney Alan Rosca and his colleagues have filed claims on behalf of Farrow's former customers seeking compensation for their losses from the stockbrokerage firm that employed Farrow and had a duty to supervise his securities sales. Farrow made his sales recommendations to those investors from the office of the brokerage firm that employed him, according to the claims. The Goldman Scarlato & Penny investor rights lawyers are continuing their investigation into this matter. Former customers of Farrow who invested in MAD Oregon and/or Green Mile may contact attorney Rosca or his colleagues to provide useful information or with any questions about such investments. No allegations are being made as to MAD Oregon or Green Mile. What Farrow Investors May Do If you lost money through your investments with Darrin Farrow in MAD Oregon or Green Mile, you should call the Goldman Scarlato & Penny attorneys Alan Rosca or Paul Scarlato to provide useful information or for a free evaluation of your legal options. The Goldman Scarlato & Penny law firm represents investors who lose money as a result of investment-related misconduct. The firm takes most cases of this type on a contingency fee basis and advances the case costs. There are no fees or costs if no recovery. Farrow investors may contact attorney Alan Rosca for a free no-obligation evaluation of their recovery options, at 888-998-0530 , via email at [email protected]. For more information about the Goldman Scarlato & Penny firm and attorneys, including their areas of practice and admissions, visit https://investorlawyers.org/. Attorney advertising. SOURCE Goldman Scarlato & Penny, P.C. Related Links http://www.investorlawyers.org Mr. Han Fangming, Vice Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the CPPCC National Committee; Mr. Gang Qing, Head of Tibet's Cultural Department; Ms. Lin Tong, Director of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Division of Sichuan Culture and Tourism Bureau; Mr. Hu Jianhua, Deputy Inspector of Chengdu Culture, Broadcast Television, and Tourism Bureau; Mr. Zhu Bo, Deputy District Head of Chengdu Jinjiang District; Mr. Fang Kun, the Co-founder of Tihho Art, Councilor of the Tibet Cultural Protection and Development Association, and artists from home and abroad attended the opening ceremony. The exhibition offers public the opportunity to discover the Himalayas, and experience Tibet like never before. Chengdu IFS has been dedicated to presenting a diversified art scene with an international perspective since 2014. As Ms. Christina Hau, Wharf China Estates Limited Assistant Director and General Manager (Retail Leasing & Operations), said: "Discover Himalayas is not simply an art exhibition, rather it conveys the history and today of Tibet and represents a new voice from the ancient oriental civilization to the world. Given our position and influence in international culture, we intend to present the allure of Tibetan contemporary art, its splendid and diverse ethnic cultures, to visitors from far and wide. We firmly believe the culture of a nation is also the culture of the world, part of Chengdu IFS mission and our commitment is to promote artistic diversity." The exhibition is divided into two parts. At Chengdu IFS L1 Antiquity Plaza, a pop-up art gallery has been set up for just 17 days, creating an art-filled oasis amid the bustling chaos of the city. Inspired by the five spiritual forces of Tibet namely, earth, water, fire, wind and space the exhibition curates a one-stop experience through a variety of diverse art genres. Masterpieces from 10 artists constitute a feast for the senses, taking the viewer on a voyage, an exploration of iconic Himalayan scenes that includes paintings, installations, photographs, and videos. The Italian artist Leonardo Ulian, who made a name for himself with his Technological Mandala series of artworks, crafted a massive installation for the exhibition, paying tribute to the culture and wisdom of Himalayan. World renowned Tibetan artists Gonkar Gyatso and Gade have bridged tradition and modernity with paintings of real imagination and creativity. Adding to the ensemble are photographs and video exhibits from Damdul, Shen Yunyao and Liang Chunning, which will no doubt reshape perceptions of Tibet. Chengdu IFS L7 Art Gallery whisked visitors off to a tranquil world. Key figures on Tibetan contemporary art scene such as Pei Zhuangxin collaborated with celebrated Tibetan artists Wang Qian, Tsering Namgyal, Dechen, Tsering Nyandak, Wu Yao; and upcoming artists like Mi Qiaoming, Huang Wei, Hou Xiaohui, Sonam Tsering and Gandig, together painting a panoramic view of Tibet's cultural development with their works. Visitors not only have the opportunity to appreciate Tibetan contemporary art, they can also place orders, with the help of on-site professional art consultants. The nearby gift shop also offers distinctive Tibetan cultural products. Discover Himalayas is jointly curated by Chengdu IFS and Tihho Art. As the title implies, the exhibition is a journey to demystify and embrace Tibetan contemporary culture. Exhibition visitors will take on the role of explorers, trekking through the pristine mountains and waters of the Himalayas in landscapes that combine ancient wisdom with a spirit of modernism, to discover a Tibet that is beyond their imagination. - End - About Chengdu IFS Chengdu IFS (Chengdu International Finance Square) is located in the central business district of Hongxing Road, a prime location in Chengdu, where the city's two most prosperous main roads (Hongxing Road and Dacisi Road) intersect. It is an urban complex with a total construction area of over 760,000 square-meters, including a 210,000 square-meter flagship shopping center, a 291,000 square-meter Grade A office building, the Niccolo with 230 guest rooms, and the IFS Residences - upscale serviced residences covering 76,000 square-meters. Chengdu IFS, due to its global leading architectural design, won the VIVA Design & Development award presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) in 2016, thus ranking Chengdu IFS as one of the first Chinese commercial real estate projects with a top global honor. The Chengdu IFS flagship shopping centre contains over 600 brands, more than 100 of which are appearing in Chengdu or Southwest China for the first time. As the most upscale and international one-stop shopping center in Western China, Chengdu IFS gathers numerous international top fashion brands, jewelry & watch shops, fashion and garment brands, children's clothing and supplies, a Lane Crawford Department Store, the Ice & Joy skating rink, the UA IMAX movie theater, and moreover, features numerous restaurants and a Global Food Court, offering consumers an international and diversified experience without needing to leave the city. Chengdu IFS will always adhere to the Innovative - Fabulous - Sharing concept, and continue to inject new vigor into the city. About Tihho Art Tihho, or Tibetan Minshi Communications Limited, is a treasured cultural brand in China's Tibetan Autonomous Region. The company showcases Tibetan culture, and is a prominent member of the Tibetan Cultural Industry Association. Since 2014, we have been dedicated to promoting Himalayan culture and art by closely collaborating with some of the world's best contemporary artists. Working with the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, CPC Party Committee in Tibet, and local government, Tihho has held numerous exhibitions that have promoted Tibetan art across the globe. The company is the proud owner of Tibet's first international exhibition brand, "Manifestations of Buddha."In cooperation with the Tibetan Cultural Office, we have curated events such as, "Windows of Tibetan Culture," in Shanghai and Shenzhen, in addition to developing cultural products that contribute to the development of Tibet's artistic resources. Tihho also took part in co-founding the region's first cultural fund, the "Tibet Songhe Tihho Cultural Industry Investment Fund."Our joint project with Peking University, "Peking University Startup Training Camp Lhasa Base," is fast becoming the region's top incubator. For more information about Chengdu IFS, please contact us through: WeChat Service Account: ChengduIFS; WeChat subscription ID: ChengduIFSMall Weibo: @ChengduIFS Website: www.cdifs.cn For more information about Tihho Art, please contact us through: Email: [email protected] WeChat Service Account: TihhoArt Website: www.tihho.com SOURCE Chengdu IFS CHICAGO, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Feeding America, the nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, presented the 2019 Hunger's Hope Awards at their annual conference this week in Phoenix, Arizona. With a mission to feed America's hungry, Feeding America is a network of 200 member food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that provide food assistance to more than 40 million people each year. Each food bank operates independently but collectively distributed the equivalent of 4.3 billion meals to people in need last year. Feeding America's 2019 Award Winners include: 2019 Member of the Year Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit was recognized by Feeding America as Member of the Year for demonstrating diversity in its scope of work, with innovation across all areas of their food bank. "Gleaners Community Food Bank is an incredible organization that is making a huge impact in the lives of people in need in the Detroit area," said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. "We congratulate President and CEO Gerry Brisson along with the entire Gleaners' team for their dedication to ending hunger. From their focus on empowering children through education and volunteerism, engaging with volunteers, emphasizing fresh produce and nutritious food, to educating their community and partners in the work they do, Gleaners is a shining example of the difference a food bank can make in their community." Gleaners Community Food Bank was also cited for their perseverance and collaboration in opening doors to stronger relationships and building trust with their partners and with other food banks. 2019 John van Hengel Fellow Brian Greene, president and chief executive officer of Houston Food Bank is this year's recipient of the John van Hengel Fellowship. The award honors the ideals of the late John van Hengel, who developed the concept of food banking in the 1960s. It recognizes an executive of a member food bank for his or her excellence in leadership, local impact and national influence, and entrepreneurial spirit in the area of hunger relief. Greene has served the Feeding America network for 30 years, holding the top post at the Houston Food Bank since 2005. Before moving to Houston, Greene was the executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana for 12 years and held the same position at the Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee in Knoxville for five years prior to that. In addition to a successful and respected career at three food banks, Greene has served on numerous Feeding America Network committees, the National Council and on Feeding America's Board. Outside of his food bank role, he has been active in the Global Food Bank Network and is an adjunct professor and serves as an Advisory Board Member for University of Houston Downtown's College of Humanities and Social Sciences. "Brian embodies an unwavering commitment to ending hunger and bettering the lives of the people in his community," said Babineaux-Fontenot. "During his tenure, the Houston Food Bank has become the largest food bank in the country, distributing more than 122 million nutritious meals to people in need. They have expanded programs and operations, and provided incredible support to victims of natural disasters including, most recently, Hurricane Harvey. Brian recognizes the power of the national network and supports other food banks through mentorship and guidance because he understands that only together can we truly end hunger in America." 2019 Living Our Values Award Nineteen food banks were recognized with the Living Our Values Award for their outstanding commitment to the Feeding America network during the federal government shutdown earlier this year. Feeding America established a Shutdown Response Fund to support food banks that experience an increased need for food assistance due to the government shutdown. These 19 member food banks were awarded grants from the response fund but declined all or some of the funding because they knew there were other network member food banks who were in greater need of support. Their selfless efforts exemplify the Feeding America values of leadership, learning and excellence. "We want to highlight these nineteen food banks for their efforts to put the people facing hunger first, regardless of what part of the country they live," said Babineaux-Fontenot. "They wanted to make sure their network peers, who they knew needed the help, could get the most support during the shutdown." The nineteen food banks recognized are: Banco de Alimentos de Puerto Rico Community Food Bank of Central Alabama Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma Community Food Warehouse of Mercer County Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana East Texas Food Bank Feeding America Riverside|San Bernardino Counties Feeding America West Michigan Feeding America, Kentucky's Heartland Food Bank of Alaska Food Bank of Central New York God's Pantry Food Bank Golden Harvest Food Bank Greater Lansing Food Bank Kansas Food Bank North Country Food Bank, Inc. Placer Food Bank Tri-State Food Bank Worcester County Food Bank About Feeding America Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Contact Zuani Villarreal (312) 641-6532 SOURCE Feeding America Related Links http://www.feedingamerica.org CINCINNATI, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile Agent Now, a leader in leveraging insights from online consumer reviews and comments to drive business action, today released a report titled: "Getting 'Dollar Shave Clubbed': How Natural Brands' Search Dominance Is a Trojan Horse for Mass brands". Mobile Agent Now Every brand knows the cautionary tale of Dollar Shave Club and its impact on the iconic brand of Gillette. Dollar Shave Club was founded in 2011. Four years after their launch, Gillette still had not responded even when Dollar Shave Club had over a million users. While brands across categories are now paying closer attention to smaller players in part as a result of the lessons from this very visible example, the "Getting 'Dollar Shave Clubbed'" study reveals the significant threat posed to mass consumer goods brands in one of the fastest growing segments: Naturals. That threat from these niche 'naturals' brands is emerging in search, which is often under the radar of mass brands. Based on research across 21 consumer goods categories on Amazon, the top 10 non-paid search results of 'natural' (e.g. natural laundry detergent, natural pet food, etc.) reveals compelling insights: Emerging 'natural' brands have just over 90 percent of organic search results vs <10 percent share for mass 'natural' brands; vs <10 percent share for mass 'natural' brands; Emerging 'natural' brands have 3x the number of median reviews over their Mass Natural brand counterparts; Emerging 'natural' brands have a higher average star rating than Mass Natural Brands: 4.18 compared to 3.97. "With 62 percent of consumers going to Amazon first to search on products, and online searches for all things natural increasing, the dominant search position of emerging 'naturals' brands should be a wake-up call for mass brands," said Mark Jeffreys, CEO Mobile Agent Now. "Add on top of that that these emerging brands have more reviews and higher ratings than mass 'natural' brands on the largest eCommerce platform in the U.S. makes the threat even more compelling. Mass brands cannot afford to let these smaller emerging natural brands get a beachhead," added Mr. Jeffreys. The report drills down into each category to identify trends. There are some higher involvement categories for example, those offering products for children where Mass 'natural' brands fair better but still below their 'fair share' of search. There are other categories where mass brands do not even show up. In fact, 43 percent of the categories did not have one mass natural brand appear in the top 10 search results. The results of this study are important for a number of reasons: Consumer interest in 'naturals' is exploding across all categories, providing opportunities for mass brands, but also posing a threat for brands that are not positioned to win in that segment; Mass brands cannot afford to have these emerging 'natural' brands get a beachhead; With an average of 1,082 reviews across these emerging 'natural' brands, mass brands have an opportunity to mine those reviews for insights. Each of these reviews is a gold mine that can help identify competitive vulnerability of these emerging brands and power innovation by providing a roadmap for claims, product differentiation opportunities and marketing innovation. Given limited data on sales rates and consumer feedback, it's often not until emerging competitors start to achieve critical mass until they are noticed and then it can be too late ala Dollar Shave Club. "Getting Dollar Shave Clubbed" reveals the by-category data that enables mass brands in these categories to better compete. To further explore the study, visit Mobile Agent Now's website: https://mobileagentnow.com About Mobile Agent Now Mobile Agent Now exists to help brands drive sales by leveraging reviews. Its proprietary Insights Miner capabilities enable reviews to be extracted from wherever your customers are leaving them, harness that unstructured data for insights and recommend actionable business-building solutions not another dashboard, but custom analytics to solve some of a brand's biggest business challenges. Mobile Agent Now also helps brands engage with those customer reviews either by responding on your behalf or providing brands a One Tap Response Portal where your team can more efficiently respond. Learn more at https://mobileagentnow.com Media Contact Jennifer Adamson Phone: 419-654-2175 Email: [email protected] Related Images getting-dollar-shave-clubbed.png Getting Dollar Shave Clubbed Research Report mobile-agent-now-logo.jpg Mobile Agent Now logo SOURCE Mobile Agent Now Related Links https://mobileagentnow.com "It is an honor, each year, for Goya to participate in the observance of Holy Thursday with His Eminence and to preserve the traditions of our heritage. We have been a proud supporter of Catholic Charities, having donated over 1.5 million pounds of food since the start of our partnership in 2013, and will continue to nourish families in need with good food," said Bob Unanue, President of Goya Foods. Goya joined His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York at their annual Holy Thursday Food Distribution, providing food pantry meals to children and families at Saint Rose of Lima Church a 510 W 165th Street, New York, NY. "Jesus continues to multiply bread and fish through the generosity of companies like Goya," said His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. The annual Holy Thursday food distribution with Goya reaffirms Catholic Charities' partnerships with programs to provide more than 4 million meals to hungry New Yorkers. Community and parish-based food programs and pantries offer non-perishable food for families to bring home, while many locations also provide hot meals on site. The donation is part of Goya's charitable arm, Goya Gives, a global initiative committed to promoting and supporting the overall well-being of communities through social responsibility, environmental initiatives, and company values. Goya supports over 300 organizations, events, and scholarships worldwide and has always played an active role in providing food donations during times of crisis in the United States, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Mexico, Haiti, Chile, Peru and El Salvador among others. For more information, please visit, www.goya.com. About GOYA Founded in 1936, Goya Foods, Inc. is America's largest Hispanic-owned food company, and has established itself as the leader in Latin American food and condiments. Goya manufactures, packages, and distributes over 2,500 high-quality food products from Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America. Goya products have their roots in the culinary traditions of Hispanic communities around the world. The combination of authentic ingredients, robust seasonings and convenient preparation makes Goya products ideal for every taste and every table. For more information on Goya Foods, please visit www.goya.com. For more information & photos: Natalie J. Maniscalco 845.659.6506 / [email protected] SOURCE Goya Foods Related Links http://www.goya.com "He has been the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, minority and majority whip, minority leader, and now majority leader. And these offices make him the longest-serving Republican leader in the history of the Senate," said Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn, as he introduced Senator McConnell. "It's a remarkable career." At a luncheon hosted by Dr. Arnn and Associate Vice President Matthew Spalding, McConnell received the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service in recognition of his long career serving the people of the United States, in particular by his consistent defense of free speech and through the consistent exercise of the Senate's power of advice and consent to support the nomination of constitutionalist judges. In addition to the honorary degree, McConnell also met privately with students and gave a lecture on "How the Legislative Branch Can Restore the Constitution." McConnell began his distinguished career in public office as a chief legislative assistant to Sen. Marlow Cook and then as deputy assistant attorney general to President Gerald Ford before he was elected as a representative of Kentucky to the U.S. Senate in 1984. He is the longest-serving Senate Republican leader and the longest serving Kentucky Senator in U.S. History. In 2014, he was unanimously elected as the Republican Majority leader and was re-elected in 2016 and 2018. In 2015, TIME Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. McConnell joins an esteemed list of Hillsdale College's honorary degree recipients, including poet Will Carleton (1876), cryptologist Elizebeth Smith Friedman (1939), entrepreneur Malcolm Forbes (1984), Senator Mitt Romney (2007), Senator Ted Cruz (2013), and the most recent recipients, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence (2018). About Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 4 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu. SOURCE Hillsdale College Related Links http://www.hillsdale.edu HAMILTON, Bermuda, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoegh LNG Partners LP (the "Partnership") (NYSE: HMLP) advises that its 2019 Annual Meeting will be held on June 4, 2019. The record date for voting at the Annual Meeting, at which a member of the Board of Directors of the Partnership will be elected, is set to May 2, 2019. The notice, agenda and associated material will be distributed prior to the meeting. The 2019 Annual Meeting will be held at Appleby, Canon's Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM12, Bermuda at 12 noon local time. Media: Steffen Freid Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer +47 97557406 www.hoeghlngpartners.com SOURCE Hoegh LNG Partners LP Related Links http://www.hoeghlngpartners.com 400 poor children will receive Easter baskets full of toys and Easter candy while also enjoying brunch, face painting, music and other fun activities with their families at the Annual Fred Jordan Mission's Annual Easter Party. Fred Jordan Missions will celebrate 75 years of feeding millions of homeless men, women, children and families. Hundreds of working poor and homeless will be treated like VIP's and invited to enjoy a delicious Easter Brunch including herb roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh green beans, spiced peaches, rolls, an extra special desert and more! The Mission welcomes anyone who is hungry or hopeless. scyther5/iStock(LONDON) -- The United Kingdom said it will introduce a law requiring Age Verification Certificates, or AVCs, to view online pornography beginning in July, making it the first country to do so. Digital rights campaigners have criticized the decision aimed at ensuring only those 18 and older can view the material, producers of which could face massive fines or be banned from service providers if they don't comply. The government hasn't yet explained exactly how AVCs would work. The new law is set to take effect July 15, according to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The government's stated rationale is that it remains far too easy for children to access adult content online, said Margot James, minister for digital. "The introduction of mandatory age-verification is a world-first, and we've taken the time to balance privacy concerns with the need to protect children," James said. "We want the U.K. to be the safest place in the world to be online, and these new laws will help us achieve this." David Austin, chief executive of the British Board of Film Classification, the company ensuring compliance with the law, described it as "a groundbreaking child protection measure." "Age-verification," he said, "will help prevent children from accessing pornographic content online and means the U.K. is leading the way in internet safety." The government based its decision on polling data from YouGov that suggested 88 percent of U.K. parents with children younger than 18 believe age-verification technology should be used to curb access to adult content. The digital rights organization Open Rights Group, however, decried the move as a "serious failing" for users' privacy and that it was introduced without proper public consultation. "It's understandable why the government wants age verification on porn sites," Jim Killock, executive director of Open Rights Group, told ABC News. "However, they have refused to regulate AV for safety and privacy of customers. This is a serious failing and something they could fix immediately. Unfortunately, there was little public debate when the laws were passed." There will be a "shock" when the checks come into force, he added, while the law also missed the mark when it comes to making the world safer for children. "We should be focusing less on technology that won't work but sounds good," Killock added, "and more on educating under-18s about the risks of different kinds of content and behavior online." Copyright 2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, talks with villagers, primary-level officials, cadres in charge of poverty alleviation work and village doctors in Huaxi Village of Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, southwest China's Chongqing, April 15, 2019. From April 15 to 17, Xi made an inspection tour to Chongqing. He also presided over and delivered a speech at a symposium to address the problems concerning the basic living needs of rural poor populations and their access to compulsory education, basic medical services, and safe housing. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) CHONGQING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Eliminating absolute poverty in China has been an aspiration of the Communist Party of China (CPC) throughout its 98-year history and a goal for the 70-year-old People's Republic of China and the 40 years of reform and opening-up. It is a major concern for Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee. During an inspection tour to southwest China's Chongqing Municipality from Monday to Wednesday, he pledged to address this issue like "a hammer driving a nail." Since the 18th CPC National Congress held in late 2012, China has made incredible progress in fighting poverty. The number of rural residents living below the current poverty line has been reduced from 98.99 million in 2012 to 16.6 million in 2018. "The battle against poverty has entered a decisive and critical stage. We must press ahead with our full strength and strongest revolve and never stop until securing a complete victory," he said. CONFIDENCE When Xi walked into the home of Ma Peiqing, a resident of Huaxi Village, located deep in the mountains of Chongqing, it was around 6 p.m. Monday. After flying from Beijing in the morning to Chongqing, he spent another three hours, first by train and then by road, to reach Huaxi Village, home to 85 households and 302 villagers who were registered as living below the current poverty line. Today, only eight households and 19 villagers remain on the list. Huaxi Village is a typical case of China's impoverished regions. The basic needs for food and clothing have been met, but more efforts are needed for compulsory education, basic medical care and safe housing. "I was diagnosed with nasopharynx cancer in 2017," said Zhang Jianfeng, an impoverished villager. "About 80,000 yuan (11,900 U.S. dollars) of my medical expenses were reimbursed by medical insurance. It was indeed a timely help." "After visiting the village, I feel reassured," said Xi. "We may have about 6 million impoverished people and 60 impoverished counties left at the beginning of 2020. If we make sure this year's work is well-implemented and push ahead next year, we will eliminate poverty." "We are confident about accomplishing the mission," he added. NO LAXITY "Less than two years are left before fulfilling the objective of poverty alleviation. This year is particularly crucial," Xi said at a symposium held Tuesday afternoon in Chongqing. "The most important thing at this stage is to prevent laxity and backsliding." Xi stressed that people need to be aware of the difficulties and problems and clearly define priorities. What needs to be solved and can be solved must be tackled urgently, he said, adding that as for the long-term problems, plans should be made and solutions developed step by step. Of the country's 832 poverty-stricken counties, 153 have been removed from the state list while another 284 are under assessment. "To get rid of poverty, we must consider both quantity and quality. We must strictly enforce the standards and procedures for evaluating whether people are poor or not, so as to ensure that genuinely poor people really get rid of poverty." SOLIDARITY Tan Xuefeng, Party chief of the Zhongyi Township, shared with Xi his seven-year experience in the forefront of the fight against poverty. "Last year, my colleagues and I only took three full weekends off, spending the rest on household surveys and implementing the policies," said Tan. Throughout the years, more than three million officials from governments above the county level, state-owned enterprises and public institutions have stayed in impoverished villages to offer assistance. Reaffirming the Party's commitment to poverty reduction, Xi said that no one should be left behind as the country marches toward building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and the assistance must be offered to everyone in need because "that makes a Communist party." 5 1 [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] SALT LAKE CITY, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ivanti, the company that unifies IT to better manage and secure the digital workplace, today announced that attendees of its annual customer event, Interchange Nashville 2019, will receive a complementary one-year license of the newly released Ivanti Cloud, normally valued at $15 per node. Ivanti Cloud gives organizations insights and the ability to take action in their environment within seconds, while providing a real-time view into device analytics and offering prescriptive recommendations. The conference, which visits Nashville, Tenn. for the first time, will be held April 29 through May 2, 2019 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort. "This year, Interchange attendees are in for an event they won't soon forget," said Steve Morton, chief marketing officer of Ivanti. "In addition to seeing the power of unified IT in action, they will also be hearing from our thought-provoking keynote guests and learning directly from Ivanti partners and customers how Ivanti has helped them unify and transform IT. It's an event any IT professional won't want to miss." Interchange Nashville 2019 will host the renowned neuroscientist Poppy Crum as the event's closing keynote. In her presentation, Crum, a chief scientist for The Dolby Laboratories and an adjunct Stanford University professor, will explore the promise of empathetic technology. She will show how the convergence of human experience, artificial intelligence, sensory data science, and immersive technology makes it possible to understand ourselvesand the people around usin profound and meaningful new ways. As part of our day two keynote, Bobby Cameron, vice president and principal analyst at Forrester, will highlight the role of technology in today's customer-obsessed culture. "Interchange is a great event for anyone interested in learning more about IT topics such as: securing their environment, automation or increasing ROI," said Rick Smith, technical systems admin III at Sharp Healthcare. "I also enjoy spending one-on-one time with Ivanti's developers and product owners something that doesn't usually happen in a training or over the phone. It's a fun event, with great people, and worth attending." Ivanti Interchange 2019 builds on the success of last-year's conference. This year, attendees will have exclusive access to: Advanced Technical Workshops . This new benefit for 2019 will offer all-new, highly-advanced technical deep dives before the content is generally available on Ivanti Global Academy. Topic areas include service management, endpoint management and security. Offered at low introductory prices, these sessions can be counted toward attendees' Continuing Education Credit (CEUs). . This new benefit for 2019 will offer all-new, highly-advanced technical deep dives before the content is generally available on Ivanti Global Academy. Topic areas include service management, endpoint management and security. Offered at low introductory prices, these sessions can be counted toward attendees' Continuing Education Credit (CEUs). Comprehensive Technical Tracks . Educational conference sessions will be offered across a range of technology topic areas including IT asset management, identity management & automation, security controls, service management, unified endpoint management, user workspace management and strategic IT. . Educational conference sessions will be offered across a range of technology topic areas including IT asset management, identity management & automation, security controls, service management, unified endpoint management, user workspace management and strategic IT. Expert One-on- One Sessions and Hands-on Demos . Conference attendees can discuss unifying technology capabilities with Ivanti experts, one-on-one, and see exclusive Ivanti product demos. including one with the new Ivanti Cloud which unifies IT operations and security processes. . Conference attendees can discuss unifying technology capabilities with Ivanti experts, one-on-one, and see exclusive Ivanti product demos. including one with the new Ivanti Cloud which unifies IT operations and security processes. After-hours Networking. Interchange 2019 will offer several opportunities to network and connect with industry experts and peers. Among the networking sessions is a dedicated Women in Technology event. Interchange 2019 will offer several opportunities to network and connect with industry experts and peers. Among the networking sessions is a dedicated Women in Technology event. Real-World Case Studies. Ivanti customers and partners will showcase their use case stories across Ivanti product areas, delivering valuable takeaways attendees can put into practice in their own environments. To register to attend Ivanti Interchange Nashville 2019, visit: https://interchange.ivanti.com/nashville. Ivanti: The Power of Unified IT. Ivanti unifies IT and Security Operations to better manage and secure the digital workplace. From PCs to mobile devices, VDI, and the data center, Ivanti discovers IT assets on-premises and in the cloud, improves IT service delivery, and reduces risk with insights and automation. The company also helps organizations leverage modern technology in the warehouse and across the supply chain to improve delivery without modifying backend systems. Ivanti is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah and has offices all over the world. For more information, visit www.ivanti.com and follow @GoIvanti. Copyright 2019, Ivanti. All rights reserved. SOURCE Ivanti Related Links https://www.ivanti.com OAKLAND, Calif., April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of the Californian Prostitutes Education Project (CALPEP) announces that Jamila Shipp has been appointed Executive Director of the agency. She will succeed CALPEP's co-founder, Gloria Lockett, who is retiring after 35 years of service at the end of May 2019. Jamila Shipp is Oakland born and bred, and is a highly respected leader in the field of public health, particularly on issues related to HIV and community capacity-building, both in the Bay Area and across the United States. She began her public health career at CALPEP and comes to the agency from the Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum. Gloria Lockett will support Jamila's transition over the coming months. Professor Ben Bowser, Chair of CALPEP, said, "After an extensive search process that began last September, we are excited to announce Jamila's appointment. She is an exceptional leader, and the entire Board looks forward to supporting her as she leads CALPEP in providing urgently-needed HIV services to marginalized communities of color in the East Bay." Jamilla Shipp, incoming Executive Director of CALPEP, said, "I am honored to be appointed Executive Director of CALPEP. I am dedicated to working with CALPEP's Board and its outstanding, professional staff to build on the legacy of Gloria Lockett, one of nation's greatest AIDS leaders. We will be unwavering in our continued commitment to one-on-one outreach with hard-to-reach African American and Latino women, youth and men who have sex with men, communities that continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV." Gloria Lockett, retiring Executive Director of CALPEP, said, "I am absolutely thrilled that Jamila has been appointed to be the new Executive Director of CALPEP. She is one of our own, began her career in the community here, and is going to lead CALPEP as it addresses the related issues of HIV, health access and social justice into the next decade and beyond." www.calpep.org Notes for Editors About CALPEP Founded in 1984, The California Prostitutes Education Project was one of the first HIV education, prevention and street outreach organizations in the country. Its initial focus was prostitutes and their sexual partners including transgender individuals. Since 1990, it evolved with HIV science to a high impact approach, including: Street based/mobile and rapid HIV and other testing and specimen collection and rapid HIV and other testing and specimen collection Evidence Based Approach through research, evaluation and quality assurance through research, evaluation and quality assurance Focus on Getting HIV Positive Individuals into treatment and reduce transmission from HIV positive to HIV negative partners on Getting HIV Positive Individuals into treatment and reduce transmission from HIV positive to HIV negative partners Shift to Prevention with HIV positive individuals through Linkage to Care and Drug Treatment to Prevention with HIV positive individuals through Linkage to Care and Drug Treatment Expand information and access to biomedical and behavioral prevention strategies, particularly Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) CALPEP's philosophy is "Each one, teach one" - provide accessible health education to reduce sexual risk, prevent disease, link individuals to health care, treatment and support services. We respect both language and culture of those we serve. About Jamila Shipp Jamila is a visionary leader bringing over 17 years of experience in establishing operational optimization HIV and care in local and national programs with social justice framework. Recognized for talents in strategy development and providing forwardthinking particularly in the African American and other underserved communities. She comes to CALPEP from the Asian Pacific Islander American Health Forum. She began her career at the Alameda Health Consortium working with Ryan White Part B grantees in Alameda County. She was the first youth Co-Chair for the California Planning Group. From 2006 to 2014, she worked at CALPEP as program manager, HIV testing counsellor and youth advocate. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from San Francisco State University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. About Gloria Lockett Gloria is one of the original co-founders of CALPEP, and is an internationally respected figure in the AIDS response in the US and internationally. She has been Executive Director for 35 years. She is retiring at the end of May 2019. She is co-host and a regular contributor to the health and human rights podcast www.ashotinthearmpodcast.com About CALPEP's Board and Executive Search Committee The Board of CALPEP is chaired by Professor Ben Bowser, Professor Emeritus, Cal State East Bay, Department of Sociology and Social Services. He led the Search Committee for the new Executive Director, with Dr. Barbara Green-Ajufo, (Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco), Ben Plumley (Founder, Hunuvat Global), and Gloria Lockett, CALPEP Executive Director. SOURCE CAL-PEP Related Links https://www.calpep.org CHICAGO, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Dozens of the nation's most iconic national landmarks will "Light Up Orange" to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Easterseals, which takes place on Monday, April 22, 2019. Easterseals, the nation's largest nonprofit healthcare organization, delivers life-changing services and provides powerful advocacy for the one in four Americans who live with disabilities today through a national network of 70 community-based affiliates. Though Easterseals was founded in 1919, its eponymous "Easter Seals" were created in 1934 and affixed to outgoing mail so that individuals and companies could show their support for changing the lives of people with disabilities. For a modern twist on the Easter Seal, Easterseals invites Americans to capture pictures of the landmarks and share them on social media to celebrate Easterseals' centennial. Participation will support the ongoing work of Easterseals to ensure that everyone regardless of age or ability is 100% included and 100% empowered. Individuals should tag Easterseals (@EastersealsHQ) and use the hashtag #Easterseals100. National lightings will be observed from April 18 through April 26. See below for a full list, by market, of national buildings and landmarks that will "Light Up Orange" to recognize the impact delivered by Easterseals in communities nationwide throughout its 100-year history as it begins its second century of service to America. For photos and/or video of the lightings visit http://bit.ly/EastersealsLightUpOrange. DATE BUILDING MARKET 4/21 Allentown City Hall Allentown, PA 4/21 The King and Queen Building Atlanta, GA 4/21 Boston City Hall Boston, MA 4/21 Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge Boston, MA 4/21 The Vue Charlotte Charlotte, NC 4/21 The Wells Fargo Duke Energy Center Charlotte, NC 4/21 One and Two Prudential Center Chicago, IL 4/22-26 BOMA/Chicago Chicago, IL 4/21 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cleveland, OH 4/21 Cleveland City Hall Cleveland, OH 4/21 Terminal Tower Cleveland, OH 4/18-4/21 LeVeque Tower Columbus, OH 4/22 Daytona Speedway Tower and Fountain Daytona, FL 4/21 Altoona Water Tower Des Moines, IA 4/21 Des Moines Financial Center Des Moines, IA 4/22 Legislative Hall Dover, DE 4/21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge Fort Wayne, IN 4/21 Aloha Tower Honolulu, HI 4/21 Houston City Hall Houston, TX 4/21 Union Plaza Building Little Rock, AR 4/21 Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles, CA 4/21 U.S. Bank Tower Los Angeles, CA 4/21 Capitol Records Building Los Angeles, CA 4/21 Overture Center for the Arts Madison, WI 4/21 Anthony Falls Bridge Minneapolis, MN 4/22 Hibernia Tower New Orleans, LA 4/21 Mercedes-Benz Superdome New Orleans, LA 4/22 Empire State Building New York, NY 4/18 Helmsley Building New York, NY 4/21 The Skydance Bridge Oklahoma City, OK 4/22 Woodmen Tower Omaha, NE 4/21 Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada 4/22 Take Flight Bird Sculpture Orlando, FL 4/22 Tower of Light/Orlando City Hall Orlando, FL 4/22 Lake Eola Fountain Orlando, FL 4/23-24 Ben Franklin Bridge Philadelphia, PA 4/22 Gulf Tower Pittsburgh, PA 4/22 Koppers Building Pittsburgh, PA 4/21 Pittsburgh County Courthouse Pittsburgh, PA 4/21 Pittsburgh City County Building Pittsburgh, PA 4/21 Portland City Hall Portland, ME 4/21 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR 4/20-21 Union Street Railroad Bridge Salem, OR 4/21 San Diego Convention Center Pavilion San Diego, CA 4/21 Santa Monica Clock Tower Santa Monica, CA 4/21 Columbia Center Seattle, WA 4/22 Tampa Airport Main Terminal, Economy and Rental Car Center Stations Tampa, FL For more information on Easterseals, visit www.easterseals.com . ABOUT EASTERSEALS For 100 years, Easterseals has served as an indispensable resource for individuals with disabilities, veterans, seniors and their families. Together, our 70 affiliates in communities nationwide serve 1.5 million people annually through high-quality programs including autism services, early intervention, workforce development adult day care and more. In schools, workplaces and communities, we're fostering environments where everyone is included and valued with a real and positive impact on us all. Join us in ensuring that everyone regardless of age or ability is 100% included and 100% empowered. Learn more at www.easterseals.com LOCAL MARKET IMAGES AVAILABLE http://bit.ly/EastersealsLightUpOrange All images are courtesy of Easterseals and may be used without restriction SOURCE Easterseals Related Links http://www.easterseals.com CRISPR edits a person's genome by cutting the DNA at a specific location. The challenge is to ensure the tool doesn't also make cuts elsewhere along the DNAdamage referred to as "off-target effects," which could have unforeseen consequences. In a study published in the journal Science, the two first authors, Beeke Wienert and Stacia Wyman, found a new way to approach the problem. "When CRISPR makes a cut, the DNA is broken," says Wienert, PhD, who began the work in Jacob E. Corn's IGI laboratory and who is now a postdoctoral scholar in Bruce R. Conklin's laboratory at Gladstone. "So, in order to survive, the cell recruits many different DNA repair factors to that particular site in the genome to fix the break and join the cut ends back together. We thought that if we could find the locations of these DNA repair factors, we could identify the sites that have been cut by CRISPR." To test their idea, the researchers studied a panel of different DNA repair factors. They found that one of them, called MRE11, is one of the first responders to the site of the cut. Using MRE11, the scientists developed a new technique, named DISCOVER-Seq, that can identify the exact sites in the genome where a cut has been made by CRISPR. "The human genome is extremely largeif you printed the entire DNA sequence, you would end up with a novel as tall as a 16-story building," explains Conklin, MD, senior investigator at Gladstone and deputy director at IGI. "When we want to cut DNA with CRISPR, it's like we're trying to remove one specific word on a particular page in that novel." "You can think of the DNA repair factors as different types of bookmarks added to the book," Conklin adds. "While some may bookmark an entire chapter, MRE11 is a bookmark that drills down to the exact letter than has been changed." Different methods currently exist to detect CRISPR off-target effects. However, they come with limitations that range from producing false-positive results to killing the cells they're examining. In addition, the most common method used to date is currently limited to cultured cells in the laboratory, excluding its use in patient-derived stem cells or animal tissue. "Because our method relies on the cell's natural repair process to identify cuts, it has proven to be much less invasive and much more reliable," says Corn, PhD, who now runs a laboratory at ETH Zurich. "We were able to test our new DISCOVER-Seq method in induced pluripotent stem cells, patient cells, and mice, and our findings indicate that this method could potentially be used in any system, rather than just in the lab." The DISCOVER-Seq method, by being applied to new cell types and systems, has also revealed new insights into the mechanisms used by CRISPR to edit the genome, which will lead to a better understanding of the biology of how this tool works. "The new method greatly simplifies the process of identifying off-target effects while also increasing the accuracy of the results," says Conklin, who is also a professor of medical genetics and molecular pharmacology at UC San Francisco (UCSF). "This could allow us to better predict how genome editing would work in a clinical setting. As a result, it represents an essential step in improving pre-clinical studies and bringing CRISPR-based therapies closer to the patients in need." About the Study The paper "Unbiased detection of CRISPR off-targets in vivo 1 using DISCOVER-Seq" was published by the journal Science on April 19, 2019. Gladstone's Hannah L. Watry and Luke M. Judge (who is also at UCSF) contributed to this study. Other authors also include Christopher D. Richardson, Jonathan T. Vu, and Katelynn R. Kazane from IGI, Charles D. Yeh from ETH Zurich, as well as Pinar Akcakaya, Michelle J. Porritt, and Michaela Morlock from AstraZeneca. The work was supported by Gladstone, the National Institutes of Health (grants EY028249 and HL13535801), the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the Heritage Medical Research Institute, the Fanconi Anemia Research Foundation, a Sir Keith Murdoch Fellowship from the American Australian Association, and an Early Career Fellowship from the National Health and Medical Research Council. About the Gladstone Institutes To ensure our work does the greatest good, the Gladstone Institutes focuses on conditions with profound medical, economic, and social impactunsolved diseases. Gladstone is an independent, nonprofit life science research organization that uses visionary science and technology to overcome disease. It has an academic affiliation with the University of California, San Francisco. Media Contact: Julie Langelier | Science Writer and PR Specialist | [email protected] | 415.734.5000 SOURCE Gladstone Institutes PHILADELPHIA, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- From jeans to orange juice to laundry detergent: None would be possible without the activity of enzymes. Currently, enzymes used in industry are produced through an expensive, laborious fermentation process, requiring cold storage. However, an innovative new approach, ushered in by Penn Dental Medicine biochemist Dr. Henry Daniell's research, is opening up a whole new way of making these valuable proteins. Two new studies in Plant Biotechnology Journal reveal that enzymes made in plants can be as effective as the traditional microbial-derived enzyme at accomplishing a number of industrial tasks, from juice clarification, cleaning laundry stains, dyeing textiles, or de-pilling fabric. Such plant-grown enzymes have the added benefit of being cheaper to produce and shelf-stable in a powdered form, requiring no refrigeration. The technology has led to the launch of startup-company PhylloZyme. "I'm excited to have pioneered the production of technology that can make a major difference in affordability of everyday products," says Daniell. The first paper examined pectinases enzymes that break down pectin, a natural component of fruits, an additive to certain foods, and a component of cotton fiber. Using equipment normally leveraged in the textile industry, the Penn-led team showed that the plant-made enzymes could more effectively break down pectin in cotton fabric, allowing water absorption, in a process called bioscouring, a necessary step in fabric dyeing as well. They also tested the leaf-derived enzymes in clarifying orange juice, a step that releases flavor and nutrients from the pulp. Here, too, the plant-derived enzymes were equal to or better than the commercial microbial-derived productions. In the second study, researchers produced five new plant-derived enzymes commonly used in the textile or detergent industry and compared them to 15 commercial enzyme products, now derived from microbes, usually yeast. In comparing the plant-made products to the others, one major difference was staying power. The commercially available enzymes needed refrigeration and their activity declined at higher pH or higher temperatures. In contrast, the plant-made products were shelf stable at room temperature for up to16 months, and remained effective across a range of pH values and temperatures. Daniell is enthusiastic about the potential of these products to reshape 50-year-old industrial processes. The plant-made enzymes also serve as a milestone in the genetic-engineering field, as the first protein product made in leaves for commercial use. The studies were supported by the NIH (grants EY024564, HL107904, HL109442, HL133191). Contact: Beth Adams, [email protected], 215-573-8224 SOURCE Penn Dental Medicine Related Links http://www.dental.upenn.edu In the first three months of 2019, nearly 1.2 million air travelers passed through ONT, an increase of 4.6% over the same period a year ago. The number of international travelers rose by nearly 135% while domestic passenger volume grew by 1%. "Ontario customers continue to reward us with their business month after month," said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the OIAA. "Their acknowledgment that Ontario is growing into a viable international aviation gateway for Southern California drives us every day to provide the facilities, services and amenities that they demand, not to mention the hassle-free experiences that they deserve." Ontario passenger volumes are expected to rise further in the coming months, Thorpe noted, as Delta Air Lines initiates daily nonstop service to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday, April 22, with a second roundtrip also to its Atlanta hub beginning in June. In the same month, United Airlines will begin one flight a day to its Texas hub, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, while Southwest Airlines will add new service to San Francisco International Airport with four daily flights. Southwest will add a third daily flight (Monday-Friday) to Denver International Airport, also in June. Air cargo, meanwhile, was essentially flat in March compared to the same month a year ago, declining less than 1% from 60,200 tons to 59,900 tons. The volume of commercial freight dipped two-tenths of one percent from 57,700 tons to 57,500 tons approximately. Mail shipments decreased by 8.9%. On a year-to-date basis, air cargo shipments grew by almost 1% to more than 171,000 tons compared to the first quarter of 2018. March 2019 March 2018 % Change YTD 2019 YTD 2018 % Change Passenger Traffic Domestic 412,440 404,334 2.0% 1,124,922 1,113,446 1.0% International 24,261 10,6656 127.5% 71,411 30,413 134.8% Total 436,701 414,999 5.2% 1,196,333 1,143,859 4.6% Air Cargo (Tons) Q 57,582 57,710 -0.2% 164,988 163,212 1.1% Mail 2,325 2,551 -8.9% 6,738 6,950 -3.1% Total 59,907 60,261 -0.6% 171,725 170,163 0.9% About Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport with nonstop commercial jet service to 19 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan, and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations. There is an average of 67 daily departures offered by nine air carriers. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner). News Media Contacts: Atif Elkadi, Deputy Executive Director, (858) 361-9319 [email protected] Steve Lambert, (909) 841-7527 [email protected] SOURCE Ontario International Airport Related Links http://www.flyontario.com METAIRE, La., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard J. Fernandez is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Prominent Professional in the field of Law for his role as Attorney at The Law Office of Richard J. Fernandez. The ultimate mission of The Law Office of Richard J. Fernandez is to provide excellent legal counsel to all people who have been injured at the hands of another while maintaining a warm, compassionate environment in which they can feel comfortable. They concentrate heavily on ensuring that their clients' rights are protected throughout their entire legal process, from opening negotiations all the way through to the end of their time in court. With several decades worth of experience in the Law industry, Mr. Fernandez has been representing injured people throughout Louisiana and the rest of the Gulf Coast Region since 1981. He has had a particularly great amount of success in the realms of Maritime injury, toxic torts, worker's compensation, and vehicular accidents. Although he is an accomplished attorney in a wide array of law fields, Mr. Fernandez's main expertise centers around Maritime Law and Personal Injury Law. Prior to entering the world of professional Law, Mr. Fernandez had a great deal of success in academia. Truly dedicated to garnering an education needed to become the elite attorney that he is today, he obtained both his BA and his MBA from Nicholls State University. He was then awarded his LL.M from Tulane Law School. Finally, Mr. Fernandez concluded his formal education by graduating cum laude from Southern University Law Center, where he garnered his J.D. In order to advance his professional development, Mr. Fernandez is affiliated with the Louisiana State Bar Association, American Bar Association, Jefferson Parrish Bar Association, Louisiana Association for Justice, American Association for Justice, Maritime Law Association of the United States, Federal Bar Association, and the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. For more information, visit www.rjfernandezlaw.com Contact: Katherine Green , 516-825-5634 [email protected] SOURCE Continental Who's Who Related Links http://www.continentalwhoswho.com PARAMUS, N.J., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 18, 2019, Ronald Snyder, M.D., ("Dr. Snyder"), announced a recent event that may have impacted the privacy of personal information relating to certain individuals. While Dr. Snyder is unaware of any attempted or actual misuse of personal information in relation to the event, his office is providing potentially affected individuals with notice of the event, information about the event, his office's response to it, and steps individuals may take to better protect against the possibility of identity theft and fraud, should they feel it is necessary to do so. What Happened? On January 9, 2019, Dr. Snyder's staff became aware that electronic information stored on his office's computer server had been encrypted as the result of a "ransomware" cyber-attack by an unknown actor. Because the server that was encrypted stored patient billing information, Dr. Snyder's immediate goals were to (1) ensure his office could still access patient information that had been encrypted so that his office could continue to care for patients without disruption; and (2) investigate what happened and confirm as quickly as possible if this incident resulted in any unauthorized access to, or theft of, patient information by the unknown actor. Because the office regularly creates backup copies of patient information, Dr. Snyder was able to quickly gain access to almost all patient information that had been encrypted and easily restored information that was not accessible. He also immediately began working with outside cybersecurity and computer forensics experts to determine whether any patient information was subject to unauthorized access. Since Dr. Snyder learned about this issue on January 9, 2019, he has taken every necessary step to investigate this incident and the impact it may have on patient information, which included working with multiple industry-leading experts to recover the important information that was encrypted on the computer server. Unfortunately, after many efforts and attempts, Dr. Snyder learned on April 2, 2019 that he would be unable to determine whether this incident resulted in unauthorized access to patient information, due to the damage done to the computer server and the information stored on it. Although Dr. Snyder has no indication that any patient information was specifically targeted, viewed, or stolen by an unauthorized actor in relation to this incident, he is notifying potentially affected individuals about this incident in an abundance of caution due to the uncertain nature of the incident. What Information Was Involved? Dr. Snyder determined the server that was encrypted stored medical billing information, which may include: name, address, date of birth, gender, co-pay amount, patient status, employment status, telephone number, email address, and certain patients' insurance identification number, which may be a Social Security number. There is no indication that any such information was specifically targeted, viewed, or stolen by an unauthorized actor in relation to this incident. However, a complete investigation to make that determination was not possible. What Dr. Snyder is Doing. Dr. Snyder takes this incident and the security of patient information in his practice's care very seriously. As part of his practice's ongoing commitment to the privacy and security of patient information, he is working to review existing policies and procedures and to implement additional safeguards to further secure the information in his systems. He is also notifying the Department of Health and Human Services, other government regulators, as required, and prominent news media outlets in the state of New Jersey. Dr. Snyder also notified law enforcement of this incident. In addition, while he is not aware or any actual or attempted misuse of personal information in relation to this incident, he is offering potentially affected individuals access to 1 year of complimentary identity restoration services through TransUnion. What Potentially Affected Individuals Can Do. Potentially affected individuals can find out more about how to protect against potential identity theft and fraud in the enclosed Steps You Can Take to Prevent Fraud and Identity Theft. Potentially affected individuals can also enroll to receive the free identity restoration services being offered. For More Information. If you are a potentially affected individual and have questions about this incident, please call our dedicated assistance line at 855-222-3630, Monday through Friday (except holidays), during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time. STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO BETTER PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review your account statements, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report. You have the right to place a "security freeze" on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report. Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below: Experian TransUnion Equifax PO Box 9554 P.O. Box 2000 PO Box 105788 Allen, TX 75013 Chester, PA 19016 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 1-888-397-3742 1-888-909-8872 1-800-685-1111 www.experian.com/freeze/center.html www.transunion.com/credit-freeze www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information: Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.); Social Security number; Date of birth; If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years; Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill; A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, military identification, etc.); If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft. As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on your file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the agencies listed below: Experian TransUnion Equifax P.O. Box 2002 P.O. Box 2000 P.O. Box 105069 Allen, TX 75013 Chester, PA 19106 Atlanta, GA 30348 1-888-397-3742 1-800-680-7289 1-888-766-0008 www.experian.com/fraud/center.html www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resource/place-fraud-alert www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself, by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580, www.identitytheft.gov , 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement. SOURCE Ronald Snyder, M.D. Almost immediately after being deployed, the VNF app made it possible for Newberry officials to directly communicate with a victim via text messages. The victim had been harassed by phone calls coming from unknown numbers and was not answering the calls, even ones coming from the Sheriff's department. The Sheriff's department was able to text a number to the victim so the victim could call them back and communicate with them about the specific case. This groundbreaking electronic victim notification system will change the way victims are communicated with and treated. Law enforcement use the system to gather pertinent contact information, share victim rights information, text and/or email the victim to notify them of continuing activity on the case such as the need to contact an investigator, arrest made in the case, bond hearings, and court details. Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said, "If there is some time between when the victim's form is done and the arrest, it can be difficult for law enforcement to get a copy of the form to the detention center and the courts. Instead of attempting to maintain this form in paper format for months, this system has a secure portal through which users in the criminal justice system can see and print the electronic form using the case number or other information." In addition to quickly getting the form to the victim, other positives about the system are that officers can complete the electronic form quicker than handwriting it, the information on the form is legible and the form is instantly sent to those who need to receive it. This eliminates the need to distribute carbon copies and there are no printing costs associated with the electronic form. The system allows the jail to quickly notify the victim to call the detention center for important information or to notify the victim about any release of the inmate or court hearings. This makes court function better and keeps deputies and officers attending to patrol and other law enforcement functions. Also, if the victim does not speak/read English fluently, the deputy can simply tap a button to change the form and have the victim's information sent to them in Spanish. "We are pleased about our partnership with Salient CRGT," said Foster. "They came to us and asked how they could assist us in better serving the public through technology. They listened to our plight with the paper process for victim forms and then allowed us to help them develop this product, which will likely become the standard for most law enforcement agencies." Salient CRGT took on this very important aspect of the overall Victim Advocacy process and worked with the Newberry County Sheriff's Office to make sure it was practical and effective. This will change the face of victim advocacy for any jurisdiction concerned with effective and timely communication associated with serving victims. Salient CRGT is now making this resource available to other law enforcement agencies and can be contacted at [email protected]. Sheriff Lee Foster sat down with News 19 last week to demonstrate the new system. Click here for the broadcast. About Salient CRGT Salient CRGT provides agile software development, health, data analytics, mobility, cyber security and infrastructure solutions. We support these core capabilities with full lifecycle IT services and trainingto help our customers meet critical goals for pivotal missions. We are purpose built for IT transformation supporting federal civilian, health, defense, homeland, and intelligence agencies, as well as Fortune 1000 companies. Salient CRGT has earned a record of success with integration and operations of largescale, highvolume solutions. Visit our newsroom and explore www.salientcrgt.com . Tweet: @Salient_CRGT Launches Innovative Electronic Victim Notification System as a Smartphone App. http://bit.ly/1MGSz5l SOURCE Salient CRGT, Inc. Related Links http://www.salientcrgt.com The paper lays out a science-driven plan to save the diversity and abundance of life on Earth by protecting natural ecosystems that play a critical function in storing carbon, producing freshwater, and providing food security the enabling conditions required for humanity to thrive. The proposed GDN targets 30% of Earth to be formally protected no later than 2030 under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), with approximately 20% in additional lands designated as Climate Stabilization Areas (CSAs), to help the world stay below the recommended target of a 1.5C rise in average global temperature and to preserve biodiversity. Building on a landmark study from 2017 by many of the same scientists, the new paper provides the rationale for a GDN agreement between nations to protect half of the Earth - adding analysis of existing conservation strategies and a clear pathway to achieving the goal through, for example, a stronger focus on the rights of indigenous communities to steward their lands for effective conservation. This campaign, being spearheaded by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation's One Earth initiative, aims to usher in a new era of ambitious conservation in which international institutions, governments and people work together to save nature - from supporting communal conservancies in Namibia's Damaraland that is home to wild lions and elephant herds, to indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon that conserve key ecosystems and safe havens for jaguars and rare primates, to the last home of the orangutan in indigenous reserves in Borneo. Based on the GDN paper, a petition has now been launched by One Earth and leading nongovernmental and indigenous organizations, asking the public to support the most comprehensive conservation targets yet to save biodiversity, avert a climate crisis, and ensure a future for humanity. Eric Dinerstein, lead author of A Global Deal for Nature: Guiding Principles, Milestones, and Targets and Director of the Biodiversity and Wildlife program at RESOLVE , said: "Pairing a new 'Global Deal for Nature' with the Paris Climate Agreement would give us the best chance of avoiding catastrophic climate change, of conserving threatened species, and of ensuring the health of the ecosystems that are so essential for sustaining life on Earth." "Nature provides the ecological building blocks of human civilization from the mangroves and coral reefs that harbor much of the world's tropical fisheries, to the trees that purify our air and water, to the insects, birds, and bats that pollinate our crops. Simply put, we need wild nature in every one of the Earth's 846 terrestrial ecoregions, conserved in protected areas representing the complex web of nature upon which we all depend." Gregorio Mirabal, president of COICA (Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin), said: "Science is telling us something our traditional knowledge has been warning of for decades: the Earth is dying. We urgently need a Global Deal for Nature to restore half of the natural world as soon as possible and, as guardians of 80% of the planet's biodiversity, indigenous peoples must play a central role in that pact. Indigenous communities truly understand what it means to live in harmony with nature now governments need to recognize that our ancestral knowledge will be key to ensuring that we all have a future on this Earth." Karl Burkart, Director of Media, Science and Technology at the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation , said: "The science is now clear. We must act with boldness and vision if we are to prevent the worsening impacts of climate change from sea level rise and extreme flooding to prolonged drought, cataclysmic fire events, and collapsing food systems. Ultimately, we will stay below the 1.5C threshold because we must. And the 'Global Deal for Nature' is a big part of how we do it." Thomas Lovejoy, co-author and editor of the book Climate Change and Biodiversity , said: "The science is telling us that if we go above 1.5C, we could experience an 'extinction tsunami' resulting in the collapse of many key ecosystems. We cannot solve the biodiversity crisis without solving the climate crisis, and we cannot solve the climate crisis without solving the biodiversity crisis. The two are interlinked." Enric Sala, Explorer-in-Residence at National Geographic , said: "The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, are all dependent on other forms of life. We need to give them more space so that the natural world can continue providing for us. If we don't keep hold of the intact nature we still have, it will be impossible to achieve the Paris climate goals, or any of the Sustainable Development Goals on which the future of humanity depends." One Earth One Earth is an initiative of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation (LDF). LDF has provided over $100 million in grants to projects around the world that build climate resiliency, protect vulnerable wildlife, and restore balance to threatened ecosystems and communities. The new One Earth initiative offers a vision for the world that is possible by mid-century, a world in which humanity and nature can coexist and thrive. Its three pillars of action 100% renewable energy, protection and restoration of 50% of the world's lands and oceans, and a transition to regenerative agriculture provide a way to both avert a climate crisis and protect the planet's biodiversity. After a two-year collaboration with leading scientists, the One Earth climate model was released by Springer Nature in a book entitled Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals (2019). The state-of-the-art modeling framework offers a roadmap to stay below the threshold of 1.5C in global temperature rise using currently available technologies and natural climate solutions. RESOLVE RESOLVE is a Washington, DC-based non-profit organization that forges sustainable solutions to critical environmental, social, and health challenges by creating innovative partnerships where they are least likely and most needed. RESOLVE's Biodiversity and Wildlife Solutions Program tackles the most pressing conservation problems of our time the approaching extinction of endangered wildlife and threats to habitats, including tropical forests where most of the world's species reside through technological innovation, ambitious global agreements, and targeted land protection. Media Contact: Kevin Maloney 1 212 601 8207 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scientists-and-environmental-leaders-call-for-global-deal-for-nature-to-protect-half-the-worlds-lands-and-seas-300835235.html SOURCE RESOLVE Related Links https://www.resolve.ngo DENVER, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- April is Alcohol Awareness Month, and as teens look forward to celebrating prom and graduation, health experts hope parents take the opportunity to talk with their children to help them make healthy decisions and have a conversation about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking. "Parents need to lay out clear expectations about drinking before their kids go out with friends for graduation parties and prom," said Jenny Corvalan-Wood, spokesperson for the Speak Now! campaign . "Research shows that when parents lay down ground rules and talk openly with their children about underage drinking, it makes a lasting impact on their kids." Corvalan-Wood, Director of Community Prevention and Early Intervention Programs for the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health, offers tips from the Speak Now! website to help parents start a conversation with their children about underage drinking, including: Keep it informal: choose spontaneous times to talk such as car rides, mealtimes or when you and your child are doing activities together. choose spontaneous times to talk such as car rides, mealtimes or when you and your child are doing activities together. Stay in the present: listen closely and focus on what your teen is saying now, not what they may have said or done in the past. listen closely and focus on what your teen is saying now, not what they may have said or done in the past. Keep an open mind: consider and respect your child's point of view. Letting them know you respect their perspective can help them understand that your advice is based on understanding. consider and respect your child's point of view. Letting them know you respect their perspective can help them understand that your advice is based on understanding. Timing is important: select a time to talk when you are calm and free of distractions. "A misconception a lot of parents have is that children won't listen to their advice, but research shows that kids really do care what their parents think," Corvalan-Wood continued. "The more parents talk with their children about alcohol or other substances, the more likely it is that their kids will make healthy choices when their parents aren't around." About Speak Now! The Speak Now! Colorado campaign, managed by the Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health, encourages parents and trusted adults to have open, honest conversations with their kids about the risks of using tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications and other drugs. Speak Now's website features resources in English and Spanish for parents and caregivers, with a new page devoted specifically to provide information about the health risks of vaping . To learn more, visit speaknowcolorado.org . Contact: Tom Skelley Evolution Communications Agency 303.356.6926 [email protected] SOURCE Speak Now! Related Links https://www.speaknowcolorado.org ORRVILLE, Ohio, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE: SJM) (the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors has approved a $0.85 per share dividend on the common shares of the Company. The dividend will be paid on Monday, June 3, 2019, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Friday, May 17, 2019. The Company also announced that its annual meeting of shareholders will be held on Wednesday, August 14, 2019. The meeting will be held at 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, at The Ritz-Carlton, 1515 W. 3rd Street, Cleveland, Ohio. Shareholders of record at the close of business on Monday, June 17, 2019, will be entitled to notice of the annual meeting and to vote on matters considered at the meeting. About The J. M. Smucker Company For more than 120 years, The J. M. Smucker Company has brought families together to share memorable meals and moments. Guided by a vision to engage, delight, and inspire consumers through trusted food and beverage brands that bring joy throughout their lives, Smucker has grown to be a well-respected North American marketer and manufacturer with a balanced portfolio of leading and emerging, on-trend brands. In consumer foods and beverages, its brands include Smucker's, Folgers, Jif, Dunkin' Donuts, Crisco, Cafe Bustelo, R.W. Knudsen Family, Sahale Snacks, Smucker's Uncrustables, Robin Hood, and Bick's. In pet food and pet snacks, its brands include Rachael Ray Nutrish, Meow Mix, Milk-Bone, Kibbles 'n Bits, Natural Balance, and Nature's Recipe. The Company remains rooted in the Basic Beliefs of Quality, People, Ethics, Growth, and Independence established by its founder and namesake more than a century ago. For more information about our Company, visit jmsmucker.com. The J. M. Smucker Company is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein, except for the following, which are used under license: Dunkin' Donuts is a registered trademark of DD IP Holder LLC, and Rachael Ray is a registered trademark of Ray Marks Co. LLC. Dunkin' Donuts brand is licensed to The J. M. Smucker Company for packaged coffee products sold in retail channels such as grocery stores, mass merchandisers, club stores, and drug stores. This information does not pertain to Dunkin' Donuts coffee or other products for sale in Dunkin' Donuts restaurants. SOURCE The J. M. Smucker Company Related Links http://www.jmsmucker.com SAN JOSE, Calif., April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Urban Catalyst, a multi-asset Opportunity Zone Fund headquartered in downtown San Jose and gearing up to close on its first opportunity zone project, responded enthusiastically to the latest round of IRS Opportunity Zone regulations. Written into the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, The Opportunity Zone program is bipartisan legislation aimed at stimulating economic revitalization in distressed communities across the country. But vagueness in the guidelines left qualified opportunity funds and investors feeling confused. With the announcement of the latest regulations on Wednesday, excitement is rising at Urban Catalyst as the legislation is now clear and final on investing in multi-asset real estate funds, as well as startups in opportunity zones. Part of the new guidelines, updated verbiage allows for investment in businesses in a Qualified Opportunity Zone, a game-changer for the program. In downtown San Jose, an already active opportunity zone, things will certainly ramp up even more with this type of clarification. The area is already a development hot spot for every tech firm, venture capitalist and incubator in the Bay Area. According to Erik Hayden, President of Urban Catalyst, "The release of the IRS Guidance exceeded our expectations. The regulations really gave us a sense of clarity and finality. Perhaps the most exciting part of the regulations are the clarifications regarding how to invest in operating businesses, specifically start-ups. The primary geographic focus for Urban Catalyst is redevelopment of the downtown San Jose Opportunity Zone. With these new guidelines, every new Silicon Valley start-up with Angel investing or Venture Capital backing is going to be incentivized to locate in San Jose's downtown Opportunity Zone. We are talking hundreds, if not thousands, of new start-ups. With San Jose already at a development tipping point, these new regulations are like pouring gasoline on fire. This will change the course of history for San Jose. In ten years, San Jose will be the true Capital of Silicon Valley." There was also important clarification of multi-asset complexities. Previously, in order to be a successful multi-asset opportunity fund like Urban Catalyst, funds had to become a REIT (real estate investment trust). This was basically a workaround to get funds from point A to B so Qualified Opportunity Funds could give the fund's profits to customers taxfree after ten years. Clarification getting rid of the need for this extra complexity makes it easier for multi-asset funds to comply and less complicated to provide tax-free profits to investors, significantly increasing funds' ability to raise money. "On balance, the proposed regulations appear to provide a number of favorable and flexible rules for opportunity funds," says Kelsey Lemaster, Tax Partner at Goodwin Proctor, LLP. It also appears that the ability to refinance assets and then distribute those profits to investors, tax free, is now on the table. This makes it easier for Qualified Opportunity Funds to return money to investors, quickly and with the benefit of being tax free. It also allows for the possibility of a fund providing profits to investors multiple times over the lifespan of the fund instead of only after 10 years. In a similar vein, it is also an option for funds to sell assets before the 10-year mark, as long as they reinvest profits from the sales in an opportunity zone within 12 months. Launched in response to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act legislation that created Opportunity Zones and Opportunity Funds, Urban Catalyst has garnered attention with a team skilled in Bay Area entitlement, development, and construction processes and asset management, and has already submitted plans to develop a 76,000-square foot mixed-use project of office and ground-floor retail space. Urban Catalyst is on track to raise $250M over the next year, if not sooner as investors now clamor for Qualified Opportunity Funds that have already acquired the prime locations. About Urban Catalyst Based in San Jose, Urban Catalyst is the first multi-asset Opportunity Zone Fund in the Bay Area focusing on downtown San Jose and downtown Oakland. Employing a world-class team of experienced local professionals to build out impact investment opportunitiesmulti-family, office, and industrial investment projectsUrban Catalyst is focused on advancing and improving the community while earning investors advantageous financial returns. Learn more at https://www.urbancatalyst.com/ . SOURCE Urban Catalyst Related Links https://www.urbancatalyst.com PASADENA, Calif., April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE: WMC) today announced that it will release financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2019 after the market closes on Tuesday, May 7, 2019. The Company will host a corresponding conference call with a live webcast on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time/8:00 a.m. Pacific Time, to discuss those results and answer questions. Individuals interested in participating in the conference call may do so by dialing (866) 235-9914 from the United States, or (412) 902-4115 from outside the United States and referencing "Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation." Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the Internet may do so by visiting the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.westernassetmcc.com. The Company is enabling investors to pre-register for the earnings conference call so that they can expedite their entry into the call and avoid the need to wait for a live operator. In order to pre-register for the call, investors can visit http://dpregister.com/10130967 and enter in their contact information. Investors will then be issued a personalized phone number and pin to dial into the live conference call. Individuals can pre-register any time prior to the start of the conference call on May 8, 2019. A telephone replay will be available through May 22, 2019 by dialing (877) 344-7529 from the United States, or (412) 317-0088 from outside the United States, and entering conference ID 10130967. A webcast replay will be available for 90 days. ABOUT WESTERN ASSET MORTGAGE CAPITAL CORPORATION Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation is a real estate investment trust that invests in, acquires and manages a diverse portfolio assets consisting of Agency CMBS, Agency RMBS, Non-Agency RMBS, Non-Agency CMBS, ABS, GSE Credit Risk Transfer Securities and Residential Whole, Bridge Loans and Commercial Loans. The Company's investment strategy may change, subject to the Company's stated investment guidelines, and is based on its manager Western Asset Management Company LLC's perspective of which mix of portfolio assets it believes provide the Company with the best risk-reward opportunities at any given time. The Company is externally managed and advised by Western Asset Management Company LLC, an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. Please visit the Company's website at www.westernassetmcc.com. SOURCE Western Asset Mortgage Capital Corporation Related Links http://www.westernassetmcc.com HOUSTON, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) announced today that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of $0.610 per unit for the first quarter of 2019. This distribution represents a 1.2-percent increase over the prior quarter's distribution and a 7.3-percent increase over the distribution for the first quarter of 2018. WES's first quarter 2019 distribution is payable on May 14, 2019, to unitholders of record at the close of business on May 1, 2019. The Partnership plans to report its first-quarter 2019 results after the market closes on Tuesday, April 30, 2019. Management will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 1, 2019, at 8 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. EDT) to discuss the quarterly results. The full text of the release announcing the results will be available on the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com. First-Quarter 2019 Results Wednesday, May 1, 2019 8 a.m. CDT (9 a.m. EDT) Dial-in number: 877-883-0383 International dial-in number: 412-902-6506 Participant access code: 2497674 Individuals who would like to participate should dial the applicable dial-in number listed above approximately 15 minutes before the scheduled conference call time and enter the access code when prompted. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the investor relations section of the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com. A replay of the conference call will also be available on the website for two weeks following the call. About Western Midstream Western Midstream Partners, LP ("WES") is a growth-oriented Delaware master limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to acquire, own, develop and operate midstream assets. With midstream assets located in the Rocky Mountains, North-central Pennsylvania, Texas and New Mexico, WES is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing and transporting condensate, natural gas liquids ("NGLs") and crude oil; and gathering and disposing of produced water for Anadarko, as well as for third-party customers. In addition, in its capacity as a processor of natural gas, WES also buys and sells natural gas, NGLs and condensate on behalf of itself and as agent for its customers under certain of its contracts. For more information about Western Midstream Partners, LP and Western Midstream Flash Feed updates, please visit www.westernmidstream.com. Note regarding Non-United States Investors: This release is intended to be a qualified notice under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1446-4(b). Brokers and nominees should treat one hundred percent (100.0%) of Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors as being attributable to income that is effectively connected with a United States trade or business. Accordingly, Western Midstream Partners, LP's distributions to non-U.S. investors are subject to federal income tax withholding at the highest applicable effective tax rate. Western Midstream Contact Jack W. Spinks Manager, Investor Relations [email protected] 832.636.6000 SOURCE Western Midstream Partners, LP Related Links https://www.westernmidstream.com Patriots in the hunt for third gold ball Coming off a 2020 season in which they went 1-5, the 2021 Mission Veterans Patriots football team may have caught some people by surprise by winning seven of their eight District 16-5A Div. II games and claiming a share of the district title. But while there is Lima, April 19 : Thousands of Peruvians gathered to say last goodbye to former President Alan Garcia, dead at 69 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, at the headquarters of his party, a site chosen by his family for his wake in lieu of any official honours. Starting early Thursday morning, supporters of the Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP) began arriving at the wake at the Casa del Pueblo carrying flowers and white handkerchiefs, Efe news reported. Garcia died on Wednesday at Lima's Casimiro Ulloa Hospital, where he was rushed after shooting himself in the head as police arrived at his home to arrest him for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. The government of President Martin Vizcarra declared three days of national mourning, ordered flags flown at half-mast at public sites and prepared to hold a state funeral for Garcia, who governed Peru from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011. Lima Archbishop Carlos Castillo delivered a prayer before Garcia's casket accompanied by the papal nuncio, Nicola Girasoli, while Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani had been on hand minutes earlier and delivered comments that brought applause from those present. Cipriani declared "Basta!" (enough) to what he called "the persecution" of the people being investigated in Peru in the Odebrecht case, and he emphasized that Garcia had done "much good" for the country during his two administrations. Among the large number of people at the wake were Garcia's six children, his ex-wife Pilar Nores and his last partner, US-born Roxanne Cheesman, as well as his mother Nytha Perez, who was seated in a wheelchair. The former president's oldest daughter, Carla Garcia, wrote on Twitter that she bade her father farewell "very proud to be Alan's daughter." "These are difficult times in which I feel much sadness, but I am accompanied by the dignity and the life lessons that he gave me," she said. Last November, Garcia took refuge at the Uruguayan Embassy in Lima and requested asylum hours after a court granted a request from prosecutors to bar him from leaving the country for 18 months as authorities investigated the Odebrecht charges. Odebrecht reached a settlement in December 2016 with the US Justice Department in which the firm pleaded guilty to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to government officials around the world. As part of the settlement, Odebrecht has been cooperating with prosecutors in the affected countries to bring corrupt officials to justice. Peruvian Judge Juan Carlos Sanchez Balbuena ruled last fall that documents handed over by Odebrecht provided "sufficient elements" to support the accusations against Garcia. Odebrecht executive Carlos Nostre told Peruvian prosecutors that the company paid up to $24 million in bribes to secure the contract to build Lima Metro's Line 1 during Garcia's presidency. Garcia, who had been living in Spain for a number of years, returned to Peru last year for questioning in the case. Chennai, April 19 : Conflicting views are expressed by experts on the outcome of the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu given the final polling percentage of around 73 per cent. Conventional wisdom says a high turnout means anti-incumbency and in Tamil Nadu there is twin anti-incumbency -- one against the ruling AIAMDK and the other against the BJP heading the Central government. In 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling AIADMK contesting alone won 37 out of 39 seats sweeping out the major opposition party, the DMK. The remaining two seats were won by BJP (Kanniyakumari) and the PMK in Dharmapuri. "If the final polling figure settles around 73 per cent, then it is something remarkable. What the figure indicates is that it could be natural or articicially induced," writer and political commentator Maalan Narayanan told IANS. "In 1967 assembly elections, the polling was 76 per cent and DMK captured power in Tamil Nadu. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the polling percentage was 73 per cent and AIADMK swept the polls. So, the polling percentage of about 70-73 per cent this time around could indicate that the people might have voted in favour of one front, which could be the DMK-led front," Narayanan added. But Narayanan quickly adds: "If one takes into account the recent utterances of DMK leaders besides its leaders' complaint to the Election Commission on Thursday about AIADMK indulging in booth capturing, it seems they (DMK leaders) are not confident of winning the polls". He said the DMK initially said it would win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats (39 in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry). With AIADMK stitching a mega alliance with PMK, BJP, DMDK, TMC, PT, PNK and others in Tamil Nadu, the DMK's tone came down as the vote share arithematic was in favour of the rival front. Narayanan does not see any wave in DMK's favour, but there could be a tilt in its favour. An old hand in AIADMK not wanting to be quoted told IANS: "The old theories of voting doesn't apply now as the demography has changed with the entry of large number of first-time voters and many voters of less than 30 years of age." He said polling was good in pockets wherever minorities were concentrated whereas there was not much consolidation of Hindu votes. Predicting a split verdict, he said the DMK front may win about 30 Lok Sabha seats. On the other hand, Associate Professor in Madras Institute of Development Studies C. Lakshmanan predicts a clean sweep for the DMK-led front citing the polling percentage. He said after the AIADMK sewed up its mega alliance, DMK's confidence did come down a bit. But it perked up fast owing to its social media campaign and the alliances it managed with parties such as the Congress, IUML, MDMK, KMDK, CPI, CPI(M), VCK and IJK. Lakshmanan said the raid by Income Tax (IT) department at the residence of DMK leader Kanimozhi on Tuesday had backfired. He said the election results could throw up several surprises. "If Kamal Haasan's MNM does not get good share of votes, then it would mean people are not in favour of actor-politicians. Similarly, if PMK is unable to deliver on its Vanniars consolidation, then it may also lose out," Lakshmanan said. "In Tamil Nadu election landscape, cash is the king. There is no wave in favour of any one front. If there was an anti-incumbency wave, then it would have been evident by high voter turnout in the morning. But the voter turnout was not much in the morning. The spurt in polling percentage happened only in the afternoon," political strategist, John Arokiasamy told IANS. He said polling in Chennai was very poor and was pretty as such in urban areas. Voting was, however, high in rural areas. "There was no religious polarization. Many voters' names did not figure on the official list and hence they were unable to vote. Similarly, the transport arrangements were poor, so, many from Chennai could not travel to their native place to vote," Arokiasamy added. "Instead of a statewide pattern in voting, there are regional voting patterns in Tamil Nadu. While caste-based voting is fixed one, the swing factor for votes is influenced by money," Arokiasamy said. According to him, the absence of leaders like J.Jayalalithaa for AIADMK and M. Karunanidhi for DMK will be felt in this election by these parties. "Jayalalithaa would have gone alone again had she been alive. Similarly, Karunanidhi would have swung the polls strongly in his favour given twin anti-incumbency factors," Arokiasamy said. According to him, the two fronts may share the spoils with DMK taking a larger pie, say, about 25 seats out of the 38 seats that went to the polls. "I feel this time the election in Tamil Nadu is between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gandhi -- the Indian currency is colloquially known as Gandhi note," Arokiasamy said. He said even if AIADMK had decided to pay cash for votes, owing to the weak leadership, only a part of that would have reached the voters, and as a result, it may not have resulted in votes. Latest updates on Gandhi Jayanti 2019 San Francisco, April 19 : Apple may have paid chip-maker Qualcomm somewhere between $5 billion-$6 billion for an agreement to dismiss all ongoing litigations, including with Apple's contract manufacturers, between the two companies worldwide. According to a CNBC report citing an estimate from financial services firm UBS on Thursday, Apple probably agreed to pay between $8 and $9 in patent royalties per iPhone. "The UBS estimate suggests that Apple paid a high price to end a bitter legal battle that spanned multiple continents and threatened Apple's ability to release a 5G iPhone," the report noted. Apple and Qualcomm did not comment on the development. The deal with Qualcomm would put Apple on a faster path to 5G for iPhones. "The settlement includes a payment from Apple to Qualcomm. The companies also have reached a six-year license agreement, effective as of April 1, 2019, including a two-year option to extend, and a multi-year chipset supply agreement," said the Cupertino-based iPhone maker. The Apple-Qualcomm agreement was reached as chip-maker Intel decided to exit the 5G smartphone modem business and complete an assessment of the opportunities for 4G and 5G modems in PCs, Internet of Things devices and other data-centric devices. "It's likely Intel's decision prompted Apple and Qualcomm's decision to settle -- which came as quite a surprise since it happened just as lawyers were presenting opening arguments at the latest courtroom trial," The Verge reported. Apple and Qualcomm have been fighting over patent licensing practices for the last two years. Mumbai, April 19 : The biggest nightmare for candidates in the Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad Lok Sabha constituencies is how to "catch" the slippery commuters who are their main electoral bank. As is well-known, nearly two-third of Mumbaikars comprising office-goers, workers and students, are perpetually on the move - some 8.5 million in suburban trains, and another two million or so in BEST and ST buses, taxies, autorickshaws or private vehicles. The Commuter - who is the King in Mumbai - shuttles to and fro his/her home in the farflung suburbs to the work place or educational institution in South or South Central Mumbai or one of the new business hubs that have come up in recent times. "I am not aware who are the candidates in my constituency. I have not attended any political rallies, but have rushed by some posters and banners. I am out of home for 10-12 hours daily," said a woman commuter from Mira Road, Kiran S.V., 45. A legal team member of a prominent corporate business park, Kiran commutes daily to Mahalaxmi in the Mumbai SouthCentral constituency, but she is a registered voter in Thane Lok Sabha constituency being contested by the Shiv Sena's Rajan B. Vichare and Nationalist Congress Party's Anand Paranjpe. On an average, a typical King Commuter spends between 60-90 minutes one-way, twice daily, in suburban trains. The Western Railway suburban sector is spread from Churchgate to Dahanu (116 kms), the Central Railway suburban lines from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Kasara (102 kms) and CSMT to Karjat (51 kms), with around 2,050 services operating on all these sectors for some 22 hours. For candidates in Palghar, Thane, Mumbai North, Mumbai North East, Mumbai North West and even other constituencies, the potential voter has already disappeared around 8 a.m. for work and would only return after another 12-14 hours. "During the day, the candidates only get housewives, senior citizens or children which is not sufficient to convey the candidates' opinions and solicit votes. By the time the other adult voters return home they are too tired to attend any election meetings and prefer to relax at home," rued Ashok Sutrale, Mumbai North District Congress Working President and campaign director for Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar. Accordingly, he and other campaign managers of candidates make it a point to organise meetings, small rallies and public-candidate interactions outside railway stations to "catch the maximum number of commuters". Admitting this is a serious issue during elections, Western Railway Passengers Association President Anil Shukla has made an innovative suggestion to the government and Election Commission of India. "Since this problem is unique to Mumbai, the government and ECI must permit all candidates contesting in seats falling on the sprawling suburban make short tape-recorded appeals which can be played on the railway stations, suburban trains throughout the day. It can be properly organised to ensure it doesn't interfere with routine passenger-related or emergency announcements," Shukla told IANS. Going a step further, Zonal Railway Users Consultative Committee Member Shailesh Goyal said that the railways can earn attractive revenues from this proposal, which would be similar to the timings permitted on Doordarshan, All India Radio and other private audio-visual channels by the ECI. "The WR and CR suburban sectors can even levy the standard advertising rates for the political campaign in trains, stations, etc for maybe three to five minutes for each candidate, keep playing the tapes throughout the day for the campaign duration to enable them reach maximum number of electorate," Goyal told IANS. Both Shukla and Goyal felt this would help save the candidates' time and avoid huge congestion and security concerns outside railway premises, besides preventing incidents like the ugly ruckus between BJP and Congress workers near Borivali station on April 15 where Matondkar was campaigning. Rail Yatri Parishad President Subhash Gupta said that it's imperative for all MPs to take up the cause of the 8.5 million railway commuters who daily travel in sub-human conditions from home to work and back. "The Metro Rail network that has come up in Delhi should have been first created in here because it is the country's commercial capital. The huge amount of money being spent for the Bullet Train project should have been invested for improving the Mumbai suburban sector, but that has not been done," Gupta told IANS. He lamented the fact that though all candidates woo the city's railway commuters for votes, after elections nobody - barring a couple of exceptions - ever remembers them or raises their burning problems in parliament. However, as far as commuters are concerned, most admit they hardly get time to attend any political rallies/meetings and rely more on word-by-mouth or social media knowledge to decide whom to vote for. (Quaid Najmi can be reached at q.najmi@ians.in) Washington, April 19 : Worried over the mishandling of users' personal data on Facebook, the US federal regulators are now considering the possibility of holding its CEO Mark Zuckerberg accountable. According to a report in The Washington Post on Thursday, "the discussions about how to hold Zuckerberg accountable for Facebook's data lapses have come in the context of wide-ranging talks between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Facebook". Sanctioning a tech CEO would be a rare move by the FTC and could be a signal to other tech honchos as governments the world over are in a huddle how to safeguard users' data. "Such a move could create new legal, political and public-relations headaches for one of Silicon Valley's best known and image conscious corporate leaders," the report said. The US government has so far spared Zuckerberg from direct scrutiny. The FTC is largely probing the Cambridge Analytica data scandal that exposed personal data of 87 million Facebook users. There have been several incidents after the Cambridge Analytica episode where Facebook acknowledged series of privacy lapses, including the latest admission that it mishandled millions of users' passwords on Instagram and "unintentionally" uploaded emails of nearly 1.5 million of its new users. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) said on Thursday that "holding Mark Zuckerberg and other top Facebook executives personally at fault and liable for further wrongdoing would send a powerful message to business leaders across the country". Earlier this year, The Washington Post reported that Facebook could end up paying a record-breaking fine, in the multi-billion-dollars range, to avoid a court battle. New York, April 19 : A federal judge in Florida has sentenced an Indian citizen to eight years and six months in prison for his involvement in an India-based call centre scam, according to the US Justice Department. At his sentencing on Thursday, Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington also ordered Hemalkumar Shah, 27, to pay $80,000. He had been convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft relating to his participation in the Indian call center scam after he admitted his guilt in January. According to court documents, Shah participated in the scam to extort money from American residents by impersonating US tax officers between 2014 and 2016. He and his accomplices in the US and call centres in India misled the victims into believing that they owed taxes and threatened them with arrest if they did not pay the fictitious taxes immediately, according to the court filings. The fraudsters hired people described as "runners" to collect for them the money from the victims in the form of prepaid cards or through wire transfers, the documents said. Four others who participated in the scheme have been found guilty after they admitted their crimes in court. Last month, Nishitkumar Patel was sentenced to eight years and nine months, and Alejandro Juarez was sentenced to 15 months. Two others are awaiting sentencing. New Delhi, April 19 : Following the global success of "Godzilla" and "Kong: Skull Island", the next chapter, "Godzilla II: King Of The Monsters", will release in India on May 31. A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, in association with Toho Co. Ltd, the film will release in India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, read a statement. The action adventure pits Godzilla against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto zoological agency Monarch as it's members face off against god-sized monsters including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Roda and the three-headed Ghidorah. On what to expect from the film, director Michael Dougherty said: "The approach that my writing partner Zach Shields and I took was that Godzilla, the Mutos, Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah -- they're a super-species. "These creatures were worshiped as ancient gods; they are the reasons we have stories about dragons and giants and titans. Because if you look at the entire world's collection of ancient myths, you realise that they all have stories about monsters. What we're trying to establish is the idea that Godzilla and his brethren are the reason for that." It stars Millie Bobby Brown, Vera Farmiga, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Ken Watanabe and Bradley Whitford. New Delhi, April 19 : Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi has quit the party, slamming it for ignoring the conduct of party colleagues who misbehaved with her in Mathura. In a letter to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday and made public on Friday, she said that in the last few weeks certain things had convinced her that her services were not valued in the organisation. "I have reached the end of the road. At the same time I also feel that more time that I spend in the organisation will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity." She said it saddened her that despite the safety, dignity and empowerment of women being promoted by the party, "the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party". "A serious incident and misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty for the party has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC," she wrote. On Wednesday, she hit out at the party for reinstating members who had been suspended recently for misbehaving with her at a press conference in Mathura, saying that "those who threatened her within the party got away with not even a rap". Mumbai, April 19 : Protective father Saif Ali Khan, discernibly disturbed by the constant attention given to his 2-year-old son Taimur, says the child needs to left alone by the paparazzi. Saif recently blurted out at the airport's ubiquitous paparazzi: "Stop it, the child will go blind." Though everyone, including the photographers, laughed, the point of acute parental concern was made. A few days later, policemen swooped down on the paparazzi outside Saif and Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence and asked them to disperse. It is believed that Saif complained to the police about the constant paparazzi attention. However, Saif denies having anything to do with it, though he admits he found their constant presence intrusive. He said: "Yes, the cops cleared the paparazzi because someone complained. Not me. I can't say I feel kindly about their presence, because 10 people lounging about outside your house waiting for a shot of your kid is disturbing to say the least. I didn't complain because I don't want to deprive anyone of a job." Saif has a request for the photographers: "Please don't stalk Taimur. He is not a star. He is just a child." Beijing, April 19 : China on Friday said that India's absence at the second Belt and Road forum next week will not affect their engagement and both the countries are preparing for a Wuhan-like summit between their leaders this year. Addressing a press conference ahead of the event to be held from April 25 to 27, China's top diplomat and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the differences between New Delhi and Beijing should not become disputes. India for a second time will skip China's event of the year in protest against the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) -- the artery of the Belt and Road project - that cuts through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. China's Belt and Road is a trillion dollar project which aims to connect Asia, Africa and Europe through a network of roads, highways, ports and sea lanes. The CPEC, the crown jewel of the project, has emerged as one of pesky issues between India and China. In 2017, India had boycotted the launch of the Belt and Road forum in Beijing in protest against the CPEC. New Delhi had then said that "no country can accept a project that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity". This year too, New Delhi will skip China's biggest event which will be attended by leaders or heads of 37 countries, including Pakistan and Nepal, and representatives from over 150 nations. Wang sought to allay India's concerns over the CPEC, saying the project in no way ignores its sovereignty and territorial integrity. "It is natural for us to have a difference. This is only natural. I remember Prime Minster Narendra Modi has mentioned many times that we should not escalate our differences into dispute. The Indian side wants to put our differences at a proper level in order not to interfere in the proper development of our relations. "One of our fundamental differences is how to look at the Belt and Road initiative. The Indian side has their concerns," Wang said, replying to a question whether India's absence at the event will have a negative impact on bilateral ties after the ice-breaking Wuhan meet between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping last year. "We understand that and that's why we stated clearly on various occasions that the Belt and Road initiative including the CPEC is only an economic initiative. "They do not target any third country and they have nothing to with sovereign and territorial dispute left over from history between the two countries. Of course, India has its basic position on these disputes. Our cooperation will not undermine any party's position on those issues," he added. Wang also said that India and China were preparing for the next meet between their leaders this year. "The two leaders (Modi and Xi) had a very successful meeting in Wuhan. Particularly, they established mutual trust between the leadership and jointly planned for the future of improvement and the strengthening of the China-India relationship. "After the Wuhan summit we see the progress in all areas of cooperation between the two countries," Wang added. He stressed that India-China ties had a "bright prospect", which will be reflected in the "next summit between our leaders". "Now we are trying to achieve common prosperity through the cooperation under the BRI. Those issues left over from history must be separated from our efforts in this area," Wang said. "I think such cooperation will not undermine the basic position on sovereignty and territorial integrity and at the same provide you more opportunity of development and help India in modernisation endeavour. I believe this is a good option and good choice for India." Colombo, April 19 : The Sri Lankan police on Friday seized heroin worth over $195,000 hidden in an abandoned garage in the country's Kurundugahahetekma area, in close proximity to the southern highway. The heroin weighed 3.6 kg and was discovered during a search operation launched by the Police Narcotics Bureau, Xinhua news agency reported. No arrests were made but the police were conducting further investigations. Under the directives of President Maithripala Sirisena, Sri Lankan authorities have launched a massive crackdown on drugs with several drug lords arrested since January. Bengaluru, April 19 : The record voter turnout of 69 per cent in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Karnataka on Thursday is being interpreted by both the BJP and Congress-Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) combine as being favourable to them respectively but the jury is still out. "Whatever be the result, the stakes are high for the Congress-JD-S-allies, as a defeat in their own bastions may spell trouble for the 10-month coalition government in the southern state," a political analyst told IANS on Friday. Over 80 per cent turnout was recorded in Mandya, 77 per cent in Hassan and Tumkur and 76 in Chikkballapur and Kolar. Of the 14 seats, the Congress contested in 10 and JD-S in 4, while BJP did in 13 and supported multi-lingual south India actress Sumalatha Ambareesh, who contested as an Independent against Nikhil Gowda of the JD-S in the prestigious Mandya seat. "The high turnover in Hassan, Mandya and Tumkur is a clear indication of the voters favouring our candidates in favour of Modi as the people are fed up with the allies, their bickering and the lacklustre performance of their government in the state," BJP spokesman G. Madhusudhan told IANS. Similarly, although the voting percentage was the lowest in all the 3 Bengaluru seats, the BJP is hopeful of retaining them as it did since 2004, in view of Modi's popularity with the urban voters, especially the young, techies and women. "As Bengaluru's infrastructure and civic amenities remain woeful despite the 5-year Congress rule and its coalition regime since a year, the low voter turnout reflects the apathy of its citizens for voting," Madhusudan added. "The series of tax raids, indifference of the coalition government to the city's civic woes and absence of bonhomie between the cadres of the allies have put paid to the efforts of the Congress in wooing the electorate vote for its candidates. The BJP had won in the city despite lowest turnout even in the past," Madhusudhan reasoned. In the 2014 elections, out of the 28 seats from across the southern state, BJP won 17, the Congress 9 and the JD-S 2. Out of 14 seats which went to polls on Thursday in the first phase, the BJP and Congress had won 6 each and the JD-S two. "Contrary to what the BJP claims, the higher turnout in most of the seats will favour us, as we avoided division of our asecular' votes by fielding joint candidates against the BJP, which may have benefitted from triangular contests in the past and taking advantage of our differences with the JD-S," Congress official K.E. Radhakrishna told IANS. The Congress and BJP also hope to retain the remaining seats, as both have again fielded their outgoing members from their respective constituencies such as Kolar (SC), Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga (SC), Chamrajanagar (SC) and Bangalore Rural, from where the Congress won and Mysore and Udupi-Chikmagalur from BJP won in the 2014 general elections. In prestigious Mandya constituency, though Nikhil's father and state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy claimed voters would not betray the party as its loyal supporters, the highest polling percentage indicates the participation of a large number of youth, women and a legion of Ambareesh fans in the battle of the ballot. What would have been a sure win for 28-year-old Nikhil, an upcoming Kannada film star, has turned into a 'mother of all battles' with Sumalatha, 55, in fray as a widow of Kannada rebel star Ambareesh, who still has a huge fan-fallowing among the youth, women, farmers even after his death 4 months ago on November 24 in Bengaluru. "As Sumalatha is considered to be the daughter-in-law of Mandya after marrying its son of the soil (Ambareesh), sympathy, respect and love for him would have made most of his fans, women and farmers to stamp her 'Trumpet' symbol as a reward for his dedication and service to them," said the analyst. In contrast, the JD-S has counted on its committed voters among farmers and traders, as majority of them belong to the politically dominant Vokkaliga community, to which the powerful Gowda clan also belongs, with party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda as its patriarch. "We are very sure of retaining Mandya as it has been our pocket borough for over two decades and as evident from the victory of our legislators from all its 8 assembly segments in the May 2018 elections," JD-S official Ramesh Babu told IANS a day after the polling. The JD-S retained Mandya in the November 2018 by-election, necessitated by the resignation of its member C.S. Puttaraj on winning in the May 2018 assembly polls and becoming a minister in the coalition government. With vote count a month away on May 23, it's a testing time for the allies on the outcome, as the chemistry between the Congress and JD-S cadres was missing to woo voters to press the party's symbol in the electronic voting machines (EVM). A similar challenge stares the JD-S in its other bastion - Hassan - where Deve Gowda's another grandson, Prajwal, is a joint candidate of the allies, pitted against a former Congress minister-turned BJP contestant A. Manju. Nikhil is also a grandson of Deve Gowda and Prajwal is son of state PWD minister H.D Revanna, elder brother of Kumaraswamy and second eldest son of the party's supremo and former Prime Minister for 10 months (June 1,1996 to April 24, 1997). Though Deve Gowda has represented Hassan for a record 6 times since 1991, his decision to pitch Prajwal to retain the seat did not go well even with the JD-S cadres and its committed vote bank. As the Congress cadres stayed away from campaign and refused to work with their JD-S counterparts, the verdict will tell if the going was tough or smooth for Prajwal and the allies, as the BJP sought a vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi the name of development. With Gowda contesting from Tumkur, where the politically strong Lingayat community and the Other Back Class (OBCs) outnumber the Vokkaligas, an adverse verdict for him may spell doom for the reginal party and the fledgling coalition government. The BJP has fielded B.S. Basavaraj, who represented Tumkur in the Lok Sabha from 2009-14 and lost to Congress member S.P. Muddahanumantha Gowda in the 2014 general elections. As the Congress decision to allot Tumkur to the JD-S as part of its pre-poll tie-up denied Muddahanumantha Gowda a chance to re-contest, its cadres did not campaign for Deve Gowda nor mobilised voters for him at the booth level. (Fakir Balaji can be reached at fakir.b@ians.in) Kolkata, April 19 : More than 90 per cent polling stations will be covered by the Central Forces in the third phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, said Ajay V. Nayak, Special Observer appointed by the Election Commission, here on Friday. "We had requested for 50 additional companies and the Union Home Ministry agreed to send the Force. So more than 90 per cent of the polling stations will be covered by the Central Forces. I think the election will be more and more to the satisfaction of all the political parties, " Nayak told reporters here. According to Nayak, around 50 per cent booths were manned by the Central Forces in the first phase. "The number was increased to almost 80 per cent in the second phase. And the results were apparent." Asked about reports of a nodal officer going missing in Nadia, he said: "I think it has something to do with his personal life and probably he was in depression. As he is not around, I am told another officer has been given the charge." Voters in five constituencies -- Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur, Murshidabad and Balurghat -- will cast their votes in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on April 23. Thiruvananthapuram, April 19 : The Congress on Friday termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concern for the Sabarimala tradition "a bluff", and promised to bring in laws to protect the sanctity of the Lord Ayyappa shrine if voted to power. "Modi is shedding nothing but crocodile tears," senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said barely 12 hours after the Prime Minister announced that a new law would be brought. "Now after raising passions over Sabarimala, he (Modi) says they (BJP) will bring in the necessary laws. "The Congress had in 2016 itself, informed the Supreme Court that faith and tradition of the temple must be protected. It was only us who had taken such a stand," the Leader of Opposition told the media here. The BJP did nothing when they could have easily brought fresh laws or even a Constitutional amendment to protect the traditions at the famed temple, he said. He also took on the present Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. "Both the BJP and the CPI-M have the same position. In fact, state BJP president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai publicly announced that they see the Sabarimala issue as a golden opportunity." Chennithala claimed that only the Congress "genuinely cares" for Sabarimala. The apex court on September 28 last year ruled that women of all age groups should be allowed to pray inside the shrine, striking down the temple tradition of barring girls and women in the 10-50 age bracket. While the right wing parties were up in arms over the verdict, the Vijayan government decided to abide by the apex court's ruling. The Kerala Police facilitated the visit of two women from the hitherto banned age group to pray at the temple. New Delhi, April 19 : Calling it an insult, the Indian Police Service (IPS) Association on Friday condemned BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks on former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad Chief Hemant Karkare. On Friday, Thakur said Karkare, who died in action during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, had treated her "very badly" and died because of "her curse". "Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," said a tweet from the official handle of the Indian Police Service (Central) Association. The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday fielded Thakur against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls in the sixth phase on May 12. Kolkata, April 19 : A Class 7 student sustained a bullet injury during clashes between West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress supporters and BJP activists at Chopra in North Dinajpur district on Friday, a day after Lok Sabha polls were held there, police said. "Clashes were reported in the morning. Police personnel have been deployed to control the situation. According to locals, a student of Class 7 was caught between the firing and sustained a bullet injury on his left leg. He has been admitted to hospital," a police official said. No one has been arrested so far but efforts are on to nab the miscreants, he added. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters alleged that bombs were hurled and bullets fired by unidentified men earlier in the day before security was beefed up at Chopra which had witnessed escalating violence between supporters of the rival political parties. Trinamool activists, on the other hand, accused BJP supporters of vandalising the houses and shops of their supporters. "Trinamool supporters and leaders are habituated to creating disturbances. We will not allow their goons to create unrest. Our workers are ready to resist them," state BJP President Dilip Ghosh said. According to the Election Commission, polling on Thursday remained largely peaceful barring sporadic incidents of violence and vandalism, including an attack on a Communist Party of India-Marxist candidate and the smashing of an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Much of the violence during polls on Thursday was reported from Chopra. Meanwhile, BJP's Hooghly constituency candidate Locket Chatterjee alleged that Trinamool miscreants ransacked home appliances and other things after entering a house where she was residing. Refuting the allegation, Trinamool local leaders blamed "factional infighting within the BJP". Raichur : , April 19 (IANS) A suspect was arrested in Karnataka's Raichur town for his alleged involvement in the rape of a girl and abetment of her suicide, police said on Friday. "Suspect Sudarshan Yadav, 25, was arrested on Thursday for the alleged rape and suicide of the victim after her mother Rukmini Devi filed a complaint, alleging his involvement in the crime," police sub-inspector Prakash Dambal told IANS here, about 500 km northwest of Bengaluru. Yadav, a self-employed youth, was charged under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sent to 14-day judicial remand for interrogation. "Though Yadav's arrest was based on Devi's statement as he knew her daughter, his name was not found in a suicide note the victim left before she hanged herself on a tree behind a temple on the town's outskirts," Dambal said. The victim, a sixth semester student of a private engineering college in the town, left home on April 13 to attend classes but did not return even by the same night or the following day. "We came to know from a passer-by on April 15 about the victim's body at the spot, with her hands and legs bitten and some parts of them eaten by wild dogs as the place is located on a hilly ('ghat') section," Dambal recalled. Based on the mother's complaint and the victim's note, police suspect the accused to have driven Devi's daughter to depression and commiting suicide by ignoring her over the last few months after befriending and courting her. "As part of the investigation, we are interrogating him to ascertain his relationship with the victim, when he met her last, and if there was anything amiss which drove her to the extreme step of taking her life but not blaming anyone in the note," Dambal added. New Delhi, April 19 : Three days after Rohit Shekhar Tiwari's mysterious death in his south Delhi residence, the autopsy report has suggested that he died an "unnatural death", a police officer said on Friday. "The autopsy report of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, 40, suggested that it is an unnatural death due to smothering. Other contradictions were also found," Deputy Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar told IANS. "Now the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch," he said. Rohit Shekhar Tiwari had won the paternity suit against the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, late Narayan Dutt Tiwari. He was declared "brought dead" by the Max Hospital on Wednesday after his mother took him there in an ambulance. The forensic and crime branch teams visited Rohit Shekhar's residence in Defence Colony to corroborate the sequence of events, including scanning CCTV footage. A Crime Branch officer told IANS that they have registered a case of murder in this connection. "His mother, brother, wife and four servants are being questioned," the officer added. Tbilisi, April 19 : In the latest case of Saudi women fleeing the ultra-conservative kingdom, two sisters are seeking international help and have urged the UN to help them get to a "safe" country. The sisters -- Wafa, 25, and Maha al-Subaie, 28, -- are currently in Georgia and under state protection in a shelter. But they say they don't feel safe here because "it would be easy for their male relatives to find them", the BBC reported. "We have to cover our face, we have to cook... like slaves (in Saudi Arabia). We don't want this, we want real life, our life," said Wafa. "Georgia is a small country and anyone from our family can come and track us down. We want a country that will welcome us and protect our rights." The women have made their case for international help on Twitter, under the account @GeorgiaSisters and appealed to the UN to help them get to a "third, safe country". They travelled to Georgia as Saudis do not require entry visas. Looking distressed and terrified, the Saudi sisters arrived at Georgia's migration department on Thursday evening accompanied by immigration authorities. Asked why they felt threatened in Saudi Arabia, Wafa said it is "because we are women". In Saudi Arabia, women are forced to obtain the permission of their male guardians if they want to work or travel. "Our family threatens us every day in our country," she said, while her sister Maha said they had proof of this. In a similar case this year, Saudi teenager Rahaf Mohammed al-Qanun made international headlines in January after she flew to Thailand and barricaded herself in a hotel while appealing on Twitter for help to avoid deportation. She has since been granted asylum in Canada. And in March, two other Saudi sisters who spent six months hiding in Hong Kong were granted humanitarian visas after fleeing to escape lives of "violence and oppression". "In Saudi Arabia men control women's lives from birth until death under the male guardianship system," said Human Rights Watch Middle East Director Sarah Leah Whitson. "The Georgian authorities have said they will respect the sisters' right to claim asylum, which is the appropriate and welcome response. The real focus now should be on removing the systematic discrimination that women face in Saudi Arabia and providing meaningful and effective assistance to Saudi women subjected to abuse," she added. New Delhi, April 19 : The Union Home Ministry on Friday said that it had not asked the Assam government to take any action against editors and journalists who have expressed their opposition to the controversial Citizenship Bill. "It has been reported in a section of media that Union Home Ministry has asked Government of Assam to take action against the editors opposed to the Citizenship Bill. This is absolutely baseless and a mischievous interpretation of the facts," an official statement said here. The ministry said it did not ask the state government to initiate any inquiry against any editor or member of the press and media. The statement clarified that people send a large number of petitions and grievances to the ministry through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) and one such petition was sent by a Maharashtra resident stating that the Citizenship Bill issue had been exploited by different militant groups like ULFA, while the media is propagating militant ideology to give a fresh boost to such groups. This petition was forwarded as per standard practice to the Assam government but the Union Ministry has not called for any report from the state, the statement added. Washington, April 19 : Outgoing French Ambassador to the US Gerard Araud has compared the Donald Trump administration to the court of King Louis XIV, filled with courtiers trying to interpret the caprices of a "whimsical, unpredictable, uninformed" leader. Araud, who retired on Friday after a 37-year career that included some of the top jobs in French diplomacy, told the Guardian that Trump's unpredictability and his single-minded interpretation of US interests was leaving the administration isolated on the global stage. Talking about the Trump administration, Araud said: "It's like (trying) to analyze the court of Louis XIV. You have an old king, a bit whimsical, unpredictable, uninformed, but he wants to be the one deciding." Like the Sun King who dominated France in the 17th and 18th centuries, Trump "doesn't want to appear under any influence and he wants to show it", according to Araud, who had been France's Ambassador to Washington since 2014. "When they say 'America first', it's America alone. Basically, this President and this administration don't have allies, don't have friends. It's really (about) bilateral relationships on the basis of the balance of power and the defence of narrow American interest." Araud called the current situation in the US as the opposite extreme of the "meticulous" decision-making process pursued by the previous administration. "(Barack) Obama was the ultimate bureaucrat: you know every night he was going to bed with 60 pages and in the morning they were coming back all annotated by the President. "For decisions such as the troop surge in Afghanistan, there were months of meetings between the relevant government departments." Araud also cautioned the UK against expecting any special treatment from Washington in post-Brexit trade talks, predicting that the administration would force London to accept the US imports on their own terms. New Delhi, April 19 : The Saudi Arabian government has issued a formal order, notifying increase in Indias Haj quota to 2 lakh from 1.75 lakh, about two months after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman gave the assurance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, official sources said here on Friday. The decision, taken on Thursday, will ensure that for the first time since Independence, all the Haj applicants from all big states like Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar can go for the pilgrimage this year as their waiting lists have been cleared due to the increase in the quota, the sources said. The Saudi Crown Prince, during his visit here in February, had announced at a meeting with the Prime Minister and attended by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi that India's Haj quota would be increased by about 25,000, raising the number to 2 lakh. This is the third hike in three consecutive years. In 2017, the quota was increased by 35,000 while last year, it was raised by 5,000 to take the number to 1,75,000, the sources said. "Due to the significant increase in India's Haj quota, all the applicants from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Lakshadweep, Manipur, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Tripura will go to Haj 2019," the sources said. This time, 2,340 Muslim women from India will also go for Haj without 'Mehram' or male companion, they said. For this year's Haj pilgrimage, 34,397 applications have been received from Uttar Pradesh, 8,470 from West Bengal, 191 from Goa, 499 from Manipur, 698 from Odisha, 2,138 from Andhra Pradesh, 3,588 from Assam, 4,950 from Bihar, 72 from Himachal Pradesh, 2,233 from Jharkhand, 342 from Punjab, 110 from Tripura and all these applicants have become eligible after increase in India's Haj quota, the sources said. "Making the entire Haj process completely online and digital has not only ensured that Haj pilgrimage has not become expensive even after removal of Haj subsidy, it has also made the Haj process absolutely pro-pilgrim," they said. By ensuring transparency in the Haj process and making it 100 percent online and digital, the airfare for the pilgrimage has decreased significantly, the sources said, adding in 2018, even after removal of Haj subsidy, pilgrims saved about Rs 57 crore in air fares. The GST on Haj pilgrimage has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent this year, which will ensure that about Rs 113 crore will be saved by pilgrims during the 2019 Haj, they said. Besides, accommodation in Madina has been taken on 100 Saudi Riyals less in comparison to the last year which will result into Indians saving about Rs 3,000 per pilgrim, the sources said. Guwahati, April 19 : BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress alleging that it was the Congress government at the Centre in 1967 that opened the country's doors to infiltrators. "Who allowed infiltrators in large numbers into India, especially the Northeast? It was the Congress government at the Centre, which in 1967 repealed the Prevention of Infiltration from Pakistan Act and opened India's doors to infiltrators from East Pakistan and West Pakistan. "Large numbers of infiltrators from East Pakistan entered into Assam and other northeastern states," Ram Madhav told a press conference here. He also accused the former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government of backing out from updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2010. "When the NRC was to be prepared through a pilot project in 2010, the infiltrators engineered protests against it. Citing those anti-NRC protests as an excuse, the Tarun Gogoi government halted the NRC update," he said. "It is the BJP government led by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal that has revived the NRC update. It is on the verge of completion now. How can they who backed out from the NRC update, preach us on it now?" the BJP leader asked. He said that it was the Congress which was harming the interests of the Northeast and the country as a whole. "We are committed to protect the identity, culture and heritage of the people of the region and we are going to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord," he said. Ram Madhav said that his party was confident of winning all the 10 Lok Sabha seats it had decided to contest in the Northeast. "The Congress does not exist in a large part of the country, including in the Northeast, where it is either the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) partners," he said. Clause 6 of the Assam Accord envisages that appropriate constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards shall be provided to protect, preserve and promote the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Assamese people. Chennai, April 19 : In a tragic accident, five workers engaged in digging a new well in Tamil Nadu's Tiruvannamalai district were killed on Friday when a rope they had tied to their bodies for safety snapped, police said. A police officer said that the rope snapped and the five fell down to a considerable depth and died. Bengaluru, April 19 : A world-renowned US geophysicist is highly disappointed that India denied him a visa to attend a three-day international conference at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, that began on Thursday. Roger Bilham, a professor of geology at the University of Colorado, had been invited by the organisers to deliver the plenary address at the International Workshop on Climate Change and Extreme Events in the Himalayan Region. "I am on a list," Bilham told this correspondent in an email on the denial of a visa. "I have been told the list includes terrorists, journalists and activists. As far as I know I am the only scientist on this list. They have not told me why I am on this list. The whole thing is truly shameful." This is not the first time India denied Bilham a visa. On May 19, 2012, on arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, en route to Bhutan, he was denied entry and sent back to the US. At that time Bilham believed his deportation was a reaction to his publications bringing to light seismic risks to Jaitapur in Maharashtra, the site of a proposed nuclear power plant. Bilham's deportation at that time prompted prominent geologists from the US, France and Switzerland to petition the Indian government to reconsider Bilham's banishment. "But there has been no change in my status," Bilham said in his email. "I have twice applied for a visa and, after payment of $450, have been refused one." Bilham has published numerous articles on the tectonics of the Indo-Asian collision, and the history of earthquakes in India. He had been invited because "his years of research forms the basis for the current knowledge about earthquakes in the Himalayan region", the organisers said in a press release. Bilham's assessment that a magnitude-8.7 earthquake could strike in the Kashmir Himalayas - more than 10 times stronger than the widely accepted upper bound of magnitude 8 - has irked some in the Indian disaster management community. The seismic warnings on Jaitapur and Kashmir, Bilham thought, were probably interpreted as "scare mongering" and hence he was black-listed. "On this occasion (for the conference at IIT-Mandi), its convener Ramesh Singh had hoped to persuade the Ministry of Home Affairs that I should be issued with a visa to give this important talk," he said. "But this too did not work." Home Ministry spokesman for visa enquiries Pramod Kumar (Director-F) did not reply to this correspondent's request for the reason Bilham was denied a visa. Since Bilham could not be physically present at the workshop, he delivered a video lecture instead. "Bilham could not be physically present as he did not get the visa," Ramesh Singh told this correspondent on the phone. "So he delivered a video lecture on 'Future great earthquakes in the Himalayas' to a wide audience." According to its organisers, the workshop, being attended by researchers from 10 countries, aims at understanding the effects of climate change, melting of glaciers, increased frequency of extreme events like glacial lake outbursts and pollution due to burning of crop residue on the Himalayan region and applications of remote sensing. "It provides a platform for scientists and academicians from various national and international institutes to share knowledge for the overall goal of capacity building in the field of earth sciences," Ramesh Singh said. Last month, Bilham had cautioned - in a new analysis published by the Geological Society of London - that "currently two-thirds of the Himalayas is poised to rupture in one or more great earthquakes." and that the death toll from a future earthquake in the Himalaya "could possibly exceed 100,000". (K.S. Jayaraman is a veteran science journalist. He can be reached at killugudi@hotmail.com) New Delhi, April 19 : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday called upon relatives of Indians residing in Tripoli to ask them to leave the Libyan capital immediately, saying the situation there is fast deteriorating. "Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. Please ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later," she tweeted. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that 213 people have been killed and 1,009 others injured in the fighting between the UN-backed Libyan government and the east-based Army in and around Tripoli. The Army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli where the UN-backed government is based. Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. India had earlier evacuated its entire contingent of 15 Central Reserve Police Force personnel who were deployed in Tripoli. Kolkata, April 19 : A total of 324 companies of central forces are being deployed to man 90 per cent of the polling stations in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal scheduled to be held on April 23, a top official said on Friday. "324 companies of central forces are being deployed for the third phase of elections. 90 per cent of the booths will be manned by central forces only," said Vivek Dube, Special Police Observer for the state. Voters in five constituencies -- Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur, Murshidabad and Balurghat -- will cast their votes in the third phase. Dube is scheduled to go to Malda on Saturday, followed by a visit to Balurghat. "During this visit, I shall meet the leaders of all the political parties and take their suggestions. Subsequently, I shall discuss the arrangements made by the District Electoral Officer, police superintendents, observers and commanding officers of the central forces for the third phase," Dube said. Earlier, Ajay V. Nayak, Special Observer appointed by the Election Commission, said that 90 per cent of all the polling booths will be covered by the central forces from the third phase onwards. "I think the elections will be more and more to the satisfaction of all the political parties," Nayak told reporters here. According to Nayak, around 50 per cent booths were manned by the central forces in the first phase. "The number was increased to almost 80 per cent in the second phase. And the results were very much apparent." Asked about reports of a nodal officer going missing in Nadia, Nayak said: "I think it has something to do with his personal life and probably he was in depression. As he is not around, I am told another officer has been given the charge." Tumakuru: People stand in multiple queues to cast their votes for the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, at a polling station in Karnataka's Tumakuru, on April 18, 2019. (Photo: IANS) Image Source: IANS News Mysuru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah and his son Yathindra Siddaramaiah show their inked fingers after casting their votes for the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, at a polling station in Karnataka's Mysur Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, April 19 : Almost half of Bangalore's urban voters didn't vote during the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday, as voter turnout in India's tech hub continued to remain stagnant and the lowest in Karnataka. "Comparison of voting percentage in the city's three Lok Sabha constituencies and its 28 Assembly segments during the parliamentary and Assembly elections shows no change in the apathy of the urban electorate in exercising their democratic rights," a poll official told IANS on Friday. Out of the 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka, fourteen seats in the state's central and southern regions went to the polls on Thursday. The average voter turnout in the city was 53.87 per cent, with Bangalore North registering 54.63 per cent, Bangalore Central 53.53 per cent and Bangalore South 53.47 per cent. "In contrast, Bangalore Rural polled 64.07 per cent, although the rural constituency is 40-50 km from the city centre," admitted the official. Interestingly, in the Assembly elections held on May 12, 2018, the apathy of the urban voters was by and large the same in the city's 28 Assembly seats under 3 parliamentary constituencies. "The average turnout of Bangalore Urban in the Assembly elections was 54.72 per cent, while in Bangalore Rural it was 84.03 per cent," recalled the official. In the 2014 general elections, the average turnout in Bangalore was 55.97 per cent, with Bangalore North registering 56.53 per cent, Bangalore Central 55.64 per cent and Bangalore South 55.75 per cent. "It is unfortunate that about half of Bangalore's electorate of 72.69 lakh don't care to vote in either Lok Saba or Assembly elections despite being registered voters in the city. "We need to find out the reasons for the low turnout in the city despite the best efforts of the poll panel to educate, promote and encourage the voters about exercising their franchise," Congress official K.E. Radhakrishnan told IANS. According to the final electoral list for the 2019 general elections, Bangalore North has the highest number of registered voters in the city and the state -- 28,48,402 -- while Bangalore Central has 22,04,853 voters and Bangalore South 22,15,533 voters. In contrast, Bangalore Rural has 22,15,533 voters. New Delhi, April 19 : The Congress on Friday said it is yet to decide unanimously on a poll alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Lok Sabha elections. Earlier this week AAP's spokesperson claimed that it had failed to convince the grand old party on forming an alliance. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Whenever there is a firm decision unanimously inside the Congress on the alliance with AAP, we will communicate to the media. The proposed alliance is only for Delhi, not for Punjab and Haryana." The two have been engaged in alliance talks for the past several weeks. On Wednesday, AAP spokesperson Sanjay Singh told the media that AAP wanted an alliance with the Congress in order to stop the BJP "but it seems the Congress is not interested". "We wanted an alliance on 18 seats, but unfortunately, Congress is not ready for any compromise on seat sharing. Together, we could have defeated BJP," he said. Singh said he met Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, P.C. Chacko and Ahmed Patel, but the alliance could not be finalised. He said the two parties initially agreed on 4:3 seat distribution in Delhi where four seats would be allocated to AAP. Singh said AAP had also proposed a 6:3:1 seat sharing in Haryana under which Congress would fight six seats, Jannayak Janata Party three and one candidate would be fielded by the AAP. New Delhi, April 19 : Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a key accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case which killed six people and injured over 100, has entered the electoral fray on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket from Bhopal in perhaps first such case in which a national party has fielded an accused facing terror charges. Although, charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) have been dropped against her, she is facing trial under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), an anti-terror law, which is considered successor to TADA and POTA. Currently, Thakur is out on bail granted to her by a Mumbai court in 2017. According to Indian law, any citizen above 25 years of age is eligible to contest polls unless convicted of any crime, punishment for which could be for two years or more. Thakur is not yet convicted in any case. The UAPA, as it stands today, deals with two qualitatively different kinds of criminal acts: "unlawful activity" and "terrorist acts". Terror accused are usually charged under UAPA. If Thakur were to be convicted under UAPA, she would likely face imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and will also be liable to fine. "The Representation of the People Act does not prohibit any person who is under trial and out on bail from fighting elections as long as such a person discloses all the cases against him/her in the affidavit and paper filed during nomination," said Kumar Mihir, Advocate on Record, Supreme Court of India. The criminal jurisprudence in India is based on "presumption of innocence" and till a person is actually convicted, he/she is presumed to be innocent. "Fighting an election is a statutory right given to all citizens of India and any person who is under trial and is yet to be convicted is presumed innocent. He/she cannot be debarred from fighting elections," said Mihir. Following is a summary of cases involving Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: Malegaon Case September 29, 2008: Explosives planted on an LML Freedom motorcycle go off opposite Shakil Goods Transport Company in Malegaon, Maharashtra. Six people are killed and over 100 injured. Hemant Karkare, then chief of the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), supervised the investigation. The ATS traced the motorcycle to Surat, and found that it was registered under the name of Thakur, a former Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad activist. The ATS arrests Army officer Lt Col Prasad Purohit and retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay. The ATS concludes that Hindutva outfit Abhinav Bharat and a self-proclaimed seer, Sudhakar Dwivedi alias Dayanand Pandey, are also involved. January 20, 2009: A chargesheet is filed followed by a supplementary chargesheet on April 21, 2011 in the special MCOCA court in Mumbai. The ATS names 14 accused, also including Shivnarayan Kalsangra, Shyam Sahu, Sameer Kulkarni Ajay alias Raja Rahirkar, Rakesh Dhawade, Jagdish Mhatre, Sudhakar Chaturvedi, Pravin Takalki, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange. Thakur's involvement Thakur was arrested on October 24, 2008. Her arrest helped investigators to look into the alleged activities of Hindutva extremists. She is chargesheeted in the Malegaon case, where her motorcycle was used. The ATS chargesheet said that Thakur particpated in meetings since 2006 which planned the attack in Malegaon. On April 11, 2006, in Bhopal, Thakur allegedly took charge of finding men to execute the attack. These men were Sunil Joshi, Ramchandra Kalsangra and Sandeep Dange, the chargesheet said. In another chargesheet involving a blast in the cross-border Samjhauta Express, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) alleged that Thakur was known to accused Aseemanand since 2003. But the agency failed to prove the complicity of the two in the blast. March 21, 2019: The NIA special court acquits Aseemanand and three others in the Samjhauta blast case. Links to Other Cases Thakur's name cropped up in the Ajmer Dargah blast case, but she was never charged. April 2017: The NIA files a closure report against Thakur, RSS leader Indresh Kumar, and two others in a special court in Rajasthan, though the Rajasthan ATS said that Thakur and Indresh participated in a meeting on October 31, 2005, along with others. Thakur was also accused of conspiracy in the December 2007 murder of Sunil Joshi. In 2014, the NIA filed a chargesheet against her and others. But, she was acquitted in February 2017. (Sumit can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in) New Delhi, April 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that fielding of Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, as BJP candidate from Bhopal was a symbolic answer to all those who labeled the rich Hindu civilization as "terrorist" and asserted that "this symbol will prove costly for the Congress". He said the Congress works with a certain "modus operandi" to create false narratives on incidents such as Samjhauta Express blast and death of judge B.H. Loya. While defending the fielding of Thakur, who is on bail in the blast case, Modi asked why no such questions are being asked when Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are contesting from Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, respectively, despite being on "bail". "One woman, that too a 'sadhvi', was humiliated in such a manner," he said in an interview to Times Now while answering a question on fielding of Thakur in the Lok Sabha elections. "Samjhauta Express verdict came. What came out? Without any evidence, a rich civilization as old as 5000 years, which gave the message of 'the whole world is one'... You called such a civilization terrorist? To give a reply to all such people, this (fielding of Thakur) is a symbol and this symbol will cost Congress dearly," the Prime Minister added. Thakur joined the BJP on Wednesday and soon after was fielded as its candidate from Bhopal against Congress leader Digvijay Singh. "In Amethi, they (Congress) have a candidate (Rahul Gandhi) who is on bail, in Rae Bareli, they have a candidate (Sonia Gandhi) who is on bail, but there is no debate on that. But if the candidate from Bhopal is on bail, there is so much of outcry," he said and asked, "how can this go on?" He went on to add, "I have lived in Gujarat. I have understood the Congress modus operandi. Like a film script, they write a script. They locate something, then bring a villain and a hero and make a film. This is their modus operandi.. It is part of that modus operandi." Because of the "same modus operandi" of the Congress, "all the encounters were presented like that (as fake).... Justice Loya died a natural death but because of this kind of modus operandi, such a case was built as if he had been murdered. On EVM issue also, they used the same modus operandi," he charged. Attacking the Congress, he referred to the 1984 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. "Her (Indira's) son (Rajiv Gandhi) said when big tree falls, the earth shakes. After that thousands of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi. Was it not terrorism of certain people? Even after that he (Rajiv Gandhi) was made the Prime Minister. The neutral media never asked any question with regard to that but is asking now," Modi said. "Those who were eye witnesses of those killings were later made ministers.. One of them was recently made the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, against whom there have been allegations. Were they ever asked? Those who have been convicted are being hugged even in jail," he said, and posed, "Do they (Congress) have any right to raise questions?" Bhopal/New Delhi, April 19 : Two days after joining the BJP and being fielded for Lok Sabha polls, Malegaon bomb blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur on Friday said then Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare had died during the 26/11 terror attack because of her "curse", triggering a major outcry following which she apologized. Thakur, who is out on bail after serving over nine years in jail in connection with the September 29, 2008 blast in Maharashtra's Malegaon in which six people were killed and nearly 100 injured, recounted at a public meeting here the episode of her arrest and interrogation in the case. The 48-year-old, who has a long association with the Sangh Parivar, claimed that when she was in a Mumbai jail, the head of the probe had called Karkare and said that she should be released as there was "no evidence" against her. "Then Karkare asked me various questions and I replied 'God knows'. At this, Karkare asked whether he would have to go to the God to get the answers. Then, I told him that he would be destroyed and he was cursed... within a month and a half, he fell victim to the terrorists' bullets," said Thakur who has been fielded by the BJP from Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Karkare was killed on the night of November 26, 2008 when 10 terrorists from Pakistan struck Mumbai at various places. "Hindus believe that a period of one and a half month after anyone's birth or death is of ritual impurity. When Karkare asked me these questions, this period started for him and ended with him being killed by the terrorists," said Thakur, who was born in Bhind area of Madhya Pradesh. The comments triggered a major outcry, with parties like the Congress, AAP and AIMIM, besides the Indian Police Service Association, condemning her remarks. In the evening, Thakur said, "It was my personal pain. I take back my statement and apologise." She said she was taking back her remarks as she "felt that the enemies of the country are being benefited" from it. She said Karkare was a "martyr" who died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country. Earlier, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, condemning the comments, demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and action against her. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lashed out at Sadhvi Pragya for insulting a decorated dead police officer and accused her of dragging the current nationalism discourse to a new low. In a hard-hitting reaction to the "sickening and repulsive" comment, he said: "That woman cannot be sane. No person in their sane mind can think or talk like that, and that too about a police officer who sacrificed his life for the nation." The AAP said BJP must apologize for insulting Karkare, with its chief Arvind Kejriwal calling the comments "disgraceful". AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi also slammed Thakur's comment. "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' and 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote and elect a government," he said, adding: "How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this?" In a tweet from its official handle, the IPS (Central) Association said: "Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected." Amid the outrage, the BJP distanced itself from Thakur's comments. BJP leader and former Union Minister Shahnawaz Hussain told media: "Those who died for the country, we consider them martyrs. We don't raise questions on their martyrdom." BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said that the remarks might be Thakur's point of view. "We respect every son and daughter of India who sacrificed their lives for motherland. What Pragyaji has said, that would evidently be her point of view perhaps because she herself underwent an investigation. We salute sacrifice of Karkareji and would not do politics on it," he said. Thakur was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. She was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017. Charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against her have been dropped and she is now being tried under the stringent anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Kanpur, April 19 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Friday accused the Narendra Modi government of politicising the Armed Forces by calling the one rank one pension (OROP) a favour to them. The Congress General Secretary was holding a roadshow while campaigning for his party's Kanpur candidate Sriprakash Jaiswal here. She kicked off her roadshow from Ghantaghar area and concluded it at Bada Chauraha after covering a distance of five kms. Addressing party supporters at the Phoolbagh crossing, she said, "When I was coming here from the airport, there were lots of posters and hoardings along the way. One of the hoardings that read 'Sena ko OROP ka uphaar' (OROP gift to the armed forces) got me thinking. "Is the OROP really a gift and favour to the Armed Forces or is it their right? The right of the Armed Forces is being publicised as a favour by the government. What is this mentality and who will change it?" she asked the crowd. She also targeted the Modi government over demonetisation. "They turned it into a mission of patriotism by telling you that it (demonetisation) will bring back black money. You all were made to stand in queues for the country. But the black money did not come back. On the contrary, a few industrialists benefitted from it," she alleged. The Congress leader also attacked the government for a flawed implementation of the goods and the services tax (GST), which she said had killed thousands of small businesses. She urged the crowd raising slogans like "Priyanka nahi ye aandhi hai, doosri Indira Gandhi hai" to not compare her with her grandmother. "Please don't humiliate me. I am nothing in front of her. You all know that... she made a sacrifice for the country." She added that she shared her grandmother's will to serve the people. "Whether you give us a chance or not, we will keep serving you all," she said. Comparing her brother and Congress President Rahul Gandhi to Modi, Priyanka said, "One (Modi) does not have the strength to endure, while the other who is abused daily endures everything and keeps on smiling. This is called political will and confidence." Earlier arriving at the Fursatganj Airport in Rae Bareli, her mother and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's parliamentary constituency in the morning, Priyanka travelled to Gauriganj by road for a meeting with her party workers as well as senior leaders of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) to discuss poll preparedness in the district. A senior Congress leader told IANS: "BSP district chief Dilip Kumar and JAP district chief Vipin Kumar attended the five-hour long meeting and assured her all help in Amethi, where Rahul Gandhi is facing a stiff challenge from BJP's Smriti Irani." Asked about the absence of Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders from the meeting, the Congress leader said that they will organise a meeting with Priyanka, the Congress in-charge for eastern Uttar Pradesh, on their own. The BSP-SP-RLD alliance has not put up any candidate in the Amethi and Rae Bareli seats. Buniaydpur : , April 19 (IANS) Continuing his campaign blitz in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally in this town of northern West Bengal's South Dinajpur district on Saturday, in a bid to give a further fillip to the BJP's Lok Sabha polls prospects in the state. For Modi, who is seemingly laying stress on electioneering in eastern India, it would be his fifth visit to the state this year, and the seventh public meeting in Bengal in around two and a half months. Modi would also be possibly the first Prime Minister to visit the municipal town, about 400 kilometers north of Kolkata, and part of the Balurghat Lok Sabha constituency. The pubic meeting at Narayanpur ground has been organised in support of BJP candidate Sukanta Majumdar, a reputed botanist of Gour Banga University who is taking on sitting Trinamool Congress MP and noted theatre activist Arpita Ghosh. The BJP is dreaming big in Balurghat, once a stronghold of the Left. The saffron party is hoping to wean a substantial part of the Left vote bank which has seen a lot of erosion across the state, as also get a large chunk of the substantial tribal vote in the constituency. The Prime Minister in his speech is expected to touch on the Citizenship Bill, as also tribal issues, and the welfare projects initiated by his government. "This ground can hold a capacity crowd of two lakh. But the sort of response we are getting, I think this ground will turn out to be too small for the rally," BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said after supervising the arrangements. Vijayvargiya said his party was taking every precaution to make the arrangements foolproof, as the support staff like the sound technicians, decorators etc have no experience of working in a meeting to be addressed by the Prime Minister. BJP South Dinajpur district President Suvendu Sarkar claimed over three lakh people will attend the meeting. Stringent security has been put in place for the meeting, with the Special Protection Group already taking over the venue. Kolkata, April 19 : West Bengal CID on Friday interrogated former IPS officer and BJP Lok Sabha poll candidate Bharati Ghosh in an extortion case in West Midnapore district's Daspur, an officer said. The CID sleuths reached Ghosh's residence in Daspur in the morning and pasted a notice at the gate asking her to appear for questioning. The interrogation, that started in the morning at her residence, was conducted over three sessions and stretched until the evening. The sleuths sought information from Ghosh in a bid to find some missing links in the probe in connection with the extortion case. As the questioning continued through the afternoon, some BJP cadres in the area became restive and started shouting slogans. However, Ghosh asked them not to create a ruckus and let the CID officers do their job. "They are ordinary government servants." Ghosh, who is fighting the polls as a BJP candidate from Ghatal, accused the state government of "playing dirty". "Meaningless issues unrelated to the case are being brought up. They wasted the whole campaign time today. They are torturing me. The Trinamool government is playing dirty. They lack the guts to take me on in the political arena." The CID had previously arrested four police officers in the extortion case while a caretaker of an apartment in south Kolkata was also held. The CID raids started following a case of extortion and criminal conspiracy lodged in West Midnapore district's Daspur on February 1 last year after gold trader Chandan Majhi complained against some police officers in the district thought to be close to Ghosh, the former district police chief. The sleuths had earlier seized more than Rs. 2.4 crore in cash, several important government documents and an array of sealed liquor bottles while raiding a number of flats in an apartment in Kolkata's Madurdaha, suspected to be owned by Ghosh while large amount of unaccounted cash was also seized from the house of several police officers named in the FIR. Ghosh's husband M.A.V. Raju, a chartered accountant, was also arrested in the cash-for-gold case last year. New Delhi, April 19 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attacked the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, saying the state is witnessing violence as was seen in Kashmir in the eighties against Kashmiri Pandits and that the situation has to be taken seriously. "The way Bengal is moving towards violence, the way those who perpetrate this are being shielded, there is a beginning of situation which the Kashmiri Pandits faced in the eighties. This has dangerous consequences and there is a need to look at it seriously," Modi said in an interview to Times Now news channel. He referred to killing of a BJP worker during polling in the state on Thursday. Modi said Jammu and Kashmir, which is often in the news for violence has seen peaceful polling in the two phases of Lok Sabha election but there was violence in Bengal. Asked if BJP was focusing on the state to make up for possible losses in Hindi heartland states, Modi said it was wrong to say the BJP was focusing on the state now and referred to his speech at the BJP national council meeting in 2013. He said BJP believes that India can become a developed country only when development picks up pace in the eastern part of the country. "Eastern India should be like western India in terms of growth. For this, Kolkata needs to be the epicentre of growth". He said the Centre tried to help the Mamata Banerjee government, but development was "not their priority". "They are just worried about their politics and their vote bank. Then, we realised that the only tribute to the great leaders of Bengal would be by way of developing the state. Bengal should become the driving force for growth in India. We are working in their direction," he said. New Delhi, April 20 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the BJP will win the Lok Sabha elections with full majority, and with more votes and seats than in 2014. "BJP will win with full majority and with more votes and seats than we won earlier. Even our alliance partners will get greater number of seats and our vote share will increase in different states The country has decided to elect a strong government with full majority. The country has decided to elect BJP again," he said in an interview with Times Now news channel. Modi referred to an old brainstorming meeting of the Congress and said unlike the opposition party which had said they do not need allies, the BJP is not arrogant. Answering a question on Jammu and Kashmir, he said there can only be hitting touch for terrorists. "We will have to make a clear demarcation that healing touch is for the citizens and hitting touch for the terrorists." Replying to a query on the Citizenship bill, he said "some hyper-secular people" give communal colour to every issue. He said Congress had promised National Citizenship Register (NRC) but did not fulfil the promise for 30 years. "There should be a debate over NRC. Can any country in the world be a 'dharamshala'? Is there any country in the world which doesn't have a register of citizens," he asked. Answering a question on Rafale deal, he said for the Congress, "defence deals have been an ATM". He said the CAG had rejected "lies" of the opposition and these had also been rejected by the Supreme Court rejected it. "But keeping elections in mind, they are dragging the matter." Answering a query on jobs, Modi said record loans have been taken under Mudra scheme to boost employment and self-employment and infrastructure was being developed at fast speed "Is it happening without jobs," he asked. Modi said more than 80 per cent of informal economy and informal employment exists. Only 15-16 per cent is formal for which new mechanism is needed to arrive at employment data. He also rejected allegations of political vendetta by the opposition. "The biggest fact is that the money that was recovered in Madhya Pradesh was meant for the care and nutrition of children, which was for poor pregnant women. They are eating off those funds. The country must debate on why even today the Congress dares to commit such sins as soon as they come to power. It's barely been a few months since they came to power in Madhya Pradesh. And to stifle debates on these issues, they keep crying foul over the raids," the Prime Minister said. He said that the government has brought the corrupt to the door of jails and will work to get them inside if he comes to power again. Attacking Congress, he said many of its leaders were facing cases. "Congress, which has ruled for four generations, could they have ever fathomed that today their leaders would be out on bail. The man who used to be their finance minister, every second day he goes to the court to get a date," he said. Modi said the government had succeeded in bringing back several offenders . Allocator, the data platform for the investment management industry, has announced the winners for the Investors Choice Awards 2019. This year, 70 investor companies participated as judges, submitting over 1000 scores across the 250 top performing funds. The Investors Choice Winners were selected by the judging panel as the top fund in their respective categories based on a combination of quantitative and qualitative criteria. These include risk-adjusted returns, maximum drawdown, investment process, depth of research team and ability to generate alpha. David Tawil, co-founder of Allocator commented, Ortus Currency Fund should be extremely proud of this achievement. To be selected by our esteemed judges as the best fund in the Relative Value Fund category is a fantastic feat." Dr. Joe Zhou, CIO of Ortus Capital Management commented, We are delighted, and very proud that Ortus Currency Fund has been recognized as an Investors Choice Winner at this years awards. It is recognition for all of the hard work that everyone at Ortus puts in every day and reaffirms our commitment to delivering superior risk adjusted returns for our clients and investors. About Allocator Allocator is a fast-growing FinTech startup in the investment management industry. Led by a team of experts, Allocator offers an online platform for institutional investors and family offices to manage the flow of fund data so they can better understand their current and prospective investments. Allocator is used by some of the worlds largest investor companies, and has experienced strong growth with over 4000 funds now piping their data through the platform (data on over $6trn of assets). For more information about Allocator, please visit http://www.allocator.com. For more information about the awards, please visit http://www.investorschoiceawards.com. Alexandria: World Class Life Story: a hard-hitting theosophical hypothetical, is the creation of published author BDL, an astute thinker and writer. BDL writes, Get lost in an enveloping epic tale about an iconic celebrity of the twenty-first century whose autobiography inspires a dynamic patriotic resistance against a full-fledged Judeo-Christophobic America. Alexandria: World Class Life Story is a riveting hypothetical drama that details her amazing life set in a dystopic America paralleled by a resulting dedication to salvaging her beloved nation from doom. But in order to do this, she must first find a suitable biographer to transfer an influential legacy of faith and resolution for a new generation of patriots to make an emboldened stand against the oppressive establishment. Alexandria presents an ambitious provocative exploratory portrayal of what happens to a country that moves farther away from custom and totally abandons its traditional faith heritage. Will this be the end of America? Discover what happens when America alienates the people who guaranteed blessings upon this nation and the resulting destructive path certain to follow. This story illustrates the importance of following through with commitments for the sake of those wholl follow. See how this captivating bio-political drama unfolds. So get ready. And gear up for the spellbinding dramatic End Game. Alexandria: World Class Life Story is an inspiring story beautifully told, purpose-driven, and with a message that addresses the ills of contemporary American society. Romuald Dzemo, Readers Favorite Published by Christian Faith Publishing, BDLs new book is an absorbing sociopolitical saga that explores the consequences of every watershed decision made in the name of hyper-liberal progress and proud godlessness, played out in a conflicted nation that had once been secure on the foundation of traditional Christian values. View a synopsis of Alexandria: World Class Life Story on YouTube. To read the five-star review of Alexandria: World Class Life Story by Amys Book Shelf book blog, please visit http://writeramyshannon.wixsite.com/bookshelfreviews/post/alexandria-world-class-life-story-by-bdl, for Amys bookshelf review and https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/alexandria/1, for Readers favorite. Consumers can purchase Alexandria: World Class Life Story at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Alexandria: World Class Life Story, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Although all of that ambiance of the Lake is still there, Lago is not. For more than five years, since Lago Restaurant opened in 2013, it has been a special place where guests are able to relax and enjoy delicious, high-quality cuisine at affordable prices. Situated on the shore of picturesque Lake Farrington (Lake in Italian Lago) in North Brunswick, New Jersey the restaurant became the ideal location for a romantic dinner, family celebration or casual drink and bite to eat at the bar with friends. Although all of that ambiance of the Lake is still there, Lago is not. As reported by Barry Bielat of Bielat Santore & Company, Allenhurst, New Jersey the broker for the sale, the restaurant was sold to the owners and operators of the acclaimed B2 Bistro + Bar. This is to be B2 Bistro + Bars fourth location with the first three restaurants located in Red Bank and Point Pleasant, New Jersey and in Reading, Pennsylvania. According to Bielat, the new owners are going to transform Lago into a B2 Bistro + Bar, introducing Middlesex County to the concept that B2 customers have been raving about. The B2 Bistro + Bar is a perfect destination for everyone from hip, socially-connected Millennials to discerning, worldly Baby Boomers. The concept offers a casual, welcoming atmosphere, an exceptional menu, an active and well-stocked bar, and fabulous service and hospitality. The kitchen staff transforms the freshest locally-sourced ingredients into delectable culinary creations with their own innovative and creative twists. Based on the popular bistro-style cooking in the United States, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and other Mediterranean countries, B2s culinary focal point is its wood burning oven where many of the dishes are prepared, in particular, the specialty pizzas. The exposed oven serves as a key social-gathering point in the restaurant. The bar at B2 provides an eclectic and well-priced wine list, a continuously rotating selection of craft draught beers, and a raft of exceptionally crafted cocktails. The bar specializes in barrel aging spirits and using only fresh seasonal fruit in its drinks. The new proprietors will operate the North Brunswick restaurant and bar as Lago while they make renovations to convert the existing facility into a B2 Bistro + Bar, room by room during off hours. Thereafter, following the completion of all renovations, they will seek to formally reopen in a few months B2 Bistro + Bar. Keep a close eye on this one! B2 Bistro + Bar, 230 Washington Avenue, North Brunswick, New Jersey. About Bielat Santore & Company Bielat Santore & Company is an established commercial real estate firm. The companys expertise lies chiefly within the restaurant and hospitality industry, specializing in the sale of restaurants and other food and beverage real estate businesses. Since 1978, the principals of Bielat Santore & Company, Barry Bielat and Richard Santore, have sold more restaurants and similar type properties in New Jersey than any other real estate company. Furthermore, the firm has secured in excess of $500,000,000 in financing to facilitate these transactions. Visit the companys website, http://www.123bsc.com for the latest in new listings, property searches, available land, market data, financing trends, RSS feeds, press releases and more. Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Attorney Brenda Roubidoux Taylor has joined the firms Las Vegas office as Of Counsel specializing in aviation and tax. Ms. Taylor has both private practice and in-house experience. She focuses her practice on all aspects of aviation operations and has more than a decade of involvement with the airline industry. Ms. Taylor also has an LL.M. in Taxation and counsels clients in both tax planning and tax controversy matters. She has represented clients in the U.S. Tax Court, before the I.R.S., and before state and local tax authorities. Ms. Taylor is a speaker and author on the topics of aviation and tax. She received her B.A. in Economics from Rollins College, her J.D. from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law, and her LL.M. in Taxation from Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law. About Dickinson Wright PLLC Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 475 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has 19 offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and 12 other domestic offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Silicon Valley, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto. Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations. "We continue to recruit leadership that have track records of delivering proven solutions, said Consociate President Darren Reynolds. Illinois-based Third-Party Administrator (TPA) Consociate Health has developed a reputation for building strategic partnerships that deliver innovative solutions to its clients in todays complex healthcare landscape. Today, the company announced an aggressive team expansion to deliver healthcare administrative services and high-performance network development throughout the US. Existing partnerships with nearly 20 healthcare systems have allowed Consociate to perfect its community centric model using data integration strategies and data driven decision support resources. That success and the need for more patient-centered service from TPAs industry-wide, led to a decision to expand. Spearheading these efforts will be Ziad Rubaie, a respected sales and marketing leader in the Healthcare industry with more than 24 years of experience leveraging an impressive network of healthcare consultants to build strategic partnerships. Ziad comes to Consociate after a 9-year successful tenure at CastiaRx, formerly known as LDI, where he established and delivered nationwide pharmacy solutions that exceeded industry results. He also developed unique value propositions that positively impacted PBM services and overall business development opportunities. Rubaie also served as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Essex Dental & Vision Benefits, a subsidiary of Delta Dental of Missouri. During his tenure, he oversaw a greater than 318 percent growth in revenue for Essex. Rubaie started his healthcare career in 1995 with many roles including Assistant Vice President of Sales Healthscope Benefits. Consociate is always looking for talent that advances our culture of innovation and growth and we continue to recruit leadership that have track records of delivering proven solutions. Ziads expertise in bringing together strategic healthcare partnerships that drive solutions for clients and their members is highly respected in the industry and we are excited to welcome him to our team, said Consociate President Darren Reynolds. For more than 40 years Consociate Health has partnered with employers of all sizes to deliver employee benefit program consulting and administrative services. As a Third-Party Administrator (TPA), Consociate has built a reputation for exceptional accuracy, customer service and a focus on helping employers with innovative cost containment solutions. Through data analytics, Consociate provides its clients with personalized analysis of their plans to ensure they have quality data and are using that data to make educated decisions. Essential data analytics allow Consociate Health to integrate claims, eligibility, financial and other healthcare data into a consolidated system database; analyze member health and then identify cost drivers; monitor health plan utilization; and forecast employer healthcare costs which allows them to develop a strategy to manage and control healthcare costs for employers and members. Earlier this month, Consociate was recognized on a national stage for excellence in data accuracy, using key analytics to transform the customer experience. The Illinois based company received the Commitment to World-Class Data award at the 4th Annual Benefit Focus Celebrate Community Awards, recognizing companies that have transformed the benefits experience for their employees and consumers, empowering them to make the best decision for their personal needs. For more information visit http://www.consociatehealth.com Solix EMPOWER Summit Orlando19 provides a forum to explore digital finance transformation accelerators for SAP especially for order-to-cash automation, said Veena Gundavelli, Founder & CEO, Emagia Emagia, a leader in digital solutions for order-to-cash automation announced today that it is partnering with Solix, IBM and Microsoft to co-host Solix EMPOWER Summit Orlando19, an invitation-only gathering of business leaders and thought leaders from across industries, evangelizing data-driven cloud, finance, and AI solutions for SAP. Solix EMPOWER Summit Orlando19 will feature four distinct panels, networking opportunities, and a full-service dinner and cocktail reception. Attendees will receive an inside look at the emerging digital, cognitive and data management technologies for order-to-cash process automation in an SAP environment. Who: Finance, IT and Shared Services leaders What: Team Emagia will be at the event to engage and exchange information with the attendees When: May 6, 2019 at 3:30pm 8:00pm Where: Sheraton at Lake Buena Vista Orlando, Florida To request an invitation to Solix EMPOWER Summit Orlando19, visit https://empower.solix.com Emagia will lead the following panels: Intelligent Order-to-Cash for SAP through Analytics, Automations and AI Future of SAP finance operations with AI Powered Digital Assistants Speakers in the above panels include digital and finance transformation experts from Deloitte, IBM, NTT Data, Microsoft, Solix and Emagia. Other panels led by Solix include: Informations Architecture for Data-Driven Enterprise Enterprise Data Management for SAP Solix EMPOWER Summit Orlando19 provides a forum to explore digital finance transformation accelerators for SAP especially for order-to-cash automation, said Veena Gundavelli, Founder & CEO, Emagia. Our third EMPOWER event in New York last year was a massive successattracting technology executives from Hortonworks, IBM, Cloudera, and much more, who greatly contributed to the discussion, said John Ottman, Executive Chairman at Solix Technologies, Inc. This EMPOWER Summit event is focused on next generation, data-driven solutions certified for SAP. Solix EMPOWER is a series of education and networking events dedicated to analytics, big data, and cloud innovations and business applications for finance and other areas. Previously, Emagia panels at Solix EMPOWER New York 2018, Solix EMPOWER Bangalore 2017, and Solix EMPOWER San Jose 2016 key speakers included: About Emagia Corporation Emagia delivers integrated order-to-cash automation solutions aimed to modernize finance operations in the digital age. Emagia Enterprise Receivables Management Suite (ERMS) automates credit, receivables, collections, deductions, cash flow forecasting, cash application and billing & payments. Emagia O2C Advanced Analytics Suite provide enterprise-class, prepackaged advanced analytics descriptive, predictive, prescriptive analytics for entire order to cash cycle. Emagias Gia, Digital Finance Assistant brings cognitive skills in accounts receivables, credit and finance areas to assist global finance staff and executives. Many companies across the world have achieved significant and sustainable improvements to their order-to-cash cycle, days sales outstanding, operational costs, compliance, control and cash flow with Emagia solutions. . To learn more, please visit http://www.emagia.com Connect with Emagia Corporation Visit our website: http://www.emagia.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/36035/ Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmagiaCorporation/ Native Grape Odyssey participants after the seminar with Prof. Scienza and Lynne Sherriff MW held on April 8th at wine2digital. The Native Grape Odyssey program has begun to create evangelists for these wines, who will spread out and assist in making high quality PDO and PGI wines easily comprehensible to common consumers so that they can fully take advantage of what Europe has to offer them. Vinitaly 2019 offered the perfect backdrop for the launch of the Native Grape Odyssey program. This educational project is financed by the European Union for the promotion of high quality PDO and PGI European wines and is focused on the Canadian, Japanese and Russian markets. The mission goal will be to succeed in fostering increased awareness about these European native grape denominations within these countries by coordinating wine seminars, tastings, workshops and b2b meetings. On April 6th, the participants were welcomed at the Palazzo della Gran Guardia, a historic building in the center of Verona, where Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International and Coordinator of the Native Grape Odyssey program, explained the programs mission and initiatives. The planned events started on the following day with a guided tour of the Vinitaly pavilions, where producers from every region of Italy lined-up their wines for participants to taste. The participants had the opportunity to meet producers and taste a large number of different wines selected from approximately 4600 Italian and International wineries that joined Vinitaly this year. With 120.000 visitors from around 145 nations in attendance, Vinitaly was the perfect occasion for Native Grape Odyssey participants to network with many trade professionals. The educational activities also included two seminars on Italian wine, held on consecutive days, and each one consisting of a lecture and tasting. The first seminar on April 7th was conducted by Prof. Attilio Scienza, an authority in the world of enological studies, and Henry Davar, wine educator and Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Expert and Faculty member. The seminar topic was entitled The Progeny of Sangiovese, with Sangiovese being an Italian vine from which an impressive quantity of other grape varieties stemmed. On the following day Prof. Scienza discussed the Old Vines of Italy and the tasting session was led by Lynne Sherriff MW. In the two days of forums, Native Grape Odyssey guests had the opportunity to taste eleven wines, some of them often very difficult to obtain outside of Italy, most notably the wine made from the Versoaln grape, one of the oldest in the world. These events were a sample of the many educational activities Native Grape Odyssey has planned over the next three years. These events were also an opportunity for the program to collect feedback and forecasts about European wines from the participants, in order to explore future potential for these wines within the Canadian, Japanese and Russian markets. Participant Jeffery Osborne, Sales Manager at Grape Brands Ltd. and sommelier in Canada, described the fluid situation of the Canadian wine market by saying: Italian wine sales are growing in Canada, as well as Italian restaurants... most importantly wine culture is growing in Canada, so much so that many people are becoming sommeliers. For many people it is cool to learn about wine, so there is huge value in educating these people on PDO and PGI wines. For this reason, I think that high quality European wines have the potential to appeal to more people in Canada. Oftentimes, foreign buyers are unaware of European designations of quality. According to one of the Japanese participants, Takashi Ichiro, who works as an employee in a Japanese wine import and sales company, consumers need to be provided with details on what defines quality: In Japan, wine is consumed almost exclusively in big cities like Osaka and Tokyo, but I think that if more information about Italian wine were provided, it could become more consumed within Japanese family units as well. Moreover, Japanese people are getting increasingly interested in Italian wine and food culture, so much so, that after a period of study in Italy they come back to Japan to open their own business. I think that with the contribution of these people, wine will become more appreciated in Japan from now on. It is therefore evident that European high-quality wine has great potential in these targeted nations and its appeal is growing, but, to fully reach its potential in foreign markets and reach maximum saturation rates, it needs more ad-hoc explanation. This is exactly where the Native Grape Odyssey educational program has ramped up its efforts by training Japanese, Canadian and Russian wine experts on European wine and their labels. The Native Grape Odyssey program has begun to create evangelists for these wines, who will spread out and assist in making high quality PDO and PGI wines easily comprehensible to common consumers so that they can fully take advantage of what Europe has to offer them. About: Native Grape Odyssey is a project financed by the European Union and managed by Unione Italiana Vini and Zante Agricultural Cooperatives Union for the promotion of PDO and PGI European wines abroad, in particular in three countries: Japan, Canada and Russia. In order to achieve this, the Native Grape Odyssey educational program will organize wine seminars, workshops and b2b meetings both in these countries and in Verona, Italy, inviting wine experts and influencers from these countries. These events, realized in the span of three years (2019-21) aim at creating awareness about European native wines abroad, in particular Italian and Greek wines, which share a long tradition and a high standard of quality. GovDataHosting is FedRAMP High Certified The FedRAMP High Impact P-ATO is a reaffirmation of our commitment to provide highly secure, lower cost government grade cloud infrastructure to government clients with simple, swift and compliant full-service cloud management and security compliance services. IT-CNPs cloud hosting division, GovDataHosting, has achieved the FedRAMP High Impact Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO) through the Joint Authorization Board (JAB). A JAB High Impact P-ATO demonstrates IT-CNPs cloud service offerings have undergone a vigorous security review by DOD, DHS and GSA representatives. The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) released its High Impact Baseline Requirements in 2016. With over 400 security controls, a FedRAMP High baseline authorization clearly indicates to Federal agencies that a certified cloud provider has been properly vetted to handle highly sensitive workloads, including Personal Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), sensitive financial information, law enforcement data, and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). According to the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 199, sensitive data is categorized as High Impact when its potential unauthorized disclosure, unauthorized modification, or disruption could cause severe or catastrophic adverse effect or damage to organizational assets, organizational operations, or individuals. We are honored to carry this elite distinction. The FedRAMP High Impact P-ATO is a reaffirmation of our commitment to provide highly secure, lower cost government grade cloud infrastructure to government clients with simple, swift and compliant full-service cloud management and security compliance services, said Sal Baldwin, President of GovDataHosting parent company IT-CNP, Inc. We look forward to further aiding our federal agency clients, federal contractors and other public sector agencies by offering a viable cloud infrastructure choice while effectively safeguarding their mission critical systems and sensitive information in the cloud. Approximately 80 percent of federal agency information is categorized as Low or Moderate Impact, representing about 50 percent of the Federal IT spending. Availability of FedRAMP High Impact certified cloud vendors essentially opens the remaining half of Federal IT spending to the vast possibilities of government cloud. Learn more at http://www.govdatahosting.com About FedRAMP The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. Learn more at FedRAMP.gov. About IT-CNP, Inc. and GovDataHosting GovDataHosting is a FISMA-compliant, FedRAMP-certified cloud hosting division of IT-CNP, Inc. an IT/Security Compliance managed services provider that exclusively serves government agencies. Headquartered in Columbia, Maryland and staffed entirely by U.S. citizens, a majority of whom hold advanced government clearances the provider offers fully managed services as well as its own FedRAMP-certified cloud infrastructure and support, while offering lower prices, higher quality, faster response times, and dedication to customer service. To witness the commitment a historical and prestigious institution such as the Academy has taken toward gender equality is incredibly inspiring, said Lovett. For the second consecutive year, Mary-Olga Lovett, senior vice president and co-regional operating shareholder of Greenberg Traurig, LLPs Texas law offices, has been invited to participate in a panel discussion at the 2019 Corbin Leadership Forum Conference on April 26. Hosted by the U.S. Military Academy at West Points Corbin Forum, the events theme is Lasting Impressions New Perspectives. Lovett will participate in Appreciating Legacy Developing the Next Generation of Women, the first of three scheduled panels. To witness the commitment a historical and prestigious institution such as the Academy has taken toward gender equality is incredibly inspiring, said Lovett. I am honored to be part of an initiative that values educating, empowering, and elevating women. We can all take a lesson from the strides made in this area by our armed forces, which recognize that mentoring, training, and promoting women in exactly the same manner as men not only leads to better outcomes it is literally a matter of survival. Lovett has previously hosted two of Greenberg Traurigs Womens Business Forum events focusing on issues facing women in male-dominated environments, as well as a mens workshop entitled Effectively Mentoring and Managing Women in the Workforce. The U.S. Military Academy established the Corbin Forum in 1976, the first year that women were admitted to West Point, to provide an opportunity for female cadets to discuss their experiences as they assimilated into the Corps. Its mission today is to provide a forum within the Corps of Cadets for the presentation and discussion of female gender diversity within the military, and to foster within the organization and the Corps of Cadets a sense of pride in the accomplishments of military women. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Texas: Texas is important to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and part of our history. With more than 125 Texas lawyers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Greenberg Traurig, LLP has deep roots in the Texas business, legal, and governmental communities. Greenberg Traurig Texas works with clients to address their interdisciplinary legal needs across the state utilizing the firms global platform. Our attorneys are experienced in industries key to the states future, including: aviation, chemicals, construction, education, energy and natural resources, financial institutions, health care, hedge funds, hospitality, infrastructure, insurance, media, medical devices, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, real estate, retail, sports, technology and software, telecommunications, transportation, and video games and esports. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 39 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law. Our goal at Lamborghini and Bugatti Broward is to provide an environment in which our local community feels welcome and engaged, said Larry Zinn, Organizational General Manager for Warren Henry Lamborghini and Bugatti Broward, hosted the monthly Supercar Saturdays Florida event at Lamborghini and Bugatti Broward, a division of the Warren Henry Auto Group, last Saturday, April 13th, from 10:00am-1:00pm. Supercar Saturdays Florida is a monthly gathering of auto enthusiast, held on the second Saturday of every month at Lamborghini, Bugatti, Broward. Supercar Saturdays Florida is the largest gathering of Supercars, Exotic cars, Hyper cars, Luxury cars, Classic cars, Race cars, and Custom cars, in South Florida. The carefully curated auto collective approach of Supercar Saturdays Florida has the objective to create the ideal event which combines a casual and friendly atmosphere that allows attending automotive fans to spectate and interact. A few cars that have been spotted at Supercar Saturdays Florida, include a 1967 Toyota 2000 GT, a Mansory Bugatti Veyron, a Bugatti Chiron, a 50th Anniversary Lamborghini Aventador, with a matching MTI Hyper boat, a Lamborghini Centanario, Ferrari LaFerrari, Ferrari F60, McLaren P1, McLaren Senna, 2019 Ford Gt, Porsche 918 Spyder, Koenigsegg, and a Pagani just to name a few. These vehicles, range in price starting at 1.5 million can get up to over six million. Special guest in the past have been 2017 Pro Bowl Defensive End from the Miami Dolphins Cameron Wake, Sam Madison, and Nolan Carrol, Special celebrity guest, Jonathan Cheban from the Kardashians, Indy and Cart Champ Helio Castroneves, and so many more. On April 13th Lamborghini Broward will be Celebrating their Three Year Anniversary at Supercar Saturdays Florida, by showcasing the Vision Jet from Cirrus Aircraft along with over 500 Exotic cars. This event is a free event and is open to the public. Our goal at Lamborghini and Bugatti Broward is to provide an environment in which our local community feels welcome and engaged, said Larry Zinn, Organizational General Manager for Warren Henry Auto Group. We are dedicated to supporting our community and encourage everyone to come out and experience the exceptional event. Lamborghini Broward is located at 4645 Volunteer Road (I-75 and Griffin Road) in Davie, FL and is a state-of-the-art 25,000 sq. foot facility featuring an air conditioned service center with over 12 service bays equipped with the latest automotive technology which includes an indoor detailing car port. Lamborghini and Bugatti Broward offer an experience that includes relaxing guest lounges, coupled with a knowledgeable and friendly staff committed to exceptional customer service. The state-of-the-art authorized factory facility features a full suite of new and pre-owned exotic vehicles and an experienced team of professionals and master technicians. For more information, please call (954)618-0150 or visit http://www.lamborghinibroward.com. About Warren Henry Auto Group Over four decades and three generations, Warren Henry Auto Group has built an esteemed reputation through its commitment to service excellence, superior quality, Advantage products and unwavering community support. Warren Henry Auto Group includes a diverse portfolio of vehicle brands including Jaguar, Land Rover, Infiniti, Audi, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Koenigsegg, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and RAM. Warren Henry Auto Groups corporate office is located at 20860 NW 2nd Avenue (Hwy. 441) in Miami, and will be relocating to North Miamis SoLe Mia development in mid-2019. For more information, call (305)690-6006 or visit http://www.warrenhenryauto.com. Mother. Sister. Friend. Together we can save the lives of the women we love inspiring words from the Go Red for Women campaign from the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular diseases, many of them preventable with the right education and care, claim the life of a woman about every 80 seconds. Manchester Financial has been a proud sponsor for the local chapter of Go Red for Women in Ventura for many years, raising funds and providing volunteers. This is something we all believe in. Were honored to be part of a community where womens health is a priority, said Robert Katch, President of Manchester Financial. This year, advisors Laura Navarro and Jennifer Caruso as well as office manager Gabrielle Tyberg attended the 2019 Ventura Go Red For Women Luncheon, the cornerstone event of the campaign. They also volunteered their time and energy to help with the outreach, raising funds and awareness for womens heart health, a cause we can all get behind. Were so proud to have our team participate for such a great cause, said Alan Hopkins, Chief Economic Strategist of Manchester Financial. About Manchester Financial: Founded in 1990, Manchester Financial provides savvy financial planning and astute portfolio management. Focused on protecting and growing their clients lifestyles, they seek to always do what is right by meeting the unique needs of each client and consistently delivering superior results through their knowledge, experience and wisdom. Their goal is simple: to make sure that their clients decisions are Powered by Planning. Learn more at http://www.manchesterfinancial.com. Manchester Financial is a registered investment advisor. Information presented is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered specific investment advice, does not take into consideration your specific situation, and does not intent to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any securities or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Consult with a qualified financial advisor and/or tax professional. Mercy Medical Center, Baltimore, MD Its extremely gratifying to receive this news from nationally acclaimed Forbes magazine for the third straight year, a recognition that reflects the input of our employees, people who embrace Mercys mission daily, said Thomas R. Mullen, President and CEO, Mercy Medical Center Mercy Medical Center has been ranked as one of the top 500 midsize employers (1,000-5,000 employees) in the United States for 2019 by Forbes magazine, a leading national business publication, the third consecutive year Mercy has been so honored. Mercy is one of only two health care organizations in Maryland to make the midsize list this year, and only one of three Baltimore-area medical facilities named among both large (over 5,000 employees) and midsize employers. Forbes partnered with market research company Statista to identify the companies liked best by employees. Statista surveyed 30,000 Americans working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions. The respondents were asked to rate, on a scale of zero to 10, how likely theyd be to recommend their employer to others. Statista then asked respondents to nominate organizations in industries outside their own. The final list ranks the 500 large (over 5,000 employees) and 500 midsize employers that received the most recommendations. Mercy was ranked at #432 nationally among midsize employers. According to Thomas R. Mullen, President and CEO, Mercy Health Services, Mercy Medical Center, the Forbes ranking is the latest in a number of honors the 144-year-old Catholic hospital continues to receive, including U.S. News and World Reports Top Hospitals recognition, the Womens Choice Award as one of Americas 100 best hospitals for patient experience, the #1 Best Hospital in Maryland for Nurses (2017) ranking by Nurse.org, a nursing career website, and the 2018 AONE (American Organization of Nurse Executives) Prism Award for advancing diversity efforts within the nursing profession, community or organization. Its extremely gratifying to receive this news from nationally acclaimed Forbes magazine for the third straight year, a recognition that reflects the input of our employees, people who embrace Mercys mission daily, Mr. Mullen said. Its part of our mission at Mercy to empower our employees and provide them with opportunities to grow and learn new skills, skills they use to provide exceptional care to our patients. Founded in 1874 by The Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Medical Center is a university-affiliated Catholic hospital with a national reputation for womens health and orthopedics. Mercy is home to the acclaimed Weinberg Center for Womens Health & Medicine, now in its 25th year, and the $400+ million, 20-story Mary Catherine Bunting Center. For more information about Mercy, visit http://www.mdmercy.com, MDMercyMedia on FACEBOOK and TWITTER, or call 1-800-M.D.-Mercy. My Eyelab shows no signs of slowing down, announcing they are once again expanding its footprint in the state of Texas with a fifth store in San Antonio. The new store, located at 8208 N Interstate 35 in Windcrest, opened on Monday, Apr. 15, reaffirming the commitment to provide both employment as well as fast, friendly and affordable eye care solutions to the San Antonio market and Texas as a whole. My Eyelab is committed to delivering on their promise of easy eye care, which goes well beyond the exam process. Each My Eyelab location has an inventory of over 2000 frames you can browse, ranging from fashion forward to technology styles, and you dont have to go at it alone. The friendly and well educated staff are ready to assist in finding the perfect fit for your style, as well as suggesting the appropriate offer or package for your budget. Whether you prefer eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses or contacts, My Eyelab works with you to ensure you get everything you need "The world is a beautiful place when you can see it clearly, and everyone deserves to! Our main objective is to be able to provide that access to everyone; quickly, affordably and amicably. We are so excited and grateful for the support of the community thus far, and we cant wait to further build the relationship with the San Antonio market., said Aimee LeClear, My Eyelab Regional Vice President of District 12. Vision Precision Holdings, now known as, Now Optics, whose retail divisions include Stanton Optical and My Eyelab, has seen explosive growth, with a combined 139 corporate and franchise locations across the country. The new store is Now Optics' 33rd location in the state of Texas. My Eyelab aims to grow in additional Texas markets, such as Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and Odessa, bringing its cutting-edge technology and easy eye care to new communities. With the help of qualified franchisees who have the drive and skill set to help spread the company's vision for easy eye care, My Eyelab plans to strategically target nationwide developments through single and multi-unit agreements. Visit the new My Eyelab location at 8208 N Interstate 35 in Windcrest for a special offer on two pairs of eyeglasses for $59.95 plus a FREE eye exam, or visit MyEyelab.com for more information. Also available at My Eyelab is a contact lens value pack, which includes an eye exam and contact lenses, starting at just $129. About My Eyelab Founded in 2013, My Eyelab is one of the fastest-growing full-service teleconsulting and retail optical centers in the nation. With a vision of easy eye care and the mission to provide fast, friendly and affordable eye care services, My Eyelab has become a leader in the eye health industry by developing an accessible alternative to its overpriced competitors. Franchising since 2016, My Eyelab consistently ranks among the largest optical retailers in the United States by Vision Monday. My Eyelab franchise opportunities are available. For more information, visit http://www.MyEyelab.com. Reliance Partners (Reliance), the nations fastest-growing, privately-held commercial insurance agency for the transportation and logistics industry, today announced the advancements of Jordan Chastain to the position of Sr. Vice President of Sales as well as Christopher Murphy and Teo Cardenas to the position of Vice Presidents of Sales. All three will continue to oversee the implementation of Reliances sales strategy and business development intended to increase Reliances presence within the transportation and logistics space. Were thrilled to announce our latest round of promotions, says Chief of Operations, Laura Ann Howell. Jordan, Murphy, and Teo have extensive experience working with our transportation-focused insurance products, and these promotions highlight their dedication to client well-being and the agency mission. Chastain has been with Reliance for nearly 4 years. He earned a B.B.A. with a focus on Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Mississippi and has been a leader in growth on the sales team since his start. Murphy began his career at Reliance Partners in March 2016. He earned a B.S. in Marine Biology from the University at Buffalo. He will continue to focus his efforts on expanding the agencys footprint across the country. Cardenas has been with the company since August of 2017, and he is well-versed in the transportation insurance space. His promotion also includes a leadership role at Reliances Florida office in Vero Beach. ABOUT RELIANCE PARTNERS Reliance Partners was incorporated by a team of former transportation industry executives and founders of asset-based trucking companies with a common goal: to be the best independent agency in the insurance industry. For more than 10 years, the company has focused on providing insurance solutions for the transportation and logistics space and sharing its knowledge across North America. The company has grown in more than $100 million in transportation and logistics premium, and was lauded as one of the fastest growing insurance companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine. Reliance was also listed in Inc. Magazine's "Best Workplaces" for three consecutive years, and was recognized by Fortune magazine as one of "America's Best Workplaces." For more information, please visit: http://www.reliancepartners.com Fighting to Live Again: a poignant true family story, is the creation of published author Rita McVey, from accounts shared by several family members. Her parents faithful devotion inspired this book. McVey writes, Fighting to Live Again is about Cecil McLendon, a World War II veteran who fought in Europe in the US Armys 110th Infantry, 28th Division. The day he received his draft notice was the happiest day of his life. He spoke very little of the gory details of war. Like other veterans, he said no one would believe him. He didnt mention the names of buddies he lost, although his division was called the Bloody Buckets. He talked about his family, his childhood, the Army, the people he met, and his war wounds. The Army was such an improvement in his life; he didnt complain. His captain told him that since he liked KP, he could go to cook and bakers school. That is where he met Dorothy. Like many other couples of their generation, he went to war, and she went to work. With Dorothy waiting for him, life took on a new purpose and gave him a stronger determination to fight to survive. Cecil fought in four major battles in Europe and was seriously wounded twice. After Germany surrendered, Cecil was shipped home for a month-long furlough before reporting for jungle training. When the Japanese surrendered, he felt as if a death sentence was lifted. He survived the war but then had to fight its emotional effects. He began reading the Bible and searching for Gods will for his life. He also fought the Veterans Administration for benefits to help him with the physical effects of his war wounds. He fought through pain each day in order to get out of bed to go to work to provide for his family. He fought the paralysis that finally overtook his body. Even as a paraplegic, he continued to participate in the community. He greeted and offered friendly smiles to those he met. He fought the good fight. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Rita McVeys new book is a beautiful depiction of a real family who achieved the American Dream despite all hardships besetting them, staying strong through their faith and old-school values. View a synopsis of Fighting to Live Again on YouTube. Consumers can purchase Fighting to Live Again at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about Fighting to Live Again, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Greg Rizio holds the record for highest personal injury verdict in Riverside, CA What made the verdict so newsworthy in 2014 was that it was the largest personal injury verdict in Riverside County history at that time. Moreover, what makes it remarkable now five years later is that Greg Rizios historic verdict still holds the record today. In 2014, Riverside car accident attorney Greg Rizio made headlines when he secured a record-setting $57.9 million jury verdict for a 25-year-old man who was injured in a car accident on Interstate 15 Freeway. What made the verdict so newsworthy in 2014 was that it was the largest personal injury verdict in Riverside County history at that time. Moreover, what makes it remarkable now five years later is that Greg Rizios historic verdict still holds the record today. More information about Greg Rizio can be found here. The case - known as Herman v. Cardiel (Superior Court of Riverside County; No. RIC1301538) - was not only the largest verdict in the history of Riverside County. It was also the highest personal injury award in the State of California in 2014. On the national level in 2014, it was the top plaintiffs personal injury verdict in the auto accident category and was among the 10th largest overall U.S. verdicts that year. Mr. Rizios peers in the legal industry also noticed the significance of his result. He was awarded Californias Consumer Attorney of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of California organization, Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Consumer Attorneys of the Inland Empire, and the Leo Deegan Inns of Court voted him the "Most Outstanding Lawyer in Riverside County." However, perhaps the greatest irony was that Greg Rizio didnt take the case because he knew it would be a guaranteed big dollar case. In fact, the case had been turned down by numerous attorneys before him. He took the case because he knew it was the right thing to do when the victims mother contacted him. I still remember meeting with the victims mother. It was just weeks before the statute of limitations was set to expire, and her sons case had been turned down by many firms. She explained that despite her many personal pleas the defendants insurance company would not pay her son the full policy limits of $15,000, even though her son was going to require a lifetime of care, Rizio recalled. As a trial attorney, you never know what the final outcome is going to be, but I became a lawyer because I wanted to help the little guy beat the big guys, like this mom who was just fighting for her son. Trials are expensive for both parties, and there is always a real possibility of losing in the trial, Rizio said. But there is also the opportunity to secure a far better result for your client. In this case, my clients injuries were absolutely devastating, and I knew that the care he needed would far exceed any pre-trial offer we would receive. Going to trial was the right decision because the jury understood that no amount of money could ever make up for the losses my client had suffered. But unfortunately, in a catastrophic injury case such as this, monetary compensation is the only justice available to victims, he added. I was very pleased that the jury gave us an amount that would help my client live comfortably for the rest of his life. In the five years since the record-setting verdict, Rizio partnered with colleagues Micha Star Liberty and Daren Lipinsky to form Rizio Liberty Lipinsky (RLL) Law Firm - one of the few statewide consumer law firms with offices throughout Northern and Southern California. RLL represents victims in personal injury, discrimination and employment law. "We are very proud of our history and longevity and so deeply grateful to our customers, friends and team members who have helped make Savings Bank of Danbury the regional success it has become today."Martin Morgado, President/CEO, Savings Bank of Danbury Savings Bank of Danbury (http://sbdanbury.com), a mutual savings bank headquartered in Danbury with 15 locations throughout Connecticut, is celebrating its 170th anniversary this year. This full-service Connecticut community bank is rooted in history and positioned for the future. Established in 1849, the Bank is the oldest continuously operating business in the City of Danbury. As it plans a year of community events to highlight and commemorate this milestone, officials at the bank also recall its proud and interesting history. The early years Savings Bank of Danbury traces its roots to the desk of George W. Ives, at the Ives Home in Danbury, where the Bank officially opened for business July 14, 1849. Ives served as the Banks Secretary-Treasurer from 1849 to 1860. Banking was much more informal in those days; historical records of those early days reveal that the Bank was open only on Saturdays from 2 to 5 p.m., and that it was generally known that, in the absence of Mr. Ives, deposits could be left with his wife at their kitchen door. On its first day, the Bank took in eight deposits totaling $15; and in its first year, recorded deposits of $12,245.59. The City of Danbury had approximately 4,000 residents in 1849; the schools had an enrollment of nearly 1,000 students. Zachary Taylor was President of the United States; and the principal form of transportation in and around Danbury was on foot. The regions industries included hats (for which Danbury was to become famous), boots and shoes, carriage making, and wood and iron turning. There were approximately 200 working farms surrounding the communitys industrial hub. The establishment of Savings Bank of Danbury afforded working men and women of the region a bank where they could deposit money that would work on behalf of depositors rather than stockholders. The Banks primary source of business was local home mortgages. The Banks first president was Frederick S. Wildman, a community leader who in 1828 was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention which nominated Andrew Jackson as President. Wildman served as the Banks president for 44 years. The first expansion was when Ives built a small, street-side building on the south side of his residence which served to relocate the Banks operations to a larger office structure. In its first 60 years of existence, the Bank had three locations, each adjacent to the other. Then in 1907 the Bank purchased the site of the former Congregational Church which had burned in a fire, and then built a 12,600-square-foot facility, which remains a landmark in the community to this day. By the 1970s, the Bank began expanding by establishing branch locations. Moving forward In 1969, Savings Bank of Danbury had $4 million in cash and U.S. Bonds, backed up by $7.5 million in government securities. For 120 years, the Bank had limited its operations to savings accounts and local home mortgages. As they sought to expand their services, they introduced the concept of CDs (certificates of deposits) to their depositors. And in the early 1970s the Bank opened its first branch on I-84 across from the Danbury Shopping Center. In 1975 the Bank had 17 full- and part-time employees the same number as in 1940, even though the savings deposits had increased in that same time period from $11 million to $77 million. At that time Union Carbide Corporation announced plans to relocate to Danbury; and in 1976 Florence R. Helley made history by being named the only female savings bank president in Connecticut. In 1993 the Bank expanded with a 6,000-square-foot addition to its Main Street location. The Bank opened a new Loan Production Office, and expanded its lending area into Newtown, Southbury and New Milford. By 1995 the Bank had earned the position of top residential mortgage lender in Danbury, with a portfolio that had increased from $69 million to $84 million, and opened a new branch in New Milford. In 1996 the Bank purchased branch offices in Bethel and Brookfield from Norwalk Savings Society. At the close of the 1997 fiscal year, assets had risen from $245 million to $345 million. By the end of 1998, commercial loans had increased to $18 million and total assets were $353 million. In 1999, total assets hit $362 million, and the West Street Lending Center opened. By 2000 online banking with bill pay was introduced, and in 2001 branches opened in Newtown and Fairfield. The bank continued to grow and in 2004 The Savings Bank of Danbury Foundation was established, and in that year it awarded $51,336 in grants to 15 agencies. The Bank expanded into Waterbury in 2005. Another major event in the Banks history came in 2010, when Savings Bank of Danbury announced the acquisition of the Stamford Mortgage Company. This acquisition allowed the Bank to expand its mortgage lending into Southern Fairfield County. The next year, the Bank opened a branch in Southbury. The Foundation continued to expand its reach and in 2012 helped 46 agencies with a total of $140,050. In that year, the Foundation reached a milestone of having surpassed a total of $1 million in grants since its inception in 2014. The Bank was up to 14 branches as of 2013. In 2014 the Banks assets grew to $880 million. In that year, the Bank added Apple Pay, enhanced mobile banking, and the ability to open accounts online. In 2015 Savings Bank of Danbury earned the distinction of being the #1 purchase mortgage lender in Danbury, providing loans in more than 90 towns in Connecticut. In 2016 Martin Morgado became the Banks President and CEO. The Banks assets grew to $969 million. Recent history and a look forward In 2017 the Banks assets increased to $985 million, and the Foundation awarded nearly $180,000 to 66 local non-profit agencies. That year the Bank added two new loan production offices in Greenwich and Stamford. In that year, the Bank recorded $85 million on new commercial loan production. Martin Morgado, President and Chief Executive Officer of Savings Bank of Danbury, points to how far the Bank has come as it celebrates its 170th birthday. 2018 was a banner year for Savings Bank of Danbury; it surpassed the billion dollar mark, growing by a record of more than 9.5%. In all, the Bank today has almost 200 employees. And Savings Bank of Danbury was recently named to the Commercial Records list of Connecticuts Largest Lenders (Commercial). A new, state-of-the-art technology platform has been developed and implemented to serve as the foundation for additional enhancements. The Banks involvement in and commitment to the community has remained strong; in 2018 the Savings Bank of Danbury Foundation awarded more than $190,000 to 73 agencies an increase of 6% over the previous year. The Bank also contributed an additional $433,000 to community organizations for a total of $623,000. Putting it in perspective During the time that Savings Bank of Danbury has been in business, the United States has seen 32 different U.S. Presidents, and as a nation has grown in population from 23,000,000 to 327.2 million. Connecticuts population has risen from 370,000 to 3.573 million. The City of Danbury, where the Banks headquarters are located, has increased from 4000 to more than 85,000 residents. During the Banks time, the United States has survived a Civil War and two World Wars, and we have seen astronauts walk on the Moon. Our nation has experienced an explosion in technological advances that has revolutionized the way people communicate and conduct business. A Bank which once had an informal leave the deposits in the doorway policy and took in $12,245 in its first year of operation today has 15 branches, has cleared the $1 billion mark in assets, the latest in online banking and a very forward-looking approach to meeting the ever-changing needs of the public and the industry. Its been a great journey for us, said Morgado, adding, We are very proud of our history and longevity and so deeply grateful to our customers, friends and team members who have helped make Savings Bank of Danbury the regional success it has become today. He added, We are ready for what the future holds and look forward to continuing to be a part of this community for years and years to come. The Bank has a number of events planned throughout 2019 to commemorate its anniversary, and will announce them throughout the year. About Savings Bank of Danbury Established in 1849 and headquartered at 220 Main Street, Danbury, Savings Bank of Danbury is a mutual savings bank with assets in excess of $1 billion. Savings Bank of Danbury has 15 branch offices in Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Southbury, Stamford, and Waterbury, as well as lending offices in Farmington, Simsbury, Wallingford, and West Hartford. Stamford Mortgage Company, a wholly owned subsidiary, has a local office on Summer Street in Stamford. Savings Bank of Danbury is committed to serving their community. For more information about Savings Bank of Danbury, visit http://www.SBDanbury.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SBDanbury. Keis George LLP is proud to announce that Nadia N. Ardner has joined the firm to support our growing portfolio of subrogation and insurance defense cases. Ardner brings a wealth of professional readiness to the firm, having spent the last five years as a judicial extern in federal court, a research assistant to a professor, and most recently an associate at another law firm. Ardner also served as a fellow for the Captain Jonathan D. Grassbaugh Veterans Project. As a member of the firms litigation group, Ardner works a variety of subrogation files from negotiation and mediation to litigation, including arbitration, contested hearings, and ultimately the appellate process. Nadia will help our clients navigate the subrogation claims process, working for them on a variety of files. Ardner is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Ardner is a proud military spouse to Craig Ardner. Together, they have three children and reside in Avon Lake, Ohio. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cooking, and exploring parks. Nadias inquisitiveness will bring a new sense of energy to the firm. We are excited to showcase Tech Culture McKinney as a part of our vibrant technology advancement in the North Texas area. McKinney has an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit; now we have a place where this innovation can come to life. Peter Tokar, President, McKinney Economic Development Corporation Tech Culture McKinney, the first facility of its kind in the area, opened its doors in late February, backed by the strength of McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The vision of the MEDC is to make McKinney the most desirable business location in North Texas by encouraging growth through strategic investments in corporate culture, talent development, and capital assets. The stunning new facility at Tech Culture McKinney offers 25,000 square feet of coworking space which is now ready for new businesses to move in. Tours are being conducted daily to showcase individual executive suites, training room capabilities as well as conference and workroom features. Tech Culture is a shining example of how the high-tech, modern workspace has evolved to support businesses and entrepreneurs that need flexible working environments. Especially impressive is Tech Culture McKinneys 5,000 square feet of raised floor Tier II Data Center space. Poised for the popular demand of diverse office space and working facilities, Tech Culture McKinney offers state of the art office space designed as the ideal coworking environment for individuals and small to midsized businesses pursuing technological innovation and advancement. We are excited to showcase Tech Culture McKinney as a part of our vibrant technology advancement in the North Texas area. McKinney has an innovative, entrepreneurial spirit; now we have a place where this innovation can come to life, commented Peter Tokar, President of McKinney Economic Development Corporation. The founders of Tech Culture McKinney have more than 50 years of combined experience in the tech industry, with extensive experience in raising capital, compliance, and understanding what it takes to start a business in Texas. Their understanding encompasses legal, accounting, sales, and marketing. By bringing these services to one location, Tech Culture McKinney will support small business growth and development in North Texas. About Tech Culture McKinney Tech Culture McKinney is a one-of-a-kind state of the art workspace, conveniently located in one of the fastest growing communities in the country. Tech Culture is more than just a business community, it is a hub for technology, ideas, business innovation and development. For leasing information contact Tech Culture at 469-467-9231 or mckinneytx.com/contact-us. About McKinney Economic Development Corporation The McKinney Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) was created in 1993 to support the development, expansion and relocation of new and existing companies. The MEDC is an organization with a mission to work to create an environment in which community-oriented businesses can thrive. Dr. Anderson (R) and a Supporter Promoting #DropTheDrugs Medications are the leading cause of poisoning deaths in children. (SafeKids.org) During the past three decades, Dr. Monica mOe Anderson has written 100s of prescriptions for patients experiencing pain and she underwent two major surgeries to remove malignant tumors. She seems like the least likely person to start a campaign encouraging everyone to toss out their unused drugs, but thats exactly what Dr. Anderson is doing. In September 2018, this Texas dentist joined the American Dental Associations Institute for Diversity in Leadership program. As part of the yearlong instructional course, each member is tasked with designing and implementing a community service project. While researching ideas around opioid addiction prevention, she read some surprising facts. Medications are the leading cause of poisoning deaths in children. (Safekids.org) On average, 174 people a day die from drug overdoses. (Addiction Policy Forum) Two thirds of teenagers who report abusing drugs obtained them from the medicine cabinets of neighbors or relatives, including grandparents. (Drugfree.org) Traces of hormones, antibiotics, anti-depressantsand other chemicals thrown in the trash or flushed down drains have been detected in our drinking water. (PreventRXAbuse.org) The mother of two and grandmother of three knew she had to get involved. I was seeking a grassroots approach to fighting the opioid addiction epidemic in my community, but I realized we have a much bigger problem which is abuse and misuse of all drugs. The impact of using prescription and over the counter medications (OTC) for nonmedical purposes is often omitted in the conversation around this public health crisis. She began fact gathering from experts in the field: physicians, law enforcement, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Immediately, it struck me that we must warn consumers to limit access to all their medications by storing them in secure, preferably locked cabinets. Carol Landrum, an RN with twenty-two years of experience warns that parents, in particular, should take precautions because All drugs can harm or kill you, when used improperly. Dr. Anderson invited Landrum and several other healthcare providers to her home for an intense whiteboard, brainstorming session and the community awareness program named #DropTheDrugs was created. The top three strategic objectives of the campaign are: prevent poisoning/overdose, prevent addiction, and protect the environment. The team created an educational handout with practical tips on safe storage and disposal of unused medication. Ultimately, they hope providers and pharmacists will provide medication safety instructions when they write prescriptions or dispense drugs. Research studies have resulted in major changes in prescribing practices but pain management is not a precise science because pain is subjective, Dr. Anderson explained. Patients may need more or less than the recommended amount. When drugs are unused or expired, they should be disposed of immediately at the nearest approved drop off location, not saved or given to others for self-medication. Many consumers and health care workers dont know they can dispose of unneeded drugs year-round. Communities throughout the country have authorized permanent collection units in local retail pharmacies, hospitals, and police departments. The Grand Prairie Police Department had the first medication disposal program in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex, according to the citys Police Chief, Steve Dye. Dr. Anderson recently spoke about the project before city leaders including the Mayor of Grand Prairie, Ron Jensen, who emphasized, The safe storage and disposal of drugs is always an important message. Grand Prairie residents may take their outdated and unused drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and pet medications to our Police Department. We have a prescription drug drop-off box in the lobby. The service is free and anonymous; no questions asked. In addition to these ongoing drop-off sites, the Drug Enforcement Agency has well-known, national DEA Take-Back Days in April and October. Twice a year, the DEA invites you to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs at locations across the U.S., said Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Clyde E. Shelley, Jr. Please join us in our continued mission to diffuse the curiosity of drugs. Its the right choice to make and will give people a piece of mind that prescription drugs are destroyed in an environmentally safe manner. Find the nearest drop off location by using the DEAs national online search tool. All drugs returned to authorized locations are collected and destroyed immediately. Drugs should never be thrown in the trash where they may poison curious pets or leach into the ground water. Flushed drugs can contaminate our water sources, as well, according to numerous studies. The Environmental Protection Agency also encourages the public to participate in take-back events as the best option for disposal. Dr. Anderson said, The success of this ongoing substance abuse prevention campaign is largely dependent on inter-organizational collaboration between local governments, police departments, sheriffs offices, policy makers, and health care teams. We are educating the public to increase awareness of existing resources and complement the strategies our drug use prevention partners have employed to combat this critical issue. For more information or to download a free copy of Drop The Drugs addiction prevention handout: visit FB/Drop The Drugs and Twitter/DropTheDrugsUSA. Website coming soon http://www.dropthedrugs.org! About #DropTheDrugs #DropTheDrugs is an awareness campaign educating consumers to securely store all needed medications and promptly dispose of unused or expired medications by means of permanent authorized drop-off locations or mail-back programs. We advocate for interprofessional collaboration to combat the public health crisis of substance abuse and misuse. The Best SEO Company SEO agency The HOTH is pleased to announce their Hittem Over the Heart charity award for January went to CASA & Suncoast Developers Guild. The agencys donations to these charities helps to fight violence in the community and supports local technology-driven educational initiatives. The organizations monthly program allows the employee with the most bonus points to select a charity of their choice for The HOTH to contribute to on their behalf. CASA was founded in 1977 by Margaret Freeman as the Free Clinic Spouse Abuse Shelter. Initially, the small shelter accommodated up to eight survivors of domestic abuse at a time. Today, their 133-bed domestic violence center provides a wide range of services for men, women, and children survivors of abuse. Their clients include women like Shiela, who escaped the abusive spouse that had kidnapped her daughter. With the help of CASA, Sheila was reunited with her little girl. Through CASAs relocation assistance program, they were able to move far away from their abuser. Now, Sheila has a job, has moved into her own apartment and is able to fully support herself and her daughter. Over the years, CASA has helped hundreds of victims of abuse rebuild their lives. As leaders in the fight against violence, CASA offers community outreach programs that focus on advocacy, empowerment and social change. Suncoast Developers Guild offers technology-driven educational programs to members of the community, preparing students for successful careers in computer programming. Their efforts have helped dozens of students, such as Allen, forge a promising career path towards a brighter future. Heres what Allen had to say about his SDG experience: "Thanks to SDG I get to live my dream of being a full stack developer here in downtown St. Petersburg and could not be happier," said Allan Seitz Suncoast Developers Guild is a collective of local Tampa Bay software engineers, programmers and designers working together to promote unity and support the greater good of their community. The HOTH is proud to support the aforementioned local charities and looks forward to helping a new charity in the month ahead. About The HOTH: The HOTH began in 2010 with the goal of becoming the best SEO Company around and a plan to offer clients uncompromising service and support. The company name, The HOTH, is an acronym for Hitt'em Over The Head. In other words, the HOTH intends to bludgeon their clients with awesomeness. Today, The HOTH offers scalable, reseller-friendly SEO services at wholesale prices, giving agencies and in-house marketers a newfound ability to grow their businesses and achieve ultimate success. As one of the largest SEO providers in the world, the company prides itself on delivering measurable results, providing top-notch customer service, and catapulting clients to their highest professional potential. RSPP is a well-respected institution, and we deeply appreciate our partnership, said Gagik Zakaryan, Unistream Chairman of the Board. Unistream Bank has become a member of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP). Unistream can now actively participate in solving economic problems and creating an effective business environment. RSPP is a well-respected institution, and we deeply appreciate our partnership, said Gagik Zakaryan, Unistream Chairman of the Board. The Union connects key sector representatives of Russias economy. Now we can be more involved in strengthening business relations and in the public life of the financial community. Im sure well have a fruitful cooperation with RSPP. Unistream, a system of national significance, operates all over Russia. Unistream has more than 300 partners worldwide, including large banks, retail chains and telecommunication companies. Unistream is the operator and processing centre of a most popular money transfer system. We hope that its participation in RSPP will aid the development of mutually advantageous economic relations for business circles of Russia and CIS member countries. Unistreams involvement will also increase the effectiveness of RSPP Commission on Banks and Banking with regard to trans-border payment services, said Alexander Murychev, RSPP Executive Vice President. RSPP has as its members thousands of the largest Russian companies and more than 100 industry and regional groups. By putting forward suggestions to improve business conditions, the Union supports entrepreneurs not only in Russia, but on the international level. To determine premiums, insurance companies will analyze multiple and various factors. The driving experience and the credit score can significantly influence the price of insurance, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. Carinsuranceplan.org has launched a new blog post that explains what factors can determine car insurance rates. For more info and free quotes, please visit https://carinsuranceplan.org/what-goes-in-when-calculating-car-insurance-rates/ Car insurance companies will analyze multiple factors, before granting coverage to someone. All of these factors will contour a persons risk profile, which is the probability of him to make a claim or to be involved in an accident in the near future. The main factors that determine car insurance rates are the following: The vehicle and its safety rating. Vehicles with high safety ratings will help drivers pay lower premiums. The safety ratings are based on factors like the likelihood of a vehicle to be involved in an accident and how likely a passenger is to be injured in an accident. Also, safety devices will make the car safer and lower insurance rates. To find out about the safety ratings of a vehicle, policyholders can check the websites of IIHS and NHTSA. The driver's credit score. In most states, insurance companies are allowed to look at drivers' credit score in order to determine their insurance rates. Only persons with an excellent credit score will get the best rates, so even having a good credit score is not enough. Address demographics. Insurance companies will be interested in how densely populated is the area, if the traffic is heavy and often congested, car theft reports, road infrastructure, unemployment rate, number of claims in the area and number of lawyers in the area. Driving experience. First-time drivers will always be charged higher premiums. The insurance rates will become lower after several years of driving. The insurance policy itself. Depending on how much coverage and how many add-ons are added on policy, the policy can be cheap or expensive. Policyholders should apply only for policies they actually need. For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://carinsuranceplan.org/ Carinsuranceplan.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. The Inventors and the Lost Island by A.M. Morgen (Little, Brown, Apr. 1, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-316-47153-4) In the follow-up to The Inventors at No. 8!, bad luck has turned to unexpected fortune for George, the third Lord of Devonshire. But a new next-door neighbor with nefarious intentions leads George to be framed for poisoning a king and, joined by his friend Ava, he escapes on a whale submersible. This years TeenBookCon was held on March 30 at Clear Springs High School in League City, Tex. More than 1,700 YA book lovers attended the festival, which featured panels, signings, and more. All photos by Two Cats Communications. Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Shout, takes to the stage to deliver the keynote address in conversation with Angie Thomas. Thomas performs a rap from her sophomore novel, On the Come Up. Authors (from l.) Gita Trelease (Enchantee), Monica Hesse (The War Outside), and Mackenzi Lee (The Ladys Guide to Petticoats and Piracy) during the Secrets and Lies panel. A fan poses a question after the Secrets and Lies panel. Lamar Giles, author of Spin. Caleb Roehrig (Death Prefers Blondes) shows off his avocado socks during the Tense Enough for You? panel. Veronica Roth signs a copy of her new book, The Fates Divide. The Weight of the Stars author K. Ancrum. Matt Mendez, author of Barely Missing Everything, chats with festivalgoers. Debut author Mimi Yu signs The Girl King. Kiersten White, author of Slayer. Debut author Lizzy Mason (The Art of Losing) meets with young readers. Will the third time be the charm in the Georgia State University e-reserves case? With an April 26 deadline for reply briefs looming in the now 11-year-old copyright case, District Judge Orinda Evans will soon try once again to write an opinion that can survive judicial review, after two previous reversals on appeal. The suit was first filed on April 15, 2008, by Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, and Sage Publications (supported by the Association of American Publishers and the Copyright Clearance Center). It alleges that GSU administrators infringed copyright by systematically encouraging faculty to offer students unlicensed digital copies of course readings (known as e-reserves) as a no-cost alternative to traditionally licensed coursepacks. The AAP has called the litigation a test case to inform the application of fair use in the academic setting. But after two verdicts against the publishers and two reversals on appeal, observers question how much a final verdict in the case will matter, as an evolving market continues to address the issue at the heart of the suit. The world has moved on in a lot of ways, said Brandon Butler, director of information policy at the University of Virginia Library, who has followed the case closely since it was filed. Were now looking to university presses as partners in an open access world, which of course includes access by students. I think more and more libraries are also looking at e-book licenses that allow unlimited simultaneous users as an attractive way to support affordable education for our studentsa model that would facilitate assigning a chapter here and there. We are also supporting open educational resources that in some cases can replace expensive textbooks and, perhaps, render e-reserves less important. Still, 11 years later, a thorny fair use case continuesand it is far from clear which side will prevail. In their March 22 remand brief, the publishers contend that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has now clearly instructed Evans, twice, to give determinative weight in her fair use analysis to factor four of the four-factor fair use test: the severe threat posed to the publishers market by GSUs copying. The appeals court has told Evans to give only moderate weight to factor onethe educational purpose of the copies. But in their remand brief, GSU attorneys argue that the appeals court calls for a holistic fair use analysis that eschews the mathematical weighting of the four factors and instead considers the collective effect and interrelatedness of all four factors against the purpose of copyright. And a finding against fair use, GSU lawyers insist, would effectively eviscerate the plain language of the Copyright Act, which explicitly mentions multiple copies for classroom use as an acceptable fair use defense. What is a judge supposed to do when faced with a compelling fair use purposeeducationand a compelling claim of market harm? Where to draw the fair use line in this case has turned out to be especially complex, Butler said. This case is so hard, because it is just not amenable to easy analysis under any of the grand theories or patterns of fair use that have emerged over the last several decades, he explained. What is a judge supposed to do when faced with a compelling fair use purposeeducationand a compelling claim of market harm? As Evans prepares to rule for a third time, the most important question may be whether a final verdict can, as the AAP once hoped, inform the application of fair use in an academic setting. We could get really stark guidance if the court takes a drastic turn, Butler said. For example, if Evans, in her third decision, reads the 11th Circuits guidance to mean that there is just no room for fair use where the copyright holder offers a mechanism for paying license fees. But that, he added, seems unlikely. The most likely form of clarity or guidance I can see emerging from the case would be that libraries could look at the uses that are ultimately found to be fair, if any, and do some crude pattern matching. But even then, Evanss final opinion would not be binding on any other court, Butler noted, and even the 11th Circuit can only bind the courts in its jurisdictionthose in Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. And in the absence of any kind of easily understood, broadly applicable formula for determining fair usewhich the 11th Circuit has explicitly rejected in this caseeducators might be able to infer where a fair use line should be drawn, but still not understand why it should be drawn there. Its not a good situation," Butler said, "if you want the law to earn peoples respect, as well as their compliance. After a few years of relative quiet, the library e-book market has grown more contentious in recent months. But this time around, librarians appear determined to take a stronger hand in the future of their digital lending programs. At DPLAfest this week in Chicago, The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA),The New York Public Library (NYPL), and Lyrasis announced a new collaboration to help provide all public libraries with a free, open, library-controlled platform for managing their e-book and audiobook services. The newly-established collaboration will build on the work of the DPLA Exchange, a pilot launched in 2017 that now provides access to more than 300,000 digital titles. NYPL will provide the foundation of the new platform with its free-to-use, open source e-book reader app, SimplyE. From the stage at DPLAFest on April 17, NYPLs Chief Digital Officer Tony Ageh told attendees that libraries were forced to create an intervention to try and recalibrate the kind of clumsy relationships that have developed in a library e-book market with multiple vendors, platforms, and publisher policies dictating how libraries can manage access to e-books and other digital collections. Well have more on the DPLA's expanding e-book initiative next week, both the opportunity and the challenges of developing a "library-controlled" digital lending platform. And we will also recap DPLAfest, which featured a strong slate of panels and programs, including a powerful opening plenary featuring Elaine Westbrooks, University librarian and vice provost for University Libraries at the University of North Carolina and tech and media scholar Danah Boyd, as well as a drop-in from outgoing Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. You can learn more about DPLAs e-books initiatives here. Reserve Reading Via the IFLA web site, an enlightening interview on e-book lending from an international perspective with Associate Professor Rebecca Giblin, from Monash University in Australia, who is leading the elendingproject.org. "Libraries obviously have limited collections budgets, and have to take into account factors such as likely circulations in deciding whether to license e-books," Giblin notes. "Often its just not feasible for them to buy expensive older titles with unattractive license terms. So we describe those books as being available without being particularly accessible." The world watched in horror this week as the famed Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris burned. And the BBC reports that "within hours of the devastating blaze," Victor Hugo's epic The Hunchback of Notre Dame "rocketed to the top of Amazon's best-seller list." Library Journal this week ignited a Twitterstorm with this tweet pointing to a blog post by a librarian looking to understand the history of libraries excluding people of color from their collections. Notably, that very topic, how people of color are representedor not representedin library collections, was being discussed onstage at DPLAfest by UNC librarian Elaine Westbrooks. "This country needs to confront and reckon with our complex past," Westbooks said, "and I believe that libraries and archives, our cultural heritage institutions, can play a key role in that reconciliation." More on Westbrooks's talk next week. American Libraries has a Q&A with Dav Pilkey, bestselling author of the Captain Underpants and Dog Man series, and the 2019 spokesperson for School Library Month. From KTVU: "Students in San Joses Alum Rock School District will no longer have librarians come next school year. The district is cutting all library positions as it tries to reduce a $14 million budget deficit. The district said declining enrollment is to blame." Sensing a trend here? KIRO reports that Spokane Public Schools superintendent Shelley Redinger last week gave notice that school librarian jobs will be eliminated in the next school year. "Students will still have access to library books and materials the same way they do now," said district spokesman Brian Coddington, but will be overseen by classroom teachers. The Spokane Review puts the decision to eliminate school librarians into a little more context. From the local Journal Gazette, the drama continues over the weeding policies of the the Allen County (Indiana) Public Library. In Maryland, the Capital Gazette reports that LGBTQ community members lined up to tell the Anne Arundel library board that inclusive programs "could save lives." The Idaho Statesman reports on a battle over a new $85 million main library in Boise. The Canadian Press reports that "funding for Ontario's two public library services has been cut in half, a decision the provincial government said it made to help address the province's $11.7-billion deficit." And we close this week on a sad note, via the NC State University News Service: Susan K. Nutter, one of the nation's great librarians, died on March 25. Nutter had only recently retired, in 2017, after a 30-year career. NC State officials describe her as "one of the library worlds most dynamic and influential leaders," and all her knew her would agree. A memorial service will be held on May 31 at 10:30 a.m. at the James B. Hunt Jr. Library, NC State University, Raleigh, NC. Contributions may be made to the University Libraries' Susan K. Nutter Innovative Leadership Endowment. And a memorial website honoring Susan and her visionary career is available here. Those who knew Susan are invited to celebrate her life by sharing thoughts, memories, and photographs of Susan. Ian McEwan. Doubleday/Talese, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 978-0-385-54511-2 McEwans thought-provoking novel (after Nutshell) is about the increasingly fraught relationship between a man, a woman, and a synthetic human. Opening in an alternate 1982 London in which technology is not dissimilar from todays (characters text and send emails), 32-year-old Charlie spends 86,000 of his inheritance on the first truly viable manufactured human with plausible intelligence and looks, who can pass for human unless closely inspected. His name is Adam (there are 12 Adams and 13 Eves total; the Eves sell out first), and Charlie designs Adams personality along with his neighbor and girlfriend Miranda. Soon, Adam informs Charlie that he should be careful of trusting her completely, and quickly falls in love with her, thus inextricably binding their fates together. The novels highlight is Adam, a consistently surprising character who quickly disables his own kill switch and composes an endless stream of haiku dedicated to Miranda because, as he states, the lapidary haiku, the still, clear perception and celebration of things as they are, will be the only necessary form as misunderstanding is eradicated in the future. The novel loses steam when Adams not the focus: much page space is devoted to a thread about an orphan boy, as well as Charlies thoughts and feelings about Miranda. Though the reader may wish for a tighter story, this is nonetheless an intriguing novel about humans, machines, and what constitutes a self. A three day conference between the Taliban and a delegation of Afghan that was to be held in Doha, Qatar has been postponed after the Taliban objected to the presence of Afghan government officials. The Taliban has consistently refused to negotiate with the Afghan government and said the composition of the delegation to Doha indicates that it represents the Afghan government. Afghan officials and Western diplomats told Reuters the Doha conference has been delayed until the composition of the Afghan delegation is reworked to the Talibans liking The government will have to change the composition of the delegation to make this meeting happen, an anonymous Western diplomat told the news service. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters that the presence of some participants was completely against the list of what was agreed upon, and indicated that the inclusion of Afghan government officials was unacceptable. In an official statement on its website, Voice of Jihad, the Taliban signaled that the presence of government officials in the Afghan delegation was unacceptable, and that the size of the delegation was also unwieldy. [T]he hosts of this conference have explained in both written and verbal form that no one will be representing the Kabul administration in this conference, the Taliban said. The creators of Kabul list must realize that this is an orderly and prearranged conference in a far-away Khaleeji country and not an invitation to some wedding or other party at a hotel in Kabul, the Taliban continued. The jihadist group also objected to the fact that the Afghan government, which it derogatorily refers to as the Kabul administration, published the list of delegates, which the Taliban says is proof that the government was trying to take ownership of the conference. The Talibans refusal to meet with the Afghan government is nothing new. The group has stated for more than a decade that it will not talk with the Afghan government as it views it as a stooge and puppet of the U.S. and the West. The Taliban has repeatedly stated that it will consider talking to the Afghan government only when U.S. and NATO forces withdraw from the country. The Taliban has also denounced efforts by the Afghan government to build consensus to conduct talks with the Taliban. Last week, the Taliban urged all Afghans to boycott the upcoming peace council that is to include thousands of influential Afghans from all walks of the country. The Taliban called the peace jirga a tool of the invaders and their stooges to prolong the Western occupation of Afghanistan. The U.S. government, under the direction of special representative Zalmay Khalilzad, has been desperately pushing negotiation with the Taliban, and believes it can convince the group to ultimately talk with the Afghan government. In the process, Khalilzad has sidelined and infuriated the Afghan government, and caused deep rifts in Afghan society. Khalilzad claims that a draft agreement is in place with the Taliban on two key issues: the U.S. withdrawal and the Taliban preventing Afghanistan from being used by terrorist groups to attack other countries. Mujahid, in a statement released on March 3, said that no understanding has so far been reached about any agreement or document. For the past two decades, the Taliban has refused to denounce al Qaeda, its key ally, and is unlikely to do so as it senses U.S. desperation to withdraw. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. This article appeared originally at FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Space debris can collide with and destroy satellites, creating a multiplier effect known as the Kessler syndrome or "ablation cascade." But despite the fact that errant space debris could disrupt airplane navigation, render weaponry inoperable or cut off many forms of communication, countries are still likely to take deliberate actions that create more debris for a variety of reasons. The Many Causes of Increased Space Debris In the event of a major war between global powers, adversaries could choose to deliberately impede opponents' use of space by damaging their satellites in a way that also forms major debris fields and interrupts the opponent's space-based expeditionary warfare efforts. And deliberately fomenting space debris would still escalate a situation less than the use of nuclear weapons, so a losing country would be more likely to choose this method, especially if its own satellite constellations had been already destroyed. The proliferation of space debris can be unintentional, as well. Just as a limited nuclear strike could deteriorate into full thermonuclear war by causing cycles of retaliation and escalation, a similar process could occur in space. An initial limited first strike by one power against an adversary's satellites could trigger a bigger retaliation (and perhaps even be misread as a harbinger of a more extreme offensive), which could then spiral into an all-out battle of satellite destruction. Even without much escalation, the initial destruction of a small number of satellites could trigger major damage to day-to-day affairs on earth. Even countries not engaging in combat can increase the levels of space debris and drive an ablation cascade. All kinetic ASAT tests inevitably produce a debris cloud that could potentially collide with other objects in space and trigger more debris. This applies especially to tests that occur at a significant altitude, like the 2007 Chinese ASAT test. But India's recent ASAT test at a fairly low altitude of about 300 kilometers still led to significant space debris, with some fragments reaching an altitude above 1,000 kilometers. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has stated that the risk of the International Space Station being hit by small debris increased by 44 percent over a period of 10 days as a result of India's test. Handling the Present and Rising Threat Millions of pieces of debris currently in orbit already pose a major hazard to the safety of important satellites. Wary of the possibility of satellite destruction, various states and space agencies are increasingly viewing space debris as a serious issue distinctly associated with national security, and they are developing ways to mitigate or reduce debris in space. Technologies in this effort include lasers, robotic arms that can maneuver satellites, magnets and even a 100-kilogram (220-pound) spacecraft featuring a harpoon and net, which British company Surrey Satellite Technology tested in 2018. It has been nearly a decade since the United States via NATO intervened in Libya with airstrikes contributing to the ouster and death of former dictator Moammar Gaddafi. In the years since, the North African nation has been further torn apart by warring would-be rulers and, in ensuing vacuums of power, extremist groups including the Islamic State. This week, Libyas violence spiked. The security realities on the ground in Libya are growing increasingly complex and unpredictable, said Marine Corps Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, head of U.S. Africa Command. U.S. troops were pulled from the capital city of Tripolinews which may have caught many Americans by surprise, as few likely realized we had still had troops in Libya. Indeed we did, though given congressional negligence on the matter, even the well-informed may be forgiven for not realizing Libya remains on Washingtons roster of endless, undeclared wars. Still, now that via this evacuation the subject has been raised, it is time to say: Yes, we are still intervening in Libya. No, this is not necessary to American security (or, it seems, particularly helpful to Libyan security). And instead of a temporary, partial evacuation, this should be a permanent departure. In theory, the Trump administration ought to be amenable to such a move. President Trump made a point in this years State of the Union address to decry endless wars, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged negotiations among fighting Libyan factions by correctly arguing there is no military solution to the Libya conflict. But in practice, as this weeks pseudo-withdrawal has made evident, this White House has continued all its predecessors interventions, Libya (and Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen) included, maintaining the very military solution it ostensibly realizes cannot work. Beyond the mismatch of rhetoric and policy, this intervention should be ended for its disconnect to American defense and, from the 2011 bombing campaign on, its total failure in its stated purpose of helping the Libyan people. On both counts, Washingtons war in Libya has much in common with its military meddling elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa: It is costly and recklessputting U.S. troops needlessly in harms way and generating new opportunities for mission creep and avoidable conflictwhile unhelpful or even counterproductive in its purported aims. For Libya specifically, the quietness and apparently small scale (we do not know how many U.S. boots are on the ground) of the intervention highlights its lack of necessity to keep Americans safe. Libya's chaos is certainly not desirable, but it is arguably best characterized as a civil war, a regional conflict whose outcome will not pose anything close to an existential threat to the United States, thousands of miles and an ocean away, already guarded by the world's most powerful military several times over. We do not need to be in this fightand neither do we have cause to think our involvement is likely to make things better. As a policy brief published by Harvards Belfer Center concluded, the 2011 intervention in Libya backfired in its humanitarian and security goals alike: NATO's action magnified the conflict's duration about sixfold and its death toll at least sevenfold, while also exacerbating human rights abuses, humanitarian suffering, Islamic radicalism, and weapons proliferation in Libya and its neighbors. The misery of these unintended consequences most directly falls on [Libyan] civilians and other innocents, notes National Reviews Michael Brendan Dougherty this week. All the talk about Americas responsibility to protect is useless if our policymakers cannot or will not learn a lesson about their responsibility not to harm. This evacuation allows us to recognize that however well-intended, U.S. military intervention in Libya has done more harm than good. Prolonging this forgotten war further will not balance those failures and in fact, stands a real chance of exacerbating them. The Trump administration should seize this moment to give Pompeo's rejection of a military solution some real heft. Let us lead by example and bring U.S. troops home from Libya for good. Bonnie Kristian is a fellow at Defense Priorities and contributing editor at The Week. Her writing has also appeared at TIME Magazine, CNN, Politico, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, The Hill, and The American Conservative, among other outlets. Around the world, nearly a billion people still dont have access to electricity. Though we take it for granted in the United States, energy isnt a readily accessible luxury across the planet. Its essential for clean water, modern medical care, refrigeration, transporting goods, and cooking without resorting to burning harmful chemicals indoors. It makes educating our children, conducting business, and heating and cooling our homes easier than ever before. Nearly every activity essential to modern life depends on reliable energy. It has fueled more than 150 years of unprecedented human progress. Maintaining improvements in global health, wealth and prosperity should be the driving force behind our national energy policy. However, both sides of the aisle have now released so-called Green Deals. These competing public relations documents do not serve the American people and ignore the debate we should be having. Thats why solutions like President Trumps new executive orders supporting American energy are so refreshing. The question facing our nation, after all, is not how to combat the laughable and unscientific assertion that the world will end in the next decade (or even two or three). And even if some politicians believe that, they dont remotely have a plan to replace 80% of all the power we use, the percentage that comes from fossil fuels, in that time frame. The real question is how we ensure the developed world continues to benefit from affordable and reliable energy, and how we help electrify underdeveloped populations so that they may too experience the same level of human progress and prosperity the rest of us enjoy. It is the United States, after all, that has dramatically escalated access, development, and use of all energy sources, particularly fossil fuels, and still maintains the safest air in the world. Yes, we can do both. The presidents new executive orders get the ball rolling by securing and expanding Americas energy dominance. They remove ineffective and unnecessary barriers for existing operations and new infrastructure projects while prioritizing safety, responsible environmental stewardship, American job creation, and economic growth. These measures mean the American people will benefit from lower energy costs, more good-paying jobs, and less dependence on energy that comes from dangerous parts of the world. Over the last 15 years, the United States petroleum trade deficit, the balance of imports to exports, has declined by $350 billion. Thats billions of dollars remaining in the United States, bolstering our economy, instead of going overseas to unstable and hostile nations and were on track to become a net energy exporter next year. More can be done to keep America on the path to energy dominance. Rather than engage in tit-for-tat fights over Green Deals that seek to limit access to reliable energy, Congress can update and reform laws that make expanding our energy access unnecessarily more difficult. It can start by ensuring the Endangered Species Act can no longer be abused to shut down responsible exploration. Congress should phase out the Renewable Fuel Standard that distorts the market for energy, and it should return power to the states where local agencies and officials are better suited to oversee land use. Energy has fueled Americas greatest achievements: unparalleled economic growth, technological and medical advancements, increasing life expectancy and public health, art and literature, and more. All this would not have been possible without efficient energy and electricity. Willfully limiting our energy supply through unattainable pipe dreams like renewable mandates do nothing to improve our quality of life, and could, in fact, move us backwards. Even in Texas, which has the countrys most competitive and best-run energy market, grid operators are warning that this summers reserve margin the difference between what consumers demand and what can be produced could be at perilously low levels. Our nation is fortunate that President Trump is willing to forego political correctness and buck the system. His support for the energy we all depend on to survive and thrive shows he understands the real world we live in, not the fantasy land envisioned by Green Deals. The United States has always been a leader in energy development, efficiency, and innovation. Politicians who cave to the environmental Lefts climate change narrative miss the simple reality that economic freedom and access to affordable, reliable energy are what we need to spread prosperity, reduce poverty, and improve the human condition. Having access to the energy we need is a much better deal. The Honorable Jason Isaac is the Senior Manager and Distinguished Fellow of Life: Powered at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Lions have long held the unofficial title king of the beasts', but a newfound carnivore from ancient Africa might have proved a worthy challenger for the throne. The enormous predator, named Simbakubwa kutokaafrika big lion from Africa in Swahili is described1 on 18 April in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. It roamed what is now Kenya around 22 million years ago and was probably larger than a polar bear. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate , We're sorry, this article is not currently available Kim Richards is feeling "incredibly blessed" following the birth of her second grandchild. ADVERTISEMENT The 54-year-old took to Instagram Thursday after her daughter Brooke Brinson gave birth to a baby boy. Richards shared a slideshow of photos featuring Brinson with her family. Brinson, 33, is parent to newborn son Hunter and 2-year-old son Hucksley with her husband, Thayer Wiederhorn. "Welcome Hunter Montgomery @brookewiderhorn & @thayerwiederhorn have brought another beautiful baby boy into our life," Richards captioned the post. "I now have two of most amazing, beautiful, perfect grandsons in the whole world." "I am over joyed with gratitude & love!! There is no love like this!! I am so proud, excited, and I feel incredibly blessed," she gushed. "I love you you all so very much #proudmom #proudnana #grandma #love #grateful #blessed." Brinson also announced Hunter's birth in a post on her own account. "Hunter Montgomery, thank you for making our family complete! Our hearts are so full," she captioned a photo of Hucksley holding his younger brother. 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! Richards' former "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" co-star Joyce Giraud was among those to congratulate the star in the comments of her post. "So gorgeous," Giraud wrote. "congrats love Xoxoxoxo we still have to get together." Richards is parent to Brinson with her late ex-husband, Monty Brinson. She is also parent to 29-year-old daughter Whitney and 28-year-old son Chad with Gregg Davis and 24-year-old daughter Kimberly with John Jackson. Richards starred in the first five seasons of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and appeared as a guest in Seasons 6, 7 and 9. The series stars her sister Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump, Lisa Rinna, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Teddi Mellencamp and Denise Richards. Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, addresses the UN Economic and Social Council forum on financing for development, at the UN headquarters in New York, April 17, 2019. A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for an open world economy and refined global economic governance for the sake of growth of developing countries. At a UN Economic and Social Council forum on financing for development, Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said there is a need to work toward an open global economy and a community of shared future for mankind. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) UNITED NATIONS, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called for an open world economy and refined global economic governance for the sake of growth of developing countries. At a UN Economic and Social Council forum on financing for development, Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said there is a need to work toward an open global economy and a community of shared future for mankind. "It is necessary to follow the idea of wide consultations, joint contribution and shared benefits, firmly uphold multilateralism and a multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, reject unilateralism and trade protectionism, refine global economic governance, so as to create an enabling external environment for the growth of developing countries." China has always been an active advocate of, participant in and contributor to the global development cause, said Ma. The China-UN peace and development trust fund, its South-South cooperation assistance fund, and the intensified alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development have played a significant role in promoting the sustainable development of developing countries, he said. In the past six years since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, China has signed cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and international organizations, and has directly invested more than 80 billion U.S. dollars in countries along the Belt and Road routes, said Ma. Later this month, a second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation will be held in Beijing. This forum is set to open greater space for international development cooperation and make new important contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, he said. [ Editor: Zhang Zhou ] An unknown suspect drove a stolen Jeep with four other suspects through the front door of the Athens Gun Club at around 4:30 a.m. on April 28. The five suspects entered the building and stole multiple guns, according to an ACCPD press release. Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo and AirAsia India ready to fill in the gap. Surajeet Das Gupta reports. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters The suspension of Jet Airways flights has opened new opportunities for competition such as Air India, SpiceJet, IndiGo and AirAsia India. These airlines are ready to fill in the gap, especially in the metros, by adding flights both to international and domestic destinations. Air India chief Ashwani Lohani, for instance, has offered to take five grounded B 777s of Jet on wet or dry lease, it is learnt. Lohani sent across the offer to State Bank of India Chairman Rajnish Kumar, who is heading the resolution process for Jet, in a communication dated April 17, as soon it was clear that the Naresh Goyal-founded airline was getting grounded. Lohani expressed the wish to take the aircraft on lease, 'subject to approvals and financial viability', to fly them to international destinations where Jet had substantial capacity. Air India is looking at adding flights to London from both Delhi and Mumbai, a route where fares have soared recently. Also on the horizon are additional flights to Dubai and Singapore. Lohani could not be contacted for comment. SpiceJet too announced on Thursday, April 18, that it was launching 24 new flights connecting Mumbai and Delhi with other cities in the country. Of these, 16 will connect Mumbai (apart from the six it announced last week and which started operations on Thursday) and four Delhi. The rest will connect the two metros with each other. The airline had recently announced direct flights from Mumbai to Dubai, Hong Kong, Riyadh and Bangkok among other international routes. It has also approached the government for a no objection certificate for 22 additional aircraft it is taking on dry lease. According to aviation sources, SpiceJet has received 16 slots while AirAsia India has got eight in Mumbai. In Delhi, out of the 200 slots, the airport has given out around 50 to Jet's competitors. IndiGo, the largest airline in the country by passengers, is putting in additional 20 flights from Mumbai in a phased manner. It already has over 97 domestic and five international slots in Mumbai. Now, it has 20 more in the Mumbai airport. While it did not comment on the slots, the IndiGo spokesperson said, "We are happy with our current order stream of 430 A320 Neos, of which we have already taken delivery of 74 aircraft till April 17 2019." Aviation regulator DGCA has been offering temporary slots to airlines till July 15 so that they can utilise those of Jet, especially in Mumbai. So far, Jet has been the biggest player in Mumbai, controlling over 110 domestic and 30 international slots at the airport. In a meeting with airlines, DGCA has said that priority for slots will be given to new aircraft and airlines. It has also advised prudent handling of things while moving existing planes from one route to another. According to estimates, airlines have already been earmarked over 50 slots in Mumbai by DGCA to partly take care of the demand. Some have also been pushing the government to allow a temporary window for foreign carriers. The idea is to add capacity during the peak May-July season for international travel. An aviation expert said, "It has been done earlier during festival seasons, when demand is higher than supply, and it should be done now so that passengers don't suffer." Government officials were struggling to understand why the lenders denied emergency funds even after giving verbal assurances on providing Rs 1,200 crore. Jet Airways, which temporarily suspended operations on Wednesday, could soon find itself fighting at insolvency tribunals if none of the bids to save the airline turn out to be feasible. The bids received for Jet will be opened on May 10. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code option is back on the table. If none of the bids are accepted, the airline will face insolvency proceedings. The bids are the last chance to save the airline, said an official, indicating liquidation may be a reality. Meanwhile, a day after the airline ceased operations temporarily, government officials were struggling to understand why the lenders denied emergency funds even after giving verbal assurances on providing Rs 1,200 crore. On March 20, State Bank of India Chairman Rajnish Kumar had met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, along with senior officials including Nripendra Misra, principal secretary to the Prime Minister. After the meeting he had said taking Jet to the insolvency court was not an option as it would lead to complete value erosion of the company. According to the plan then, the lenders, as part of the resolution process were looking to infuse around Rs 1,200 crore into the airline as emergency funding. That did not come to pass, as of this Tuesday, the airline needed an emergency funding of Rs 983 crore to survive, which lenders, including SBI and PNB, did not provide. We (the government) were optimistic because the lenders were optimistic that the airline could be saved. "The state-owned lenders, in their briefings to the political leadership, gave the impression that the emergency funding would be provided. "Nobody knows why that did not happen, and why so many airline jobs were put at stake, a senior government official told Business Standard. Photograph: PTI Photo 'Votes-for-notes no longer only means cash and goodies for fence-sitting voters,' points out Sunil Sethi. Money talks. By that definition campaign politics of the moment is brimming with bagfuls of cash. In sylvan Arunachal Pradesh, the night before Narendra Damodardas Modi was to address a rally, in the car park of a government guest house, where Chief Minister Pema Khandu, his deputy chief minister, and the BJP president were staying the night, two vehicles in the CM's convoy were literally loaded up. One, a government vehicle yielded Rs 80 lakh; the other a booty of Rs 1 crore. Former MLA Ralom Borang told Election Commission officials where to get off. 'Part of this money is borrowed from my relatives and part of it is my own money.' Chief Minister Khandu was the picture of Yes-Minister-opacity: 'At the moment the Election Commission and the income tax officials are monitoring the matter. I have asked the state party president to look into the matter,' he baldly stated. This may be small change in a small state with two Lok Sabha seats, but, crucially, also facing an assembly election to 60 seats. However, if further proof were needed it is now officially provided by the EC on a daily basis. Its seizures as of April 4 totted up to Rs 1,618.78 crore -- the largest component being cash (Rs 399.50 crore), followed by liquor (Rs 162.89 crore), drugs and narcotics (Rs 708.54 crore), gold and other 'freebies' (Rs 347.83 crore), etc. Only speculation exists as to the extent of cash sloshing around as the election juggernaut gains momentum. According to one estimate it could be as much as Rs 50,000 crore -- a 40 per cent jump from 2014 -- a higher spend than what Donald J Trump's election cost was in 2016. Where does the money go? Substantially larger sums are splurged on social media, amply confirmed by evidence of the eyes, in what is being dubbed as the country's most expensive election. Then there are the rising costs of shoring up legislators's support, as in Karnataka and Goa recently; in the cut-throat 'trade' of seat distribution; or the apparently limitless supply of logistical backup by leading moneybags that includes cavalcades of cars, helicopters, and airplanes in return for future favours once government is formed. "When political parties choose candidates on the basis of 'winnability', it also means money power. The number of crorepatis in Parliament and state legislatures is a clear indication of parties putting their faith in moneyed candidates to be able to win elections," says Chakshu Roy of the Delhi-based think-tank PRS Legislative Research on parliamentary practice. Together with Jagdeep Chokkar, former professor at IIM-Ahmedabad and founding member of the Association of Democratic Reforms, these organisations offer comprehensive analysis on money power and criminalisation of electoral politics. Votes-for-notes no longer only means blandishments of cash and goodies for fence-sitting voters. In 2017 it was alleged that T T V Dinakaran, V K Sasikala's nephew, who later won the late Jayalalithaa's seat with a thumping majority and formed his own party, had offered huge bribes to EC officials to win rights to the AIADMK's two-leaf symbol. The intermediary involved apparently confessed to the crime. Mr Dinakaran was let off in the court case but Chennai was rife with videos of cash-distribution -- a step up from gifts of kitchen blenders, television sets, and gold trinkets that the chief minister was famous for in her Lady Bountiful days. In 1943, B R Ambedkar criticised his contemporaries Gandhi and Jinnah, saying, 'In establishing their supremacy they have taken the aid of 'big business' and money magnates. For the first time in our country, money is taking the field as an organised player.' Several government reports since the 1990s, including the Law Commission and the Administrative Reforms Commission, have pondered on how to purge elections of dirty money or, as one of them politely put it, of reducing 'illegitimate and unnecessary funding'. All have abysmally failed. Several of the EC's regulations on campaign financing are so credulity-stretching as to invite derision. Here are some choice examples: 'No donations above Rs 2,000 in cash, anonymous limit remains at Rs 20,000'; 'Each party to submit to the Income Tax Authority, a report of contributions in excess of Rs 20,000 from individuals or companies'; 'Spending on election campaign by any person without the written authority of the candidate carries a fine up to Rs 500...Any person who fails to maintain election accounts as required by law shall be punished with fine up to Rs 500'; 'An MP/MLA/MLC convicted of bribery shall be disqualified.' There is also a blanket ban on foreign contributions to candidates or political parties. "Let's face it," says Chakshu Roy, "the quest for political power begins with a lie. The minute a winning MP or MLA, having spent a fortune, declares to the electoral officer and the income tax that he has not exceeded the limit of Rs 20,000 you suspend disbelief. That is where our sense of apathy and disillusionment begins." Charisma and oratory and mind-bending cross-country rallies, all have their uses in election campaigning. But cash is the undisputed king. 'One hopes that in his second term, Modi spends more time reading serious material even if it bores him or is against his nature,' says Aakar Patel. IMAGE: Textiles Minister Smriti Zubin Irani enjoys lassi in Varanasi, 2016. Photograph: PTI Photo How educated does a leader have to be and what is the consequence of a lack of intellectual exposure? The Congress is making fun of the fact that Smriti Irani did not go to college. She joined a correspondence course but did not finish it, which probably means she had no interest in furthering her education. Irani is a smart and clever individual and her lack of formal education does not appear to have hindered her progress, though one can judge her quality only from her policy interventions which not many of us have any idea about. There is no shame in not having gone to college, but Irani got into trouble because she had made some claims about her education (having gone to Yale University) which were misleading if not outright false. It should be said that the Congress party's dynasty is itself not particularly qualified in the educational sense. Rajiv Gandhi went to England to study at Cambridge but he failed his exams and did not get a degree. His brother Sanjay did not even pass out of high school. He left school to take up a course in automobile repairs. It is shocking that such a person was so powerful and allowed a big say in policy by his mother. Sanjay's wife Maneka married him when she was 18 and therefore does not have a proper education. Her Lok Sabha qualification says she only went to school. Sonia Gandhi did not go to college either. Her studies ended at the age of 18, and she also married early. Indira Gandhi did not get a degree either. Rahul Gandhi is called 'Pappu' by his detractors, but he seems to be academically bright. He has a master's in philosophy in development economics from Trinity College, Cambridge. This is the same place that Nehru also studied. It may interest readers to know that Nehru passed with a third class and was not a good student. Rahul is the most educated individual in the Gandhi family's history. The most famous British prime minister Winston Churchill did not go to college and did not have a formal education. This is remarkable because he was a historian and a novelist and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1953. Another British prime minister who left school at 16 and did not go to college was John Major, whom older readers will remember as Margaret Thatcher's successor. A total of 11 British PMs have not been to college. Narendra Damodardas Modi left his house and his wife at the age of 17 and therefore did not go to college. He did a correspondence course though there is some controversy over the authenticity of the documents he has produced. Despite his lack of formal education, we can observe that he is a good politician. However, I think he has one crucial flaw. He does not engage deeply with policy material like Manmohan or Obama or someone intellectual might. In one of his interviews, Modi has himself described how he works. He says: 'Three or four days after I became chief minister of Gujarat, the chief secretary came to me. He brought a heap of files this tall (gesturing about three feet high). They must have weighed 15 or 20 kilos. The peon left them on my table.' 'The chief secretary sat and said to me: "This is the file for Narmada". I can remember Narmada, but there were three other files also. The CS said: "These are on Gujarat's vital and sensitive issues. Take the time out to read them. You may need to speak on, and take a position on, at any time and address all these issues".' 'I kept looking up and down the height of the stack three or four times. I said to him: "You leave these here and we shall meet in a few days".' 'I did not even open these files. They stayed where they were. A voice came to me that I could not work through academics study (sic). I can't do that. That voice came from within. I said to the three officers who were working with me that "the CS has given these to me. I will not be able to read so much. First, you people make me understand what masala (sic) the files contain".' '"If I begin reading all this material, there's no end to it. It is not in my nature (prakruti<) to read files".' 'Three or four days later, the CS returned. I said to him: "Tell me what the important things are in these files." He did so and I said: "This much is sufficient for me, you can take the files back".' 'After that I have never had to be briefed on these issues, and it has been 13 years since.' 'I had such ability that I was able to grasp the granularity of the issues. Such things left an impact on the officers. I don't argue. I am a good listener. Don't go by my reputation outside: I listen a lot. I can say today that if in my development reading played a 30 per cent role then listening had a 70 per cent role.' 'What I hear, I analyse, and classify the 'maal' (sic) in different boxes in my mind. This takes me no time and when needed I can retrieve it. This extra method (vidha) I have been able to develop.' 'Even today if my officers show me some paper, I say: "Tell me what's in it in two minutes." For me two minutes is sufficient for a 10-page document. This skill is something I have developed.' Unfortunately, this is not appropriate for running a large and complex nation. One hopes that in his second term, Modi spends more time reading serious material even if it bores him or is against his nature. Aakar Patel -- winner of the 2018 Prem Bhatia Award for Political Reporting -- is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own. The by-elections to 18 assembly constituencies will decide if the ruling AIADMK remains in power or not, A Ganesh Nadar reports. Photographs and Video: A Ganesh Nadar/ Rediff.com IMAGE: The ruling AIADMK's R S Rajesh is trying to ward off a stiff challenge from DMK and T T V Dinakaran's party candidates. In Tamil Nadu, the by-elections to 18 assembly constituencies have become more important than the Lok Sabha election. The reason is that the ruling All India Ann Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has a wafer thin majority in the state assembly and needs to win at least 8 of these 18 bypolls to remain in power. The Opposition DMK will not get a majority even if it wins all 18 seats. For that it will need to win 3 more, whenever bye-elections are held to 3 seats whose vacancies were caused by the death of the sitting MLAs there. In contrast, these 18 bypolls are being held after the disqualification of AIADMK legislators for cross-voting in favour of the party rebel, T T V Dinakaran. Both the AIADMK and DMK were generous in their seat distribution to allies for the Lok Sabha election, voting for which concluded on Thursday, April 18, but for the 18 bye-elections neither party parted with a single seat, and instead asked their allies to support them. Of the 18 seats, one seat in the suburb of Chennai, Perambur, also voted on April 18, with the rest of the state. P Vetrivel, who was elected an AIADMK MLA in May 2016, was disqualified for supporting Dinakaran who created electoral history in Tamil Nadu last year by winning the RK Nagar bye-election, an election caused by J Jayalalithaa's death. Vetrivel, many say, crafted Dinakaran's astounding victory. Dinakaran's Amma Makkal Munnetra Katchi is making a determined bid to wrest the 18 assembly constituencies, but neither of the two Dravidian majors are giving in easily. In Perambur, earlier this month, AMMK supporters were staging a march in two different areas, both groups led by a few men, but the majority of the party workers were women. Most were carrying the party flag with Jayalalithaa's photograph on it. A few carried a gift box, which is the AMMK symbol. When Dinakaran was given the gift box as his symbol, twitterati had reacted with 'Someone in the election commission obviously has a sense of humor'. DMK candidate R V Sekar was campaigning nearby, trying hard to meet the eyes of passers-by for a personal connect. His followers were both in front of and behind him; the smart ones were waiting at the end of the road to give an impression of crowds. In another part of the constituency a large group of DMK cadres were canvassing for votes. Here again, there were a few men and plenty of women. One was arguing with her friend, "Why are we being paid only 200 rupees?" "Akka (elder sister)," came the reply, "this is only for evening work. When you come the whole day they will pay us more." AIADMK candidate R S Rajesh had to mobilise the largest crowds even for a street corner meeting. It was the only way he would stand out from his opponents. Sporting huge party rings in solid gold and a very prominent moustache, Rajesh waxed eloquent about the achievements of the AIADMK government that succeeded Jayalalithaa. DMK-AIADMK direct contests in assembly elections often end with slim margins of victory. Some say Dinakaran's fledgling AMMK will play spoiler in these assembly by-elections as he demonstrated in RK Nagar a year ago. Donald Trumps first reaction to Robert Muellers appointment as special counsel was this is the end of my presidency and the United States president was so furious that he reacted with an expletive, according to the counsels report. In a major relief to US President Trump, the nearly two-year probe by Mueller found no evidence of a collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 US elections, Attorney General William Barr announced on Thursday. Barr said the redacted report released on Thursday made it clear that the Russian government sought to interfere in American elections, but thanks to the special counsels thorough investigation, we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of president Trump or the Trump campaign. Trump first learned that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a meeting to interview candidates for Federal Bureau of Investigation director in May 2017, the report said. Also present were Sessions chief of staff Jody Hunt and then-White House counsel Don McGahn, the CNN reported. After Sessions delivered the news, the president slumped back in his chair, the report said, citing notes from Hunt. Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im f****d, Trump said, according to the report. Trump became angry and lambasted Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, it said. How could you let this happen, Jeff? Trump asked his attorney general. Trump told Sessions, you were supposed to protect me, or words to that effect, Sessions recalled, the Mueller report stated. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me, Trump said, according to the report. He then told Sessions he should resign, the report said. Sessions agreed, left the Oval Office, and the next day returned to the White House to hand Trump his resignation letter, it said. Trump tucked Sessions resignation letter in his pocket, but then proceeded to ask Sessions multiple times if he wanted to remain attorney general, the report found. Sessions said he wished to remain attorney general, but said it was up to Trump, the report said. Sessions would continue serving as attorney general for another year, but was ousted in November 2018 by Trump, who remained upset over his decision to step away from the Russia probe, the CNN repot said. Mueller was appointed following the firing of FBI Director James Comey to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential collusion between Trumps campaign associates and Russian officials. Muellers team also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice. The probe could not clear Trump, saying that it was unable to determine that that no criminal conduct occurred. Earlier on Thursday, US President Trump said the Mueller probe was Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats, tweeted Trump, who refers Clinton as Crooked. Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler said he had sent a letter to Mueller - requiring his testimony before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by May 23. We cannot take Attorney General Barrs word for it. We must read the full Mueller report, and the underlying evidence, Nadler said. MIM workers tried to shoo the complaining woman and her silent husband away, but Owaisi insisted that she be heard. As he turned to leave, he told her: "Good that you spoke up. Keep doing that." Jyoti Punwani reports from Aurangabad. Photographs: SnapsIndia Aurangabad is abuzz with the news that All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi is walking through its narrowest and sometimes filthiest lanes seeking votes door to door for sitting MLA Imtiaz Jaleel, who is contesting the Lok Sabha seat as a joint MIM- Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi candidate. Owaisi's two padyatras have been revelatory. For one, they have confirmed the common complaint one hears in this historic city: That this election has become one of identity politics alone, with basic issues being ignored. These padyatras have also thrown up the contrasts and contradictions between the two alliance partners. The very first padyatra showed this up starkly: As the padyatra stopped at a Buddh Vihar, Asaduddin Owaisi directed his followers to go inside while he himself declined to do so. Jaleel went in and paid his respects to the idol of Buddha, along with his Dalit colleagues, while his party chief waited outside. The Congress is milking this 'disrespect' to the religious feelings of the Dalits shown by the MIM leader. However, when Rediff.com joined Owaisi on his second padyatra, the Dalits far from showing any hurt, were even more enthusiastic in their participation than the MIM followers. Owaisi's tall figure dominated the padyatra. As he led the padyatra through the rarrow lanes of the old Muslim basti of Harsul in Aurangabad, one had to strain to find his Lok Sabha candidate Imtiaz Jaleel in the all-male crowd trailing him. A former television journalist, Jaleel was almost indistinguishable in his checked shirt and trousers from the rest of the followers. Jaleel laughed wryly when Rediff.com caught up with him. "No point trying to keep pace with him," he said, gesturing towards the crowd that milled around Owaisi wherever they got a chance, mostly to garland him or drape the typical local white or green checked gamcha around his neck. Owaisi repeated a simple message all through the padyatra: "Main Asaduddin Owaisi Hyderabad se aaya hoon, aap ko bolne ki 23 tarikh ko MIM ke Imtiaz Jaleel ko vote dena." The Hyderabad MP chose to stop at a number of places, specially where he saw elderly men or a group of women, for example, veiled teachers behind the gate of an Urdu school. But there were longer interactions thrust upon him during the padyatra. These were almost always by women and all of them had just one grouse: The lack of water. Every time this happened, Owaisi called out to Jaleel to come and listen to the women and answer them. At the first such stop, MIM workers tried to shoo the complaining woman and her silent husband away, but Owaisi insisted that she be heard. As he turned to leave, he told her: "Good that you spoke up. Keep doing that." After that, no one came in between whenever he was accosted by locals. "You promised us water," said a group of women to Jaleel. "We work in people's homes and cannot stay home when the tanker comes. To go buy water costs a lot." "I know, a pipeline must be laid," the MLA responded. "Didn't I keep my promise and get these roads made for you?" The women nodded, but repeated that he must get them water. "We will say namaaz twice for you," another group of women told Owaisi. "Just get us water." In Aurangabad, water comes once in 4 days if you stay in the 'right' side of town and once in 11 days if you stay in the old ghettos. In unauthorised colonies, such as those graced by Owaisi, the municipal corporation does not supply water till the colony gets an NOC from the local corporator, who, Jaleel informs Owaisi, is often a BJP man. The flawed Samaantar water supply scheme initiated on a public-private partnership basis by sitting MP Chandrakant Khaire of the Shiv Sena, who is seeking a fifth term, is also to blame, said Jaleel. It was finally stopped after activists approached the court. Expectedly, the areas chosen by the MIM for its padyatras are Muslim dominated colonies where Jaleel has laid some roads. But the padyatra also made its way through Dalit pockets, where marigold flowers were showered on Owaisi and Jaleel. For the first time, shouts of "Jai Bhim Jai MIM" were raised by the group, with Owaisi too shouting "Jai Bhim" and greeting people with a namaste. In these pockets, the Dalit volunteers left Jaleel's far behind in their slogan shouting. In fact, all through, while the young MIM padyatris hardly raised any slogans apart from "Kaun aya kaun aya, sher aya sher aya", the Dalits shouted a variety of slogans including "Prakash Ambedkar chya vijay aso, jai Bhim, jeetega bhai jeetega Prakash Ambedkar jeetega." At this juncture, for the first time, women also joined the padyatra and were the first to raise slogans. From the MIM, only once did two young women make an appearance, only to disappear in a short while. A curious participant for a short stretch was a Class 7 girl in her school uniform. "School finished today and I've come straight here," says Shaina. She thought the padyatra was fun. She knew she couldn't vote, but she could tell her mother to vote for Jaleel, she said. Why? " Because Imtiaz Jaleel is from our community and he has constructed a road near my school." The padyatra started at 9.30 am and by 11 am Owaisi called a halt, though a visit to a masjid as well as to a Dalit hall and a Dalit supporter's residence was yet to happen. By then, the sun was blazing down and long stretches were traversed with no one within talking distance. Photograph: Asia News "Are these padyatras worth it, considering the few people you actually meet?" I ask Jaleel. "My workers were insistent that Mr Owaisi be brought here to campaign, " he shrugs. Later that evening, Muslims dispersing from a meeting addressed by Owaisi in the old Muslim quarter of Roshan gate tell Rediff.com: "Is there any other party chief who walks in the sun in a city where he himself is not standing, to meet voters?" THOMASTON James Jay Murdick was promoted to the position of Chief Loan Officer at Thomaston Savings Bank. Murdick joined the bank in December 2010 and has 35 years of experience in banking. As Chief Loan Officer, he is responsible for managing the Banks Commercial Lending team and executing the strategic plan with regards to quality asset growth. Jay has an extensive background in commercial lending and makes significant contributions to our Bank. His expertise and commitment to our business community makes him an asset to the bank and those we serve. The commercial lending team has strengthened and grown with Jay at the helm and we are confident the department will continue on this course, said Steve Lewis, president and CEO, Thomaston Savings bank Murdick has been active in numerous organizations and serves as vice president of the Country Club of Farmington. He says he looks forward to deepening the banks commercial exposure in the greater Farmington market highlighted by the opening of the banks new Farmington office at 155 Scott Swamp Road in the fall. Established in 1874, Thomaston Savings Bank is one of the strongest state-chartered mutual savings banks in the state. Headquartered in Thomaston, the bank, established in 1874, operates 13 full-service branches throughout western Connecticut. To learn more about Thomaston Savings Bank and all the services they offer, visit ThomastonSB.com. Celebration of Success nominations sought TORRINGTON Northwest Connecticut's Chamber of Commerce has recognized individuals and organizations who have made a difference in their own communities at the annual Celebration of Success event in June. Members are planning for the 29th annual event, scheduled for June 27, and are inviting nominations of honorees. If you know of an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to Northwest Connecticut ... complete the nomination form so we may consider them for this year's awards, said chamber president JoAnn Ryan. A list of past recipients can be found at www.nwctchamberofcommerce.org . For a form, go to the website and submit it by May 1 by mail to P.O. Box 59, Torrington, CT 06790, fax at 860-489-8851 or e-mail joann@nwctchamberofcommerce.org). Klemm Brothers rank first, second in county SHARON Accoding to the Statewide Multiple Listing Service, the Klemm brothers rank #1 & #2 in Litchfield County YTD through April 9, 2019. Peter Klemm has exclusively listed and sold the highest sale YTD in Litchfield County CT for $5 million, a Connecticut antique on 67-plus acres in a top Washington location. Graham Klemm has exclusively listed and sold the highest sale YTD in Sharon for $1.6 million. This is a modern home privately set on 10+ acres with an indoor pool and guesthouse. Year-to-date, Klemm Real Estate ranks as the #1 firm for luxury single family sales & rentals in: Bridgewater, Cornwall, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Warren, and Washington. As we enter the 4th month of the year, Klemm has handled the highest sales in Warren, Cornwall, Washington, Kent and Sharon. We are off to a terrific start for 2019 and look forward to an exciting year to come in Litchfield County. I think the market conditions are ripe for a very strong year, said firm president Graham Klemm in a statement. Klemm Real Estate has offices Washington Depot, Woodbury, Litchfield, Roxbury, Lakeville/Salisbury and Sharon, staffed by 40 associates and serving Litchfield County for almost 35 years. For information, contact Graham Klemm, 860-488-6635, g@klemmrealestate.com; or www.klemmrealestate.com. xxx The Goshen Business Circle is excited to announce its inaugural event of the Goshen Business Circle Showcase, to take place at Camp Cochipianne on May 4th, between the hours of 9-12 p.m. The Goshen Business Circle (GBC) is a group of local business owners in Goshen with a mission to create a network of enterpreneurs, professionals and tradesmen, promoting economic growth while preserving the rural landscape. The event is focused on introducing local area businesses to the public, town residents and beyond. The event is free and open to the public, refreshments and door prizes will be available as well as items for sale from each business. You can view event information at the Facebook page: Goshen Business Circle, or call: 860-309-3250 TORRINGTON A river and then a railroad are what built Torrington, business leaders from around the state learned Thursday during the citys Downtown Preservation and Development Conference. If you could forge, stamp, etch or coat it, it was manufactured in Torrington, said Val Ferro, of Good Earth Advisors, a consultant for economic development of the citys brownfield sites. Ferro shared ideas about future uses for former factories to a crowd of about 150 that gathered at the Warner Theatre for the half-day conference. The challenge of finding new uses for old factory buildings can be overcome, Ferro said. The historic Stone Hendey complex on Summer Street is one example of a property that could be reused, she said. A proposed corridor improvement project, for instance, could link downtown to the Summer Street area with construction of bike and pedestrian pathways. Were evaluating the site, Ferro noted. To see what the project would look like, a number of conference attendees took a bus tour to visit several former factories. One building at the Summer Street factory complex is the crown jewel, of the Stone Container property, said Wayne Violette, a senior landscape architect with BL Companies. They are the citys consultants on the brownfields project. Violette pointed out that a two-story building, which is perpendicular to Summer Street, reflects the tradition of manufacturing in Torrington. It has an open-floor, double deck structure that has remained intact. We have run the gamut of ideas, of how to reuse the building, he added. The building has great bones, said one conference attendee. The city received a $100,000 grant in December from the state Department of Economic and Community Development for abatement of the former factory. The Northwest Transit District needs a new location to expand, Violette said. A portion of the factory site along High Street is one possibility for the companys relocation, he added. It will take... collaboration and dollars, however, to bring the Stone Container property back into a viable business destination, Violette added. The bus tour continued on to Field Street, where two abandoned factories are deteriorating, Ferro said. Both the Excelsior and Standard factories were once thriving industrial plants, she added. Many of the buildings located in the former Standard plant are not really salvageable, she said. The roofs have caved in and there is asbestos and chemicals. However, Ferro noted that some buildings could be removed and others kept intact, which would provide new opportunities for businesses to open there. As the bus traveled toward the former Excelsior Factory, Corporation Counsel Victor Muschell said it used to employ half of the employees in Torrington. It had 3,000 workers at one time. The site contains as many as 40 stand-alone buildings, Ferro noted. The former railroad ends at Forest Street, but Ferro said a spur could be built to continue to the former factory. There is increased demand for freight onloading and offloading she said. The Naugutuck Railroad is talking to the owners about the idea. They want to move stainless steel and plastic pellets, Ferro noted. As the bus turned from Main Street onto Franklin Street to head toward the former Torrington Manufacturing Co., Violette noted that in a few months, the street will become a pedestrian mall and vehicles wont be able to enter from that direction. The Franklin Street upgrade is another piece of the citys economic development plan. It calls for building a greenway path along the Naugatuck River. The path would to run south from Franklin Street to Lower Bogue Road. More information about the citys economic development plan is available at: www.torringtonct.org/economic-development TORRINGTON The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is partnering with Arts Culture Torrington for Arts Night Out, Thursday May 16 at 5:30 p.m. AT THE CT Academy for the Arts in Torrington. Arts Night Out is an opportunity for artists, artisans, business owners, and art lovers from all over the region to come together. The Council invites residents, enjoy a glass of wine and light refreshments, view a slideshow of local art, and socialize with one another. The arts council intends to provide a social networking opportunity for all who attend and a fun night out for the arts community, while bringing business to local social spots such as breweries, wineries, restaurants, bars, galleries, and others, while providing guests a chance to meet the staff, executive director, and board members of the arts council and to learn about what services the council provides. I couldnt be more excited about being a cosponsor of this event, and what the future will hold as the Torrington Arts and Culture Commission begins a new era of cooperation and collaboration with the Northwest Connecticut Arts Counci, said ACT president Ed Cannata. We are so proud to co-host Arts Night Out at CAFTAs newly renovated Cineteque Theater with Northwest Connecticut Arts Council and ACT, said Theresa Sullivan, executive director of CAFTA. We are pleased to be able to provide an occasion and venue to introduce new arts and artists to each other and the community. CAFTA is creating a slideshow of local art for this event. Up to three submissions can be sent to maddie@artsnwct.org for consideration by Monday, Apri 29. Artists are encouraged to submit any works they like, but new works are preferred. Submissions must be jpeg files that fit 1920 x 1080 pixels. File should be named: FirstName_LastName_TitleOfPiece. To register for Arts Night Out. RSVP at https://artsnightoutactcafta.eventbrite.com. Share and invite friends to the Facebook event, Arts Night Out @ CAFTA w/ ACT, listed on the Northwest CT Arts Councils Facebook page. For more information about the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council or information about Arts Night Out, call 860-618-0075 or email questions to info@artnwct.org. The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council is supported in part by the DECD/Connecticut Office of the Arts, the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation and the Connecticut Community Foundation. A Rhode Island buyer who claimed his servicer failed to respond to a notice of error argued the servicer should reimburse him for the cost of gasoline to visit his attorney and electricity to charge his cell phone to call his lawyer. The servicer alleged the companys responses to the borrowers qualified written requests and notice of errors did not violate RESPA. Read on for highlights of the judges decision. Cambodias opposition leader Sam Rainsy on Friday called on the Cambodian diaspora in Asia to inspire those back home to stand up and make a change to the countrys government, urging them not to allow Prime Minister Hun Sen to buy their loyalty. Speaking with RFAs Khmer Service in Gwangju, South Korea amid a conference organized by local youth members of his party, the acting president of the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) said the tens of thousands of Cambodians living and working in South Korea are being cheated by Hun Sen in a bid to gain their support for his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP). Hun Sen often gives them little gifts to buy their support for his authoritarian and corrupt regime, and his family, but Cambodians living in Korea dont need his gift, Sam Rainsy said, adding that there is no gift-giving and cheating here, like in Cambodia. People have work to doa prosperous country is not one where [the leadership] has lots of gifts to give out. A wealthy nation is one that has enough jobsdecent jobs that provide enough income to allow people to live with dignity. Fridays conference, which was organized by Cambodian youths in Korea and the Korea-based Asia Human Rights Peace Forum, was attended by CNRP officials and democracy activists from Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. On Saturday, Sam Rainsy plans to lead a candlelight demonstration in Gwangju to liberate Cambodias democracy from dictator Hun Sen, which was organized by local CNRP youth leadership. The CNRP was banned by Cambodias Supreme Court in November 2017 for its role in an alleged plot to overthrow the government, paving the way for the CPP to win all 125 seats in parliament in the countrys July 2018 general election. The party has regrouped and remains active outside the country. Speaking to RFA on Friday, Sam Rainsy said that Cambodians living in South Korea appreciate the freedoms they enjoy there and want Cambodia to have democracy and prosperity like South Korea. That is why Cambodian people living in South Korea strongly support the CNRPthey want to have positive change, a change the Cambodian people and the CNRP want, he said. Sam Rainsy said the CNRP also draws substantial support from Korean nongovernmental organizations that campaign for democratic freedoms, and that the party is working with them to help bring that change to Cambodia. Koreans love democracy and they want all Cambodians to stand up and protest for a change in Cambodia, he said. Our strategy is to join the hands of Cambodians around the worldespecially those living in Asia so I am touring countries with Cambodian residents to connect with them and help them inspire those living inside Cambodia to stand up and make a change in Cambodia in 2019. Gwangju conference Participants in Fridays conference told RFA they were committed to bringing democracy back to Cambodia through nonviolent means. Chhun Bun Kheang, a former CNRP commune councilor who flew to South Korea from the U.S., said he was frustrated that Hun Sens regime had robbed me of my elected positon, after he was voted into power by Cambodias villagers. More than 5,000 commune council positions were stolen [after the CNRP was dissolved], he said. This is very unjust We dont want this kind of thing to happen again, so we are fighting against it. The dictator [Hun Sen] cant live forever, and we will be victorious as long as we continue to fight for democracy and human rights. A CNRP member living in Austria named Kes Vathana told RFA he traveled to Fridays conference to contribute ideas on restoring democracy to Cambodia. We need unity in order ensure democracy survives, and a nonviolent movement to create positive changes, he said. Finland-based political analyst Kim Sok called Fridays conference an exercise of freedom of speech and human rights, and praised several Cambodian laborers who had joined the gathering, despite earlier threats from Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan that Hun Sen could take legal action against demonstrators overseas. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Copies of Reporters Without Borders' annual World Press Freedom Index sit on a table at Agence France-Presse headquarters in Paris, April 26, 2017. China is a "festering" black hole when it comes to freedom of the press, a Paris-based media watchdog said in a recent report. China fell one place lower on Reporters Without Borders' (RSF) annual Index of Press Freedom, the group said, "because of the monopoly of power exercised by [its] president Xi Jinping." Citing Xi's amendment of China's constitution to enable him to serve a second, indefinite term in office, RSF said that the ruling elite suppress all debate in the country's state-run media, "while cracking down relentlessly on citizen journalists who try to make a dissenting voice heard." "Chinas anti-democratic model, based on Orwellian high-tech information surveillance and manipulation, is all the more alarming because Beijing is now promoting its adoption internationally," RSF warned. Not happy with obstructing the work of journalists within its borders, China is now trying to establish a "new world media order," the report said. "The Chinese system of total news control is increasingly serving as a model for other anti-democratic regimes," it said. More controls in recent years Chinese media commentator Jin Zhongbing agreed with the report's findings. "There is a general sense that there are more [controls] in recent years, including legislation and various kinds of regulations, than there were before," Jin said. "Those of us who work in the media often find that our stories don't get published, because they touch on certain sensitive words." "It feels as if the definition of what is sensitive is getting broader and broader," he said. "The space left by these policies is getting smaller and smaller, so it's a worrying situation." Bruce Lui, senior journalism lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said that even journalists working in or traveling to Hong Kong could be at risk of arrest for alleged infractions of Chinese law, under a proposed amendment to the city's extradition law allowing the rendition of "suspected criminals" to mainland China at Beijing's request. "It used to be fine once you had gotten across the border into Hong Kong, but now, people will start to wonder whether they should take on certain types of reporting," Lui said. "If [journalists] pursue certain stories, such as anything to do with the military, or the assets of the family members of Chinese leaders, offshore companies and so on, then they could get you on any pretext," he said. "I think this is going to make some journalists a bit less bold about uncovering information in mainland China," Lui said. "Ultimately, it will have an impact on the media's function in monitoring those in power, and the public's right to know." "It will mean that those in power have a totally free hand," he said. An extension of the CCP President Xi has insisted that the state media are an extension of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), sharing its aims and political goals, and act as its mouthpiece. Last September, the U.S. Justice Department demanded that China's official Xinhua News Agency and state-owned international broadcaster CGTN register as foreign agents. Xinhua News Agency is directly controlled by the CCP and answers to the country's cabinet, the State Council, while CGTN is the English-language network of Beijing-based state broadcaster CCTV, under the direct control of the party's Central Propaganda Department. Media regulators have banned the country's internet portals like Tencent and Sina from conducting any independent journalism of their own, requiring them to post syndicated content from organizations on the CCPs approved state media whitelist. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) found in a recent survey of its members in January that more than half thought conditions had deteriorated in 2018, and surveillance and official retaliation had become the hallmarks of reporting from China. Nearly half of the respondents said they were followed or "were aware that a hotel room was entered without permission. Ninety-one percent said they were concerned about the security of their phones, while 22 percent were aware authorities tracked them using public surveillance systems. Overall, 55 percent of respondents said they believed conditions deteriorated in 2018. Official harassment or retaliation also rendered Chinese nationals working for foreign news organizations vulnerable, the report found, with 37 percent of 91 respondents reporting that their Chinese colleagues were pressured, harassed, or intimidated. Reported by Tam Siu-yin for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Concerns are growing over the health of a former leader of the 1989 student-led democracy movement, currently charged with subversion in the southwestern Chinese region of Guangxi. Zhou Yongjun was charged by the state prosecutor in Guangxi's Dongxing city with "incitement to subvert state power" last December, paving the way for a trial. He has been held in the Dongxing Detention Center for the past eight months, according to his lawyer Tan Yongpei. "His case was recently transferred to the prosecutor's office," Tan said. "Mostly, bail isn't granted [in cases like this]." Tan, who visited his client on Tuesday, said there are concerns over Zhou's health, as he suffers from a dermatological disorder. "His main demand is that he receive medical treatment," he said. A friend of Zhou's, who gave only his surname Nong, said Zhou's detention could be a way to prevent him from marking the 30th anniversary of the massacre of civilians in and around Tiananmen Square by People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, starting on the night of June 3, 1989. The ruling Chinese Communist Party has never changed its official verdict on the weeks-long student-led democracy movement, which it regards as a "counterrevolutionary rebellion." Memorials forbidden Public memorials and events marking the anniversary of the bloodshed are forbidden in mainland China, although Hong Kong still holds an annual vigil attended by thousands of people. "According to our assessment, this is probably part of the security measures linked to the 30th anniversary of June 4," Nong told RFA. "He may get out on bail after June 4." "We call for his immediate release ... [because] we are mostly concerned about his health," he said. Former 1989 democracy activist Gao Jian, who is now based in Australia, said he knew about Zhou's case. "The mainland authorities are stepping up the pressure on all dissidents, rights activists, and petitioners, to a much greater extent than before," Gao said. "In the past, a lot of dissidents used to go back to China regularly, but now they daren't go back at all, because this year is different," he said. "They are being extra careful." Zhou Yongjun was initially detained last August in Guangxi's Dongxing city, near the border with Vietnam. His case has been sent to state prosecutors in Fangchenggang city, which is administered by Dongxing. Lawyers say "subversion" charges are a catch-all crime used to target peaceful critics of the ruling party. Zhou has served a number of prison sentences ever since his initial involvement with the pro-democracy movement on Tiananmen Square, only being released from the last in 2015. If his case goes to trial, he could face another jail term of up to 10 years. A prominent figure Zhou was a prominent figure on Tiananmen Square in 1989, and was photographed by international media kneeling on the steps of the Great Hall of the People in a plea for Chinas communist leaders to heed student calls for political reforms. He was arrested and jailed for two years in the subsequent crackdown on student protesters in June 1989, losing his university place and his Beijing "hukou," or residence permit. Zhou fled to Hong Kong and then traveled to the United States in 1993, living in New York City and Los Angeles. He was detained again in 2009 for using a false passport to visit his ageing relatives after the Chinese consulate refused to renew his passport and imprisoned him on a fraud charge. His lawyers said Zhou was tortured in detention and denied family visits. Zhou had also tried to visit China once before in December 1998 but was arrested in Shenzhen and spent more than two years in a labor camp. Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Wu Jing for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Chinese authorities in the eastern provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong on Friday handed down sentences of up to six years' imprisonment to 18 People's Liberation Army (PLA) veterans following mass protests in two cities last October. Proceedings against the veteransconsidered a politically sensitive group by the ruling Chinese Communist Partyhave been shrouded in secrecy since, however. Sentences ranging from suspended prison terms to jail terms of up to six years were handed down by courts in Jiangsu's Xuzhou city and Shandong's Weifang city on Friday. The sentences were handed down by the Weicheng District People's Court in Weifang and the Tongshan District People's Court in Xuzhou, for public order offenses including "disrupting public order," "obstructing officials in the course of their duty," and "gathering a crowd to disturb public order," state news agency Xinhua reported. In Weifang, Zhong Shifeng, Chen Jun and Wang Xiuqi were handed jail terms ranging from three to six years, while Yu Youfeng was jailed for four years and Wang Xuzhang for three years and six months for "disrupting public order" in Shandong's Pingdu city last October. Meanwhile, defendants Hao Dongdai, Yang Xiaoqing, Ge Degao and Zhang Shanyan were handed sentences ranging from two years to two years and six months, the report said. Yang Xiaoqing was handed a jail term suspended for three years, while Zhang Shanyan's sentence was suspended for three years. None of the nine defendants appealed, Xinhua said. Xinhua said the defendants were accused of "falsely disseminating rumors" of police beatings of fellow veterans, and had committed crimes "under the banner of veterans." In Xuzhou, the Tongshan court handed down jails terms ranging from two to four years to Bai Junguo, Gao Jianhui, Niu Weihao, Zhang Xiaolong, Li Xiangyang, Yin Yousheng and Jiang Cheng for "disrupting public order" during the Zhenjiang protests. Wang Yihong received a suspended sentence on the same charge. Huang Ningjun, who "pushed a government worker into an artificial lake, causing minor injuries," was handed a two-and-a-half year sentence, suspended for four years. None of the defendants appealed, and several were handed lighter or suspended sentences for "confessing" to the charges, and showing remorse for their actions, Xinhua said. Veteran protests Thousands of military veterans converged on Shandong's Pingdu city last October for a weekend of protests over police beatings of their former comrades-in-arms. Last June, authorities in Jiangsu struggled to contain growing protests in Zhenjiang by at least 1,000 veterans enraged at the beating of a fellow veteran. Hundreds of former armed forces personnel clad in military-style clothing gathered on a major road in Zhenjiang, shouting slogans and waving national flags, in a major public show of strength following a mass protest outside the Central Military Commission in Beijing in October 2016. Calls to Yu Youfeng's family members went unconnected on Friday. A source close to the family, who gave only her surname Wang, said the authorities currently have all of the relatives of PLA veterans under close surveillance by "stability maintenance" officials. She said the relatives weren't even informed that their loved ones had stood trial, and had been prevented from finding lawyers to represent them, with only lawyers appointed by the government allowed to act for them. "They wouldn't let [Yu's wife] go, and they didn't even inform her," Wang said. "They didn't know what was happening; they knew nothing." "The police told her she wasn't allowed to go," she said. "I told her to get a lawyer as quickly as possible, and she did, but the government had already allocated a lawyer to him." Fear of reprisals A Shandong-based veteran who requested anonymity said news of the case had only just appeared with the Xinhua article, and declined to comment for fear of reprisals. "When everyone read that, after I posted it in the group chat, they didn't want to speak out," the veteran. "It should be I who contacts you from now on." A veteran Chinese journalist surnamed Chen said the sentences were intended as a deterrent to further protests by PLA veterans, and had sown despair among many in the community. "It will definitely scare off some of them, and make people more afraid to stand up for their rights if they are likely to face this kind of suppression," Chen said. "However, some people will learn the true state of our society from this [case], and find other ways to stand up for their rights," he said. "I don't think that this sort of suppression will get to the root of the problem." The government has repeatedly promised a boost to benefits and opportunities for veterans, but activists say local governments are simply failing to deliver. Reported by Wong Siu-san and Lee Wang-yam for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Shi Shan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. A Myanmar dancer in traditional costume takes photos of other performers during celebrations for the Thingyan festival, also known as the Buddhist New Year, in Yangon, April 13, 2019. Myanmar police on Friday arrested a fifth member of a traditional satirical performance group, charging her with criminal defamation in a complaint filed by the government military, four days after another four members of the same troupe were arrested for mocking the armed forces, a court official and others with knowledge of the matter said. They also arrested four members of a second performance troupe. Kay Khine Tun, a nurse at Childrens Hospital in Yangons Ahlon township, was taken into custody after a military officer filed a defamation case against the group for its thangyat performances during Thingyan, Myanmars Buddhist New Year holiday on April 17. Thangyat is a Myanmar performance art akin to slam poetry that combines folk verses with traditional musical ensembles or drumbeats and is interspersed with song, dance, and chants. It is performed during festive occasions, particularly before and during Thingyan. The performances usually include humorous criticism of everything from politics to social behavior. Kay Khine Tun and four of her colleagues from the Peacock Generation (Daungdoh Myoset) Thangyat group have been charged under Section 505(a) of Myanmars Penal Code, which criminalizes the circulation of statements, rumors, or reports with the intent to cause any military officer to disregard or fail in his duties. It carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a fine, or both. The chief of Mayangon Police Station chief said Kay Khine Tun was arrested after a warrant had been issued. She was later released on bail after paying 10 million kyats (U.S. $6,540) provided by two individuals. Her hearing in Mayangon Township Court is scheduled for April 22. Proceeding with the case Lieutenant Colonel Than Tun Myint of the militarys Yangon Regional Command filed the complaint against the troupe members at Yangons Mayangon Township Court on the grounds that their performances damaged the image of the armed forces, said court spokeswoman Than Than Win. He filed the case as a government employee, so our court has decided to accept it under Section 505(a) based on the complaint, she said. Mayangon Township Court has agreed to proceed with the case, she added. The other four troupe members were arrested on Monday for failing to submit their script to censors prior to performing at a Thingyan festival and for livestreaming the satirical performance criticizing the military on Facebook. They were initially charged with violating Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Act, which prohibits use of the telecom network to defame people. But on Thursday, Myanmar military spokesman Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun told RFAs Myanmar Service that the performers would be prosecuted for violating Section 505(b) of Myanmars Penal Code, which criminalizes the circulation of statements and reports with the intent to cause public alarm and induce people to commit an offense against the state. He said they would be charged under Section 505(b) because they wore military uniforms during their performances. Later, however, the judge charged them under Section 505(a). The charges under Section 66(d) still stand against all four troupe members as well as against Kay Khine Tun. The four arrested performers from the second group, the Oway Thangyat troupe, also have been changed under Section 505(a). Blow to freedom of expression Some see the arrests as another blow to freedom of expression in the developing democracy, where government and military officials have increasing used vaguely worded laws to silence their critics. Freedom of expression should be acknowledged if the nation is democratic or is transitioning to democracy, said Wai Lu, one of the people who provided bail money for Kay Khine Tun. Freedom of speech, and of expression, of youth should be accepted, he said. I may not agree with the (lyrics) that the thangyat composed, but they have the right to freedom of expression and freedom of speech, he said. Its their right to exercise them, so I am supporting them Democracy activist and former political prisoner Nilar Thein said that authorities are increasingly limiting freedom of expression by taking action against artistic performers. Wed like to question whether the artistic expression of thangyat is really understood, she said. There are problems, inconveniences, weakness, and strengths in our country, she said. Artistic performances on these issues are now being limited, and authorities are using their power to take action against freedom of expression. Its totally unacceptable. On Thursday, New York-based Human Rights Watch urged Myanmar authorities to drop changers against the first four arrested members of the Peacock Generation Thangyan troupe, saying that satire is not a crime. Former military captain Nay Myo Zin is driven away in a police car outside Taikkyi Township Court after a judge denies him bail, in Yangon region, April 19, 2019. Credit: RFA video screenshot Ex-captain charged under 505(a) In a related development, a court in Yangon regions Taikkyi township on Friday refused bail to ex-army captain-turned-activist Nay Myo Zin who has also been charged under Section 505(a), during his first court appearance, the former officer said. The Myanmar Army filed a criminal defamation lawsuit against Nay Myo Zin for comments he made about amending the countrys 2008 constitution during a rally in Ayeyawaddy regions Ahpyauk township on April 1. The military filed its complaint two days later. This is the case against a former soldier by the Tatmadaw [Myanmar military], and I have to face it before the court, Nay Myo Zin said. I'd like to urge them to act with soldiers honor. Soldiers need to maintain honor. A soldier with honor is a pleasure, despite being handcuffed. I earned handcuffs while serving the people. Lieutenant Colonel Toe Lin of the militarys Yangon Regional Command filed the case against Nay Myo Zin following his speech on the controversial constitution drafted by a former military junta that ruled the country. Myanmars parliament set up a joint constitutional reform committee this year to determine which parts of the current charter should be amended to remove elements considered undemocratic. The armed forces, whose political power is enshrined in the document, oppose any changes that would diminish their influence. Prominent Myanmar legal activist and human rights lawyer Robert San Aung, who is defending Nay Myo Zin, said township authorities should be the ones to file the case instead of the military. The local township police chief or administrative officers are the ones who should file a case since they [the demonstrators] had applied for permission [to hold the rally]," in accordance with Myanmar's Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Law, he said. Instead, the Tatmataw is suing now. Dropping the case instead of filing a complaint would help the Tatmadaws image and pride as well as the confidence of the people, he added. Taikkyi Township Court officials and Colonel Min Thet Oo of the Yangon Regional Command were unavailable for comment. Keep trying, keep trying Nay Myo Zin also called for efforts at the grassroots level to find ways to amend the constitution, so Myanmar can become a democratic federal union. Keep trying, keep trying for ways to amend the constitution within one or two months, he said. With grassroots movements, it can become a federal democratic nation Nay Myo Zin has been a staunch activist who has stood up for farmers and others who have faced injustices, and has been active in a social group that helps rural villagers in remote areas. He was arrested several times previously and imprisoned three times since 2013 for participating in various protests. He was released twice under presidential pardons. Nay Myo Zains next hearing is scheduled for April 30. Reported by Kyaw Lwin Oo, Kyaw Zaw Win, and Aung Theinkha. Translated by Nandar Chann. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Myanmar demonstrators at a rally demanding the government permanently stop construction of the Chinese-backed Myitsone dam in Myitkyina, capital of Kachin state, Feb. 7, 2019. Religious leaders from the Buddhist, Catholic and Muslim communities in Myanmar have joined the chorus of opposition to the Myitsone Dam, a Chinese-backed hydropower project on the Irrawaddy River, as Aung San Su Kyis government faces a decision on the U.S. $3.6 billion project. Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to travel to Beijing at the end of this month to attend Chinas Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. She and her ministers have been tightlipped on the fate of the dam in Kachin State, which was suspended in 2011, but they face strong Chinese pressure to resume construction. The Venerable U Seindita, a Buddhist monk from Asia Light Monastery and promoter of interfaith harmony in Myanmar, said the Myitsone dam project should be cancelled permanently. With regard to Myitsone dam, former president U Thein Sein promised to suspend the construction during his five years tenure and he actually made it happen, he said. Now, the National League for Democracy (NLD) government should be trying to cancel the project permanently. They should not postpone the decision to cancel this project and pass this project on to the next government, the monk added. I strongly appeal to the NLD government to work on canceling this project permanently. Construction of the 6,000-megawatt Myitsone Dam started in 2009 but was put on hold two years later by former President Thein Sein and his military-backed administration because of widespread opposition to its enormous flooding area and detrimental environmental impact, as well as anger over the fact that 90 percent of its electricity would be exported to China. The decision dismayed China, which has since been pushing Aung San Suu Kyis ruling NLD government to allow the hydropower project to resume, arguing that Chinese companies have already invested heavily in it. 'No immediate benefits' Leaders of the Hindu, Muslim and Catholic communities agreed with the Buddhist leader. It is evident that people across Myanmar overwhelmingly oppose this Chinese-funded Myitsone dam project, said Hindu religious leader Hla Htun. I would like to appeal to the national leaders: You cannot achieve development without cooperation from the people. So, when people show their opposition to this project, the leaders should respect their opinions. Al-Haji U Nyunt Maung Shein, president of Burma's Islamic Religious Affairs Council, told RFAs Myanmar Service that the government should not be procrastinating when people already have shown their opposition to this project. The State Counselor, the de facto leader of the country, has said the government will reveal the details of the project agreements to the public. But so far, she hasnt done anything about it, he said, referring to Aung San Suu Kyi. This project gives no immediate benefits. Whats more, the new generations will suffer from continuing of this project. I think it is the best for the country to cancel this project, he added. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, a Catholic leader, marked the traditional New Year in Myanmar on April 17 with video message appeal to the authorities to cancel the project. The Cardinal also sent letters this week calling for a halt to the Myitsone project to Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, Military Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and send a letter with the same plea, written in Chinese, to the Chinese government. In mid-February, some 10,000 people in northern Myanmars Kachin state-- activists, leaders from Kachin political parties, religious leaders, local civil society groups, Buddhist monks, and local residents--staged a massive protest in the state capital Myitkyina demanding the complete halt of the hydropower project. In rare public comments about the sensitive issue, Aung San Su Kyi said in mid-March that it is important for her government to uphold investment projects approved by previous administrations or risk being perceived by investors as not reliable and volatile. She urged the public to be open-minded about mega-projects such as the Myitsone Dam and assured them that the government would make decisions responsibly. Reported by Htet Arkar for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung. Written in English by Paul Eckert. Authorities in western Chinas Sichuan province have further tightened controls at the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, declaring that no new residents may now be admitted to live and study there, Tibetan sources say. The move follows a years-long campaign of expulsions of monks and nuns and demolition of their dwellings that has seen thousands already living at the sprawling study center forced to leave and forbidden to return. Now, a government order recently delivered to senior monks at Larung Gar, located in Sichuans Serthar county, says that no further enrollments will be allowed, a source living in the region told RFAs Tibetan Service this week. The restriction requires that not even one new admission from outside [Larung Gar] will be permitted, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. If the institute learns that any new residents have been admitted, those enrollees are to be turned away immediately, the source said, adding that authorities have warned that failure to comply with government orders will lead to even harsher policies being imposed. Walls have recently been built around large sections of Larung Gar, and three checkpoints put in place, to prevent unauthorized entry, another local source told RFA. The arrivals and departures of monks and nuns are closely monitored, and they are kept under strict surveillance around the clock, the source said, also speaking on condition his name not be used. In a speech given on April 16 to monks and nuns at Larung Gar, senior teacher Khenpo Tsultrim Lodroe said 2019 may be a difficult year for residents at the center, warning that almost any kind of problem may be encountered if we dont exercise necessary caution and care, RFAs source said. The Khenpo urged that for the sake of the institutes continuity and survival, everyone should behave appropriately in their actions and their speech, the source said. During 2017 and 2018, at least 4,820 Tibetan and Han Chinese monks and nuns were removed from Larung Gar, with over 7,000 dwellings and other structures torn down beginning in 2001, according to sources in the region. The expulsions and demolitions at Larung Gar, along with restrictions at Yachen Gar, another large Buddhist center in Sichuan, are part of an unfolding political strategy aimed at controlling the influence and growth of these important centers for Tibetan Buddhist study and practice, the Washington-based International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) said in a March 13, 2017 report. Reported by Lhuboom for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Dorjee Damdul. Written in English by Richard Finney. Disputes over the size of delegations have roiled critical peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, with new talks in Qatar now suspended and Washington urging both sides to return to the table. The talks, which had been scheduled for April 19, were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops. But a statement released April 18 by the Afghan government blamed the Qatari government for the disruption. The head of the organization hosting the talks in Doha, however, said the dispute stemmed from disagreement over the size and composition of the respective delegations. "This unfortunate postponement is necessary to build further consensus as to who should participate in the conference," Sultan Barakat, of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, said in a statement. President Ashraf Ghani's administration earlier in the week had announced a list of 250 people, including government figures, to attend the so-called intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha. The Taliban criticized the lengthy list, saying that they would not meet with so many people. The Taliban also insisted they would not be negotiating with Kabul at the conference. The list was also criticized by some powerful opposition figures, including the powerful former warlord, Atta Mohammad Noor, who said it was not inclusive. The U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, said he was disappointed by the delay. "We're in touch with all parties and encouraged that everyone remains committed to dialogue," the envoy said in a post to Twitter. "I urge all sides to seize the moment and put things back on track by agreeing to a participant list that speaks for all Afghans." The United States has been holding separate bilateral peace negotiations with the Taliban in Doha as part of a months-long peace push. In Afghanistan, meanwhile, the Taliban have launched their so-called spring offensive, unleashing violence in many parts of the country. The militants now control or influence about half the country, and last year was the deadliest yet for civilians. With reporting by AP, AFP Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid held talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin on April 18, the first visit by an Estonian leader to Russia in eight years. Kaljulaid, who went to Moscow for the opening of the new Estonian Embassy, told Putin that "neighbors should talk, even if we have certain disagreements." Putin told the visiting president that "the lack of contact between official people, official state institutions, and between neighbors is not a normal situation." Relations between the former Soviet republic and Russia have been chilled for many years. Moscow opposed Tallinn's joining of the EU and NATO in 2004 and Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula has led to concerns in the Baltic state of further Russian expansion in the Baltics. Kaljulaid is the first Baltic state leader to meet with Putin in Russia since Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea. Putin noted that trade between Estonia -- a country of just 1.3 million -- and Russia has gone down by 50 percent since 2014, when the EU imposed financial sanctions against Moscow for the Crimea takeover and Russia's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Kaljulaid has been criticized in Estonia for meeting with Putin. The Estonian president called for U.S. troops and Patriot missiles to be deployed to Estonia, where NATO recently placed a nearly 1,000-strong battle group led by British soldiers. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were occupied and annexed by Moscow during World War II. Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax Russias Foreign Ministry falsely claimed on April 19 that U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller "admitted" his investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election did not find evidence of Russian meddling. A redacted version of Muellers report, sent to Congress and published online on April 18, painstakingly details evidence about Russian election meddling and confirms the previous findings of the U.S. intelligence community of a two-pronged Russian strategy to manipulate U.S. public opinion through e-mail hacking and a disinformation campaign. "The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, the Mueller report said. "After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, hundreds of warrants and witness interviews the special counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those efforts," U.S. Attorney General William Barr said on April 18. Nevertheless, in remarks on April 19 that dismissed the findings of the long-awaited Mueller report, a Russian Foreign Ministry official told journalists in Moscow that Mueller admitted having no proof of Russian interference. "There is nothing there to catch attention. In fact, it confirms the absence of any arguments proving Russia's alleged interference in the U.S. election, said Georgy Borisenko, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministrys North America Department. There is not a single piece of evidence. In fact, the reports authors have admitting having no proof, Borisenko claimed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on April 19 also dismissed the evidence contained in the Mueller report, saying the Kremlin does not accept the meddling accusations. As a whole, the report as before does not present any reasonable proof at all that Russia allegedly meddled in the electoral process in the United States, Peskov told journalists in Moscow a day after the publication of a redacted version of the document. "We regret documents of this sort are causing direct influence on the development of Russian-U.S. relations whose condition leaves much to be desired," Peskov said. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on April 19 that it is "completely impossible for Russia to interfere in internal political processes not only in the United States but in any other country." Ryabkov said Russian's foreign policy is "based on unconditional respect for international law, including the principle of noninterference in the affairs of other states." In the upper chamber of the Russian parliament, Information Committee Chairman Aleksei Pushkov on April 19 mocked the Mueller probe for spending millions of dollars of taxpayers' money without proving there was any collusion between Trump and the Kremlin. Most of Russia's state-controlled media on April 18 and 19 also rejected the well-documented findings about Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The state-owned Rossia television channel said in coverage on the Vesti Economy program late on April 18 that the Mueller report is not credible because it did not release the content of hacked e-mails or "specific files." "The Mueller probe was an attempt to threaten the current government and influence U.S. foreign policy without offering any specific evidence," Rossia said. Among the most pointed allegations leveled earlier by Mueller regarding Russian interference was the indictment of a dozen Russian military intelligence officers who, he said, were behind the hacking and theft of Democratic Party e-mails, e-mails that were released in the heat of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. While the Mueller report concluded there wasnt sufficient evidence to prove President Donald Trump or members of his team colluded with Russia's state-sponsored meddling campaign, it said Trump and at least 17 of his campaign officials and advisers did have more than 100 contacts with Russians during the 2016 election campaign. With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, TASS, and Interfax MOSCOW -- On April 18, Russian talk show presenter Artem Sheinin faced the cameras to deliver a quote from Leo Tolstoy. "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," he said. As the world waited for the release of U.S. Special Counsel Robert Muellers report on Russia's role in the 2016 presidential vote -- and whether Donald Trump's campaign conspired with Russia to get him elected -- the popular state TV host summed up the Kremlin narrative. The American family has problems; they chose a president over two years ago, and ever since theyve been trying to oust him, Sheinin said. Moscow has issued multiple denials in the face of accusations that it meddled in the U.S. election, seemingly seeking to obscure the mounting evidence made public by U.S. prosecutors and media outlets with mockery of partisan feuding on Capitol Hill. So by the time a redacted version of Muellers full report was published on April 18, Russian officials, pro-Kremlin pundits, and state media outlets may have felt theyd made their argument clear. In the event, they were ready with a mix of studied disinterest and well-practiced disdain. This is not an issue for us. It is not a thing that interests us or causes us concern," President Vladimir Putins spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters, adding that the Kremlin has more interesting and important things to do. Kremlin officials would "leaf through" the report when they get around to it, he suggested, to determine whether it contains something worthy of analysis. It seems few in Washington would deny theres plenty of that. At 448 pages, the Mueller report outlines in painstaking detail the various aspects of Russias intrusive role, listing findings that match those of the U.S. intelligence community and concluding: "The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion. The two-year investigation has led to the indictment of a dozen Russian military intelligence officers charged with orchestrating the hacking and theft of Democratic party e-mails released during the campaign, among other foreign actors deemed to have aided the effort. But some in the Russian government, as well as on social media, cast the conclusions of the sweeping and far-ranging investigation as a pretext to attack their country. And apparently, to make money in the process. Its not even funny anymore, a Twitter user with the handle Nikolai, whose profile description is the single word "patriot," tweeted in response to a post about the Mueller report by Margarita Simonyan, editor of the Russian state TV channel RT. We couldnt give a damn about the under-the-carpet scheming between American parties. What can I say, $35 million was delicately wasted, user Vladimir Safronov wrote in a tweet replying to a similarly jeering post by Aleksei Pushkov, a senior lawmaker in the upper house of parliament. Safronkov added sarcastically: But they have no corruption! As if to bring the point home, Russias flagship news channel reported on April 19 that Muellers report has already topped Amazons best-seller list. Shortly afterwards, Peskov followed up his dismissal of the report with a more extensive denouncement of the protracted investigation that led to its release. We said from the start that regardless of what investigators focus on, they will not find evidence of meddling, he said. This publication confirms that once again. Over here, such a document would probably be of interest to the Audit Chamber, based on what taxpayers money was spent on, he added, referring to a state financial oversight agency. But Ill leave it to U.S. taxpayers to ask that question. Meanwhile, a prominent prime-time talk-show host led his evening program on April 18 not with the Mueller report, but with the presidential election in Ukraine -- the number one topic for Russian state media in the lead-up to the April 21 runoff. Opening the show on the state-run Rossia-1 channel, Vladimir Solovyov clapped his hands in anticipation of the stadium debate scheduled between incumbent Petro Poroshenko and comedian Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the candidates in that vote. While the subject was not the United States, the tone was equally mocking. Tickets are sold out, and sober-minded people -- if they still exist [in Ukraine] -- fear provocations, he said. But the show will not be cancelled -- because otherwise there'll be nothing left of Ukrainian politics. WASHINGTON U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller corroborated U.S. intelligence conclusions of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, and also documented President Donald Trumps efforts to undermine his inquiry, but Mueller concluded there was not sufficient evidence to prove Trump and his team committed a crime by colluding with Russia officials. Muellers findings were detailed in the partially redacted, 448-page report, released April 18, which also points to areas where Trump and his associates could still face legal problems, as well as the potential for impeachment proceedings. Overall, the report was met with satisfaction by Trump, who said it vindicated his statements that he and his associates neither colluded with Russian officials nor sought to obstruct Muellers investigation. It was called no collusion. No obstruction, Trump said. There never was by the way, and there never will be. We do have to get to the bottom of these things." This should never happen to another president again, Trump said, calling the allegations against him that were being investigated by Mueller's team a hoax. The release of the report closed a chapter in an investigation that has overshadowed Trumps presidency since before he even took office. And though it does not provide evidence of criminal actions by Trump, it is likely to fuel calls for impeachment in Congress, where Democrats in the House of Representatives have faced mounting pressure to initiate such proceedings. The Democratic chairmen and chairwomen of six separate House committee said it must fall to Congress to assess the presidents improper, corrupt and immoral conduct in an effort to obstruct the investigation. The second top Democrat in the House, Steny Hoyer said impeachment was not worthwhile with the next presidential election looming, in November 2020. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgment, Hoyer told CNN. Aside from impeachment, the report points to other criminal prosecutions that have spun out of Muellers work, some of which are still unknown. It said that Muellers team had made 14 criminal referrals that were outside the scope of the special counsel's authority -- 12 of them were redacted. Some of the investigations that are known publicly to have emerged from Muellers work include the investigation into Trumps longtime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen. He has pleaded guilty to some of the charges against him and has testified under oath to Congress about his actions. The report, in painstaking detail, details different aspects of Russias efforts to interfere in the 2016 election, a finding that matches previous findings of the U.S. intelligence community, made after the November 2016 election and just weeks before Trumps inauguration. "The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, the Mueller report said. Among the most pointed allegations leveled earlier by Mueller regarding Russian interference was the indictment of a dozen Russian military intelligence officers who, he said, were behind the hacking and theft of Democratic party e-mails, e-mails that were released in the heat of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The April 18 report showed that Trump understood the gravity of the appointment of Muellera respected former FBI director--- from the very beginning. Mueller, who was appointed in 2017 just days after FBI Director James Comey was fired by Trump, took over an ongoing FBI investigation into Russian interactions with Trump campaign officials. That investigation stretched back to the height of the U.S. election campaign in 2016. Trump tried to take control of the Russia probe and force Muellers removal to stop him from investigating potential obstruction of justice, the report said. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me," Trump reportedly said. Attorney General Jeff Sessions was legally the overseer of Muellers work, but he recused himself early on, and designated Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to oversee it. That enraged Trump, and Trump humiliated Sessions for months, until he resigned in November 2018. According to the report, in June 2017, roughly a month after Muellers appointment, Trump directed White House lawyer Don McGahn to tell Sessions that Mueller had conflicts of interest and must be removed. McGahn refused, deciding that he would rather resign, the report said. Mueller said his investigators examined several issues including the pressure on McGahn and the circumstances behind Trumps firing of Comey, but decided there wasnt evidence to conclude Trump obstructed justice. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state, the report said. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. Mueller also reported multiple times where Trump directed staffers or officials to curtail the Russia investigation. It said those efforts "were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests." Despite those revelations, Mueller said that he could not conclusively determine that Trump committed criminal obstruction of justice. "If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state," the report said. "Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment. Prior to the reports release, Sessions successor as attorney general, William Barr, held a news conference in Washington, where he previewed the report. He said the investigation did not find evidence that Trump or members of his campaign team colluded with the Russian effort. Barr also said Muellers report did not present any evidence that Trump attempted to obstruct justice during the investigation into the Russian attempts to interfere in the election. The Mueller report also included 12 pages of Trumps written responses to Muellers questions. Under an agreement with Trumps legal team, they did not include any questions about obstruction of justice. Though Mueller said the answers were inadequate, he said he decided against issuing a subpoena for the president to meet with investigators to answer questions. That was, according to Mueller, because his office "had sufficient evidence to understand relevant events and to make certain assessments without the president's testimony." In explaining the process for redacting the report, Barr said no material was redacted on the basis of Trump invoking "executive privilege," though he said that Trump officials did review the redacted report. Barr said on April 18 that he withheld grand jury and classified information along with information related to ongoing investigations and the privacy or reputation of uncharged peripheral people. In Moscow, meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the release of Muellers report as unimportant. This is not an issue for us. It is not a thing that interests us or causes us concern," Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin has more interesting and important things to do. But Peskov did say that "it is first necessary to leaf through [the document] and understand whether it contains something that is worthy of analysis" before informing President Vladimir Putin about the report. With reporting by AP, Reuters, dpa, and TASS Trailing far behind in the polls, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rallied his supporters in Kyiv's Independence Square ahead of a debate with rival candidate Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The April 19 gathering came hours before Poroshenko was to face Zelenskiy in a 70,000-seat stadium. Zelenskiy is a comedic actor with no political experience but has a big lead over Poroshenko in opinion surveys just two days before Ukrainians cast ballots in the April 21 presidential runoff vote. Romania's justice minister said he will resign after losing the support of the governing Social Democratic Party (PSD). Tudorel Toader said in a statement on April 18 that he would submit his resignation to Prime Minister Viorica Dancila. He had said hours earlier that he would stay in his post. The PSD had accused Toader of blocking emergency decrees planned by the government and had put pressure on him to resign. The resignation by Toader is also seen as connected to a failure to pass legislation that many critics view as aimed at weakening efforts to crack down on political corruption in Romania. The EU has been highly critical of the draft law. Toader had controversially fired the head of Romania's national anti-corruption agency (DNA), Laura Koevesi, and a main Koevesi supporter, state prosecutor Augustin Lazar. Koevesi is a leading candidate for a top anti-corruption post with the EU in Brussels. Social Democratic leader Liviu Dragnea, is blocked from becoming prime minster due to a conviction in 2016 for vote-rigging, and he is currently appealing a 2018 corruption conviction Based on reporting by AP and dpa Two Saudi sisters, who say they fled their own country because of oppression, have applied for asylum in Georgia but still feared they could be reached by their family and forced back to Saudi Arabia. The sisters, Wafa al-Subaie, 25, and Maha al-Subaie, 28, were offered assistance and protection by the Georgian government on April 18 after they plead for help via Twitter. They are currently being held in a shelter in a secret location, Georgian authorities say. However, the sisters told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on April 19 that they would rather move to another country where Saudi citizens cannot enter without a visa. The sisters told RFE/RL on April 18 that they chose to come Georgia only because Saudis dont need entry visas to go to the country. We dont know anybody in Georgia, we just decided to come here because there is a visa-free regime...we didnt have any other option, the sisters said, adding that they arrived in Georgia from Turkey. The sisters had made their case for international help on Twitter under the account @GeorgiaSisters, posting video appeals and messages seeking protection from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. In one message, one of the women said: We fled oppression from our family. She claims that her father and brothers arrived in Georgia and they are looking for us. There were no immediate comments from the womens family. This is the latest case of Saudi women fleeing the ultraconservative Islamic kingdom, where women need the permission of their male guardian if they want to work, marry, or travel. In January, a Saudi teen holed up in a Thai airport hotel to escape her family and won asylum in Canada. With reporting by Reuters and the BBC KYIV -- Ukraines two leading presidential contenders clashed in an epic stadium debate before tens of thousands of cheering supporters, hammering one another on everything from the economy and rampant corruption to the festering war against Russia-backed separatists in the country's east. With incumbent Petro Poroshenko trailing Volodymyr Zelenskiy in the polls, the April 19 event, held in Kyivs Olimpiyskiy Stadium, was one of Poroshenkos last chances to seize momentum before the April 21 run-off vote. The event was only the latest chapter in a rollicking election campaign pitting Poroshenko, a tycoon made wealthy by a candy manufacturing company, against Zelenskiy, a comic actor whose only political experience is playing a fictional president on a TV sitcom. Thousands of supporters of both candidatesmany with blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags draped over their shouldersjammed into the stadium, milling about between two stages that were set up facing each other on either end of the field. Supporters for each side tried to drown out the other sides candidate, as the two stood on a stage and answered debate question while also giving rousing patriotic appeals. "We achieved more during my presidency than during the entire post-independence period, Poroshenko said. I am a simple man, a simple man, who has come to destroy this system, Zelenskiy said at a later moment, as he attacked Poroshenko for his wealth. "The enrichment of the people turned out to be enrichment of his people," he said. "How did it turn out that Ukraine is the poorest country with the richest president?" Russia loomed over the event, as it has for entire election campaign, and the question of who is best able to deal with Moscow, which annexed the Crimea Peninsula five years ago and has stoked a war in the east that has killed more than 13,000 people. "The Ukrainian people have a right to know exactly what a candidate for the presidency of a country at war is going to do, how to defeat the enemy, and not spread the Russian fakes, Poroshenko said. Ahead of time, Ukrainian bands performed for the crowds, giving the event the feeling of a combined rock concert and soccer match. Riot police and security personnel were out in force, with barriers separating the rival groups of supporters. Nadezhda Serhina and her husband Ivan Roslyk told RFE/RL that they made the 8-hour drive from the southeast city of Dnipro, hitching a ride with a postal driver, to attend the debate. Serhina, 27, said they were disillusioned with Poroshenko because of the slow pace of change, his failure to stop the war, and because under him oligarchs continued to wield power. We support Zelesnkiy because hes a real person and hes for the youth... and hes not from the political elite, Roslyk, 27, said. Both Russian speakers, they hoped Zelenskiy, a Russian-speaker who has been criticized for not speaking more Ukrainian on the campaign trail, would cancel or else soften Ukrainian language quotas put in place under Poroshenko. We speak Russian and Ukrainian together. For me, language isnt an issue. Its important to understand each other...in both languages, Serhina said. Opinion polls suggest that Zelenskiy may deliver a devastating defeat to Poroshenko and become Ukraines sixth president since independence. Zelenskiy won the elections first round on March 31, winning with 30 percent of the votes compared to Poroshenkos 16 percent. Polling figures show Ukrainians appear willing to give a political novice a shot amid disillusionment with a Poroshenko presidency. His five years in office have been marred by rampant corruption, a fall in living standards, and the war which has also displaced nearly 2 million. Poroshenkos campaign has shown no sign of giving up, using black PR to smear Zelenskiy and try to climb back into the race. While previous elections have seen televised debates among candidates, there has never been a stadium debate before. It was the incumbent leader who first challenged Zelenskiy to a debate. Up until now, Zelenskiy has largely avoided Poroshenko, opting to instead speak to Ukrainians through his popular social-media channels. A second debate was scheduled at Ukraine's Public TV Studio shortly after the stadium event. That debate was scheduled to comply with the country's election laws, which say a formal debate must be held at the studio of the public broadcaster. However, as promised, Zelenskiy refused to appear at the second event, leaving Poroshenko with the broadcast to himself. In anticipation of the face-off and the upcoming vote, the Poroshenko camp moved to mobilize supporters in Kyiv and beyond on April 19, the last official day for the candidates to campaign before a legally obligated day of silence. On his Telegram channel, Poroshenko urged Ukrainians to maximize mobilization. He also provided links to downloadable flyers bashing his opponent and called for them to be handed out at key locations in Kyiv, such as subway stations. We have one day left to inflict a last blow against the forces of revenge, Poroshenkos message began, and motivate [Ukrainians] to come on April 21 and vote for Ukraine, not Malorossiya. Malorossiya is a Russian imperial term used to describe land that now makes up part of independent Ukraine. In the context used by Poroshenko, it is a suggestion that Zelenskiy is pro-Russian. Zelenskiy and his camp also were using social media to reach out to supporters, releasing information on how to attend the debate and asking people not to bring their children. By Stephane Fischler, WDC President Dear friends, (The WDC Blog) - Next week, starting on April 23, more than one thousand delegates will gather in Paris for an annually-held event that is fast becoming one of the most well-attended conferences in the mining sector. For the 13th time, the OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains is taking place, and the World Diamond Council (WDC) will be an active participant. The presence in the French capital of so many mining-industry representatives provides an ideal opportunity for associated side events. One of these will be a meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee overseeing the review and reform of the Kimberley Process (KP). It too is an event that is high on the WDC's agenda. For the first few years the OECD forum was a low-key conference, focusing primarily on 3TG (meaning tin, tungsten, tantalum, as well as gold) being mined in the Great Lakes region of Africa, which in 2010 were targeted by the Dodd Frank Act, passed by the U.S. Congress. At the urging of African governments and civil society groups in the area, which had seen the output of these minerals plummet after the American legislation was passed, with devastating effect on communities dependent on artisanal and small-scale mining, the OECD released the first edition of its five-step due diligence framework guidance. It was designed to mitigate the risk involved in importing minerals from high-risk areas. That document has since been updated twice. As the Paris forum grew, OECD's due diligence guidance for minerals from high-risk areas evolved into an industry standard. Today it is closely associated with a range of associated systems and statutes, among them the new conflict minerals legislation in the European Union. It is also extending beyond 3TG, with the OECD making it clear that the five-stage system will become applicable across the entire mineral spectrum, including diamonds. No surprise then that WDC has been liaising with the organization for some time already. This year, during the afternoon of April 24, we will be participating in a deep dive session, which will take stock of recent standard-making developments in upstream and downstream diamond supply chains, and more specifically look at the RJC's revised Code of Practices and the WDC's new System of Warranties (SoWs) Guidelines. While somewhat narrower in focus than that of the OECD's full due diligence guidance, it is our strong contention that the SoWs are a crucial component for implementing the OECD system in the diamond supply chain, irrespective of the size or nature of the company involved. To no small degree this is because the SoWs recognize that "conflict diamonds" include more than just goods traded to finance civil war, but also comprise diamonds associated with other instances of grave and systemic violence, including acts carried out by public and private security forces in gross violation of human and labor rights, or serving the interests of corrupt public servants. We strongly believe that by eliminating such systemic violence, the formalization of artisanal miners will be encouraged, resulting in improved working conditions, better revenues at the grass-roots level, sustainable economic opportunities and improved environmental management. It is our fervent hope that the broader understanding of the term "conflict diamonds" contained in the SoWs will come to be accepted by the Kimberley Process, and we plan to advocate this position during the meetings of the KP Ad Hoc Committee on Reform and Review on April 25 and 26. We are also lobbying for a strengthening of the standards and modalities currently in place within the KP, like the peer review mechanisms, better data gathering and the establishment of a permanent KP Secretariat. All this should be achieved within the content of the KP's proven tripartite structure, involving government, industry and civil society. Reform cannot be imposed. It should be introduced in a spirit of cooperation and fairness, with a consistent commitment to strive for better. As the participation of so many artisanal miners at the OECD forum underscores, it is ultimately people and their well-being that are the focus of our deliberations. By acting transparently and adhering to the rule of law, the interests of both business and society are served. The WDC will remain a fully committed partner in all these forums. It would be remiss of me to write about Paris and not mention the devastating loss that has just been suffered by the city, the people of France and the world in the fire at the Notre Dame cathedral. We in the diamond and jewelry industries are acutely aware of significance of history, artistry and symbolic beauty. All of these were victims on the evening of April 15. But the human spirit reigns supreme. Like a phoenix, Notre Dame will once again rise from the ashes. This blog is the first of what will be a regular means of communication by WDC. We look forward to using such media to make our voice heard across the industry. We welcome your comments and participation. In conclusion, this weekend some of our members and friends will be celebrating Easter, and others the start of the Passover week. Those who are Russian Orthodox will be celebrating Easter a week later. We wish them all a healthy and happy holiday. April 18, 2019 The congregants were inside the building attending a Passover service. This happened as congregants were preparing to rest, when a large part of the front wall collapsed, causing the traumatic disaster. Most of the deceased church members come largely from three areas: six are from Ulundi, four from Esikhawini, and three from Maqhwakaza, Labor minister Mildred Oliphant said. The majority of the deceased are women and a child of 13 years. Six people had serious injuries. The wall at the front of the Pentecostal Holiness Church collapsed at the start of what had been planned as a weekend-long service to commemorate the Christian festival of Easter. Labor Minister Mildred Oliphant who is a member of the church was planning to attend the Good Friday service there. A heavy storm that affected the area was blamed for the incident. Local officials told that the church had a solid structure. KZN premier Willies Mchunu had called for a full investigation into the collapse. The South African Council of Churches (SACC) in Gauteng has sent its condolences to the families of the 13 congregants who died. Brar Threw Himself At Badals Chandigarh, April 19: Reacting to the former MP joining the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday mocked Jagmeet Singh Brars opportunistic, last-ditch resort to rescue his political career after failing to wriggle his way back into the Congress. Citing a series of WhatsApp messages received from Brar over the last several weeks, Captain Amarinder said the former MP was apparently desperate to get back into politics and had decided to go with the Badals, whom he promised to fix in Punjab if the Congress agreed to take him back. Advertisement It was obvious, said the Chief Minister, that Brar had a political agenda to further and was ready to do it by hook or by crook. The former MP had, for the last several weeks, been trying unabashedly to get into the Congress but, with the party high command refusing to intervene and he (Captain Amarinder) himself not responding to any of Brars desperate messages, the former MP had decided to throw his weight behind the SAD, said Captain Amarinder. Clearly, said Captain Amarinder, Brar had decided to throw himself at the feet of the very Badals whom he was promising to fix after his (the Chief Ministers) persistent refusal to acknowledge and respond to the former MPs desperate messages. The Congress was better off without such opportunistic and self-seeking individuals, said the Chief Minister, quipping sarcastically that he hoped Brar would be more loyal to the Badals than he had been to the party that had been instrumental in making his political career. Advertisement The Chief Minister also took a dig at the Badals for embracing Brar out of sheer frustration in the face of their imminent defeat in the LS polls, scheduled to be held in Punjab on May 19. They (the Badals) must be equally desperate, he said, to take in a carpetbagger like Brar, he added. Brar, who had earlier served as Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and later joined the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), was expelled from the Indian National Congress on November 2016 for his anti-party remarks. Advertisement It was laughable, said the Chief Minister, that Brar had joined SAD just 10 days after seeking forgiveness for his acts and promising to give his `remaining years to Maharaja of Patiala and to `fix the Badals in Punjab. Brar wrote to Captain Amarinder on April 9 (sic): Respected Maharaja Sahib, Forgive me my sins. Sir Dr Md Iqbal says, Gunagaar hoon, Kafir nahin hoon mein. I will always stand behind you and give me remaining years to Maharaja of Patiala. Let Navjot embark on the India election campaign, rhetoric and silly. Keep me by your side. I will fix Badals in Punjab. Yours devotedly, The apology and offer were part of a series of messages to the Chief Minister - from seeking appointment on March 22, 2019, to offering unconditional joining on March 31, to sending a note at Kapurthala House in Delhi on April 1, to seeking forgiveness on April 9, to giving his remaining years to the Maharaja of Patiala with the offer to fix Badals in Punjab. Brars last message was as recent as April 11, when he finally gave up any pretext of wanting to be a loyal soldier of the Congress led by Captain Amarinder in Punjab and exposing his true intent of wanting a ticket to fight from Bathinda. Advertisement The message read (sic): Respected Mahraja Sahib, This request is neither a condition nor selfish demand joining you. Foresight demands that if at the last moment due to political compulsions, the High command fails to find a suitable turbaned Jat Sikh candidates for BATHINDA, I offer myself to contest provided you recommend by case. I will win this seat. High regards, Jagmeet Singh Brar Ex-MP. Mango has become the sixth Vietnamese fruit permitted to enter the US market, following dragon fruit, rambutan, lychee, longan, and star apple. To clear the way to sell its mangoes in the worlds biggest economy, the Plant Protection Department (PPD) applied for a licence in 2009. During the past 10 years, the two countries' plant quarantine agencies have had many technical discussions to agree on the quarantine measures. To export fresh mangoes to the US, Vietnamese farmers, localities, and businesses have to meet strict requirements. The planting, processing, and packaging facilities must be granted codes for management and traceability by APHIS. All pre-export shipments must be treated with irradiation, quarantined, and granted phytosanitary certificates by APHIS. At the arrival port, the APHIS will check each shipment. The mangoes from Dong Thap After the announcement ceremony, the first batch of mangoes from Dong Thap was put into containers to set out for the US market. The Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap has become the first locality in Vietnam to export mangoes to the US. According to Nguyen Thanh Hung, vice chairman of the provincial peoples committee, the province is home to 9,650 hectares of mangoes, producing 127,000 tonnes of the fruit per year, topping the Mekong Delta region. Mangoes are among the provinces five key products to be boosted for export. Supporters of the Cardiff School Districts plan to rebuild one of its two elementary school campuses appeared before the Encinitas City Council to state their cases Monday, April 17. A Solana Beach resident spoke in opposition to the reconstruction of Cardiff Elementary School. He supported opponents who contend the project will illegally shrink the dimensions of a park on the school property. In 2016, district voters approved Measure GG, which authorized a $22 million bond issue for reconstructing Cardiff Elementary and upgrading Ada Harris Elementary. The plan for rebuilding Cardiff Elementary will result in a reduction in the size of George Berkich Park, which for years has functioned as a public space, but is on school district property. Advertisement Opponents of the project have filed a lawsuit contending that the project was approved without adequate environmental analysis. Opponents also say a previous agreement with a federal agency protects the park, despite the districts ownership. The entire property is owned by the school district for a school, said Michelle Lamoureux, one of three speakers supporting the project. Its not a park and never has been. Torgen Johnson,, the Solana Beach resident, said he regularly takes his children to play at Berkich Park and believes the district is making a mistake in destroying the school and going forward with the project. The comments were made during the oral communications section of the councils agenda, when the panel can only listen to statements and not discuss issues. Under state law, the city has no jurisdiction over school district properties. A founder of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel was blocked from entering the United States in what he said was a politically motivated move. Omar Barghouti was traveling to the U.S. for a speaking tour but was not allowed to board his flight from Israels Ben Gurion Airport, according to a statement from the BDS movement. Barghouti said he was told his valid U.S. visa was revoked for immigration reasons. Barghouti was planning to meet with journalists and policymakers in Washington, New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago, and attend his daughters wedding. I am hurt but I am not deterred, he said about missing that ceremony. Visa records are confidential under U.S. law. Therefore, we cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. Advertisement He also said U.S. law does not authorize the refusal of visas based solely on political statements or views if those statements or views would be lawful in the United States, no matter how distasteful or objectionable some may find those statements or views. Barghouti said in a statement to The Associated Press that the entry ban was ideologically and politically motivated and part of Israels escalating repression against Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights defenders. Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Unions National Security Project said the move looks like an ideological exclusion, which is a long-discredited form of government censorship. Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., applauded the U.S. move and described Barghouti as anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. The movement advocates boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israeli businesses, universities and cultural institutions. Comparing itself to the past anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, movement supporters say it is using nonviolent means to resist unjust policies toward Palestinians. The movement has made significant gains in recent years, particularly among foreign artists and university students. Israel says the movement masks its motives to delegitimize or destroy the Jewish state. Israel enacted a law in 2017 banning any foreigner from entering the country if that person knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel. The Trump administration has taken several steps to demonstrate strong support for Israel, most recently recognizing Israels claim to the Golan Heights. Support for Israel has become an increasingly politically charged issue in the early stages of the 2020 election as Republicans seek to woo Jewish voters away from the Democratic Party. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The founder of an international music program that became the subject of a state investigation in 2017 over allegations that flutes it distributed to hundreds of Southern California students were contaminated with semen has been charged with committing lewd acts against five children. John Edward Zeretzke, 60, of Ventura pleaded not guilty Thursday to six felony counts of lewd or lascivious acts with minors younger than 14. Two of the children are from Orange County and three are from Los Angeles County, according to a grand jury indictment filed in Orange County Superior Court. Zeretzke also is facing federal child exploitation charges based on allegations that he coerced children into sending him pornographic images of themselves and traveled to the Philippines with the intention of having sexual relations with minors. Authorities have said none of the victims in the federal case, which was filed last year, are from California. The indictment detailing the state charges alleges that Zeretzke targeted the five minors between Jan. 1, 2017, and April 30, 2017. Authorities said he did not have any physical contact with the children. Details about the specific nature of the allegations were not available. Advertisement Zeretzke was arrested Tuesday as a result of a probe conducted by the California attorney generals office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. He is being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $600,000 bail. Crimes against children are despicable. Schools must represent a safe environment for our students, Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra said in a statement. No parent should fear for the safety and security of their child at school. We will work relentlessly to hold people who exploit our children criminally accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Zeretzkes nonprofit Flutes Across the World which he founded in 2009 has worked with thousands of children, including school districts in Orange and Los Angeles counties, to craft colorful, decorated flutes out of PVC pipe. The children would each make two flutes, keeping one for themselves while the other was sent to children in the Philippines. The local students would write personal notes of encouragement and friendship to the Philippine students half a world away that would be folded inside the instruments. The seemingly uplifting program came under scrutiny in 2017 when officials issued warnings to parents in the Los Angeles Unified, Saugus Union, Capistrano Unified, Fountain Valley, Culver City, Newport-Mesa and Fullerton school districts that the instruments may have been contaminated. In those warnings, school officials said they had been contacted by federal and state investigators who were trying to determine if a music specialist had provided tainted flutes during presentations given to young students within their districts. It is not clear whether the state charges against Zeretzke are linked to any contaminated flutes. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry Three renowned mountain climbers are presumed dead after an avalanche in Albertas Banff National Park, Canadian officials said Thursday. Outdoor apparel company North Face said that American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer disappeared while attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak on the Icefields Parkway. They were reported overdue on Wednesday. They are missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst, North Face said in a statement. Roskelley climbed Mt. Everest in 2003 at age 20. At the time he was the youngest American to climb the worlds highest peak. Advertisement North Face says it is doing what it can to support the climbers families and friends. Officials say recovery efforts are on hold because of a continued risk of avalanches. A 2003 photo of Jess Roskelley, then 20. (Elaine Thompson / Associated Press) Parks Canada says safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment. Parks Canada extends its sincerest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the mountaineers, it said in a statement. Roskelleys father, John Roskelley, was himself a world-renowned climber who had many notable ascents in Nepal and Pakistan, mostly in the 1970s. John Roskelley joined his son on the successful Everest expedition in 2003. Jess Roskelley grew up in Spokane, Wash., where his father was a county commissioner. John Roskelley told the Spokesman-Review the route his son and the other climbers were attempting was first done in 2000. Its just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare, John Roskelly said. John Roskelley had climbed the 10,810-foot Howse Peak, via a different route, in the 1970s and knows the area well. On Thursday he was preparing to go to Canada to gather Jess Roskelleys belongings and see whether he could get into the area. Its in an area above a basin, he said. There must have been a lot of snow that came down and got them off the face. The elder Roskelley said: When youre climbing mountains, danger is not too far away. Its terrible for my wife and I. But its even worse for his wife. Eugene Viollet-le-Duc is still the man to go to when it comes to restoring Notre Dame, even though he died nearly 140 years ago. As a young architect in Paris, Viollet-le-Duc made it his lifes work to preserve the iconic cathedrals, monasteries and palaces that were damaged during the French Revolution and fell into further disrepair amid an early 19th century economic slump. His more than 20 years of work on Notre Dame, already prized for its vision and detail, may be put to its greatest use yet. As attention turns to rebuilding the Gothic cathedral significantly damaged by a fire, Viollet-le-Ducs incomparable notes and drawings will give contemporary architects a guidebook to how he approached the job during the mid-19th century. Jean-Charles Forgeret, an expert on Viollet-le-Duc at the MAP historical monument archives, where the architects many drawings, notes and blueprints are kept, knows busy times are upon him. Viollet-le-Duc was a relentless worker with a knack for details and the habit of studiously holding onto what he produced. The renovation he undertook at Notre Dame lasted from 1845 until 1865, Forgeret said. Advertisement He left us a very substantial documentation. We have the letters and the work diary where he was writing day after day everything that was happening on the building site, Forgeret told the Associated Press in an interview. Huge maps with blueprints and watercolor drawings of architectural details spill out of drawers in the archives. One map is a color-coded key of each stone set in the renovation work Viollet-le-Duc oversaw, showing the location and type. Viollet-le-Duc also designed the iconic spire that so dramatically collapsed in a ball of fire on Monday. Contemporary restorers will have more than Viollet-le-Ducs drawings to consult since numerous studies of Notre Dame have been done in the years. Even as construction crews work to shore up the weakened building, there is speculation of which version of the Notre Dame spire will be the model for the rebuilding. Viollet-le-Duc has sometimes been derided for being too interventionist in his restorations; the pointy spire certainly was his alone. The spire that he built was a spire of the 19th century, lets be clear, said Forgeret. Its a creation from the 19th century, but inspired by everything he knew, by all his science and knowledge of the Middle Ages. French President Emmanuel Macron has set a goal of having Notre Dame rebuilt within five years, which would be in time for when Paris hosts the 2024 Summer Olympics. Viollet-le-Duc would have considered that an impressive feat, archivist Forgeret said. We are talking about 20 years in the 19th century for the cathedral to be completely restored. Five years seems to me very, very little, he said. ___ Read and watch all AP coverage of the Notre Dame fire at https://apnews.com/NotreDameCathedral Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. One of the most powerful leaders in the United Arab Emirates has found himself entangled in special counsel Robert Muellers report on U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian interference in Americas 2016 election. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, believed to be the Emirates day-to-day ruler, is the only world leader included in Muellers cast-of-characters index near the end of the 448-page report. His inclusion, stemming from his mysterious role in a 2017 meeting between a Trump associate and a Russian middleman for Vladimir Putin in the Seychelles, stands out from otherwise glancing references to the wider Mideast. But left unsaid or possibly redacted is what motivated the UAE, a federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula, to insert itself as a middleman in contacts between Trumps campaign and Russia. However, the reports release comes as the UAE backs Trumps maximalist policies against Iran and as Emirati officials have been on a blitz of meetings with American officials, showing the importance they still place on their relationship with him even as faces opposition. The Emiratis saw an opportunity for a do-over with the Americans with a new, incoming administration with a president they personally knew, said Ryan Bohl, an analyst with the Austin, Texas-based private intelligence firm Stratfor. They didnt take into account that other institutions, like the military, the State Department, Congress, would all have an opinion too. Advertisement Emirati government officials did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press about Sheikh Mohammeds inclusion. However, it comes the same week that Sheikh Mohammed, 58, found himself included in Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People list. The ranking shows what has been known regionally for some time: that Sheikh Mohammed wields tremendous influence both home and abroad. Sheikh Mohammeds 71-year-old half-brother, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, remains the Emirates president and ruler and ruler of oil-rich Abu Dhabi but has been rarely seen since suffering a stroke in 2014. Sheikh Mohammed also maintains a tight relationship with neighboring Saudi Arabias own upstart crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. In a country where leaders rule absolutely, the Mueller report provides a brief glimpse into the deal-making and connections of the UAE. It puts Sheikh Mohammed at a luxury hotel in the Indian Ocean Seychelles islands in January 2017, just before Trumps inauguration, with his adviser George Nader. Nader is a Lebanese-American businessman convicted in a Czech Republic court in 2003 of multiple counts of sexually abusing minors, later would cooperate with Muellers investigation. This meeting put Kirill Dmitriev, the head of a Russian sovereign wealth fund close to Putin, face to face with Erik Prince, the founder of the private military firm Blackwater who had ties to Trump officials, according to the report. Dmitriev earlier had asked Nader for access to Trump transition team members, the report said. While initially distrustful of meeting Prince, Nader reportedly made a point to stress that Princes sister, Betsy DeVos, would become Trumps education secretary. Dmitriev told Nader that Putin would be very grateful to Nader and that a meeting would make history, the report said. What happened at the Jan. 11, 2017, meeting that Dmitriev, Nader and Prince attended remains unclear, in part due to a series of redactions in the report. However, in the released material Prince reportedly told Dmitriev to warn Putin not to get Russia involved in Libyas still-ongoing civil war. The Washington Post broke news of the meeting in April 2017. Prince, who reportedly has helped the UAE form its own mercenary forces, later told Congress the meeting was happenstance and that I didnt fly there to meet any Russian guy. Thats directly contradicted by Muellers report, which says Nadler set up the meeting with Prince ahead of time. Its unclear what implications Prince could face over the Mueller report. A request for comment to Princes new firm, Frontier Services Group, was not immediately answered. The rest of the Mideast gets far less attention in Muellers report. Theres mention of a U.N. Security Council vote calling on Israel to stop building settlements in Palestinian territory, a vote which former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn made calls to Russian officials about and later lied to investigators. Saudi Arabia is mentioned only in context of Trump showing staffers on Air Force One a resignation letter from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions. However, the small UAE plays an oversized role in the report, as it does in Mideast politics due in part to its closeness to America. Some 5,000 American troops are stationed in the country, while Dubais Jebel Ali port remains the U.S. Navys busiest foreign port of call. Whats public from Muellers report does not elaborate on Sheikh Mohammeds role in the Seychelles meeting. However, Sheikh Mohammed also had sought a meeting in the U.S. with Trump transition officials before he entered the White House. But Sheikh Mohammed undoubtedly welcomed Trumps hard-line approach to Iran after President Barack Obamas administration signed onto Tehrans nuclear deal with world powers. And while Sheikh Mohammed hasnt been back to the U.S. for some time, the UAEs foreign minister and its minister of state for foreign affairs both have traveled to Washington in recent days. Trump also spoke by phone to Sheikh Mohammed on Thursday night after earlier vetoing a bill that called for the U.S. to pull its military support from the Saudi and Emirati war in Yemen. For now, the Emiratis know they have a strong ally in the White House, Bohl, the Stratfor analyst, said. What would be much more notable if we see them trying to reach out to potential Democratic successors as a backup plan for Trump. ___ Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap . Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Social conservatives aligned with North Carolina Republicans won more political clashes over abortion on Thursday, as committees approved legislation addressing newborn care should the procedure result in a live birth. Identical House and Senate bills, one of which could receive a floor vote as soon as next week, require physicians and nurses to care for children born alive after the procedure. They could face a felony and active prison time if they dont, along with potentially $250,000 fines and other monetary damages. The legislation is designed so that babies born alive whether it be through an abortion or through the actual childbirth, that they are treated the same, with the same care that any medical person would give to a naturally born baby, Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican, told the House Health Committee. Abortion-rights advocates and their largely Democratic allies say the measures address a non-issue and are designed to intimidate medical providers and women who have the right to an abortion. Newborns arent being left to die, they say, and any malicious activities already are subject to criminal laws and medical licensing boards. Advertisement The legislation is not aimed at treating a problem that exists, said Kelsea McLain with A Womans Choice of Raleigh, which provides abortions. Rather its aimed at creating inflammatory rhetoric around abortion rights and access to further stigmatize our rights. Anti-abortion activists and their legislative allies are equipped with numerical figures about infant deaths following abortions and written testimony of adults who saw or survived botched procedures. The voice missing here today is the voice of the unborn child, said Tami Fitzgerald with the North Carolina Values Coalition. The coalition says five states that collect data reported at least 25 children were born alive during attempted abortions in 2017. North Carolina keeps no such statistics, a detail that Senate Democrats pressed earlier Thursday in opposing the measure. Still, the Senate version passed its second committee in as many days on a voice vote. The House Health Committee vote was 20-9, with one Democrat, Nash County pastor Rep. James Gailliard, siding with Republicans. The office of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who could sign or veto a final measure, called the legislation unnecessary. Laws already exist to protect newborn babies and legislators should instead be focused on other issues like expanding access to health care to help children thrive, Cooper spokeswoman Sadie Weiner said in a release. Republicans see the legislation as countering abortion-rights legislation earlier this year. Meanwhile, anti-abortion lawmakers and activists in numerous states are pushing near-total bans. A North Carolina law limiting abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy to only those during an urgent medical emergency was struck down by a federal judge. He delayed enforcement of his decision so the state could appeal or rewrite that law. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Rhode Island Lt. Gov. Dan McKee did not disclose a trip he took to Asia last year even though a Rhode Island Ethics Commission ruling requires him to do so. The commission requires that state officials report any out-of-state trips valued at more than $250 and paid for by a foreign government. WPRI-TV reports that McKee has acknowledged he failed to disclose the 2017 trip to Taiwan and has amended the form. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Boston, an arm of the Taiwan government, paid $3,500 for McKees travel, lodging and food expenses on that trip. Advertisement McKee says he realized the form needed to be amended while reviewing the reporting rules for another trip this week to Taiwan and China that Taiwans government is paying for. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 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. GALWAY, N.Y. A workshop is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Galway Town Hall to discuss economic development plans in the town. Saratoga Countys economic development corporation, called Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, is helping Galway create a plan designed specifically for its current and future needs. The collaboration is part of the Partnerships Next Wave Communities initiative, which assists local towns in developing customized economic development plans. Partnership President Marty Vanags will give a presentation on economic development principles and practices including business retention and attraction strategies, small business development, and financial incentives and financing packages and provide a foundation for work to follow. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. We are excited to work closely with stakeholders throughout Galway to create an economic development plan specific to the towns current and future needs, said Vanags. We look forward to engaging with government and business leaders, as well as residents, to ensure this blueprint reflects an appropriate vision to guide the town moving forward. This process will respect our commitment to preserving the rural character that makes Galway a special place, as well as the need for smart, strategic growth that keeps taxes low and services intact, said Galway Town Supervisor Michael Smith. With the input of our residents, business owners, and elected officials, combined with the expertise of the Saratoga Partnership, we will seek to strike a balance that makes sense for the town. Over the next few months, the Partnership will survey the community to gauge its vision, identify both strengths and obstacles to success, and find ways to collaborate in building the plan. It will also meet with key stakeholders to gather input on the towns economic development needs, assets, opportunities and challenges; and conduct a workshop to develop a thorough strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis for Galway. By summer, the Partnership will present a written economic development plan that will include a vision for the town, defined goals and objectives, results of the analysis, opportunities for collaboration, a link to resources, and next steps. Implementation of the plan will be conducted by the Partnership in collaboration with the town. This is the second local economic development plan to be undertaken by the Saratoga Partnership through its Next Wave Communities program. The first, for the Town of Moreau, is also expected to be presented this summer. In the category of Mad magazines scenes wed like to see, comes President Trumps threat to transport migrants to cities and states that have declared themselves sanctuaries. Apparently he thinks such a move would force Democrats in Congress who represent these places to vote to fund the wall along our southern border. Speaker Nancy Pelosi calls the presidents threat unworthy of the presidency. In fact, it is Congress that has been unworthy for a long time. Here is a body that passes laws everyone else must obey, but in too many cases is exempt from adhering to some of them. In 1995, the House and Senate passed the Congressional Accountability Act, which finally applied many civil rights, labor and workplace safety statutes to the legislative branch, yet two very important laws, the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, do not apply to Congress. There are others. Wealthy members of Congress might take offense should immigrants move into their neighborhoods. They dont seem to care about the harm caused to ranchers and other property owners in states along the southern border. Legal experts say it would be illegal under current law to move people to sanctuary cities and states. This crosses the border of ridiculousness. Some governors and mayors are protecting those who enter the country illegally from the law. If they were protecting other lawbreakers drug dealers, or murderers, for example (which the president argues they are) the law would consider them accessories after the fact and they would face prosecution and prison time. But because politicians refuse to update laws that are full of loopholes the current problem is their doing. For those unfamiliar with the concept of sanctuary cities, here is a short lesson. Sanctuary cities were established in Torah law (Numbers 35:11) to protect someone who had killed another person by accident and without malice aforethought from the avenger of blood, who might be a close relative of the dead person. Under the priestly code, the accused was removed from the city and put on trial. If he was found innocent of murder, he was returned under guard to the sanctuary city in which he had claimed asylum. He enjoyed protection until the Jewish high priest died, at which point he was free to leave the city without fear of harm. The Mishnah, the oral law given alongside the written Torah, states that the high priests mother (not the government) would traditionally supply clothing and food to those claiming asylum in the cities of refuge, so that relatives of the dead person would not wish for the death of her son because he harbored the accused. The Talmud argues that the natural death of the high priest was a type of atonement because he was considered pious. Maimonides argued that the death of the high priest was an event so upsetting to the Israelites that they dropped all thoughts of vengeance. Todays sanctuary cities and states have nothing to do with their original intent or outcome. Those living in this country without legal permission have broken the law, but are simultaneously protected by the law. Does this make sense? Name other laws American citizens could break and not be held accountable. Try breaking the tax laws this week and see where that gets you. One of the presidents problems has been his lack of focus. He throws proposals against a congressional wall to see if any will stick. He should stick with one and bring public opinion with him. The ultimate solution lies with a do-nothing Congress and only it can solve the problem. For political reasons, members of both parties refuse to do so. Those who support sanctuary cities ought to experience the consequences of that support in their own front and backyards. Cal Thomas, Americas most-syndicated columnist, is the author of 10 books A prescribed drug to treat high blood pressure has shown promise against conditions such as Parkinson's, Huntington's and forms of dementia in studies carried out in mice and zebrafish at the University of Cambridge. A common feature of these diseases -- collectively known as neurodegenerative diseases -- is the build-up of misfolded proteins. These proteins, such as huntingtin in Huntington's disease and tau in some dementias, form 'aggregates' that can cause irreversible damage to nerve cells in the brain. In healthy individuals, the body uses a mechanism to prevent the build-up of such toxic materials. This mechanism is known as autophagy, or 'self-eating', and involves 'Pac-Man'-like cells eating and breaking down the materials. However, in neurodegenerative diseases this mechanism is impaired and unable to clear the proteins building up in the brain. As the global population ages, an increasing number of people are being diagnosed with neurodegenerative diseases, making the search for effective drugs ever more urgent. However, there are currently no drugs that can induce autophagy effectively in patients. In addition to searching for new drugs, scientists often look to re-purpose existing drugs. These have the advantage that they have already been shown to be safe for use in humans. If they can be shown to be effective against the target diseases, then the journey to clinical use is much faster. In a study published today in the journal Nature Communications, scientists at the UK Dementia Research Institute and the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research at the University of Cambridge have shown in mice that felodipine, a hypertension drug, may be a candidate for re-purposing. advertisement Epidemiological studies have already hinted at a possible link between the drug and reduced risk of Parkinson's disease, but now the researchers have shown that it may be able to induce autophagy in several neurodegenerative conditions. A team led by Professor David Rubinsztein used mice that had been genetically modified to express mutations that cause Huntington's disease or a form of Parkinson's disease, and zebrafish that model a form of dementia. Mice are a useful model for studying human disease as their short life span and fast reproductive rate make it possible to investigate biological processes in many areas. Their biology and physiology have a number of important characteristics in common with those of humans, including similar nervous systems. Felodipine was effective at reducing the build-up of aggregates in the mice with the Huntington's and Parkinson's disease mutations and in the zebrafish dementia model. The treated animals also showed fewer signs of the diseases. Studies in mice often use doses that are much higher than those known to be safe to use in humans. Professor Rubinsztein and colleagues showed in the Parkinson's mice that it is possible to show beneficial effects even at concentrations similar to those tolerated by humans. They did so by controlling the concentrations using a small pump under the mouse's skin. "This is the first time that we're aware of that a study has shown that an approved drug can slow the build-up of harmful proteins in the brains of mice using doses aiming to mimic the concentrations of the drug seen in humans," says Professor Rubinsztein. "As a result, the drug was able to slow down progression of these potentially devastating conditions and so we believe it should be trialled in patients." "This is only the first stage, though. The drug will need to be tested in patients to see if it has the same effects in humans as it does in mice. We need to be cautious, but I would like to say we can be cautiously optimistic." Researchers from the UK and Spain have identified an eco-friendly solid that could replace the inefficient and polluting gases used in most refrigerators and air conditioners. When put under pressure, plastic crystals of neopentylglycol yield huge cooling effects -- enough that they are competitive with conventional coolants. In addition, the material is inexpensive, widely available and functions at close to room temperature. Details are published in the journal Nature Communications. The gases currently used in the vast majority of refrigerators and air conditioners -- hydrofluorocarbons and hydrocarbons (HFCs and HCs) -- are toxic and flammable. When they leak into the air, they also contribute to global warming. "Refrigerators and air conditioners based on HFCs and HCs are also relatively inefficient," said Dr Xavier Moya, from the University of Cambridge, who led the research with Professor Josep Lluis Tamarit, from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya. "That's important because refrigeration and air conditioning currently devour a fifth of the energy produced worldwide, and demand for cooling is only going up." To solve these problems, materials scientists around the world have sought alternative solid refrigerants. Moya, a Royal Society Research Fellow in Cambridge's Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, is one of the leaders in this field. In their newly published research, Moya and collaborators from the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya and the Universitat de Barcelona describe the enormous thermal changes under pressure achieved with plastic crystals. advertisement Conventional cooling technologies rely on the thermal changes that occur when a compressed fluid expands. Most cooling devices work by compressing and expanding fluids such as HFCs and HCs. As the fluid expands, it decreases in temperature, cooling its surroundings. With solids, cooling is achieved by changing the material's microscopic structure. This change can be achieved by applying a magnetic field, an electric field or through mechanic force. For decades, these caloric effects have fallen behind the thermal changes available in fluids, but the discovery of colossal barocaloric effects in a plastic crystal of neopentylglycol (NPG) and other related organic compounds has levelled the playfield. Due to the nature of their chemical bonds, organic materials are easier to compress, and NPG is widely used in the synthesis of paints, polyesters, plasticisers and lubricants. It's not only widely available but also is inexpensive. NPG's molecules, composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, are nearly spherical and interact with each other only weakly. These loose bonds in its microscopic structure permit the molecules to rotate relatively freely. The word "plastic" in "plastic crystals" refers not to its chemical composition but rather to its malleability. Plastic crystals lie at the boundary between solids and liquids. Compressing NPG yields unprecedentedly large thermal changes due to molecular reconfiguration. The temperature change achieved is comparable with those exploited commercially in HFCs and HCs. The discovery of colossal barocaloric effects in a plastic crystal should bring barocaloric materials to the forefront of research and development to achieve safe environmentally friendly cooling without compromising performance. Moya is now working with Cambridge Enterprise, the commercialisation arm of the University of Cambridge, to bring this technology to market. There's a low-tech problem troubling the high-tech world of digital pathology imaging. The issue: Even as digital pathology makes rapid advances worldwide -- with more physicians analyzing tissue images on "smart" computers to diagnose patients -- there are no reliable standards for the preparation and digitization of the tissue slides themselves. That means poor quality slides get mixed in with clear and accurate slides, potentially confusing or misleading a computer program trying to learn what a cancerous cell looks like, for example. Researchers from Case Western Reserve University are trying to change that. Bioengineering researcher Anant Madabhushi and Andrew Janowczyk, a senior research fellow in Madabhushi's Center for Computational Imaging and Personal Diagnostics, have developed a program that they say will ensure the quality of digital images being used for diagnostic and research purposes. The two unveiled their new quality-control tool in the most recent edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology Clinical Informatics and are being supported by a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Cancer Institute. advertisement The new tool incorporates a series of measurements and classifiers to help users flag corrupted images and help retain those that will aid technicians and physicians in their diagnoses. "The idea is simple: assess digital images and determine which slides are worthy for analysis by a computer and which are not," said Madabhushi, the F. Alex Nason Professor II of biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering. "This is important right now as digital pathology is taking off worldwide and laying the groundwork for more use of AI (artificial intelligence) for interrogating tissue images." The application is "open source" -- or free for anyone to use, modify and extend. It can be accessed through an online repository. It was developed by Janowczyk about 18 months ago after discovering what he believed to be a surprising number of poor-quality slides from the well-known Cancer Genome Atlas, home to more than 30,000 tissue slides of cancer samples. Janowczyk said about 10 percent of the 800 cancer sample slides he reviewed had problems, ranging from a crack in the slide or an air bubble between the slide's layers. 'Knife chatter' among many slide imperfections To appreciate the value -- and risk -- in relying on the highly technical, smart-computer, digital-imaging cancer diagnosis, it's helpful to understand the fundamental steps in getting there. advertisement While these high-tech approaches can process thousands of images per second, they're relying on digital images of the same kind of tissue slides that pathologists have been making for generations. And those slides, when viewed through a microscope, have more imperfections than you might think. To create a slide, the pathologist first harvests a block of tissue from an organ dissection, places a small slice of the tissue on a piece of glass that will make up a slide. The tissue is then stained to reveal its cellular patterns. A second smaller piece of glass is then placed on top of the tissue sample to protect it. The quality can be compromised in slide preparation by air bubbles, smears and ragged cuts (called "knife chatter") in the tissue or even during the digitization process which may introduce blurriness and brightness issues. "A microscope can't focus on areas that have distorted quality," said Janowczyk, who is also a bioinformatician at the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics. (Bioinformatics is the science of collecting and analyzing complex biological data such as genetic codes or, in this case, digitized images of tissue slides.) "And it took me days to go through all of those slides to manually identify and remove the bad ones. It was then that I realized we needed a faster, automated way to make sure we had only the good tissue slide images." The result, Madabhushi said, moves toward a true "democratization of imaging technology" for better diagnoses of cancer and other diseases. Partners on the new project -- called "Histo-QC," for "histology," the study of the microscopic structure of tissues, and "Quality Control" -- include researchers from University Hospitals, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. Madabhushi established the CCIPD at Case Western Reserve in 2012. The lab, which now includes about 50 researchers, has become a global leader in the detection, diagnosis and characterization of various cancers and other diseases by meshing medical imaging, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Some of its most recent work, in collaboration with others from New York University and Yale University, has been using AI to predict which lung cancer patients would benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy based off tissue slide images. That advancement was named by by Prevention Magazine as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2018. Network science is how mathematicians and software designers construct complicated social networks like Facebook. But a group of Florida State University researchers has found that these equations can tell engineers a lot about the composition of different materials. Using network science -- part of a larger mathematical field called graph theory -- FAMU-FSU Professor of Mechanical Engineering William Oates, former graduate student Peter Woerner and Associate Professor Kunihiko "Sam" Taira mapped long range atomic forces onto an incredibly complex graph to simulate macroscopic material behavior. The group then developed and applied a method that greatly simplifies the graph so that other researchers could replicate the process with other materials. The work is published in the journal PLOS ONE. Oates said using graph theory allows researchers to better understand how the molecules that compose a material work on a macroscopic level. "All atoms have electrons and nuclei with positive charges, they create forces between the ions," Oates said. "Trying to describe that as a global structure is challenging. There are methods to model molecules, but the challenge is how to describe macroscopic behavior. Knowing how the molecules interact is only half of the problem. Network science provides a unique bridge that allows us to take molecule dynamics to the macroscopic world." Ultimately, researchers want to understand all the atomic interactions in a given material so that they can understand how and why materials behave in certain ways, Oates said. But when you keep track of all the atomic interactions in a material, it becomes a huge problem to solve on a computer. advertisement Oates' group worked to make it a much smaller problem. In looking at a graph that shows the atoms in a material, Oates said to think of atoms and the forces between them as beads and springs. The atomic charges connect these beads, and they vibrate in complicated ways -- some faster and some slower. For engineering purposes, it wasn't necessary to keep track of all the forces. So, the group applied a method to figure out how the forces in the graph could be reconnected without creating errors. Using that knowledge, their algorithm deleted certain atomic forces within the graph and rewired it so they kept important information while making it easier to compute macroscopic behavior. "You cut out the unimportant stuff and keep the important parts to make the simulations run substantially faster," Oates said. "That was really the goal -- to simplify it in order to accelerate computational materials research." Oates' research is funded by the National Science Foundation's EAGER program, a one-year infusion of funding that allows a faculty member to pursue a high-risk but potentially transformative research idea. advertisement This first study was more of a proof of concept, he said. He will now look at whether this graph theoretic method can tell researchers how to make a material more efficient or how it might transport energy faster. "We might be able to use these network models to help facilitate that design process," Oates said. Aditya Nair, a doctoral student in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, also contributed to this study. Quantum phenomena are experimentally difficult to deal with, the effort increases dramatically with the size of the system. For some years now, scientists are capable of controlling small quantum systems and investigating quantum properties. Such quantum simulations are considered promising early applications of quantum technologies that could solve problems where simulations on conventional computers fail. However, the quantum systems used as quantum simulators must continue to grow. The entanglement of many particles is still a phenomenon that is difficult to understand. "In order to operate a quantum simulator consisting of ten or more particles in the laboratory, we must characterize the states of the system as accurately as possible," explains Christian Roos from the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. So far, quantum state tomography has been used for the characterization of quantum states, with which the system can be completely described. This method, however, involves a very high measuring and computing effort and is not suitable for systems with more than half a dozen particles. Two years ago, the researchers led by Christian Roos, together with colleagues from Germany and Great Britain, presented a very efficient method for the characterization of complex quantum states. However, only weakly entangled states can be described with this method. This issue is now circumvented by a new method presented last year by the theorists led by Peter Zoller, which can be used to characterize any entangled state. Together with experimental physicists Rainer Blatt and Christian Roos and their team, they have now demonstrated this method in the laboratory. Quantum simulations on larger systems "The new method is based on the repeated measurement of randomly selected transformations of individual particles. The statistical evaluation of the measurement results then provides information about the degree of entanglement of the system," explains Andreas Elben from Peter Zoller's team. The Austrian physicists demonstrated the process in a quantum simulator consisting of several ions arranged in a row in a vacuum chamber. Starting from a simple state, the researchers let the individual particles interact with the help of laser pulses and thus generate entanglement in the system. "We perform 500 local transformations on each ion and repeat the measurements a total of 150 times in order to then be able to use statistical methods to determine information about the entanglement state from the measurement results," explains PhD student Tiff Brydges from the Institute of Quantum Optics and Quantum Information. In the work now published in Science, the Innsbruck physicists characterize the dynamic development of a system consisting of ten ions as well as a subsystem consisting of ten ions of a 20-ion chain. "In the laboratory, this new method helps us a lot because it enables us to understand our quantum simulator even better and, for example, to assess the purity of the entanglement more precisely," says Christian Roos, who assumes that the new method can be successfully applied to quantum systems with up to several dozen particles. The scientific work was published in the journal Science and financially supported by the European Research Council ERC and the Austrian Science Fund FWF. "This publication shows once again the fruitful cooperation between the theoretical physicists and the experimental physicists here in Innsbruck," emphasizes Peter Zoller. "At the University of Innsbruck and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, young researchers from both fields find very good conditions for research work that is competitive worldwide." On April 18, 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Kimberly Sredich, a Michigan resident, with misappropriating funds from brokerage customers of a registered broker-dealer with which she was associated. The SEC's complaint alleges that between 2014 and 2018, Sredich sold securities in at least 15 customer accounts and misappropriated the proceeds of the sales. According to the complaint, many of the customers were elderly. The complaint further alleges that Sredich forged customers' signatures and used blank letters of authorization previously signed by customers to transfer funds to a company she controlled. She then allegedly transferred most of the misappropriated funds to a personal bank account. The SEC's complaint filed in the Eastern District of Michigan alleges that Sredich violated Section 10(b) the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan filed criminal charges against Sredich, who was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The SEC's investigation, which is continuing, is being conducted by Sarah Hancur and Jean Javorski and supervised by C.J. Kerstetter. The SEC's litigation will be led by John Birkenheier. The information was announced at a news conference held by Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) on April 18 in Hanoi. Vietnams Party, State and VBS leaders and around 15,000-20,000 local and overseas Buddhist followers will attend the event. Vesak 2019 celebration will have five forums discussing the responsible leadership for sustainable societies, Buddhisms approach to harmonious family, education, and responsible consumption, and Buddhism and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Some 398 presentations in English from foreign scholars and 110 others by Vietnamese scholars have been sent to the event. Spiritual and cultural events will be held on the sidelines of the event, like the Bathing of the Buddha ritual, requiems, a lantern night, photo exhibitions on Buddhist temples, an exhibition on Buddhist antiques, and an art exchange. Vesak 2019 is an important diplomatic event affirming of the role of Vietnams Buddhism in international integration. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, April 19. A state housing bill has a new opponent and a California genetic detective is helping reopen dozens of cases. Heres what you need to know to start your day. From granny flat to ADU The Bay Area faces no challenge more vexing or vast than the need to create new housing, yet every offered remedy faces obstacles of its own. Take, for example, the option for creating new housing units by adding an apartment or two in an existing building or backyard, often called accessory dwelling units. John King writes about residents who have added these units to their property, looks at how city regulations are changing and investigates why these add-on apartments could help, but why we shouldnt ask them to do too much. Consulting genetic detective Nic Coury / Special to The Chronicle In the year since she gained international acclaim for her work in cracking the infamous Golden State Killer case, Barbara Rae-Venter has been in high-demand. Over the past year, arrests have been made nationally in about 50 cold cases by running crime-scene DNA against sprawling genealogy databases. Many were solved with Rae-Venters consultation. She gets unending requests for help and media interviews, which is why she almost missed the email informing her shed been named one of Times 100 most influential people of the year. Appeals court ruling The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Californias contentious sanctuary law, which limits local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration agents. SB54s restrictions do not apply to undocumented immigrants charged with serious crimes, but the killing of a Stanislaus County police officer, allegedly by an undocumented immigrant with gang affiliations and past arrests for drunken driving, reignited the debate over sanctuary in California. Long reading Patrick Semansky / Associated Press The not-so-lightly redacted Mueller report is out. Reporters Tal Kopan and John Wildermuth write on key takeaways from the report. Bay Area lawmakers react, including several members of the California delegation demanding that Robert Mueller himself testify to Congress. The full report, via the Associated Press. Our editorial boards take: The report shows President Trumps contempt for truth and law, and Attorney General William Barrs handling has undermined his role as the nations chief law enforcement officer. SB50 fight gets personal A provocative mailer by a deep-pocketed Los Angeles activist equated a state housing bill with Negro removal, prompting the bills sponsor, state Sen. Scott Wiener, and San Francisco Mayor London Breed to fire back. Sign up for Bay Briefing Like what you're reading? Subscribe to The Chronicle's Bay Briefing newsletter, and get the Bay Area's best journalism in your in-box every weekday. See More Collapse The ads feature a quote from famed author James Baldwin about San Franciscos urban renewal policies of the 1960s, which displaced thousands of African Americans from the Fillmore juxtaposed with arguments about Sen. Wieners bill, SB50. The bill seeks to put more housing near transit stations and job centers, but some critics believe it doesnt do enough to protect affordable housing. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors marshaled similar arguments when it symbolically voted against the bill. Wiener has long been embroiled in a feud with the man behind the ads, Michael Weinstein, reporter Rachel Swan writes. The senator champions the HIV prevention regimen PrEP, which Weinstein abhors. Hes the president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles, a nonprofit that manages clinics and pharmacies that serve AIDS patients. But Weinstein has gotten involved in housing fights before. 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. Around the Bay Keep WeWorking at it: First restoration plan for SF Presidios Fort Scott is a nonstarter, national parks staff says. Fire investigation: FBI will test PG&E equipment as part of a criminal investigation into the Camp Fire. Lease uncertainty: Mission District restaurant Commonwealth may close at least in its current location. Stay in Oakland extended: As are giving Khris Davis a two-year contract extension. Bruce Jenkins: Giants removing Triples Alley would be blasphemy but you cant dismiss it. In case you missed it Peter DaSilva / Special to The Chronicle. I want to be optimistic that the leaders of our countries will realize that there are no winners in a trade war. Thats what Michael Parr, vice president of international sales at Wente Vineyards, told reporter Shwanika Narayan as part of her story on one of the unexpected impacts of the U.S.-China trade wars. After President Trump slapped tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods, mostly nonconsumer items, China promptly retaliated with tariffs on wine, fruits, nuts and other agricultural products. Now after years of developing their overseas markets, Californias wine growers are feeling the impact read more here about the implications. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here and contact Brown at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com Aficionados of flowers both of the blooming pink and white kind, and of the dried, green pungent variety are sure to encounter lively celebrations and dreaded traffic delays this weekend in San Francisco. The annual gathering of people who consume cannabis in all of its forms on the grassy fields of Golden Gate Park coincides with the start of the 52nd Annual Cherry Blossom Festival at Japantown on Saturday. The latters annual parade is scheduled for Sunday. The Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates the flowers late-spring blooming and the color and grace of Japanese culture and traditions, according to festival organizers. For 420, thousands are expected to pack the iconic Robin Williams Meadow (and likely, quite literally pack bowls of the leafy flower into any number of pipes or tools MacGyvered from apples to corn husks, if youre so inclined) on Saturday. California legalized recreational cannabis use for adults last year, but the legal marijuana market was met with challenges amid ongoing competition with the black market and hundreds of retailers have been going out of business since its legalization. But its prohibition had never stopped people from busting out fragrant brownies wrapped in plastic or from sharing thick blunts coated in kief with other sticky-fingered participants in the Hippie Hill tradition that has thrived for years. Transportation officials said a large group of participants is expected to assemble at the meadow and the Alvord Lake area of Golden Gate Park for an event on Saturday. Tips for attendees of 420 in Golden Gate Park Only participants aged 21 and up are allowed in the event area. People that are comfortable and prepared to duck and dodge thick clouds of smoke can enjoy the atmosphere from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., or dusk, according to Golden Gate Park officials. But they expect the crowd to swell around 4:20 p.m. where the stuff of legends ensues, park officials said. A number of nearby intersections will be closed by San Francisco police officers starting at about 10 a.m. Saturday, including: Haight, Page and Waller streets between Masonic and Stanyan streets; Stanyan Street between Frederick and Oak streets; Shrader Street between Beulah and Waller streets; Oak and Waller streets at Ashbury, Clayton, Shrader, Cole and Belvedere streets; Frederick Street at Shrader Street; and Beulah Street at Shrader and Cole streets. Only Muni buses will be allowed to run on the closed roadways during the street closures. Muni officials suggests motorists that typically use Lincoln Way, Fell or Oak streets to travel between the Sunset District and Downtown San Francisco, to instead use alternate routes and avoid the park area, if possible. Tips for attendees of the Cherry Blossom Festival 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 Cherry Blossom Festival will prompt street closures from 4 a.m. Saturday to 11 p.m. Sunday at multiple streets including: Post Street between Fillmore and Laguna streets, Webster Street between Geary Boulevard and Sutter Street, Buchanan Street between Sutter and Bush streets; and Post Street at Webster Street. The Grand Parade on Sunday will begin at Polk and McAllister streets, head north on Polk Street and west on Post Street, where it will disband between Fillmore and Steiner streets, according to Muni. The parade will close multiple streets on Sunday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., including: Post Street between Fillmore and Steiner streets; Boswell Street between Geary Boulevard and Post Street; and the intersection at Boswell Street at Post Street. Parade participants are expected to gather at Civic Center at 11 a.m., and the parade procession will kick off at 1 p.m. The following Muni lines and routes will be impacted during the parade: 2 Clement; 3 Jackson; 5 Fulton; 19 Polk; 21 Hayes; 22 Fillmore; 31 Balboa; 38 Geary; 47 Van Ness; 49 Van Ness/Mission; and 76X Marin Headlands Express. Lauren Hernandez is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lauren.hernandez@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LaurenPorFavor For two full days every other week, bureaucrats from five city agencies gather in a conference room at the Department of Building Inspection to try to make it easier for San Franciscans to turn garages or basements into something different: housing. Were all aware of the need, said Marcelle Boudreaux, who represents the Planning Department at the meetings. The goal is to make things easier and be more proactive. The multiagency effort began after Mayor London Breed in August called on officials to clear a backlog of roughly 900 accessory dwelling unit applications. Some had languished for months because no planner was assigned to get things started. Others foundered while departments offered conflicting interpretations of what city regulations did or didnt allow. Now that the backlog is cleared, with 479 new ADUs approved as a result, the process is straightforward. During the biweekly sessions, department staffers review each new application together and prepare a coordinated checklist response for the applicant. After the applicant revises his or her plans, a time is scheduled for the applicants builder or designer to come in and go through the updates with each department representative separately. If all passes muster, the proposal can be approved then and there. Its night and day since a year ago, said Mark Hogan, an architect involved in dozens of San Francisco ADU projects. The departments have really jumped on this. Theres a lot to jump on. Unlike other cities, most applications in San Francisco involve requests to convert parking garages or other spaces in multiunit buildings, often when a landlord wants to carve a few extra apartments out of space that might be sitting mostly empty. 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 construction costs for such conversions are likely to top $300,000 but thats more than balanced by the likelihood of high rents in return. A garage recently converted into a two-bedroom unit in Glen Park, for instance, is now being advertised with a monthly rent of $5,750. But theres also the challenge of city regulations that, for instance, require new ADUs in a multiunit structure to be accompanied by bicycle parking spaces. If a tenant with rent control has a parking space included in his or her lease, taking it away to build a new apartment is considered a partial eviction that can be challenged at the citys Rent Board. Urban infill is the right way to go, providing more housing within existing space, said Nina Hatvany, a real estate broker who has added 12 units to five buildings. But everything here just takes a lot more time and is more expensive than you expect. John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron San Francisco supervisors castigated the citys Police Department Thursday over a pair of recent stumbles in which sensitive private information including an incident report related to the death of former Public Defender Jeff Adachi, a vocal police critic was improperly released to the public. Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer first called for the hearing following the improper release of a confidential police report documenting Adachis death that was obtained by multiple news outlets, including The Chronicle, in the days after he was pronounced dead. Adachis widow, Mutsuko Adachi, attended the hearing and called the police departments actions despicable. Police Commander Greg McEachern said the Adachi family deserved an apology, and Im offering that today. Adachi died Feb. 22. Remarks from a deputy public defender at the Government Audit and Oversight Committee meeting also suggested that a copy of the leaked report had been shopped to media outlets for $2,500. Investigations into the improper release of the report are ongoing. The hearing also addressed an incident last year during which Gary Delagnes, former president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, used a confidential criminal rap sheet as a political prop during a public safety forum. State law prohibited Delagnes from having access to that information. An investigation into the incident appears to have gone nowhere, since Delagnes was not a police officer at the time and it couldnt be determined whose rap sheet it was. The failure to control the flow of sensitive information, supervisors argued, eroded public trust in the police department. The unauthorized release of the Adachi report a major breach of investigatory protocol was seen by some people as an attempt to denigrate his legacy. Adachi was a reliable adversary and critic of the police department during his 17 years as San Franciscos public defender. When there are these politically motivated attacks on individuals, whether its the public defender or a member of our community, it absolutely erodes the public trust in the police department, in your ability to be objective to serve the community in a way that we can all rely on and depend on, Supervisor Hillary Ronen said, addressing McEachern and Acting Capt. William Braconi. Paul Chinn / The Chronicle Ronens husband, Francisco Ugarte, manages the Immigration Defense Unit within the Public Defenders Office. The Chronicle obtained a police report containing photographs and details taken from the Telegraph Hill apartment where Adachi lost consciousness. He was using the apartment with the permission of a friend and real estate agent, and spent the day with a female companion who called 911 after he became unresponsive. Paramedics were called to the apartment at 5:45 p.m. Adachi was pronounced dead just over an hour later. Police officials launched an internal investigation into the reports premature release. Braconi said Thursday two separate investigations into the incident are ongoing one of possible criminal misconduct, the other an internal administrative probe. Braconi said he hoped the investigations would wrap up in weeks, not months. Thats what Im shooting for. Braconi called the release of the report totally inappropriate. Ten of the 11 supervisors called for the hearing. The exception was District Two Supervisor Catherine Stefani. She was endorsed by the SFPOA, the SFPDs union, prior to her election to the District Two seat last November. Adachi died Feb. 22 at age 59 at California Pacific Medical Centers Pacific Campus. In an autopsy report released last month, the San Francisco medical examiner attributed the cause of death to a mixture of cocaine and alcohol, which put an immense strain on his already damaged heart. Mayor London Breed named Manohar Raju as Adachis successor on March 11. 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. Because the police departments internal investigations are ongoing, details about them remain scant. But one wrinkle emerged Thursday after Deputy Public Defender Hadi Razzaq told the supervisors that his office might have provided investigators with a lead. Razzaq said another deputy public defender, Jackson Holland, made contact with an unnamed reporter from KRON-TV who indicated that a stringer normally, a freelance reporter not on staff was offering to sell copies of the report to news outlets for $2,500 apiece. According to a memo Holland wrote describing the encounter, the KRON reporter did not purchase the report, but that there were other news outlets that could. The reporter, seemed frustrated that the other news groups could afford the report and hers could not. KRON did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the incident. Hollands memo was sent to investigators. The Chronicle did not pay for the police report. The information our office obtained suggests very strongly that the police report in Jeffs case was sold to the media, said Matt Gonzalez, chief attorney in the public defenders office. If true, it represents a significant lapse in ethics and it betrays the public trust. That this happened in a matter involving an elected official who sometimes battled the police only further troubles us. Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa In the aftermath of the 1906 earthquake and fire, San Franciscos official relief agency undertook two ambitious housing programs, which were conceived as disaster relief but represented the first American efforts at subsidized or social housing. The previous Portals told the story of how a grant-loan program made it possible for 1,571 San Francisco families of moderate means to buy their own houses. The second housing effort faced many more challenges, but housed even more people. Officials began discussing building earthquake cottages in June 1906. According to the 1913 Relief Survey, a comprehensive evaluation of the citys relief effort, the cottages were intended to provide protection from the coming winter rains for the 5,000 impoverished San Franciscans who were housed in tents or other temporary shelters, and to give the estimated 5,000 others who had fled the city someplace to come back to. Most of those who ended up in cottages were working San Franciscans. About a third of them were Irish and Italian immigrants and their children, whose tenements in the poor, heavily ethnic South of Market and North Beach neighborhoods had been destroyed. The city feared that if it didnt find a way to house them, a large portion of its laborer workforce would vanish. Shelter had to be provided against the rainy season in order that there might be held in San Francisco a population of working people, the Relief Survey said. The second goal of building the cottages was more ambitious: to make it possible for poor working people to own homes for the first time. As the Relief Survey said, The proposal also was intended to carry to workingmen the opportunity to own a house of such character as should serve to set a standard for sanitary and attractive dwellings. Construction of the cottages began in September. By March 1907, 5,610 had been built and placed in every one of the 26 official tent camps across San Francisco, with the exception of tiny South Park, where 19 two-story tenements were built instead. Most of the cottages had three rooms and measured 10 by 18 feet, while about a quarter of them had two rooms and measured 10 by 14 feet. They were constructed of redwood, fir and cedar and painted park-bench green, and cost the city about $150 each. Two earthquake cottages are displayed behind the post office in the Presidio. About two dozen others are known to exist in neighborhoods in San Francisco, the largest number in Bernal Heights. For many of the approximately 15,000 refugees who ended up moving into them, these tiny houses represented an upgrade over the squalid tenements where they had been living. Whats more, they were free: The city initially charged $6 a month rent, but that was refunded once a cottage resident purchased a lot, and those were cheap. Residents were responsible only for moving the cottage. Trivia time Previous trivia question: What play with music by Miles Davis and Gil Evans opened at San Francisco's Curran Theater in 1963? Answer: "The Time of the Barracudas." This week's trivia question: How many places discharged raw sewage into the bay before the 1970s? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday, alternating with Peter Hartlaub's OurSF. Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your inbox twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. See More Collapse The cottages allowed many working-class people to remain in a suddenly overpriced San Francisco. As Joanna Dyl notes in Seismic City: An Environmental History of San Franciscos 1906 Earthquake, rents in the unburned Western Addition doubled. In other places that survived the fire, they rose 350%. But if the cottages could in some ways be seen as a precursor of todays public housing developments, it would be unwise to carry the comparison too far. As both Dyl and Andrea Rees Davies, author of Saving San Francisco: Relief and Recovery After the 1906 Disaster, note, American attitudes toward the poor in the early 20th century were complex and contradictory. A new, scientific conception of charity was ascendant, focusing on the progressive concept of rehabilitation. But there was no tolerance for those who did not work, and the notion that resources should be distributed equally was restricted to a tiny, radical fringe. The refugee camps in which the cottages were located soon became the focus of controversy. Everyone was willing to give the most vulnerable victims of the earthquake and fire a temporary hand, but except for providing them with tiny houses, almost no one wanted to make that help permanent. Critics charged that the camps were breeding slackers. In July 1906, The Chronicle ran a story headlined, Few idlers are found in the camps, and the press would return to the subject again and again. More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond. In October 1906, Park Commissioner William Dingee said, Refugee camps are an evil and should be abolished. As there is employment at good wages for every man and woman in the city able and willing to work, they are unnecessary. A Chronicle editorial on Oct. 15 stated, There has always been a truculent element in some of the camps which well justifies a careful looking into. ... The Grand Jurys recommendation for a chain gang should be promptly carried out and every vagrant should be set to work in it. By spring 1907, half the cottage residents had moved their small homes out of the camps, and calls to remove the remaining structures intensified. Middle-class San Franciscans demanded the camps be cleared so they could resume fresh air outings to the parks. Rudolph Spreckels, head of the camps division for the group leading the citys relief effort, promised to remove the camps if he (had) to have the buildings torn down over the heads of refugees. Despite such fulminations, the last camp was not closed until June 1908, more than two years after the quake. The vast majority of the cottages were moved by their owners, most of whom continued to live in them. A 1908 follow-up study of 680 families makes it clear how hard-pressed the owners were. Only 16 bathtubs had been placed in the cottages, just 40 percent of the buildings were connected to the water mains, and a mere 15 percent had toilets. In part for these reasons, in part because they had been forced to leave their neighborhoods and communities, 82 percent of cottage dwellers polled for the report said they had preferred their old dwellings. Nor did the earthquake cottages always offer a long-term solution. Between 1908 and 1915, about half of them were condemned as substandard and torn down. Yet in the end, the cottage program must be considered a success. At a minimum, it provided better shelter for 15,000 refugees than tents. And it allowed many working-class people to remain in San Francisco and own their own homes, tiny as they were. Imperfect as it was, for its time the cottage program was a remarkably enlightened program Americas first attempt at social housing. Gary Kamiya is the author of the best-selling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com Maria Taide Maldonado is a 47-year-old native San Franciscan and the married mother of two sons. She is also my hairdresser, and recently she told me that her commute to work is about to undergo a dramatic change. Maldonado, her husband and her younger son are moving to a home they bought in Arizona. Their young son will be in school there during the week under the watchful eye of his grandparents, who are immigrating to the U.S. from Venezuela. Maldonados husband, a recruit for the San Francisco Police Department, will fly to San Francisco International Airport every Monday morning for his academy training. Maldonado will fly to SFO every Thursday morning and take BART to her salon in Burlingame. Both of them will fly back to Arizona every Saturday. Wash, rinse, repeat. I have to plan ahead, but I can get round-trip tickets for $191, Maldonado told me. If I do that every week, thats almost $800 a month. But I can stay with my mother here, and our mortgage in Arizona is $1,800. It pencils out. I was impressed with the level of granular detail that Maldonado and her family had put into making this decision. I also thought the fact that they had to make this decision was really depressing. The Maldonados are solid, regular people non-millionaires who work for a living, pick up their neighbors kids after school and buy pastries at the community bake sale. Every urban area needs this core population in order to survive. Yet the spread between housing costs and wages in the Bay Area has grown so wide that this is what they need to do to make it work. So thats what I tweeted. More than two thousand likes and nearly 600 retweets later, I realized Maldonados situation was resonating with a lot of people who live here, or are struggling to live here. More than a few of them are making similar commutes. I miss my kids, I miss my wife, I miss my family time, Imran Rahman told me. Rahman, who responded to my tweet with a summary of his weekly commute he flies from Orange Countys John Wayne Airport every Monday morning and flies back from Oakland International Airport every Thursday night is a finance manager at an Internet startup in San Francisco. His wife also works in finance. Believe me, they did the math. There was no getting around it, Rahman said. What they could afford in San Francisco a two-bedroom apartment for them and their two small children made less financial sense than sending him on this insane weekly wander through the wilds of the TSA. Getting an apartment in San Francisco wouldve cost more than the house we were renting in Irvine, Rahman said. When we added in the cost of buying (Southwest) tickets in bulk, BART trips to and from the airport, plus my rent for a room here in San Francisco during the week, it was still cheaper than it wouldve been for us to be here as a family. And that sucks. Its painful that I have to do this. The more I spoke to Maldonado and Rahman, the more I realized that their commutes arent as extreme as they first sounded. Yes, theyre dealing with pressurized cabins instead of bridge tolls, and yes, their carbon footprints are Exhibit A in the story of how the Bay Areas housing crisis is contributing to climate change. But I know dozens of people who are commuting more than two hours a day to their jobs in the Bay Area. How much time do they get to spend with their families? How are their carbon footprints? Hows their quality of life? I have several friends who live past Clayton, and they commute to work at Facebook every day, Maldonado told me. What is my hour-and-a-half flight compared to what some people here are doing? Maldonado and Rahman are determined to make the best of it. Both of them told me that their new schedules meant they were willing and able to work very long hours when theyre in the Bay Area, and that when they were home they were able to be totally dedicated to their families. Both of them also told me they saw their situations as a reflection of what they were willing to sacrifice to improve their families situations. What made this process easier for me was knowing that all of our parents and grandparents left somewhere to come here, so things could be easier for us, Maldonado told me. Now, I need to take care of them, but theres no room to grow here. So Ive had to get creative. Imagine if the Bay Area put the same amount of energy into creating answers for the housing crisis thats pushed these families out. Caille Millner is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cmillner@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @caillemillner WASHINGTON The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee formally issued a subpoena Friday demanding that the Justice Department hand over to Congress an unredacted version of Robert Muellers report and all of the evidence underlying it by May 1. The subpoena, one of the few issued thus far by House Democrats, escalates a fight with Attorney General William Barr over what material Congress is entitled to see from the special counsels nearly two-year investigation. The chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, asked for all evidence obtained by Muellers investigators, including summaries of witness interviews and classified intelligence. My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice, Nadler said in a statement. Even the redacted version of the report outlines serious instances of wrongdoing by President Trump and some of his closest associates. It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. The subpoena was sent as House Democrats, who have the power to initiate impeachment proceedings if they so choose, debate how to proceed with the new evidence handed over Thursday by Mueller. Democratic-led committees have already initiated their own investigations of Russian election influence, as well as obstruction of justice and abuse of power, which can incorporate the findings in the shorter term. But there were also new calls in the wake of the report from the partys left flank to go further and open a formal impeachment inquiry. Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California has publicly opposed impeachment unless Democrats can attract bipartisan support in the House and in the Republican-controlled Senate. That prospect appeared to be slim as Republican lawmakers embraced Barrs conclusion that, despite the evidence collected, the president did not commit a crime. Pelosi has scheduled a conference call for all House Democrats on Monday to discuss the implications of what she called a grave matter. Lawmakers are scattered around the country on a two-week spring recess, and many are expected to observe the Passover and Easter holidays. Speaking to reporters in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where she was meeting with political leaders Friday morning, Pelosi said she would not, as a matter of principle, criticize the president while out of the country. But she signaled that Congress would not sit by. We believe that Article I, the legislative branch, has the responsibility of oversight of our democracy, and we will exercise that, she said. Nadlers May 1 deadline falls a day before Barr is scheduled to testify publicly before the Judiciary Committee in what is expected to be an explosive session where Democrats plan to excoriate Barrs handling of the report and Republicans will urge their colleagues to accept that there was no criminality and move on. Nadlers Republican counterpart on the committee, Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, blasted the subpoena as wildly overboard on Friday and encouraged Nadler to narrow its terms and extend the response time. As written, he said, Nadler was demanding millions of records that would be plainly against the law to share because of investigators extensive use of a grand jury. The attorney general offered up a 400-page report that he wasnt bound to provide, Collins said. The attorney general stands ready to testify before our committee and to have the special counsel do the same. Yet chairman Nadler disregards all of this good faith transparency without even taking the department up on its offer to review material under the redactions. Barr released to Congress and the public a redacted copy of the more than 400-page report on Thursday. Though the redactions were less extensive than some Democrats feared, the Justice Department had blacked out sections of the report that it said contained classified material, secretive grand jury testimony or information that would affect investigations still underway. Democrats have been threatening to issue a subpoena for weeks, and the Justice Department on Thursday sought to head off the subpoena with a pledge to share more information with Congress. Stephen E. Boyd, an assistant attorney general, wrote in a letter that the department would allow the bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate, as well as the heads of their judiciary and intelligence committees, to view a fuller version of the report beginning next week. But he said even that copy would still have secretive grand jury information blacked out because of legal requirements. 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. Given the sensitive nature of the information, Boyd wrote, all individuals reviewing the less-redacted version must agree to keep the newly unredacted information confidential. Nadler rejected the proposed accommodation as insufficient Friday. He has repeatedly asked the Justice Department to join him in requesting that a court unseal the grand jury information, in particular, for Congress to review privately. Barr has so far rejected that request, and Republicans have backed him up arguing in effect that the Judiciary Committee is not entitled to such information unless the House authorizes a formal impeachment inquiry. I am open to working with the department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, Nadler said, however I cannot accept any proposal which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight and constitutional accountability. This article originally appeared in The New York Times When the spire of the Notre Dame Cathedral tottered, then fell earlier this week, I watched in horror and sorrow. Though authorities believe the cause was accidental, potentially linked to renovations, the scene was eerily reminiscent of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 the smoke, the crowds, the shock as the centuries-old medieval cathedral went up in flames. People flooded social media with their memories and photos from the famed tourist attraction, a Parisian symbol of faith, strength and beauty. Almost a quarter century ago, before I headed off to college, I visited Notre Dame with my sister. Like so many before me, and so many after, I stood in awe under the soaring arches and the jeweled light from the stained glass windows, and marveled at the soaring buttresses and the gargoyles looming above. At the time, Id wondered what it must have been like for the workmen to spend their lives on a project they themselves wouldnt see finished in the nearly two centuries the cathedral was under construction. Blink, and its gone. The devastating fire served as a sobering reminder of how quickly what seems eternal and unchanging can disappear. Id already been thinking about the vastness of time, and humanitys brief role in it, after scientists recently revealed the mesmerizing first-ever image of a massive black hole, located 55 million light-years from Earth. To see it is to see into the universes past, and it serves as an opportunity to try to imagine Earth long before the first hominids showed up 6 million years ago. I dont know if we can fathom a time so distant, given that we plan our days by the hour, sometimes by the minute. We mark our lives with milestones when we turn 16 or 21 or 40 or 60 years old. We think in terms of anniversaries, with the passing of decades, and not the turn of centuries or millennia. And yet, as our collective grief for Notre Dame reveals, humans have been drawn toward monuments that outlast us, no matter the era or civilization. Earlier this month, while traveling on business, I came upon a beautiful sarcophagus in a glass case at Harvard Universitys Semitic Museum. The wood was richly adorned, with black, green and yellow stripes and aqua triangles, a reddish-brown face, lined eyes and an enigmatic smile. Thousands of years ago, a man had died; someones brother or son or husband had been loved and prepared for his journey into the underworld. Could the deceased or his family ever have imagined that the sarcophagus could end up halfway around the world in a city that couldnt be more different from those in ancient Egypt? Later that day, I encountered more legacies. Strolling through Harvard Yard on a chilly spring day, with trees still barren, I climbed the grand steps of the Beaux Arts library, where a plaque at the entrance explains that Harry Elkins Widener, a graduate of the university, was born Jan. 3, 1885, and died at sea April 15, 1912, upon the foundering of the steamship Titanic. As a memorial to him, his mother funded Widener Library, which opened three years after his death. I didnt have access to the 3.5 million books housed inside, and so, after a peek at the lobby, I turned back toward Harvard Square and the nearby Old Burial Ground. Opened in 1636, the peaceful site has interred early university presidents and slaves alike, with 1,218 known graves. Pedestrians hurrying by paid no attention to it, headed to their next classes, their next appointments, their next shifts at work. 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. And yet, the desire toward legacy remains. We learn from our past, and build toward the future. Notre Dames main structure has been saved, according to officials, and talk has begun on how to reconstruct what was lost. The cathedral is featured prominently in a charming French childrens book given to us by my mother-in-law. Quand la nuit tombe, les rues et les monuments de la capitale silluminent Des tours de Notre-Dame, on peut admirer le coucher du soleil en compagnie des gargouilles de pierre Cest beau, tu ne trouves pas? This week, I reread it to the boys. From the towers of the Notre Dame, we admire the sunset in the company of the stone gargoyles. Dont you find it beautiful? I translated, and explained what happened at Notre Dame and why so many of us grieved. Someday, after it has been rebuilt, I promised we would go together as a family. The boys agreed. Vanessa Huas column appears Fridays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com One of the Robert Mueller reports more damning examples of President Trumps attempt to stymie the investigation included his order for White House counsel Don McGahn to tell the deputy attorney general to fire the special counsel. Mueller has to go, was Trumps directive. Trump ultimately backed down when McGahn threatened to resign. This was not the first revelation about the episode. In January 2018, the New York Times reported on Trumps order and McGahns refusal to carry it out, citing four people told of the matter. Fake news, folks, Trump said when asked about the account in Davos, Switzerland. Fake news. A typical New York Times fake story. Trump then tried to double down on deception by getting McGahn to publicly deny the stories in the Times and Washington Post. McGahn refused because the accounts were accurate, the special counsels report revealed. One of the takeaways from the 448-page Mueller report, a redacted version of which was made public Thursday, was the extent to which the Trump White House knocked down stories it knew to be true and concocted others it knew to be false. The notion that Trump has an issue with the truth is not exactly news. The Washington Post has tracked more than 9,400 false or misleading claims since he took office on Jan. 20, 2017. What the Mueller report verified beyond a doubt is the American people are being lied to by this administration, in ways large and small, from the president on down, on a regular basis. Sarah Sanders is the White House press secretary known for her sneering contempt of critical news coverage. Her job is to speak truth. Yet, under oath before the special counsel, she had to back off from her May 2017 statement that the firing of FBI Director James Comey was supported by countless members of the FBI who had lost confidence in their leader. She admitted to the special counsels team that her assertion was not founded on anything and was a slip of the tongue. The report also exposed as false Sanders assertion that Trump certainly didnt dictate a statement about the infamous meeting at Trump Tower that included Donald Trump Jr. and a Kremlin-connected lawyer in summer 2016. In fact, one of the selling points for the meeting was that the Russians would offer dirt on Hillary Clinton. On Air Force One, Trump did dictate a statement, a false one, insisting the meeting was only about adoptions. It was only after intervention by Trumps son and aide Hope Hicks that the statement was amended to be merely semi-deceptive to claim that the meeting was primarily about adoptions. Muellers report also spelled out Trumps attempt to deceive the public about Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosensteins role in the Comey firing. Trump called Rosenstein and urged him to call a news conference to back up the White Houses false claim that the firing was the deputys idea. Rosenstein responded that this was not a good idea, because if the press asked him, he would tell the truth that Comeys firing was not his idea, the special counsel revealed. The Comey firing was surrounded by a swirl of White House lies. Trump had denied a New York Times story that he asked Comey for a loyalty oath at a Jan. 27 dinner. Trump also told NBC that Comey had requested the meeting because he wanted to stay on. Mueller uncovered evidence that neither of the presidents claims was true. And so it goes, in example after example of Mueller documenting how Trump or his subordinates tried to knock down an accurate news story. The president dismissed as fake media a New York Times story that he pressed Comey to halt the investigation of his first national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Mueller found substantial evidence that the story was true. In another case of disinformation, Flynn directed aide K.T. McFarland to call a Washington Post columnist shortly before the inauguration to dispute a story about Flynns discussion with a Russian ambassador about lifting sanctions. McFarland knew she was providing false information to the journalist a call that resulted in an update to the column that a Trump official denied the allegation. Flynn since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about those conversations with Sergey Kislyak. One of the reminders of the Mueller report is the value of a free press as a reality check on people in power. Time and again, the report corroborated stories by the Times, Post and others that had been derided as fake news by the White House. Nathan Ballard, one of San Franciscos leading political consultants, likes to tell aspiring public relations professionals they should treat every encounter with a journalist as if they were under oath. Credibility is the coin of the realm, he advises. We now know what folks in Team Trump say under oath, and it is often just the opposite of what they say to journalists for the record. Perhaps those White House briefings should begin with an oath to tell the truth, under penalty of perjury. John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicles editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron Sandy Hook. Columbine. Marjory Stoneman Douglas. When Denver schools locked down earlier this week in response to a threatened school shooting, that little voice went off inside my head. The one that remembers all the shootings that came before. And just like before, I saw the media, mobilizing furiously to cover the fear and outrage that school shootings trigger. Thats the drama what we click to see, others sell: students flooding out of school, ambulances arriving, stretchers appearing. But its the trauma that happens days, weeks, months, and sometimes even years afterward that reverberates within my generation. Some of that trauma is visible. We children of Columbine create dark memes, trading jokes on Instagram about unpopular kids wholl become the next school shooter, and rolling our eyes at well-meaning adults who show us how to use our desks to blockade doors if a gunman shows up, as if that will keep us safe. Yet in March, when the news broke that two former Marjory Stoneman Douglas students and Parkland shooting survivors had committed suicide within days of each other, I was struck by the fact that the second victims name was not released. To be clear, when reporting on suicide, especially that of a minor, withholding the name is common media policy. While the first victim, Sydney Aiello, was 19 years old, the second was reportedly a high school sophomore. But in this instance, this invisible boy, however unintentionally, points to the issue of gun violence and how we tend to respond to it. How many more invisible victims of gun violence are we missing? In covering school shootings, the media focuses on activists and victims. Both get blanketed by an agenda that caters to advertising, the fiscal gain thats up for grabs when tragedies get politicized and ratings start rising. This absence of empathy the focus on eliciting reactions rather than earnest coverage has dire consequences. Take the March for Our Lives movement. Without a doubt, the Parkland students are among the bravest and most influential social warriors. But in our rush to lionize David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez and other student activists, we forget those lost in the immediate drama those who do not speak up, those whose mental health and well-being will be altered in ways both visible and invisible. Ultimately, the FBI found the body of Sol Pais, the target of the days-long manhunt in Denver this week. But those traumatized by her actions may not be found for some time to come. For me, the Denver story shows just how twisted our coverage of school shootings has become. We no longer cover just the school shootings that actually happen; we chase social media threats, anticipating the next one. While analyzing the psychology of a suicide victim or a school shooter is beyond my powers, it doesnt seem irresponsible to question if both Pais and the unnamed boy were affected by this media drumbeat, both empowered and diminished because they werent heroes or victims. Is it crazy or inappropriate to want to know more about the invisible children who are suffering in silence than the shooters who create that suffering? Is it crazy to suggest that by making heroes out of such a small number of kids, we could alienate their classmates, who have been through the same trauma? By making martyrs out of those who lost their lives, are we increasing the remorse survivors already feel? The unnamed boy whose suicide I read about is a story I dont really know. As journalists and citizens, we need to move beyond the relentlessness that characterizes our coverage of school shootings. Young people get lost in it trust me, Im one of them. We need to discuss the mental health issues faced not only by shooters but by those who endure shootings, and even those who endure only the mindless drills taught in classrooms these days instead of multiplication tables. We need to understand that little voice inside their heads, the fallout that happens long after bullets stop flying. This Saturday will mark the 20th anniversary of the school shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo. There will be more than enough stories and remembrances to go around. But what happens on Sunday? What will we learn and what will we remember about that invisible boy? Joe Meyerson is a senior at Pacific Palisades Charter High School in Pacific Palisades (Los Angeles County). He is an editor for Global Student Square, an international student journalism network. Earlier this year, he served as assistant editor for Since Parkland, the student journalism project that produced 1,200 obituaries of children and teens killed in the year since the February 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. On April 8, San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Soleil Ho spoke with food writer Ruth Reichl at the Osher Marin JCC. Reichl was in town for her new book, Save Me the Plums, which covers her 10-year tenure as editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine. The two discussed the future (and past) of restaurant criticism, the glory days of the magazine publishing world and readers oft-surprising capacity for change. ed. (The following has been edited for length and clarity.) Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the conception of the book and what it encompasses? A: OK. I actually knew from the moment that I got the job at Gourmet that I was going to want to write about it some time because my experience just of getting hired was so outlandish in so many ways. I mean, I really didnt want the job, and Si Newhouse, who owns Conde Nast nothing was more exciting to him than the notion of getting someone who didnt want the job (laughter). And it was literally like being in Versailles under Louis the 14th, complete with palace intrigue, people who loathed each other, a whole kind of language that belonged only to these people. And it was also wonderful. They literally handed me a magazine and said, Make it great and spend what you need to spend to do that, and let me hire a great staff. And those days are gone (laughter). I mean those days in publishing are gone. And I thought it really deserved to be celebrated. So one piece of it was just the Conde Nast piece. And part of it is an homage to Conde Nast, the strangest corporation, and the three people at the top were three great characters. The end of Conde Nast sort of came with the corporatization of the company. So part of it for me is like a shout-out to the notion of dont let the bean counters take over everything. I mean its an homage to that too, the wonderful weirdness of it and how great that was to be part of it. It was also, for me, very much about my most formative time of my life in Berkeley. I lived in a commune in Berkeley, and I think of myself as a Berkeley person might: My tastes were, much of them, formed in those years in Berkeley. And you know, the idea of becoming the boss of 65 people was a real learning curve am I talking too much? I should let you ask another question. Q: No, no! You wrote the book! (laughter) A: OK. So, its partly that: what it means to learn to be a leader and a working mother and, you know, balancing work and being a mom. And its also very much about this moment in American food, which was a really pivotal time. I took over the magazine in 1999 and basically said to them, Gourmet has always thought of itself as timeless, and this is no time to be timeless in food. We really need to deal with modern issues. So a lot of it is about what it was like to be leading a publication that was trying very hard to be shaping the conversation about food in America. Q: When you talk about modern issues, Im curious for you to elucidate on that because, you know, the essays that I remember best in Gourmet were about tomato farmers or tomato pickers and lobsters, right? A: Yes, yes. Q: There were these really beautiful and challenging pieces in there that you wouldnt expect to find in those pages decades before. A: Yes. Barry Estabrooks piece about the tomato pickers in Immakalee (Fla.) is probably the piece Im proudest of and David Foster Wallaces piece on lobsters. One of the most frightening pieces we ran was one of my editors found a guy who was just retiring from Procter & Gamble who had led their task force to make sure that none of the bad news about trans fats ever got out. And for 30 years, he had gone to scientific conferences and heckled the scientists who were doing the research on trans fats. And he retired, and he spilled everything. It was a real important piece of investigative reporting, and my publisher said, What are you going to say when Si Newhouse comes to you and says, Procter & Gamble which is one of the largest advertisers. They didnt advertise much in Gourmet, but across Conde Nast they were one of the major advertisers what are you going to say to him when he comes to you and says, Procter & Gamble just pulled all of its advertising dollars across Conde Nast? And I said, Well, I guess hell fire me, but thats not any reason not to run this article. (Applause) In my second issue, we ran a really wonderful profile of Thomas Keller. It was written by Michael Ruhlman, who had written one of Kellers cookbooks and actually moved into his house with him, so he knew him really well. And Michael had a piece in (both the cookbook and the profile) about how Keller decided early in his career that if he was going to cook meat, he should kill his own animals, and he should have the experience of killing his own animals. And there is a really gruesome scene in this article about Keller asking his meat purveyor to bring him live rabbits. And as he said, Rabbits scream like humans, and this one screamed, the first one he got screamed really loud. And its bloody and gruesome, and the rabbit tries to escape. And his leg breaks off, and its terrible. But as Ruhlman was contemplating these bunnies that (Keller) had killed, (Keller) decided that they were going to be the best rabbits anyone had ever eaten. Because in this bloodbath behind the restaurant, he had finally understood what every chef should know, which is that food is life itself. And my publisher granted this is my second issue, so Ive been there a few months comes to me. He says, You cant run this! This is disgusting, and you know, thousands and thousands of people are going to cancel their subscriptions to Gourmet. And I said, Well, but its the point of the article. Its really important. And if we take this out, we might as well not run the article. But I was terrified. And nobody canceled their subscriptions. Random House / Random House Q: So, yeah, when you talk about terror, because so much of the book is about taking risks and doing things that youre scared of and confronting that and doing it anyway. A: I truly believe that the only things that are really worth doing are the things that scare you. I mean when something terrifies me, I know that its important. Q: I wanted to talk about the essay that got the attention of Gourmet and Conde Nast, which is the essay you wrote as the critic at the New York Times, which was titled Why Im Ashamed of What I Do. A: Yes. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Q: It was your self-critique and you actually replicated it in Garlic and Sapphires. And just wrestling with the ethical complications of being a food critic in the time that you were operating in. So, in 2019, reflecting back on the ethics of being a food critic and looking at the way society is, how do you feel? A: I wrote that in 1990, I think. And it felt important to me at the time for anybody involved with food to actually think of the implications of the work that theyre doing. And food has always seemed much more important to me than just, you know, reservations and recipes. And one of the things that attracted me to writing about food is that the truth is, you can get people to read anything if you put it in food terms. It can be science or history or politics. People are interested in food, and its a great vehicle for a writer. And it seems to me that it is a wasted opportunity to not bring up moral questions. And, you know, the moral questions of my time are different than the moral questions of this moment for a critic. I was worried about hunger and the two-tier food system that we have in the country and what it means to be basically writing a column for rich people. The issues today were much more aware as a society of those issues. I think there are very few people who go to restaurants without sort of thinking those thoughts. Or maybe there are, but I dont want to know those people. Listen in Listen to the entire discussion on www.sfchronicle.com/food to hear more from Soleil Ho and Ruth Reichl on cooking, celebrity chefs, Berkeley life and so much more. Transcript by Cheryl Green of StoryMinders. See More Collapse Q: Oh, you should see my inbox (laughs). A: But you know, today we have other issues to think about. Who is the audience for restaurants? Whats happening to the workers in restaurants? Were dealing with issues of race and gender and social justice for the people who raise our food. And these are the questions that I think a really conscientious critic brings up today. I just think youre not doing your job if youre not raising those questions. Otherwise youre just basically a consumer reporter, and youre telling people where to spend their money. And I would hope that the good people who are writing restaurant reviews have bigger goals than that. Especially in a time of social media, right? I mean, you want to know where to spend your money? Go to Yelp. Theyll tell you, yes, its good, or no its not good. There are plenty of places to do that. But food occupies a very different place in our society today, and it should be real criticism and not just reviews. Q: Yeah. I was wondering because I get a lot of resistance as well to the approach that I take. And you know, I would love for you to talk about the resistance that you got at Gourmet because you were expanding the definition of who the reader should be or could be what they could think about. A: Well, there were two levels of resistance. And the first one was completely understandable to me I mean, Gourmet had the most devoted readership of any magazine in the country except for The New Yorker. So, the devoted old-time readers of the magazine didnt want any change. And change is hard for all of us, and you know, Gourmet was like an old friend to them. I got thousands of letters after the first issue saying basically, Hands off our magazine. We love it just the way it is. And I realized that this was an opportunity. I handwrote answers to every person who wrote in and said, I know change is hard. Please stick with us. Keep telling, you know, please keep sending us feedback. And I hope that six months from now, youll have come to love what were doing. And I had a pretty good correspondence with people, and this went on for about a year and a half. And then theyd gotten used to the new Gourmet. And then it started to be about specific articles, and they always surprised me. So I really worried about Thomas Keller and the rabbits. And we didnt get pushback on that, but we got pushback on cupcakes. Thats the last thing I expected. We put this beautiful cupcake-cake on the cover. And one woman wrote in and said it was low and disgusting and so horrible that she had to tear the cover off because she couldnt bear to look at it (laughter). And I thought, what is she so upset about? And then we printed that letter, and then more people wrote in. And this fight went on for a year where the cupcake haters would write in and talk about how horrible it was, and then the cupcake defenders would (laughter). And it took me a long time to understand that there was a real message in that cover that I had not known that we were sending to the old readers of Gourmet, who thought that they owned food. I mean, itd been a little club of a few people who loved gourmet food. And for them, it was mostly French. And it was the same thing that had happened when I went to the New York Times. Instead of reviewing French restaurants, you know, (I) gave three stars to my favorite restaurant, my most-missed restaurant in New York, a Japanese soba bar. And it was like, How dare you undermine the standards of the New York Times by writing about soba, about Japanese noodles! It was the same thing. To these readers, cupcakes were childrens food. They were unsophisticated. They were Hostess and Sno Ball, and we were essentially saying, Let them eat cupcakes (laughter). We were telling them that they didnt own food anymore. Food trends for all of human history have come from the table of the aristocracy down. And suddenly they were coming up from the streets, and the old guard didnt like that. For more stories like this, check out The Chronicles weekly Travel newsletter! Sign up here. The story of Sonoma County that David Howell shares as a tour guide starts about 140 million years ago. In those primordial times, submerged in deep ocean, Wine Country was a universe away from the lush vineyards the area is known for today. The earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and continental drift that have beset the area for millennia have, among other things, imbued it with a unique terroir for wine. Wine starts in the dirt, and the dirt starts with geology, says Howell, a former research geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. Its an interplay. Theres also a huge climate component: the fog and the proximity to the ocean. Sonoma is a fairly blessed spot. Sonoma is regarded not just for the quality of its wines, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but also for the diversity and complexity of its land and soil. The county is home to 17 separate American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs from Pine Mountain near the border of Lake County in the north to the cool Petaluma Gap that backs up to San Pablo Bay. (Unlike neighboring Napa Valley, where the AVAs are situated in nearly a linear fashion from north to south, Sonomas Wine Country is patched together like a massive quilt, with some AVA overlap.) Howells goal is to help wine lovers better understand this land, along with the areas microclimates and human touches that make Sonoma such a compelling place for wine. In Howells previous work life, he lectured to government agencies and fellow researchers about the principles and findings of plate tectonics, the distribution of oil and gas reserves, and the nature of natural hazards. He also started a five-year program at Stanford University that included outreach about climate change, energy resources and natural hazards. But he found that too many eyes were glazing over when discussing such geology principles. Combining wine with a scientific topic made it easier to get their attention. In the early 1990s, Howell collaborated on a video documentary, Earth Nectar: Napa Valley Wines and the Earth From Which They Arise. He also started leading field trips to Napa and other wine regions for scientific meetings. By the early 2000s, Howell had started teaching a course about the geology of wines in Stanford Universitys Continuing Studies Program. If I gave a talk at Stanford or the USGS on the topic of natural hazards in California, the same old people would show up with their long hair and gray beards, said Howell. But if I said were talking about the geology of wines in Sonoma and Sierra foothills, it was a very different crowd. And the audience would be full. David Howell Now based in New Hampshire, Howell is the co-founder of Wine and Geology Tours. He guides small groups in two-day expeditions through Wine Country that highlight the Sonoma regions topography. The tour company offers similar treks through Burgundy and the Rhone Valley in France that highlight world-renowned wine regions from a geological perspective. The tour encompasses four of Sonomas signature geological settings, with vineyard tours and tastings of wines that Howell says best reflect the areas terroir. He likes to start at Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Vineyards in Glen Ellen home to Jack London State Historic Park which rests on vineyards that were first planted in the late 1800s. Bucklin Old Hill Ranch specializes in Zinfandel, Grenache and other varietals, with vineyards that sit on gravelly sedimentary deposits known as alluvial fans coming off the nearby Mayacamas mountains. These alluvial fans, which are filled with rocky fragments, help contribute to soil drainage. The next stop is Sutro Vineyard in the Alexander Valley just north of Healdsburg. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc from Sutro are sourced from vineyards near Chalk Hill, a section of the Russian River Valleys northeast corner that sits on top of decaying volcanic bedrock. Day two of the tour includes a stop at Gustafson Family Vineyard in the westernmost section of Dry Creek that sits atop metamorphic rocks, followed by Iron Horse Vineyards near the Russian River, home to what Howell calls Goldridge soil. Its on a blanket of sand that was deposited about 5 to 10 million years ago, he says. A world-class wine region still needs more than well-formed soils to thrive. Climate also plays a critical factor, with just the right combination of heat and cooling-off periods that allow wine grapes to ripen properly. Sonoma is also renowned for its wide range of microclimates, small pockets with their own temperature and humidity. (Sonoma) has some inland valleys like Alexander Valley and Knights Valley that get quite warm and suitable for (Cabernet Sauvignon), Howell said. But there are cooler areas due to the Petaluma Gap and coastal zone. Those are more amenable to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In terms of how all this translates into Sonomas flavor profiles, Howell defers to the wine experts. Youre talking to a geologist, not a sommelier, he says. Chris Sawyer can certainly speak to the specialness of Sonoma County wine. Hes one of the areas most respected sommeliers and part owner of Gravenstein Grill, a hot spot of California cuisine in Sebastopol. In Russian River Valley, youre talking about tropical flavors for Chardonnay, that nice, bright acidity and sense of land, Sawyer said. The Pinot Noirs are much more concentrated. Theyre bigger, broader and a much more muscular style. But if you move into the Sonoma Coast, you get into some really pretty styles with a lot of blue fruits. Then, if you go to the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, its distinctively different because its above the fog line. Put it all together and Sonoma Countys ripe for exploring, both in terms of sipping and learning about its soils. What geology brings to the whole discussion is a big understanding of the land, said Howell. If youre on Jurassic limestone in Sonoma and Burgundy, those are two rocks with totally different settings that are growing Pinot Noir. Thats cool. Thats history. Courtesy of the SF SPCA Alligator and ferret and marijuana, oh my! A search warrant served for possession of restricted species uncovered an alligator and a ferret in a home in Hollister. Hollister police reported that they assisted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team in searching the home. ALSO: Bobcat collared day before deadly wildfire has 4 kittens The 5-foot alligator and ferret were taken to a properly permitted facility. Police also seized a "small indoor marijuana grow" from inside the home. The suspect was not home at the time of the search. The third suspect accused of murdering Dr. Thomas Burchard has been arrested. Jon Kennison, 27, was booked into the Clark County Jail in Nevada on April 17. Arrest warrants show that investigators believe Kennison was one of three people involved in Burchard's death. Burchard was a 71-year-old doctor from the Monterey area. Kennison was Kelsey Turner's boyfriend at the time of the incident. Police say Burchard had "an intimate relationship" with Turner, a former Playboy and Maxim model, and paid rent on a Las Vegas home where Turner, Kennison and Pena lived. Diana Pena turned herself into law enforcement last week after being named in an arrest warrant. All three suspects now reside in Clark County Jail and await trial. Kennison was arrested on the charges of open murder and conspiracy to commit murder. It's been more than a month since police found Dr. Burchard's body stuffed in the trunk of an abandoned Mercedes off a rural road just outside of Las Vegas. The gruesome find reportedly led detectives back to the home in Las Vegas, where Metro Police reports tell of blood throughout a bedroom, efforts to clean it up and a door broken in two with blood on each half; likely the result of a fight. Cell phone records also reportedly show the three abruptly moving out of the house and checking into the Rio Hotel and Casino, even though Dr. Burchard had paid the rent through March. Turner's mother, Samantha, told KSBW that Kelsey Turner and Burchard had known each other for years. Burchard had paid the rent on a home in Salinas where Kelsey and her mother, and Kelsey's children all lived. A neighbor confirmed that Kelsey and her family lived at the home for "about a year". "In fact, there were calls for police on a few occasions," Marcelino Alejandro, who lived next door to Turner in Salinas, said. Marcelino also said there were also parties and disturbances. An anonymous source who originally told Action News that Burchard was renting out the Salinas home, said Turner moved to Las Vegas after Burchard stopped paying rent on the home. The source said that Burchard met Turner online and was giving Turner and her mother, "Anywhere from two-four thousand dollars a week, easily." The Associated Press contributed to this report. In July 2013, a broadcaster affiliated with the Islamist group Hezbollah posted a threatening video on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. It featured gun-toting militants practicing an ambush to kidnap Israeli soldiers. The message: This is how we kill you. In December, the broadcaster posted another video that showed how Hezbollahs social media strategy had changed. This one contained close-up footage of Israeli soldiers on patrol, with no Hezbollah members visible. The message was also dialed back: We are watching you. Hezbollah is among dozens of groups classified by the United States as terrorist entities that have learned how to stay a step ahead of the social media giants. In the past, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have taken down the official pages of these militant groups dozens of times and banned their accounts. But Hamas and Hezbollah, in particular, have evolved by getting their supporters to publish images and videos that deliver their message but that do not set off the alarm bells of the social media platforms. Today, the groups mostly post images of festive parades and religious celebrations online, as well as videos of speeches by their leaders. That has allowed Hamas and Hezbollah, as well as groups like the East African-based al-Shabab, to proliferate largely unchecked on social media, even as a clampdown by Facebook and others has neutered the online presences of the terror organizations that are the most threatening to the West the Islamic State group and al Qaeda. The change thrusts Facebook, YouTube and Twitter into complicated territory. Unlike al Qaeda and the Islamic State, Hamas and Hezbollah are political forces in their territories. Hamas has governance duties in the Gaza Strip, in addition to its militancy. Hezbollah is a recognized political party in Lebanon. And by no longer posting overtly violent material, the groups arguably merit a different treatment by the social media companies. Facebook and others said they typically adhered to the designations set by the United States on terrorist groups, citing how any online presence even a seemingly innocuous or benign post helps legitimize them and increase their visibility. Even so, it has proved difficult for the companies to follow the rules they set for themselves, precisely because the groups can be deemed political organizations or terrorist entities, depending on ones perspective. There has to be a differentiation in the way we understand how different groups use social media, said Lina Khatib, the head of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House, the London think tank. That complexity has dismayed Israel, which has fought several wars against Hamas and Hezbollah. Since 2015, Israeli legal groups and their partners in the United States have filed at least three lawsuits against Facebook, accusing it of turning a blind eye to how the militant organizations use the social network. In November, the Israel legal center Shurat HaDin, which previously had filed some of these cases, threatened to sue Facebook again if the company continued to let a Hamas-linked broadcaster share content on the site. The mere fact that Hamas affiliates still have Facebook pages shows you that Facebook does not care, said Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, founder of Shurat HaDin, adding that she would not hesitate to take her cases to the Supreme Court. We argue that anything at all Hamas posts is terrorist content. The social media companies could face other penalties from the thriving activity of the groups and their supporters on their networks. The European Union is considering a law that would fine tech companies if they do not remove terrorist content from their sites within one hour of being notified of its presence. Brian Fishman, Facebooks global head of counterterrorism, said the social network had zero tolerance for any group that the United States listed as a terrorist entity. He added that the company had removed 99 percent of Islamic State and al Qaeda content largely by using artificial intelligence. But Fishman also suggested that posts by organizations like Hezbollah could fall through the cracks because the groups stopped short of issuing direct threats of violence. If we have to make a hard prioritization decision, were going to focus on stuff that directly calls for violence, he said. The blunt truth is that it is very difficult to weed out. Twitter did not respond to questions about activity by Hezbollah and other militant groups on its service. It referred to a recent transparency report that detailed how it had suspended 205,156 accounts for promoting terrorism in the first half of 2018. A YouTube spokeswoman said the company had removed channels for promoting violence or violent extremism and barred groups that the United States labeled terrorists. Hezbollah and Hamas did not respond to requests for comment. The issue of militant groups on social media came to the fore in 2013 when the Islamic State grabbed global attention by posting videos of beheadings and bombings online. The Islamic State also used the channels to spread propaganda and to recruit followers. Groups like Hamas and Hezbollah do not primarily use social media to recruit, Khatib said, but to intimidate their enemies and rally their supporters. Tech companies said they had always barred these groups from their platforms. But the organizations continued posting to social media anyway. Around 2015, the tech companies started making some headway in removing Islamic State and al Qaeda content, according to counterterrorism experts. The companies created dedicated teams and used AI tools to find and eliminate posts from the Islamist groups. But the companies did not reckon with the organizations abilities to manipulate their platforms by posting material that went up to, but did not cross, the line of being flagged by users or outside observers. Many of the groups also use proxies, such as media organizations or local charities, to post content on the platforms for them. Hezbollah and Hamas, in particular, have honed their social media strategies to foster their online presences. Hezbollah, which now has no official accounts on the big social media platforms, largely shares through Al Manar, a broadcaster with strong pro-Hezbollah ties. Al Manar has a Twitter feed, which is followed by 481,000 people. Content from the channel is easy to find on YouTube, including many lengthy speeches by Hezbollahs leader, Hassan Nasrallah. A recent search on YouTube for Al Manar in Arabic yielded more than 37,000 results. Many of those videos have tens of thousands of views and have been on the site for years. Hamas enjoys a similar widespread presence on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. The group has a Twitter feed, though not a Facebook page or a YouTube account. Many of its leaders have personal social media accounts, where they post commentaries, photos and videos. The Hamas television station, Al Aqsa, also has a Twitter feed and a Facebook page. And on Instagram, the photo-sharing site owned by Facebook, popular Arabic-language hashtags promoting Hamas feature thousands of propaganda videos and images. When conflicts with Israel escalate, Hamas presence on social media also rises. In August, Israel accused Hamas members of posing as attractive women on Instagram to lure Israeli soldiers into sharing details about themselves and to download malware. Israel called the campaign Operation Broken Heart. It showed, Israeli officials said, how dangerous it was to allow militant organizations to use social media. Sheera Frenkel and Ben Hubbard are New York Times writers. Checking your official Social Security statement is important to make sure your future retirement benefits reflect what youve earned over your working life. Yet a report suggests that many Americans arent doing that. In recent years, the Social Security Administration has greatly curtailed the number of statements it mails, encouraging workers to check the information online instead. But fewer than half the 39 million people registered for electronic my Social Security accounts as of Sept. 30 had checked their earnings statements in the previous 12 months, according to a recent audit report from the agencys inspector general. Linda Sherry, director of national priorities for Consumer Action, an advocacy group, said the findings suggested that the shift to digital statements had left many people without meaningful access to their earnings history and that the government was falling short of its obligation under the Social Security Act to keep workers informed. Thats a problem, she said, because the statements are a crucial retirement planning tool for many Americans. She said she would prefer that the agency gave people the option of receiving paper statements periodically, as it did in the past, rather than force them online. The administrations policy on mailing statements has varied over time. Two decades ago, most workers 25 or older received a paper statement each year around their birthday. The document provides a summary of annual earnings. It also shows the size of the check to expect each month in retirement, and how the amount may vary depending on what year the recipient decides to stop working. Under current policy, adopted in 2017, the administration automatically mails statements only to people over age 60 who arent yet getting benefits and who havent set up digital accounts. (Paper statements are still available to anyone on request, by submitting a special form. More than 139,000 people got statements that way in the 2018 fiscal year, the report said.) The move away from mailing statements has saved the government money, the report noted. Last fiscal year, the agency spent less than $8 million to print and mail statements, down from $65 million eight years earlier. The agency mailed just under 15 million statements last fiscal year, which ended on Sept. 30, the report said. When that total is combined with the number of people who checked their statements online, it appears that fewer than 35 million people saw their earnings statements. Back in the 2010 fiscal year, the agency automatically mailed out 155 million statements, the report noted. Thats a huge discrepancy, Sherry said. Asked whether the report raised concerns, a spokesman for the Social Security Administration, Darren Lutz, said in an email that the shift to online statements was rooted in tighter agency budgets, along with an increasing preference by the public for doing business online. Currently, he said, 42 million people have instant access to statements through their online accounts. The agency encourages everyone to create an online account, Lutz said, and suggests that people review their statements annually to verify that earnings posted are correct, to make sure their benefit estimates are accurate. Theres also a reason besides retirement planning to review your Social Security statements: to check for signs of identity theft. Doing so is good identity hygiene, like checking your credit reports, said Charity Lacey, a spokeswoman for the Identity Theft Resource Center. If, for instance, your reported earnings are much higher than your own records, it may be a red flag that someone is fraudulently using your Social Security number, said Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy with the nonprofit group Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. Here are some questions and answers about checking your Social Security statement: Q: How do I create a my Social Security account? A: You can register on the Social Security Administration website. Youll be asked to enter your Social Security number and birth date, and youll also be asked a series of questions similar to those asked when you check your credit report online to help confirm your identity. Then youll receive a code by either email or text, which you enter online to complete the process. If, for some reason, you cant set up the account online, you can visit a Social Security office. After you establish an account, youll get an annual email reminder to log on and review your statement. If you have a security freeze on your credit report to help ward off fraud, you must lift it temporarily to set up your online Social Security account. Specifically, youll need to thaw the freeze at Equifax, the company the administration currently uses to help verify users identities. Q: If I can get paper statements, why should I get an online Social Security account? A: Creating a digital account is a good idea, if only to prevent someone else from fraudulently creating one first and using it to steal benefit payments in the future, said Mike Litt, consumer campaign director with the U.S. Public Interest Research Groups. Given the number of security breaches in recent years, its possible someone may be able to illegally obtain your sensitive personal information, like your Social Security number, and use it to set up an account in your name. Litt said it was wise to establish an account and then check it periodically for anything that looked suspicious. You should sign up for your online Social Security account, he said, before fraudsters try to claim it and redirect your benefits to their bank account. Litt also recommends adding optional extra security, like getting a code sent in a letter via the mail. If you prefer, you can also block all electronic access to your account. Q: What if information on my statement seems incorrect? A: Contact the agency at 800-772-1213, and have your tax return or W-2 income form handy. Ann Carrns is a New York Times writer. This article, Lyft sued by investors over sinking stock, originally appeared on CNET.com. When Lyft went public last month, its first day of trading was strong, with its share price closing at $78.29. That's $6.29 higher than its preopen share price of $72. Then things took a turn. By day two, the ride-hailing company's share price fell to $69.01. It's been on a downhill slide ever since. As of Thursday's close, Lyft's share price was $58.36. On Wednesday, investors filed two separate proposed class action lawsuits against Lyft, according to Bloomberg. They allege the company misrepresented its market position when it went public saying it dominated 39 percent of the ride-hailing market when it might actually be less. The cases were filed in San Francisco's state court where Lyft is headquartered. Lyft was the first tech unicorn to go public in 2019, a year that's predicted to be full of Silicon Valley initial public offerings. Lyft rival Uber publicly filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission last week for what could be the largest IPO in US history. In the days following Uber's filing, Lyft's stock dipped dramatically to an all-time low of $56.11 on Monday. A Lyft spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuits. Rescue efforts for an 18-year-old who went missing while boogie boarding at a Half Moon Bay Beach switched to a water recovery Thursday evening after three hours of searching, the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office said. "Search efforts have concluded at this time due to the lack of visibility & high surf conditions, & the probability of detection," the agency said in a tweet. "We are working with the family & will continue to be a resource for them." The teenager was last seen just after 3 p.m. in the water at Poplar Beach by two friends who said he was unresponsive, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. KTVU identified the teen through friends as Naphtali Moimoi, a Hayward High football star. The two-star defensive tackle was set to attend Wyoming on a football scholarship. San Mateo County Sheriff spokesperson Rosemerry Blankswade told the Half Moon Bay Review the friends were with him when they noticed "he became distressed." They tried to help him out of the water, but they ended up needing to be rescued as well. The San Mateo County Sheriff's Department, local firefighters and the U.S. Coast Guard helped in the search. Helicopters from the California Highway Patrol and the Coast Guard also assisted from the air. Blankswade explained weather had complicated the search. While it's sunny in most of the Bay Area, heavy fog off the coast made it hard to see very far. "Deputies on scene were reporting they couldn't even see past the first or second wave break, so it's definitely proving to be very challenging." She explained infrared thermal cameras on board the search-and-rescue helicopters had been used to search for the 18-year-old. 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 plane departing San Francisco International Airport Friday morning was forced to return shortly after takeoff, said officials. Delta Flight 1359 was en route to John F. Kennedy International Airport just before 9 a.m. when the Boeing 757-200 turned back due to a maintenance issue, said SFO spokesman Doug Yakel. A spokesperson for the airline explained a "smoky odor" was detected in the cockpit after takeoff. The plane turned around out of an abundance of caution. "The aircraft returned to the gate where it will be inspected by maintenance technicians. Delta is working to reaccommodate customers to their final destination," Delta spokesperson Drake Castaneda said in a statement. The aircraft landed without incident and all passengers are safe and back at the gate, said Yakel. For some reason in our culture especially in Silicon Valley when someone is rich and successful, we collectively ask, "How do they do it?" Instead of the obvious contributing factors (wealth, talent, privilege, friends in high places, etc.), we fixate on the eccentricities: morning routines, juice cleanses, and pilates habits. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Sen. Kamala Harris and Microsoft founder Bill Gates have all gotten the "habits of successful people" treatment. These days, it's Twitter and Square CEO Jack Dorsey who's getting all the attention. Dorsey's schedule has long been the subject of public fascination; the fact that he routinely tweets about it certainly stokes the ongoing interest. But earlier this month, an hour-long podcast interview turned Dorsey's daily routine into a national conversation. Appearing on fitness enthusiast Ben Greenfield's podcast, Dorsey described how he walks more than 5 miles to work, meditates daily, enjoys a sauna and ice bath routine, and restricts eating to a mere 2.5-hour window every day (except weekends when he sometimes fasts for 72 hours straight). In short, it's extreme. And before I go any further I want to make something clear. A lot of what Dorsey described isn't realistic and much of it is not healthy. Washington Post columnist Monica Hesse pointed out that when women act like this, it's considered an eating disorder when it's a tech bro, it's glorified. If you find yourself struggling with disordered eating, or otherwise unhealthy behavior involving food, see the National Eating Disorder Association's website for resources. I subjected myself to this insanity for 24 hours, but you definitely don't have to. So here we go, a day in the life of Jack Dorsey. 6:15 a.m. Exactly what time Dorsey wakes up isn't clear to me. Sometimes he says 5 a.m., sometimes he says 6:15. I (obviously) go with the latter option to give myself as much sweet sleep as possible. Meditation plays a big role in Dorsey's life, so I start my day as he does, in meditative silence. He says he meditates for two hours a day, but I start small, with 30 minutes of guided meditation using a phone app. I sit up in bed to avoid falling back asleep, but as a soothing British man tells me to inhale and exhale deeply I start to sink lower and lower into my warm bed. 6:45 a.m. Yup, I fell back asleep. But my boyfriend's alarm wakes me up and it's time to get ready for my big day as a waif-like tech CEO. Just kidding I'll be doing my normal job, so I have to make some attempt at looking presentable. If only I could go into the office with messy hair and a hoodie. Now I'm running late. Damn patriarchy. 7:30 a.m. Here's where things start to get weird (stalkery?). I hop in an Uber to Jack Dorsey's house in Sea Cliff. As we drive up Fell Street through Hayes Valley, the inanity of what I'm doing strikes me. Soon, I'll be doing the journey in reverse, on foot. See, Jack Dorsey says he walks 5.2 miles to work every day wearing jeans, a t-shirt and running sandals except Tuesday and Thursday, when he works from home. Lucky me, it's Wednesday. 8:18 a.m. Jack says now that I'm at his house, I feel like we're on a first name basis the walk takes an hour and 15 minutes at his brisk pace. If I can be like Jack, I should arrive at the Twitter building at 9:30 a.m., fashionably late but perfectly acceptable for a sandals-wearing executive. 8:22 a.m. I see what appears to be a stray white Bichon Frise dog roaming the manicured sidewalks of Sea Cliff. Must not stop! Must not be deterred! Must be like Jack. Good luck, floofy boy. 8:36 a.m. Jack says he uses his walking time to listen to podcasts and reflect. I'm listening to a podcast about California's housing shortage and reflecting on how I'll never be able to afford one of the beautiful homes I'm passing by. I'm not like Jack. 9:19 a.m. I'm at Fillmore already? At first I think the street sign is a hunger-induced mirage, but it's not. I'm making great time and turn to start heading south through Lower Pac Heights. 9:55 a.m. I'm here! That wasn't so bad. The journey took me an hour and 35 minutes and it was pretty much all downhill. Not nearly as bad as I'd thought it'd be. I head straight to Blue Bottle on the Twitter building's ground floor, as Dorsey is known to do, and order an iced coffee. I pay with Square, of course. I cherish every sip as I know it'll be my only sustenance until dinnertime. 10:30 a.m. I arrive at my office very late (sorry, boss!) and head straight into a meeting. Oh boy, am I caffeinated. I start working on a story that's less ridiculous than this one. 11:53 a.m. My coworker offers me some cheese crackers she's snacking on. I explain that since Jack Dorsey only eats between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., I have to decline. I am not known to turn down snacks. I'm officially making my coworkers uncomfortable. 12:14 p.m. I'm a little light-headed and jittery. My paper straw looks like it's composting into my iced coffee. Considering I haven't consumed anything but water and coffee, I'm not as hungry as I thought I'd be. In a twisted way, I'm kind of proud of myself for not caving into the urge to eat. I'm acutely aware of how disordered and unhealthy this kind of thinking is. Yikes. 4 p.m. Despite the fact that Dorsey has claimed to work 18 hours a day, 6 days per week, I'm not feeling up to an 18-hour workday. Quite the opposite actually. I have to leave early to finish all the things I'm supposed to do in a day in the life as Jack. Sorry again, boss. 4:55 p.m. Apparently, Jack Dorsey is a believer in the 7-Minute Workout, a short but high intensity workout made popular by a New York Times article. It's basically a bunch of bodyweight movements (jumping jacks, crunches, push-ups) that you do back-to-back with little rest. Dorsey says he does one to three rounds of the routine daily. It's not that hard much easier than the SFPD workout I suffered through a year ago though I do break a sweat. At this point in the day, I'm fully happy to underachieve and I just do one round. 5:07 p.m. It's time for a sauna. There's only one problem: I, unlike Jack Dorsey, do not have a custom near infrared sauna nor a custom ice bath installed in my home. I improvise. Instead of going back and forth between a sauna and custom ice bath, as Jack says he does, I simulate the experience by cranking the temperature of my shower way up for 15 minutes, then all the way down for 3 minutes. I'm supposed to do this three times in a row, but after about 22 minutes I can't bear to waste any more water. I'm over it. 5:40 p.m. Finally, I get to eat. No, I'm not going to make it to the prescribed 6:30 p.m. dinner time but I have somewhere to be at 6:30 so now is my only shot. Dorsey says his meals usually consist of protein and vegetables. I have leftover spaghetti squash and turkey meatballs that fit that bill, and I can't reheat the plate fast enough. Dorsey says restricting his eating to only two and a half hours per day has given him a new appreciation for food and it tastes better when he does eat. He's not wrong; these meatballs I thought were far too dry two nights ago do taste a lot better, which of course they do I'm starving. I inhale my first portion and go back for seconds. This is the best part of my day. I'm glad it's over. Final thoughts: I'll keep it to under 280 characters as a final tribute to Jack. This daily routine isn't what makes Jack Dorsey successful. Few parts of it are worth emulating. Walking is good, but so is eating when you're hungry. I won't be doing this again. Because I like myself. ASHEVILLE, N.C. A minister at a secretive church in North Carolina has been sentenced to 34 months in prison and ordered to pay $466,960 in restitution for his role in an unemployment fraud scheme involving businesses owned by members of the congregation. Kent Covington, a minister at the Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud in U.S. District Court in Asheville in June 2018. He pleaded guilty to the charge in September. The conspiracy charge carried a possible maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Ive come here to admit what Ive done is wrong, Covington told U.S. District Court Judge Martin Reidinger before he was sentenced Thursday. But Reidinger said Covington showed a cynical disregard for the law. He noted that the scheme happened at a time when the state agency that handles unemployment had to borrow money during the recession. It undermined the entire employment security structure of the state. It was sort of like picking the pocket of a dying man, Reidinger said. The sentencing is the latest development in an investigation by the Associated Press that, beginning in 2017, documented claims of physical and emotional abuse at the church. AP also reported that authorities were looking into the unemployment claims of congregants and their businesses. Prosecutors say Covington and his employee, Dianne McKinny, laid off employees at one of Covingtons businesses so they could collect unemployment benefits in 2008 when the company was struggling financially. But the employees continued to work at the company, Diverse Corporate Technologies, with the unemployment checks replacing their salaries. They later put the scheme into place at Covingtons other business, Integrity Marble & Granite. Covington then implemented a variation of the scheme at Sky Catcher Communications Inc., a company he managed, prosecutors say. McKinny has pleaded not guilty. She is scheduled for trial May 6. In addition to conspiracy, McKinny is charged in a subsequent indictment with lying to federal agents. Besides Covington and McKinny, two others were charged in the federal investigation. Dr. Jerry Gross, a podiatrist, and his son, Jason Gross, were sentenced last week to three years on probation and jointly ordered to pay restitution of $162,276 after admitting to fraud at a podiatry clinic in Forest City. Both are listed as ministers on the church website. Jane Whaley, the churchs leader, has not been charged, but she was named in a court document as someone who promoted the scheme. The church has hundreds of members in Spindale and a few thousand in churches in Brazil and Ghana. Former members said Whaley called it Gods plan to help the businesses survive the economic downturn and keep money coming into the church. Mitch Weiss and Holbrook Mohr are Associated Press writers. MEMPHIS A doctor who prescribed more than 4 million opioid pills, including to a pregnant woman who later died, is one of more than 30 medical professionals in Tennessee charged with illegally prescribing and distributing millions of painkillers, federal authorities said. U.S. Attorneys Michael Dunavant, in Memphis, and Don Cochran, in Nashville, held separate news conferences Thursday detailing allegations against doctors and nurse practitioners. The health care workers were indicted on federal charges stemming from a sweeping investigation by the federal Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, launched last year by President Trumps administration. ATLANTA A strong storm system churning across the South on Friday killed an 8-year-old girl in Florida and threatened to bring tornadoes to large parts of the Carolinas and southern Virginia. A tree fell onto a house in Woodville, Fla., south of Tallahassee, killing the girl and injuring a 12-year-old boy, according to the Leon County Sheriffs Office. Their names werent immediately released. The same storm system was blamed for the deaths a day earlier of three people in Mississippi and a woman in Alabama. The threat on Friday shifted farther east, where tornado warnings covered parts of northeast Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia. The national Storm Prediction Center said 9.7 million people in the Carolinas and Virginia were at a moderate risk of severe weather. Its a region that includes the Charlotte, N.C., metro area. Torrential downpours, large hail and a few tornadoes were among the hazards, the National Weather Service in Raleigh, N.C., warned. Radar readings appeared to show a tornado formed in the western Virginia county of Franklin south of Roanoke, though damage on the ground still must be assessed, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Phil Hysell. In South Carolina, authorities urged motorists to avoid part of Interstate 26 the main artery from Upstate through Columbia and all the way to Charleston because downed trees had left the roadway covered with debris. In Georgia, the storm system knocked down trees, caused flooding and cut off power to tens of thousands of residents. A tree came down on an apartment complex in an Atlanta suburb, but only one person reported a minor injury and was treated at the scene, Gwinnett County fire spokesman Capt. Tommy Rutledge told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In Forsyth County northeast of Atlanta, three firefighters suffered minor injuries when their fire truck overturned during heavy rain and wind, Fire Department Division Chief Jason Shivers said. National Weather Service forecasters confirmed that the 14 tornadoes touched down in Mississippi on Thursday, leading Gov. Phil Bryant to declare the states second state of emergency in less than a week due to tornadoes, which killed three. Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippis 82 counties. Heavy winds also were reported in Louisiana earlier in the day and in central Alabama as the system quickly pushed eastward. LITTLETON, Colo. A Colorado community changed forever by the attack that killed 13 people at Columbine High School began ceremonies marking the anniversary of the tragedy while awaiting more details on what led a Florida teen infatuated with the shooting to buy a shotgun and kill herself in the snowy foothills nearby. Many questions remained unanswered about 18-year-old Sol Pais, but a friend disputed the contention by authorities that she posed a threat. Adrianna Pete said Pais was deeply troubled, lonely and often talked about suicide but was also brilliant, kind and a talented artist who loved to draw. Pete, 19, a college student in Carleton, Mich., said she met Pais online two years ago through a mutual friend and quickly developed a friendship involving near-daily communication. Pete faulted authorities for overreacting in portraying Pais as a threat based on her activities before her death. She never threatened anyone, Pete said. There are no credible threats and only assumptions that she was just because the word Columbine was included. Pete said Pais had a weird obsession with the Columbine killers but that didnt mean she was planning an attack. The killers were someone she could relate to because they were lonely, not because of their violence, Pete said. Two teenagers attacked Columbine on April 20, 1999, killing 12 classmates and a teacher before taking their own lives. They have inspired cult-like admirers, some of whom committed other mass shootings. The days surrounding the April 20 anniversary of the attack are always emotional for school alumni, their families and the suburban community of Littleton surrounding Columbine. Some survivors describe the experience as an April fog. The manhunt for Pais and the resulting closure of schools added a new layer of anxiety, former Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis said Wednesday after the FBI declared the danger was over. A religious service Thursday night opened three days of commemorative events themed Remember. Reflect. Recommit leading to a day of community service projects and a ceremony Saturday at a park near the school. Pais body was discovered Wednesday in the mountains outside Denver with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Colorado authorities learned about Pais on Tuesday from an alarmed Miami FBI office that had interviewed people about her obsession with the Columbine shooting. Dozens of schools, including Columbine, locked their doors for several hours on Tuesday and even more closed altogether on Wednesday. Kathleen Foody and Kelli Kennedy are Associated Press writers. MIDDLEBURY, Vt. A chemistry professor whose exam question asked students to calculate the lethal dose of a poisonous gas used in Nazi gas chambers during the Holocaust has taken a leave of absence, Middlebury College said. The Vermont liberal arts college said that its investigating under the terms of its faculty misconduct policy. This inexplicable failure of judgment trivializes one of the most horrific events in world history, violates core institutional values, and simply has no place on our campus, wrote Middlebury President Laurie Patton. We expect our faculty to teach and lead with thoughtfulness, good judgment, and maturity. To say we have fallen short in this instance is an understatement. A review of past exams given by professor Jeff Byers found a second objectionable question making reference to the Ku Klux Klan. The question appeared to have a humorous intent, but was gratuitous and offensive, the school said. Byers apologized to the college community in an April 10 statement on the schools website. He said he gave two exams in the last year that included questions that were clearly offensive, hurtful, and injurious to our students. I can offer no explanation for my actions other than carelessness and hubris, he wrote. The gas chamber exam question came to light in the student-run satirical newspaper, the Local Noodle. The preamble to the question said, Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) is a poisonous gas, which Nazi Germany used to horrific ends in the gas chambers during The Holocaust. The question asked students to calculate the amount of HCN that would give a lethal dose in a particular size room, according to the newspaper. The schools Community Bias Response Team, which is charged with assessing and responding to bias incidents, sent out a campus-wide email criticizing both the exam question and the Local Noodle for making light of it, the Middlebury Campus reported. On Thursday, Patton, the college president, said in a campus-wide email that the college has experienced several incidents of bias in recent weeks that are causing pain and anger in our community, but did not specify what those were. Lisa Rathke is an Associated Press writer. A Florida man was arrested and charged Friday with allegedly making a series of threatening phone calls to Democratic officials, in which he ranted in explicitly racist terms about Muslims, black people and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. John Kless, 49, of the Fort Lauderdale area, was charged with making an interstate threat, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison. Marlene Fernandez-Karavetsos, a spokeswoman for Fajardo Orshan, the U.S. Attorney for Southern Florida, said Kless was expected to be released on a $25,000 bond on Friday afternoon. She said that some weapons owned by him had been seized but declined to give specifics. Officials said that Kless made a series of disturbing phone calls on Tuesday, beginning, at 7 a.m. with a phone call to the office of Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat from California, who recently announced a 2020 presidential campaign. "The day you come after our guns," Kless said a voice mail, "is the day you'll be dead," according to the federal court complaint filed against him. He ranted about 9/11, "illegals coming in," and used the n-word to describe people on welfare, prosecutors said. "You're gonna die," Kless continued, according to the complaint. "You'll be your death bed...along with all the rest of you Democrats." About 10 minutes later he left a message for Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, officials said. She and Omar are the first Muslim women elected to Congress. Prosecutors said he ranted at length about Omar, focusing in particular on the way she had referred to the 9/11 terrorist attacks at a recent event, and using multiple racial epithets to describe both her and Tlaib. Prosecutors said he called Tlaib "Taliban," and Omar a "towel head." "You know what, she's lucky she's just getting death threats," he said, according to the complaint. "So are you. Alright?....'Cuz the day when the bell tolls....and this country comes to a war, there will be no more threats." Prosecutors said he added that there were "millions of us who hate you....for what you done on 9/11," and both Muslim and black racial epithets against former president Barack Obama, as well. The arrest comes amid complaints from Omar's supporters that the right-wing fixation on her statements about 9/11 could amount to an incitement of violence. The latest controversy over Omar stems from comments she made in March that were resurfaced earlier this month. During a speech about Islamophobia, Omar had referred to 9/11 in a way that some felt was dismissive. She said that just because "some people did something," it didn't mean that all Muslims should lose their civil liberties. But that phrasing became an opening for conservatives, such as Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Donald Trump Jr. and, eventually, President Donald Trump, to attack Omar. "Fox & Friends" host Brian Kilmeade questioned whether she had dual loyalties in a comment that was widely denounced, though he later said he didn't mean it as a personal attack. Trump tweeted a video of the Twin Towers burning spliced with Omar's remarks on repeat. Prosecutors said Kless's last threatening phone call of the day Tuesday was made to Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. He called Booker the n-word and other racial epithets, continued to rant about Omar's 9/11 remark and made several violent threats, according to a transcript included in the indictment. "We need to kill all you," he said, according to the transcript. Kless had previously made a harassing phone call to Rep. Nancy Pelosi's office where he ranted about people taking away his guns, abortion, illegal immigration and Muslims in Congress, the court complaint said. Kless did not immediately respond to a request for comment left on his voice mail. Omar has said the number of threats against her spiked after Trump tweeted the video about her, including many that directly referred to the video. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. A right-wing militia group operating in southern New Mexico has begun stopping groups of migrant families and detaining them at gunpoint before handing them over to Border Patrol agents, raising tension over the tactics of armed vigilantes along the border between the United States and Mexico. Members of the group, which calls itself the United Constitutional Patriots, filmed several of their actions in recent days, including the detention this week of a group of about 200 migrants who had recently crossed the border near Sunland Park, New Mexico, with the intention of seeking asylum. They uploaded videos to social media of exhausted-looking migrant families, blinking in the darkness in the glare of what appeared to be the militias spotlights. Professed militias have long operated along the border with attempts to curb the flow of migrants into the United States. But targeting the recent influx of families, who are legally allowed to request asylum and often quickly surrender to Border Patrol agents, is raising tension with human rights activists in this part of the West. The American Civil Liberties Union denounced the militias actions in a letter Thursday that asked New Mexicos governor and attorney general to investigate the group. The ACLU said the militia had no legal authority under New Mexico or federal law to detain or arrest migrants in the United States. We cannot allow racist and armed vigilantes to kidnap and detain people seeking asylum, two lawyers for the ACLU, Maria Martinez Sanchez and Kirsten Greer Love, said in the letter. In a statement, Hector Balderas, New Mexicos attorney general, said: These individuals should not attempt to exercise authority reserved for law enforcement. Jim Benvie, a spokesman for the United Constitutional Patriots, said in a telephone interview that his group had been camped near El Paso, Texas, for the past two months. Benvie contended that his groups actions were legal, comparing the detention of the migrants to a verbal citizens arrest. Were just here to support the Border Patrol and show the public the reality of the border, said Benvie, 43, who recently came to New Mexico from Minnesota. He said the organization plans to remain on the border until the extended wall proposed by President Donald Trump is built or Congress changes immigration laws to make it harder for migrants to request asylum. Militias have recently stepped up their activities in New Mexico and other states as authorities scramble to respond to a surge in families from Central America, with total apprehensions on the border reaching more than 92,000 in March. Elsewhere on the border, the mayor of Yuma, Arizona, declared an emergency this week as the city sought federal and state assistance to deal with migrant arrivals. Benvie declined to specify how many of its members were in Sunland Park, a city in New Mexico about 9 miles west of El Paso. He said the group included people with military or law enforcement experience. If these people follow our verbal commands, we hold them until Border Patrol comes, Benvie said. Border Patrol has never asked us to stand down. The governor of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, said in a statement that it was completely unacceptable that migrant families might be menaced or threatened in any way, shape or form when they arrive at our border. It should go without saying that regular citizens have no authority to arrest or detain anyone, she added. The video of this week's episode in the New Mexico desert shows Border Patrol agents arriving on the scene at some point after members of the militia have already come into contact with the migrants. Before the arrival of the federal agents, a woman narrating the video tells a man who appears to be a militia member Don't aim the gun in the direction of the families. The migrants can be seen kneeling on the ground and embracing one another. Benvie said members of the militia gave a verbal order of arrest to the migrants, telling them to wait where they were until Border Patrol agents arrived. Members of his group offered $20 to any of the migrants who could identify the smuggler who helped them cross the border, he said, but none took them up on the offer. Benvie said members of his group were told not to point their weapons at any of the migrants. He added that the group has a new rule in which members are not allowed to go on patrol with military-style rifles, but can still carry handguns. We can't make them stay if they don't want to, he said. Carlos A. Diaz, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection, the federal agency that includes the Border Patrol, declined to discuss the episode or the United Constitutional Patriots, but said the agency does not endorse private groups or organizations taking enforcement matters into their own hands. The responses to the militias videos on Facebook included an array of antagonistic and racist descriptions of the asylum-seekers. Got to stop being sympathetic because of the kids, said one commentator, Linda Ellen Sweeney. Got to consider them as collateral damage now. We are DONE. Ursela Ojeda, a policy adviser in Washington for the Womens Refugee Commission, an organization seeking to protect the rights of women and children displaced by conflict and crisis, called the actions of the militia highly problematic. These are families, and lots of young children, fleeing dangerous situations, Ojeda said. I have a hard time seeing how someone has a right to point a loaded weapon at these families. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. HARTFORD Flag Day, June 14, is the deadline to submit orders for the next set of walkway pavers to be placed at the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial. The granite memorial is in Hartfords Minuteman Park on Capitol Ave. and Broad St., across from the William A. ONeill State Armory and the Legislative Office Building. The outdoor memorial is openaround the clock, 7 days a week. Each paver costs $200 and can be engraved with the name of a U.S. veteran, with his or her rank, branch of the military, and the specific years of service and conflict, if desired. Towns/cities can also purchase pavers with their town/city name engraved in honor of those who have served or serve within the town/city. All 6 x 12 pavers will be engraved in upper case block letter-style in three lines of 15 characters per line, including spaces. All verbiage will be approved by the Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc. For a 6 x 12 walkway paver order form, visit the memorials website, www.CTHonorsVets.org or call 860-616-3603 and ask for Tammy Marzik. The next order of pavers will be sent for personalized engraving and will be placed in time for 2019s Veterans Day on Nov. 11. Connecticuts first statewide veterans memorial pays tribute to the states past heroes and heroines, honors todays veterans, and demonstrates the appreciation for their service for generations to come. It is a welcoming place for personal reflection, as well as a gathering place where groups can honor Connecticut veterans for their commitment and sacrifices. Hundreds of 6 x 12 granite engraved pavers are important elements of the memorial, offering state residents a meaningful way to honor or memorialize a special veteran, and the funds raised have supported the memorials development. They are placed along walkways that run from the Legislative Office Building to the center of the Memorial plaza, and on to the Broad Street side of the memorial. The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial officially was opened on November 9, 2015 by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. It features a granite colonnade structure consisting of five columns representing each branch of military service as the memorials main focal point. A semi-circular granite Honor wall with Honoring Those Who Served engraving acts as the memorials framing element. The memorial highlights various conflicts with engraved granite markers throughout the plaza. In addition to the paver walkway, there are benches, specialty lighting, and custom landscaping. The Connecticut State Veterans Memorial, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was established exclusively to raise funds for and build a statewide memorial to honor all Connecticut veterans. A dedicated committee of veterans and volunteers have coordinated this landmark effort and thank the hundreds of Connecticut residents and businesses who have supported this project so far. Visit www.CTHonorsVets.org To obtain a form to order a 6 x 12 engraved walkway paver and get more information about the Memorial, visit www.CTHonorsVets.org or call 860-616-3603. State Police accepting applications MERIDEN The Connecticut State Police is now accepting applications for the position of State Police Trooper Trainee. The Connecticut State Police is interested in qualified candidates, to become part of a proud department with a long history of service to the State of Connecticut. Interested candidates can fill out an application by going to www.jobapscloud.com/CT, and a link will be posted to www.beaconnecticuttrooper.com. Those interested can visit www.beaconnecticuttrooper.com and follow on Instagram: @ctstatepolice_academy or Facebook @CTStatePoliceRecruitment for additional information about the selection process, qualifications and hiring process updates. Parks and Rec holding babysitting classes TORRINGTON Torrington Parks and Recreation Department is holding two Babysitting classes in May. Babysitter Safety 101 will take place on May 4, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. This class is for future babysitters, ages 10-15, and will be held at the Torrington Armory. Instructed by Life Safe Services, this course will enable 10-15 year olds to safely watch over babies and younger children. The Torrington Parks and Recreation Department is holding a Babysitter Safety 102 Class on May 4, 1:30-4:30 p.m. This course is designed for the older sitter, 12 to 16+ years of age that has previously attended an introductory class with a sincere interest in advanced concepts and skills of First Aid including CPR certification. There is a minimum of 10 participants required to run each class and a maximum of 15 will be accepted. The fee for each class is $63. Register in advance at the Parks and Recreation Department located at 153 South Main Street. Call 860-489-2274 for more information. Dog training classes offered Torrington Parks & Recreation is offering dog training classes. Therapy Dog Course will run on Saturdays, June 1-July 13, with no class on June 8, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. at Coe Memorial Park. From working with children who need help learning to read, to visiting Senior Citizens living in assisted living communitie, sharing the love and affection of your dog improves the lives of others in so many more ways than we can begin to comprehend. Basic Obedience II class is a prerequisite for this course or other training methods and level has been evaluated and considered comparable. This class is $300 per session and is open to dogs 1 year or old. To register, stop by the Parks and Recreation Department or log on at https://torringtonct.myrec.com. For more information, call 860-489-2274. Themed A colourful harmony, the opening ceremony featured the participation of the village patriarchs, leaders, artisans and people from ethnic minorities in the Village. Artists, artisans and villagers gave numerous performances of traditional art forms and musical instruments, creating a harmony imbued with the traditional cultural identities of ethnic minority groups. E De artisans from Dak Lak province reproduced the Central Highland Gong Festival which was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity. The organising board also arranged an area to display traditional instruments of ethnic minority groups and introduced visitors to the process of making them. Various traditional rituals and festivals of ethnic minorities, including a new rice festival, a ceremony to pay tribute to gods and rituals to pray for good weather and bumper crops, are being reproduced on the occasion. Notably, visitors will have a chance to enjoy specialties and traditional food, as well as join attractive activities, such as tea picking, fabric weaving, handicraft weaving, wine making and Vietnamese traditional medicine processing. The organisation of annual activities to celebrate the Vietnam Ethnic Group Cultural Day (April 14) has significantly contributed to educating patriotism among the people as well as raising public awareness of preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of ethnic minority groups. The event also strengthens national great unity, enhances the promotion of cultural heritages and attracts more domestic and international visitors to the Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism. A traditional ritual to pray for peace (Photo: VNA) Police in Northern Ireland said a woman was killed Thursday during a night of unrest in the city of Londonderry in which gasoline bombs were thrown and shots fired. Mark Hamilton, an assistant chief constable, said police considered the killing to be a terrorist incident and had begun a homicide investigation. The victim, 29, was not immediately identified, although multiple people tweeted the victim was journalist Lyra McKee. SAN JOSE (BCN) An 83-year-old man seriously injured in a Feb. 18 crash died at the hospital a month later, San Jose police confirmed Thursday. Police said they were informed Tuesday that the man had succumbed to his injuries. A 53-year-old man was driving the victim at 12:02 p.m. in a 2007 Toyota when the driver failed to yield at a stop sign on eastbound Margaret Street approaching South Eleventh Street. A 21-year-old woman driving a 2017 Hyundai and a 23-year-old man driving a 2014 BMW struck the Toyota in the intersection. Three of the four people in the crash were taken to the hospital, and the 83-year-old man died on March 16. Police do not believe drugs or alcohol were factors in the fatal crash, which was the 14th of the year in San Jose. The Santa Clara County medical examiner's office has not yet identified the victim. 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 Jose will break ground on one of its biggest 100 percent affordable housing projects Friday, with plans to bring 135 units to the downtown market by 2022. Construction crews are currently clearing out the 0.7-acre site at Bassett and Terraine streets near state Highway 87 and laying groundwork for what will become North San Pedro Studios. The roughly $30 million undertaking is located about a half-mile from the city's first 100 percent affordable housing project, the 83-unit Villas on the Park slated to open this fall. Both projects are funded in part by the $950 million Santa Clara County Measure A housing bond approved by voters in 2016. North San Pedro Studios also received a $24.16 million Infill Infrastructure Grant from the state Department of Housing and Community Development. It will be the first in the city to set aside 55 units specifically for chronically homeless veterans, according to Elisabeth Handler, spokeswoman for the city's Office of Economic Development. The six-story structure will have a manager unit, 118 studio units and 16 one-bedroom units for those receiving 30 to 50 percent of the area's medium income, which is about $25,000 to $40,000 for one person. Rescuers have called off a search for a boogie boarder who went missing off the coast of San Mateo County Thursday afternoon, sheriff's officials said. The rescue was called off at about 6:45 p.m. for the 18-year-old man who was last seen off Poplar Beach in Half Moon Bay. The man's friends last saw him about 15 yards off shore and he appeared to be unresponsive and face down in the water, sheriff's spokeswoman Detective Rosemerry Blankswade said. The search began at about 3 p.m. Blankswade said deputies are taking a missing persons' report. If they get other evidence of the man's whereabouts, a search may begin again, Blankswade said. A freelance photographer is alleged to have offered a TV news station confidential police information on the death of San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi in exchange for money, an official with the Public Defender's office said Thursday at a Board of Supervisor's committee hearing. City Supervisor Sandra Lee Fewer called for the hearing in front of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee to look into the policies the Police Department has in place for the release of private information. Following the unexpected Feb. 22 death of Adachi, 59, at a North Beach apartment, news reports citing a police report, complete with pictures of the apartment, surfaced detailing the investigation into his death. During Thursday's hearing, Supervisor Hillary Ronen called the leaked report "disgusting." Hadi Razzaq, with the Public Defender's Investigation Unit, said a TV news reporter told him that the photographer offered the leaked police report to their station for $2,500. That station, however, reportedly couldn't afford the price and the photographer went on to sell it other news outlets, he said. Benicia police said negotiations were continuing Thursday evening with a person who said they are armed and may hurt someone who lives with them. At about 3 p.m. police received a call from the person who made the claims from a home in the 300 block of East H Street. Streets in the area have been closed, some neighbors have been evacuated and others are sheltering in place. Just before 8 p.m., police spokeswoman Irma Widjojo said that no injuries have been reported. A 70-year-old woman was arrested Wednesday evening on suspicion of strangling her 3-year-old grandson Monday, Milpitas police reported. Officers responded at 4:44 p.m. Monday to a house in the 700 block of Luz Del Sol Loop on reports of an unresponsive child. Police and firefighters attempted to save the boy's life, but he died later at the hospital. The boy was named Ayub Hassan, according to the Santa Clara County medical examiner's office, and he died of "manual strangulation." Police obtained a warrant for 70-year-old Foos Abdi Hashi on Wednesday and arrested her at 6:20 p.m. in San Jose. Officers said she's a Milpitas resident and the paternal grandmother of the victim. She was booked into the Santa Clara County main jail on suspicion of murder and is currently being held without bail. She is scheduled to appear in court in Santa Clara County on Friday afternoon. Prosecutors and defense lawyers on Friday morning will continue their battle over the mental competency of a transient who's charged with murder for the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Nia Wilson at the MacArthur BART station in Oakland last July. John Lee Cowell, 28, is charged with murder for the stabbing, which occurred at the MacArthur station at 9:36 p.m. on July 22, but Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Cramer suspended the legal proceedings against him on Dec. 27, saying there is "substantial evidence" that he's mentally incompetent to stand trial. Cramer appointed two psychiatrists to examine Cowell and submit reports to the court on their findings about his mental competence but their conclusions differed. Dr. Marlin Griffith said in a report submitted to the court on Feb. 13 that he believes Cowell is incompetent to stand trial. But Dr. John Chamberlin said in a report submitted on March 8 that he was unable to arrive at a conclusion about Cowell's competency. A two-alarm structure fire was under control in Fairfield Thursday afternoon, fire officials said. As of 4:47 p.m. the fire on Downing Court was under control. 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. MARTINEZ (BCN) Salvador Morales was drunk and high when he shot a relative in the neck, kidnapped his estranged wife and child then led East Bay law enforcement on a chase that ended at his Pittsburg home where he was shot eight times by a SWAT team, investigators said Thursday morning at a coroner's inquest in a Martinez courtroom. Inquests are held by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office any time a fatality involves peace officers, including shootings and other in-custody deaths. They are open to the public, although this one seemed to be mostly attended by police. Pittsburg Police Officer Kevin Barkley was patrolling the city's south side on the evening of Oct. 22 when he was dispatched to a report of a battery on Carolyn Drive. Morales, 37, had gotten into an argument with his estranged wife and shot his brother-in-law when the other man tried to intervene. As Barkley arrived on scene there was already a crowd gathering. Witnesses pointed him toward a pickup truck that Morales had forced his wife and child into as he fled the scene. Barkley gave chase, initially losing sight of the truck but catching up on Leland Road. He launched a StarChase GPS-tracking device that stuck to the truck, relayed coordinates back to dispatchers and allowed police to track the vehicle remotely rather than engage in a potentially risky pursuit. Barkley said the officers involved were particularly concerned about a collision while the woman and child were in the vehicle. Morales drove around Concord for 10 or 15 minutes, then took state Highway 4 east to his home on 10th Street, where he pulled into a driveway and got out of the vehicle. Arriving officers told him to stop and drop his weapon, but the decedent pulled back the slide on his semi-automatic Glock to ensure a live round was inside the chamber. Police were able to rescue the woman and her child. They set up a perimeter, called in the SWAT team, established communications and attempted to negotiate but Morales only spoke Spanish. Oakley Police Officer Garrett Wayne, who spent two years as a missionary in Latin America and is fluent in Spanish, had dispatchers connect his cellphone to Morales's phone and tried to strike up a conversation. "I explained to him that we didn't want anyone to get hurt... we wanted this scene to end without any type of violence," Wayne said, describing Morales as "very apologetic about what happened." He wanted to see his mother, which officers offered to facilitate. He also wanted to go out to his truck and get some cigarettes, but police were concerned about him fleeing in the vehicle again. They offered to buy him a fresh pack, his choice in brand, at a nearby store. The suspect went inside and came back out repeatedly, putting the gun to his head on more than one occasion. When the SWAT team arrived in an armored vehicle they boxed the truck in, the officers got out and took cover. "We knew that we could not allow this vehicle to go mobile again," team leader Sgt. William Hatcher said. "It was just too dangerous." They deployed a sniper team, as well as an officer armed with a less-lethal 40mm weapon. Pittsburg SWAT Officer Fernando Salamanca, who is also fluent in Spanish, was assigned to act as translator in negotiations. "He just wanted us to listen to his side of the story," Salamanca said. "That was mixed in with insults to police." Morales was using profanity and using at least one homophobic slur, in Spanish, according to Salamanca. They continued negotiations but at some point Morales insisted on going to his truck for his cigarettes, carrying a handgun loaded with a 30-round high-capacity magazine, and the SWAT team shot him in the chest with a sponge round from the 40mm. Morales groaned and doubled over, firing a round off from the Glock just after getting hit with the less-lethal projectile, but as he regained his posture he began to raise the pistol and multiple officers opened fire, striking him at least five times. Hatcher pushed forward, ordering the rest of the team to do so as well, and kicked the pistol away from Morales as they secured the scene. A medic rendered aid, but Morales died before he could be transported to a hospital. Officers later said that after the shooting on Carolyn Drive, and based on Morales' agitated state, when he raised his pistol they considered him a threat and feared for their safety. The officers were all sequestered, per the county's officer-involved shooting protocol, and investigators from the Pittsburg Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office launched a joint investigation. The coroner's office conducted an autopsy, finding that Morales suffered three gunshot wounds to the head and that was the cause of death. He suffered two gunshot wounds in his left arm. His body showed symptoms of high blood pressure and hypertension, as well as fatty liver tissue associated with heavy alcohol use, but those aren't what killed him. A toxicology test found that he had a blood-alcohol content of 0.16 percent, roughly twice the legal driving limit, at the time of his death. He also had high levels of methamphetamine, amphetamines and cocaine in his blood. Coroner's inquests take place before a 12-person jury, and at the conclusion jurors are asked to determine the decedent's mode or manner of death. They found that Morales died at the hands of another person, other than by accident. The other options they could have chosen included accident, natural causes and suicide. 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. All lanes of state Highway 160 on the Antioch Bridge were closed Thursday morning due to a major injury accident, according to the California Highway Patrol. The collision was reported at about 9 a.m. and the CHP issued a Sig-alert at about 9:40 a.m. All lanes were reopened and the Sig-alert was cancelled by about 11 a.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. OAKLAND (BCN) Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced Thursday that the city will begin using renewable diesel gathered from raw materials such as cooking oil from local businesses to operate city vehicles. The city already has run its fleet of vehicles on renewable diesel since 2015, but Schaaf said converting raw materials into diesel is another step in improving the lives of Oakland residents by reducing local emissions from the city's fleet. "Grease from French fries at local restaurants may wind up in the city's fire trucks," Schaaf said at a news conference in her office Thursday morning. Oil from grease products and waste also will be used. Schaaf said, "Oakland is leading the way with a circular economy," which is a system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources instead of a 'take, make, dispose' model of production. More for you Bay Area cities could be as hot as Tijuana in just 60 years "This bold move will give our residents cleaner air and it takes us one important step forward in our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," she said. Oakland Assistant Public Works Director Richard Battersby said the city, oil refining and marketing company Neste, fuel distributor Western States Oil and local collectors have joined forces to gather waste cooking oils from restaurants and cafeterias in the Oakland area and convert it to fuel the city's fleet. Battersby said by making waste more valuable and supporting jobs that collect and treat it, the concept will help the local economy and the cleaner-burning fuel will result in "significant emission reductions." Jeremy Baines, Neste's vice president of sales for the U.S., said, "We are excited to partner with the city of Oakland to make 'from city waste to city fuel' a reality and do our part to improve the lives of the people in the city." In 2015, Oakland switched 100 percent from using petroleum diesel to cleaner-burning renewable diesel produced from waste feedstock. The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter is offering half-priced adoptions for all cats through the end of May because of an overload of adult cats at the shelter. The regular adoption fee for cats at the shelter is $120 for kittens up to 12 months old, $100 for adult cats between 1 and 6 years old, and $55 for cats older than 6. The fee includes spay or neuter services, initial worming and vaccinations, a rabies vaccine, microchip, collar and ID tag, and cardboard cat carrier, according to the shelter. More information about adoptions, as well as photos and details for the adoptable cats, can be found at https://www.scanimalshelter.org. The shelter is located at 1001 Rodriguez St. in Santa Cruz. 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 INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (BCN) Supporters of a Filipino human rights advocate who was detained and allegedly mistreated by immigration officials at San Francisco International Airport last year plan to hold an anniversary rally at the airport on Friday evening. Jerome Aladdin Aba was on his way to a U.S. speaking tour to discuss repressive conditions in the Philippines when U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials detained him at the airport for 28 hours, beginning the evening of April 17 and ending with his release early on April 19, 2018. Aba was denied entry and was placed on a flight back to Manila. He claims he was forced to undress and stand in front of an industrial fan during a lengthy interrogation in which he was questioned about his political beliefs, was denied food for the first 24 hours, and was left in a locked room with a handgun and a grenade. Customs and Border Protection officials denied last May that Aba was not given food and that he was left alone with a loaded gun. They said he was held for 28 hours to await the next flight to Manila. The rally at the airport will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at the international arrivals area between Doors 2 and 3. It will include a Guerrilla Theater reenactment of the incident and talks by people from the Philippines about the human rights situation there. 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. fter flying for 25 years, Jet Airways on Wednesday announced grounding of operations after its lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) declined an interim funding of Rs 400-crore to keep Jet afloat. Mumbai: All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA), the oldest and largest bank union has urged the government to takeover the beleaguered Jet Airways if no bidder is willing to invest in it. The Association has also demanded a thorough enquiry into the affairs of Jet Airways and to punish the wrongdoers. The Bank Union has also opposed any move to force banks to lend more money to the airline. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, the AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam said, We learn banks have invited bids to possible investors to take over the company. If it does not happen and no bidder is willing to invest and take over the airline, we urge upon the government to take over the airline so that the jobs and future of the thousands of employees, most of whom are young, are safe and without jeopardy. Incidentally, everyone is looking to the Banks to bail out the airline as though Banks are the owners of the company. Mr Naresh Goyal is still the promoter and major share-holder with 51 per cent of the shares with him and it is his headache to run the company or sell it someone, wrote the Union leader. After flying for 25 years, Jet Airways on Wednesday announced grounding of operations after its lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) declined an interim funding of Rs 400-crore to keep Jet afloat. A consortium of 26 lenders led by the SBI, with 51 per cent stake in the cash strapped airline, had invited bids from potential suitors and had selected Etihad Airways, National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), TPG Capital and Indigo Partners as qualified bidders. SBI Capital Markets has the mandate for Jet Airways' sale. The bids received for Jet Airways will be opened on May 10. The letter said that there are reports that most of the woes of the company are due to their own wrong and unwise business decisions and hence there should be a thorough enquiry into the affairs of Jet Airways and the wrongdoers should be punished. In this case the airline company has suspended its operations due to debt issues and loss of business is not covered under the policy, said G Srinivasan, former Chairman of New India Assurance. Chennai: After the Jet Airways suspended its flying operations, insurance might not come for the rescue of both the company and the customers who had booked their tickets. Neither the company can claim loss due to suspension of business operations nor the customer claim for flight cancellation. Usually airline companies buy aviation insurance policies which typically cover damage to aircrafts, passenger liability, hijacking, war perils etc. In this case the airline company has suspended its operations due to debt issues and loss of business is not covered under the policy, said G Srinivasan, former Chairman of New India Assurance. Oriental Insurance is the leading insurer of Jet Airways and New India Insurance has some time been a co-insurer. Insurance is triggered when there are accidents and mishaps and not business failures, added Sanjay Datta, Chief- Underwriting, Claims & Reinsurance, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company. However, the company can get a refund on the laid up cover portion of the total premium, he added. If say, Jet Airways had paid a premium of Rs 100 crore, part of it would be for the laid up cover. The period for which the aircrafts are grounded, the premium for that period would be refunded. But it would be a very small portion of this Rs 100 crore, said Srinivasan. In order to protect a company or its project from a possible business loss, a niche cover is available these days. But none of the aviation companies usually purchase this cover. As far as customers are concerned, the flight booking charges will not be refunded under the travel insurance policy. Travel insurance covers all unforeseeable events occurring during a travel and this largely covers medical emergencies. But the cover kicks off when the travel begins. In this case, the journey itself has not started and hence the customer will not be able to make a claim for cancellation of flight, said Dutta. Further, the cancellation has been informed well in advance, added Srinivasan. Three images taken from footage of Congress leader Hardik Patel being slapped by a man. (PTI) Ahmedabad: Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by a man on Friday when he was addressing a poll rally in a village in Surendranagar district of Gujarat. An angry Patel blamed the BJP for the incident and said this was an attempt to kill him. However, the BJP leaders said they have nothing to do with the incident which they termed as a staged drama by the Congress to gain sympathy ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The man, identified as Tarun Gajjar, a resident of Kadi town of Mehsana district, suffered injuries after he was thrashed by Congress workers, Patel supporters and others at the rally venue, around 130 km from here. He is currently undergoing treatment as he was badly thrashed by people at the rally, said police inspector of Wadhwan, H. R. Jethi. Gajjar said he is not associated with any political party and slapped the Patidar quota leader due to personal reasons. As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, Mr Gajjar suddenly came on the stage and slapped him. The incident was captured in cameras of news channels covering the event in the district, around 130km from here. Congress candidate for the Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat, Soma Patel, was present on the dais when Mr Patel was slapped. Gajjar appeared angry and was seen saying something to Mr Patel after slapping him. Gajjar was overpowered by Congress workers, Hardik Patel supporters and others present at the rally, who also beat him up. The police intervened and freed Gajjar and took him to a safer place in their vehicle, said Mr Jethi. He later explained the reason for attack. He said his wife was pregnant at the time of the Patidar agitation and was receiving treatment at a hospital, and he had faced problems then. In a video of the incident, Gajjar can be seen being mercilessly thrashed by both women and men, who also tore his cloths, before policemen intervened and took him away. Following the incident, Mr Patel lodged a complaint with the police. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. President Trump has never made any secret of his desire to have an attorney general whose first loyalty was to him. Regrettably for the nation and the honest administration of justice, Trump unquestionably now has one in William Barr. The attorney general has lost all credibility with his disgraceful handling of the rollout of the Mueller report into Russian interference into the 2016 election. Barr left the American people for more than a month with a seriously skewed characterization of the principal conclusions from Special Counsel Robert Muellers findings from the two-year investigation. His four-page summary of those conclusions amounted to nothing much to see here, folks. While he was correct that the Mueller team could not make a case that anyone in Trumps campaign broke the law by conspiring with Russians, the Barr summary was downright deceptive in its portrayal of the special counsels findings on possible obstruction of justice by the president. Barrs summary suggested that difficult questions of law and fact left it difficult for Mueller to determine whether Trump had obstructed the probe. Barr and his deputy took it upon themselves to conclude that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish obstruction. Americans who have now read the Muellers teams own words in the 448-page report discovered that Barrs account was highly misleading. In fact, Muellers hesitation was not based on an inability to decide; it was guided in part by a Department of Justice policy that a sitting president could not be indicted. Given that, Mueller suggested it would be unfair to accuse Trump of a crime when the president could not have a chance to defend himself in a speedy and public trial with the constitutional protections. Barr also suggested that Trump could not have obstructed justice into an investigation of a crime he did not commit. Muellers report clearly stated otherwise. The injury to the integrity of the justice system is the same regardless of whether a person committed an underlying wrong, it stated. Muellers investigation detailed multiple acts by the president that were capable of exerting undue influence over law enforcement investigations. Rather than punting the obstruction decision to Barr, Mueller very clearly noted that a decision on what to do with the substantial evidence of wrongdoing he collected should be made by Congress, which has the power of impeachment. Barr never bothered to correct Trumps exhortation of complete and total exoneration. Barr might as well have been on a Trump spokesman, rather than the nations chief law enforcement officer, at a bizarre Thursday news conference (before the reports release) in which he offered a sympathetic explanation for Trumps repeated efforts to stymie the investigation. Barr chalked it up to Trumps anger and frustration. Justice has been frustrated. Americans are justifiably angry. Barr has proved himself unfit for the high office he holds. 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. A Northern California man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail after pleading guilty to killing more than 150 protected birds and other wildlife. Authorities are calling it the largest raptor poaching case in California history. State prosecutors said Friday that 68-year-old Richard Parker also agreed to pay $75,000 in fines after pleading guilty to crimes related to poaching. ALSO: Red-tailed hawk uses plastic to blanket young California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers began investigating Parker last March after receiving a tip by someone who saw a man kill a hawk near Standish, a rural Lassen County town about 135 miles northeast of Sacramento. When they searched Parker's property, officers found 159 dead animals, most of them red-tailed hawks but also two bobcats, a taxidermied mountain lion and an owl. Authorities ordered the two firearms used to commit the crimes be destroyed. As part of his probation terms, Parker is prohibited from possessing firearms and fishing and hunting. "Poaching is not a game, it's a serious crime," said Attorney General Xavier Becerra in a statement. "Richard Parker willfully and egregiously disregarded California law to kill protected wildlife, including hawks. To anyone who breaks our laws for illegal sport, know that we will prosecute and hold you accountable." The red-tailed hawk is a bird of prey common throughout most of North America. It can survive in a variety of environment and is known to prey on small mammals, like rodents and ground squirrels. The bird is also highly trainable, making it a popular bird for falconry. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Bhopal: Malegaon blast accused and BJPs Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Pragya Singh Thakur has claimed police officer Hemant Karkare was killed during the 26/11 attacks as she cursed him for torturing her. She apologised after the BJP distanced itself from the remarks, describing them as personal, while the late IPS officers colleagues berated her for insulting his memory. Meanwhile, chief electoral officer of Madhya Pradesh B.L. Kanta Rao took cognizance of the issue and sought a report from Bhopal collector. Pitted against Congress veteran Digvijay Singh, Ms Thakur had made the statement while recounting her ordeal during her 24-day-custody with the Maharashtra anti-terrorist squad (ATS) after she was arrested in 2009 in connection with the blast in Malegaon in September 2008 in which six people were killed and 101 injured. Addressing BJP workers in Bhopal on Thursday night, Ms Thakur had also claimed that Karkare had made up his mind not to release her from custody. Hemant Karkare was called by the (blast) probe panel member to Mumbai. I was then in a Mumbai jail. The commission member told him that if he didnt have any proof against me, he should not unlawfully hold me in jail, she said. But he (Karkare) said he will do anything to bring the proof. Will do anything, will create it, bring it from here and there, but will not release Sadhvi, she said. This was his (Karkares) cunningness, she said adding, I told him he will be destroyed. Page Content A German court has overturned a long-held principle in German law, and, as a result, a worker's leave no longer automatically expires at the end of a calendar year. Ever since the German Federal Leave Act took effect, German employers have generally required that workers take the leave they accrue during a calendar year in that same calendar year. Otherwise, the leave would expire at the end of the year. Carrying over leave into the following calendar year was possible only in exceptional cases regulated by law, such as if there were urgent operational reasons (e.g., if employees had to delay taking leave to work during a peak season) or personal reasons (e.g., employee illness). Even if leave carried over, it still would expire on March 31 of the following calendar year. But the European Court of Justice ruled Nov. 6, 2018, that this automatic expiration was incompatible with European law. German Case Law Brought in Line Subsequently, the German Federal Labor Court decided in a Feb. 19 ruling that an employee's paid annual leave generally expires at the end of the year only if the employer reminds the worker about any unused leave time and asks the worker to take the time off. If the worker refuses, then the leave will expire at the end of the year. In its ruling, the court referenced the European Working Time Directive, which states that the employer is obliged to encourage workers to take the paid leave granted to them. Otherwise, there is a considerable risk that employees will automatically save up paid leave, and if they leave their job, they could demand financial compensation for unused leave from previous years. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] Best Practices In view of the court's recent decision, employers should keep track of the number of days of paid leave that workers have yet to take. If employees have not applied for or taken leave by midyear, an employer should remind them how many leave days they have left and ask when they plan to take leave that calendar year. If any employees still have not taken or planned to take leave by the end of the third quarter, the employer should again remind them how much leave time they have left. This time, the employer should ask workers in writing to take the remaining leave in the current calendar year, stating clearly that, otherwise, the leave will automatically expire at the end of the year. Should a worker challenge the expiration, employers bear the burden of proof that all these steps were taken. Employees should also be reminded that even if leave does carry over for urgent operational or personal reasons, it will expire by March 31 of the following calendar year. This notification should be made in writing, whether by e-mail, on leave request forms or in an online tool. Anja Becher is an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Berlin. Page Content Employees can access their personnel files and get a copy of any other data processed and stored about them, even during an ongoing trial, according to a Dec. 20 ruling by Germany's State Labor Court of Baden-Wurttemberg. A large German car manufacturer fired the plaintiff, an attorney, for performance issues. Before the firing, the manufacturer opened an investigation into the plaintiff based on a whistle-blower's tip. Although the investigation found that the plaintiff had breached company rules, the company did not discipline the attorney. After the firing, the plaintiff sued, claiming unfair dismissal and asking for access to files documenting the investigation and any records on the plaintiff's on-the-job performance and behavior. Right to Review Files The State Labor Court reversed the employee's dismissal and agreed that the plaintiff had a right to review these records, including files the company had deemed confidential. It's unclear if the company reinstated the attorney or if it paid him damages. The court rejected the company's argument that the disclosure would endanger an ongoing internal investigation, since the investigation was finished. Nor could the company plausibly argue that it had to withhold the files to protect the identity of the whistle-blowers, as this could be easily done by redacting their names. The court also ruled that the plaintiff had a right to files on his performance and behavior under Article 15 of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which provides a right to information and has been applicable in the European Union since May 2018. [SHRM members-only toolkit: Introduction to the Global Human Resources Discipline] First Decision of Its Kind This ruling is the first time a German labor court has defined the scope of the right to information under Article 15 of the GDPR. The State Labor Court broadly interpreted employee rights under the GDPR, leading to its conclusion that an employer must provide the employee with almost any data about the worker since the start of the employment relationship. This decision might impact employer data record-keeping protocols. Should an employee ask to see his or her personnel files, the employer would need to first scan for and possibly remove any information on trade and business secrets and personal data about other people. Redacting the information could require enormous effort. The company has appealed the court's ruling. The Federal Labor Court may endorse a more restrictive interpretation of the information rights under the GDPR. Jan-Ove Becker and David Wagner are attorneys with Littler in Hamburg, Germany. Page Content Foreign nationals in the United States who are transitioning from student visas to employer-sponsored visas may have a hard time returning to the U. S. if they travel abroad between the date their student visa expires and Oct. 1, when professional visas take effect. The F-1 visa lets foreign students study full time at U.S. colleges or universities. The H-1B visa lets U.S. employers sponsor foreign workers in jobs requiring specialized knowledge, such as in the sciences, medicine, health care, education, biotechnology and business specialties. To be eligible for an H-1B visa, workers must have a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in a specific specialty. [SHRM members-only how-to guide: How to Sponsor an Individual for an H-1B Visa] Typically, students on F-1 visas graduate in May or June and can then work for a year in the U.S. in a field related to their major area of study. After this employment authorizationknown as optional practical training (OPT)those who've studied science, technology, engineering or math can try to extend their OPT for another 24 months. If companies want to employ the graduates beyond the additional two years, they must typically file an H-1B petition on April 1 for an H-1B start date of Oct. 1. Petitions are selected by lottery and approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The demand for H-1B workers in recent years has far exceeded the supply of visas. Several years ago, USCIS published a regulation that automatically extends OPT so there is no gap in employment authorization between the OPT expiration date and Oct. 1, also known as the "cap-gap" period. But graduatesreferred to as students under immigration lawwho want to travel internationally during the cap-gap period face numerous decisions, noted Andrew Greenfield, an attorney with Fragomen in Washington, D.C. Different Scenarios When someone leaves the U.S. while a change-of-status petition is pending, the petition may be deemed abandoned, said James Pack, an attorney with Fragomen in Irvine, Calif. If a college graduate who's finished his or her OPT year travels abroad and then returns to the U.S. while the H-1B petition is still pending with USCIS, he or she likely must make a second trip abroad, apply for an H-1B visa stamp at a consulate, and re-enter the U.S. on or after Oct. 1 for H-1B work authorization to take effect. A second international trip could be burdensome, and besides that, wait time for consular appointments may be lengthy, which could impact a graduate's ability to start a U.S. job in a timely manner, Greenfield noted. If graduates try to return to the U.S. before Oct. 1, they must do so on a student visa, which means the visa requires a valid stamp. If they do not have a student visa, graduates must apply for one at a U.S. consulate or at a port of entry before returning. But if this is done during the cap-gap period, a consular or border officer may question the graduate's intent to ultimately return to his or her home country. Graduates must prove that they have a residence abroad that they plan to return to after a temporary U.S. stay. The graduate could be asked to wait abroad until Oct. 1 before entering the U.S. with an H-1B visa. No Exceptions for Emergencies Graduates in the cap-gap period "should not travel abroad during the change-of-status request pendency unless there is an emergency, and they should be fully prepared to wait outside of the U.S. until they can return on the H-1B visa," said Yova Borovska, an attorney with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney in Tampa, Fla. "Even if there's a death in the family, that does not change the rules," noted Courtney Noce, an attorney with Greenberg Traurig in Atlanta. Plan in Advance When Possible HR should ask employees with pending immigration status about any international travel plans far in advance, to confirm the worker's ability to travel and so the employer can explain the risks, Borovska recommended. "If an employee in his or her cap-gap period departs during the change-of-status pendency, he or she would be stuck abroad for some time before being able to return, and that may disrupt the employer's operations," she noted. Foreign national employees should always double-check their ability to travel internationally before scheduling any travel plans, she added. "They should not rely on the ability to travel in the past or on outdated advice related to travel, as a small change in circumstances may prevent them from returning to the U.S., sometimes for an extended period of time," Borovska said. If the graduate has a passport from a country subject to President Donald Trump's travel banIran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela or YemenGreenfield said HR should caution them that they may experience delays when re-entering the U.S. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Several furry pets are up for adoption this weekend. The devoted volunteer animal rescue groups listed below have dozens of animals in their care just waiting for forever families like you to rescue them. Remember, its not all about cute pups and kitties: There are senior and disabled pets who really need your love and attention, too. Upcoming pet events are listed below. Click through the photos above to meet the adorable dogs and cats up for adoption this weekend. APRIL 20 ACC of NYC, located at 3139 Veterans Road West. Adoption hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Louies Legacy will be at PetSmart, 1525 Forest Ave., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and at PetSmart, 2101 Route 35, Holmdel, N.J., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mama Chris Animal Rescue. Adoptable pets can be viewed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the new Petco in Bricktown Commons, 165 Bricktown Way, Suite 1C, across from Michaels and Ulta. P.L.U.T.O. will be at the new Petco in Bricktown Commons, 165 Bricktown Way, Suite 1C, across from Michaels and Ulta, from noon to 3 p.m. with adoptable pets. SICAW will be at Petsmart Adoption Center, 1525 Forest Ave., with cats from 2 to 5 p.m. Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue will be at Petco, 2795 Richmond Ave., from noon to 4 p.m. APRIL 21 ACC of NYC, located at 3139 Veterans Road West. Adoption hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mama Chris Animal Rescue. Adoptable pets can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Petco in Bricktown Commons, 165 Bricktown Way, Suite 1C, across from Michaels and Ulta. SICAW will be at the Petco in Bricktown Commons, 165 Bricktown Way, Suite 1C, across from Michaels and Ulta, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. APRIL 19 Victory for the Voiceless Animal Rescue will be at Sunrise Senior Living Facility on Staten Island from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The rescue group was invited to spend time with residents, who will enjoy arts and crafts and a little companionship with Victory for the Voiceless adoptable kittens and dogs. For more info, visit victory4thevoicelessanimalrescue.com. APRIL 27 Fur Friends in Need fundraiser Painting with a Purpose at Painting With A Twist, 2145 NJ Route 35 in Kohls Plaza, intersection of Union Avenue, Holmdel, N.J. The cost is $50 per seat and youll paint on an extra long canvas, 10-inch-by-30-inch. Arrive by 6:30 p.m.; painting is from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information, call Joe at 732-226-2665. For reservations, visit Facebook.com/FurFriendsinNeed/. APRIL 30 The seventh annual NYC Re-tails & Sales Pet Expo is a one-of-a-kind boutique trade show. Pet professionals or those in the pet industry will be in attendance from 1 to 6 p.m. The event will feature new products for 2019 and is hosted by Nancy Hassel of American Pet Professionals and Dana Humphrey of Whitegate PR. If you are not a pet professional or not in the pet industry, your hours to attend with a paid ticket are from 4 to 6 p.m. Pet parents will be able to shop and attend the panel session about CBD and holistic pet products at Home Studios Inc., 873 Broadway, near Union Square Park at 18th Street in Manhattan. Well-behaved pets in strollers or with six-foot non-retractable leashes are welcome. You will also need to sign a waiver when arriving with your pet. Vendors will showcase the latest and greatest innovative pet products. They also will celebrate National Pets Month and Week at the event. Pet celebrities will be in attendance as well as retailers from Boston, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York City and Long Island to see and shop for products for their stores. For more information about the expo, to purchase tickets or to become a vendor, visit RetailsandSalesPetExpo.com. MAY 5 Walk with your best furry friend during the Gateway Rotary Club Foundations fourth annual dog walk in memory of New Dorp resident SSG. Michael Ollis, who sacrificed his life in Afghanistan. The half-mile or one-mile leashed-dog walk starts at 9:30 a.m. in Wolfes Pond Park, 420 Cornelia Ave. It will benefit Americas VetDogs, a not-for-profit that provides guide and service dogs to disabled veterans at no cost, as well as other Staten Island charities. Fun dog contests will follow the walk. The online early discounted registration is $15 for one dog and $25 for two dogs. Race-day registration starts at 8 a.m. and the fee is $20 for one dog and $30 for two dogs. Theres a limit of two dogs per walker/handler and all dogs should be well-behaved, sociable and non-aggressive. Per city Parks Department, leashes that are no longer than six feet and non-retractable are required. For more info, visit www.eventbrite.com/d/ny--new-york/dog-events/. MAY 19 Would you like to see hometown heroes, police officers, firefighters, active/retired military and other community leaders escort adorable, adoptable rescue dogs down a 25-foot runway in the hopes of landing them a forever home? Then join Mr. Bones & Co. at its seventh annual Rescue the Runway event in the famed beer hall, Bergn, 899 Bergen St., Brooklyn. VIP doors open at 1:30 p.m. with general admission at 2 p.m. This unique, interactive animal welfare event benefits One Lucky Pup rescue rehabilitation and adoption program, as well as Brooklyn Badass Animal Rescue, Rebound Hounds and one more organization to be announced. Guests will enjoy a premium bar, tasting selections from three resident food vendors, VIP runway show seating, a large silent auction, fun raffles, prize wheel, a pit bull kissing booth and more. The event ends at 5 p.m. For additional information or to purchase tickets, visit mrbonesandco.org. JUNE 1 and 2 Mark your calendars for the World Dog Expo. This dog-friendly event will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 1 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 2 in the Meadowlands Exposition Center, 355 Plaza Drive, Secaucus, N.J. Admission varies; tickets start at $15. This weekend event will celebrate dogs everywhere in a large-scale, cutting-edge multimedia format. With multiple stages attendees will enjoy events such as dock diving, disc dog, lure coursing, weight pulling and schutzhund to name a few. The World Dog Experience will provide opportunities for dogs and their owner to participate together in sports, education, training and other bonding experiences. Also, the show will work to promote dog rescue, fostering and adoption. The main attraction of World Dog Expo will be the notable trade show event, featuring a huge array of dog-centered products. Attendees will be able to find the newest and best products for their canine companions. Participating vendors will benefit from the unprecedented exposure created for the event. For more info, visit worldexpo.dog. JUNE 22 NYC Parks invites you to the pet-friendly Pawz & Clawz Adoption and Information Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Midland Beach Splaza, Capodanno Boulevard and Seaview Avenue. The event includes pet adoption opportunities, local veterinarians, obedience trainers, groomers and more. Interested organizations can register online at ceanbreezenyc.org/2019PawzClawz. For accessibility and event information, contact Kate Rzucidlo at Kate.Rzucidlo@parks.nyc.gov or 718-351-7923. Remember: NYC Parks requires all animals be on a six-foot leash while in the parks. They ask that all participants bringing a pet to please abide by these rules and regulations. HOW TO CONTACT LOCAL RESCUE GROUPS Animal Care Centers of NYC; 212-788-4000, nycacc.org ; located at 3139 Veterans Road West. Adoption hours: Monday-Friday, noon to 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. furfriendsinneed.com. Fur Friends in Need, New Jersey-based group with Staten Island members and adoption events on the Island; 732-829-1426, imavegge@aol.com happyhomesinc.org. Happy Homes Animal Rescue, New Jersey-based group with Staten Island adoption events; 914-393-8292, elaine@ happyhomesinc.org, tinad225@gmail.com; louieslegacy.org. Louies Legacy; 646-397-LLAR (5527), newyork@louieslegacy.org mamachrisrescue.org. Mama Chris Animal Rescue Inc.; 347-983-2240, mamachrisrescue@gmail.com nybullycrew.org. New York Bully Crew; 844-633-NYBC (6922), nybcapp@gmail.com, plutorescue.org. P.L.U.T.O. Rescue of Staten Island; 718-227-0553, plutorescue@aol.com Staten Island Council for Animal Welfare (SICAW); 718-948-5623, sicaw.petfinder.com Staten Island Hope Animal Rescue; info@statenislandhoperescue.org statenislandhopeanimalrescue.org , 800-477-9168. victory4thevoicelessanimalrescue.com. Victory for the Voiceless Animal Rescue; 718-442-1625, AdoptVictory4theVoiceless@gmail.com PET STORES RELOCATED 1. Petco is at Bricktown Commons, 165 Bricktown Way, Suite 1C (across from Michaels and Ulta). It was previously located at 2752 Veterans Road West. 2. PetSmart is at 1525 Forest Ave. It was previously located at 1520 Forest Ave. PET POISON HELPLINES If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, contact the Pet Poison hotline at 855-764-7661 or petpoisonhelpline.com, or contact the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 or aspca.org. TO REPORT ANIMAL CRUELTY To report an incident of animal abuse, call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION To contact an environmental conservation police officer or report suspected violations, contact the DEC Law Enforcement Dispatch Center at 844-DEC-ECOs (844-332-3267) or dec.ny.gov/. NEW DELHI: Three days after the death of Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, the son of former Congress stalwart N.D. Tiwari, the autopsy report revealed that his death was unnatural. Police sources claimed that he was most probably killed either by strangulation or by smothering with a pillow. The autopsy reports reveals the unnatural death. The 40-year-old Rohit Tiwari, was earlier said to have died due to cardiac arrest. The district police has transferred to the Crime Branch of the Delhi police which has registered a case of murder and initiated a probe. The autopsy report, whi-ch came on late Thursday night, suggests that the cause of death is unnatural. Following the postmortem at All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), police on Thursday registered acase of murder and transferred it to the Crime Branch for probe, a senior police officer said. The autopsy was conducted by a medical board comprising five senior doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). The medical board unanimously concluded that the cause of death in this case is asphyxia as a result of strangulation or smothering. It is a sudden unnatural death, placed in the category of homicide, the head of the AIIMS forensic department, said Dr Sudhir Gupta. Crime Branch officials on Friday visited Rohit Shekhars house in Defence Colony and questioned his family members and domestic helps. His wife Apoorva is currently not in Delhi. A forensics team too visited the house. Police sources said that there are seven CCTV cameras of which two dont work - in Rohit Shekhars house. Rohit had gone to Uttarakhand to vote on April 12 and returned on the night of April 15. He could be seen on CCTV taking support of the wall while walking in an inebriated state, police sources added. Police sources said that they are scanning call records of Rohit, his wife, relatives and few others who were in regular touch with him also. They are also trying to reconstruct last seven days of his life and the person whom he met for the last before breathing his last. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- While Americans took nearly 10 billion trips on public transportation in 2018, the enormous number actually represents a decline from the previous year, according to a recent report. In 2018, U.S. citizens took 9.9 billion trips on public transportation, a 2.0 percent decrease from 2017, according to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). Public transportation continues to offer great value to a community and its residents as it provides access to jobs, health care, schools, and local businesses, said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. Public transit ridership has increased 27 percent from 1995 to 2018, outpacing the growth in the U.S. population, which increased 23 percent. During that time span, the growth in number of public transportation passenger miles, 39 percent, outpaced the growth in number of vehicle miles traveled on roads, 33 percent. The report found that both commuter rail and paratransit ridership increased in 2018, with light rail, heavy rail and bus ridership on the decline. Nationwide commuter rail ridership increased 0.41 percent in 2018, with bus paratransit ridership increasing 2.1 percent. Nationwide light rail ridership decreased 3 percent, with heavy rail ridership decreasing 2.6 percent and bus ridership decreasing 1.8 percent. For complete details on the changing ridership of public transportation across the country, click here to read the full report. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Hell pay big-time for these cash withdrawals, despite his good manners. An Annadale man accused of robbing two banks within about 40 minutes of each other six months ago, will spend up to six years behind bars after pleading guilty to grand larceny. The events unfolded just before 10 a.m. on Oct. 15. Peter Rodriguez, 39, walked into the Santander Bank branch at 4310 Amboy Road, Eltingville, and passed the teller a note demanding, Give me all your cash, police said. The teller handed him $1,000, said officials, which prompted the defendant to reply, Thank you, said authorities. Apparently not content with his take, Rodriguez headed to the TD Bank branch at 1540 Hylan Blvd., Dongan Hills, said authorities. He arrived around 10:34 a.m. and once again gave the teller a note demanding cash. Afterward, he fled with $200, officials said. Rodriguez didnt enjoy his spoils for long. He was arrested three days later on Oct. 18, said court records. The defendant pleaded guilty Thursday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to second-degree grand larceny to resolve the case. It was the top count against him. In doing so, he admitted to stealing money from Santander Bank by extortion and instilling fear of physical injury into an employee there. To answer charges in an unrelated case, the defendant also pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. He admitted to dealing heroin to an undercover cop on Sept. 19 of last year. In exchange for his pleas, Rodriguez will be sentenced to three to six years in prison on the grand-larceny conviction and to three years behind bars and three years post-release supervision on the drug conviction. The sentences will run concurrently. Sentencing is set for May 9. The stocky, goateed defendant again displayed his manners as he left the courtroom. He turned to Justice Alexander Jeong and said, Thank you, Your Honor. Thomas Reilly, Rodriguezs lawyer, could not immediately be reached for comment. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Mobilia is prosecuting the cases. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Answering a thorny question dogging a disturbing case, prosecutors on Friday filed an indictment charging both Michael Cammarata and his pregnant girlfriend with murder and other crimes stemming from the death of Cammaratas estranged wife, a Staten Island schoolteacher. Michael Cammarata, 42, and Ayisha Egea, 41, are accused of killing Jeanine Cammarata, a first-grade teacher at PS 29 in Castleton Corners, between March 30 and April 1. The victims charred remains were found April 4 in a storage unit at 7 Arden Ave. in Arden Heights. Jeanine Cammarata, 37, a New Brighton resident, was last seen March 30 in New Springville. Her current boyfriend reported her missing on April 2. Authorities have not yet publicly commented on a possible motive for the alleged crime. However, Jeanine Cammaratas lawyer said she had been pursuing a divorce. The defendants are expected to be arraigned April 26 in state Supreme Court, St. George, on the 15-count indictment. The couple is accused of second-degree murder for intentionally causing the victims death, with her body or a part thereof being found on Staten Island. The defendants are also charged with first-degree manslaughter, concealing a human corpse and two counts of evidence tampering with respect to the victims body and her car. A source with knowledge of the case said the victims car was recently found in South Jersey and her cause of death was determined. The city medical examiners office did not immediately respond Friday to an email seeking information on the victims autopsy results. In addition, Michael Cammarata and Egea are accused of two counts of stolen-property possession and five counts of child endangerment. The stolen-property charges allege the defendants snatched the victims debit card and drivers license. The child endangerment charges apparently stem from evidence alleging the couple packed up five children and transported them, along with the victims remains, from Queens, where the defendants live, to the Arden Heights storage facility. Two of the kids were Michael and Jeanine Cammaratas, while the other three were Egeas children, said sources. Police are fairly certain the victim was killed in Queens, sources have said. Michael Cammarata is also accused of three counts of stalking allegedly arising from incidents involving his spouse and one of her friends or family members between Dec. 22 and April 1. The indictment would, at first glance, appear to lay to rest questions about the charges levied against the defendants, especially Egea. Last week, prosecutors announced the filing of a certificate of indictment during a Criminal Court proceeding. The certificate effectively transfers the case to state Supreme Court, where it will proceed to a resolution. At the conference, defense lawyers asked prosecutors to reveal the top charge against the defendants, so they could make a bail application if the highest count wasnt murder. Prosecutors declined, saying the law prohibits them from disclosing the specific charges until the defendants are arraigned in state Supreme Court on the indictment. They also said the investigation was ongoing. A justice agreed, ruling she could find no legal basis to order or force prosecutors to disclose the indictment charges. Prosecutors refusal to state the charges prompted Mark J. Fonte, Egeas lawyer, to speculate his client, who is six-months pregnant, had been indicted not for murder, but on the lesser arrest charges of evidence tampering and concealing a human corpse. Absent details on the specific charges, both Fonte and attorney John Rapawy, who stood in at the conference for Joshua Stevens, Cammaratas lawyer, reserved bail applications until the defendants Supreme Court arraignments. On Friday, Fonte said he wasnt merely speculating Egea hadnt initially been charged with murder. Last week, I was informed that my client was not indicted for murder, said Fonte. The district attorney used a stalling tactic and only days ago added the murder count to my client. I will be asking the court to examine the unusual conduct of the district attorney surrounding this indictment. I believe its time to investigate the investigators. Fonte declined to elaborate when asked for details, but said, My client absolutely did not participate in the murder of Jeanine. He added, It is not a coincidence that this is a Friday afternoon document dump by the district attorney. Nobody is around and nobody is paying attention. Prosecutors did not immediately comment when informed of Fontes remarks. Stevens, Michael Cammaratas lawyer, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A Staten Island hospital held an educational conference Wednesday on crimes that often victimize some of the countrys most vulnerable populations. Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) hoped to focus on teaching medical staff, especially those in the emergency department, about the signs of people who are victims of human or organ trafficking, according to a media release from the West Brighton hospital. Of the 14,117 calls placed to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2018, there were 5,147 human trafficking cases, according to the hotlines website. Often these people are found to be working in brothels posing as spas and massage parlors, which have been an issue on Staten Island, according to the hotlines website. According to a 2014 study published by the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 87.8 percent of human trafficking survivors had some sort of contact with the healthcare system, and of those individuals 63.3 percent received treatment in an emergency department. More than 100 people attended RUMCs Wednesday conference, that was organized by the hospitals forensic nurse coordinator Richard Ortiz, and featured information from Safe Horizon, a victim assistance organization, according to the media release. Stephanie Clemente, the training and outreach manager for Safe Horizons anti-trafficking program, said the most common victims of human and organ trafficking are the poor, often orphaned children, according got the media release. New York enacted a law in November 2017 that requires hospitals and clinics to create policies to identify, treat and refer victims of human trafficking to services that can help them. The training offered by Safe Horizons helps medical professionals identify those potential victims. Dr. Bronwyn Holmes, pediatric resident at Richmond University Medical Center, said the most common organs sought on the black market are hearts and lungs, both selling for hundreds of thousands of dollars. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Theirs was a toxic relationship. One that over the course of two years entailed extreme highs and lows, even devolving into threats of violence and finally, an act of violence last Sept. 22. On Thursday, a domestic-violence victim, a 25-year-old woman, confronted Louis Parisi, her former boyfriend, in an emotional face-off at his sentencing for assaulting her seven months ago in his New Brighton home. Lou, I loved you, or thought I loved you. That love blinded me for two years, the light-haired woman read from a prepared statement as Parisi stood facing forward at the defense table. You emotionally and mentally abused me. What was done to me was unacceptable, and no one should get away with that. Im not that weak little girl you thought I was, she said. The woman, whose name is not being divulged due to the nature of the crime, went on to describe a tumultuous relationship in which, she said, Every day was a constant battle. She said Parisi, then 26, once threatened to put a bullet in my brain," and, hours later, turned around and said he loved her. Still, they stayed together until that Saturday in late September, when, police said, Parisi punched the woman in the face multiple times, causing contusions to her face and a bloody nose. Authorities said he also placed his hands around her neck and choked her. Parisi then took the woman's cellphone, valued at more than $250, and threw it at a wall, causing it to shatter, according to authorities. The defendant was later indicted on a felony charge of strangulation and misdemeanor counts of assault, criminal obstruction of breathing and criminal mischief. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 22 in state Supreme Court, St. George, to the misdemeanor assault charge to resolve his case. Defense lawyer Mario F. Gallucci told the court the victim and defendant had a toxic relationship, according to her father. Gallucci said the fight on Sept. 22 wasnt one-sided. He also said the incident had cost Parisi his job as a city Correction officer. In line with his agreement, Parisi was sentenced to three years probation and ordered to complete a batterers intervention program. Parisi, who wore a dark suit and sported a neatly trimmed beard, declined to make a statement before Justice Alexander Jeong imposed sentence. The victim, who was supported by about a half-dozen family members and friends in the audience, told Parisi she was grateful he had owed up for what you did by pleading guilty. She then leavened her remarks with a mixture of defiance, self-awareness, and a determination to move forward. You insulted me, degraded me, humiliated me, she said. Ive come to terms that you were just a chapter in my book. Standing here, I am a better, stronger version of myself. I hope you feel that same peace, she said. Outside court, Gallucci, the defense lawyer, said there is no place for domestic violence, but noted "it was a toxic relationship, and one of the many reasons my client was able to plead to a misdemeanor instead of the more serious felony (charge.) Assistant District Attorney Andres Casas prosecuted the case. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Prosecutors on Thursday filed an indictment charging an Eltingville man with murdering mob boss Francesco (Franky Boy) Cali outside the victims Dongan Hills home last month. Besides second-degree murder, the three-count indictment accuses Anthony Comello of two counts of second-degree criminal weapon possession. The indictment offers no information about a possible motive for the alleged crimes. The murder charge alleges Comello, then 24, intentionally killed Cali, 53, the Gambino crime familys top honcho, on March 13 by shooting him. The weapon charges accuse the defendant of illegally possessing a loaded firearm outside his home or place of business and of possessing a loaded gun with the intention of using it unlawfully against another person. Comello is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday in state Supreme Court, St. George. He is being held without bail. Two weeks ago, prosecutors announced the filing of a certificate of indictment at Comellos last appearance in Criminal Court. However, the specific charges were not set forth until Thursdays filing of the indictment itself in state Supreme Court. Police said the events unfolded at around 9:17 p.m. Comello crashed into Calis Cadillac SUV outside the mobsters home on Hilltop Terrace in what appeared to be a bid to lure the victim away from his family, said authorities. Cali exited and after the two men talked, Comello fatally shot the victim on a residential street within earshot of several neighbors, police said. After Comellos Criminal Court appearance on April 3, defense attorney Robert Gottlieb said the incident is tied directly to right-wing hate speech and conspiracy theories found on multiple websites, and to Cali himself. When asked what that link is, he responded, I could, but Im not going to discuss that further today. This is not some idle speculation,'' said Gottlieb. This is not trying to set up some legal defense,. Were just talking about the facts, the truth. Sources have said Comello told investigators he feared Cali was going to come after him. Gottlieb did not immediately return a phone call Thursday seeking comment on the indictment. In the weeks leading up to the shooting, Comello attempted a citizens arrest on Mayor Bill de Blasio and other elected officials, said authorities. The first time he appeared in court last month, after his arrest near his familys second home in New Jersey, Comello revealed to reporters the words MAGA and Q, which he had scribbled on his hand. Those referred to President Trumps slogan Make America Great Again and to the QAnon conspiracy theory, which posits Trump is attempting to save the planet from a global pedophile human trafficking ring that involves high-ranking politicians and Hollywood figures. Comello also reportedly wrestled with addiction in the weeks leading up to the incident, according to New York Times. Comello made some cryptic comments to a reporter while in an Ocean County, N.J. jail awaiting extradition to New York. You shouldnt believe in stories,'' the Daily News quoted Comello as saying. "Dont believe in fairy tales. When the reporter asked if that meant he didnt gun down Cali in a hail of bullets, Comello responded, I dont need to clear my name, the News reported. Gottlieb has declined to comment on whether his client had suffered from withdrawal or was suffering from a mental illness. He has not requested a psychological evaluation. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The 48-year-old man who was found dead at Miller Field in New Dorp on Wednesday came to the United States more than a decade ago with nothing but hope and was here alone, a relative said. Amanico Reyes-Gonzalez left his hometown of Olinala, south of Mexico City, in 2004, his cousin Margarita Gonzalez, who lives in Mexico, told the Advance in Spanish. He was alone, Gonzalez said. Reyes-Gonzalezs only immediate relatives are his sisters, who still live in their hometown, she said. His parents passed away. Gonzalez said that she didnt know exactly what her cousin had been doing while in the United States. Reyes-Gonzalez, who police said was homeless, was found lying face up in a wooded area at Miller Field at approximately 11:48 a.m. on Wednesday. The investigation is ongoing, according to a police spokesperson. Reyes-Gonzalezs death did not initially appear suspicious, a law enforcement source told the Advance on Wednesday. A spokeswoman for the medical examiner, who was working to determine the cause of death, did not immediately return a message on Friday. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced the latest plan in his efforts to improve New York Citys bus service. During his State of the City address in January, de Blasio announced his Better Buses For All initiative, aimed at increasing bus speed and reliability throughout the city. On Thursday, de Blasio unveiled the Better Buses Action Plan, identifying specific route adjustments and projects that will help achieve the stated goal of increasing bus speeds by 25 percent by 2020, using increased enforcement and street redesign. Making it easier to get around our city means New Yorkers have more time for what matters most for their family and themselves, said de Blasio. The plan includes three projects specifically designed to improve commute times for Staten Island express bus riders. HYLAN BOULEVARD - NARROWS ROAD The first project is the reconfiguration of the Hylan Boulevard and Narrows Road intersection that Borough President James Oddo has been working tirelessly with various city and state agencies to approve. The Department of Transportation (DOT) will make major changes to the roadway configuration in the area, including the elimination of a traffic signal, re-striping of lane lines and the reversal of traffic direction on a portion of Hylan Boulevard. The traffic signal at Hylan Boulevard (east leg) and Narrows Road South will be bagged, meaning the signal will be wrapped and non-operational, due to its proximity to another traffic signal at Hylan Boulevard (west leg) and Narrows Road South. In conjunction with the bagging of that signal, the direction of travel along Hylan Boulevard (east leg) will be reversed, becoming a one-way southbound from Narrows Road South to Olga Place," according to a letter sent to nearby residents. Accompanying the bagging of the signal and reversal of traffic will be signal coordination along Narrows Road South to improve operations and safety for vehicles and pedestrians. Changes will be made to the Staten Island Expressway on-ramp configuration, including re-striping to provide a two-lane entrance, as well as the installation of vertical delineators to help channelize traffic and deter late entrants from the third lane. Additionally, curb extensions will be installed at the intersection of Hylan Boulevard (east leg) and Olga Place to increase pedestrian space, reduce crossing distances and channelize traffic. In addition to these planned changes, the S78 bus stop, previously located on Hylan Boulevard (west leg), has been moved farther north to the overpass portion of Hylan Boulevard, removing the local bus line from the express bus queue. Work on the project is expected to begin the week of April 22. BATTERY PLACE The second project focuses on improving conditions on Battery Place, between West Street and Broadway, a major bottleneck for Staten Island express bus riders approaching or exiting the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel. The proposed improvements include installing curbside bus lanes in both directions, adjusting bus stops to improve operations, reconfiguring travel lanes to minimize conflicts with existing traffic and prioritizing signals to favor buses. FDR DRIVE The third project focuses on improving bus flow on the FDR Drive, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Battery Park, a constantly congested corridor for Staten Island express buses. The plan proposes that buses be allowed to use the southbound shoulder as a de facto bus lane, with signage installed that reads Buses May Use Shoulder. OTHER PLANS As the first major step in the Better Buses For All initiative, de Blasio announced in January that seven new NYPD tow teams will be dedicated exclusively to towing vehicles illegally parked in the citys bus lanes throughout all five boroughs. In addition to cracking down on bus lane violators, de Blasio announced a host of other efforts being undertaken by the city to improve service. The city will work with the MTA to redesign and optimize the citys existing bus networks, similarly to the current ongoing redesign of the Staten Island express bus network. Additionally, the city will pursue street redesigns to maximize the effectiveness of the redesigned networks. The city will pressure the MTA to restart the Select Bus Service (SBS) routes and add new SBS routes every year. Select Bus Service refers to specific bus routes in New York City that use vehicle-segregated, camera-enforced bus lanes, among other things, to increase speed and reliability on long, busy corridors. De Blasio said he will pressure the city to install new bus lanes at an average rate of 10 to 15 miles per year, up from the current rate of approximately seven miles per year. The city will also look to upgrade five miles of existing bus lanes per year with extended hours and restricted turning, in addition to piloting approximately two miles of physically-separated bus lanes in 2019. Buses will receive signal priority at over 300 intersections throughout the five boroughs, with the city also pressing for all-door boarding, off-board fare collection and expanded camera enforcement. 2019 OneNYC The Better Buses Action Plan is part of the larger OneNYC initiative to improve mobility for New York CIty residents. In addition to the Better Buses Action Plan, de Blasio announced Thursday plans to triple the number of business using off-hour deliveries and create new pedestrian priority zones in Lower Manhattan. These measures are part of our OneNYC strategy to build a fairer, better city for all. They complement congestion pricing, helping us fix our subways and reduce traffic delays to get our city moving," said de Blasio. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Two people were injured, one seriously, when a car careened onto the lawn of a New Springville home Thursday night, striking a tree and the homes railing. The FDNY and NYPD responded to 227 Merrymount St. at approximately 8:20 p.m. and had to remove a woman from her vehicle after it crashed into the home. A neighbor said that she heard a bang and came outside to find the Honda badly damaged on the lawn. The owner of the home, who wished to have her name withheld from publication, said that she was sitting on her couch when the car came careening onto her property. Its just terrible, she said. The crash damaged the railing and tree in front of her home. Witnesses said that the driver of the Honda had to be cut out of the car before being transported to the ambulance. An FDNY spokesman said that one individual was transported to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze with a serious, but non-life-threatening injury. An additional individual was transported to the hospital with a minor injury, the FDNY spokesman said. Police removed the vehicle from the lawn of the home at 8:50 p.m. The vehicle sustained extensive front-end and driver-side damage as a result of the crash. It is currently unclear how many vehicles were involved in the crash. The neighbor of the damaged home said that there was another vehicle on scene following the accident, but was later removed. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police are looking for two white males in connection to a stabbing in Richmond Valley Thursday evening. According to a spokesman for the Deputy Commissioner for Public Information, a male was stabbed while in the vicinity of Richmond Valley Road and Weiner Street at approximately 6 p.m. The victim is not expected to die from the injuries, the police spokesman said. The nature of his injuries is currently not known. An FDNY spokesman confirmed that EMS responded to the scene at approximately 5:51 p.m., but did not have any information regarding a hospital transport. The NYPD is looking for a white male, last seen wearing a red hooded shirt with blue jeans, and another white male that was last seen wearing a dark hooded shirt, an NYPD spokesman said. As a result of the stabbing investigation, Staten Island Railway trains are running on the eastbound track in both directions at the Richmond Valley station, according to MTA.info. This is a breaking news story. More information will be posted as it becomes available. Bhopal: Delay in declaration of candidate by BJP for the prestigious Indore Lok Sabha constituency in Madhya Pradesh, represented eight times in a row by outgoing Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, has given rise to speculations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be considered for the seat in the 2019 general elections. Talks doing rounds in BJP circle here indicated that Mr Modi who has been re-nominated for Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh by BJP, may choose Indore as his second seat to contest from, in the upcoming LS polls. Filing of nomination for Indore LS seat, which is going to polls on May 12, is going to end on April 22. Significantly, Ms Mahajan who has already ruled herself out of contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the wake of BJPs decision to deny ticket to party leaders who have crossed 76 years of age, on Friday reached Delhi to discuss the issue with the central leadership of the party. Ms Mahajan is likely to meet Mr Modi in Delhi to discuss the issue. The party leadership has already announced that the candidate for Indore will be finalised with her consent only, a senior BJP leader told this newspaper here on Friday. Ms Mahajan has made a statement saying that It is her responsibility to win Indore for BJP. According to her, she has so far received requests from 17 aspirants for party ticket for Indore and the candidate for the seat would soon be finalised after discussing with Central party leadership. Keep yourself updated on Lok Sabha Elections 2019 with our round-the-clock coverage -- breaking news, updates, analyses et all. Happy reading. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A new study has revealed that Staten Island ranks 14th in the country -- and first in the Big Apple -- for having the highest rate of homeownership. Make Yourself at Home, a study conducted by Insights, a Cambridge, Mass.-based insurance quote company, ranked the top 20 city/states with the most homeowners across America. The study found Staten Islands homeownership rate to be 64.7 percent, as compared to the national average of 64.8 percent, said Kacie Saxer-Taulbee, a data scientist with Insights. A breakdown of home ownership rates by borough was unavailable. High rates of ownership correspond to an economically healthy populous, she said. There are only 16 states in the country where the most homeowners are concentrated, and New York happens to be one of them. In the other states, most people dont own the homes they live in. And its impressive that Staten Island had the highest rate of homeowners in New York. AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME The study also looked at average household income. The average household income of Staten Island is $77,000, with the New York State average at $63,000, said Kacie Saxer-Taulbee. Another qualifying element for Staten Island is its rate of married people. The national average for marriage rates is about 50 percent of adults age 15 and over are married, and Staten Island is at 57 percent," said Saxer-Taulbee. The team of data scientists at Insurify analyzed data from City-Data.com to identify and explore the top cities in each state with the highest percentage of residents living in homes that they own, according to the study. To be considered for the top 20, cities had to have populations of least 100,000, said Saxer-Taulbee. We looked at the top cities per state that had the most residents who owned their homes in which they live, she explained. Once we had those cities, we got additional data on the marriage rate and income for that city. NO SURPRISE TO REALTORS And Realtors say it comes as no surprise that Staten Island made the top 20 in this study. With its hometown feel of close-knit communities, ample family activities and relative affordability in proximity to New York City, it doesnt come as a shock that Staten Island is one of the leaders, nationwide, in homeownership in the borough, said Francis J. Rizzo, president and licensed broker of the Annadale-based Cornerstone Realty. The desire to own your own home, to grow with your house is fundamental. Staten Island provides the best opportunity to fulfill that dream in New York City, which is why we are at the top of the list, he added. Said Jon Salmon, broker/owner of the Castleton Corners-based Salmon Real Estate: With Staten Islands country feel and the cultural advantages of New York City next door, we have the best of all worlds. Staten Island is the place to raise a family and affordable home prices make home ownership a slam dunk. Joan Camerlengo, broker/owner of Joan Camerlengo Realty in New Dorp, said she is not surprised that so many Staten Islanders are home owners given that average household income for our residents is high when compared to the state average. FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK and TWITTER 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! During his stay in Romania from April 14-16 and in the Czech Republic from April 16-18, PM Phuc had a busy working agenda including nearly 30 activities. In Romania, Phuc held talks with host PM Viorica Dancila, and met President Klaus Iohannis, President of the Senate Calin Popescu Tariceanu and President of the Chamber of Deputies Liviu Dragnea. He attended and delivered a speech at the Vietnam-Romania Business Forum, and talked with representatives of Romanian localities that are cooperating with Vietnam. At the talks, the two PMs agreed to step up delegation exchanges and continue effectively implementing existing cooperation mechanisms, especially the joint committee on economic cooperation. PM Viorica Dancila affirmed that Romania, with its role as the Chair of the European Union in the first six months of 2019, will do its utmost to boost the early signing and ratification of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). In the Czech Republic, PM Phuc held talks with his host counterpart Andrej Babis, during which they agreed to foster bilateral collaboration in numerous fields, especially education-training, agriculture, science-technology, environment, culture and tourism, and support the early opening of a direct air route linking Hanoi and Prague. The Vietnamese Government leader also met representatives of the Vietnamese community living in Romania and the Czech Republic. On the occasion, a number of cooperation agreements between Vietnam and the two countries and between their enterprises were signed. The success of the official visits not only contributes to consolidating and tightening Vietnams traditional friendship with the Central European nations, but also helps accelerate the signing and ratification of the EVFTA and the EVIPA in order to open up new cooperative opportunities for Vietnam and the EU in general, and Romania and the Czech Republic in particular. Pinterest rose as much as 32 per cent in its trading debut after raising $US1.4 billion ($1.95 billion) in the second-biggest US initial public offering of the year. Shares of the digital-scrapbooking company opened at $US23.75. They were up 30 per cent to $US24.79 at 2.49pm in New York trading on Thursday, giving the company a market value of about $US13.1 billion. Pinterest operates in a crowded digital marketing space, where Google and Facebook get the lion's share of ad dollars. Credit:Bloomberg The listing is second in the US this year only to Lyft's $US2.34 billion offering in March. Their IPOs will likely be eclipsed by Uber Technologies. Ride-hailing's global behemoth will seek to raise about $US10 billion in May in an offering valuing it at about $US100 billion, people familiar with its plans have said. Pinterest's strong showing, along with an even stronger first-day performance by Zoom Video Communications on Thursday, signals continuing investor thirst for new stocks amid a surge of unicorns - startups valued at $US1 billion or more - coming to market. Other high-profile companies considering going public include Slack Technologies, Postmates, Palantir Technologies and Airbnb. Household demand deposits fell by 1.1 per cent last month. This means that the growth rate of "true" M1 money is still at slump levels. It has ticked up a fraction but this is nothing like previous episodes of Chinese stimulus. It points towards stagnation into late 2019. "Hold the champagne," he said. A paper last month by Wei Chen and Chang-Tai Tsieh for the Brookings Institution - "A Forensic Examination of China's National Accounts" - concluded that GDP growth has been overstated by 1.7 per cent a year on average since 2006. They used satellite data to track night lights in manufacturing zones, railway cargo volume, and so forth. "Local officials are rewarded for meeting growth and investment targets," they said. "Therefore, it is not surprising that local governments also have an incentive to skew the statistics." Liaoning - a Spain-sized province in the north - recently corrected its figures after an anti-corruption crackdown exposed grotesque abuses. Estimated GDP was cut by 22 per cent. You get the picture. China President Xi Jinping is still locked in a tarde spat with Donald Trump. Credit:AP Bear in mind that if China's economy is a fifth or a quarter smaller than claimed it implies that the total debt ratio is not 300 per cent of GDP (IIF data) but closer to 400 per cent. If China's growth rate is 1.7 per cent lower - and falling every year - the country is less able to rely on nominal GDP expansion whittling away the liabilities. Debt dynamics take an ugly turn - just at a time when the working-age population is contracting by two million a year. The International Monetary Fund says China needs (true) growth of 5 per cent to prevent a rising ratio of bad loans in the banking system. Loading China bulls in the West do not dispute most of this. But they say that what matters is the "direction" of the data, and this is looking better. Stimulus is flowing through. It gained traction in March with an 8.5 per cent bounce in industrial output - though sceptics suspect that VAT changes led to front-loading. Suddenly the words "green shoots" are on everybody's lips. The thinking is that China will rescue Europe. Optimists are doubling down on another burst of global growth, clinched by the capitulation of the US Federal Reserve. It will be a repeat of the post-2016 recovery cycle. Personally, I don't believe this happy narrative. But what I do respect after observing late-cycle psychology over four decades - and having turned bearish too early during the dotcom boom - is that investors latch onto good news with alacrity during the final phase of a long expansion. A filtering bias creeps in. So sticking my neck out, let me hazard that heady optimism will lead to a rally on asset markets until the economic damage below the waterline becomes clear. Sharemarkets continue to strengthen, but trouble may be ahead. Credit:AP By then the adrenalin from Mr Trump's tax cuts will be wearing off fast. The steepest fiscal cliff in half a century is coming in the second half of this year, unless Congress agrees to a fresh package. Citigroup advised clients two weeks ago to wind down exposure to risky assets and prepare for a storm. "We are only 15 minutes to midnight," it said. The bank rebuked the Powell Fed for over-tightening and baking the next downturn into the pie. With unusual precision, it said the next recession would start in December. US stock market tops precede economic contraction by an average of five months. Ergo, equities will peak in July. That sounds about right. Let us concede that Beijing has opened its fiscal floodgates to some degree over recent weeks. Broad credit grew by $US430 billion ($601 billion) in March alone. Business tax cuts were another $US300 billion. Bond issuance by local governments was pulled forward for extra impact. But once you strip out the offsets, it is far from clear that the picture for 2019 has changed. Loading Nor is it clear what can be achieved with more credit. The IMF said in its Fiscal Monitor that the country now needs 4.1 yuan of extra credit to generate one yuan of GDP growth, compared to 3.5 in 2015, and 2.5 in 2009. The "credit intensity ratio" has worsened dramatically. This is why the People's Bank is pushing back valiantly against easy-money creditists in the finance ministry. Benefits are marginal and dangers are rising exponentially. The PBOC deserves plaudits for delivering a softish landing, but a landing it is. McKinty's new thrill Adrian McKinty has turned his back on the trials and tribulations of Sean Duffy, his Catholic detective muddling his way through the Troubles in Belfast, in favour of a very different sort of book. More thriller than Northern Irish noir, The Chain is being described by some in the US, where McKinty is now based, as his breakout book, which seems odd given that hes already written 13 others and has won the Ned Kelly award and an Edgar in the US. Domestic incident: Crime writer Adrian McKinty at his St Kilda home while his daughter Sophie eats a cup of Milo. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer Im a noir guy not a thriller guy, he told Bookmarks, so this is new territory for me. Maybe thats what they mean by breakout. He does point out that he hasnt been on a bestseller list in Australia, Britain or the US so perhaps this is his time. Noirs dont really sell in airports but thrillers do, he points out optimistically. Its the first of his books to be sold at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where publishers from 24 countries snapped it up (for a total of 31 at this stage). The premise seems disarmingly simple: Kylie has been kidnapped and her mother, Rachel, gets a call saying she is now part of the chain. Kylie has been taken by people whose own son has been kidnapped. No police, no deviating otherwise the kids die and the whole thing will begin again. Antonio Tabucchi contributes a time-warp story. Tabucchi, a Tuscan writer, did a Lahiri: he translated from Portuguese then wrote books in that language. In his story, from his Italian period, he may have been influenced by the film of Picnic at Hanging Rock; when he came to a Melbourne years ago, he whizzed off to see Hanging Rock country. His story is not as successful as the film. It is regrettable that no space was found for Giorgio Bassani, a master of short fiction, and the incisive Leonardo Sciascia is represented by what is merely a tall story. This may have been included to add some humour, which is scarce elsewhere, except for Ennio Flaianos story of a Martian landing in Rome. First, he is the object of overwhelming media attention but ends up being the target of raspberries. The translations seem to catch nuances but, to my mind, there are a few glitches, as occurs at the end of one of the best stories Alba de Cespedes Invitation to Dinner. Set in Rome immediately after the Second World War, it concerns a well-off couple who, although not unscathed by the war, are aware that they are much luckier than many others. Their only major worry is that they have lost all contact with the husbands brother in north Italy. However, he is found and a kindly English army captain drives him to Rome. The four have a celebratory domestic meal in which the couple display their finery. All goes swimmingly and the Englishman feels among friends. As a result, he opens up about Italy needing to wait before it will be accepted by other nations. The female narrator says nothing but is seething with anger because she is conscious of the wartime suffering undergone by their anti-Fascist friends and a large proportion of the population as well as of Italys cultural contribution to the world. The guest departs and she says to her husband and brother-in-law Goodnight, guys. For me guys introduces a jarring American twang into what was a misunderstanding between Europeans. Such discords are rare as are the editing errors in what is an excellent anthology. Like her former La Trobe University colleagues Diane Kirkby and Anne Rees, Lake has made a geopolitical pivot away from the well-known nexus between Daughter Australia and the Mother Country, Britain, towards the affective and intellectual ties between the new world nations of Australia and America. Its a refreshing and fruitful endeavour. She teases out the friendships established by leading figures of the day Higgins and fellow jurist Felix Frankfurter, Deakin and Harvard philosopher Josiah Royce, Goldstein and her American suffrage counterpart Carrie Chapman Catt proving that Australia enjoyed a special relationship with the United States long before the Fall of Singapore. Australian suffragist Vida Goldstein was welcomed in the US as something of a celebrity. Credit:Alamy The books cover blurbs, provided by leading American scholars, reveal an amazement that Australia played such a transformative role in shaping the Great Republics political culture. But Australians, too, are only beginning to take stock of the international significance and impact of their own Federation-era history. More than a century of military mateship between the two nations has obscured these more high-brow origins, in which Australians were internationally renowned for their political risk-taking and democratic derring-do. Yet heres the rub for todays democrats wishing to use past political and thought leaders as contemporary heroes. To be progressive at the turn of the 20th century not only meant to consider oneself (or ones nation) to be socially advanced, but also to be racially superior. That world-leading minimum wage? It was legislated to protect white male workers from competition from local Chinese employers and their "unmanly" employees. What we might want "progressive" to mean now inclusive, tolerant, embracing of diversity and intersectionality is not what it meant a century ago. Lake forces us to confront and question comfortable political paradigms. Marilyn Lake describes the influence of Australia's "progressivism" on the development of US democracy. Credit: The theoretical virtuosity of Lakes work is in identifying the darkness at the heart of democracy in new world "settler colonial" countries such as Australia and America: "the twin ideals of political equality and racial exclusion." The new enlightenment was a literal process of enwhitenment. As Lake persuasively argues, attacks on indigenous culture and sovereignty, including the brutal dispossession of land, were not a casual by-product of progressive reform mere collateral damage. Rather, such damage was a prime strategic focus of reformers. Only when white men ruled the land with their manly principles of self-government and equality could peace and prosperity flourish. (That bloodless revolution? Turns out it wasnt so decorous after all.) Assimilation and other so-called "protection" policies (including immigration restriction) were designed to bleach out the "backward races" from professed forward-thinking nations. The idea of a multiracial democracy was anathema. Lake's thesis goes a long way to explaining the puzzle (to modern minds) of how the principle of democratic equality could exist side-by-side with racial exclusion, seemingly without paradox or hypocrisy. To consider political progressivism and indigenous dispossession "in the same analytic frame", as Lake encourages us to do, is something of a revelation. Lake's great contribution here is "to consider how the study of indigenous histories in the context of settler colonialism might illuminate more broadly our understanding of progressivism". (Her concluding chapter on Indigenous Progressivism points to a particularly fruitful source of clarification.) With this timely invocation, Lake weaves together the multiple strands of her career-long investigation into the gendered and racialised nature of Australias past. It is a triumph of intricate, sustained and critical thinking. But what to consider and how to consider it are two different matters. American suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt was friends with Vida Goldstein. Credit:Alamy A book should be more than the sum of conjoined journal articles. Professional readers will always find their own way to the scholarly outputs that are the bread and butter of academic discourse. No one has been more prolific, or more original, in the scope and depth of research disseminated than Lake. Her academic legacy has been profound, as the rich collection of essays harvested from Lakes Festschrift held at the University of Melbourne in 2016, and edited by Joy Damousi and Judith Smart into Contesting Australian History, makes evident. The photograph doesnt give much away. It shows a grey-haired woman in a bulky black coat and sunglasses leaning against a tree. She looks anonymous, invisible. She is Sigrid Nunez, literary sensation. Until recently, she was pretty anonymous and invisible to most readers, despite having written and published seven books over the last 23 years. Then her latest novel, The Friend, won the US National Book Award for fiction. It became a bestseller and is still getting non-stop accolades from the critics. This might not be altogether welcome. I became a writer because it was something I could do alone and hidden in my room, Nunez told The New York Times. Sigrid Nunez, author of The Friend. Credit: Whats the story? An ageing woman, single and childless, loses a lifelong friend when he kills himself. Still grieving, she inherits his dog, a Great Dane that barely fits into her tiny New York apartment. A lesser writer might turn this into a sentimental tale of how a pet brings comfort and redemption to the bereaved. Nunez is made of steelier stuff. She moves us in entirely unexpected ways. What particularly interests me is that this is in part a candid and unflinching tale about writing, filled with references to the great icons Rilke and Nabokov, Woolf and Coetzee. The friend is quite literally a dead white male, a well-known writer who also taught creative writing; and the woman, reminiscing about their friendship (was she in love with him, she wonders?), is also a writer who teaches. I went to a special hearing of the Australian Peoples Tribunal for Community and Natures Rights, a group created and managed by community leaders, environmental and human rights lawyers and first nations elders. They held a citizens inquiry into the health of the Darling River that travelled upriver from Mildura to Brewarrina, stopping at towns along the way. I caught it in Bourke, a town that survives on the bureaucracy of poorness. A diabetes town. If big cotton enriches communities, as it claims, it is not evident here. The inquiry was held in the Full Gospel Family Fellowship assembly hall, one of those tizzied-up tin sheds where people can eyeball God one-on-one without a blather of theology. This was a chance for local people to have their stories about the river heard and recorded. To feel the relief of telling at last, and know the succor of having testified against turpitude. A townswoman Ill call Rose had steeled herself for weeks to talk at this meeting. But the friendly atmosphere in the room became tense when a cotton lobbyist arrived. Roses nerves got the better of her. Theres history between us, she said. Shed had threats from big cotton and was frightened and said other people in town were too. She couldnt talk with big cotton in the room. A pants-hitched nonagenarian grazier come to testify from downstream also disappeared when the cotton man arrived. The cotton lobbyist told a homely tale of immigration and new agriculture and family dynasties and offered cherry-picked facts and blather and look-over-there denial that wouldve made the superannuated CEOs of British American Tobacco glow with nostalgia. He accepted no blame at all for the state of the river. It was the drought, he said. At moments like these I cant tell whether a person is drinking the Kool Aid or selling it. Telling their own incredible truth, or a lie. He owns the local paper, and radio station; so whichever it is the locals get plenty of opportunity to hear it. The campaign bus of high-profile West Australian MP Andrew Hastie's survived an arson attack on Thursday night after the grass in a paddock where it was parked was doused in petrol and set alight. But the fire did not fully take hold near the bus because of wet weather and was extinguished by local fire fighters. The campaign bus of high-profile West Australian MP Andrew Hastie's survived an arson attack on Thursday night after the grass in a paddock where it was parked was doused in petrol and set alight. Vince Borello and Mr Hastie inspect the area where the paddock was doused in petrol. Mr Hastie was woken late on Thursday night by WA Police, who had involved Australian Federal Police. He said it was a very obvious attempt to set the campaign bus alight and only failed because of the weather. Great. So I had two choices watch and wait to see if my finger was going to die or come up with a bright idea. I thought about other cases of poison, and what you could do for them, and suddenly what popped into my mind was my grandmothers advice that Vitamin C is great for boosting the immune system, and excellent for anything to do with nerves. So I hit the vitamin C powder (with hesperidin to be gentle on the stomach) big time, and I have to say - although this is in no way scientific - the effect was dramatic. A few hours after my third teaspoon, the swelling began to subside, the pain was less, and so was the itchiness. Then we'll put you on antibiotics and hope for the best. My personal observations over the next two weeks were that every time I over-exerted myself, or had to use my right-hand too much, the finger would throb and become extremely uncomfortable. I kept a light compression bandage on it, and kept up the Vitamin C, and normal operation - including typing was resumed within two weeks. What I did find, after doing my due diligence, is that the white-tailed spider, which is found in most of Australia and whose favourite dwellings are rocks, leaf-litter, clothes, towels and shoes, have a reputation that (apparently) exceeds the severity of their bite. Researchers are convinced that the necrotic tissue comes from other sources, not from their bites, but people in general remain more terrified of them than even the redback apparently. My response to that, however, is that the researchers didnt have my finger. (On a side note did you know that according to Wikipedia, Australia has accidentally introduced several species of venomous spiders to New Zealand, including the white-tail. #notneighbourly) To misquote Lady Bracknell, to have one white-tailed spider bite may be regarded as a misfortune, to have three looks like carelessness, but over the course of the next decade, I had two more white-tailed spider bites, both from tidying up horse rugs (also one of their favourite places to live). Each time my reaction was a little less extreme, but there, nevertheless. Before we get on to the essay, though, there is the question of food and drink. When she is in Melbourne, its fair to say Stott Despoja is something of a regular at Becco we love it so she opts for the saltimbocca with prosciutto, parmesan and sage and white-wine reduction, an old favourite, while I choose gnocchi with cauliflower puree, black-olive breadcrumb and dried cavalo nero. We share a rocket salad, and she plumps for a glass of Bellvale pinot noir while I have a glass of Tenuta Maccan pinot grigio. On Violence has some appalling statistics in it about the treatment of women. Take October last year. Australia experienced a record death toll ... when 11 women were murdered in 27 days, she writes. Police get called to one domestic violence every two minutes: thats 657 times a day. One in four women in Australia has experienced physical violence since the age of 14, and every week, on average, a woman is killed. Most of these murders take place in the home, and they are often the final brutal act after a long history of violence. Gnocchi at Becco in Melbourne. Credit:Jason South So, whats to be done? Primary prevention is the mantra of Stott Despoja and Our Watch. In the same way youve seen primary prevention wheeled out to deal with sun protection and skin cancer to safe driving and also, more obviously, in a leading sense, tobacco. Its our only hope: stopping the violence before it occurs. And the main obstacle to achieving that? The main obstacle is an unequal society. If you look at the evidence the international evidence is absolutely clear gender inequality is inextricably linked with violence against women and children. I describe that as simple but in actual fact its going to take a lot of effort, change, years and money to change behaviours and attitudes. Gender equality is at the heart of the solution, she says, and we know that any cultural change takes time and potentially generations. She makes the point that the essay is not for specialists and says her political life was always about making issues accessible. The same applies here: she is trying to appeal to someone who might be curious about the issues, saddened by the statistics and desperate to make a difference. This is also in some ways an appeal to leaders, politicians, legislators, not just for policies and resources, but for political goodwill. I really want buy-in from leaders. I want the PM to not only say that this is a terrible issue and we have got to address it but to personally commit to supporting and promoting respectful relationships. She is grateful to successive governments for funding Our Watch, but still hopes that political parties and leaders will increasingly recognise the link between gender inequality and violence. The trouble is that governments like quick-fix, short-term solutions and Our Watch is not short-term. I do hope governments will commit to us for the long term, but I cant wait to be out of a job. Most of the women and men in the sector, particularly those on the front line, their jobs are all about being out of a job. We want a day when we dont have to have these services, we dont have to preventive education ... its going to be a long while based on the evidence. The bill for lunch at Becco with Natasha Stott Despoja Credit: Stott Despoja was a senator for nearly 13 years and found entering parliament when only 14 per cent of members were women pretty rough. Standards have diminished since then, she thinks, and parliament is now more gladiatorial. (Yeh, Im a loser, I listen to Question Time.) But she remains proud of the work she did, of the initial policy rumblings in diverse areas such as genetic privacy and same-sex marriage, for which she introduced the first bill in 2006 with fellow Democrat Andrew Bartlett. She gets women of nearly all political persuasions telling her that she was some sort of role model for them or they got involved because of her. Its lovely, and to this day I will always advise or provide support for or answer a phone call from a candidate for office, particularly women. But she remains desperately sad at the fate of the Democrats, whose electoral fortunes disintegrated after she resigned as leader and who lost their last senator in 2008. I have no political home, she says. It breaks my heart because if ever there was a time that politics needed a moderating centrist force that focused on legislation but at the same time kept governments accountable, its now. When she looks back on her time as leader, she realises it would be very different today. When youre the youngest person in the room but youre the leader and youre a woman, commanding respect was extraordinarily difficult. She struggled because she was constantly described in terms of her appearance short and young or hair colour, or her emotions. It was ridiculous. I think these days a lot of people would call out that stereotypical stuff. In addition to being founding chair of Our Watch, Stott Despoja was Australias Ambassador for Women and Girls for nearly three years, which took her to refugee camps and slums around the world. Loading On my last trip I met this dynamic young actor, an articulate advocate for gender equality but even she said when I get home and Ive stayed out a bit late, its not surprising that my partner wants to give me a slap. Entrenched attitudes exist all over the world and some of the worst attitudes and violence rates are in our region. I wondered whether encountering all this had changed her taste for crime fiction my guilty pleasure given that in so many novels women are the victims of horrific violence. She avoids what she calls some of the gratuitous American crime writers, but is aware that, as Scottish novelist Val McDermid argues, crime writers are writing about what is going on the wider world. John Malcolm Duggan had a long and complex professional life in medicine, making a major impact in three discrete areas, leaving a legacy for patients and practitioners as well as the profession. He combined a recognised high standard in the practice and support of clinical medicine and in particular gastroenterology with outstanding teaching and published research. Dr John Duggan with the large portrait of his colleague Dr Roy Mills at the John Hunter Hospital Library. Credit:SMH John Duggan grew up as an only child in Rozelle, living above the grocery store run by his mother. His father had died when John was only seven. At Christian Brothers Lewisham his leaving certificate results included seventh in the state in physics and ninth in chemistry with an exhibition bursary for medicine at the University of Sydney. After training at St Vincents Hospital, he graduated with honours in 1951. He met his wife Mary Plasto during his time at St Vincent's Hospital and they married two years later.He was initially appointed there and subsequently at the Royal Hobart Hospital. A medical registrar appointment to Royal Newcastle Hospital (RNH), "the Royal", followed in 1954, beginning an association with the Hunter region that was to last more than 60 years. Fraser Island tourists can be heard boasting about how they ran over or shot a dingo and are often seen luring the deadly animals with food to snap a selfie, a fed-up local says. Long-term resident Hannah Robinson said some visitors didn't realise they shouldn't camp in unfenced areas with children under 12 years of age and called for more information to be made available. Ms Robinson, who owns Drop Bear Adventures on Fraser Island, said there was not enough education about how to be dingo safe on the island, and more attacks were bound to happen. Her warning came after a third dingo attack this year, when a 14-month-old boy was rushed to the Queensland Children's Hospital on Friday with a fractured skull and cuts to his head and neck. A teenager has been trapped for an hour in a car that crashed into a tree on the Gold Coast on Friday afternoon. Two other teenagers, a male and female, had already been taken to Gold Coast University Hospital with minor cuts and abrasions. The third teenage boy was still stuck in the car, unable to free his legs. Paramedics were called to the serious single vehicle crash into a tree on the corner of Victoria Drive and Pitcairn Way a Pacific Pines at 3.43pm on Good Friday. A storm that crossed the coast early on Good Friday has flung so much debris across Perth and regional WA that it brought down powerlines and severed electricity supply to 10,000 homes. Rottnest Island recorded a wind gust of 91 kilometres per hour at 1am and Garden Island a gust of the same strength 91 kilometres per hour at 4am. The scene in Alkimos. Credit:Today Harvey recorded 12.4 millimetres of rain in just 10 minutes shortly before midnight, while waves of 4.5-5 metres and rising were recorded at Cape Naturaliste and Albany at 4am. Our crews are running around pulling tree branches and all sorts of debris, including parts of a roof in Alkimos, out of the network, Western Power Spokesman Paul Entwistle told Radio 6PR. On the surface, Borce Ristevski did not appear to be a criminal mastermind. Before killing his wife Karen he had no prior convictions. He was, in many ways, normal. A small business owner who lived in suburbia with his family. But whether he intended it or not, nearly every decision that Ristevski made on the day he killed Karen and in the years since helped him beat a murder rap and lessen his time in jail. The public outcry after he was sentenced to nine years in prison, with a non-parole period of six years for manslaughter, has been swift and loud. The sister of a teenager who died after being thrown from the back of a ute has remembered him as a "loving person with the biggest personality". Alex Roszak, 19, was sitting in the tray of the ute with two others when he was thrown out on Heatherhill Road in Frankston just after 2.30am on Friday. His sister Georgia Roszak, 21, said the car hit a speed hump before Alex was injured. She said Alex's "best friend" used towels obtained from houses on the street and did everything she could to stop his bleeding. He was rushed to hospital, but later died of his injuries. Opening hours at the state's first injecting facility will be extended and security around the area beefed up, with the Andrews government saying it has listened to local residents who claim drug dealers and users have flocked to the area since the facility opened. The injecting room will soon be open from 7am until 9pm on weekdays and from 8am until 7pm on weekends. Medical supplies at the safe injecting room. Credit:Darrian Traynor The changes mean the facility will be open for three hours more every day, so that drug users are less likely to shoot up in public and loiter around the area. More than 100 Richmond residents met at a charged public meeting two weeks ago to express anger about the impact the facility had on the area, amid reports that more than half of drug users are shunning the facility to shoot up in public. When we were out there, we were with the ancestors, we were ourselves, with nature. Its one of those things thats hard to explain unless youve felt it. Time away from Wyndham drove home to Woods the extent of the magic and beauty of the Kimberley outback; a theme referenced in recently released song Chapter One, itself spawned from a Red Bull 64 Bars studio session. Walking down the highway, the tourists are taking pictures, I do now, but back then I never used to really get it, Woods raps. But meeting others who had experienced Wyndham and travelled through the Kimberley and hearing their awe at the ancient landscape revealed to Woods something he had felt his whole life. Among the memories explored in This Is Home are the times when Woods and other Wyndham children would get driven around the outback by local police, giving them time with elders and friends at swimming holes under the vast Kimberley skies. Growing up in Wyndham shaped rapper Dallas Woods, who is now chasing musical success in Melbourne. When we finished school obviously none of us had licenses, so for the local police and the local council to allow us to be driven out to the places where we actually wanted to be and be able to spend time out there, hear stories from the older people, the elders, he says. Most importantly, to just be out on country and feel what it was like many, many years ago. Those memories will never be replaced, Woods says, and when life throws up challenges, his mind goes home, to the lessons passed down from friends, family, community members: Whenever Im at a crossroads, I always tend to fall back on home. I think about situations Ive been in ... and even just people whove influenced me and think about what theyd say to me, Woods says. Its a bit hard to get people out bush to ring you, because theyre always out bush! Woods is not alone in his experience, and hes dedicated to helping others who find themselves far from home while chasing their dream. Such is the case of his friendship with Baker Boy real name Danzal Baker which has also grown into a strong musical relationship after the duo met at an Indigenous Hip Hop Project camp back in 2014. Woods features on Baker Boys track Black Magic and shares songwriting credits on Mr LaDi DaDi, and says he felt a parallel with the young rapper when he arrived in Melbourne from his Arnhem Land home. (Baker) went to school with a few Wyndham people as well it was just one of those things, when I met him I knew exactly what he was going through, Woods says. When I first come down to Melbourne, I didnt have that person who had made the transition so I had to learn the hard way. When I see the younger generation coming through I want to help as much as possible because I know how challenging it can be to live away from home in a completely alien environment. Leaving Wyndham to make music in Melbourne is a far cry from the usual path out of the town for young people growing up in the East Kimberley. But support for Woods flows strong on Wyndham streets, and locals embrace his success. From his own roof he can see the cathedrals partially caved-in roof, the gaping hole above the altar. What you see today is a negative of the building. The scaffolding is burned with the geometric form of what is lost. From the roof you can see its an empty cross. Debris inside Notre-Dame Cathedral as investigators begin a probe into the cause of the fire. Credit:EPA The challenges of rebuilding There are two immediate priorities. Investigators must swarm over the building, documenting the wreckage to preserve clues as to the source and cause of the fire provisionally believed to have been an electrical short circuit. But they cannot go in, in force, until engineers have shored up the structure, looking for any weaknesses and bracing them. Fire officials say the building remains very fragile and extremely dangerous. There are particular fears for the stability of the north bell tower, the huge (already badly eroded) buttresses that support the walls, and upper parts of the walls near the collapsed vault. Loading Notre-Dame is constructed almost entirely of limestone, which is vulnerable to high temperatures and water. With the temperature generated by the wind, and the large amount of wood in the roof, the building turned into a real oven, says Slawomir Swieciochowski, another heritage architect who has worked on projects such as the stabilisation of the Tournai cathedral in Belgium. The fire on Monday night may have reached 800C, enough to calcify and crack the stone, he says, and the whole building has been doused with vast quantities of water while the fire was being put out. Unless the stonework dries out theres a real risk of the limestone turning to slurry, Swieciochowski says. Analysts will test masonry to see if damaging chemical reactions have taken place within the limestone. If they have, the stones will have to be replaced. And the cathedral is not just wet, its toxic. The roof, almost entirely destroyed in the fire, was made of lead, dangerous when melted. The site will have to be decontaminated. Such challenges bring back sharp memories for Francis Maude, director at the London conservation architects firm Donald Insall Associates. He recalls standing in the rubble at Windsor Castle, having been called in to lead the rebuilding after a huge fire tore through it in 1992, the year the Queen later called her annus horribilis. You can smell smoke, you can smell cinders everywhere, you see piles of debris everywhere, he says. The early part of the project is about consolidating: propping up the standing parts of the structure which might be vulnerable, and clearing away the debris. And of course keeping the weather out, because any restoration project is going to take several years and in that time there can be any amount of rain. What you want to do is dry the structure out, so you have got a dry building and you can start your own work. Maudes team conducted an archeological dig at Windsor, sifting through the rubble. It turned up material that could be used in the reconstruction, but also revealed valuable clues as to the physical fabric of the building that must be recreated. Swieciochowski says engineers will have to put up a metal lattice to hold Notre-Dames walls in place while the work goes on, to lessen the risk of new cracks and falling masonry. Even before the fire, huge chunks have been falling off the building for years, with some walls held together by improvised metal staples. And a vast canopy will veil the building, like a curtain drawn around a hospital bed. Worshippers will be given an ephemeral wooden cathedral on the forecourt, to welcome the faithful and the curious. An aerial view of the fire damage to the cathedral. Credit:Gigarama.ru/AP 'We know they can be brought back' Europes ancient monuments have a long history of destruction and rebirth. The 20th century, in particular, saw many cathedrals and other architectural treasures smashed by war, then restored. Its tragic when something like this goes, but we know they can be brought back, says Maude. Notre-Dame itself is a rebuild. The lost ridge spire dated back to 1844, and half of the roof framework was built in the 19th century. Maude points to the cathedral at Reims, another Gothic masterpiece, which was reduced to ruins by a World War I bombardment but rebuilt in the following decades. In fact, many of Europes old buildings are wholly or partly reconstructed. The famous bell tower in St Marks Square in Venice collapsed into a pile of old bricks in 1902, and was rebuilt with a new reinforced structure (and an elevator). Warsaws Old Town and Royal Castle were systematically blown up by the retreating German army in World War II, and the current charming buildings and imposing castle are 20th century works of varying faithfulness to the originals. The beautiful, Baroque Frauenkirche in Dresden was bombed to smithereens by the Allies in World War II, and deliberately left an empty shell until its reconstruction after the reunification of Germany. The Frauenkirche in Dresden in 1967. It was bombed by the Allies in World War II and deliberately left in ruins until after the reunification of Germany. Credit:AP Further back, there was the loss of much of St Pauls cathedral in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and its replacement by Christopher Wrens domed masterpiece. The fire and rebuilding of St Pauls came to be a powerful symbol of the Resurrection, says Giles Fraser, former canon chancellor of St Paul's.Hardly a Holy Week goes by at St Pauls cathedral without one preacher or another referencing [the fire] in their sermon, he told The Guardian. The death and resurrection of Christ is brought to life in the building itself. Medieval churches were designed to be read, to tell the Christian story to those unable to read, Fraser says. Death and resurrection are part of that story. On Good Friday, the church experiences desolation, the obliteration of hope. And then, on Sunday morning, hope impossibly returns. New life rises from the ashes. The same will happen with Notre-Dame. Inside St Paul's Cathedral in London in 2016. Credit:AP Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is one of many who have linked Notre-Dames survival to the fate of Paris itself, calling the cathedral an emblem of our common history. History has dealt both many blows, and they survived. Paris coat of arms is a ship at sea above the motto Fluctuat nec mergitur, tossed on the waves but never overwhelmed. 'It will not be the same' But symbolism wont rebuild a cathedral. And there are big questions around how it should be done. On Wednesday, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe opened an international competition to re-design the fallen spire. The competition, he said, "will allow us to ask the question of whether we should even recreate the spire as it was conceived. If the plan is to recreate Notre-Dame as it was, there is a lot of material to work with. Apart from uncountable drawings and photographs, an architectural historian named Andrew Tallon made it his lifes work to use laser scanners to meticulously map every part of the buildings interior and exterior. This image provided by Vassar College shows a 3D map of Notre-Dame made by associate art professor Andrew Tallon. Credit:AP But Swieciochowski says an identikit restoration may not be the best path.The reconstruction of an identical Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris is almost impossible, he says. Its as if we put a perfect copy of the Mona Lisa in the Louvre. Technically we can do it with a scanner helping replicate every brushstroke but it will not be the same. Instead, Swieciochowski proposes to fossilise, or freeze the building, restoring structural integrity without hiding its wounds.It must be done in a very harmonious manner in the plan so as not to create an aesthetic shock. Possibly a tourist who does not seek it out, will not realise. But this difference between the authentic and the reconstructed will still be visible to the eye of an expert. There are bolder proposals. Architect Alexandre Chassang has been promoting a concept of a glass spire rising from the old stone. Architecture must represent our epoch, he says. We are not going to rebuild today by photocopying the past. Loading Such proposals cause some to recoil in horror. Others point out the cathedral has been updated all its life it is a living building, not a fossil. The lead and wood spire that collapsed was far from universally admired when it first rose in 1860. One focus for this debate is the forest of oak that formed the old roof. Traditionalists such as Macron adviser Stephane Bern argue that the frame should be faithfully replaced using the same materials and techniques as the original 12th century construction. Others have argued for the use of materials like light reinforced concrete, used to rebuild Reims cathedral, or metal, used in the Parliament of Brittany in Rennes, which was gutted by fire in 1994. Maude warns against attempts to age the reconstruction. There are techniques to give new work the subtle cues that add a patina of antiquity, but theres really no need. Time will do the job for you, eventually. 'Lessons must be learned' However the cathedral is rebuilt, it is likely to have what it has so far lacked for eight centuries: a working fire extinguishing system. Though the Paris fire department has said that these systems can put priceless works of art in danger, architects and heritage advocates say its non-negotiable. The spire collapses as flames burn the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Credit:EPA Swieciochowski says lessons must be learned from the fate of the old roof, and Maude points out there are many ways a new roof could be better fire-proofed, including better smoke detection, water sprinkler systems and the compartmentation of the roof space so any fire could not spread rapidly from one part to another. He also recommended applying fire retardant to the timber. Loading We would have thought we were better armed to detect and fight against a fire, says Julien Lacaze, vice-president of Sites and Monuments, an NGO that lobbies for the protection of French heritage. She burned as if it were the 18th or 19th century. Both Macron and mayor Hidalgo have said they want to see Notre-Dame rebuilt in the next five years, in time for the city to host the 2024 Olympic Games. Maude points out this is exactly how long it took for his team to restore Windsor Castle. I appear to be one of the few people who think yeah, there could be a way of doing this, he says. Im not saying it will be, though. But Lacaze says the deadline is completely unreasonable. We need to take our time to find the best plan and the best architects in the world. These are very delicate things to do and in our point of view its not possible to do work of this quality in five years. The Olympic Games lasts for 15 days The restoration of a major piece of French heritage must last centuries. Several architects have warned that the time pressure could prove an incentive to cut corners: to use cheaper, faster modern materials rather than painstakingly rebuild layers of wood and stone. And there could be another problem: manpower. Though France has a dedicated association of artisans called the Compagnons du Devoir, they are thinly spread across the country and in high demand. There may simply not be enough stonecutters, carpenters and roofers to do the job quickly. 'There is a joy that comes from it' When Pierre Gommier was a boy, he would go to listen to his grandmother play the Grand Organ in the cathedral of Notre-Dame. Marie-Claire Alain was the most-recorded classical organist in history, and a devotee of Bach. She called the instrument at Notre-Dame The Monster because of its size, and the enormity of its sound. Gommier finds it hard to believe that Easter will not be celebrated at Notre-Dame this year, after more than 850 years of the resurrection of Christ being marked within its walls. The Notre-Dame Cathedral has been called the nations soul, Paris heart, its mother. Credit:Alamy Tbilisi, Georgia: Two Saudi sisters who fled their country and appealed for international protection earlier this week saying their lives would be at risk if they returned to the kingdom have received an offer of help from Georgia. Immigration authorities in the former Soviet republic visited the siblings in their temporary apartment in Tbilisi, providing them with information on how to apply for asylum in the country, the Georgian Interior Ministry said. A number of Saudi women have attempted to flee the ultra conservative kingdom in recent months. Credit:AP "The purpose of the visit of law enforcement officers was to offer assistance and security guarantees to the women," the ministry said in a statement. The sisters identified as Maha al-Subaie, 28, and Wafaa al-Subaie, 25, were later taken to the ministry's immigration office aboard a security van, local media footage showed. Los Angeles: An Australian DJ accused of attempting to snatch a two-year-old boy from a San Francisco street may have suffered from "disengagement from reality", his US lawyer says. Roscoe Holyoake, 34, from Perth, known as DJ Roski, entered not guilty pleas to kidnapping and child endangerment charges on Thursday. He remains in San Francisco County Jail after Superior Court Judge Vedica Puri sided with prosecutors and ruled to keep him in custody without bail. Roscoe Holyoake was arrested and charged in San Francisco for allegedly attempting to kidnap a young boy. Credit:ninevms Holyoake's lawyer, Stephen Olmo, told the Bay City News Service he had been in touch with Holyoake's family and friends in Australia who all said the allegations did not match his character. New York: It's a scene straight out of a Bob Woodward tell-all book: Donald Trump, slumped in his chair, discovers that a special counsel has been appointed to probe the 2016 election. "This is the end of my presidency," Trump declared in May 2017, according to Robert Mueller's final report. "Im f---ed." A redacted version of Robert Mueller's report into Russian election interference was released on Thursday local time. Credit:AP Almost two years after his probe began, Mueller's report has finally been released to the public. While it clears the President of colluding with Russia to win an election, its depiction of the President is deeply unflattering. Trump emerges as a serial liar who meddled with independent investigations and quite possibly obstructed justice from the White House. PHILIPSBURG:---- Inmates that are incarcerated at the Pointe Blanche Prison are held in deplorable conditions. SMN News received some photos of the inside the cells along with the concerns of the inmates which is below: If they are implementing the Dutch laws in Sint Maarten, we should be treated the same as the Dutch prisoners. The same rules should apply in Sint Maarten as in the Netherlands. Look at the situation of the prison in Sint Maarten. The food served to the prisoners are not edible. Some of us in prison are tax-paying citizens or our mothers and/or our fathers are tax paying citizens and it not comprehensible that we should live in this deplorable situation. The prison is in a very bad condition it's not livable. Some of our local prisoners are getting sick and matters are only getting worst. The prisoner are also human but live such an inhumane manner. By charging someone under the Dutch, the Dutch law living condition should also apply in the prison. If you did a crime in Sint Maarten it's logical that you get punished, but getting punished under the Dutch laws but after you get so far by being punished you should be treated under the Netherlands human rights. It should not be one sided where judgement is based on the Dutch laws and then be sent to prison to live under these inhumane conditions. The food is terrible, the bathrooms have running water to hit the ground and touch back your skin and the floor are not cleaned properly and is the same place where you have to wash your clothes. It is the old-fashioned way to wash clothes on our hands and full of dirt and muck. The beds are falling apart, the walls are falling apart, when it rains water comes in the cells, the paint is coming off the walls, you can see the cracks in the walls, and the gates are rusted. Prisoners skin are braking out and getting rashes on your skin. The cells for the prisoners are not being fixed. They take a few pictures of the outside and the roof to make it look good. The exterior of the prison is being renovated, while the interior is falling apart. So, to the public it would appear that the prison is being worked on, but that is not the case. We are not seeing any improvements on the inside as nothing is being solved within the walls. Inside the prison walls is inhumane. We have human rights too. We need county Sint Maarten to hear our voices. Jail is not made for animals. Jails is for anyone that made a mistakes or committed a crime in life. Half of the youths from Sint Maarten who leave the Point Blanche prison have mental problems. The prison is a rehabilitation facility where after serving the sentence, a prisoner should be able to adapt back into society. With all these challenges and no social workers or other care facilities, prisoners are thrown back into society with more mental challenges than when they were brought to prison. As a country, do we want our citizens to live in these conditions, do we want this for our youths. Should the prisoners live in this inhumane manner. No matter what they did to be in prison they are someone son or daughter who is paying taxes. Why cellular connectivity is the smart choice for CCTV deployments Businesses large and small rely on their CCTV systems to deter intruders and provide recorded evidence of security incidents. Overtime, CCTV has evolved to offer real-time intrusion detection and monitoring, and businesses now expect easy, secure and anytime access to cameras, and data. For that, they need connected CCTV systems. These modern installations can benefit from cellular connectivity, helping businesses protect their sites, while also supporting enhanced capabilities for CCTV to deliver more. Widespread use of CCTV systems So widespread is the use of CCTV cameras now that London, United Kingdom has over 600,000 cameras, according to Surfshark, while IHS Markit expects over a billion to be operating around the world, by the end of 2021. CCTV often sits at the heart of a business on-site security arrangements CCTV often sits at the heart of a business on-site security arrangements. Yet, despite this, traditional set-ups fail, to take advantage of the full capability, such physical security can provide. Real-time feeds with anytime access Nominated personnel must physically go to premises to access CCTV video, when it is recorded and kept only on-site. This causes loss of valuable time, when a potential crime must be reported and investigated. Whats more, it can put those who arrive first at the site at risk, if intruders are still present. Nowadays, CCTV installations can take full advantage of connected capabilities. They can provide real-time feeds, which authorised users can access securely from anywhere. That expands the security credentials of CCTV systems, beyond just recording. Detected intrusions can trigger alerts and provide a real-time visual of whats happening, so that required action can be taken. Of course, to realise these CCTV capabilities, systems must be connected and use the right type of connectivity at that. Connectivity must be resilient, so that it provides a continuous feed, even if a primary connection is lost, secure for authorised users, scalable and cost-effective. Traditionally, connectivity has come from wired connections and WiFi, but now cellular connectivity provides an attractive alternative. The benefits of cellular connectivity There are a number of reasons for this. To start with, fixed line connectivity isnt always available in all locations. If the infrastructure isnt there, particularly at remote sites, cables have to be laid. Thats expensive and takes time. CCTV towers in the construction and building industry, for example, require CCTV that can be rapidly deployed in areas that most likely dont have fixed line connectivity. A cellular connection can be quickly arranged to get a CCTV system up and running in the shortest possible time. Relying on third-party infrastructure, such as fixed line networks, can also be an issue for CCTV solution providers, because any policy changes can make integration difficult. Issues that may require changes from the third-party network administrator can take longer to resolve and if the fixed line network goes down, there is usually no backup. Cellular connectivity offers end-to-end control Cellular connectivity, delivered by a solution provider, gives end-to-end control of the connectivity Cellular connectivity, delivered by a solution provider, gives end-to-end control of the connectivity. In the rare event that something goes wrong, the solution provider can manage a resolution quickly. Where a number of sites are involved, cellular connectivity can provide a single solution, simplifying overall management of the complete installed CCTV system and reducing total cost of ownership for connectivity. Single connectivity management platform Through a single connectivity management platform, businesses can oversee an entire security installation, viewing and managing data usage, and using the information to assist decision making, as security needs evolve. This brings us to the fourth benefit - The ability to easily scale up. This might be because additional cameras are needed at a site or additional sites need to be catered for. It could even be because the CCTV installation is being enhanced to support additional capabilities. Simple plug-and-play to get cameras online securely Whatever the reason, being able to roll out connections rapidly, to a range of locations will be critical to existing and new installations. Ideally, connectivity should be possible within a matter of days and end users should be able to simply plug-and-play to get their cameras online securely. Resilience is the next factor to consider. Pre-configured routers, or embedded SIM cards in cameras, can reconnect to the most readily available alternative cellular network in the event of a network outage. In this way, cellular connectivity can form part of business continuity options. In some cases, it can work together with fixed line connections, as part of robust installations, which have mitigation built-in, should primary connections fail. Expanding CCTV capabilities 4G and now 5G too, allows for easy access and remote monitoring for CCTV applications 4G and now 5G too, allows for easy access and remote monitoring for CCTV applications. It can be deployed rapidly, supports an always on approach and can stream high volumes of data and imagery. Live video feeds can be viewed by authorised users on any device and they can receive alerts, and notifications direct to their mobiles too. The high speed, high bandwidth and lower latency of 5G connectivity also provides the opportunity for enhanced CCTV system capabilities, such as live feed analytics. This is ideal because it helps businesses build on the primary function of security with, for example, occupancy monitoring. This has very much come to the fore, over the past 18 months+, as businesses have had to concern themselves more than ever with occupancy levels in their buildings. ANPR in crime detection and traffic enforcement Retailers, meanwhile, have built on the real-time nature of CCTV technology, to monitor customer numbers in their stores, in line with social distancing guidelines. Another CCTV application can be found with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) in crime detection and traffic enforcement. Combined with software, the feed from CCTV cameras is used to help find and track vehicles for law enforcement or traffic monitoring. For most CCTV applications, the speed and functionality that comes from 4G is more than sufficient. However, it is likely 5G will drive new applications and ways to expand CCTV capabilities to the benefit of businesses. CCTV systems offer remote monitoring and high quality visuals Once a single application installation, CCTV use to provide only on-site recording capabilities. Now, CCTV systems can support remote monitoring and higher quality visuals. They can deliver alerts, and back them up with access to real-time video feeds, so that authorised users can assess a situation and take action rapidly. These additional capabilities support enhanced use cases for CCTV. The data that CCTV systems generate is valuable to businesses. Businesses that capture and analyse the data can fully capitalise on its potential. Cellular connectivity provides a resilient and scalable way of connecting single or multiple sites. Through a connectivity management platform, businesses can consolidate CCTV connectivity, managing connections across networks and deployments. Scientists want your help studying black holes and you can do it from your own home! When black holes collide, they disrupt the fabric of space-time and send ripples through the cosmos known as gravitational waves . By measuring those waves, scientists can learn more about the properties of the black-hole merger that created them. However, interpreting that data requires a tremendous amount of computing power. That's where citizen scientists come in. A team of researchers at West Virginia University is recruiting volunteers to help advance our understanding of black holes by running collision simulations from home on their personal computers. The collaborative project, named "BlackHoles@Home," aims to reduce the cost of studying gravitational waves from black hole collisions by avoiding having to pay for access to supercomputers enormous computing machines that can do up to hundreds of quadrillions of calculations per second but can be expensive to rent. Related: 4 Gravitational-Wave Detections Include Largest, Most Distant Black Hole Crash Ever BlackHoles@Home is "an in-development volunteer computing project in which we are going to be enlisting large numbers of the general public to donate their spare CPU cycles to advance very important research into gravitational waves," Zachariah Etienne, a professor of mathematics at West Virginia University and leader of the BlackHoles@Home project, said during a meeting of the American Physical Society in Denver on April 15. Gravitational waves "encode critically important information about black holes," Etienne said, "but extracting the information about the black holes themselves, maximizing the science product from their detection from these hard-fought observations is a really tough thing to do." This involves comparing observations, or the "wiggles" in space-time, with hundreds of millions of theoretical predictions that are based on the mathematical solutions to Einstein's equations of general relativity . This field of physics is known as numerical relativity, and researchers typically use supercomputers to do it. A BlackHoles@Home simulation of a head-on collision between two black holes. (Image credit: Z. Etienne/WVU/ BlackHoles@Home "To date these simulations have been entirely performed on supercomputers," Etienne said. "As a result of the computational expense, to date only about 3,000 theoretical predictions have been generated and that's over the span of 14 years despite enormous efforts to grow these theoretical prediction catalogs." BlackHoles@Home aims to create "tens to hundreds of millions" of those theoretical gravitational- waveform predictions, which can be used to better analyze the observational data collected during black hole collisions. "As our gravitational wave detectors become more sensitive, we're going to need to greatly expand our efforts to understand all of the information encoded in gravitational waves from colliding binary black holes," Etienne said in a statement . "We are turning to the general public to help with these efforts, which involve generating unprecedented numbers of self-consistent simulations of these extremely energetic collisions. This will truly be an inclusive effort, and we especially hope to inspire the next generation of scientists in this growing field of gravitational wave astrophysics." To find out how you can join the BlackHoles@Home project, visit blackholesathome.net . That website contains more detailed instructions and tutorials to help you get started with your black hole simulations. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, and Commander of U.S. Strategic Command Gen. John Hyten testify April 11, 2019 in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. COLORADO SPRINGS Since the Pentagon rolled out its Space Force proposal March 1, Defense Department officials met with staff directors and professional staff members from defense committees multiple times on Capitol Hill to provide a detailed explanation of DoD's plan to establish a new military service for space. In preparation for Thursday's Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Space Force proposal, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan himself in recent weeks participated in seven meetings with committee members, a defense official told SpaceNews. This hearing was seen as a key barometer of how SASC is leaning as the committee prepares to mark up the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. The Trump administration wants the Space Force to be enacted in the NDAA by October 1. Related: Plans for Space Force Laid Out at National Space Council Meeting Pentagon leaders in those meetings leading up to the April 11 hearing consistently heard the following questions from lawmakers and staff: Why is a Space Force needed? Why is both a Space Force and a Space Command necessary? The Air Force is doing a good job in space, so why change? They also heard concerns about the cost of the new branch and objections to creating additional Pentagon bureaucracy at a time when military resources are stretched. The same issues and many more were raised at the hearing where Shanahan testified alongside Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford and Commander of U.S. Strategic Command Gen. John Hyten. SASC Chairman Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) said the hearing was an "opportunity to continue to gather facts and to fully explore the proposal. This is one of those rare times when we're having a hearing where people haven't already made up their minds." But it soon became apparent that several committee members from both parties are deeply skeptical of the Pentagon's Space Force proposal and the testimony from the witnesses did not appear to sway their judgment. SASC members generally agreed that DoD has to invest in space systems and modernize its satellites as rival nations step up the development of anti-satellite weapons to deny the United States access to critical space-based services like communications and GPS navigation. But questioned why a top-heavy bureaucracy is needed to do that. Air Force Secretary Wilson told reporters on Wednesday at the Space Symposium that the projected size of the Space Force is about 15,000 people 5,000 civilians and 10,000 active duty, National Guard and reserve troops. That would be the military's smallest branch. She noted that space is "capital intensive business" and the operation of satellites doesn't require a lot of people. The Space Force would be in the Department of the Air Force, led by an undersecretary of the Air Force for Space and two four-star general officers, a Chief of Staff and a Vice Chief of Staff. Why a separate service "I hope our witnesses will explain why the Space Force requires a separate and dedicated undersecretary, unlike the Marine Corps [which is much larger] and whether such a top-heavy bureaucracy is necessary for such a small fighting force," said SASC Ranking Member Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) Reed and others said they would specifically challenge the part of the proposal that seeks congressional authorization to set up a new civilian personnel system exclusive to the Space Force that would be exempted from the statutory rules and protections applicable to most other federal employees. The Pentagon sought to keep the cost of the Space Force down by staffing it with existing personnel, mostly from the Air Force. It requested $72 million in fiscal year 2020 to stand up a headquarters of about 200 people. And DoD projects the cost to build the force over the next five years will be $2 billion. Reed said those numbers are suspect. "It is highly unlikely that the bureaucracy of the Space Force will remain flat over time," he said. "I think providing DoD with wide legislative authority to create a new proxy without more robust budget details is risky." Members also questioned why the Space Force does not include the National Reconnaissance Office which plays a key role developing and operating the nation's spy satellites. Related: Spy Satellite NROL-71 Soars on Secret Mission Atop Delta IV Heavy Rocket (Launch Photos) When it came time to explain the rationale for the Space Force, Shanahan called the proposal "threat-driven." He said threats are "increasing and the importance of and the opportunities in space are growing." Shanahan also argued the Space Force is needed to centralize the management of space activities. He said today DoD has five Senate-confirmed officials who are responsible for more than 10 organizations developing space capabilities in a "very federated fashion." But members poked holes in the Pentagon's argument by pointing out that there is no obvious problems with how space is being managed today under the Air Force. "My impression is you all are doing a good job," Sen. Angus King (I- ME) told Wilson. "We are getting the data that we need, we're getting the support from the Air Force. We're working together with the NRO and other agencies. And as I think many of you, or all of you have testified, we're dominant in space right now." Hyten pushed back. "I think we have been doing a good job, but we've been doing a good job in an environment where space has not been contested," he said. "What is changing is we have adversaries that are building significant capabilities that can challenge us in space. We have to have a commander focused on it all the time from an operational perspective. And we have to have somebody in the Pentagon that focuses their total attention on space all the time." King said it is still hard to see how a "new box in an organizational chart" is going to help us to respond to that challenge. Both Shanahan and Wilson pointed out how successful the Air Force has been at the space mission. "Because of our airmen and Secretary Wilson's leadership in particular we are the best in space," said Shanahan. Wilson dittoed that. "The United States is the best in the world at space and our adversaries know it," she said. Dunford offered praise as well. "I think we do have a good culture in the Air Force. And again, we are the best at space." But he agreed with Hyten that an organization is better off if the leadership is "singularly focused on a single core competency, that being space." A combatant command and a service The question of why DoD is creating a Space Command and also a Space Force was raised by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who asked Hyten to explain "why we need to put all space assets, space forces into a separate service as opposed to a combatant command." Hyten said a service is required to develop the expertise that the combatant command would need. Cotton challenged that premise. DoD is not going to have actual soldiers in space fighting who need a different set of skills, he said. Space warfare is primarily going to be about technology and acquisitions, he added. "So I think what a lot of us on the committee are trying to figure out is what's the incremental advantage of having a separate Space Force like the Marine Corps is to the Navy within the Air Force as opposed to say the Air Force having the training and equipping function that the five services have for a combatant command." Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said one of his "overriding concerns" with regard to the Space Force is not that it is not important or that it's a bad idea, but that is could drain resources from other priorities such as military combat readiness. Dunford disagreed. "Let me tell you how I think about this. I don't look at it's either space or readiness. Space Force really is, in my judgment, related to readiness." In one of the most compelling exchanges in the hearing, Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) reminded the witnesses that Wilson less than two years ago was fiercely opposed to the idea of a separate space service. "I don't think there is any disagreement from folks on this committee that space is something that we need to focus a great deal on and that we need to do a better job of coordinating and integrating space into our overall defense strategy," Peters said. "But we can't just keep throwing money after dollars after dollars." Then he addressed Wilson. "I hate doing this but I think it's important because I think you said this best of anyone. In 2017 after a meeting with the Senate appropriations subcommittee talking about the space force, you said the Pentagon is complicated enough. This will make it more complex, and more boxes to the organization chart cost more money. If I had more money, I would put into the locality not bureaucracy," Peters said. "Secretary Wilson, I think that is profound." Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.) pressed Wilson to explain what changed her mind. "I've read statements of yours in the past where you have talked about the need for a Space Command versus a Space Force, maybe not both. But let me just put it this way: Had the president of the United States not issued an order about creating this, would this be something that you would be coming to the Senate Armed Services Committee recommending?" Wilson did not respond to that particular question and instead gave praise to the president. "He has done us a service by elevating this conversation and making the challenge we face in space a kitchen table conversation. The president has proposed and you all have supported two consecutive years of double-digit percentage increases in the space budget and there's another one before you today in the FY 20 budget. And we're having a hearing on how America needs to dominate in space. And I think we need to give him credit for that." Acquisition problems In a later exchange with Shanahan, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), pointed out that one of the problems he heard from DoD is that the acquisition system does not allow the military to take advantage of emerging commercial technology and innovation. "Would not a Space Force have the same unfortunate bureaucratic problems that the Air Force has to deal with today?" Rounds asked. Shanahan said the solution to that problem is the Space Development Agency, which DoD established last month and did not require congressional authorization. The SDA will "really leverage the commercial innovation," he said. Some of the most pointed questions came from Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.). "I'm having a real hard time understanding why we need this other agency," he told Shanahan. "You have got everything at your disposal right now and the Air Force has the expertise and there are some flaws in it and you want more attention to it, we will give you what else you need," he added. "This doesn't make any sense to me." He asked Shanahan to explain "why you think we need this other agency." Shanahan's response: "The very short story is the amount of change that is taking place in this environment we are not prepared to address." Manchin also noted that Wilson was testifying in support of the Space Force proposal but opposes the Space Development Agency. When asked to elaborate, Wilson said the SDA is "not part of the president's proposal," and she added: "Senator, you know what I am saying here is not new. My memorandum to the Secretary on this subject has been reported on publicly and I did not support it." This image by the Event Horizon Telescope project shows the event horizon of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the M87 galaxy. DENVER Last week, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) released the first-ever image of a black hole's shadow cast against the hot gas of its accretion disk. That image, of the black hole at the center of galaxy Messier 87 (M87), was front page news all over the world. Soon, the EHT will produce the first movie of that hot gas whirling chaotically around the shadow, said project leaders who spoke Sunday (April 14) here at the April meeting of the American Physical Society. The EHT isn't a single telescope. Rather, it's a network of radio telescopes all over the world making precisely timed recordings of radio waves all together, and these recordings can be combined such that the different telescope all act as one. As more individual radio telescopes join the EHT and the team updates the project's recording technology, the detail of the images should increase dramatically, Shep Doeleman, the Harvard University astronomer who lead the EHT project said in his talk. And then, the team should be able to produce movies of black holes in action, he said. "It turns out that even now, with what we have, we may be able, with certain prior assumptions, to look at rotational signatures [evidence of the accretion disk swirling around the event horizon]," Doeleman said. "And then, if we had many more stations, then we could really start to see in real time movies of the black hole accretion and rotation." [9 Ideas About Black Holes That Will Blow Your Mind] In the case of the black hole in M87, Doeleman told Live Science after his talk, making a movie will be pretty straightforward. The black hole is enormous, even for a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy: It's 6.5 billion times the mass of Earth's sun, with its event horizon the point beyond which not even light can return enclosing a sphere as wide as our entire solar system. So, the hot matter of this black hole's accretion disk takes a long time to make a single trek around the object. "The time scale over which [M87] changes appreciably is greater than a day. That's great," Doeleman said, because it means the EHT to shoot a movie of the object one frame at a time. "We can make our image. Then, if we want to make another one, or a time-lapse movie, then we just go out the next day or the next week. And we might do it seven weeks in a row and get seven frames of a movie and then kind of see something move around in that way," he said But the M87 black hole isn't the only supermassive black hole that the EHT is observing. The team is also looking at Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our own galaxy, and plans to release the first image of that object soon. And the EHT researchers also aim to make movies of that much nearer and better-studied black hole, but that project will be more complicated, Doeleman said. [11 Fascinating Facts About Our Milky Way Galaxy] SagA* is about 1,000 times less massive than the M87 black hole, Doeleman said, so the image changes 1,000 times more quickly. "So, what that means is it will change in minutes or hours," Doeleman said. "You have to develop a fundamentally different algorithm, because it's as if you have the lens cap off on your camera and something's moving while you're taking an exposure." To make a movie, he said, the EHT would not only have to collect all the data necessary to produce an image of the black hole, but also break up that data up into different chunks by time. Next, the team would compare those chunks to one another using sophisticated algorithms to figure out how the image changed even as it was being captured. "We have to figure out a way to look at the first little bit of data, and then the second little bit of data, and then to make a movie," he said. "So members of our team are working on what we call dynamical imaging." This approach uses models of how the image would be expected to move, comparing those models to the actual data to see if it fits. "You've got to be smart and figure out how data from this time slice is related to that time slice right after," Doeleman said. "So, for example, you could say, 'OK, you can move but you can't move that far.'" Using those sorts of constraints, he said, the team can convert even very limited amounts of data from any given minute into complete pictures of SagA* in motion. As a result, the team expects to make movies of the smaller black hole in a single night. Those movies, said Avery Broderick, an astrophysicist at the University of Waterloo in Canada who works on interpreting the EHT's images, should reveal new details about the behavior of accretion disks around black holes, including how they gobble up matter. "We'll be able to map space-times by looking at black hole cinema, not portraiture," Broderick said. Originally published on Live Science. Jerrie Cobb, the first woman to pass all the same preflight tests as NASA's seven Mercury astronauts , has died. Cobb, whose full first name was Geraldyn, was a record-setting pilot and an outspoken advocate for gender equality in spaceflight who dedicated her later life to Christian missionary work in the Amazon. She was also one of countless American women who have pushed back against sexism and reached for space. She died in March at age 88; her death wasn't publicly confirmed until yesterday (April 18). She is sometimes called NASA's first female astronaut candidate, but she was not; the agency did not accept women as candidates until 1978, in the class that included Sally Ride, who would become the first American woman in space five years later. But Cobb aired her frustration with NASA's sexism openly, culminating in 1962, when she testified before Congress at hearings that essentially investigated whether the agency was discriminating against women, years before the practice was made illegal. Related: Women in Space: A Gallery of Firsts "She was optimistic in a moment when the U.S. space program still felt very new and open," Margaret Weitekamp, a historian at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, told Space.com. History took its toll on Cobb and her legacy, leaving her and her colleagues, who were dubbed the Mercury 13 in the 1990s, deep in the shadows cast by Alan Shepard, John Glenn and their fellow astronauts. "The women of the Mercury 13 should have been just as famous," Ellen Stofan, former chief scientist of NASA and current director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, told Space.com. "They should be inspiring girls today they should have been there to inspire me." But although Cobb never broke through the boundary of space, she still left her mark on the world, Weitekamp said. "I always think it's a shame that people focus so much on the door being shut to her for spaceflight, and less on the achievement that it was for any woman to gain access to that kind of sophisticated aeromedical testing at that moment, and to get the kinds of national-level conversations started in that historic moment, when both the women's movement and the space age were starting at essentially the same time," she said. Cobb, who was born in 1931, became a pilot when she was 16. She purchased her first plane with money earned as a semiprofessional softball player for the Oklahoma City Queens, according to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum . She set three separate world aviation records and was the first woman to fly at the prestigious Paris Air Show. That experience caught the eye of two leading figures of early space medicine, who were looking to test women's capacity to handle the predicted stresses of spaceflight. It wasn't as enlightened as it might sound: They envisioned outposts in space staffed by dozens of people and in need of labor from traditionally "pink-collar" jobs, like secretaries and telephone operators. Related: Kathy Sullivan, 1st American Woman to Walk in Space, on the All-Female Spacewalk That Could Have Been When they asked Cobb to undergo the same physical fitness tests they had developed for NASA's first astronauts but beyond the scope of the agency, as part of a private organization she jumped at the chance and passed every one of the tests. Then, she dug through national pilot records and recruited 25 other women to take the same tests. Nearly half of them passed. She also publicly advocated for NASA to recognize that requiring fighter pilot experience as a prerequisite for consideration of the astronaut office was discriminatory because the military didn't let women fly in combat. For several years, she told the media and Congress that NASA should fly the most qualified candidates, regardless of sex, and she endured the costs that came with that public profile. "Jerrie Cobb was by nature very shy and quiet, and not one to seek the limelight, so it says something about just how important she thought what she was doing was that she subjected herself to media scrutiny as much as she did," Weitekamp said. And that media scrutiny was brutally sexist and objectifying, with even the most prestigious outlets describing her outfits in detail and printing her bust, waist and hip measurements. By 1964, the Soviet Union had sent the first woman into space with much weaker pilot credentials than Cobb could claim, and NASA had proved itself too close-minded for her to continue the fight. She returned her focus to aviation and, as a lifelong devout Christian, dedicated herself and her plane to missionary work in the Amazon. "Despite what must have been a crushing personal disappointment, she turned it into something positive so she's such a hero to me," Stofan said. "She persevered, and I think that's an important lesson for everybody, not just women." Jerrie Cobb, third from left, and other members of the so-called Mercury 13, visited Space Shuttle Discovery before the launch of STS-63 in 1995. (Image credit: NASA) It wasn't until 1983 that Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space and it wasn't until 1995 that Eileen Collins became the first female shuttle pilot. Before that flight, Collins arranged for Cobb and several of the female pilots who had joined her in astronaut testing to attend the launch together as her guests to commemorate the groundwork they laid for her own flight. Despite her accomplishments in aviation and activism, Cobb was best known as the woman who wasn't allowed to become an astronaut. "There's always so much focus on the testing and whether or not the testing went anywhere," Weitekamp said, arguing that's more of a statement about our fascination with astronauts than about Cobb's legacy. "She got people talking about women's physical capabilities and women's talent in a moment that was a little prescient of the conversations to come in the late '60s and '70s," Weitekamp said. "If there had been more of a structure for [feminist activism], what a difference that might have made. She was so much on the cutting edge that she was really out there by herself pushing for this." The annual Lyrids meteor shower, derived from particles dropped by comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher), runs from April 16 to 28 and peaks on Monday, April 22. The meteors will streak away from a point in the sky (the shower's radiant) near the bright star Vega, which will be high in the eastern sky before dawn. The Lyrids can produce up to 18 meteors per hour, with occasional fireballs. Unfortunately, a bright, gibbous moon will wash out all but the brightest meteors this year. One of the oldest known annual meteor showers, peaking early this week, may unfortunately be hindered by an almost-full moon. The moon reaches full phase during the overnight hours of April 18-19, so many will likely dismiss this year's performance of the Lyrid meteor shower as unobservable. The peak of activity is expected during the night of April 22-23; when the moon rises at about 11:30 p.m., the shower radiant will be less than halfway up in the northeastern sky. (The American Meteor Society lists the peak as April 21-22, but both nights should have similar rates.) That radiant is located to the lower right of the brilliant blue-white star Vega in the little constellation of Lyra, hence the name "Lyrids." (A meteor shower's radiant is the spot from which the shower's meteors appear to be streaking; they can appear all across the sky, but their tails will point to that spot.) The orbit of the Lyrid meteors strongly resembles that of Thatcher's Comet , which swung past us during the spring of 1861 and has an orbital period of approximately 415 years. In 1867, astronomer Johann Gottfried Galle confirmed the link between this comet and the Lyrids; the meteors that we see from this display are the tiny particles that were shed by the comet on its previous visits through the inner solar system. Related: The Most Amazing Lyrid Meteor Shower Photos of All Time Lyrid surprises The April Lyrids have sometimes provided spectacular displays, as in 687 B.C., when Chinese records said "stars fell like rain," and it's happened at least a dozen other times since then. The story is often told of how residents of Richmond, Virginia, were rousted out of bed by the fire bell on the morning of April 20, 1803. The fire that had broken out in the armory was quickly extinguished, but this gave the townspeople a chance to see meteors falling in great numbers from all parts of the sky. The event is also described in a letter published in the Raleigh, North Carolina, Register: "We, the undersigned . . . being on Wednesday night, the 20th of April, out at a fishing party, and returning home about 1 o'clock a.m., were alarmed with the appearance of a shooting of stars; the whole hemisphere as far as the extension of the horizon seemed to be illuminated; the meteors kept no particular direction but appeared to move every way. We viewed the phenomenon for the space perhaps of half an hour with amazement, during which time no intermission appeared. We distinctly heard a hissing in the air but heard no reports. The above statements may be relied on as facts" (signed by four men). Similar accounts came from New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Delaware. The meteor outburst of 1803 was completely unexpected. Very little was known about meteors in the 18th and early 19th centuries, except for the slight increase in their numbers each year during early August. The Lyrids give no clues as to when another such outburst might happen; hence, the shower is always one to watch. Moon muscles in Unfortunately, as we alluded to at the outset, this year, the moon is going to be a problem for prospective meteor watchers. The best chance to see some Lyrids this year will be on the morning of April 23, just before morning twilight begins. Any meteor whose path, extended backward, passes within a few degrees of Vega is likely to be a Lyrid. Around 4 a.m. local daylight time is also about the time that the Lyrid radiant will be almost directly overhead from the southern United States, and not far off it for anyone in the midnorthern hemisphere. (But remember the meteors can appear anywhere across the sky.) In recent years, even when the sky has been dark, the Lyrids have generally been weak. They produce a brief maximum that lasts for about a day, and even then, only 10 to 20 Lyrids per hour may appear. Yet, the April Lyrids have been described as "occasionally spectacularly bright and swift." About 20-25% of Lyrid meteors also tend to leave shining trails in their wakes that persist for a few moments. Unforeseen spectacles And there is always the small chance of a surprise. A brief outburst of 100 per hour occurred in 1922. Then, in 1982, rates unexpectedly reached 90 for a single hour and 180 to 300 per hour for a few minutes easy for skywatchers to miss due to timing. "It is indeed possible that many past Lyrid outbursts were missed simply due to observational gaps," Paul Roggermans wrote in "Handbook for Visual Meteor Observations" (Sky Publishing Corp., 1989). So, maybe it wouldn't hurt to set the alarm clock for 2 or 3 a.m. (in your local time zone) on the morning of April 23, so you can arise for a brief look out the window, moonlight notwithstanding. Hey ... you never know. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the CRS-15 Dragon cargo mission for NASA from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on June 29, 2018. SpaceX has pushed back the launch of its next robotic resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by four days, to April 30. The California-based company's Dragon cargo capsule is now scheduled to lift off atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 4:22 a.m. EDT (0822 GMT) on April 30 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, NASA officials announced today (April 19). "SpaceX will take advantage of the additional time to perform a static fire test and pre-flight checkouts," NASA officials wrote in an update . "Falcon 9 and Dragon are on track to be flight-ready for an earlier launch attempt; however, April 30 is the most viable date for both NASA and SpaceX due to station and orbital mechanics constraints." Related: How SpaceX's Dragon Space Capsule Works (Infographic) The upcoming mission will be the 17th flown by SpaceX under its Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. SpaceX also holds a commercial-crew deal with the space agency, the terms of which the company will fulfill using the Falcon 9 and a crewed variant of Dragon. Crew Dragon flew its first test mission to the ISS last month. The successful six-day flight, known as Demo-1 , was uncrewed. But Demo-2 will carry two NASA astronauts, and that mission could lift off as early as this summer. Operational contracted missions to the orbiting lab will follow, perhaps by the end of the year. Boeing also holds a NASA commercial-crew contract. The aerospace giant is targeting August for the debut mission of its CST-100 Starliner capsule to the ISS. That first flight will be uncrewed. There's already a privately built cargo spacecraft docked to the ISS Northrop Grumman's Cygnus, which arrived at the orbiting lab early this morning. Like SpaceX, Northrop Grumman holds a NASA resupply deal. NASA will host a news conference Monday (April 22) at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT) to discuss the science payloads that Dragon will carry to the ISS on the upcoming cargo mission. You can watch it live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA TV. Jordan Bardella's Rise The Fresh Young Face of France's Populist Right A 23-year-old politician is leading Marine Le Pen's right-wing populists in May elections for the European Parliament. His name is Jordan Bardella, and he's as eloquent as he is radical. Our Lady The Profound Lesson of the Notre Dame Fire As the flames shot out of the roof of Notre Dame de Paris on Monday evening, a global community of concern quickly formed. It shows that the idea of cultural heritage is much more than just a UNESCO list. The Palace Theatre in Stamford is hosting its 4th Silent Headphone Party Saturday, June 22. The doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the party kicks off at 8 when the headphones go on and DJ Shortkutz, DJ Camz, DJ Jesse Koo take the stage, battling for attendees attention at the 21-and-older event that features an open bar and free food. Heres how it works: partygoers receive a pair of special wireless headphones with adjustable volume and they can choose between the three DJs with a flip of a switch. Each headset has a color LED showing which channel is being listened to. The DJs be spinning while the partygoers sing, drink and dance until 11 p.m. Click here for tickets ($45 before June 1, $55 after) and more information. What to bring: Valid ID and a credit or debit card for the check-in process. If the headphones are not returned, there will be a $100 charge to the card after the event. The Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St. Saturday, June 22, 8 p.m. 203-325-4466. A faith-based pregnancy center in Willimantic has asked a federal judge for an injunction against a controversial Hartford ordinance that requires the religious facilities to disclose whether their staff carry medical licenses. The challenge to the local ordinance comes at the same time lawmakers are considering imposing similar rules on a statewide basis. Last month, the legislatures Public Health Committee advanced a proposal that would halt misleading advertising practices at any of the states 25 or so faith-based pregnancy centers. The capital city began enforcing its ordinance in October. Hartfords law requires faith-based crisis pregnancy centers to notify people if they do not have a licensed medical provider on staff or on site. The centers must post a sign in the window and reception area, and display a similar message on their websites. Critics of the faith-based institutions have said their staff members sometimes pose as medical workers to lure women and hand out misleading information about abortions. On Thursday, the nonprofit Caring Families Pregnancy Services filed a federal lawsuit against the city, seeking an injunction to stop the ordinance and claiming its rights had been violated. While its main operations are in Willimantic, Caring Families runs a mobile care unit that travels throughout the state, including Hartford. This challenge seeks to protect the right of a pro-life, faith-based pregnancy care center to exercise its religious beliefs and to speak about those beliefs so it can help women with concerns about pregnancy and motherhood, attorneys for the group wrote in the lawsuit. The signs it is forced to post on its mobile unit incorrectly imply that Mobile Care is not qualified to provide the free services it offers, the lawyers said. The center offers ultrasounds, pregnancy testing, counseling, adoption referrals, parenting classes and Bible studies, among other resources, at no cost. In an Internet post, the attorneys said Caring Families offers a wide range of services that do not require supervision by a licensed medical provider. Hartford has no business implying - by force of law - that Caring Families and other pro-life care providers are anything but competent and tolerant, Denise Harle, a lawyer for the group, said in a prepared statement.Worse still, Hartford claims its promoting comprehensive information about health care but only censors and interferes with specific views about life, pregnancy, motherhood - a double standard thats both troubling and unconstitutional. Harle and other attorneys for Caring Families could not be reached late Thursday. A spokesman for Mayor Luke Bronin did not immediately return a call seeking comment. Caring Families also asked the court to declare that Hartfords ordinance violates the U.S. Constitutions Free Exercise of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Establishment, Due Process and Equal Protection clauses, and that it infringes on state law. It is seeking unspecified damages and attorneys fees. Peter Wolfgang, head of the Family Institute of Connecticut and a vocal opponent of Hartfords ordinance, praised the group for bringing the lawsuit. We told the city that they would likely be sued for targeting the free speech of pro-lifers and that they would likely lose in court, he said Thursday. We are gratified to see that our first prediction has come true. We hope the second one does, too. Hartfords city council approved the hot-button ordinance in December 2017 with the aim of enforcement beginning in July 2018. The city suspended its plans in June 2018 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a California law that required crisis pregnancy centers to tell clients they can access free and low-cost abortions. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the courts majority opinion that California had unlawfully compelled the faith-based centers to give women information inimical to their beliefs. But Hartford leaders announced in September that, after consulting with lawyers, they would move ahead with enforcing the local regulation. Bronin said the citys mandate was a very simple, narrowly tailored disclosure, unlike the California law that required more affirmative statements by the religious institutions. The citys health and human services department began enforcement the next month. Fines of $100 a day may now be levied against centers that breach the ordinance. In Hartford, officials have targeted a facility on Jefferson Street called the Hartford Womens Center, located just steps from an abortion clinic. They said the womens center was opened there to intercept patients headed for the clinic. Efforts to pass a statewide regulation during last years legislative session were unsuccessful. Advocates pressed forward again this year, despite vocal opposition from supporters of the faith-based centers. Under the measure approved by the Public Health Committee, Connecticuts attorney general could seek a court injunction to stop the deceptive practices. Faith-based centers found in violation of the law may be required to distribute corrective advertising, post a notice that corrects the false information, or pay a fine. The bill still needs approval from the House and Senate. MONROE 1974 had been weird enough already. Americans were reeling from the energy crisis, Watergate and the resignation of their president. Then word leaked out of an exploding crucifix, flying furniture and a talking cat in a small home on Bridgeports Lindley Street. People wanted answers. In stepped Ed and Lorraine Warren, of Monroe. And the paranormal world changed forever. On Good Friday, it was announced that Lorraine Warren left this world Thursday night at age 92 perhaps joining her husband, who died in 2006 in a place more interesting to them. After all Ed, was a self-taught demonologist and Lorraine a self-professed clairvoyant and spiritual medium. On Thursday night, Nick Grossmann of Ghost Storm was leading a ghost hunting tour at the Twisted Vine restaurant in downtown Derby. I was with Lorraines niece, (Julie Zaffis-Marron) at about 9:30 p.m., when her phone completely died, Grossman said. That often happens when a spiritual presence is passing by. No one elses phone died. But when Zaffis-Marron got home, her phone turned on with 50 percent power, Grossmann said. I really believe the two incidents are connected, he said. Lorraine was clairvoyant. In 1952, the Warrens found their calling and created the New England Society of Psychic Research. Twenty-two years later, according to Ray Bendici in Damned Connecticut.com, Lindley Street in Bridgeport became the epicenter for one of the most documented hauntings in Connecticut History. Scary times The public already had an appetite for such things. The Exorcist released in 1973 was still terrifying movie audiences. And Lindley Street? Thousands began making pilgrimages to the site. Some carried religious artifacts while others brought cameras and binoculars hoping to catch a glimpse of the supernatural. Lindley Street put paranormal investigations on the map, said Rose Porto, lead investigator of Connecticut Spirit Investigations and Researchers, in Hamden. If it wasnt for the Warrens, I wouldnt be doing what I am now. Porto is investigating possible hauntings at a house in Milford and another in Hamden. On Feb . 23 she said, she confirmed that a friendly spirit called Ben who had taken up space inside Ramen-Ya, a Japanese restaurant in Berlin. While Porto said she never called Warren for advice just knowing she was still around was sort of a comfort, especially because she was local, Porto said. And if there was a paranormal issue or problem, who better to ask? Its a tremendous loss to the whole paranormal field. Grossmann said that because of the Warrens, paranormal and ghost-hunting shows now populate TV. To the Warrens, Lindley Street reeked of demonic possession, or at least a poltergeist. Even police and firefighters who entered the home reported unbelievable happenings. The homes address was 966 Lindley Street turn the first number over and you have 666. The Warrens called for an exorcism. Then police interviewed the 10-year-old native girl from Canada the family had adopted. She admitted to everything, police officials said. And by Christmas everything calmed down. But the Warrens went on, branching into books and movies. Screen legacy In 1974 they were called to home in Harrisville, R.I., where they claimed the angry spirit of Bathsheba Thayer was targeting the family. This became the story line behind The Conjuring , a currently popular movie series. The next year the Warrens were in Amityville, on New Yorks Long Island, investigating the home where Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered six members of his family. That turned into the Amityville Horror movie franchise. In 1986, there was the former funeral home in Southington rented by the Snedeker family, which the Warrens claimed was haunted by spirits of the dead allegedly abused by morticians. This made it to the screens as A Haunting in Connecticut. And there was the White Lady of Easton, who supposedly haunts the towns Union Cemetery and perhaps the Stepney Cemetery in Monroe, which is where Ed Warren is buried. But Joe Nickell, a former private detective and senior research fellow for the Committee of Skeptical Inquiry, doesnt buy any of the Warrens claims. Im the only full-time professional paranormal investigator who has never met a ghost, demon or poltergeist, even when Im supposedly just inches away, he said Friday. Things came to a head during a debate with the Warrens in 1992 over the Southington funeral home haunting, which was the subject of their being together on a taping of the Sally Jessy Raphael talk show. Harsh words were exchanged. Ive investigated haunted houses for some 20 years and Ive never met a house that I thought was haunted, Nickell said afterwards. I think the Warrens have not met a house that they didnt think was haunted. With both Warrens gone, Tony Spera, their son-in-law, now heads the New England Society of Psychic Research. The family requests that you respect their privacy at this time, the societys website read on Friday. Lorraine touched many lives and was loved by so many. She was a remarkable, loving, compassionate and giving soul. STAMFORD Closing arguments were heard at the Stamford courthouse Thursday to determine the criminal culpability of a man accused of running over a Fairfield woman in a downtown Stamford crosswalk in early 2018. George Christiansen, 40, of Stamford, is facing a felony second-degree manslaughter charge for running his companys Dodge Ram Sprinter-type van over 58-year-old Lynette Wagner as the Fairfield woman was crossing Elm Street on the way to her job in the Henkel Building just after 7 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2018. Christiansen faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty at the bench trial presided over by veteran trial Judge Richard Comerford. In a crowded fourth-floor courtroom, Christiansens attorney Lindy Urso said Assistant States Attorney Daniel Cummings has not come close to proving that Christiansen acted recklessly in killing Wagner. Urso said video of the incident caught on a traffic camera at the intersection of North State and Elm streets showed Christiansen was driving south on Elm Street, getting ready to make a legal right turn during a red light onto North State Street. Just as he was doing this, Wagner came walking up on the northern edge of the sidewalk, pulling a legal briefcase on wheels, while Christiansen crept his van well into the crosswalk, getting ready to make the turn. Just before stepping out onto the roads crosswalk, Urso said Wagner veered to the right where it was very difficult for Christiansen to see her and he pulled forward, striking her with the right-front corner of the van and killing her. Ursos version of the event differed from the testimony of recently retired Stamford police Sgt. Andrew Gallagher, who said the traffic camera video showed that Wagner was more in front of the van than Urso claims. Notwithstanding Sgt. Gallagers erroneous representation to the court in his arrest affidavit, the victim was not knocked to the ground right in front of the van. First, you can see that in the video. She was struck with the (front) right corner of the van and fell to the side, Urso said. Urso added that his client was an experienced driver, having driven the van for 18 months at work and has never received a ticket for a moving violation in his life. He also said because the sun was 14 minutes from coming up when the accident happened, that it was dark and Wagner was crossing the road on foot against the pedestrian light. On top of Christiansens right blinker being on and visible to the mother of two, Urso said, his intention to make the right turn was made even more plain by having crept the van well into the crosswalk while getting ready to make the turn. Finally, he said, according to Gallaghers timeline, there was less than a half second between when Wagner stepped into the crosswalk and when Christiansen hit the throttle to move the van forward, trapping her under the front bumper. Your honor, I submit the evidence submitted by the state does not come close to proving a charge of second-degree manslaughter, Urso said. This was simply a tragic accident. But Cummings, who was assisted at trial by Senior Assistant States Attorney Mitchell Rubin, said just being in an accident does not relive Christiansen of his legal obligation to look carefully where he drives. This case is about the risk of this defendant putting his foot on the accelerator of a 6,000-pound van without looking in the direction he was going while surrounded by numerous indications that there could be pedestrians present. That was the risk in this case, Cummings said. Cummnings said the state had presented enough evidence to show Christiansen was guilty of the manslaughter charge. If the defendant was capable of seeing the front, right bumper area, I would tell the court he was capable of seeing the victim, he said. Wagners husband Tim Wagner declined comment at the end of the hearing. After the arguments were over, Comerford said he would be making a decision on the case next week. jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com Most of us will now be enjoying four days off, basking in what's hopefully going to be some glorious weather . To mark the special weekend we took a trip down memory lane to see how people have been preparing for and celebrating this time of year over the years and, it seems, it has always involved a of chocolate. D issident republican group the New IRA was probably responsible for shooting dead a journalist in Northern Ireland, police said. Lyra McKee, 29, was shot in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident", amid disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday evening, and died later in hospital. Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence, when a situation developed during which more than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. During the unrest a gunman fired a number of shots at police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. Hijacked vehicles on fire in Creggan / PA He said: "Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded. She was taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but unfortunately she has died there. "We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified." Heavily armed police guard a crime scene / PA Mr Hamilton called the violence "an attack on the people of this city". He added: "But not only is it a murder of a young woman, it is an attack again on the people of this city. "I stood here in January and we talked about the bomb and the act of violence against this city, and yet again we see another act of violence in this city which has had horrendous consequences and which will affect people for many, many years. "I would appeal to people, particularly this Easter weekend, to stay calm, I would appeal to people who are intent on violence to draw back, I would appeal to people with influence to use your influence and make sure this is peaceful weekend. Not only this weekend but going forward in this city. "These acts of violence are bringing nothing to this city, all they are doing is bringing misery to one family, but also particularly to this city and also to our broader province." Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan / PA It is believed Ms McKee was not on duty working when she was shot. Mr Hamilton said it is understood the Belfast native had recently moved to Londonderry to live with her partner, and had been working as an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. She had also been named as one of Forbes Magazine's 30 under 30 in media, in 2016. The unrest comes ahead of the Easter weekend where republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Politicians have widely condemned the killing. Armed police in Creggan / PA Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said the killing in Derry was a "senseless loss of life". She said: "I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. "The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. "I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. "We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry." PA Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. "No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community." Mr Hamilton has also appealed for information and witnesses to come forward. "If people have information, I would appeal to you to bring it forward, you can ring Crimestoppers, you can ring 101 and ask for police at Strand Road," he said. Shots were fired and petrol bombs were thrown at police / PA "We need people who saw this happen to come forward. We also will be putting out a portal for people to upload videos they may have taken, I know a lot of this is already circulating on social media. "I would ask people to be sensitive to the family, someone has lost their life and the last thing that family needs is to see that played over and over again. "I would have people who have videos show sensitivity, either not show them or share them with police so we can use them in our murder inquiry to try and track down the people who have committed this horrendous crime." Responding to a question about the current level of threat from dissident republican terrorists and whether the incident was orchestrated, Mr Hamilton said he believes the incident was orchestrated but "clearly reckless". P olice in Northern Ireland are hunting "multiple suspects" over an orchestrated murder plot that left a young journalist dead. Lyra McKee, 29, was shot during disturbances in Londonderry on Thursday night and died later in hospital. Officers were carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of the 1916 Dublin uprising that led to Irish independence. Police have blamed the New IRA and said the intention was to kill officers. Prime Minister Theresa May said the murder was "shocking and senseless". A burning car in Creggan / PA In a statement on Friday, deputy chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Stephen Martin said the hearts of people in the city were breaking. He added: "They have been grossly disappointed with the image of their city across the world today." Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner / AP He defended the decision to launch an operation earlier on Thursday aimed at thwarting dissident plans for "imminent" violence. Violence broke out soon afterwards. The senior officer said: "Police were in that estate last night carrying out lawful activity, trying to prevent future imminent violence. "The full and total responsibility for Lyra McKee's death lies with the organisation that sent someone out with a gun." Forensics officers at the scene in Londonderry, Northern Ireland / PA He said he has viewed intelligence and convinced himself of the urgency and need for the operation. Speaking at a press conference at the Guildhall in Londonderry, Mr Martin said police believed more than one person was involved in the shooting. But he said it was "too early" in the investigation to confirm the ages of the suspects. Mr Martin, responding to questions about the police search activity that came before the unrest, said it had been intended to disrupt a plot to attack the police. Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry / PA And he said that young people had been "goaded" into causing disorder by those behind the shooting, which police believe was the responsibility of the New IRA. He said: "We carried out that search activity last night because we believed that there were people in this city who over this weekend were going to mount murderous attacks on the police and perhaps even other events, such as we witnessed here in January with the bomb explosion in Bishop Street. "Before I came here today, I read the intelligence that led to that search activity. I wanted to come and talk to the people of this city and say I read it myself. "I convinced myself of the urgency and the need to carry out that search activity. And I am convinced. When we engage in that activity we don't do it lightly." Ms McKee was a journalist who "died doing her job with great courage", Mrs May said today. Heavily armed police guard a crime scene / PA Irish Taoiseach Leo Vardakar said his government condemned the violence in the "strongest possible terms". And he said: "We cannot allow those who want to propagate violence, fear and hate to drag us back to the past." More than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. During the unrest a gunman fired a number of shots at police, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said. A police officer lays flowers at the scene in Londonderry / PA He added: "The bringing of a firearm out and firing it down a street in a residential area where they knew lots of people were standing about is a calculated and callous act and can only be designed to hurt and kill people. "Bullets stop somewhere, and on this occasion they stopped fatally." The New IRA is an amalgam of a series of armed groups opposed to the peace process. It claimed responsibility for a number of parcel bombs sent to London and Glasgow recently. The threat posed to police in Northern Ireland is high. Dissident republicans blamed after journalist shot dead in Londonderry It is understood Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner. She worked as an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. In 2016, Forbes Magazine named her one of their 30 under 30 in media. She had been working on a new book which had been due to be published in 2020. Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: "A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence." She added: "A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us in to darkness." Mr Hamilton confirmed she was wounded and taken away in a police Land Rover to Altnagelvin Hospital but died there. He said she was a "perfectly innocent" bystander with legitimate reason for being there but had not been "actively working" as a journalist on Thursday evening. "We have now launched a murder inquiry here in the city. "We believe this to be a terrorist act, we believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. "This is a horrendous act, it is unnecessary, it is uncalled for, it is totally unjustified." A car bomb left outside a courthouse in the city exploded in January. The New IRA were blamed. Mr Hamilton said: "I stood here in January and we talked about the bomb and the act of violence against this city, and yet again we see another act of violence in this city which has had horrendous consequences and which will affect people for many, many years." He appealed to people with influence to use it to ensure a quiet weekend and future in the city. "These acts of violence are bringing nothing to this city, all they are doing is bringing misery to one family, but also particularly to this city and also to our broader province." Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley said she was "deeply shocked and saddened" to hear of the death. "My thoughts and condolences are with her family at this time. Those responsible for last night's violence have nothing to offer anyone in Northern Ireland. "Their intolerable actions are rejected by the overwhelming majority of people who want to build a peaceful and more prosperous future for everyone in Northern Ireland." United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi also paid tribute to Ms McKee during a visit to Stormont. A minute's silence was observed during an event she attended in the Long Gallery in respect of Ms McKee during a speech by Northern Ireland Assembly speaker Robin Newton. During her speech, Ms Pelosi said: "Sadly, Mr Speaker, we join you on the sadness of the tragedy that happened last night, we extend our condolences to the family, and your moment of silence at this time, on Good Friday is especially poignant," she said. A man has been charged with murder after a young man who was run down with a car outside a Tube station in north London died in hospital. Council worker Gopinath Kasivisuwanathan, 27, was injured when he was run down during a brawl outside Alperton tube station, in the early hours of Tuesday. He died in hospital that evening. Camasan Judes Emanuvel, 35, was arrested following the incident and charged with murder on Friday. He was remanded in custody to appear at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Saturday. Eight other men, aged between 21 and 30, were arrested at the scene on suspicion of affray. Four were subsequently held on suspicion of murder and one on suspicion of attempted murder. The three others were further arrested for grievous bodily harm and all eight were released on bail until mid-May. Another man, aged 21, who was also hurt in the incident was discharged from hospital after treatment, police said. A 74-year-old man is fighting for life in hospital after being shot with a crossbow in North Wales in the early hours of this morning. The pensioner suffered "significant life-threatening injuries" after the incident at his home on the outskirts of Holyhead, police said. He was attempting to fix a satellite dish outside his home near South Stack Road when he was hit with the bolt, North Wales Police said in a statement. He managed to get back into his home and contact emergency services. The Welsh Ambulance Service transported him to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor where he remains in a critical condition. Hospital staff alerted officers at 2.45am after a medical examination showed the man had suffered wounds consistent with being shot with a crossbow. Detective Chief Inspector Brian Kearney from North Wales Police said: We are appealing to anybody who may have been in the vicinity of South Stack Road between 6pm yesterday evening (Thursday 18th) and 4am today to come forward. "We are also keen on speaking to anybody who may live in or around that area and who may have private CCTV, or anybody who may have travelled along South Stack Road who may have dash cam footage. We are in the early stages of our investigation and are working hard to establish the circumstances behind this incident. A number of enquiries are underway involving detectives from CID, the local policing teams and Crime Scene Investigation. A 16-year-old boy is in hospital fighting for life after being shot in south west London. Officers said the teenager was seriously injured after a shooting in Tooting at about 10.05pm on Thursday night. Police and the London Ambulance Service raced to Burfield Close, Wimbledon Road after responding to calls about shots fired. There was no trace of anyone injured, though. About 10 minutes later, officers were called to a residential address on Blackshaw Road where they found the teenage boy injured. In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: The injured male was taken by London Ambulance Service to a west London hospital where he remains in a serious condition. His family has been notified. We await further updates. Officers from Trident and Area Crime Command investigate. At this early stage there have been no arrests. Enquiries continue. S cores of police officers descended on central London this afternoon as they closed in on Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters on the fifth day of demonstrations. Metropolitan Police officers surrounded a pink boat in Oxford Circus as Dame Emma Thompson rallied activists with a rousing speech and poem. She joined the protests after jetting into London from Los Angeles. There have been more than 570 arrests this week across London linked to the protests. Dame Emma Thompson on the pink boat at Oxford Circus / PA "We are here in this little island of sanity and it makes me so happy to be able to join you all and to add my voice to the young people here who have inspired a whole new movement," Dame Emma said to cheers of support. Police descended on Oxford Circus on Good Friday / REUTERS Speaking to reporters, she said her generation had failed to protect the planet for young people. Dame Emma joined activists on Friday / PA She added: "We have seriously failed them and our planet is in serious trouble, we have much, much less time than we thought. "I have seen the evidence for myself and I really care about my children and grandchildren enough to want to be here today to stand with the next generation." Dame Emma / REUTERS When asked whether protesters were having too much fun, Dame Emma said protests should have a sense of joy. She added: "If you can't have fun whilst saving the planet, what's the point? The Hollywood actress greets activists / Getty Images "Protest should always have a sense of joy in it because what we are protesting about is saving this extraordinary home of ours and also celebrating the passion and inspiring energy of this young generation. "These are young people who have finally said to my generation 'I'm so sorry but you have failed us'. Dame Emma speaks to reporters / AFP/Getty Images "We all feel dreadful about that. My feeling is I feel massively inspired by this young generation and want to stand next to them." She said climate change is "the most pressing and urgent problem of our time, in the history of the human race". Extinction Rebellion protest 2019 - In pictures 1 /160 Extinction Rebellion protest 2019 - In pictures A climate change protester in a hammock hanging from the trees at Parliament Square, London PA Protesters march toward Parliament in London AP A cardboard cutout of David Attenborough is held up as protesters march toward parliament with Nelson's Column in the background AP Extinction Rebellion protesters at their final destination of Parliament Square in Westminster after marching from their camp at Marble Arch PA Protesters at the Extinction Rebellion (XR) camp in Marble Arc PA Police watch Extinction Rebellion protesters at their final destination of Parliament Square in Westminster after marching from their camp at Marble Arch PA Extinction Rebellion protesters reach their final destination of Parliament Square in WestminsteR PA A climate change protester in a hammock hanging from the trees at Parliament Square, London Jeremy Selwyn Police officers arrest and carry away a climate change activist from a demonstration blocking Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Images olice officers gather for an operation at the climate change camp where activists are blocking Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Images Police surround the Extinction Rebellion demonstration PA A climate change activist is detained during the Extinction Rebellion protest on Waterloo Bridge Reuters A police officer removes a haystack during the Extinction Rebellion protest on Waterloo Bridge Reuters Extinction Rebellion campaign group block Oxford Circus Alex Lentati Protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign group block Oxford Circus EPA Extinction Rebellion demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge PA Extinction Rebellion campaign group block Oxford Circus Alex Lentati Extinction Rebellion protest on Waterloo Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion campaign group block Oxford Circus Alex Lentati Extinction Rebellion protest on Waterloo Bridge Jeremy Selwyn Climate activists ontop of a Dockland Light Railway at Canary Wharf station in east London as part of the ongoing climate change protests in the capital PA Extinction Rebellion Jeremy Selwyn Two men and two women from the Extinction Rebellion group have glued themselves to a fence outside Jeremy Corbyn's house PA Police officers detain a climate change activist at Waterloo Bridge Reuters Climate activists ontop of a Dockland Light Railway at Canary Wharf station Climate activists ontop of a Dockland Light Railway at Canary Wharf station BBC A climate activist after he glued himself to a Dockland Light Railway at Canary Wharf station PA Police detain a protester as climate change activists demonstrate during the Extinction Rebellion protest, at Canary Wharf DLR station Reuters Protesters blockade of Waterloo Bridge on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion grou Alex Lentati Extinction Rebellion Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion Jeremy Selwyn Police talk to climate activists who climbed on top of a Dockland Light Railway train and glued theimselves to the carriage at Canary Wharf station in east London PA A climate protester is removed from the top of the DLR train AFP/Getty Images Climate change activists demonstrate during the Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Climate activists ontop of a Dockland Light Railway at Canary Wharf station PA Officers carry an activist as they remove demonstrators from their blockade of Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Images A member of the public passes a graffiti left by protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign group EPA Police officers remove protesters from a blockade on Waterloo Bridg Getty Images Police officers remove protesters from a blockade on Waterloo Bridge during the second day of a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group Getty Images Police officers detain a climate change activist REUTERS Activists sit attached beneath a lorry as they block the road on Waterloo Bridge on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London AFP/Getty Images Climate change demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests EPA Commuters cycle past a pink boat placed in the road at Oxford Circus by activists, on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch, London, as more than 100 people have been arrested as police deal with ongoing climate change protests PA Activists sit in the road amongst trees as they continue to block traffic from Waterloo Bridge on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Activists sit attached beneath a lorry as they block the road on Waterloo Bridge on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Activists sit with thier tents in the road after sleeping at Oxford Circus on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators chain and glue themselves to a lorry on Waterloo Bridge in London during a Extinction Rebellion protest PA Activists sit attached beneath a lorry as they block the road on Waterloo Bridge on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images An activist brushes his teeth after waking up near Marble Arch AFP/Getty Images Pedestrians walk to work over Waterloo Bridge during climate change protest EPA Climate change demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests EPA Activists take part in yoga in the road after after sleeping at Oxford Circus on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Climate change demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests EPA Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch, PA Activists sit with their tents in the road after sleeping at Oxford Circus on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Demonstrators chain and glue themselves to a lorry on Waterloo Bridge in London during a Extinction Rebellion protest PA Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch PA Pedestrians walk over Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests EPA Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest continues in Marble Arch PA Activists lay in their tents in the road near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch PA Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch PA An activist sits in a sleeping back after waking up near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch PA Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest continues in Marble Arch PA Activists block the road near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Extinction Rebellion demonstrators camp near Marble Arch PA Activists pour drinks near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Activists' tents stand in the road near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Activists prepare drinks from a tent in the road near Marble Arch on the second day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Images Police patrol during the second day of Extinction Rebellion protest at Parliament Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion at Parliament Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion at Parliament Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion at Parliament Jeremy Selwyn Police patrol during the second day of Extinction Rebellion protest at Parliament Jeremy Selwyn An activist sprays graffiti on to the porch covering the entrance to the Shell Centre AFP/Getty Images Protesters unfurl a poster accusing shell of 'ecoside' AFP/Getty Images Climate protesters also scaled the building and daubed slogans above a glass awning AFP/Getty Images A woman glued her hands to the door of the building Reuters Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion arrive to stage a demonstration on Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Images Environment activists from Extinction Rebellion block Oxford Circus with a sailing boat to highlight the threat of global warming on the planet and ecosystem Rex Features Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest at Marble Arch PA Demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group arrive with a tree to stage a demonstration on Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Images A demonstrator uses a makeshift skateboard ramp on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Extinction Rebellion protesters stop traffic in Oxford Circus Rex Features Environment activists from Extinction Rebellion block Oxford Circus to highlight the threat of global warming on the planet and ecosystem Rex Features Extinction Rebellion protesters stop traffic in Oxford Circus Rex Features Climate change activists demonstrate on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square PA Climate change activists demonstrate on Waterloo Bridge surrounded by trees Reuters Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest at Marble Arch PA Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square PA Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square PA Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square PA Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Extinction Rebellion at Marble Arch Jeremy Selwyn Police stroll through the makeshift camp Jeremy Selwyn Demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest i Reuters Climate change activists set up a miniature garden on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protes Reuters Climate change activists set up a miniature garden on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protes Reuters Demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Climate change activists demonstrate on Waterloo Bridge during an Extinction Rebellion protest Reuters Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square PA The Extinction Rebellion protesters have set up camp in Hyde Park PA The group plan to disrupt London's infrastructure in a climate protest PA Thousands of people are due to descend on the capital to take part Jeremy Selwyn They have set up a large camp in Hyde Park Jeremy Selwyn A crowd of protesters gathers in Hyde Park, London PA A protester sits in a hammock at the campsite Jeremy Selwyn The protest could last days or even weeks Jeremy Selwyn They have pledged to block five central locations including Parliament Square in a non-violent act of resistance PA Protesters will converge on Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, as well as near Parliament, peacefully blocking traffic PA A protester sits by an activity timetable in Hyde Park PA Shortly after Dame Emma's address, a team of police officers encircled the boat and told bystanders there was an ordinance to clear the area. Police pushed bystanders further away from the blockade while dozens more officers moved in. Police surrounded protesters on Friday / Getty Images Dame Emma left the protest but told activists she was sorry she had to go. She said it was the police's decision to expend manpower at a non-violent protest. She added: "If they choose to close down a non-violent protest by using their police... that's their decision. If that causes difficulties then that's their problem and their decision." Earlier, on Friday morning, about 20 activists, most of them under 17, had staged a brief demonstration on roads near Heathrow Airport. Standing close to a tunnel which leads to terminals two and three, they unfurled a black banner with the message: "Are we the last generation?" Officers keep watch at Oxford Circus / AFP/Getty Images Several police officers watched over group before an XR spokesman announced before midday there were no further plans to cause disruption at the airport. All roads remained open during the demonstration, which is part of a two-week campaign that began in central London on Monday. Heathrow previously said it was "working with authorities" to remain business as usual. Waterloo Bridge has now been blocked by demonstrators for five days despite the Metropolitan Police making more than 570 arrests. Climate change activists hold a banner as they attend an Extinction Rebellion protest outside Heathrow Airport / REUTERS Ten people had been charged by the force by Thursday night and three others arrested by British Transport Police were remanded in custody after they appeared in court accused of obstructing trains at Canary Wharf. The Met said: "The protesters are using tactics of lying on the ground when approached. This means that it takes at least four officers to remove one person to ensure their safety which is resource intensive." Routes are also blocked around Parliament Square and Marble Arch, and Home Secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use the "full force of the law". "I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law," Mr Javid said. Extinction Rebellion has blocked a number of key junctions in central London / Getty Images "They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives." Ken Marsh, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told BBC Breakfast the protests were "very, very difficult" to handle and could cost "millions". He said: "The sufferers will be the communities in the local boroughs where officers are being taken from the community areas and the funding and money has to be found to deal with what we are doing." XR has pledged to continue causing disruption until its demands are met. They want the Government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. A British Transport Police spokesman said: "We are currently responding to a protest incident at Canary Wharf station where a @LondonDLR service is being obstructed. "Specialist units are on scene who are working to remove the protesters." A Transport for London spokesman said: "We are aware that there are demonstrations taking place across London which may cause disruption to travel. "The safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority and we're working closely with the police to manage the impact on London's transport network. We would encourage people to check their journeys before they travel." A leading female figure in technology in Britain has called for the "needle to be moved" in teaching to encourage more girls to get into tech subjects from a young age. Carolyn Dawson, 40, Managing Director of the UKs leading technology event London Tech Week, told the Standard that a lack of diversity within the tech industry can be traced all the way back to childrens education. She told the Standard today: My perspective has changed. A couple of years ago, I thought I could make a difference by trying to get the industry to pay attention, but Ive really taken that down a notch actually. I now think it really does all start back at the school. Theres still this perception, even from parents, that science, computing and STEM topics arent really for girls. So from such an early age its almost discouraged. Carolyn Dawson: Theres still this perception, even from parents, that science, computing and STEM topics arent really for girls." / London Media PR Equally, when I look at some of the teachers educating our children, theyre not up to speed with digital and the impact of digital skills. We need to move the needle somehow or this problem just wont stop. Ms Dawson, a mother of two, has 18 years experience in digital media, but admitted she began her career by falling into it. I studied languages at university and wanted a job that would allow me international travel. Informa (an international telecoms firm) had a grad scheme that offered those opportunities along with research skills. I wouldnt have considered myself a technological person, but actually I found it all pretty easy to understand. And technology is easy to understand we consume it every day. While I dont claim to know the ins and outs of a mobile phone, we are all living and breathing it so its actually a lot less complex than people believe. I think theres this barrier to thinking around what technology is, which is so far from the reality. So yes, I fell into it, but I stayed because I love it. Check out episodes from The Evening Standard's new podcast, Women Tech Charge, available to download now Ms Dawson is now Managing Director for the Technology, Media & Telecoms (TMT) division within KNect 365, and has been chief organiser of London Tech Week for the past three years. For this year's event, which will take place across London from June 10-14, she and her team say they are committed to not only to lead the way in tech innovation, but to tackle head-on the issue of diversity in the industry. Only 14.6% senior UK tech leaders are women and 70.5% senior executive teams have no BAME members at all, according to a 2018 report cited by the event organisers. Its important that the tech sector reflects the diversity of the capital and so its really encouraging to see this emerge as a major theme of this years London Tech Week its right that we lead by example in a city as progressive as London, said London Mayor Sadiq Khan. While Ms Dawson said getting more women into the industry was important to her, she emphasised the need for wider inclusion, adding that she didn't advocate women-only events. Otherwise you just get women talking to women, and broader progress can't really be made, she explained. After all, we arent just focussing on encouraging women, we want to make it a more diverse industry all round. London Tech Week 2019 will run from June 10-14 / London Media PR Of the hundreds of events that will take place over the course of the week, Ms Dawson singled out one as her anticipated highlight. The schools competition thats what Im most looking forward to. Were getting students in Year 9 and 10 to submit their ideas on how they would use technology to improve the lives of Londoners. I cant wait to see what they all come up with. I just want all young people to have confidence, and for girls and kids of all backgrounds to have more role models in the industry. I have a 9-year-old daughter, I watch how she struggles with maths and I see how that knocks her confidence. The problem is, if we let the stereotypes continue of men being the risk takers while women quietly deny their talents, things will never change. Subscribe to Women Tech Charge, a new podcast from the Evening Standard. From fashion to finance, technology is revolutionising our lives. Meet the extraordinary women who are leading the charge. P olice have issued CCTV which appears to show the moment a gunman fired at journalist Lyra McKee. The 29-year-old was killed during disturbances in Derry on Thursday night and died later in hospital. Officers were carrying out a search operation in the Creggan area of Derry aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of the 1916 Dublin uprising that led to Irish independence. Police Service Northern Ireland have now released mobile phone footage which shows the masked suspect, clad in black, point a gun from behind cover and fire towards police and a crowd of onlookers. Journalist Lyra McKee was shot dead in Northern Ireland / Getty Images A second suspect, dressed in black with light trainers, is then seen crouching at the same spot and reaching towards the ground. In separate footage, Ms McKee can be seen among a crowd of people stood by a police vehicle moments before she was shot. She raised her mobile phone into the air, apparently to take a photo of a violent confrontation between police and a group believed to be dissident republicans. A third clip shows the masked shooter head-on, standing yards from a burning vehicle, as he steps from behind a wall then points a handgun towards police and bystanders. Forensics officers at the scene in Londonderry, Northern Ireland / PA Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said: "We are issuing CCTV from the incident to encourage anyone with information to make contact with us." "We also know that a range of footage is circulating on social media however I cannot stress enough how important it is that people who were in the area last night and who recorded video and took photos share what they have with us via our Major Incident Public Portal," he added. "People saw the gunman and people saw those who goaded young people out onto the streets, people know who they are." The gunman is only seen to emerge from behind cover for several seconds to aim the handgun. Hundreds gathered in Derry for the vigil / AFP/Getty Images Timestamps show the pieces of footage were recorded between 9.58pm and 10.05pm. Police have blamed the New IRA for the killing in the Creggan estate. A journalist who was shot dead during riots in Northern Ireland had her hopes and dreams "snuffed out by a single barbaric act", her partner said in an emotional tribute. Lyra McKee, 29, was killed on Thursday night in what police are treating as a "terrorist incident" amid disturbances in Londonderry and died later in hospital. Police Service of Northern Ireland officers were carrying out a search operation in Creggan aimed at disrupting dissident republicans ahead of this weekend's commemoration of Irish independence when violence erupted. More than 50 petrol bombs were thrown at officers and two cars were hijacked and set on fire. During the unrest shots were fired and Ms McKee was struck. Sara Canning made a tearful tribute to Ms McKee during a vigil in Derry on Friday. She told crowds: The senseless murder of Lyra McKee has left a family without a beloved daughter, a sister, an aunt and a great aunt, has left so many friends without their confidante. Sara Canning addressed a gathering to condemn the killing in Derry / AFP/Getty Images Victims in the LGBTQIA community are left without a tireless advocate and activist. It has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. We are all poorer for the loss of Lyra. Ms McKee had recently moved to Derry to live with her partner / AP Our hopes and dreams and all of her amazing potential were snuffed out by a single barbaric act. This cannot stand. Lyras death must not be in vain because her life was a shining light in everyone elses life, and her legacy will live on in the light that she has left behind. Hundreds gathered in Derry for the vigil / AFP/Getty Images Police blamed the New IRA and said the intention was to kill its officers. The unrest came ahead of the Easter weekend where republicans mark the anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, a time when dissidents are traditionally active. Forensics officers at the scene in Londonderry, Northern Ireland / PA The Belfast native had recently moved to Derry to live with Ms Canning, and had been working as an editor for California-based news site Mediagazer, a trade publication covering the media industry. Prime Minister Theresa May said the murder was "shocking and senseless". Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill said the killing was a "senseless loss of life". She said: "I am shocked and saddened at the tragic news that a young woman has been shot dead by so-called dissidents in the Creggan estate tonight. Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan / PA "The murder of this young woman is a human tragedy for her family, but it is also an attack on all the people of this community, an attack on our peace process and an attack on the Good Friday Agreement. "I unreservedly condemn those responsible for killing this young woman. "We will remain resolute in our opposition to the pointless actions of these people who care nothing for the people of Derry." Michelle Stanistreet, National Union of Journalists (NUJ) general secretary, said Ms McKee was one of the most promising journalists in Northern Ireland. She said: "A young, vibrant life has been destroyed in a senseless act of violence. "A bright light has been quenched and that plunges all of us in to darkness." United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi also paid tribute to Ms McKee during a visit to Stormont. A minute's silence was observed during an event she attended in the Long Gallery in respect of Ms McKee during a speech by Northern Ireland Assembly speaker Robin Newton. Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster tweeted: "Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. "Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. T he Prince of Wales has called for action on the pervasive horror of knife crime. In an Easter message Charles said perpetrators needed to be brought to justice. He labelled the recent killings terrible deeds of darkness and said he and the Duke of Sussex were filled with "immense sadness" after hearing stories of those affected by knife crime. Writing in the Daily Telegraph on Good Friday, he spoke about the power of forgiveness, saying those striving to find solutions to the problem were "another example of light shining in the darkness". He wrote: "'Recently, Prince Harry and I brought together some of those who have been affected by knife crime to see what more could be done to tackle this pervasive horror. "Listening to those who have suffered from such attacks filled us both with immense sadness. "But their remarkable determination to move forward and address the causes of such crime and to find solutions was, for me, yet another example of the light shining in the darkness." The Government and police have come under intense pressure over violent crime. Earlier this year a spate of fatal stabbings prompted warnings of a "national emergency". There were 285 homicides where the method of killing was by a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales in 2017/18 - the highest number since records started in 1946. In the year to September, police recorded about 1.5 million "violence against the person" offences - a jump of nearly a fifth on the previous 12 months. The prince said: "Of course, those who commit such brutal deeds need to face up to their crimes through being brought to justice. "However, very often it is not the punishment that brings them to their senses and changes them, but rather the extraordinary power of the forgiveness from those they have hurt." He also referred to the pair of attacks at mosques in Christchurch in New Zealand, where 50 people were killed by a gunman, writing: "Last month we saw another remarkable example of forgiveness following the utterly appalling attack on Muslims in Christchurch. "The Easter message, with its emphasis on the timeless and universal values of forgiveness and reconciliation, gives hope to us all whether we live by faith or not. T heresa May was spotted cheering on runners in a hi-vis yellow jacket while marshalling an Easter race in her constituency. The Prime Minister handed out water and directed competitors at the Easter 10k run in Maidenhead on Good Friday. She was seen laughing with locals and even shared a high-five with one participant in the race, which she attended with her husband Philip. Mrs May returned from her holiday in Wales on Thursday ahead of Parliaments return from recess on Tuesday. The PM high-fived passersby / PA MPs will continue working towards solving the Brexit deadlock and are expected get a new vote on a customs union in a few weeks. Veteran MP Frank Field told the Standard that he plans to move a motion with the Father of the House, Kenneth Clarke, to show that a smooth trading bloc is a solution that commands cross-party support. Mrs May directed runners in Maidenhead's Easter 10 / PA Sir Ivan Rogers said on Wednesday that he was a "little bit surprised" the UK was not further down the Brexit process. A bitcoin investor couple are on the run and face potential death sentences after their floating home in the Indian Ocean was raided by Thai authorities. United States citizen Chad Andrew Elwartowski and Thai national Supranee Thepdet, who goes by the English name Nadia Summergirl, had been living part-time in a small structure anchored outside Thailand's territorial waters, about 12 nautical miles from Phuket's shore. The couple are pioneers of the seasteading movement, which promotes living in international waters to be free of any nations laws. Thailand's navy said the pair endangered national sovereignty, an offense punishable by life imprisonment or death. It filed a complaint against them with Phuket police and Thai authorities have said they have revoked Mr Elwartowski's visa. Mr Elwartowski said Thursday that he believes he and Ms Supranee did nothing wrong. "This is ridiculous," he said in a statement posted online. "We lived on a floating house boat for a few weeks and now Thailand wants us killed." The couple, who have gone into hiding, had been living part-time in their Andaman Sea home but they were not there when the navy carried out their raid on Saturday. The Thai deputy naval commander responsible for the area said the project was a challenge to the country's authorities. "This affects our national security and cannot be allowed," Rear Admiral Wintharat Kotchaseni told Thai media on Tuesday. Thai naval officers from the Third Naval Area Command and Marine policemen inspecting a 'Seastead'. / EPA He said the floating house also posed a safety threat to navigation if it broke loose because the area is considered a shipping lane. Seasteading has had a revival in recent years as libertarian ideas of living free from state interference - such as by using crypto-currency including Bitcoin - have become more popular, including among influential Silicon Valley figures such as entrepreneur Peter Thiel. Mr Elwartowski, an IT specialist, has been involved in Bitcoin since 2010. Several larger-scale projects are under development, but some in the seasteading community have credited the Andaman Sea house with being the first modern implementation of seasteading. "The first thing to do is whatever I can to help Chad & Nadia, because living on a weird self-built structure and dreaming of future sovereignty should be considered harmless eccentricities, not major crimes," Patri Friedman, a former Google engineer who heads The Seasteading Institute, said on his Facebook page. The floating two-story octagonal house at the centre of the controversy had been profiled and promoted online by a group called Ocean Builders, which touted it as a pilot project and sought to sell additional units. The group describes itself as "a team of engineering focused entrepreneurs who have a passion for seasteading and are willing to put the hard work and effort forward to see that it happens." In online statements, both Mr Elwartowski and Ocean Builders said the couple merely promoted and lived on the structure, and did not fund, design, build or set the location for it. "I was volunteering for the project promoting it with the desire to be able to be the first seasteader and continue promoting it while living on the platform," Mr Elwartowski told The Associated Press. "Being a foreigner in a foreign land, seeing the news that they want to give me the death penalty for just living on a floating house had me quite scared," Mr Elwartowski said. "We are still quite scared for our lives. We seriously did not think we were doing anything wrong and thought this would be a huge benefit for Thailand in so many ways." Asked his next step, he was more optimistic. T he chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in the United States has issued a subpoena for the full, unredacted Mueller report into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Chairman Jerry Nadler, the Democrat from New York, asked for the department to comply by at least May 1, the day US Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The subpoena is the opening shot in what could be a lengthy legal battle. If the Justice Department does not respond, Democrats could hold officials in contempt of Congress or eventually fight the battle in court. US President Donald Trump / Getty Images The Judiciary Committee voted 24-17 earlier this month to give Mr Nadler permission to issue subpoenas for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Mr Mueller's investigation. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump slammed what he called a fabricated testimony in the report. Mr Trump tweeted: Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue. Watch out for people that take so-called notes, when the notes never existed until needed. Because I never agreed to testify, it was not necessary for me to respond to statements made in the report about me, some of which are total bulls*** and only given to make the other person look good (or me to look bad). A rchitects and construction workers have managed to stabilise the damaged structure of Notre Dame cathedral, four days after it was engulfed in a huge blaze. Firefighters are set to leave the site on Friday night after days spent trying to cool the 850-year-old structure. Earlier, the Paris cathedral's rector said a "computer glitch" may have been behind the rapidly spreading inferno that devastated the cathedral. Fire brigade Lt Col Gabriel Plus said: There is no more risk the edifice's walls could fall down. President Macron has vowed to rebuild the cathedral within five years / AFP/Getty Images "It's a miracle that the cathedral is still standing, and that all the relics were saved. The fire burned through the network of enormous centuries-old oak beams supporting the monument's vaulted stone ceiling, dangerously weakening the building. The surrounding neighbourhood was blocked off as stones continued to tumble off the sides of the cathedral after Monday evening's devastating blaze. On Thursday, Paris police investigators said they believe an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire. A huge blaze engulfed the cathedral on Monday / Reuters The Parisien newspaper has reported that a computer glitch might have misdirected firefighters responding to the initial fire alarm. They also said investigators are looking into whether the fire was linked to temporary elevators being used in a renovation that was underway at the time the cathedral caught fire. Charlotte Hubert, president of a group of French architects who specialize in historic monuments, told BFM television that experts plan to spread a custom-made peaked tarpaulin across the cathedral's roof, with enough space to also shield workers rebuilding the frame. French President Emmanuel Macron has already met with officials from UNESCO, who have offered their technical expertise to help with the reconstruction. Smoke billows into the sky as a fire rips through iconic landmark Notre Dame cathedral in Paris / AFP/Getty Images Mr Macron is moving quickly on the fire-ravaged monument's reconstruction, which is being viewed both as a push to make it part of his legacy and a way to move past the divisive yellow vest protests over social inequality in France. Notre Dame's reconstruction is prompting widespread debate across France, with differing views over whether it should involve new technologies and designs. The President has said he wants a "contemporary architectural gesture to be considered" for the collapsed 19th-century spire, which wasn't part of the original cathedral. He hasn't offered any specifics on his vision for the roof or whether the frame should be wood, metal or concrete, according to his cultural heritage envoy, Stephane Bern. Aerial images of Notre Dame Cathedral fire aftermath 1 /13 Aerial images of Notre Dame Cathedral fire aftermath He has named a general, Jean-Louis Georgelin, former chief of staff of the armed forces, to lead the reconstruction effort. Over $1 billion has already poured in from people from all walks of life around the world to restore Notre Dame. T hree renowned mountain climbers are presumed dead after an avalanche in the Canadian Rockies. Outdoor apparel company The North Face said that American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer disappeared while attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak in Albertas Banff National Park. National park staff flew over the area where they were climbing and saw evidence of "avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment". Parks Canada recovery efforts are on hold because of dangerous conditions and additional avalanches at the scene. Those efforts are likely to be further hampered by inclement weather in the coming days. The trio were reported overdue on Wednesday. "They are missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst," North Face said in a statement. The three were part of the outdoor apparel company's global athlete team and the firm said in a statement it was doing everything it could to support their families, friends and the climbing community. Mr Roskelley, 36, was best-known for climbing Mount Everest at age 20 in 2003, making him the youngest person at the time to have climbed the world's highest mountain. Jess Roskelley in 2003, the year he climbed Mount Everest becoming the youngest American reach the world's highest peak. / AP Mr Lama, 28, and Mr Auer, 35, were also world-class mountaineers who had climbed some of the toughest routes around the globe. Mr Lama is also from a climbing family - his father was a mountain guide from Nepal - and his talent was recognised at an early age. He won numerous climbing competitions as a teenager. In 2014, a film was released that documented his attempt to become the first person to free-climb the Compressor Route on Patagonia's Cerro Torre mountain. Mr Auer grew up on a family farm in Austria near the Dolomite mountain range. Among his most recognised climbing achievements are the southwest-face ascent of Pakistan's Kunyang Chhish East in the Karakorum Mountains and the first ascent of the south face on Nilgiri South in Nepal. The PM said that despite geographical distance, the people of Vietnam and the Czech Republic have given each other warm support. Vietnamese people remember how the Czech friends helped during the countrys struggle for independence and national construction, he stated. Expressing his delight at growing ties between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the KSCM, the Vietnamese leader thanked the KSCM and Filip for the partys support to Vietnam. As Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republics Parliament, Filip has worked to enhance cooperation between the two parliaments, he noted. For his part, the KSCM leader expressed pleasure at the sound partnership between the two countries, stating that he believes signed deals between the two countries will be realised soon. He pledged to closely supervise the implementation of agreements reached during talks between PM Phuc and his Czech counterpart, while continuing to foster the partnership between the two parliaments. Revealing that he plans to visit Vietnam, he said he hopes to fly on a new direct flight between the two countries by then. PM Phuc lauded the Czech Republics recognition of the Vietnamese Czech community in the country as an ethnic minority group. Holding that economic, trade and investment collaboration is key, the PM said that the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) is of significance to both the EU and Vietnam, helping businesses from the EU and the Czech Republic access the Vietnamese market. He proposed that Filip help speed up the signing of the EVFTA and the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He said a Hanoi-Prague direct air route will be launched soon and Filip will be one of the first passengers. On the occasion, Filip presented PM Phuc with a book entitled Hoa cuc xanh (Green Daisy) by Karel Capek, which has been translated into Vietnamese. PM Phuc and his entourage left Prague for Vietnam in late April 17, ending his official visit to the Czech Republic. 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 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 (369) Head of the European Commission Representation in Romania, Angela Cristea this Friday called on Romania's citizens to exercise their electoral right on May 26 and vote for the future of Europe. "Turn out to vote! If you are afraid of the future, because some are afraid of their future, then make sure that you have a say in your own future. Go to the ballots because this is a right and it would be a shame not to, because if you don't cast the ballot for your own future, for the future Europe, others will," was Angela Cristea's message. The head of the EC Representation in Romania said, after the launch in Timisoara of the campaign "What's up, EU?", that a lot of people are dissatisfied with what is happening, but very few also have solutions. "My impression is that we are still at a stage of overdiagnosis, everyone can explain what doesn't work and why, but there is some kind of distrust in the ability to find solutions and this idea arises: let someone - we don't know who, do something - we don't know what. I don't think this is a passivity of the Romanians, something specific to Romania. We are also looking at what happens in the EU and in the world and we see these are Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) times. The world is moving very fast, the anchors that we have had so far, which seemed deeply rooted, are now torn from the ground. When I say anchors, I think of the fundamental values the EU was built upon and it seems that confusion, insecurity are taking over," Angela Cristea explained. She added that whereas the main fears of the Western Europeans are migration and terrorism, in Romania there is almost an obsession with justice, that underwent a lot of legislative changes, or was threatened with legislative changes, so much so that discussing something other than justice is difficult. The European official also said that a predictable legislative process is required, with legislation in Parliament, based on a real consultation of all stakeholders who will be affected by a new law. AGERPRES The Supreme Council of Magistrates (CSM)'s Prosecutors' Section decided on Friday to delegate Bogdan Licu as interim prosecutor general. Bogdan Licu currently serves as deputy prosecutor general. "The 19.04.2019 meeting of the Prosecutors' Section decided to delegate prosecutor Dimitrie Bogdan Licu, deputy to Romania's Prosecutor General, to the position of Prosecutor General of Romania until the position is occupied, but no more than two months," reads a CSM release. The CSM decision comes as the mandate of the current prosecutor general Augustin Lazar expires on 27 April 27, and his retirement has been approved. Justice Minister Tudorel Toader rejected on 10 April all candidacies for the post of general prosecutor and the new selection procedure ends on 8 May. Bogdan Licu was also interim prosecutor general during February - April 2016, after Tiberiu Nitu's resignation. He then ordered the reopening of the prosecution in the Revolution file. AGERPRES Prosecutors with the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) and criminal investigation police officers conducted several searches in Bucharest and Prahova and five Bulgarian citizens were detained thereupon, accused of fraud by misleading people over the phone. According to a DIICOT press release, as many as 12 searches took place simultaneously in Bulgaria, which led to the arrest of some other five Bulgarian citizens.The action took place in the context of international judicial cooperation on criminal matters, based on an European investigation order drawn up by the judicial authorities in Bulgaria.The Bulgarian authorities' file specifies that starting with 2017, on Bulgaria's territory several people domiciled in the area of the town of Gorna Oryahovitsa, the Veliko Tarnovo region, have constituted an organised criminal group specialised in phone frauds, the group being organised on the principle of family clan, many of its members being related."From the joint search activities carried out by the authorities of the two states, it was established that some of the members of the clan frequently traveled to Romania, where they stayed for various periods of time, and where they purchased many prepaid phone cards and mobile phones they used to make telephone calls to other citizens in Bulgaria whom, by invoking obviously unrealistic pretexts and the use of false qualities, they manipulated into providing sums of money, high amounts, most of the times, the total damage amounting to more than 500,000 US dollars. The modus operandi of the group over the past two years also involved the frequent change of accommodation places and the purchase of numerous mobile phone and mobile phone cards, used exclusively to commit the deeds," DIICOT argues.The operation was carried out with the support of EUROJUST and SELEC, and technical support was provided by the DIICOT Technical and Criminal Bureau and the Special Operations Directorate AGERPRES special correspondent Oana Ghitareports: The Romanian Royal House is among the most trusted institutions in the country, right now, which shows people's need of "this complementary institution, which is based on the force of personal example, historic legitimacy, continuity and loyalty," the Crown Custodian, Her Majesty Margareta, stated at the French Institute. The Custodian of the Crown on Thursday visited the French Institute, where she received the Medal of Honour of the French Academy."Speaking of my country and of the Romanian Crown at the French Institute is an honour and also a source of hope and pride," said the Crown Custodian.Her Majesty Margareta also said "the modern history of Romania shows to what extent the Romanian Crown contributed to the consolidation of this country, in the past, present and, I believe, in the future."She also highlighted that her visit to France takes place after 100 year since Queen Maria's visit to this country."Queen Maria's visit to Paris remains in the memory of my people as one of the most admired pages of royal diplomacy, in which the Crown gave an example of how it means to serve the nation. In France, my great grandmother presented Romania's modern and European aspirations with charm and courage, for a free and democratic future," the Crown Custodian pointed out.Her Majesty Margareta said that the meetings between Queen Mary, the French President Raymond Poincare and PM Georges Clemenceau were "legendary.""Definitely, among the most important and symbolic moments was her participation in the solemn session at the Academy of Fine Arts, at the French Institute, organised in her honour, on March 8, 1919," pointed out the Crown Custodian.Her Majesty also spoke about the manner in which the Romanian Royal Family is perceived in the country."The Royal House is on top of the polls regarding national trust, admiration and affection. It seems like the people need this complementary institution, founded on the force of personal example, historic legitimacy, continuity and loyalty," said Her Majesty Margareta.Moreover, Her Majesty highlighted that her visit, at the invitation of the French authorities, "is supported by the Romanian Government and is held during the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union.""Now in its 5th generation, the Royal Family occupies a remarkable and somewhat contradictory position in a country that, constitutionally speaking, remains a republic," said the Custodian of the Crown.Her Majesty Margareta also spoke about the relation with the Romanian authorities."Each new government wants to keep and sometimes strengthen institutional cooperation with the Royal Family. For every time when the Royal Family holds a royal event to support economy, education, bilateral diplomacy, sports, arts or sciences, the Royal Family is welcomed with respect and pride, with dignity and affection and with the deep belief that it serves the national interest," pointed out the Custodian of the Crown.The distinction was granted to the Romanian Royal at the French Institute, by Helene Carrere d'Encausse, a permanent secretary of the French Academy.When bestowing the medal upon the Custodian of the Crown, Helene Carrere d'Encausse spoke abut the personality of King Mihai I and his impact, after the fall of communism. "He, who knew how to resist Stalin, he truly dominated the post-communist world," she pointed out.Helene Carrere d'Encausses is also the one who offered the Custodian of the Crown and Prince Radu a guided tour of the French Institute, during which she also showed them an exhibition with archive documents about Romania. Among them there was also a copy of L'Image magazine from August 1919, an edition dedicated to Romania, with a picture of Queen Maria on the cover. The exhibition, admired by the Custodian of the Crown, was made with the help of a Romanian employee at the French Institute, Carmen Nitescu.On the same day, Thursday, before going to the French Institute, Prince Radu visited the French Paralympic Committee, where he spoke with the head of this institution, Marie-Amelie Le Fur. Promoting the Romanian language and the literary creation of Romanian language Israeli writers represent the main goals of the Association of Romanian Language Israeli Writers (ASILR), founded in 1964 in Tel Aviv, says association president Dragos Nelersa. Thus, Romanian-born Israelis have a book output of over 30 titles to choose from, by the "Familia" publishing house, but also a newspaper and a magazine of their own - the Romanian Gazette and the Family Magazine, said the ASILR president. "We can say that there is a oasis of Romanian language in Israel, there are people who fight to preserve and keep the Romanian language in Israel. We are knights, sword in hand, who speak Romanian, feel Romanian, far away from the mother country. We are Romanians in our hearts and together we want our children to speak, read Romanian and carry Romania in their souls," Dragos Nelersa told AGERPRES. The 11th gala "Person of the Year - Book of the Year 2018" awards for an exceptional activity took place on April 18 in Tel Aviv. The event was organized by ASILR, with the support of the Embassy of Romania in Tel Aviv, the Israeli - Romanian Cultural Center in Tel Aviv, the Foundation for the Promotion and Development of Romanian Judaism, the Unitary Organisation of Romanian-born Jews (AMIR). AGERPRES was a media partner. According to the ASILR president, the event, which saw Ministers Teodor Melescanu and Natalia Intotero, as well as several cultural, academic, university and religious personalities awarded, took place under the slogan "Together - be'Yahad", having as main goal the preservation of the Romanian language and keeping a bridge of friendship between Romania and Israel. "The slogan of this edition was 'Together United' - be together, celebrate together the Romanian language, feel the pulse of the mother country here, 2,500 kilometers away from its soil. (...) ASILR also organizes annually various conferences and literature debate and promotion events, as well as literary contests. It did us great pleasure to discover the National News Agency AGERPRES, an extraordinary partner, we enjoyed working together and we hope to work just as well in the future," said Dragos Nelersa. ASILR, which gathers writers, critics and culture people from Romania, has been putting out and circulating annually since 2011 the "Izvoare/Springs" magazine, an anthology of the best works of the previous year, which covers subjects of concern and interest for the modern Israeli writers: the Holocaust, the life and assimilation of Romanian emigrants in an Israel troubled by the Israeli-Arab conflict, but especially the arts and culture that flourish in Israel. ASILR participates in international book fairs in Israel and Romania. The authors also had their works printed in bilingual publications like Romanian-French or Romanian-Hebrew, providing to non-Romanian speaking readers an idea of Romanian literature. "Our next project is the 'March of Life', which will take place in Iasi under the leadership of the Rabbi of our community, Iosef Wasserman, who every year puts in efforts to accomplish this wonderful project. Hundreds of Israelis travel to Iasi where they participate together in a march of life for the young generations to not forget the pogroms and all those black years of the Holocaust, for them to know what has happened and for this tragedy to never repeat," explained the ASILR president. AGERPRES Engie Romania invests 5 million lei for the qualification of about 120 young professionals from Bucharest and Brasov, who will receive a scholarship of up to 700 lei per month plus transport and meal through the "Energy for my job," program, the company announced on Friday. Since 2018, Engie set up the first dual vocational classes at the Mihai Bravu Technical College in Bucharest, in partnership with the Hans Across Romania Association, the Ministry of Education, the National Authority for Vocational Training in the Dual System and District 3 Hall. The 58 young people who have opted for this three-year education form combine theory with practice and they become skilled in plumbing and gas installations. Starting with the next school year, Engie will continue the program with another class in Bucharest and set up such a class in Brasov, at the Mircea Cristea Technical College. "The lack of qualified staff has become a pressing problem, which has increased from year to year. During the period 2017-2018, we managed to attract in the company 50 young plumbers, in the junior plumber program, but the need is much larger," said Eric Stab, General Manager of Engie Romania, at an event organized on Friday by the company at the Distrigaz Sud Networks, where the high school pupils are practicing. According to him, safe operation of the installations is an indispensable condition for the proper gas supply. The pupils who opt for the "Energy for my job" program receive additional benefits compared to the 200-leu monthly scholarship granted by the Romanian state. They will receive from the energy company a 500-leu a month scholarship, to which a merit scholarship of 200 lei can be added, depending on the school results. In addition, Engie covers pre-urban transport costs of up to 150 lei per month, provides urban transport and lunch during the practice. At the end of the three years of study, pupils receive certification and have the opportunity to work in the Engie group. AGERPRES The Ministry of Interior on January 31 submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office all the documents (declassified in full or in part) regarding the August 10, 2018, events, and the prosecutors should "search for the guilty based on evidence, instead of giving us excuses," Interior Minister Carmen Dan stated on Friday. "All documents declassified in full or in part were submitted to the Prosecutor General's Office on January 31, representing evidence in this file. I invite all those interested in these documents to ask the Prosecutor General's Office, because only the prosecutors can determine if the evidence in the file can be made public or not. From now on, any claim by the Prosecutor General's Office that the Ministry of Internal Affairs did not declassify the documents and therefore they can not complete the investigation, I will suspect it's not true. And I recommend the Prosecutor General 's Office to search for the guilty based on evidence instead of giving us excuses," Dan said at the meeting for the assessment of the MAI activity last year.She argued that the Interior Ministry (MAI) is the first institution that wants to see the August 10 issue clarified, and the same the Romanian Gendarmerie, which "has been facing serious denigration campaigns and felt a huge pressure all this time."The Interior Minister said that it is not possible to put a label on an institution for the actions of several gendarmes. The Romanian Gendarmerie ranks third in the top of Romanians' trust in state institutions, according to an opinion poll, Dan noted. President Klaus Iohannis on Friday asked Parliament to revise the Law for the approval of Government Emergency Ordinance no. 90/2018 on certain measures for the operationalization of the Judiciary Crime Investigation Section. AGERPRES The inhabitants in the rural areas of Moldavia's counties will benefit a governmental financial support worth 20,000 lei for the improvement of their living conditions, on Friday said in northeastern Botosani the leader of the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD) Liviu Dragnea. According to him, the measures, not a state aid nature, will be adopted through an Emergency Ordinance (OUG) and will be valid for six counties of Northern Moldavia. "Starting from the idea that this region has GDP per capita of 27,000 lei/year, as compared to the 44,000 lei the national average, I conceived, I drafted a specific programme of punctual support for this region. The 20,000 lei grant for each household to improve their living conditions in the rural environment and provide agricultural machinery to the households. For those who want more money, they could go up to 40,000 lei and we could grant them loan guarantees. And here we are talking about thermal and energy insulation, heating with thermal power plants, connecting their households to the water, sewage and gas networks, inside the house sanitary fitting, hot water through solar systems," Dragnea asserted. Moreover, Liviu Dragnea spoke about endorsing a state aid programme to support the development of the most disadvantaged areas by encouraging investment and creating jobs in a sustainable context. "Through this programme, the buildings for health care, for the food industry, the tourist buildings and the storage constructions will be supported," the Social-Democrat leader added. Dragnea asserted that these measures are not electoral, but are a consequence of the fact that the budget revenues allow it. "2019 is the year when the state budget level, the revenues' level allow us to come with this rather well shaped support programme for Moldavia's counties. There are elections almost every year in Romania. Based on this logic, it means one doesn't have to do anything, anymore. Electoral, non-electoral we are interested in this programme to be implemented. It is the attribution of all of the state institutions, civil ones to communicate this programme to all the citizens in Moldavia, to all the companies in Moldavia, to all the public bodies, because there are some components of this programme that can bring about the earnest kick off of a reliable increase in this region, complemented by the large infrastructure projects that have already been initiated," Dragnea concluded. AGERPRES The Romanian participation in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2019 and ways to encourage fresh investments by Dutch entrepreneurs in Romania were the main subjects approached at the April 18 meeting between Paula Pirvanescu - Secretary of State of the Ministry for Business milieu, Commerce and Entrepreneurship (MMACA), and President of the Confederation of Netherlands Industry, Hans de Boer, the ministry said in a release. Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Romania, Stella Ronner-Grubacic also attended the meeting. As many as 23 Romanian companies have already registered for this year's Global Entrepreneurship Summit taking place in The Hague June 4 - 5, and co-hosted by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States of America. "This is a chance for Romanian entrepreneurs to connect with the global business community, to build partnerships and obtain financing," said Paula Pirvanescu. A subject of common interest for the discussion partners referred to increasing the mutual presence in the markets of the two countries. In this context, the Romanian official conveyed Ambassador Stella Ronner-Grubacic an invitation for Dutch business people to seek, with MMACA support, business opportunities for new investments in Romania. Pirvanescu presented the Dutch delegation the programs implemented by MMACA to support entrepreneurs, as well as the recent government measures to improve the business climate. The dialogue partners also underscored that there is still a significant potential for the development of bilateral trade and investment relations and agreed on the timeliness of organizing in the near future, in The Hague, an economic forum devoted to Romania, which should connect the business communities of the two countries and contribute to the dynamic balancing of bilateral trade. The Netherlands ranks 1st among foreign investors in Romania by the amount of equity capital, with a share of 21.56 percent of the total investments in our country. There were 5,289 companies with Dutch capital registered in Romania as of February 28, 2019, with investments worth 9.67 billion euro. In 2018, the Netherlands was on the 8th position in the ranking of Romania's trading partners, with 3.3 percent of the total commodity exchanges, of which exports accounted 2.59 percent and imports for 3.58 percent. The Netherlands is also 11th among export destinations for Romania and 8th as a source of imports. Trade exchanges amounted to 4.975 billion euro, up 8 percent from 2017, of which exports represented 1.76 billion euro (+9.22 percent) and imports 3.22 billion euro (+7.32 percent). AGERPRES A monument dedicated to Nicolae Titulescu on Thursday was inaugurated on the Ataturk Avenue in Ankara during a ceremony attended by the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Teodor Melescanu, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Faruk Kaymakci, the Romanian Embassy in the Republic of Turkey informs in a press release. The "Nicolae Titulescu" monument was made by Turkish artist Sultan Burcu Demir from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Hacetteppe University, with the support of the Ankara General City Hall.Attending the ceremony were also the rector of the Hacetteppe University, Haluk Ozen, the Deputy Mayor of Ankara, Ramazan Kabasakal, as well as numerous ambassadors and other representatives of the political, diplomatic, business, cultural, academic environments and of the Romanian community in the Ankara Metropolitan area.Nicolae Titulescu (1882-1941) was an exceptional Romanian diplomat, jurist, professor, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania (1927-1928; 1932-1936) and the only President of the General Assembly of the League of Nations who was elected for two consecutive terms in office (1930, 1931).The event took place under the aegis of the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union exercised by Romania over January - June 2019, specified the embassy in the release. The Deep State vs. WikiLeaks The non-stop demonization of Julian Assange will proceed unabated, faithful to guidelines established over a decade ago, Pepe Escobar writes. The Made by FBI indictment of Julian Assange does look like a dead man walking. No evidence. No documents. No surefire testimony. Just a crossfire of conditionals. But never underestimate the legalese contortionism of US government (USG) functionaries. As much as Assange may not be characterized as a journalist and publisher, the thrust of the affidavit is to accuse him of conspiring to commit espionage. In fact the charge is not even that Assange hacked a USG computer and obtained classified information; its that he may have discussed it with Chelsea Manning and may have had the intention to go for a hack. Orwellian-style thought crime charges dont get any better than that. Now the only thing missing is an AI software to detect them. Assange legal adviser Geoffrey Robertson who also happens to represent another stellar political prisoner, Brazils Lula cut straight to the chase (at 19:22 minutes); The justice he is facing is justice, or injustice, in America I would hope the British judges would have enough belief in freedom of information to throw out the extradition request. Thats far from a done deal. Thus the inevitable consequence; Assanges legal team is getting ready to prove, no holds barred, in a British court, that this USG indictment for conspiracy to commit computer hacking is just an hors doeuvre for subsequent espionage charges, in case Assange is extradited to US soil. All about Vault 7 John Pilger, among few others, has already stressed how a plan to destroy WikiLeaks and Julian Assange was laid out as far back as 2008 at the tail end of the Cheney regime concocted by the Pentagons shady Cyber Counter-Intelligence Assessments Branch. It was all about criminalizing WikiLeaks and personally smearing Assange, using shock troopsenlisted in the media those who are meant to keep the record straight and tell us the truth. This plan remains more than active considering how Assanges arrest has been covered by the bulk of US/UK mainstream media. By 2012, already in the Obama era, WikiLeaks detailed the astonishing scale of the US Grand Jury Investigation of itself. The USG always denied such a grand jury existed. The US Government has stood up and coordinated a joint interagency criminal investigation of Wikileaks comprised of a partnership between the Department of Defense (DOD) including: CENTCOM; SOUTHCOM; the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA); Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA); Headquarters Department of the Army (HQDA); US Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) for USFI (US Forces Iraq) and 1st Armored Division (AD); US Army Computer Crimes Investigative Unit (CCIU); 2nd Army (US Army Cyber Command); Within that or in addition, three military intelligence investigations were conducted. Department of Justice (DOJ) Grand Jury and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of State (DOS) and Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). In addition, Wikileaks has been investigated by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Office of the National CounterIntelligence Executive (ONCIX), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); the House Oversight Committee; the National Security Staff Interagency Committee, and the PIAB (Presidents Intelligence Advisory Board). But it was only in 2017, in the Trump era, that the Deep State went totally ballistic; thats when WikiLeaks published the Vault 7 files detailing the CIAs vast hacking/cyber espionage repertoire. This was the CIA as a Naked Emperor like never before including the dodgy overseeing ops of the Center for Cyber Intelligence, an ultra-secret NSA counterpart. WikiLeaks got Vault 7 in early 2017. At the time WikiLeaks had already published the DNC files which the unimpeachable Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) systematically proved was a leak, not a hack. The monolithic narrative by the Deep State faction aligned with the Clinton machine was that the Russians hacked the DNC servers. Assange was always adamant; that was not the work of a state actor and he could prove it technically. There was some movement towards a deal, brokered by one of Assanges lawyers; WikiLeaks would not publish the most damning Vault 7 information in exchange for Assanges safe passage to be interviewed by the US Department of Justice (DoJ). The DoJ wanted a deal and they did make an offer to WikiLeaks. But then FBI director James Comey killed it. The question is why. Its a leak, not a hack Some theoretically sound reconstructions of Comeys move are available. But the key fact is Comey already knew via his close connections to the top of the DNC that this was not a hack; it was a leak. Ambassador Craig Murray has stressed, over and over again (see here) how the DNC/Podesta files published by WikiLeaks came from two different US sources; one from within the DNC and the other from within US intel. There was nothing for Comey to investigate. Or there would have, if Comey had ordered the FBI to examine the DNC servers. So why talk to Julian Assange? The release by WikiLeaks in April 2017 of the malware mechanisms inbuilt in Grasshopper and the Marble Framework were indeed a bombshell. This is how the CIA inserts foreign language strings in source code to disguise them as originating from Russia, from Iran, or from China. The inestimable Ray McGovern, a VIPS member, stressed how Marble Framework destroys this story about Russian hacking. No wonder then CIA director Mike Pompeo accused WikiLeaks of being a non-state hostile intelligence agency, usually manipulated by Russia. Joshua Schulte, the alleged leaker of Vault 7, has not faced a US court yet. Theres no question he will be offered a deal by the USG if he aggress to testify against Julian Assange. Its a long and winding road, to be traversed in at least two years, if Julian Assange is ever to be extradited to the US. Two things for the moment are already crystal clear. The USG is obsessed to shut down WikiLeaks once and for all. And because of that, Julian Assange will never get a fair trial in the so-called Espionage Court of the Eastern District of Virginia, as detailed by former CIA counterterrorism officer and whistleblower John Kiriakou. Meanwhile, the non-stop demonization of Julian Assange will proceed unabated, faithful to guidelines established over a decade ago. Assange is even accused of being a US intel op, and WikiLeaks a splinter Deep State deep cover op. Maybe President Trump will maneuver the hegemonic Deep State into having Assange testify against the corruption of the DNC; or maybe Trump caved in completely to hostile intelligence agency Pompeo and his CIA gang baying for blood. Its all ultra-high-stakes shadow play and the show has not even begun. TICKERS: ATH; ATI Source: Streetwise Reports (4/18/19) The reasons why this stock is attractive now are presented in a CIBC report. In an April 16 research note, analyst Trevor Bolland reported that CIBC initiated coverage on Athabasca Oil Corp. (ATH:TSX; ATI:FSE) following its "major transformation over the past several years, which has substantially changed the outlook for the stock and gives rise to our constructive view." CIBC assigned to the corporation an Outperformer rating and a CA$1.35 per share target price that compares to CA$1.05, the current trading price. This discounted valuation, Bolland noted, makes it an advantageous time for investors to get into or build their position in the stock. The analyst named three important factors that underlie CIBC's positive thesis on Athabasca Oil. One, the company is "uniquely positioned" among small and mid-cap exploration and production companies, Bolland described. This is due to its self-funded asset base, its thermal business with low declines and a modest sustaining cost and its high-quality, liquids-rich natural gas business that generates "peer-leading netbacks." Two, Athabasca Oil's long-term sustainability is significantly improved after the company's recent work to reduce its cost structure. Three, the energy company has both short- and long-cycle growth assets, the combination of which affords "marked forward optionality," Bolland noted. Four, Athabasca Oil is now, for the first time, generating free cash flow. "Combined with an influx of cash from its recent midstream monetization," explained Bolland, "it is in the enviable position of having excess cash to allocate to growth, share buybacks and/or debt reduction." Bolland concluded, "The company is deserving of a more in line multiple as the Street begins to recognize and properly value these enduring qualities" of its two business segments." [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an independent contractor. 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. 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. Disclosures from CIBC, Athabasca Oil Corp., April 16, 2019 Analyst Certification: Each CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. research analyst named on the front page of this research report, or at the beginning of any subsection hereof, hereby certifies that (i) the recommendations and opinions expressed herein accurately reflect such research analyst's personal views about the company and securities that are the subject of this report and all other companies and securities mentioned in this report that are covered by such research analyst and (ii) no part of the research analyst's compensation was, is, or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed by such research analyst in this report. Analysts employed outside the U.S. are not registered as research analysts with FINRA. These analysts may not be associated persons of CIBC World Markets Corp. and therefore may not be subject to FINRA Rule 2241 restrictions on communications with a subject company, public appearances and trading securities held by a research analyst account. Potential Conflicts of Interest: Equity research analysts employed by CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. are compensated from revenues generated by various CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. businesses, including the CIBC World Markets Investment Banking Department. Research analysts do not receive compensation based upon revenues from specific investment banking transactions. CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. generally prohibits any research analyst and any member of his or her household from executing trades in the securities of a company that such research analyst covers. Additionally, CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. generally prohibits any research analyst from serving as an officer, director or advisory board member of a company that such analyst covers. In addition to 1% ownership positions in covered companies that are required to be specifically disclosed in this report, CIBC World Markets Corp./Inc. may have a long position of less than 1% or a short position or deal as principal in the securities discussed herein, related securities or in options, futures or other derivative instruments based thereon. Recipients of this report are advised that any or all of the foregoing arrangements, as well as more specific disclosures set forth below, may at times give rise to potential conflicts of interest. Important Disclosure Footnotes for Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. CIBC World Markets Inc. expects to receive or intends to seek compensation for investment banking services from Athabasca Oil Corporation in the next 3 months. TICKERS: EMX Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (4/19/19) David Cole, CEO of EMX Royalty, speaks with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable about his company's three-pronged business model and projects that span the globe. Maurice Jackson: Welcome to Proven and Probable. Joining me today is the president and CEO of EMX Royalty Corp. (EMX:TSX.V; EMX:NYSE.American), David Cole. We're at the Oxford Club Investment U Conference 2019, in Saint Petersburg, Florida. Mr. Cole, welcome. David Cole: Thank you, Maurice, always a pleasure to be here, and also a pleasure to be back at the Oxford Club in Florida. Maurice Jackson: Full disclosure, we are proud shareholders and EMX Royalty is a sponsor of Proven and Probable. In regards to being a shareholder, we just purchased shares today, at $1.15. And also my sons Brayden and Bryce (twins) when they were 6, and my son Carson at the age of 8, have been shareholders of EMX Royalty when the company was known as Eurasian Minerals. Mr. Cole, you just conducted a presentation sharing the value proposition regarding EMX Royalty. Talk to us about the three-prong approach, because a lot of investors overlook the value proposition, and it really begins with the three-prong approach. David Cole: Our business model consists of a time-tested process using a three-prong approach consisting of Royalty Generation, Royalty Acquisition and Strategic Investments as the basis for value creation for our shareholders. EMX Royalty developed and fine-tuned our business model over the course of the 16 years that we've been a public company. I left Newmont Mining Corporation to found Eurasian Minerals, which evolved into EMX Royalty Corporation. A key aspect of EMX Royalty is our business model, and specifically we're prospect generators. So the first prong of our business approach is the prospect generation business model, which is the acquisition of prospective mineral rights around the world, utilizing our geological expertise to guide us in that process. And then adding value to those mineral rights that we've acquired, by building economic, geologic models. And then seeking to sell those off to majors, as well as well-funded junior companies, where they advance them forward. EMX Royalty gets paid in a variety of ways. One would be work that goes into the ground, another would be cash, and another would be shares in companies and always a production royalty at the end of the day. So we're organically building a royalty portfolio through the execution of the prospect generation business model, focused on that royalty component. And that's the first, and most important prong of our three-pronged approach. That's our bread and butter. In addition, the same economic geologists that we have around the world doing the prospect generation also occasionally come across a royalty to purchase. So it's the augmentation of growing royalties organically through the prospect generation process, in addition to buying royalties, that really gives us leverage at developing a portfolio of royalties around the world. Finally, the third prong is strategic investing. And we have a very, very high filter, very tough filter before we'll deploy our shareholders' funds into the stock of another company. But in the process of working around the world, in the trenches of this business, occasionally we come across the situation where you cannot buy the stock. And so within our 16 year history, we've made 12 strategic investments, and if we look at the performance of those 12 strategic investments throughout that history, it has an astonishing rate of return. And that is 40% compounded annually, after tax, which is absolutely amazing. The most recent big win that drives that strong performance is the investment that we made in a company called Intergeo Copper, which was advancing a significant copper and gold discovery in far southeastern Russia. And we got into that company quite early. It was very difficult for it to raise capital, because it was in Russia. It wasn't the world's favorite venue for funding exploration activities, but we felt that the situation was right. In 2011, we deployed a total of $13 million incrementally for a seven-year period. And that resulted in cash back out to us of roughly US$69 million. EMX Royalty turned $13 million into $69 million over a seven-year period. And that's a nice rate of return. That dominates our strategic investment performance; we've had a couple of other good performers within that portfolio over the years. There are substantial synergies between the strategic investing, the royalty purchasing and the bread and butter business of prospect generation. It's the same people who are doing these. So there are no additional folks that have to be added on to be able to accomplish these various three things. And that way we're able to leverage that expertise that's around the world executing. Maurice Jackson: The business acumen that the company's deployed, and successfully deployed, I should say, over the years. We'll look at the Malmyzh now; let's take a look at what it's done to the treasury and what do you plan to do with that capital in the treasury? And what has it done to the enterprise value as well? David Cole: Well, these are great questions. So, first of all what I do to the treasury, so we now are in a situation where we have US$60 million in the bank, cash. We have no debt and if we look back at the history of EMX and all the money that we have raised in the history of the company, to be able to build this asset based model of these royalties around the world, and all the prospective mineral rights that we've acquired, 90 some odd different assets. We have more money in the bank now than all the money we've raised cumulatively in our history. So we're sitting here with no debt, US$60 million in the bank and a robust portfolio of 90 assets around the world. So, that's where we're at financially, and it's great to be in that position and have more money in the bank than all the money we've raised in our history and in the entire portfolio is proof positive that the business model works. So I'm very proud of that specific fact. Going on to the next part of your question, "What are we going to do with the money?" That's a very active question, I get asked this frequently. We believe wholeheartedly in exactly what we do. We like to buy royalties if and when we can find them affordably at a price that's accretive to our shareholders. We love to execute organic growth and we like to make the occasional strategic investment with a very high investment threshold. So we're going do exactly what we have been doing, we'll just have more arrows in the quiver. Specifically, we're shopping for cash flowing royalties to help augment our top lying cash flow. I intend to increase our prospect generation slightly, but not substantially. I like the team that we have, we're lean and mean, we're operating well around the world acquiring lots of prospective mineral rights. We are now the largest mineral rights holder in Norway, the second largest mineral rights holder in Sweden, we're the third largest mineral rights holder in the state of Arizona. I just touched three examples. We have over 9,000 mining claims in the Western United States. So we just love to control more mineral rights. And so, with the monies in the bank, are going to be allocated toward exactly what they've been allocated for in the past but we have more arrows in the quiver. I'm hopeful that we'll find some good cash flowing royalties to buy. Maurice Jackson: You have a global portfolio; how much of that is copper centric? David Cole: I would say roughly a third of our portfolio is copper. We focused on copper and gold throughout the last decade and a half building this company. That's specifically because that's where our economic geological expertise lies. We're gold geologists and copper geologists and those two metals tend to occur in similar geological trends. So it's not uncommon for folks to have expertise around those two particular metals, consequently our portfolio is dominated by copper and gold. But we do have a substantial portion of our portfolio that's polymetallic. Some of those are associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, not to get too technical about this, but, there are some deposits that have multiple metals in them that we're working on. Specifically in Norway and Sweden, and elsewhere in the world also. Lead, zinc, silver, copper, cobalt, nickel, and we do see strong interest from the mining companies that acquire our projects from us. Battery metals, cobalt, nickel and, of course, copper, the most important battery metal, but copper's also used in so many other things that the incremental increase in the use of copper from battery metals is significant but not dominating the demand for the metal. Maurice Jackson: Germane to the discussion of your geological acumen expertise, which is in copper predominately, let's talk about 25 years future copper supply and demand. How does that look? David Cole: The demand for copper on Planet Earth has gone up at roughly 3% per year for our entire life time. We believe that it's likely to continue growing at 3% and that's compounded growth, that's exponential growth, which puts us in an interesting situation. We expect that the world will produce and consume as much copper in the next 25 years as has been produced in the entire history of mankind, which is phenomenal when you think about that. That's the case for other metals as well; that 3% number is kind of a broad brushed number that applies across the metals with respect to increase in consumption over a time. Now, of course, there can be a spike in cobalt consumption because a new cobalt battery is invented or a spike in gold demand related to a currency situation or something of that nature. But smoothed out when you take the big picture look, these metals are consumed at 3% more per annum, and when you look at the big picture, that's compounded growth that's doubling every 20 years, 23 years, and that's phenomenal. Maurice Jackson: It really is, and, again, the value proposition gets better as we speak here because I want to take us now to Scandinavia. Strategically EMX Royalty acquired a number of mineral rights there. Why in Scandinavia? David Cole: So, it's interesting how we ended up there and how we've ended up in various places around the world; it all comes back to people. So, primarily, my focus as the founder of EMX Royalty has been first and foremost to engage really smart folks. And I'm humbled by the opportunity that I have to work with such smart individuals, including a whole host of PhD geologists with expertise and acumen from around the world working in this business sector. And it was a geologist by the name of Dr. Duncan Large that got us into Scandinavia. He told me while we were working in Serbia, which is a point of huge success for us and was one of our early business units in the company, "You know the prospectiveness in Northern Europe is very interesting, there's some great rocks up there. There's a lot of open ground that's available for acquisition. There are big governmental databases available from the Swedish geological survey and the Norwegian geological survey that resulted from the era when the governments did the exploration work there, which is no longer the case, but the data's still available for free." And it's very, very, very well organized. So it's a prospector's dream. You have all this data available for free, you have lots of open mineral rights so you can go out and stake claims and acquire licenses from the government and build a portfolio." And over time we started to dig in more and more and more, and I think Sweden is one of the best places to work in the world. There are 17 major operating metal mines and Sweden, seven smelters. There are substantially more smelters in Sweden than there are in the United States. Maurice Jackson: Unknown fact for many people. Let's move a little further south. Let's go to maybe the next catalyst for EMX. Let's go to Turkey and Serbia. What can you share with us? David Cole: Well, the story in Serbia is phenomenal. Serbia was one of our first business units. We helped the Serbian government rewrite its concession legislation, we helped it rewrite its money law. We became the first company to be granted an exploration license in Serbia in over 40 years and open the door for foreign investment in Serbia. What's interesting, part and parcel to our business model, we acquired the mineral rights, we added value, we put together the geological models, we sold that on and we sold it for a combination of cash, shares and a royalty on the project as we do, and Reservoir Capital then was the company that advanced the asset. And it joined a venture with Freeport and it proceeded to make over the course of many years and a lot of money in the ground and a lot of risk dollars being spent, and a lot of dead holes. It ended up finding a phenomenal discovery, probably the most exciting copper gold discovery ever made in Europe. It's in the Timok Magmatic Complex, some people call it the Timok Project, some people called it the Cukaru Peki Project, and as luck would have it, it was just off of our boundary of our claim so we did not have a royalty on it. But, because we were distinctly aware of the progress that was being made, and the eminent probability of a big discovery, we went out and bought the royalty that did exist over that project that a third company had. And we were able to buy that royalty very, very, very inexpensively, particularly in relation to what we believe that royalty is worth today. That's a company-making royalty; it covers the upper zone, the lower zone, the whole license, and we have a whole portfolio of royalties through the Timok Magmatic Complex, which is now very, very, very prospective ground. It's a hotbed of exploration work in Europe and one of the larger discoveries in the recent history in the world is being made and we have one half of one percent royalty on that. We are very proud of that. That's a catalyst as a company-making royalty in our portfolio. Maurice Jackson: Again, congratulations, this alludes to the business acumen that I've been sharing with a number of my subscribers on Proven and Probable and why I'm such a big fan. And, also for the record, and I've shared this with you privately, I'm a strong advocate for owning physical precious metals, but for every single dollar that I'm putting into physical precious metals, I'm matching in purchasing EMX shares for this calendar year. David Cole: Well, Maurice, we appreciate your support. There's been a lot of insider buying in EMX. My trades are all reported, of course, as CEO, and folks can research that and see. There's been a plethora of buying over the course of the last three years by the insiders. We believe in this story eminently. Maurice Jackson: Mr. Cole, if somebody listening today wants to get more information regarding EMX Royalty, please share the contact details. David Cole: Scott Close is the director of investor relations. One can find Scott at our office in Colorado, at 303.973.8585, or you may reach him at [email protected]. Maurice Jackson: And last but not least, please visit provenandprobable.com, where we provide mining insights and bullion sales. You may reach us at [email protected]. David Cole of EMX Royalty, thank you for joining us today on Proven and Probable. Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: EMX Royalty. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: EMX Royalty is a sponsor of Proven and Probable. Proven and Probable disclosures are listed below. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 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. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 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) This 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 shares of Riverside Resources, a company mentioned in this article. Proven and Probable LLC receives financial compensation from its sponsors. The compensation is used is to fund both sponsor-specific activities and general report activities, website, and general and administrative costs. Sponsor-specific activities may include aggregating content and publishing that content on the Proven and Probable website, creating and maintaining company landing pages, interviewing key management, posting a banner/billboard, and/or issuing press releases. The fees also cover the costs for Proven and Probable to publish sector-specific information on our site, and also to create content by interviewing experts in the sector. Monthly sponsorship fees range from $1,000 to $4,000 per month. Proven and Probable LLC does accept stock for payment of sponsorship fees. Sponsor pages may be considered advertising for the purposes of 18 U.S.C. 1734. The Information presented in Proven and Probable is provided for educational and informational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The Information contained in or provided from or through this forum is not intended to be and does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, trading advice or any other advice. The Information on this forum and provided from or through this forum is general in nature and is not specific to you the User or anyone else. You should not make any decision, financial, investments, trading or otherwise, based on any of the information presented on this forum without undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or competent financial advisor. You understand that you are using any and all Information available on or through this forum at your own risk. Images provided by the author. Road closures in Tauranga begin today until 9pm Sunday, April 21 for the Jazz Festival. The central portion of The Strand will be closed, from Harington Street to Devonport Road, excluding the roundabout. Wharf Street will be shut off, from Willow Street to The Strand. Hamilton Street will be closed from Willow Street to The Strand. Access will be maintained for public buses for the event. In terms of parking, cars will not be permitted to park within the road closure zone when the closures are in place. The Northern Waterfront car park will be open in a restricted capacity for the duration of the event, and mobility parking will be available in this location. For a visual map of the road closures, click here. SmartGrowth and the New Zealand Transport Agency along with its partners have announced the appointment of the project team that will lead the Urban Form and Transport Initiative (UFTI). An announcement made during the SmartGrowth Leadership Group meeting on Wednesday, April 17 saw Robert Brodnax appointed Project Director, while Janeane Joyce has been appointed Project Manager, and Ben Peacey, Technical Specialist. UFTI is an urban development and transport project for the western Bay of Plenty which provides a refreshed, coordinated and aligned approach across the sub-region on key issues, such as housing, transport and urban development. UFTI was launched on March 28 as a collaborative project, spearheaded by SmartGrowth and the Transport Agency, and involves Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga City Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Tangata Whenua. Robert brings more than 35 years experience in policy and strategy to the role of Project Director, having worked across resource and infrastructure management at the NZ Transport Agency, Waikato Regional Council and engineering and consulting firm, Beca. Based in Waikato, Robert has previously played a lead role in a range of collaborative spatial planning and growth management projects, including past SmartGrowth initiatives. UFTI has begun a 12-month programme of work which will be delivered in four phases. As independent Project Director, Robert will manage all day-to-day operations, and oversee the next phases of UFTI which will focus on supporting liveable community outcomes, and responding to strategic issues regarding housing capacity, intensification, multi-modal transport, and network capacity. UFTI aims to deliver an integrated, strategic approach for the development of the western Bay of Plentys urban form and transport system with immediate and future priorities and investment opportunities. Robert says he is thrilled to accept the position of Project Director, and is looking forward to working closely with Ms Joyce, Mr Peacey and UFTI project partners and stakeholders to deliver sustainable, long-term solutions for the regions shared transport and urban development challenges. UFTI Project Manager, Janeane, has more than 20 years experience in the public sector, spanning New Zealand and Australia, and brings a wealth of knowledge across business and corporate planning, integrated planning and investment, facilitation and place-making. As Technical Specialist, Ben brings to the role more than 15 years experience across the transport and energy sector, and has led public policy, regulatory, and strategy-based projects in the public and commercial sectors. For more information about UFTI, visit www.ufti.org.nz. The annual Easter egg hunt is on again this Sunday, April 21 at the Katikati Bird Gardens, so grab the kids and bunny hop them out to pick up some tasty chocolate treats. Three hundred coloured balls will be hidden around the four hectare gardens, and at 12pm the children can set out to find one. There will be different coloured balls for different age groups and when a child returns to the cafe with their ball they can swap it for a chocolate Easter egg. There is also a secret number of life-like rabbits placed around the gardens for the children to find and count. Those who have correctly counted all of them are entered into a draw for the giant chocolate bunny which will be drawn later in the day. And, as always, Binky the Easter Egg Bunny will be on hand to hand out the eggs and for photos. The Easter egg hunt is on Sunday, April 21, from 12pm-4pm at the Katikati Bird Gardens on 263 Walker Road East. If eggs are still available the hunt will continue from 10am on Easter Monday until all the eggs are gone. Regular admission prices apply. For more information, visit: www.facebook/katikati.bird.gardens Tops Markets will begin investing in its stores again, something it wasnt able to do as it struggled through bankruptcy. The company announced a $40 million capital improvement plan Thursday, which analysts said would be key for the Amherst chain to hit the ground running after bankruptcy. With more grocery choices available to Western New York shoppers than ever, store investments are important to keep stores fresh. That's especially the case in a stagnant market with lots of competition from places such as Trader Joe's and Target. Tops had planned to upgrade selected stores but slashed that spending by more than half in 2017 as its financial troubles mounted. It spent nothing on capital improvements in 2018 as the company's continued struggles to manage its suffocating debt load caused it to virtually run out of cash just before its bankruptcy filing. The bankruptcy, however, has freed up $100 million in additional funding and given Tops more financial wiggle room. Investing in stores is vital for supermarket companies like Tops to stay competitive in an industry where profit margins are measured in pennies and it battles with established grocers like Wegmans, Aldi and Walmart for shoppers. As recently as 2016, Tops had been spending more than $40 million a year on store upgrades. The company's new plan is to once again start remodeling stores with new interior renovations, exterior facades, landscaping and parking lots. They'll get new decor packages, flooring, energy efficient equipment, cart corrals, shopping carts and produce, bakery, deli and carry out departments. There will be more natural, organic, gluten-free options throughout each location, as well as added refrigerated convenience produce, store-cut fruit and vegetables and antibiotic-free meat and seafood. Some will also receive new coffee shops and seating areas. The company is intensely focusing on its adding locations with home delivery and curbside pickup, a popular option offered by other grocers such as Dash's, Walmart, Target and Wegmans. Tops hopes to offer the service at a total of 20 stores and counting by the end of May. Renovations have begun at some stores, including: * 1600 Cedar St. in Elmira, which includes a new gas station * 156 Church St. in Saranac Lake * 700 Thruway Plaza in Cheektowaga * 12775 Broadway in Alden * 128 W. Main St. in Leroy * 1740 Sheridan Drive More locations slated for improvement will be announced later, Tops said. Stores will remain open during renovations. - By Samantha Christmann, The Buffalo News, N.Y. An Arkansas man was arrested Thursday for driving high on marijuana and hitting and killing a 19-year-old woman in a head-on crash in Williamstown on March 29, according to the Oswego County Sheriffs Office. Jeffrey A. Carroll, 45, of North Little Rock, Arkansas, was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, second-degree manslaughter and second-degree manslaughter, deputies said. Mikayla Guile, the 19-year-old, was driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala west on State Route 13 in Williamstown around 11:45 a.m. on March 29 when a 2017 Dodge lift boom truck heading east and being driven by Carroll crossed into the westbound lane and struck her vehicle, the sheriffs office said. Guile was pronounced dead at the scene. At the time, Carroll was ticketed for failure to keep right, unlicensed operation and failure to wear a seatbelt, deputies said. He suffered non-life threatening injuries in the crash. Carroll was arraigned Thursday and remanded to the Oswego County Jail without bail, deputies said. He is set to reappear in Town of Williamstown Court on April 24 at 6 p.m. The collision is still under investigation. An Ithaca College student is suing the city police department, claiming he was pepper sprayed and falsely arrested by cops at his own house party in 2016. Kyle Goldstein, who was 21 at the time of his arrest, filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this month against Ithaca City police officers Jacob Allard and Daniel Bechtold, as well as the police chief and city. Goldstein claims he was senselessly sprayed with pepper spray directly into his eyes from mere inches away while he was handcuffed lying on his living room floor at his apartment on Hudson Street. Goldstein did not respond to a request for comment. Ithaca Police Chief Pete Tyler declined to comment through a receptionist at his office, citing pending litigation. In the lawsuit, Goldsteins attorneys claim the entire episode was captured by body cameras. In Goldsteins complaint against the officers, his lawyers provide a written account of what they say the videos show. The videos, filed in court, were not made available to the public. But Goldsteins complaint provides the following account: Police were dispatched to Goldsteins house for a noise complaint around 11:30 p.m. at a Nov. 17, 2016 party. Police arrived as some people left the party. Officers and partygoers greeted each other in a friendly manner. Allard and Bechtold then entered the house yelling, lets go, everybody out! without asking for permission to go inside. Goldstein stayed and was then approached by the officers. After some verbal exchanges, Allard ordered Goldstein to put his hands behind his back; the two officers placed the student in handcuffs. At this point, others still at the house began to protest Goldstein being handcuffed. According to the court papers, during this time, Bechtold brandished a Taser and a woman was also placed in handcuffs. People started taking videos with their cell phones. Around this time, Allard pepper sprayed Goldstein in the face. Bechtold was also hit with some of the spray and complained of pain. He used a water bottle to clean out his eyes. Goldstein said he was also in a lot of pain from the pepper spray, but wasnt given any water to wash his eyes. He complained he couldnt even wipe his eyes with his shirt because his hands were restrained behind his back. Body camera video shows an Ithaca College student being pepper sprayed by a city police officer, according to a recently filed lawsuit. In the complaint, Goldstein argues the officers violated his civil rights by entering his home, detaining him, and not assisting him when he was injured. Allard in a police report said Goldstein was uncooperative and lied about being a resident of the house. Allard described the student as highly intoxicated and aggressive. The officer wrote he believed he and his partner were at risk of injury. In the lawsuit, Goldstein accuses Allard of misstating the facts, calling parts of the officers account pure fiction and a fantastic narrative. Goldstein accuses the officer of lying in his police reports. He argues the party was not loud or out-of-control, that Goldstein wasnt informed he was under arrest. He says he complied with the officers commands, did not struggle and there no evidence he was highly intoxicated or aggressive. The officers charged Goldstein with misdemeanors resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration. According to the lawsuit, those charges were later dropped by the Tompkins County District Attorney. DA Matthew Van Houten did not return a phone call seeking comment. Goldstein in his lawsuit is asking that Allard not be allowed to deploy pepper spray while making arrests. He sued for $75,000 in emotional damages as well as an unspecified monetary award for physical and other damages, including eye injuries he says he suffered as a result of the incident. The defendants in the lawsuit have not yet responded to the claims. The case is pending before U.S. District Court Judge David Hurd, who oversaw a police brutality trial earlier this year, in which a jury awarded a Syracuse man $1.5 million. 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, N.Y. Airport officials today unanimously approved a five-year contract that puts Jason Terreri in charge of Syracuse Hancock International Airport. Terreri, 41, will start May 13. His yearly salary will be $175,000 for each of the five years, according to Bill Fisher, vice-chair of the airport authoritys board. Thats $50,000 more a year than the previous director, according to an airport spokeswoman. Fisher said the salary offer came after a previous, two-year look at wages across the industry. More recently, Terreri was the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority boards first choice after a three-month national search that attracted 20 candidates, Fisher said. He has experience at larger airports, Fisher said. He had done a variety of different jobs at the airports. He had a breadth of experience. Terreri comes with 15 years of experience in the industry, including at Atlantas Hartsfield-Jackson, one of the nations busiest airports. There he was an interim director overseeing new business development, for cargo and passenger service. He was also the assistant director at the airport in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Most recently, hes worked for a private company called Airports Worldwide, overseeing air service programs for airports in Sanford, Florida; Liberia; and Costa Rica. The Syracuse job will be the first time hell be running an entire airport. He was ready to take over an airport, Fisher said. He was going to be an airport director somewhere. We feel very fortunate that we had the right timing and the right offer to make for him to be an airport director here. Terreri said he plans to spend his initial time in Syracuse getting to know the staff and operations. The airport has a budget of about $30 million a year. The authority has 42 workers; about another 80 city employees work there. For me, its to get in, get to know the team and let the team get to know me, Terreri said. That will really help set the direction for what were going to do next. - Syracuse Hancock International Airport's passenger terminal recently underwent a $60 million renovation that made it a much brighter and modern looking place. The renovation included the creation of an aviation museum near the terminal lobby. (Rick Moriarty | rmoriarty@syracuse.com) Rick MoriartyRick Moriarty One of the next big goals at the Syracuse airport is improving parking, including the garage, rental car locations and drop-off spots for ride-sharing companies, Fisher said. The board is in the beginning stages of talking about the plan. No timeline or budget has been set yet, he said. Christina Callahan, the most recent airport director, left in early 2019 for a job as deputy general manager of LaGuardia Airport. Its the No. 2 position at LaGuardia. She made $125,000 a year at Syracuse. Terreri takes over an airport that just saw its busiest travel year in more than a decade. Passenger traffic totaled 2.32 million in 2018. That was nearly 12 percent more than 2017 and the highest passenger count since 2007. The Great Recession struck in 2008, depressing air travel. Passenger traffic hit a low of 1.98 million in 2012. That high point last year came in the midst of a $62.4 million renovation, which was completed in October. The road in front of the terminal was closed for much of the work, forcing vehicles to take detours and requiring pedestrians to maneuver around the construction, both in and outside the building. Terreri will also get about $30,000 to help with moving expenses, Fisher said. Terreri would have to pay that back if he leaves within two years. Terreri is married with three children. He plans to work full-time in Syracuse and commute to their current home in Orlando, Florida on the weekends until his family moves later this summer. The board paid Steven Baldwin Associates, an airport consultant, about $30,000 to conduct the search. Fisher said the Terreri family wanted to move to a place with four seasons. Terreri joked today that the winter weather will take some adjustments. Most of my airport career has been in the south east, he said, laughing. The snow will be new. But Im looking forward to it. I know the team is great. They are award-winning. SYRACUSE, N.Y. A marijuana business in the former New Venture Gear factory in DeWitt that sold last year for $50 million may be sold again to a Canadian company. Canopy Growth Corp. of Ontario announced it has obtained the rights to buy Acreage Holdings LLC, which owns the DeWitt business and other marijuana operations nationwide. The $3.4 billion deal is contingent on the federal government lifting its ban on the sale and production of marijuana. A politically connected group that included former Syracuse police chief Dennis DuVal and building contactor Dino Dixie launched the DeWitt pot business in 2017. Their group cashed out last year by selling the business to Acreage Holdings which has former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner on its board of directors. Robert Daino, former president and CEO of WCNY in Syracuse, is chief operating officer of Acreage. Boehner is poised to collect $1.59 million in cash if shareholders approve the deal, according to Bloomberg news. Canopy is a cannabis and hemp company which has operations in more than a dozen countries. Acreage, headquartered in New York City, owns licenses to operate or manage marijuana operations in 20 states. Even though many states have approved medical and recreational marijuana, it is still illegal under federal law which classifies marijuana as a schedule 1 drug no different than heroin or cocaine. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud today endorsed the community grid plan for Interstate 81. Syveruds announcement is a key endorsement of a plan that many other community leaders have embraced, including Mayor Ben Walsh, the Syracuse Common Council, the Syracuse Housing Authority and more than two dozen local business and advocacy groups. As an employer, a school and the home to the Carrier Dome, SU will feel the effect of any new I-81 traffic pattern as keenly as any other institution in Syracuse. Syracuse University is a crucial stakeholder," Walsh said in a statement this afternoon. I have tremendous admiration for Chancellor Syverud and his very thoughtful approach to community issues. Given the Universitys proximity to the Interstate 81 Viaduct and its connections to the entire region, Im heartened that the University has reached this conclusion. The support from SU comes as the states Department of Transportation is expected to release its next big analysis, which will provide further details about the pros and cons of each option for the aging highway. Given what we have learned through this process, it is now appropriate for Syracuse University to publicly endorse the Community Grid as our preferred option to replace the existing I-81 viaduct," his letter said. Syverud said in the letter he came to the decision after consulting with area leaders, faculty and staff. It wasnt immediately clear if the schools Board of Trustees had taken a formal position or vote on the matter. After careful consideration of the options, I believe we have met our obligation to rigorously investigate and evaluate the social, economic and cultural implications associated with each of the potential I-81 replacement options, Syverud wrote today in a letter to students, faculty and staff. The state is considering options for replacing a 1.4-mile section of I-81 that runs between downtown and the University Hill area. The massive project would also involve improvements to the area where I-81 and Interstate 690 cross. Currently, the state is studying three options: to replace the elevated viaduct, to bury the highway with a tunnel, or to tear down the highway and reroute thru traffic around the city. This last option called the community grid plan would route highway traffic onto Interstate 481 around the eastern side of the city. It would tear down the elevated portion of the highway that includes the Adams/Harrison exit. Instead, commuters would use improved city streets, as well as a new I-690 exit at South Crouse and Irving avenues. The grid is opposed by some leaders and business owners, especially on the north side of Syracuse and in the suburbs. They fear the loss of a federal highway running through the city will cost jobs and tax receipts at local hotels, gas stations and Destiny USA. But even some grid opponents have begun to consider the grid which is the least expensive option may win. Last week, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said hes working on a plan that could appease some grid opponents, even as he continues to push for a tunnel as a solution. Below find the entire text from todays letter from Syverud: Dear Students, Faculty and Staff: For many years now, the future of Interstate 81 has been one of the most discussed and debated topics within the City of Syracuse, and throughout Central New York. This is because the I-81 replacement decision represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fundamentally transform the physical infrastructure that connects people and institutions, within and across our community. To date, Syracuse University has not taken a formal position related to a specific I-81 replacement option. We were reluctant to endorse a specific replacement option because efforts to study and assess the implications of the various optionsby New York State and numerous other stakeholder groupswere still in progress. Much of that work is now complete. Over the past year, I have engaged with city, county, state, business and community leaders related to the myriad of factors that could potentially inform Syracuse Universitys position on the future of I-81. Further, I have solicited and received thoughtful input on this complex issue from faculty, staff and students representing the Syracuse University community. After careful consideration of the options, I believe we have met our obligation to rigorously investigate and evaluate the social, economic and cultural implications associated with each of the potential I-81 replacement options. Given what we have learned through this process, it is now appropriate for Syracuse University to publicly endorse the Community Grid as our preferred option to replace the existing I-81 viaduct. It is my view that the Community Grid option most strongly aligns with the attributes and outcomes that Syracuse University previously endorsed as central to any I-81 replacement option. These critical attributes include multiple access points to the highway and to University Hill; a robust connection between University Hill and downtown; enhanced public transportation and public space options; environmental and financial sustainability; and minimal disruption to housing, businesses and jobs, both during and after construction. The Community Grid is best positioned to drive meaningful transformation across our community, and in the heart of our City. I thank all members of the Syracuse University and broader Central New York communities who shared their perspectives with me, as the University carefully assessed this complex issue. Sincerely, Chancellor Kent Syverud WASHINGTON (AP) Former Vice President Joe Biden is expected to join the crowded 2020 Democratic presidential race next week. The decision answers one of the most significant outstanding questions of the early presidential primary season, which has already seen announcements from 18 high-profile Democrats. Biden, 76, would be the oldest and most experienced politician in the race. His plans were confirmed by three people with knowledge, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. The announcement is expected as early as Wednesday and would cap months of deliberation over his political future. The specific launch date and location is unclear. Biden, a Syracuse University College of Law alumnus, is likely to quickly make visits to early-voting states. One person said Biden's advisers are also considering an early event in Charlottesville, Virginia, the site of a deadly clash between white supremacists and counterprotesters in 2017. The location would be intended to draw a contrast between Biden and President Donald Trump, who initially said there were some "very fine people on both sides" of the violent confrontation. Biden has been particularly outspoken against the rise of white supremacy in the Trump era. One of the most recognizable names in U.S. politics, Biden served as Barack Obama's two-term vice president after nearly four decades as a Delaware senator. His high-profile, working-class background and connection to the Obama years would help him enter the race as a front-runner, although he faces questions about his age and whether his more moderate record fits with a party that has become more liberal. With a record in elected office that stretches half a century, Biden faces multiple challenges. Last month he struggled to respond to claims he touched 2014 Nevada lieutenant governor nominee Lucy Flores' shoulders and kissed the back of her head before a campaign event. A few other women have made similar claims, though none has alleged sexual misconduct. The incident is just a taste of the harsh vetting from both parties expected for Biden, who has run for president twice before but never from such a strong political starting point. His first White House bid in 1988 ended after a plagiarism scandal. And in recent weeks, he was repeatedly forced to explain his 1991 decision, as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, to allow Anita Hill to face questions about her allegations of sexual harassment against Clarence Thomas, then a nominee for the Supreme Court. Biden has since apologized for his role in the hearing. But in the #MeToo era, it's another example of why critics believe he may struggle to catch on with the Democratic primary voters of 2020. On paper, however, he may be well positioned to take on Trump in a general election. The Republican presidents allies have privately warned that Biden might be the biggest threat to Trumps re-election given Bidens potential appeal among the white-working class in the Midwest, the same region that allowed Trump to win the presidency. ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) All three hosts of the Triple Crown were among several major tracks that agreed Thursday to phase out the use of a common anti-bleeding medication starting next year, sparked by the deaths of 23 horses in three months at Santa Anita. Starting in 2020, 2-year-old horses won't be allowed to be treated with the drug Lasix within 24 hours of racing. Lasix, formally known as furosemide, is a diuretic given to horses on race days to prevent pulmonary bleeding. In 2021, the ban would extend to all horses running in any stakes races at tracks in the newly announced coalition. That's the year the Triple Crown would be run for the first time under the new medication rules. Churchill Downs, Pimlico and Belmont are host to the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont. Lasix has not been linked to any horse deaths, but critics of the sport have cited its use in calling for the end of race-day medication. Outside North America, most countries ban race-day medication. In the U.S., 38 states regulate horse racing, but the sport lacks a common set of rules enforced by a single entity. Previous efforts to ban Lasix on race days have fallen apart because of a lack of consensus. Other tracks participating in the coalition are Aqueduct and Saratoga in New York, California's Del Mar and Los Alamitos, Gulfstream and Tampa Bay Downs in Florida, Arlington International outside Chicago, Keeneland in Kentucky, Lone Star in Texas, Fair Grounds in Louisiana, Remington in Oklahoma and Oaklawn in Arkansas. Other tracks involved are Laurel in Maryland and Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania. Santa Anita in Southern California and Golden Gate Fields in Northern California will continue to run under recently announced limits to race-day medication that were prompted by the rash of horse deaths since Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Both are owned by The Stronach Group. Lasix is being phased out in stages at Santa Anita and Golden Gate Fields. Now it's allowed on race day at 50 percent of previous levels. In 2020, all 2-year-old horses will have to race medication-free at the two tracks. "National collaboration is necessary in order to truly evolve the sport," said Belinda Stronach, chairman and president of The Stronach Group. "The desire to achieve uniform policies is the beginning of a movement that will redefine the expectations and views on safety within our sport." The announcement was welcomed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. "It took 23 dead horses on one track, but we were sure that the racing industry could change if it wanted to and phasing out Lasix for stakes races and 2-year-olds is an excellent first step in what must be an ongoing overhaul of racing rules nationwide," Kathy Guillermo, PETA's senior vice president, said in a statement. New York Racing Association president and CEO David O'Rourke called it "a progressive and unified approach" to race-day medication. Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said, "This is a significant and meaningful step to further harmonize American racing with international standards." PETA is urging a ban on Lasix for all races, in addition to banning all medications in the two weeks before a race, banning trainers with multiple medication violations, mandating complete public transparency of injury and medication records, ending the use of whips, and switching to high-quality synthetic tracks. California previously experimented with synthetic surfaces at its major tracks, spending $40 million to install them before eventually returning to dirt. LIVERPOOL, NY - Vine Street, a heavily traveled main road in the Liverpool, will be closed starting early Monday morning as part of a bridge replacement project. The closure is expected to last about five weeks. The New York State Thruway Authority is replacing bridges that carry the Thruway (I-90) over Vine Street and the CSX Railroad in Liverpool. Vine Street will be closed to all traffic from Commerce Boulevard to Seventh Street. This closure has occurred several times recently as the Thruway Authority works on the bridges. There will be signs directing traffic to a detour which will take drivers on Henry Clay Boulevard to Electronics Parkway, then to Old Liverpool Road and then to Oswego Street. While the road is closed, workers will be erecting major pieces of the Vine Street and CSX bridges, including abutments, highway approaches, and bridge decking. The bridges, which were constructed in 1946, are being replaced with 103-foot single span bridges which will have safety upgrades including wider shoulders and higher clearances for vehicles on Vine Street and for CSX trains. The work is being completed in stages to maintain two travel lanes in each direction on the Thruway during the project, which is expected to be completed in November, Thruway officials said. Nifty.Nishy BHPian Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: New Delhi Posts: 41 Thanked: 301 Times South India Ride: 4 Dominars, 4 Brothers One fine day, enroute their usual search place, they came across 4 Stallions wandering with graceful roaylity in the woods, and it started to decrypt, what was missing. That precious thing, which can neither be bought nor be sold, neither be written nor told, it can only be sought and tyrant-ly felt. It is often described my many as Freedom, Contentment, Inner Peace, Knowing Thyself. I do not know how or what to name it, I just believe it tranforms an average individual into an Indie Person. Those four brothers, there on, went on to ride far off places, from Mountains to Oceans, from kingdoms to Forests. Their bond grew stronger, and what unveiled eventually was the sweet nectar of brotherhood, freedom, contentment and they rode together happily ever after... Cliche'd is it? Ladies and Gentlemen! Introducing the four stallions! Tamil Nadu celebrates Pongal with a lot of pomp and pride. For an "outsider" like me, it is a beautiful feeling to be a part of the vibrant celebration, and also it brings us, much sought after and rare, LONG VACATION. (A little about we 4, we come from the same college of engineering, placed in the same company, and stay together. We bought our dominars, more or less, at the same time smitten by how beautifully it blends into our requirements.) This long vacation we planned to ride through the beautiful terrains of South India covering about 2,700 kms in a period of 7 days. A peek into our ride plan: Day 1: (Chennai to Dindigul) Saturday's are our half-days, and post work we started directly from office at about 1 PM. As it is with almost all weekends, GST was overcrowded with outstation buses and cars, added to that it was the on-coming pongal holidays, that put us completely off, as It was extremely congested all the way till tindivanam. The journey was rather uneventful, and our speed were restricted to 70~80 kph, thanks to the crazy crowd. Caption 1: @ our Office Parking spot [L to R: Sushant (aka Susu), Aravind (aka Golu), Karthik (aka Lala) and yours truly (aka Pujju)] Day 2: (Dindigul - Sholayar Dam - Coimbatore) We started by about 7 AM after a good night's sleep. We had already fuelled up last night, as our general custom, to ensure we could hit the roads straight. We had to cross the holy town of Pazhani before we start our accent to Valparai. Dindigul to Pazhani was single lane state highway, the route condition, though good, was quite busy with pedestrian pilgrims walking on the shoulders of the highway. We stopped by a place for some hot sundal (Boiled Chickpeas) and coffee If you notice, there is a separate pedestrian pavement, however there would always be some rebels, walking on the highway instead. As we started early, we didn't have time for proper breakfast, and we found this amazing place on the outskirts of Pazhani. It was a roadside small place run by this super sweet family. The place doesn't have a legit name or board though, but you will be smitten by the ultra crisp and delicious Dosas, which aunty makes with ot of enthusiasm. Post our filling breakfast, it was time to hit the roads, since the time we started yesterday, we haven't experienced empty roads, to blissfully enjoy our dominars. Post Pazhani, the roads opened up, and as you approach the foothills of Valparai, you are greeted by windmills and humungous farmlands. Posing Got BHP? As we were about to ascend, we were caught by cops who had made up their mind in making some serious moolah. Upon being stopped, we were quite confident as we had all necessary documents ready with us, including PUC for a vehicle that hasn't completed 1 year, just to be extra sure! They checked our documents, and were disappointed, we cheered them up by saying they were doing a great job by checking on every biker reducing the risk of a mishap, and ended up making good friends with them. They gave us a thumbs up, and asked us to ride safe. We were welcomed by picturesque mountains, and the serene tea estates of Valparai. I'd let the photos do the talking for a while. Lower Aaliyar Dam We had decided to take a U-Turn at Sholayar Dam and reach Coimbatore before the sun sets to ensure we are not riding in the dark on the ghats. Sholayar Dam can be seen almost 5 kms before you reach the actual gate. (Water was much lesser, you could see the water line when the dam is at its best) We managed to descend before it was dark. We reached Coimbatore, had booked a hotel via Booking.com. Nothing interesting to talk about, had quick dinners and rested for the night. Ladies and Gentleman, once upon a time there lived 4 brothers who lived in a small house in a small village in India. Everyday they went to the woods in search of food and fire, and came back by evening completely exhausted. The day would end with some wine and bread together, before they slept off prepping up for the next day's ordeal. Everything resembled routined monotony, but it kept them safe. However, they knew it can't go on forever, it had to change.One fine day, enroute their usual search place, they came across 4 Stallions wandering with graceful roaylity in the woods, and it started to decrypt, what was missing. That precious thing, which can neither be bought nor be sold, neither be written nor told, it can only be sought and tyrant-ly felt. It is often described my many as Freedom, Contentment, Inner Peace, Knowing Thyself. I do not know how or what to name it, I just believe it tranforms an average individual into an Indie Person.Those four brothers, there on, went on to ride far off places, from Mountains to Oceans, from kingdoms to Forests. Their bond grew stronger, and what unveiled eventually was the sweet nectar of brotherhood, freedom, contentment and they rode together happily ever after...Cliche'd is it?Ladies and Gentlemen! Introducing the four stallions!Tamil Nadu celebrates Pongal with a lot of pomp and pride. For an "outsider" like me, it is a beautiful feeling to be a part of the vibrant celebration, and also it brings us, much sought after and rare, LONG VACATION. (A little about we 4, we come from the same college of engineering, placed in the same company, and stay together. We bought our dominars, more or less, at the same time smitten by how beautifully it blends into our requirements.) This long vacation we planned to ride through the beautiful terrains of South India covering about 2,700 kms in a period of 7 days.A peek into our ride plan:Saturday's are our half-days, and post work we started directly from office at about 1 PM. As it is with almost all weekends, GST was overcrowded with outstation buses and cars, added to that it was the on-coming pongal holidays, that put us completely off, as It was extremely congested all the way till tindivanam. The journey was rather uneventful, and our speed were restricted to 70~80 kph, thanks to the crazy crowd.Caption 1: @ our Office Parking spotWe started by about 7 AM after a good night's sleep. We had already fuelled up last night, as our general custom, to ensure we could hit the roads straight. We had to cross the holy town of Pazhani before we start our accent to Valparai. Dindigul to Pazhani was single lane state highway, the route condition, though good, was quite busy with pedestrian pilgrims walking on the shoulders of the highway.We stopped by a place for some hot sundal (Boiled Chickpeas) and coffeeIf you notice, there is a separate pedestrian pavement, however there would always be some rebels, walking on the highway instead.As we started early, we didn't have time for proper breakfast, and we found this amazing place on the outskirts of Pazhani. It was a roadside small place run by this super sweet family. The place doesn't have a legit name or board though, but you will be smitten by the ultra crisp and delicious Dosas, which aunty makes with ot of enthusiasm.Post our filling breakfast, it was time to hit the roads, since the time we started yesterday, we haven't experienced empty roads, to blissfully enjoy our dominars.Post Pazhani, the roads opened up, and as you approach the foothills of Valparai, you are greeted by windmills and humungous farmlands.PosingGot BHP?As we were about to ascend, we were caught by cops who had made up their mind in making some serious moolah. Upon being stopped, we were quite confident as we had all necessary documents ready with us, including PUC for a vehicle that hasn't completed 1 year, just to be extra sure! They checked our documents, and were disappointed, we cheered them up by saying they were doing a great job by checking on every biker reducing the risk of a mishap, and ended up making good friends with them. They gave us a thumbs up, and asked us to ride safe.We were welcomed by picturesque mountains, and the serene tea estates of Valparai.I'd let the photos do the talking for a while.Lower Aaliyar DamWe had decided to take a U-Turn at Sholayar Dam and reach Coimbatore before the sun sets to ensure we are not riding in the dark on the ghats.Sholayar Dam can be seen almost 5 kms before you reach the actual gate. (Water was much lesser, you could see the water line when the dam is at its best)We managed to descend before it was dark.We reached Coimbatore, had booked a hotel via Booking.com. Nothing interesting to talk about, had quick dinners and rested for the night. Last edited by Nifty.Nishy : 18th April 2019 at 15:50 . Mysa is one of the few manufacturers building smart thermostats for high-voltage heaters, including baseboard, fan-forced convector, and radiant ceiling types (Sinope is the other big player). But the Mysa Smart Thermostat is a whole lot prettier than Sinopes offering, and it doesnt require a bridge to connect to your Wi-Fi network. Its also more expensive, however, and since the types of heaters this and Sinopes thermostats are designed to control are not centralized, youll need to buy one for every room (or at least one for every room with a heater you wish to control). On the other hand, youll need to purchase Sinopes GT125 Wi-Fi bridge ($89.95 at Amazon) to add its thermostat to your home network (one bridge can service multiple Sinope thermostats, as well as Sinopes smart lighting controls). Updated June 14, 2019 to report that Sinope has informed us that they have added support for Samsung SmartThings, but we have not reinstalled the thermostat to evaluate this feature. If you have more than one heater thats controlled by the same thermostat now, you can wire the Mysa in its place, provided the total load doesnt exceed 3,800 watts. The Sinope model we reviewed can handle loads of up to 4,000 watts. Mysa Mysas mobile device app carries over the hardwares minimalist design aesthetic. The most striking aspect of Mysas product (especially in comparison to the Sinope) is its clean white design, with a minimalist dot-matrix display and capacitive touch-sensitive buttons. Its an aesthetically pleasing device that gives off a high-tech vibe without being overly distracting. On the other hand, it doesnt report as much information as the Sinope, which displays the day and date, the current outside temperature, and the programmed temperature in addition to the current inside temp. The biggest technical difference between the Mysa and other smart thermostats is how youll wire it to your heater. Smart thermostats like this have internal componentssuch as a display and a radio for communications (a Wi-Fi adapter in the case of the Mysa)that require constant electrical power. Some smart thermostats can siphon enough power from the electricity going to the heater to run these components, but the Mysa is powered directly by the line wire, with a second wire from the thermostat connecting to the load wire (supplying the heater), a third wire connecting to the neutral wire (going back to your electrical panel), and a fourth used for ground. This sounds like a bigger deal than it is, but the installation can be confusing if youre not paying attention. If you want to verify that your heater will work with this thermostat, you can run through this interactive compatibility script on Mysas website. Setting up the Mysa app Mysa Geofencing support means you dont need to remember to change the thermostats settings when you leave home, and your heater should automatically warm the room to the desired temperature when you return. The rest of the installation, using the Mysa app, is straightforward: The setup wizard helps you connect the thermostat to your Wi-Fi network, and then you move on to programming a heating routine. If you dont want to set up an in-depth custom schedule, the app can apply a quick schedule based on statistical energy savings or answers to a series of questions about your schedule and temperature preferences. Adding temperature-change events to your schedule is a simple matter of hitting the + symbol on the upper right of the Schedule page and picking the days, times, and temperatures. Deleting a temperature change point, on the other hand, is a more manual process. If youve made a universal change to your schedule (say, to increase the temperature to 67 degrees at 7:00 p.m. every night), and decide later to delete that event, youll need to manually tap and delete that event for every night; you cant just issue a blanket change. If youre setting up more than one Mysa smart thermostat, you can create zones that will have multiple heaters act in unison. If youd prefer to skip the app altogether, you can make immediate one-time temperature adjustments by tapping on the face of the thermostat and using the up and down arrows. Unlike the thermostats native display, the Mysa app tracks humidity, and it will offer options for an eco mode that automatically adjusts the temperature to save money. An early on option, meanwhile, will preheat the room to assure that space reaches the desired temperature at the set time. Lastly, the app can perform in-depth energy-consumption tracking, which is a welcome feature. Jason DAprile The Mysa app makes it easy to program your desired temperature targets. The Mysa can connect to Amazon Alexa Alexa and Google Assistant, and its compatible with Apple HomeKit and IFTTT. SmartThings compatibility is on the companys roadmap has been added (but we have not evaluated it), and the thermostat supports geofencing. That can turn your heater on and off when you enter and leave a defined radius around your home, although this feature is currently hidden in the apps Experimental Features menu. When you add in the cost of the Sinope GT125 Wi-Fi bridge ($90 at Amazon) thats needed to make a Sinope TH1120RF thermostat ($80 at Amazon) truly smart, Sinopes solution is more expensive than Mysas ($90 + $80 = $170). But you need only one Sinope bridge for many Sinope thermostats. Amortize the cost of the Sinope bridge across, say, four thermostats ($90 + 320 = $410), Sinope comes out on topat least in terms of pricing, because four Mysa thermostats would cost $556). All that said, the Mysas attractive industrial design, its sophisticated app, and its more robust smart home integration opportunities render it the better value in smart thermostats designed for high-voltage heaters (unless SmartThings compatibility is a must-have feature, or youre also deploying Sinopes ZigBee smart lighting controls). In brief: A former student has pleaded guilty to destroying 66 computers owned by the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, using a USB Killer device. On February 14, 27-year-old Vishwanath Akuthota, an Indian national living in the US on a student visa, annihilated 59 Windows PCs, seven Apple computers, and several digital monitors and podiums that feature USB ports. When plugged into a device, the USB killer starts collecting power from the source in its capacitors until it reaches a high voltage and then it discharges that back into the host device. This voltage overloads and destroys the computers USB port and electrical systems. The sticks can be easily ordered online or even created at home using various electrical parts. New cryptographic authentication protocol in USB-C is supposed to help prevent against this kind of attack however there are claims that with the proper devices, this protocol can still be bypassed. According to a press release, Akuthota recorded himself destroying some of the computers on his iPhone, which probably explains why he pleaded guilty. He made statements such as Im going to kill this guy before inserting the USB Killer. Akuthota caused $51,109 worth of equipment damages, and employee time for investigating and replacing the destroyed hardware came to $7,362. He has agreed to pay the full amount back to the college as part of his guilty plea. Akuthota graduated from the College of Saint Rose with a masters degree in Business back in 2017. His motivations for the attack are still unclear, though its thought he could have a grudge against someone at the collegejudging from his recordings Sentencing is set to take place on August 12. Akuthota faces ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of post-prison supervision. Japanese and American press sources said that before the talks, both sides expressed their goodwill. US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer welcomed the Japanese delegation, led by Japans economy minister Toshimitsu Motegi, to Washington to conduct two days of negotiations on a series of important issues on bilateral trade. The two sides will enter into negotiations for a Japan-US trade agreement on goods, as well as on other key areas including services, that can produce early achievements. Minister Motegi told reporters that the two sides discussed trade issues involving goods, including agriculture, as well as the need to establish high standards in the area of digital trade. Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer raised the very large trade deficit with Japan (US$67.6 billion in 2018), urging the country to address the trade imbalances between the worlds largest and third-largest economies. In addition, the two sides also agreed that they would meet again in the near future. Motegi also said he is planning to have another meeting with Lighthizer ahead of the summit between PM Abe and President Trump that is likely to be held April 26 in Washington. The two sides willingness to meet again soon in order to conduct the next round of trade negotiations is considered a good sign for the US-Japan trade negotiations in the context that a number of trade disagreements between the two countries still exist. US President Trump once voiced a complaint about the unfair trade situation for many years between Japan and the US. Analysts said that the US government conducted trade negotiations with Japan with an aim to concretise President Trumps America First policy in trade. Over recent years, the US has pushed for renegotiations with major trading partners in the direction of signing agreements with specific countries instead of signing multilateral agreements. The US has completed a new North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico, and a trade deal with the Republic of Korea. The US is also actively negotiating to reach a more favourable trade agreement with China, while preparing to launch a similar process of trade negotiations with the European Union (EU). However, in the way ahead, negotiators from the US and Japan will face many difficulties. For example, Japan will not easily accept concessions for agricultural import tariffs. After the talks on April 16, Minister Motegi said Japan will not reduce tariffs on US farm products beyond levels the country has agreed in other trade pacts such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and the Japan EU Free Trade Agreement. In addition, Japanese leaders currently support free trade and disapprove of the US trade protection policy. Japanese PM Abe has recently called for the rebuilding of trust in the free trade system. He underscored the importance of a cross-border free trade system and hoped that the issue would be discussed at the G20 Summit scheduled to be held Japan in June. However, with the Japanese PMs visit the US at the end of April and the US Presidents visit to Japan shortly afterwards, analysts expect that the two countries will soon resolve their disagreements. What just happened? Amazon and Google recently put their streaming video differences aside, agreeing to bring their respective services to each other's devices. Shortly after, both companies announced free streaming music tiers for their respective services and platforms. Coincidence? Alexa users in the US can now listen to Amazon Music free of charge on their Alexa-enabled device thanks to a new ad-supported version of the streaming music service. Its not the unfettered access youd gain with a subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited but rather, a Pandora-like offering that routes you to specific stations and playlists based on your query. For example, you could say, Alexa, play 90s music to hear a station filled with tunes from that era or say, Alexa, play the playlist Pop Culture to listen to tracks from todays top pop artists. Those looking for truly on-demand music without ads can get just that with a Prime membership as it includes access to more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations. Optionally, Amazon Music Unlimited Amazons premium subscription service grants access to a library of more than 50 million tracks. In related news, Google has announced that YouTube Music is now offering a free, ad-supported tier on the Google Home and other Google Assistant-powered speakers. Like Amazons new free tier, the complementary version of YouTube Music doesnt let you play specific artists, songs or albums. Instead, youre directed to a station with a similar genre to what youre searching for. The free version of YouTube Music is now available to listeners in the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Great Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Japan, the Netherlands and Austria. Additional countries will be added soon, were told. Lead image courtesy Antonio Guillem via Shutterstock Five unnamed parents are suing the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene over the recent emergency mandatory measles vaccination order. The petitioners claimed that the city health department violated their legal right to opt out of vaccination. They added that authorities did not provide sufficient evidence to justify the existence of an outbreak. Unjustifiable Need In the legal document obtained at the NY Supreme Court Kings County, the petitioners claimed that there was insufficient facts that would warrant extraordinary measures such as forced vaccination. The mothers, whose identities were disclosed by the initials of their names, described the order as "arbitrary, capricious" and a violation of the law and their rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution. "Rather than using available legal mechanisms such as isolation or quarantine under Public Health Law 2100, respondents have imposed not only severe criminal and civil penalties for not vaccinating but have stated that persons not vaccinated 'shall be vaccinated against measles,' thus introducing the specter of unjustifiable forced vaccination to Williamsburg and the City of New York," read the lawsuit filed at the NY Supreme Court Kings County. They also claimed that the city health department failed to address inconsistencies resulting from the mandatory vaccination order. These inconsistencies caused them confusion, anxiety, and fear due to civil and/or criminal punishment. In addition, the lawsuit sought for a restraining order and a preliminary injunction declaring the order ineffective. Mandatory MMR Vaccination On April 9, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a public health emergency as measles cases reached an alarming number, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were 555 individual cases of measles in 20 states from January 1 to April 11, 2019, the CDC reported. De Blasio required all unvaccinated individuals to get their measles-mumps-rubella shots 48 hours from the time of his announcement. Those who will refuse will have to pay $1,000 fine or get violation tickets. Exemptions will only be given to those with compromised health conditions that would be worsened by the vaccine. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Doctors are scrambling to find the reason behind Ja'bari Grey's condition of being born without skin, and they believe genetic testing could provide the answer. Texas Child Born With No Skin Ja'bari was born on New Year's Day of 2019 at the Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. According to San Antonio Express News, he was transferred to the Texas Children's Hospital in Houston, Texas, on April 12. In Houston, he would have access to specialists with more experience in treating rare skin conditions. Without skin in most of his body other than his head and legs, the baby has spent the few months of his life so far confined in the hospital. To treat him properly, health professionals need to figure out what is causing his condition. "We want to find an answer right now, but everything is in the air," mother Priscilla Maldonado explains to San Antonio Express News. "They're just really focused on keeping him comfortable right now." Genetic Testing May Be The Key To Diagnosis Last Monday, April 15, doctors told Maldonado, 25, and husband Marvin Grey, 34, that Ja'bari may be suffering from a rare genetic connective tissue disorder known as Epidermolysis bullosa. Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of diseases causing the formation of painful blisters on the skin, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It ranges in severity from patient to patient, with a number developing blisters inside the body as well. It affects only 20 out of 1 million newborns in the United States. To see whether this is driving Ja'bari's condition, the baby and his parents are undergoing genetic testing. Most forms of this illness are hereditary. "It could be two to three weeks before they have an answer," Maldonado explains. "They don't want to treat my son for the wrong thing." Treatment For Ja'bari For now, the baby boy is getting pain medication, topical ointments, and frequent dressing changes at the Texas Children's Hospital. A surgery that's been planned for him will cut scar tissue on his throat that has been fusing his chin to his chest. His eyelids has also been fused shut since he was born, as well as his fingers, a report from People reveals. Medicaid insurance nearly did not cover Ja'bari's transfer and treatment because it was out of network, but officials reversed the decision following significant coverage of the story. Maldonado reveals that someone told her a person in the government stepped in, but she has no idea who it was. A GoFundMe for the Texan family has been set up to help them as they seek the medication and treatment of Ja'bari. Without diagnosis yet, doctors still can't confirm how long the three-month-old is expected to stay in the hospital. Furthermore, Medicaid likely won't pay for all the equipment, care, and medication that Ja'bari will need for his treatment. Epidermolysis bullosa has no known cure, but doctors can manage it with pain medication and infection control, among other measures. "Even if he does pull through, we don't know what the future holds," Maldonado says. "We're just praying every day. Every day is a blessing." 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An additional NASA payload known as the Lunar Retroreflector Array experiment may have survived the crash of Israel's Beresheet moon lander on April 11, scientists revealed. With the Beresheet moon lander, Israel was supposed to make history as the first country to send a privately funded spacecraft to the moon, but instead of landing smoothly, the spacecraft crashed. It turns out a technical glitch affected the spacecraft's main engine, which may have caused the accident.. Despite the failure of the April 11 landing, however, Israel plans to build a second moon lander, which they will call Beresheet 2.0. On a positive note, the failure of the Beresheet moon landing does not mean that everything that the spacecraft carried was destroyed. Scientists believe that the NASA payload may have survived and may have been separated from the lunar lander's main spacecraft body. What Is NASA's Lunar Retroreflector Array Experiment? The Lunar Retroreflector Array experiment is a technology demonstration that consists of eight mirrors made of quartz cube corners, which are set into dome-shaped aluminum frame. The mirrors serve as markers for other spacecraft, so that precise landings will be made. The NASA experiment is more lightweight and tinier than a computer mouse. The best part is that the Lunar Retroreflector Array has been designed to endure tough conditions such as radiation, and was specifically set for long-term use. This is the reason why scientists believe the experiment may not have been destroyed by the Beresheet's crash landing. David Smith, principal investigator of the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter instrument aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft and a scientist from the Massachussetts Institute of Technology, explained that the laser retroreflector array may have survived the crash, but they currently do not know its orientation. "It could be upside down, but it has a 120-degree angle of reception, and we only need 1 of the 0.5-inch cubes for detection," explained Smith. "But it has certainly not made it any easier." How To Detect The Missing Lunar Retroreflector Array Smith said the LOLA team will be setting up observations to search for the Lunar Retroreflector Array soon. The LOLA spacecraft works this way: laser beams generated by the instrument hit the surface of the moon and bounce back. Once the laser beams return, the LOLA instrument measures the beams' range or time of flight. If the LOLA instrument manages to bounce off some laser beams into the Lunar Retroreflector Array, Smith and his team would be notified immediately. Meanwhile, NASA plans to add more retroreflectors on the surface of the moon in the future. These retroreflectors would serve as "fiducial markers," which means future spacecraft could use them as points of reference to make soft landings. The LRO also plans to capture the crash landing site of the Beresheet moon lander using the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera System, added Smith. Israel's Beresheet Moon Lander Takes Selfie With Earth In early March, a month before its tragic crash landing, the Beresheet moon lander managed to capture a selfie with Earth. The moon lander looked back at Earth from a distance of 23,363.5 miles or about 37,600 kilometers. The continent of Australia was visible in the picture. The Beresheet moon lander was created by the nonprofit group SpaceIL and the company Israel Aerospace Industries. It launched from Earth on Feb. 21 aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Beresheet mission costs about $100 million. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. People with type 2 diabetes should mind the food they eat for breakfast. Research proves that what diabetics consume for breakfast may affect their blood sugar throughout the day. Some people with type 2 diabetes experience high blood sugar in the morning because the liver breaks down the sugar overnight. It is around this time of the day too that cells can be resistant to insulin. Blood sugars can further shoot up after eating breakfast, at levels that are twice as high after eating lunch. This high post prandial blood sugar can lead to further cravings for carbohydrates. Do Not Skip Breakfast Diabetes management experts advise against skipping breakfast. People with type 2 diabetes who fasted until lunchtime experience significant spikes in their blood sugars throughout the day as well as increases in the hemoglobin A1c levels. Researchers also believe that skipping breakfast causes the beta cells in the pancreas to forget its job of releasing insulin when no food is eaten between dinner and lunch of the following day. Based on the findings of their research, experts from School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia recommend a high-fat, low-carb breakfast for type 2 diabetics, as it is proven to reduce blood sugar spikes and result in improved blood glucose levels. The study results were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Best Breakfast Choices Type 2 diabetics need not limit their breakfast choices to just eggs. Eating a larger high-fat, high protein, low-carb meal can also be filling without the risk of higher blood sugar. What food to eat for breakfast? Here are some healthy recommendations: Oatmeal: This staple breakfast choice is usually made steel cut, rolled, or instant. Always choose whole grains such as oatmeal instead of refined grains such as rice. It is known that whole grains can reduce the risk of heart disease, decrease blood pressure, and aid in weight loss. The fibers in whole grains can also help regulate sugar and has low glycemic index. Oatmeal is also known to help reduce cholesterol levels. For something that is creative and grain-free, try making the cauliflower oatmeal that is as equally healthy. Yogurts and Cottage Cheese: For those who don't have time to cook, instant food such as yogurts and cottage cheese are good alternatives. Choose the low-fat Greek yogurt, which has lesser carbs and more protein. Cottage cheese can be made into fruit and nuts parfait or guilt-free pancakes. Add fresh or frozen fruit for flavor and color and chopped nuts for added crunch. This breakfast is so easy to prepare yet satisfying to the appetite. Salmon: Salmon is said to be the best fish for diabetics because of its high Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA content. The healthy fats from salmon may help boost the heart, skin, and brain health. It is also high in protein and B vitamins. Consuming at least two servings of salmon each week can help meet the body's Omega-3 fatty acid needs. Healthy ways of cooking salmon include poaching and baking. Chia: This superfood is known to have high antioxidant properties. Eating a lot of chia seeds may help lower triglycerides, control blood glucose, and reduce blood pressure. A previous study noted that chia seeds also seem to slow glucose passage into the blood. Chia can be made into a variety of breakfast puddings, added to drinks, and used for cooking. According to the study, eating a low-carb breakfast also helps curb pre-meal hunger and cravings for sweet foods later in the day. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Skipping breakfast and eating dinner just before going to sleep can help worsen the impacts of a heart attack, a new study says. Researchers from Sao Paolo State University in Brazil examined how some eating habits can affect the health of people with heart problems. They found that patients who tend to skip eating breakfast or eat their dinner right before bedtime were four to five times more likely to develop chest pain (angina), suffer another heart attack, or even die within 30 days after being discharged from the hospital due to a previous attack. The study involved people diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes. Participants were surveyed regarding their eating behaviors after they were admitted to coronary intensive care unit. The researchers defined skipping breakfast as having nothing to eat before lunch at least three times a week. This excluded beverages such as water or coffee. On the other hand, eating late-night dinner was defined as having a meal within two hours before patients went to bed for at least three times every week. As much as 58 percent of patients skip breakfast, 51 percent have late-night dinners, and 41 percent practiced both eating habits. Wrong Eating Habits And Heart Problems The research team focused its investigation on people with a serious form of heart attack known as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Dr. Marcos Minicucci, one of the authors of the study, explained how the heart condition impacts the lives of many patients. "One in ten patients with STEMI dies within a year, and nutrition is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to improve prognosis," he said. To help reduce the chance of worsening the heart ailment, Minicucci recommends keeping at least a two-hour interval between eating dinner and going to bed in the evening. He also brought up the importance of eating breakfast. He said a good meal in the morning should consist of dairy products, carbohydrates, and whole fruits. An ideal choice for dairy products can include yogurt, cheese, and low fat or fat-free milk. Meanwhile, carbohydrates can be made up of bagels, cereals, and whole wheat bread. Minicucci said breakfast should have between 15 to 35 percent of the recommended total daily calorie intake. Other Research Findings Patients who skipped breakfast and eat late-night dinners were also found to have other unhealthy habits. These included smoking and not having enough physical activity regularly. The study showed that these two eating behaviors can lead to poor outcomes following a heart attack. However, engaging in a number of bad habits can only worsen the situation even more. Minicucci explained that individuals who tend to work late are likely to eat a late-night dinner, and then skip breakfast the next morning because they are not much hungry. The researchers believe endothelial function, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress may also be linked to the association between cardiovascular problems and bad eating habits. The findings of the Sao Paolo State University study are featured in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, which is part of the European Society of Cardiology. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Future astronauts got a taste of what it is like to live in Mars in a simulated base camp located in the Gobi desert in China. A company called C-Space recently opened "Mars Base 1," a $4.47 million facility that recreates a Martian base camp where future colonists will live and work when humans eventually land on the Red Planet. The facility was opened to the public for the first time on Wednesday, April 17, to students who would like to learn more about Earth's neighboring planet. China's Mars Base 1 Mars Base 1 has nine interconnected modules that offer a look at what the first Martian colony would look like. It has sleeping quarters, a recreation room, a greenhouse, a control room, and an airlock open for viewing. Students can wear spacesuits and explore the mock Martian landscape. Around the base, the company placed recreations of rovers, landers, a spacecraft, a crater, and a cave. A mysterious black slab, a callback to the monolith that appeared in Stanley Kubrick's 1968 movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, stands in the middle of the desert. "I am very excited to be here," said a 13-year-old student who was among the first to explore Mars Base 1. "We saw the monolith, a crater and a cave. It's better than the Mars that I had imagined." Over 100 students from a nearby high school attended the opening of the facility. The company will also expand and open Mars Base 1 to tourists starting next year. A space-themed hotel and restaurant will also be built in the area. Mars-Like Environment However, Mars Base 1 has received criticism from a few scientists. Jiao Weixin, a professor at the School of Earth and Space Sciences at Peking University, told AFP that the surrounding desert does not represent the hostile conditions of Mars. Unlike Earth, which is mostly covered with liquid water, Mars is very dry and dusty. Jiao added that to recreate what it will be like to live in the Red Planet would be very "expensive." "We are trying to come up with solutions ... the base is still on earth, it's not on Mars," stated Bai Fan, the founder of C-Span. "[B]ut we have chosen a landform that matches closest to Mars." Last month, a "Mars village" was also opened in the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. From 1095 to 1291, Christian invaders fought against Muslim armies to claim the Near East in a series of religious wars that is now known as the Crusades. The armies of the Crusades were led by nobility, but the soldiers who took part in these historic invasions were ordinary men. Crusaders Buried In Pit A new study, however, now offers a glimpse of the lives of these Crusaders soldiers and how they mixed with the locals. Chris Tyler-Smith, a genetics researcher at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and colleagues extracted DNA from the 13th-century remains of nine medieval crusaders. The remains were found in a mass burial pit near a crusader castle in Sidon, Lebanon. All nine men were killed violently, possibly in battle as suggested by the blunt force injuries found on their skulls and bones. The shoe buckles and a coin found with the remains helped researchers date the skeletons back to the time of the Crusades. DNA Analysis Sheds Light On Lives Of Crusaders Smith and colleagues then compared the newly extracted DNA from those of modern-day people and ancient individuals by analyzing mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosomes. They found that only three of the individuals from the pit were from western Europe. Four of the remains were also found to be genetically very similar to modern-day Lebanese people, which suggests these men were from the area. Two of the men have a mix of European and near-east ancestry, which suggests they may have been the offspring of earlier crusaders or other Europeans who traveled and then settled to the region. "We show that all of the Crusaders' pit individuals were males; some were Western Europeans from diverse origins, some were locals (genetically indistinguishable from present-day Lebanese), and two individuals were a mixture of European and Near Eastern ancestries, providing direct evidence that the Crusaders admixed with the local population," the researchers wrote in their study. Settling In Newly Established Christian States The findings suggest that some of the soldiers who traveled from Europe to fight stayed in the newly established Christian states where they married local women and had families. Genetically diverse armies intermixed with the local population, had families, and even recruited them to their cause. "Genomics gives an unprecedented view of the past and shows the Crusaders originated from western Europe and recruited local people of the near East to join them in battle. The Crusaders and near Easterners lived, fought and died side by side," Smith said. The findings were published in the journal American Journal of Human Genetics on April 18. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Measles is still lurking around. This time, the viral disease scares Silicon Valley's employees with a report of exposure after a sick man visited the Google headquarters recently. In a statement released by Cassius Lockett, PhD, director of Public Health, Policy, and Planning of San Mateo County, 2019 has so far seen four confirmed cases of the disease, including the recent Silicon Valley case. "San Mateo County Health does not believe that there is further risk of measles to the public from these cases," the news release states. However, as cautionary measure, the health department issues an advisory to health care providers about recognizing measles symptoms and reporting cases to public health authorities. Google Buzz A staff doctor at Google sent out an email last week to some employees about the possible exposure. In the email, the doctor said that a worker who has recently visited one of the Mountain View, California, buildings had been diagnosed with measles. The visit took place on April 4 in the 1295 Charleston Road office. David Kaye, a physician that specializes in occupational health wrote that the note was sent as a precaution, and as compliance to the Public Health Department orders to share measles advisory, exposure risks, and interventions to do. Department Of Health In Action Communicable diseases team at San Mateo County Health continuously follows up on reported cases, and gets updates from their constituents in other jurisdictions to advise exposed individuals to consult local health care professionals. In accordance to patient privacy laws, the health department is unable to share further details about the reported cases. The department's main message to the public is to get kids and non-immunized adults vaccinated according to the guidelines of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Measles In California Measles is a highly communicable disease, with cases scattered across continents. In California, the last massive outbreak was the Disneyland-related report, recorded from December 2014 to April 2015, where about 131 residents were struck with the disease. In 2019, two cases were associated with international travel. All in all, there have been 23 confirmed cases so far, 13 of which were outbreak-related. The infectious disease starts from fever that lasts for days, followed by cough, runny nose, pinkish eyes, and a rash. Typically, the rash first appears on the face, along the hairline, and behind the ears, before it manifests in the whole body. Patients are highly contagious between four days before the onset of rash and four days afterward. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Carl's Jr. announces the debut of their cannabis-infused burger on Saturday, April 20, at one of their branches in Denver, Colorado. The one-day event is a test run for the burger dubbed the Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight. Afterwards, the fast-food chain can determine whether they'll be permanently offering this menu item in the future or not. With this one-day test, Carl's Jr. becomes the very first major fast-food joint to offer a cannabis-infused product on their menu. pic.twitter.com/Ekk4f4r1YL 4/20 only: We're dropping our Rocky Mountain High Cheese Burger Delight with CBD-infused Santa Fe sauce at one Denver location only. #rockymountainhigh Carls Jr. (@CarlsJr) April 17, 2019 The Secret Sauce The Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight will be available for $4.20 at a single location in Denver. Unsurprisingly, its main feature is what the company call the "Santa Fe Sauce," which is infused with CBD or cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive component of cannabis. While the sauce is the heart of the burger, the Rocky Mountain High is a fully packed burger with two beef patties, pickled jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and fries. Those who are interested in trying out the burger can pick it up at the branch at 4050 Colorado Blvd. in Denver on Saturday, April 20, at 6 a.m. onward. Behind The Scenes While the CBD-infused burger does drop on the day when cannabis users celebrate marijuana, Carl's Jr. isn't offering the Rocky Mountain High as a publicity stunt. The move has already been in the minds of the people behind the company. "I was sitting down with our head chef Owen Klein, and we were talking about trends," Patty Trevino, Carl's Jr. senior vice president of brand marketing, says in CNN Business. After the fast-food chain launched their vegan burger earlier in 2019, they brainstormed for a wish list that includes a product infused with CBD. "We looked at ourselves and said, you know what, let's try." With trendy products such as a CBD-infused burger, she says the company is seeking to make their customers happy and attract a younger crowd that is more open to trends and new flavors. "It is something that feels right for the brand," Trevino concludes. "We are all about innovation." The Rise Of CBD-Infused Products Carl's Jr. isn't the only company who are looking to offer CBD to consumers. With the widespread legalization of marijuana in the country and beyond, more companies are becoming more open to offering products with CBD, which has a range of potential health benefits. CBD topicals are becoming available at Walgreens and CVS, while restaurant chain By Chloe is already serving CBD-infused sweets, according to Business Insider. Carl's Jr. is sourcing their CBD oil from Colorado-based Bluebird Botanicals. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Pregnant women who undergo at least one additional ultrasound session before giving birth have a better chance of avoiding caesarean section deliveries. In a study featured in the journal PLOS Medicine, researchers from the University of East Anglia and Cambridge University found that a second ultrasound scan about a month before delivery can reduce the risk of babies being born with their feet or buttocks first. The condition, known as undiagnosed breech presentation, poses a significant health risk to the mother and her child. Doctors often recommend an emergency caesarean section to make sure that both go through delivery safely. If cases of breech presentation are detected weeks before child birth, the researchers believe it can help cut as much as 4,000 instances of emergency caesarean procedures every year. Undiagnosed Breech Presentations Gordon Smith, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Cambridge, led his colleagues in examining undiagnosed breech presentations in the UK. They asked 3,879 women, who were going through their first pregnancy, to undergo an ultrasound test at 36 weeks. While only 179 of expectant mothers (4.6 percent) were diagnosed with breech presentation, more than half of them said they have received no prior indication that their baby was in such a condition. Pregnant women typically receive an ultrasound scan by the time they reach their 20th week. However, since assessments are highly dependent on the skill of doctors to feel their patients' baby bumps, most cases of breech presentations are often left undetected. Asking the patients to undergo screening during their 36th week of pregnancy gave them a chance to opt for external cephalic version, where doctors would attempt to turn the baby to place them in the correct birthing position. The study suggests that having the procedure a month before giving birth significantly increases its success rate than if done close to delivery. Some of the participants opted for external cephalic version. For patients who declined, or where the procedure did not work, the researchers arranged for them to have a planned caesarean section. None of the pregnant women chose to undergo a vaginal breech birth. The procedure can be an option for breech presentation cases, though it still carries some safety risks. Of the 179 women diagnosed with breech presentations, 19 were able to give birth vaginally, 110 underwent planned caesarean section, and 50 had to undergo an emergency caesarean. Implications Of Late Ultrasound Scan Smith and his colleagues are already looking into the feasibility of implementing late ultrasound scans at a low cost. This can be done by incorporating the screening to the standard midwife appointments and using portable ultrasound devices that are more affordable than regular machines. If the cost of the diagnostic were to be lowered to only 20 ($26) per patient, Smith said it would be more cost-effective. Even if the procedure were to done for under 13 ($17), it would still allow the National Health Service to save up more money in the long run. Some doctors are now calling on the NHS to explore the possibility of making ultrasound screening more cost-effective, while others are still asking for more trials to be done before implementing such a move. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A pack of 10 robot dogs march in perfect unison on a stretch of land with a slight incline, demonstrating their jaw-dropping strength by hauling a huge truck behind them. These powerful and agile four-legged robots, dubbed as the SpotMini, are expected to be sold commercially. In the minute-long video uploaded by Boston Dynamics on YouTube, the company shows a peek at the incredible capabilities of their new SpotMini robots, which will soon be available for a range of applications. The SpotMini According to Boston Dynamics, the SpotMini is 55 pounds (25 kilograms) without its detachable arm and 66 pounds (30 kilograms) with the arm. This 5-degree-of-freedom arm, which is a new addition to the company's robots, allows the SpotMini to pick up objects and handle them. The all-electronic robot is reportedly the quietest robot in the Boston Dynamics lineup, and every charge yields roughly 90 minutes of activity. While it is compact and mobile, the robot dog is obviously extremely strong with each 2.75-foot SpotMini boasting a payload of 30 pounds (14 kilograms). It is built with 17 joints. Boston Dynamics has also equipped it with a multitude of sensors, including stereo cameras, depth cameras, an IMU, and position/force sensors in the limbs, all of which reportedly help with navigation and mobile manipulation. The Pack Of SpotMini Robot Dogs Will Become An Army Tech Crunch reports that Boston Robotics founder and CEO Marc Raibert spoke at the TC Sessions, revealing that the company is slated to start production of the robot dogs in July or August. At the moment, betas are still coming off the assembly line for testing and redesigns. Pricing is set to be revealed in the summer of 2019. While release is still a couple of months away, Boston Robotics have big plans for their small robot dogs. Back in 2018, Raibert told the audience at the CeBIT Computer expo in Hanover, Germany, that the company is already testing SpotMini in potential clients from the industries of security, delivery, construction, and home assistance. "We've built 10 by hand, we're building 100 with manufacturers at the end of this year, and in the middle of 2019, we're going to begin production at the rate of about 1,000 a year," Raibert said about SpotMini at the time. How Social Media Feels About Robot Dogs If this eerily feels like the beginning of a Black Mirror episode, plenty of people online had the same idea. "Now just put the 'The Imperial March' from Star Wars as background music and you are good to go," one user responded to the YouTube video. "Soon, we will be pulling that sleigh for them," another user predicted. As usual, no one does "awwww..." to "OH GOD WHY?!?! THEY WILL MURDER US ALL!" quite as quickly as Boston Dynamics. Clint Sears (@clintisawesome) April 16, 2019 Remember that sound for when they come for us, and you have to remember whether you were nice to the robot central intelligence, or not. Just this hotel guy, you know? (@HHotelConsult) April 16, 2019 Ever since I watched Black Mirror I cannot see these robot dogs as anything but evil impersonated Maritza Jordan (@mj621_pr) April 18, 2019 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A non-profit group with 12,000 members who are doctors has sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture for allegedly ignoring their concerns over the fecal contamination of chicken and other meat. The group known as The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed the lawsuit with the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Tuesday, April 16. USDA Sued For Failure To Response According to a press release from the PCRM, the USDA failed to respond to their complaints regarding the regulation of feces. The original petition was filed six years ago in 2013. While the USDA reportedly has a zero tolerance policy on fecal contamination, this is allegedly limited to visible contamination and meat can pass inspection when the feces cannot be seen by the naked eye. "We often see birds going down the line with intestines still attached, which are full of fecal contamination," a federal inspection had previously said, which the lawsuit and petition quoted. "If there is no fecal contamination on the bird's skin, however, we can do nothing to stop that bird from going down that line." "It is more than reasonable to assume that once the bird gets into the chill tank (a large vat of cold water), that contamination will enter the water and contaminate all of the other carcasses in the chiller. That's why it is sometimes called 'fecal soup.'" In the petition filed with the USDA in 2013, PCRM points out that consumers have the right to know about the details and processes behind food products labelled as "wholesome" by officials. "USDA misleads consumers every time inspectors slap a 'wholesome' label on contaminated food," Deborah Dubow Press, Esq., lawsuit author and the PCRM associate general counsel, explains. "Consumers should be horrified to know that USDA's standard for wholesomeness is 'no visible feces.'" USDA Responds To Lawsuit Washington Post reports that the department issued a response to PCRM's allegations on the same day the lawsuit was filed. In the statement, USDA says they disagree with the assumption that products that have been inspected and deemed wholesome are likely to have fecal contamination. According to USDA, visible feces on meat and poultry products are considered a food safety defect, but that it can be resolved by trimming the contaminated area as well as cleaning it using antibacterial chemicals. Pathogen testing also occurs at critical points in the slaughter line, USDA adds, to make sure both visible and invisible fecal contamination are prevented. "It's no surprise that the pseudo-medical animal rights group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine doesn't know the difference between fecal contamination and bacteria on meat products," KatieRose McCullough, the North American Meat Institute's director of regulatory and scientific affairs, tells Washington Post. She adds that bacteria such as E.coli are often present in various types of food and even objects in regular life, but it doesn't necessarily mean they're contaminated with feces. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Just as it was reported that Amazon was going to release a free music streaming tier for Echo owners now out, it's worth noting Google just made its YouTube Music service available to all Google Home device owners. That means Home smart speakers can now play music from YouTube Music's free ad-supported tier. Previously, to listen to YouTube music on those devices, users had to have been subscribed to YouTube Music Premium, which costs $9.99 a month. Free YouTube Music Now On Google Home There's no need for that anymore as YouTube Music comes to Google Home, with ads. All Google Home smart speakers are supported, including the regular Home, the Max, and the Mini. Other Google Assistant smart speakers are also included. It's available in 16 countries at the moment. "With YouTube Music and Google Home, you can ask Google Home to play the right music for any moment or mood, and YouTube Music will play the perfect station, customized to your tastes based upon your request," reads an official announcement posted on YouTube's blog. As with any free tiers, there are caveats included. For starters, users can't pick specific songs from the smart speaker. Instead, it will load up playlists. Requesting for specific songs doesn't seem to be working well at the moment, as per The Verge, which asked Google Assistant to Play a song but played a different one instead after playing an ad for YouTube Music Premium first, it should be noted. YouTube Music Premium To give it ago, open the Google Home companion app, tap Settings, choose Music, and from there users will be able to select YouTube Music as the default music streaming service. They can also bite the bullet and subscribe to YouTube Music Premium, which unlocks a number of features, including the ability to play music in the background while using other apps, downloading apps for offline play, an ad-free listening experience, and more. There's a free 30-day trial up for grabs if anyone's interested. YouTube Music isn't available on smart speaker powered by Alexa, free or premium. The two companies have been fiercely competitive in terms of gatekeeping proprietary services. YouTube once pulled its app from Echo Show devices claiming it violated some of its rules and policies. Thoughts on YouTube Music's free tier finally coming to Google Home smart speakers? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below! 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station have captured a stunning image of the United Kingdom as seen from low-Earth orbit. The weather was fine on the morning of Feb. 26 when astronauts snapped the photo over the sea between Wales and Ireland. The ISS was traveling 216 nautical miles away from Earth at that time. The picturesque view shows the Blighty with its greenery and land surrounded by blue seas. The clear image distinctly shows the mountain ranges of Britain and Irelands. A Nikon D5 with a 17-35mm zoom lens was used to take the image. Earth Images Captured From The ISS The space station usually orbits the Earth at roughly 250 miles and travels at a staggering 17,500mph. It orbits the planet every 90 minutes, giving the astronauts a great privilege to see the breathtaking views of the Earth's land, sea, and weather systems. From time to time, astronauts would share on Twitter captivating images, and angles of the Earth as seen from the ISS. At times, they would also post images of the moon and Earth, cloud formations, and coasts. Last month, astronaut Anne McClain shared a captivating photo of the SpaceX Crew Dragon as the spacecraft approaches the ISS. In May 2018, Jesse Rogerson captured an image of orange airglow enveloping the Earth's upper atmosphere. In June 2018, commercial ports of New Jersey and several boroughs that make up New York City, including portions of Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and almost all of Manhattan, were pictured from the space station. More recently, a crew member of Expedition 59 photographed the Richat Structure or the Eye of the Sahara located in northwestern Mauritania. Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly took visually stunning images while he was on board the ISS for nearly an entire year. NASA curated the images as "Best Year in Space Photographs from Scott Kelly." The selection of images is posted on NASA's website. Images taken by astronauts on board the ISS are posted in the online gallery Space Station Photos. 20 Years Of The Space Station The ISS celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018. Throughout its lifetime, the space station has been home to 236 astronauts from all over the world. Since it is the third brightest object in the sky, there are times when the ISS can be seen by the naked eye as it passes overhead. A live tracker shows the date and location of ISS sighting opportunities. Currently on board the ISS are astronauts McClain, Nick Hague, Alexey Ovchinin, Christina Koch, David Saint-Jacques, and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko who is in charge of the space station's command. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. It's a strange scientific phenomenon: ultra-thin magnets are solid, but when zapped with lasers, they actually behave like fluids. This fact has been known by academics for years. When an ultra-thin magnet is hit with a laser, it suddenly demagnetizes. Imagine tiny refrigerator magnets plopping on the ground. How does that happen? In a new study, researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder are examining how magnets recover from this demagnetization and return to their original properties in a fraction of a second. The implications of the study can have a huge contribution to computer engineering, particularly on computer hard drives, scientists said. How Lasers Make Zapped Magnets Become Fluid-Like There is a specific order to how the particles of magnets are formed, and materials with magnetic properties usually feature subatomic building blocks that all spin in the same direction, whether it be up or down. Earth's magnetic field works the same way. However, a brief laser blast can disrupt this order. The magnetic properties begin to turn into "droplets," which is similar to what happens when a jar of oil and water is shaken up. The team from the University of Colorado Boulder, which was led by Ezio Iacocca and Mark Hoefer, drew on mathematical modeling as well as numerical simulations and experiments that were conducted at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Stanford University to find the answers to their questions. "What we were interested in is what happens after you blast it," said Iacocca. "How does it recover?" Iacocca and his colleagues focused on a short but critical point in the life of a magnet: the first 20 trillionths of a second after a magnetic, metallic alloy gets hit by a short, high-energy laser. Once hit with enough laser pulse, the "spins" or orientation of the magnet will no longer point just up or down, but in all different directions. This cancels out the magnetic properties for 3 picoseconds, and then the magnet is back at equilibrium after a microsecond, explained Iacocca. In Between Demagnetization, Something Happens The researchers wanted to figure out what happens in that missing window of time, and to do that, they ran a series of experiments in California. Iacocca and his colleagues blasted tiny pieces of gadolinium-iron-cobalt alloys with lasers. Afterward, they compared the results to computer simulations and mathematical predictions. Hoefer, who is an associate professor of applied math, explained that the metals themselves do not turn liquid. Instead, the spins or building blocks within the magnets become fluid-like, and they move around and change their orientation likes waves in an ocean. After a while, the disordered spins begin to settle down and then form small clusters with the same orientation. These "droplets" would then grow bigger and bigger, hence the comparison to oil and water that separates in a jar, Hoefer said. Implications Of The Study A zapped magnet does not always return to its original orientation, however. In some cases, Hoefer said a magnet can flip after being hit by a laser pulse, and then switch from up to down. Researchers believe that when magnets flip from up to down, it can be used for computer engineering. In fact, the flipping can store information on a computer hard drive in bits of ones and zeros. Iacocca believes if the flipping can be done more efficiently, it can even be used to build faster computers. He and his colleagues are in the process of understanding the flipping behavior more accurately so that they can find a magnet material that flips faster. Details of the study have been published in the journal Nature Communications. Photo: Douglas Muth | Flickr 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Jerrie Cobb, America's first female astronaut candidate who pushed for more women in space, has passed away after battling an illness. She was 88. Journalist Miles O'Brien, who is serving as the family's spokesperson, confirmed the news on Thursday, April 18. Becoming The First Female Astronaut Candidate Cobb is best known for becoming the first woman to pass the grueling tests that aspirants had to go through to become an astronaut in 1960s. Twelve other women followed her and, together, they became known as Mercury 13. However, the effort, which was privately funded, was not recognized by NASA. None of the 13 women who passed the preliminary screening process were permitted to enter the space training program. Cobb could have been the first woman to make it to space. After Mercury 13, it had taken more than two decades before a woman made it to space. Sally Ride became the first American woman to fly in space on board the space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983. Congress investigated why NASA decided not to allow the women to fly when they have the same qualifications as the men who later on carried out the flight test under Project Mercury. Cobb was among those who were called to speak in front of lawmakers. "We women pilots who want to be part of the research and participation in space exploration are not trying to join a battle of the sexes," she stated. " As pilots, we fly and share mutual respect with male pilots in the primarily man's world of aviation. We very well know how to live together in our profession. We see, only, a place in our Nation's space future without discrimination." Until her final year, Cobb held hope that she will be flown to outer space. In 1998, when NASA prepared to launch Mercury astronaut John Glenn aboard the space shuttle Discovery at the age of 77, she proposed that she be included in the geriatric study. "I would give my life to fly in space, I really would," she told Associated Press. "It just didn't work out then, and I just hope and pray it will now." NASA, however, did not fly another elderly person to space. A documentary about the story of Mercury 13 women is now streaming on Netflix. A play based on the life of Cobbs titled The Promised Her The Moon is now running in San Diego. A Gifted Pilot Cobb was born on March 5, 1931, in Norman, Oklahoma. At age 12, she flew her father's open cockpit Waco plane. Four years later, she received her private pilot's license. She earned her commercial pilot's license when she was 18 years old. In the 50s, she tried to set several world records for airspeed, altitude, distance. She also became the first woman to fly in the Paris Air Show and the fourth American to receive the Gold Wings of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. She served as a humanitarian aid pilot in the Amazon jungle for decades. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Police-operated drones in Southern California have been given permission for broader operation, allowing them to fly beyond where operators can see them.The Chula Vista Police Department has been granted a certificate of authorization by the Federal Aviation Administration to fly drones beyond visual line of sight, (BVLOS), opening the door for the expanded use of drones in public safety and emergency response.It helps to protect citizens, and helps to protect suspects. If we have better information going into a call, we can use the best tactics and hopefully de-escalate and have better outcomes, said Capt. Vern Sallee, head of the patrol operations division at the department and leader of the Drone as a First Responder Operations program.The police department began exploring the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) in 2015. After a number of community and other meetings to establish regulations and rules around the technology, the department launched UAVs as first responders. They were only allowed to be operated in an area about one mile from the pilot.Its a major regulatory win. Its something that were very proud of, said Kabe Termes, director of business operations at Cape Aerial Telepresence , the company providing the cloud platform that supports video streaming from the drone.The relaxation of the rules allows them to fly three nautical miles from the pilot, said Termes.To be clear, department regulations stipulate the drones can only be used as a first responder to emergency calls and cannot be used for patrolling or any sort of surveillance operations, said Sallee.In the police world, surveillance is a legitimate concern of a lot of people, and so for us, it was important to make sure that we address the fact that were not using drones to peek into people's houses without a warrant, or that we would just randomly patrol and look into backyards, he added.Since October 2018, drones have been sent on some 300 flights and logged more than 80 hours of flight time, say Cape officials. They have aided in more than 40 arrests.The new certificate of authorization, which took effect March 15, expands the footprint of drone operation. However, the Chula Vista Police Department is still in the process of working through a number of technical and other details before it can graduate to a wider coverage area, said Sallee.We have to really wring out those problems, and then other things pop up. Were extraordinarily cautious as we move forward, so that as we do our first BVLOS flight we want to ensure that, first, the safety of the public is paramount, said Sallee. The confidence of the FAA and the public is a huge consideration as we do this.The current system requires a person to stand on the roof of the launch building to observe the drone, which is actually being controlled from an operator in the police facilities. While they aren't piloting the drone, they are able to immediately take over the drone if there is an airspace incursion, Sallee explained.Federal regulations prevent the drones from flying above 400 feet, and UAVs must also weigh no more than 55 pounds. Though flying the devices over crowds is not allowed, Sallee said the department is able to pass over people incidentally while on the way to another location.Techwire In retired Saints tight end Ben Watson's push to help rebuild three historically black Louisiana churches recently burned to the ground by an arsonist, a big name from Baltimore has joined the cause. Steve Bisciotti -- the billionaire owner of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens -- had pledged a $100,000 for the churches. Watson, a well-documented activist and philanthropist, shared the news earlier this week that Watson has been one of the leaders of the charge that has already helped raise more than $2 million in a groundswell of support. +2 'Light in the darkness': Pastors react to generosity after GoFundMe reaches over $1.8M goal Donors raised more than $1.6 million in roughly 36 hours to support the three historically black Baptist churches destroyed by arson in St. La Watson said he is "thankful for his willingness to help others," in a tweet detailing the call he received from Bisciotti on Sunday. Happy to say that there was at least one early on. @ravens owner Steve Bisciotti called me Sunday. He committed 100k. Thankful for his willingness to help others. https://t.co/So1m5rJ4vJ Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) April 18, 2019 Watson played four of his 14 seasons for the New Orleans Saints in his career, the final coming in 2018 before he announced his retirement from the NFL. The three churches St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas and Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Opelousas burned down between March 26 and April 4. Authorities have arrested 21-year-old Holden Matthews in the case, who has been charged with two counts of simple arson, one count of aggravated arson and three counts of hate crimes. Watson had previously told The Advocate he quickly reached out to pastors at the affected churches earlier this month. Can't see video below? Click here. Top stories in Acadiana in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "In speaking with these pastors I am in awe and inspired by their faith and courage, comforting their congregations and family members," he said in a text message to The Advocate. "Through sadness and shock they spoke of forgiveness for the arsonist and grace for tomorrow. Most importantly, they spoke of being overwhelmed by support from people of goodwill and all religions from around the country. And they were humbled by what God has already done through this series of events." Bisciotti's donation, while one of the largest, is just part of a massive humanitarian campaign to raise money for the churches since the news of their destruction. The GoFundMe campaign hosted by the Seventh District Baptist Association, a coalition of Baptist churches that includes the three destroyed churches had easily surpassed its goal of $1.8 million in just nine days. More than 37,500 had contributed to the still-growing total as of Friday morning, just short of $2.04 million by 8:30 a.m. The largest donation in the campaign so far was a $50,000 gift from philanthropist Robert Smith, according to journalist Yashar Ali, who authored a Twitter thread promoing the campaign that has gone viral. A billionaire philanthropist, Smith was named the wealthiest black American by Forbes in 2018. Smith was followed by a $20,000 donation in the name of Chrissy Teigen from an account under the name Izabela Sloma -- the same name of the founder of a Chicago-based real estate group. Teigen retweeted Ali's thread to her following of more than 11 million earlier in the week. Entrepreneur and donor Susie Tompkins Buell also agreed to donate $5,000 for every $50,000 donated up to a total of $25,000, according to Ali. Local businesses and organizations have also pledged support. IberiaBank announced Tuesday it would donate $6,000. Giles Automotive started a Giles Give Back campaign to help raise money over 30 days, and said it would match donations up to $50,000. Public figures like actress Kristin Davis, actress and talk show host Busy Philipps, late night host Seth Meyers and conservative commentator Ben Shapiro were among the early donors. The GoFundMe campaign does not list Bisciotti's donation, though it was not specified how his donation was planned to be made. The owner of the Ravens since 2000, the 59-year-old has a background of charity toward the Catholic church. He is a board member for both Catholic Charities and Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore. The Rev. Freddie Jack, president of the Seventh District Missionary Baptist Association, said earlier this week that watching the GoFundMe meter rise has been incredible. Im just thankful for people responding as they are to meet the needs of these three pastors, Jack said. It feels awesome to know that people youve never met, never had a conversation with, are calling you and telling you who they are and offering to help. From the east to the west theyre reaching out and contributing to our needs. Information from The Advocate's Rod Walker and Katie Gagliano was used in this report. In New Orleans, when I ride the St. Charles streetcar home to the French Quarter from Tulane, I always pause and look up as we clang around the vacant tall plinth in the center of what used to be known as Tivoli Circle and later Lee Circle. Growing up here, I did not focus much on the monument there. Indeed, a few years ago, when Wynton Marsalis asked if I would support his effort to take down Robert E. Lee, I was initially taken aback. Ive driven around Lee Circle thousands of times, I told him, and I never thought all that much about who was atop that column. He paused for a moment and replied, I did. His answer made me see the issue from a different vantage. Now that the statue is gone, I look up and pause for a while as I reflect on the blankness, the void, on top of the pedestal. Ive also seen it recently at eye level from the roof of the new Culinary and Hospitality Institute on Howard Avenue. I used to muse about what should replace the statue of Lee. One of Oretha Castle Haley? Louis Armstrong? Drew Brees? Or a fountain? A piece of art? A crawfish? But with each viewing from each new vantage, I am struck by how evocative and moving and memory-provoking the current poignant void has turned out to be. It has become a piece of public art, a piece of found art. It memorializes a moment when we as a city had a long and difficult discussion, then lived to remember the tale. +4 New spots for Confederate monuments? Two should stay in N.O., one out of state, committee says Three statues of Confederate officials removed from their prominent public locations in New Orleans last year would be divided up between Gree The vacant monument captures that moment and more. Whatever side of the debate you were on, each new viewing evokes not only the thoughts you had at the time but also your evolving feelings as time passes. You might even second-guess some thoughts you had at the time (what if we hadnt taken it down when we did?), or perhaps not. How powerful is that? Either way, it makes the current non-monument into a living and breathing memorial and unintended artistic statement. After Hurricane Katrina, there was a red FEMA cross painted on the front of our family home on Napoleon Avenue noting which National Guard unit got there first (Californias 5th) and how many dead were found inside (zero). When my brother renovated, I asked him to leave the FEMA cross untouched for a while. For a few years he did, and it became a memorial to the storm and our survival. James Gill: How 'Victory Circle' may smuggle Robert E. Lee back into a place of honor Had Donald Trump been mayor of New Orleans, they would probably still be standing, but all he could do was issue tweets from the White House b So I would like to propose that we do the same for the vacant pedestal in the Circle. Lets leave it as is for a few years. Its an evolving work of art and a serendipitous memorial. Then, maybe five or 10 years from now, we can replace it with a fountain or a statue or in the spirit of the original Tivoli Circle a carousel featuring flying horses and dancing crawfish and maybe some historic characters. In the meantime, lets just pause and reflect on a historic moment we lived through. We have a good monument to help us do that. Walter Isaacson is a professor of history at Tulane and the author of biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin. In the early morning of April 5, 1984, a prison vehicle brought me from the execution chamber to the front gates of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, where I promptly bent over in the dark and threw up. I had just witnessed a man electrocuted to death at the hands of my state. His killing was a legal act, declared so by the U.S. Supreme Court. About 80 percent of Louisiana citizens supported it, and few church leaders publicly protested it. I was soon to learn it was not that our citizens' inherent vengefulness that led to popular support for the death penalty. The truth was that in the late 1970s, violent crime was on the rise, fear was palpable, and tough on crime politicians misled us into thinking that some criminals were so evil that only death was a fitting punishment. And surely, with the best system of justice in the world, the chances of condemning an innocent seemed negligible. Today, with 30-plus years of state executions and a whole lot of mistakes under our belts, we are beginning to see things differently. Per capita, our state has wrongfully condemned more people to death than any other state. Consider Glenn Ford, who was exonerated after almost 30 years on death row, then died one year later of lung cancer. Or ask John Thompson, who spent 18 years in prison, 14 on death row, because a prosecutor had hidden blood evidence ultimately used for Thompsons exoneration. Or ask Manuel Ortiz, a courageous man whose innocence I believe in and whose spiritual adviser I am privileged to be, accompanying him and fighting for his release as he agonizes through 27 years in the hell hole of Louisianas death row. +4 Death sentences drastically decline; report says there was 'a sea change in public opinion' Louisiana's use of the death penalty has reached record lows in recent years amid ongoing debate both statewide and across the country abo Louisiana is not alone in its wrongful convictions. As of April 2019, 165 wrongfully convicted death row prisoners have been exonerated. When you look at the practice of the death penalty, mistakes are inevitable. Some 98 percent of people tried for capital murder are poor and cannot hire crackerjack defense lawyers, which means that the truth often does not come out at trial. Death penalty cases are expensive to prosecute, too, because the penalty is final, and trials and appeals are complicated. Those convicted spend 19 years, on average, on death row, forcing victims families to endure years of appeals under a public spotlight. What if we took the millions of dollars spent on a handful of capital cases and funded support services for victims instead? Or redirected resources into educating and mentoring at-risk kids to help prevent violent crimes from happening in the first place? As we conclude Holy Week, we have for the third year bipartisan bills to repeal the death penalty before the House (HB 215) and Senate (SB 112). Louisiana has the chance to become the first Deep South state to end the death penalty. And now, for the first time, an initiative is being launched for the full force of Catholic young people across the state to join forces with their bishops through larepeal.org to turn Louisiana from a death state to a life state. As we have seen with young people from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida seeking to end gun violence, and with the million students from 120 countries who marched to address climate change, when young people, our future, are on the move, theres hope. Holy Week: What a perfect season to turn death to life in Louisiana. Sister Helen Prejean, a Baton Rouge native and member of the Congregation of St. Joseph, is an internationally recognized opponent of the death penalty. She's authored three books, including "Dead Man Walking" and the forthcoming "River of Fire: My Spiritual Journey." She writes at sisterhelen.org. Baton Rouge families deserve safe and stable places to call home. Across my district and East Baton Rouge Parish, Ive seen families who are rent-trapped in homes with leaks, mold, and rats and forced from their homes whenever they speak up. Ive tried to address this at the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council, but now its time to change our state laws. Louisiana makes it easy for landlords to force people from their homes, and we need a change. According to the national database at Eviction Lab, Baton Rouge ranks 19th of large cities with the highest eviction rates in the country even higher than New Orleans. Our eviction rate is more than twice the national average. That means nine families are forced from their homes every day in Baton Rouge. Im tired of driving by dilapidated apartments, of seeing families belongings out on the street resulting in families trying to find shelter for themselves and their families. We are not alone in this struggle. Shreveport and New Orleans both have high rates of people forced from their homes. We need a statewide solution. State Sen. Ed Prices Senate Bill 28 would help bring us into alignment with neighboring states like Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas and ensure that we dont have to continue unnecessarily forcing people from their homes. Ordinance to protect Baton Rouge renters from retaliatory slumlords pulled by Metro Council A proposal to offer protections to Baton Rouge renters was yanked by its author at Wednesday's East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council meeting. More than half of East Baton Rouge Parish renters pay more than 30 percent of their income toward rent and utilities and are considered rent-burdened by federal standards. When the 170,000 renters in the parish face unexpected medical bills or a car breakdown, many are suddenly at risk of losing the place they call home. Thats because our outdated laws currently allow landlords to turn us out of our homes if were only one day late on rent or one dollar short. SB 28 would let us follow Mississippis lead so that renters would have one opportunity every six months to get current on rent within 10 days before the courts get involved. Our residents also deserve time to plan before being pushed out of their homes. Most people have no idea, but it's standard procedure for Louisiana landlords to insert a clause into the small print in leases that lets them file for eviction with absolutely no notice. These are easy solutions that our neighboring states have employed for decades with thriving and profitable rental markets. It is long past time for Louisiana to join them. If you agree that forcing Louisianans from their homes is a choice we dont have to keep making, join me in reaching out to your state legislators and asking them to support SB 28. Frustration among Baton Rouge Metro Council with finances, calling methods 'almost a joke' The way Baton Rouge decides how to spend taxpayer money is "an insult" to the city-parish's legislative body and "almost a joke" to the commun Donna Collins-Lewis member, East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council Baton Rouge 'Big Truck Wreck?' asks a billboard along I-10 near the pedestrian overpass at Nairn Drive, Thursday, April 4, 2019. Louisiana's trucking industry is pushing for a state moratorium on new highway billboards, in part because truckers are angry over trial attorney road signs that 'demonize truckers over injury claims, in bills expected to be debated in the upcoming legislative session. The proposals, Senate Bill 211 and House Concurrent Resolution 4, are mostly being touted as a way to make highways more scenic and trim driver distractions cited in thousands of accidents. For recycling to come back A Huge, Huge Ass Beer New tires for every car A Christmas Eve visit from St. Freedia A day without Jeff Landry Vote View Results Digging in her heels despite public uproar, Mayor LaToya Cantrell this week defended her surprise move to reduce the speeds that prompt traffic camera tickets in New Orleans, saying her goal was to increase safety. In a 30-minute interview with her own staffers posted online late Wednesday, the mayor said that dropping the allowable speed for cameras in school zones and elsewhere was a way to protect children. She didn't address why drivers weren't told about the change beforehand. Many residents, slapped with tickets in recent weeks for driving at speeds they thought were allowed, have said the secrecy felt like a bid for more revenue. "This wasnt, and absolutely is not, a money grab," Cantrell said. "This is about our children. ... They deserve to be protected at every level, and Im going to do that." The video was posted a day before the City Council was expected to roast administration officials over the change at a Thursday committee meeting. That meeting was later postponed because of threatened severe weather. Can't see video below? Click here. While speed limits are set under the law, the city had for years given motorists some cushion where the traffic cameras were concerned, allowing them to go a few miles above the limit without getting ticketed. Cantrell secretly sliced that cushion on Feb. 4, shocking drivers who had been accustomed to going less than 6 mph over school-zone speed limits and less than 10 mph over the speed limit elsewhere without trouble. Several weeks and dozens of complaints later, her team revealed the new thresholds: 4 mph over the limit in school zones and 8 mph over the limit outside of them. The unannounced change was in contrast to how widely the mayor promoted the rollout of her far more popular plan to pull down some cameras and turn off others some of the day. It also came weeks after officials said the camera removals had resulted in a bigger revenue loss to the city than they had budgeted for. And it followed a consultant's report that said reducing the cushion on speed limits would yield up to $7.5 million a year in new revenue more than enough to replace any money lost from the cameras that were removed. That was enough to convince resident Toni McCormick that the changes were all about money. McCormick said she got a ticket in February for going 27 in a 20-mph zone near Warren Easton High on Canal Street. 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 "I do understand that you don't want to fly through school zones," she said. "But I think it's a cash grab. I really do." Meanwhile, multiple council members have said Cantrell ought to have warned motorists before making the change. "The lack of proper notification can be upsetting for people who believed they were operating by the rules, and further erodes their trust in local government," said Councilwoman Kristin Gisleson Palmer, who chairs the council's Transportation Committee. Palmer and others were planning to grill the administration about the change and press for refunds for drivers during a Budget Committee meeting Thursday, but the meeting was postponed until Monday due to fears of stormy weather. But on Wednesday, Cantrell stuck to her guns, though she did not address the concern about secrecy or say anything about refunding motorists' money. "The data showed us we have more people not abiding by the 20-mph limit in our city ... a behavioral problem that we have to rein in," she said. "That was the decision I made, and I stand by it 100 percent." Cantrell added that the $75 tickets motorists get from the cameras are "less than the $300 that is being proposed for parking in a bike lane." That comment seemed to be aimed at the council's recent move to raise the fine for illegal parking in bike lanes from $40 to $300. Cantrell said that was a council effort that her team "was not engaged in." Letting people take a laissez-faire approach to following the rules often leads to larger problems, she added. "We have to shake this image of being 'the Big Easy' where you can do whatever you want to in the city of New Orleans," Cantrell said. Despite his low-key appearance Vembu owns 88 per cent of Zoho along with his family, and Forbes estimates his fortune at $US1.6 billion ($2.23 billion) and growing, with Zoho's turnover estimated at almost $1 billion a year. Vembu says Zoho flies under the radar because it is outspent on marketing "20 to 1" by its competitors which include Salesforce, Microsoft and Google. Despite counting Qantas and BHP as its customers in Australia, the tech company is only just opening its first offices here. Timothy Kasbe is the managing director for Australia and New Zealand of Zoho. Avoiding venture capital and staying private The 50-year-old entrepreneur has boot-strapped Zoho for its entire existence with no external funding and no plans to sell or list the company. "From the profits, we keep reinvesting, reinvesting," he says. "It also helps that from the beginning, from the earliest days it was never about how much you have in your bank account, it was what interesting things can you do with it. Startups are supposed to aim towards exit. You do something because you love it, if you do something because you love it why exit?". It's a radical approach in a sector that chases venture capital funding, initial public offerings and "unicorn" valuations. In 2015 Zoho put up ads in train stations around San Francisco targeting industry giant Salesforce, which was not profitable at that stage saying "Dear Salesforce, sorry for your losses." "These companies are post-IPO but operating like a non-profits," Vembu says. "Not in a good way, they are burning money. It is a problem because it distorts markets. If you look at the cloud, extreme amounts of money is spent on customer marketing and a much lesser percentage goes into research and development." Vembu believes technology stocks are currently in a bubble and warns that history shows bubbles always burst. "The present bubble will come to the same end, so we need to build durable companies that can navigate these cycles," he says. "There was a time when business was too easy. We have built this company to survive these bubbles. This is what taught us to engineer patiently, because if we rush and we take shortcuts we pay for it and the customer pays for it." Starting at the bottom Vembu was born in the small village of Thanjavur in southern India and got his PhD at Princeton before being offered a job as a lecturer at Australian National University in Canberra. "I got the job and paid for the permanent residency, then I had the remorse and I thought 'I actually don't like what I am doing, I don't like this work and research, I don't believe in it anymore'," he says. "I was 26 and I called them up and apologised and said 'I can't do this in good conscience, it is not about you it's about me'." Vembu says he decided to "start at the bottom" as an engineer where he was introduced to software and realised he liked it. He saw opportunities for a software business in India and started a business, AdventNet, along with two siblings and three friends, which eventually became Zoho. Zoho has more than 40 apps for its Zoho One product alone and Vembu says the firm's wide-ranging product suite, which includes everything from online games to accounting software, is a result of letting his staff run with their ideas. "My philosophy of leadership is I identify good people and then get out of their way," he says. Christopher Lau, founder of eCargo with his father and eCargo's controlling shareholder John Lau. Credit:Christopher Pearce 'Classic' entrepreneur Christopher Lau, founder of ASX listed company eCargo, which is a Zoho customer, says Vembu is a "classic example" of an entrepreneur. "He certainly epitomises all successful entrepreneurs, trying to do everything at once," he says. "It's like Jack Mah [founder of Alibaba], every day there is a new business idea, every day a new business initiative, his hit rate is very low but when he hits, he hits." Sramana Mitra, founder of One Million by One Million, a Silicon Valley virtual accelerator says Vembu has followed a number of unique strategies to build Zoho. These include creating a product that is very similar to Salesforce's customer relationship management product but dramatically slashing the pricing on it, making it affordable and attractive for small businesses. The Australian Education Union is calling for the My School website to be dumped and NAPLAN to be replaced with so-called sample testing because both have been "terminally corrupted". The teachers union's call comes as Britain's Labour opposition vowed to abolish the country's version of NAPLAN for primary school students if it wins government, saying the "regime of extreme pressure testing [is] giving young children nightmares and leaving them in floods of tears". The union's submission to a federal review of how NAPLAN data is presented argues that the national test for years 3, 5, 7 and 9 narrows teaching and harms student wellbeing, while My School was inaccurate and failed to comply with modern attitudes to privacy. It wants the review to be widened to look at whether Australia should take new approaches to standardised testing, and argues that sample testing - testing groups of students, rather than all of them - would be a better alternative. "The original stated purposes of NAPLAN and My School have been terminally corrupted," the submission said. In 1974, the year after the gala opening, the Australian Opera and the now defunct Old Tote Theatre Company (the precursor to the Sydney Theatre Company) pronounced the curtains as too dominating for the moods they wanted to set at the opening of their performances at Opera and Drama theatres. At the time, Coburn, an abstract artist, dismissed their views as quite absurd and simply artistic prejudice. But when the curtains were found not to meet NSW fire regulations they were removed and put into storage in 1974 for treatment with chemical flame retardants to make them compliant with state law. Artist John Coburn in his Lindfield studio in 2003. Credit:Jane Dyson A return for the Coburn curtains And for the best part of the past 45 years other than a few cameo appearances in the 1990s - his lifes major work has hung in a Wetherill Park storage unit, hidden from the world and the 10.9 million people who visit the Sydney Opera House each year. This week, the Opera House announced a return of the Coburn curtains for one day only on May 22, when they will be put on view for 1500 people to see (in tour groups at half-hour intervals). This honours a commitment made by the Opera House to celebrate and share these magnificent tapestries during its decade of renewal, highlighting their significance to Opera House with the wider community. Loading The curtains were recently moved from Wetherill Park and are in an Opera House storage space in Alexandria ready for their May appearance. When art philanthropist and owner of White Rabbit Gallery Judith Neilson heard the story of the curtains, she lent some of her art storage space an old church in Alexandria to determine the condition of the curtains. The 2017 condition assessment found the Curtain Of The Moon had been damaged, says Kya Blondin, director of people and government at the Opera House. In the 1990s, the curtains started to look like they were in a deteriorated state ... there were burn holes and grease stains on them the sort of normal wear and tear you get from curtains in a theatrical environment. Due to the fire-proofing, there was significant damage to the woollen warp and the cotton weft, she says. There was also a 1.3-metre tear from a jutting out pipe in the Drama Theatre in the Curtain Of The Moon. Repairs have since occurred and Blondin says she has never seen her production team which coincidentally includes Coburns granddaughter Grace White so excited about a project. These are magnificent artworks. I am amazed how incredibly vibrant and colourful they are still, she says. 'One of the greatest things I have worked on' Coburn is a former set designer for the ABC and graduate of the National Art School (then East Sydney Tech). In 1969, he moved his family to France for three years to oversee the weaving of the curtains in the famous weaving district of Aubusson in central France. His wife and three children lived in Paris while he travelled to the tapestry town of Felletin 20 kilometres from Aubusson - to work with Pinton Freres, the world-famous tapestry workshop created under Louis XIV. The carpet and tapestry company is still a world leader in its field, recently completing work for the Sultan of Brunei and recarpeting the Elysees Palace for French President Emmanuel Macron. "When I was being shown over the Opera Theatre in 1969, I immediately saw in my mind what I wanted to do," Coburn said at the time, and he came home and sketched his idea straight away. "I could see all the colours of the sun in the design as I stood there. The Drama Theatre posed a bit of a problem, but it seemed to follow to feature the moon. Coburn died in November 2006, aged 81. For his children, Stephen, Daniel and Kristin, next months free display of their fathers work is a major victory. They were present last year, along with the family of Peter Hall, at a test hang of the curtains in the Concert Hall. It was described by all present as an emotional moment. Daniel Coburn, Kristin Coburn and Stephen Coburn in front of their father's Curtain Of The Sun. Credit:Jacquie Manning After three years in France, the curtains were shipped from Germany in 1972 and arrived in Australia around the same time as Coburn, who was returning to head his alma mater, the National Art School at East Sydney Technical College. Stephen Coburn, now a Mosman-based sculptor and art conservator (who worked to conserve his fathers curtains) was a teenager when he and his siblings moved to France for their father to complete the work, which he says his father always called one of the greatest things I have worked on in all my life. 'A broken man in complete frustration' According to Blondin and Stephen Coburn, the NSW government paid the money for the tapestries to Lucien Dray, the Australian agent for the Aubusson Tapestry Workshop, where the artworks were created. In 1969, John Coburn signed a Letter of Agreement with Dray to design the tapestries and receive payment via the agent, Blondin says. "We believe there were issues between Dray, and Coburn and [architects] Hall, Todd and Littlemore over the next two years while the tapestries were being created. We understand that Coburn was paid a proportion of his fee by Dray but that money was still owed when Drays company went into liquidation in 1971. Following this, Dray disappeared. The bulk of the money never reached my father we believe Lucien invested it in a diamond mine, Stephen says. My father always said Lucien got the money but I got the glory. But in the end, he didnt get the glory or the money. Neither did the Pinton family, who were also meant to receive some of the commission for their work. At many times before Drays death in a 2010 car accident, the Pinton family unsuccessfully attempted to get the money they were owed, Stephen says. It was estimated Dray made away with about $45,000. I watched my dad go from art superstar to drop in status to a broken man in complete frustration. He was very disappointed that what is considered his greatest work was hidden under a bush or relegated to the basement for so long, Stephen says. John Coburn and his wife Barbara at the opening of the Opera House on October 20, 1973. Credit:Martin James Brannan Seven Coburn tapestries hang in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC. His works are also displayed in the Vatican Museum in Rome. Stephen and his siblings hope the public exhibition will highlight the tragedy of his fathers Sydney masterpieces. He fondly remembers the Opera House opening night in 1973 and his parents excitement and expectation. Mr Pinton had given us a bottle of wine my mother had smuggled in back from France. We all had a thimble-full and then they had a glass and went to the opening and then had dinner on the royal yacht Britannia with the Queen, he says. My mother had hand-made her dress and when she curtsied in front of the Queen her dress split. The Queen heard the rip and winked as she held her hand and pulled it to help her up Mum thought it was an experience the Queen was used to dealing with, Stephen says. Solar cell technology invented at the University of NSW was taken offshore and helped make China the world's leading exporter of solar panels. That technology now accounts for half of global solar panel output worth $US10 billion in sales in 2017. Its annual sales are projected to be $US1 trillion in 2040. Loading We can buy them back one panel at a time Aldi supermarkets had a special on solar photovoltaic panels in their Australian stores on April 6 for $179 each. Revelling in the adrenaline thrill of political battle and clutching abjectly to lumps of coal from the industrial revolution of the past, Australia is missing the industrial revolution of the future. The electricity industry would like an energy policy. After six years in office, the Coalition hasn't been able to come up with one. Business would like a steady, affordable electricity supply so it can keep running the Morrison government's fabled "strong economy". Big investors would like enough policy certainty to put major sums into new Australian projects. The "climate war" is not some sort of inevitability recall that John Howard and Kevin Rudd both agreed on the need for an emissions trading scheme to curb Australia's carbon emissions. We got into this endless war as a matter of political choice. The broad bipartisan consensus was shattered when two politicians first the Nationals' Barnaby Joyce and then Tony Abbott decided that they had more to gain by exploiting the problem than exploring a solution. That's not to say Abbott is solely to blame. None of Australia's political parties has a clean record. If Labor under Rudd had held its nerve, and the Greens had been interested in cutting carbon emissions instead of striking a pose, the national outcome could have been very different. So, what's next? There is every sign that a great reckoning is coming. Public opinion on climate change has moved against the Coalition. A record hot summer, and record extreme weather events, have helped crystallise the electorate's concerns. It's been a long time since it was a lefty fringe preoccupation. The Reserve Bank deputy governor, Guy Debelle, last month called for immediate action on climate change to avert an "abrupt, disorderly" economic transition. Only 13 per cent of voters consider the Coalition to be doing a "good" job of dealing with climate change, according to an Ipsos poll this month. In a head-to-head comparison, 42 per cent of voters prefer Labor's climate policy and 25 per cent prefer the Coalition's. This is a decisive margin. Loading Internal Liberal polling shows that it is one of the party's biggest liabilities, together with its chaotic handling of its leadership. And Abbott, one of the original warriors of the "climate war", is likely to become one of its latest casualties under challenge from independent Zali Steggall, who decided to go into politics because of her concern over climate change. Scott Morrison's actions show that he's fully aware of the problem. The guy famous for holding a lump of coal aloft in the House as treasurer has announced as Prime Minister billions in funding for the Snowy 2.0 hydro scheme, a Tasmanian hydro "battery of the nation" project, and an extra $2 billion for the Abbott-era emissions reduction fund. These are not a comprehensive policy, of course. But they are talking points for his candidates to get them through the campaign. And Morrison is doing pretty well in the argument so far, despite the Coalition government's dismal record. This week he managed to drag Bill Shorten into the old dead-end argument over the cost of Labor's climate change policy. The Liberals can't believe their luck it's the same dead end that the Coalition lures Labor into every time, and every time they give Labor a beating. This week's argument was over the cost of Labor's plan for a lower-carbon economy. Both Labor and Liberal were quoting figures from the same report to support their arguments. Labor has a policy to cut carbon emissions by 45 per cent by 2030, and the Coalition by 26-28 per cent. A study for the Coalition by the well-regarded economist Warwick McKibbin found that the economy would continue to grow under both plans, but that Labor's more ambitious target would cut about $60 billion more from national GDP in the year 2030 than the Coalition's. Prime Minister Scott Morrison performs a reading during Good Friday Easter services at St Charbel's Catholic Maronite Church at Punchbowl on Friday. Credit:AAP "Relative to what the size of the economy would be," about $2 trillion, "the impact is a small fraction," McKibbin said this week. But $60 billion sounds like a dauntingly large sum. Of course, there are two much bigger questions. Instead of allowing itself to be pinned down on cost, Labor might want to look at the question of opportunity. How much new investment went into renewable energy in Australia last year? The total for projects under way or completed was $26 billion in 2018, double the previous year's, according to the Clean Energy Council. And the eminent economist Ross Garnaut points out that there is mind-boggling potential for Australia's post-carbon economy. Australia, says Garnaut, could be the world's "renewable energy superpower" because of the abundance of its resource. Bill and Chloe Shorten help to serve food during a visit to the Salvation Army's Lighthouse Cafe in Melbourne on Good Friday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Beyond that, whole new areas of competitive advantage would open up for Australia as a result. Australia would also be the natural location for the world's fastest-growing materials industry, pure silicon for computers and other electronics, as well as the global hub for steel-making, aluminium smelting and other industries where Australia today struggles to hold on to the last vestiges of its capacity. This potential is almost entirely unmentioned in the Australian debate. Garnaut is delivering a series of lectures to develop the idea in the coming weeks. And the second big question is the cost of inaction on climate change. The hothouse of Australian politics is nothing compared to the hothouse that carbon emissions are preparing for the planet. Britain's Financial Times this month reported on a new frontier of climate research that explores the prospect of a tipping point where the atmosphere not only heats up, but doesn't stop heating up. Former Reserve Bank governor Bernie Fraser says Labor is sensible to propose the use of international carbon credits to meet its emissions reduction goals and described as crazy government claims that the measure would cost Australian businesses $25 billion. Mr Fraser, a former Treasury chief and advisor to both Labor and Coalition governments on climate policy, expressed frustration with the Morrison governments absurd assertions about climate action, including a stupid argument that sought to downplay Australias responsibility to act because it produces only a fraction of global emissions. Labor leader Bill Shorten has come under sustained attack this week over the potential cost of his partys 45 per cent emissions reduction target. Former Reserve Bank Governor Bernie Fraser says the Coalition's claims about the costs of Labor's climate policies are "crazy". Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Labor has argued its policy will have the same economic impact as the Coalitions 26 per cent emissions reduction goal, because it would allow businesses to buy international carbon credits to meet their obligations. Overseas credits represent emissions cuts made overseas and can be cheaper or less onerous for businesses than taking domestic action. A fifth day would see their workforce disincentive rise, leaving them $2240 worse off for choosing work over staying home. Loading Childcare subsidies tail off as income increases and are capped at $10,190 per child each year for families earning an annual income of $186,958. The modelling shows the secondary earner in a couple on median annual incomes of between $44,880 and $52,700 will still give up nine in every 10 dollars to the Tax Office by 2024 for every extra day they work. This is despite the $3.5 billion increase in the childcare subsidy in 2018 and the Coalition's tax cuts in the federal budget in April. Last year, Labor leader Bill Shorten said when we treat "women equally to men we will be the most prosperous nation in the world", but the figures show Labor's more modest tax cut policy will create even larger disincentives for mothers returning to work than the Coalition. A couple earning median incomes would be $628 a year worse off under Labor's plan. Higher income earners would be $420 worse off in the same scenario, which would keep the 32.5 and 37 per cent tax brackets for middle-income earners. Separate modelling run by Ben Phillips at ANU's Centre for Social Research and Methods found tax rates to be clearly lower under the Coalition across different household groups. A woman with children in childcare will face an effective marginal tax rate of 59.4 per cent under Labor in 2024, compared to 56 per cent under the Coalition. The average man faces a 33.2 per cent tax rate under Labor and 28.8 per cent under the Coalition. Labor has offered some compensation for this gap by offering 15 hours of pre-school access to three- and four-year-olds, at a cost of $1.7 billion, but this still leaves parents of an estimated 300,000 two-year-olds facing effective marginal tax rates of up to 90 per cent. Nor is this offering accessed by those who send their children to day care in the years prior to school. Labor has not ruled out offering further tax cuts if elected but will not guarantee any more before the election on May 18. KPMG estimates that gross domestic product would be $60 billion greater and living standards raised by $140 billion in 20 years time if the disincentives and caps on childcare subsidies were removed. The Grattan Institute's chief executive John Daley said solving the issue should be a top priority for a future government. "If you are actually looking for an economic payback this is where you will get one," he said. He said the highest effective marginal tax rates in Australia are faced not by high-income earners, but by middle-income earners, particularly women with children. Loading Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show before having children women are just as likely to work as men but many drop out of the workforce to look after children. Some never go back. "The childcare changes are real deterrents to work," said Mr Daley. "Every single time I talk about it a woman says that it is not worth my while working four days a week." Sydney mother Sophie MacKay, who has a nine-month-old son, works three days a week and estimates increasing that to five days would actually see her position go backwards by $100 a fortnight. A delicious combination of coconut, rolled oats and golden syrup makes the Anzac biscuit a perennial favourite of Australian cake stalls. With consumption of the treat set to peak on Anzac Day this Thursday, the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) is requesting individuals and organisations selling the biscuit to respect its traditional recipe. "The biscuits must be called 'Anzac biscuits' not 'Anzac cookies' or any other term," said a spokesperson for Veterans' Affairs. The iconic Anzac biscuit. "There may be some substitution of ingredients for people who are gluten or lactose intolerant," the spokesperson said, but "definitely no addition of new ingredients that alter the traditional biscuit and its taste such as egg, chocolate chips or almonds". A permit must be issued from Veterans' Affairs to sell products using the word "Anzac". Under the Crimes Act 1914, a penalty of up to $10,200 for an individual and $51,000 for a body corporate may be imposed for "Anzac" misuse. One protester is in custody and another was taken to hospital after activists stepped in front of a moving coal train headed for the Port of Brisbane. The train driver was forced to slam on the emergency brakes after a group of protesters climbed onto the freight tracks in Wynnum on Thursday afternoon, police said. The coal protester, who referred to himself only as Jaxom, was charged on Thursday evening. Credit:Extinction Rebellion. "Then three men approached the carriages (and) one of them got up onto the carriage ... the man wouldn't come down," a police spokesman said on Friday. Officers coaxed an 18-year-old man down about 7.45pm and he was charged with obstructing the railway, trespass and obstructing police. A teenager sentenced for rape and for breaking and entering has failed in his attempt to avoid being transferred into an adult jail, despite arguing he wanted to complete training in youth detention. The youth, dubbed ECM, was sentenced in the Children's Court to four years and six months' jail for offences including entering a premises with intent and rape while he was still 17 years old in November 2018. A teenager has failed in his attempt to stop his transfer to an adult jail. His supervised release date was April 29, 2020. On his 18th birthday last month, ECM became liable for transfer from the Brisbane Youth Detention Centre to an adult prison. One teenager and two men have been charged over the death of a Brisbane doctor who was fatally shot in the garage of his south Brisbane home on Monday night. Police charged a 17-year-old Kingston boy on Friday with multiple offences relating to the murder of Luping Zeng, who was shot in the chest in what police alleged was a robbery turned sour. Emergency services were called to Dr Luping Zeng's home about 11.40pm on Monday. Credit:Facebook After charging the boy on Friday morning, police urged the two others they believed were involved to hand themselves in. My experience tells me those people know that police are looking for them. Its highly likely their family and friends know the police are looking to speak to them," Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said. If ever a place was hell, that was poor Pozieres, writes Australian soldier Philip Owen Ayton in his World War I diary. It was July, 1916, and Ayton expected to die, as the German army pounded his unit, the First Field Engineers, near the northern French village with artillery, gunfire and gas shells. A photo of Private (Sapper) Philip Owen Ayton taken in London, December 14, 1915. We just crouched down where we were and waited for the end as we fully expected being blown to pieces, wrote Ayton. More than a century later, the diary detailing his four gruelling years at Gallipoli and on the Western Front, first as a sapper, and later infantry officer, has just been published for the first time. A 12-year-old boy has been hospitalised after throwing petrol on a bonfire at Blairgowrie on the Mornington Peninsula on Friday afternoon. Firefighters were called a property about 4.15pm but were not needed to put out the bonfire, the Country Fire Authority said. A 12-year-old boy was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital in a stable condition. Credit:ABC The boy reportedly suffered extensive burns to his face, arms, legs and back. He was taken to the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne by air, and remains in a stable condition. When this failed, Jack and Jill felt that as everyone in the community knew their story they should move to the other side of Victoria so their daughter, Jane, could have a fresh start without people knowing her disadvantaged background. Sometime in 2017 - after a child abuse awareness team visited the small country school - two grade five and six girls came forward to say they had heard a much younger girl say something about "Dad" that would indicate she may be the victim of repeated sexual assault in her own home. This girl was identified as our daughter although no one is really sure of the exact details, surname unknown, grade not sure and there are three other children at the school who share the same Christian name. Nevertheless, police decide to run with it and so starts our experience as alleged offenders. After all, it was an Aboriginal girl in foster care with ex-police parents. What risk-averse police wouldnt run with it? says Jack. Loading There are hundreds of shameful cases where children in care have been abused and left in danger when there was ample evidence they were at risk. Catholic cops covered up for predatory priests and no one seemed to check up what was happening in care facilities. When one kid jumped the wall and went to the local station to report he had been raped, the sergeant cuffed him over the ear, called him a liar and sent him back. And so when an allegation like this is made, it needs to be thoroughly - but fairly - investigated. One day nearly two years ago, the principal at Janes* private school rang Jill to inform her that police had contacted him to say they were investigating a complaint of serious sexual assault against a student and while they could not clearly identify the alleged victim, believed it could be her daughter. Nine days later - a ridiculously long time if the child was in the care of a paedophile - they contacted the Hills. Any chance of conciliation was quickly replaced by confrontation in that one phone call. The police officer dealing with the complaint demanded the Hills bring their little girl in for a formal Visual and Audio Recording of Evidence (VARE). The parents knew that was not the usual first step and Jill asked, and was refused, details of the alleged crime. According to Jill, the officer referred to her daughter by the wrong name and was vague about how they had concluded that Jane was the person in question. Although a more informal initial process (known as a disclosure interview) is the usual model the investigator pushed the VARE process, even threatening to hit the Hills with a protection order which would have resulted in them losing Jane. The Hills suggested police come to their home and interview Jane in familiar and less intimidating surroundings. Police contacted the school to find personal details, including the names of Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) case workers - details that could have been provided by the parents, who had already indicated they would co-operate fully. Eventually police said they would interview Jane in the family home and DHHS had been notified and could have chosen to be present during the interview. The police did interview Jane, while the parents remained outside the house. After the interview police told the parents there had been a complaint that a child had been heard making a disclosure of a sexual nature at a school function but after talking to Jane they now knew it wasnt her. Loading Case closed, you would think - but then DHHS workers rolled up late and insisted on questioning Jane again, exacerbating [her] distress. They advised that no further action would be taken by their office as [Jane] clearly did not make the disclosure. One of the case workers said as they were about to leave the property: "Thank you for your time guys and, yeah, we wont be around again. Surely that was the end. Think again. More than a month later child protection workers turned up at the school, Jane was dragged from class, her parents were not informed and she was interviewed by strangers for 40 minutes (the third such interview), this time leaving her in tears. She was asked leading questions on an allegation that had already been dismissed weeks earlier, says Jack. We once believed we could give a child in need a safe and loving home. We now feel we are constantly defending ourselves. "We are an ordinary family. We are law-abiding. We truly believed foster care was something we should do. The school issued a half-baked apology and after much urging, the child protection authorities conducted a review. Eventually the Hills received the following, signed by the operations manager of child protection: An internal review of the investigation carried out in respect to [Jane] found that usual process was not followed. "I apologise for the length of time taken to conclude this investigation and the decision not to seek your prior consent to interview [Jane] at school. I am sorry for any distress caused to you and your family as a result of this. "This matter is the subject of a practice review to better understand why our processes broke down and how the actions of individual staff may have contributed to this. In another letter they were told: I am writing to advise you that following the completion of a child protective investigation into concerns that had been expressed in relation to the care of [Jane], Child Protection will not continue to be involved with your family. "I recognise that the process of Child Protection involvement can be difficult and regret any distress that this may have caused. The Victorian Police Profession Standards Command is investigating an incident in which a man was critically injured trying to escape a licence check in Melbourne's West. Officers pulled over the man's car around 7.15pm Friday, along Ballarat road in Deer Park, in what police say was a routine intercept. When the officers tried to check the man's licence he allegedly jumped out of his car and tried to run away, but was struck by another car as he fled across Ballarat Road. He was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. He is believed to be in his late 20s. The driver of the other car was not injured and police say they stopped to help immediately. Fire has destroyed a cabinet-making business in Melbourne's outer north, with as many as 70 firefighters, 17 trucks and two water bombers being needed to bring it under control. Smitty's Kitchens & Cabinets on Williamson Road in South Morang went up in flames shortly after midday on Friday with a worker who was still inside but managed to escape without injury. A fire has destroyed Smitty's Kitchens & Cabinets in South Morang Credit:Facebook Country Fire Authority crews, with support from the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, brought the fire under control before 2pm and were expected to be on scene well into the afternoon to fully put it out. A CFA spokesman said chemicals common in such business, including glues and sprays, were inside the building and about 500 litres of a leaked liquid was controlled before it made it to a nearby drain. Racist is a powerful accusation to make against anyone, but since the Christchurch terrorist attack it has been frequently applied to Australias political mainstream. Hardly a day goes by without talk of our nations entrenched racism and how it fuels Islamophobia and extreme right-wing violence. Its not a persuasive argument, because anyone who seeks to whip up racist sentiments is relegated to the fringe of our public discourse. Besides, since March 15 the widespread outpouring of support for Christchurchs Muslim community and indeed Muslims in the wider Australian community has been a rebuke to those who commit violence in the name of race and to those who think Australia is irredeemably racist. For all our nations historic blemishes, and notwithstanding the pockets of xenophobia, we are a broadly liberal and tolerant multi-racial, multi-ethnic society. And it has been that way for the best part of half a century since both major parties chipped away at the great white walls of White Australia and moved quickly to enshrine the multicultural ideal as the basis of national community. In a very short period from Menzies and Calwell in the mid-1960s to Whitlam and Fraser a decade later we moved from a nation dedicated to what the distinguished historians Neville Meaney and James Curran call British race patriotism to one celebrating ethnic diversity, tolerance and inclusion. Today, half of our population is either born overseas or has a parent who was born overseas. More than a third of our migrant intake comes from Asia and about 20 per cent comes from Africa and the Middle East. Ballarat's Sovereign Hill will get a $10 million makeover after the federal government released details of a funding package from this years budget for Australias tourism icons. It comes as the Victorian government released new figures showing the states overnight tourism numbers were booming, with visitors from within Australia spending almost $15 billion on trips within the state. An artist's impression of what Sovereign Hill will look like after the $10 million upgrade. Credit:Sovereign Hill On Saturday, federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham will be in Victoria to make the announcement on Sovereign Hill, an open-air museum depicting Ballarats gold rush in the 10 years from 1851. Opened in 1970, the tourist attraction turns 50 next year and Mr Birmingham said the new funding would help Sovereign Hill renew its facilities and ensure visitor numbers continued to grow. Beijing: China says 37 world leaders or heads of government will arrive in Beijing next week for its second Belt and Road forum to discuss Chinese President Xi Jinping's grand infrastructure project. But the United States won't be among them. "Some countries, when it can't succeed, it doesn't want others to succeed. This sour grapes mentality is to no-one's benefit," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in comments believed to be directed at Washington. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the announcement. Credit:AP Wang shrugged off claims that China was creating "debt traps" for other countries. He said the focus of the forum would be making "high quality development" the priority of Belt and Road projects. Projects needed to be suitable for host countries, and meet international regulations and best practice, he said. The shocking case of a teenager burnt alive after accusing her headmaster of sexual assault has sparked protests in Bangladesh. Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was tricked into venturing on to a rooftop at her madrassa or school where at least four people doused her in kerosene and set her alight, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). Nusrat Jahan Rafi, 18, was burnt alive after accusing her headmaster of sexual assault. Rafi was attacked because she had refused to back down and withdraw her allegations. As she lay dying in hospital, with burns covering 80 per cent of her body, she recorded a defiant message on her brother's phone. "The teacher touched me. I will fight this crime until my last breath," she said. London: A freelance journalist was killed after shots were fired during rioting in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry on the eve of Good Friday during which police were attacked by petrol bombs and other missiles. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton identified the victim as Lyra McKee, 29. Petrol bombs are thrown at police in Creggan, Londonderry, in Northern Ireland. Credit:PA After earlier appealing for calm when a number of shots were fired in the Irish nationalist Creggan area of the city, police confirmed shortly after midnight that McKee had died. Dissident republicans, the so-called New IRA, were probably behind the killing, police said. Washington: Congressional Democrats on Friday took legal action to see all of US special counsel Robert Mueller's evidence from his inquiry into Russian interference in the 2016 election, with an eye to using the probe's findings against President Donald Trump. US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee chairman Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for Attorney-General William Barr to hand over the full report by Mueller by May 1, saying he cannot accept a redacted version released on Thursday that "leaves most of Congress in the dark". "My committee needs and is entitled to the full version of the report and the underlying evidence consistent with past practice. The redactions appear to be significant. We have so far seen none of the actual evidence that the Special Counsel developed to make this case," Nadler said in a statement. The report provided extensive details on Trump's efforts to thwart Mueller's investigation, giving Democrats plenty of political ammunition against the Republican President but no consensus on how to use it. 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. Bangladeshi women hold placards and photographs of schoolgirl Nusrat Jahan Rafi at a protest in Dhaka, on April 12, 2019. (Sazzad Hossain /AFP) 19-Year-Old Bangladeshi Student Dies After Being Set on Fire for Sexual Abuse Allegations A 19-year-old Bangladeshi girl has died after being doused in kerosene and set alight by four burka-clad assailants on the roof of her madrassa school after she refused to withdraw allegations of sexual abuse. Nusrat Jahan Rafi two weeks earlier had accused the headmaster of touching her in an inappropriate manner at the Islamic school in Bangladesh, where women often dont speak out against sexual abuse for fear of reprisals. News of her death on April 11 sparked widespread protests and the public has closely followed the investigation, which has, so far, led to 18 arrests. Eight people are currently facing charges over conspiring to fake her suicide, allegedly at the request of the headmaster, according to the New Age Bangladesh. Rafi survived for five days after being set on fire on April 6 at the Sonagazi Islamia Senior Fazil Madrassah. Her assailants tried to make Rafis death appear as a suicide, according to police, the BBC reported, but they were thwarted when she was rescued and recorded a defiant message on her brothers phone in the ambulance. Nusrat spoke out against her headmaster. She paid with her life. Posted by BBC News on Wednesday, April 17, 2019 One of the killers was holding her head down with his hands, so kerosene wasnt poured there and thats why her head wasnt burned, Police Bureau of Investigation chief Banaj Kumar Majumder told the BBC. She returned to the school on April 6 to take her exams, despite threats that followed the arrest of the headteacher in Feni, a small town 100 miles south of Dhaka. Rafi filed a complaint with police on March 27, accusing the headmaster of calling her into his office and repeatedly touching her in an inappropriate manner. She said she ran out before things could go further. According to Bangladeshi media reports, other students have since reported that the headmaster sexually assaulted them. The headmaster was arrested, prompting a protest outside the police station organized by locals. The man tried to molest Nusrat alone at least three times before her family filed the sexual harassment case last month, which reportedly led him to hatch a plot and have his cohorts kill the girl. Posted by Dhaka Tribune on Thursday, April 11, 2019 According to Rafis own statement, she was led to the roof of the school by a female student, who told her a friend had been beaten up, the Bangladesh Independent reported. But instead, she found herself surrounded by four people hidden under burqas who demanded she withdraw her allegations. When she refused, they tied her hands, doused her with liquid, and told her to run. Only once she began to run, did she realize she had been set on fire. According to local media reports, the headmaster, Siraj-ud-Daula, was very well-connected politically. The Dhaka Times quotes sources as saying he was protected by at least 15 influential politicians in exchange of money and gifts for the last 18 years. According to the Daily Star, two of the men charged in the case have confessed in court to setting Rafi on fire, claiming they did so at the instruction of the headmaster. Following a national outcry over the case, the prime minister of Bangladesh has promised stern action against the killers. Douglas Overbey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee, speaks beside members of Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, during a news conference in Cincinnati, on April 17, 2019. (John Minchillo/AP Photo) 60 People Charged in Illegal Prescription Opioid Crackdown CINCINNATIFederal authorities said Wednesday, April 18, they have charged 60 people, including a doctor accused of trading drugs for sex and another of prescribing to his Facebook friends, for their roles in illegally prescribing and distributing millions of pills containing opioids and other drugs. U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman of Cincinnati described the action, with 31 doctors facing charges, as the biggest known takedown yet of drug prescribers. Robert Duncan, U.S. attorney for eastern Kentucky, called the doctors involved white-coated drug dealers. Authorities said the 60 includes 53 medical professionals tied to some 350,000 prescriptions and 32 million pills. The operation was conducted by the federal Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, launched last year by the Trump administration. Authorities said arrests were being made and search warrants carried out as they announced the charges at a news conference. They didnt immediately name those being charged. U.S. health authorities have reported there were more than 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017, for a rate of 21.7 per 100,000 people. West Virginia and Ohio have regularly been among the states with the highest overdose death rates as the opioid crisis has swelled in recent years. Among those charged was a Tennessee nurse practitioner who dubbed himself the Rock Doc and is accused of prescribing dangerous combinations of drugs such as fentanyl and oxycodone, authorities said. An indictment states that Jeff Young operated a clinic in Jackson, Tennessee, and promoted his practice with the motto work hard, play harder. The indictment states he prescribed drugs that were highly addictive and at high risk of abuse as he tried to promote a Rock Doc reality TV pilot and podcast while obtaining sex and money for prescriptions. A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for his attorney. Another western Tennessee doctor is also accused of often trading drug prescriptions for sex. Others charged include a Kentucky doctor who is accused of writing prescriptions to Facebook friends who came to his home to pick them up, another who allegedly left signed blank prescriptions for staff to fill out and give to patients, and a Kentucky dentist accused of removing teeth unnecessarily and scheduling unneeded follow-up appointments. A Dayton, Ohio, doctor was accused of running a pill mill that allegedly dispensed 1.75 million pills in a two-year period. Authorities said an Alabama doctor recruited prostitutes and other women he had sexual relations with to his clinic and allowed them to abuse drugs in his home. Most of those charged came from the five strike force states of Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. One person each was also arrested in Pennsylvania and Louisiana. The opioid crisis is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, and Appalachia has suffered the consequences more than perhaps any other region, U.S. Attorney General William Barr said in a statement in Washington. By Dan Sewell 7-Year-Old Boy Struck in Fatal Accident, Pinned Between School Bus and Van A seven-year-old boy has been killed in a fatal accident in Queens, New York, which pinned him between a van and his school bus, just moments after he got off school on April 17. Cameron Brown, who has been described by his aunt as a straight-A student who always smiles, was making his way from the yellow school bus to the red van with his sister Paris, 9, when he was struck by the van at about 3:15 p.m. local time. The force from the van pinned him against the school bus, and he was rushed to Saint Johns Episcopal Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The van driver remained at the scene. A 7-year-old boy who was fatally pinned between a van and a school bus was a straight-A student who was always smiling, his aunt said https://t.co/u7Bwlzrsmy NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) April 19, 2019 Eyewitness Jean Ulysses told CBS2 that when the van was trying to reverse, it accelerated instead, hitting Brown. The van was trying to back up. Instead of backing up, it goes forward. Thats when he hit the boy between the van and the bus, Ulysses said. The driver of the red van, 22, appeared not to see the boy, according to police, reported CBS2. Surveillance footage of the incident shows the van behind the school bus as it pulls up. Brown and his sister had been taking the red van hired through a private bus company by his aunt, Maureen Brown, to get to and from school. Authorities say the child, identified as Cameron Brown, had just gotten off his bus and was crossing behind it when he was hit. https://t.co/4dTdX8HaOV ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) April 18, 2019 The pair had been transfering from the red van and onto the yellow school bus in recent weeks, his aunt told NBC New York. It was when the siblings were on their way to make the transfer from the school bus to the van that the tragedy struck. The seven-year-old has just crossed in front of the vehicle when the driver accelerated, police said on April 18. His older sister was told to wait at the back of the school bus while waiting for family to arrive. All I saw was his feet, she said. Passerby Keith Williams, who witnessed the tragic accident, was left devastated. I had to walk away with tears, I was crying also, to see a poor little kid there. He still had his school bagbackpackon him, and he was on his stomach, and they were giving him CPR, he told CBS2. The boys aunt said she had been looking into alternative transportation as she and family members werent happy about Brown and his sister transfering from one vehicle to another. I tried to switch buses, and I feel like I failed him, because I didnt [switch] fast enough, she told NBC New York. Hes like a breath of fresh air. I cant even explain. Hes just a good, humble kid, she added. Brown, nicknamed Nino, had been living with relatives along with his four siblings after their mother, Lisa Bennett, was deported to Jamaica two years ago, Daily News reported. Nino was so smart. He wanted to know everything. He was spelling from the moment he could talk. I already knew who was the man of the family, his eldest sister, 19-year-old Fantasia said. He was good at math, he was on the honor roll. He was on top of everything. His family described the staff on board the school bus as careless, adding that they should have done more to ensure his safety once he got off the bus. They were supposed to protect him. There should have been someone to transfer him from the bus to the van, the boys father, Joseph Brown, 66, told Daily News. Richard A. Carranza, Schools Chancellor at P.S. 43, where Brown studied, said in a statement, Im heartbroken by this tragic loss of one of our children, and share my condolences with the family and school community. Oliver the Owl is making his way around the school! pic.twitter.com/iT1HJNDVGi P.S. 43 Jonas Bronck Elementary School (@PS43x) October 31, 2018 We will have crisis counseling available to students and staff for as long as it is needed. It is uncertain whether Browns mother will be allowed to return to New York for his funeral, his aunt said, adding that she hopes everyone involved in the accident will have charges filed against them. Mary Luz Rodriguez saw Shen Yun at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 18, 2019. (Sally Sun/The Epoch Times) FORT LAUDERDALEAttorney Mary Luz Rodriguez saw the manifestation of the divine in the colors, harmony, and message of Shen Yuns performance. Every artistic manifestation is a manifestation of the divinity inside you, Rodriguez said. And this [performance was] overwhelmingly gorgeous and just really, really uplifts you. The attorney saw the performance for the second year at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 18. Shen Yun Performing Arts is the leading classical Chinese dance company, based in New York and with a mission to promote authentic Chinese culture to a modern audience. Its program boasts an array of performances including classical Chinese dance vignettes, vocal soloists, and stories expressed through dance. Divine Message Rodriguez, who practices at a law firm run by her husband, and co-owns a sanctuary with him, said Shen Yuns divine message allowed the audience to connect with their inner selves. We should love each other and respect each other, she said At the end of the day we are all the same, we are all one. Shen Yun, through its stories and songs, retells the values and ideas lying at the heart of traditional Chinese culture, which ultimately revolve around a belief in the divine. Indeed, China was at one stage called Shen Zhou, meaning divine land. For thousands of years, Chinese people have observed values and principles stemming from this belief, including benevolence, truthfulness, righteousness, and propriety. These traditions continued uninterrupted in China from generation to generation up until it was decimated during the Cultural Revolution, a campaign launched by the Chinese Communist Party in the late 1960s to destroy traditional Chinese ideas and beliefs to cement its authoritarian atheistic rule. For Rodriguez, the performance provoked an inner journey in search of truth, and to break away from factors that do not align with the truth. This included walking away from lies, such as those presented by communism. [Communism] is a lie, its a lie! A lie is an intentional manifestation of an idea that they know that is not true, but they still say it as propaganda and brainwashing, she said. So it is very important for the souls to learn that message. So they can see through everything that theyve been fed, that is not true. What is true is what is in your heart, and in your soul, and that is what is true. Shen Yun depicts the devastation wrought by communist rule through its stories about the persecution of practitioners of spiritual discipline Falun Dafa in China. Inner Beauty Rodriguez also recognized that the beauty of the performance did not just arise from the physical aspects of the production, but also came from something deep within the dancers. You have to have a discipline about yourself in order to be able to express it, she said. You have to be in a good place for yourself in order to be able to show the beauty, and show the harmony. That is something that you can feel. I absolutely think that they have inner beauty that they express to others. With reporting by Sally Sun. 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. Former vice president Joe Biden arrives at a rally organized by UFCW Union members in Dorchester, Mass., on April 18, 2019. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP/Getty Images) Biden to Announce Presidential Run Next Week, Report Says Former Vice President Joe Biden will officially declare his candidacy with a video announcement on April 24, according to a report from the Atlantic that cited Bidens top aides. The formal proclamation comes after months of speculation that Biden would run in 2020 for the Democratic nomination. Biden himself had a slip of the tongue last month where he almost announced running as he gave a speech to a dinner gathering of Democrats in Delaware. Bidens announcement video will reportedly include footage shot two weeks ago outside the house where Biden grew up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the Atlantic reported. He served 36 years in the U.S. Senate representing Delaware and eight years as vice president under former President Barack Obama. Bidens candidacy would bring the field of Democratic presidential hopefuls to 19. Political observers in recent weeks have wondered if Biden delayed his decision due to recent allegations from women that Biden made them feel uncomfortable when he touched them at political events in the past. In the days after four women came forward with allegations, sources close to Biden told Reuters that campaign preparations had not been slowed by the controversy. Despite not having announced his candidacy yet, Biden has for weeks been the clear front-runner in all major polls tracking actual and possible 2020 Democratic presidential contenders including Morning Consult, Monmouth, Harvard-Harris, and Emerson. According to a RealClearPolitics average, Biden leads at 30 percent, as self-described socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) trails behind at 22.5 percent. In his two previous presidential runs, Biden failed to develop a strong base of political support, dropping out of the race both times. If he were to be elected this time, he would be 78 years old when taking office, which would make him the oldest president-elect in U.S. history. On April 3 Biden responded with a two-minute video to allegations he inappropriately touched a number of women, most recently stemming from two accusers who came forward. While he never explicitly apologized for his actions, Biden did address the growing criticisms of his past behavior in a video, saying he would pay more attention to not invading peoples personal space. He also defended his behavior, describing it as just who I am while adding that times have changed. Social norms are changing, Biden said in a Twitter post accompanying the video. I understand that, and Ive heard what these women are saying. Politics to me has always been about making connections, but I will be more mindful about respecting personal space in the future. Thats my responsibility and I will meet it, he added. Trumps Prediction President Donald Trump said recently he believes Biden and Sanders will be the final candidates vying for the partys nomination in 2020. In characteristic style, the president assigned nicknames to both candidates. I believe it will be Crazy Bernie Sanders vs. Sleepy Joe Biden as the two finalists to run against maybe the best Economy in the history of our Country (and MANY other great things)! Trump wrote on Twitter on the evening of April 16. In an interview last year, Trump said that hed especially hoped to run against Biden in 2020. I dream about Biden. Thats a dream, Trump said. Look, Joe Biden ran three times. He never got more than 1 percent and President Obama took him out of the garbage heap, and everybody was shocked that he did. Id love to have it be Biden. The president, who has kept a keen eye on the crowded and growing field of 2020 Democrat contenders, also criticized Bidens verbal slip last month. Joe Biden got tongue-tied over the weekend when he was unable to properly deliver a very simple line about his decision to run for President, Trump wrote on Twitter. Get used to it, another low I.Q. individual! Reuters contributed to this report Thai authorities raided a floating home lived in by an American man and his Thai partner off the coast of Thailand, on April 13, 2019. (Royal Thai Navy via AP) Bitcoin Couple Could Face Death Penalty for Seasteading Home Off Thailand Coast An American bitcoin investor and his Thai partner could face life in prison or even the death penalty for alleged violation of Thailands sovereignty by occupying a floating home off the countrys coast. Chad Elwartowski and Supranee Thepdet (aka Nadia Summergirl) sought to be pioneers in the seasteading movement, which promotes living in international waters to be free of any nations laws. But Thailands navy said Elwartowski and Thepdet posed a threat to the countrys national sovereignty, an offense punishable by life imprisonment or death. Thai authorities on April 13 raided the couples floating home in the Andaman Sea, about 12 nautical miles from shore. Elwartowski and Thepdet were not at the home at the time of the raid and have gone into hiding. In a Facebook post on Mondaysince deletedElwartowski wrote, Thailand wants us killed. Hunting us down to our death is just plain stupid and highlights exactly the reason someone would be willing to go out in the middle of the ocean to get away from governments, he wrote. We never had any ill intentions and I even state plainly several times that I would not want to be a citizen of any seastead nation that would have me. The couple wrote on their website that the floating home is anchored outside Thailands territorial waters, at least 12 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket. Its designed to ignite an entire libertarian movement of freedom seekers gearing up to live in permanent dwellings at seaoutside of the jurisdiction of any government, wrote Thepdet. The claim is supported by an official statement released by Ocean Builders, the company who built the couples floating home, officially called XLII and billed as the first seastead. Our AIS beacon is still displaying our position 13 nautical miles from Thailand outside of Thailands territorial waters, Ocean Builders wrote. It is claimed by the Thai navy through their media mouth pieces that the seastead is in a shipping lane, Ocean Builders wrote. This makes it sound like there is heavy cargo traffic coming to Phuket. If anyone knows Phuket, they have one cargo port that gets maybe one or two cargo ships a week. They also admit that the seastead is in international waters, at least 12 nautical miles from land. But a Thai deputy naval commander insisted the project was a threat. This affects our national security and cannot be allowed, Rear Adm. Wintharat Kotchaseni told Thai media on Tuesday, as cited by The Associated Press. He said the floating house also posed a safety threat to navigation if it broke loose because the area is considered a shipping lane. Thai police Col. Nikorn Somsuk told the South China Morning Post that the authorities were seeking clarification with the attorney general on how to proceed with the case since the outpost was technically in international waters. We have not met the couple yet. We have sent investigators to their home but they were not there, he told The Post. We dont know what their thoughts are apart from the fact that it seems a bit extreme to want to be so isolated. He hinted the couple may not face the most serious punishment, telling the South China Morning Post, As of now, there is no evidence that their actions pose a risk to Thai sovereignty. The couple has been charged with article 119 of the Thai Criminal Code, which prohibits any acts that cause a deterioration of Thailands independence. Excited About the Project We were hoping to bring tourism to Phuket with an underwater restaurant, floating hotels, and medical research, tech jobs, etc. We had 3 wealthy entrepreneurs in the past week tell us they were coming to live in Phuket because they were excited about the project, Elwartowski wrote on Facebook. A promotional video from March showed the couple toasting champagne on the floating home. Ocean Builders is selling this ocean-front property at a fraction of the cost of any other place you would get oceanfront property, Elwartowski says in the video, plugging the project as something completely brand new. He added the home was the first of an additional 20 homes planned. May the seastead be a beacon to freedom lovers everywhere, Elwartowski said in the video. Meanwhile, Ocean Builders announced that due to the raid, the sale of its seastead homes is to be postponed until we can get everything straightened out and figure out the best path forward for everyone. According to the companys website, seasteading is the concept of creating permanent dwellings at sea, called seasteads, outside the territory claimed by any government. The term is a combination of the words sea and homesteading. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Michael Cohen, former personal attorney to President Donald Trump, exits federal court in New York City on Nov. 29, 2018. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Buzzfeed, McClatchy Respond After Mueller Report Shows Stories About Trumps Lawyer Were Wrong Buzzfeed and McClatchy both declined to apologize for botched reports about Michael Cohen, President Donald Trumps former lawyer after the release of the Mueller report showed their reports fit the definition of what Trump often describes as fake news. Buzzfeed published an article on Jan. 17 that claimed: President Trump directed his attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about the Moscow tower project. Written by Jason Leopoldwho has a history of plagiarismand Anthony Cormier, the story relied on two anonymous sources and claimed that Cohen told investigators working for special counsel Robert Mueller that Trump told him to lie about talks he had with a Russian official for the tower. Cohens alleged lie was saying talks fell through in January 2016 when they actually ended in June 2016. The article also claimed that Muellers office obtained documents of Trumps alleged instructions to Cohen, such as internal Trump Organization emails. Leopold said hed seen the documents personally while Cormier said he had not. The article was so erroneous that Muellers office took the step of issuing a statement saying it was wrong, the first time it did so during the yearslong investigation. The release of Muellers report on April 18 highlighted how wrong the story was. Cohen said that he and the President did not explicitly discuss whether Cohens testimony about the Trump Tower Moscow project would be or was false, and the President did not direct him to provide false testimony. Cohen also said he did not tell the President about the specifics of his planned testimony, Mueller wrote in the report. He added that while there is evidence that the President knew Cohen provided false testimony to Congress about the Trump Tower Moscow project, the evidence available to us does not establish that the President directed or aided Cohens false testimony. Buzzfeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith wrote a new article after the report was released, attributing the error to the two anonymous sources. Our sourcesfederal law enforcement officialsinterpreted the evidence Cohen presented as meaning that the president directed Cohen to lie. We now know that Mueller did not, he wrote. Smith did not retract the original article nor did he, Leopold, or Cormier offer an apology to Trump for the article. Cormier did not comment on the issue, while Leopold directed his followers to Smiths article on Twitter. The original article retains the same headline but the subhead was appended on Thursday to read: UPDATE: The Mueller report found that Trump did not direct Michael Cohen to lie. Other than that, there is no editors note or correction. Buzzfeed is known as being openly anti-Trump and was the website that first published the full dossier created by ex-British spy Christopher Steele, who was paid by Hillary Clintons campaign. McClatchy also refused to apologize for erroneous reports. In a report published on April 13, 2018, Greg Gordon and Peter Stone wrote that Mueller had evidence that Cohen secretly made a trip to Prague during the 2016 presidential campaign, months before the election. The allegation was first made in Steeles dossier. Citing two sources familiar with the matter that it did not name or describe in any more detail, the writers said that investigators have traced evidence that Cohen entered the Czech Republic through Germany, apparently during August or early September of 2016 as the ex-spy reported. He wouldnt have needed a passport for such a trip, because both countries are in the so-called Schengen Area in which 26 nations operate with open borders. The disclosure still left a puzzle: The sources did not say whether Cohen took a commercial flight or private jet to Europe, and gave no explanation as to why no record of such a trip has surfaced, they added. In another report from the same writers on Dec. 27, 2018, they said that a mobile phone traced to Cohen briefly sent signals ricocheting off cell towers in the Prague area in late summer 2016. Gordon and Stone again cited anonymous sources without describing their jobs or naming any of them. The report also claimed that electronic eavesdropping by an Eastern European intelligence agency picked up a conversation among Russians. The writers again claimed that the evidence indicated that Steeles raw intelligence about Cohen was correct. In his report, Mueller wrote: Cohen had never traveled to Prague and was not concerned about those allegations, which he believed were provably false. The outlet tried to claim that Mueller didnt contradict its report. Mueller report states Cohen was not in Prague. It is silent on whether a Cohen device pinged there, it said in a new article published on April 18. McClatchy stands by the reporting, it said, later quoting Kristin Roberts, McClatchys East Region editor, as saying that Mueller didnt dispute the reports of Cohens phone pinging in or near Prague. The outlet also added editors notes at the top of the two articles, stating: Robert Muellers report to the attorney general states that Mr. Cohen was not in Prague. It is silent on whether the investigation received evidence that Mr. Cohens phone pinged in or near Prague, as McClatchy reported. From NTD News A car damaged by fire in the parking lot of a Target store in Modesto, Calif., on April 17, 2019. (Modesto Fire Department) California Man Sets Himself on Fire in Target Parking Lot A California man set himself on fire in the parking lot of a Target store, suffering third-degree burns to half of his body. The inadvertent self-immolation took place in Modesto, about 100 miles east of San Francisco, on Wednesday, April 17, according to the Sacramento Bee. The man, who was not identified in the report, was allegedly engulfed in a fireball that he sparked by trying to melt the mouth of a plastic gas canister with a lighter, according to Fox40. The victims girlfriend reportedly told investigators the pair had run out of gas and pulled into the parking lot to refuel. Dustin Bruley, supervisor of the Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit, was cited by the Sacramento Bee as saying that preliminary findings suggested the man was trying to melt the plastic at the mouth of the jug to make pouring fuel into his car easier. When the man, said to be in his 30s, brought the open flame to the mouth of the canister, the gaseous fumes exploded. Investigators told Fox40 that flames engulfed the front half of the mans body and a nearby Lexus. He ran from the car and several citizens assisted him to the ground and helped put out the fire, Bruley said, according to Fox News. The chief of a fire department in Modesto told The Bee the man suffered head-to-toe burns, and his shoes melted. The victim was airlifted to an area hospital for treatment. Investigators are reportedly reviewing surveillance footage to establish further details. The Bee reported that the container the couple was using to store fuel was a plastic gallon jug normally used for water. Fuel Container Fire Safety Gas should only be poured into canisters designed for safe storage and transportation of fuel, according to the Portable Fuel Container Manufacturers Association. All portable fuel containers carry a warning that the fuel vapors can be ignited by a spark or flame source many feet away and to keep them away from sources of ignition, the PFCMA states on its website. The PFCMA notes that most burn incidents involve consumers pouring gasoline on a fire. One of the organizations main messages to consumers is that gasoline and fire dont mix. Never pour gas on a fire has always been our messagethat is misusing our containers in a manner that can result in property damage and injury. Gasoline has a very low flash pointthe lowest temperature at which its vapor will ignite in the presence of a source of ignition. The PFCMA adds, gasoline vapors are highly explosive and exposure to ignition sources must be avoided when filling a container or pouring into a fuel tank. Man Tries to Set Himself on Fire Outside the White House In related news, a man who tried to set himself on fire outside the White House on April 12 has been arrested. The Secret Service said the suspect, who has not been identified, was operating an electronic wheelchair-type scooter when he lit his outer jacket on fire while sitting along Pennsylvania Avenue, outside the North Fence Line. Uniformed division officers then responded immediately, extinguishing the fire and providing first aid. HAPPENING NOW: @SecretService just apprehended man who tried to set himself on fire outside @WhiteHouse agent tells us pic.twitter.com/GvPYEZ8Cnm Mark Irons (@MarkIronsMedia) April 12, 2019 In a follow-up tweet, the agencies said, The male subject has been transported to a local hospital with what appears to be nonlife-threatening injuries. Epoch Times reporter Janita Kan contributed to this report. Retired Bishop Airport police Lt. Jeff Neville speaks to reporters outside the federal courthouse in Flint, Mich., on April 18, 2019. Amor Ftouhi, of Canada, convicted of terrorism for nearly killing Neville in June 2017, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison after defiantly declaring he had no regrets and only wished he had carried a machine gun that day instead of a knife. (Ed White/AP Photo) Canadian Sentenced to Life in Prison for US Airport Attack FLINT, Mich.A Canadian man convicted of terrorism for nearly killing a Michigan police officer while yelling God is great in Arabic was sentenced to life in prison on April 18, after boldly declaring that he only regretted not having a machine gun during the knife attack. Amor Ftouhis statements stunned U.S. District Judge Matthew Leitman, who said hed been wrestling very hard with a decision about whether to allow the Tunisia native a chance to someday be released from prison. Leitman said the remarks persuaded me beyond any shadow of a doubt that a life term was appropriate for the 51-year-old Ftouhi, who moved to Montreal in 2007. He was crystal clear today: If he had the opportunity to kill more people, he would, the judge said. Ftouhi drove 1,000 miles from Montreal to the airport in Flint, Michigan, where he repeatedly stabbed Lt. Jeff Neville in the neck in June 2017. Investigators said Ftouhi wanted to take Nevilles gun and start shooting people at Bishop Airport. Ftouhi legally entered the United States at Champlain, New York, and arrived in Flint five days later. He tried but failed to buy a gun at a gun show and instead bought a large knife. Do I regret what I did? Never, Ftouhi told the judge inside a federal courtroom in Flint. I regret I didnt get that machine gun. I regret I didnt kill that cop. Ftouhi said he had a good education and many skills but felt discrimination in Canada because he wasnt a white Christian. He pledged allegiance to his Muslim faith and said western countries and Arabic countries should be cursed if they dont rule according to Allah. He was convicted in November of terrorism and two other crimes. Neville survived the attack but has lost feeling on the right side of his face. He retired from the airport police department because of post-traumatic stress disorder. Montreal man who stabbed officer at Flint airport celebrated 9/11 attacks: prosecutors https://t.co/gTE5XFZdf7 The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) August 9, 2017 He picked the wrong Americans to attack that day, Neville told Leitman, referring to fellow officers and witnesses who saved him and pounced on Ftouhi. He should never walk the streets as a free man again. Ftouhis attorney, Joan Morgan, argued for a 25-year prison sentence in solitary confinement, saying it would effectively be a life term because of Ftouhis age. The judge praised Morgans work but repeatedly challenged her over the recommendation, especially after Ftouhis courtroom remarks. Morgan said Ftouhis mental health had deteriorated at the time of the attack and has slipped even further during 22 months in custody awaiting trial and sentencing. People change. He is more than what his actions were, Morgan said. The man convicted on terrorism charges for nearly killing a Flint airport police officer will spend the rest of his life in prison. Amor Ftouhi told the judge he had no regrets and wished he had a machine gun that day to kill people. https://t.co/0FrZb3j8XN 9 & 10 News (@9and10News) April 18, 2019 By Ed White Smoke billows as flames burn through the roof of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, on April 15, 2019. (Fabien Barrau/AFP/Getty Images) Cause of Notre Dame Fire May Have Been Computer Glitch The rector of Notre Dame said that the cathedral in Paris may have been burned by a fire started by a computer glitch. The fire burned through the lattice of enormous oak beams supporting the monuments vaulted stone ceiling, dangerously weakening the building. The surrounding neighborhood has since been blocked off, and stones have continued to tumble off the sides of the cathedral since the devastating blaze on April 15. Speaking during a meeting of local business owners, rector Patrick Chauvet did not elaborate on the exact nature of the computer glitch, adding that we may find out what happened in two or three months. Chauvets comments came after a judicial police official speaking on condition of anonymity said on Thursday that Paris investigators think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire. The official said that investigators made an initial assessment of the cathedral Wednesday but didnt have a green light to search Notre Dames charred interior because of ongoing safety hazards. The prosecutors office said in a brief statement that all leads must be explored. The office told CNN on Wednesday that 10 people were interviewed by criminal investigators on Wednesday and another 30 had already been questioned. In addition, forensics teams and the polices lab team had been able to access some of the site. While police are pursuing the theory that the cause of the fire is accidental, a preliminary theory developed shortly after the blaze was extinguished, they have not ruled out the fire being started on purpose. While the prosecutors office does not rule out any hypothesis, we remind that at this stage, nothing in the investigations highlights a criminal origin. Accidental causes remain our privileged lead, the prosecutors office said. Attacks on Christian Churches While prosecutors have noted that there are no indications that the fire was started on purpose, others have pointed out the rash of recent attacks on Christian churches in France. According to ABC International, 12 churches in France were desecrated in just one week in March. The Ministry of Interior said that there were 1,063 anti-Christian incidents in 2018 compared with 183 anti-semitic actions and 100 anti-Muslim acts. Hate has no place in the Republic. We are determined to protect all French, protect secularism, freedom not to believe, like to believe, with respect, safely. These numbers show that we must not let our guard down. Anti-Semitic, Islamophobic, anti-Christian, racist, xenophobic: it is no small achievement, no small insult. Nothing will be tolerated: every culprit will have to be found and judged, Christophe Castaner, minister of the interior, said in a statement. Sydneys Catholic Archbishop Anthony Fisher told radio host Alan Jones following the Notre Dame fire that after hearing of the recent catalog of fires it really struck me that we are, in some ways, under siege. In a sense, Christians are always under siege, even when they are very popular in the world. We have our own spiritual battles to fight, he said. Particularly at this time, we know there are those in the world who are opposed to all religion or opposed to our religion and it looks like some of them are determined to make that clear by burning down our buildings. I hope thats not what was behind what happened at Notre Dame Cathedral, he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News The HNA Group logo is seen on the gate of HNA Plaza building in Beijing on July 4, 2018. (Elias Glenn/Reuters) Chinas HNA Denies Embezzlement Claims as it Fights for Control of Hong Kong Airlines HONG KONGEmbattled Chinese conglomerate HNA Group has denied accusations of embezzlement and financial irregularity made by a rival group of shareholders in Hong Kong Airlines (HKA) as the two sides fight for control of the struggling carrier. The allegations were made by Zhong Guosong and Frontier Investment Partner who between them control 61 percent of HKAs shares. On April 16, they declared they had taken control of the carrier and made Zhong, a former HKA director, chairman after an extraordinary shareholder meeting. The pair said on Wednesday, via a spokesperson, that an investigation had been launched into the embezzlement of HKA assets and serious financial misappropriation by HNA Group parties. In an emailed statement to Reuters on Friday, HNA said that the allegations are false. HNA Group is committed to the highest standards of integrity in all of its activities and expects the same of all of its representatives, it added. HKAs website still lists Hou Wei as chairman. Hou joined HKA in September last year after more than four years with HNA-controlled Hainan Airlines, according to his LinkedIn profile. HNA holds about 29 percent of HKA, having cut its majority holding two years ago. This weeks battle comes as HKA is struggling to survive. Earlier this month, airline executives told shareholders the company needed at least HK$2 billion ($254.95 million) to avoid the risk of losing its operating licenseand that it swung to a loss of about HK$3 billion last year. Zhong and Frontier representatives at that meeting, however, demanded details of the 2018 accounts and questioned the close ties between HKA and HNA affiliates, which include loans and equity investments by HKA to HNA groups, according to HKAs 2017 accounts seen by Reuters. On Thursday this week, the two sides clashed again when Zhong and Frontier accused HNA of storming HKAs head offices and removing documentsclaims denied by an HKA spokesperson. HKA said later that day that the extra security staff visible in the lobby and foyer of HKAs offices were to preserve order that had been disrupted by the shareholder dispute. On Thursday evening, Hong Kongs Transport and Housing Bureau said it had met with representatives for both sides and was monitoring the situation. It added that the Civil Aviation Department had stepped up its oversight of HKAs flight operations to ensure no disruption over the holiday weekend. Embattled HNA Group is more than a year into the process of unwinding a $50 billion acquisition spree that at its peak netted the company stakes in banks, fund managers, hotels, property and airlines, among other assets. But faced with soaring debt and government scrutiny of aggressive dealmaking, HNA has pushed ahead with asset sales that have included real estate and stakes in hotels groups, and discussions on key overseas units such as Ingram Micro and its luxury $300 million-plus corporate Dream Jet. HNA and several other major Chinese conglomerates were in the Chinese regimes crosshairs in June 2017 as it sought to curb high-risk financial investments and capital outflows. Sources close to the central authorities told The Epoch Times at the time that the sweep was part of the current leaderships attempts to clean out corruption in Chinas finance industry. Founder of Tomorrow Group, Xiao Jianhua, and Wu Xiaohui, former chairman of Anbang, an insurance conglomerate, were both placed under investigation in 2017. Wu has since been sentenced to 18 years in prison for fraud and embezzlement. By Jennifer Hughes. The Epoch Times contributed to this report. City Councilman Reveals Reality of Laguna Beachs Homelessness Problem Laguna Beach is often known as a liberal island in the otherwise conservative Orange County in California. However, in the 2018 midterms, an independent with a conservative law and order platform won a seat on the city council with more votes than any other council member in that election. Peter Blake manages an art gallery in Laguna and has been a resident for 30 years. He ran for office the first time in his life after becoming frustrated with the lack of action on the issues of homelessness, crime, budgets, defending property rights, and cronyism. The Epoch Times sat down with Councilman Blake to discuss the problems that permeate the otherwise quaint city known for its art galleries and scenic beach views. Councilman Blake emphasized one issue in particular that has caused immense problems in the city and was the spark to his election victory: homelessness and vagrancy. He argues that Laguna Beach has been neglecting this issue for years. In the past year, Laguna Beach has suffered from over 1,500 criminal incidents including violent attacks, public drunkenness and public fights, according to CBS. Residents said the homeless crisis has contributed to the crime problem. Laguna Beach, being a city of compassionate residents, have always helped the homeless, Councilman Blake points out. Theyve been our own. We used to know them by name. The local homeless are gone. Speaking on the growing epidemic that has increased across the state of California, he added we dont have our own homeless problem, we now have the county and the countrys homeless problem. Peter Blake ran on a law and order platform that addressed the homelessness issue, which he says was neglected for too long and is reflective of liberal policies going too far. When you travel enough, especially up between the state of California, Oregon and Washington, you can see what happens when communities become too compassionate and lose sight of reality. They wake up one morning and realize they have a serious homelessness situation. Once it takes root, you cant get rid of it. Theres nothing you can do to reverse it. Many communities ask what they can do to maintain it and keep it from growing, because theres very little hope that you can reverse it back to what it was before. Blake says his goal for Laguna Beach is to do what others see as impossible. My aim since day one is to reverse our homeless problem and bring us back to where we were before. This hasnt been easy for Blake and other like-minded legislators. In particular, Proposition 47 reduced nonviolent crimes in California to misdemeanors, including shoplifting, grand theft and receiving stolen property under $950. This also includes personal use of most illegal drugs. Blake said that as a result of this law, Laguna has had a turn for the worse. If a meth addict steals under $950, gets a ticket, they dont show up to court, DA wont prosecute in many cases. It doesnt take long for them to realize that they are untouchable. Liberal politicians dont have the stomach to arrest or enforce any laws whatsoever. This includes trespassing laws and simple property crime laws dont get enforced, which allow them (homeless) free rein to do as they please, he concluded. The ACLU has also made the issue worse by exacerbating the homelessness issue, according to Blake. Since 2009, after citys first lawsuit with ACLU, we were forced to provide temporary housing for the homeless. Laguna built a facility to house homeless to enforce our anti-camping ordinances. Otherwise wed have a situation where wed have homeless sleeping on the beach and on public property. ACLU has been involved in suing Laguna Beach since 2009. By 2010, ACLU came back and rather than pat us on the back and say well done, they sued us again. The city was being targeted by the ACLU because it was the most open and compassionate of cities in the area, Blake argued. The ACLU is forcing us to do what they want, but what they are really doing is squandering the $2 million worth of legal fees that the city spent, that could be spent helping the homeless. Instead weve squandered that money to defend ourselves. They are letting other communities know that no good deed goes unpunished. When asked if he was inferring that Laguna Beach was the ACLUs guinea pig in Orange County, Blake agreed. We are their guinea pig, and why they chose Laguna Beach and not Newport Beach and Carmel is because we are the most liberal, most compassionate community. They figured we would be the easiest and the first to fold. Therefore, they could take that precedence to other communities and use it to get what they wanted. As a result of the problem with vagrancy and homeless, the city council last December increased law enforcement spending to beef up law enforcement patrols in the area. This was Blakes first agenda upon taking office last fall. The police now have a semi-permanent presence at Main Beach, where a large number of crimes are committed. Officers manage a small tent-like structure during peak hours to act as a countermeasure for any criminal transients and people coming into town to commit crimes. While politics and state policies have proven to be roadblocks, Blake has offered what he calls a simple solution to the issue of homelessness and vagrancy in the city of Laguna Beach and the state as a whole. He cited three different groups of homeless and a different way to deal with each of these cases: 1. The Mentally Ill: We need to build mental institutions and accept the fact that we are going to house and care for the folks for the rest of their lives. We should find property inland in depressed areas where the land is cheap and people need jobs and build these government facilities and employ the people in these communities to care for them. 2. The Drug Addicts: We must establish minimum security facilities for drug addicts. Once we have gone long enough to where we think they are safe and on the home stretch of being free from these drugs, then we need to get them into work programs where they work for the government. Once they have fully recovered, theyre ready to go a new community on a semi-formal probation until they become members of society again. 3. Criminal Transients: These individuals need to be jailed. Maybe not in the sense of a hardcore criminal is, but they have to be permanently removed from the community. Blake believes his hardline stance on law and order is necessary, as he believes the issue has been neglected for too long as a result of big city governments throwing money at the issue of homelessness and vagrancy instead of addressing the issue head on. Look at the places where the most educated, progressive elites are: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, New York. These are the places where you have the so-called smartest most progressive people in the country and they have spent the most money on the issue and they are failing miserably. According to calmatters.org, as of 2018, California has the highest unsheltered homeless population in the nation, and the numbers have been rising since 2016. The total number of Californias homeless population is at 130,000, according to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, a staggering 25% of the nations homeless population. A Dingo stands in an enclosure at the Dingo Discovery and Research Centre at the Toolern Vale in rural Victoria, some 60 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, where she is breeding dingoes for export to zoos around the world, on May 25, 2009. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images) Dad Snatches Toddler Son From Dingos Jaws A father has rescued his toddler son from a dingo that was dragging him off into the bush on Fraser Island in Queensland. A toddler is in hospital with a fractured skull and cuts to his head and neck after a dingo dragged him from his bed on Queenslands Fraser Island. The boys family were camping in a remote area of the island in the states southeast on Thursday night when two dingoes entered their campervan as they slept. Paramedic Ben Du Toit said one of the dingoes bit the toddlers neck and began dragging him away into the bush. The parents awoke with the toddler crying and heard the crying getting further away from the campervan, Du Toit said. The boys father ran outside to fight off the dingoes, and rescued his son from one of the animals jaws. Paramedics treated the boy for two deep cuts on his neck near the back of his head, and some minor cuts on his head, before being flown to Hervey Bay Hospital about 3 a.m. on Friday. He was also found to be suffering a fractured skull and about 8am the boy was transferred to Queenslands Childrens Hospital in Brisbane. He remains there in a stable condition. A 14-month-old baby boy has been mauled by a dingo on Fraser Island after being dragged from a camper van, where he had been sleeping with his parents. pic.twitter.com/LN73tKBUVY Sunrise (@sunriseon7) April 18, 2019 The Environment Department brought in extra rangers to investigate the attack and patrol the island. Principal Ranger Daniel Clifton said dingo specialists were also attempting to identify the animals. Were (also) out there briefing campers making sure theyre aware of the incident, he told reporters. Clifton said when dingoes interact closely with people and have access to food, their behaviour changes. That does result in increased aggression and dingo activity, he said. Euthanasia of the responsible animals hasnt been ruled out. (The decision) is taken with all the information gathered together, and in consultation with the Butchulla traditional owners, he said. Clifton said although dingo attacks on Fraser Island were uncommon, people should remain aware. Dont approach dingoes, dont feed dingoes, keep your children really close, especially if youre not in a fenced area, he said. This was the third dingo attack on Fraser Island this year. In February, a nine-year-old boy and his mother were admitted to hospital after a dingo pack chased them down and mauled them. It followed a January attack on a six-year-old boy who was bitten on the legs while camping with his family in the same area as the toddler attacked on Friday. By Aaron Bunch Sun Qian, a Falun Dafa adherent who has been illegally detained in China since February 2017, in an undated photo. (The Epoch Times/Handout) European Parliament Resolution on Chinas Human Rights Also Calls for Release of Canadians A resolution by European lawmakers calling for sanctions against human rights abusers in China is also calling for the release of Canadian citizens currently detained in China. The resolution (PDF), published on April 18, is in response to mounting criticism in recent years over Chinas abuse of ethnic and religious minorities. An introductory clause notes that the freedom of religion and conscience has reached a new low point in China since the 1970s, and that China has one of the largest populations of religious prisoners. The resolution calls for the immediate release of named Uighurs, Tibetan figures, and prisoners of conscience persecuted for their beliefs, including Canadian citizen Sun Qian. Sun, a resident of Vancouver who obtained Canadian citizenship in 2007, often travelled to China for business, as she was the vice-president of the multi-billion-dollar company Beijing Leadman Biochemistry. She was detained by Chinese authorities in February 2017 because she is an adherent of Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice also known as Falun Gong that has been persecuted by Chinese authorities since 1999. The European resolution also includes a clause calling for the Chinese regime to immediately release Canadian citizens Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig. Spavor, an entrepreneur, and Kovrig, a former diplomat, were detained on Dec. 10, 2018. Their detention was widely seen as retaliation by Beijing for Canadas arrest of Huaweis CFO Meng Wanzhou on Dec. 1, 2018 at the request of U.S. authorities. Sun Qian Suns court trial last September was called a show trial by her sister, Sun Zan, who also said that only four of Suns immediate family members and three representatives from the Canadian embassy in Beijing were allowed to attend the trial. Everyone else was refused entry, despite it supposedly being a public trial. Sun has reportedly faced torture and abuse while detained with the aim of having her renounce her faith. Kovrig and Spavor Mengs arrest sparked a political dispute between Ottawa and Beijing, which was further exacerbated by the regimes arrest of Spavor and Kovrig and the escalation of a drug-related 15-year prison sentence for Canadian Robert Schellenberg to death sentence. The Canadian government remains deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of these two Canadians since December 2018 and continues to call for their immediate release, Global Affairs Canada said in an emailed statement. Canada continues to express its appreciation to those who have spoken in support of these detained Canadians and the rule of law. This includes Australia, the E.U., France, Germany, the UK, the United States, the Netherlands, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Spain, Denmark, NATO, and the G7. Global Affairs Canada has confirmed that Kovrig and Spavor have received six consular visits each, and that Canadian consular officials continue to provide consular services to both their families. Ying Lin (R), a former Air China manager, walked out of the federal court in Brooklyn, New York City together with her attorney on April 17, 2019. (Cai Rong/Epoch Times) Former Chinese Airline Manager and US Citizen Pleads Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent Lin Ying, a former manager at the Chinese state-owned airline Air China, pleaded guilty in a federal court in New York City on April 17 to acting as an agent of the Chinese regime when she smuggled luggage onboard flights for several Chinese military officers. For acting as a foreign agent without informing U.S. authorities, she faces up to 10 years in prison, according to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release. While working for Air China at airports in the New York and New Jersey area, Lin encouraged her fellow employees to give their primary loyalty to China and assist the military officers. Lin Pleads Guilty Lin, 48, who was born in China, became a U.S. citizen by naturalization. She owns several residences in the New York area. Lin had worked for Air China for 14 years in its U.S. operations. According to court documents, Lin worked as a counter manager at the John F. Kennedy International airport from 2002 to 2015, and then was promoted to station manager at the Newark Liberty International airport until April 2016. Lin pleaded guilty at a federal court in Brooklyn on April 17 to shipping luggage from New York to Beijing for military officers assigned to Chinas permanent mission to the United Nations. She placed the luggage onto Air China flights as unaccompanied baggage or checked them in under the names of other passengers flying on those flights. As the Chinese military officers did not travel on those flights, Lins actions violated federal Transportation Security Administration regulations. I acted at the direction of the officials and my employer, Air China, Lin told U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly at court on April 17. I did not notify the attorney general of the United States. The court did not disclose what was inside the luggage that Lin helped to ship. But in return for her work, Lin received benefits from the Chinese UN Mission and the Chinese consulate in New York City, according to court documents, including free work on interior decorating at her two Queens homes, and getting to make tax-exempt purchases of Apple electronic products, watches, cigarettes, and liqueurs. The interior work was done by Chinese construction workers who received visas to work only on Chinese government facilities in the United States. Lin also was involved in a high-profile UN corruption case, for which she was first arrested in August 2015 and charged by U.S. prosecutors with structuring bank deposits to avoid transaction reporting requirements, according to a Reuters report. The case was an investigation of how Macau real estate tycoon Ng Lap Seng bribed U.N. diplomats in exchange for support for his construction plans. Ng was convicted and sentenced to four years imprisonment in May 2018. In that case, Lin was also charged with obstruction of justice for helping Qin Fei, a Chinese national and suspected associate of Ng, board a flight on Oct. 28, 2015, to China, after Qin was suspected of being a Chinese agent by U.S. authorities. On April 17, the court freed her from these and other related charges in the Ng case as part of her plea deal. Agent of Chinese Government Lin encouraged other Air China employees to assist the Chinese military officers, according to the DOJ press release, instructing those employees that because the Air Carrier was a PRC [Peoples Republic of China] company, their primary loyalty should be to the PRC. This case is a stark example of the Chinese government using the employees of Chinese companies doing business here to engage in illegal activity, Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers said in the press release. Covertly doing the Chinese militarys bidding on U.S. soil is a crime, and Lin and the Chinese military took advantage of a commercial enterprise to evade legitimate U.S. government oversight. In court, Lin agreed to forfeit $170,000 as part of her guilty plea. Lins sentencing has been scheduled for September 10. Cai Rong contributed to this report. In a meeting held in Manila, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez and RoK Trade Minister Yoo Myung-hee declared their readiness to start the negotiations upon the completion of their respective domestic procedures. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) of the Philippines said in a statement that the two countries agreed to conclude the FTA negotiations in November 2019 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. Once concluded, the bilateral FTA will pave the way for the enhanced market access for products of interest of the two countries, according to the DTI. "It is also viewed that the agreement will provide a more stable and predictable economic environment necessary to generate more trade and investments," the DTI statement read. Merchandise trade between the Philippines and RoK reached US$13.7 billion in 2018, making RoK the fifth largest trading partner of the Philippines. The Philippines' top exports to RoK include bananas, pineapples, copper. Philippines imports mainly industrial products from RoK. Investments from RoK in 2019 totaled US$35.79 million, primarily on real estate activities and manufacturing. A woman passing a booth of Google at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai on Nov. 5, 2018. (Johannes Eisele/AFP/Getty Images) Google Lets Android Users in Europe Choose Rival Browsers, Search Engines BRUSSELSUsers of Android devices in Europe will be able to choose rival browsers and search engines from five options starting on April 18, a senior Google executive said, as the company tries to quell EU antitrust concerns and stave off fresh penalties. Hit with a record 4.34 billion euro fine last year for using the market power of its mobile software to block rivals in areas such as internet browsing, Alphabet unit Google was also ordered to come up with a proposal to give its rivals a fair chance. The European Commission said Google had an unfair advantage by pre-installing its Chrome browser and Google search app on Android smartphones and notebooks. The company last month said it would let Android users choose their browser and search engine but did not provide details. Android users in Europe who open Googles app store Google Play will now see new screens with an option to download different search apps and browsers, Paul Gennai, its product management director, said in a blog. Two screens will surface: one for search apps and another for browsers, each containing a total of five apps, including any that are already installed, he said. The five apps are chosen based on their popularity, which is determined based on industry data and the number of downloads in each country. They will then be listed in random order. Where a user downloads a search app from the screen, well also ask them whether they want to change Chromes default search engine the next time they open Chrome, Gennai said. The new options will appear on both existing and new Android phones in Europe. Google faces a fine up to 5 percent of Alphabets average daily worldwide turnover if it fails to comply with the EU order to stop anti-competitive practices. Lobbying group FairSearch whose Android complaint triggered the EU investigation urged regulators to take a tougher line. FairSearch rejects as insufficient Googles launch today of a choice screen for Android because it does nothing to correct the central problem that Google apps will remain the default on all Android devices, it said in a statement. Another critic Initiative for a Competitive Online Marketplace (ICOMP) echoed the same sentiment. There also is no legitimate reason Google search is still the default in most web browsers and even on Apple products, its chairman Michael Weber said. Russian competitor Yandex, where similar changes ordered by the Russian anti-monopoly watchdog two years ago helped it to overtake Google to become the countrys most popular search engine market share, said it was a move in the right direction. This is a good step forward, said Preston Carey, Yandexs senior vice-president for international development. Still, he said the lack of a strong rival to Google in Europe may mean the changes are not as effective as those in Russia. By Foo Yun Chee Gypsy Rose Blanchard Is Engaged, Report Says Gypsy Rose Blanchard, the Missouri woman serving a 10-year prison term for her mothers death, is apparently engaged to her boyfriend after he started writing her. They are very happy, Fancy Macelli, a family friend, told People magazine. You can hear excitement in her voice. The boyfriend wasnt named in the report. He began writing her after a documentary of her case aired on television. According to the report, they have been writing to each other for about a year and a half. "They are very happy. You can hear excitement in her voice." Posted by Paper Magazine on Friday, April 12, 2019 Macelli said Blanchard wont get married until she is released from prison, adding that it is a good thing for her. And whether it ends up being that way in the end no one knows, but for her right now its a very positive and happy time, Macelli said. Blanchard was convicted of the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, who had convinced Gypsy that she was suffering from several illnesses as a form of abuse known as Munchausen-by-proxy, according to People magazine. Relatives stated that Gypsy Rose was forced by Dee Dee Blanchard to use a wheelchair and partake in unnecessary medical procedures, Fox News reported. Blanchard, 27, also sent an email to apparent supporters, asking them to send letters of support to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to request an early release. I am respectfully asking all who wish me an early release to please aid my father in his efforts for my freedom, Blanchard wrote, reported the Springfield News-Leader. A family friend said it is authentic. She was convicted for her role in killing her mother in 2015 after asking her then-boyfriend, Nicholas Godejohn, to kill her. [Dee Dee] was pretty [expletive] crazy, Bobby Pitre, Gypsy Roses cousin, told RadarOnline. Gypsy Rose and Dee Dees story has been featured on a number of TV specials and shows. Dee Dees sisters think its pretty [expletive] up, Pitre said of the shows. They hate all of it. They dont know why people keep making stories about it. [Its] time to leave it alone. Violent Crime Declined In September 2018, the FBI said Americans committed fewer violent and property crimes across the United States in 2017, according to statistics. The violent crime rateincluding offenses such as murder, robbery, and aggravated assaultdropped by almost 1 percent although it is still about 4 percent above the 2014 rate. The murder rate dropped by 0.7 percent. "Shes 27 years old, she deserves to be in love and she deserves to have somebody who cares about her." Posted by People on Friday, April 12, 2019 There were more than 1.2 million violent crimes reported to [the FBI] nationwide in 2017. There was a 0.7 percent decrease in murders and a 4 percent decrease in robberies from 2016 to 2017. Aggravated assaults increased 1 percent in 2017. The FBI began collecting data solely on an updated rape definition last year, and 135,755 rapes were reported to law enforcement in 2017, the agency said. Of the estimated 17,284 murders in 2017, more than half occurred in larger citieswith populations of more than 100,000. There are fewer than 300 such cities in the United States, and while they account for less than 30 percent of the countrys population, many of them contribute far beyond their share to national crime rates and have done so for years, even decades. While the national murder rate inched down to 5.3 per 100,000 residents, it spiked by 15 percent in Philadelphia, to a rate of more than 20 per 100,000 residents. Columbus, Ohio, saw a massive 54 percent murder rate increase, reaching nearly 16.3 per 100,000 residents. Apple announces it's first store in Vienna,Austria, opening on February 24, with a custom vinyl seen on Feb. 1, 2018 in Vienna, Austria. (Stefan Fuertbauer/Getty Images for Apple) How 5G Drove Moves by Apple, Qualcomm and Intel SAN FRANCISCO Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. on April 18 settled an acrimonious two-year legal dispute. Shortly afterward, Intel Corp. said it will exit the smartphone modem chip business. The entire drama played out as the mobile phone industry prepares to shift to a technology called 5G. Echoing complaints from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, Apple had alleged that Qualcomm used its patent licensing business to keep a monopoly on modem chips that connect devices like the iPhone to wireless data networks. Qualcomm insisted that Apple was using its valuable technology without proper payment, and Apple later dropped Qualcomms chips in favor of those from Intel. In the end, Apple and Qualcomm ceased all litigation, with Apple signing a six-year licensing deal with Qualcomm and also agreeing to buy Qualcomm chips. Hours later, Intel said it was getting out of the modem chip business. What is 5G? 5G is a new network technology for wireless communications that could be up to 100 times faster than current 4G networks. The networks are coming online in the United States, China, South Korea, and other places this year, but probably will not be widespread until 2020. Modem chips connect devices like phones to these networks. Who Are the Players in 5G? Prior to April 18, five companies had disclosed 5G modem chips or plans to make them: Qualcomm, Intel, MediaTek Inc., Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd .and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Samsung and Huawei, however, only make chips for their own mobile phones. Why Does Apple Care About 5G? Some of Apples rivals in the smartphone marketnotably Samsungplan to release 5G devices this year, which could put pressure on Apple to match the feature. Many carriers that are investing heavily to build 5G networks are also likely to put their marketing efforts behind 5G phones. Will Apple Have a 5G Phone This Year? It would require an extraordinary effort from both companies. New modems take months of testing to ensure phones will work on carrier networks. Under traditional timelines, Apple would have needed to start testing a 5G iPhone last year, but its supplier Intel did not have a chip ready. Will Apple Lose Market Share Without a 5G Phone? Apple was slow to 4G too and did not pay a price. Samsung and others released 4G phones in 2011 as the networks were rolling out. Apple waited until 2012 when 4G networks become widely accessible. Many analysts believe Apple is making the same bet with 5G. Why Does Apple Need Qualcomms Chips? Apples only current modem supplier, Intel, said that it would not have a 5G chip ready until 2020, which could have pushed Apples launch of a 5G iPhone into 2021a long enough delay that it could hurt sales. Qualcomm, on the other hand, is preparing to ship its second generation 5G chip and can meet Apples needs with its current products. Will Apple Exclusively Use Qualcomms Chips? Not necessarily. While Apple and Qualcomm signed a supply agreement, Apple is working on developing its own modems and disclosed in court earlier this year that it has held talks with MediaTek and Samsung around modems. Why Did Intel Share Rise After it Exited the Modem Business? Intel Chief Executive Bob Swan has told investors in the past that modem chips are not likely to fetch the same high margins as its CPU chips. Intel has plenty of other ways to make money from 5G, like selling CPUs to makers of base stations and so-called programmable chips to makers of networking gear. By Stephen Nellis Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx speaks to reporters at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse after R. Kelly was ordered held on a $1 million bond in Chicago ,on Feb. 23, 2019 . (Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) Kim Foxx Deputies Resign in Wake of Jussie Smollett Scandal Two top deputies of Cook County State Attorney Kim Foxx have resigned in the wake of the Jussie Smollett hate crime hoax scandal. Smollett, the Empire actor, saw all charges against him dropped by Foxxs office in an unusual agreement that did not require him to admit any wrongdoing. Instead, the actor claimed the charges being dropped were vindication. He was charged for filing a false police report after officials said he faked a hate crime. Prosecutors said that the charges were dropped despite the case indicating he was guilty. Now at least two deputies of Foxx have submitted their resignations. April Perry, the ethics officer for the office, will leave Foxxs staff on May 3, along with Mark Rotert, a veteran prosecutor and civil attorney who revamped the process the office used to review wrongful conviction claims, according to resignation letters obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times. Perry was the staffer who announced that Foxx was recusing herself from the case in a Feb. 13 email to other states attorneys in the department after it was revealed Foxx spoke with a relative of Smolletts shortly after the alleged Jan. 29 attack and before he was charged with filing a false report. Foxx, though, continued to influence the case, later calling her recusal informal. These are the latest in a string of resignations that started about a year ago, a former high-level official in the State Attorneys Office told CBS Chicago. The First Assistant States Attorney, the head of the Special Prosecutions Bureau, Chief Policy Officer, a Senior Adviser, and a Deputy Policy Adviser all left within the last year and job postings suggest others might be planning to leave in addition to Perry and Rotert. Here is Kim Foxxs Chief Ethics Officers resignation: pic.twitter.com/Jy6QF5SNjS Matt Finn (@MattFinnFNC) April 19, 2019 Irv Miller, a legal analyst who works for CBS, said that the top positions usually change when a new state attorney comes on board, not in the middle of ones tenure. The Cook County Inspector Generals Office is investigating Cooks office for its handling of the Smollett case, reported NBC 5. The report could be completed by the end of the summer. The resignations came after text messages were made public showing Foxx told assistant prosecutor Joe Magats, who was credited with making the decision to drop all the charges against Smollett, that the 16 felony counts filed against the actor were excessive. Just because we can charge something doesnt mean we should, she wrote. He responded, agreed. Several weeks later, he dropped all the charges. Cook County States Attorney: The chief ethics officer, April Perry, and the chief of the Conviction Integrity Unit, Mark Rotert, have submitted letters of resignation. https://t.co/xsfRXMplCE Jared Rutecki (@JaredRutecki) April 19, 2019 Foxx admitted this week that she corresponded with Magats after Perry, the ethics officer, announced that Foxx had recused herself. Richard Kling, with the Kent School of Law, told NBC 5 that what happened was confusing. From reading everything, I dont think there was an intent to deceive the public, he said. I think the public was deceived but I dont think it was an intentional deception. I think just so much craziness was going on that there were mixed messages. But he also said that the turnover isnt necessarily linked to the Smollett situation. Realistically, theres always people who leave. It will be interesting to get the regular, revolving door. You know there are people who are always coming, who are always leaving, and the fact that Kim Foxx is in the front page right now doesnt necessarily mean that their leaving has anything to do with it, Kling told Fox 32. It may, but we wont know. Perry, Roterts supervisor, hasnt publicly commented on the resignation. Rotert, who submitted his letter the day before the charges were dropped, said the resignation coincided with a planned trip overseas with his wife and the start of fishing season. I really felt I was in a unique position because I had been a prosecutor and I had worked in defense and at the end of the day, when it was all said and done, I was going to go fishing, Rotert told the Sun-Times. I am just incredibly proud of the work we did. I think we have a (unit) that really should be a national model. From NTD News Man Owes His Life to Shark Attack After Doctors Find Tumor Eugene Finney was enjoying the beach with his daughter on a perfect July day in Huntington Beach, California. The surf was pretty big that day, said Finney, 39. The waves were about 7 to 9 feet, and the water is pretty deep. You cant touch the bottom. He and his 10-year-old daughter Temple dove into a cresting wave, with Finney wrapping her tight to brace her against the current. When they were underwater, Finney felt something slam into his back. Shark attack leads to lucky discovery: http://t.co/m0xE7BxEBc pic.twitter.com/2zy15iNdwJ CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) October 8, 2015 Something struck me from behind. Id never been hit like that before. It was pretty jarring. It kind of gave me an instant whiplash, he said. Finney quickly moved toward shore with his daughter, and as soon as they got out his girlfriend and kids saw a long, bleeding gash on his back. He went to rinse off his wound, but when he got back he saw a crowd forming at the edge of the water. Shark fins had been spotted. Finney was skeptical hed actually been attacked, and he and his family boarded a plane back to their Massachusetts home a few days later. Soon after, he returned to his job, but the pain was getting worse. His boss insisted he go to the doctor, saying You dont look good, Finney recounted to the San Jose Mercury News. He went to St. Elizabeths Medical Center in Brighton complaining of serious chest and back pains, but he never could have predicted the full diagnosis. The pain was caused by interior bruising of the thoracic cavity due to blunt force trauma, Finny told CBS. But that was just the first part. They had discovered a growth, or a tumor, on my right kidney about the size of a walnut, he said. It was cancer. A couple of months later, doctors removed the tumor using robotic surgery. If this didnt happen with the shark, causing me to go in with this chest pain, I would have never known about this cancer, Finney stated. I feel fortunate. I really feel like Ive gotten a second chance at life and Im not going to blow it. Shark Attack Stats According to National Geographic, about 93 percent of all shark attacks from the year 1580 to 2010 were on males. In 2010, North American Waters had 42% of all confirmed unprovoked attacks worldwide (32 attacks), said the website, adding that surfers accounted for about 50 percent of the attacks. Meanwhile, Swimmers and Waders accounted for 38% of all attacks in 2010, said National Geographic, adding: Snorkelers and divers accounted for 8% of all attacks in 2010. About 3 percent of attacks were on people in inflatable rafts and inner tubes. Over the last half-century, there have been more unprovoked shark attacks in Florida (27 out of a total 139) between 2-3 p.m. than any other time of the day, says National Geographic. New Smyrna Beach in Florida is the shark attack capital of the world according to ISAF. It is estimated that anyone who has swam there has been within 10ft of a shark. Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Alexander Downer in London on Jan. 24, 2017. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Mueller Report Points to Australian Governments Role in Sparking FBIs Trump Campaign Investigation A redacted version of Robert Muellers report made public on April 18 devoted 14 pages to former Trump adviser George Papadopoulos, who had an infamous London bar meeting with then Australian high commissioner to the UK Alexander Downer. Without naming the Australian government, the highly-anticipated report by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller details the role of a foreign government in sparking the FBIs 2016 investigation into whether Donald Trumps election campaign co-ordinated with the Russian government. Related Coverage UK, Australia Have Reason to Be Concerned About Declassification I met with the DOJ concerning the declassification of various UNREDACTED documents. They agreed to release them but stated that so doing may have a perceived negative impact on the Russia probe. Also, key Allies called to ask not to release. Therefore, the Inspector General.. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 21, 2018 Despite Downers strong rejections, Papadopoulos claims that the former Australian foreign affairs minister recorded a meeting they had at the Kensington Wine Rooms in May, 2016, and was acting as a spy. Alexander Downer will go down in history as a stooge for (Hillary) Clinton who single-handedly caused irreparable damage between the USA-Australia,Papadopoulos tweeted on Sept. 21, 2018. Congrats, buddy. The Mueller report also does not name Downer, referring to a representative of that foreign government. Downer said on April 18 that he had not read the Mueller report. Havent seen it and dont follow those issues, he told AAP. Mueller devotes 14 pages of his 448-page report to Papadopoulos. Downer acknowledged in an interview with The Australian newspaper last year that he had met with Papadopoulos at a London bar. Downer claims that Papadopoulos told him during that meeting that Russia had political dirt on Trumps then-presidential rival, Hillary Clinton, and that they might use that damaging material in the lead-up to the election. Downer said he passed the highly-sensitive information back to Canberra the following day or a day or two. How the information was then transferred to the FBI or U.S. intelligence agencies is not clear, but according to the Mueller report, was what prompted the FBI on July 31, 2016, to open an investigation into whether individuals associated with the Trump Campaign were co-ordinating with the Russian government in its interference activities. Papadopoulos, however, says he has no memory of saying anything about Russian dirt on Clinton to Downer, saying that actors within Australian and British intelligence had entrapped him. Muellers report describes how Papadopoulos had learned that the Russians had obtained dirt on candidate Hillary Clinton from Maltese Professor Joseph Mifsud during a meeting Mifsud arranged in London on April 26, 2016. Another example of UK incompetence or complicity? Here is Joseph Mifsud a year after I notified the FBI that he was a suspected Russian agent with none other than the British Foreign Minister, Boris Johnson. Strange that a Russian agent gets such access to the top in the UK. pic.twitter.com/39J4PKv7RF George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) October 14, 2018 After reports are finally out that the British and Australian governments were actively spying and trying to sabotage the Trump campaign, those two governments called the president to ask for him not to declassify any FISA documents, Papadopoulos wrote on Twitter last year. Strange. It was that FBI investigation that eventually led to Mueller being appointed as special counsel to investigate Russian interference. Mueller investigated whether Papadopoulos told Trump campaign officials about the potential Russian dirt on Clinton, but Mueller hit a dead end. Papadopoulos and the Campaign officials with whom he interacted told the Office that they did not recall that Papadopoulos passed them the information, the report states. Muellers 22-month investigation found there was insufficient evidence to establish Trump or his associates engaged in a criminal conspiracy with Russia to disrupt the 2016 election. Papadopoulos was one of Muellers first prosecutions. Papadopoulos entered a guilty plea in 2017 to lying to the FBI about the extent of his contacts with Russian nationals and Mifsud, who he called a nothing. He was later sentenced to 14 days in prison. Papadopolous has since released a book called Deep State Target detailing his account of his interactions with Downer, Trump, Mifsud and others. By Peter Mitchell, AAP US Correspondent. With additional reporting by Epoch Times staff. Naming of San Francisco Subway Station Raises Question of Chinatowns Identity SAN FRANCISCOAs the $1.6 billion Central Subway project approaches completion, San Francisco authorities face the controversial decision of whether to name the subways Chinatown station after the founding father of Taiwan, or after a political power broker with deep ties to communist China. To many Chinese-Americans who have both Chinese and American cultural heritages, Sun Yat-Sen, the founding father of the Republic of China (also known as Taiwan), is a perfect figure to represent their cultural backgrounds. In 1912, Sun established the Republic of China in mainland China, as the first democratic nation in Asia. His ideas for the new nation were based on the combined principles of the American founding fathers and Confucianism. After the Kuomintang Party, which Sun founded, was defeated by the communists in 1949, the Republic of China under the Kuomintangs leadership assumed the governance of Taiwan. Sun Yat-Sen was Chinas George Washington, said Quach Thanh, the general counsel of the World Federation of Chinese Organizations from Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Thanh is the one who initiated the effort to name the Chinatown station after Sun. There is only one Sun Yat-Sen in 5,000 years history [of China], Thanh said. Many Chinese-Americans feel that Suns ideas not only represent their heritage, but also reflect the values they live by in daily life. According to Thanh, naming the station after Sun would be a great way to pay tribute to the work of Chinese immigrants in building the U.S. transcontinental railroad system. In the late 1800s, Chinese immigrants provided the main labor force for the transcontinental railroad system. Sun, who overthrew Chinas last imperial dynasty by building his revolutionary army through overseas fundraising efforts, came to San Francisco several times to raise financial support for his army in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Xin Haonian, a well-known Chinese historian who specializes in Suns revolutionary efforts, told The Epoch Times that most of the donors who gave support to Sun were Chinese immigrants with lower incomes, while many rich Chinese immigrants at the time had business ties to Chinas last dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, and gave their support to it. Fewer Taiwanese Flags Xins description of the political landscape of San Francisco Chinatown in the early 1900s, to a certain extent, reflects what is happening today in Chinatown related to China. Until a few years into the 2000s, most buildings in Chinatown had Taiwanese flags, reflecting their political ties with democratic Taiwan. However, along with Chinas economic growth, Chinatown has increasingly developed ties between the local businesses and China. As a result, fewer Taiwanese flags can be seen in Chinatown, while more flags of communist China have gone up. Local Chinese media also are under the influence of China. The Hoover Institution recently published a report summarizing Chinas penetration into U.S. media. The report, titled Chinese Influence and American Interests, states that the majority of the local Chinese-language media have built ties with China or softened their stance on China in recent years. The 200-page Hoover report stated in its afterword: Once largely a form of economic competition, Chinas recent turn to military and political rivalry with the United States has changed the whole equation of the bilateral relationship. Spreading Communist Propaganda The San Francisco Board of Supervisors wants to name the Chinatown station after the late Rose Pak, who was infamous for helping spread Chinas communist propaganda in San Francisco. Pak often was referred to by local media as Chinatowns political power broker. She was an executive director of the China Overseas Exchange Association, an organization overseen by the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council of China. In 2008, prior to the Beijing Olympics, Pak openly opposed a resolution of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that criticized China for the Tiananmen Square massacre and its repression of the press and religious groups. Pak, while calling communist China a sleeping giant, criticized the United States by saying, On what moral ground does a country thats been involved in the slave trade in Africa and that drummed up false charges to invade Iraq shake its finger and lecture China? Pak was widely considered the de facto leader of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. Starting in 2004, she banned Falun Gong practitioners from participating in the citys annual Chinese New Year parade, which is the largest of its kind outside of Asia. Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline that is practiced by people in more than 80 countries, but is persecuted in China, its home country. It involves doing five slow-moving exercises and following the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance in daily life. Before the Chinese regime began to persecute Falun Gong in 1999, the regimes statistics showed that close to 100 million Chinese people had taken up the practice. According to a news report by the newspaper Sing Tao Daily, when San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown visited Beijing in November 2001, Chinese communist leader Jiang Zemin praised Paks efforts to oppose a resolution by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to support the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners. After many years of promoting Beijings overseas propaganda agenda, Pak was invited to participate in the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference National Committees meeting in Beijing in March 2014. After Pak died in September 2016, a report by Politico revealed that among U.S. intelligence officials, there were widespread concerns that Pak had been co-opted by Chinese intelligence. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution in October 2016 to name the Chinatown station after Pak. The SFMTA (San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency) later decided not to name the station after any person. As the Central Subways completion approaches, rumors have been going around in the city that the SFMTA will reconsider the supervisors resolution or possibly name a portion of the station after Pak. San Francisco, the most liberal city in the United States with a significant Chinese population, is at the forefront of adjusting to the changing relations between the United States and China. How the city names the Chinatown subway station may reflect which direction the city will take regarding the two countries. Armed police stage at the scene of unrest in Creggan, Londonderry, in Northern Ireland, on April 18, 2019. (Niall Carson/PA via AP) Off-Duty Journalist Shot Dead During Northern Ireland Riot BELFASTAn off-duty journalist was killed after shots were fired during rioting in the Northern Irish city of Londonderry overnight, in what police on Friday, April 19, said was likely the work of militant nationalists opposed to the British regions 1998 peace deal. Rioting erupted in the Irish nationalist Creggan area of the city late on Thursday following a raid by police, who said they were trying to prevent militant attacks planned for the weekend. At least 50 petrol bombs were thrown and two cars set on fire. Unfortunately at 11 oclock last night a gunman appeared and fired a number of shots toward the police and a young woman, Lyra McKee, 29 years old, was wounded and later died, Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton told journalists on Friday. He said police were treating the incident as a terrorist attack and had opened a murder inquiry. Lyra McKee: Woman killed in Derry violence was a rising star of investigative journalism https://t.co/SBHlAu5Oso pic.twitter.com/pxVcpFBiLn Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) April 19, 2019 We believe this to be a terrorist act. We believe this has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, Hamilton added, saying the New IRA group, which has been responsible for several attacks in recent years, was most likely behind the killing. McKee was writing a book on the disappearance of young people during three decades of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, which ended with the 1998 Good Friday Agreement peace deal. She was described by publisher Faber as a rising star of investigative journalism. Police said they did not believe she was working at the time of the attack. A local journalist at the scene, Leona ONeill, wrote on Twitter that after the woman was hit and fell beside a police Land Rover, officers rushed her to hospital, where she died. I was standing beside this young woman when she fell beside a police Land Rover tonight in Creggan #Derry. I called an ambulance for her but police put her in the back of their vehicle and rushed her to hospital where she died. Just 29 years old. Sick to my stomach tonight pic.twitter.com/F0GHHd3HPz Leona ONeill (@LeonaONeill1) April 18, 2019 Videos posted on social media showed police vehicles being pelted with what she said were dozens of petrol bombs, bricks, bottles, and fireworks. The detonation of a large car bomb outside a courthouse in Londonderry in January highlighted the threat still posed by militant groups opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, who have previously launched attacks during the Easter period. Politicians in Northern Ireland have also warned that Britains plans to leave the European Union could undermine the peace deal and that any border infrastructure would become targets for militant groups. U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a congressional delegation to the city earlier on Thursday, as part of a trip to show support for the peace agreement politicians in Washington helped to broker. The leaders of Northern Irelands two largest political parties, the Irish nationalist Sinn Fein party and pro-British Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), both condemned the killing. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back, the DUPs Arlene Foster said on Twitter. Heartbreaking news. A senseless act. A family has been torn apart. Those who brought guns onto our streets in the 70s, 80s & 90s were wrong. It is equally wrong in 2019. No one wants to go back. My thoughts are also with the brave officers who stood in defence of their community. https://t.co/77JO3YSYOB Arlene Foster (@DUPleader) April 19, 2019 Britains Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Karen Bradley said she was deeply shocked and saddened by McKees death. By Amanda Ferguson Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor left, arrived with his defense attorneys Peter Wold, center, and Thomas Plunkett, right, before another day of testimony in Noor's murder and manslaughter trial in Minneapolis on April 17, 2019. (Jeff Baenen/AP Photo) Partner of Accused Ex-Cop: Feared Ambush Before Woman Shot MINNEAPOLISThe partner of a Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed woman who had called 911 to report a possible crime testified on April 18 that he heard a thump on the officers squad car right before the shooting and feared a possible ambush. Officer Matthew Harritys testimony echoed a key claim by attorneys for Mohamed Noor, who fired a single shot at Justine Ruszczyk Damond as she approached the officers squad car on July 15, 2017. Damond had placed two 911 calls that night to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. Struck in the abdomen, the 40-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Australia quickly bled to death in an incident that sparked anger and disbelief in both countries. Prosecutors have questioned the defense narrative of a thump on the squad car, saying investigators found no forensic evidence that Damond touched it. Theyve also questioned the timing of the claim, saying Harrity first mentioned it days after the shooting and after investigators raised the possibility. Noor never talked to investigators and it isnt clear whether he will testify. On Thursday, Harrity described a tense scene, with he and Noor rolling down the dark alley with headlights off, using a spotlight to search for any evidence of a woman in trouble. Harrity, who was driving, said that at one point he took a safety off his holster, but that when they neared the end of the alley without finding anything, he thought he had replaced it. Harritywearing his uniform and appearing composed on the standtestified that he then had a weird feeling to his left but couldnt make out what it was. At this time, I hear something hit the car and I also hear some sort of murmur, he said. He immediately drew his gun and held it to his ribs pointing downward, he said. Prosecutor Amy Sweasy asked Harrity whether he always pulled his gun when startled. He said it depends. In this situation, with the thump and being startled, I went straight to, This could be an ambush, Harrity answered. He added: My first thought is, Im going to make sure whatever it was is not a threat to me. Harrity said that as he tried to make sense of what was happening, he heard a pop and looked over to see that Noor had fired across him and through the drivers side window. Neither officer had their body cameras running at that point, something Harrity blamed on what he called a vague policy that didnt require it. Both men switched them on afterward, and a portion of Harritys was played Thursday. It shows efforts by the two men to save Damond with CPR. Damonds labored breathing is heard, with Harrity saying, Stay with me, stay with me, stay breathing. He also is heard addressing his partner: Noor, breathe, just breathe. At one point, as Harrity steps away to get medical supplies, he cautions Noor to slow down the CPR, and reassures Noor that an ambulance is coming. A medical examiner testified earlier that Damond was hit in a key artery and lost so much blood so quickly that even faster medical care might not have saved her. Much of the prosecutions early case focused on the handling of the crime scene by police and state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents, including possible missteps. They also highlighted officers turning their body cameras on and off repeatedly after the shooting. By Amy Forliti A Dodge Ram truck was over the line at a parking space located next to a handicap spot in Southlake, Texas. Police issued a flier (Southlake Police Department) Police Criticize Bad Parking Job With Coloring Book Lesson A police department in Texas came up with a novel way to teach a motorist a lesson on how to properly park. A Dodge Ram truck was over the line at a parking space located next to a handicap spot in Southlake, Texas. In a Facebook post, the department wrote: We try to avoid snark and sass (we REALLY do), but sometimes our fair citizens make it hard. We try to avoid snark and sass (we REALLY do ), but sometimes our fair citizens make it hard.Please stay in the lines Posted by Southlake DPS on Monday, April 15, 2019 Please stay in the lines when you park ESPECIALLY if its next to a handicapped spot or you might be the recipient of one of our new fliers, it said. The officer was photographed placing the flier on the windshield wipers of the truck. We noticed you had a little trouble staying in the lines when you parked next to a handicapped space Maybe if you practice coloring our patch and staying in the lines here, it could help you avoid citations in the future? the flier asks, which includes a black-and-white picture of the departments badge. Its not clear if the officer gave the driver a ticket. Let this graphic be an attention-grabbing example so we dont have to end up going to FedEx Kinkos and making like thousands of copies of these, the department also stated. Hydrant Lesson Ever wonder what happens when a car is parked in front of a fire hydrant and a fire breaks out? Is a closer parking spot worth the broken windows and the citation and towing fees to @AnaheimPD? @City_of_Anaheim residents please do not park in fire lanes pic.twitter.com/Q96E4gfTOR Anaheim Fire & Rescue (@AnaheimFire) February 26, 2019 In California, officials issued a stark yet humorous warning to drivers after firefighters broke the windows of a car and ran a hose through the vehicle. Photos posted by the Anaheim Fire and Rescue showed a hose going through the car that was illegally parked in front of a hydrant. Ever wonder what happens when a car is parked in front of a fire hydrant and a fire breaks out? Is a closer parking spot worth the broken windows and the citation and towing fees? asked the office. APD assisted our partners from @AnaheimFire on a working residential structure fire this morning in the 1100 blk of N. West St. they had to run a hose line thru a cars windows because it was parked in front of the hydrant. There is a reason the curbs are RED people https://t.co/vSXmtBjNXW Anaheim PD (@AnaheimPD) February 26, 2019 It then urged residents not to park in fire lanes. Anaheim police retweeted the photos and told drivers that red curbs exist for a reason. No other details were released about the incident. Fine Over License Mud Drivers who dont wash their vehicles properly could be hit with a fine to the tune of hundreds of dollars in Australia. Police in New South Wales warned motorists in March that they could face a nearly $450 charge and three penalty points if their license plates arent displayed in a clean and clear manner. Not washing your car properly- $448 and 3 points. Don't wash your car and neglect your number plate. Remover the cover. Posted by Traffic and Highway Patrol Command NSW Police Force on Wednesday, March 20, 2019 Could your license plate land you with a 1000 fine? Cars with dirty or obscured plates can be pulled over by police and issued an 1000 fine and failed MOT, so check your plates and get scrubbing #winter #2018 https://t.co/aznzvdT33m pic.twitter.com/Q5yLISPqfp Autocraft (@autocraftwirral) January 18, 2018 The police force stated on Facebook: Not washing your car properly- $448 and 3 points. Dont wash your car and neglect your number plate. Remover (sic) the cover. It drew heavy backlash from commenters. Cygnus capsule arrives at the International Space Station with food galore, following a 1 1/2-day journey from Virginia, on April 19, 2019. (NASA TV via AP) Private Cargo Ship Brings Easter Feast to the Space Station CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.A private cargo ship brought the makings of an Easter feast to the International Space Station on April 19, along with mice and little flying robots. Space station astronaut Anne McClain used a robot arm to capture Northrop Grummans Cygnus capsule as they soared 258 miles (415 kilometers) above France. The Cygnus and its 7,600-pound (3,450-kilogram) shipment rocketed from Wallops Island, Virginia, on Wednesday, completing the trip in a quick day and a half. It holds numerous science experiments, including 40 mice taking part in a tetanus vaccination study, and three boxy free-flying robots designed to assist astronauts inside and out. NASA also packed more than 800 meals for the six station residents. Their holiday choices include pork chops with gravy, smoked turkey, potatoes au gratin, lemon meringue pudding, and apricot cobbler. Northrop Grumman named this Cygnus the S.S. Roger Chaffee after the youngest of the three astronauts who died in the Apollo 1 spacecraft fire in 1967. Chaffee was the only one on the crew who never made it to space. Its great to have the S.S. Roger Chaffee officially on board, McClain radioed. We never forget that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Please know that every day we remember his sacrifice and that we will continue to honor his legacy by pursuing his passion for exploration. To the S.S. Roger Chaffee, welcome aboard. The @NorthropGrumman Cygnus cargo craft has been maneuvered to the Unity module for installation. Watch live now on @NASA TV. https://t.co/cBNqC61h27 pic.twitter.com/LZhkWo2leQ Intl. Space Station (@Space_Station) April 19, 2019 Two hours after its arrival, the capsule was anchored onto the space station by flight controllers working remotely from Houston. The Cygnus will remain there until July, when it is released with trash for a few months of solo orbiting in a test by Northrop Grumman. It ultimately will make a fiery re-entry. Besides McClain, there are two other Americans living on the space station, as well as two Russians and one Canadian. They will receive another shipment in just over a week from NASAs other commercial supplier, SpaceX. By Marcia Dunn Attorney General William Barr speaks alongside Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, right, and acting Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Edward O'Callaghan, left, about the release of a redacted version of special counsel Robert Mueller's report during a news conference at the Department of Justice in Washington, on April 18, 2019. (Patrick Semansky/AP Photo) Rep. Jim Jordan Praises AG Barr for His Handling of the Mueller Report Release Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said in a recent interview that he thought that Attorney General William Barr handled himself extremely well with the release of the special counsels final report on the Russia collusion probe amid accusations that the attorney general was protecting the president. Jordan made an appearance with fellow Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) on Fox News to discuss the release of the Mueller report. During the interview, Jordan praised the attorney general when asked whether Barr was acting as President Donald Trumps lawyer rather than the nations top lawyer. .@RepMarkMeadows and I joined @TeamCavuto to discuss the Mueller Reports conclusions: no collusion, no obstruction. WATCH: https://t.co/HJfm6uBjlT Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 18, 2019 No, I think the attorney general handled himself extremely well, Jordan said. I think he said that he will hold people accountable last week when he talked about the fact that there was spying that took place. And I think that he presented the conclusions, and the conclusions speak for themselvesno new indictments, no sealed indictments, no obstruction, no collusion. I think he has handled himself exactly the way the American people want their attorney general to operate. And I think whats most important now, lots of people Mark and I talk to, they want us to get to the bottom of this, he added. The Justice Department released a redacted version of Muellers report just after 11 a.m. on April 18. The nearly 500-page report details how the special counsel concluded that there was no collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. The report also found that the special counsel did not find enough evidence to substantiate that the president obstructed justice. Democrats have repeatedly criticized Barr for taking what they call unprecedented steps to spin special counsel Robert Muellers report. Rather than letting the facts of the report speak for themselves, the attorney general has taken unprecedented steps to spin Muellers nearly two-year investigation, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) said on April 17. Several prominent Democrats such as presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) also expressed their dissatisfaction with Barrs remarks and actions relating to the release of Muellers report. Moreover, Nadler issued a subpoena for the full unredacted Mueller report on April 19 so that members of his committee could make informed decisions, such as whether or not to try and impeach the president. This morning, @HouseJudiciary has issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full the Mueller report and the underlying materials. DOJ is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1. pic.twitter.com/nzu9O5CC36 (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 19, 2019 We need the entire report, unredacted, and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions, he said, adding that he expects the Justice Department to comply with the subpoenas by May 1. In order to accommodate the Congress members ongoing requests for a fully unredacted report, Barr said in a press conference on April 18just before the report was releasedthat he was releasing a less-redacted version of the report to select members of Congress. Barr Commended for Professionalism Similarly to Jordan, former FBI official Jeff Danik, now a managing member at consultant group Danik Solutions, praised Barr for his handling of the press conference on April 18. I wanted to commend AG Barr on his professional press conference, Danik told The Hill. Former FBI official Jeff Danik praises Barr for professional press conference @HillTVLive https://t.co/58UeJO75zA pic.twitter.com/2dB2h5cC0t The Hill (@thehill) April 19, 2019 This is a good indication that an adult was in the room today on the press conference, he added. During the press conference, Barr was again accused of protecting the president, which led to an uncomfortable exchange with a reporter. Attorney General William P. Barr Delivers Remarks on the Release of the Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election https://t.co/R6WI0cDXF3 Justice Department (@TheJusticeDept) April 18, 2019 The back-and-forth came after Barr said that the context of Trumps actions had to be taken into consideration and that he and Rosenstein kept in mind that Trump was facing an unprecedented situation. As he entered into office, and sought to perform his responsibilities as President, federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office, and the conduct of some of his associates. At the same time, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the Presidents personal culpability. Yet, as he said from the beginning, there was, in fact, no collusion, Barr said. The reporter told Barr that she felt he was being quite generous to Trump, quoting Barr saying the president faced an unprecedented situation and noting that he discussed how frustrated the president was with the probe. What do you say to people on both sides of the aisle who say that you are trying to protect the president? the reporter asked. Well, actually, the statements about his sincere beliefs are recognized in the report, that there was substantial evidence for that, so Im not sure what your basis is for saying that Im being generous to the president, Barr said. You said he faced an unprecedented situation, the reporter responded. It just seems like theres a lot of going out of your way to acknowledge Well, is there another precedent for it? Barr interjected. Well, no, the reporter said. Then unprecedented is an accurate description, isnt it? Barr said. Well, yeah, the reporter said. The Epoch Times reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. The city of Doral, Fla., tweeted that a private contractor has corrected the word (Google Maps) School Misspelled at Crosswalk in Doral, Florida A road crew in Florida apparently misspelled the word school near a crosswalk. Instead, its spelled scohol, according to photos and videos posted on social media. The city of Doral, Florida, tweeted that a private contractor has corrected the word. #UPDATE This SCHOOL zone striping was handled by the developers contractor. They have been notified and are working expeditiously to correct. Thank you to all who brought this very important matter to our attention. https://t.co/4YVR82gsrB City of Doral (@Cityofdoral) April 18, 2019 This SCHOOL zone striping was handled by the developers contractor. They have been notified and are working expeditiously to correct. Thank you to all who brought this very important matter to our attention, the city wrote on April 18. Wrote one person in the comments section, Checklist for this job: License? Check. Contract? Check. Spelling test for the one word they need to spell? Its not a good thing when you misspell school, bystander Maxwell Easter said, KFVS reported. Its not a good look. At all. My buddy pulled it up on Twitter and saw that someone had misspelled school and we had to come see it for ourselves, Easter added. Old Chalkboards Found Inside School Workers renovating a high school in Oklahoma City were stunned to find chalkboards from the early 1900s behind the walls. The series of chalkboards, that appear to have been used in 1917, were discovered in three classrooms at Emerson High School. Counting down until Christmas 1917. Drawings nearly 100 years old found during MAPS construction. pic.twitter.com/2nV7hq8foL OKC Public Schools (@OKCPS) June 5, 2015 They feature lessons on math, reading, music, and handwriting. According to reports, there was a picture of a turkey as the markings were made right after Thanksgiving in 1917. There are also rules for keeping clean, a drawing of a little girl blowing bubbles, and a history lesson about the Pilgrims. I was like, Oh my God, and then I got goosebumps and then I had tears in my eyes, Principal Sherry Kishore told KFOR. Music lesson from 1917. pic.twitter.com/bVRqU2hmT0 OKC Public Schools (@OKCPS) June 5, 2015 Written on one of the boards is a pledge that goes: I give my head, my heart, and my life to my God, and one nation, indivisible, with justice for all. Math teacher Sherry Read told NPR she believes that the chalkboard drawings and lessons were left for a reason. You would have cleaned off your board so you could be ready the next day to come back and teach, Read said. So I think they left them on there on purpose to send a message to us, to say, This is what was going on in our time.' You find a lesson on pilgrims in every classroom. There was #aligned curriculum in #1917. pic.twitter.com/MurjKd8n6i OKC Public Schools (@OKCPS) June 5, 2015 The time that teachers must have spent preparing for their lessons is amazing to me, Kishore said after seeing all the details on the boards. Her 85-year-old mother, a retired schoolteacher, also shed tears after seeing the boards. She just stood there and cried, Kishore told The Oklahoman. Kishore said the markings were exactly like her classroom was when she was going to school. This combination of images provided by the Yale School of Medicine in April 2019 shows stained microscope photos of neurons, green; astrocytes, red, and cell nuclei, blue, from a pig brain left untreated for 10 hours after death, left, and another with a specially designed blood substitute pumped through it. By medical standards this is not a living brain, said Nenad Sestan of the Yale School of Medicine, one of the researchers reporting the results on April 17, 2019, in the journal Nature. (Stefano G. Daniele, Zvonimir Vrselja/Sestan Laboratory/Yale School of Medicine) Scientists Restore Some Activity in Brains of Slaughtered Pigs NEW YORKScientists restored some activity within the brains of pigs that had been slaughtered hours before, raising hopes for some medical advances and questions about the definition of death. The brains could not think or sense anything, researchers stressed. By medical standards this is not a living brain, said Nenad Sestan of the Yale School of Medicine, one of the researchers reporting the results on April 17 in the journal Nature. But the work revealed a surprising degree of resilience among cells within a brain that had lost its supply of blood and oxygen, he said. Cell death in the brain occurs across a longer time window than we previously thought, Sestan said. Such research might lead to new therapies for stroke and other conditions, as well as provide a new way to study the brain and how drugs work in it, researchers said. They said they had no current plans to try their technique on human brains. The study was financed mostly by the National Institutes of Health. The 32 brains came from pigs killed for food at a local slaughterhouse. Scientists put the brains into an apparatus in their lab. Four hours after the animals died, scientists began pumping a specially designed blood substitute through the organs. The brains showed no large-scale electrical activity that would indicate awareness. Restoring consciousness was not a goal of the study, which was aimed instead at exploring whether particular functions might be restored long after death. After six hours of pumping, scientists found that individual brain cells in one area of the brain had maintained key details of their structure, while cells from untreated brains had severely degraded. When scientists removed these neurons from treated brains and stimulated them electrically, the cells responded in a way that indicated viability. And by studying the artificial blood before it entered the treated brains and after it emerged, researchers found evidence that brain cells were absorbing blood sugar and oxygen and producing carbon dioxide, a signal that they were functioning. They also found that blood vessels in treated brains responded to a drug that makes vessels widen. Pig experiment: The restoration of some structures and cellular functions in pig brains hours after death could intensify debates about when human organs should be removed for transplantation, warn Stuart Youngner and Insoo Hyun. https://t.co/oS6zJW8LnN #neuroethics Alan Regenberg (@aregenberg) April 17, 2019 Sestan said researchers dont know whether they could restore normal whole brain function if they chose that goal. If such consciousness had appeared in the reported experiments, scientists would have used anesthesia and low temperatures to quash it and stop the experiment, said study co-author Stephen Latham of Yale. Theres no good ethical consensus about doing such research if the brain is conscious, he said. Researchers are now seeing if they can keep the brain functions they observed going for longer than six hours of treatment, which Latham said would be necessary to use the technology as a research tool. Christof Koch, president of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, who didnt participate in the study, said he was surprised by the results, especially since they were achieved in a large animal. This sort of technology could help increase our knowledge to bring people back to the land of the living after a drug overdose or other catastrophic event that deprived the brain of oxygen for an hour or two, he said. Unlike the pig experiments, any such treatment would not involve removing the brain from the body. The pig work also enters an ethical minefield, he said. For one thing, it touches on the widely used definition of death as the irreversible loss of brain function because irreversibility depends on the state of the technology; and as this study shows, this is constantly advancing, he said. And somebody might well try this with a human brain someday, he said. If future experiments restored the large-scale electrical activity, would that indicate consciousness? Would the brain experience confusion, delusion, pain or agony? he asked. That would be unacceptable even in an animal brain, he said. In a Nature commentary, bioethicists Stuart Youngner and Insoo Hyun of the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Cleveland said if such work leads to better methods for resuscitating the brain in people, it could complicate decisions about when to remove organs for transplant. By Malcolm Ritter SALFORD, United KingdomThrough the medium of classical Chinese dance, Shen Yun artists bring to life tales from ancient times to the modern day. Caroline Griffiths, who watched the performance at The Lowry Salford, on April 18, described the dancing as fantastic, and said she felt light and happy while watching their movements. You wish that you could dance like that, said Griffiths, a chiropractor who owns her own clinic near Manchester. Dating back thousands of years, classical Chinese dance is one of the most expressive art forms in the world, and carries the values of ancient Chinese culturea culture that was almost wiped out under communist rule. Griffiths was struck by the stories that portrayed modern-day China. One of those, called Goodness in the Face of Evil, is about practitioners of Falun Dafa, a spiritual discipline that has been persecuted in China since the late 1990s. In the piece, a girl who practices Falun Dafa is jailed and subjected to forced organ harvesting. But in the end, her goodness triumphs over evil. Its something that most people dont know about, so to find out about the darker side is very enlightening for us in the West, Griffiths said. In this country we take it for granted because we can express our opinions and follow whatever religion we like, but it is a different story in China. She added, Its better that the whole world knows whats going on. Formed in 2006, Shen Yun Performing Arts seek to revive the almost-destroyed 5,000 years of divinely inspired Chinese culture and share it with the world. Griffiths agreed that this mission was good. You need to be able to express your religious beliefs or feelings of kindness and goodness and not be frightened to do that, she said, hoping that Shen Yuns performances could bring about positive change in the world. There were two curtain calls at the April 18 performance at The Lowry Salford. Shen Yun has six companies that tour the world simultaneously. With reporting by NTD Television and Jane Gray. 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. Six More Taiwanese Companies Return Home From China Taiwanese firms that have significant China operations are beginning to make a return to home base. Taiwans Ministry of Economic Affairs recently approved six Taiwanese companies investment plans on the island; all of the firms had production bases in mainland China. Total investments from these six companies exceed NT$30.8 billion ($1 billion) and will add more than 1,200 jobs. The Taiwanese government has been encouraging Taiwanese companies to return home to invest since the beginning of the year. The Ministry of Economic Affairs launched a welcome back program on Jan. 1, providing incentives such as free rent for the first two years, favorable bank loans, and access to tax consultation to them. Since the programs launch, 30 Taiwanese companies have decided to move back to Taiwan from China, bringing combined investments valued at NT$120 billion ($3.9 billion) and promising 15,000 jobs to local workers. The six companies that received approval for their investments on April 12 are Sunspring Metal Corporation, Tong Yang Group, Repon Industrial Corp, Johnson Health Tech Co, Yageo Corp, and an unnamed large-scale electronic components company. The Ministry of Economic Affairs said in its statement that these six companies are all bellwethers for their respective industries. It added that Chinas ongoing trade war with the United Statesin which the latter has imposed punitive tariffs on more than $200 billion worth of Chinese-manufactured goodshas made these Taiwanese firms more determined to stay on the island, as they had established their factories in mainland China and faced revenue losses due to the U.S. tariffs. Sunspring Metal, the worlds largest maker of zinc alloy faucet components, is based in Taichung City, Taiwan. It owns more than 60 percent of the market share in North America and Europe. Impacted by the U.S.China trade war, the company decided to invest NT$1.6 billion ($51.8 million) to build new plants and automation warehouses in the Central Taiwan Science Park, which will help expand its production lines and generate about 100 new jobs. Tong Yang is the worlds largest manufacturer of car metal sheets and bumpers, with 25 production bases around the globe. Its products include a wide range of car plastic and metal parts, cooling systems, coatings, and mold design. Tong Yang plans to expand its after-sale repair and maintenance services in Taiwan, to increase its market share in the repair service market. The companys NT$4 billion ($130 million) investment will be used to increase the production capacity of car plastic and metal parts at its Tainan City headquarters, which is expected to add 163 jobs. Repon Industrial, a manufacturer of ball bearing slidescommonly placed inside cabinets for slidable drawershas three production bases in Taiwan and China. Due to growing demand from foreign customers to adjust its supply chain after the United States imposed tariffs on China-made goods, the company plans to upgrade its automated production lines at the Yunlin County industrial park located in western Taiwan, in addition to adding new production lines at a separate factory in Yunlin County, and setting up a factory and R&D center at the Jhongli Industrial Park in Taoyuan County up north. Investments will total NT$1.8 billion ($58.6 million). Johnson Health, a top manufacturer of fitness equipment, is well-known for its three equipment brands, Matrix, Vision, and Horizon. The company decided to invest NT$895 million ($29 million) to build a new plant for the production of treadmills and exercise bikes, as well as a robot-enhanced warehouse next to its existing plants in Daya District, Taichung City. This is expected to bring 100 new jobs. Yageo, the worlds largest manufacturer of chip resistors, a type of electronic component, with a global market share of 34 percent. It has an R&D center and a high-end product manufacturing base in Kaohsiung City located in southern Taiwan. It also has 19 additional production bases, 14 R&D centers, and six JIT (just-in-time, an inventory management method) warehouses around the globe. Yageo plans to invest NT$16.5 billion ($530 million) to expand its manufacturing facilities in Taiwan and adopt highly automated production processes. The new factories will create 700 jobs. Another electronic component manufacturer also decided to restructure its global industrial supply chain amid the trade war, while expressing the desire to prevent technology outflows to China. It will invest NT$6 billion ($194 million) in Taiwan, adding 165 jobs. About 50 other Taiwanese firms are currently considering returning to Taiwan, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs. An El Al Boeing 747 passenger jet lands at Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on July 9, 2003. (David Silverman/Getty Images) Stewardess on New York Flight Fell Into a Coma After Catching the Measles A flight attendant traveling on a New York-bound route lost consciousness shortly after contracting a virus that gave her a skin rash and fever, according to officials. CNN reported that the 43-year-old woman developed a fever on March 31 and entered hospital that same day. Health professionals diagnosed her with encephalitis, which can develop if the brain becomes infected during the rash phase of the measles, according to the Encephalitis Society. A flight attendant has slipped into a coma after contracting measles https://t.co/QFZZoay8zu pic.twitter.com/6qT0tBaWUm CNN International (@cnni) April 17, 2019 Israels Ministry of Health believes the El Al Airlines employee might have become ill while in New York, in Israel, or during the flight. Shes been in a deep coma for 10 days, and were now just hoping for the best, ministry Associate Director General Dr. Itamar Grotto told CNN. A flight attendant for El Al is in a coma after contracting measles on a flight from NYC to Tel Aviv https://t.co/d1RPGN68j2 The New York Times (@nytimes) April 18, 2019 The woman is unable to breathe on her own and is being assisted by a respirator at Meir Medical Centers intensive care unit in Kfar Saba, 14 miles northeast of the Israeli capital of Tel Aviv. Israeli media say a 43-year-old flight attendant for Israels El Al airline and a 10-year-old boy are in comas after contracting measles. https://t.co/aYymYrfwDN ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) April 18, 2019 The ministry previously announced that a passenger infected with the measles had boarded another flight from New York. El Al flight 002 departed from [John F.] Kennedy Airport, New York City on March 26, 2019, and arrived in Israel on March 27, the ministry said in a public statement dated April 4. Passengers and flight crew: if any of you develop a fever, you need to notify your medical doctor of exposure to a measles patient. According to CBS New York, the passenger had traveled to Michigan where he allegedly spread the virus to 38 people. The ministry urged passengers on that flight who believe they may have contracted the measles to see their doctor. The Ministry of Health emphasizes that even if you only suspect you developed symptoms of illness and you were aboard this specific flight, you need to immediately contact your general practitioner (GP)preferably call your GP over the phone, and you need to minimize staying in public spaces (e.g. schools, buses, shopping malls, etc.), the ministry said. MEASLES OUTBREAK: A flight attendant is now in a coma after contracting the measles somewhere in New York, Israel or a flight in between https://t.co/durz7CKb7S pic.twitter.com/0qpW5yWxaV CBS News (@CBSNews) April 18, 2019 An outbreak of measles in the state of Michigan where 39 cases have been reported has been traced to a single person, according to The Washington Post. https://t.co/JttOh8NVAb Mail & Guardian (@mailandguardian) April 17, 2019 New York City declared a public health emergency on April 9 over a measles outbreak centered in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and ordered mandatory vaccinations in the neighborhood. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the controversial order amid what he said was a measles crisis in Brooklyns Williamsburg section, where more than 250 people have gotten measles since September. Officials blamed the outbreak on anti-vaxxers. The order applies to anyone living, working, or going to school in the neighborhood and requires all unvaccinated people at risk of exposure to the virus to get the vaccine, including children over six months old. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Fallen trees line the roads leading into the small community of Learned, Miss., on April 18, 2019. (Rogelio V. Solis/Photo via AP) Storms Batter South, Kill 2 in Mississippi, 1 in Alabama LEARNEDStrong storms again roared across the South on Thursday, killing two Mississippi drivers and a woman in Alabama while leaving more than 100,000 people without power across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. National Weather Service forecasters said they believe multiple tornadoes hit southwest and central Mississippi, although they wont be sure until damage is surveyed. Heavy winds also were reported in Louisiana earlier in the day and in central Alabama as the system quickly pushed eastward. Forecasters predicted the system would push into Georgia before sunrise. On the back side of the system, there were also reports late Thursday of high winds in southern Oklahoma. A Mississippi man was killed Thursday afternoon when his car hit a tree on a highway south of Philadelphia, Mississippi, Neshoba County Coroner John Stephens told local news outlets. Stephens did not immediately release the mans name. Kenderick Magee, 24, was also killed while driving in the storm, WLBT-TV reported. Magee fatally crashed near the rural town of Gillsburg in southwest Mississippi, Amite County Coroner Campbell Sharp said. Two minor injuries were reported in Harvey, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans, when a power pole fell on two vehicles. Alabama authorities said a woman was killed Thursday night after strong storms knocked a tree onto her mobile home in St Clair County. Emergency crews found 42-year-old Monica Clements dead inside the home. Clements 10-year-old son suffered minor injuries. Damage was heavy in the Mississippi hamlet of Learned, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) southwest of Jackson. Large oaks were uprooted from saturated ground, landing on at least a dozen houses. One belongs to the family of Jesse Qualls, a Mississippi State University student who was on his way home for Easter when the storms hit. He says his mother had gone to pick up his sister from school and returned to find a pecan tree had crashed through Qualls bedroom and bathroom. His dog Dukey was uninjured. Qualls said he got a tearful call from his mother, but he struggled to make it home, using his truck to push fallen trees off roads leading into town. I saw the house and I started freaking out, Qualls said, as residents and emergency workers sawed up other trees off streets in the 100-resident town. My dad passed away a while ago and this is all I have left of him. Qualls, though, said his family will be fine and the storm is likely to spark a long-delayed renovation. Weve got a lot of people to help, Qualls said. He said his family likely would stay with relatives in nearby Clinton, where two cars were flipped in a Walmart parking lot. To the northeast, Scott County Emergency Management Director Mike Marlow said reports indicated a number of homes were damaged near Morton and the roof blew off a gas station near Lena. In Philadelphia, Mississippi, a wall collapsed at a medical clinic and the storm knocked down traffic signals and canopies and pushed trees onto houses, the Neshoba Democrat reported. Damage from the storm system was reported in at least 24 of Mississippis 82 counties. Schools and colleges sent students home early across much of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. In Jackson, state Auditor Shad White said his staff huddled in a stairway in a high-rise state office building while tornado sirens wailed, winds howled and rains poured. Spokeswoman Cathy Hayden said employees at Hinds Community College in Raymond hid in an underground bookstore storage room. The same system produced tornadoes and hail earlier in North Texas, the Texas Panhandle, Oklahoma and southeastern Kansas. Seven tornadoes were reported across the Plains from the northeastern Texas Panhandle to southeastern Kansas. Strong winds hit elsewhere Wednesday evening, toppling utility poles and trees and downing power lines in parts of North Texas. No significant structural damage was reported, but heavy rainfall caused flash flooding that prompted the shutdown of Interstate 30 in central Arkansas and the closure of several schools around Little Rock. The National Weather Service received numerous reports of hail pelting the storm-struck areas. Egg-size hail was reported about 60 miles northwest of Fort Worth. The threat came days after more than 40 tornadoes from East Texas to Georgia left at least nine dead. That outbreak damaged more than 250 homes, businesses and public buildings across Mississippi. By Jeff Amy and Rogelio Solis President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland prior to boarding Air Force One for departure to Florida, on April 18, 2019. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images) Thanks to Spygate, Trump Can Purge Corruption In One Swoop Commentary The United States is witnessing history, as a corrupt network of deep state career officials has been actively working against President Donald Trump and the interests of the American people. During the 2016 elections, this networkalongside politicians, Hillary Clintons campaign, and foreign government officialshelped create the false narrative that Trump colluded with Russia. The goal was first to prevent him from becoming president, and after that failed to undermine it as much as possible. These people have been the source of the creation of the fake Russia-collusion narrative, unauthorized leaks, and calls for impeachment. It has sowed chaos, turned Americans against one another, and rallied a base of public support through disinformation and emotional agitation. This Spygate scandal involved the Obama administration using the powers of spy agencies and corrupt legal systems to surveil a political opponent, in an attempt to alter the outcome of an election. The spying on the Trump campaign involved some of Obamas top officials, such as National Security Adviser Susan Rice and CIA Director John Brennan. Meanwhile, key players in the Clinton team and the Democratic National Committee were involved in creating disinformation and spreading this throughout a network in the U.S. government and in legacy news outlets. Yet, these attempts have so far failed. Instead, they have gathered together all the corrupt elements in the U.S. intelligence agencies, the Justice Department, the State Department, city governments, the Senate, Congress, the judiciary, non-profits, legacy news outlets, and private companies. Spygate, and the Trump-Russia conspiracy it helped create, exposed this full corrupt network and each person involved. It has gathered together, in one place, the major figures of corruption in the U.S. government. And the number of officials involved is not small. While key officials in the Obama administration played crucial roles in instigating and executing the investigations into the Trump campaign, officials across the government appear to have been involved. Foreign Government Connection The force of corrupt elements that Trump faced was not just in the United States, as even foreign governments colluded in the Spygate scandal. Take for example the fact that the UK was sharing information it had gathered on the Trump campaign with members of the U.S. intelligence committee as early as late 2015. It was then-CIA Director Brennan who used unofficial intelligence from the UK to push the FBI to open an official investigation. It was also a former British intelligence official, Christopher Steele, who became the main proponent of the false allegations that Trump colluded with Russia. Claims that have now been definitely proven false by the investigation of Special Counsel Robert Mueller. And it was Australias highest-ranking diplomat in the UK, Alexander Downer, who propelled the claim that low-level Trump campaign adviser George Papadapolous told him that he had knowledge about the fact that Russia had Hillary Clintons emailssomething Papadapolous has denied himself. Notably, Downer had played a key role in 2006 to approve a $25 million donation by Australia to the Clinton Foundation, which is one of the largest in the foundations history. Yet, the conspiracy that was acted out has in effect gathered all these corrupt individualswho dared to rig an election, tarnish a presidency, and mislead a nationand has placed them together in a single scandal to be exposed at once. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Top Democrat Issues Subpoena for Full Unredacted Mueller Report A top Democrat in the House of Representatives issued a subpoena for the full unredacted Mueller report on April 19. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said early Friday he was going to issue the subpoena. Appearing on Good Morning America, Nadler told anchor George Stephanopoulos, who previously worked in the Bill Clinton administration, that his committee should be able to see the full report, including information that is currently redacted in both versions. The most heavily redacted version was published on the Department of Justice website for the public to read; another version, with fewer redactions, was sent to some members of Congress, including Nadler. NEW: House Judiciary Chair Jerry Nadler tells @GStephanopoulos subpoena for unredacted Mueller report is coming in the next couple of hours. https://t.co/mOQZNKl1wy pic.twitter.com/2SzQn6aLlW ABC News (@ABC) April 19, 2019 This morning, @HouseJudiciary has issued a subpoena to the Department of Justice for the full the Mueller report and the underlying materials. DOJ is required to comply with that subpoena by May 1. pic.twitter.com/nzu9O5CC36 (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) April 19, 2019 Nadler said that the members of his committee need to see the full report to make informed decisions, including whether or not to try and impeach President Donald Trump. We need the entire report, unredacted, and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions, he said. Nadler said later on Friday when he issued the subpoena that he expects the Department of Justice to comply with the subpoena by May 1. Robert Mueller, the special counsel, concluded that there was no conspiracy or cooperationknown by many as collusionbetween Trump or his campaign and Russian actors who sought to influence the 2016 presidential election. The report showed the results of an investigation that took around two years and cost some $30 million. The redactions were made as required by law, according to Attorney General William Barr, whose team worked with members of Muellers team to make the redactions. That included covering information pertaining to grand jury evidence. Nadler said that hes open to working with the department to reach a reasonable accommodation for access to these materials, however, I cannot accept any proposal, which leaves most of Congress in the dark, as they grapple with their duties of legislation, oversight, and constitutional accountability. While Barr and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded from the evidence that Mueller gathered that Trump also did not commit obstruction, Nadler said he disagrees and believes that the special counsel wanted Congress to take up the obstruction issue. Because Barr misled the country, we have to hear from Barr, which we will on May 2. We have to hear from Mueller and ask him a lot of questions, Nadler said Friday. We have to hold hearings and hear from other people both on the question of obstruction of justice, whereas I said the special prosecutor invited Congress to look into that, not the attorney general. We have to look into all that. We need the entire report, unredacted, and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions, he added. Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said that he, too, wants to see the full report. Contrary to Attorney General Barrs attempts at misdirection, it is crystal clear from the report that the Justice Departments policy against indicting a sitting president played a key role in special counsel Muellers analysisin fact, it is the very first point in the obstruction section of his report. Unfortunately, we still have only part of the story, and Congress must subpoena the full report and all underlying documents, Cummings said in a statement on Thursday. He is the chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Barr, though, noted earlier on Thursday that he and Rosenstein made the determination not only based on the report. After carefully reviewing the facts and legal theories outlined in the report, and in consultation with the Office of Legal Counsel and other Department lawyers, the deputy attorney general and I concluded that the evidence developed by the special counsel is not sufficient to establish that the president committed an obstruction-of-justice offense, he told reporters at a press conference. Barr said that he and Rosenstein kept in mind that Trump was facing an unprecedented situation. As he entered into office, and sought to perform his responsibilities as president, federal agents and prosecutors were scrutinizing his conduct before and after taking office, and the conduct of some of his associates. At the same time, there was relentless speculation in the news media about the presidents personal culpability. Yet, as he said from the beginning, there was, in fact, no collusion. From NTD News EXMO is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges on the market, so its no surprise how its stellar reputation has made it a well-known exchange within the cryptocurrency community the world over. Interestingly its best known in Eastern Europe, where it is the biggest and best place to buy bitcoin. No matter where you are from though, it is one of the most secure and safest exchanges, offering some very enticing cryptocurrency exchange rates. So, whether you are new to the crypto world or an investor looking to learn more about one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges around, then carry on reading. You can find a detailed review on EXMO and all the other best cryptocurrency exchanges on cryptimi.com. Currency Service Offered EXMO offer around 40 different cryptocurrency options. While its not quite the exhaustive service, offering a lot less than other exchanges (you wont find all the top 100 coins on Coinmarketcap) its a great platform, nonetheless. It does support all major cryptocurrencies, without being overloaded with coins you are unlikely to purchase. As such, it remains one of the best places to buy Bitcoin, as well as Litecoin, Ethereum and Ripple and loads more big-name coins. In comparison to fiat, as mentioned above, it is the biggest and best cryptocurrency exchange in Eastern Europe so you can expect to find support for major currencies from this region. As such, alongside the more commonly found fiat currencies, you will find support for Russian Rubles, Polish Zlotys and Ukrainian Hryvnias. It also recently became one of the only exchange platforms to also offer the Turkish Lira. EXMO Interface Exmo has a very simple but effective interface, which makes it very accessible to first-time investors while keeping all the logistics there for those more in the know. It is broken down into four mains categories, namely: Trade, Trade New, Exchange and News. The first sections are where you can monitor the market, compare and contrast prices of currencies on offer and keep track of whats going on in the crypto world. There are two sections because they have recently updated this aspect of their site. If you have not used them before though, we would advise just using the Trade New section as this will be more beneficial going forward. The easiest to use aspect of EXMOs service is their Exchange section. It offers you a drop-down menu where you can choose which currency you want to change for which instantaneously. It is one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges in this aspect as others can overcomplicate this procedure, particularly if they have a native currency on their exchange. Finally, the news section keeps you updated goings-on, whether that be changes in rates, site updates, or announcements such as ICOs, so you never miss out. Plus, when you are signed in your talk to fellow investors over a live chat service. Why Exmo? Eastern Europe aside, where others specialise in support, there are goods reasons to join EXMO further afield too, like in the UK, for example. First and foremost, it is one of the cheapest crypto exchanges. Their cryptocurrency exchange rates commission is a reasonable 0.2% fee. This is less than some other currency, who charge a higher percentage or a flat fee. The majority of cryptocurrency will with no further charge to deposit, although this is the case for the major cryptocurrency exchange rates, some still have deposit charges, and for withdrawals, there will be extra fees. However, as a basic rate, it is one of the cheapest crypto exchanges. Alongside prices, it is also one of the easiest to comprehend exchange platforms on the market. This makes it ideal for first time investors looking to get started at a venue which is considered one of the most secure and safest exchanges on the market. We can very much sing its praises as one of the best cryptocurrency exchanges for new players. However, this is a double edge sword and these positive will also be a negative later down the line, as it doesnt come with the same detailed market information as other exchanges and also, the limited crypto offerings let it down. That said, it is one exchange platform constantly changing the service so its less great aspects will likely improve before long. However, right now, it simply remains one of the best places to buy bitcoin for cheap and to get a knowledge of how the industry works. You can find a detailed review on EXMO and all the other best cryptocurrency exchanges on cryptimi.com. President Donald Trump speaks during an Opportunity Zone conference with state, local, tribal and community leaders, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, on April 17, 2019. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Trump Admin Cracks Down on Public Housing Aid for Illegal Immigrants The Trump administration is proposing a new rule that seeks to prevent illegal immigrants from being granted public housing financial assistance, The Epoch Times has learned. The move would ensure that American citizens are first in line to review housing subsidies. The proposal from The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) marks the latest effort from the administration to enforce immigration law. HUD has already provided the proposed regulation to Congress for review for a period of 15 days, after which they will publish the proposed amendments to become available for public comment for 60 days. HUD is prohibited from granting financial assistance to persons other than U.S. citizens, nationals, or specified classes of lawful aliens according to Section 214 of The Housing and Community Development Act of 1980. But the department says that the statute contains a loophole that permits persons to declare themselves ineligible, so as to not have their immigration status checked, enabling them to live in the supported housing. The loophole, HUD says, greatly expands on a provision that was only intended as a temporary measure in the original act because verifying legal presence was more time-consuming. The department estimates that approximately 32,000 HUD-assisted households are headed by illegal immigrants. The existing law also requires HUD to terminate assistance if the head of the household (leaseholder) has knowingly permitted any individual not eligible for assistance to reside the supported housing. HUD, meanwhile, will clarify the intent of this by requiring citizenship or legal residency for all HUD-assisted leaseholders and heads of household. By verifying the residency status of all residents, U.S. citizens and the legal residents will be the first in line to receive federal housing assistance. Legal residents include those who have a Green Card, refugees, and asylees. All households will be screened through the SAVE system of the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service. According to HUD only 1 in 4 qualified households is currently receiving housing assistance in the United States. In some states, the waitlists for public housing are closed and local agencies dont accept any new public housing applicants. Most who are waiting for HUD assistance are extremely poor seniors or persons living with a disability, if current recipients are representative. HUD says that their new proposals will help trim the lengthy waitlists. The average time nationally for a person in need to receive housing assistance is 26 months. On Twitter, HUD secretary Ben Carson noted how widespread the wait times have become. Thanks to @realDonaldTrumps leadership, we are putting Americas most vulnerable first, he wrote on April 18. Our nation faces affordable housing challenges and hundreds of thousands of citizens are waiting for many years on waitlists to get housing assistance. In Los Angeles, the average wait time for housing assistance is more than four years, under the citys housing authority. In October 2017, Los Angeles added 20,000 new spaces to its waitlist for Section 8, and 188,000 people applied. Meanwhile, disabled residents in Quincy, Massachusetts, waited more than six years for public housing. An Indian voter gets her finger marked with ink at a polling station during India's general election in Shahpur, Uttar Pradesh, on April 11, 2019. (Money Sharma/AFP/Getty Images) Voter Chops Off Finger After Casting Ballot for Wrong Party in India A man in India reportedly cast a vote for the wrong political party and in an emotional fit chopped off his own finger. Pawan Kumar, a 25-year-old villager from Abdullapur Hulaspur, was reported by India Today as having accidentally pressed the wrong button at a polling station. He cast his vote on Thursday, April 18, in Bulandshahr, in the second phase of Indias massive, staggered election. Kumar was so frustrated by his error, Hindustan Times reported, that he returned home and chopped off his finger with a chopper. India voter chops off finger after voting for wrong party https://t.co/vZ90IyEVMB BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 19, 2019 The Times reported that the young man was featured in a video later posted on social media, saying that he chopped off his finger to repent his mistake. The fingers of voters in India are marked with ink after they cast their ballot. Citing the video, the BBC reported Kumar wanted to vote for a regional partywhich uses the symbol of an elephantbut ended up casting his vote for the one currently in powerwhose identifying mark is a lotus flower. Symbols are commonly used by political parties as identifying marks in Indias elections due to low literacy. I wanted to vote for the elephant, but I voted for the flower by mistake, Kumar said in the video, the BBC reported. Kumar wanted to vote for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) but instead ended up supporting the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Worlds Biggest Election With around 900 million eligible voters, Indias election the biggest in the world. Millions of voters across swathes of southern India cast ballots on Thursday, April 18, in the second phase of the staggered general election. Sporadic violence flared in the east and in the insurgency-wracked state of Jammu and Kashmir, Reuters reported. The results of the election to Indias 545-member Parliament are expected on May 23. In focus are the southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, where the main opposition Congress party and its allies need to win big if they hope to stop Prime Minister Narendra Modi from securing a second straight term. Outbreaks of Violence Sporadic violence was reported in the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, where separatists have called for an election boycott, and the eastern state of West Bengal, which has a history of election clashes. Police fired tear gas to disperse stone-throwers in Srinagar, the Himalayan regions main city, where thousands of troops had been deployed to guard the vote. The turnout there was less than 8 percent, according to provisional election commission data. There has been stone pelting by protesters in at least 40 places, said a senior police officer who sought anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. Police in the West Bengal constituency of Darjeeling also fired tear gas at protesters who complained they had not been allowed to vote, said top district official Arvind Kumar Mina. They had blocked a highway and had to be dispersed, he added. On Thursday morning, the body of a 20-year-old worker for the BJPs youth wing was found hanging from a tree in West Bengals Purulia district, party officials and local police said. The night before he died he was seen writing graffiti for BJP for the elections. In the night he was reported missing. His body was found today, said local BJP leader Vidyasagar Chakrabarty. Sweeping Victories In the last general election in 2014, the BJP recorded sweeping victories in six northern states that delivered 70 percent of its seats, helping clinch a landslide majority, said academic Neelanjan Sircar. You can never expect youll do that again, added Sircar, a political science professor at Ashoka University near the capital New Delhi. Those seats that you lose, youll have to make up somewhere. Eastern and southern India would be where the BJP would look to make up those seats, analysts said. Congress, which is focusing on concerns about growing joblessness and farmers distress, is staking its chances on a promise of generous handouts to Indias poorest families. People are talking about national issues, said Manjunath Munirathnappa, a voter in Bengaluru, who hoped lawmakers would resolve infrastructure woes, such as traffic congestion and inadequate water supply. But only when they fix the local issues will there be progress. The staggered election began last week and ends next month. Reuters contributed to this report. On Thursday, May 9, Burning Tree Country Club in Greenwich will host an evening of cocktails and conversation followed by a discussion with Melissa Fleming, head of communications and chief spokesperson for The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and author of A Hope More Powerful than the Sea: One Refugees Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival. Fleming will discuss the story from her book of one Syrian girls journey of survival. A conversation on the resilience of refugee children will follow, led by Marcia Biggs, special correspondent for PBS NewsHour. While some entrepreneurs are content to stick with a single company that theyve built from the ground up, others are constantly on the lookout for something new. For example, take New Zealand entrepreneur Rod Drury, who established and sold companies Glazier Systems, AfterMail and Xero for millions of dollars. Consistently building successful brands that you can sell for a profit is an exciting way to make a living. Related: Expert Advice to Help You Prepare to Sell Your Business So, if your goal is to be a successful serial entrepreneur, you must develop the ability to recognize when your business is ready to sell. Here's what to look out for: 1. You have demonstrable systems. Each business has its own unique practices and systems that it uses to keep everything running smoothly. While there will naturally be changes when someone new takes over the company, the transition can be much easier when you have a well-documented set of systems in place. As David Finkel explaiined in a blog article for Inc., Think of your [ultimate business system] as the organized collection of tools (spreadsheets, word docs, scripts, checklists, samples, software tools, templates, etc.) in a searchable, accessible and editable way." He noted that he was talking about a "cloud-based collection of file folders or enterprise software" with access controls. In the context of selling your company," Finkel wrote, "a prospective buyer can now see that the knowledge to run your company and perform each of the critical tasks is not in the head of any key employee, but rather it has been absorbed into the systems and internal controls of the company." That way the prospective buyer can see that editing, refining and using those systems is part and parcel of the company culture. And that's appealing. 2. You know the numbers. As exciting or innovative as your product or service may be, buyers tend to be far more interested in your bottom line and your companys ability to adapt to market changes. This means you need to know your numbers inside and out. As Dana Tobak explained in an interview for Mashable, Knowing the potential full cost of your decisions is important. Dont assume youve properly forecasted all your costs and customers. What happens if the price of your biggest input goes up? What happens if it takes double the time to bring a product live?" Sellers need to understand the full range of potential outcomes, Tobak continued. Overall, prospective buyers will want to see how your company is prepared for different situations. Knowledge that a solid plan is already in place will make the business more sell-able. Related: How to Make a Successful Business Sale, in Six Steps 3. The company can get by without investor funding. Many startups require outside funding to get off the ground -- but if you want to be attractive to prospective buyers, you must be able to demonstrate that the brand can be sustainable on its own. Demonstrating that there is consistent demand for your product or service will go a long way in alleviating the potential concerns that a prospective buyer might have. In an article for Hacker Noon, Nitesh Agrawal illustrated how serial entrepreneurs must have the mindset of bringing in revenue as quickly as possible if they're planning to sell in the future. Tanisha Robinson, CEO of Print Syndicate, wrote Agrawal, earned $4.25 million in venture capital to fund her companys expansion, but she didn't rely on financial infusions like those to support her staff of 140. If the capital market dies and nobody can raise any money, well still be here," Robinson told Agrawal. "Her company," he wrote, "which designs novelty clothing, accessories and home goods did $4 million in sales in 2013, its first year! A company that has proven it can stand on its own is thus far more likely to start a bidding war. Disneys $71.3 billion acquisition of Fox came from just such a bidding competition, which was largely fueled by the relative good health of and demand for Foxs properties. 4. Your business has "curb appeal." Looks arent everything in the business world, but they can make a significant difference in making your company more appealing to prospective buyers -- especially if you have a brick and mortar location. In a phone conversation, my personal mentor and medical entrepreneur Kristofer Chaffin, told me that, Buyers dont want to come in and feel like they have to give everything a makeover. A well-designed website shows that you have a powerful digital presence. An organized office with quality equipment shows that youve invested the time to make your business an attractive place to work. "These little things add up -- buyers dont want to feel like theyre investing in a fixer-upper.' 5. Youve done your homework. Its one thing to want to sell your business. Its quite another to truly be prepared to sell and spark a bidding war. Doing the groundwork in advance will help you feel confident that you are getting fair compensation for all your hard work. In an interview with Fundera, Michael S. Blake advised, If you are serious about selling, have your business appraised. When you make the first move to sell your business, you should be prepared to offer a selling price. An appraisal will help you set that price based on market facts, rather than gut feeling. In short, when you truly understand what your business is worth, you will be better prepared to make an attractive pitch. Few things can be more exciting than seeing a bidding war erupt for a brand that you built yourself. But you cant just suddenly decide that youre ready to sell your business and expect to turn a major profit. Related: Planning to Sell Your Company in a Few Years? You Have Work to Do Now. By understanding the indicators that your company is truly ready to sell, you will be able to get the results you desire as you prepare for the next phase in your entrepreneurial journey. Related: 5 Signs You've Built a Business That's Ready for Buyers (and a Bidding War) Getting Ready To Sell Your Business 3 Signs It's Time to Move on From Your Startup (and How to Get That Move Started) Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved NORWALK Over 30 people had the chance to get a peek inside Sen. Majority Leader Bob Duffs home office, complete with a dog barking and some phones ringing as he held his first Facebook Live Town Hall on Thursday. When youre doing live stuff thats what ends up happening, Duff, D-Norwalk, said with a laugh. The goal of the 40-minute event was to give his constituents a chance to share their concerns, bring up suggestions and ask questions about state-wide issues. Duff said he decided to have the digital event to allow people who might not be able to get to an in-person one a chance to ask him questions. We thought it would be a really great idea to utilize technology to make sure everyones invited in, he said. Constituents posted questions on minimum wage issues, the Walk Bridge project in Norwalk, state employees pensions, tolls, a potential Wall Street Train Station and much more. Duff reaffirmed his support for a $15 minimum wage, but said the state had to be smart and increase it over a few years to not disruptive the business community all at once. We want to make sure that we work towards a $15 minimum wage and we think thats something that will help working families, he said. He told the audience that he had not yet voiced his opinion on the tolls issue due to many unanswered questions surrounding the proposals. Duff rebuffed accusation that the state has a spending problem, emphasizing that for the state is beginning to pay off its pension obligations, something that was ignored for many years. State government is about 16 percent smaller than it was 8 years ago, he said. Over the last 8 years, we have made actuarial payments to our state pension plans ... our biggest issue is people hired before 1984. He also pushed back on accusations that Norwalk gets back less than 10 cents from the state for ever $1 in taxes it sends. Its a partisan talking point, he said. I think Norwalk has done pretty well. There has not been one redevelopment project in the City of Norwalk that has not had state help. He also was asked a variety of local questions, particularly about the status of the Walk Bridge project and neighboring bridges undergoing work through it. Thats happening its going to be going on for another 2-3 years, he said. Its going to be disruptive ... but we have to do it. We have to get our transportation infrastructure in shape. Duff said that the state Department of Transportation was also working on a study surrounding the feasibility of a Wall Street train station. Its not an easy answer, he said. He said that DOT officials had raised concerns about getting the trains quickly from Merritt 7 to Wall Street to South Norwalk and that there was an argument on whether its quicker to take a shuttle bus from Wall Street to South Norwalk. Duff told viewers to stay tuned on if he would be endorsing any Democratic candidates for president during the primary. Well see what ends up happening, he said, adding that hed met a lot of the candidates. The person Ive met the most is Mayor Pete (Buttigieg). Ive known him for about 7-8 years or so. Hes a great guy, well see. Duff added later that hed like to host more of these to interact with his constituents. I think its been really great, really awesome getting your questions, Duff said. Ill have to do more of these. Its always been great going to Norwalk City Hall or Darien, but not everyone can make it at 7, 7:30. This is something thats pretty easy to do. kelly.kultys@hearstmediact.com Today's businesses rely on their web properties to drive a great deal of their sales and lead generation processes. In a world with more than 1.6 billion websites for users to choose from, however, grabbing a slice of user attention is no small task. For the average business website, organic search engine traffic continues to be the primary source of visitors, with some statistical analyses putting the share of traffic generated in that way as high as 50.1 percent. Is it any wonder then that businesses in the United States alone are on track to spend upwards of $80 billion in search engine optimization (SEO) services per year by 2020? Driving traffic to a website is a fine goal, but it isn't an end unto itself. To make that traffic worth anything, you must make sure that the site that visitors see when they arrive is compelling and designed to elicit a particular user response. That's where a different web design discipline comes in: conversion rate optimization (CRO). Creating a CRO strategy. To get started, the first thing that you need to do to create a CRO strategy is to make some broad decisions about what website behavior you're trying to promote. If your company has no existing CRO strategy at all, it's best to start small because making changes to existing sales processes without a plan can have disastrous effects on your bottom line. A great place to start is to look for ways to improve the conversion activity that leads up to making sales, which are generally known as micro-conversions. They include: Newsletter or email list signups Pageview thresholds (number of pages viewed per visit, an indicator of engagement) Comments on site content Adding product reviews Add to cart button clicks Social media shares Once you've selected a target for your initial CRO effort, the next step is to collect the right data to inform your strategy. Related: 6 Ways to Cure Your CRO Woes Generate a baseline. The first kind of data that you'll need is a measurement of how well your website is currently accomplishing the conversion you're hoping to optimize. The easiest way to gather this information is by using Google Analytics, which allows users to configure goals to track specific activity on their connected websites. In general, you'll want at least one month's worth of tracking data to eliminate the possibility of short-term anomalies providing a distorted picture of performance. For example, if your business is currently running a deep discount special on a given product, it's a good idea to avoid using any data connected to that product as a baseline. Once you're able to gather a baseline data set for the current conversion rate of your target, your next step is to decide on two things: What percentage improvement you're aiming for How long you're going to give yourself to accomplish that improvement Take care to avoid the temptation to set unrealistic goals. For example, don't expect your conversion rate to hit 74 percent. If your website could do that, it would be on par with Amazon Prime. Instead, aim for an achievable goal of a 2 percent improvement over your existing conversion performance. Then, it's time to collect some more data. Related: 7 Tips to Improve Your Site's Conversion Rate -- Fast Understanding your users. Once you know what your target is, it's time to turn to the most important part of the conversion equation: your users. It's critical to gain an understanding of who they are, what they want, and why they may be looking elsewhere for it. The data you'll need to create a profile of your users will need to come from a variety of sources, including: User Interviews: Believe it or not, the best way to find out what users want is to ask them. CRO experts like Convincely make user research and interviews the first step in their optimization process because it can quickly illuminate specific barriers to conversion activity like user experience (UX) issues, navigation problems, and poor content engagement. Visitor Recording: Using software to record the moment-to-moment interactions that users have on your existing site can help to paint a clearer picture of the customer journey, as well as allow for comparison between visitors that converted and those that didn't. There are a variety of tools that will accomplish this task, any of which would make an excellent addition to a business's analytics toolkit. Heatmaps: A heatmap is a graphic representation of where a website user is focusing their attention and in what order. They allow you to figure out where to place your most vital content, relative to the existing design of the page. Google's own research has shown that eye movements are an excellent predictor of mouse activity, so they help paint a picture of which elements work on a page, and which might be causing visitors to leave. Related: 5 Tips, Tools and Tricks for Understanding User Intent Creating a hypothesis. At its core, CRO is all about developing theories as to the best ways to elicit a specific user response. To do this, you're going to need to look at your user research data to try to identify changes that might lead to better conversion results. For example, if your user interviews revealed that a common pain point in your conversion process is that users find it difficult to determine what action you'd like them to take, and indicated that a clear graphic link would help; your hypothesis would look like: "If I add a call to action button in a prime location as determined by my heat map, then users will know exactly what I want them to do because I have provided them a clear indication, just as they've asked." The above statement consists of three components: A proposed change An expected result And the data that demonstrates why you believe the change will work Testing your hypotheses. After identifying a proposed change, you'll want to create a few versions of that change based on the data you've collected. In the above example, you can try a text-based call to action, or a few different button designs to figure out which works the best. To test your versions, you'll need to conduct A/B or multivariate testing based on the complexity of your proposed changes. If you're only changing a page design or a single element, an A/B test will let you check the design's performance against your existing page by randomly showing either the original or new design to visitors. Related: Why Your Approach to A/B Testing Is Costing You Sales Bringing everything together. Now that you're familiar with the basic nuts-and-bolts of CRO, it should be possible for you to take the process and scale it up into a full-fledged CRO strategy. To do it, you'll have to identify multiple areas and conversion activities you'd like to improve, starting with the micro-conversions mentioned here, and working through the list up to macro-conversions, which are things like: Completed sales Qualified lead generation Completed customer contacts The good news is that the micro-conversions that your initial efforts will focus on will make improving your macro-conversion activity much easier. That's because getting the little things right not only helps you to refine your CRO processes, it also builds a design foundation that leaves visitors primed to embrace macro-conversions as well. Related: This Is How You Build an Effective Conversion Rate Optimization Strategy Look Out for These 5 Signs of Black Hat SEO Ultimate Guide to Amazon Advertising Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved EDWARDSVILLE New United States Census Bureau estimates released Thursday show population in Madison County has declined in the past year in line with a statewide trend. The 2018 estimate, 264,461, is also 1,010 fewer, or -0.38 percent, than the 2017 census estimate. The county lost 4,821 residents, or -1.82 percent, since the 2010 Census. Of 102 Illinois counties, 86 showed decreases of varying degrees and this year also marked the first time that every metropolitan area in the state recorded declines. Madison Countys drop may surprise some people, who would point to Edwardsvilles recent growth as a sign of more people not less. However, some of that growth, such as the new, off-campus college living areas, may be populated by some people who are not full-time county residents and other developments. While a declining population is not positive news, this is not a surprise. According to a Chicago Tribune article from December 2018, Illinois has lost residents for five consecutive years, and as a result, relinquished its position as the countrys fifth-largest state, said Desiree Bennyhoff, president and CEO of the Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce. When residents and businesses leave, they take their checkbooks with them, she said. The impact is a diminishing tax base, a decrease in employers and job creators and fewer people to purchase goods and services from our remaining businesses. Bennyhoff said the state has outstanding institutions, including SIUE in our region but data from the Illinois Board of Higher Education shows that high school students are increasingly choosing out-of-state post-secondary education. The U.S. Department of Educations enrollment data demonstrated that in 2016, Illinois experienced the second greatest net loss of residents to colleges in other states. Whats most alarming is that they are not going far, she adds, in fact, in 2016, the most popular destinations were in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio. While insulating itself from these demographic shifts is a challenge for Madison County [as it is for any county in the state], my hope is that we can unite as a region with a goal of becoming the most competitive county in Illinois, she said. She cites Illinois assets, particularly in the realm of strong rail/road/river access, as plentiful. A key ingredient for which we consistently advocate is an environment that is inviting and welcomes private-sector job creators, she said. She said Illinois is home to an educated workforce, prosperous businesses and people who really love this state. Its time we all come together and demand from our state the excellence that we as Madison County residents expect and deserve. With that will come reinvestment and growth. I am interested in what the 2020 U.S. Census will reveal, Bennyhoff said. A top concern is the prediction that Illinois will lose up to two Congressional seats as a result, which means a decrease in national representation for Illinois residents. Whether we lose that representation because people dont respond to the census or because residents have moved out of the state, its a loss regardless. Neighboring Illinois counties faired mostly the same in relation to Madison County since 2010, with one exception, Monroe County (34,335), registered a gain of 1,378 people. Other neighboring county estimates: Bond (16,630) and Jersey (21,847) each shed 1,138 people; Calhoun (4,802) dropped 287; Clinton (37,639) lost 123; Macoupin (45,313) lost 2,452 people; while St. Clair (261,059) lost the most people at 8,997. These figures dont detail where people went, only population changes. On the Missouri side, census estimates show St. Louis City (302,838) lost the most residents since the previous census, with 16,456. Other estimates include St. Louis County (996,945), which shed 2,009 people, Jefferson County (224,347) gained 5,614 people while St. Charles County (399,182) gained 38,697 new residents. Nationally, the population continues to move southward and westward, according to a U.S. Census Bureau article published Thursday, especially to low-tax destinations such as Florida and Texas. One interesting trend we are seeing this year is that metro areas not among the most populous are ranked in the top 10 for population growth, said Sandra Johnson, a demographer in the Census Bureaus Population Division. Though no new metro areas moved into the top 10 largest areas, Phoenix, Seattle, Austin, and Orlando all experienced numeric increases in population since 2010, rivaling growth in areas with much larger populations. This trend is consistent with the overall growth we are seeing in the south and the west. Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at (618) 656-4700, ext. 31 EDWARDSVILLE Growing up in Alton, Madison Count Sheriffs Office Capt. Mike Dixon remembered police officers he looked up to, and since he was 14 he wanted to be one of them. On Friday Dixon, chief of investigations for the department, retired after 29 years in area law enforcement. It seems kind of surreal, he said earlier this week. His first five years were with the Bethalto Police Department, then he moved to the county in 1995, eventually working drug investigations with the Metropolitan Enforcement Group Southwestern Illinois before moving into investigations. I just decided early I wanted to make a positive impact on people, he said. I enjoyed solving peoples problems, helping people out. He also noted that many of his friends got into trouble, especially with narcotics. Dixon said the influence of those officers and others, including his high school sweetheart and later, wife, Lindy, kept him away from that. As a teenager, he was also known for being a member of a BMX freestyle bicycle team. I actually went back to racing when I was 30, he said. I had stopped when I was 20. About five races in I got my final trophy, a wristband and a trip to the hospital. Dixon graduated from high school in 1987, then Lewis and Clark Community College in 1990, landing a job with the Bethalto Police Department a few months later. I got that job and I was on cloud nine, he said. I worked there for about five years. He eventually went to work for then-Madison County Sheriff Bob Churchich as part of a community policing program. We worked 12 different townships in the county, Dixon said. Some were rural, some were urban. It was one of the most positive times of my career, doing that and handling all their individual problems. The biggest problems were open dumping; mailbox murders where youth would destroy mailboxes; and road parties. There would be times you would roll up on a party on a Friday or Saturday night, he said. They would beat up citizens, there would be 200 to 300 kids, fights, drugs, guns. Eventually he was drawn to drug enforcement and joined MEGSI. I did that for three years during the methamphetamine epidemic, when methamphetamine production was out of control, he said. He came back to the Sheriffs Department in 2005. It became a wear on my family, Dixon added. I had to realize what was important and realize that it was time to leave. He took over investigations when he was named captain in 2011, a short time after coming back from the FBI Academy. It was probably one of the greatest experiences in my life, he said. You meet people from all over the world, all over the country. And the networking was amazing. It wasnt weeks after I got out of the FBI academy that I had FBI academy graduates calling me and saying are you familiar with this woman from granite city? he said. Weve had to adapt to those advances in criminal behavior, he said. We as police officers, just 20 years ago, were carrying revolvers. He also noted that there are lots of heavily armed people in America. For us to respond to that scene in the old fashioned (way) in a conversion van is idiotic, he said. Those people who think we should do that are fools. We have to take precautions to protect ourselves. One of the biggest changes is that rather than being injured, he said what most officers fear is to be the guy on national news. We used to fear being shot, stabbed or killed, he said. But in this day and age the biggest fear is being on the 11 oclock news, and them destroying my life. They fear being that guy that is at the center of that national controversy. I could lose more than just my livelihood, Dixon said. I could lose my family, I could lose my home, my pension, everything. And officers fear that more than the violence in this day and age. Once he retires, he will start a new job as an investigator for a large St. Louis law firm. He and his wife have two children, both attending SIUE. He said neither is interested in law enforcement. Capt. David Vucich will take over as chief of investigations. Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447. U.S. Census data released Thursday showed the population in every one of the states metropolitan areas declined in the past year for the first time. The Chicago metropolitan area, which includes suburban cities and portions of Wisconsin and Indiana, reported the largest population decrease in the nation, shrinking by an estimated 22,068 people. That represents 0.23 of a percent of the areas total population of about 9.5 million people. Population in the Danville area shrank by 1.26%, representing an estimated 970 people. Nationally, only three other communities saw a bigger percentage decline. It also marked Danvilles largest decrease in population in recent years, the next highest being a loss of 778 in 2014. The largely industrial area saw declines in economic output in both 2016 and 2017, according to Moodys Data Analytics. Mayor Ricky Williams Jr. wasnt immediately available for comment Wednesday. Other metropolitan areas that saw population losses included Decatur (821), Springfield, (1,539), Carbondale (590), Kankakee (520), Rockford (594) and the Bloomington-Normal area (157). The people leaving are mostly prime working age between 25 and 54, said Bryce Hill, research analyst with the Illinois Policy Institute. Theyre looking for work and a place to start a family. Champaign-Urbana, which historically has seen growth, saw a population loss of 234 people. The only listed micropolitan area in Illinois that reported population growth was Effingham, gaining 61 people from 2017s figures. Those who leave Illinois often move to southern, low-tax states such as Florida and Texas. But others have moved to Indiana, other neighboring states and Tennessee, according to previous reports from the Internal Revenue Service. The Census figures released Thursday dont show where residents went, only population change. At the county level, 86 of Illinois 102 counties lost people. Gov. J.B. Pritzkers revenue projections for his progressive tax plan assumed the states population would stay flat until 2021. His administration has projected the governors progressive income tax would bring in an additional $3.4 billion in revenue. Population declines could make those estimates less accurate. Population losses mean fewer taxpayers, thus a smaller pool from which to draw that promised revenue, Hill said. Pritkzers office didnt respond to a request for comment on the Census figures. As a whole, Illinois population fell by more than 45,000 in the 12 months ending in July. Illinois has had five consecutive years of population declines. EDWARDSVILLE Dressed in black and holding protest signs, 40 members of the SIUE Faculty Association (SIUE FA) marched through the universitys annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day, April 17, in the Morris University Center. Keeping with the tropical theme, faculty surrounded each administrator and sang a version of the Beach Boys tune Help Me, Rhonda, ending with Help us get a contract now! We have been negotiating this contract for 25 months. We had to wait 21 months just to see the administrations first complete salary proposal. We felt it was time to let our community know that SIUE is failing its faculty, SIUE FA President Kim Archer said. A one-day appreciation event is nice, but its not the same as negotiating a fair contract with us, or valuing our efforts and sacrifices for our students with a fair salary, Mark Poepsel, vice president and assistant professor of mass communications, said. Average SIUE faculty salaries are $10,000 or more below the salaries of their peers at SIU-Carbondale, UI-Springfield, Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Governors State, educators claim. However, SIUE holds a $27 million cash reserve, which grew every year since 2012. It would cost SIUE only about $255,000 per 1 percent raise for the entire faculty. Its more expensive to live in the Metro East, and especially Edwardsville than in Carbondale, Charleston, Macomb or DeKalb, said Poepsel. Expenses keep going up, but the administration seems to care more about increasing its savings account than investing in its people. We lost 8 percent earning power during the budget impasse. That means it cost my family thousands of dollars for me to keep working here. Holding up a sign reading, You Cant Put Students First When You Put Faculty Last, Brian Henderson, Secretary of the SIUE FA, added, People dont know that we still have vacant faculty positions after the budget impasse. Our salaries are so low now, new faculty wont come here. That affects course offerings and the quality of students education. I hope SIUE administration will hear us loud and clear today, Archer said. Our faculty union is trying to protect whats great about SIUE, and faculty are the backbone of the university. After 25 months, were getting impatient and frustrated. Dear editor, As a Greenwich father with young daughters, I am grateful for the courageous vote of state Sen. Alex Bergstein on S.B. 1085 in opposition to the legalization and retail sale of cannabis in Connecticut. Contrary to the propaganda supplied by the self-interested marijuana lobby, we now have significant evidence from several U.S. states as well as European countries that proves marijuana leads to more mental illness and violence. Marijuana retail sales have also failed to produce the surplus tax revenue that supposedly justified its legalization elsewhere. Marijuana acts as a neurotoxin that attacks our families and school communities while perverting the practice of real medicine. The most urgent challenge faced by the state of Connecticut is to make the state once again attractive to young and growing families. Fiscal and tax reform as well as the expansion of charter schools are important positive policies to pursue. But we must also prevent new harmful policies, including the legalization of marijuana. Stephen Schmalhofer Greenwich Keeping Greenwich safe To the editor, In light of last weeks head on collision between two school buses in backcountry Greenwich, I am relieved that the Greenwich Board of Estimate and Taxation and Representative Town Meeting have approved the consideration of a much-needed fire station in the Northwest corner of Greenwich. The Greenwich Time front page (April 7) featured an article on Fire station faces battle. I sincerely hope not. What is a safety issue for the common good of all Greenwich residents has somehow become a hot potato political issue. How can that be when time (seconds and minutes) is of the essence in arresting a fire and in the case of backcountry car accidents the fire trucks also carry the jaws of life that can save lives by extricating persons trapped in a vehicle. Lets set misguided political agendas aside and maintain a nonpartisan focus on what will keep Greenwich residents safe. Monica Prihoda RTM Old Greenwich District 6 Old Greenwich Press wakes up To the editor, Man, President Trump is on a roll! The Mueller report, the Michael Avenatti arrest and Smollett case all good for the president. Even the press who has been after him since his election is backing down. I watched CBS Evening News for a change and clearly saw a difference in their reporting. After a two-year drinking binge, the press woke up this this morning and found an ugly Democrat in bed with them. But they will sleep with her again. I know from experience. Michael Mezquida Darien Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mohamed Zaki (Reuters) St. Catherine's, Egypt Fri, April 19, 2019 10:07 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733c3d17 2 Art & Culture Christian,manuscript,digitization,Mount-Sinai Free At St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Egypt's Mount Sinai, the silence in the library is broken only by low electrical humming, as an early manuscript is bathed in green light. A team from Greece are photographing thousands of fragile manuscripts, including some of the earliest copies of the Christian gospels, using a complex process that includes taking images in red, green and blue light and merging them with computer software to create a single high-quality color picture. There is a tangible sense of urgency to the mission. Although the monastery has survived centuries of warfare, it lies in a region where Islamist militants have destroyed countless cultural artifacts and documents in Syria and Iraq. Egypt's Christian churches have also been targeted by an Islamist insurgency in the rugged and thinly populated northern Sinai. 'The Holy Monastery of the God-Trodden Mount Sinai' - which is part of the Eastern Orthodox church - lies in the safer southern half of the Sinai Peninsula. But in 2017, Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a nearby Egyptian police checkpoint, in which one officer was killed. "The upheaval of our times requires a rapid completion of this project," Archbishop Damianos of Sinai, Faran and Raitho, and Abbot of St. Catherine's Monastery, told Reuters by email. The aim is to create the first digital archive of all 4,500 manuscripts in the library, starting with around 1,100 in the Syriac and Arabic languages, which are particularly rare. The task could take more than a decade, using digital cameras and computer arrays alongside sophisticated cradles designed to support the more fragile manuscripts. The project began last year and is being undertaken by the non-profit research organization Early Manuscripts Electronic Library (EMEL), in collaboration with the monastery and the Library of the University of California, Los Angeles. UCLA Library said it will start publishing the manuscripts online, in full color, from the fall of 2019. "This library is an archive of the history of Christianity and its neighbors in the Mediterranean world, and therefore is of interest to communities all over the world who find their history here," Michael Phelps, Director of the Early Manuscripts Electronic Library, told Reuters. Read also: A mountain like no other Where Moses trod The monastery lies at the foot of Mount Sinai, by tradition the site where Moses received the Ten Commandments. UNESCO has listed the area as a World Heritage site, citing its sacred status in Christianity, Islam and Judaism. It says St. Catherine's was founded in the 6th century, and is the oldest Christian monastery still in use for its original function. The most famous manuscript in the library is the 4th century 'Codex Sinaiticus' - a Greek manuscript of the Bible which contains the oldest surviving complete New Testament. Its pages are divided between several institutions. Another is the Codex Syriacus, an ancient copy of the Gospels in Syriac. Other manuscripts cover science, medicine and the Greek classics. The digitization of the first stage alone, the Syriac-Arabic manuscripts, will take around three years and cost a projected $2.75 million, said Phelps. "Throughout the centuries, monks have lived here in prayer, in dedication to spiritual goals, a witness to God's revelation to mankind... in that sense especially, the Sinai Monastery is an ark, a spiritual ark in the wilderness," said Father Justin of Sinai, the monasterys librarian. The project will provide a more complete record than partial microfilming carried out decades ago by the U.S Library of Congress, and also by the National Library of Israel. The two institutions are making their records available to the new digitization effort, the project organizers said. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gergely Szakacs (Reuters) Mad, Hungary Fri, April 19, 2019 14:04 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733d2c1c 2 Food Hungary,wine,winemaker,heritage,Tokaj Free A Hungarian winemaker in the Tokaj region known for its golden dessert wine is selling a vintage for $40,000 a bottle, hoping to revive the royal heritage of a wine revered by kings and connoisseurs. The volcanic Tokaj region in northeast Hungary produces wine made with grapes with "noble rot", induced by the "Botrytis" fungus that shrivels grapes and concentrates their sugar. Tokaji Aszu first appeared in literature in 1576, but it was in the 17th century that the wine, also blended into Hungary's National Anthem by the poet Ferenc Kolcsey, became a favorite of enthusiasts for its richness and complexity. It is said France's Louis XIV, the Sun King, described the wine as "the wine of kings and the king of wines". Winemaker Royal Tokaji says the $40,000 edition is the world's most expensive wine on release. Other rarities may fetch higher prices at auction. "We have made a conscious decision to propel what has always been the most valuable product of Tokaj back into a price range where Tokaj wine belongs, with an exclusive, customized presentation," General Manager Zoltan Kovacs said. A smaller, 0.4-litre bottle of "Essencia", the richest and rarest of all Hungarian Tokaj wines according to the producer's description, costs about $424 at online retailers. Read also: From the audacious to the ancient, the top 10 best wines of 2018 So what justifies the whopping price tag for the 2008 vintage - the equivalent of four years of average take-home pay in Hungary or the price of a house in Tokaj? The bottle is a 1.5-liter hand-blown magnum with a special cork made in Portugal after laser-scanning the neck. It sits in a lacquered black box, which shines light through the bottle at the press of a button. A longer maturation period adds hints of green tea and rose hip to the flavor. There are only 18 bottles offered for sale, with the prospect of an increase in value, the wine will keep maturing in the bottle for decades or longer, said wine expert Matyas Szik. "This is what significantly increases the value of this wine as an investment, as the time to deal with these wines in earnest will come 30, 40, 50 years from now, either to taste or to trade," he said. The first buyer did not wait that long - shortly after placing the order, an unnamed Chinese investor threw a party for clients where the wine was promptly uncorked, Kovacs said. The high cost of the wine is also due to the scale of manual labor involved. The grapes are hand-picked one by one for a daily harvest of just 8-10 kilograms in a good year. They are stored in containers where they produce a rich must. "If we take this bottle, it required 180-200 kilograms of shriveled grapes to produce the 1.5 liters. So, all in all, it takes about a ton of green grapes to make this bottle of wine," Kovacs said. Topics : Hungary wine winemaker heritage Tokaj Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Kyodo News) Tokyo Fri, April 19, 2019 09:05 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733c2385 2 Lifestyle Tokyo,Japan,foreigners,survey,discrimination Free Nearly half of the foreigners living in Tokyo have experienced racial discrimination, according to a survey released Tuesday by a civic group. In the survey conducted by the Anti Racism Information Center, a group organized by scholars, activists and university students, 167 of 340 respondents including students said that they have suffered discriminatory treatment such as being told not to talk in a language other than Japanese. Some working as retail shop cashiers said customers asked for Japanese cashiers, according to the face-to-face questionnaire survey conducted in February and March in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. Among them, a Nepalese man who works at a drugstore said one customer told him that he or she does not like to see a foreigner working as a cashier and asked for someone else. Read also: Facing discrimination in applying for visas A Chinese respondent who works at a convenience store said that a colleague told the respondent not to speak Chinese when the respondent was asked for directions by a Chinese-speaking customer. There were also cases where foreigners had apartment rental applications rejected. Some said they were denied entry into stores, but none of the respondents took their case to a public office dealing with such issues. Ryang Yong Song, a representative of the civic group, told a press conference that foreigners living in Japan tend to "end up letting (their discriminatory experiences) drop." "The government should conduct a survey to show what kind of discrimination foreigners face," Ryang said, calling on schools and employers to deal more proactively with discrimination and establish a mechanism to involve public officials in addressing the problems. With the country's new visa system having started this month to bring in more foreign workers to address the deepening labor crunch, there have been criticisms about the government's ability to offer consultation to foreign residents. Topics : Tokyo Japan foreigners survey discrimination Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Wellington, New Zealand Fri, April 19, 2019 13:01 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733cfd5d 2 Environment parrots,wildlife,animals,endangered,kakapo Free The world's fattest parrot, the critically endangered kakapo, has enjoyed a record breaking breeding season, New Zealand scientists said Thursday, with climate change possibly aiding the species' unique mating spree. Less than 50 years after the flightless nocturnal bird was thought to have been extinct, at least 75 chicks are expected to survive this year, Andrew Digby, a science advisor to New Zealand's kakapo recovery, operation told AFP. Digby oversees a breeding program so precisely monitored that scientists can state the last of 249 eggs laid will hatch on Friday. It will significantly boost the population which has grown to 147 adults since a small number of the plump green, yellow and black birds was discovered in 1970. Digby described the kakapo as an "unusual" parrot as the females control the breeding process and only mate every two to four years when New Zealand's native rimu trees are full of fruit. "We don't quite know what the trigger is but one of the things we are looking at is that the rimu berry is really high in vitamin D, a super food basically, which is associated with fertility and health," he said. The rimu trees have produced a bumper crop this year with Digby saying one theory was that climate change and temperature fluctuations could be behind the berry bonanza. The surviving kakapo -- whose name means "night parrot" in Maori -- are kept on four predator-free islands off the New Zealand coast. Read also: Pretty polly or pests? Dutch in a flap over parakeets At the start of the breeding season, the males which weigh about 4.0 kilograms (nine pounds), put themselves on display while the females choose a partner. They mate and then end the relationship, shutting the male out of the incubation and rearing processes. The kakapo recovery program is so tightly monitored that although they remain in the wild, each one has a radio transmitter attached to its body and there are monitoring systems embedded in their nests. Digby knew that of the 50 adult females, 49 produced 249 eggs, of which 89 have so far hatched and 75 were expected to make it to adulthood. That is more than double the success rate from the last breeding season three years ago. "It's probably one of the most intensively managed species in the world," said Digby, who wants at least 500 birds before any thought is given to easing up the intensity of the recovery operation. Topics : parrots wildlife animals endangered kakapo Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Reuters) Rome, Italy Fri, April 19, 2019 07:09 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733c1563 2 Art & Culture rome,Italy,Catholic,Holy-Stairs,Jesus,Jerusalem Free Rome's "Holy Stairs", which some Catholics believe were climbed by Jesus in Jerusalem, have been uncovered from a protective wooden casing for the first time in nearly three centuries and restored. The 28 marble steps will remain bare temporarily for devout pilgrims to climb on their knees with direct contact with the stone until they are covered again in June. According to tradition, the stairs, known as the "Scala Sancta", were part of Pontius Pilate's palace in Jerusalem and brought to Rome in 326 by St. Helen, the mother of Roman emperor Constantine, after she converted to Christianity. But some scientists believe the stairs are only part of a legend or a symbolic replica of the stairs of Pilate's palace. Pilate was the Roman governor of the province of Judea who, according to the Bible, succumbed to demands by Jerusalem's Jewish leaders that Jesus be crucified. Read also: Major Rome exhibition to celebrate Leonardo da Vinci Pope Innocent XIII ordered the stairs encased in wood in 1723 to protect them from damage from pilgrims. "We have seen these steps carved out in a totally unusual way. The feet of pilgrims had literally excavated them," said Father Francesco Guerra, rector of the Holy Stairs Sanctuary, which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit each year. Under the wood, restorers found coins, photos, rosaries and small hand-written notes with prayers left over the years. "Once we opened the first step and we found the first (small) cross, it was clear enough to everyone that what we were finding below could not be limited to a few experts," said Paolo Violini, restoration specialist at the Vatican museums. Frescoes from the 16th century on the ceiling and walls were also restored. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Fri, April 19, 2019 06:05 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733c09a6 2 Health United-Kingdom,pornography,age,online-pornography Free Britain said Wednesday it will become the first country in the world to introduce age-verification to access online pornography. The new law, which comes into force on July 15, will require commercial providers of internet pornography to check on users' ages to ensure that they are 18 or over. "Adult content is currently far too easy for children to access online," Minister for Digital Margot James said in a statement, hailing the mandatory scheme "a world-first". Websites that fail to implement the verification technology could have payment services withdrawn or be blocked for British users, according to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It is the latest move by British authorities to crack down on the spread of online abuses and crimes. The government announced earlier this month proposals to make social media bosses personally liable for harmful content and shut down offending platforms. The latest step to bring in age-verification for pornography follows public consultation and parliamentary debate on the issue last year. Read also: After tightening screws on porn and social media, Nepal bans popular online game Research conducted as part of that outreach found that 88 percent of parents with children aged 7 to 17 supported new controls, DCMS said. The department insisted the range of checks to be carried out by providers would be "rigorous" and go beyond users simply entering their date of birth or ticking a box. They could include using traditional identity documents online, such as credit cards and passports, as well as digital IDs or cards bought in stores "where the verification is face-to-face". The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) will be responsible for ensuring compliance. The government said it had "listened carefully" to privacy concerns and was clear the arrangements should only be concerned with verifying age -- not identity. The BBFC will therefore also create -- in cooperation with industry -- a voluntary certification scheme to assess the data security standards of the providers. Internet Matters, a non-profit organisation concerned with online child safety, welcomed the government tackling the issue but also sounded a cautionary note. "We must recognise that digital solutions aren't the only answer," said its CEO Carolyn Bunting. "There is no substitute to having regular and honest conversations with your child about what they're getting up to online." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Josa Lukman (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 21:49 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733dea24 4 Books kartini,Kartini-day,comic,comic-book,digital,feminism,feminist,Women,leader Free On the eve of Kartini Day, celebrated every April 21, an education portal has released a digital comic available for the general public to learn about the figure they might only know from standard textbooks. Created in collaboration with the History Teacher Forum in East Java (MGMP Sejarah Jawa Timur) and education portal pendidikan.id, the comic can be accessed by visiting kartini.pendidikan.id. Indonesians have long recognized Kartini, whose full name was Raden Adjeng Kartini, as a national hero for her contribution to advocating for womens rights. A collection of her letters, published in a book titled Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang (From Darkness Comes Light), is a testament to her thoughts and ideas on the role of education and womens rights. The all-ages comic, titled Pejuang Emansipasi Wanita (Hero of Womens Emancipation), highlights Kartinis life, from her birth on April 21, 1879, her correspondence with Dutch feminist writer Marie Ovink and activist Estelle Zeehandelaar, to her death in her husbands embrace at the age of 25, just four days after giving birth. The comic showcases various aspects of Kartinis life, including the prejudices of that time shown to native Indonesians during Dutch rule. Another issue highlighted was the status of women in the era, where 12-year-old Kartini was taken out of school to undergo the pingit (seclusion), a custom in Javanese nobility meant to prepare a girl for marriage. Eventually, Kartini enters a marriage with Rembang regent Djojoadiningrat in November 1903, on the condition that she be allowed to establish a school for women in Rembang as she has done in Jepara. Djojoadiningrat accepts the condition as he was known to be a progressive compared to other Javanese nobles of the time While the story ends with Kartinis death, her legacy lives on through her letters, which were published as a book by the then East Indies minister for culture, religion and industry JH Abendanon. The book, Door Duisternis tot Licht, was published in the Netherlands in 1911, and would later become Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang in 1922. Pejuang Emansipasi Wanita joins a list of educational comics hosted in pendidikan.id. It is the first comic to feature a national hero, and will be part of a series on Indonesian figures. To preserve the credibility of the comic, a history teacher member of MGMP Sejarah Jawa Timur served as the editor, with the illustrations drawn by another artist. According to MGMP Sejarah Jawa Timur chairman Hermawan, the comic was created as a response to the low literacy rates in Indonesia, with a particular focus on students, citing the lack of interest in reading history books because of their boring image. Indonesians are used to hearing and speaking rather than reading. Compare the time the average person spends each day watching television and talking to each other with the time they spend in reading, Hermawan said in a statement. It is hoped that this comic can change the character of the younger generation by reading positive and uplifting things. If reading becomes a habit, Im sure that the character of the nation will be improved, as they will have a strong culture of literacy. (hdt) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Los Angeles, United States Fri, April 19, 2019 22:13 972 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733dee9c 2 Entertainment Cypress-Hill,hip-hop,Walk-of-Fame,hollywood-walk-of-fame,music,music-news,rapper,rap-album Free The Latin American hip-hop group Cypress Hill on Thursday unveiled a star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame" in Los Angeles, the city where they formed more than three decades ago. "It's totally surreal," Lawrence Muggerud, aka DJ Muggs, told AFP. "We walked here as kids, we looked at the stars. We never thought we'd have one. "We represent hip-hop, Latinos, music, dreams. It's wonderful to celebrate with the family," he added, 30 years after the formation of the first Latin American group to have a record go platinum in the US, or sell more than one million copies. Read also: Prophets of Rage, Snow Patrol to perform at Hodgepodge Superfest in Jakarta "Before music I was in a gang, and there are not many ways out as you know -- either prison or the graveyard," said Muggerud, with bandmate Louis Freese, aka B-Real, at his side. "My brothers saw something in me and put on the path to music and we formed Cypress Hill." The band's name was inspired by a neighborhood street where the members grew up. They sold more than three million copies of their second album, "Black Sunday" in 1993, while their latest album, "Elephants on Acid", was released in September last year. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Dominique Vidalon (Reuters) Paris, France Fri, April 19, 2019 18:02 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733da31a 2 Science & Tech robot,robot-delivery,technology,supermarket,France,artificial-intelligence,Franprix Free Four decades after R2-D2 delivered a vital message from Princess Leia in the hit movie Star Wars, a French supermarket group plans to use robots inspired by the drum-shaped droid to transport food to customers in Paris. Stepping up the race for automated deliveries with online retailers such as Amazon, Casino's Franprix chain will test the delivery robots on the streets of Paris's 13th arrondissement for a year. In the French capital, where Amazon has been running its Amazon Prime Now express delivery service since 2016, the speedy and convenient delivery of food has become a battleground among retailers. "This droid will facilitate the life of city dwellers. The last mile delivery is crucial. This is what builds the relationship with customers," Franprix Managing Director Jean-Paul Mochet said of the service, which will be free. "We are going to test three droids in this store. If the test is successful, we may extend it to other Franprix stores." Franprix and its partner, French start-up TwinswHeel which developed the as yet unnamed robot, are running the test after the city's authorities approved the southeastern arrondissement for the experiment. The electric vehicles have two large wheels, a suitcase of either 30 or 40 liters and can run for 25 kilometers. In the initial trial, Franprix will use the robot in store to carry purchases for customers - mainly people with reduced mobility or the elderly - and take the goods to their homes. Using a "Follow Me" button on the machine, the robot is paired with customers through visual recognition, so it can follow them in store and on the street. Read also: Starship officially releases 25 autonomous delivery robots into the wild R2-D2 CALLING Initially, the robot will not go on the streets on its own, but will be followed by an operator because Franprix does not have permission for the machine to travel solo yet. For that, legislation needs to be changed, Mochet said, adding he hoped that would happen soon. In future, Franprix and TwinswHeel hope customers will be able to order goods online or in store, and the droid will take them to shoppers' homes and announce its arrival by text. The message will include a code so customers can unlock the robot's suitcase and unpack the goods. Larger robots could also be used by store staff to re-stock shelves. Franprix, which made 1.6 billion euros ($1.8 billion) of sales last year from its network of 900 stores, is not alone with its experiment. Last year, US grocery giant Kroger launched an automated delivery trial in partnership with driverless delivery firm Nuro. Having completed the first phase in Scottsdale, Arizona, it recently announced plans to transfer the program to Houston, Texas. In Britain, Tesco and Co-op are testing a six-wheeled delivery robot in Milton Keynes with Starship Technologies. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Elizabeth Law (Agence France-Presse) Yibin, China Fri, April 19, 2019 21:04 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733de021 2 People cockroaches,cockroach-breeders,insects,pest,food Free As farmer Li Bingcai opened the door to his cockroach farm in southwest China, an insect the size of a dart flew into his face. Picking the critter off his forehead, he tossed it back into the dark room where some 10 million more of its kind scurried around, housed in wooden frames perched on shelves. The six-legged creatures may be a bugbear for most, but Li and other breeders in China are turning them into a niche business. Some sell cockroaches for medicinal purposes, as animal feed or to get rid of food waste. Li breeds them for something else: food for human consumption. A restaurant down the road from his small facility fries them up in famously spicy Sichuan sauce for the gutsier eaters. "People don't believe how good it is until they try some," Li told AFP, putting a live one into his mouth as others crawled all over the place and people visiting. Known colloquially as American cockroaches, the Periplaneta americana is one of the largest species and are consumed for a variety of ailments: stomach ulcers, respiratory tract problems, and even simply as a tonic. "The greatest effect of cockroaches is that they have great immunity, which is why humans will absorb its benefits after eating them," Li said, noting that in China cockroaches are dubbed "Little Strong" because they can live for days even after being cut in half. Tucked at the edge of bamboo-covered mountains in Yibin, Li's facility is a nondescript single-story former farmhouse surrounded by crop fields and livestock farms. The breeding area is roughly the size of a badminton court, with windows sealed off with netting to prevent any great escapes. Security is paramount: In 2013, some one million cockroaches escaped a farm in eastern Jiangsu province roamed free after their greenhouse was destroyed. Read also: Forget chocolate, how about a cockroach for Valentine's? - Health benefits? - Li's cockroaches live between the spaces of square wooden frames that are held together by pipes and stored in racks lining two rooms. The place is kept warm and humid, leaving a smell reminiscent of damp clothes. Feeding time causes a frenzy -- as Li heaps a mix of ground corn, fruit and vegetable peelings on small trays, the insects suddenly swarm the platforms, crawling over each other. "We breed them in a hygienic environment. They eat proper food -- nothing synthetic," he said. Every three months, Li harvests the cockroaches to keep the population under control by dropping some into a vat of boiling water before dehydrating the carcasses. Last year, he sold one tonne of dried cockroaches to a pharmaceutical factory for nearly 90,000 yuan ($13,500). Li ran a mobile phone shop when he went into cockroach farming in 2016 because it was low-cost business and the insects are easy to rear. He converted his farmhouse and bought eggs from another breeder. His main source of income is from selling the insects directly to farms or medicine factories, and this is supplemented by an online shop his daughter helped set up. Half-a-kilo (1.1 pounds) of whole dehydrated insects retail for between 100 and 600 yuan ($15-$90). In neighboring Xichang, the Gooddoctor Pharmaceutical Group runs the world's largest cockroach farm where a whopping six billion insects held in a facility that employs artificial intelligence in monitoring movement and environmental conditions. Cockroaches were added in the late 16th century to the Compendium of Materia Medica, the most comprehensive medical book ever written about traditional Chinese medicine. The bugs have detoxifying properties and can act as a diuretic, said Liu Daoyuan, chief specialist at the Yinchuan City Yongshou Medical Centre. "It is also effective for relieving sore throat, tonsillitis, (liver) cirrhosis and fluid build-up," he added. But other Chinese medicine experts caution that a poorly regulated industry with a low barrier of entry could result in adverse effects. "Anything in excess can be harmful, even ginseng," warned Goh Chye Tee, director of the Chinese Medicine Clinic at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. He noted the insect has not named China's official compendium of drugs covering both Chinese and western medicine. Read also: Invasive cockroach found in NYC can take the cold - 'They are gold' - But Li is more interested in turning roaches into a delicacy and is working with a local restaurant. Customers have been clamoring for a taste after hearing about the dish's health benefits, said owner Fu Youqiang, who cooks up to 30 orders a month. Diner Luo Gaoyi, who was trying the insect for the first time, described it as being "quite tasty, very fragrant, very crispy". "I think that anything good for health should be eaten, no matter what it is," he said. "These have high nutritional value and are high in protein." Li is also working on expanding his line: cockroach-laced medical cream, cockroach-medicated plasters, and insole inserts containing cockroach essence. He said: "There is so much good in this one insect, I want to tell more people about it. A lot of people think it's a pest but to me, they are gold. They are like my children." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 15:55 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733d5307 1 Business ArcandraTahar,auction,oil-and-gas-blocks Free The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced on Thursday that 18 local and international companies had expressed interest in bidding on five oil and gas blocks. "The gross-split scheme offers more transparency and a quicker process. The investors understand that the government can provide certainty in the blocks auction, Deputy Minister Arcandra Tahar told the press in Jakarta. The government, which began the auction on Feb. 21, will close the action offer on April 24. The five blocks on offer are three exploration blocks -- Anambas block, West Natuna in Riau Islands; West Ganal block in Makassar Strait, South Sulawesi; and West Kaimana block in West Papua; -- and two exploitation blocks -- West Kampar block in Riau; and Selat Panjang block also in Riau. West Ganal block is a cut-off field from American energy giant Chevrons Makassar Strait block, which has been excluded from mega gas project Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD). Throughout 2018, the ministry inked agreements for nine exploration blocks through the auction scheme, three of which were inked in December in the third or latest auction last year. The three blocks were South Andaman offshore block in Aceh, South Saka Kemang onshore block in South Sumatra and Maratua onshore block in Central Java. (bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 19:07 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733db268 4 City Jakarta-police,easter,Good-Friday,security,jakarta Free The Jakarta Police have deployed 5,500 personnel to safeguard the observance of Easter this weekend. Around 5,500 personnel will be deployed to ensure safety. The Jakarta Police have planned the technicalities to safeguard churches holding the celebrations, police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono said on Friday as reported by kompas.com. He said that his office had communicated with the relevant church managements. We have contacted them in relation to their schedules, Argo added. The police would also make traffic arrangements near the churches and conduct patrols around the areas. Personnel from GP Ansor, the youth wing of the largest Muslim group Nahdlatul Ulama, will also help secure several churches in Jakarta. (fac) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ivany Atina Arbi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 18:05 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733dab55 1 Politics vote-counting,KPU,#2019GeneralElections Free The General Elections Commission (KPU) has denied allegations that it is trying to conduct systematic cheating to favor a certain presidential candidate by manipulating the vote recapitulation data. KPU commissioner Ilham Saputra said on Friday that the inconsistent data found on the KPUs website was merely human error, which had been fixed right away following reports. Should any of you find any inconsistent data [between recapitulation data on kpu.go.id and data on C1 vote tally forms], you can inform us via our 24/7 phone service, Ilham said. Please stop spreading hoaxes that the KPU is conducting systematic cheating, because we are not, he added. Allegations have been rife on social media about the commission cheating, following the finding of vote-recapitulation data input by KPU on its website kpu.go.id that did not match data recorded by election committees on C1 vote tally forms. For example, a short video circulating online shows that the KPUs website recorded 26 votes for presidential candidate pair Joko Widodo-Maruf Amin and 41 votes for the Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno pair at polling station 10 in Laksamana sub-district of Dumai city, Riau. The polling stations C1 form, on the contrary, shows that Jokowi-Maruf got 26 votes but Prabowo-Sandiaga received 141 votes. With this incident, Im starting to lose faith in the commission. I hope it can maintain its credibility and honesty. Please, do not take sides for one particular party, said the person who recorded the video. The KPU said that human error during the data input process occurred in at least five polling stations, located in Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara, Central Java, Riau and East Jakarta. The issue, however, had been addressed. Ilham gave an assurance that the previous data-input errors would not affect the election results as the KPU would merely refer to nationwide recapitulation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 13:38 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733d0b4e 1 Politics #2019GeneralElections,#DeathToll,polling-stations,died Free Six polling station working committee (KPPS) officers reportedly died due to exhaustion after working long hours on election day on April 17. One of the officers, Supriyanto, 54, the head of a KPPS in Cigalontang subdistrict, Tasikmalaya, West Java, passed out and was rushed to a nearby community health center (Puskesmas) but was pronounced dead at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Cigalontang Police chief Adj. Comr. Tudiman said Supriyanto may have become exhausted after working twelve hours nonstop. "Supriyanto complained of finding it hard to breathe before he passed out. His family said he had a history with asthma, Tudiman said as quoted by tribunnews.com. Meanwhile, in Malang, East Java KPPS officer Agus Susanto, 40, from Lowokwaru subdistrict, passed away after finishing his work at a polling station. Malang General Elections Commission (KPU) head Zaenudin said Agus might have died of exhaustion after working on election day. Social media users are mourning them, using the hashtag #MartirDemokrasi (MartyrsofDemocracy) to honor their hard work in the election. I cant imagine how tired they must have been. We should really appreciate how hard the @KPU_ID team has been working to prepare for this election, @kakaoutloud tweeted on Thursday. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Syofiardi Bachyul and Dyaning Pangestika (The Jakarta Post) Padang and Jakarta Fri, April 19, 2019 11:16 973 db1d47cf6ffbed4060cffaa8733cdb32 1 Politics election,2019-elections,Indonesia,presidential-election,#2019GeneralElections,#2019PresidentialElection Free Many polling station working committees (KPPS) worked through the night preparing and counting votes for the presidential and legislative elections on April 17. Khalid Syaifullah, the chief of a KPPS in Kuranji district in Padang, West Sumatra, told The Jakarta Post that neither he nor his team had slept in 29 hours as they had to finish counting votes and complete an election report. I havent slept a minute ever since I arrived at the polling station yesterday at dusk, Khalid said on Thursday morning. Hopefully we will able to finish the report and submit it to the district election committee [PPK] by 11 a.m., he said. This is not the first time Syaifullah has carried out such an important task. The 40-year-old has carried out tasks for the KPPS since the New Order regime. The general election marked the world biggest one-day election. More than 190 million Indonesians are estimated to have voted at more than 800,000 polling stations across the country, with 5 million people manning the polling stations to count and report the election results. According to Syaifullah, among obstacles in counting and reporting the election results were the difficulties incurred while checking the ballots. Some voters, Syaifullah said, had not punctured the ballot properly so the mark was not visible, which resulted in committee members having to check each ballot thoroughly to avoid mistakes. Another obstacle was counting the legislative votes as a vote tally document consisted of 20 sheets. In the polling station that Syaifullah coordinated, which had 138 voters, the vote counting started at 2 p.m. and ended at 11 p.m. Each vote was tallied on the form. Hasanah, the head of a KPPS in Ciomas district in Bogor, West Java, said in this year's general election, the vote counting process took longer time than in the 2014 general election because it involved more ballots. Five years ago, people went to polling stations on separate days to vote for presidential and legislative candidates. Her group completed counting at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, 16 hours after the election, far longer than in 2014 when the counting was completed before midnight on election day. "It became more difficult to see the mark on the ballots later at night as we got sleepy. Completing the election report was also complicated," she said, adding that her team had worked through the night a day before the election carrying out preparations. In Batam, Riau Islands, many KPPS officials had to work through the night owing to delays in ballot box and ballot deliveries at 500 polling stations in five districts. Tiur Boru Napitupulu, a KPPS member in Bengkong district, said she had assisted at the polling station from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time, with little pay. We also had to face voters who complained because they did not receive their ballots and were unable to vote on time, Tiur said on Thursday. Tiur also said she had yet to receive payment, even though the election had ended. According to Tiur, the staff will receive Rp 500,000 (US$ 35.54) for their work. Perhaps we will receive extra pay because we worked overtime, Tiur said. Hasanah said she hoped those elected were trustworthy and willing to serve the people, so that the work of millions would not be wasted. "We don't really need better pay or anything. It's enough that the leaders do their job. There's a sense of pride in seeing the election go well," she said. -Fadli also contributed to the story from Batam Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin A. Muh. Ibnu Aqil (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 20 2019 Shark fin and meat curing businesses are run with caution in Jakarta, where the price of a small bowl of shark fin soup can reach into the millions of rupiah following restrictions on the shark meat trade, as some species are now endangered. One such businessperson is Luwih, 40, who runs a business specializing in shark and stingray meat near Muara Angke dock in Penjaringan, North Jakarta. However, she said she did not worry too much as long as she followed the guidelines on which shark species were allowed to be caught and processed. My business is safe as long as I process smaller sharks, Luwih told The Jakarta Post on Monday. 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 Afifan Ghalib Haryawan (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Sat, April 20 2019 The maldistribution of health workers is a chronic problem in Indonesia. Many public health centers lack doctors while the incentive system to attract health workers to remote areas is still lacking. When presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto expressed concern for physicians who are paid less than parking officers, his audience went wild. Is the opinion valid? We were reminded of this disturbing question during the commemoration of World Health Day on April 7. Parking officers in the capital are paid according to the regional minimum wage, which is Rp 3.6 million (US$254.33) but this will reportedly increase to Rp 3.9 million this year. 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 Italians, boat crew and guide all arrested for fishing in national park PHUKET: Two Italian men in the 70s along with their guide and boat crew have been taken into custody for fishing within the national park at the Similan Islands. tourism By The Phuket News Friday 19 April 2019, 06:16PM All 46.5kg of fish seized was disposed of in a hole in the ground. Photo: DNP All 46.5kg of fish were seized. Photo: DNP All six men, including the two Italians in their 70s, were taken to Khuraburi Police Station in Phang Nga. Photo: DNP All 46.5kg of fish were seized. Photo: DNP The speedboat was found on the east side of Huyong Island with one person fishing and a haul of 46.5kg already landed on board. Photo: DNP Ruamsil Manajonprasert, Chief of the Mu Ko Similan National Park, and officers were informed of people fishing in the waters off Huyong Island on Wednesday (Apr 17), and moved quickly to intervene. The officers arrived at the east side of island to find the speedboat Nicola with person on the boat fishing. On the boat the officers found boat captain Sansern Klasuek and Phuket tour and fishing guide Prasert Kuansamrong, both 35, along with boat mechanic Wichart Damyot, Thai, 52, and Myanmar national crewman Ten Si Tu, 27. Also on board were Italian nationals Claudio Bonfatti and Mario Vincenzo Biccai, both 70 years old. Already landed on board were 115 fish, including needlefish, barracuda, northern bluefin tuna and shovelhead catfishes, among others. Officers noted the haul weighed 46.5kg and was estimated to be worth B9,300. The park officers then declared the speedboat and all objects on board, including 25 fishing rods, four fishing rods without reels and two ice boxes altogether deemed to be worth B2,107,400 as evidence seized pending charges for fishing in the national park. All six men were taken to Kuraburi Police Station in Phang Nga for further questioning. However, attempts by The Phuket News today to confirm which of the six persons were to face which charges went unanswered. Meanwhile, the speedboat and all items seized will remain impounded by Similan National Park while the charges are being filed, park officials noted. However, all 46.5kg of the fish caught were disposed of in a hole in the ground yesterday (Apr 18), park officials explained. Patong Police call for calm after foreigner outburst over motorbike collision goes viral PHUKET: Patong Police have issued a statement asking for all motorists to keep their cool after a foreigner was recorded delivering angry outbursts over a motorbike collision in the town on Wednesday (Apr 17). patongpolicetransportaccidentstourism By Waranya Prompinpiras Friday 19 April 2019, 01:50PM The foreigner riding the Honda X-ADV (left) was fined B400 for careless driving, and had to pay B30,000 for damages to the red Zoomer X motorbike (right) and medical treatment fees for the injured woman, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Photo: Supplied The foreigner riding the Honda X-ADV (left) was fined B400 for careless driving, and had to pay B30,000 for damages to the red Zoomer X motorbike (right) and medical treatment fees for the injured woman, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Photo: Supplied The foreigner riding the Honda X-ADV (left) was fined B400 for careless driving, and had to pay B30,000 for damages to the red Zoomer X motorbike (right) and medical treatment fees for the injured woman, who was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Photo: Supplied The video sowing the angry foreigner went viral, with some people calling the man and his friends mafia, Patong Police Chief Col Anotai said. Screenshot: Supplied The statement was posted on the official Patong Police Facebook page this morning (see here) after a video of the angry outbursts started going viral on Thai social media. The video shows a foreign man, speaking in basic Thai and later in English with a heavy French accent, shouting angrily at people involved in the accident, which involved a collision of two motorbikes. (See video here.) The statement issued this morning stated that the Patong Police would like to clarify the facts. Patong Police Chief Col Anotai Jindamanee also told The Phuket News that he wanted people to understand that the foreigner was not mafia, as people were claiming in posts online. The statement explained that the incident involved a collision of two motorbikes on Phra Metta Rd, and the entrance to Soi Sansabai. A Honda X-ADVmotorcycle exited Soi Sansabai without being careful, causing a collision with a Honda Zoomer X motorbike. A woman riding as passenger on the Zoomer X was injured in the collision and the motorbike was damaged, the statement read. The parties came to an agreement. The foreigner (who was riding the X-ADV) will pay damages and repair costs. Police fined the rider of X-ADV, it added. The foreigner seen shouting angrily in the video was not involved the accident, the statement added. The foreign man arrived at the scene after the crash. and he knew the foreigner who was a party to the accident. He spoke harshly at a person at the scene before officers arrived. After the officers arrived, the parties calmed down and were ready to speak to each other to resolve the issue. From all of us here at Patong Police Station, we ask all motorists to please use the roads with consideration of others, and to drive together with caution, calmly, the statement concluded. Col Anotai explained to The Phuket News, I decided to post the announcement on Facebook because I do not want local residents to misunderstand that the foreigners involved are mafia, as rumours posted social media are claiming. The foreign man in the video was shouting because he knew the foreigner man who was in the accident. But after police officers arrived, he calmed down and eventually left the scene, he said. Police fined foreign man who was riding the Honda X-ADV motorbike B400 for carelessness causing the accident. And he agreed to pay B30,000 to the woman who owned the Honda Zoomer X for repairs to the motorbike and medical treatment costs, Col Anotai said. However, photos taken at the scene and the video both showed that the woman injured was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Police open door to no death penalty charge over Phuket seastead case PHUKET: The police investigator tasked with the Royal Thai Navy complaint against American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Supranee Thepdet over the seastead built south of Phuket told The Phuket News today (Apr 19) that he will not move to charge the couple under Section 119 which may incur the death penalty if he finds no evidence that the structure threatens national security. militarymarineconstructioncrimepolice By The Phuket News Friday 19 April 2019, 08:36PM Rear Admiral Kritsana Kultiya, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy Command Third Area Command, denied that the Navy was hunting American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Supranee Thepdet to end their lives. photo: PR Dept Lt Col Siriwat Inyim, Deputy Chief of the Wichit Police, said that if he does not find any evidence that the seastead threatens national security, he will not ask the Public Prosecutor to move ahead with the Section 199 charge. Photo: PR Dept Lt Col Siriwat Inyim, Deputy Chief of the Wichit Police told The Phuket News this evening (Apr 19), This is my case to investigate, and I have received a complaint asking police to press charges under Section 119 of the Criminal Code. However, although I have yet to conclude my investigation, if I do not find any evidence that this seastead threatens national security, I will not ask the Public Prosecutor to move ahead with that charge, Col Siriwat said. Instead, I will ask the Public Prosecutor to file a much lesser charge, one that very likely will not include the death penalty, he added. However, Col Siriwat noted that even if he requested the Public Prosecutor to move ahead with a lesser charge, I will have to still attach the Navy complaint to my recommendation as that is required by standard procedure. The public statement by Col Siriwat to allow for a much lesser charge that will likely not include the death penalty follows Rear Admiral Kritsana Kultiya, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy Command Third Area Command, which is based in Phuket, today denouncing claims made in posts online that the Navy is hunting Mr Elwartowski and Ms Supranee to end their lives. We are not hunting them to end their lives. That is not true, R/Adm Kritsana said. We just want them brought to justice, and we have handed the search for the couple over to the Royal Thai Police and the Immigration Bureau as that is their job to do. We are the Navy, our areas of concern are out on the water, he added. We have already filed a complaint of their crime under Section 119 to Wichit Police Station (see story here). I repeat that we have power to take action on the water, but it is the police and immigration polices job to find, arrest them, not us, R/Adm Kritsana explained. R/Adml Kritsana s comments came in response to reporters questions at a press conference held at Provincial Hall today over the seastead case, which has made international headlines after Mr Elwartowski and Ms Supranee went into hiding, reportedly fearful that they may face the death penalty for the structure. (See stories here and here.) Mr Elwartowski and Ms Supranee and the Ocean Builders project (see website here) have repeatedly denied that the couple were involved in the construction and placement of the seastead. They were just the volunteers who lived first on the platform to assess it, they said. Maj Tossapon Kitilap, an investigator with the Phuket Immigration Police, told the press conference, We still have not found them. We are still looking for them, but we are watching out closely for both of them now. Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai urged sensitivity in following due process in the case. Wichit Police is investigating the case and reviewing the evidence carefully because the penalty foe the charge under the complaint filed is so serious. The next move is to have the structure removed. We have drawn up a plan together with the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command already. The seastead will be seized and removed from the water because the seastead it is in a location that is dangerous for itself and for boats passing through the area, V/Gov Supoj said. Meanwhile, Phuket Industry Chief Siwat Rawangkul accompanied by a host of other officials inspected a boatyard in Mai Khao on Wednesday (Apr 17) that Mr Siwat said had been confirmed as being hired to build the seastead and install it at its current location, some 42 kilometres south of Phuket. In a very brief report, Mr Siwat said that the boatyards company documents were all in order. However officials had yet to examine the facilitys permit to operate as a place of production as required under the Factory Act 1992, he added. No charges had yet been brought against the boatyard operator, but officials were continuing their investigation, Mr Siwat said. ADEN, Yemen, April 18 (Xinhua) -- Yemeni political analysts said that U.S. President Donald Trump's veto over a congressional resolution that sought to end the U.S. involvement in Yemen proves the key American role in the war. Trump's veto proves the key American role in the Saudi-led military campaign and might work to prolong the country's war, experts said. They said that the Trump administration has the upper hand in deciding whether to stop the ongoing military operations in Yemen or extending the war despite the humanitarian crisis. On Tuesday, Trump sent a statement to the senate and called the resolution "an unnecessary, dangerous attempt to weaken my constitutional authorities, and endangering the lives of American citizens and brave service members." The resolution, which was approved by the Senate last month in a vote of 54 to 46 and the House in early April in a vote of 247 to 175, directs the president to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities in or affecting Yemen within 30 days unless they are fighting al-Qaida. Ahmed Nasser Asharif, a political analyst and writer based in the capital Sanaa, told Xinhua that "Trump's veto is just a clear evidence that the current American administration is leading the war against Yemen through its tools in the region." The Sanaa-based analyst believes that "the decision to end this devastating war will come from Washington one day as the launching of the military campaign was declared from there four years ago." He said that "the U.S. administration will continue to use the war in Yemen as a means of blackmailing the rich Gulf countries particularly Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and plundering their wealth." According to Asharif, the ongoing civil war will not see an end in the near future because "Trump wants to achieve his goal and doesn't have a real desire to end the years-long war in Yemen, despite the destruction of Yemen's infrastructure and the killing of Yemeni civilians." Asharif said that Trump's veto will lead to a continuing debate and "might cause some repercussions between the Congress and the American presidential administration that may leave a positive impact for the interest of Yemen." On the other hand, some Yemeni observers said that Trump's veto will not have an impact on the ongoing fighting between the Yemeni government forces and the Houthi fighters. Yaseen Al-Tamimi, a Yemeni political writer and analyst, told Xinhua that "Trump's veto will not have a direct and rapid impact on changing the events or the conflict that is going on in Yemen. It will unlikely affect the UN-sponsored peace process." Al-Tamimi said that "Trump used the veto just to protect his country's huge interests gained through the relations with the UAE and Saudi Arabia. It is also linked to the arrangements of his overall management for the region." He added that "it can be said that the shifting in the American administration's attitude toward Iran and the Houthis has nothing to do with the priorities of the Yemeni people, who are keen to defeat the coup and restore their state." On Wednesday, Yemen's Saudi-backed government welcomed Trump's veto and described it as a confirmation that the United States will continue to provide cooperation and be a partner working side by side with the people of Yemen to restore peace and security. The statement revealed by the Saudi-backed government said that Yemen is now a frontline battleground against the spread of Iranian aggression and global terrorism. Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday strongly criticized Trump's veto, saying that "it proved the U.S. complicity in the massacre against the Yemeni people and unjust siege." The Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam said on Twitter the veto "approves that the United States was not only involved in the aggression on Yemen, but also the decision maker of the war while the others follow its decision." Notably, the UAE, main partner of the Saudi-led coalition, welcomed on Wednesday Trump's veto. Frustration is growing in Yemen's rebel-held north as the prolonged war and commercial blockade are deepening pains of the residents. The military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in Yemen in March 2015 to support Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after Houthi rebels forced him into exile and seized much of the country's north, including the capital Sanaa. The United Nations is struggling to save a peace deal between Hadi's government and the Houthi rebels, seen as a hope to end the country's four-year civil war, which has pushed more than 20 million Yemenis to the brink of famine. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Near record high temperatures. High 72F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. At The Next Level: More than 60 area athletes competing on winter college sports teams in six states Most people know him best as the author of Awakenings, which was later made into the 1990 Oscar-winning movie starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. In that book, as with his many other writings, the late author and neurologist Oliver Sacks brought to popular culture people whose minds were different; as a result, he encouraged empathy and understanding. That combination of scientific and writerly acuity earned him the nomer the poet laureate of medicine by the New York Times. Sacks died just after the publication of his 2015 memoir On The Move. And so, the essays in this new book, Everything In Its Place, First Loves and Last Tales (Knopf) are a chance for readers to hear fresh stories in his voice one last time. One of the pieces, a quite short one among some of the longer essays and observances in the book, describes a memorable encounter he had when he visited the Toronto Zoo. Here, too, hes making connections and encouraging empathy. Orangutan, by Oliver Sacks Some years ago while visiting the Toronto Zoo, I visited an orangutan. She was nursing a baby but when I pressed my bearded face against the window of her large, grassy enclosure, she put her infant down gently, came over to the window, and pressed her face, her nose, opposite mine, on the other side of the glass. I suspect my eyes were darting about as I gazed at her face, but I was much more conscious of her eyes. Her bright little eyes were they orange too? flicked about, observing my nose, my chin, all the human but also apish features of my face, identifying me (I could not help feeling) as one of her own kind, or at least closely akin. Then she stared into my eyes, and I into hers, like lovers gazing into each others eyes, with just the pane of glass between us. I put my left hand against the window, and she immediately put her right hand over mine. Their affinity was obvious we could both see how similar they were. I found this astounding, wonderful; it gave me an intense feeling of kinship and closeness as I had never had before with any animal. See, her action said, my hand, too, is just like yours. But it was also a greeting, like shaking hands or matching palms in a high five. Then we pulled our faces away from the glass, and she went back to her baby. I have had and loved dogs and other animals, but I have never known such an instant, mutual recognition and sense of kinship as I had with this fellow primate. Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante spoke out Thursday about threats directed against her over her stance on the provinces secularism bill. Plante told reporters Thursday the online attacks have intensified, and she is taking them seriously. Im always open for debate, but I will not accept that, Plante said. This is not the kind of society we want. This is not what we want to encourage. The threats, including some of physical violence, are in messages posted online or sent directly to her social media accounts. Freedom of speech is important, but we need to realize were also talking to human beings, Plante said. A senior aide to the mayor told The Canadian Press that messages deemed to have crossed a line have been flagged and sent to Montreal police. Quebecs Bill 21 would prohibit public servants in positions of authority including teachers, police officers, Crown prosecutors and prison guards from wearing religious symbols on the job. A grandfather clause would protect people already hired in those positions. The debate surrounding the proposed legislation has been divisive since the bill was tabled last month. On Monday, Plante and Lionel Perez, the opposition leader at Montreal city hall, issued a joint motion denouncing Bill 21. On Wednesday, Toronto city council passed a resolution supporting Montreal and declaring its opposition to any legislation restricting freedom of religion. Quebec Premier Francois Legault called the attacks on Plante unacceptable and urged calmer debate. Legault also downplayed a recent article in the Chinese daily Global Times, praising the proposed legislation and comparing it to Chinas own policy of repression of the Uighurs, a Muslim minority group often sent to re-education camps. The premier said Thursday he couldnt stop the Chinese daily from applauding his governments legislation. The April 2 dispatch called the Quebecs proposed legislation a good way of ensuring separation of church and state. Legault said neither the Chinese nor Toronto would ultimately have an impact on the debate in Quebec. I dont think so, when you compare whats happening in large countries like France, Germany, Belgium, they took decisions to forbid some religious signs, Legault said in Quebec City. So were doing that with the support of the majority of Quebecers, and its not up to Ontario people to decide whats happening in Quebec. Read more about: FLINT, MICH.A Montreal man convicted of terrorism for nearly killing an airport police officer in Michigan was sentenced Thursday to life in prison. U.S. prosecutors said Amor Ftouhi drove 1,600 kilometres from Montreal to the airport in Flint, Mich., where he yelled God is great in Arabic and repeatedly stabbed Lt. Jeff Neville on June 21, 2017. Investigators said Ftouhi wanted to kill Neville, take his gun and start shooting people in the airport. He legally drove into the United States at Champlain, N.Y., and arrived in Flint five days later. He tried but failed to buy a gun at a gun show and instead bought a large knife. Prosecutors have said he told investigators his mission was to kill and be killed. His defence lawyer, Joan Morgan, said Ftouhi wasnt attempting to create mass casualties and wanted to be killed so his family could collect life insurance and he could become a martyr. Before sentencing Thursday, Ftouhi, 51, told the judge he has no regrets and only wished he could have acquired a machine-gun that day to kill Neville and others. Do I regret what I did? Never, Ftouhi told the judge inside a federal courtroom in Flint. I regret I didnt get that machine-gun. I regret I didnt kill that cop. The statements stunned U.S. District Judge Matthew Leitman, who said hed been wrestling very hard with a decision about whether to allow Ftouhi a chance to someday be released from prison. Leitman said the remarks persuaded me beyond any shadow of a doubt that a life term was appropriate. He was crystal clear today: If he had the opportunity to kill more people, he would, the judge said. Ftouhi, who moved to Montreal in 2007 from Tunisia, was convicted in November on terrorism charges and two other crimes. Ftouhi had said he had a good education and many skills but felt discrimination in Canada because he wasnt a white Christian. He pledged allegiance to his Muslim faith and said western counties and Arabic countries should be cursed if they dont rule according to Allah. The case was a slam dunk for federal prosecutors, who sought a life sentence. Several witnesses saw Ftouhi attack Neville and wrestled him to the ground. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Ftouhi had a mission to kill as many American law enforcement as possible in an act of violent jihad, U.S. attorney Matthew Schneider said in a statement. The sentence today reflects his extreme dangerousness and the need to prevent him from further acts of violence in the future. Neville survived the attack but has lost feeling on the right side of his face. He retired from the airport police department because of post-traumatic stress disorder. He picked the wrong Americans to attack that day, Neville told Leitman, referring to fellow officers and witnesses who saved him and pounced on Ftouhi. He should never walk the streets as a free man again. Ftouhis attorney, Joan Morgan, argued for a 25-year prison sentence in solitary confinement, saying it would effectively be a life term because of Ftouhis age. The judge praised Morgans work but repeatedly challenged her over the recommendation, especially after Ftouhis courtroom remarks. Morgan said Ftouhis mental health had deteriorated at the time of the attack and has slipped even further during 22 months in custody awaiting trial and sentencing. People change He is more than what his actions were, Morgan said. Later outside the courthouse, Neville said he wasnt surprised by the lack of contrition and was pleased with the life sentence. I would have been disappointed, frankly, if he didnt get life, because hes a really dangerous man and I think he got out of prison at 70 years old, hed still be a dangerous man. If they let him go in Canada, hed still be a dangerous man, Neville said. Hes not someone that needs to be out ever again. According to the prosecutions sentencing memorandum, Ftouhi shared a two-bedroom apartment in Montreal with his wife and three children and was employed up until two weeks before the attack. His wife described his mental health at the time as happy, positive and hopeful, but Ftouhi said he was depressed about his finances and wanted to kill and become a martyr. The prosecution said he began planning in March 2017, researching gun shows and downloading tactical training videos and government surveillance techniques. He chose Michigan because he thought it would easiest jurisdiction in which to procure a gun. Ftouhi told authorities after the attack he came to the U.S. to punish that country for its support of Israel and its foreign policy in the Middle East. The defence sentencing filing described Ftouhi as having faced discrimination in finding employment. In heavy debt, he saw the attack as a way to become a martyr while benefiting his wife and children through a life insurance policy. However, authorities in Canada and the U.S., as well as statements from Ftouhis family, indicated he was educated, intelligent and had a good life in Canada. But he became so consumed by hate, he left it behind to pursue a mission of murder, the prosecution said. with files from The Canadian Press MONTREALQuebec communities were bracing for major flooding in various parts of the province Thursday as rainy weather was expected to settle in for the beginning of the weekend. The provinces public security minister urged citizens in regions at risk of flooding not to take any chances and to follow the advice of civil security officials. Genevieve Guilbault made the comments as two days of heavy rain were forecast for the province ending Saturday, aggravating the danger in areas where water levels are already high. Guilbault advised citizens in municipalities deemed at risk to be prudent. If youre asked to leave your home, if youre asked to take preventive measures, Im asking you to co-operate, she said. In Beauceville, south of Quebec City, where flooding has struck at least 230 homes, Environment Canada says between 40 and 70 millimetres of rain could fall through Saturday. The rainfall combined with the snowmelt could heighten water flows in rivers, the agency warned in a weather statement. Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Officials are keeping an eye on other swollen rivers as well Montreal has experienced some minor flooding, and the Monteregie region directly to the south is also impacted. Guilbault said civil security officials will keep close tabs on the situation throughout the weekend. In Gatineau, Que., across from Ottawa, Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin was concerned about what lies ahead. In 2017, we had a many weeks to prepare, in a way, because we had a first episode and then a second, Pedneaud-Jobin said. Were in a situation where what we went through in a couple of weeks, we might have happen in a couple of days. Hans Gruenwald Jr., the mayor of Rigaud, Que., in southwestern Quebec at the junction of the Rigaud and Ottawa Rivers, advised residents on the flood plain to leave their homes. He warned that those who dont follow an evacuation order might not get rescued if it puts the lives of first-responders at peril. The community west of Montreal faced massive flooding and heavy damage in May 2017 and the mayor fears this year might be worse. Gruenwald noted that in 2017 some residents worked day and night sandbagging their properties to keep the water at bay, only to fall a few inches short. The big difference is the speed at which this water will arrive, he told a news conference. Unless your rowboat is tied to your front porch post, youre not going to have time to get out of there. Read more about: FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.The company formerly known as Nexen Energy has been fined $450,000 after pleading guilty to charges in the deaths of two oilsands workers in northern Alberta. The two men died from an explosion at the Long Lake facility near Anzac on Jan. 15, 2016. Drew Foster, 52, of Niagara Falls, Ont., was pronounced dead at the scene and David Williams, 30, of Scotchtown, N.S., later died in hospital. Nexen Energy was charged in 2017 with workplace offences under Albertas Occupational Health and Safety Act. Some of the charges related to ensuring a compressor was properly serviced and that staff in charge of the machine had read its operating manual and safety rules. The company, which is now called CNOOC Petroleum North America, pleaded guilty in Fort McMurray provincial court to failing to ensure the health and safety of the men. Quinn Wilson, CEO of the company, said it has been working on its safety practices to make sure that something similar never happens again. Drew Foster, David Williams were strong contributors to our company. They were valued and they were working overtime to help us, he said Thursday outside court. As an operator we take full responsibility for what happened to those two men that day. Court heard 16 victim impact statements from family members and a friend of the men. Tracy Foster, Drews widow, told the court about the events that led up to the explosion, including her husbands decision to become a millwright and move across the country. Drew was the rock of our family. No amount of time will heal what weve lost, she said. Crown prosecutor Alana Elliot read a statement from Dave Williams mother, who wrote that her living room has become a shrine to her late son. Williams father, Michael, wrote that he sometimes visits the cemetery several times a day. Day after day. Surgery after surgery for 10 days we hoped and prayed David would be able to fight this, but the condition worsened. Other charges related to their deaths were withdrawn. Read more about: After a brief provincial election campaign devoid of drama, voters on Prince Edward Island appear poised to stir things up and make some history when they cast their ballots Tuesday. The Islands Green party, led by Scottish-born dentist Peter Bevan-Baker, has recorded upward momentum in the polls for more than a year, suggesting the smallest province may be ready to elect Canadas first Green government. It has not been a particularly fascinating campaign, but I think its going to be a fascinating election night, says Don Desserud, a political science professor at the University of Prince Edward Island. Theres something going on here. You cant deny that after a whole year of solid numbers for the Green party that theyve attracted attention and are being regarded with great favour. A Narrative Research poll for the Charlottetown Guardian released this week suggests the Greens had maintained a lead, but it was within the margin of error and the Tories and Liberals were not far behind. The close numbers also raised the spectre of a minority government, which would itself mark a historic moment for the Island: The last time a minority was elected in P.E.I. was 1890. Read more: Prince Edward Island Green Party releases election platform focused on social issues Prince Edward Islands Green leader keen to make electoral history Liberal premier calls Prince Edward Island election for April 23 Islanders have been electing either Liberal or Conservative governments since Confederation. And a clear pattern has held since the mid-1960s, with majority governments being regularly replaced after serving three terms though the Liberals eked out a fourth term in 1978, only to lose power a year later. Premier Wade MacLauchlans Liberals will be seeking a fourth term on April 23, which has prompted some critics to suggest the party has overstayed its welcome. Though the provinces economy is among the strongest in the country, voters have been reluctant to attribute any of that success to MacLauchlan. Donald Savoie, the Canada research chair in public administration at the Universite de Moncton, says hes bewildered by the lack of credit given to the Liberals. It is difficult to imagine how the MacLauchlan government could have produced a better report card on the economy before going to the polls, Savoie wrote in a recent editorial, noting the numbers look great for wages, employment, immigration, housing starts, exports, retail sales and tourism. And yet public opinion surveys reveal that the MacLauchlan government is confronting a serious political challenge. This suggests that there are forces at play in the Maritime provinces that are playing havoc with the regions political landscape. So what is it about the Greens that has moved the Islands traditionally small-c conservative voters to consider a more progressive party? Bevan-Baker says the shifting political sentiments on P.E.I. are a reflection of a broader movement away from traditional, mainstream politics. Hes called it the local expression of a global phenomenon. People are looking for something that doesnt sound or smell or taste like a conventional politician, he said in an interview late last year. Bevan-Baker became the first member of the Green party to win a seat in the P.E.I. legislature in 2015, having failed to win a single election after 10 attempts on the Island and in Ontario. As party leader, he has spent the past three years carefully crafting the partys brand by consistently challenging the notion that the Greens are a single-issue entity devoted only to environmental activism. During the election campaign, Bevan-Baker made a point of broadening the partys public appeal by focusing on social issues. When the party released its entire $30-million platform at the beginning of the campaign, the largest chunk of that planned spending $10-million was earmarked for increasing social assistance rates. Increasing the inventory of affordable housing was also a top priority. Theyre really broadened out their platform to talk about socially progressive issues, says Desserud. Its a rebranding of the party that has been extremely successful. The party has been talking about environmental issues, but they have not foregrounded them, the professor said. And when it comes to climate change and carbon taxes, Bevan-Baker has been careful to link a healthy environment with a prosperous economy. As for the Progressive Conservatives, the party may have deep roots on the island, but it has been plagued by infighting. In the past eight years, the party has had no fewer than six leaders, including Dennis King, who was elected in February. The party enjoyed a boost in the polls in March, when it was in a virtual dead heat with the Liberals and this weeks Narrative poll suggests they have continued momentum. As for the Islands New Democrats, led by Joe Byrne, their poll numbers have remained at single digits for the past year. On Tuesday, voters will also learn the results from a binding referendum on electoral reform, which will determine if Islanders want to keep the first-past-the-post system or change to a mixed-member-proportional-representation model. In a 2016 plebiscite, 52 per cent voted in favour of switching to a mixed-member system, but MacLauchlan rejected the results, saying the 36 per cent turnout rate was too low. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to abolish the first-past-the-post system federally during the 2015 election, but he later abandoned that pledge, saying Canadians were not eager for change. Voters in British Columbia rejected making such a change in December 2017. Toronto Public Health says a reduction in provincial funding to public health units across the province will amount to more than $1 billion over 10 years in the city alone. On Thursday afternoon, ahead of a long weekend, the province invited public health officials from across the province to conference call to detail the cuts, which have not been publicly announced. The province plans to decrease the number of units from 35 units to 10 and reduce the provinces share in funding to units across the province, with a proportionally bigger cut to Toronto Public Health, according to a financial analysis from Toronto Public Health and Councillor Joe Cressy, who chairs Torontos board of health and who was on the call. Mayor John Tory called the $1-billion cut a targeted attack on the health of our entire city, and, in particular the health of Torontos most vulnerable people and noted the change was hidden in the provincial budget without any consultation whatsoever. This is an incredibly serious funding change which puts our citys health at risk and will put lives at risk here in Toronto and across the province, he said. Cressy and the mayor noted essential programs would be at risk. Read more: Opinion | Theres nothing moderate about this Ontario budget Toronto council makes decisions and Doug Fords government keeps changing them People will die if drug consumption sites close, Torontos medical officer of health says Affected programs will include disease prevention, water quality testing, immunization monitoring and surveillance, prenatal support, overdose prevention, food safety regulation, infectious disease control, student nutrition, and more, Cressy said in a news release. This announcement was made despite an indisputable body of evidence suggesting that the best way to prevent hallway health care and improve the health of Ontarians is to invest more, not less, in public health. In a statement, the citys medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, also said the change would have significant negative impacts on the health of Toronto residents and that they were extremely disappointed to hear this news. Whether it is providing school immunization programs, protecting people from measles, influenza, the next SARS and other outbreaks, helping keep our water safe to drink, inspecting our restaurants, pools and beaches, investments in public health keep our city and residents safe, healthy and strong, she said. On Thursday, the province refused to confirm the new funding formula or the impact on Toronto Public Healths budget. In an email, a spokesperson for Health Minister Christine Elliott said Cressy was fundamentally misrepresenting the facts but at the same time confirmed they would be downloading some funding responsibility to municipalities. We are working directly with our municipal partners as we slowly shift the cost-sharing funding model over the next three years to reflect municipalities stronger role, wrote Elliotts press secretary Hayley Chazan. The province currently funds 100 per cent of some programs, including infectious disease control, and 75 per cent of other programs. Under the new funding formula, the provinces share of program costs in Toronto would be reduced to 60 per cent starting this year and further cut to 50 per cent starting in 2021, according to a financial analysis from Toronto Public Health. That analysis, provided by Cressys office, tallied the impact of reductions over the three years compared to 2018 allocations and concluded the total cut over 10 years would total $1.033 billion. In the rest of the province, the funding was expected to drop to a 70 per cent share of program starting this year and be further cut to 60 per cent starting in 2021 for all units serving populations over 1 million people, Cressy told the Star. He said the province confirmed on the conference call that Toronto would remain a stand-alone unit, but did not share the boundaries of the other units or how they would be amalgamated. Therefore, calculating cuts across the rest of the province is not possible right now, Cressy said. The provincial budget, released last week, claimed the annual savings across the province by 2021 would be $200 million. The news followed a request from city council earlier this week to the province to maintain the current funding formula. At Queens Park, NDP MPP Marit Stiles (Davenport) said the cut in provincial funding to public health was incredibly irresponsible and cruel. A lot of us are shocked right now. These are exactly the kind of services that prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases, said Stiles, noting public health officials are also responsible for vaccination rates, opioid control, water safety, nutrition programs, among other things. We need to know that our vaccinations are happening, that our public health services are in place. Dr. David Fisman, an expert in infectious diseases and head of the epidemiology division at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said the consequences of cuts to public health are pretty predictable. Public health is all about nothing ... Thats the fundamental output of public health, is the non-occurrence of events, he said. Which for folks who have no sense of history and no knowledge about what happens if you stop preventing disease, then it looks like youre wasting your money because youre spending all this money on public health and nothings happening. In fact, that is our deliverable is not having epidemics in the city and not having people disabled by preventable health conditions so that you lose economically that way. With files from Robert Benzie Read more about: Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the City of Toronto, predicting significant rain into the Easter long weekend, but clearing up by Sunday. The statement, issued just before 3:30 on Thursday afternoon, predicts rain of between 25 and 55 millimetres on Good Friday and Saturday. The rain may begin as early as Thursday evening, which has a 60 per cent chance of showers and risk of a thunderstorm. The expected downpour is the result of a series of low pressure systems from the Southern Great Plains states affecting Southern Ontario. The statement warned that, due to the recent spring thaw, the ground still cannot absorb water as well as it can at other times. This might result in ponds forming or in flooding in low-lying areas. Although wet, the long weekend will be relatively warm, with highs of 10 C on Friday and Saturday and 16 C on Sunday. Environment Canada stated that the rainfall warning criterion of 50 millimetres of rain within 24 hours will not likely be met. The rain is expected to clear up by Sunday morning, which will be partly cloudy. The Easter Bunny should have no trouble delivering chocolate and sweet treats. Christine Zinni says she has lost count of the number of friends, colleagues and loved ones who have died of opioid overdoses over the past three years. There are so many I dont know how to deal with it anymore, said Zinni, 47, a harm reduction worker. A low estimate, she told the Star, is 30 people in or connected to her immediate circle. If I sat down and started writing a list I would probably break down. With overdose deaths on the rise, Zinni and fellow members of the harm reduction community are struggling to understand why Ontarios health ministry pulled funding from sites where people could use drugs under supervision in late March including two in Toronto. A third site run by Toronto Public Health was left in limbo. People are going to die. They are playing politics with peoples lives, Zinni said. You cant treat a dead addict. Zinni is not alone in her thinking. A majority of Torontonians disagree with the funding being withdrawn for services, a new poll shows. Two thirds also said they thought the sites are an effective way to save lives. Two thirds of Torontonians, 65 per cent, said they disapproved of the provincial decision, according to a poll by Forum Research Inc., conducted for the Star. A total of 1,110 people, from the former city of Toronto, East York, North York, Etobicoke, York and Scarborough responded through an interactive phone survey. Read more: Ottawa gives temporary reprieve to Toronto drug consumption sites that the province planned to close Editorial | Ford government puts lives at risk by reducing injection sites Toronto council makes decisions and Doug Fords government keeps changing them About 25 per cent said they approved taking away funding and 9 per cent said they didnt know. In the former city of Toronto where services are concentrated 76 per cent disapproved, 16 per cent were in favour and 8 per cent said they didnt know. On Thursday, the province announced $1 billion in funding for Toronto Public Health would be cut over 10 years. It will impact overdose prevention as well as prenatal support, immunization monitoring, infectious disease control, food safety and more, a TPH spokesperson said Thursday in a release. Speaking on the overdose crisis, Councillor Joe Cressy, chair of the citys board of health, earlier this week said, In Toronto we are losing one person every day. Everybody is now affected. Every household. Every community. Torontonians are awake to the devastating impact of the overdose crisis. If only the province was too. This year, Toronto paramedics have already responded to more than 1,170 suspected opioid overdose calls and 53 were reported as fatal, according to the citys website. The highest approval for the province came from Scarborough, where 34 per cent of 204 people were in favour of pulling funding, 55 per cent disapproved and 11 per cent didnt know. Ontario had pulled the funding for overdose prevention sites at St. Stephens Community House in Kensington Market and The Street Health site at Dundas and Sherbourne Sts., saying they didnt meet new service requirements set by the province. Operators told the Star they were told to close their doors and expect to turn clients away. Federal exemptions have meant the doors stayed open but the agencies needed to come up with their own money. A supervised injection site, The Works, operated by Toronto Public Health, is operating pending further review by the province. The Ontario government has approved funding for six sites in Toronto, among a total of 15 across Ontario, a spokesperson for the provincial health ministry confirmed. Overdose prevention sites were intended to be a temporary, a nimble response to a mounting crisis. Supervised injection sites have tighter rules around staffing and supervision and are meant to be permanent. Among the group polled 65 per cent agreed that the sites were an effective way to reduce deaths and 64 per cent said they approved of having the sites in the city. In old Toronto 77 per cent said the sites were effective and 76 per cent approved of safe injection site in the city. And 46 per cent said they thought people also used the sites to access addiction services. Health Minister Christine Elliott, in a release at the time, said their government takes the opioids crisis very seriously, and the new service model would continue to save lives. In response, Dr. Eileen de Villa, Torontos medical officer of health, predicted lethal consequences. I expect you will see deaths, during a press conference at city hall. Mayor John Tory described the move as extremely disturbing. The Works has already supervised more than 1,700 visits this month, and 18 resulted in an overdose, according to the citys website. Staff have supervised almost 42,650 visits since August 2017, and of those 782 involved an overdose and 301 people required Naloxone. On Thursday, Torontos Overdose Prevention Society (TOPS) donated $20,000 each to St. Stephens and Street Health. TOPS co-ordinator Gillian Kolla said generous donations made to their group means they can support fellow agencies but shouldnt have to. It is not the job of our citizens to be funding for an essential health service, she said. The government is absolutely shirking its responsibility. City council voted on Tuesday to ask the provincial government to restore their funding. That same day Zinni and fellow advocates converged on Queens Park as part of a national day of action. They spread the photos and names of their dead across the lawn, then walked down University Ave. and staged a die-in in front of the offices of Ontarios chief medical officer of health. Advocates have been calling on the provincial and federal governments to declare a state of emergency and provide additional funding and a clean drug supply. The biggest threat to drug users is the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The prescription form of the drug is used during surgery and to manage extreme pain. What has contaminated the street supply are a range of analogues, cooked up in local labs and shipped across the border. Users cant know the strength and too high a dose can stop breathing. A drug called Naloxone can reverse an overdose and is kept at the ready at all sites. While general acceptance of the sites was high, about half of the group, when asked to speculate, said they believed their neighbours would disapprove of a site being opened less than a kilometre from their homes. About 30 per cent didnt know and about 20 said they thought their neighbours would approve. In the former city of Toronto, 39 per cent thought neighbours would object to a site being that close. The highest expected disapproval rate, at 65 per cent, was in Etobicoke, the results showed. The same group was also asked to rank Torys performance as mayor and of those surveyed 57 per cent said they approve of the job he is doing at city hall, while roughly a quarter disapprove. Correction - April 22, 2019: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the day on which the province announced that Toronto Public Health would face cuts to funding. With files from Jennifer Pagliaro Read more about: Ontario is making a fundamental change to the provinces justice system by vastly expanding the pool of potential jurors to better reflect economic and racial diversity following a 2018 Toronto Star/Ryerson School of Journalism investigation into racially imbalanced juries. Jury boxes, which have always been filled by Ontarians drawn primarily from the provinces property ownership database, will soon include a wider range of voices drawn from a far more comprehensive list provided each year by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, according to changes to the Juries Act detailed in the provincial budget. The proposed change would allow Ontario to use the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) database as its source list for creating juries for the 2020 jury roll. It would streamline the existing process, reduce administrative burden and duplication, and facilitate more diverse juries reflective of all of Ontarios communities, including First Nations, said a spokesperson for the Ministry of Attorney General. The switch from property ownership to Ontarios healthcare database will have a transformational impact on how justice is done in Ontario by giving the accused an opportunity to be judged by a true jury of peers, say legal experts. This is a big step forward that will help increase the representativeness of our juries, said Ottawa defence lawyer Michael J. Spratt. Its astounding that it took so longI certainly think that the work advocates and journalists have put into this issue has probably motivated action. Sunshine is the best disinfectant and credit is due for holding this up to scrutiny. A two-year Star/Ryerson investigation published last year showed 71 per cent of the 632 jurors, whose ethnic identity was documented by reporters attending 52 criminal trials in Toronto and Brampton, were white. In Toronto, more than half of residents identify as visible minorities; in Brampton, the figure is more than 73 per cent. Read more: How a broken jury list makes Ontario justice whiter, richer and less like your community Got jury duty? Ontario asks you to serve for below minimum wage and wont pay your expenses Can you afford jury duty? Heres how each province compensates you for your service The key reason behind the ethnic disparity in jury boxes is a dated and dramatically incomplete jury list that skewed toward middle- to upper-middle-class property owners, legal experts agreed. The comprehensiveness of the list at the beginning has a huge impact on who ends up on juries, says Vanessa MacDonnell, a University of Ottawa law professor. If you start with a flawed list, you can only end up with a flawed jury. If you start with an unrepresentative list, you'll end up with unrepresentative juries. The provinces property ownership database managed by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) excludes potentially millions of Ontarians from serving their civic duty, including many renters, boarders, students, seniors, spouses who are not named on property titles, transient and low-income people, Indigenous people and those unable to afford property in a red-hot real estate market. When housing prices in Toronto and many of the surrounding jurisdictions are completely unaffordable for the majority of the people who are living in those jurisdictions, its obviously a method that is way out of touch with our current time, says Toronto lawyer Brian Eberdt. The unfortunate aspect of this is how long it has taken. You can't help but have some concerns and some sadness for the injustices that might have been caused by an unrepresentative jury panel. There's no way to count. We all know it's been many. But what is there to be done about it? Potential jurors will still have to be Canadian citizens living in Ontario and be at least 18 years of age. At the time of the Star/Ryerson investigation last year, MPAC officials conceded their database was ill-equipped as a source for the provinces juror list, with one official stating: This is a property assessment database, this is not a people database. The agencys databases blind spots included Ontarians living in nursing and retirement homes, those living on First Nations reserves and many renters, the agency admitted. On Thursday, MPAC issued a statement to Star saying the agency supports the recommendation that Ontario move to the use of a single, consolidated database to identify potential jurors. The limitations of a property ownership database for jurors revealed themselves in the faces of jurors surveyed by reporters in the 52 trials in Toronto and Brampton. Of those, only three were composed of 50 per cent visible minority and 50 per cent white jurors. In most cases, white jurors represented the majority with as many as 11 of the 12 positions. Of the 632 jurors surveyed by reporters, 451 (71 per cent) were white; 45 (7 per cent) were Black; 42 (7 per cent) were brown; 89 (14 per cent) were Asian; and 5 (less than 1 per cent) were listed as other. Reporters were unable to identify a single Indigenous juror. Across the aisle, the visible ethnicity of the accused presented a very different picture: Of the 59 documented accused (some trials had more than one), 27 (46 per cent) were Black; 13 (22 per cent) were white; 11 (19 per cent) were brown; five (8 per cent) were Asian and three were counted as other. The new amendments do not address another jury system shortcoming raised in the Star/Ryerson investigation: Ontarios paltry remuneration for jurors which can limit the ability of many low-income and vulnerable citizens from taking part. Ontarians summoned and selected for jury duty receive no compensation for the first 10 days of service. From days 11 to 49, jurors are paid $40 each day rising to $100 a day from the 50th day onwards. Theres no compensation for parking, meals, transit or child care. And while companies are required to grant leave for jury duty, they are not required to pay. For those who work for themselves or for smaller companies that dont pay employees for jury duty, the prospect of fulfilling their civic duty comes with significant repercussions. The Star/Ryerson investigation found other provinces pay far more. Quebec jurors receive $103 from the first day, rising to $160 from the 57th day forward while expenses for parking, transportation, meals and child care are covered. Alberta jurors are paid $50 per day, are reimbursed for travel and child care and provided with parking. Nova Scotia jurors earn $40 a day along with mileage reimbursement and parking. In Newfoundland, employers are required to pay jurors the same wages and benefits as if they were working. Child care costs are also reimbursed. Serving on a jury effectively means giving up income in a large number of cases, says lawyer Spratt. That barrier still exists. Hopefully this (change) indicates the government is open to making other changes that will help our juries better reflect our communities that they sit in judgement of. Files from Ebyan Abdigir, Kvesche Bijons-Ebacher and Palak Mangat (Ryerson School of Journalism) WASHINGTONU.S. President Donald Trump mounted an extensive effort to stop or interfere with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into him and his campaign, Mueller concluded in a final report that suggested Trump may have committed obstruction of justice but did not explicitly accuse him of this. Mueller said he did not establish that Trump or his campaign conspired with the Russian government to interfere with the 2016 election, validating Trumps frequent claims. But the report was nothing close to the total exoneration the president had claimed upon the release of a misleading summary from the attorney general in March. Mueller outlined evidence of repeated Trump attempts to shut down or limit the investigation. He concluded that Trump met the three-part test for an obstruction offence when he made a serious effort to get Mueller fired, told the then-White House counsel to lie that this never happened, tried to get the then-attorney general to sharply narrow the scope of the investigation, tried to get the then-FBI director to stop investigating his former national security adviser, and tried to influence the testimony of former aides. The presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, Mueller wrote, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the president declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Read more: Trump blasts ex-advisers who say he tried to stop Mueller Republicans on attack after attorney general says Mueller found no Trump conspiracy Trump blasts judge who doesnt exist, says wind turbines cause cancer and gives the 3rd-most-dishonest speech of his presidency Mueller rejected Trumps lawyers claims that a president cannot possibly commit obstruction. He suggested that he did not make a direct accusation, in part, because of a long-standing Department of Justice position that a sitting president cannot be indicted. If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, however, we are unable to reach that judgment, Mueller wrote. Here are some of the things we learned from the report: Theres an obstruction case: After Attorney General William Barr told the public that Mueller had provided insufficient evidence for an obstruction charge, Trump had claimed complete and total exoneration. Not even close. Mueller, in fact, laid out detailed evidence of possible Trump obstruction, although he did not say that Trump deserved to be charged. Notably, Mueller said Trump twice called White House counsel Don McGahn to demand that he get Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to fire Mueller. McGahn recounted that Trump said Mueller has to go, call me back when you do it, and you gotta do this. Mueller, citing McGahn, said Trump later tried to get McGahn to falsely deny media reports about the demand. Mueller said Trump told former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to tell then-attorney general Jeff Sessions to meet with Mueller and somehow limit Muellers investigation to figuring out how to prevent future election interference. And Mueller said Trump repeatedly sought to get Sessions to un-recuse himself from the investigation so that Sessions could curtail it. Mueller also concluded that former FBI director James Comey was reliable when he recounted that Trump cornered him into a one-on-one White House meeting and pressured him to stop investigating former national security adviser Michael Flynn, although Trump has denied much of Comeys story. Lots of lies: We already knew that members of Trumps inner circle had done a bunch of lying: Flynn, former Trump personal lawyer Michael Cohen, former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates and former campaign aide George Papadopoulos had pleaded guilty to lying to Congress or federal investigators. The Mueller report revealed many more lies. Among the ones from Trump alone: Trump lied when he said it was fake news that he told McGahn to get Mueller fired; Trump lied when he edited a statement from his son, Donald Trump Jr., to say his Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer was about Russian adoption when it was actually set up with the promise of damaging information on Hillary Clinton; Trump lied when he said he had not said what Comey said he did. No conspiracy proof : Mueller said that he did not establish proof of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russias election interference or even coordination. In multiple cases, Mueller did not find evidence to substantiate Trump opponents worst fears or accusations. For example, Mueller found that campaign aide Carter Page had prior relationships with Russian intelligence, but he did not find Page was involved in the interference. Mueller did not find documentary evidence that Trump knew in advance about the Trump Tower meeting. Although Trump campaign aide J.D. Gordon got Republicans to soften a platform plank on Russia, and told others he was on the phone with Trump about it, Mueller did not find evidence they had actually spoken. Mueller added caveats, making clear that he was stopping short of a definitive exoneration. Mueller said that all the lying materially impaired the investigation, and he noted that some of the people involved deleted relevant communications. Given his knowledge gaps, he said, there might be important information he could not obtain. but a grateful beneficiary of crime: The Trump team may not have illegally conspired with Russias crimes, but Mueller showed that it sought to reap the rewards of those crimes. For example, they planned a communications campaign to be ready for the possible WikiLeaks release of stolen Clinton emails, Gates said, and Trump told him there was more to come. The campaign expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, Mueller said. Not a joke: In his written answers to Mueller, which Mueller called inadequate, Trump claimed that his unsmiling public request for Russia to find deleted Clinton emails was obviously in jest. Yet Mueller found that Trump then repeatedly asked people affiliated with his campaign to find the emails, and they did. Mueller said one effort was conducted by Republican Senate staffer Barbara Ledeen and investment adviser Peter Smith; Smith committed suicide in 2017. There may be more to come: Mueller, himself, is no longer investigating anyone. But the fruits of his investigation are not done ripening: Mueller revealed that he referred 14 criminal matters related to potential criminal activity to other law enforcement authorities, as they were outside the scope of his own investigation. Only two of those matters have become public so far. One was about Cohen, who pleaded guilty. One was about former Obama White House counsel Greg Craig, who was charged last week. Barr has been misleading: In his March summary, Barr excerpted a Mueller sentence that said while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him. He left out a previous sentence that would have been far more damaging to Trump: The evidence we obtained about the presidents actions and intent presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred. Barrs pre-release press conference Thursday raised further questions about his independence and honesty. Sounding as though he were Trumps own lawyer, Barr dubiously claimed that Trump had fully cooperated with the investigation, although Trump refused an interview with Mueller. And Barr insisted that Trumps actions to impede the probe were more acceptable because Trump was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fuelled by illegal leaks. The media got a lot right: Barrs summary prompted intense criticism of media reporting on the investigation. Although critics were right that some opinion pundits and Trump opponents carelessly overhyped the promise of a Trump-Russia conspiracy, the full Mueller report corroborated numerous investigative reports about the conduct of Trump and his aides. That many of Muellers findings were not shocking was only because media outlets had correctly reported them before. Read more about: BENGHAZI, LIBYAThe fighting between Libyas rival factions for control of the countrys capital this month has killed 205 people so far, the World Health Organization said, announcing it would deploy medical specialists, including surgeons, to treat the wounded. The clashes, which erupted earlier in April, have threatened to ignite a civil war on the scale of the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The fighting has also forced the UN to indefinitely postpone reconciliation talks planned for mid-April that were meant to try to find a way to pull Libya out of the chaos that followed Gadhafis ouster. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in New York that the number of civilian casualties, and attacks on civilian property and infrastructure, are worryingly on the rise. Ghassan Salame, the UN envoy for Libya, briefed the Security Council behind closed doors from the Libyan capital, Tripoli, and told members he was very concerned at the proliferation of weapons. German Ambassador Christoph Heusgen, the current council president, told reporters after the meeting he was especially concerned that rockets were fired into civilian areas on two occasions and said with the influx of arms the risk of escalation, of course, increases. WHO said Wednesday it would send medical staff to treat the wounded, whose number has reached 913. It wasnt clear how many among the dead are civilians. Fighting over Tripoli is pitting the self-styled Libyan National Army, which is led by commander Khalifa Hifter and aligned with a rival government based in the countrys east, against militias affiliated with Tripolis UN-supported government. The UN says more than 25,000 people have been displaced in the clashes. Meanwhile, Hifters forces said Thursday they recaptured the Tamanhint airbase in southern Libya, which had been taken earlier by an armed group affiliated with the Tripoli government. The armed group, known as the South Protection Forces, initially said it seized 15 armoured vehicles and ammunition when it took the base but Mohammed al-Fares, a spokesperson for Hifters fighters, later said they were back in control. The base is located near the southern city of Sabha and has strategic significance for control of Libyas south, which Hifters forces seized earlier this year before moving westward on to Tripoli. Dujarric, the UN spokesperson, said the United Nations is deeply concerned about reported clashes at the Tamanhint airbase and the potential for widening confrontations in other areas of the country. On the humanitarian front, he said UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock allocated $2 million (U.S.) from the United Nations emergency relief fund to help hospitals get surgical and trauma kits, provide food and other items to people uprooted by fighting, and help relocate vulnerable migrants and refugees. Moving civilians out of conflict-affected areas remains a challenge, with nearly all main roads reportedly blocked and there being a high risk of being hit in crossfire, Dujarric said. Nearly all local trade has ceased in these areas. Dujarric told reporters at UN headquarters in New York that aid workers continue to provide assistance when they have access and have helped 6,000 people since the start of the crisis. The Security Council has been debating a British-drafted resolution calling for a ceasefire but a vote was delayed until next week because several countries wanted more time for consultations. Diplomats, who insisted on speaking anonymously because discussions have been private, said Russia has objected to any mention that its ally, the self-styled Libyan National Army, launched the offensive and the United States also had several concerns. Britains UN ambassador, Karen Pierce, said, There is unity around three key points de-escalation, commitment to a ceasefire, get back into the political process. Read more about: LONDONPolice in Northern Ireland searched for multiple suspects Friday after the fatal shooting of a journalist during rioting in Londonderry and sought help from the public to get a killer off the streets and into custody. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 29-year-old journalist Lyra McKee was shot and killed, probably by a stray bullet, during overnight rioting in the citys Creggan neighbourhood. It said the New IRA dissident group was most likely responsible. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest that began Thursday evening. We believe this to be a terrorist act, he said. Police on Friday night released closed-circuit TV footage showing the man suspected of firing the shots that killed McKee. Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said the footage shows the gunman at the corner and an individual picking up something from the ground on the same corner. We are releasing this to encourage anyone with information to make contact with us. He said locals know the identity of the gunman and urged them to come forward to try to help us take a killer off the streets. The killing reminded many of the decades of violence that plagued Northern Ireland before the 1998 Good Friday peace agreement. It was condemned by all the major political parties as well as the prime ministers of Britain and Ireland. Speaking in Dublin, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland had chosen peace and co-operation on Good Friday 21 years ago and will not be dragged into the past by political violence. McKee rose to prominence in 2014 with a moving blog post Letter to my 14 year old self describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. In the post, she described the shame she felt at 14 as she kept the secret of being gay from her family and friends and the love she eventually received when she was finally able to reveal it. She also had recently signed a contract to write two books. Hours before her death, she tweeted a photo of the rioting with the words: Derry tonight. Absolute madness. Her partner, Sara Canning, told a vigil Friday that McKees amazing potential had been snuffed out. Canning said the senseless murder has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. It has left so many friends without their confidante, she added. A murder investigation has been launched but there have been no arrests yet. Police appealed for calm over the long Easter holiday weekend. Hamilton said the forces assessment is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this. The New IRA is a small group who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Armys embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as The Troubles that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. It is regarded as the largest of the splinter dissident groups still operating and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade. Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said Friday that police believe more than one person was involved in the shooting. We certainly believe there was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Obviously only one person pulled the trigger but there was more than one person, he said. He said the violence started after police entered the area to search for weapons and that the gunman was aiming at policemen when the rioting intensified. The full and total responsibility for Lyra McKees death lies with the organization that sent someone out with a gun, he said. There has been an increase in tensions in Northern Ireland in recent months with sporadic violence, much of it focused in Londonderry, also known as Derry. Londonderry Mayor John Boyle said the city was united in mourning McKees death. I have known her since she was 16 years old, he said. She was bright, she was warm, she was witty. But most of all, she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us. ALGIERS, Algeria - Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Algeria demonstrated for a ninth straight Friday against the countrys leadership amid calls for the departure of the powerful militarys chief of staff. With police forces deployed across the city, protesters gathered in the morning at the main post office in Algiers the Grande Poste which has been a landmark during the weeks of protests that have already forced former president Abdelaziz Bouteflika to stand down. By the end of the afternoon, the boulevard joining the main post office to the Audin square and adjacent streets were crammed with protesters. In a peaceful atmosphere, the protesters mostly youngsters shouted slogans including Down with the System! or You ate the country, you bunch of thieves. Some vented their anger, while others took selfies. Conversations about the ongoing political transition took place in a sea of people and Algerian flags. Earlier this week, interim President Abdelkader Bensalah appointed a new head of Algerias constitutional Council after the former chief, Tayeb Belaiz, quit under pressure from protesters. Belaiz was one of three figures in the interim government whose removal has been demanded by pro-democracy protesters. They are seen as part of the discredited regime of Bouteflika, who resigned April 2 after six weeks of nationwide demonstrations calling for an end to his two-decade rule. The new council president is Kamel Feniche, a magistrate. Belaizs departure has not helped calm protesters. An Associated Press reporter covering Fridays demonstrations heard protesters criticizing Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, the militarys chief of staff. Mustapha Bouchachi, a veteran lawyer and human rights activist, told the AP that the peaceful mobilization should continue until the departure of all the systems faces. The movement should remain united to achieve the dream of a democratic Algeria with equal rights for all. Earlier this week, Gaid Salah called on Algerians to show patience during the political transition ahead. A presidential election has been set for July 4 to choose the successor to Bouteflika. MEXICO CITY - Chinese artist Ai Weiweis interest in studying human rights around the world led to his meeting with relatives of the 43 college students who disappeared in southern Mexico in 2014. That encounter led, in turn, to his new exhibit in Mexicos capital. Ai has lived under house arrest in China and faced censorship because of his activism, even as his fame led to major exhibits in leading international museums, including the Tate Gallery in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In Mexico, Ai chose a university museum to mount his exhibit dedicated to the case of the students from the teachers college at Ayotzinapa in Guerrero state. He used students to assemble Legos into big, colorful portraits of the 43 missing young people. He wanted it to be a university structure, said Cuauhtemoc Medina, one of the curators of Ai Weiwei: Re-establish memories, the show at the contemporary art museum of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The idea began in 2016 when Medina took Ai to the Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center, where the artist talked with some of the students relatives. At some point he told them that he had also been a political prisoner, that when one is disappeared in a completely isolated situation, the only thing that keeps you alive is being totally convinced that your loved ones must be fighting by any means possible to get you back, Medina said. Ai was confined to his home in China as a result of his outspoken criticisms following the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province that killed some 90,000 people, including thousands of children in poorly constructed schools. The 43 Mexican students disappeared Sept. 14, 2014, in the Guerrero city of Iguala after local police allegedly turned them over to a local drug gang. The federal government maintained the gang killed the students and burned their bodies at a garbage dump. But international experts raised doubts about that scenario and Mexicos new administration has created a commission to re-investigate. This is an example of the very interesting conversation that exists today between the esthetic and the political, Medina said. The human rights crisis in Mexico has become a global topic in a radical way, so that we cant pretend anymore that the disappearance of dozens or thousands of people or the deaths of more than 200,000 in recent years are secondary. Ai, who also makes documentaries, received permission from the Ayotzinapa families to do a film on the case. Some of the interviews that are part of the film are being shown at the exhibit, which will be on display until Oct. 6. But the students portraits are the most powerful element. It was really interesting, because its re-signifying the material completely, said Ivan Leyva, a history student at the university who helped assemble the portraits. Who hasnt played with Legos as a child? The portraits are based on images that the parents of the missing youths carry on signs during their protest marches and at news conferences young faces looking straight ahead with their names below. Each pixel is represented by a Lego brick and the students followed a colour guide to assemble them. It creates a three-dimensional and multi-colored effect for the faces on backgrounds of green, white or red, the colours of Mexicos national flag. The young people who assembled the works found themselves moved as the portraits began to take shape. It gave me goosebumps because I thought: That could have been me. No one is exempt, Lleyva said. It doesnt stop making you angry and it likely has to do with the symbolism of the event, the symbolism of this attack against the student community. QUITO, Ecuador - An Ecuadorian judge has ordered the arrest of a former foreign minister, highlighting political tensions in the country that evicted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the countrys London embassy. Ricardo Patino said in a video message on social media that hes being wrongfully pursued for calling for peaceful protests against President Lenin Moreno. Patino said in the message released on Thursday that he had left Ecuador legally and was in another territory, but did not provide any further details about his location. He spoke in a room with a bare wall behind him. Some media reports say Patino went to Peru and then flew to Mexico. Ecuadorian prosecutors said Patino left Ecuador by crossing a land border on Wednesday night after a judge denied their request for an arrest order. They said the judge who issued the denial was now under investigation, and that another judge had since approved the order to detain the former foreign minister. Prosecutors said theyve asked Interpol to help detain Patino for allegedly urging people to take over public institutions and shut down roads last year. They say he is suspected of instigation. Patino is an ally of former President Rafael Correa, who granted asylum to Assange in 2012 and who has been feuding with Moreno. LIMA, Peru - A Peruvian judge has ordered that former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski be jailed for up to three years as authorities investigate his alleged involvement in a corruption case. The order announced Friday against Kuczynski, which is designed to prevent him from trying to flee during the course of a money laundering investigation, came after 80-year-old was hospitalized because of illness in recent days. Last week, a judge had ordered Kuczynskis detention for 10 days as he investigates some $782,000 in previously undisclosed payments from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht more than a decade ago. Kuczynski resigned last year as opposition lawmakers sought his impeachment. TOKYO - Without close friends in Asia, Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears to be using every opportunity, even the emperors accession, to court President Donald Trump. Abe is scheduling a rushed visit to Washington to meet with Trump and celebrate first ladys birthday, and then is inviting him to be first foreign leader to meet the new emperor, the two countries announced Friday. Tokyo and Washington said that Trump and first lady Melania Trump will make a state visit to Japan at the end of May, just weeks after Crown Prince Naruhito ascends Japans Chrysanthemum throne. Naruhitos 85-year-old father, Emperor Akihito, is ending his three-decade reign on April 30 by abdicating. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said receiving Trump as the first state guest of the new imperial era would symbolize the unshakable bond of the Japan-U.S. alliance. Japanese officials are also arranging for Trump to watch the final day of a sumo wrestling tournament on May 26 so he can present a trophy to the winner. Trump may also travel to a Japanese naval base in Yokosuka west of Tokyo to see a destroyer that is planned for refitting as Japans first postwar aircraft carrier, and play a round of golf with Abe, Japanese officials and media reports said. Abe, experts say, is taking every opportunity to court Trump as Japan tries to stay out of the U.S. leaders crosshairs, unlike some other world leaders who have upset him on trade and other issues. Im not sure what other choices this administration, or any Japanese administration, has except to try to build the best relationship possible with Washington through face-to-face interaction, said Stephen Nagy, a politics and international studies professor at International Christian University in Tokyo. I think Mr. Trump being the first to meet the emperor is a good example of that. Relations between Japan and two of its closest neighbours, South Korea and China, remain strained over their war history and territorial disputes. In February, Trump said Abe had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to denuclearize North Korea. Abe did not deny the claim, triggering criticism from opposition lawmakers that his apparent effort to please Trump was embarrassing. Abe has managed to largely stay on good terms with Trump by assiduously avoiding criticism of the U.S. leader. You never hear criticisms out of Japan ... that has been very characteristic of the Abe administration, Nagy said. I think he has done well because he hasnt insulted Mr. Trump to cause problems. Abe was also the first foreign leader to meet Trump after his election in November 2016, not even waiting until he officially took office as is normal diplomatic practice, and gave him a special golf driver. Hiro Aida, professor of global studies at Aoyama Gakuin University and an expert on Japan-U.S. relations, said Abe is jumping at the opportunity of the emperors succession after his ties with Trump were seen to be weakening as the U.S. leader came down hard on trade issues, demanding that Japan do more to reduce the countries trade imbalance. Inviting Trump in May to meet the new emperor would be a perfect chance for Abe to show how much he cares about Trump, while also showing their relationship off to the world, Aida said. Abe may be also demonstrating his political power over Naruhito by sending the message that he can decide whom the emperor meets. Aida, however, said the choice of Trump amid continuing investigations into his administrations ties with Russia may hurt Naruhitos image. Abe will travel to Washington on April 26-27, just ahead of the busy imperial succession. He and Trump are also expected to meet for a third month in a row in June when Japan hosts the Group of 20 summit in Osaka, western Japan, where the economy and trade will be the main issues. The White House said Friday that Abe and Trump will discuss North Korean nuclear disarmament, trade and other issues during this months visit. After talks at the White House, Abe and his wife Akie are to have an informal dinner with Trump and Melania to celebrate the first ladys 49th birthday. The next day, the two leaders are expected to play golf in the outskirts of Washington, following several previous rounds they have shared in each country. ___ Follow Mari Yamaguchi on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/mariyamaguchi PODGORICA, Montenegro - Montenegros defence ministry says the army has discovered drugs hidden on a navy training ship ahead of its planned journey to Turkey and Greece. The ministry says the military police searched the Jadran, or the Adriatic, early Friday after learning that certain criminal gangs were planning to use it to smuggle drugs. According to a statement from the ministry, dozens of kilograms (pounds) of suspected drugs were found during the search at the Tivat harbour and legal proceedings are underway. The ship has been at the centre of a dispute between the small Balkan country and neighbouring Croatia, which claims ownership to it following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. It was not immediately clear when the 86-year-old ship will set off on the planned training trip with 42 students. LONDON - Police in Northern Ireland said Friday they are searching for multiple suspects in the fatal shooting of a journalist during overnight rioting in the city of Londonderry. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 29-year-old journalist and author Lyra McKee was shot and killed, probably by a stray bullet, during rioting in the citys Creggan neighbourhood. It said the dissident group, the New IRA, was most likely responsible. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest Thursday evening. We believe this to be a terrorist act, he said. We believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans. Hamilton said the forces assessment is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. McKee was a rising talent who had written eloquently about the challenges of coming out as gay in Northern Ireland. Her partner, Sara Canning, told a vigil that McKees amazing potential had been snuffed out. It has left so many friends without their confidante, she said. Canning said the senseless murder has left me without the love of my life, the woman I was planning to grow old with. A murder investigation has been launched but there have been no arrests yet. Police appealed for calm to prevail over the long Easter holiday weekend. Speaking in Dublin, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the people of Ireland and Northern Ireland had chosen peace and co-operation 21 years ago and will not be dragged into the past by political violence. The New IRA is a small group who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Armys embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as The Troubles that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. It is regarded as the largest of the splinter dissident groups still operating and has been linked to several other killings in the past decade. Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin said Friday that police believe more than one person was involved in the shooting. We certainly believe there was more than one person who was involved in this last night. Obviously only one person pulled the trigger but there was more than one person, he said. He said the violence started after police entered the area to search for weapons and that the gunman was aiming at policemen when the rioting intensified. The full and total responsibility for Lyra McKees death lies with the organization that sent someone out with a gun, he said. Londonderry Mayor John Boyle said the city was united in mourning McKees death. I have known her since she was 16 years old, he said. She was bright, she was warm, she was witty. But most of all she was an outstanding individual, a great friend to so, so many people in this city in the short time that she was with us. There has been an increase in tensions in Northern Ireland in recent months with sporadic violence, much of it focused in Londonderry, also known as Derry. McKee rose to prominence in 2014 with a moving blog post Letter to my 14 year old self describing the struggle of growing up gay in Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. In the post, she described the shame she felt at 14 as she kept the secret of being gay from her family and friends and the love she eventually received when she was finally able to reveal it. McKee had recently signed a contract to write two books. Hours before her death, she tweeted a photo of the riot with the words: Derry tonight. Absolute madness. BELGRADE, Serbia - Tens of thousands of people rallied Friday in the Serbian capital of Belgrade to support populist President Aleksandar Vucic, a response to the weekly anti-government protests that have gone on for months denouncing him as an autocrat. Critics say Vucic has overseen a dilution of democratic freedoms in the Balkan country. Authorities sealed off central streets in Belgrade as Vucics supporters arrived in buses from all over the country, as well as neighbouring Bosnia and Kosovo. Police helicopters hovered above the flag-waving rally held in front of Serbias parliament. Vucic had promised a carnival atmosphere at the rally, which he claimed was Serbias biggest in decades. Folk and rock singers performed for the crowd, which state-run media estimated at around 150,000. In his speech, Vucic refraining from his usual attacks on opponents, insisting that political disputes should be solved through elections. He warned that no one must think of coming to power through violence, although the opposition protests have been largely peaceful. In live broadcasts, Serbias dominant pro-government media lambasted opposition officials as fascist and thieves. Vucic formally advocates joining the European Union, but has remained pro-Russian since his ultranationalist past, which included being the information minister during the rule of former Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. Vucic said Serbia wants to join the EU while cherishing brotherly ties with Russia. He said Serbia will stay out of NATO and wont impose sanctions on Russia over Ukraine something that is unlikely to be accepted by EU if Serbia wants to join one day. Serbia will move forward like a rocket, he said to cheers from the boisterous crowd. Vucics opponents plan to hold another weekly protest on Saturday. The anti-government protests started after masked thugs beat up an opposition politician last November. CAIRO - President Donald Trump has spoken by phone with Libyas Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, who is leading an offensive to take over the capital of Tripoli the seat of the U.N.-supported government. According to a readout released by the White House on Friday, Trump and Hifter talked about counter-terrorism and the political future of Libya. The call took place earlier in the week. The statement says: The President recognized Field Marshal Haftars significant role in fighting terrorism and securing Libyas oil resources, and the two discussed a shared vision for Libyas transition to a stable, democratic political system. Hifter is aligned with a rival government in the east that is supported by Trumps allies Egypt and United Arab Emirates. Fighting between Hifters army and Tripoli forces threatens to ignite a civil war. Presidential candidate Volodymyr Zelensky, 41, is best known in Ukraine as a comedian. He has zero political experience unless you count playing the president of Ukraine on a popular television sitcom. And yet, he is widely expected to win Fridays vote in a landslide. Analysts say that Zelenskys background as a performer is an asset, rather than a hindrance. With the third season of his show, Servant of the People, hitting the airwaves last month, he had little need for expensive traditional advertising or probing interviews with political journalists. Among Ukraines corruption-weary voters, his portrayal of a history teacher who won fame for a viral anti-graft rant before eventually becoming president strikes a chord, even if it isnt real. Zelenskys journey from the small screen to political office has been remarkably swift, but it isnt unprecedented. In recent years, a number of comedic actors have followed a similar trajectory, often with only limited experience in the field. Guatemala: Jimmy Morales Jimmy Morales has been president of Guatemala since January 2016. But not long before that, he was better known as a comic actor. Along with his brother, Sammy, he appeared in a popular sketch comedy show called Moralejas, or Morals, as well as in several movies. He played a wide variety of characters during 16 years as a comedian, including, controversially, a character in blackface called Black Pitaya. At another point, he played a cowboy who accidentally became president. Morales ran unsuccessfully for mayor in a town near Guatemala City in 2011 before joining a small political party in 2013 in preparation for the 2015 presidential election. He campaigned on an anti-corruption platform featuring a simple slogan: Not corrupt, not a thief. That message found an audience, and he won easily in a runoff, although critics say he has failed to live up to his message and has targeted anti-corruption investigators. Iceland: Jon Gnarr Jon Gnarr is a well-known Icelandic comedian. Ahead of a mayoral election in 2010 in the capital, Reykjavik, he formed a satirical political group known as Best Party to ridicule Icelandic politics. Among the groups proposals: To have a polar bear at the city zoo, a Disneyland at the airport and a drug-free parliament by 2020. Then the funniest thing happened: He won. Gnarr ended up being mayor of Reykjavik, home to one-third of Icelands population, from 2010 to 2014. He implemented some of his proposals, including free towels at swimming pools, and approved Icelands first purpose-built mosque, before deciding to step down at the end of his first term. The comedian-turned-politician was widely expected run for the Icelandic presidency in 2016, but he told reporters that the position (which is largely symbolic) was not quite right for him yet. I will not run for president at present, but I might want to do that at some point in the future, he told reporters. Italy: Beppe Grillo Beppe Grillo became a comedian in the 1970s, appearing on national television in variety and travel shows before being given his own show. But as his comedic career stalled in part because of his acerbic jokes about mainstream Italian politicians he turned to blogging. By the early 2000s, he was a full-fledged activist. He often took aim at Italys endemic corruption, drawing comparisons to American documentary maker Michael Moore, but others said that his group, the Five Star Movement, owed more to the resurgent European far right. We are nothing like them, Grillo told The Washington Post in 2012. We are moderate, beautiful people, and we are the only thing left standing between Italy and the real extremists. Grillo himself has never held political office, but the party he started has found significant political success, becoming the largest party in Italys parliament in 2018. The partys leader, Luigi Di Maio, is now deputy prime minister and a partner in government with the populist party the League, led by the far-right Matteo Salvini. The United States: Al Franken The United States has seen plenty of performers become politicians Ronald Reagan, most famously, was a popular movie actor before he became governor of California and later two-term president. The most obvious case of a comedian swapping Hollywood and New York City for Washington, however, is that of Al Franken, a former Democratic senator for Minnesota. Franken first became known as a writer and performer for Saturday Night Live in the 1970s and 1980s. He had his sights set on politics, however, and in 1999 published a fictional political satire titled Why Not Me? that imagined what it would be like if he ran for president. The candidate has sexual liaisons that are hardly credible, violates an implausible number of campaign finance laws, wins election on a platform of impossible simple-mindedness and is thrown out of office for preposterous behaviour, the New York Times noted in a review. In 2008, Franken ran for the Senate, winning after a recount. He subsequently won reelection in 2014. There were rumours that he might run for president in 2020, which his office later denied. In 2017, he was accused of sexual misconduct by several women and following public criticism of his alleged actions, he resigned. Read more about: ANKARA, Turkey - Turkish authorities on Friday formally arrested two men on charges of spying for the United Arab Emirates, Turkeys state-run news agency said. Authorities were also investigating the possibility that the men could have been involved in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul last year, a security official told The Associated Press. The two men were detained Monday following a joint operation by Turkeys police and its intelligence agency, according to the security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations. They appeared before court officials after four days of police questioning, which ordered them arrested on charges of political, military and international espionage, the official Anadolu Agency reported, citing court officials. Officials in the UAE did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Turkish state broadcaster TRT showed what appeared to be surveillance camera images of the two as well as photographs of the pair taken under police custody. The official did not identify the suspects but said the two confessed during their interrogation that they had been spying on Arab dissidents based in Turkey on behalf of the UAE, which is Saudi Arabias closest Arab ally. The official said one of the two men had arrived in Istanbul shortly after the killing of Khashoggi. Security officials had been monitoring their moves for the past six months, the official said. Khashoggi wrote critically about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in columns for The Washington Post before he was brutally killed and dismembered by Saudi agents, including some members from the princes entourage. The kingdom denies that the crown prince had any involvement. Saudi Arabia has indicted 11 suspects over the killing and is seeking the death penalty against five of them. Chicago police say a 64-year-old man with a concealed carry license and a man recently released from prison fatally shot each other in what is believed to be an attempted robbery. Police spokeswoman Officer Michelle Tannehill says Mark Miller was outside a property he owns on the citys South Side when the 33-year-old former inmate pulled a handgun and attempted to rob him on Thursday morning. Miller then pulled out his own handgun. Tannehill says the gunman shot Miller in the abdomen, and Miller returned fire. She says both men were found dead at the scene, along with two firearms. Authorities have not yet identified the gunman. Autopsies for both men are scheduled for Friday. ___ Information from: Chicago Tribune, http://www.chicagotribune.com LITTLETON, Colo. - The Latest on the investigation of a woman believed to have posed a threat to schools in Colorado (all times local): 9:40 p.m. Columbine High School is moving ahead with ceremonies marking the 20th anniversary of an attack that killed 13 people, and the community is awaiting more details on what led a teenager allegedly obsessed with the 1999 shooting to buy a shotgun and kill herself in the snowy foothills nearby. A religious service Thursday night kicked off three days of commemorative events leading to a day of community service projects and a ceremony Saturday at a park near the school. An already tense time at the school was exacerbated after 18-year-old Sol Pais travelled to Denver from Miami on Monday and immediately bought a pump-action shotgun. Her body was found Wednesday, about 24 hours after Columbine and other schools locked their doors in response to fears that she intended to carry out her own attack. ___ 9:20 a.m. Colorado schools that were shuttered just ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting have reopened, a day after authorities found the body of a young Florida woman who was obsessed with the shooting. Many schools imposed increased security measures when they reopened on Thursday. The FBI said the body of Sol Pais was discovered Wednesday in mountains outside Denver with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Columbine and dozens of other schools were closed Wednesday because of fears that Pais posed a threat. About 500,000 students in the area that includes metropolitan Denver and Colorado Springs were affected. Authorities say Pais never threatened a specific school but made troubling remarks to others about her infatuation with the 1999 shootings. The FBI also says Pais purchased a shotgun immediately after arriving in Colorado on Monday. The school closures affected about 500,000 students. Events planned to mark the anniversary of the 1999 Columbine attack will go on as scheduled throughout the week, including a ceremony near the school on Saturday. ___ 11:10 p.m. Authorities want to ensure that a Florida teenager who was obsessed with the Columbine school shooting was acting alone as dozens of Denver-area schools plan to reopen following a region-wide hunt for the young woman. The FBI said the body of Sol Pais was discovered in the mountains outside Denver with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Wednesday, about 24 hours after Columbine and other schools locked their doors in response to fears that she intended to carry out her own attack. Authorities say Pais never threatened a specific school but made troubling remarks to others about her infatuation with the 1999 shootings. The FBI also says Pais purchased a shotgun immediately after arriving in Colorado on Monday. The anniversary of the Columbine attack is Saturday. AVON PARK, Fla. - Two Florida middle school girls are facing charges that they planned to kill nine people. Court documents reported by WTSP-TV say a teacher at Avon Park Middle School spotted the 14-year-olds acting hysterically Wednesday while seeking a folder and overheard them say they would be arrested if anyone found it. She heard one say to tell police it was a prank. The teacher found the folder and saw a mention of guns. She alerted school officials and its police officer. Officials say the folder included plans for getting guns, killing the victims, and disposing of their bodies. They are charged with conspiring to commit homicide and commit kidnapping. Prosecutors in the central Florida county didnt say whether they will be tried as adults. They are now in a juvenile jail. WASHINGTON - Special counsel Robert Muellers report focuses on the seminal questions of whether President Donald Trumps campaign colluded with the Russians and whether the president sought to illegally obstruct the investigation. But tucked into the 448-page document are vivid anecdotes and meaningful revelations about a colorful cast of characters entangled in Muellers investigation. Here are some: THE EMAIL HUNT Even as Russians hacked Democratic email accounts, a haphazard group of Americans launched a parallel effort of their own: to find tens of thousands of emails deleted from Hillary Clintons personal email server. It had become an object of fascination for Trump, who asked multiple people around the campaign to find the missing emails. Among them was Trumps future national security adviser Michael Flynn, who enlisted the help of a former Senate staffer named Barbara Ledeen and Peter Smith, an investment adviser whod been active in Republican politics. The report documents multiple steps the two took to find the emails. Smith, for instance, recruited security experts and business associates and claimed to those he was seeking funding from that he was in contact with Russia-linked hackers. Its not clear the bluster amounted to anything as Mueller found no evidence that any of the Americans were actually in touch with any Russian hackers or had any connection to them. ____ SESSIONS INVESTIGATED Mueller confirmed that his office investigated whether Attorney General Jeff Sessions committed perjury at his January 2017 confirmation hearing by saying that he did not have communications with the Russians during the campaign. The statement was false because Sessions did in fact have two separate encounters with the then-Russian ambassador to the United States once during the week of the Republican National Convention in July 2016 and again in his Senate office two months later. Sessions would later explain that he understood the question to be narrowly focused on whether he had exchanged campaign information with Russians as opposed to having more routine interactions with them. Muellers report said prosecutors accepted that assertion as plausible and closed the case without prosecution. ____ WELL BE TAKEN CARE OF Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his business partner Rick Gates were among the first of the presidents aides to be charged by Mueller, accused of a broad array of financial crimes. For months, they stood united as co-defendants but that relationship was severed in February 2018 when Gates agreed to plead guilty and co-operate with the investigation. The report reveals a curious encounter one month earlier when Manafort sought to dissuade Gates from cutting a deal. He told Gates that he had spoken with the presidents own lawyers and that well be taken care of, according to the report. Gates went ahead and pleaded guilty, testifying against Manafort in his trial. Manafort followed suit months later by pleading guilty and was recently sentenced to more than seven years in prison. ____ COUNTLESS FBI AGENTS The day after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders made a claim that even at the time rang false. Turns out, it was. Sanders, pressed on the presidents decision to fire Comey, said the White House had heard from countless members of the FBI complaining about Comeys leadership and contradicting the conventional narrative that the rank-and-file was devastated by his termination. The next day, she again stood by her claim that she personally had been in touch between emails and text messages with a large number of FBI personnel who said they were very happy with the presidents decision. The assertion during a White House press briefing was so baffling that an exasperated reporter at one point proclaimed, I mean, really? But when questioned by Muellers team, Sanders changed her tune, saying her reference to countless members of the FBI was a slip of the tongue. She acknowledged that she had no basis for a separate statement that rank-and-file agents had lost confidence in Comey. Sanders claimed in a series of television interviews on Friday that the countless comment was a slip of the tongue and not a scripted talking point but that she stood behind her general sentiment. Im sorry I wasnt a robot, she said in one of the interviews. ____ JULIAN ASSANGE In the summer of 2016, the WikiLeaks founder took an unusual interest in the Washington, D.C., murder of a former Democratic National Committee staffer. News reports had already correctly attributed the hack of DNC servers to Russia, but Assange whose anti-secrecy website had come in possession of stolen emails wanted to obscure the source of the materials that it was releasing. To do so, Mueller says, Assange seized on false conspiracy theories that linked the hacks to Seth Rich, the slain DNC staffer. Even though, WikiLeaks had already been in touch with Guccifer 2.0, a fictitious Russian intelligence persona masquerading as a lone hacker, Assange promoted the idea that Rich may actually have been the source of stolen emails and connected to the DNC hack. At one point, he announced a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Richs killer. In an August 25, 2016 interview, Assange said, If theres someone whos potentially connected to our publication, and that person has been murdered in suspicious circumstances, it doesnt necessarily mean that the two are connected. But it is a very serious matter ... that type of allegation is very serious, as its taken very seriously by us. In an unrelated case, the Justice Department last week unsealed an indictment accusing Assange of conspiring with former intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to crack a U.S. government password. ____ SANCTIONS TALK The report sheds new light on the aftermath of Flynns discussion on sanctions with Sergey Kislyak, the then-Russian ambassador to the United States, during the presidential transition period. After a Washington Post columnist disclosed in January 2017 that Flynn and Kislyak had indeed discussed sanctions, Flynn under pressure from the president-elect directed K.T. McFarland, who served as deputy national security adviser, to contact the newspaper and deny that sanctions had ever been talked about. McFarland made the call even though she knew she was relaying false information, the report said. The following month, after Flynn was ousted from the White House, Trump sought to have McFarland draft an internal letter stating that he had not directed Flynn to discuss sanctions with Kislyak. But McFarland refused because she didnt know whether that was true, the report says. Flynns sanctions discussions with Kislyak were central to the investigation and he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about it. ____ Associated Press writer Chad Day contributed to this report. HOUSTON - President Donald Trump has warned that Central American families are staging an invasion at the U.S.-Mexico border. He has threatened to take migrants to Democratic strongholds to punish political opponents. And his administration regularly complains about having to catch and release migrants. At the same time, his administration has stopped using one of three family detention centres to hold parents and children and left almost 2,000 beds unused at the other two. It says it does not have the resources to transport migrants to the centres. Immigrant advocates accuse the administration of closing off family detention to further the perception of a crisis. The Karnes County Residential Center in Texas used to hold up to 800 parents and children at a time, who would usually be detained before an initial screening to judge whether they qualified for asylum. But ICE last month started to release families until they were all gone from Karnes. Advocates who work there say ICE is now restricting legal access to the roughly 400 adult women being detained there. The population at the family detention centre in nearby Dilley, Texas, was also reduced and remains at roughly a quarter of its 2,400-person capacity. A 96-person facility in Pennsylvania had only 18 immigrants this week. Meanwhile, the numbers of parents and children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border have surged, leading immigration officials to declare the situation a crisis. More than 50,000 parents and children were apprehended by the Border Patrol in March, setting a monthly record. The number of border crossings in one day sometimes exceeds ICEs total family detention space. More than 4,800 people crossed the border in a single day this week. Almost 1,000 were travelling in three large groups, the largest of which was 375 people, Kevin McAleenan, the acting secretary of homeland security, said Wednesday. The Border Patrol has stopped referring many families to ICE and instead releases them directly to non-profit groups or drops them off at bus stations. In a statement, ICE said the surge left it overwhelmed and unable to transport families from the border to the Karnes and Dilley facilities, even if both detention centres had available beds. As of Wednesday, 427 women were in custody at Karnes. As such, ICE has determined that, at this time, Karnes will better meet operational needs by also serving partially as an adult detention facility, the agency said. Immigrant advocates say they do not believe that ICE cannot transport people to the facilities. They say the government has reduced family detention space for political reasons to show that Democrats refusal to change laws to allow for longer family detention and more deportations has left officials with no choice but to catch and release. We believe that this is part of trying to justify a narrative, said Peter Schey, executive director of the Center for Human Rights and constitutional Law. Trumps policies have swung from one extreme to the other. Theres no consistency; theres no strategic planning. The legal services group RAICES goes to Karnes daily to consult with detained immigrants about their asylum cases. The group says subtle policy changes at the facility have reduced legal access for detained women seeking asylum. Since Monday, authorities at Karnes have prevented attorneys and volunteers from meeting with many large groups of migrants at once, which prevents them from quickly consulting with more people, according to Andrea Meza, RAICES director of family detention services. Karnes staff also stopped sending RAICES the names of detainees who put their names on sign-up sheets outside the visitation room, Meza said. Meza said she received conflicting explanations from ICE for the changes, including that there were complaints by staff from the private contractor GEO Group, which operates Karnes. ICE confirmed it had reduced group meetings at Karnes because more residents are represented by private attorneys. The agency said it provided 12 hours of legal visitation at Karnes every day, more than its detention standards require. If the changes remain in place, fewer people will be able to consult with a lawyer before asylum interviews, Meza said, and it will be harder for the group to follow up with potential asylum seekers. We dont know whats happening to people after their interviews, she said. WASHINGTON - For two years theres been the drip-drip-drip of the Russia investigation and the tweet-tweet-tweet of President Donald Trump assailing it. Numb yet? The slowly rolling revelations may have worked in Trumps favour by diluting the impact of a damaging report by Robert Mueller laying out substantial evidence of the president interfering in a probe to protect himself. By now, peoples positions on Trump are largely locked in. As Kansas farmer Donn Teske asks: Did it really take this report to point out the irony of this presidency? Americans prefer their scandals in a New York minute, ideally with videotape and the whiff of a smoking gun from Watergate lore. Instead the New Yorker in the White House has been the subject of a slowly assembled puzzle, forming a complex portrait in a special counsel report that neither clears nor nails him but leaves it to Congress to take the next steps. The dawn of the Russia episode made heads turn. Revelations that Russia mounted a sophisticated effort to interfere in and influence the outcome of the 2016 election (favouring the Republican, to boot!), provided a wow moment. The prospect that the Trump campaign co-operated with Moscows machinations elevated the stakes, placing Trumps presidency in peril. Muellers report affirmed much of what was already known while offering plentiful new insights into how Trump acted on multiple fronts to contain the scrutiny of his behaviour by prosecutors. But Mueller exonerated Trump and his aides of collusion with Russia while reaching no conclusion about obstruction of justice, pointedly declining to vindicate the president on that matter. So wheres the wow now? Americans are still absorbing the thick report. But at this point, it seems baked into the body politic that the president is something of a rogue cop. The country is both numb and actively rooting for Trump the way we rooted for Dirty Harry to violate a perps rights in the 1970s, said scandal-management expert Eric Dezenhall, speaking at least of a big chunk of the public. He was elected to do two things: to light the system on fire and to entertain. And at least among his supporters, he offers the sheer spectacle, the joy, of watching this guy get away with stuff. Trumps defence has unfolded in the public square over the course of his presidency. On Twitter alone , hes denounced the Mueller probe as a witch hunt at a pace of nearly once a day since last summer. Hes slammed Muellers team untruthfully as Angry Democrats, one day saying there are 13 of them, then 17, then 18. Mueller is a lifelong Republican. Some on the team have donated money to Democratic candidates. (The colour of their mood rings is not known.) In the fog of tirades it was easy to forget that the U.S. intelligence findings about Russian meddling and the prospect that Trump or his people might have been involved were disturbing enough to persuade Trumps Justice Department to appoint the special prosecutor. In Congress, at least at first, Republicans as well as Democrats wanted answers. In another nod to old-timey process and norms, Jeff Sessions recused himself from matters involving the probe because he had been part of Trumps campaign. BLANK Jeff Sessions, as a livid Trump called him, resisted Trumps pressure to reverse the recusal and was eventually forced out as attorney general. Since then Trumps hold on the party in Congress and its national apparatus has strengthened, even as GOP numbers fell in the midterms, and Trump has made clearer with each re-election-focused rally that what he cares about most is keeping his core supporters roused and Republicans overall from straying. Democratic presidential candidates, meanwhile, have largely been talking about other things, and not much about Trump at all, in the campaign. That suits Sal DeFrancesco, a Harvard College student who attended an event with Democratic candidate Beto ORourke on Thursday in Nashua, New Hampshire. Anything that the Democrats do to help Trump rile up his base will only increase voter turnout and make it harder for them to win in 2020, DeFrancesco said. So I am perfectly fine with this dying out to the background and letting the voters in 2020 make the decision about how big a deal this is for them. Against that backdrop, a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found evidence of scandal fatigue and so-whatism among Republicans on the eve of the Mueller report even as a slight majority of respondents overall wanted Congress to keep investigating Trumps actions in the Russia matter, which Democrats plan to do. His anemic approval rating of 39% remained unchanged from before Mueller completed his investigation. But on these questions, as on so much else, the polarization is stark. Democrats in the poll want him impeached even if he did nothing wrong with Russia and the investigations to continue. Republicans want the country to move on. His supporters are going to support him, said Teske, 63, who raises cattle near Wheaton in northeast Kansas, leads the Kansas Farmers Union and held my nose to vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in 2016. It doesnt matter what the report says. I dont consider Trump an evil man, Teske went on. I just consider him a symptom of our society. By that, he means a fragmentation that frightens him: I see people ready to start shooting guns and that is really scary. I dont think his supporters will allow him to be prosecuted. I think Mueller may have been very wise in how he dealt with this. For Dezenhall, who counsels his clients on how to get through scandal, the Mueller report doesnt have the flavour of a takedown. The public, he says, doesnt parse muddy differences between meddling, collusion, hacking and the like. Did he do it or did he not do it? Nobody wants to hear, he didnt technically do it. More broadly, though, he sees a public figure who has lived a life of utter exemption from consequences pretty much since birth. In a sense, he said, Donald Trump has been dodging the Mueller report since 1946. This is just another stop along his journey of impunity. ___ Associated Press writer Roxana Hegeman in Wichita, Kansas, and Hunter Woodall in Nashua, New Hampshire contributed to this report. NEW YORK - Ancestry.com on Friday apologized for an ad that showed a mixed-race couple discussing escaping to the North during the Civil War era. The ad drew widespread criticism on social media for whitewashing slavery, prompting the DNA testing company to remove it from TV and its YouTube channel. Ancestry started running the ad on TV on April 15, according to research firm iSpot.TV. The ad is part of a campaign by Ancestry showing stories from the past to pique viewers curiosity about their ancestors. It depicts a white man holding up a ring and telling a black woman wearing Civil War-era clothing that they can be together if they escape to the North. The woman says nothing as the scene fades to black, with the line: Without you, the story stops here. Critics pointed out that the ad ignores the fact that mixed race couplings during the slavery era were usually not romantic love stories but instead due to rape and violence against slaves. Many took to Twitter to express complaints about the ad. I used this service a few years ago. And when I realized I was more than 10% European, I wept, tweeted Brittany Packnett. Not from shame for who I am, but from anger from the trauma of how it may have come to be. This commercial spits on the trauma in our veins and the fight of our ancestors. In an emailed statement, Ancestry said the ad was intended to be part of its effort to tell important stories from history. We very much appreciate the feedback we have received and apologize for any offence that the ad may have caused, the company said in the statement. The ad joins a long list of missteps by marketers that are at best tone-deaf and at worst racist. In 2017, Dove stopped using a Facebook GIF that showed a black woman removing a brown shirt and transforming into a white woman. The ad was meant to show different types of people can use Dove but many saw it as saying the black woman was dirty and the white woman was clean. Dove apologized . In 2018, a Heineken ad with the tagline Sometimes, Lighter Is Better, showed a bartender sliding a bottle of Heineken down a bar where several people of colour were sitting before it stops in front of a light-skinned woman. Heineken apologized and pulled the ad after an online outcry in which many people, including Chance the Rapper , called the ad racist. And in February , Gucci pulled a sweater off the market after complaints that the oversized collar designed to cover the face resembled blackface makeup. Italian designer Prada, Katy Perrys fashion line and H&M have also pulled similar racially insensitivity items. MINNEAPOLIS - When a Minneapolis police officer shot and killed an unarmed woman who approached his squad car after calling 911, it was catastrophic. But was it murder? Prosecutors have given jurors hearing the case against Mohamed Noor multiple options: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The jury will ultimately decide whether any of the counts fit what happened the night of July 15, 2017, when Noor fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond just minutes after the dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia who had phoned in a report of a possible sexual assault behind her home. As Noors trial prepares to enter its third week, defence attorneys not connected to the case see a larger and commonly used strategy to overcharge the case in a way that could make it easy for jurors to convict on the lesser manslaughter count. Juries like to be King Solomon, said Earl Gray, an attorney on the team that successfully defended former Minnesota officer Jeronimo Yanez against a manslaughter charge in the 2016 shooting death of Philando Castile during a traffic stop. They want to split the baby and give each side half. Prosecution is like hunting, said another defence attorney, Marsh Halberg, who has been sitting in on some of the key testimony. You throw a lot of pellets up in the air and you dont care which one brings down the bird. Obviously you would always like to get (a conviction on) the highest charge but you want to leave at the end of the day with some conviction. Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman was under intense community pressure and international scrutiny as he decided whether to charge Noor in Damonds death, which had led to a police chiefs resignation. Freeman let it slip in an unguarded moment captured on video in December 2017 that he didnt have enough evidence at that point to charge Noor, saying investigators havent done their job. When Freeman finally filed charges in March 2018, he said the evidence clearly fit the legal definitions of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. But Noors legal team and other local defence attorneys said the third-degree murder charge was an overreach. Prosecutors added the second-degree murder charge late last year. The presumptive sentences vary from four years for the manslaughter charge to 12 1/2 years for third-degree murder to 25 1/2 years for second-degree murder. Neither Halberg nor Gray think the jury is likely to convict Noor of third-degree murder, because the state statute requires jurors to find that someone acted with a depraved mind, without regard for human life, a term so ill-defined and potentially confusing that prosecutors rarely use the charge. In Noors case, the prosecutions proposed jury instructions specifically avoid the term, and call it instead an act eminently dangerous to others and performed without regard for human life ... committed in a reckless or wanton manner with the knowledge that someone may be killed and with a heedless disregard of that happening. The defences proposed instructions do use the term depraved mind. Judge Kathryn Quaintance has yet to rule. Halberg was in court Thursday for testimony from Noors partner, Officer Matthew Harrity, and viewed Harritys body camera video as it was shown to the jury. Besides the heartache of seeing her dying on camera, Halberg said he was touched by the humaneness of the two officers. They held her up and lowered her to the ground. Noor is doing chest compressions and they were yelling encouragement to her. The care they showed her really flies in the face of the depraved mind argument, he said. Under Minnesota law, second-degree murder involves intentionally causing the death of another person, without premeditation. Second-degree manslaughter requires a finding that the defendant acted with culpable negligence in taking the chance of causing death or great bodily harm. Halberg said it will be hard overcoming the defence that Noors team has invoked that police can legally shoot if they have a reasonable fear that theyre in danger. Noors attorneys have argued that he heard a loud noise and feared an ambush. But prosecutors say there is no evidence of any threat to justify deadly force. But some of the circumstances Noor was in the passenger seat and fired his gun across Harrity through the drivers side window in a dark alley may give the jury reasons to find him guilty of manslaughter, Halberg said. Thats the charge that would fit the case, Gray said. ___ Check out the APs complete coverage of Mohamed Noors trial. ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A national archaeology organization has apologized for the attendance of a banned Alaska professor at its annual meeting. The written apology from the Society for American Archaeology on Wednesday followed growing criticism after former University of Alaska Anchorage professor David Yesner appeared at the organizations annual meeting, The Anchorage Daily News reported Wednesday. The organization removed the retired anthropology professor from the meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on April 12 within hours of receiving complaints from participants, officials said. Others have disputed the timeline described by the organization, saying that society officials knew about Yesners presence at the five-day meeting the day before his removal. A society spokeswoman did not immediately return calls from the newspaper, but a statement says the organization is responding to members concerns and suggestions for improvement. Yesner could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The University of Alaska Anchorage alerted students April 8 that Yesner was banned from all University of Alaska properties and events and they should call university police if they see him. The ban was implemented over sexual misconduct allegations made by nine women spanning a period of decades that a Title IX investigation found to be credible, the university said. The Title IX law prohibits sex discrimination in education programs that receive federal money. Discrimination can include sexual harassment or sexual violence. The society is an international organization based in Washington, D.C., representing about 7,500 professional, student and amateur archaeologists, according to its website. ___ Information from: Anchorage Daily News, http://www.adn.com NEW YORK - An heiress pleaded guilty on Friday in a sensational case accusing a cult-like upstate New York group of creating a secret harem of sex slaves for the groups self-anointed spiritual leader. Clare Bronfman admitted in her plea in federal court in Brooklyn that she harboured someone who was living in the U.S. illegally for unpaid labour and services and that she committed credit card fraud on behalf of Keith Raniere, the lead of a group called NXIVM. Bronfman - the 40-year-old daughter of the late billionaire philanthropist and former Seagram chairman Edgar Bronfman Sr. - told the judge that she had wanted to help people through NXIVM but ended up dishonouring her family. Your honour, I was afforded a great gift by my grandfather and father, Bronfman said. With the gift, comes immense privilege and more importantly, tremendous responsibility. It does not come with an ability to break the law. She added: For this, I am truly sorry. As part of a plea agreement, Bronfman agreed to forfeit $6 million from a fortune prosecutors say is worth $200 million. She faces more than two years in prison at sentencing on July 25. The plea means Bronfman will avoid going to trial early next month with Raniere, whos facing conspiracy charges alleging that his inner circle of loyalists created a secret society of women who were forced to have unwanted sex with him. Prosecutors say some of the women were branded with his initials as part of their initiation. An accountant for the group, Kathy Russell, also pleaded guilty on Friday to a fraud charge. She joined three other NXIVM insiders besides Bronfman who have also pleaded guilty. Among those defendants is Allison Mack , the TV actress best known for her role as a young Supermans close friend on the series Smallville. Bronfman had long been affiliated with NXIVM, giving away tens of million of dollars to bankroll Raniere and his program of intense self-improvement classes. She also paid for lawyers to defend the group against a lawsuit brought by its critics. With the two guilty pleas on Friday, Raniere will face a jury by himself. Defence attorneys have insisted any relationship between their client and the alleged victims, including women expected to testify against him at trial, was consensual. HAMMOND, Ind. - Federal charges have been filed against an Indiana man who authorities say threatened to shoot President Donald Trump in Facebook posts. The indictment says 20-year-Steffon Gonzalez posted on March 28 that he was standing outside the presidents location with a bullet chambered to blow his head off. Trump had a rally that day in Grand Rapids, Michigan . Gonzalez lives in Hobart, about 145 miles (233 kilometres) southwest of Grand Rapids. The (Merrillville) Post-Tribune reports Gonzalez is charged with making threats against the president and obstruction of justice. The indictment was unsealed Wednesday. He was previously charged in Lake Superior Court with felony intimidation. According to an affidavit, Gonzalez told agents his account was hacked and denied threatening the president. The affidavit also says officers found 9 mm rounds and gunpowder in Gonzalezs room. The affidavit says Gonzalez said he wasnt the only person with access to the room. ___ Information from: Post-Tribune, http://posttrib.chicagotribune.com/ BOSTON - A Massachusetts man who sent threatening letters with white powder to President Donald Trumps sons, Antonio Sabato Jr., Sen. Debbie Stabenow and a law professor was sentenced Friday in federal court to five years of probation. The judge declined to send Daniel Frisiello to prison, as prosecutors had sought, because of concerns the 25-year-old man from Beverly, who is developmentally disabled, would not respond well to incarceration. But he stressed the sentence wasnt lenient. Do not underestimate how serious I am treating your crimes, Judge Nathaniel Gorton said to Frisiello as the dozens of his family members, friends and supporters who packed the court proceeding hugged, cried and sighed in relief. Frisiello was also ordered to serve his first year of probation in home confinement, and has been banned for the full five years from accessing the internet or sending mail without prior approval. Frisiello also wont be allowed to have a computer, tablet or other device with access to the internet. Frisiello, who pleaded guilty in October to sending the threatening letters, thanked Groton for not imprisoning him. The past year, he said, has been hell for his family. Frisiellos family, in a statement after the court appearance, said he deeply regrets the fear and harm he caused and will work very hard to be a better person and citizen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Garland, who had sought a three-year prison sentence, argued that Frisiello had carefully considered the letter writing campaign, which included 13 letters over three years. He researched the best addresses and took steps to avoid detection, like dropping them off at different mailboxes, Garland said. This was not an impulsive thing, he said. At every step, there was a chance for deliberation. Imposing only probation, Garland said, was akin to sending Frisiello back to the life he had before his arrest, which was largely spent at home on the internet. Frisiello lawyers William Fick argued that prison would be physically and mentally harmful to his client, who he said has significant developmental issues from brain damage at birth, autism and anxiety disorder. Fick also argued probation is appropriately severe for a person with Frisiellos condition because it takes away what few opportunities he has to interact with society, such as going to work or spending time with family and friends outside the house. Acknowledging the nearly 90 letters of support written to the judge on Frisiellos behalf, Fick said it was tragic no one in his clients extensive support network intervened before his seemingly harmless obsession with writing letters to celebrities and other notable people took a dark turn. He clearly felt like he wasnt being heard, so he became threatening, Fick said. Prosecutors say Frisiello sent a letter to Donald Trump Jr. that was opened in February by his now-estranged wife, Vanessa, at their New York City home. She called 911 and was briefly hospitalized after she reported she was coughing and felt nauseous. He also sent a white powder letter to Eric Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign that said his father must drop out of the race or the next letter wouldnt be fake. The substance in all of the letters turned out not to be hazardous. Other letter recipients included Stabenow, the Democratic U.S. senator from Michigan; Michele Dauber, a Stanford University law professor who promoted an effort to recall California judge Aaron Persky; and Sabato, a former underwear model and soap opera actor who is running for Congress in California as a Republican and spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Hoaxes involving white powder have been common since anonymous letters laced with anthrax spores were sent to media companies and congressional offices days after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, killing five people and infecting 17 others. __ This story has been corrected to show that Daniel Frisielllos lawyer is William Fick, not William Flick. NEW YORK - An arbitrator has ordered the New York City Ballet to reinstate two male dancers who were fired for sharing nude photos of women and sexually explicit texts. The arbitrator ruled Friday that the company should not have fired Amar Ramasar and Zachary Catazaro in September. They were named in a lawsuit by a former student at the companys affiliated school. Alexandra Waterbury said City Ballet tolerated a fraternity-like atmosphere where male dancers understood that they could degrade, demean, mistreat and abuse, assault and batter women without consequence. Ramasar said he was beyond grateful to be reinstated. Catazaro said he was grateful for the ruling but would not rejoin City Ballet. City Ballet said it believes it was within its rights to fire the dancers but will abide by the ruling. WALTERBORO, S.C. - South Carolina authorities said Friday that the death of a fifth grade girl at school last month was due to natural causes and not a fight with another student, which they described as lasting only seconds. But the family of the girl disagreed, saying she was repeatedly antagonized by the other student. Solicitor Duffie Stone said at a press conference that 10-year-old Raniya Wright died of a congenital condition called an arteriovenous malformation, a tangle of abnormal blood vessels in the brain. Raniya had been taken to the doctor after complaining of headaches about two weeks before she died. Medical records showed she had been to the doctor seven times in the past two years because of headaches. Stone said that pathological and other scientific reports showed no evidence of trauma to the body that would have indicated the child died of injuries sustained in a fight on March 25 at Forest Hills Elementary School in Walterboro. Raniya died two days later. In this case, the science is clear, Stone said, adding that no criminal charges would be filed. Sheriff R.A. Strickland said the fight lasted only a few seconds before the teacher broke it up. This was a five-second slap fight that occurred in the front right corner of the classroom. Within seconds they were pulled apart, he said. Maj. Jason Chapman, one of the lead investigators on the case, said that account of the fight was based on interviews with the teacher as well as 15 students who witnessed it. Raniya was taken to the principals office afterward and about 10 minutes later complained she had a headache. She was being taken to the school nurses office when she fell to her knees and vomited, Chapman said. Thats when the school called 911. Paramedics arrived within minutes. The account of the fight given by investigators differed drastically from the one given by an attorney representing the Wright family. Attorney Margie Pizarro said a private investigator hired by the family interviewed one student who said Raniya was attacked from behind, punched several times in the head, and pushed into a file cabinet and a bookshelf. The sheriffs investigative report, released Friday evening, said students told school officials the two girls had been arguing throughout the day. Multiple students, who were not identified by name, told school officials Raniya started the fight by striking the other girl in the back. Several of the students said the girl held Raniya in a chokehold and punched her in the head before pushing Raniya into a cabinet or shelf, where she struck her head. The teacher gave a written statement to investigators that said her back was turned to the girls when they began fighting behind her desk. This is not where the story ends. This is merely the beginning, Pizarro said. Ashley Wright told reporters that she wasnt aware of any birth defects or conditions that led to a blood vessel rupture until after Raniya was hospitalized. My daughter was in good spirits that morning. She didnt complain of a headache, Wright said. UTQIAGVIK, ALASKABryan Thomas doesnt want any more wishy-washy conversations about climate change. For four years, he has served as station chief of the Barrow Atmospheric Baseline Observatory, Americas northernmost scientific outpost in its fastest-warming state. Each morning, after digging through snow to his offices front door, Thomas checks the preliminary number on the observatorys carbon dioxide monitor. On a recent Thursday it was almost 420 parts per million nearly twice as high as the global preindustrial average. Its just one number, he said. But theres no question in his mind about what it means. Alaska is in the midst of one of the warmest springs the state has ever experienced a transformation that has disrupted livelihoods and cost lives. The average temperature for March recorded at the NOAA observatory in Utquiagvik (which was known as Barrow before 2016, when the city voted to go by its traditional Inupiaq name) was 18.6 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. Fairbanks notched its first consecutive March days when the temperature never dropped below freezing. Ice roads built on frozen waterways a vital means of transportation in the state have become weak and unreliable. At least five people have died this spring after falling through ice that melted sooner than expected. Climate change is happening faster than its ever happened before in our record, Thomas said. Were right in the middle of it. Utqiagvik set daily temperature records on 28 of the first 100 days of this year, according to the Alaska Climate Research Center. Read more: As glaciers disappear, concern rises for ecosystems and the creatures within them Americans energy use surges despite climate change concern Opinion | Heather Mallick: Climate change is much worse than you think In early February, residents awoke to find that the land-fast ice that usually clings to their shore until summer had been swept out to sea by strong winds a sign that the ice wasnt as thick or well-grounded as it used to be. It was like, Whoa, Ive never seen that before, Thomas said. It was surprising in a human way, he added. But not necessarily surprising in a science way. The Barrow observatory has been monitoring climate for more than 40 years. Thomas knows where the trends are headed. Two hundred miles to the south, Marc Oggier, a graduate student at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, returned this month from conducting field work to find the city completely clear of snow. It was the shortest-lived snowpack in recent history. Oggier wrinkled his nose at the vegetal, springlike scent in the air. It smells weird, he said. It smells like rain. This time of year, he explained, you shouldnt be able to smell anything. The ground should still be frozen solid. The historic warm temperatures this spring are linked to vanishing ice on the Bering and Chukchi seas west of Alaska. Both areas set records this year for their lowest amount of ice in March. Warm weather threatens subsistence whaling a centuries-old tradition in and around Utqiagvik, said Kaare Erickson, the North Slope Science Liaison for the Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation, which manages Inupiat land and provides services to the community. Though the sea ice near the city refroze after the February wind event, many are concerned about whether it can provide a stable platform from which to hunt. On Shishmaref, the barrier island where he grew up, its an even heavier impact, Erickson said. When ice forms later and melts earlier, it leaves coastlines vulnerable to erosion from fall and spring storms. The shoreline on Shishmaref has retreated more than 100 feet in Ericksons lifetime, and the town has voted to relocate to a new site farther from the sea. Residents who subsist on seal and walrus meat must navigate an increasingly unreliable ice pack as they search for food. Unstable ice has already claimed lives. Two men died of exposure in late March when their vehicles fell through the frozen Kuskokwim River near Bethel, the Division of Alaska State Troopers said. This week, three family members including an 11-year-old girl were killed after crashing through ice on their way to the small village of Noatak, which can be reached only by snowmobile, boat or air. Sgt. Teague Widmier, who leads the Alaska State Troopers unit in Bethel, said authorities have urged people to stay off the increasingly weak river ice. But he acknowledged that residents have few other options for travelling in rural parts of the state. Spring breakup, when the Arctic defrosts, is always a dangerous time in Alaska, Widmier said. But this year it has come earlier than usual. Ice thickness this winter was below average on rivers across the state, according to the National Weather Service. On the Kuskokwim near Bethel, where the two men died in March, it was just 19 percent of normal. Many parts of the river are already ice-free even though it usually remains frozen well into May. All of this was on Thomass mind as he went about his Thursday morning routine at the Utqiagvik observatory. The building is modest just three small rooms and no bathroom (We use a bucket, Thomas explained) and crowded with devices. Air samplers take continuous measurements of every problematic molecule: carbon dioxide, methane, ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. Meteorological instruments track the fluctuating weather. Computers communicate with nearly two dozen polar orbiting satellites, each of which can send down data as often as 14 times in a 24-hour period. Each of these measurements helps explain the transformation occurring outside Thomass window. I think, OK, this [greenhouse gas measurement] is going to help people understand how much energy from the sun is being absorbed by the atmosphere, he said. Theres that visceral connection to whats happening. His next task was clearing off the intake lines, tubes that pull gases from the atmosphere into the observatorys instruments. Donning insulated pants and a face mask, he trudged back outside to a rickety, 50-foot tower and began to climb. Strong winds rattled the metal and blew snow into his face; by the time he reached the top, the world below was lost in a swirl of white. Thomas used a store-bought paintbrush to wipe ice from the instruments, making sure they continue to capture the changing climate for another day. Read more about: WASHINGTON - The Latest on special counsel Robert Muellers report and President Donald Trump (all times local): 3 p.m. The White House says President Donald Trump played golf Friday with conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh and a couple of unidentified friends. Trump is spending the Easter weekend at his private Mar-a-Lago club along with the first lady. The foursome played at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. The trip comes one day after a redacted special counsel report found no Trump campaign collusion with Russia around the 2016 election, but issued no clear verdict on obstruction, while detailing several instances of Trump seeking to squash the investigation. Prior to golfing, Trump lashed out through tweets at people who co-operated with Robert Muellers team. He said statements in the report made by some were fabricated & totally untrue. Trump struck a much harsher tone than the day before when he marked the reports release by tweeting game over. ___ 9:25 a.m. President Donald Trump says some statements made in special counsel Robert Muellers Russia report are fabricated & totally untrue. Tweeting Friday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump dubbed the more than 400-page document the Crazy Mueller Report. Hes alleging that notes some people said they took after meetings with him didnt exist until they were created for the Mueller investigation. Trump says he never agreed to testify because he didnt need to respond to what he says were total bullshit statements made about him in the report to make someone look good or make him look bad. __ 9:10 a.m. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Muellers report and the underlying materials. Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York is asking for the information by May 1. Thats also the day when Attorney General William Barr is scheduled to testify before a Senate committee and one day before Barr is set to appear before Nadlers committee. The subpoena is the opening shot in what could be a lengthy legal battle. If the Justice Department doesnt respond, Democrats could hold officials in contempt of Congress or eventually fight the battle in court. The Judiciary Committee voted 24-17 earlier this month to give Nadler permission to issue subpoenas for the final report, its exhibits and any underlying evidence or materials prepared for Muellers investigation. ___ 8 a.m. President Donald Trumps spokeswoman Sarah Sanders is pushing back on allegations that special counsel Robert Muellers Russia report exposed a culture of lying at the White House. Sanders also disputed allegations that she misled the media when she said that countless members of the FBI had lost confidence in FBI Director James Comey, which led to his firing. Sanders had told reporters after Comeys 2017 dismissal that she had heard from countless members of the FBI who welcomed the presidents decision. She told ABCs Good Morning America on Friday that her word countless was a slip of the tongue made in the heat of the moment. Democratic House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, also speaking on ABC, said the Mueller report clearly outlines a culture of lying inside the White House. __ 7:40 a.m. House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler says he expects to issue a subpoena within a few hours for special counsel Robert Muellers report on Russian election meddling and President Donald Trump. The New York Democrat told ABCs Good Morning America Friday that he is preparing a subpoena not only for Muellers complete report, but also for the underlying documents, including grand jury evidence. He said, We need the entire report, unredacted, and the underlying documents in order to make informed decisions. Attorney General William Barr sent the Mueller report to Congress, with some material redacted, including grand jury information. Grand jury evidence, including witness interviews, is normally off limits but can be obtained in court. __ 12:12 a.m. President Donald Trump sought the removal of special counsel Robert Mueller, discouraged witnesses from co-operating with prosecutors and prodded aides to mislead the public on his behalf. Thats according to a hugely anticipated report from Mueller that details multiple efforts the president made to curtail a Russia probe he feared would cripple his administration. Mueller writes that Trumps attempts to seize control of the investigation, and directions to others on how to influence it, were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. Muellers two-volume, 448-page redacted report was released Thursday. WASHINGTON - The Latest on congressional reaction to special counsel Robert Muellers report (all times local): 5:15 p.m. The Justice Department says the subpoena issued by House Democrats for the full special counsel report is unnecessary. Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec says Attorney General William Barr released the report with minimal redactions. Kupec says the department is working with Congress to view more of the report and the subpoena issued Friday by Rep. Jerrold Nadler, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is premature and unnecessary. The department offered Friday to have a select group of congressional leaders view some of the redacted information from the report. But Democrats rejected that offer as insufficient. __ 5 p.m. Top congressional Democrats are rejecting a Justice Department offer to let 12 leading lawmakers see a more complete version of the special counsels report because they say the suggested ground rules are too limiting. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and four other leading Democrats said in a letter Friday that lawmakers must see Robert Muellers entire report so Congress can fulfil its constitutional responsibilities. They offered to negotiate a workable agreement. The Justice Department is offering to let the legislators see much of the information that was redacted in the report released Thursday. It says only information censored because it pertains to grand jury proceedings would still be withheld. The department said lawmakers could view the less-censored version at the agency and would have to pledge to keep the information confidential. __ 4:30 p.m. Republican Sen. Mitt Romney says hes sickened by the level of dishonesty the special counsel found in President Donald Trumps administration. Romney also said Friday he was appalled that, according to special counsel Robert Muellers findings, Americans working on Trumps 2016 presidential campaign welcomed election help from Russia. The one-time GOP presidential nominee tweeted that its good news Trump was not charged with wrongdoing in the investigation. But Romney, whos now a senator from Utah, was critical of what he called the pervasiveness of dishonesty and misdirection at the highest levels of the administration, including the president. __ 9:45 a.m. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena for special counsel Robert Muellers report as Congress escalates its investigation of President Donald Trump. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York say, It now falls to Congress to determine the full scope of that alleged misconduct and to decide what steps we must take going forward. He expects the Justice Department to comply by May 1. While Mueller declined to prosecute Trump on obstruction of justice, he did not exonerate the president, all but leaving the question to Congress. MINDEN, Nev. - The Latest on New Jersey Sen. Cory Bookers visit to rural Nevada (all times local): 3:20 p.m. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker says its too soon to talk about impeaching President Donald Trump. Fellow Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren urged the Democratic-controlled House on Friday to initiate impeachment proceedings. Booker told reporters while campaigning in northern Nevada Friday that Congress should concentrate instead on gathering the resources it needs to do its job of oversight and accountability. Booker says lawmakers dont have an unredacted version of special counsel Robert Muellers report on the Russian probe or any of the underlying materials the report is based upon. He says they also havent had a chance yet to question Mueller during congressional hearings. Specifically in regard to impeachment, he said, Theres a lot more investigation that should go on before Congress comes to any conclusions like that. ____ 1:40 p.m. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker has become the first 2020 presidential candidate to campaign in rural Nevada. The parade of candidates visiting the early caucus state routinely goes through Las Vegas and, sometimes, Reno and Carson City. But Booker went to Minden on Friday, where he told about 100 people jammed into Douglas County Democratic headquarters that everyone should visit the town 15 miles (24 kilometres) south of the state capital city. The former Newark mayor says hes the only presidential candidate who was a chief executive of a city and also served in Congress. He says his push for economic justice and affordable health care would benefit Americans of all walks of life. Nevadas caucuses next February follow New Hampshire and Iowa as third in the nominating process. ____ 9:25 a.m. Democratic presidential hopeful Cory Booker is continuing his campaign visit to Nevada with stops in rural and northern parts of the early caucus state. The New Jersey senator is scheduled to speak Friday to Douglas County Democrats in Minden at 11:30 a.m. then travel to Reno for a 1:30 p.m. speech at the Washoe County party headquarters. Booker took his Justice For All Tour to the University of Nevada Las Vegas Thursday night. He has four more stops scheduled in Las Vegas on Saturday, including a breakfast at a Baptist church and a dinner at a Chinese restaurant with the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Nevadas February caucuses come third in the presidential nominating process, following the New Hampshire primary and the Iowa caucuses. RIVERSIDE, Calif. - The Latest on the sentencing of a California couple who starved and abused a dozen of their children for years (all times local): 2 p.m. The attorney for the adult children who were tortured and abused by their California parents for years says theyre trying to live their lives as normally as possible and each is grappling with how much theyre willing to forgive. Attorney Jack Osborn says David and Louise Turpins children want to be normal adults without being thought of first as the Turpin children. Osborn says theyre aware of an outpouring of support from strangers from around the world but hope to maintain as much anonymity and privacy as possible. The Turpin parents were sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. They pleaded guilty in February. Some of the children say theyre ready to visit their parents while others say dont want any contact. ___ 10:26 a.m. A California couple who pleaded guilty to years of torture and abuse of 12 of their 13 children have been sentenced to life in prison with possibility of parole after 25 years. David and Louise Turpin were sentenced Friday during an emotional hearing that saw some of the children speak publicly about the abuse for the first time. Louise Turpin wept as she apologized for hurting her children, while her husband David Turpin struggled to give a short statement. One of their daughters, weeping, said in court that My parents took my whole life from me but now Im taking my life back. The sentencing came just over a year after the Turpins 17-year-old daughter jumped out of a window of the familys squalid home and called 911. She reported that some of her siblings were chained to their beds and that she hadnt bathed in months. ___ 10:18 a.m. A California couple convicted of abusing 12 of their children has apologized at their sentencing after hearing from some of the victims. David Turpins lawyer read part of a statement because he was too upset. My homeschooling and discipline had good intentions, he said. Im sorry if Ive done anything to cause them harm. Louise Turpin spoke for herself, saying, Im sorry for everything Ive done to hurt my children. I love my children so much. ... I only want the best for them. The Turpins are expected to be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. They pleaded guilty in February to torture and other abuse that was uncovered when their 17-year-old daughter jumped out a window and called 911. ___ 10:10 a.m. Several children of a California couple convicted of torturing them for years gave emotional statements at their parents sentencing Friday. Louise Turpin wept and David Turpin wiped his eyes as the children spoke, with one of them saying: My parents took my whole life from me but now Im taking my life back. Some of the other children said they still love their parents. One asked for a lighter sentence because they believed everything they did was to protect us. Its the first time the children have spoken publicly since the arrest of their parents, David and Louise Turpin. They have the right to address the court to say how theyve been impacted by the abuse. The Turpins are expected to be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. They pleaded guilty in February to torture and other abuse that was uncovered when their 17-year-old daughter jumped out a window and called 911. ___ 10:05 a.m. Two of the children of a California couple convicted of torturing them for years have addressed the court at their sentencing. Its the first time the children are appearing publicly since the arrest of their parents, David and Louise Turpin. They have the right to address the court to say how theyve been impacted by the abuse. Their parents watched in tears, as their children related the nightmares about being chained and beaten. ___ 12:01 a.m. A California couple who starved a dozen of their children and shackled some to beds face sentencing for years of abuse. David and Louise Turpin are due Friday in Riverside County Superior Court for a proceeding that is largely a formality. The couple pleaded guilty in February to torture and other abuse and agreed to serve at least 25 years in prison. The abuse was uncovered last year when one of the couples 13 children jumped out a window and called 911. The 17-year-old girl had lived such an isolated life that she didnt know her address and didnt know what medication meant. Most of the children ranging in age from 2 to 29 were severely underweight and hadnt bathed for months. The house reeked of human waste. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A woman who pleaded guilty to reckless driving for running over her 9-year-old son while dropping him off at school in Michigan has been ordered to serve 30 days in jail. Thirty-six-year-old Tiffany Kosakowski said during her Thursday sentencing hearing that she must live with this for the rest of my life. Kent County Circuit Court Judge Curt Benson sentenced her to 6 months in jail, with all but 30 days suspended. He called her actions simply inexcusable. Kosakowskis son hung from the passenger-side front door for nearly 50 yards (48 metres) in December at Chandler Woods Charter Academys parking lot in Belmont before he lost his grip and was run over. Authorities say he didnt want to stay at school. The boy survived but suffered traumatic injury to his brain. The Toronto I moved to nearly two decades ago seemed like a marvel of historic preservation. There were entire neighbourhoods such as Cabbagetown, The Annex, Little Italy and many others that were and are celebrated for retaining their historic character. Gems like Union Station and Old City Hall, once at risk of being torn down, have been saved because of community outcry. Civic activism in Toronto is strong and has a long history, and it made this a good place to live. A heritage of heritage, if you will. Ive heard people in just about every city Ive been to say something along the lines of, our city is the worst for tearing down historic buildings. Toronto is no different: all it takes is the loss of one or two really beloved buildings to give this impression. Much has been saved though. However there is often an abuse of what heritage means that seems primarily motivated to keep other people out. Last year, there was the fight over a daycare in Cabbagetown where, it was in part argued, strollers on the porch would clash with the historic character of the neighbourhood. Just last week some Toronto councillors defended voting against allowing a second front door for a secondary unit such as a basement apartment because it would clash with neighbourhood character. Never mind some of these councillors preside over neighbourhoods that have a wide variety of very different architectural styles and where McMansions with as many faux Ionic columns as possible and garages with multiple doors are all permitted. When notions of heritage and character are so abused and narrowly defined I lose interest in the cause, and it most certainly must alienate the next generation of potential heritage advocates who are currently struggling to even live in this city. Thats why the new, year-in-the-making State of Heritage report from Heritage Toronto, the charitable City of Toronto agency that celebrates and advocates for the citys heritage, is refreshing as it expands both what heritage means and its responsibility to a growing city. Read more: Opinion | Christopher Hume: On housing, Toronto is slow to grasp the difference between controlling change and stifling it Dirty money is driving up Toronto real estate prices, report says Torontos two front doors issue pits neighbourhood character against renters dignity, expert says Called Changing the Narrative, the first of its three themes examines how heritage promotes social cohesion. That is, a sense of togetherness and belonging. All those historic plaques are important. Learning the history of a place connects us to it, like a kind of mental investment. More important is making sure that as many stories and people are represented, an evolving challenge for a city like Toronto. The report highlights the Ogimaa Mikana (Reclaiming/Renaming) Project as a successful way to expand whose story is represented on the streets. Started as a guerrilla project with stickers that changed the names of streets like Davenport and Spadina to Anishinaabemowin place names, Indigenous names are now an official part of some signage programs in Toronto and Ontario. Another theme the report examines is the relationship between heritage and sustainability. Heritage has sometimes focused on built things, but this report includes terrestrial natural heritage as being equally important, and also looks at how parks can also be venues for historical interpretation. A third theme looks at the connection between heritage and economic development. Heritage makes places more attractive, not just to potential tourists, but also by improving the quality of life of those of us who live here. If we feel like we belong, were more inclined to take care of the place or even invest in it. Its not a surprise, then, that local Business Improvement Areas will often start projects, such as commissioning murals, that promote local heritage, as way of creating an environment that people want to hang out in and where new businesses might want to open. This section of the report also looks at how the adaptive reuse of old buildings, as opposed to tearing them down and building from scratch, can sometimes save money. It highlights the recent demolition of the Davisville Jr. Public School, a mid-century beauty that potentially will cost $3 million more to build anew rather than renovating. Adaptive reuse is also related to sustainability, as a Treehugger.com article argues, the greenest building is the one already standing. The most critical part of the report, for me, is a call to: Promote new, inclusive uses of heritage properties that meet current and future residential and commercial needs. This is something the heritage community needs to explore even more. We are a city with a housing crisis. Heritage and all its related concerns cannot mean freezing the city like a museum exhibit and preventing new housing, whether its a basement suite with a front door, a stacked townhouse, a new affordable rental apartment building or even a condo. If heritage means no its community of advocates will shrink and it will become irrelevant to a generation where houses and home ownership, Cabbagetown Victorian or otherwise, are out of reach and seem outright hostile to their ability to live here. Theres much more in the report, go to the Heritage Toronto website and dig into it yourself. Theres a lot more stories to tell in Toronto. Robert Mueller left it to Congress to figure out what to do with his evidence that President Donald Trump may have obstructed justice, but Democratic leaders are putting the brakes on politically charged actions that could lead to an impeachment spectacle. "Too early," said House Judiciary Chairman Jerrold Nadler, whose panel would conduct an impeachment probe. House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff agreed. "The evidence would have to be quite overwhelming" to gain bipartisan support for a conviction, he told CNN. "I continue to think that a failed impeachment is not in the national interest." Mueller's report released Thursday identified at least 10 instances of potential obstruction of justice by the president, including discouraging others from cooperating with the Russia probe and dangling possible pardons. Still, top congressional Democrats aren't taking the bait on an immediate impeachment inquiry. Some dismissed the idea outright. Most depicted months of congressional hearings and fact-finding ahead. "The report provides a conundrum for Congress by virtually inviting an impeachment probe around the obstruction issue," tweeted David Axelrod, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders have been playing down impeachment talk for months. They believe voters may tire of Trump investigations and that most Senate Republicans wouldn't vote to convict. Democrats also know an impeachment proceeding could overshadow their proposed legislation on gun control, violence against women, and especially health care, which helped the party take back the House in 2018. Polls showed that most of the public didn't support impeaching the president before Mueller's findings. Now Mueller, in concluding that he was unable to exonerate Trump for obstruction, has thrown the matter into Congress' hands. "It must fall to Congress to assess the president's improper, corrupt and immoral conduct," the leaders of six House Democratic committees said in a statement. Without mentioning possible impeachment, they said Mueller's report "outlines efforts to destroy evidence, conceal evidence through encrypted apps, and otherwise interfere with the special counsel's ability to conduct this investigation." The six House panels are conducting a series of investigations into separate allegations of corruption, abuses of presidential power, and possible wrongdoing in Trump's banking relationships. Nadler's panel has called Attorney General William Barr to testify on May 2 about his handling of the Mueller report, and Nadler plans to subpoena the full report and supporting materials. And numerous top Democrats want Mueller to testify to Congress. Nadler said Friday he plans to issue a subpoena for the complete report within hours. "We are headed to find out a lot more, to hold proper hearings, to educate ourselves and the American people and we'll see where the evidence leads," Nadler said on "CBS This Morning." Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, told reporters there: "This report is far from the end of the inquiry this country needs and deserves. It is the beginning of another chapter." He added, "I'm not suggesting in any way that there should be an impeachment proceeding, but I think there's a need for oversight to prevent this Russian attack from occurring again." House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat, gave the strongest statement against impeachment. "Based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point," Hoyer was quoted by CNN as saying. "There is an election in 18 months and the American people will make a judgment." Yet some Democrats want to move against the president now. Representative Al Green of Texas, who forced an unsuccessful House vote on impeachment in the last Congress, said Thursday it's time for his fellow lawmakers to act. "I call for the impeachment of the president of the United States of America," Green said in a press conference streamed on Facebook. "This rests solely now on the shoulders of the Congress of the United States of America." Many of the Democrats running to replace Trump in 2020 focused their criticism on Barr's presentation rather than the substance of Mueller's report. California Senator Kamala Harris, on Twitter, called Barr's press conference a "stunt, filled with political spin and propaganda." Former Vice President Joe Biden, who is leading many polls although he hasn't said whether he's running, dodged a question about the report, saying, "I haven't had a chance to see it." Republicans sought to depict the report as putting a final nail on talk of impeachment. "They went all-in on a collusion conspiracy that never existed, didn't get the result they wanted, and now they're throwing manufactured controversies at the wall to see if anything sticks," said House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows of North Carolina, a top conservative ally of Trump. Representative Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the Judiciary panel, contended that Mueller's report wasn't asking Congress to conduct an investigation. "The report doesn't say Congress should investigate obstruction now. It says Congress can make laws about obstruction," he said in a statement. The Center for American Progress likened Mueller's report to Watergate Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski's "road map" that led to a House impeachment inquiry against President Richard Nixon. In a statement, the group said the new report should be considered "an impeachment referral for obstruction of justice by the president of the United States." Judiciary Committee Democrat Jamie Raskin of Maryland said, "Everybody wants to jump to the end of the story. We're just at the beginning of it now." New York Sears Holdings Corp. is suing its former chairman and largest shareholder Eddie Lampert, alleging the billionaire stripped the once iconic company of more than $2 billion in assets. The lawsuit, which was filed late Wednesday with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York, also names former Sears directors, including U.S. Treasury Steven Mnuchin as well as executives at Lampert's hedge fund ESL. Sears, which also operates Kmart, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October amid years of massive losses and sales drops. Lampert saved the company by acquiring the assets in a court-approved auction through an affiliate of ESL in February. Unsecured creditors had tried to block the sale, maintaining that Lampert was to blame for the company's downfall. The 110-page lawsuit cited sales or spinoffs of key assets that were allegedly used to line Lampert's own pockets and that of his hedge fund. That includes the spinoff of Lands' End in 2014 and Lampert's real estate investment trust Seritage Growth created four years ago to extract revenue from Sears' properties. "Altogether, Lampert caused more than $2 billion of assets to be transferred to himself and Sears' other shareholders and beyond the reach of Sears' creditors," the suit stated. ESL said it "vigorously" disputes the claims and calls them "baseless" and "fanciful" in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. "The debtors' allegations are misleading or just flat wrong," ESL said, adding that Sears received proceeds of more than $3 billion from the transactions, all of which were applied to reduce debt and fund operations. "ESL was a constant source of financing for Sears Holdings for many years," it said. Lampert, who merged Sears and Kmart in 2005, steered Sears into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. The company's corporate parent had 687 stores and 68,000 employees at the time of the bankruptcy filing. At its peak in 2012, its stores numbered 4,000. The approval of Lampert's new business means roughly 425 stores and 45,000 jobs will be preserved. Unsecured creditors, who rank at the bottom of the list to be paid, objected to Sears' sale to Lampert, alleging falsified financial projections, excessive buybacks, and a spinoff of brands that stripped the business of key assets in a 100-plus page document filed in late January. It chronicled what it called a "tortured story of Sears." Before the sale, Lampert personally owned 31 percent of the Sears' outstanding stock, and his hedge fund has an 18.5 percent stake, according to FactSet. He stepped down as CEO in October after serving in that role since 2013 Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration By Emily Bazelon Random House. 409 pp. $28 --- Emily Bazelon's new book about the American judicial system reads like two books. Both are crucial to understanding the wretches of the American criminal legal process, and both offer something missing from most other books about mass incarceration: hope. The first book in "Charged: The New Movement to Transform American Prosecution and End Mass Incarceration" grabs for the heart: It is a riveting page-turner about two criminal defendants and their prosecutors. The second one goes for the reader's mind: It's a lucid synthesis of the most important research on mass incarceration and an insightful analysis of the politics of law and order in the era of President Trump and Black Lives Matter. In her narration of the two criminal cases, Bazelon earns her title as Yale Law School's Truman Capote fellow for creative writing and law. Her prose is so engrossing that even though the defendants' stories are woven into the other parts of the book, I skipped those sections on my first read because I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next. Readers who enjoy police procedurals will be gripped by Bazelon's new genre, the prosecutor procedural, which is even more suspenseful because prosecutors are the most powerful and the most unregulated participants in the U.S. legal system. In one case, the pseudonymous Kevin is a young African American who had the misfortune of getting arrested for gun possession but the good luck to have Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez in charge of his prosecution. Gonzalez is part of a movement of progressive prosecutors who push back against "lock em' up for as long as we can" responses to every crime. Kevin was subject to a mandatory two-year sentence for what was basically an act of dumb teenage bravado. When New York cops raided an apartment where he and his friends were chilling, Kevin grabbed a gun and claimed that it was his to save a friend from being arrested. His friend faced getting locked up at Rikers Island, New York's notorious jail, because of his criminal record. But then Kevin had to face New York law, which treated anyone who illegally possessed a gun as a violent felon. Kevin caught a break: Gonzalez allowed some cases to be referred to a program that could result in the charges being dismissed. Thanks to his zealous defense attorney and the fair-minded prosecutor who handled the case, Kevin was able to enroll in this diversion program. The other case involves Noura Jackson, an 18-year-old white woman from a well-to-do family in Memphis who was accused of murdering her mother. There's circumstantial evidence of Jackson's guilt - her mother was stabbed more than 50 times. Jackson made inconsistent statements about where she was on the night of the murder, and she visited a local drugstore that night to treat a cut on her hand. But the crime scene yielded no DNA evidence implicating her, and no convincing motive emerged. Enter the villain, at least in Bazelon's telling: Amy Weirich, the prosecutor assigned to the case, believed that Jackson was guilty, and she was not about to let Jackson's constitutional rights get in the way of her conviction. Weirich withheld evidence from the defense, and illegally commented to the jury about Jackson's taking the fifth and electing not to testify at her trial. The prosecutor's unethical tactics paid off. Weirich won her case, and Jackson was sentenced to 20 years. That was just the beginning of the story Bazelon tells. Spoiler alert: Neither Kevin nor Jackson is currently locked up, but they each endured long travails to realize their freedom, including, in Jackson's case, serving 10 years in prison. Thus I am not sure whether Bazelon's accounts are tragedies or success stories, but they probably qualify as both, considering the vast dysfunction of the American criminal legal process (some scholars and activists resist using the phrase "criminal justice system" because, as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in one of her dissents, the U.S. system is "anything but" just). Bazelon's thesis is that prosecutors bear most of the guilt for dragging the country into the morass of mass incarceration, and they are the ones who can help bring us out. She cites the scholarship of Fordham law professor John Pfaff to demonstrate how in the 1990s prosecutors began to charge many more people with serious felonies, dramatically increasing the number of incarcerated Americans, even after crime rates started to fall. Law professor Angela J. Davis' important work on prosecutorial discretion also informs Bazelon's analysis. When Black Lives Matter activists learned of the vital role of prosecutors, they helped elect some district attorneys who pledged to reduce incarceration and be "smart on crime." But the book's breathless subtitle noting a movement to transform prosecution seems overly optimistic. First, of the more than 2,400 elected prosecutors in the United States, I estimate that fewer than 100 identify as progressive. The community, including the scholars who study it, is relatively small (I should note that Bazelon interviewed me about my scholarship on prosecutors, and her book contains a few references to my work). Still, though it's small, the movement may have potential. The more significant worry relates to the politics of crime. The dramatic reduction in crime over the past 20 years has created the space for progressive prosecutors to blossom. Criminologists are not sure what makes the crime rate rise and fall, but they do know that at some point, the numbers will rise again. A pickup in homicides, armed robberies and home burglaries, and the attendant media coverage, would probably send most progressive prosecutors scurrying back into the law-and-order camp. I wish progressive prosecutors Godspeed, but I am skeptical about the future based on my own experience prosecuting street crimes in the District of Columbia in the 1990s. As a black boy growing up on the South Side of Chicago, I had more unpleasant experiences with cops than I could count, and my interactions with law enforcement didn't improve much when I moved to Washington as a young lawyer. So I joined the prosecutor's office, hoping I could create change from within. It didn't work out as I hoped. The office wanted convictions and tough sentences, which it turned out I was good at delivering, and the reward was raises and promotions. Eventually I remembered that I hadn't gone to law school to put black people in prison, but I imagine that late realization is small comfort to the many folks whom I locked up. Bazelon's own family history, however, offers a glimmer of hope for change. Her grandfather was David Bazelon, a well-known judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. One of Bazelon's most famous opinions was in a case in which an African American man shot to death a white soldier who had called him a "black bastard." The defense wanted the jury to consider evidence that the defendant came from a background of vast economic and social deprivation and had experienced so much subordination that he was unable to control his reaction to the racist provocation. Bazelon was the only judge on the court who would have allowed the defense. He wrote that, in determining whether someone should be punished, we should examine society's conduct toward the person facing punishment, and that society has no right to sit in judgment of those it has treated in a condemnable way. The elder Bazelon offers the most progressive thinking about a way to end mass incarceration: moving away from the punishment regime and the prosecutors who maintain it. Progressive prosecutors gravitate toward sympathetic nonviolent offenders and model prisoners. But the inmates driving mass incarceration are mainly those who have committed violent acts. Until there is solicitude for them and effective alternatives to punishment for those who have caused harm, the United States will continue to be the world's leading jailer, and prosecutors will do more to implement that cruelty than to ameliorate it. --- Butler is the Albert Brick professor in law at Georgetown University. A former federal prosecutor, he is the author of "Chokehold: Policing Black Men." On Friday, Netflix released the trailer for "When They See Us," Ava DuVernay's four-part series about the five black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a white female jogger in New York's Central Park in 1989. The trailer arrives 30 years to the day of the brutal attack at the center of the case, which became highly sensationalized in a city plagued by crime and simmering racial tensions. Four of the accused teenagers, who were between the ages of 14 and 16 at the time of their arrests, falsely confessed after being interrogated for hours. The teens, who became known as the Central Park Five, would later say police had deprived them of food, water and sleep over the course of the interrogations. The Central Park Five were exonerated in 2002 after a serial rapist confessed to the attack, with DNA linking him to the crime. Their wrongful convictions, secured in two separate 1990 trials, and the political climate that had enabled them, became the subject of a 2012 documentary by Ken Burns. The men, who spent between seven and 13 years in prison, reached a $40 million settlement with the city two years later. In 2016, the case made headlines again when Donald Trump, then the GOP nominee for president, insisted the men were guilty despite the DNA evidence that had freed them. In 1989, less than a month after the attack, Trump made himself a peripheral figure in the case when he took out full-page ads in the New York Daily News and other newspapers urging the city to "bring back the death penalty." DuVernay explored Trump's controversial stance on the Central Park Five in her Oscar-nominated 2016 documentary, "13th." "When They See Us," which premieres May 31, follows the Central Park Five across decades - from their 1989 interrogations to their exoneration in 2002 and the settlement they reached with the city 12 years later. The drama counts Oprah Winfrey and Robert De Niro among its producers and has an all-star cast, including Michael K. Williams, John Leguizamo, Vera Farmiga, Niecy Nash and Joshua Jackson. The series also features Felicity Huffman, one of the actresses embroiled in the college admissions scandal. Huffman, who has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy and fraud charge, plays Linda Fairstein, one of the prosecutors in the Central Park Five case. As the chief of the sex-crimes unit for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, Fairstein oversaw the prosecution of the five teens. As The Washington Post's Meagan Flynn reported, the Mystery Writers of America found itself enmeshed in controversy last November after awarding its Grand Master title to the former prosecutor, who has written a series of novels inspired by her past line of work. Two days later, the group put out a statement saying it would withdraw the honor after receiving criticism from "a large percentage" of its members. Like Trump, Fairstein has maintained over the years that the Central Park Five are not innocent. Last year, she publicly defended the prosecution's methods in obtaining the teens' confessions, which she said were not coerced. Amid the fallout of her rescinded award, Fairstein insinuated the Central Park Five were at least responsible for other attacks that occurred that night. On Friday, DuVernay shared the trailer for the upcoming series on Twitter, where she said "the story you know is the lie that police, prosecutors and Donald Trump told you." "'When They See Us' is the story of the boys from their eyes and their hearts," she wrote. Operation Kidsafe will open a year-round safety center in Spring to provide families with information to keep their children safe and create a fingerprint card to aid law enforcement in case of an emergency. On Friday, April 26 at 10 a.m., the Debbie Murphy Agency at 18478 Kuykendahl Road in Spring will help families obtain forms with fingerprints of their children. Its a year-round center where parents can go at any time and stop in and get this done, said Mark J. Bott, founder of Operation Kidsafe. The forms are a free service to the public and families should include an up-to-date color photograph of the child after getting the fingerprint card, he said. Before Bott founded Operation Kidsafe in 2001, Bott also teamed up with John Walsh to advocate for the Amber Alert system by hosting town hall meetings in Texas. While Operation Kidsafe has provided families with fingerprint cards for 18 years at events, it began providing year-round safety centers since 2018 and currently has 63 in the U.S. and Canada, with more locations being planned in the future. Families can provide the form to law enforcement in case a child goes missing to help expedite the process of emitting an Amber Alert. Its all in one form, he said. Want to go? Operation Kidsafe will host the opening of a year-round safety center for families to get their children fingerprinted and identified on a form that law enforcement can use during an emergency. Time: 10 a.m. When: Friday, April 26, 2019 Where: 18478 Kuykendahl Road, Spring, TX 77379 See More Collapse The fingerprinting can take up to 90 seconds to complete and information on forms is not collected or shared online. Bott said that while childrens information should be shared with schools, doctors offices and law enforcement in case of an emergency, their data should not be provided to other entities, as it could endanger them. Parents should not give their kids personal information out, Bott said. Bott said he recommends children who are a year old and older as well as special needs adults get their fingerprints taken. Children who are a year old or younger may not have well developed fingerprints yet, he said. Families can also receive safety tips at the center along with the print form, such as information on how to teach a child to get away from a potential abductor. You just teach your child to run as fast as you can to the nearest adult in charge and check first, Bott said. mayra.cruz@chron.com At the Shu Le County Education Center, a sprawling three-story complex in China's far west region of Xinjiang, the dormitories feature bars on windows and doors that only lock from the outside. Inside are hundreds of minority Muslim Uighurs who have no way of leaving without an official escort, even though Chinese officials who took a group of foreign journalists around the "transformation through education" camp this week insisted they were there voluntarily. Asked what would happen if a Uighur refused to attend, Shu Le's principal Mamat Ali became quiet. "If they don't want to come, they will have to go through judicial procedures," Ali said after a pause, adding that many stay for at least seven months. Shu Le is one of an unknown number of re-education camps in Xinjiang, a Muslim-majority region at the heart of President Xi Jinping's Belt-and-Road Initiative to connect Asia with Europe. The State Department says as many as two million Uighurs are being held in the camps, a number disputed by Chinese officials even though they won't disclose an official figure. This week, I participated in a government-sponsored tour along with four other foreign media organizations through three cities in Xinjiang. The schedule was tightly controlled, with events planned from early morning to 11 p.m., and it included stops in many of the same places I visited on an unguided 10-day trip to the region in November. The trip shows that Beijing is becoming more worried about an international backlash that has intensified of late, raising risks for investors already assessing the impact of a more antagonistic U.S.-China relationship. Muslim-majority countries have begun joining the U.S. and European Union in condemning China's practices, with Turkey's foreign ministry in February calling the "concentration camps" a "great embarrassment for humanity." Xi's policies to pacify the local population have spawned the biggest challenge to China's international reputation since soldiers were sent to put down protests in Tiananmen Square 40 years ago. After first denying the existence of the camps, China is now doubling down on the need for them, and beginning to defend them as a vital weapon against terrorism. "You can see the Chinese government basically changed its position over time," said Maya Wang, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch. "They switched from denial to a full-frontal counter offensive." Throughout this visit, Chinese officials said the foreign media had given a false impression of the government's efforts in Xinjiang. Most of the stops were focused on economic development and new education initiatives. The government's message was simple: Xi's policies were helping pacify the region and grow the economy. The exercise reflects Xi's increased confidence on the world stage, where he's directly challenged Western-style democracy with a centralized model of government that uses advanced technology to reward, punish and ultimately control the behavior of its citizens. He has a lot at stake in making it work: Backing down risks jeopardizing the Communist Party's grip on power. I wasn't able to speak independently with any residents on the trip, or travel around without being followed. But the group was allowed to ask questions of officials, including repeated follow ups that at times angered our hosts. The visit to Urumqi, Kashgar and Hotan stood in stark contrast to the trip I took in November. Back then, minders followed close behind, searches occurred repeatedly and officials demanded I delete photos on my mobile phone. I could only glimpse the heavily secured camps from a distance. This time around, government vehicles freely moved through various checkpoints, and metal detectors in public places were removed. Police officers who crowded city streets were gone. Still, my attempts to walk around unescorted were repeatedly unsuccessful. After seeing the first camp, we were taken for a lamb lunch where women in colorful dresses danced to a song called "Happy Xinjiang." An official ran after me as I walked away from the scene. "I think you must be lost looking for the toilet," he said. "Please let me show you." In Urumqi, we visited a graphic anti-terror exhibition featuring photos of decapitated and dismembered bodies. Later on at the main mosque in Kashgar, where a painting of Xi that earlier hung at the front had been removed, the imam said his father had been killed in a Uighur attack, leading him to "hate the terrorists." China's crackdown on the region began after a series of Uighur strikes on civilians starting in 2013, including a flaming car attack in Tiananmen Square. The escalation alarmed authorities who had repeatedly attempted to pacify Xinjiang, most recently after 2009 riots in Urumqi killed some 200 people. Most of the dead were ethnic Han, who make up more than 90 percent of China's population and the vast majority of the Communist Party's leadership. In Kashgar, I asked one guide if a single cadre in Xinjiang believed in Islam, which would be against rules in the officially atheist Communist Party. "We haven't discovered one yet," said Wang Quibin, a local party leader in the city. "If we did, they would need to be punished severely." Once, he said, he asked a European official how their country controlled terrorism. "They said, 'We take measures to control it as long as human rights are protected.' I thought to myself, 'Then how can you control it?'" There's no call to prayer anymore, he added, because everyone has watches. He said young Uighurs who grew beards were challenging local authorities in a similar way to anti-government protesters wearing yellow vests in France. Another mosque in Hotan displayed copies of Xi's book, "The Governance of China," at the same level as the Koran. Hotels we stayed in featured brochures with Xi's face along with his book. "In our country there is no way to put religion above the law," said Gu Yingsu, head of the propaganda department in Hotan. At a second re-education camp, the Moyu County Vocational Training Center in Hotan, Uighurs wearing ethnic clothes greeted us as we arrived. A staircase featured a large mural of the Great Wall and the words "China Dream." We observed a class in which men all painted the same landscape. Others learned practical skills such as Chinese massage techniques, and how to become waiters or nannies. There was even a class on botany. We were allowed to speak to detainees only with minders present. None appeared to be physically harmed. Bloomberg isn't identifying Uighurs in the camps, or using pictures of their faces, because it was unclear whether they were participating willingly in the events. Each time we asked them what crimes they had committed, and each time we received similar answers with the same key phrases. They had been infected by "extremist thought" and sought to "infect" others before realizing the error of their ways in the camps. Many included the phrase: "I want to say that I am here voluntarily." Even more striking, the same detainees could repeat their answers word for word when asked. I asked our minders why the answers were so similar. Gu, the official from Hotan, kept silent. One of her colleagues said the answers weren't memorized. Xu Guixiang, deputy head of Xinjiang's publicity department, said it was only natural they gave the same answers because they were asked about committing crimes. "Perhaps it's because they are nervous speaking to a foreigner," he said. "It is difficult for them to express what they want to say in Chinese." BOSTON - Despite all the familiar political rally trappings - the phalanx of TV news cameras, the anti-Trump words in his remarks and the handheld signs encouraging him to run for president - Joe Biden insisted that the plight of the people picketing behind the stage was more important than the aspirations of the person standing on it. "I mean, look, I know you're used to your political speeches and I'm a politician - I get it. But this is way beyond that," he said. "This is way beyond that. This is wrong. This is morally wrong what's going on around this country." Biden, the former vice president who is expected to soon join the Democratic racefor president, was the featured speaker at a rally for striking workers at the grocery store chain Stop & Shop who walked off the job earlier this month after saying the company's offer for a new contract would increase health-care costs and slash retirement benefits. The members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, tens of thousands of which are employed by the chain in New England, have been picketing outside the Dorchester area store where Biden spoke for more than a week. Biden, keeping his speech short because of cold rain, cast the dispute as part of a greater devaluation of the American Dream by corporations that prioritize profits over their employees. "People would bust their neck, people would go out and make their living, people would play by the rules," he said. "People have done everything they're supposed to do and people are entitled to be treated with respect and decency and fairness." "'What's happening here is workers are not being treated across the board with dignity. They're not being treated like they matter." Biden's presence was the latest infusion of political star power into the picket line since the three-state strike began April 11. Last week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, another Democratic presidential candidate, stopped by the protest, bringing a box of doughnuts and borrowing a bullhorn to make remarks. On Thursday, more than a dozen local and state politicians spoke at the rally or were mentioned before Biden took the stage, casting themselves as pro-labor. Presidential aspirants have also tried to win over union voters in other ways. Former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro said he would support the right of his campaign workers to unionize. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., whose campaign staff was the first to organize, often talks about how he has stood on the picket lines with Marriott workers and supported Disney workers' attempts to unionize. A frequent warm-up song at Sanders's rallies is "Union Maid" by Woody Guthrie. Just before Biden took the stage in Boston on Thursday, about 200 workers marched in a circle at the entrance of the South Bay Stop & Shop shouting, among other things, "Stop & Shop is closed. The Target's pretty close," alluding to a nearby competitor. Workers said they were grateful for Biden's presence, but they were even happier about the huge crowds and swarm of national media cameras that accompanied the former vice president. "We're pretty sure he's using it to his advantage. Everybody sees that. But that doesn't mean that it can't also help us," said Iloisa Brandao, a clerk for Stop & Shop who was handing out small bottles of water to other picketers. "But we're also using this moment to our advantage." As Biden spoke, union members walked through the crowd handing out fliers encouraging people to come to a "mega-picket" on Saturday. They hope the large outpouring of support for workers - and the absence of customers before Easter - will be a gut punch for Stop & Shop, which picketers believe should do more to compensate employees. "I'm struggling, can't afford a car, walking to work, living paycheck to paycheck while they're making these massive profits," said Nick Barnes, 25, who works for a nearby Stop & Shop's Peapod grocery delivery service. In the presidential contest, he said, he is leaning toward Andrew Yang, who wants give every American a universal basic income. "I believe Joe Biden is doing it for the voters, but any support we can get is good." An hour after Biden left, a smaller contingent of Stop & Shop picketers were still marching in a circle outside the grocery store. Elan Axelbank, who led call-and-response chants, said Biden's presence was good, but the effort of workers on the picket line matters more. He wished all the candidates who had expressed solidarity with striking workers would do more than make a speech. "Joe Biden has an email list of hundreds of thousands of people," he said. "If he really wanted to help, he would send out an email to his supporters, saying not just 'don't cross a picket line,' but telling them to join one." WOOD RIVER A Wood River man has been indicted on a federal weapons charge for allegedly stealing 135 firearms and parts from a licensed federal firearms dealer in Wood River. The charges alleged Bradley N. Boswell, 30, of the 700 block of Wood River Avenue, Wood River, stole military style weapons and parts from Benbow City Sports, operated by Madison County attorney Thomas G. Maag. Boswell made an initial appearance Thursday in federal court after Wood River police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and firearms conducted a pre-dawn raid in the 700 block of Rice Street, Wood River, an address that neighbors had been complaining of. Officers from the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System also participated. Two people were arrested at the Rice Street address, but Boswell was arrested at a location away from the Rice Street address, according to a Wood River police news release. Maag reported Feb. 27 that a building he owns in the first block of Ferguson Avenue was burglarized. Maag submitted a list of the stolen items, including three machine guns, including a British submachine gun, a grenade launcher, nine 5.56 mm rifles, several weapon parts, known as receivers, nine shotguns, pistols, revolvers and other items. The indictment also charged Boswell with possessing the same firearms after being convicted of a felony, according to Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. After Maag reported the burglary, Wood River police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms obtained a video that showed a person entering the building in the first block of West Ferguson Avenue at 1:30 a.m. Feb. 8. A confidential informant also told police that he or she observed possibly stolen firearms at a home in the 200 block of Picker Avenue. The information about the firearms was in an affidavit asking the court to grant a search warrant for the home in the 200 block of Picker Avenue, where police found hypodermic syringes, a spent shell casing, ammunition, prescription bottles, and a riffle. The informant told officers that Boswell asked the informant if the informant knew how to make parts for firearms. The informant responded that he or she did not. Officers also received reports of other Wood River residents with drug records in possession of firearms. One of them told police that Boswell had come to a residence, carrying a large bag of firearms that matched the description of the items taken in the burglary. In the early morning raid Thursday, officers also arrested Deborah J. Knight, 53, the tenant of the home in the 700 block of Rice Street, on a charge of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance. Bail was set at $50,000. Heather D. Ontis, 43, of the 1300 block of Fieldon Hollow Road, Fielson, was arrested on a Jersey County warrant for possession of stolen property. Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells said the case is still under investigation. He said the raid indicates the police will not tolerate drug activity in the city. The Trump presidency long has been an exercise in normalizing extraordinary behavior, with President Donald Trump repeatedly stretching the limits of what is considered appropriate conduct by the nation's chief executive. The report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller puts into high relief the degree to which Trump has violated the norms. The principal focus of the special counsel's investigation was on questions of criminality. But there is more than the issue of what rises to the level of criminal conspiracy or criminal obstruction when judging a president and his administration. These are questions that go to the heart of what is acceptable or normal or advisable in a democracy. On that basis, the Mueller report provides a damning portrait of the president and those around him for actions taken during the 2016 campaign and while in office. The 448-page document is replete with evidence, of repeated lying by public officials and others (some of whom have been charged for that conduct), of the president urging not to tell the truth, of the president seeking to shut down the investigation, of a Trump campaign hoping to benefit politically from Russian hacking and leaks of information damaging to its opponent, of a White House in chaos and operating under abnormal rules. It shows a White House where officials sometimes - but not always - resisted the president's more nefarious orders and concludes that Trump was not able to influence the investigation as much as he wished because advisers declined to carry out some of those orders. It also suggests, despite his many claims to the contrary, that the president felt vulnerable to an investigation. When informed just months after taking office that a special counsel was to be appointed, Trump exclaimed that it would mean "the end of my presidency." The legal findings in the report are important and significant. Mueller's team found no criminal conspiracy on the part of Trump campaign associates in Russian efforts to sabotage the 2016 election. Attorney General William Barr concluded, based on his reading of the report, that there was insufficient evidence to charge the president with obstruction. The president, in tweets and public statements Thursday morning, embraced the findings as full exoneration. "Game Over," said one tweet triumphantly. Still, the investigation should be looked at in its broadest outlines, as one that was examining basic questions about political campaigns, political operatives, presidential candidates and presidents, along with the overriding issue of foreign interference in America's democracy and the president's reaction to it. The Mueller report provided overwhelming evidence of how the Russians carried out their effort to interfere with the election. The details in the report buttress the earlier findings by the U.S. intelligence community of Russian meddling with the intent of helping Trump defeat Hillary Clinton. It is a finding the president has never fully embraced, repeatedly equivocating as to whether Russians were responsible, for reasons that remain unclear. That's just one of the elements that underscore the president's departure from traditional rules. The number of contacts between associates of the Trump campaign and Russians connected with their government are anything but normal in presidential campaigns. The contacts were "numerous," according to the report, though not conspiratorial. What should Americans make of that, even if it did not amount to criminal conspiracy? The biggest questions about the president's behavior involve the issue of obstruction. On this, Mueller and his team came to no conclusion, allowing Barr to make the most controversial judgment of the investigation, based on his reading of the evidence and the law and in consultation with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Mueller's report looks at episodes in which the president's actions might be construed as an attempt to obstruct the investigation. Those include his conduct related to the firing of Michael Flynn, his first national security adviser; the firing of FBI Director James Comey and subsequent appointment of a special counsel; the president's efforts to remove the special counsel; efforts to prevent disclosure of the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russians; Trump's efforts to force then-White House counsel Donald McGahn to deny that he had been ordered to fire Mueller. Some of the episodes examined by Mueller's team happened in plain view of the public. Much else took place behind the scenes, although any number were later revealed by news organizations. At the time those stories were published, the president often called them "fake news." The Mueller report now documents them as accurate. Barr said Thursday that he found that the evidence was insufficient to conclude that the president had engaged in criminal obstruction, largely because of offsetting circumstances. One major mitigating factor, he said, was that the White House had cooperated fully with the Mueller investigation, including allowing White House officials to be interviewed by investigators. What Barr did not point out was that the president never agreed to be interviewed by investigators. Trump provided written answers to questions about Russia-related topics, but the report notes that he did not agree to offer written answers to questions about obstruction. Beyond that, Mueller and his team found some of the president's written answers inadequate but chose not to pursue an interview in the interest of finishing the investigation in a timely way. Barr also noted that the president was justifiably angry and frustrated because he was being investigated for something that he believed he had not done and that things he said or did should be weighed with that in mind. Trump, the attorney general said, was also irritated by all the public speculation and discussion about what might come of that investigation. Trump's allies have often questioned whether someone can be guilty of obstruction of an investigation into a crime he or she did not commit. Barr's conclusion about obstruction was a judgment call that others are questioning. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., held a news conference to question Barr's interpretation of Mueller's conclusions about obstruction. House Democrats, who will forge ahead with their own inquiries, could put the obstruction line that Barr says the president did not legally cross in a different place. The Mueller report represents findings in the most charged examination of a president since the investigations of Presidents Bill Clinton in 1998 and Richard Nixon in 1974. It provides the fullest accounting to date of a controversy that has raged since Trump was sworn into office, one that will continue for as long as he is in office. How much it will change things politically is a far different matter. Long before the release of the report, the president had effectively politicized the Mueller investigation. For many of Trump's loyalists, retribution is the next order of business. The president said, "This hoax . . . should never happen to another president." His reelection campaign sent out an email Thursday headlined, "Time to Turn the Tables," saying it was time "to investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation." Many Americans already have reached their own conclusions about the president, pro and con. They are likely to take from the Mueller report whatever they can find to reinforce those judgments. The legal findings have provided good news for the president, but he will still face the judgment from voters in November 2020 about what they want of and expect from a president. Russia might not be at the top of voters' minds when they cast those ballots, but the Mueller report will stand as documentation of a presidency that is anything but normal or customary. There are numerous things we think we know, but we might be misinformed. And there are things we could know, but we dont bother to look them up. I hope readers find some of these esoteric examples interesting. Chicagoan Frank Lloyd Wright was a great architect. The sons of great men seldom achieve the same greatness as their fathers. Wrights son is best remembered for inventing the construction toy known as Lincoln Logs. Ever wonder why dollars are colloquially known as bucks? In the early days of colonization, settlers were trading goods with the Native Americans. In the 1700s, animal pelts were forms of currency, much in the same way dollar bills are today. And one of the most valuable animal pelts was a deer pelt, also known as a buck. This connection of the word buck with currency stuck around after coinage of U.S. dollars began in 1792. Weve been nicknaming dollars bucks ever since. Why on earth do gas stations advertise prices in whole amounts and then tack on 9/10 at the end? It all goes back to the Great Depression days of the late 1930s. Gasoline was selling for about 10 cents a gallon. Station managers were informed by oil companies that the price per gallon was going up by a penny. Since dealers were only making a few cents on each gallon they sold, they didnt want to absorb the increase themselves. But with money being so scarce, they also didnt want to anger their customers by raising the price by one cent. A station owner in northern Illinois came up with a bright idea. He tacked on 9/10, which was nearly a penny, hoping customers wouldnt object. The idea caught on and is still used today. When someone asks you how much you paid for gas at the Shell station you never reply, $2.54 and 9/10 a gallon, you say, $2.54. What is the name of our system of weights and measurements whereby we go by ounces and pounds? Betcha dont know! Its called avoirdupois and our colonials brought it with them from England. Its different from the metric system which is based on grams. The English still like to give their body weight in stones. A stone is equivalent to 14 pounds. In Colonial times, if someone purchased 2 pounds of potatoes from a merchant, the man would place a 2 pound stone on a balance and add potatoes to the other side until equilibrium was reached. Dont you think it a bit strange that dimes and quarters have rough edges yet pennies and nickels are smooth? It goes back to earlier times in the nineteenth century. Dimes, quarters and half dollars had strong silver content. Thieves came up with a device that trimmed a slight amount of silver from the edges. Do this to enough coins and you would have a good amount of money. To discourage such thievery, the mint started placing ridges on the edges of silver coins. In 1965 the mint switched to sandwich coins made of copper and nickel, but the ridges were kept due to tradition. The Olin Corp. of East Alton invented the process of fusing the two metals together and shipped rolls of it to the various mints. The mints, in turn, shipped back as offal. Ever heard of a powder monkey? Their chief role was to bring gunpowder from the powder magazine in the ships hold to the artillery pieces, either in bulk or as cartridges. The function was usually fulfilled by boy seamen, usually orphans, of 12 to 14 years of age. Powder monkeys were selected for the job for their speed and height: they were short and could move more easily in the limited space between decks and would also be hidden behind the ships gunwale, keeping them from being shot by enemy ships sharpshooters. They manned naval artillery guns as a member of a warships crew, primarily during Americas early wars during the Age of Sail. The ship of the line was designed for the naval tactic known as the line of battle, which depended on the two columns of opposing warships maneuvering to fire with the cannons along their broadsides. In conflicts where opposing ships were both able to fire from their broadsides, the side with more cannons, and therefore more firepower, typically had an advantage. Since these engagements were almost invariably won by the heaviest ships carrying the most powerful guns, the natural progression was to build sailing vessels that were the largest and most powerful of their time, often with three decks and as many as 72 cannon. During the Civil War, the Confederacy developed a steel submarine known as the Hunley. The 40-foot-long metal tube-shaped structure was a little over 4 feet high. The ship was powered by eight men inside who, while seated, turned a long crank that spun a screw propeller in the bow. The plan was to use it to sink Union ships that were blockading southern coastal waters. The Hunley was designed so it could deliver an explosive charge below the water line of enemy ships. During an attack on the USS Housatonic, the Hunleys torpedo exploded prematurely and sank the sub, killing all the crew. The Hunley was located in 1995, restored, and is now on display in North Charleston, North Carolina. What scientific principles allow airplanes weighing tons to stay aloft in the air? This is an oversimplification, but the basic principles of why and how airplanes fly apply to all planes, from the Wright Brothers first machine Wright Flyer to a modern Stealth Bomber. First, an airplane must have enough thrust from its engine to overcome drag, or friction, and gravity. A cross section of a typical airplane wing will show the top surface to be more curved than the bottom surface. During flight air naturally flows over and beneath the wing and is deflected upwards over the top surface and downwards beneath the lower surface. Any difference in deflection causes a difference in air pressure and because of the airfoil shape, the pressure of the deflected air is lower above the airfoil than below it. As a result, lift is produced by the higher pressure beneath or, you might argue, it is sucked upward due to the lower pressure above. Bill Nunes, of Glen Carbon, has written dozens of books including The Buster Wortman Story and History of the St. Louis Cardinals, both in color, to Jans Hallmark Shop locations. Nunes taught history for 30 years at Collinsville and Edwardsville high schools. The British Army announced on April 15 that Apache attack helicopters had been deployed in Estonia. The exact number of rotary wings concerned was not specified. It is known, however, that the helicopters will remain there for three months. AgustaWestland Apache AH1 10 (Picture source: Ronnie Macdonald) The Apache thus join in Estonia the British Wildcat. They will be mobilized by Exercise Sprint Storm and will participate in NATO operations conducted in the region. "The deployment of these helicopters will reinforce the British presence in the Baltic, known as Operation Cabrit, with about 1,000 army personnel deployed on the scene," said the British Army. Operation CABRIT is the name of the UK operational deployment to Estonia where British troops are leading a multinational battlegroup as part of the EFP. UK Armed Forces have a leading role in NATOs Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in the Baltic States in order to enhance Euro-Atlantic security, reassure Allies and deter out adversaries. The EFP in the Baltic States is a deployment of robust, multinational, combat-ready forces to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, on a persistent, rotational basis. Chinese college students spend an average of 2 hours playing online games every day, said a report titled the Panel Study of Chinese University Students (PSCUS), recently issued by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The survey, which covered students from 18 universities across China, found that 22.95 percent of students admitted to playing online games every day. Nowadays, gaming is not as male-dominated as it used to be. The report revealed that nearly half of female students had played online games, and 14 percent played daily. The report found that live streaming is another popular trend among Chinese college students. Nearly 60 percent of those surveyed use live streaming platforms. 14.4 percent of the students use live streaming services every day, and over 20 percent of the respondents said they use live streaming applications at least once a week. Nearly 40 percent of the students surveyed follow online celebrities, and 8 percent check the latest celebrity updates on a daily basis, said Guo Yaping, who contributed to the report. Eight percent of the students had broadcasting experience on online platforms, and 23.8 percent wanted to become broadcasters. The report said that 72.1 percent of the college students used online car-hailing services, and 21.6 percent paid for articles on the internet. Lowenthal is serving his fourth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and has been in elected office for 30 years, starting as a Long Beach City Councilman. He announced his decision to not run again in a Thursday morning email. The Programme Officer shall be part of theprogrammes team and shall provide support in planning, budgeting andimplementation of the respective Project activities in all regions ofoperation. She/he has to ensure that high quality work is done in the deliveryof services towards achieving the objectives of the programme. Rosemead, California, April 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On April 16, 2019, Guangzhou, China, the United States HQDA ELDERLY LIFE NETWORK CORP(HQDA) and Palau Asia Pacific Air Management Limited (registered in Hong Kong), Global Tourism Management Limited (registered in Hong Kong) and Global (Guangzhou) Tourism Service Co., Ltd formally signed the Business Project Investment Agreement. HQDA to invest USD$8 million in cash to acquire 51% of the three companies abovementioned, in order to obtaining the actual movement of air rights, routes and Palau International tourism services between Greater China and the Republic of Palau by holding the three companies, which accelerated HQDA to expand Global Health and Recreational Business. The three companies co- operate the air and tourism services market between Greater China and Palau, including three regular weekly flights from Hong Kong and Macau to and from Palau, as well as corresponding international travel services. HQDA is relying on China's huge elderly living people and the growing market for high-quality international living demands. Palau will be the new highlight in China's tourism market in the near future. It is the closest island nation from China in the western Pacific Ring, which has a globally recognized quality marine and island tourism resources, and in the future, the vast people in greater China will be bound to take our flight routes and enjoy the travel services we offer in sync in Palau. With the investment of HQDA, we will add more aircraft, increase the number of flights to and from Palau and enhance more and better tourist service facilities and projects. In the initial stage, the size of this market will be expected to provide HQDA with at least hundreds of millions of RMB yuan per year of revenue and a net profit of more than tens of millions of RMB yuan; once the market thrives, these financial data will be an exponential growth. "This successful M &A is a milestone in the company's global strategic layout," said Ms. Xu Ziyun, Chairwoman and CEO of HQDA, Our layout at Palau will begin with the entry point of aviation and tourism, and in the future, in this island nation, we will work together with the Global Group to establish and create a new high-end elderly apartment and international Wellness Center. This will be an important part of our global pearl chain in the Global Sojourn Option. Westerly, RI (02891) Today Sunny to partly cloudy. Morning high of 59F with temps falling to near 45. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. 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. iShares MSCI Belgium ETF's stock was trading at $15.65 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EWK shares have increased by 32.6% and is now trading at $20.7444. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Dublin, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Student Information System Market by Component (Solution and Services (Professional Services and Managed Services)), User Type (K-12 and Higher Education), Deployment Type (Cloud and On-Premises), and Region - Global Forecast to 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global student information system market is expected to grow from USD 5.0 billion in 2018 to USD 9.0 billion by 2023, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 12.4% during the forecast period. Over the past decade, there have been significant changes in the higher education industry. With a lot of funding pressures and increased focus on student success and completion, IT plays a crucial role in delivering key services, enabling digital transformation and providing competitive institutional differentiation. The ability to achieve this is dependent on IT partnering with institutional leadership at a strategic level to meet institutional goals. SIS provides integrated admissions, enrollment, registration, financial aid, student accounts, and advising information. Given the level of disruption that the higher education industry is currently facing and the rapid shift of preferences of students, institutions have assumed that the requirement for their SIS solution would change profoundly over the next decade. IT departments will have a significant opportunity to lay the groundwork for using technology to deliver innovation, flexibility, and agility, as well as, long-term value to institutions. In the next few years, an increasing number of institutions will consider the cost of maintaining legacy systems and either upgrade to the next version of existing vendor solutions or replace legacy systems entirely with new vendor offerings. With the continued pressure of tight budgets and the need for differentiation in a competitive market, there is a growing appetite among institutions for upgrading or replacing legacy SIS solutions with modern technology. With SIS, too much of paperwork could be avoided. Mishandling of data is the biggest concern for many educational institutions; hence, to avoid such misuse, SIS solutions and services are designed according to the regulated guidelines and directives of educational institutions. The research report also studies the strategic alliances and acquisitions by global and local players in the SIS market. These players have majorly adopted the growth strategies, such as new product launches and product enhancements, to enhance their businesses in the SIS market and cater to the needs of diverse end users across regions. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Growth Opportunities in the Student Information System Market 4.2 Market By Service, 2018 4.3 Market By Type, 2018 4.4 Market By Deployment Type, 2018 5 Market Dynamics 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Rising Focus of Educational Institutions to Improve Education Quality and Customer Satisfaction 5.2.1.2 Widespread Government Initiatives and Technological Advancements in Educational Sector 5.2.1.3 Increasing Awareness Among the Educational Institutions to Improve the Administrative Process 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Lack of Awareness Among Educational Organizations About the Student Information System 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increasing Demand Among the Educational Institutions for Improved Connectivity Among Various Stakeholders 5.2.3.2 Advent of IoT and Smart Education 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Integration Issues With Organizations' Internal Processes 5.2.4.2 Lack of Expertise and Infrastructure Among End Users 6 Student Information System Market, By Component 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Solution 6.2.1 Enrollment 6.2.2 Academics 6.2.3 Financial Aid 6.2.3.1 SIS Helps Manage Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Grants Quickly and Efficiently 6.2.4 Billing 6.3 Services 7 Student Information System Market, By Service 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Professional Services 7.2.1 Integration and Implementation Services 7.2.2 Consulting Services 7.2.3 Training, Support, and Maintenance Services 7.3 Managed Services 7.3.1 Managed Services Offering Round-The-Clock Visibility to IT Infrastructure and Providing Security Assessment and Monitoring of Applications, Systems, and Devices 8 Student Information System Market, By Deployment Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 0n-Premises 8.2.1 On-Premises Deployment Making the Existing Infrastructure Viable, Thereby Eliminating the Costs of Infrastructural Changes 8.3 Cloud 8.3.1 Advantages of Easy Deployment, Hassle-Free Integration, Minimum Cost, and No Requirement for Preliminary Capital for Purchasing the Software Driving the Demand of Cloud Deployment Mode 9 Student Information System Market, By User Type 9.1 Introduction 9.2 K-12 9.2.1 Growing Use of K-12 Student Information System By Teachers, Students, and Parents to Access All Relevant Information Pertaining to A Student's Schooling 9.3 Higher Education 9.3.1 Growing Need to Track Information Such as Grades, Attendance Records, Admissions Information, and Financial Aid to Drive the Demand for SIS in Higher Education Institutes 10 Student Information System Market, By Region 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Competitive Leadership Mapping 11.2 Competitive Scenario 12 Company Profiles Arth Infosoft Campus Management ComSpec International Ellucian Focus School Software Foradian Technologies Illuminate Education Jenzabar Oracle PowerSchool SAP Skyward Tribal Group Unit4 Workday For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/c6dl9r Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom. Read More SEATTLE, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global biopolymers market was valued at US$ 9,131.9 million in 2018, and is projected to exhibit a CAGR of 13.8% over the forecast period (20192027). Key Trends and Analysis of the Biopolymers Market: Conventional plastic poses harm to the environment through pollution and greenhouse gas emission, which in turn has resulted in increasing demand for biopolymers. Conventional plastic is not degradable and therefore, cannot be easily disposed of. For instance, a report, Bioplastics: Sustainable materials for building a strong and circular European bioeconomy published by European Commission in 2017, stated that the worlds oceans are estimated to contain more plastic than fish (by weight) by 2050 and that plastic production will account for a high share of global oil use and greenhouse gas emissions. Request Sample Pages of this Report @ https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/2508 Therefore, several government bodies are promoting production and use of sustainable plastics. For instance, in 2015, the European Commission proposed that at least 55% of all plastics packaging in the EU should be recycled by 2025. Biopolymers are recyclable and therefore, increasing government initiatives for adoption of bio-based polymers is expected to propel growth of the biopolymers market. Key players in the market are focused on adopting various business strategies such as partnerships and collaborations in order to enhance their product portfolio. For instance, in February 2019, Bio-on S.P.A. (producer of biodegradable polyesters) entered into an agreement with Innova Imagen (textile manufacturer in Mexico and the U.S.) to start a production plant of bioplastics in Mexico. To know the latest trends and insights prevalent in this market, click the link below: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/market-insight/biopolymers-market-2508 Key Market Takeaways: The global biopolymers market is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 13.8% during the forecast period (20192027) Among regions, Asia Pacific is expected to witness major market share over the forecast period, owing to growing packaging industry in countries such as India, China, and Japan. For instance, according to report Plastic Packaging the sustainable and smarter choice, published in 2015, by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), around 83% of packaged food items were sold with plastic packaging in India, 69% in China, and 62% in the U.S. in 2014. Moreover, according to the fact book released by Interpack Alliance, the revenue of Indian packaging industry was US$ 32.0 billion in 2015, and is expected to reach US$ 73.0 billion by 2020. Biopolymers majorly find application in packaging industry, which is expected to boost biopolymers demand in the region. Some of the major players operating in the global biopolymers market include, BASF SE, NatureWorks LLC, Braskem S.A., Novamont S.p.A., E.I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company, Plantic Technologies Ltd, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Danimer Scientific, Bio-on S.p.A., and Rodenburg Biopolymers B.V. About Coherent Market Insights: Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity. San Francisco, CA, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BitGive, the first Bitcoin 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has announced a partnership with Uphold, the leading digital money platform, to have donation tracking platform GiveTrack integrated with Uphold via API. Through the integration, users will be able to donate to any of the charitable projects on the GiveTrack platform using a number of cryptocurrencies including Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Dash as well as 23 traditional global currencies. Previously, donations on GiveTrack were only made in bitcoin. Connie Gallippi, Founder and Executive Director of BitGive, said: This is an extremely exciting and long-awaited partnership for us, as were now able to open up our platform to a whole new audience. The integration with Uphold truly makes GiveTrack accessible to anyone, anywhere, and still allows our users to have a completely transparent and seamless donation tracking experience. Uphold is the creator of an open, trusted, and transparent digital money platform that lets users quickly and safely access traditional currencies, cryptocurrencies, and other investments all in one place. Uphold has powered more than $4 billion in transactions across 184 countries, in more than 30 supported currencies and four commodities. Robin OConnell, Chief Revenue Officer of Uphold, said: It has been inspiring working with BitGive while also being able to leverage the Uphold platform. Uphold is always looking for real-world use cases and to facilitate non-speculative transactions. Here is a perfect example of how blockchain and cryptocurrencies can be applied in the philanthropic ecosystem. To provide donors a previously non-existent level of transparency and efficiency while ensuring recipients get the most out of their funding. For more information on the projects and to donate, visit https://www.givetrack.org/. For more information on Uphold, visit https://uphold.com/. ### BitGive Founder Connie Gallippi is available for interview About BitGive: BitGive was founded in 2013 by leading industry figure Connie Gallippi. Based in California, BitGive is the first Bitcoin 501(c)(3) nonprofit recognized by the U.S. government. The organization aims to bridge the gap between the Bitcoin and Blockchain industry and its practical applications for humanitarian and nonprofit work. BitGive facilitates the fundraising for charitable donations using bitcoin and remains dedicated to using todays cutting-edge financial technologies for social good. The first of its kind, BitGive is revolutionizing global philanthropy through technology with its flagship project, GiveTrack. The organization has established strong partnerships and raised funds with prominent nonprofits that include Save the Children, The Water Project, TECHO, Code to Inspire, Run for Water, and Medic Mobile. For more information, please visit www.bitgivefoundation.org. About Uphold: Uphold is a digital money platform providing consumers worldwide with convenient and secure access to traditional currencies, cryptocurrencies, and other investments. Uphold has powered more than $4 billion in transactions across 184 countries, covering over 30 supported currencies and four commodities. The platform has more than 1 million users. Uphold is the only financial platform to publish its reserve holdings in real time. The company has offices in San Francisco, New York, Portugal, London and Mexico City. More information can be found at www.uphold.com, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Not licensed in all jurisdictions. Saratoga Springs Outside the Tang Teaching Museum on Wednesday, AC/DC blasted from the sound system at a lacrosse match and students strolled the campus beneath a brilliant blue sky. Inside, Laurie Anderson contemplated life and death. In a talk tied to the current Tang exhibit on Tibet, the prodigiously talented artist and performer talked about the concept of "the Bardo," which some Buddhists believe is a period of transition lasting 49 days between a person's physical death and spiritual rebirth. She said the concept that is a cornerstone to the "Tibetan Book of the Dead" could also apply to all phases and interactions of life. The 90-minute dialogue with Skidmore College professor Benjamin Bogin before a full house was kind of a philosophical Ping-Pong match, with black humor and dark thoughts mixed with hope for humanity that she implied is literally doomed by climate change and "planetary extinction." "We're the first people in the history of the human race who can see our own extinction coming," she declared. "We're the first ones, and how are we going to look at that and how can we tell that story?" Then again, maybe not. Anderson cheerfully expressed belief in dreams and disbelief in reality, even as she said climate change means the human race will possibly be replaced by mosquitoes. She said the last generation of men and women will have no one to listen to the final story, "the first story that is told to no one." Anderson is a mercurial musician but described herself Wednesday as primarily a storyteller, though her stories cannot be neatly summarized. Wednesday, they included a riveting excerpt from her 2015 film "Heart of a Dog," with Buddhist priests shouting spiritual instruction in a dying friend's ears in the Tibetan belief that hearing is the final sense to go. She also offered idiosyncratic descriptions of 9/11's carnage, China's brutal suppression and murder of Tibetan monks, and her indelible 1980 song "O Superman." The mesmerizing tune, which she said she recorded with a $500 NEA grant, drew international acclaim and made her name. At the Tang, she said it was her response to the disastrous helicopter rescue attempt of the American Embassy hostages in Iran, with the music modeled after a French opera. "It was about power and technology and loss," she said. The topic of hopelessness and futility in the face of human folly recurred, whether involving American military might, the world remade by 9/11, climate change, or the dominance of corporate and technological control of American life. "Generally, we don't know what to do," she said. "We're caught in the late stages of corporate America and it is not a meaningful experience just to get more stuff. That's it, and so I think people are desperate. I know I'm desperate to see what else could happen here rather than getting more stuff and getting your name out and things like that. That's ridiculous." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The politics was delivered sideways, with no mention of President Donald Trump or any other politician. But she talked with obvious enthusiasm and at great length about the joys of her Buddhist beliefs, her teachers, meditation, and the Bardo which she called the space between two points where unpredictable things can happen. She proselytized for virtual reality as a new way of experience. Some of her virtual reality work is on display now at Mass MOCA; she said a new VR maze about the moon will open this summer at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. She also expressed great appreciation for animals, especially dogs, and in particular her blind, piano playing rat terrier Lolabelle whose life and death was covered in "Heart of a Dog." The film was dedicated to her deceased husband, the Velvet Underground's Lou Reed. The presentation included slides of massive 11-by-14 foot paintings she made showing her pup in the Bardo, including one sharing the frame with Osama bin Laden carrying an AK-47 rifle. He was killed about the time of Lolabelle's death, which by Anderson's storytelling meant they both inhabited the Bardo together. The portrait of her beloved dog in limbo with the terrorist mastermind of 9/11, whose horrors went down in her New York neighborhood, made for one of the more memorable moments. The talk was delivered as part of the exhibition "The Second Buddha: Master of Time" which continues through May 19 at the Tang. Lithuanian English On 8 April 2019 AUGA group, AB (code 126264360, address Konstitucijos ave. 21C, Vilnius, Company) announced the convocation of the ordinary general meeting of shareholders of the Company and announced the following Agenda of the Meeting: Agenda of the Meeting: Consolidated annual report of the Company for the year 2018 and Auditors report Approval of consolidated annual financial statements of the Company for the year 2018 Approval of the profit (loss) allocation of the Company for the year 2018 Appointment of the auditor to audit consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year 2019 and approval of auditors remuneration Approval of new wording of the Articles of Association of the Company Approval of independency criteria of the Companys board members Election of the board Approval of the remuneration for newly elected members of the board Approval of remuneration to be awarded to the current supervisory board members for performance of their supervisory council and audit committee member functions By this notice the Company updates question 7 of the Agenda of the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders to be held on 30 April 2019 by proposing the draft of the decision to the latter question. Proposed draft of the decision regarding question 7 of the Agenda of the Meeting is the following: Election of the board To recall members of the Board of the Company on the grounds of the expiry of the term of office of the Board; To elect new members of the Board of the Company: Murray Steele Tomas Kucinskas Tomas Krakauskas Dalius Misiunas Linas Strelis According to the information provided to the Company by the candidates, Murray Steele, Tomas Kucinskas and Dalius Misiunas are considered to be independent candidates. Information about proposed candidates is attached as annex to this notice. A shareholder or a person authorised by him/her shall have a right to vote in writing in advance by filling in the general ballot paper attached herein. The general ballot paper is also provided on the Companys website at www.auga.lt . The filled-in general ballot paper and the document confirming the voting right must be submitted to the Company sending by registered mail or providing them against signature at the address of the registered office of the Company indicated in the notice and received by the Company not later than on the last business day until the meeting. General Manager Linas Bulzgys +370 5 233 5340 Attachments BROOKLYN NXIVM co-founder Keith Raniere is scheduled to stand trial alone next month after the last of his five co-defendants Seagram's liquor fortune heiress Clare Bronfman and Kathy L. Russell, a longtime bookkeeper for NXIVM pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges on Friday. Their guilty pleas leave the secretive man known to his followers as "Vanguard" suddenly facing the prospect of having his staunchest confidantes testify against him in a racketeering case that dismantled his stealthy and, according to prosecutors, inherently criminal and "cult-like" organization. Raniere, 58, has for more than a year maintained his innocence while being held without bond in a federal detention center in Brooklyn cut off from communicating with his former followers, including his co-defendants. The government's case has now been buttressed as Raniere's five female co-defendants all admitted to or were charged with various crimes, including coercing women to perform labor and to have sex with Raniere; holding a young Mexican woman in a room against her will for nearly two years; hacking computers to spy on their enemies or to check the loyalty of other followers; manipulating evidence in a federal court proceeding; forging identity documents; money laundering and visa fraud. For Raniere, the potential fallout of a conviction is more consequential because the indictment includes allegations that he sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl and possessed child pornography naked photographs of that teenage girl. Those accusations carry a potential mandatory minimum prison sentence of 15 years. Bronfman, who was NXIVM's operations director and one of its largest financial contributors, and Russell, who oversaw their tax and business filings, both pleaded guilty Friday in back-to-back proceedings in front of a U.S. District Court Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis in Brooklyn. Bronfman, 40, whose charged crimes included identity theft, money laundering and visa fraud, pleaded guilty to two counts, conspiracy to conceal and harbor illegal aliens for financial gain and fraudulent use of identification acknowledging that she had given credit card number information of a dead person to Raniere in order to help him avoid taxes. She faces between 21 and 27 months in prison at her sentencing on July 25, and agreed to forfeit $6 million. Looking frail and speaking softly in a slight English accent, Bronfman told Garaufis she had "received a great gift from my grandfather and my father that does not come with the ability to break the law; it comes with great responsibility to uphold the law." "I am truly remorseful," she said. "I endeavored to do good in the world and help people however, I have made mistakes." Russell, 61, had been accused of falsifying identity documents to help smuggle a Mexican woman across the Canadian border, and of facilitating the installation of a "key-logger" device on the computer of a NXIVM accountant to monitor his emails. On Friday, she pleaded to a single count of visa fraud related to a letter she wrote that included bogus data about a NXIVM associate, Loretta Garza. Russell signed a plea agreement that calls for her to spend up to 12 months in prison. She began choking up after the judge asked her if she understood she was waiving her right to trial. "I know what I did was wrong," she said. "I'm very sorry for the trouble I have caused. I have compromised my own principles, and I'm going to have to live with that for the rest of my life." The admissions on Friday by Bronfman and Russell followed guilty pleas over the past month by former television actress Allison Mack, 36; Lauren Salzman, 42; and NXIVM president and co-founder Nancy Salzman, 64. The federal investigation of NXIVM broke open in March 2018 when Raniere and Mack were arrested on federal criminal charges. In July, federal agents in Albany arrested the Salzmans and Russell. Bronfman was taken into custody that same day by federal agents in New York City. The guilty pleas signaled the unraveling of Raniere's control of his close-knit and ultra-secretive organization that he and Nancy Salzman had built over the past 20 years. With the help of millions of dollars from Bronfman and her sister, Sara, who was not accused of wrongdoing, NXIVM and its associated entities lured thousands of followers into "executive success" training programs that prosecutors have cast as no more than a "cult-like" pyramid scheme, according to court filings. The organization also immersed itself in side efforts, including allegedly unsanctioned and disturbing "brain studies" that Raniere has indicated were intended to help find a cure for Tourette syndrome and other medical conditions. A superseding indictment unsealed in March against Raniere and four of his co-defendants Nancy Salzman had pleaded guilty by then had added seven charges, including some leveled at Raniere for his alleged sexual exploitation of the underage girl. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Several criminal counts against Raniere were dropped by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, which is part of the Eastern District of New York, because the alleged crimes took place in the Capital Region, which is part of the Northern District of New York. Federal prosecutors in Albany are reviewing the charges, including a sexual exploitation allegation, and have the option to prosecute Raniere in Albany as part of a separate case. Several of the federal criminal charges in the indictment center on a secret club within NXIVM that Raniere founded and had claimed was a private women's organization to help its members improve their lives. Instead, prosecutors said, women were lured into the club, known as "Dominus Obsequious Sororium," which means "Master Over the Slave Women." Many did not know that Raniere was the group's "grand master." Mack had a pivotal role in that club, prosecutors said, and allegedly helped gather "collateral" from the women who joined. If they tried to leave, they were threatened that their collateral sometimes damaging information about family members, or close-up photographs of their genitalia would be released. Some of the women were allegedly branded with a symbol that combined the initials of Raniere and Mack, and coerced to have sex with Raniere. Lauren Salzman also had an integral role in the DOS club, including hosting pre-branding ceremonies at her Halfmoon residence, where the women were blindfolded before being driven to an undisclosed location a nearby townhouse and cauterized by a physician, Dr. Danielle Roberts. Raniere and Mack both were charged with multiple counts of sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Mack had allegedly made some of the women pose for nude photographs that she would forward to Raniere. She also delivered some of the women to Raniere for sexual encounters, and at least one alleged victim described the sex as unwanted. NXIVM has been described by experts as a cult. Raniere, in statements posted on NXIVM's website two years ago, characterized the slave-master group as a consenting, private "sorority" and said that he and the corporation had no role in it. Opening statements in Raniere's criminal trial are scheduled to take place May 7 in Brooklyn. He remains in custody at a federal detention facility in Brooklyn without bond. After Bronfman's appearance Friday, Raniere's attorney Marc Agnifilo said outside the courtroom that the defense team was "glad the trial is finally starting." "We feel we have something of an uphill battle, but Keith is focused on his defense," Agnifilo said, adding that Raniere has "no intention of pleading guilty." Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Clare Bronfman and Kathy L. Russell had pleaded guilty to racketeering charges. Also, Bronfman's sentencing date was incorrect. Here's what New York's U.S. senators and Capital Region-area representatives had to say about Attorney General William Barr's comments Thursday on the Mueller report: "What we've learned today is that (Barr) deliberately distorted significant portions of Special Counsel Mueller's report," Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said in a joint statement. "Special Counsel Mueller's report paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior and acting as if the law doesn't apply to him. But if you hadn't read the report and listened only to Mr. Barr, you wouldn't have known any of that because Mr. Barr has been so misleading." Like many Democratic lawmakers, Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, said he needed time to read and digest the report. "This is the first time Special Counsel Mueller's report has been made available to the public and members of Congress," he said. "At several hundred pages, it is far more detailed and rigorous than the four-page reaction memo issued by (Barr). I will take the time necessary to review the report in detail and will share my views on its contents once I have had a chance to do so." Rep. Antonio Delgado, D-Rhinebeck, also said he needed time to read the report. "I will review it in full in order to understand any threats to the integrity of our democracy, especially our electoral process," he said in a statement. "As our intelligence community has made clear, Russia directly interfered in the 2016 election. All branches of government must work together to uphold the rule of law, protect our democracy against interference from adversaries and restore public trust in our elections." Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who has kept her distance from Trump but mindful of her North Country district's support of him in 2016, sought middle ground on the Mueller report. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Barr "was clear that the process was completed with a high degree of transparency, no executive privilege, limited redactions, and resulted in a report of no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign," she said in a statement. "I am proud of my record of calling for full transparency, and will continue to focus on what matters: Interference in our elections by Russia and other foreign adversaries." On Facebook, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a 2020 presidential candidate, said: "We can't trust Trump's handpicked attorney general to be transparent about the Mueller report. Congress needs to see it in fulland the public needs to know the extent of Russia's interference in our 2016 election and whether Trump obstructed justice" She asked followers to sign an online petition calling on Barr to release the full report. The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, produced a report of more than 400 pages that painted a deeply unflattering picture of President Trump but stopped short of accusing him of criminal wrongdoing. Reading a prepared statement and then answering questions from reporters, Attorney General William Barr presented the special counsel's report Thursday morning, 90 minutes before its public release, Here are seven takeaways from a redacted version of the report: Trump did try to sabotage the investigation. His staff defied him. When Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Trump a special counsel had been appointed in May 2017, Mr. Trump grew angry: "I'm f----d," he said, believing his presidency was ruined. He told Sessions, "This is the worst thing that ever happened to me." Trump began trying to get rid of Mueller, only to be thwarted by his staff. In instance after instance, his staff acted as a bulwark against Trump's most destructive impulses. In June 2017, the president instructed Donald F. McGahn II, the White House counsel, to remove Mueller, but McGahn resisted. Rather than carry out the president's order, he decided he would rather resign. Two days later, Trump asked another trusted adviser, Corey Lewandowski, to tell Sessions to end the investigation. Lewandowski did not want to, so he punted to a colleague, Rick Dearborn. He, too, "was uncomfortable with the task and did not follow through." Trump was angry that Sessions recused himself from the investigation. (Vol. II, Page 78). So many lies. So many changed stories. One of the unanswered questions of the past two years which helped fuel the FBI investigation, congressional inquiries and journalistic scrutiny is why so many people lied, changed their stories and issued misleading statements to the public and federal authorities. The report recaps one false statement after another. Just a few examples: Trump was livid when journalists revealed that he had unsuccessfully ordered Mueller's firing. The president tried to get McGahn to say publicly that was false, but McGahn refused, saying that the news reports were accurate. Mueller's report notably declared that McGahn was "credible." Trump also pressed the deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, to give a news conference about the firing of the FBI director, James B. Comey. The White House press office wanted Rosenstein to say it was his idea. Rosenstein told the president that a news conference was a bad idea "because if the press asked him, he would tell the truth." The White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, admitted issuing a statement to the news media "in the heat of the moment that was not founded on anything." FBI agents didn't actually call the White House offering support for Comey's firing. (Vol. II, Page 72) Mueller can't explain why the stories about Comey's firing keep changing. (Vol. II, Page 77) Fake news? Not so much. The president has spent the past two years denouncing the news media. He has repeatedly accused reporters of making up sources to destroy his presidency. The report shows not only that some of the most unflattering stories about Trump were accurate, but also that White House officials knew that was the case even as they heaped criticism on journalists. In May 2017, for instance, The New York Times disclosed that Trump had asked Comey to end the FBI's investigation into the president's national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn. Trump tweeted, "I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn. Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!" "Despite those denials," Mueller wrote, "substantial evidence corroborates Comey's account." In another instance, Trump appeared to use criticism of the news media as a legal strategy. He attacked a Times article suggesting that his former lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, might cooperate with the Justice Department and provide information about Trump. @realDonaldTrump The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don't speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will "flip." That tweet coincided with outreach to Cohen by Trump's associates, and Cohen understood that this was all part of an effort to get him to "stay on message and be part of the team." The president accused the "dishonest media" of making up stories that turned out to be true. (Vol. II, Page 147). No obstruction? Not so fast. Trump was quick to declare the report a total vindication. But federal authorities went out of their way not to exonerate Trump. They wrote that his conduct in office "presents difficult issues that prevent us from conclusively determining that no criminal conduct occurred." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. If the evidence cleared the president, Mueller would have said so. It didn't. (Vol. II, Page 8) Evading an FBI interview proved a successful strategy. Trump repeatedly said he was eager to sit for an interview with Mueller's team, despite his lawyers' insistence that doing so would be a terrible idea. The report makes clear why his lawyers were so worried about it. Mueller had a huge cache of unanswered questions, misleading and conflicting statements, and unexplained actions with which to confront the president. Sitting for an interview, the report makes clear, would have exposed Trump to far more problems. Mueller said he chose not to subpoena the president because a court fight would delay the investigation. But that decision meant that authorities were never able to ask the central question in the obstruction case: What was Trump thinking when he tried repeatedly to undermine the federal investigation? Mueller believed he had the authority to subpoena the president. (Vol. II, Page 13). No evidence of conspiracy, but lots of reason to investigate. Mueller makes explicit what Trump has repeatedly cast doubt on: Russia secretly manipulated the 2016 presidential election. The investigation found no evidence that anyone from Trump's campaign participated in that effort, but the report reveals in stark detail the suspicious interactions that had the FBI worried. Many of those have been reported, but the report amounts to a compendium that helps explain the origins of the FBI investigation, known as "Crossfire Hurricane." For instance, it has been known that George Papadopoulos, a young campaign aide, was told that the Russian government had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. But the report goes much further, revealing that Papadopoulos suggested an explicit offer by the Russian government to work with the Trump campaign to sabotage Clinton. Papadopoulos indicated that Russia wanted to coordinate with the Trump campaign. (Vol. I, Page 89). Imagine reading this cold. Prosecutors describe a president who was preoccupied with ending a federal investigation, a White House that repeatedly told misleading and changing stories, and a presidential campaign that was in repeated contact with Russian officials for reasons that are not always clear. Even though prosecutors concluded that didn't amount to provably criminal conduct, the report is astounding in its sweep. Yet it is also a reminder of how much the public has learned over the past two years about Trump's conduct. If the American public or members of Congress were learning these things for the first time, the political fallout would be devastating. The consequences of the report remain to be seen, but if people are not surprised or shocked by the revelations, then Trump may have benefited by the steady drip of news stories he has so loudly criticized. The special counsel suggests a pattern of behavior by Trump to harm the investigation. (Vol. II, Page 157). Troy Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is going dry, at least to a greater extent than before. The school has adopted an alcohol-free policy for dormitories as well as fraternities and sororities, which comes amid an almost year-long crackdown on Greek life. The school's new policy was noted in a recent newsletter. As the large majority of our undergraduate students are not of legal age to purchase, possess, or consume alcohol, the updated policy prohibits the possession of alcoholic beverages at Institute-owned, controlled, or affiliated residential facilities that house undergraduate students, including Greek organizations with housing, stated the letter. Student organizations, including Greeks, may continue to host events at which alcoholic beverages are served, with Institute approval. Approved, licensed third-party vendors must serve the alcoholic beverages and the event must be held at a location away from chapter houses and residential facilities either on campus, or at the location of the approved third-party vendor. The note also said organizations and individuals who violate the new policy will be subject to disciplinary actions. Organizations like Greek houses can face two years' worth of sanctions. The updated policy does not mean that alcohol is not allowed anywhere on campus, RPI spokesman Reeve Hamilton noted in an email. It is now prohibited in Institute-owned, controlled, or affiliated residential facilities that house undergraduate students. Graduate students who are 21 or older can still have alcohol in their rooms, according to the schools policy. RPI isnt the only school with restrictions. Colleges and universities generally have policies that, at a minimum, note that they should adhere to state and local laws. At the University at Albany, for instance, there is no alcohol allowed in freshman dorms. And alcohol served at events must be done so under the license and supervision of a designated caterer and its limited to the event location. Siena College's policy also stresses the illegality of underage drinking and there are bans on items such as beer kegs rapid consumption devices like funnels or beer bongs. The RPI policy is being viewed as the latest move on what has been a nearly year-long tightening of rules for Greek houses after reports of alcohol and sex abuse emerged from some of the residences. The crackdown also led to other changes such as the delaying until second semester the time at which freshman can join fraternities or sororities. Members of Greek houses had been planning a march and demonstration to protest that policy on April 12 but it was canceled. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Members of fraternities and sororities say the delay makes it more difficult to recruit members and could cost them more than $1 million a year. Greek houses also are opposing a ban on students residing in fraternities or sororities during the new summer Arch program. Under that, students remain on campus during the summer after sophomore year and take courses. They then take a semester off the next year for internships or similar projects. While keeping the dorms full year-round, the Greek houses say the plan deprives them of summer income and they note that they could provide lower cost housing. It wasnt immediately clear why the April 12 demonstration was cancelled. RPIs new alcohol policy begins on May 19, according to campus documents. rkarlin@timesunion.com 518-454-5758 @RickKarlinTU FBI Call Center Management Saves Lives, Prevents Shooting They say the only true failure in life is the inability to learn from failure. The same can be said for tragedy. Its been some time since the Columbine High School massacre (as of this Saturday, 20 years to be exact), and since that time many lessons have been learned .Unfortunately, there is no bringing the victims back to life, but it is possible to mitigate loss in the future. On February 14th2018, Nikolas Cruz was witnessed walking into Major Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people, and wounding another 17. The expelled student was apprehended by authorities nearly 90 minutes after the shooting when he was stopped by Police without incident in Coral Springs, Florida. While the situation certainly came to resolution, the FBI should have prevented the worst school shooting in United States history. Why? Because in the FBIs call center received numerous tips, warning of what Cruz had in store. In January of 2018, the FBI received a stern, specific warning. The FBI explained in a statement, "The caller provided information about Cruz's gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting." After the Parkland shooting on February 14th, 2018, the FBI realized there may have been some clues that were missed, Former FBI Special Agent Stuart Kaplan explained in an interview with cbs12. When we asked if some clues may have been missed, Kaplan responded, The FBI completely overhauled the call center. They knew, but due to a violation in protocol the message was never passed along to the proper authorities. And now, theyve transformed the way tips are handled, agent training, call prioritization practices as well as call routing. Call Center management came under fire after Parkland, but drastic changes are showing life-saving results. This week, a Columbine infatuated teenager was stopped before she could cause loss of life. The Miami native traveled to the Columbine area, purchased a firearm and the FBIs system spring into place, and closed area schools. On April 17th, the teen was found deceased. A victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Over the past 20 years the number of shootings, let alone school shooting, has increased exponentially. Im not hopping on a soapbox, but I will say this. The FBIs call center management dropped the ball probably not the only time but to their credit, agents like Stuart Kaplan took it upon themselves to address the flawed system in place and prevent an appalling epidemic from gaining more steam. Edited by Maurice Nagle [April 19, 2019] AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana and Governing Present Putting the Community Back in Healthcare AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana, a Healthy Louisiana Medicaid managed care organization and part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies, and Governing, the nation's leading media platform covering politics, policy and management for state and local government leaders, have collaborated to release Putting the Community Back in Healthcare, a roadmap for improving communication and engagement in support of local communities. The paper is available for download from Governing.com. In 2018, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana hosted two roundtables in collaboration with Governing at the plan's Shreveport and New Orleans Community Wellness Centers to explore the issues of communication and coordination among stakeholders in delivering effective community health. This paper highlights some of the important conversations that took place at the roudtables and spotlights examples of success that emerged from the events themselves, as well as from follow-up conversations with experts throughout the country. "Because we know that overall well-being means more than just physical healthcare, AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana has built a coalition of community partners throughout the state to help ensure we deliver meaningful and impactful services," said AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana Market President Kyle Viator. "It takes a whole-body, member-centered approach and all of us working together to innovate and identify resources. A community focus is critical to finding answers that may lead to better solutions that ultimately contribute to improved health and well-being." "It's becoming increasingly clear that to be effective, healthcare needs to move far beyond merely treating disease," said Publisher and Governing Institute Director Mark Funkhouser. "It needs to be focused on the whole person and placed in the context of the whole community and the entirety of the individual's place within the community. That's why we at the Governing Institute were grateful for the opportunity to work with AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana - one of the very first managed care organizations to develop an integrated model of care in developing this white paper aimed at helping others put the community back in healthcare." About AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana is one of five Medicaid managed care plans that participate in the Healthy Louisiana program. AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana helps Louisiana families get proper care and stay well. AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana works with communities in need to achieve positive health outcomes throughout the state. For more information, go to www.amerihealthcaritasla.com. About AmeriHealth Caritas AmeriHealth Caritas is one of the nation's leaders in health care solutions for those most in need. Operating in 11 states and the District of Columbia, AmeriHealth Caritas serves more than 5 million Medicaid, Medicare and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) members through its integrated managed care products, pharmaceutical benefit management and specialty pharmacy services, and behavioral health services. Headquartered in Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas is a mission-driven organization with more than 35 years of experience serving low-income and chronically ill populations. AmeriHealth Caritas is part of the Independence Health Group in partnership with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. For more information, visit www.amerihealthcaritas.com. About Governing Governing covers politics, policy and management for state and local government leaders. Recognized as the most credible and authoritative voice in its field, Governing provides non-partisan news, insight and analysis on budget and finance; transportation and infrastructure; workforce and economic development; health and human services and more. Governing is a division of e.Republic, the nation's only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005142/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 19, 2019] Momentum Telecom To Acquire DCT Telecom Group ATLANTA, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Momentum Telecom , an industry-leading cloud based communications provider, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire DCT Telecom Group, a provider of Cloud Voice and Network Solutions based in Cleveland, Ohio. The acquisition of DCT further extends Momentums growing customer base. Other highlights include: Add scale and geography to Momentums growing cloud voice customer base, including the growing roster of strategic enterprise clients, with significant upsell opportunities Complementary managed broadband, internet and cloud voice capabilities to reinforce Momentums leadership in cloud communications A track record of serving clients with highly responsive support aligning with Momentums white-glove customer experience. DCTs strong relationships in key markets and commitment to their customers make them a natural fit for Momentum Telecom. said Todd Zittrouer, Momentum Telecom CEO. With DCT on board we will continue to expand geographically and add moe enterprise customer knowledge and experience. We are proud to join forces with Momentum Telecom as they align closely with our core values. DCT customers will benefit greatly from Momentum's market-leading position and shared view on delivering excellent customer value. said DCT founder, Anthony Romano. We look forward to continuing to deliver our high quality service with the backing and support of a leading cloud services provider. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to typical conditions including regulatory approvals. Bank Street Group LLC served as exclusive financial advisor to DCT in connection with the transaction. For more information about Momentum Telecom or to discuss partnership opportunities email [email protected] or call 877-251-5554. About Momentum Telecom Momentum Telecom empowers human connections through developing, streamlining and integrating cloud voice and cloud-based applications in order to enable others to thrive. An industry leader in customer experience, Momentum Telecom uses superior technology, a geo-redundant network and a nationwide network of more than 500 white label and channel partners to empower businesses to communicate better, faster and more efficiently. To learn more visit momentumtelecom.com or connect with us on Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn or visit our blog . Media Contact Beth Hildreth [email protected] 315-579-7112 [April 19, 2019] Vivid Vision, MediView XR and Augment Therapy Take Top Honors in the Medical Capital Innovation Competition BioEnterprise is pleased to announce the winners of the Third Annual Medical Capital Innovation Competition (MCIC), awarded yesterday at the Global Center for Health Innovation. These winning companies were chosen from a field of 21 U.S. and Canadian competitors creating augmented and virtual reality healthcare technologies. The winners in the professional division are: First Place ($50,000): Vivid Vision (San Francisco, Calif.): Founded by a programmer looking for a new kind of treatment for his amblyopia (lazy eye), Vivid Vision uses virtual reality to train amblyopia sufferers' weaker eye to improve binocular vision. The company was represented at MCIC by its director of optometry, Brian Dornbos, who described the technology as bringing innovation to a treatment that hasn't changed for many years, usually requiring use of an eye patch. Dornbos said that Vivid Vision's technology is now available in 280 vision clinics across four continents. Second Place ($25,000): MediView XR (Toledo, Ohio): Founder John Black is a physiologist who has worked extensively in medical device design and sales, and has developed what the company calls Real-Time, Fused-Holographic Visualization (RTFHV). The technology will allow a healthcare provider to see inside a patient using a 3D hologram instead of a conventional 2D display screen. The company's initial focus is on cancer care. MCIC judge Neda Amidi of Plug and Play also chose to match MediView XR's prize with an addiional $25,000. Third Place ($15,000): Augment Therapy (Chagrin Falls, Ohio): Augment Therapy was founded by Lindsay Watson, a physical therapist who specializes in pediatrics. Her technology uses augmented reality to improve kids' adherence to physical therapy through interactive play-based exercises, while also collecting data that physicians and physical therapists can use to measure kids' progress toward healing. The winners in the collegiate division are: First Place ($6,000): Virtual Reality Pediatric Mock MRI (University of Southern California): This virtual exposure therapy tool prepares children for an MRI, using a virtual reality headset to recreate the MRI experience. Second Place ($3,000): SurgeonMR (Johns Hopkins University): SurgeonMR is creating a mixed-reality technology to help in training and practice of surgical techniques. In addition to cash prizes, selected teams were extended collaboration offers from healthcare institutions. The first-place winners in both divisions will also have the opportunity to exhibit their technologies at the HIMSS20 Conference in March 2020. The 21 finalists were chosen from a field of 79 applicant teams from 19 states and 16 countries. For a full list of finalists and judges, visit mcic.bioenterprise.com. BioEnterprise receives support for the Medical Capital Innovation Competition from Cuyahoga County, JumpStart, HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) and the Global Center for Health Innovation. Healthcare partners include Cleveland Clinic Innovations, University Hospitals, The MetroHealth System and ProMedica. Supporting sponsors include Case Western Reserve University and Develoco. ABOUT BIOENTERPRISE BioEnterprise is a business formation, recruitment, and acceleration effort designed to grow the Northeast Ohio healthcare industry. Located in Cleveland, at the Global Center for Health Innovation and in University Circle, BioEnterprise provides management counsel and support services to health IT, medical device, and biopharmaceutical companies. In addition, BioEnterprise convenes and leads strategy for industry-building initiatives such as the Medical Capital Innovation Competition, HIT in the CLE and the Global Center for Health Innovation. BioEnterprise partners are Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, The MetroHealth System and University Hospitals. Additional technology partners include the NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland State University and BioOhio. Since 2002, BioEnterprise and its partners have created, recruited and accelerated more than 350 health IT, medical device, and biopharmaceutical companies, and have helped these companies raise more than $3 billion in new funding. To learn more: www.BioEnterprise.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005139/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] NEW YORK, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation on behalf of investors in South Carolina Public Service Authority (Santee Cooper) mini-bonds. On April 15, 2019, a class action complaint was filed on behalf of investors, alleging that Santee Cooper materially mislead and/or failed to disclose material information to the investing public. To obtain additional information, go to: http://www.zlkdocs.com/South-Carolina-MBs-Info-Request-Form-7453 or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firms attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. [April 19, 2019] Cyient and India2022 Coalition Launch MedTechConnect Platform to Address India's Last-Mile Challenge in Healthcare ~ Cyient partnered with the India 2022 Coalition in 2018 to lead and develop projects that deliver technology-enabled healthcare solutions in India ~ MUMBAI, India, and HYDERABAD, India, April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyient, a global provider of engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, digital, network, and operations management solutions to global industry leaders, in partnership with Xynteo, an international advisory firm, announced the launch of the MedTechConnect platform, aimed at bringing medtech stakeholders together to address India's 'last-mile challenge' in healthcare and, ultimately, touch millions of lives by 2022 and beyond. India is home to a thriving technology ecosystem, yet more than 80% of its medical technologies and devices are imported. A large segment of the country's population still does not have access to basic healthcare services. The mission of the MedTechConnect platform is to bridge this gap by delivering disruptive medical technologies that create a step-change in healthcare delivery to every corner of the country, while catalyzing innovative business models to minimize the cost and maximize the reach of these technologies. MedTechConnect will enable a collaborative ecosystem comprised of stakeholders across the healthcare value chain (start-ups, innovation hubs, academia, industry and government bodies, funding and investment partners, and scaling channels across private and public channels) and will foster the development of technologically advanced healthcare solutions that are accessible, affordable and beneficial to people across the country. Members of the platform will work on three levels: INNOVATION Develop partnerships with institutions that ideate, incubate and fund technologies to source breakthrough medtech solutions. DEVELOPMENT Take solutions from labs to market with support on product industrialization, clinical validation, regulatory compliance and design for manufacturing. COMMERCIALIZATION Build a ready network of trusted private and public channels to scale with sustainable models. As a partner organization of India2022, a business-led coalition, committed to creating a new model of growth by the 75th year of India's independence, Cyient leads the Healthcare Impact Track. Cyient in partnership with Xynteo, established MedTechConnect to promote high quality indigenous healthcare technologies and make them accessible to people from all demographic and geographic backrounds. With several industry experts on the advisory board and Cyient and India2022 coalition (powered by Xynteo), as founding partners, MedTechConnect has already facilitated a rich ecosystem with innovative start-ups, industry bodies and scaling partners. Our current partners include Cardiac Design Labs, Bioscan Research, AiMeD, the Publich Health Foundation of India, the Centre for Cellular And Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), Social Alpha, and Cygnus Hospitals. Cyient's Senior Vice President of Medical Technology and Healthcare, Brian Wyatt said, "We have been working with Xynteo and our advisors and ecosystem partners to make MedTechConnect a reality since Cyient joined India2022 Coalition last year. The platform was shaped by combining Cyient's expertise in medical technology and healthcare with creative ideas from the Xynteo team, valuable suggestions from our advisory board and actual challenges faced by the participants across the patient care continuum. We believe collaboration among healthcare stakeholders and a cross-pollination of ideas will play a pivotal role in addressing current industry challenges, promoting innovation and improving overall population health." Managing Director of Xynteo India, Subhashini Chandran said, "MedTechConnect combines technology with the power of collaboration to improve healthcare delivery in India, particularly at the last-mile. This platform is a great example of India2022 coalition's operating model - bringing together a wide range of key constituents to work together in new ways for systems transformation." For more information, please visit www.medtechconnect.in About Cyient: Cyient (Estd: 1991, NSE: CYIENT) provides engineering, manufacturing, geospatial, digital, networks, and operations management solutions to global industry leaders. Cyient leverages the power of digital technology and advanced analytics capabilities, along with domain knowledge and technical expertise, to solve complex business problems. As a Design, Build, and Maintain partner, Cyient takes solution ownership across the value chain to help clients focus on their core, innovate, and stay ahead of the curve. Relationships form the core of how Cyient works. With more than 15,000 employees in 22 countries, Cyient partners with clients to operate as part of their extended team, in ways that best suit their organization's culture and requirements. Cyient's industry focus includes aerospace and defense, medical, telecommunications, rail transportation, semiconductor, utilities, industrial, energy and natural resources. For more information, please visit www.cyient.com. Follow news about the company at @Cyient. About India2022 Coalition Xynteo catalysed India2022 - a purpose driven global business coalition committed to leverage the power of collaboration. Launched in March 2017, India2022 was given the blessings of the then, President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee who praised the coalition as "the need of the hour". The Coalition is working to unlock a new model of growth, in line with the 75th year of India's independence. Xynteo, together with the Coalition founding partners, The Aditya Birla Group, Hindustan Unilever, Cyient, Shell, GE, Tata Trusts, Tech Mahindra, TechnipFMC, State Bank of India and WPP is committed to advancing practical projects at the intersection of human need and commercial opportunity. The India2022 coalition is harnessing the combined strength of purposeful leaders in the areas of energy, waste, sanitation, healthcare and sustainable mining to support the momentum of growth in the country. For more information, please visit http://xynteo.com/india-2022/ Follow news about the company at @Xynteo About Xynteo Xynteo is a platform for galvanising leaders and catalysing ideas and fusing them into new projects, for new growth. We are a tribe of 8000 people and growing CEOs and business leaders from some of the world's leading companies, pioneers and pathfinders, beacons, philosophers and wisdom keepers, artists and media combining forces to work on today's biggest challenge: how to create a new growth model, fit for the 21st century. We have offices in Oslo, London, New Delhi and Mumbai. Contact: [email protected] Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/289359/cyient_logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] $10K Grant from FHLB Dallas Helps Provide New Home for North Texas Veteran Retired U.S. Army Specialist Charlotte Ferris will receive the keys to her new home at a home dedication ceremony on Friday, April 19. A $10,000 Housing Assistance for Veterans (HAVEN) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) provided funding for a home built by Operation FINALLY HOME, a nonprofit dedicated to providing American veterans with custom-built homes mortgage free. The media is invited to the home dedication ceremony at 9:45 a.m. on Friday, April 19 at 1852 Town Creek Circle in Weatherford. HAVEN is a unique grant program offered by FHLB Dallas, through its member institutions. The grants assist veterans and active-duty service members, who have been disabled in the line of duty since September 11, 2001 (9/11), with home repairs, modifications and new construction costs. Funds may also be awarded to Gold Star families, who have lost an immediate family member in service since 9/11. HAVEN provides grants up to $10,000 per household. To qualify, veterans must also meet income eligibility requirements. To learn more about HAVEN, visit fhlb.com/haven. WHAT: Home Dedication WHEN: 9:45 a.m., Friday, April 19, 2019 WHO: Rusty Carroll, Executive Director, Operation FINALLY HOME Charlotte Ferris Denise Schmitt, Community Investment Operations Manager, FHLB Dallas WHERE: Town Creek 1852 Town Creek Circle Weatherford, Texas 76086 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005001/en/ [April 19, 2019] Grover Gaming Surpasses $100 Million Raised for Charities GREENVILLE, N.C., April 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Grover Gaming, Inc., a leader in electronic gaming design and software development, announced this week that it had surpassed $100 Million in monies raised for charity through their charitable gaming partners. Over One Hundred Million Dollars has gone directly to the charities utilizing Grover Gaming Electronic Charitable Gaming systems in New Hampshire, Kentucky, Ohio, North Dakota, and Virginia in the past five years. "Electronic Raffle and Electronic Pull-Tab devices in these jurisdictions really enable these charities to flourish and provide for their core purposes unlike those in states that do not allow electronic charitable gaming," said Kevin Morse, Director of Market Development for Grover Gaming. These partner charitable and fraternal organizations represent hundreds of lodge and fraternal groups such as the Loyal Order of the Moose, Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and many others. Money raised by these organizations through charitable gaming is used to benefit the communities they represent and lessen the burden of those in need by funding Family Centers, hospitals, retirement homes, schools and other worthwhile causes. "We are proud that our charitable partners have reached this incredible milestone," said Garrett Blackwelder, President of Grover Gaming. "Seeing firsthand how their contributions benefit places like the Mooseheart Children's School, the Eagles Diabetes Research Center, and so many others, keeps us committed to providing the most entertaining gaming experiences in the industry." Located in Greenville, North Carolina, Grover Gaming develops software, game content and gaming systems, and is licensed in New Hampshire, Kentucky, North Dakota, Washington, Ontario Canada, Virginia, and South Dakota. Their games, known throughout the industry for high-resolution graphics and exciting design, are created at Grover Gaming's design and development facility by over 130 talented employees, including developers, artists, audio designers, programmers, and .net developers. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grover-gaming-surpasses-100-million-raised-for-charities-300834906.html SOURCE Grover Gaming, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 19, 2019] Financial Accounting Foundation Reappoints Chairman Charles H. Noski; Appoints Two New Trustees The Board of Trustees of the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) today announced the reelection of Charles H. Noski as chairman of the FAF Board of Trustees for an additional term ending December 31, 2019. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005011/en/ Charles H. Noski (Photo: Business Wire) The FAF is the parent organization for the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). "On behalf of the FAF Board of Trustees, I want to express our appreciation to Chuck Noski for agreeing to serve for an additional year as our Chairman," said Anthony J. Dowd, Chairman of the Appointments Committee of the FAF Board of Trustees. "Early this year, Chuck informed the Board that he was not prepared to commit to a second three-year term as the Board had requested, but could serve through the end of 2019. Chuck has provided outstanding leadership and strategic vision throughout his tenure. We are very pleased that he will contine to lead the Board and to work with the Appointments Committee in the months ahead to select new FASB and GASB Chairs to serve following the conclusion of the current FASB and GASB Chairs' terms in 2020." The FAF also announced the appointments of two new Trustees, Mary E. Barth and David H. Lillard, Jr., effective April 16, 2019. "The FAF Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome Mary and David as its newest members," said Noski. "Their diverse experience and expertise will help the Trustees promote the independence of the FASB and the GASB, oversee the standard-setting process, and support the Boards' extensive outreach and educational efforts to stakeholders." The two new appointments replace former Trustees Terry D. Warfield and Nancy K. Kopp. To complete the 18-member board, Gary H. Bruebaker and Ann M. Spruill will remain as FAF Trustees beyond their five-year terms (as permitted by the FAF's bylaws) until their successors are named at a future date. "On behalf of the FAF, I want to thank Nancy and Terry for their years of leadership on the Board," Noski added. "Throughout their service they have demonstrated a high level of commitment in overseeing the FASB and GASB, while successfully protecting the independence of the Boards." Below are brief biographical sketches of the appointees: Charles H. Noski was appointed chairman of the FAF Board of Trustees effective as of January 1, 2016. He retired as vice chairman of Bank of America Corporation in 2012, after serving as the corporation's executive vice president and chief financial officer. Mr. Noski joined Bank of America in 2010, following the onset of the financial crisis. Previously, he served in senior executive positions and as a member of the boards of directors of AT&T (News - Alert) Corporation, Hughes Electronics Corporation, and Northrop Grumman Corporation. Presently, he serves as a member of the board of directors and chair of the audit committees of Booking Holdings Inc., and Microsoft Corporation. Previously, Mr. Noski served on the boards of directors of Air Products (News - Alert) & Chemicals, Inc., Automatic Data Processing, Inc., Avery Dennison Corporation, Avon Products, Inc., Morgan Stanley, and the National Association of Corporate Directors, and was a member of the Standing Advisory Group of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Mary E. Barth is the Joan E. Horngren Professor of Accounting, Emerita at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business. She has served as a professor in accounting there since 1995. Professor Barth also served as a member of the International Monetary Fund's External Audit Committee from 2014 to 2016 and as its Chair from 2016 to 2017. She also served as a member of the International Accounting Standards Board from 2001 to 2009, and as its Academic Advisor from 2009 to 2011. During her tenure at Stanford University, she has held other visiting and honorary professor positions at London Business School, University of Melbourne, Singapore Management University, University of Pretoria, and the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. Prior to joining Stanford University, Professor Barth served as an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard University. She started her career at Arthur Andersen & Co. and was an audit partner before entering academia. David H. Lillard, Jr., is the treasurer of the state of Tennessee. He was originally elected in January 2009 and is responsible for the custody and investment of all state funds and for programs and operations of the Tennessee Department of the Treasury. In addition to serving on a variety of Tennessee Boards and Commissions of the state of Tennessee, Mr. Lillard previously served as president of the National Association of State Auditors, Comptrollers, and Treasurers (NASACT) from 2016 to 2017. He also served as president of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST) and currently represents NAST on the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC). Before being elected treasurer for the state of Tennessee, Mr. Lillard served as a member of Burch, Porter & Johnson, PLLC law firm from 1990 to 2009. Professor Barth's and Mr. Lillard's terms end on December 31, 2023. The FAF also announced the appointment of FAF Trustee Diane M. Rubin as vice chair, effective January 1, 2019. About the Financial Accounting Foundation Established in 1972, the Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) is the independent, private-sector, not-for-profit organization based in Norwalk, Connecticut responsible for the oversight, administration, financing, and appointment of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The FASB and GASB establish and improve financial accounting and reporting standards-known as Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, or GAAP-for public and private companies, not-for-profit organizations, and state and local governments in the United States. For more information, visit www.accountingfoundation.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005011/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ourchem Selects IFI to Improve Patent Data Quality for Their Big Data Platforms IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, provider of a leading global patent data platform, today announces that Guangzhou Ourchem Information Consulting Co. has selected IFI's CLAIMS Direct to power their intellectual property big data center. "IFI offers high-quality patent data processing and services capabilities. The global information loaded into the Ourchem Big Data Center will be more reliable and available faster to our local Chinese customers," said Ms. Chi Zhang Chairman of Ourchem. CLAIMS Direct will support the optimization of Ourchem products PATYEE, Patent 365, and a local special database. Additionally, it will support the development and project implementation of Ourchem's other big data initiatives. Mike Baycroft, CEO of IFI CLAIMS Patent Services, commented, "We are excited to partner with Ourchem to improve the availability and quality of patent data available in China. With China's rapidly growing intellectual property prowess, accurate data is necessary to arrive at the best rights protection strategies." About Guangzhou Ourchem Information Consulting Co. Ourchem was established in 2000 and provides information and intelligence solutions to the intellectual property service industry. The company's mission is to empower science and technology innovation with comprehensive IP strategies. Ourchem's headquarters are located in Guangzhou, China. About IFI CLAIMS Patent Services IFI uses a proprietary data architecture which standardizes and provides quality checks for patent data from 90+ countries before it enters the CLAIMS Direct database. One of the oldest and most trusted patent information companies, IFI was established in 1955 and acquired by Fairview Research in 2010. The headquarters office is in New Haven, CT, and a satellite office is located in Barcelona, Spain. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005100/en/ [April 19, 2019] Piper Jaffray Companies to Hold Management Conference Call to Discuss First Quarter 2019 Results Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) will release its first quarter 2019 financial results prior to the opening of the market on Friday, April 26, 2019. The company will also hold a conference call to review the financial results at 9 a.m. ET (8 a.m. CT) that same day. Chad Abraham, chief executive officer; Debbra Schoneman, president; and Tim Carter, chief financial officer, will host the call. The earnings release will be available on April 26, 2019 at the firm's website at www.piperjaffray.com. The call can be accessed via webcast or by dialing 888-810-0209 (domestic) or 706-902-1361 (international) and referencing reservation number: 7079807. Callers should dial in at least 15 minutes prior to the call time. A replay of the conference call will be available for two weeks beginning at approximately noon ET on April 26, 2019 at the sam web address or by calling 855-859-2056 and referencing reservation number: 7079807. ABOUT PIPER JAFFRAY Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) is a leading investment bank and asset management firm. Securities brokerage and investment banking services are offered in the U.S. through Piper Jaffray & Co., member SIPC and FINRA; in Europe through Piper Jaffray Ltd., authorized and regulated by the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority; and in Hong Kong through Piper Jaffray Hong Kong Limited, authorized and regulated by the Securities and Futures Commission. Asset management products and services are offered through five separate investment advisory affiliates?U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC (News - Alert)) registered Advisory Research, Inc., Piper Jaffray Investment Management LLC, PJC Capital Partners LLC and Piper Jaffray & Co., and Guernsey-based Parallel General Partners Limited, authorized and regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission. Follow Piper Jaffray: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter Since 1895. Member SIPC and NYSE. 2019 Piper Jaffray Companies. 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7036 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190419005153/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 19, 2019] Young Living Promotes Irvin Bishop Jr. to Executive Vice President, Digital and Strategic Planning Executive Drives Innovation in the Digital Space Continuing Young Living's Commitment to Creating and Maintaining Industry Standards LEHI, Utah, April 19, 2019 /CNW/ -- Young Living Essential Oils, the world leader in essential oils, announced the promotion of Irvin Bishop Jr. as Executive Vice President, Digital and Strategic Planning. In his new role, Irvin will lead Young Living's efforts to update its global digital footprint and facilitate management and strategic alignment company wide. "Irvin is a proven leader in our company. His leadership was instrumental in ensuring a smooth shopping experience during last year's Black Friday record-breaking traffic," said Jared Turner, Young Living President and Chief Operating Officer. "Irvin has played an integral role in designing a seamless online enrollment experience and implementing innovative new-member enhancements." Irvin, who joined Young Living in 2018 as Senior Vice President, Digital Strategy, has more than 20 years of expertise in digital marketing, consumer insights, and technology. Since joining the company, Irvin has directed the digital automation of the company's global promotions capability and boosted its distributor tool set and social reputation. Prior to Young Living, Irvin brought award-winning innovation to many well-known brands, including the Coca-Cola Company and AT&T. As head of digital marketing IT for Coca-Cola, he led promotions for campaigns such as the FIFA World Cp, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl. Irvin is passionate about producing consistent teamwork through a focus on individual development; open communication; a clear, common vision; and fostering a fun working environment. "Young Living is a company that walks the talk," Irvin said. "It's one of the few companies that consistently demonstrates its commitment to health and wellness. I look forward to meetingand exceedingthe challenge of our 5x5 Pledge to expand into five new markets each year and add 5 million additional members over the next five years." To learn more about Young Living's global leadership team, visit YoungLiving.com. About Young Living Essential Oils Young Living Essential Oils, LC, based in Lehi, Utah, is the world leader in essential oils, offering the highest-quality oil-infused products available. Young Living takes its industry leadership seriously, setting the standard with its proprietary Seed to Seal quality commitment, which involves three critical pillars: Sourcing, Science, and Standards. These guiding principles help Young Living protect the planet and provide pure, authentic products that its members can feel confident about using and sharing with friends and family. Young Living's productswhich all come from corporate-owned farms, partner farms, and Seed to Seal-certified suppliersnot only support a healthy lifestyle but also provide opportunities for over 6 million global members to find a sense of purpose and whole-life wellness by aligning their work with their values and passions. For more information, visit YoungLiving.com, follow @younglivingeo on Twitter, or like us on Facebook. Media Contact For media inquiries, please contact [email protected]. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/young-living-promotes-irvin-bishop-jr-to-executive-vice-president-digital-and-strategic-planning-300835270.html SOURCE Young Living Essential Oils [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [April 19, 2019] Glancy Prongay & Murray Reminds Investors of Looming Deadline in the Class Action Lawsuit Against American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") reminds investors of the upcoming May 28, 2019 deadline to file a lead plaintiff motion in the class action filed on behalf of American Renal Associates Holdings, Inc. ("American Renal" or the "Company") (NYSE: ARA) investors who purchased securities between August 10, 2016 and March 27, 2019, inclusive (the "Class Period"). 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 [email protected], or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. On March 8, 2019, American Renal disclosed that in October 2018 the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC (News - Alert)") had requested documents and information regarding revenue recognition, collections, and other related matters. Also, the Company annunced that it would delay filing its 2018 annual report while the Audit Committee investigated the Company's revenue recognition methods and accounting practices. On this news, shares of American Renal fell $2.05 per share, or more than 16%, to close at $10.46 per share on March 8, 2019, thereby injuring investors. Then, on March 27, 2019, American Renal announced that certain financial statements would be restated and that its Chief Financial Officer had resigned. The Audit Committee found that the Company "did not appropriately reconcile its contractual allowance estimates for discounts and price concessions with cash subsequently received in respect of prior period patient claims." The Company also disclosed that the required adjustments would reduce operating income for fiscal 2017 by at least $10 million and would have a cumulative impact on fiscal years 2014 to 2018 in the range of negative $5 million to positive $5 million. Furthermore, the Company stated that it expected to revise related metrics "such as revenue per treatment and days sales outstanding" during the affected financial periods based on the Audit Committee's ongoing review. On this news, shares of American Renal fell $3.69 per share, or 38%, to close at $6.01 per share on March 28, 2019, thereby further injuring investors. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) issues with American Renal's accounting process for revenue recognition, collections, and related matters would give rise to an SEC investigation into the same, and increased regulatory scrutiny by the SEC; (2) American Renal's financial statements for the fiscal years 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 contained in its Annual Reports for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2017, and its condensed consolidated financial statements in quarterly reports from 2016 through 2018 were false and could not be relied upon; (3) American Renal had material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting; and (4) as a result, defendants' public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times. Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert): twitter.com/GPM_LLP. If you purchased or otherwise acquired American Renal securities during the Class Period you may move the Court no later than May 28, 2019 to request appointment as lead plaintiff in this putative class action lawsuit. 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 the pending class action lawsuit, please contact Lesley 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/20190419005171/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] ADDIS ABABA, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The upcoming Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, slated to be held later this month in Beijing, is a vital platform to spur Ethiopia's economy and infrastructure, Ethiopian officials and scholars told Xinhua. Costantinos Bt. Costantinos, who served as an economic advisor to the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), said on Thursday that more than any other nation in Africa, Ethiopia is the first beneficiary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) through the Addis Ababa-Djibouti rail link, as well as various other infrastructure projects across the nation. The East African country, which is one of the countries cooperating with China in implementing the BRI, has made various achievements, which also included the 500-million-U.S. dollar Addis Ababa-Adama expressway, the first expressway in Ethiopia and East Africa, as well as the Addis Ababa Light Rail, a 475-million-U.S.-dollar project built with Chinese technology and expertise. Costantinos, also a professor of public policy at the Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, said that Ethiopia "can still harness various other achievements from the Belt and Road by fostering its positive relations with China." According to the expert, the upcoming forum in Beijing is "an important platform to foster the ties," with particular emphasis given to strengthening cooperation on the BRI. Proposed in 2013, the BRI aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Costantinos's remarks came amid the Ethiopian government's recent announcement that it will send a strong delegation to the forum, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and various other high-level officials. Nebiat Getachew, spokesperson of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also told Xinhua recently that Ethiopia and China already enjoy multifaceted ties, which are expected to be further strengthened at the upcoming forum. "Ethiopia is a strong partner of China in the African continent. Ethiopia's expected attendance at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation is a further testament to the strong bilateral ties," said Getachew. As Beijing is presently gearing up for the success of the forum, Costantinos also outlined various other areas of cooperation with the potential to be further developed during the upcoming forum. "The various industrial parks that are active across Ethiopia, the new airports and potentially the Eritrean ports that are now available to Ethiopia's growing economy have all the potential to further benefit from the Belt and Road," the expert argued. Ethiopian enterprises, such as the Ethiopian Airlines Group, have also expressed their keen interest in harnessing various opportunities that are available during the forum. Ethiopian Airlines Group CEO Tewolde Gebremariam said the approaching forum would be an "ideal platform" to boost the airline's global presence. The CEO stressed the airline's aspiration to use the BRI to augment its flight networks. Ethiopian Airlines, which is considered as Africa's largest airline, expects to establish partnership agreements with two Chinese airports on the sidelines of the forum, Gebremariam said. He revealed that the airline looks forward to signing cooperation agreements with Chinese Chongqing and Zhengzhou airports to start cargo flights between Ethiopia and China," Gebremariam added. Growing furniture retailer adds store in Little Rock North Little Rock, AR, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- American Freight Furniture and Mattress is opening its second Arkansas store on April 19, 2019. The new North Little Rock store is 22,500 square feet and is located at 4133 John F. Kennedy Blvd. North Little Rock, AR 72116 near MyNail Salon & Spa and Advance Auto Parts. The new store will create 6-10 new jobs. The other Little Rock store is located at 9908 Interstate 30 Little Rock, AR 72209. Were excited to open our second store in the North Little Rock area, said Karl Finley, Vice President. Our new location will be a great option for the North Little Rock community for quality furniture and mattresses at the lowest prices. Our free layaway, same-day delivery, and flexible payment option to take it home today for $50 with low, easy payments makes buying furniture or mattresses easy. We offer a huge selection of living room furniture, dining tables, accessories, mattresses, and bedroom sets at affordable prices. For example, customize your own 7-piece living room package from $398 or get a whole house of furniture package18 pieces starting at $998. Visit either of our two Little Rock stores today to see why American Freight is the best choice for quality furniture and mattresses. American Freight has always made it our mission to save customers money on quality furniture and mattresses while providing excellent customer service. We are able to do this by purchasing products directly from manufacturers and selling in warehouse-style stores. By cutting out the middle man and keeping the overhead low, American Freight is able to offer the lowest prices with quality service. This successful formula has made American Freight Furniture and Mattress one of the fastest-growing furniture retailers in the United States. Weekly store hours for the new North Little Rock location are as follows: Monday-Thursday (12am-8pm) Friday (10am-8pm) Saturday (10am-7pm) Sunday (12pm-5pm) Our offerings include: living room sofas, loveseats, sectionals, recliners, accent chairs, and coffee and end tables; bedroom three, five, and seven-piece bedroom suites from Twin through King; dining room five and seven-piece sets; mattresses premiere foam, hybrid (innerspring and foam), innerspring and pocketed coil sets in all sizes; and accessories to complete your home selections. Customers can pay for items in full or take advantage of our payment plan options. We offer a 100% approved layaway program and no credit needed payment plans to help make your home comfortable and complete. Same-day delivery and pick up is available for all in-stock items. About American Freight Since 1994, American Freight Furniture and Mattress has been helping customers save money on quality furniture and mattresses. American Freight offers flexible payment options including free layaway and take it home today for $50 with low, easy payment plans (see www.americanfreight.com/50 for details). With over 160 stores and over 2 million satisfied customers, American Freight continues to grow while our mission remains the same: sell the best for less every day while delivering excellent customer service. See for yourself - shop at one of our 160+ stores or online and discover why American Freight is the place to go for all your home furnishing needs. We offer a low price match guaranteevisit https://www.americanfreight.com/price-match-policy/ for details. To learn more about American Freight Furniture and Mattress, visit www.americanfreight.com/ or follow us on Twitter @AmericanFreight and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanFreightFurniture . Media Contact: Sophia Montealegre 740.363.2222 | smontealegre@americanfreight.us Updated May 16: Samsung is reportedly strengthening the Galaxy Fold's display by moving the screen's protective shield inside the phone rather than an overlay that can be easily removed. The company is testing the Galaxy Fold on Korean networks and is reportedly planning to release the phone in June. The $1,980 Galaxy Fold is being positioned as a revolutionary product eight years in the making, but its already facing a huge issue just eight days before it hits store shelves. Several Galaxy Fold units given to reviewers have exhibited severe screen problems. In some cases, the Fold screens have broken and in others they have flickered and/or faded to black. This is the worst possible start for heralding the next big thing in phones. On a scale of 1 to 10, this is an 11, said Ramon Llamas, an analyst for IDC. Samsung has invested plenty in the development and marketing of the Fold and for negative reports like this to come out so soon do not help its cause. And itll make potential customers think twice about getting it now. Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential, agrees that this is a very bad look for the company. The failure of several Galaxy Fold review units is extremely disconcerting it certainly puts a damper on the launch of an exciting new product category, said Greengart. MORE: Samsung Responds to Galaxy Fold Fails as Shares Fall Samsung has issued a statement saying that it will inspect the broken or damaged Galaxy Fold units. And its not all Samsungs fault. Sort of. Some reviewers mistakenly removed a layer of protective coating for the main 7.3-inch display, believing that it was just a piece of film that many phones ship with out of the box. In its statement, Samsung says that Removing the protective layer or adding adhesives to the main display may cause damage. We will ensure this information is clearly delivered to our customers. The failure of several Galaxy Fold review units is extremely disconcerting it certainly puts a damper on the launch of an exciting new product category. Avi Greengart, lead analyst at Techsponential Thats great, but the fact that this can happen at all speaks to mediocre product design. Users should not be able to easily remove something that can instantly turn your phone of the future into a $2,000 paperweight. Samsung should have anticipated this before distributing review units, but this issue is not fatal, said Greengart. It can be corrected with warnings in the box and at retail. I dont think it's fatal for the Galaxy Fold, either, but think of it this way. The vast majority of people had never heard of the Galaxy Fold until yesterday, and it was only because the units were breaking or malfunctioning in reviewers hands. This is not the first impression a company wants early adopters to have before a product goes on sale and before a single commercial has aired. The optics are bad, and the implied failure rate is astoundingly bad but only if it translates to actual production units, said Greengart. Do the production Folds have these issues at the same rate? What caused the failures? Nobody knows yet. Samsung is no stranger to quality control issues, for those who recall the Galaxy Note 7 exploding and catching fire. This is clearly not as bad a problem for the company as that troubled launch, as no ones life is in danger, but it doesnt paint a good picture overall. At least with the Fold, it hasnt been launched yet and Samsung can go back and examine what has happened, said Ramas. The sad part is that Samsung was willing to take a risk and strived to be first to market, and it backfired. And all of the innovation in the Galaxy Fold is going to be overlooked--at least for now. MORE: 7 Most Surprising Things About the Galaxy Fold (Good and Bad) Pushing the bounds of what is currently available certainly seems to be a focus for Samsung, said Stephen Baker, an analyst with NPD. Whether it was pushing the battery in the Note 7 or building this product I think they are willing to take some risks that other brands are not. We should applaud them for that. But it doesnt speak well to their preparation nor their appreciation of how the tech press was going to view this problem. I view that as a big failing on their part. With other foldable phones on the way, including the Huawei Mate X and a foldable Razr phone from Motorola, the Galaxy Fold fiasco could dampen consumers enthusiasm for the entire category before it gets off the ground. So that means companies will have to learn from Samsungs failings--and quickly. For those companies, be prepared for the same kind of scrutiny, said Ramas. All companies Samsung included would do well to reexamine their quality control standards to see if any other bugs like these or others come to the surface. Credit: Tom's Guide You wouldnt think itd be risky to send your old smartphone to Samsung in the hopes of saving some dough on a shiny new Galaxy S10, but the tech giant has been struggling to field smartphone trade-ins as of late. Last week, reports emerged on Reddit and Twitter that the company was refusing some customers trade-in requests in odd ways. Some individuals were told that they had sent the wrong device and Samsung would not honor the trade-in. Others were informed that their phone both couldnt be turned on and was not properly reformatted before hand, which is a teensy bit contradictory. Ordinarily, sending your phone into the original manufacturer to save on a new model is a great idea. You get a newer, better device and get to keep some cash in your pocket; your old phone is either responsibly recycled or repurposed into a good-as-new refurb for someone else. But given the recent tales of frustration, you might be a little hesitant to trade your old handset in to Samsung. For that reason, weve highlighted a few of the best sites for selling your phone, in case youre looking for an alternative to Samsung. And just to ensure the process goes as seamlessly as possible for you, weve enlisted the help of experts from the leading tech resellers to hash out some tips and best practices, so that youre guaranteed to get the maximum you deserve. Phone Trade-In Dos and Donts Youll want to exercise a certain degree of caution when selling your phone, no matter whether its headed to a reseller, back to the original manufacturer or to an individual buyer. That obviously means wiping the device clean, removing all accounts and personal data and reformatting the memory. Additionally, many consumers would likely guess that you earn more for a used phone before its successor comes out. But the plunge in value is even steeper than you would imagine, according to what Decluttr chief marketing officer Liam Howley told us. What we typically see is when the S10 comes out or the next iPhone, what typically happens to trade-in values is theyll drop by an average of 35 percent post-launch, Howley told Toms Guide in an interview. So, key tip for consumers is timing-wise, its best to trade in before the new launch. At this point, that might be little consolation to current Galaxy owners since the S10 already hit the market back in March though it is certainly something to keep in mind for future phone upgrades. If you want to take advantage of [a promotion] with Samsung, thats your prerogative. But see whats out in the market, see what your options are." Liam Howley, CMO, Decluttr Although sites like Decluttr have made great strides in taking the frustration out of pawning off your device, theres always potential for hiccups in the process. Perhaps your handset isnt in quite as good (or bad) condition as you described. Thats why it helps to be as educated on the criteria as possible something Gazelle, another well-known phone buyback specialist, works to achieve through guides and videos on its website and social channels. For consumers, cosmetic condition is important, Yanyan Ji, Gazelles senior vice president of marketing, told Toms Guide. However, people dont realize that sometimes, when you have a case, it actually hurts your value a little bit because there are a lot of things that we check that the consumer maybe isnt realizing [with the case on]." Ji contends that lack of awareness about grading criteria is one of the biggest pain points consumers face when selling or trading in their phones. That said, both Gazelle and Decluttr are prepared to adapt to the worst case scenario. If their technicians value your device at less than you did, you can always have it shipped back for free, no questions asked. In fact, Ji tells us that if your phone happens to be in much better condition than you think, Gazelle will actually raise your offer. There are some cases not just rare cases, but it happens every day where you were too humble with your device, and we actually think its worth a little bit more than you think it is, Ji said. We will actually write you an email saying Hey, we want to pay you more. That happens its a single digit percentage but it happens every day. No matter what you do, you should always compare every course of action available to you, Howley reminded us. That includes buyback sites, auctioning off your phone on a marketplace like eBay, or trading it in to your cellular carrier. If you want to take advantage of [a promotion] with Samsung, thats your prerogative, Howley said. But see whats out in the market, see what your options are. You are potentially going to end up with less money. Youre certainly not going to end up with cash, youre going to end up with credit toward your next phone. Unfortunately, you may not get as much money selling your Galaxy S8 or S9 to a third-party specialist as you would going the Samsung route, or through your carrier. Thats because Samsung, as well as the major networks, are able to run promotions to lead you into another two-year installment plan. Still, its worth having a look around to see what else is out there and heres what you can expect to find at an assortment of resellers. Gazelle If youve entertained the prospect of selling your phone, laptop or any other device in the last decade, chances are Gazelle is already on your radar. Gazelle has been active in this space just about as long as anyone, totaling 19 million trade-ins since being founded in 2006, and its pretty much mastered the science of paying you for your unwanted tech. Gazelles approach is simple: answer a few brief yes/no questions about your device, like if it can power on or if its cosmetically damaged in any way. Gazelle will return with a quote instantly. At that point, you dont need to wait around to send in your old phone Gazelle pays for shipping and will send you a box and provide the label. The company will inspect your device, and its just as you described, itll issue payment swiftly within 7 to 10 days. If theres one downside to Gazelle, the site does tend to offer a bit less than others for the same phone. An unlocked 64GB Galaxy S8 in great condition and without scratches will nab $158 on Gazelle, while the same phone will get you $183 on Decluttr and about $200 on Swappa (which is a direct user-to-user marketplace as opposed to a strict trade-in site). That said, Gazelle offers advantages others dont. The site regularly runs promotions on social media, allowing users to get a bit more in return for certain products during select times. It also operates a 30-day offer lock guarantee, allowing particularly savvy early adopters to guarantee a price for their old phone before the new model is out thereby skirting the drop in value and ship the used handset in once theyve already gotten their hands on the new version. In fact, Gazelle occasionally extends the offer lock period up to 45 days, particularly around the time a hot new model is about to hit stores. Gazelle also offers an alternative to mail-in phone sales, through a brand called ecoATM. EcoATM operates 3,800 automated kiosks in big box retailers around the U.S., allowing you to deposit your phone, have it evaluated electronically on the spot and walk away with cash in your hand in just 7 minutes. Decluttr Decluttr is another highly recommended site for those interested in a convenient and safe way of squeezing cash from old tech. Its also zero-risk, which should provide some peace of mind when trying to get the most for your pricey handset. Decluttr offers free insured shipping when you send your device into its warehouse. The companys technicians use third-party diagnostic software to ensure errors in processing are minimal, and Decluttr will pay you the very next day if it passes evaluation. Should the device differ from the condition you selected, Decluttr will revise its offer, keeping you informed about the status every step of the way. If you decide not to take up Decluttr on its new proposal, the company will send your phone back, free of charge. Decluttr says on its website that it pays the most for tech, and, at least compared to other buyback sites, we found that claim to be true. While the difference in Galaxy S8 valuation wasnt massively better with Decluttr, the site did offer $84 more for a Galaxy S9 Plus in good condition compared to Swappa. Average Trade-In Rates for Samsung Phones* Gazelle Decluttr Swappa** Amazon Best Buy Walmart Galaxy S8 $158 $183 $209 $131 $104 $110 Galaxy S8 Plus $175 $207 $249 $157 $120 $127 Galaxy S9 $217 $286 $324 $220 $294 $310 Galaxy S9 Plus $236 $320 $394 $258 $345 $364 *All rates reflect manufacturer unlocked models with base 64GB storage in good working condition with no major cosmetic damage. **Swappa rates reflect average sale prices and vary based on listing. Fees are not included. Additionally, with Decluttr you wont have to worry about being told your phones data hasnt been wiped, even when it has. Should you actually forget to delete your personal information, Decluttr will work with you to remotely reset your device while its at the companys warehouse. Some of the feedback that Ive seen with the Samsung stuff is just a bit like lack of transparency and lack of clarity in terms of where the device is up to and whats happened, Howley said. Thats why communication is so important to us. Like Gazelle, Decluttr also locks your offer in for a little while after youve submitted it 28 days in Decluttrs case. Swappa Unlike Decluttr and Gazelle, which will buy your phone from you and resell it to another customer, Swappa is a platform that specializes in direct user-to-user sales for all kinds of tech not just phones. Because Swappa is more of a general marketplace, like eBay, theres potential to get more for your sale. On the flip side, however, you will have to do a bit more work using Swappa than you would through a service like Gazelle. Youll have to put together an entire listing with a description and pictures, and youre on your own for figuring out shipping as well. MORE: Best Galaxy S10 Deals Right Now Thankfully, Swappas website is slick and easy to use, making composing listings a breeze. Additionally, Swappas fees are straightforward to decipher. Rather than taking a percentage, as eBay does, Swappa takes flat fees: $5 for sales up to $100, $10 for sales between $100 and $300, and $15 for sales between $300 and $500. I personally used Swappa to sell my iPhone 7 late last year and was very pleased with the experience. That said, its not for everyone. Although Swappa goes to great lengths to ensure theres as little friction between buyers and sellers as possible, you are dealing with other individuals, so theres more room for things to go wrong. If you want a hassle-free solution, wed recommend Gazelle, Decluttr, or another reputable buyback site. Retailer Trade-Ins If youve purchased a phone from a third-party retailer in the past, like Amazon, Best Buy or Walmart, you may already be aware that these companies will also accept your old phone in exchange for gift cards or credit toward a new model. In many cases, the process is even more straightforward than going through a buyback site, because everything can be handled on the spot at a brick-and-mortar location, and you dont have to worry about shipping your device in (obviously, that doesnt pertain to Amazon, though). However, this option begins to fall apart once you survey the money most retailers offer in return, particularly for older models. Earlier, we were looking at anywhere from about $160 to $200 for our well-looked after Galaxy S8 from Gazelle, Decluttr or Swappa. Amazon, on the other hand, is pledging to offer $130 at the most. Walmart, which partners with CExchange to handle its trade-ins, will only give up to $110. And Best Buy which doesnt even offer the option to list your phone as unlocked to net a higher return goes no further than a paltry $104, according to its website. Strangely though, if youre selling a Galaxy S9, these sites offer far more competitive rates, with Amazon coming in at $220 and Best Buy hitting a whopping $294, which is even beyond what Decluttr will give you. So it could simply be that retailers much prefer building up a stock of newer models, and are reluctant to accept older ones. Just remember that like Samsung, theyre unlikely to give you cold, hard cash for your sale. Online Classifieds Last but not least, there are sites like Craigslist and Reddit boards that allow you to post whatever you want, with the most freedom and without any fees to pay, albeit obviously with the greatest risk. Because no correspondence is being watched or managed, and no paper trail is kept to confirm the sale, you have to tread extra carefully if youre trying to sell your phone in these kinds of spaces. Unless youre particularly experienced in selling your personal belongings online, we recommend you steer clear of those paths. Bottom Line While Samsungs recent trade-in troubles may have put you off from selling your aged Galaxy handset back to the phone maker for the time being, there are at least alternatives. In fact, the sites mentioned here represent just a fraction of the options at your disposal. Ultimately, only you can decide which option fits your needs the best. Services like Decluttr and Gazelle tend to be the safest and easiest to deal with, though they limit the amount you can earn. Swappa and other marketplaces open you up to potential headaches and require more effort, but with the opportunity for a greater reward. And trading in your old phone to a retailer could either be a very good or bad call, depending on whether or not youd prefer to have that cash in hand, and especially depending on how old your phone actually is. Shop around for the best deal, and you might just be surprised how much youll be able to save on your next handset. Credit: Tom's Guide (Image credit: Shutterstock) Security incidents often follow a familiar pattern. Companies find out they weren't as secure as they thought, inform their users about the issue and later discover the incident affected more people than originally estimated. Facebook's disclosure of problems with the way it stored passwords followed that same pattern, with the company revealing yesterday that millions of Instagram users were also affected by its security blunder. Facebook originally said in March that up to 20,000 employees could have accessed the passwords of more than 600 million people. They wouldn't even have to do anything to make the data readable either because it was stored in plain text. The company essentially left keys to the digital lives of half a billion people lying around for any of its employees to use as they saw fit. We're pretty sure that's the opposite of secure. Then, on April 18 the company updated its March blog post with more information: "Since this post was published, we discovered additional logs of Instagram passwords being stored in a readable format. We now estimate that this issue impacted millions of Instagram users. We will be notifying these users as we did the others. Our investigation has determined that these stored passwords were not internally abused or improperly accessed." The company didn't say when it discovered that Instagram users were also affected; it could've been anytime between March 21 and April 18. Nor did Facebook mention the issue on social media, republish the blog post to make it clear that it was updated, or inform journalists of the change. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to think Facebook was hoping the media would be focusing its attention elsewhere so this disclosure would go unnoticed. This disclosure perfectly matches the process we outlined above. At this point it's probably safe to assume a few things whenever companies disclose security incidents. It's seems like they're always worse than they expect, they're always going to downplay the severity of an incident and there's always the chance that further disclosures go unnoticed because they were made when people shifted their attention to whatever's grabbing headlines. School closures won't mean mass layoffs, district says KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A month after the Hickman Mills School Board voted to close two schools , 41 Action News has learned the impact to staff will be minimal. District leaders were forced to cut $5 million from the district budget and leaders decided to close two elementary schools in March. We love our partially accredited school district to the south if only because they're less skilled at spin and their assurances FAIL to resonate as the district slowly crumbles. Read more: TMC looking to grow with $18 million NICU expansion KANSAS CITY, Mo. - It's campaign season for Truman Medical Center. The center is launching the "big campaign for tiny miracles," an effort to expand the hospital's NICU unit. The $18 million project has raised $12.5 million so far: $10 million from the Sunderland Foundation and another $2.5 million from the Hall Family Foundation. This cash grab is good news but the underlying drama is that local residents are on the hook fordespite so much financial support. Checkit: MISSION, KS (KCTV) -- Mission police were justified in shooting a suspect who had opened fire on a Shawnee Mission elementary school on March 1, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said Friday. Responding officers had shot suspect Dylan Ruffin after repeatedly ordering him to come out of a house near Highland Elementary School in Fairway. Kansas City Winning Car Game Kansas City Automotive Museum planning huge expansion Hide Transcript Show Transcript NOW TO A KMBC 9 EXCUSES -- EXCLUSIVE. THERE ARE SOME BIG PLANS IN THE WORKS AT THE KANSAS CITY AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM. LEADERS OF THE MUSEUM JUST ANNOUNCED THEY WANT TO EXPAND FROM THEIR CURRENT SPACE IN OLATHE. DONNA: KMBC 9'S MATT EVANS IS LIVE IN THE 18TH AND VINE DISTRICT THIS MORNING. Moving Kansas City Nice News Family whose moving truck was stolen finds community in KC KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Holmes family's life in Kansas City started at a Days Inn on Hillcrest Road, but it wasn't the beginning they had anticipated. Still, Sabrina and Paul Holmes almost want to thank the alleged thief who took all of their possessions, because it connected the family to a true sense of community. Local Slum Life Revisited The lowest priced apartment rentals in Kansas City, explored If you're in the market for a rental, you know how hard it can be to find a bargain. So what does the low-end rent on a rental in Kansas City look like these days - and what might you get for your money? Kansas City Life Saving Tech Rescue Campaign aims to save lives by installing smoke alarms in KC KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Over the next two weeks, the American Red Cross, volunteers, and fire departments around Kansas City plan to install 1,000 free, working smoke alarms in buildings around the region. The initiative is called "Sound the Alarm." It raises awareness about the importance of smoke detectors. Missouri Politicos Float Funding Hopes Gov. Parson confident Missouri will qualify for federal disaster relief Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he is confident that the state will qualify for federal disaster relief following last month's Missouri River flooding.There had been concern whether the state would meet the federal threshold of almost $9 million in damage because the towns and areas hit hardest were not in the richest part of Missouri."Yeah, we're going to meet those thresholds. Rock Chalk Scribe In Pix Kansas Writer Laura Moriarty Explains How It Felt To Watch The Movie Version Of Her Book When Kansas-born actress and dancer Louise Brooks wanted to travel to New York City in 1922 at the age of 15, she could not go alone. She needed a chaperone. Brooks' five-week trip is the basis of Lawrence novelist Laura Moriarty's 2012 book "The Chaperone," which has now been made into a movie of the same name. Witness Local Traffic Trouble 9 Hwy shut down after box truck flips over PARKVILLE, MO (KCTV) -- A two-vehicle crash shut down both directions of 9 Highway on Friday morning in Parkville, Mo. Police and medical crews responded at 7:32 a.m. to 9 Highway just east of English Landing Park after a box truck overturned while trying to avoid a car that had crossed the middle of the highway, according to police at the scene. For this compilation we've featured a bevy of local news links along with some pop culture items of interest as the weather gets warmer, temperatures and tempers rise and the silly season becomes more serious.is the song of the day and this is thefor right now . . . Help Kansas City Good Cause Suffering By Way Of Old & Busted Infrastructure Rescue mission needs help paying $20,000 bill KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A broken sewer line could leave a metro rescue mission on the hook for paying up to $20,000 in repairs as the facility looks for generous people to step forward. The Kansas City Rescue Mission opened a fitness and education facility last fall off East 11th Street on the same property as its Women's Center, which can house up to 20 residents. JoCo Po-Po Looking For More Deets Internets Saves Kansas??? How Emporia, Kansas Fights Rural Brain Drain: 'Broadband Is The New Railroad' A small city in Kansas is determined to prove The Onion wrong. Folks in Emporia, Kansas, weren't laughing when the satirical paper named it " best town to escape from " in 2017. In fact, the "brain drain" from rural areas has been a problem across the country for decades. Cuteness Now On The Prowl Be bear aware! Missouri's black bears have started coming out of their dens Missouri Department of Conservation SOURCE: Missouri Department of Conservation The Missouri Department of Conservation said an estimated 350 black bears call southern Missouri home, and as the spring season gets underway, these mammals leave their winter dens in search of food. Rock Chalk Career Save??? Kansas files appeal of De Sousa ban to NCAA Kansas has filed its appeal to the NCAA regarding the ongoing suspension of forward Silvio De Sousa, the school announced Thursday. In February, De Sousa was ruled ineligible through the 2019-20 season. He had not played for the Jayhawks since October, when former Adidas consultant T.J. Doggie Jobs For Everybody Scollar aims to fetch 200 jobs for KC, trades Silicon Valley for Kansas City uilding a business in Silicon Valley might seem sexy - but it isn't always the right choice, Lisa Tamayo said. "I don't know what you guys hear about the Coast, but hardware is quite challenging for any company in the Bay area because a lot of these Silicon Valley folks in San Francisco only like apps and SaaS and mobile ... Here's How Kansas City Builds Hype Kansas City Chiefs' schedule looks easy early, but difficult late Apr 17, 2019 Adam TeicherESPN Staff Writer Close Covered Chiefs for 20 seasons for Kansas City Star Joined ESPN in 2013 The NFL has released its 2019 regular-season schedule. Here's a look at what's in store for the Kansas City Chiefs. Chiefs reporter Adam Teicher is predicting an 11-5 finish. The view fromand a glimpse at some of the more important news links for right now . . .And this is anotherfor Thursday . . . Family & Doggie Burnt Out Dog rescued in KC house fire; 4 adults without a home KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI (KCTV) -- Firefighters rescued a dog from an overnight house fire that left four people without a home in Kansas City, Mo. The Kansas City Fire Department responded around 1 a.m. to the house fire at 89th Street and Manchester. When they arrived, the dog was still stuck in the basement. Kansas City Morning Confrontation Law enforcement working standoff in the Northland KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Law enforcement officials were involved in a standoff in the Northland Friday morning. They were called to the scene in the 200 block of Northeast 43rd Street around 5:30 a.m. Officials told 41 Action News there was an assault at the home earlier, and a person refused to come outside. Kansas City Grave Robber Redux Desecration of infant's grave at KC cemetery leads to team effort for answers, closure KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- An historic cemetery in Kansas City helped unravel a 155-year-old mystery. Now, a team effort is helping put a disturbing crime to rest. "We bury our dead. We put them in mausoleums. But really, we keep them in our heart, and you can't desecrate that," said John Weilert, board of trustees member at Elmwood Cemetery. Kansas City Weed Biz Bad Puns Table of Experts: Medical Marijuana - A Mixed Bag - Kansas City Business Journal Missouri's new take on medicinal marijuana is permeating the Kansas City business landscape, as business owners grapple with everything from adapting drug-testing policies to capitalizing on new business and investment opportunities. The Kansas City Business Journal gathered area experts to discuss how employers and investors can navigate the many opportunities and challenges of this emerging multimillion-dollar industry. Local Creeper Capture Update Missing Jackson County sex offender arrested in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Jackson County sex offender is in custody after failing to register, according to the sheriff's office. Clarence Hamilton Jr., 51, was arrested Thursday morning by the U.S. Marshals Office after an anonymous tipster said Hamilton was in the area of 7000 Walrond. No Convenience For JoCo Voters New law lets Kansans vote at any county polling place, but not JOCO voters Johnson County, KS - Gov. Laura Kelly has signed a bill that allows Kansas voters to cast ballots at any polling place in their county, but it won't be an option in Johnson County.The new law allows counties to opt in, so Johnson County has chosen not to participate. Forecast For Now Warmer Friday, beautiful weekend weather ahead Our next chance for rain comes Tuesday of next week. Kansas City Lame Duck Mayor Sly poses withas we check some of the more important news links from this morning. Take a peek:And this is thefor right now . . . he all-new Sonata embodies Hyundais Sensuous Sportiness design language with a sophisticated four-door-coupe look Hyundais third-generation vehicle platform enables improvements in design, safety, efficiency and driving performance Hyundai First: Sonatas Digital Key allows the vehicle to be unlocked, started and driven without a physical key, via a smartphone Hyundai First: Hidden Lighting Lamps turn chrome when off and lit when on NEW YORK, April 17, 2019 Hyundai today introduced its all-new 2020 Sonata at the New York International Auto Show, marking the North American debut of Hyundais longest-standing and most successful model. The eighth-generation Sonata is unlike any of its predecessors, showcasing Hyundais Sensuous Sportiness design philosophy, an all-new Smartstream G2.5 GDI engine and segment-first technology that can be personalized. Production of the 2020 Sonata starts in September at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and retail sales begin in October. Sonata is our signature product, said Mike OBrien, vice president, product, corporate and digital planning, Hyundai Motor America. Having been one of our first and most successful nameplates, Sonata is our legacy, and it needs to be special and memorable in all attributes. Sonata signifies our vision for future Hyundai designs, great active safety systems and cutting-edge technology that is effortless. The new-generation Sonata is the first sedan designed with Hyundais Sensuous Sportiness design language. It is a fully transformed vehicle showcasing a sporty four-door-coupe look. The 2020 Sonata represents Hyundais new focus on creating emotional value using proportion, styling and technology. From the front, the 2020 Sonata is unlike any other Hyundai. The design is all-new, with cues that dont immediately appear Hyundai-like and thus encourage customers to take a second look. The 2020 Sonata embodies the evolution of a new Hyundai design themea portfolio of vehicles that, like chess pieces on a board, look and behave differently, each with a clear role and function, but together exemplify a cohesive team. Sonata has a distinct tension on the side, using a harmonious blend of two sharp character lines and pure volumes. Concave and convex forms are also carefully orchestrated to provide a sexy, coupe-like character. The latest Sonata is the first model to be based on Hyundais new, innovative vehicle platform, which delivers increased strength and reduced weight to enable improvements in design, safety, efficiency and driving performance. The car uses an extensive application of advanced technologies to boost comfort, convenience and active safety. It is also the first model to premiere a new collaboration with Bose to deliver an exceptional audio experience to customers. The Sonata holds a special significance for our company as one of the longest-standing and most successful models in the global market, said Albert Biermann, president and head of R&D Division, Hyundai Motor Group. The new-generation Sonata is a fully transformed vehicle packed with advanced personalization technology, a new platform and an array of ADAS technologies. We are confident that our customers will be pleasantly surprised by this innovative new model. Exterior Design: Sensuous Sportiness Defined in a Four-Door-Coupe Silhouette Inspired by the dramatic Le Fil Rouge four-door-coupe concept shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, the new-generation Sonata has an emotional, sporty four-door coupe look with a spacious and technology-packed interior. The exterior exhibits performance-led proportions that reference the cars step up in sportiness over that of its predecessor. The new-generation Sonata boasts a beautiful, sporty and innovative four-door coupe silhouette, said SangYup Lee, senior vice president and head of Hyundai Design Center. We are confident that Sonata will prove to be a yet another successful step for our new design language, Sensuous Sportiness and will provide emotional value for the customers. A newly designed Digital Pulse Cascading Grille spans the front of the new Sonata, finishing at the innermost points of new combination headlamps that feature a distinctive and innovative new lighting architecture. A chrome line flows from the wing mirror, right around the side passenger windows, and returns to the front of the car by running down the length of the hood and ending at a sharp right angle beneath each headlight. This chrome strip features graduated LED Daytime Running Lights embedded with Hidden Lighting Lamps. A first for a Hyundai vehicle, Hidden Lighting Lamps are a design innovation that incorporates state-of-the-art lighting technology, forming the Sonatas light architecture. The Hidden Lighting Lamps appear to be chrome when switched off and become dramatically lit when turned on. The light architecture was initially revealed through Hyundais HDC-1 concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2018. It was created by fleshing out the form of the lamp and transforming it into a powerful design element. Along with the Sensuous Sportiness concept, the light architecture defines the design identity of future Hyundai cars. The side sections of the Sonata are accentuated by the light architecture, which connects two chrome lines that seamlessly link the windows and daytime running lights. Through these two character lines, the Sonata effuses a flowing and refined charm. From the side, sleek forms combine with sensual lines to accentuate the cars sportiness and clear coupe-like silhouette. Eye-catching sporty details include a trunk spoiler and black side skirts along the lower flanks. The cars overall height has been lowered an inch to enhance the sporty profile even further. The new model is available with a choice of 16-, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, each with a design that suggests forward motion even when stationary. At the rear, a wide horizontal line extends across the center of the trunk, stretching to the edges of the car. This line is actually a long LED strip that connects each brake light, creating a striking visual impression at night. The high-tech appearance of the rear is intentionally suggestive of the Sonatas advanced safety systems and technology-packed interior. The Sonatas coefficient of drag (Cd) is just 0.27, with a flat underfloor covering and a range of body enhancementsincluding small fins across each taillightthat help keep the car fuel efficient, as well as stable. Interior: Beautifully Smart Technology and Design The cabin conforms to a Beautifully Smart theme, aligned with the expectations of Sonata customers seeking advanced technologies applied naturally and intuitively. The signature aesthetic of the exterior lighting is echoed inside in the form of ambient mood lighting featured across the dashboard and doors. Spanning the full width of the cabin, the slim dashboard features a first-in-class, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which is customizable to suit different driving modes and preferences. At the center of the dashboard, a large, 10.25-inch HD screen enables occupants to interact easily with the audio-video and navigation (AVN) functions. This screen can also accommodate a split-screen function that allows audio and navigation to be displayed simultaneously. All Sonata models, except the entry model, include three years of complimentary Blue Link services. The instrument panel is rich and modern, in the shape of spread wings, inspired by a stealth aircraft. This shape presents a levitating effect, and this philosophy carries into the long armrests. The satin chrome accents enhance this effect even further. Designers compressed the height of the dashboard and HVAC vents as much as possible to emphasize the lightweight feeling, while modern, light fabric colors and leathers provide a fresh and unconstrained ambience for the driver. At the heart of the AVN system is an exceptional sound system, the first result of a new collaboration between Hyundai and Bose engineers. The Bose Premium sound system is equipped with 12 speakers that synchronize to deliver crisp and rich sounds for a high-quality audio experience. Audio and EQ adjustments are made automatically, depending on the vehicles speed, while Bose Centerpoint surround technology and Bose SurroundStage signal processing put every occupant at the center of the audio experience, regardless of where they are positioned in the cabin. Maximizing the sense of a spacious interior was a key focus for Hyundais designers and engineers. Alongside visual devices that create an impression of greater room, the new Sonata features an optional panoramic sunroof that amplifies the light and airy ambience. Wherever possible, Hyundai took the opportunity to combine a technological development with visual or space benefit. The new Shift by Wire (SBW) gear selector is a prime example, as the new interface not only is sleek and technologically advanced but also takes up significantly less space than a traditional gear selector. Safety The new Sonata maximizes occupant safety through a range of active and passive safety technologies. Passengers benefit from a comprehensive nine-airbag set-up, while a sophisticated Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) works to alert drivers to things they might miss while driving. Performance and Chassis The all-new Sonata is the first model to utilize Hyundai Motors third-generation vehicle platform. Offering significant flexibility for vehicle development across multiple segments, the platform enables dramatic innovations in design, alongside improvements in safety, efficiency and driving performance. The platform delivers an improvement in collision safety through the use of a multiload path structure, Hot Stamping, and super-high-tensile steel plate. The sophisticated multiload path structure increases the energy that the vehicle absorbs in collisions. Smartstream Powertrains Customers can choose between two Smartstream gasoline powertrains: a 2.5 GDI and a 1.6 T-GDI engine, both mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The new Smartstream G2.5 GDI engine, with high-efficiency combustion, cooled EGR and an optimized ITMS cooling system, boasts a generous 191 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 181 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm, plus an expected combined EPA estimated fuel economy of 33 mpg. Meanwhile, the new Smartstream G1.6 T-GDI has 180 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 195 lb.-ft. of torque at 1,5004,500 rpm and is expected to achieve an EPA estimated 31 mpg combined, thanks to its world-first Continuously Variable Valve Duration (CVVD) system. 2020 2.5-liter 2019 2.4-liter Horsepower 191 hp. (estimated) 185 hp. Torque 181 lb.-ft. (estimated) 178 lb.-ft. Fuel Economy EPA estimated 33 combined (preliminary estimate) EPA estimated 29 combined Driving Dynamics The driving performance goal for the 2020 Sonata was to create a sense of unity between the car and the driver. Combining the new platform and modern engines allows the car to respond quickly to the drivers inputs and provide a quiet, solid ride on the highway. The driving dynamics match the sporty exterior design, and the steering and handling package is also improved, so the 2020 Sonata is more nimble than its predecessor. Enhanced Front Suspension Geometry for Improved Responsiveness Reduced bump steer Improved roll steer linearity Reinforced front/rear subframe rigidity Enhanced Rear Suspension Geometry for Enhanced Stability and Responsiveness Increased bump/roll steer Lowered rear roll center Added reinforcement bracket for rear cross member Optimized trailing arm shape/thickness Braking responsiveness is also enhanced on the 2020 Sonata, thanks to a larger booster and increased delivery rate. Convenience Technology The 2020 Sonata features a number of advanced comfort and convenience features typically found only in luxury cars, including a sunroof, electric parking brake, smart trunk, Qi high-speed wireless smartphone charging pad with cooling fan, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Text-to-Speech via Bluetooth, heated and ventilated front seats and split-folding rear seats. The top-of-the-line audio and navigation display is a wide, high-definition, customizable, 10.25-inch touchscreen monitor with split screens and natural language, and cloud-based speech recognition powered by Blue Link, while the cluster supervision display is a full 12.3 inches. The cluster has four views: utility, driver assistance, navigation and parking assistance. The navigation system includes a birds-eye view in Navigation maps, and drivers get HERE HD Traffic flow and incident data without ever paying for a subscription. Dual Bluetooth support is also available, so two devices can be paired at the same timeone for phone calls and one for streaming audio. The navigation system also comes with three years of Blue Link Multimedia/Map updates. Hyundais eight-inch display audio user interface, equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, is standard on the 2020 Sonata. The Blue Link connected car system is also available. Digital Key Continuing to promote the latest advances in technology, the new Sonata supports Hyundai Digital Key via a dedicated smartphone app. Hyundai Digital Key utilizes Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which exhibits a high level of security. The NFC wireless data communication takes place only when the device and the reader are within several centimeters of each other. The Hyundai Digital Key app also allows smartphones to control selected vehicle systems remotely. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, users can lock and unlock the vehicle, activate the panic alert and start the engine. Not only does Hyundai Digital Key allow owners to leave traditional keys at home, it also allows secure sharing of keys with family and friends. The level of access to different vehicle functions can be tailored to each shared key user for a defined period. The vehicle owner can preset the duration of vehicle use or limit the use to only certain features when loaning the vehicle, and, of course, keys can be revoked remotely. For additional convenience in cases such as using a valet service or visiting a Hyundai dealer, Hyundai Digital Key also works with an NFC card, which will be provided with each vehicle. Each Sonata still comes with traditional keys. Digital Key is compatible only with phones using the Android operating system. Digital Key | 2020 Sonata | Hyundai - Click here for video Full Head-Up Display With a projected image size of eight inches and super-bright clarity (luminance of more than 10,000 candelas per square meter), the Sonatas HUD provides improved visibility in different lighting conditions. The HUD can be adjusted in both angle and height to provide optimum visibility. The HUD supports driving safety by displaying information such as speed and navigation commands, as well as alerts from active safety and driving assistance features. Blue Link Enhancements The connected car team at Hyundai continues to improve Blue Links services, and the 2020 Sonata gets many system enhancements. As with most Hyundai models, Blue Link is complimentary on the 2020 Sonata for three years and includes Remote Start with Climate Control, Remote Door Lock/Unlock, Stolen Vehicle Recovery and Destination Search by Voice. These 2020 improvements include: Remote profile managementstores select vehicle settings to the Blue Link cloud, with the ability to remotely update them and push them back to the vehicle Remote start enhancements: Remote seat heat/vent (full support on/off for each individual heated/cooled seat; ability to adjust level) Profile selection (preloads individual driver settings for seating position and side mirrors) Vehicle Status Notificationsif the vehicle is left with doors unlocked or windows open, customers will receive a notification POI Send to Car now with Waypoints (ability to add up to three way points, to be delivered to the vehicle together and automatically set order of destinations) Maintenance Alert Enhancementmaintenance interval tracking is now visible in the multimedia system, with ability to reset More details on specific Blue Linkequipped vehicles available at www.hyundaibluelink.com. Driver Assistance Technologies Sonata features Hyundais latest SmartSense advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). A series of sensors and systems, often restricted to luxury cars, combines to potentially warn the driver and may take action in the event of a safety incident. Meanwhile, other ADAS systems can help the driver perform certain tasks using the cars three radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors and five cameras. These features include: Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (standard) Lane Keeping Assist (standard) Advanced Smart Cruise Control with Stop and Go (standard) Highway Driving Assist (optional) Highway Driving Assist Highway Driving Assist (HDA) is a driving convenience system that assists drivers in maintaining the center of the lane, at an appropriate speed, while keeping a safe distance to the car in front. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist The 2019 Sonata is fitted with standard Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) with pedestrian detection, an advanced active safety feature that helps alert drivers to emergency situations, and may brake autonomously, if required. Using front radar and front camera sensors, FCA operates in three stages. Initially warning the driver visually and acoustically, it assesses the nature of the collision danger and can apply increasing amounts of braking force to avoid a collision or minimize damage when a collision is unavoidable. The system is activated when a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist is sensed in front of the car. Lane Following Assist Lane Following Assist (LFA) may automatically adjust steering to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane of travel. LFA can keep the vehicle centered on both highways and city streets. Safe Exit Assist Safe Exit Assist helps prevent accidents should a door be opened when another vehicle is approaching from behind. Using the radar, the system may detect approaching vehicles and warn the driver when a door is opened. Blind-Spot View Monitor and Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) The Blind-Spot View Monitor with the Sonatas outside mirror-mounted cameras offers the driver an enhanced field of vision. The Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) system scans for vehicles entering your blind spot. If the driver activates a turn signal, an image of the view from the corresponding wing mirror is displayed in the 12.3-inch cluster display. If a vehicle is detected in the blind spot, audible and visual alerts are provided. Surround-View Monitor The new Sonata uses four cameras to provide the driver with an enhanced, birds-eye view of the cars exterior, giving the driver confidence when maneuvering into or out of spaces. Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist Reverse Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist helps detect pedestrians and obstacles with a rearview camera and ultrasonic sensors. The system can provide warnings and apply emergency braking to assist in the avoidance of a collision. Remote Smart Parking AssistIn a first for its class, the new Sonata offers Remote Smart Parking Assist to help maneuver the car into or out of parking spaces, boosting convenience for customers. Before a driver attempts to load load passengers or luggage, the remote parking function can prove particularly useful, bringing the vehicle out of a tight space. The driver simply uses the smart key to drive the car forward or backward, into or out of a parking space. Touch Sensor Outside Door Handles Touch Sensor Outside Door Handles have been added to the 2020 Sonata to increase ease of use and further refine the design. To lock the door, the driver need only touch the sensor on the outside of the door handle. Pulling on the handle activates a larger sensor on the inside of the handle to open the door. Remote Start Remote Start has been a part of the Hyundai Blue Link system for years. It works by using a cellular data connection to warm up or cool down a Sonata when it is out of sight of the owner. To make that system even better, Hyundai engineers added Remote Start to the 2020 Sonatas key fob on models equipped with Proximity Key and Push Button Start. This allows a remote start to be performed when the car is within the owners line of sight. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA Hyundai Motor America is focused on delivering an outstanding customer experience grounded in design leadership, engineering excellence and exceptional value in every vehicle we sell. Hyundais technology-rich product lineup of cars, SUVs and alternative-powered electric and fuel cell vehicles is backed by Hyundai Assuranceour promise to deliver peace of mind to our customers. Hyundai vehicles are sold and serviced through more than 830 dealerships nationwide, with the majority sold in the U.S. built at U.S. manufacturing facilities, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. Hyundai Motor America is headquartered in Fountain Valley, California, and is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. Please visit our media website at www.HyundaiNews.com Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram VISALIA, Calif., April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- San Joaquin Valley Homes (SJV Homes) and Presidio Residential Capital will hold a grand opening at Greystone , offering 124 single-family homes priced from the high $200,000s in highly desirable northwestern Visalia, Calif., on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Home buyers will be able to tour three beautifully decorated model homes, enjoy donuts from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and tacos from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and enter to win $250 gift cards, an iPad and more. Lenders will be on hand to answer financing questions. Interest in this ideally located community has been through the roof and sales have been brisk, even though the models werent finished until now, said Danny Garcia, vice president of sales at SJV Homes. We cant wait to show off these stunning homes offering the ultimate flexibility for both young families and empty nesters. Theres truly something here for everyone. Greystone offers seven elegant, spacious one- and two-story plans with three to five bedrooms and two- to three-and-a-half baths ranging from 1,658 to 3,205 square feet on lots averaging 7,400 square feet. Built in the architectural traditions of Tuscan, Italian and French Country, these homes feature keystone entryways, full-height stone veneer, pitched concrete tile roofs, nine-foot ceilings, covered patios, tile flooring, granite countertops, maple cabinetry, stainless appliances and two- and three-car garages. Home buyers can also choose to add a porte-cochere in a select plan. The new community is located at 4918 W. Payson Avenue off Riggin Avenue and North Akers Street, less than four miles from downtown Visalia and about four miles east of State Route 99, a major transportation corridor that connects Fresno to the north and Bakersfield to the south. Greystones sales office is open Sunday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, home buyers can call Jessica Merrill at (559) 625-8333. Founded in 2013 by Joe Leal, Jim Robinson and Randy Merrill, SJV Homes expects to close on its 1,500th home next month, making it one of the regions most active homebuilders. Greystone is a joint venture project with Presidio Residential Capital, a San Diego-based real estate investment company that funds 100 percent of the projects and operations of SJV Homes. About SJV Homes San Joaquin Valley Homes (SJV Homes) is a local homebuilder with deep roots in and a strong commitment to the Central Valley. Founders Joe Leal, Jim Robinson and Randy Merrill share a vision to build quality new homes in carefully planned neighborhoods for people who love the Valley and want lasting value. In 2013, SJV Homes combined forces with Presidio Residential Capital, a real estate investment firm in San Diego. It has since closed almost 1,500 homes and is now one of the busiest homebuilders in the San Joaquin Valley. For more information, please visit www.sjvhomes.com. About Presidio Residential Capital Presidio Residential Capital is a real estate investment company focused on the residential housing sector. Headquartered in San Diego, California, the firm provides capital in the form of joint ventures for the entitlement, development and build-out of for-sale residential projects throughout the Western United States. Presidio has infused more than $1 billion into the economy to capitalize the housing industry. The firms goal is to invest in excess of $50 million in capital for home-building projects in the Western United States in the next 12 months. It currently has investments in Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado, Washington and Idaho with current committed capital of $500 million focused on 75 projects. The firm is affiliated with a privately held registered investment advisor specializing in alternative investment strategies who has a long history of investing in the home-building sector. Current assets under management total more than $2.5 billion. Online and social media: www.presidioresidential.com , Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn. Media Contacts: Anton Communications Ingrid Jones ijones@antonpr.com Genevieve Anton ganton@antonpr.com Lincolns switch from alphanumeric nameplates to actual names could bring back the iconic Zephyr name in a couple of years. The badge is rumored to return in 2021 and word has it we could see it on the next-generation MKZ. The Lincoln Zephyr could replace the MKZ The Zephyr nameplate could make a comeback on the sedan that will replace the MKZ According to Car and Driver, the Zephyr nameplate will make a comeback on the sedan that will replace the MKZ. The rumor is based on a trademark that Lincoln applied for the Zephyr moniker in 2016. The big news here is that the trademark application was filed for a new vehicle rather than being renewed for Lincolns previous submission. The nameplate was previously used in 2006 when the first-generation MKZ was introduced to replace the LS. The modern Zephyr was unveiled in concept form in 2004 and put into production for the 2006 model year. However, Lincoln dropped the badge after only one year, renaming the sedan the MKZ for 2007. Now that all of Lincolns vehicles have actual names instead of alphanumeric nameplates, the MKZ needs to go as well. Lincoln recently replaced the MKC with the Corsair, while the Aviator stepped in to replace the MKT. The latter will remain on offer for fleet buyers, but it will be discontinued soon since its already ten years old. The Lincoln Zephyr is an 80-year-old icon The Zephyr nameplate dates back to 1936 Last used in 2006, the Zephyr badge is actually very old, as it dates back to the mid-1930s. In 1936, Lincoln introduced a lower-priced line of cars called Lincoln-Zephyr that bridged the gap between Fords V-8 De Luxe line and the more exclusive Lincoln K-Series. It was also an answer to Cadillacs smaller LaSalle, the Chrysler Airstream, and Packards entry-level One-Twenty. The sub-brand lasted for only five years, until 1940, but it was long enough to turn the Zephyr name into a legend. The Zephyr V-12 was the core model of the lineup, and it was initially available as a two-door and four-door sedan. A three-window coupe was added in 1937, while convertible coupes and sedans joined the lineup in 1938. In 1940, Lincoln launched the Zephyr Continental, which later became a nameplate of its own and Lincolns most iconic series. The Lincoln-Zephyr brand was discontinued in 1940 when the Lincoln Motor Company was transformed into the Lincoln division, but the Zephyr remained in production with the Lincoln badge, but under different nameplates, including the Custom and Continental. The Zephyr name returned from 1978 to 1983 on a Mercury model based on the Ford Fairmont. From 1950 to 1972, Ford of Britain built a sedan under the Zephyr name. It replaced the Pilot, and it was discontinued to make way for the Consul. The Lincoln Zephyr could be a rear-wheel drive car Lincoln might move it on the RWD unibody architecture that underpins the new Aviator With the Ford Fusion on which the current MKZ is based set to go into the history books, the next-generation sedan will ride on new underpinnings. Word has it Lincoln might move it on the rear-wheel-drive unibody architecture that underpins the new Aviator SUV. This platform will likely underpin the next-generation Ford Mustang as well, so there is no reason why Lincoln couldnt use it for a sedan. Ford also announced that production of the Transit Connect van will be moved, starting in 2021, in Mexico, at the plant that currently builds the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ. This means that the next-gen MKZ, or the Zephyr, will be built alongside the larger Continental at the Flat Rock plant in Michigan, where the next-gen Mustang will be manufactured as well. The Lincoln Zephyr could also be a coupe Although it seems far-fetched, the Zephyr doesnt have to be a replacement for the MKZ. Rumors of a Lincoln based on the Ford Mustang have been flying around for quite a few years, and a two-door vehicle would fit nicely in the companys current lineup. The old Zephyr was also offered as a two-door coupe, so it would be out of line to see a modern iteration of the pre-WWII car. It would also make sense given Fords plans to move production of the next-gen Mustang on the same assembly line as the Continental. If this happens, the next-generation MKZ will get a different name. Lincoln has plenty of iconic nameplates to choose from for the MKZ, like the Custom, Capri, Premiere, and Town Car. The Lincoln Zephyr could arrive in 2020 We should find out whether the Zephyr is a replacement for the MKZ or a coupe based on the Ford Mustang in 2020. Thats when the premium automaker should unveil a concept car, just like it did with the Continental. The production model should arrive in 2021 when Ford will make room for a new vehicle at its Flat Rock assembly line in Michigan. The next-generation Ford Mustang should be unveiled around the same time. Further reading Read our full review on the2017 Lincoln MKZ. Source: Car & Driver In Baltimore and Toronto and many other cities, little gems are being lost. New housing is something that most cities are desperate for, and this project sounds like it probably fills a need: The problem, as Fred Scharmen tweets, is that "this all sounds great, but theyre proposing to tear down one of the best buildings in Baltimore." And judging from the photo on top, it is a gem, definitely a keeper. Cities need housing and they don't need bank branches in these days when you can do almost all your banking in a phone app. Fred continues: The Explore Baltimore Heritage Team devotes a page to it, the first commercial building in town with a precast concrete frame. Bank of Montreal Toronto/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 It very much reminded me of a bank branch in Toronto that is now all boarded up. Unlike Baltimore, these don't sit around; if it isn't a Starbucks or Pizza Pizza, then it is waiting for a building permit to become a condo. Like the Baltimore building, it has a marble clad vault sticking out the front, announcing its wealth and stability. Bank of Montreal Toronto/ Lloyd Alter/CC BY 2.0 There are high quality materials all round, all stainless steel and nice details, although I do not know how they let that electrical box get planted there. This was built for the ages. Now it is going through the Demolition by Neglect Phase, left to deteriorate so that nobody misses it. The building permit must be getting close, because it has skipped the Noxious Use Phase, where the developer rents it to a loud nightclub so that neighbours are happy to see it go. Meanwhile we lose almost every interesting building in the city as they go to usually bland condos. With bigger buildings, like the JP Morgan Chase building in New York, I make an upfront carbon emissions argument, but this is much smaller. OK, it's not Notre Dame, but not every important building is a cathedral or centuries old. I do not know the answer to this, but we have to do a better job. Washington, D.C., April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Washington, D.C. Footage released to Animal Wellness Action (Action) from a horse owner in Alabama shows despicable and even gruesome mistreatment of horses who are the victims of soring the practice of intentionally injuring the foot and lower legs of horses to achieve a high-stepping gait in horse shows known as the Big Lick. The horse owner identified Joseph Abernathy as the farrier that pressure shod the horse by driving hot nails into the part of the hoof where it is known to be the most painful. When the owner found this horse, he was barely able to stand and drenched in sweat despite 40-degree temperatures. The horses muscle enzymes became elevated which led to renal failure. Click here, here, and here, to watch videos of pressure shoeing damage and horse in distress after front legs and hooves intentionally injured in soring incident. Action obtained the footage from a former big lick owner and rider who alerted our organization to this treacherous abuse. Abernathy, the alleged perpetrator in this case, has not been prosecuted even though the conduct constitutes blatant animal cruelty. The release of this footage prompted Action to call on key House lawmakers to move forward the U.S. Senator Joseph D. Tydings Memorial Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act, H.R. 693, which has attracted a majority of House lawmakers as cosponsors 219 total this week. Action will share the footage with all 535 Congressional offices and expect the awareness associated with the footage to draw dozens more cosponsors in both chambers. Horse soring, as our new footage shows, is barbarism masquerading as sport, said Wayne Pacelle, founder of Animal Wellness Action. This particular perpetrator is a repeat offender, and only a stronger law, and its proper enforcement, will bring people like him to justice. The PAST Act, H.R. 693, introduced by Reps. Kurt Schrader, D-Ore., and Ted Yoho, R-Fla., would ban the use of painful large stacked shoes and ankle chains in the show ring, eliminate the existing system of self-regulation by this industry, and toughen penalties for violators of the Horse Protection Act. The Senate companion bill, S. 1007 led by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, R-Ida., and Mark Warner, D-Va., was recently introduced with a bipartisan group of five Republican and six Democrat lawmakers as cosponsors. The PAST Act is an easy, bipartisan solution that every Member of Congress should be able to get behind, as is evidenced by the significant achievement of support from over half of the House of Representatives, said Rep. Kurt Schrader. Horse soring still runs rampant, as is evidenced in these awful videos, even though laws have been on the books banning this cruel practice for decades. Our bill will strengthen and improve current regulations by improving USDA enforcement, increasing civil and criminal penalties, and banning incentives to sore horses. I thank my very many colleagues for their support as we seek to put an end to this abusive practice once and for all. The USDA confirmed with Action that the horses owner had also contacted the USDA about the incident, but that loopholes in the Federal law prevented them from taking action. As former president of the trade association for the Walking Horse industry, Ive seen firsthand how a subset of "Big Lick" horse show enthusiasts habitually torture horses just to win ribbons at shows, said Marty Irby, executive director of Animal Wellness Action and an eight-time World Champion rider. I know the dirty, abusive underside of this particular industry, and the insidious maiming of horses involved in this sport must stop. House Democrats recently adopted an internal protocol stipulating that any bill with 290 cosponsors will automatically go to the floor for a vote of the full House. We value the 290-cosponsor rule, and there is no reason for a delay in bringing this anti-cruelty bill to the floor, added Irby. This measure has immense public and Congressional support and the time has come to pass the PAST Act. Attachment TRENTON A long-abandoned city schoolhouse is getting a facelift. Council voted 7-0 Thursday night to pass an ordinance officially designating KCG Development as redeveloper of the William G. Cook School at 40 Culyer Avenue. The company plans to transform the city-owned, 109-year-old former schoolhouse into one- and two-bedroom apartment lofts, featuring a lounge and fitness center, according to the ordinance. KCG Development will pay $124,000 for the property, built in 1910. Mayor Reed Gusciora credited the council for doing the right thing. Its going to be an exciting game-changer for the Wilbur section, he said. The school closed decades ago and has alternately been occupied before being completely abandoned. Over the years, it has fallen into disrepair, with part of the roof caving in, Gusciora said. Members of the mayors inner circle believed there was no salvaging the building and advised demolishing it. In the end, the city found a company that was willing to gut and restore the building. The deal with KCG Development was in the works for some time. Over the summer, a group of volunteers worked with the city to clean up the property, which was with weeds and filled with trash and debris. The mayor toured the building last year with developers. The building was appraised, the mayor said, city officials met multiple times with KCG representatives and talked to residents in the neighborhood about their hopes for the Cook School. The ordinance was introduced for a first reading earlier this month and passed Thursday with little discussion. East Ward councilman Joe Harrison thanked his colleagues for passing the deal after they scuttled another redevelopment plan this month, that one involving Princetel, which hoped torehab a dilapidated, trash-filled stretch of the Roebling complex. I made a promise before the election that I was going to clean it up. We did, Harrison said of the Cook School. We sent an engineer out there for the building to be seen. The Princetel deal died over councils demand for another appraisal and concerns that the administration hadnt fulfilled all the legal requirements before forcefully pushing to get the deal done ahead of a deadline for the company to apply for state tax credits to aid renovation. Gusciora said he couldnt identify any material differences in how the city pursued the Cook School and Princetel deals. In hindsight, the mayor said he erred by trying to pull off the big kahuna Princetel deal first and by not asking more probing questions to understand the councils position on the fiber optic companys proposal. We have about eight pokes in the fire for development, he said. I started with the big kahuna. Maybe I should have started with the smaller ones. At the end of the day, they [the council] are the redevelopment authority. Were the ones who do all the research. Gusciora said the administration and the council tried to work a lot closer on the Cook School deal. Representatives from KCG didnt respond to a message seeking comment Friday. But Joel Silver, the vice president of development at KCG, which has refurbished old buildings into apartments in cities around the U.S., told Jersey Digs in an interview the company planned to turn the Cook School into 29 mixed-income apartments, part of a larger project to build a 28-unit building called the Clinton Lofts. The company will apply for low-income housing tax credits, Silver told the outlet, and hopes the state applies historic tax credits to the project. After clearing the first hurdle, the Cook project must go before the city planning board for approval. Theres no definitive timeline for when work will begin on the project, but the mayor said he was told KCG officials hope to complete it within 18 months if its greenlighted. The mayor added the company wants toretain much of the buildings historic integrity. Were trying to roll out the red carpet and streamline the process, Gusciora said. Editors Note: This story has been updated with additional comments from the mayor TRENTON The mayor will unveil his pick for police director at a news conference Monday, hoping to put to rest incessant speculation and turmoil that has swirled around his previous police appointments. First-term Mayor Reed Gusciora has refused to confirm who he will tap as the successor to Carol Russell, whose historic nomination as the citys first black woman to lead Trenton Police ended months of intense acrimony between the administration and City Council. Before that, the mayor caved to pressure from council in yanking a resolution to extend the stay of ex-Trenton cop and Mercer County undersheriff Pedro Medina, who the county loaned to the city for free for three months. Turnover in the police director position, perhaps the citys most vital post, has been a constant in during Guscioras first term. Lt. Chris Doyle has filled the position since the mayor pulled the plug on Russell in December after the council refused to hold a confirmation vote citing her lack of qualifications. It was his second stint as acting police director; he also took over when Medina got the boot. Whoever lands the gig Monday becomes the fourth person to hold the post since the mayor was sworn into office in July. Already, the rumor mill kicked into overdrive. The Trentonian reported earlier this week that one source suggested it was pretty much a done deal that ex-Newark top cop and former East Orange public safety director Sheilah Coley would get the nod. The mayor refused to confirm whether Coley applied for the job but said his hire had experience working in an urban area. That description seems to match up with Coleys background. She graduated from the Newark Police academy in 1989, and worked herself up the ranks, becoming Newarks first female police chief in 2011. Three years later, she was named Newarks first African-American female police director, a position she held for three months with city police chief Ivonne Roman, according to NJ.com. Former state police trooper John Day was also rumored to be a finalist; he received the blessing of Trentons religious leader who openly advocated at a news conference last month for the city to hire him. Day said this week hadnt heard from the administration one way or another. And The Trentonian hasnt had any luck trying to get in touch with Coley. The mayor, who tapped a search committee that included city officials with finding Russells replacement, has scheduled a news conference Monday to announce his pick. Hell be joined by Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, at-large councilman Santiago Rodriguez, Trenton Police Capt. Stephen Varn (filling in as acting police director for Doyle, who is on vacation), fire director Derrick Sawyer and recreation director Maria Richardson. Falls Church, Virginia, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Army awarded a five-year, $142 million base operations support contract to T&H Services LLC (Kira), who PAE currently partners with for base operations at Fort Carson, Colorado. Home to the 4th Infantry Division and 10th Special Forces Group, the Colorado Springs area post also hosts units of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve and Colorado Army National Guard. Brent McCoy, PAE program manager for the contract, said thanks to a seamless partnership with T&H Services LLC, the team has earned repeated exceptional performance ratings for the work they do to keep Fort Carson running. The customer gave us top marks for cost control, management, quality, attention to detail, commitment to excellence, service and more, he said. Were really pleased we have the team and expertise that can deliver this level of service and value to the Army. Value, depth of expertise and commitment to excellence are the foundation of the service PAE offers its U.S. government and allied customers around the world, said PAE CEO John Heller. The work at Fort Carson is a good example of the services we provide the Army on a global scale, Heller said. Whether its in western Africa, Afghanistan, Korea, or Colorado, were proud the Army partners with PAE as a critical mission supporter. With teams specializing in infrastructure and logistics, international logistics and stabilization, readiness and sustainment and more, PAE has been providing critical mission support to the Army since the company was founded in 1955. PAE has been working with the Army for more than 13 years at Fort Carson. For more information, visit pae.com. About PAE For more than 60 years, PAE has tackled the worlds toughest challenges to deliver agile and steadfast solutions to the U.S. government and its allies. With more than 20,000 employees on all seven continents and in more than 70 countries, PAE delivers a broad range of operational support services to meet the critical needs of our clients. Our headquarters is in Falls Church, Virginia. Find us online at pae.com, on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. # # # pardeepdhull@gmail.com Mumbai, April 19 Bank unions on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take over grounded Jet Airways to secure the future of the 22,000-odd employees of the carrier. In a letter to Modi, the All-India Bank Employees Association also said government must ensure that banks are not forced to lend to the crippled airline. After flying for 25 years, Jet Airways on Wednesday announced grounding of operations after its lenders declined an interim funding of Rs 400 crore. We learn that banks have invited bids to possible investors to take over the airline. If it does not happen, we urge you to take over the airline so that the jobs of these 22,000 employees are safe, the association said. At the same time, the unions opposed any move to force banks to lend more money to the airline. Everyone is looking at the banks to bail out the airline as though lenders are the owners, the unions said, also demanded an enquiry into the affairs of Jet. Naresh Goyal is still the promoter and major share- holder with 51 percent stake and it is his headache to run the company or sell it someone, the unions said. The attempts to sidetrack the whole issue by building pressure on the banks to extend further loan and save the company is only with a view to keep Goyal out of the picture whereas he is the real man who is answerable for the whole crisis, the unions claimed. We seek the immediate intervention of the government so that banks are not pressurised to dole out more money, the letter said. The airline owes more than Rs 8,500 crore to banks and around Rs 4,000 crore to its vendors and aircraft lessors and months of salaries to the employees apart from thousands of crores of rupees in ticket refunds to passengers. That apart it has an accumulate loss of over Rs 13,000 crore. A consortium of banks led by State Bank had said they were hopeful of a successful bidding process for stake sale in the airline. The 26 lenders to the cash strapped airline, now own 51 percent stake in the airline, have invited bids from potential suitors and received four bids from Etihad Airways, NIFF, TPG and Indigo Partners and expect to close the deal by May 10. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com New Delhi, April 18 Shares of Jet Airways continued to fall for the second day in a row, plummeting over 32 per cent on Thursday, a day after the ailing airline shuttered operations temporarily, even as lenders said they were reasonably hopeful that the bidding process for the airline will end successfully. The scrip tanked 32.23 per cent to close at Rs 163.90 on the BSE. Intra-day, it plunged 34.62 per cent to Rs 158.10 a 52-week low. On the NSE, shares sank 31 per cent to close at Rs 165.75 apiece. Lenders led by the State Bank of India had declined to extend more funds to Jet, forcing it to suspend all its flights on Wednesday. A consortium of 26 lenders led by the SBI, with 51 per cent stake in the debt-trapped airline, has invited bids from potential suitors. Jet had been, over the last few months, on a decline as competition from budget airlines hurt its profitability and led to a debt pile. At its peak, Jet operated 123 planes and over 600 daily flights. Among the 22,000-odd employees of the now wingless Jet, hundreds assembled for a silent appeal in the national capital on Thursday for reviving the airline. PTI Jet suspended from clearing house: IATA Mumbai: International airlines lobby IATA has suspended the membership of Jet Airways of its clearing house system, a move that is likely to impact the refund process. Passengers are advised to submit refund through IATA-accredited travel agent they bought their tickets from, IATA said. PTI Govt to allocate 440 vacant airline slots New Delhi: With Jet suspending operations, as many as 440 slots are vacant at Delhi and Mumbai airports which will be allocated to other airlines. There are 280 vacant slots at Mumbai and over 160 at the Delhi airport. The slots would be allocated for three months by a committee. PTI editorial@tribune.com mbai, April 18 Budget carrier SpiceJet today said it will dry lease six more Boeing 737 planes, and roll out 24 daily new flights connecting Mumbai and Delhi as it seeks to encash void left by the temporary grounding of Jet Airways. The move comes close on the heels of the airline announcing expanding the fleet by 21 more planes 16 B737s and five turboprop Bombardier Q400s, besides connecting the countrys financial hub with a host of international destinations. Mumbai was one of the two main bases of Jet Airways, before it temporarily halted operations on Wednesday. SpiceJet will induct six more Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on dry lease and it has applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to import these planes, the airline said. Subject to regulatory approvals, the aircraft would begin joining SpiceJets fleet in the next 10 days, it added. Last week, in two separate announcements, the Gurugram-based airline had said it would dry lease 16 Boeing 737s planes, and induct five regional jets in the fleet to fill the capacity deficit, due the grounding of Jet Airways planes. The total number of planes to be inducted in the immediate future now stands at 27, the airline said. We will induct as many as 27 planes in a record time of less than two weeks and are hopeful that these inductions will help considerably ease the pressure situation, SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh said. The airline is taking all possible proactive measures to deal with the sudden reduction of aviation capacity in the Indian market, he said. SpiceJet continues to work closely with the government and regulatory authorities to help minimise passenger inconvenience, he added. PTI 27 Aircraft to join fleet in two weeks The move comes close on the heels of the airline announcing expanding the fleet by 21 more planes 16 B737s and five turboprop Bombardier Q400s, besides connecting the countrys financial hub with a host of international destinations Subject to regulatory approvals, the aircraft would begin joining SpiceJets fleet in the next 10 days Last week, in two separate announcements, SpiceJet had said it would dry lease 16 Boeing 737s planes and induct five regional jets in the fleet to fill the capacity deficit . LOS ANGELES, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces an investigation on behalf of Belden Inc. (Belden or the Company) (NYSE: BDC ) 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. On December 3, 2018, the Company revealed that the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) is conducting an investigation concerning the material weakness reported in its form 10-k filing for the year ended December 31, 2017. On this news, shares of Belden fell $5.43 or nearly 10% to close at $50.45 on December 4, 2018, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/GPM_LLP . If you purchased Belden 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, 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 shareholders@glancylaw.com , 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. editorial@tribune.com Chandigarh: Two drug peddlers, natives of Nepal, have been arrested by the local police with 12 kg of charas, valued at around Rs 12 lakh. The police said the charas was smuggled to India from Nepal and was meant to be sold in Chandigarh and further smuggled to Goa. A team of the crime branch, led by Inspector Amanjot Singh, nabbed the two drug peddlers, Kiran Kumar (33) and Khusal Paudel (35). SP (Crime) Vineet Kumar said in view of the Lok Sabha elections, sleuths of the crime branch were patrolling the area near the Sector 3 gurdwara when the duo was stopped for checking on suspicion. During the search, 12 kg of charas was found in bags. The police said the value of 1 kg of charas in Chandigarh was around Rs 1 lakh. The price is much higher in other places like Goa, the police said. Police investigations revealed that Kiran had visited India several times earlier during which he came in contact with drug peddlers based in Himachal Pradesh, who made him take to smuggling charas from Nepal on the lure of making a quick buck. Man stabs wife over money Chandigarh: A Sector 56 resident was stabbed by his wife over some issue on Thursday. The victim was injured and admitted to the PGI. According to the police, Jagroop Singh, a resident of Palsora, had an argument with his wife Shashi Kanta over money. Sources said Jagroop had given Rs 18,000 to his wife and asked her to keep it safely. However, he found some cash missing on Thursday. The incident led to an altercation between the duo. The woman got a knife from the kitchen and stabbed her husband on the chest. Neighbours gathered at the spot after which the police were informed. The victim was rushed to the PGI, where his condition is stated to be stable. The Sector 39 police are looking into the matter. TNS Hit by speeding car, biker dies Lalru: A 35-year-old man died while another sustained injuries after the motorcycle they were riding on was allegedly hit by a rashly driven car near Handesera village here on Wednesday night. The deceased has been identified as Pawan Kumar. The incident took place around 8 pm on Wednesday when Pawan, along with one of his relatives Suraj, was on his way towards Lalru on their two-wheelers. When the duo reached near Handesera, a car heading in the same direction hit the bike from the rear. Pawan fell off the bike and died on the spot, while Suraj was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Dera Bassi. Meanwhile, the police have registered a case. OC 1 more held for cops murder Ambala: The local police have arrested a suspect in the Avtar Singh murder case. Avtar was beaten to death by some people over old enmity in the Baldev Nagar area on April 12. The suspect has been identified as Narender. The deceased, a resident of Panjokhra, was a head constable and was posted at the ADGP Office in Ambala Cantonment. The suspect was produced before a court which sent him to one-day police remand. Prime suspect Kamaljeet has already been arrested. TNS Sandy powers IDS to victory Chandigarh: Sandy scored a quick-fire half-century before Ravi and Shailnder shared six wickets between them to help IDS register a 115-run win against TCC in a Tricity League match here on Thursday. Batting first, IDS made 188/5 in 20 overs. Sandy hammered a 42-ball 74, while Chandan scored 25-ball 35. In reply, TCC were all out for 73 runs in 11.3 overs. Ravi and Shailnder claimed three wickets apiece. TNS Pranil helps NWCA win Chandigarh: An all-round performance by Pranil Khera enabled Narinder Walia Cricket Academy (NWCA) beat hosts Dikshant Global Cricket Academy (DGCA), Zirakpur, by 32 runs in a Hot Weather Cricket Tournament match here on Thursday. Batting first NWCA scored 123/9 in 20 overs. Advay Gupta made an unbeaten 28, while Khera remained not on 19. DGCA, in reply, were bowled out for 91 runs. Khera took 3/13. tns editorial@tribune.com Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 18 With BJP MP Kirron Kher going slow on campaigning in Chandigarh for the past few days, speculation is rife that the party is contemplating shifting her to some other constituency, particularly Amritsar in Punjab. Kher started her campaign this evening when she visited the Sai temple in Sector 29. The other programme scheduled for today was a meeting with Andrew Ayre, British Deputy High Commissioner in Chandigarh. Yesterday, she visited Jain Mandir, Sector 27, to pay her respects on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti and visited EWS flats in Dhanas under her Coffee with Kirron programme. Kirron skipped an important BJP event on Tuesday when the partys election in-charge for Chandigarh and Haryana Minister Capt Abhimanyu flagged off two campaign vehicles for the parliamentary poll. City BJP chief Sanjay Tandon and additional solicitor general Satya Pal Jain, both political rivals of the BJP MP within the party, were present on the occasion. Interestingly, the schedule of programmes issued by her media team for Tuesday included only two events, both in the evening, while the partys programme was in the morning. The BJP is yet to announce its candidate from Chandigarh, while the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have already fielded former union ministers Pawan Kumar Bansal and Harmohan Dhawan, respectively, from this seat. Besides Kher, Tandon and Jain are also in the race for the party ticket. Kher, who was seen quite active in the constituency ever since she launched her campaign over a month ago, suddenly decided to go slow on her programmes. The Tribune has learnt that amid the speculation of being shifted to some other constituency, Kher has deliberately adopted a wait-and-watch policy. Kher, however, rubbished the talk of her being shifted to some other constituency, saying that rumours were being spread deliberately by her opponents. These are not new speculations; my opponents have been spreading rumours for quite some time. Sometimes they say I am being shifted to Amritsar, at other times, they say Gurdaspur. This is all baseless, she said. Refuting reports of her go-slow attitude on the campaign, Kirron said she had been participating in public events almost every day. Active campaigning will start only after the party announces the ticket. However, even now, I have been meeting people, visiting places of worship and holding meetings every day, she said. On her absence from the partys event where the campaign vehicles were flagged off by Capt Abhimanyu, Kirron said it was not a major event and she received information at a very late stage when she had already fixed her programmes for the day. Upneet Lalli Upneet Lalli Dy Director, Institute of Correctional Administration, Chandigarh GRAPPLING with drug abuse, countries are realising that the only way to progress is to focus on people rather than drugs. As per the UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) World Drug Report-2017, around 2.95 crore people or 0.6 per cent of the global adult population suffers from drug use disorders, including dependence. Around 20 per cent of the worlds prison population takes drugs, compared to an estimated 5.3 per cent in the community. As Punjab confronts a growing epidemic of drug and substance abuse, policy-makers, law enforcers and public health officials need to pay heed to the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy (2019). These introduce a comprehensive catalogue of human rights standards. India needs to learn lessons from other countries which have dealt with drug abuse. Policy-making requires a clear understanding of whether, how and to what degree imprisonment for drug offences affects the nature and extent of the drug problem. A zero tolerance and deterrence approach hasnt worked. The US could not win the war against drugs, launched in 1971 by then President Richard Nixon. It was extended by then President Ronald Reagan to the demand side; during his rule, the Crime Bill led to a crackdown on addicts. The stiffer prison terms did not curb drug abuse. Today, the US has 655 prisoners per 100,000 of the general population, among the highest in the world. The disastrous consequences of the war on drugs are persisting in countries like the Philippines. In 2001, Portugal became the first country to decriminalise the possession and consumption of all illegal substances, including heroin and cocaine. Portugal did not legalise drug use, but made the purchase or possession of small quantities up to 10-day supply and administrative supply a public health intervention. A person caught with a personal supply is given a warning, or has to pay a small fine, or is told to appear before a local Dissuasion Commission hearing in an informal meeting. There he is informed about treatment, harm reduction and available support services. Drug-related HIV infections have dropped to 95 per cent, and heroin users are down from 1 lakh to 25,000. The results of a survey conducted by AIIMS in 2018 reveal that Punjab had one of the highest prevalence of substance abuse across drug categories, with 10.9 lakh sedative users and 27,000 cocaine users. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government to establish rehabilitation centres in each prison of the state and passed a slew of directions to tackle the drug menace. The strategy has to be based not only on supply reduction, but also on demand and harm reduction. The Global Prison Trends Report-2018 revealed that harsh criminal justice responses are responsible for prison overcrowding. About 70 per cent of the undertrials in Punjab are booked under the NDPS Act. According to available UN data, 83 per cent of the drug offences that are recorded by criminal justice systems are possession offences. A study done by Vidhi Centre for legal policy (2018) found that strict liability provisions have led to high convictions under the NDPS Act in Punjab. The data suggests that 70-90 per cent of the total drug cases are intermediate quantity cases. It is seen that around three-fourths of those sentenced under the Act are lower-level actors such as couriers and mules. The public safety impact of incapacitating these offenders is nullified because they are quickly replaced. While Sections 27, 39 and 64A of the Act provides an option to the courts and the prosecution to send those caught with small amounts for treatment in rehabilitation centres, these are rarely used. There is a need to sensitise them about this provision. Further, policemen also need to be sensitised so that they can identify and differentiate between a drug user-turned-peddler and drug dealers, who are professional criminals. Better investigation skills, financial probe and freezing of assets of drug traffickers require greater attention. The drug problem in society gets reflected in prisons. Prisons are secure establishments, and drug and mobile phones inside jails raise serious questions about safety and security. Prisoners in any country will try to get drugs inside. When one route is closed, another will be found. Tablets, opium, smack etc. are routinely recovered from inmates. The inside economy operates due to the demand from consumers and innovative suppliers. Addressing the availability of drugs in prisons requires constant vigilance and prompt action through a comprehensive supply reduction strategy. There are drug users and suppliers in the captive market. The addicted prisoners undergoing withdrawal symptoms are easy to spot. There are some prisoners with prior drug problems, while some have committed an offence to fund their drug use they normally start as juveniles. There are other prisoners who have been involved in criminal activity which brings them into contact with drugs. Some develop drug problems in prison. With no purposeful activity, and addicts as co-inmates, it is easy to succumb. There are some whose families have rejected them, and drug use becomes a coping mechanism. I have come across women inmates who have desired treatment. Mental health assessment becomes important to identify such at-risk prisoners. In the draft Prison Act 2016 that I had submitted to the Punjab Government, mandatory drug testing and treatment had been provided. The Act is yet to be implemented, even as Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres have been established in eight central prisons of the state through the Department of Health and Family Welfare for the treatment of prisoners. Rarely does the prison environment fully prepare inmates for life after release. Addiction treatment must have a strong component of learning how to cope with the stressors and triggers that addicts will face once they are back in their familiar environment. Prisons dont have programmes that facilitate this. Skill development of inmates is essential for proper time management and reintegration. Only when addict prisoners stop thinking of drugs will they start seeking work and have better chances of recovery. Post-release follow-up is important, as there is extreme vulnerability following release and re-entry into community. There is a risk of overdose, frequently due to their relapse into heroin use and reduced tolerance to opioids. Peer-led interventions can be useful. Prisons provide an opportunity to promote public health through working with prison staff and prisoners and also the outside community. An effective response to drug abuse requires law enforcement to curtail trafficking; treatment to reduce dependency and recidivism; and alternative sentencing for non-violent drug offenders. The criminal justice and treatment systems need to engage the communities to optimise resources that benefit health, safety and well-being of the individuals and society. Rajesh Ramachandran Rajesh Ramachandran It is not every day the Prime Minister of India slams your work, so it was a joyous occasion to wake up to read Narendra Modi slamming my story in his interview to The Times of India on Wednesday. Hardly anyone other than a reporter remembers his old stories and there is nothing more heartening than to see someone else talking about them. In this case, it was an 18-year-old story that I broke, incidentally, for The Times of India. The coffin scam rocked Parliament, was a strong ingredient in the only no-confidence motion moved by Sonia Gandhi in the 12th Lok Sabha and the taboot ghotala became a campaign slogan for the Opposition, which came to power in 2004. But as is its wont, the Congress gave the coffin scam an indecent burial very soon. Yet, this story remained my all-time favourite because despite the then Defence Minister George Fernandes threatening me with a Rs 100-crore defamation case, I had pursued it to its logical conclusion. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its special audit of Kargil-era purchases had found that the Ministry of Defence had paid more than the real cost for coffins imported from the US. The CAG report was scooped and published on December 11, 2001, even before it was laid in Parliament. All hell broke loose. Fernandes was not directly involved in this deal. He should have merely held an inquiry and sacked those involved in the price negotiating committee (which, interestingly, had two persons lured by sting journalists). Instead, all ire was directed at the reporter and the CAG. Even the US ambassador stepped in to give Fernandes the clean chit. But my enquiries with the Defence Supplies Centre Philadelphia (DSCP) proved him wrong. India had paid double the price the DSCP used to pay for the coffins. Parliament was rocked yet again. But that was it. Neither political beneficiaries nor award-giving gate-keepers of the Guild thought much of it. Now, 18 years later, Modi has reminded us of the fake scam of Army coffins. Election-time scandals do not have much shelf life. Yet, every election has a defining slogan, an emotive issue or point of vulnerability among a sea of charges; something that could charge up the voters and make them want to remove the incumbent. The coffin scam was one such issue. Earlier, the Bofors scandal had struck a chord with the masses, who voted Rajiv Gandhi out in 1989. Later, the 2G scandal triggered a tsunami that swept the UPA government out of power in 2014 and reduced the Congress to just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha, its lowest-ever tally. The 2009 polls did not have an all-encompassing, emotive slogan and the Congress returned to power with an increased number of seats. PM Manmohan Singhs clean image and the employment guarantee scheme saw the party through in those polls. This time around, has the Opposition zeroed in on one such slogan, an emotive issue? Well, more than the Rafale deal or the jobs data, the most vulnerable point for the BJP, and a very big issue this time, is public lynching. The minorities are distressed and are getting alienated more and more from the ruling party. There arent very many from minority communitiesdirectly threatened or notwho feel confident about the BJP returning to power. This is the greatest undoing of the NDA government because this has only resulted in the consolidation of a huge block of votes against the BJP across the country. Modi and his team had carefully calibrated the 2014 poll campaign to ensure their slogans or speeches did not polarise the minority votes against the BJP. Muslims and other minority communities did not hesitate in voting the Congress and UPA out over various scams in 2014 because they were not asserting their religious identity while voting but merely choosing their representative or the PM. So, in effect it was a wave of hope and for change that swept across the Hindi heartland, with corruption and lack of development as the prime triggers. But after the polls, the brutal killings of Muslims over allegations of cow smuggling and slaughter across the Hindi heartland have led to a consolidation of minority votes against the BJP. Along with the minorities, the Dalits, too, are angry. The Una lynching of a Dalit condemned to do his caste occupation of skinning a dead cow and the suicide of Rohith Vemula had left a lasting impression of alienation, which does not seem to have changed. This consolidation of the Dalit-Muslim vote is too formidable for the BJP to gloss over. The uninhibited unleashing of Hindutva campaigners like Yogi Adityanath appears to be the BJPs response to minority consolidation. Theoretically, a reverse consolidation is possible in such a situation. The candidature of the Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh against Congress stalwart Digvijay Singh in Bhopal is an attempt at it. But there was no sign of a reverse consolidation in Rajasthan where the most ghastly lynching had occurred. A Hindu consolidation (like minority consolidation) is a reactive process, which needs a catalyst, usually a perceived threat to Hinduism, as in the case of Sabarimala in Kerala. The BJP could never achieve this after the Babri Masjid demolition and it appears difficult for the party to consolidate Hindu votes in its favour in the absence of an emotive, socio-political convergence point. The 2017 UP Assembly poll sweep was not engineered by a Hindutva campaign but by the promise of an attack on black money through demonetisation. Now, that promise stands belied. So, a reverse consolidation, simply over minority apathy, may not be easy. The BJP would hope to win the voters over on the promise of a strong national security state in the backdrop of the Balakot air strikes, or farmer doles or the upper-caste quota; however, there doesnt seem to be a reason for Hindu voters in the Hindi heartland to suddenly assert their religious identity. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Cocking a snook at the law and the judicial process, the BJP has fielded Malegaon blast case accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from Bhopal against Congress veteran and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijay Singh. Out on bail for the past two years, the Hindutva hardliner was discharged by a court of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but she is still facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sections of the IPC pertaining to murder and criminal conspiracy. The saffron party and Pragya herself allege that she was framed by the then Congress-led UPA government in an attempt to validate its Hindu terror theory. The BJP has been emboldened by the recent acquittal of Swami Aseemanand and three others in the 2007 Samjhauta Express blast case. The accused had walked free as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) failed to establish their role in the blast that killed 68 people, mostly from Pakistan, on the cross-border train near Panipat. The shoddy probe had prompted the NIA special judge to observe that a dastardly act of violence remained unpunished for want of credible and admissible evidence. Nevertheless, the verdict provided the BJP with ammunition to accuse the Congress of maligning the entire community by propagating a false story of Hindu terror. Even in the Malegaon case, the NIA filed a chargesheet giving the clean chit to Pragya and three others, saying that it had found no evidence against them and they should be discharged. The NIA court, however, had refused to grant relief to the radical leader. The ruling party is in no mood to hold the leading investigation agency accountable for its lapses or wait for the final judgment. Instead, it has chosen to take the matter to the peoples court by pitting Pragya against a known RSS-baiter. Senior party leader Subramanian Swamy has gone to the extent of saying that the charges against the candidate are in the final stages of being dismissed, as if her acquittal is a foregone conclusion. Having picked a controversial nominee, the BJP can no longer take the moral high ground. editorial@tribune.com Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Mandi, April 18 Residents of Lahaul-Spiti have urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow them to use the Rohtang tunnel between Kullu and the district once it is cleared of snow. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is undertaking snow removal work at the south and north portals of the tunnel from Manali and Lahaul side to facilitate traffic movement. Both the sides of the tunnel are closed since December because of heavy snowfall. If weather permits and there are no landslides or avalanches, the tunnel is expected to be cleared in a week. The residents said the BRO was struggling to restore the 13,050-feet Rohtang Pass, the gateway to Lahaul on the Manali-Leh highway, for traffic but the job would take time to complete. The mighty Pass is usually restored for traffic in mid-May. Mohan Lal, a resident of Lahaul, said The BRO is facing challenges due to avalanches and landslides. It is expected that the organisation would connect the tunnel soon. So we have urged the Election Commission to allow traffic movement at least once in a week via the tunnel when the snow removal work is over. It will be a great help to us till the Rohtang Pass is restored for traffic movement. He said, A large number of people want to move between Kullu-Manali and Lahaul-Spiti. They are suffering because of lack of chopper service. The state government provides helicopter service only in emergency cases to airlift patients or stranded people out of Lahaul-Spiti, he said. The people of the district have submitted a charter of demand to the Lahaul-Spiti administration. Ashwani Kumar Chaudhari, Lahaul-Spiti Deputy Commissioner, said, We have already written to the Election Commission over the issue, but havent received a reply yet. The BRO is working hard to restore the Pass for the movement of vehicles and we expect that it would be opened for traffic between Manali and Keylong soon. The residents demand editorial@tribune.com Vijay Arora Legal Correspondent Shimla, April 18 The HP High court on Thursday granted bail to former Superintendent of Police (SP) DW Negi. Negi was arrested for the custodial death of an accused in a rape and murder case of a 16-year-old girl. The CBI arrested Negi on November 16, 2017. Negi contended in his bail petition that the investigation was complete in this case and nothing was to be recovered from him. While granting bail, Justice Sureshwar Thakur has imposed stringent conditions on the bail to the petitioner, including furnishing personal bond in the sum of Rs 3,00,000, with two local sureties in the like amount to the satisfaction of the Special Judge CBI, Shimla. Apart from this, the court further directed Negi to join the investigation as and when required by the investigating agency and he will not directly or indirectly, make any inducement, threat or promise to any person acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him from disclosing such facts to the court or to any police officer. The court also directed that he will not leave India without the prior permission of the court and deposit his passport with the CBI. The court had directed the CBI to constitute a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by a Superintendent of Police to investigate the rape and murder of a 16-year old girl from Kotkhai. Apart from this, the court had also entrusted the investigation of the custodial death of an accused in a rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl case. It was on July 12, 2017 that the High Court took suo moto cognizance of the matter after news reports published in media. Thereafter, an FIR was registered against Negi and others on July, 22, 2017 with the Police Station, Special Crime-1/CBI, New Delhi, in a custodial death case. editorial@tribune.com Our Correspondent Una, April 18 Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Virbhadra Singh on Thursday addressed a public meeting organised by the Congress OBC cell at Ghaluwal village of the Haroli segment to campaign in favour of party candidate Ram Lal Thakur. Party co-in charge Gurkirat Singh Kotli, Leader of the Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri and Congress president Kuldeep Rathore were also present.Responding to a query on BJP president Satpal Sattis remarks against Rahul Gandhi, Virbhadra Singh alleged that Satti had lost his mental balance. He said it was no business of a politician to suggest Priyanka Gandhi the clothes she should wear during canvassing. Virbhadra Singh said it was unfortunate that Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was supporting Satti for his shameful public remarks against Rahul Gandhi. This showed the Chief Ministers helplessness. He said it would have been better if he had condemned Sattis remarks. Virbhadra Singh said Ram Lal Thakur was an experienced politician and if elected, he would address the issues of the Hamirpur segment in Parliament. He said the party had fielded an OBC candidate from Kangra and urged voters from this community to exercise their franchise in favour of the Congress. He also appealed to Congress workers to fight unitedly and without any complacency. Addressing a gathering, Rathore said BJP MP Anurag Thakur remained cut off from the people of the segment for most part of his tenure. Anurag was a hi-fi leader, who mostly remains abroad and hence was alienated from the problems and issues of the people, he said. Later, addressing mediapersons , Virbhadra said there were proposals from certain Congress leaders to field Agnihotri from Hamirpur. However, I told the party high command that Agnihotri was doing well as the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and his services are needed more in the state, he said. gspannu7@gmail.com Srinagar, April 19 These are the worst days for the country, said former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday, reacting to remarks on former Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the BJP candidate from Bhopal and an accused in the 2006 Malegaon blast case. I think these are the worst days for our country that you are giving such a choice of candidates to the people who use such language against a martyr like Hemant Karkare, Mehbooba told reporters here. Thakur on Friday said Karkare died during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks as she had cursed him for treating her badly. Karkare, along with two other senior police officers, was killed while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP on Wednesday had fielded Thakur from the Bhopal parliamentary seat, where she is set to have a direct contest with Congress heavyweight and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh. Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Mehbooba asked the BJP what the party wanted to convey to the people of the country by fielding a candidate like Thakur. What do you want to convey to the people by fielding in the elections a lady against whom there is a charge sheet and such grave charges and who was in jail? That whatever the lady stands for, the BJP stands for those things? the PDP president said. She also termed as a huge setback the suspension of the cross-LoC trade between India and Pakistan. This is a huge setback. All the work done by (former PM Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, whatever he has done, it seems that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi wants to demolish all that. The present NDA government wants to turn upside down and demolish all of Vajpayees CBMs and steps whether political or others like the negotiations or dialogue with Pakistan, or dialogue in J-K and opening of routes and trade, Mehbooba said. The former chief minister said it was ironical that the decision to suspend the cross-LoC trade was taken on the same day when Vajpayee had visited Kashmir in 2003 and extended a hand of friendship to Pakistan. I think this is very unfortunate, very ironical also, because it was on this day that Vajpayee had come to Kashmir and had extended the hand of friendship with Pakistan and had said he will address the Kashmir issue within the ambit of humanity. The opening of Muzaffarabad road was initiated by Vajpayee. It seems that we are going backward rather than moving forward because the solution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue is only this that all the routes have to be reopened, she said. India had on Thursday indefinitely suspended the cross-LoC trade at two points along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, following reports that it was being misused by elements from across the border to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency. In an official statement, the Home Ministry had said orders have been issued for halting the trade at Salamabad of Baramulla district in the Kashmir region and Chakkan-da-Bagh of Poonch district in the Jammu region after reports of very large scale misuse of the cross-LoC trade. Mehbooba said the BJP wanted to suspend the trade when she was the chief minister, but she had resisted the move. When I was the chief minister, even then they (BJP) had tried to suspend the cross-LoC trade, but I resisted. I want to tell the government of India that the problem of Jammu and Kashmir is very serious and difficult an instance of which we saw in the unfortunate attack in Pulwama. If we choke the routes which have been opened and also choke the space further here, then its consequences will be dangerous, because, ultimately, the solution to the J-K issue is that Kargil-Skardu, Jammu-Sialkote, Uri-Muzaffarabad, and all such old routes connecting us with Central Asia or South Asia since 1947 have to be restored, she said. Mehbooba said, I think J&K is being involved in the elections across the country and it is being shown that they are using a muscular, a tough policy and all of it is being done for polarisation. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 19 Inclusion of California almonds among the goods traded across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and their under-invoicing to generate slush funds for terrorists was among the main reasons behind the Centres decision to suspend cross-LoC trade from today. The government said five reasons inclusion of third party goods, channelling terror funds, drug trade, supply of arms to support terrorists and pushing in fake currency went against the move to allow cross-LoC trade. Government sources said almonds produced in California found their way into India through this route, thus showing how third parties were misusing the facility to trade goods produced outside Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also detected hawala transactions to fund terror activities. Sources said Pakistani traders under-invoiced their products, including California almonds, to the extent of money received by them. On the receipt of consignment, the trader on the Indian side sold it at the market price so as to make undue profit to the extent of under-invoicing. The extra money so earned was then handed over to anti-national elements and terrorist organisations in the Valley, sources said. The modus operandi came to light after businessman and president of LoC traders Zahoo Ahmed Watali was chargesheeted for allegedly funnelling money to terrorists and subversive elements in the Valley. His property has been attached by the Enforcement Directorate. It has also been revealed that a significant number of trading concerns engaged in cross-LoC trade were being operated by persons closely associated with banned terrorist organisations, especially the Hizbul Mujahideen. Some Indian nationals who have crossed over to Pakistan and joined militant organisations have opened trading firms in Pakistan. As a result, many trading firms under the control of militant organisations became engaged in cross-LoC trade with firms operated by their own relatives on the Indian side. The trade channel was being used to push drugs into the Valley, adversely impacting the youth and thereby converting many of them into addicts. Around 66.5-kg heroin consignment that was recently seized from a Valley-based consignee had came through that route. Another worrying aspect of the cross-LoC trade was the smuggling of arms and ammunition into the Valley. Recent seizure of pistols, grenades and ammunition etc. concealed in a consignment of bananas proved the prevalence of such a trend. Seizure of fake currency worth Rs 57 lakh, Rs 20 lakh, Rs 15 lakh and Rs 7.5 lakh in separate instances and the arrest of over 10 persons indicated that the cross-LoC route was being also used to push fake currency into India, sources said. Five key factors SAN DIEGO, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. announced Friday that its private lending fund, the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, has provided a $2,200,000 rehab loan in West Hollywood, California. The commercial retail building is currently comprised of 2,555 square-feet on an 10,046 square-foot lot. The renovation will include the addition of a second story, adding 2,781 square-feet, and will total 5,336 square-feet upon completion. The property was recently appraised on an as-is basis for $4,640,000, giving the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund a total loan-to-value ratio of 47 percent on the transaction. The loan was also cross-collateralized by a single-family residence in the Los Angeles area. Demand for retail space on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood is extremely high. Our loan amount equates to 47 percent of the as-is value, and 34 percent of the after-repair value, which we believe is a strong rehab loan scenario for the Fund, Director of Origination Daniel Goldberg said. Wilshire Quinn typically funds loans in 5 to 7 business days and originates bridge loans ranging from $200,000-$10,000,000. Wilshire Quinn works directly with real estate owners and mortgage professionals nationwide. As for Wilshire Quinns typical borrowers, their customer base is fairly diverse; borrowers range from builders looking for rehab financing, to individuals who are looking to purchase or refinance an investment property. Wilshire Quinn, a California hard money lender , provides financing to borrowers who are unable to obtain credit from traditional lending institutions or need to close quickly on a property. ABOUT WILSHIRE QUINN Wilshire Quinn is a San Diego hard money lender , Los Angeles hard money lender , and San Francisco hard money lender , and provides financing to borrowers who are unable to obtain credit from traditional lending institutions or need to close quickly on a property. Wilshire Quinn will consider lending on properties located nationwide including Portland and New York . Loans are made or arranged by Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC pursuant to California Finance Lenders Law license #603J060. Wilshire Quinn Capital, Inc. serves as manager of the Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. The information above is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. Portions of the loan described above may be sold to third party purchasers and does not necessarily reflect the amount held in the Fund's loan portfolio. Nothing contained in the information above is an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security. Any such offer to purchase securities will be made only through the Private Placement Memorandum of Wilshire Quinn Income Fund, LLC. Contact Leonard Bruno lbruno@wilshirequinn.com 619-872-6000 editorial@tribune.com Arteev Sharma Tribune News Service Jammu, April 18 The Ladakh parliamentary seat seems to be heading for a quadrilateral contest as two Independent candidates, including a Congress rebel, filed their papers from the seat on the last day of nominations on Thursday. The NC, PDP and influential Islamia School Kargil-supported consensus candidate Sajjad Hussain Kargili and Imam Khomeni Memorial Trust, Kargil-backed former MLA Asgar Ali Karbalaie filed their papers before the Assistant Returning Officer, Kargil. The scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on April 20, while the candidates can withdraw their nominations by April 22. Congress rebel Karbalaies decision to contest the elections is being seen as a major setback to the party in Ladakh. The party has fielded its senior Buddhist leader Rigzin Spalbar, who has served as Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) in the powerful Leh Council twice, as its official candidate as it fears that it would divide the partys vote, giving an edge to the opposition's candidate. All major political and religious groups of Kargil have posed faith in me and fielded me as a unity candidate. It is the unity which Kargil showed while struggling for divisional headquarters in the district. If any other candidate has decided to contest the Lok Sabha elections, I would request him to withdraw his candidature in the larger interest of Kargil, Kargili claimed after filing his papers. The BJP has fielded the incumbent CEC of the Leh Council Jamyang Tsering Namgyal from the seat but the saffron party has been struggling with anti-incumbency factor, particularly after the resignation of its MP Thupstan Chhewang from the party as well as Parliament. Recently, the saffron party, in its bid to retrieve the lost ground, played a trump card by granting the divisional status to Ladakh to mollify the groups struggling long in favour of their demand for the Union Territory status for the region. During the 2014 parliamentary polls, the Congress had suffered defeat in Ladakh after its rebel leader Ghulam Raza decided to contest as an Independent candidate. Backed by the Islamia School Kargil and other groups in Kargil, Raza was defeated by BJP leader Thupstan Chhewang by a narrow margin of 36 votes. 8 nominations filed A total of eight nominations have been filed for the Ladakh parliamentary seat. On the last date of filing nominations on Thursday, five candidates who included Tsering Namgyal, Asgar Ali Karbalai, Sajjad Hussain, Kacho Mohammad Feroz and Asgar Ali, all Independents, filed their papers taking the total to eight. . shalender@tribune.com Neha Saini In a backlash to Pulwama terror attack, amidst the calls for banning Pakistani artistes in India, national award-winning actor Vidya Balan had said that a tough stand needs to be taken. On her recent visit to Amritsar, the actress confessed that art should be kept away from politics. I stand by what I said and in that moment when so many of our soldiers were killed, I felt emotional. There is no end to hatred and I feel that peace needs constant efforts. Taking part in FICCI FLO Amritsars Change of Guard ceremony, the witty and wonderful actress also talked about how she called up her father-in-law to learn some Punjabi before coming to the heartland of Punjab. Ajj Mein Tuhade Pind Aayi, she said, pausing to check if she pronounced it correctly. I am very excited. I always wanted to come here and explore the city, visit Golden Temple and its special because my mother is travelling along with me. Id love to do a Punjabi film as well, though nobody has offered me to play a Punjabi character till date, she said. Up next Giving some powerful performances in the past, Vidya will be seen playing the role of former Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi in a web series that she announced recently.I can only say that the project is really happening and I look forward to it. I started doing women-centric films when no one was making them. Today, we are demanding our pound of flesh in the industry. It will be exciting to see how things turn out in future. She was also offered the moveie on Jayalalithaa, titled Thalaivi, before Kangana Ranaut was signed on for the film. Her other project this year is Mission Mangal, along with an ensemble star cast, including Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu and Kirti Kulhari. shalender@tribune.com Last week, the makers of Chhichhore announced its wrap up in a grand manner with a song shoot. The film, starring Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles, is set in two eras the 1990s and 2019. However, we hear that an important scene between Sushant and Varun Sharma that is part of the 2019 set-up was yet to be shot. So, the two actors will be flying to London for the same. A source says that initially the makers had planned to film the scene in Chroma, as its only a six-hour shoot. However, producer Sajid Nadiadwala felt that they should shoot on actual locations. Sajid loves London as a destination. So, he tries to include it in all his films. Be it the Housefull franchise, Judwaa 2 and now Chhichhore, the English capital has always served as a backdrop. Frankly, another producer would have compromised but Sajid is one of those who doesnt believe in cutting corners. So, though the shoot is merely for six hours, director Nitesh Tiwari and Sajid felt, the actors should fly to the UK just for the experience. rchopra@tribunemail.com New Delhi, April 19 Two Indian Navy ships will participate in an international maritime parade off the coast of Qingdao in China next week, marking the 70th anniversary of founding of the Chinese Navy. Indian Navy ships--INS Kolkata and INS Shakti--will arrive in Qingdao on Sunday to participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR), Navy Spokesperson Capt DK Sharma said. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled to witness the IFR on April 23. Chinas defence spokesman Col Wu Qian said last month that over 60 countries would join the commemorative event on April 23. IFR is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their naval capabilities. India had organised an IFR off Visakhapatnam in February 2016 which saw participation of nearly 100 warships from 50 countries. INS Kolkata is an indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors to address threats in all dimensions of naval warfare. INS Shakti is a fleet support ship. A military official said it would be for the first time that Indian warships would be visiting China after the Doklam standoff. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam from June 1, 2017 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road by Chinese Army in a disputed tri-junction in Doklam. The face-off ended on August 28, 2017. Both countries have since taken a series of initiatives to move forward, leaving behind the bitter episode. In April last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi held an informal summit in Chinese city of Wuhan, resolving to open a new chapter in ties, and directed their militaries to boost coordination along the nearly 3,500 km Sino-India border. The visit of Indian Navys most potent destroyer and versatile fleet support ship showcases Indias prowess, reach and sustainability in addition to indigenous ship building capability, Capt DK Sharma said. He said the harbour stay of the two ships would be marked by interaction between personnel of participating navies. Ships will be opened for visits by PLA (Navy) personnel and local populace to showcase Indian Navys prowess and Indias ship-building capability, Capt Sharma added. PTI uttara@tribuneindia.com New Delhi, April 19 The Aam Aadmi Party has postponed the nomination of its candidates in a last ditch effort to form an alliance with the Congress, senior party leader Gopal Rai said on Friday. The effort was being made "to save the country from the Modi-Shah duo", he said. On Saturday, AAP's East Delhi candidate Atishi, Chandini Chowk candidate Pankaj Gupta and North West candidate Guhan Singh were to file their nominations. "But to give a last chance to the Congress to come on the table for holding talks over the alliance, we are postponing these candidates' nominations from Saturday to Monday," Rai said. On Monday, these candidates would file their nominations along with South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha, North East Delhi candidate Dilip Pandey and New Delhi candidate Brijesh Goyal, he added. On Thursday, after holding a roadshow, the party's West Delhi candidate Balbir Singh Jakhar filed his nomination papers. Sources said AAP leader Sanjay Singh has proposed to the Congress that the party would not field its candidate from Chandigarh and give the grand old party outside support in the Union Territory, if an alliance is formed in Delhi with the 5:2 seat-sharing formula, five for the AAP and two for Congress. Uncertainty prevails over the tie-up in Delhi, with the AAP seeking an alliance in Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh. The Congress, however, offered to tie up only in the national capital. On Thursday, the AAP-JJP alliance announced that there is no possibility of a tie-up in Haryana as the JJP said that it could never join hands with the grand old party. In Haryana, the AAP has proposed an alliance in the ratio of 6:3:1 with six seats for Congress, three seats for AAP's alliance partner in the state Jannayak Janata Party and one seat for itself. In Delhi, an alliance in the formula of 5:2 has been proposed by the AAP with five seats for the ruling party while the Congress has refused to form an alliance anywhere except in Delhi and that too in a ratio of 4:3. Cong probables With the nomination process set to close on Tuesday, a list of Congress probables for seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi has been sent to party president Rahul Gandhi for his approval, a senior party leader said. The list of party probables, including Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, was sent to Gandhi and party's organisation secretary KC Venugopal on Friday, said AICC incharge PC Chacko. "The list is likely to be out on Saturday since Rahul Gandhi is out of Delhi for campaigning and will be back late tonight," Chacko said. A senior Congress leader said negotiations with AAP had reached an impasse. "They (AAP) are coming out with new formulae instead of agreeing to contest four seats and leave three for Congress in Delhi. Time is running out for nomination and campaigning, so we are focusing on announcement of our candidates," he said. Dikshit, whose name was making the rounds as the party's probable candidate from East Delhi, has now shown interest on Chandni Chowk seat, they said. "If Dikshit is fielded from Chandni Chowk, former Delhi Congress president Arvinder Singh Lovely could be East Delhi candidate," said a top leader associated with screening of names for the Lok Sabha polls. Former South Delhi MP Ramesh Kumar was considered on the seat. Olympic medal winner Sushil Kumar's name was also under consideration from South Delhi. On West Delhi seat, the party was trying to field a prominent Purvanchali celebrity but the plan did not materialise. A former MP from the seat, Mahabal Mishra, is front-runner as party candidate on the seat due to his Purvanchali roots, sources claimed. The nomination process for Lok Sabha polls in Delhi will conclude on April 23; nomination will not take place on Sunday. The AAP has announced its candidates on seven seats while the BJP is likely to do so on Saturday. Sources said AAP has proposed to withdraw its Chandigarh candidate in favour of Congress if it agreed to have two seats in Delhi. The AAP insisted on including Haryana in alliance while Congress stuck to 4-3 formula of seat sharing for Delhi alone. Later, the AAP said Congress could not be given more than two seats in Delhi if Haryana is kept out of the ambit of alliance. The Congress rejected it. Sources in Congress said the party has finalised its seven candidates but some adjustments could be made on 2-3 seats. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 19 As political parties promise farm loan waive-off during poll season, an advocate has moved the Supreme Court against governments writing off non-performing assets (NPAs) and waiving off farm loans, contending it adversely affected Indias economy and amounted to transferring tax-payers money to defaulting borrowers. Petitioner Reena N Singh sought a direction to the Ministry of Finance, states and union territories to restrain banks from technical write-off of NPAs and waive-off of farm loans as such decisions led to increase in fiscal deficit. She urged the court to ensure fair use of public funds which belong to the country. The petition is likely to be taken up for hearing next week. Pointing out that political parties were offering loan waiver schemes in their election manifesto to pursue their political motives, the petitioner said it was satisfied from the public exchequer by tax-payers money and not from the ruling parties funds. She referred to news reports about farm loan waivers leading to Congress win in 2009 Lok Sabha polls. The petitioner recalled how former Deputy RBI Governor KC Chakrabarty had said such technical write-offs encouraged non-transparency and wrongdoings. As per RBI data for the 2017-18, only two public-sector banks were in profit from a list of 21 and in April 2018, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had questioned RBI on the NPA crisis. Farm loan waiver and corporate defaulters were two sides of the same coin, the petitioner submitted. Terming it a transfer from tax-payers to borrowers, Singh submitted, In order to grab power by luring particular sections of the vote-bank, especially farmers, these political parties, by offering temporary incentives like loan-waiving, are spoiling the economys credit culture and are permanently making the farmer financially weak and vulnerable. The petitioner said it appeared that the people sitting in power or political parties trying to come to power never wanted the majority of Indian farmers to come out of poverty due to vote-bank politics. The technical write-off of Non-Performing Assets is like tampering and fabrication of balance sheet which will not give the true and fair picture of its financial condition. The banks also get a percentage of around 7.5% to 8.5% of NPA as an allowable provision from their income which reduces their tax liability, which also directly indicates that NPAs are helping banks in reducing their taxes, the petitioner submitted. monicakchauhan@gmail.com New Delhi, April 19 With Saudi Arabia increasing India's Haj quota to two lakh, all applicants from big states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar have been cleared for going on the pilgrimage, sources in the Minority Affairs Ministry said. On Friday, the Saudi Arabian government issued a formal order with regard to the increase in India's Haj quota. At a meeting here in February that was attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Saudi Arabia had increased India's quota by about 25,000, taking the number of pilgrims from India who can perform Haj to two lakh. "Due to the significant increase in India's Haj quota, all the applicants from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Goa, Manipur, Lakshadweep, Odisha, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Daman and Diu, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Tripura, will go on Haj," a source said. A record number of two lakh Indian Muslims will perform Haj this year without subsidy. Another highlight this year is that 2,340 Muslim women from India will also go for the pilgrimage without 'Mehram' or male companion. A total of 34,397 applications were received from Uttar Pradesh this year, 8,470 from West Bengal, 191 from Goa, 499 from Manipur, 698 from Odisha, 2,138 from Andhra Pradesh, 3,588 from Assam, 4,950 from Bihar, 72 from Himachal Pradesh, 2,233 from Jharkhand, 342 from Punjab, and 110 from Tripura. All these applicants have become eligible to go on Haj after the increase in India's quota, the sources said. India's Haj quota has gone up sharply in the last five years as it was 1,36,000 in 2014, they said, adding that the minority affairs minister had made efforts to increase India's quota to two lakh which fructified when the Saudi Prince acceded to the request made by Modi earlier this year. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Lahore, April 18 Another teenaged Hindu girl was kidnapped by an influential Muslim man in Pakistans Punjab province, forcibly married and converted into Islam, sparking outrage among the minority community that held a sit-in here on Thursday, blocking the citys main road to press the Imran Khan government to recover her safely. Holding placards and banners, the community members at Rahim Yar Khan, some 400-km from Lahore, were demanding the recovery of 17-year-old Naina and chanting slogans against forced conversions. According to the FIR, Naina was kidnapped by Tahir Tamri, with the help of his father and brothers last month. It said the kidnappers took the girl to Karachi and got her converted to Islam at a seminary, Jamiatul Saeed Gulshan-i-Maima, after marrying her. She was given Muslim name Noor Fatima. The suspect uploaded pictures and videos of their marriage and her embracing of Islam on social media. The Hindu community members took to the streets on the second consecutive day on Thursday to lodge their protest against the abduction and forced conversion of Naina. Stop the forced conversion of Hindu girls after kidnapping them, read a placard. During the protest, the girls father, Ragu Ram, threatened that he will set himself on fire if justice is not provided. Rahim Yar Khan district reportedly houses 1.5 lakh Hindus. The protesters ended demonstration after police high-ups assured them that the justice would be done. Rahim Yar Khan police chief Umar Farooq Salamat said a team had been sent to Karachi to recover the girl. A police team of RYK is present in Karachi to trace the girl and the suspect and hopefully we will soon trace them, Salamat said. A Hindu lawmaker from Prime Minister Imran Khans party last month moved two bills in Parliament seeking enhancement of punishment for those involved in forced conversion and for making child marriage a cognisable offence. PTI 1,000 cases in 2018, says rights panel A Human Rights Commission of Pakistan report said around 1,000 cases of forced conversions and marriages of Hindu and Christian girls were reported in southern Sindh province in 2018 alone Cities where such cases frequently occur included Umerkot, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Karachi, Tando Allahyar, Kashmore and Ghotki, the report said Two Hindu sisters Raveena (13) and Reena (15) were allegedly kidnapped by a group of influential men from their home in Ghotki district in Sindh on the eve of Holi in March this year Soon after the kidnapping, a video went viral in which a cleric was purportedly shown soleminising the marriage of the two girls, triggering a nationwide outrage 75 lakh : Hindus live in Pakistan, majority of them in Sindh province, show estimates 25 forced : marriages take place per month in Umerkot district of Sindh alone, as per reports rchopra@tribunemail.com Lucknow, April 19 Ashok Chandel, the BJP MLA from Uttar Pradeshs Hamirpur district, was on Friday sentenced to life imprisonment after he was found guilty in a 22-year-old murder case. He was sentenced by the Allahabad High Court for his involvement in the murder of five people on January 26, 1997. A Bench of Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice DK Singh also sentenced 10 others to life imprisonment. Rajiv Shukla, the victims family member, told IANS: Three people from my familyelder brothers Rajesh Shukla and Rakesh Shukla and nephew Ganeshwere killed along with our security guards Ved Prakash Nayak and Shrikant Pandey. He said he approached the high court after a lower court acquitted the accused. IANS monicakchauhan@gmail.com Dubai, April 19 India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri has commended the launch of a book containing English translation of the Punjabi poem, Khooni Vaisakhi, saying the100-year-old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience. The poem was translated by Suri whose grandfather revolutionary poet and novelist Nanak Singh, a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing first-hand the events of April 13, 1919, when British troops fired upon crowds of protestors peacefully demonstrating against the Rowlatt Act of the British Raj, leading to the loss of well over a thousand lives. The book was also released in New Delhi on April 13, marking 100 years since the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place in Amritsar. Speaking at a panel discussion on the poem following the launch of the book in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, Suri said that the release of the book has attracted exceptional media and public interest. Its release in India has attracted exceptional media and public interest and many have commented on the timeless quality of its message, Suri said. I am happy that this translation of a 100-year-old classic ballad about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is now reaching a global audience, he said. Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature at NYU New York, Toral Gajarawala moderated the panel discussion on the poem and its impact on Indian nationalism and the British Raj. The panel discussion was also attended by BBC South Asia Correspondent, Justin Rowlatt, whose great-grandfather, Sir Sydney Arthur Taylor Rowlatt, drafted the Rowlatt Act. PTI NEW YORK, April 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of Sprint Corporation (Sprint or the Company) (NYSE: S) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. On April 15, 2019, Sprints counsel filed an Ex Parte response with the Federal Communications Commission. In the filing, Sprints attorney suggested that Sprint is in a very difficult situation that is only getting worse. Then on April 17, 2019, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled Sprint Tells Regulators Its Business Is Worse Than Earlier Portrayed. Sprint shares fell from a close of $6.10 on April 12, 2019 to a recent close of $5.64 per share on April 17, 2019. To obtain additional information, go to: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/sprint-corporation-loss-form or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firms attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. rchopra@tribunemail.com Beijing, April 19 China has said it is ready to hold a Wuhan-style summit with India this year to improve ties, notwithstanding the differences over the trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative in which the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flagship project. Addressing a media conference here today ahead of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) being held on April 25-27 to showcase Chinas trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi urged India to shed its opposition to the $60 billion CPEC, saying it no way undermined the basic position on the Kashmir dispute. Asked if Indias opposition to the BRI would undermine the new momentum generated by last years informal summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Wang said the two leaders had a very successful meeting at Wuhan city. Particularly they have established mutual trust between the leadership and they jointly planned for the future of improvement and strengthening of China-India relations. After the Wuhan summit, we see progress between the two countries and we have bright prospect for this relationship. We are now preparing for the next summit of our leaders, he said without specifying any time line. After the Wuhan summit hosted by China, the second summit will be held by India. President Xi plans to visit India for the 2nd informal summit after the General Election is over. Pakistan and Nepal are among the countries whose leaders will take part in its 2nd BRF meeting. Sources said there was no official invitation from China to the Indian leadership or at the ministerial level for the meeting. The CPEC, which has been officially designated as a flagship project of the BRI, has become a stumbling block for India to take part in it as the controversial project is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). We have stated clearly on many occasions that the BRI, including the CPEC, is only an economic initiative and it does not target any third country, he said. PTI 2 Indian ships to attend PLA event Two Indian Navy ships INS Kolkata and INS Shakti will participate in a maritime parade off Qingdao in China next week to mark the 70th anniversary of founding of the Chinese Navy vinaymishra188@gmail.com Mumbai/New Delhi, April 18 A Malegaon blast victims father and a political activist today moved the special NIA court and the Election Commission, respectively, seeking barring of prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a day after the BJP fielded her from Bhopal. The BJP, meanwhile, said it will contest the polls in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh as a fight against the alleged conspiracy by the Congress to defame Hindu religion by linking it to terrorism. The application before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai was filed by Nisar Sayeed, who lost his son in the blast in 2008. Special judge VS Padalkar sought replies from both the NIA and Thakur and posted the matter for Monday. The applicant pleaded that Thakur, who is out on bail, be asked to attend court proceedings in Mumbai and be barred from contesting the election as the trial is in progress. Thakur has spent nine years in jail and is out on bail since 2017 on health grounds. If Thakur was healthy enough to fight elections in the crippling summer heat, then she has misled the court, Sayeed alleged. A petition seeking cancellation of her bail is pending before the Supreme Court, the applicant said. Six persons were killed and 100 injured in a bomb blast at Malegaon, a communally-sensitive textile town in north Maharashtra, on September 29, 2008. The Maharashtra ATS arrested Thakur and others in the case, alleging they were part of a Hindu extremist group which carried out the blast. The NIA later gave Thakur a clean chit, but the court did not discharge her. It dropped charges against her under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, but she is still facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal Code sections. PTI gspannu7@gmail.com Chhota Udepur (Gujarat), April 19 BJP chief Amit Shah on Friday challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to debate with the president of the ruling partys youth wing on what the countrys oldest party has done for the poor in its over five-decade rule. Addressing an election meeting here, Shah listed achievements of the Narendra Modi government and accused the Congress of creating hurdles in the path of development of BJP-ruled Gujarat. Rahul baba chants about the poor. The Congress again raises the remove poverty (garibi hatao) slogan. For five generations and 55 years, only your family ruled the country. Come to any crossroad in Vadodara with an account of what you did for the poor, and our youth morcha president will respond to you, Shah said. Shahs dare comes against the backdrop of Gandhi on several occasions challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a debate on corruption, especially in the Rafale fighter jet deal, and demonetisation. For five generations, you (Congress) sought votes in the name of the poor, tribals, Dalits, farmers, villagers, but did nothing for their development, the BJP chief said. Shah said the Modi government had taken many steps to alleviate poverty, citing examples like providing subsidised gas cylinders to seven crore families, houses to 2.5 crore people and electricity connections to 2.35 crore citizens. Shah also claimed that, as on date, 23 lakh people had been given free medical treatment under the Centres Ayushman Bharat health scheme. The Congress had created hurdles in the development of Gujarat and defamed the state post the 2002 communal riots, Shah said, adding the BJP had worked to restore the pride of the state. The BJP government has done a lot for the development of Gujarat. When Modi was CM, he did a lot for Gujarats development, but the Congress only created hurdles. Whenever there was a Congress government (at the Centre), it worked to suppress Gujarat, he alleged. After the 2002 communal riots, the Congress worked to defame Gujarat. The BJP has always fought for the pride of Gujarat, it has worked to restore the pride of Gujarat, he said. Shah claimed while the countrys first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru opposed Sardar Patel, a leader from Gujarat, another Congress PM Indira Gandhi opposed Morarji Desai, also from Gujarat, while former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi used all her might to stop Narendra bhai (Modi). Shah credited the Modi government with securing the country, and claimed bomb blasts were rampant under the Congress-led UPA government. He praised the Modi government for conducting air strike on terror camps in Pakistan and alleged that the Congress was siding with Islamabad on the issue. The BJP chief pointed to Congress leader Sam Pitrodas reported statement that India should hold talks with the neighbouring country rather than bomb it for the handiwork of a few people (a reference to Pulwama terror attack). Shah hit out at the Congress over its manifesto promise of scrapping the sedition law if voted to power, and claimed the opposition party was siding with those who shouted anti-national slogans. You talk about removing the sedition law, for what? Anti-national slogans were shouted in Kashmir and Narendra Modi sent them behind bars, he said, asserting the restive northern state would never be allowed to secede from India. He said the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would ensure that all infiltrators are expelled from the country. Listing the Modis governments achievements with respect to Gujarat, Shah said it had completed work on the Narmada canal project, brought the bullet train as well as an AIIMS and railway university to the state. All the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will vote in a single phase on April 23. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Manas Dasgupta Amreli, April 18 On a day when both Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were campaigning in Gujarat, the Prime Minister sought to identify himself with the people of his home state as one of them and advised them not to let go the privilege of just walking into the Prime Ministers house in Delhi, demanding a cup of tea. Addressing a meeting at Amreli in the Saurashtra region, Modi said he was confident that there would be at least 100 people in the meeting whom he knew by name. Earlier when you visited Delhi, you would be looking at the PMs house with awe. Now you can simply walk in and ask for a cup of tea because your son is sitting there. Should you let that advantage go? he asked. Modi said he could lead the country to rapid strides and take hard decisions only because he was trained in Gujarat. He said normally if one person stayed as chief minister for over 12 years, the people would heave a sigh of relief at his departure. But I had a very different and happy experience when I was leaving for Delhi in 2014, he added. You had faith in me and I have delivered. And you have given me the right to put a demand on you. I am asking you to give me all 26 seats in Gujarat by pressing the lotus button, Modi said. He said his grooming in Gujarat made him stand firm during the Doklam standoff with China in 2017. He said as a Gujarati he felt proud that the tallest statue in the world was located in Gujarat. Referring to the Balakot airstrike, Modi said, They (Pakistan) forgot that this is Modi...For the first time, you must have seen Pakistan crying. They were urging Modi to pick up the phone...we have put Pakistan in such a situation. Attacking Jawaharlal Nehru for his faulty policy on Kashmir for which the country was bleeding for the past 70 years, Modi claimed that because of the decisive actions taken by his government against terrorists in the last five years, the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir at present was better than West Bengal. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 18 India is readying itself for a much closer security embrace with the US soon after the elections are over, said government sources. Both sides are making headway on several agreements that will give India unprecedented access to American surveillance of China and ultra-encrypted communications, a privilege denied to most countries in this part of the region. The flip side is the US will be able to leverage this closeness to transfer its high-end equipment for space, surveillance and military purposes. The sources refrained from commenting whether India will be agreeable to an overall unbalanced relationship. Trade remains a sore point after US President Donald Trump repeatedly singled out India for high tariffs. His Commerce Ministry is also examining whether India should be denied the privilege of zero duty exports on goods worth Rs. 40,000 crore. On the other hand, the US backed India in its recent dust-up with Pakistan. Trump made a judgment-neutral statement when he had said that India would undertake a big operation against Pakistan in retaliation for the Pulwama attack. His National Security Adviser John Bolton then supported Indias right to self-defence, a tacit nod to a military offensive. And after India had struck at Balakot followed by an aerial duel the next day, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asked both sides to step away, seen as endorsing the Indian attack. The US had started out by stating that India needs to sign foundational agreements for greater security proximity. Since then more have been added that will, in theory, enable India to import high-end US technologies and equipment for civilian as well as military uses. Of the foundational agreements, General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) is operational as is the logistics supply agreement (LSA). In case of the Communication and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA), the US and India have set up a joint committee to sort out the wrinkles, including whether there would be a one-time payment for accessing Pentagons system. Another pact, Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) has been almost finalised by the Indian side and can be inked if the US finds the South Block draft acceptable. Progress is being made on other agreements that could give India technologies for manufacturing by the private sector. In effect, their signing could become the platforms for discussions on a fighter aircraft assembly line and long-endurance, sophisticated drones for civilian and military applications. The US has notified the strategic trade authorisation (STA) pact that was earlier incumbent on India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, a condition that has since been dropped. US teams have already visited India to tie up the loose ends in Industrial Security Annexe (ISA), which will ensure that transfer of sensitive technology to the private sector here remains secure. However, India may need to refurbish some of its laws as well. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 19 BJPs Bhopal candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, a prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, put her party in an embarrassing situation today when she claimed that late Mumbai anti-terrorist squad chief Hemant Karkare, an Ashok Chakra awardee, was killed in the Mumbai terror attacks because she had cursed him for allegedly torturing her. Recounting the torture she allegedly underwent at Karkares hands, she said: Maine kaha tera (Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha. Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne usko maara, us din uska anth hua. [I cursed him (Hemant Karkare). The day I was picked up, inauspicious period began. And exactly after 40 days when terrorists killed him, it ended]. Her insulting words against a martyr drew widespread criticism from Opposition parties and on social media. The Indian Police Service Association said, Ashok Chakra awardee late Hemant Karkare, IPS, made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected. Attempting damage control, the BJP, a party that takes great pride in its nationalistic and pro-forces stance, distanced itself from the controversial remarks, attributing them to physical and mental torture Sadhvi Pragya underwent while in custody. The BJP is of the firm belief that late Hemant Karkare made the supreme sacrifice while bravely fighting terrorists. The BJP has always considered him a martyr. So far as the statement of Sadhvi Pragya in this regard is concerned, it is her personal opinion, which could be a result of years of physical and mental torture she underwent, the saffron party said in a terse two-line statement. Amid growing furore over her statement, Sadhvi Pragya later in the day said if her statement gave strength to her partys enemies she would prefer to take it back. Though only I know what I have suffered, she said. The BJP is already under fire for fielding Pragya, who is out on bail because citing health conditions, for trying to polarise elections. It is the first time the BJP has had to issue a statement to control a situation. Normally, it would have brazened it out. Karkare, an investigating officer in the Malegaon blasts case, was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. While probing the case, he tracked down the owner of the motorcycle used in the attacks. It belonged to Sadhvi Pragya. The BJP believes she and others were falsely implicated. In the past one decade, Sadhvi Pragya, along with Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit, have came to represent what the Congress-led UPA government termed as saffron terror after they were both charged in the case. She was given a clean chit by the NIA, but the trial court refused to discharge her from the case. The court dropped the charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against her and she is now being tried under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. Damaging to force Such statements are highly damaging for the police force. I dont understand why Karkare would make a false case against Sadhvi as alleged by her. Martyrs being insulted He (Hemant Karkare) didnt die because a terror accused (Sadhvi Pragya) felt bad and cursed him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government. How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this? Asaduddin Owaisi, aimim leader gspannu7@gmail.com Balurghat/Gangarampur (WB), April 19 You thought the bitter fight for controlling the levers of power in New Delhi just got sweetened a bit on Friday when TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said the BJP will get a big rosogolla in West Bengal. But make no mistake about it. What the TMC boss, known for breathing fire and brimstone, was talking about was not the syrupy dessert her state is famous for but zero seats in West Bengal in the Lok Sabha polls. Dilli ka laddoo jo khaya woh pachhtaya (whoever ate the laddoo of Delhi has regretted it). In 2014, they got two seats, they will get a big rosogolla this time. They will get a big zero, She told election rallies in Balurghat and Gangarampur. She said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will never be able to keep his promise of offering laddoos (another ball-shaped sweet delicacy) to the voters of Bengal in both their hands. Before the 2016 assembly elections in West Bengal, Modi had said at public meetings that if BJP was voted to power, people would have laddoos in both their hands in the form of the NDA government at the Centre and a BJP dispensation in the state. Rosogolla, like laddoo in Hindi-speaking states, is often invoked in West Bengal to deride those who have flunked an examination. Not the one who sugar-coats the bitter pills she administers to her political rivals, Banerjee claimed the BJP will not be able to get past 100 seats in the general elections. She asserted the saffron party will draw a blank in southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Uttar Pradesh they had 73 seats. I doubt whether they will get even 13 this time, the West Bengal chief minister claimed, adding the BJP will not be able to open its account in the northeast and Odisha. Hitting back at Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for his remarks that the elections will spring a surprise in West Bengal, Banerjee said, I also say there will be surprise for them as they will get a big zero. The minister, who is also in-charge of the BJPs publicity committee, had on Thursday tweeted: North East, Bengal and Odisha will be the biggest surprises of this Lok Sabha election. She also mocked Jaitley as the kettle finance minister of the chaiwala prime minister. Continuing her acrid attack on Modi, Banerjee said, Five years ago he said he was a chaiwala. Now he says he is a chowkidar. After losing the elections, he will only be left with his chowki (the humble, inornate cot made of wooden planks used in eastern India). PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Raichur/Chikkodi (Karnataka), April 19 Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be removed from Delhi and his party would form the government after the Lok Sabha polls. On the final lap of his election campaign in the Congress-JDS alliance ruled Karnataka, Gandhi also hit out at Modi for what he has done to his guru, BJP stalwart L K Advani, saying that he should be ashamed of it. Gandhi addressed rallies at Raichur and Chikkodi in north Karnataka and is not scheduled to again campaign in the state, which will go to the second phase of polls on April 23. The first leg of the elections was held on Thursday. At his rally in Raichur, Gandhi said, People have decided in 2019 that in Karnataka, the Congress and JD(S); in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu (Chandrababu Naidu); and across the country those who are fighting against BJP, they will win. Narendra Modi will be removed from Delhi. Gandhi, who addressed a rally in Gujarat earlier in the day said, People have decided. Im telling you people of Gujarat have decided, I am coming from Gujarat. There is an undercurrent in favour of the Congress in Gujarat. People of Gujarat are saying, leave alone the country, Narendra Modi has not done anything for Gujarat... Lakhs of acres of our land were given to big business people, Gandhi said. Assuring Congress and JDS workers that the alliance of the two parties would win here (in Karnataka), he said, In Delhi, the Congress will form the government. He also said Modi talks about security of the nation, but making crores of youth unemployed does not strengthen the nation. In his Chikkodi rally, Gandhi raked up the issue of Advani, who has been kept out of the contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In Hindustan there is nothing bigger than Guru. Narendra Modi speaks about dharma, but see what he has done to Advani. He should be ashamed. Advaniji made Narendra Modji stand, but in two minutes Narendra Modi sidelined Advani, Gandhi said. He does not even do namaste to him (Advani), he looks at the other side. Then he speaks about dharma. Accusing Modi of not having fulfilled any of the promises he made, Gandhi said he has destroyed crores of people, he has spread hate in the country, he spreads hate wherever he goes. Speaking about the NYAY scheme (minimum income guarantee scheme) the Congress has promised to implement if voted to power, he said that under it, Rs 3.6 lakh would be put into the accounts of 20 per cent economically weaker sections over five years. You will have to decide between truththe Nyay programme, brotherhood, love on one side; on the other side, hate, demonetisation, Gabbar Singh Tax and unemployment, Gandhi told the crowd. The uneasy alliance of the Congress and JDS is fighting the Lok Sabha polls together in all the 28 constituencies, but the electoral arrangement has been hit by resentment at the level of local leaders and workers, who have fought each other for decades and are now finding it difficult to reconcile to the new situation. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who was also present at the Raichur rally, said there was a need for a non-BJP government at the Centre. Only if Narendra Modi goes, this country will be free, keep this in mind. He accused Modi of having deceived people despite having a clear mandate and caused a loss to the country on the issues of demonetization, unemployment and GST. Narendra Modi thinks that there is no leader greater than him in the country; I can prove that there are leaders other than you who can develop this country well, there is that ability, Naidu said. PTI vinaymishra188@gmail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 18 The Congress-led Opposition is hoping to reap a rich harvest in the second phase of polling that concluded today. Of the 95 Lok Sabha segments that witnessed voting today, bulk segments are being defended by the BJP and its alliance partner in Tamil Nadu the AIADMK. While the BJP holds 23 of these 95 constituencies, AIADMK holds 36. Together, the two hold 59 segments. With DMK riding the anti-incumbency wave against AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, Congress is hoping to make massive gains. A recent statement by TTV Dinakaran of the split AIADMK faction about never allying with communal BJP has given the grand old party a reason to be confident in a post-election scenario. In Karnataka, too, the Congress is looking to add seats along with alliance partner JD(S). Fourteen segments of Karnataka went to polls today. Of the total 28 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, 15 are currently with the BJP and the rest with Congress and JD(S) independently. Two senior Congress leaders are in the fray in Karnataka former AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad opposite BJPs young turk Tejaswi Surva in Bengaluru South and Karnataka Minister Krishan Byre Gowda opposite BJPs sitting member Sadanand Gowda from Bengaluru North. West UP is another belt where the Opposition feels it will hold sway in the second phase polling. All eight seats of UP that saw polls today are currently held by BJP members who are facing anti-incumbency. Equally these seats will test the strength of combined anti-BJP Opposition featuring BSP, SP and RLD in the state. The only seat among West UPs chunk that went into voting today where the Congress is visibly in contention is Fatehpur Sikri. UP Congress chief Raj Babbar is fighting here against BJP and a grand alliance nominee. In Tamil Nadu, Congress veteran P Chidambarams political legacy is at stake. His son Karti is fighting from Sivaganga for the second time having lost to AIADMK in 2014. Another segment where Congress sees a ray of hope is Raiganj in West Bengal. Waukesha, WI (53187) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 31F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening. A few snow showers developing late. Low around 25F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 30%. monicakchauhan@gmail.com Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 19 The Congress suffered a major mid-election embarrassment today with the AICC media cell convener and national spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi quitting all party posts and joining BJP's Maharashtra ally, the Shiv Sena, in Mumbai. Known for her fiery anti-BJP interventions, Chaturvedi resigned from the Congress accusing it of failing to practise the values of women's empowerment and dignity that it preached. "The time that I now spend in the Congress will be at the cost of my self-respect and dignity," Chaturvedi said in her resignation to Congress president Rahul Gandhi days after the party reinstated a bunch of UP leaders who had allegedly misbehaved with Chaturvedi when she was in Mathura to hold a party conference. How would you feel if someone sexually harasses you at home and when you complain to your mother she tells you to keep silent and says the issue can be handled later? said Chaturvedi as she joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackrey. I have a natural connect with the Shiv Sena being a Maharashtrian, she said as she made the switch days after attacking minister Smriti Irani who is challenging Gandhi in the Amethi LS seat. Chaturvedi dismissed any links between denial of Lok Sabha ticket to her by the Congress and the resignation and said she had worked in the Congress for 10 years without expectations of rewards but could not suffer indignity as a woman. what saddens me is that though safety, dignity and empowerment of women has been your call for to action, the same is not reflected in the action of some members of the party. A serious incident of misbehaviour against me by certain party members while I was on official duty has been ignored under the guise of all hands needed for elections. This indignity to me has been the final factor to convince me to move on and focus on other things outside INC, Chaturvedi said to Gandhi, adding that she felt her services were no longer valued. Congress media head Randeep Surjewala, however, downplayed the development saying we feel pain whenever someone leaves us but we wish everyone well because everyone has the right to career progression. Chaturvedis exit comes close on the heels of the resignation of Gujarat MLA Alpesh Thakor and another senior Congress leader from Kerala, Tom Vadakkan. uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 19 India has asked its 500 remaining citizens in Libya to get out of the country because of fierce gunfights between rival militias, especially around the airport in Tripoli. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj advised Indians to leave while the flights were still operational, updating an earlier Ministry of External Affairs advisory asking Indians to exercise extreme caution in Libya. Swaraj tweeted: Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. Pls ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later, she said on her Twitter handle. Indian was taking its cue from the first major meltdown in Libya after the overthrow of the Gaddafi government in 2011 when it was compelled to undertake a massive operation to evacuate about 3,000 Indians. It then had to use circuitous routes via Tunisia to take out several nurses who had hung back in their jobs, hoping for the situation to improve. However, there was no word from the Foreign Office whether it will make efforts to bring back the mortal remains of two Indians from Punjab who were beheaded in Saudi Arabia. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder described the executions as barbaric and has sought a detailed report from the Ministry of External Affairs. Despite much investment in improving relations with Saudi Arabia, India was not informed about the executions that took place in end-February. Swaraj has continued to resolve counselor issues over Twitter frequently, addressing embassy officials by their first namesVikram, Vikas, Vipul and Sandeepand asking them to send a stranded body back or evacuating a destitute Indian. She is yet to speak on the fate the mortal remains of the twoSatwinder Kumar from Hoshiarpur and Harjit Singh of Ludhianawho were beheaded for murdering a fellow Indian. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Ananya Panda Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 18 The history behind the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, its aftermath and untold sagas of the victims have been brought together in the national capital for all to witness to pay tributes to the martyrs and understand the significance of the incident in the freedom movement. Put up by Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust (ACHT) in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), the Jallianwala Bagh Centenary Commemoration Exhibition (1919-2019) provides insights into the years that unfolded the situation in Amritsar in 1919, the firing on peaceful protesters and the subsequent happenings in the country due to imposition of martial law by the British empire. The exhibition, underway till April 28 at IGNCA, has archival materials, newspaper reports and photographs and eyewitness accounts, such as that of noted Punjabi novelist Nanak Singh whose Khooni Vaisakhi encapsulates the scenes of Hindu-Muslim unity and trauma at Jallianwala. They eloquently depict the unrest that Punjab and other parts of the country witnessed in the backdrop of oppressive colonial measures such as the Rowlatt Act, also dubbed as a black law. Installations recreate the entire horror of April 13, 1919, through aesthetic representation of what Jallianwala looked likewith strewn bodies, turbans, bangles and dupattas all around on the fateful day, which went on to fuel national consciousness, paving way for Indias freedom later. The well, whipping post, jail and ban on cycle are some of the artefacts that explore the pain and excruciating experiences of those killed on the day of Baisakhi and the events that followed. A web a symbolic representation of the helplessness of peaceful protestors who were trapped at the site and recreated audio visuals against a backdrop of a bullet-ridden wall of the Jallianwala Bagh are bound to leave one with sombre thoughts. Curated by the ACHT, the exhibition employs various mediums and popular culture forms to portray the happenings in the run-up to the massacre and the disturbing aftermath. We have tried to focus on peoples stories and what they have actually gone through. A lot of materials here paint the picture of Jalianwala Bagh through the eyes of citizens instead of leaders while referring to a broader context, says Anusha from the ACHT. An animated film, Frank Brazil, of Ska Vengers tells the story of Ghadarite martyr Udham Singh, who shot dead Lt Governor of Punjab province Michael ODwyer in 1940. Dwyer had justified the Jallianwala killings. Broadly on display are exhibits spanning from the emergence of revolutionary Sardar Ajit Singh, who founded Bharat Party in 1906-07, Lala Lajpat Rai, formation of Ghadar Party in the US in 1913 to Khilafat Movement led by Muslim leaders, which was used by Mahatma Gandhi to reunite the Muslim and Hindus against the colonialists after World War-I and resentment over arrest of Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satyapal followed by the horrific killings in Amritsar. vinaymishra188@gmail.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 18 Widespread rainfall in different parts of Punjab over the past 48 hours has left farmers worried about the disposal of their produce. Besides fearing a weeks delay in harvesting, farmers are also apprehensive that the procurement agencies will raise objections about high moisture content in their produce. Yesterday, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh ordered a special girdawari for assessment of crop damage to award compensation. Reports from Amritsar said heavy showers, coupled with hailstorm, had damaged wheat crop across the district. Vegetable crops in Jandiala, Verka and Tarsikka villages had also been affected. Farmers of Kotla Nihang, Garewal, Majari Jattan, Manak Majra, Thona, Agampur, Nikkuwal and Lodhipur of Ropar district complained about delayed harvesting due to rain. Nishan Singh of Chabba village said, Humid conditions after the rain have brought along pests. This will make us spend more on our crops. Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdaspur, Qadian, Dinanagar, Fatehgarh Churian, Batala and Sri Hargobindpur were the worst-affected blocks in Gurdaspur. Crop was also affected in parts of Bathinda, Sangrur and Muktsar. There have been reports of canal breaches in Abohar. However, Prof PS Pangli, president of the Borlaug Farmer Association, said there had been no widespread damage to crops, only the harvesting had been delayed. Balbir Singh Rajewal of BKU said crops were damaged only at places that witnessed hailstorm. Farmers need not panic, he said. Farmers in Nurmahal area of Jalandhar have, meanwhile, approached the Agriculture Department with complaints of crop damage. Kulbir Singh of Shadipur village said he sowed wheat on 40 acres, of which 25 acres had been affected. Ajmer Singh of Talwan said, The quality of grain has suffered and the yield will be hit. However, Director, Agriculture, Sutantar Kumar Airi, said, Rainfall was not intermittent at majority of the places, so there is no crop loss worth a mention. In fact, Abohar, Fazilka and Muktsar areas, which witnessed late sowing, will benefit. There has been an average rainfall of 15 mm, so there is no major impact. Only the ripened crop has fallen and that too can be easily managed. Chandigarh Met Department Director Dr Surinder Pal said, The weather will be clear from tomorrow, so farmers need not worry. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Bathinda, April 18 Kin of Behbal Kalan firing victims today once again expressed their apprehensions regarding the fate of ongoing investigation into the case in the aftermath of the Election Commissions move to transfer IGP Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh from the SIT probing into it. Addressing a press conference here today, Sukhraj Singh and Sadhu Singh said, The EC has not responded in any manner to our complaint and representation given last week. We fear that in the absence of Kunwar Vijay Partap Singh, the SIT is likely to present a manipulated chargesheet against the accused senior police officers in the Faridkot court hearing the matter. Some media reports are already pointing in this direction. They alleged that Kunwar was sidelined by the poll panel on a frivolous complaint of the Shiromani Akali Dal. They claimed that the investigation was heading in the right direction under Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who was an officer with an impeccable service record, adding that the SIT was about to make some major breakthroughs. They alleged that those under the scanner in the case used their influence to derail the probe by getting Kunwar shifted out of the SIT. They appealed to the Election Commission to intervene and reinstate Kunwar before the filing of the chargesheet by the SIT so that justice could be done. The EC can ask the police officer to refrain from going to the media, they said. Replying to the media queries regarding polls, they said they would sensitise the people to oppose the party involved in the sacrilege issue and subsequent police firing on peaceful protesters. They, however, clarified that they would not support any particular party in the coming Lok Sabha elections. After taking up the issue with the Election Commission in Punjab last week, they have now written a fresh mail to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, seeking his intervention. vermaajay1968@gmail.com Canico, April 18 The Portuguese island of Madeira began three days of mourning on Thursday after 29 German tourists died when their bus spun off the road and tumbled down a slope before crashing into a house. Drone footage showed the mangled wreckage resting precariously on its side against a building on a hillside near the town of Canico, the vehicles roof partially crushed and front window smashed. Rescue workers attended to injured passengers in the undergrowth where the bus came to a halt, some of them bearing bloodied head bandages and bloodstained clothes, others appearing to be more seriously hurt. Local authorities said most of the dead were in their 40s and 50s. There were 11 men and 18 women were among the victims and all of them were German. They were among the tourists who visit the Atlantic islands off the coast of Morocco each year, attracted by their subtropical climate and rugged volcanic terrain. AFP vermaajay1968@gmail.com Taipei: A 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Taiwan on Thursday, the US Geological Survey said, disrupting traffic and injuring 17 persons. In the capital Taipei, highrises swayed while some panicked schoolchildren fled their classrooms in eastern Yilan county, according to reports. The quake was felt across the island and a highway connecting Yilan and Hualien was shut down, authorities said. An official at the Hualien county fire department told the media that two persons were injured by falling rocks. The National Fire Agency said one, a Malaysian male tourist, had been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after suffering a cardiac arrest, a leg fracture and head injuries. AfP NASA astronaut to set longest spaceflight by woman WASHINGTON: NASA astronaut Christina Koch is going to have her mission on the International Space Station (ISS) extended to 328 days, which would set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, the US space agency said.NASA and its ISS partners have set a new schedule and new crew assignments that will include the first flight of NASA astronaut Jessica Meir and an extended stay for NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan. Koch, who arrived at the space station on March 14, and now is scheduled to remain in orbit until February 2020, will eclipse the record of 288 days set by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17. PTI vermaajay1968@gmail.com Islamabad/Karachi, April 18 At least 14 passengers including 11 security personnel were forcibly offloaded from a bus on a highway in Pakistan's Balochistan province and then shot dead by unidentified gunmen on Thursday, officials said. The deceased included nine personnel from Pakistan Navy, one from Pakistan Coast Guard and one from Pakistan Air Force, whereas identities of the remaining three victims were not determined yet, security officials were cited as saying by a news agency. The incident happened when five buses, travelling between Karachi and Gwadar on the Makran Coastal highway, carrying civilians and the victims were stopped by some 20-25 militants wearing Frontier Corps uniforms to check identity cards of the passengers. After scanning the identities of passengers in one of the buses in Buzi Top area, the militants offloaded 16 of them. Fourteen of them were shot dead, while two passengers reportedly soldiers of the Pakistan Army escaped, according to Pakistan media reports. After reaching a "safe" place, these soldiers informed security forces about the whole incident who rushed to the incident site and recovered 14 bodies, officials added. Confirming the incident, a Pakistan Navy spokesperson said that several Navy personnel were among those killed. Proscribed organisation Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar claimed the attack on their unverified Twitter account, saying that their offensives against the security forces will further intensify, the media said. Provincial Home Minister Mir Zia Langov said a full-scale investigation was launched into the attack and to track down the gunmen."Such incidents are intolerable and we will not spare the terrorists who carried out this dastardly attack," he said. Condemning the attack, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan sought a report on the incident and directed the authorities to identify and bring the perpetrators of the attack to justice. Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal said: "Terrorists are killing innocent people on the agenda of anti-state elements. It is a conspiracy to create hurdles in the development of Balochistan." This is the second incident involving mass killings in Balochistan this month. On April 12, a terror attack targeting the Hazara community in Quetta left at least 20 dead. Agencies Offloaded from bus, gunned down Description GIS 19 April, 2019: A federal streamer has been seized on Wednesday 17 April, 2019, by the Customs Anti-Narcotics Section (CANS) of the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) from the luggage of a Zimbabwean while he was leaving through the Green Channel of the SSR International Airport. When the passenger was questioned by CANS officers about the presence of the federal streamer in his luggage, he revealed that the streamer was for his own security and that he did not know if it was illegal in Mauritius. The federal streamer was secured and the case was referred to the Airport Police for further enquiry. The Zimbabwean has been arrested. The 35 year-old cook arrived on board the Kenya Airways flight KQ270 from Nairobi and he intended to stay in a hotel in Grand Bay. It is recalled that the MRA aims at combating corruption and other fraudulent activities such as tax evasion, smuggling and drugs tracking. It also has as objective to protect and facilitate legitimate trade and industrial development and uphold the Mauritius trading integrity. rchopra@tribunemail.com Bamako, April 19 Malis prime minister resigned along with his entire government on Thursday following criticism over their handling of an upsurge of violence in the centre of the country and a massacre last month that left 160 people dead. A statement from President Ibrahim Boubacar Keitas office said he had accepted Soumeylou Boubeye Maigas resignation, along with those of his ministers, two weeks after mass protests erupted over the rising tide of violence. Lawmakers from both ruling and opposition parties had submitted a motion of no confidence against the government on Wednesday, blaming Maiga and his administration for failing to clamp down on the unrest. A prime minister will be named very soon and a new government will be put in place after consultations with all political forces from both the ruling and opposition sides, the statement from Keitas office said. The president had on Tuesday said in a televised address that he had heard the anger, without explicitly naming the prime minister. The government had come under mounting pressure over its handling of violence in the restive Mopti region, especially a massacre on March 23 in which 160 people were killed in the village of Ogossagou near the border with Burkina Faso. Members of the Dogon ethnic group--a hunting and farming community with a long history of tension with the nomadic Fulani people over access to land--were accused of being behind the mass killing. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Bamako on April 5 to protest against the upsurge of violence, accusing the government of not doing enough to stop it. The protest was called by Muslim religious leaders, organisations representing the Fulani herding community, opposition parties and civil society groups. Mali has been struggling to restore stability since Islamist extremists linked to Al-Qaeda took control of the countrys vast desert north in early 2012. While the jihadists were largely driven out in a French-led military operation that began in January 2013, huge areas are still in the grip of lawlessness, despite a 2015 peace agreement with some armed groups that sought to definitively stamp out the Islamist threat. Since then, militants have shifted from the north towards the more densely populated centre of the country, where they have sharpened ancient rivalries and ethnic conflicts that date back years. Jihadist attacks have also spread to Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes. AFP rchopra@tribunemail.com Montreal, April 19 Three world-renowned professional mountaineers--two Austrians and an American--were missing and presumed dead after an avalanche on a western Canadian summit, the countrys national parks agency said on Thursday. American Jess Roskelley, 36, and Austrians Hansjorg Auer, 35, and David Lama, 28, went missing on Tuesday evening in Banff National Park, according to media reports. Authorities launched an aerial search the next day. The three men were attempting to climb the east face of Howse Pass, an isolated and highly difficult route, according to Parks Canada. They were part of a team of experienced athletes sponsored by American outdoor equipment firm The North Face, the company confirmed to AFP. Rescuers found signs of several avalanches and debris consistent with climbing equipment, Parks Canada said, leading them to presume that the climbers were dead. Poor weather conditions have increased avalanche risks in the mountainous area on the border between Alberta and British Columbia, with the search halted for safety reasons. It is unlikely the three men survived, John Roskelley, father of missing Jess Roskelley, told local media in the US state of Washington. This route they were trying to do was first done in 2000. Its just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare, he told the Spokesman-Review. Himself considered one of the best American mountaineers of his generation, John Roskelley climbed the Mount Everest with his son in 2003, making then 20-year-old Jess Rosskelley the youngest person to have conquered the summit. AFP rchopra@tribunemail.com Washington, April 19 Donald Trumps first reaction to Robert Muellers appointment as special counsel was this is the end of my Presidency and the US President was so furious that he reacted with an expletive, according to the counsels report. In a major relief to President Trump, the nearly two-year probe by Mueller found no evidence of a collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 US elections, Attorney General William Barr announced on Thursday. Barr said the redacted report released on Thursday made it clear that the Russian government sought to interfere in American elections, but thanks to the special counsels thorough investigation, we now know that the Russian operatives who perpetrated these schemes did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign. Trump first learned that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel from then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions during a meeting to interview candidates for the FBI director in May 2017, the report said. Also present were Sessions chief of staff Jody Hunt and then-White House counsel Don McGahn, the CNN reported. After Sessions delivered the news, the President slumped back in his chair, the report said, citing notes from Hunt. Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my Presidency. Im f****d, Trump said, according to the report. Trump became angry and lambasted Sessions for recusing himself from the Russia investigation, it said. How could you let this happen, Jeff? Trump asked his attorney general. Trump told Sessions, you were supposed to protect me, or words to that effect, Sessions recalled, the Mueller report stated. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me, Trump said, according to the report. He then told Sessions he should resign, the report said. Sessions agreed, left the Oval Office, and the next day returned to the White House to hand Trump his resignation letter, it said. Trump tucked Sessions resignation letter in his pocket, but then proceeded to ask Sessions multiple times if he wanted to remain attorney general, the report found. Sessions said he wished to remain attorney general, but said it was up to Trump, the report said. Sessions would continue serving as attorney general for another year, but was ousted in November 2018 by Trump, who remained upset over his decision to step away from the Russia probe, the CNN repot said. Mueller was appointed following the firing of FBI Director James Comey to oversee the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, including potential collusion between Trumps campaign associates and Russian officials. Muellers team also investigated whether Trump obstructed justice. The probe could not clear Trump, saying it was unable to determine that no criminal conduct occurred. Earlier on Thursday, President Trump said the Mueller probe was Greatest Political Hoax of all time! Crimes were committed by Crooked, Dirty Cops and DNC/The Democrats, tweeted Trump, who refers Clinton as Crooked. Meanwhile, Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler said he had sent a letter to Mueller--requiring his testimony before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee by May 23. We cannot take Attorney General Barrs word for it. We must read the full Mueller report, and the underlying evidence, Nadler said. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com Ankara, April 19 Turkey has arrested two intelligence operatives who confessed to spying on Arab nationals for the United Arab Emirates, and it is probing whether the arrival in Turkey of one of them was related to Jamal Khashoggis murder, a senior Turkish official said on Friday. One of the two men arrived in Turkey in October 2018, days after Khashoggi was murdered inside Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul, the official said, adding the other arrived to help his colleague with the workload. We are investigating whether the primary individuals arrival in Turkey was related to the Jamal Khashoggi murder, said the official, adding the person has been monitored for the past six months. It is possible that there was an attempt to collect information about Arabs, including political dissidents, living in Turkey. The arrests were made in Istanbul on Monday as part of a counter-intelligence investigation. Turkish officials seized an encrypted computer located in a hidden compartment at what the official told Reuters was the spy rings base. The official, who requested anonymity, said statements by the detained men suggested their intelligence operation targeted political exiles and students. Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in the Saudi consulate on Oct. 2, provoking an international outcry. The CIA and some Western countries believe the Crown Prince, Saudi Arabias de facto ruler, ordered the killing, which Saudi officials deny. The Saudi public prosecutor has indicted 11 unidentified suspects, including five who could face the death penalty on charges of ordering and committing the crime. Reuters Description GIS - 19 April, 2019: Mauritius meets all the international requirements of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action 5 and therefore does not have any harmful practices in its tax regimes, according to the reports of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) . Mauritius meets all the international requirements of the Action Plan on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) Action 5 and therefore does not have any harmful practices in its tax regimes, The Minister of Financial Services and Good Governance, Mr Dharmendar Sesungkur, made this statement yesterday, during a press conference in Ebene. He recalled that Mauritius as a member of the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) underwent a mutual evaluation on the countrys level of compliance with the FATF forty recommendations and the level of effectiveness of its Anti-Money Laundering / Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) which was carried out by experts from ESAAMLG Secretariat in June 2017. The Mutual Evaluation Report (MER), he said, contained a number of shortcomings regarding quality and consistency, including misinterpretation of the FATF Assessment Methodology and incomplete and inconsistent analysis of qualitative and quantitative data; and flagrant violations of the mutual evaluation procedures of ESAAMLG. The Minister stressed that the Government of Mauritius subsequently introduced a number of amendments to the AML and CFT framework in its commitment to implementing the recommended actions to address the shortcomings identified in the MER and submitted an application for the Technical Compliance re-rating of a number of the FATF recommendations. The re-evaluation of the Mauritian jurisdiction by the two European regulators on harmful tax practices of Preferential Tax Regimes, he pointed out, clearly shows that Mauritius conform to the international requirements and regulations while giving a new credibility to the Mauritian jurisdiction. The Minister reiterated the commitment of Mauritius to strengthen both its institutional and legal frameworks for combating money laundering and terrorism financing and reassured operators of the countrys strong and reliable financial services sector. Mauritius is a member of the ESAAMLG since 1999. As such, it endorsed the recommendations of the FATF and committed itself to implement these recommendations to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. The Attorney General has asked the court to provide an interpretation of the law to determine whether or not Watson Duke is in violation of the Tobago House of Assembly Act and the Integrity in Public Life Act. The High Court is to adjudicate in the matter of the interpretation of the Tobago House of Assembly Act; the Integrity in Public Life Act and the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago between the Attorney General and the Tobago House of Assembly, Watson Duke and Farley Augustine. We have made several reports regarding a leak outside our mothers house since October. Reports to the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) through WhatsApp, the WASA North Regional Office at Kew Place Complex and the Member of Parliament Colm Imbert continue, without resolve. - Sapit urged Kenyans to shun homosexuality and avoid behaviours that depict the moral decay of our society - The clergyman called on Kenyans to always resist any move to legalise homosexuality - He said government should let God's way pass in case of contradiction between the Word and today's culture The Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK) has strongly urged Kenyans to contest the passing of same sex relationship bill in the country. The Church, through its leader Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit held that passing the bill seeking to legalise homosexuality will be going against our national ethos and African culture. READ ALSO: Anglican Church criticises Judiciary for allowing registration of gays, lesbians rights group Sapit urged Kenyans to shun homosexuality and avoid behaviours that depict the moral decay of our society. Photo: UGC Source: UGC READ ALSO: Anglican priests associated with homosexuality will be sacked - Ole Sapit Addressing the press conference at the All Saints Cathedral, Nairobi, on Friday, April 19, the Archbishop said Kenyans, especially, leaders should let God's way pass in case of contradiction between the Word and today's culture. ''Our cultures forbid homosexual conduct- its essential for us as nation to ensure our national ethos are consistent with Constitution, African culture and Supreme law. However if When contradiction happens between our culture and Gods law, Gods decree must take precedence,'' he said. Sapit urged Kenyans to shun homosexuality and avoid behaviours that depict the moral decay of our society. ''There is a wide range of sexual orientation but as a nation we are bound together by such conduct that hold us together. Kenyans avoid conducts that undermines morality in society,'' he added. READ ALSO: Anglican priests associated with homosexuality will be sacked - Ole Sapit The Archbishop said Kenyans, especially leaders should let God's way pass in case of contradiction between the Word and today's culture. Photo: UGC Source: Facebook READ ALSO: Matokeo ya mtihani wa kitaifa yaonyesha Ivy Wangechi alikuwa miongoni mwa wanafunzi bora zaidi nchini The Archbishop's remarks came just weeks after the Anglican Church came out boldly to criticise Court of Appeal's ruling allowing the National Gay and Lesbians Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) to be registered as a Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO). The church argued the move was contrary to Biblical teachings and should not be accepted in the country. Speaking to journalists shortly after a church service at ACK Holy Trinity in Kibera, Nairobi, on Sunday, March 24, Sapit said the court ruling was a demonstration of a rotten society that has gone to an extreme level of legalising what was biblically wrong. The clergyman said the church would remain opposed to LGBT despite the court ruling asking other leaders to come out boldly and counter it. 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 The Dyslexic Boy Chased From Parties For Being Too Dirty Source: Tuko.co.ke HAIKOU, April 18 (Xinhua) -- McQiu Lawyers, a law firm headquartered in Australia, opened its representative office in South China's Hainan province Thursday, the first foreign law firm office in the resort island. McQiu seeks to enhance the cooperation and exchanges with its Chinese counterparts in areas of corporations law, commercial law, property law, contract law and family law, said Qiu Xiaolin, founder and CEO of McQiu Lawyers. By far, the office, located in Haikou, the capital city of Hainan, has signed cooperation agreements with six local law firms. Qiu said the office will also contribute to improving the legal services of the Hainan pilot free trade zone. China rolled out a plan for establishing Hainan as a pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) on Oct. 2018, the 12th and largest among its peers. 'It's not what you have it's how you use it'. Our vision is doggedly set on UC leading urban public universities into a new era of innovation and impact. For todays discussion, let me briefly review the key words in our vision statement. In the context of the Next Lives Here update, let me highlight three words. I will then come back to two other key words when I discuss the work ahead. First, urban: Urban reflects our advantage as an urban-located university in a rapidly urbanizing world. The urbanizing globe provides a rich tapestry of opportunity for impact. Think of challenges that lie ahead as an additional 1 billion people will live in dense cities by the year 2050: Public policy, economics, security, transportation, energy, water, food, health are just a few of the areas of study and scholarship that will define the quality of urban life in the future. Secondly, innovation: This is about the way we need to perform our work to stay on the leading edge. It speaks to a cognitive and methodological paradigm we can leverage to accelerate the translation of knowledge and ideas into solutions and opportunities. It touches every aspect of the work we do as a university but, arguably, none is more profound for the long-term than the way we educate our students. Are we preparing them with the skills they need to be leaders in the accelerating, technology-infused world into which they will graduate and live? In many aspects, innovation is driven or influenced by technology. But we see innovation more broadly, and that, I believe, could be our significant advantage. For us, the untapped opportunity is studying and impacting the interface between humans and technology. And therefore, innovation is also part of our pursuit of inclusive excellence and the arts, humanities and social sciences to impact social transformation as a whole. Now lets look at the word public. To me, public is one of the most important words in our mission. Public education and public universities have been, in my view, the single most important underpinning for the success of our democracy. Our nations higher education system is the envy of the world. It is the differentiator that has made us the leading nation on the globe. And that difference is derived from two core tenets quality and access. Our mission as a public university calls on us to make college affordable and available to all who are willing to apply themselves, and to provide them an educational experience that is second to none in quality. This concept remains immensely important to the democratic ideals of this nation, and we must continue to do our part to pursue and fulfill our public mission. My purpose for this preamble to the progress update on Next Lives Here is to remind you of the rationale for the three foundational platforms for our strategic direction: The European Union continues to support the efforts of the National Bank to reform Ukraines financial sector and efforts to recover losses from former owners and related parties of failed banks. The relevant statement of the European Union regarding PrivatBank was posted on Facebook page of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine. We continue to support the efforts of the NBU to reform Ukraines financial sector, including by introducing prudent corporate governance principles, and the Ministry of Finances efforts to reform corporate governance in state-owned banks, reads the statement. The EU representative office noted that it is important that the government continues efforts to recover losses from former owners and related parties of failed banks. Prosecution and judicial proceedings should make full use of the findings of the Kroll report, commissioned by the NBU. Ukraines international partners will be closely monitoring developments in this area, reads the statement. The EU reminded that Ukraines international partners in 2016 supported the decision of the government and the NBU to nationalize PrivatBank, at the request of former owners, as the only effective method of protecting the banks depositors the Ukrainian people and businesses and the stability of the financial system. While this required the injection of about UAH 160 billion in Ukrainian taxpayer funds to restore the banks solvency, it secured PrivatBanks long-term viability, safeguarded the money of millions of Ukrainian citizens, and strengthened the countrys economic health, reads the statement. The EU representative office also added that in this regard, they welcome the reform of Privatbanks corporate governance, led by an independent Supervisory Board, as well as the transformation of its business model, which has already resulted in stronger performance and sustainability of the entire banking system. On April 18, Kyiv District Administrative Court, having considered in a court session the case on a lawsuit by Ihor Kolomoisky against the National Bank of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, the Deposit Guarantee Fund and the National Commission on Securities and the Stock Market, ruled illegal the decision on the nationalization of PrivatBank. iy President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has empowered Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Kingdom Natalia Galibarenko to sign the Joint Communique on establishing diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Dominica. The text of the relevant decree has been posted on the presidents website. To authorize Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Natalia Galibarenko to sign the Joint Communique on the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ukraine and the Commonwealth of Dominica, the decree says. iy Sweden's support for reforms in Ukraine and its path towards the integration into the European Union will remain strong. "Sweden's support for reforms in Ukraine and its path towards the integration into the European Union will remain strong," Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine Martin Hagstrom said during a meeting with Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Yehor Bozhok, the press service of the Ministry reports. High dynamics of the Ukrainian-Swedish cooperation, in particular, intensification of interaction in the field of defence was underscored during the meeting. Deputy Minister and Ambassador agreed on the importance of developing cooperation in cybersecurity to counter hybrid threats. As Bozhok noted, Sweden remains one of the most active advocates of deepening relations with Ukraine within the Eastern Partnership policy of the European Union. In the context of the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Partnership, the Ukrainian Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of consistent political support by the EU for the aspirations of partner countries to deepen their integration into the European Union. The official noted that European and Euro-Atlantic integration remains an imperative of Ukraine's state policy and is an integral part of the Constitution of Ukraine. ol After the Revolution of Dignity, the absence of an independent judicial system was recognized as one of the greatest threats to Ukrainian statehood. Therefore, the reform of the judiciary was identified as a priority in the work of the newly elected authorities. Its purpose was to create a truly independent system of courts, with a new level of responsibility and accountability of judges. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is now mercilessly criticized for this reform, whereas the advisers of one candidate for the post of head of state have recently announced that the reform was actually "simulated" so there is a need for its "restart." At the same time, international experts who took direct part in carrying out reform changes praise the work done and the result obtained. We invite our readers to consider a number of facts about the implementation of the reform and make their own conclusions. 1. Ukraine inherited an ineffective justice system from the Soviet Union during the first decades of independence In Soviet times, the courts were part of the state punitive system and actually subordinated to state and party bodies. The presumption of innocence and other key rights and guarantees existed mainly on paper. When Ukraine gained independence, new problems were added to the "Soviet" problems of the judicial system. Courts turned into centers of corruption. This trend reached the peak under President Viktor Yanukovych. The law in the state degraded, while the image of a judge got a profound negative color in society that will have to be corrected for many years. 2. The rule of law is one of the most important challenges Without exaggeration, the decent life of citizens and the development of the country depend on this. Our common goal is justice in Ukraine according to European standards, based on the rule of law. 3. The reform of the justice system is conducted in accordance with a clear strategy backed up by the EU and the Council of Europe The strategy developed by the Judicial Reform Council and approved by a decree of the president of Ukraine outlines the steps needed to create a modern European justice system in Ukraine. The developers included international experts, lawyers-practitioners, academics, deputies, representatives of civil society organizations, and judges. The council "approved the strategy for the reform of the judiciary and related legal institutions for 2015-2020, as well as a clear plan of action for the implementation of reforms. Moreover, the Council convenes annually and defines an annual plan with more specific procedural steps. The level of organization of reforms in the justice sector is really impressive," said Dovydas Vitkauskas, Head of the EU PRAVO-JUSTICE Project. The strategy involves three components of the reform: bringing legislation into line with European standards; creating new and reformatting the existing institutions of the justice system; restart of personnel. 4. Most (but not all) of the key laws required for the quality work of the judiciary have been approved The legislative component of the reform is close to completion. In general, ten fundamental laws bringing Ukraine's justice system into in line with European standards have been adopted since 2014. Due to amendments to the Constitution and the new legislation on the judiciary, conditions were created for independent and responsible work of courts in Ukraine. New procedural legislation, which should make the trial more efficient and fast, was adopted. The new legislation on the judiciary envisages the assessment of every judge in office according to the criteria of competence, integrity and ethics, as well as the holding of transparent competitions for posts of judges. This legislation was developed in cooperation with European experts and was highly appreciated: "The adoption in the final reading of constitutional amendments related to the judiciary by the Verkhovna Rada in Ukraine is a crucial step towards strengthening the judiciary, improving its efficiency, safeguarding its independence and impartiality, and combating corruption," reads a joint statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn. Special Advisor of the Council of Europe Secretary General for Ukraine, Regis Brillat, a member of the Judicial Reform Council: "Following the Revolution of Dignity in Ukraine, significant changes have taken place in the judicial system. This includes the introduction of amendments to the Constitution, the adoption of the law of Ukraine 'On the Judicial System and the Status of Judges,' the introduction of amendments to the main procedural laws of Ukraine. [] These events are an example of how it is possible to make changes if there is a necessary political will." As of the beginning of 2019, it was still necessary to adopt a new law on the bar and legislation on legal education. The draft law on the bar has been agreed upon with international experts who have given a positive opinion and is under consideration by the Verkhovna Rada. "Judicial reform remains incomplete without a long-awaited law on reform of the bar. [...] The law is a step forward in comparison with the current law on the bar dated 2012. I call on the Ukrainian leadership to continue to be committed to this reform," OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger said. Legislative changes on legal education are currently being worked out by the working group on the basis of the adopted concept. 5. The judiciary has got everything needed to be truly independent and responsible Compared with the first 23 years of independence, Ukraine has seen an independent judiciary, new laws on the activities of the court, high salaries of judges, a new level of responsibility and accountability of judges. In accordance with the new legislation, political institutions were deprived of influence on the appointment and dismissal of judges, and tools were introduced for ensuring the independence of judges, and requirements to judges and judicial remuneration were increased. On the other hand, the system of disciplinary liability of judges has been improved. For the first time in the history of unconfirmed legality of income, there is a constitutional basis for the dismissal of a judge from office. The new system of sanctions helps respond adequately to violations in the activity of judges. "Serious levers have been created to resist corrupt decisions. There is no single person or organization that makes decisions on the appointment of judges. The process is now more complex. It is managed by the High Qualification Commission of Judges, which itself consists of 16 persons. They are assisted by the Public Council of Integrity. [...]. Law enforcement and tax authorities are also involved in the selection of judges. In addition, the High Qualification Commission can only recommend a candidate based on the results of the assessment. After it, the candidates are examined by the High Council of Justice, and only afterwards the president signs a decree on the appointment of a judge," said Dovydas Vitkauskas, Head of the EU PRAVO-JUSTICE Project. 6. A new Supreme Court has been established, and other courts are in the process of being restarted As of April 2019, the cassation link was completely renewed - a new Supreme Court was created, and it is the highest court in the judicial system of Ukraine, which ensures the unity of judicial practice; courts of appeal were partially updated and the update of the courts of the first instance started. The new Supreme Court started working on December 15, 2017. Of the 1,436 applicants, according to the results of the transparent competition, which was held for the first time, 118 new judges were appointed. These are not only former judges, but also lawyers and scientists. Valentyna Danishevska became the head of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ensures the correct application of the rules of law by all courts and the unity of judicial practice. The quality of the competition to the Supreme Court is confirmed by the positive conclusions of European experts who noted that the procedure of the competition "is transparent and deserves trust at all its stages, due to high public interest and the importance of the process." The High Qualification Commission of Judges conducts an assessment of judges regarding their compliance with the criteria of competence, integrity and ethics, as well as competitions for filling vacancies in the courts of the first and appellate instances. Since 2014, almost 30% of the total number of judges resigned without waiting for a qualification assessment. In the process of assessing current judges, about 20% were dismissed or tendered their resignation. Not only judges who have successfully passed the assessment but also lawyers and scientists who meet professional and ethical criteria may apply for their posts. At the same time, the staffing component of the reform is still far from complete: not only the assessment of all (thousands) of judges in the courts of the first and appellate courts should be completed, but also competitions for all vacancies of judges in these courts should be completed. 7. New specialized courts have been created The High Court on Intellectual Property will consider cases concerning the rights to an invention, utility model, industrial model, trademark, commercial name, as well as copyright. Its creation is critical to enhancing the investment attractiveness of Ukraine. About 90 countries successfully apply the practice of intellectual property cases being heard by specialized courts. The competition for filling vacant positions of judges of this court is currently underway. The High Anti-Corruption Court will consider criminal proceedings related to the commission of criminal offenses. The competition for 39 vacant posts of judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court was held with the participation of the Public Council of International Experts (composed of highly-qualified experts from Britain, Canada, Denmark, Lithuania, and North Macedonia) and was praised by international partners and donors. On April 11, 2019, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a decree appointing 38 judges of the High Anti-Corruption Court. "What we did with the HQCJ during the selection of judges to the Anti-Corruption Court is incredible. Ukraine has developed unique procedures for selecting judges and can be proud of it. Yet no country has invited international experts, and it is simply impossible to have greater support than we have received from the commission in this process," said Sir Anthony Hooper, Chairman of the Public Council of International Experts. 8. An electronic court has been developed and is being prepared for the launch New procedural codes provided for the creation of an electronic court - a system that allows you to use a range of court services simply using a smartphone or a computer. Due to this, the court will become a convenient service for citizens. 9. In the reform of justice, everyone has a sphere of responsibility. But justice in the country as a whole is a shared responsibility of the state and society The attitude to judicial reform in society, apart from historical moments, depends on expectations and understanding of roles. The court must ensure the rule of law, based on current legislation, the lawyer good protection and legal assistance, the prosecutor's office - to professionally and objectively represent the prosecution in court, the bodies of pre-trial investigation - to gather evidence of the circumstances of the case and the guilt of suspects, and the bodies enforcing judgments - to ensure their real execution. The task of the Judicial Reform Council is to develop and coordinate a strategy and legislative framework for updating the judicial system, which has been successfully implemented during the four years of its work. The president submits to the Verkhovna Rada for consideration and the latter adopts the laws and is responsible for their final content. The parliament, the government and the president are also responsible for the creation of new institutions - courts, bodies of judiciary governance (the High Council of Justice, the High Qualification Commission of Judges, the State Judicial Administration, etc.). The High Council of Justice and the High Qualification Commission of Judges are responsible for filling the courts with high-quality staff, holding competitions, assessing judges. Special anti-corruption authorities the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption are responsible for detecting and preventing corruption in the justice system. Equally important is the role of citizens - to use their rights and freedoms responsibly, to know and to obey the law in everyday life. The role of society is decisive in the same way as the role of the state. President of the Venice Commission Gianni Buquicchio said: "It is difficult to make a revolution in the legislative sphere. In two years of judicial reform, you have made a very big step. The regulatory framework for change has been worked out, but it is also necessary to change the mentality of the public and judges in order for the Ukrainian society to receive what it deserves." 10. During the five years of reform, trust in the judiciary has increased by four times International experts welcome the steps that Ukraine has taken to reform the justice system. According to a report of experts from the EU PRAVO-JUSTICE Project, in most countries, such an approach has never been applied to the public sector as a whole, not to mention the judicial system, by its volume and degree. A full-scale psychological testing of judges and candidates during which general knowledge and skills, ethics and integrity, and social competence are checked deserves particular attention. "Ukrainian society made a choice on the way of Ukraine's development, in which the rule of law functions. Ukrainian society has made a choice to reform the judicial system as a starting point for real progress in the near future. It's not easy. But it was done. The Constitution of Ukraine was amended. For the first time this process took place without political influence both from the president and from the Verkhovna Rada. This can be compared to the revolution of Nicolaus Copernicus," Buquicchio said. The reform is also positively evaluated by the Ukrainian legal community. According to a study conducted by USAID, about 70% of lawyers are positively evaluating the impact of reform on the independence of judges, the stability of the judicial system in Ukraine, and increased citizens' confidence in the judiciary. According to the USAID study, only 5% of the population trusted the courts in 2015. The first steps of the judicial reform have already changed the situation - now almost 20% of Ukrainians positively evaluate the results of the implemented changes. But the ultimate success of judicial reform and the return of citizens' confidence depends on how quickly competent and virtuous people, for whom the rule of law will be an unconditional professional priority, come to the system. Somali siblings Fares and Sausan were released from a Libyan detention centre in January and evacuated to Niger together with their mother and 127 other refugees. UNHCR/Tarik Argaz UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has evacuated some 163 refugees from Libya to Niger in the first such flight since fighting escalated in the Libyan capital two weeks ago. The flight landed early on Friday. UNHCR has worked with the Libyan Ministry of Interior and authorities in Niger to make this possible. All evacuees, including dozens of women and children, were previously detained in Libya. Among them, were many people who UNHCR had recently relocated from the Abu Selim and Ain Zara detention centers both locations were close to conflict frontlines. UNHCR remains extremely concerned for the safety of refugees and migrants who are trapped inside detention centers and exposed to violence. Given the situation in Libya, humanitarian evacuations are a life-line for detained refugees whose lives are in jeopardy in Libya, said UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi. Nigers solidarity in receiving these refugees is world-leading and exemplary, but it cannot do this alone. There must be shared responsibility and we need other countries to come forward to lend a hand and help bring vulnerable refugees out of Libya to safety. "UNHCR continues to urge resettlement states to ensure quick departures of refugees accepted for resettlement from Niger in order to free up space for new evacuees from Tripoli. After their release from detention and before leaving Libya, the evacuated refugees were sheltered at UNHCRs Gathering and Departure Facility (GDF) in the center of Tripoli until the transfer to Niger was secured. UNHCR has worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of the most vulnerable through relocations from detention to the gathering facility. In the past ten days, it has been able to transfer some 539 refugees from several detention centers near the immediate conflict zones including 179 from the Abu Selim detention center, south of Tripoli, amid heavy clashes in the area. More than 3,000 refugees and migrants remain trapped in detention close to the fighting range, including those in Qasr Bin Ghasheer, Al Sabaa and Tajoura detention centers. UNHCR is urgently calling on the international community to provide solutions for all trapped and detained refugees in Libya, including evacuations and humanitarian corridors, to allow refugees in the Gathering and Departure Facility to find safety abroad and also to open new spaces at the facility, which has limited capacity. For more information: At NSDC meeting, Poroshenko instructs participants to ensure smooth operation of PrivatBank, assess judges The NBU, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Justice are preparing to appeal the first instance court decision that ruled unlawful the major bank's nationalization. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Ukraine's Economy Ministry comments on Russian ban on supplies of crude oil, fuel The Ukrainian government has made significant efforts to gradually replace Russia's goods imports by boosting domestic production. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter The format of the debate has also been announced. Journalists Andriy Kulikov, proposed by Team Poroshenko, and Olena Froliak, nominated by team Zelensky, will be hosting the presidential debate set to be held Friday night at the Olympiskiy Stadium in Kyiv. The debate will begin with a 5-minute speech by each candidate, after which they will answer three questions of debate moderators, have 60 seconds to ask their own question and 5 minutes to answer that of the opponent's. On Friday morning, April 19, police units as well as several TV crews and trucks with television equipment arrived at Kyiv's Olimpiysky Stadium. There are a lot of police around the stadium, and several trucks with television equipment alongside Velyka Vasylkivska Street, Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda reported on April 19. No crowds are seen yet in the area near the stadium. The traffic has been blocked along Velyka Vasylkivska Street from intersection with Dilova and Saksaganskogo Streets. Metal detectors frames have been installed as was the case with the Champions League final. Read alsoUkrainian presidential debate to be recorded for Putin to "watch later" spokesman Two stages have already been installed at the stadium, opposite one another. The fan zone was divided for the sake of security, according to the police. Nearly 60,000 people are expected to attend the event. Spectators will be allowed access to the stadium three hours before the event start. The nearest subway stations will operate in a restricted mode, the TV news service TSN reported. Read alsoPoroshenko's addresses Ukrainians ahead of debate with Zelensky: "I'm not giving up" Access to the Ploshcha Lva Tolstoho and Olimpiiska subway stations will be restricted from 18:00 to 19:00. But the Palats Sportu subway station will work without changes. The police, the National Guard, the SBU Security Service and rescuers will be ensuring law and order during the debate. In general, 10,000 law enforcement officers have been involved, according to the National Police. Nine streets near the stadium will be blocked until 22:00, namely Velyka Vasylkivska, Zhylianka, Shota Rustaveli, Saksaganskogo and Esplanadna streets. Public transport will also run with changes. Moreover, the subway schedule will also change. Read alsoZelensky voices Campaign's key messages As UNIAN reported earlier, the headquarters of presidential candidates Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelensky continue to actively negotiate the debate format that will take place at Kyiv's Olimpiysky Stadium today, April 19. The election hopeful candidate said he was withdrawing from his business project, the Studio Kvartal 95 production. Ukrainian presidential candidate, showman Volodymyr Zelensky, during the Pravo na Vladu (Right to Power) TV panel show on TV Channel 1+1 voiced a number of key points of his presidential campaign. Zelensky said he wants to "break the system" as president. "The system it looks like a deck of marked cards, where the kings and sixes have been rotating all these years, and the stake is very high, the stake is terrible it's human life," Zelensky said. According to the presidential candidate, one of his first initiatives will be the bill on impeachment. He said he had become popular and wealthy "thanks to this country, thanks to Ukraine." "Therefore, this is a goal for me, I don't see any obstacles, I'll bring in smart people. If I fail, I'll leave. Therefore, I'm running for president for five years and propose the law on impeachment as one of the first laws," he said. Read alsoZelensky doesn't plan to partake in budget-funded televised debate on UA:PBC campaign HQ In addition, he said that, if he is elected as president, he would not be ready to issue an order for the liberation of Donbas by force. He also assured that, if elected, he would ensure stable operations of the state-owned PrivatBank and that he would not intend to "hand it over" to anyone. "As for PrivatBank, we need to get a deeper understanding of this issue... This is a global and problematic decision for the next president," Zelensky said. "Regarding PrivatBank, whatever the developments are, I will be defending Ukraine," he stressed. Zelensky also said he was withdrawing from his business the Studio Kvartal 95 show production. "I'm out of business, I'm leaving the Studio Kvartal 95. I will not go out within five years like someone from some factory. That is, I stop being a partner for someone," he said. As reported earlier, the candidate also introduced members of his team set to work alongside if he is elected president in the April 21 runoff. "These are professional people, specialists, young people, bright, intelligent people who will go to the Presidential Administration with me. We do not distribute posts, we give positions who of them will be the best that will get this or that position," he said. Zelensky described the members of his team as "volunteers in politics." "Jointly with these people, we will be building a strong and powerful Ukraine, which is not Russia's small sister, which is not a corrupt partner of Europe, but our independent Ukraine," he added. Read alsoZelensky reveals plans for Donbas "About our experts: Ruslan Stefanchuk is our visionary, he is responsible for reforming state and legal institutions and legislative work, a great scientist; Ivan Bakanov, the head of the Servant of the People Party, he is responsible for interaction with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; Dmytro Razumkov is in charge of domestic policy; Oleksandr Danylyuk [takes care of] international relations, economy, financial and banking policy Oleksandr was a minister, this is his only drawback; Ruslan Ryaboshapka [is for] law enforcement and anti-corruption policy; Halyna Yanchenko is an expert on anti-corruption policy and digital solutions for the state; Denys Monastyrsky's work includes law enforcement agencies; Serhiy Ionushas [will be responsible for] the justice system; Ivan Aparshyn is a security and defense expert; Iryna Venediktova is responsible for reforms in the judicial system; Danylo Hetmantsev's areas are economy, finance and taxation; Viktoria Strakhova is responsible for the banking sector; Mykhailo Fedoriv heads Ze! Team's digital direction; Oleksandr Merezhko is an expert on international relations and democracy; Oleh Bondarenko is in charge of economic policy; Maryna Bardina is responsible for gender equality policy; Serhiy Kalchenko is an expert on electoral legislation, European standards in the field of human rights; Andriy Gerus is responsible for energy, housing and utilities services and antimonopoly regulation; Serhiy Babak is an expert on education and science; Yevhen Komarovsky is an expert in the field of medicine," he said. Russians are setting up in Belarus a common air defense system to deliver more advanced equipment in the region. Former deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lt Gen (Reserve) Ihor Romanenko has said thanks to the introduction of additional troops to Belarus, Russia has formed another direction with a possible threat to Ukraine. "The year before last, the Russian Federation was preparing a 250,000-strong grouping of troops and conducting training. To start a large-scale war, they need 240,000 troops and over. Last year they strengthened their grouping by introducing additional troops to Belarus. That is, another direction has emerged from which there is a possible threat to Ukraine, it's the North," Gen. Romanenko said in an interview to the Apostrophe online media outlet. The expert says Russians are setting up a common air defense system in Belarus to deliver more advanced equipment there, expand the range of aerial reconnaissance, etc. Under the guise of air defense, they brought everything they needed to Belarus. Later the Russian troops were partially withdrawn, but the weapons remained there. When there is a need, the Russians will quickly build up their troops, which are already there, the general said. Read alsoRussia may turn Donbas hostilities into full-scale within 60 minutes Ukraine's General Staff He believes the Armed Forces of Belarus may organize a corridor through which they will lead their forces to strike Ukraine. "After all, the shortest path to Kyiv is from the north. It is clear the capture of Kyiv is a difficult but strategically very profitable goal," Romanenko said. "What is the best moment to start an offensive? This would be a situation in Ukraine that could change due to a serious destabilization within the country. They could exploit the allegation that the country is allegedly divided: if one president comes, half of the people will be dissatisfied those who voted for another one; if another one comes, there will be a part of dissatisfied citizens who supported their candidate. This could lead to unrest, and here the Russians may intervene with slogans claiming they need to save the Russian-speaking population, and they will start bringing their troops," the general added. Putin's closest ally in Ukraine says the Kremlin is keen to know more about Zelensky. Volodymyr Zelensky, if elected, could regain control over the east of his country now controlled by Russian proxy forces within months and get cheap gas and major investment from Russia if he does a deal with Moscow, the Kremlin's closest ally in Ukraine said. Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent figure in Ukraine's Russia-leaning opposition, outlined the prospect in an interview before a presidential election runoff in Ukraine on Sunday which polls show political novice Volodymyr Zelensky should easily win, as reported by Reuters. He said the Kremlin was keen to know more about Zelensky, a 41-year-old Russian-speaking TV comedian who has no political experience, to understand if he is someone it could do a deal with, something it failed to do with incumbent Petro Poroshenko. "They don't have any expectations in Moscow," he said. "They want to see what happens afterwards, who will be in his (Zelensky's) entourage, and what he will do and with whom." Read alsoZelensky reveals plans for Donbas The Kremlin has made clear it will be glad to see the back of Poroshenko but has not commented on Zelensky, saying only that it is watching candidates' statements closely and hopes any new president can implement a peace deal on Donbas, eastern Ukraine, which has been under Russian proxy forces' control since 2014. According to Zelensky, all these people are not candidates for ministerial positions, but they are responsible for various directions in his team. Ukrainian presidential candidate, showman Volodymyr Zelensky has introduced members of his team who will work alongside if he is elected president in the April 21 runoff. His associates attended the Pravo na Vladu (Right to Power) TV panel show on TV Channel 1+1 April 18. According to Zelensky, all these people are not candidates for ministerial positions, but they are responsible for various directions in his team. Ukrainian TSN news service has collected brief CVs of all members of Zelensky's team announced. 1. Ruslan Stefanchuk, the visionary of Zelensky's team, he is responsible for reforming state and legal institutions and legislative work. He is 43 years old, born in Ternopil, Doctor of Law, Professor, Correspondent Member of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Ukraine, and a lawyer. He studies the problems of the general theory of private law, personal non-property rights of individuals, contractual and tort obligations, intellectual property law, European civil law, the activities of the European Court of Human Rights, medical law, legal education and science. 2. Ivan Bakanov, the head of the Servant of the People Party. He is responsible for interaction with the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Bakanov is 44 years old, born in Kryviy Rih, graduated from the Academy of Labor and Social Relations in Moscow. From January 25, 2013, he is the head of Kvartal 95 LLC, and on December 27, 2013, he was appointed head of Studio Kvartal 95 LLC. He is Zelensky's childhood friend, and now he is running the campaign headquarters. 3. Dmytro Razumkov is in charge of domestic policy. Razumkov is the eldest son of the late Oleksandr Razumkov, first assistant to former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. He has experience in the commercial, public sectors, and cooperation with the Party of Regions. Razumkov is 36 years old, has been working in the field of political consulting and electoral processes since 2006. He specializes in issues of information and analytical work in the field of domestic and foreign policy of the state, as well as adaptation and implementation of political technologies for fulfilling strategies for the formation of public opinion and image. He is a managing partner with Russian Politconsulting Group. Razumkov says he works on a volunteer basis in Zelensky's team. According to him, he has no agreement on his future position. 4. Oleksandr Danyliuk is set to deal with international relations, economy, financial and banking policy. He was born on July 22, 1975 in the town of Grigoriopol, in Moldova, later his family returned to Kyiv. He began his career in 1995 as a broker in the Ukrainian company TEKT, later he became head of the investment banking department at Alfa Capital and a junior investment manager in the U.S. Western NIS Enterprise Fund (WNISEF). Danyliuk has been in the public service since 2005. He was an advisor to former Prime Minister Yuriy Yekhanurov during the presidency of Viktor Yushchenko, a freelance advisor to former President Viktor Yanukovych. In 2014, President Petro Poroshenko appointed Danyliuk as his permanent representative in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. In 2016, he was appointed Minister of Finance. In June 2018, he was dismissed this was preceded by a conflict with Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman. Danyliuk is married, with two sons. Children are UK citizens. 5. Ruslan Ryaboshapka is responsible for law enforcement and anti-corruption policy. He is 42 years old, former Deputy Minister of Justice (March 19, 2014), was a member of the National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), resigned in June 2017. Ryaboshapka is an Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, he has been awarded with a diploma of the Cabinet of Ministers. 6. Halyna Yanchenko is an expert on anti-corruption policy and digital solutions for the state. Yanchenko is 30 years old, she doesn't have as much experience as other team members. It is known she is a co-founder and leader of the Anti-Corruption Headquarters in Kyiv. She studied at National University of "Kyiv-Mohyla Academy" (NaUKMA) at the Faculty of Sociology. In addition, she was an analyst at the Anti-Corruption Center (2013-2015), a member of the DemAlliance party and a deputy of the Kyiv City Council (2014-2015). 7. Denys Monastyrsky's work covers law enforcement agencies. He is an associate professor at the Khmelnytsky University of Management and Law, an expert of the Ukrainian Institute of the Future on reforming law enforcement and judicial systems. He was also a member of the competition commission to elect the leadership of the State Bureau of Investigation. 8. Serhiy Ionushas is responsible for the judiciary. He is a patent attorney, lawyer, member of the Ukrainian Bar Association, author of numerous publications and reports on copyright and industrial property protection. 9. Ivan Aparshyn is a security and defense expert. He is 62 years old, military expert, former director of the Defense Policy Department at the Ministry of Defense and Chief Inspector of the Defense Ministry, former Head of the Defense Policy and Security Policy Department of the Cabinet of Ministers Secretariat. He ran for parliament as a member of the Civil Position party during the 2014 parliamentary elections. He is non-partisan now. 10. Iryna Venediktova is responsible for reforms in the judiciary. She is Doctor of Law, Professor, head of the Department of Civil Law Disciplines, member of the editorial board of such magazines as Private Law, Medical Law, Vice President of the Medical Law and Bioethics Foundation of Ukraine, Chairman of the Specialized Academic Council of the Law Faculty, a judge of the Arbitration Court of Medical Affairs. In 2016-2017, she was a candidate for the position of a judge of the Supreme Court, but dropped out of the competition, having received lower than the minimum acceptable score in exams. 11. Danylo Hetmantsev's areas are economy, finance and taxation. He is 40 years old, Doctor of Law, Professor, lawyer, honorary president of Jurimex law firm, TaxLink expert, president of the Association of Tax Advisors, member of the European Association of Tax Law Professors (EATLP), member of the EATLP Academic Committee. He conducts active research work, he has published over 230 scientific and scientific-methodical works since 2001. According to the results of the All-Ukrainian professional research "Customer Choice. Top 100 best lawyers in Ukraine 2016/2017/2018," he was among TOP 100 lawyers in Ukraine. 12. Viktoria Strakhova is responsible for the banking sector. She is a former subordinate to Oleksandr Danylyuk during his ministerial cadence. She became known after the publication of her work history in PrivatBank where she held the position of corporate secretary and resigned after its nationalization. In a number of publications, Strakhova told a story about how the bank had been nationalized and what part she took in the process. 13. Mykhailo Fedoriv heads Ze! Team's digital direction. He deals with the "State in smartphone" project. As he said in an interview with the Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrayinska Pravda, he came to Zelensky from business, and before that, he owned a digital agency. Now he is engaged in promotion of digital communication in social networks and other channels. That is, Fedorov is responsible for all the Internet activity of Zelensky's team. 14. Oleksandr Merezhko is an expert on international relations and democracy. He is 48 years old, lawyer, Doctor of Law, Professor, head of the Department of Law at Kyiv National Linguistic University. He specializes in philosophy and theory of international law, civil law, as well as private international law. He took part in the selection of candidates for the position of judge of the European Court of Human Rights from Ukraine and for the position of judge of the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court. He is a member of the Ukrainian Society of International Law and the American Association of International Law, as well as the author of a number of works on law. 15. Oleh Bondarenko is in charge of economic policy. There is not too much information about him. He is said to be a professional lawyer with 25 years of experience and he heads the All-Ukrainian Organization Green Fund. Overcoming humanitarian and environmental disasters." He deals with the development of the concept of class lawsuits in Ukraine for the realization of the right to protect citizens in environmental disputes, he works to strengthen the importance of the Aarhus Convention in Ukraine. 16. Maryna Bardina is responsible for gender equality policy. Almost nothing is known about her as well, except that she was (and perhaps still remains) assistant to MP Serhiy Leshchenko. Her name became known to the general public after the accident involving a road accident where she was in a car with Leshchenko. No one was hurt in the accident. 17. Serhiy Kalchenko is an expert on electoral legislation, European standards in the field of human rights. He is also a lawyer and previously a partner in the Moor&Partners law firm, an expert in the field of law of the European Union, including on directives in the field of electricity and gas supplies. He has considerable experience in representing clients in international judicial institutions. He works at Hillmont Partners in Kyiv. 18. Andriy Gerus is responsible for energy, housing and utilities services and antimonopoly regulation. He is 37 years old, former member of the National Commission, which performs state regulation in the energy sector and utilities. Now he is a head of the Association of Consumers of Energy and Utilities and the Executive Director of Concord Capital LLC. 19. Yevhen Komarovsky is an expert in the field of health care. He is 58 years old. Dr. Komarovsky is a famous pediatrician and TV host, a popular blogger. He advocates for medical reform, but criticizes the reform that the current government is implementing. 20. Serhiy Babak is an expert on education and science. He is also an expert of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future. According to Peskov, after the court ruling, various "legal procedures" are provided for their return to Ukraine. Press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that, despite the efforts by the head of the political council of the Opposition Platform - For Life party, Viktor Medvedchuk, regarding the release of Ukrainian POW sailors, they will be tried in in Russia, according to a UNIAN correspondent in Russia. Read alsoEU responds to Moscow court's decision to extend Ukrainian sailors' detention for three months Medvedchuk is really engaged in humanitarian issues. He is working on the issues of release and exchange of persons held; in this regard, he is still very pro-active, said Peskov, answering the question on whether Medvedchuk is an intermediary between Moscow and Kyiv. Peskov added that Medvedchuk had recently been to Moscow and had contacts there on the issue of the release of Ukrainian POW sailors who he the spokesman says "breached the border of the Russian Federation." According to him, Medvedchuk makes "efforts" in this direction. To the clarifying question of the UNIAN correspondent on what the reaction of Moscow is to these efforts, Peskov said: His efforts are being taken into account, so far there is nothing more to say. The investigation is still underway, the degree of their guilt can and should be established by the court. At the same time, he stressed that after the court ruling, various legal procedures were provided for their return to Ukraine. Peskov noted that the settlement of the situation in Donbas is based solely on the Minsk agreements. The Kremlin commented on the statement of head of the political council of the political party Opposition Platform - For Life, Viktor Medvedchuk, about Moscow's alleged readiness to consider striking a deal on Donbas settlement with Volodymyr Zelensky if he is elected head state. When asked by an UNIAN correspondent in Russia, which deal with the Kremlin Medvedchuk meant, Peskov said: No deals with Putin or with Moscow are needed. We need to build normal, good, mutually beneficial relations based on mutual trust [], cooperation and interaction, which is in the interests of both Russians and Ukrainians living in Russia and Ukraine. Read alsoMedvedchuk says Kremlin could strike deal with Zelensky on Donbas media At the same time, Peskov noted that the settlement of the situation in Donbas takes place exclusively on the basis of the Minsk agreements. In this case, it is necessary to perform a certain number of actions that are indicated in this set of agreements, Peskov added. Peskov also stressed that he is Putins press secretary, not Medvedchuk's, so he cannot comment on the latters words in full. Well, you know whose press secretary I am. Thank God, I work as Putin's press secretary. I am not a press secretary for Medvedchuk, although I respect him very much, so in this case you need to contact him, the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation added. Read alsoPutin's crony Medvedchuk claims pseudo-republics in Donbas tentatively agree to autonomy status within Ukraine As UNIAN reported, in an interview with Reuters, Medvedchuk declared the Kremlins readiness to conclude a deal on Donbas with Zelensky. According to Medvedchuk, the Kremlin allegedly seeks to learn more about Zelensky in order to understand whether he is a man with whom the Russian Federation can strike a deal. If the new president of Ukraine reaches the deal with the Kremlin, he will be able to regain control of the occupied Donbas, get cheap gas and large investments from Russia, Medvedchuk claimed. The U.S. government will work with whoever the Ukrainian people elect as president on Sunday, Yovanovitch said. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has named three main issues on which the United States will cooperate with the new president of Ukraine after the runoff, which will be held on April 21. Read alsoU.S. Ambassador urges Ukrainians to vote in presidential election (Video) "I just wanted to state again as we have stated privately but also publicly over the last several months. The U.S. government will work with whoever the Ukrainian people elect as president on Sunday," she said at ENEMO briefing in Kyiv, according to an UNIAN correspondent. "And we will continue to work on the three things the Ukrainian people feel are important and the U.S. feels is important as well: the successful end to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, prosperous growing economy, and the government that treats all Ukrainians with respect and treats all of its citizens equally under the law," Yovanovitch added. New Southern Baptist Convention president and bestselling author J.D. Greear will release his next book, "Above All: The Gospel Is the Source of the Church's Renewal" (B&H Publishing), this June. In "Above All," pastor and author Greear argues that the most pressing need today is not new programs, strategies or messages, but a return to keeping the gospel message above all. When he was elected president in June 2018 at the SBC annual meeting, Greear stated his presidential theme as "Gospel Above All" and expressed a desire to reflect on the gospel "again and again" during his term. "Above All" is also the theme for the SBC annual meeting in June 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. "It is the gospel that is the source of our renewal, and it is the gospel that should be our defining characteristic as a people," Greear said in his first presidential address to the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee at its fall meeting. "[The gospel] should be what people think about and talk about when they think and talk about us." Greear says Christians should "want to remember the greatness of the gospel in such a way that it becomes of first importance, above all else." Thus the book is a roadmap for what this looks like in practice: Gospel Above All Gospel Change Gospel Mission Gospel Multiplication Gospel Hope Gospel Grace Gospel Above My Culture Gospel Above My Preferences Gospel Above My Politics Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh Durham, North Carolina, and is the author of several books, including "Not God Enough: Why Your Small God Leads to Big Problems," "Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You Are Saved" and "Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary." Greear was elected SBC president in June 2018 and is the youngest president in recent convention history. Greear is also the host of the national Moody Radio show, "Summit Life," which reaches over two million people a day. B&H is supporting the release of "Above All" with a nationwide media campaign, special deals for churches and individuals to buy the book in bulk and online incentives geared toward supporting the book to be read and shared. For more information, visitGospelAboveAllBook.com. LifeWay also released an eight-session Bible study, "Gospel Above All" with a Leader Kit, member book and teen edition, all of which are available for purchase now on lifeway.com. "Dr. Greear has consistently called his church to keep the gospel central to all they do. We've also seen this message from him as he has taken the helm as president of the Southern Baptist Convention," said Jennifer Lyell, V.P. of Book Publishing and Merchandising. "Now, through these new resources, he lays out the blueprint through which we can all walk in such a way that the gospel is always central to every thought, decision and step in our lives." J.D. Greear (PhD, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary) is pastor of The Summit Church, a gospel-centered community of more than 10,000 in Raleigh Durham, North Carolina. J.D. is the author of several books, including "Not God Enough: Why Your Small God Leads to Big Problems" (2018), "Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You Are Saved" (2013) and "Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary" (2011). In 2018, he was elected the 62nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the youngest in almost 40 years. J.D. and his wife Veronica live in Raleigh, where together they are raising four amazing kids, Kharis, Alethia, Ryah Layne and Adon. Tags : Above All J.D. Greear J.D. Greear news J.D. Greear new book Poroshenko has been campaigning for a new term under the "Army! Language! Faith!" slogan. Volodymyr Zelensky, a presidential candidate of Ukraine, says that such achievements as visa-free travel for Ukrainians and the Ukrainian language do not belong to incumbent Petro Poroshenko only, while the Tomos, a historic document granting the Orthodox Church in Ukraine independence, is an achievement, first of all, of ex-head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, Patriarch of Kyiv and all of Russia-Ukraine Filaret. "Petro Poroshenko has had many achievements. That's the fact: visa-free [travel], the Tomos, the army things that you wrote on billboards. But you know, it seems to me that for some reason you've ascribed all these achievements to yourself alone, and I don't understand why," Zelensky said during the debate at the Olimpiyskiy Stadium on Friday evening. Read alsoZelensky at debate with Poroshenko: I've never talked with Putin in my life (Video) In particular, Zelensky told Poroshenko: "[The issue of] the Ukrainian language has been [addressed] before you." "As for visafree [travel] yes, it is a victory. But this is the victory of Ukrainian diplomats and the Ukrainian Diaspora, who had been fighting for the visa-free issue before you became president of Ukraine," he said. Speaking of the Tomos, he stressed that this is a victory for Ukraine." But I think this is a victory, first of all, of Filaret, who had been fighting for the Ukrainian church before you became president. Back in the days when you were a member of the Moscow Patriarchate," Zelensky said. In addition, speaking of the army, Zelensky noted:" The army is, above all, a feat of Ukrainian soldiers, Ukrainian volunteers, the Ukrainian people." Poroshenko has been campaigning for a new term under the "Army! Language! Faith!" slogan. The truce was supposed to begin at noon on April 19. Representatives of the Russian Federation have refused to support Ukraine's initiative to declare a ceasefire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on the occasion of Easter holidays. "Talks have just ended. Without results. The Russian Federation has refused to back the initiative of Ukraine to declare a truce for the holiday, refused to shoulder the responsibility for a ceasefire in Donbas," First Deputy Chairwoman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's envoy to the Minsk Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup on Donbas Iryna Gerashchenko said on Facebook on Thursday evening after a TCG video conference had ended. Read alsoRussia-led forces violate Easter ceasefire in Donbas four times on Thursday The Skype conference of the TCG and its subgroup for security had lasted for six hours. Gerashchenko recalled that during his recent visit to Berlin to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel and to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had secured Normandy format leaders' support for the initiative to declare Easter ceasefire and truce, which were agreed at a recent meeting in Minsk. "Russia's envoy to the TCG Boris Gryzlov did not join the skype conference; the Russian side was represented by diplomat Azamat Kulmukhametov. Russia categorically refused to assume the ceasefire guarantees, once again repeating the Kremlin's statements about 'civil war, internal conflict' and the need of a 'direct dialogue with ORDLO [the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" and the "Luhansk People's Republic"]. The Russian Federation does not change its tactics, and the election race in Ukraine and its possible consequences do not make it agreeable," Gerashchenko said. "The truce was to become effective at noon on April 19. Ukrainian member of the TCG Yevhen Marchuk accused Russia and its President Vladimir Putin, who is not interested in de-escalation and the end of the war in Donbass, of breaking agreements. And there is not a single signal for Russia to be ready to change the position, on the contrary, it has been waiting for when Ukraine gets weaker and has been doing everything for it," she said. Three invaders were killed and another five were wounded on Thursday, intelligence reports say. Russia's hybrid military forces on April 10 mounted 10 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action. "One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in the past day. According to intelligence reports, three invaders were killed and another five 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 April 19, 2019. Read alsoRussia refuses to back Ukraine's Easter truce initiative Ukraine's envoy Russian occupation forces opened fire from 82mm mortars, tanks, grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Under attack were Ukrainian positions in the town of Svitlodarsk, as well as in the villages of Pavlopil, Vodiane, Lebedynske, Pisky, Talakivka, and Krymske. "Since Friday midnight, Russia-led forces have attacked Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pavlopil and Pyshchevyk, using 120mm and 82mm mortars," the report said. No losses have been reported. On April 19, Russian occupation forces in eastern Ukraine twice opened targeted fire on the positions of Joint Forces in Donbas. Read alsoUkrainian soldier wounded amid 10 enemy attacks in Donbas in past day The statement came from the Ministry of Defense's press secretary Dmytro Hutsuliak at a Kyiv briefing, according to an UNIAN correspondent. From day-start on Friday, as of 12:00, Russian-occupation troops carried out targeted shelling of the positions of Ukrainian heroes. From 1:00, our defenders of the village of Pyshchevyk recorded several blasts of enemy's 82mm mines. The enemy also mortared our defenders of Pavlopil. Our military recorded the blasts of 120mm mines there," said Hutsuliak. According to him, as a result of enemy attacks from the beginning of the current day, no casualties were reported among the Ukrainian military. For the plan to work out, all that was needed was a "wink" or a slight push from Donald Trump, the report says. Donald Trump's former campaign chairman and his ex-aide Paul Manafort discussed a plan of Donbas autonomy with the region set to be led by Ukraine's ousted ex-president Viktor Yanukovych, Special Counsel Robert Mueller's long-awaited report on Russian meddling in 2016 U.S. elections reveals. The report, published on the U.S. Justice Department's website, says Manafort has told detectives about his contacts with his longtime employee Konstantin Kilimnik, who the FBI assesses has ties to Russian intelligence, while Manafort claims he did not believe Kilimnik was a Russian "spy". The report says Kilimnik was born April 27, 1970, in the Soviet Union (Dnipropetrovsk region) and attended the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense from 1987 to 1992, later to become a translator in the Russian army for seven years and then to work in the Russian armament industry selling arms and military equipment. He obtained a visa to travel to the U.S. with a Russian diplomatic passport in 1997. Read alsoWashington Post: Manafort continued Ukraine work in 2018, prosecutors say According to the report, at a meeting with Manafort on August 2, 2016, Kilimnik delivered a message from former Ukrainian president Yanukovych, who was then living in Russia. The message was about a peace plan for Ukraine that Manafort has since acknowledged was a "backdoor" means for Russia to control eastern Ukraine. Several months later, after the presidential election, Kilimnik wrote an email to Manafort expressing the view which Manafort later said he shared that the plan's success would require U.S. support: "all that is required to start the process is a very minor 'wink' (or slight push) from [Donald Trump]." The investigation did not uncover evidence of Manafort's passing along information about Ukrainian peace plan to Donald Trump or anyone else in the Campaign or Administration. The detectives, however, were not able to gain access to all of Manafort's electronic communications (in some instances, message were sent using encryption applications). Manafort told detectives he had stopped discussing the plan with Kilimnik dismissing it as nonsense. April 19 2019 HLM have been asked to lead the design team for a 65m advanced manufacturing facility hosted by the University of Strathclyde as the flagship build of a new innovation district near Glasgow Airport. The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland will draw together industry, academia and the public sector to explore new ways of improving productivity and skills. Hosting a digital factory, skills academy and collaborative workspaces the facility will complement work undertaken by the universitys Advanced Forming Research Centre. HLM Ross Barrett, associate HLM, said: HLM and the design team are excited to be working closely with the University of Strathclyde and their partners to develop the new NMIS facility. This is a huge opportunity to create an innovative, flexible and collaborative environment which will help inspire and attract industry partners and academics alike, reducing barriers to innovation. The design team comprises structural engineers Waterman; service engineers Davie + McCulloch and cost managers Robinson Low Francis. (@FahadShabbir) Russia could help Senegal, which is planning to become a "strong" oil and gas producer in three years, Mamadou Diawara, a member of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Senegal, told Sputnik on the sidelines of Yalta International Economic Forum YALTA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2019) Russia could help Senegal, which is planning to become a "strong" oil and gas producer in three years, Mamadou Diawara, a member of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council of Senegal, told Sputnik on the sidelines of Yalta International Economic Forum. "In three years from now, we expect a strong production of oil and gas in Senegal, and we think that countries like Russia could really assist Senegal in this regard in terms of exploitation and by its participation in general," the member of the consultative assembly said. Diawara remarked that Senegal was interested in "production, creation of infrastructure a package, but our priorities are in exploitation of oil and gas. " Thierno Diallo, a counselor of the government of Senegal and the president of African Institute of Applied Negotiation, told Sputnik that there was interest in partnerships in such fields as mining and energy. "A lot of African countries have natural resources that need to be developed, but we don't have a know-how, and this know-how exists in Russia," Diallo said. Diallo added that Senegal had discovered a large gas reserve that it intended to start developing in 2021. Yalta International Economic Forum is being held in Crimea and expected to last through Saturday. Leader of the largest Macedonian opposition VMRO-DPMNE party Hristijan Mickoski called on the citizens on Friday to vote actively in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for April 21 BELGRADE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2019) Leader of the largest Macedonian opposition VMRO-DPMNE party Hristijan Mickoski called on the citizens on Friday to vote actively in the upcoming presidential election scheduled for April 21. The presidential election in North Macedonia will take place on Sunday. Up to 1.8 million citizens have the right to vote. The candidate from the ruling Social Democratic Union of Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, the candidate from the once in power but now opposition party VMRO-DPMNE, Gordana Silyanovska Davkova, and the candidate from two Albanian parties, the former ambassador of Macedonia to the European Union, Blerim Reka, will compete for the presidency. "It is necessary to go out on Sunday being as numerous as possible, and to show that it is people that is the main bearer of sovereignty in this country and that the truth will win; justice will punish zaevism [the policy of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev] for everything he had promised and failed to do, for all the damage," Mickoski wrote in Facebook. According to the latest polls, Pendarovski's support constitutes about 26.7 percent, Davkova has about 24 percent of support and 10.5 percent of future voters support Reka. If none of the candidates get more than half of the votes, the second round will take place on May 5. Zoran Zaev has stoked discontent by changing the country's name from Macedonia to Northern Macedonia under a deal with neighboring Greece. Macedonia's parliament voted in favor of a constitutional amendment changing the state's name. However, many Macedonians, as well as President Gjorge Ivanov, spoke against the move. The president said he would not authorize the change but Zaev stated the decision did not require presidential approval. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2019) US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Kimberly Breier will visit two of three Central American nations responsible for waves of migrant caravans seeking asylum in the United States, the Department of State announced in a press release on Friday. "Breier's April 21 stop in Honduras includes a meeting with President Juan Orlando Hernandez," the release stated. While in El Salvador on April 21, Breier will meet with senior government officials and visit Salvadoran government projects promoting employment and anti-gang efforts, the release said. However, the Primary purpose of Breier's visit is to urge the governments of both nations "to do more to prevent illegal immigration to the United States," the release said. US officials expect more than 1 million migrants to request political asylum at or after illegally crossing the southwestern US border with Mexico, mainly from El Salvador and Honduras as well as from Mexico. An Introduction to Doing Business in Vietnam 2018-19 will provide readers with an overview of the fundamentals of investing and conducting business in Vietnam.... AirAsia changes the plan to enter Vietnamese market According to the Straitstimes, AirAsia told Bursa Malaysia that its wholly-owned subsidiary AirAsia Investment Ltd., together with Gumin Company Ltd. and Hai Au Aviation JSC, had agreed to terminate and release each other from all obligations under the transaction agreements in relation to the proposed joint venture in Vietnam, effective from April 17, 2019. AirAsia stressed that it remains interested in operating a low-cost airline in Vietnam due to its favourable geographical location, expanding aviation market, and overall growth potential. The termination of the joint venture is not subject to the approval of the companys shareholders and is not expected to have any financial impact on the net assets or gearing of the company. This is the third time within the last ten years that AirAsia is looking for a co-operation with a local partner. Earlier, the company announced intentions to establish a low-cost carrier in March 2017 and a memorandum of co-operation was signed with Hai Au Aviation and Gumin December 2018. On February 13, AirAsia's co-founder and CEO Tony Fernandes sent a letter to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to request support in licensing procedures in order to launch the first commercial flight on August 1, 2019. The carrier also wanted to further explore investment opportunities in two airports in Central Vietnam, Chu Lai and Phu Bai. Fernandes said Vietnam is one of the last remaining countries with a large population within the region where AirAsia is not present. AirAsia is already the largest foreign airline in Vietnam by capacity, currently flying to five destinations in the country, including its latest addition of Phu Quoc. A royal court music performance in the new boat tour in Trang An Complex. (Source: VNA) The new waterway tour, the third of its kind, offers tourists a scenic boat trip of three hours through the Trinh and Quy Minh temples and caves of May, Dia Linh, Van and Dai. During the tour, visitors also have chance to stop at the Vu Lam Palace and Kong film shooting site then return to the departure point. With the new waterway route tour, which opened in February with a ticket price of 200,000 VND (9 USD) per person, Trang An now has three waterway tours and one road route to serve visitors. The tours offer the chance to visit up to 11 caves, temples and pagodas including the Trinh Temple and picturesque mountainscapes. The river water is clear enough to view aquatic plants living on the river bed. The nature is pristine with forested mountains and green valleys of reeds and bushes. The new route is not a difficult trek but includes walks to the Tran Temple, the Vu Lam worshipping palace of the Tran dynasty and to Kong Village, a recently built model aboriginal community with many simple bamboo huts and friendly local villagers just like the village you see in the latest Kong film: Kong: Skull Island. Nguyen Van Duong, a freelance tour guide specialising in Ninh Binh boat tours, told Vietnam News that like many other tours in the province, including those through Tam Coc and Bich Dong Complex, the new boat tour in Trang An was obviously attracting visitors to the area. Duong said along with stops at spiritual and historical vestiges such as the Trinh and Quy Minh temples, the new stop at the Kong film studio on the tour was attracting foreign and international visitors seeking to satisfy their curiosity and admire the natural beauty of the complex. The Trinh temple has a history of more than 1,000 years while the Quy Minh temple has been recently restored. Those interested in history will be attracted to the Vu Lam military base, built by the first emperors of the Tran dynasty (1225-1400) after they defeated Mongol invaders. Caves, especially May Cave with its different stalactites, and Dia Linh Cave, the longest in Trang An at 2km and featuring a pristine beauty, provide adventure trips for those interested in exploration. Director of the provincial Tourism Department Bui Thanh Dong told Dan Tri online newspaper that this year the province expected to welcome 7.2 million tourists and gross a turnover of 2,700 billion VND (117 million USD). The new waterway tour is the first step in the provinces plan to increase the number of tourists, particularly those who wanted to follow adventurous tours, Dong said. Nguyen Thanh Trang, a business representative from the agency C-Vietnam Travel, said positive signs had been recorded in tourism development since Ninh Binh has attracted more interest thanks to local historical and cultural vestiges as well as well preserved natural beauty and eco-systems. Located about 90km south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is known as Ha Long Bay on Land, given its limestone mountains rising out of paddy fields. The most famous local attraction is the Trang An Landscape Complex, which has been expanded over recent years and gained popularity for its green fields, mountains, caves and forests. The province has been listed as one of the 50 best spots to visit in 2018 by US travel site Insider. Together with other famous sites in the province such as Tam Coc Grottos and Van Long Lagoon, the Trang An Landscape Complex was also used as a location for the movie Kong: Skull Island, one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of 2017. The locations opened to tourists last April. Ninh Binh welcomed over 7 million visitors last year, up nearly 10 percent against 2016, of which international visitors were nearly 860,000. The Trang An tourism complex has a total of 40 tourism spots of historical, cultural, art and natural vestiges including 20 recognised as national heritages. In 2014, it was officially recognised as a mixed cultural and natural heritage by UNESCO thanks to its outstandingly natural & cultural values. In UNESCOs words, "Trang An is a resplendent complex of limestone karst peaks which are permeated with valleys, including submerged ones, and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs", nestling on the southern shore of the Red River Delta. Archaeological traces of human activity dating back thousands of years have been found within the complex. The Trang An Complex boasts several nationally recognised sites like the Trang An ecotourism site and Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital in the 10th and 11th centuries. The area also has many temples, pagodas, paddy fields, villages and other sacred sites. It is home to about 500 flora species, 73 species of birds and 41 species of other animals and has a diverse ecosystem. Con Dao plans to expand Co Ong Airport and its terminals to boost tourism. (Photo: VNA) The and officials from the Ministry of Transport had a working session in Con Dao district on April 18 with Ba Ria-Vung Taus authorities on the development of infrastructure for the airport and Con Dao seaport. The minister said he asked the Vietnam Airlines Corporation to complete a detailed planning on Co Ong airport within the next three months. The Vietnam Airlines Corporation made a plan on the upgrade and expansion of Co Ong airport with a designed catering capacity of 4-5 million passengers a year, ten times more than the current capacity. He asked the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Peoples Committee to work together with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Construction to consult the Government for the early approval of an adjusted master planning on the development of Con Dao so it can serve as a foundation for the Ministry of Transport to carry out transport-related works there, including the expansion of Co Ong airport. Co Ong airport was built under the French colonialism. In 2004, it was upgraded to receive ATR72 aircraft and its terminal can serve up to 200 passengers at the same time. At present, it is operated by Vietnam Air Service Company (VASCO) with two routes linking Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong delta city of Can Tho. According to the Con Dao district Peoples Committee, the number of tourists, both local and foreign, to Con Dao is on the rise, with the growth of 25-30 percent annually in recent time. Con Dao is an archipelago consisting of 16 small islands, the biggest one Con Dao island, 117 km southeast of Vietnams mainland. In 1862, French colonialists turned the island into a prison and from 1968 to 1975, the American used the prison to jail Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers. In recent years, the island has become a history museum which attracts many Vietnamese and foreign visitors. Illustrative image (Source: VNA) The Governments Decree No.82/2018/ND-CP on the management of industrial zones and economic zones, which took effect on July 10, 2018, regulates the planning and development of industry-urban-service areas. It has opened up opportunities for real estate investors, particularly in the context of shrinking land sources. Experts said the model contributes to tackling housing problems for workers and ensuring suitable living environments within industrial parks. As planned, the area of land put aside for industrial development in Vietnam will be doubled by 2020. In its recent regular meeting, the Government ordered that the processing and manufacturing sector boost its growth and closely monitor the operations of businesses and major projects for the prompt handling of potential issues. Relevant ministries, sectors, and localities were assigned to facilitate businesses and investors, with firms hoping that the incentives will create favorable conditions for investors to develop industrial infrastructure projects. Dang Hung Vo, former Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said that Vietnams industrial realty sector should capitalise on the advantages available in order to propel forward. Wherever the EU is, theres a problem. Im not part of the problem. I wont be running in the EU elections, he wrote in his blog on Thursday, 18 April. Im leaving politics, feeling positive, in a good mood. TIMO SOINI (BR), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, has announced his non-candidacy in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament. Related posts: Soini says he will not seek another term in Finnish Parliament (06 March, 2019) There had been long-running speculation about the political future of the co-founder and long-term chairperson of the Finns Party, who was not a candidate in the parliamentary elections held in Finland on Sunday, 14 April. Soini on Thursday added that he will complete the remainder of his term as the minister for foreign affairs in the caretaker government of Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre). When the new government starts its term, Ill step onto the Senate Square as a free man. My life will change, because I know what it has been, he wrote. Ill realise a couple of dreams. Ill enjoy the summer, being right, he said. The Blue Reform which was founded by approximately 20 ex-members of the Finns Party, including Soini, in November 2017 failed to win a single seat in the Finnish Parliament last Sunday. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi The Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway will have eight sections to be built as PPP projects The Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway will be 654 kilometres long, offering plenty of opportunities for numerous investors. During the upcoming event, the MoT will provide an update on related regulations and the progress of this particular eastern section of the North-South Expressway. Public-Private Partnership (PPP) investment and business opportunities for enterprises, as well as financial and credit institutions and the regulations and procedures related to investor pre-qualification will also be explained. Also on the occasion, the MoT will review the infrastructure investment landscape in Vietnam and flag upcoming opportunities for enterprises. The Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway project comprises of 11 section projects, including three to be financed by the state and eight to be implemented through the PPP model. Many foreign investors, including those from the EU, Japan, the US, and South Korea, have expressed interest in the project, which is estimated to cost over VND118.7 trillion ($5.16 billion), with a total of over VND63 trillion ($2.74 billion) to be mobilised by investors, for 654 kilometres to be built. It is considered an economically and politically important project. "The list of sub-projects is very attractive for foreign investors, particularly European investors. EU firms have a good record of PPP projects in highways and airports, including projects implemented in developing countries looking to improve their transport infrastructure. The airport of Santiago and other projects in South America may be cited as good examples," Antoine Logeay, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce's Legal Sector Committee, told VIR. Interested enterprises, financial and credit institutions should register for participation before April 12, 2019 with the Department of Public-Private Partnership at vutruongtan@gmail.com or huyhoangcmb@gmail.com. MoT to introduce investment opportunities for North-South Expressway The Vietnamese Ministry of Transport (MoT) will hold an investment promotion conference next week to introduce investment opportunities in the Eastern Cluster of the North-South ... Ministry to accelerate North-South Expressway project The Ministry of Transport plans to speed up the implementation of the North-South expressway project in 2019, said Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The. A new report from media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has degraded Cambodia over its record on media freedoms in 2018. In the groups Press Freedom Index 2018 the group said Cambodias increasing closeness with China and fall out with the west had led to the increased restrictions, seeing its rank slip to 143 out of 180 nations included in the report. Worried by the prospect of losing the July 2018 general elections after more than 30 years in power, Prime Minister Hun Sen launched a pre-emptive war against the media in which around 30 radio stations were silenced and Cambodia Daily, an English-language newspaper that had helped to nurture Cambodias fragile democracy, was forced to close, it said. The last bastion of the independent press, the Phnom Penh Post, was bought by a Malaysian businessman with ties to the Cambodian government in May 2018. The report added that as a result of the crackdown Cambodians could largely only access new from government-approved media outlets. Journalists who still dare to do investigative reporting on subjects that are not to the regimes liking, such as prostitution of minors, are imprisoned. Meas Sophorn, a spokesman for the Ministry of Information, dismissed the report, saying Cambodia was a democratic country that respects press freedom. So this is in contrast to the statement by some institutions that do not reflect the reality in Cambodia, he added. Cambodian Center for Independent Media director Nop Vy said that the report accurately reflected the slump in press freedom in Cambodia. He added that the government should regard media in any form as partners in their development strategy. There should be more openness in decision making or cooperation with some local radio stations, along with NGOs and other independent media outlets, in order to make it possible for people to obtain news from across the spectrum, or all political standpoints. This will help keep the people well-informed. At least 14 journalists have been killed in Cambodia since 1992, according to Reporters Without Borders. A translator for a foreign media outlet was recently jailed and awaits trial while two journalists are under court surveillance and two others fled the countries due to charges from the authorities. When the shooting started, Austin Eubanks couldnt process what he was experiencing. In 1999, there was no real frame of reference for what high-powered gunfire would sound like in the hallways of a high school, so until I actually saw the perpetrators, I didnt think that what was happening was real, says Eubanks, who was a 17-year-old junior at Columbine High School when two students opened fire on their peers 20 years ago this month on April 20, 1999. Eubanks hid under a table in the school library alongside best friend Corey DePooter and watched as one of the teen shooters fired his semi-automatic weapon at DePooter, killing him almost instantly. Eubanks sustained bullet wounds to the hand and knee. WATCH THE VIDEO: Former Columbine principal Frank DeAngelis remembers rushing into the school corridor. Coming out of my office, I encountered the gunman who was about 100 yards away and shots being fired, and literally my life was flashing in front of me. And I just kept thinking what it was going to feel like to feel a bullet pierce my body, he says. When the shooting ended, 12 students and one teacher were dead. The two student gunmen, whod been seniors at the Littleton, Colorado, school, had also committed suicide. The incident was the first mass school shooting in the United States and remains one of the deadliest. While Eubanks, DeAngelis and others survived the massacre, no one associated with the attack on Columbine emerged unscathed. Samantha Haviland was 16 when Columbine happened. She was near one or both of the gunmen during their rampage as they shot at her friends in the school hallway but cannot remember whether she actually saw them. What she does remember is how everything suddenly changed. I was a busy kid. I was in sports. I was on the speech team and plays. I worked. I was a volunteer at church. And suddenly, all of that stopped, Haviland says. And I think that really messed me up a little bit that I didnt have anything that was normal. The PTSD developed rather slowly, I think. There were some immediate markers that I had nightmares, people shooting at me, people chasing me in my dreams. Many Columbine survivors suffered serious mental health effects and still struggle to keep symptoms of post-traumatic stress and anxiety under control. DeAngelis sought mental health counseling shortly after the tragedy and encouraged his staff to do the same. I was in a bad place. I wasnt sleeping. I had reoccurring nightmares, DeAngelis says. You know, I felt so much guilt. ... Those are my kids. Im the principal of that school. They walk into my school, theyre supposed to be safe. Im supposed to protect them. By the third year after the shootings, English teacher Paula Reed was having trouble coping. I was breaking into hives whenever I walked into the building. My hair was falling out, says Reed, who retired from teaching at Columbine just last year. I was suicidal by the end of that third year, which is why I took two years off. 'Counseling didn't work' Reed says counseling did not work for her. Instead, she turned to writing historical romance novels. I decided that facing your demons is vastly overrated, she recalls. So writing romance novels, No. 1, gave me absolute control over the universe. Nothing happened that I didnt make happen. And good people got rewarded, and bad people got their just desserts, and it always had a happy ending. Reed returned to teaching after her break, but certain triggers can still set her back, including fire drills and other school shootings like last year's attack at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in which 17 students and faculty members were murdered. "I lost it big time, she says. I had to pop a Lorazepam. Didn't go to school the next day. I could not get it together." Haviland is now director of counseling for Denver County Schools. She didn't seek mental health counseling until a decade later after almost losing control during a lockdown drill at the school where she worked as a counselor. Two boys I did not know tried to kill me, and tried to kill me multiple times in a short period of time, she says. I can't let that define me in any way, shape or form. That was about them. That's not about me." "The reality of a school shooting can be terribly traumatic, says psychologist Donald Freedheim, who has worked with Red Cross disaster response teams and people in trauma situations. It's how children cope with stress that determines how they're going to live in the future." Addiction and recovery An inability to cope proved devastating for Austin Eubanks, who abused pain medication during his recovery in an effort to dull his emotional distress. Almost a dozen years of drug addiction followed. Now recovered, Eubanks travels the country educating people about addiction and recovery and says his biggest mistake was to withdraw from all human connection after Columbine. "I chose to get a private tutor my senior year instead of going back to school. I missed out on a lot of the collective healing that the student body experienced in their senior year, he says. I remember going through the stages of grief at age 29 that I should have been going through at ages 17 and 18, because I had basically pressed a pause button on my emotional healing with substances." Afghan Taliban are "exhausted" with the failed efforts to organize an intra-Afghan conference in Doha, so another such conference seems unlikely in the near future, a source close to the Taliban told VOA on the condition of anonymity. The conference, which was scheduled to be held April 20 and 21 in the capital of Qatar, was supposed to provide a breakthrough as members of the sitting Kabul administration were going to be a part of talks with the Taliban for the first time. It was canceled at the last minute over the size and make-up of the Afghan delegation. The Afghan government had issued a list of 250 participants, a list Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed was more suited to a wedding party than a conference. The Afghan government rejected suggestions by the Qatari government to reduce the size of the delegation, calling it "a disrespect to the national will of the Afghan people." "Despite tireless and well-intentioned efforts of all parties, a shared understanding on how to achieve inclusivity couldn't be reached," tweeted Sultan Barakat, the director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies that was helping organize the conference. However, interviews with Taliban sources and a subsequent statement by Mujahid showed that the size of the Afghan delegation was not as concerning for the Taliban as how they felt about the posturing of the Kabul administration ahead of the meeting. "Just as all the arrangements for the conference were finalized, the Kabul administration officials launched their own bizarre meetings inside the Arg palace (presidential palace), announcing their red lines and conditions, claiming host status for the conference," Mujahid's statement said. The Taliban also objected to President Ashraf Ghani and his special envoy Umar Daudzai declaring that members nominated by them would participate as representatives of the Kabul administration rather than in their personal capacity. The Afghan Taliban have long resisted direct talks with the administration of President Ghani, calling it a "puppet" of the Americans. "Nothing is in their hands. They are helpless. There is no use talking to them," the source close to the Taliban mentioned earlier when asked why the Taliban refused to engage with the Afghan government. In addition, Afghanistan is gearing up for a presidential election in September and the Taliban do not want to give an edge to any particular candidate, according to Zalmay Khalilzad, the chief U.S. negotiator who has been engaged with the Taliban since September in an effort to find a negotiated solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. "The Talib preference is not to sit with the government alone because they think that will give the government legitimacy and be favorable to one of the candidates, the president in his re-election campaign," Khalilzad said during a talk at the United States Institute of Peace, a Washington based think tank. However, some Afghans think the Taliban should not have a say in who represents them. "Before any conferences to be held, there should be a solid agreement between the parties, specifically Taliban and the United States," said Najibullah Azad, a university professor in Kabul. "Taliban should have no right to reject any person or a group that is part of a delegation." Others believed the failure of the talks as well as the turmoil leading up to them laid bare the deep fissures among the Afghan political elite that may undermine a possible peace process. "One thing the messy lead-up to the Doha 'intra-Afghan' from all sides has proven beyond doubt ... is just how deeply divided Afghanistan's political elite are & how even the biggest national opportunities are hostage to small power games," tweeted Mujib Mashal, a New York Times correspondent in Kabul. At stake, in an election year, is how various parties feel this conference, or any part of the peace process, might impact their political status. Several presidential candidates, including CEO Abdullah, have boycotted a Loya Jirga, or a grand assembly of thousands of Afghans from across the country, scheduled for April 29, that was supposed to discuss the Afghan peace process. Analysts say the opposition candidates fear Ghani might use the platform to boost his status as a national leader and, therefore, his election campaign. Meanwhile, Ghani fears the opposition is using the Taliban refusal to engage with him to undermine him politically. The insurgent group has had contacts with Afghan politicians, war lords, and others, but not the Ghani administration. The last "intra-Afghan" conference between Taliban and Afghan stakeholders was held in Moscow and officials of the Ghani administration were not invited. The militants have also been negotiating with the Americans since last year. According to Afghan and international media, Ghani has been feeling sidelined in the peace process since September last year, when Khalilzad took over direct negotiation with the Taliban. The administration's frustration became evident when Hamdullah Mohib, Ghani's national security adviser, lashed out at Khalilzad during a trip to the U.S. in March of this year. It resulted in the U.S. administration telling Ghani that it will not deal with Mohib anymore. With the failure of the crucial Doha conference, the focus has already started shifting to the Jirga meeting at the end of the month. "New political battle lines being drawn ahead of controversial Jirga & govt elex agenda after #DohaAfghanTalks debacle? What is national strategy to resolve issues?" tweeted Omar Samad, a senior adviser to Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. Hundreds of Cameroonian women gathered in the capital this week to urge the government to stop the killings in the country's Anglophone separatist western regions. Weeks of violent clashes in those areas have left at least 70 people dead. The event Thursday at the Yaounde conference center saw about 700 women from various cultural associations call for efforts to end fighting in the English-speaking regions. Teacher Elizabeth Mankaa, who organized the groups, said most of the women have lost family members or belongings in battles between the military and separatists. "The northwest and the southwest region are suffering, and we are here to cry like mothers so that the government should hear our cry and stop this crisis," she said. Cameroon's Ministry of Defense said in a statement that dozens of separatists have been killed within the past two weeks. The Catholic dioceses in the regions said they counted at least 70 bodies, including those of civilians and military members. Mankaa said all of the victims were children of Cameroon, dying in what she described as a senseless war. Government to separatists: Surrender At a separate event Thursday, Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute claimed Cameroon's military is winning the fight. He called on the wives and mothers of separatists to persuade them to surrender. "I have it on very good information that a lot of those young people out in the bushes are there in spite of themselves," he said. "They want to come out, but many do not know how to come out. Talk to them [in] a language of fraternity, that we are begging them to leave the bush because they are our own. They are our children." Daniel Mukete, a political analyst at the Cameroon Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Conflicts, says the government cannot declare war and deploy heavily armed troops, then expect separatists to disarm. "Let the enabling condition for an inclusive dialogue be set. Let violence [cease]. Let guns stop being heard. Let the people feel free to express their minds," Mukete said. He added that rebel fighters will only believe that troops will not kill them if they withdraw. Humanitarian principles Liberian peace activist and 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Roberta Gbowee was at another Yaounde-related event Thursday. She warned that Cameroon will descend into chaos if there are no talks to bring peace to the separatist regions. "From my own experience as a Liberian, I think it is important that Cameroonians come to the place where there is consensus on humanitarian principles," she said. "When you hear stories of women using leaves for sanitary pads and people giving birth in the bushes, you know that it is time for leaders to take a step back and say we need to think about the humanity of the people." International pressure is growing over the worsening conditions in Cameroon's Anglophone regions. The European Union's top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, on Thursday called for talks between the government and rebels as the only way to achieve a sustainable solution. In a speech at the European Parliament, she said the humanitarian consequences were alarming with about half a million internally displaced people and more than 32,000 Cameroon refugees registered in Nigeria. More than 1,500 people have been killed in Cameroon's English-speaking regions since fighting broke out in 2017. The unrest was sparked by English-speaking teachers and lawyers protesting Francophone dominance. Armed rebels took over the movement, demanding independence for an English-speaking state they call "Ambazonia." Their demands were met with a government crackdown and calls to surrender or be killed. Recent technological advances demonstrated by China have started an intense debate on whether it is set to take a lead in the field of artificial intelligence, or AI, which has extensive business and military applications. U.S. concerns about China's AI advances have also influenced, in part, the ongoing trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing. Both the United States and European Union are taking measures to stop information leaks that are reportedly helping Chinese companies at the expense of Western business. But many analysts are saying that Chinese corporate and defense-related research in areas like AI and 5G wireless technologies can thrive on their own even if information from the Western world is shut off. China is already reportedly leading in several segments of businesses like autonomous vehicles, facial recognition and certain kinds of drones. The U.S.-based Allen Institute of Artificial Intelligence recently captured attention when it reported that China is a close second after the United States when it comes to producing frequently-cited research papers on artificial intelligence. The U.S. contribution is 29%, and China accounts for 26% of such papers. "The U.S. still is ahead in AI development capabilities, but the gap between the U.S. and China is closing rapidly because of the significant new AI investments in China," Bart Selman, president-elect of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, a professional organization, told VOA. Political advantage Chinese President Xi Jinping has in recent months encouraged Communist leaders to "ensure that our country marches in the front ranks when it comes to theoretical research in this important area of AI, and occupies the high ground in critical and AI core technologies." He also asked them to "ensure that critical and core AI technologies are firmly grasped in our own hands." Analysts said China's political system and its government's eagerness to support the technological advancement were key reasons it could build infrastructure such as cloud computing and a software engineering workforce, and become a big player in artificial intelligence. Chinese companies enjoy special advantages in deploying new technology like facial recognition, which is often difficult in democratic countries like the U.S., said William Carter, deputy director and fellow in the Technology Policy Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "China does have strengths in terms of application development and deployment, and has the potential to take the lead in the deployment of some technologies like autonomous vehicles and facial recognition where ethical, social and policy hurdles may impede deployment in the U.S. and other parts of the world," Carter said. China's capabilities in image and facial recognition are possibly the best in the world, partly because government controls have made it easier to generate data from a wide range of sources like banks, mobile phone companies and social media. "These capabilities arise out of the use of deep learning on very large data sets. In general, China has the advantage of having more real world data to train AI systems on ... than any other country," Selman said. Other areas where China has shown significant advances are natural language processing (in Chinese only) and drone (unmanned aerial vehicle) swarming. "China also has unique capabilities that are not found in the U.S. or Europe. I'm thinking of electronic payment platforms [e.g. AliPay] and the super app WeChat that provide an advanced platform for the rapid introduction of further AI technologies," Selman said. U.S. role Last February, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order asking government agencies to do more with AI. "Continued American leadership in artificial intelligence is of paramount importance to maintaining the economic and national security of the United States," Trump was quoted as saying in an official press release accompanying the order. Critics have said that Trump's order does not suggest enhanced government investment and plans for attracting fresh talent in AI research and development, which is essential for growth and industry competition. Gregory Allen is an adjunct senior fellow with the research group Center for a New American Security. He was recently quoted as saying that the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is spending the most on research and development at $2 billion over five years. In contrast, the Chinese province of Shanghai, which is a city government, is planning to spend $15 billion on AI over 10 years. "So literally, we have the U.S. federal government at present at risk of being outspent by a provincial government of China," Allen said. China's AI capabilities have limits. They suffer from major weaknesses in areas like advanced semiconductors to support machine learning applications. "At the end of the day, when it comes to most major AI fields, China is not the technological leader and is not the source of most foundational innovations," Carter said. The U.S. still dominates in the overall market for self-driving car technology, machine translation, natural language understanding, and web search. China has gained a strong presence in a few segments of these businesses, largely because of its vast domestic market. Despite the competition, collaboration and exchange of ideas occur between the two countries in the AI field, although this aspect is less discussed, Carter added. "Politically, the dynamic is more competitive; economically and scientifically, it is more collaborative," he said. Chinese artist Ai Weiweis interest in studying human rights around the world led to his meeting with relatives of the 43 college students who disappeared in southern Mexico in 2014. That encounter led, in turn, to his new exhibit in Mexicos capital. Ai has lived under house arrest in China and faced censorship because of his activism, even as his fame led to major exhibits in leading international museums, including the Tate Gallery in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In Mexico, Ai chose a university museum to mount his exhibit dedicated to the case of the students from the teachers college at Ayotzinapa in Guerrero state. He used students to assemble Legos into big, colorful portraits of the 43 missing young people. He wanted it to be a university structure, said Cuauhtemoc Medina, one of the curators of Ai Weiwei: Re-establish memories, the show at the contemporary art museum of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Meeting the families The idea began in 2016 when Medina took Ai to the Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center, where the artist talked with some of the students relatives. At some point he told them that he had also been a political prisoner, that when one is disappeared in a completely isolated situation, the only thing that keeps you alive is being totally convinced that your loved ones must be fighting by any means possible to get you back, Medina said. Ai was confined to his home in China as a result of his outspoken criticisms following the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan province that killed some 90,000 people, including thousands of children in poorly constructed schools. The 43 Mexican students disappeared Sept. 14, 2014, in the Guerrero city of Iguala after local police allegedly turned them over to a local drug gang. The federal government maintained the gang killed the students and burned their bodies at a garbage dump. But international experts raised doubts about that scenario and Mexicos new administration has created a commission to re-investigate. This is an example of the very interesting conversation that exists today between the aesthetic and the political, Medina said. The human rights crisis in Mexico has become a global topic in a radical way, so that we cant pretend anymore that the disappearance of dozens or thousands of people or the deaths of more than 200,000 in recent years are secondary. Powerful portraits Ai, who also makes documentaries, received permission from the Ayotzinapa families to do a film on the case. Some of the interviews that are part of the film are being shown at the exhibit, which will be on display until Oct. 6. But the students portraits are the most powerful element. It was really interesting, because its re-signifying the material completely, said Ivan Leyva, a history student at the university who helped assemble the portraits. Who hasnt played with Legos as a child? The portraits are based on images that the parents of the missing youths carry on signs during their protest marches and at news conferences young faces looking straight ahead with their names below. Each pixel is represented by a Lego brick, and the students followed a color guide to assemble them. It creates a three-dimensional, multicolored effect for the faces on backgrounds of green, white or red, the colors of Mexicos national flag. The young people who assembled the works found themselves moved as the portraits began to take shape. It gave me goosebumps because I thought: That could have been me. No one is exempt, Lleyva said. It doesnt stop making you angry and it likely has to do with the symbolism of the event, the symbolism of this attack against the student community. WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a positive program that will contribute significantly to addressing the important issue of the regional infrastructure gap, a well-known U.S. expert on China has said in a recent interview with Xinhua. "It's definitely a plus for the recipient countries," said Stephen Roach, senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. He added that in the long haul, the initiative will be "a plus for China" as well. The BRI refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. China is to host the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing later this month, six years after the inception of the initiative and almost two years since the inaugural forum was held in the Chinese capital. Noting that the BRI was perceived as a "pretty broad and all-encompassing pan-regional infrastructure program" when Chinese President Xi Jinping first announced it in 2013, Roach said the initiative now is "showing up in countries well outside of the original BRI corridor," especially including such a key member of the European Union as Italy. A former chief economist at Morgan Stanley and ex-chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, Roach is regarded as one of Wall Street's most influential China watchers. Despite his 73 years of age, he still shuttles between the United States and China on a frequent basis. Regarding the notion that the BRI creates "debt traps" for some countries, Roach said he doesn't agree. "I don't think that's a serious, broad risk associated with this particular program." The scholar, however, did caution against potential negative impacts on BRI projects caused by political instability and corruption in certain countries along the Belt and Road routes. He said he found it "somewhat disconcerting" that some of the BRI countries "at least in my opinion are vulnerable to political and corruption risk," adding that it is important for China and other participating countries to be mindful of that. According to the latest statistics, the total trade volume between China and its BRI participating countries was more than 6 trillion U.S. dollars in the 2013-2018 period, during which more than 244,000 jobs were created for the locals. China's direct foreign investment in those countries has exceeded 80 billion dollars till now. China's import from and export to BRI participating countries totalled 300 billion dollars in the first quarter of 2019, up 7.8 percent year-on-year and occupying 28.6 percent of the country's total foreign trade volume in the period. With respect to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Roach said he expects the bank to forge closer partnerships with key regional and international development institutions, such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank. In operation since 2016 with an authorized capital of 100 billion dollars, the AIIB was founded by China to fund infrastructure investment in Asia and beyond. Progress is underway toward materializing what Roach has envisaged. The ADB and the AIIB on March 21 signed the Cofinancing Framework Agreement for Sovereign Operations, a document that will guide the overall cofinancing arrangements between the two entities. Additionally, according to World Bank President David Malpass, he and AIIB President Jin Liqun talked about "ways that there can be cooperation that achieves very high-quality lending programs" in "very good conversations" on the sidelines of this year's World Bank-International Monetary Fund Spring Meetings. Roach said he is optimistic about the leadership of Jin, who he said is a friend of his. Denouncing the criticism that China uses the BRI to achieve geopolitical goals, Roach said addressing "the significant and real infrastructure gap" is "entirely within China's purview." "It's in China's best interest as the world's largest trading nation to make certain that the infrastructure in the region is up to speed in terms of global standards," Roach said. "And China has a lot of expertise and experience in building high-quality, state-of-the-art infrastructure." Asked whether it is possible that Beijing and Washington can cooperate on the BRI, Roach said "there's always a possibility," citing the example of Caterpillar Inc., the U.S. construction machinery and equipment company that has already participated in BRI projects in 20 countries as of 2018. Caterpillar's endorsement of the BRI, as well as construction-related activities by other U.S. companies under the BRI framework, "will happen on its own due to the natural attraction of construction projects," Roach said. The U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) reports 163 refugees from sub-Saharan Africa, who were detained in horrific conditions in Libya, have been flown out of the battle-scarred country to safety in Niger. The plane landed in Niger's capital, Niamey, early Friday. This was the first such flight out of Libya since fighting in the capital, Tripoli, escalated two weeks ago. The U.N. refugee agency reports the refugees aboard the plane had been detained in facilities close to the conflict frontlines. UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch said his agency was able to secure their release, along with that of more than 300 other refugees, within the past two weeks. He told VOA the UNHCR is very concerned for the safety of some 3,000 refugees and migrants who remain trapped inside these facilities exposed to the escalating violence. The refugees, he added, have fled persecution and violence from countries such as Eritrea, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan and Somalia. "As fighting moves closer to these detention centers, the worry is these refugees could be very, very close to a situation of life and death," he said. "That is why it is very important that we are able to secure the release of all those who are in those detention facilities and then trying to make sure that they are moved to a safe and secure location." The World Health Organization reports more than 200 people have been killed since clashes erupted two weeks ago when troops commanded by a rogue general moved to capture Tripoli. The refugees who flew to Niger Friday include dozens of women and children. The UNHCR says it is urgently seeking states that will accept them and other refugees from previous flights for resettlement. Since November 2017, the UNHCR has been able to relocate around 2,800 people from Libya to Niger. So far, places of resettlement have been found for nearly half of them. The rest remain in Niamey, waiting for a country willing to give them a home. A judge in Ecuador has ordered former foreign minister Ricardo Patino be held in pre-trial detention on a so-called instigation charge, the attorney general's office said on Thursday, but the ex-official's whereabouts are unknown. The administration of President Lenin Moreno has said that Patino, who served as foreign minister under the previous government of President Rafael Correa, is connected to WikiLeaks. Moreno stripped WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of his diplomatic asylum last week. Assange was given refuge in the London embassy in 2012 by Correa, but Moreno has accused WikiLeaks and Assange of violating his privacy by publishing private family photographs. WikiLeaks has denied those allegations, arguing that Moreno was attempting to deflect attention from corruption allegations against him. Patino, an economist who called on supporters to carry out "combative resistance" against Moreno in October 2018, fled the country by road on Wednesday, the attorney general's office said in a statement. "The attorney general's office began a criminal process against Ricardo Patino for the alleged crime of instigation," the office said. "(Patino) had given a speech in which he instigated people to take over public institutions and close roads." "The judge accepted the request of the attorney general's office, ordered pre-trial detention and asked for the release of an Interpol red notice," the office said. It was not possible to reach Patino immediately for comment. He has previously denied the allegations. Patino is also under investigation for having supposed ties to alleged Swedish hacker Ola Bini, who was arrested last week, the attorney general's office has said. The government alleges that Patino and Bini have taken similarly timed trips out of the country and that they visited Assange when he was living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London. The interior minister has said Patino is part of a plan to "destabilize" the government. Twenty years ago this month two student gunmen killed 13 people at Columbine High School near Denver, Colorado. It was one of the first mass shootings at a U.S. school and it changed how schools and law enforcement prepare to confront an active shooter. VOAs Dora Mekouar reports. Editor's note: We want you to know what's happening, why and how it could impact your life, family or business, so we created a weekly digest of the top original immigration, migration and refugee reporting from across VOA. Questions? Tips? Comments? Email the VOA immigration team:ImmigrationUnit@voanews.com. Libya strife strands refugees Conflict in Libya is placing not only the country's citizens at risk, but thousands of migrants and refugees detained near the capital, the U.N. warned this week. The North African country is a launching point for would-be emigrants from the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa to reach Europe by boat. The U.N. has asked Libya to release some 1,500 people held in government facilities. Seeking sanctuary U.S. President Donald Trump said this week he wanted to send migrants and asylum-seekers detained on the southern U.S. border to so-called "sanctuary cities." Democrats on Capitol Hill were having none of it, saying, "It is shocking that the president and senior administration officials are even considering manipulating release decisions for purely political reasons." Officials in some of the cities Trump referred to said their communities would welcome the migrants. WATCH: Trump Sends Mixed Signals Music stops for U.S. visa fraud scheme A New York woman faces up to 12 years in prison for running an elaborate visa ring that involved fake Armenian folk dancers and tens of thousands of dollars. In yet another signal of the downward spiral in ties between archrivals India and Pakistan, New Delhi has suspended cross-border trade in the divided region of Kashmir, saying it is being misused to smuggle weapons, narcotics and fake currency. Initiated more than a decade ago, the confidence-building measure was seen as one of the most significant steps taken by the two countries to reduce their tensions over the Himalayan region. Announcing a halt to the trade starting Friday, India's Home Ministry said investigations had revealed that a number of firms involved in sending goods had links to banned militant organizations and that "Pakistan-based elements" were funneling illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency into India. Trade began in 2008 The opening of two border routes in Kashmir in 2008 allowed Indian and Pakistani businessmen to trade goods four days a week on a barter system. The trade in items such as spices, herbs, cloth, fruits and carpets attracted no duties and was a boon to local businessmen. India now has halted the cross-border trade two months after it withdrew Most Favored Nation status for Pakistan following a suicide attack that killed 40 paramilitaries in Kashmir in February. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group claimed responsibility for the assault. The attack led to an aerial confrontation between the two sides after India conducted airstrikes on what it said was a militant camp inside Pakistan. Political analysts see the latest step as yet another signal of the tough stance that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken since the terror attack in Kashmir. "It is a continuation of the approach that seeks to isolate Pakistan and put pressure on Pakistan on terrorism," according to South Asia expert Sukh Deo Muni with the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi. India has been demanding that Pakistan take steps to dismantle the infrastructure of Islamic militant groups based in its territory. Islamabad denies that it supports such groups. Muni said the timing of the measure could also be linked to India's general elections, in which Modi has made national security his top plank. "He probably would want to send a message to the party's voters that he is very strong on Pakistan," Muni said. Voting in India began last week and continues in stages until May 19. Another look India said it would revisit the issue of restarting trade after working out a stricter regulatory and enforcement mechanism. The trade that began in 2008 was started with the idea of making the heavily militarized Kashmir border more open. The trade has remained largely unaffected by tensions between the two sides, although it has been halted briefly before, including a four-month suspension in 2016. Claimed by both countries, Kashmir has been the cause of two of their three wars and continues to be a flashpoint between the nuclear-armed neighbors. This article originated in VOA's Persian service. Media rights group Reporters Without Borders says Iran has slipped further toward the bottom of its World Press Freedom index because of an increase in arrests of Iranian journalists and citizen-journalists. In its annual press freedom ranking published Thursday, the Paris-based group also known as RSF said Iran dropped six places to 170th out of 180 countries and territories. It attributed the drop to Iran's increased arrests of "professional and non-professional journalists, especially those posting on social networks" in 2018. The report described Iran as one of the world's biggest jailers of journalists. In an interview for the Thursday edition of VOA Persian's News at Nine program, RSF Iran researcher Reza Moini said the increased arrests of Iranian journalists coincided with their attempts to cover frequent anti-government street protests by Iranians last year. Detained Iranian journalists often have been charged with spreading propaganda and other national security offenses for posting critical comments about the government via social media. Moini denounced Iran's prosecutions of such journalists as unjust and unfair. Social media RSF said another factor in Iran's deteriorating press freedom is its toughening crackdown on social media. "Iran, which is tackling an unprecedented wave of protests in several of its cities, has clamped down even harder on online information and is still blocking several apps such as Telegram, Facebook and Twitter," the report said. Moini noted that Iran's press freedom ranking already was near the bottom of the RSF index because the government controls radio and television and puts tight restrictions on privately owned print media. Iran's Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance licenses all news outlets operating in the country and oversees their activities. It also issues work permits for domestic and foreign journalists. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the poor state of press freedom in his nation in a publicly broadcast Jan. 21 speech to officials of the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology in Tehran. "We do not have free media. We have a state-run TV and radio [organization]," he said. "If we had 500 media outlets, cyberspace would not have been so congested. [People] want to say everything there [in cyberspace] because they have no other place." Blocking of content Rouhani also criticized the powerful Iranian judiciary's practice of filtering social media sites to block content deemed objectionable. Many Iranians use proxy servers to bypass such filtering. "If [a site is] filtered, then what will we do about proxy servers?" Rouhani said. "If you confront one proxy server, what will you do about the new ones that come? It is now clear to us that this is not the solution." The Iranian judiciary is led by a chief justice appointed by and answerable to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rather than the Iranian president. Rouhani, serving his second term in the post, pledged in his election campaigns to bring greater openness to Iranian media and society as a whole. But media rights activists say he has been unable or unwilling to fulfill many of those promises. "Since print media are restricted and radio and TV are under government control, citizen journalists are the flag-bearers of democracy and the free flow of information in Iran," Moini told VOA Persian. But, he also noted a downside to the increasing prevalence of citizen journalists in Iran. "They are not professional journalists," Moini said. "Unfortunately, Iran doesn't have sufficient media resources to evaluate citizen journalists' material and determine what is worthy of publication." More than 750,000 South Sudanese children under age 5 are expected to face acute malnutrition this year, according to the International Rescue Committee. The IRC's new spokeswoman, actress Mia Farrow, returned last week from South Sudan's Unity state and said she'd witnessed a new IRC approach that could treat millions more malnourished children over the next decade than the current global model for treatment. She noted Unity state was particularly hard hit by fighting during South Sudan's five-year conflict and that many people were forced to flee their homes, leaving behind their plots of land where they would grow food for their families. 'Catastrophic' situation "South Sudan is on the brink of famine. It's truly a catastrophic humanitarian situation, and people are literally starving," Farrow told South Sudan in Focus. Farrow said she met many people who described how difficult it was to find food. "The encouraging thing was meeting these women who are volunteers and who are working within their communities to address some of the very common illnesses that children face," such as pneumonia and diarrhea, Farrow said. "I saw them as heroes because they are absolutely committed to their communities. The children can be brought to them and they very ably, swiftly and effectively address these common problems," she said. U.N. efforts But Farrow said the volunteers are not allowed to treat the condition. The U.N.'s World Food Program and UNICEF took over that task years ago and treat children in clinics. "Well, that sounds great, " Farrow told VOA, but many people live too far away from the help they need. Farrow said that on her last trip to South Sudan, she witnessed something unforgettable: "A mother was sitting in the corner, holding her baby, a particularly beautiful baby who was panting, and she told us she had walked for five days to reach that clinic. And as I spoke to her, the baby died. The mother just there was a howl that will remain with me to my last breath." The IRC has come up with what Farrow calls "an effective, lifesaving method" of dealing with malnutrition that involves the use of peanut-based nutrients. She said that while training community volunteers for that job has not been implemented widely, "it has to happen." If U.N. agencies adopt the IRC method, Farrow said, mothers no longer will have to walk for days in oppressive heat to have their children treated. "These community health care workers, every single woman that I spoke to, expressed the fervent desire to treat malnutrition," said Farrow, adding that the current setup "doesn't make sense." 'Moral imperative' Farrow called it a "moral imperative" to bring the nutrients used to treat malnourished children to the communities, rather than have children brought to a clinic "that may or may not exist." The IRC has run a pilot program using community health care workers to treat acute and moderate malnutrition in South Sudan this past year and has deemed the program "extremely successful." Police in Northern Ireland said Friday the dissident republican group the New IRA was probably responsible for the fatal shooting of a journalist during overnight rioting in the city of Londonderry. The Police Service of Northern Ireland said 29-year-old journalist and author Lyra McKee died after she was shot during rioting in the Creggan area. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton said a gunman fired a number of shots at police during the unrest Thursday evening. We believe this to be a terrorist act. We believe it has been carried out by violent dissident republicans, he said. Our assessment at this time is that the New IRA are most likely to be the ones behind this and that forms our primary line of inquiry. Appeal for calm A murder investigation been launched but there have been no arrests. Hamilton appealed for calm to prevail on Easter weekend. An eyewitness told the BBC that a gunman fired indiscriminately into a crowd during riots on the crowded Creggan housing complex. The New IRA is a small group of republicans who reject the 1998 Good Friday agreement that marked the Irish Republican Armys embrace of a political solution to the long-running violence known as The Troubles that claimed more than 3,700 lives. The group is also blamed for a Londonderry car bombing that did not cause any injuries in January. There has been an increase in tensions in Northern Ireland in recent months with sporadic violence, much of it focused in Londonderry, also known as Derry. A Brooklyn judge on Thursday ruled against a group of parents who challenged New York City's recently imposed mandatory measles vaccination order, rejecting their arguments that the city's public health authority exceeded its authority. In a six-page decision rendered hours after a hearing on the matter, Judge Lawrence Knipel denied the parents' petition seeking to lift the vaccination order, imposed last week to stem the worst measles outbreak to hit the city since 1991. The judge sided with municipal health officials who defended the order as a rare but necessary step to contain a surge in the highly contagious disease that has infected at least 329 people so far, most of them children from Orthodox Jewish communities in the borough of Brooklyn. Another 222 cases have been diagnosed elsewhere in New York state, mostly in a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Rockland County, northwest of Manhattan. The New York outbreaks are part of a larger resurgence of measles across the country, with at least 555 cases confirmed in 20 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts say the virus, which can cause severe complications and even death, has spread mostly among school-age children whose parents declined to get them vaccinated. Most profess philosophical or religious reasons, or cite concerns debunked by medical science that the three-way measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may cause autism. The judge rejected the parents' contention that the vaccination order was excessive or coercive, noting it does not call for forcibly administering the vaccine to those who refuse it. He also dismissed assertions in the petition disputing the "clear and present danger" of the outbreak. "Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion," the judge said. Secret identities The vaccination order, which was extended this week, requires residents of certain affected Brooklyn neighborhoods to obtain the MMR vaccine unless they can otherwise demonstrate immunity to measles, or face a fine. The court challenge was brought in Brooklyn's Supreme Court by five people identified only as parents living in the affected neighborhoods. Their identities were kept confidential to protect their children's' privacy, their lawyers said. In court on Thursday, they told Knipel the city had overstepped its authority and that quarantining the infected would be a preferable approach. Robert Krakow, an attorney for the parents, estimated that just 0.0006 percent of the population of Brooklyn and Queens had measles. "That's not an epidemic," he said. "It's not Ebola. It's not smallpox." The health department's lawyers argued that quarantining was ineffective because people carrying the virus can be contagious before symptoms appear. The judge cited 39 cases diagnosed in Michigan that have been traced to an individual traveling from the Williamsburg community at the epicenter of Brooklyn's outbreak. The surge in measles there originated with an unvaccinated child who became infected on a visit to Israel, where the highly contagious virus is also running rampant. The number of measles cases worldwide nearly quadrupled in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 compared with the same period last year, the World Health Organization said this week. The European Union has launched an observation mission for Malawis presidential elections next month. But some political analysts question the impact of foreign election observers will have on the poll. The EU was the first to deploy observers for the countys May 21 poll in response to an invitation issued by Malawis Electoral Commission and Foreign Ministry. The EU observer missions deputy chief, Mark Stevens, spoke at the launch ceremony Thursday in Blantyre. Our hope is that the elections are transparent, inclusive, and credible and are run according to the code of conduct for the election and the laws for elections, Stevens said. The EUs 28-member long-term observer team arrived in the country in early April. EU observer team member Marketa Nekvindova is being deployed to central Malawis Lilongwe district. Will have a lot of interviews, with a lot of interlocutors, for example political parties, some NGOs, the electoral commissioners, also media. And then we will write our weekly report and sent it to our core team, and they will make analysis, Nekvindova said. The EU will send a second team of 32 short-term observers just before election day to monitor voting and counting operations. Other foreign observer missions to Malawis elections will include Britains Commonwealth of Nations and the African Unions. Malawian political analyst Sheriff Kaisi says the observer missions should be coming earlier. "To have free, fair and credible election is not only during campaign period. Its a process whereby its starts from registration period, up to the day when election results are out. So, if they came much, much earlier than what they have done now, probably they might have an impact. But, for now, I don't think it will have an impact on our election," he said. Kaisi said foreign observers all too often serve as a rubber stamp for African elections with doubtful outcomes. And the word that comes from the observers do not in many times satisfy the electorate because in many times when people are crying to say elections are not okay but still in many time[s] observers side with the winner, Kaisi said. The African Union has faced repeated criticism for recognizing the results of disputed election and those found rigged. However, the EU observer mission says their mandate is not to decide if elections should be accepted or not but to ensure the quality of the process. The EU mission observed Malawis elections in 2004, 2009 and 2014, when it recommended a biometric voting system after some polling center numbers did not match those registered. A biometric system is being used for the first time in the Malawis May elections. This year, seven presidential candidates are expected to contest the country's leadership. The top contenders include incumbent President Peter Mutharika, who is seeking a second five-year term, Vice President Saulos Klaus Chilima, and the main opposition leader, Lazarus Chakwera. How do you explore the interior of a planet without ever touching down on it? Start by watching the way the planet spins, then measure how your spacecraft orbits it -- very, very carefully. This is exactly what NASA planetary scientists did, using data from the agency's former mission to Mercury. It has long been known that Mercury and the Earth have metallic cores. Like Earth, Mercury's outer core is composed of liquid metal, but there have only been hints that Mercury's innermost core is solid. Now, in a new study, scientists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland have found evidence that Mercury's inner core is indeed solid and that it is very nearly the same size as Earth's inner core. Some scientists compare Mercury to a cannonball because its metal core fills nearly 85 percent of the volume of the planet. This large core -- huge compared to the other rocky planets in our solar system -- has long been one of the most intriguing mysteries about Mercury. Scientists had also wondered whether Mercury might have a solid inner core. The findings of Mercury's solid inner core, described in Geophysical Research Letters, certainly adds to a better understanding of Mercury, but there are larger ramifications. Just how similar, and how different, the cores of the planets are may give us clues about how the solar system formed and how rocky planets change over time. "Mercury's interior is still active, due to the molten core that powers the planet's weak magnetic field, relative to Earth's," said Antonio Genova, an assistant professor at the Sapienza University of Rome who led the research while at NASA Goddard. "Mercury's interior has cooled more rapidly than our planet's. Mercury may help us predict how Earth's magnetic field will change as the core cools." To figure out what the core of Mercury is made of, Genova and his colleagues had to get, figuratively, closer. The team used several observations from the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, GEochemistry and Ranging) mission to probe the interior of Mercury. The researchers looked, most importantly, at the planet's spin and gravity. The MESSENGER spacecraft entered orbit around Mercury in March 2011, and spent four years observing this nearest planet to our Sun until it was deliberately brought down to the planet's surface in April 2015. Radio observations from MESSENGER were used to determine the gravitational anomalies (areas of local increases or decreases in mass) and the location of its rotational pole, which allowed scientists to understand the orientation of the planet. Each planet spins on an axis, also known as the pole. Mercury spins much more slowly than Earth, with its day lasting about 58 Earth days. Scientists often use tiny variations in the way an object spins to reveal clues about its internal structure. In 2007, radar observations made from Earth revealed small shifts in the spin of Mercury, called librations, that proved some of Mercury's core must be liquid-molten metal. But observations of the spin rate alone were not sufficient to give a clear measurement of what the inner core was like. Could there be a solid core lurking underneath, scientists wondered? Gravity can help answer that question. "Gravity is a powerful tool to look at the deep interior of a planet because it depends on the planet's density structure," said Sander Goossens, a Goddard researcher who worked with Genova on this study. As MESSENGER orbited Mercury over the course of its mission, and got closer and closer to the surface, scientists recorded how the spacecraft accelerated under the influence of the planet's gravity. The density structure of a planet can create subtle changes in a spacecraft's orbit. In the later parts of the mission, MESSENGER flew about 120 miles above the surface, and less than 65 miles during its last year. The final low-altitude orbits provided the best data yet, and allowed for Genova and his team to make the most accurate measurements about the internal structure of Mercury yet taken. Genova and his team put data from MESSENGER into a sophisticated computer program that allowed them to adjust parameters and figure out what the interior composition of Mercury must be like to match the way it spins and the way the spacecraft accelerated around it. The results showed that for the best match, Mercury must have a large, solid inner core. They estimated that the solid, iron core is about 1,260 miles (about 2,000 kilometers) wide and makes up about half of Mercury's entire core (about 2,440 miles, or nearly 4,000 kilometers, wide). In contrast, Earth's solid core is about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) across, taking up a little more than a third of this planet's entire core. "We had to pull together information from many fields: geodesy, geochemistry, orbital mechanics and gravity to find out what Mercury's internal structure must be," said Goddard planetary scientist Erwan Mazarico, who also helped Genova reveal Mercury's solid core. The fact that scientists needed to get close to Mercury to find out more about its interior highlights the power of sending spacecraft to other worlds. Such accurate measurements of Mercury's spin and gravity were simply not possible to make from Earth. Additionally, this result used data collected by MESSENGER over several years, information that's available for all scientists to use. New discoveries about Mercury are practically guaranteed to be waiting in MESSENGER's archives, with each discovery about our local planetary neighborhood giving us a better understanding of what lies beyond. "Every new bit of information about our solar system helps us understand the larger universe," said Genova. @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference is providing current and former U.S. intelligence officials with a sense of vindication, affirming many of the conclusions they drew following the 2016 election. At the same time, however, some suggest the report released on Thursday by the Justice Department should serve as a warning that Moscow's efforts to degrade and undermine American democracy, already extraordinarily successful, continue unabated. Specifically, these former intelligence and national security officials warn the evidence in the special counsel report shows Russia was able to find and exploit U.S. citizens who were willing to go along with Moscow's means, described as "sweeping and systematic," to achieve their desired results. "The investigation established that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from a Trump presidency and worked to secure that outcome," the Mueller report said, adding that President Donald Trump's campaign "expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts." Yet even as both sides pursued the shared goal, investigators "did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government," the report stated. "The evidence was not sufficient to support criminal charges." Still, some former officials Thursday seized upon the report's confirmation of the U.S. intelligence community's initial findings. The January 2017 unclassified assessment by the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Security Agency, issued in the aftermath of the presidential election, concluded Russia aimed to "undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process." "We further assess Putin and the Russian government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump," the intelligence agencies wrote at the time, adding, "Putin and the Russian government aspired to help President-elect Trump's election chances when possible." The assessment, though, has been attacked repeatedly by Trump. In November 2017, Trump slammed former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and Former CIA Director John Brennan as "political hacks," while deferring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "He said he didn't meddle," Trump told reporters following a conversation with Putin in Vietnam. "He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again. You can only ask so many times." Trump again deferred to Putin following their July 2018 summit in Helsinki. "President Putin was extremely strong and powerful in his denial," Trump said at a joint news conference."President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be." Already, the U.S. has taken action, indicting members of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian-based "troll farm" with ties to the Kremlin, as well as charges against 12 Russian military intelligence agents for hacking into Democratic Party computers. Some former officials worry nonetheless that without a more forceful U.S. response, Russia or other adversaries will seek to get away with such behavior again. "Those in America who cheered foreign intelligence attacks on our democratic processes, particularly for their own gain, should pay a price," Larry Pfeiffer, a 32-year veteran of the U.S. intelligence community who served as chief of staff to former CIA Director Michael Hayden, told VOA. But if they do, it will not be in a U.S. court of law. The Mueller report concluded despite numerous contacts between Russians and members of the Trump campaign, and evidence that campaign members "deleted relevant communications," the evidence, "was not sufficient to charge that any member of the Trump Campaign conspired with representatives of the Russian government." As frustrating as that may be for some former officials, experts like Frederic Lemieux, a professor of applied intelligence at Georgetown University, warn it was to be expected. "The report is a traditional criminal investigation," Lemieux said. "We're certainly not seeing the counterintelligence investigation." "I am mostly certain that there are several intercepts that exist that have been made on Russian targets and those Russian targets were talking about Trump and his associates," he said. "You don't see anything what they were reporting back to Russia when we know those individuals are important enough to be under surveillance 24-7." Hints of that type of information, which could reveal sources or methods, or harm ongoing intelligence operations, may be contained in parts of the report that have been redacted. But Lemieux said it is just as likely they were not included at all, as many counterintelligence investigations rarely produce the type of "damning evidence" needed for a criminal conviction. "It's probably there [in the counterintelligence investigation] that maybe not collusion but maybe a sense of being compromised might emerge," he said. Other factors, as well, have complicated U.S. efforts to hold individuals accountable for working with the Russians to interfere in the 2016 election. Among them, according to intelligence officials, has been the quality of the Kremlin's spycraft, which left many Americans in the dark. "Some IRA employees, posing as US persons and without revealing their Russian association, communicated electronically with individuals associated with the Trump Campaign and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities," the Mueller report said. "The investigation did not identify evidence that any US persons knowingly or intentionally coordinated with the IRA's interference operation." U.S. media outlets and numerous "high-profile" individuals were also taken in by the IRA. At other times, Russia seemed to proactively play-off of the Trump campaign, such as in July 2017 when then-candidate Trump said he sarcastically challenged Russia to find tens of thousands of missing emails from Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. "Within approximately five hours of Trump's statement GRU officers targeted for the first time Clinton's personal office," the Mueller report said. Despite such findings, some former officials say the Mueller report shows the U.S. intelligence community is not blameless. "One of the lessons should be, we were pretty sloppy with our counterintelligence and our ability to counter stuff that was going on over the internet," said Steve Bucci, an assistant to former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative public policy research group in Washington. "We need to be more sophisticated about that aspect of it, at least more cognizant of it, and at least gin up our counterintelligence efforts a little bit around people that are involved in campaigns to make sure they don't get caught up in this sort of thing and, regardless of their intent, that they don't get tricked into doing stuff that's counter to the general interests of the United States of America as far as us having fair and free elections," he said. That opportunity likely will be coming. Intelligence and Homeland Security officials have warned that Russia tried to meddle again in the recent 2018 midterm elections, with at least one Russian national connected to the IRA charged as a result. And some analysts suggest Moscow is saving its best and newest tricks for the next U.S. presidential election in 2020. Large swaths of redacted information in the Mueller report's accounts of Russia's IRAand "Project Lakhta," would seem to back that up. Russian officials Friday continued to deny that Moscow tried to influence the 2016 U.S. election, brushing aside hundreds of pages of evidence released in special counsel Robert Muller's report by saying it contained no proof. "We still do not accept accusations of that sort," Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters in a conference call. He said Russia has insisted from the very beginning of the two-year probe that "whatever investigators did, they would find no [Russian] meddling, because there was no meddling." In the United States, there is consensus among the nation's intelligence community, and details published in the Mueller report, on how Moscow used a variety of tactics and people to try to influence Americans' political opinions, hurt political enemies and help Donald Trump's campaign. U.S. prosecutors announced indictments against 25 Russian nationals, mostly military officers and "internet trolls," as well as three Russian entities for their roles in the meddling. Russia's Foreign Ministry released a statement saying that [Mueller's conclusions] "actually confirm the absence of any argument that Russia supposedly meddled in the American elections." Last month, Russian officials reacted in a similar fashion after U.S. Attorney General William Barr released a summary of Mueller's investigation. In their euphoric reactions, however, they commented only on the news that the U.S. probe had found no evidence of collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow, ignoring the fact that Mueller's team had also backed the assessment of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia in fact meddled in the 2016 election campaign. Observers believe there is little hope that Russia will change its position on the conclusions of Mueller's investigation. "I don't think there will be new statements made on the matter [by Russian officials], unless new facts are presented against Russia," said Leonid Gusev of the Moscow-based Institute of International Research. Consistent stance Pavel Sharikov, a senior fellow at the Institute for U.S. and Canadian Studies, agreed with his countryman, saying that "Russia's position on the matter has been consistent" throughout the course of Mueller's investigation and that at this point nothing will change it. Experts are also doubtful about the ability of Washington and Moscow to build a constructive relationship in the near future. For that to happen, they say, a new administration will have to come to the White House. Even though the special counsel and his team could not find evidence of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 campaign, some analysts say the cloud of collusion will linger over Trump's presidency. "There is no action that Russia can take that would change this [negative] narrative both in U.S. domestic politics and U.S. policies towards Russia," Sharikov said. The United States and Russia both said Thursday they could not support a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in Libya at this time, diplomats said, as mortar bombs crashed down on a suburb of the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Russia objects to the British-drafted resolution blaming eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar for the latest flare-up in violence when his Libyan National Army (LNA) advanced to the outskirts of Tripoli earlier this month, diplomats said. The United States gave no reason for its position on the draft resolution, which would also call on countries with influence over the warring parties to ensure compliance and for unconditional humanitarian aid access in Libya, which has been gripped by anarchy since Moammar Gadhafi was toppled in 2011. The United States U.N. mission declined to comment, and the Russian U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. UN resolution stalls A resolution needs nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China the so-called permanent five to pass. It was not immediately clear if Britain would persist with negotiations on a draft next week. The United States and Russia made their positions clear during a closed-door council briefing by U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame, who diplomats said appealed for a cease-fire, warning that weapons were pouring into the country and it was heading toward a serious humanitarian situation. The U.S. reluctance to support Security Council action is in contrast to Washingtons earlier public opposition to Haftars offensive, which began while U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting Tripoli. How to deal with Libya Some U.N. diplomats have suggested the United States might be trying to buy time as President Donald Trumps administration works out how to deal with the latest developments in Libya. I think there are a range of views in Washington on the policy side and they havent reconciled them and theyre not entirely certain where the president is on it, said a senior U.N. diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. The American system is trying to evaluate all the scenarios and work out which one is in Americas best interest and just hasnt done that yet, the diplomat said. Troops hold off Haftar Haftars forces predicted victory within days, but Prime Minister Fayez al-Serrajs internationally recognized government has bogged them down in southern suburbs with help from armed groups from various western Libyan factions. A united Security Council informally expressed concern April 5, calling on all forces to de-escalate and halt military activity and specifically calling out the LNA. In the following days, the council was unable, however, to issue a more formal statement, diplomats said, as Russia objected to a reference to the LNA, while the United States said it could not agree to a text that did not mention Haftars forces. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo then said in a statement April 7 that we have made clear that we oppose the military offensive by Khalifa Haftars forces and urge the immediate halt to these military operations against the Libyan capital. Haftar enjoys the backing of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which view him as an anchor to restore stability and combat Islamist militants, while most Western powers have supported Serraj. Trump met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on April 9. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke with Pompeo about Libya on Thursday and both agreed on the need for a rapid cease-fire and return to the U.N-led political process, the French foreign ministry said in a statement. Paris has given Haftar support in the past. Some information in this report came from Reuters. More than 1 million Afghan children, particularly in conflict-stricken regions of the country, were deprived of polio vaccinations in 2018 because of actions taken by Taliban and Islamic State militants, Afghanistan health officials tell VOA. "Overall, 1.2 million children were deprived of vaccinations in the country," Dr. Gula Khan Ayoubi, public affairs director of the mass immunization program at the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, told VOA. "And the hope this year is to bring down the number to about 200,000 children. The remaining 200,000 children are living in areas where the Islamic State terror group has a strong presence and does not allow any vaccinations." "To a large extent, the southern provinces of Zabul, Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgan, and in the east, Kunar, have been affected the most due to the Taliban's opposition," Ayoubi added. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria are the only three countries in the world where polio is still not eliminated and continues to threaten the lives of millions of children. In 2018, Afghanistan had the most cases of polio among the three, with 21 cases reported across the country. Afghan officials charge that contentious fighting, unrest, and the Taliban, IS and other armed groups are the main obstacles in the hard-to-reach areas in southern, southeastern and eastern Afghanistan. Immunization ban The Afghan Taliban last week told Reuters the group had banned the activities of World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross in areas under their influence until further notice. "They [vaccinators] have not stuck to the commitments they had with Islamic emirates, and they are acting suspiciously during vaccination campaigns," Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. Polio vaccinators often go house to house to vaccinate children, and they mark the doors of houses where members are not present at the time to ensure the residents are vaccinated at a later date. The Taliban consider these vaccinators spies for the government and foreign forces, and are sensitive to their presence in areas under their influence. Conditional agreement Afghan health officials told VOA this month that they had reached a conditional agreement with the Taliban to continue their vaccination campaign in Taliban-controlled areas. "With the help of religious leaders and local influential elders, local Taliban commanders have agreed to allow the children under their controlled areas to be vaccinated," Ayoubi said at the time. "Their condition, however, is that the mass vaccinations take place at a mosque or a similar place. Our vaccinators would not be allowed to go house by house and mark the doors." WHO reaction In a statement issued last week, WHO said the Taliban's ban would negatively affect its operations across the war-torn country. "We are deeply concerned that the temporary ban will negatively impact delivery of health services to affected populations," the organization said. "WHO has been supporting health activities in all parts of Afghanistan, including primary health care, response to health emergencies, vaccination and polio eradication." Sanela Bajrambasic, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, also said her organization was seeking clarification from the Taliban and that it would work with the group to find a solution to the issue. "What we can say at this point is that we have seen the same statement on their website, and we will be seeking to engage bilaterally with the Taliban on it," she told Reuters. Negative campaign Some experts charge that in addition to militant groups, negative campaigns and rumors that swine are used to prepare the polio vaccine or that it has dangerous side effects have also made it difficult for vaccination campaigns to succeed in rural areas, which contribute to the spread of polio. "The groups that spread these rumors are those opposing the mass immunization programs," said Dr. Najib Safi, WHO program manager of health system development. "These groups have always been trying to confuse people. In 2016, Afghan religious scholars decreed that it is permissible to use the polio vaccine. In addition to that, there are Islamic decrees from Egypt's al-Azhar University, [Saudi Arabia's] Jeddah and India's Deobandi Islamic school that the polio vaccine is permissible to administer." "Polio, and all other immunizing vaccines that are being administered to children, have no side effects. There are no links between the polio vaccine and impotency," Safi added, making a reference to rumors. Dr. Alam Shinwari, a medical expert who follows health-related developments, including polio in Afghanistan, charges that public awareness is the key to overcoming this issue. "Polio is mainly endemic in areas around the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where traditional conservative religious tribes are residing, who have been influenced by their local religious scholars and local traditions beliefs that have negatively impacted their perceptions toward polio vaccination," Shinwari said. "To overcome such barriers, we need to increase the level of public awareness by involving local religious scholars and imams, local educational experts, and finally, local leaders and elders. They have significant influence among people in tribal areas between Afghanistan and Pakistan and can help overcome this problem," he said. In a show of solidarity, the foreign ministers of Germany and Portugal laid two wreaths near the site where 29 German tourists died on Wednesday after their bus overturned on the Portuguese island of Madeira. The bus carrying 55 tourists, a guide and a driver veered off a steep road in the coastal town of Canico, near Madeira's capital city, Funchal, and came to a halt next to a house, which was damaged in the crash, authorities said. Portugal's public prosecutor's office opened an investigation into the accident, the cause of which authorities said they could not yet determine. Local TV channel SIC attributed it to either brake failure or a problem with the accelerator cable. Heiko Maas, Germany's foreign minister, landed in Madeira on Thursday evening with a team of doctors, psychologists and consular officials to meet those affected and thank Portugal for its help. As soon as he touched down, the minister and his team headed to the scene of the crash, where he paid tribute to the victims and, alongside his Portuguese counterpart, held a minute of silence. Flowers left near accident site Shocked residents also laid flowers by the road where the accident took place. "This is a terrible event," Maas told reporters during his visit to the site. "We can't just stay in Germany watching and celebrating Easter." Maas then visited Funchal's hospital, where 28 people were treated for head, abdominal, chest and other injuries, a hospital spokesman said on Thursday morning. A statement released on Thursday evening by Madeira's regional health service confirmed that 17 of the 28 injured remained in hospital and that 10 people were already discharged. None of those injured are currently in a life-threatening condition, Portugal's foreign minister, Augusto Santos Silva, told reporters after he arrived in Madeira on Thursday afternoon. "We are working flat-out to bring people who are injured and capable of being transported, to identify those who have died and to inform their families." Maas said. "It is very difficult work." Many victims were retirees Authorities on the island confirmed all 29 people killed were German. Madeira's regional health service said 17 were women and 12 were men. Many were retirees, said Germany's best-selling daily, Bild. The 29 victims were members of a bigger holiday group, other members of which were traveling on another bus, a regional civil protection spokesman said. Two of the injured were Portuguese and the rest were foreign nationals, a hospital spokesman said. Santos Silva confirmed the two Portuguese citizens were the driver and the tour guide. Images taken by Reuters photographers on Thursday showed the bulk of the wreckage had been removed, leaving some debris still scattered on the ground. Tributes poured in and three days of mourning were declared in Portugal on Thursday in honor of the victims of the bus crash. "I have no words to describe what happened. I cannot face the suffering of these people," Canico Mayor Filipe Sousa told SIC TV. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa sent his "deepest condolences" to victims' families, while German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed "sadness and shock" at the scale of the tragedy. Paris police investigators think an electrical short-circuit most likely caused the fire at Notre Dame Cathedral, a police official said Thursday, as France paid a daylong tribute to the firefighters who saved the world-renowned landmark. A judicial police official told The Associated Press that investigators made an initial assessment of the cathedral Wednesday but don't have a green light to search Notre Dame's charred interior because of ongoing safety hazards. The cathedral's fragile walls were being shored up with wooden planks, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak by name about an ongoing investigation. Investigators believe the fire was accidental, and are questioning both cathedral staff and workers who were carrying out renovations. Some 40 people had been questioned by Thursday, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. The police official would not comment on an unsourced report in Le Parisian newspaper that investigators are looking at whether the fire could have been linked to a computer glitch or the temporary elevators used in the renovation work, among other things. The prosecutor's office said only that "all leads must be explored.'' Temporary structure proposed Since the cathedral will be closed to the public for years, the rector of the Catholic parish that worships there has proposed building a temporary structure on the plaza in front of the Gothic-era landmark, and City Hall gave its approval Thursday "subject to technical restraints.'' "The rector has no cathedral for the moment. ... But I'm going to try to invent something,'' Bishop Patrick Chauvet said. A crypt containing vestiges dating from antiquity is located under the vast esplanade. President Emmanuel Macron has said he wants Notre Dame to be restored in five years, in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics, which Paris is hosting. Restoration specialists have questioned the ambitious timeline, with some saying it could take three times that long to rebuild the 850-year-old architectural treasure. Honoring the firefighters Earlier Thursday, Macron held a ceremony at the Elysee Palace to thank the hundreds of firefighters who battled the fast-moving fire at Notre Dame for nine hours starting Monday evening, preventing the structure's destruction and rescuing many of the important relics held inside. "We've seen before our eyes the right things perfectly organized in a few moments, with responsibility, courage, solidarity and a meticulous organization,'' Macron said. "The worst has been avoided.'' The cathedral's lead roof and its soaring spire were destroyed, but Notre Dame's iconic bell towers, rose windows, organ and precious artworks were saved. Macron said the firefighters will receive an Honor Medal for their courage and devotion. Paris City Hall also held a ceremony in the firefighters' honor Thursday afternoon, with a Bach violin concert, two giant banners strung from the monumental city headquarters and readings from Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame.'' Remarkably, no one was killed in the blaze that broke out as the cathedral was in the initial stages of a lengthy restoration. Securing area, cathedral A large swath of the island in the Seine River where Notre Dame is located was officially closed Thursday by police, who cited "important risks'' of collapse and falling objects. The area had been unofficially blocked off since the fire. Meanwhile, workers using a crane removed some statues to lessen the weight on the cathedral's fragile gables, or support walls, to keep them from collapsing since they were no longer supported by the roof and its network of centuries-old timbers that were consumed by the inferno. They also secured the support structure above one of Notre Dame's rose windows with wooden planks. Saving history Among the firefighters honored Thursday was Paris fire brigade chaplain Jean-Marc Fournier, who told the Le Parisian daily he was able to save the cathedral's consecrated hosts. The paper said he climbed on altars to remove large paintings, but that he was especially proud "to have removed Jesus'' from the Cathedral a reference to the Catholic belief that consecrated hosts are the body of Christ. An earlier report credited Fournier with helping salvage the crown of thorns believed to have been worn by Jesus at his crucifixion, but Fournier told France Info Thursday he arrived after rescuers had already broken the relic's protective covering and an official who had the secret code needed to unlock it finished the job. He praised the action that preserved "this extraordinary relic, this patrimony of humanity.'' Among others honored was Myriam Chudzinski, one of the first firefighters to reach the roof as the blaze raged. Loaded with gear, they climbed hundreds of steps up the cathedral's narrow spiral staircase to the top of one of the two towers. "We knew that the roof was burning, but we didn't really know the intensity,'' she told reporters. "It was from upstairs that you understood that it was really dramatic. It was very hot and we had to retreat, retreat. It was spreading quickly.'' Benedicte Contamin, who came to view the damaged cathedral from afar Thursday, said she's sad but grateful it's still there. "It's a chance for France to bounce back, a chance to realize what unites us, because we have been too much divided over the past years,'' she said. Britains governing Conservative Party faces an historic loss in next months European Parliament elections, warn party insiders and pollsters, as a result of its handling of Brexit and the delay of the countrys departure from the European Union. Half-a-dozen opinion polls suggests the Conservative government of Prime Minister Theresa May could fall off a cliff and the center of British politics could be eroded, benefiting a new Brexit party founded in January by populist Nigel Farage and the Labour Party, which, under the leadership of socialist Jeremy Corbyn, has moved significantly to the left. Populist parties are resurgent, politics is re-fragmenting, trust has all but vanished and left, center and right are in a rage. The atmosphere is surly, nasty and vicious, according to Allister Heath, a commentator. Few voters expected Some opinion polls are forecasting Conservative candidates in the May elections for the European Parliament will attract only 15 percent of the vote, which, if accurate, would be the partys worst electoral performance ever. The forecasts suggest Farages Brexit party, which wants an immediate clean break with the European Union, regardless of the economic or political consequences for Britain, including Scotland opting for independence, will top the election. The Labour Party likely will come in a close second, thanks mainly to pro-Remain voters, who want Britain to stay in the European Union, the pollsters say. The polls bring home how Brexit is reshaping British politics and setting the country up for a major realignment not seen since the 1920s and the rise of the Labour Party. The likely biggest casualty of the political shift will be the Conservatives, also known as Tories, party insiders admit. Opposite camps Voters now identify more strongly with either the Leave or Remain camps than they do with Britains parties, in a division thats falling more along socio-cultural lines than traditional socio-economic ones. When it comes to a possible general election in Britain, which many politicians expect to happen this year, polling data suggests that just half of the Conservative Partys lifelong voters would back it. A quarter say they will switch their vote to Farages group or his old UK Independence Party, setting up the likelihood of Labour emerging as the largest parliamentary party and reliant on the support to govern of Scottish Nationalists, Liberal Democrats and a breakaway pro-Remain party called Change UK, made up of Labour and centrist Conservative defectors. Until this month it was unthinkable that Britain would have to take part in European elections. The country was due to leave the bloc on March 29, but now has a new departure date of October 31. But deadlock in the British parliament, where lawmakers refused to approve an exit deal negotiated by Prime Minister May with the European Union and also have not been prepared to leave the bloc without a deal, forced the exit delay. EU leaders had no option under the blocs rules but to demand Britain participate in the elections for as long as it remains a member. Political system in crisis The Euro-elections couldnt have come at a worse time for a British political system thats cracking and creaking under the strain of an ill-tempered Brexit, which has seen Leavers demanding a sharp break with the Continent and pro-Europeans trying to salvage a so-called soft Brexit. May is holding talks with Labour in an attempt to secure a compromise exit deal involving a deeper, permanent customs deal with the European Union, a move thats infuriating hardline Brexiters in her party. Dozens of local party chairmen and hundreds of grassroots activists the party relies on for campaigning have said they will shun the elections and offer no help. The Conservative Party is also running out of money with big donors on both sides of the Remain and Leave debate, withholding their normal funding. Many long-standing Tories are on strike, says Daniel Hannan, a Brexiter and Conservative European Parliament lawmaker. Writing in Britains Sunday Times newspaper, Hannan raised the prospect of a complete Conservative meltdown next month. There comes a point when a political party gets so badly hammered at a national poll that its position becomes irrecoverable. It happened to the Canadian Tories in 1993. It could happen to the British Tories next month, he warned. On Good Friday, Pope Francis presides over the Passion of the Lord service in Saint Peters Basilica taking part in the candle-lit Way of the Cross procession, attended by thousands of faithful at Romes ancient Colosseum. The meditations for this celebration have been written by Sister Eugenia Bonetti, an 80-year-old nun who, along with her missionary sisters, has spent the last quarter century fighting human trafficking. Pope Francis has called forcing women into prostitution a crime against humanity and has urged Catholics to open their eyes to victims. The aim of Sister Bonetts meditations will be to show the way in which Christ still suffers today. The 80-year-old is president of the Italian association Slaves No More, which provides assistance to women and children forced into the sex trade. On Holy Thursday, Pope Francis celebrated the mass of the Lords Supper in the prison of Velletri, south of Rome. The prison is overcrowded and home to over 500 inmates, 60 percent of whom are foreigners. The pope reflected on the gesture of washing the feet, which at the times of Jesus, was the job of slaves and servants. Every one of us must be the servant of others," the pope said in his short homily. "This is the rule of Jesus and the rule of the gospel. The rule of service, not of domination, of hurting or humiliating others." The pope told the inmates to be brothers in service, not in ambition, adding The one who thinks he is the strongest, must be a servant. We must all be servants. Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 inmates, including nine Italians, and one each from Morocco, Ivory Coast and Brazil. Also on Holy Thursday, the pope celebrated a morning Chrism mass in which he blessed the oils that will be used during the year. An Easter Vigil will take place on Saturday evening in Saint Peters Basilica, ahead of Easter Sunday mass in the square, at the end of which the pope will give his traditional blessing to the city and to the world. On Thursday, Zimbabwe marked the anniversary of its 1980 independence from Britain. The anniversary coincides with efforts to heal the wounds brought on by state-sanctioned massacres in the 1980s. Some 20,000 people were massacred during the presidency of Robert Mugabe, human rights organizations say. One of the most affected areas is Tsholotsho, a rural district about 600 kilometers southwest of the capital, Harare. There, people are opening up about reburial efforts and requesting compensation from the government. Local resident Melwa Ngwenya says a recent decision by President Emmerson Mnangagwas administration to allow victims in shallow or mass graves to be reburied is not cause for celebration on this Independence Day. Ngwenya says his son was beaten to death during the massacres when Mnangagwa was state security minister. The killings were known as Gukurahundi. According to Ngwenya, the army assaulted his son, Sibangani, who died along with eight others in February 1983. They were buried in a shallow grave about five kilometers from the family home. I dont usually come to this place, Ngwenya said, standing at Sibanganis grave site. For the pain and sorrow to go, I have to be given something to console me. A two-bedroom house will console my spirit that, yes, my son died. Gukurahundi debate Under Mugabes rule, people were persecuted for discussing the massacres, and reburial of the victims was prohibited. On the eve of Independence Day, his successor, Mnangagwa, said that citizens were now free to talk about Gukurahundi. The question of Gukurahundi personally, I dont see anything wrong [with] debating it in newspapers, on television, the president said on state TV. Actually, its critical that we have that debate. Some of the issues couldve been resolved a long time back. ... Gukurahundi has nothing to do with other people. It is an internal matter which has happened among us Zimbabweans, which we must discuss among ourselves. But Ngwenya, still grieving for his son, is skeptical. He is not sincere, the 80-year-old said of the president. He is blindfolding us. He is trying to silence us because we want compensation. I want to have a place to mourn my son, he said, saying it should be a permanent structure, something to stay in. Calling for compensation, Ngwenya added, If he {Mnangagwa] cares about our cries and if the government cares about us and has sympathy, it must build me at least a two-bedroom house. Only half of the issue The rights organization Ibhetshu Likazulu has been vocal in calling for addressing the Gukurahundi issue. The group's secretary, Mbuso Fuzwayo, says Mnangagwa has to deal with more than just allowing people to discuss the massacres and reburials openly. It is not those who are in mass or shallow graves who are going to be buried. Everyone will have peace when he knows where his father, daughter, son is lying, Fuzwayo said. Mnangagwa doesnt talk about women who were raped. He is talking about half of what happened. Gukurahundi is complex. Now it remains to be seen if the government has the will and funds to accommodate the peoples demands on Gukurahundi. A first round of Afghan-to-Afghan peace talks that would have seen Taliban and government officials sit together for the first time were postponed indefinitely Thursday after a falling out over who should attend. Sultan Barakat, director of Qatars Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies, the organization sponsoring the talks, tweeted news of the postponement, saying this is unfortunately necessary to further build consensus as to who should participate in the conference. The talks scheduled for Friday between Afghan and Taliban representatives were considered a significant first step toward finding a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan and the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops, which would end Americas longest war. Differing lists of attendees The senior official said negotiations went awry after President Ashraf Ghani opposed a list of participants announced by Barakats organization. A list of 243 people was announced by Qatar Thursday. That list differed from Ghanis list of 250 people, which included many more women, according to a senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media. The Taliban did not immediately comment, but Zabihullah Mujahed, Taliban spokesman, Wednesday questioned the size of the government delegation. Efforts to find an end to the war in Afghanistan have escalated since the appointment in September of U.S. Peace Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who has held several rounds of talks with the Taliban. The Talibans negotiating team numbers 14, including five former inmates of the U.S. prison on Guantanamo Bay. Talks agreed to grudgingly The Taliban had previously refused to hold direct talks with Ghanis government, calling them puppets of the U.S. However, after pressure from Khalilzad and the government of Qatar, where the religious movement maintains a political office, they agreed to an intra-Afghan dialogue that includes members of the government. Still, they said they would recognize them only as ordinary Afghans, rather than government officials or ministers. But Ghani struggled to cobble together a negotiating team and was highly critical of a meeting held earlier this year in Moscow between the Taliban and prominent Afghan representatives, including former president Hamid Karzai. Kabuls many groups, including opposing warlords, political opposition and even feuding government officials have made the task of finding representatives everyone can agree on a difficult one. The governments list of 250 participants is a reflection of its inability to gather the various political parties together and form a team that can speak with one voice, said Bill Roggio, editor of the Long War Journal. There is much distrust amongst the political parties and other groups, particularly after some groups met the Taliban in Russia without the permission of the Afghan government, Roggio said. More women on Ghanis list Ghanis list of 250 people included 54 women, compared to the Qatar list, which included 10. Suraya Pakzad, an Afghan womens rights activist, said the Afghan Womens Network was also planning to send 18 women to the talks in the Qatar capital of Doha. Actress Angelina Jolie had donated $10,000 to cover expenses, she said. But on Wednesday they were told that their sponsors in Doha who were to escort them from the airport had backed out and without escorts they may not be allowed to leave the airport. They were also not guaranteed entrance to the talks and so canceled their plans before the talks were officially postponed. Pakzad said Ghanis list of women had also been pared down from the original 54 to 11 after Qatar had argued against the large contingent of women. Khalilzad has on several occasions told Afghans in Kabul that it will be up to them to negotiate womens rights, freedoms and rule of law with the Taliban, who imposed a regressive interpretation of Islam when they were in power that forbade women from working and denied girls schooling. Khalilzads direct talks with the Taliban have been narrowly focused on a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal and guarantees from the religious militia that Afghanistan would not again be used to stage terror attacks. As Zimbabwe observed its 39th anniversary of independence, Zimbabweans in the southern part of the country are hoping to obtain closure to the 1980s state-sanctioned massacres that human rights group say left more than 20,000 people dead. On Wednesday, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa said people are now free to talk about the massacres during the rule of Robert Mugabe. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Tsholotsho in southern Zimbabwe, one of the places most affected by the repression. As Indonesias presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto stood on stage claiming a victory in this years general elections that few could believe, Sandiaga Sandi Uno, his running mate, watched on from behind, ashen faced and dour. The image went viral on social media, highlighting a split between Prabowo and Sandiaga, who seemed at odds. According to all counts, apart from their own, they were defeated by the incumbent Joko Jokowi Widodo, who has claimed victory with 54 percent of the vote. Its a result Prabowo refuses to accept. Sandi didnt look very happy at being beside him last night. That was a facial expression we have not seen on Sandi for the entire campaign, said Greg Barton, Chair of Global Islamic Politics at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalization. Normally hes full of energy and smiling, thats his trademark. He looked like he was attending a funeral, he said. What followed was an uneasy night amid speculation that Prabowo would instigate mass rallies following Friday prayers, prompting an appeal from Police Chief General Tito Karnavian who told all parties to end the mobilization of supporters. Troops were seen being deployed in Jakarta. Instead of rallying on the streets, about 1,000 supporters gathered outside Prabowos home in central Jakarta, where he again refused to concede defeat, citing his own quick poll result which has been widely discredited and vowed to challenge the result through the courts. Well he certainly wants to get attention, of course hes got a few weeks before the official results come out in which he can save face by these sort of stunts, but it looks increasingly silly, Barton said. Former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono also warned the post-election situation looked tense and could potentially could harm the country's security and political life while urging his supporters not to get involved in any act of violating Indonesia's Constitution. In a letter to his Democratic Party, Yudhoyono said the real results were determine by the General Elections Commission, where counting supports Jokowis claim to the presidency. But through it all Sandiaga, a successful businessman, emerged as a crowd favorite with his honesty and moderate views on Islam, acting as a counter-balance to Prabowo who has a long history of courting conservative Muslims. An Indonesian friend of mine said Sandiaga is the son-in-law that every Indonesian mother wants, said Don Greenlees, a senior fellow with the Australian National University. The big thing is can he find a coalition of parties or a party with sufficient support in its own right to back him. He shapes up as a very good candidate for 2024, theres no question that he has the ambition. As the voting continued, Jokowi was a substantial eight percentage points ahead of Prabowo but this was still below expectations when compared with the double-digit lead he held in the opinion polls during the campaign. Prabowo performed better than expected. He seems to have done best in the provinces that have the most pronounced Muslim identity. So the identity politics aspect of the election did bear out, Kevin ORourke, an analyst with PT Reformasi Info Sastra, said. He also said Sandiaga had emerged as a future political force. He has the asset base to finance another run. He has established a national profile and name recognition. But theres also a few other considerations, ORourke said. Theres going to be a few contenders for the presidency next time around, including perhaps Prabowo himself. The result yesterday may embolden him to make a third try, health permitting, and if so then questions arise about which parties might be able to nominate Sandi for a run. Despite protests from Prabowo, which mimicked his response to defeat by Jokowi at elections in 2014, Indonesia was widely praised for its handling of this election. For the first time the polls encompassed presidential, legislative and provincial ballots, included about 193 million registered voters and were dubbed the most complex elections in the world. Fears that large numbers of voters among the 60 million-strong youth vote, known as golput, would abstain or deliberately spoil their ballots due to dissatisfaction with both candidates, proved unfounded with turnout at a record high 80 percent. We have a pretty mature system, as far as polling is concerned, Barton added. Leaders of Sudan's ongoing protest have stepped up pressure on the transitional military council that this month replaced ousted President Omar al-Bashir. The protesters have announced plans to form their own civilian council to persuade Sudan's military to give up power. As thousands more protesters joined a sit-in Friday outside Sudan's Defense Ministry, the main protest group the Sudanese Professionals Association said it would form a civilian council to replace the military one. The SPA, which began collecting names of suggested council members on Thursday, issued a written statement saying nominees would be announced in coming days. The statement added that a civilian presidential council would be formed and a transitional legislative council would include 40% women. As Friday prayers were held at the protest site, an imam called for no foreign interference in Sudan and for the military council to preserve the country's prestige. Protesters at the sit-in said they were determined to bring about a civilian leadership promptly not by the military's declared two-year transition. Protester Ibrahim Nogod said the upcoming announcement could mean a new government, but worries persist. Some fear the chosen government won't be accepted by the military council, Nogod said, or that the government would end up simply a new front for a group of ruling parties. Protester Mahmoud Assan said the people are waiting for a smooth transfer of power. "Today we had Friday prayers and all speakers agree that the government must be a qualified government," he said. South Sudan's offer Reuters news agency on Wednesday reported that South Sudan's president, Salva Kiir, had traveled to Khartoum to meet the new leadership. Kiir's office said he offered to mediate talks between Sudan's military and the protesters. It was not clear if Sudan's military leaders were prepared to accept the offer from their former adversary. South Sudan split from Sudan after decades of civil war, taking with it almost all of Khartoum's oil wealth. U.S. support The U.S. on Thursday backed the protesters' demands, urging Sudan's military to step aside and allow a transition to a civilian-led government. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said the will of the Sudanese people is clear, and it is time to move toward a transitional government that is inclusive and respectful of human rights and the rule of law. A senior State Department official said U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Makila James will visit Khartoum this weekend to meet with Sudanese leaders. The U.S. labels Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism, but a State Department official said none of the members of the military council were under U.S. sanctions. Sudan's protests began in December because of fuel and food shortages, which led to price hikes and calls for Bashir to step down. A military coup then removed Bashir, who had been in power for three decades. The protesters have staged a sit-in at army headquarters since April 6, refusing to leave even after the military ousted Bashir. The International Criminal Court has warrants for Bashir on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in Sudan's Darfur region.The former president's family and Sudanese officials say he was moved this week to a federal prison, and two of his brothers were also detained. Jerusalem was awash with thousands of pilgrims marching through the narrow cobblestone alleyways of the Via Dolorosa, or Way of Sorrows, in Jerusalem's Old City. Some carried big wooden crosses on their shoulders. They sang hymns and read Scriptures during the traditional Good Friday Procession, retracing the path of Jesus to the 14 Stations of the Cross. "I think it's always a feeling of walking in the footsteps of Jesus, and it's a very religious feeling and very good feeling to be here," said Frank Caldwell of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Israeli police and soldiers armed with assault rifles guarded the route, but the atmosphere was calm. "We feel very safe here. We certainly don't feel in any fear or that we're the targets of any kind of terrorism or violence," Caldwell said. Good Friday coincides with the biblical Jewish holiday of Passover this year, and Israelis also flocked to Jerusalem to celebrate. Among them was Eddie Stern. "Passover is a family holiday for me," he said. "It's an understanding of perhaps why Israel exists and the history of the Jewish people coming to [the Land of] Israel." Adding to the religious and cultural mix, Palestinian Muslims attended Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque , the third holiest place in Islam. Three renowned mountain climbers are presumed dead after an avalanche in Albertas Banff National Park, Canadian officials said Thursday. Outdoor apparel company The North Face said that American Jess Roskelley and Austrians David Lama and Hansjorg Auer disappeared while attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak on the Icefields Parkway. They were reported overdue Wednesday. They are missing, and local search and rescue has assumed the worst, North Face said in a statement. Roskelley climbed Mount Everest in 2003 at age 20. At the time he was the youngest American to climb the worlds highest peak. The North Face says it is doing what it can to support the climbers families and friends. Parks Canada said the three men were attempting to climb the east face of Howse Peak on the Icefields Parkway Wednesday. Officials say recovery efforts are on hold because of a continued risk of avalanches. Parks Canada says safety specialists immediately responded by air and observed signs of multiple avalanches and debris containing climbing equipment. Parks Canada extends its sincerest condolences to the families, friends and loved ones of the mountaineers, Parks Canada said in a statement. Roskelleys father, John Roskelley, was himself a world-renowned climber who had many notable ascents in Nepal and Pakistan, mostly in the 1970s. John Roskelley joined his son on the successful Everest expedition in 2003. Jess Roskelley grew up in Spokane, Washington, where his father was a county commissioner. John Roskelley told The Spokesman-Review the route his son and the other climbers were attempting was first done in 2000. Its just one of those routes where you have to have the right conditions or it turns into a nightmare. This is one of those trips where it turned into a nightmare, John Roskelley said. John Roskelley had climbed the 10,810-foot Howse Peak, via a different route, in the 1970s and knows the area well. On Thursday he was preparing to go to Canada to gather Jess Roskelleys belongings and see if he could get into the area. Its in an area above a basin, he said. There must have been a lot of snow that came down and got them off the face. The elder Roskelley said: When youre climbing mountains, danger is not too far away. ... Its terrible for my wife and I. But its even worse for his wife. Carol Van Dam contributed to this report. JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN Opposition leader Riek Machar is supposed to be in Juba on or before May 12 to participate in forming South Sudan's Transitional Government of National Unity as required in the September revitalized peace deal, but the SPLM-IO (Sudan People's Liberation Movement In Opposition) is not saying when Machar will get there. Machar is to be reinstated as first vice president in the new government. A senior SPLM-IO official said security arrangements, which are due to be completed by the end of the 8-month, pre-transitional period, are far from being settled, throwing Machar's return to the capital in question. Puot Kang Chol, who represents the SPLM-IO on the National Pre-Transitional Committee or NPTC, the body charged with implementing the peace deal, told the French news agency AFP on Wednesday that Machar will only return to Juba if security arrangements are in place. The SPLM-IO has proposed delaying the formation of the transitional government for six months because implementation is dramatically behind schedule. Information Minister Michael Makuei said Machar's absence will affect the formation of the new government. "The SPLM/A-IO is a part and parcel of the agreement and we as a government, we wish if the parties could agree so that we enter a smooth transition. But of course in the absence, or one party objects and the rest are in agreement, it will be up to those, the parties to agree," Makuei told South Sudan in Focus. Makuei said the NPTC is scheduled to meet next week to discuss whether to keep the May 12 deadline or to mutually agree on a delay for forming the new government. Chapter two of the peace agreement requires that all the parties unify, train and deploy their various forces jointly in a period not exceeding more than eight months, which is due to end on May 12. The deal also stipulates that all parties must agree on redefining President Salva Kiir's unilaterally imposed 32 states before forming the new government. The parties have not even touched that topic, which was one of the major stumbling blocks during the peace talks. South Sudan Military Spokesman Major General Lul Ruai Koang confirms the parties have yet to complete the security arrangements as required in the peace agreement. "I am afraid to tell you that we are behind schedule in terms of making all the arrangements required for the government to be formed in May 2019. The primary challenge we have had was funding," Koang told South Sudan in Focus. Koang said the parties were expected to house, unify, train and deploy at least 110,000 troops into one, national army, police officers, and national security agents by the May deadline but most of those activities have yet to be carried out. He said the parties have so far agreed to train and unify a joint force of 700 men and women to provide security for top officials in the new government. The military needs at least 45 days to fast-track the training of the joint forces, Koang says, and there's not nearly enough time to do so. "It won't be possible for the arrangements to be made in the four or five weeks. It is practically impossible. It is actually less than a month." SPLA-IO deputy military spokesman Col. Lam Paul Gabriel says despite the challenges, the parties have made some progress in confidence building and mitigating tensions in parts of the country where sporadic fighting was still occurring. "Much as we really have challenges, we have achieved a lot. Among them is that the permanent cease-fire is being observed by the warring parties. It is holding so far since November last year. Cantonment areas for all opposition (forces) have been identified and the establishment is ongoing." The NPTC passed a budget of $285 million for implementation of the peace agreement; most of that $245 million is set aside for security arrangements. So far, the government has released about $10 million to fund security arrangements. President Yoweri Museveni has been given a green light to contest Uganda's presidency in 2021, even after the age of 75. Uganda's Supreme Court Thursday upheld a constitutional court ruling in 2018 that stated Museveni elected for the fourth time in 2016 could run. Led by Chief Justice Bart Katureeba, Justice Eldad Mwangusya read the final court ruling. "By a majority decision of 4 to 3 on the process of enactment of the act, fails. On the violence scuffle, inside and outside parliament, fails," he said. "On the substantiality test, fails. By unanimous decision of the court, on the vacation of office by the president after attaining the age of 75, fails. The decision of the constitutional court is upheld." The Supreme Court sat to consider eight key issues. Pertinent among others is whether the majority of constitutional court justices erred in holding that the process of conceptualizing, debating, and enacting the Constitution Amendment Act that removed the age limit did not violate the constitution and parliamentary procedures. They also considered whether constitutional court justices erred when they held that the removal of the age limit was not consistent with the constitution, and whether constitutional court justices erred when they held that the violence and scuffle inside and outside parliament during the enactment contravened the constitution. The ruling by four out of seven justices contradicted three justices who found the process leading to the age limit amendment null and avoid and in violation of Uganda's constitution. Justices who ruled in favor of the appellants also argued that the certificate of compliance accompanying the bill was defective because it contained unmentioned provisions. They also ruled that the president had a duty to bring them to the attention of the speaker before assenting to it. Opposition legislator and petitioner Winfred Kiiza expressed disappointment. "When they say 'beating up people was not okay, but it was not so serious to warrant a violation of the law,' did they want people to be killed for them to really understand the magnitude of the violence? Oh my God," she exclaimed. "Why did we even spend our time debating these issues and yet these issues are held irrelevant. It's unfortunate." Deputy Attorney General Adolf Mwesige, representing the government, was elated by the Supreme Court ruling, describing it as the rule of law and democracy at work. "I appeal to our colleagues when you lose, you get disappointed," he said. "But even when you are disappointed, it's incumbent upon you to respect the court ruling. This is the final opportunity to challenge the outcome. The constitutional amendment No. 2 is now law on the books of Uganda." Critics say with such court rulings, Ugandans have no option but to take to the streets to see a change in government. Voters in Ukraine are going to the polls Sunday to elect the country's next president. They are choosing between incumbent President Petro Poroshenko and Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a standup comic who plays a fictional president in popular television series. The 41-year-old Zelenskiy, who has no political experience, is heavily favored to defeat Poroshenko, polls show. Zelenskiy's once long-shot bid for the presidency gained momentum amid voter frustration over corruption, economic woes and an ongoing conflict in the country's east. Poroshenko tried to energize his supporters at a rally Friday in Kyiv's Independence Square, just hours before the candidates squared off in a nationally televised debate in the city's Olympic Stadium. The 51-year-old president told several thousand supporters that Zelenskiy would be exploited by Russian President Vladimir Putin if he were elected. Poroshenko also said a Zelenskiy win would derail Ukraine's chances of integrating into the European Union (EU). Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimean peninsula in 2014 and the country has since been entangled in a war with Russian-backed separatists in the eastern part of the country. Zelenskiy has shunned traditional political campaigning, largely avoiding media interviews and touring the country with his comedy show instead. When he has spoken with the media, he has advocated for closer ties with the EU and NATO. He has also called for greater efforts to reintegrate the rebels in the east into the country. Egyptians are voting Saturday on constitutional amendments that allow Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to stay in office until 2030. The voting comes less that a week after parliament approved the changes. Expatriate Egyptians began voting Friday. If passed, the amendments also would deepen presidential powers and military presence within communities. The presidential term would be increased from four to six years and Sissi would be allowed to run for a third term in 2024. Supporters of the referendum have hailed the vote as a national duty, but critics charge that the vote is simply a power-grab in a country where political diversity has dissolved almost completely. Organized opposition is almost nonexistent, with many leading public figures, businesses and media houses firmly in league with the current government. Officials promised to announce the results by April 27 and say if the measure passes, they will implement the constitutional reforms swiftly. Many of the amendments pertain to the governments structure, creating new positions and increasing the number of presidential appointees. The Egyptian military, which already wields tremendous economic and political power in Egypt, also will increase its role in criminal justice, if the referendum passes. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday set the goal of rebuilding the fire-gutted Notre Dame cathedral within five years. In a passionate televised speech, Macron said France is the nation of builders and that with everyone's participation, it can be done. VOA's Zlatica Hoke reports. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. Grains by the lb can generally be had for a reasonable price. They also generally qualify for free and flat rate shipping when a retailer offers that. Full 50 or 55 lb sacks of malt are another story altogether. The per lb price of sacks can be tempting, but shipping charges can be confiscatory. Limited Time Deal, Article Continues Below: Great Fermentations is discounting select items by up to 50% off as part of a short holiday sale. Great Fermentations Holiday Sale Briess 2 Row Malt is included in the mix and on sale for $1.39 per lb. Shipping is free with a $55 order to addresses in the contiguous US. Order 40 lbs and youll qualify for free shipping. This is a big savings when it comes to bulk grain. BRIESS 2-ROW MALT 40 lbs for $55.60 with free shipping! Bulk Malt Deal Tips and Tricks Look at Total Cost Price per lb delivered to your door is the most important thing when it comes to value. Biting on a low cost sack of grain with high shipping is equally as bad as biting on a high cost sack of grain with free shipping. Compare total cost. If free or flat rate shipping is an option always makes sure to put together an order that qualifies for discounted shipping. Deals can periodically found on Amazon Offerings and prices can vary wildly, but its worth a quick look when it comes time to buying grain. Buy Local-ish Look for a shop in the same general geographic location. It makes sense that shipping from one state away would cost less than shipping across the country. This isnt always the case, but its a good place to start. Try the following shops, each has general geographic area to help 10 lb Bags at Williams Brewing Williams Brewing has select malt available in 10 lb bags. These qualify for their free or flat shipping. Buy 5 x 10 lb bags and you have the equivalent of a sack of grain. Base Malt in 10 Pound Bags Deal on All Grain Kits Adventures in Homebrewing discounts seasonal homebrew beer recipe kits by 20%. Selections include both all grain and extract options. Shipping is free to many US addresses with a qualifying order. 20% Off Seasonal All Grain Kits | 20% Off Seasonal Extract Kits Make a Friend, Get a Great Deal on Grain Make friends with your local brewery or brew pub and they just might let you purchase grain from them a great price. Bulk Grain Storage Options Vittles Vault Review! Grain Mill Reviews All Grain-Related Reviews: A collection of reviews that weve tagged as directly or indirectly related to all grain brewing Hands on Review: Vittles Vault Stackable Storage Bins for Homebrew Grain Storage! Make sure the components you use are compatible and rated for your intended application. Contact manufacturer with questions about suitability or a specific application. Always read and follow manufacturer directions. top:bulkgrain tag:itsapage tag:tpr Peruvian former President Alan Garcia wrote a note before taking his own life to avoid prosecution on corruption charges, his daughter revealed ahead of his funeral here Friday. I have seen others in handcuffs, preserving their miserable existence, but Alan Garcia has no reason to suffer those injustices and circuses, so I leave to my children the dignity of my decisions, to my comrades a sign of pride, and my body as a demonstration of my contempt for my adversaries, Luciana Garcia Nores said, reading aloud from her fathers note. Garcia wrote that he had accomplished his political purpose by twice winning the presidency as the standard-bearer of the Peruvian Aprista Party (PAP), founded by his mentor, Victor Raul Haya de la Torre (1895-1979). The 69-year-old Garcia, who governed Peru from 1985 to 1990 and again from 2006 to 2011, died Wednesday at Limas Casimiro Ulloa Hospital after shooting himself in the head when police came to his home to take into custody. His family rejected the governments offer of a state funeral for the former head of state, Instead, Garcias casket lay in state at PAP headquarters. Luciana said that while her father left no instructions for his funeral, she was certain he would have wanted the wake to be held at the PAPs House of the People, with all of his comrades. In the letter, Alan Garcia denounced what he called politically motivated attempts to charge him with crimes. In this time of repeated rumors and hatreds that majorities believe are true, I have seen how (legal) proceedings are used to humiliate or harass, and not to find the truth, he wrote. Thousands of Peruvians, including politicians, public officials and PAP supporters, have come to the House of the People to pay their final respects to Garcia. After the reading of the suicide note, the late politicians youngest child, 14-year-old Federico, signed on top of his fathers casket the documents to register as a PAP member. The funeral cortege then set out for a cemetery where Garcia was to be cremated in a private ceremony. Prosecutors sought to try Garcia for allegedly taking bribes from Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht. In December 2016, Odebrecht reached a settlement with the United States Justice Department in which the firm pleaded guilty to paying hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes to government officials around the world. As part of the settlement, Odebrecht has been cooperating with prosecutors in the affected countries to bring corrupt officials to justice. Peruvian Judge Juan Carlos Sanchez Balbuena ruled last fall that documents handed over by Odebrecht provided sufficient elements to support the accusations against Garcia. Odebrecht executive Carlos Nostre told Peruvian prosecutors that the company paid up to $24 million in bribes to secure the contract to build Lima Metros Line 1 during Garcias 2006-2011 administration. will help you create a stunning 16" or 24" living wreath out of ferns and ivy. This is perfect outdoor decor for the warmer months and can hang indoors during the winter. All materials are included and no experience is necessary. 1-3 p.m. Fendi to stage Rome fashion show in honour of Karl Lagerfeld. Luxury fashion house Fendi is to stage a couture catwalk show in Rome on 4 July in homage to its late creative director Karl Lagerfeld. The event will pay tribute to the German fashion designer who was Fendi's creative director for 54 years, serving from 1965 until his death on 19 February this year. Bernard Arnault, chairman and chief executive officer of Fendi's parent company LVMH, said the catwalk show would reprise all [Lagerfeld's] creations during his time at Fendi. Fendi fashion show at Rome's Trevi Fountain in 2016 The location of the catwalk has yet to be released however the collection will reportedly be overseen by Fendi co-designer Silvia Venturini Fendi who described the bond between Fendi and the late German couturier as "the most enduring love story in fashion." In 2016 Fendi celebrated its 90 birthday with a fashion show at Rome's Trevi Fountain whose 2 million restoration it funded. Cowen says most of the common prejudices against Big Business, which such politicians pander to, are undeserved or overstated. In the first place, corporations are not people with feelings and attitudes. They are legal constructs. The people who work in large companies are not better or worse than people in other walks of life. Businesses encourage us to anthropomorphize them because people find a singing raisin more persuasive than a raisin that just sits in the box. But when the raisin behaves like a profit-motivated corporation, we feel betrayed. The Italian American automaker said the recall covers automatic-transmission Dart cars, model years 2013 through 2016, and that the defect could prevent drivers from shifting vehicles into park. The company said it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the issue but has several thousand reports of related repairs to vehicles. The company said a cable bushing may degrade after prolonged exposure to high ambient heat and humidity. In February 2018, 13 Russian individuals and three companies were indicted and face charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States. Much of the unredacted information in this section is also seen in their indictment, and the redactions categorized harm to ongoing matter may be related to that ongoing case. However, as Russia does not allow its citizens to be extradited to the United States, it is unlikely that these individuals will face a trial. Coincidentally, both the National and the Kennedy Center are pondering how to collect and protect the historical assets that tell their institutional stories, and how to connect them to the public. Looking ahead to its 50th anniversary season in 2021-22 prompted the Kennedy Center to get a grip on its stash. It takes a substantial walking tour to get a sense of the holdings, which amount to 9,000 cubic feet of files, images and who knows what else, according to Eileen Andrews, vice president for public relations, who has been tasked with shepherding the archives out of darkness. I interviewed McCain in 2014 when she had fewer than 250,000 Twitter followers (she now has 664,000) and a gig hosting a show on the Pivot TV network, which no one knew then either. She was just a few days shy of her 30th birthday and still attempting to escape her dads shadow. The thing about having famous parents is like, yeah, itll open some doors, but you have to, like, break the doors down with your high heel and go into it and make it happen, she said at the time. Today, McCain has turned a blog she penned documenting dear old Dads 2008 presidential bid into a full-fledged media career. Everyone from the architect to the principals convened to debate one aspect, however: Was The Liz really what they wanted, particularly when every building seemed to have a The in the name? Liz was not something to be possessed, says Naseema Shafi, Whitman-Walker Healths chief executive. If were naming this after a person, and in honor of a person, we should really call it Liz. Both of us are somewhat new to our city. We had them to dinner once about six months ago, and neither my husband nor I enjoyed the evening as much as we might have, although it wasn't disastrous. She is more interested in material things than we are, and he is somewhat argumentative although not obnoxiously so. The parents lawsuit alleged that the teacher whom The Washington Post is not naming because he has not been charged with a crime and was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit took 3- and 4-year-old boys and girls to remote areas on campus and sexually abused them. At least seven toddlers were abused by the teacher, who is named in the lawsuit, according to court documents. Those realities weighed on the board of trustees, said Kim Saal, 66, who was vice chair of the board until he resigned April 5. One of Nelsons key backers, Saal was among the colleges first students in 1970 and fervently supports its ideals. But he said he grew convinced of the need to reboot Hampshire and pursue what Nelson called a strategic partnership with an outside entity. For too long, he said, the college had relied on emergency gifts and other improvised measures to balance its books. Knowing what you need to fix is a first step, said Lynne Harris, president of the countywide council of PTAs, who welcomed the data. I hope it will lead to much more robust and courageous work by the school system. Surveillance video from the store showed a black truck backing into the store shortly before 3:30 a.m., police said. Three men dressed in black entered the store, assaulted a clerk and tried to load an ATM onto the back of the truck, police said. Were looking at speed as a major contributing factor, Donelan said Friday. The posted speed limit in the area is 40 mph. Police said that other possible factors are being investigated and that it could take weeks before toxicology tests on the victims and a thorough review from the scene including vehicle speed are completed. At one point, Moore and Reaves got out of the car and walked into a nearby alley. Minutes later, the two men returned to the car, where Kennedy was waiting. Moore, prosecutors say, then pulled out a gun and shot both men multiple times. Edmond, known for his flashy cars, designer clothes and expensive jewelry, oversaw an operation that brought up to 1,700 pounds of cocaine a month into the District in the mid-1980s. At one point, law enforcement officials estimated he was raking in as much as $2 million a week. Authorities said his enforcers were linked to as many as 30 slayings, although Edmond was never convicted in any homicides. D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham said an officer riding a bicycle was flagged down by a person who had heard gunshots inside the home. He said police found the teenager suffering from multiple wounds. Police had a scant description of a man wearing a black mask and a black jacket. Todays vote is historic and takes us in the right direction in the fight to address climate change, protect public health, and to accelerate our transition to a clean energy economy, Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, said via email. His group has been one of Northams top donors but has clashed with him over his support of a pair of natural gas pipelines in the western part of the state. (Photo/oppo.com) NAIROBI, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's smartphone marker Oppo plans to launch two new smartphones into the Kenyan market next week, officials said on Thursday. Jacqueline Muthoni Wachira, Public Relations and Communications Manager at Oppo Kenya, told Xinhua in Nairobi that the Oppo F11 and F11 Pro are part of the F series of mobile phones that are already in the market. "In addition to inheriting the excellent selfie function of the F series as well as the sleek gradient design of F9, the F11 series boast several innovative technologies and are equipped with a new 48MP ultra-clear camera system, a rising camera, and a panoramic screen, bringing customers a more comfortable and flawless user experience," Wachira said. She noted that the Oppo F11 series also seek to improve the overall user experience and solve common smartphone problems such as over-heat. Wachira noted that building on the groundbreaking dual rear camera and portrait technology of F9, Oppo's F11 series elevate the F series to a higher level, upgrading the mobile phones and Oppo itself from "Selfie Expert" to "Portrait Master." She said that Oppo has always been committed to providing creative youths with the inventive mobile phones that allow them to snap and share expressions of themselves and the world around them. The Constitution commands the president to take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed. It requires him to affirm that he will faithfully execute the Office of President and to promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. And as a result, by taking the presidential oath of office, a president assumes the duty not simply to obey the laws, civil and criminal, that all citizens must obey, but also to be subjected to higher duties what some excellent recent legal scholarship has termed the fiduciary obligations of the president. There is a lot inside the Mueller report, and it will all take many weeks to digest. But two things remain unexplained. One is the question of messaging. Why was Trump, all through the latter part of the 2016 campaign, repeating and using slogans that were conceived on Russian state media? Obama founded ISIS and Hillary Clinton will cause World War III : These were slogans first used by Sputnik and other Russian sources. We still dont know how Trump and his campaign happened to use the same conspiracy theories that the Russians were using, or happened to be promoting the same conspiracy theories online. I speculated, at one point, that campaign data might have been shared. And, indeed, Mueller did find exactly that: Manafort and deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates were sharing data with Konstantin Kilimnik, whom the FBI believes to be a Russian intelligence operative: Gates periodically sent such polling data to Kilimnik during the campaign. But there is no further information about how that data might have been used and no explanation of why the online tactics used by the Russian military intelligence agency and the Trump campaign were so similar. JPMorgan excused the turnabout by saying its work would help the Saudi people (apparently, the Saudi people who arent being murdered, tortured or imprisoned for political reasons). As spokesman Andrew Gray explained via email, We do business all over the world and stick with companies and countries in good times and bad and ultimately, we are serving the citizens of any nation where we do business and want to engage and help bring people up. One of the features of Clintons character, both a flaw and a survival skill, was his ability to compartmentalize to attend to the business of his presidency even as it was teetering on oblivion. That is one reason his job approval reached its highest point in the Gallup poll 73 percent the same week the House voted to impeach him in 1998. (It is also worth noting that the Republicans lost five House seats in the midterm elections that year, largely in punishment for an overreach that nearly cost them their majority.) The report explains why Trump was so determined to undermine and obstruct this investigation. Perhaps most troubling, the report completely undermines the attorney generals spin in his March letter that The Special Counsel therefore did not draw a conclusion one way or the other as to whether the examined conduct constituted obstruction. The report doesnt say, I cant make up my mind. Rather, Mueller lays out a devastating case against the president, but explicitly says in the introduction to the obstruction section that given the Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president, it would be unfair to draw the conclusion that seems obvious from the facts that follow, because Trump wouldnt be able to defend himself in a court of law. The April 12 Metro article City employees see homes out of reach discussed affordable housing for middle-income workers. Homes in the Washington area are ridiculously expensive. But I was able to get into a home earning less than half what the teacher in the article makes. The nonprofit Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America helps people buy houses with no down payment, no mortgage insurance and no closing costs. It is in high demand, so the process can be difficult. Borrowers will learn budgeting, planning and money management on a nonprofessional level so they wont get in over their heads. I own a 1,500-square-foot home with a mortgage of $1,069 a month! Thats fantastic for this area, and the District is a short MARC train ride away. The loss of U.S. moral authority in the world since Trump took office has done incalculable damage to the country. If the United States were a business, you would say its most valuable asset a reputation built over two centuries as a nation based on moral values has been squandered by Trump for short-term gain. If he were the chief executive of a public company, he would have been removed by shareholders long ago for breach of his fiduciary duty. What is less clear is how we are to accept a detailed, damning, 448-page moral and political indictment as good news for Trump and his administration. The Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion, according to the report. This included a social media campaign that favored presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and computer-intrusion operations against the Clinton campaign. Though Trump campaign officials didnt directly coordinate with Russian intelligence activities, they welcomed and rooted for them. More than ever, the 2016 presidential election deserves an asterisk, indicating a serious chance that it was won with foreign help. The Mueller report not only provides a striking and much fuller narrative of Trumps actions themselves but also shows why they might put his presidency in jeopardy. Though Trump would not be criminally prosecuted while in office, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said at a news conference Thursday that the Mueller report showed clear evidence Trump engaged in obstruction of justice and that impeachment is one possibility. By the time Rep. Eric Swalwell of California announced he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination, he was the 18th person to do so. Or maybe he was the 17th, since Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., did not formally transform his exploratory committee into an all-out presidential campaign until days later. Or he might have been the 19th, if recent announcements of candidacy by 88-year-old former senator Mike Gravel of Alaska can be taken seriously. Swalwell was not even the first candidate to announce his run on CBSs Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York did the same thing in mid-January. But Colbert nevertheless had a mock campaign sign drawn up last week just for Swalwell, a blue sign with white lettering and hints of red with a catchy suggested slogan: Eric Swalwell: One of your top 20 choices The joke, like most, is rooted in an uncomfortable reality. For candidates like Swalwell and others who lack the track record of former vice president Joe Biden or Sen. Bernie Sanders, the name recognition of Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Kamala D. Harris of California, or the recent swell of support felt by Buttigieg and Beto ORourke of Texas, the gigantic Democratic field is varied enough to make it hard to stand out, vast enough to spread donor money too thin and liberal enough that few platforms or even parts of platforms qualify as unique. But for the isolated perch of Sanders (I-Vt.) as a democratic socialist, other political categories are densely trafficked. For every moderate or liberal, another moderate or liberal is touting similar credentials. For every single-issue candidate, a many-issue candidate is advocating similar policies. For almost every type of candidate even, for the first time for a woman there is another woman trying to become the first to win the presidency. Even so, the field of candidates continues to grow. But those candidates who entered the race with lower profiles are being forced to craft creative ways to raise them. Most have not yet been successful. As Swalwell made his first trip to Iowa as an official presidential candidate last weekend, he was not the only candidate trying to be distinguished in the state whose first-in-the-nation caucus signals the destinies of so many candidacies. Once there, however, he did the same things everyone else does: He held a town hall at Iowa State University. He held a meet-and-greet at a nearby brewery where he could shake some hands while holding a beer. The 38-year-old, most distinguishable because of his youth and best known for an unflinching Twitter presence, employed no gimmicks and took no shots at his fellow candidates. But he is trying to separate himself on the issues, building his campaign around gun control universal background checks and buying back all 15 million assault weapons at large in the United States. After formally announcing his campaign on Colberts show last Monday, he held a town hall meeting the next day in Sunrise, Fla., not far from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The shooting deaths of 17 students and school staff in February 2018 at the Parkland school pushed young survivors to national prominence as leaders of the movement for stronger gun safety laws. His campaign is operating on the assumption that Swalwell simply cannot be the other candidates in the race, so he should not try. Instead, he will be himself a white male from the Bay Area suburbs at a time when the energy of the party seems headed elsewhere. Asked how much time he spends thinking about how to make himself different, Swalwell did not hesitate. Zero, Swalwell said, and immediately launched into his sales pitch: I feel comfortable about being a candidate who was the first in the family to go to college, is paying off student loans today and is raising two kids. I think I can connect with people. The trouble with separating oneself with an emphasis on one issue, of course, is that voters often worry about more than one thing. In a campaign-opening Q and A session with so many pointed questions it might as well have been a congressional hearing, Swalwell received just one question about gun control and it came from a supporter of gun rights, a 39-year-old Iowan named Jeff Shady. Shady asked Swalwell how he will sell gun reforms to Iowans, who have a lower murder rate in their state than that of Swalwells home state, California, where guns are more regulated. After Swalwells answer, Shady said he felt the congressman was mistaken about the facts: If this is his big policy, Shady said, he should know about it. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, meanwhile, is tying his campaign to the issue of climate change. He argues that the problem will not be solved unless it is a top priority and that combating climate change is a broader platform than some might think. Building a more sustainable economy creates jobs, improves public health and allows for new ways of thinking about higher education as part of an economy moving away from some of its traditional manufacturing and fossil fuel staples, he argues. Inslee has traveled to towns razed by Californias wildfires. Last weekend, he visited brownfields in South Carolina. Before that, he traveled to Hamburg, Iowa, where historic floods devastated a town where many residents families had lived since its founding in 1858. Vice President Pence was in Iowa that day, too, which gave Inslee a chance to employ another of his signature tactics: attacks on the administration. He needs to open his ears and listen to the scientists who say this will become a bigger threat in the future, said Inslee, who invoked Pences name repeatedly in the course of a tour that included climate activist John Davis and a handful of reporters. Inslee previously appeared on Fox and Friends President Trumps favored morning show to release his tax returns and challenge the president to do the same. Inslees campaign said part of the governors shtick is not shtick at all, just a fact of his personality. He is not, they argue, using those moments to differentiate himself from the rest of the pack, but rather just to be himself. His track record as Washingtons governor, his staff believes, should be enough to make him singular. But Inslee is not the only governor running for office, nor the only candidate who makes combating climate change a staple of his stump speech just as Swalwell is not the only Democrat running with common sense gun control as a part of his platform. Another governor running for president, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, was also recently in Iowa trying to stand out. Hickenlooper bounced in and out of coffee shops and local restaurants, delivering a stump speech that makes clear he was an entrepreneur before he was a politician, that eschews the hunt for ideological purity over pragmatism and casts himself as a more reasonable option in a field loaded with lofty ideas that will not surmount the nations partisan divides. I like him because I think we need a moderate to convince all these Midwest workers who voted for Trump last time, said one woman who crouched on a mini-fridge at a coffee shop in Burlington, Iowa, to ease her arthritic knees as she nodded approvingly through Hickenloopers stump speech. But she was not entirely sold. For example, if Biden runs, said the woman, a Burlington resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity, Ill be voting for him. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also was in Iowa recently to tout her agriculture credentials (the Minnesotan is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee) as a way to build credibility in the Midwest states she says the Democrats must take back from Trump. Klobuchar leans on the fact that in her 2018 Senate race she won 40 Minnesota districts that Trump had won in 2016 and trumpets that she has introduced 34 bills Trump signed into law, interpreting both as signs she can appeal to both parties. It is only slightly different from the argument Hickenlooper makes to boost his campaign. Many voters say they are waiting for someone to emerge from the pack but national bursts of energy do not usually arrive in a noisy Iowa coffee shop, like the Beancounter in Burlington that Hickenlooper visited Saturday morning. Theres just so many right now, Nathan Unsworth, a 34-year-old county conservator, said in Burlington. I think its going to take a debate to start narrowing it down a bit. Top congressional Democrats said Thursday that President Trump sought to obstruct justice in trying to undermine the investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election and promised a thorough investigation. But party leaders and even 2020 presidential candidates stopped short of calling for impeachment. Still, special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs signal in his report that Congress should decide whether the president broke the law is certain to embolden liberals who favor impeachment to pressure party leaders and White House hopefuls. In his report, Mueller not only identified 10 episodes of potential obstruction by Trump, but also said it wasnt his role to reach a conclusion, putting the onus on Congress if lawmakers are worried about corrupt use of his authority. That was the reason Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) signed on to an impeachment resolution Thursday after the reports release and Democratic donor and billionaire Tom Steyer renewed his call for Congress to impeach Trump. [Mueller report lays out obstruction evidence against president] For now, they are outliers, at odds with congressional leaders and several candidates. The report indicates that President Trump tried on multiple occasions to obstruct justice, only to be thwarted by advisers who knew better, said House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), striking a tone many Democrats hit throughout the day. These include efforts to halt the special counsels investigation. Hoyer, however, later told CNN that based on what we have seen to date, going forward on impeachment is not worthwhile at this point. Very frankly, there is an election in 18 months, and the American people will make a judgment. Presidential candidates hoping to face off against Trump next year accused the president of misconduct but also steered clear of impeachment talk. Even Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a self-described democratic socialist who often spurns the establishments caution, made no mention of impeachment. It is clear that Donald Trump wanted nothing more than to shut down the Mueller investigation, Sanders said. While we have more detail from todays report than before, Congress must continue its investigation into Trumps conduct and any foreign attempts to influence our election. The caution underscores Democrats long-standing skepticism that they could and should impeach the president, reflecting the partys view that the best chance to oust Trump is in next years presidential election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has said she opposes moves to impeach Trump, arguing that though he is unfit for office, hes just not worth it. She casts impeachment as a political move that would be too divisive, while other Democrats worry that it would energize Trumps base voters and cost Democrats in the 2020 election. [Im not for impeachment without bipartisan support, Pelosi says, roiling fellow Democrats] Pelosi has also called for the impeachment process to be bipartisan, and with Republicans almost uniformly claiming victory for Trump on Thursday, the possibility is highly unlikely. No collusion! No obstruction! said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee. Complete cooperation from the president. No executive privilege asserted. In a statement Thursday, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Attorney General William P. Barr of distorting Muellers report, reflecting a Democratic strategy to focus on Barr as they read the redacted report. Barr, at a news conference before the reports release, said Trump had broken no laws and even adopted the presidents language of no collusion. Special Counsel Muellers report paints a disturbing picture of a president who has been weaving a web of deceit, lies and improper behavior and acting as if the law doesnt apply to him, Pelosi and Schumer said. But if you hadnt read the report and listened only to Mr. Barr, you wouldnt have known any of that because Mr. Barr has been so misleading. On Thursday, Democrats latched onto Muellers report to argue the special counsel never intended for Barr to make a decision on obstruction but wanted Congress to take up the question. The special counsel made clear that he did not exonerate the president, said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), the Judiciary Committee chairman. The responsibility now falls to Congress to hold the president accountable for his actions. Mueller, while noting that the president has a constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws, said the separation-of-powers doctrine authorizes Congress to protect official proceedings, including those of courts and grand juries, from corrupt, obstructive acts regardless of their source. With respect to whether the president can be found to have obstructed justice by exercising his powers under Article II of the Constitution, we concluded that Congress has authority to prohibit a presidents corrupt use of his authority in order to protect the integrity of the administration of justice, the report said. Members of the Judiciary Committee seemed torn on the question of impeachment Thursday, saying it was clear the president tried to obstruct justice but also knowing their party was wary of such a step. Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.) argued that impeachment is but one of the functions of Congress, which is also responsible for passing legislation, particularly Democratic priorities of tougher gun control and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. We have to be playing offense for the American people at the same time that we are defending ourselves from a lawless White House; thats challenging for us, he said. In Congress, we have to look at it both: [impeachments] legal meanings but also its political context because we do have other agendas we have to be advancing for the American people. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) said he believes Trump has committed impeachable offenses and should be impeached but he also deferred to Pelosi on the matter. I also think that Nancy Pelosi is the leader of our party, and shes got the best political head of anybody in the House . . . and her position is, politically, you keep your eye on the prize, and that prize is a Democratic president in 2020, he said. Despite the uncertainty surrounding impeachment, Democrats promised to continue investigating the president. Nadler, who notably did not rule out the possibility of impeachment proceedings during a news conference Thursday afternoon, insisted that Mueller should testify no later than May 23 before his committee. Barr is also scheduled to testify before the Senate and House Judiciary panels in early May. Nadler also announced his intention Thursday to subpoena the full Mueller report, setting up a major legal clash between Congress and the Justice Department as Democrats try to obtain redacted information. Barr has promised to make the full contents of the report, absent grand jury information, available to a select group of committee leaders and senior lawmakers. Congressional Democrats have long insisted that Barr should seek a court order to release the grand jury materials to lawmakers; Barr has refused. Thats one of the many reasons Democrats have made Barr a top target for their ire, with presidential candidates joining congressional Democrats in criticizing the attorney general. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) called for Barr to resign. Swalwell, a member of the House Intelligence and Judiciary panels, wrote that no one is above the rule of law . . . unless youre frustrated that is, referring to Barrs rationale for Trumps actions. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) tweeted: The American people deserve the truth. Not spin from a Trump Appointee. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called the news conference a disgrace. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) released a video through her Twitter feed, requesting that Americans have the chance to hear from Mueller himself. A few minutes after Barr wrapped up his comments, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D.-Mass.) tweeted, Its a disgrace to see an Attorney General acting as if hes the personal attorney and publicist for the President of the United States. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) said in a statement that the news conference was propaganda and a complete farce. Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) said Barr is acting more like Trumps defense attorney than the nations attorney general. His news conference was a stunt, filled with political spin and propaganda. Americans deserve the unvarnished truth. We need special counsel Mueller to testify publicly in Congress. Karoun Demirjian contributed to this report. Read more at PowerPost Other administration officials confirmed to the special counsel that Trump shooed them out of the Oval Office to speak to Comey alone that day, the report said. And just hours before the encounter, Trump told New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) that firing Flynn would put an end to the Russia inquiries, the report said. The idea is not to decide whether to debate articles of impeachment, he said. We may get to that point. The idea is to find out exactly what went on, who did what, what institutional safeguards were gotten around and how they were gotten around, and then decide what to do about it. . . . Then well decide whether well go down one road or another. Among the remaining mysteries: the full story of a meeting at a Seychelles resort between Trump associate Erik Prince and Dmitriev, a Russian banker close to Putin, and why Manafort shared polling data with Kilimnik and then lied about it. Prosecutors said they did not establish that Trump foreign policy adviser Carter Page, who was under surveillance for nearly a year, conspired with Russia. But they also said they were unable to fully determine his activities during a July 2016 visit to Moscow. Jeffries argued that our primary focus has and will continue to be on executing our For the People agenda as it relates to kitchen table pocketbook issues. Rather, Congress, he said, would do their utmost to allow Mueller to tell his story in public through testimony, and promise to try to get the full document released to the public to illuminate the extent of what Democrats call Trumps corruption. Although no Afghans traveled here from Kabul for the canceled talks, a group of about 20 invited delegates were Afghan emigres in Europe who were already en route to Doha and arrived late Thursday. Several said Friday that they blamed the Ghani government for the collapse of the talks, but they were expected to meet privately with some Taliban representatives here on Saturday. Instead of getting mad, she will reply, Thank God youre not pregnant, McKee assured her younger self. You will crawl in her lap, sobbing, as she holds you and tells you that you are her little girl, and how could you ever think that anything would make her love you any less. You will feel like a prisoner who has been given their freedom. At the foot of the cross, when everything was over, someone was standing: it was Notre Dame, he said, referring to the Virgin Mary, the namesake of the cathedral, who was present for her sons crucifixion. And on the third day, Christ is risen. From the death of his son, God brought for the good: his resurrection and the salvation of all men. One such group is believed to have been behind last months attack. A number of the victims were children, and in Mali, many saw the extraordinary death toll as evidence that the government was not doing enough to quell violence and save civilian lives even with the help of a U.N. peacekeeping mission that is supposed to help stabilize the country. Earlier this year, gunmen attacked a military base in the same region where the massacre took place, killing more than a dozen soldiers. The official said that the suspects arrived in Turkey in October and that it was possible they were attempting to collect information about Arab political dissidents living in the country, which has become a gathering place for exiles from the UAE and other Persian Gulf states, as well as from Syria and Egypt. The smug display in St. Petersburg was vintage Putin, said William J. Burns, who served as U.S. ambassador to Russia from 2005 to 2008. Putin likes to be snarky when he sees an event breaking his way. The backdrop is his sense that [Russias interference in 2016] worked, that he saw vulnerability in the fraying American political landscape and was able to sow even further chaos. The news conference was a boon for the president, reinforcing before the public had read Muellers actual report the letter Barr sent to Congress last month announcing that Mueller had not found a conspiracy between Russia and the Trump campaign, and had declined to reach a conclusion on whether Trump had obstructed justice. The president reacted with glee on Twitter and privately told advisers that former attorney general Jeff Sessions, with whom he famously sparred, would not have done so well, according to White House aides who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. I am afraid that, if Pompeo engages in the talks again, the table will be lousy once again and the talks will become entangled, Kwon said. Therefore, even in the case of possible resumption of the dialogue with the U.S., I wish our dialogue counterpart would be not Pompeo but a person who is more careful and mature in communicating with us. The last US citizen who fell into the custody of the Kim regime returned home maimed from torture and did not survive, he said, referring to Otto Warmbier, a U.S. college student who was imprisoned in North Korea in 2016 and died shortly after being flown back to the United States in a coma in 2017. Wikimedia Commons Moscow, Apr19 (Sputnik/UNI) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un thanked Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese leader Nguyen Phu Trong who congratulated him on being re-elected as the chairman of the North Korean State Affairs Commission. "Respected general secretary [of the Communist Party of China] was the first to send sincere and warm congratulations to me on my re-election as chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. I am sincerely grateful for this and express heartfelt thanks to you," Kim wrote in a letter to Xi, as quoted by the North Korean state-run KCNA news agency. In a separate message to the Vietnamese president, Kim thanked him for "powerful support and encouragement to the struggle of our Party, state and people for building a powerful socialist country." The re-election took place last week at a session of the North Korean parliament. The short answer to the first question is, Atlassian makes workplace software that has become indispensable to some of the most important teams inside some of the worlds biggest companies. As such, it has become a key part of the architecture of the new global economy. The second question is harder to answer succinctly. To the outside world, Atlassians growth in the nearly four years since its stock exchange listing - from a $4 billion company to a nearly $40 billion company - looks like it has all been smooth sailing. The reality is not that simple. "There is a lot of work that goes into what we do. You make a lot of mistakes. No one is infallible," Farquhar says in an interview. "No one wants to see the legs trailing under the water. They just want to see the serene duck sitting on top." The 'Titanic battle' reshaping business When Atlassians flagship product, JIRA, was first released in 2002, the global corporate landscape was markedly different from todays. Financial markets were still reeling from the bursting of the dotcom bubble. Tech companies still made software (think operating systems and databases) and hardware (computers and their components, such as microchips). Industrial and financial companies were considered completely distinct. And inside those industrial and financial companies, technology functions were often an afterthought. No one wants to see the legs trailing under the water. They just want to see the serene duck sitting on top. Scott Farquhar Development teams were often housed in different buildings and reported through to finance departments. They had little clout in company decision-making. Software was bought off the shelf, installed on company servers and updated infrequently. Into this world, JIRA was born, as a tool to help software developers plan and document their work and track bugs. "We started with software teams of all stripes," Cannon-Brookes says. "Designers, product managers, developers. That led us into all teams." Fortuitously, JIRA was released just as a new ethos took off in the software development community. The "Agile" approach to building software involves closer collaboration between business teams and developers, constant iteration (rather than less frequent "big bang" updates) and more transparency around what is being built. The rise of Agile coincided with other important advances in technology: the advent of smartphones, which put mobile super-computers in the pockets of billions of people; and cloud computing, which enabled startups to rent key web infrastructure. By doing so, they could save costs, deliver their applications over the internet and compete with much bigger companies. Together, all of these technological advances combined to set off an earthquake that has shaken global commerce ever since. By the mid 2000s, companies with roots in the technology industry had sprung up all over the place to wreak havoc on the established economic order. "That titanic battle, it's happening in every industry," Cannon-Brookes says. Netflix emerged to disrupt TV companies that had dominated their industry for decades. Google arrived to shatter the newspaper classified business and (later with Facebook) dominate digital display advertising. Amazon became a serious threat to bricks-and-mortar retailing. Uber upended the traditional taxi business. Fittingly, all of these companies were founded by computer science graduates. Atlassian, whose customers to this day include Netflix and Airbnb, was a beneficiary as digital native upstarts hired more and more developers, many of whom used its products. "Effectively, we served the most important teams inside an organisation, well before anyone realised it was the most important team," Farquhar explains. In those early days, and for many years after, Farquhar and Cannon-Brookes disregarded many of the norms of the enterprise software business. They put the prices for their products on their website (a move that made it impossible to gouge customers). They also didnt employ salespeople, instead investing heavily to make their products easy to use, like consumer software, and relying on viral adoption of their products within the "dev" community. As their products like JIRA and Confluence, a document-sharing tool, took hold within software teams, they began to spread to other parts of companies. IT help desks, legal teams and HR functions started using them. It was a classic "land and expand" strategy. Then, something even more profound happened. As disruptive, tech-driven companies began to infiltrate the industrial economy, incumbent companies were faced with a stark choice. "We have got to change or we are going to die," is how Farquhar puts it. The smarter industrial incumbents started investing heavily in technology themselves, hiring new product and developer teams and using software to beat back the disrupters' advances. Some succeeded. Some didn't. For the most part, the battle between digitally native upstarts and industrial incumbents is ongoing. "The traditional industries are realising they have to operate like technology companies," Cannon-Brookes says. We served the most important teams inside an organisation, well before anyone realised it was the most important team. Scott Farquhar As the old investment adage goes, to profit from a gold rush, sell picks and shovels. And so it was for Atlassian, which emerged as the maker of some of the key tools in the age of digital disruption. "You could look at our evolution as, we became indispensable for developers, and then two things happened. Developers became king-makers inside organisations, and then everyone realised, you know, hang on, we need to work in a different way," Farquhar says. "And so both of those mean the way developers track work is now the way everyone wants to track work. And every company is becoming a software company." The future of Atlassian In a weird way, the future of Atlassian is illustrated by the experiences of some very old companies. Since its IPO in 2015, Atlassian has deepened its push into "tech" teams, continuing to enhance its products for software developers, and expanding its offerings for IT help desks and incident management teams who deal with service outages. But at the other end of the spectrum, the company has also taken steps to get its products more widely used by knowledge workers outside the tech community. Sothebys, the high-end auction house founded in 1744, has for years been using a version of JIRA to move artwork around and manage auctions. ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott last year signed an enterprise-level agreement with Atlassian that would see the 184-year-old bank adopt the companys products - which had been used by its tech teams for years - more widely across the business. ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott has adopted Atlassian's products across the whole bank, not just the IT department. Credit:Vince Caligiuri Currently, the bank has nearly 10,000 people working according to Agile principles. They're arranged into smaller cross-functional teams, they organise their work into short "sprints" and showcase their work to other parts of the company. "You talk to Shayne [Elliott] and he is like, man it is all digital for us," Cannon-Brookes says. "Its about making all the teams agile. Not just the software teams." "When a company has decided to do digital transformation, that is the next step for us," Farquhar says. "They look to the IT teams and dev teams and say who can help us with that? And if we are successful at what we do, Atlassian will be the number one name that turns up for every one of those conversations. I wouldnt say we are there yet." 'A hard race to win' While the company has undoubtedly benefited from some remarkable foresight on strategy, and a healthy dose of luck, not everything it has done has run according to script. One of its key products at the time of its IPO was Hipchat, an office messaging service. Shortly afterwards, a competing service, Slack, began to explode in popularity. Then, enterprise software giant Microsoft revamped its own messaging strategy and launched Teams, which was widely depicted as a Slack-killer. All of this meant Hipchat was beginning to lose relevance. In 2017, Atlassian rebuilt and rebranded Hipchat as Stride. Only a few short months later, the product was shut down, with the intellectual property sold to Slack in exchange for equity. "In a ideal world, you would have preferred to have won that battle," Farquhar says. Loading "It was a great product. I think if you sat a user down, I think most would have chosen Stride over the competition. But the market we were in and the number of users already using the competitive product meant it was going to be a hard race to win. I couldnt look at my staff and say 'Hey, I want you to do the best work of your life and I want you to put everything into it, but your chances of winning are very slim'." Most of the people working on Stride were redeployed to other parts of the company, but Farquhar is still saddened by the experience. "Thats a tough one to go to your employees and say 'you have been working on this for two years and we are selling it'. Thats really tough." The episode indirectly highlights one of the incalculable risks facing Atlassian. The bigger it grows, the more potential competitors it encroaches on, and encroach upon it. "We think about it, we dont obsess about it," Cannon-Brookes says. "We dont do things in response to competitors. You have to be aware of it, sticking your head in the sand is not a good solution. But I still think our biggest competition is not solving customer problems." Tech companies often compete with each other for users, but in different business paradigms. For example, Apple makes money from devices, Google makes money from advertising, but the two behemoths compete to lock users into their relative ecosystems. Last year, Microsoft spent $US7.5 billion to acquire GitHub, which competes with Atlassians code-hosting product Bitbucket. Analysts believe Microsoft acquired GitHub to bolster its money-spinning cloud-computing platform, Azure. And Atlassian has built various integrations that make it easy for its own products to be deployed on Azure. It is a similar story with Slack. Atlassian now owns equity in Slack. The two platforms integrate with each other in various ways. Yet both Atlassian and Slack have ambitions to operate the central interface through which people do their work. This might sound like a difficult environment to navigate, but Cannon-Brookes isnt fazed. "Thats the nature of the tech industry. They call it co-opetition. You compete in one area, you co-operate in other areas, and you are mutual customers. Its complicated," he says. For Atlassian, the way to mitigate this risk is to be adaptable. Having the right strategy is one thing. Being able to reset course when the strategy is wrong is just as important. "You cant predict things. You can try to play chess two years ahead and then stuff will happen that you didnt anticipate and you have to adapt to it," Cannon-Brookes says. "Thats why tech companies are built the way they are. Thats why increasingly every company is trying to build itself like a tech company." I still think our biggest competition is not solving customer problems. Mike Cannon-Brookes Farquhar is equally non-plussed about the competitive landscape. He is more excited about the opportunity that lies ahead. "There will be a billion knowledge workers [globally] within our lifetime. We are maybe 1 per cent penetrated, so I dont worry about ever tapping out, or going 'we have served everyone we could serve'. We really have so far to go. I think we are only just getting started." Yet if that is true, then it will bring its own set of challenges. The bigger it grows, the greater the risks to Atlassian culture and "customer intimacy", as Cannon-Brookes describes it. "When we went public, we were 1400 people. We are now well past 3000," he says, "1000 to 3000 was hard, 3000 to 10,000 is going to be harder. We have no delusions about that." For the most part, investors seem to agree Atlassian has a lot of growth ahead. The companys shares have been on an almighty tear since the 2015 IPO (notwithstanding a decline late last week following quarterly results). The stock is now trading on an eye-watering enterprise value of 65 times free cash flow, according to Morgan Stanley. Some investors think the valuation is unsustainable. Nearly 7 per cent of the companys shares have been sold short - a reasonably high proportion of bets the share price will fall. But even Morgan Stanley, which downgraded shares in January, praises the company. "With an expanding portfolio of best of breed solutions ... and a thoughtful and skilled management team ... we believe that Atlassian truly is a great company." The event in Las Vegas also seemed to go down well. "Compared to other conferences, the interest, excitement and respect for Atlassians products was easily in the top decile," Cannacord Genuity analyst Richard Davis said. Elvis costumes aside, and no matter what happens from here, Cannon-Brookes and Farquhar have undeniably achieved one of the things they set out to do when they started the company all those years ago. "There were just two of us and we didnt want to wear a suit to work. Thats kind of where we started," Farquhar says. "Now we have got 3000 employees and 25,000 developers building on our [software]. So there are a lot of people who dont have to wear a suit to work as a result of Atlassian." Lynas Corp has been forced to deny fresh allegations it has breached Malaysian regulations by storing more than 1.5 million tonnes of waste from its rare-earths processing plant on-site for years. Malaysian MP Lee Chean Ching this week accused Lynas of breaching environmental regulations that allow companies to store up to 20 tonnes of waste on-site for a maximum of 180 days. Despite community opposition, Lynas claims it has an ongoing exemption from waste storage regulations. However, Lynas claims it has an ongoing exemption from Malaysia's Department of Environment. Lynas is trying to resolve the future of 1.13 million tonnes of non-toxic waste, called neutralisation underflow (NUF) residue, and more than 450,000 tonnes of water-leached purification (WLP) residue, which contains low-level radioactive waste. It should have been a great week for Lynas Corp. Record quarterly production numbers released on Tuesday proved, once again, the rare earths group's performance is beyond reproach when it comes to the factors within its control. Despite soft prices in the rare earths market - and a forced shutdown of its operations in December due to a local Malaysian government cap on its production limits - Lynas reported a 27 per cent jump in revenue to $101.3 million in the March quarter. Lynas managing director Amanda Lacaze says plant upgrades are paying off in Malaysia. Credit:Peter Braig Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze told analysts and investors it was an "excellent quarter with the operating teams not being distracted in any way from the things that really matter, which is about building the value of our business for all our stakeholders". Unfortunately, Lacaze could provide no information on the glaring issue outside the company's control that imperils its future: the regulatory cloud around the 450,000 tonnes of radioactive waste produced by its Malaysian operations since 2013, which is jeopardising the renewal of its licence to operate in the country. Boeing is closer to getting grounded 737 Max planes back in the air as it updates the "MCAS" anti-stall system linked to two fatal crashes. Dennis Muilenburg, chief executive, said a final engineering test flight before certification had been conducted. Boeing 737 MAXs around the world have been grounded since March 13. Credit:Bloomberg "Our test pilots have completed 120 737 Max flights totalling more than 203 hours with the updated MCAS software," the Boeing chief said in a video shot with one of the aircraft in the background. Boeing's "technical and engineering leaders were on board" the latest flight and Mr Muilenburg had also been up in one of the jets to see the new system in action. It's refreshing sometimes to see negative reports, he says. But King, who must be a rugby tragic, believes its important not to get personal - "play the ball, not the man". Some of the high-profile shorts over recent years have engaged in pretty ruthless and public battles with company executives. Think Sydney hedge fund VGI Partners' campaign against ASX-listed Corporate Travel Management, and US activist firm Glaucus's attack on Brisbane-based fund manager Blue Sky Alternative Investments. By way of contrast, King is reluctant to even mention some of Regals current shorts. He didnt bring up market speculation that Regal has taken a sizeable short position in fellow investment management group, Perpetual. Regal is not the only short to have taken this bet - about 10 per cent of Perpetual's share register is in the hands of short sellers. Resilient banking system Loading However, King has not taken a short position in banks - as others have over the past year. He says that since the global financial crisis, American investors had been attempting to short Australian banks, which they believed were vulnerable to a property price crash. King, on the other hand, believes the Australian banking system is more resilient now that the US banking system was back in 2009. In a departure from consensus, King says: "We think Australian house prices have almost finished their fall so we are not short the Australian banks or building materials." The fact that building materials stocks have underperformed over the past five years is enough for King to declare them now fairly valued. And as for banks - they appear to be neither a long or a short. "Australian banks are facing competition from all angles - companies like Afterpay and Zip are effectively lending to the consumer while others, like [online lender] Prospa and Latitude, are impacting the banks as well," King says So why are banks not a short? "The competition for the banks will get hotter rather than slow down ... but they have a very strong market position and enjoy many benefits over their market competitors, like a cheaper source of funding. As a result, they will be fine, but I dont think they will grow much over the next 10 years." Retail challenges Retail is another sector that has been popular for the short sellers. Loading We were public 18 months ago with a short on JB Hi-Fi. It has some obvious challenges - the first of which is falling house prices, which is impacting retail spending," King says. The second issue for JB Hi-Fi is Amazon, which, King says, overseas experience suggests hits electronics retailers hard. "We are not short Myer at the moment [but] we have been short in the past," he says. Bottom-up approach Regal takes a bottom-up approach to investing, says King, whose team spends a lot of time visiting companies and uses internal expertise to assess industries. For example, Regals expert on health care is a doctor and its mining analyst was formerly with Glencore. He says this allows his team to better understand and translate what can be exaggerated claims from management. We think Australian house prices have almost finished their fall so we are not short the Australian banks or building materials. Beyond understanding a companys numbers and the industry in which it sits, Kings radar goes off when he sees chief executives and management teams that exaggerate and embellish, dont always do what they say, or create unrealistic expectations. Scott Morrison has talked tax every day, playing to his strong suit in the same way and with the same result. Together, they have made this a predictable campaign so far. Morrison is campaigning with vigour and good humour. His usual weakness, his brittleness when asked about something he would rather not talk about, has gone. His trademark smirk is under control. He appears at ease. Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit: His confidence is also evident in his tactics. Morrison has taken the risk of meeting the public in places that cannot be controlled, like shooting pool in a pub, and he shows all the signs of getting along with voters just fine. He has done brief interviews with most of the travelling media. Yet the key point is that none of this changes the underlying dynamic of the 2019 election. Shorten remains the favourite. Morrison is the underdog. Shorten takes palpable risks with policy changes to raise more tax. Morrison takes fewer risks. Even so, he starts too far behind and is handicapped by the recent history of infighting. No wonder Morrison batted away Malcolm Turnbull's suggestion of an Australian fund to help rebuild the Notre-Dame. Any appearance by Turnbull hurts the campaign. Morrison can only win by pretending Turnbull was never there. Illustration: Simon Letch Credit: And the Shorten campaign remains in a strong position on the numbers. Not the polling numbers. The policy ones. The losers from the Labor proposals are all carefully chosen and they are outnumbered by the winners. This is a fundamental Labor calculation and it has worked in the years leading up to polling day. Loading On superannuation, for instance, Shorten has stumbled with the media but has held steady on the policy. The biggest change is an increase in the contributions tax for those earning more than $200,000. The changes to contribution caps mostly impact those on higher incomes with spare savings. On dividend imputation, Labor belatedly spared pensioners and part-pensioners from the loss of tax refunds on franking credits. Those with self-managed super funds still lose, and they will not thank Shorten for that, but they are a smaller group. The opening stage of this campaign was always going to feel like a phony war. Shorten faces significant resistance to his property tax changes but negative gearing is only used by a subset of voters. Many struggle to buy their first home, let alone buying an investment property as well. On tax, Shorten offers a slightly bigger cut for workers on low incomes as well as the same $1080 benefit as the government for millions of others. While he does not give a bigger tax cut over the longer-term, the question is whether these benefits are too distant to be tangible. Shorten focuses on wages instead. He promises a change to the law to increase penalty rates and the minimum wage. This is far more real than a tax cut in 2025. Shorten's challenge is to hammer this message when the media spends more time on tax tables. Some older voters may swing back to the government after parking their votes with One Nation or others, giving heart to Liberals who worry about their base, but Labor appeals to the young on every policy. Labor has an inadequate answer on climate change. It will ask manufacturers to cut their emissions but refuses to say what this will cost. Put under pressure on this key economic question, Shorten turns on Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and the "malicious and stupid" government claims about the cost of his policy. Labor is fatalistic about a ferocious scare campaign from News Corp and the government on climate change. It will respond by blocking every demand for more information and changing the subject to the government's years of dysfunction on energy policy. Loading The opening stage of this campaign was always going to feel like a phony war. Easter and Anzac Day mean there has to be a hiatus before the hostilities in the final three weeks. Not long after the leadership spill last August, some Liberals estimated the government could lose about 20 seats at the election, an assessment shaped by despair. Morrison has worked hard to prevent this landslide but remains a long way from saving the government or even saving much of the furniture. Labor insiders are confident they can win more than 15 seats. This includes a handful in Victoria, some in Western Australia and several in Queensland, not least Peter Dutton's seat of Dickson. Labor has demanded Facebook investigate apparent "fake news" posts claiming the opposition is planning to introduce a "death tax" on inheritances, in the first major test of the social media giant's promise to crack down on false election material. The posts and messages shared via Facebook messenger incorrectly claimed Labor had signed a covert deal to bring in a 40 per cent inheritance tax and carried a link to Treasurer Josh Frydenberg's website, though the Liberal Party said it was not behind the posts. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten campaigning last week in Darwin. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen "Labor, the Greens and unions have signed an agreement to introduce a 40 percent inheritance tax," the crudely written message states. "Everything you own cannot go to your kids or next of kin at death 40 percent goes to the govt. Please share this with all your friends." Competing tax plans at the heart of the federal election will fail to prevent new mothers from taking a massive hit for returning to work, with fresh figures showing a woman typically loses 90 per cent of her wage for every extra day she uses childcare and in many cases actually pays to work. The Coalition and Labor have framed the May 18 poll as a $150 billion battle over income tax cuts, but fresh analysis by KPMG and the Australian National University shows primary carers will gain little to overcome entrenched tax disadvantages. Sophie Mackay with her 10-month-old son Alexander at their home in Artarmon. Credit:Wolter Peeters A complex arrangement of family tax benefits, childcare costs and subsidies combine to minimise the financial benefits of working an extra day and in some cases, even punish primary carers, mostly mothers, for moving from three to four or five days of work each week. Modelling by KPMG tax director Andy Hutt for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reveals a primary carer earning the full-time equivalent of $70,000 a year with a partner earning $87,000 will in 2024 remain worse off for working an extra day, to the tune of $804 a year. Another party operative says some MPs and political staffers have "had a gutful" of particular newspapers and cable news channel Sky News, which has become a hub of conservative commentary since News Corp took full control in late 2016. One News Corp employee observes that Shorten is the first Labor leader to seek the prime ministership without working hard to keep Murdoch on side. Former leaders Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard sought to woo the billionaire before relations soured in government. Today, party strategists are confident they can get away with thumbing their noses at publications suffering from declining circulation and relevance. Social media offers politicians a way of bypassing the filter and accountability of traditional media outlets. "With the rise of digital channels, you have other means of getting a message through to supporters and people youre seeking to persuade," one Labor source says. The party also regards Murdoch's platforms as less important for its side of politics, compared with the Coalition which sees them as a key way of speaking to a conservative voting base. One paper attracting particular ire is Sydney's Daily Telegraph. Recent front pages have warned of Labor's "tax time bomb" and called the party's electric vehicle policy "Bill's $5k car-bon tax". Another target is Brisbane's Courier Mail. The front page of its federal budget edition depicted a road sign promising "REWARD" if the Coalition was re-elected and "RISK" with Labor. It was in Brisbane that Shorten addressed a gathering of News Corp editors earlier this year. The meeting was said to have been cordial with perhaps a hint of irritation from Shorten about some of the treatment of his party. One person who was present says the Labor leader was relaxed, enjoyed the interactions and has stronger relationships with News Corp figures than his public comments suggest. Loading "It obviously plays better for those on his left for him to demonise News and be publicly at war with our papers," a company insider says. It is well-known that Labor and Shorten generally enjoy a better relationship with the Herald Sun in Melbourne than some other mastheads in the Murdoch stable. Ben English, the editor of The Daily Telegaph, says it's business-as-usual and rejects the idea there has been a conscious hardening of coverage. "Its certainly not a considered strategy on our behalf to become more polemical or more strident one way or the other," he says. "Thats not really what drives us. What drives us is to cover the stories and the issues that matter to readers." English sees Shorten's comments as a run-of-the-mill political tactic as the pressure of the election campaign grows. Chris Dore, the editor-in-chief of The Australian, says Shorten should be straightforward about the cost of Labor's climate change policy instead of attacking the media. "Its a curious tactic one week into the campaign to question the motives of an inquisitive media who are simply asking questions and examining policies that will have a deep and lasting impact on our readers," he says. But some media and political observers say there is growing polarisation of the news and opinion environment, with outlets increasingly catering to a core audience that craves validation of their pre-existing views. Chris Mitchell, a former editor-in-chief of The Australian, argues this has been happening globally, including in the United States where President Donald Trump has made a sport of bashing outlets that publish unfavourable stories. K-Beauty got us hooked on Korean BB Creams and jelly cleansers. J-Beauty convinced us of the benefits of Japanese essences and sake ingredients. Probably we were bound to grab our beauty passports and move on to another country. And so we did: Now there is G-Beauty. In the last few years, German beauty brands have begun to inhabit nearly every beauty aisle, including Whole Foods and high-end beauty retailers like Bluemercury. German beauty products are hot right now. Credit:The New York Times But unlike, say, K-Beauty, which started as a concerted effort by the Korean government to market Korean brands abroad, G-Beauty is less about pushing novel routines than it is about making clean beauty a confusing space with many conflicting definitions more approachable. By Gideon Levy April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Because of the election battle, an important item fell by the wayside that should have resonated here: South Africa has decided to downgrade its relations with Israel to the level of liaison bureau, which will not deal with bilateral relations. Ambassador to Israel Sisa Ngombane, who was recalled to protest the killing of demonstrators in Gaza, will not return. South Africa has essentially severed diplomatic relations with Israel. Were left with Chad. One can, of course, take comfort in the arms of the Brazilian president, admire the president of the Philippines, hug the prime minister of Hungary, and take pleasure in U.S. President Donald Trump. But South Africa is not just any country; its a symbol of justice, despite all its difficulties, corruption and crime. By cutting off relations it has stamped the mark of Cain on Israels forehead. The Foreign Ministrys response to the move only illustrates how low Israeli propaganda can go. Its a nod toward the countrys Muslim population, because of the approaching elections, was the unbelievable Israeli explanation for the break. How miserable, how insulting to the intelligence, how ignorant and repulsive that is. It wasnt the killing of demonstrators in Gaza, or solidarity with the oppressed, or South Africas own legacy, just a gesture to the Muslim voter. With pathetic responses like this, it would be better for the Foreign Ministry to continue to disintegrate. We have no need for it. The severing of relations with the country of Nelson Mandela shouldnt merely stir up sad thoughts about who Israels friends and critics are; South Africa, in a move that generates respect, is teaching Israel an important lesson about instilling the legacy of the past and learning its lessons. By cutting off ties with an occupying, apartheid state, its telling Israel: Weve learned the lessons of our past. What about you? Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter The lesson that South Africa has learned is: Never again. In theory its similar to the lesson imparted to Israelis from the Holocaust, but actually its the opposite. When South Africa says never again, it plans to continue battling racism and apartheid everywhere in the world; it isnt prepared to cooperate with regimes that are racist or apartheid under any circumstances, even if theres a price to pay. Its not simple to sever relations with Israel. Trump might get angry, and there is still a strong Zionist community in South Africa. But South Africa is motivated by more than just interests. Israel is the total opposite. Its lesson from the Holocaust is, as Golda Meir put it, that Jews are now permitted to do anything. Generations of young people are sent on trips to Auschwitz that corrupt their souls and rot their consciences. They are told their country must be strong, to live only by the sword, and that the whole world is against it. They wrap themselves in flags, cry and swear to live by power and not to rely on anyone. There is no humane message or moral lesson. Thats why Israel can embrace Rodrigo Duterte, stroke Jair Bolsonaro and admire Trump, or supply arms to all the tyrannical countries in the world and ignore the moral and ethical implications of its foreign policy. Thats for wimps. When South Africa says No to Israel, it is speaking in the name of Mandela, who supported the Palestinians in their struggle and felt a moral obligation to assist them, but also tried to maintain good relations with Israel despite its shameful ties to apartheid. Theres no doubt that today Mandela would also support severing relations. South Africa is also speaking for those exemplary Jews who struggled hand in hand with the black freedom fighters, were wounded and jailed with them, and one can assume are already fed up with Israel. We have almost no such brave moralists who will struggle alongside the Palestinians. The state of conscience has decided to ostracize the State of Israel. Israel doesnt care. Cry, the Beloved Country, wrote Alan Paton about his country during its dark days. In Israel, there isnt anyone wholl cry. This article was originally published by " Haaretz " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here 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 Uber drivers have been told they will be paid "driver appreciation rewards" of up to $14,000 next week in a bid to encourage them to buy shares in the global ride-share company when it floats on the US sharemarket and discourage them from driving for competitors. Tens of millions of dollars worth of bonus payments will be distributed by Uber to about 5000 Australian drivers. "I'm a happy man": Lyantha Bamunuwitage is one of about 170 Uber drivers in line for a $14,000 bonus next week. Credit:Joe Armao The promised payments, which will appear in drivers' bank accounts on April 27, appear to be part of a $420 million global push by Uber to convince drivers to become shareholders in the company and bump up the company's market value ahead of the initial public offering. The company believes its market value will be about $170 billion after the share float, despite the company losing $4.24 billion in 2018 and warning it may not turn a profit in the forseeable future. When Dave Hughes first took the stage as a stand-up comedian at the age of 22, he had already been fired from a string of jobs, from labourer to dishwasher to petrol bowser attendant. Left wondering how anyone could be inept at bowser attending, he took the stage with a pre-emptive sense of defeat. Jimeoin, Fiona O'Loughlin and Dave Hughes understand the importance of new material. Credit:Simon Schluter "My first stand-up gig was terrible, no one laughed," he said. "But what I did the next week, I talked about the first week, and that's been my whole comedy career having people laugh at my problems." Twenty-six years down the track, Dave Hughes is one of the biggest names in Australian comedy - a featured act in this year's Sydney Comedy Festival. A toddler who survived after his father snatched him from a dingo's jaws on south-east Queensland's Fraser Island has been flown to a Brisbane hospital. The 14-month-old boy was first taken to Hervey Bay Hospital with a fractured skull and cuts to his head and neck before being flown to Queensland Children's Hospital about 8am on Friday. A toddler has been flown to hospital after he was dragged from a caravan by a dingo on Fraser Island. Credit:RACQ LifeFlight Rescue The boy's mother was on board the helicopter. Paramedic Ben du Toit said the boy's family from Brisbane had been camping on the island's south-west on Thursday night when a dingo entered their campervan, grabbed the toddler and dragged him into the bush. In recent years HMD Global has cemented itself as king of the mid-range smartphone, with its Nokia-branded devices typically packing slightly slower processors, smartly balanced ZEISS camera lenses and the absolute latest Android software straight from Google. The best of the recent bunch is the Nokia 7.1, a $499 machine that carries many of the benefits of Google's $1200 Pixel 3. But the followup, the Nokia 8.1, pushes closer to flagship territory with a $699 price tag. So, what do you get for the extra money? The Nokia 8.1 is a bigger, faster upgrade from the 7.1 First of all this is a bigger phone, with a 6.18-inch (15.7cm) screen compared to the 7.1's 5.84-inch screen. It's still an LCD panel with a 1080x2280 resolution, so it won't compete with the biggest flagships for sharpness or contrast, but it is still lovely, bright and HDR-compatible. The glass and chrome design is sharp, stylish and comfortable, with lightly curved edges and the chamfered camera loop iconic to Nokia. The bezels around the screen are thin for a phone at this price, giving it the look and feel of something a bit more premium than its price might suggest. London: Facebook has banned far-right groups including the British National Party (BNP) and the English Defence League (EDL) from having any presence on the social network for violating the site's rules around promoting hate and violence. Far-right group, English Defence League leader, Tommy Robinson, left, with EDL supporters. Credit:AP The banned groups, which also includes Knights Templar International, Britain First and the National Front as well as key members of their leadership, have been removed from both Facebook and Instagram. The social network's policy does not allow groups or individuals which engage in "terrorist activity, organised hate, mass or serial murder, human trafficking or organised violence or criminal activity". Facebook said it uses an extensive process to determine which people or groups it designates as dangerous, using signals such as whether they have used hate speech, and called for or directly carried out acts of violence against others based on factors such as race, ethnicity or national origin. New York: Julian Assange fuelled conspiracy theories by falsely suggesting that a murdered Democratic party employee leaked damaging information about Hillary Clinton's campaign to WikiLeaks rather than Russian hackers, according to special counsel Robert Mueller's report. A veteran Democratic Party consultant said Mueller's report proved once and for all that Assange is "a monster, not a journalist" and that this should not be forgotten following his recent arrest in London. In July 2016 WikiLeaks published approximately 20,000 emails that had been stolen from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and later released a massive cache of emails that had been sent or received by Clinton's campaign manager John Podesta. Mueller's redacted report, released on Thursday local time, shows that Assange repeatedly suggested that Seth Rich, a 27-year old DNC employee who was murdered in Washington D.C in 2016, was the source of the leaks. By Cesar Chelala April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The 2019 Memorial Lecture honoring Edward W. Said, Out of Place: Refugees, Immigrants, and Storytelling couldnt have come at a more appropriate moment. And the main speaker for that event, Viet Thanh Nguyen, was the right person for the job. Viet Thanh Nguyen, the author of the novel The Sympathizer, shares with Said two qualities: his political concerns, and the widespread recognition for his work. He also shares with Said a feeling of displacement; him as a refugee, Said as an immigrant. Edward Said was perhaps one of the most profound analysts of the situation of the Palestinians, and one of the most vocal critics of the Israeli governments policies towards them. To his credit, Said is equally critical of both. Following the Six-Day War (5-10 June 1967,) Said worked hard to dispel the stereotyped misrepresentations of Arabs in the U.S. media, which had no bases in the political and historical realities of the Middle East. In that war, the combined armies of Egypt (known at the time as the United Arab Republic,) Jordan and Syria were crippled by Israel, which had in the United States a most powerful ally. As a result of the war, huge civilian populations were displaced, resulting in long-term consequences. About 300,000 Palestinians fled the West Bank, and about 100,000 Syrians fled the Golan Heights. In addition, the war had a disastrous effect on the morale of the Arab people. Said wrote extensively about the Wests misrepresentations of the Arab cause. In 1979, in an essay Zionism from the Standpoint of its Victims, Said argued in favor of the political legitimacy and right to a Jewish homeland; but also on the right of the Palestinians for self-determination. Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter In an essay published in The Nation in 1980, Islam through Western Eyes, Said wrote, Very little of the detail, the human density, the passion of Arab-Moslem life has entered the awareness of even those people whose profession it is to report the Arab world. What we have, instead, is a series of crude, essentialized caricatures of the Islamic world, presented in such a way as to make that world vulnerable to military aggression. These are topics that he had written at length in his books Orientalism and in Culture and Imperialism, and on numerous articles on this topic. He himself had been a victim of the media bias against Arabs and Palestinians. On July 3, 2000, while touring the Middle East with his son Wadie, Said was photographed throwing stones across the Blue Line Lebanese-Israel border and accused of personal sympathy with terrorism. That photograph was published in several leading newspapers in the U.S. and the journalist Edward Alexander labeled Said The Professor of Terror. Saids action was sharply criticized by right-wing students at Columbia University and by several Jewish organizations. To his credit, though, Columbia Universitys provost published a five-page letter defending Saids action as an academic freedom of expression saying, To my knowledge, the stone was directed at no-one; no law was broken; no indictment was made; no criminal or civil action has been taken against Professor Said. Said, an accomplished pianist himself, founded with his friend Daniel Barenboim the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, composed of Israeli, Palestinian and other Arab musicians. In addition, they established The Barenboim-Said Foundation in Seville, Spain, to develop educational music projects. He received several prizes and was awarded some twenty honorary university degrees from the most prestigious academic institutions. Said always carried with him the pain of not being able to return to his original home. Mahmoud Darwishs words, Where can I free myself of the homeland in my body? could have been his. On 24 September 2003, after enduring 12 years of unrelenting chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Edward W. Said died in New York City. He was the leading Palestinian figure of its time. Saids vision and his hopes for a more peaceful Middle East remain alive. Yesterdays Country: Not to Worry, They Cant Innovate By Fred Reed April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - For many years the United States has regarded itself as, and been, the worlds technological leader. One can easily make a long and impressive list of seminal discoveries and inventions coming from America, from the moon landings to the internet. It was an astonishing performance. The US maintains a lead, though usually a shrinking one, in many fields. But: China has risen explosively, from being clearly a Third World country forty years ago to become a very serious and rapidly advancing competitor to America. Anyone who has seen todays China (I recently spent two weeks there, traveling muchly ) will have been astonished by the ubiquitous construction, the quality of planning, the roads and airports and high-speed rail, the sense of confidence and modernity. Compare this with Americas rotting and dangerous cities, swarms of homeless people, deteriorating education, antique rail, deindustrialized midlands, loony government, and ahe military sucking blood from the economy like some vast leech, and America will seem yesterdays country. The phrase national suicide comes to mind. A common response to these observations from thunder-thump patriots is the assertion that the Chinese cant invent anything, just copy and steal. What one actually sees is a combination of rapid and successful adoption of foreign technology (see Shanghai maglev below) and, increasingly, cutting edge science and technology. More attention might be in order. A few examples: A few examples from many thatmight be adduced: Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter China Confirms Scientist Genetically Engineered Babies Supposedly the intent was to make the twins resistant to AIDS. It was done using CRISPR-Cas 9, a gene-editing technique invented in the West by Jennifer Dooudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier but quickly mastered by China. It seemed odd that AIDS resistance would be the goal since the disease is easily avoided. Maybe, I thought, for some technical reason the insertion was particularly easy. But then: Chinas Genetically Edited Twins May Have Enhanced Brains By Accident By accident indeed. Since the researchers admitted being aware of the neurologic effects of CCR5, the gene in question, the experiment sure looked like a shot at increasing intelligence. But maybe not. Then: Chinese researchers insert human brain gene into monkeys, making them smarter Whether the insertion in fact had the effect described, I do not know, and the story maybe or may not be sensationalized. Of interest are, first, that it was an attempt to engineer intelligence, second, that it involved inserting a human gene in a (presumably) lower primate, and third, that the Chinese did it. China, Huawei to Launch 5G network in Shanghai Station Though 5G is usually presented as an improvement to smartphones, it is far more, and the Chinese seem poised to jump on it hard. See below. Worlds First 5G powered Remote Brain Surgery Performed in China It is interesting that China and South Korea are clear leaders in 5G. The US, unable to compete seeks to prohibit its European vassals from dealing with HuaWei by threatening sanctions. Germany has refused to obey. . Huaweis 5G Dominance In The Post-American World Forbes Whether Forbes overstates the facts can perhaps be argued. That China has come from nowhere to be ahead in a crucial technology ought to be a wake-up call. That America has to rely on sanctions instead of better technology accentuates the point. More Than 510,000 Overseas Students Return to China This year. A couple of decades ago, Chinese students in the US often refused to return to a backward and repressive country. It now appears that Asia is where the action is and they want to be part of it. Chinese Bullet Trains Depend on Mega Bridges These things are everywhere. Click the link.Inmost countries roads and rails follow the contour of the land. China likes pillars. Digging subways is expensive and disruptive, cutting highways through cities isdestructive of homes and business, so China goes with sky-trains. Building these takes about half the land as roadways. The bridges are built offsite and then erected with a special crane. China Develops Infrared Light to Alter Genes of Cancer Cells A team led by Professor Song Yujun from the Nanjing Universitys College of Engineering and Applied Sciences designed an infrared light-responsive nano-carrier to be used for the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool, which will have great potential in cancer therapeutics. The strong penetrability of infrared light enables scientists to precisely control the gene editing tool in deep human tissue I am clueless as to the function of IR in this but, as with so very many stories coming out of China, it does not suggest copycatting. increasingly, the Chinese seem to following from in front. China Breaks Quantum Entanglement Record at Eighteen Qbits In a new record, Pan Jianwei and colleagues at the University of Science and Technology of China, eastern Chinas Anhui Province, demonstrated a stable 18-qubit state. The previous record of 10 qubits was set by the same team. The breakthrough was made possible by simultaneously manipulating the freedom-paths, polarization, and orbital angular momentum of six photons. The speed of quantum computing grows exponentially as the number of qubits in an entangled state increases the achievement of an 18-qubit entanglement this time has set the world record for largest entanglement state in all physical systems, Wan (Noahs ark measured 300 Qbits, but the (barely) antediluvian technology has bee lost.) Shkanghai Maglev Train Open Date: Dec. 31st, 2002 Total Length: 30 kilometers (19 miles) Highest Speed: 430km/h (267 mi/h) Duration per Single Journey: 8 minutes Frequency: 15-20 minutes Route: Longyang Rd. Pudong International Airport (PVG Trains relying on magnetic levitation float on a field of magnetic repulsion, having no contact with rails. This reduces friction and ends wear on wheels and rails. China did not invent the technology but uses it well. Before this train, the trip from downtown to the airport took forty minutes to an hours. Now, eight minutes. The technology is German, the idea a century old, but the Chinese decided that they wanted it, and got it. The ability to make a decision and act on it without years of political wrangling and lawsuits gives China a major advantage over other countries. The video is long, at 43 minutes, a bit ray-rah, and wanders briefly off into the history of elevated rail in Chicago but gives a good picture of the train, the technology at a non-specialist level, and the China in which it runs. Rand: Chilling World War III Wargames show US Forces Crushed by Russia and China RAND Senior Defense Analyst David Ochmanek discussed the simulations at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) in Washington D.C. last week. In our games, where we fight China or Russia blue gets its a** handed to it, not to put too fine a point on it, he said, during a panel discussion. Blue denotes U.S. forces in the simulations. The reasons for this are several and belong in another column. The militarys utterly predictable response is Send m ore money instead of Maybe we should mind our own business and spend on our economy. The point here is that the world is changing in may ways and Washington seems not to have noticed. Conclusion The list could be extended at length,tocover numbers of patents awarded, scientific papers published, quantum communications, investment in education and technological research and development, supercomputers and chip design and many other things. Beijing is clearly bent on Making China Great Againas why should it not? Meanwhile America focuses more on transgender bathrooms and whether Bruce Jenner is a girl than on its endless and draining wars. China sends its brightest to the worlds best technical school while America makes its universities into playpens for the mildly retarded. The country crumbles but spends drunkenly of defective fighter planes it doesnt need in the first place. This wont work a whole lot longer. Fred, a keyboard mercenary with a disorganized past, has worked on staff for Army Times, The Washingtonian, Soldier of Fortune, Federal Computer Week, and The Washington Times. He has been published in Playboy, Soldier of Fortune, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Harpers, National Review, Signal, Air&Space, and suchlike. He has worked as a police writer, technology editor, military specialist, and authority on mercenary soldiers. He is by all accounts as looney as a tune. https://fredoneverything.org 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 By Lawrence Davidson The Israeli Model and Its American Supporters April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - On 25 February 2019, the Jewish American publication Forward, printed a remarkable opinion piece by Joshua Leifer. Leifer, who had worked in Israel for the anti-establishment +972 Magazine, is currently an associate editor of Dissent. His piece in the Forward was entitled Wake Up, American Jews: Youve Enabled Israels Racism for Years. Leifer begins by saying that the Israeli rightwing political parties have always been racist, though there was a time, back in the 1980s, when they objected to being too upfront about this. Thus, for the sake of public relations, they held their violent and despotic fringethe Kahanistsat arms length. As Leifer puts it, what was frowned upon was the style rather than the substance of explicit, violent racism. That objection is now gone. The goal of a Jewish supremacist state is out in the openan explicit political goal. And the Palestinians, including those who are Israeli citizens, are to be condemned to forever live subjugated under military occupation, confined to isolated Bantustans, or expelled. Those Jews, both Israelis and diaspora Jews, who object to this process will be labeled as traitors. Having established these facts on the ground, Leifer asks how has the American Jewish establishment responded? His answer is, they have either been silent or, more often, have actively sought to enable the power of Israels despotic racism. They have cooperated with, lobbied for, and raised money to underpin Israels racist policies. Of course, a Zionist is sure to assert that the lobbying and money are pursued for the sake of Israeli security. Yet, todays Israeli leaders dont define security, with the possible exceptions of Gaza and the Lebanese frontier, in terms of borders. Instead security is defined in terms of achieving and maintaining Jewish supremacy in all territory under Zionist control. This is why all of Israels Zionist parties have pledged never to include the token number of Arabs in the Knesset in a governing coalition. Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter In their effort to support Zionist Israel, Americas establishment Jewish leaders have proven themselves willing to undermine the constitutional freedoms of their own native country, as has been the case with their relentless attacks on the right of free speech as practiced in the boycott Israel movementBDS. In the end, there can be no more convincing proof that these organizations serve as de facto agents of a foreign power, than to see how their leadership willingly discards the modern principles of civil and human rights found in the U.S. Constitutionto say nothing of international lawin order to support a state that openly pursues apartheid ends. Leifer offers two possible reasons for why establishment Jewish organizations in the U.S. have chosen this path. The first possibility is willful ignorance, that is, a psychological inability to face the truth about a state that they, as American Jewish leaders, have always seen as an ultimate haven if a new Holocaust threat arises. The second possibility is that the leadership of the American Jewish organizations are themselves conscious racists when it comes to a Jewish supremacist state. According to Leifer, No one exemplifies this better than Ambassador David Friedman, whose rhetoriccalling JStreet worse than kaposmirrors the kind of rhetoric popular on the Israeli right. Part IIRacism Beyond the Israeli Right This is a strong, and quite searing, condemnation of Israeli society and its American Jewish allies. Still, things can and do get worse. On 4 April 2019 the British anti-Zionist Jewish writer Tony Greenstein posted an essay entitled There Is Nothing That Netanyahu Has Done That Labour Zionism Didnt Do Before Him. Greenstein begins by citing an 11 March 2019 piecein Haaretz written by Amira Haas, one of the few prominent non-Zionist Jewish journalists still working in Israel. Haas draws attention to the fact that when Israeli governments in the 1960s and 1970s worked hard to steal Palestinian land while quoting Gods promises to atheists, they paved the way for parties promoting Jewish supremacy. Thus, as Greenstein puts it: It is often forgotten that it wasnt Likud but the Israeli Labour Alignment which helped to launch the settler movement. The remorseless absorption of Palestinian land and the oppressive treatment of its native population is not the work solely of the Israeli right wing. From the beginning, all of the major Zionist political parties, left and right, supported these policies as a way of fulfilling Zionist destiny. Haas is unflinching in her characterization of their actions. For her, this racist messianism smacks of the policy of Lebensraum or the urge to create living space. Haas goes on to lament the fact that we thought that in the end, the heads of the Labour movement would learn from the expansionist impulses of other nations. After all, they were the sons and brothers of the victims of Lebensraum. In other words, at least in this policy of expansion and expulsion, all Israeli governing coalitions have adopted behaviors toward the Palestinians reminiscent of those practiced by the persecutors of Europes Jews. Part IIIThe Question Answered Considering that Israel and its supporters often proclaim that it is a Western-style democracy, and given the bit of history laid out above, we can ask if democracy and racist despotism can in fact be compatible. And, while the example of Israel serves as our backdrop for this query, we can consider the question generically. Can any democracy prove compatible with racist despotism? Historically, the answer is an obvious yes. All that needs to happen is that a powerful group within the nation identifies itself as a privileged elite and reserves democratic procedures and privileges for itself, while condemning others to discrimination, segregation, or worse. Again, this posture has nothing to do with Jewishness. Any ethnicity or self-identified group can adopt itbased on color, religion, gender, or something else. The much-idealized ancient democracy of Athens did it based on gender and citizenship linked to birth.The United States ran as a selective democracy/racist despotism that practiced slavery until the middle of the 19th century while statutory discrimination persisted until the 1960s. Recent events indicate a revival of virulent white supremacism. If there is a remedy to this it is in the rule of law functioning as an enforced regulatory processone linked to a tenets of human rights. The U.S. Bill of Rights and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights are good, if incomplete models. Politics, including democratic politics, has to be constitutionally regulated to assure equity (much like economies), and the regulations have to be applied consistently until they become ingrained as natural expectations within the consciousness of the citizenry. This probably requires generations of equalitarian practice. And, even then, what you achieve is the minimizing of the infiltration of corruptive bias, and other such variants corrosive of genuine democracy, into the system. The truth is that you probably cannot eliminate the threat altogether. Getting back to Israel: under the present circumstances, there is no reason to believe that the outcome of the recent 9 April 2019 Israeli elections would have changed the fate of either the the countrys Jews or the Palestinians. And, now that we know that Benjamin Netanyahu and his rightwing Likud Party will lead the next coalition government, it is certain that the illegal Zionist colonization of the West Bank, and its accompanying oppression, will continue apace. This, by the way, is simply the maintenance of a long-standing status quoa conscious policy in its own right. And, it is a policy that reflects the fact that for years, most Israelis have passively or actively allowed values of equality, justice, and yes, peace, to go by the wayside. So what is the legacy of Zionism? Is it the establishment of a genuine democracy in the Middle East? Is it even the realization of a haven for the worlds Jews against the next Holocaust? No, it is neither of these. It is rather the melding of an elitist pseudo-democracy with racist despotismthe realization of an elitist fortress from which Israel maintains distinctly undemocratic control of a hinterland full of conquered people. To paraphrase the odious Israeli Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked, this whole setup smells nothing like democracy. It smells to me like fascism. Lawrence Davidson is professor of history emeritus at West Chester University in Pennsylvania. He has been publishing his analyses of topics in U.S. domestic and foreign policy, international and humanitarian law and Israel/Zionist practices and policies since 2010. 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 BEIJING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The goods trade volume between China and countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) surpassed 6 trillion U.S. dollars from 2013 to 2018, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). In the past six years, China has signed 173 cooperative documents with 125 countries, including the developed and developing countries, and 29 international organizations, Yuan Da, spokesperson with the NDRC, told a press briefing Thursday. Many firms and financial institutions in developed countries also partnered with China to explore opportunities in the third-party markets, Yuan said. As for infrastructure connectivity, projects including the China-Laos Railway, China-Thailand Railway and Port of Piraeus are smoothly progressing, he said. The China-Europe freight trains, connecting China with 50 cities in 15 European countries, had made more than 14,000 trips by the end of March, he said. In terms of financial connectivity, China has signed currency swap agreements with 20 countries along the Belt and Road and formed RMB clearing arrangements with seven countries, Yuan said. By Moon Of Alabama April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The report (pdf) by Special Counsel Robert Mueller is out. Russiagaters will now try to find any word in there that they could use to contradict the report's conclusion. While I intend to read the full report and to write about it, that will require more time. For now we are left with the remarks of Attorney General William P. Barr on the release of the report: As you know, one of the primary purposes of the Special Counsels investigation was to determine whether members of the presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, or any individuals associated with that campaign, conspired or coordinated with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election. [..] As you will see, the Special Counsels report states that his investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities. Barr says that the Mueller report insists that Russia attempted to interfere in U.S. elections: First, the report details efforts by the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company with close ties to the Russian government, to sow social discord among American voters through disinformation and social media operations. How exactly was it established that the IRA intended to "sow social discord". Is there any IRA witness that said so? Any documents? No. It is a made up reasoning. The IRA activities were driven by commercial interests. To get as many page-views as possible IRA personnel posted memes on both sides of the political spectrum simply because that is where the viewership is. Just ask Foxnews or CNN. There was no political intent in the IRA's activity. To claim that it intended to "sow social discord" is baseless nonsense. Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter The claims by social networks that "Russians" did this or that are dubious. Twitter for example recently revised its count of "Russian trolls": On Feb. 8, Twitter removed 228 accounts from the Russian IRA dataset because the social-media company now believes these accounts were operated by a different trolling network located in Venezuela. We initially misidentified 228 accounts as connected to Russia, Yoel Roth, Twitters head of site integrity, wrote in an online post. As our investigations into their activity continued, we uncovered additional information allowing us to more confidently associate them with Venezuela. ... Twitters change to its data undercuts all of these analyses of the troll farms 2017 activity, Clemson researchers said. There was no surge in IRA Twitter activity in mid-2017, and the high-volume accounts that churned out links to ReportSecret were, in fact, being operated by a different, unknown group operating out of Venezuela, according to the updated data. Twitter is reluctant to discuss how it connects accounts to trolling networks. Twitter "is reluctant" because the company has simply no way to find that some real person driven account is a "troll". It is a completely subjective judgement. Barr continues: Second, the report details efforts by Russian military officials associated with the GRU to hack into computers and steal documents and emails from individuals affiliated with the Democratic Party and the presidential campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton for the purpose of eventually publicizing those emails. Former British Ambassador Craig Murray as well as Julian Assange of Wikileaks were involved in the transfer and publishing of the DNC emails. They both publicly insisted that "Russia" was not involved in the recovering and transfer of these. Neither of them was questioned by the Mueller investigation. The emails of Hillary Clinton's campaign manager Podesta were obtained via password fishing. Russian intelligence might have had a hand in that as might have other intelligence services. No proof has been presented yet to make that case. It may well be that the Mueller report provides some. As for Wikileaks or Assange being culpable for publishing the pilfered emails Barr remarks: Under applicable law, publication of these types of materials would not be criminal unless the publisher also participated in the underlying hacking conspiracy. Barr summarizes the Mueller finding on 'collusion': After nearly two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of warrants and witness interviews, the Special Counsel confirmed that the Russian government sponsored efforts to illegally interfere with the 2016 presidential election but did not find that the Trump campaign or other Americans colluded in those schemes. Barr then talks about the Mueller finding about obstruction: [T]he report recounts ten episodes involving the President and discusses potential legal theories for connecting these actions to elements of an obstruction offense. After carefully reviewing the facts and legal theories outlined in the report, and in consultation with the Office of Legal Counsel and other Department lawyers, the Deputy Attorney General and I concluded that the evidence developed by the Special Counsel is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense. Trump said a lot on Twitter and elsewhere that led people to believe that he was obstructing the Mueller investigation. But as always with Trump (and other politicians) one has to differentiate between what Trump says and what action he takes. Publicly musing about firing Mueller or someone else is different from actually doing it. The first is free speech, the second might be obstruction. As Barr points out: [A]s the Special Counsels report acknowledges, there is substantial evidence to show that the President was frustrated and angered by a sincere belief that the investigation was undermining his presidency, propelled by his political opponents, and fueled by illegal leaks. Nonetheless, the White House fully cooperated with the Special Counsels investigation, providing unfettered access to campaign and White House documents, directing senior aides to testify freely, and asserting no privilege claims. And at the same time, the President took no act that in fact deprived the Special Counsel of the documents and witnesses necessary to complete his investigation. Apart from whether the acts were obstructive, this evidence of non-corrupt motives weighs heavily against any allegation that the President had a corrupt intent to obstruct the investigation. The case is closed. Neither was there a Trump campaign 'collusion' with anything Russia nor was there obstruction by the Trump administration. Unfortunately Russiagaters will not give up on their conspiracy theories anytime soon. They should. Trump's policies are bad. It is high time to get back to real politics and fight him were its is worth to do so. This article was originally published by " Moon Of Alabama " - Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here Full text of Muellers questions and Trumps answers Mueller Outlines 3 Business Deals Trump Pursued In Russia: Forbes outlined the three deals, and the characters working to make them happen, below. Here's what the report says about that 'compromising tape' Everything the Mueller Report Says About the Pee Tape: Here, in full, is what the special counsel included on the subject: What a load of Bull: FBI "suspects" Russians hacked 'at least one' Florida county, Mueller report says: Muellers team did not independent verify that belief, the report said Mueller report: Democrats round on Barr over 'misleading' Trump exoneration live Sears sues former CEO Eddie Lampert, Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and others for alleged thefts of billions from retailer 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 Read special counsel Robert Muellers report on Trump and Russia The attorney general has released a redacted version April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - At a press conference ahead of releasing the report, Barr echoed the White Houses line, repeatedly saying Russian operatives did not have the cooperation of President Trump or the Trump campaign. But Barr also revealed the the special counsels office had found 10 episodes of potential obstruction of justice by the president. He said the White House did not assert executive privilege over the report. Mueller report by on Scribd Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter ==See Also== Full text of Muellers questions and Trumps answers 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. Satire Uncle Tom's Empire By C.J. Hopkins April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - I dont normally do this kind of thing, but, given the arrest of Julian Assange last week, and the awkward and cowardly responses thereto, I felt it necessary to abandon my customary literary standards and spew out a spineless, hypocritical hot take professing my concern about the dangerous precedent the U.S. government may be setting by extraditing and prosecuting a publisher for exposing American war crimes and such, while at the same time making it abundantly clear how much I personally loathe Assange, and consider him an enemy of America, and freedom, and want the authorities to crush him like a cockroach. Now I want to be absolutely clear. I totally defend Assange and Wikileaks, and the principle of freedom of the press, and whatever. And I am all for exposing American war crimes (as long as it doesnt endanger the lives of the Americans who committed those war crimes, or inconvenience them in any way). At the same time, while I totally support all that, I feel compelled to express my support together with my personal loathing of Assange, who, if all those important principles werent involved, I would want to see taken out and shot, or at least locked up in Super-Max solitary not for any crime in particular, but just because I personally loathe him so much. Im not quite sure why I loathe Assange. Ive never actually met the man. I just have this weird, amorphous feeling that hes a horrible, disgusting, extremist person who is working for the Russians and is probably a Nazi. It feels kind of like that feeling I had, back in the Winter of 2003, that Saddam Hussein had nuclear weapons, which he was going to give to those Al Qaeda terrorists who were bayonetting little babies in their incubators, or the feeling I still have, despite all evidence to the contrary, that Trump is a Russian intelligence asset who peed on Barack Obamas bed, and who is going to set fire to the Capitol building, declare himself American Hitler, and start rounding up and murdering the Jews. I dont know where these feelings come from. If you challenged me, I probably couldnt really support them with any, like, actual facts or anything, at least not in any kind of rational way. Being an introspective sort of person, I do sometimes wonder if maybe my feelings are the result of all the propaganda and relentless psychological and emotional conditioning that the ruling classes and the corporate media have subjected me to since the day I was born, and that influential people in my social circle have repeated, over and over again, in such a manner as to make it clear that contradicting their views would be extremely unwelcome, and might negatively impact my social status, and my prospects for professional advancement. Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter Take my loathing of Assange, for example. I feel like I cant even write a column condemning his arrest and extradition without gratuitously mocking or insulting the man. When I try to, I feel this sudden fear of being denounced as a Trump-loving Putin-Nazi, and a Kremlin-sponsored rape apologist, and unfriended by all my Facebook friends. Worse, I get this sickening feeling that unless I qualify my unqualified support for freedom of press, and transparency, and so on, with some sort of vicious, vindictive remark about the state of Assanges body odor, and how hes probably got cooties, or has pooped his pants, or some other childish and sadistic taunt, I can kiss any chance I might have had of getting published in a respectable publication goodbye. But Im probably just being paranoid, right? Distinguished, highbrow newspapers and magazines like The Atlantic, The Guardian, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Vox, Vice, Daily Mail, and others of that caliber, are not just propaganda organs whose primary purpose is to reinforce the official narratives of the ruling classes. No, they publish a broad range of opposing views. The Guardian, for example, just got Owen Jones to write a full-throated defense of Assange on that grounds that hes probably a Nazi rapist who should be locked up in a Swedish prison, not in an American prison! The Guardian, remember, is the same publication that printed a completely fabricated story accusing Assange of secretly meeting with Paul Manafort and some alleged Russians, among a deluge of other such Russiagate nonsense, and that has been demonizing Jeremy Corbyn as an anti-Semite for several years. Plus, according to NPRs Bob Garfield (who is lustfully looking forward to Assanges day in court), and other liberal lexicologists, Julian Assange is not even a real journalist, so we have no choice but to mock and humiliate him, and accuse him of rape and espionage oh, and speaking of which, did you hear the one about how his cat was spying on the Ecuadorean diplomats? But seriously now, all joking aside, its always instructive (if a bit sickening) to watch as the mandarins of the corporate media disseminate an official narrative and millions of people robotically repeat it as if it were their own opinions. This process is particularly nauseating to watch when the narrative involves the stigmatization, delegitimization, and humiliation of an official enemy of the ruling classes. Typically, this enemy is a foreign enemy, like Saddam, Gaddafi, Assad, Milosevic, Osama bin Laden, Putin, or whoever. But sometimes the enemy is one of us a traitor, a Judas, a quisling, a snitch, like Trump, Corbyn, or Julian Assange. In either case, the primary function of the corporate media remains the same: to relentlessly assassinate the character of the enemy, and to whip the masses up into a mindless frenzy of hatred of him, like the Two-Minutes Hate in 1984, the Kill-the-Pig scene in Lord of the Flies, the scapegoating of Jews in Nazi Germany, and other examples a bit closer to home. Logic, facts, and actual evidence have little to nothing to do with this process. The goal of the media and other propagandists is not to deceive or mislead the masses. Their goal is to evoke the pent-up rage and hatred simmering within the masses and channel it toward the official enemy. It is not necessary for the demonization of the official enemy to be remotely believable, or stand up to any kind of serious scrutiny. No one sincerely believes that Donald Trump is a Russian Intelligence asset, or that Jeremy Corbyn is an anti-Semite, or that Julian Assange has been arrested for jumping bail, or raping anyone, or for helping Chelsea Manning hack a password. The demonization of the empires enemies is not a deception it is a loyalty test. It is a ritual in which the masses (who, lets face it, are de facto slaves) are ordered to display their fealty to their masters, and their hatred of their masters enemies. Cooperative slaves have plenty of pent-up hatred to unleash upon their masters enemies. They have all the pent-up hatred of their masters (which they do not dare direct at their masters, except within the limits their masters allow), and they have all the hatred of themselves for being cooperative, and well, basically, cowards. Julian Assange is being punished for defying the global capitalist empire. This was always going to happen, no matter who was in the White House. Anyone who defies the empire in such a flagrant manner is going to be punished. Cooperative slaves demand this of their masters. Defiant slaves are actually less of a threat to their masters than they are to the other slaves who have chosen to accept their slavery and cooperate with their own oppression. Their defiance shames these cooperative slaves, and shines an unflattering light on their cowardice. This is why we are witnessing so many liberals (and liberals in leftists clothing) rushing to express their loathing of Assange in the same breath as they pretend to support him, not because they honestly believe the content of the official Julian Assange narrative that the ruling classes are disseminating, but because (a) they fear the consequences of not robotically repeating this narrative, and (b) Assange has committed the cardinal sin of reminding them that actual resistance to the global capitalist empire is possible, but only if youre willing to pay the price. Assange has been paying it for the last seven years, and is going to be paying it for the foreseeable future. Chelsea Manning is paying it again. The Gilets Jaunes protestors have been paying it in France. Malcolm X paid it. Sophie Scholl paid it. Many others throughout history have paid it. Cowards mocked them as they did, as they are mocking Julian Assange at the moment. Thats all right, though, after hes been safely dead for ten or twenty years, theyll name a few streets and high schools after him. Maybe theyll even build him a monument. C. J. Hopkins is an award-winning American playwright, novelist and political satirist based in Berlin. His plays are published by Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) and Broadway Play Publishing (USA). His debut novel, ZONE 23, is published by Snoggsworthy, Swaine & Cormorant Paperbacks. He can be reached at cjhopkins.com or consentfactory.org. This article was originally published by " Unz Review " - By Zack Sorenson April 18, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan: Its the end of the West. Blah blah blah. Im not even saying that the horribly racist aspects of their philosophy (and sorry to Buchanan for lumping him with Coulter) is necessarily a problem. Of course, Coulters racism is horrible, but assuming that theres this Western Civilization to save, I dont know, if its a really great thing then maybe horrible ideas might be worth considering to save it. However, to Pat, Ann, and the many many other commentators who worry about the Wests collapse, I have news. Western Civilization died already, a long time ago. It was called The Great War. Britain, Germany, America, France, Russia, Italy, Austria all the great sub-expressions which embodied Western Civilization all charged into that war head first. Sure, everyone entered at different times, for different reasons, with some amount of fair rationalization for their actions. Who said, Hell, no!? As great as Western Civilization was, and I dont want to throw the baby out with the bathwater, it still had warfare (and consequently colonialism, class, and statism) as part of its foundation. I think, at this point, its honestly disingenuous to think about the Wests good part without acknowledging the bad and admitting that, going forward, we arent going to save the West, but move forward into some new civilization to come. Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get our FREE Daily Newsletter The inseparable role of the bad parts of Western Civilization inseparable from the good are why WWI happened. Western Civilization was nothing but a Jenga tower that game with the blocks you have to carefully remove. It grew higher in proportion to compromising its foundations, it was structured that way from the beginning. And finally, during the Great War, the thing collapsed from truly dizzying heights. What a mighty collapse it was. How it reverberated. Kind of like Romes fall. What a coincidence. Now we have this bastard thing called Pax Americana, American hegemony. A lingering remnant of European war culture, poorly conceived, lacking self-knowledge in any meaningful capacity. Hey, maybe there are good principles which trickled out intermittently from the Wests carnage. Maybe Ann Coulters general demographic concerns have a kind of validity. Lets stop waxing nostalgic for the West, and Western Civilization. Youre worshiping a corpse. Theres a desperate need to wash our hands of it and move on. Otherwise well never be able to defend liberty, because well never stop being too busy dealing with our neighbors incessant trampling out of the grapes of wrath upon all the world and each other. Zachary Sorenson worked for the United States Air Force for six years as a Navigation Officer. He recently quit because of a principled opposition to war. He considers himself to be a Libertarian, and studied Economics at the University of Maryland, College Park. He would like to see the resurgence of a non-political commitment to peace for its own sake, across the spectrum of ideologies. This article was originally published by " Libertarian Institute " - 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 The first quarter of the year hasnt been great for Connecticuts job market. The state dropped 3,400 jobs in three months, according to Thursday reports from the Department of Labor. Connecticut lost 1,300 jobs last month alone, pushing unemployment one-tenth higher than the national rate of 3.8. DOL also revised the February 2019 job loss numbers of 400 up by 800, reflecting a gain of 400 jobs that month. Pete Gioia, economic adviser to the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said he was disappointed at the ongoing job decline, attributing the losses to recently approved legislation. The CBIA has expressed its concerns over paid family and medical leave which was advanced by the Labor and Public Employees Committee this quarter. Gioia said the law would add significant costs and burdens to employers, particularly small employers across the state. "How many more jobs do we have to lose before the legislature changes its direction? he asked. The private sector shed 1,100 jobs last month while the public sector lost 200. Construction and mining has continued its decline, dropping 900 jobs; the sector has lost roughly 1,500 jobs over the past three months. Leisure and hospitality and professional and business services werent far behind, dropping 700 and 600 jobs respectively. Connecticut has recovered 80.3 percent of the 120,300 jobs lost from the 2008 recession. The state needs an additional 23,700 net new jobs to rebound fully, ranking last in job recovery in New England, according to the CBIA. Don Klepper-Smith, an economist who advises Liberty Bank, said in a recent report that Marchs numbers were to be expected, calling the latest decline a "softening, and under pressure from a weakening domestic economy." Klepper-Smith maintained that the state's economy will probably not see full job recovery until 2021. The odds are that both Connecticut and the nation are apt to be encountering a full-blown national recession prior to full job recovery in Connecticut, which raises serious questions about the state's fiscal health over the near-term, he said in the report. Four of the 10 major industries added jobs, however. The financial activities industry led the charge, adding 700 jobs, for a total of 127,400. The trade, transportation and utilities, and education and health gained 200 jobs, respectively. Among the states six regional labor markets, Danburys showed signs of growth with a slight gain of 200 jobs while other markets in the area suffered. The Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk area lost 600 jobs while the New Haven market fell by 300. Jordan.grice@hearstmedict.com Connoisseur Media is acquiring the adult contemporary music station WEBE-FM and news talk radio WICC-AM from Cumulus Media, in exchange for four stations covering the Allentown, Pa., area. Connoisseur Media has its main office in Westport here WEBE 108 originates, with the companys current lineup including Fox 95.9 and Star 99.9. The companies aim to complete the deal by September, with the swap subject to the approval of the Federal Communications Commission. Human trafficking to be topic at meeting Sister Maureen Fleming, coordinator of pastoral outreach activities at St. Lukes Parish in Westport, will be the guest speaker at the Ys Women meeting on April 22 at Temple Israel on Coleytown Road in Westport. The meeting will begin at 10:45 a.m. with coffee and conversation, followed by the program at 11:30 a.m. In her current position, Fleming serves as an advocate for womens and childrens rights, education and the fight against poverty. As an NGO registered with the United Nations, she participates in lectures and conferences dealing with womens and childrens justice issues, especially human trafficking. In her presentation, she will focus on human trafficking in Fairfield County. Easter egg hunt set for Saturday The Greens Farms Volunteer Fire Company will hold its 68th annual Easter Egg Hunt at 2 pm on April 20 on the grounds of Long Lots School, Hyde Lane, Westport. Children will hunt for the eggs in age groups through age 10. Children finding specially marked eggs will receive Easter baskets. The Easter Bunny will be there to meet and greet the children. Police to participate in prescription grug take-back initiative On April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Westport Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public its 17th opportunity in nine years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring pills for disposal to the Westport-Weston Health District located at 180 Bayberry Lane. Only pills or patches, no liquids or needles/sharps. The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. Last fall, Americans turned in nearly 460 tons (more than 900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at more than 5,800 sites operated by the DEA and almost 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in almost 11 million pounds nearly 5,500 tons of pills. This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows year after year that the majority of misused and abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including someone elses medication being stolen from the home medicine cabinet. Residents are also reminded that a year-round collection bin is located in the lobby police headquarters, so drugs can be properly disposed of at any time rather than waiting for designated collection dates. There is also a supply of medication disposal bags in our lobby, which can be used for proper disposal of liquid and pill form medications. The bags have been provided as part of a grant that Positive Directions received and are intended to assist in the proper disposal of prescription medications. They contain activated charcoal, so the medications can be placed in the bags, mixed with water, and then safely disposed of in the regular garbage per the instructions. For information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the Take Back Day event, go to www.DEATakeBack.com. Passover Seder offered Beth Israel Chabad of Norwalk and the Schneerson Center of Westport welcome all to an evening of elegant dining to be held April 19 at 7:15 p.m. at the Beth Israel Chabad, 40 King St., Norwalk. Relive the story of the Passover Exodus by celebrating the traditions of the festive Passover Seder. The cost is $70 per adult and $18 per child ages 5-15. The four-course dinner is served with artisan, hand-baked matzah and an array of fine kosher wines. The Seder will be led by Rabbi Yehoshua and Freida Hecht and by Rabbi Levi & Chanie Stone. The special hand-baked matzah is available for purchase and may be ordered online. One may also sell their chometz online atwww.bethisraelchabad.org For more information call 203-866-0534. The Superior Six: Coffee shops in Ames you didnt know about Child Protection Officer, Lucknow, India Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Childrens Fund Country: India Field location: Lucknow, India Office: UNICEF Lucknow, India Closing date: Wednesday, 1 May 2019 Job no: 521362 Position type: Fixed Term Appointment Location: India Division/Equivalent: Kathmandu(ROSA) School/Unit: India Department/Office: Lucknow, India Categories: Child Protection, NO-2 UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending childrens rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential - to the benefit of a better world. And we never give up! Click here to learn more about UNICEF: https://youtube/E1xkXZs0cAQ For Every Child, AN ADVOCATE In an effort to measurably improve UNICEFs ability to deliver better results for children, there is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a societys most disadvantaged citizens addressing inequity not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. How can you make a difference? If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children in the worlds thereby ensuring a better future for every child, this is the chance to make a difference. PURPOSE OF THE POST The Child Protection Officer reports to the Child Protection Section or Child Protection Specialist for supervision. The Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for child protection programs/projects within the Country Program from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks to facilitate program development, implementation, program progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting. Former Mexican President Vicente Fox delivers a lecture on the state of U.S.-Mexico relations Thursday, April 18 at Stephens Auditorium. "Mexico -- we're the best in the world, and we don't deserve what we're receiving from the leader of this nation," Fox said. Its very difficult to talk about How It Ends. Not because decisions surrounding death are a divisive issue or because thinking about our own mortality is unpleasant, but because to reveal too much about the performance would be to rob it of its surprising, unsettling power. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/4/2019 (972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its very difficult to talk about How It Ends. Not because decisions surrounding death are a divisive issue or because thinking about our own mortality is unpleasant, but because to reveal too much about the performance would be to rob it of its surprising, unsettling power. Winnipeg playwright/actor Debbie Patterson formed Sick + Twisted Theatre company to create and present work that explores living with a disability. With How It Ends the final instalment in Prairie Theatre Exchanges (PTE) Leap Series, dedicated to more experimental theatre she has crafted a tough and tender work that veers from thoughtful to devastating to goofy without losing a step. SASHA SEFTER / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Playwright Debbie Patterson lives with MS. The play an immersive promenade experience that moves to several venues within the PTE space opens in the Colin Jackson Studio. A brother (Andrew Cecon) and sister (Johanna Riley) are fishing in a rowboat on an idyllic lake. Their loving sibling banter might seem a tad morbid they quote Samuel Beckett and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross at each other but theyre in the twilight of their lives and the end looms large. Their mothers death comes up several times; its evident she chose to end her life in a way they dont necessarily agree on. The daughter has spent her life working in palliative care, seemingly in reaction to her mothers choice. After a bolt of lightning, audience members are led out of their seats and on a journey through the backstage area, ending up in a softly lit white chamber, seated in a circle. Clad in a white suit, playwright Patterson appears as a jovial but kind of pushy angel, clanking, ungraceful golden wings attached to her wheelchair. After pointing out that we are all on borrowed time, she encourages the audience to think about how theyd want to go: quickly, without pain or enduring some suffering to get the gift of more time. Pattersons broad smile and cajoling tone soften the hard questions shes asking and mitigate the discomfort we feel when addressing our own biases about what makes life worth living and what circumstances are a bridge too far. The playwright isnt afraid to use her disability to remind us we are all only temporarily able-bodied. She challenges the notion that whats broken should be thrown away and asks us to think about "What makes you, you?" The decision to stage the action unconventionally and in the round is a canny one. The actors, who incorporate dance as they move about to address all portions of the audience, are looking you right in the eye often with real peoples words in their mouths so their messages, which are sometimes at odds, never feel didactic. It makes the audience part of a conversation, rather than an argument, and each actor is so empathetic, the audience is drawn in. Toronto-based dancer Marie-Josee Chartier plays the mother who chose to end her life with the help of Dignitas, the Swiss non-profit that advocates and offers supports for improving care and choice about the end of life. She is a lovely presence, exuding quiet confidence and calm. Cecon and Riley, as siblings who took away different things from watching their mother die, both strike a perfect balance between ruefulness and humour. There are a couple of instances where the dialogue feels more clunky and obvious than artful, but Pattersons script, which makes use of verbatim interviews she did with a variety of people about end-of-life issues, gracefully addresses ideas of agency and control, of surrendering without giving up. If this sounds maudlin, its anything but. To be sure, there are scenes that are certain to inspire tears, both because of whats happening onstage and because of our own inescapable connections to death, but How It Ends approaches its big questions with such playfulness and warmth, and such cleverness and ingenuity in its staging, that its final impression is one of uplift and peace. No matter what your opinions on end-of-life choices, How It Ends feels like a gift, reminding us that life is always ending, but its not over yet. jill.wilson@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @dedaumier If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Nobody is talking about the elephant in the room. To be fair, its merely a cross-section of an elephant, and people are busier talking about the giraffe and the ostrich and the camels. These creatures, posed in lifelike postures but with their musculature, tendons and ligaments dramatically and skinlessly exposed, are part of the Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out exhibition on at the Manitoba Museum. The dissection of this giraffe took 20,000 hours to complete. Preserved via the process of plastination, in which the water in the tissues is replaced by a polymer such as epoxy resin or silicon rubber, at first glance, the flayed appearance of the animals is shocking, but closer examination reveals a curious kind of beauty. Whether its the heavily muscled shoulders of a bull, the stiff gills and terrifying maw of a shark or the ruminant stomach of a snow camel, its a glimpse into the anatomy and biology of animals we might never see hide nor hair of, let alone hideless and hairless with their inner workings on display. "You gain a different perspective on nature and these intricate designs, and appreciate life even more," says curator Dr. Angelina Whalley of the animals, organs and bodily systems on display in the exhibition, which runs to Sept. 2. "This is my sincere goal with Animals Inside Out, that people leave the exhibition with an idea of respect and appreciation of all these animals, and life in general." Plastination process The inventor of plastination, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, came to his unusual vocation in a roundabout way. click to read more The inventor of plastination, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, came to his unusual vocation in a roundabout way. Born in East Germany, before the fall of the Berlin Wall, he wanted to flee, to escape, says his wife, Dr. Angelina Whalley. He was caught and put in political prison for more than two years. Later, as a young physician, he dreamed of a life of freedom in the United States. Von Hagens decided his ticket out of East Germany was to get certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, which assesses whether medical grads are ready to enter residence programs in the U.S. He needed time to prepare and study, but he worked so many night shifts and weekends at the hospital, he couldnt find the time. He applied for a job in the anatomy lab, Whalley says. It was the opportunity to earn money for daily life and to prepare for the U.S. During his research work, which was very boring to him, he came up with the idea for plastination and he was so caught with it. He thought, This will revolutionize teaching anatomy. The process is under constant refinement, but basically works like this: Decomposition is halted by embalming the cadaver or carcass in formaldehyde. Specimens are dissected with forceps and scalpels Frozen bodily fluids are replaced by acetone in a cold acetone bath Soluble fat molecules are replaced by acetone in a warm acetone bath In a vacuum, acetone is extracted and gradually replaced with plastic Each structure is brought into the proper position After gas curing, the posed specimen is infused with durable silicon rubber Source: Body Worlds Close Whalley is the director of the Institute of Plastination in Heidelberg, Germany, and the conceptual planner and creative designer of Body Worlds, the travelling expo of dissected human bodies, seen by more than 47 million people worldwide, which relies on the preservation process invented by her husband, Dr. Gunther von Hagens, in 1977. (Body Worlds human cadavers have been freely donated; the company has not been dogged by the same controversy as Bodies: The Exhibition, which visited Winnipeg in 2010. Protesters alleged the cadavers were the bodies of political prisoners and Falun Gong followers who had been imprisoned in China.) Most of the animals in Animal Inside Out were donated by zoos and game parks all over the world, where they were declared to have died of natural causes. In a process that can take up to two years, they have been plastinated, some in whole-animal form, others dissected and rendered into thin translucent slides to show a cross-section of the inner systems and organs. One of the giraffes, displayed as an expanded array of its cross-sectioned slices, took 20,000 hours to dissect. Though there are about 400 plastination labs in the world, the institute is uniquely qualified to handle large animals, which must be submerged whole into an acetone bath as part of the process. Dr. Angelina Whalley They also require quicker treatment to prevent purification than human bodies (which may be displayed as part of Body Worlds exhibits or used as specimens by medical schools or anatomy labs). "A human cadaver comes to our institute typically two to three days after the person has passed away," Whalley says. "Animals, we appreciate to have them earlier because when they are vegetarians, they typically have a different bowel and can develop a lot of gas inside." After theyve been preserved, positioning the animals and shaping them into posture takes another six months or so. "For exhibition purposes, we like a very natural, more or less moving pose," she says. "When we had our very first exhibition in Japan, there was only one sincere complaint. People said, They are interesting but they are also looking a little frightening; they look so dead. So we understood that a specimen for public display needs to have an additional quality other than just a scientific expression." Whalley has curated the exhibition to focus on several different areas: skeletal foundations; muscles, tendons and ligaments; the nervous system; reproduction; breathing and eating; and wildlife conservation and preservation. She has included examples of human anatomy for comparison and by highlighting the similarities and unique qualities of each species, hopes to inspire a sense of appreciation for the natural world. "The animal kingdom is very diverse, so its hard to focus on one thing," she says. "So I decided to refer to bodily functions and that helped me to create a bridge to the human anatomy, so people are aware that we function the same way with the same structures; its all the same." After animals have been preserved, positioning them and shaping them into posture takes another six months. Some of the most striking exhibits are the structures showing the dense, intricate web of the circulatory system of a rabbit or a dog. These are some of Whalleys favourites, both for their delicate esthetic appeal and for their illustration of the strides Body Worlds is taking in improving plastination technology. "We inject a red polymer into the arteries," Whalley says, explaining that a large part of the institutes work revolves around polymer-chemistry research. "When the polymer cures, it takes over the shape of the system. Then we can dissolve the tissue away by means of enzymes or bacteria. We would never be able to dissect manually in that much detail. What you get is a cast of the arterial system, and you need a very particular polymer (to achieve it)." She is aware that some potential viewers find the idea of the exhibition distasteful or even frightening. "I often hear that and I can understand that," she says. "But even when people come with hesitation, it really, for most people, is breathtaking. They often say, It is completely different from what I expected; it is so beautiful. Im glad I came because its really an eye-opener. "It offers a view into something you believe you know, but you really know very little about." jill.wilson@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @dedaumier A magazine's interview with Hollywood star Keanu Reeves has provided the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre a chance to look back at a magical winter when the actor starred in the company's production of Hamlet. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A magazine's interview with Hollywood star Keanu Reeves has provided the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre a chance to look back at a magical winter when the actor starred in the company's production of Hamlet. A GQ article titled, "The Legend of Keanu Reeves" includes a small part mentioning how Reeves was placed in "movie jail" and was "excommunicado" with the Fox movie studio for a decade after he turned down a role in Speed 2, choosing instead to star as the melancholy Dane in, as the article's author describes it, "f---ing Winnipeg." Royal MTC artistic director Steven Schipper had nothing but good things to say about dealing with Reeves, the actor's commitment to the Winnipeg production and his performance. "What I remember is that Keanu Reeves was a most excellent Hamlet, and also among the most honourable young actors one could ever hope to meet," Schipper says. "He was a phenomenal Hamlet. He was the only Hamlet I've ever seen that I didn't fall asleep at any point of the play and I cried at the end because a young life has been snuffed out so tragically." Schipper says Reeves never told him about the movie opportunities he had to turn down due to his commitment to the MTC and Hamlet, but he heard some strong rumours. MARC GALLANT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Keanu Reeves signs autographs outside the MTC. "He agreed to come for scale, which I'm not going tell you what it was ... he might have turned down Speed 2, but I'm pretty sure he turned down a $6 million-ish US offer to be in Heat. I can only imagine it was the Val Kilmer role, and honour his obligation to come to our theatre to play Hamlet. "That speaks to what an honourable person he is." Schipper, who is leaving the Royal MTC later this year after three decades as its artistic director, turned back the clock to January 1994, when he met with Reeves at a restaurant in Venice Beach, Calif., to make his pitch to the actor about starring in Hamlet in Winnipeg. "A director who was a teacher of Keanu's in Toronto was also a friend of mine and let me know from his perspective, Keanu was keen to play Hamlet and that Keanu always rehearsed Shakespeare's soliloquies as warmups before shooting scenes in films," Schipper recalled. "He was a real Shakespeare buff. "So we met for lunch in January at Venice Beach and we talked and I pitched and he says at the end of the lunch he's still interested. 'Tell me how much time would I need to give you notice if a really big film offer came up'," Schipper remembers Reeves saying. "I said, 'Say no now.' If you say yes and we promise you to our audience, then you can't say no later. No problems, say no now or, ideally, say yes... You have to follow through.' "I saw in his eyes, I could see him say, 'If those are your theatre's values, that you can't promise me to your audience and then not follow through, then I'm for you," Schipper says. MARC GALLANT / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Keanu Reeves leaves Winnipeg and signs autographs while before going through security at the airport. "Then he says, let me talk to my manager. That will be the toughest hurdle. Then I'll let you know," Schipper says. At the time, Reeves wasn't the hot Hollywood commodity he is today, Schipper says. Reeves was known mostly for the 1989 comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, a supporting role in 1988's Dangerous Liaisons and the 1991 heist/surfing flick Point Break, in which he starred opposite Patrick Swayze. "When I announced that he had agreed at the (MTC) board meeting in February ... many of them hadn't heard of him because if you were over 30, then you didn't know his previous films. If you were under 30 you were definitely excited about his name," Schipper says. "I had to go to the video store and bring in VHS copies of all of Keanu Reeves's films for our board members to familiarize them to who this guy was," Schipper recalled. "Once Speed came out, the entire world wanted to know about Keanu Reeves playing Hamlet. We had about 1,000 people subscribe from other cities from other parts of the world, as far away as Asia, certainly many from Europe." It would be five more years before Reeves became a mega-star thanks to his turn in the science-fiction classic The Matrix and its two sequels and 10 years before he played the leading role in the John Wick action-movie franchise, the third chapter of which is scheduled to be released May 17. alan.small@freepress.mb.ca Twitter:@AlanDSmall If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 19/4/2019 (972 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. ___ Once-counterculture 420 marijuana holiday goes mainstream LOS ANGELES (AP) Businesses inside and outside the multibillion-dollar marijuana industry are embracing the once-counterculture four-twenty holiday. Potheads have for decades celebrated their love of cannabis on April 20. But the annual celebration that was all about getting stoned is now so mainstream that Corporate America is starting to embrace it. Lyft and Carl's Jr. are among the businesses using April 20 to roll out marketing and social media messaging aimed at cannabis consumers. ___ US home construction slips 0.3% in March WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. home construction slipped 0.3% in March, as housing starts are running below last year's pace in a sign that inventory could be a challenge for would-be buyers. The Commerce Department says that housing starts last month were a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.14 million. ___ Ancestry pulls slavery-era ad after backlash NEW YORK (AP) Ancestry.com is apologizing for its ad that showed a white man and black woman discussing running off together to the North during the Civil War era. The ad drew widespread criticism online for whitewashing slavery. The DNA testing company removed the ad from TV and online in response to the backlash. ___ Toyota, SoftBank fund, Denso invest $1 billion in Uber TOKYO (AP) Japan's top automaker Toyota, auto parts maker Denso and internet company SoftBank's investment fund are investing $1 billion in car-sharing Uber's technology unit. The companies say Toyota Motor Corp. and Denso Corp. will together invest $667 million and SoftBank Corp.'s Vision Fund will contribute $333 million in Uber ATG, which will try to develop and commercialize automated ridesharing services. Toyota has been stepping up such efforts. ___ How many cherries in frozen pie? FDA may soon drop rules NEW YORK (AP) President Donald Trump may soon be able to claim a sweet victory for his deregulation push: Officials are preparing to get rid of decades-old rules for labeling frozen cherry pies. The regulations say the products must be at least 25% cherries by weight. The obscure rule is seen as an easy target because there are no rules for other pies. Getting rid of the cherry pie rules is likely to be far less controversial than the debate over what can be called milk. ___ Global stocks modestly higher in quiet holiday trading TOKYO (AP) Global stock indexes are mostly moderately higher in quiet holiday trading on Good Friday as some markets are closed. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225, South Korea's Kospi and the Shanghai Composite are higher. Trading was closed in France, Germany and the U.K. Other markets also remain closed for the holiday, including in the U.S., Hong Kong and Australia. ___ Celebration of Japan's new era big opportunity for business TOKYO (AP) Japan is getting ready for its biggest celebration in years with the advent of the Reiwa era of soon-to-be emperor Naruhito. That means big opportunities for businesses hoping consumers will splash out on long holidays and memorabilia. Many Japanese will get their longest ever "Golden Week" holidays, 10 days, and some are taking advantage of deep discounts. The expected downsides: monster traffic jams and struggles to keep store shelves stocked with so many people getting time off. ___ Report: FTC considering oversight of Facebook's Zuckerberg WASHINGTON (AP) Washington Post says discussions between Facebook and Federal Trade Commission officials about the company's data-handing lapses have touched on instituting some sort of oversight for company CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The Facebook founder also controls a majority of Facebook's voting stock. ___ Panel to review approval of Boeing 737 Max flight controls DETROIT (AP) A global team of experts next week will begin reviewing how the Boeing 737 Max's flight control system was approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA says experts from nine international civil aviation authorities have confirmed participation in a technical review promised by the agency. The Boeing jetliner has been grounded around the world since mid-March after two crashes killed 346 people. ___ China downplays political impact of global development push BEIJING (AP) China is downplaying the political implications of its global development campaign known as the Belt and Road initiative, saying that it aims to boost multilateralism amid protectionist trends in the U.S. and elsewhere. Foreign Minister Wang Yi said a meeting to promote the initiative next week in Beijing would draw leaders from 37 countries, underscoring heavy demand for Chinese investment. 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. ___ Alibaba head's remarks spark debate over China working hours BEIJING (AP) Remarks by the head of Chinese online business giant Alibaba that young people should work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week if they want financial success have prompted a debate over work-life balance. Jack Ma is one of China's richest men and his comments brought both condemnation and support as China's economic growth has slowed. Grueling hours are credited with fueling China's economic rise but also a deteriorating quality of life. ___ Fiat Chrysler recalls over 300K cars due to rollaway risk DETROIT (AP) Fiat Chrysler is recalling more than 300,000 vehicles in North America because a transmission problem could cause them to roll away unexpectedly. The recall covers Dodge Dart compact cars from the 2013 through 2016 with six-speed automatic transmissions. The company says a bushing can fail, causing the shifter cable to come loose from the transmission. That means when a driver shifts to park or another gear, the gear may not change and the car could roll away. MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - A former journalist arrested almost two years ago after two banks were robbed in Medicine Hat, Alta., has been convicted of the crimes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MEDICINE HAT, Alta. - A former journalist arrested almost two years ago after two banks were robbed in Medicine Hat, Alta., has been convicted of the crimes. 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. Stephen Vogelsang, who is 55, entered guilty pleas Thursday in provincial court to two counts of robbery. He is to be sentenced on July 30. Vogelsang was arrested in October 2017 after a Royal Bank of Canada branch and a Bank of Montreal branch were robbed. Earlier this month he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to a string of bank robberies in Regina and Saskatoon in 2017. With credit for time served he has three years left in his sentence. Vogelsang was a sports anchor and news director for many years with CKY (now CTV Winnipeg) and was also a journalism instructor at Red River College. The organizing committee behind the subdued 4/20 cannabis celebration expected at the Manitoba Legislative Building this Saturday has been torn apart by internal political rifts over the past year, as former participants accuse head organizer Steven Stairs of embezzling money meant to fund the event allegations Stairs vigorously denies. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The organizing committee behind the subdued 4/20 cannabis celebration expected at the Manitoba Legislative Building this Saturday has been torn apart by internal political rifts over the past year, as former participants accuse head organizer Steven Stairs of embezzling money meant to fund the event allegations Stairs vigorously denies. Tracey Cecchini, who identified herself to the Free Press as a member of the Winnipeg 420 Organizing Committee, said other committee members and event sponsors "all pitched in money" to help fund the event last year. "Unfortunately the money was never put into the treasury, the money was mishandled," said Cecchini. "He was using it to throw parties at his house, he was paying his rent, he wasn't putting it back into the 420 (Organizing Committee) for our permits, and (for) what we were going to do for this year." Cecchini said she and others have since left the Winnipeg 420 Organizing Committee. They'll host their own "4/20 Spring Clean-up BBQ" on Saturday afternoon at 410 Pritchard Ave., which she said is meant as a community-friendly alternative to the gathering at the legislature. Steven Stairs has been a longtime cannabis advocate. He is denying accusations he used money destined for 4/20 celebrations for his own use. (John Woods / The Canadian Press files) "We don't want (Stairs) speaking for us anymore," she said. "He's made a bad example in the community, and that's not what we want." Asked about the allegations on Thursday, Stairs said the claim he took money inappropriately from the group was "completely inaccurate". He also said Cecchini was a volunteer, and never a member of the committee. Stairs acknowledged spending some committee money on rent, which he said was appropriate because the organization was run out of his home. The only party he ever threw with committee money was a single volunteer appreciation dinner, he said. Former committee member Thaddeus Conrad said his business Med-Man Brand, which describes itself as a weed-seed-feed company, has helped fund the last three 4/20 events by paying for insurance and permits. Conrad said he donated more than $15,000 worth of product to the Winnipeg 420 Organizing Committee to sell for fundraising purposes last year, but alleged Stairs spent the profits on parties. Conrad cut ties with the committee last October, and said many others have also left in the past year. "There was always just a lot of conflict, where people weren't appreciated or treated properly," Conrad said. There will be competing 4/20 events this year after some members of the organizing committe left the group over allegations of financial irregularities. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files) For his part, Stairs said the group never received the $15,000 in donated product from Conrad, which led to a dispute. 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. Stairs, who is facing assault charges related to an incident in Osborne Village in January, said it's true members of the organizing committee have left in the past year, but others have stayed on. "I didn't embezzle anything," said Stairs, who added that the Winnipeg 420 Organizing Committee was run transparently and always posted meeting minutes online. He described the allegations against him as "purely a smear attack." "I would gladly open up receipt books I have so much proof that shows (the Winnipeg 420 Organizing Committee) was struggling to maintain itself as an organization, that there was no money for me to be blowing on parties or trips or whatever," said Stairs. "It's absurd." solomon.israel@freepress.mb.ca @sol_israel Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (973 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Thompson In the basement of a government building, a small black-and-white sign points around a corner to Manitobas northernmost law courts. Through an unsecured, 1970s-era lobby that serves as a public waiting room and makeshift lawyer workspace, a set of double wood doors opens into a beige, 48-seat courtroom. Here, atop a wood-panelled dais, a judge is drawing the line. "I cant, in good conscience," Thompson provincial court Judge Todd Rambow said on this Thursday in December. "As regrettable as it is, I cant have a further matter proceed before the court," he continued, looking out at the lawyers and at the courtroom gallery, empty except for sheriffs officers and one reporter. A sign points to the court office, a 48-seat courtroom in northern Manitoba. (Katie May / Winnipeg Free Press) His seat overlooks the podiums of an on-duty defence lawyer and a provincial Crown attorney who aired her exasperation 30 minutes earlier when the clock ticked past 5 p.m. and Rambow asked if they could work late. "Ive had a really long week. Im at my ends wit," the Crown said. Two court clerks, already resigned to the approaching hours of overtime "Well be here quite late doing paperwork anyway," one told the judge exchanged hesitant glances and agreed to press on. But now its almost 5:30, and Rambow is faced with presiding over a contested bail hearing. Sheriffs officers then ushered a 27-year-old man into the prisoners box for his first court appearance on two counts of assault and a breach of probation. Hed been in RCMP cells for two days and wanted to apply for bail. Instead, he got an apology from the judge. Its too late in the day. Although the man doesnt consent to the delay "so noted," Rambow responded when a Legal Aid articling student pointed that out for the record his case is bumped to the next bail docket, four days away. The sheriffs will have to drive him 400 kilometres southwest to the nearest jail, in The Pas, and hell be first in line to make an appearance by video when Thompsons in-custody court resumes Monday afternoon. By the time he gets his first chance to hear any details of the prosecutions case against him and ask a judge to release him, the man will have spent seven days in jail. "I always agonize over these situations, because I dont want anybody to not have their bail hearing in a timely fashion, but the simple fact is, I just cant do it today," Rambow said. This is the norm in northern Manitoba, where the justice system struggles to uphold rights most Canadians would take for granted. Overwhelming poverty, addiction and intergenerational trauma feed into some of the highest violent-crime rates in the country. Court sessions are often snowed under figuratively and literally by the task of delivering justice across vast geography with grossly inadequate resources. And systemic racism thrives. The inadequacy of staffing in Thompsons court office has been brought up repeatedly in the provincial courts own annual reports dating back to 2006. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press) Thompson, the largest city in northern Manitoba, is also the judicial centre of the North. Its basement court office is the hub for anyone arrested within a 400-kilometre radius. Its judges, lawyers and court staff travel to circuit courts in 15 different communities on any given day of the week. There is no jail or remand centre everyone held in custody has to be shipped to jails located at least four hours south. Timely access to bail hearings is just one of many challenges facing the northern court. The Free Press is focusing primarily on bail-related problems in the first of a three-part series looking at access to justice in northern Manitoba. In remote communities, its common for people whove been arrested to wait anywhere from a few days to a week before they get a chance to ask a judge to release them on bail. Its a right that can be exercised seven days a week in Winnipeg, but only 2 1/2 days a week for anyone arrested in Manitobas northernmost communities. After their arrest, theyll be offered perfunctory phone calls with an on-duty lawyer and a justice of the peace, and theyll be advised to wait until they see a judge to apply for bail. In order to do that, they all have to be flown or driven to Thompson, where bail hearings take place Monday afternoons and Tuesdays and Thursdays, alongside all kinds of other in-custody cases squeezed onto the same docket. The right not to be denied reasonable bail without just cause is enshrined in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Under federal law, bail hearings must occur within 24 hours after arrest, but the Criminal Code says if a judge or justice of the peace is not available within 24 hours, the accused must see one "as soon as possible." In northern Manitoba, lawyers say, timely bail hearings are the exception, not the rule. Michael Bryant, of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, says his organization plans to challenge the unconstitutional design of northern courts. (Mark Blinch / The Canadian Press files) The denial of timely bail and other systemic rights abuses on display in northern courts have caught the attention of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, which has vowed to take legal action against what it calls the "unconstitutional design" of northern courts in Manitoba and other provinces. "The problem is that literally innocent people who have not been tried are spending time in jail in a way that should never happen," Michael Bryant, the Toronto-based executive director of the CCLA, told the Free Press. "The constitution applies everywhere in Canada, and the remote communities need to tailor their bail system to the constitution, not to their fiscal challenges." Over the course of a week in Thompson in December, the Free Press observed in-custody court sessions in the three-courtroom basement facility that serves as the judicial centre of the North and deals with a per capita caseload roughly 14 times the size of Winnipegs provincial court. During those court sessions, people charged with crimes who were there to apply for bail regularly ran out of time. The majority of successful bail applications were cases in which the Crown agreed the accused should be released, raising questions about why they were held in custody in the first place. Thompson is the hub of northen Manitoba, but despite its size, it has no provincial jail. (Katie May / Winnipeg Free Press) Even after release had been granted, some people had to wait in jail because they either couldnt afford the court-ordered cash bail or they didnt have anyone who could travel to pick them up. A youth had to be taken into care of a child-welfare agency in order to be released back to his home community, because no adult could travel to court to get him. Or the docket was simply too long to get to everyone, even though family members were present to sign on as sureties. In other cases observed by the Free Press, some accused had their next court dates set weeks away on the first appearance, as per court policy, while a man pleaded guilty to a criminal breach charge because he couldnt afford the plane ticket required to get to a previous court appearance. In one case, a Winnipeg Court of Queens Bench judge crafted a sentence specifically so a man would be kept in jail "through the very darkest, dreariest days" of winter that awaited him at home in a remote First Nations community. In other cases, judges tasked with protecting victims in small communities ordered offenders to live elsewhere. Sentence targets darkness Sandwiched between two sheriffs, he kept his head down, looking toward his leg irons and black running shoes. The courtroom, decorated with bright blue paint, bold orange chairs and beige carpet, was small enough that they all sat sideways, shoulders facing the front of the room as the Winnipeg judge spoke. click to read more Sandwiched between two sheriffs, he kept his head down, looking toward his leg irons and black running shoes. The courtroom, decorated with bright blue paint, bold orange chairs and beige carpet, was small enough that they all sat sideways, shoulders facing the front of the room as the Winnipeg judge spoke. Desmond Osborne, 42, was found guilty in spring 2018 of drunkenly raping a woman on a porch after a party that featured too much homebrew. Hed switched off the exterior light so no one could see them, so no one would stop him. At his trial, the alcoholic since childhood testified his perception of consent was different after hed been drinking. He was convicted of sexual assault, and on a Monday morning in December, hed been brought in to one of Thompsons three courtrooms to find out what his punishment would be. Court of Queens Bench Justice Sheldon Lanchbery told him hed been thinking a lot about the sentence hed impose. Osborne had already spent a year-and-a-half in jail with time-and-a-half credit, it worked out to almost 2 1/2 years. The Crown asked for a 3 1/2-year sentence, and his defence lawyer countered with a request for a maximum of 30 months, saying Osborne had been a model inmate while in jail, and requested that he be placed on probation going forward. KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS files Justice Sheldon Lanchbery designed a recent sentence to avoid darkest, dreariest days. After hearing arguments from both lawyers, Lanchbery asked a question. Is there any point, he wondered out loud, in sending Osborne back to his home in Shamattawa, a remote fly-in community of about 1,000 in northern Manitoba, at this time of year, when it is dark and cold and theres not much to do? Deciding against it, Lanchbery came up with a sentence designed to keep Osborne, a Cree man, behind bars during the winter. Instead of ordering a specific number of days in jail going forward, Lanchbery worked backwards from the date he had already decided Osborne should be released: March 15, in time for spring. As you heard me say, Im doing that to keep you in through the very darkest, dreariest days that Shamattawa has to offer, and so that you may be out in time to participate in the caribou hunt. As well, Im doing that so that you can plan to be out on a very specific day. You can take steps to ensure there are people in Shamattawa on your release that are not going to be those people who drag you into their circumstances, but people who will support you, Lanchbery told Osborne. As he imposed a sentence that suggested jail would be preferable to spending winter in an isolated First Nations community, Lanchbery told Osborne he understood the traumatic effects of colonization, residential schools and Osbornes own family history of abuse, neglect and drug addiction. Although the white man such as myself can speak of reconciliation, it is not ours to give. It is ours only to offer. We must be seen as being cognizant of our responsibilities, but it will be for the Indigenous community to tell the white man, tell me, if we are successful in our offerings, he said. Cree people are honourable people. Their heritage is wonderful and rich. When you dont follow the teachings of the Cree people, just like the white man who doesnt follow the Christian teachings, gets themselves in trouble. Theres a baseline there thats important for you to consider. Katie May Close Some of the very same practices were examined during Manitobas Aboriginal Justice Inquiry 28 years ago, only to be raised and brushed off many times since. As the provincial government undergoes an internal review of courts on its northern circuit, promises technology upgrades and pushes for greater "efficiency," according to Manitobas justice minister, it appears a group of northern lawyers has had enough. They have signed on to a charter challenge that awaits a hearing in the Court of Queens Bench this spring. A desperate and ongoing lack of resources for the North is their common refrain. "Under-resourcing leads to miscarriages of justice," said Thompson defence lawyer Meagan Jemmett. "I think the individual people in the system are, by and large, really disturbed by the things that they see happen. Its just a resource issue." Despite decades of pleading for help to fix a broken system via internal court committees, meetings with government officials, requests for a stand-alone bail court and even higher-court rulings decrying practices that stack the system against people who are already marginalized very little has changed in northern Manitoba. The Thompson provincial building houses the basement court office. (Katie May / Winnipeg Free Press) The chronically overburdened and understaffed provincial court office in Thompson has seen people spend a month or more behind bars before they get a meaningful court appearance, having had little, if any, contact with lawyers, their families or the outside world. Though less common, those cases have become cautionary examples of what happens when people who havent been proven guilty get lost in the justice system. The phrase "falling through the cracks" is repeated over and over when northern judges and lawyers talk about extreme cases on the official court record. Theyve been left to wonder whether anyone is listening, whether anyone in the south even cares. In an unprecedented move, 10 lawyers who have worked in Thompson are lending their names to a constitutional challenge that calls for criminal charges to be dropped in two cases because the accused couldnt get timely bail hearings. "As a Crown attorney in Thompson between June of 2014 and June of 2017, I witnessed thousands of accused be practically denied the right to reasonable bail due to this crippling lack of resources," Jacqueline Halliburn wrote in her affidavit. Busy days The day-to-day operation of the criminal justice system in northern Manitoba depends on relatively new lawyers. Of the 27 lawyers practising in Thompson, 12 of them were called to the bar within the past five years. Two articling students for Legal Aid Manitoba regularly take on duty counsel duties for that office, which, along with the Crowns office, has seen high turnover and problems with keeping staff in recent years. click to read more The day-to-day operation of the criminal justice system in northern Manitoba depends on relatively new lawyers. Of the 27 lawyers practising in Thompson, 12 of them were called to the bar within the past five years. Two articling students for Legal Aid Manitoba regularly take on duty counsel duties for that office, which, along with the Crowns office, has seen high turnover and problems with keeping staff in recent years. Many of the junior lawyers who spoke to the Free Press said working in the north gave them the chance to get much more experience on serious criminal cases than they would if they started their careers in an urban area. Concerns that they needed a little bit more help made their way to the Law Society of Manitoba, which has started a volunteer mentorship program, says Winnipeg lawyer Roberta Campbell, who served on the Law Society committee that came up with the idea. She is one of five Winnipeg lawyers who signed on in December. They distributed their cell phone numbers to northern defence lawyers and encouraged them to call. They are junior, and they face some serious issues in the North. They certainly need some guidance on how to deal with some of those issues, says Campbell, who has been a lawyer for 25 years and has worked in the north. Court dockets in northern Manitoba, she says, are horrendously busy. When I used to go up to the north regularly, it was astounding the volume that they had to deal with, and now, were dealing with that volume with relatively junior lawyers, Campbell says. There is a larger concern about a dearth of data on the supply and demand of legal services in Manitoba, says Allison Fenske of the Public Interest Law Centre. There is a perception that often, justice depends on where you live or your ability to access justice depends on where you live, and that there are serious geographic disparities in terms of the services that are offered and the services that people have access to, Fenske says, but there is a lack of standardized data. To tackle the issue would require more investment in the North, she says. When we talk about potential solutions, we cant focus simply on solving the issue in Winnipeg. We have to look outside of the perimeter, and to look at places where the needs are arguably greater in terms of communities that dont have the base-level of services that folks in Winnipeg enjoy and are able to access, Fenske says. --- A national court ruling could be whats necessary to force the justice system to improve access to justice in remote communities, a criminologist says. The Supreme Court could cause a reckoning with bail practices the same way it cracked down on widespread court delays in its 2016 Jordan decision, says Prof. Nicole Myers, a criminologist in the sociology department at Queens University who has studied pre-trial detention in Canada. Maybe we need a case about rural people and their access to technology and access to bail in a meaningful way we need a decision that comes from the Supreme Court before were going to get to a place where we start taking this as the very real and serious concern that it is, she said. Something needs to be done, because nobody should be denied their bail hearing when theyre ready for it. If the issue is that theyre not ready to proceed, fine. But otherwise, you have the right to have your bail hearing without delay. As reverberations from a recent groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling to curtail pre-trial custody make their way to courts across Canada, Myers says it will be interesting to see how the justice system responds. In late March, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that people who are in jail awaiting their trials must be brought back to court at least every 90 days. The decision aims to stop people from languishing in custody if they have been denied bail or havent had a bail hearing while they wait for their charges to be dealt with in court. Katie May Close Halliburn declined a Free Press request for comment, as did other lawyers reluctant to speak publicly about the challenge. She said the written statement speaks for itself. In other affidavits filed in court as part of the case, the lawyers draw attention to the courts systemic failures, including a severe lack of court time for bail hearings, problems with receiving police disclosures, and delays in approving legal aid applications. They point out problems with provincial policies that mandate court proceedings be shut down by 5 p.m. every day and require court dates to be set four weeks away, even on an accuseds first appearance, because the court is too busy to have people appear before a judge in the early stages of their cases. "In some instances, a lawyer has not yet been assigned to the accused by the remand date," states a joint affidavit from a group of defence lawyers. A measure once considered an innovative solution to curb court delays in the North has become another way for people to slip through the cracks while waiting for their cases to be dealt with. The custody co-ordinators docket, as its called, has been used in Thompson since April 2013, according to documents obtained by the Free Press. It was designed to be an on-paper parking spot to prevent needless in-person or video appearances that waste valuable court time in the stretched-thin system. The idea, developed by an internal Justice Innovation committee, is that an accuseds next court date will be set a month down the line so theyll have time to get a lawyer, who can bring the case back to court anytime. But in some cases, as noted in the affidavit and described by several lawyers who spoke to the Free Press, people werent being pulled out of the parking spot and brought back to court they stayed in jail for weeks. In recent months, the court has kept a closer eye on that docket, reminding lawyers weekly about clients who are on it. Some northern lawyers said its a good system when its working properly. Others described it as a way to push those accused of crimes in the North "out of sight, out of mind." "All of us bear a responsibility for ensuring that an individual doesnt sit in a four-week abyss. Its just a state of limbo," said Rohit Gupta, the lawyer at the helm of the constitutional challenge. "What you tend to find is, after an individual spends a good month in jail, theyre essentially ready to capitulate to any sort of guilty plea that would get them out of there." Defence lawyer Rohit Gupta has spearheaded a constitutional challenge calling for criminal charges be dropped against two of his clients because they couldnt get timely bail hearings. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) Before he was called to the bar last year, Gupta worked as an articling student in Thompson. Hes looked upon as a "junior nobody," he said, acknowledging his approach has made him unpopular among some in the legal community. "Every issue that I started raising, it was essentially, This is the way that things have always been done," he said. The charter challenge is still before the court, and Gupta declined to comment on it. Both of his clients named in the motion no longer face criminal charges; a man from Split Lake was acquitted by a judge and a woman from Norway House had her charges stayed by the Crown. The systemic issues the challenge brings up are set to be argued in a Court of Queens Bench hearing in Thompson next month. "Im going to continue on raising issues with respect to bail," he said. "My hope is that eventually something is going to change." On a fall weekend about 18 years ago, a planeload of newly arrested residents from Shamattawa First Nation was flown into Thompson for their first court appearances. The number of prisoners was more than twice the capacity of RCMP and sheriffs cells. Previous complaints about overcrowded conditions in Thompsons holding cells had already made their way to the provincial government, and those in charge wanted to avoid future grievances. Former Thompson Crown attorney David Gray says a proposed solution to the bail problem was ignored. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) Thats when David Grays phone started ringing. Passed down the chain from a senior official in the provincial attorney generals office, the message was clear: fix it. Gray, then the supervising Crown attorney heading up Thompsons provincial prosecutions office, spent six months working on a plan he figured would save the province a half-million dollars in prisoner transport costs that year. "I imposed a rule in the Thompson office effective immediately. The sheriffs were instructed by the Crown that absent my permission, we were not opposed to release. That is, there would be no justification for returning them to custody," Gray said. "The police across the North were told that, and there was some considerable resistance." It was a stance aimed at making sure the only people locked up were the ones who really needed to be. Grays vision for the Northern Bail Program would have seen the province hire a bail worker to set up bail plans for people so they wouldnt have to be detained in custody, cutting down on overcrowding. The work could be done by someone from Legal Aid, or from an Indigenous justice committee, at a fraction of what it costs to ship people from jail to court and back again, he proposed. It never happened. Instead, Crown attorneys in the Thompson office worked after hours and on weekends to field calls from RCMP, authorizing the detention of certain individuals and ordering the release of others on certain conditions. Last May, after Gray retired from prosecutions and began practising as a defence lawyer, that work was centralized in Winnipeg. Now, its up to city prosecutors to decide who will stay in jail after theyre arrested in a northern community, even though they may not be familiar with the North or the travel distances required. Some may not realize that being arrested in a remote community often means being locked in an RCMP cell for days before getting a chance to obtain bail. "Every single Crown Ive talked to has complained about the fact that their colleagues in Winnipeg have remanded people in custody inappropriately," Gray said. Many arrested in the North dont have family members or friends the court considers qualified to vouch for them as sureties; steady jobs, property ownership and the absence of a criminal record may be required. So some judges have gotten used to ordering people to pay hundreds of dollars in cash before they can be released on bail. Its an extra layer of security for the court to try to make sure those whove been charged with crimes will show up to court, but it often means people sit in jail on remand unnecessarily sometimes for months simply because they cant scrape the money together. "When cash bail is ordered, the amount must not be set so high that it effectively amounts to a detention order," the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2017. "The judge is under a positive obligation to inquire into the ability of the accused to pay." Unable to pay, forced to stay I felt like giving up, Shayna Kelly-White said over the phone from her placement at Winnipegs Elizabeth Fry Society. click to read more I felt like giving up, Shayna Kelly-White said over the phone from her placement at Winnipegs Elizabeth Fry Society I was willing to plead out to these charges they made me feel like I wasnt going to get out anyway. The 26-year-old spent more than six months in jail after a Crown attorney agreed she could be released on bail. She stayed behind bars only because she couldnt pay the $500 the court imposed as part of her bail plan. A self-described former drug addict, Kelly-White had an addictions treatment bed waiting for her at Winnipegs Behavioural Health Foundation last summer. But a provincial court judge in Thompson wouldnt agree to release her to the treatment centre and Kelly-White couldnt raise the cash before her spot was given away. I felt like there was nothing I could do. I felt like my life was in their hands and, like, theyre the ones who were saying if you cant come up with this, then youre going to stay there, she said. Her case made its way to Manitobas Court of Queens Bench, where a Winnipeg judge ordered her release in late December 2018 and declared it was illegal to impose cash bail on someone who couldnt afford to pay. Its believed to be the first Manitoba court decision that affirms the Supreme Courts vision for cash bail in Canada. When cash bail is ordered, the amount must not be set so high that it effectively amounts to a detention order, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in 2017. The judge is under a positive obligation to inquire into the ability of the accused to pay. Court of Queens Bench Justice Jeffrey Harris decided the judge who doubled down on the cash-bail requirement for Kelly-White was wrong to ignore her defence lawyer when he told the court she couldnt afford $500. Kelly-White was part of Elizabeth Frys bail supervision program when she spoke to the Free Press in February, shortly after Harris released his written reasons in her case. She was awaiting trial on drug charges after she was arrested in Norway House in May 2018. Police pulled over the car she was in and allegedly found 40 rocks of crack cocaine. Kelly-White said she battled drug addiction for years but had been sober for 10 months and was participating in counselling programs. She said she didnt want to go back to jail. Thats the only thing that runs through my head nowadays, like if I go back in, Im stuck back in there, and I dont want to be, because Ive come so far in being sober and doing these programs and trying to prove a point to my friends that are sitting in there, that theres more to it than this, she said. Thats my biggest goal in life right now, that I can sit there and look at people and be like, hey, theres more to than just sitting here and trying to get your next fix all the time. Ive been at the bottom a lot in my life, but this is probably the lowest Ive felt right now, how the justice system actually made me feel like that. Katie May Close Yet, in northern courts, a class system is part of the everyday process, said Gray, who has recently fought cases on behalf of northern residents who were granted bail but couldnt get out because they didnt have enough money. "People believe that the system isnt racist. Because its true it didnt matter to me if the person in front of me was Indigenous or white or a recent immigrant, it didnt matter. Id prosecute more or less the same way and I did try to take into account the special circumstances of all of the individual offenders," he said. "The people in the system are, for the most part, fair in that sense. But the system is designed in a way that is inherently racist and will create disparities between non-Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal communities." When asked if the government was aware of the long-standing concerns surrounding bail, Justice Minister Cliff Cullen said he knows there are ongoing "challenges" in northern Manitoba. "We want to make sure that everyone has timely access to justice, particularly in Thompson and northern Manitoba," he said in an interview with the Free Press after he visited the Thompson court facility for the first time as justice minister earlier this year. The province is responding by trying to fill vacancies, promising better wireless Internet and video conferencing, pricing out court renovations and looking for ways to "streamline" the prisoner transportation system, he said. Obtaining timely bail hearings is just one of many problems with access to justice in northern Manitoba, largely stemming from the poverty and isolation of many remote communities and allowed to snowball through the criminal justice system. "They all come from the same problem of how do you bring justice to a place, what kind of resources do you need to bring the same level of justice that you would get in the city to a remote place? And all of the struggles that the system has had creates more problems," said defence lawyer Chris Sigurdson, who has worked in circuit courts north of Winnipeg for about 20 years. Criminal defence lawyer Chris Sigurdson says there needs to be better awareness and understanding of the problems, particularly by people in Winnipeg. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) "The system is stretched thin. Perhaps throwing resources at it may not assist. Certainly, there has to be greater understanding of those problems and more of an awareness of those problems from people in the capital. "There are people within the system who are trying hard and doing what they can, but theyre doing it on their own. There needs to be more of an overarching direction to it. Because there isnt a political will to push for it." For years, those working in the justice system have complained that the official hub of northern Manitoba doesnt get its fair share of judges, justices of the peace, court clerks, Crown attorneys, defence lawyers or sheriffs. Court staff from Winnipeg are routinely sent north to try to make up for shortages, prompting concerns from the provincial government employees union. Recruitment and retention of clerks and prosecutors is a priority for the province, Cullen said. But its nothing new. The inadequacy of staffing in Thompsons court office and the lack of space in the office itself has been brought up repeatedly in the provincial courts own annual reports dating back to 2006. "We dont do things the same way as Winnipeg because we cant do things the same way as Winnipeg, partially because we dont have the staffing resources," said Thompson defence lawyer Serena Puranen. More resources for northern courts was top of mind for Chief Judge Margaret Wiebe when she was heading into her first full year as head of the provincial court. "For me, focusing on the north is a very big priority. We need to get more judicial resources in the north to be able to deal with matters up there in a more timely way and that is an issue that Im very focused on," Wiebe told the Free Press in early 2017. Defence lawyer Serena Puranen says a sense of fairness, acceptance, and respect for the system is lacking when vast disparities exist. (Katie May / Winnipeg Free Press) A Free Press request to interview Wiebe recently was declined with an explanation that she cant speak publicly about challenges facing northern courts while cases involving those issues are being appealed in Manitobas Court of Queens Bench. "The chief judge is open to these discussions at some point down the road, but it (would) not be appropriate at this time," a court spokeswoman wrote in an email, citing the ongoing legal action. In sheer numbers, the caseload in Thompson provincial court is second to Winnipegs. But Thompsons population about 12,500 is 64 times smaller than the capitals. With its three full-time judges and two justices of the peace, Thompsons provincial court office completed 6,927 cases in 2017-18, according to the most recent provincial court data. In Winnipeg, where there are 40 provincial court judges and 16 justices of the peace, 31,776 cases were completed. Its been nearly two years since Joyce McIvor was talking to prisoners over the phone in Thompsons court office, but shes been told it still rings for her. Now, the calls come in on her personal cellphone, or via social-media messages from friends of friends and their families who ask for her tips on navigating the criminal-justice system. "All the time," she said. The Thompson resident has no legal training, but when she worked for Manitoba Justice as an Aboriginal court worker from January 2016 to June 2017, she thought shed seen it all. Her position a bridge between Indigenous accused and the justice system has been vacant since she left. "I know not even being in school for law with the justice system you can see clearly whos favouring and whos not being favoured. And why are our people overpopulated in the jails?" Court staff from Winnipeg are routinely sent north to try to make up for shortages in the system. (Katie May / Winnipeg Free Press) As a Cree woman, she saw the answer was right there in court, day in and day out. She heard it on the other end of the phone line from men in custody on remand who told her they hadnt been able to contact their lawyer for weeks. Or they couldnt get out on bail because they didnt have cash to post. Or they would do anything to get back to their families. "They would say, Well, I think Im just going to plead guilty on that just so I can get out of here. And Im going, And then youre going to have a record! This is going to stay with you! Why do you want to do that?" McIvor said. The response, too many times, was, "I need to get out!" "Im sick of it, I need to go home, I need to go home and help my wife or help my girlfriend and the kids, thats what most of them are saying," she recalled. When a guilty plea means getting out on time served and waiting for a trial means spending many more months behind bars, its easy to see why some people, particularly those whove already amassed long criminal records, would think, "whats one more?" defence lawyer Jemmett said. "When youre a criminal lawyer, the No. 1 question that people ask you is how do you represent people who are guilty but want to go to trial?" she says. "The far more common ethical problem happens when someone who credibly tells you that they are innocent wants to plead guilty." 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. Many people in the north bristle at southerners attempts to tell them what to do without putting up the proper support to make it happen. The justice system is no exception directives from Winnipeg can be met with a raised eyebrow, an eyeroll, a knowing chuckle. But dozens interviewed agreed: when access to justice varies this much from place to place within Manitoba, its everyones problem. "It doesnt contribute to any sense of fairness, acceptance, respect for the system," said Puranen. "It only further marginalizes them, fosters disrespect for the system, it gives people grudges and chips on their shoulders. It makes problems worse." Next week: Part 2 in Katie May's series, on transportation challenges katie.may@freepress.mb.ca WASHINGTON - For nearly two years, President Donald Trump and his allies sought to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, attacking investigators' credibility and playing down their findings. As a redacted version of Mueller's report was finally released Thursday, Trump resorted to bluster, broadsides and falsehoods to try, once more, to frame the moment as a political victory. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 18/4/2019 (974 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The White House, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) WASHINGTON - For nearly two years, President Donald Trump and his allies sought to undermine special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, attacking investigators' credibility and playing down their findings. As a redacted version of Mueller's report was finally released Thursday, Trump resorted to bluster, broadsides and falsehoods to try, once more, to frame the moment as a political victory. It began even before the public glimpsed the two volumes covering 448 pages . The report included an account of how the president attempted to seize control of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and force out Mueller from leading the inquiry. But that didn't stop Trump from taking a public victory lap, declaring at a White House event that he was having "a good day." Twelve times Trump took to Twitter in the hours before Attorney General William Barr outlined the findings of the report. The president proclaimed his innocence and insisted that the investigation was politically motivated. As soon as Barr concluded his remarks, and more than an hour before Mueller's report was released, Trump tweeted a taunt over an image inspired by the HBO show "Game of Thrones." "No Collusion. No Obstruction," it said. "For the haters and the radical left Democrats Game Over." But the report does recount how Trump repeatedly sought to intervene in a probe that has hovered over the first two years of his presidency. And it says Trump had been agitated by the investigation from the start, reporting that Trump reacted to Mueller's appointment by saying it was the "end of his presidency." President Donald Trump holds up a statue of the Wounded Warrior Project logo presented to him during a Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride event in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) At Justice Department headquarters, reporters buzzed around as they awaited Barr and then the Mueller report. A few blocks away, there was calm on one of the defining days of Trump's presidency. The news media were led into the White House East Room, just before the report came out, for Trump's appearance with wounded warriors. While newsrooms across the country digested the report, the White House guests, already seated while waiting for the president to arrive, were entertained by the U.S. Marine Band. Among the selections played: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." "Knockout," read a text message from Rudy Giuliani, one of the president's attorneys, to reporters after Barr finished speaking. Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing on the North Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) A further statement from Giuliani and Trump's lawyers said "the report itself is nothing more than an attempt to rehash old allegations" and insisted that "the results of the investigation are a total victory for the president." Current and former White House officials eagerly rushed through the report. They scanned for their names to see what Mueller had said about them and how he had characterized their testimony, and wondered how those depictions might sit with a mercurial president. Staffers had been told by the White House to co-operate fully with Mueller's team and answer their questions truthfully. But many were nervous about how Trump would react to their testimony and whether it would damage their relationships with him. Without taking questions from reporters about the Mueller report, President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to board Marine One for the short trip to Joint Base Andrews, then on to his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., at the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 18, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Talking points went out to Trump allies while his supporters' phones buzzed with text messages from the campaign looking to raise money off Thursday's developments. "Now the tables have turned, and it's time to investigate the liars who instigated this sham investigation into President Trump, motivated by political retribution and based on no evidence whatsoever," said Trump's re-election campaign manager, Brad Parscale. Donald Trump Jr, the president's eldest son, was featured prominently in the report for meeting with a Kremlin-connected lawyer at Trump Tower in June 2016. Though the report said "the campaign anticipated receiving derogatory documents and information" from Russians that "could assist Trump's electoral prospects," it said "the government would unlikely be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt" that the participants at that meeting "had general knowledge that their conduct was unlawful." Marine One with President Donald Trump aboard, departs the South Lawn of the White House, Thursday, April 18, 2019, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md. President Trump is traveling to his Mar-a-lago estate to spend the Easter weekend in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Though a seemingly backhanded exoneration, the younger Trump tweeted a series of attacks on Democrats. "Better luck next hoax!" he said. Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said that because the White House didn't interfere with Mueller's work, that "should make people feel good about democracy." "We're accepting apologies today, too," Conway told reporters, adding that Trump watched Barr, talked to his lawyers and was in "a great mood." President Donald Trump greets people at Palm Beach International Airport, Thursday, April 18, 2019, in West Palm Beach, Fla. Trump is spending the Easter weekend as his Mar-a-Lago estate. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) The president, who normally talks to reporters on his way out of the White House, declined to speak as he left to spend the Easter weekend in Florida. But from Air Force One, he tweeted: "I had the right to end the whole Witch Hunt if I wanted. I could have fired everyone, including Mueller, if I wanted. I chose not to. I had the RIGHT to use Executive Privilege. I didn't!" Appearing relaxed earlier Friday at a military event, Trump said a statue he'd been presented with as a memento would have a permanent home "at least for six years, in the Oval Office." As the audience applauded and laughed, Trump said he was going to joke and say "at least for 10 or 14 years, but we would cause bedlam if I said that." 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. ___ Lemire reported from New York. ___ Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire , Colvin at http://twitter.com/@colvinj and Superville at http://twitter.com/@dsupervilleap ___ For complete coverage of the Mueller report, go to: https://www.apnews.com/TrumpInvestigations Kirsten Gillibrand, New York senator, speaks to the audience of womens rights activists at the closing of the 2019 Womens March Iowa Jan. 19 at the Iowa Capitol in Des Moines. Women still do not represent 51 percent of elected leaders in this country. Imagine just for a moment what America would look like if it did. Imagine what would be possible. Do you think we would still be fighting tooth and nail for basic reproductive freedoms in this country? No. Do you think that wed be hesitating to pass a national paid leave bill, equal pay for equal work, affordable day care, universal pre-K? No. Do you think it would be so hard to end sexual violence in our military, on college campuses and in society in general? No. And finally do you think our senate would be causing a vote on denying womens reproductive care when they should be opening the government and giving paychecks to the 800,000 workers who have gone without their pay this week, Gillibrand said. A day in the life of a chamber of commerce director Amara Huffine, executive director for the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, began her journey in the position March 1. Since then, she has taken on a variety of responsibilities, all geared toward making Madison County... Avoid insurance scams during open enrollment Madison County Health Care System (MCHCS) is urging area residents to be cautious about solicitation calls or emails related to health insurance during the open enrollment period. They also warn against shopping for health insurance... Local musicians selected for honor band The following Winterset High School musicians were selected from over 350 applications for the Drake University Honor Band. They rehearsed with other students from across Iowa and performed a great concert on Saturday evening at... Listen and learn with Coffee and Conversation Iowa Learning Farms (ILF), the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach conservation and water quality education program, will host Coffee and Conservation, Wednesday, Dec. 15, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the Warren Cultural Center in... (Photo/Xinhua) There is an urgent need for biological information regulation in China, as more people face the risks of information leakage, theft, and abusive use of their personal biological information. Alongside fast-developing artificial intelligence (AI), the acquisition, gathering, storing and application of personal biological information, including fingerprints, irises, faces and DNA, are becoming more convenient and therefore more common. Among 100 surveyed mobile apps, over 90 percent had collected more user information than required, and 10 apps failed to notify users on personal biological information collection, according to a report released by the China Consumers Association last November. In February this year, a Chinese AI company was accused of a large-scale data breach. More than 6.8 million items were potentially leaked including facial images, meaning the personal information of 2.5 million people could have been illegally acquired. Yi Tong, deputy to the second session of the 13th National Peoples Congress, proposed new legislation on the biological information protection as Chinese law lacks in this respect. Yi, also a director of the Beijing Science Research Center, said that personal biological information is different from passwords that can be updated and changed. Once leaked, information security would at a much higher risk and could trigger severe consequences. China still lacks regulations and mechanisms to deal with risks and unfair competition in the commercial application of personal biological information in relevant industries, Yi said. 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 Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. engages in the mining of copper, gold and molybdenum. It operates through the following segments: North America Copper Mines, South America Mining; Indonesia Mining, Molybdenum Mines, Rod and Refining, Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining and Corporate, Other and Eliminations. The North America Copper Mines segment operates open-pit copper mines in Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita and Miami in Arizona and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico. The South America Mining segment includes Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The Indonesia Mining segment handles the operations of Grasberg minerals district that produces copper concentrate that contains significant quantities of gold and silver. The Molybdenum Mines segment includes the Henderson underground mine and Climax open-pit mine, both in Colorado. The Rod and Refining segment consists of copper conversion facilities located in North America and includes a refinery, rod mills, and a specialty copper products facility. The Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining segment smelts and refines copper concentrate and markets refined copper and precious metals in slimes. The Corporate, Other and Eliminations segment Read More Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More First American Financial Corp. operates as an insurance company. It provides title insurance and settlement services to the real estate and mortgage industries. The company operates its business through the following segments: Title Insurance & Services and Specialty Insurance. The Title Insurance & Services segment provides title insurance, escrow, closing services and similar or related financial services domestically and internationally in connection with residential and commercial real estate transactions. It also maintains, manages and provides access to title plant records and images and provides banking, trust and investment advisory services. The Specialty Insurance segment issues property & casualty insurance policies and sells home warranty products. It also provides title plant management services, which include title and other real property records and images, valuation products and services, home warranty products, property and casualty insurance and banking, trust and investment advisory services. First American Financial was founded in January, 2008 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, CA. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Boston Scientific: 34 Biomedical Merger Corp., 9357-1867 Quebec Inc., Acurate Industria e Comercio Ltda., Advanced Bionics, Advanced Stent Technologies, American Medical Systems, American Medical Systems Europe B.V., Apama Medical, Apama Medical Inc., Asthmatx, Atritech, Augmenix, Augmenix Inc., Augmenix K.K., BSC International Medical Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BSC Medical Device Technology (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., BTG, BTG Australasia Pty Ltd, BTG Europe B.V., BTG IM Holdings Ltd., BTG International (Holdings) Limited, BTG International Asia Limited, BTG International Canada Inc., BTG International Germany GmbH, BTG International Healthcare Inc., BTG International Healthcare LLC, BTG International Healthcare Limited, BTG International Inc., BTG International Limited, BTG Limited, BTG Management Services Limited, BTG Medikal Limited Sirketi, Bard Electrophysiology, Barosense, Biocompatibles Inc., Biocompatibles International Limited, Biocompatibles UK Limited, Boston Scientific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Boston Scientific (South Africa) Proprietary Limited, Boston Scientific (Thailand) Ltd., Boston Scientific (UK) Limited, Boston Scientific AG, Boston Scientific Argentina S.A., Boston Scientific Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Boston Scientific Benelux NV, Boston Scientific Canada Limited, Boston Scientific Ceska republika s.r.o., Boston Scientific Chile SpA, Boston Scientific Colombia Limitada, Boston Scientific Comercial de Costa Rica BSCR S.R.L., Boston Scientific Far East B.V., Boston Scientific Gesellschaft m.b.H., Boston Scientific Group plc, Boston Scientific Hellas S.A., Boston Scientific Hong Kong Limited, Boston Scientific Iberica S.A., Boston Scientific India Private Limited, Boston Scientific International B.V., Boston Scientific International Finance Limited, Boston Scientific International S.A., Boston Scientific Israel Ltd., Boston Scientific Japan K.K., Boston Scientific Korea Co. Ltd., Boston Scientific Lebanon SAL, Boston Scientific Limited, Boston Scientific Ltd., Boston Scientific Medical Device, Boston Scientific Medical Device Limited, Boston Scientific Medizintechnik GmbH, Boston Scientific Middle East FZ-LLC, Boston Scientific Middle East SAL, Boston Scientific Nederland B.V., Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation, Boston Scientific New Zealand Limited, Boston Scientific Nordic AB, Boston Scientific Peru S.A.C., Boston Scientific Philippines Inc., Boston Scientific Polska Sp. z o.o., Boston Scientific Portugal - Dispositivos Medicos Lda, Boston Scientific Pty Ltd, Boston Scientific Romania S.R.L., Boston Scientific S.A.S., Boston Scientific S.p.A., Boston Scientific Scimed, Boston Scientific Scimed Inc., Boston Scientific Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific TIP Gerecleri Limited Sirketi, Boston Scientific Technology & Engineering Services Private Limited, Boston Scientific Uruguay S.A., Boston Scientific Vietnam Company Limited, Boston Scientific de Costa Rica S.R.L., Boston Scientific de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Boston Scientific del Caribe Inc., Boston Scientific do Brasil Ltda., Bravo Bidco Limited, BridgePoint Medical, Cameron Health, Cardiac Pacemakers Inc., Cardiac Pathways Corp, Catheter Innovations, Claret Medical, Claret Medical Inc., Cosman Medical, Cosman Medical LLC, CryoCor, Cryterion Medical, Cryterion Medical Inc., Cryterion Medical Ireland Limited, EKOS LLC, EMcision, EMcision International Inc., EP Technologies, EP Technologies Inc., Electron Acquisition Corporation, EndoChoice, EndoChoice Holdings Inc., EndoChoice Inc., EndoChoice Innovation Center Ltd., EndoChoice Israel Ltd., Endotex, Enteric Medical Technologies, Galil Medical Inc., Galil Medical Ltd., Galil Medical UK Limited, Guidant, Guidant Delaware Holding Corporation, Guidant Europe NV, Guidant Puerto Rico B.V., Hong Kong Medtech Trading Limited, Intelect Medical, Millipede, Millipede Inc., NXT Merger Corp., Notebook Merger Sub Ltd., Novate Medical Limited, NxThera, NxThera Inc., PT Boston Scientific Indonesia, PneumRx GmbH, PneumRx LLC, PneumRx Liimited, Protherics Medicines Development B.V., Protherics Medicines Development Limited, Protherics UK Limited, Provensis Limited, RMI Acquisition Corp., Remon Medical Technologies, Rhythmia Medical, Robert S. Smith M.D. Inc., Roxwood Medical Inc., SNS Merger Corp, Sadra Medical, Sadra Medical Inc., Securus Medical Group, Securus Medical Group Inc., Special K Merger Corp., StarMedTec, Stream Enterprises LLC, Symetis, Symetis SA, Target Therapeutics, Target Therapeutics Inc., The LumenR Tissue Retractor System, Veniti, Veniti Inc., VertiFlex, Vertiflex Inc., Vessix Vascular, Xlumena, Zuma Investment Pty Ltd, iogyn, nVision Medical, and nVision Medical Corporation. The following companies are subsidiares of Vodafone Group: 360 Connect S.A., [email protected] Telecom, A-ccelerator B.V., A-ccelerator Holding B.V, AAA (Euro) Limited, AAA (MCR) Limited, AAA (UK) Limited, Acorn Communications Limited, Africonnect (Zambia) Limited, Ag Mercantile Company Private Limited, Al-Amin Investments Limited, Amsterdamse Beheer- en Consultingmaatschappij B.V., Apollo Submarine Cable System Limited, Array Holdings Limited, Asian Telecommunication Investments (Mauritius) Limited, Aspective Limited, Astec Communications Limited, Autoconnex Limited, Aztec Limited, BelCompany BV, Bluefish Apac Communications Pte. Ltd, Bluefish Communications, Bluefish Communications Limited, Business Serve Limited, C&W Worldwide Nigeria Limited, C.S.P. Solutions Limited, CCII (Mauritius) Inc., CGP India Investments Ltd., CGP Investments (Holdings) Limited, COOP Mobil s.r.o, CT Networks Limited, CWGNL S.A., CWW Operations Limited, Cable & Wireless Access Limited, Cable & Wireless Americas Systems Inc., Cable & Wireless Aspac Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Services Limited, Cable & Wireless CIS Svyaz LLC, Cable & Wireless Capital Limited , Cable & Wireless Communications Data Network Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Starclass Limited, Cable & Wireless Communications Technical Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd (Beijing Branch), Cable & Wireless Europe Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless GN Limited, Cable & Wireless Global (India) Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Business Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Holding Limited, Cable & Wireless Global Telecommunication Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Holdco Limited, Cable & Wireless Networks India Private Limited, Cable & Wireless Trade Mark Management Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless UK Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Waterside Holdings Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Pension Trustee Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Services Limited, Cable & Wireless Worldwide Voice Messaging Limited, Cable & Wireless a-Services Inc, Cable & Wireless a-Services Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited, Cable and Wireless (India) Limited Indian Branch Office, Cable and Wireless Nominee Limited, Cable and Wireless Worldwide South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cavalry Holdings Ltd, Celfocus Solucoes Informaticas Para Telecomunicacoes S.A, Cellops Limited, Cellular Operations Limited, Central Communications Group Limited, Central Telecom (Northern) Limited, Centurion GSM Limited, Chelys Limited, City Cable (Holdings) Limited, Cobra do Brasil Servicos de Telematica ltda., Commnet Cellular Inc., Complete Network Technology, Connect (India) Mobile Technologies Private Limited, Cornerstone Telecommunications Infrastructure Limited, Dataroam Limited , Device Insight, Digital Island (UK) Ltd, Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, East Africa Investment (Mauritius) Limited, Emtel Europe Limited, Energis (Ireland) Limited, Energis Communications Limited, Energis Holdings Limited, Energis Local Access Limited, Energis Management Limited, Energis Squared Limited, Erudite Systems Limited, Esprit Telecom B.V., Eudokia Limited, Euro Pacific Securities Ltd., Eurocall Holdings Limited, Europolitan Holdings AB (now Europolitan Vodafone AB), FB Holdings Limited, FM Associates (UK) Limited, FinCo Partner 1 B.V., FireFly Networks Limited, Flexphone Limited, GS Telecom (Pty) Limited, Gateway Communications Africa (UK) Limited, Gateway Communications Tanzania Limited, General Mobile Corporation, Generation Telecom Limited, Ghana Telecommunications, Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited, Global Cellular Rental Limited, Globe Limited, GrandCentrix GmbH, Grupo Corporativo ONO S.A.U., H3ga Properties (No 3) Pty Limited, HBO Nederland Cooperatief U.A., HBO Netherlands Channels sro, HBO Netherlands Distribution B.V., Hellas Online, How2 Telecom Limited, Hutchison Essar Ltd, Indus Towers Limited, Intercell Communications Limited, Internet Network Services Limited, Invitation Digital Limited, Ipergy Communications NV, Isis Telecommunications Management Limited, Jaguar Communications Limited, Jaykay Finholding (India) Private Limited, Jupicol (Proprietary) Limited, KABELCOM Braunschweig Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, KABELCOM Wolfsburg Gesellschaft Fur BreitbandkabelKommunikation Mit Beschrankter Haftung, Kabel Deutschland, Kabel Deutschland Holding, Kabel Deutschland Holding Erste Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Holding Zweite Beteilgungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Neunte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabel Deutschland Siebte Beteiligungs GmbH, Kabelfernsehen Munchen Servicenter GmbH & Co. KG, LG Financing Partnership, LGE HoldCo V B.V., LGE HoldCo VI B.V., LGE HoldCo VIII B.V., LGE Holdco VII B.V., LLC Vodafone Enterprise Ukraine, Le Bunt Holdings Limited, Legend Communications Limited, Liberty Global, Liberty Global Content Netherlands B.V., London Hydraulic Power Company, M-PESA Foundation, M-PESA Holding Co. Limited, ML Integration Group Limited, ML Integration Limited, ML Integration Services Limited, MV Healthcare Services Private Limited, Mannesmann AG, MetroHoldings Limited, Mezzanine Ware Proprietary Limited (RF), Mirambo Limited, Misrfone Trading Company LLC, MobiFon S.A., Mobile Commerce Solutions Limited, Mobile Phone Centre Limited, Mobile Wallet VM1, Mobile Wallet VM2, Mobile by Sainsburys Limited, Mobiles 4 Business.com Limited, Mobileworld Communications Pty Limited, Mobileworld Operating Pty Ltd, Mobilvest, Motifpros 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Multi Risk Indemnity Company Limited, Multi Risk Limited, ND Callus Info Services Private Limited, Nadal Trading Company Private Limited, Nat Comm Air Limited, National Communications Backbone Company Limited, Navtrak Ltd, Netforce Group Limited, Netgrid Telecom SRL, Number Portability Company (Proprietary) Limited, ONO, Omega Telecom Holdings Private Limited, Oni Way Infocomunicacoes S.A, Oskar Mobil S.R.O., Oxygen Solutions Limited, P.C.P. (North West) Limited, PPL Pty Limited, PT Network Services Limited, PTI Telecom Limited, Peoples Phone Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Group Limited, Pinnacle Cellular Limited, Plex Limited, Plustech Mercantile Company Private Limited, Prime Metals Ltd., Project Telecom Holdings Limited, Quickcomm Software Solutions, Radio Opt GmbH, Rian Mobile Limited, SBC SMART CITY 1517 B.V., SMMS Investments Pvt Limited, Safaricom Limited, Safenet N.P A., Sarmady Communications, Scarlet Ibis Investments 23 (Pty) Limited, Scorpios Beverages Pvt. Ltd, Silver Stream Investments Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Limited, Singlepoint (4U) Ltd., Singlepoint Payment Services Limited, Siro Limited, Spar Aerospace (Nigeria) Limited, Sport TV Portugal S.A, Starnet, Stentor Communications Limited, Stentor Limited, Storage Technology Services (Pty) Limited, T.W. Telecom Limited, T3 Telecommunications Limited, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern Beteiligungs GmbH, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, TNAS Limited, TSM NZ Limited, Talkland Airtime Services Limited, Talkland Australia Pty Limited, Talkland Communications Limited, Talkland International Limited, Talkland Midlands Limited, Talkmobile Limited, Tele2 Italia SPA, Tele2 Spain, Telecom Investments India Private Limited, Telecommunications Europe Limited, Ternhill Communications Limited, The Cobra Group, The Eastern Leasing Company Limited, The Old Telecom Sales Co. Limited, Thus Group Holdings Limited, Thus Group Limited, Thus Limited, Thus Profit Sharing Trustees Limited, TnT Expense Management LLC, Tomorrow Street GP S.a r.l., Tomorrow Street SCA, Torenspits II B.V., Townley Communications Limited, Trans Crystal Ltd., UMT Investments Limited, UPC Nederland Holding I B.V., UPC Nederland Holding II B.V., UPC Nederland Holding III B.V., Unified Communications, Uniqueair Limited, Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH & Co.KG, Usha Martin Telematics Limited, VAPL No. 2 Pty Limited, VBA (Mauritius) Limited, VBA Holdings Limited, VBA International (SL) Limited, VBA International Limited, VEI S.r.l., VM SA, VND S.p.A, VSSB Vodafone Shared Services Budapest Private Limited Company, Verwaltung Urbana Teleunion Rostock GmbH, Victus Networks S.A., Vizzavi Finance Limited, Vizzavi Limited, Voda Limited, Vodacall Limited, Vodacash s.p.r.l., Vodacom (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business (Angola) Limitada, Vodacom Business (Ghana) Limited, Vodacom Business (Kenya) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa (Nigeria) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Business Africa Group Services Limited, Vodacom Business Cameroon SA, Vodacom Business Cote Divoire S.A.R.L., Vodacom Congo (RDC) SA, Vodacom Financial Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Group Limited, Vodacom Insurance Administration Company (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Insurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom International Holdings (Pty) Limited, Vodacom International Limited, Vodacom Lesotho (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Life Assurance Company (RF) Limited, Vodacom Payment Services (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No 1 (Proprietary) Limited, Vodacom Properties No.2 (Pty) Limited, Vodacom Tanzania Limited Zanzibar, Vodacom Tanzania Public Limited Company, Vodacom UK Limited, Vodafone (NI) Limited, Vodafone (New Zealand) Hedging Limited, Vodafone (Scotland) Limited, Vodafone 2, Vodafone 4 UK, Vodafone 5 Limited, Vodafone 5 UK, Vodafone 6 UK, Vodafone Albania Sh.A, Vodafone Alternatif Telekom Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Americas 4, Vodafone Americas Virginia Inc., Vodafone And Qatar Foundation L.L.C, Vodafone Asset Management Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Automotive Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Automotive Electronic Systems S.r.L, Vodafone Automotive France S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Iberia S.L, Vodafone Automotive Italia S.p.A, Vodafone Automotive Japan K.K, Vodafone Automotive Korea Limited, Vodafone Automotive SpA, Vodafone Automotive Technologies (Beijing) Co Ltd, Vodafone Automotive Telematics Development S.A.S, Vodafone Automotive Telematics S.A, Vodafone Automotive UK Limited, Vodafone Belgium SA/NV, Vodafone Benelux Limited, Vodafone Bilgi Ve Iletisim Hizmetleri AS, Vodafone Business Services Limited, Vodafone Business Solutions Limited, Vodafone Canada Inc, Vodafone Cellular Limited, Vodafone Central Services Limited, Vodafone China Limited (China), Vodafone China Limited (Hong Kong), Vodafone Connect 2 Limited, Vodafone Connect Limited, Vodafone Consolidated Holdings Limited, Vodafone Corporate Limited, Vodafone Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Czech Republic A.S., Vodafone DC Pension Trustee Company Limited, Vodafone Dagitim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Data, Vodafone Distribution Holdings Limited, Vodafone Egypt Telecommunications S.A.E., Vodafone Elektronik Para Ve Odeme Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Empresa Brasil Telecomunicacoes Ltda, Vodafone Empresa Mexico S.de R.L. de C.V., Vodafone Enabler Espana S.L., Vodafone Enterprise Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Austria GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Bahrain W.L.L., Vodafone Enterprise Bulgaria EOOD, Vodafone Enterprise Chile SA, Vodafone Enterprise Communications Technical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Corporate Secretaries Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Denmark A/S, Vodafone Enterprise Equipment Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited Czech Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Europe (UK) Limited DubaiI Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Finland OY, Vodafone Enterprise France SAS, Vodafone Enterprise Germany GmbH, Vodafone Enterprise Global Businesses S.a r.l., Vodafone Enterprise Global Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network HK Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Global Network Pte. Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Hong Kong Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Italy S.r.L, Vodafone Enterprise Korea Limited, Vodafone Enterprise Luxembourg S.A., Vodafone Enterprise Netherlands BV, Vodafone Enterprise Norway AS, Vodafone Enterprise Regional Business Singapore Pte.Ltd., Vodafone Enterprise Singapore Pte.Ltd, Vodafone Enterprise Spain S.L.U. Portugal Branch, Vodafone Enterprise Spain SLU, Vodafone Enterprise Sweden AB, Vodafone Enterprise Switzerland AG, Vodafone Erste Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Vodafone Espana S.A.U., Vodafone Euro Hedging Limited, Vodafone Euro Hedging Two, Vodafone Europe B.V., Vodafone Europe UK, Vodafone European Investments, Vodafone European Portal Limited, Vodafone Finance Limited, Vodafone Finance Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Finance Sweden, Vodafone Finance UK Limited, Vodafone Financial Operations, Vodafone Financial Services B.V., Vodafone Fixed Ltd, Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone Foundation Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Gestioni S.p.A, Vodafone Ghana Mobile Financial Services Limited, Vodafone Global Content Services Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Hong Kong) Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise (Italy) S.R.L., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Japan) K.K., Vodafone Global Enterprise (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Vodafone Global Enterprise Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Russia LLC, Vodafone Global Enterprise Taiwan Limited, Vodafone Global Enterprise Telecommunications (Hellas) A.E., Vodafone Global Network Limited, Vodafone Global Network Limited Slovakia Branch, Vodafone Global Services Private Limited, Vodafone GmbH, Vodafone Group (Directors) Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Pension Trustee Limited, Vodafone Group Services GmbH, Vodafone Group Services Ireland Limited, Vodafone Group Services Limited, Vodafone Group Services No.2 Limited, Vodafone Group Share Trustee Limited, Vodafone Hire Limited, Vodafone Holding A.S., Vodafone Holdings (Jersey) Limited, Vodafone Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Holdings Europe S.L.U., Vodafone Holdings Luxembourg Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Australia Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Finance Pty Limited, Vodafone Hutchison Receivables Pty Limited, Vodafone IP Licensing Limited, Vodafone India Digital Limited, Vodafone India Limited, Vodafone India Services Private Limited, Vodafone India Ventures Limited, Vodafone Institut fur Gesellschaft und Kommunikation GmbH, Vodafone Intermediate Enterprises Limited, Vodafone International 1 S.a.r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone International 1 S.a r.l., Vodafone International 2 Limited, Vodafone International Holdings B.V., Vodafone International Holdings Limited, Vodafone International M S.a r.l., Vodafone International Operations Limited, Vodafone International Services LLC, Vodafone Investment UK, Vodafone Investments (SA) Proprietary Limited, Vodafone Investments Australia Limited, Vodafone Investments Limited, Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Investments Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Ireland Distribution Limited, Vodafone Ireland Ltd., Vodafone Ireland Marketing Limited, Vodafone Ireland Property Holdings Limited, Vodafone Ireland Retail Limited, Vodafone Italia S.p.A., Vodafone Jersey Dollar Holdings Limited, Vodafone Jersey Finance, Vodafone Jersey Yen Holdings Unlimited, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Field Services GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland GmbH, Vodafone Kabel Deutschland Kundenbetreuung GmbH, Vodafone Kenya Limited, Vodafone Leasing Limited, Vodafone Libertel B.V., Vodafone Limited, Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg 5 S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l., Vodafone Luxembourg S.a r.l. Luxembourg Zweigniederlassung Bern, Vodafone M-PESA SH.P.K., Vodafone M-Pesa S.A, Vodafone M.C. Mobile Services Limited , Vodafone Magyarorszag Mobile Tavkozlesi Zartkoruen Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Vodafone Malta Limited, Vodafone Marketing UK , Vodafone Maroc SARL, Vodafone Mauritius Ltd., Vodafone Mobile Commerce Limited, Vodafone Mobile Communications Limited, Vodafone Mobile Enterprises Limited, Vodafone Mobile NZ Limited, Vodafone Mobile Network Limited, Vodafone Mobile Operations Limited, Vodafone Mobile Services Limited, Vodafone Multimedia Limited, Vodafone Nederland Holding I B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding II B.V., Vodafone Nederland Holding III B.V., Vodafone Net Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Network Pty Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Foundation Limited, Vodafone New Zealand Limited, Vodafone Next Generation Services Limited, Vodafone Nominees Limited1, Vodafone ONO S.A.U., Vodafone Oceania Limited, Vodafone Old Show Ground Site Management Limited, Vodafone Overseas Finance Limited, Vodafone Overseas Holdings Limited, Vodafone Panafon International Holdings B.V., Vodafone Panafon UK, Vodafone Partner Services Limited, Vodafone Payment Solutions S.a r.l., Vodafone Portugal Comunicacoes Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Procurement Company S.a r.l., Vodafone Property Investments Limited, Vodafone Pty Limited, Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C., Vodafone Retail (Holdings) Limited , Vodafone Retail Limited, Vodafone Roaming Services S.a r.l., Vodafone Romania S.A, Vodafone Romania M - Payments SRL, Vodafone Romania Technologies SRL, Vodafone Sales & Services Limited, Vodafone Satellite Services Limited, Vodafone Servicios SL.U, Vodafone Servizi E Tecnologie S.R.L, Vodafone Servicos Empresariais Brasil Ltda., Vodafone Shared Services Romania SRL, Vodafone Specialist Communications Limited, Vodafone Stiftung Deutschland Gemeinnutzige GmbH, Vodafone Technology Solutions Limited, Vodafone Teknoloji Hizmetleri A.S., Vodafone Tele-Services (India) Holdings Limited, Vodafone Telecel-Comunicates Pessoais S.A., Vodafone Telecommunications (India) Limited, Vodafone Telekomunikasyon A.S, Vodafone Towers Limited, Vodafone UK Content Services Limited, Vodafone UK Investments Limited , Vodafone UK Limited1 , Vodafone US Inc, Vodafone Ventures Limited1 , Vodafone Vierte Verwaltungs AG, Vodafone Worldwide Holdings Limited, Vodafone Yen Finance Limited , Vodafone m-pesa Limited, Vodafone-Central Limited Vodaphone Limited, Vodafone-Panafon Hellenic Telecommunications Company S.A., VodafoneZiggo Group Holding B.V, Vodata Limited , Vouchercloud SA (Pty) Ltd, Wataneya Telecommunications S.A.E, Waterberg Lodge (Proprietary) Limited, Wayfinder, Wheatfields Investments 276 (Proprietary) Limited, Wireless Interactions & NFC Accelerator 2013 B.V., Woodend Cellular Limited, Woodend Communications Limited, Woodend Group Limited, Woodend Holdings Limited, XB Facilities B.V, XLink Communications (Proprietary) Limited, Your Communications Group Limited, ZUM B.V., ZYB, Zelitron S.A., Zesko B.V., Ziggo B.V., Ziggo Bond Company B.V., Ziggo Deelnemingen B.V., Ziggo Finance 2 B.V., Ziggo Financing Partnership, Ziggo Holding B.V., Ziggo Netwerk B.V., Ziggo Netwerk II B.V., Ziggo Services B.V., Ziggo Services Employment B.V., Ziggo Services Netwerk 2 B.V., Ziggo Zakelijk Services B.V., and Zoranet Connectivity Services B.V.. Brookfield Business Partners LP engages in owning and operating business services and industrial operations. It operates though the following segments: Business Services, Infrastructure Services, Industrial Operations, and Corporate and Other. The Business Services segment includes services such as residential mortgage insurance, healthcare, road fuel distribution and marketing, real estate and construction, entertainment, financing, and other businesses. The Infrastructure Services segment consists of services to the nuclear power generation industry and offshore oil production industry: and access, forming, and shoring solutions and specialized services. The Industrial Operations segment deals with automotive batteries, graphite electrode, and other manufacturing; water and wastewater services: natural gas production and well servicing; and a variety of other industrial operations. The Corporate and Other segment comprises cash and liquidity management, and activities related to the management of the partnership's relationship with Brookfield. The company was founded on October 1, 2015 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Read More iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF's stock was trading at $158.09 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, IWF stock has increased by 87.9% and is now trading at $297.02. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. New Jersey Resources Corp. is a holding company. The firm provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. It operates through the following segments: New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR Clean Energy Ventures, NJR Energy Services, NJR Midstream, and NJR Home Services. The New Jersey Natural Gas segment provides regulated retail natural gas service to residential and commercial customers in central and northern New Jersey. The NJR Clean Energy Ventures segment invests in, owns and operates solar projects. The NJR Energy Services segment manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services in the U.S. and Canada. The NJR Midstream segment serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers. The NJR Home Services segment provides heating, ventilation and cooling service, sales and installation of appliances services to its customers, as well as solar installation projects, and is the primary contributor to home services. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Wall, Read More There is not enough analysis data for BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund. 4.7 Community Rank Outperform Votes BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund has received 82 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund has received 36 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund has received 69.49% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about BlackRock MuniYield Michigan Quality Fund and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe MIY will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe MIY will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next American Electric Power Co., Inc. engages in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission & Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco and Generation & Marketing. The Vertically Integrated Utilities segment engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The Transmission & Distribution Utilities segment engages in the business of transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The AEP Transmission Holdco segment engages in the development, construction and operation of transmission facilities through investments in its wholly-owned transmission subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Generation & Marketing segment engages in non-regulated generation and marketing, risk management and retail activities. The company was founded on December 20, 1906 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Eaton: ADF Systems SARL, Abeiron III Limited, Aeroquip (UK) Limited, Aeroquip Financial Ltd., Aeroquip Iberica S.L., Aeroquip International Inc., Aeroquip Limited, Aeroquip do Brasil Ltda., Aeroquip-Vickers, Aeroquip-Vickers Canada Inc., Aeroquip-Vickers International S.a.r.L., Aphel Technologies, Argo-Tech, Arrow Hose & Tubing, Arrow-Hart S. de R.L. de C.V., Azonix Corporation, Babco Electric Group, Beijing Internormen-Filter Ltd. Co., Beijing Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Blinda Industria e Comercio Ltda., Bussmann International Holdings LLC, Bussmann International Inc., Bussmann S. de R.L. de C.V., Bussmann do Brasil Ltda., CBE Services Inc., CEAG Notlichtsysteme GmbH, CI ESI de Colombia, CTI-VIENNA Gesellschaft zur Prufung elektrotechnischer Industrieprodukte GmbH, Cambridge International Insurance Company Ltd., Cannon Technologies Inc., Centralion Industrial Inc., Chagrin Highlands III Limited, Cobham, Componentes de Iluminacion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper (China) Co. Ltd., Cooper (Ningbo) Electric Co. Ltd., Cooper B-Line Inc., Cooper Bermuda Investments Ltd., Cooper Bussmann (U.K.) Limited, Cooper Bussmann Hungaria Kft., Cooper Bussmann LLC, Cooper Capri S.A.S., Cooper Colombia Investments Ltd., Cooper Controls (Watford) Limited, Cooper Controls Limited, Cooper Crouse-Hinds (LLC), Cooper Crouse-Hinds (UK) Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds AS, Cooper Crouse-Hinds B.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH, Cooper Crouse-Hinds LLC, Cooper Crouse-Hinds MTL Inc., Cooper Crouse-Hinds Pte. Ltd., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Crouse-Hinds S.A., Cooper Csa Srl, Cooper Edison (Pingdingshan) Electronic Technologies Co. Ltd., Cooper Electric (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Cooper Electrical Australia Pty. Limited, Cooper Electrical International LLC, Cooper Electronic Technologies (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cooper Enterprises LLC, Cooper Finance (Canada) L.P., Cooper Finance Group Ltd., Cooper Finance USA Inc., Cooper Germany Holdings GmbH, Cooper India Private Limited, Cooper Industrials, Cooper Industries (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries (Electrical) Inc., Cooper Industries Colombia S.A.S., Cooper Industries FZE, Cooper Industries Finance B.V., Cooper Industries Finanzierungs-GbR, Cooper Industries Global B.V., Cooper Industries Holdings (Canada) Inc., Cooper Industries Holdings GmbH, Cooper Industries International LLC, Cooper Industries Japan K.K., Cooper Industries LLC, Cooper Industries Malaysia SDN BHD, Cooper Industries Middle East LLC, Cooper Industries Poland LLC, Cooper Industries Romania SRL, Cooper Industries Russia LLC, Cooper Industries Trading Limited, Cooper Industries UK Subco Limited, Cooper Industries Unlimited Company, Cooper Industries Vietnam LLC, Cooper Interconnect, Cooper International Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Investment Group Ltd., Cooper Investment Group S a.r.l., Cooper Investments Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Cooper Korea Ltd., Cooper Lighting LLC, Cooper Lighting de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Menvier France SARL, Cooper Mexico Distribucion S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Netherlands Investments Ltd., Cooper Notification Inc., Cooper Offshore Holdings S.a.r.l., Cooper Power Systems LLC, Cooper Power Systems do Brasil Ltda., Cooper Pretronica Lda., Cooper Safety B.V., Cooper Securite S.A.S., Cooper Security Limited, Cooper Shanghai Power Capacitor Co. Ltd., Cooper Switzerland Investments Ltd., Cooper Technologies Company, Cooper Univel S.A., Cooper Wheelock Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Inc., Cooper Wiring Devices Manufacturing S. de R.L. de C.V., Cooper Wiring Devices de Mexico S.A de C.V., Cooper Xi'an Fusegear Co. Ltd., Cooper Yuhua (Changzhou) Electric Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Copperlogic, Cutler-Hammer Electrical Company, Cutler-Hammer Industries Ltd., Cutler-Hammer SRL, Cyme International T & D Inc., D.P. Eaton Electric, Digital Lighting (Dong Guan) Co. Ltd., Digital Lighting Co. Limited, Digital Lighting Holdings Limited, Dongguan Cooper Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Fu Li An Electronics Co. Ltd., Dongguan Wiring Devices Electronics Co. Ltd., E. Begerow, E.A. Pedersen Co., EIC Holding GP I, EIC Holding GP II, EIC Holding GP III, EIC Holding GP IV, EIC Holding I LLC, EIC Holding II LLC, EIC Holding III LLC, EIC Holding IV LLC, EIC Holding V LLC, EIC Holding VI LLC, ETN Asia International Limited, ETN Holding 1 Limited, ETN Holding 2 Limited, ETN Holding 3 Limited, EX Innovations Limited, Eaton (China) Investments Co. Ltd., Eaton Aeroquip, Eaton Aerospace LLC, Eaton Ann Arbor LLC, Eaton Asia Investments Corporation, Eaton Automation G.m.b.H, Eaton Automation Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Automotive Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Automotive Systems Spolka z.o.o., Eaton B.V., Eaton C.V., Eaton CHB LLC, Eaton Capital Unlimited Co., Eaton Controls (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Controls (UK) Limited, Eaton Controls S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Corporation, Eaton ETN Offshore Company, Eaton ETN Offshore II Company, Eaton Electric, Eaton Electric & Engineering Services Limited, Eaton Electric (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Electric (South Africa) Pty Ltd., Eaton Electric (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Electric AS, Eaton Electric ApS, Eaton Electric Company Ltd., Eaton Electric G.m.b.H., Eaton Electric Holdings LLC, Eaton Electric Limited, Eaton Electric Manufacturing Middle East LLC, Eaton Electric S.I.A., Eaton Electric S.a.r.l., Eaton Electric S.r.l., Eaton Electric SPRL, Eaton Electric Sales Ltd., Eaton Electric Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Electric d.o.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o., Eaton Electric s.r.o. (Slovak Republic), Eaton Electrical (Zhongshan) Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd., Eaton Electrical IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Electrical Ltd., Eaton Electrical Products Limited, Eaton Electrical S.A., Eaton Electrical S.A. (Venezuela), Eaton Electrical Systems Limited, Eaton Electro Productie S.r.l., Eaton Elektrik Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Eaton Elektrotechnika s.r.o., Eaton Energy Solutions Inc., Eaton Enterprises (Hungary) Kft., Eaton Enterprises Limited, Eaton Enterprises S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton FZE, Eaton Filtration, Eaton Filtration (Denmark) ApS, Eaton Filtration (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Filtration (Poland) Sp. z.o.o., Eaton Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Filtration BVBA, Eaton Finance (Ireland) Limited, Eaton Finance S.a.r.l., Eaton Fluid Power (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Fluid Power Limited, Eaton Fluid Power S.r.l., Eaton France Holding S.A.S., Eaton Germany G.m.b.H., Eaton GmbH & Co. KG, Eaton Holding (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Holding (UK) II Limited, Eaton Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Holding I B.V., Eaton Holding I Limited, Eaton Holding II LLC, Eaton Holding II Limited, Eaton Holding II S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding III B.V., Eaton Holding III Limited, Eaton Holding III S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IV S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding IX S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding International LLC, Eaton Holding LLC, Eaton Holding Limited, Eaton Holding S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding SE & Co. KG, Eaton Holding SRL, Eaton Holding V B.V., Eaton Holding V S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VI B.V., Eaton Holding VI S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding VII B.V., Eaton Holding VIII S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding X S.a.r.l., Eaton Holding XII B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Holec AB, Eaton Holec OY, Eaton Hydraulics (Luzhou) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Ningbo) Co. Ltd., Eaton Hydraulics (Proprietary) Limited, Eaton Hydraulics LLC, Eaton Hydraulics Systems (Jining) Co. Ltd., Eaton I Spolka z.o.o., Eaton II LP, Eaton III LP, Eaton IV LP, Eaton India Innovation Center LLP, Eaton Industrial Clutches and Brakes (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industrial Corporation, Eaton Industrial IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Industrial Systems Private Limited, Eaton Industries (Argentina) S.A., Eaton Industries (Austria) G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries (Belgium) BVBA, Eaton Industries (Canada) Company, Eaton Industries (Chile) S.p.A., Eaton Industries (Colombia) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Egypt) LLC, Eaton Industries (England) Limited, Eaton Industries (France) S.A.S., Eaton Industries (Ireland) Ltimited, Eaton Industries (Israel) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Italy) S.r.l., Eaton Industries (Japan) Ltd., Eaton Industries (Jining) Co. Ltd, Eaton Industries (Korea) Limited, Eaton Industries (Luxembourg) B.V./S.a.r.l., Eaton Industries (Morocco) LLC, Eaton Industries (Netherlands) B.V., Eaton Industries (Philippines) LLC, Eaton Industries (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries (Spain) S.L., Eaton Industries (Thailand) Ltd., Eaton Industries (U.K.) Limited, Eaton Industries (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Eaton Industries Company, Eaton Industries EOOD, Eaton Industries G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holding G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Holdings Ltd., Eaton Industries II G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries KFT, Eaton Industries LP, Eaton Industries Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Industries Panama S.A., Eaton Industries Pte. Ltd., Eaton Industries Pty. Ltd., Eaton Industries S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Industries SAC, Eaton Industries Sdn. Bhd., Eaton Industries s.r.o., Eaton International B.V., Eaton International Corporation, Eaton International Industries Nigeria Limited, Eaton Japan Co. Ltd., Eaton LLC, Eaton LP, Eaton Leasing Corporation, Eaton Ltda., Eaton MEDC Limited, Eaton Madeira SGPS Lda., Eaton Manufacturing G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing II G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing III G.m.b.H., Eaton Manufacturing LP, Eaton Middle East LLC, Eaton Moeller B.V., Eaton Moeller S.a.r.l., Eaton Phoenixtec MMPL Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Power Quality AB, Eaton Power Quality Limited, Eaton Power Quality OY (Finland), Eaton Power Quality Private Limited, Eaton Power Quality S.A.S., Eaton Power Solution Ltda., Eaton Production International G.m.b.H., Eaton Protection Systems IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton S.A.S., Eaton S.r.l., Eaton SAMC (Shanghai) Aircraft Conveyance System, Eaton SE, Eaton Safety IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Safety Limited, Eaton Senstar Automotive Fluid Connector (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton Services S.a.r.l., Eaton Solutions S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Switzerland Holding I GmbH, Eaton Switzerland Holding II GmbH, Eaton Technologies (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Eaton Technologies G.m.b.H., Eaton Technologies IP G.m.b.H. & Co. KG, Eaton Technologies Private Limited, Eaton Technologies S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Technologies S.A., Eaton Trading Company S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components (Proprietary) Ltd., Eaton Truck Components S. de R.L. de C.V., Eaton Truck Components Spolka z.o.o., Eaton Truck and Bus Components (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Eaton US Holdings Inc., Eaton Worldwide LLC, Eaton-Powerware, Electromanufacturas S de R.L. de C.V., Electrum Group Ltd., Elpro Technologies Pty. Limited, Ephesus Lighting, Ephesus Lighting Inc., FHF Bergbautechnik GmbH & Co. KG, FHF Funke+Huster Fernsig GmbH, FHF New World GmbH, Fast Eaton (Xi'an) Drivetrain Company Ltd., Fifth Light Technology Ltd., Funke+Huster (Tianjin) Electronics Co. Ltd., Funke+Huster GmbH, GeCma Components electronic GmbH, Georgetown Financial Services Ltd., Gitiesse Asia Pte. Ltd., Gitiesse S.r.l., Green Holding Company, Green Motion, Guangzhou Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Hein Moeller Stiftung G.m.b.H., Hernis Scan System do Brasil Comercio E Servicos LTDA, Hernis Scan Systems - Asia Pte. Ltd., Hernis Scan Systems A/S, IE Power, Illumination Management Solutions Inc., Iluminacion Cooper de las Californias S de R.L. de C.V., Innovative Switchgear Solutions Inc, Institute for International Product Safety G.m.b.H., Integrated Hydraulics, Integrated Partial Discharge Diagnostics, Intelligent Switchgear Organization LLC, Internormen Filters Private Limited, Internormen Technology, Jeil Hydraulics, Kaicheng Funke+Huster (Tangshan) Mining Electrical Co. Ltd., Lian Zheng Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., MP Group SAS, MTL Instruments (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, MTL Instruments B.V., MTL Instruments GmbH, MTL Instruments LLC, MTL Instruments Private Limited, MTL Instruments SARL, MTL Italia Srl, MTL Partners II Inc., MTL Partners Inc., Marina Power and Lighting, Martek Power F SAS, Martek Power GmbH, Martek Power Limited, Martek Power Limited (UK), Martek Power S.A. de C.V., Martek Power SA, McGraw-Edison Development Corporation, Measurement Technology Limited, Menvier Overseas Holdings Limited, Micro Innovation Holding, Moeller Electric (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Moeller Electric Ltda., Moeller Electrical Equipment (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Moeller Holding Gmbh & Co. KG, Moeller Industria de electro-electronicos do Amazonas Ltda., Morestana, Nittan BVI Co. Ltd., Nittan Euro Tech Spolka z o.o., Nittan Global Tech Co. Ltd., Nittan Valve Co. Ltd., Norex AS, Ocean Technical Systems Limited, Oxalis Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Oxalis Group, Oxalis Group Limited, PKL LLC, PT. Eaton Industries, PT. Fluid Sciences Batam, PerkinElmer - aerospace division, Phoenixtec Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Phoenixtec International Corp., Phoenixtec Power, Pigozzi, Polaron Components Limited, Polimer Hortum Teknolojileri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi Ve Pazarlama, Polimer Kaucuk Sanayi ve Pazarlama A.S., Power Distribution, Pringle Electrical Manufacturing, Productos Eaton Livia S.L., Pulizzi Engineering, RTE Far East Corporation, RTK Instruments Limited, Riseson International Limited, Rizhao Yoosung Shinhwa Automobile Parts Co. Ltd., Rolec Comercial e Industrial, SOURIAU, Santak Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Santak Electronics Company Limited, Saturn Insurance Company Ltd., Scantronic Benelux B.V., Schreder-Hazemeyer, Scoremax Limited, Sefelec GmbH, Sefelec SAS, Semelec SAS, Senyuan International Holdings Limited, Senyuan International Investments Limited, Shinhwa Precision Co. Ltd., Shinhwa Takahashi Precision Co. Ltd., Silver Light International Limited, Silver Victory Hong Kong Limited, Standard Automation & Control LP, Sure Power Inc., TGM Automotiva, TT (Ireland) Acquisition Limited, Tai Ah Electrical Ltd., Taiwan Nittan Industrial Co. Ltd., Telkom Kenya, The MTL Instruments Group Limited, The Oxalis Protection Technology India Private Limited, Tractech, Tractech (Ireland) Limited, Tractech Industries (Ireland) Limted, Tripp Lite, Turlock B.V., Tuthill Coupling Group, U.S. Engine Valve Company, UPE Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Ultronics, Ultronics Nordic Sales AB, Ulusoy, Vickers International Inc., Vickers Systems Limited, Viking Electronics Inc., WPI-Boston Division Inc., Winner Hydraulics Ltd., Wireless Power and Communications AS, Wright Line, Wright Line Holding Inc., Wright Line LLC, and Zhenjiang Daqo Eaton Electrical Systems Co. Ltd.. The following companies are subsidiares of Cigna: Accredo Health Group, Accredo Health Incorporated, Alegis Care, Allegiance Life & Health Insurance Company, Allegiance Re, American Retirement Life Insurance Company, Benefits Management Corp., Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Brighter, CareAllies, CareCore National LLC, Central Reserve Life Insurance Company, Ceres Sales of Ohio, Choicelinx, Cigna & CMB Life Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Apac Holdings Limited, Cigna Arbor Life Insurance Company, Cigna Beechwood Holdings, Cigna Behavioral Health, Cigna Behavioral Health of California, Cigna Behavioral Health of Texas, Cigna Bellevue Alpha, Cigna Benefits Financing, Cigna Brokerage & Marketing (Thailand) Limited, Cigna Cedar Holdings, Cigna Chestnut Holdings, Cigna Corporate Services, Cigna Data Services (Shanghai) Company Limited, Cigna Dental Health, Cigna Dental Health Plan of Arizona, Cigna Dental Health of California, Cigna Dental Health of Colorado, Cigna Dental Health of Delaware, Cigna Dental Health of Florida, Cigna Dental Health of Illinois, Cigna Dental Health of Kansas, Cigna Dental Health of Kentucky, Cigna Dental Health of Maryland, Cigna Dental Health of Missouri, Cigna Dental Health of New Jersey, Cigna Dental Health of North Carolina, Cigna Dental Health of Ohio, Cigna Dental Health of Pennsylvania, Cigna Dental Health of Texas, Cigna Dental Health of Virginia, Cigna Elmwood Holdings, Cigna Europe Insurance Company S.A.-N.V., Cigna European Services (UK) Limited, Cigna Finans Emeklilik ve Hayat A.S., Cigna Global Holdings, Cigna Global Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Global Reinsurance Company, Cigna Global Wellbeing Holdings Limited, Cigna Global Wellbeing Solutions Limited, Cigna HLA Technology Services Company Limited, Cigna Health Corporation, Cigna Health Management, Cigna Health Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna HealthSpring, Cigna Healthcare Holdings, Cigna Healthcare Mid-Atlantic, Cigna Healthcare of Arizona, Cigna Healthcare of California, Cigna Healthcare of Colorado, Cigna Healthcare of Connecticut, Cigna Healthcare of Florida, Cigna Healthcare of Georgia, Cigna Healthcare of Illinois, Cigna Healthcare of Indiana, Cigna Healthcare of Maine, Cigna Healthcare of Massachusetts, Cigna Healthcare of New Hampshire, Cigna Healthcare of New Jersey, Cigna Healthcare of North Carolina, Cigna Healthcare of Pennsylvania, Cigna Healthcare of South Carolina, Cigna Healthcare of St. Louis, Cigna Healthcare of Tennessee, Cigna Healthcare of Texas, Cigna Healthcare of Utah, Cigna Holding Company, Cigna Holdings, Cigna Holdings Overseas, Cigna Hong Kong Holdings Company Limited, Cigna Insurance Middle East S.A., Cigna Insurance Public Company Limited, Cigna Insurance Services (Europe) Limited, Cigna Intellectual Property, Cigna International Corporation, Cigna International Health Services, Cigna International Health Services BVBA, Cigna International Health Services Kenya Limited, Cigna International Health Services SDN BHD, Cigna International Services, Cigna International Services Australia Pty. Ltd., Cigna Investment Group, Cigna Investments, Cigna Korean Chusik Hoesa, Cigna Laurel Holdings, Cigna Legal Protection UK Ltd., Cigna Life Insurance Company of Canada, Cigna Life Insurance Company of Europe S.A.- N.V., Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York, Cigna Life Insurance New Zealand Limited, Cigna Linden Holdings, Cigna Magnolia Holdings, Cigna Myrtle Holdings, Cigna Nederland Alpha Cooperatief U.A., Cigna Nederland Beta B.V., Cigna Nederland Gamma B.V., Cigna Oak Holdings, Cigna Palmetto Holdings, Cigna Poplar Holdings, Cigna Sequoia Holdings, Cigna Spruce Holdings GmbH, Cigna Taiwan Life Assurance Company Limited, Cigna Walnut Holdings, Cigna Willow Holdings, Cigna Worldwide General Insurance Company Limited, Cigna Worldwide Insurance Company, Cigna Worldwide Life Insurance Company Limited, CignaTTK Health Insurance Company Limited, Connecticut General Corporation, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, CuraScript Inc., E-2 CIGNA CORPORATION - 2018 Form 10-K, ESI Mail Pharmacy Service Inc., ESI Partnership, ESI Resources Inc., Express Scripts Holding Company, Express Scripts Inc., Express Scripts Pharmaceutical LLC, Express Scripts Pharmacy Inc., Express Scripts Strategic Development Inc., FirstAssist Administration Limited, Firstassist Insurance Services Ltd, Great-West Healthcare of Illinois, Grown Ups New Zealand Limited, Health-Lynx LLC, HealthSource, HealthSpring, HealthSpring Life & Health Insurance Company, HealthSpring of Alabama, HealthSpring of Florida, HealthSpring of Tennessee, KDM Thailand Limited, LINA Financial Services, LINA Life Insurance Company of Korea, Life Insurance Company of North America, Loyal American Life Insurance Company, MCC Independent Practice Association of New York, Manipal Cigna Health Insurance Company Limited, Medco Containment Life Insurance Company, Medco Health Services Inc., Medco Health Solutions Inc., NewQuest, NewQuest Management Northeast, Olympic Health Management Services, Oz Parent, PT Asuransi Cigna, Provident American Life and Health Insurance Company, Qualcare, Qualcare Alliance Networks, Qualcare Captive Insurance Company Inc. PCC, Qualcare Management Resources Limited Liability Company, RHP (Thailand) Limited, Scibal Associates, Sterling Life Insurance Company, Tel-Drug, Tel-Drug of Pennsylvania, Temple Insurance Company Limited, United Benefit Life Insurance Company, Verity Solutions Group, Zurich Insurance Middle East, and eviCore 1 LLC. 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. Hannover RAck SE, together with its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance products and services worldwide. It operates through Property & Casualty Reinsurance, and Life & Health Reinsurance segments. The Property & Casualty Reinsurance segment offers specialty lines comprising marine, aviation, facultative and direct business, credit, surety, and political risks reinsurance products; and treaty, catastrophe XL, and structured reinsurance, as well as insurance-linked securities. This segment also provides risk solutions for agricultural, livestock, and bloodstock businesses; aviation and space business; and marine and offshore energy business. The Life & Health Reinsurance segment offers group and individual credit life, enhanced annuities, group life and health, and Sharia-compliant Takaful reinsurance products. This segment also provides risk solutions in the areas of critical illness, disability, health, longevity, long term care, and mortality and morbidity, as well as underwriting services. In addition, it offers various financial solutions, including new-business financing; monetization of embedded value; reserve and solvency relief; and divestiture of non-core businesses. The company was formerly known as Hannover RAckversicherung AG and changed its name to Hannover RAck SE in March 2013. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. Hannover RAck SE is a subsidiary of Talanx AG. Read More BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited, an investment holding company, provides banking and related financial services to corporate and individual customers in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and internationally. The company operates through four segments: Personal Banking, Corporate Banking, Treasury, and Insurance. It offers savings, current, and time deposit accounts; mortgage plans; overdrafts; personal loans; personal life, medical and accident, travel and leisure, business protection, home, domestic helper, motor, and golfer insurance products; wealth management services; and Internet, phone, and mobile banking services. The company also provides cross-border services for corporate customers; business banking, trade finance and services, investment, treasury, corporate collection and payment, e-commerce, and card services; small business, asset-pledge, machinery and equipment financing, and project financing and syndicated loans; payroll, custody, and cash management services; and business comprehensive, property, liability, group, and retailer comprehensive insurance plans. In addition, it provides investment products and services, including securities, foreign exchange, fund, precious metals and FX margin, bonds, currency linked investment, structured products, bonds, and savings plans. The company operates through a network of approximately 190 branches, 280 automated banking centers, and approximately 1,000 self-service machines. BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited was founded in 1917 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. The company is considered a Red Chip company due to its listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. BOC Hong Kong (Holdings) Limited is a subsidiary of BOC Hong Kong (BVI) Limited. Read More Invesco Income Growth Trust plc is a close-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by Invesco Fund Managers Limited. It is co-managed by INVESCO Asset Management Limited. The fund invests in the public equity markets of the United Kingdom. It seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. The fund primarily invests in dividend paying growth stocks of companies. It employs fundamental analysis with a bottom-up stock picking approach, focusing on such factors as business model, sales growth, pricing power, market position, margins, management strategy, and financial characteristics to create its portfolio. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against the FTSE All-Share Index. It was formerly known as GT Income Growth Trust plc. Invesco Income Growth Trust plc was formed on March 31, 1996 is domiciled in the United Kingdom. Read More iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF's stock was trading at $37.46 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization. Since then, EEM shares have increased by 28.5% and is now trading at $48.15. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Manulife Financial Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides financial products and services in Asia, Canada, the United States, and internationally. The company operates through Wealth and Asset Management Businesses; Insurance and Annuity Products; And Corporate and Other segments. The Wealth and Asset Management Businesses segment provides mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, group retirement and savings products, and institutional asset management services through agents and brokers affiliated with the company, securities brokerage firms, and financial advisors pension plan consultants and banks. The Insurance and Annuity Products segment offers deposit and credit products; individual life, and individual and group long-term care insurance; and guaranteed and partially guaranteed annuity products through insurance agents, brokers, banks, financial planners, and direct marketing. The Corporate and Other segment is involved in property and casualty insurance and reinsurance businesses; and run-off reinsurance operations, including variable annuities, and accident and health. It also manages timberland and agricultural portfolios; and engages in insurance agency, portfolio and mutual fund management, mutual fund dealer, life and financial reinsurance, and fund management businesses. Additionally, the company holds and manages oil and gas properties; holds oil and gas royalties, and foreign bonds and equities; and provides investment management, counseling, advisory, and dealer services. Manulife Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1887 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More iShares MSCI Israel ETF's stock was trading at $45.06 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 (Coronavirus) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, EIS stock has increased by 64.7% and is now trading at $74.20. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. The following companies are subsidiares of TE Connectivity: 999 Arques Corp., ABB ENTRELEC terminal block business, ACC Telecommunications, ADC Chile Limitada, ADC Communications (SEA) Pte. Ltd., ADC Communications (UK) Holding Ltd., ADC Communications (UK) Ltd., ADC Communications Hong Kong Limited, ADC Telecommunications Equipment (Shanghai) Co., AMP Amermex, AMP Products Pacific Limited, AMP Taiwan B.V., AMP Trading B.V., AMP de Venezuela, Acalon Holdings Limited, Advanced Fiber Products LLC, Advanced Fiber Products Limited, Advanced Tube Technologies, AdvancedCath, AdvancedCath Technologies, Alpha Technics, American Sensor Technologies, Betatherm (R&D) Limited, Brantner Holding Company, Brantner and Associates, Butterfly Management SAS, C.S. Tyco Decisive Inc., C.S. Tyco Dependable Inc., C.S. Tyco Durable Inc., C.S. Tyco Reliance Inc., C.S. Tyco Resolute Inc., C.S. Tyco Responder Inc., CII Guardian International Limited, Cablotec GmbH, Carrier Kheops Bac SAS, Catheter and Disposable Technology, Celis Eletrocomponentes Ltda., Cima de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Clarebury Pty. Ltd., Codenoll Technology Corporation, Communication Expert International Investments Limited, Compagnie Deutsch Distribution SAS, Compagnie Deutsch SAS, Comtec Systeme GmbH, Connecteurs Electriques Deutsch SAS, Corcom, Corcom West Indies Limited, Cotsworks LLC, Creganna, Creganna Captial Holding Ireland Unlimited Company, Creganna Finance (US) LLC, Creganna Finance Ireland Limited, Creganna Luxembourg SARL, Creganna Medical Devices, Creganna Medical Pte. Limited, Creganna Medical Technology Unlimited, Creganna Medical s.r.l., Creganna Regulatory, Creganna Solutions Limited, Creganna Solutions Unlimited Company, Creganna Tactx Singapore Limited, Creganna Unlimited Company, Cregstar Bidco Limited, Critchley Group Limited, Crompton Instruments (South-East Asia) Pte. Ltd., Deutsch, Deutsch Connectors Hong Kong Limited, Deutsch Connectors Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co., Deutsch Connectors Trading (Shanghai) Co., Deutsch Finance SAS, Deutsch GB Limited, Deutsch Group SAS, Deutsch India Power Connectors (Pvt) Ltd, Deutsch Israel Ltd., Deutsch SAS, Deutsch Servicios S. de R.L. De C.V., Deutsch Subco Limited, Deutsch UK, F.A.I. Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, First Sensor, Grangehurst Enterprises Pty. Ltd., Hirschmann Car Communication, Hong Kong Sensors Technologies Limited, Howard A. Schaevitz Technologies, Intercontec Connector System (Shanghai) Co., Intercontec Produkt GmbH, Intercontect Pfeiffer Industrie-Steckverbindungen GmbH, Jaquet North America, Jaquet Technology Group AG, Kemex Holding Company, Kenabell Holding Limited, LADD Distribution LLC, LADD Distribution Limited, LSA, MEAS Asia Limited, MEAS Europe SAS, MEAS France SAS, MEAS Ireland (Betatherm) Limited, MEAS Norway AS, MEAS Shenzhen Limited, MEAS Switzerland S.a r.l., MEAS US Holding, MP&E, Measurement Specialties, Measurement Specialties (Chengdu) Ltd., Measurement Specialties (China) Ltd., Measurement Specialties (China) Ltd. Production Branch, Measurement Specialties Foreign Holdings LLC, Measurement Technology (Chengdu) Ltd., Medical Engineering & Design, MicroGroup, Morlynn Ceramics Pty. Ltd., Nikkiso-Therm Co., PT KRONE Indonesia, PT. Tyco Electronics Indonesia, Pfeiffer GmbH & Co KG, Pfeiffer Verwaltungs GmbH, Polamco, Polamco Limited, Potter & Brumfield de Mexico, Precision Interconnect LLC, Precision Subsea AS, Precision Wire Components, Precision Wire Holding Company, Produxx, RAYCHEM-RPG Private Limited, Raychem (HK) Limited, Raychem (Shanghai) Trading Ltd, Raychem China Limited, Raychem Dominicana S.A., Raychem Industries BVBA, Raychem International LLC, Raychem International Manufacturing LLC, Raychem Juarez, Raychem Limited, Raychem Ltd., Raychem Pacific Corporation, Raychem Saudi Arabia Limited, Raychem Shanghai Cable Accessories Ltd, Raychem Technologies Limited, Rochester Wire and Cable LLC, SEACON Advanced Products LLC, Seacon (Europe) Limited, Seacon Global Production, Seacon Produtos e Servicos Opticos e Eletricos Ltda., Sensitive Object, Servo Interconnect Limited, Shanghai CII Electronics Co., Shenzhen Century Man Communication Equipment Co., Sibas Electronics (Xiamen) Co., TCN Holding (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., TE Connectivity (Barbados) SRL, TE Connectivity (Denmark) ApS, TE Connectivity (HKZ) Holding Limited, TE Connectivity (Kunshan) Company Limited, TE Connectivity (Netherlands) Holding S.a r.l. - Irish Branch, TE Connectivity (Schweiz) Management AG, TE Connectivity (Suzhou) Co., TE Connectivity Argentina S.R.L., TE Connectivity Australia Pty Ltd, TE Connectivity Colombia S.A.S., TE Connectivity Connectors (Suzhou) Co., TE Connectivity Distribution (Thailand) Limited, TE Connectivity EMEA Holding GmbH, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH, TE Connectivity HK Limited, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l., TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen E-Finance branch, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen branch, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. (Ireland Branch), TE Connectivity Holding International S.A., TE Connectivity Inc., TE Connectivity India Private Limited, TE Connectivity Investments Holding S.A., TE Connectivity Investments Holding S.A. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen branch, TE Connectivity Ireland Limited, TE Connectivity LATAM Holding S.a r.l., TE Connectivity LATAM I S.a r.l., TE Connectivity LATAM II S.a r.l., TE Connectivity Limited, TE Connectivity MOG Europe S.a r.l., TE Connectivity MOG Holding S.a r.l., TE Connectivity MOG Inc., TE Connectivity MOG Sales GmbH, TE Connectivity Manufacturing (Thailand) Company Limited, TE Connectivity Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd., TE Connectivity Morocco SARL, TE Connectivity Nederland B.V., TE Connectivity Netherlands (Poland II) Cooperatief U.A., TE Connectivity Netherlands (Turkey) B.V., TE Connectivity Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., TE Connectivity Phoenix Optix Inc., TE Connectivity Seacon Phoenix Inc., TE Connectivity Sensors Germany GmbH, TE Connectivity Services India Private Limited, TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH, TE Connectivity South Africa Proprietary Limited, TE Connectivity Spain, TE Connectivity SubCom S.L.U., TE Connectivity SubCom Spain Holding S.L.U., TE Connectivity Technology Solutions Limited, TE Connectivity Tunisia Sarl, TE Connectivity ULC, TE Connectivity US Group Holding Inc., TE Connectivity Vietnam Holding Company Limited, TYCO Electronics Polska Sp.z.o.o., TYCO SUBMARINE SYSTEMS INC., TacPro, Tactx Medical, Taicang Speed & Spin Sensors Co., Taliq Taiwan Limited, Tappat Engineering Pty Ltd, TechDevice Costa Rica Limitada, TechDevice Holdings, TechDevice LLC, The Whitaker LLC, Transoceanic Cable Ship Company LLC, TyCom Holdings II SA, TyCom Networks (Peru) S.A., Tyco Electronics (AMP Korea) Malta Limited, Tyco Electronics (Dongguan) Ltd, Tyco Electronics (Gibraltar) Holding Limited, Tyco Electronics (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics (Korea) Malta Limited, Tyco Electronics (Kunshan) Ltd, Tyco Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Tyco Electronics (Qingdao) Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Schweiz) Holding II GmbH, Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Tyco Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Suzhou) Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Zhuhai) Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Guangdong Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Italia Products S.R.L., Tyco Electronics AMP Italia S.R.L., Tyco Electronics AMP Korea Co., Tyco Electronics AMP Manufacturing (S) Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Qingdao Ltd., Tyco Electronics AMP Shanghai Ltd., Tyco Electronics Austria GmbH, Tyco Electronics Belgium EC BVBA, Tyco Electronics Brasil Ltda., Tyco Electronics Canada ULC, Tyco Electronics China (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics Componentes Electromecanicos Lda., Tyco Electronics Corby Limited, Tyco Electronics Corporation, Tyco Electronics Czech s.r.o., Tyco Electronics Del Peru S.A.C., Tyco Electronics EC Trutnov s.r.o., Tyco Electronics EC Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Tyco Electronics Eta Limited, Tyco Electronics Finance Alpha GmbH, Tyco Electronics Finance S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Finland Oy, Tyco Electronics France SAS, Tyco Electronics Germany Holdings GmbH, Tyco Electronics Group S.A., Tyco Electronics Group S.A. (French Branch), Tyco Electronics Group S.A. (Ireland Branch), Tyco Electronics H.K. Limited, Tyco Electronics Hellas MEPE, Tyco Electronics Holding Corp., Tyco Electronics Holding France, Tyco Electronics Holding S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Holdings (Bermuda) No. 7 Limited, Tyco Electronics Holdings (Bermuda) No. 7 Limited Taiwan Branch, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 1 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 2 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 3 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hungary Termelo Kft, Tyco Electronics Idento, Tyco Electronics India (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics Industrial Y Comercial Chile Limitada, Tyco Electronics Integrated Cable Systems LLC, Tyco Electronics Ireland Limited, Tyco Electronics Israel Ltd., Tyco Electronics Italia Holding S.r.l., Tyco Electronics Japan G.K., Tyco Electronics Lambda, Tyco Electronics Latin America Holding LLC, Tyco Electronics Manufacturing Singapore Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics Mexico, Tyco Electronics Middle East FZE, Tyco Electronics Motors Ltd, Tyco Electronics NZ Limited, Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Germany Holding) S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Gibraltar China) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Gibraltar India) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (India) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands Holding B.V., Tyco Electronics Norge AS, Tyco Electronics Philippines, Tyco Electronics Precision Engineering Ltd., Tyco Electronics Printed Circuit Group LP, Tyco Electronics RIMC Holding LLC, Tyco Electronics RUS OOO, Tyco Electronics Raychem GmbH, Tyco Electronics Raychem Korea Limited, Tyco Electronics SIMEL SAS, Tyco Electronics Saudi Arabia Limited, Tyco Electronics Services GmbH, Tyco Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC, Tyco Electronics Svenska AB, Tyco Electronics Svenska Holdings AB, Tyco Electronics Technology (SIP) Co., Tyco Electronics Technology (SIP) Ltd., Tyco Electronics Tecnologias S. de R.L. de C.V., Tyco Electronics UK Holdings Ltd, Tyco Electronics UK Ltd., Tyco Electronics UK Ltd. (Kenya Branch), Tyco Electronics Ukraine Limited, Tyco Electronics Uruguay S.A., Tyco Electronics Verwaltungs GmbH, Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems B.V., Tyco Electronics de Venezuela, Tyco Elektronik AMP Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Tyco Global Networks Ltd., Tyco Iberia, Tyco International Services GmbH, Tyco Networks (Argentina) S.R.L., Tyco Networks (Italy) Srl, Tyco Networks (Netherlands) B.V., Tyco Networks Iberica, Tyco Submarine Systems, Tyco Submarine Systems C.A., Tyco Submarine Systems de Argentina S.A., Tyco Telecommunications Ltd., Wema Americas LLC, Wema Automotive System Private Limited, Wema Environmental Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Wema Environmental Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Wema Environmental Technologies Ltd., Wema System AG, Wema System AS, Wema System Hong Kong Limited, Wema System Production and Distribution HK Limited, Xiamen Delixing Electric Equipment Businesss, and motec Montage GmbH. 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 Occidental Petroleum: 1PointFive Inc., 1PointFive P1 LLC, APC Aviation Inc., APC International Holdings LLC, APC Midstream Holdings LLC, APC Venezuela Srl, ARCO Long Beach, Altura Energy, Amarok Gathering LLC, Anadarko 20-25 Company, Anadarko 20-36 Company, Anadarko 20-47 Company, Anadarko 20-48 Company, Anadarko 20-49 Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 403 c/e Company, Anadarko Algeria Block 406B Company, Anadarko Algeria Company LLC, Anadarko Algeria Oil & Gas Company, Anadarko Brazil Investment I LLC, Anadarko Brazil Investment II LLC, Anadarko Canada E&P Limited, Anadarko China Holdings 2 Company, Anadarko Colombia Company, Anadarko Consolidated Holdings LLC, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Block 103 Company, Anadarko Cote d'Ivoire Company, Anadarko DBMOS Operator LLC, Anadarko Development Company, Anadarko Development Holding Limited, Anadarko E&P Onshore LLC, Anadarko Egypt Holdings Company, Anadarko Energy Holding Limited, Anadarko Energy Services Company, Anadarko Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo e Gas Natural Ltda., Anadarko Finance Company, Anadarko Gabon Company, Anadarko Ghana Mahogany-1 Company, Anadarko Global Energy S.a.r.l, Anadarko Global Funding 1 Company, Anadarko Global Funding II Ltd., Anadarko Guyana Company, Anadarko Holding Company, Anadarko International Development S.a.r.l, Anadarko International Energy Company, Anadarko International O&G Company, Anadarko International Trading Corporation, Anadarko Jordan Company, Anadarko Kenya Company, Anadarko LMM S.a.r.l, Anadarko Land Corp., Anadarko Mexico B.V., Anadarko Mexico S.a.r.l, Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell BR Corp., Anadarko Midkiff/Chaney Dell LLC, Anadarko Natural Gas Company LLC, Anadarko New Zealand Company, Anadarko OGC Company, Anadarko Offshore Holding Company LLC, Anadarko Offshore Well Containment Company LLC, Anadarko Oil & Gas 5 LLC, Anadarko Peru B.V., Anadarko Petroleum, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Anadarko Realty LLC, Anadarko Rockies LLC, Anadarko Royalty Holdings Company, Anadarko UK Corporate Limited, Anadarko US Offshore LLC, Anadarko USH1 Corporation, Anadarko Venezuela Company, Anadarko Venezuela LLC, Anadarko Venezuela Srl, Anadarko WCTP Company, Anadarko West Texas BR Corp., Anadarko West Texas LLC, Anadarko Worldwide Holdings C.V., Atlantic Rim Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Aventine LLC, Baseball Merger Sub 2 Inc., Bear Branch Exploration LLC, Big Island Trona Company, Bitter Creek Coal Company, Bravo Pipeline Company, Cain Chemical, Cain Chemical Inc., Carbon Finance Labs LLC, Concord Petroleum Corporation, Conn Creek Shale Company, D.S. Ventures LLC, DMM Financial LLC, Deerwood Exploration LLC, Downtown Plaza II, Elk Hills Field, FLAG Development LLC, FP Westport Commodities Limited, FP Westport GmbH, FP Westport LLC, FP Westport Limited, FP Westport Services LLC, FP Westport Trading LLC, Fosters Mill Exploration LLC, Glenn Springs Holdings Inc., Globrep Representaciones S.A., Grand Bassa Tankers Inc., Grupo OxyChem de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Headwater II LLC, Houndstooth Resources LLC, INDSPEC Chemical B.V., INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Corporation, INDSPEC Chemical Export Sales LLC, INDSPEC Holding Corporation, Ingleside Cogeneration GP LLC, Ingleside Cogeneration Limited Partnership, Interore Trading Ltd., Joslyn Partnership, KERR-McGEE TT E&P LTD., KM BM-C-Seven Ltd., KM International Insurance Ltd., Kerr-McGee Corporation, Kerr-McGee Natural Gas Company Inc., Kerr-McGee Oil & Gas Onshore LP, Kerr-McGee Shared Services Company LLC, Kerr-McGee Stored Power Corporation, Kerr-McGee U.K. Energy Corporation, Kerr-McGee Worldwide Corporation, Kerr-McGee do Brasil Ltda., Kerr-McGee of Canada Northwest Ltd., Laguna Petroleum Corp., Laguna Petroleum LLC, Liwa Oil & Gas Ltd., MC2 Technologies LLC, Mariana Properties Inc., Marico Exploration Inc., Miller Springs Remediation Management Inc., Moncrief Minerals Partnership L.P., NGL Ventures LLC, Natural Gas Odorizing Inc., New OPL LLC, OEVC Energy LLC, OEVC Midstream Projects LLC, OIH LLC, OLCV CE Holdings ULC, OLCV CE US Holdings Inc., OLCV Net Power LLC, OLCV Services LLC, OOG Partner LLC, OOOI Chem Holdings LLC, OOOI Chem Sub LLC, OOOI Chemical International LLC, OOOI Chile Holder LLC, OOOI Ecuador Management LLC, OOOI Oil and Gas Sub LLC, OOOI South America Management LLC, OPM GP Inc., OPM Holdco LLC, OTCF LLC, OTH LLC, OXY CV Pipeline LLC, OXY Campus LLC, OXY Inc., OXY LPG LLC, OXY Libya E&P Area 103 BR4 B.V., OXY Libya E&P Area 35 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P Concession 103 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 102 B.V., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1981 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P EPSA 1985 Ltd., OXY Libya E&P NC 143 144 145 150 B.V., OXY Libya Exploration SPC, OXY Libya LLC, OXY Little Knife LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings I LLC, OXY Mexico Holdings II LLC, OXY Middle East Holdings Ltd., OXY Oil Partners Inc., OXY PBLP Manager LLC, OXY Support Services LLC, OXY Tulsa Inc., OXY USA Inc., OXY USA WTP LP, OXY VPP Investments LLC, OXY West LLC, OXY of Saudi Arabia Ltd., OXYCHEM (CANADA) INC., OXYMAR, Oakwood Exploration LLC, Occidental (Bermuda) Ltd., Occidental (East Shabwa) LLC, Occidental Advance Sale Finance Inc., Occidental Al Hosn LLC, Occidental Angola Holdings Ltd., Occidental CIS Services Inc., Occidental Canada Holdings Ltd., Occidental Chemical Asia Limited, Occidental Chemical Belgium B.V.B.A., Occidental Chemical Chile Limitada, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Occidental Chemical Export Sales LLC, Occidental Chemical Far East Limited, Occidental Chemical Holding Corporation, Occidental Chemical International LLC, Occidental Chemical Investment (Canada) 1 Inc., Occidental Chemical Receivables LLC, Occidental Chemical de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Occidental Chile Investments LLC, Occidental Chile Minority Holder LLC, Occidental Colombia (Series G) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series J) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series K) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series L) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series M) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series N) Ltd., Occidental Colombia (Series O) Ltd., Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (Canada), Occidental Crude Sales Inc. (International), Occidental Dolphin Holdings Ltd., Occidental Energy Marketing Inc., Occidental Energy Ventures LLC, Occidental Exploradora del Peru Ltd., Occidental Exploration and Production Company, Occidental Hafar LLC, Occidental International (Libya) Inc., Occidental International Corporation, Occidental International Exploration and Production Company, Occidental International Holdings Ltd., Occidental International Oil and Gas Ltd., Occidental International Services Inc., Occidental Joslyn GP 2 Co., Occidental LNG (Malaysia) Ltd., Occidental Latin America Holdings LLC, Occidental Libya Oil & Gas B.V., Occidental MENA Manager Ltd., Occidental Middle East Development Company, Occidental Midland Basin LLC, Occidental Mukhaizna LLC, Occidental Oil Asia Pte. Ltd., Occidental Oil Shale Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas (Oman) Ltd., Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation, Occidental Oil and Gas International Inc., Occidental Oil and Gas International LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas Pakistan LLC, Occidental Oil and Gas of Peru LLC, Occidental Oman (Block 27) Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 51 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 65 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 65 LLC, Occidental Oman Block 72 Holding Ltd., Occidental Oman Block 72 LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Company LLC, Occidental Oman Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oman North Holdings Ltd., Occidental Oriente Exploration and Production Ltd., Occidental Overseas Holdings B.V., Occidental PVC LLC, Occidental Peninsula II Inc., Occidental Peninsula LLC, Occidental Permian Ltd., Occidental Permian Manager LLC, Occidental Permian Services Inc., Occidental Peruana Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 101) Inc., Occidental Petrolera del Peru (Block 103) Inc., Occidental Petroleum (Pakistan) Inc., Occidental Petroleum Corporation, Occidental Petroleum Corporation Political Action Committee, Occidental Petroleum de Venezuela S.A., Occidental Petroleum of Nigeria, Occidental Petroleum of Oman Ltd., Occidental Petroleum of Qatar Ltd., Occidental Power Marketing L.P., Occidental Power Services Inc., Occidental Qatar Energy Company LLC, Occidental Red Sea Development LLC, Occidental Research Corporation, Occidental Resource Recovery Systems Inc., Occidental Resources Company, Occidental Shah Gas Holdings Ltd., Occidental South America Finance LLC, Occidental Specialty Marketing Inc., Occidental Tower Corporation, Occidental Transportation Holding Corporation, Occidental West Texas Overthrust Inc., Occidental Yemen Ltd., Occidental Yemen Sabatain Inc., Occidental del Ecuador Inc., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Bab) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi (Shah) Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Abu Dhabi LLC, Occidental of Abu Dhabi Ltd., Occidental of Bahrain Ltd., Occidental of Bangladesh Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Chipiron) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Cosecha) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Medina) Inc., Occidental of Colombia (Putumayo) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia (Teca) Ltd., Occidental of Colombia PUT-36 LLC, Occidental of Dubai Inc., Occidental of Iraq Holdings Ltd., Occidental of Iraq LLC, Occidental of Oman Inc., Occidental of Russia Ltd., Occidental of South Africa (Offshore) Inc., Occidental of Yemen (Block 75) LLC, Oceanic Marine Transport Ltd., Opcal Insurance Inc., Oryx Crude Trading & Transportation Inc., Oxy BridgeTex Limited Partnership, Oxy C & I Bulk Sales LLC, Oxy Canada Sales Inc., Oxy Carbon Solutions LLC, Oxy Carbon Storage LLC, Oxy Climate Ventures Inc., Oxy Cogeneration Holding Company LLC, Oxy Colombia Holdings LLC, Oxy Colombia TopCo Ltd., Oxy Delaware Basin LLC, Oxy Delaware Basin Plant LLC, Oxy Dolphin E&P LLC, Oxy Dolphin Pipeline LLC, Oxy Energy Canada Inc., Oxy Energy Services LLC, Oxy Expatriate Services Inc., Oxy FFT Holdings Inc., Oxy Holding Company (Pipeline) Inc., Oxy International Ventures Ltd., Oxy LPG Terminal LLC, Oxy Levelland Pipeline Company LLC, Oxy Levelland Terminal Company LLC, Oxy Low Carbon Ventures LLC, Oxy Midstream Strategic Development LLC, Oxy Oleoducto SOP LLC, Oxy Overseas Services Ltd., Oxy Permian Gathering LLC, Oxy Permian Plaza LLC, Oxy Petroleum de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Oxy Renewable Energy LLC, Oxy Salt Creek Pipeline LLC, Oxy TL LLC, Oxy Taft Hub LLC, Oxy Technology Ventures Inc., Oxy Transport I Company LLC, Oxy Vinyls Canada Co., Oxy Vinyls Export Sales LLC, Oxy Vinyls LP, Oxy Westwood Corporation, Oxy Y-1 Company, OxyChem Ingleside Ethylene Holdings Inc., OxyChem do Brasil Ltda., OxyChile Investments LLC, Oxychem Shipping Ltd., Permian Basin JV Tax Matters Member LLC, Permian Basin Limited Partnership, Permian VPP Holder LP, Permian VPP Manager LLC, Phibro, Placid Oil LLC, Ramlat Oxy Ltd., Rio de Viento Inc., Rodeo Midland Basin LLC, San Patricio Pipeline LLC, Scanports Shipping LLC, SequestCo LLC, Stetson Exploration LLC, Sun Offshore Gathering Company, Swiflite Aircraft Corporation, Transok Properties LLC, Troy Potter Inc., Turavent Oil GmbH [in liquidation], Tuscaloosa Holdings Inc., UP Petroleo III Ltd., Upland Industries Corporation, Venezuela US SRL, Vintage Gas Inc., Vintage Petroleum, Vintage Petroleum Argentina Ltd., Vintage Petroleum Boliviana Ltd., Vintage Petroleum International Finance B.V., Vintage Petroleum International Holdings LLC, Vintage Petroleum International LLC, Vintage Petroleum International Ventures Inc., Vintage Petroleum Italy Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America Holdings Inc., Vintage Petroleum South America LLC, Vintage Petroleum Turkey Inc., WGR Asset Holding Company LLC, WGR Canada Inc., Wardner Ranch Inc., Western Gas Resources Inc., Western Gas Resources-Westana Inc., Western Midstream Holdings LLC, Woodlands International Insurance Ltd., and YT Ranch LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Pearson: AEL (S) PTE Limited, ATI Professional Development LLC, Addison Wesley Longman Inc., Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc., Aldwych Finance Limited, Americas Choice Inc., Atkey Finance Limited, Author Solutions, Axis Finance Inc., CAMSAWUSA Inc., CTI Education Group (Pty) Limited, Camsaw Inc., Casapsi Livraria e Editora Ltda, Centro Cultural Americano Franquias e Comercio Ltda., Century Consultants Ltd., Certiport, Certiport China Co Ltd, Certiport China Holding LLC, Certiport Inc., Cogmed Systems AB, Connections Academy of Arkansas LLC, Connections Academy of Florida LLC, Connections Academy of Iowa LLC, Connections Academy of Maine LLC, Connections Academy of Maryland LLC, Connections Academy of Minnesota LLC, Connections Academy of Missouri LLC, Connections Academy of Nevada LLC, Connections Academy of New Jersey LLC, Connections Academy of New Mexico LLC, Connections Academy of New York LLC, Connections Academy of Oregon LLC, Connections Academy of Pennsylvania LLC, Connections Academy of Tennessee LLC, Connections Academy of Texas LLC, Connections Education Inc., Connections Education LLC, Connections Education of Florida LLC, Dominie Press Inc., Dorian Finance Limited, Dorling Kindersley Australasia Pty Limited, EBNT Canada Holdings ULC, EBNT Holdings Limited, EBNT USA Holdings Inc., Edexcel Limited, Edexcel South Africa Pty Ltd, Education Development International plc, Education Resources (Cyprus) Limited, Educational Management Group Inc., Educational Publishers LLP, Embanet ULC, Embanet-Compass Knowledge Group Inc., EmbanetCompass, Embankment Finance Limited, English Language Learning and Instruction System Inc., Escape Studios Limited, FBH Inc., Falstaff Holdco Inc., Falstaff Inc., GED Domains LLC, GED Testing Service LLC, George (Shanghai) Commercial Information Consulting Co. Ltd, Global Education, Global George I Limited, Global George II Limited, GlobalEnglish, Globe Fearon Inc., Guangzhou Crescent Software Co. Ltd, Heinemann Education Botswana (Publishers) (Proprietary) Limited, Heinemann Publishers (Pty) Ltd, INTELLIPRO INC., Icodeon Limited, IndiaCan Education Private Limited, Integral 7 Inc., Integrated Analytics LLC, J M Solucoes Exportacao e Importacao Ltda, K12 Learning Services LLC, Kagiso Education Pty Ltd, Knowledge Analysis Technologies LLC, LCCI International Qualifications (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., LCCIEB Training Consultancy. Ltd, Learning Catalytics, LessonLab Inc., Lignum Oil Company, Linx Brasil Distribuidora Ltda., Longman (Malawi) Limited, Longman Australasia Pty Ltd, Longman Group(Overseas Holdings)Limited, Longman Indochina Acquisition L.L.C., Longman Kenya Limited, Longman Mocambique Ltda, Longman Romania S.R.L., Longman Swaziland (Pty) Limited, Longman Tanzania Limited, Longman Zambia Educational Publishers Pty Ltd, Longman Zambia Limited, Longman Zimbabwe (Private) Ltd, Longmaned Ecuador S.A., Major123 Limited, Maskew Miller Longman (Pty) Limited, MeasureUp LLC, Modern Curriculum Inc., Multi Holding, Multi Treinamento e Editora Ltda, NCS Information Technology Services (Beijing) Co Ltd, NCS Pearson Inc., NCS Pearson Pty Ltd, NCS Pearson Puerto Rico Inc., National Computer Systems Japan Co. Ltd, Ordinate Corporation, PN Holdings Inc., PT Efficient English Services, Pearson (Beijing) Management Consulting Co. Ltd., Pearson (Guizhou) Education Technology Co. Ltd., Pearson Affordable Learning Fund Limited, Pearson America LLC, Pearson Amsterdam B.V., Pearson Australia Finance Unlimited, Pearson Australia Group Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Pearson Australia Pty Ltd, Pearson Benelux B.V., Pearson Books Limited, Pearson Brazil Finance Limited, Pearson Business Services Inc., Pearson Canada Assessment Inc., Pearson Canada Finance Unlimited, Pearson Canada Holdings Inc, Pearson Canada Inc., Pearson Central Europe Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson College Limited, Pearson DBC Holdings Inc., Pearson Desarrollo y Capacitacion Profesional Chile Limitada, Pearson Deutschland GmbH, Pearson Digital Learning Puerto Rico Inc., Pearson Dollar Finance Two Limited, Pearson Dollar Finance plc, Pearson Educacion SA, Pearson Educacion de Chile Limitada, Pearson Educacion de Colombia S A S, Pearson Educacion de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pearson Educacion de Panama SA, Pearson Educacion de Peru S.A., Pearson Education (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Pearson Education Achievement Solutions (RF) (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education Asia Limited, Pearson Education Botswana (Proprietary) Limited, Pearson Education Hellas SA, Pearson Education Holdings Limited, Pearson Education Inc., Pearson Education Indochina Limited, Pearson Education Investments Limited, Pearson Education Korea Limited, Pearson Education Limited, Pearson Education Namibia (Pty) Limited, Pearson Education Publishing Limited, Pearson Education S.A., Pearson Education SA, Pearson Education South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Education South Asia Pte. Ltd., Pearson Education Taiwan Ltd, Pearson Education do Brasil S.A, Pearson Educational Measurement Canada Inc., Pearson Educational Publishers LLC, Pearson Egitim Cozumleri Tikaret Limited Sirketi, Pearson Falstaff (Holdings) Inc., Pearson Falstaff Holdco LLC, Pearson France, Pearson Funding Five plc, Pearson Funding Four plc, Pearson Funding Two Limited, Pearson Holdings Inc., Pearson Holdings Southern Africa (Pty) Limited, Pearson IOKI Spoka z ograniczona odpowiedzialnoscia, Pearson India Education Services Private Limited, Pearson India Support Services Private Limited, Pearson Institute of Higher Education, Pearson International Finance Limited, Pearson Investment Holdings Inc., Pearson Italia S.p.A, Pearson Japan KK, Pearson Lanka (Private) Limited, Pearson Learning China (HK) Limited, Pearson Lesotho (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Loan Finance No. 3 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No. 4 Limited, Pearson Loan Finance No.2 Unlimited, Pearson Loan Finance Unlimited, Pearson Longman Uganda Limited, Pearson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Pearson Management Services Limited, Pearson Management Services Philippines Inc., Pearson Maryland Inc., Pearson Netherlands B.V., Pearson Netherlands Holdings B.V., Pearson Nominees Limited, Pearson Online Tutoring LLC, Pearson Overseas Holdings Limited, Pearson PEM P.R. Inc., Pearson PRH Holdings Limited, Pearson Pension Nominees Limited, Pearson Pension Property Fund Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Limited, Pearson Pension Trustee Services Limited, Pearson Professional Assessments Limited, Pearson Real Estate Holdings Inc., Pearson Real Estate Holdings Limited, Pearson Schweiz AG, Pearson Services Limited, Pearson Shared Services Limited, Pearson South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Pearson Strand Finance Limited, Pearson Sweden AB, Pearson VUE Philippines Inc., Pearson in Practice Holdings Limited, Pearson in Practice Skills Based Learning Limited, Pearson in Practice Technology Limited, Penguin Capital LLC, Phumelela Publishers (Pty) Ltd, ProctorCam Inc., Reading Property Holdings LLC, Rebus Planning Associates Inc., Reston Publishing Company Inc., Rycade Capital Corporation, Shanghai AWL Education Software Ltd, Silver Burdett Ginn Inc., Skylight Training and Publishing Inc., Smarthinking Inc., Sound Holdings Inc., Spear Insurance Company Limited, Stark Verlag GmbH, Sunnykey International Holdings Limited (BVI), TQ Catalis Limited, TQ Clapham Limited, TQ Education and Training Limited, TQ Global Limited, TQ Group Limited, TQ Holdings Limited, The Financial Times (I) Pvt Ltd, The Learning Edge International pty Ltd, The Waite Group Inc, Trio Parent Holdings LLC, US Learning Services LLC, USLS Holdings LLC, Virtual Nerd, Vue Testing Services Israel Ltd, Vue Testing Services Korea Limited, Wall Street Institute Kft., Williams Education GmbH, eCollege.com, and Editions Du Renouveau Pedagogique Inc.. The following companies are subsidiares of 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.. Redhall Group plc provides design, manufacture, and installation services to hazard and security environments in the United Kingdom, other European Union countries, and internationally. It designs, manufactures, maintains, and installs bespoke specialist plant and equipment in the nuclear, defense, oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, and food sectors; and designs and manufactures fire and blast resistant doors, windows and wall systems, and complex fabrications, as well as provides installation services for the telecommunications industry. The company also offers bespoke steel door sets, blast windows, modular wall systems, and blast relief panels; engineering services, including consultation, project design, project management, and manufacturing and installation services; and relocation, maintenance, and fabrication and erection services. Redhall Group plc was incorporated in 1932 and is headquartered in Wakefield, the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Sonoco Products: AMGH, APEI UK Limited, APEI Unlimited IOM, Associated Packaging Technologies Inc., Beteiligungen Sonoco Deutschland Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbh, CP Acquisition LLC, Can Packaging, Can Packaging SAS, Cap Liners Limited, Capseals Limited, Capseals Liners Limited, Cascades Sonoco Inc. (fka Cascades Conversion Inc), Clear Lam Flexible Films (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., Clear Lam Packaging Inc., Clear Pack Co., Clear Pack Company, Colombiana P.M. LLC, Conitex Sonoco (BVI) Ltd., Conitex Sonoco (Mexico) S. de R.L. de C.V., Conitex Sonoco Hellas S.A., Conitex Sonoco Holding B.V., Conitex Sonoco Inc., Conitex Sonoco India Pvt. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco N.V., Conitex Sonoco Shanghai Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Suzhou Co. Ltd., Conitex Sonoco Taiwan Ltd., Conitex Sonoco USA Inc., Convex Mold Inc., Corenso Holdings America Inc., Corenso North America, Corenso Richmond LLC, Corepak Limited, CorrFlex Graphics LLC, Demolli Industria Cartaria S.p.A., Engraph Inc., Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., Fair Lawn Packaging Services LLC, Friarsgate Studio Limited, Graffo Paranaense De Embalagens S.A., Graffo Paranaense de Embalagens S/A, Grove Mill Paper Company Limited, Gunther of America Inc., Hartsville Corrugating LLC, Hayes Manufacturing Group, Heathfield Reels Limited, Highland Packaging Solutions, Highland Packaging Solutions LLC, Industrial Machine Co. Inc., Inversiones Sonoco Limitada, Italtubetti SpA, Laminar Medica, Laminar Medica (CE) s.r.o., Laminar Medica Limited, Manufacturas Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Matrix Packaging Inc., Nathaniel Lloyd & Company Limited, OOO Sonoco Alcore (fka ZAO Sonoco Alcore), Ontario Inc., PT Conitex Sonoco, PT Papcor Asia Pacific, PT Papertech Indonesia, PT Sonoco Indonesia, Packaging Holdings Inc., Papcor (Dezhou) Packaging Material Co. Ltd., Papertech Dezhou Co. Ltd., Papertech SL, PenPack LLC, Peninsula Packaging Company, Peninsula Packaging LLC, Penpack S. de R.L. de C.V., Phoenix Packaging Corp., Plastique Holdings LTD, SAS Du Lagon, SCI Lagon Quest, SMB GmbH, SPC Capital Management Inc., SPC Liquidation LLC, SPC Management LLC, SPC Resources Inc., SR Holdings of the Carolinas LLC, Sebro Plastics Inc., Sonoco (Shanghai) Co., Sonoco (Taicang) Packaging Co., Sonoco (Weifang) Packaging Company Ltd., Sonoco Absorbent Technologies LLC, Sonoco Absorbent Technologies Limited, Sonoco Alcore - Demolli S.r.l., Sonoco Alcore AB, Sonoco Alcore GmbH, Sonoco Alcore N.V., Sonoco Alcore Nederland B.V., Sonoco Ambalaj Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sonoco Asia Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Asia L.L.C., Sonoco Asia Management Company L.L.C., Sonoco Australia Pty Ltd, Sonoco Board Mills Limited, Sonoco Bonmati S.A.U., Sonoco Canada Corporation, Sonoco Capseals Liners Limited, Sonoco Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Consumer Products Dordrecht B.V. (fka Dorpak B.V.), Sonoco Consumer Products Europe GmbH (fka Weidenhammer Packaging Group GmbH), Sonoco Consumer Products Hellas S.A. (fka Weidenhammer Hellas S.A.), Sonoco Consumer Products Limited, Sonoco Consumer Products Mechelen BVBA (fka Weidenhammer Belgium BVBA), Sonoco Consumer Products Montanay SAS (fka Neuvibox SAS), Sonoco Consumer Products Poland Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco Consumer Products SAS, Sonoco Consumer Products South Africa (PTY) Ltd., Sonoco Consumer Products Zwenkau GmbH (fka fka Weidenhammer Plastice Packaging GmbH), Sonoco Cores and Paper Limited, Sonoco D & P LLC, Sonoco D and P York LLC, Sonoco Deutschland GmbH, Sonoco Deutschland Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Development Inc., Sonoco Display and Packaging LLC, Sonoco Elk Grove Inc., Sonoco Embalagens Ltda. (fka Sonoco Embalagens S.A.), Sonoco Europe Limited, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Canada Corporation, Sonoco Flexible Packaging Co. Inc., Sonoco Graphics India Private Limited, Sonoco Hickory Inc., Sonoco Holdings Inc., Sonoco Holdings UK Limited, Sonoco Hutchinson LLC, Sonoco IPD France SAS, Sonoco Iberia S.L.U., Sonoco International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco JV GmbH & Co. KG, Sonoco Kaiping Packaging Co. Ltd., Sonoco Limited, Sonoco Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Sonoco Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sonoco Milnrow, Sonoco Netherlands Holding II BV, Sonoco Netherlands Holding III BV, Sonoco New Zealand Limited, Sonoco Operadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco Packaging Limited, Sonoco Packaging Tapes Limited, Sonoco Paper Mill & IPD Hellas SA, Sonoco Paperboard Group LLC, Sonoco Partitions Inc., Sonoco Phoenix LLC, Sonoco Pina S.A.U., Sonoco Plastics B.V., Sonoco Plastics Canada ULC, Sonoco Plastics Germany GmbH, Sonoco Plastics Inc., Sonoco Poland Holdings B.V., Sonoco Polysack A/S Inc., Sonoco Polysack Limited, Sonoco Products Company UK, Sonoco Products Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Sonoco Protective Solutions Inc., Sonoco Recycling - International Trade Group LLC (fka Reparco USA Inc.), Sonoco Recycling LLC, Sonoco Reels Limited, Sonoco Retail Packaging S. de R.L. de C.V., Sonoco S.A. de C.V., Sonoco SAS, Sonoco Saudi Limited Company, Sonoco Services LLC, Sonoco Singapore Pte. Ltd., Sonoco TEQ Holdings Ltd, Sonoco TEQ LLC, Sonoco TEQ Ltd, Sonoco TEQ Sp. Z.o.o, Sonoco Taiwan Ltd, Sonoco Thailand Ltd, Sonoco UK Leasing Limited, Sonoco Venezolana C.A., Sonoco Venture International Holdings GmbH, Sonoco Ventures UK Limited, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Core Plant LLC, Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Inc., Sonoco Wisconsin Rapids Paper Mill LLC, Sonoco Yatai Pinghu Packaging Co Ltd, Sonoco de Colombia Ltda, Sonoco do Brasil Participacoes Ltda, Sonoco do Brazil Ltda, Sonoco of Puerto Rico Inc., Sonoco-Alcore AS, Sonoco-Alcore Ou, Sonoco-Alcore Oy, Sonoco-Alcore S.a.r.l., Sonoco-Alcore Sp. Z.O.O., Sonoco-Engraph Puerto Rico Inc., TPT Board Mills Limited, TPT Limited, Tegrant Alloyd Brands Inc., Tegrant Corporation, Tegrant International Inc., Tegrant Property Holdings LLC, Tegrant de Mexico S.A. de C.V., ThermoSafe Brands Asia PTE LTD., ThermoSafe Brands Europe Ltd., Thermoform Engineered Quality LLC, Trident Graphics Canada Corporation, Trident Graphics NA LLC, U.S. Paper Mills Corp., Unit Reels & Drums Limited, Weidenhammer Chile Ltda., Weidenhammer Packaging Group, Weidenhammer UK Ltd., and Wisenberg U.S. Inc.. Vanguard Value ETF's stock was trading at $96.81 on March 11th, 2020 when COVID-19 reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, VTV shares have increased by 50.1% and is now trading at $145.35. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. ROME, N.Y. - Rome firefighters have determined the cause of a house fire on West Pine Street to be accidental. The fire started from a buildup of dryer lint, which fire officials say serves as a great reminder to families. Crews say the fire was contained to the basement, but there is extensive wiring and smoke damage. There were no injuries. The American Red Cross is assisting the family. ONEONTA, N.Y. -- The search is on for the man police say set the fire in Oneonta back in December that killed a former firefighter. According to AllOtsego.com, Gabriel Truitt, the brother of Terrence Truitt who was originally arrested for the crime but then cleared of those charges, has now been indicted. Gabriel Truitt is charged with murder and arson. Former Oneonta firefighter John Heller, who was supposed to get married this October, was killed in the fire on Walling Avenue on December 29. Otsego County District Attorney John Muehl told All Otsego that it's believed Gabriel Truitt planned to set the fire to kill his girlfriend, but instead those flames spread to the upper floor killing Heller, who managed to save his fiancee and three nephews who spent the night, by getting them out of the fire escape but he died inside. Muehl believes Gabriel Truitt's brother Terrance, went over to the home because he knew about an argument between his brother and his girlfriend. He feared something would happen, and was covered in soot and was burned, which led to his initial arrest. Gabriel Truitt reportedly operated Tru-Cuts, a barbershop on Ford Avenue in Oneonta, but that business has since emptied out. He was last known to be in Connecticut, but may not be there now. NewsChannel 2 did speak with Oneonta police Thursday night who say right now they do not have a picture of Truiit to share. Anyone who knows of Gabriel Truitt's whereabouts is asked to call Oneonta police at 607-432-1113. Susan Kootnekoff is a lawyer with Inspire Law. Phone: 250-764-7710. Email: info@inspirelaw.ca. On the web: inspirelaw.ca. The content of this column is intended to provide general thoughts and general information, not to provide legal advice. This column appears Fridays in The Daily Courier. UTICA, N.Y - Some property owners are still refusing to sell their property despite hospital plans moving forward. In a meeting with the Utica city planning board on Thursday, the board unanimously voted to approve the Environmental review of the properties. This allows MVHS to begin to acquire the properties in the Downtown footprint. MVHS COO Robert Schofield said in a statement, "It has taken a great deal of work by all parties and partners to achieve this milestone along the road to transforming healthcare in our region through the building of a new, state-of-the-art medical center. We are now able to begin purchasing properties and can continue to move forward with the project." The first of the property acquisitions could be finalized as early as the end of April. Representatives from "No Hospital Downtown" say that many of the properties have not agreed to sell. "Yes, we just confirmed today that 11 property owners from the hospital footprint as well as 4 property owners in the parking lot footprint have not agreed to sell, said Jim Brock, Co-Founder of "No Hospital Downtown." The city will most likely have to use eminent domain to acquire the properties if owners do not agree to sell. If that does happen, "No Hospital Downtown" says that they will be taking the city to court. "We have very strong legal grounds to move forward. We've already won in the court of public opinion now its just a matter of going and winning in a court of law and we intend to win this battle to save our city," said Brock. Groundbreaking on the hospital project is expected to begin towards the end of the year. Allen Capers knew he had done wrong and was willingly serving his time for armed robbery and kidnapping at Turbeville Correctional Institution in South Carolina, his mother, Debra Capers Dickson, said at a news conference Thursday. But according to a lawsuit against the state's Department of Corrections, his life was cut short when he was stabbed inside his cell, dragged into the prison yard by correctional officers and left to die. The suit says prison personnel walked by him, leaving him to bleed to death on New Year's Eve 2017. "Allen did something wrong," Dickson said Thursday. "But he wanted to do his time because he knew he did wrong. He wanted to make it right." Capers' final moments were caught in disturbing surveillance footage obtained and released by the family's attorney, Justin Bamberg. The footage shows Capers struggling to get to his feet and repeatedly falling to the ground. Over the course of the video, Capers was approached by correctional officers several times, but he was not given medical treatment. "It's not a death sentence just because you go to prison," Dickson said. "You go to prison, you get reformed and you come back into society." "They're still human beings," she said of the inmates, for whom she's hoping to be an advocate. "They still have feelings. They still have rights." South Carolina Department of Corrections spokeswoman Chrysti Shain said in a statement, "More should have been done to render aid and help this offender." "The matter is under criminal investigation," Shain said, "and also the actions of the staff are under internal review for disciplinary actions." Video shows inmate was repeatedly left alone by correctional officers The family's wrongful death lawsuit against the South Carolina Department of Corrections accuses the agency of gross negligence for "failing to prevent the brutal attack" that killed Capers. It also claims that the Department of Corrections failed to place the appropriate number of correctional staff in the prison and that employees were not properly trained "to recognize a medical emergency," among other allegations. In Thursday's news conference, Bamberg alleged that inmates were somehow able to obtain keys from a correctional officer. He did not offer additional details about how that was known, citing ongoing court proceedings. The inmates allegedly opened Capers' cell and stabbed him "numerous times" in the head, neck, stomach and hand, the lawsuit says. According to Bamberg, a guard subsequently came into the dorm, saw Capers lying in a pool of blood and took him out into the prison yard while other inmates were fighting. At the time the surveillance footage begins, it's not clear how long Capers has been in the yard. The video, obtained by Bamberg and first reported by NBC, is more than 36 minutes long. Bamberg said Capers was in the yard for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. The footage shows Capers was left alone for extended periods. Correctional officers and inmates repeatedly approach him, but each time, he's left in the yard alone, appearing to struggle on the ground and crawling toward the prison. About 26 minutes into the video, two inmates attempt to get Capers into a wheelchair, but they're unable to, and leave him once again. Four inmates appear with a stretcher eight minutes later, and they and a prison guard finally wheel Capers out of the view of the surveillance camera. Death was preventable, attorney says According to the lawsuit, Capers was finally given medical aid "several hours later when they took him to the in-house medical facility." At that point, however, he was unresponsive and had no pulse, the lawsuit says. Capers was placed on the floor and died. Bamberg, who is also a state representative, tied Capers' death to the larger issue of prison reform in South Carolina. He urged changes to the system, including the issues of inmates' medical care and safety. He credited the Department of Corrections' current director Bryan Stirling for making "a valiant effort" to try to address issues that had been in place when he took the helm of the department. "There are just far too many problems that have been neglected to be addressed for far too long," he added. "Things like safety, things like changing out the locking system, things like having a proper staffing -- all of these would have prevented this from happening to Allen Capers," he said. DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI) According to a press release, Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter will be making an announcement on behalf of the Multi-Agency Taskforce Monday in Delphi. Coverage of the Delphi Homicide Investigation The media briefing will focus on the new direction of the Delphi homicide investigation. The conference will be held at The Canal Center in Delphi. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) A Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate family is upset about a question on an assignment handed out Thursday morning. "I'm just like, wow," said Sunnyside mom Sharnequa Bealim. "For her to be eleven and she's just like mommy, look, look at our work!" The student knew something wasn't right about one of her quiz questions: Jed wanted an education so he could: A. Raise up from the ghetto B. Rise up from the ghetto "I took it offensive! And I'm a single parent!" said Bealim. She worries about how this question affects kids from low-income families. "When they're reading it, they probably all have that installed like, oh, my parents didn't have enough education. This is why we stay here," said Bealim. The student's grandfather, Elliot Cameron is upset too. "That's me coming from Chicago and growing up in some of the worst parts of the city," explained Cameron. He just keeps asking, why? So, we took this matter to Sunnyside Principal Matthew Brown. He said he hadn't seen the quiz question but he was going to look into it and then meet with the family of the student. "He apologized and said it won't happen again and they're going to remove the question," said Cameron. We later received a statement from Principal Brown: The word ghetto, with its historically complicated origins, was included in a student assessment published by a third-party vendor. Our staff is encouraged to carefully scrutinize the work of outside publishers and online resource sites. In the future, we will insure that students are provided with the appropriate context for complex vocabulary. We apologize for the unnecessary anxiety and concern this created. We are proud of the student for bringing their concern to the attention of an adult. "If the question wasn't manufactured by the teacher, and it was manufactured by the site, you should have done a review of the questions before you gave them to the students anyway," responded Cameron. He is glad the school is doing something about it but he's still baffled. "There's no reason for that question," said Cameron. LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- The Greater Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association made a trip to Lafayette for the first session of its new program. The free program is called 'Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia." It is meant to inform and empower individuals who are in any stage of the caregiving process. Thursday night's session focused on the basics of the disease but there will be two additional sessions as part of the educational series. On Saturday, May 18th at 10:00 a.m., there will be a session that focuses on effective communication. On Tuesday, June 11th at 3:00 p.m., there will be a session focusing on legal and financial resources. All programs are free to attend and will be hosted at the Tippecanoe Senior Center located at 2000 Elmwood Avenue in the Northend Community Center in Lafayette. Kristen Webster, Information and Referral Manager for the Alzheimer's Association Indiana Chapter, said programs like this are a way for the Alzheimer's Association to talk about the importance of research and how to get involved. "Alzheimers disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and it's the only one that does not have a treatment, prevention or a cure," Webster said. "So without more brains or more people volunteering to be a part of research, it will remain that, if not worse." Webster told News 18 depending on the turnout for the three-part educational series, there may be more programs scheduled in the future. To learn more about the Alzheimer's Association Indiana Chapter, click here. To find an Alzheimer's and Dementia support group near you, click here. XINING, April 18 (Xinhua) -- China's state-owned enterprises (SOEs) are opening doors, and their minds too, to a group of curious visitors -- science fiction writers. Five state-owned industrial heavyweights, including electricity giants, nuclear firms and construction conglomerates, have invited sci-fi writers to visit their factories, megaprojects and laboratories and, hopefully, find clues for their new stories. "It has never happened before -- we sci-fi writers visit SOEs to collect material for our works," said writer Ling Chen, who prefers to be identified by her pen name. "China's technology development has been so fast that sometimes I feel I lag behind. This is a rare opportunity for me to get in touch with the SOEs' advanced technology." With the support of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), the regulator of SOEs in China, the event is designed to give the public a better idea of SOEs' technology feats through sci-fi works. The SOEs' tech achievements provide "a solid foundation" for science fiction, as state firms are important players in China's pursuit of innovation-driven development, said Liu Fuguang, deputy head of the SASAC's publicity bureau. "We hope there could be more elements of Chinese enterprises and technology embedded in the sci-fi writers' works after their visits," Liu said. On the other hand, sci-fi writers' bold imagination could also be an inspiration for the SOEs' future tech explorations, said Lin Mingzhao, director of the press center of the State Power Investment Corporation Limited (SPIC). Signature projects of SPIC, one of China's largest electricity generators and a Fortune Global 500 company, were the destinations of the writers' just-concluded first trip, which brought them to the far-flung canyons and plateaus of northwestern province of Qinghai. ALIENS & ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) During the trip, the eight sci-fi writers and one popular science writer, mostly in their 20s and 30s, were amazed by the striking scenes of high dams wedged into steep valleys, a sea of photovoltaic (PV) panels spanning the sun-bathed wilderness, and red-hot high-purity polysilicon rods quietly developed in the furnaces of a Chinese factory that broke a foreign technology monopoly. At certain moments of the trip, the boundary between reality and science fiction seemed to blur. Standing at the bottom of the 250 meter-tall dam of Laxiwa hydropower station, the largest on the Yellow River, Zhang Mengyuan, a 28-year-old sci-fi cartoon playwright, marveled at the engineering skills. The imposing cement hulk, with nothing on its wall but seven dark water outlets, reminded her of "a base for aliens to hide in," she said. China outrivals most countries in the hydropower field, with the world's largest installed capacity. On a sightseeing tower in a local PV industrial park, designed to cover 609 square km, writer Liu Huiying was overwhelmed by the view of vast arrays of PV panels installed by SPIC stretching to the horizon. "Objects placed in such large quantities provide strong sensory stimulation," Liu said. "Perhaps I could write about similar scenes in my future stories." Writer Lu Bingwen described the hydro-solar power hybrid generation technology, a world-leading innovation by a SPIC subsidiary that converts volatile PV power into stable, high-quality electricity, as "magic." "If I could control the alternating current sent from the PV power station and apply machine learning to it in a way that simulates the human brain wave, maybe I would be able to create an AI system in the power grid someday," Lu said. After visiting the polysilicon manufacturer, the only one in China able to mass produce and sell electronic-grade polysilicon, cyberpunk writer Zhao Lei was impressed by the strenuous efforts made by researchers and engineers undaunted by decades of foreign monopoly over the technology. "Making technological breakthroughs is like fighting a war against aliens equipped with high-tech weapons. Only with this kind of spirit demonstrated by these researchers could victory be attained," he said. Lin from SPIC believes any elements of SOEs or their technology appearing in sci-fi works would help rebuild the public images of these companies. "SOEs should have more connections with people's lives, instead of being a mysterious and distant existence in the eyes of the public," she said. SPARKLES OF INTERACTION China's SOEs used to be deemed as torpid, lacking innovation and inefficient. However, with the government push for innovation-driven development and supply-side structural reform, they have made strides in corporate reforms, sharpened their competitive edges and improved their technology strength in recent years. On the 2018 Fortune Global 500 list, 83 of 120 Chinese firms making the list were SOEs, of which 48 were centrally administered. Central SOEs' investment in research and development account for around a quarter of the national total. Their goal is to become world-class modern enterprises. The imagination of sci-fi writers, to some extent, could contribute to the innovation drive of SOEs, said Lin from SPIC, who plans to collect the sci-fi writers' ideas on related technology subjects for discussions among the company's tech staff. During their tour, the writers provided alternative approaches to technical problems. "Maybe you can use robots to clean the panels," writer Ling Chen told a SPIC tech expert at the PV industrial park, after learning that it takes a huge amount of labor and money every month to clean the PV panels to prevent dust from affecting their efficiency. Writer Sun Wanglu proposed another solution -- making the panels vibrate at a certain frequency and movement range so the dust could be shaken off automatically. After discussions with writers on a tour of Laxiwa hydropower station, Sangje Cering, a hydropower expert at SPIC's local subsidiary, said he had never associated the dam with anything surreal but now realized it looked exactly like a robot and could become a real robot in future. "Hydropower stations may become as intelligent as robots, smart enough to adjust power generations, irrigate and discharge floods on its own," he said. "Now some of our small stations are already able to operate without workers on duty." Shen Youguo, a PV expert, said the idea of meeting sci-fi writers at his workplace had never occurred to him. "They are curious and eager to learn, and more down-to-earth than expected," he said. "Maybe some ideas in our discussions could make a difference in the real world, and turn science fiction into reality." Emily Lisker, far left, works on a pizza crust as Margaux Morrisseau, Neighborworks Blackstone River Valleys director of community and engagement, sprinkles on cheese before Marty Pearson of Stone Comfort, slides it to the wood-fired oven with a long-handled pizza paddle. Seychelles is a 115-island country in the Indian Ocean whose capital, Victoria, is 932 miles east of mainland East Africa. It is an African country and a member of the African Union. With a population of just over 94,000 people, Seychelles is the least populated sovereign state in Africa. According to the countrys constitution, Seychelles is made up of 155 islands with most of the islands uninhabited and mainly dedicated as nature reserves. A group of 4 islands collectively referred to as "inland islands" have a total area of 244 square kilometers and account for 54% of the total land area. These 44 islands account for 98% of the countrys entire population. In addition to the 155 islands, Seychelles constitution also recognizes seven other reclaimed islands. Overview Of The Economy Of Seychelles After the proclamation of independence in 1976, Seychelles transformed its economy from agriculture-based to market-based diversified economy with agriculture replaced by a thriving service and public sector. The nominal GDP has increased over seven times over the years and purchasing power parity over 16 times. Today, Seychelles has the highest nominal per capita GDP in Africa. Despite the evident economic growth, poverty is widespread as a result of the economic inequalities and unequal wealth distribution among its population. Seychelles economy depends on tourism, fishing, coconut and vanilla processing, boat building, and agriculture. The public sector is the largest employer, accounting for two-thirds of the labor force and is also the highest revenue generator. Tourism Tourism is the second-most important sector of Seychelles economy after the public sector, accounting for approximately 17% of the countrys GDP. This sector also accounts for about 15% of the total workforce while other areas such as banking, construction, transportation, and other activities are also closely related to the industry. In 1999-2000, the industry generated about US$ 631 million with over 130,000 tourists visiting the country during the same period. In 2013, about 230,000 tourists visited the country compared to 2018,000 the previous year. The majority of the tourists come from Europe. The tourism sector contributed approximately 50% to the GDP and accounts for about 70% of the total foreign earnings. However, the import expenditure of the industry is high, lowering its net profits. The primary attraction in Seychelles is the coral beaches and water sports. Wildlife is also a significant attraction on the island country. The growth of tourism in Seychelles resulted from the completion of the Seychelles International Airport in 1971 and advanced rapidly to about 78,000 arrivals in 1979. The introduction of casinos in the 1990s further pushed the growth of this sector. To preserve the tourism sector and protect its natural attraction, the Government of Seychelles has limited the number of visitors to 150,000 per year. Fishing Seychelles is a small island developing state and does not have extensive land resources compared to other Africas mainland countries. It is also vulnerable to climate change. Thus, tourism and fishing are Seychelles two most important non-government sectors. In 2009, the industrial fishing surpassed tourism sector as the highest foreign exchange earner. In 2008, fisheries accounted for 77% of the countrys GDP and 97% of the export earnings. The industry employs about 17% of the total workforce and plays the main role in food security and income generation. The fishing industry has three main components; the artisanal fisheries carried out mainly by the local fishers using small motorized boats and targeting semi-pelagic species. The second component is the semi-industrial fisheries that are mainly locally owned with longliners targeting pelagic species. Finally, the industrial fisheries which are the backbone of the fishing industry and comprising of mainly foreign-owned fleets targeting Tuna species. Apart from the three major components of the fishing industry, there are also small trap fisheries that account for 15% of the total fish catch. Most of the fish caught are consumed fresh, but high-quality fish are sold to the export and processing firms for export mainly to Europe. Japan, France, Germany, the UK, and Mauritius are the destinations for around 92% of the country's fish output. Farming Agriculture has long been the basis of the economy of Seychelles. Before independence, the countrys economy was agriculture-based with the country relying on agricultural produce for both foreign earning and domestic consumption. During the plantation era, copra, vanilla, and cinnamon were the major exports. About 33% of the population were employed in the plantations. However, after independence, farming was replaced by tourism and fishing industries. Today, agriculture accounts for about 5% of the GDP. The total cultivated land on the island country is only 400 hectares. Although there is abundant rainfall, involvement in farming is still very low. Because of the importance of this sector to the countrys food basket, the government has undertaken several measures to reduce dependency on food imports. Today, the major agricultural products are sweet potatoes, cinnamon, cassava, and banana. Tea is mainly grown on the slopes of Mahe and mostly serves the local market. Manufacturing The manufacturing sector has a significant impact on the economy of Seychelles. In 2011, it contributed 8.8% of the countrys total GDP. The manufacturing industry is estimated to be growing at a rate of about 4%. Most of the manufacturers are small scale, consisting mainly of food processing plants. Other components of this industry include chemical and furniture manufacturing. Export of manufactured goods and services accounted for 45% of the GDP in 2011. Other notable industries in Seychelles include financial service, health, and medical, transport and logistic, and energy industries. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. High 43F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 22F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. There is mounting opposition among Australian workers, students and young people to the illegal arrest of Julian Assange by the British police last Thursday inside Ecuadors London embassy. Tens of thousands have also registered their hostility to the attempts by the Trump administration to extradite the WikiLeaks founder and Australian citizen to the US, where he faces concocted charges over his lawful publishing activities. Over the past week alone, more than an additional 75,000 people have signed a petition on change.org calling on the Australian government to intervene to secure Assanges safe passage to Australia and prevent his extradition to the US. The petition, now signed by more than 112,000 people, warns that Assange faces the prospect of extradition to the USA for publishing facts delivered to him as a journalist and for revealing systemic government corruption and war crimes. The mass outpouring is an indictment of successive Australian governments. With the support of the entire political establishment, they have refused to defend Assange, instead participating in the US-led vendetta against him. Since Assanges arrest, Liberal-National Coalition and Labor Party representatives have continued to flatly reject calls to intervene. Instead, they have made empty assurances that they will provide the WikiLeaks founder with unspecified consular assistance, committing them to nothing. Senior MPs from both parties have signalled their hostility to the journalist, with Coalition Senator James McGrath declaring he felt sorry for Ecuador over Assanges seven-year detention in the embassy. Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek shared a slanderous tweet which claimed that the WikiLeaks publisher had worked as the agent of a proto fascist state, Russia, to undermine democracy and branded his supporters as cultists. Millions of workers and young people reject these lies. Brisbane worker Phillip Adams, who helped initiate the petition last July, told the WSWS this morning that over the past seven days it had grown from 35,000 signatures to more than 112,000. Adams, who is not affiliated to any political party, said the petition was receiving a new signature roughly every eight seconds. Since the arrest, this issue has resonated powerfully across the citizenship, Adams said. There is a real grassroots support base for the petition. He added: People across the spectrum want the torture of Assange ended, because its off the scale. Adams explained: We always focussed the petition on the threat of extradition to the US. That has now been vindicated. Beforehand, the government and others denied that there was an extradition plan. They said it was in the realm of conspiracy theory. Adams said no parliamentary politician could claim not to know about the petition because each had received individual emails about it. Once the petition had got to 30,000 signatures, efforts were made to table it in the Australian Senate during February but that was blocked, supposedly due to lack of time. Now this is front and centre, Adams said. This is the demand of the people. Comments on the petition, accompanying the signatures, demonstrate the immense appreciation of working people for WikiLeaks publications. One, posted this morning, stated: Assange has published the truth that enlightens all thinking people. He has done us a great service! He should not be punished for his service to the truth! Another declared: To extradite an Australian citizen to certain torture & possibly even death, for the crime of being a journalist, sets a dangerous precedent for ALL journalists ALL over the world. We must protect this Nobel peace prize nominee and hero Julian Assange and protect the freedom of the press, otherwise we are devolving into authoritarianism. Others pointed to the responsibility of the Australian government. One petitioner wrote: Julian Assange is an Australian citizen! As such the government has a legal and moral obligation to ensure the safety of its citizens and to protect them from injustice by other countries... independently of their deals with those countries! There also has been mass support for Assange in Europe and internationally. A petition demanding that the UK government not extradite Assange to the US has been signed by more than 267,000 people. Similar numbers have signed petitions in Germany. Demonstrations have been held in Britain and France. A protest by up to 20,000 Ecuadorian workers and youth on Wednesday, condemning that countrys regime for illegally terminating Assanges asylum, was brutally repressed by the police. To suppress these sentiments and poison public opinion, the official media in Australia has, over the past week, alternated between slandering Assange and seeking to bury information about his dire plight. Corporate publications, and television programs on the commercial networks and the state-owned Australian Broadcasting Corporation, have adapted themselves to the Trump administrations attempts to prosecute Assange on conspiracy and espionage charges, by falsely declaring that he is not a journalist and that WikiLeaks is not a media organisation. An article in the Sydney Morning Herald yesterday marked a rare breach in the media line-up. Suelette Dreyfus, who wrote a book in collaboration with Assange in the late 1990s, pointed to WikiLeaks unparalleled record of investigative journalism. Assange is both a journalist and a publisher; he has led fearless news reporting over more than a decade, Dreyfus wrote. His digital media outlet has worked like a wire service: it publishes straight, fact-based news pieces, supported by data sets of redacted original material. Dreyfus noted that other media organisations had copied many innovations by Assange. These include installing anonymous digital drop boxes, publishing large redacted data sets in support of investigative news stories, hiring data science journalists, and encouraging reporters to improve their cybersecurity to protect sources. Significantly, she asked: Why isnt the Australian government using its special relationship with Britain to ask for its own citizen to be sent safely home? Prime Minister Scott Morrisons throw-away lines about Assanges case raises questions about whether he is a leader who will look after Australians in strife overseas. This is one of the roles of a government. Dreyfus similarly condemned the refusal of Labor leader Bill Shorten to take any action in defence of Assange. Over the past 18 months, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) has held a series of rallies, demanding that the Australian government use its undeniable diplomatic powers and legal discretion to secure Assanges release from Britain and return to Australia, with a guarantee against extradition to the US. The SEP has stressed that an Australian government will fulfil its responsibilities to the WikiLeaks founder only if it is compelled to do so by mass pressure from below. As part of its federal election campaign, the SEP will hold further rallies and public meetings to take forward this crucial fight. To get involved, email the SEP at sep@sep.org.au Authorised by James Cogan for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. In its statement announcing the partys campaign for the May 18 federal election, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) warned: To a greater extent than ever before, this election will be characterised by lies and diversions, as the parties of the political establishment, together with the corporate media, work to cover over the real situation facing working people. It has taken little time for that prediction to be borne out. The first week of the official election campaign has been dominated by desperate efforts by the major parties to woo alienated voters with false promises and phony sympathy. At the same time, they have been signalling to big business their unswerving commitment to fiscal responsibility, which means further slashing social spending. The mudslinging from all sides, which began within minutes of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons announcement of the election date last Thursday, is to cover up the fact that there are no fundamental differences between any of these parties. They are all committed to an agenda of war, austerity and attacks on democratic rights. On day one, 72 of the 101 ads pushed by the Liberal Partys Facebook account attacked Labors so-called taxes on retirees, housing and cars. Labors own attack ads said: You cant trust the Liberals. While travelling around the country, making promises pitched to selected constituencies, Morrison and Labor Party leader Bill Shorten accused each other of uncosted promises that would open up black holes in the budget. Each is trying to convince the corporate elite that he can produce bigger budget surpluses fasterat the expense of the social needs of working people. Even the limited pledges being made by Labor and the Liberal-National Coalition to partially reverse the increasingly run-down state of public hospitals, schools, social housing and public transport are stretched out over many years, making them meaningless. All of these pledges are conceived, not as the means of addressing pressing social problems, but at making a pitch to particular electorates and pockets of voters. A prime example is Labors pledge to spend $2.3 billion over four years to reduce crippling out-of-pocket costs and long waiting lists for cancer sufferers. Feigning sympathy for cancer patients and their families, Labor leader Bill Shorten peddled the illusion that all treatments would become free. In reality, Labors plan would only marginally increase the rate of Medicare bulk billing by cancer specialists, still leaving patients having to raise thousands of dollars for life-saving treatment. And it would do nothing to address the wider issues of fees, waiting lists and lack of services throughout the chronically-underfunded public hospital and health system. Having no policy of his own, Health Minister Greg Hunt inflated exaggerated Labors promises and declared he had found another Labor black hole. He released health department data estimating that eliminating out-of-pocket costs for all cancer-related procedures would cost $6.8 billion over four years. Both parties have presided over the systematic rundown of the health and hospital system and have no intention of spending the many billions required to provide free, high quality health care to all. Such posturing and lies are only possible because none of it has been subjected to any critical analysis by the establishment media. Not a single press conference sees a challenge to the essential bipartisan unity. No journalist dares question the petty, contrived character of the so-called debate, which has nothing to do with the needs and aspirations of the vast majority of voters. Nor has any examination been provided of the decades-long record of the entire political establishment. Successive governments, Coalition and Labor alike, have enforced the dictates of the financial and corporate elite, making Australia one of the most unequal countries in the world. As a result, the wealthiest 1 percent of the population now owns as much as the poorest 70 percent. Such is the obvious disconnect, however, between the official campaign and the worsening social reality, that some corporate think tanks and media commentators are sounding an alarm. Even the carefully staged-managed campaign appearances of Morrison and Shorten have been disrupted by people objecting that their promises cannot be trusted. The business-backed Grattan Institute reported this week that only a quarter of people think people in government can be trusted to do the right thingthe lowest result since the survey began in 1969. That is only a superficial expression of the seething discontent that has built up over the past four decades. Wednesdays release of the Treasurys Pre-Election Fiscal and Economic Outlook (PEFO) underscored the bogus character of the 10-year budget predictions on which both the Coalition and Labor have based their pledges. It made thinly-veiled references to the re-emerging global slump, trade war and military tensions and the collapse of the six-year housing bubble. As always there are a number of risks and uncertainties around the forecasts that continue to evolve, the PEFO stated. Internationally, it referred to a high degree of uncertainty and a range of economic and geopolitical risks. Domestically, it warned that housing prices could fall further, posing a downside risk to the outlook for both dwelling investment and consumption. This is another warning, courtesy of the Treasury, that once the election is over, regardless of whether the Coalition or Labor, backed by the Greens, heads the next government, it will tear up its promises and impose a new round of austerity measures. Equally revealing about the first week of the election campaign is what was not mentioned. For all the bogus rhetoric from both Labor and the Coalition of delivering a fair go, hardly a word was said about the bipartisan rejection of calls to increase the Newstart welfare allowance for jobless workers, which has been deliberately set at a sub-poverty rate to coerce the unemployed into cheap labour. In a bid to head off widespread anger over Labors stance, Shorten affected sympathy for the jobless and again promised an unspecified review, just as he did at last Decembers Labor Party national conference. To state the obvious, a review commits Labor to absolutely nothing. One issue has been very quickly buried, with the assistance of the corporate mediathe refusal of both the government and Labor to defend WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. This is despite protests, petitions and demands for government intervention continuing to be raised by audience members at election events. A virtual media blackout was imposed on the emergency rallies held by the SEP in Sydney and Melbourne to demand that the Australian government use its diplomatic and legal powers to secure Assanges freedom, with a guarantee against extradition to the US, where he could be jailed for life, or even executed, on concocted conspiracy and espionage charges. This line-up to reject the defence of a journalist and Australian citizen who has courageously exposed the war crimes and abuses of the US and its partners, including one Australian government after another, is a damning indictment. It is a demonstration of the readiness of the media and political establishment to overturn basic legal and democratic rights in order to suppress political dissent and demonstrate its unconditional commitment to Washingtons preparations for further wars, mass surveillance and regime-change operations. As the SEP explains in its election statement, there is only one way to answer the attacks on social conditions, the evisceration of democratic rights and the drive to war. That is to take up the fight for a socialist program, that is, for the working class to establish a workers government to reorganise economic life on the basis of social need and equality, not corporate profit. Authorised by James Cogan for the Socialist Equality Party, Suite 906, 185 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. The coalition of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Greens which controls the Hamburg Senate is acting as an extension of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) against anti-fascist students, teachers and parents. This has been exemplified by recent events surrounding the Ida Ehre School, which have met with widespread outrage in broad sections of the population. In a motion to the state Senate on March 1, 2019, AfD representatives Alexander Wolf and Detlef Ehlebracht called for action to be taken against anti-constitutional left-wing extremist activities at the Ida Ehre school, tolerated by the teaching staff and school management. The impetus was a collection of political stickers and photos which had been produced as part of a school project (Get involvedArt as cultural competence) and a photo contest exhibited at the school. The school is known for its commitment to fight racism and for encouraging students to form their own opinions and express them freely. The education authority immediately ordered an inspection of the school and had all anti-fascist stickers, photos and writings removed. This happened in the middle of the spring break, when neither the school leadership, nor students and teachers had the opportunity to comment on the allegations and defend themselves. The state minister responsible for the school board is Ties Rabe (SPD). In response to the AfD motion, the education authority justified its censorship measures by saying that while students were free to formulate their political views in the classroom, political advertising in schools was not allowed. It therefore supported the claim of the AfD that anti-fascism had no place in schools and should be classified as left-wing extremism. Encouraged by the Senates actions, Wolf stepped up his agitation against the school and its students. The state executives response had revealed how left-wing extremists at a school could freely propagate their ideology and recruit students for their violence-oriented organization. The lawyer and old man of the right-wing extremist Danubia fraternity railed about a supposedly left-leaning teaching staff and a left-wing extremist network at Ida Ehre. Several Hamburg press outlets, including the Morgenpost, the Hamburger Abendblatt and Bild repeated the accusations of the AfD in sensational articles and presented them as facts. The Hamburger Abendblatt wrote that the teachers of the Ida Ehre school were either naive or themselves followed left-wing extremist views. The AfD boasted on its website, AfD Group reveals left-wing network at district school. The authorities confirm legal violations and intervenes. Wolf added, Now the masterminds and supporters must also be investigated. Last autumn, the far-right AfD had set up a so-called information portal in Hamburg, and later in many other cities. There, students and parents were encouraged to denounce their teachers if they violated the so-called neutrality obligation and purveyed propaganda in the classroom, i.e., criticized the AfD. This call for denunciations recalls the Nazi era. This denunciation portal was used by an AfD supporter in early March to denigrate the Ida Ehre school as a sort of training ground for left-wing extremism. A photo posted on the schools pin board, which was created within the framework of a competition announced by the city (Protest seeks Motive), was singled out for criticism. It shows a group with a banner, Political enlightenment instead of right-wing snitchingand certainly no hate speech! AAO! The AfD described the photo as political publicity for a violent group. AAO stands for Antifa Altona Ost, which has found many followers among Hamburg school students in recent months and has organized numerous non-violent demonstrations and protests. Although the Hamburg state secret service officially certified the groups non-violence, it subjects it to surveillance and counts it as part of the Autonom (anarchist) spectrum. The AfD had been particularly outraged by the participation of many students in the campaign Youth against right-wing hatefor a solidarity society, in which 35 Hamburg schools took part. The AfD has deliberately targeted the Ida Ehre school because, as it writes, the school is proud of being part of a political, antifascist school community. The school takes its name from the actress and theatre director Ida Ehre, who was banished under the Nazis, arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in the Fuhlsbuttel concentration camp because she was Jewish. Ehre only narrowly escaped the fate of her mother and sister, who were killed in the concentration camp. After the end of the war in 1945, she opened the Hamburger Kammerspiele in a building that had formerly been used as a theatre by the Jewish Cultural Association, until the enforced Aryanization in 1941. Ehre wrote in her autobiography, I felt I had to do something that removed the sleepiness out of peoples eyes, driving fatigue out of their hearts. I wanted to make them think, to thinkhow was this time behind us, what responsibility do we bear for it, what will we do to shape the future. To this day, the school attaches great importance to encouraging political engagement among young people. One class received an award last year for its project Homelessness in Hamburg. As part of the Active for Democracy and Tolerance 2017 competition, the school received not only a certificate but also prize money of 1,000. Many parents decide to send their children to this school precisely because of its focus on education in democracy. In support of the Ida Ehre school, solidarity activities were conducted by other schools, colleges, pupils, parents and various anti-fascist groups. On March 23, the AAO organized a demonstration in defence of the school. Under the slogan, anti-fascism is not a crime, about 3,000 pupils and parents from various schools marched through Hamburgs city centre with their own banners and placards. The AAO organized an eyewitness conversation on April 13 with Auschwitz survivor Esther Bejarano, and on April 14 another anti-AfD demonstration. On March 29, students of the Ida Ehre school hung banners on the facade of the upper school building. One reads, Nazis murder & you are silent, students put up stickers & you scream. The AfD responded with a new motion, and again the education authority immediately ordered that the upper school leader personally remove the banners as soon as possible. The Hamburg Senate stressed that the action was not agreed with the teachers of the Ida Ehre school and demanded, State school buildings should be free of political advertising. The support of the city authorities has encouraged the AfD faction in the state assembly. AfD group leader Alexander Wolf tabled another motion because the AAO had posted a photo of the school with the banner Hamburgs schools remain red on their media channels. On March 28, a bomb threat was mailed to the school, which the school administration clearly assessed as right-wing radical, and which luckily turned out to be an empty threat. The cooperation of SPD-Green Senate with the AfD is not limited to the action against the Ida Ehre school. The SPD-led education authority also invited AfD group leader Wolf to a discussion event at the Helene Lange School. The reason for this collaboration is that the SPD and the AfD agree on fundamental political issuesthe construction of a police state, refugee policy, militarism. One year ago, Peter Tschentscher (SPD) succeeded Olaf Scholz, who as vice chancellor and minister of finance in the grand coalition federal government is now continuing the austerity policies of Wolfgang Schauble. At the G20 summit in July 2017, Scholz set new standards for police brutality and the persecution of demonstrators. To this day, young people involved in the protests are being subjected to draconian jail sentences. In refugee matters, the Hamburg state executive practices pure AfD policy. It allows people to be dragged from their bed under cover of darkness and deports them. Only a few weeks ago, it became known that a man with renal failure had been deported to Ghana by ambulancea decision that was practically equivalent to a death sentence. The events in Hamburg confirm the long-standing warnings of the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party)the establishment parties and the media are opening the way for the AfD ideologically and politically, because German politics is undergoing a turn in foreign and domestic policy. The grand coalition is preparing for new wars. That is why it is also rearming and stepping up state powers, while strengthening right-wing extremist and fascist forces in order to suppress any opposition. At the same time, the Bundeswehr (armed forces) are permitted to purvey their propaganda in schools and universities. President Reuven Rivlin called on current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form Israels next coalition government, following the final confirmation of the general election results on April 17. Netanyahus victory marks a watershed, posing a serious threat to the working class in Israel-Palestine and throughout the region, which Rivlin obliquely indicated. Weve been through a difficult election campaign, he said. A lot of things were said that shouldnt have been saidfrom all sidesnot in a Jewish state, and not in a democratic state. The election was held amid an escalating political, economic and social crisis. Netanyahu called it ahead of schedule in a desperate gamble to outmaneuver Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit over his expected indictment for corruption for allegedly granting regulatory concessions to businessmen in return for lavish gifts or favourable news coverage. Netanyahus Likud Party won 35 seats, with the religious parties winning a further 16, largely at the expense of the far-right. The Rightist Union that had agreed an alliancebrokered by Netanyahuwith the fascistic Jewish Power party won five seats, Israel Beiteinu five and Kulanu four, giving Netanyahus right-wing bloc 65 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, compared to 67 in the 2015 elections. Moshe Feiglins libertarian-nationalist Zehut Party and the New Right, led by outgoing ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked, did not make it across the electoral threshold. Blue and White, the main opposition blocan alliance of former generals, led by former Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and Yesh Atidtied with Likud, winning 35 seats. But with its potential government coalition partners Labour plummeting to just six seats and Meretz five, it was unable to unseat Netanyahu, despite the stench of corruption surrounding him. Netanyahus election pledge to annex the West Bank, occupied illegally since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, signalled his public adoption of the fascistic settlers and religious nationalists political agenda. Israels blockade of Gaza, aided and abetted by the butcher of Cairo, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and its repeated military assaults on Gazas defenceless Palestinian citizens, are creating a humanitarian catastrophe. At the same time, repeated aerial strikes on Syria, ostensibly against Hezbollah targets, threaten a far broader conflagration with Iran. Netanyahu now views his initial indictment hearing, postponed from July to September at his request, as off the table, or at least capable of being dragged out for years. As it became clear that he and his far-right and ultra-religious partners had won, Netanyahu cynically declared, I intend to be the prime minister of all the citizens of Israel, right and left, Jews and non-Jews. This comes from someone whose government last year introduced the Nation-State Law that enshrines Jewish supremacy as the legal foundation of the state, ends any commitment to equality and openly aligns the state with brutal oppression of an entire people, the Palestinians. Netanyahus real agenda is war on all opposition to the dictates of Israels capitalist elite. On Monday, speaking in the wake of a sickout by a handful of transportation workers that brought rail services to a halt, he pledged to prevent strikes in essential services. Transportation Minister Israel Katz proposed to enact a mandatory arbitration law for essential services. Nevertheless, major differences between his right-wing partners, particularly over the law to draft Orthodox Jews into the army, mean that constructing a coalition will not be straightforward. Two factors dominated the final days of the campaign. The first was the very public interference in the elections by US President Donald Trump in favour of Netanyahu, his regional attack dog. This included: His invitation to Netanyahu to visit Washington in the run up to the election and dispatch Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Israel during a tour of the Middle East, both designed to bolster Netanyahus position as a figure of international significance. His recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan heights, captured from Syria in the 1967 war and illegally annexed in 1981. His decision on the day of the election to designate Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, as part of his broader campaign to maximize pressure on Iran. It is also widely assumed that Netanyahu would not have made his statement junking the two-state solution in favour of the outright annexation of the West Bank without encouragement from the White House. Yet there was no hue and cry over Washingtons interference, including from the European Union which has long sought to position itself as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. The second factor was the spineless character of the so-called opposition, including Labour and Meretz, which sought to profit from popular disgust with Netanyahus right-wing policies without offering an alternative. They vied with the right-wing bloc to demonstrate their hostility to the Palestinians and Iran, and to compete over who had a more belligerent record against Hamas in Gaza. They demonstrated that the two-state solution that had once been their political mantra was dead. So devastating was the collapse in the share of the vote for Labour, the party that had ruled Israel for the first three decades of the states existence and briefly re-emerged in the 1990s as the party of peace, that there are discussions as to whether Labour and Meretz should merge to ensure they pass the polling threshold in future elections. The opposition had no solution to soaring housing costs, overcrowded hospitals and schools and the inadequate transportation system. In a country wracked by social tensions, the highest poverty rate of any of the so-called developed countries and mounting anger over the way Israels banks write off business tycoons debts at the expense of their ordinary customers, support for the Blue and White coalition and its potential government partners was to be found mainly in the more affluent parts of the country around the Tel Aviv heartland. Nearly 40 percent of all those eligible to vote did not do so. A third factor was the collapse of the Arab vote. Less than 50 percent of Israels Palestinian citizens went to the polling booths, compared with 85 percent in recent local elections, marking their alienation from official Israeli politics, particularly in the wake of the Nation-State Law and the upsurge in racist attacks against the Palestinians. In gross violation of election law, Netanyahu sent in more than 1,000 activists armed with hidden video cameras to monitor polling stations in Palestinian communities, signalling that elections were for Jewish Israelis only. The four Palestinian parties, instead of running as a single Joint List as they did in 2015, ran on two lists, winning just 10 seats, down from 13 in the previous Knesset. In the 1930s, with the rise of fascism in Germany, Leon Trotsky stated that the political situation as a whole is chiefly characterized by a historical crisis of the leadership of the proletariat. This assessment retains all its validity today in Israela country whose founding was defended with the claim that it would provide a refuge from fascism and anti-Semitism. The decisive political task is to turn to the working class to build a revolutionary leadership based upon the program of socialism and internationalism as a section of the International Committee of the Fourth International. Figures produced by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFA) show that life expectancy has fallen by around six months in England and Wales. IFA conclude that life expectancy for men aged 65 has fallen from 87.4 years to 86.9 years, and for women from 89.7 years to 89.2 years. The fall in longevity appears to be a trend, with last years analysis showing a decrease in life expectancy by two months. Compared to 2015 data projections, life expectancy is down by 13 months for men and 14 months for women. The IFA data is produced annually on behalf of the insurance industry and is used to price insurance products that are linked to life expectancy. These include life cover, annuities, and pensions, including defined benefit schemes, used to value pension promises made to members. Tim Gordon, chair of the Mortality Projections Committee for the Continuous Mortality Investigation, who carried out the IFA study, said, Its now widely accepted that mortality improvements in the general population since 2011 have been much lower than in the earlier part of this century. Average mortality improvements between 2000 and 2011 were typically over 2% per year but have since fallen to around 0.5% per year. Actuaries said evidence that life expectancy was slowing down started to emerge in 2010-11. Though the IFA would not commit as to why longevity is falling, some analysts suggest that there is a link between decreased life expectancy and austeritywith the then soon-to-be Tory prime minister David Cameron inaugurating the age of austerity in 2009as the result of factors such as cuts to the National Health Service (NHS), increasing rates of diabetes, dementia and obesity. The growth of life expectancy is now considered by some experts to have ground to a halt, and there is increasing evidence that prolonged austerity is a major factor. Sir Michael Marmot, director of University College London (UCL) Institute of Health Equality, said it is entirely possible austerity has had an impact, while dismissing the idea that humans are reaching the limits of their natural lifespan. In 2017, Marmots UCL research, utilising data taken from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), showed that the rate of increase in life expectancy had dropped by 50 percent since 2010. Last year, four senior academics, after analysing official mortality data, accused the Department of Health of ignoring concerns about a potential link between death rates and underfunding of the NHS and social care. The Independent Review of the State Pension Age, Smoothing the Transition, published by the Government Actuarys Department in 2017, examined life expectancy and the sustainability of the pensions system. Written by John Cridland, a former director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, no less, it predicts increases in the age when an individual is entitled to the state pension. From this year, the state pension age will increase for both men and women, to reach 66 by October 2020. Further increases are planned, raising the state pension age from 66 to 67 between 2026 and 2028. This is justified by the government based on its claims that life expectancy is increasing. Fall in life expectancy benefit pensions companies and the state, who must pay out pensions. If people die earlier, they will not receive pension payments, with those working now under the age of 45 having to wait until they are 68 before they can draw their pension. A Department for Work and Pensions document suggests that those who are now under 30 may not be able to access their pensions until they reach 70. Aon, the professional services risk management company, estimates that the downgrading of life expectancy could potentially remove 2.5 percent of the liabilities from a defined benefits (DB) pension scheme. A DB pension is one in which a secure income is paid out for life, and which increases each year. These pensions, often linked to large organisations such as those in the public sector, are under attack and are being replaced by inferior Defined Contribution schemes. The Cridland report complains, If the proportion of older peoplepast State Pension age or more generally over 65 goes up, then other things being equal so does the burden on working age people of supporting older people not in work. In order to justify cutting pension rights, a general theme in ruling circles and the pro-capitalist media is the demonization of sections of the elderly who have benefited from pensions such as final salary schemes. They are traduced as part of the baby boomer generation who have never had it so good and that such pension rights for all are unsustainable. What is sustainable for the ruling elite and their political representatives is predicated entirely by the imperatives of the profit system, that puts the continued enrichment of a super-rich few before the needs of both old and young. Further analysis of ONS stats confirm that the worst affected by falling life expectancy are those living in the most deprived areas across all age ranges. A study published this week by two academics, Torsten Kleinow, associate professor in actuarial mathematics and statistics at Edinburghs Heriot-Watt University, Andrew Cairns, a professor at the university and director of the Actuarial Research Centre, and a Herriot Watt PhD student in actuarial mathematics, Jie Wen, looked at ONS data from November 2018 that consists of death counts and mid-year population estimates for 10 socio-economic groups, distributed by level of deprivation. The authors found, It is widely acknowledged that life expectancy in the UK and other countries is linked to socio-economic variables, with the rule of thumb being that those who are best off in life live the longest. The data for England published recently by the Office for National Statistics reinforces that rule, but also allows us to quantify this statement and investigate how large the differences in mortality rates areand how differences are changing. They note that survival probabilities to age 90 have increased for women in all socio-economic groups, but they have improved the most for the least deprived. In fact, the chances of surviving to age 90 in the most deprived areas have remained flat since 2009. The gap is widening. It is also remarkable that there is almost perfect ordering by socio-economic group. It summarises, [T]here are substantial differences between mortality rates in different socio-economic groups. This is reflected in life expectancies, chances of surviving to old age, and infant mortality. There is no evidence that the mortality gap is closing, although it might have stopped widening further. After 10 years of austerity in the UK, the human cost is devastating. A 2017 joint report by Oxford and Cambridge Universities and the University of London concluded that savage cuts to the NHS and Social Care provision could result in nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020 in England. The savagery has reversed a trend that saw life expectancy improving in the six years prior to 2010. The ONS shows that of the 20 countries examined, it was only the United States that has potentially worse life expectancy outcomes than the UK. After all the progress made in the 20th century in improving health care, the eradication of disease, and achieving overall better living conditions, it is an indictment of capitalism that life expectancy in the UKone of the richest countries in the worldis now falling. On Wednesday, CNN reported US federal prosecutors confirmed there is an ongoing criminal investigation of Julian Assange, the 47-year-old founder of WikiLeaks. Prosecutors also indicated affiliates of Assange are under investigation, this according to another newly unsealed document. According to the CNN report, at least one document related to this investigation has been withheld from the public due to ongoing activity. The revelation, CNN reported, confirms CNN and other news outlets reporting in recent days that WikiLeaks is connected to at least one probe that could result in more criminal charges. The report confirms the warnings made by the WSWS and others that the charges related to computer hacking leveled against Assange are merely a pretext for his extradition to the United States, after which additional charges would be brought against him. On April 11, Assange was expelled from the Ecuadorian embassy in London and arrested by British officials on the public charge of conspiracy to bypass a password. That charge dated back to events in the 2011 WikiLeaks publication of the Iraq and Afghanistan War Logs. Chelsea Manning turned over more than half a million documents exposing US war crimes and corruption to WikiLeaks for publication. The expulsion and arrest of Assange has been accompanied by an unrestrained campaign of media vilification aimed at transforming Assange into a non-person, undeserving of democratic rights. But since Assange has been imprisoned in the maximum-security Belmarsh prison, public comments made by leading Democrats and US media officials indicate that charge was not the primary aim of the US investigation. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer tweeted, Now that Julian Assange has been arrested, I hope he will soon be held to account for his meddling in our elections on behalf of Putin and the Russian government. Democratic chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Eliot Engel tweeted that Assange time after time compromised the national security of the United States and our allies by publicly releasing classified government documents and confidential materials related to our 2016 presidential election. US, British and Ecuadorian governments have claimed Assanges extradition is proper because the US is indicting on a single charge: attempting to help Chelsea Manning bypass a password. But this has now been revealed to be only the pretext. The real reason the US wants custody of the whistleblower was stated by Schumer and Engel. On April 15, the WSWS wrote that these statements demonstrate the extradition proceedings are being conducted under false pretenses: The single public charge is a cover. The government is planning to interrogate Assange, compel him to provide testimony and further prosecute him for exposing US war crimes. (Stop the extraordinary rendition of Julian Assange!) In December 2017, US prosecutors told a federal judge they wanted to keep secret the charges Assange might face because learning of them might have caused him to flee the Ecuadorian embassy. According to CNN, the recently unsealed documents indicate that a grand jury in Virginia indicted Assange in 2018 and prosecutors again demanded the charges be kept secret for the same reason, and added their worries about evidence tampering and witness intimidation. Cassandra Fairbanks, of the right-wing outlet the Gateway Pundit, visited Assange more than once during his imprisonment in the London embassy offices. She confirmed her visits with Assange have been the subject of the recent investigation. She told the World Socialist Web Site, I was informed on Monday that there is a secret grand jury against Julian and two witnesses were questioned about me meeting with him, though they have not subpoenaed or questioned me directly. The witnesses told me that they were both asked, separately, if they knew any US persons who had met with Assange. When they didnt really answer the question, they were asked specifically about me and also a list of other people who have visited Assange. Since Assanges arrest, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, who was prosecuted by the Obama administration in 2012 for exposing the torture of detainees, has taken to social media to emphasize that Assange has no chance of a fair trial in the US. A fair trial in the Eastern District of Virginia, under Judge Leonie Brinkema, is utterly impossible. They dont call EDVA the Espionage Court for nothing, he wrote. The release Thursday morning of the report of Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller has become the occasion for a full-scale resumption of the political warfare in Washington between two equally right-wing factionsthe Trump administration, with its fascistic base of support, and the Democratic Party, aligned with dominant sections of the US military-intelligence apparatus. Within minutes of the issuance of the slightly redacted document, congressional Democrats were claiming confirmation of their charges of Trumps collaboration with Russia, while the White House and Fox News were hailing the presidents complete vindication. Both sides found ammunition for their claims in the 448-page report. Muellers nearly two-year-long investigation focused on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, possible collusion with Russia by the Trump campaign, and Trumps subsequent efforts to block and shut down the investigation. The Mueller report is divided into two booksone on the claims of Russian intervention, the other on possible charges of obstruction of justice. The Mueller report accepts as good coin the assertion by US intelligence agencies that Russian hackers stole documents from the Democratic Party and delivered them to WikiLeaks, which published them in July and October of 2016. These documents demonstrated that the Democratic National Committee sought to rig the primary campaign for Clinton against her main challenger, Bernie Sanders, and revealed the text of speeches Clinton delivered behind closed doors to Wall Street audiences, assuring the bankers that a Clinton administration would serve their interests. Far from representing illicit intervention by Moscow, the WikiLeaks revelations were a rare injection of truth into an election campaign dominated by the endless lies of both sides, each claiming to represent the interests of American working people when both parties, the Democrats as much as the Republicans, represent big business and the financial aristocracy. The revelations about Clinton had considerable impact, but they hardly decided the outcome of the election, in which Clinton demonstratively refused to make any appeal to the working class, relying instead on her support from the national security establishment. As for the social media campaign, the other supposed component of Russian election interference, it was trivial in its impact. By one calculation, Russian entities spent $75,000 on Facebook ads, emails and texts, a drop in the bucket for an election campaign in which the Democrats, Republicans and billionaires backing one side or the other spent close to $5 billion. The reports categorical declaration that the Russian intelligence agencies were the source of the leaked emails published by WikiLeaksa claim that cannot be verified by any publicly-available evidencewill set the stage for an escalation of the bipartisan efforts to criminalize WikiLeaks, jail its publisher Julian Assange, and drastically crack down on the freedom of expression on the internet. After reviewing in detail the incidental contacts between Trump campaign aides and Russians, both government officials and private citizens, the Mueller report concludes that no Trump aides worked on behalf of the Russian government and that there was no conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to collaborate against Clinton (Mueller rejected the word collusion as legally meaningless). This finding refutes the core of the anti-Russia campaign waged by the Democrats and their media allies for the past two yearsthree years if one includes the claims of Russian support for Trump by Clintons own campaign. In the most fevered version, Trump is an agent of Vladimir Putin in the White House. Commenting on the report, journalist Glenn Greenwald noted, The result of all of that was that not a single Americanwhether with the Trump campaign or otherwisewas charged or indicted on the core question of whether there was any conspiracy or coordination with Russia over the election. No Americans were charged or even accused of being controlled by or working at the behest of the Russian government These facts are fatal to the conspiracy theorists who have drowned US discourse for almost three years with a dangerous and distracting fixation on a fictitious espionage thriller involving unhinged claims of sexual and financial blackmail, nefarious infiltration of the US Government by familiar foreign villains, and election cheating that empowered an illegitimate President. Since Trump entered the White House, the Democrats have chosen to focus their opposition to Trump on the claims of a Russian connection, not his attacks on immigrants, open appeals to fascists, or tax cuts for the wealthy. Rather than mobilize popular opposition to this ultra-right government, the Democrats have resorted to the methods of a palace coup, aligning themselves with the faction of the national security apparatus that sought to continue the aggressive anti-Russian policy in Syria, Ukraine, Eastern Europe and Central Asia adopted during the second term of the Obama administration. The second volume of the Mueller report details a series of 10 episodes, each of which could constitute an instance of obstruction of justice, ranging from Trumps efforts to obtain leniency for his former national security adviser Michael Flynn, to his firing of FBI Director James Comey, his attempts to fire Mueller himself, and his dangling of pardons in front of witnesses ranging from former campaign chairman Paul Manafort to Michael Cohen, former attorney and fixer for the Trump Organization. Mueller rejects the authoritarian argument of Trumps legal counsel that the president cannot be charged with obstruction of justice because, as head of the executive branch, he is in charge of all its activities, including decisions to investigate and prosecute crimes. This is an updated version of the doctrine of Richard Nixon that if the president does it, it must be legal, which was ultimately exploded in Watergate. On each of the 10 episodes, Mueller gives lengthy details, then makes a three-part analysis: was there an overt act of obstruction, was this connected to an ongoing investigation, and was the presidents intent to obstruct? In nearly every instance, he answers all three questions in the affirmative. The conclusion of this section, however, is that Trump is neither exonerated nor indicted, a finding trumpeted by Attorney General William Barr last month in a four-page letter to Congress announcing the completion of the investigation. According to the Mueller report, however, the failure to indict is not the result of lack of evidence, as Barr suggested. In a key section, at the beginning of the second volume, Mueller explains that his investigation was bound by a ruling of the Office of Legal Counsel, another part of the Department of Justice, that a sitting president cannot be indicted on criminal charges. The only constitutional remedy for criminal conduct in the White House is congressional action, he writes: The conclusion that Congress may apply the obstruction laws to the Presidents corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law. In other words, the only available recourse is impeachment. This portion of the report paints a picture of a White House under siege from the campaign being waged by sections of the military-intelligence apparatus, backed by the Democratic Party and the media, using the bogus Russia allegations to provoke Trump into engaging in brazen interference in the Russia investigation, while key White House aides and advisers try to hold him back. Mueller writes: The Presidents efforts to influence the investigation were mostly unsuccessful, but that is largely because the persons who surrounded the President declined to carry out orders or accede to his requests. The response of the Democrats to the Mueller report was to redouble the claims of Russian interference, while at the same time highlighting the charges of obstruction of justice. Representative Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which would handle any impeachment proceeding, said that there would be hearings on the report immediately, beginning with the summoning of Mueller to testify about the evident conflict between his assessment of the case against Trump and that delivered by Barr in his letter to Congress, where he emphasized that Trump had been cleared on all counts. Most leading congressional Democrats were hedging their bets on impeachment however, citing the likelihood that the Republican-controlled Senate would refuse to convict Trump and remove him from office. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the leading advocate of the anti-Russia campaign, all cautioned against any rush to impeachment without significant Republican support. The author also recommends: The dictatorial impulse behind Trumps political purge [9 April 2019] The media and the Mueller report [27 March 2019] Socialist Equality Party (Parti de legalite socialiste, PES) supporters intervened at the rally in Paris on Saturday in defence of Julian Assange, at the invitation of the alternative newspaper Le Grand Soir. Hundreds of people, including yellow vests, some Unsubmissive France militants, Australians and Latin Americans were present to denounce Assanges arrest at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Assange is threatened with extradition to the United States where he could face the death penalty. Le Grand Soir had organized the rally in front of the offices of the Le Monde newspaper to denounce the silence and contempt of the French press in response to Assanges persecution. Viktor Dedaj for Le Grand Soir denounced the Trump government as being behind the arrest and demanded Assanges release. He also highlighted the cowardice of newspapers which used the material published by Assange and WikiLeaks to write and sell their articles, but which are now abandoning Assange to his fate. Dedaj said that further mobilizations will take place in Paris in the coming days. PES supporters distributed hundreds of leaflets titled Free Julian Assange. Alex Lantier, speaking on behalf of the World Socialist Web Site and the PES, condemned categorically the forcible arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. We call for a worldwide campaign in the United Kingdom and internationally to defend Assange; to oppose his extradition to the United States; and to guarantee his freedom and return to Australia, with guarantees against any future prosecution. Lantier concluded his speech by explaining that the defence of Assange, who fought to reveal the truth to workers, requires the intervention of the international working class: It is the working class, the great mass of the population, that must be mobilized to defend Julian Assange, Chelsea Manning and all the class-war prisoners. The demand for their freedom must be a rallying cry for the world working class. After the speech, which was favourably received by the demonstrators, the WSWS spoke to Eliane. She said she had come because I am revolted to see the way Julian Assange is treated, when he risked his life to inform us, so as to denounce everything that is happening around the world. When asked about her opinion of NATOs wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Eliane replied: I think they were a fraud, they always use lies to justify dragging people into war. Fortunately, there are whistle-blowers, but they should not be abandoned. All the countries are implicated against Assange, no one will want to take him. When the WSWS asked what she thought of the conduct of the May government and Moreno, Eliane found their attitude revolting: Ecuador should not have agreed to it. If I understood correctly there was very strong pressure on the Ecuadorian government. ... Moreno did not keep his predecessors word. Britain could well not have been obliged to arrest him either. Eliane condemned the French governments silence on Assanges persecution, which she linked to the rise of social anger: This silence is shameful. I dont know if its complicit, but at the very least its cowardice. And then we are ashamed of this way of doing things, it doesnt correspond at all to our values. So were revolted, were revolted about a lot of things right now. This is just one more issue. Eliane fears that if he [Assange] is extradited to the United States, it will not be limited to prison. In my opinion it will be the death penalty. The WSWS also met Alexandre, who came just to demonstrate in support ... In general it is important to support those who are now called whistle-blowers. He added, I think its important to have people who fearlessly get information and disclose it. Then, there is a lot of work to be done to find out if this information is true, if it really contributes something. But from the moment it is verified, the information must be accessible to the general public. To the question of what he thinks of the silence of the New Anti-Capitalist Party (NPA) and Lutte Ouvriere (Workers Struggle) on Assange, and Unsubmissive France leader Jean-Luc Melenchons terse tweet on his arrest, Alexandre answered, Indeed, in France there is no support. The proof is that there are not thousands of us here either. I dont expect much support on the Assange issue, even less from politicians on all sides. Finally, the WSWS spoke to Carmen, an Australian of Chilean origin, who was concerned about the Assange case. Australia has done nothing to support Julian Assange, we only have journalists like John Pilger who have rallied. ... The government is silent on this issue and it is shameful. Asked about the Australian Socialist Equality Partys interventions to mobilize workers opposition to Assanges persecution, Carmen said: There have been rallies in Sydney and Melbourne where people have spoken out against it. The Australian population in general was against all the wars that were taking place in Iraq; millions of people gathered to fight these wars. It was not a decision of the people. It was a decision by governments to finance the military-industrial complex and pay for their contracts. For Carmen, Assange is a hero: I think that as a journalist, who led WikiLeaks, he exposed all the illegalities and atrocities that governments have committed and we, the people, have the right to question our governments. On the charges of rape against Assange in Sweden, Carmen considered that these are fraudulent charges, frame-ups to send him to Sweden so that he can then be extradited to the United States. I think that WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, in the eyes of governments, have done a lot to damage them, because they can no longer hide behind the facade of a clean government. Carmen said that it was necessary to see that this is a violation of press freedom and its long-term implications. Saturday will mark 20 years since the massacre at Columbine High School in a Denver, Colorado suburb. In that horrific incident, 12th-grade students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold shot and killed 12 of their fellow students and one teacher before committing suicide. There had been school shootings in the US prior to April 20, 1999, but in its planned and systematic character, in its desperate and cold-blooded brutality, in its scope (Harris, in a diary entry, fantasizedwell before the September 11, 2001 attacksabout hijacking an airplane and crashing it in the middle of New York City) and in its conscious political timing (on Adolf Hitlers birthday and the near anniversary of the right-wing terrorist attack in Oklahoma City in 1995), the Columbine event represented something qualitatively new and disturbing. The World Socialist Web Site, in the second year of its publication, recognized this. However terrible its consequences, the mad rampage of Harris and Klebold has deep social roots, wrote David North in The Columbine High School massacre: American Pastoral ... American Berserk on April 27, 1999. What was it, North asked, citing a passage from novelist Philip Roth, that was leading vulnerable young people in America into disaster? Look honestly at this societyits political leaders, its religious spokesmen, its corporate CEOs, its military machine, its celebrities, its popular culture, and, above all, the entire economic system upon which the whole vast superstructure of violence, suffering and hypocrisy is based. It is there that the answer is to be found. The disaster of American society has only worsened in the intervening two decades. Inevitably, the specific derangement and mayhem of school shootings, associated with the names of institutions such as Virginia Tech (2007), Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut (2012) and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida (2018), has continued. Indeed, the Columbine anniversary events planned for this week were overshadowed by reports that an 18-year-old Florida woman, obsessed with the 1999 shooting, had made threats against Denver-area schools. The news that the teenager had flown across the country to Colorado where she purchased a pump-action shotgun and ammunition set off a massive police pursuit and led to the closure of schools attended by half a million students. Sol Pais was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a heavily wooded area west of Denver. The latest deadly incident is never the last, it is simply the most recent. The Washington Post estimated earlier this month that since the Columbine massacre more than 220,000 children had been exposed to gun violence in their classrooms. This statistic alone testifies to a social order that cannot provide elementary protection for its most defenseless members. This inability to guarantee the bodily and psychological safety of children goes hand in hand with official American societys inability or stubborn unwillingness to comprehend or even seriously address the root causes of these unending tragedies. This writer noted two decades ago (in Eyes wide shut: The reopening of Columbine High School, August 19, 1999) that Everything is being done except the critical thing: to make an analysis of the social situation in the US. Politicians and media pundits offer differing shallow conclusions, but they all agree on one thing: the killings have nothing to do with the basis of the social order. That they spring to defend. In any event, one is hardly expecting from official America a searching self-criticism, but the policy of sweeping major problems under the rug will inevitably have disastrous results. The blindness, made up of one part pig ignorance and another part deliberate obliviousness fed by prosperity and self-satisfaction, also continues unabated. If anything, the intellectual and moral atmosphere today is more bankrupt and degenerate than it was in 1999. One searches in vain for probing commentary on the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shootings in the American media, left, right or centeror much commentary of any kind. The New York Times veteran columnist Clyde Haberman asks in a headline, 20 Years After Columbine, What Have We Learned?, but he might just as well not have bothered. After pointing to many of the mass shootings and acts of violence that the Columbine events heralded or even inspired, and noting that such tragedies are now so ingrained in the national character that they come with their own well-worn script, Haberman abruptly leaves off, without drawing any general conclusions. His only solution apparentlymore gun regulation, the sum total of the current wisdom of American liberalism. Meanwhile, grotesquely, Donald Trump and the fascistic National Rifle Association propose to arm teachers or put weapon-toting police in every school building. School killings are largely seen in establishment circles as a police matter. Appropriately, the Crime ReportYour Criminal Justice Network recently observed that perhaps surprisingly the phenomenon of mass shootings has not been subjected to a comprehensive academic study, until now. The National Science Foundation this month sponsored a workshop, attended by both academics and law enforcement officers, on An Evidence-Based Approach to Understanding and Countering Mass Violence in America. The papers, we learn, will be published in the American Society of Criminologys journal Criminology & Public Policy. But from which quarter would one expect critical or deep-going analysis of any significant development in the US? The well-fed and well-heeled Times and Washington Post editors, columnists and their ilk at universities and think tanks, focused on Russia, race and gender and the 2020 elections, are hardly in a position to make sense of or even acknowledge the advanced state of dysfunction. As long as stock prices climb, the argument goes, everything is fine in Americaeven if young people happen to be shooting each other and dying in frightening numbers from suicide and drugs. Speaking for all the prosperous, the Wall Street Journal observed last year, There arent many downsides to Americas humming economy. Not all ruling elites are created equal. The American version is especially stupid, short-sighted, philistine and, as Leon Trotsky observed in 1924, ruthlessly rude, predatoryin the full sense of the wordand criminal. And the upper middle class left, or what remains of it? The left-liberal halfwits at the Nation and Jacobin magazines are a thousand miles away from the vast popular suffering in the US, entirely preoccupied with promoting this or that Democratic Party populist charlatan and pretending that he or she will easily fix Americas problems. The 20 years of mass school killings have to be seen in their full social and historical context. It has also been two decades, more or less, since the declaration of the war on terror and the invasions of Afghanistan and later Iraq, two decades since the hijacking of a national election and the repudiation of any concern by the American bourgeoisie for democratic norms, two decades of mounting social inequality and two decades of unrelenting attacks on workers conditions of life. All these processes exist in the same historical plane, in Trotskys phrase. This same 20-year period has introduced Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland, Abu Ghraib and Fallujah, Guantanamo and Bagram, along with school massacre, workplace shooting, targeted assassination, kill list, enhanced interrogation, black site and extraordinary rendition, into the worlds lexicon. American capitalist society is disintegrating. Mad, individual anti-social acts such as the one that occurred at Columbine will not be halted by the pious wishes, much less the indifference, of the powers that be. However, the same intolerable social crisis is brewing something very different within the mass of the population. The same processeswar, poverty, and social miserythat give rise to mass shootings and the daily violence of American society, are also driving a much more progressive development: deepening hatred of capitalism and a growing audience for socialism. Asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected are to be ruthlessly bullied, persecuted, detained and deported. In summary, this describes the content of the Orderly Return Act adopted by Germanys federal cabinet on Wednesday. It now only has to be approved by the Bundestag and Bundesrat, the lower and upper houses of Germanys parliament, where, with a few cosmetic changes, the law is assured of winning a majority. The draft bill, prepared jointly by the Interior Ministry under the leadership of Horst Seehofer (Christian Social Union, CSU) and the Ministry of Labour led by Hubertus Heil (Social Democratic Party, SPD), was made public several weeks ago and has already provoked widespread protest and opposition. It abrogates fundamental democratic rights and in parts violates European law. Nonetheless, all of the SPD ministers backed the new law, including Justice Minister Katarina Barley, the SPDs lead candidate in the European elections. With its new law, the grand coalition is in effect enforcing the far-right policies of the Alternative for Germany (AfD). Although the right-wing extremist party won just 12.6 percent of the vote at the last federal election, it is dictating the governments refugee policy. The Orderly Return Act enforces the following changes to existing legal instruments: * Refugees required to leave the country can be taken into custody much more easily than is currently the case. To this end, the prerequisites to deem someone a potential flight risk have been reduced. * In order to make available a sufficient number of detention places, the European Separation Order, which stipulates that detention pending deportation and standard criminal imprisonment must be kept strictly separate, is to be suspended for three years. As a result, refugees who have committed no crime will be detained in normal prisons. * Immigrants who, in the opinion of the authorities, fail to make the effort to provide missing paperwork will fall under a new designation: tolerated with unconfirmed identity. They will have fewer rights than tolerated refugees, who, although they have had their asylum applications rejected, are often allowed to remain in Germany for a period of time. Missing passports and failing to turn up to meetings can be used as grounds for deportation. Anyone who fails to attend an embassy appointment can be detained for 14 days, a crime which has not previously existed. In summary, anyone who refuses to voluntarily cooperate in their own deportation will be thrown in jail and deported as a punishment. * The date and planned route of a deportation will be declared a state secret. Any public servant who provides advanced warning of a deportation thus commits a criminal offence. Although the original plan for a criminal offence for refugee aid workers and journalists who report deportation dates was formally removed from the bill, it was reintroduced through the back door. This is because the assistance in or encouragement of the circulation of state secrets is punishable as a criminal offence. * Asylum seekers whose applications fall under the responsibility of authorities in another European country will receive virtually no support. They will be starved into leaving the country. If they are deemed to be in need of aid, they can receive a maximum of two weeks of limited financial support to cover costs until their deportation, and the support can be claimed only once within a two-year period. * The Federal Agency for Immigration and Refugees (BAMF), which to date had three years to review the grounds for offering protection to asylum seekers, will have five years in the future. This means that refugees who have been accepted will be left living in fear for five years, since their recognition of their asylum claims could be revoked at any time. * Individuals convicted of a crime can be immediately deported if they receive a six-month sentence, a reduction from the previous 12-month minimum. In the first instance, the Orderly Repatriation Act is aimed at getting rid of the 240,000 people currently living in Germany who are required to leave the country, and in particular the 56,000 who received no tolerated status. Seehofer intends to send 18,000 people back to war-ravaged Afghanistan alone. But the law goes even further. It is not merely anti-refugee and undemocratic, but also inhumane and barbaric. It recalls the darkest chapters of German history. The Himmlers, Heydrichs, and others in SS uniforms were not sufficient to carry out the industrial extermination of 6 million Jews. It was also necessary to have an army of officials in every ministry who identified, rounded up and deported the Jews to concentration camps in a cold-blooded and bureaucratic manner. Hannah Arendt coined the phrase the banality of evil to describe this. Such a layer of unscrupulous apparatchiks, who suppress any trace of empathy and bully their victims with inhumane laws, regulations that are impossible to comply with, and prison, all in the name of law and order, is once again being trained. Even the laws cynical name, Orderly Return Act, underscores this fact. Reinhard Muller summed it up in a comment for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. He enthused, Why hasnt this long been the case? and proposed naming the law Return to Legality Act. Seehofer and the FAZs term legality, which pours scorn on all core democratic principles, is directed not only against refugees, but the working class as a whole. It takes aim at anyone viewed by the ruling class as a hostile entity or a threat, either because they are fighting mounting exploitation, poverty and social inequality, or because they oppose the witch-hunting of refugees, the strengthening of the repressive state apparatus and militarism. The new deportation law goes hand in hand with the strengthening of the instruments of state repression, including the police, and the rise of militarism. Seehofers department alone has tabled the Intelligence Agencies Special Powers Act and an IT Security Act this month alone, which lay the basis for a state of all-embracing surveillance. None of the other parties oppose this. As coalition partner of the CDU and CSU, the SPD bears direct responsibility for the new law. Justice Minister Barley, who loudly proclaimed her objections to the suspension of the separation of refugee detainees and prisoners just a few weeks ago, supported the law. SPD leader Andrea Nahles has not uttered a word of criticism of the law. The Greens and Left Party agree with the measure in principle and have at most raised verbal objections. In the two German states with a Green or Left Party minister president, Baden-Wurttemberg and Thuringia, the authorities are deporting refugees just as eagerly as anywhere else. The Greens only concern, raised by Hamburgs Justice Senator Till Steffen, is that the prisons are already overcrowded and are therefore unable to accommodate refugees. Australian documentary filmmaker James Ricketson spoke with the World Socialist Web Site this week to denounce the arrest of Julian Assange as a dangerous attack on freedom of speech and basic democratic rights, and demand his immediate release. In June 2017, Ricketson was arrested in Cambodia, where he was making a film about poverty-stricken families in Phnom Penh, and falsely accused of spying for unspecified foreign states. He was incarcerated in Cambodias notorious Prey Sar prison for 15 months, found guilty after a three-week trial in August 2018, and sentenced to six years jail. James Ricketson Human Rights Watch Asia denounced the frame-up of Ricketson as a politically manufactured farcical plot. Abandoned by the Australian government for months, he was eventually released and returned to Australia on September 21, after being pardoned by Cambodian authorities. Ricketson told the WSWS that he rejected the slanderous attacks on Assange by mainstream media journalists. Im mystified and disturbed by these crude personal attacks, he said. Are these journalists not aware that this is a time-honoured technique used by those in power throughout history to de-personalise those whom they wish to exterminate? Are these journalists not aware of the role they are playing in preparing the public to accept whatever punishment the US sees fit to impose on Assange? When I was in jail in Cambodia. I got a lot of support from the Australian public. Certainly a lot of people think that Im a pain in the arse, but this was never an issue. People signed petitions for me to be released because I was being illegally detained in Cambodia on false charges and that was all that mattered. Personalities didnt come into it. I dont agree with the article by Peter Greste in Saturdays Sydney Morning Herald insisting that Assange is not a journalist. This is a stupid claim and a red herring. I dont even understand why people engage in that particular argument. Im not a professional journalist. I happen to be a trained filmmaker who has practised some journalism. Ive run five or six different blogs and have been exposing corruption in high places in the same way that journalists do. The ramifications of Julian receiving a long jail sentence or worse in the US cant be reduced to semantics about whether hes a journalist or not. American politicians have called for Assanges assassination, in other words, an extra-judicial killing. This is serious. I fear it is the beginning of something that we are all going to look back on in two, three or five years time with great regret and say Why didnt we stand up and fight for Julian? What I noticed, arriving back in Australia after 15 months in Prey Sar prison, was how radically the world had changed in relationship to journalism. Shortly after I arrived in Australia there was the murder of the Washington Post journalist in the Saudi embassy in Turkey. In the last couple of years since Trump became president, the rate of murders and incarcerations, and torture of journalists has increased dramatically. Were living in dangerous times but if we let them get away with doing whatever they like with Julian, who will be next? People accuse some of us of being paranoid but Id much rather err on the side of paranoia, in this instance, and be proven wrong, than say Oh well, stuff Julian and do nothing to help. Who is going to be next? Will it be John Pilger? The aim of my jailing in Cambodia was to intimidate Cambodian journalists and others into silence. Its the same with Julian. Washington is trying to intimidate other journalists and whistleblowers like Manning and Snowden. The US doesnt want any others like Assange coming along. They are determined to nip this in the bud. We face a huge battle but I hope that what has now happened to Julian will make people think about the value of investigative journalism and why it has to be protected. If I had a chance to speak with Julian now Id say my heart goes out to you. I fully understand because of what I experienced in Cambodia on a smaller scale, what you face. I understand how difficult it is to lose your liberty, to be cut off from your family, friends, and unable to make choices about your life. Hang in there Julian. Theres a lot of people out here who have got your back and we are working as hard as you can to get you out of there. Teachers, who have been in the forefront of a wave of global strikes and struggles over the last year, are speaking out forcefully against the attempts of the Trump administration and the Democratic Party to silence the courageous voices of Julian Assange and Chelsea Manning. Last Thursdays illegal arrest of Assange and his forced abduction from the Ecuadorean Embassy in London has outraged workers and young people around the world. Likewise, there is overwhelming sympathy for the plight of whistleblower and class-war prisoner Chelsea Manning, who was re-imprisoned March 8 for refusing to testify against Assange. Readers of the WSWS Teacher Newsletter have demanded the freedom of Assange and Manning, while expressing grave concerns for the growing suppression of democratic rights and the sharp turn to authoritarianism internationally. In a scene eerily echoing Eugene Debs imprisonment almost one hundred years ago to the day for violating the Espionage Act, Julian Assange was handcuffed away from the Ecuadorian embassy for the mere crime of telling the truth, wrote Doug Martin, a former university professor, current special education aide and author of Hoosier School Heist, an expose of the charter school industry in Indiana. He emphasized, The attacks on Assange and Chelsea Manning are meant to usher in complete authoritarian rule, with more silenced voices, more surveillance, more corruption, and more war crimes. We, members of the working class, must organize. We must shout from the rooftops our demand that Assange, Manning, and all whistleblowers be freed. Steve, a veteran K-12 teacher and member of the Steering Committee of the Coalition of Rank-and-File Committees, stated, The arrest of Julian Assange, the continued imprisonment of Chelsea Manning, and the forced exile of Edward Snowden are indications of the increasing use of the threat of judicial imprisonment by the American capitalist ruling class to silence and eliminate critics and those who challenge the lies and threats of the American ruling class. Both Manning and Assange are imprisoned for their exposure of the war crimes, crimes against humanity, aggression and genocide carried out by the US military and corporations, supported and led by the US government. Their imprisonment must awaken those around the world and those in the United States. Defense of Assange and Manning is an important, vital part of the movement for social justice and peace for the working class and the oppressed peoples of the world to uphold. They are political prisoners and must be defended and freed! The Steering Committee of the Coalition of Rank-and-File Committees has issued a powerful statement for mass distribution, noting in part, Assange is not a criminal, but a hero. He has been hunted down and persecuted for exposing war crimes, including the slaughter of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan by US military forces. The real criminals are those who launched these wars, including George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and leading political figures in both the Democratic and Republican parties. Another educator who regularly reads the Teacher Newsletter condemned the arrest of Assange and the US plans to carry out his extraordinary rendition to the US. This is a way to scare people from exposing the corruption. The government is no better than the mafia. They lie, cheat the people, murder people, steal resources from other countries leaving these otherwise wealthy countries poor. They take our tax dollars to keep themselves rich while being sure not to give us benefits. Julian is a hero for exposing these monsters, yet even though they were exposed, none of them ever pay for their crimes. Instead they want to kill the messenger! We need a completely new government, not a patch job. Free Julian, the hero of the people! Ben Katchor, an associate professor at Parsons The New School, saluted the courageous actions of Assange: By classifying information, the US government is not keeping us safe, just hiding its criminal activity around the world. Julian Assange did more than any contemporary journalist to reveal this criminal activity. Community college professor of biology Natalie emphasized, As someone who grew up in USSR and witnessed censorship, I fully understand the value of the right of free press to hold the government bureaucracy accountable. True democracy is impossible without this right. As an educator, I teach my students to gather and analyze the data, and make conclusions based on it, to think for themselves, and do not be swayed by someone elses opinions. WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange provided us with the valuable data about the behavior and decisions made by the leadership of our country behind the closed doors. This disclosure embarrassed many powerful people on both sides of the American power structure. They now seek to silence the last vestiges of free press by making an example out of Wikileaks and Assange: This is what will happen to you if you dont fall in line. The history of the country in which I was born teaches me the importance of speaking up for what you believe is right. This is why I feel compelled to raise my voice and demand that the British authorities recognize the unjust character of their actions, and release Julian Assange. I am also calling on Trump administration to drop the charges against the publisher and stop their attempts to silence the free press. Canadian educator Louise Manelia added, Because if we do not support the truth then we are left with reverse Darwinism Survival of the Unfit (Through the ascendancy of the Ruthless). Asked about her thoughts on the political situation and education she said, The wealth gap is the push for the terrible state of most of what were once viable public services I have been shocked by some of the horrific salaries that I have heard of in the USA not to mention the push for privatization of not only direct education but all the services provided to make the system run. Change must be imminent. It will only happen through rank-and-file workers, in this case teachers, collectively refusing to accept oppressive working conditions and pay. Without truth in general and without a free press we are doomed to further oppression by lawless and thoughtless ruling classes who do not appear to have any scope of understanding of the value of the contributions of the working classes to the viable functioning of society. Assanges efforts to illuminate the underbellies of the results of the thoughtless and ruthless practices of the oligarchs and their minions are essential to an awakening that might lead to change. The WSWS Teacher Newsletter calls on all workers and young people and all those who uphold democratic rights to join us in this fight. The US and China are reported to have agreed to two more face-to-face meetings between their top-level trade negotiators in the hope that their respective presidents, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, may sign a deal, possibly by the end of May. Citing people familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal reported that under the so-far tentative schedule Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, would go to Beijing in the week starting April 29. The chief Chinese negotiator and vice-premier, Liu He, would come to Washington in the week starting May 6. The hopes of an agreement could be dashed, however, with reports that many issues still remain unresolved. Then there is a question whether any deal would satisfy anti-China hawks in both the Republican and Democratic parties. They are insisting that the issues go far beyond trade and concern the very functioning of the Chinese economy and the role of its state institutions. Among the most contentious issues that remain unresolved are the establishment of an enforcement mechanism and the related question of which tariffs imposed by the US on $250 billion worth of Chinese goods would remain in force. Various proposals have been floated regarding enforcement, including one foreshadowed by Lighthizer earlier this year that would involve meetings between trade officials, leading to top-level meetings between the two sides to examine whether the terms of any agreement were being adhered to. The baseline position of the US, set out in a wide-ranging document presented to the Chinese side last May, is that the US would retain the right to unilaterally impose tariffs without any retaliation from China, either directly or by taking action against the US in the World Trade Organisation. Chinese negotiators have continually rejected such a one-sided arrangement, which has been widely condemned in China as a version of the unequal treaties imposed by the imperialist powers on China during the 19th and 20th centuries. Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin caused some eyebrows to be raised when he said in an interview with the business channel CNBC that an agreement had pretty much been reached on an enforcement mechanism. He said: Weve agreed that both sides will establish enforcement offices that deal with the ongoing matters. This is something both sides are taking very seriously. Mnuchin followed this up last weekend with remarks at the International Monetary Funds spring meeting in Washington, indicating that the US had agreed to measures being enacted by China if Beijing felt that the agreement was not being honoured. I would expect that the enforcement mechanism works in both directions, that we expect to honour our commitments, and if we dont, there should be certain repercussions, and the same way in the other direction, Mnuchin said. These comments appear to be a concession to Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen who said last month that any enforcement mechanism had to be two-way, fair and equal. However, it was significant that after both sets of comments by Mnuchin, the office of the US Trade Representative refused to respond to a request for comment. Lighthizer, who heads the US negotiating teambeing appointed to that position by Trump over Mnuchinis regarded as more hardline on China. He is among those who insist that the key questions are structural reforms in the Chinese economy, including the protection of intellectual property rights and state subsidies to key industries, especially in the high-tech areas. Speaking after Mnuchin had indicated that some progress had been made on enforcement, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, who heads the Senate Finance Committee that oversees trade, hailed the news but noted there was one caveat. It was Mnuchin, not Lighthizer who made the statement. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal last week Myron Brilliant, the US Chamber of Commerce executive vice-president who is in regular touch with both sides of the talks, welcomed Mnuchins encouraging comments but pointed to the key sticking points. In my view, enforcement and tariffs are critical issues that are linked, Brilliant said. At the end of the day, the Chinese will not agree to a final package without tariffs being removed and the US in return must have assurances that the enforcement mechanism has teeth. The US side wants to keep tariffs in place and only begin to remove them as it deems China complies with any agreement. It is unclear how such a procedure would take place. The tariffs comprise two components. The US initially imposed tariffs of 25 percent on $50 billion worth of goods and then raised a levy of 10 percent on $200 billion worth of products. The first package saw China respond with tariffs on agricultural products, which have had had a significant impact on US producers. Bloomberg has reported that some US producers have said economic pressure is the most severe since the farm crisis of the 1980s and profits are half what they were in 2013. There is concern that any lifting of tariffs by China may only involve a limited range of goods, such as soybeans and pork. Both sides face pressure not to make concessions. Xi will come under criticism, if not publicly then at least within the regime, if it appears that he has capitulated to the US. On other side, Trump, who is anxious to secure what he continually touts as a great deal in order to boost financial markets and his electoral stocks, will come under fire if he is seen to be conceding too much to the Chinese. Florida Senator Marco Rubio, one of the main anti-China hawks in the Republican Party, has indicated some of the forms that opposition might take. Beyond the field of trade, we have to deal with whats a relentless onslaught of pressure from China, he said. This included cyber-attacks and Chinese soft powera reference to what he considers Chinese efforts to promote support within US. All these things have to be taken into account, Rubio said. One-time Trump adviser, the ultra-right-winger Steve Bannon, an anti-China hawk, noted in recent comments that opposition to any deal could come from both sides of the political establishment. So far no one had gotten to the right of Trump on China, Bannon said. But once the details of a deal emerged, criticism could emerge from figures such as Rubio, Democrat Senate leader Charles Schumer and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, saying the agreement was not tough enough. On Wednesday, seventeen days after Turkeys March 31 local elections, Ekrem Imamoglu, the Istanbul mayoral candidate of the main opposition party, the Republican Peoples Partys (CHP), received the mandate of the electoral authorities officially making him mayor of the countrys largest city. However, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) had already submitted an extraordinary appeal to the countrys Supreme Election Council (YSK) the day before to demand that the Istanbul mayoral election be annulled, alleging widespread electoral fraud. AKP officials claim that more than 300,000 votes in Istanbul were questionable as a result of irregularities in electoral records and voting procedures. Were the YSK to accept the AKPs objections, a new election for Istanbul mayor would be held in June. Loss of control of Istanbul, home to fully a fifth of the countrys 80 million people, would be a significant blow to Turkeys Islamist populist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his AKP. Erdogan personally led his partys campaign in the March 31 election. Although the AKP and its ultra-right wing alliance partner, the Nationalist Movement Party or MHP, won just under 52 percent of votes nationwide, their candidates were defeated in five of the countys eight most populous cities, including Istanbul, the national capital Ankara, and Izmir. The electoral losses represent a significant erosion of the AKPs support among the urban poor and other sections of working people, and under conditions where Erdogan, heeding the demands of big business, is moving to impose a new round of savage austerity. Late last year, Turkeys economy fell into slump for the first time since 2009. Big business, which is facing large losses due to falling demand and the plummet in the value of the Turkish lira, is pressing the government to create conditions for intensified exploitation of the working class, even as working-class anger over spiraling food prices and unemployment mounts. Earlier this week, the Turkish Statistical Institute reported that the unemployment rate in January jumped to 14.7 percent, a 3.9 percentage-point increase from a year before, while youth unemployment rose to 26.7 percent. Further compounding the governments crisis is the unravelling of relations with Washington, for the past seven decades the Turkish bourgeoisies principal military-security partner and bulwark. With bipartisan support, the Trump administration is threatening economic sanctions and other reprisals if the Erdogan government proceeds with the purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system. Ankara, for its part, is adamant that the US back away from its alliance with the YPGthe Syrian offshoot of the PKK, the Kurdish nationalist movement against which the Turkish state has waged a bloody counter-insurgency war in the countrys southeast for the past 35 yearsand allow Turkey to establish a buffer zone in northern Syria extending through predominantly Kurdish regions. The initial vote count in Istanbul showed the CHP candidate winning by about 28,000 votes. A recount of invalidated votes, undertaken at the demand of the AKP, reduced Imamoglus margin of victory to 13,000 votes. A subsequent AKP request for a recount of all 8.8 million votes cast was denied. The AKPs official demand to the Supreme Election Council for the cancelling of the Istanbul election is based on allegations of improprieties. However, Erdogan has publicly challenged the validity of Imamoglus victory on the basis of the patently anti-democratic argument that a 13,000 vote difference is irrelevant. The Supreme Election Council and various provincial and district electoral boards have already overturned some elections. In an unabashed violation of fundamental democratic rights, electoral authorities refused to recognize the district election victories of six candidates of the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), and instead gave the government mandates to the second place finishers, all of them AKP candidates. The electoral authorities justified this with the claim that the eight were barred from holding office, because they had been dismissed from their civil servant jobs as part of the sweeping purge the Erdogan regime mounted against its political opponents after the failed 2016 NATO-backed military coup. However, the same electoral authorities had approved the eight standing as candidates in the March 31 elections. The HDP has long been the target of arbitrary and blatantly anti-democratic acts on the part of the AKP government and state authorities, with many of its leaders jailed for supporting terrorism, a reference to their ties to the PKK. In 201617, the government replaced more than 90 HDP-backed mayors elected in the 2014 local elections with trustees. According to a report, in the two-and-half weeks since the March 31 vote, electoral authorities have accepted 87 percent of the AKPs challenges to the initial results (68 out of 78) and 68 percent of those of its ally, the MHP. Of the CHPs objections 43 have been accepted, while its partner in the Nation Alliance, the Good Party, has been successful 26 percent of the time. Three of the 17 objections filed by the HDP have been accepted. The sham defenders of democracy During the election campaign, the CHP-led Nation Alliance cast itself as the defender of democracy against the increasingly authoritarian Erdogan regime. This was a monstrous fraud, one however that received the blessing of the HDP. It declined to stand mayoral candidates in Istanbul and the other major cities of western Turkey and instead urged its supporters to vote for the CHP. The CHP is the party of the traditional Kemalist bourgeois elite that dominated the Turkish Republic till the beginning of this century and is complicit in all its crimes, including repeated military coups, the violent suppression of the working class, and the oppression of the Kurdish minority. Underscoring the utterly reactionary character of the CHP, just days after coming first in the Istanbul polls Imamoglu sent out a tweet honouring the NATO-trained army officer, Colonel Turkes, who founded the ultra-right-wing MHP and was at the center of promoting fascist violence against the left and the working class in the 1970s. The CHPs Nation Alliance partner, the Good Party, is itself a recent split-off from MHP and its leader, Meral Aksener, presided over savage repression of the Kurds when she served as Interior Minister in the late 1990s. As for the HDP, it speaks for sections of the Kurdish bourgeoisie and petty bourgeoisie who hope to gain increased political and economic power within a reconfigured Turkey by courting the US, NATO and the European Union. Indeed, while they posture as defenders of democracy, the CHP and HDP are if anything even more openly orientated to imperialismthe principal force of world reaction responsible for the oppression and wars that have ravaged the Middle Eastthan their AKP rival. Washington and the major European powers have been closely following the controversy over the Istanbul election, and have signaled that if the AKP is successful in prevailing on the election authorities to cancel the Istanbul result they could seek to leverage the ensuing controversy to pressure, even seek to oust, the Erdogan regime. In early April, the US State Department issued a statement demanding the AKP forego any challenge to the election results, and, as if on cue, the New York Times published an editorial lauding the CHP as the democratic opposition to the authoritarian Islamist Erdogan. AKP initiates new offensive against the working class In recent days, Erdogan and his chief minsters have been trying to placate Washington, while reassuring domestic and international big business. Turkeys Finance Minister and Erdogans son-in-law, Berat Albayrak, met with Trump in the White House on Monday, and in this and other Washington meetings, he and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar pleaded that the S-400 purchase did not represent any change in Ankaras commitment to NATO and the US-Turkey military-security alliance. Speaking at a US-Turkish business leaders conference, organized under the title Back to Business: Maintaining Partnership in Difficult Times, Albayrak declared Turkey open for business, and emphasized its commitment to the free market system and the governments resolve to increase predictability and reduce policy uncertainty for businesses and investors. Yesterday, Erdogan called at a conference organized by the pro-government Confederation of Public Servants Trade Unions for national unity, saying now that the local elections had been held, political discussion should be put behind, so as to focus on our real agenda, particularly on economy and securitythat is on intensifying the assault on the working class and pursuing the Turkish bourgeoisies repression of the Kurds and regional power ambitions. As he and his top ministers have done repeatedly, Erdogan emphasized that there are now four-and-a half years before the next round of elections in Turkey meaning the government can focus on economic transformation. While this is meant as a pledge to big business that the government has the time and political space to pursue unpopular measures, it is also a threat that the government will immediately label opposition from the working class as illegitimate and undemocratic to justify its repression. Already on April 10, Finance Minister Albayrak unveiled the first steps in a promised new economic program. While it was labeled as insufficient by some international commentators, it signaled a new offensive against the working class and on this basis won the enthusiastic endorsement of the countrys main business organization, TUSIAD. One of the most important anti-worker measures is the creation of a fund for severance payments which is to be integrated with the private retirement insurance fund to finance big business. The Erdogan government has already plundered the unemployment insurance fund along the same lines. The CHP and HDP have hypocritically criticized the governments economic reforms as an attack on the working class. The CHP accused the government of attacking the last stronghold of working people, a statement that only serves to expose its own role in implementing the Turkish bourgeoisies social counter-revolution against the working class since 1980. As for the pro-EU, pro-NATO HDP, the value of its claims to oppose austerity are shown by the actions of its sister party Syriza in Greece, as well as the pro-business policies it has implemented wherever it has held power at the municipal level. The only way the working class can secure its social and democratic rights is by constituting itself as an independent political force through the building of its own socialist internationalist party in opposition to imperialism and all the rival parties and factions of the bourgeoisie. Africa South African Sibanye Stillwater gold strike may spread to platinum mines Faced with the possibility of South Africas Sibanye Stillwater gold miners strike spreading to the platinum mines, the company has raised a R10 billion war chest. Fifteen thousand Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) members have been out for almost five months for an annual wage increase of R1,000 a month over three years. Three other unions settled for what AMCU described as a slave labour deal. Wage negotiations are imminent in the platinum sector, where the AMCU have a clear majority of union members. In March, the union claimed it would call out workers at all South Africas platinum and coal mines, but caved in to a court ruling. The AMCU lost on appeal the determination that it has most members at Sibanyes gold mines, meaning the company can impose the inferior deal and ask the Labour Court to declare the strike illegal. Workers are also facing 7,000 redundancies. The share sell-off to raise the war chest represented 5 percent of the companys value, which later saw a 14 percent fall in its share values. Sibanye is in the process of acquiring Lonmins platinum mines, making it the largest producer of the precious metal in the world. South African authorities responded to the 2012 strike by Lonmin platinum miners with deadly repression, leading to the murder of 34 miners during the notorious Marikana massacre. South African steel strike continues; union calls off demonstration A demonstration by striking steelworkers due outside the Johannesburg head office of South Africas ArcelorMittal has been cancelled by the unions. The 2,000 full-time and agency workers have been striking for four weeks to demand the company make casual workers permanent. A law brought in last year stipulates that casuals with over three months continuous employment be brought onto the books. The workers are also demanding improved safety conditions. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) said it feared the company would get an indictment to ban the demonstration. South African cell phone workers wildcat strike banned by labour court A wildcat strike by South African workers at the Cell C mobile phone company in Johannesburg, South Africa has been declared illegal by the labour court. The 380 workers came out on strike April 10 and picketed the companys campus. The company then suspended them. Cell C settled a dispute in February over bonus payments for 2017 but then refused to sign a collective bargaining agreement without it being endorsed by a mediator. The company suspended all 1,000 Information Communication Technology Union members initially, but then said those who worked would not be disciplined. Cell C is South Africas third-largest mobile phone provider. Renewed strike threat by South African Comair airline workers Airline workers at South Africas Comair are planning to strike on Thursday over wage disparities. The dispute by National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) members arose last year over 21 staff getting preferential wages over 683 others doing comparable workfrom R600 to R6,700 more per month. A previous strike went to the brink but was called off by NUMSA at the last moment without resolution. Comair operates for British Airways and Kulula at the countrys airports. Nigerian aviation workers protest over unpaid redundancy called off by unions A protest by Nigerian workers at Caverton Helicopters in Lagos and Port Harcourt over owed redundancy money and the right to picket has been called off by the unions. Caverton promised to pay the monies in five weeks. Workers in five aviation unions complained the company called the police force to interfere with a peaceful picket over the same issue. The unions have organised picketing at two other in-country flight operators, Newrest Aviation Services Limited and Serv Air, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, to demand union recognition. Nigerian meteorologists oppose management dispersal of union officials Meteorologists working at Nigeria Meteorology Agency (NiMet) have issued a strike ultimatum to management. They demand the rescinding of a rule allowing management to place union officials where they like or Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) members will take industrial action. ANAP has given NiMet seven days to respond. Hospital workers strike health centre in Uganda over lack of water Ugandan health workers are striking at the Kakingol Health Centre III in Moroto District over the lack of water. Hospital workers have no direct supply and depend on patients collecting water from a river two kilometres away. Nurses must use sand to absorb blood when mothers give birth, unless they bring water from home. The health centre previously collected rain water and stored it until a drought stopped the supply. A delegation from the Ministry of Water visited the hospital in September and promised water in three months. Nurses say they will not return to work until they are connected to the mains supply. Europe German Amazon workers strike Amazon workers at four fulfilment sites in Germany began a strike Monday, with some sites due to stay out until Thursday. The sites were Rheinberg, Werne, Bad Herfeld and Koblenz. Workers at other sites planned strikes over the Easter holiday. The Verdi trade union members struck as part of a long-running dispute for their pay and working conditions to be brought into line with workers in other mail order and retail sectors. Portuguese fuel delivery strike Drivers delivering fuel in Portugal went on strike Monday to demand higher pay. The strike is beginning to bite, with supplies to hundreds of service stations drying up. The government has instructed drivers to supply fuel to airports, hospitals and essential services. Public transport operators in Lisbon and Porto announced they will run out of fuel within days and not be able to run services. The 700 strikers are members of the National Union of Dangerous Goods Drivers founded last year. Baggage handlers at two UK airports to strike over pay UK baggage handlers and check-in staff working for GH London at Heathrow and Luton airports plan to strike. The airports serve the capital, London. The more than 300 Unite union members employed at Heathrow voted near unanimously to begin a four-day stoppage on Friday April 26. The GH staff at Heathrow at Terminals 2 and 4 are protesting a six-year pay freeze and are demanding to be paid Londons so-called living wage of 10.55 an hour. In a separate dispute, around 120 GH London staff at Luton airport are to begin a one-week strike on Friday, April 26 over low pay. The Unite members previously struck in March, as a result of which GH London agreed a pay increase. However, the company has subsequently changed the pay structure to the detriment of the workers. Rally at hospital in Barnsley, UK over payment schedule Workers plan to rally next Wednesday outside the hospital in Barnsley, northern England to oppose cost-cutting plans by the multinational outsourcing company ISS. The workers, members of the GMB union, provide portering, cleaning and catering services. ISS intends to change its pay cycle pattern at the end of April, leaving many workers without pay between April 18 and May 9. The three-week gap with no pay will leave many of the low paid workers in dire straits. In 2017, ISS paid out over 60 million in dividends to shareholders. The companys five directors shared a pay-out of 2 million. Greek dockers set to strike On Tuesday, Greek dockers announced a 24-hour strike to be held May 1. The PNO union members are protesting ongoing problems relating to pensions and collective bargaining terms. The strike is expected to affect voyages to the Greek islands. Irish airline crew strike threat called off by union Last week, around 100 cabin crew employed by Irish airline Stobart Air voted unanimously on an 84 percent turnout to strike. The Forsa trade union members are seeking pay and working conditions parity with other Irish airlines. Stobart Air had previously refused to recognise unions but following the strike vote it entered talks with the union to avert the strike. Forsa then called the stoppage off. An additional ballot would have to be held over any agreement reached by the union on pay and conditions. Stobart is under contract to Aer Lingus for flights between Ireland and the UK. Irish ambulance crew to consider escalating action for union recognition Around 500 Irish ambulance staff, members of the National Ambulance Service Representation Association (Nasra), are in dispute to demand trade union recognition. Nasra, affiliated to the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), is pushing for recognition by the Irish Health Service Executive. To date they have held a series of 10-hour strikes. A meeting on Thursday was to discuss holding 24-hour strikes or a series of rolling strikes. Their last 10-hour strike was held on April 10. Irish hospital workers to ballot for national strike A ballot of around 17,000 hospital support staff at all 36 hospitals across Ireland is to begin on April 22. The ballot has been extended to include porters, security staff and cleaners. Only 7,000 health care assistants and laboratory assistants were being balloted initially by the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (SIPTU). SIPTU members shouldunder the terms of the Lansdowne Road public service agreement signed in 2015be entitled to pay increases of between 1,600 to 3,000 a year under a job evaluation scheme. In a separate dispute, hospital chefs are also being balloted by SIPTU over pay. Dutch refinery workers to extend strike Dutch strikers at the Shell Pernis oil refinery in Rotterdam are to extend their action. The FNV trade union members began striking on April 8 in pursuit of an immediate 5 percent pay rise. Shell has offered 4.5 percent over two years. The strike is also impacting the nearby Moerdijk chemical facility where it has led to lack of maintenance. Romanian appliance workers strike continues The strike by over 400 workers at the oven plant of Swedish multinational Electrolux in Satu Mare in Romania is now well into its second month. The strikers are seeking a 3 a day pay increase. The company has offered 1 a day plus 1 a day attendance bonus. Currently, workers at the plant earn around 360 a month plus 400 in meal vouchers. This means many workers are paid below the living wage estimated to be needed for a family of two adults plus two dependent children. Slovak steel workers strike Workers at the US Steel Kosice (USSK) plant in Slovakia came out on strike on April 8 for a pay rise. USSK employs around 12,000 workers. The stoppage follows a series of fruitless talks since the beginning of the year in an attempt to reach a settlement. Russian Ford workers hold rally for fairer compensation Around 1,000 workers at the Ford-Sollers plant in Vsevolozhsk in the Leningrad area face losing their jobs when Ford closes its plant in July. On April 12, around 150 of the workers held a rally demanding fairer redundancy pay-outs. Under the current scheme, managers will be paid 100 times the compensation workers receive. To qualify for the full compensation, workers must not miss more than five days of work due to sickness, have any outstanding disciplinary sanctions against them, and, in addition, productivity levels must not fall. Middle East Sick-out protest brings Israeli rail system to halt Rail services across Israel were brought to a standstill for about an hour on April 12. Eight traffic managers rang in sick and other managers refused to cover for them. For safety reasons the network was paused. Following an intervention by the trade union federation Histadrut, rail services resumed after about an hour. In February, similar action took place when drivers and inspectors called in sick. That dispute was over concerns about a new work schedule. Striking Moroccan temporary teachers hold rally Moroccan teachers employed on a temporary basis have been on strike since March 3. Although paid the same rate as permanent teachers, they do not have the same pension rights and their right to move to other regions for employment are restricted. On April 10, striking teachers held a rally outside the education ministry in Rabat to promote their campaign. Special prosecutor appointed in Wiley parole case Special prosecutor appointed in Wiley parole case THERMOPOLIS (WNE) A murder case from 1990 is coming up again, the James Michael Wiley case. Wiley was convicted in 1990 on charges of first- and second-degree murder in the deaths of his stepmother and three brothers at their home near Thermopolis and was sentenced to life in prison. He was 15 at the time of the deaths. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a juvenile sentenced to life in prison should have the opportunity for parole after serving 25 years. Wiley has passed that point and is seeking parole under the Supreme Court ruling. A hearing on Wileys request is to be held in Hot Springs County on June 26. At the request of Hot Springs County Attorney Jill Logan, county commissioners have appointed a special prosecutor to the case, Thermopolis native Joey Blonigen. Logan and Blonigen both believe the appeal for parole should be dismissed entirely. Cody man charged with stealing dozens of guns POWELL (WNE) After helping install a new furnace in a Cody womans home last year, a local man is alleged to have secretly returned to take dozens of the guns in her basement. The Park County Sheriffs Office arrested Robert Bobby Jackson, 45, on a felony charge of aggravated burglary last week. Jackson is alleged to have stolen roughly 34 guns from a residence on Diamond Basin Road, southwest of Cody. He remained in jail on Wednesday, with bail set at $50,000. Although investigators believe the guns were stolen sometime in December, the case wasnt reported to law enforcement until April 1. In her initial call to the sheriffs office, the woman said she believed more than 100 firearms might be missing, department logs say, but she later put together a list indicating that 34 weapons had been taken from her late husbands collection. The woman mentioned to Sgt. Chad McKinney that shed shown the collection of firearms to a pair of workers from Big Horn Heating and Air Conditioning in December, when they installed a new furnace; one of those workers was Jackson. Jackson is quoted in court documents as saying that, I did not think she [the homeowner] would ever notice the guns were gone because of the [cluttered] house. He said the woman didnt care about the firearms, McKinney recounted in his statement. I thanked [Jackson] for his cooperation and telling me the truth, McKinney wrote. Jackson was then arrested and booked into the Park County Detention Center ... Heart Mountain summit trail closed because of bears CODY (WNE) Bears have emerged from hibernation with the advent of spring and warmer weather, prompting a temporary closure of the Heart Mountain summit trail. On Monday the Nature Conservancys Heart Mountain Ranch Preserve announced the trail is closed due to bear activity in the vicinity. Other activities at the preserve will continue as planned. Bears are active in the Northern Rockies at this time of year as they emerge from their winter sleep and begin foraging for food. We want to take every precaution possible to prevent any conflicts between people and bears for the safety and health of both, Heart Mountain Ranch manager Brian Peters said. He said staff will be monitoring the trail for signs of bears and will make a determination of when there seems to be less activity. At that time, the trail will reopen to public use. He recommends people be bear aware at any time they are hiking the preserve and, when possible, travel in groups. Once open, bear spray will be required for all hikers. Were asking our friends, neighbors and visitors for your patience and understanding as we make these decisions, and that we all work together to ensure that both people and wildlife remain safe, Peters said. Program launched to help towns that lost Shopko GREYBULL (WNE) The National Main Street Center has launched an initiative to help the communities in northwest Wyoming that either have lost or will soon lose their Shopko stores, including Greybull, which saw its store close earlier this spring. Amy Quick, Northwest Regional Director of the Wyoming Business Council, and Bruce Morse of the Small Business Development Council swung through the Big Horn Basin earlier this week, visiting Powell and Greybull on Tuesday before stopping in Worland and Thermopolis Wednesday. Matthew Wagner, vice president of the National Main Street Center, had planned to join them, but was unable to do so. Quick told a group of chamber and economic development leaders that their visit was simply the first step in the process. She said the plan was to gather public input and to then share the findings and recommendations with the communities. The discussion centered on what the loss of Shopko means, from a product and service standpoint, and whether some combination of current business owners and/or entrepreneurs might be able to meet those needs. While an in-town pharmacy is widely viewed as the top need, the loss of Shopko has also made it more difficult for local residents to purchase clothing, office supplies and personal products, all of which were among Shopko's top sellers. The question is, can existing businesses meet some of those needs, simply by expanding their inventories? Are there any entrepreneurs in town who are thinking of starting a new business? Quick said the report that's generated would address those questions and others. Laramie police sergeant honored for saving mans life LARAMIE (WNE) For his quick thinking and persistence with CPR during a medical call in March, the Laramie Police Department awarded a Life Saving Award to LPD Sergeant Robert Austin Wednesday afternoon. On the morning of March 6, Austin and an LPD officer Justin Johnson were dispatched to a residence on McCue Street to assist an unresponsive individual. During the ceremony Wednesday, LPD Chief Dale Stalder explained the complainant who contacted emergency services had found his roommate unresponsive next to some empty pill bottles in a possible suicide attempt. On scene, Sgt. Austin observed a 29-year-old male convulsing in a bedroom, Stalder said. While awaiting (Emergency Medical Services) arrival, Sgt. Austin turned the subject onto his side and loosely held him as he continued to convulse. Stalder added the man then stopped breathing, at which point Austin began chest compressions and continued these for 1 minute and 37 seconds until the arrival of EMS and (for) transport to the hospital. In a letter of accommodation from attending Emergency Room physician Dr. Ken Barrick at Ivinson Memorial Hospital, he said the sergeants quick actions resulted in the patient having a full neurological recovery from a potentially deadly situation. The chest compressions helped keep blood flowing from the patients heart to his brain. It is without question, the fast actions of this officer led to a positive outcome from a significant medical emergency, Barrick said in the letter. The release of the redacted Mueller report raises nearly as many questions as it answers. Whats under the many redactions in the section about WikiLeaks? What are the dozen non-public investigations that Muellers team referred out? How did Attorney General William Barr think he was going to get away with that shameful four-page summary of the special counsels work? But the Mueller team has also done America a public service by sorting through some of the most contested moments of the Trump era and telling the public: From what we found, these really werent a big deal. Related stories Amazon Music Is Available for Free Now Brantley Gilbert Celebrates Pot, 'Scooby-Doo' in New 'Welcome to Hazeville' Video Here are six such episodes debunked or demystified by Muellers 448-page redacted report: 1) The Mysterious Change to the 2016 Republican Party Platform Concerning Ukraine During the 2016 Republican National Convention, the party quietly altered its platform, removing language calling on the United States to provide lethal defensive weapons to Ukraine to protect itself against Russian aggression. Many speculated that the change may have been directed by Trump to please Russia. The Mueller team determined this was not the case, writing: The investigation did not establish that one Campaign officials efforts to dilute a portion of the Republican Party platform on providing assistance to Ukraine were undertaken at the behest of candidate Trump or Russia. 2) The Russian Ambassadors Trump Contacts Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak seemed to be everywhere in the 2016 campaign, showing up at Trump campaign events in Washington and even the Republican National Convention. The Mueller report concludes that there was mostly not much to be concerned about: The investigation established that interactions between Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak and Trump Campaign officials both at the candidates April 2016 foreign policy speech in Washington, D.C., and during the week of the Republican National Convention were brief, public, and non-substantive. Story continues 3) Jeff Sessionss Russian Contacts Jeff Sessions, Trumps first attorney general, recused himself from overseeing the Russia probe because of interactions he had with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak that he failed to disclose as he was being confirmed to head the Justice Department. Mueller did not find evidence that these interactions were important, writing: The investigation also did not establish that a meeting between Kislyak and Sessions in September 2016 at Sessionss Senate office included any more than a passing mention of the presidential campaign. 4) Trump Lawyer Michael Cohens Trip to Prague The so-called Steele dossier claimed that Cohen, Trumps long-time personal attorney and fixer, had traveled to Prague in 2016 as part of a potential collusion scheme with Russian officials. Cohen repeatedly denied that the trip had ever happened, once tweeting a photo of his passport. Mueller dismissed the theory in his report, writing: Cohen understood Congresss interest in him to be focused on the allegations in the Steele reporting concerning a meeting Cohen allegedly had with Russian officials in Prague during the campaign. Cohen had never traveled to Prague and was not concerned about those allegations, which he believed were provably false. 5) Cohens Lies to Congress About Trump Tower In January, Buzzfeed News published what looked to be a bombshell story claiming that Cohen had told the special counsels office that Trump directed him to lie to Congress about the Trump Tower Moscow real-estate project, which overlapped with the 2016 presidential campaign. The story prompted a rare public comment by Muellers team, which said that Buzzfeeds characterizations of Cohens comments and evidence gathered are not accurate. Muellers report similarly undercuts Buzzfeeds reporting. With regard to Cohens false statements to Congress, while there is evidencethat the President knew Cohen provided false testimony to Congress about the Trump Tower Moscow project, the evidence available to us does not establish that the President directed or aided Cohens false testimony, Mueller wrote. Cohen said that he and the President did not explicitly discuss whether Cohens testimony about the Trump Tower Moscow project would be or was false, and the President did not direct him to provide false testimony. 6) Michael Flynns Sanctions Talk With Russia The presidents first national security adviser, Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, landed in hot water for conducting diplomacy during the Trump transition, reaching out to Russians, discussing sanctions and later lying to the FBI about it. Many speculated that Flynns efforts werent freelance, and that they had the blessing of Trump himself, and thats why Trump encouraged then-FBI director James Comey to go easy on Flynn. Mueller debunks that theory, writing: Our investigation did not produce evidence that established that the President knew about Flynns discussions of sanctions before the Department of Justice notified the White House of those discussions in late January 2017. The evidence also does not establish that Flynn otherwise possessed information damaging to the President that would give the President a personal incentive to end the FBIs inquiry into Flynns conduct. Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Photo credit: MARK LEFFINGWELL - Getty Images From Esquire Photo credit: MARK LEFFINGWELL - Getty Images The woman was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was 18-years old, her name was Sol Pais, and she was from Florida. It is said that she was obsessed with the havoc wreaked one day 20 years ago by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold at Columbine High School outside of Denver. Sol Pais got herself dressed in black and camo, flew to Denver, and bought a shotgun. When that last bit of news hit the police band, every school in the area cancelled classes. These conditions prevailed until Wednesday, when they found Sol Pais dead at the base of Mount Evans. And thus did the 20th anniversary of what once was the worst school shooting in American history begin-with an imminent threat and a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Since then, of course, the body count of 13 piled up by Harris and Klebold has been eclipsed by other murderers at other schools-Seung Hui-Cho killed 33 people at Virginia Tech, Adam Lanza killed 28 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and Nikolas Cruz killed 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida-just as Harris and Klebold surpassed Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden, pre-teens who killed four people at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and just as Johnson and Golden surpassed Brenda Spencer, who killed two people at the Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego and who famously gave as her reason, "I don't like Mondays." Photo credit: Steven D Starr - Getty Images The current etiquette in these situations seems to be not to name the shooters any more so as a) not to give them the prominence they allegedly sought, and b) so as not to inspire others to try and top them. But that is to make out of these people violent flukes of nature and nurture, which they certainly are not. They are American sons and daughters of other American sons and daughters. They have the names that their parents gave them. Erasing those names from memory is a dodge, and a cowardly one at that. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are not nameless, faceless figures in the past. We know who they are because we know what they did. So did Sol Pais, and she went out the way they did, with self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Story continues Columbine has become a kind of de facto common noun now; other shooters in other places have talked about doing "a columbine" as though the name of a school named after the highland flower Aquilegia is now a historical synonym for "massacre." That is the only turning point provided by the massacre two decades ago. It began the process of normalizing schoolhouse violence. It set the template for the impotent new ritual of "thoughts and prayers" followed by action on anything else except this country's lunatic fascination with its firearms. In the immediate aftermath of the murders, the Senate passed the first bill that would have closed the so-called "gunshow loophole." It failed in the House. Photo credit: MARK LEFFINGWELL - Getty Images It was supposed to have been a teaching moment. It wasn't. So was Sandy Hook, and it wasn't, either. Because of the ferocious reaction by the students at Parkland, that massacre might actually become one, but I'm not betting on it, at least not in the way most people meant it. And yet, in the end, Columbine taught the country a lot of things. It taught the country denial and it taught the country distraction. It taught the country how to manufacture comforting myths rather than face unpleasant realities-the "Trench Coat Mafia," the Girl Who Said Yes, all bullshit, all debunked by the phenomenal reporting of Dave Cullen, whose coverage of the aftermath in Salon remains the greatest sustained Internet coverage of a single story we have yet to see. Photo credit: HECTOR MATA - Getty Images It taught us how to react to further bloodshed-in a Connecticut elementary school, in a Las Vegas concert venue, in a Florida high school-by not reacting in concrete ways. It taught us to live with the body counts. It taught us that murderous schoolchildren, American sons and daughters just the way we are American sons and daughters, are part of the price we pay for freedom. That is the lasting legacy of the Columbine massacre, 20 years ago this week. We all are victims of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) Photo credit: The Washington Post - Getty Images From Esquire (Permanent Musical Accompaniment To This Post) Being our semi-regular, weekly survey of what's goin' down in the several states where, as we know, the real work of governmentin' gets done and where dogs run free, so why not me? We begin in Montana, where the farmers are finding out how easy trade wars are to win. From the Great Falls Tribune: A mile and a half away from his farm, Canadian farmers are benefiting from access to overseas markets through deals that Americans have lost as "collateral damage" in the recent trade wars. "What we've been asking for, what we're trying to safeguard is what we already had," Benjamin said. "We feel abused as other industries are asking for major concessions, and we're collateral damage." Nearly half of the subsidies meant to offset trade war pains for American farmers and ranchers went to producers in five states. Illinois was the top recipient with $1.1 billion. That's more than 1 of every 8 tariff relief dollars from the federal government. The program's $8.2 billion was spread among 557,633 producers, an average of $14,678. The next top recipient states also were in the Midwest: Iowa ($968 million), Minnesota ($674.5 million), Nebraska ($563 million) and Indiana ($556 million), according to information the Tribune obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture through a Freedom of Information Act request. That's because 84 percent of the federal payments - $6.8 billion - went to producers of soybeans. Montana ranked 29th for tariff relief with producers receiving $28,454,590. The Montana Wheat and Barley committee found that farmers of those two crops have lost $150 million due to current trade policies, The AP reported. The tariff relief program focused on China. China buys a lot of soybeans, but China doesn't buy a lot of wheat and corn. Wheat got 14 cents a bushel in relief. A penny for corn. In Montana, China is an important market. It's No. 6. However, Japan is No. 1, and Montana is in the process of losing that export destination to Canada and Australia, Benjamin said. "The lack of trade deals are affecting Montana pretty hard," Benjamin said. "We've lost about 18 percent off the price of grain. It's been pretty ugly." The wheat that's grown on the other side of the US-Canadian border is the same, but once it hits the Japanese market it's suddenly a 42 cent a bushel difference because of tariffs. Story continues Any Democratic presidential candidate who doesn't see the obvious opening here should get out of the business. Rural states in the country are being hammered by the policies and incompetence of this administration*. (Do you think the president* actually thought through all the ramifications of his international tantrum? "Hey, guys, Montana, where I got 57 percent of the vote in 2016, is really going to suffer because Canada's going to kill their wheat exports to Japan." Please.) I can't say whether the voters will buy what those candidates are selling but, if they don't, I wish them luck. Photo credit: JOHANNES EISELE - Getty Images We move on to a quick review of how some state legislators are screwing around with the public health. From Politico: Democrats in six states - Colorado, Arizona, New Jersey, Washington, New York and Maine - have authored or co-sponsored bills to make it harder for parents to avoid vaccinating their school-age children, and mostly faced GOP opposition. Meanwhile in West Virginia and Mississippi, states with some of the nations strictest vaccination laws, Republican lawmakers have introduced measures to expand vaccine exemptions, although its not yet clear how much traction they have... ...Fed by major epidemics in Israel and in Europe, measles has punctured the U.S. barrier of immunity at multiple points of entry in whats shaping up to be the worst year for the disease since 1993, with 555 cases through early April. Outbreaks in six states include hundreds of cases in ultra-Orthodox communities in Brooklyn and Rockland County, N.Y. And the numbers are growing. What if God forbid someone dies? said Jeff Dinowitz, a Bronx assemblyman whose bill to limit religious exemptions has nine Democratic co-sponsors - but no Republican backers - in the New York Assembly. Andrew Raia, ranking Republican on the New York Assemblys health committee, said he wouldn't support the bill. While not totally convinced by constituents who link their childrens autism on vaccines, and unaware of any real religious injunction against vaccination, he said, Im not a religious leader, and Im not a scientist either, so its my job to weigh both sides. I'm not an expert on anything so, fck it, let's get a beer. In Texas, the Tea Party and related groups created an anti-vax PAC in 2015. It hasnt yet gotten its chosen candidates elected, but the very existence of a vaccine-oriented political action committee shows the political salience is growing. Influential voices on the right, including Rush Limbaugh, Tucker Carlson and Alex Jones, have all raised suspicions about vaccines. Epidemic disease now has a PAC. That's what free speech is all about. Meanwhile, idiots, there's a woman in a coma. Photo credit: Sue Ogrocki - AP And we conclude, as is not our usual custom, with an unprecedented doubleheader from the Great State of Oklahoma, whence Blog Official Sweatlodge Greeter Friedman of the Plains brings us, first, a tale of even more Bad Science. From the Tulsa World: Senate Bill 614, by Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, requires abortion providers to inform women who have begun drug-induced pregnancy termination of an antidote that supporters say can reverse the abortion drug. Opponents, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists, say there is no scientific proof the reversal protocol works. One doctor has said it is tantamount to quackery. Of course, as is the case in so many episodes in the history of the anti-choice movement, the argument proceeds from science to what my sainted mother would've called, "high-sterics." The ardently anti-abortion rights majority of the Oklahoma House seemed to agree with Rep. Rande Worthen, R-Lawton, who said preventing even one successful abortion made the law worthwhile. Rep. Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, said it was unbelievable that people would argue the humaneness and the right of a woman to kill her baby ... who would argue the right of a woman to kill her child and call it humane? It blows my mind we would have to have this discussion. It makes me sick. It truly does. Humphrey said if the bill had any fault, it was that it didnt go far enough. And, as always, this ultimately will lead to great public policy. A bill similar to SB 614 cost Arizona $600,000 in legal fees to the prevailing parties and wound up being repealed to avoid further penalties, but other states have enacted the law successfully. But, while it was largely occupied with squandering taxpayer funds on bad science, bad laws, and bad court cases, the Oklahoma lege also found some time for some good-natured hijinx. TheLostogle.com has the details. One morning back in February, Paul Scott tippy-toed into the Senate before session and unscrewed a roller on Carri Hickss chair. He also hid her microphone. Theres no word on if he put tape under her mouse, or encased her stapler in Jell-O . Later that morning, when Hicks arrived for work and attempted to take her seat, the chair gave way, causing Carri to fall to the floor. Startled, confused and hoping she didnt just flash the world in her dress, she left the Senate chambers to compose herself like a Bachelor contestant who learned she didnt receive a rose. Usually, after playing a stupid prank like that, the culprit will come forward, help the victim laugh it off, and then everyone will go play on the big toy at recess. As least thats how things worked when I was in elementary school. Paul Scott, on the other hand, does things a little differently. As opposed to admitting that he committed the prank, or even (gasp!) apologizing, he went silent and didnt fess up. Classy, huh? Encasing things in Jell-O must be an Oklahoma thing. This is your democracy, America. Cherish it. Respond to this post on the Esquire Politics Facebook page here. ('You Might Also Like',) A chaotic food fight has led to the arrests of several high school students and left both a school resource officer and a teacher injured. The Stamford Police Department revealed in a Facebook post that numerous juveniles were arrested last week at a Connecticut high school for their alleged roles in the food-flinging incident. The statement from police alleges that on April 12 at about 1:30 p.m., things got out of control at Westhill High School in Stamford when a planned food fight' that had been organized through social media occurred at the school, which resulted in hundreds of students running out of the school, many throwing eggs, water and soda cans. The tumultuous scene even sparked several physical fights between some of the students at the school. The two Stamford Police School Resource Officers, along with school security and staff, were not able to quell the out of control crowd, reads the statement. In fact, Officer Anna Edwards, one of the Stamford Police School Resource Officers, was allegedly struck in the head with a full can of soda, causing a laceration and concussion. Edwards was transported by ambulance to Stamford Hospitals emergency room for treatment, the statement explains. A Westhill High School teacher was also injured during the incident as she was trampled by a mass of students, the statement indicates without naming the teacher. We realize that the citizens, parents, teachers and [a] vast majority of the students do not condone this behavior, the statement adds. This is not the learning environment we expect and demand for our children in this city. The Stamford Police Department reportedly spent countless hours investigating and reviewing security video of this incident, leading to the arrests of 10 juveniles. The charges against the teens range from first-degree riot and breach of peace to reckless endangerment and assault on a police officer. Story continues Because the students are all juveniles, their identities have not been disclosed. An update on the injured teacher and officer was not provided. 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. We urge all parents to monitor their childrens social media, the statement concludes. We ask all students if they see something on social media that concerns them to report it to the school administration and/or the police department. We all want our children to enjoy a safe and secure learning environment, it continues. We all have a responsibility to this end. The Stamford Police Department will be meeting with the school administration to discuss how to better avoid such circumstances in the future. Described as counterbalance against dominant religious privilege, modern Satanism in America is the subject of Penny Lanes new documentary feature Hail Satan?, which doubles as an enticing recruitment campaign making progressive thinkers consider the notion that we may all be Satanists at heart.A filmmaker with a taste for the bizarre and the ability to find the humor it it Lane delves into the emergence of the Satanic Temple, a global Satanist organization headquartered in Salem, Mass., with the irreverence required to provide a highly entertaining and incisive portrait of a maligned group.To the dismay of many, their ideology adores a malevolent failed angel while opposing the exalting of Christianity as the default religion in the United States and the world, thus challenging the influence of all religion in whats supposedly a secular government. Beyond their political stance on religious pluralism, Satanists represent a community for many whose identities are not accepted by the status quo.Watch Video: Satanic Temple Co-Founder Lucien Greaves Hasn't Received Hate Mail Over 'Hail Satan?' - YetSatanic Temple co-founder and spokesperson Lucien Greaves (not his real name but definitely a fitting one for his appearance and role) is the narrative shepherd that guides us through the key media stunts, structural decisions, and the philosophical intricacies of their faction. A childish grin takes over his face each time his eloquent and law-abiding statements force conservative bigots to take a step back and reassess their flawed arguments.Through conversations with him and other diligent members (including Jex Blackmore, a Detroit woman with more extreme views), Satanists come across as dissidents manipulating the allure of the eternal adversary and repurposing its image not for evil but as a force of much needed change. Carrying out such perverse acts as collecting socks for the homeless and menstrual products for local shelters, or signing up to clean beaches, these demons without horns preach the seven tenets they abide by, which argue for scientific facts, reason, justice, compassion, and freedom. Its all part of their most urgent mission: stopping regressive minds from imposing their hypocritical morality on the population at large.Also Read: Facebook 'Shut Out' Women From Certain Job Advertisements, ACLU SaysIn the wake of a victory against a Ten Commandments monument placed on government grounds in Oklahoma, Lucien and his team turn their aim to Arkansas, where republican senator Jason Rapert has plans for an identical project. More populist preacher than politician, Rapert regurgitates the tired tropes of the evangelical right about America being a Christian nation: a line in the Pledge of Allegiance and a legend on currency. Devilishly loyal to their persona, the Satanic Temple responds with their own project to install their statue of Baphomet, a symbolic anthropomorphic goat, beside it. This becomes the central plot of the film.Lane briefly touches on the history of the evangelical lobby in the mid-20th century: how it pushed its Christian agenda into the American consciousness by ideologically infiltrating the federal government, and how the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 1990s destroyed the lives of many unfoundedly accused of depraved acts under the banner of Satanism.Also Read: Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Satan on Neil Gaiman's 'Good Omens'Interspersing these vital bits of information essential for understanding where these biases and prejudices come from, even if the film is unable to go deep into each subject for concisions sake the director effectively captures a powerful snapshot of American society today from the point of view of men and women whove aligned with the ultimate misfit. They dont worship Satan as a dark lord or evil deity, but as a rebel against tyranny. In that sense, Satanists do identify with a literal Satan, as the figure who refused to accept oppressive normalcy in exchange for servitude.Although fascinatingly hilarious, Hail Satan? is a conventional non-fiction effort on the technical front, but Lane does spike her frames with an offbeat score by Brian McOmber (Little Woods) that reaffirms the quirky tone of the piece with circus-like melodies. Without being facetious, the music here provides an unspoken way to say, Its not that serious. After all, if Satanists were as uptight as their opponents, what would be the fun in being one?Ultimately, to secure the longevity of their movement, the Satanic Temple cant exist entirely on the fringes of society. To an extent, it must function as an institution with a code of conduct and strict parameters in order to avoid diluting its cause, even if its most radical members perceive this as a contradiction. Even the devil needs to have standards to operate.The doc concludes without a clear victory or an internal rupture, which could read as anticlimactic for those whose enjoyment is contingent with a rapturous finale. But in reality, its an ending in line with a congregation whose history is still writing itself with every demonstration, judicial fight, and membership expansion. Even if it doesnt end with an explicit call to action, like most faith-based movies do, Hail Satan? may well bring some new followers into the fold. Read original story Hail Satan? Film Review: Sly Documentary Buttresses the Wall Between Church and State At TheWrap Described as counterbalance against dominant religious privilege, modern Satanism in America is the subject of Penny Lanes new documentary feature Hail Satan?, which doubles as an enticing recruitment campaign making progressive thinkers consider the notion that we may all be Satanists at heart. A filmmaker with a taste for the bizarre and the ability to find the humor it it Lane delves into the emergence of the Satanic Temple, a global Satanist organization headquartered in Salem, Mass., with the irreverence required to provide a highly entertaining and incisive portrait of a maligned group. To the dismay of many, their ideology adores a malevolent failed angel while opposing the exalting of Christianity as the default religion in the United States and the world, thus challenging the influence of all religion in whats supposedly a secular government. Beyond their political stance on religious pluralism, Satanists represent a community for many whose identities are not accepted by the status quo. Watch Video: Satanic Temple Co-Founder Lucien Greaves Hasn't Received Hate Mail Over 'Hail Satan?' - Yet Satanic Temple co-founder and spokesperson Lucien Greaves (not his real name but definitely a fitting one for his appearance and role) is the narrative shepherd that guides us through the key media stunts, structural decisions, and the philosophical intricacies of their faction. A childish grin takes over his face each time his eloquent and law-abiding statements force conservative bigots to take a step back and reassess their flawed arguments. Through conversations with him and other diligent members (including Jex Blackmore, a Detroit woman with more extreme views), Satanists come across as dissidents manipulating the allure of the eternal adversary and repurposing its image not for evil but as a force of much needed change. Carrying out such perverse acts as collecting socks for the homeless and menstrual products for local shelters, or signing up to clean beaches, these demons without horns preach the seven tenets they abide by, which argue for scientific facts, reason, justice, compassion, and freedom. Its all part of their most urgent mission: stopping regressive minds from imposing their hypocritical morality on the population at large. Story continues Also Read: Facebook 'Shut Out' Women From Certain Job Advertisements, ACLU Says In the wake of a victory against a Ten Commandments monument placed on government grounds in Oklahoma, Lucien and his team turn their aim to Arkansas, where republican senator Jason Rapert has plans for an identical project. More populist preacher than politician, Rapert regurgitates the tired tropes of the evangelical right about America being a Christian nation: a line in the Pledge of Allegiance and a legend on currency. Devilishly loyal to their persona, the Satanic Temple responds with their own project to install their statue of Baphomet, a symbolic anthropomorphic goat, beside it. This becomes the central plot of the film. Lane briefly touches on the history of the evangelical lobby in the mid-20th century: how it pushed its Christian agenda into the American consciousness by ideologically infiltrating the federal government, and how the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 1990s destroyed the lives of many unfoundedly accused of depraved acts under the banner of Satanism. Also Read: Benedict Cumberbatch to Play Satan on Neil Gaiman's 'Good Omens' Interspersing these vital bits of information essential for understanding where these biases and prejudices come from, even if the film is unable to go deep into each subject for concisions sake the director effectively captures a powerful snapshot of American society today from the point of view of men and women whove aligned with the ultimate misfit. They dont worship Satan as a dark lord or evil deity, but as a rebel against tyranny. In that sense, Satanists do identify with a literal Satan, as the figure who refused to accept oppressive normalcy in exchange for servitude. Although fascinatingly hilarious, Hail Satan? is a conventional non-fiction effort on the technical front, but Lane does spike her frames with an offbeat score by Brian McOmber (Little Woods) that reaffirms the quirky tone of the piece with circus-like melodies. Without being facetious, the music here provides an unspoken way to say, Its not that serious. After all, if Satanists were as uptight as their opponents, what would be the fun in being one? Ultimately, to secure the longevity of their movement, the Satanic Temple cant exist entirely on the fringes of society. To an extent, it must function as an institution with a code of conduct and strict parameters in order to avoid diluting its cause, even if its most radical members perceive this as a contradiction. Even the devil needs to have standards to operate. The doc concludes without a clear victory or an internal rupture, which could read as anticlimactic for those whose enjoyment is contingent with a rapturous finale. But in reality, its an ending in line with a congregation whose history is still writing itself with every demonstration, judicial fight, and membership expansion. Even if it doesnt end with an explicit call to action, like most faith-based movies do, Hail Satan? may well bring some new followers into the fold. Read original story Hail Satan? Film Review: Sly Documentary Buttresses the Wall Between Church and State At TheWrap Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney are looking for a new home together. The couple was spotted apartment hunting in New York City on Thursday, just over two months after they got engaged. Lawrence and Maroney were seen walking around the city with real estate broker John Gomes, who focuses on luxury estates throughout N.Y.C., as well as Los Angeles and Miami. The Oscar-winning actress, 28, had her hair pulled back and wore a colorful cropped jacket over a white sweater and jeans for the outing. The art gallery director, 34, looked casual in a white long-sleeve shirt and Nike sneakers. Earlier this month, Lawrence and Maroney scouted venues for a possible engagement party or pre-wedding festivities. An insider told PEOPLE that the pair checked out two luxury hotels in Manhattan. Lawrence and Maroney in N.Y.C. on April 18. | TheImageDirect A second source called Lawrence a family girl, adding, I would be surprised if the wedding were not a fairly extensive family affair. Lawrence hails from Kentucky, where her parents still have a house, and Maroneys family owns a farm in Vermont. RELATED VIDEO: Jennifer Lawrence Longs to be Normal with Fiance Cooke Maroney The Red Sparrow star and Maroney have been spotted out together frequently in Manhattan since PEOPLE confirmed they were dating in June. After Lawrence was spotted with a massive sparkler during dinner at Raouls restaurant in early February, they stepped out arm-in-arm following a meal the next month. Lawrence also showed off her Alison Lou-designed diamond ring during a solo girls night out at ABC Cocina in N.Y.C. on Feb. 21. The new Amazon film Guava Island is about a tropical paradise that showcases both the music of Donald Glover and the cruelties of unchecked capitalism. Its also the subject of our latest Low Key podcast, which you can listen to on Apple or right here.The film is about Deni (Glover, aka Childish Gambino) a charming musician who loves both the people of his island especially Kofi (Rihanna). His dream of putting on a music festival is threatened by dictator Red Cargo (Nonso Anozie), who worries that the festival will keep people from showing up for work the next morning.Also Read: Let's Talk About 'The Joker,' 'The Twilight Zone,' and Why Jokes Are Like TigersThe setup reminds us a little of Bob Marleys 1976 Smile Jamaica concert which almost got Marley killed. Two days before the performance, would-be killers shot Bob Marley in the chest and his wife Rita Marley in the head. They also shot his manager, Don Taylor, and band employee Louis Griffiths. Miraculously, everyone survived, and Marley put on a legendary concert that began with the song War.Interestingly, Amazon plans a series based on Marlon James novel A Brief History of Seven Killings, which is inspired in part by the plot to kill Marley. The novel won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. We wonder on the podcast if Glovers Guava Island will steal any of the thunder from the Marley project, for which we have very high hopes.Also Read: Let's Compare Jordan Peele's 'Us' and 'Get Out' (Podcast)We also talk this episode about how Glovers Atlanta has become such an excellent launchpad for talented actors, and how we kind of wish Rihanna had more to do in Guava Island, because, well, shes great.If you like the episode, please check back Monday, when well release a special episode about our hopes for Avengers: Endgame. In fact, the best way to make sure you get it might be to subscribe. If you want to.Read original story Lets Discuss Guava Island, Where Donald Glover Meets Bob Marley (and Rihannas There, Too) At TheWrap The new Amazon film Guava Island is about a tropical paradise that showcases both the music of Donald Glover and the cruelties of unchecked capitalism. Its also the subject of our latest Low Key podcast, which you can listen to on Apple or right here. The film is about Deni (Glover, aka Childish Gambino) a charming musician who loves both the people of his island especially Kofi (Rihanna). His dream of putting on a music festival is threatened by dictator Red Cargo (Nonso Anozie), who worries that the festival will keep people from showing up for work the next morning. Also Read: Let's Talk About 'The Joker,' 'The Twilight Zone,' and Why Jokes Are Like Tigers The setup reminds us a little of Bob Marleys 1976 Smile Jamaica concert which almost got Marley killed. Two days before the performance, would-be killers shot Bob Marley in the chest and his wife Rita Marley in the head. They also shot his manager, Don Taylor, and band employee Louis Griffiths. Miraculously, everyone survived, and Marley put on a legendary concert that began with the song War. Interestingly, Amazon plans a series based on Marlon James novel A Brief History of Seven Killings, which is inspired in part by the plot to kill Marley. The novel won the 2015 Man Booker Prize. We wonder on the podcast if Glovers Guava Island will steal any of the thunder from the Marley project, for which we have very high hopes. Also Read: Let's Compare Jordan Peele's 'Us' and 'Get Out' (Podcast) We also talk this episode about how Glovers Atlanta has become such an excellent launchpad for talented actors, and how we kind of wish Rihanna had more to do in Guava Island, because, well, shes great. If you like the episode, please check back Monday, when well release a special episode about our hopes for Avengers: Endgame. In fact, the best way to make sure you get it might be to subscribe. If you want to. Read original story Lets Discuss Guava Island, Where Donald Glover Meets Bob Marley (and Rihannas There, Too) At TheWrap With the caveat that The Man Who Killed Don Quixote might be assessed on the most loaded grading curve in contemporary cinema memory, weve got to say that Terry Gilliams long-awaited adventure tale is an awful lot of fun.Of course, the fun can be far from perfect. The film is also messy and hysterical in places, and by running an exhausting 132 minutes, it rather insistently overstays its welcome.Somehow, knowledge of the years of calamity and incident that befell this seemingly perma-doomed production cant help but turbo-charge our reactions to it. Were so thrilled by the films improbable existence that were willing to go wherever Gilliam wants to take us, but respond with an extra degree of disappointment whenever he stumbles along the way.Also Read: Terry Gilliam's Epically Troubled 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote:' A Brief HistoryKnowing full well that the myth of the films production is (at least at this point) inseparable from the work itself, Gilliam goes right in and addresses the matter at the start. We open with on a credit that reads and now after 25 years of making and unmaking a film by Terry Gilliam, a move that doesnt exactly deflate expectations but does address the elephant in the room.Whats more surprising is how many times Gilliam bring it up again. More than anything else, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is fundamentally about its own creation and the obsessions that pushed the director to finally see it through.Adam Driver plays Toby, a hotshot ad director shooting a Cervantes-themed insurance commercial in La Mancha, Spain. Toby has been this way before he actually made his name with Quixote-themed student film a decade prior but the text has seemingly lingered in his mind. At least Toby was able to tackle other projects before inevitably circling back; his thesis films leading man, Javier (Jonathan Pryce), has been stuck in the role ever since.Also Read: Terry Gilliam Feels a 'Huge Emptiness' Waiting for Him Now That 'Don Quixote' Is Finally FinishedSoon enough, the two are back together, getting into hijinks at a breakneck pace and often shrill pitch. Gilliams madman orchestrations occasionally result in individual sequences where the action onscreen is hard enough to make sense of let alone describe but the broad sweep is crystal clear.What begins in the real world (or as close to the real world as Gilliam can approximate) soon gives way to fantasy. When Toby initially sets off with the ersatz Don Quixote, the film sees things as he does. By the time they end up in an opulent Moorish castle owned by venal cabal of Russian vodka moguls, were firmly in fantasia.But getting there is half the fun, and Gilliam plays to his considerable strengths with long sequences and short interjections that make us question what is real, what is a hallucination and this world, what is the difference? The director hasnt lost an inch of his Monty Python irreverence, gleefully poking holes in the narrative by breaking the fourth wall and calling attention to all the artifice.Also Read: Terry Gilliam's 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' Getting Theatrical Release After AllBoth leads visibly have a great time onscreen, though in their frenzied glee, sometimes at the expense of the audience. Its no surprise that Jonathan Pryce, star of Gilliams wonderful Brazil, fits easily into the directors manic play-to-the-rafters approach, while Adam Driver proves no less adept. With last years Logan Lucky and even in part of BlacKkKlansman, the usually moody screen presence has displayed a lighter touch, but hes never let loose with as much abandon as he does here.The scene where he mugs and whoops and dances a full Eddie Cantor routine in order to shock Javier out of a stupor just about sums up the project. Its too much, its out of step with today and its oddly endearing.Read original story The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Film Review: Terry Gilliam Finally Delivers Messy Fun At TheWrap With the caveat that The Man Who Killed Don Quixote might be assessed on the most loaded grading curve in contemporary cinema memory, weve got to say that Terry Gilliams long-awaited adventure tale is an awful lot of fun. Of course, the fun can be far from perfect. The film is also messy and hysterical in places, and by running an exhausting 132 minutes, it rather insistently overstays its welcome. Somehow, knowledge of the years of calamity and incident that befell this seemingly perma-doomed production cant help but turbo-charge our reactions to it. Were so thrilled by the films improbable existence that were willing to go wherever Gilliam wants to take us, but respond with an extra degree of disappointment whenever he stumbles along the way. Also Read: Terry Gilliam's Epically Troubled 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote:' A Brief History Knowing full well that the myth of the films production is (at least at this point) inseparable from the work itself, Gilliam goes right in and addresses the matter at the start. We open with on a credit that reads and now after 25 years of making and unmaking a film by Terry Gilliam, a move that doesnt exactly deflate expectations but does address the elephant in the room. Whats more surprising is how many times Gilliam bring it up again. More than anything else, The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is fundamentally about its own creation and the obsessions that pushed the director to finally see it through. Adam Driver plays Toby, a hotshot ad director shooting a Cervantes-themed insurance commercial in La Mancha, Spain. Toby has been this way before he actually made his name with Quixote-themed student film a decade prior but the text has seemingly lingered in his mind. At least Toby was able to tackle other projects before inevitably circling back; his thesis films leading man, Javier (Jonathan Pryce), has been stuck in the role ever since. Also Read: Terry Gilliam Feels a 'Huge Emptiness' Waiting for Him Now That 'Don Quixote' Is Finally Finished Story continues Soon enough, the two are back together, getting into hijinks at a breakneck pace and often shrill pitch. Gilliams madman orchestrations occasionally result in individual sequences where the action onscreen is hard enough to make sense of let alone describe but the broad sweep is crystal clear. What begins in the real world (or as close to the real world as Gilliam can approximate) soon gives way to fantasy. When Toby initially sets off with the ersatz Don Quixote, the film sees things as he does. By the time they end up in an opulent Moorish castle owned by venal cabal of Russian vodka moguls, were firmly in fantasia. But getting there is half the fun, and Gilliam plays to his considerable strengths with long sequences and short interjections that make us question what is real, what is a hallucination and this world, what is the difference? The director hasnt lost an inch of his Monty Python irreverence, gleefully poking holes in the narrative by breaking the fourth wall and calling attention to all the artifice. Also Read: Terry Gilliam's 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' Getting Theatrical Release After All Both leads visibly have a great time onscreen, though in their frenzied glee, sometimes at the expense of the audience. Its no surprise that Jonathan Pryce, star of Gilliams wonderful Brazil, fits easily into the directors manic play-to-the-rafters approach, while Adam Driver proves no less adept. With last years Logan Lucky and even in part of BlacKkKlansman, the usually moody screen presence has displayed a lighter touch, but hes never let loose with as much abandon as he does here. The scene where he mugs and whoops and dances a full Eddie Cantor routine in order to shock Javier out of a stupor just about sums up the project. Its too much, its out of step with today and its oddly endearing. Read original story The Man Who Killed Don Quixote Film Review: Terry Gilliam Finally Delivers Messy Fun At TheWrap Natural Causes Killed S.C. Girl Who Got into Classroom Fight On Friday, South Carolina authorities announced that fifth-grader RaNiya Wright died from natural causes caused by a congenital condition, and not the classroom fight shed had shortly before. The results of RaNiyas autopsy showed the girl had a condition known as arteriovenous malformation, which caused a blood vessel in her brain to burst. Prosecutor Duffie Stone said at a press conference Friday the autopsy revealed that couldve happened at any time, and was not influenced by the prior physical altercation. There was no evidence of trauma on or inside her body, Stone explained, that would indicate that any fight [of] any magnitude contributed to her death. Therefore, Stone, the 14th Circuit Solicitor, said that there will be no criminal charges brought. RELATED: South Carolina Fifth-Grader Dies After Classroom Fight: She Was a Wonderful Student According to officials who spoke Friday, RaNiya had been involved in a slap fight inside her classroom at Forest Hills Elementary in Walterboro on March 25 that lasted between five and 10 seconds. 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. A teacher separated the children, and at that time, RaNiya had no visible injuries, but about 10 minutes later, while in the principals office, she said she had a headache. On Friday, investigators said RaNiya had been to a doctor six times in recent months complaining of headaches. According to a police incident report previously obtained by PEOPLE, officers were called to the school about 1 p.m. that day about a student whod collapsed. The student, later identified as RaNiya, was in the nurses station, not breathing. RELATED: Grieving Dad Whose 5th Grade Daughter Died in Classroom Fight Seeks Answers: Looking for Justice Story continues She was taken by helicopter to the hospital, and two days later, on March 27, she died. No weapons were used in the altercation, and it is still not clear what led to the fight. Since then, both her mother, Ashley Wright, and father, Jermaine Van Dyke, have leveled harsh criticism against the school and investigators for failing to provide them with a detailed account of what happened to their daughter. RELATED: S.C. Mom Complained About Bullying Numerous Times Before Daughter, 10, Was Killed in Fight Ashley Wright also said shed complained numerous times about the girl her daughter had the fight with, saying the girl bullied RaNiya, but school officials failed to address the matter. PEOPLE was unable to reach Ashley Wright or her attorney for comment. Similarly, efforts to reach RaNiyas father and his attorney were unsuccessful Friday. Animation After a decade away from directing, former Studio Ghibli animator Kitaro Kosaka (Nasu: Summer in Andalusia) marks his return with Okkos Inn, a sweet ghost story that attacks selfish, divisive behavior with idyllic surroundings and inclusion. From anime studio Madhouse and distributed by GKids, the movie opens April 22nd and 23rd in select theaters in Los Angeles. After her parents are killed in a car accident, the big-eyed Okko stays with her grandmother, an innkeeper, on top of an ancient spring with healing powers. There, Okko encounters friendly spirits that only she can see, who play games, teach her about selflessness, and groom her to become the new caretaker. Based on the childrens novel, Wakaokami wa Shogakusei!, the project inspired Kosaka to depict a girl, at a self-conscious and impressionable age, growing up and learning that there are things you can and cannot manage. Related stories 'Okko's Inn' Review: Madhouse Anime Tries to Help Little Kids Make Sense of Grief 'Okko's Inn' Trailer: GKids Offers Ghost Tale from Studio Ghibli Animator Kitaro Kosaka The main reason we are divisive comes from the behavior of separating yourself or yourselves from others, said Kosaka, one of Hayao Miyazakis most talented disciples (supervising the Oscar-winning Spirited Away, among many others). In fact, Kosaka has been assisting with some key animation on Miyazakis final, humanitarian feature, How Do You Live? Kosaka found the best way to combat self-centered attitudes was through the hospitality industry via the inn because customer satisfaction benefits the business and brings out the best in people. Within the fluidity of globalization, ones sense of values will break down and before it can be rebuilt, oftentimes a person would show intolerant reactions to issues, added Kosaka. Its not limited to movies, but creating something is not only about expressing myself. You also have to keep the audienceother peoplein mind, and that is where I think about the society. And feeling the existence of other people acted as a source of energy for me. Story continues Kosaka admitted that the world has changed since he left feature directing for a decade, even in Japan. In pursuing Okkos Inn, he thought about himself, his society, and even his own physical limitations. Recent brain studies have also said that there is no free will, he said. So in order to create the protagonist, I consciously elaborated on the environment and human relations that surround her in order to build her character. When constructing a ghost story such as Okkos Inn, it was best for only the hosts and spirits to get close to Okko. Kosaka suggested maybe they were illusions that came out of her grief. I wanted Okkos breakthrough to not depend on fantastical elements but the wisdom she achieves, he said. And by overlapping the imaginary friends and the real human relationships, I thought I can emphasize her growth. As part of his research of various onsen (hot springs) towns in Japan, the director discovered that they shared something in common: the animals used the hot springs to heal, and that was the origin of the onsen culture for humans that he added as a motif. I do believe that its really up to you to change an unfortunate circumstance to a fortunate one, said Kosaka. The director also played with time in that the three groups that come to the inn are based on Okkos past, present, and future. Sometimes it was a struggle balancing some of the scenes. But his main takeaway was the confirmation that the more I spend the effort on something, the more I can please the audience. I also felt my inadequacies. Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Prince George and Princess Charlotte Celebrate Easter with This Tradition, Just Like Other Kids! Prince George and Princess Charlotte are on the hunt! While the young royals have never joined the other members of the royal family for Easter Sunday church services, mom Kate Middleton revealed last year that they still celebrate the holiday in a fun way. Outside St. Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle on Easter last year, the Queen was presented with flowers by Madeline Carleston and Amelia Vivian, two 6-year-old girls whose parents work and live in the castle. Prince William and Kate, who was just weeks away from welcoming Prince Louis at the time, told the girls that George and Charlotte had been on an Easter egg hunt on Sunday morning. And this year even Louis, who will celebrate his first birthday on April 23, may be able to participate Kate has recently said that the baby is already a fast crawler and standing with the help of a walker. Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince William and Kate Middleton on Easter 2018 | Karwai Tang/WireImage Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate Middleton on Easter 2018 | TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images Louis just wants to pull himself up all the time, Kate told fellow parents during a visit to the Henry Fawcett Childrens Centre in March. He has got these little walkers and is bombing around in them. Cant get enough of PEOPLEs Royals coverage? Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Prince William, Prince George and Kate Middleton in 2014 | Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock The little royals usually celebrate Easter privately, but Prince George was out and about on the holiday back in 2014. It fell during the familys visit to New Zealand and Australia, and they spent Easter Sunday at Sydneys Taronga Zoo. George came face-to-face with a bilby, a rat-like marsupial which is also Australias version of the Easter bunny, which was named after him. The royal parents took turns holding Prince George in their arms and supporting him standing up on the ground, restraining him as he tried to climb into the enclosure to get at the bilby. Hes trying to grab his ear, said Kate, who was wearing a yellow dress perfect for spring. If he gets it hell never let go, said William, who kissed the top of his sons head. (Photo/Xinhua) The views of foreign investors will be given consideration on how China revises its negative list for investments, but China will pace its opening up process, Chinese analysts said on Thursday. With the release of a new negative list less than two months away, Chinese analysts from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), as well as from the legal and industrial sectors, discussed how China will update its negative list this year. In March, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang announced that China would revise and issue the negative list for foreign investment by the end of June at the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in South China's Hainan Province. Bai Ming, deputy director of the Ministry of Commerce's International Market Research Institute, said that negative list revision will involve the NDRC and the MOFCOM, and foreign companies and industry associations will also be consulted. "It has become increasingly difficult to shorten the negative list. More efforts will go into the model of cooperation, shareholder restrictions, and special provisions affiliated with existing texts," Bai told the Global Times on Thursday. "It is the depth of the list that will be highlighted." China has been routinely slashing its catalogue governing foreign investment in recent years. In 2018, such a catalog appeared for the first time in the style and text of a negative list, borrowing from similar approaches used in China's pilot free trade zones. In the 2018 version, the number of items on the negative list was slashed to 48 from 63 in 2017. An item on the list meant foreign investors are still prohibited or restricted. Yan Yiming, a Shanghai-based lawyer who frequently deals with foreign investors, told the Global Times on Thursday that whether some changes will be made on shareholder caps [for certain industries] will still dominate foreign investors' attention. "We already knew that the negative list will be updated, so it is reasonable to expect some adjustments in the 2019 list. Judging from the course China has taken in recent years, adjustments can only mean some shareholder caps will be further relaxed," Yan said. "Foreign companies also care about if an item will be moved from the prohibited category to restrictive, which means some business is possible," Yan noted. For those in business, the significance of the wording of the negative list can never be understated. Riding on China's continued wave of opening-up measures, German automaker BMW became the first foreign company to take a controlling stake in a joint venture in China in 2019. But what shocked the Chinese automobile industry was that BMW will increase its stake in its Chinese JV with partner Brilliance Automotive to 75 percent from 50 percent, one observer of the automobile industry told the Global Times. "Automobile industry players had wanted to fight over the shareholder caps issue bit by bit, percent by percent," said the observer, who declined to be named. "BMW's stake increase and Tesla's complete share mean the pace of opening up is much faster than expected." Reduced shares not only diminishes control of the Chinese co-owner over JV but also cuts their revenues. Top consideration Countries like the US are demanding greater market access in China for its firms. But experts said China's concerns come first. "Security, standards, consistency with international norms will be considered by decision-makers in order of importance," Bai said. Along with China's growing capacity to safeguard its economic security, the considerations in revising the negative list are also evolving, Bai noted. "China, out of its own needs, should provide greater market access to foreign companies. Foreign companies, on the other hand, are demanding access to certain--not all--markets. The needs and demands all evolve," Bai said. According to the latest comments on progress in the negative list, which was revealed at a MOFCOM press conference on April 4, spokesperson Gao Feng said revision work is underway with realizing sole foreign ownership in more sectors being pushed. At the same time, Gao said the ministry is removing restrictive measures beyond the domain of the negative list to ensure universal market access for foreign and domestic companies. Wan Zhe, chief economist at the International Cooperation Center of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said constantly revising a negative list is about reforming the role of the government and leaving more matters to the market. "The negative list will shrink because China's opening up will be an irresistible trend," Wan said, predicting greater opening up in the financial sector. More efforts are needed to push forward the negative list approach and improve its quality, Wan said. "Opening up is also closely connected with the establishment and improvement of laws and regulations in some industries where such rules did not previously exist," Bai said, noting that such efforts must precede opening up. "It is like visiting a traditional Chinese courtyard. Some alleyways and walls are still under construction, and we want our guests to arrive in reception rooms rather than bedchambers," Bai said. By Kang Seung-woo A walking tour program to Cheong Wa Dae "Sarangchae" will be launched next week for foreign residents, tourists and multiracial families, the state-run tour promotion agency said, Thursday. Sarangchae is a two-story comprehensive tourist promotion center near the presidential office designed to show visitors the history of former Korean presidents and Korea's traditional culture. According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the "Road to Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae" will begin a one-month run, being offered every Friday and Saturday, April 26 to May 25. This tour program is only open to foreigners living in or visiting Korea and multicultural families here. The participation fee is 10,000 won ($8.80) per person. Participants in the Friday course will visit Jogye Temple and Samcheong-dong, both of which are tourism hotspots in central Seoul, on their way to Sarangchae. The course is designed to engage millennials who love to take pictures of hotspots for social media, according to the KTO. The Saturday course will take tourists to Gyeongbok Palace and other attractions near the presidential office, an ideal program for those who want to learn about Korean history and culture. Each program will be comprised of up to 30 participants. Visit to make a reservation online. "Given Sarangchae means guesthouse in Korean, the KTO plans to make the Road to Cheong Wa Dae Sarangchae the nation's leading walking tour program," a KTO official said. The official added that the tour program will return in the fall as well, from Sept. 20 to Oct. 19. Rapper Q-Money Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of Fellow Up-and-Coming Hip Hop Artist Q-Money Charged with Murder in Fatal Shooting of Fellow Rapper Up-and-coming Ohio rapper Qamar Akee Williams, better known as Q-Money, was arrested in Georgia on Thursday for allegedly shooting and killing fellow aspiring emcee Calvin Alexander Chappell. Chappell, 24, was fatally shot multiple times with a handgun on Monday. Representatives for the Dekalb County Sheriffs Office confirmed to PEOPLE that Williams, 23, was arrested without incident and is being held on felony murder charges. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that police arrived at a Decatur home belonging to Chappells cousin at 8:30 a.m. local time Monday. There they found Chappell face down, dead from multiple gunshot wounds including a severe shot to the right side of the head. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was on Hannity Thursday night after the Mueller report revealed that Sanders lied about the FBIs reaction to the James Comey firing. During the interview, she admitted to Sean Hannity that she wasnt fully truthful in her press conference after Comey was fired. Look, I acknowledged that I had a slip of the tongue when I used the word countless, but its not untrue. Sanders formerly stated that countless FBI executives were thankful Trump fired Comey. On May 10, 2017, the day after Comey was fired, Sanders told reporters, I think most of America had decided on their own that Director Comey was not the person that should be leading the FBI, as evidenced by the numerous comments that weve seen from Democrat members in the House and Senate, Republican members, members of the FBI, and people across the board. However, in a redacted report presented by Attorney General William Barr to Congress and the public Thursday morning, it was revealed that Sanders admitted that her statements regarding the FBIs reaction to Comeys firing were not true. Sanders told this Office [of the special counsel] that her reference to hearing from countless members of the FBI was a slip of the tongue,' the report read. It was also revealed that her statements that FBI agents had lost confidence in Comey were made in the heat of the moment and not founded on anything. On Hannity, Sanders maintained that Comey should have been fired. James Comey was a disgraced leaker who tried to politicize and undermine the agency he was supposed to run, she explained. Twitter has exploded with reactions, including journalists calling for Sanders to be fired. 1. @PressSec Sarah Sanders should lose her job today 2. She should have lost it long ago 3. She should never have gotten the job 4. No network should have her on 5. If a network does have her on, she should be made to answer for these lies and slip of the tongue BS https://t.co/pEjHqfRFfL Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) April 19, 2019 Now that shes been exposed as simply *making stuff up* from the most powerful podium in the land, why would @PressSec ever be treated as a trustable source on any subject again? #MuellerReport pic.twitter.com/0FDoRmDxNQ Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) April 19, 2019 She finally admitted what we knew to be true.https://t.co/wyReKxsCIx George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) April 18, 2019 As for Sanders, she continues to stand behind President Trump. Story continues Firing James Comey remains one of the best decisions that the president made, Sanders told Hannity. The only problem is, he could have done it sooner and maybe it would have been a better thing. But absolutely the right decision and every day since that hes proven he was right all along. Hannity airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on Fox News. Dont forget to check out Yahoo Play our new interactive app where you can cash in your points and get tons of cool stuff! Download it now in the app store. Release of Mueller report is comedy gold for late night hosts: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Kylie Mar, on Twitter,Facebook, or Instagram. Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyles newsletter. Professor held student's sick baby while mom took a test because it's 'just so her' Professor held student's sick baby while mom took a test because it's 'just so her' originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com There's no disputing being a parent and a student is a major juggling act. But it sure does help when someone is willing to hold one of the balls. Or in this case, the baby. That's exactly what happened when Katie Lewis went to take a test at University of Texas at Tyler -- Palestine campus. Lewis is a 22-year-old single mom, she told "Good Morning America." She's in level 4 of nursing school and will graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) on May 2. Her baby, Allie, is just a few weeks old. "During my pregnancy I was diagnosed with hyperemesis," she said. "I was throwing up my entire pregnancy all day everyday. It was a really rough. During two of my tests I was running out of the testing room to go throw up in a trash can in the hallway. There were times where I was ready to give up on school. It was so hard but Allie just gave me all the motivation to keep going and finish," she said. She did 16 weeks of clinicals in six weeks in order to spend time with her baby when she arrived, she said. PHOTO: Dr. Julie George held the baby of her student, Katie Lewis, while Lewis took a test. (Natalie Norman / Facebook ) "Fourteen days after I had Alianna [Allie], I had to go back to school to take a test for my leadership class," she explained. "I had told Dr. George jokingly that I was mad at her because I had to leave my two-week-old baby for the first time. She said that she would have been happy to hold her. Well, fast forward three weeks and she got to hold her during a test." Natalie Norman, who took the photo and posted it to Facebook, called George's act of kindness "just so her." "She has always told us not to miss a test and to call her if we get in a bind," Norman told "GMA." "Not only was she OK with it, she was so excited to hold the baby. She held her for at least an hour." Lewis's mom, who is a nurse practitioner and works 12 p.m. to 12 a.m., is typically available to take care of Allie when Lewis takes tests, as they are usually at 9 am. Story continues But not this time. "My mom had to work, my dad was out of town and my primary babysitter had school so I texted Dr. George a few days before the test. I said, 'Hey Dr. George, I know this is super unconventional but Im having trouble finding a sitter for Monday for Allie because its in the afternoon. I know you had offered before to hold her during a test... is there anyway I can bring her with me?," she wrote. "If not, I totally understand and will figure something out!'Dr. George promptly replied saying, 'ummm you can totally bring her... Im already excited! ' As it turned out, Allie was sick on test day. "As soon as the test was over I took her to the pediatrician where she was diagnosed with an ear infection and an upper respiratory infection," Lewis said. "Dr. George without hesitation just held and rocked my sick and fussy baby throughout the entire test. Teachers like Dr. George are who making nursing school possible for all of us, but especially single moms. All of our teachers at the Palestine Campus care for us and help us out in anyway they can for us to achieve our goals. Im so grateful for the school and all of our amazing teachers, especially Dr. George." Like tangled-up Conair dryers and dusty Clinique samples, almost every bathroom cabinet graveyard has a jumbo-sized tub of electric-green aloe vera gel buried in the back right corner. For me, its always been the thing I reach for in mid-July when I fall asleep on my stomach halfway through a trashy beach read not something I slather on every day as part of my routine. But that all changed when I visited Aruba last year. The Caribbean island, which is situated so close to the Equator that you can feel the sun burning your epidermis the second you step onto the airport tarmac, counts aloe as one of its main exports. The desert-like climate creates an ideal environment for the plant to grow, and the economy has relied on it as one of its top agricultural products (followed by livestock and fish) since it was introduced by the Dutch in the mid-1800s. As I drove out of the airport in Oranjestad, I noticed advertisements for aloe scattered along the road and displayed prominently in storefront windows downtown. And when I walked into the Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino where I was staying, the first thing the front desk staff offered me was a vodka-spiked aloe cocktail. Every single toiletry in my bathroom from body cream and sunscreen to shampoo and hand soap had aloe listed in the first few ingredients. On the shore, vendors floated between beach umbrellas, selling aloe creams and drinks out of the same coolers. The resort even offered weekly DIY aloe scrub classes, aloe massages and facials at the spa, and tours of the local Aruba Aloe factory to guests. In Aruba, aloe isnt just a sunburn remedy its a way of life. And according to dermatologist and director of cosmetic and clinical research at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, Joshua Zeichner, MD, theyve got it right. The aloe plant has many hydrating and soothing benefits, making it useful in treating skin conditions, he says. It also contains polysaccharides and vitamins that help calm the skin in addition to phytosterols, which give antioxidant benefits. Story continues After seeing how much my skin and hair improved after just a week on the island, I checked an absurd amount of aloe products in my suitcase and headed home a changed woman. After a few months of incorporating the ingredient into my routine, I started noticing substantial results. My acne cleared up, my combination skin became more balanced, my redness subsided, and even my fine lines and wrinkles started to fade. The hydrating and antioxidant benefits of aloe may provide anti-aging benefits to the skin, Dr. Zeichner says. There is data to suggest that aloe has antimicrobial properties and may be useful as an adjunctive treatment for acne. That's not to say that aloe replaced every ingredient on my bathroom shelf retinoids, lactic acids, and vitamin C did most of the heavy lifting but it was the first time my skin reacted positively to those ingredients without looking dry or ruddy in the process. My skin before incorporating aloe vera into my routine To be clear, the widespread benefits of aloe aren't anything new: As one of the earliest recorded healing botanicals, aloe vera has been used for millennia. In Ancient Egypt, it was considered the plant of eternity, and was both a part of regular skin-care routines for the living and used to embalm the dead, thanks to its anti-fungal properties. Its long been used in Chinese and Indian medicine for everything from gastrointestinal issues to fungal diseases. And it was even believed to have the power to exorcise demons in early Mesopotamia, which isnt too far off from the role it plays in my acne routine today. In 2019, aloe quietly serves as a pillar for some of the buzziest new brands on Instagram, including the ones I personally swear by: Shani Darden, Barbara Sturm, and Augustinus Bader. I use aloe a lot in my facials, and I love to use it in the custom masks I make for clients, says L.A.-based esthetician Shani Darden, whose clients include Jessica Alba and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Darden also packs aloe into her eponymous skin-care line, including her famous Texture Reform serum, which has worked wonders on my acne scars. Aloe is great for the skin because it has antioxidants, which help to prevent damage from environmental stressors, she says. It also has antibacterial properties, which speed up healing and can help with acne. Its a really great ingredient for people who have sensitive skin and react to most products. According to Dusseldorf, Germany-based aesthetic doctor Barbara Sturm, MD, aloe is one of the first ingredients she ever encountered in skin care and shes used it in her practice ever since. Growing up, my mother had an aloe plant in the house. She would snap off a piece and rub the gel-like pulp on our cuts and burns, says Dr. Sturm. She was a chemist, and she did it because it worked. Now, Dr. Sturm uses it in her Hyaluronic Serum, Face Mask, and Cleanser, and incorporates it into facials and post-treatment regimens for her famous clients (including Angela Bassett and Kim Kardashian). Aloe vera has been shown to speed wound healing by improving blood circulation through the area and preventing cell death around skin damage, Dr. Sturm says. Aloe stimulates fibroblasts that produce the collagen and elastin fibers, making the skin more elastic and less wrinkled. Its astringent properties tighten pores and it also has an anti-acne effect in part because of its antiseptic properties. My makeup-free face one year after I started an aloe vera-based skin-care routine With so many incredible benefits, why isnt the natural ingredient being touted in the same way that CBD, bakuchiol, or kakadu plum are today? Aloe is a traditional botanical used to heal the skin for centuries, Dr. Zeichner says. Despite the emergence of new botanicals with questionable benefits, I think that many brands are choosing to include aloe because newer ingredients dont mean they work any better. Adds Dr. Sturm, Its hard to say that an ingredient that has been in global use for 2000 years has been underestimated! People probably dont know the ingredient science behind aloe, but they notice anecdotally this ingredients efficacy as a topical skin care and wound healer. After a full year on the stuff, Im definitely one of them. At Refinery29, were here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission. Travel and accommodations were provided to the author by Hilton Aruba for the purpose of writing this story. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? These Makeup Primers Have Serious Skin-Care Benefits Do These CBD Beauty Products Actually Work? Why Take A Shower When These CBD Bath Bombs Exist? Photo credit: katie buckleitner From Cosmopolitan I care about one thing when the weather gets warmer: vacation season. And while it seems like everyone traveling overseas flocks to the coasts of Italy and France, I suggest a less-frequented seaside gem: Bodrum, Turkey. Photo credit: . The peninsula, located on the Aegean Sea across from eastern Greece, is full of pristine sandy beaches, meaning you can get your fabulous beach getaway and traditional experiences (think Turkish breakfasts overlooking the water and hammam treatments). I stayed at the Bodrum Edition, a boutique hotel with beach access and incredible restaurants. The hardest part of the trip? Trying not to flood my feed with endless vacation snaps. Here, the nine most photogenic experiences in Bodrum. Book Now Bodrum Edition Turkish breakfast puts your avocado toasts and mimosas to shame. Traditionally, it includes varieties of cheese, olives, and sweet and savory pastries, among other items. Shoot the spread from above and using natural light to make all the colors and textures really pop. If you're feeling extra, throw in a few props, like napkins, and take action shots of people serving. Spice up your feed (sorry, had to) with a trip to a local food and spice market. Bonus: Between shooting pics, you can try traditional Turkish bites like grape leaves and baklava. I went to the Turgutreis Bazaar, an inexpensive, colorful market for sampling and snapping. This is the perfect opp for a gallery post-mix in shots with different depths of field (close-ups and pulled-out photos) to capture all the colors and textures. If you're not buying anything, it's common courtesy to ask the vendors if it's okay to take a photo. Otherwise, come hungry and bring cash. Story continues Many family-run carpet businesses are based in small villages on the Bodrum peninsula. I went to Etrim Hali Carpets, which offers tours, demonstrations, and an array (I mean THOUSANDS) of carpets to buy, all with intricate patterns and colors. Capture it all in a still life-include the stacks of rugs and raw materials and tools for an authentic vibe-or try layering them, picking up different designs and textures in a full-frame shot. And remember to take off your shoes before walking on the carpets. After you've gotten a taste of Bodrum's culture, take in some of its natural beauty. Put on your favorite suit, grab your Instagram bf, and have a mini photo shoot on the beach with the bright Aegean Sea in the background. If you want to capture all the turquoise shades, venture out midday when the sun is brightest. Walk around the frame to look natural, and if you want an especially gratuitous shot, arch your back and stick out your booty as far as you can. It might feel weird, but it'll look in front of the tranquil water. Take lunch al fresco to the next level-and to the sand. (ICYMI, the beach makes a perf backdrop for any photo.) Claim a chair at the Beach Club at the Bodrum Edition, sip on a colorful juice (or some bubbly), and try the tropical fruit plate. The sunshine will be perfect, and a short depth of field will really capture your decadent meal. Would your vacation be complete without cocktails at sunset? Prob, but youd miss an excellent Instagram photo op. After visiting The Beach Club, head to the Edition's waterside restaurant, Brava, for refreshing beverages, like the citrus spritz or a Turkish rose. Frame your shot so there are no visual interruptions between your drink and the sky-that way, you'll capture the glorious sunset through your glass. Or, simply turn the camera on yourself (that golden hour light is dreamy as hell). After your beach day, head into town for even more idyllic scenery. The smaller villages are full of whitewashed buildings, and they're a stunning juxtaposition to the magenta bougainvillea flowers everywhere you look. Also stunning: the cascading blooms against the sunset on the sea. They're ideal if those vacation fit photos need a pop of color, but you could easily dedicate a post (or three) solely to this plant's beauty. If your lodging doesnt have immediate beach access, it prob has an infinity pool where you can take waterside pics. Head down during the glorious golden hour-the pools will be nearly empty, meaning you'll have plenty of time to get your uninterrupted shot. Include the mountainous backdrop, and for a super stunning shot have your photog get low so the pool edge melts seamlessly into the background. A Turkish bath (pronounced hammam in Turkish) is a ritual that involves being scrubbed, cleansed, and massaged by another person. Its spiritually and physically cleansing, and it's also incredibly relaxing. You can't take photos during the treatment, so try getting one after, or bundle up in a fluffy robe and snap a selfie to add luxe ~spa vibes~ to your Insta portfolio. ('You Might Also Like',) Can you believe that Katie Holmes and Tom Cruises only child, Suri, is officially a teenager? While we undoubtedly feel old, these candid pics of her birthday celebrations are giving us major Joey Potter vibes. Yesterday, the mother-daughter duo made a rare public appearance in SoHo in honor of Suris 13th birthday. The Dawsons Creek alum, 40, was spotted leaving Delicatessen Restaurant in New York City with her mini-me and two friends. Suris birthday suit attire consisted of a pink-and-white dress. She accessorized the ensemble with a mint green jacket, blue purse and red lipstick. Her friends also wore bright colors, and their outfits look straight off the set of Hannah Montana. Holmes, on the other hand, went for a chic look in honor of Suris teenage years. The actress wore a statement trench coat by Wilfred, which retails for $298. She completed the getup with a blue-and-white striped shirt, red-and-grey striped pants, polka-dot flats and a black tote bag. In case youre wondering, Suris father was noticeably absent from her birthday festivities. Were not surprised by the decision, since the 13-year-old hasnt been photographed with her dad since 2013. Although we dont know if they celebrated in private, at least the dinner at Delicatessen seemed like a success. The appearance comes just one month after Holmes took Suri to the Moria refugee camp in Lesbos, Greece, a trip thatlucky for uswas documented on Instagram. Happy birthday, Suri! RELATED: Katie Holmes Shares Rare Photo of Daughter Suri Cruise UPDATE: Missing N.C. Woman, 20, Who Was 'Dragged' into Car Has Been Found Safe UPDATE: On Friday afternoon, PEOPLE confirmed that Lauren Hall is safe and her alleged captor, Rosalino Duarte-Cruz, is now in custody in Wilkes County, NC. Duarte-Cruz has been charged with second degree kidnapping and assault on a female, as well as first-degree burglary, according to a spokesperson from the sheriffs office. Authorities are searching for a North Carolina woman who police allege was taken against her will and is likely being held hostage by a man 16 years older. Lauren Hall, 20, has not been seen since Thursday morning, according to the Wilkes County Sheriffs Office. Police are asking for the publics help in tracking her down. Officers were called to a home in Hays on Thursday morning, responding to reports of a domestic dispute. A statement from police alleges Hall may have been taken away from the house against her will by her boyfriend, 37-year-old Rosalino Duarte-Cruz. Rosalino Duarte-Cruz | Wilkes County Sheriff's Office 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. According to investigators who spoke to neighbors, Duarte-Cruz allegedly dragged Hall across her front yard, and forced her into a car before fleeing the area. Police say Duarte-Cruz may be driving a silver 2016 Chevrolet Camaro LT with North Carolina license plates TPD-8339. Detectives believe he may be heading to either Winston-Salem or Yadkinville. Authorities have already filed assault and kidnapping charges against Duarte-Cruz. A warrant has been issued for his arrest. Anyone who may have any information concerning Halls or Duarte-Cruzs whereabouts is asked to call 911 or contact the Wilkes County Sheriffs Office at (336) 838-9111. April 19, 2019 A brave mother named Brooke Ramirez has been facing a heart-wrenching, challenging battle ever since her daughter Trinity was born seven years ago. Ever since birth, Trinity has required almost round-the-clock care for what ultimately turned out to be diagnosed as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC), an ultra-rare disease believed to affect only one in every 50,000-100,000 children worldwide. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), PFIC causes progressive liver disease, which typically leads to liver failure. In people with PFIC, liver cells are less able to secrete a digestive fluid called bile. The buildup of bile in liver cells causes liver disease in affected individuals. One of the most severe characteristics of the disease is something called pruritus, or an intense itch, which can lead some children to self-mutilate to find relief, Ramirez notes. "At about five months, I noticed Trinity would get bruises all over her body," Ramirez tells Parents.com. "These later grew in size and within a day or two, turned into huge hematomas. We took her to her local pediatrician who sent us to the emergency room at Anne Arundel Medical Center. That is when they noticed her clotting levels were through the roof. We were transported to Johns Hopkins Medical Center and a liver biopsy was eventually sent to Cincinnati Childrens Hospital. That is when we got the diagnosis of PFIC2. The process took about 1.5 - 2 months, and Trinity was about 7 months old at the time of diagnosis." She says that when the doctor delivered the news of her daughter's diagnosis, she initially didn't believe him. "One of the largest characteristics of the disease is pruritus, or an intense debilitating itch," she explains. "Trinity didn't have that at the time, but about two months after her diagnosis she developed it almost overnight! She would scratch and cry constantly, and I felt useless to ease her suffering." Story continues One method Ramirez tried was taking Trinity down to the basement, because the cool air helped. "Or we would dress her in a special onesies to prevent her from scratching," she says. "At the time, I was a young single mother who had little information on PFIC and did not know anyone else impacted by it. My only source of support was my mother, who helped care for Trinity while I worked. Trinity needed constant supervision to ensure she didn't scratch herself to the point of drawing blood. I am not sure how we got through it." Ramirez notes that because there are only surgical options to treat the disease and no medications that can help, not even with the constant itch, Trinity had an ileum diversion surgery in August 2012, followed by internal biliary diversion in October 2012 to try and stop the itch. "Neither worked," Ramirez explains. "She then had a liver transplant in May 2013. My sister was the donor, and the trauma really brought my family closer together. We had to lean on each other for support." Now, Ramirez is committed to raising awareness around PFIC and helping others understand how debilitating it can be for patients and their families. As part of her efforts, she has been documenting her family's journey on a Facebook page called Trin Raising Awareness for PFIC. "By raising awareness, we can further help advocate for our children and encourage additional research that might one day help others find relief," she says. Ramirez is hopeful that additional research can lead to a therapy that could help restore normal bile acid levels to people living with PFIC. "There are a few drug trials happening now focusing on itch relief, but nothing is approved for use at this time," she explains, noting that Albireo Pharmaceuticals is currently researching the disease and testing a drug candidate for patients with PFIC Types 1 and 2 called A4250, in a phase 3 randomized, controlled clinical trial at more than 40 treatment centers worldwide. (Trinity isn't involved in this trial.) Better access to and earlier genetic testing can improve outcomes for patients, as well, notes Saul J. Karpen, MD, PhD, FAASLD, professor of pediatrics and Division Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Emory University School of Medicine/Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Karpen says that ideally, physicians and other care providers would recognize "that the child has a likely genetic disease and should get tested as early as possible." He applauds parents like Ramirez "who continue to pursue answers and push for treatment options, for children who may have rare but serious liver diseases like PFIC." To other parents who may be facing a PFIC diagnosis or similarly difficult health challenge with their little one, Ramirez says, "Stay strong and go with your instincts. The doctors were there to support me and help advise me when making medical decisions for Trinity, but they were not there at night when she was so uncomfortable from the intense itch that nothing could calm her. My mother's intuition helped me get through those tough times. When you're a mother to a child with a rare disease, it is your job to become their advocate. Do your research, stay calm, find a source of support, and never give up." For more information, visit PFIC.org and Childrennetwork.org. Kim Soo-hong, author of "Sigol Books on Jeju," poses with his book at his bookshop in Jeju's eastern town of Jocheon-ri in this undated photo. / Courtesy of Kim Soo-hong By Kang Hyun-kyung Kim Soo-hong, 57, is one of a swarm of urbanites who migrated to the southern scenic island of Jeju about a decade ago. The "Jeju rush" phenomenon has been continuing since 2010. Since he settled down in Jeju's eastern rustic coastal town of Jocheon, he opened a small bookstore two years ago. He named it "Sigol Books on Jeju." Sigol usually refers to the countryside but the name of his bookstore comes from a Korean abbreviation of "a poetic, corner bookstore." Unlike other bookshop owners, his primary purpose is not earning money. "Jocheon-ri is such a small, underdeveloped town, so demand for books is not outstanding," he said in a phone interview with The Korea Times. "Sigol Books is serving as a free-of-charge venue for small group gatherings. Artists, poets and authors meet for book club meetings or other cultural discourse. My Facebook friends from Seoul or other cities on the mainland visit here whenever they come to Jeju." Kim describes himself as a low culture aficionado, noting he likes cultural works that are easily accessible. On Jeju, he immersed himself into the world of art and culture. He writes poems and leads a book club. He is also a member of a multinational music band and engaged in various cultural activities. Recently he released a book, titled "The Happiest Times in My Life: A Story of a Poetic Corner Bookstore," published by Daesup Baram. It is a selection of essays he posted on his Facebook account over the past two years. One of his Facebook buddies has a small publishing house and she encouraged Kim to publish his essays, a request he accepted. Kim said his Jeju life has inspired him to write essays and poems regularly and share them with his friends. "Since I came down to Jeju, I have led a life very different from my life in the urban area," he said. "I am the youngest of seven children. I grew up in a family where the preference for sons was dominant. I studied economics in university in the 1980s and at that time female students accounted for only 1 percent of the entire economics department. After graduation, I began my career as an international finance expert at then the global giant Daewoo Group and worked there until 1998 when the conglomerate was mired in turmoil during the Asian Financial Crisis. Most of my clients were men. Before Jeju, I had spent most of life in a male-dominated atmosphere." On Jeju, Kim said he came to embrace a more "feminine" lifestyle while working with local literary people. According to him, men are result-driven, whereas women enjoy the process of work. "Many of the local people with whom I mingle through book clubs or other cultural activities are women because women make up the majority of participants. It took time for me to adjust to such an environment," he said. While reading books, writing poems and mingling with local artists, he came to discover the hidden delights of life on Jeju and this caused him to find his inner strength as a writer, a trait he didn't even know about. Born in Busan in 1961, Kim is no stranger to Jeju Island. Jeju is his parents' hometown. Kim said he chose to settle down on the island while travelling there on a business trip. His migration to the island coincided with the Jeju rush that began in 2010. Mainlanders began to migrate to the southern island and this led to a significant increase of the Jeju population. Between 2014 and 2017, for example, over 40,000 people, mostly from Seoul and other big cities, migrated to Jeju. Various groups of mainlanders moved to the island for different reasons. Those in their 30s were tired of living stressful urban lives and went down to Jeju to enjoy its pristine nature and to raise their children in a cleaner, quieter environment. The migration also included retirees who wanted to enjoy their sunset years. There is another group of people who have flocked to Jeju since 2010 _ artists. They settled on the island to get inspiration from the rich natural environment for their art projects. Kim's mingling with the artists who migrated to Jeju has led him to know the joy of small things. "I truly enjoy my post-retirement life here on Jeju because now I am doing what I want to do," he said. A Fussy Baby Nearly Doubles Mom's Risk for Depressive Symptoms, Study Finds But fussy babies are also totally normal. Here, how to feel better (and help baby feel better), stat. For soon-to-be moms, it's easy to imagine the dream: a baby who sleeps through the night, coos quietly when you rock them, and falls asleep in your arms listening to a lullaby. But new moms will tell you that's not always the case. Babies cry. And often, they cry the most during the first four months of age, which means that it'swellnormal to have a fussy baby. But that doesn't mean it's easy. A new study published in Academic Pediatrics used data from 8,200 children and their mothers nine months after childbirth to determine a fussy baby's effect on a mom's mental health. Those with fussy babies born full-term were about twice as likely to say they have experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression compared to moms whose full-term babies were calmer. "Part of that is because of, perhaps, the expectation of what it's like to be a mom of a new baby," says Prachi Edlagan Shah, M.D., a developmental and behavioral pediatrician at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, and the study's lead author. She adds it could be some mothers are not counseled on how some babies can be more difficult to parent, so having a fussy baby can be shocking, and an unexpected transition to parenthood. When you have a "difficult" baby, you have to work really hard and don't get a lot of positive feedback, adds Rebecca Parlakian, senior director of programs at Zero To Three, a non-profit that works to advance the healthy development of U.S. children. This can attack a mother's sense of competence and confidence in her rolesomething that can contribute to symptoms of depression, Dr. Shah explains. Interestingly, the study also found that mothers of babies who were born very pre-term had milder depressive symptoms. This could be because these moms spent more time in the hospital, got far more support, counseling, information, and referrals for early intervention and infant mental health, explains Dr. Shah. All of those can help transition a woman to motherhood (fussy baby or not). Story continues It's also worth noting that one point the study couldn't answer was whether or not depression in women preceded fussiness. But the study suggests mothers who report experiences of having a fussy baby may benefit from additional screening for maternal depression. Why is your baby fussy? Regardless, if you have a fussy baby, you're likely wondering (on top of what do I do?!), why your baby is fussy, to begin with. There are a slew of different reasons. Sometimes, fussiness is genetic, says Dr. Shah, other times it comes down to a baby's temperament. Reflux and colic can both play a role, and so can a baby's environment, she says. Fussiness can also simply indicate baby adjusting to life outside of the womb, explains Parlakian. How can you soothe your crying infant? While that's going to vary depending on every mom and every baby, there are some universal tactics experts suggest employing. Here are four of them that could help. And don't worry, these tips include putting yourself first, toosomething that's hugely important in feeling better and helping baby to feel better. If a baby is fussy, Dr. Shah says the first thing to check would be their safety. For example, if your baby is in physical pain, if they could be sick, and if they're hungry, or cold. All of these issues can lead a baby to cry and are important to check in on before moving onto other potential solutions. "Calming yourself is really important," says Parlakian. Because newborns are born with no capacity to regulate their emotions, co-regulation (soothing themselves with your help) is key. But when you're stressed, upset, or frustrated, your voice might change, your arms might be tighter, and you might move in less rhythmic ways, she notes. These cues can interrupt co-regulation, she explains, making it harder to soothe your baby. Deep breathing, mindfulness, a short walk, reconnecting to your own heartbeat can all help you reach a calmer state, which is key for your mental health and baby's levels of calmness. Since babies experience the world through their senses, swaddling, talking in different soft voices, skin-to-skin contact, rhythmic walking, bright or dim lights, and other sensory stimulation can work to soothe your baby, says Dr. Shah. Just remember: Every baby is different and every fussy baby is different so what works for one baby might not work for all. "A lot of this is the dance of parenthood where one is learning about what the baby needs and what is particular to this individual," says Dr. Shah. "I think part of the job of parenthood is getting to know this brand new human being." Over 60 percent of women in the Academic Pediatrics study had a baby who, at some point in time, had experienced fussiness. "So one of the first take-home messages is that having a fussy baby is a common experience many mothers have," says Dr. Shah. If you're experiencing feelings of depression or sadness associated with a fussy baby, there are tons of resources out there that can help ease the transition, she notes. One is The Fussy Baby Network, a national organization that employs infant specialists who take calls from new moms and offers support groups. If you're down, it's also always a good idea to touch base with your primary care doctor who can help you with next steps, which may involve everything from lifestyle changes to seeking therapy or medication. Photo credit: . From ELLE Alexandra Mosier was standing at the alter in her mermaid-cut lace wedding gown when she began to suspect she'd been swindled. The Appleton, Wisconsin, videographer she'd hired should have clipped a hidden lavalier behind the white rose boutonniere of her soon-to-be husband's tux to capture audio from the ceremony, but as they stood across from each other at the altar, Mosier saw he wasn't mic'd up at all. Her heart sank. She'd spent months picking out the dress, curating a guest list, selecting floral arrangements, and finding vendors for her October 2018 nuptials. When the big day finally arrived, she was so preoccupied getting her hair and makeup done, that she hadn't noticed Scott Sockett, their videographer, hand't bothered to show up at all. When Mosier spoke with Sockett via phone the next day, she says he didn't apologize or offer a good excuse. In fact, he seemed rather apathetic about ghosting her. Mosier contacted a lawyer about pursuing a refund on her $1,600 deposit, and was shocked to discover she wasn't the only bride unhappy with Sockett's services. According to court records, since March 2017 at least eight other newlyweds in Wisconsin have taken him to small claims court in relation to his wedding business, which provided photography, videography, DJing, and photo booths. He's been ordered to pay at least $14,000 back to the alleged victims. Mosier, 21, wants the money back, but far more upsetting is the fact she'll never have footage of her wedding. "It's heartbreaking," she says. "I wanted to have those moments on video, forever. Now I never will." Photo credit: Courtesy When Mosier first met Sockett in September 2018, she was wowed by his professionalism-and his prices. A wedding photographer can cost up to $10,000 and a videographer can costs around $5,000. Sockett's prices were much, much lower. The Appleton, Wisconsin, based businessman advertised almost unbelievable deals on his "Say I Do Wedding Services" and "MagicFocus Photography" Facebook page: two-for-one photography and video packages, free photo booths with a booking, and cheap uplighting rentals. Story continues Sockett's low rates are also what drew Sarah Cox in. "Our wedding budget was pretty tight, so I was limited," Cox, 28, says. "I found this promotion and was so excited, because I was going to get my dream wedding and have it all documented." She put down a $2,000 deposit to have Sockett photograph and film her September 2018 wedding. There were no red flags, Cox says, until he didn't show up. As she was getting her hair done, she says Sockett sent her a text claiming to have undergone last-minute emergency surgery. He told her he was sending a replacement photographer. That replacement never showed up. Cox sobbed. She'd couldn't afford to book another photographer so last minute. "I have no images of rings, no pictures of vow books or jewelry or my shoes from my wedding," she says. "Nothing of me getting ready or my mom helping me into my dress. I remember these moments, of course, but I have no pictures." Photo credit: Courtesy Cox shared her experience in the popular Facebook group "that's it, I'm wedding shaming," and was immediately contacted by another bride, who added her to a private Facebook group called "Defrauded by Scott Sockett." More than a dozen newlyweds in the Midwest belong to the group. Their accusations vary slightly. In some instances, they allege Sockett took pictures, but never delivered them. Other times, they say he didn't show up at all. One bride says she got her pictures, but they were poorly edited and filtered with sepia tones. Heather Trimm, 33, says Sockett sent her footage from her November 2017 wedding-only it contained clips from a different wedding. "It was poor quality, didn't include my first look, wedding party, or family photo time, or ceremony," she says. "It does, however, include several minutes of footage from two weddings that aren't mine." She filed a small claims case against Sockett in December 2018, and won by default when he didn't show up. She still hasn't received the $1,925 awarded to her by the judge. "He is...taking advantage of people on one of the most significant days of their lives," Trimm says. "He is not just taking peoples money, he is taking documentation of their memories and some of their faith in humanity." Cox, who also won her claim by default, says at this point she doesn't "care about the money." "I would love to have that $2,000, of course, but we never got photographs from this monumental day," she says. "I just really dont want him to do this to anyone else." Photo credit: Courtesy When reached via phone, Sockett says he has decided to shutter his wedding business. He "feels horrible" about his unhappy clients, but says many of the complaints lodged against him are for missing refunds due to cancellations and not for failures to deliver promised services. He says he is applying for second jobs in order to pay people back. "If we didn't show up [to a wedding], it was because we had an issue," he says. "One bad thing happened, and then it spread across the Internet and one on top of the other cancelled and cancelled, and now I don't have $10,000 banked to [pay people back]." The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin has been actively investigating Say I Do Wedding Services since last May. There are a dozen complaints on the BBB website ranging from lost wedding videos to wedding photographers failing to show up. Since February 2018, the BBB has received 1,994 inquiries about Sockett and referred their findings to the Wisconsin Attorney General's office Consumer Protection Unit. The state's Bureau of consumer protection confirms they've received four complaints about Say I Do in the last two years. "The BBB does not have authority to shut down a business," Wisconsin BBB investigations director Lisa Schiller says. "The BBB does however work closely and regularly with various local and national law enforcement agencies and does refer cases it feels necessary." Sockett says the complaints lodged against him are circumstantial and he blames them on a variety of things, including unreliable employees and faulty vehicles. "Still, that all goes on me. It's my business and I'm responsible for that," he says. Taylor MacMiller counts herself lucky. Two months after signing a contract with Sockett through MagicFocus Photography in October 2018, she stumbled upon several negative reviews for Say I Do Wedding Services and realized that he ran both companies. MacMiller cancelled their contract and, per their agreement, should have received a 50 percent refund. MacMiller still hasn't gotten any money back from him, but feels grateful she could book someone new in time for her May wedding. "It is truly heartbreaking to learn...how many individuals didnt even have someone there to photograph their wedding," she says. "I hope one day we can all put an end to this." ('You Might Also Like',) With a full name of George Alexander Louis of Cambridge, it was perhaps inevitable that 5-year-old Prince George would have a nickname. After all, his father, Prince William, was often called Wills by his friends (and the press), and Prince Harry is technically Prince Henry. But Georges exact moniker was unclear. Earlier this year, The Sun reported the little prince himself told a woman in a park his name was Archiewhich is, yes, adorable, but also confusing. Was George just being mischievous? Does he use a different name with strangers to blend in? (Its not uncommonWilliam reportedly went by Steven while studying at the University of St. Andrews.) There were theories aplenty. Now, however, a new, more straightforward contender has arrived: P.G. According to Vanity Fair, the little royals schoolmates at Thomass Battersea call him by these initials, short for Prince George. George is really happy at school, [and] his nickname is P.G., says a parent at the school. Hes very popular and has lots of friends, and theres very little fuss made about who he is. Also according to the outlet, George (excuse us, P.G.) enjoys plenty of playdates and parties with his classmates. Princess Charlotte will likely join her older brother at Thomass Battersea in September. Will she, too, go by a shortened playground name? It seems soshe is reportedly sometimes called Lottie, which is a common abbreviation of Charlotte, especially in the United Kingdom. No word yet on a nickname for Prince Louiswho, next week, will turn 1. But, if he does follow the lead of George, P.L. has a nice ring to it. Whatever you slaughter in America, you can eat it. From bone marrow to butthole, sweetbreads (which are definitely not sugary) to trotters, from cheek to cheek, all of the animal kingdom is A-OK farm to table, nose to tail, and all in the name of brutal commerce. Like any carnivore, Ive eaten lots of animals. Most can be found in childhood barnyard books: smiling cows, grinning pigs, and chickens pecking the dirt while Farmer Joe drives his big green tractor, knowing that his pals will end up gutted and hanging on a rack. Ive sampled fuzzy friends you dont see on every menu. Ostrich steak and kangaroo, camel and elk. I had deer but didnt like the taste. Something about spaghetti backstrap still doesnt seem right. Ive noshed on frogs legs and foie gras, nibbled a shark, scarfed some crocodile in Sydney and fried alligator in Florida. Everyone chows down with reckless abandon on grass-fed bison burgers, but somehow Im the asshole for wanting to eat horse. This story was submitted by a Fatherly reader. Opinions expressed in the story do not reflect the opinions of Fatherly as a publication. The fact that were printing the story does, however, reflect a belief that it is an interesting and worthwhile read. This aversion must have its roots somewhere deep in our cultural obsession with cowboys, the lone rider drifting past the Sierra Nevada, and now the average persons stomach turns if they even think about chowing down on Mustang. But we found a way to shut off the reptilian parts of brains that aint cool with seeing chickies and piggies on hooks because theyre awesome crumbled across a meat lovers pizza. When a contestant cooked horse tartare on Top Chef Canada, people lost their minds, unable to grasp how the rules arent the same when youre cooking French. I mean, those people figured out that if you drown a snail in enough garlic butter, that shit is delicious. From what Ive read, people whove had horse say its gamey but sweet? Kind of like venison mixed with steak, which doesnt sound bad. In a weight lossobsessed culture that eats algae and does pepper-water enemas, horse seems downright logical. Its cleaner than whatever the mega-barnyard is pumping out. Story continues Look, its not exactly illegal to eat horse, but its definitely frowned upon. We can ride these dudes silly at the track, and if one breaks a leg, we go at it like Clemenza in The Godfather. The ones unlucky enough not to die from a clean shot to the head end up at the glue factory, or as the secret ingredient in your kids Jello. Surprise! Gelatin is horse. When I was a kid, my grandpa in Arkansas would blow a horses brains out if it got sick or hurt with as much compassion as checking the time, saying it was part of running livestock. One time he 86ed a sick calf, chained its feet to the tailgate of his rusty Ford and dragged it to the propertys edge for nature to do its thing. Its hard to imagine whenever he put a horse down, its fate wasnt similar. Butchering the horse never crossed his mind. The cow he raised for the last year that would end up as someones filet may have had a fun name like Sunshine, but ole Sugarfoot served up Argentinian-style across fire with a sea salt rub? Gauche. Do I think we should be chowing down on ex-racehorses? Probably not. Can you imagine the drugs a local track horse gets? Theyve had more needles in their asses than a pro ball player. If youre going to eat horse, you want free-range, like eggs, maybe even Wagyu-style with a daily massage. Turns out, way back in the day, Pope Gregory III put the kibosh (not the kabob, sadly) on horse as a political move against the Pagans, and that move has carried over to me in an age where I can Google how Christianity stole all of the fun parts of Christmas from some naked, fire-dancing pagans. I saw a photo of someone eating pig brains and scrambled eggs last week. On Facebook. Tell me that aint gross. The reason France has horse on the menu? In the Napoleonic era, revolutionaries whacked aristocrats thoroughbreds to feed people. Up until World War II, horse was even on some menus here in the States until beef became the go-to thanks to lobbyists and the tendency for cows to get real big, real fast. Just because we settled the land on horseback, horse is untouchable. Thanks to Clint Eastwood movies, him tipping his hat like some mountain-man badass, I have to suffer in culinary curiosity. Dont tell me Im the weirdo. Cows are all homespun and cute as can be, and yet we literally wear their skin. That fancy leather couch is a dead cow stretched and tanned, and youre gonna force me to let protein go to waste because horses munch carrots funny with their big ole teeth? And speaking of funny, have you seen a literal horses ass? Its all huge and muscular. Asses are totally in, and horses have serious butt cheeks that could feed a village. According to Google, I can either roll up to Quebec for horse steak or drive to Nuevo Laredo for street meat horse tacos. I live in Texas, so I could pack up my boys and the wife and cruise down across the border in a few hours, but I doubt my significant other would be cool with that. Something about border town delicacy doesnt scream family vacation. Till then, it looks like Im stuck ordering elk, deer, rabbit, waterfowl, caribou, antelope, wild turkey, or boar, daydreaming about what horse might taste like, because government rules and all that. I should probably accept that horse tastes like crap. If it were so amazing, wed have bootleg supper clubs and secret horse-killing societies, right? Yet, here I am letting Star, Duke, and Lilly trot on by. In the meantime, whos up for hog brain burritos? Robert Dean is a writer, journalist, and cynic. He lives in Austin and loves ice cream and koalas. Related Articles: The post I Really Want to Try Horse Meat. Whats the Problem? appeared first on Fatherly. This week, the world was saddened to learn of a massive fire that erupted at the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. Sadly, Savannah, Georgia's famed Cathedral of St. John the Baptist has dealt with the devastation of a major blaze, too, having suffered a fire in 1898, as local news station WSAV-TV recently reported. "Thank goodness there were no people in the church, said Marsha McBride, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Docent, in the television segment of the 19th century inferno. The walls collapsed. The pillars collapsed, and everything was destroyed in the church except the main altar, under which the fire had started, and one window in the front chapel. For some Savannah residents, learning of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire has brought a sense of kinship between the Hostess City and the City of Lights. "As I watched the coverage yesterday from Paris, I thought a lot about the fire of 1898 here in Savannah, and just that resilience of human spirit that says 'this is not the end. We are not finished. We will rebuild this again. This place will rise from the ashes," said Patricia Meagher of the Georgia Historical Society in the clip. Watch the full segment below. WATCH: This Local Man Wrote A Love Song To Savannah, Georgia If you would like to help rebuild Notre Dame Cathedral, you can make a donation to support the Cathedral of Notre Dame through The Basilica of the National Shrine is a National Sanctuary of Prayer here. The recent Notre Dame fire has also inspired many to give money to three historically black churches in Louisiana that burned down suspiciously in the past month. Visit the GoFundMe page to make a donation or learn more here. We'll be keeping both of these churches in our thoughts this Easter weekend. A young woman shares her experience of being harassed by an Uber driver on her way to an abortion clinic. (Photo: Getty Images) A 20-year-old college students Reddit post about the worst, most backwards day of her life is gaining traction online after she recounted how she was dropped on the side of the road by an Uber driver who disagreed with her decision to get an abortion. Claire Montgomery, a pseudonym, was faced with a difficult decision after finding out that she was pregnant in March. The college sophomore at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she was talking to her boyfriend, who attends school in North Carolina, about how her period had been about a week late. And although she had put aside the anxiety of possibly being pregnant because she had previously taken Plan B, an emergency contraception pill, she took a pregnancy test and realized that what she feared had come true. The minute I saw that the test was positive I called my boyfriend, hysterical, and told him the news, Montgomery says. I cried for the rest of the weekend and stayed in bed. I didnt go outside unless I absolutely had to. I shut down. The student explains that she felt that she couldnt confide in anybody at school about the pregnancy or her decision to get an abortion because it wasnt an appropriate or proportional response to innocent small talk taking place on campus or in class. Montgomery also felt uncomfortable about unnecessarily burdening other people with her personal problems. Montgomery faced more discomfort, however, when she turned to Uber for a ride to a doctors appointment on March 21, where she was going for a non-surgical medical abortion by herself. The minute I got into the car, there was inexplicable tension. My driver didnt greet me or confirm my name or the destination; he was just silent. After a few minutes, he asked if we were going to a Planned Parenthood, she says. I was confused about why he would ask me this, considering there was nothing in the address I put in that would suggest it was a Planned Parenthood or even near one. I said, No, Im just going to a doctors appointment. A few more minutes of uncomfortable silence passed. Then he asked, Are... are we going to an abortion clinic? I was dumbfounded. Story continues Montgomery admits that tears immediately came to her eyes, and she felt like her heart had stopped beating. All the embarrassment and shame I had been feeling the last week or so rose to the surface, she says. I looked at him pleadingly, silently begging him to stop. The driver, identified only by Montgomery as Scott, continued to press her for information before describing the procedure to her in detail. I know its none of my business, but youre going to regret this for the rest of your life, he allegedly told her. Theres so much they dont tell you. Youre making a mistake. Montgomery checked the map on her phone in the moments that she had service, as they were driving through a rural area just outside of Ithaca. The ride would still be another 35 minutes when the driver suddenly pulled over near a small gas station and antiques shop on Route 38 and told Montgomery that he couldnt take her any farther. The young woman says that despite the sudden end to her ride, she thanked him as she got out of the car on the side of a road in Upstate New York. I was scared and I felt more alone than I had ever felt, she says. But she was still set on finding a way to her appointment. I took refuge on the porch of the antiques shop and called my parents, each three times. No answer. I called my boyfriend, who I had been texting throughout this whole ordeal, and he picked up on the first ring. Through my heaves and sobs I managed to tell him the situation, she recalls. As I called the three cab companies closest to me, my Uber driver waited 10 feet away, probably expecting me to go back to Ithaca with him. After about 15 minutes, he asked me once more if I wanted him to drive me back. Firmly, I said no thank you. He drove away, and about 15 minutes later a cab came. Montgomery paid $120 for a cab that took her the remaining half-hour of the drive. When she got to the clinic an hour after her appointment time, she felt incredible relief to be in the company of doctors who treated her with dignity and respect. She admits that her ride home was also uncomfortable, but she didnt feel unsafe as she had during the Uber ride prior. I debated sticking up for myself, justifying my choice to get an abortion with my young age or my inability to provide for this child financially had I brought it to term, but I knew I shouldn't have to justify my choices to anyone, least of all my Uber driver, she says. Was responding to this mans harassment potentially worth my life? Would my responding actually change anything, or deescalate the situation? Maybe, but to me, it wasnt worth the risk. For a split second, Montgomery says she even considered exiting the vehicle while it was in motion, thinking that even a life-threatening injury was preferable to being in the car. But Montgomery opted to not take action in that moment, which she notes is a decision Ill always regret. Once she was home though, she reported Scott to Uber and filed a police report with the Ithaca Police Department. The officer I met with who filed the report was very sympathetic, but he insisted that nothing criminal had actually occurred, she explains. Uber comped my ride, and after telling them I filed a police report against the driver, a representative immediately got in touch with me and apologized for my experience on Ubers behalf. He said they would launch an investigation, during which Scotts account would be suspended, so hed be unable to pick up riders. Within a few days, the representative said Scott was permanently banned from the app. Uber confirmed to Yahoo Lifestyle that the driver was removed from the service as his actions violated the companys community guidelines. Montgomery says it was a small price for Scott to pay. Sometimes I think of Scott going home to his family and feeling like a hero for what he did. A job driving for Uber is a small price to pay for a misguided attempt at saving a life, right? I imagine his colleagues at his main job (if he has one) patting him on the back, congratulating him for his courageous decision to leave a 20-year-old pregnant girl on the side of the road, alone, in March, with no way back home except with him, in the back of the car he just expelled her from, she says. Hell never understand the ramifications of his actions. Hell never know the pain he caused. Hell never pay for what he did in the way that Ive paid for it, emotionally and psychologically. To help with the emotional pain, Montgomery turned to Reddit, where she shared her story and received more than 3,500 responses most of which she says were positive. Now, nearly a month after that fateful day, she said that Reddit played a part in her healing. Writing about it felt akin to writing in a diary; I was rushing to get it all on the page, and writing it down helped me to process it, Montgomery says. Reddit was an unbelievable comfort and resource, and Im not sure what I would have done without it. Montgomery has since taken to the legal advice subreddit, where shes looking for guidance on how to pursue further legal action. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Take a breath, theres a lot going on in Spain this spring. Barcelona, known as the global capital of bridal fashion, is set to hold its biggest event yet, with participation from 429 brands, increasing 13 percent from the previous years brand participation, and akin to a new bride, the event takes a new name: The Valmont Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week. As of this year, Valmont Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week will be hosted in partnership with Valmont, the Swiss high-end cosmetic company and Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week. Spain is the only Western country with production higher than internal demand in regards to bridal wear, assuming position as the second-largest exporter of bridal fashion behind China, according to a report on Millennial and Gen Z brides conducted on behalf of Valmont Barcelona Bridal Fashion Week. Related stories Si Sposaitalia Attracts International Buyers With New Layout Donald Trump Jr.'s Girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle Checks Out Wedding Gowns at Runway Show Marc Bouwer Debuts By-appointment Wedding Dress Collection Today VBBFW is fashion, design, business, vitality, a mixture of cultures and international transactions. Its a catalyst of trends and a merger between tradition and innovation, said Estermaria Laruccia, the events director, in a statement. The event, organized by Fira de Barcelona, Barcelonas trade fair institution, will take place April 23 to 28 in the Montjuic venue, centrally located in the city. The first four days are dedicated to showing the 2020 collections of some 30 brands, while the remainder of the trade show will be focused on fashion designs and accessories for not just bride and groom, but occasion wear be it evening, cocktail or communion. Valmont Group will feature a large care and relaxation area in support of the weeks festivities, available to models in the shows. The alliance represents a milestone, reflecting the concept of well-being, which goes hand in hand with design and talent, values that the event showcases on an international level, according to Julien Michoud, chief executive officer of Valmont South Middle Europe. Story continues Drawing international attention, with 74 percent of the total brand participants representing international firms, from mainly 34 countries, including the U.K., U.S., Italy, Holland, Germany, Turkey, France, Portugal, among others, there will be a record number of brands. New this year, Zac Posen will debut his brand ZAC Zac Posen at the Barcelona event exhibit, unveiling his latest bridal, cocktail and evening wear. Joining Posen, American fashion design firms such as Badgley Mischka, Marchesa, Justin Alexander and more will be present. Returning this year, are Italian designers Peter Langner, Carlo Pignatelli and Nicole Milano, and many others, as well as strong representation from the U.K. Catherine Deane, a U.K.-based designer whose dresses have been sported by the likes of Beyonce, Selena Gomez and Kim Kardashian, as previously reported in WWD, is also returning. Its a breadth of storied lace and new talent. Showing again is one of Spains oldest bridal experts, Pronovias; Rosa Clara, known for detailed finishing and collaborations with those such as Karl Lagerfeld, YolanCris and Jesus Peiro, among many others. Fresh talent includes six new designers hailing from Italy, with one newcomer from Spain. Australian brands: Rachel Gilbert and Leah Da Gloria are also showing for the first time this year. Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Why I'll never regret moving across the country for a relationship that didn't work out My career was thriving in Los Angeles. I was happy there. But once I turned 30, I felt pressured to prioritize my "happily-ever-after," even if it didn't feel right. I moved across the country to a city I never enjoyed for a relationship that didn't work out, but this is why I'm still grateful I took that leap. When I was 23, my college boyfriend, Ryan, proposed to me over text message: If money wasnt an issue, would you consider moving in with me in Iowa and someday becoming my wife? I kindly thanked him for his offer and reminded Ryan that I had just moved to Los Angeles for my career, not to find a husband. I patted myself on the back for that decision for years. Then I was about to turn 30. I would often joke that since I was almost 30, single, and not famous, Id soon be asked to leave Hollywood. Rather than focus on what I did have, which was a full life, supportive friends, my dream job of hosting and writing a daily talk show, and a potential book deal, I was laser-focused on what I didnt have: a boyfriend. Id often think about Ryan, now married with a kid. Id wonder if his proposal was my one chance at true love, but then Id remember that I actually had two great loves: my career and my home of L.A.. For the past nine years, I had been in a loving and supportive relationship with Los Angeles. With each career milestone, I felt celebrated by the citys sunsets. When my career let me down, I couldnt help but smile at the palm tree-lined streets. I didnt even feel at home at my parents house in Connecticut anymore, despite the landline being saved as home on my phone. Visiting there felt like walking into a museum of my youth. L.A. was where I belonged. Then I started dating Marvin. Getty Images Marvin was a man who seemed to live in a different city every year, but we found a home in each other. He also literally shared the same name as my homeI grew up in a house on Marvin Place in Connecticut. Meant to be, right? I was so caught up with the kismet of us that, once the initial giddiness faded, I didnt realize how little we actually had in common. Marvin hated Los Angeles, and soon, his distaste for my beloved city rubbed off on me. I started to believe the things hed say: Those sunsets get boring, there are no seasons here, the streets smell like skunk, if I have to encounter another green juice drinker, Ill scream. Story continues Marvin got a job in New York and asked me to move to Brooklyn with him. Instead of recognizing this as a huge sacrificemy career roots were in Los AngelesI saw it as the happily ever after to our love story. It didnt matter that I felt lost whenever I visited New York City in the past. I forgot about how the lights blind me, how my vagabond shoes get ruined in the slush, and how I never reach that New York state of mind no matter how many slices of greasy pizza I eat. I thought I had to prioritize my relationship. I sold, donated, and threw away possessions until I could finally pack up my life into two suitcases, just like when I arrived in Los Angeles. But now I stepped off the plane with a dream for my happily ever afternot for my career aspirations. Getty Images Id started taking anti-anxiety medication, but almost a year would pass before I realized that my pessimistic boyfriend played a role in a lot of my anxiety. From the outside, youd think Marvin and I had it all figured out. In our holiday card, we wore matching sweaters, posed tangled up in string lights, and smiled at a wedding on a lake. On social media, I posted lighthearted Instagram stories about Marvins habit of never hanging up his towel. Couple-friends found it funny and relatable, but when Id tell them that I felt unhappy, that I feared it wasnt working out, theyd laugh and ask if it was because of the towel. People didnt realize that was just the tip of the iceberg for our incompatibility. I thought Id moved to New York for us, but soon, my discomfort made it obvious that I had only moved for him. I felt more alone in that relationship than I ever did when I was single. Last Thanksgiving, I moved out of Marvins place and in with my parents on Marvin Place. 31, single, and living with my parents, I felt like my life was over. Defeated, I booked a trip back to Los Angeles in February and slept on the couch in my best friends apartmentbut thats how I found my real kismet. Not Marvin, but an available apartment across the hall from that best friend. I was home, at last, and pleasantly surprised to discover that my life was actually just beginning. Sure, Im sad it didnt work out with Marvin. Despite the loneliness I felt in Brooklyn, I dont regret moving across the country for love. If I hadnt taken that risk, I would always wonder what ifjust as I did with Ryan. Most importantly, that leap for love taught me a very valuable lesson: Your worth isnt measured by your relationship status. What matters is who you are on your own. Never seek happiness or security from other people when, at the end of the day, youre all you really have. Also, I have no clue why I was in such a rush to end this dating game when I turned 30dating in your 30s is thrilling. Im happy to be in a place where I dont feel like I have to settle because Im happy with myself. Sure, there are less expensive ways to achieve this epiphanyways that dont involve moving across the country twice in one year. But if you happen to make a bold choice based on a relationship that doesnt work out, youre not a failure and you didnt make a mistake. Its the detours, not the destination, that make us who we are. Nia DaCosta is here to reclaim westerns. In Little Woods, the writer and director explores a classically American genre through a contemporary lens. The film follows two estranged sisters, Ollie (Sorry to Bother Yous Tessa Thompson) and Deb (Baby Drivers Lily James), who are driven to unlawful means to remain afloat following the death of their mother. Set against the backdrop of an oil boomtown in North Dakota, Little Woods tells the story of the bleak reality that often plagues, in DaCostas soulful words, wide open, isolating, and enveloping western landscapesones where your choices are only as good as your scant options. The opioid crisis, health care (or lack thereof), and reproductive rights are themes explored in the searing, nuanced Little Woods, which garnered a Nora Ephron Award honoring excellence in storytelling by women at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2018. Ahead of the films April 19th release, I met with DaCosta and Thompson. I wanted to tell a story about women who live in the rural part of Americawhat their lives were like, what their experiences were like, what their struggles were, DaCosta explained. And putting those things together, its like, what does a western look like from that point of view? From a womans point of view? The award-winning director also touched on diving into a historically white genre. undefined During our talk, DaCosta and Thompson discussed anti-heroines in pop culture, Little Woods ambiguous ending, female creatives in the industry, and racial visibility in media. Continue reading for more from our interview. Neon HelloGiggles: Tessa, what was it about the script and role of Ollie that resonated with you? Tessa Thompson: Im always looking to do something that I havent done before. My favorite thing inside of a job is to worry if I can do it. I think inside that space of being mildly terrified, you can do things that can be sort of remarkable and surprise yourself. In terms of Ollie specifically, just getting to explore the complicated relationship of sisterhood and familywhen the family that youre born into at a certain point, you also have to choose them and what that isI thought it was poignant and beautiful. I knew Nia set out to make a movie that humanized issues that are often politicized. She wrote this movie when Obama was still the president, but I think we always need that. Were just not curious about the other in ways that we should be. I think particularly now, at a time where were terrified of the other or want to vilify the other, its important to have stories that challenge us to be more empathetic and kinder. Story continues HG: The film is, at its core, about two women driven to shitty means to survive. Ive always loved the exploration of complex anti-heroines in pop culture. Who are some of your favorite anti-heroines? Nia DaCosta: Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. TT: Shes not anti, is she? ND: Shes terrible! [laughs] TT: I like Faye Dunaway in Network. ND: Yes. Oh my God. Shes so good. TT: I think thats my favorite. That performance is incredible. She just like eatswatch the movie again and see how much she eats in that film and how she eats. Well, shes a man-eater, too. But she just eats. The way she consumes people, ideas, and food in that film is so brilliant. A depiction of hunger and a specific kind of hunger that has to do with being a woman in a male-dominated space. ND: That is such a good answer. I fucking love her in that movie. United Artists/Getty Images HG: I was thinking about anti-heroines and realized most of these fictional characters are predominantly white, too. I want more women of color doing really shitty things. TT: All I wanna do is shitty things. ND: Every character that I write is kind of an anti-heroine in a way. Not because Im like, I need to write an anti-heroine. But Im just like, let me write something interesting and unconventional to the point that theyre dangerous, whether its physically or her ideas of who she is. HG: Back to Little Woods. I love the ambiguous ending at the border. Can you tell me more about how you arrived at this ending? Is this something you envisioned from the get-go? ND: Not at the very beginning of the writing process, but by the time we came to shoot I knew that the film wasnt going to be like, shes getting on a Greyhound to Washington. I wanted it to be like, oh, thank God. They did this. Theyre in America now. Troubles [are] over, and now theyre going into the rest of their lives no matter what struggles they havetogether as family. That was what I wanted to be the last thing that you feel. HG: What are your interpretations of the ending and Ollies fate? TT: A lot of my favorite films are films in which everything happens and nothing happens, because thats sort of the way life is. Change happens incrementally, and so much so that sometimes you dont notice it. Things that seem really small and inconsequential, specifically to one person, are paramount and huge. So inside of Little Woods, I think theres so many [of these] momentsjust them coming back into each others lives is such a huge thing. Theyre in proximity again in a way that they havent been. So I think the ending is huge. The story is really about them, so theres ambiguity as far as what their trajectory is after that, but it is tied up in a way thats really beautiful because you understand that they have each other again. ND: Thats why for me, the movie couldve ended at, I love you. You know that, right? I love you, too. Okay. But then everyones like, what happens then? I also like the symmetry of the border. In the beginning, its terrifying and then, its peaceful. Neon HG: Tessa, you pioneered a challenge earlier this year with Times Up that called on creatives to work with a female director for the next 18 months. Its jarring that only 4% of the studios top 100 films of the decade were directed by women. What do you both think this discrepancy stems from? ND: Just the system. Like, this is run by white dudes. And they have more white dudes and make movies with white dudes, and the women are just sort of like, there [to be] wives and sisters and dead people. This was not a priority. TT: The other thing is inclusion doesnt happen by mistake, and obviously theres a tremendous talent pool. You can see the amount of independent films that are written and directed by women, so they exist in the pipeline. Because it doesnt happen by mistake. In some cases, [there] needs to be a mandate. Thats why you see people talking about the inclusion rider. To Nias point, so many of those issues are systemic until you get to the root and decide that people have to make changes. Then you get a story that is more nuanced and interesting and representative. I feel like thats where were heading, but it takes real work. So you have to make an imperative, like what Ava DuVernay did on A Wrinkle in Time. [She] just told those departments, Yes, hire some of your folks and then hire some folks that you dont know, because I want my set to look like the world in which we live. And of course its going to be hard at first, [but] then it just gets easier. ND: I think the thing about systemic oppression is that inclusion is purposeful, but so is exclusion. But because of the system, it doesnt seem [like] purposeful exclusion. It seems like its just the culture. Youve been forcefully excluding people for no other reason for a very long time. I think thats [the] trick of it, which is frustrating. HG: What are your thoughts on the new wave of racial visibility in film and TV? ND: Love it. I also love that its expanding genres. TT: Thats the most significant thing. Theres so much to celebrate. There [are] so many filmmakers [and] creativesIssa Rae, Lena Waithe, Jordan Peele. You look at people working together in exciting ways, which is cool, but the truth is, you look back at the 90s [and] there was so much representation. In a weird way, weve kind of gone backwards. ND: A zig-zag. TT: So its not as if this has never happened before. But I think to Nias point, that [this] is happening across genres is the most impactful thingthe idea that were not a monolith. And also that we dont have to be boxed into spaces. We can do anything and tell old stories in new ways. This interview has been edited and condensed. Little Woods is in select theaters on April 19th. President Trump was never interviewed by the Special Counsels Office. His legal team, fearing their client might trip and fall into a perjury trap, negotiated for the president to provide written answers to a set of questions. We learned today, as the first portions of the Mueller report became publicly available, that investigators were not impressed. We viewed the written answers to be inadequate, they wrote in the report. Investigators went on to explain they considered subpoenaing the president, but weighing the costs of potentially lengthy constitutional litigation against the anticipated benefits for our investigation and report, they ultimately decided to go ahead and finish the report, believing the substantial quantity of evidence theyd collected allowed us to draw relevant factual conclusions on intent and credibility. In other words: they thought the evidence spoke for itself. Related stories What's Next Now That the Mueller Report Has Been Released? Re-Read Bill Barr's Infamous Letter With Full Quotes From the Mueller Report And it had to: The president, who has claimed to have one of the greatest memories of all time had some difficulty remembering any details surrounding any of the incidents the special counsel was investigating. From Aras Agalarov to WikiLeaks, here are 29 things Trump could not recall while answering Robert Muellers questions. 1. Hearing about the Trump Tower meeting I have no recollection of learning at the time that Donald Trump, Jr., Paul Manafort, or Jared Kushner was considering participating in a meeting in June 2016 concerning potentially negative information about Hillary Clinton. 2. Being in Trump Tower on the day of the June 9th Trump Tower meeting I have no independent recollection of what portion of these four days in June of 2016 I spent in Trump Tower. This was one of many busy months during a fast-paced campaign, as the primary season was ending and we were preparing for the general election campaign. Story continues 3. Meeting with Paul Manafort hours before the Trump Tower meeting My desk calendar indicates I was scheduled to meet with Paul Manafort on the morning of June 9, but I do not recall if that meeting took place. It was more than two years ago, at a time when I had many calls and interactions daily. 4. Speaking with any member of the Agalarov family I have no independent recollection of any communications I had with the Agalarov family or anyone or understood to be a representative of the Agalarov family after June 3, 2016 and before the end of the campaign. While preparing to respond to these questions, I have become aware of written communications with the Agalarovs during the campaign that were sent, received, and largely authored by my staff and which I understand have already been produced to you. In general, the documents include congratulatory letters on my campaign victories, emails about a painting Emin and Aras Agalarov arranged to have delivered to Trump Tower as a birthday present, and emails regarding delivery of a book written by Aras Agalarov 5. Being aware of anyone elses communications with the Agalarov family I do not recall being aware during the campaign of communications between Donald Trump, Jr., Paul Manafort, or Jared Kushner and any member or representative of the Agalarov family, Robert Goldstone, Natalia Yeselnitskaya (whose name I was not familiar with), or anyone I understood to be a Russian official. 6. Being told that Russian President Vladimir Putin preferred him to Hillary Clinton I have no recollection of being told during the campaign that Vladimir Putin or the Russian government supported my candidacy or opposed the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. However, I was aware of some reports indicating that President Putin had made complimentary statements about me. 7. Being told that any other foreign government preferred him to Hillary Clinton I have no recollection of being told during the campaign that any foreign government or foreign leader had provided, wished to provide, or offered to provide tangible support to my campaign. 8. When, exactly, he learned that the DNC had been hacked, first publicly reported on June 14 (his birthday) I do not remember the date on which it was publicly reported that the DNC had been hacked, but my best recollection is that I learned of the hacking at or shortly after the time it became the subject of media reporting. I do not recall being provided any information during the campaign about the hacking of any of the named entities or individuals before it became the subject of media reporting. 9. Being told that anyone from Wikileaks might have information that could potentially hurt the Clinton campaign and help his campaign I recall that in the months leading up to the election there was considerable media reporting about the possible hacking and release of campaign-related information and there was a lot of talk about this matter. At the time, I was generally aware of these media reports and may have discussed these issues with my campaign staff or others, but at this point in time more than two years later I have no recollection of any particular conversation, when it occurred, or who the participants were. 10. Being aware of any communications between Roger Stone, Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, Rick Gates and WikiLeaks, Guccifer 2.0, DCLeaks during the campaign I do not recall being aware during the campaign of any communications between the individuals named in Question II (c) and anyone I understood to be a representative of WikiLeaks or any of the other individuals or entities referred to in the question. 11. Discussing plans to declare at a press conference, Russia, if you are listening I hope youre able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press I do not recall having any discussion about the substance of the statement in advance of the press conference. 12. Being told that Russia was attempting to hack Hillary Clinton or the Clinton campaign I do not recall being told during the campaign of any efforts by Russia to infiltrate or hack the computer systems or email accounts of Hillary Clinton or her campaign prior to them becoming the subject of media reporting and I have no recollection of any particular conversation in that regard. 13. & 14. Being told WikiLeaks possessed John Podestas emails in advance of WikiLeaks October 7 release of them, nor being aware that anyone else, including Roger Stone (who tweeted weeks earlier, Trust me, it will soon [be] Podestas time in the barrel), might have been in touch with WikiLeaks I have no recollection of being told that WikiLeaks possessed or might possess emails related to John Podesta before the release of Mr. Podestas emails was reported by the media. Likewise, I have no recollection of being told that Roger Stone, anyone acting as an intermediary for Roger Stone, or anyone associated with my campaign had communicated with WikiLeaks on October 7, 2016. 15. Hearing that anyone, including Roger Stone, had discussed the possible timing for the release of hacked emails with WikiLeaks, Guccifer 2.0 or DCLeaks I do not recall being told during the campaign that Roger Stone or anyone associated with my campaign had discussions with any of the entities named in the question regarding the content or timing of release of hacked emails. 16. The content of any conversations he had with Roger Stone between June 1, 2016 and November 8, 2016, including any about WikiLeaks. I have no recollection of the specifics of any conversations I had with Mr. Stone between June 1, 2016 and November 8, 2016. I do not recall discussing WikiLeaks with him, nor do I recall being aware of Mr. Stone having discussed WikiLeaks with individuals associated with my campaign, although I was aware that WikiLeaks was the subject of media reporting and campaign-related discussion at the time. 17. Any discussions he may have had about the possibility of pardoning Julian Assange I do not recall having had any discussion during the campaign regarding a pardon or action to benefit Julian Assange. 18. Being aware of any efforts by foreign individuals or companies, in Russia or elsewhere, to assist his campaign through social media I do not recall being aware during the campaign of specific efforts by foreign individuals or companies to assist my campaign through the use of social media postings or the organization of rallies. 19. Most of the conversations he had with Michael Cohen about Trump Tower Moscow project As I recall, they were brief, and they were not memorable. 20. Any talk of a potential trip to Russia related to the project I was not enthused about the proposal, and I do not recall any discussion of travel to Russia in connection with it. 21. Discussing the project with anyone else in the Trump Organization I do not remember discussing it with anyone else at the Trump Organization, although it is possible. 22. Being aware of any communications between Michael Cohen or Felix Sater and any Russian government officials about Trump Tower Moscow I do not recall being aware at the time of any communications between Mr. Cohen or Felix Sater and any Russian government official regarding the Letter of Intent. In the course of preparing to respond to your questions, I have become aware that Mr. Cohen sent an email regarding the Letter of Intent to Mr. Peskov at a general, public email account, which should show there was no meaningful relationship with people in power in Russia. 23. Talking with any campaign staffers about what information about the Trump Tower Moscow project could be released to the media I may have spoken with campaign staff or Trump Organization employees regarding responses to requests for information, but I have no current recollection of any particular conversation, with whom I may have spoken, when, or the substance of any conversation. 24. What he knew about Paul Manaforts ties to Ukraine before Manafort resigned I knew that Mr. Manafort had done international consulting work and, at some time before Mr. Manafort left the campaign, I learned that he was somehow involved with individuals concerning Ukraine, but I do not remember the specifics of what I knew at the time. 25. & 26. Being aware that Manafort shared internal campaign data with anyone in Ukraine or Russia, or hearing from Manafort about any policy positions Ukraine or Russia would want the U.S. to take l had no knowledge of Mr. Manafort offering briefings on the progress of my campaign to an individual named Oleg Deripaska, nor do I remember being aware of Mr. Manafort or anyone else associated with my campaign sending or directing others to send internal Trump Campaign information to anyone I knew to be in Ukraine or Russia at the time or to anyone I understood to be a Ukrainian or Russian government employee or official. I do not remember Mr. Manafort communicating to me any particular positions Ukraine or Russia would want the United States to support. 27. Being told that Russian officials wanted to meet with him or senior members of his campaign I do not recall being told during the campaign of efforts by Russian officials to meet with me or with senior members of my campaign. 28. If he had any role in changing the Republican Party platform during the 2016 Republican National Convention in regard to providing arms to Ukraine I have no recollection of the details of what, when, or from what source I first learned about the change to the platform amendment regarding arming Ukraine, but I generally recall learning of the issue as part of media reporting. I do not recall being involved in changing the language to the amendment. 29. Whether he was asked to attend the World Chess Championship gala on November 10, 2016 I do not remember having been asked to attend the World Chess Championship gala, and I did not attend the event Sign up for Rolling Stones Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The United States said Thursday that it stands ready to continue nuclear disarmament talks with North Korea, a response to Pyongyang's calls on Washington to change tack and replace its top negotiator. The two countries have made little headway since a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in February ended without any deal. In a report carried by state media earlier Thursday, the North urged the U.S. to remove the "obstacles" on the path to its denuclearization and called for the replacement of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo with someone "who is more careful and mature in communicating with us." "We are aware of the report," a State Department spokesperson said by email. "The United States remains ready to engage North Korea in a constructive negotiation." The North Korean report came on the heels of Kim's speech to the country's parliament last week, in which he expressed openness to a third summit with Trump if the U.S. came with the "right attitude" and "right methodology." The previous summit in Vietnam broke down due to differences over the scope of North Korea's denuclearization and sanctions relief from the U.S. Kim said last week he will wait until the end of the year for the U.S. to make a bold decision regarding their negotiations. In another possible message to Washington, Kim supervised the test-firing of a new "tactical guided weapon" on Wednesday, according to state media. It was the first time in five months that the North revealed the young leader's supervision of a weapons test. Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed that there had been a test, but ruled out the involvement of a ballistic missile, according to the AP. Meanwhile, the Kremlin confirmed Kim will visit Russia later this month for his first summit with President Vladimir Putin. Analysts have said the North Korean leader may try to cut deals with Russia and China to soften the impact of U.S.-led international sanctions on his regime. (Yonhap) By Tim Hepher TOULOUSE, France (Reuters) - Airbus sales chief Christian Scherer said it is selling longer-range versions of its A321, while signalling a shift away from chasing market share at any cost and predicting Boeing will emerge quickly from the grounding of its rival 737 MAX. Scherer, who took on the top sales role in September, told Reuters that Airbus is seeing more demand for longer-range versions of roughly 200-seat planes previously used for medium-haul routes, blurring boundaries with bigger jets. "We are selling increased range on the A321. People are telling us this is a great module, give me more range. (We say) we will give you the maximum range we can on the A321: how many would you like? That is what we are doing," he said in his first substantial interview in his new role. Scherer's remarks are the strongest indication yet that Airbus has quietly launched the A321XLR, a keenly awaited new version of its single-aisle plane that competes with the 737 MAX and could brush up against a proposed new Boeing mid-market jet. Airbus and Boeing compete ferociously for sales of single aisle jets like the MAX and A320 or A321 and the effort to expand Airbus' lead in the market for its cash cow predates last month's grounding of the 737 MAX following two crashes. "I am certainly not encouraging any sort of behaviour to try and exploit this situation, because this is out of bounds," he said of Airbus, which has limited potential to increase output. Sources also say Airbus is worried about a regulatory backlash over the 737 MAX crisis. Separately, sources say Airbus has already signed up customers for the A321XLR, which is being developed at a cost of several hundred million dollars although its launch has not yet been formally announced. The two planemakers have been raising production to serve record air travel, though Boeing has dropped back from 52 to 42 such planes a month due to the MAX crisis. Airbus plans to increase single-aisle output from 57 to 63 a month from next year but recently halted plans to go as high as 70 due to objections from overstretched engine makers. Story continues Industrial issues aside, Scherer cited demand beyond 63 jets a month. Asked if the market could absorb 70, he said: "That number has been used before and I see the logic of it." The suggestion is likely to worry leasing companies and engine makers who have urged restraint on jetmakers trying to make good on a seven-year waiting list of unfilled orders. The situation is different in wide-body jets where Airbus has been outsold three to one by Boeing for two years. Scherer pointed towards future sales of the A330neo, a 250-300-seater that has been struggling to make a mark against Boeing's 787. "I'll take a bet that in a year from now there will be no doubts about the A330," he said. NEW CHESSBOARD Scherer, whose father flew in the first ever Airbus test flight as an engineer, became head of sales in September after a career in sales contracts, strategy, defence and turboprops. As head of strategy he was closely associated with the 2010 launch of the re-engined Airbus A320neo, which precipitated Boeing's decision to drop plans for an all-new jet and launch the 737 MAX, as well as with moves to open a U.S. A320 plant. Urbane and multilingual, Scherer's style contrasts with that of long-serving sales chief John Leahy who dominated aviation for 25 years with a dizzying pursuit of higher market share as he dragged Airbus from upstart to Boeing's commercial equal. "We will defend where we are. But as I look into the future it's a different kind of chessboard than when Airbus had to lift itself from a 20 percent market share to 50," Scherer said. Market share is one yardstick but "it is not our business objective," he added. "It is not how I measure if I had a good day, it is do I have the confidence of customers, am I making money, am I controlling costs?" Investors monitor such language because market-share battles have tended in the past to conflict with higher profit margins. Scherer is up against a relentless dealmaker in Boeing sales chief Ihssane Mounir, who snatched the orders crown last year, while Airbus had a negative first quarter on orders due to cancellations. Analysts say Scherer is picking market battles but will come under some pressure to sustain orders. He must also respond to Boeing proposals for a New Mid-sized Airplane (NMA) between the A321neo and A330neo, though he insists Boeing's plan won't work. How that battles plays out could affect choices and timing of the next generation of single-aisle jets like the MAX and A321neo from 2030, which is beginning to influence strategies. Scherer, who keeps a model in his office of a jet code-named A30X, which would have seen the light of day if Boeing had opted for a new jet instead of the MAX, is focused on current business but acknowledges Airbus is shaping its ideas beyond the A320neo. "I would like you to believe that we have more than started to think about it," he said. (Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Alexander Smith) Miami (AFP) - Police arrested a Florida man on Friday on suspicion of threatening to kill three Democratic lawmakers and expressing his hatred for controversial Muslim Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, prosecutors said. John Kless, 49, of Broward County, is accused of leaving expletive-strewn voicemailed death threats at the Washington offices of California Representative Eric Swalwell, Detroit Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker. He allegedly said in his message to presidential hopeful Booker that "you government officials will be in the graves where you... belong." Kless is said to have racially abused Omar, a Somali-American former refugee, referencing a recent controversy in which she was accused -- falsely, according to her defenders -- of downplaying the September 11, 2001 attacks. The freshman congresswoman has found herself in hot water since arriving in Washington for comments seen by critics as anti-Semitic. Kless, who reportedly defended Donald Trump in the messages and warned the lawmakers to stop criticizing the president, has been charged with making threatening communications. Some analysts have pointed to the US president's heated rhetoric as the catalyst for a toxic atmosphere encouraging such behavior -- a possibility the White House has rejected. Trump recently tweeted out a video of Omar featuring footage of the World Trade Center burning juxtaposed with her comments, taken out of context to portray her attitude to the 9/11 attacks as glib. The president's language was also criticized following an anti-Semitic massacre in Pittsburgh last year -- and during a week-long mail bombing spree that saw another Florida man target high-profile liberal political figures, Trump critics and the news outlet CNN. Prosecutors say Kless used homophobic slurs in his message to Swalwell -- who supports same-sex marriage rights and gun control and is also vying for the presidency. "The day you come after our guns... is the day you'll be dead," Kless is alleged to have warned the lawmaker. Apple (AAPL) and Qualcomm (QCOM) have officially reached a settlement in their long-running and acrimonious patent dispute. The move came as a surprise to nearly everyone who has followed the years-long drama, as the companies announced their decision to settle shortly after wrapping up opening arguments in a California trial that was just one front in their patent dispute. The fight between the two tech titans came down to Apple's assertion that Qualcomm was gouging it over patent royalties and requiring fees for technologies included in phones even when they werent using Qualcomm products. Qualcomm, meanwhile, accused Apple of patent infringement. The settlement which resolves several cases around the world means that Apple will pay Qualcomm an undisclosed amount and pay an undisclosed amount of royalties on Qualcomms patents for six years. It's the chip agreement, though, that is most important for Apple, because it means the company may be able to sell 5G-capable iPhones sooner than previously expected. But Apple is also notorious for holding off on adding new technologies to its devices until all of the kinks are worked out. In other words, don't expect this settlement to get you a 5G iPhone any time soon. Apple and Qualcomm come together Apple and Qualcomm settling their dispute seemed unthinkable a few months ago. The companies' bitter fight stretched from the U.S. to as far as Germany and China. Suits in those countries led to certain models of the iPhone being banned from stores, though China never seemed to really enforce the ban. Berlin, Germany - April 12: Symbolic photo on the topic of mobile radio standard 5G. The lettering 5G stand on a table behind a smartphone on April 12, 2019 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images) The U.S. International Trade Commission also sided with Qualcomm in a patent dispute, and recommended that some iPhones be banned from being imported to the U.S. A second, separate ITC ruling, however, did not call for a ban on iPhones. But the settlement puts an end to all of those disputes, meaning both companies are finally in the clear. What's more, Apple can now begin using Qualcomm's 5G modems to produce 5G iPhones, something that has vexed Apple since the legal tug-of-war broke out. Story continues Using Intel's 4G LTE modems in iPhones was an easy solution for Apple when the patent fight with Qualcomm broke out. But Intel didn't have any 5G options available, and was developing the new chips from scratch. Apple also had the option of building its own chips, but that would have proven costly and taken too much time. Qualcomm, meanwhile, is well on its way in the 5G race, meaning it was the only real choice Apple ever had for quickly getting 5G modems into its iPhones. Sure, Huawei CEO Ren Zhengfei said that his company was open to working with Apple, but there was no chance Apple was going to risk working with the Chinese firm, and potentially fall out of favor with the U.S. government. Santa Clara, USA - March 26, 2012: intel headquarters in mission college blvd of santa clara. Intel is the top chip maker who provide cpus for all kinds of computers. So Apple now has its gateway to 5G connectivity, but that doesn't mean we'll see a 5G-capable iPhone any time soon. When we'll see a 5G iPhone 5G connectivity is touted as a kind of wonder technology that will change the world. And that's not much of an exaggeration. The increased bandwidth and reduced latency of 5G will open new doors to innovation similar to how 4G LTE launched the app economy. But Apple won't necessarily jump to put 5G in into their next iPhones just because it will have access to them. Apple has never been the kind of company to charge headfirst into the latest tech trend. And with the company likely finishing up its 2019 iPhone already, the soonest we'd see a 5G iPhone would be 2020. Apple, however, could still let that slip to 2021, and it wouldn't be too much of an issue. Remember, Apple debuted its first 4G LTE-equipped iPhones much later than many of its rivals launched their own LTE devices, in order for the company to work out any potential issues with its modems. And there's a good chance that's what we'll see with 5G, as well. "Apple has the influential power to drive and accelerate trends," explained Tuong Nguyen, a senior principal analyst at the industry research firm Gartner. "This means its possible that we see an earlier introduction of an 5G iPhone, but [that's] unlikely." Nguyen points to the fact that Apple prides itself on providing customers with the best user experience, which won't be possible until the nation's carriers dramatically expand the rollout of their 5G networks. Think of it this way: If you buy a 5G smartphone, but you can't get on a 5G network when you want, you're likely going to blame your phone before you blame the carrier running that network. By that line of thinking, Apple would likely benefit by holding off on releasing a 5G iPhone right away. "If you look at what Apple did with 3G and 4G, the story unfolds the same wayother phone vendors launched their devices first and Apple launched their version when they felt the networks were ready to deliver the experience they wanted for their users," Nguyen said. So while the Apple and Qualcomm settlement is good news for both companies, don't expect consumers to see the benefits quite yet. More from Dan: Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@oath.com; follow him on Twitter at@DanielHowley. Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, andLinkedIn.finance.yahoo.com/ OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada is considering its options after a U.S. decision to lift a long-standing ban against U.S. citizens filing lawsuits against foreign companies that use properties seized by Cubas Communist government since the 1959 revolution, Canada's foreign minister said on Wednesday. "Canada is deeply disappointed with today's (U.S.) announcement. We will be reviewing all options in response to this U.S. decision," Chrystia Freeland, minister of foreign affairs, said in a statement. Freeland said Canada would fully defend the interests of Canadians conducting legitimate trade and investment with Cuba, and that she had discussed the issue with her counterparts in the European Union. (This story has been refiled to remove repeated words in the first paragraph) (Reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa; editing by Bernadette Baum) China's auto industry has hit a soft patch, but there may be a bright spot. Auto sales have fallen in China for nine straight months, including a 5.2 percent decline in March. But electric-powered cars were on display from start-ups and foreign auto giants alike at this week's Shanghai Auto Show. For some in the industry, they say it will be the smartphone-like interface of the new vehicles that will really attract buyers. Those consumers are increasingly using internet-connected services such as food delivery for daily life, especially in China. So-called new energy vehicles are booming, with sales jumping 62 percent last year. And not just because of the way they're powered. "The key point is not new energy. The key is smart," Fu Qiang, president and co-founder of electric vehicle start-up Aiways, said Wednesday in a Mandarin-language interview translated by CNBC. China battery-electric vehicle unit sales forecast (in millions) Source: Morgan Stanley Research "The entire decline in the auto industry, much more, in my personal view of course has some small connection to the economy but I think the greater reason is that customers right now are not satisfied with the product mix," said Fu, formerly president and CEO of Volvo Cars China. The nine-month slide in automobile sales in the world's largest vehicle market has many worried about a significant slowdown in the Chinese economy, and the wallets of a population of more than 1 billion. Last year, uncertainty about the fallout from the U.S.-China trade war and Beijing's efforts to reduce reliance on debt for growth put a chill on spending, especially on big-ticket items such as cars. Much of the decline in auto sales in the last two years was the result of a tough comparison with rapid growth in 2016, Alan Kang, Shanghai-based senior market analyst at LMC Automotive, said on Tuesday. He noted a major drop came from decreased demand from China's smallest cities for domestic auto brands, while premium foreign brands had less of an impact. Story continues "This year will be overall a year of recovery," Kang said in a Mandarin-language interview translated by CNBC. And despite subsidy cuts, he said he expects sales volume in "new energy" vehicles to increase to 1.5 million from 1 million last year. The category which includes both pure battery-powered vehicles and hybrids has been a bright spot in China, helped by favorable government policies. Sales grew 62 percent last year, while overall auto sales fell for the first time in more than 15 years, according to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers accessed through the Wind Information database. "The electrification, internet connectivity and smartness of automobiles has become the industry's future trend," Victor Ai, head of China Everbright's new economy fund, said in a written response translated from Chinese by CNBC. Young people's positive views on technology will "thoroughly revolutionize the traditional auto industry," Ai said. He cited third-party statistics implying that, by 2027, those born after 1990 will account for the largest segment of China's buyers of new cars, at 41.8 percent. Tastes can change quickly in China. Wen Shuang, a Chinese social media influencer in the auto industry since 2012, said SUVs were in favor at the turn of the century, but now there's more interest in having multiple cars of different kinds. Wen has 750,000 followers on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, and says she was born in 1990. She also noted in a Mandarin-language interview translated by CNBC that enthusiasm for the future of Chinese car consumption has been generally waning, and this week's Shanghai Auto Show was not as hectic and exciting as it had been the last two years. However, she added that Chinese brands have become more attractive relative to foreign brands, except for those from Germany and Japan. She said she expects more of the industry's emphasis will be put on services. That's the strategy of many Chinese electric car start-ups, which are often selling directly to consumers or trying to create ecosystems that build customer loyalty. Services can also be a weak point for traditional automakers in China. A customer's poor experience at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in the central city of Xi'an went viral on social media earlier this month, prompting parent company Daimler to suspend the franchise's operations this week, Reuters reported. The technology-driven change in consumers' habits and a lower barrier to entry in producing electric cars is forcing the auto industry to revamp itself, Aiways' Fu said. In this environment, he said, there should be as many new automakers as there were old ones. At least 100 new energy vehicle companies now exist in China, Fu estimated. This is a completely new playing field, he said: "How many old ones can transform themselves is an unknown number. How many new ones can survive, that's (also) an unknown number." For a country of rapid change in consumer tastes and the adoption of technology, the auto industry may still be trying to catch up. Rachel Brand, sitting next to Rod Rosenstein. March 7, 2017. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi In the early months of his presidency, at arguably the peak of his frustration with U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, President Donald Trump wanted a question posed to the third-in-command at the Justice Department: Rachel Brand. It was the summer of 2017, and Trump was feuding with Sessions, who had infuriated the president months earlier with his decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation, setting in motion Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosensteins appointment of Robert Mueller III as special counsel. Questions swirled over whether Trump would fire Sessions and Rosenstein. And there was speculation that Rosenstein's central role in firing FBI Director James Comey would require him, as a witness, to step away from overseeing the Russia investigation. In July 2017, Trump turned to a top aide to pitch a question for Brand, a longtime Washington lawyer and former Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr partner who was then serving as the No. 3 official at the Justice Department. Trump reportedly asked staff secretary Rob Porter whether Brand was on the team and if she were interested in overseeing the Russia probe. Special Counsel Robert Mueller III, a former Wilmer partner who left the firm to lead the Russia investigation, learned about Trump's remarks from Porter, who kept contemporaneous notes. Keep in touch with your friend," Trump told Porter. Trump would follow up, asking later if Porter had reached out to Brand. He never did, according to the report, because he was uncomfortable with the task. The episode was among several outlined in Mueller's report showing instances of Trump aides ignoring or otherwise resisting a request from the president that was directly related to Mueller's ongoing Russia investigation. In asking him to reach out to Brand, Porter understood the president to want to find someone to end the Russia investigation or fire the special counsel, although the president never said so explicitly, Muellers team wrote. Porter did not contact Brand because he was sensitive to the implications of that action and did not want to be involved in a chain of events associated with an effort to end the investigation or fire the special counsel. In a footnote, the special counsels office made the reason for Trumps interest in Brand abundantly clear: Because of Sessions recusal, if Rosenstein were no longer in his position, Brand would, by default, become the DOJ official in charge of supervising the special counsels investigation, and if both Sessions and Rosenstein were removed, Brand would be next in line to become acting attorney general for all DOJ matters. Story continues Jeff Session Attorney General Jeff Sessions announces the Trump administration is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi /NLJ Brand, of course, would never take charge of the Russia investigation. In February 2018, less than a year after her confirmation as associate attorney general, she departed for a top in-house role at Walmart Inc. as head of global corporate governance. Brand had begun talks with Walmart in December 2017, according to an ethics disclosure she made to the Justice Department. One of her former Wilmer colleagues, Jamie Gorelick, said at the time: "She didn't seek this outthey sought her out." Gorelick described Brand's move as "something she could not turn down." Brand was not reached for comment Friday. Porter stepped down as staff secretary in February 2018 amid allegations of spousal abuse. He reportedly denied as "outrageous" the claims made against him by his two former wives. Porter and Brand both graduated from Harvard Law School, but they did not attend the school at the same time. It was not immediately clear how the two know each other. Porter was not reached for comment. On Friday, Trump took aim at the notes and recollections of former aides who were featured in Mueller's report. Statements are made about me by certain people in the Crazy Mueller Report, in itself written by 18 Angry Democrat Trump Haters, which are fabricated & totally untrue, Trump said in a tweet. Watch out for people that take so-called notes, when the notes never existed until needed, Trump said, describing some of the statements about him as total bullshit. Read more: Mueller's Restraint, Barr's Press Conference: Here's What Lawyers Are Saying DOJ's Jody Hunt Had a Front-Row Seat When All the Things Were Happening Law Professors Tackle the Mueller Report on Twitter Don McGahn Said Trump Was 'Testing His Mettle' Over Possibly Firing Mueller Mueller Says Some Evidence Suggests Trump Tried to Influence Manafort Jury By Stephen Nellis SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Apple Inc has held talks with at least four companies as possible suppliers for next-generation lidar sensors in self-driving cars, evaluating the companies' technology while also still working on its own lidar unit, three people familiar with the discussions said. The moves provide fresh evidence of Apple's renewed ambitions to enter the autonomous vehicle derby, an effort it calls Project Titan. The talks are focused on next-generation lidar, a sensor that provides a three-dimensional look at the road. Apple is seeking lidar units that would be smaller, cheaper and more easily mass produced than current technology, the three people said. The iPhone maker is setting a high bar with demands for a "revolutionary design," one of the people familiar with the talks said. The people declined to name the companies Apple has approached. The sensor effort means Apple wants to develop the entire chain of hardware to guide autonomous vehicles and has joined automakers and investors in the race to find winning technologies. Current lidar systems, including units from Velodyne Inc mounted on Apple's fleet of self-driving test vehicles, use laser light pulses to render precise images of the environment around the car. But the systems can cost $100,000 and use mechanical parts to sweep the laser scanners across the road. That makes them too bulky and prone to failure for use in mass-produced vehicles. The shortcomings have spurred $1 billion in investment at dozens of startups and mature companies alike to make lidar smaller, cheaper and more robust. Apple's interest in next-generation lidar sensors comes as it has sharply increased its road testing while bringing on key hires from Tesla Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google. It remains unclear whether the goal of Apple's Project Titan is to build its own vehicle or supply the hardware and software elements of self-driving car while pairing with a partner for the entire vehicle. But what is clear from Apple's interest in cheaper lidar systems is that it wants to control the "perception stack" of sensors, computers and software to drive an autonomous vehicle, regardless of who makes the vehicle, another person familiar with the talks said. The three people familiar with the talks declined to be identified because the discussions are not public. In addition to evaluating potential outside suppliers, Apple is believed to have its own internal lidar sensor under development, two of the people said. Alphabet-owned Waymo has taken a similar path, assembling a sensor and computer system while inking deals to buy vehicles from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Apple gets "a lot of optionality by working on the perception stack," said the second person familiar with the talks. "Bringing a passenger car to the market is really, really hard, and there's no reason right now they need to jump into it." REDUCING COSTS The designs Apple is seeking could potentially be made with conventional semiconductor manufacturing techniques, all four people familiar with the talks said. That has the potential to lower prices from the many thousands to the hundreds of dollars as the sensors are produced in larger numbers, similar to chips in phones and other devices. Apple also wants sensors that can see several hundred meters (yards) down the road. The long-distance requirement shows Apple is interested in fully self-driving vehicles, versus the more limited features such as adaptive cruise control used today, two people familiar with the matter said. They're not happy with most of what they see, the first person familiar with the matter said. They're looking for a revolutionary design. A third person familiar with the matter said Apple is seeking a "design-oriented" sensor that would be sleek and unobtrusive enough to fit into the overall lines of a vehicle. Apple declined to comment. Apple once investigated building its own vehicle. The company had a team of more than a dozen engineers dedicated to detailed work such as ensuring doors closed quietly instead of slamming shut, a fourth person briefed on the matter said. Apple last year re-hired Doug Field, an Apple veteran who was serving as Tesla's engineering chief, to work on Project Titan. The project has about 1,200 people, according to a count in court documents. Field has been putting his stamp on the effort, laying off about 190 workers but also bringing on key hires such as Michael Schwekutsch, who oversaw electric drive train technology at Telsa. Apple also ramped up its testing miles in California, driving nearly 80,000 last year compared to 800 the year before. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Greg Mitchell and Cynthia Osterman) April 17 (Reuters) - General Motors' luxury Cadillac brand is enjoying strong growth in China, the No.1 U.S. automaker said at a conference on Wednesday in New York. GM Cadillac President Steve Carlisle said that Cadillac would expand its network of dealers to 500 in China by 2025. The U.S. automaker will launch a new product every 6 months for the next 3 years in China, Carlisle said at a Bank of America Merrill Lynch conference. Cadillac is expected to become the company's lead electric vehicle brand to challenge Tesla Inc. Sales of the Cadillac brand in China rose 17.2 percent in 2018, and GM's Chief Executive Mary Barra has said that the company aims to sell 1 million electric vehicles per year by 2026, many of them in China, which has set strict production quotas on such vehicles. (Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by James Emmanuel) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel on Friday struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip with tank and aircraft fire after troops were shot at on the Israeli side of the border, the army said. The Israeli military said in a statement that "no injuries to soldiers were reported" after its troops came under fire. Palestinian security sources in Hamas-ruled Gaza told AFP that the Israeli strikes hit Hamas military observation posts at three locations along the frontier. They said there were no reports of Palestinian casualties. Palestinians in Gaza have for more than a year gathered at least weekly along the border for often-violent protests, calling on Israel to end its blockade of the enclave. The Israeli statement did not say if there were mass protests taking place at the time of Friday's incident. The Palestinian health ministry in Gaza later said in a statement that 15 people were wounded by Israeli fire during border demonstrations, including "two paramedics and one journalist". It gave no further information. At least 264 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by Israeli forces since the protests began. The majority were killed during clashes, with others hit by tank fire or air strikes. Two Israeli soldiers have been killed over the same period. Hamas on Friday called on the UN to speed up a plan to funnel Qatari aid into the Palestinian enclave, part of an Egyptian-brokered truce with Israel. After a severe flare-up between Israel and Hamas last month the ceasefire was hammered out amid fears of escalation. Hamas said the truce would see Israel ease its crippling blockade of the strip in exchange for quiet. Israel has not publicly commented on the reported agreement. - 'Accelerate the implementation' - Among measures to help Gazans was a plan to resume blocked aid from Qatar through a UN cash for work programmes. In November, the Gulf state, which is a long-time Hamas ally, committed to around $15 million a month in aid over six months. Story continues Part of the funds were originally used to pay salaries of Hamas employees, but this was stopped after political opposition in Israel. Khalil al-Haya, deputy head of the Hamas political bureau in Gaza, told AFP Friday that the alternative plan was stalled at the UN. "The Qatari funds exist and the funds allocated by the World Bank (for the cash for work programmes) exist," he said. "But the pace of the implementation of the United Nations mechanisms is slow," he said, adding an appeal to UN envoy Nickolay Mladenov. "We call on the United Nations and Mr Mladenov to accelerate the implementation." Two million Palestinians live in impoverished Gaza, crammed between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean. Israel, which has fought three wars with Hamas, has blockaded the enclave for more than a decade, and Egypt often closes Gaza's only other gateway to the outside world. On April 1 Israel expanded the fishing zone around Gaza, increasing it in one area to the largest distance in years, in what Hamas officials said was the first step in implementing its "understandings" with the Jewish state. "The understandings are in place," al-Haya said."Some of them are going well, such as fishing." By Ange Aboa ABIDJAN (Reuters) - Ivanka Trump vowed support for initiatives to promote women in business on Wednesday, after visiting an Ivorian cocoa farm on the second leg of her African tour. U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter, who works as his adviser, was speaking at a forum on women's economic empowerment in Ivory Coast's main city of Abidjan. She arrived in Ivory Coast on Tuesday, after visiting Ethiopia. Ivanka is championing the Women's Global Development and Prosperity initiative, which officials have said aims to economically empower 50 million women by 2025. "It's a social justice issue, it's an economic issue, it's a defence issue, and it just plain makes sense," she said of women's economic empowerment in Africa. But she added that "there are substantial barriers," such as lack of access to capital for 70 percent of female business owners, and that women made up just 15 percent of land owners on the continent. Earlier she visited a cocoa farm in Adzope, in southeastern Ivory Coast, where she announced a US AID and World Cocoa Foundation initiative to give $2 million to female cocoa farmers. Ivory Coast produces more than a third of the world's cocoa. (Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Toby Chopra) By Yi Whan-woo Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. / AFP-Yonhap By Yi Whan-woo North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will come to Russia later this month to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the Kremlin. This will be Kim's first visit to Russia after seizing power in December 2011. It fuels speculation that the North is trying to use Russia as leverage in future nuclear talks after his summit with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in Hanoi, Vietnam in late February. Kim has not had any summits since then. "Following an invitation from Vladimir Putin ... Kim Jong-un will visit Russia in the second half of April," the Kremlin said on its website Thursday. The announcement comes after North Korea said it had tested a new tactical weapon with a "powerful warhead," as denuclearization talks with Washington appear to have stalled. The Kremlin did not provide details of the exact date or location of the meeting but some diplomatic sources speculate it will take place in the Russian Far East. The sources also speculate that Kim and Putin are expected to back a series of North Korea-style small deals, as opposed to a U.S.-style big deal for the denuclearization process. Some analysts say Kim's planned Russia visit is aimed at seeking all possible ways to evade the U.S.-led international sanctions, which the North has demanded be eased in return for taking nuclear disarmament steps. "It would be too exaggerated to say Kim is trying to create a rift on the sanctions against the North simply by meting Putin," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "Kim, however, will be able to consult on ways to exploit loopholes in the sanctions and continue to endure them." Among the possible options are having Russia issue a short-term visa for North Korean workers in Siberia. Russia is believed to have as many as 30,000 North Korean workers, which is the second-highest after China. The Kim regime was suspected of pocketing the workers' wages to develop its nuclear program. Many countries have been refusing to extend the workers' visas after the U.N. Security Council asked the countries to force the North Koreans to return home by the end of 2019. Kim Hyun-wook, a Korea National Diplomatic Academy professor, said the North may be trying to "diversify" its nuclear diplomacy with the U.S., China and Russia. "It, of course, does not mean the sanctions will crumble. The North still may be trying to irk the U.S.," the professor said. The analysts said the U.S., although not fully concerned, is making sure the Kim-Putin meeting will not disrupt the sanctions. They referred to U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun's visit to Moscow and his meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov, Thursday. Citing a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia's Tass agency said Biegun and Morgulov discussed ways to accomplish the final, fully verified denuclearization of the North. Russia's foreign ministry also confirmed the two sides exchanged views in detail on the situation on the Korean Peninsula. The North apparently has been stepping up efforts to bolster ties with Cold War allies after the Hanoi summit's collapse. Kim has highlighted "trust" and "friendship" with China, in a message answering Chinese President Xi Jinping's congratulations on his re-election last week as chairman of the State Affairs Commission. The Korean Central News Agency reported Friday that Kim emphasized bilateral relations and that they need to work together to advance their ties during this "very crucial period." Wellington (AFP) - The world's fattest parrot, the critically endangered kakapo, has enjoyed a record breaking breeding season, New Zealand scientists said Thursday, with climate change possibly aiding the species' unique mating spree. Less than 50 years after the flightless nocturnal bird was thought to have been extinct, at least 75 chicks are expected to survive this year, Andrew Digby, a science advisor to New Zealand's kakapo recovery, operation told AFP. Digby oversees a breeding programme so precisely monitored that scientists can state the last of 249 eggs laid will hatch on Friday. It will significantly boost the population which has grown to 147 adults since a small number of the plump green, yellow and black birds was discovered in 1970. Digby described the kakapo as an "unusual" parrot as the females control the breeding process and only mate every two to four years when New Zealand's native rimu trees are full of fruit. "We don't quite know what the trigger is but one of the things we are looking at is that the rimu berry is really high in vitamin D, a super food basically, which is associated with fertility and health," he said. The rimu trees have produced a bumper crop this year with Digby saying one theory was that climate change and temperature fluctuations could be behind the berry bonanza. The surviving kakapo -- whose name means "night parrot" in Maori -- are kept on four predator-free islands off the New Zealand coast. At the start of the breeding season, the males which weigh about 4.0 kilograms (nine pounds), put themselves on display while the females choose a partner. They mate and then end the relationship, shutting the male out of the incubation and rearing processes. The kakapo recovery programme is so tightly monitored that although they remain in the wild, each one has a radio transmitter attached to its body and there are monitoring systems embedded in their nests. Story continues Digby knew that of the 50 adult females, 49 produced 249 eggs, of which 89 have so far hatched and 75 were expected to make it to adulthood. That is more than double the success rate from the last breeding season three years ago. "It's probably one of the most intensively managed species in the world," said Digby, who wants at least 500 birds before any thought is given to easing up the intensity of the recovery operation. Paris (AFP) - The city of Londonderry, where a woman was shot dead in rioting late Thursday, has been a flashpoint in three decades of sectarian unrest in Northern Ireland that left 3,500 people dead until a peace deal was reached on Good Friday 1998. Called The Troubles, the violence pitted Protestants who were loyal to British rule against Catholics who wanted to unite with neighbouring Ireland, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) guerrilla group emerging to back this cause. Police said republican dissidents "most likely" from a group called the New IRA were behind Thursday's violence in the city in which vehicles were set ablaze, petrol bombs thrown and shots fired at police, resulting in the death of the 29-year-old journalist. Here is some background about Londonderry (also known as Derry) and Northern Ireland's sectarian conflict. - Londonderry spark - Clashes erupted when police used force to break up a peaceful Catholic civil rights demonstration in Londonderry, the British province's only Catholic-majority city, in 1968. It inflamed tensions between Catholics and Protestants, sparking violence in Londonderry and Belfast. In 1969 Britain deployed troops to face the unrest. The following year the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) undertook a campaign of bombings and shootings against the troops. The IRA violence was reciprocated by unionist paramilitary groups, driving a wedge between the communities. - Bloody Sunday - In one of the worst incidents in The Troubles, British troops opened fire on a Catholic civil rights march in Londonderry on January 30, 1972, leaving 14 people dead. The Sunday march was illegal and police and British paratroopers had received orders to begin arresting marchers. At around 4:10 pm, the troops opened fire. They claimed afterwards to have acted after coming under sustained attack by gunfire and nailbombs, and to have aimed away from the demonstrators. This version was challenged in a 2010 report published after a 12-year investigation that said British troops fired first and their victims were unarmed. Story continues Following the report, then British prime minister David Cameron apologised for the killings, saying the shooting was "both unjustified and unjustifiable." An ex-paratrooper was in March 2018 charged for two of the deaths. "Bloody Sunday" was a turning point in the IRA campaign. Its ranks swelled and it extended its bombing campaign to the British mainland with deadly attacks on pubs in 1974 and the assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1979. - Good Friday breakthrough - Peace efforts stalled until in July 1997 the IRA declared a new ceasefire after its political wing, Sinn Fein, was offered a place at the negotiating table. It lead to lengthy negotiations that culminated in an agreement reached on Good Friday, April 10, 1998, between London, Ireland and the main Northern Ireland political parties, backed by the IRA. The Good Friday Agreement led to a new semi-autonomous Northern Ireland with a power-sharing government between Protestants and Catholics. The IRA declared a formal end to its armed campaign in 2005, saying it would pursue its aims through peaceful means, and Sinn Fein became part of the Northern Irish executive. However dissident offshoots on both sides of the divide remained violently opposed to the peace accord, continuing sporadic unrest and bomb threats. In one such incident, the new IRA was blamed for a car bomb outside courthouse in Londonderry on January 19 that caused no injuries but alarmed the violence-weary city. Four men were arrested. By Aaron Ross DAKAR (Reuters) - Shortly after rolling into the central Malian town of Koro to detain a leader of an ethnic militia suspected of massacring about 160 villagers, a pickup truck of army soldiers was swarmed by hostile residents. Video provided to Reuters by a senior member of the Dan Na Ambassagou militia appears to show the troops beating a retreat amid a hail of rocks and angry chants. The episode last weekend, which was confirmed by a local mayor, was an embarrassing blow to the state's authority in central Mali, where Islamist insurgents have been capitalizing on spiraling communal conflicts to recruit new members and extend their reach. Government and army spokespeople did not respond to repeated requests for comment about the incident in Koro. Mali's prime minister and his entire government resigned on Thursday after legislators discussed bringing a motion of no confidence because of the massacre and a failure to disarm militias or beat back militants. "The government's failure to ... rein in militia groups is now coming home to roost," said Corinne Dufka, Human Rights Watch's West Africa director. "It's now threatening the very authority of the state." Western governments, including former colonial power France and the United States, are alarmed by the rise of jihadist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State in West Africa's lawless Sahel region. They have deployed thousands of elite troops there to make sure it does not become a new Islamist haven following the losses inflicted on the groups in the Middle East. Governments across the Sahel have also tacitly outsourced part of the fight against jihadists to local self-defense groups, many of them intent chiefly on settling ethnic scores. However, the killings of the villagers on March 23, Mali's worst ethnic bloodletting in living memory, show what can go wrong when governments turn a blind eye to vigilante groups in order to repel jihadists. JIHADI THREAT Malis President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita had ordered the Dan Na Ambassagou -- an anti-jihadi, ethnic Dogon group -- disbanded after suspected members stormed the two villages, Ogossagou and Welingara, inhabited mainly by Fulani herders. Most of the deaths occurred in Ogossagou, where gunmen left the charred bodies of women and children smoldering in their homes. The United Nations has sent rights experts to investigate the killings. The International Criminal Court said the crimes could fall under its jurisdiction. Dan Na Ambassagou denies involvement in the killings and is refusing to lay down weapons it says it needs to defend Dogon farmers against jihadists, whose ranks consist largely of Fulanis. "When there are two people who are in conflict ... you cant take the weapon from one and leave the other with his," a senior militia member, Marcelin Guenguere, told Reuters on Wednesday. Forcibly disarming Dan Na Ambassagou "could provoke a rebellion that will not be so easily contained", he said. The shaky footage provided by Guenguere purports to show dozens of people, some wearing floppy brown caps sported by Dogon hunters, yelling and gesticulating at the soldiers as they climb onto the back of the pickup and drive off. Reuters could not independently authenticate the video. But Moulaye Guindo, mayor of the nearby town of Bankass, confirmed that soldiers had tried to arrest the militia leader in Koro and withdrew when residents protested. The government denies it coordinates with any militia. Security Minister Salife Traore told parliament this month that some groups "thought they needed to fill in for the state". Researchers such as Human Rights Watch also say there is no proof of formal collaboration between Mali's government and militias but, at the very least, there appear to be understandings that allow fighters to openly man checkpoints and defy bans on motorcycles. Guenguere, however, told Reuters that Dan Na Ambassagou had provided guides for army operations and secured polling places during last year's presidential election at the government's request. The government denies this. "We have always collaborated well with the Malian army and authorities," Guenguere said, "but now we are starting to become a little disappointed." Jihadi attacks have multiplied in the region, spilling into neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger despite the deployment of thousands of French soldiers to go after Islamist militants who briefly seized northern Mali in 2012. The jihadis are adept at exploiting ethnic division, often siding with semi-nomadic Fulani pastoralists in conflicts with more settled farming peoples such as the Dogon over land rights. The massacre of the Fulani villagers followed a deadly assault by jihadists on an army post that killed at least 23 soldiers, also in central Mali, an attack claimed by an al Qaeda affiliate. So far, authorities have made five arrests. It was unclear if the attempt to apprehend militia leader Mamadou Guindo on Saturday was related. "The events playing out in the center of our country have reached an unacceptable dimension that cries out to us all," President Keita said in a speech on Tuesday, saying new measures to counter militia violence were being implemented. (Additional reporting by Tiemoko Diallo in Bamako and Tim Cocks in Dakar; Editing by Tim Cocks, Alexandra Zavis and Alison Williams) April 17 (Reuters) - A 37-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday night after walking into St. Patricks Cathedral in New York City with two full gasoline cans, lighter fluid and lighters, police said. The man entered the Catholic cathedral in Midtown Manhattan just before 8 p.m. and was confronted by a security guard, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) official said. As the man turned to leave, gasoline spilled onto the floor and the guard informed police stationed outside. Officers caught up with the man and he was taken into custody after questioning, said John Miller, deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism for the NYPD. "An individual walking into an iconic location like St. Patrick's Cathedral carrying over four gallons of gasoline, two bottles of lighter fluid and lighters, is something we would have grave concern over," Miller told reporters outside the cathedral. Asked if "terrorism" was a motive in the incident, Miller said it was "too early to say that." Miller noted the incident came two days after the much-publicized fire in Paris Notre Dame Cathedral. "This is an indicator of something that would be very suspicious," he said. Three predominantly black churches in Louisiana were burned down between March 26 and April 4. The man told police he was cutting through the cathedral to get to Madison Avenue from 5th Avenue and his mini van had run out of gasoline, Miller said. When police checked the vehicle they found it was not out of fuel, at which point the man was arrested, he said. "He is known to police and we are looking into his background," he added. "We don't know what his mindset was, what his motive was." (Note: Story includes language throughout that will offend some readers.) By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report builds upon dozens of interviews, notes and communications to piece together what was happening inside President Donald Trump's White House. Here are some of those scenes: 'I'M FUCKED' Attorney General Jeff Sessions broke the news to Trump on May 17, 2017, that Rod Rosenstein had appointed Robert Mueller to be the special counsel. Sessions was with Trump in the Oval Office conducting interviews for a new FBI director but stepped outside when Rosenstein called to give him the news. Trump slumped in his chair after Sessions returned and informed him of the appointment, according to notes taken at the time by Jody Hunt, who was Session's chief of staff, and provided to Mueller's team. "Oh my God. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. I'm fucked," Trump said. Trump then turned his anger toward Sessions. "You were supposed to protect me," Sessions recalled Trump telling him. Trump then again bemoaned the potential fallout of a special counsel. "Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels it ruins your presidency. It takes years and years and I won't be able to do anything. This is the worst thing that ever happened to me," Trump then said, according to both Hunt and Sessions. A TENSE MEETING Chief of Staff John Kelly detailed a "tense" Oval Office meeting he convened the morning of Feb. 6, 2018, to try to smooth things over between Trump and White House Counsel Don McGahn. Months earlier, McGahn had been on the brink of resigning when he said Trump told him to get rid of Special Counsel Mueller. Now, Trump was angry because the New York Times and Washington Post had written articles about McGahn's refusal to fire Mueller. "I never said to fire Mueller," Trump began the meeting, according to McGahn's retelling to Mueller. "I never said 'fire.' This story doesn't look good. You need to correct this. You're the White House counsel." McGahn refused, saying that the article in the Times was accurate. "Did I say the word 'fire'?" Trump then said, according to accounts by both McGahn and Kelly. McGahn said he responded, "What you said is, 'Call Rod (Rosenstein), tell Rod that Mueller has conflicts and can't be the Special Counsel.'" "I never said that," McGahn recalled Trump saying. 'THE RUSSIA THING IS OVER' On Valentine's Day 2017, Trump had lunch with then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Trump told Christie, who had become an ally of the president early in the campaign, that the firing of Michael Flynn, the former national security aide, was going to solve his problems. "Now that we fired Flynn, the Russia thing is over," Trump told Christie, the governor recalled. Christie laughed and told the president he expected they would still be discussing Russia a year later. "That was the problem. I fired Flynn. Its over," Trump countered. Christie, a former U.S. attorney, then told the president that he should not talk about the investigation, even if frustrated, and that he was going to be stuck with the Flynn story for a long time. "Like gum on the bottom of your shoe, Christie said. SESSIONS RESIGNATION LETTER As Trump flew from Saudi Arabia to Tel Aviv in May 2017, he reached into his pocket and produced a resignation letter that had been written two days earlier by Sessions. Trump showed the letter to senior advisers, including Hope Hicks, who recalled the scene to Mueller's team. The letter had already become a point of concern among Trump's aides. Sessions had delivered the letter to Trump the day before, but ultimately Trump and the attorney general had determined he would remain in the job. White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon and Chief of Staff Reince Priebus were concerned that Trump was holding on to the letter and that he would use it as leverage against the Justice Department. The two top aides decided to try to get it back. The president had the Justice Department "by the throat," Priebus said. But when Preibus approached Trump on the Middle East trip and asked him to turn it over, the president insisted it wasn't with him. Instead, Trump claimed, it was somewhere in the White House residence. It would take another 10 days - three days after Trump returned from his trip - for the president finally turned it over. (This story has been refiled to fix typographical error in 16th paragraph to make it "saying" instead of "say".) (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Paloma Contrerass first home product collaboration, a 19-piece grouping focused on bedding, pillows, lighting, and decor, will debut this week at Williams Sonoma Home. With the recent release of her book, Dream Design Live, a feted new brick-and-mortar-store in Houston, and a room in this years upcoming Kips Bay Decorator Show House, Contreras certainly has her hands full with a variety of exciting projects. But this collection, which launches on April 18 online and in stores, is a notable feather in her already dazzling cap. The first seedlings for this collaboration trace back to 2016. That year, when Contreras was working on a room for the Southern Style Now show house, Williams Sonoma lent some products to include in her design. After that, the interior designer and San Franciscobased company hit it off. The conversation went on about potentially doing something together for a while," Contreras tells AD PRO. "We started working on product development [for this collection] at the end of 2016, so its been a long process!" Photo: Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Over the course of an almost three-year period, Contreras designed, sketched, and sent over a litany of images of centuries-old antiquesas well as images of her own workto the Williams Sonoma team. The two then collectively poured over that information, and set out to create common signature motifs. Included in the finished collection are references to accessories Contreras has found on her many sourcing trips abroad (like bone inlay obelisksan interpretation of objets she has seen in France) and hexagonal mirrors made to look vintage, offered in two different sizes (inspired by an antique version, originally found in Paris). "Their team was really wonderful," Contreras says of Williams Sonoma. "They are unique in that they have a fantastic product and art departments in-house, so the patterns you see in the collection were all hand-painted and designed exclusively for us. I really felt like they understood the vision and were able to execute it in a wonderful way." There are also a few firsts for Williams Sonoma Home included in this new line. Designer details, like hand-tied knots on bedding pillows, and applique on the duvet and shams, are new offerings for brand. Contreras also developed monograms of her own for the debut. Story continues Photo: Courtesy of Williams Sonoma Home The interior designer says that the collection really is an accurate interpretation of her own aesthetic. You see a lot of references to classic design motifs: chinoiserie, lacquer, stripes, geometric pieces, natural fiber," she says of the products. "I wanted to create pieces based off of things that I love and use repeatedly in my projectsitems that are hallmarks of my individual style, but that are also versatile enough for anyone to use in their home. When asked what her favorite item is, Contreras called out her modern take on Greek key applique, seen on a series of linen pillows, which were inspired by a custom pair she used to own. Speaking of Williams Sonoma in particular, Contreras says, "Its such an amazing American heritage brand known for its craftsmanship and enduring style, and was always a brand I respected. We developed a really nice working relationship very quickly. I realized that we have many of the same ideals and values." That, and a shared sense of style. A participant sheds tears during a memorial event in front of Deoksu Palace in Seoul for marriage migrant women who were killed by their husbands, in this 2012 photo. / Korea Times file By Kim Rahn Support centers will open to provide counseling, medical and legal support and temporary shelter for migrant women who have suffered domestic violence or sexual assault, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, Friday. The ministry said it recently selected three institutes the Daegu and North Chungcheong provincial branches of the Woman Migrants Human Rights Center and Incheon Woman Line to offer aid to marriage migrant women or female migrant workers who are victims of violence. "So far, counseling services have been available for violence victims at Danuri Helpline, the ministry-run call center for migrant women, as well as at domestic violence counseling centers," a ministry official said. "But those channels did not have enough professionals to deal with the violence issues. We hope the newly designated counseling centers will help the migrant women settled here." The centers will provide counseling and translation services in the victims' languages. It will also offer medical and legal aid to protect the victims' rights and help them better cope with following processes such as lawsuits. In addition to the three designated centers, the ministry plans to select two more in the second half of this year. According to the National Human Rights Commission's 2017 survey of 920 marriage migrant women, 42.1 percent experienced domestic violence. But 36.1 percent, or 140 women, did not seek help. Reasons for not seeking help included not wanting others to know about the violence (35 people), not knowing who could help them (29) or believing that help from others would not solve the problem (29). Canico (Portugal) (AFP) - Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo attended church services Friday in tribute to 29 German tourists who died when their bus tumbled down a slope and crashed into a house on the island of Madeira. Investigators are still trying to determine why the vehicle crashed off the road before ending up mangled on the side of a hillside near the town of Canico on Wednesday. Portuguese public TV RTP reported Friday that the bus's accelerator was thought to have been stuck and that the driver might have tried to stop the vehicle by hitting a wall. Advancing another theory, a German holidaymaker in his 60s who escaped with a broken rib told Portuguese television: "I think the brakes were gone, I cannot imagine another reason" for the crash. His wife said some passengers were "ejected through the windows" when the bus began to roll over. Sixteen injured people, of whom 14 were German, remained in hospital in the regional capital Funchal. "They are all in a stable condition," said the deputy clinical director of the hospital, Miguel Reis. A medically-equipped aircraft was waiting to repatriate the injured once they are able to be moved, the German foreign ministry told AFP. Most of the dead were aged in their 40s and 50s, local authorities said. Seventeen were women and 12 were men. More than one million tourists visit the Atlantic islands off the coast of Morocco each year, attracted by their subtropical climate and rugged volcanic terrain. German tourist Maritza Klef was in a group that had waited for a second bus to take them to a restaurant for dinner, and thus escaped the crash, which took place just a few metres (yards) away. "When I think about it, it's horrible," she told RTP. Rebelo visited the accident site Friday and then walked to the nearby hotel where the bus had started its journey, AFP reporters saw. He voiced his "solidarity with the victims" and thanked the emergency services. Story continues He later visited survivors in hospital and attended separate masses at a Presbyterian church and at the cathedral in Funchal. "Today we are gathering together because the survivors and relatives of the victims, more than ever, need our attention and support," German pastor Ilse Berardo told AFP. Portugal's government on Thursday decreed three days of national mourning. Photo credit: Drew Angerer - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics A Kansas man is receiving the ire of the scientific community for his decision to sell a skeleton of a young T. rex on eBay. Fossil hunter Alan Detrich posted the relic on the auction site hoping to attract the attention of a wealthy collector. A number of people in the scientific community fear that instead of keeping the specimen on display in a museum for public enjoyment and research, the baby T. rex will disappear into a private collection, cutting it off from future research opportunities. The T. rex was discovered in Hell Creek Formation in Montana on leased land that Detrich used to search for fossils. The eBay listing says it has a 15-foot-long body and 21-inch skull, and that the young dinosaur was about four years old when it died. Detrich also wrote that the specimen is "most likely the only baby t-rex in the world." Two years ago, Detrich lent the specimen to the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, where it was on display until they recently returned it to him. Some are accusing Detrich of lending the specimen to the University of Kansas in an effort to gain public interest before posting it for sale online. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) even wrote a response regarding the sale of the fossil. Photo credit: eBay "SVP is concerned because the fossil, which represents a unique part of lifes past, may be lost from the public trust, and because its owner used the specimens scientific importance, including its exhibition status at KU, as part of his advertising strategy," wrote Emily J. Rayfield, Ph.D, President of SVP. The Biodiversity Institute at the University of Kansas said it "does not sell or mediate the sale of specimens to private individuals," and asked Detrich to remove any mention of the museum in his eBay listing-a request he complied with. Rayfield and other members of the Society also expressed concern about what the sale could mean for the future of found fossils and specimens. "These events undermine the scientific process for studying past life as well as the prospect for future generations to share the natural heritage of our planet." Story continues As of publish time, Detrich's listing has 4,579watchers and climbing. Source: The New York Times ('You Might Also Like',) Whether we worship in a grand urban cathedral or a little country church, Christian Southerners have a long traditionnearly 250 yearsof greeting Easter morning with an outdoor sunrise celebration, often with worshippers facing east. The service might include prayer, Scripture reading or liturgy, and music, during which the sun comes up. Usually, a breakfast follows, and then the regular Easter service is held in the sanctuary later that morning. Why gather at sunrise on Easter? According to the Gospels, Christs empty tomb was discovered very early in the morning. Centuries later, European Christians began holding sunrise services to celebrate the resurrection. Historical accounts credit the Moravian church of Germany with creating the first sunrise service in 1732. The practice then spread to Moravian churches all over the world, eventually becoming part of Easter Sunday for other Christian denominations as well. In America, the sunrise service came first to the Salem Congregation of the Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which began welcoming Easter before daylight in 1772 and has done so every year since. According to the Salem Congregation's website, the Moravian Band, which plays an important role in church worship and celebrations, breaks into smaller groups and begins playing at different points in town hours before dawn. The first selection? Sleepers Awake. At 6 a.m., while its still dark, the sunrise service officially begins in front of Home Moravian Church. Eventually, the crowd and the entire Bandsome 500 musicianswill reverently process to Gods Acre, the traditional name of Moravian cemeteries. In preparation for Easter and the sunrise service, volunteers will have meticulously cleaned each of the recumbent headstones and placed flowers throughout the cemetery. Its something family members often do together, making it an Easter tradition to help tend Gods Acre together. Story continues Local station WSJS has been broadcasting the sunrise service for decades. You can listen to it live on WSJS.com WATCH: Hey Y'allBeginner's Guide to Easter Lunch If Ivy's planning Easter lunch, you know it will be fun, festive, and no-fuss. Follow her tips, recipes, and creative ideas to make your first try at hosting a huge success. ROME (AP) Teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg has told a rally of several thousand young people in Rome's Piazza del Popolo they should aim that when they are older they can say they did everything they could to help the climate. While the rally was part of the Friday school strike-for-climate movement, Italian classrooms were already shut for Easter vacation. Thunberg told reporters: "I don't enjoy attention but I enjoy making a difference." Since she doesn't fly to help the environment, the Swedish 16-year-old, asked what she'd do if she went to Washington or to U.N. headquarters in New York, said: "I guess I would have to take a boat." On Wednesday, Thunberg chatted briefly with Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square. She said Francis, who champions environmental protection, was "very kind, encouraging" to her. (Reuters) - Beleaguered carrier Jet Airways halted all operations on Wednesday after its lenders rejected its plea for emergency funding from the airline that was once India's largest private carrier. The airline, known for its "The Joy of Flying" tagline, has been teetering for weeks, saddled with over $1 billion in debt. Its lenders, led by State Bank of India (SBI), last month agreed to bail it out in a complex deal that involved the banks taking a majority stake and providing a fresh loan of $217 million, while continuing to look for a new investor. That loan never materialised, gradually crippling the 25-year old airline's operations. Here are some major developments in Jet's story: 2018 Aug 3 Jet denies media report it cannot fly beyond 60 days, dismisses rumours of stake sale Aug 11 State Bank of India (SBI) chairman says Jet's loan is on watch list. Jet says regularly paying banks. Aug 27 Jet posts June-quarter loss, says will inject funds, cut costs by more than 20 billion rupees ($288 million) in two years Sept 6 Jet says paid salaries to 84 percent of its employees after media reports that pilots warned 'non-cooperation' over salary default Nov 5 Media report says Indian conglomerate Tata Group aims to buy 51 percent stake in airline and merge Jet with Tata's Vistara Dec 5 - Jet and UAE's Etihad Airways have been holding rescue talks with Jet's bankers, sources tell Reuters 2019 Jan 1 - Jet delays payment to a consortium of Indian banks, led by SBI Jan 11 - Etihad not "in any position to sink new equity into Jet at this juncture", says person familiar with Etihad's position Jan 17 - SBI says Jet's lenders considering plan to resolve debt issues Feb 8 - Airline grounds four aircraft after failing to make payments to lessors For an interactive link on Jet's grounded planes, click https://tmsnrt.rs/2HTmgKl Feb 14 - Jet's board approves rescue deal, making its lenders its largest shareholders, to fix a near 85 billion rupee funding gap Story continues March 19 - India's government asks state-run banks to rescue Jet without pushing it into bankruptcy, sources say March 25 - Founder Naresh Goyal steps down as chairman, wife Anita Goyal resigns from board. Lenders to pump in 15 billion rupees in immediate funding March 30 - Jet CEO says airline will pay December salaries to employees March 31 - Jet's pilots' union says will give carrier's new management two weeks to clear unpaid salaries, defers plan to take strike action April 3 - Jet forced to ground more than three-quarters of its fleet as it awaits bailout funds April 11 - Jet grounds 10 more planes, fleet size at less than 20 April 12 - India's aviation secretary says Jet has funds to stay afloat till April 15, TV channel reports April 15 - Jet plans to extend suspension of international flights, does not get interim funds April 16 - Jet will be forced to shut down as soon as Wednesday if it does not get emergency funding from its lenders, sources tell Reuters ($1 = 69.5070 Indian rupees) (Compiled by Chris Thomas in Bengaluru; editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) When Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to probe Russian election meddling, Donald Trump told visitors in the Oval Office that the investigation would destroy his presidency. Oh my God, Trump said as he slumped in his chair, according to notes taken by assistant attorney general Jody Hunt and incorporated into the special counsel report released Thursday. This is terrible. This is the end of my presidency. Im fed. Trump then became angry, according to the report, and attacked then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was also in the Oval Office, for allowing the appointment of Mueller as special counsel. How could you allow this to happen, Jeff? Trump asked. He added that the attorney general was supposed to protect me, or words to that effect, according to Sessions. The president later aired his frustration with Sessions publicly, and the rift ultimately led the former Alabama senator to resign his post leading the Justice Department. The decision to launch the investigation was authorized by deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who was put in charge of overseeing the probe after Sessions recused himself, citing his involvement in Trumps campaign. Muellers appointment came days after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey and news emerged that the president had asked Comey to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump went on to complain that the investigation was the worst thing that ever happened to me, according to the Mueller report. Everyone tells me if you get one of these independent counsels, it ruins your presidency, Trump said. It takes years and years and I wont be able to do anything. In a public statement issued shortly after his Oval Office comments, Trump said the investigation would confirm what we already know there was no collusion between my campaign and any foreign entity. Muellers report ultimately didnt find an underlying crime by Trump related to Russian interference in the 2016 election, but it delivered an exhaustive account of Trumps efforts to head off or undermine the special counsels probe. Attorney General William Barr said the Justice Department had determined obstruction did not take place, while Mueller said Congress could take action on Trumps efforts. By Mark Hosenball WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. authorities on Thursday arrested a former U.S. Marine who is a member of a group that allegedly raided the North Korean embassy in Madrid in February and stole electronics, according to two sources familiar with the arrest. Christopher Ahn was arrested and is expected to be arraigned on Friday in federal court in Los Angles, according to a law enforcement official and a source close to the group. The U.S. Justice Department declined to comment. In April, investigators said the intruders, self-professed members of a group seeking the overthrow of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, removed computers and hard drives from the embassy before fleeing to the United States, where they handed the material to the FBI. Sources said the material had been returned by Spanish authorities to Pyongyang's mission. A group of at least 10 people stormed into the embassy in February, restrained and physically beat some personnel and held them hostage for hours before fleeing, the Spanish court said earlier. The anti-Kim group, which calls itself Cheolima Civil Defense, said the raid was not an attack and that it had been invited into the embassy. Three of the intruders took an embassy official into the basement during the raid and encouraged him to defect from North Korea, according to a detailed document made public on March 26 by the Spanish court. The document included the names of the leaders of the group, some of whom are believed to be in the United States, while others could have left for other countries. The court is seeking their extradition. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball. Writing by Ginger Gibson.; Editing by Marguerita Choy) Special Counsel Robert Mueller investigated a number of ways in which President Donald Trump may have have attempted to obstruct justice. In an almost 400-page report sent to Congress Thursday, the former FBI director said that he had decided against accusing Trump of obstructing justice because the President would not have the ability to defend himself in a trial. At the same time, he said if he could declare Trump innocent of wrongdoing, he would do so. While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him, he wrote. Heres a closer look at the specific ways in which Trump may have obstructed justice. Trump asked FBI Director James Comey for loyalty U.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with James Comey, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), during an Inaugural Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders Reception in the Blue Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22, 2017. | Andrew HarrerBloomberg via Getty Images What he did: During a private dinner at the White House in January of 2017, Trump asked FBI Director James Comey to pledge his loyalty. The President said, I need loyalty, I expect loyalty,' Comey recounted in testimony before a Senate committee that June. What Mueller wrote: On January 27, the President called FBI Director Comey and invited him to dinner that eveningthe President promised he would not talk about Russia at the dinnerthe President stated that he wanted to dine with Comey aloneAccording to Comeys account, at one point during the dinner, the President stated, I need loyalty, I expect loyaltyThe President and his advisors disputed that he had asked for Comeys loyaltyBut substantial evidence corroborates Comeys account of the dinner invitation and the request for loyalty. Why it matters: FBI directors swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, and are not supposed to be loyal to the president personally. Read More: Mueller Would Not Say Whether Trump Obstructed Justice. Heres Why Trump asked Comey to drop an investigation into Michael Flynn Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, attends a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in the White House on Feb. 10, 2017. | Olivier DoulierySipa/AP What he did: In a one-on-one meeting in February of 2017, Trump asked Comey to shut down an investigation into his former national security advisor Michael Flynn. Comey wrote in the memo that Trump told him, He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go. Story continues What Mueller wrote: According to Comeys account of the meetingthe President began the conversation by saying, I want to talk about Michael Flynn. The President stated that Flynn had not done anything wrong in speaking with the Russians, but had to be terminated because he had misled the Vice PresidentThe President stated, I hope you can let this go. Comey agreed that Flynn is a good guy but did not commit to ending the investigation of Flynn. Comey testified under oath that he took the Presidents statement as a direction because of the Presidents position and the circumstances of the one-on-one meeting. Why it matters: For decades, presidential administrations have limited contacts between the White House and the Justice Department on specific law enforcement cases. Trump fired Comey In this Wednesday, May 3, 2017, photo, then-FBI Director James Comey testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. President Donald Trump abruptly fired Comey on May 9, ousting the nation's top law enforcement official in the midst of an investigation into whether Trump's campaign had ties to Russia's election meddling.(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) | Carolyn KasterAP What he did: In May of 2017, Trump fired Comey, argued he was no longer able to effectively lead the Bureau due to his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clintons personal email server. What Mueller wrote: On May 3, 2017, Comey testified in a congressional hearing, but declined to answer questions about whether the President was personally under investigation. Within days, the President decided to terminate Comey. Why it matters: Since 1968, FBI directors have been appointed to 10-year terms in order to preserve their independence from political pressure. Trump misrepresented why he fired Comey Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein testifies during a Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the Justice Department's proposed FY18 budget on Capitol Hill on June 13, 2017 in Washington, D.C. Zach GibsonGetty Images | Zach GibsonGetty Images What he did: In the letter firing Comey, Trump claimed that he was doing so on the advice of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, but in fact he had already decided to do so. What Mueller wrote: The day of the firing, the White House maintained that Comeys termination resulted from independent recommendations from the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General that Comey should be discharged for mishandling the Hillary Clinton email investigated. But the President had decided to fire Comey before hearing from the Department of Justice. Why it matters: The misdirection raises questions about Trumps stated reasons for firing Comey, including whether he was actually trying to influence investigations into his campaign. Trump asked intelligence officials to clear him Daniel Coats, director of National Intelligence, arrives for a Senate (Select) Intelligence Committees hearing on worldwide threats on January 29, 2019 in Washington DC. | Win McNameeGetty Images What he did: Trump asked Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, CIA Director Mike Pompeo, NSA Director Mike Rogers and Comey to state publicly that no link existed between him and Russia. What Mueller wrote: In the weeks following Comeys March 20, 2017 testimony, the President repeatedly asked intelligence community officials to push back publicly on any suggestion that the President had a connection to the Russian election-interference effortAccording to Coast, the President asked them whether they could publicly say that no link existed between him and RussiaThe President also said that the news stories linking him with Russia were not true and asked Rogers if he could do anything to refute the storiesThe President asked Comey what could be done to lift the cloud. Why it matters: Presidents do not typically order officials to clear them of wrongdoing, although Coats and Rogers said they did not interpret his request as an order. Trump tried to limit the Russia investigation Attorney General Jeff Sessions speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 1, 2018. Sessions resigned from the position on Wednesday. | Pablo Martinez MonsivaisAP/REX/Shutterstock What he did: In June of 2017, Trump directed his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, to ask Attorney General Jeff Sessions to publicly announce that the investigation was very unfair to Trump and said that, despite his recusal from oversight of it, Sessions should limit the investigation to cover future election interference only. Sessions ultimately did not get the message. What Mueller wrote: On June 19, 2017, the President met one-on-one with Corey Lewandowski in the Oval Office and dictated a message to be delivered to Attorney General Sessions that would have had the effect of limiting the investigation to future election interference only. Why it matters: Again, the president is not supposed to intervene with the Department of Justice on specific investigations, much less one that involves him. Trump asked Sessions to un-recuse himself from the Russia investigation US President Donald Trump(L)sits with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on December 15, 2017 in Quantico, Virginia, before participating in the FBI National Academy graduation ceremony. | NICHOLAS KAMMAFP/Getty Images What he did: In the weeks after Mueller was appointed, Trump called Sessions at home and asked him to reverse his recusal from the Russia probe and investigate Hillary Clinton. He pressured him on other occasions as well. Sessions did not. What Mueller wrote: According to Sessions, the President asked him to reverse his recusal so that Sessions could direct the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute Hillary Clinton, and the gist of the conversation was that the President wanted Sessions to unrecuse from all of it, including the Special Counsels Russia investigation. Why it matters: Again, the President is not supposed to get involved in specific investigations, much less one that involves him. Trump tried to fire Sessions White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus listens during a meeting with county sheriffs in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC on, Feb. 07, 2017. | Jabin BotsfordThe Washington Post/Getty Images What he did: In July of 2017, Trump told White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus that he needed to a letter of resignation from Sessions on his desk immediately and that Sessions had no choice. Priebus stalled and later talked Trump out of it. What Mueller wrote: While aboard Marine One on the way to Norfolk, Virginia, the President told Priebus that he had to get Sessions to resign immediately. The President said the country had lost confidence in Sessions and the negative publicity was not tolerable. Why it matters: Priebus later said that he believed Trump wanted to fire Sessions because of his recusal from the Russia investigation. Trump dictated a misleading statement on the Trump Tower meeting Donald Trump Jr. arrives at Trump Tower on January 18, 2017 in New York City. President-elect Donald Trump is to be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States on January 20. | John MooreGetty Images What he did: Returning from a G20 summit on Air Force One in July of 2017, Trump dictated a statement on behalf of Donald Trump Jr. to the New York Times about a pre-election meeting in Trump Tower with a Kremlin-connected lawyer. What Mueller wrote: The President rejected Trump Jr.s draft statement that would have acknowledged that the meeting was with an individual who I was told might have information helpful to the campaign. The President then dictated a statement to (White House spokeswoman Hope) Hicks that said the meeting was about Russian adoption. Why it matters: Mueller noted that although he dictated the misleading statement, Trump did not prevent emails about the meeting from being provided to the grand jury. Trump tried to fire Mueller Attorney and United States Federal Election Commission member Don McGahn is seen in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York on Jan. 9, 2017. | Albin Lohr-JonesZuma Press What he did: In June of 2017, Trump called White House lawyer Don McGahn at home and directed him to have Mueller fired as special counsel. McGahn threatened to resign and Trump backed down. Trump later ordered McGahn to deny that he had tried to fire Mueller. Mcgann refused. What Mueller wrote: McGahn recalled that the President called him at home twice and on both occasions directed him to call Rosenstein and say that Mueller had conflicts that precluded him from serving as Special Counsel. Why it matters: The President is not supposed to intervene in investigations directly involving himself. Trump threatened his former lawyer Michael Cohen Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer, arrives at federal court for his sentencing hearing, December 12, 2018 in New York City. | Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images What he did: Shortly before Trumps former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was set to testify to Congress in 2019, the President insinuated in an interview with Fox News and a tweet that Cohens father-in-law might be at risk of legal problems. Cohen postponed his testimony. What Mueller wrote: The evidence concerning this sequence of events could support an inference that the President used inducements in the form of positive messages to get Cohen not to cooperate, and then turned to attacks and intimidation to deter the provision of information or undermine Cohens credibility once Cohen began cooperating. Why it matters: Trump was essentially threatening a witness in a federal investigation into him, in part by suggesting that his family could face criminal investigations of its own. By Jonathan Allen NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Brooklyn judge on Thursday ruled against a group of parents who challenged New York City's recently imposed mandatory measles vaccination order, rejecting their arguments that the city's public health authority exceeded its authority. In a six-page decision rendered hours after a hearing on the matter, Judge Lawrence Knipel denied the parents' petition seeking to lift the vaccination order, imposed last week to stem the worst measles outbreak to hit the city since 1991. The judge sided with municipal health officials who defended the order as a rare but necessary step to contain a surge in the highly contagious disease that has infected at least 329 people so far, most of them children from Orthodox Jewish communities in the borough of Brooklyn. Another 222 cases have been diagnosed elsewhere in New York state, mostly in a predominantly ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Rockland County, northwest of Manhattan. The New York outbreaks are part of a larger resurgence of measles across the country, with at least 555 cases confirmed in 20 states, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts say the virus, which can cause severe complications and even death, has spread mostly among school-age children whose parents declined to get them vaccinated. Most profess philosophical or religious reasons, or cite concerns - debunked by medical science - that the three-way measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine may cause autism. The judge rejected the parents' contention that the vaccination order was excessive or coercive, noting it does not call for forcibly administering the vaccine to those who refuse it. He also dismissed assertions in the petition disputing the "clear and present danger" of the outbreak. "Vaccination is known to extinguish the fire of contagion," the judge said. SECRET IDENTITIES The vaccination order, which was extended this week, requires residents of certain affected Brooklyn neighborhoods to obtain the MMR vaccine unless they can otherwise demonstrate immunity to measles, or face a fine. The court challenge was brought in Brooklyn's Supreme Court by five people identified only as parents living in the affected neighborhoods. Their identities were kept confidential to protect their children's' privacy, their lawyers said. In court on Thursday, they told Knipel the city had overstepped its authority and that quarantining the infected would be a preferable approach. Robert Krakow, an attorney for the parents, estimated that just 0.0006 percent of the population of Brooklyn and Queens had measles. "That's not an epidemic," he said. "It's not Ebola. It's not smallpox." The health department's lawyers argued that quarantining was ineffective because people carrying the virus can be contagious before symptoms appear. The judge cited 39 cases diagnosed in Michigan that have been traced to an individual traveling from the Williamsburg community at the epicenter of Brooklyn's outbreak. The surge in measles there originated with an unvaccinated child who became infected on a visit to Israel, where the highly contagious virus is also running rampant. The number of measles cases worldwide nearly quadrupled in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 compared with the same period last year, the World Health Organization said this week. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen in New York; additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; editing by Bill Berkrot and G Crosse) Forensic science officers prepare to inspect the scene of an arson and knife attack by a reportedly schizophrenic man at an apartment building in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Wednesday. /Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji The government will be more actively engaged in treating psychiatric patients who are highly likely to commit acts of violence against others or themselves, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said Friday. The move comes after an arson and stabbing attack Wednesday by a man who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He killed five people and injured 13 at an apartment complex in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province. It also follows the death of renowned psychiatrist Lim Se-won at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul last year who was stabbed by one of his patients suffering from bipolar disorder. After the psychiatrist's death, calls grew for the government to more intensively look into the system of management for patients with serious mental health problems, particularly for those who refuse to get outpatient treatment after leaving hospital, which was the case in the Jinju arson and murder case. Ahn In-deuk, a suspect in an arson and murder case at an apartment in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, is escorted by police officers out of Jinju Police Station, Friday, to receive treatment for an injury to his hands he sustained during an attack on his neighbors, Wednesday. Yonhap Moon Hyung-bae and Lee Mi-sun President Moon Jae-in on Friday moved ahead with the appointments of two new constitutional justices, dismissing fierce protests by conservative opposition parties. Moon's decision heralds the deepening of ongoing political strife, as the opposition bloc is threatening to boycott all parliamentary sessions. While on a trip to Central Asia, the president used the electronic approval system to install the duo Lee Mi-sun and Moon Hyung-bae into the nine-member bench of the Constitutional Court. "President Moon authorized the appointments of the two constitutional justices through electronic signing in Uzbekistan, where he's on a state visit, to prevent a vacuum in the justice seats even for a day," Yoon Do-han, senior presidential secretary for public relations, told reporters. Lee and Moon are replacing Cho Yong-ho and Suh Ki-suk, both of whom retired on Thursday after six-year terms. The Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Bareunmirae Party (BMP) have opposed the nomination of Lee, in particular, citing her suspicious personal stock transaction records. She had long served as a district judge. The pile of debris from the deadly crash of Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 737 Max 8 in March. AP-Yonhap By Oh Young-jin The way Boeing Co. is handling the aftermath of the two recent deadly crashes of its passenger jets bears a worrisome resemblance to Korea's ham-fisted management of the April 16, 2014, sinking of the ferry Sewol, the nation's worst peacetime disaster. What can make the Boeing case worse is its alleged failure to act quickly after the first disaster so as to prevent the second. The world's leading passenger aircraft maker's troubles involve its 737 Max 8 jets, while the Sewol was a maritime tragedy. What brings the two different types of mishaps together is complacency, incompetence and crassness shown by Boeing and its leader, reminding one of what went wrong leading to Korea's sea disaster that killed 304 people, mostly high school students on a field trip. On Oct. 29, a 737 Max 8 jet of Indonesia's Lion Air crashed into the Java Sea near Jakarta, killing all 189 passengers and crew. Less than five months later, on March 10, an Ethiopian Airlines Max 8 crashed just outside Addis Ababa, killing all 157 on board. A problem with anti-stall software has been singled out as the cause of both crashes. After the first crash, Boeing dragged its feet, failing to advise 56 operators to ground 350 Max 8s. The second crash prompted a worldwide grounding of the planes and Boeing then committed publicly to changing the software. But Boeing was still not taking resolute action. Boeing CEO Dennis A. Muilenburg Without waiting for Boeing's advice, Chinese aviation authorities stopped the operation of about 100 Maxes in service with its carriers. President Donald Trump gave the grounding order in the U.S. when none was coming from Boeing or federal authorities. The Max is an upgrade of the 737 model that dates back to the 1960s. Needless to say, Boeing's slow response stems in no small part from complacency. U.S. aviation authorities also can't escape responsibility because it is their job to ensure aircraft meet the highest safety standards. Boeing and the authorities have to prove they didn't take the Max's new safety features for granted and gave them as rigorous a test as they should. After all, they were so familiar with 737s. Financial Times business commentator John Gapper wrote a column titled "Boeing's hubris blinded it to a danger," a mitigation report about his earlier ill-placed show of faith in Boeing and authorities after the Max mishaps. In the case of the Sewol, a second-hand ship imported from Japan, renovation for extra cabins and overloading required the extra discharge of ballast water, depriving the ship of "restorative" power to prevent it capsizing during a fatal sharp turn. The operator, Chonghaejin Marine, ignored pleas from some of the crew and became complacent because its practices earned it more money and there had not been any major incidents. It took one Sewol mishap to bring down the government of Park Geun-hye whose incompetence was illustrated in the mishandling of the disaster. Some blamed the loss of a "golden hour" rescue opportunity on Park's unaccounted-for seven hours after the incident. Public anger partially fueled the candlelight vigils that led to her impeachment. During her visit to distressed families hoping for rescue news, Park infamously pointed to government officials and staff, "They are here to take the blame for anything going wrong," while excusing herself. It made her an object of public ridicule. Nadia Milleron, mother of Samya Stumo, reacts during a news conference where attorneys for the family announced a lawsuit against Boeing, Thursday, April, 4, in Chicago. Stumo died in the March 10 crash of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 jet shortly after takeoff. AP-Yonhap The families of the 157 who died in the second crash must have felt a great deal of pain because if Boeing had acted promptly, their loved ones could have been saved. But it didn't. And in his videotaped message, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg sounded similar to Park. "We remain confident in the fundamental safety of the 737 Max," he said. "When the Max returns to the skies with the software changes to the MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System)?function, it will be among the safest airplanes ever to fly." Did Muilenburg or his staff think of the anguish felt by the families of those killed when issuing this crass statement defending its product? It may be true that the software update will bring back the Max but how does Muilenburg plan to bring back the dead? No software changes will restore any of the 346 lost lives. He also said: "We at Boeing take the responsibility to build and deliver airplanes to our airline customers and to the flying public that are safe to fly This is what we do at Boeing." We disagree. By and large his statement is aimed at assuaging shareholders and Muilenburg is having modest success, if a recent rebound in the Boeing share price is any indication. Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft are parked at the Southern California Logistics Airport on March 27, in Victorville, California. AFP-Yonhap For more than a decade, 29-year-old Atankot Stutau was one of the leaders of Jewish Community in Gondar, Ethiopia. Until recently he served as the community cantor and Hebrew teacher, and even baked Passover matzah for the Jews in the city. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter But for Atankot, this Seder night is not like all other Seder nights, for this year he will celebrate the first night of Passover in Israel, with his family in Beit Shemesh. Atankot Stutau preparing for Passover with his family in Beit Shemesh (Photo: Yariv Katz) Stutau was born in a small village near Gondar. He lost his parents as a very young child and was adopted by his mother's sister. "From a very young age I knew I was a Jew, and was raised as a Jew. My aunt and uncle made aliyah to Israel 11 years ago, and since then my 34-year-old brother and I have celebrated the Jewish holidays and struggled to make aliya to Israel, which is our country," said Stutau. Aynaw Ahila, a student and former IDF soldier, met Stutau when visiting the Jewish community in Gondar. "I visited Ethiopia four years ago," he said. "Atankot was the cantor of the community. He is an amazing young man. He knows Halacha (Jewish law) and teaches and educates children as well as adults in Gondar." According to Stutau, the preparations for Passover in Gondar begin a month in advance. "We bought the flour and then I took it to a local mill and for three weeks we baked a very large amount of matzah - enough for the entire community of almost 6,000 people." Atankot Stutau with the matzot in Gondar, Ethiopia (Photo: Gal Zaira) For Stutau, who is celebrating his first Seder night in Israel, the approaching holiday is the cause of great excitement. "I will not have to celebrate Passover in the Diaspora," he saidd. "I truly hope that all those who are waiting will also immigrate to Israel, and I am happy that my 91-year-old grandfather, my brother and I will celebrate the holiday together with our family in Beit Shemesh." Alisa Bodner, a spokeswoman for the Struggle for Ethiopian Aliyah, joined Stutau in calling on the government to help the rest of the Jews in Ethiopia come to Israel. "The first Passover for the new immigrants in Israel is celebrated with great joy mixed with sadness," she says. "The new immigrants, some of whom waited for more than a decade (to make aliyah), finally arrived in Israel. On the other hand, there are close to 8,000 community members still waiting so that they too can celebrate the next Passover holiday in Israel together with their families." She added: "We demand that the government implement its 2015 decision and bring the rest of the Ethiopian Jews to Israel, so that the famous line we recite at Passover, 'Next Year in Jerusalem,' is not just a prayer but also a reality." Legend has it that when George Mallory was asked why he decided to climb Everest, the British mountaineer replied: "Because it's there." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter Mallory was never hailed as the first person to reach the summit of the highest mountain in the world. He vanished in 1924 and his frozen body was only discovered 75 years later some 250m from the top. The Beresheet spacecraft (Photo: SpaceIL/IAI) (Photo: SpaceIL/IAI) Whether he made it or not is one for historians to debate, but it led New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay to claim the title of the first people to scale Mount Everest and return alive in 1953. A few years later, on May 25, 1962, President John F. Kennedy announced that by the end of the decade that the United States would land a man on the moon. "We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard," the president said in his historic speech. Kennedy was murdered, but his vision came true in 1969. When the Israeli spacecraft Beresheet began its journey to the moon, there was quite a bit of criticism: why spend so much money to send a spacecraft to the moon instead of investing in health, education and welfare? Similar criticism was heard when the manned flights to the moon began 50 years ago. The Apollo project was dozens of times more expensive than the modest Israeli spaceship, and was fully funded by the government. Beresheet's last image of the moon before it crashed into the lunar surface When Beresheet slammed into the moon last week, the internet was flooded with jokes about Israeli drivers, Benjamin Netanyahu's election win and even the misstep by politicians Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked that saw them crash out of the Knesset. But despite the criticism and the mockery, it is reasonable to assume that if Beresheet had completed its mission, raising the flag of Israel on the moon and making us the fourth nation ever to land a spaceship there, it would have filled us with tremendous pride, crossing political and sectoral boundaries. True, Likud voters would say that this achievement was down to Benjamin Netanyahu; Meretz and Blue and White voters would claim that he and Sara simply pushed their way into the control room in Yehud, since this was a purely private enterprise; and Shas and United Torah Judaism voters would say that God's hand was behind the success. Yet for a few hours, perhaps even days, we would all have felt proud. Each of us would feel that we played a part in the achievement, even though most of us have no idea how to update software on the computer, let alone send a spaceship to the moon. For a few hours, perhaps even days, we would all have been Israeli together. Not rightists or leftists; not "Just Bibi" or "Just not Bibi" - just Israelis. And in these bad times, that's no small matter. Morris Kahn, left,with the Beresheet team (Photo: Yariv Katz) At the weekend, Morris Kahn, the billionaire who sponsored the project, announced the launch of Beresheet 2 and promised that the Israeli flag would stand yet on the moon. Netanyahu also promised that the state will participate in the project this time. Here's hoping he will keep his word. True, a moon landing will not add a single bed to a hospital ward or help a single disabled person who lives on a meagre allowance, but it will inspire hundreds of thousands of young people and prove to them, and to all of us, that the sky really is the limit. It is as inspiring as the Israeli scientists who conquered their own personal Everest this week when they created a living heart using a 3D printer. If you want to save the dying health system and the collapsing welfare system, I can propose a variety of alternative sources of funding. But that is a subject for another time. Of course, there is another reason why Israel should go to the moon. Because it is there. Excelsior. Israeli forces demolish two apartments owned by Arafat Irfayia of Hebron, who is suspected of murdering 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher in a forest in Jerusalem last February. The demolition comes after the High Court rejects an appeal against it by the Irfayia family, and marks the first time that the court has approved the demolition of two homes under such circumstances. IDF and Border Police troops, working with the Civil Administration, on Friday morning demolished two apartments owned by Arafat Irfayia of Hebron, who is suspected of murdering 19-year-old Ori Ansbacher in a forest in Jerusalem last February. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The demolition came after the High Court last week rejected an appeal by the Irfayia family, and marks the first time that the court has approved the demolition of two homes under such circumstances. IDF troops raze the home of a suspected terrorist (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Ansbacher, from Tekoa in the West Bank, was attacked and murdered in the forest at Ein Yael on the outskirts of Jerusalem in early February. Ori Ansbacher (Photo: Courtesy of family) The Shin Bet security service said that the attack had a nationalist motive, and that Irfayia left his home in Hebron carrying a knife, saw his victim in the forest, attacked and killed her. IDF troops raze the home of a suspected terrorist (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) Irfayia, 29, was arrested days later in a raid near a mosque in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He is believed to be affiliated with the Hamas terror group and was previously imprisoned for possession of a knife and illegally residing in Israel. A Brooklyn judge rules against a group of parents who challenged New York City's recently imposed mandatory measles vaccination order, rejecting their arguments that the city's public health authority exceeded its authority. In a six-page decision rendered hours after a hearing on the matter, Judge Lawrence Knipel denies the parents' petition seeking to lift the vaccination order, imposed last week to stem the worst measles outbreak to hit the city since 1991. The judge sides with municipal health officials who defended the order as a rare but necessary step to contain a surge in the highly contagious disease that has infected at least 329 people so far, most of them children from Orthodox Jewish communities in the borough of Brooklyn. Yisrael Kostan, an Israeli citizen who immigrated to the United States about three months ago , was shot dead on Wednesday in Los Angeles appareof ntly over a debt of $700. According to reports, the murder suspect is an Israeli friend of the victim. Thousands of Christian pilgrims and clergy members marched through the ancient stone alleys of Jerusalem's Old City, retracing Jesus' path to crucifixion in observation of Good Friday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter The faithful carried wooden crosses high on their shoulders and sang hymns to mark one of Christianity's most solemn and sacred days. Christians from the boys scouts movement walk along the Via Dolorosa on Good Friday (Photo: AP) The confluence of Good Friday and the Jewish holiday of Passover this year led to flocks of tourists and a festive atmosphere in the holy city. A worshipper prays in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Good Friday (Photo: Reuters) Worshippers from all over the world marched slowly along the Via Dolorosa, the cobblestone path that cuts through the Old City, where tradition says Jesus bore the cross to his crucifixion. The pilgrims stopped at several points on the way, re-enacting symbolic moments from Jesus' story. A Catholic pilgrim carries a cross along the Via Dolorosa as he re-enacts the passion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday (Photo: The procession culminates at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe Jesus was buried before his resurrection on what is celebrated as Easter Sunday. Worshippers carry a large wooden cross into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Good Friday (Photo: Reuters) At sundown, Jews gather around dinner tables to tell the story that celebrates their deliverance from slavery in Egypt in Old Testament times. The Chabad-Lubavitch movement, one of the world's largest Jewish religious organizations, has arranged Passover Seders in over 100 countries for Jews who seek them, even in some far-flung corners of the globe, such as Congo and rural Australia. A group of supporters of jailed former President Park Geun-hye hold a rally in front of Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday, calling for her immediate release from prison. Yonhap By Park Ji-won A group of loyalists of jailed former President Park Geun-hye belonging to the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) are demanding her release citing her deteriorating health. However, the ruling and other opposition parties are opposed to the idea. LKP Chairman Hwang Kyo-ahn, who served as the prime minister and justice minister under the Park administration, said Wednesday, "Park has been locked in a prison cell for a long time, and this is tough for a woman. No other former president has been imprisoned for this long." "As she is sick and facing difficult circumstances, I hope that the peoples' wish to free her will be realized soon." His remarks came after Yoo Young-ha, Park's lawyer, submitted a petition to the Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office, Wednesday, asking for Park's immediate release for medical treatment. According to the Criminal Procedure Act, the prosecution can request the Ministry of Justice to temporarily suspend a prisoner's sentence when their health seriously deteriorates behind bars. Park, the predecessor of President Moon Jae-in, was detained March 31, 2017, and later imprisoned for 25 years after she was convicted of abuse of power and on corruption charges. Park's supporters in the LKP have been demanding her release since her imprisonment. After Hwang took over the party leadership in February, pro-Park figures have become more vocal on the issue. Their demand grew stronger after South Gyeongsang Province Governor Kim Kyoung-soo, a long-time confidant of Moon, was released on bail pending an appeal. Kim was found guilty in January on charges of rigging public opinion during the 2017 presidential race. Insiders say the LKP's move is likely to attract the support of people sympathizing with Park ahead of the general election next year. A Realmeter survey showed Thursday that support for the LKP was 32 percent while that for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) was 37.6 percent. Rep. Hong Moon-jong, a key Park loyalist, urged the party to take measures to free Park in a move to attract conservative votes ahead of the election. "The LKP is talking about unifying conservatives to win next year's election. It is not politically acceptable for the party to keep silent about Park's release." Citing Park's deteriorating health, Rep. Min Kyung-wook, an LKP spokesman, urged President Moon Jae-in, Tuesday, to make a "favorable decision" on Park for national harmony. Meanwhile, the other political parties were critical about the call for Park's release as not many supported it. Rep. Hong Ik-pyo, vice spokesman of the DPK, rejected the proposal saying "It is not worth talking about." Lee Jong-chul, a spokesman of the minor opposition Bareunmirae Party also said in a statement: "It is too early to talk about a stay of execution as there is no national consensus on Park." 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. This Nicoise-inspired spring salad is loaded with classic blanched potatoes and green beans, fresh veggies, salty capers and olives, and finished with a creamy shallot vinaigrette. As I write up this post, Easter is just a couple of days away. Everything is feeling very Spring as our flowers have burst open and were experiencing a super-bloom of color here in California after a rainy winter. I was craving something really colorful and fresh this week, and this beautiful Nicoise inspired spring salad was the result. While Italian food is more my forte, we are planning a summer trip to France this year so I have all things French on my mind. This spring salad is colorful, flavorful, unique, and easy to make-ahead. It would be perfect for Easter, Mothers Day, or any spring or summer brunch. Lets check out how to make it! What is Nicoise Salad? Salade nicoise originated in Nice, France. There are many variations on Nicoise salad, but the core ingredients from its inception are: tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, anchovies, and olive oil. According to Wikipedia, It wasnt until about 100 years ago that green beans and potatoes were added. Apparently doing so has remained quite controversial. Nowadays, I often see this salad topped with canned or seared tuna, and Ina even has one with salmon. I love a traditional recipe, but I also love creative updates, and the Nicoise salad seems like the perfect recipe to make your own. In this vegan Nicoise spring salad, weve skipped the seafood and boiled eggs. How to Make Spring Nicoise Salad There are a few steps to making this spring salad. Well need to blanch the green beans and potatoes, cut up the fresh veggies, and make the vinaigrette. Step 1: Boil the Green Beans We do not want mushy cold green beans here! Just 2 minutes should do it. Haricots verts (French green beans) would be even better here, though they cook a little more quickly. And the Potatoes The cooked veggies should be tender but not mushy. Step 2: Ice Bath Immediately submerge the hot green beans and potatoes in an ice bath. This serves two purposes. First, it stops the cooking. Second, it keeps the green beans nice an vibrantly green. Drain and transfer them to a towel to dry. You want to avoid a lot of excess water on them. Step 3: Shallot Vinaigrette for Nicoise Salad Homemade dressing is so easy and so worth taking the time to make. Some other favorites are Lemon Tahini Dressing, Apple Cider Vinaigrette, Avocado Dressing, Orange Vinaigrette, and Oil-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette. For this shallot vinaigrette, everything gets tossed into the blender to combine. The result is smooth and creamy. For the acid, you can use vinegar (Champagne vinegar is lovely here) or lemon juice, depending on preference. I personally prefer vinegar. Step 4: Arrange the Salad This is the fun, creative part. Nicoise salad is typically not tossed. Ingredients are separated in the bowl or platter. I love this idea and its how Ive shown you my favorite Mediterranean Lentil Salad and Greek Chickpea Salad in the past. I like to group ingredients by color keeping like colors apart. For example, the green beans are not right next to the cucumber, but next to highly contrasting tomatoes. Spring Nicoise Salad Tips & Tricks Make this salad and vinaigrette in the morning, cover, and refrigerate until ready. Dont add avocado until just before serving or it may turn brown. Use a variety of colors and textures Nicoise olives are ideal, but if you cant find them, use kalamata If you would like a simpler vinaigrette, skip the shallot and just whisk together olive oil, champagne or white wine vinegar, Dijon, salt and pepper. If you love greens (I do!) serve this spring salad on a bed of arugula or baby lettuces. New Delhi: On the occasion of Good Friday, a renowned sand artist from Bhubaneswar, Odisha paid a heartfelt tribute to Lord Jesus. He shared the picture of his sand art creation at Puri beach in Odisha. Pattnaik prayed for peace and humility amongst all. He mentioned in the caption: My Sand Art on #Good Friday. Prayers may bring Peace & humanity among all. at #puri beach in Odisha. My Sand Art on #GoodFriday .Prayers may bring Peace & humanity among all . at #puri beach in Odisha . pic.twitter.com/UCAVzSnBTu Sudarsan Pattnaik (@sudarsansand) April 19, 2019 Good Friday holds a special significance for Christians as the day marks the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his demise at the Calvary. It is commemorated during the pious week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding the Easter Sunday. A majority of ChristiansAnglican, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, Oriental Orthodox, and Reformed traditions observe Good Friday by keeping a fast and doing church services in remembrance of the almighty lord. Good Friday date varies each year as per both Gregorian and Julian Calendars. It is also known by the name Holy Friday, Great Friday and Black Friday. The good stands for pious or holy. At least one officer of the Delhi Police was injured in an encounter that broke out with a wanted criminal in the national capital on Thursday night. Delhi: One officer of Delhi's Special Staff Team injured in the encounter that broke out between Special Staff Team & a wanted criminal at around 10 pm yesterday near Cross River Mall in Shahdara. pic.twitter.com/IEkc7o0y5a ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019 The firing took place near the Cross River Mall in Shahdara between Delhi Police's Special Staff Team and the criminal. The incident took place at around 10 pm. In 2018, several encounters took place in the national capital. An encounter broke out in New Delhi`s Sarai Kale Khan area on August 1 between the police and a criminal of Neeraj Bhanja gang. After receiving information that criminal Saddam Hussein would be crossing the area, the police came into action and the encounter took place at around 5 am. The criminal suffered bullet injury and was shifted to a hospital. In June, four criminals including wanted gangster Rajesh Bharti were gunned down in an encounter with the Delhi Police Special cell in Chhatarpur area. The shoot-out, which went on for 25 minutes, also left six police personnel and a gang member injured. The gang members were severely injured in the encounter and taken to a hospital where they died. Acting on a tip-off, a trap was laid that resulted in the death of the four criminals. NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has allegedly threatened to blow up several railway stations across Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. The letter, issued by Jaish-e-Mohammed area commander Mansoor Ahmed, is written in Hindi and was sent to senior Railways authorities. One such letter was addressed to Vivek Kumar, Divisional Rail Manager of Firozpur division, Northern Railway. In the letter, JeM states that it would avenge the killings of its jehadis (militants) by exploding bombs at Firozpur, Jalandhar, Faridkot, Amritsar and Barnala railway stations on May 13. The proscribed terrorist group also threatened to blast Rajasthans railway stations, bus stands and military bases in Jaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Sriganganagar on May 13. Another letter sent to Railway authorities in Uttarakhand threatening to blow off Roorkee, Haridwar and 10 more railway station in the state on May 6. Authorities informed Uttarakhand Police about this. Security has been beefed up across the three states following the threats. The Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) are conducting joint operations at the targetted railway stations. Trains and passenger luggage are being thoroughly checked and scanned for explosives. After a letter from Jaish-e-Mohammed threatening to target Punjab and Rajasthan railway stations, we launched a joint operation with RPF to search and check suspicious elements at railway stations. Nothing major found yet, said Mamta Vishnoi, Government Railway Police (GRP) Superintendent, Jodhpur. Over 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir after a vehicle carrying 100 kg explosives rammed into the bus of the CRPF personnel on February 14. JeM took the responsibility of the attack, just hours after the incident. On February 26, the IAF struck a JeM terror training camp in Pakistan, in response to the Pulwama attack, eliminating several terrorists. By Lee Min-hyung Hwang Kyo-ahn, chief of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party President Moon Jae-in appointed two disputed nominees as Constitutional Court justices Friday, despite a fierce objection from conservative parties. The appointments of the liberal-minded Lee Mi-sun and Moon Hyung-bae as new Constitutional Court members drew an immediate political backlash. The largest conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) vowed to stage an all-out protest against the liberal President. It said it will hold a rally in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul, Saturday, to denounce what it called a "dictatorship by leftists." Political turmoil is expected to deepen over the controversial appointments. The conservative parties had urged Moon to withdraw the nominations, particularly for Lee, citing her involvement in a massive stock trading scandal. Cheong Wa Dae said President Moon pushed ahead with the appointments by using an electronic approval system, as he is on now a state visit to three Central Asian countries. This allows the two justices to immediately sit on the court's nine-member bench. The LKP expressed its deep regret, saying the decision was a step to reinforce Moon's "dictatorship." "The appointment is like completing the last piece of a puzzle from the leftist dictatorship," LKP floor leader Rep. Na Kyung-won said. "Nine out of six constitutional justices are within the pro-Moon faction." "The Moon Jae-in administration does not have to struggle to revise laws at the National Assembly," she said. She added that the incumbent administration is seeking to make laws unfavorable to the government unconstitutional by sending them to the Constitutional Court. The main opposition party has urged Moon to remove senior presidential secretary for civil affairs Cho Kuk and senior secretary for personnel affairs Cho Hyun-ok for lax personnel verification. Hubli, Karnataka: Karnataka chief minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Kumaraswamy hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, day after the later questioned if the vote bank of Congress-JDS coalition is in Pakistan's Balakot. PM Modi says Im not patriotic. I dont need to learn patriotism from Modi. When Deve Gowda was PM there wasnt a single blast in Kashmir. Thats our heritage. So dont brand me, you have no right, he said. Taking a jibe at PM Modi, Kumaraswamy said, BJP has stated in the manifesto that they will run a corruption-free government. What corruption free? Did Modi sell tea around the country and make the party rich? This claim of corruption free government of his is fake. "Around 78 lakhs (rupees) was recovered from one BJP leader in Karwar. Where did this money come from?" he asked. His comments came a day after PM Modi mocked the "never ending drama" characterising the Congress-JDS coalition government headed by Kumaraswamy. If you want to see majboot sarkar (strong government) look towards Delhi, and if you want to see majboor (helpless) government look towards Bengaluru," he told a rally in Karnataka's Bagalkot. "Now tell me, Where is Congress and the JD(S) vote bank? Is it in Bagalkot or Balakot? This Congress-JD(S) has to decide," the prime minister said. At his Chikkodi rally, Modi said, "your vote will decide whether those chanting Bharat Mata ki jai will be respected or tukde tukde will come amidst you and chant slogans about Bharat ke barbadi. Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, 14 constituencies went to polls in the second phase of general elections on April 18. The remaining 14 seats will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. Bhojpuri superstar Dinesh Lal Yadav (Nirahua) on Friday asserted that those who are supporters of the BSP and SP also want Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country. Yadav will be contesting as a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate from the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat and is pitted against Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav. "It is very good that before Netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) has been an MP from here (Azamgarh)," said Nirahua. Akhilesh Yadav is seeking election from the seat won by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav in the 2014 general election. Mulayam Singh Yadav had bagged Azamgarh along with the Mainpuri seat, which he had represented thrice earlier in 1996, 2004 and 2009. He later chose to retain Azamgarh. Polling in Azamgarh is slated for the sixth phase on May 12. In an exclusive interview to Zee News, Nirahua asserted that PM Modi understood the pain of the women and provided gas connections and toilets. "The PM understood the pain of the women and provided gas connections. Every house has a toilet now. We've just come. When we become an MP, we'll tell what work we'll do. We've come to select our Prime Minister," said Nirahua. Slamming the SP, Nirahua levelled allegations that it is a dynast party. He added is not the BJP but the people of SP who are doing a conspiracy. Training his guns at Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Nirahua accused him of never having seen poverty. "On the other hand there is Rahul Gandhi who hasn't seen poverty," added Nirahua. "I do not know what my connection is with God. I did the first ticket show in Azamgarh. From here the trend started that they used to do my show instead of movies," further said Nirahua. "After I did a lot of films I realised that the kind of films I wanted were not being made, so I started my production house. It is God's grace that I am connected with Azamgarh. I have made an academy here thirugh which I will always be connected from this place. I'm connected to people with heart," further added Nirahua. KOLKATA: Amid high-decibel campaigning in West Bengal, several BJP candidates contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election across the state have been allegedly targeted by the workers and supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) party. According to reports, BJP's candidate from the Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency Samik Bhattacharya was attacked and his central election working office was allegedly ransacked by the TMC workers. Meanwhile, Chandi Charan Rai, the general secretary, BJP Kolkata North Suburban District was allegedly beaten up by miscreants. Charan was so badly beaten up that he was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. West Bengal: Office of BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Dum Dum, Samik Bhattacharya, was ransacked. BJP members were attacked, a leader Chandi Charan Rai has been admitted to hospital. More details awaited pic.twitter.com/GdO192fmHL ANI (@ANI) 19 April 2019 In a similar incident, BJP's Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee's rented house in Bandel was ransacked by some miscreants on Friday morning, news agency ANI reported. Kolkata: BJP's Hooghly candidate Locket Chatterjee's rented house in Bandel was ransacked by miscreants today morning; BJP blames TMC workers for the incident. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/Mfaxl4GTQx ANI (@ANI) 19 April 2019 The BJP, which is trying to make inroads in the Mamata Banerjee-ruled state, has blamed the TMC workers for the recent attack on its candidates and workers. Claiming the attack on its workers and candidates a handiwork of the ruling TMC, the BJP has threatened to file a complaint in this regard and demanded strict action the culprits. During the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, violence was reported from several areas across West Bengal. In Raiganj, the car of a CPI(M) candidate Md Salim was attacked when he went to a polling booth at Islampur in Uttar Dinajpur. The ruling Trinamool Congress has denied the allegations of attack on BJP or CPM candidates and called it a tactic to defame the ruling party. In view of reported clashes between the TMC and BJP workers, the Election Commission had deployed 194 companies of central forces to cover 80 per cent of the over 5,000 booths in the three Lok Sabha seats where polling was held in the second phase on April 18. AZAMGARH: Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav coined a new battle slogan to counter Prime Minister Narendra's chaiwala (tea seller) catchphrase. If PM Modi is chaiwala, then we are doodhwala. Without good milk, good tea cannot be made, said the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister while addressing a rally at Baitholi bypass after filing his nomination from Azamgarh parliamentary constituency for the Lok Sabha election 2019 on Thursday. Targetting PM Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the SP chief said, BJP is calling the alliance of SP, Bahujan Samaj Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal as Mahamilawat. And what will be the coalition of 38 parties be called? Ahead of the general election, SP, BSP and RLD announced their alliance on March 6. BSP is contesting on 38 seats, SP on 37 and RLD on three seats in Uttar Pradesh. In a subtle reference to UP CM Yogi Adityanath while urging voters to remove the "dictatorial" BJP government in the state, Yadav said, BSP, RLD and SP will hold a new history. First the chowkidar will go away from the country and then the thekedar too. The BJP showed just dreams to everyone, but did not even complete the work. BJP's talk starts with the toilet and ends there. In any case, there is no special difference between the Congress and BJP in the matter of toilets. If one digs a pit for the toilet then the other has two crates, said the 45-year-old SP chief. The SP chief said Azamgarh is the 'karmabhoomi' of 'samajwadis' and that the SP-BSP-RLD coaliton is an alliance of 'mahaparivartan' (grand change) and not 'mahamilawat' (adulteration) as alleged by the BJP. Thousands of BSP supporters joined SP chief and raised slogans like `Kaam bolta hai` (work speaks). Akhilesh Yadav is seeking election Azamgarh, a seat won by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav in the 2014 general elections. The BJP has pitted Bhojpuri superstar Nirahua or Dinesh Lal Yadav against him. Uttar Pradesh is witnessing polling during all seven phases of the election. The first and second phases were held on April 11 and April 18. The next phases are scheduled to be held on April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. The votes will be counted on May 23. Congress leader Hardik Patel was slapped by an unidentified person on Friday while he addressing a poll rally at a village in Surendranagar district of Gujarat. A ruckus took place on the stage as all present on dais tried to pull the man away. Patel filed a complaint with the police after he was slapped. The incident was captured on cameras and quickly it spread online. As soon as Hardik Patel started his speech at Baldana village under Wadhwan taluka, a man suddenly came on the stage and slapped him. The man, who looked angry and was seen saying something to Hardik Patel after slapping him, was overpowered by pary workers. He was also beaten and taken away from the venue. He was handed over to the police. The man, who is yet to be identified, was thrashed following the incident and was later admitted to the hospital. Congress candidate for the Surendranagar Lok Sabha seat, Soma Patel, was present on the dais when Hardik Patel was assaulted. According to Surendranagar SP, Mahendra Bagadia, the man is yet to be identified. "We are yet to investigate who the man was and why he slapped Hardik. No one has lodged a complaint with us yet. We are investigating the matter," Bagadia told news agency PTI NEW DELHI: Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi Friday quit the party two days after the leaders who had misbehaved with her were reinstated in the organisation. Chaturvedi sent her resignation to former Congress chief and UPA president Sonia Gandhi. The senior leadership has reached out to her. Before leaving the party, she left the All India Congress Committee (AICC) WhatsApp media group and all other internal groups of the party. She also changed her Twitter and Instagram bios, removing any reference to AICC and the Congress. The development comes two days after the Congress spokesperson's outburst over the party's decision to revoke the suspension of the Congress workers who misbehaved with her. Chaturvedi said it is saddening that those who threatened her have got away without even "a rap on their knuckles". "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get preference in Indian National Congress over those who have given their sweat and blood. Having faced brickbats and abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate," read Priyanka's tweet, along with which she also shared the Congress' statement of reinstating the suspension of the workers. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) had suspended some of its workers for their unruly behaviour with Chaturvedi in Mathura while she was addressing a press conference on Rafale deal. The orders were reportedly revoked after the intervention by Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia. Hubli: Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Friday questioned if the BJP became rich by selling tea across the country.Hitting out at the BJP over its manifesto while addressing media here, Kumaraswamy said, "BJP has stated in the manifesto that they will run a corruption-free government. What corruption free? Did Modi sell tea around the country and make the party rich? This claim of corruption free government of his is fake." "Around 78 lakhs (rupees) was recovered from one BJP leader in Karwar. Where did this money come from?" he asked.Kumaraswamy further said that he does not need to take lessons from Modi on patriotism. Kumaraswamy`s comments come after Modi slammed Congress and JD(S), which are in a coalition in Karnataka, over the February 26 Balakot air strike, accusing the two parties of misleading the people by "calling Balakot as Bagalkot". "Modi says I am not patriotic. I don`t need to learn patriotism from Modi. When Deve Gowda was the Prime Minister, there was not a single blast in Kashmir. That is our heritage. So do not brand me, you have no right," Kumaraswamy said. "In speech after speech, he (Modi) talks about Balakot strikes. He says Pakistan is quaking. We know that Karnataka does not border with Pakistan. He (Modi) went to Pakistan and god knows what all he promised there", he added.On Thursday, while mentioning the Balakot air strike, Modi had said: "We had attacked terror camps in Pakistan. But some here were crying (for proof). Some people had even said that it was an attack in Bagalkot and not Balakot. Is your vote bank in Bagalkot or Balakot?"Responding to a question on whether BJP leader Jagadish Shettar`s reported remark that he wanted to bring Gowda`s wife Chennamma into politics, Kumaraswamy termed it as "weird" and something which "pained him". "Jagadish Shettar said something which has pained me. He said Deve Gowda wants to bring his wife into politics. This is weird. She is not political. But she has worked for the poor in her 80 years of life with no political ambition," he said. Continuing his tirade against the Prime Minister, Kumaraswamy accused Modi of twisting his comments on the Pulwama terror attack."Modi said I shed tears for Pakistan. That is untrue. I shed tears when I saw the state of affairs in the house of a martyr (who died in Pulwama attack). He twisted even that. He called me a traitor because he wanted to hurt my sentiments," the Karnataka Chief Minister said."What wrong did I say when I stated that some of the soldiers come from poor families? Not all make it to be Generals and not all are from well off families. Is it so difficult for Modi to understand?" he said. Kumaraswamy was referring to the comments he had made in a public gathering in Madduru on April 12, where he came down heavily on Modi for "politicising" the sacrifices made by the armed forces."Those who safeguard the borders are not children of rich people. They are children from poor families who cannot afford two square meals. However, here is a Prime Minister who politicises their ultimate sacrifice," he had said in the rally. Asserting that he does not do "politics" like Modi, Kumaraswamy accused the BJP of not letting the government function smoothly.Further taking a swipe at Modi, Kumaraswamy said, "I have waived off farmers` loans. As a Prime Minister, you should not speak like that (JD-S and Congress have not done anything for farmers). I do not speak lies like Modi."Calling Modi as an "incapable Prime Minister", Kumaraswamy criticised the BJP government for not creating enough jobs."The Prime Minister yesterday made many allegations against me by saying ours is a powerless government. But, what about his government? We are not running an incapable government like Modi. You are an incapable Prime Minister who is not capable to create jobs," he said. Kumaraswamy also blamed media for giving more importance to Sumalatha Ambareesh, who is an Independent candidate supported by BJP. "Cinema actors like Darshan and Yash started melee trend in Karnataka who stopped their jobs and were campaigning for a lady who was shown as a taller leader than PM Modi," he said. Out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, 14 constituencies went to polls during the second phase of general elections on April 18.The remaining 14 seats will go to polls in the third phase on April 23. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. BHOPAL: The Election Commission may not bar Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP candidate from Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, from contesting in the Lok Sabha election, sources told Zee News. The ban cannot be imposed under current laws, added the source. According to the law, any citizen above 25 years of age is eligible to contest polls unless convicted for any crime, which involves punishment for two or more years. Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla had approached the EC, seeking a ban against Thakur contesting poll over alleged terror charges against her. I would humbly request the Election Commission of India to take further necessary steps to uphold the Model Code of Conduct 2019 and take appropriate action against Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and debar her from contesting elections, said Poonawalla in a letter to the poll panel, adding, a candidate accused with terror links must not be permitted to contest elections." Thakur joined BJP earlier this week and was named as the party candidate from Bhopal parliamentary seat on Wednesday. Facing-off against her would be Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh. Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in 2008 Malegaon blast case, which killed six people and injured dozen others. A bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra`s Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was in jail for nine years and was granted bail in 2017 over health grounds. She faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. While interacting with BJP workers and media in Bhopal on Thursday, Thakur broke down as she recalled the `torture` faced in the custody. "Police kept me in illegal custody for 13 days. Right from the first day, without asking me anything, they hit me with belts. It was not easy to handle the torture. The whole body gets swollen, gets numb," she said. "I am not recounting my pain to you but what I am trying to say is that no woman should have to go through what I did. While hitting me, they used to abuse me." Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. The results will be announced on May 23. NEW DELHI: The second phase of the Lok Sabha election 2019, polling for which was held on Thursday in 95 constituencies, registered an estimated voter turnout of 69.04 per cent across 11 States and one Union Territory. The second phase of polling was marred with sporadic incidents of violence across a few states including West Bengal. In 2014, the overall figure was 69.62%. According to the Election Commission, which released the estimated parliamentary constituency wise data for the second phase of 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Manipur recorded the highest turnout of 81.09 per cent, while J&K recorded the lowest turnout of 45.64 per cent. Manipur was followed by West Bengal where a turnout of 80.72 per cent was recorded. West Bengal was closely followed by Assam with 78.74 per cent and Odisha with 71.93 per cent. The total voter turnout for the 2nd phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bihar was 62.52%, Uttar Pradesh - 62.39% and Chhattisgarh - 74.95%. Tamil Nadu, which voted in without towering leaders Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi, recorded an average turnout of 71.87 per cent in the 38 constituencies. Polling in the Vellore constituency was cancelled due to the alleged use of money power to influence voters. Besides, an average of 71.62% voters turned out to exercise their franchise in the 18 Assembly seats where by-polls were held simultaneously. The outcome in these seats along with four other constituencies, which will have by-polls on May 19, will determine the fate of the AIADMK government that is surviving on a thin majority. Election to Tripura (East) was also postponed to April 23 because of security concerns. Odisha recorded 71.93 per cent voter turnout during the second phase of polling held in five Lok Sabha and 35 assembly constituencies. Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest voter turn-out of 77.57 per cent, while Aska posted the lowest voting of 66.30 per cent during the polling held on Thursday, according to an election official. Voter turnout stood at 72.42 per cent in Bolangir parliamentary seat, while it was 71.44 per cent in Sundargarh and 72.88 per cent in Kandhamal, he said. In Maharashtra, where polling was held across 10 constituencies, a voter turnout of 62.72 per cent was recorded, with Hingoli seat witnessing the maximum polling of around 66.60 per cent. Fourteen seats in Karnataka also went to polls along with 10 in Maharashtra, eight in Uttar Pradesh, five each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha, three each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, two in Jammu and Kashmir and one seat each in Manipur and Puducherry. For 543 seats, Lok Sabha polls are being conducted in seven phases: April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting will take place on May 23. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that fielding of Pragya Singh Thakur, an accused in the Malegaon blast case, as BJP candidate from Bhopal was a symbolic answer to all those who labelled the rich Hindu civilization as "terrorist" and asserted that "this symbol will prove costly for the Congress". The PM said that the Congress works with a certain "modus operandi" to create false narratives on incidents such as Samjhauta Express blast and death of judge BH Loya. While defending the fielding of Thakur, who is on bail in the blast case, PM Modi asked why no such questions are being asked when Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are contesting from Amethi and Rae Bareli constituencies, respectively, despite being on "bail". "One woman, that too a `sadhvi`, was humiliated in such a manner," the PM said in an interview to a TV news channel while answering a question on fielding of Thakur in the Lok Sabha elections. "Samjhauta Express verdict came. What came out? Without any evidence, a rich civilization as old as 5000 years, which gave the message of `the whole world is one`? You called such a civilization terrorist? To give a reply to all such people, this (fielding of Thakur) is a symbol and this symbol will cost Congress dearly," the Prime Minister added. Thakur joined the BJP on Wednesday and soon after was fielded as its candidate from Bhopal against Congress leader Digvijay Singh. "In Amethi, they (Congress) have a candidate (Rahul Gandhi) who is on bail, in Rae Bareli, they have a candidate (Sonia Gandhi) who is on bail, but there is no debate on that. But if the candidate from Bhopal is on bail, there is so much of outcry," the PM said and asked, "how can this go on?" The PM went on to add, "I have lived in Gujarat. I have understood the Congress modus operandi. Like a film script, they write a script. They locate something, then bring a villain and a hero and make a film. This is their modus operandi.. It is part of that modus operandi." Because of the "same modus operandi" of the Congress, "all the encounters were presented like that (as fake)?. Justice Loya died a natural death but because of this kind of modus operandi, such a case was built as if he had been murdered. On EVM issue also, they used the same modus operandi," he charged. Attacking the Congress, he referred to the 1984 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated. "Her (Indira`s) son (Rajiv Gandhi) said when big tree falls, the earth shakes. After that thousands of Sikhs were massacred in Delhi. Was it not terrorism of certain people? Even after that he (Rajiv Gandhi) was made the Prime Minister. The neutral media never asked any question with regard to that but is asking now," Modi said. "Those who were eye witnesses of those killings were later made ministers.. One of them was recently made the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, against whom there have been allegations. Were they ever asked? Those who have been convicted are being hugged even in jail," he said, and posed, "Do they (Congress) have any right to raise questions?" The Public Security Department in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province, has detected foreign spies who defrauded Chinese college students to steal China's military secrets. Police officers found college students, especially those in key Chinese universities majoring in politics, economy, national defense, science and technology, are the main targets of overseas intelligence organizations, Henan-based City Channel television reported on Tuesday. "College students' awareness of national security is weak, and they are more likely to believe lies told by foreign spies," the channel reported, citing an officer. In one case, a freshman surnamed Li was taken by police officers in January for sending materials including photos of magazines related to China's military to a foreign spy. The spy used a fake name of Chen Yichen. According to police officers, Chen added Li as an online friend on China's popular social media platform QQ. He lied to Li by claiming he had lived abroad for a long time and planned to do a survey on military-civilian integration projects. He promised Li a considerable amount of money for providing him with relevant information. Li did not realize Chen was a foreign spy and agreed to help him. Li took many pictures of military magazines from the navy and air force, which were stored in libraries in his school and hometown, and received 2,900 yuan ($434) from Chen as payment. "The intelligence could be used for directed sabotage, posing a serious threat to national security," an intelligence security expert anonymously told the Global Times on Thursday. For example, if a spy obtains classified specification on a weapon, maybe only through a photo, an enemy may analyze it and know the weapon's weaknesses, according to the expert. Compared to Li, the political awareness of Zhang Wei (pseudonym), a college student in Zhengzhou, is higher. Zhang added an online friend calling himself Wang Xiang. Zhang realized that Wang was a foreign spy as the latter kept emphasizing he could pay Zhang a lot of money in exchange for information about China's military and politics. Zhang called the police who later confirmed Wang was a foreign spy. "When you realize the spy is deceiving you into providing classified information and want to stop, the spy may threaten you to continue, or he or she will give your personal information to police as you have already done illegal things, or exploit any possible vulnerability he or she finds during your interactions," said the expert. "My cousin and I once had a lesson concerning counterintelligence in our hometown," Xu Xin, a Chinese international student studying in the UK, told the Global Times on Thursday. Xu said the students whose parents worked in the government or in companies related to national security would often take a counterintelligence lesson. "Our teacher told us to be alert when strangers asked us to take photos of our hometown which has a military base," Xu said. By Scott Martelle The New Hampshire state Senate voted Thursday to end the death penalty in the "Live Free or Die" state, following a similar vote in the state House of Representatives last month. Margins in both houses were large enough to overcome a veto should Gov. Chris Sununu try to block the measure, as is expected. Last year, he vetoed a similar measure, which the Legislature failed to override. So it's all over but the shouting, at least in New Hampshire. California, of course, still has the death penalty, though Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced a moratorium for as long as he's in office _ a significant though symbolic gesture, at least for now, given that the federal courts have shut down the execution chamber at San Quentin over legal issues with the state's lethal-injection protocol. Newsom also withdrew the state's proposed single-drug execution protocol, which adds yet another delay in the eventual resumption of capital punishment here. Interestingly, conservatives across the country have begun to tip the balance on the death penalty and other efforts at criminal justice reform. A traditionally reflexive, hard-line law-and-order ethos has thawed for many, leading to sentencing reforms for lower-level crimes as well as efforts to end capital punishment on grounds, in essence, that it is expensive and likely to lead to the executions of some innocent people. In fact, the New Hampshire vote, should it end where it seems to be headed in a ban on the death penalty, marks the third time in recent months in which capital punishment has run into a state wall. In addition to Newsom's moratorium, the Washington Supreme Court declared last year that state's death penalty was unconstitutional because it is "racially biased." That followed a 2014 moratorium by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee. In New Hampshire, the Legislature's move puts into law what had already been the practice. The state has only one person on its death row, and it has not managed to execute anyone in more than a century. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, New Hampshire would be the 21st state to formally end the death penalty. Including states that have a death penalty that hasn't been used in more than a decade, we're at 31 states. Meanwhile, about 45 percent of Americans say they believe that the death penalty is imposed unfairly, according to a Gallup poll from October, which Gallup said was an increase from previous surveys. Those who said they thought it was applied fairly dipped to 49 percent, the lowest level Gallup has recorded since 2000. As a matter of policy, support for capital punishment is 54 percent nationally, which the Pew Research Center says is near historic lows (Gallup has it at 56 percent, near historic lows for its polling as well). In California, a recent Quinnipiac poll found that support for the death penalty had dropped to 41 percent, compared with 48 percent supporting a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole. That implies a seismic shift from 2016, when voters rejected a ballot measure to end the death penalty and voted instead for a regimen that would speed it up. (The courts have rejected key portions of the latter measure.) As the Times editorial board wrote last month, Newsom's moratorium could prove to be a significant force in ending capital punishment in the state as a proposed 2020 ballot measure works its way through the Legislature. "Meanwhile, the will of the people has been shifting," the board wrote. "Last year, California juries imposed only five death sentences, down from 11 the year before and from a peak of 43 death sentences in 1999. As more capital punishment cases get deeper reviews by opponents of capital punishment, more and more people _ 164 since 1973 _ are being exonerated and released from death rows nationwide, including five in California. Newsom already had expanded DNA testing in the highly questionable 1985 conviction of Kevin Cooper that could lead to a sixth exoneration. And about half of the exonerated nationwide are African American, evidence that the system disproportionally affects minorities." Since that editorial appeared on March 13, a mere month ago, another death row exoneration was added to the list _ Clifford Williams Jr., after spending 42 years in Florida prisons. So there does seem to be a slow but significant shift away from capital punishment, a shift that has been too long in the coming. Among the leading nations of the world, we are among the last to abandon such barbaric acts by the government. Let's hope we join the world of the just and sane sooner rather than later. The above commentary appeared in the Los Angeles Times. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. MUMBAI: Hours after she joined Shiv Sena, former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi on Friday said that she will continue to highlight the failures and shortcomings of the NDA government with her songs despite her party being an ally of the ruling BJP at the centre. Speaking to ANI, Priyanka Chaturvedi said, ''If you see Shiv Sena also, in past 5 years, they've never hesitated from speaking if the government did something wrong.'' The former Congress spokesperson made these remarks when she was asked to comment if she will continue to mock Union Minister Smriti Irani even after joining Shiv Sena. It may be recalled that Priyanka had recently sung a song mocking Irani - the former Union HRD minister - over her controversial educational record. ''Aur gaana main gaate rahungi,'' she said in her reply. Priyanka Chaturvedi when asked on her recent song on Smriti Irani's degree, that will she continue it after joining Shiv Sena, a BJP's ally: If you see Shiv Sena also, in past 5 yrs they've never hesitated from speaking if Govt did something wrong. 'Aur gaana main gaate rahungi' pic.twitter.com/7Bx6nZJd39 ANI (@ANI) 19 April 2019 Earlier, this morning, in a big jolt to the Congress party, Priyanka formally joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai. Thackeray welcomed her at a hurriedly convened media conference and said he was "happy that she had decided to join the Shiv Sena". His son Aditya Thackeray presented her a bouquet and tied her a thread symbolizing `Shiv Bandhan' with several senior party leaders in attendance. Soon afterwards, Chaturvedi, 39, launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of not supporting her when she was treated badly by some Congress activists. "I have served the party (Congress) for 10 years in a selfless manner without asking for anything in return. But the party chose to ignore my complaints though the matter was taken up at the topmost level," Chaturvedi said, addressing the media in Hindi. Chaturvedi said she had expressed her "pain" to the Congress leadership about the reinstatement of colleagues who misbehaved with her. Though Chaturvedi admitted she was a bit disappointed at being overlooked for the Mathura Lok Sabha seat candidature, she insisted that the primary reason for quitting the Congress was the inaction against some activists who had misbehaved with her in the past. Among her immediate priorities, she listed championing the cause of empowering women in politics and other fields besides helping "strengthen and build up Shiv Sena at the national level". Reacting to her exit, Congress national spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, ''Every time a party member leaves, it's a matter of pain for us. People look for career progression. We wish all of them well, including Priyanka Chaturvedi...I must frankly and on record concerned, yes, it's a reflection on my leadership.'' During the press briefing, Mumbai-born and educated Chaturvedi described the city as "my janmabhoomi'' and ''karmabhoomi'', and the 53-year-old Shiv Sena as the `roar` of Mumbai, Maharashtra and rest of the country". On his part, Thackeray said the party would soon identify her responsibilities in Shiv Sena keeping in view her background and experiences and inform the media. Chaturvedi has been a prominent face of the Congress, articulating its viewpoint at press conferences and as a TV panelist. In her letter to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday which became public on Friday, Chaturvedi said that in the last few weeks certain things had convinced her that her services were not valued in the party any more. She said it saddened her that despite the safety, dignity and empowerment of women being promoted by the Congress, "the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party". On Wednesday, Chaturvedi hit out at the Congress for reinstating members who had been suspended recently for misbehaving with her at a press conference in Mathura, saying "those who threatened her within the party got away with not even a rap". (With Agency Inputs) Bhubaneswar: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi deserves the credit for the country's air strike inside Pakistan just as Indira Gandhi was honoured for the success in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Singh, a BJP stalwart, hit out at the Congress for seeking evidence of the outcome of the Balakot air strike by Indian Air Force and said the BJP-led government has been able to effectively isolate Pakistan for sheltering terror elements. He recounted that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was a leader of the Jan Sangh, the former avatar of BJP, had complimented Indira Gandhi for the success in the Bangladesh Liberation war and had said the party would not hesitate to accord its fullest cooperation to Indira Gandhi. "Now, what is wrong in praising Modiji if he gave a fitting reply to Pakistan after the Pulwama terror attack ?" Singh asked while slamming the opposition parties for raising questions when there was nation-wide "euphoria" following the air strike on terror camps inside Pakistan territory. Singh was addressing a series of election meetings in Keonjhar, Cuttack and Puri parliamentary constituencies in Odisha which are going to polls in the third phase on April 23 to bolster the prospects of BJP candidates. "The opposition has been seeking to know the number of terrorists killed in the air strike. How can the jawans count the number when the target is a huge gathering of terrorists? ... Jawans do not count bodies, it is the work of vultures." Claiming that the BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been able to isolate Pakistan in the international community, Singh said, "None other than Narendra Modi can give a befitting reply to Pakistan." He strongly criticised the then Congress government for not taking action against Pak-based terrorists after the Mumbai attack in 2008. The Modi government had, on the other hand, acted promptly and launched an attack on terrorist camps at Balakot in Pakistan within 13 days of the Pulwama attack. "This is the difference between BJP and the Congress," Singh said. Stating that India is no weaker, the senior BJP leader said "We do not attack anyone but if someone attacks us, we do not spare him. "Our policy is very clear. We do not attack anyone, never try to acquire anyone's territory. But if anyone dares to hit us we will not sit idle," Singh said. Apart from strengthening the country's security, Modi has ensured that the country's economy improved. "When BJP came to power in 2014, India's position in terms of the economy was 9th. Now within four and half years, India's place is 6th in the world. We will be among the top three by 2030," he said. Singh urged the people to vote for BJP to ensure speedy development and appealed for the ouster of the BJD government in Odisha for failing to pull the state out of backwardness and poverty. The BJD government of Naveen Patnaik is seeking re-election for the fifth straight time in Odisha, where simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and the assembly are on. Chennai: They lined up patiently to cast their votes in the blazing sun, 156 inmates of a mental health centre here, eager to participate in the electoral process as polling was held in 38 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu Thursday. The inmates, including 56 women, exercised their franchise in a booth exclusively set up for them at the Institute of Mental Hospital (IMH), Kilpauk, probably the first time such patients are voting in the country. The area comes under Central Chennai constituency where the main fight is between former Union Minister and DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran, Sam Paul of PMK under the AIADMK-BJP-PMK combine, Kameela Nasser from Makkal Needhi Maiam floated by actor Kamal Haasan. After casting his vote, a 37-year-old man, battling schizophrenia for the last seven years, said when he stood near the electronic voting machine, he reminisced about the 2001 assembly elections, the last time he voted. "I felt special. I am very happy to vote," he said. He was all praise for students of a local city college (Loyola College) and Election Commission officials for conducting awareness programmes and mock polls on the hospital premises ahead of elections. IMH Director P Poorna Chandrika was elated over the exercise being conducted in the hospital. "This is the first time in the country that such patients are voting and also for the first time an auxiliary polling booth is being set up inside a mental hospital," she told PTI. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences in Bengaluru and Calcutta Mental Hospital also have voters list, but it is not known if they have done something like this, she added. The exercise to add the inmates' names to the electoral roll was initiated in February this year, the director said, adding patients were chosen based on their decision-making capacity. "The components we considered to screen the patients include knowledge of the election process, their thoughts, language and how relevant conversations they can have," Poorna Chandrika said. The 156 inmates, certified "fit-to-vote" in their case sheet, have been either cured or are undergoing treatment. Some are employed inside the hospital while others at the Directorate Of Medical and Rural Health Services in the city, according to hospital officials. After casting his vote, another inmate expressed interest to vote in the 2021 State assembly polls. He has a diploma in mechanical engineering and wanted the government to offer job opportunities to inmates who are skilled and qualified. "Much of the time we are confined to our wards. I want to get out and do something useful. The government must give opportunities for us too," an inmate, who was admitted to the hospital four months ago, said. MUMBAI: Priyanka Chaturvedi joined the Shiv Sena on Friday, hours after resigning from all posts and primary membership of the Congress. The development comes a day after she went public with her resentment against Congress' decision to reinstate leaders who misbehaved with her. Chaturvedi joined Sena in Mumbai's Matoshree in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray and Aditya Thackeray, president of Yuva Sena. Explaining her reasons for quitting Congress, Chaturvedi said that while the party spoke about women safety and empowerment, it failed to act against leaders who harassed her. It is a well thought out decision to join Sena. Maharashtra is my birthplace. I live and breathe this place. It is my honour to be able to serve the state now. I decided to return to Mumbai and serve the people here, more importantly work towards women's rights extensively. I couldn't think of any other party but the Shiv Sena," she said. When asked if she was miffed with Congress on being denied a ticket to contest in the Lok Sabha poll, Chaturvedi said, It is not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket. I was hopeful, but reason to quit the party is not based on candidature. I spent ten years in politics and respect for women remains my top agenda. I was disturbed after goons were reinstated in the party. This meant that me as a party member did not matter to them. Welcoming Chaturvedi in the party, Thackeray said that Shiv Sena workers have got a "good sister" in Chaturvedi. Chaturvedi was upset at the reinstatement of some Congress workers in Uttar Pradesh who had "misbehaved" and "threatened" her during her press conference on Rafale deal in Mathura a few days ago. The Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) had suspended some of its workers for their unruly behaviour but the orders were reportedly revoked after the intervention by Congress General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh West Jyotiraditya Scindia. In a tweet, Chaturvedi said it is saddening that those who threatened her have got away without even "a rap on their knuckles". She also shared the resignation letter on her Twitter handle. NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah are scheduled to address a few more public rallies in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka respectively on Saturday. According to reports, the two leaders will travel separately and address election rallies and hold roadshows in different states and campaign for their party candidates in their respective constituencies. According to the information, PM Modi will travel to West Bengal where he will address a rally Buniadpur. From there, the PM will proceed to Araria in Bihar around noon. Around 4.10 PM, the PM will arrive in UP's Etah to campaign for his party candidate there. In the evening, the PM will travel to Aonla Lok Sabha constituency where he will address an election rally there. Similarly, BJP chief Amit Shah will hold a roadshow around 11 AM in Karnataka's Shimoga on Saturday. From here, Shah will travel to Kerala where he will hold a roadshow in Pathanamthitta around 3 PM. Around 4.30 PM, Shah will arrive in Alappuzha where he will address an election rally there. PM Modi is scheduled to address three-four more rallies ahead of the third and fourth phase of polling in the West Bengal, according to party sources. PM Modi is expected to hold a public rally in South Dinajpur district's Buniadpur and the other in Nadia district's Ranaghat. He may also address a rally in Birbhum district's Colour. PM Modi has already held three rallies in the first week of April in north Bengal's Siliguri and Cooch Behar as well as Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground, while Shah held two rallies in the Darjeeling hills and Raiganj on April 11. Karbi: Army officials in Assam's Karbi district came to the rescue of polling officials who got injured during a road accident here on Thursday night. A police vehicle on election duty met with the accident while escorting a vehicle carrying EVM machines near Bokajan village in Karbi, leaving three policemen and one civilian injured. After the incident, a request was received from ADG Police (Law and Order), Assam, to provide necessary assistance to those injured in the accident. The army immediately swung into action and the Military Hospital at Dimapur was alerted. Patients who had multiple head and chest injuries were immediately resuscitated and admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). A surgical team also attended to the patients and provided necessary treatment. It has now been confirmed by the army that the condition of all the patients is stable and they are out of danger. Five Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam voted during the second phase of polling on April 18. Karimganj(SC), Silchar, Autonomous Districts(ST), Nowgong and Mangaldoi went to polls to decide the fate of 50 candidates. Poonam Sinha, the wife of actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha, is contesting against Union Home Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Rajnath Singh in Lucknow constituency. Poonam is the Samajwadi Party candidate and on Thursday filed her nomination accompanied by Shatrughan Sinha. Although a greenhorn in electoral politics, Poonam sounded confident of giving Rajnath Singh a run for his money in Lucknow where voting will take place in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election on May 6. "When a person decides to fight an election, it should not be seen if he is big or small. We have to contest the election on the issue of development. I have no fear. The people will decide if you are big or small," Poonam told Zee News in an exclusive interview on Friday. The Samajwadi Party leader also added that her primary agenda is to work for the people and help them in overcoming their problems. "It will not take me much time to learn about Lucknow and I will not have any problem," she said. Poonam, a former actress, met Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav at their Lucknow residence on Thursday, after which her candidature was confirmed. Explaining why she joined the Samajwadi Party, Poonam said, "I joined the party to bring a change in the country. Akhilesh is a youth icon and I was impressed with his work." She also added that this election, people want change and the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal alliance will bring that change and Akhilesh's work will be noticed. Ahead of filing her nomination, she held a massive roadshow, which was also attended by Shatrughan Sinha, who is the Congress candidate from Patna Sahib in Bihar. Shatrughan's participation in a Samajwadi Party roadshow received flak, to which he responded by saying, "It is my duty as the head of the family and a husband to support my family." Poonam also added to that and said, "He was fulfilling the duty of a husband. He is from Congress and I'm from SP and this will not make any difference. Fighting separately from Congress will benefit us." She also shared some light on why Shatrughan, a two-time union minister, left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to join Congress. "The BJP that he had joined during the time of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and LK Advani is very different from the BJP of today. During that time, there was no dictatorship in BJP. Hence, he was feeling suffocated in the party." Commenting on the Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi face-off, she added that the better leader will win. Asked if Akhilesh or BSP supremo Mayawati are in the run for the prime minister's chair, Poonam Sinha concluded by saying that the decision will be taken once the election results are declared. New Delhi: Backing Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's theory that Congress might be plotting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said it would be "better that Imran Khan keeps off Indian elections". Speaking to ANI, Madhav said, "Who will be the prime minister of India will be decided by the people of India. We are wise enough; we don't need advisers from across the border. When we come back to power, we know how to deal with our neighbours. We don't need advisers or suggestions from across the border." Sitharaman had told ANI that she believes that Khan's statement on peace talks between the neighbours and resolution to the Kashmir issue would be a possibility if BJP is voted back to power, as merely a ploy by the Congress to oust PM Modi-led government. Earlier, Khan had reportedly said that "there might be a better chance of peace talks with India if Prime Minister Narendra Modi wins the upcoming elections". Responding to a question on whether there is a deliberate attempt to politicise the country`s armed forces, Madhav said, "We are doing so. It is the Opposition which is trying to gain political or electoral mileage by invoking the Balakot issue and raising doubts about our Army's actions. "They are not questioning the government but the very credentials of the Army itself," he said. He also lashed out at former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for opposing the candidature of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur. The general secretary of the BJP said the PDP chief is only "concerned about terrorists and not the citizens of the country". "There are certain laws that guide the process for who can file nomination. The EC will continue to look into these matters and nobody can just go and ask for a person to be banned from contesting election," Madhav told ANI. "You can see how much she is bothered about how terrorists are treated. Such people's criticism has no meaning," he added. The BJP had on Wednesday fielded Thakur, who is facing trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded Digvijaya Singh from the constituency. In a controversial statement, BJP leader Sadhvi Pragya Thakur claimed that Hemant Karkare, the chief of the Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad killed during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, lost his life because she had cursed him. The Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal seat asserted that she had cursed Karkare saying that he will be destroyed completely and he passed away after that. Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case and Karkare was investigating the case. "Hemant Karkare was asked to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," she said. Thakur also alleged that Karkare only wanted to declare her as a terrorist. She further alleged that Karkare had asked her if he should go to God to get proof to convict her. She added that replying to him, she had said that if he feels that it is necessary then he should go. After that Karkare passed away during an operation against terrorists in the Mumbai attack, she said. #WATCH Pragya Singh Thakur:Maine kaha tera (Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga.Theek sava mahine mein sutak lagta hai. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha.Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne isko maara, us din uska anth hua (18.4) pic.twitter.com/COqhEW2Bnc ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 The newly joined BJP leader accused Karkare of abusing her using very foul words. Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. The BJP candidate has been fielded against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh from Bhopal. Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008. She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Thakur has been cleared of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but remains an accused under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. On Wednesday, she formally joined the BJP and will contest against Singh. She is expected to file her nomination from Bhopal on April 23. Bhopal will go to polls on May 12. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. By Andrew Hammond The European Council formally decided, April 15, to reopen trade talks with the United States to try to reach a new transatlantic deal. Yet the process may be doomed from the start with Brussels having also drawn up, separately, a list of U.S. imports worth around $22.6 billion that it could hit with tariffs over a transatlantic aircraft subsidy dispute. The EU moves follow Donald Trump's threat to impose tariffs on EU goods worth $11.2 billion. This would significantly escalate economic and political tensions between the world's biggest trading blocs and underlines the hollowness of the supposed framework trade accord agreed last July between Trump and outgoing European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The transatlantic tension comes at an increasingly difficult moment for world trade, which is slowing partly because of concerns over Trump's protectionist policies. Washington has already placed tariffs of 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports in a dispute with Beijing, although the two sides could yet agree a new dealthis spring. On the EU front, Trump's U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer announced last week a list of goods which could be hit by tariffs in retaliation for EU subsidies to Airbus, the European aerospace manufacturer. This 14-page list includes French cheese, wine, champagne, olive oil and seafood such as oysters, plus aircraft. The latest spike in tensions emanates from a long-running dispute between Airbus and Boeing, the two major civil aerospace operators. These two have been at the center of a tit-for-tat battle over subsidies by their respective governments. While the proposed U.S. tariffs are very small as a percentage of the overall U.S.-Europe trade, they are probably a U.S. negotiating tool to set the tone for wider, important negotiations to come, including in the autos sector. What this underlines is the fragility of the framework trade "accord" agreed by Trump and Juncker last summer. Welcome as the immediate de-escalation of tensions was then, question marks hung over the framework accord from day one and it was an open question whether the ambitions would be realized, despite Trump's claims that the agreement was a "great day for free and fair trade." Part of the reason that many suspected the new accord could fall down is the mercurial nature of the U.S. president whose diplomatic disdain for the EU goes significantly beyond that of any his predecessors in the White House. Indeed, following the Trump's latest gambit, U.S.-EU tensions could easily surface again given that the Brussels-based club appears a deep source of frustration for the president. Last summer, shortly before Juncker's visit, he remarkably declared "I think the EU is a foe, what they do to us [the United States] in trade." While some have dismissed this remark as just another spur-of-the-moment presidential outburst, Anthony Gardner who served as U.S. ambassador to the EU under Barack Obama warned at the time that "Europe [needs to] wake-up: the U.S. wants to break-up the EU...Remember Belgium's motto L-Union fait la force (Unity creates strength)." The contrast here between Trump, with his calls for more "Brexits" within the EU, and U.S. policy at the start of the European integration process could not be starker. Embodied in John Kennedy's 1962 Atlantic Partnership speech, the core U.S. view then was that a united Europe would make future wars in the continent less likely; create a stronger partner for the United States in meeting the challenges posed by the Soviet Union; and offer a more vibrant market for building transatlantic prosperity. Yet, U.S. attitudes have gradually become more ambivalent as integration deepened, particularly in recent Republican administrations. In the economic arena, for instance, the drive toward the European Single Market led to U.S. concerns about whether this would evolve into a "Fortress Europe." Prior to Trump, the George W. Bush administration came closest to questioning the value of European integration. For instance, the controversy over the Iraq conflict saw Washington querying the benefits of EU collaboration in the security and defense arena. On the eve of the NATO defense review in 2003, U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld even drew a distinction between "old" and "new Europe" with the latter perceived as more favorable to U.S. interests. However, while the Bush team eventually recognized the need to draw back from this approach, it appears Trump may not be willing to do the same and has indeed raised the rhetoric several notches. In so doing, one of the features of the current president's approach last year was an incredible attempt to try to prize apart Germany and France, the traditional two motors of EU integration. While the White House's gambit in trying to split Germany and France is most unlikely to succeed, it underlines how U.S. ambivalence about European integration has reached its apotheosis under Trump. The U.S. president remains the first U.S. head of state in history who appears to want to not just weaken, but also splinter, the Brussels-based club, and last week's proposed tariffs could be the opening salvo in new transatlantic tensions. Andrew Hammond ( andrewkorea@outlook.com ) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. Bhopal: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur has cornered herself from the controversial remark she made against Mumbai terror attack martyr Hemant Karkare and said that whatever she said was her "personal pain" but her words have "strengthened the enemies and therefore, she is withdrawing her statement." "I felt that the enemies of the country were being benefited from it, therefore I take back my statement and apologise for it, it was my personal pain," Sadhvi Pragya said. "He died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country, he is certainly a martyr," she added. Pragya Singh Thakur, BJP LS candidate from Bhopal, on her statement on Mumbai ATS Chief late Hemant Karkare: He (Hemant Karkare) died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country, he is certainly a martyr. https://t.co/q3wz0t2FWK ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 The development comes just a few hours after the BJP released a statement saying Sadhvi Pragya's comment is her "personal opinion." "BJP considers him a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya's personal statement which she might have given because of the mental and physical torture she had faced," said BJP. Earlier in the day, the Election Commission of India (ECI) also took cognisance of the matter and ordered an enquiry. Sadhvi Pragya had said that Hemant Karkare was killed during the 26/11 terror attack because she had "cursed" him. Her statement created a huge outrage and she was severely criticised. "Hemant Karkare was asked to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined," she had said. #WATCH Pragya Singh Thakur:Maine kaha tera (Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga.Theek sava mahine mein sutak lagta hai. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha.Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne isko maara, us din uska anth hua (18.4) pic.twitter.com/COqhEW2Bnc ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 The former ATS chief was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. Sadhvi Pragya is an accused in the 2009 Malegaon blast, in which six people were killed and several others were injured. Karkare was the first officer to investigate the blast. The newly-inducted BJP member was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2015 due to lack of evidence. She was granted bail by the Bombay High Court in 2017 but still faces a number of charges. In the Lok Sabha election 2019, the BJP has fielded Sadhvi Pragya from Bhopal against Congress' Digvijaya Singh. New Delhi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan and Ranbir Kapoor have joined forces for a song titled 'Tu Desh Mera'. The track is a tribute by the stars to the martyrs of the ghastly Pulwama terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. The CRPF official Twitter handle lauded and thanked the B-Town celebs for paying a special tribute to the Pulwama martyrs through this heartfelt song. The tweet read: Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs. Commendable work has been done by @SrBachchan, @aamir_khan and #RanbirKapoor for the tribute song #TuDeshMera dedicated to the Martyrs of Pulwama. We would like to thank you all for showing your support towards the Martyrs. pic.twitter.com/sw6MpDP05b CRPF (@crpfindia) April 18, 2019 Bachchan senior, Ranbir and Mr Perfectionist Aamir Khan can be seen shooting for the song in these above BTS (behind-the-scenes) pictures. On February 14, 2019, a convoy of security personnel was attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber in Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir killing as many as 40 CRPF jawans. Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the ghastly attack on soldiers. Adil Ahmad Dar, a local from Pulwama was identified as the suicide bomber. New Delhi: The untimely demise of legendary actress Sridevi shook the nation with grief and sorrow. The first female superstar of Indian cinema breathed her last on February 24, 2018 in Dubai where she had gone to attend the wedding of a relative. Reports suggested that she died of accidental drowning in a hotel's bathtub. Soon after her death, the entire Kapoor clan stood together like a rock and supported Boney and his two daughtersJanhvi and Khushi. Arjun Kapoor provided unconditional support to his father and sisters, acting like a shield in times of crisis. In an interview with Spotboye.com, Arjun Kapoor opened up on life after Sridevi's sudden death and how things changed post the incident. When asked about the way he handled all the pressure and backed his father in need of the hour, Arjun said, I understand what you are saying. But I couldn't keep thinking about what people would think of me. I did what I felt was right. If I had collected too much opinion, it would have been just manipulative and without any emotions. The only person I called was my mausi. She supported me. She said: Do what you think is right. It was a very unfortunate circumstance that brought people together to figure out how can they can support and help each other, to form and maintain an equilibrium in each other's lives. Anshula and I will always be there for Janhvi and Khushi whenever needed. It has been very tough on them. Until then, they had led a nurtured and sheltered life. I want to be a supportive brother to them. Adding more, he said, "I am happy that I followed my instinct. I have no regrets. But I would never wish such a thing to happen to even my worst enemy. I wish it hadn't come to that thing for us to react towards each other. Even my mom would have wanted it this way, and not that I was doing a heroic act... My mom loved my father; she would have wanted me to be around my father in that moment of crisis, she would have wanted his near and dear ones to be near him. I know how it feels. I have seen it myself. It's not easy, my back is already broken. There is a sense of vacuum in me that only Anshula fills." New Delhi: Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2 Actor Parth Samthaan's father passed away on April 19 in a hospital in Pune. As per a Bollywoodlife.com report, Parth's father was admitted in the hospital due to a sudden deterioration in his condition. The report further states that Parth was shooting in Mumbai when he received the tragic news. The actor immediately rushed back to Pune after he got the call about his father. Pack-up was announced on the sets of the show as soon as the news reached. A source informed Bollywoodlife that Samthaan's father was on ventilator since the night of April 18. He suffered a stroke and it led to multi-organ failure. Close friends of the actor are heading to Pune to be with him in this hour of grief.", the source added. Parth, who essays the lead role of Anurag Basu in Kasautii, has two siblings, an elder brother, and a sister. We extend our condolences to the actor and his family. New Delhi: Actress Sonam Kapoor's businessman husband Anand S. Ahuja went down on one knee to tie his significant other's shoelaces at a store launch in the capital. Sonam was all smiles, as was Anand as he tied a shoelace for her at the collaborative collection launch of Italian sports-fashion powerhouse FILA with Anand's multi-brand sneaker retailer VegNonVeg. They posed happily for shutterbugs, and Anand seemed to be as smitten by Sonam as he seemed during their wedding. A preview of the FILA x VegNonVeg line was held here on Thursday, and Sonam looked bright in a mustard dress with elaborate sleeve detail and a centre bow. She teamed it up with a pair of yellow and red sneakers from the line. Anand wore an all-black look, but matched shoes with his wife. The limited edition 'Masala Mindblower' sneaker has been inspired by a masala box in design and colour scheme, keeping in line with Anand's brand's aesthetic. The design, colourway and materials all come from the spicebox, with hints of VegNonVeg graphics and brand language. Anand, Founder and Co-Owner, VegNonVeg, said in a statement: "Sneakers have always been more than just shoes to us. They have a culture of their own. Over time, we are committed to developing India's own story of sneaker and street culture and this collaboration is another step in that direction. "We're excited by the opportunity to create a concept that pays homage to our Indian origins yet something that we think will appeal to the global market." When all doors of help are shut, Robert McCall, erstwhile a Lyft driver brings the justice you seek. Belonging to the genre of Clint Eastwood, Liam Nesson and Bruce Wills, witness Denzel Washington act at a whole new level with 'The Equalizer 2'. For the first time on television, &flix, the destination for the biggest Hollywood hits, is set to premiere this action-packed thriller, this Sunday, April 21, at 1 PM and 9 PM. The film will also be aired on &PriveHD as a part of Club Prive on April 21, 3 PM and on Zee Cafe at 2 PM. Based on the television series The Equalizer, the movie brings to life the great characters of Robert McCall, Two Times Oscar Award Winner Denzel Washington and Dave York, budding artist Pedro Pascal as envisioned by director Antoine Fuqua. "Do not repay evil with evil: 1 Peter 3:9" quotes the bible, but 21st century McCall has his own ways to repay evil doings. A Lyft driver by profession, Robert McCall is a former Marine and Defence Intelligence Agency Spy who lives in an apartment in Massachusetts. He is a strong believer of giving one chance to repent for their sins, failing to do so they better get ready to taste their own medicine. When it comes to justice, he will go beyond his capabilities to seek the truth, but this time; his friend and former colleague from the Defence Intelligence Agency were murdered. On a mission to avenge the death of his friend, he sets out on a journey to bring justice in the most gruesome way. Witness Robert McCall avenge his fallen friend, as &flix is all set to premiere The Equalizer 2 on Sunday, April 21 at 1 PM and 9 PM Catch the film on &PriveHD at 3 PM And Zee Cafe at 2 PM How could large companies seek profits by ruining people's health? It is deplorable indeed that some affiliates of the nation's leading conglomerates, including SK, LG and Hanwha groups, have shown miserable ethics in running businesses that directly affect people's health. That these companies have been making money at the expense of the public's health goes beyond the discussion of corporate ethics, deserving severe punishment. Hong Ji-ho, former CEO of SK Discovery, was arrested Wednesday on the charge of professional negligence resulting in injuries and death due to the company's manufacturing and marketing of humidifier sterilizers containing harmful substances. He was the head of the erstwhile SK Chemicals when the company launched its Home Clinic Humidifier Mate along with Aekyung Industrial in 2002. Their humidifier brands affected the second largest number of victims following products from Oxy Reckitt Benckiser Korea. SK Chemicals, which took over the humidifier division of Yukong in 2000, is suspected of continuing to sell the product while knowing its safety had not been confirmed. The company was accused by the environment ministry of falsely maintaining that it had no information related to experiments on the toxicity of humidifier sterilizers. Meanwhile, LG Chem, Hanwha Chemical and 233 other companies in the Yeosu Industrial Complex, 455 km south of Seoul, are alleged to have colluded with air pollutant measuring firms to manipulate data on their emissions of fine dust. These companies seem to have deceived both the people and the government by falsifying figures while the public was suffering from the silent killer. Their tricks were bold and various. The number of fabricated and falsified records since 2015 totals 13,096. LG Chem manipulated records on the emission of vinyl chloride to pretend there were no problems while discharging it at levels 73 times higher than was the standard. We are struck dumb how these companies could have committed these violations while knowing too well the pollutants erode people's health and lives. As the environment ministry has revealed, however, these may be the proverbial tip of the iceberg. We hope the astonishing behavior of large companies will not turn out to be even more widespread. If this is in fact the case, the public will become truly apathetic at the state of our society. The violators should be made to pay dearly. There is much to be learned from French response The massive fire that partially damaged Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris this week has broken the hearts of not just of the French people, but also believers as well as lovers of the arts and culture around the world. In Korea, the news has caused great sorrow for those of the Catholic faith. Korea has one of the biggest Catholic followings in Asia, which was one of the reasons that Pope Francis chose the country as the destination for his first visit to the continent in August 2014. The Catholic churches of the two countries have enjoyed a long and special friendship. French missionaries played a pivotal role in the development of the Korean Catholic church in the 19th century. Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-joong, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Korea, sent a letter to the Most Rev. Michel Christian Alain Aupetit, archbishop of Paris, following the news of the fire to offer message of consolation and solidarity. "On behalf of all the bishops and the faithful of Korea, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the faithful and the people of France," said Kim, who serves as archbishop of Gwangju. "May Our Mother of Perpetual Help intercede for the reconstruction of the Cathedral, the heart of the Catholic Church in France and the precious cultural heritage of all humanity." Outside of the Catholic community, many Koreans were also disturbed by the images of the iconic French landmark burning as it reminded them of fire that destroyed Sungnyemun, a national treasure, in February 2008. The historic gate dating back to the Joseon Kingdom in the 14th century was reopened to the public in 2013 after extensive restoration. At the time of the fire, many Koreans watched helplessly as the fire caused by an arsonist destroyed one of the nation's historic symbols. The despair and the sense of loss the French feel is probably much more severe as Notre Dame is like the heart of their country. It is surprising that even in the face of such unexpected tragedy, the French people showed an amazing level of maturity. There was no mean blaming among politicians, only a sense of solidarity to get through this tough situation as a nation. The calm response of the French people to such a devastating accident is something that Koreans should learn from. Koreans often get too emotional when something like this happens. One of the first things they tend to do is to blame the government rather than focus on how to mend the situation and what lessons to take from it. The continued friction in Korean society over the Sewol ferry sinking is a case in point. We applaud the courage of the French people and President Emmanuel Macron in the aftermath of the fire. Under his wise leadership, there is no doubt that France will be successful in the long path toward restoring one of the most revered venues of the world. (Photo/Red Star News) Chinese tourists are expected to make nearly 160 million trips during the upcoming Labor Day holiday, as the newly extended holiday sparks a wave of travel enthusiasm, according to Chinas leading online travel service provider Ctrip, Red Star News reported Thursday. Last month, Chinas State Council announced that this years Labor Day holiday would last four days from May 1 to 4, an extension compared to the one or three day holiday seen in recent years. Since the dates were released, online searches of popular tourist destinations like Chinas Chengdu and Kunming have soared, said an executive of Ctrips air ticketing service. The executive disclosed that on the day the news was announced, Ctrip saw a growth of 800 percent in searches compared with the previous month, while online searches for international air tickets rose by six times in the same period. Big data from Ctrip revealed that sales of air tickets for trips during the upcoming Labor Day holiday have sharply increased compared with the same period last year, with hot routes seeing a nearly 40 percent rise. Ctrip data shows that the top 10 flight destinations in China this Labor Day holiday are cities with pleasant weather, including Chengdu, Hangzhou, Xian, Kunming, Chongqing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing, Xiamen, and Sanya. Many citizens plan to ask for an extra three days off, from April 28 to 30, to create an 8-day vacation to travel abroad. According to the Ctrip executive, during the upcoming holiday, while short-haul overseas tourist destinations such as Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia are still popular with Chinese citizens, long-distance destinations like the U.S. and France are expected to welcome more Chinese tourists than they have in previous years. Flight sales to France have increased by over 18 percent year-on-year, indicating a significant rise in the number of Chinese tourists visiting France during the approaching Labor Day holiday, said the executive. Business Analysis of CATV RF Amplifiers Market 2019 and Forecast 2024 | Soukacatv.com Outdoor Waterproof RF Amplifier With 30dB Gain 19.04.2019 08:08:37 - CATV RF Amplifiers Market 2019 Report provides the latest and updated Market report which are helpful to Investors and someone who wants to invest in Industry. (live-PR.com) - CATVRF Amplifiers Market 2019 Report provides the latest and updated Market report which are helpful to Investors and someone who wants to invest in Industry. CATV RF Amplifiers Market report provides detailed analysis and competitive analysis by region and other main information like a manufacturing process, raw material, and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs, historical & futuristic cost, revenue, - CATVRF Amplifiers Market 2019 Report provides the latest and updated Market report which are helpful to Investors and someone who wants to invest in Industry. CATV RF Amplifiers Market report provides detailed analysis and competitive analysis by region and other main information like a manufacturing process, raw material, and equipment suppliers, various manufacturing associated costs, historical & futuristic cost, revenue, demand and supply data, the actual process. CATV RF Amplifiers Market report offers a detailed analysis of the industry, with Market size forecasts covering the next four years. This report gives an overview of the CATV RF Amplifiers Market in the global region. This report elaborate Company Competition, Market demand, Regional Forecast, Marketing & Price and also New investment feasibility analysis is included in the report. HDMI Encoder Modulator,16in1 Digital Headend, HD RF Modulator at Soukacatv.com Outdoor Waterproof RF Amplifier With 30dB Gain 54-870MHz Rack Mounted Amplifier CATV RF Amplifiers Market 2019- Report provide Industry analysis with growth opportunities in this Market with current and improved data like size, trends, Market Share and forecast to 2024. CATV RF Amplifiers Market also provides Advantages and Dis-advantages in this report also includes Major Companies in this sector their shares in this Industry with CATV RF Amplifiers Market major Types and Applications. Amplifier is an electronic device that can increase the power of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). A CATV RF amplifier is typically used to boost the signal strength from a CATV source, such as a cable headend or modulator rack. Top Key Players Covered in CATV RF Amplifiers Market Report: Qorvo, Skyworks, II VI Incorporated, Analog Device, Macon, Seebest, SOFTEL, NXP Semiconductors, Blonder Tongue, Texas Instruments The Scope of the Report: Rising customer preference particularly in developing regions for subscribing television and broadband as a bundled service, and the switch-over from analog to digital television, is accelerating the growth of global CATV equipment and antennas market. Changing technologies, expanding media industry, and continuous progression in government initiatives in rural electrification is expected to fuel the growth of the market. However, the growing trend for watching media content on mobile devices and the continuous adoption to internet TV is seen as a restraint, expected to have significant impact on the markets growth through 2025. This industry is centralized. Top 3 companies in the market occupies about29% of the Revenue market shares in 2017. The major manufacturers of CATV RF Amplifiers are Qorvo, Macon, II VI Incorporated, Skyworks, Blonder Tongue, ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics, Analog Device, NXP Semiconductors, Seebest, Texas Instruments, SOFTEL. The need for high power in the VHF, UHF, and microwave bands has led to transistors that can easily supply tens to hundreds of watts at RF frequencies to 10 GHz and beyond. Most of these devices are made with gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN). In China, CATV RF Amplifiers have a certain market as the development of semiconductor materials but the industry still faces many difficulties. As the same time, in Chinese market, some common foreign brands occupy relative large market share, such as Qorvo, Macon, Analog Device, NXP Semiconductors. The rise of the third generation of semiconductor materials have another opportunity, The major pollutants of semiconductor materials in the production is GaAs, Ga3 +, In3 +, etc., and with the promotion of the concept of green environmental protection, people try to find a new type of semiconductor material which can not only meet the demand of the product, but also not pollute the environment. Look to the organic semiconductor, organic material in the semiconductor materials such as C and N), GaN and SiC become a star. The worldwide market for CATV RF Amplifiers is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 7.0% over the next five years, will reach 510 million US$ in 2024, from 340 million US$ in 2019, according to a new GIR (Global Info Research) study. This report focuses on the CATV RF Amplifiers in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application. With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Global CATV RF Amplifiers Market, this research 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. By the product type, the Market is primarily split into GaAs RF Amplifiers GaN RF Amplifiers Others By the end users/application, this report covers the following segments Residential Commercial Main Points Covers in this Report To provide a detailed analysis of the market with structure along with the forecast of the various segments and Analysis of the global CATV RF Amplifiers Market. To provide factors affecting the CATV RF Amplifiers Market growth. To analyze the Industry based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis To provide forecast revenue of the Market segments and sub-segments with respect to main Regional and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World. To provide a regional level analysis of the Market with respect to the current Market size and future perspective. To provide Information of key Manufacturers in the CATV RF Amplifiers Market, Complete analyzing their Types, Applications and competitive landscape for the Respective Industry. To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global CATV RF Amplifiers Market. Table of Contents 1 Market Overview 1.1 CATV RF Amplifiers Introduction 1.2 Market Analysis by Type 1.2.1 GaAs RF Amplifiers 1.2.2 GaN RF Amplifiers 1.2.3 Others 1.3 Market Analysis by Applications 1.3.1 Residential 1.3.2 Commercial 1.4 Market Analysis by Regions 1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) 1.4.1.1 United States Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) 1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) 1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa 1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.4.4.5 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2014-2024) 1.5 Market Dynamics 1.5.1 Market Opportunities 1.5.2 Market Risk 1.5.3 Market Driving Force 2 Manufacturers Profiles 2.1 Qorvo 2.1.1 Business Overview 2.1.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.1.2.1 Product A 2.1.2.2 Product B 2.1.3 Qorvo CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.2 Skyworks 2.2.1 Business Overview 2.2.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.2.2.1 Product A 2.2.2.2 Product B 2.2.3 Skyworks CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.3 II VI Incorporated 2.3.1 Business Overview 2.3.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.3.2.1 Product A 2.3.2.2 Product B 2.3.3 II VI Incorporated CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.4 Analog Device 2.4.1 Business Overview 2.4.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.4.2.1 Product A 2.4.2.2 Product B 2.4.3 Analog Device CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.5 Macon 2.5.1 Business Overview 2.5.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.5.2.1 Product A 2.5.2.2 Product B 2.5.3 Macon CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.6 ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics 2.6.1 Business Overview 2.6.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.6.2.1 Product A 2.6.2.2 Product B 2.6.3 ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.7 Seebest 2.7.1 Business Overview 2.7.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.7.2.1 Product A 2.7.2.2 Product B 2.7.3 Seebest CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.8 SOFTEL 2.8.1 Business Overview 2.8.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.8.2.1 Product A 2.8.2.2 Product B 2.8.3 SOFTEL CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.9 NXP Semiconductors 2.9.1 Business Overview 2.9.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.9.2.1 Product A 2.9.2.2 Product B 2.9.3 NXP Semiconductors CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.10 Blonder Tongue 2.10.1 Business Overview 2.10.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.10.2.1 Product A 2.10.2.2 Product B 2.10.3 Blonder Tongue CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 2.11 Texas Instruments 2.11.1 Business Overview 2.11.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications 2.11.2.1 Product A 2.11.2.2 Product B 2.11.3 Texas Instruments CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018) 3 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2017-2018) 3.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018) 3.2 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018) 3.3 Market Concentration Rate 3.3.1 Top 3 CATV RF Amplifiers Manufacturer Market Share in 2018 3.3.2 Top 6 CATV RF Amplifiers Manufacturer Market Share in 2018 3.4 Market Competition Trend 4 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Market Analysis by Regions 4.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions 4.1.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019) 4.1.2 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019) 4.2 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 4.3 Europe CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 4.4 Asia-Pacific CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 4.5 South America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 4.6 Middle East and Africa CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 5 North America CATV RF Amplifiers by Country 5.1 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Country 5.1.1 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Country (2014-2019) 5.1.2 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Country (2014-2019) 5.2 United States CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 5.3 Canada CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) 5.4 Mexico CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019) Established in 2000, the Soukacatv.com main products are modulators both in analog and digital ones, amplifier and combiner. We are the very first one in manufacturing the headend system in China. Our 16 in 1 and 24 in 1 now are the most popular products all over the world. For more, please access to CONTACT US Company: Dingshengwei Electronics Co., Ltd Address: Bldg A, the first industry park of Guanlong, Xili Town, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China Tel: +86 0755 26909863 Fax: +86 0755 26984949 Mobile: 13410066011 Email: Source: flatlandtoday demand and supply data, the actual process. CATV RF Amplifiers Market report offers a detailed analysis of the industry, with Market size forecasts covering the next four years. This report gives an overview of the CATV RF Amplifiers Market in the global region. This report elaborate Company Competition, Market demand, Regional Forecast, Marketing & Price and also New investment feasibility analysis is included in the report.HDMI Encoder Modulator,16in1 Digital Headend, HD RF Modulator at Soukacatv.comOutdoor Waterproof RF Amplifier With 30dB Gain54-870MHz Rack Mounted AmplifierCATV RF Amplifiers Market 2019- Report provide Industry analysis with growth opportunities in this Market with current and improved data like size, trends, Market Share and forecast to 2024. CATV RF Amplifiers Market also provides Advantages and Dis-advantages in this report also includes Major Companies in this sector their shares in this Industry with CATV RF Amplifiers Market major Types and Applications.Amplifier is an electronic device that can increase the power of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). A CATV RF amplifier is typically used to boost the signal strength from a CATV source, such as a cable headend or modulator rack.Top Key Players Covered in CATV RF Amplifiers Market Report:Qorvo, Skyworks, II VI Incorporated, Analog Device, Macon, Seebest, SOFTEL, NXP Semiconductors, Blonder Tongue, Texas InstrumentsThe Scope of the Report:Rising customer preference particularly in developing regions for subscribing television and broadband as a bundled service, and the switch-over from analog to digital television, is accelerating the growth of global CATV equipment and antennas market. Changing technologies, expanding media industry, and continuous progression in government initiatives in rural electrification is expected to fuel the growth of the market.However, the growing trend for watching media content on mobile devices and the continuous adoption to internet TV is seen as a restraint, expected to have significant impact on the markets growth through 2025.This industry is centralized. Top 3 companies in the market occupies about29% of the Revenue market shares in 2017. The major manufacturers of CATV RF Amplifiers are Qorvo, Macon, II VI Incorporated, Skyworks, Blonder Tongue, ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics, Analog Device, NXP Semiconductors, Seebest, Texas Instruments, SOFTEL.The need for high power in the VHF, UHF, and microwave bands has led to transistors that can easily supply tens to hundreds of watts at RF frequencies to 10 GHz and beyond. Most of these devices are made with gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN).In China, CATV RF Amplifiers have a certain market as the development of semiconductor materials but the industry still faces many difficulties. As the same time, in Chinese market, some common foreign brands occupy relative large market share, such as Qorvo, Macon, Analog Device, NXP Semiconductors.The rise of the third generation of semiconductor materials have another opportunity, The major pollutants of semiconductor materials in the production is GaAs, Ga3 +, In3 +, etc., and with the promotion of the concept of green environmental protection, people try to find a new type of semiconductor material which can not only meet the demand of the product, but also not pollute the environment. Look to the organic semiconductor, organic material in the semiconductor materials such as C and N), GaN and SiC become a star.The worldwide market for CATV RF Amplifiers is expected to grow at a CAGR of roughly 7.0% over the next five years, will reach 510 million US$ in 2024, from 340 million US$ in 2019, according to a new GIR (Global Info Research) study.This report focuses on the CATV RF Amplifiers in global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Global CATV RF Amplifiers Market, this research 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.By the product type, the Market is primarily split intoGaAs RF AmplifiersGaN RF AmplifiersOthersBy the end users/application, this report covers the following segmentsResidentialCommercialMain Points Covers in this ReportTo provide a detailed analysis of the market with structure along with the forecast of the various segments and Analysis of the global CATV RF Amplifiers Market.To provide factors affecting the CATV RF Amplifiers Market growth. To analyze the Industry based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysisTo provide forecast revenue of the Market segments and sub-segments with respect to main Regional and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World.To provide a regional level analysis of the Market with respect to the current Market size and future perspective.To provide Information of key Manufacturers in the CATV RF Amplifiers Market, Complete analyzing their Types, Applications and competitive landscape for the Respective Industry.To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global CATV RF Amplifiers Market.Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 CATV RF Amplifiers Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 GaAs RF Amplifiers1.2.2 GaN RF Amplifiers1.2.3 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Residential1.3.2 Commercial1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 United States Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.2.2 France Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.2.3 UK Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.2.4 Russia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.2.5 Italy Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)1.4.3.1 China Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.3.2 Japan Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.3.3 Korea Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.3.4 India Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.3.5 Southeast Asia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.4 South America, Middle East and Africa1.4.4.1 Brazil Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.4.2 Egypt Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.4.3 Saudi Arabia Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.4.4 South Africa Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.4.4.5 Turkey Market States and Outlook (2014-2024)1.5 Market Dynamics1.5.1 Market Opportunities1.5.2 Market Risk1.5.3 Market Driving Force2 Manufacturers Profiles2.1 Qorvo2.1.1 Business Overview2.1.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.1.2.1 Product A2.1.2.2 Product B2.1.3 Qorvo CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.2 Skyworks2.2.1 Business Overview2.2.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.2.2.1 Product A2.2.2.2 Product B2.2.3 Skyworks CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.3 II VI Incorporated2.3.1 Business Overview2.3.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.3.2.1 Product A2.3.2.2 Product B2.3.3 II VI Incorporated CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.4 Analog Device2.4.1 Business Overview2.4.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.4.2.1 Product A2.4.2.2 Product B2.4.3 Analog Device CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.5 Macon2.5.1 Business Overview2.5.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.5.2.1 Product A2.5.2.2 Product B2.5.3 Macon CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.6 ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics2.6.1 Business Overview2.6.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.6.2.1 Product A2.6.2.2 Product B2.6.3 ShenZhen ChuangMo Electronics CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.7 Seebest2.7.1 Business Overview2.7.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.7.2.1 Product A2.7.2.2 Product B2.7.3 Seebest CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.8 SOFTEL2.8.1 Business Overview2.8.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.8.2.1 Product A2.8.2.2 Product B2.8.3 SOFTEL CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.9 NXP Semiconductors2.9.1 Business Overview2.9.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.9.2.1 Product A2.9.2.2 Product B2.9.3 NXP Semiconductors CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.10 Blonder Tongue2.10.1 Business Overview2.10.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.10.2.1 Product A2.10.2.2 Product B2.10.3 Blonder Tongue CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)2.11 Texas Instruments2.11.1 Business Overview2.11.2 CATV RF Amplifiers Type and Applications2.11.2.1 Product A2.11.2.2 Product B2.11.3 Texas Instruments CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share (2017-2018)3 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue, Market Share and Competition by Manufacturer (2017-2018)3.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018)3.2 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Manufacturer (2017-2018)3.3 Market Concentration Rate3.3.1 Top 3 CATV RF Amplifiers Manufacturer Market Share in 20183.3.2 Top 6 CATV RF Amplifiers Manufacturer Market Share in 20183.4 Market Competition Trend4 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Market Analysis by Regions4.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Regions4.1.1 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)4.1.2 Global CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)4.2 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)4.3 Europe CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)4.4 Asia-Pacific CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)4.5 South America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)4.6 Middle East and Africa CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)5 North America CATV RF Amplifiers by Country5.1 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales, Revenue and Market Share by Country5.1.1 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Market Share by Country (2014-2019)5.1.2 North America CATV RF Amplifiers Revenue and Market Share by Country (2014-2019)5.2 United States CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)5.3 Canada CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)5.4 Mexico CATV RF Amplifiers Sales and Growth Rate (2014-2019)Established in 2000, the Soukacatv.com main products are modulators both in analog and digital ones, amplifier and combiner. We are the very first one in manufacturing the headend system in China. Our 16 in 1 and 24 in 1 now are the most popular products all over the world.For more, please access to www.soukacatv.com CONTACT USCompany: Dingshengwei Electronics Co., LtdAddress: Bldg A, the first industry park of Guanlong, Xili Town, Nanshan, Shenzhen, Guangdong, ChinaTel: +86 0755 26909863Fax: +86 0755 26984949Mobile: 13410066011Email: ken@soukacatv.com Source: flatlandtoday Press Information: Dingshengwei Electronics Co., Ltd Contact Person: Phone: 13410066011 eMail: eMail Web: http://https://www.soukacatv.com 19.04.2019 08:08:37 - Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party. Business Voyage Immigration Goes Live 19.04.2019 00:55:00 - Voyage Manager releases the Voyage Immigration service. Voyage Immigration helps companies and individuals comply with international immigration rules. The service monitors the number of days travellers spend in countries and visa regions, ensuring that travellers to not breach visa and immigration rules. (live-PR.com) - Voyage Manager is the leading provider of travel tracking solutions. Travel tracking is used to monitors where travellers are, will be and have been, and is used for numerous purposes. Historically travel tracking was primarily used for duty of care, safety and security. As part of their duty of care, companies would use travel trackers to ensure that travellers were - Voyage Manager is the leading provider of travel tracking solutions. Travel tracking is used to monitors where travellers are, will be and have been, and is used for numerous purposes. Historically travel tracking was primarily used for duty of care, safety and security. As part of their duty of care, companies would use travel trackers to ensure that travellers were safe while travelling. Voyage Manager's travel tracker was initially created for this purpose, but in recent years we have extended the tracking technology to provide tax residency monitoring services. Spending too much time in any country or state can lead to tax implications in that jurisdiction. Voyage Tax monitors the number days spent in tax jurisdictions and notifies travellers and administrators when traveller is approaching or has breached a threshold. Voyage Tax helps monitor PE (permanent residency), as well as providing audit logs in the case of an audit. Voyage Manager releases the Voyage Immigration service. Voyage Immigration helps companies and individuals comply with international immigration rules. The service monitors the number of days travellers spend in countries and visa regions, ensuring that travellers do not breach visa and immigration rules. Breaching visa and immigration rules can have severe consequences, including large fines, deportation from a country or region, or denial of entry into a country or region. All of these outcomes are disruptive to travel and costly for the company and traveller. Countries and visa regions are becoming stricter on visa and immigration violations, leading to travellers refusing to travel, due to the increased risk of denied entry. Voyage Immigration consists of the web portal, Immigration smartphone app and notification services. Web Portal The new Immigration module allows administrators to get an overview of pending immigration issues, as well as drill down into any traveller's visa and immigration profile. Administrators can see the number of days spent in any country or visa area, which visas travellers have and how long they have left on the visas. They can also view the data trail of where travellers have been and which days they have been in each jurisdiction. Through the My Travel module travellers can their immigration details, in the same way as administrators can. Travellers can also verify that the data stored in the system is accurate and correct. Immigration App The Immigration app is available for Android and iOS based smartphones. The apps synchronize with the portal, giving travellers a complete overview of their days in country and region. The home page on the apps displays their current country or visa area, their residency status and the number of days left until they will occur a breach. The Overview screen provides a breakdown of days in all areas, with details on the visa rules. The calendar shows the location of the traveller on each day, and the passport view shows the details of all of the traveller's passports. Notification Service The notification service notifies travellers and administrators by email when travellers approach and when they breach immigration rules. For more information on Voyage Immigration go to the Immigration section on the Voyage Manager portal safe while travelling.Voyage Manager's travel tracker was initially created for this purpose, but in recent years we have extended the tracking technology to provide tax residency monitoring services. Spending too much time in any country or state can lead to tax implications in that jurisdiction. Voyage Tax monitors the number days spent in tax jurisdictions and notifies travellers and administrators when traveller is approaching or has breached a threshold. Voyage Tax helps monitor PE (permanent residency), as well as providing audit logs in the case of an audit.Voyage Manager releases the Voyage Immigration service. Voyage Immigration helps companies and individuals comply with international immigration rules. The service monitors the number of days travellers spend in countries and visa regions, ensuring that travellers do not breach visa and immigration rules.Breaching visa and immigration rules can have severe consequences, including large fines, deportation from a country or region, or denial of entry into a country or region. All of these outcomes are disruptive to travel and costly for the company and traveller.Countries and visa regions are becoming stricter on visa and immigration violations, leading to travellers refusing to travel, due to the increased risk of denied entry.Voyage Immigration consists of the web portal, Immigration smartphone app and notification services.Web PortalThe new Immigration module allows administrators to get an overview of pending immigration issues, as well as drill down into any traveller's visa and immigration profile. Administrators can see the number of days spent in any country or visa area, which visas travellers have and how long they have left on the visas. They can also view the data trail of where travellers have been and which days they have been in each jurisdiction.Through the My Travel module travellers can their immigration details, in the same way as administrators can. Travellers can also verify that the data stored in the system is accurate and correct.Immigration AppThe Immigration app is available for Android and iOS based smartphones. The apps synchronize with the portal, giving travellers a complete overview of their days in country and region. The home page on the apps displays their current country or visa area, their residency status and the number of days left until they will occur a breach. The Overview screen provides a breakdown of days in all areas, with details on the visa rules. The calendar shows the location of the traveller on each day, and the passport view shows the details of all of the traveller's passports.Notification ServiceThe notification service notifies travellers and administrators by email when travellers approach and when they breach immigration rules.For more information on Voyage Immigration go to the Immigration section on the Voyage Manager portal www.voyagemanager.com/Immigration/ Press Information: Voyage Manager 3 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge, UK Contact Person: John Scott CEO Phone: +442089383116 eMail: eMail Web: http://https://www.voyagemanager.com 19.04.2019 00:55:00 - Disclaimer: If you have any questions regarding information in this article please contact the author. Please do not contact Live-PR.com. We are not able to assist you. Live-PR.com disclaims content contained in this article. Live-PR.com is not authorized to give any information about content and not responsible for content posted by third party. The period between late March and early April is mid-spring in China. It's my real delight to come to work in Sierra Leone again in this beautiful season. First of all, I would like to convey the cordial greetings and best wishes from H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China to H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. At the same time, I bring with me good wishes from Chinese government and people to the government and people of Sierra Leone. China and Sierra Leone enjoy a deep traditional friendship. On July 29, 1971, the two countries formally established diplomatic ties. Over the past 48 years, the bilateral relations have been developing smoothly with close high-level exchanges, deep political mutual trust and fruitful cooperation in economic, social and cultural fields. In 2016, China and Sierra Leone established a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Over the years, China has always been contributing what she can to help promote peace and stability in Sierra Leone, as well as help Sierra Leone in achieving independent and sustainable development without interfering in the latters internal affairs. In 2014, China was among the first to assist the Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters in their fight against Ebola, demonstrating the true spirit of sharing weal and woe. On her part, Sierra Leone has always been firmly adhering to One-China policy and consistently giving her support on issues related to China's core interests and major concerns. The Chinese people will never forget that it was Sierra Leone and other friendly countries that helped China resume her legitimate seat in the United Nations in 1971.In a word, China and Sierra Leone are true, good friends who can go through thick and thin together. The year 2018 is a vital year in the development of China-Sierra Leone relationship. In late August and early September that year, H.E. President Bio paid a state visit to China and attended the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit at the invitation of H.E. President Xi Jinping. The two heads of state held friendly and in-depth talks and reached important consensus on major bilateral issues, which provided political guidance and set out the blueprint for the development of China-Sierra Leone relations. During the visit, the two sides signed a number of important cooperation documents including the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative, laying a solid foundation for the broadening and deepening of cooperation in the future. I feel proud to be assigned to Sierra Leone at this important stage of fast development of China-Sierra Leone relations. And I have a sense of great responsibility. I will, following the direction set out by our two heads of state, work with my colleagues in the Embassy and friends from all walks of life in Sierra Leone to make new progress in China-Sierra Leone friendly cooperation and produce more benefits to our two peoples. The following three tasks will be my top priority. First, continuously enhance the sincere friendship and political mutual trust between our two sides to make the foundation of our bilateral cooperation rock-solid as ever. The Chinese side will continue to follow the two major principles laid down by President Xi Jinping, namely, the principle of honoring sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and that of pursuing the greater good and shared interests among countries. China will also continue to abide by the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the prevailing norms of international relations and treat Sierra Leone with equality, sincerity, mutual understanding and pursue win-win cooperation. China fully respects the independent choice of development path and model by Sierra Leone and will never interfere in Sierra Leone's internal affairs. I fully believe that Sierra Leone will continue to respect China's core interests and firmly support China on its major concerns involving sovereignty, territorial integrity, security and dignity. Meanwhile, China will keep on strengthening communication and coordination with Sierra Leone on international affairs and jointly safeguarding the fundamental interests of each other and those of the developing countries. Second, jointly implement the outcomes of 2018 FOCAC Beijing Summit to bring more benefits to our two peoples. In September last year, FOCAC Beijing Summit was successfully held, uplifting China-Africa relations to a historical new high. At the summit, President Xi Jinping announced Eight Major Initiatives for China-Africa cooperation in the coming three and more years, namely, industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building, health care, people-to-people exchange, and peace and security. The Eight Major Initiatives highly correspond with Africa's current and future development needs, and for that reason, many African friends have likened it to a timely rain in supporting Africa's independent and sustainable development. The Chinese side has conducted active consultations with the Sierra Leonean side and will continue to do so with a view to indentifying areas and modes of cooperation, exploring feasible cooperation projects, and thoroughly studying how to better use the stock of and expand the increment in projects in agriculture, health and sanitation, human resources development and infrastructure construction etc. Through the implemention of the outcomes of FOCAC Beijing Summit, we wish to help the government and people of Sierra Leone in carrying out the New Direction Agenda proposed by President Bio for economic and social development. Third, jointly promote the building of the Belt and Road, build an even stronger China-Africa community with a shared future and a community with a shared future for humanity. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed by President Xi Jinping for the purpose of expanding China's all-round opening under the new situation and working to enable more countries to share development opportunities and achievements. Though initiated by China, the opportunities and outcomes the BRI offers are to be shared by the world. Since its inception 6 years ago, 126 countries and 29 international organizations including 37 African countries and the African Union Commission have inked cooperation agreements with China. All this sheds light on the fact that the BRI is a popular and worthy cause that goes along with the trend of our times and responds to the shared aspirations of countries for development through mutually beneficial cooperation. Guided by the principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, the BRI aims at enhancing connectivity in policy, infrastructure, trade, finance and people-to-people ties (Five Connectivities in short). Although very few certain countries and people have misunderstandings, misjudgments or even prejudice and smear on the BRI, the international communitys enthusiasm for participating in this initiative is not held back. The BRI, as a new headstream of fresh water for China-Africa cooperation, will bring more development resources and create greater room for cooperation for both sides. China and Sierra Leone have already made strides under the initiative, including but not limited to the exchange of development experiences, admission of a large number of Sierra Leonean students to study in China with the Chinese side providing more Government Scholarships to the Sierra Leonean side, the construction of part of the Freetown Ring Road funded by Chinese government grant, the construction of the Lumley Market Second Juba Bridge co-funded by the two governments and the discussion of cooperation in quay project in line with commercial principles, all of which illustrate the spirit of Five Connectivities and stand for great potential for cooperation between China and Sierra Leone within the framework of the BRI. I worked in Sierra Leone for three years from 2002 to 2005. 14 years later I am back here and find out that there have been so many important positive changes in this country, which fully demonstrate that the government and people of Sierra Leone are on the right path towards development and revitalization. I sincerely wish that Sierra Leone and her people will continue to make even greater achievements under the leadership of H.E. President Bio. I am full of confidence in the broad prospects of China-Sierra Leone friendly cooperation. Hu Zhangliang is Chinese ambassador to Sierra Leone BCC School Pailles has organized free eye testing for more than 80 people on Wednesday 10 April 2019. Reading glasses will be distributed free of charge soon. Dr. Ali Subratty has consulted the patients. This was the second edition of BCC School to do something for the elderly people and people who have eyesight problem. Elderly people have contributed massively in the development of the country and making us educated. Even at this age, they help families in different ways. Hence, they deserve good care at this age. Many of our elderly people have difficulties to see. However, they cannot afford to buy a pair of glasses as they are very expensive in Mauritius and often it takes a very long time to get a pair of glasses from the sponsors. Meanwhile, the patients continue suffering. It is very sad to see that some people even have to take a loan to buy a pair of glasses. Through this type of activities, BCC School wants to motivate others to help the needy. Sharing and humbleness are two values that BCC School tries to promote. People can be happy when they have these two values. Free Eye Testing and Distribution of glasses by BCC School Free Eye Testing and Distribution of glasses by BCC School Free Eye Testing and Distribution of glasses by BCC School Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn A woman carries handicrafts in Wantou village, east Chinas Shandong province. So far, more than 900 households in this village of 1,800 homes have opened online stores on Alibabas e-commerce platform Taobao. (Photo by Chen Bin / Xinhua News Agency) Chinas booming digital economy, serving as a major engine of the countrys economic growth, has injected fresh impetus into the implementation of its rural vitalization strategy. By the end of 2018, the size of Chinas digital economy stood at 31 trillion yuan, accounting for one-third of the nations GDP, according to recent data released during a press conference for the second Digital China Summit, which will be held in early May. Chinas rural areas are growing at a faster rate than some first and second-tier cities when it comes to digital consumption, a recently-released report explained. By December 2018, 222 million people, or 26.7 percent of the online population, lived in China's rural areas, up 6.2 percent year-on-year, according to another report on Chinas internet development released this February. Thanks to the improvement in network infrastructure in rural areas and emphasis on the rural market from e-commerce giants, the digital economy has helped to boost the countrys rural vitalization strategy, said Huang Hao, an associate fellow from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. For example, several famous Taobao villages, villages which have prospered thanks to Alibabas online shopping platform Taobao, have emerged in east Chinas Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Fujian provinces in recent years. Online sales have created job opportunities for 28 million villagers. Statistics showed that online retail sales in rural areas soared to 1.37 trillion yuan in 2018, up 30.4 percent year-on-year. Online sales of agricultural products amounted to 230.5 billion yuan, representing year-on-year growth of 33.8 percent. China should continue to improve digital infrastructure, support e-commerce in rural areas and encourage the application of digital technology to promote the digital economy and boost the rural vitalization strategy, said Sheng Zhenzhong, deputy head of Alibabas research center for rural dynamics. The country is also pushing forward a digital countryside strategy, which will further facilitate the development of digital economy in rural areas. Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for King of Bahrain Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept 16, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping and Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa exchanged congratulatory messages on Thursday to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between their countries. Xi said in his message that over the past 30 years, China and Bahrain have shown each other respect and support, and have forged a profound friendship, with bilateral ties steadily moving forward and their cooperation bearing fruit in various fields. Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Bahrain ties. He added that he is willing to join efforts with King Hamad, seize opportunities presented by the 30th anniversary, jointly develop the Belt and Road and lift bilateral cooperation in various fields to a new level in order to bring benefits to both countries and peoples. Hamad said in his message that Bahrain cherishes the strong friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields with China. Bahrain will continue to commit to deepening and developing Bahrain-China relations, said Hamad, who wished the Chinese people greater progress and achievement. Also on Thursday, Premier Li Ke-qiang and Bahraini Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa exchanged congratulatory messages. Li said China is willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation with Bahrain within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, and to promote bilateral relations for greater development. Khalifa said he is looking forward to making joint efforts with China to continuously deepen Bahrain-China relations. Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, Egyptians living abroad are estimated at 9.5 million, according to CAPMAS; vote at home starts Saturday Egyptians living abroad began casting their votes in a referendum on constitutional amendments on Friday, a day before voting is set to begin in Egypt. Egyptian voters in 124 countries will have from Friday to Sunday to cast their ballots at 140 polling points at Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Thursday. Polling stations will open from 9am to 9pm local time on each of the three election days. New Zealand was the first country to open its doors to voters, on what was Thursday night by Cairo local time. The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) said in 2019 9.5 million Egyptians live abroad. The estimated population of Egyptians in the homeland is 98 million, according to CAPMAS. Voters in Egypt will cast their votes in the referendum from Saturday to Monday. More than 61 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the referendum, according to the election commission. They will be voting for or against a package of constitutional amendments approved by parliament earlier this week. Egypts foreign ministry has published photos of voters queuing to cast their ballots and others waving national flags at missions in Muscat, Milan, Dubai, Amman and Riyadh. Musqat, Oman (Photo:@MFAEgypt) There were no polling stations made available for Egyptians in Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Libya due to security concerns in these countries, the election commission has said. Musqat, Oman (Photo:@MFAEgypt) The current constitution was approved in a 2014 referendum. It was a correction to an Islamist-backed controversial charter drafted under then Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, nearly two years after his predecessor Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in a popular uprising. More than 680,000 Egyptian expatriates were eligible to vote in the 2014 referendum. The proposed changes include extending presidential terms to six years instead of four, extending President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's current term by two years to end in 2024 instead of 2022; and allowing El-Sisi to run for another term in 2024. El-Sisi was first elected president in 2014, and won a second term last year, securing 97 percent of the vote. The amendments being voted on this weekend give the president new powers to appoint members of the judiciary, and would create a second house of parliament, the Senate, with one-third of its members to be appointed by the president. They also create the post of vice president, allowing the president to appoint one or more vice presidents. They allocate a quarter of the seats in parliament to women. They also assign the country's armed forces the role of "safeguarding the constitution and democracy and the fundamental makeup of the country and its civil nature." The parliament backed the changes in a final vote on Tuesday, with 531 lawmakers of the 596-seat body voting in favour, 22 voting against, and one abstention. Those who back the changes say they are important for the stability of a country, and to allow the president more time to carry out his economic development plans. Critics say the changes could lead to to increased presidential powers. The parliament held a series of national dialogue sessions on the proposals last month, with MPs hearing from dozens of university professors, Al-Azhar and the Coptic Orthodox Church clerics, opposition political parties, representatives from state-run-media, and public and private TV and radio channels. Armenia Sicily Indonesia Canada Egyptians hrading to vote in New Jersey, US Egyptians vote in Hamburg, Germany Syney, Australia Riyadh Search Keywords: Short link: Few subjects are likely to spark a disagreement at local school board meetings so much as the subject of the mask mandate. For more than a year, parents, administrators and school board members have been contending over the subject, each side offering up what they consider to be the definitive medical, logical or legal argument [] MONROE World-wide paranormal investigator and author Lorraine Warren, whose decades of ghost-hunting cases with her late husband inspired such frightening films as The Conjuring series and The Amityville Horror, died. She was 92. Warrens son-in-law Tony Spera and grandson Chris McKinnell posted Friday on Facebook that Warren died in her sleep Thursday night at her Connecticut home. Phone messages and emails were left with several of Warrens family members. She was a remarkable, loving, compassionate and giving soul, Spera wrote. The Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in Monroe, Connecticut, in 1952 to investigate suspected hauntings. The group also posted of her passing on Facebook. During their 61 years of marriage, Lorraine and Ed Warren investigated more than 10,000 cases in the U.S. and abroad, often writing about their experiences. Their unusual profession has been credited with sparking popular interest in the paranormal, as well as the television shows and films now dedicated to the subject. When nobody was really even talking about ghosts, they were just two people from Bridgeport, Connecticut, who came together and fell in love and Ed happened to have had a lot of paranormal instances when he was growing up and Lorraine was always the sensitive clairvoyant, said Larry Dwyer, a staff writer at the Horror News Network, a website that covers the horror film industry. He said the couple realized they could use their gifts and Catholic faith to help people who believed they were being tormented by ghosts or demons. Ed Warren died in 2006 and Spera now oversees the New England Society for Psychic Research. The organizations website said Lorraine Warren had decided to retire from active investigations regarding the areas of haunted homes and demonic infestations/possessions but was still a consultant to the organization at the time of her death. The Warrens work did receive criticism from doubters over the years. The New England Skeptical Society in 1997 said the Warrens copious anecdotal evidence of reports of hauntings vastly outnumbered their low-grad physical evidence. Multiple movies are based on the couples work, including The Haunting in Connecticut, a 2009 based on their claims that supernatural forces were at work in a Southington home. The 2013 film The Conjuring is based on the couples investigation into alleged events at a Rhode Island farmhouse in the 1970s. Lorraine Warren visited the set during the filming. She also spent time at her Connecticut home with actress Vera Farmiga, who portrays Warren in the movie and its sequels. Farmiga expressed her condolences on Twitter Friday, saying she was blessed to have known Warren and honored to portray her. Former Regional School District 13 student and Rockfall native Troy Willis will travel to Russia this summer for a 10-week program sponsored by the U.S. State Department. This was an opportunity to study Russian in Russia, Willis said. I think its going to be a good experience. Willis, 19, is a junior at Connecticut College, where he majors in Slavic studies with a double minor in government and linguistics. He will spend most of his summer break this year studying Russian at the KORA Russian Language Center in Vladimir, Russia. He is one of four students from Connecticut College to be awarded the Critical Language Scholarship this year, all of whom will have their travel, room and board paid for by the state department. The other students are participating in programs in Morocco, Kyrgyzstan and Oman. Critical Language Scholarship is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity, according to the scholarships description. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness. Willis said hes excited to stay with a host family, where hell be exposed to genuine Russian culture and language. Im glad that Im going to be living with a host family and not in dorms because I think that makes a big difference in just everyday vocabulary, Willis said. Being able to live with a family and have that daily routine also be in Russia is also going to be really (helpful). Taking Latin in Regional School District 13 introduced Willis to other languages, sparking his independent research of Polish his junior year of high school. Its just something that I picked up not very seriously, as a hobby and I just kind of stuck with it. He added Russian to his language studies when he went to college and says although Polish and Russian dont sound much alike, the languages are similar in a lot of ways. Russia wont be completely new for Willis, who spent about 10 days in the country over his recent spring break. He traveled with his colleges Russian Club, which received donated funds for the trip to visit Moscow and St. Petersburg. This time around he hopes to dive deeper into Russian culture instead of just seeing tourist attractions. bwright@record-journal.com 203-317-2316 Twitter: @baileyfaywright By Len Suzio All over Connecticut local governments are debating non-binding resolutions expressing objections to the implementation of tolls on our highways. While the ultimate decision is the state legislatures prerogative, the impact will be felt by everyone on a local level. Meriden in particular, will be impacted because we are at the crossroads of many of the states limited access roads. Meriden residents driving to and from work in other communities will be paying hundreds of dollars per year in tolls under any of the scenarios being considered. Moreover, any goods shipped into Meriden will be transported on trucks paying tolls. Those costs will be passed on to local consumers at the grocery store and retail outlets. Consequently, the impact on citizens in Meriden will be substantial. In light of the significant impact on our citizens and our community it is appropriate that local elected officials express an opinion to Hartford about tolls. About a dozen communities already have passed no-tolls resolutions and many more are scheduled to vote on similar resolutions in the next month. On Monday, April 1, the Meriden City Council considered a no-tolls resolution proposed by Councilor Dan Brunet. By a 6-5 vote the motion was tabled. The primary reason expressed by councilors who opposed voting on the resolution was that they didnt have enough information to make an informed decision. That sounds reasonable. But if City Councilors are sincere about their motives, they ought to reconsider the resolution, modify it, and pass it. The very reason stated by City Councilors, their lack of information about the issue, applies to the state legislature as well. The primary factor driving the projected Special Transportation Fund deficits (which are the main reason argued for tolls in Connecticut) is the $100 billion record-breaking spending proposed by Governor Malloy 4 years ago. Speaker of the House, Representative Joe Aresimowicz, during the Southington Town Council meeting on March 25, stated that no one in the legislature, not one legislative committee, department or commission reviewed the proposal, let alone vetted the numbers. This is gross negligence and a betrayal of the taxpayers. The legislature has had the proposal for four years. What is the excuse for not examining the record-breaking spending? The $100 billion spending spree is by far the biggest fiscal commitment ever proposed in Connecticut. No spending projects have ever come close to that stupendous amount of money. Who can defend the legislatures refusal to review and vet the proposed spending? If City Councilors sincerely feel unable to vote on a no-tolls resolution due to a lack of information, those same councilors should be outraged by the legislatures refusal to review and analyze the most spectacular spending program ever proposed for our state. Surely, if ignorance and lack of information is the reason to table a vote on a no-tolls resolution, how much more does that reasoning apply to the legislatures debating tolls without even reviewing the record-breaking expenditures that are triggering the need for tolls? Lets be clear: The legislature has failed in its duty to review the $100 billion plan. The Speaker of the House has admitted that fact on record during a recorded public meeting. I have a copy of the video in which he says in no uncertain terms that no one in the legislature reviewed the proposal. I urge the City Council to reconsider the no-tolls resolution and modify it to express their concern about the legislatures irresponsible failure to vet the $100 billion spending plan. I would suggest something such as: Whereas the Speaker of the House has publicly acknowledged the legislature has failed to review and vet the long-range spending that is the biggest factor contributing to the forecasted STF deficit we urge the legislature to suspend the debate on tolling and focus on the spending which it has failed to even cursorily examine. This is gross negligence and can be remedied only by the legislature fully vetting the record-breaking spending behind the need for tolls. The only remedy is to suspend the tolls debate and vet the record-breaking spending plan before any vote on tolls is taken. Councilors, prove you mean what you said when you refused to vote on the no-tolls resolution. Send a message to Hartford! LenSuzio is a former state senator and vice-chair of the Transportation Committee. The frigate Bangpakong and the frigate Naresuan of the Royal Thai Navy have ended their unofficial visit to Vladivostok, the first in 15 years, the information support group of the Primorye region said. The frigate Bangpakong and the frigate Naresuan of the Royal Thai Navy have ended their unofficial visit to Vladivostok, the first in 15 years, the information support group of the Primorye region said. The R-14 missile boat during sea military exercises (Picture Source: Russian Navy) "The business call began on April 13. The sailors (of the frigate Bangpakong and the frigate Naresuan) and students of Royal Thai Navy schools met Admiral Sergey Avakyants, the Pacific Fleet commander," it said. The Russian R-14 missile boat escorted the Thai frigates to the fringe of the Russian territorial waters where the Thai frigates and Russian warships drilled joint tactical manoeuvres and trained to establish communication. Later on, the Russian and Thai warships held a special parting ceremony in the Sea of Japan. This is part of the Russian programme that aims to reinforce the partnerships between Russia and Asian countries. Copyright 2019 TASS. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), has launched the first of a new class of four Royal Malaysian Navy littoral mission ships (LMS). China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), has launched the first of a new class of four Royal Malaysian Navy littoral mission ships (LMS). The RMN LMS Keris (Number 111) during its launching ceremony (Picture Source: Royal Malaysian Navy) The vessel was launched on April 15 and was named Keris, with pennant number 111. Keris is the first LMS to be built under an RM1.17 billion (US$ 265 million) contract from March 2017. Under the contract, Malaysias Boustead Naval Shipyard is cooperating with CSIC on the delivery of the ships. Designed in China, the first Littoral Mission Ships are being built and delivered in China in 2019 and 2020. The remaining two vessels will be built and delivered in Malaysia in 2021. The 68.8-meter vessels are part of the Malaysian Navys transformation plan that intends to bring down the number of ship classes operated by the Navy from 15 to 5. Many of the current classes are now obsolete and present an expensive upkeeping challenge. LMS will displace about 700 tons and will be capable of accommodating a containerized mission module aft. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: Shares of Jet Airways on Thursday became a punching bag for traders; it touched 52-week low on BSE and 10-year low on NSE. With the airline temporarily shutting operations and given that the bidding process will likely conclude only in second week of May, traders who held onto Jets scrip all along despite evident signs of a long, slow grind, eventually lost cool Thursday, sending it to a free fall. Intraday, the scrip plunged 34.62 per cent to touch a 52-week low of Rs 158.10, but settled eventually at Rs 163.90, 32.23 per cent below its previous close on BSE. On NSE, they sank 31 per cent to close at Rs 165.75. A total of 60.41 lakh shares were traded on BSE and over 5 crore shares on NSE. In all, Jets market valuation eroded by more than Rs 1,000 crore to settle at Rs 1,862 crore on BSE. Thursdays free fall is a departure from the recent trend. Shares rose about 10 per cent in the past six months, while over 10,000 retail investors bought Jets shares on hopes of a turnaround. Jets lenders said in a statement that they were reasonably hopeful of a successful bidding process for stake sale. The binding bids from prospective investors are expected to come in by April 30. ALSO READ | Rival airlines spread wings to buffer Jet Airways fall Curiously, foreign portfolio investors, who are extremely sensitive to uncertainties, increased their exposure to Jet Airways in the just-concluded March 2019 quarter. As per the companys latest shareholding pattern, FPIs stake rose from a negligible 1.47 per cent to 3.10 per cent. With Jet grounding operations until it finds a new investor, it remains to be seen if there will be a flight of FPI capital this quarter. By ANI NEW DELHI: Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya on Friday urged Indian media to file an RTI against the State Bank of India (SBI) to ascertain how much money it has spent on the legal fees of the lawyers while recovering money from him in the United Kingdom. "Whilst media love sensational headlines, why doesn't anybody ask the PSU State Bank of India under RTI on how much they are spending on legal fees trying to recover money from me in the United Kingdom (UK) when I have offered 100 per cent payback in India," Mallya tweeted. To further substantiate his point, he said: "Assets belonging to me in the UK were sold and the costs of sale were almost 50 per cent of value. The remaining assets yet to be sold won't cover legal costs. So what's this all about? To enrich UK Lawyers?" He also demanded an answer from the public sector bank on the same lines. READ HERE: Vijay Mallya laments 'airline karma' in message for cash-strapped Jet Airways Mallya also accused the SBI Lawyers representing SBI in the UK of "making presentations on their accomplishments against him" at the "cost of Indian taxpayers' money." Mallya is facing trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. On April 8, a United Kingdom court had denied permission to the liquor baron to appeal against his extradition order to India to face trial for alleged fraud and money laundering amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola on Thursday said the 440 slots vacated by Jet Airways at Delhi and Mumbai airports would be allocated to other airlines for a three month period and 30 new planes were being inducted by them to ensure minimum disruption in the aviation airspace despite Jet shutting shop. SpiceJet on Thursday announced it will induct six more Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft on dry lease. These six aircraft are in addition to the 16 B737s and 5 Bombardier Q400s that the airline will soon induct. The total number of planes to be inducted in the immediate future now stands at 27. SpiceJet has applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for a No objection certificate (NOC) to import the planes. Subject to regulatory approvals the aircraft would begin joining SpiceJets fleet in the next ten days. Separately, state-owned Air India is looking at leasing five of the Jet Airways Boeing 777s and operate them to London, Dubai and Singapore. We are exploring the possibility of operating five of the grounded B777s on the established routes, hitherto operated by Jet Airways, Air India chairman and managing director Ashwani Lohani wrote to SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar on April 17-the day the private carrier went belly up, PTI reported. Earlier in the week IndiGo, countrys largest carrier, which has very aggressive expansion plans had announced the addition of domestic flights from Mumbai and Delhi.Kharola said after a meeting with airline representatives that there were 280 vacant slots at Mumbai and over 160 at Delhi airport, which would be allotted to other airlines for a period of three months. Slots will be allocated for a period of three months. Airlines getting extra capacity will get preference in slot allocation, the secretary said. The slots would be allocated by a committee, comprising officials from the DGCA, Airports Authority of India (AAI) and respective airports in a rational, fair and equitable manner.He also pointed out that airlines were in the process of adding more planes to the fleet to fill in the gaps created by Jet. About 75 planes have been grounded in the domestic sector in the last few months. DGCA is monitoring the situation. We have been able to induct around 55 planes as of now, he told mediapersons. Egypts interior ministry said on Friday it would release 404 prisoners as part of a presidential pardon issued earlier this year. The ministry will release 136 prisoners after an assessment of their cases was made by a special committee, it said in a statement on its official Facebook page. It will grant conditional release to 268 others, it added. In January, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi issued a decree pardoning a number of prisoners on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the 2011 revolution and of Police Day, both of which fall on 25 January. Last month, the ministry said it was releasing 408 people as part of the same decision. Conditional release includes requirements that prisoners report to a police station on a regular basis, or are subject to police supervision in other ways. The presidential decree instructed the interior ministry to examine the cases of the prisoners to determine those who deserve pardon. President El-Sisi issues pardons several times a year, usually on major national and religious holidays. Earlier this week, he decreed that a number of prisoners be released on the occasion of Sinai Liberation Day, which falls next Thursday. The decree was published in the countrys official gazette on Tuesday. A ministry committee has yet to decide on the number of those to be released. Search Keywords: Short link: By PTI NEW DELHI: Unfazed by the ban on TikTok in India, the popular Chinese short video app's parent ByteDance remains "very optimistic" and plans to invest USD 1 billion in the country over the next three years. ByteDance - touted to be among the world's most valuable startups with investors like SoftBank, General Atlantic, KKR and Sequoia on board - also offers platforms like Helo and Vigo Video in India. Speaking to PTI, ByteDance Director (International Public Policy) Helena Lersch said the company has been strengthening its content moderation policies over the last many months. "We are obviously disappointed by the current developments, but we are also very optimistic that we will resolve this issue. We remain committed to our Indian users. As a company, we are looking to invest USD 1 billion over the next three years in India, that is how bullish we will remain to be here," she said. The company would also be increasing the number of employees in India to 1,000 people by the end of this year. TikTok, which allows users to create short videos and share them, has more than 120 million users in India and is popular among youngsters. The Madras High Court on April 3 had directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, saying it was evident from media reports that pornography and inappropriate content were made available through such mobile apps. Following the Supreme Court's refusal to stay the Madras High Court order, tech giants Google and Apple removed TikTok from their app stores in India to prohibit further downloads of the app. Those who have already downloaded the app would be able to continue using it on their phones. Lersch declined to comment on court proceedings as the matter is subjudice. The hearing of the matter is scheduled for April 22 in the Supreme Court and for April 24 in the Madras High Court. India is a critical market for social media platforms given the large population of 1.3 billion people. With increasing availability of affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, the country is also the largest mobile data consumer market globally - an opportunity that global tech companies are vying to tap into. "We, as a company, abide by local laws, but we also want to be culturally appropriate. We have a content moderation team in India. We increased the capacity of our content moderation team globally by 400 per cent last year because we were prepared for the growth," she added. According to her, the company has a a two-step approach for content moderation. "First is a tech approach - a machine learning tool that filters content and then it goes to a content moderation team. In India, the team speaks 14 languages. I think, it is fundamentally important that the team is based in the country and speaks local languages to make culturally relevant decisions," she said. Around six million videos have been taken off the platform for violating its community guidelines, she added. Besides planned USD 1 billion investment, Lersche said the company would be ramping up headcount to 1,000 people by December 2019. "(About) 25 per cent of that will be just content moderation, which means there is full-time moderation staff based in India. We have around 250 full-time staff (right now) but we are very growing that rapidly," she added. By Express News Service BENGALURU: Amid a fierce battle between BJP and Congress to clinch a victory in Bangalore constituencies, the polling day witnessed a relatively calmer and peaceful voting. Bangalore North constituency witnessed 51.26 per cent poll turnout by the end of the day. While voting started in a slow in areas like Malleshwaram, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, K R Puram, it picked up pace in the afternoon. (Clockwise from top): Sisters Vibha and Vindhya pose with their twins after casting their votes at a polling booth in Basavanagudi; a young voter shows her inked finger; a transgender poses for a photograph after casting her vote | pics: NAGARAJA GADEKAL/pandarinath b/pushkar v However, all was not sunny with several voters complaining of their names being deleted from the voters list across several constituencies. In Rajarajeshwari Nagar government school, more than 50 voters got into arguments with polling officials after learning their names were deleted despite having EPIC cards. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Ramamurthy, from Rajarajeshwari Nagar said, "I have my EPIC card and I had casted my vote in past election also, but this time I am denied a vote as my name has been deleted." However, the first time voters were seen rejoicing as they were able to experience casting votes for the first time. Vinay Madhavan, a 1st year B.Com student, said, "As a youngster, I would like to see better employment opportunities. For this, I would like to elect a youth icon who has promised better a future." By PTI BENGALURU: Karnataka BJP Friday alleged that names of at least two lakh voters here were deleted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls and demanded stringent action against the 'black sheep' who played the mischief. "When I visited various polling booths Thursday, I noticed that at least 50,000 to 60,000 names were deleted from the electoral roll. In all, two lakh votes were deleted in Bengaluru," former deputy chief minister R Ashok claimed during a press conference. He said there were huge discrepancies in the electoral roll prepared after March 16, which was the last date of updating the voter list. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The electoral roll was prepared by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city civic body. In the two lists, at least four or five names were deleted in each sheet of paper, Ashok alleged. Seeking to know the basis behind deletion, Ashok asked the authorities whether people gave applications to remove the names from the electoral roll or did the authorities give notices to people prior to removing their names. "You zeroed in on the BJP voters and deleted their names. It had never happened in the past on such a large- scale. You could have removed those names while printing the electoral rolls but it was not done then. All of a sudden, you removed all those names you suspected were of BJP voters," he charged. The Padmanabhanagar MLA cited the example of an NRI from America who flew down to Bengaluru only to cast his vote and was shocked to find his name deleted. Another student from Manipal found his name missing when he came here to exercise his franchise. "The election commission should inquire into the matter. Find out the black sheep in the BBMP and take action against them. They must be punished," he said. "People spent lakhs of rupees to come to India to cast vote. They are those who tell us the value of votes but when they come here, we tell them they can't vote. This is sheer injustice, a sin," he said. Meanwhile, the chief electoral officer of Karnataka Sanjiv Kumar told PTI that he would get the matter inquired. He, however, demanded specific complaints with details so that an inquiry could be held. Someone is exaggerating that many deletions happened, Kumar said. Arshad Khan By Express News Service NEW DELHI: The mood was sombre. They swayed between hope and complete hopelessness, a tear here and there, giving away the pain in their hearts and holding placards that said Hear our cry, let 9W fly. Wrecked and clueless on what the future holds, the employees of grounded Jet Airways gathered for a silent protest on Thursday. Ankit Kapoor, 33 (name changed) flew countless flights over 11 years as a steward but faces an uncertain future with a newborn at home. Theres no job in the offing, he mumbled. While most international carriers are not even considering us, domestic ones are bluntly exploiting us. A leading carrier that I approached a few days ago said I am too old to join their crew, Kapoor said. Standing next to him, a newly inducted female steward said that everyone in her group had applied elsewhere, with no luck. Lets see what happens. I dont know what to do when my savings are gone and I am still jobless, she said, with tears trickling down her face. ALSO READ | Rival airlines spread wings to buffer Jet Airways fall I loved working here. It was like a family to me. Every morning I looked forward to flying. Never dreamed that such a day would come, she addedI am living on my provident fund, said a pilot. If we dont receive our salaries in the next one-two months, I would have to break some of my investments, he said. Those who have taken loans are in dire straits. Many are considering pulling out their children from reputed schools, while some are worried over the medical bills of their parents. Anxiety over Jet refunds The Jet crisis has not only spoilt the travel plans of tens of thousands of flyers, it has also caused anxiety with money stuck in refunds, which may take weeks if not months to come by. By IANS HYDERABAD: In a bid to speed up the development of drones in India, Japan-based Terra Drone Corporation, Terra Drone India and the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, on Thursday announced that they have signed a pact to establish a first-of-its-kind Centre of Excellence for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in India. According to the tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the centre will be set up at IIT Hyderabad. "We are creating a unique educational ecosystem that combines interactive learning with cutting-edge research, strong industry collaboration and entrepreneurship," said Dr UB Desai, Director, IIT Hyderabad. ALSO READ: IITian recreates the illusion of Perumthachan's Pond "We are excited about developing drone-based solutions for domains like 5G communication, agriculture, transportation and Artificial Intelligence (AI), said Desai. With its presence in six continents and more than 20 countries, Terra Drone Corporation is one of the world's largest providers of industrial drone solutions. The company is at the forefront of several innovations in the aviation industry, including promoting the application of AI technologies in drones and providing advisory services to the ongoing 'flying car' project in Japan. ALSO READ: IIT Hyderabad researchers find Antarctic fungi that could help in treating leukaemia "As the world's fastest-growing major economy, the potential for commercial drone market in India is huge," noted Toru Tokushige, CEO, Terra Drone Corporation. Part of the Terra Drone Group, Terra Drone India offers a complete sales-service-support module for the drone ecosystem in India. "The UAV ecosystem in India is rapidly evolving and drones are set to become an integral part of future working environments in several industries," said Prateek Srivastava, CEO, Terra Drone India. Terra Drone will support IIT Hyderabad to organise workshops, seminars, lectures and joint projects that leverage cutting-edge unmanned technologies and drone LiDAR systems. Terra Drone India would also offer internship programmes to talented students and prepare them for the real-world technology applications. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: THE city-based woman, who was stranded at Amman airport in Jordan due to her expired passport, returned home early Thursday morning. Buoyed by her return, the womans family appreciated the quick response and action taken by External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj. According to her brother Mohd Farooq Ali, 57-year-old Sabiha Mohammed Fazal Ali was married to Yemeni national Yahiya Hadi Ahmed, and was living in Dar al-Hajar in Yemen since 2006.Though her passport had expired in October 2016, she was unable to renew it due to the conflict situation in Yemen, he said. When she planned to return to Hyderabad, she was told by the travel agents that she could still travel with her expired passport. She even boarded a flight from Aden International Airport in Jeddah, Yemen on April 16. However, she was detained at Amman in Jordan. When she got off her flight at the Amman airport to take the connecting flight for Hyderabad, she was stopped by the airport authorities because of her expired passport, the brother said. Farooq stated that the Ministry of External Affairs had responded to his call for help within hours. He expressed his gratitude to the minister for her quick response. Merin Mariya By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When congenital heart diseases among infants are on the rise, a total of 840 cases were registered in the state in 2019 among which 130 infant operation cases were reported. In April, 180 cases were registered according to the data revealed by 'Hridayam' initiative of the government of Kerala. "Congenital heart disease can affect the shape and the functioning of the heart. Early intervention is possible only if it is visible in the pregnancy screening. In most cases the disease is identified after birth. Sometimes symptoms reveal themselves only weeks after birth which reduces the chances of rescue. Eco-cardiography is advised between 18 to 22 weeks - critical heart diseases can be identified with this imaging test," said Dr Lakshmi S, associate professor, pediatric cardiology, SAT, Medical College. A certain case of the congenital heart disease includes the left side of the heart being unable to form. According to Dr Lakshmi, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) is not salvageable in most cases and it needs a three-step surgical procedure or even a heart transplant in some cases. Similarly, Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome (HRHS) is also observed as one of the most critical heart diseases among infants. "If the case of HRHS is identified earlier we often give parents an option to terminate the child in the womb itself as the chances for the child to survive are very less. In some cases, planned delivery is advised where the mother will be taken to a Tertiary referral hospital," she added. Dr A Santhoshkumar, head of paediatrics, Medical College, opined even though infants with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) are taken to hospital, the chances of them surviving after the surgery is doubtful. "We cannot assure the quality of life after the surgery. Depending on the disease some might not survive in the long run," he said. By IANS HYDERABAD: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday alleged that the BJP is insulting martyrs like police officer Hemant Karkare who died fighting terrorists during the Mumbai 26/11 attack. Reacting strongly to Malegaon blast accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's remark that former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare had treated her badly and died because of her "curse", Owaisi, in a tweet, said: "Hemant Karkare died fighting people not very different from yourself. "He didn't die because a terror accused 'felt bad' & 'cursed' him. The man died fighting to protect our rights to vote & elect a government How dare BJP insult our martyrs like this?" Thakur, the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, alleged that Karkare falsely implicated her in the case. Karkare was heading the probe into the blast that killed six people and injured over 100. The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had arrested Thakur and others belonging to a Hindu extremist group on October 24, 2008. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE A little over a month later, Karkare was killed while fighting terrorists who had attacked Mumbai. In May 2016, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet filed in Malegaon case gave clean chit to Thakur. She was later granted bail on health grounds. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded her from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh against Congress party's senior leader Digvijaya Singh. Owaisi earlier slammed BJP for Sadhvi describing the election as 'dharamyuddha' (religious war). "Elections are elections, not dharmayuddha. But how's BJP to know that? They make everything a question of dharma/astha as if that's what'll create jobs. What if a 'daadhi-topiwala' Asad had said this is jehad? Wonder which pole he'd be hanging by now," he asked. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief also castigated the BJP for fielding the terror accused. "A terror accused has been rehabilitated by BJP. The brazenness of must be astounding to outsiders; but we are discussing it like it is routine political strategy This is the BJP's 'zero tolerance' policy against terrorism," tweeted Owaisi, who is seeking re-election from Hyderabad for a fourth consecutive term. By Online Desk In repentance for his mistake, a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supporter chopped off his finger after he voted for the BJP by mistake on Thursday in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections 2019. Pawan Kumar, the 25-year-old Dalit youth, who hails from Abdullapur Hulsapur village in Uttar Pradesh's Bulandshahr constituency wanted to hit the button for the BSP but instead pressed the button for the BJP. He ended up voting for BJP candidate Bhola Singh instead of casting his ballot in favour of Yogesh Kumar, the SP-BSP-RLD candidate. Upon realising his mistake he cut off his finger. Kumar was rushed to a hospital and soon discharged after his treatment. He later released a video of the incident on social media. Over 62 per cent of the votes were cast in the eight constituencies which went to the polls in Uttar Pradesh in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday. After the first two phases, polling is now over for 16 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in the politically crucial state. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: Emotional gestures spoke louder than words at the SP-BSP mega rally in Mainpuri when two regional titans SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati shared the stage at the historic Christian College grounds in the Yadav heartland, leaving their over two and a half decade animosity behind them on Friday. A frail but not fragile Mulayam, 79, on one hand, made an emotional vote appeal for himself, on the other, he exhorted his cadre to safeguard the pride and prestige of Behan Mayawati ji. As soon as Netaji, as Mulayam is popularly known among his supporters, extended gratitude to the generous BSP chief for coming to Manipuri to seek support in his favour, the decades-long dissent, differences and derision dissipated in no time. ALSO READ | It's time to take away 'Chowkidar's chowki': Akhilesh's latest jibe at PM Modi The bonhomie was palpable, which was unimaginable till recently, among the cheering cadre of the grand alliance amid slogans likeSapa, basapa aye hai, nayee ummedein layee hai (SP and BSP have come with new hopes) and jsika jalwa kayam hai, uska naam Mulayam hai -- with Mayawati reciprocating each word uttered by Netaji with an ear-to-ear grin. I greet and welcome Mayawati ji and I am highly obliged and grateful to her that she has come to Mainpuri in my support, said Mulayam. Yeh mera aadesh hai ki Mayawatiji ke samman ki sada raksha kijiyega (This is my order to you to safeguard Mayawatiji prestige always), Mulayam exhorted his cadre while addressing his first ever rally in this poll season. The SP patriarch, who was believably reluctant to join the mega show till the last moment but was finally convinced by son Akhilesh, ended his brief speech on an emotional note. He appealed his supporters to ensure his victory in his last electoral battle with a record and historic mandate. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE The stage was then handed over to equally courteous Mayawati who heaped praises on Mulayam as the dharti putra. She sought support and votes for Mulayam calling him a true leader who had served the backwards and down trodden throughout his life with all sincerity and genuineness unlike PM Narendra Modi whom she called a fake backward and jumlebaz. However, the BSP chief couldnt help bringing the guest house episode of June 2, 1995 back to the discourse. Claiming that she had already done a lot of explaining over clinching a tie-up with SP despite guest house episode, Mayawati said Sometimes for the national and social cause, some difficult decisions have to be taken. In order to neutralise the impact of Shivpals rebellion, Mayawati, in no uncertain terms, called Mulayam an unchallenged torch bearer of backwards in the region as he put his entire life to their service. However, the major portion of Mayawatis speech was focused on the failures of Modi government and the Congress rule of seven decades during which she claimed the national parties did not do anything for the betterment of backwards and downtrodden. She condemned Congress approach of distributing cash to poor under their NYAY scheme saying if a government ruled by her party would come at Centre, she would ensure jobs in government and private sector to poor and deprived instead of helping them with cash. Meanwhile, Akhilesh, who now hold full command on the Samajwadi Party with ailing and old Mulayam making way for Gen X and Shivpal having parted ways, ensured smooth conductance of the mega show in Mainpuri. Seeking support for his father, Akhilesh launched an attack on Modi government over joblessness, farmers distress, lack of development. He exhorted the alliance supporters to uproot Modi government. Hence the tie-up cobbled up by the SP and BSP in January, this year, was accomplished in Mainpuri on Friday with the blessing of Mulayam who had been airing his dissent over the pact often openly. Egyptians are voting Saturday thru Monday at home on the proposed amendments to the 2014 Constitution, which were overwhelmingly approved by the parliament The referendum on the constitutional amendments is taking place over three days due to the increased number of eligible voters in the country, the head of Egypt's Election Authority Lasheen Ibrahim said on Friday. More than 61 million Egyptians are eligible to vote in the referendum, Judge Lasheen said in an interview with Al-Ahram Daily. Egyptians at home begin voting on Saturday, with polls closing for them on Monday. Meanwhile, expatriates began voting at Egyptian embassies abroad on Friday, with polls closing for them on Sunday. The current constitution was voted on in a two-day referendum in 2014. Egyptians are voting on the proposed amendments to the 2014 charter, which were overwhelmingly approved by the parliament on Tuesday ,with 531 out of 596 members in favour, 22 against and one abstention. On the presidency, the amendments include changing the length of presidential terms to six instead of four years under the 2014 charter. They also extend the second term of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, which is set to end in 2022, by two years, and allow him to run for the office for another term in 2024. El-Sisi was first elected president in 2014 and was re-elected last year in a landslide victory where he secured 97 percent of the vote. The amendments also allocate a quarter of the seats in parliament to women. Around 20,000 judges will supervise the voting process at ballot boxes, and 55 local civil society groups, five foreign non-government organisations and three national councils will monitor the vote, Lasheen told Al-Ahram Daily. Judge lasheen Ibrahim Vote counting is scheduled to start at the end of the last voting day, on Monday. The amendments would pass based on the absolute majority of valid votes, without requiring a quorum, per the constitution, Lasheen explained. Those who back the changes say they are important for the stability of a country, and to allow the president more time to carry out his economic development plans. Critics say the changes will lead to increased presidential powers. The Egyptian authorities have heightened security across the country ahead of the vote. The interior ministry said it is adopting an extensive plan to "maintain security and order and deal with any attempt to "disturb peace and security." Those who will abstain from voting will be subject to existing laws that criminalize voting abstention, Lasheen said. On Thursday, Egypts Religious Endowments Minister Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa called on Egyptians to go to the polls, saying participation is a national duty. The election authority has issued a number of regulations governing media coverage of the vote, including forbidding journalists from asking voters which way they are voting on the package of amendments. Lasheen said the regulations are not meant to impose restrictions but rather to guarantee a regular and smooth process. A special committee has been tasked with identifying violations. Egyptians who live in governorates outside of their local election constituencies can still vote at special polling station reserved for out-of-governorate voters, according to Lasheen. The election authority has set up special polling stations in industrial zones, in the under-construction New Administrative Capital Egypt east of Cairo, and at sites of other national megaprojects, to allow construction workers to vote. New polling stations have also been set at Cairo International Airport and at major railway stations to draw more voters, and arrangements made at stations to accomodate citizens with special needs. Egyptians living abroad began voting at diplomatic missions around the world earlier on Friday. They have until Sunday to cast their votes. The amendments being voted on this weekend also give the president new powers to appoint members of the judiciary, and would create a second chamber of parliament, the Senate, with one-third of its members to be appointed by the president. The amendments also assign the armed forces of the country the role of "safeguarding the constitution and democracy and the fundamental makeup of the country and its civil nature, the gains of the people and the rights and freedoms of individuals. They reintroduce the post of vice president, allowing the head of state to appoint one or more vice presidents, and allocate at least a quarter of the seats in parliament to women. Search Keywords: Short link: By IANS KOLKATA: More than 90 per cent polling stations will be covered by the Central Forces in the third phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, said Ajay V. Nayak, Special Observer appointed by the Election Commission, here on Friday. "We had requested for 50 additional companies and the Union Home Ministry agreed to send the Force. So more than 90 per cent of the polling stations will be covered by the Central Forces. I think the election will be more and more to the satisfaction of all the political parties, " Nayak told reporters here. According to Nayak, around 50 per cent booths were manned by the Central Forces in the first phase. "The number was increased to almost 80 per cent in the second phase. And the results were apparent." Asked about reports of a nodal officer going missing in Nadia, he said: "I think it has something to do with his personal life and probably he was in depression. As he is not around, I am told another officer has been given the charge." Voters in five constituencies -- Malda North, Malda South, Jangipur, Murshidabad and Balurghat -- will cast their votes in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal on April 23. By Online Desk Former Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, who quit the party on Friday after the reinstatement of some party workers who had misbehaved with her, joined the Shiv Sena in Mumbai. "I know I will be held accountable for my past statements and my views and that how I came to this conclusion but I would like to say that this decision of joining Shiv Sena I have taken after a lot of thought," Chaturvedi said after joining the Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit. "Shiv Sena workers have got a good sister in Chaturvedi," party chief Uddhav Thackeray said during the press conference in Western Mumbai suburb of Bandra. Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray too welcomed Ms Chaturvedi into the party in an event at the Shiv Sena president's residence. "Not true that I quit Congress after being denied Lok Sabha ticket," she clarified. Addressing a press meet, Chaturvedi said: I have always been vocal about women empowerment and safety. But I was trolled and abused. My family was threatened. I was sad when I saw a few party leaders attack me. They were suspended earlier by the party. But by reinstating them later, I felt let down. I realised that I will fail several women if I continue." "She has a fighting spirit and in her Shiv Sainiks have got a good sister," Thackeray added. "She had very aggressively put forth her previous party's stand in national media and I'm sure she will keep doing so for the Shiv Sena as well," he further said. "Being a Mumbaikar I've always had a soft corner for Shiv Sena," Ms Chaturvedi said during the presser. "I had conveyed the ordeal I had to face to the party leadership. Yet, when the troublemakers were reinstated after being suspended, that hurt me more," she said while explaining her reason to quit Congress. I am absolutely overwhelmed and grateful with the love and support I have got across board from the nation in the past 3 days. I consider myself blessed with this immense outpouring of support. Thank you to all who have been a part of this journey. pic.twitter.com/WhUYYlwHLj Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 19, 2019 In her resignation letter, Chaturvedi said, "In the last few weeks, certain things have convinced me that my services are not valued in the organization and I have reached the end of the road. At the same time, I also feel the more time I spend in the organization will be at the cost of my own self-respect and dignity." The letter, copied to K C Venugopal and Randeep Surjewala, read, "What saddens me is that despite the safety, dignity, empowerment of women being promoted by the party and has been your call to action the same is not reflected in the action of some of the members of the party." Chaturvedi, who quit from all the posts in Congress, sent her resignation to the party's top brass. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about the posts she held in the party. She left the party's WhatsApp groups as well. Earlier this week, Chaturvedi expressed her displeasure over the party's decision to take back some of its old timers who were expelled for misbehaving with her. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence [sic] in @incindia [Congress] over those who have given their sweat & blood," Chaturvedi tweeted in a strongly-worded post. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 She further added: Having faced brickbats & abuse across the board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. Earlier the Congress Committee of Uttar Pradesh had thrown out some of its leaders for their alleged unruly behaviour with Priyanka Chaturvedi in Mathura while she was attending a press conference. However, keeping in view the ongoing election process, the party has decided to reinstate those leaders within a few days after a reported intervention of Congress national general secretary and western UP in-charge Jyotiraditya Scindia. Chaturvedi had also been seeking the Congress ticket from Mumbai (North West). She has been trending on social media for her "Kyunki Mantri Bhi Kabhi Graduate Thi" jibe at Union minister Smriti Irani, who is contesting from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh against Congress president Rahul Gandhi. (With Inputs from ENS and Agencies) By Online Desk The Madhya Pradesh Election Commision on Friday said a complaint has been received against BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha seat candidate Sadhvi Pragya Thakur for her comments on 26/11 martyr and former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare. "Complaint received against BJP Lok Sabha candidate for Bhopal, Pragya Singh Thakur, for her comments on 26/11 martyr (former Mumbai ATS Chief Hemant Karkare). Cognizance taken. The matter is under enquiry," Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer was quoted as saying. Pragya Thakur, whose candidature is already controversial as she is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, had said Karkare died during the Mumbai terror attacks because he had treated her "very badly", earning her curse. "Hemant Karkare falsely implicated me (in the Malegaon blast case). He died of his karma. I told him, he'll be destroyed. I told him his entire dynasty will be erased," Pragya said. Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008. An investigation team probing the case summoned Karkare and asked when you don't have evidence, then you should release her (Thakur). If there is no evidence, then keeping her in custody wrong, the member of the investigation team told Karkare, alleged Thakur, while addressing the gathering of BJP workers on Thursday evening. But Karkare responded, even if I don't have the evidence, I'll bring it or even create it, but won't release her (Thakur). This was his (Karkares) kutilta (hatred), desh droh (anti-national) and dharma viruddh (against religion). He used to repeatedly question me in the case, but I only answered god knows. So, he once asked will I've to travel to god to get the answer to my questions. I replied to him if need arose, you'll have to go to god. He unleashed brutality on me and regularly gave me abuses, so I cursed him that youll be destroyed." The day a child is born or someone dies a sutak (inauspicious period) of a month and fifteen days begins. The day I was illegally detained in the case in 2008, the sutak (one month and 15 days period had begun) and the sutak ended in time with his killing by the terrorists later, said Thakur amid claps from those assembled. #WATCH Pragya Singh Thakur:Maine kaha tera (Mumbai ATS chief late Hemant Karkare) sarvanash hoga.Theek sava mahine mein sutak lagta hai. Jis din main gayi thi us din iske sutak lag gaya tha.Aur theek sava mahine mein jis din atankwadiyon ne isko maara, us din uska anth hua (18.4) pic.twitter.com/COqhEW2Bnc ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 Thakurs controversial statements drew severe criticism from various quarters. Chief spokesperson of the Congress party Randeep Surjewala said only an apology from PM Modi and action against Pragya can undo the insult. "Modi ji, only BJP leaders can commit the crime of declaring 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare a traitor," Surjewala tweeted. "This is an insult to every Indian soldier who has sacrificed his life for Mother India while fighting terrorism. Apologise to the country and take action against Pragya," he added. Senior Congress leader Manak Agrawal, who is the spokesperson of Congress candidate Digvijaya Singh also condemned the statements made by Thakur on a martyr. Reacting to Pragya's statement, Digvijay Singh said, "Hemant Karkare was a dedicated officer. He laid down his life for the country and we should be proud of him. No one should comment on it." The IPS Officers Association too condemned the BJP candidate's remarks against the late police officer. "Ashok Chakra awardee late Sri Hemant Karkare, IPS made the supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists. Those of us in uniform condemn the insulting statement made by a candidate and demand that sacrifices of all our martyrs be respected," the association tweeted. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal hit out at Pragya for her "disgraceful" comments. "Disgraceful comments by BJP's Bhopal Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Thakur on 26/11 martyr Hemant Karkare ji need to be condemned in strongest terms. BJP is showing its true colours & it must be shown it's place now," he tweeted. Out on bail, Pragya has been discharged by a court on charges under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) in the 2008 case, but is still facing trial under other criminal provisions, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Pragya Thakur is among the seven accused facing trial in Malegaon blast case. Six people were killed and a dozen others were injured after a bomb placed on a motorcycle exploded in Maharashtra's Malegaon on September 29, 2008. READ HERE | Sadhvi Pragya breaks down at BJP meet; recalls 'torture' in custody She was arrested in 2008 but was given a clean chit by the National Investigation Agency in 2015 for lack of evidence. However, the trial court refused to let her off, saying it was difficult to accept since her motorcycle was used in the blast. Pragya will fight the Lok Sabha polls on a BJP ticket from Bhopal against Congress' Digvijaya Singh. On Thursday, the father of one of the victims of the Malegaon blast had moved the special NIA court urging them to bar prime accused Pragya from contesting the Lok Sabha election. FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE (With inputs from Agencies and ENS) By PTI KRISHNAGAR: A nodal officer of the Election Commission in charge of EVMs and VVPATs posted at Krishnagar under Ranaghat parliamentary constituency of West Bengal is missing for over 24 hours, police said Friday. Arnab Roy(30) left his official quarters here for his poll duty at Bipradas Choudhury Polytechnic College Thursday morning but was not spotted since afternoon, a senior Nadia police officer told PTI. His vehicle was, however, found parked outside the college here, he said. Election Commission special observer in West Bengal Ajay Naik told journalists, "I have been told that he is not around. But I think his missing has something to do with his personal life." FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Sources in Nadia district police said that his two mobile phones are switched off and their last location was detected to be near Shantipur. "After Shantipur his location could not be detected as his phones were switched off. This is making it difficult for us to locate him," another police officer said. Initial investigation revealed that Roy, had an alleged tiff with Nadia District Magistrate Sumit Gupta, who was also his neighbour, a few days ago on some operational duties in connection with the elections. When contacted Gupta denied having any altercation with Roy. "Whoever has told you such a thing has given wrong information. Nothing has happened between us. We have initiated a search for him," Gupta told PTI. After a failed search, the district administration lodged a complaint with the kotwali police station at Krishnanagar, the police officer said. Roy's wife too lodged a complaint. Election Commission sources said that a report was sought from the district magistrate on Roy going missing and a replacement in place of Roy has been already made. Ranaghat Parliamentary constituency, considered to be a stronghold of Trinamool Congress, will go to polls of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in the fourth phase on April 29. Sumi Sukanya dutta By Express News Service NEW DELHI: Only institutions that have had a hospital functioning for at least three years will now be allowed to start MBBS courses and open medical colleges, the medical education regulator has now ruled. Senior officials in the Medical Council of India-Board of Governor (MCI-BOG) told this newspaper that the norm was in place until 2011, but was relaxed that year in order to help private colleges, which mostly start offering degrees first and then establish hospitals. It was, however, seen that many private institutes started offering MBBS degrees while also opening hospitals around the same time, and these hospitals were there only in name, an official in the MCI-BOG said. The decision to alter the norm was taken in consultation with the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently in order to ensure quality clinical exposure to medics. At present, a medical college with 100 MBBS seats is required to have a hospital with at least 300 beds. Government data shows that nearly 40 of around 90 medical colleges which got permission to operate since 2011 were denied renewals later following inspections, mainly because the hospitals attached with them were grossly inadequate on several counts. A senior member of the previous MCI board, which was superseded by the current MCI-BOG last year, said that the body had repeatedly asked the health ministry for permission to make the changes due to complaints piling up against many private medical colleges that had hospitals only on paper. We had been writing to the government saying that the MBBS students need quality clinical teaching, and therefore only well-established medical institutions should be permitted to run colleges, but the governments contention was that in order to have more MBBS seats on offer every year, some rules would be required to be eased, he said, requesting anonymity. "Now that a new MBBS syllabus that emphasizes more on hands-on practice for students and clinical, behavioural training, has been adopted, the government has been forced to reinstate a policy and it is a good move. By ANI BHOPAL: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday said that he is not going speak anything about the BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, who is contesting against him from the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency. "I will only say one thing that I am not going to say anything about the BJP candidate," Singh told reporters here when he was asked to comment on the BJP candidate. When asked about Thakur's comment on former Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, the Congress leader said, "I have never criticised my opponent and I am not going to speak regarding her." FOLLOW OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE HERE Speaking on Karkare, Singh said, "The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clearly said that no political comments should be made on Army and martyrs... I want to say that Hemant Karkare was an honest and committed officer who attained martyrdom for the people of Mumbai in a terror attack." On Thursday, Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, said that the former Mumbai ATS chief Hemant Karkare lost his life because she had cursed him. By PTI JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing the caste card in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections for political gains. He said the prime minister was "misleading" the people of the country through "pseudo-nationalism". "Whenever he feels that he is lagging behind, he misleads people by talking about religion, nationalism, Pakistan and him being from the backward class," Gehlot said in a statement issued here. He said Modi was not talking about "real issues" and the people of the country have decided to overthrow the BJP government. FOLLOW OUR ELECTION COVERAGE HERE "Instead of replying to the issues raised by Congress president Rahul Gandhi and the entire opposition in the interest of the nation, Modi is engaged in creating emotional issues. The people have made up their mind and the time for BJP's departure has come," he said. Gehlot accused the prime minister of being an "expert" in presenting facts in a "distorted manner". "Recently, he, in a public meeting in Maharashtra, said the Congress called backward classes 'chor' or thieves but no leader of the Congress party, including Rahul Gandhi, has ever said this, and this can never be said," Gehlot said and added that the "false statement" went against the democratic values. By Online Desk Congress national spokesperson and convenor of party's media cell Priyanka Chaturvedi resigned from the grand old party on Friday. After quitting all the posts in the party, Chaturvedi sent her resignation to the party's top brass. She has also changed her introduction in her Twitter account where she had made a clear mention earlier about the posts she held in the party. Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut told media that Priyanka Chaturvedi would be joining the Shiv Sena today. READ HERE: Priyanka Chaturvedi joins Shiv Sena, says was trolled for pro-women views Earlier this week, Chaturvedi expressed her displeasure over the party's decision to take back some of its old timers who were expelled for misbehaving with her. Screengrab "Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence [sic] in @incindia [Congress] over those who have given their sweat & blood," Chaturvedi tweeted in a strongly-worded post. She adds: Having faced brickbats & abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. Deeply saddened that lumpen goons get prefence in @incindia over those who have given their sweat&blood. Having faced brickbats&abuse across board for the party but yet those who threatened me within the party getting away with not even a rap on their knuckles is unfortunate. https://t.co/CrVo1NAvz2 Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) April 17, 2019 Earlier the Congress Committee of Uttar Pradesh had thrown out some of its leaders for their alleged unruly behaviour with Priyanka Chaturvedi in Mathura while she was attending a press conference. Congress Spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote to Rahul Gandhi, said have resigned from all posts and the primary membership of the party pic.twitter.com/kwk7qO1EyL ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2019 However, keeping in view the ongoing election process, the party has decided to reinstate those leaders within a few days after a reported intervention of Congress national general secretary and in-charge western UP Jyotiraditya Scindia. (With inputs from PTI and Express News Service) Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: In a major strategic shift, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the Grand Alliance, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He claimed that the two parties, along with the BJP, have ruined UP. The Congress chief made the unexpected statement while addressing a public rally in Badaun, the pocket borough of Samajwadis. Adding to his diatribe, Rahul said in order to bring UP back on track, he had appointed Priyanka and Jyotiraditya Scindia, so a Congress government could be formed in the state after next assembly polls in 2022. Calling the SP and BSP leadership darpok (coward), he said, They are scared of PM Modi as they have a history and Modi has the CBI card in his hands. He was explaining why Akhilesh and Mayawati had refrained from calling out the prime minister as Chowkidar chor hai. The Congress is not afraid of CBI. We are working to resurrect the Congress in UP and we will do it, he said.SP and BSP had elbowed the Congress out while cobbling together the UP alliance. However, they left the Rae Bareli and Amethi seats as a goodwill gesture. READ HERE | Ex-Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav says don't divide votes, Congress-BJP are same Rahuls attack on the alliance leaders was seen as an apparent bid to bust the impression that the party had a tacit understanding with the alliance in UP. His tirade assumes significance as he was delivering the speech in SP stronghold, which has Akhileshs cousin Dharmendra Yadav as the sitting MP, who is seeking re-election from the seat. Also, bringing itself in the fight as the third force, Congress has fielded a strong candidate Salim Iqbal Sherwani in Badaun against Dharmendra. Farmers budget Congress president Rahul Gandhi said MSP would be announced in a separate farmers budget which his partys manifesto had promised. He was campaigning in Vanthli in Junagadh district. CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL ELECTION COVERAGE